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Stranded with a Hero (Anthology) – a Review

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Stranded with a Hero (Anthology) – a Review

 

Stranded with a Hero (Anthology)
Authors:Karen Erickson, Coleen Kwan, Cindi Madsen, Roxanne Snopek
Release Date: November 11, 2013
Stranded with a HeroLinks to order Stranded with a Hero:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
“Getting snowed in never felt so good as boundaries are crossed, opposites attract, and friends discovering more, promise a Christmas no one will ever forget.”


Reviews;

This was a very nice anthology of short and sweet romance stories.  It’s the kind of book you can take and make a nice Sunday afternoon out of, while snuggled up by a roaring fire and glass of wine in hand.  I enjoyed all four stories, all were short, fun reads.  All the characters are easy to like and make you want to see them wind up with their HEA in the end.  Each and every story has it’s own flare and flavour to it, and had me getting more and more into the holiday mood, and made me want to bake up a batch of gingerbread cookies myself, and trim my tree all over again.  For anyone who’s looking for quick, fun reads, with sweet holiday romances thrown in, then this anthology is definitely for you.

Here’s a little recap on all four stories. 

Loving Mindy, By Karen Erickson
“Mindy can’t believe she’s stuck with her ex–best friend—and the man whose heart she broke years ago—for the holidays, though the tension between them is more than enough to keep them warm. Josh Powers never forgot Mindy, but he can’t risk his heart a second time.”

This is a short, sweet, and endearing read.  It’s about two friends who had grown apart over the years, loosing their special friendship, only to finally find love during the year’s worst snowstorm.  The story picks up a number of years later and Josh is still hung up on Mindy, but now Mindy’s divorced and raising her kids.  Josh has tried to keep away from Mindy as much as possible since returning home, but thanks to Mindy’s wandering cat, poor Josh winds up crashing his truck into a snowbank outside Mindy’s house. Thanks to Mother Nature, the weather is so bad he can’t get a tow truck.  Josh and Mindy wind up getting snowed in for a few days, and over the course of those days, rekindle their friendship and realize there’s more then meets the eye in regards to the two of them.  It’s fun to see them reunite, become friends again and realize they do have real feelings for each other and that they were meant to be.  Their scenes together are fun and flirty and having it take place around the holidays is just the perfect touch.  Both characters are likeable and their conversations are heartfelt and warm. The emotion in this one hits all the high spots and had me grinning along and wishing I were stranded in a snowstorm with Mr. Right.  

White-Hot Holiday, By Coleen Kwan
“Naomi’s sworn off men like Aaron—rich, cocky, and dismissive of holiday traditions. Aaron decided to spend Christmas in sunny Australia to avoid snowy New York, not to fall for the woman his best friend warned him away from. But when a volcano grounds him, Aaron and Naomi’s relationship becomes eruptive.”

This is another short, fun and flirty read.  Being a Northern Canadian, and being used to being surrounded by snow at least 5 months out of the year had me wondering what it would be like to be someplace like Australia at Christmas time with no snow.  I found myself sympathizing with Aaron whenever he’d be missing the snow and cold from back home.  Who knew it would take being halfway around the world and in balmy Australia for our hero Aaron to realize just what he has back home during the holidays.  It was fun to see his interactions with Naomi, and watch him go from a Ba-Humbug as she calls him, to Jolly ol’ St. Nick over a matter of days. I really liked this story, and enjoyed Naomi and Aaron. I felt they were well suited for each other and the sparks between flew from their first scene.  Their interations and conversations are real and charming and watching him do things he otherwise would never have considered doing before were quite fun.  The scene where they went to find a new Christmas tree, and then when he actually went and helped her at work(selling Christmas gifts) were priceless, yet charming. Oh the things a man will do to impress the girl he’s attracted to. Aaron is definitely a keeper and Naomi realizes this, but can she let go of her past breakup and take the plunge once again.  Thankfully Aaron is very persuasive, and in the end they both get what they are looking for in their HEA.

An Officer and a Rebel, Cindi Madsen
“  The last person police officer Nate Walsh expected to discover in a snowstorm is his brother’s ex and former town rebel, Kelsey Cooper. She’s his complete opposite and totally off-limits, but as they wait out the storm together, all he can think is how he wishes she’d stay forever.”

To keep the flow of fun, flirty and quirky going in this anthology Ms. Madsen hits all the high spots in this one.  You can’t help but love Nate and Kelsey, two polar opposites pretty much, but there’s no denying the chemistry between the two of them. Even though Nate is trying to do the right thing and keep things light between the two of them because she used to date his brother Derek, Nate can’t help his feelings. I felt so bad for Nate, that at one point I started talking to my Kobo telling Nate;”to hell with your brother, go for it already”.  You see Nate was always the golden boy of his family, and town, you know the boy next door, never gets into trouble kinda guy.  So here he is trying to do the right thing till he talks to his brother, but Kelsey’s not having any of it. She’s attracted to Nate, and knows he’s attracted to her, plus he’s pretty much let the cat out of the bag by kissing her and flat out telling her he’s always had a thing for her since highschool. Oh Nate what a tangled web you’ve woven for yourself.  😉   Watching Nate deal with his feelings and with Kelsey is comical at times. I especially enjoyed their snowmobiling scene, poor Nate trying to keep his mind off his feelings for Kelsey while waiting for his brother to text him back, but Kelsey has other plans.  She’s holding on tight, pinching his butt, basically torturing him.  I was LOL at that scene and couldn’t have agreed more with her tactics.  This story had me LOL at times, and other times wanting to slap Nate silly for being the well behaved, good mannered boy next door. All in all, this was a quick, and quirky read. I really enjoyed both characters, and any man who would beg his friend to fly him in his helicopter on New Years Eve to get the woman he wants definitely has my vote for Mr. Right. 

Saving the Sheriff, By Roxanne Snopek
“Frankie Sylva was determined to free the reindeer cruelly held for a holiday roadshow, even if it meant risking her own life. Deputy Sheriff Red LeClair set out to save a stranger in a snowstorm, never expecting he’d be the one to be rescued.”

Once again we have another fun and quirky read with this one.  I found myself smiling and laughing most of the time thanks to Frankie and her sense of humour, antics and ability to just break out into song for almost anything. I’ve never before seen or heard of someone confessing to a crime by breaking out in song.  LOL!!  Well, maybe only in musicals 😉  Frankie is such a quirky character you can’t help but love her.  She is the perfect woman for Red, especially after the hand he’s been dealt by his ex.  Thanks to his ex, poor Red is miserable and pretty much sworn off women, so when he happens upon the whirl wind that his Francesca(Frankie) Slyva, his life gets expectantly turned upside down.  Since Red is currently divorced and not in a Christmas mood, he decides to play housekeeper for his friends and look after their Wild Mustang Santuary, and winds up meeting Frankie. She’s taken a trailer of Caribou and decided to rescue them from a meat packing plant and set them free on the Mustang Santuary property without anyone being the wiser.  However, as luck would have it, Mother Nature has other ideas.  Thanks to a nasty storm that’s moved in, the trailer gets stuck and she has nowhere to go, enter our Sheriff Red LeClair.  While they are waiting out the storm, Red finally learns the truth behind Frankie’s actions, and can’t blame her for what she did.  As they try and work out a plan, to help her, things begin to heat up between the two, and before you know it, they both realize they’ve fallen for the other.  It’s a rather sweet story, with some rather humourous moments, but at other times serious and endearing.  It’s a well balance story with well written characters who just compliment each other to a ‘t’.  I really enjoyed this one, it had me laughing and at other times had me swooning.  Frankie and Red are two wonderful characters who you can’t help but come to love and want to see make it to their HEA.  Along with Frankie and Red, we also meet some secondary characters who wind up adding a little more spice and fun to the story.  I really enjoyed these characters, and now want to go back and read their stories.

All in all this anthology is a winner in my books. I enjoyed each story.  They all had their own special moments and had me rooting for each couple.  Every single one of our hero’s is very swoon-worthy and makes me want to get stranded in a snowstorm and find my Mr. Right.  As for our heroine’s each one is different, but has her own quirks and fun little personalities that bring a nice balance to the relationship.  Like I said earlier, this anthology is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon curled up by the fire with a glass of wine. 

Until next time, Happy Reading everyone! 

Reviews by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher

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Renaissance Man by M. Garzon

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Renaissance Man by M. Garzon

 

Renaissance ManLinks to order Renaissance Man:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo 

Description:
“And they lived happily ever after.”

In fairy tales, that’s always how things end. The prince and princess ride away on his white horse, and from then on all’s right with the world. But what if it wasn’t? What if the prince’s life didn’t suit the princess? What if she felt stifled by life inside the castle walls? Could she tell him? And if she loved him—really loved him—how could she ask him to give up his kingdom?

 

Review;

That little blurb from the back of the book is a very fitting way to describe the events that take place in M. Garzon’s 3rd and final installment, Renaissance Man, from her Blaze of Glory series featuring the budding relationship between Tea and Jaden.  I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing her previous books; Blaze of Glory, and Look Twice, and it is safe to say that I was not disappointed with Renaissance Man. My only disappointment comes from knowing this wonderful series has come to an end. Over the course of these three novels I have come to learn about and love the characters Ms. Garzon has created and written about and feel like they are old friends.  So no wonder I’m sad to say goodbye to them. 

Throughout the first two novels we’ve seen Tea tackle many obstacles in her young life, and make some hard choices.  However, nothing that has previously happened comes close to the events in Renaissance Man.  In this novel we see just how much Tea has grown not only as a horse-jumper, but also as a woman.  She’s coming to terms with everything in her life and facing many challenging decisions that will affect not only her life, but Jaden’s too, who also happens to be the love of her life. 

Jaden and Tea’s relationship has blossomed and moved past that of young love, to a more mature, life altering love.  They are faced with many decisions that must be made in order for them to make a life together.  These decisions are not easy one’s, they are demanding on both of them, and at times looks like their lives/careers are pulling them in separate directions.  At one point in the story Ms. Garzon had  me worried about them and I wasn’t sure they would make it to their HEA.  Thankfully, after some well written drama, tough decisions, and serious thinking on Tea’s part, she comes to a conclusion that makes not only herself happy, but Jaden as well.  This decision also impacts her other family members; Dec(stepfather), Seth(brother), and her Gran.  When Tea comes to this very mature and well balanced decision to her problems, we see just how much she has grown and is ready to take on the rest of her life and career as a show jumper with Jaden by her side.

Tea and Jaden were meant to be together, they truly are the prince and princess and can now live their fairytale doing exactly what they love most, riding horses; Tea as a show jumper and Jaden as a polo player.  For me I enjoyed not only the love story and adventures of Tea and Jaden, but also the horse side of the book. I loved every scene with Tea jumping her prized horse Hades and watching her figure out just what it is that makes her horse Cal tick.  Tea has a very special relationship with horses and it shines through in every scene she’s in with them.  She knows just what is needed to get them over that next jump, or to help them settle down on a stormy night.  For anyone who loves horses like I do, Ms. Garzon’s writing about them makes you love them even more, and for those of you who maybe aren’t that fond of horses, trust me, you will be after reading this series. 

All I can say is M. Garzon has done it again and has another winner on her hands in Renaissance Man.  The story is expertly written with drama, plenty of emotion, coming of age in both Tea and Jaden’s characters, and learning to navigate through the ups and downs of life and love.  Once again we are swept away into the story and life that is Tea and Jaden and feel as though you are a part of their lives, a spectator on the sidelines watching everything unfold around you.  Ms. Garzon’s writing is smooth and free flowing and keeps you turning page after page, not wanting to put the book down. This was a marvelous ending to a well-crafted series and as happy as I am over the way she ended this series, I’m sad to say goodbye to it.  For anyone who has a teenage daughter and is looking for a remarkable coming of age series I highly recommend this series to you, and for those of you who don’t have any teenage daughters, I still highly recommend this series to you.  No matter your age you won’t be disappointed by this one. 

Until next time, Happy Reading

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author

 

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Catherine Bybee – Highland Protector Book Blog Tour-Interview, Review & Giveaway

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Catherine Bybee – Highland Protector
Book Blog Tour-Interview, Review & Giveaway

HP Tour Graphic_Horizontal

HIGHLAND PROTECTOR
The MacCoinnich Time Travel Series, Book Five
by Catherine Bybee
Paranormal Romance
November 19, 2013, First Edition
Paperback & Ebook

Highland Protector LARGELinks to order Highland Protector: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IBooks / Smashwords


Description:
From New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Bybee comes the long awaited next installment in her MacCoinnich Time Travel Series.

No ordinary hero can save Amber from death…it will take a Highland Protector

Amber MacCoinnich’s survival depends on her traveling to the twenty first century, or so her mother’s premonition told her. Death taunts Amber and offers peace in her endless pain. Without the mysterious savior her mother spoke of, Amber prepares for death only to wake with a handsome, dark stranger in her bed.

Gavin Kincaid spends his life shifting time in order to preserve and protect the MacCoinnich family and their line even though he’s never met one living MacCoinnich. A haunting portrait of a beautiful woman captures his attention and he embarks on a quest to put a name to the picture. When a colleague vanishes, the time-stream forces Kincaid to the twenty first century where he finds his mystifying woman close to death. His Druid gift can save her, but at what price? And when they both find themselves emotionally linked, the truth behind Kincaid’s heritage just might kill them both.



Review:

First off I should say, this is my first read of a Catherine Bybee book, and it won’t be my last.  Especially since Highland Protector is part of a series and I didn’t know it at the time, and for anyone who knows me, knows I don’t like picking up a series in the middle.  Now I will be going back to read the previous books in this series so I am all caught up.  However, having said that, it wasn’t difficult for me to follow along with Highland Protector and figure out all that was going on.  Catherine’s style of writing flows seamlessly from page to page and draws the reader in.  She does an amazing job of setting the stage with her main characters, and then weaving her secondary characters seamlessly into the main story to add layers and depth.  Highland Protector is well written and carries the reader along an emotional and romantic adventure. 

For anyone who enjoys a good time travel read, highlanders, druids, and magic with a good healthy dose of romance and intrigue thrown in for good measure then this one is for you.  Miss Bybee seems to have quite the gift when it comes to writing all these various elements into her story.  I was captivated by both the heroine and hero from the get go, and really enjoyed getting to know them and what makes them who they are.  Amber is the youngest of her clan and was sent to the future in the hopes of saving her from her gift due to a vision her mother had.  You see Amber is a very strong empath and feels even the littlest thing, and over time has only been getting stronger and harder to control.  However, little did Amber know her savior would be a handsome time travelling warrior, who also happens to be a powerful Druid, by the name of Gavin Kincaid.  I mean, c’mon ladies who wouldn’t want to wake up in bed with a handsome Druid warrior tied to your side after knocking on death’s door.  I know I wouldn’t be complaining.  😉 

Watching Amber and Gavin navigate the situation they are placed in, and seeing them slowly begin to fall for each other and realize they are better together then apart was very touching and sweet.  One of the highlights in the story for me was the scene where Amber decides she can’t risk endangering Gavin’s life due to her powerful gift, so she takes matters into her own hands with a very unselfish act of bravery and courage, only to have Gavin turn around and do the same thing to save her.  That scene is wonderfully written, emotionally charged and had me glued to my e-reader waiting to see what would happen next.  Actually, the whole book is a page turner and I couldn’t read it fast enough to see what would happen next to our couple. 

Like any well written romance, the road to happiness is never easily travelled.  Just when you think everything is falling into place for Amber and Gavin, Miss Bybee throws in a whopper of a twist and reveals something about Gavin’s past/heritage that could just ruin everything this couple has dealt with and survived to tell the tale.  Now, for anyone who knows me, they know I hate spoilers, so, sorry folks, if you want to know what the twist is, you’ll have to read the book.  Not only does Bybee throw in a well timed twist, but she also leaves us hanging at the end of the book regarding the evil that is intent in wrecking havoc with the McCoinnich Clan, as well as breaking apart the bond and love between Amber and Gavin.  If there is any part of the book that I wasn’t thrilled with, it’s the cliffhanger of an ending.  Again, anyone who knows me, knows I’m not a patient person when it comes to books and waiting for the next installment, so this cliffhanger is really throwing me for a loop. I can’t wait to see what Miss Bybee has planned for her next book in this series. I for one am chopping at the bit to see what will happen to Amber and Gavin, along with Amber’s brother Cian, who appears to be in the clutches of the evil that is longing to take over and destroy everything good in the world. 

Highland Protector for me was an enjoyable read, filled with all the elements in a book that keep me wanting to find out what’s going to happen next.  The characters are real and believable, and make you want them to find that connection that will bring them to their HEA.  The secondary characters bring depth and personality to the main couple, but also provide added story to keep the subplots moving along.  I really can’t say enough about what a wonderful story this was, and how much I enjoyed it.  If you enjoy your Highlanders, Druids, time travel, magic etc, then I highly recommend Highland Protector to you.  Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.  Here’s too trying to patiently await the next installment in Catherine Bybee’s MacCoinnich Time Travel Series. 

Until next time my friends, Happy Reading


Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author

 

Interview-Gold

Catherine, welcome to The Reading Café.  We would like to start with some background information.

TRC: Please tell us something about yourself?

Catherine:  I’m a wife, mother, writer and retired RN. I don’t take life to seriously and try and laugh and enjoy as much of the people around me as I can.

TRC:  Have you always been interested in writing?

Catherine:  I moved to LA to become an actress…realized that EVERYONE in LA is here for that very reason and went to school to become a nurse. I’ve always been a reader and when my career ended rather abruptly I turned to writing my first novel.

TRC:  For those who may not have read your MacCoinnich Time Travels series, can you tell us the premise of the series?  How did you come up with the idea of this series, and how many books are you planning?

Catherine:  I’ve always loved historical romance novels and time travels. However, there aren’t that many authors who write time travels so I decided to try my luck. I wanted a Scottish time travel with lots of paranormal elements and I created the MacCoinnich Clan. They are Druid, and each one of them has a special gift, or power, that helps hide their secrets. I created a large family and realized after the third book that my fans wanted more books. I’m planning six books total for this series. Thought I haven’t ruled out a spin off series. We’ll see.

Highland Protector LARGETRC:  Can you please give us a brief description of your new release, Highland Protector. 

Catherine:   Highland Protector is the long-awaited story about Amber MacCoinnich, the youngest daughter to the MacCoinnich’s.

Amber MacCoinnich’s survival depends on her traveling to the twenty first century, or so her mother’s premonition told her. Death taunts Amber and offers peace in her endless pain. Without the mysterious savior her mother spoke of, Amber prepares for death only to wake with a handsome, dark stranger in her bed. 

Gavin Kincaid spends his life shifting time in order to preserve and protect the MacCoinnich family and their line even though he’s never met one living MacCoinnich. A haunting portrait of a beautiful woman captures his attention and he embarks on a quest to put a name to the picture. When a colleague vanishes, the time-stream forces Kincaid to the twenty first century where he finds his mystifying woman close to death. His Druid gift can save her, but at what price? And when they both find themselves emotionally linked, the truth behind Kincaid’s heritage just might kill them both.

TRC:  You write many different genres, such as Romance, Paranormal, and Erotic.  Do you have a preference?  Do you find it difficult to switch between these genres, when writing your stories?

Catherine:  I love writing in different genres. It helps keep me fresh. In the paranormal world, I can make up just about anything and make it work. In contemporary romance, readers will argue about the color of the sea. The only genre I’m not playing in much any longer is erotic. My books are spicy, and I hope they always keep that edge that makes my erotic readers happy.

TRC:  Can please you tell us about your Not Quite series, for which you recently released the third book? Also, how many books are you anticipating for this series?

Catherine:  My Not Quite books are grounded in family and real life drama that I place my characters in. The third book, Not Quite Enough features an ER nurse volunteering with Borderless Nurses. My heroine isn’t looking for love but finds it in the most unlikely situation. Whether my readers realize it or not, my fiction is often reality based and this book was no exception.

I will be writing a fourth book in the series early next year with hopes that it will be released next fall.

TRC:  What are you working on now? 

Catherine:  Right now I’m working on the fifth book in my Bride series. So many series, so little time.

TRC:  What is your writing process…favorite place, special time?

Catherine:  Writing is my day job so I write all the time. I have an office where most of my actual writing takes place. I tried a laptop but found myself more distracted than if I just stayed in the office.

TRC:  Many author bounce ideas and information between each other and their family and spouses.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Catherine:  My critique partner…sometimes. Once in a while, if I’m stuck, I’ll chat with friends. For the most part I just bounce them in my own head until something fits.  

TRC:  Having worked as an RN in an emergency room, do you ever use your experiences in your novels?

Catherine:  Yes! All the time, but especially in Not Quite Enough.

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Pasta

Favorite Dessert:  Crème Brule

Favorite TV show:  Duck Dynasty

Favorite Movie:  Romancing the Stone – Raiders of the Lost Arc – Somewhere in Time

Dark or Milk Chocolate:  Both

Favorite Literary Character (male & female) not your own:  *blinks* –  I’ve got nothing… so deep in my own book right now. LOL

Cats or Dogs?  Both

TRC:  Catherine thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions.  The Reading Café wishes you good luck with Highland Protector.

Catherine:  Thanks for having me!


About The Author
Bybee Author Photo

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned novels Wife by Wednesday, Married by Monday, and Not Quite Dating. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.

If you want to learn more about Catherine, you can find her at the following links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Blog / Email

rafflecopter giveaway

Catherine is doing a tour wide giveaway. She is offering 1 $50, 1 $25, 1 $10, and 3 $5 gift cards. 

Please follow the instructions below in entering the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Southern Fried Blues by Jamie Farrell – a Review

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Southern Fried Blues by Jamie Farrell – a Review

Southern Fried BluesLinks to order Southern Fried Blues:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

Description:
A Yankee Lady Stuck in the South
Divorced wasn’t a label Anna Martin ever wanted.  Now she’s a thousand miles from home, underemployed, and lonely, but she’s squeezing this lemon life gave her and turning it into lemon meringue pie. Never again will she let any man—especially another military man—get in the way of her career.

A Southern Gentleman Military Officer
 Jackson Davis believes in family, football, and Uncle Sam. He treats ladies right, takes his uniform seriously, and he loves his dog, but he doesn’t reckon he’s built for true love. After all, if a man good as his daddy couldn’t do it right, what chance does Jackson have?

One Undeniable Attraction
 These two vulnerable souls are as different as cornbread and ketchup, but they fit together like sweet butter on hot biscuits. Short-term, they’re exactly what the other needs. But when their hearts get involved, they’re both gonna end up with a big ol’ case of Southern Fried Blues.


Review:

I absolutely loved this book.  Jamie Farrell’s debut novel Southern Fried Blues couldn’t have been any better.  It had everything a contemporary romance needs; well written characters, believable plotline, personal struggles, falling in love and in this case, good ol’ southern charm and humour.  Being Canadian I couldn’t be any further away from the Southern states where this story is set, but I completely fell in love with the good ol’ southern charm that shines through in every single one of her characters.  Her writing is fresh, witty, sassy, as well as humourous.  Southern Fried Blues grabs your interest from the get go and takes you on a fun filled journey with Anna and Jackson leading the way.

Anna, or Anna Grace as Jackson likes to call her, is a wonderfully written heroine.  You can’t help but love her from the very beginning.  She’s funny, quirky, strong minded, very independent, and loves her label maker. 😉  Even a little pest problem like fire ants doesn’t stop Anna from trying to solve her own problems.  Even though she’s sworn off love and military men after what happened between her and her ex, she can’t help but be attracted to Jackson.  So when they decide to play a little redneck golf and Anna loses the bet, you can pretty much figure out where things are headed.  As much as she keeps saying she’s only in the relationship for the perks it has to offer, it becomes evident that she is slowly loosing that battle. Watching Anna slowly fall for Jackson and see just how perfect he is for her was a lot of fun to read.  The banter between the two of them was clever and witty.  I enjoyed watching Jackson drive Anna Grace crazy whenever he’d go into stupid redneck mode as she would call it, but when Jackson turns on his southern charm, with sexy southern drawl to boot, watchout Anna Grace.  Even my toes where curling as I swooned along with Anna Grace as Jackson charmed his way into her life and heart.

Jackson, Jackson, Jackson, what can I say about our hero other then, smooth and sexy, toe curling, swoon worthy man.  He’s just a good ol’ boy and made me thing of my childhood watching the Dukes of Hazard, with Bo and Luke Duke. Everytime Jackson entered a scene and started talking, I swear I started drooling. 😉 He truly is a good ol’ southern boy with a heart of gold and charm just oozing out of every pore.  There was no way poor Anna Grace was going to win her battle of never falling for a uniform again with Jackson.  Ms. Farrell hit the nail on the head when she wrote Jackson’s country boy character.  His stupid redneck act had me laughing out loud many times, but when that southern, good boy charm came out…fans self, oh boy let me tell you he’s one smooth talking hottie who knows how to love a woman right. 😉 I’ll tell you, Jackson makes me want to move down to the south and find my own smooth talking good ol’ boy.  As much fun as it was to watch Anna Grace slowly fall in love with Jackson, it’s just as fun watching him realize what’s happened to him in regards to Anna Grace.  Once he realizes he’s fallen, and fallen hard, he hasn’t a clue what to do, cause love was never on the table for him.  Watching him figure it out is pretty entertaining.

Southern Fried Blues is filled with good ol’ southern charm and takes you on a fun filled ride right to the very end. It’s the type of book that makes you want to find out what’s happening next, but at the same time not wanting the book to end.  The characters are charming, witty, and real.  You can’t help but want to see Anna Grace and Jackson finally admit that they have fallen in love with eachother. Their romance is slow and sweet and allows the reader to really get to know these two characters.  The supporting cast of characters are also well written, especially Mamie and her crew.  They steal the show at times and I absolutely loved every scene with them and Jackson.  If you are looking for something fun and flirty, then Southern Fried Blues is just the book for you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.  I’m looking forward to more entertaining writing from Ms. Farrell. 

Until next time, Happy Reading y’all!!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author

 

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Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon – a Dual Review

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Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon – a Dual Review

StyxxLinks to order Styxx: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Just when you thought doomsday was over…

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished.

Until now.

She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.

But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it’s your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?

Marcie’s Review:
One box of kleenex, complete with red puffy eyes and sore nose, multiple cups of chamomile tea with honey, and a couple of Tylenols I finally finished Styxx.  After reading Acheron I never thought Sherrilyn Kenyon would be able to put me through another emotional ringer like Ash’s book did, but she proved me wrong.  She put me through the emotional wringer once again and then some. I am completely spent after reading this book.  I don’t think I have any tears left in me to cry.  I cried both tears of sorrow and joy, screamed in outrage, laughed at some of the lighter moments, and numerous times I wanted to reach into the book and throat punch both Estes and Apollo, then gut them and leave them to bleed out for what they did to Styxx. I’m not too bitter towards these two am I’m? (evil laughter rings out)

When Ms. Kenyon coined the phrase You Don’t Know Styxx, she hit the nail on the head, for we certainly do not know who Styxx truly is.  I am so glad Styxx decided to stand up for himself and speak to Ms. Kenyon to have his story told, for it was a story worth telling for her readers.  I just wish he would’ve spoken up sooner, this way I wouldn’t have disliked him for so long.  After reading his book I now see how very wrong I was about him.  Styxx is an amazing character, one who is worthy to stand at Acheron’s side and be the brothers they always should have been.  In Styxx’s story we really get to see everything that happened to split the twins up and wreck total and complete havoc on their innocent lives.  Had the gods not interfered the way they had none of this would have happened to either of them.  Both Styxx and Acheron suffered horrendous acts of brutality against them as they were growing up, but thanks to Apollymi wanting to ensure her son was protected, poor Styxx wound up having to feel everything Ash went through on top of his own pain and abuse.  However, no matter what happened to both brothers, Styxx still managed to somehow try and see the bright side of things, and continue to love his brother, even though everyone else was trying to turn them against each other.  I don’t know how he managed to endure what he did, if it were me I would have tried to find a loophole and do myself in a heck of a lot sooner.  Styxx somehow found an inner strength to endure and muscle on.

As hard as it was to read the abusive parts to Styxx’s story I muscled on, because I knew it was through all the horrible stuff done to both he and Ash that I would learn what I needed to learn about just who Styxx really is.  I’m so glad that I did and didn’t skip over any part of his story. If I had I would never have learned that Styxx has a heart of gold, and the only thing he ever wanted was to have his brother at his side and be loved like everyone else wants to be.  Not only does Styxx have a heart of gold, and wears it on his sleeve, but he also has the heart of a warrior, and no matter how the odds were stacked against him, he never once backed down, but instead found a way to preserve through it all.  If I had to pick someone to be my champion it would be Styxx. (shhh, don’t tell Acheron as he’s been my favourite DH forever)  However, I have enough room in my heart to cherish both brothers so I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.  😉  

Through all the horrors and abuse we see Styxx subjected too, Kenyon manages to write an absolutely wonderful and loving romance between Styxx and Bethany.  I absolutely loved reading their scenes together, watching Styxx come to trust and love Bethany and be able to forget about everything else but her when they are together.  The love they have for each other oozes off the pages and makes you feel so much happier and light hearted after all the pain we read about. When it comes to happily ever afters, no one writes them better then Kenyon.  Yes there is always much heartache, torture, and abuse that happens to our hero, but in the end Kenyon manages to skillfully balance it with a tender and loving romance.  Without everything Styxx went through, he would not have come across Bethany, and would never have known what true love really is and just what you would do to hold onto it, no matter what.   Speaking of love, another part of the book I enjoyed was the relationship between Styxx and Galen that Kenyon created.  Galen treated Styxx like a son and loved him as such.  Styxx came to love and depend on Galen like a son does a father, and I was glad to see Styxx had someone else on his side besides Bethany.

Along with the love story between Bethany and Styxx, and the father/son relationship between Galen and Styxx, we also get to see Acheron and how it affected his attitude towards Styxx.  As much as I love my Acheron, I will admit that there were a few times in the book where I wanted to slap him upside the head, and tell him, “stop being an idiot already and listen to Styxx”. Yes Acheron was dealt a raw deal and suffered greatly, but like Kenyon herself said, there are two sides to every story. Ash owed it to Styxx to hear him out and find out the truth of what happened to his brother too.  When he finally realizes he doesn’t have all the details or the full truth, my heart broke for him and Styxx and what they were missing out on all these years.  Watching Ash try to make up for 11000 yrs of suffering to Styxx and try to reconcile was something I’ve been waiting for, and I absolutely loved watching the brothers start to trust each other again and forge new bonds.  This was one of my highlights in the whole book. Another highlight for me was the friendship that sprung up between Styxx and Urian. Urian is a character I’ve been dying to learn more about and let me tell you, we learned plenty.  I won’t say what, but it was a gem and a total “are you kidding me moment”.  I never saw it coming, but was happy with the result.  Styxx and Urian did provide many of the lighter, funnier moments of the book with their wit and wicked sense of humour, and I hope to see more of it down the road in future books.

There were many highs and lows in the book that I absolutely loved, and others I didn’t.  Like I said earlier, there were many times I wanted to reach into the book and cause bodily harm to Estes and Apollo, along with a few others, but they were the two main evils who had it out for Styxx.  The way Kenyon tells Styxx’s story is astounding and I couldn’t have asked for a better story for Styxx.  He truly is a hero, worthy of having his HEA and finally, finally having everything he ever wanted in life.  There were a few ‘aha’ moments in the book that I refuse to spoil for you, Urian for example. If you want to find out what they are then you have to read this book for yourself. Trust me you won’t be disappointed.  Along with the ‘aha’ moments, there was also a reunion of sorts with some of our favourite DH characters who come together near the end of the book to add to the action packed, kick ass ending. I loved seeing some of my all time favourites come back to help out, and have to wonder where Ms. Kenyon is going in terms of a couple of characters, one character particularly(she who I hate to type her name, LOL, heifer goddess ring a bell?) Yes I’m the type who is always reading between the lines trying hard to figure out any clues/tidbits/breadcrumbs that Ms. Kenyon likes to toss our way from time to time.  There were a few near the end that have me wondering and I can’t wait to see where she takes us next.  All I know is I want more Styxx and Acheron and hope we will continue to see them in upcoming stories helping out where needed.

Until then, happy reading my DH brethren, 😉

Vickie’s Review

Let me start this review by saying that the way Styxx was written was absolutely brilliant. To think of sitting down and undertaking something of this magnitude makes me realize, even more so, how absolutely talented Kenyon is. Not to mention that everyone’s beloved Acheron is portrayed in a different light. That, in itself, had to make her heart beat out of her chest, because I know it did mine. And, to say “timing is everything” is probably the biggest understatement EVER.

Styxx was written to coincide with the timing of Acheron’s book. We all know the horrible things that happened to Ash and how his beloved sister, Ryssa, championed him at every turn. Kenyon has done a wonderful job at letting us see what actually happened. After all, to quote Ash, “There are always three sides to every event – yours, theirs, and the truth that lay somewhere in the middle”……………

Part One of this book retells the story of Styxx and Acheron’s childhood. To see how close they were as children was heart warming. They tried their best to protect each other. “Brothers. Forever and always”. Styxx was never allowed to have a normal childhood. His father, King Xerxes, was after all grooming his heir. Styxx was denied the simple joys of childhood, except for the stolen moments with Ash. But, once Ash was sent away with Uncle Estes, things were never the same. For either of them. Unbeknownst to anyone other than Styxx himself, he had been born with certain abilities that tortured him endlessly, both physically and emotionally. Until he meets his beautiful Bethany. For the first time since Ash was taken away, Styxx finds peace and someone who loves him for him. Just as happiness eluded Ash in his early years, it also eludes Styxx as he is called to lead their troops into war. War is a nasty business, but add to the mix the Gods from opposing Pantheons, and nasty doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Once Styxx and his troops are recalled from a war in which they were winning, a series of events are set into motion that changes everything. Styxx just cannot catch a break. We all know what happened to Ryssa from Ash’s book and the wrath that Appolymi rains down on Archon and the other Gods who betrayed her. But, until you read this story, you have no idea just how profoundly Styxx plays into everything that happens. Be it with the Gods, King Xerxes, Uncle Estes or even Ash.

Part Two of the book begins in the year 2004, and if you think all of the heartache is over, you’d be sorely mistaken. Styxx has been in “exile” for centuries. Enter the Gods who want to take over the world, and, oh yeah, kill Ash. And who better to aid them, but Ash’s twin brother. Again, through a series of events, things are set into motion that lead to one of the most exciting climaxes that I have read in fiction. Of course, we have our preconceived notions. These are romance novels after all. But I’m telling you, I was worried. She did an absolutely brilliant job (have I said that already??) in drawing me in as never before. Not even in Ash’s book did I feel as vested in a character as I did with Styxx. You, without a doubt, will cry for him and you will cheer him on. But, more than anything, you will understand what a travesty his life has truly been. I know, I know……. How can anyone have it worse than Ash had it?? Well, you’ll have to read and find out, because I promise you, you will sob both tears of sorrow and tears of joy for him.

The one thing that I will say about Styxx’s book is that, in my humble opinion, we could have done without at least half of Part One. The atrocities committed against Styxx were just that: atrocious. But, enough already. I had a really hard time with that part of the book. It took me several days to read it, just as it did with Ash’s book. BUT, once I got to Part Two, I could not turn the pages fast enough. I laughed, I cried…. I even did the ugly cry a couple of times, or three. There are things that happen in this book that will leave you absolutely breathless. Revelations made that will make you gasp, but, oh my sweet Jesus, what a ride!! Well done Sherrilyn Kenyon, very very very well done.

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A Rose in the Storm by Brenda Joyce – a Review

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A Rose in the Storm by Brend Joyce – a Review

a rose in the stormLinks to order A Rose in the Storm:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
When Rivalry Becomes Passion

With warfare blazing through Scotland, the fate of the Comyn-MacDougall legacy depends on one woman. Recently orphaned, young Margaret Comyn must secure her clan’s safety through an arranged marriage. But when an enemy invasion puts her at the mercy of the notorious Wolf of Lochaber, her every loyalty-and secret want-will be challenged.

And A Kingdom Is At Stake

Legendary warrior Alexander “the Wolf” MacDonald rides with Robert Bruce to seize the throne of Scotland. But when he takes the fiery Lady Margaret prisoner, she quickly becomes far more than a valuable hostage. For the passion between them threatens to betray their families, their country…and their hearts.

Captured by war…Claimed by desire

Review;

It’s been a very long while since I last read a Brenda Joyce novel.  I’ve been eagerly anticipating this new book of hers and let me tell you I wasn’t disappointed one bit.  Ms. Joyce has not lost her touch in the world of literature.  She created a wonderful historical romance that was centered around the war between King Edward and Robert Bruce, all the while weaving a touching and trying love story throughout.  For anyone who truly loves history and this time period, you can’t go wrong with A Rose in the Storm. 

One thing’s for certain, Brenda Joyce did her research on this one.  For someone like me who isn’t a history buff, she certainly got my attention.  The names, places, and events that took place within this story had me feeling like I was living back in the age of Highlanders and the war for Scotland’s crown.  Yes she admits to taking some creative liberties for the fictitious part of the story(romance between Margaret and Alexander), but she tried very hard to keep to the times, the battles, the locations etc.  I had to go and look up some of the information that she was giving me in this book and let me tell you, she was spot on.  I was blown away by her accuracy of the war and what transpired between King Edward’s armies and Robert Bruce’s armies.  I actually enjoyed the historical part of the story, which took up much of the book.  I thought this would bother me, but nope, not the way Ms. Joyce did it up. She takes such a major part of history and uses it to catapult her romance between Margaret and Alexander. Through their romance we get to see the horrors of war, the politics, the allegiances, the changing of allegiances, tearing apart families, and how it affected everyone’s lives.  I for one would not have survived back then.  Heck I can barely make a decision when it comes to deciding what to make for dinner, how the heck would I have survived picking sides in the war for Scotland’s crown. 

Amongst all this turmoil and battles somehow, Margaret and Alexander who are blood enemies manage to fall in love. Margaret is a Comyn-MacDougall who is allied to King Edward, while Alexander ‘The Wolf’ is a warrior in Robert Bruce’s army. Alexander at the orders of his King sets up a siege of Magaret’s home, Castle Fyne.  Once Alexander takes Castlte Fyne, Margaret becomes his prisoner.  However, he has a soft spot for her and doesn’t treat her like your typical prisoner.  Instead he treats her like the Lady of the castle that she is, and begins to develop feelings for her.  No matter how many times he tells her she will eventually change allegiances, she baulks him at every turn, not matter how strong her feelings for Alexander are growing.  Their romance is very slow to build and when they finally come together it’s a tender part of the book.  We get to see just how much this war and her feelings for Alexander are affecting Margaret.  This relationship goes against everything she was raised to believe and who to pledge her support to.  The push and pull attraction between Margaret and Alexander is well written.  If she had put them together quickly and made it an easy romance it would never have worked properly.  However, in taking the time she did with both characters, and creating a push and pull relationship between them, keeping them just on the edge of acting on their feelings, it pulled me in and made me want them together no matter the cost to both of them. Yes there was a lot of angst and ‘I can’t love him because of who he is’, but back then, you didn’t fall in love with the enemy or else your life was pretty much forfeit.  This romance was beautifully written and written with much care and compassion for both characters.  You felt every emotion from both Margaret and Alexander just pour off the pages.  When they were happy, I was happy, when there was trouble and turmoil that threatened to unveil their secret love I was on the edge of my seat with anxiety that something bad would happen to this couple. 

The other thing I liked about both Margaret and Alexander is that they were evenly matched.  Even though Margaret is but a young 17 year old, she doesn’t come off as a child.  Margaret is feisty, has the heart of a warrior and doesn’t abandon those near and dear to her. The way she fought for her castle and people who dwelled within, shows just how strong, courageous and smart she is.   That in and of it self is what draws Alexander to her, her courage and strength.  Alexander is Bruce’s best warrior and it shows in the way he commands his army, sets up the siege of Castle Fyne and later engages in many battles throughout the book in support of Bruce, and defense of his Lady Margaret.  There is nothing this Highlander won’t do to protect his lady love.  Sigh…. I think I’m in love… 😉   His strength, nobility and loyalty are only part of what draws Margaret to him.  Of course it helps that he’s a very handsome and muscular warrior to boot.  Both characters know what it takes to stand firm, do what they believe is right, all the while being loyal and steadfast to those that matter to them.  Margaret and Alexander are two well written characters who balance and compliment each other nicely. 

As I said early I am not a history buff, but this book had me captivated from beginning to end.  The battles, war politics, and romance in this book was top notch.  Ms. Joyce pulls out all the stops in this one.  I really liked the way she took such historical aspects about the war for Scotland’s crown and weaved a very tender and trying romance around it.  Watching Margaret and Alexander come to grips with their emotions for one another and deal with the battles, and hardships of war had me sitting on the edge of my seat many times wondering if there could even be a HEA for this couple. In the end Ms. Joyce did not disappoint. I truly hope she decides to carry on with this story and write more. There are so many more characters she can write about and expand upon. I guess time will tell, and until then my fingers are crossed for another wonderful historical Highland romance from the amazing Brenda Joyce.  

Until next time, happy reading

Reviewed by Marcie

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Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts – a Review

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Whiskey Beach by Nora Roberts – a Review

whiskey beach

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

Description:
For more than three hundred years, Bluff House has sat above Whiskey Beach, guarding its shore—and its secrets. But to Eli Landon, it’s home…

A Boston lawyer, Eli has weathered an intense year of public scrutiny and police investigations after being accused of—but never arrested for—the murder of his soon-to-be-ex wife.

He finds sanctuary at Bluff House, even though his beloved grandmother is in Boston recuperating from a nasty fall. Abra Walsh is always there, though. Whiskey Beach’s resident housekeeper, yoga instructor, jewelry maker, and massage therapist, Abra is a woman of many talents—including helping Eli take control of his life and clear his name. But as they become entangled in each other, they find themselves caught in a net that stretches back for centuries—one that has ensnared a man intent on reaping the rewards of destroying Eli Landon once and for all…

 

Review:

Nora Roberts has done it yet again with her newest standalone novel Whiskey Beach.  It had everything I look for in a Nora Roberts book, from suspense and intrigue, to a classic case of who done it, with a sweet and sexy romance that weaves seamlessly throughout the story. To top it all off, she even had the setting of the story take place in a small coastal town called Whiskey Beach.  There’s just something about a novel that takes place in a coastal town for me. It just seems to add an air of mystery, and provides beautiful scenery for the story.  I must admit, I do love a good mystery thrown into a romance every now and then, and Nora always delivers for me. Even though Nora is classified a romance writer, she does an amazing job of creating her mystery, setting up the backstory, weaving it seamlessly into her romance, and bringing it full circle by the end of the book.  I can never figure out who the culprit is until the very end, and even then there are times when I’m sitting there with my mouth hanging open, going, no way, I never saw that one coming.  In Whiskey Beach Nora creates a suspenseful and sexy story that centers around the hero this time, Eli Landon. 

As the book blurb states, Eli Landon recently moves back into his family home in Whiskey Beach to escape the past year of his life and try to find some sort of normalcy.  I really liked Eli from the start. He’s not your typical hero in a romance story.  He’s not big and brawny, over the top alpha, taking control of the heroine’s life.  Instead, Eli is more of your normal everyday type guy who’s currently going through some issues of his own and just wants to be left alone. Yes he’s brooding to a point, because of what’s happened to him, but it never got on my nerves. It’s just enough of a brood that allows Nora to pull the reader in, drawing you to Eli’s side, making you want to be his savior and help him overcome the past year of his life.  You can’t help but want to see him find that special someone who will change everything for him, while at the same time, finally putting the past to rest.  As the story progressed I found myself liking Eli more and more, and wanted desperately to find out who exactly was after him and why. I enjoyed the Landon family lore that we learn about through Eli’s research and bringing with it stories of pirates and buried treasure.  See what I mean about a novel set in a coastal town, that air of mystery with endless storylines, sorry I digress, back on track now.  With all this Landon lore, Nora weaves a good old fashioned mystery that surrounds our hero and grabs the reader by the throat and doesn’t let you go till the very end.

Along with the mystery that surrounds Eli and his family, our heroine of the book is quickly pulled into this mess.  Abra Walsh has known Eli’s grandmother for a long time and has become good friends with her.  Abra, like Eli is not your typical heroine.  She’s not the type of women who is fragile, needs protecting and an over the top alpha male to jump in and take control of her life.  We learn that Abra had her own issues and learned how to take care of herself from them.  She’s a real free spirit type girl and to me was a breath of fresh air.  I really liked the bit of role reversal Nora created with Abra and Eli.  It was Abra taking care of Eli and helping him sort through the past year of his life.  When Eli decides it’s time to set the trap for whoever is after him, Abra is quick to jump in and want to be a part of it, loved that about her.  She had me giggling a few times at the things she had poor Eli do throughout the book to help improve his spirit.  The massages and bringing him a pet/security dog were especially cute scenes. Along with fixing him meals and leaving him little reminder notes to eat it. This role reversal worked well and it made both Abra and Eli more endearing to me as a couple as the story progressed

As I said earlier, Nora does a wonderful job of setting the stage for her mystery that surrounds Eli and his family’s legacy.  The mystery and romance in the story are beautifully tied to together to form a cohesive storyline and keep the reader on the edge of their seat wondering who done it right up to the very end.  Reversing the hero/heroine roles was a nice touch and breath of fresh air in this particular story.  It was nice to see the female take care of her male for a change.  Abra was just what Eli needed and Nora couldn’t have written a better heroine for him. They made for a perfect match and balanced each other nicely.  I especially enjoyed watching Eli try to figure out Abra, to taking on a pet/security dog, researching his family’s history to find answers to his troubles, and re-opening the murder case against him.  Nora once again proves why she’s a number one romance writer with Whiskey Beach.  For any Nora fan, or even a non-Nora fan for that matter, I highly recommend Whiskey Beach. I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

Until next time, Happy Reading

Reviewed by Marcie

 

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Vampire Thirst/Dragon Heat by Ella J. Phoenix – a Review

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Vampire Thirst/Dragon Heat by Ella J. Phoenix – Reviews

Vampire Thirst
Dragon Heat Series
by Ella J. Phoenix
Book #2

vampire thirst

Link to order Vampire Thirst:  Amazon

Description:
Sometimes life takes you down a completely different path from the one you had originally planned.

After successfully rescuing the daughter of a draconian senator and other innocent women from a vampire psychopath, Sam and fellow warriors, Zoricah and Yara, have to trade sunny New York for gloomy London. Time is running out on their unfinished mission. More innocent people will die if they don’t catch the person behind the attacks in New York. But something is making Sam lose control of her powers. Something or someone. Ever since her first – and quite heated – encounter with Hikuro, her energies had gone haywire. The vampire king’s second in command affected her in a way no one had ever before. Her torment, however, is bound to get worse, with Hikuro’s unexpected arrival in London.

Ever since she set foot on vampire territory, Sam had turned Hikuro’s carefully controlled life upside down. He doesn’t trust her, but some strange force pulled him toward her; an inexplicable attraction that defies centuries of training. But if Hikuro is to keep his king safe, he must keep a close eye on Sam, even if he loses his sanity and his heart in the process.

 

Review:

As I said in my previous Dragon Heat review, Ella J. Phoenix knows how to bring the heat and she does it again in Vampire Thirst.  This book picks right up where the first one leaves off, and let me say, the heat in this book just keeps climbing.  In my previous review I made mention of Ella’s ability to create sub-plots and carefully weave them into the main plot, thus creating more story-building and depth to her characters and story.  So in this book, the sub-plot that was Sam and Hikuro in Dragon Heat, now becomes the main attraction. 

Sam and Hikuro were already beginning to smolder in Dragon Heat, but in their story they catch fire.  These are two fantastically written characters who draw the reader into the story and make us fall in love with them.  Hikuro is Tardieh’s 2nd in command and comes off as being a big, serious and at times smug arrogant jerk.  However, thanks to Sam, we get to see there is a flip side to Hikuro.  Deep down he really is a softie at heart, who is tender, loving and patient with Sam. He will do anything to keep his lady safe, even though she insists on pushing him away for reasons he doesn’t understand.  No matter how much Hikuro tries to draw on his centuries of training and patience, it seems to just fly out the window where Sam is concerned.  There’s an attraction and pull in Sam’s direction that Hikuro just doesn’t understand, and for that reason alone frustrates him.  He’s never wanted a woman the way he wants Sam and he finds this unsettling because he’s worried if feelings get in the way, he won’t be able to protect his King properly.  I have to say I just loved getting to know Hikuro more in Vampire Thirst and found him to be the complete hero.  Loyal to his King and ppl, but at the same time, willing to take risks to be with his lady love.  Sigh……what a guy.

Sam is a great female lead. I really enjoyed getting to know her and learn her backstory.  We learn how Zoriach rescued Sam from an asylum where they were doing experiments on children may years ago and basically brought her back to life from her comatose state.  Ever since then Sam has been dealing with learning how to control powerful energies within herself.  She’s able to create energy blasts and shoot them out of her hands and body. However, being back in London and hanging around Hikuro has thrown her powers out of whack. Even though she’s drawn to him both physically and emotionally Sam is afraid to get to close to Hikuro for fear of harming him.  You see she’s already managed to knock him on conscious, send him flying across the room and knock him on his behind with her powers, poor Hikuro. As they intensify the more afraid for Hikiruo she becomes.  The more Sam tries to distance herself from Hikuro, the more determined he is to figure her out. 

I really enjoyed watching these two grow as a couple. They were humourous at times, serious, and steaming up my pages. The more Hikuro learns about Sam the more he likes and wants to help her understand not only herself and her powers, but how to fully control them and use them to her advantage, especially when in a battle situation.  The scene where he’s showing her how to concentrate and put out a candle flame had me smiling and laughing at the same time.  As cute as they are as a couple, they also know how to turn on the heat.  The sexual chemistry between these two is so strong you could cut it with a knife.  Word to the wise, keep a glass of ice water nearby as Hikuro definitely knows how to love his lady completely. (fans self, gulps down glass of ice water, LOL!!) 

Even though this one’s all about Hikuro and Sam, we learn that it hasn’t been smooth sailing between Zoricah and Tardieh since they got together. In this one Zoricah and Tardieh have become the sub-plot.  We get to see these two learn what it means to be partners in everything, and what it will mean for both of them should they become mated.   In no way does Ms. Phoenix dull these two characters, if anything they become even more interesting and continued to steam up the pages once they finally stopped being foolish and admit they definitely want to be mated.  They finally come to their senses and admit that it won’t be easy for either of them, but they are stronger together then apart. I really enjoyed this part of the story and was happy to see that even though the focus of this book was on Sam and Hikuro, Ms. Phoenix was able to draw Zoricah and Tardieh into the story in a way that suited their characters and what it would mean for future plot lines.  Now that they will be mated, we see how the rest of the Draconian world is reacting and can only imagine what the vampire world will think.  Will they be seen as betrayers to their ppl, or a new era being welcomed in?  Time will only tell, and from the looks of things so far appears they are heading for a bumpy ride. As far as their friends and comrades are concerned, they couldn’t be happier for the soon to be mated couple. 

Finally in this one we get to see more of Yara( Zoricah and Sam’s friend), the panther shifter/witch.  She’s going to be quite the interesting character down the road.  So far I like what I see, and like where this character is heading and who she may be heading too.  Ms. Phoenix introduces us to a new character, a wolf shifter named Rafe who right now seems shady, but I know there’s more to his story, and have a funny feeling that Yara and him will be meeting up down the road.  I do enjoy a good shifter story. 

Vampire Thirst continues to bring the heat in Ella’s Dragon Heat series.  Sam and Hikuro sizzle as they struggle to come to terms with each other and what roles they play in this battle against the vampire and draconian races.  The action is fast paced and the battle scenes are well written. The ending of the book had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.  I enjoyed the way Ms. Phoenix created this story, set up the events that took place and developed her characters.  She creates her main plot and sub-plots to go hand in hand, thus weaving her tale seamlessly and developing a world and story you just want to get swept into. Ella Phoenix has a talent for writing and it shows in her imaginative and inventive storylines.  I love the elements of mythology, magic, power, and shape-shifters that she brings to life before my very eyes.  Her stories are definite page turners and find it hard to put her books down once I get started.  Looking forward to reading her next installment and seeing what adventure she takes us on next. 

Until next time, happy reading.

 

Dragon Heat
Book # 1
Dragon Heat Series
by Ella J. Phoenix
dragon heat

Links to order Dragon Heat: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Description:
Zoricah, the draconian demigoddess, has limited time to uncover a series of killings before one of her own meets the same fate. Determined not to let that happen, Zoricah has no other choice but to ask for the help of her race’s archenemy.

Tardieh, the Vampire King, has long learnt not to trust the Dragons but when the flames of passion ignite between him and Zoricah, he finds himself torn between overwhelming sexual heat and his centuries-old distrust.

Together they have to overcome their own prejudices before it is too late for their races and their love.

 

Review;

Having already read one of Ms. Phoenix’s books(Manataka) I was very happy to have the chance to read a couple more of her books.  This time around it’s her Dragon Heat series and book one is aptly named Dragon Heat.  I love books with dragons, vampires and other worldly beings, so when I read the premise of this book, I was sold instantly.  Vampires and dragons having to work together, bring it on. 

First off, I should say that I have quickly become a fan of Ms. Phoenix.  I just love the way she writes, builds her worlds, characters and storylines.  She does another amazing job here with Dragon Heat.  We have Zoricah the Draconian Demigoddess and Tarhieh the Vampire King, both from different races who are known for distrusting the other due to centuries of battles and issues between the two factions.  So when Zoricah seeks out Tardieh for help, you better hold onto you boot straps people cause we are in for a bumpy ride.  Even though they don’t trust each other there’s no denying the chemistry between Zoricah and Tardieh.  The heat between these two characters is palpable and steams up the pages. There has been something between them from the first moment they met some 200 years ago, when Zoricah freed Tardieh from a Draconian prison. Now they must figure out how to work together and deal with their attraction at the same time. 

Zoricah and Tardieh aren’t the only one’s who have trust issues in this story.  Both have their trusted friends and warriors who fight with them.  Neither Tardieh’s men, nor Zoricah’s friends/warriors trust the other group.  On top of having to deal with each other, Zoricah and Tardieh have to somehow find a way to get their respective warriors to trust one another and work together as a team.  As the story progresses we slowly see the two sides begin to trust each other and come together as one unit to battle their enemy.  Both teams are well balanced and compliment one another out in the battlefield.  As they start to trust one another friendships are formed and we get to see some lighter moments between the teams amongst all the darkness and battles. 

As the story progresses, I became quite interested in the sub-plot Ms. Phoenix begins to create between two other characters, Sam(Zoricah’s friend/warrior) and Hikuro(Tardieh’s 2nd in command).  There is no denying that these two are going to tango, err I mean tangle down the road.  These two definitely have the wow factor as well, and I can’t wait to see where Ms. Phoenix will go with these two.  See that’s another reason I enjoy Ms. Phoenix’s writing. Even though she has her hero and heroine that the main story is about, she manages to weave sub-plots along the way that begin to tell another story, but without straying from, or disrupting the main plot.  If anything, it adds more depth to the storyline and gives the reader glimpses of what’s possibly to come down the road in future storylines.  I know it’s left me salivating for more.

Dragon Heat was a fun, quick read, with imaginative and very creative story telling.  Ms. Phoenix once again does a terrific job of creating her characters, mythology and storylines.  The chemistry between Zoricah and Tardieh is hot, and kept me turning page after page to see what they would do next.  The battle scenes are well written and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.  I have a funny feeling this story isn’t finished yet.  As I said, Ms. Phoenix does an amazing job of weaving sub-plots within her main story, and I for one can’t wait to continue this fantastic series in her next novel Vampire Thirst.

Until next time, Happy Reading

 

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Author

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