Treasured by a Tiger (Eternal Mates #14) by Felicity Heaton-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

TREASURED BY A TIGER (Eternal Mates #14) by Felicity Heaton-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

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TREASURED BY A TIGER
Eternal Mates #14
by Felicity Heaton
Release Date: September 9, 2017
Genre: adult, paranormal, fantasy, romance

Treasured by a Tiger

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 19, 2017

Despised by his tiger shifter pride as an abomination, Grey has ventured far from home, deep into the bowels of Hell in search of answers about the machinations of Archangel, the mortal hunter organization that held his twin captive. With no knowledge of the realm, and little skill with the local languages, he quickly finds himself at a dead end—until he crosses paths with a beautiful hellcat female who rouses his darkest most dangerous instincts.

Lyra has been a fool, falling for the charms of a male whose only desire was to make a fast buck by selling her. Shackled and collared, her strength muted by magic, she awaits her time on the stage at a black-market auction, but before it can come, all hell breaks loose and she seizes a chance to escape—and runs straight into a majestic warrior who steals her breath away and tempts her like no other as he battles alone to free everyone.

When Lyra offers her services as a translator to repay Grey for saving her, will he be strong enough to resist the needs she awakens in him and spare himself the pain of her inevitable rejection when she discovers the truth about him? And when the powerful male in charge of the slave ring starts a bloody hunt for Lyra, can she escape another collar and find the courage to trust the tiger who is capturing her heart?

••••••••••••

REVIEW: TREASURED BY A TIGER is the fourteenth installment in Felicity Heaton’s contemporary, adult ETERNAL MATES paranormal/fantasy series. This is tiger shifter Grey, and hellcat Lyra’s story line. TREASURED BY A TIGER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Grey and Lyra) TREASURED BY A TIGER follows Grey as he searches for the truth, and a place to belong- his target is the realm of Hell- and the place known as Archangel where his twin brother Talon was imprisoned and tortured months ago. When a caravan of slave traders crosses Grey’s path, something or someone calls to his inner cat, and our hero sets out to destroy everything in his way. Enter Lyra, a hellcat destined for sexual slavery, and the woman with whom Grey will fall in love. What ensues is Grey’s overwhelming need to claim Lyra as his mate as the couple struggle to stay one step ahead of the organization hoping to reclaim Lyra as their own.

TREASURED BY A TIGER is a narrative where most of the story line is told through thoughts and the emotional struggle to let go of the past. Most of the conversation, and one on one interaction takes place towards the final third of the story. Grey is a protector by birth but when his sister found her mate Grey’s direction in life crumbled. Feeling alone and without purpose Grey goes in search of the group that has destroyed so many supernatural lives. In payment for her rescue Lyra offers her help to Grey but Grey battles his own demons including the truth about the who and what of his shifter species.

The relationship between Lyra and Grey is one of immediate attraction; they are drawn to one another as fated mates, something Grey is determined to push aside now and in the future. The $ex scenes are limited but intimate and provocative.

We are introduced to the Dragons of Hell including their leader Ren (whom we met before), and Brink who reveals some of the truth behind the dragon’s inability to leave the realm. Felicity brings together an eclectic mix of supernatural powers including the Fae, demons, vampires, shifters, witches and dragons.

TREASURED BY A TIGER is an action packed story of mystery and suspense; a romance tale of fated mates; a revealing story line that ends one arc of the series leading towards the start of a new arc. The premise is engaging and energetic; the characters are colorful and animated; the romance is destined by fate.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Books in the Series

Book 1: Kissed by a Dark Prince (FREE AT SELECTED RETAILERS!)
Book 2: Claimed by a Demon King
Book 3: Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Book 4: Hunted by a Jaguar
Book 5: Craved by an Alpha
Book 6: Bitten by a Hellcat
Book 7: Taken by a Dragon
Book 8: Marked by an Assassin
Book 9: Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Book 10: Awakened by a Demoness
Book 11: Haunted by the King of Death
Book 12: Turned by a Tiger
Book 13: Tamed by a Tiger
Book 14: Treasured by a Tiger

Excerpt

Curiosity killed the cat.
It was always there, in the back of Grey’s mind.
Although this time, it was his twin’s curiosity that might get him killed.
Black lands stretched as far as the eye could see around him, the sky a dull gold that was growing brighter as he trekked closer to the realm that fiery glow emanated from. Not like he wanted to go anywhere near that damned place, but it seemed the trail he was following wanted to lead him straight towards it.
Grey looked over his shoulder at the distant blue glow that King Thorne of the Third Realm of demons had told him belonged to the elf kingdom. Fucking place sounded magical. Why couldn’t Talon’s itch have led Grey in that direction?
Lush green hills, towering grey mountains, glittering blue streams, and all the sunshine their portal could pour into their kingdom.
He would have given anything to be there, stretched out on the long grass, soaking up that sun and letting the cool breeze play over his bare skin.
Instead, he was trudging through a wasteland, his feet sore in his black leather boots, and the sweat pouring off him sticking his black t-shirt to his skin.
All for his brother’s sake.
He rolled his stiff shoulders, grimacing as a few vertebrae cracked.
Maybe not all for Talon.
The thought of being at the pride village now that his sister, Maya, was gone to be with her fated one, August, had driven him to leave, to find somewhere else to be.
Maybe somewhere he belonged.
He had ended up at Underworld, the nightclub Talon now called home because his fated mate worked there. Grey didn’t belong there though. A few quiet days had passed before that restless itch had pushed him to keep moving, and he still wasn’t sure where he was meant to be going.
He was lost.
He exhaled hard.
Not a sigh.
He might not be sure where he was meant to be going, but his feet were carrying him forwards anyway, and if he had to keep walking forever until he found that place they wanted to rest, he would.
Talon had given him a new direction at least.
Over dinner one night, Talon had mentioned seeing the door again in his dreams. Sherry had given her mate a concerned look, one Grey hadn’t missed. He had focused on his brother then, and felt that need flowing through him, that curiosity that wouldn’t let him go, not until he knew what was beyond that door.
It wouldn’t have been a problem, but the door in question was deep in the bowels of the headquarters of a mortal hunter organisation, a building where Talon had been held captive and tortured for months.
Grey was damned if he was going to let his brother go back into that hellish place.
So, when Sherry had mentioned looking through the files they had stolen from Archangel when breaking Talon’s friends out, Grey had leaped at the chance to help. He would do anything for his brother.
Including going to Hell in his place.
The moment he had found the door mentioned in one of the project files, and uncovered that it was connected to something in Hell, he had known what he needed to do.
Where he had to be.
Talon needed to know what was beyond that door, and Grey was going to find out for him.
His twin had fought him on that, which hadn’t been a surprise given Talon’s habit of trying to act like his big brother. The bastard was stubborn and pushy, had been like it since birth when he had muscled his way out first, arriving in the world a whole eight minutes ahead of Grey.
Eight minutes did not an older brother make.
Grey could be just as stubborn though, and eventually Talon had given in, Sherry convincing him to let Grey go to Hell in his place and follow up their lead.
He had left immediately.
He would find out what was beyond that door even if it killed him. He would do that for Talon, to put his mind at rest and free him from the clutches of his curiosity.
He sighed and looked back over his shoulder, in the direction of the Third Realm and the elf kingdom beyond it. Although, it still would have been nice if Thorne had told him to head that way instead of towards the Devil’s lands.
A cold sinking feeling had gone through him in the demon king’s library when the huge russet-haired male had jabbed a strong clawed finger against a mountain range and told him that was where he needed to start, because it was the place mentioned in one of the reports linked to the project.
Grey hadn’t failed to notice that east of that mountain range was labelled as the dragon realm, and beyond that was the Devil’s domain.
Thorne had been generous enough to offer him an escort.
It had felt like a kick in the balls at the time.
Even Sable, the demon’s little queen and ex-Archangel hunter, had flinched at the offer, and had dished him out an apologetic glance.
Grey had refused Thorne, because he had grown tired of being coddled by his brothers a long time ago, and wasn’t about to accept it from a male he barely knew.
Looking back, he probably should have taken the demon up on his kind offer. The big guy had been nice enough to teleport him into Hell, had put him up for a few days at his castle, and had sent him off with some provisions and a crudely drawn map of Hell.
Grey pulled the map out of the thigh pocket of his black combat trousers and stared at it.
At how close the village was to dragons and the Devil.
A few demonic travelling companions probably wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
It wasn’t as if he knew Hell. He had come here without a plan, without any idea about what to expect, and that was dangerous.
His family had raised him to be prepared.
It had all gone out the window when Maya had left, and that feeling had kicked in, that need to walk and not stop walking, to put as much distance as he could between him and his pride.
He pressed his hand flat against his chest, felt his heart thumping hard against his palm, and stared into the distance, not seeing the cragged mountains that speared the gold sky.
What was it that had made him leave?
He was mad at his older brother, the alpha of their pride, and needed some space and time to work through those feelings. Mostly because he wanted to throat-punch Byron whenever he saw him.
Was that the reason he had strayed this far from home?
He didn’t want to do something he would regret?
As much as he hated Byron right now, which the bastard deserved after everything that Maya had been through because of him, he still loved the son of a bitch. He was still Grey’s brother.
Grey started walking again, his hand drifting across his chest to adjust the straps of his backpack. He jammed his thumb through the right strap and let his hand dangle there, his mind whirling as he thought about home and the gnawing feeling in the depths of his heart. Something had made him leave. Something other than his anger towards Byron.
Had to be.
Gods, maybe he was just messed up.
More fucked up than he had thought possible.
Or maybe there was nothing keeping him at the pride now.
It was strange having his freedom after spending two centuries at the pride, devoted to the care and protection of his little sister. He couldn’t remember a time when he had been free to come and go as he pleased. It had been erased from his memories, replaced by the decades that had come after Byron had become alpha, a time when Grey had been locked away from the world because Byron had deemed it too dangerous for Maya to be allowed to go outside the pride village, and had charged him with being at her side always.
Meaning the bastard had shut them both in a cage.
Fuck, it was weird.
Was that why he felt lost?
Because he was free at last?
He still hadn’t processed that, wasn’t sure he would for a long time yet. He had never really felt like a captive, because his family had been there, everyone he cared about at the village with him, but now that he was free to come and go as he pleased, he felt as if he had been a captive his entire life.
The world beyond the one he had known was huge, endless, filled with incredible things and possibilities, and he had hurled himself headlong into that world.
It was a little overwhelming.
His senses sparked, warning of life nearby, and he tensed and stilled, stretching his focus outwards to encompass the area. He slowed his breathing, becoming silent in the shadowy world, and his vision brightened as he studied the dimly-lit lands surrounding him, making it easier for him to pick out the rocks that could easily hide enemies, giving them ample chance to sneak up on him.
He should have taken Thorne up on his offer.
But the thought of having a demon escort had felt like another cage.
He wanted to be free.
He curled his lip and dragged air over his teeth, trying to scent the owner of that heartbeat.
Another joined it as he risked a step closer, and then a third and a fourth.
He peered ahead of him, into the darkness.
Something was there.
He risked another two steps.
The shadowy shapes came into focus.
Huts.
The village Thorne had said was the one Archangel had named in their report.
He must have walked further than he had realised while lost in his thoughts.
Grey cautiously moved forwards, lowering his hands to his sides as he approached the village. The loose black gravel crunched under his heavy boots, loud in the thick still air, grating at him. His muscles twitched beneath his skin and an urge to shift settled over him as he closed in on the buildings and the people coming and going between them.
It had been more than a day since he had last seen people, a day of trekking across a black wasteland with only an occasional distant screech or roar punctuating the silence. Those sounds had raked at his nerves, leaving them raw and stealing sleep from him. He hadn’t rested in more than twenty-four hours.
It was little wonder he felt on edge now.
Ready for a fight.
He felt vulnerable, easy prey if anyone chose to fight him, his body and mind badly in need of rest.
For all he knew, those sounds that had kept him marching forwards rather than taking a break could have been made by people. Hell was full of things he had never seen before, creatures straight out of myths and legends, or horror movies.
He could be walking right into a nest of the howling, shrieking beasts, lured into a false sense of security by their human appearances.
The urge to shift into his stronger form to protect himself grew stronger, and he slowly pulled down another calming breath. He was letting his imagination run away with him, and that was dangerous.
He needed answers, and kicking up a fuss in his tiger form just because he feared the things that had gone bump in the night in the wasteland wasn’t going to get him any, especially if the people in the village found out he thought they were the ones making those unholy noises.
He doubted they were.
It was just his imagination tricking his weary mind into believing something ridiculous—something liable to get him killed.
He needed to rest and regain some strength, and then his imagination wouldn’t hold such sway over him.
He didn’t need to shift.
He kept it tamped down, breathing through it and tightening his hold on his control, refusing to let his tiger instincts rule him. He was only here to speak with the people and find out what they knew about the project, and what Archangel had wanted when they had come through this way.
He wasn’t here to fight.
The urge to shift didn’t abate as he entered the village perimeter, marked by a rough stone wall that circled the few black huts and makeshift tents made of some sort of animal hide. If anything, it grew stronger in time with the scents of the people coming and going through the settlement.
Some of them were powerful.
Some smelled of the tinny scent of magic.
A dark-haired male dressed in long black robes off to his right stopped hammering a peg for his tent into the inky dirt and looked up at Grey.
A witch. Or did they prefer warlock? Wizard?
What the hell did they like being called? He could hardly go and speak to the male if he wasn’t sure. The last thing he needed to do was insult someone who could flay him with nothing more than a few muttered words.
Grey shuddered as he looked at the male’s hands.
And realised the tent peg he had been hammering into the black ground wasn’t the sort bought in a store in the mortal world.
It was a broken bone.
Definitely not talking to him.
It had nothing to do with the male’s creepy, dangerous, air and everything to do with the fact he was obviously a traveller.
Grey needed to speak with a resident if he was going to find out what Archangel had been doing here.
He scoured the small village, trying to spot a local. A few people stopped to stare on their way past. Nothing new there. Grey was used to people staring at him.
He ignored them and continued his search. On the opposite side of the village, two males and a female exited the largest of the thatched huts, laughing with each other, a glow to their cheeks. He breathed deep to catch their scent. Smiled. Alcohol.
Was the hut a sort of tavern?
He crossed the village to it, pretending not to notice the way more people stared at him, their eyes tracking his progress. He didn’t care. He really didn’t.
He bared his fangs at one male, a reaction he hadn’t been able to hold back. The male bared fangs right back at him, his pupils turning elliptical in the centre of his red irises.
A vampire.
Grey supposed Hell was probably fabulous in their eyes. No sunshine to make them go crispy. Just endless night.
He flashed fangs at the male again, and stood a little taller as the male turned away and walked in the opposite direction to him. Easy win. Which was strange. Normally vampires liked to fight to claim top spot, to prove themselves the most powerful things with fangs out there. Which was utter bullshit.
Dragons had to be the most powerful things with fangs.
Maybe demons cut a close second, possibly a joint placing with the elves. Grey had heard all manner of things about elves, some of which made them sound dangerous and not as magical and wonderful as he had believed as a kid.
Hellcats slotted in below them.
Vampires barely ranked above the other feline shifters.
Still, it was odd of the male to leave without a fight.
Grey slowed his steps and watched the male walking away. He didn’t stop at the perimeter of the village. He kept walking, heading into the darkness, going south-east.
High, bubbling laughter broke the silence.
He shook off his curiosity about the male and returned his focus to his mission, shifting his gaze back to the hut that was possibly a tavern.
Another female toppled out of it, a male following close behind her.
“Excuse me.” Grey raised his hand to snag their attention.
Both of them stared blankly at him.
They looked at each other.
Spoke.
In a language he didn’t know.
The female was rather animated as she prattled on, tossing her blonde hair over her bare shoulders, revealing a small top that was more strapless bra than corset. Matching black leather hugged her long legs. She was pretty too, a bright glow around her pupils that might have fooled him into believing her a shifter like him.
Only she smelled of sex and sin.
A succubus.
Her partner stood behind her, giving Grey a death glare turned up to the max.
Succubus sidled towards Grey, a wicked sway to her curvy hips and a smile tugging at her cherry red lips.
Crimson bled into the male’s eyes, his pupils stretching thin in their centres.
Another vampire.
And this one looked as if he might fight to prove who was stronger.

 

 

About Felicity

Felicity HeatonFelicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you’re a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

WEBSITE | BLOG | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM

Giveaway

There are TWO (2) ways to WIN !

In addition to the gift card giveaway below, Felicity is graciously offering an ecopy of any ONE book in her ETERNAL MATES series *excluding Turned by a Tiger, Tamed by a Tiger, Treasured by a Tiger* (international) to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging in, please refresh the page at the top of your computer

2. If you are using a social log-in such as Twitter or Facebook, please post your email address with your comment.

3. –> Sign up for Felicity Heaton’s NEWSLETTER

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5.LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Giveaway is open internationally.

7. Giveaway runs from September 22-26, 2017

Grand Giveaway

Enter the grand tour-wide giveaway to win a $25, $50 or $75 Amazon Gift Card at the Treasured by a Tiger book page. This giveaway is international and open to everyone, and ends at midnight on September 24th. Enter now: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/treasured-by-a-tiger-shapeshifter-romance-book.php

Grand giveaway

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Ride It Out (Desert Dogs #4) by Cara McKenna-Review and Excerpt

RIDE IT OUT (Desert Dogs #4) by Cara McKenna-Review and Excerpt

Ride It out

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

About the book: RELEASE DATE September 19, 2017

There’s a new deputy in town, and she’s a law unto herself.

Jeremiah Church is still aching for justice to be served after his father’s murder. Though the killer has been caught, the authorities are no closer to knowing why the Churches were targeted—and if the family’s still at risk. When Miah receives an anonymous letter hinting at a darker conspiracy, he decides it’s high time he seeks justice on his own terms, with the help of his fellow Desert Dogs.

Patrol Deputy Nicki Ritchey is new to Fortuity, and hoping to make a clean start for her and her son. Involved in the Church’s case, she’s kindled a friendship with Miah that’s evolving into something more. But Miah is crossing lines with his personal vendetta, and Nicki’s attraction is making it tough to tell right from wrong

••••••••••

REVIEW: RIDE IT OUT is the fourth and final installment in Cara McKenna’s contemporary, adult DESERT DOGS erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on the town of Fortuity, Nevada, and a group of motorcycle riding friends who call themselves the Desert Dogs. This is ranch foreman Jeremiah ‘Miah’ Church, and single mother/ deputy Nicki Ritchey’s story line. The Desert Dogs series is NOT a series about a motorcycle club, but a series about a family of brothers and their friends who like to ride. RIDE IT OUT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty; any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary but saying that there is an ongoing premise throughout the series as the main characters struggle with the loss of their friend police officer Alex Dunn and the murder of Jeremiah’s father.

SOME BACKGROUND: Eclipse Resorts and Casinos have made many enemies in the sleepy, small town of Fortuity, Nevada as they forge ahead with plans to build and open a new casino. Most of the townsfolk have some issues with the company, and with it will comes threats of a personal nature.

NOTE: There is a prequel novella available –DRIVE IT DEEP-that looks at the prior relationship and life long friendship between Jeremiah and Raina.

Told from several third person perspectives including Jeremiah and Nicki RIDE IT OUT is the culmination of four story lines that focuses on the hunt for the truth. Months earlier Eclipse Resorts and Casinos made enemies of the town of Fortuity, Nevada, and in the ensuing time lives have been threatened and lost. With the arrival of former Chicago PD police officer Nicki Ritchey, Miah Church is hoping for more than the solving of his father’s murder but for a relationship with the woman that calls to his heart. What ensues is the search for a killer, and the building romance between Miah and Nicki.

Miah and Nicki are kindred spirits both having lost their fathers to a killer; two unsolved crimes that have left our leading couple in a world of hurt and heartbreak. Miah has assumed responsibility for the family ranch but with his father’s murderer still on the loose Miah is desperate to take action on his own. With his friend’s as backup, Miah begins an investigation that will lead directly to everyone involved.

The relationship between Miah and Nicki is one of immediate attraction that began months earlier as our heroine as called into the investigation on the death of patriarch Don Church. Nicki is a divorced mother of a twelve year old boy, and is reluctant to settle in a town whose conservative and racist attitudes are a slap in our heroine’s face. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

All of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting roles including Vince and Kim (Lay It Down), Raina and Duncan (Give It All), Casey and Abilene (Burn it Up), as well as Jeremiah’s mother Christine, and Nicki’s son Mathias, and her mom.

RIDE IT OUT is a story of love and loss; desperation and greed; family and friendship; second chances and moving forward. The premise is intriguing and energetic; the characters are colorful and dynamic; the romance is passionate and uplifting. The epilogue fast forwards the series approximately two years where we get a glimpse into the future.

Reading Order and previous reviews
Drive It Deep .5
Lay It Down
Give It All
Burn It Up
Ride It Out

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

Excerpt supplied by Penguin Randomhouse

 

Nicki smoothed a stretchy jersey dress down her body before her mirror, liking what she saw.
Only not.
Jesus, when was the last time she’d worn a dress? It looked nice, flattered her shape, but the woman in the mirror also didn’t look like her. It all felt far too formal, and in the end she chickened out and changed back into the jeans and sweater she’d been wearing all day.
She stopped by Matty’s room with a goodnight kiss and a warning to get to sleep ASAP. As far as he knew, she was meeting a friend for a drink, and how about that? She hadn’t even had to lie. No doubt he assumed it was a female friend, and luckily he wasn’t interested enough to ask for details.
Out in the kitchen, however, her mother was interested. Nicki offered a curt nod and incriminating, “No comment.”
“Just don’t come home pregnant,” her mom advised, more joke than warning.
“Not funny. See you in the morning.”
Knowing brown eyes made an inventory of her, head to feet. “You look nice.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
“He’d better say the same.”
Nicki smiled at that. “Yes, he’d certainly better.”
She’d kept busy all day, kept the butterflies at a safe distance, but any cool she’d mustered vanished the moment she buckled her seatbelt and turned the key. As soon as the car was in motion, so was her stomach. She spent the twenty-minute drive deep breathing, and not to much avail.
The ranch’s front lot was as empty as she’d ever seen it, just Miah’s pickup and motorcycle, plus the little Toyota sedan she imagined belonged to his mother. Nicki parked way out near the entrance, feeling, only half irrationally, like this was some kind of scandal. She was a big-city girl, but she knew how small towns worked—much like her old neighborhood. Word got around, and the last thing she wanted was word getting back to Matty.
Tote bag in hand, she slammed her door as gently as she could, paused, ran her hands over her hair, over her hips, blew out a long breath. As she headed for the house, she saw him—Miah, sitting on the porch swing, hands in the kangaroo pockets of a hooded jacket, one ankle resting on the other knee in that cocky, cowboy way. She felt her face burn, knowing he’d seen her little primping session. So much for playing it cool.
Like he doesn’t know damn well I’m here to mess around with him. And that thought warmed her in an entirely different way.
“Evenin’,” he said as she reached the steps.
“Evening. You catch me grooming?”
“No idea what you mean.” He got to his feet. His dark eyes moved over her, down and up again, and when she came close, he drew her against him. His lips were cold when they brushed hers, but thrilling all the same. She held his shoulders, wanting to rake her nails over his skin, fist his collar, throw him down on this porch and devour him whole. Instead she retained the last of her dignity, accepting his brief, teasing kiss, then stepping back.
She licked her lips and smiled up at him. “Been waiting up for me?”
“Maybe. My mom’s in bed, so I thought I’d save you having to use the doorbell. Since this affair is strictly hush-hush, right?”
“Very sneaky—I like it. Invite me in?”
He nodded, stepping aside and waving his arm.
She preceded him inside, and they held their tongues as they slid their shoes off in the front hall. Nicki wondered if his mom’s room was up the nearest set of stairs. As they made their way past the kitchen, Nicki whispered, “I feel about seventeen.”
He laughed softly and took her hand, leading her to the big, open den. She loved this room. It felt like some rustic old lodge, two stories high and overlooked by the second-floor landing, punctuated by thick floorboards and the fat beams buttressing the ceiling. A massive stone fireplace dominated the far wall. A modest television was mounted off to the side, relegated to a clear runner-up position as focal pieces went. Leering from here and there were the mounted heads of elk and antelope and God knew what else. Those were a little weird, but she’d be able to block them out as soon as things got handsy, she trusted.
“Make yourself at home,” Miah said. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“You may.” She set her tote on the hulking wooden slab of a coffee table and pulled out a bottle of white wine, still cold from her fridge.
Miah hefted it by the neck and studied the label.
She smirked. “You scrutinizing my taste?”
“Just taking notes,” he said. “Might come in handy, knowing what to have stocked if I want to keep tricking you into spending time with me.”
Her smile deepened. “It’s cute you think I’m here for the wine.”
He raised a rakish eyebrow at her. “Touché, Deputy.”


 

 

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If We Fall (Corrupted Love Trilogy #3) by KM Scott-Review and Excerpt Tour

IF WE FALL (Corrupted Love Trilogy #3) by KM Scott-Review and Excerpt Tour

If We Fall BAnner

IF WE FALL
Corrupted Love Trilogy #3
by KM Scott
Release Date: May 31, 2017
Genre: adult,contemporary, erotic,romance

If We Fall

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / ibooks /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 31, 2017

If we fall…

Ryder
I’ve protected Serena from everything I could in her father’s world, but with each horrible act he committed, I knew the time would come when protecting her wouldn’t be enough. When that day comes and it’s either Robert or me who survives, I will do what I have to so the woman I love and my child are safe.

May heaven help me.

Serena
Every day I grow stronger as the child Ryder and I created grows inside me. I’m no fool, though. I know my father will do everything in his power to keep his control over us. But I’m not that scared little girl I used to be anymore, and the time is coming when he will realize that.

We’re fighting for even more than love now. This time, we’re fighting for family.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: IF WE FALL is the third and final installment in KM Scott’s CORRUPTED LOVE erotic, romance trilogy focusing on former underground MMA fighter Ryder Rhodes, and sheltered heiress Serena Erickson. IF WE FALL should not be read as a stand alone as it picks up immediately upon the events of book two-IF YOU FIGHT.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Ryder and Serena) IF WE FALL follows the ongoing turmoil and building relationship between former MMA fighter Ryder Rhodes, and Serena Erickson. Ryder and Serena’s future has been sealed but Serena’s father is determined to destroy that which he cannot control. As the new head of security Ryder begins to move up the ranks but Serena’s safety and that of his child are paramount, and Ryder is ready to take down the man that destroyed all of their lives.

IF WE FALL is a story of romance, suspense, family and intrigue. Robert Erickson’s control of his family is dangerous and dark; his power is corrupted; the evil permeates everything he touches. IF WE FALL and the Corrupted Love series follows one family as they struggle with what was, what is, and what could have been. Secrets are revealed; lives will be lost; and in the end, justice is served-one way or another. The writing style is simple and uncomplicated; the premise is intriguing; the characters are tragic and dynamic; the romance is fated, passionate and erotic. IF WE FALL is an imaginative and inventive story line where love (and vengeance) does truly –conquer all!

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
If I Dream
If You Fight
If We Fall

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

If We Fall Teaser

excerpt

I knocked softly on the door frame, and he looked over at me wearing one of those crocodile grins that still terrified me because I knew what they meant. Someone was going to be in a world of hurt soon, if his past behavior was any indication. Probably me.

“Ryder, please come in. No need to knock. This is your home. You’re always welcome here.”

Said the spider to the fly.

His smile and the tone of his words didn’t match one another—a sure sign of a psychopath—but I braced myself for whatever might come next and stepped into his office. Two men around my size stood at their posts in front of the bookcase and another stood at the back of the room near the windows. None of them appeared to even care that I’d come in, so I relaxed a little and turned my focus to Robert sitting behind his desk.

“Your overeager new guy tells me you want to see me,” I said with probably too much cockiness for my own good.

Behind me, I heard the man come into the room and stop at the door to take his position where I used to. I turned to throw him a glance to let him know I still didn’t appreciate the way he’d talked to me outside and then looked back at Robert.

“So are we going to do this or not? I figure this time you might not stop at just a beating, but it seems shitty to take a newborn baby’s father from him not two days into his life.”

No matter how much bravado I stuffed into each word, inside I worried that Robert planned to do just that—take me from Serena and Cayden, and not just by sending me somewhere far away. That crocodile smile he wore even now made me think these might be the last breaths I’d ever take.

But if I was going out of this world, I planned to fight like hell before it happened. I had too much to lose now.

He stood from behind his desk, and I reached for my gun, knowing the four men surrounding me did the same. I didn’t care that the odds were against me. If I could get off one good shot, at least Serena and Cayden wouldn’t have to live under Robert’s rule another day of their lives. My life for that was a trade I could accept.

Robert raised his hands as that smile slid from his face. “There is no need for guns, gentleman. Ryder, you’re among family here.”

I’d seen what his version of family meant. That’s why I carried a gun.

He offered me a seat in front of him in one of those red leather chairs. “Please, sit down. This is a happy day for both of us.”

Looking around, I saw the four men had returned to their jobs and weren’t paying attention to us anymore. “A happy day? Are we talking about my son’s birth or something else?”

“Sit, Ryder. Please.”

I slowly lowered myself into the chair closer to the door and tried to look relaxed, but Robert’s strangely happy mood confused me. I’d disobeyed him and betrayed him. There was no reason to believe he wouldn’t exact his retribution for that.

The only question was when.

about the author

A writer for years in other genres, K.M. Scott writes sexy contemporary romances like the ones that she loves. In love with love from the moment she picked up her first romance novel, she considers herself blessed that she has the chance to tell her own characters’ stories now. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading, feeding her addiction to TV, or cooking a new dish for family and friends. She loves to hear from readers, so drop by her Facebook page and say hi or e-mail me at kmscottauthor@gmail.com.

Author Contact Info:
Website / Google Plus / Facebook / Goodreads / Newsletter / Tumblr /

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Snared by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

Snared by Jennifer Estep – Dual Review & Giveaway

 

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Snared
Elemental Assassin series – Book #16
by Jennifer Estep
Release Date: April 25, 2017

SnaredAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
If you don’t know Gin “the Spider” Blanco, you don’t know dangerous female heroines.

Irony 101—The Spider herself snared in someone else’s web…

Another week, another few clues trickling in about the Circle, the mysterious group that supposedly runs the city’s underworld. Gathering intel on my hidden enemies is a painstaking process, but a more immediate mystery has popped up on my radar: a missing girl.

My search for the girl begins on the mean streets of Ashland, but with all the killers and crooks in this city, I’m not holding out much hope that she’s still alive.

A series of clues leads me down an increasingly dark, dangerous path, and I realize that the missing girl is really just the first thread in this web of evil. As an assassin, I’m used to facing down the worst of the worst, but nothing prepares me for this new, terrifying enemy—one who strikes from the shadows and is determined to make me the next victim.

Barb’s Review

Snared by Jennifer Estep is the 16th book in her fantastic Urban Fantasy Elemental Assassin series.  I always look forward to reading the next book in this series, as Jennifer Estep never fails to give us another fantastic exciting action packed story, which has one of the best kick-ass heroines in Gin Blanco (Spider). 

In Snared, Gin continues to research about the secret powerful group called the Circle, who was part of killing her mother years before.  When on a mission to find more information on one of the Circle leaders, she overhears something about her mother and her evil enemy Tucker, which upsets Gin, and pushes her to find out more.  But when Jade, one of Ashland’s gangland leaders, asks for help, Gin will step forward.  It seems that Jade’s younger sister is missing, and when Gin pulls her team (what an awesome group; Bria, Finn, Owen, Silvio, Sophia, Jo Jo, Xavier, etc), together they discover that a serial killer has been killing young blond haired girls. 

What follows is an exciting, mind blowing, pulse pounding mystery that will bring Gin right into the lion’s den, where clues will point to the serial killer somewhere within the circle.  As always with Gin Blanco, she is right in the middle of this wild adventure.  No one messes with Gin, and yet so many times they all try to kill her, and somehow our heroine always manages to suffer horrific injuries, and yet escape death.  Will she find Jade’s sister in time?  Will she learn the truth about her mother and her enemy, Tucker?

Reading this series, and spending time with Gin is always fun and enjoyable.  I love how tough and loyal Gin is, and no matter how much she suffers in each book, she still rises up for more.  We are always on the edge of our seats through each and every book.  Jennifer Estep is a master at creating a seamless flow into each story, and watching Gin evolve into such a great heroine.  As I noted earlier, the secondary characters that make up Gin’s team are great, and always fun to be with.  Her romance with Owen is just perfect and sweet, which always manages to release the tension in the story at the moment.

Snared was a wonderful  action filled addition to this series, which also gives us answers to some questions, as well as surprises that will have us waiting impatiently for the next book;  I cannot wait for more adventures of Gin Blanco. If you have not read the Elemental Assassin series, it is time for you to start now.

 

Sandy’s Review

SNARED is the sixteenth full-length installment in Jennifer Estep’s contemporary, adult ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN paranormal, urban fantasy series focusing on Gin Blanco aka The Spider –the reigning Queen of the paranormal Underworld of Ashland. SNARED can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty although I recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and backstory.

Told from first person point of view (Gin Blanco) using present day and memories (flashbacks) from the past SNARED follows Gin as she searches for the mysterious, underground group known as the Circle-a secret organization connected to the death of her parents and her beloved sister. A serial killer is on the loose in Ashland, and Gin and her family of supernatural investigators find themselves on the hunt for the person responsible leading Gin back to the Circle and their connections to the past. New details continue to emerge about Gin’s younger years, and her mother’s possible association with the Circle assassins.

Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of characters including Gin’s lover Owen, her sister Bria, and foster brother Finn, as well as Gin’s assistant /vampire Silvio Sanchez, Jo Jo and her sister Sophia, and an assortment of giants, dwarves, more elementals and vampires. Vampire Hugh Tucker returns and sets into motion a series events that are both deadly and revealing.

SNARED has moments of intrigue, mystery, action and suspense as Gin and her family of elementals search for answers from the present and the past. The action is limited; the violence not as graphic as in previous story line but that is not to say that the violence is non-existent. Gin Blanco, is after all an assassin, and as Queen of the Underworld there is always someone waiting to take down the woman in charge. The premise is engaging, revealing and spirited; the characters are colorful and energetic. Jennifer Estep’s ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN series is a magical and impassioned look at the world of the supernatural, and all of the evil brought together in a battle for power and control.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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Jennifer is graciously offering a paper copy of SNARED (Elemental Assassin #16) to TWO  (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe:

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Dark Carousel by Christine Feehan – Dual Review & Giveaway

Dark Carousel by Christine Feehan – Dual Review & Giveaway

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DARK CAROUSEL
Dark Carpathians #30
by Christine Feehan
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal romance
Release Date: August 2, 2016

 

Dark CarouselAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description:
The moment Charlotte Vintage walks into his club, Tariq Asenguard’s blood is set on fire. The ancient Carpathian had given up hope of finding his lifemate, but now he will do anything to make Charlotte his own. What Tariq doesn’t know is that Charlotte is using herself and her best friend as bait—to try to draw out the bloodthirsty killers who have already murdered Charlotte’s brother and mentor.
 
Charlotte is familiar with Tariq. Not only is he one of the richest and most eligible bachelors in the city, but he’s also a renowned collector of old carousel horses, which Charlotte restores. Their shared passion opens Charlotte up to trusting him with her life and with the desire she can no longer control. But it also makes her vulnerable to a centuries-old curse that will unite her and Tariq in a war against the enemies of humans and Carpathians alike…

 

Barb’s Review:

Dark Carousel by Christine Feehan is the 30th book in her Dark/Carpathian series.  For those of you who have been reading my reviews on this series, you know I have been disappointed in most of the books Christine has written since my favorite book, Dark Slayer.  I did not like most of the heroes (still loved Dimitri), who were abusive/arrogant / macho to their mates for a large part of the story, as well as the books being more erotic then story driven.  I also did not like that many of the earlier characters, or villains, such as the Malinovs, did not play much of a part in most of the books. In Dark Carousel I have to say……..CHRISTINE FEEHAN IS BACK.  I loved Dark Carousel and I love Tariq.  Now to my review.  🙂

We have been waiting for Tariq Asenguard’s story for a long time, and in Dark Carousel he finally gets his story and his lifemate.  Charlotte Vintage is our heroine, and we meet her from the start.   Charlotte is with her best friend at a club owned by Tarig, where they act as bait to find the men responsible for the death of members of each of their families. Charlotte and her friend, Genevieve were part of a special psychics evaluation that was done for women who have psychic abilities.  We did learn many books ago that Psychic women are suspected of being lifemate candidates for the Carpathian warriors. When they leave the club, they are surrounded by dangerous men, who are vampires.  Tariq sensed in his club the scent of a woman who pulls on him, and who he suspects is the lifemate he has spent his life looking for.  It will be Tariqand his friends who will save Charlotte and Genevieve from the vampires.

Tariq will bring them and Charlotte’s niece to his mansion, where he will protect them. The mansion is also the safe house for a few children that Tariq and his men rescued from the vampires; with most having been tortured, and are in the process of healing.  Tariq has assumed responsibility for them, making them his family.  Almost immediately after arriving at the mansion, Tariq and Charlotte become a scorching hot couple, with Tariq using his sexual charm and trance to start the lifemate chant. There is no way Tariq will allow Charlotte to get away from him, since she is one person to keep him alive.  Charlotte was also falling in love with Tariq, with his loving care of her, and his promise to love her and care for her forever. 

What follows is a wonderful story, where Tariq and his Carpathian friends must find a way to save the children in their care, and also save Charlotte, who is in very much danger.   It was amazing how we saw all of the warriors work together to heal her from a splinter controlled by a master vampire.  As Charlotte’s life hangs by a thread; they had no choice but to convert her early.

 This was an exciting, action packed story that brought us back to the days left off in Dark Slayer.  The Malinovs are back, with Vadim being the master.  Sergey is also there, but so far, Vadim is the one in control.  There was a race to the climax to save one of the younger girls that was tortured, and a fight for life against one of Vadim’s other master vampires. I loved how Charlotte adapted to becoming Carpathian and loved her new powers and helping  Tariq, and living in his world.   Great story, great characters, great couple.    The story with the Vadim and Sergey was left open for future books.    Welcome back, Christine, I pray we get to see more like Dark Carousel and the rest of the people we just met.

 

Sandy’s Review:

DARK CAROUSEL is the thirtieth installment in Christine Feehan’s contemporary, adult DARK CARPATHIAN paranormal, romance series. This is ancient warrior Tariq Asenguard, and carousel restorer Charlotte Vintage’s story line. DARK CAROUSEL can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Several of the characters including Maxim and Blaze introduced in DARK CRIME found in the anthology EDGE OF DARKNESS (July 2015) play secondary and supporting roles throughout the story.

NOTE: DARK CAROUSEL is a story with brutally, graphic violence and issues of rape and abuse against women and children.

SOME BACKGROUND: All Carpathian males must find their lifemates before they turn vampire or greet the dawn. Without a lifemate, the males no longer see in color, feel pain or experience emotions. A lifemate is the light to their dark. She is the keeper of his heart and the keeper of his soul. As the unmated Carpathian male ages, the darkness begins to envelope his soul.

Told from several third person points of view DARK CAROUSEL follows Charlotte Vintage as she endeavors to come to terms with the deaths of several family members and friends seemingly linked back to her visit to a psychic center in Paris, France. As Charlotte and her friend Genevieve return to America, they are being stalked by an unknown source, and find themselves at a nightclub run by Tariq Asenguard-an ancient Carpathian male who has yet to find the woman who holds the other half to his soul. What ensues is the awareness for Tariq when Charlotte’s voice returns his emotions and color, and the quick building romance/insta love between two people connected by the past. While Charlotte struggles with her attraction and need for Tariq, there is something more sinister working behind the scenes. A master vampire is on the hunt, and Charlotte is one of his intended victims.

Like all of Christine Feehan’s male leads, Tariq is over protective and alpha, but in saying this, he is not abusive, not arrogant, not controlling or verging on total domination like many of Christine’s recent male ‘heroes’-a term I use lightly. For an ancient Carpathian, Tariq is quite modern, and willing to accept that his mate is his partner in many aspects of their relationship but fighting vampires is not in her repertoire.

DARK CAROUSEL, like so many of the recent DARK stories, is a graphically violent tale of murder, rape, blood shed, and gore with disturbing scenes and brutal imagery. Christine Feehan’s vampires are evolving into a darker, more sinister species with the ability to think and act independently, where no one is off limits, and children and women are the latest targets as the vampires struggle for power and control.

The large ensemble cast of characters is numerous including the introduction of several new ancients we first met in Dark Promises, who are struggling to retain their honor, as well as the triplets Tomas, Lojos, and Matais. All of the psychic children introduced in Dark Crime are now wards of Tariq Asenquard, and like Sara and Falcon from Dark Dream, Tariq and Charlotte are now the foster parents for several psychic children who are featured throughout the story. One young child will be the saving grace for an ancient Carpathian (reminiscent of Skylar and Dimitri). Vadim Malinov is the Master vampire and, for newcomers to the series, and as a reminder, Tariq reveals some history about the Malinov’s and their battle with the Carpathian people.

Christine Feehan’s DARK CAROUSEL is a welcome return to her earlier writing style and story line presentation including the ongoing battle with the Malinov family, which has been missing for awhile, but the original characters we grew to love are absent and without representation. The Daratrazanoffs are mentioned for their healing abilities but have yet to make an appearance. The up-kick in graphic and brutal violence against women and children is still an issue-one that I don’t see coming to an end with the current direction of the series, and the ever-evolving vampires. The premise has plenty of action, fight scenes and sexual situations; the characters are an eclectic mix of humans, vampires, children and Carpathians; the romance is a quick build to lifemates and love.

For diehard fans of the series, many are aware that the characters from DARK CAROUSEL are part of a ‘lost’ manuscript previously started by the author-the premise has somewhat changed from the recovered text.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Copy provided by Publisher

 

giveaway

Christine’s publisher is offering a Hardcover copy of DARK CAROUSEL to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

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3. LIKE Christine Feehan on Facebook

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only

9.. Giveaway runs from August 2 to August 6, 2016

 

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An Indecent Proposal #2: The Agreement by J.C. Reed and Jackie Steele-Review, Book Tour and Giveaway

An Indecent Proposal #2: The Agreement by J.C. Reed and Jackie Steele-Review, Book Tour and Giveaway

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The Agreement
An Indecent Proposal #2
by J.C. Reed and Jackie Steele
Genre: adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: December 15, 2015

The Agreement

99¢ ebook: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iBooks

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 15, 2015

Predictable. Boring. Safe.

That’s what life is supposed to be like. As the rightful heir to Waterfront Gardens, I would gladly refuse my inheritance. I don’t want the money. I sure don’t want to have anything to do with its dark past. Except for the letters of my deceased mother, I would be willing to cut losses and move on and give up my rich lifestyle. But my stepfather expects me to marry. And then there is my new fiancé.

My hot, fake fiancé. Tall, handsome, mysterious.

That’s how Chase Wright is.

Unfortunately, he is not mine.

Unfortunately, too, the day I hired him, I signed an agreement.

When an innocent plan lands us engaged, none of us are prepared for the consequences. No one warned us that we could fall in love. Maybe The Agreement wasn’t such a good idea.

I should stay away from him and forget about our one night together.

Except he doesn’t want to.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: THE AGREEMENT is the second installment in J.C. Reed and Jackie Steele’s contemporary, adult AN INDECENT PROPOSAL romantic suspense novella trilogy focusing on twenty two year old Lauren Hanson, and Chase Wright. THE AGREEMENT should not be read as a stand alone, as each installment builds upon the events of the previous storyline.

SOME BACKGROUND: The focus is on Lauren’s need for a ‘fiance’. According to her mother’s will, in order to gain access to a set of letters her mother bequeathed upon her death, Laurie must be in a committed relationship before her twenty third birthday. Enter-handsome and mysterious actor Chase Wright-who easily accepts all of the conditions set out by Miss Hanson.

Told from first person point of view (Laurie) THE AGREEMENT focuses on preparations for Laurie and Chase’s ‘wedding’. Laurie insists that the couple agree to a professional arrangement with no physical or emotional attachments but Chase insists on a contractual agreement whereby Lauren must agree to a number of stipulations and rules in order for their fake marriage to survive. What ensues is the push and pull of attraction; the uneasiness of the unknown; and the possibility that our heroine has committed herself to a dark and dangerous man with secrets of his own. As the rightful heir to the Waterfront Gardens, Laurie’s mysterious new husband could have very well played our heroine like the naive fool she has presented herself to be.

THE AGREEMENT is a slow build to an intense (although not unexpected) reveal that is impassioned, dramatic and heartbreaking. The destructive nature of the ill fated proposal catches the heroine and the reader in a climactic and powerful cliff hanger that leaves Lauren Hanson in a precarious and unenviable position- to run or face the uncertainty that her new marriage and husband have to offer. Chase has an agenda and Laurie plays a major role in his plans. The premise is intriguing and suspense filled; the characterizations continue to reveal something more than meets the eye; the romance is a struggle between heart and mind.

Click HERE for Sandy’s Review of AN INDECENT PROPOSAL: The Interview (book 1)

THE INTERVIEW only 99¢ : Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / iTunes

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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AUTHORS

J.C. Reed- visit her website

Jackie Steele- visit her website

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Viper Game (Ghostwalkers #11) by Christine Feehan – Dual Review and Giveaway

Viper Game by Christine Feehan – Dual Review and Giveaway

 

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Viper Game
Ghostwalker series – Book # 11
by Christine Feehan
Genre: adult, contemporary, paranormal, romance
Release Date: January 27, 2015, Viper Game Jan 15Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository / BAM

Description:
GhostWalker Wyatt Fontenot knows the price he paid for the secret military experiments that gave him his special catlike abilities. After all, he left his bayou home a healer and came back a killer. While Wyatt and his GhostWalker brother Gator may have known exactly the sort of game they were getting into, Wyatt never anticipated where it would lead—or to whom.

The swamps hold many mysteries, but few are as sinuously seductive as Le Poivre de Cayenne. The woman the locals call Pepper is every bit as enigmatic as the three little girls she’s desperately trying to protect. From what, Wyatt is soon to discover. Right now Pepper needs a man like Wyatt. Passionately. But her secrets are about to take them both deeper into the bayou than either imagined—where desire is the deadliest poison of all.

 

Barb’s Review:

Viper Game by Christine Feehan is the 11th book in her wonderful GhostWalker series. We have been waiting a long time to get Wyatt’s story, and it was worth the wait; even though there are many more Ghost Walkers we can’t wait to read about. This is a typical Christine Feehan story, with a bit of everything from romance, suspense, danger, action-packed excitement, hot hot men, and on top of all that a couple that sizzles all throughout the book. Make no mistake, Viper Game is sexy as hell.

Wyatt Fontenot is Gator’s brother, and though I loved Wyatt, no one can touch Gator.   But this is Wyatt’s book and the story starts with him coming home to the swamp with his two friends to help his Grandmere. It seems that that something is going on nearby in a private building that is gated and tightly guarded.

When Wyatt returns with his friends after checking out the building beyond the swamp, he meets our heroine, Pepper, under difficult circumstances. Thinking his Grandmere was in danger, Wyatt makes a move that causes Pepper to get hurt trying to save him from an unlikely source.

What follows is an awesome story about another one of Peter Whitney’s devious attempts at creating super soldiers, and his using children, even babies to create poisonous vipers. It doesn’t take long for Wyatt to know that Pepper is his mate, even if she is too afraid to commit to anyone, knowing how dangerous she is. Pepper’s skill is different, and very lethal, as it did put an interesting twist into the story, especially effecting all the guys. The storyline with the babies also makes this a good story in a fight to save the baby, and the other two babies still at the compound.

I do not want to give spoilers, as a lot happens. Just know that Wyatt and Pepper scorch the pages. I thought Wyatt was a bit too rough, and angry with Pepper, which did turn me off at times. With that said, you need to read the story to understand why. The last half of the book was filled with so much action, and intense excitement. I really liked Wyatt’s team, especially Trap, who we know will be getting his own book, if not next, sometime in the future. I wish we could have seen Gator and Flame, but it didn’t happen. However, Wyatt and Pepper were great, and she is a worthy addition to the female GhostWalkers. Wonderful addition to this series.

 

Sandy’s Review:

VIPER GAME is the eleventh installment in Christine Feehan’s adult, contemporary Ghostwalker paranormal romance series focusing on an elite group of enhanced supernatural soldiers. This is Wyatt Fontenot (Gator’s brother –Night Game-Ghostwalker #3) and Pepper. VIPER GAME can be read as a stand alone but for background, history and overall enjoyment I recommend reading the series in order.

Wow. It’s been almost thirty (30) months (July 2012) since we last visited the Ghostwalker series and Christine Feehan welcomes a new team of supernatural soldiers. We are reintroduced to the newly enhanced Wyatt Fontenot-a man who purposely walked into Dr. Whitney’s labs in the hopes of gaining his super powers. With his feline DNA, Wyatt has become an exceptional soldier with over four hundred missions to date. But a call from his Nonny about mysterious happenings in the Bayou will bring Wyatt home, along with two fellow soldiers, Malachi and Ezekiel Fortunes, to investigate the who and the what of the swamp surrounding his boyhood home. What ensues is the discovery of a female Ghostwalker named Pepper whose story and connection to Wyatt will shake the very foundations of family and love.

Like most of Christine Feehan’s Ghostwalker storylines there is an instant attraction between Wyatt and Pepper. Dr. Whitney’s experiments pair up matching soldiers such that each will compliment or destroy the essence of what it means to be a super soldier with enhanced powers and psychic abilities. Pepper and Wyatt’s relationship is fused with the knowledge that Whitney has stolen from them something more precious than DNA -their future happiness and family. As Wyatt works with his team to infiltrate the latest test labs, Pepper is uncertain that her future is safe with any man. The $ex scenes are raw and intense. There is a necessity to their mating-one that does not go unnoticed by every red blooded male around- but one that will quell the mutual burning fires of need and want.

The secondary and supporting cast includes the many soldiers who guard and protect Whitney’s latest compound: Wyatt’s new team of genetically enhanced soldiers including Malachai, Mordichai and Ezekiel Fortunes; Trap and Draden. The only previous storyline character is Wyatt’s grand-mere Nonny. Gator and Flame are briefly mentioned but notably absent: we do not get an appearance by our favorite Cajun man. We are introduced to the latest female Ghostwalker-a woman known only as Cayenne-but a woman who starts to melt the frigid frost around Trap’s heart. Recognize where this team of female soldiers is heading?-SPICE GIRLS–and there are three more little girls whose names are as sweet as the flavors they enhance.

At times VIPER GAME fell closely into Carpathian territory with some of the enhanced psychic abilities especially Wyatt’s power to heal and Trap’s ability to …well you will see. I almost felt that I was reading a cross over storyline involving both series which was a little disconcerting because the comparisons were many.

VIPER GAME is a fast paced, action packed story of insta love, romance, suspense and mystery. Dr. Whitney has yet to be caught; he is constantly on the move; and Wyatt’s team are the latest ‘victims’ to fall under the spell of their genetically modified mates. Christine Feehan’s imagination knows no boundaries; she will pull you in and never let go. Her stories are heartbreaking, emotional and always with a love connection that goes beyond DNA.

My only concern is the number of previous storyline Ghostwalkers who have yet to find their happily ever after. With the introduction of a new team of enhanced soldiers and a glimpse at Trap and Cayenne’s possible connection, what happens to men without women to anchor them in the psychic world of DNA enhancement and destructive powers?

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

giveaway

Christine’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of VIPER’S GAME to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

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

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE us on FACEBOOK and click GET NOTIFICATIONS

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8. Giveaway is open to USA only.

9. Giveaway runs from January 26-30, 2015

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Peanut Goes to School by Thea Harrison – a Dual Review

Peanut Goes to School by Thea Harrison – a Dual Review

Peanut Goes to School

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Description:
Dragos Cuelebre is no longer the only dragon.

Dragos’s son Liam Cuelebre (a.k.a. Peanut) is springing into existence, reminiscent of the first of the Elder Races who were born at the beginning of the world. At just six months of age, he has already grown to the size of a large five-year-old boy. He can read, write in complete sentences, and his math skills are off the chart.

A white dragon in his Wyr form, Liam also holds more Power than almost anyone else. In an effort to give him a taste of normality, no matter how fleeting, his parents Pia and Dragos enroll him in first grade.

They hope school will help teach Liam how to relate to others, a vital skill that will help him control his growing Power. But school has a surprising number of pitfalls, and relating to others can be a tricky business.

When a classmate is threatened, Liam must quickly learn self-control, how to rein in his instincts, and govern his temper, because there’s no doubt about it—he is fast becoming one of the most dangerous creatures in all of the Elder Races

 

Barb’s Review:

Peanut Goes to School is the 3rd and final book in Thea Harrison’s novella ARC revolving around Dragos, Pia and Liam. If you have not been following Thea’s Elder Races series, or not reading our reviews, they are main characters of this series. Sandy and I are big fans of the Elder Races, so when we can, we try to do dual reviews.

I really enjoyed the first two books of this arc, as they were a lot of fun to spend time with Dragos, Pia, and learn more about Liam (Peanut). When we last left off in the last novella, Peanut had grown dramatically. He was now more like 5 years old, though in reality he is only 6 months old. But he is Dragos (dragon) and Pia’s (Unicorn) son, and the magic they have has made young Liam, who is a young dragon, very powerful. Growing too fast, Liam’s parents think going to school is something he needs to do to learn how to deal with people, as well as control his temperament and powers.

Anything more will be spoilers, as this is the shortest novella of the three. The description above says it all. I just want to say that I loved reading this short story, loved listening to Peanut’s POV, and loved everything about this wonderful fun relaxing read. I look forward to Liam becoming a major part of the Elder Races future. Most of all, I adore both Dragos and Pia, and can never have enough of them. Thank you, Thea for these fun books to read.

 

Sandy’s Review

As this is a dual review, some of our information may overlap.

PEANUT GOES TO SCHOOL is the third instalment in Thea Harrison’s Elder Races paranormal novella trilogy focusing on Dragos, Pia and Liam Cuelebre. As the child of the only living dragon Liam is gifted with power beyond anyone’s imagination, and to combine them with his mother’s supernatural abilities and you have the makings for a very interesting childhood.

The story focuses on six month old Liam Cuelebre whose growth and maturity are years ahead. Hoping to socialize their little ‘peanut’ with other children, Pia and Dragos send Liam off to school hoping that their tiny dragon reigns in his powers if something should go wrong-and go wrong they do.

PEANUT GOES TO SCHOOL is a sweet storyline told in close third person POV (Liam) that follows Liam’s first day in grade one. From school yard bullies to a terrifying teacher, Liam encounters his first taste of predator and prey-and no dragon will ever be considered –the prey. Although the storyline is part of The Elder Races series, the novella reads more like a middle grade story because it is written from a child’s perspective.

Thea Harrison novella trilogy follows one supernatural family –from the birth of their first child to the first day of school. Every parent worries about the future-the what ifs and whys-but most never have to worry about their six month old child shifting into a white dragon that breathes fire and fear into a classroom of first grade students. We get an up close and personal look at one father and son relationship that can be measured by the love and emotional bonding; and a mother whose natural instinct to protect overrides all sense of well-being.

Copy supplied by the author.

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