Mountain Lion by Terry Bolryder

 

Title: Mountain Lion

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #4 in the Bear Haven series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Bolryder (October 12, 2015)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: This sexy shifter is never giving up...

Mountain lion shifter Wyatt Reynolds has finally found something to fight for. Life has been a bit lonely for the tall, sexy cowboy on his upscale Montana ranch, but he never found the right woman to settle down with. Until a small, mysterious person walks into his office one day, hidden under bulky men's clothing and needing his help.

Valerie knows not to trust men. After being raised in the remote Montana mountains with a terrible father that sold her to the highest bidder because of her rare blood, she has written men off forever. When she comes to Wyatt looking for a job, all she wants is a place that's safe, quiet, and will allow her the freedom to finally live a life of her own. But what she doesn't realize is that a tall, ripped cougar shifter might be enough man to give a woman ideas.

Though they start as friends, Valerie is starting to get sexy thoughts about Wyatt that she never intended, and Wyatt seems to feel exactly the same way. But even as friends become lovers, Valerie's dark past remains a constant threat. The men who want her aren't giving up, but neither is Wyatt. Anyone who threatens this mountain lion's mate is going to see his claws.

Book 4 of the Bear Haven series or can be read alone as a satisfying standalone!

My Thoughts: What a great conclusion to a good series!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: While I thought this series had some ups and downs it truly ended on a good note. Wyatt was an incredible hero. He was patient and kind when Valerie needed someone to show her not all people or shifters are bad. Val came to Wyatt's ranch bruised and abused. Over the following weeks she healed and became more confident. Their relationship was a sweet progress of friends becoming more. When they became lovers those scenes were spicy and well written. 

The length of the book (and all of the books I've read by Terry Bolryder really) is just too short to get deep into character history/development or to get a full on amazing romance that a 300+ page book would allow. They often rely on insta-love and use a fated mate trope to accommodate the quick I Love You's. I always mention insta-love in my reviews because I don't really like it and prefer slow burns where I can actually see them falling in love rather then having them "BOOM" in love. In most cases insta-love would be a negative but with Terry's work I just take it as it is and enjoy the books for what they are. So, with that said, this book was a little different. The book was a bit longer than the rest of the books in the series with 50 pages more than the first two and 30 more than book 3. It made a difference. We ended up with a longer courtship and a bit more background information. Another 150 pages would have given us even more but for the length of 165 pages this was a really good book. Wyatt and Val had some great moments together and the suspense was pretty good as well. I wish the tension would have played out a little longer though, as it was wrapped up pretty quickly. 

At the end of this series we're left with a feeling of completion with all 3 McAllister brothers and their neighbor, Wyatt, finding their mates but the author opened up a new hero for us with Jace, a rare weretiger, and an interesting shifter policing "organization" led by dragons I'm looking forward to reading more of. 

In a Nutshell: I'm honestly so thrilled with this book and I'm really happy I discovered Terry's work and I'm totally binging in her books. I can't get enough!

Some Enchanted Éclair by Bailey Cates

 

Title: Some Enchanted Éclair

Author: Bailey Cates

Series: #4 in the Magical Bakery series

Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Publisher: NAL (July 1, 2014) Audio version Published by Tantor Audio (July 1, 2014 )

Source: Library Find 

Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: FLOUR POWER

When Hollywood invades Savannah’s historic district to film a Revolutionary War movie, magical baker Katie Lightfoot, and her witches’ coven, the Spellbook Club, take a break from casting spells for casting calls. The witches snag parts as extras, while Katie’s firefighter boyfriend, Declan, acts as on-set security. Katie and her aunt Lucy decide to stay out of the action, but after the movie’s “fixer” fires the caterer, the Honeybee Bakery comes to the rescue, working their magic to keep the hungry crew happy.

But when someone fixes the fixer—permanently—and a spooky psychic predicts Katie will find the killer, the charming baker and her fellow conjurers step in to sift through the suspects…before someone else winds up on the cutting room floor…

My Thoughts: Another good book in an enchanting series. I have really grown to like Katie and her coven although they don't have as big of a part in this book as they have in the past. I liked that Cookie returned (with a surprise in tow) even though it wasn't until the end of the book. I've missed her.

In this book a period piece movie is being filmed in the area and some of Katie's friends and family participate in the making of it. Of course, Katie wouldn't be Katie if she didn't arrive at the set just in time for the discovery of a dead body. If that wasn't bad enough a psychic tells her she will bring justice to/for the victim. So what should a good witch do? Investigate of course.

There were some interesting additions to the woo-woo paranormal witchery this time around with a new someone who can talk to the dead and one already established someone (at this part of the series someone we know well) who can all of sudden channel spirits. This new addition is explained in a way that was satisfying so the "out of left field" feeling went away by the end of the book.

My biggest complaint would be about Declan, Katie's beau. He's kind of a jackass. Super moody and hard to like. He's been pseudo-supportive of Katie's abilities to the point it feels as if he is placating her rather than accepting and encouraging her. In this instance her other (past) beau would have been a much better match but C’est la vie. Honestly the other guy was sketchy anyway but I'm conveniently forgetting about that at this point in time.

I know I haven't discussed much of the plot and my feelings for the plot are just *meh. The book was good. I wasn't pulled out of the story by any weird crap and things were wrapped up well. I am just so much a character driven reader that it completely up to the characters to make the book or break it for me. The plot is always secondary in my eyes. I know that's weird but there it is. LOL

The audio version was ok. Amy Rubinate is Katie for me, but she doesn't necessarily do other voices. I always know who is who but this is more about the writing than the narration. These audio books are just someone reading to me rather than an amazing production. I have always listened to them because they listen quickly especially as I listen at 2X the speed. Amy's voice doesn't chipmunk out too terribly at this speed.

In a Nutshell: Of course, I'll pick up the next book. These books are fun and quick fluff if you need something to fill a space definitely try them. They are especially nice between weightier more thought-provoking books.

Shattered by Allison Brennan

Author: Allison Brennan
Series: #4 in the Max Revere series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Minotaur Books; Reprint edition (August 22, 2017)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Over a span of twenty years, four boys have been kidnapped from their bedrooms, suffocated, and buried nearby in a shallow grave. Serial killer or coincidence?

That’s the question investigative reporter Maxine Revere sets out to answer when an old friend begs her to help exonerate his wife, who has been charged with their son’s recent murder. But Max can do little to help because the police and D.A. won’t talk to her—they think they have the right woman. Instead, Max turns her attention to three similar cold cases. If she can solve them, she might be able to help her friend.

Justin Stanton was killed twenty years ago, and his father wants closure—so he is willing to help Max with her investigation on one condition: that she work with his former sister-in-law— Justin’s aunt, FBI Agent Lucy Kincaid. Trouble is, Max works alone, and she’s livid that her only access to the case files, lead detective and witnesses depends on her partnering with a federal agent on vacation. She wants the career-making story almost as much as the truth—but if she gets this wrong, she could lose everything.

Haunted by Justin’s death for years, Lucy yearns to give her family—and herself—the closure they need. More important, she wants to catch a killer. Lucy finds Max’s theory on all three cases compelling—with Max's research added to Lucy’s training and experience, Lucy believes they can find the killer so justice can finally be served. But the very private Lucy doesn’t trust the reporter any more than Max trusts her.

Max and Lucy must find a way to work together to untangle lies, misinformation, and evidence to develop a profile of the killer. But the biggest question is: why were these boys targeted? As they team up to find out what really happened the night Justin was killed, they make a shocking discovery: Justin’s killer is still out there … stalking another victim … and they already may be too late.

My Thoughts: This series just gets better and better.

The Good: With this book Allison Brennan brought in the star of her Lucy Kincaid series into Max's world. I have not read any of the Lucy Kincaid books and now I really want to. Max doesn't really work well with others and to see her have to work with an FBI agent was a great way to move Max's character forward. Lucy is a mystery to Max and Max doesn't do well with mysteries. She needs answers and with Lucy she can't get those answers. This is where you see Max really maturing even more than in the last few books. She lives with it. I liked seeing Max realizing she wanted more from her life as well.

The plot was pretty straight forward but kind of took a little back seat to the characters of Lucy and Max. I'm so character driven so I didn't hate this and if there were slow parts or flaws in the plot I never noticed. The actual story of boys being murdered was pretty intense and I really liked it a lot. Even though we know who the killer was through a large portion of the book the investigation was still riveting.

The Bad: There was quite a bit of repetition in regards to Lucy's background that was an irritant. Since I had not read any of the Lucy Kincaid books this was new information to me but it is told and told again and if you didn't get it the first dozen times it is told again. All of this was strictly for the reader as Max had no knowledge of Lucy's traumatic past and the book ended with her still in the dark about it. Had I gone into this book having read the Lucy books this repetition would have been even worse.

Another thing some people would find as a negative in this book would be the lack of romance. Sure Lucy and her husband, Sean, have an amazing relationship but Max's romance was completely lacking in this book. There is no sex and barely even any communication between Max and the man she has been dating since the end of book 1.

In a Nutshell: I love this series and can't wait for the next book to come out. Until I can get my hands on the next book once it's published I'm happy to be able to read more about Lucy Kincaid. I'd recommend people who like Romantic Suspense to read these Max Revere books but don't let her abrasive personality in the first book stop you from continuing on. This series is good.

To Kill a Hummingbird by J.R. Ripley

Title: To Kill a Hummingbird
Author: J.R. Ripley
Series: #4 in the Bird Lover's Mystery series
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Lyrical Underground  (July 11th 2017)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: For Amy Simms, owner of Birds & Bees, nothing is more important than impressing her old professor, but this odd bird is about to fall to earth . . .

When her favorite ornithology professor comes calling, Birds & Bees owner Amy Simms hangs six hummingbird feeders around the shop to welcome Professor Livingston with a flock of his favorite flying creatures. But Amy soon finds that the sugar water in the feeders brings more than a swarm of hummingbirds. It also attracts murder.

Professor Livingston is just as friendly as Amy remembers, but something seems to be troubling him. When Amy pays him a visit that night, she finds the professor slumped over a table with a pair of scissors buried in his neck. And standing over his body is Rose Smith, the local bookseller, who claims she killed him. But while the police believe they have a bird in hand, Amy thinks the real killer may still be in the bush . . .

My Thoughts: My first venture into the world of Birds & Bees and I wasn't super impressed but it wasn't horrible either.

The Good: The setting was interesting. I've really never thought about bird watching as a hobby so it was an interesting bit of information on the subject. The small town setting was also likable and the interactions between the people of the town was fun.

The Bad: Because this wasn't the first book in the series and I've not read anything else by this author I wasn't sure how the character dynamics happened. Amy almost hates her tenant, a little old lady who helps out in the shop when she feels like it. I'm not sure why because she seems nice enough but more inserted into the series for some comic relief. I didn't like Amy's dislike of having her around with n back ground to support the animosity. Also, Amy's boyfriend has an ex-wife also named Amy. This created unnecessary confusion and not humor as perhaps intended.

In a Nutshell: I like the cozy mystery genre and even though I didn't enjoy this as much as I'd hope I'm going to give the author and this series another go.

Deadly Obsession by Maggie Shayne

Title: Deadly Obsession
Author: Maggie Shayne
Series: #4 in the Brown/deLuca series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin/Mira  (December 1, 2014)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: A cold-blooded killer with a burning obsession…

Rachel de Luca has a bad feeling about the new woman in Detective Mason Brown's life, the nurse taking care of him after he's injured in the line of duty. She'd like to think it's just jealousy, but intuition tells her it's something more, maybe something dangerous.

Mason knows Rachel's wary of commitment, and asking her to stay when he's in this condition would be the worst thing for their relationship. Then they receive chilling news that drives everything else from their minds.

Mason's psychotic sister-in-law has escaped from custody, putting her sons — the nephews he's raising — in the crosshairs. When his house is burned to the ground, he and Rachel are relieved that there are no bodies in the smoldering rubble, but now his nephews are missing and the clock is ticking.

As Mason and Rachel try to find the boys, she senses a new and unexpected danger stalking them. Soon, everyone close to Mason is in deadly peril — Rachel more than anyone….

My Thoughts: An excellent conclusion to a fantastic series.

The Good: Forgive me if this review is nothing but a bunch of gushing about how great this book was for me. After 4 books I am honestly going to miss Rachel and Mason, not to mention Jeremy, Josh and Myrtle. These characters are forever embedded in my brain and I can only hope that Maggie Shayne will write another book in the Brown/deLuca series in the future. The plot was full of twisty-turny things that made my stomach leap to my throat. The character development was so spot on it was real (no insta-love crap!!!! wooohooo!) from the relationship between Mason and Rachel to the growing family the mismatched cast of characters became. It was fun. It was serious. It was, dare I say it again? Real.
The relationship between Rachel and Mason grew to an obvious cohabiting end point and even though they were so into each other I liked that this book didn't feel the need to have them jump into bed every other chapter. It would have been unnecessary at that point especially for someone, like myself, who sucked down the first 3 books in record time. I also really liked the way Shayne was able to bring Marie into the story in such a believable way. She's a complex secondary character that I really like and really feel sorry for. Poor Marie!

The Bad: There really isn't much in the name of Bad things I can complain about. It would have been nice to see Amy more but other than that my only real complaint is this is the LAST Brown/deLuca book. Sad Panda Face!

In a Nutshell: I've read some of Shayne's Paranormal romances and found them just OK. her Romantic Suspense books are miles beyond those. Read the Brown/deLuca books. Seriously. Read them now!

Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel's Blade
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: #4 in the Guild Hunter series
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Berkley Sensation  (May 8, 2011)
Source: Library ebook
Rating: ☕☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis:The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past...but Dmitri's need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.

Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel's right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality...the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.

As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting...and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more...

My Thoughts: I was a tad disappointed that the 4th book in this series would not continue with Elena and Raphael's story but that disappointment was short lived. Dmitri's story was pretty amazing.

The Good: I never really warmed up to Dmitri in the first 3 Guild Hunter books. He was cocky and came across as cruel and just a bully especially when he went toe to toe with Elena. Yet in this book Singh does an amazing job at keeping Dmitri true to who he was but rounding him out by creating such a tragic back story the reader can't help but fall in love with him. Honor is the perfect person to balance out Dmitri. With her backbone of steel and her refusal to wither away after experiencing an event that would make Superman himself check out of life, she turned into one of my very favorite female characters of all time. Together they make a near perfect couple. I loved every minute of them and their sizzling chemistry.

During the course of the book we experience 2 different plot lines inner-twinning. The mystery of the one who killed the young vampire and the mystery of the one who attacked Honor months earlier had equal time throughout the book where one didn't feel overshadowed by the other. Once again I have to sing Singh's praises on her ability as a writer. Not just anyone could accomplish two full story lines in one book while giving just as much attention to the building of a believable relationship between two broken people.

The Bad: The only thing I found to really be a negative in the book was the number of characters introduced. There are a whole slew of baddies we got to see while Honor and Dmitri investigated and I got a bit lost a couple times trying to figure out if I was supposed to already know who they were talking about. Plus there are characters mentioned who didn't make appearances at all to muddy it all up a bit in my mind. Other than that I got nothing but praise to say about this book!

In a Nutshell: This is a book I'll totally recommend to my friends. Oh, I'm sorry, you haven't read the first book (Archangel's Blood) yet? Why not!?!? Put this series on you're "I need to read this series STAT" list. Do it. Do it NOW!

Wicked Ways by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush

Title: Wicked Ways
Author: Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
Series: The Colony #4
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp  (October 7, 2014)
Source: NetGalley eArc
Rating: ☕☕

Elizabeth Gaines Ellis is an ordinary suburban wife and mother. That's what she tells herself as she flits between her realtor job, yoga class, and caring for her daughter, Chloe. But for months now, Elizabeth has worried that she's far from normal…that she's somehow the cause of a series of brutal, horrible deaths.
Her mean-spirited boss. A bullying traffic cop. Her cheating husband. Elizabeth had reason to be angry with them all. She didn't mean for them to die. No one will take her fears seriously—except the private investigator prying into her past.…
The more scared and angry Elizabeth becomes, the higher the death toll grows. But those who wrong her aren't the only ones in danger. Because others have secrets too, and a relentless urge to kill without mercy or remorse.

My Thoughts: This is my first book by both Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush and I am wondering whose writing style this book falls under. To me it was long and tedious. So many pages with nothing happening!

Let's start with the biggest issue in the book. Elizabeth. We spent so much time in her head I really wanted to gouge my eyes out with a dull pencil. #1)This woman apparently spends a lot of time wishing bad things to happen to a lot of people. Not just bad things but death. What kind of person wishes evil things onto people? Not a good one in my eyes. Which leads us to #2) She thinks she has a psychic ability to actually make people die if she wishes it so we spend a lot of time reading about how guilty she feels because she made it happen. What kind of person truly believes they can wish someone to death? Oh wait...she believes it because #3)When she was a child she could see bad things happen before they actually did. Oh wait...she really didn't remember that for the most part so I guess she's just a nutball. #4) After a week trying to get used to her husband being dead she falls in lust with someone else. #5) Her well meaning friends worked hard to engage Elizabeth to get out of the house and have some fun. Once Elizabeth accepted the invites we then had to read her internal musing on how much she hated it and couldn't wait to ditch her friends. Yes I hated Elizabeth.

Let's talk plot: Well, the secondary storyline with Elizabeth's cousin Ravinia going on a journey to find Elizabeth was actually better than the one with Elizabeth, herself. The hunt for Elizabeth (who had been adopted as a baby) was faster paced than the primary mystery. Not a whole lot faster but some. However, the addition of a romantic interest for Elizabeth 2/3 into the book was a mistake as there wasn't enough time to see a relationship form let alone something as complex as love. Especially since Rex and Elizabeth do not spend more than a few minutes together over the course of several days. The ending seemed rushed as it finally wrapped up the plot thread introduced in the prologue in what felt like an afterthought. Seriously, the beginning is not mentioned in any way for over 400 pages other then we readers could speculate if Elizabeth was that stolen baby or not. Who the stolen baby was seemed a total stretch even factoring in the paranormal psychic stuff into the equation.

In a Nutshell: I didn't like this book at all. I'm character driven and I just didn't like many of the enormous cast of characters in this book. To tell the truth the only character I was intrigued by was more of a ghost of a character as they are mentioned within the book but no one is really sure if they were actually there or not. When coming up with my 2 star/cup of coffee rating I factored in whether or not this book could be read as a standalone or not. This is the only book I have read to date in this series. I do not think that I would have enjoyed this book more if I'd read the first three. To tell the truth if the first 3 are similar to this one I probably would have quit the series after book 2 and never got to book 4 to begin with. I think there probably is some background on the Colony and the women who live there that may be of interest to readers, in addition to some plot details of earlier books that had been mentioned in this one briefly but I'm really not interested in going back and reading the first three. Except I also have the 3rd book (Something Wicked) from NetGalley which I feel obligated to read and review, which I will do....someday.

Conquered by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

Title: Conquered By a Highlander
Author: Paula Quinn
Genre: Historical Romance
Published: 2012 by Forever publishing company
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
☕☕☕1/2

BOUND BY DUTY

Colin MacGregor was born to fight-for his beliefs, his king, and his family's honor. After years away from his beloved Scotland, he yearns to return to its lush, green hills-and he can, after he completes one final mission for the king. Sent to infiltrate a traitor's home, Colin is determined to expose the treasonous plot and triumph on the battlefield . . . until he meets a sensual lass who tempts him towards other pursuits . . . .

BETRAYED BY PASSION

Lady Gillian Dearly is no stranger to temptation. Cast out of her family for bearing an illegitimate child, she's now the ward of a barbarian conspiring against the king. Her only desire: freedom for her son and for herself at any cost, even if it means making a deal with the devil. Yet when a mysterious Highlander appears in their midst, his braw strength and smoldering gaze give her hope for a future beyond the castle walls-and promise a desire unlike any she's ever known. But passion comes at a price . . . 

My Thoughts: While reading this book I unintentionally kept comparing Monica McCarty's Highland Guard series to this book. Comparing the two series was actually not fair to either author. Although both series are about warring Highlanders this particular series is set some 300 years later than McCarty's. This book in particular, set in 1688, focuses on the characters more than the historic setting. For someone like me, who is more character driven, it should have been a home run. So why after several weeks of thinking about did I lower my rating from 4 cups of coffee to 3.5?

For multiple reasons actually...

1) Although I do not like insta-love I don't care for the flip side either. The slow progression towards the lovey dovey outcome made for an equally slow progressing book. As a reader I was moving from chapter to chapter waiting for something to happen being a bit disappointed each time. In addition to the slow romance, the promised fighting action took forever to reach it's climax also. A big battle was hinted at throughout the book and, unfortunately, happened off camera, so to speak.

2) When the I Love Yous were admitted the book continued for another 700 pages. A bit of an exaggeration but you get the idea. There were misunderstandings to resolve, a battle (we didn't witness) to fight, and a reunion to happen. Yet, when all was said and done, I felt I missed something. Some sort of epic momentous declaration in front of God and Scotland about how Gillian was the only woman Colin would ever want and maybe a wedding. I kind of feel that since I had to read another 1200 pages after the I Love Yous I should have got a wedding out of the deal.

3) Why didn't Colin have any issue with Gillian having a baby out of wedlock? In 1688 I'm not sure any man would have taken a fallen woman and her child in as their beloved. Maybe that is why there was no wedding. Perhaps, Colin made Gillian his mistress! Probably not as this is a romance and those things don't smack of HEAs.

The good stuff: I know I said a few things that could be deal breakers for some I do have to say that over all I did like this book. I liked Gillian and her precarious position. I liked her champion/guard George. I thought Geoffry made for an excellent villain (one which proved to be quite smart). And Gillian's son Edmond is precious.  I enjoyed the women from Colin's homeland.  I liked that this book works well as a standalone even though it is book 4 in Children of the Mist series. But I think what I loved best about this book was not the characters nor the plot but the dedication at the beginning of the book...

"To my beloved... Until we meet again in the sweet hereafter. I love you."

In a Nutshell: Despite the issues I had with this book I still found it to be a decent historical read. Heavy on the character, light on the plot. I'd not recommend this book to just anyone but those who are character driven, like myself. Do not compare this series to the Highland Guard series. Read it and enjoy it based strictly on it's own merits.  Oh and I also think that Paula Quinn is grossly over looked when it comes to historical romances. I don't think this particular book is a good one to recommend but I totally recommend her as an author and implore y'all to pick one of her books up.

Shadowdance by Kristen Callihan

Synopsis: Once a heart is lost in shadow...

Life has been anything but kind to Mary Chase. But the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals has given her purpose. Now she's been tasked with catching a vicious murderer dubbed the Bishop of Charing Cross. But someone is already on the case—and the last thing he relishes is a partner.

Only someone who lives in darkness can find it.

Jack Talent has been alone with his demons for many years. He never expected to have the willful Mary Chase assist him on the Bishop case. Their age-old rivalry reaches new heights—even as their desire for one another reaches a fever pitch. Though he aches to bring her close, Jack's dark secrets are a chasm between them. With dangerous enemies closing in, Jack must find the strength to face the past...or risk losing Mary forever.

My Thoughts: What a great installment to this series!

What Worked: Jack Talent was everything I hoped he would be and more. I was intrigued by him during book 2. I was heartbroken for him in book 3. In this one I fell in love with him. In addition to Jack, Mary made me a believer of her. I wasn't a big fan of hers to begin with and wasn't keen on the whole GIMs (Ghost in the Machine) as a supernatural being but I found she was every bit a warrior as Jack was. She was not the MarySue I thought she was. That is for sure!

Characters aside, the mystery of was very interesting although not one we readers could have figured out as the big bad evil was one we didn't know. In addition to this, the sensuality was first rate. When an author can dedicate two entire pages on the introduction of a kiss and make it awesome she has mad writing skills(you'll have to read it to get my meaning).

What Didn't Work: It seemed at times the book could have ended earlier. Don't get me wrong, what kept coming up later was worth the 420 odd pages but sometimes it felt a little on the longish side. Also, as with the epilogue in book 3, I could have done without it. Since it had nothing to do with Mary or Jack it felt unnecessary except to peak the reader's interest for the next book. Which is probably the point but it annoys me.

In A Nutshell: So overall a wonderful spectacular awesome sauce of an addition to a fabulous paranormal romance series. I'd recommend the entire series. For reals.

 

Dangerous Games by Keri Arthur

Synopsis: In Melbourne’s urban underworld, there’s a nightclub for every fantasy and desire. But for Riley Jenson, one such club has become an obsession. Riley, a rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, hasn’t come in pursuit of pleasure but of an unknown killer who’s been using the steamy nightspot as his hunting grounds. Leave it to Riley to find the only ticket into the heavily guarded club: Jin, a deliciously hot-bodied bartender who might just provide the key to unmasking a killer unlike any other in the Directorate’s experience. Taunted by a former colleague turned rogue, distracted by an ex-lover’s attentions, Riley follows Jin into a realm of pleasure she could never have imagined. And as danger and passion ignite, a shocking mystery begins to unravel—one where Riley herself becomes the ultimate object of desire....

My Thoughts: While not quite as engaging as the previous installments it still held my attention long past the time I should have gone to bed.

What Worked: I liked the introduction of demons and the Aedh beings in this book. Although we didn't get a whole lot of information about either it was nice to see something other than weres, shifters, vampires and lab creatures. The introduction of an interesting wolf shifter added to the cast of characters nicely and the bane of Riley, Sal, provided a measure of comic relief that the series needs to counter it's darker side. I thought the plot thread of Riley's investigation into the mutilated corpses was well done but a little less primary than I'd have liked.

What Didn't Work: As always I'm going to add the sex to what didn't work. The beginning had Riley acting like a petulant child after a tiff with her main squeeze. When she didn't get her way she responded by running to her second choice to hump like bunnies (or werewolves as it were.) I thought this was pretty ridiculous and immature. So far Keri Arthur has not fully convinced me that her werewolves HAVE to have sex...I concede that they do during the fully moon phase but the other 3 weeks Riley should be able to keep herself under control. She doesn't WANT to though. In addition to the sex I just didn't feel that there was as much action as in previous books. The mystery/thriller plot thread took a back seat to the sexual (dare I say perversions?) aspect. Mostly because the sadistic nature of the killer/s tied in with BDSM. So with so much sex and/or sexual situations I had a harder time setting them aside as I did with the three previous installments. Also, even though there was some recap on what happened in previous books, I don't think enough information was given to allow this book to stand alone or to be read out of order. Since I'm reading the books in order this wasn't an issue for me but as a reader, I should have the option to read a book in publication order or to just grab one off the shelf and start reading without worrying that things won't make sense. I really believe that if I'd started with this book instead of Full Moon Rising I'd have been lost and refused to read any more in the series.

In a Nutshell: With some positives and some negatives the book balanced out to an average read. However, I'm still enjoying the series and am looking forward to continuing on to the next one. I would recommend to new readers that they not start out with this book though. I'm finding with continuing story lines from book to book and not enough of a recap on past happenings a new reader would not find this book as enjoyable as I did. Read them in order people!

Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey

Synopsis: London society has its very own Cupid. Renowned horse breeder and occasional matchmaker Devin Baldwin pairs eligible young ladies with suitable gentlemen based on his theory of animal magnetism. Unafraid of ruffling the ton’s feathers, this darkly handsome Cupid doles out tips for bettering one’s chances of meeting a mate that are as pointed as the love legend’s sharpest arrows!

Lovely Amanda Locke, the daughter of a duke, is everything a nobleman could desire, yet she enters her third Season still searching for a match. Gossipmongers’ tongues are wagging, and her mystified family is considering drastic measures to find her a husband. But the insufferable advice of this Cupid fellow is the last thing Amanda wants.

When an earl passionate about horses becomes the target of her husband hunt, Amanda knows it’s time to overcome her fear of riding. With her sister-in-law Ophelia hastening the romance along by arranging riding lessons, Amanda is soon taking instruction from infuriating Devin Baldwin. Astonishingly, in her daily encounters with Devin—who treats her as an ordinary young woman, not a prize to be won at the marriage mart—Amanda experiences passion for the first time. Now, her search for a match takes her in an unexpected direction as she finds herself falling in love with Cupid himself.


My Thoughts: I'm seriously wondering if Johanna Lindsey actually was the author of this book or if it is the work of a ghostwriter. The heroine was annoying and self centered and the hero was bland. They had no chemistry together. Some of the writing seemed really clunky to the point I had to re-read a paragraph to understand what was said.The writing was horribly repetitious. There were 2 sub-par sex scenes towards the end of the book that added virtually nothing to the book. If that wasn't bad enough the book had similarities to one of my favorite JL books Man of My Dreams which is quite upsetting. Man of My Dreams has a horse breeder named Devlin.Let Love Find You has a horse breeder named Devin. Really Johanna, really?

Amanda talked in exclamation points and thought in exclamation points. It was completely ridiculous. At one point I realized I was cringing when I saw yet another exclamation point and at another point I realized I was actually counting them. In 15 pages there were over 30 exclamation points. When you start counting punctuation marks while reading a book, you know there are problems.

In addition to the unbelievable amount of exclamation points Amanda's favorite word was a'tall which she used alllll the time. As in “It’s different here, not a’tall like at home in the country, where I’ve got so much to occupy me.” . I've not read a book set in this time period (which I imagine is regency or there abouts) that had as many slang words. A few of the characters used the word aint. And they weren't even commoners. Speaking of words that I'm not used to reading in historical romances I also found it odd that almost everyone had a nickname. Amanda was Mandy. Rebecca was Becky. Ophelia was either Pheli or Phelia. I know it wasn't unheard of but it felt jarring and untrue to the period.

The plot was horrible too. Through more than half the book it appeared that Amanda's search for a husband was the entire plot. After half the book suddenly a new plot device was introduced which was completely underwhelming and not fully realized.

I've read most everything Johanna Lindsey has written and found I loved some but disliked others. This book went beyond dislike. I truly hated it.

Here are a few quotes that I feel show why I dislike the characters and this book so much....in paranthesis I've made a few comments about the quotes....

Amanda sighed. "I have so many, too many really, choices of men to pick from. It's just becoming a bit difficult to sort them all out."
(said the self centered egotistical twit)

Amanda hurried away, not sure what about that old dame annoyed her. But really, Amanda already knew Farrell, considered him somewhat a friend, but for a matchmaker to recommend to her a second son with no prospects? The woman had to be going batty in her advanced years.
(thought the self centered egotistical twit who planned to marry for love but apparently only if that love was not with a second son)

Devin knew that daring Amanda to tackle riding lessons had been a long shot. A man would accept the challenge, a woman would find numerous excuses to decline it.
(thought the man who appears to be more of a male chauvinist pig than a hero)

"As for Robert," Amanda added with a grin,"if I'm not at least a little cold to him because of his near scandal, he won't be repentant enough to make sure it never happens again."
"Sound reasoning, I suppose," Preston allowed.
"Perfect reasoning," Julie agreed...
(because a disproving frown from a proper young lady can change the behavior of a womanizing man....)

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

Synopsis (back blurb):

A MASKED MAN . . .
Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he’s the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles—protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.
A DANGEROUS WOMAN . . .
Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she’s asked to tutor the Home’s dour manager in the ways of society—flirtation, double entendres, and scandalous liaisons—Isabel can’t help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar—and his lips so tempting.
A PASSION NEITHER COULD DENY
During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything—the Home, Isabel . . . and his life.

My Thoughts: Overall I was impressed with this book. I have read one other Hoyt book (The Leopard Prince) several years ago and both books share a few things in common. Both have women of a social standing much higher than the men. The men are working men, the women are women of leisure. She has money he doesn't. There is also a story within the story. I thought parts of the book seemed to drag a bit but overall it kept me wanting to get back to it. The story within the story was told in short parts at the start of each chapter and it made me want to hurry up and get to the next chapter.

Winter was a pretty good hero but perhaps not as 'mysterious' as Hoyt tried to make him. His 'inner beast' came across a bit silly as he is more of a Beta hero than an Alpha (I don't care what he does in his spare time he is still a Beta....but still wonderful...truly). Isobel comes across as cold and not quite likable but Hoyt does an excellent job of showing us that she really isn't cold despite her various actions throughout the first half of the book that would lead us to believe the worst of her. I think as characters go, standing alone, they would be average but together, as a couple, Isobel and Winter are just stunning.

And what can I say about the love scenes? You will rarely hear me say this but most of them were absolutely wonderful. For someone who tends to skip the moist parts I read a couple of them twice. 

As far as the plot goes, the pace seems a bit slow in spots but this is easily overlooked as we get wrapped up in Winter's need to save the innocent and Isobel's need to save Winter. The mystery aspect of the plot is a bit overshadowed by the romance between Isobel and Winter but not in a bad way, as this is a book one wouldn't read for the mystery anyway.

I am so glad I read this book and after reading a teasing sample of the next book in this series (Lord of Darkness) I can't wait until December.  Elizabeth Hoyt has made me a fan.

My favorite quote: "Never volunteer. Not even when pleasantly filled with warm scones and hot tea. Warm scones were obviously the work of the devil....."

 

Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson

I found this review that I wrote up after reading Not Another Bad Date but never got around to posting it on my blog. So, it's very late (wrote it April 2009) but here it is.


Adele Harris is a Sci Fi/ Fantasy author who rushes from her home in Idaho to be with her older sister in her time of crisis. She never really wanted to go back to her small Texas town after having left 14 years ago with a broken heart. But there she was, back in town only to run into the man who broke her heart.


This is the basic plot for the book but not all of it. Adele also swears she has been cursed because for the past 3 years she has had one horrible date after another. Come to find out, she really was cursed but what I didn't find completely clear is when she was cursed. Yes she started having the bad dates 3 years ago but the person who cursed her had it out for her over a decade earlier. I am not sure why all of a sudden 3 years ago she would have "cursed" Adele. Not to mention the one who was doing the curse was pretty self centered so I am not sure she really would have thought one way or another about unimposing Adele.


With that said, over all the book was good. It was a very quick read and very steamy. There was an element of paranomal where we see into the after life of a the deceased wife of Zach. Although this was not a major part of the book I really enjoyed this aspect of it and wish that there was more.

Adele's story is part of a small series by Gibson but can be read as a stand-alone. I have read the first book and now the fourth book. I enjoyed them enough to look for the other 2 in the series.

 

A Virgin River Christmas by Robyn Carr

Synopsis.....Last Christmas Marcie Sullivan said a final goodbye to her husband, Bobby. This Christmas she's come to Virgin River to find the man who saved his life and gave her three more years to love him. Fellow marine Ian Buchanan dragged Bobby's shattered body onto a medical transport in Fallujah four years ago, then disappeared as soon as their unit arrived stateside. Since then, Marcie's letters to Ian have gone unanswered. Marcie tracks Ian to the tiny mountain town of Virgin River and finds a man as wounded emotionally as Bobby was physically. But she is not easily scared off. As Marcie pushes her way into his rugged and reclusive life, she discovers a sweet but damaged soul beneath a rough exterior. Ian doesn't know what to make of the determined young widow who forces him to look into the painful past and, what's worse, the uncertain future. But it is, after all, a season of miracles and maybe, just maybe, it's time to banish the ghosts and open his heart.

My thoughts.....Having read 2 other books in the Virgin River series by Carr I knew I was in for a good read. Marcie is the young widow of a Marine who's husband was gravely injured during the war and Ian was the man who carried him out alive. Marcie views Ian as a hero who gave her enough time with Bobby to say goodbye. Ian doesn't see it this way and seeks out solitude in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. After Bobby's death Marcie goes out in search of Ian....to thank him and make sure he is ok. Ian wants none of it....he doesn't think he deserves her kindness and doesn't want her there at all....she stirs up memories that he hasn't dealt with and doesn't want to.


A shorter book then other Virgin River books this one comes in at just under 300 pages but the story doesn't lack because the length nor....I might add...does any of the other books that I have read from this series feel too wordy because they are longer. I have not read one of Carr's books that I haven't liked. I did feel that this particular book was not quite as good as the others but maybe because the characters were not really part of Virgin River. Marcie did end up becoming part of the town dragging Ian with her but for the most part both Ian and Marcie spent the majority of the book out at a run down shack that Ian had inherited.

This was a very good book and even if you haven't read any other books in the Virgin River series you could still read this one and enjoy it a lot.

Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Synopsis: A Desperate Young Mother Rachel Stone's bad luck has taken a turn for the worse. With an empty wallet, a car's that's spilling smoke, and a five-year-old son to support, she's come home to a town that hates her. But this determined young widow with a scandalous past has learned how to be a fighter. And she'll do anything to keep her child safe -- even take on. . .

A man With No Heart Gabe Bonner wants to be left alone, especially by the beautiful outcast who's invaded his property. She has a ton of attitude, a talent for trouble, and a child who brings back bad memories. Yet Rachel's feisty spirit might just be heaven-sent to save a tough, stubborn man.

Dare To Dream--Welcome to Salvation, North Carolina -- where a man who's forgotten what tenderness means meets a woman with nothing to lose. here two endearing lovers will set off on a funny, touching journey of the heart. . .to a place where dreams just might come true.

My thoughts....

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has been a favorite among romance readers for years and I have found myself looking into the pool trying to decide if I should jump or just dip my toe in when it comes to her writing. After reading this book I have decided to put on my goggles, plug my nose and jump.

This book was fabulous.

I judge a great romance by how well I connect to the characters and if the story can play my emotions like a violin. This book does both.

Rachel is a character that you are able to laugh with, feel outrage for, and just plain old like. You can put yourself into her place and feel her desperation and pride, her love of her son and her need to stand with her head held high and her back straight.

Gabe is a little bit of a mystery at first. He appears angry and mean. Constantly snapping at Rachel and her young son. But he has a painful past that has made him the shell of a man that Rachel meets upon her arrival back in Salvation. It is this past which helps us readers understand who he was and who he has become.

These types of characters are what makes Phillips's books so wonderful. They are complex and interesting and guaranteed to keep the reader wanting to find out more.

Aside from the fantastic characters the storyline was also terrific. I don't want to get into too many details because I don't want to spoil anything for other readers but just know that if you have read Phillips's other books (Kiss an Angel in particular) and liked them, you will love this book.

Tempting by Susan Mallery

Synopsis compliments of Shelfari....

After three romantic flame-outs in a year and a restaurant career going nowhere, Dani Buchanan needs a fresh start. She goes looking for her biological father, but never expects to find a senator running for president. As his long-lost 'love child,' Dani could seriously derail the election— something his handsome campaign manager Alex Canfield isn't going to let happen. Dani isn't about to let Alex run her life, no matter how tempting she finds him—and Alex isn't going to allow Dani to melt his cynicism, no matter how close he has to get. The last thing either of them wants is love, especially with scandals brewing and family trouble on the way. But Dani and Alex are forced to trust each other, and when trust turns to passion, the potential for disaster is only a tabloid scandal away.

My thoughts....

I am finding myself becoming more and more of a fan of Susan Mallery after every book I read by her. This is the second Buchanan book that I have read and one of my favorites. Although I couldn't identify with Dani's struggles to find her true place with a different family while maintaining her connection with the family she was raised in, Mallery does an excellent job of helping the reader empathize with the situation. I found this to be true with the other books I read by her also.

The Buchanan family has a wonderful dynamic and it makes one wish to be a part of it. Even though this is Dani's story we get a special treat to get back in touch with the other Buchanan's from previous books. This included Gloria, Dani's wicked witch of a grandmother. Susan Mallery once again proves that she can take a character that a reader can dislike and somehow redeem them and make them likable.

The romance of the book is good but I think what I like best was Dani's "new" family. The Canfields have created a family that I admire greatly. All the children are adopted and all have either been labled unadoptable or not "normal". We get to meet Bailey, Alex's 15 year old sister with down syndrome, Ian who has a brilliant mind but who's body struggles with CP and Sasha, the youngest of the bunch who happens to have HIV. This is just a few of them and I absolutely loved reading about them. After working for over a decade with people with special needs they definitely found a spot in my heart.

Katherine Canfield, Alex's mother, is another character that you just identify with. You feel her struggles to accept Dani into their home and lives with the knowledge that the husband she loves more then the moon had a biological daughter with someone else. Even though there was no cheating involved that resulted in Dani's conception, you can just feel that she is torn between taking Dani under her wing and being jealous of the fact that another woman gave her husband something she never could.

Over all I would give this book a 4.5 Stars.