River Marked by Patricia Briggs

Title: River Marked
Author: Patricia Briggs
Narrator: Lorelei King
Series: #6 in the Mercy Thompson series
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group (March 1, 2011)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River—one that her father’s people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help…

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like this more than I did.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything in the Middle: So there were some really good things about this book. I complained (just a tad) about the lack of progression in Mercy and Adam's relationship so I'm really happy there was a wedding in this one and a honeymoon in this one. The wedding was over pretty quickly but it was so sweet and then the honeymoon starts. Where else would a werewolf take a coyote walker for a honeymoon but camping. I thought this was perfect but then I have a love of camper camping (don't give me a sleeping bag and a tent Hells no).

Of course Mercy finds trouble while camping...or rather trouble finds her. I loved the setting as they visited Multnomah Falls which I was lucky enough to visit in the 90's and would love to go back. It's so beautiful and seeing recognizable landmarks is fun as well.

Multnomah Falls

Despite the forward movement in the romance I'm just really surprised all the sexy parts happened behind closed doors. Is this new to the series or has it always been this way and I just never noticed until I powered through the Kate Daniels book and witnessed an amazingly passionate relationship? I am not one for sex scene after sex scene but I need more than just talking about their passion. I want to see it too.

I think the highlight of this book was our learning about Mercy's heritage and the American Indian lore. Sure we all knew she was part Native American but we got to meet her father, Coyote, and also meet several new characters to the series all deeply rooted in the Native lore. I really liked this but much of it was explained in dialogue I had a hard time keeping it straight. At one point Coyote was her father but yet he wasn't and in the past he was Joe Coyote but wasn't as well. Even Mercy had a tough time keeping up.

Although the pack was all but missing through this whole book, not to mention Zee, Gabriel, Samuel, etc., I did like the addition of Stephan's plot at the beginning and the end because I kind of like him...a lot. There will be more of him and Coyote because there is history there folks!

I listened to this book on audio and once again Lorelei King was a great narrator. I love everything she does but I'm currently knee deep in 2 UF series she narrates with 2 completely different protagonists. And to complicate that I just finished  the first book in a new series by Darynda Jones which Lorelei also reads. She's Mercy. She's Charley Davidson. She's Stephanie Plum. And now she's Sunshine Vicram but that is for another post.....

In a Nutshell: I'm so far invested into this series to give it up now. I'm hoping they get back to giving me some major book love like I had when I started this series. If you're new to this series don't start with this one....go back and pick up Moon Called and go from there.

Double Danger by Dee Davis

Synopsis: Ignoring his instincts once cost Simon a vital op-and the life of his best friend, Ryan. Now as escalating, violent attacks hit A-Tac, another person he loves is in danger. Homeland Security agent Jillian Montgomery's investigation has suddenly brought her back into Simon's life, and unless they can learn to trust each other, their dangerous mission will fail.

After her husband Ryan's death, Jillian dedicates herself to saving others. She can't afford to be tempted by Simon, even though his every touch reignites the desire they once shared. But in the last desperate minutes before disaster strikes, their second chance at love might be the most lethal trap of all . . .

My Thoughts: Although this book was actually a thrilling rom/susp it had some issues. One of my major issue was that at one point the H/h both got hit up side the head with the stupid stick and became TSTL. After almost being gunned down once and barely escaping from being blown up not once, not twice or even three times but a whopping 4 times they go and investigate a warehouse that looks abandoned. They discuss if they should call for back up but they both decide that it probably really is abandoned and go it alone. Really? As if an ex Navy SEAL wouldn't have the common sense to alert his team that both him and the heroine felt things were a bit off about the building (after being almost blown to bits 4 times....that point needed to be stated again LOL). Oh and not to mention they were thinking ahead to each bring a gun just in case but left their extra bullets in the SUV. Really?

My other big issue with the book was that there appears to be a major spoiler regarding the identity of a bad guy from a previous book. I think this is unacceptable. I do like to read books in order but occasionally don't. This is the 6th book in Davis's A-Tac series and although I do own the first one this sixth installment is my introduction to Ms. Davis's work. A book in a series should be able to be read out of order. It should be the reader's prerogative on which book they read first, last and in between.

There were a couple other things that just prevented me from giving this book higher marks. Some are just personal peeves (terrorism is not one of my favorite plot devices) and some are more substantial (like that the secondary characters are very undeveloped but that could be because this is the 6th book and those secondary characters have already had their stories told...I just haven't read them).

On a positive note the chemistry between the H/h is sizzling and the sex scenes were good. The action is paced so that I was never 'bored' with story. And the ending leads into the beginning of the next book which seems to be about Avery, one of the only secondary characters I was interested in.

So, overall a good romantic suspense but not the best. Definitely a worthwhile read though and one I'd recommend (but only if you've read the other books first because spoilers really chap my butt).

The Recruit by Monica McCarty

Synopsis: Scotland’s King Robert the Bruce is retaking his kingdom from the invading English. To win, he’ll need all the grit and courage of his elite band of warriors, the Highland Guard, men who fight without fear and love without limits.
 
Fiery, aggressive, and bold, Kenneth Sutherland is a true champion—skilled with any weapon and driven to win. Now Kenneth is ready for his greatest challenge: joining Robert the Bruce’s secret army to fight among the elite. Kenneth’s best chance to attain that honor is by winning the Highland Games. Focused and prepared for victory, he is caught off guard by a lovely wisp of a woman—and a stolen moment of wicked seduction. Her innocent arousal and her shameless hunger fire his blood. He will win his place in the guard—and in Mary of Mar’s bed.

The ruggedly handsome hero-in-the-making stirs a heart that should know better. Mary vows that her surrender will be sport only—no promises, no heartbreak, just one night of incredible passion. Nothing, she swears, will persuade her to give up her hard-wrought independence and put her fate in the hands of another powerful man. But with every gentle touch and heart-pounding kiss, Kenneth makes her want more. Now Mary wants his heart. But is this determined champion willing to surrender everything for love?

My Thoughts: Earlier today I finished The Recruit by Monica McCarty and was wowed by it. This is the first book I've read by her and found it to be rich in history and rich in well fleshed out characters. There was a time I felt a bit overwhelmed by it's length (it's about 75 pages over an average historical romance which for some reason intimidates me LOL) but then I was totally swept away by the conflict of Scotland to England and the people who took sides (or was trapped between the two) and the sizzling passion between the two main characters. This is the 6th book in the series and I will go back and read the ones before (especially with the glowing reviews of the first one The Chief) but probably not right away. I want to savor this one a bit longer and don't want to gorge myself until I puke on the Highlander yumminess that are McCarty's Highland Guards. I might have given this book a full 5 stars but for the constant misunderstanding between the two main characters because they didn't communicate... although as a disclaimer I should mention there were very good reasons for Mary to mistrust her husband so the conflict was necessary and explainable. I just got a wee bit tired of it. Oh and Kenneth every now and again would think or say something so chauvinistic I wanted to thwack him with his own sword. Even his boorish attitudes on occasion was explainable as this was medieval times and in 1309 men could pretty much do as they pleased and women had no say (this is something I struggle with while reading romances from this time period.... my inner Gloria Steinem tends to be appalled for all the oppressed women every time.)

 In a nutshell I would totally recommend this book to historical romance readers everywhere.

Temptation Ridge by Robyn Carr

Synopsis....At twenty-five, after five years as her mother's caregiver, it's time for Shelby to experience freedom and adventure. Time for travel, college and romance. But when she visits Virgin River, she runs into Luke Riordan, decidedly not whom she has in mind. A handsome Blackhawk pilot, Luke exited the army after twenty years, four wars and having been shot out of the sky three times. At thirty-eight he's tough and jaded. His major was in one-night stands, with a minor in commitment avoidance. Technically, these two are all wrong for one another. But sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things…two very good things.


My thoughts....I don't think Robyn Carr could write a bad book. This is the second book I have read by her and it is part of her Virgin River series and although I didn't connect with the characters as well in this one as I did in her first book of the series I totally enjoyed this one. Not normally my cuppa this book is a May/December relationship type of book. Luke is 13 years older the Shelby and Carr did an excellent job of acknowledging it. She managed to create a storyline that, granted, had been done in the past with a younger inexperienced woman and an older worldly man, but made it fresh and didn't feel like a 1970's Harlequin Presents. Not that I am dissing those books....I cut my teeth on them, but after so many years my romantic tastes in reading material have grown and matured with me. I didn't think that I would or could like a book where the hero and heroine were so different but I did.
 
As far as the couple goes....Luke didn't stand a chance against Shelby. She set her sights on him and he tried to resist....tried really hard but in the end gave in (not such a hardship really). Shelby, although inexperienced in relationships she wasn't naive which I appreciated. I liked both Shelby and Luke.
 
During the course of the book, typical of the series, we experience life in Virgin River, see old friends, meet new friends and witness a major happening that brings that town together. From the books I read, this is a standard theme. I don't mind. It works. But this isn't all that happens. Carr carries the story of Virgin River along where it really doesn't feel formulaic at all. There are plenty of new happenings to keep the series fresh which is good because from what I hear she is continuing the series bringing three new ones out this year and next year....possibly the year after too. Great news for fans.
 
I cannot recommend this series enough to my fellow romance lovers. I often compare them to Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove books which I also really like.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

This is the 6th book in Julia Quinn's beloved Bridgerton series and a decent addition to the series it is. I really liked Michael Stirling's character. He finds himself completely and totally in love with Francesca from their first meeting. Unfortunately for him, the meeting took place at the festivities of Francesca's marriage to Michael's cousin John. I thought this approach to a romance book was very interesting. First off, it seems the pattern for romances is that the women fall first then the man follows when it comes to love. It was a nice change of pace that in this book it was the other way around. Secondly, the reader has to wonder how can a man fall in love with his cousin's wife and the book have a happy ending. This approach keeps the reader (at least this one) reading full into the dark of night to find the happy ending.

I have to admit that as far as likability, Francesca, is just OK. I didn't find her nearly as interesting as her sisters Daphne or Eloise. However, if you have read the Bridgerton books in order you will know how Francesca becomes available to Michael even after being married to John which the back blurb of the book also hints about.

This part will contain some spoilers so for those who have yet to read the Bridgerton books you might want to discontinue reading at this point.

Spoilers..........................................

What I found so compelling about this book was that I could identify with Francesca and Michael's struggles to thier attraction and the memory of John. If you have ever lost love, finding the courage to move on is a difficult task and Quinn did an excellent job of portraying the heartbreak of it all. I was glad that although she did introduce the reader to all the characters in the beginning she didn't make us fall in love with John and then take him away from us. I think that would have been difficult to write and even more difficult for a reader to read. It would have made the love of Michael and Francesca somewhat tainted I think.

Although I couldn't give this book an honest 5 star rating (I firmly believe that it isn't nearly as good as her first couple Bridgerton books) it is a strong 4 stars. It sends a little message out to those who have found love and lost it. When a loved one dies, love really doesn't die with them. It can and will find you again if you just open yourself up and let it.