Heart Thief by Claire Thompson

 

Title: Heart Thief

Author: Claire Thompson

Series: Serving His Master (#5 in the series)

Genre: Contemporary Wester M/M Romance

Publisher:  Romance Unbound Publishing (July 8, 2011)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕

Synopsis: Caught in the snare of a cruel Dom… Only a cowboy’s love can set him free… 

Sawyer Croft has been through hell and back, and come out the stronger for it. A cowboy to his core, he’s determined to help his father save their horse ranch. At the same time, he dreams of one day finding a man who understands the passion of sensual domination and the transcendence of erotic pain.

After a stint in the Army, Luke Malone meets a powerful billionaire who offers him a job…with benefits. He’s intrigued by Glenn’s dominance and experience with BDSM, but Glenn’s penchant for rough sex and extreme control, as well as his reputation for the catch and release of sub boys, takes a toll.  When Glenn sends Luke to an East Texas ranch to scope out a business deal, Luke knows he has been dismissed and replaced. 

While his connection with Sawyer sparks blazing need between them, deep emotional scars make Luke slow to trust again. Sawyer knows Luke won’t get past his anger and pain unless he can move through the feelings and then let them go. Together, they embark on a D/s journey that opens both their worlds in ways neither had ever imagined. 

That is, until Glenn decides he wants his boy back. And what Glenn wants, Glenn gets.

My Thoughts: I really wanted to like this book, but it was seriously a bad example of the BDSM lifestyle. 

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: We have Luke, who realized he was a sub when he was approached by Glenn. Glenn is a really wealthy jackhole who pretty much uses the BDSM lifestyle to abuse his Subs. We weren't supposed to like Glenn but we were supposed to like Sawyer. The author was heavy handed with the way she "guided" us readers to those conclusions. Glenn = Bad. Sawyer = Good. I'd rather draw my own conclusions thank you very much. Also, not once did either Doms discuss limits, safe words, or after care (even though Sawyer did provide after care he didn't discuss this with Luke before any scenes started.) As Luke was new to the entire lifestyle all of this should have been number one with Sawyer after realizing Luke was pretty much a newbie even after spending a few months with Glenn. All Sawyer wanted to talk about was some weird pain equals a spiritual experience that could transcend the sub while deep into a scene. It reminded me of some sort of weird stuff a hippie would spout while high on 'shrooms.

Besides all that there was an issue with the romance itself. we spent 1/3 of the book reading about Glenn's abusive tendencies (3 months in Luke's time) and only one week with Sawyer, where they jumped right into Luke being hog tied and hanging from a support beam on the day they met. Somehow, in that week, they fell in love. Of course, when their eyes met that first day birds sang their song of love, butterflies danced, and fireworks burst only for them. Just kidding but almost not. The author did add some poetic flowery words for the Sa-luke couple. Or is that Luyer? I don't know but I probably won't go back and read any more of this series knowing Thompson regularly writes BDSM stories.

In a Nutshell: I'm glad I read this book using my Kindle Unlimited subscription and even though the rest of the series is available to me with KU I probably won't go back and read any more knowing Thompson regularly writes BDSM stories and they are probably similar to this one. 

Nighttime Wishes by M.A. Church

Title: Nighttime Wishes

Author: M.A. Church

Series: #1 in the Make a Wish series

Genre: M/M Sci-Fi Romance

Publisher: M.A. Church, THIRD Edition pub. 2017 (first published May 10, 2012)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: *Previously published in 2012 and 2015. This edition's cover has been changed but the story has not been changed*

Ziang, a tentacled warrior from the planet Maz'Rar, has come to Earth to claim his most precious prize and start a new life. When an unforeseen accident results in a crash landing, his plan for a quick removal of the human Shawn lays in a twisted ruin at his feet, much like his shuttlecraft. If that isn't enough, the FBI is sniffing around.

Confronted by the very same alien who observed him since he wished on a shooting star as a child, Shawn finds his initial inability to communicate with Ziang leads to misunderstanding and fear. Forced to hise until rescue arrives, tensions mount. Shawn learns of Ziang's intentions of taking him as a mate. Ziang, on the other hand, is completely befuddled at Shawn's less than stellar response to said taking.

As they wait, a spark ignites. Turns out humans and Maz'Rarians are very compatible--tentacles and all. Shawn falls for the big alien he jokingly call E.T. Now he must decide if he's willing to throw away all he knows to travel the stars with Ziang.

(Synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: A good introduction to MA Church's writing and, although, not an award-winning book, she completely hooked me on her Aliens and left me wanting more.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: 3 days. That's as long as this storyline really lasted to create a believable romance. It didn't work as well for me, mostly because I don't like insta-love and in my eyes that is what this was. Never mind Ziang had been watching him practically his whole life. So that sounds creepier than it really was. Honestly. I wouldn't lie to you. Ziang was intrigued by the boy Shawn was as he didn't seem afraid of the "lights" he saw in the sky. Ziang then came back every 6 years or so to check up on Shawn and waited until Shawn was in his 20's before coming to claim him. Ok it still sounds a bit sketch but this romance really did work for me, and I don't consider myself to be skeezy so there it is.

I really liked the Aliens Church created although with some tentacle action (tentacles on the males where their hair would be) I really pictured more of a Predator/humanoid hybrid rather than E.T. and it kind of annoyed me with Shawn continually called Ziang this. I know it was supposed to lend a lighthearted humor to the book, but I think it missed the mark. 

The sex was spicy enough and not overly done although I would have liked to know more about the Maz'Rarian's mating season. Ziang mentioned it was his time and it was a bit precarious for Shawn as the Maz'Rarian males could go into a Rut situation (like some animals here on Earth...I'm think like a Bull or Stallion type rutting.) Anyway, this wasn't explained enough for me. Like how long their mating season is and how often it happens etc. I like details and there wasn't enough for me. I think some additional details would have enhanced the storyline and I would have enjoyed it even more.

On a positive note, I really did like the Prologue. Although I have to be honest it did confuse me at first as to the time frame because there was an alien ship crash that happened in the Prologue and then the present-day chapter one opened up with a crash. It took me a while to realize it was 2 different crashes. Back to the prologue and the importance of the crash. I'll not go into details just in case you want to read for yourself, but I appreciated it and found it to be a positive to the storyline.

In a Nutshell: I'm hooked and will definitely read book 2. As of this review there are only 2 books in the series, and I'm really interested in reading the next as it is set up really well towards the end of this first book.

Abduction by Amelita Rae

Title: Abduction

Author: Amelita Rae

Series: Stand-Alone

Genre: M/M Romance/Erotica

Publisher: Amelita Rae (June 22, 2016)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕

Synopsis: An Mpreg Yaoi Alien Romance

In a freak accident, the hull of Hisao’s ship is breached by meteor debris and the young spaceman is sucked out into space. Terrified, alone and rapidly running out of oxygen, the young man waits to die until a bright light suddenly appears and sucks him into it.

For a moment, Hisao thinks he HAS died, but his adventure has only just begun.

Aboard the alien vessel, Hisao encounters a monster straight from his worst nightmares. Katashi is the name his alien ‘rescuer’ calls himself and he is the perfect predator; towering over the little human at ten-feet tall, with carbon-plated armor for skin, a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs, super-human strength, acidic blood, venomous saliva and dozens of semi-autonomous tentacles. Poor Hisao fears the worst but fortunately for him (or unfortunately) the powerful creature sees the pretty little human not as prey to be consumed, but rather as the perfect little broodmare for the many offspring he wishes to sire. He feels no guilt about altering Hisao’s body without his consent and no qualms about breeding the beautiful young man against his will. The alien is utterly rational, but simultaneously devoid of human conscience or morality.

Will Katashi ever learn to respect and treat his mate as an equal, despite the human’s physical inferiority? Can Katashi come to understand the importance of free will to Hisao? Will Hisao ever be able to forgive Katashi for what he has done? Can true love blossom after such a difficult start?

It is an interspecies romance for the ages, that will change the fate of the universe because what neither Katashi nor Hisao realize is that their love and their children may just turn out to be the saving grace for both of their worlds.

This strange, space-age ‘Beauty and the Beast’ style story by Amelita Rae explores issues of free-will, consent, and what it means to be human, in the midst of some of the most graphic erotica you will ever encounter. The content is explicit and extreme and includes such sexual taboos as multiple penetrations, Mpreg, oviposition, minor scatology, tentacle sex, erotic birth, prolapse play and more. It may be quite disturbing for some readers so please enjoy responsibly!

My Thoughts: All I can say is WTF did I just read and not in a good way.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: While Katashi is a warrior alien with no feelings of love, kindness, well, feelings period, it was hard to keep those things in mind as Katashi took Hiroshi and pretty much enslaved him for his own personal breeding pet. I have really enjoyed my journey in M/M romances. I have really enjoyed my reading of alien/monster porn...er romances. What's a major issue with this book is somehow the author forgot that even though her alien "hero" was created with nothing we would consider to be human feelings, her readers are indeed human. This reader couldn't set aside the problematic taboo subjects of rape, forced pregnancy, and slavery.

In addition to those issues the erotic nature of the book was not sexy spicy but rather gag inducing. Multiple sex sessions ending in various prolapses, an alien that feeds his human parts of his (Katashi's) body for nourishment (tentacle meat anyone?), same alien being also eats Hisao's digestive waste and urine, oh and Katashi used his superior technology to alter Hisao's body by adding a vagina/womb to his current anatomy. Also, somehow the by the end of this book Hisao loved Katashi (hello Stockholm Syndrome.)

So, what did I like about this book? Amelita Rae's writing itself is easy to read. The creativity was impressive (this coming from someone with zero creativity.) Ok I've got nothing else but I'm very much considering reading more by this author anyway. I know, I know, I don't understand it either but there it is. 

In a Nutshell: Despite the yuckiness that was all about this book I will pick up another book by this author. I'll think twice about picking up another alien book by her though.

Otterly in Love by Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Title: Otterly in Love

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Series: #3 in The River's Edge Shifters series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (November 21, 2020)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: An M/M MPreg Shifter Romance

Sometimes the past holds your future...

Omega otter shifter Doc loved his adopted son and wanted to protect him from his past. But when the boy's past flings itself at him in the form of a series of letters, Doce is faced with the heart wrenching decision of either ripping open old wounds or keeping unforgivable secrets from the child.

Rabbit shifter Levi hates his life as Alpha of his Colony. Put there by birthright and held there by his past, he has no choice: If he leaves, they will kill his one true mate. Rabbits were brutal like that.

When the colony is all abuzz with word of a stranger in town, Levi doesn't expect an otter and he certainly doesn't expect the man to be the bearer of both the worst and the best news of his life: His mate was gone and he had a son. And he most definitely doesn't expect to have his rabbit announcing the man as his mate. 

Otterly In Love is a sweet with knotty heat M/M shifter mpreg romance featuring an otter shifter looking out for his son, a rabbit shifter who fears he isn't strong enough to fix the wrongs of his path, an evil sheriff who won't stay gone, a boy who in some ways has more to teach him, true fated love, and an adorable little baby. This is the third book in the River's Edge Shifters series brought to you by the co-writing team of Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace and can be read as a stand-alone.

(Synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: I was really looking forward to getting to know Doc more and although this was his story it left me wanting more.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, about the synopsis.... for the most part it is exactly what this book is about, but that last paragraph isn't quite accurate. The evil sheriff is taken care of in book 2 and although it's been 4 days since I finished this book, I'm pretty sure I am remembering this book correctly. Also, the "adorable little baby"...not sure which baby this is in reference to. I believe August and Jase's baby is in the book and she is adorable, but she isn't in a lot of the scenes as at least half the book takes place at the rabbit Colony and not in River's Edge. There is another baby, but I believe doesn't make an appearance until the very end. One more complaint about the last paragraph of the synopsis and then I'll move on....it says it is the 3rd book in the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I'm terrible about reading things in order and my GR friends could attest to this. I often pick something up based on what I get approved at NetGalley. I'll pick something up based on what my library has available at the time. I'll even pick something up based on the shiny cover. However, I really think in order for Doc's story (and Xander's as well) to be fully appreciated the first book in the series should be read before this one, at the very least. Book 2 is almost an independent book within the series as the characters in that story don't make an appearance in book 3 but more about that later.

While I did enjoy this book, I was sad that Leo and Ron (from Feline the Love) weren't in this book. I really liked those characters. Also, I know Doc was older, but I don't recall how much older (I'm actually thinkin it never said) and for some reason this bugged me. I like an age gap romance but like to know what ages I'm working with LOL. 

With the background story of Xander being heartbreaking and intense from the first book I was disappointed that part of that story was concluded off page, happening sometime after book 1 ended and book 3 started (but not mentioned in book 2 at all.) I know that is quite vague, but I don't want to include any spoilers for anyone who may want to read the series.

As far as Levi and Doc go, I really wanted more from their story. On one hand it was a really good story, but I think the page count limited the development of a believable love story. As with most fated mate tropes the "I Love You's" happened quickly and in shifter romances sex usually means love. Too bad I'm not a shifter and can't appreciate this type of relationship. Hello insta-love. <insert should shrug here>. 

In a Nutshell: I am definitely moving on to book 4 although I'm not sure who will find their true love as there weren't any new shifters introduced except 3 bunny adults (new adult age so not viable for relationship status in my mind), a handful of rabbit Colony asshats (only good for evil mastermind status), and Mama (a widowed lion shifter who played a major role in helping Levi leave the Colony....loved her by the way.) I guess I'll have to wait until I can pick up book #4, Canine Love You after I finish up my current reads.

Baby from Frost by Ashe Moon

 

Title: Baby from Frost

Author: Ashe Moon

Series: #3 in the Dragon Firefighters Series

Genre: M/M Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Ashe Moon (September 14, 2021)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Fleeing from his dangerous dragon family, half-human omega Raka finds himself unable to control his desires for Delos, the winsome ice dragon alpha he hired to escort him across the frozen sea. But falling in love was never part of the escape plan. To protect them both, Raka vanishes from the flaming wreckage of their ship, leaving Delos behind with a broken heart—not knowing he's carrying the alpha's child.

After seven years, Delos’s icy heart shows no sign of thawing. On an away mission for his dragon flight brothers, he unexpectedly finds the omega he can’t forget. His resentment is matched only by his enduring need for Raka, but the omega is in hiding, unable to leave his library sanctuary. It’s clear they can’t have a second chance together—but then there’s Raka’s son, the boisterous little boy who looks so much like Delos. The child needs an alpha to teach him how to be an ice dragon—can Delos open his heart and become the daddy he was meant to be?


Baby From Frost is the third book in the Dragon Firefighters mpreg series. It expands on characters and the story introduced in the previous books, and while it can be enjoyed as a standalone it’s recommended you read the others first. This book features ice dragons, second chances, a secret child, an industrial fantasy setting, pregnancy and dragon eggs, toddlers, family moments, friendship and loyalty, love in a library (shhh!), light drama, and, as always, a happily ever after.

My Thoughts: Another good installation to the Dragon Firefighter series.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I've been remiss in my review writing, so I haven't reviewed books 1 and 2 in this series so here's a bit of thought about the series in general. It's written is if they are historical romances but there are very little clues as to the timeframe. There are no modern vehicles (cars, planes, etc.), the fighting of the fires is very primitive (buckets being hauled), and dragons are common. The series is set firmly in the Omegaverse and to my knowledge thus far in the series, dragons are the only shifters in this world. The dragons have classifications based on their elemental affinity. Altair and Rainor (from books 1 and 2 respectively) are both Fire Dragons. Delos is an Ice Dragon.

With that said I've really enjoyed this world Ashe Moon has created. I like the idea of a hodgepodge of dragons creating a family (called a dragon flight.) They, of course, are more openminded than most and have expanded their circle to include human mates and they don't feel Omegas are less of a person than someone else. This theme of Omegas being lesser than, let's say, an Alpha is a common occurrence within the Omegaverse no matter who is writing the book (at least in my experiences with the sub-genre.)

As far as this book goes, I've wondered what Delos's deal was. Brooding, self-isolated, more interested in Alchemy than personal interactions are what makes up Delos. Now we find out why. Raka was the deal. I like a brooding hero for sure and Delos fit the bill. I wish there was a more substantial reason Raka was in hiding. Unless the conflict is carried over from this book to the next the entire reason Raka couldn't be with Delos to begin with was a moot point. Nothing happened with that storyline. The romance was sweet, and the sex was spicy (library sex anyone?) I wish the relationship had more oomph though. As I mentioned since the entire reason Raka and Delos couldn't be together was not substantiated within this book there was no conflict or added intensity other than what was in Raka's head making me a bit miffed because Delos suffered alone for 7 years for no reason.

I really like Shen (a Thunder Dragon) and am glad he was introduced as now all 3 dragons in the flight are mated. I wasn't ready for the series to end. 

In a Nutshell: I'm hooked. I cannot wait to read the next book to see where the series goes.

An Omega Bear for Kit by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Title: An Omega Bear for Kit

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Series: #2 in the Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginnings series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (May 22, 2022)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: Grant didn't know an omega could become Beta of his Bear Den, but that's exactly what just happened.

Omega bear shifter Grant loves all of the positive changes that his den has seen since their new Alpha arrived. Now that he has food in his bellym, a comfortable place to live, and a taste of the human world, he yearns to take another step and do what no one from his den has attempted--get a college education. If only he was brave enough to ask.

Alpha mountain lion shifter Kit enjoys his life in the city. Great food, fun nightlife, andf best of all... no pack politics. That's until his pack's Alpha sends word he's needed at home. Kit has no choice but to agree and decides to take a detour to the Bruin Ridge shifters to visit his old roommate, their new Alpha. Anything to delay the inevitable.

Kit's short trip is complicated when he scents his true mate and doubly complicated when Grant, his fated, is name den Beta.

An Omega Bear of Kit is the seond book in the Bruin Ridge Bear-ginning series, a sweet with knotty heat M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance by the popular writing team of Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. It features an alpha mountin lion thrown into a role he is woefully unprepared for, an omega bear trying to find his place, a den beginning to thrive, an unexpected position, true lovem, fatedf mates, and of course, an adorable baby. If you love your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy of An Omega Bear for Kit today.

My Thoughts: While I didn't like this book nearly as much as the first it held my interest from the first page to the last.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, I honestly don't know why I didn't connect to Grant and Kit as much as I did Aspen and Lucian other than Lucian's plight caught me in my feels and both Grant and Kit were just, well, there. Not saying their tumultuous relationship wasn't worth reading about because it certainly was. I just found it to be more angsty than anything else. They are not necessarily star-crossed lovers but each of the separate lives dictated they were on different paths. It was Kit's situation that made for them not being able to be together and I while I did feel for them, I just didn't like the situation. We had a healthy dose of tyrannical Alphas from the former Bruin Ride Bear Alpha in the first book, so, having yet another one in Kit's pride was a bit too much for me. 

I thought Grant was an exceptional character though and his battle with his bear was captivating. Although Grant was an Omega, I'd venture to say his bear was a little bit alpha with how strong he was. 

The love story between Kit and Grant was lovely and although this was a short novel (as they all are) I felt it was well balanced between the spicy sex, the angsty plot, the fated mate trope, the character development (even though Grant was more fleshed out than Kit), and the insta-love I love you's.

In a Nutshell: I'm still hooked on this series and I'm looking forward to the 3rd book a lot.

An Alpha Bear for Lucian by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Title: An Alpha Bear for Lucian

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Series: #1 in The Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginnings

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (February 27, 2022)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Aspen didn't know you could accidentally become Alpha of Den, but that's exactly what he just did.

Apha bear shifter Aspen was ready to begin his new life in the big city. He has a job lined up, a lease signed, and his truck packed. All he has left is to get there. Too bad that's easier said than done because his truck picked the middle of nowhere to break down--alongside a bear den's land of all places. When Aspen seeks permission to spend the night, he plans to keep his head down and just mind his own business and he does, until he hears the scream that changes everything.

Omega bear shifter Lucian hated his den. No, that wasn't fair. It wasn't the den he hated as much as it was the leadership. Wehen the Alpha he had most of his life died, he crossed his fingers the new one would bring their den into this century. He didn't--the alpha was not only old-school, but also cruel. When rumors of an alpha bear seeking refuge until his truck is repaired reach him, Lucian forms a plan. If he can convince the shifter to take him when he leaves, he can escape this horrible life. 

Sneaking out to find the new bear sounded like a great idea, until Lucian gets caught. His den Alpha is a strike first kind of guy, and strike he does. Lucien knows better than to scream, it only makes the punishment worse, but scream he does, the pain too much to hold inside. A flurry of furm, teeth, a dead Alpha, and the scenting of his fated mate leaves the visiting shifter a their new Alpha.

So much for best laid plans.

An Alpha Bear for Lucian is the first book in the anticipated Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginning series, a sweet with knotty hear M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance by the popular writing team of Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. It features an alpha bear thrown into a role he is woefully unprepared for, an omega whose plans for the future very much did not include being his den's Alpha Omega, a pack on the verge of collapse, the challenge that changes everything, true love, fated mates, and of course an adorable baby. If you love your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy of An Alpha Bear for Lucian today.

(synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: This was a darn good book with a great balance of love and conflict.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: It's been a while since I finished this book (3 weeks ago) so I don't necessarily remember every little detail, but I do remember how I adored these characters. I'm so character driven that if I can connect with the characters, I'm sure to love the book even if the plot is weak. In this instance I don't think the plot was weak either, but I was so wrapped up in Aspen and Lucian I might not have noticed. Grant also gets special consideration from me as well. He's a great friend to Lucian. 

The whole dynamics of the Den was very interesting when Aspen took over after the death of the previous alpha. There was some set-in tradition and refused to accept the new path Aspen was taking the Den and the ones who were happy about the changes were mostly Omegas who were considered less than in the hierarchy of the Den. Aspen never planned on being the leader of a Den, ever, but he ends up being great at it. 

In a Nutshell: I'm certainly invested in the future of the Bruin Ridge Bear Den and the shifters living there. I am really looking forward to reading more about them.

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!

Wild Bear by Terry Bolryder

Title: Wild Bear

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #3 in the Bear Haven series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Bolryder ( September 27,  2015)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Book 3 in the Bear Haven Series! 

Maverick McAllister is as wild as they come. Born in the wilderness and closely attuned to his bear, nothing has made him happier than the untamed land surrounding Bear Haven ranch. That is, until a curvy, sassy woman shows up to tempt him. And all too soon, the rugged bear knows exactly what he wants-- his mate.

Harmony has tried to make it as a musician in the Big Apple, but despite her best efforts, nothing has worked out. And though she's happy for her two friends that are now happily mated to larger-than-life McAllister cowboys, she can't help but hope that there's something good waiting for her as well. And maybe that something good is in the sexy, dominant Maverick.

The chemistry between Mav and Harmony is undeniable, and every time they are together the room heats up like a firestorm. But as sexy as Maverick may be, he might be too wild to tame. And no matter how badly Maverick wants to keep Harmony forever, he'll have to show her that he's ready to love, even if it means bringing out the man inside of him that's been hidden a long time.

My Thoughts: What an improvement over book 2. I loved it.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Maverick's book was so good. He was more animal than human and preferred to live in his bear form out in the woods rather than as a man with clothing restraints. His background explains why this is and his character is actually deeper than every other character I've read by Terry Bolryder thus far. He's really pretty charming in his own way and even though he doesn't try to be funny he is. His entire thought process is innocent as an animal's would be without the devious intentions that unfortunately are found in many humans. As a matter of fact he often refers to others as human and doesn't consider himself even part human. Harmony is his complete opposite and I liked how she appreciated him for who he was and didn't expect him to change. He did a lot of growing up in this book and I absolutely loved him. 

The romance felt quick but when you factor in the H and h met months ago it wasn't as insta-lovey as the first two books in this series. Although it did wrap itself in an almost fated mate type of situation I wasn't unhappy with it. Mav was a bear. He thought as a bear. In his mind he gave himself to Harmony as her mate and she was his. The End. As an animal it was simple. Humans make things more complicated and he honestly didn't know if he was capable of being human enough to actually love Harmony as a human loves their partner. 

There was conflict, a bit of suspense, epiphanies, and a big bear of a man who finally figured out humans sometimes need the help of other humans.

In a Nutshell: My very favorite book by Terry Bolryder so far. I loved this book.

Onyx Dragon by Terry Bolryder

Title: Onyx Dragon

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #1 in the Awakend Dragons series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Boryder (July 25, 2015) 

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: The dragons are back, and they're our last chance...

 Isaac Morningstar III, or Zach to the few who know him, has hit rock bottom. Once an immortal, nearly-invincible dragon, he's been awakened only to have his powers and his treasure locked away until he can prove himself to be a trustworthy protector of humans. Since Zach has never liked humans, he's pretty sure he's going to end up back on ice. That is, until he meets sweet, curvy Erin, a human hairdresser who might just turn his world upside down.

Erin has a pretty routine life, but that ends when a tall, gorgeous man appears out of nowhere, claiming to be an ancient dragon with immeasurable power who wants her as his mate. She doesn't know whether to laugh or run for the hills. But when the mysterious stranger saves her life and needs her help she can't just turn away.  Still, the closer she gets to Zach, the more she realizes there may just be something truly magical about him.

But as the forces around them close in, Zach is quickly realizing that the darkness lurking inside him may be greater than he anticipated. And the beast within may not be the only thing they have need to fear. 

Warning: contains ferocious dragons, fearsome fights, fiery love scenes and a fiercely cute three-legged kitten that will steal your heart. The first in a brand-new series with dragons unlike anything Terry has written!

My Thoughts:  Although I found this book to be an average read it did manage to make me want to move right into book 2. To me this is a sign of a good book. It wasn't without some issues. No background on Erin. The setting could have been anywhere, the romance was completely reliant on the fated mate trope with no major epiphany moments,

and it glossed over where Zach's treasure has been kept while he slept or even how much or what it was (other than he mentioned there were jewels) . His ring is a major factor in the story, but I felt its significance was also glossed over.

Despite all these things the book was interesting, had funny moments, some spicy sex, and introduced an interesting M/F/M relationship that appears to be the focal of another series where 2 dragon shifters mate with one woman.

In a Nutshell: So yes 100% I'll read more in this series. It's also offered on KU... if you already pay for this service, you have nothing but a little bit of time to lose.

A Merciful Truth by Kendra Elliot

Title: A Merciful Truth
Author: Kendra Elliot
Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt
Series: #2 in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Genre: Mystery, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Audible Audio (June 6 ,2017)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Raised by a family of survivalists, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick can take on any challenge—even the hostile reception to her homecoming. But she’s not the only one causing chaos in the rural community of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. At first believed to be teenage pranks, a series of fires takes a deadly turn with the murder of two sheriff’s deputies. Now, along with Police Chief Truman Daly,
Mercy is on the hunt for an arsonist turned killer.

Still shunned by her family and members of the community, Mercy must keep her ear close to the ground to pick up any leads. And it’s not long before she hears rumors of the area’s growing antigovernment militia movement. If the arsonist is among their ranks, Mercy is determined to smoke the culprit out. But when her investigation uncovers a shocking secret, will this hunt for a madman turn into her own trial by fire?

My Thoughts: While I think the first book was a little better I'm enjoying reading about Mercy Kilpatrick and think Kendra Elliot is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine.


The Good, the Bad, and Everything in Between: So, I liked this book a lot but the plot didn't work as well for me as the one in the first book. In this book we not only have preppers, who were the subject of the first book, but we also have militia members. In my head the mindset of the preppers in the first book were a similar to the militia in the second book. There are fundamental differences between the two and the author did a good job of covering them but even from the beginning of book one I thought the preppers were a bit cultish and some of them were even extreme which reminded me of militia. A while back I read Die Trying by Lee Child which was a great book featuring a militia. The reason I bring this up is because that book outlined a leader far superior to the leader of the militia in Elliot's book. He was recruiting but there was no focus on training the recruits. This group would have been doomed from the beginning because the leader wasn't as strong of a leader as the one Lee Child developed. This, of course, is just my opinion and if you've read both books I'd love to hear from you.

In addition I found the identity of the militia leader a bit of a stretch as no one recognized him, not even his own family. There are arguments to be made on why his own family might not have recognized him and I agree there are some possibilities on the lack of identifying, primarily he hadn't seen his family since 1980-ish. I get it, but with the combination of his identity and his questionable leadership, just the idea of him pulling off what he did made this book not quite as good for me as the first.

The progress of Mercy and Truman's relationship is still slowly growing. While I think this is a good thing because I really hate insta-love, it feels as if Truman is a lot more invested in their relationship than Mercy. She continues to hold back, refusing to give everything she can to Truman to support their relationship. Although this drives me nuts it does show Mercy's vulnerability. Her long estrangement from her family and the difficult interactions between them when she finally came home  put her in a delicate emotional state. She longs for her family connections but her loner existence for so much of her life made her reliant on only herself. Trust comes slowly for her and this is where the relationship between her and Truman flounder a bit.

Once again I listened to the audio version of this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Teri Schnaubelt continues to narrate and as I mentioned in my review of A Merciful Death she does an Ok job. Not wonderful but not terrible. I find these books easy enough to listen to so I'm going to continue the series on audio but will no longer mention my thoughts on the audio itself going forward.

In a Nutshell: While many of my points seem negative the actual tension and suspense of this book was top notch and Elliot's writing is really engaging and I'd encourage someone who likes Rom/Susp or even just mysteries (as the romance is not as prominent as the mystery aspect) to pick this series up.

Werewolf in Manhattan by Vicki Lewis Thompson

(Original Cover)

(New cover from 2018)

Title: Werewolf in Manhattan
Author: Vicki Lewis Thompson
Series: #1 in the Wild About You series
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:  Berkley; Original edition (January 4, 2011) reissued by Ocean Dance Press; 2 edition (March 30, 2018)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕

Synopsis: She believed werewolves were a myth…until she met one.

For paranormal romance author Emma Gavin, werewolves only existed between the pages of her novels. They were seductive heroes drawn from her imagination, not living, breathing creatures in the real world. And they certainly were not wealthy lords of industry.

And then the sexy Mr. Wallace sprouted fur.

Offering to pose as Emma’s bodyguard to deter a rogue Were should have been an easy assignment for pack alpha Aidan Wallace. She’s human. He’s Were. The two don’t mix. But he didn’t count on the temptation she would pose to his highly tuned senses. Or how hard it would be to resist her siren call.

Denying the bond that’s drawing them together could cost him his sanity. But surrendering to desire could cost him his life.

My Thoughts: An Ok romance with potential not realized.

The Good: So I really liked Aidan. He really had the making of  great Alpha hero. Tall, gorgeous, genius IQ, and very wealthy. I mean, what else could you want? I also loved the idea our heroine was a paranormal romance writer who writes werewolf heroes. It does get her in trouble with the local Were Pack because her imagination is too close to the truth. I liked the secondary characters as well, especially, Nadia and Aidan's younger brother Roarke. The chemistry between Aidan  and Emma was so good and for the most part the super sexy parts were pretty darn exciting as well.

The Bad: While I did like Emma's choice of careers and her and Aidan's smexy times, I just couldn't get a good grasp of who she was. She flipped from a MarySue who was just kind of boring to someone with a backbone only to become a sexed up vixen and back again. During her backbone times she tried fighting for her "right" to continue writing her fictional novels of werewolves. This of course was after she found out werewolves were real and accepted it in the blink of an eye. As the existence of werewolves has to be kept a secret and the pack community were going so far as to investigate an author's fictional book writing. There were talks of even killing her should she know too much. With that in mind she continued to say things like she'd rather be DEAD than lose her career of writing her novels. I have rights! You can't stop my First Amendment rights! How about stay alive Emma? How about that? Why not change direction just a bit and write about vampires or witches. Oh and lets not get into Emma's snobby "I'm so green" attitude. Looking down on Aidan for his wealth and the lifestyle he has but then justifies letting Aidan pamper her with luxuries and it comes out she has a bunch of designer clothes and designer shoes. Hello kettle. Meet pot.

In a Nutshell: An easy breezy read without a lot of substance but a decent enough read to spend a few hours with. As far as recommending this book I'd only suggest someone looking for some pure paranormal fluff pick this one up.

Mother's Day Out by Karen MacInerney

Title: Mother's Day Out
Author: Karen MacInerney
Series: #1 in the Margie Peterson Mysteries series
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Brilliance Audio (April 15, 2014) (first published June 2,2012)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Margie Peterson is a typical stay-at-home mom until she trades dishes for detective work to become Austin's least-likely PI. Soon she's knee-deep in cheating husbands, transvestites, and trouble in a laugh-out-loud new mystery from award-winning author Karen MacInerney.

With a husband who works long hours trying to make partner and two rambunctious kids that are running her ragged, Margie Peterson is like any other worn-out suburban mom. When she decides to take a job as a PI for a seedy local detective agency, everything changes. It doesn't take long for Margie to get in over her head: Her first day on the job she totals her minivan, mistakenly enters a drag contest, and winds up in the bathroom with a dead transvestite. But when Margie finds her home number in the victim's phone, things really start to get interesting.

My Thoughts: I found this book while looking for a cozy mystery featuring a PI to fit in a Bingo Game I'm playing over at GoodReads. It was a good find.

The Good, The Bad, And The Stuff in the Middle:  I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book after realizing the LGBTQ community was going to be a hot topic within it. The last cozy mystery I read that mentioned the Gay community had homophobic undertones that pissed me off to the extreme and I will not read another book by that author.  I was prepared to hate this book even though I read another MacInerney (in a different series) a few months ago and liked it a lot. I was pleasantly surprised to find our main character, not an expert on the Drag Queen community, but open minded and willing to listen without judgement.

I did find Margie a bit TSTL (which is a common trait in the genre) but I do have faith she will make a good PI. I'm hoping the fact that she is running around claiming to be a PI after working for a PI company for only 2 weeks and has no license will get rectified. You just can't be a PI without a license.

Most of the secondary characters were specifically drawn to either have the reader like them or hate them. I did like that Margie's husband, Blake, was a bit more complex. Sure, through most of the book I didn't like him. I wasn't supposed to. He comes from uppity stock and I was wondering how in the world they ever got together as he was all about status and appearance. Towards the end I almost liked him and even felt sorry for him.

I'm really interested in seeing what happens in the future for Margie and Blake.

I listened to the audio recording and thought Cris Dukehart was a good Margie. Her voices weren't super distinctive but I was able to listen to the book at my usual speed of almost 2Xs. Her voice for Margie's friend Becky did get a bit chipmunky though. If she had been the main character I may have had to adjust the speed to a little slower.

In a Nutshell: I'm looking forward to getting to read more in the series and with my Kindle Unlimited I'll be able to listen or read. I love that option.

A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot

Title: A Merciful Death
Author: Kendra Elliot
Series: #1 in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Genre: Mystery/Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Brilliance Audio (January 17th 2017)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: FBI special agent Mercy Kilpatrick has been waiting her whole life for disaster to strike. A prepper since childhood, Mercy grew up living off the land - and off the grid - in rural Eagle's Nest, Oregon. Until a shocking tragedy tore her family apart and forced her to leave home. Now a predator known as the cave man is targeting the survivalists in her hometown, murdering them in their homes, stealing huge numbers of weapons, and creating federal suspicion of a possible domestic terrorism event. But the crime scene details are eerily familiar to an unsolved mystery from Mercy's past.

Sent by the FBI to assist local law enforcement, Mercy returns to Eagle's Nest to face the family who shunned her while maintaining the facade of a law-abiding citizen. There, she meets police chief Truman Daly, whose uncle was the cave man's latest victim. He sees the survivalist side of her that she desperately tries to hide, but if she lets him get close enough to learn her secret, she might not survive the fallout...

My Thoughts: While I found myself riveted to my phone while listening to this book on my Audible app I'm not sure I would have read it as quickly as I listened to it. There is something to be said about household chores for sure. 😃

The Good: I thought the audio version of this book was done pretty good. Teri Schnaubelt did a good job with infliction and I was able to listen at 1.75x's the speed without her voice "chipmunking" out.  The mystery of who was killing the preppers was pretty good as well although there weren't many viable suspects. The intrigue of Mercy's background and why she left her family and the town she grew up in 15 years ago without looking back was actually more compelling than the current murders. Now that we know all about her history I'm wondering what is in store for future Mercy books.

The Bad: While I think Schnaubelt did a decent job there wasn't much voice difference from one character to another. Luckily the writing was done so well I never was confused as to who was talking. As I mentioned earlier there were not a whole lot of viable suspects and the bad guy was pretty easy to determine. If you are looking for a book that will test your sleuthing abilities this probably isn't the book for you. As far as this being a romantic suspense there is not a whole lot of romance. It definitely takes a back seat to the mystery which is why I labeled this a mystery firstly and a romantic suspense secondly. Last thing, although there isn't graphic rape within the book there is rape. If rape is a trigger for anyone please be warned as this might not be the right book for you.

In a Nutshell: I thought this was a good first book in the series and I'm going to move on to the second book soon.