Book Review

Heart On Fire- Amanda Bouchet

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

I am a huge fan of fantasy and paranormal romance, but for some reason, I hadn’t gotten around to Amanda Bouchet’s amazing series until recently. The first two books sat on my kindle, mocking me with their gorgeous Gene Mollica covers for months. And then, I got the chance to read the final book in the series and decided to get to work on these books that I had heard so many good things about… I devoured the first book in a day and told every reader I knew about it. I breathlessly raced through book 2 with its speedy pace and some of the best fighting scenes I’ve ever read. And then, I took a big breath and prepared myself for the end to this glorious story.

The Story-
You must read the other two books first, but just so you know, we are following adventures of mythological proportions of Cat and Griffin. Cat is bad-ass and Griffin is her perfect complement. This is a world with Greek gods, but it isn’t Earth. It is epic.

My Thoughts-
From the first book, I felt so connected to Cat. She is perfectly flawed: over-confident, rash, hot-tempered, loyal to a fault. I love that falling in love didn’t dilute Cat. Sure, Griffin helps to check her here and there, but mostly, he absolutely supports her and who she is. All of these characters, even secondary ones, are so fleshed-out that I was emotionally locked to every battle scene. Some people have had issues with certain parts of this book because of those emotional connections etc. As an English teacher and lover of literature, I felt that the death(s) and other dark scenes were perfectly placed and necessary to the story. Bouchet clearly knows the Hero’s Journey and follows that path in a new and interesting way. And yet, she still provides that HEA we all need at the end of this epic saga.
Do I hope that, at some point, we get a continuation or spin-off of this world featuring a certain someone? Sure. Will I survive if we don’t because this was such an amazing series that was so smartly written that it satisfied both my romance-reader side and my English-teacher side? You bet. Will I read absolutely everything that Bouchet writes in the future? Duh.

The Bottom Line-
Read the series. Let her take you on this journey. Sigh when it’s over. 5 stars

Tempted and Taken- Rhenna Morgan

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The sexy “nerd”: Morgan has introduced a different fantasy man in each of her Men of Haven books, and we finally come to the one that is geared to my specific fantasies. Although, Knox is more of a computer whiz than brainy geek (Rhenna, I’d still like a true Star Wars-obsessed nerd/history buff in a future book), he was still completely swoon-worthy. But, what really surprised me is how much I enjoyed the heroine. Let’s get into it!

The Story-

Darya is working to start a new life for herself, and she is determined that Knox Torren will be part of it. The computer whiz hacker has skills she can only dream of, but if she were to be mentored by him, she could start her own business and really be independent. Knox is suspicious of the mysterious woman who reached out to him with a “business proposal”. When he finally meets her, he has to know more. But, everything doesn’t add up with “JJ”.

My Thoughts-

If you read the previous Men of Haven books and hoped for a little more heat, you will be pleasantly surprised, because this is HOT! Personally, the full-on anal was a tad more than I wanted, but I know everyone has their preferences. While I loved the character of Knox as I expected to, I was surprised to like Darya so much. She is so straight-forward with her emotions and desires: a fully- confident woman who goes after what she wants when she decides. At the same time, she is not stuck up or off-putting. The new Russian characters are intriguing, and I cannot wait to see more from them in the future. 

Bottom Line-

If you, like me, adore the Men of Haven books, you are gonna love this one too. This is my fave contemporary series, and each book is like a piece of chocolate that I savor. I’m going back in for another piece (Beckett), but my bag is empty until sometime next year. 😦 Seriously, if you like contemporary at all, read this entire series. 5 stars

The Right Kind of Rogue- Valerie Bowman

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right kind of rogue

Earlier this year, I discovered Valerie Bowman through her last release “Never Love a Pirate”. I was thrilled to find such a breezy, funny author who has a different tone from most Regency authors today. Not surprisingly, I was pretty excited to read this new entry in the Playful Brides series.

The Story-
Meg has friends in high places, but she doesn’t have much to recommend her: her parents, though part of society, have mountains of debt; she is entering her third season as a wallflower; and, she doesn’t even have nice dresses. When her best friend and a duchess friend decide to sponsor her and give her a makeover to make this “her season”, they don’t know that she only has one guy in mind. Hart never paid much attention to his sister’s mousy best friend until she showed up to a recent ball looking like a princess.

My Thoughts-
While I really enjoyed Meg’s character and the makeover bits with the duchess, I never felt like Hart’s depth of feelings for her was enough. He is constantly thinking about how attractive she is and how he is physically attracted to her, but the emotional/personality side? Not so much. Bowman’s humor is back here in full force, especially with a hilarious silver closet incident. The conflict is a bit meh with a misunderstanding that could simply be talked out dominating the latter part of the book. That being said, I read it in one evening, which speaks to pacing and plot development. I also enjoyed the little Romeo and Juliet nods.

The Bottom Line-
If you are a fan of fun and easy Regency romance, you must read Valerie Bowman. This book is a little breath of fresh air, and I will continue to look forward to each release, despite my small niggles with this book. 4 stars

Tangled in Time- Barbara Longley

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tangled in time

I’ve long enjoyed Barbara Longley’s time-travel books, so I was especially looking forward to this one, which is set in Ireland, not Scotland, and is the first book in her new McCarthy Sisters series.

The Story-
Regan can see ghosts, and it is inconvenient. So, she has decided to go to Ireland to see if there is some sort of ancient magic which can help to rid her of this gift. When she meets what she thinks is a ghost needing to cross over, her desires will change. Faelan has been a prisoner of a fae princess for over a thousand years and cursed to remain there until he finds a woman to love. Every year on solstice, he is able to materialize for one day, but when a woman can see him before he materializes, he feels that she is the one.

My Thoughts-
This is so different from most time-travel romances. First of all, the Ireland setting is not just window dressing; it is well-researched and is almost a character in itself. I also enjoyed the paranormal aspects to the story and how they were dealt with. This isn’t just some slippage through time that is never truly explained. Much of the plot is devoted to the couple actually getting to know one another and fall in love; imagine that! I was totally invested in the relationship and believed it, so when the climax came, nothing felt forced, too fast, or like it didn’t deserve the payoff. Much of the story takes place in current day Ireland and feels a bit like the movie “Ghost” which was fun and unexpected.

The Bottom Line-
Longley is my “go-to” author for time-travel and historical paranormal romance. This book went fast and kept me intrigued the whole time. 4 1/2 stars

The Cowboy Christmas Hero- Donna Grant

/ Erin Kelly / 1 Comment

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Today we are welcoming a new reviewer to the mix! Nicole is fairly new to romance and loves anything with a great story.

This is my first book by Donna Grant. This was short, cute, and followed the typical romantic line: two people with tragic backgrounds who don’t want to be healed and want to shut out the world for their self given responsibility.

The Story-

Abby is raising her younger brothers who are a handful. When one gets arrested for stealing cattle, she doesn’t know what to do next. Clayton is home to save his family’s ranch, but ends up making a deal that might save him too. 

My Thoughts-

The thing that kept me reading was the heroine’s relationship with her younger brothers. The girl had become a mother figure to the boys. Instead of the boys becoming resentful, they wanted to take over the role of protectors which I thought was sweet and wanted to see more of. However, enter the hero of the love story, and he becomes the physical male role model. At this point, I got tired of how everyone wanted to protect their female whether she was lover or sister. I get tired of too much me Tarzan you Jane stuff. Also, I understand this is Texas and I’m sure their weather patterns are just as sporadic as ours here, but who the hell would have sex on a picnic blanket the week before Christmas? It’s like there were plenty of jackets in the beginning of the book, it’s too cold to ride a horse without one, freezing rain at one point, and they are having sex outside completely naked. Pneumonia was not mentioned.

The Bottom Line-
I would read something else by this author, but maybe would skip the last two chapters just because the proposal and wedding were the least interesting parts of the story. On the other hand, I want to ride a horse now…or at least pet one. 3 1/2 stars

The White Lily- Juliette Cross

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The imaginative Vampire Blood series has just gotten better. This clever Snow White retelling is (so far) my favorite book of the series. Brenna and Friedrich are so hot together, and there are twists you will definitely not see coming.

 

The Story-

Brennalyn Snow is a school-teacher and has adopted 7 children. She is also a secret supporter of the underground “Black Lily” movement. While trying to gain information about the local vampire duke’s loyalties, she unknowingly stumbles into his weekly selection of women who wish to be bleeders for the duke. Friedrich was intrigued by Brennalyn from the moment he met her, but her secrets make him want to know the woman behind the teacher facade in a way that surprises even him.

 

My Thoughts-

This story does an excellent job on building on the background from the previous books, but also deepening the world so that we have a greater grasp of the ramifications of the evil we’ve been introduced to. Again, the fairytale component is dealt with a light hand, never on the nose or what you’d expect. Cross is exceptionally good at adding the appropriate level of darkness and danger to her plots. Although you know it has to have a HEA, it is, at times, very difficult to figure out how exactly that will happen.

As someone who has struggled with infertility, I connected with Brennalyn and loved the emphasis on her personhood as a woman and how it is not inherently connected to being a natural mother. And, can we talk a minute about Friedrich? His character brings Cross’s sexy level to a new stratosphere. But, it is totally appropriate to the story and doesn’t feel forced or shoehorned in.

 

The Bottom Line-

If you like paranormal, historical, or fairytale retellings, I wholeheartedly recommend this series. It continues to get better, more dangerous, and more suspenseful, book by book. I cannot wait to read the final book in the series, but will be sad when it is over. 5 stars

 

Twice As Wicked- Elizabeth Bright

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“Twice as Wicked” is the debut novel by historical romance writer, Elizabeth Bright. I have to tell you, I am always a bit apprehensive about reading debut novels but this cover drew me in, and I HAD to read it. Imagine my happy surprise when the book turned out to be better than the cover! This is an excellent and satisfying historical with a great plot and complex characters.

The Story-
Alice Bursnell is mourning the death of her twin sister who died in childbirth. The only clue she has to the father of the child who left her poor sister alone in her shame is a picture in a locket. Her goal is now revenge. She knows who she is after, and she will make him pay. Nathaniel is intrigued by Alice, but begins to suspect her motives when he keeps encountering threats on his life in her presence.

My Thoughts-
I loved this story. The way the mystery is developed and solved is masterful, and I feel like Bright still has some surprises for us in her pocket that will be revealed in the rest of the series. The characters are intricate with complete backstories that inform their motivations. I never once felt like the characters were doing something stupid or random just for the sake of furthering the plot, which is refreshing. Alice, in particular, is wonderfully feisty and intelligent. I completely sympathized with her and her journey. The secondary characters, especially the Duke and Eliza, give a depth to the world (and make me hope for their story).
The Bottom Line-
Elizabeth Bright is a talented new author, and fans of historical romance will love this book. She has a great handle on this time period, and her plotting is original and well-done. “Twice as Wicked” is currently on sale for .99, and that is a total bargain. I recommend it at full price. I will read the future books in this series, and I look for great things to come for Ms. Bright. 5 stars!

The Scot Beds His Wife- Kerrigan Byrne

/ Erin Kelly / 2 Comments

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I love Kerrigan Byrne and her style of dark historical romance. This book was just as enjoyable, but it has a slightly different tone from the other books in this series. What starts as almost a typical Scot alpha-hero romance, ends up being much more.

The Story-
After going through a particularly harrowing experience in America (I won’t spoil it for you), Samantha goes to Scotland to start over completely. The manor she has moved into is coveted by the one man she promised to protect it from.

My Thoughts-
I was surprised with the beginning in America and thought the American heroine was a refreshing take. She is delightfully spunky. Gavin is pretty much your typical dark, brooding Scot, but he does have a bit more going on upstairs than many of them do. The dark opening of his childhood set me up perfectly for Byrne’s style, but it took awhile for the book to get back around to the repercussions of that scene. I was initially afraid in the first third to half of the book (after the openings) that it was falling into a more “normal” rhythm of a historical romance. I felt like I had read it before. And then, everything changed and the danger ramped up and it became everything I hoped for from Kerrigan. She ties in some things I didn’t expect and brings it to a different level.

The Bottom Line-
Honestly, if someone were dipping their toe in to Byrne’s writing for the first time because they weren’t sure they wanted to start with her darker or crazier books, (which I absolutely love) I feel like this would be an excellent choice. Don’t get me wrong: her fans will still be happy as clams. I just feel like this book will win her some new fans based on the cover, title, and plot. Oh, and by the way, I am sooooo excited for the next book. We get to meet the hero in this book, and just swoon… Definitely one of my fave historical romances of the year. 5 stars

Becoming Bella- Sarah Hegger

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I really enjoyed the first in this series, “Positively Pippa”, so I was looking forward to another fun alliterative tale from Sarah Hegger. “Becoming Bella” did not disappoint as it gave us another hot Evans brother and a heroine to root for. Sexy, home-town romance here! The best of both worlds; you get the heat along with the sweet.

The Story-
Bella is determined to become her own woman and break free of the crush she has had for so long. She has armed herself with a list of things to do for single people at Christmastime, and she is checking it off. Nate, the “former” object of her desire happens to catch Bella in a somewhat compromising position, and suddenly can’t see her as that untouchable little sis-type he has always held at arm’s length.

My Thoughts-
I loved both Nate and Bella as well as the lovely secondary characters that populate Ghost Falls. (The next door slutty neighbor lady is wonderfully entertaining!) Their first kiss and subsequent sexy times are sooo hot. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited for a kiss in a book… “Wanting, waiting, needing, dreaming, dying a little inside year after year. It all ripped through her in a wave and Bella lost her shit. Lost. Her. Shit.” Yep. That totally got me. I can’t imagine a more perfect description of someone finally getting that kiss they’ve always wanted. I loved their story. Obviously. The only hiccup I had was the “bad guy” who served to provide another conflict and let Nate act all alpha. If he had been a normal romance bad guy, I could have handled it fine and walked away with no issues. But he got super-scary. I am not normally one with a need for safe spaces and trigger warnings, but he got trigger warning scary. And I had a little trouble coming back from that enough for a satisfying, warm HEA. I was still a little shook.

The Bottom Line-
I loved these characters!!! It went a bit dark for me toward the end, but the story and the connection between these two was hot and wonderful. Again, Hegger captures that perfect mix of small-town romance and sizzling sexy times that make me one happy reader. 4 1/2 stars

Immortally Yours- Lynsay Sands

/ Erin Kelly / 2 Comments

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I love paranormal romance, especially vampires, so it was pretty crazy that I hadn’t read Lynsay Sands yet. And yes, I am coming in on the 26th book in the famous Argeneau series, but I quickly found that it wasn’t a problem at all. No need to be caught up to understand what is happening here!

The Story-
Scotty has known Beth for over a hundred years, back when she first became a vampire. Only now is he ready to claim her as his life mate, but with her life in danger, it’s proving a little difficult to do that.

My Thoughts-
Sands can write a freaking action scene! I could picture every fight, every detail perfectly. So many times, I have some trouble imagining what is happening, but Sands makes it play like a movie in my head. Scotty is a hottie (c’mon, I had to), and his devotion to Beth is sigh-worthy. This book went super fast; I couldn’t quit turning pages. The best things about this book are the characters, the action scenes, and the pacing. The small quibbles I have are the bad guy (a bit cliche and meh) and the long monologue descriptions of the characters’ backgrounds. I absolutely LOVED those backstories, but I wish I had been able to see them play out via flashback or something. Maybe prologue? I don’t know, but the stores are sooooo good that I hate that they were relayed simply through monologue. Those issues aside, I enjoyed the world of Argeneau vampires and am convinced that Sands is one of the better paranormal writers out there.

The Bottom Line-
Sands is firmly on my paranormal list now, and I plan on going back into her back catalogue for some more Argeneau vampires. Is it terrible that I wish she would write some historical paranormal, kind of a prequel for this series? 4 stars