Book Review

Drakon’s Prey- N.J. Walters

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

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Second books in paranormal series can be difficult. The first book often has all of this interesting world-building and the introduction of the “big bad” to make it exciting. That was certainly the case with this series. I loved the first book, and I feel that it is absolutely necessary to enjoying this one at all. I’ll explain:

The Story-
Picking up where we left off in book 1, Valeriya, the sister of the big bad, has pocketed a secret address to the hideaway of a drakon (dragon-shifter). She heads there, of course being tracked by sis’s men, then gets kidnapped/stowed away by Tarrant, a drakon we met in the first book. He keeps her. They have insta-sex. Bad guys try to find her.

My Thoughts-
If I didn’t love this author’s characters and world so much, this one would have been difficult to get through. But, I do want to know what happens to the drakons and how they will eventually defeat the bad guys. My biggest issue was that the plot didn’t feel like it moved forward overall. It felt more like a chess move: Valeriya to the drakon’s side of the board. The sex was hot, and Tarrant is a true Alpha-male that keeps it interesting. But, nothing happens! It’s like a snowed-in trope without the witty banter and self-revealing that usually comes before the sex and love.

The Bottom Line:
I will read the third book in this series and hope that the action picks back up. If you read the first book, this is a natural progression, and you will probably enjoy it enough to give it a read to continue the series. If you want to read a “stuck-together so they have sex and fall in love” book with heat, this one will also fit that bill. 3 stars

Wicked in His Arms- Stacy Reid

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I love when I find a new (to me) author to get excited about and read all her new books when they come out. Stacy Reid has a fan in me with “Wicked in His Arms”. I’ll admit to a little light Internet stalking where I found Reid’s story about how she came up with the idea for this series. She said that she was rewatching “Pride and Prejudice” (love) and said to her husband “why doesn’t Jane just get herself caught in a scandal with Mr. Bingley?” or something to that nature. And he suggested that she write books about characters forced to marry because they get caught together or are involved in scandal. I love that! Even better, this isn’t a typical marriage-of-convenience trope where they got caught, but it was a mistake or something. These two have serious passion! But, I am getting ahead of myself…

The Story-
Livvie didn’t have a successful first season out because of the scandal surrounding her father’s suicide. In order to make sure she marries properly, she is sent to the estate of a Duke whose mother is supposed to help Livvie. The Duke in question, Tobias, is known as a cold and calculating man. He never lets his feathers get ruffled or loses his temper: he is like a pressure cooker which is constantly simmering, but never bursting. He refuses to let a woman make a fool of him like the previous men in his family. Oh, and he’s a writer! Swoon!

My Thoughts-
I identified with Livvie- her temper, her love of reading and doing things her own way made her a very appealing heroine. Tobias was maddening, but so lovingly redeemed in the end that it made his journey worth it. Still… up to that point, I was like “poor Livvie should not be putting up with this emotionally unavailable jerk.” I found the dialogue very strong and loved how Livvie put the other women in their place. Some of the back and forth in the second half of the novel got a bit redundant to me, but the characters and the development of their romance won me over.

Bottom Line-
If you enjoy historical romance with savvy dialogue, I recommend fun and unique read. The characters just fly off the page into the imagination and make you root for them so hard. Isn’t that what all romance strives to be? I will be checking out the first book in this series and am looking forward to the next one! 4 1/2 stars

Married to Her Enemy- Jenni Fletcher

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“Married to Her Enemy” is the debut book by Jenni Fletcher, and it is a historical romance for those who love history. This is not your typical historical romance; the scope of the story and the history set it apart.

The Story-

Aediva is a Saxon lord’s daughter is in the midst of the Norman invasion. Her sister, Cille, has returned from her castle which has been sacked, only to give birth just as their family home is being invaded.  When the invading Norman mentions taking her back as a bride for the Norman commander, Aediva decides to stand-in for her sister to protect her. Svend is not truly a Norman, but he cannot return to his homeland, and he is searching for a home and for a place to put down roots. When he begins to bond with his prisoner, past betrayals remind him to guard his heart.

My Thoughts-

All of the characters in this story are well-developed with realistic motivations and actions.  One of my favorite things about reading books set in a different time period is the chance to learn something about that time. This book accomplished that as I really hadn’t considered the people involved in the Norman invasion of England before.  You visit these big crumbling towers, and it isn’t always easy to imagine the lives of the people who lived there.  Fletcher does a great job of bringing them to life.  My only issue was something near the end that I’m not sure was needed, and that the heat level, while not closed door, is somewhat tame in comparison to many current releases. That being said, I enjoyed this book thoroughly.

The Bottom Line-

Jenni Fletcher has written a very good debut novel, and I look forward to reading more from her.  This historic romance is a fresh departure from our beloved rakes and rogues with realistic characters that breathe life into another time.  It whisked me off to another place and time: a perfect escape, which is exactly the reason I read romance. 4 stars

Buy it on amazon here

 

My Rogue, My Ruin-Amalie Howard and Angie Morgon

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment

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“My Rogue, My Ruin” is the first book I’ve read by Amalie Howard & Angie Morgan, but I am a sucker for historical romance, so I figured I would try it out.  I was not disappointed.  With a unique hook and interesting, well-developed characters, this one was a pleasure.

The Story-

Briannon seems to be on the path for an average life: not exciting, not terrible.  A robbery by a masked man changes everything and kicks her world into overdrive.  This dangerous attraction may prove to uncover more about herself than the man who is winning her heart. Archer has been dissatisfied with his life for a long time, and has chosen a “Robin Hood” type of rebellion.  But, he cannot get Lady Briannon out of his mind, and a mysterious letter threatening to expose him is causing him to rethink his chosen path.

My Thoughts-

I loved how different this book is from most historical romances.  The highwayman storyline and subsequent mystery add a level to this book that brought it up a notch.  The most surprising thing is the way the authors are able to fully flesh out the characters, even with the mystery and involved plot.  I especially like Briannon and the more surprising aspects of her personality.  My only complaint is that the number of hoops our main characters are forced to jump through to finally get together almost make it anti-climactic when they finally do.  The sexy scenes earlier and midway through the novel are extremely hot.

The Bottom Line-

If you like your historical romance with a touch of mystery, you should enjoy this one.  The characters are intriguing and complex.  One plot twist toward the end seemed a bit contrived, but overall, this was a fun read beyond the standard fare of historical romance.  A strong 4 stars!

Good Earls Don’t Lie- Michelle Willingham

/ Erin Kelly / Leave a comment


“Good Earls Don’t Lie” is the first in Michelle Willingham’s Earls Next Door Series, but Willingham has tons of experience in the genre and category with many books set in Regency and Medieval time periods.  The cover was an immediate draw for me, mainly because of the beautiful dress, but I was somewhat afraid it would be a typical bodice-ripper. It was not.
The Story- Iain is a down-on-his luck Irish Earl, struggling to rebuild after the potato famine.  He has nothing left to offer but himself in marriage to any rich English heiress who will take him.  Rose is also attempting to put her life back together after an illness has left her unable to walk and her mother has started showing signs of dementia.  Their paths cross when Iain visits her grandmother’s estate in hopes that the woman will introduce him to English society. 

My Thoughts- I didn’t expect to love this story as much as I did. Both characters were so sympathetic and wonderful that I was rooting for them almost immediately.  I loved Iain within half a page. He is the perfect alpha hero because while he has confidence and snark, his circumstances make him a real person with issues to deal with. The story progressed organically and never felt rushed or like something was thrown in to add pages.  I also particularly loved that these characters develop as such good friends before falling in love.  Taking the time to bring them together in that way made the payoff even better, and the love felt complex and real. 

The Good- Not only were the main characters wonderful, but many of the secondary characters shone as well, such as Iris and Lily.  I liked that both main characters had some rather large obstacle to overcome; it made the outcome more satisfying.  And can we talk about Iain again? He is one of my favorite romance heroes in a long time: the perfect mix of confident, yet humble, caring, yet not a pushover, romantic, but not a rake. 

The Bottom Line- Yes, the title is a bit silly, but the book is anything but. It is not a typical bodice-ripper; it is simply a very well-written historical romance with great characters. 5 stars

Highland Deception- Lori Ann Bailey

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“Highland Deception” is the debut of author, Lori Ann Bailey, and is the first in her Highland Pride series.  As a fan of all things Scotland, I was predisposed to like this book although, while Bailey does a great job with her debut, it was a tale of two cities for me.

The Story- Maggie is set to marry a rapist/murderer/real jerk, so she decides to run away and join a nunnery.  On the road, she unwittingly falls in with a group of men from another clan while showcasing her healing skills.  Fearing that they will return her to her fate, she refuses to tell them who she is, which is a problem for their leader, Lachlan.  Lachlan falls for her; conflicts arise.

My Thoughts- This story began with a bang and hooked me immediately.  Unfortunately, as soon as they arrive at Lachlan’s castle about halfway through, it felt like the story began to flail and random conflicts arose here and there which seemed like an attempt to add drama. I also took issue with the idea that a priest’s niece could be bedded and discarded with no issue.  I didn’t swoon over the hero like I normally do when they are wearing kilts, and I think it’s because he did not treat her much better than the other men in her life. I did identify with Maggie, which could be why I took her mistreatment to heart.

The Good- Maggie is a great character: brave, kind, a woman who thinks for herself.  The sex scenes and preceding build-up scenes were very hot and well-written.  The Scottish brogue is just enough to hear the music of the language, but not over-done in a way that makes it difficult to read.  The setting is perfectly described and makes you want to be in Scotland yesterday.  The initial conflict and set-up is intriguing and captivating.

The Bottom Line- If you like stories set in Scotland, this is definitely one to pick up as it does a great job of bringing the history, culture and setting into the story instead of just plopping some random story down and saying that it’s Scotland and the hero wears a kilt and calls her “Lassie”.  I had some issues with story toward the end and the hero, but it isn’t enough to keep me from recommending this book and looking forward to more from this author. 3 stars