Love Romance Passion » Genre

Review: Hold Me If You Can by Stephanie Rowe

Lynn Reynolds — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

Natalie Fleming was briefly murdered by a deedub. She also owns a boutique chocolate shop. But she has a challenge ahead – creating magical desserts overnight after having her shop looted. She goes into her walk-in freezer and meets her murderer. Boy, that’s one hell of a way to start your day.

Nigel Aquarian comes to Natalie’s rescue. He’s a man with his own set of problems. He’s doing a favor for Natalie’s sister. What makes Nigel unique is that he has some interesting powers. Some of those powers are tied to his art.

Nigel is seen interacting with some other warriors in his penthouse. I love how Nigel talked to them about being “men”. I can almost hear the theme from Two and a Half Men playing in the background. Stephanie also has us laughing as they interact and makeup is added to the mix.

A lot of Stephanie’s male characters are obnoxious. But the women are the ones that seem to keep them in line. It’s nice to see that the hero needs a woman in order to feel complete. This is what adds romance to the story. If you’re looking for a lot of sex between our main characters, you will not find it here.

Stephanie certainly gives us some interesting sounding demons. None that you would want to meet in a dark alley somewhere. But if you could have any type of power, like Nigel and his men, what would you like?

As you read this book you may become a little confused. The three books look like they can be standalones but if you want to understand what the warriors, and demons, are about I suggest that you read books one and two.

Natalie is in need of some help and she will get it from an unlikely source, Ella Smithweiser. Ella used to work for Nigel’s archenemy. Nigel’s art is also turning against him so Ella becomes important for both of them.

Then to add confusion to the mix, another character appears – a dream genie named Charles Morgan. Don’t get confused but sometimes he is referred to as “Smutty”. His jailor also has a connection to Nigel. Mari is the second in command to the archenemy.

Mari thinks she has a noble cause but you know what they say about good intentions. The more I read about Mari, the more I feel that she is just plain crazy. What’s good about this story is that you will see that she gets her just desserts (sorry about the spoiler).

Stephanie also puts a life lesson in her story line although it doesn’t show itself until the end. The story ends with us wondering if there will be a book 4. She leaves us hanging in the balance – who will be the characters to have their story told next?

Rating:

Buy: Hold Me If You Can

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Top Ten Reasons Why Every Woman Deserves Her Own Zetithian Warrior

Guest Blogger — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:50:04 +0000

Guest Post by Cheryl Brooks, author of Stud (Cat Star Chronicles)

Hello again, and thank you so much for having me as a guest here on Love Romance Passion! For those of you who haven’t met my Zetithians yet, allow me to introduce you to the sexiest men in the galaxy, the heroes of The Cat Star Chronicles. Let’s get started with the reasons why every woman wants—and deserves—a Zetithian of her very own.

10. Exotic features:

Every woman dreams of a handsome lover, but the men of Zetith all fit that description. Their upswept eyebrows and pointed ears mark them as an alien race, and with cat-like eyes that glow with passion and fangs hidden behind sensuous lips, they are every bit as dangerous as they appear.

9. Incredible hair:

A Zetithian man’s waist-length spiral curls are a symbol of his virility. Because they tend to exude sexuality, you will never see one with a shaved head. Nor do they have to shave their faces because the men of Zetith don’t have beards, which means you will never have your face or any other part of your body rubbed raw when one of them kisses you!

8. Prescient visions:

Ever wonder what the future holds in store? Your Zetithian man might have a vision someday. It could be as simple as a change in the weather or as profound as seeing your unborn children reflected in your eyes.

7. Superb fighters:

As sleek and strong as tigers on the prowl, their muscular bodies and cat-like agility give Zetithians the advantage over many foes. However, Zetithians would rather be lovers than fighters, which makes “warrior” something of a misnomer. Still, if the need arises for a sword-wielding, iron-fisted, gun-slinging hero, the normally peaceful forest dwellers of Zetith are definitely the guys you want on your side.

6. Longevity:

Zetithians have a longer life span than humans and are amazingly healthy with astonishing regenerative powers. The only down side to this is that they are practically comatose while they heal, which can be disconcerting to the uninitiated. The up side of mating with one is that bearing his children adds years to the mother’s life.

5. Honesty:

You will not find a dishonest Zetithian. These are men you can trust with your life, your money, and your heart. They will not lie to you. Ever.

4. Sense of humor:

Zetithians have strong emotions and a good sense of humor. Generally friendly and likeable, they are kind, considerate, and they SMILE.

3. They can purr:

A Zetithian man uses his purr to entice females, and very few are unaffected by it. Imagine curling up with a hot, sexy, purring man. You don’t have to love cats to appreciate that!

2. Incredible lovers:

With sexual abilities unsurpassed by any species in the galaxy, it’s no surprise that their homeworld was destroyed by an insanely jealous man. Zetithian semen has powerful euphoric effects, and just a taste of their penile secretions will trigger an orgasm. As long as their mate is willing, they can go all day or all night. BUT they can’t do any of it without the scent of a woman’s desire. A Zetithian man cannot force himself on a woman who doesn’t want him.

Their semen also acts as a fertility drug. Even their human mates will have triplets, but as any woman lucky enough to find a Zetithian man of her very own will tell you, it’s worth it. Plus, you will never experience morning sickness!

1. Best of all...

When a Zetithian man says Come, mate with me, my love, and I will give you joy unlike any you have ever known, he really means it!

And doesn’t every woman deserve that?

STUD BY CHERYL BROOKS – IN STORES FEBRUARY 2012

They’re galaxies apart…

Even for a Zetithian, Tarq Zulveidinoe's sexual prowess is legendary. Believing it's all he's good for, Tarq sets out to perpetuate his threatened species by offering his services to women across the galaxy...

But one force can bring them together…

Lucinda Force is the sensitive dark horse in a self-absorbed family, repeatedly told that no man will ever want such a plain woman. Lucy longs for romance, but is resigned to her loveless lot in life—until Tarq walks through the door of her father's restaurant on Talus Five...

Buy: Stud

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cheryl Brooks is a critical care nurse by night and a romance writer by day. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America. She is the author of The Cat Star Chronicles series and lives with her husband, two sons, five cats, five horses and one dog in Indiana. For more information, please visit http://cherylbrooksonline.com/ or follower her on Twitter: @CherylCatMaster.

GIVEAWAY: I have 2 copies of Stud graciously given by Sourcebooks. Open to US and Canada only. Enter by saying why you want a Zetithian Warrior! Last day to enter: February 17, 2011.

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Secrets, Wagon Trains, and Traveling West

Guest Blogger — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Guest Blog by Rosanne Bittner, author of WILDEST DREAMS

Hello from Rosanne Bittner!

Glad to visit in response to the publication of my book, WILDEST DREAMS, this month! Be sure to visit my "virtual" Valentine Party at http://rosannebittner-virtualvalentine.blogspot.com/.

In response to the subjects you proposed I comment, I'll do my best to answer.

Secrets that Scar:

Interesting topic. I wasn't sure what you were looking for on this, but when I thought about it I realized that I have used this within my plots in many of my books, including WILDEST DREAMS.

In the beginning of the story, a secret the heroine tries to hide keeps her from allowing herself to fall in love and from believing the hero could really love her in return. The secret she carries truly has "scarred" her heart and her self confidence. In the brand new book I recently finished and which is now being shopped by my agent (PARADISE VALLEY) the heroine carries a secret all the way through the story - one that she knows could ruin the hero's love for her. As is usually best, she should have told the hero to begin with, rather than allow him to find out in the wrong way, which only makes the secret more damaging once discovered - but as always in a good romance, loved wins out!

Finding Love on a Westbound Wagon Train:

Well, how could this not have happened in real historical journeys west? Of course, with the hardship of such a journey, there really wasn't much in the way of "romantic" atmosphere on those real trips west. The journey was very difficult, with no bathing facilities, heat, mosquitoes, robbers, arguments, breakdowns, deaths, cooking on the trail, sleeping on the ground, endless chores, endless walking ... well, it just wasn't conducive to finding love.

Anyone on such a trip was probably too worn out to care. But human nature being what it is, love was bound to happen. Too often, a man and woman would marry for convenience and find a way to fall in love later. A man might lose his wife along the way and need a woman to cook for him and take care of young ones. In return, a woman who became widowed along the way needed a man to help with the arduous chores and to protect her and provide for her children. In such situations people married for practical reasons and fell in love "later" simply through living together and being grateful they found a partner who fulfilled their needs. Love in such circumstances was a far cry from what we think of love in modern times. I call it "necessary love." In my books my characters sometimes found this necessary love and ended up truly falling in love, but usually, because I write romance, there is strong attraction to begin with.

Creating Historical Authenticity:

This is something I work very hard to do in my stories. Naturally, if an author was "down to the bones" realistic in writing 1800's westerns, people would be dead by 35, have no teeth, not smell very good and not be in the best of health. I don't go that far in my stories, but I do try to be as realistic as possible to lend authenticity to situations in my stories. I also work hard on writing authentic locations, clothing, mannerisms and such - and I use real locations and real historical events, into which I wrap my fictional characters and my own fictional story. I have often heard from readers who feel they learned some real American history in a very entertaining way through reading my books. That makes me very happy. I do a tremendous amount of research for my books. I have visited nearly every location mentioned in my stories and have been traveling the West for over 30 years. Most of my research books come from the libraries of the University of Oklahoma and the University of Nebraska.

Thanks so much, and I hope everybody enjoys WILDEST DREAMS!

Buy: WILDEST DREAMS

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Review: The Night is Mine by M. L. Buchman

Susan S. — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:08:11 +0000

Reviewed by Susan S.

Impressive! M. L. Buchman delivers an action-packed novel that’ll leave adrenaline junkies smoking a well-satisfied cigar. The Night Is Mine contains military covert operations, chopper crashes, secret agents, murder plots, daring rescues, humor, and still…pulls off a touching love story. Where’s book two?

Summary: The Night Stalkers Series, Book One

Captain Emily Beale is a highly trained soldier, the heroine of this story, the daughter to the Director of the FBI, a killer chef, the Black Hawk pilot for the Black Adders, and the first and only female pilot to fly for SOAR (The Army’s Special Operations Aviation Regiment a.k.a. The Night Stalkers). As is evidenced by the aforementioned-she’s one badass female. Oh, and did I mention she’s beautiful? Some gals have all the luck! Or do they?

This gal’s life is about to turn on a dime. The captain harbors feelings for Major Mark “The Viper” Henderson and vice versa. But since the Army prohibits relationships between different ranked soldiers-they’ll have to lock and triple-bolt their passion. Then there’s the reassignment order plunging Emily neck deep into a black-in-black ops mission. Suddenly, the Army’s fraternization policy becomes a moot point. Because if they die protecting the Commander-in-Chief, sex post-mortem just isn’t as appealing.

Review: I’m hoping one day The Night Is Mine adapts to the big screen. But even if it doesn’t, in my mind- it played like a movie. Guess I can always reread the novel when I feel the hankering to watch it again.

With military romantic suspense novels I always think, oh boy-here comes the heavy unintelligible military jargon. I needn’t have worried though. None of that in this novel. Only descriptions of military choppers and a great story infused with megadoses of action.

Recommendations: For readers who stow Silhouette Romantic Suspense and Harlequin Intrigues inside their minivans. Also recommended for anyone who craves the forbidden love tropes. And if you’re a booklover who’s partial to All-American Heroes, hot Army pilots, secret agents, and political intrigue-then this is your kind of read.

Disclaimer: I received this novel free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Review-O-Meter Rating:

Buy: The Night Is Mine

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Review: Susie White and the Right Hand Man by Lucy Felthouse

Lynn Reynolds — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Reviewed by Lynn Reynolds

The book starts off with a real hunk on the cover. He can be my right hand man anytime. This cover will tempt you to open the book and see what’s inside. Scott invites us to join him on a very sensual ride.

Susie is the owner of a confectionary company called “White Bites”. The story reads like a fairytale. Which one do you think it could be – keep in mind the cast of characters. She is seen participating in her father’s wedding when she sees him walking through the doorway. His name is Scott and he works for her new stepmother.

If you’re expecting an erotic tale, I’m afraid that you will be disappointed. But if you like to read a sweet romance with a smidge of suspense, than you will like this one. You’ll want to see what happens to Susie and Scott. If you don’t have a lot of time, this is a fast read and one that you can read over and over again.

Lucy also makes this a cliffhanger. Will this story continue? Will Lucy write another story based on a fairy tale? We’ll just have to watch to see what Lucy comes up with next.

Rating:

Buy: Susie White and the Right Hand Man

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Review: Evermine by Hailey Edwards

Susan S. — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:08:11 +0000

Reviewed by Susan S.

An enthralling and passionate love story amidst danger and magick. A definite re-read!

Summary: Daughters of Askara Series, Book Two

Then

Have you ever heard the Shakespearean line, “Parting is such sweet sorrow?” Well, Emmaline (Emma) Gray and Harper Delaney had a five-year parting that was anything but sweet. It was sorrowful and agonizing. She thought him dead, and Harper’s re-entry into Emma’s life has been extremely difficult to assimilate.

Now

The new Askaran Queen, Nesvia, is missing. In order to find her, Harper and Emma will need to: face their past, join forces with an evil spell crafter, shake-off a Sereian magickal enchantment, avoid the desert’s sand traps, and keep Harper from imprisonment, yet-again. And all while fighting a sexual hunger that’s quickly becoming damn-near impossible to resist. The question now is who’ll stop resisting first?

Review: I enjoyed the characters’ motivation (the driving force behind their every action), Hailey’s writing voice, and the potency of the love between the characters. As I’m reviewing a novel, I generally take notes. Next to favorite scenes, I’ll draw happy faces. Big ones. I’m not joking! At novel’s end-there were lots of happy faces.

Recommendations: Mega Mass-Appeal for Readers 18+

Evermine has elements that’ll appeal to a wide range of readers. First and foremost, it’ll speak to romance readers. The main characters have sacrificed so much for each other. And their love is both palpable and potent. What romance reader wouldn’t appreciate that in a story?

Secondly, the novel will call to fantasy readers. This story begins in a primary world (the Earthen Colony) and then moves to a secondary world (in the Askaran Realm). I suppose, this too will appeal to sci-fi lovers.

I’m now speaking to anyone with a weakness/fondness for damaged/scarred heroes. Oh-yeah! That sexy Evanti demon, Harper, will have you volunteering to lick every…single…one of his scars. Reader Beware: To get your tongue anywhere near him you’ll need to fight off an Askaran demoness named Emma, but it’ll be worth the fight. Now please stand behind me. I’m first in line!

Do you like the friends-to-lovers tropes? The hero and heroine are. Like dark secrets, do you? Harper has one that may or may not hinder his chance at love. Any paranormal readers out there? This novel has demons and magic users. And if you purchase a novel hoping it’ll give you a HFA, let me say, “Evermine's
happily-forever-after is profoundly touching.” The story will also charm anyone who’s ever wished star-crossed lovers a well-deserved happiness.

My Favorite Character: The Hero!

Harper is everything you’d want from a hero. He’s strong, sexy in his demonic form, and he’ll sacrifice everything for the love of “his” woman. He’s also passionate and he’s got wings. Not the angelic type, either. The leathery kind you’d expect from a demon. I love when they turn crimson when he’s aroused, when he uses them to fly, when they enfold Emmaline, and when he uses them to cover her like a blanket.

Favorite Scenes:

Scene #1: The tub scene. Oh-no! That’s all I’m divulging. You’ll have to savor that scene without my spoilers.

Scene # 2: Evanti males like Harper are claimed by their mates. Emma’s a half-breed Askaran demoness who doesn’t have the first clue how to claim him. I love when he enlightens her!

Scene # 3: An Askaran female’s in heat. And Harper reacts “strongly” to the pheromones she’s emitting. But she’s not the female he wants. Love how sexually intense he reacts around Emma. Especially what he says when he grips her thighs. Again, I’m not divulging!

Others in the Series: Everlong (Daughters of Askara, book one).

What’s Next? Book three in the series is titled, Eversworn. No release date, yet. Let’s hope it’s soon!

Disclaimer: I received this novel free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

Review-O-Meter Rating:

Buy: Evermine: Daughters of Askara, Book 2

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Review: Accused (Pacific Coast Justice Series, Book 1) by Janice Cantore

Susan S. — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:46:19 +0000

Reviewed by Susan S.

Accused is a powerhouse of suspense!

Summary: Pacific Coast Justice Series-Book One As a law enforcement officer, C. Edwards, has always upheld the law and followed her agency’s protocols. And prior to becoming a divorcée, she was also the faithful wife. No one would categorize Carly’s life as perfect, but at least it has a semblance of stability. Now all that’s about to change!

As Carly searches for answers regarding who murdered Mayor Teresa Burke, she’ll uncover deeply protected secrets. Secrets those in power would kill to keep. With body counts rising, Carly will find herself in a race to stay alive! She never would’ve guessed it, but she’ll have to rely on the two people she’s been avoiding the most. Her ex-husband (Nick) and God.

Review: Janice Cantore is a new-to-me author. And the first thing that impressed me was the flow of the story. Everything flowed perfectly! There were no abrupt and jarring scene changes. It was one continuous smooth storytelling. Secondly, the suspense is top-notch. Furthermore, as a former police officer, Cantore’s uniform dispatch signals were accurate. As a civilian, I also found her descriptions of police procedures insightful.

Recommendations: Recommended for readers who enjoy police stories and inspirational tales of faith and hope.

What I Enjoyed:

Element: I liked the police officers’ sobriquets: Carly is Crash, Joe is Control, and Nick is Face.

Scene: There’s a scene where an officer risks his life for another. I wept copiously! I wouldn’t say I used an entire box of tissues, but it was close!

Extras: After the story there’s an author interview; that was a novel element.

Disclaimer: I requested this novel from NetGalley because of my interest in police stories.

Rating:

Buy: Accused (Pacific Coast Justice)

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Review: A Demon Does it Better by Linda Wisdom

Sharon S. — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Reviewed by Sharon S.

This is the second book in Wisdom’s Demon series and the first of hers I have read. The author has set up an open world for her story. The magical community isn’t hidden from the “mundanes” but they don’t really mix. There is an alternate dimension called Inlander’s Magical Plane where magical folk can live and shop.

Lili is a healing witch (doctor) that is searching for her best friend who has mysteriously disappeared while working at Crying Souls, a hospital for magical folk in San Francisco. She gets herself a job there to secretly investigate Sera’s and many others disappearance. What she finds is the disturbing treatment secretly taking place in the basement on the insane. One such patient is Jared, a smoke demon who is thought to be beyond help. Lili and Jared team up to uncover what is really going on down there.

I had a hard time finishing this book. It just didn’t hold my attention. The main and secondary characters didn’t have a lot of depth so I never felt invested in them. The author also wasn’t able to make me believe in the world she created. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the Lili and Jared. The deep connection between them seemed to come out of nowhere.

Lili has a talking cat, the reincarnation of Cleopatra who is supposed to be a source of humor, but the snarky cat’s comments seemed forced. The plot was straight forward and predictable. No surprises or twists. There were some secondary characters whose appearances didn’t do anything to move the story forward, just show what a nice people Lili and Jared are. They felt like story filler to me.

Based on other reviews of this book, I am pretty much alone in my opinion about this story . Sometimes an author’s voice just calls to you and sometimes they don’t. This seems to be the case with me. I won’t stay away from this author’s other series, just this one.

Rating:

A Demon Does It Better by Linda Randall Wisdom 2012 P

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Review: If Wishes Were Husbands by Elizabeth Kyne

Karin — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Reviewed by Karin of Savvy Thinker

I really enjoyed this book.

The story: Rachel is tired of being unmarried. While all her friends can tell horror stories about their men, she has nothing to say, so when her new hairdresser asks if she is married, she spins a story about the perfect man she is married to.

And then when she meets her friend for a drink, she spins the same story to the new women she meets, even as her friend challenges her about the story in privacy. Rachel says she will put them straight, the next time she meets them.

And then…

Imagine her surprise when she goes home and finds the man of her dreams, the one she has spun lies about, ensconced in her apartment, having prepared the gourmet meal she had said he prepares, with a perfect body, perfect sex, perfect everything.

And because she doesn’t remember how they got to that point, he re-proposes to her and tells her about their marriage, and…

But honestly, perfect is not what it is cracked up to be.

Even perfectly perfect in all his ways, after all she did make him up, ends up driving her mad.

The ending: Well, I won’t give it away. It ends differently than I thought, and perhaps my ending would have been better – and I suspect you could propose several endings yourself. But it is satisfying and wraps up some of the loose ends, while giving me other questions, which perhaps if I had read slower, I might have caught – or not. Perhaps the ends are not wrapped up tightly.

This book is delightfully funny, wry, interesting, witty…with good friends…with a mother going through her own mid-life crisis – funny in itself.

You would enjoy it. Part fantasy, part reality, a little bit of everything.

Buy: If Wishes Were Husbands

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Review: Carrie Goes Off the Map by Phillipa Ashley

Karin — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Reviewed by Karin from Savvy Thinker

I really enjoyed this book.

The story: Carrie’s life has changed dramatically.

She had been in the midst of planning her fast upcoming wedding to the fellow she’s known since college and lived with for about 10 years. Meantime she had put some of her own dreams on hold to help him with his family farm. Then he tells her he just can’t go through with it.

And to top it off, four months later he is marrying someone else.

And all her friends have kept the news from her.

When she finds out on the very day of his wedding, she goes a little bit crazy, a mixture of grief and anger -- and how she finds out is as funny, as life sometimes can be, as what she ends up doing.

I’m not sure it is supposed to be funny, maybe more ironic, and it is certainly has an equal amount of pathos.

And intersecting with her story is the story of Matt Landon, MD, newly back from his charity post overseas, to get over an accident.

They end up in a camper, an old VW van, along the English countryside – not quite what Carrie thought, when she expected to go with her friend Rowena through the Continent.

My take: This book is well written, easy to read, with romance, love, laughter, good friends, and some mishaps along the way. What more could we want in a read? Even Carrie’s ex is not as bad as he seems, and gets a bit of a comeuppance along the way – and is even willing to buy out Carrie’s part of the family farm, as well he should, and fairly.

And along the way, she finds a new love and accomplishes her dream.

Rating:

Buy: Carrie Goes Off The Map

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