Of Ravens and Wolves by Kelley Heckart

Dark magic has awoken Nemu’s enemies, and they will stop at nothing to have their revenge.

What’s it About?

Magic demands its price. In the sequel to Of Water and Dragons, Nemu and Ambiorix must fight to survive in the wild lands of the Caitt in northern Caledonia where they have sought refuge after Ambiorix’s desertion from the Roman army. Another more sinister danger also stalks them, a result of Nemu’s dark magic. Their idyllic world is about to be shattered, and their relationship tested.

First Impressions

Our second novel opens with Ambiorix and Nemu hidden away in a small northern tribe, trying their best to live a normal life with their new son, Bran. But can a soldier truly be happy away from the heat and excitement of the battlefield? And can Nemu turn her back on the call of magic hidden amidst the glens and lochs of the countryside, especially when a powerful spell carried out at the end of the first book has brought forth a dark magic more sinister and deadly than any dragon? Turns out the answer is nope, and not on your life. The first book in this series presented us with such a brief meet cute between Nemu and Ambiorix before fate ripped them apart, so it was honestly refreshing to see them enjoying a bit of normalcy raising cattle together with their young son. But alas, fate would not let them rest.

Although they do get a fair amount more on-page time together in this sequel, it really doesn’t take long before Nemu and Ambiorix are once again ripped from each other’s arms to fight their own battles, and my goodness are there are lot of them. A decent amount of this read involves a slew of confrontations and battles interspersed with traversing the countryside. There is so much travel back and forth between various Roman settlements, northern tribes and misty islands, not to mention skirmishes involving Romans against Celts, Romans with Celts against Romans, mortals against goddesses, and a plethora of former lovers from Nemu’s past, that it was quite a challenge to keep them all straight. The overarching struggle though is reminiscent of book one in that Nemu and Ambiorix seem stuck in an endless cycle of trying to find their way back to each other. Book one solely dealt with that journey involving the mortal realm, but the situation is certainly elevated a notch or ten here as we see their efforts cross into an unearthly realm as well.

From Faery to Goddess

We were first introduced to Nemu at the beginning of book one as a seemingly innocuous faery unfamiliar with the ways of humans. As events have progressed however, we have come to realize that there was much more to this supposed delicate faery than first met the eye. Not only is Nemu actually the Goddess of Vengeance, Becuille, but her dark magic from the previous book has brought forth a whole slew of characters from her past who want nothing more than to bring about her downfall. Because she did…something…that was horrific and unforgiveable. What she did exactly? Unclear. We meet three new goddesses in this sequel, are reintroduced to a fallen foe from book one who now takes on another form, and we throw in the god of the underworld for good measure in the final act. Needless to say, there was a lot going on, and throughout it all we only get bits and pieces of the complicated history that connects all of these different characters, but are never privy to a comprehensive explanation of how the entire puzzle fits together. It seems the bulk of those details will be reserved for the next book.

While we understand that there is a fervent hatred from some of these goddesses against Nemu/Becuille that will drive them towards some unsavory alliances and stratagems, it’s frustrating to not fully understand their motivations for so adamantly seeking her collapse. We also see that history seems to be repeating itself for these characters, as though fate as them trapped to constantly relive the highs and lows of their previous lives. You have to wonder why they wouldn’t just decide to go their separate ways for once. While book one saw Nemu give up more and more of her fantastical life in an attempt to be what Ambiorix would desire in a woman, this second novel really dives deep into the ancient magic of the land. The imagery brought forth from these mystical elements, whether they be in the forms of ravens, wolves, or the creepy labyrinthine bowels of the Underworld, was truly poetic. That being said, it was tricky at times to fully understand the rules of magic we’re dealing with here, especially when it came to death. Some characters took on new forms in death, others were never truly lost, while some are ne’er to return. We also see how some magic which was thought lost can be regained, while other magic can be shared to those who are apparently mortal. Some might say magic in itself doesn’t need to have rules, but some more explanation of the fantastical elements of this world would have benefitted our overall understanding of how certain events played out.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Soul Echoes, book 2. This is definitely a series you need to read in order. I was hoping for more discovery of Nemu’s past in this book, but if anything I encountered even more questions. Here’s to hoping book three will resolve some of these outstanding mysteries involving Nemu’s connections to various characters, not to mention her super mysterious mother.

Would I befriend the heroine? I dunno, this lady seems to share details of her past purely on a “need to know basis”, and that “need to know” always seems to arise when you’re staring death in the face.

Would I date the hero? Ambriorix definitely won me over a bit more in this second book. It was hard to connect with him in the premier novel, but we see how far he’s willing to go to win Nemu back in this sequel, even if it means battling his way through the Underworld.

Final Impressions: This series focuses a lot of attention on telling Ambiorix’s story and Nemu’s story, but there seems to be a challenge at telling their story. A significant portion of this book highlighted Ambiorix’s struggle at confronting his identify as a soldier. What kind of soldier can he be if he’s no longer fighting Rome’s battles? The other portion of the book dives deep into Nemu’s confrontations with the many characters of her past. There are moments where these two focuses start to blend, and just a handful where they truly mesh together in a way where we feel that our hero and heroine are fighting the same fight. Those are the moments that stand out in that they rely on and draw strength from each other, but they are still too few and far between. There’s more of those scenes here than in book one though, so hopefully the third book in the series can really go to the next level in bringing these two distinctive paths together.

Smut Level: This aspect of the book was…interesting. There’s definitely a lot more in the way of sexy times, but they’re not necessarily sexy fun times. At one point another character takes on the appearance of Nemu to sleep with Ambiorix, another time Nemu switches bodies with someone else to sleep with Ambiorix, and we even see Ambiorix sleep with someone else to get some magic. I almost feel like by the end of this series most characters will have slept with each other, and they might just decide to have one massive relationship involving all of them.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $0.99 Kindle Price. 328 Pages.

Scorched Redemption by Rebecca Hefner

Ari refuses to let any man back into her life. She’s had her heart broken one too many times before. But Dominic will do anything to fight his way into her heart.

What’s it About?

Two broken souls collide as ominous threats emerge…

Arianna Lawson has one goal: help her sister defeat the Sendaxa regime and live a solemn existence free from the chaos of their dystopian world. Life has taught her hard lessons about pain and loss, and she has no desire to open herself to love—even for the strong, stoic man who consumes her every thought.

Dominic Cavalleri has experienced his own loss, retreating behind false emotion to bury the pain. After sustaining a life-threatening injury, he’s determined to change his ways—and to explore the emotion he saw in Arianna’s gorgeous eyes when he was moments from death.

Thrust into a dangerous mission, the two soldiers work together as their passion ignites. But Arianna’s stubborn denial of her feelings is Dominic’s greatest foe, and he’ll stop at nothing to tear down her walls as they fight to restore balance.

If you love a reverse grumpy-sunshine story (she’s grumpy!) with a hero determined to bestow the love his woman deserves, a side of smokin’ hot romance, and a race to save the world, this book is for you! Settle in and enjoy!

First Impressions

Hot daaaaaaamn! The sexual chemistry between Ari and Dominic was simmering throughout the entirety of the first novel in this dystopian series. When a bullet almost ended Dominic’s life in the final scene of book one, both of these stubborn fighters woke up to the feelings they’ve tried to keep buried for years. If there’s one thing they both know for certain in this messed up world, it’s that life is short, and those you love most can be ripped from you in the cruelest of ways in the mere blink of an eye. In this action-filled sequel, their simmering chemistry reaches a boiling point where it quite literally leaps off the page and smacks you hard right across the face.

This book was everything I could have possibly wanted for Ari and Dominic’s relationship. They are perfectly matched in every way. Hard-headed, authoritative fighters who have loved and lost, and care deeply for the few people they have left in this world to call family. Ari has loved Dominic for years, but he’s always felt an unrequited love for her sister Dani. When he seemingly lay dying in Ari’s arms during a mission gone wrong, Dom’s finally realized that the true love of his life is the woman who insists on building walls of stone up around her heart. He might be everything she’s always wanted, but when he finally starts to voice and attempt to act on her deepest desires, she retreats behind those walls of hers. Good thing Dominic is the kind of man who won’t back down. Not when it comes to finally holding her tight in his arms.

Dominating the Fighter

At one point during this dystopian read set in a future where a life-changing super drug has brought about the downfall of an addicted society, I couldn’t help but think that the most unbelievable feature was the fact that not one, but multiple men would dare cheat on Ari. She seems like the kind of woman who would know several ways to hide a body and get away with it. But as we hear more of her story it sort of made sense that these men were too afraid to confront her directly and admit that their relationship was over. In Dominic however, she finds a man who isn’t afraid to get right up in her face, push her up against a wall if necessary, and whisper his lips all over her body to get his point across. He knows just how hard to push her to finally confront her feelings, but never takes things to an extreme that would make her truly uncomfortable.

And let’s face it, Ari is bad-ass enough that she probably knows about 15 different ways to break free of his hold if she really wanted to. Ari is so used to being the dominant and assertive personality in every aspect of her life, especially on the battlefield, but Dominic can recognize that when it comes to the bedroom she’s looking for someone else to be in charge. Their dominant/submissive relationship is markedly subtle compared to other romances that explore this subject, something I for one appreciated. We see some delightful dirty talk, a bit of light spanking, and it’s clear that they both get a (literal) rise when Dominic puts his hand around Ari’s throat in a show of what can almost be described as possessive adoration. Years in the military mean that in the heat of battle they’re both undeniably aware of each other’s movements, and this translates so beautifully in the bedroom to understanding the movement of their bodies. It’s a dance they’ve come to perfect, and have found in each other the perfect partner to last a lifetime.

Expanding the Battleground

The majority of this book takes place quite literally in my own backyard of Washington, D.C. Having just recently seen the A24 film Civil War, it was surprisingly easy to visualize a surreal, dystopian version of this city I call home with soldiers constantly scouting to eliminate those who don’t belong. Not only was the visual representation of the city on point, but that film and this novel both present us with a power-hungry leader at the helm, so confident is he of remaining in his position of authority that he’ll willingly ignore the poignant signs of rebellion starting to rise up throughout the city. A hallmark of this series is that it loves to present us with some twists and turns to the plot that will constantly keep us on our toes, not to mention a slow build of tension that eventually climaxes in a mission gone wrong.

This second novel also presents us with a final show of brute force in a harrowing battle confrontation as soldiers surround the safe haven compound in which our heroes have sheltered themselves. Having predicted the twist of the previous novel, I went into this sequel perhaps more confident and self-assured than I should have been. Just when I thought I had these characters figured out, and could see a clear path for how events would progress into the third and final book…BAM! Plot twist. WAM! Mind-blowing epilogue reminiscent of a post-credit scene in a Marvel film. This series will constantly have you suspecting everyone of being a friend one minute and possible foe in the next, and leave you guessing as to who might succumb to the twists of fate or emerge victorious.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: The Sendaxa Chronicles, book 2. I cannot wait to get book three into my hands. This has quickly become my favorite and most anticipated series of the year. You’ll want to read these in order.

Would I befriend the heroine? Oh she’d kick my ass in more ways than one. I’d probably have to admire her from afar.

Would I date the hero? I’m salivating over here. We get to enjoy a scene of him wearing a freakin’ tux for crying out loud.

Final Impressions: This was a fantastic addition to the series. While book one might have a slight edge in overall awesomeness by presenting us with this unique world and all of the major players contained within it, I loved how this sequel allowed us to focus first and foremost on the couple that stole the show from opening bell. We do still get a few chapters highlighting the other characters in the series, including the couple from book one, as well as the impeccably devastating hero who will round out the final book in this trilogy. I would have loved to get at least one chapter told from our villain’s perspective, not to mention Ari and Dani’s sister Raquel. The fact that the author managed to surprise me with her twists and turns made this an absolute joy ride, and I can’t wait to see how everything will finally come together in the next book.

Smut Level: Book one brought the steam, book two brings the bang. Dominic makes a meal of Ari multiple times over. I will admit though, one of the moments I appreciated the most was the mention that amidst all of this dystopian fighting Ari hasn’t exactly found time to shave her legs or keep to a tidy bikini line. Gotta love the realism. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 226 Pages.

The Captain’s Heiress by Amy Jarecki

She’s been sent across the world to marry a stranger. When a rugged captain steals a kiss, he also begins to steal her heart.

What’s it About?

Captain Gibb MacGalloway might adore women, but he does not allow them aboard his ship…

Females are too distracting for his crew—and too distracting for him, truth be told. But when his brother, the Duke of Dunscaby, asks him to provide safe passage to Miss Isabella Harcourt, the daughter of an old family friend, Gibb has no choice but to bend his rules. However, it is not until the lass comes aboard that he realizes Miss Harcourt is the lovely wallflower he’d tricked into giving him a wee kiss only the day before.

Isabella Harcourt expected to spend her days as a spinster…

Until her father announces he has arranged her marriage to an American silver miner who is over twice her age. She might be disappointed at the news, but she accepts her fate and boards the ship, her life in tatters. Worse, things grow even more daunting when she meets the blue-eyed stare of the man who’d imparted her first kiss only one day prior—a very passionate, bone-melting kiss. Now they must make a voyage across the Atlantic, pretending there had never been an attraction between them, pretending they’d never met. After all, she is promised to another, and he is married to the sea. By the time the ship arrives in Savannah, will this star-crossed pair be able to say their goodbyes?

First Impressions

This book went down super smooth. An intriguing, low-angst historical romance to bring along on your next beach vacation. The chemistry between Isabella and Gibb was held on something of a low simmer throughout most of the book, but as their journey continued across the vast expanse of ocean, the dial on that frisson of energy moved up and up. By the time they arrive in Savannah we’ve had our gluttonous fill of longing looks, hair touches, and countless whispers of lips along necks. Consider me in regency romance heaven. Beyond the mere romance of Gibb and Isabella, the premise and setting of the novel was an interesting one.

The closest thing we ever get to a villain is Isabella’s father, but even that is a bit of a stretch. It seems their relationship was close enough, and you never get the sense he pressured her to find a suitor by any means. Which makes his matter-of-fact declaration that she is to set out on the morrow for the other side of the world to marry a total stranger all the more shocking. There didn’t appear to be any malice in his heart at this decision, but almost rather a means of logistics to ensure they would both live comfortably as he got on in years. Nevertheless, I still would have loved to see one major confrontation scene between Isabella and her father. She’s an intelligent, strong-willed woman, yet this is the primary instance of where we see her wallflower persona and filial piety come to the forefront. Her father has deemed she must wed, and so she feels honor-bound to fulfill her daughterly duty, no matter how enticing she might find the captain of the ship transporting her to her new fate.

In the Belly of the Boat

I’m sure many of us romance fans have come across a historical romance at some point involving a ship’s captain and a beguiling passenger, and let’s just say the monotony of the enclosed vessel and endless expanse of water can try one’s patience. With this read though, the author deserves praise for balancing the time spent on and off ship, both before and after the penultimate journey, as we’re never worn down by the scenes spent on the actual boat. The ship proves to be a multi-purpose tool in forwarding the movement of the plot, including quite literally bringing Isabella and Gibb closer together in terms of tight quarters and emotional connection, while also heightening the tension as their bond grows stronger while the shore grows nearer. For waiting on shore is Isabella’s betrothed. We question if this newfound affection between her and the captain is strong enough to contravene the duty she feels towards honoring her father’s wishes.

Their Roman Soldier

Unexpectedly, this story is not just about Isabella and Gibb finding their way across the ocean together, and into each other’s hearts. There’s another tale unfolding in the background which proves to be just as important, and that involves Isabella’s restoration and translation of ancient clay tablets found on her father’s estate. They detail the story of a Roman soldier sent off to another land as a prisoner, and he writes to his beloved wife back home about his fervent wish to make his way back to her and their son. The stories mirror each other so beautifully, especially as we see Isabella setting off for a new land, just as she uncovers the details of her Roman soldier also making a new life for himself abroad.

These tablets also bring Gibb and Isabella closer together, as he becomes just as enamored as she is to discovering the truth of what happened all so many years ago. These tablets were always something she enjoyed on her own, so to find someone else with just as much passion towards the difficult task at hand was an added element that brought them closer together. To have a historical tale built within our historical tale was also a uniquely entertaining feature. There were some details that seemed a bit far-fetched with this Roman tale, especially towards the conclusion of the book in that things were almost tied up too neatly, but overall it was still an enthralling aspect of the read.

Series: The MacGalloways, book 3. This is the first book I’ve read in this series, as well as by this author. I must say I was thrilled with both! This is definitely a stand-alone within the larger series, and you’ll have no trouble jumping right in without any context of the previous books. I could see myself revisiting this world at some point in the not too distant future.

Would I befriend the heroine? We have a shared love of history that would probably make us fast friends. Although she seemingly has a wallflower personality, there’s a woman within who goes after what she wants. We might be long-lost twins.

Would I date the hero? With that sexy brogue, you better believe it! I don’t care if the dude is married to the sea, just read me the phone book when you’re back on land and we’ll have plenty of fun.

Final Impressions: This was a delightful historical beach read. We essentially have two distinct stories woven together: the one between Isabella and Gibb, and the other involving the Roman soldier from her tablets. There’s a delicate balance between the two where they ultimately end up complimenting rather than combatting each other. Towards the end I do think there was probably a bit too much focus on uncovering the truth of the Roman’s history rather than diving deeper into Isabella’s undoubtedly fractured relationship with her father, or Gibb’s evident post-war traumatic stress. That being said, their story captures your heart and keeps you guessing along every twist and turn of their journey towards a happily ever after.

Smut Level: For the most part this is a fairly low-heat book. Towards the end we do get a few steamy snippets, but nothing too blush-inducing. A fair bit of description of them…tasting one another though.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. Oliver Heber Books. 302 Pages.

Of Water and Dragons by Kelley Heckart

History would have Roman soldier, Ambiorix, and water faery, Nemu, facing off on opposite sides of the battle field. Fate has something else in mind.

What’s it About?

He’s a Roman soldier. She’s an enemy of Rome.

The Romans call the land they want to conquer Caledonia. Nemu calls it home. The half-human, half-water faery has a second chance to save the Celtic people from the Roman legions, but the cost might be too high.

Ambiorix is torn between his duty to Rome and his growing affection for a mystical Caledonian woman. He questions everything he’s been taught about the barbaric Celtic tribes.

Their worlds collide in a fury of fire, blood, and darkness.

First Impressions

I adore a romance that features two leads from opposite sides of the track, and this read presents us with a hero and heroine who couldn’t be more different. Ambiorix is a dedicated Roman soldier through and through, fighting valiantly for the expanse of the empire. Nemu is a seemingly innocent water faery living in the vast and remote expanse of northern Britannia, far away from anything resembling civilization. Ambiorix should represent everything she would hate, as his people have no hesitation in overpowering those who would rather be left alone, not to mention decimating endless swaths of forest in the pursuit of their vision. And yet, when this hard-headed soldier takes a knock to the head during battle, only Nemu is there to rescue and nurse him back to strength. It seems as though the vast majority of their time together during this initial meet cute is spent with Ambiorix in and out of consciousness, sleeping away many of the days spent in her underground home. And yet, this brief amount of time together is all that’s needed for them to somehow fall hopelessly in love.

They both realize the inevitability that they must eventually part ways, so their internal admission to have fallen deeply and irrevocably in love with the other came somewhat out of left field. After all, Ambiorix was asleep for most of the time they spent together. The rest of the novel proceeds with near missed opportunities of meeting and extensive longing for the other. Aside from one brief scene which brings them back into each other’s company, our two lead characters don’t truly reconvene until almost 75% of the novel is concluded. I was left wanting for more time that these two could have spent conscious together. Especially considering they come from such opposite ends of the Earth, and are apparent enemies, so I couldn’t help but feel that that first meeting needed to be more than what we were given. Towards the end of the novel I became fully invested in their connection, but up until that momentous reunion at the three-quarter mark, it’s challenging to understand why Ambiorix and Nemu were willing to give up such inherent parts of their identities to be together considering the minimal amount of time or meaningful conversation they had at the outset of their relationship.

Blending History with Fantasy

It’s quite something to attempt and make a bit of history your own, but that’s exactly what this author does by blending the little we do know about the Celts of Scotland with the mystical fantasy of the time. As our characters traverse the various lochs and glens of the land, the landscape itself transforms into another character we become well acquainted with throughout the telling of Nemu and Ambiorix’s story. We can clearly picture the dark and cold depths of the water, just as we can easily visualize the apparent luxury of the Roman bathhouses and villas impeding this vast expanse of nature. How exciting to blend history and fantasy into one, and it was clear the author must have done extensive research into the homes and battalions of these Roman legions.

At times, I think the possible fun and whimsy of fantasy was pushed aside to focus almost too much attention on the history of the time. This especially becomes true as Nemu proceeds to give up more of her faery self as she leaves the safety of her forest home behind her in the search for a possible future with Ambiorix. We only get a brief mention of her ability to fly before she chooses to get rid of her faery wings entirely. Again, considering how little time she and Ambiorix spent together in his wounded state, her willingness to forego some of the key parts of her faery identity felt all the more confusing and out of place when they appeared. When elements of her magic did come forward I almost had to remind myself that, oh yeah we’re dealing with fantasy amidst all of this history. Similar to what we saw with Ambiorix and Nemu’s relationship, towards the conclusion of the novel we see a more cohesive blend of these two worlds, and witness how the author chooses to make the unknowns of history fit into her world of magic. I would have loved to see more of this play out throughout the entirety of the novel rather than saving the most compelling moments for the end.

*A copy of this book was provided for an honest review*

Series: Soul Echoes, book 1. I have a feeling the next novel will present us with even more fantastical elements considering the dark magic summoned towards the climax of this first book.

Would I befriend the heroine? Nemu is all about that nature, and alas I am a city girl at heart.

Would I date the hero? I feel like if I did there would be an 85% chance he’d tell me he was engaged to another woman on our second date. He also has close-cropped hair and a clean shaven face one minute, and shaggy hair with a beard the next. Pick a look my dude!

Final Impressions: I adored the premise of this novel, bringing together the tumultuous conflicts of this moment in history with its mystical beliefs. I did want more from the initial time that Ambiorix and Nemu spent together, as their moments of connection are seemingly glossed over in Ambiorix’s concussed state. There were also a few challenges with the passage of time in this read, as it was common to encounter introductions of “days later”, or “months later” to the point where it was difficult to tell how much time had actually passed throughout the totality of the book. I initially thought perhaps a few months, but towards the end of the book we are re-introduced to a character from the beginning which makes us realize it’s been several years. Other action sequences were also glossed over in a way that proved to be a detriment to the potential exciting intensity of the book. Several scenes are only briefly described to us after the fact rather than in real time, such as a daring escape attempt which probably could have been an entire chapter in and of itself, but instead is relayed to us in a mere paragraph. Overall it seems that more scenes involving Ambiorix and Nemu together would have invested us further into the belief of their love story, and more in-the-moment descriptions of battles and conflict could have heightened the fervency of their journey.

Smut Level: There are a few steamy moments here and there, but nothing too descriptive or blush-inducing. There are scenes of both f/f and m/f intimacy. All we needed was one m/m scene to round it out!

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. 251 Pages.

Game for Marriage by Karen Erickson

A fake marriage proposal brought them together. The imposition of his celebrity will threaten to tear them apart.

What’s it About?

Struggling artist Sheridan Harper never imagined she’d spend a sizzling night with Jared Quinn, the smoking-hot star quarterback of her local professional football team, the San Jose Hawks. And she’s even more shocked when Jared’s publicist makes her a proposition: a fake marriage to keep Jared out of the gossip mags. Being that close to Jared would be too tempting, so to protect her heart, she insists on secretly including a clause forbidding sex between them.

Jared just wants to keep his starting QB job and keep it in San Jose. His reputation as a ladies’ man has landed him in the headlines one too many times, but there’s something about his kind, passionate new wife that tempts him beyond reason. Any sort of intimacy between them is completely forbidden, but as their bodies fall in deep, will their hearts follow suit?

First Impressions

Ahh, the fake marriage trope. This is admittedly a somewhat shaky relationship between Romancelandia and myself, as one must often suspend a layer of believability, diving into fantasy when faced with this trope, particularly in a contemporary romance. It’s more understandable when presented in a historical romance where our two leads might find themselves in a compromising situation where their only recourse is to wed, but it’s a bit harder to believe in a modern romance for a couple to have no other option but to enter into a fake marriage to solve their problems. The only exception which I can usually wrap my head around is when there’s an inheritance issue at stake, where one of our characters must wed, and quickly, or risk losing out on some vast estate worth millions. The scenario presented to us in this book is rather far-fetched, as we’re dealing with a star quarterback who needs to clean up his image. Because of…an uptight owner?

Jared is presented as something of a playboy who desperately needs to remedy his private life, or else risk getting kicked off his football team by a new owner. Even though he is the star quarterback…who took his team to the playoffs during the last season. But sure, the fact he was caught in a photo with an ex-team member’s wife sitting on his lap, even though nothing sexual happened between them, is grounds for entering into a fake marriage. Cue eye roll. If anything, you think this false intrigue would be played up to get more people in the stands, but apparently it is the last straw for Jared’s bad-boy image to the point where his only solution is to enter into a fake marriage with a somewhat total stranger for an entire year. Personally I think the situation would have been all the more believable if Jared had in fact slept with this team member’s wife, and he was at risk of being thrown off the team for such un-sportsman-like behavior. As it stands, his supposed bad boy image is far too tame for us to think that team management would care at all about such a misunderstanding, and one whose impact would probably diminish in the span of a week. In a way I think the author was fearful of tarnishing our opinion of Jared where we might think ill of him, so even though he was a likeable character, his likeability almost threw off the believability of the entire situation.

And then enters our artist, Sheridan. The wife. She is presented to us as a talented artist, but one who is down on her luck in being able to pay the bills. Sheridan has inherited her beloved grandmother’s art studio on a coveted piece of real estate, and she is at risk of losing this one last piece of the woman who meant the world to her. When this fake marriage situation is presented to her, Jared’s publicist is sure to highlight the financial benefit awaiting her should she enter into such an agreement. While this was a somewhat more understandable explanation for why Sheridan would agree to a one-year relationship with Jared, once again the author probably could have highlighted her desperation a bit more for the ruse to seem like her one and only option. We also never really figure out why Jared and Sheridan couldn’t have simply entered into a fake dating relationship rather than a full-blown marriage. Surely the fact that this apparent playboy went from supposedly sleeping with a teammate’s wife to getting a wife of his own overnight would have created even more of a sensationalist hullabaloo in the press than simply dating. All in all, Jared and Sheridan were likable characters that we were rooting for to succeed, but it was hard to ignore the shroud of absurdity behind the entire farce.

No Such Thing as an Innocent Massage

So how exactly did a young, not yet starving artist manage to cross paths with a delectable football player? Sheridan was live-painting an annual foodie event featuring local businesses, and Jared…was there. This unexpected meet-cute presented us with the highest point of chemistry between our two leads, as they flirtatiously got to know each other better throughout the span of the evening. An evening which climaxed (quite literally) with them running off to a motel room together. Neither could really explain why they were so enchanted with the other to throw all caution to the wind, but when Jared’s publicist insists he find a fake wife to mend his image, he knows there’s only one woman at the forefront of his mind to even consider. The bewitching beauty who ran away from the schmexy motel at first light.

Without that initial night of sexy fun times, I don’t think we would have believed Sheridan’s consideration of this bizarre marriage proposal for even a moment. But she does, not only because there’s the financial prospect of saving her late grandmother’s art studio, but also because she knows there was something real between her and Jared. It was so real she ran from it the first chance she had the next morning. Now that he’s come barreling back into her life with such an outrageous idea, why not indulge in the ridiculousness of it? And yet, herein enters the mysterious no-sex clause. The most contentious feature of the entire novel. When drafting the marriage agreement, Sheridan confides in her lawyer to write in a clause that there is to be no sexual contact between her and Jared for the entire year of their marriage, and if sex should happen, the marriage is null and void. This clause is a constant shadow hanging over their heads for the entirety of the book, but it’s mere presence is entirely perplexing. After all, Jared and Sheridan have already shared a sex-filled night together…so why the need for the clause? It would have made sense if they’d only had a flirtatious relationship up until this point, and she wanted to ensure they didn’t take things further as a way of protecting her virtue. But she’s already had a taste of him, and it seems she’s intrigued to try a bit more, so why have this clause at all?

Even though that first night together felt imperative as a foundation to explain Sheridan’s consideration of the ruse in the first place, it also conflicted with the need for the clause that would ultimately come to be an enormous hurdle in their relationship. No-sex agreements typically have the tendency to amp up the chemistry between two characters in a romance, as every glance, every brush of fingertips, feels more intoxicating than the last. In this read however, switching so drastically from their no-holds barred evening of sex in the motel to no hanky panky seemingly doused the electricity that was first introduced. In subsequent pages we are told there’s something intense simmering between them, but it’s not really felt by us as the audience as it was in those first few pages. We all knew the no-sex clause wasn’t going to last, and it’s during a seemingly innocent offer of a massage when the clothes fully come off, and the clause gets thrown out the window. Sheridan also keeps it a secret from Jared that she was the one to insist on having the clause in the contract, and as their relationship evolves, she fears that his discovery of the truth behind this clause will cut short any progress they’ve made. But, why? Even though it’s confusing to understand why Sheridan insisted on the clause considering their aforementioned passionate night together, it’s even more of a mystery as to why she felt it necessary to hide the truth from him at all, or why Jared should care that she felt the need to include it.

Series: Game for It, book 1. I could see myself continuing with this series, primarily because we are introduced to the lead couple of the next book in this premier novel, and honestly I found them more electric than Sheridan and Jared!

Would I befriend the heroine? At one point Sheridan stays in on a Friday night with her friend Willow to drink red wine and eat pizza. Soooo…yeah, we’d be besties.

Would I date the hero? He seems nice enough but, ugh, football. That’s one sport I can’t even pretend to be interested in.

Final Impressions: This is a good beach read, not a great beach read. There’s enough there to hold your interest during a sunny vacation, but it isn’t too drama-filled to have you reeling. Predictable overall, steamy enough, though I would have preferred a bit more chemistry between our lead characters. Even for a fake marriage trope, the scenario seemed rather too far-fetched to be believable, but it’s a fun book.

Smut Level: As previously mentioned, there’s no such thing as an innocent massage in Romancelandia. Especially when we’re dealing with a shoulder injury and the best angle for said massage is to straddle his hips as he lays face down in bed. Some steamy descriptive scenes, but nothing too blush inducing.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Entangled: Brazen. 242 Pages.

An Accident Waiting to Dragon by Abigail Owen

She’s hated him for years. But when a mission gone wrong has them trapped together on a deserted island, Gwen and Asher question if they’ll make it out with their lives, or their hearts, intact.

What’s it About?

It’s not the heat…it’s the pixie dust.

The day her brother died, Gwendolyn Moonsoar fled from her veil of pixies. Grief drove her away, but a broken heart made her stay gone for good. Lucky for Gwen, Brimstone Inc. was there to break her fall. Now, as a special courier transporting the most valuable and dangerous items of the supernatural world, Gwen is good at her job. Damn good. After all, disappearing is her specialty.

Dragon shifter Asher Kato will always be haunted by his best friend Goran’s death. Although a promise he made gave him no choice, Asher will never forgive himself for the role he played…or the fallout it caused with Goran’s younger sister, Gwen. Burying himself in his role as second-in-command of the blue dragons is his only escape. Unfortunately, the peace they fought so hard for isn’t meant for a warrior like him. So, when a courier transporting a rare basilisk egg goes missing, Asher volunteers to track her down.

Except Asher’s mission leads him straight into the arms of the one pixie who would rather vanish forever than spend a single second with him…

First Impressions

Wham, bam, thank you so much ma’am. This read has everything you could possibly want in a novella. Espionage, action, heartache, passion. More importantly thought it has an expert author at the helm who just so happens to be a master world-builder. With every series, every installment, Abigail Owen pulls you into her fantastical world from opening bell, and with the eventual turn of the final page you’re wondering how soon before you can dive back in. The artistry she possesses in presenting us with new forms of magic, as well as heightening the connection and tension between her characters is practically unmatched. She had me blinking back tears within the first few pages of the prologue, fanning myself from the heat coming off between Asher and Gwen, and holding my breath in anticipation in one of the first few chapters as a fiery dog fight plays out in the skies between our pixie heroine, dragon hero, and a villainous wraith who will surely haunt my most immediate nightmares.

We feel the chemistry simmering right at the surface between our two lead characters, and their shared history adds a layer of complexity to their relationship that we hope they’ll be able to overcome. While we question whether Asher and Gwen will be able to move on from their past to claim each other as fated mates, the storm clouds of evil encroach upon this island they’ve found themselves upon, and so too comes the shadowy darkness of the wraiths. As they encounter one stumbling block after another, I continuously found myself questioning how in the world they would ever be able to escape. Then I struggled to hold back tears as our lovers have to face the prospect that after having found each other once again following so much needless time apart, death might very well tear them apart in the end. And all this within a mere 194 pages.

Escape from the Island

Frenemies to lovers, second chance romance, this novella is the perfect mélange of some of the best romance novel tropes. But let me tell you when it comes to the best of the best, I will see your one bed in a secluded cabin, and raise you one tight cave on a deserted island. The setting of this read is a character in it’s own right, and is a vehicle for amping up every level of tension imaginable, from the sexual to the dramatic. With a pixie and a dragon, one would imagine it would be fairly easy for one them to fly off and seek help, but the fact both have encountered injuries during their first battle with a wraith results in no quick means of escape. The island seems spacious enough, but when the wraiths descend during the darkness, grasping through every shadow in an attempt to find our hiding heroes, everything is condensed down into tight spaces where Gwen and Asher have no option but to snuggle together for warmth and face their past.

A key wedge driving itself in between our two heroes is the fact that Asher was directly responsible for the death of Gwen’s brother, Goran, who also happened to be his best friend. As it turns out, Asher had no real choice in the matter, and he was actually saving his friend from an inevitably slow death that would have proved to be much more tortuous. In any other romance we would chalk up Gwen’s disdain for Asher’s role in Goran’s death as an error of miscommunication, a trope which typically isn’t a favorite of mind in Romancelandia. However, the brilliance of this plot point is that it exists in a fantasy world wherein Asher took a blood oath with Goran to never reveal the true nature of his death to Gwen, and if he were to break this oath it would result in Asher’s own death. Talk about the perfect reason for needing to remain close-lipped about explaining the truth. We can also empathize with Gwen’s struggle in not knowing how she could possibly forgive Asher, while also realizing upon seeing him again after so many years that there’s an indelible link desperately pulling them together. Now that they can hold each other in their arms once again, and not just in their dreams, neither is prepared to let the other go.

*A copy of this read was provided for an honest review*

Series: Brimstone Inc., book 6. An Inferno Rising and Fire’s Edge Crossover. This is a series that literally gets better with every read. Each time I finish a new installment I tell myself that it’s my favorite one so far, and this addition is no different. Technically this can be read as a stand-alone, as the author does a phenomenal job of summarizing the events and key players of previous books in a way that is easy to digest. That being said, do yourself a favor and pick up every book this series has to offer. You won’t be disappointed!

Would I befriend the heroine? The real question here is whether the heroine would befriend me. Honestly, I don’t think I’m cool enough where she’d give me the time of day. She’s a badass who not only holds her own against an army of wraiths, but she comes to Asher’s rescue a time or two throughout the book. My favorite kind of heroine!

Would I date the hero? …oh…I’m sorry, don’t mind me, I was just drooling over here.

Final Impressions: Fantastic read! I could have easily read this novella in one sitting, but that’s what I get for starting it right before bed time. Clear your schedule for this one, because you won’t want to put it down. Of all the novellas in the Brimstone, Inc. series so far this is probably the most emotionally heavy of the bunch, but there is still some flirtatious banter between Asher and Gwen that will leave you smiling. I was prepared to give a slight ding to this read in that we never really got the full backstory to this mysterious basilisk egg that Gwen was transporting in the first place, not to mention who was responsible for sending the slew of wraiths after her. But alas, our novella ends on a mini cliffhanger when we realize that the story of this new mystery villain is only just beginning. It becomes clear that this read was primarily meant to focus on Asher and Gwen’s reconnection, while also serving as a foundation for the epic tale to come.

Smut Level: This was an interesting aspect of the story. There’s plenty of longing between Asher and Gwen, but aside from one passionate dream to waking reality mix-up on the island, most of their tale involves patching up the misunderstandings of the past and facing the dangers of the present head-on. It’s only at the very conclusion of the read that we get some more of the juicier details. While I craved for them to rip each other’s clothes off on multiple occasions while on the island, the story ultimately benefitted from them focusing on their more immediate dangerous concerns.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Blue Violet Publishing, LLC. 194 Pages.

The Devil to Pay by K.C. Bateman

“How strange, that del Sarto–this dealer of death and destruction–should be the one to show her life.”

What’s it About?

Italy, 1492. A ruthless mercenary skilled in the art of conquest. An heiress who refuses to be tamed. The Devil’s own bargain . . .

Cara di Montessori has a price upon her head. Her traitorous uncle has murdered her father and seized her home. Her only hope of survival, and of regaining her birthright, is an alliance with her childhood nemesis, the infamous mercenary Il Diavolo. The most irritating—and seductive—man Cara’s ever met.

Battle hardened and world-weary, Alessandro del Sarto has earned the sobriquet Il Diavolo. He needs a politically expedient marriage to secure the lasting peace he craves, but the simpering ladies of court hold little interest. More than anything, he longs for a challenge. Headstrong beauty Cara has always been Il Diavolo’s only weakness, the one woman he’s never been able to forget. When she appears at his door begging for help, the two strike a devil’s bargain. In return for his assistance, for two weeks Cara must entertain his guests, relieve his boredom—and warm his bed.

Cara has no intention of succumbing to del Sarto’s studied seduction, but the passion that simmers between them is more potent than her paper twists of gunpowder. Surrounded by danger and intrigue, she must choose between what she’s always thought of as her destiny, and what could be the greatest prize of all—her heart’s desire.

First Impressions

Is there anything more satisfying than a novel that evokes an authentic emotional response from the reader? From opening bell this read had me smirking in delight, guffawing with laughter, biting my lip in anticipation, and even eliciting an audible “awwww” by the end. All of this was a result, in large part, to the electrifying chemistry between our two main leads, Cara and Alessandro. It’s been a few novels since I can last remember being so totally enamored by a leading couple, but these stubborn and opinionated rapscallions had me hooked even before they first laid eyes on each other. Alessandro, better known as ‘Il Diavolo’ far and wide, is an intimidating presence who strikes fear into the hearts of men, but if ever there was someone to face him head on it would be the explosive (quite literally) Cara. Not one to ask for help, she has found herself with no other choice but to seek assistance from the supposed devil himself following the murder of her father by his half-brother, as well as her family home being overrun by the same scoundrel.

Neither Cara nor Alessandro want to admit how quickly or deeply they have both fallen for each other, an emotional sticking point which has been simmering since their first stolen kiss years before. For Cara, she teeters back and forth from either trying to run away from her feelings for the tantalizing brute, or by confronting him head on so they can both give into their desires. As for del Sarto, he’s a heartless mercenary who can’t possibly admit his true feelings for the woman he’s loved beyond compare for years, so he seemingly has no choice but to trick and tease her into staying with him by any means necessary. Their constant games of one-upmanship and cat and mouse were hilariously entertaining, and it is their burgeoning relationship which proves to be the heart and soul of this read. From sparring together in front of his troops, to a disastrously failed escape attempt outside her bedroom window, and a slew of blush-inducing texts within his library, I never wanted their banterous foreplay to end. Once they do ultimately fall into each other’s arms, it is with a passionate enthusiasm not soon to be forgotten.

The Fight for Castelleon

The action scenes in this read were carried out to perfection, with enough sword play and explosions described in exacting detail that it almost felt like I could see them playing out in my mind as you would in a Hollywood blockbuster on the big screen. Here’s the problem though: they were too few and far between. Our novel certainly starts off with a mad dash as Cara stumbles her way into del Sarto’s keep seeking protection from her assassin half-uncle. After that initial moment of drama however, we aren’t officially introduced to her uncle until well after half of the novel has concluded, quickly followed by one more intense battle scene which brings our book to its climactic high point. Again, this read is all about Cara and Alessandro exploring their feelings for one another, and while that was certainly engaging enough to hold my interest, the opening story line introduced implies that we would be dealing with more dramatic intrigue then what we ultimately faced.

Spreading out these confrontations with Cara’s uncle, or perhaps even introducing one more scene to highlight Alessandro’s skill with the sword, would have benefitted the overall flow and pace of the novel. What I did appreciate when it came to the moments of action though was that Cara was never a simpering damsel waiting on the sidelines to be rescued. She was constantly in the thick of the fray. While some might question why Cara was constantly trying to escape from del Sarto’s castle considering his strength in skill and military might was her best bet and winning back her home, in the back of her mind I think Cara always thought she could win back Castelleon on her own. After all, she only sought out Alessandro’s assistance in the first place at the urging of her father in his final moments, when she had nowhere else to go. Her fortitude and willingness to run headlong into danger may have driven Alessandro absolutely bonkers, but once again also demonstrated that this fiery woman was his true match. When they come together though to fight side-by-side, they prove to be a truly unstoppable force.

Series: Stand-alone. I’m excited to read more from this author!

Would I befriend the heroine? This lady could 100% kick my bum, and while I’m sure being her friend would probably result in a slew of dangerous escapades involving explosives, I would follow her around like a lost puppy.

Would I date the hero? Ohhhh mama. This dude is intimidating AF, but he has an expansive library and is beyond talented in the bedroom. His difficulty with admitting his true feelings would probably get old after a while, but a life with him would certainly be entertaining.

Final Impressions: This is the perfect beach read. I had trouble putting it down, and really didn’t want it to end. Cara and Alessandro’s teasing banter and confrontations were hilarious, and their moments of sensual exploration were everything I wanted and more. The setting of this novel during the Italian Renaissance was a refreshing change of scenery compared to the typical Regency or Victorian historical romances which tend to dominate the shelves, though a bit more engagement with the events of the time period beyond the intrigues and gossip of court would have been interesting. If you go into this read expecting constant action you will most likely be left disappointed, so consider yourself warned that while the scenes of battle and fighting are well-executed, they were unfortunately rather sparse. This still didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book, and I could even see myself revisiting this one at some point in the future.

Smut Level: A satisfying level of heat! We’re not dealing with any dirty talkers or ultra-explicit scenes, but there’s enough to keep you blushing on the beach.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Amazon Digital Services. 358 Pages.

Obligation by Aurora Rose Reynolds

He’s vowed to keep her safe. When danger arrives at her doorstep, the only solution is to pull her further into his world of crime…and put a ring on it.

What’s it About?

[ob-li-gey-shuh n]

An obligation is a course of action that someone is required to take, whether legal or moral.

At six years old, Myla was sent to a family her father and mother had chosen for her when they knew their time on earth was almost up. What they were unaware of was what they thought would be her safe haven would become her living hell.

Kai has been watching Myla from afar since he took over the family business from his father and inherited the responsibility of keeping her safe. When word gets back to Kai that Myla is not only in danger, but that his assets are being compromised, he immediately jumps into action and does the only thing that can be done at the time by marrying her.

Neither Myla nor Kai would have thought that something that started off as a farce would become the most important thing either of them could’ve ever done.

Please be aware that the content of this book may be difficult for some readers.

First Impressions

This novel essentially opens with what would typically be the second act of any other book. It’s mildly disorienting, as we feel like we’re playing catch up trying to figure out exactly what life-threatening events took place which have led good-girl Myla to wake up in the bed of a man she barely knows with a wedding ring on her finger. In a way though, I kind of appreciated these initial moments of tumult, as we get a sense of what Myla must have been going through as she is thrown into a world she doesn’t fully understand. All she knows is that the intimidating and overbearing Kai is seemingly her best chance of survival, and she’s willing to put her trust in a man she hasn’t seen since her childhood. Unfortunately, this impression of not completely grasping everything that is going on, or how this plethora of characters and events (both past and present) all tie together continued throughout the rest of the book. What started off as a unique way to open this read quickly lost it’s charm as we realize our lead character Myla seems perfectly content to remain in the dark when it comes to this criminal world into which she has fallen.

Makamae, aka Precious

So what do we know about our heroine? Myla’s parents appear to have been involved in some kind of criminal enterprise, and sent her away to live with another family when she was very young as a way of protecting her. They are subsequently killed because of…who knows. Myla was quickly enveloped into the loving arms of this other family, but everything changed when she became a teenager and her new brother, Thad, proceeded to rape her repeatedly throughout the rest of her teen years. She’s a survivor who escaped at her first opportunity, and found success by opening her own bakery. Thad eventually comes back into her life demanding money, threatens her life, burns her bakery, and she…somehow…ends up in the arms of Kai followed by a quick marriage and flight to Hawaii, and our novel opens on that morning after with Myla awaking in her new surroundings with a giant rock on her finger. Quite a lot of information to take in within the first few pages of our read, especially considering we never fully see those previous scenes laid out on the page, or in a flashback. These opening scenes are also technically the only chance we ever have to connect with Myla, which is interesting considering these moments all relate to learning about her past. We never really get a chance to know who Myla is in the present following her envelopment into Kai’s world.

Throughout the novel it always just feels like she’s there, at the whim of whatever happens around her. The few times she does try to take ownership over her life and stand up for herself, Kai is right there to quickly put her back in her place, all in the name of protecting her. Also in the name of keeping her safe, Kai continuously chooses to keep Myla in the dark, which subsequently keeps us in the dark as readers as to what is really going on. In the first part of the novel we see Myla attempt to ask Kai for information on what is happening in their newly connected lives, to which he constantly responds with phrases along the lines of “I’ll tell you later”, or “you’ll see”. It’s understandable, though admittedly not very compelling from a plot perspective, that Myla eventually reaches a point of seemingly no longer caring to ask him anything. I seem to be in an odd run of books lately wherein our alpha male lead chooses to keep pertinent details of dangerous happenings from our heroine, all in the name of “protecting her”, and I think I’ve finally discovered why it is that this trope annoys me so. It’s essentially a way of the hero assuming that our heroine isn’t strong enough to handle the weight of reality. He might claim that he has her best interests at heart, but Kai is essentially keeping her in a permanent state of reliance on him.

Underground Kings

The title of this series certainly implies that we are going to be dealing with some shady leading male characters throughout the span of books. This is also true of Kai, but we really needed to learn more about the nefarious activities in which he was involved. It felt as though the author either didn’t know how to present the details of Kai’s business in a way that would still make us sympathize with his character and how he acts around Myla, or that those details weren’t important enough to describe when considering the overall scope of their relationship. Well…they were. We needed them. I couldn’t really tell you what it is that Kai does for a living. Maybe something with drugs? Weapons? All we know for certain is that he inherited the business from his family, which is kind of hilarious considering when we eventually meet his parents they seem like the perfect epitome of loving family and aloha spirit. We also know that Kai has been taking steps to get out of this business and leave his criminal life behind for good. As to why his father never felt the need to make that attempt, or whether this relationship between father and son would be impacted by Kai’s decision to throw it all away? No idea.

We do get a few brief scenes where the true nature of Kai’s mob boss status comes to the forefront, and I think their brevity and infrequency made these moments all the more dark. This is when we see Kai is not just a businessman whose business happens to be on the other side of legality, but rather he himself is willing to get his hands dirty when necessary, especially when he feels as though Myla is drawn up in the crossfire. He’s not afraid to threaten, to kill, or even to torture. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him an anti-hero, but in a way this constant waffling between good and bad made his character all the more questionable. These brief windows of ultimate authority in his criminal world make his alpha tendencies with Myla all the more troubling rather than romantic. As danger continually lurks in the background to impede his happiness with Myla, Kai realizes now is the time to finally make his move to extricate himself from his life of crime. A slew of events unfold that were supposed to build to a climactic conclusion that unfortunately fell flat, and while we’re told that things ultimately turned out in Kai’s favor I couldn’t really tell you how or why he feels as though he’s in the clear by the end of the novel. Once again it seemed as though the author had an idea of where she wanted her characters to end up, but the details of how they would get there weren’t fully fleshed out. 

Series: Underground Kings, book 2. The book description on Amazon begins by saying this is a stand-alone novel in the series, which…sure? We’re technically dealing with a fresh couple, but there are a few references to characters and events from previous novels, so consider yourself warned. This book does give us a brief glimpse of the couple which will be featured in the next installation, and I must say I’m intrigued.

Would I befriend the heroine? Normally I’m all in when it comes to a lead character who bakes, but on the whole it was a challenge to connect with Myla as our heroine. Unfortunately she was a pretty forgettable character who didn’t stand out enough in her own right.

Would I date the hero? This is gonna be a hard pass for me, and that’s saying something considering the dude owns a Hawaiian beach-side mansion and is giving off serious Jason Momoa vibes. That being said, there’s a dark side to his persona which left me chilled, and he had an annoying tendency to keep Myla in the dark about various goings-on “for her own good”.

Final Impressions: This sequel started off with a bang, but ultimately fizzled. All of the pieces were there for something great, but we never really got the full scope of what was going on in this underground world of Kai’s, let alone how it all tied together with Myla’s past. While there were certainly some steamy scenes between them, I didn’t feel any true sense of chemistry between them. Kai is absolutely possessive of Myla and her well-being, but she just seems pulled along for the ride rather than having any say in the matter.

Smut Level: When you have a baker in the house you just know that buttercream is going to be enjoyed in a fair number of different ways.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. Self-Published. 221 Pages.

Irish Crown by Nashoda Rose

His first instinct was to send her walking from his life. It didn’t take long before he was pulling her back in.

What’s it About?

It was one night together. I wasn’t supposed to see him again. I never thought I would. And then, the six foot three cement graffiti wall of badass strides back into my life, and does it full force.

Now he’s protecting me from his past and I’m protecting myself against the heated chaos he erupts in my body. It doesn’t help that he can do playful and sweet, when he’s not doing bossy.

But the overly confident, playboy Deaglan Kane is danger, has no boundaries, and is totally off limits. And I know behind his walls there’s a man with a dark and damaged past.

A man more dangerous.

A man who may be the greatest threat of all. The Irish Crown.

Quick Review

Here’s how you know the male lead in this novel must be an absolute God in bed. Because even after giving Eva the heave-ho the morning after their first night together, she still decided to give him a second chance when he came barging back into her life. I suppose he did make the kind gesture of attempting to pay for her taxi that morning, even if she did decline it. A decision which she would ultimately come to regret, as she resulted to walking through his sketchy neighborhood and encountered a man who would assault her. Awkward morning after aside, there were elements of this novel which I definitely enjoyed. First and foremost, Eva was a strong female lead. She broke free from a previous abusive relationship, got some self-defense training, bought a house that she’s fixing up to turn into a shelter for women, and she isn’t one to curl up and cry in a corner when the going gets tough. She takes matters into her own hands, and fights back when necessary.

When it came to Deaglan though, honestly I was kind of surprised she gave him any attention following their one night together. She just recently came out of a physically and emotionally abusive relationship with a guy who tried to manipulate and overpower every aspect of her life. While Deaglan never physically hurts her, he constantly dictated what she could and couldn’t do, all in the name of protecting her. Sure, he might ultimately have Eva’s best interests and safety at heart, but he’s undeniably secretive when it comes to revealing the details of his own past, not to mention his current profession. Time and time again he would tip-toe around her questions, yet insisted on inserting himself into every aspect of Eva’s life. When bombs literally start going off, and he continues to remain tight-lipped about what is really going on, Eva kind of shrugs it off as just another day in Deaglan’s orbit. Pushing aside the questionable circumstances of their relationship, there was too much hidden about what was really going on with the plot until far too late in the story for my liking. When we do eventually get a big twist of a climax that reveals how Deaglan and Eva’s pasts are surprisingly linked, it all felt rather forced and far-fetched to be believable. 

Series: Stand-alone…technically. I must say the situation we’re presented with here kind of grinds my gears. Yes, technically this is a stand-alone. If you look it up on Goodreads it won’t show a connection to any other series, but apparently it is a spin-off of the Unyielding series by the same author, with various characters referenced in this read. Now, I’m not saying I wouldn’t have read this had I known it was linked to another series, but I feel like I could have gone in with a bit of mental preparation that we might feel somewhat out of the loop when certain characters are called up.

Would I befriend the heroine? This lady is a fighter and a survivor, so I’d have to say heck yeah. And while I probably wouldn’t be of much use as she renovates a fixer-upper, I’m kind of a badass when it comes to assembling cheap furniture.

Would I date the hero? Normally I am all in when it comes to a man with an Irish brogue, but Deaglan was a bit too mysterious and secretive for my liking.

Final Impressions: This was an ok read, but it didn’t do a whole lot for me. I think there was so much effort put into hiding the details of Deaglan’s past and the true meaning of the Crown in the hopes of having a big climactic reveal, that we lost some connection to his character amidst all the secrets. And just in case you’re wondering, no he’s not royalty. I couldn’t help but question why Eva would continue seeing a man who was being so secretive about a key piece of himself, while also being so assertively demanding in her life, especially considering the traumatic way her previous relationship ended.

Smut Level: Deaglan is all alpha, both inside and out of the bedroom.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. Nashoda Rose Publisher. 254 Pages.

The Solemn Gift by Rebecca Hefner

Roses are red, violets are blue, nothing quite says Valentine’s Day, like a sexy vampyre with a pair of handcuffs just for you.

What’s it About?

It’s Valentine’s Day on Etherya’s Earth, and grumpy Vampyre Leo is determined to find a gift for his bonded mate Adelyn—even if the holiday is a human tradition he’s never experienced. Things have been a bit strained between the two soul mates, but their steamy holiday weekend might be the catalyst that sets things right. Enjoy your time in Etherya’s Earth!

Part of the XOXO: A Steamy Valentine’s Day Romance Anthology

Immerse yourself in a collection of steamy Valentine’s Day stories from twelve authors. Featuring genres like contemporary, romantic comedy, and paranormal, these tales are sure to satisfy your craving.

Whether you’re looking for a quick read or a book to curl up with on a rainy afternoon, this collection of romantic stories is perfect for any romance lover. So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and get ready to fall in love with these twelve talented authors and their entertaining tales.

All proceeds will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness

Quick Review

This quick read was an absolute delight. I love when a series presents us with the opportunity to catch up with a previous couple to see what they’ve been up to since the final page turned on their happily ever after. When it comes to Leo and Adelyn, their love story was just laid out to us in the previous novel, The Solitary Protector, so the romance between this reclusive grumpy Vampyre and his fiery nymph princess is still fresh in our minds. That novel concluded with Leo coming out of his shell and rejoining society after years spent in a remote cabin so that he could spend eternity with his bewitching lady love. I for one was curious whether or not this surly grump would be able to adapt back into society, so having this window into their epilogue was delectably enlightening.

What I loved most about this read was to witness how the feistiness between our two lead characters was just as present now as it was when Adelyn first stumbled upon Leo’s cabin. Their constant bickering and heated arguments were such a hallmark to the start of the relationship, and it was refreshing to see that these two could still bring the same level of emotion and passion to fighting for something they truly believe in all these years after later. Although we’re in a period of peace on Etherya’s Earth, an ancient prophecy predicts that an epic battle is on the horizon. Now that Leo has built a life with Adelyn and their two adorable twins back in society, it’s something he feels the need to protect with every fiber of his being, which means joining the military. Adelyn already has a father and brother who are soldiers, so the last thing she expected after finding the man of her dreams was to have him risk training for a future battle that could take him away from her and their children forever.

They don’t sugarcoat their words of anger in the heat of the moment, but at the end of the day it’s an argument borne of love. We see that they aren’t so much fighting with each other as they are fighting for each other. Similar to what we saw in that secluded cabin back in the day, the most fiery of arguments often ends with the most heated of tumbles in bed. With Valentine’s Day soon approaching, Leo is determined to make a big romantic gesture to demonstrate how Adelyn’s happiness means more to him than anything. For her part, Adelyn knows how to make the most of a minimal amount of clothing, some handcuffs, and a bit of rope. It’s incredible how in such a short novella we’re able to capture the somewhat tumultuous ups and downs of marriage, the insecurities of body image that come with motherhood, and even feelings of doubt as Adelyn questions whether Leo resents her for forcing him back into society to be with her. Thankfully we see how the depth of feeling these two have for each other can guide them through any stumbling block in their relationship, and no matter what they’ll always find their way back into the other’s arms.

*A copy of this novella was provided for an honest review*

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 8.5. Part of the XOXO: A Steamy Valentine’s Day Romance Anthology. This series is phenomenal and best read in order from the beginning. That being said, if you haven’t started this series yet I would still recommend picking up the anthology, as all proceeds will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Would I befriend the heroine? I’ll bring the wine if she bring she s’mores supplies.

Would I date the hero? A supposed grump with a heart of gold and a romantic side to go with it? Be still my beating heart.

Final Impressions: This is a quick and sexy read that you can demolish in one sitting. It was wonderful finding out what Leo and Adelyn have been up to since their happily ever after, and it’s great to see that they are just as fiery and passionate as ever. My sole complaint with this novella was that we only had the opportunity to see Leo use the handcuffs on Adelyn. What I wouldn’t have given to see the positions reversed in a subsequent scene. Alas, a girl can dream.

Smut Level: We might have the perfect Valentine’s Day romance here: a bit of sexy lingerie, a pair of handcuffs, and lots and lots of eating. And I’m not talking about a fancy meal or box of chocolates…if you catch my drift.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $5.99 Kindle Price. All proceeds will be donated to the National Alliance of Mental Illness.