The Solitary Protector by Rebecca Hefner

A secluded cabin. An outgoing princess on a mission, seeking shelter from a storm. And one antisocial Vampyre who puts the “grunt” in surly grunting grumperson. So…much…grunting. What’s not to love? 

What’s it About? 

A woman determined to discover her past…

Adelyn, daughter of Lila and Latimus, has never felt quite whole. Although she loves her parents immensely, the origin of her lavender irises always remained a mystery. When she overhears rumors of a secret species of immortal who share the rare trait, she’s compelled to journey into treacherous territory to find them.

A man destined to protect her…

Leo, son of Kilani and Alrec, prefers solitude rather than the misery and exclusion he experienced in the immortal realm. When a gorgeous Slayer shows up at his remote cabin, he yearns to protect her, even if the stubborn woman drives him mad.

A perilous journey…

Incensed by the grumpy Vampyre, Adelyn vows to leave him behind. But the obstinate man insists on protecting her, and each day they forge ahead, she wonders if her heart might need the most protection of all…

First Impressions

Listen up! If you’re in the mood for a paranormal romance featuring a sunshine heroine juxtaposed against a grumpy hero, then you need to run, not walk, and add this read to your TBR list. What we have here is the absolute epitome of witty banter which acts as the most delicious kind of foreplay between our two lead characters. They can’t stand to be in the same room together at the start, which makes their isolated location of a remote cabin in the middle of a torrential rain storm all the more perfect. Adelyn may have stumbled across one of the most infuriatingly stubborn and brash Vampyres she’s ever met in her immortal life, but she’s also not afraid to give back as good as he’s dishing out. This aristocratic princess certainly isn’t what Leo was expecting to come home to in his solitary home far removed from the reaches of society, and her incessant need for conversation has him on the verge of throwing her out in the cold. Or maybe…he might just have to throw her into his bed instead, because he can’t deny that this little vixen has awakened a desire in him he thought long buried. 

With every snappy comeback we see these two polar opposites come closer together, and it’s clear we’re just a hidden smirk or two away from an explosion of heat. Something I truly loved about this read was that Leo wasn’t just a grump for grumpiness’ sake. Oftentimes in Romancelandia we can be presented with a surly hero who seems to have a few underlying anger or personality issues that we never really get to the bottom of. When it comes to this read though, we can see how centuries of isolation have shaped Leo into the man he is today. It’s not that he’s always in a bad mood, but rather his interactions with anyone aside from his parents has been so limited that it naturally takes him some time to remember how to open up to anyone new. Adelyn refuses to back down when confronted with his testy attitude, which in turn brings about his willingness to confide in her about those who have turned away from him in the past. On the surface it might seem as though these two have nothing in common, but we come to find that their differences are what complement each other so well to bring them closer. 

A Tame Addition

If I had to categorize this eighth installment in the Etherya’s Earth series when compared to the other novels so far, I would say it’s quite the palate cleanser. We’re seeing a brief moment of peace in the larger war against the evil Elf King Dakath, so the primary focus of any angst or drama is on our lead couple as they traverse the rocky landscape towards building a relationship. Aside from one night scene involving a run-in with some lone Deamons, which frankly I’m sure will haunt my nightmares at least once in the coming weeks, we don’t see any scenes of battle or bloodshed. Unless you want to call Leo bringing a snooty aristocrat to his knees after an attempt to fight for Adelyn’s affections a battle. The main area where we see a bit of movement forward in this great fight of good against evil is in Adelyn’s mission to locate the secret species of Nymphs living on the outskirts of society. 

Her ancestors descend from this ancient line of peaceful healers, and it’s from them she’s inherited her tell-tale lavender-colored irises. While Adelyn loves her adoptive parents, Latimus and Lila, she’s always yearned to find out more about where she comes from. This is impetus for why she sets off on her mission to not only make first contact with the Nymphs, but also hopefully meet her birth father for the first time. I will say this was the one aspect of the novel which left me wanting more. So much of this story involves Adelyn’s search for the Nymphs, and eventually how her and Leo’s newfound relationship will survive following her return to society. The time actually spent with this new species, learning from them, simply felt far too short. There is definitely the implication that this won’t be the last we see of the Nymphs, but considering that Adelyn is a half-nymph herself, I was really hoping we would see more of her interactions with them in her own novel rather than what might come to be a side-story in a future novel featuring someone else in the lead role.

Unforgettable

There are two remarkably poignant moments in this read which I know will be sticking with me for quite some time. They were crafted so surprisingly well by the author, that I can’t help but tip my hat at the sheer excellence of these scenes. The first I will simply refer to as: the shave. So, a bit of back story. There is little I hate more in this world than when a movie, TV show, or novel will depict a man shaving, or getting shaved, with a straight razor. Something about it just puts me on edge with the heebie jeebies. Maybe it’s because 9 times out of 10 these scenes will result in some kind of bloodshed, but nevertheless, my hair stands on edge every single time, without fail. So you can imagine my sheer horror when this novel presents us with just such a scene, but then also my outright stupefaction over the fact that this author succeeds in making it the sexiest scene of the entire book. There is a moment when Adelyn is helping Leo shave off his wild mass of a beard because she’s been poking fun at it ever since her arrival in his cabin. As if the physical closeness this activity presents wasn’t delicious enough, when Adelyn proceeds to climb in his lap to get a better angle under his chin…all bets are off. This is the exact moment where everything changes. They both become aware of their mutual desire for one another, Leo can literally smell it on her, and by Etherya if somebody doesn’t open a window in here I’m going to spontaneously combust! 

Mkay, sexy moment over. Now for something a bit more intense. From the moment Adelyn sets out on her mission to find the Nymphs, we know there is a deadline for her to return back to society. Her father Latimus is already seething at the fact she insists on going alone, and if she’s not back home by the date he’s set out for her, he’s fully prepared to send out the entire immortal army after her. Enter Leo. Their time together in the cabin definitely awakened a physical chemistry between them, but it’s their journey together through the wilderness which secures their emotional connection as well. They share their struggles and joys over their adopted childhoods, insights into Leo’s former failed relationship with an aristocrat that confirmed his decision to live a solitary life, and Adelyn’s feelings of being lost at not knowing her birth parents. Each step of their journey brings them closer together, while also bringing us closer to the moment when we know Addie must return home. 

Leo is so set in his need for seclusion, just as Addie needs to be close to her family and fulfill her duties to the realm. When they eventually return to the cabin after finding the Nymphs, they have just a few days to share with each other before they must part ways. They are days filled with pure ecstasy, but also a looming dread for the inevitable, a desperation that it won’t come to pass. What makes these moments in the cabin even more heartrending was to see how two immortals must face the harsh reality of something coming to an end. Their bittersweet goodbye brought tears to my eyes, especially when considering the transformation of Leo as this surly grump at the start of the novel, to a man who has to force himself not to fall on his knees and beg Addie not to leave him. Ugh, ok, getting emotional again. Just read the freakin’ book already! 

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

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 8. I never want this series to end! Even though I hope these immortals will soon find everlasting peace in their seemingly constant fight against evil, whenever that day comes I would just love to move around the different compounds seeing new couples find their happily ever after. And the way these original couples are popping out babies, I might just get my wish! I still think this series is best read in order, but of all the books in the series so far I would say this is the first full-length novel which could best be served as a stand-alone. 

Would I befriend the heroine? Maybe…in small doses. Like Leo, I often crave moments of quiet solitude, and let’s just say Addie might be too much of a chatterbox for my patience to handle. 

Would I date the hero? As long as I could watch him chop wood shirtless at least once a day, I’m here for it. 

Final Impressions: Although this read may have been short on violent battle scenes, it was full to bursting with emotional vulnerability, humor, witty banter and enough surly grunting to put Ted Lasso‘s Roy Kent to shame. Adelyn and Leo were the perfect pairing, especially as we see how the little things which drove them crazy about each other in the beginning eventually drove them crazy in love by the end. It was also great to see how Addie’s arguments for Leo rejoining society didn’t solely rely on the fact that she wanted him to choose the convenient option for her, but rather that coming back would allow him to be a better version of himself by living a more fulfilling life. While I would have liked to see more interactions with the Nymphs, I did love that we were able to spend some time with a few of couples from the previous books, especially Leo’s parents, Kilani and Alrec. If you love a grumpy/sunshine lead couple, then this is definitely the book for you! 

Smut Level: We have a secluded cabin here people, there’s nobody around for miles to hear these two enjoying each other’s company. There are a few mentions of Adelyn being submissive to Leo’s dominant side, but this is solely actualized in some hair tugging and slight pressure on Addie’s neck. No full-on choking, spanking or safe words. At least…that we know of 😉

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 303 Pages. 

Instant Heat by A.K. MacBride

Raelyn thought a simple bet would finally get her friends to stop meddling with her love life. Lucky for her, Griffin was on the receiving end of that bet. Unlucky for her, Griffin is despised by her brother. Let the mayhem begin. 

What’s it About? 

It was nothing more than a silly bet between friends.

But somehow it managed to turn my world upside down.

Apparently, you’re not supposed to fall for the rebound guy.

Guess I didn’t get the memo, because the first man I leave the bar with happens to be the one who sparks a flame inside my heart.

With his rakish charm and Irish accent, he steals my sanity.

It’s not long before I’m dreaming of something more than a quick fling.

The problem?

Griffin Gallagher happens to be the one man my brother despises.

First Impressions

This is a novel where the title perfectly captures the nature of our story. When Raelyn and Griffin first meet at a bar, there is an inexplicable, instant heat that blooms between them. It’s not really at a level of insta-love, but more that neither can quite explain what it is that’s drawing them together. What they do know is that it is smoking hot, and they’re not willing to to back down from seeing where the evening will take them. And let’s just say it takes them right on home to Griffin’s bed. I think what I loved most about this relationship was that while they both took a chance that first evening, there is some questioning hesitancy on both their parts the next day when they have a chance to take a breath away from each other. For Griffin, he can’t stop thinking about the sultry lady who quite literally rocked his world, but he doesn’t want to seem too eager with his interest in her. What if he comes across too strong and scares her away?

At the same time, he craves the chance to see her again, and doesn’t want to seem too aloof. As for Raelyn, she’s just coming out of a relationship that ended poorly because she rushed in headfirst with a guy she really didn’t know. Is she just setting herself up for more hurt? Even though they keep telling themselves it doesn’t make sense to feel this strongly about someone after such little time together, they can also recognize that this feeling is unlike anything they’ve ever felt for another person before. It’s new, it’s different, and it’s special. When they both ultimately come to that same realization, they can admit it’s better to give whatever this “thing” is between them a chance instead of running away from the possibility of being hurt. Considering how each of them were coming away from such unfortunate experiences of grief, it was invigorating to see how their presence in each other’s lives brought about a shared mentality of living life to the fullest. 

The Overbearing Brother

In glancing through a few other reviews of this novel I was surprised to see how many mentioned that it was a pretty low-angst read, and that they would have enjoyed to see a bit more drama. Maybe it’s because I went in with absolutely zero expectations of what this read might entail, but I for one was surprised at some of the emotional triggers this story explored, not to mention a climactic final fiery scene that will put the lives of all of our main characters at risk. The first introduction of drama involves Raelyn’s brother. He initially comes across as the overbearing big brother who can’t help but baby his younger sister. However, while we can’t forgive all of the crazy antics he gets up to in this book when it comes to Raelyn’s love life, we do see how his intentions came from an inherently good place. Rae and her brother tragically lost their parents in an accident, and he had to stand up to watch over her. It was a role he may not have been prepared for, but it’s one that he readily stepped into with all his heart. 

After seeing how hurt Rae was following the breakup with her crummy ex who she really didn’t know that well, he tries to ensure that she doesn’t make the same mistake twice by rushing into a heady relationship with Griffin after just one night. Granted, he eventually goes about voicing his concerns all wrong in a very quick-tempered way, but I still couldn’t help but feel for him a little bit. One area where I think the story could have benefited from some more exposition was in his downright hatred of Griffin. I can understand that there would be some initial animosity between them seeing as Griffin was an outsider who came into his firehouse and took the job he was hoping for. We never really got an explanation though for why this resentment continued to grow over time, or why, if he was so determined to gain more responsibility in the firehouse, he would react against authority figures in a way which would ensure he’d never be promoted. I guess I wanted more of the brother’s story! 

A Guilty Conscience 

Hands down the most emotional aspect of this entire novel was in learning about the tragedy which caused Griffin to move into town in the first place. We hear about his connection to his longtime best-friend, Adam, who was like a brother. They worked together in the same firehouse, Griffin was the best man at his wedding, and Adam’s family became his family. Life was good. Until it wasn’t. When a tragic accident results in the death of Adam’s wife, he becomes a shell of his former self and blames Griffin for not being able to save the life of his beloved. It’s a guilt that Griffin has carried around with him all this time, and one that he couldn’t help but run away from. He is unable to confront his past, but it also starts to impact his current happiness with Raelyn. How can he share the darkest side of himself with this woman he just met? But maybe she’s the answer to helping him recognize the inherent goodness within himself so that he can finally face the past, and those who once meant the world to him. This was such an unexpectedly saaaaaad story line that I did not see coming, and while certain things were left unfinished (presumably so they can be featured in the next installment), it was a compelling and intimate examination of the impacts from grief and guilt. 

Series: Breathing Hearts, book 1. I’ll be continuing on with this one!

Would I befriend the heroine? Mayyyybe. Rae seemed to have great camaraderie and fun times with her friends, but she could get a bit hot-headed when the situation didn’t really call for it. 

Would I date the hero? Two words: Irish…brogue. 

Final Impressions: This was an entertaining read. Good, not great. Things certainly start off fun and flirty, but there’s a deeper side to this story that I wasn’t expecting. You might need a tissue or two when Griffin starts thinking back on his past life, but rest assured that the sexy fun time scenes between him and Raelyn will come back to lighten the mood. Even though their relationship is new, and it may have started under the guise of a bet-induced one-night stand, they both do a good job of lifting each other up when the other is feeling down. That being said, there was one rather drastic moment of miscommunication between Griffin and Raelyn that I found pretty infuriating. The final climactic scene was quite over-the-top, but ultimately did a nice job of cementing the connection between Rae and Griffin, as well as between Rae and her brother. 

Smut Level: There was an interesting juxtaposition at work throughout this read where some scenes were more fade-to-black in nature, whereas others had much more explicit detail. Kind of fun not knowing which one you would be presented with next. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. 189 Pages. 

Until April by Aurora Rose Reynolds

They shared a simple kiss together years ago. Now, they’re about to share the BOOM. 

What’s it About? 

With happily ever after being something that happens to other people, April Mayson has decided to put all her energy into her career and living her best life, and things are better than ever.

Little does she know that her world is about to be turned upside down when she’s asked to help out a family friend, Maxim Kauwe.

Now, she’s dealing with a man unlike any she’s ever met before, her ex—a famous musician who’s decided he wants her back—and a possible serial killer.

With all the drama suddenly swirling around her, she will have to figure out if she is brave enough to trust Maxim with her heart and maybe even her life.

First Impressions

This series is all about the insta-love boom that brings our two lead characters together in a burst of sexual energy. If you’re not a huge fan of this Romancelandia trope, well…you’re gonna have to get used to it when it comes to the Mayson family. I’ll admit I oftentimes prefer a slow burn, but there’s something about this series that makes you appreciate the boom as a kind of inherited familial trait that is bound to appear when one’s true love is in the vicinity. Unfortunately, I have to say this might be the first novel in the entire series where the boom kind of fell flat for me. Things start off rather innocently enough with some flirtatious texting between these two old acquaintances who haven’t thought about each other in years. They meet for a dinner to discuss some properties that April has lined up for Maxim to view seeing as he’s moving to town. And here it is, the transformational moment when they’ll set their sights on each other! And it’s…sort of described as a slight tingle rather than the boom we’re used to. 

Things seem to be going along fine enough between them during what can best be described as an unconventional business dinner. Next thing ya know they’re going back to his hotel and ripping each other’s clothes off. Don’t get me wrong, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with some grinding on the sofa on the first “date”, but even I remember having to rewind my audiobook by a few seconds to see if I missed any kind of natural escalation which would have logically brought us to this point. It just wasn’t there. Next thing ya know Maxim has made a copy of April’s house key for his own personal use (unbeknownst to her), and they’re essentially living with each other by day two. Their subsequent sex scenes are definitely heated and passionate, but there was something about their connection that didn’t feel as authentic to me as many of the previous relationships we’ve come across in this series. Perhaps it’s because we never really got to see them “woo” each other, or maybe it can be attributed to the fact we only get a lackluster description of the boom from April’s point of view and avoid a parallel account from Maxim in the immediate aftermath. No matter what it was, I struggled to become fully invested in their love story. 

Annoying Ex and an Unknown Killer 

The boom wasn’t the only thing that felt off with this read. As with any installment in this series, our tale of romance is always interrupted by some kind of external drama. It might be intermingled throughout the entirety of the tale, or it might be reserved for an explosive final climactic moment at the end, but it’s always there. The drama in this novel…couldn’t really decide what it wanted to be. There are two distinct dramatic features to this story. One involves April’s ex-boyfriend who has become a top-of-the-charts rock star, releasing a hit song all about how much he still longs for and wishes he could win her back. As you can imagine, Maxim isn’t too pleased with this one. The second involves an unknown killer who is leaving beautiful real estate agents stripped naked and stabbed to death in homes that are for sale. Now, if you ask me, one of these is significantly more critical than the other, and let’s just say it’s not the one with the guy who can’t take a hint and move on already. However, the oblivious ex is the story line that gets most of our attention. We see it snowball when some psychotic fans insist on taking out their anger on April for refusing to take back the crooning dreamboat. 

Throughout it all though you can’t help but think, “hey, there’s something else going on here that you all should probably be paying attention to!!” Maxim ultimately goes super alpha on April’s ex to officially mark his territory, so when that problem goes away we’re just waiting for the inevitable big moment of discovery when we reveal not only who the killer is, but what could possibly be their motive. Is it another fan of April’s ex trying to take her out? Perhaps it’s the ex himself releasing some pent-up anger. Maybe an enemy of Maxim from his former Vegas life, or someone close to April that we thought was a friend? Turns out…not even close. The killer is someone we’ve never been introduced to before, and their motive has absolutely nothing to do with our main characters in any way, shape or form. It’s literally just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we get some disturbingly dark details in regards to the final murder. All in all, it felt like a totally unnecessary story line, especially when we consider the fact that the drama with April’s ex escalated to a pretty intense moment which could have been a final climax all its own. 

Series: Until Him/Her, book 10. For the most part, every book in this series can be read as a stand-alone. That being said, apparently this installment includes a few characters in a cross-over series, Underground Kings. I had absolutely no idea about this little detail, so I found it odd when there was obviously information being unsaid when we’re introduced to Maxim’s parents. Here I thought there was some kind of nefarious subplot going on which would potentially relate back to the murder spree, but nope! Just supposed to be a fun inclusion of more characters.  

Would I befriend the heroine? No idea. I feel like we don’t really get to know much about April, other than the fact she loves Maxim and is a real estate agent. She does adopt an adorable kitty though, so maybe I’d befriend her just so I could play with the cat. 

Would I date the hero? His uber alpha-ness would be way too intimidating in real-life, so no. 

Final Impressions: Normally I’m a sucker for this series, but I must say this tenth novel was kind of a miss for me. It’s not bad, it’s just kind of…there. I was never fully invested in the bond between Maxim and April, and I wanted more from their boom. As far as the drama, there were one too many story lines going on. The fact the killer plot point had no direct correlation to Maxim or April made it feel like it should have been the one to go. 

Smut Level: I may not have been thrilled by Maxim and April’s chemistry outside of the bedroom, but their ability to carry out a graphic sex scene was top notch. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. 245 Pages. 

Sebastian’s Fate by Rebecca Hefner

It’s time to celebrate Christmas at Etherya’s Earth, and Celine is determined to use the masked gala as a way to finally make a move on the love of her life. When the masks go on, the gloves…and maybe a few other items of clothing…come off. 

What’s it About? 

She was in love with a man who didn’t know she existed…

Vampyre aristocrat Celine has eyes for one man: a handsome council member who barely knows she’s alive. Determined to change her destiny, she secures a date with the enigmatic man, even if he won’t know her identity at the masked fete.

Council leader Sebastian considers relationships a waste of time—until a gorgeous stranger accompanies him to a ball. Suddenly, he can’t stop thinking about the woman behind the mask who sets his body aflame.

Consumed with uncovering the tempting stranger’s identity, Sebastian observes similarities between his phantom lover and the quiet aristocrat he’s barely noticed for centuries. Could his mystery woman actually be…Celine?

Fueled by passion and anger, he confronts the stunning aristocrat, never realizing their fiery encounter might cement Sebastian’s fate for eternity…

First Impressions

Rebecca Hefner is a master storyteller. She successfully manages to jam pack an entire novel’s worth of romance and character development into 167 pages of a novella without it feeling forced, rushed, or incomplete. Celine has had her heart set on workaholic Sebastian for centuries. We were first introduced to her infatuation for this vampyre in a previous novella within the Etherya’s Earth series, and while her attempts to attract his attention went unnoticed in that installment, Celine is determined to succeed this go around. She’ll just need a masked disguise, as well as a fake identity, to make it happen. What I appreciated most about this short read was that no detail was left out, from the impetus of Celine’s decision to go to such lengths, to Sebastian eventually opening his eyes to the beauty standing right in front of him for all these years. 

After all, we can’t help but question why, after literally centuries of pining after this man, Celine would finally choose to make a move. This is especially true when we discover that she’s been quite the quiet wallflower for most of her life. However, it’s revealed throughout the novella how she was always raised to be the compliant daughter of an aristocrat, to be seen and not heard, and to ultimately be a trophy for her future husband. It is only after the events of the previous novels, when some of the strongest female voices of the Vampyres, Slayers and Deamons come forward into the spotlight that Celine realizes there’s another way to life. This doesn’t mean she’s suddenly transformed to become the loudest or most opinionated woman in the room, but rather she’s no longer afraid to start taking the steps towards what she wants most out of her immortal life. And that just happens to be the broodingly gorgeous Sebastian. 

Blushing Wallflower or Sultry Vixen? 

I love a masked romance under false pretenses just as much as the next Romancelandia fan. The surprisingly compelling aspect of Celine’s ruse was that while she went to such great lengths to finally secure a date and kiss with the love of her life…she really doesn’t know what to do when Sebastian actually returns her advances. It would have been so easy to have Sebastian become entranced by this bold masked figure, share a few passionate kisses with her in the shadows, and upon discovering Celine’s true identity he could have fallen to his knees in declaring his undying love for her. But that simply would have been too easy. Instead we see that when a masked Celine finally has Sebastian in her arms, kissing her with such reverence and whispering dirty nothings into her ear, she can’t help but be hurt at the reminder that he’s ignored her all this time. Why couldn’t he love her for the blushing wallflower she truly was, rather than the foxy stranger she’s pretending to be? There’s a moment of shock for all of us, readers and Sebastian included, when rather than pull him closer into this intimate embrace, she chooses to push him away. And that’s when the fun truly begins. 

Sebastian can’t believe that this one evening’s encounter could throw his entire world off kilter. He’d love nothing more than to have another shot with the masked beauty from the fete, but she seems to have vanished into the night, never to be seen or heard from again. If there’s something I love more than a masked romance, it has to be the road to discovering the identity of our masked mystery guest, and Sebastian’s journey to realizing that Celine was behind the mask was an absolute treat. He starts to pick up on certain clues here and there, the most delightful of which was recognizing that Celine’s scent was quite similar to that of his aroused stranger. When he finally puts all the pieces together, an angry confrontation seems imminent, but let’s just say things quickly evolve into another kind of heated exchange.

Celine is still a virgin after all these centuries, and even though Sebastian awakens a fire within her, it was interesting to see how her sexual temperament mirrored her personality so closely. There’s an inherent shyness that surrounds her, but just as the changing circumstances of their society have inspired Celine to go after what she wants in life, the weight of Sebastian’s sexual attraction to her inspires her to voice what she wants during those moments of passion. Again, she doesn’t suddenly become a sultry vixen in the bedroom, but she does come to realize how the reaction she evokes in Sebastian is it’s own kind of power. For his part, Sebastian finally starts to see this new spark to Celine’s personality, both within and outside of the bedroom. She’s still Celine at heart, but there’s a more confident side to her that he can start to see himself falling in love with. 

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

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 7.5. This is the perfect kind of palate cleanser to enjoy in between the full-length novels of this series. There are no battles or forces of evil to contend with, which makes it a fun, low-drama read to enjoy before the next installment. You could probably get by with this read if you haven’t read the previous books, but you might as well start from the beginning to enjoy the mastery at work! 

Would I befriend the heroine? I think we’d be friendly acquaintances, but I’m not sure we have enough in common to be actual friends. For some reason I can’t see Celine lounging around on a weekend eating pizza and watching Seinfeld re-runs. 

Would I date the hero? Celine does slowly start to pull some of Sebastian’s attention away from work, but on the whole he still seems to be too much of a workaholic for my taste. 

Final Impressions: A fantastic read you won’t want to leave behind on your next beach vacation! There was a seamless flow to the events of the novel, and I appreciated how much content could be fit into these pages without feeling like too much was going on. Nothing was rushed when it came to Celine and Sebastian uncovering their true feelings for each other. When Sebastian expressed his desire for this masked stranger on that first night, Celine didn’t just fall into his bed for a quick romp. Similarly, when Sebastian discovers Celine was the one behind the mask, he doesn’t immediately declare his love for her. Their infatuation and genuine interest in each other naturally evolves into feelings of companionship, and ultimately love. That’s quite a journey for a novella! 

Smut Level: Goodness me is it getting hot underneath this mask! Sebastian is definitely vying for top billing as one of the dirtiest talkers of this whole series, and while Celine might not be a dirty talker herself, she’s more than happy to be on the receiving end of it. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 167 Pages. 

Steele by Sawyer Bennett

James Steels is determined to win back the love of his life, and he’ll do anything to prove that his wife and daughter mean more to him than the game. 

What’s it About? 

A second chance may be just what James Steele needs…

I might be one of the older players on the Arizona Vengeance, but I like to think that also makes me one of the wisest. Or at least I used to.
Turns out, I’ve been a bit selfish. I’ve been married to hockey and my team for years, which hasn’t left much time for my actual wife, Ella. Now I’m juggling a separation I never wanted, the pressure of being a single dad to our teenage daughter, and the career I sacrificed it all for.

While my game on the ice might be on fire, the game in my personal life is clearly lacking, as evidenced by the fact I just saw my wife on a date with another man. If I have any hope of saving the family I love, I need to re-prioritize, and fast. So it’s time for me to get back to fundamentals, just like I did when I learned how to play hockey. I’ve never backed down from a challenge, and romancing my wife is a challenge I am very much looking forward to.

Time to put on my game face, because I’m in it to win it.

First Impressions

Steele and Ella are unlike any couple we’ve come across in the Arizona Vengeance series to date, as they’ve already found their happily ever after with each other. After years of what seemed to be a blissfully happy marriage, Steele feels blindsided when his loving wife suddenly asks for a separation. After all, they get along, rarely fight, and regularly have sexy fun times together. What could possibly be the problem? We were initially introduced to James Steele in the previous book as he was just going through the motions like a zombie following the separation from Ella. It is only after she starts seeing someone else that Steele gets the kick in the pants he needs to officially make things right. He’s honored her wishes to stay away this long, and now it’s time to face the music by facing his own previous behavior in their marriage. 

The bulk of this novel is spent looking back at where things went wrong, and with that realization trying to figure out how he might win back the love of his life. It was interesting to see that a decent majority of this book is told from Steele’s point of view. While every installment in this series provides alternating points of view between the hero and heroine (and this ninth book is no exception), we’re either typically presented with a fairly even split between the two, or the female voice will often take the lead as the primary focus of the narration. With this book it was imperative that we see things mainly from Steele’s viewpoint to demonstrate that he’s not just in this to gain the upper-hand due to a bout of jealousy at seeing his wife with another man, but rather that he’s genuinely dedicated to making things right with Ella. We see him learn and grow throughout the entirety of the novel to the point where we can truly believe he’s changed for the better. 

Meeting Her Needs

Something I particularly enjoyed about this retrospective look at their marriage was the fact that neither Steele nor Ella ever acted in a way that was irredeemable, outlandish, or even truly offensive. There was no cheating here, no childish name calling or physical violence. It was just the reality of life interfering with love. We can completely sympathize with Ella’s decision to take a step back from a relationship where her emotional needs weren’t being met, just as we can understand how easy it would have been for Steele’s professional hockey career to take over every aspect of his life to the detriment of his wife and daughter’s happiness. Steele was blindsided by her request for a separation because he was blind to the fact that he wasn’t giving her the attention she deserved when he was off the ice. She understood that the very nature of his career would result in days and nights on the road, as well as missed experiences and celebrations.

The problem was during those times when he could have been home with them all as a family, but instead he chose to spend even more time with the game or his teammates. The defining feature of their separation was his inability to meet her emotional needs, not physical. Sexual chemistry was never an issue for these two. In fact, they’d enjoyed a good romp in bed in the lead-up to their separation. It would have been such an easy fallback for Steele to remind Ella of their physical connection as a way to win her over, but they can both appreciate the fact that there’s a deeper issue at play that must be rectified if their relationship is going to survive in the long-term. We essentially have to wait until the half-way point in the novel before Steele decides there’s no harm in bringing the physical element back into play as a subset of his case for why she should give him a second chance. And let’s just say she is more than happy to consider the evidence he brings forth. 

Series: Arizona Vengeance, book 9. Most of the books in the series can be read as stand-alones, though they do typically reference some of the couples and events from previous novels. In this case though, I would say it’s pretty important that you read book 8 in the series, as that is when we first see Steele decide to take action towards getting his wife back. 

Would I befriend the heroine? In looking back on this read, I can’t say we learn enough about Ella for me to make an informed decision here. I don’t really have a clear sense of her likes, dislikes, or how she enjoys spending her free time, so I’m kind of at a loss over whether or not we’d have any shared interests. 

Would I date the hero? If I were in Ella’s shoes I would definitely take him back. That being said, I’m not sure I would have fallen for this guy from the get-go. After all, he primarily eats…dare I say it? Healthy food. 

Final Impressions: As with most of the books in this series, we’re dealing with a fairly low-angst read, which makes it a great carry-on for your next beach vacation. It happens almost every time in this series where just when I start to question the fact that everything is almost going along too swimmingly for our lead characters, a wrench will be thrown into the mix to knock the socks off our couple. It’s not too hard to guess what the issue would be with this read, as Steele is ultimately faced with a choice between spending time with Ella or further elevating his hockey career. His thought process and ultimate decision, as well as Ella’s reaction, was quite interesting to see play out. Overall it’s a fine read, though a noticeable absence from the book as a whole was the sense of team camaraderie that has permeated this entire series. The members of this hockey team are like brothers, and it was kind of disappointing that we didn’t get to see them interact with and support each other more. That being said, considering the time Steele spent with the team was one of the key issues leading up to Ella’s request for a separation, it’s not too surprising that he would put them on the back-burner for the bulk of the novel. 

Smut Level: These two weren’t kidding, sex was never an issue between them. The chemistry is still there after years of marriage, as well as a short-term separation. We get a few hints at some of the more sultry sexcapades they used to get up to back in the day, and they certainly engage in some steamy fun times at this point in their lives as well. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $6.99 Kindle Price. Big Dog Books, LLC. 268 Pages.

The Billionaire’s Cinderella by Ava Ryan

As is often the case with any modern Cinderella tale, when the clock strikes midnight at the ball, the lives of our lead characters will change forever. 

What’s it About? 

She’s just a girl next door and a pastry chef. Why would a sexy billionaire ever want more than one steamy night with her?

Ryker: Marriage and relationships aren’t for me. I have no desire to revisit my failures. Now I work hard and play hard–period.

Until suddenly there she is. Sexy. Unexpected. Sweet. Unforgettable. One unprecedented night with her only whets my appetite for more.

She’s been burned before, which makes her suspicious of me. Doesn’t think she’s good enough, that I’d prefer someone more…society.

If only she knew how uninterested I am in other women since I first laid eyes on her. And I hope she never knows the things I think about when I look at her now.

Fairy tales endings are meant for children’s books. I know that. But I write my own stories…

First Impressions

This is the final installment of the Fairy Tale Billionaires series, and author Ava Ryan certainly saved the best for last! Of all the brothers we’ve come across so far, Ryker is undoubtedly the most charming and down-to-earth of the bunch. Where his two older brothers often had a surly, or in one case even a “beastly”, nature about them, Ryker has a boy-next-door quality about him that would make the heart of any reader go aflutter. He might be a billionaire, but he’s one that would feel more comfortable lounging around the house with a beer on the weekend to catch a ball game. Sure, that house is a multi-million dollar penthouse in one of the most expensive cities on the planet, but still. Charismatic and approachable is the name of the game here. That’s also the case when it comes to our leading lady, Ella. Where Ryker is the boy next door, Ella is his girl next door counterpart. She’s likable, independent, and hardworking. Unlike the previous installments which presented us with a real-life princess from a royal family, and a billionaire’s assistant turned lawyer, Ella is pastry chef who is still paying off school loans. 

I think many of us could envision grabbing a drink at happy hour with this supportive friend who is now the leading lady of her own story. And what a story it is! The fun thing about this series is that each novel is loosely inspired by a classic fairy tale, this one obviously infusing a few elements from the Cinderella story with which we’re all familiar. However, rather than being glaringly obvious in the features being “borrowed” from the original, this series succeeds in bringing a sense of subtlety to those shared moments. For example, while there’s mention of the churlish wife of her late father, this woman was never Ella’s stepmother. And of course, there has to be a fancy ball at some point in the story. While Ella might have a fascination for designer shoes, she never proceeds to lose a glass slipper which her Prince Charming must return to her. All of these brief moments of fairy tale inspiration will bring a smile to your face when you manage to recognize them, but they’ll also make you appreciate the fact that the author could bring some originality to these stories in their own right. 

More Money…More Problems

As was the case with every book in this series, we’re dealing with a case of lust at first sight. Ryker is left to his own devices after his brothers wander off in pursuit of their own lady loves for the evening, and just as he’s about to walk out the door of a bougie bar and restaurant he catches sight of a fair beauty who stops him dead in his tracks. Let the flirtations begin! What starts off as a one-time thing quickly progresses into a meaningful relationship. Ryker and Ella always seem to be at ease with each other, where comfortable silences are not unheard of, and you get the sense that these two are meant to be. And yet, throughout their fairy tale romance we see a few rumblings of confrontation which eventually escalate into an argument that threatens the future of their relationship.

This brings us to the other primary reason this final book was my favorite in the trilogy, aside from our lovable lead characters of course, which was that the surface-level concerns Ella had regarding Ryker’s billionaire status actually spoke to a deep-rooted issue from her past. As soon as Ella discovered the extent of Ryker’s wealth, her hackles immediately rose. Ella was always firm with Ryker that she refused to take any handouts or charity from him. Sure, they can go out to a fancy dinner, but she won’t let him buy her an expensive dress from Nordstrom’s on the way. He can be supportive of her ambitions to pay off her student loans and eventually expand her aunt’s pastry shop, but heaven help him if he tries to give her the money to accomplish either goal. For the most part Ryker respects her need for independence and reigns in his desire to spoil her, but every once in a while we see things get tense when his simple offer to help might be blown out of proportion. 

Daddy Issues?

We see how all of this tension stems from Ella’s complicated past with her father, who was also extremely wealthy, and provided everything for her and her mother. Even though the love between them all was strong, he was already married to another woman. Her mother had come to rely on him for everything, so when he unexpectedly passed away without leaving them anything in his will, his bitter wife was quick to throw them all out on the street. Ella vowed that she would never rely on a man for financial security ever again, so it’s understandable that she would pull away any time there was a flash of Ryker’s attempts to share his wealth with her. As the depth of their relationship grew, so too did Ella grow ever more fearful of that wealth looming in the background, to a point where their future as a couple is in jeopardy. However, what we eventually come to realize in a moment of pure vulnerability is that Ella’s fear stems from something so much deeper than mere material wealth.

It’s not that she’s afraid to become too reliant on his generosity in case he should eventually leave her…but rather that he might actually leave her. Just like her father left her and her mother. The fact her dad never thought to provide for them should anything happen, the fact he stayed married to his wife, it all demonstrated to Ella that she wasn’t deemed worthy of his love. If her own father could leave her in the dark, why would someone as perfect as Ryker ever stick around to be with her for the long haul? This moment was such a heartbreaking realization for Ella to admit to herself why she’s been holding back from fully opening her heart to Ryker all this time. If she holds herself away by just a few steps, then surely when he inevitably leaves her soul won’t be as crushed as it could have been. But also in that moment, she realizes that that’s no way to go through life, living in fear of what might happen. Better to go in with both arms opened wide rather than hold him off at arm’s length. Now she’ll just have to make a big gesture at an upcoming ball to prove she’s willing to make that leap with him.  

Series: Fairy Tale Billionaires, book 3. Every book in this series was better than the last. Personally I think you can skip book one, whose story line was a bit too over-the-top in my opinion, but be sure to pick up books 2 and 3. At the end of this final book we even get a glimpse of a spin-off series involving Ella’s half-brother that I think might just need to be added to my TBR list. 

Would I befriend the heroine? She’s a freakin’ pastry chef!! Ella and I will be the best of besties for the rest of time. 

Would I date the hero? He’s a billionaire whose idea of the perfect first date is staying at home to watch Jaws, but will happily watch Jurassic Park instead if it’s what his lady desires. Sooo…yeah, I think we’re already soul mates. 

Final Impressions: I thought this read was a blast! Ella and Ryker are so fun and flirty together, and you get the sense that their relationship is built to last. They’re also two characters that would be fun to hang out with in real life, whether it was to chill with pizza and a movie, or pop around to Ella’s pastry shop for a culinary delight. They certainly engage in a slew of sexy fun times together, but this is counterbalanced with an unexpectedly emotional deep-dive of how Ella’s complicated familial past is not only impacting her relationship with Ryker, but also how she’s choosing to live her life in general. We’re ultimately presented with the perfect blend of fun, sex and drama that any good romance should have. All in all, a great beach read!  

Smut Level: You just know what’s in store when we have a pastry chef in the house. A little ganache here, a little ganache there, a little ganache everyyyyyywhere. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. 236 Pages. 

Claiming the Cowboy for Christmas by Kadie Scott

From best friends to bitter acquaintances, a fake relationship to lovers, this holiday romance will make Ashley and Jennings question everything they ever thought they knew about each other. 

What’s it About? 

Her thermostat was set to frosty, until her Christmas cowboy cranks up the heat.

Ashley Hughes would love to cancel Christmas this year. Instead of holiday plans, she’s back in her Texas hometown planning her twin sister’s wedding — to her ex! Nothing like small town speculation to make her life cheery and bright. No one believes that she’s over the groom, until a certain cowboy secret crush steps in to be her plus one. Ashley’s tried to friend zone Jennings since high school, because she’s always known kissing the casual charmer would lead to a love she’d never forget.

Jennings Hill would be the first to admit that his feelings for his ex-best friend are more likely to land him on the naughty list. When he sees Ashley again, he only wants to help but then a rumor links them romantically and that’s when their lives get complicated.

The more time they spend together, the more Jennings worries she’s not over her ex, but Ashley starts wishing Jennings was her present wrapped under the Christmas tree.

First Impressions

Confession time: I absolutely adore a fake relationship romance. Give me one set during the Christmas season between two enemies who used to be friends, and you can consider me smitten like a kitten attacking a tinsel-covered tree. The best part of any fake relationship story is discovering the impetus that pushes our two potential lovebirds towards the drastic decision of formulating a sham romance. Granted, sometimes the reasons can be rather audacious, such as wanting to make an ex-lover green with envy, or trying to convince family members that the single life isn’t as sad and pathetic as they mistakenly assume it to be. The reasoning behind Ashley’s request that her former best friend pretend to be her boyfriend for a few weeks proved to be one of my favorite rationalizations for this ever-popular trope. Part of it does involve getting some overly intrusive townsfolk to stop prying into her personal life, while another small part deals with convincing her family she’s perfectly happy, but we come to realize that her primary motivation is borne of selfless sisterly love. Seeing as my own sister is my best friend, it was a sentiment I could get behind. 

Ashley’s twin sister, Taylor is preparing to get married this Christmas, and to none other than Ashley’s ex-boyfriend, Eric. There was never any infidelity involved, and Ashley has given them her blessing many times over the last two years. While they’re moving ahead with the wedding, it’s obvious that everyone is walking on eggshells upon Ashley’s return to town, especially considering she’s the maid of honor. Her sister especially doesn’t want to make it seem as though she’s heartlessly flaunting their love in Ashley’s face, and is constantly questioning if Ashley’s really ok with all of this. While the entire town looks upon her with pity, the constant look of anxiety upon her twin’s face is almost more than she can bear. The sole moment where Ashley gets a glimpse of relief from Taylor is when she mistakenly assumes that Ashley and Jennings have hooked up after a drunken night of revelry. This is when Ashley realizes that perhaps the only way Taylor will be able to fully enjoy her wedding is if she thinks Ashley has fallen for someone else. The point of the fake relationship is never about making Taylor realize Ashley isn’t still in love with her ex, or trying to prove to her ex that she’s better off without him. For Ashley, it’s all about trying to ensure that her sister can celebrate the love she feels for her fiancé, soon-to-be-husband, on their wedding day. Now, whether or not Jennings believes that is a whole other kind of foggy mess that even Rudolph would struggle to navigate. 

Love is Patient…or is it? 

Jennings has been in love with Ashley for as long as he can remember. They were the best of friends throughout middle and high school, and just when he was about to make his feelings known, good ole Eric came into the picture. That’s when everything started to fall apart. A friendship soon turned into a rivalry, and eventually into a nothing. When Ashley and Eric eventually split after years of dating with no proposal, and Ashley realized that perhaps the true connection lay between him and her twin, she ran off to Dallas to allow them the space needed to fully explore their newfound relationship. Now that the wedding is fast approaching, Ashley is back in town, and Jennings thinks this might just be the right time to get their relationship back on track. When she proposes a fake relationship in exchange for helping out his family’s ranch with some accounting woes, he knows this is the perfect opportunity to show her just how perfect their life together could be. Cue the start of blurring the line between what’s fake and what’s real. 

Ashley and Jennings were a pure delight from page one. As if their flirtatious teasing wasn’t enough, the number of times they both tried to hide the twitch of a smirk from the other was sweeter than a bale full of sugar plums. Jennings isn’t afraid to put on a show through cheek pecks, neck nibbling, and full on make-out indulgence. He might even climb through her childhood bedroom window at one point in an act of desperation. It doesn’t take long before Ashley starts to crave everything he’s willing to dish out, and they soon go for a tumble in the sheets. She’s really starting to picture what her life would be like sharing a house and home with the best friend she used to know. However, before long their checkered past weasels its way back in, and in spite of Ashley’s constant declarations to the contrary, Jennings becomes convinced that she still holds a flame for her ex. When the harsh memories of the past turn into a bitter argument in their present, we can’t help but question what might be in store for their future together. 

Perhaps the most masterful part of this entire book was in the aftermath of this newfound quarrel between Jennings and Ashley. Jennings declares that it’s over between them, but Ashley tries her hardest to plead with him to see the truth in that she cares for him and only him. When Jennings decides to hold up his end of the bargain by still accompanying Ashley to her sister’s wedding as a fake date, it’s heartbreaking to see the change in Ashley’s demeanor as she assumes her words finally broke through to Jennings, and all is right between them again. The displays and words of affection he’s putting on for the benefit of her family and friends have Ashley caught up in the charade just alongside them. And yet, it’s once again through this farce, as well as a big gesture from Ashley, that Jennings starts to acknowledge that this pull between them isn’t make believe. Maybe there’s still time for a Christmas miracle that can make these two find their happily every after. 

Series: The Hills of Texas, book 4. Although this book references a few characters and events from previous books, it’s not required that you read the previous installments before getting to this one. 

Would I befriend the heroine? Absolutely! Ashley is an admirable female lead who obviously puts the love for her family above herself. Throughout the course of the novel she learns to stand up for herself and what she wants. The girl can also be a bit of a sloppy drunk, so I think we could share a drink or two. 

Would I date the hero? He’s a bit moody at times, and can be quick to make unfounded assumptions. In moments of frustration he also defaults to criticism, which is quite a turnoff. That being said, we do see some growth in his communication skills by the end of the novel, and this man is willing to decorate a Christmas tree unprompted. 

Final Impressions: Coming back to the Hill family romances is like coming home for the holidays. Or…maybe more like spending them with a slightly deranged distant cousin. In any case! You are bound to be entertained. This read in particular was jammed full of some of my favorite Romancelandia tropes, from friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, a fake relationship, and there might even be a bit of mistletoe sprinkled in there somewhere. Yes, it was slightly icky to think of the fact that after such a lengthy relationship with Ashley, her ex could then move on to a relationship and marriage with her twin sister. That being said, the constantly evolving dynamic between Ashley, her ex, her sister and Jennings was truly entertaining. There was one section towards the 3/4 mark of the book where things dragged for a little bit when Ashley and Jennings were once again on the outs. However, on the whole their love story filled me with all the warm and fuzzies, and you’ll probably want to cozy up with a cup of hot cocoa and holiday cookies before diving into this cowboy romance. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Tule Publishing. 288 Pages. 

Together Forever Across Time by Bess McBride

Her life and family exist in the future, his in the past. When they find each other across time, how will they manage to hold onto each other forever?

What’s it About?

Stephen Sadler reluctantly attends the Seattle wedding of Robert Chamberlain to Ellie Standish, the woman who had captured his interest. There he says goodbye to the woman he thought he had fallen for. Only a few weeks later while traveling on a train, Stephen is confronted by the vision of a strange wild-haired woman in a pair of snug-fitting trousers called “jeans” who claims she doesn’t know where she is or how she came to be on his train – until she sees the date on the newspaper, that is.

Dani Douglas cannot travel through time! Her mother in Montana is ill, and she has to get back to her. But the crystal clear blue eyes of handsome Stephen Sadler hold her captive in 1901, and she doesn’t know how to leave him – perhaps forever.

Stephen realizes that Dani and Ellie have much in common, but where Ellie simply captured his interest, Dani has captured his imagination and his heart. Unlike Ellie though, Dani cannot stay. Her mother is ill. Stephen doesn’t know how he can let her leave him – haps forever. As the train hurtles back and forth across the rails, Stephen and Dani struggle to find a way to be together forever across time.

First Impressions

Last week I completed a round trip train ride from Washington, DC to New Haven, CT and back again for business, all in the same day. After 10+ hours of a physically uncomfortable journey, it only seemed appropriate that my next romance novel of choice should feature time travel via train. As the second novel in the Train Through Time series, it was understandably difficult to refrain from comparing this sequel to the premier novel, especially considering the lead couple from that book makes a reappearance or two in this installment. That being said, the thing I appreciated most about this book was that, on the whole, the story and romance between Dani and Stephen remained distinctively unique from that which we saw previously between Ellie and Robert. That’s not to say all characteristics presented here were a homerun, and we’ll explore a few of those issues in a bit, but it was nice to feel as though we weren’t just reading the same romance play out on repeat.

The Key to Time

While the time travel logistics were left somewhat inconclusive by the conclusion of the first book, they are cemented a bit more firmly in this installment as Dani makes not just one, but multiple trips back and forth from the present day to the turn-of-the-century. This was something we never even knew was possible based on Ellie’s journey through time in book one, so it was shocking to see it realized here. There are a few key elements which have now been confirmed: 1) time travel takes place on the train, 2) the location remains the same just outside of Wenatchee, WA, 3) our heroine must be sleeping and 4) traveling east to west takes you back while west to east sends you forward. Even more surprising after my recently tiresome train trip was the unfathomable consideration of how many extensive trips these characters were willing to undergo via train in a mere matter of days so we could come to these realizations. But alas, to each his/her own.

The second aspect of this novel which I adored was that Dani not only makes more than one trip through time, but she even succeeds in doing so with someone else in tow. At this point in the series we’re used to having a modern-day heroine traveling back in time, but it was an absolute delight to see our turn-of-the-century gentleman, Stephen, transported to the future alongside the woman who has come to mean the world to him in such a short period of time. Stephen and Dani both realize they want to spend the rest of their lives together at roughly the same time they realize the impossibility of such a thought. Even though they have succeeded in traveling through time together at one point, Stephen cannot remain in the future, just as Dani cannot live in the past. Her mother is about to undergo surgery for breast cancer, while Stephen’s beloved sister often falls ill from chronic bronchitis. Why must fate be so cruel in bringing them together only to succinctly tear them apart? How can they find their happily ever after when they are separated by not only distance, but time?

Lack of Character…Development

And now for a few of those pesky issues which made it a slightly less enjoyable read than book one. On the whole, it’s fine. It really does keep you guessing until the very end how these two will manage to overcome such unimaginable obstacles to find their way back to one another. Stephen and Dani are perfectly pleasant as leading characters, but unfortunately we don’t really get to know them as intimately as we did the couple from the first book. By the end of the novel I could barely remember what either one did for a living, and we almost know them more in their relationships with other people rather than as individual characters. They are both driven by a love for family, and it’s actually a love which could potentially threaten the growing love they feel for each other. Besides that, I couldn’t really tell you much about the personality or idiosyncrasies of either character. Likes, dislikes, what makes them tick, there just simply isn’t much there. I think the author was more focused on getting as many train trips as possible out of this read to nail down some of those time travel details.

One Day

And now for my biggest complaint with this book: our lead characters declare their love for each other after literally one day of knowing each other. Now, don’t get me wrong! While I’m not always a fan of love at first sight romances, I can still understand and appreciate them within the realm of Romancelandia. The issue here is that it didn’t even really make sense within that space. At first sight, Dani was understandably more concerned about the fact that she had somehow been transported to over 100 years in the past, though I’ll admit her reaction was less believable than the one we saw play out for Ellie in book one. Ellie was convinced she was dreaming for a large part her novel, whereas Dani comes to realize and essentially accept the fact fairly quickly and without as much concern as you’d expect. Stephen is a bit more intrigued upon first meeting Dani, especially considering she’s a woman traveling alone, wearing trousers, and babbling on about being from another time. You miiiiight be able to say he was smitten, but even that is kind of a stretch. We really weren’t given any clues or indications to expect that either character was on board for an “I love you” declaration.

Their primary concerns during that first day involved getting Dani some appropriate clothing, introducing her to the lovely Ellie who might know more about what’s going on, and figuring out how to get Dani back to her ill mother. Dani is seemingly grateful to Stephen for his help during this confusing time, but the leap from gratitude to love was quite extreme. Seeing Dani declare her love for him after less than 24 hours of being in his company, I couldn’t help but exclaim aloud, “Wait, what?!”, thinking that surely I must have skipped a few chapters of storyline. It was that jarring of a pronouncement. It’s a bit confusing why the author felt the need for these characters to vocalize their love so early on in the story. It seems to have been used as an impetus for explaining why Stephen would have been willing to travel forward in time with Dani, and why their eventual separation through time would have been so heartbreaking. However, Stephen had plenty of reason to jump on that train with Dani, which was the promise of advanced medicines in the future which could help his sickly sister. The story arch would have been more fluid if Dani and Stephen’s relationship blossomed into something romantic after spending more time together in the future, rather than trying to rush it forward in the past.

Series: Train Through Time, book 2. Technically I think you would be fine reading this second book in the series without having read the first, but considering the repeated appearances of several characters from the first book it probably wouldn’t hurt to read in order.

Final Impressions: If I had access to this book while on my lengthy business train ride, I would have had no problem finishing it in one sitting. It’s a quick read, but almost too quick if you ask me. We had plenty of time (possibly too much) to focus on Dani figuring out the dynamics of time travel to the past and back to the present, but that left us with almost zero time to get to know Dani and Stephen individually or even as a couple. I will admit the scenes of their farewells were heartbreaking, where you truly believed that these two had fallen head over heels in love with one another, but it was the journey towards that love where I felt pertinent details were unharmoniously left out. I did appreciate how we were left in a near constant state of wonder at how these two would manage to work things out in terms of when they would end up in time, but there was also a rush to bring things to a conclusion in the end. I would have happily stuck around for another 50-100 pages if it meant we could have ironed out some of the kinks in this read.

Smut Level: Similar to book one, there are just a few loving kisses sprinkled here and there.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Self-Published. 158 Pages.

Untamed Delights by Suzanne Wright

Dominic has a cheeky pick-up line for every scenario. When he first sets his sights upon Mila, he’s struck with speechlessness one minute, and inspired to produce some of his best material the next. 

What’s it About? 

Return to the sensual and feral stirrings of the Phoenix Pack as a woman who’s already bound to one man is tempted by a wolf who’s bound only to his nightly desires.

Cat shifter Mila Devereaux can’t help but see it as a betrayal. That her one true mate imprinted himself on another female was hard enough to accept. Struggling to be at peace with her loveless fate, she doesn’t fight the suggestion of entering an arranged mating. Then she meets Dominic, a pack enforcer with a notorious reputation. It’s in his very scent. This irresistible playboy—and delicious badass wolf—is making Mila’s fantasies come alive again.

Alarming, compelling, and heady with sensual energy, Dominic is an expert at making women shed their inhibitions. Now everything about him—his killer smile, his perfectly sculpted body, and his smooth-as-honey voice—is drawing in a captivating new catch. But for the first time in his life, Dominic is feeling more than a fling. He finds himself tantalized by a female who makes him think of forever. He wants all of Mila and won’t be satisfied until he has it.

As the passion grows wild, so does the risk. They’re falling in love in the shadows and secrets of their pasts. And it’s threatening to destroy everything Mila and Dominic are fighting for. And are destined for.

First Impressions

Alas, the time has come for the sun to set on our beloved Phoenix Pack shifter series. We’ve been through a lot with these surly wolves and their lady loves, and Suzanne Wright doesn’t disappoint by saving one of the most entertaining characters for last. Dominic is a ladies man through and through, and has regaled us with ridiculously cringe-worthy yet comical pick-up lines since the beginning. It’s to be expected that there would be a bit of humor built into his eventual tale of romance, and while that is certainly true for a good portion of the novel, it was delightfully surprising to see the hidden serious side of this heretofore jovial character. This is an aspect I’ve appreciated for so many of the heroes and heroines we’ve been presented with throughout this series. There’s always another angle to their personality which prevents them from simply being one dimensional.

We discover a layer of emotional turmoil to Dominic’s past, borne from abandonment by his parents who always treated him as a stand-in for his deceased brother. He’s presented an easy-going façade to the world as a way to shield anyone from getting to close to him for fear that they will eventually leave him, just as his parents did all those years ago. Mila is the first woman who has ever tempted Dominic to get close and share the side of him he’s kept hidden away even from his pack mates. What begins as mere physical attraction between two commitment-avoidant characters slowly evolves into something more as Mila’s life is repeatedly threatened throughout the course of the novel. With every new near-death experience they become cognizant of how irreparably damaged their lives would be without the other one in it anymore.

Fated Mates?

Everyone familiar with this series will undoubtedly have seen reference to “the formula” at some point. Seemingly in every book we are presented with two badass characters, one a surly alpha wolf who falls for the strong female lead. They usually encounter drama on two fronts, one from the shifter side of things, and the other dealing with more of a personal aspect tied to some event from their past. Throw in some steamy sex, and a belated realization that they’re actually true mates, and you’ve got yourself “the formula”. Personally, I love the formula. I know what I’m getting into it, it’s usually an entertaining ride, each character still manages to have a distinctive personality, and every dramatic story line has its own twists and turns which successfully set it apart from the previous installments. Case in point, while almost every book in the series has highlighted the important connection between fated mates, this final book presents us with lead characters who aren’t actually true mates.

Mila knows who her true mate is, but he has already chosen to imprint with another woman, and is therefore blinded to the true nature of his connection with Mila. Dominic has never been eager to locate his true mate, and upon meeting Mila she is determined to leave the country to avoid hers. So, why not spend some time getting to know each other in the bedroom? However, when an unknown enemy takes out a hit on Mila’s life, the repeated attempts to kills her throw Mila and Dominic together in a way where they realize how much they mean to each other. They might not be true mates in the sense that destiny has fated them to spend eternity together, but rather they ultimately choose to make that visceral connection by imprinting. In a way, their choice in the matter makes it all the more special. 

Series: The Phoenix Pack, book 8. While I’m sad to see this series end, I do think it was a good time to bring a close to our pack of Phoenix shifters, and it was ultimately a strong conclusion. 

Final Impressions: I really enjoyed Mila and Dominic’s story. He was a seductive playboy, and she was never afraid to call him on his BS. The fact they weren’t fated mates, and that Mila’s true mate was someone she still interacted with on a regular basis made her and Dominic’s romance all the more compelling. Upon first finishing the book I was a tad disappointed with the several attacks throughout the story by random hit men who were trying to collect a bounty placed on Mila’s head. It seemed unnecessarily repetitive, and the fact a healer was always nearby meant that we could never be truly immersed in the feeling that her life were truly at stake. That being said, after letting it ruminate for a day or two I recognized that her constant brushes with death acted as the necessary trigger for Dominic’s realization of her importance in his life.

Smut Level: Dominic’s cheesy one-liners don’t stop upon finally getting Mila on her back in his bed…they just get even more sultry. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $4.99 Kindle Price. Montlake Romance. 385 Pages. 

Wylde by Sawyer Bennett

Will the playboy of the Arizona Vengeance succeed in setting aside his wild ways in order to woo the one woman who managed to stop him dead in his tracks?

What’s it About? 

There’s a reason they call me Wylde and it’s not just because it’s my last name.

I might be one of the newest players on the Arizona Vengeance team, but I’m no stranger to the celebrity that goes along with being a professional hockey player. Whether it’s a fan seeking an autograph or a puck bunny looking for more, I’ve grown used to the attention. I not only thrive on it; I use it to my advantage. Let’s just say my bed is rarely empty.

When a quirky redhead at the local bookstore stops me dead in my tracks, I decide to pop in and turn on the trusty Wylde magic. As smart and strong-willed as she is beautiful, Clarke Webber isn’t swayed by my witty banter or charming good looks. And when she realizes who I am and the fame that comes along with it, she likes me even less. Thankfully, I’m always up for a challenge. The more I get to know about her, the more I know my playboy days are behind me.

If I’m going to capture Clarke’s heart, it’s time to be a lot less Wylde, and a lot more Aaron.

Quick Review

I have been a huge fan of this series so far, and unfortunately I would say this is the first book that has sort of missed the mark for me. That’s not say it was a bad read, but rather it was just kind of…meh. I listened to this as an audiobook on a recent business trip, and after listening to it during a fairly long drive one day I remember thinking, “Goodness gracious when will this book finally get going?” Imagine my surprise when I realized during a pit stop that I was already 50% of the way through the read! This seventh book follows one of the newest players of the Arizona Vengeance hockey team, Aaron Wylde. His last name isn’t seen as a misnomer, as apparently he is one of the biggest playboys of the team. Here’s the problem though. Considering his new status, we’ve never really had the chance to get to know him at any point in the series before now. While we often see numerous characters reappear throughout the series, Wylde has never been a major player up until this point, so we really have nothing to go on in terms of his supposedly infamous playboy status. This made his eventual aha moment at wanting to become a one woman man upon meeting Clarke all the more…well…uneventful. His willingness to commit to Clarke didn’t seem all that transformational of a moment, because while we’ve been introduced to his flirtatious prowess upon meeting her, we’ve never had a reason to doubt his ability to be solely devoted to one woman. 

As for Clarke, I was thrilled with her initial introduction as a book smart, fairly normal woman who was more shocked by the attention that Wylde lavished upon her rather than flattered. Who was this drop-dead gorgeous man who could lay on the one-liner quips like it was an art-form, quoted the classics like Pride and Prejudice just as well she could, and wouldn’t leave her alone? Once we were introduced to her backstory though, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at her previous disastrous appearance on a celebrity dating show that made her wary of fame forevermore. The series has done a wonderful job so far of grounding us to the romance developing between these hockey players and their lady loves, but this point of conflict between Aaron and Clarke seemed over-the-top silly and unnecessary. I even remember at one point towards the end of the novel when Clarke confessed to Aaron that she overreacted to a social media moment which made her turn her back on their relationship I exclaimed aloud in my rental car, “Yeah, you really did!” I won’t spoil the reveal, but let’s just say it wasn’t a very well-developed plot point, and instead felt like a desperate attempt to think of something that would throw a bump in the road for our lovebirds on a journey that had been nothing but pretty smooth-sailing since the beginning. I probably would have even preferred a completely drama-free ending compared to what we were presented with. 

Series: Arizona Vengeance, book 7. This may not have been my favorite addition to the series, but it hasn’t put me off completely from continuing on to see what might happen next!

Final Impressions: In a way, I almost feel like the author had an ulterior motive in telling this story, and it wasn’t to relay the romance between Wylde and Clarke. Instead, the primary goal was seemingly to present us with a wedding smorgasbord of previous characters. Wylde uses the weddings of his teammates as the basis for a bet to get Clarke to go out with him on more than one occasion. Rather than try to build Wylde and Clarke as the common thread linking together all these various wedding celebrations, I think I would have just preferred a stand-alone novella, where each chapter presented us with the behind-the-scenes fun and wedding romance for one of the couples from a previous installment of the series. I felt so much more of a connection to those couples than I did to our two new leading characters, and it made me reminisce on the stories of those characters who have come to feel like old friends. 

Smut Level: Clarke is initially intimated by how much more sexual experience Wylde has compared to her, but it doesn’t take long before she acknowledges the numerous benefits (and orgasms) which can result from his expertise. 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $6.99 Kindle Price. Big Dog Books, LLC. 328 Pages.