The Dawn of Peace by Rebecca Hefner

This Etherya’s Earth prequel takes us back to the beginning when Vampyres and Slayers were still at war with each other. When enemies Alrec and Kilani find themselves alone in a secluded cabin together, and with one tied to the bedframe no less, we know these two won’t be at war for much longer. 

What’s it About? 

Before the end of hatred, there was the dawn of peace…

Two immortals from warring species save each other’s lives as the conflict rages on. Alrec, the hulking Vampyre warrior, spares her first. Years later, Kilani, the fierce, uncompromising Slayer, returns the favor. Stuck in her remote cabin, their bond grows as Kilani warily nurses her injured Vampyre, determined to deny her growing desire for the man with deep, knowing eyes and mesmerizing fangs. And, of course, there’s only one bed…

The sizzling prequel to the Etherya’s Earth paranormal romance saga

First Impressions

Any journey we can take to Etherya’s Earth is bound to be an entertaining ride, and this proved true once again when the author takes us back to before the events of the first novel in the series, just a few years after the Awakening has pitted Vampyre against Slayer as immortal enemies. Kilani has never felt like she truly belonged to the high society world she was born into, and until the Slayer army will accept women into their ranks she knows her strength and prowess with a sword will be pushed to the sidelines. That all changes one night when a raid on her family’s compound results in a direct confrontation with a Vampyre soldier who makes her blood boil and her loins…do some boiling of their own. Alrec and Kilani are worthy combatants who like to taunt and tease, which makes their intense sparring quickly turn into the most delightful kind of foreplay. Alrec spares Kilani’s life during their first confrontation, and it isn’t until years later when they cross paths once again that Kilani has the opportunity to return the favor by nursing this wounded soldier back to health in her secluded cabin far away from the prying eyes of Slayer, Vampyre or Deamon. Not one to let her guard down however, Kilani sees the need to tie up this currently bedridden Vampyre so as not to risk his quick healing abilities coming back to literally bite her down the road. 

When Alrec awakens following his injury he’s delighted to see the woman who rescued him is the same one he hasn’t been able to stop daydreaming about for the last few years. The two immediately pick up where they left off, ergo an inordinate amount of flirtatious teasing, eyebrow wagging, and tented bed sheets. What follows is the most delicious evolution of enemies to lovers, as the confined space of the cabin creates a seductive bubble wherein these two can escape, if only for a brief moment, the complexities and battles of the world outside. They have been taught to despise each other, yet when left to their own devices their true nature can’t help but shine forth. They are dutiful soldiers who want to serve their people, but they also have a caring and tender side which comes to the forefront when trapped in each other’s company. He is one of the only men to ever admire and encourage her desire to fight, and Alrec also can’t help but love the courage of this little vixen to stand up and spar with him at any possible moment. As they continue to build up his strength we just know it’s only a matter of time before they test out his newfound strength in the bedroom, but also not long before Alrec must return to his duties as a soldier. How can our lovebirds possibly find their happily ever after when we know that peace between the species is still several centuries away? 

A Secluded Observation

Another hallmark of this series is the savage war being waged against the Deamon leader Crimeous and his scourge of minions. While we’re usually privy to some intense battle scenes in Etherya’s Earth, the fact that Alrec and Kilani spend the vast majority of the novel on the outskirts of civilization within their love cabin means that most of the drama of the story comes from the “will they or won’t they” romance between our lead characters. In a way, the only fight scene we really see come to fruition in exacting detail is the one which takes place at the start of the novel between Alrec and Kilani. There’s a few ensuing mentions here and there of fighting some Deamon clusters, but nothing quite at the level to put us on the edge of our seats. While I definitely appreciated the centralized focus on what was happening inside this secluded cabin, I really would have loved just one scene where we could have witnessed Alrec and Kilani fight together. So much of their time together is spent training and sparring, and to see them work in tandem as partners to defeat a common enemy would have been the cherry on top of the proverbial sundae.  

This is a delightfully quick read which can easily be devoured in one sitting. Considering this is a prequel to events which we know will eventually transpire, and that we know a happily ever after is guaranteed with any addition to this series, you can’t help but commend the author at her ability to heighten our anticipation as we wonder how Alrec and Kilani will ever be able to overcome the multiple obstacles surrounding them to ultimately find peace and happiness with each other. There were definitely a few times that I worried we might be witnessing a tragedy in the making, or maybe even two characters who were doomed to spend centuries apart before finally finding each other again once the events of the subsequent novels have a chance to play out. Alas, rest assured we have a much more satisfying conclusion to their romance than any scenario my mind was conjuring up throughout the read. 

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

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 0.5. This is definitely one of my favorite paranormal romance series of all time. I’ll take any full-length, novella or prequel addition I can get my hands on. 

Final Impressions: Enemies-to-lovers, secluded cabin, sparring, and light restraints to prevent escape. What’s not to like here?! This is a fantastically quick read that can kick off your exploration into this amazing series. I’d recommend it to anyone going on their next beach vacation, and this is coming from someone who usually isn’t a fan of paranormal romances! The only nitpick I’d have is that I wish we would have had one scene where Alrec and Kilani joined forces to fight off a Deamon or two as a couple. It could have been the perfect culmination to all their training, demonstrate the strength of Kilani as a female fighter, and perhaps even highlight that they’re stronger together as a couple. Again though, this is a minor nitpick to an overall entertaining and steamy read. 

Smut Level: Mmm, sparring. 🙂 The perfect form of foreplay when it comes to this series. All that close contact, heavy breathing, sweating…mmm. And did I mention the bed frame restraints and tenting of sheets?! 

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $0.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 

Garridan’s Mate by Rebecca Hefner

These two bad-ass Vampyre soldiers are committed to doing whatever is necessary to save their fellow countrymen, and each other, from the forces of evil.

What’s it About? 

Lose yourself in the magic…

General Garridan has lived for centuries without a bonded mate. Born an aristocrat, he chose to forgo his family’s wealth and privilege to fight in the Vampyre immortal army. After the centuries-long War of the Species ended, a new foe emerged, reaffirming his vow to protect his people. Although his father wants him to bond with an aristocrat and settle down, Garridan only has eyes for one woman.

Siora is a natural warrior. When the immortal army finally allows women to join, she pledges to become the first battalion leader as conflict consumes the realm. Once they defeat Bakari, she can settle into a security role at Lynia and help her father at his farm. Dreams of the amber-eyed Vampyre who relentlessly pushes her during training have no place in her world, even if the general is the only man who’s ever made her long for a bonded mate.

Consumed by her skill and effort, along with her inherent natural beauty, Garridan offers to help Siora secure a leadership position as they near the final battle. Although she swears they have no future, Garridan finds himself longing to claim the stubborn woman as his mate, no matter the cost. Can two warriors from different paths find love amid their blazing desire, or will fear douse their spark before it’s barely begun to burn?

First Impressions

We were initially introduced to Siora in the sixth novel of the Etherya’s Earth series “The Cryptic Prophecy”. I distinctly remember the first scene where she was introduced to interact with one of our main characters in that book and immediately thinking, “Mkay, so she’s definitely gonna need her own book one day.” Lo and behold, wish for something with every fiber of your being, and you shall receive.

While Siora and Garridan don’t get their own full-length novel, we get this perfect intermediary novella which essentially takes place in the last few weeks leading up to the epic battle which took place at the end of book six, and concludes with us in the same timeframe as when that book also ended. This novella was truly the perfect vehicle to tell the story of these two soldiers. It makes sense with their combat training that their love would blossom in the close quarters leading up to the final battle. Had there been an attempt to squeeze their story into book six in between the scenes of Callie and Brecken’s romance, I don’t think it would have received the attention it deserved. Therefore, this novella provides us with the perfect opportunity to see their story as a stand-alone rather than an afterthought, while still fitting into the overall general timeline of the series. Smart move by the author for sure!

An Activity Better than Sex?

Do you know how I realized this book was going to be amazing within just the first few pages? Easy. Battalion commander + soldier = sparring. Lots…and lots…of sparring. And lemme tell ya, that is Siora and Garridan’s physical activity of choice throughout the vast majority of this read, which of course inevitably leads to a more sultry pastime. When Garridan first offered to train with Siora for a few hours in the evenings I immediately said to myself, “If these two don’t end up with Siora flat on her back and Garridan splayed out over her thighs with her hands held down by both of his at some point, you can revoke my romance novel fan-card right now.” Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long at all for this blessed scenario to occur. The true benefits of a novella: you don’t have to wait around before you get to the good stuff. And believe me when I tell you there was plenty of delicious stuff to enjoy in this one.

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

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 6.5. Part of the Hearts Unleashed Anthology. While I didn’t read the rest of the anthology in which this novella appeared, I can tell you that Etherya’s Earth is definitely one of my favorite series ever.

Final Impressions: Sometimes I don’t always understand half-books in between full-length novels of a series, but in this instance it really worked. We get just a small glimpse of the suspense of battle at the very end of this short read, but for the most part this novella provides us with a welcome breather in between some of the more intense action happening in the series as a whole. We primarily get to indulge in the passionate scenes of Siora and Garridan learning how perfect they are for each other. I also appreciated that Garridan never pushed Siora into admitting they were destined mates before she was ready. When she expressed hesitancy over a future with Garridan, he had the wherewithal to give her the space she needed to realize on her own that they were meant for each other. Absolute perfection!

Smut Level: So…much…sparring!! The fact Garridan had the strength to literally tear the sports bra from Siora’s chest on more than one occasion was a pure delight. We’ve all come across scenes of panty ripping, but sports bra ripping is a special category all on its own.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $0.99 Kindle Price. Naughty Nights Press, LLC. 

Two Souls United by Rebecca Hefner

There are countless discussions about some of the best tropes in Romancelandia, including friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, office romance, billionaire romance, etc. I must say this short novella reminded me of another tried and true classic: the bodyguard and his ward.

What’s it About? 

Two of the most beloved characters in the series find their happy ever after in this sweet, steamy novella…

Sam, uncle to Jack, whose strength and bravery are only matched by his kindness and compassion.

Glarys, the feisty, caring estate manager who puts everyone else first.

Two souls who aren’t searching for love but might still find it nevertheless.

Enjoy your time in Etherya’s Earth!

**The Etherya’s Earth series is best read in order so the reader can enjoy the evolution of the characters. After all, the author loves a good twist and wants the reader to uncover them organically. However, readers of romance rest assured that each book has its own featured hero/heroine and HEA.

First Impressions

I have absolutely fallen in love with this series and all the characters we’ve gotten to know in Etherya’s Earth. In my haste to start this novella I only briefly glimpsed the cover of two lovers embracing and jumped right in thinking we’d be treated to another delightful couple in the prime of their immortal lives. Well imagine my excited surprise to discover early on that our female lead, Glarys, didn’t take on her immortal form until she was a white-haired 65-year-old. I never would have guessed the lovely blonde on the cover was in her 50s, let alone 60s, so I really wasn’t expecting this kind of “twist” involving one of our leads. That being said, I do love me some romances featuring mature characters!! Next thing I know I’ve wandered down the internet rabbit hole looking up famous actresses in their 60s who I might be able to picture in my mind as the somewhat shy and reserved Glarys, but who also has a bit of spunk to her personality when it’s needed most. It was…so much fun.

The Discussion of Age

Now, while Glarys has the appearance of a sixty-five year old, and Sam appears to be in his 40s, technically these immortals are both hundreds of years old, so the idea of a twenty year age gap is practically laughable when you look at the big picture. Something I really appreciated with this novella that we really haven’t explored in the previous full-length novels in the series was that even though they’ve been around forever, Glarys and Sam both still have the ability to blush like a couple of teenagers when they first start to flirt and explore a romantic relationship together.

It was such an adorably refreshing sentiment for these two who needed a bit of time to warm up to each other before taking things further. Essentially, just because they’ve been around forever doesn’t mean they have all the confidence in the world when it comes to starting out on a relationship journey with someone new. It’s a side of immortals we just haven’t really seen played out before, and it helps us find a small way to connect to these vampyric creatures from another realm. They can get nervous, feel insecure and blush red just like we can when a long-time crush starts to show us attention. Apparently it doesn’t matter if you’re 25, 65 or 955, new love can be exciting yet nerve racking at the same time!

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 5.5. I will read everything this series and this author has to produce!!

Final Impressions: This novella manages to pack a lot of punch into just under 100 pages, including the friendship and romance between Sam and Glarys, some fight scenes and drama from our deamon enemies, and even some PTSD for Sam having lost his arm in a battle years ago. I would have liked to see just a smidge more interplay or mention of Sam’s nephew, as well as Glarys’s former husband, but heck at that point I’m probably just craving another full-length book to this great series.

Smut Level: If Sam and Glarys teach us anything, it’s that as long as there’s chemistry there’s nothing stopping ya from causing some flames between the sheets. Whether you have the bod of a 65-year-old, or only one arm, passion can make everything perfect.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $0.99 Kindle Price. 78 Pages. 

The Impassioned Choice by Rebecca Hefner

A sexy geek with six-pack abs, an incredible intellect, and a Ryan Reynolds sense of humor. Ummm…can I have him?

What’s it About?

A new villain emerges, threatening the peace the immortals crave…

Heden, the youngest Vampyre royal, has always strived to live up to his sovereign duty. As the most gifted programmer in the immortal world, he applies his skills to protect the kingdom and the family he adores. But his siblings have all settled down with families of their own, and Heden often feels like a perpetual third wheel.

Wracked with guilt after her grandfather’s violent death, Sofia Morelli made a sinister pact with an unknown ally. Utilizing her tech ingenuity to plan the ultimate attack against the immortal royals, she begins to realize they might not be the nefarious enemies she believed them to be.

As Heden discovers the new adversaries and learns someone on the Secret Society shares his hacking prowess, he realizes the human, Sofia, might actually hold the key to defeating them. Determined to turn the feisty woman to his side, he employs his jovial nature and seduction skills to win her over. But when their tentative connection turns into something more, Heden understands a coding war isn’t the only thing he could lose to the spunky human. For, he might just lose his heart to someone who can never share his immortal future…

First Impressions

Just when I thought Ms. Hefner couldn’t possibly present us with another couple as entertaining and lovable as those which have come before, she goes ahead and blows me away with these two delightful characters. Throughout the series Heden has always proven to be a funny side-character, but one who has always been secondary to the leads from the first four novels. As for Sofia, we were only just introduced to her in the epilogue of the fourth book as an enemy and threat to our immortal royals. When these two hacker’s paths cross in this fifth installment, let’s just say they have quite a lot of ground to cover going from foes to friends to fated lovers.

So what was it about these two that captivated me so much? First and foremost, their relationship wasn’t based solely on sexual chemistry. After all, our novel opens with Sofia determined to seek revenge against his family for a past tragedy. They have quite a lot to overcome before sex can even be discussed as a possibility. We see how Sofia has the ability to change and put the past behind her, while also retaining her headstrong and fiery personality that you can’t help but admire.

As for Heden? Lordy lord this hunk of burning love might be my favorite male lead in this series to date. He not only chooses to see the good in Sofia when the rest of his family only sees an enemy, but he can fully acknowledge that she is a more talented hacker than he is. They have a delightfully cute bickering and teasing relationship when it comes to all things tech. Interestingly though, Heden doesn’t feel threatened or emasculated by her talent, or the fact she’s better than him at something he’s always excelled at. Quite the opposite. It proves to be a massive turn on. Every line of code she writes, every time she suggests a solution that’s more effective than one of his own, Heden finds himself falling for her even more. You can’t help but love their geeky connection.

Cue the Waterworks

This is the sixth book I’ve had the pleasure of reading from Ms. Hefner, the fifth in this particular series. However, this is the first book of hers that made me cry. Now don’t get me wrong, some previous reads have certainly made my eyes glisten, but this is definitely the first one where tears were fully flowing, and I was practically left gasping for breath. One might even go so far as to call it ugly crying. What was it about this story and these characters that got to me you might ask? Simple. Their connection and their struggle felt completely real to the point where you’re heartbroken at the thought of it crumbling. It’s quite common in Romancelandia for two lovers to pull away from each other when the going gets tough. More often than not, I want to pull my hair out and scream at them for being so stupid that they can’t find/compromise/discuss an easy solution to their problem. Heden and Sofia also eventually find themselves at such a crossroads, but in this case you can’t help but sympathize and lament with their reasons for contemplating whether or not their relationship can proceed.

He’s an immortal vampyre. She’s a mortal human. She wants to have children which he can never give her. Even if they chose adoption or insemination, Heden would ultimately have to suffer through watching his greatest loves age away and die. Neither Heden nor Sofia wants to cause the other needless pain, or hold onto a fool’s dream for too long. They both realize they’ll have to say goodbye sooner rather than later, and sacrifice this connection which neither expected to be so all-consuming at the outset. There is one scene in particular where they’re preparing for their eventual goodbye, but also trying to push away the sadness by discussing the dream of what their future together could have been. What their children’s names could be. Living in a fantasy even if it only lasts for a moment. Seriously you guys, even now I’m getting teary-eyed!!

I think my heart especially broke for Heden, as we’ve constantly seen him try to find laughter and a bright side to everything in life, but it proves impossible this time. A lifelong bachelor who finally opened his heart to love, only to have it broken from a future that could never be. Or could it?

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

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 5. I love this series so much, and I’m in it for the long haul!

Final Impressions: I must commend Ms. Hefner for still managing to surprise and entertain me 5 books into a series. The drama continues to evolve, the characters always delight, and it’s an emotional journey you never want to end. If I had to nitpick to find a complaint with this read it would be that it was tricky at times to keep all the members of the villainous secret society straight, including their respective motives. The previous four books presented us with one main dastardly villain, and it was always pretty easy to see what he was up to. After his downfall at the end of the last book we’re now presented with a whole new slew of evil-doers, with each one having a unique/difficult-to-remember name. Now, I firmly believe this society of villains led by one particularly nefarious character is well-placed to wreak some immense havoc, but with this first somewhat sporadic introduction to them it was kind of tricky to keep track of ’em all. Overall though, and engaging and emotional read!!

Smut Level: Sofia is hesitant to enter into any kind of sexual relationship with Heden considering that the moments of pleasure within her former relationships have always felt relatively forced and lackluster. Well…Heden isn’t afraid to throw that concern of hers on the floor with the rest of her clothes.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $2.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 291 Pages

The Reluctant Savior by Rebecca Hefner

Just when you thought this paranormal romance series couldn’t get any better, author Rebecca Hefner delivers in the best way possible!

What’s it About? 

Evie, daughter of virtuous Princess Rina and malicious Deamon King Crimeous, is a woman torn in half. The first centuries of her life taught her fervent lessons about pain and suffering. For ages, she suppressed her mother’s noble blood, crafting a reality where she was drifting along, needing no one. Until an ancient prophecy calls to her, possibly creating a purpose for her squalid existence.

Kenden has commanded the Slayer army for a thousand years. Strong, cunning and loyal, he longs for the day when Crimeous has been defeated and he can settle down to build a family. Focused on conquering the Dark Lord, he is stunned when Evie makes a brazen demand that must be fulfilled before she chooses to fight with them.

Although incensed by Evie’s ultimatum, Kenden has never desired a woman more than the flame-haired vixen. Though she stirs his ire, he also has a deep well of compassion for the beauty who suffered so much trauma centuries ago. Together they train, and by night their connection grows, building toward the moment when they will battle her father. But, in the end, Evie has a choice and struggles to espouse righteousness over malevolence. For, when one’s worst fears are exposed, the evil is so much easier to embrace…

First Impressions

I have been waiting for Evie and Kenden’s story since the first book in this series. With each passing novel their chemistry and teasing nature has slowly developed, and my craving for what would inevitably be a complicated relationship between them has continued to grow as well. I’m so pleased to say that this fourth installment of the Etherya’s Earth series does not disappoint, both in terms of the romance between Evie and Kenden, and the final climactic battle between good and evil which we’ve seen building throughout the series.

Vampires and Slayers alike believe that Evie is the fated being to fulfill the ancient prophecy of defeating her evil Deamon father, King Crimeous. She’s hesitant to join their forces, but eventually she identifies the one thing that will finally get her to agree. That would be Kenden. She wants him. He wants her. And yet, he constantly denies them the release they’re both craving, so Evie declares a fantastically delicious ultimatum. She’ll agree to bring down her father, but only if she can get Kenden in her bed. For his part, Kenden believes in monogamy, and giving himself fully to one woman at a time. He refuses to go for a quick tussle between the sheets with Evie, so when she offers her proposition he agrees on one condition. For every time they do the horizontal mambo, Kenden and Evie also have to go out on a date to get to know each other better. You gotta love these two! They both give as good as they get.

Love and Turmoil

I mean, what’s not to love about the premise of these two finally coming together?! With every date, Kenden manages to dig deeper to understanding the complicated character that is Evie. She is the definition of a troubled heroine. One with a painful past and a darkness within her that is constantly trying to take over. As these two strong-willed characters spend more time together, Evie discovers that her attraction to Kenden isn’t merely grounded in the physical, but rather he represents a calming figure whom she can identify and enjoy spending time with. Both within and outside of the bedroom. However, amidst this pull she feels towards Kenden, we also witness a deep inner turmoil which is constantly threatening to force the two apart.

As we mentioned, Evie is a troubled character, possibly even more so than her brother who was the focus of the third novel. Whereas he experienced some brief moments of affection from their mother during his childhood, by the time Evie came along her mother was completely broken from the constant abuse of Crimeous. She has never known love, but rather only heartache, pain, torture, and rape. Her blood runs with that of her evil father, which makes Evie think she’s not worthy of anyone’s love. But Kenden can recognize the soft side to her nature, and refuses to give up on her. The more he inserts himself in her life, the more she falls for him, but also the more she tries to convince herself that he’s merely trying to win her over so she’ll fight on their side in the upcoming battle against evil. The constant turmoil these characters face in terms of loving, yet also questioning each other, was a fascinating give and take you can’t possibly turn away from.

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

Series: Etherya’s Earth, book 4. Imagine my utter shock and surprise to discover that this won’t be the last we’ll see of this series! The epilogue provides us with a set-up for a fifth book, and I am so excited to continue on with this series. Definitely some of the best novels I’ve had the pleasure of reading in 2019.

Final Impressions: A stellar read from start to finish. You’re constantly wondering if Evie will ultimately give into the dark side of her personality, and if she does whether or not Kenden will succeed in bringing her back to the light. I absolutely loved the fact that interspersed throughout Kenden and Evie’s tale we caught glimpses of the origin story to Crimeous’ evil past. Something else we saw littered throughout the novel were two side romances involving some of our favorite supporting characters. While I adored these tales, I did question at times how they were interwoven into the overall book, as they sort of distracted us from the main story. Especially considering we’ll have another book in store for us, I wonder if it would have been better to save at least one of these side romances for book 5. Overall though, an incredibly suspenseful tale with amazing characters!

Smut Level: Evie’s ability to remove clothing with her mind proves to be particularly useful in her interactions with Kenden.

Get it on Amazon: Click Here. $3.99 Kindle Price. Reading Goddess Press, LLC. 248 Pages.