Veena’s review of Lord of the Abyss (Royal House of Shadows, Book 4) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Harlequin Nocturne 15 Nov 11

The Royal House of Shadows is the story of the “Elden” kingdom, which sounds like paradise ruled by a good and wise king and a beautiful queen with four beautiful and highly magical children.  They came to the notice of a terrible blood sorcerer who coveted this piece of heaven and conquered, then killed the King and Queen. At the final moment the Queen was able to perform magic that scattered and hid the four children in different corners of the world until it was time to re-claim the kingdom from the sorcerer.

Lord of the Abyss is the story of Micah, the youngest child who was 5 at the time of these events. At that time when the Queen cast her spell, the sorcerer also cast a counter-spell  which caused Micah to forget who he is, even his name.  He ended up in the realm between the living and dead and guardian of the Abyss where evildoers are cast into the abyss.  He is a fearful creature who is almost entirely encased in black armor, but his heart and mind retains the honor, goodness, and purity which was instilled in him during his five years with his family.

Liliana is the daughter of the blood sorcerer and who has a core of goodness which no evil act of her father has been able to erase. She has been raised on stories of the Elden family and wants to find Micah to help him regain his memories, restore the Royal House, and rid the Elden Kingdom of the evil that her father has perpetrated.  She manages to make her way to the realm which Micah rules and romances him with stories about his childhood to restore his memories. Micah falls in love with Liliana since she has the ability to see beyond the beast to the prince.

Nalini Singh’s imagination creates some fantastical creatures both on the good and evil side as Micah and Lily rebuff attacks by the sorcerer and make their way to Elden by midnight of the 20th year to reclaim the kingdom for good.  Each sibling’s story is written by different authors, and I have not read the other three, but since this is the final book in the series, I feel that the story would have been enhanced by having the siblings together at the end reclaiming their kingdom together and celebrating their reunion.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Veena’s review of Artistic Vision (Gray Court, Book 3) by Dana Marie Bell
Paranormal Romance published by Samhain 22 Nov 11

“The child of Dunne will one day perform an act that will change our world,” prophesied the seer.

Is Shane Joloun Dunne this child of prophecy? He’s a talented artist who sees visions, possibilities of the future which he shapes into sculptures made of precious and semi-precious metals, jewels, and glass which he conjures from the earth using his magical abilities.

Akane Russo is the daughter of the seer and a dragon. She lost her father as a baby and has been brought up by her mother, who has not been able to give her the family that she craves.  She becomes one of Robin’s blades, a sort of secret service agent working for the Gray Court.  She meets Shane when she is assigned to guard him and fights her attraction to him as he teases, irritates, and tantalizes her with small meaningful gestures like hot chocolate, family love, and relationships.  However, one night she is fed “gold” in a drink that acts as an aphrodisiac, and like a homing pigeon she heads back to Shane where she marks him as her mate.

In the Gray Court series, Dana Marie Bell has painted a fictional world which consists of fae, vampires, dragons, brownies, leprechauns, and all manner of mythical creatures good and evil.  There is a white Queen Gloriana, a Gray court with a high King Oberon and a black queen.   There are evil plots and magical creatures, interesting battles which provide the background for the passion and humor which form the core of the developing relationship between Shane and Akane.

This is Book 3 in the series, and the author has done an excellent job of developing the characters from the previous books, including the other members of the Dunne family who have been featured in Books 1 and 2.  Also well developed is the character of Robin Goodfellow, who’s the primary character in the next book.  I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to Robin’s story.

Grade: A

Summary:

Desire is the raw material. Lust is the spark…and love will sculpt their destiny.

Akane Russo, one of the Hob’s top Blades, can’t wait for her current assignment to end. She’s been tasked with
protecting Sidhe hybrid Shane Dunne from the Malmayne clan’s scheme to kidnap him once again. But no one—not
even her Seer half—warned her she’d have to protect herself from his heated gaze. Or that her dragon half would find
him an irresistible puzzle.

Shane knew his destined bride would never come to him willingly, but she’s stuck with him and he plans to use her
predicament to his advantage. It’s only a matter of time before she succumbs to what they both want. Their Claiming will
be beautiful beyond even his wildest imaginings—and his wild, free dragoness will finally see herself as he sees her.

Then his unique, hybrid-borne visions reveal a new danger. The prophecy of the Child of Dunne can only be fulfilled
down a path he must travel alone. To a place so dark and dangerous that not even his truebond’s flame may be bright
enough to lead him home.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Janet Webb‘s review of The Devilish Montague (Rebellious Sons, Book 2) by Patricia Rice
Historical Romance published by Signet 5 Jul 11

One of my favourite tropes is the marriage of convenience. Patricia Rice’s new historical novel, The Devilish Montague, part of the Rebellious Sons series, is right up my alley! I inhaled the book like a pint of smooth French vanilla ice cream, but my review got a tad sidetracked because of a certain royal tour of North America that was followed by a country-rocking scandal in the UK followed by this and followed by that (choose an excuse: debt ceiling, financial meltdown, going on vacation, heading to a wedding…).

My shelves are groaning with Out Of Print (OOP) Regencies, and one of the stars of the panoply is Patricia Rice. A few hallmarks of her style – humorous introspection from both the heroine and the hero, a respect for the mores of the time, and unforgettable animals. And always a story that draws in the reader because they care about the protagonists. The Devilish Montague has all this in abundance, plus an intriguing continuing story a la Eloisa James (I’m referring to the taut and sizzling interchanges between Lady Isabell Belden and Lord Quentin Hoyt – they had better get their own book). One of my pet peeves is starting a book and realizing that it’s the second or third in a series and I’m lost. That doesn’t happen here – yes, it is the second in the Rebellious Sons series, but, although you meet the couple from the first book, it’s entirely natural and believable, much like the friendship between the gentlemen of the Burgundy Club in Miranda Neville’s continuing series.

Let me set the stage ~ Blake and Jocelyn are in a pickle. They both need money to pursue the dreams closest to their hearts, Jocelyn to feel safe and return to Carrington House, her childhood home, thus giving stability to her younger brother Richard; Blake to shake off the family curse and to be allowed to continue code cracking in Europe. Underestimated by others, they misjudge each other, but their growing acquaintance leads to lust, longing, and eventually a loving appreciation of each other’s idiosyncrasies. Jocelyn is manipulative, observant, and possessed of great emotional intelligence. I also very much like her older friend and mentor, Lady Belden, the relict of a marquess, who lovingly yet sensibly presented Jocelyn with her choices:

… now that you have my late husband’s bequest, you have choices. I will not hurry you into a decision that will affect the rest of your life. If your family comes first, so be it. But your social flair would be an asset for so many men, and even if you do not marry, I’m sure you could find other means of employing your talents. Why, your eye for choosing just the right fabrics and ribbons could make you an arbiter of fashion!

It’s lovely to read a book where a heroine’s choices are considered sensibly and without passion and heat. Jocelyn has grown up in a hard school where survival has meant deflecting attention from herself and getting her own way has required navigating surreptitious channels. Part of Blake’s appeal to her is that “his worth lay in his intellect, not in his pockets”. He intrigues her.

She must admit that he is a handsome, if formidable, figure of a man—not one easily manipulated by the deceptive smiles and beguiling ways she’d learned to employ.

Rice’s characters, in my experience, are not mealy-mouthed. They may dissemble, but their usual inclination is to be forthright. This book is no exception. I won’t distract you with a long segue about why a salty-tongued parrot is a pivotal member of the cast of characters. Just take my word for it. Jocelyn steals Percy, the parrot, and persuades Blake to take care of him.

“You are not normal, you know that?” he asked, warily taking the box, which muffled Percy’s protests. “Women do not marry for birds.”

“Most men do not marry to get themselves killed, either,” she said cheerfully. “We must get to know each other … Consider this preliminary negotiations to see if we will suit.”

And, of course, they do suit. They become engaged but with few illusions on either side. Unfortunately, Jocelyn’s tortured relationship with her eeeeeeevil half-brother Harold results in him demanding 400 pounds from her before she marries in order for him to relinquish guardianship of her brother Richard. Still with me? Jocelyn will do anything to take care of her younger brother, even spend the money that Blake is counting on, her dowry, so that he can pay his way back to the war on the continent. Every book needs a conflict or two to be conquered on the path to an HEA, and Jocelyn’s deception will be their first. Even so, when Blake physically removes Harold from her presence (before their marriage), Jocelyn realizes that in her finance she may have found a champion. Blake sloughs off her praise and appreciation.

“Blowhards and bullies are not worth the trouble,” her gallant knight said dismissively.

She’d accept this as a sign that Mr. Montague would protect her and hers, even after he learned of her deception.

Before they marry, Jocelyn is thrilled to be courted by Blake, even when she receives a scarcely legible note, “Picnic tomorrow? Noon. Best, Montague.” Even so, when they marry Jocelyn is a bundle of nerves, because she is worried about what her husband will think and do when he realizes that he has been deceived and that she has no ready cash. Marriages of convenience that aren’t convenient for one of the partners are particularly interesting. Their wedding night is proceeding along intensely exciting lines when they hear a frantic cry just outside the door. It’s Richard, her brother, suddenly arrived on her doorstep. So no consummation, and then Blake finds out the next day from his wife’s banker that there are no funds. Can this fledgling marriage be saved?

Blake confronts his wife and they actually talk. There is no miscommunication or continuing secrets. Their journey to love sees them each solving each other’s most besetting problems. What’s sexier than a man demanding that you talk with him? A husband who admires your smarts, even if they’re different from his? I may be using modern language, but the characters’ talents are rooted in their time. Jocelyn specializes in people and Blake solves puzzles. Emotions, though, are timeless and Rice makes the reader believe in her characters and what makes them tick.

Reading a book that reinforces the transformational power of love is a special experience. Sink into The Devilish Montague and revisit the first flush of love. Patricia Rice will have you remembering that love can enhance and enlarge every aspect of your life.

“Love is a kind of madness, is it not? I love and adore you, but I will never be the             clever, obedient sort of wife you wish.”

Briefly, Blake closed his eyes and let her declaration sink in. Love had been a smothering emotion until Jocelyn entered his life. Now, he could see the freedom it offered.

“`Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds,’” he quoted, leaning over to kiss the upper curve of her lip. “Why would I be so dunderheaded as to wish to change anything about you?”

And perhaps a cliché, but I wouldn’t change a word of The Devilish Montague. Enjoy Patricia Rice at the top of her form.

Grade: A

Summary:

All Blake Montague wants is to save Europe from a tyrant. But as the penniless youngest son of a baron, he needs a marriage of convenience to provide the money he requires for a military commission. Then he meets a blonde beauty who can fulfill all his needs-especially those satisfied by a wife…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Gen’s Review of Heartbreak Creek (Runaway Brides, Book 1) by Kaki Warner
Historical Western Romance published by Berkley Trade 5 Jul 11

I absolutely love Kaki Warner’s Heartbreak Creek, the first book in her Runaway Brides series. But as all romance readers know, you’re supposed to show, not tell.  So let me show you how much I love Heartbreak Creek instead: Once I finished, I went and bought Kaki Warner’s Blood Rose trilogy.  And preordered Colorado Dawn, the next Runaway Brides title.  Kaki Warner is now an auto buy for me.

After the ruin of the Civil War, Edwina knows there’s nothing left for her in Louisiana.  When the bank takes her family home, she heads out to the wilds of Colorado to be a mail order bride to one Declan Brodie, dragging her half-sister, Pru, along.  Declan doesn’t want love or even companionship in this marriage.  All he wants is a strong farm wife who’ll cook his meals, clean his house, and keep his kids in line.

The problem is, Ed’s a Southern belle who doesn’t know the first thing about housekeeping.  All she knows is how to flirt and sew.  And sarcasm.  She definitely knows sarcasm.  To make matters worse, the Arapaho responsible for the death of Declan’s first wife is now threatening his entire family.

At its heart this a story about relationships, specifically Ed’s developing relationship with Declan, and her evolving relationship with Pru.  And I have to say how much I adore Pru, the result of a relationship between Ed’s father and one of his slaves.  Writing about race needs to straddle that fine line between being authentic to the period, while also making your characters sympathetic, and Ms. Warner does an exceptional job here.  Ed’s and Pru’s characters and relationship ring so true to me, yet they are also firmly rooted in their time and place.  (Pru’s last name is a perfect example of this.)  I do wish there were some scenes from Pru’s point of view, but I’m guessing (and fervently hoping) that we’ll have Pru’s book as well.  Watching Ed grow into her role as a wife, mother, and frontierswoman is a treat, and her painful but necessary disaffection with Pru saddened me as well.

Declan is a great hero for Ed, a strong, silent type who’s secretly a teddy bear underneath it all.  His struggle to do right by his family, both of his wives, and pretty much everyone in the book really touched me.  I also love the twin themes of his phobia and the villian’s phobia.  The objects of their fears are such simple things, but in the end prove to be serious Achilles’ heels for both.

But perhaps the best parts of the book are the humor and the sincere love of the West and the frontier that are threaded thorough out the story.  I like that the ravages that mining could inflict on a place and the necessity of the railroad for the survival of small towns in the West are touched on but not belabored. Ms. Warner’s unique voice really shines through, and I enjoyed every page.  I’m looking forward to the  rest of the Runaway Brides.  Especially Pru!

Grade: A+

See Sandy M’s review here.

Summary:

Honest, hard-working widower, age thirty-
three, seeks sturdy English-speaking
woman to help with mountain ranch and
four children.  Drinkers, whores, and
gamblers need not apply.

Not very romantic, but after one disastrous marriage, widowed Edwina Ladoux isn’t looking for romance.  What she wants is safety for herself and her
half-sister, and a way out of the war torn South, even if she has to offer herself up as a mail order bride to a stranger a thousand miles away in the Colorado Rockies.  But she hadn’t reckoned on Declan Brodie.

Declan’s first wife ran off with a gambler and was later killed by Indians.  He has no desire to saddle himself with another—and her mulatto “traveling companion”.  But his children need a mother, and he needs help to keep his mountain ranch running, and the proxy papers are already signed.  But there’s something odd about those two.  A connection he doesn’t quite understand.  But at least the companion can cook.

What starts as a marriage of convenience between a southern princess and an overworked rancher-sometimes-sheriff, soon becomes a battle of wills, then a grudging respect, and finally a side-by-side struggle to rebuild the ranch after a vicious Indian attack.  But just as things are starting to looking up again, and Declan and Ed begin to explore their feelings for each other, Declan’s first wife returns and an old enemy out for revenge threatens to destroy the family.  It all comes to a head high atop an abandoned mine platform, where Edwina fights as she never has before, and Declan faces his greatest fear in order to save his
daughter and the woman he has grown to love.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Di’s review of Untamed Rogue, Scandalous Mistress by Bronywn Scott
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Historical 1 Jul 10

If ever a couple were made for each other, it would have to be Aurora Calhoun and Crispin Ramsden, from their first kiss just after meeting to their last one. These two very independent individuals spend a great deal of time learning they can work together. Neither is after love and commitment, but it just seems to be falling in place without either of them realizing.

Aurora is making it on her own as a horse breeder/trainer and also providing a riding school for ladies. With the backing of the Earl’s wife, hence the Earl himself, the success of her stables is assured. Yet there is always at least one egotistical joker who can’t respect or endure the right for a woman to succeed on her own. With trouble under foot at her stables, Crispin walks a fine line trying to be a supportive and helpful gentleman without undermining her responsibilities.

Crispin, the Earl’s brother, comes home from his government position to settle an estate he’s inherited from his Aunt. He has no intention of keeping the property and is looking forward to his next assignment. He had once dreamed of owning his own stables, but his desire for adventure has won him over. It does not stop him from being very impressed with the Calhoun stables and its lovely owner, who thinks he kisses better than he sits a horse. Having much to prove to the beautiful Miss Calhoun, he insinuates himself into her daily life and discovers a villain after her and her stables.

I just love this story. It’s very refreshing after all the other stories of conflict between the couples themselves. Our heroine and hero find themselves pulling together, fighting other greater issues than love and sexual tension.

Once more I started reading at the end of a series. I now have to backtrack to Crispin’s brother Peyton’s story, The Earl’s Forbidden Ward, and his other brother Paine, Notorious Rake, Innocent Lady. I look forward to more of Bronywn Scott’s highly romantic and sensual tales.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Self-made Miss Aurora Calhoun has always possessed an uncommon amount of sense when it comes to men. However, within minutes of colliding with Lord Ramsden’s carriage, she finds herself kissing the incorrigible rogue! Crispin Ramsden feels restrained by the shackles of his unwanted inheritance. Especially when he is faced with a woman whose impetuous nature ignites a passion that is as uncontrollable as it is scandalous! Society is rocked by this outrageous couple. Can these two wild hearts find a place to belong?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Di’s review of She’s the One (Tulanes of Tennessee, Book 5) by Kay Stockham
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin SuperRomance 16 Mar 10

Alexandra Tulane is a successful travel magazine writer and photographer.  A far cry from the typical resorts and spas she reviews, Deadwood Mountain Lodge is in the back country of Alaska with breathtaking scenery. She finds her destination a rustic “man’s” lodge packed with charm, not to mention the charismatic distractions of the owner’s son and his little boy.

Complete with the reluctance of the pilot trying to discourage her from even getting on the plane and with her journalist curiosity always getting the best of her, she continually finds herself on Dylan’s bad side. What parent would not want a professional portrait of their child? With her heart going out to the lost man and his troubled son, Colt, Alexandra starts to question her own desires.

Alexandra sees her job as the means to stay away from a loving family consisting of four brothers who are happily married and she struggles with a mother’s matchmaking whenever she is home, so she plans to stay away for the Thanksgiving holiday, extending her stay in Alaska with the help of Dylan as her tour guide.

Dylan, hiding from his past, is not ready or willing to let his haven be disturbed.  The safety of his traumatized son is his main concern. His father’s recent heart attack is another reason to insure a quiet existence in the wilds of Alaska.

He has no clue just how fast his well being is going to change due to Alex’s undercover assignment.  Dylan thinks Alex has come to the lodge to take photos, having no clue that she is a travel writer for Traveling Single or what her article could do to jeopardize the peace and solitude he has established for himself and his son. With his scarred past and hands warring with the progress his son is making due to the presence of Alexandra, he fears his heart is in an emotional state in jeopardy.

This is a great read with a surprising ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot twist Ms. Stockham included that I did not see coming at all. Yes, I know in a romance novel the heroine always gets her man, but I really was impressed with the storyline.

Now I have to read the other adventures of the Tulanes of Tennessee. I am sorry I started with the last of this miniseries, but I am so intrigued I will read the others.

Grade: A

Summary:

Undercover travel writer Alexandra Tulane wonders if maybe she’s in way over her head. A men’s hunting and fishing retreat in the wilds of Alaska? Not exactly her stylish scene. Fortunately, there’s plenty of breathtaking scenery…including good-looking bush pilot Dylan Bower.

Despite the magnetic attraction between them, however, Alexandra is everything Dylan is not–she’s a rover, always looking for the next adventure. For Dylan, the scars of the past run deep. He’s hidden himself and his silent son in an isolated haven for their protection. Yet Alexandra engages both of them and soon they’re under her spell. This–she–feels so good Dylan doesn’t want it to end. So how can he convince her to stay?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Dawna’s review of A Highlander’s Destiny (Daughters of the Glen, Book 5) by Melissa Mayhue
Time Travel Romance published by Pocket 29 Dec 09

There are good things and bad things about reading one of Melissa Mayhue’s stories.  The good part is I am totally enamored with her Daughters of the Glen series.  The bad part: I don’t get anything else done once I pick up one of her books.  I knew A Highlander’s Destiny was going to be a winner the instant I went to three different bookstore locations to hunt it down and they were all sold out.  I wasn’t disappointed once I got my hands on my own copy.

Jesse Coryell is another descendant of the Fae.  He’s a tough guy and takes his work seriously.  Jesse doesn’t believe in fate and when his little niece tells him it’s time to find his destiny, he chalks it up to her wild imagination.  But somehow “destiny” keeps popping up one way or another, and when he sees an email from a potential client whose name just happens to be Destiny, he is drawn to help her.

Destiny Noble wants nothing more than to find her younger sister.  Leah is all she has after being abandoned by everyone she has ever cared about.   The police have declared her sister a runaway, but Destiny doesn’t believe that for an instant.  Her visions have shown her the truth.  They’ve also led her to Coryell Enterprises and the man destined to help her in her quest.

Together, Jesse and Destiny must race against time to save Leah from the Naudians.  Destiny will do anything to get her sister back.  But when her feelings for Jesse come to a head, she has to choose between her love for Jesse or saving her sister.

A Highlander’s Destiny is an absolute must read.  I absolutely fell in love with the characters and found myself cheering them along.  There is so much at stake for these two.  Ms. Mayhue does a superb job of drawing you in and captivating you with this story.  She works true magic with her words.

Grade: A+

Read Sandy M’s review here.

Summary:

JESSE CORYELL is a man adrift in life, searching for his destiny. He doesn’t trust women; too many have chased him for his money and power. He’s tried to lose himself in his work, taking on the worst mankind has to offer, but as a Guardian and Fae descendent, what he really needs is to find his true love. When he sets out to help a mysterious woman find her sister, what he gets is
much more than he bargained for, battling an undeniable attraction to his sexy new client while fighting to save her life and rescue her sister.

DESTINY NOBLE is desperately searching for her missing kid sister. Not even her own attempted abduction will stop her in her quest. Abandoned by everyone she’s ever loved, losing Leah is the last straw. Authorities have declared the girl a runaway, but Destiny knows better. Her dreams have shown her the truth. They’ve also shown her Jesse.

Jesse and Destiny race against time to save an innocent girl from a powerful ancient evil. Will true love be their only weapon or will they each sacrifice their own destiny in the process?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Dawna’s Review of Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole
Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 20 May 08

Kresley Cole has done it again with her Immortals After Dark Series.  An absolute page turner, Dark Desires  After Dusk is the fifth installment in this series and a treasure all on its own.

They call him the king maker, but for centuries Cadeon Woede has been unable to help his brother reclaim their kingdom.  He has lived in misery and shame for nine hundred years.

Finally he has found the one woman who can make him whole.  He’s obsessed with her from the moment he set eyes on her, but he’s forbidden to take her as his own because she is human. He has vowed to secretly watch over and protect his female from afar.

Holly Ashwin suffers from a little thing called OCD.  She never suspected she was anything other than human, but when she is thrust into a world of lore and encounters a sexy demon willing to protect her, her normal world is tossed upside down.

When Cadeon finds out Holly is half Valkarie and the vessel he is searching for, he realizes two things: one, he can finally have her and, two, if he wants to get his brother’s crown back and save the people of his kingdom, he will have to give her up to an evil sorcerer who has forged the only sword that can kill Omort and free Rothkalina.  But first he will have to gain her trust.

I am an absolute fan of Kresley Cole, and this is now one of my favorite tales.  What can I say — I’m always a sucker for a tortured hero and tough heroine.  Ms. Cole does a superb job of engaging her reader.  I found myself sympathizing with the characters and holding my breath to find out what happens next.

You will have to read for yourself to find out if Cadeon is truly able to betray Holly’s trust and forsake her.  I recommend you pick this book up, along with the others in her series.  You won’t be disappointed.  Dark Desires After Dusk is definitely another keeper for me.

Grade: A+

Summary:

A ruthless demon mercenary. A lovely young halfling.
In the dark, he’ll find her.
A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can’t resist…

Cade of the rage demons will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.
A tormented warrior she should fear, but can’t deny…

Raised as a human, Holly Ashwin never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon’s wicked touch.
Surrender to dark desires…

Yet just when he earns Holly’s trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs—and claim his heart?

Read an excerpt.

Other Books in this Series:

Sarah’s review of His Woman by Diana Cosby
Historical Romance published by Zebra 1 Dec 08

Through the wonderful world of Facebook, I learned of Ms. Cosby’s MacGruder Brothers series. Her website boasts ‘Romance Edged With Danger’ and I must say, like her daring Highlanders, Ms. Cosby delivers full force.

His Woman is the second book in the MacGruder Brothers series. Ms. Cosby weaves captivating Scottish history and an alluring epic romance story into a powerful, page-turning masterpiece.

Duncan MacGruder is a man tormented when he agrees to a dying friend’s request. Bound by honor, Duncan is loath to face the fiery Isabel Adair, a woman he hasn’t seen since she broke their betrothal and his heart to warm the bed of his enemy, the Earl of Frayser.

Despite her betrayals, Duncan is pulled to Isabel like the tide to the shore.

Embroiled in an intricate web of deceit and high-intensity danger, Duncan and Isabel’s passions are rekindled amidst the backdrop of a turbulent medieval Scotland. The lovers join forces in a race against time to save Isabel’s father from Longshanks’ gallows.

But is their love strong enough to withstand the haunting secrets of the past and an enemy bent on revenge?

With Duncan MacGruder, Ms. Cosby has captured the epitome of the Highlander warrior female readers long for. Rugged, handsome, and a lethal combination of sensuality and brawn, Duncan is a man to lust over. With her winsome looks and empowering strength, Isabel Adair is the perfect match for such a gallant warrior. The combination of two such intriguing characters equates for a gripping story full of thrilling twists and turns and most importantly a passion to envy.

Ms. Cosby’s remarkable gift of vivid imagery, appealing characters, and spellbinding suspense makes His Woman a must-read book.

Grade: A+

Summary:

TRUSTING HER WAS UNTHINKABLE

Lady Isabel Adair is the last woman Sir Duncan MacGruder wants to see again, much less be obliged to save. Three years ago, Isabel broke their engagement to become the Earl of Frasyer’s mistress, shattering Duncan’s heart and hopes in one painful blow. But Duncan’s promise to Isabel’s dying brother compels him to rescue her from those determined to bring down Scottish rebel Sir William Wallace.

RESISTING HER WAS IMPOSSIBLE

Betraying the man she loved was the only way for Isabel to save her father, but every moment she spends with Duncan reminds her just how much she sacrificed. No one could blame him for despising her, yet Duncan’s misgivings cannot withstand a desire that has grown wilder with time. Now, on a perilous journey through Scotland, two wary lovers must confront both the enemies who will stop at nothing to hunt them down, and the secret legacy that threatens their passion and their lives…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Dawna’s review of Soul Song (Dirk and Steele, Book 6) by Marjorie M. Liu
Paranormal Romance published by Leisure Books 3 Jul 07

I’ve always been told never judge a book by its cover. But when I glanced the sexy man emerging out of the turbulent ocean depths, ready to walk right off the page, I was compelled to pick this book up.  Soul Song by Marjorie M. Liu has a lot more going for it than just its cover art.  She’s created intriguing characters full of depth and a riveting story that will keep you turning pages.

Her hero, M’cal is a tortured merman sent to steal souls for an evil witch.  With a sirens voice he literally sings their souls right out of them.  He’s compelled to do so by order of the witch and has given up all hope of escape until he meets his latest victim, Kitala Bell, a renowned violin player.  The first time he sees her on stage with instrument in hand, her music calls to him.    For some reason he has the power to withstand the witch’s compulsion when it comes to Kitala.  He finds the desire to protect her rather than harm her, but the peril she’s in may threaten both of their souls.

Kitala makes her own kind of magic through her music.  Old Jaz Marie has tried to teach her how to use that magic, but Kitala never paid much attention to her grandmother.  She never wanted to accept the visions of death she saw either, but lately they have become more frequent and when she sees a beautiful woman in her audience with a knife through the eye, she can only do one thing: warn her.  By intervening, Kitala puts her own life at risk and is forced to form a partnership with a beautiful man whose voice can kill, but there is something about M’cal that doesn’t frighten her away.

What I liked best about this book was the fast pace and twists.  You never really know who the bad guy is until the very end.   And Ms Liu even does a good job of making you feel a bit of sympathy for the witch, be it very slight. In my opinion, it takes a good writer to do so.   I recommend this book for anyone who likes a perfect blend fantasy and danger, a sexy merman that can walk on land and a heroine who can hold her own.

I give this book an A because I haven’t found anything quite like it before and it definitely kept me turning pages.

Grade: A

Summary:

Against her will, Kitala Bell foresees the future. But only deaths, and only violent.

Kitala’s own future is in peril. From the ocean’s depths rises an impossible blend of fantasy and danger, a creature whose voice is seduction incarnate, whose song can manipulate lives the way that Kitala herself manipulates the strings of her violin…even to the point of breaking. He is a prince of the sea, an enigma-a captive stretched to the limit of his endurance by a woman intent on using him for the purest evil. And when survival requires he and Kitala form a closer partnership than either has ever known, the price of their bond will threaten not just their lives but the essence of their very souls.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Stacy‘s Guest Review of Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
Contemporary romance hard cover released by St. Martin’s 31 Mar 09

Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy. He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure. But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul. Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms. It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby’s aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister. And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life. With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer.

For those of you who are not familiar with her work, just so you get an idea of how amazing she is, Lisa Kleypas is one of those rare authors who could write poetry on toilet paper and I would gladly shell out good money to buy it. Smooth Talking Stranger is Lisa’s 3rd contemporary, set in Texas, that revolves around the affluent Travis family. STS is Jack Travis’ story.

As the older sister, Ella has always been the more responsible one, even more so than her erratic, selfish mother Candy. Basically taking care of herself and her sister Tara without much parental guidance has left Ella with a few hang-ups, especially when it comes to the relationships in her life. Years later, as an adult with a degree, a job, and a steady boyfriend who has his own idea of what he wants and doesn’t want in a partner, Ella has carved out a satisfactory, if not quite fulfilling, life for herself.

But one day, a bomb is dropped into her lap in the form of an innocent baby boy, and Ella is faced with all kinds of decisions that have utterly foreign and intimidating to her. Yet with resolve and determination, she realizes that the most logical step involves going back to the beginning, and that would involve finding out who the father of this baby actually is.

Ella’s search takes her from Austin to Houston, and into the path of one very impressive and larger-than-life Texas tycoon, Jack Travis. Now tracking Jack down wasn’t so difficult, but getting the opportunity to actually speak with him is quite another story. Besides being a rich playboy and heir to a dynasty, Jack is also a very powerful man in his own right, and not an easy man to get an audience with. But armed with a newborn baby and perseverance, Ella’s not one to give up easily, and manages to catch the attention of the most vital, exciting male she’s ever seen in her entire life.

Despite their dubious first encounter, Ella finds an unlikely ally in Jack, and soon they are working together for the welfare of one tiny baby, and as they grow closer, Ella begins to question some of the choices she’s made in her life, most especially the one about never having children of her own. Little Luke has managed to worm his way into her heart without even having to try, and soon Ella’s every action and consideration is based on what’s in the best interests of this litle boy, no matter how difficult the choices are going to be for her to make.

Jack is fascinated by Ella, as well as incredibly attracted. This unique, independent woman has the physical appearance of a very sexy librarian and some very open and unconventional ideas about commitment, brought on by her upbringing, which vary greatly from his own traditional values on family. A man like Jack is extremely possessive and cannot fathom the idea of sleeping with her and then letting her go back to her boyfriend. That’s just not how he’s programmed, not when he wishes to stake a claim on Ella for himself, drat the stubborn woman. Yet as much as she drives him crazy, he also sees the love she has for Luke, and admires her for taking on such a huge responsibility when she is sure to have her heart broken in the process.

Regardless of what happens between them, Jack is going to help Ella in any way she needs him, that’s one thing he’s perfectly clear on. He may not agree with some of her choices, but when he decides to do something, he follows all the through. Because Jack, being Jack, and I paraphrase his own words from page 228: “…never does anything in half measures, including falling in love.”

My thoughts:

This was a challenging review in the sense that I didn’t wish to include any spoilers about the book, and also because it’s a Kleypas, and my thoughts never seem adequate enough to express the way in which Ms. Kleypas can immediately hook me in with just a few short sentences. “Smooth Talking Stranger” is no exception.

What I love about these stories is that despite the eye-catching and deceptively simple titles, they are so much more than that. When I think of a smooth talking stranger, I’m expecting a heated one-night stand between two good-looking strangers who end up going their separate ways, without regret. But when you dive into these pages, you are getting something so much richer, more poignant and real, and it’s a story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

I’ve read all 3 of Ms. Kleypas’ contemporary novels, which are set in Texas and revolve around the charismatic Travis family, and have found something to love about each one. I will admit that upon my initial read, this was probably my least favorite of all three, but not by much, and it is mainly because I had difficulty warming up to Ella for quite some time. After a quick re-read, I did have to re-evaluate my opinion and give her more credit. I had no problem with Ella being smart and independent and stubborn. In fact those were what made her so compelling when it came to the dynamic in her relationship with Jack, along with her unexpected sense of humor, which I think came from her being a more confident woman in his presence. And instead of melting into his arms and letting him get his way from the get-go, Ella asserted herself and continually kept Jack unsure of where he stood with her. That attitude I could appreciate, especially since she wasn’t doing it because she wished to manipulate him to get her way, but because that’s just the way she was, the way she thought she had to be.

What made it hard for me to initially relate to her was the lack of warmth she emanated at times, except when it came to her feelings for Luke. I understand that Ella had developed a protective shell over time in order to soften the hurt and frustration she experienced at the hands of her family, yet at times she came across as cold, and I didn’t always like her. I tried very hard to rationalize her behavior because of her upbringing, but sometimes you have an affinity towards a character or you don’t, and that’s what ended up happening, at least in the beginning. It took me awhile to just accept her for how she was.

But then she’d have this wonderful conversations with Jack, and she started to open up and she was funny, sometimes vulnerable, and that’s when she became more likable, more human. Some of the things she did or said were out of self-preservation, but when faced with real, solid love from a good man, Ella blossomed. She let herself be, and she was truly a wonderful person. I wanted Ella to find her happiness.

However the real star of the show here is Jack Travis. No doubt about that. Jack is the kind of guy who says what he means, means what he says, and more importantly, follows it all up with action. In fact the main reason I fell in love with him was not because of a bunch of sweet words or sugary compliments. It was because the man “showed” his love. Through his actions, he proved how he felt about Ella beyond what any words could have said. He was her rock, the person she could unequivocally depend upon without thought, and he could say “I love you” more eloquently with a profoundly heartfelt gesture than he ever could with a thousand words. That is the wonder that is Jack Travis. If he doesn’t make your list of top 5 heroes of all-time, I will be sincerely shocked. Nobody makes ‘em like Ms. Kleypas, and I have 25+ years of reading romance to prove it.

So yes, run thee to a bookstore, and grab yourself a copy of this engaging, heartfelt, sexy romance, and let yourself escape to a place where the hero is as unforgettable as the love story. You won’t be sorry.

Grade: A

Summary: 
.
Jack Travis leads the uncomplicated life of a millionaire Texas playboy. He makes no commitments, he loves many women, he lives for pleasure. But no one has ever truly touched his heart or soul. Until one day, a woman appears on his doorstep with fury on her face and a baby in her arms.
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It seems Jack is the father and this woman is the baby’s aunt. The real mother has abandoned the child to her more responsible sister. And now, Jack is being called upon to take responsibility for the first time in his life. With delicious romantic tension, characters so real they walk onto the page and into your heart, Lisa Kleypas delivers the kind of novel that makes you laugh, love; cry and cheer.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Mo‘s guest review of Storm Born (Dark Swan, Book 1) by Richelle Mead
Urban fantasy released by Zebra 1 Aug 08

Eugenie, shaman and demon slayer, has always hated the Gentry (fairies). She was taught from a young age by her stepfather how to kill the Gentry, and she’s killed a lot of them by this point. When the story opens, she is exorcising a demon from a shoe. Seriously. The demon says some weird things and comes on to her, and she has no idea why he would want her sexually, or how he knew her true name.

When she meets a gorgeous man, Kiyo, at a bar, she takes him home and sleeps with him, only to be awakened by a demon in the bedroom, which she must fight off as it tries to assault her. Later she takes on the case of a man whose fifteen-year old sister is trapped in the Otherworld, and Eugenie must cross over to rescue the girl. In the meantime, she is continually fighting off hordes of demons intent on raping her because of an ancient prophesy.

She spends time in the Otherworld with one of the kings, Dorian. He helps to teach her how to control her budding powers so she can defend herself.. She also learns long-buried secrets about her life that she was never meant to find out about. Eugenie also must fight to save her life, because someone is out to assassinate her.

Storm Born was not necessarily bad, but it wasn’t great either. It was just average for me. I didn’t really care for Eugenie’s character and could not understand why she was so attached to Kiyo. I saw the “twists” coming from a mile away, and grew really tired of hearing about demons attempting to rape Eugenie. The world was interesting though, and I am somewhat curious about what will happen next, but I’m certainly not going to rush out to buy the book on its release date. In comparison to the Georgina Kincaid (succubus) series, Storm Born fails to deliver.

Grade: C

Click the here for Shannon C’s review.

Summary:
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Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants.
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Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl’s got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy-one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie’s first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.
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Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne’er-do-well, and the ones who don’t want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her.
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Read an excerpt.

Mo‘s review of Undone (Outcast Season, Book 1) by Rachel Caine
Urban fantasy released by ROC 3 Feb 09

Cassiel, a fallen Djinn, is now in a human body and working for the Wardens. She must partner with one because she cannot produce her own energy and needs to absorb it from a Warden. She is partnered with Manny Rocha, an Earth Warden, and they are attacked by unexplainable forces that are out to get them. Hurricanes, fires, electrical issues, and sandstorms are only some of what they face.

Cassiel ends up taking a road trip with Manny’s brother Luis, and investigating missing children and a creepy place called only “The Ranch”. I think the most disturbing thing there has to be the malicious child army of ‘rejects’. The Ranch is a cult-like compound that is preparing for something that will change the course of humanity. Undone offers no resolution to the storyline, but does reveal the cause of Cassiel’s banishment at the end.

I almost abandoned Undone. For the first twenty pages, Cassiel drove me batty. She was arrogant, rude, and ungrateful. She looked at humans as a commodity and an annoyance, and when she refused to obey an order from a superior, she was punished by being put into a human body. Cassiel did not stop complaining about it, and it was very hard to push past those pages. I had to remind myself that Cassiel was the equivalent of a fallen angel, and that her reactions were understandable, given that she had never truly interacted with or empathized with humanity in the past. It also helped that she started to understand humans and that she discovered hidden truths about herself as well. Over the course of the book, she redeemed herself in my eyes.

I had some difficulty reading the book because I had not read the Weather Warden series and was not familiar with some terminology that went unexplained in the book. I knew that Djinn were like genies, but they seemed to act more like angels to me, so that was confusing. The “aetheric” I believe was referring to Heaven, or some plane of existence not accessible by humans. For a while, I didn’t understand the different types of Wardens, where their powers came from, or what they did with them. None of that information was explained. There were some hints and vague references scattered throughout the book, but never any straightforward explanation.

Overall the book was good. The pace was fast, the action intense and creative, the world colorful and complex. There were some minor sticking points, but I did enjoy the book and am looking forward to the next novel in the series, Unknown.

Grade :B

Summary:
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“I was one of the Old Djinn, the First Djinn, who came before any human walked the earth. I was a spirit of fire and air, and Ashan cast me down to this heavy, crippling flesh…”
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Once she was a powerful Djinn. Then Cassiel defied her ruler, Ashan, who tore her very essence away and reshaped her in human flesh as punishment. Forced to live among mortals, Cassiel has found refuge among the Weather Wardens—whose power she must tap into regularly, or she will die.
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Cassiel earns her keep by assisting the Earth Warden Manny Rocha on his missions—which she finds much easier than coping with the emotions and frailties of her human conditions especially her growing affection for Manny’s brother, Luis. But when Cassiel encounters a malevolent force that threatens the Rocha family, she discovers that her perceived human weaknesses may be her greatest strengths….
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Read an excerpt.

Caroline Linden‘s review of Hidden by Eve Kenin
Science fiction romance released by Shomi 1 Jul 08

Sometimes you come across a book that’s just impossible to accurately describe. Like Eve Kenin’s HIDDEN: “It’s a book set in a post-apocalyptic future, in Siberia…about a woman who was raised in a lab…and there’s a deadly plague that turns people into cannibalistic zombies…and ice pirates…and oh yeah, a rogue scientist who studies philosophy while he tries to save the world.” Screams romance, no? Think again, because this is not only a fabulous read, it’s taut, sexy adventure at its finest.

HIDDEN zooms back to the Northern Wasteland introduced in DRIVEN, the bleak frozen place Earth has become after a series of (probably nuclear) wars. It’s unforgiving and nearly lawless, with pirates and evil masterminds and rebels circling each other in a brutal struggle. Human life has both advanced and regressed, with impressive medical advances balanced against the utter social decay that has pushed large parts of humanity to the edge of survival. Just like the heroine and hero.

Tatiana has been a medical experiment most of her life, raised by computers and subjected to all sorts of procedures that leave her with some seriously enhanced physical abilities. Of course, it’s also left her with little experience of how humans behave and interact. When she finally escapes from the lab, she sets off on a quest to destroy the people who almost destroyed her, Gavin Ward and a scientist called Tolliver. Gavin Ward, she knows where to find; he’s trying to find–and dissect–her just as hard as she’s trying to avoid him. But Tolliver is a mystery, and yet the key to her desperate attempt to stop a debilitating virus, manufactured from her own genetic material, from being unleashed by Ward on his enemies. And yeah, she plans to waste Ward in the process.

Tristan is a rebel, hiding out in the Wastes with a dangerous mission of his own–nothing less than saving the human race. Unlike Tatiana, he’s deeply alive to emotion and empathy, and knows just how much Ward’s plague threatens humanity, even beyond just bringing death and suffering to its victims. When Tristan’s path crosses Tatiana’s, it’s intrigue at first sight for both of them. After spending her entire adolescence locked in a dungeon (oh my God! Can you imagine?!?),Tatiana feels the first pull of sexual attraction in her life, and watching her deal with it, trying to figure out how to be human and a woman, was quite moving. Inside Tatiana’s highly logical, genetically enhanced body beats a very human heart after all. And while Tristan notes her ethereal eyes, silky hair, and tight figure, it’s the almost superhuman way she dispatches two tough ice truckers twice her size that really snares his interest. Unusual girl, he thinks.

Honey, you have no idea.

Can I just say that’s possibly what I loved most about Tristan? His first thought was not how he wanted to get her into bed, it was, “Damn, that girl’s good in a fight.” Tristan’s no fool, and although Tatiana does appeal to his sex drive, the instant respect he has for her was fabulous. He feels responsible for the small band of rebels hiding out with him, and the fact that he doesn’t have to worry about Tatiana–in fact, that he can even lean on her from time to time–puts their relationship ahead of many couples’ (and not just romance novel ones). Also, although the story is weighted more toward action and adventure than most romances, the romance is pitch-perfect between these two warrior souls. When the only way out of a tight spot is a long climb up a laser-shielded elevator shaft, Tatiana is the one better equipped to do it. Tristan not only agrees to this, not only boosts her up so she can get started, he tells her the most important thing: come back to me. Nope, no sweet, tender “I love you,” but a command that nonetheless expresses perfectly how he feels without beating anyone over the head about it.

Because these two are perfect for each other just as they are. There’s no excess emotional outpouring on either side, just a realization that they each want the other at their back. For once the cover illustration is amazingly accurate. And the pacing is relentless, with no wasted scenes. This is a book that you open intending to read a few chapters, and then look up to realize you’ve read the whole thing almost without stopping to breathe. You can’t help cheering for Tristan and Tatiana as they fight what’s worst in humanity, to find–and save–what’s best.

HIDDEN is romance for the adventurous. If you lusted after Han Solo, this book is for you. If you wanted to be out fighting the dragon instead of locked in the ivory tower, this book is for you. It’s DRIVEN with an added philosophical touch, action and adventure with a jolt of red-hot romance.

Grade: Solid gold A

Summary:
Tatiana has honed her genetic gifts to perfection. She can withstand the subzero temperatures of the Northern Waste, read somebody’s mind with the briefest touch, and slice through bone with her bare hands. Which makes her one badass chick, all right. Nothing gets to her. Until she meets Tristan. Villain or ally, she can’t be sure. But one thing she does know: he has gifts too-including the ability to ramp up her heart rate to dangerous levels. But before they can start some chemistry of their own, they have to survive being trapped in an underground lab, hunted by a madman, and exposed to a plague that could destroy mankind.
Read an excerpt here

Liviania‘s guest review of Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night (Immortals After Dark, Book 3) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal romance released by Pocket Star 1 Oct 07

Bowen MacRieve, who got the shaft in the second novel is the hero of the third book in the Immortals After Dark series. Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night begins during the events of No Rest for the Wicked. Bowen traps the witch Mariketa, along with two demons and three witches, in the tomb of the incubi. He realizes too late that the six could not get out on their own and Mariketa now has good reason to hate him. Yet he reacts as if she is his mate; impossible, since his mate Mariah died two centuries ago.

Bowen and Mari are a good match. She’s modern, spunky, and does not put up with his tragic woe-is-me attitude. She’s exactly what he needs to reenter the world of the living. Bowen helps Mari with her powers, particularly by giving her a tie to the real world.

Okay, this is a bit silly, but I get knocked out of the story every time Bowen says the word ‘cockstand.’ Seriously, it doesn’t make me think of an erection. It makes me think of bizarre acrobatics or naughty bicycle modifications. The first time it occurs, Bowen is talking to Mariketa, “And I’d describe the sight as life changing. It’s also made me ponder if a male can have a cockstand that’s so hard, it canna be tamed.”

What does that even mean? I’ve not exactly heard of cockstand taming before. At least the second time it occurred I’d seen the word before. I sure hope it isn’t more common than I think. I’m not sure I can ever assimilate cockstand into my vocabulary. It’s just too much fun to ponder possible meanings. (Or to ponder cockstand taming. That’d be an interesting circus.)

Most of the book is Mari and Bowen getting to know each other as they tromp through the jungle. The House of Witches threatened Bowen if he didn’t return Mari to them by a certain date. Of course, Rydstrom, Cade, and the elves hike with them. There are definitely some scenes to get one excited about Dark Desires After Dusk – Cade is awesome. Actually, so are the other four. They were a good sort with which to get trapped in a tomb of incubi. Their camaraderie with Mari shows as much chemistry as her relationship with Bowen.

Bowen and Mariketa both change for the better due to their love. Bowen loses the desperation that drove him in the Talisman’s Hie and faces the fact he never loved Mariah. Mariketa, like Emma, reaches her potential and faces her destiny. Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night delivers solid romance with quite a bit of action, but also some conversation.

But really, cockstand?

Grade: B+

     Summary:

Her breathless kiss haunts him…

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed — until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible…

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction…

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul — or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

     Read an excerpt.

Click on the Immortals After Dark series tag for more excerpts, more reviews, and more everything on this series.

Marg’s guest review of The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 1) by Julia Quinn
Historical Romance published by Avon 27 May 08

Big sigh…. I just finished reading this book in a day. If I hadn’t had to go to work it would have been quicker, but apparently I don’t get paid to sit around and read.

I have again been reminded of how good Julia Quinn’s historical romances can be. One of the best things about reading one of this author’s better books is she has the ability to write a heartwarming, emotional story without any of the added fripperies so common in historical romances. You know the ones I’m sure. The mad cousin/uncle/stalker who has determined the beautiful young virgin must be theirs. The young virgin who yearns for a life of passion and adventure and will do anything to get it (secret spies anyone?) or the BIG misunderstanding. Those fripperies.

Don’t be mistaken by that statement though. There is plenty of drama throughout this book, mostly in terms of the question of who is the true duke, and what will the implications of that truth be. Along the way we find out what brought Jack to his current life of crime, and for at least one of the characters there is an emotional journey home, to deal with the events of the past. There was a big twist in the tail of this book which was emotionally touching, but did feel a little contrived in some ways.

When the Dowager Duchess of Wyndham and her companion, Grace Eversleigh, are held up by a masked highwayman whilst on the way home from the assembly, there is no way for the three of them to know their lives are about to change in an instant.

For the highwayman, Captain Jack Audley, his life of crime is about to come to an abrupt end, especially if the old lady’s claims are true and he should be the Duke of Wyndham. Jack doesn’t want the title for a number of reasons – one thing he does want however is Grace but if he is the Duke then she knows that he is far above her in the social strata and there can be no future for them.

Grace has been the companion to the extremely crotchety old Dowager for the past five years, having been left a penniless orphan. She is at the beck and call of the Dowager day and night, but she does know that without the position that she has been given in the Wyndham household, her life would have been a lot more unhappy.

As Jack and Grace come together, we are treated to a charming and sweet love story. Not cloyingly sweet, but the right balance of physical attraction, learning to know each other, lots of humour and lots of discreet glances and tender moments. I loved that Jack knew what he wanted, and was prepared to claim it, regardless of what society would think. Beneath his handsome visage, and underneath his flippant tones, there was a column of strength that shone through.

And what of the current Duke? As a man who has been raised to be a Duke, Thomas has a lot to lose. His reactions on being told of the possible loss of the title are not gracious, but then again, it would be unrealistic if they were. Thomas’s story is due out in October, and apparently is told concurrently with the events in this book. I must confess that I do find it a little strange that if the events are told concurrently that the books are not being released a bit closer together.

When reading this book it is impossible to forget that you are reading a Quinn book. All the trademarks are there in the witty dialogue, entertaining characterisations of two relatively normal people and a romantic love story.

Now I will just have to go back to those books I discarded so I could read this as soon as I got it.

Grade B+
You can read Devon’s review here and Lawson’s here. Our first Fly it Forward winner Elyssa Papa’s review is here.

From the back cover:

Will the Real Duke of Wyndham Please Stand Up?

Jack Audley has been a highwayman. A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine… until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she’s not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have…

Read an excerpt here.

Elyssa Papa’s review The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 1) by Julia Quinn
Historical Romance published by Avon 27 May 08

There are great romances and then there are great romances. Julia Quinn’s latest offering, The Lost Duke of Wyndham, is a great romance. What makes it great, you may ask?

Oh, reader, let me count the ways…

1. Meet the heroine: Grace Eversleigh, a companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. This is not a typical too-stupid-to-live-heroine. This one thinks, and she’s rational. Even after their coach is robbed by the delectable hero (see #2), Grace maintains a “grace” under pressure. She knows her lot in life and has accepted that this is her life-even though at times she’s not as happy about it as she may appear.

2. Meet the hero: Jack Audley, highwayman, soldier, charmer, etc. Jack Audley is not your typical Me-Hero, You-Woman. This one knows his charm and uses it to his advantage. Jack is going to have many women swoon at his words… his actions… him. It’s very hard not to fall in love with Jack, especially when he lets his vulnerability show.

3. Conflict: The dowager duchess thinks Jack is the son to her long-lost older son (now deceased) and that would make him the current Duke of Wyndham. Except… there’s Thomas Cavendish, the current Duke of Wyndham. Jack has no desire to be a duke for his own particular reasons, but since it means he can stay in the lovely presence of Grace Eversleigh, he agrees to remain in the dowager’s household.

4. Romance: Need I really go on here? Let’s just say Jack is hot. ‘Nuff said.

My list doesn’t do this book justice. Just know that when you read this book, you will be swept away. Julia Quinn manages to craft a story that not only engages you in what will happen next, but makes you invested in the book. I ended up caring about every single character in this book, even the waspish dowager Duchess of Wyndham. She makes you yearn for Thomas’ story, and she has the best ending I have read in a romance novel to date. Her development of Grace and Jack in the TLDOW is a masterpiece; Julia Quinn is a master chef at writing, and makes many look like mere apprentices.

I judge a book great by this alone: at the end of the story, how did I feel? Julia Quinn’s book made me feel as if I had just taken a long hot bubble bath and eaten a lot of chocolate from the happiness and contentment that was zinging through my body.

You ask… How great is this book? Well, let’s put it this simply:

If Julia Quinn doesn’t win the RITA next year, there will be need for a recount.

Grade: A+

You can read Devon’s review here and Lawson’s here.  Tomorrow we will have another Quinn review from another of our Fly it Forward winners!

From the back cover:

Will the Real Duke of Wyndham Please Stand Up?

Jack Audley has been a highwayman. A soldier. And he has always been a rogue. What he is not, and never wanted to be, is a peer of the realm, responsible for an ancient heritage and the livelihood of hundreds. But when he is recognized as the long-lost son of the House of Wyndham, his carefree life is over. And if his birth proves to be legitimate, then he will find himself with the one title he never wanted: Duke of Wyndham.

Grace Eversleigh has spent the last five years toiling as the companion to the dowager Duchess of Wyndham. It is a thankless job, with very little break from the routine… until Jack Audley lands in her life, all rakish smiles and debonair charm. He is not a man who takes no for an answer, and when she is in his arms, she’s not a woman who wants to say no. But if he is the true duke, then he is the one man she can never have…

Read an excerpt here.

Loonigrrl’s guest review of Grimspace (The Jax Series, Book 1) by Ann Aguirre
Sci-Fi romance released by Ace 26 Feb 08

This book was a very pleasant surprise. Ok, it was more than that. It was awesome. Sure, I enjoy sci-fi just as much as the next Star Trek-Star Wars-Firefly/Serenity-Battlestar Galactica fan.  But when it comes to books, I usually choose to read fantasy or romance. In fact, Grimspace is one of the very few science fiction books that I have absolutely loved.

Sirantha Jax is an extremely compelling heroine. A J-gene carrier and the only survivor of a shipwreck that killed 82 people, Jax is a nearly broken woman when the story begins. Facing charges that may have her thrown in prison, a psych ward, or killed, she barely hesitates when an unlikely hero comes to her rescue.

March, a powerful Psi, is equally damaged, although that’s not immediately apparent. He’s strong, dominant, a little mean, and a little uncivilized. Despite having done some mysteriously monstrous things in his past, he’s completely loyal to those in his care, and would risk his life to save one of his own. Breaking Jax out of jail is just the beginning. March’s and the crew’s ultimate goal is to break the Farwan Corporation’s monopoly on Jumpers and Faster than Light Travel.

Some of the sci-fi details in Aguirre’s world were somewhat challenging concepts about travel, and I just let it go. I accepted that I wasn’t going to totally understand “jumping” and “Grimspace.” And I was ok with that because as integral as jumping is to the story, it’s supposed to be a little complicated. Jumpers can’t even describe the mysteries and the wonder of Grimspace despite devoting their lives, and often losing them, to jumping.

I’m not really sure how to describe Sirantha and March’s relationship, and I can’t do it justice. It’s complicated and it’s not easy. March was all too willing to hate Jax upon first meeting her. Jax, upon realizing March could read her thoughts, was all too quick to bait him. It doesn’t take long for each to realize the other was more than they seemed. Their relationship is simply… fascinating, and actually, quite sweet.

As much as I liked both Sirantha and March, and their complicated love story, I was equally as intrigued by the secondary characters.  All were varied and unique, and entirely real. In fact, one character - an insect-like bounty hunter named Velith, who doesn’t even make an appearance until the very end of the story –  quickly became one of my favorites after just a few pages.

The only aspect of Grimspace that I wasn’t absolutely thrilled about is the ending. It is intense.  Seriously intense, which isn’t a bad thing. However, I just felt like too much was rushed in the last few pages. I also felt like the resolution was a little too tidy. I liked the ending, but after everything that had happened, it felt a little easy.

Regardless, I can definitely recommend Grimspace. Just a warning – it’s told in first-person, which may be jarring for some readers. Please don’t let that dissuade you from checking this out. It’s not just a great sci fi/romance book, it’s a great book. Period.

Grade: A-

From the back cover:

     By all accounts, Sirantha Jax should have burned out years ago…

As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace-a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But then the ship she’s navigating crash-lands, and she’s accused of killing everyone on board. It’s hard for Jax to defend herself: she has no memory of the crash.

Now imprisoned and the subject of a ruthless interrogation, Jax is on the verge of madness. Then a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom-for a price. March needs Jax to help his small band of rogue fighters break the Corp monopoly on interstellar travel-and establish a new breed of jumper.

Jax is only good at one thing-grimspace-and it will eventually kill her. So she may as well have some fun in the meantime…

Read an excerpt.