Lynne Connolly‘s review of Shadowlight by Lynn Viehl
Paranormal Romance released by Onyx 6 Oct 09

I’m a fan of Ms Viehl’s paranormal books. Her previous series ended with “Stay the Night” and was a lead in to this new series.

Jessa is an intelligent heroine, something I love about Ms Viehl’s books. And the hero, Gaven, isn’t a asshat hero. However, the book does take some time to settle down and it didn’t turn into a page-turner until about 100 pages in. I wouldn’t have read on if it had been a new to me author, but I trust Ms Viehl to deliver, and eventually, she did.

The plot, as is usual for her, is complex and there is a large cast of characters. Unfortunately they are all introduced in the first third of the book, and while there’s no confusion between them, it is frustrating to start to immerse yourself in a character’s dilemma, only to find yourself plunged into a different dilemma with a different character.

The big bad is Gennaro, the owner of a multimillion company involved in genetic research. The creatures in this world are infected by a virus, sometimes artificially induced, and Gennaro wants to synthesize this. Jessa touches people and sees their future, reads them. One of the reasons she falls for Gaven is that she can’t read him. I’ve read that trope before, and sometimes wondered why they can’t learn to develop a mental barrier, but it’s handled well here. Jessa wears gloves, X Men style, which works well for her.

I loved the fact that Jessa had loved someone before, someone she remembered with fondness.

I did enjoy meeting Lucan and Samantha again, from the Kyn series (their book is “Dark Need”) and to discover their connection is as strong as ever and that Sam is still working, still strong and her own person.  Their scenes are some of the most romantic in the book.

Because this isn’t what I’d call a romance. There is a strong love story going on here, but it’s not the main focus of the book. There are too many other things going on for that. The story, the multiple viewpoints and the complex plot mean there are other focuses of attention.

But once I was past the first third of the book it settled in nicely for me and I found the read absorbing and enjoyable. Ms Viehl’s prose is lovely, and its well worth reading the book for that alone. Precise, well chosen and never over the top purple.

The character that intrigued me most in this story is the subject of the next book (you get a sneak peek at the end). I’m definitely hooked.

Grade: B

“With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone’s darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn’t know is that a biotech company has discovered her talent and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA. Gaven Matthias is forced to abduct Jessa himself so he can protect her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can’t read. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them to run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover if Matthias is her greatest ally-or her deadliest enemy.”

Gwen’s review of Burning Alive (Sentinel Wars, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Onyx 5 May 09

As any of you who have read my reviews know, I loathe selfish or TSTL characters.  I can forgive the occasional fall off the Smart Wagon into Stupid Land, but I really hate characters that make it a habit to return again and again to the to-stupid-to-live side of the tracks.  And selfish people just suck. 

What I didn’t like about Burning was how often the heroine was sincerely clueless.  I got so frustrated by her that I wanted to slap her around a bit (so I slapped the book). The hero was much more interesting and yummy.

The main romance in Burning is really very nice, even if it is one of those “fated to be” kinds of things.  I enjoyed the complications Butcher introduces, giving the heroine choices.  I also enjoyed the implication that there are motivations within motivations, plots within plots, even within the good guys’ camp.

Burning is an excellent paranormal romance with a very interesting world and story.  I mostly enjoyed the characters – Butcher does a nice job of building the backstory for each.  This promises to be an interesting series with nice romances and good action.

Grade: C

Read other reviews of this by following the book’s tag here.

Summary:

They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes–the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love…

For too long, Helen Day has been haunted by visions of her own death, surrounded by flames as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her across a diner, she attempts to flee–and ends up in the man’s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine.

The instant the Theronai warrior Drake touches Helen, the anguish he has borne for years fades away. He is determined to know why this beautiful, fearful woman has such power over him. The answer lies in his very blood–and in Helen’s as well. For together, they may become more than lovers–they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war–and save Drake’s people…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Running Scared, Book 3 – May 2010

I know you’ve all been saying to yourself, “Self, I have not read any scintillating content from Shannon C. lately. Does she not love us anymore?”

To which the answer is, no. I’ve just been behind on reviewing, and I’ve been kind of underwhelmed by a lot of the romances I’ve picked up.

Still, I did want to post something so you’d know I hadn’t fallen off the face of the planet, so here’s a series of Quick Quack Reviews, covering the stuff I’ve been reading.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Highland Pleasures, Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance released by Leisure Books 28 Apr 09



The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie is one of the few books I’ve read this year in which I felt the hype was even a little justified. The titular Lord Ian MacKenzie has Asperger syndrome, which makes him blunt, socially awkward, and unable to look people in the face. He is drawn to Beth Ackerley, a young widow recently freed from her obligations as a companion to a shrew of an old lady.

Beth is equally drawn to Ian, and soon she’s falling for him.There’s a lot to like here. Ian is a fascinating character, as are the rest of his family. But, surprisingly, I actually liked Beth. Romance heroines are hard to portray well, and I’m rarely pleased with them. But Beth was confident without being brash, knew what she wanted in life, and was interesting in her own right as something other than a foil for Ian.

There is a mystery that doesn’t entirely work for me, and the way in which a feud one character has with the MacKenzies is resolved in a way that didn’t work for me, since it felt a bit too schmaltzy. But this is a unique romance, and I strongly recommend it to fans of historical romance.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family–rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn’t be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them–of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.
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The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He’s also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.
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Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama–an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.
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And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Burning Alive (The Sentinel Wars, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher
Urban Fantasy released by Onyx 5 May 09



Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher isn’t the kind of story I generally go for. It’s one of an increasingly annoying trend of books featuring groups of paranormal alpha men so manly even Chuck Norris would be forced to back down in shame. These guys, of course, fight supernatural creatures, which for some reason nobody ever notices.

As per usual, Drake, our studly manly hero is paired with a woman with all the flavor of wet Kleenex. Helen is good and sweet and gentle, and doesn’t appear to do anything with her life except take her elderly friend Miss Mabel out to dinner. Oh and she’s afraid of fire, having seen a vision of herself burning to death while a man who, coincidentally, looks like our hero, Drake, watches with a smile.

Drake discovers by accident that when he touches Helen, the constant pain he’s endured all his life dissipates, so he basically kidnaps her and throws her into the paranormal world.The setup for this book is so incredibly cheesy, but I can’t help it. I like stuff like this, in moderation. There’s something about a man being literally unable to keep his hands off the object of his desire that gets me every time. But even without my personal biases, I’m not sure I’d recommend this one.

The setup will ring familiar to many paranormal readers, and I really don’t know how many books featuring dull heroines and exaggeratedly alpha men we need. Also, the book is set in the vicinity of where I live, and so there were a few geographical mistakes that wouldn’t detract from the story that I noticed.

Grade: C

Summary:
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There are worse ways to die…
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They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes–the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love…
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For too long, Helen Day has been haunted by visions of her own death, surrounded by flames as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her across a diner, she attempts to flee–and ends up in the man’s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine.
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The instant the Theronai warrior Drake touches Helen, the anguish he has borne for years fades away. He is determined to know why this beautiful, fearful woman has such power over him. The answer lies in his very blood–and in Helen’s as well. For together, they may become more than lovers–they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war–and save Drake’s people…
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Tomorrow by Samantha Kane
Science Fiction Romance released by Ellora’s Cave 22 Apr 09



Tomorrow by Samantha Kane is Ms. Kane’s first foray into science fiction romance. Samantha Kane’s historicals are favorites of mine for their depth of characterization and the fact that she’s one of the few authors that can convince me that any group of two men and one woman belong together. Unfortunately, this story of a bounty hunter, a rebel princess and a space pirate didn’t work at all for me. I think i was first turned off by the names.

Our heroine is Cerise, and one of her men is named Tie. Tie? I dunno, a guy named after an article of men’s clothing is just not doing it for me.The story does have its moments, but there wasn’t really anything unique in the world Ms. Kane is using, and her characters lacked the depth I’ve come to expect. The story also suffered from what felt like an overabundance of sex scenes. Yes, I know this is an erotic romance, but still… Even for that subgenre, there are still times when enough is enough. I’m not sure this is a series I’m going to continue, though if Ms. Kane writes any more historicals, I will buy them right up.

Grade: D+

Summary:
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A Hunters for Hire book.
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What if a beautiful rebel princess, on the run from an evil government, fell in love with the pirate who rescued her and with the bounty hunter who captured her? And what if the pirate and the bounty hunter used to be lovers?
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Princess Cerise Chessienne has the power to enslave men with sex. She’s never used it—until now.
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Regan is the most feared pirate in the galaxy, renowned for two things—his temper and his loyalty to the princess.
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When bounty hunter Tie captures Cerise, he gives in to his desires. Now the two are addicted to sex with each other. Then Cerise leads Tie to his long-lost lover Regan, and Tie realizes that tomorrow—the day he starts his life over—has arrived.
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The Amalgamation wants to execute all three of them. So what are a beautiful princess, a pirate and a philosophical bounty hunter to do? Have amazing sex, of course. And somehow lead the rebellion while avoiding capture.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Strange Attractions by Emma Holly
Erotic Romance published by Berkley 1 Nov 05



Strange Attractions by Emma Holly, on the other hand, gets the balance of eroticism and romance much better. Charity is invited to stay with eccentric physicist BG Grantham and his long-time friend, Eric. In exchange for playing sexual games with the two men, Charity will receive a full scholarship to attend college.

The setup sounds kind of hokey, but in this book, it really works. Ms. Holly creates three-dimensional characters in our three protagonists, and she does a great job of developing the characters during sex. I also liked that this was very much a story of Charity’s self-actualization. I liked the fact that Charity is much more empowered by the end, something that seems all too rare in the romance I’ve read.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Determined not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, high-school dropout and unrepentant heartbreaker Charity Wills is eager to get an education any way she can. When she’s offered a chance to go to college for free, she jumps at it. There’s just one little catch.
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She must travel to the estate of B.G. Grantham, a reclusive physicist who likes to play sex games as exotic as the particles he studies. B.G. is obsessed with the unattainable: the meaning of life, the mysteries of desire, and the thrill of being refused the one thing he craves. Charity has more than enough spirit to provide a challenge-especial with Eric Berne, her sexy “keeper,” to lend a hand . . .
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers, Book 3) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical romance released by Grand Central 19 May 09



To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt is the third book in Hoyt’s Legends of the Four Soldiers series. The first two books were quite entertaining, and I see why Hoyt is well-thought-of in the romance community, because she can write well. This third book, however, is my least favorite in the series. It follows Helen Fitzwilliam, the mistress of a powerful duke, who has fled with her children to the highlands of Scotland, to the castle of Sir Alister Monroe, a scarred war veteran.

What follows is a standard beauty and the beast romance, which follows the conventions of such a story in a predictable way. The predictability doesn’t make for a bad story, but it does make for a less than satisfying one, and I wish the mystery plot had been dragged forward a bit more. This isn’t a bad book, however, and Ms. Hoyt is a talented writer.

Grade C+

Summary:
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CAN A WOUNDED BEAST . . .
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Reclusive Sir Alistair Munroe has hidden in his castle ever since returning from the Colonies, scarred inside and out. But when a mysterious beauty arrives at his door, the passions he’s kept suppressed for years begin to awaken.
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TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST . . .
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Running from past mistakes has taken legendary beauty Helen Fitzwilliam from the luxury of the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle . . . and a job as a housekeeper. Yet Helen is determined to start a new life and she won’t let dust-or a beast of a man-scare her away.
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TO TAME HIS MOST SECRET DESIRES?
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Beneath Helen’s beautiful façade, Alistair finds a courageous and sensual woman. A woman who doesn’t back away from his surliness-or his scars. But just as he begins to believe in true love, Helen’s secret past threatens to tear them apart. Now both Beast and Beauty must fight for the one thing neither believed they could ever find–a happy ever after.
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Truth and Consequences (Hearts of the South, Book 1) by Linda Winfree
Romantic Suspense published by Samhain Publishing 29 Apr 08

Truth and Consequences is the first in Linda Winfree’s Hearts of the South series, which comes highly recommended by many readers. I have to agree with them. Ms. Winfree manages to pack a lot into a rather short novel, and the romance between Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Kathleen and troubled and poor town bad boy Jason is well-executed. We also get to glimpse many of the people whose lives orbit around the main couple. I never felt overwhelmed by the number of characters, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of them.

Grade B+ 

Summary:

When deceit and desire collide, the results can be deadly…
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Book One of the Hearts of the South series.
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For undercover FBI agent Jason Harding, coming face to face with the grown-up version of his adolescent dreams is a nightmare. Kathleen Palmer sees him as a despicably corrupt small-town law officer and a murder suspect. Trapped in a web of his own making, he must see his mission through to the end and bring down the crooked cops who’ve run Haynes County for decades. To do so, he must betray the only family he’s ever known and fight his growing love for Kathleen, a relationship that could get one, or both of them, killed.
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Determined to uncover the truth, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Kathleen struggles with her attraction to the one person who’s awakened her since she buried her heart and emotions in her son’s tiny grave. Listening to her heart could destroy all she has left in life-her career and reputation. When the truth about Jason’s identity surfaces, they both face unimaginable consequences: Jason may lose his life and Kathleen the man she loves.
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Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, violence.
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Read an excerpt here.

Laura J’s review of Casual Hex (The Hex Series, Book 3) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Contemporary Paranormal Romantic Comedy released by Onyx Publishing 3 Mar 09

When I first started reading again, a friend recommended most of the books I picked up. She knew I liked romantic comedies, but for some reason she never told me about Ms. Lewis-Thompson’s nerd books. Nope, I discovered those all on my own. Wandering around the book section at Wally World I saw Nerds Gone Wild, picked it up, read the back cover blurb and threw it in my cart. I started reading it a couple of days later and loved her quirky sense of humor.

I started grabbing any book of hers I could and finally got caught up on the Nerd Series. She became an automatic buy for me and I was really excited when I learned that she would start a new series set in a fictional town in my home state of Indiana. The first book in the series is Over Hexed which was released in 2007, followed a year later by Wild & Hexy. Casual Hex is the third book in this very fun series and I’m really hoping that we will get a few more in this series (even though it looks like she is starting a new series).

Dorcas and Ambrose, are a matchmaking witch and wizard who have been sent to Big Knob, Indiana as punishment for a spell gone wrong. After helping to match two other couples (Sean and Maggie from Over Hexed and Jeremy and Annie from Wild & Hexy) they decide to help shy, plain Jane and somewhat under confident Gwen Dubois find her true love, while they continue to help George the dragon get his golden scales so they can return to their real home in Sedona.

Gwen is the owner of a flower shop in Big Knob and after a “discovery” of a plant by Dorcas and Ambrose she contacts French botanist Jean “Marc” Chevalier. After conversing through emails for several weeks Marc decides to meet Gwen in person and check out this plant. He was going to a conference in Chicago and Big Knob was only a few hours drive from there. They seemed to have hit it off on line and both were hoping that once they met in person the attraction would be the same or even better.

The problem is, unknown to Dorcas and Ambrose, Queen Beryl, Fairy Queen, has ordered her son Prince Leo to Big Knob to show he can be something other than a rich, spoiled, playboy. Prince Leo must help Gwen build up her confidence and help her feel more sexy. If Leo can accomplish this then he will become the ruler of the fairies. He is able to do this (of course after putting the “job” off for a couple of months while he has his fun) by entering into Gwen’s dreams and becoming what he thinks her fantasy man is. He makes love to her in her dreams and while it’s real to him, Gwen awakes thinking she only had a very vivid dream. It freaks her out when her “fantasy” shows up in Big Knob and complicates things a bit with Marc.

I have fallen in love with all the characters of this series, so I won’t go much in to the secondary characters other than saying that Ambrose and Dorcas still continue to be a couple of my very favorite secondary characters. Marc is a fantastic hero and like many of Ms. Lewis Thompson’s heroes he’s both nerdy and sexy and it works. He falls somewhere between an Alpha and Beta hero. His flaw is he is a bit overprotective of his sister trying to push her in a direction he thinks best, which Gwen helps him to recognize and fix. Gwen is a bit of a nerd herself and lacks confidence in herself. She doesn’t believe in anything that is not black and white.

A secondary hero is the fairy prince Leo. While Leo may help Gwen with her confidence a little she sure does a number on his, but Leo needs this as he is a bit full of himself.

While I’m really hoping for more Hex books, it seems as if this may be the last one. Ms. Lewis Thompson has a new series coming in February 2010, Blonde With a Wand (and a second one in March 2010, Chick With a Charm -YAY! for not having to wait too long between books) that will have Dorcas and Ambrose helping others find their true loves. This wasn’t my favorite of the three (that goes to Over Hexed), but I still really enjoyed it.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Gwen Dubois lives in Indiana, but her heart is in France with Marc Chevalier. Now he’s come to Big Knob to show Gwen the real meaning of amour and coax her back to Paris. But stiff competition is coming from another part of the world, if not exactly this world. Prince Leo of the Atwood fairy kingdom has his own plans for Gwen.
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As Marc and Leo battle for Gwen’s affections, Big Knob’s resident matchmaking witch and wizard move in to help true love triumph in the best way they know how: with a little magic. But when the rivalry puts Gwen in danger, the men in her life are asked to prove their love in ways no one could have imagined.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lynne C‘s review of Stay The Night (The Darkyn, Book 7) by Lynn Viehl
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Onyx 6 Jan 09

I’ve been a long-time fan of the Kyn books, after discovering the first one in a hospital shelf. It almost made it worth going in!

Now Stay The Night is the last one in the Kyn books, although a new series starts later in the year set in the Kyndred universe, so I suspect it’s to reboot the series and maybe start a new series-length arc.

However, this entry isn’t without its faults. There’s a big gap at the beginning, when we miss Chris and Rob’s first night together. She decides to stay, and then it’s fade to the morning. In this case it’s an important lack, because we never really get to understand the link between the two, which, we’re told, is forged by their first explosive night. Since there are some explicit scenes later (including an m/m one) I don’t really understand the omission.

It’s great to see Alex and Michael again, and to read the end of their story arc but although I was rooting for Robin and Chris, I never really got their link. I wasn’t interested in them as a couple, although I loved their separate characters, as first introduced, Robin as lawbreaker, Chris as FBI upholder. But she never reconciles her first thoughts, that she can’t be with someone who breaks the law. Somehow “I love you” seemed to make up for it all, and I’m afraid I don’t buy it. I really would have liked to see more of Robin and Chris together, interacting and learning about each other.

The story is excellent, but it doesn’t read as an “end of series, everybody happy” book, so I expect the next entry, which is slated as a new series, is really the continuation. I really wanted more of John in this book, after the revelations of the last one, so I hope he’ll feature in the next story. I have a feeling John and one other character will feature as a central couple soon.

When she is writing action and plot, Viehl is one of the best, with a sarcastic edge that never runs into the snarky. However I didn’t appreciate the cutting of one POV to another at critical points in the story. It just annoyed me to switch from one of Alexandra’s revelations to a completely different part, rather than heightening the tension, but this is Ms Viehl’s style, so I guess I will live with it, since her writing style is so good otherwise.

I love the way she travesties all the “my lords” and deference by having the newcomers like Alex and Chris ignore or send it up, and the way the older lords accept it. Her immortals are how I imagine people who live many lifetimes to be – somehow apart and different, not always au fait with the times. It works much better than the shallow, modern concepts you can find in other paranormals. I can’t believe in an immortal hero who loves AC/DC but never listens to classical music, for instance, which, after all, was the pop music of another time. Veihl never does this, and she gives her immortals the perception of someone who has lived long but not always prospered.

The high council segments could have been boring, but thanks to a new plot development were anything but. Viehl makes us feel with Alex, the ennui at attending a high-powered conference as a spare wheel, and her delight at being offered something useful to do, then her horror when she sees what it is.

On the whole, I found it a good read, although the characters of Robin and Chris were underdeveloped. A lot of paranormal romance authors are moving into urban fantasy, where the romance is less important, and Viehl, could be one author who would do this well. I’ll certainly be there for the next book, whatever she offers.

Note – I don’t read the Stardoc books, although I keep meaning to. Very few SF authors hold much for me, I’m afraid (except for Linnea Sinclair, who got me hooked early on and continues to hold me in her thrall). But I will give these a go, one day.

One thing from the blurb – Chris’s name isn’t Christina. That’s quite important, as Rob spends a lot of the story trying to find out what Chris is short for.

A B for this one as a great story, but C- for the romance. So I think we’ll settle on an overall…

Grade: B-

Read reviews and info for books in this series by following the series tag.

Blurb:
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Outlaw, immortal vampire, and art thief, Darkyn Lord Robin of Locksley has evaded authorities for the last 700 years. At the moment, he’s falling for undercover federal agent Christina Renshaw, who has no time for an affair. She hopes to snag an elusive art thief, but soon has no choice other than to join forces with Robin.
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When the chase becomes dangerous, both will have to choose between losing each other and losing everything they value…
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of So Enchanting by Connie Brockway
Historical Romance released by Onyx 3 Feb 09

I’m a relatively new Connie Brockway fan. In the last couple of years I’ve read her McClairen’s Isle and The Rose Hunter trilogies and enjoyed all those books immensely. Now, I’ve not yet read her contemporaries, so this new book isn’t the “coming home” for me like it is for many of you.  No never mind for me, though, because I had one heck of a good time being enchanted by just about everything in this book.

The best part of this book for me is the main characters. Greyson and Fanny are alike in so many ways while their beliefs concerning magic and the paranormal are as wide as the ocean.  Even they don’t know if what is between them will be able to span that chasm to bring them and keep them together, even despite the love that neither of them really truly believes in anymore.

Grey has made a career out of debunking con artists and charlatans who prey on the grief and emotions of those who have lost loved ones.  He had watched his father year after year be taken by such thieves.  This is his way of making sure it doesn’t happen to as many other people and families as he can. One such instance is what leads him to a young woman who draws him to her and he can’t fathom why.  Perhaps her look of innocence, her beauty, her fear at being caught; but it doesn’t matter because he can’t abide what she’s done.

All her life she’s been different from everyone else.  Her rapport with animals is something that has taken everyone Fanny’s loved from her over the years, but she thought she’d found the one person who loved her for who and what she is.  He’d only duped her into believing he wanted her, but it was only her magic he needed to help him further his schemes and lies.  After escaping unscathed when her husband’s deceits were revealed by Greyson Sheffield, Fanny has lived the past six years in the small hamlet of Little Firkin in the Highlands of Scotland. A place where she’s finally been normal as a companion to a young girl who’s thought to be a witch, though Fanny knows better.

But when Amelie’s life is threatened by an unknown person, it is Grey who is sent to investigate and Fanny’s world collides with his once more.  This time, however, there is something different between them.  A something they both try to deny, especially Grey, because he just knows Fanny is running some kind of con again, and he’s determined to find out what it is. They both fight their attraction to the other, and it’s not until things take on a more dangerous turn than anyone could imagine that their desires overtake their good sense.  Grey lets his guard down and goes with his feelings for the first time in a very long while, only to find out he should have known better.

It took a bit for Grey to grow on me.  He’s so dispassionate in the beginning, except when it comes to exposing the culprits he’s after, that I thought at first I may not like him all that much. But once Fanny worms her way under his skin even the tiniest bit, it’s wonderful to watch him hesitate, stare, stumble, stutter, all of which are very unlike him.  And he attains a sense of humor to replace his ever-present sarcasm and cynicism.  It’s interesting to watch them both learn how alike they are in certain aspects of their life.  While I liked the Amelie/Hayden part of the story, I found myself wanting their scenes to be over to get back to Grey and Fanny, they both intrigued me that much, made me laugh more than I anticipated, and made me wish they’d had another love scene after their raw and magical night together.

Other secondary characters are fun and eccentric, and there’s a couple of twists thrown in to keep you on your toes.  The only thing I would have liked to have seen more decisively is Grey experiencing Fanny’s gift  in a more in-depth way, but that’s not all that much to quibble over considering what I did get.

Grade: A-

Summary:

The Scottish hamlet of Little Firkin has one important industry: the guardianship of Amelie Chase, a witchling banished by the ton for her alleged supernatural powers, and entrusted by her benefactor to Fanny Walcott. But the scheme is hitting a snag: Little Firkin is cramping Amelie’s style, anonymous notes are threatening her life, and now, two handsome travelers arrive with tantalizing links to the pasts of both women. And what’s happening in Little Firkin is so enchanting, it’s going to take a leap of faith to believe it.

Read an excerpt.

LauraJ’s review of Wild & Hexy by Vicki Lewis Thompson.
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Onyx on 3 Jun 08

After reading Over Hexed, I have been anxiously awaiting this sequel. I mean I was actually stalking Border’s waiting for this book to be on the shelves. Sad, I know. But while I was excited for this book to come out I was also just a wee bit nervous because I loved the first one and I was really hoping that I wouldn’t be disappointed that this one wouldn’t measure up. Fortunately, not only did this book measure up but, to me, it surpassed my expectations.

In this very funny sequel to Over Hexed, Ms Thompson take us back to the fictional town of Big Knob, Indiana. Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell are matchmaking witch and wizard who were banned because of spell gone wrong. They are stuck here until they are able to help George earn his golden scales. So while there here they might as well use their spare time to help the residents find their true love. In this book they set their sights on helping Jeremy Dunstan, a shy computer nerd lacking in confidence and former Dairy Queen Annie Winston find true love. What Jeremy needs to win Annie is a boost to his confidence and Annie needs a reason to return to something she thought she wanted to away from, small town life and Dorcas and Ambrose are ready to make Jeremy and Annie’s dreams come true.

What I love so much about Ms Thompson’s stories are how she is able to create such fun, quirky and likable characters. In some books there are characters that overpower the main characters, but that is not so in Ms. Thompson’s books. All the characters compliment each other and add to the main characters. From Ambrose to tooling around in his leather chaps and jacket on his motor scooter to Dee Dee a lonely lake monster to some cheating poker playing raccoons. She also brings back some familiar characters from the first book and introduces us to some new characters and one in particular I’m looking forward to seeing more of in the next book.

To me books are suppose to entertain and this one certainly did that. I laughed so many times through out this book. The only thing that I can say about the book that I didn’t like was the teaser at the end for the next book, Casual Hex. I wanted more and I don’t want to wait until February of 2009.

Grade: A

Read my review of Over Hexed here.

Summary:

When the bewitched…

After gaining twenty pounds, former Dairy Queen Annie Winston dreads going back to Big Knob, Indiana. But Annie hasn’t changed half as much as her hometown has ever since Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell moved in. former matchmakers for witches and wizards, they’re plying their unconventional trade for humans, and they have the perfect match for Annie.

…meets the bewildered.

Shy computer whiz Jeremy Dunstan secretly lusted after Annie when they were teens, but he never had the courage to pursue her. Now he’s got a second chance–if only something could help him unleash his wild side. But that’s the kind of impossible transformation that requires self-confidence and fortitude…and maybe a little hex.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Laura J’s review of Over Hexed by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Onyx Publishing 2 Oct 07

As you all know, I love the funnay stuff. So a couple of years ago when a friend showed me one of Ms Thompson’s books, I said sure I’ll give her a try. I am so glad I did. I have read all of her Nerd books and have been trying to locate as many of her backlists books as I can find. It’s a pretty funny sight to see a grown woman at a flea market getting a little excited when she locates one.

In her latest release, Ms. Thompson takes us to the fictional town of Big Knob, Indiana named because of a rocky cropping that looks phallic. This small town is where witches Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell are banished after using an “untested potion” to help the High Wizard’s brother in law that failed in a sense. They are required to stay their until they are able to straighten out George the dragon who lives in a nearby forest.

Sean Madigan is the the town hottie, which he is quite tired of. He can’t go anywhere without woman throwing themselves at him. When Dorcas and Ambrose offer to help make him less attractive in exchange for them building them a particular style of bench, he agrees. This seems to work well until Maggie Grady shows up in town to scout out a location for a new grocery store and hopefully save her career. Unfortunately that location is the same one that Sean hopes to purchase and one that was once his childhood home. Not only is Maggie trying to take away the home he wants to buy, but he is extremely attracted to her and not looking exactly like himself. Sean needs to find a way to get his childhood home and win the girl of his dreams and all with a bad haircut and ugly glasses.

Over Hexed is the first in the Hex Series and I hope many more to come (Wild & Hexy will be released in June 2008) . I love the characters and I really enjoyed the change from nerd to hunk hero to hunk hero to nerd. While I was reading this book (the first time, I’ve read it twice now) I kept trying to come up with who should play the parts if this book was ever made into a movie (yeah, I know I’m a real dork, but in my defense this would make a great movie).

Sean is adorable. He’s a good guy who only wants people to see him for more than his good looks and this made him even more endearing to me. The scene when he “rescues” Maggie was funny and tender at the same time. I think all girls want to be rescued by a “knight” at sometime in their lives and Sean was a true knight.

Maggie is a warm and tender person who is tired of being taken advantage of. Someone has be sabotaging her scouting locations allowing the competition to beat her out great locations for the company she works for. She wants desperately to prove that she is good at her job and finally has that opportunity. She could have easily gained the property by making an immediate offer on the property or through underhanded means, but instead she takes Sean’s feelings into consideration. I liked her immediately for not taking the low road.

Dorcas and Ambrose. Well let’s just say I am really looking forward to what they conjure up next.

If you missed this book when it first came out you still have time before the second one comes out. It was a fun, romantic story with great characters and lots of laughs that I highly recommend you pick up if you haven’t already.

Grade: A

     Summary:

     The secret to happiness is a good hex life.

     Banished. Until their unconventional techniques landed them in hot water, Dorcas and Ambrose were the matchmaking sex therapists for lovelorn witches and wizards. The Grand High Wizard has exiled them to the very conventional and unmagical town of Big Knob, Indiana, Pop. 947. But that doesn’t mean they’ve given up matchmaking…

     Now they’re doing it for mere mortals-although all agree: Sean Madigan is something of a god. Because he’s tired of being the town sex object, Dorcas and Ambrose strip him of his appeal and then introduce him to his destiny, Maggie Grady. This time winning a girl’s heart won’t be so easy for Sean. It means rediscovering the charms buried beneath a gorgeous surface.

     Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of Silent Run by Barbara Freethy
Romantic Suspense released by Onyx 4 Mar 08

This is the second novel I have read by Barbara Freethy and despite the slow, very slow start and amnesia plot I was very happy to have Silent Fall to start when I closed this book. Sarah Tucker doesn’t know who she is, that she had a baby or why in the world she would have left a perfect man like Jake Sanders.

And really Sarah doesn’t want to know more about this person she seems to be because the more we learn about her the more rotten she seems to have been. Her life was nothing more but lies, smoke and mirrors. And Jake… not so much. Even though he isn’t a nice guy when we met him. He has been running after Sarah for a while and he doesn’t her back, he wants his child. The baby she can’t remember, the child that is lost and could be dead for all they both know.

I really want to tell you more about Silent Run but I can’t – see “amnesia plot”. If you can make it past the really slow start and get out of the hospital and see the Sarah and Jake together searching for their daughter. You will grow to like them because you will learn they didn’t really know each other before and I am afraid I can’t say more but must be silent.

Grade: B

     RUNNING SCARED

     A woman wakes in a hospital bed with no idea of who she is. Her memory is gone, her baby missing. All she has is the gripping certainty that she is in mortal danger. Then a handsome, angry stranger barges in and makes a terrible accusation. He was her lover–and her child’s father–until she disappeared seven months ago.

     RUNNING BLIND

     Jake Sanders swore he’d never forgive Sarah Tucker, but he isn’t about to let her get away again–especially not with his daughter still missing. If he has any chance of recovering his baby, he must help the woman who betrayed him retrieve the pieces of her shattered memory–without letting his feelings get in the way.

     RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES

     Haunted by troubling flashes of memory, Sarah begins to realize she’s lived a life of lies. Now, a relentless killer is closing in on her, determined to make her pay for the sins of her past. Sarah and Jake must put their trust in each other to defeat an enemy who is hot on their heels and closing in fast.

     Read an excerpt.