LauraD’s review of Seduced by the Storm (ACRO Book 3) by Sydney Croft
Paranormal romance from Delta 28 Jul 08

I’ve read and enjoyed the first two books in Sydney Croft’s ACRO series, so I was quite eager to get my paws on the third installment. While paranormals are usually hit or miss with me, her slightly alternate version of our world, in which there are men and women trained to make use of their extrasensory abilities in extreme areas such as controlling storms, or mind control, is really interesting. Plus, there is usually lots of action and smokin’ hot sex.

Well, I’m not giving anything away by telling you that there is plenty of both in this book. Actually, sex is the hero’s special ability. Hero Wyatt Kennedy works for the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO), and he’s also telekinetic. ACRO has sent him to pursue a machine that they believe can control the weather. Along the way, he encounters Faith Black, to whom he is instantly attracted – not knowing that Faith is also an agent for a different group. Faith is after the weather machine as well; her sister has been kidnapped and the machine is going to be the ransom. They each find themselves playing an undercover role on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, with Faith’s evil ex in possession of the weather machine.

Wyatt is tormented by his past, and boy does he have a past. I’ve got to wonder what kind of bad day the author was having to give a guy this much baggage to haul around. But he does get to have a sex mojo, and that’s gotta be fun. Yes, that is what it’s called in the book. “Sex mojo.” He can attract anyone, give them the best lovin’ they’ve ever had, but they won’t remember him the next day. Which means he is always alone.

Faith is the exception.  After an initial and blistering one-night-stand, she remembers Wyatt and can’t help but fall for him. Faith is dragging around her own suitcase of problems, but is much more in control of her special abilities than Wyatt is. She’s a very strong heroine, but full of secrets, including her sister’s kidnapping.

Seduced by the Storm tries to both tell Faith and Wyatt’s story, and tie up several other ACRO storylines. There is a lot going on in this book, and I found myself going back and re-reading sections to make sure I understood what was exactly was happening at ACRO’s headquarters, or with any of the several couples in play. Different kinds of special abilities, at least two running storylines other than the main one, and appearances by almost every previous character, fill Seduced by the Storm further than I enjoyed.

Wyatt and Faith are a very sexy couple, and the first night they spend together is a page scorcher. Once they realized that they were both agents, working in competition, their relationship turns into a game of emotional and sexual tug-of-war. Wyatt is trying hard to do his job, and Faith is determined to save her sister. Without spoilers it’s hard to give reasons, but I found the HEA a bit unbelievable.

If you’ve been reading the ACRO series, you’ll certainly want this one. Wyatt and Faith may be the main storyline, but you will finally get resolution for Devlin and Oz. Annika and Creed return, and readers may or may not be pleased with where this book leaves them. Of course, there can’t be bad weather without Remy. However, if you haven’t read a Sydney Croft, I’d suggest starting with a different title.

Grade: C+

Blurb: 

They met in a steamy Florida bar-then spent a night of mind-bending passion. Two secret agents who each possess unique telekinetic gifts-and whose combined sexual powers leave neither of them unscathed. For ex-Navy SEAL Wyatt Kennedy, assigned by the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives to the most treacherous mission of his career, the woman in black leather and lace has just become more than a one-night stand. Because Faith Black is the sole barrier to the success of his mission-and not even Wyatt’s legendary seduction skills can penetrate her deep cover.

Faith’s psychic gifts make her one of the world’s most dangerous women-but she hides a secret pain she shares with no one. Until Wyatt. And Faith has an agenda of her own: using her unique powers to save someone close to her-a move that pits her against a man she thought she’d never see again. For as a deadly hurricane is unleashed across the eastern seaboard, desire reignites between Faith and Wyatt, exposing secrets that thrust them both into harm’s way. With the hurricane sweeping closer-and their erotic hunger for each other growing-these two wary hearts must come together to heal, to trust . . . and to harness the power of a storm that could consume everything in its path.

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Limecello’s review of Hot Nights, Dark Desires by Eden Bradley, Sydney Croft, and Stephanie Tyler
Contemporary anthology published by Bantam on 20 May 08

This anthology is hot, sexy, and has an edge, which meshes with its setting – New Orleans. The characters are all interesting and layered, and I enjoyed my introduction to two of the authors.

The Art of Desire by Eden Bradley

Sophie and Tristan have an instant connection, which makes sense because Sophie has a tattoo fetish, and Tristan is a tattoo artist. The two of them embark on a casual affair that quickly spins out of control. However, Sophie and Tristan each have a lot of baggage, which prevents them from truly committing to a relationship. While I enjoyed the writing and the characters, and their stories, it wasn’t my favorite in the anthology. A part of it, I think is that I’m rather indifferent to tattoos, and the story revolves around them. I understand how it made Tristan hot to be “branding” his “woman” – but otherwise, no big deal. Also, Sophie and Tristan both have a lot of guilt, which makes reading this novella something of a downer. Added unto the fact that Sophie feels that most of what she does is a “sin” and has an excess abundance of Catholic guilt, it made for an occasionally difficult read.

Grade: C+

In “The Art of Desire” a sheltered young woman turned on by the idea of getting tattooed dares to make her fantasy a reality. But as her arousing sessions with a dangerously handsome tattoo artist move from the tattoo parlor to the bedroom, they make an impression that’s more than skin deep….

Read an excerpt here.

Shadow Play by Sydney Croft

This novella is part of the ARCO series. Hex can see ghosts, and is a medium – but the catch is that he is only able to see them through the lens of a camera. One lucky thing is that he’s able to capture them on film. Brenna is a super model, who is being haunted by a jealous ghost who has begun blurring her image in all photographs. Again, a match made in heaven. An issue I had, however, was the characters themselves, specifically Brenna. She’s selfish and thoughtless. There are some reasons – she had a difficult past, but I simply didn’t really care for her as a person, which made enjoying her story a little bit more difficult than I would have otherwise.
However, the story is well written, the characters interesting, and I loved the secondary characters. Once Brenna realized what a jerk she was (and sometimes her self deprecating humor helped), I enjoyed the story a lot. The tension, drama, and events all charged and enjoyable.

Grade: B-

In “Shadow Play” an ex-supermodel desperate to revive her career seeks the help of a gorgeous, reclusive photographer with a special gift-and offers him anything he wants in return. The result is a series of erotic positions captured on film-along with a mind-blowing physical connection neither expected….

Read an excerpt here.

Night Vision by Stephanie Tyler

This was my favorite novella in the anthology. Catie has inherited a bar, with a rough and rowdy crowd, which leads her to hire Bat for his services as a cooler. The two are instantly attracted to each other, but they’re running from their past. Both Bat and Catie have roots in the area, and have avoided it for a long time. However, they begin to realize they’re ready to settle down.
Bat and Cat have explosive chemistry, and slowly work through their issues in a very believable, way. In the meantime, they have extremely hot sex, and find out who they are as individuals and what they were looking for. A well written story that I enjoyed reading.

Grade: B+

In “Night Vision” when artist Catie Lanford hires professional cooler Bat Kelly to whip the failing bar she’s recently inherited into shape, she’s not looking for a lover-until she lays eyes on the sexy wild man. Soon they’ve agreed to mix business with pleasure, and Catie discovers that Bat is just what she needs to set her artist’s imagination-and her body-on fire.

Overall Grade: B-

Pleasure comes in threes…

Inspired by the sultry heat and sensual ambiance of New Orleans , this steamy collection delves into the erotic underground of the Big Easy. Here is a tantalizing trio of stories by three rising stars that will tease your imagination-and seduce your senses.

Lush, haunting, and provocative, New Orleans has something to satisfy every desire-as three very lucky women are about to discover.

Abandon your inhibitions and excite your spirit with a gathering of tales that’s as sexy and spicy as the city of New Orleans itself.

Limecello’s review of Unleashing the Storm (ACRO, Book 2) by Sydney Croft
Paranormal romance released by Delta 26 Feb 08

This is the second book in the ACRO series (Agency for Covert Rare Operatives). For some reason I thought it was about two different characters, but I enjoyed it all the same. The characters are unique and creative, and I’m enjoying the books by Sydney Croft.

This book didn’t deal so much with physical storms, as internal ones. As a result, Tom Knight, better known as “Ender,” and Kira Donovan have an interesting time. Kira is a powerful animal psychic, and once a year, she goes into heat. To add yet another layer unto such an inconvenience, if she doesn’t have sex, she’ll die. Tom, is just a jerk.

Tom is sent to find Kira, and convince her to join ARCO. His orders are to recruit her within 48 hours, or kill her. It sounds harsh, but if she doesn’t join the good guys, the threat she provides is too high. The problem is, Kira doesn’t know about Tom’s orders, or how dangerous she really is. I’m mentioning this aspect of the story, because it was a source of frustration for me. It’s used near the end for a dramatic confrontation, but the scene lost some of it’s punch for me because I spent the majority of the book being annoyed by it.

I absolutely loved the second half of the book, and all the secondary characters and their stories. The book is very well written, engaging, and emotional. That being said, let me explain my issues with the first part. Tom and Kira have sex. A lot of sex – but there’s no emotional connection. Not only do they not trust each other, but it seems that they might actively dislike each other. Personally, that was not fun to read. Angry sex is all well and good, but generally that involves two people who have a preexisting emotional connection – they’re just upset at the moment. Kira and Tom, are purely physical.

Once the relationship begins to develop, however, the characters and their personalities emerge as well. The conflict and trials they go through are enthralling, and constantly serve to draw the two of them together. I enjoyed watching how Tom and Kira slowly fell in love. It was also fun once the two of them came into contact with other people, and Ender became possessive. I was amused. It seems confusing, because while with Kira, Tom is Tom, but with others, and back at ARCO, he’s all Ender. Really – read it to find out.

I liked Tom a lot more than Kira. Interesting because, Tom really is cold. Kira, however, annoyed me. She definitely wasn’t a wilting heroine, but she was stubborn, and so set on being independent that she put herself, and others in harm’s way. Personally, I view that as being TSTL as well – just in the opposite direction we’re used to. I can understand why she felt and acted the way to a certain degree – but the result was that it took me a lot longer to get into the book.

I think it’s important to remember this book is the second in a series. I enjoyed reading it, but think I would have enjoyed it less, and gotten rather lost if I hadn’t read the first. The secondary characters and their stories (there are about six of them that are important) have great stories – but they’re really introduced in book one. I liked how well developed the characters were – not just emotionally, but how they had an entire history. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book. And I want Annika and Creed’s story!

Grade: B-

Feel the heat. Hear the roar. The fever has begun.

There’s a storm rising. Electricity crackles in the air. For Kira Donovan, it’s that time of year again: when the need floods her flesh, when almost any man-the bigger and the stronger the better-will do. For Kira, an animal psychic, the heat is a matter of life and death, and this year it has come at just the right time. Tom Knight, a natural born predator, has arrived at her isolated Idaho farm-for reasons all his own…

At first Kira isn’t interested in Knight’s motives. She only needs him-his body, his hands, his scent. But soon, through a daze of desire and distrust, Kira discovers Knight’s world-the world of a covert operative, one man among dozens of secret agents waging an astonishing global war. Knight’s mission is to bring Kira–kicking and screaming if necessary–into the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives and harness her extraordinary gift. He never expected the powerful emotions she would ignite in him, or the fierce desire to keep her safe from harm. For as darkness gathers around them, Kira is feeling the heat once again, leading them both on a wild ride of delicious thrills…and terror beyond imagining.

Read an excerpt here.

To read all the posts and reviews about this book and others in the series, click on the ACRO Series tag below.

Seduced by the Storm by Sydney Croft     **29 JULY 2008**

This is the 3rd book in the ACRO series! We have reviews for both books (hint: click on the tag that sez Sydney Croft). I ::hear:: this cover. Is it not the most?! Book sounds grand.  Read on for the blurb and an excerpt…

     Danger is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

     They met in a steamy Florida bar—then spent a night of mind-bending passion. Two secret agents who each possess unique telekinetic gifts—and whose combined sexual powers leave neither of them unscathed. For ex–Navy SEAL Wyatt Kennedy, assigned by the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives to the most treacherous mission of his career, the woman in black leather and lace has just become more than a one-night stand. Because Faith Black is the sole barrier to the success of his mission—and not even Wyatt’s legendary seduction skills can penetrate her deep cover.

     Faith’s psychic gifts make her one of the world’s most dangerous women—but she hides a secret pain she shares with no one. Until Wyatt. And Faith has an agenda of her own: using her unique powers to save someone close to her—a move that pits her against a man she thought she’d never see again. For as a deadly hurricane is unleashed across the eastern seaboard, desire reignites between Faith and Wyatt, exposing secrets that thrust them both into harm’s way. With the hurricane sweeping closer—and their erotic hunger for each other growing—these two wary hearts must come together to heal, to trust . . . and to harness the power of a storm that could consume everything in its path.

E-X-C-E-R-P-T

SEDUCED BY THE STORM

Wyatt did not like Sean Stowe. Didn’t like, didn’t trust and sure, Wyatt could say that about most people but this Sean guy made Wyatt take his non-trust issues to a new level. ACRO had determined that he was a high-ranking Itor agent, but his exact talents remained a mystery.

Didn’t matter. Weather machine was getting taken out today. No exceptions. His escape route was all mapped out, dive equipment ready – and although he’d never heard back from ACRO about the code he’d transmitted, a code that could indicate Itor’s immediate plans for the weather machine, his gut told him that waiting any longer wasn’t a good idea.

He rounded the corner of the dive platform and stopped dead.

Faith Black was standing on the platform – not the safest place to be given that the approaching storm had stirred up the ocean swells just feet below, but he already knew the woman was anything from safe.

He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since he’d kissed her goodnight. Thought about her all the way back to the crap motel room, dreamed about her, jacked off thinking about her in the shower and found himself hard again almost immediately.

Then he’d thought about stopping by her hotel room early this morning, but instead took the early flight to the rig to check things out. Thought about Faith some more. Wished there was some way he could make her remember the sex they’d had.

“Hey,” he called. “You’re too close to the edge.”

She turned on one high booted heel to face him. Hot mama in all leather and shit, the breath sucked right out of him.

Faith, at least, had her mouth partially hanging open too, but she got it together quickly. More so than he did. He was happy in the knowledge that she’d remember nothing beyond their time in the bar, and a little sad as well. None of them ever did. All part of the gift and the curse of the sexual portion of his gift.

“Still running from your ex?” he asked and she smiled, that killer smile she’d used on him last night.

“Not exactly. This is part of my job.”

“You don’t look like a roughneck.”

“You don’t either, but you are,” she countered as she moved away from the edge and closer to him. “As for me, I’m an auditor for the company that owns the platform. Here to check the books.”

“I don’t know too many accountants who wear leather.”

“Glad I could be your first.”

“I hope I’m around next time you need to get away from your ex. Although I sure wish you hadn’t left in such a hurry.”

“You were the one who left my bed – and I don’t remember anything rushed about last night.”

“You remember?”

She bit her bottom lip and he had a hard time not taking her, right here and now against the pipes. “Of course I remember.”

Something was wrong. Really motherfucking wrong.

“Are you trying to play it cool or were you drunk the other night? You didn’t seem it. Do you want me to talk about it – remind you how often we enjoyed each other?”

He blinked and she continued, “In the hot tub, in the shower, again on the bed…”

The thunder, which had been merely a distant rumbling minutes earlier grew louder. More forceful.

As the wind picked up, the platform began to shake and shudder, and Faith held the metal railing behind her for support. Wyatt grabbed the same railing, one hand on either side of her, his body protecting her from the rain that began to fall nearly sideways.

“I don’t want you with other men,” he said suddenly, because whenever he was feeling strongly enough about something those thoughts tended to fly the fuck out of his mouth.

Faith stared at him, again as if he was crazy. Didn’t matter – when his feelings pulled him, he went with it. But before she could answer him, the platform’s alarms began to ring.

“What’s wrong?” Faith asked.

“Could be a blowout,” he said.

“Len’s not coming up!” Don shouted from the upper portion of the platform. “He went down to fix one of the leg floats. He should’ve been up by now – he’ll be out of air soon.”

Len was one of the divers – a job Wyatt would’ve much preferred, and had the training for, thanks to his SEAL days. But being under the water most of the time on this hunk of junk would not be conducive to destroying the weather machine from hell.

“Why the hell was he down there alone?” Wyatt demanded.

“Clarence didn’t feel well. It was calm as shit ten minutes ago – the weather wasn’t supposed to turn like this.”

The way this storm was behaving, it had to be man-made.

Yeah, that weather machine had to go, and soon. But right now, there was a man down and Wyatt had too much training to ever leave a man behind. He knew that no one else on the dive team was going to volunteer to go, either, even though they wanted to. They weren’t rule breakers and refused to go against the foreman most of the time. Pussies.

“I’ll go,” Wyatt said. “Get me a drysuit, fins and a weight belt.”

“You can’t go until we unload the tanks and rebreathers off the supply boat. Give it ten minutes,” Don said.

“He might not have ten minutes.”

“There’s no other choice. He’s too deep.”

“I’ll free dive.”

“Are you fucking insane?”

“Yes,” he said calmly.

He yanked on the equipment Don brought him without further argument and prepped to head into the swirling ocean.

He looked at Faith. “Stay under the deck. Hang on tight – it’s going to be wild.”

“Are you sure you should be doing this on your own?” Faith’s voice held an urgency, let him know she heard what he’d told her about not being with anyone else. And she liked it. “Wyatt, it’s dangerous.”

“So am I, Faith,” he drawled. “So am I.”

Ok I am going to work toward getting all the nifty prizes logged today and we will start giving them out. Some of them will go to random comment in a post with these icons. WHAT icons?

SSE EXCERPT: Dear Santa by Karen Templeton

EXCERPT Part II: Thigh High: Thigh High by Bonnie Edwards

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: The Love Letter by Linda Broday

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: No Time for Love by Phyliss Miranda

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: A Shade of Sunrise by DeWanna Pace

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: Amarillo By Morning by Jodi Thomas

EXCERPT Part III: Thigh High: Twinkle Twinkle Little Thong by Bonnie Edwards

Excerpt from Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife by Michelle Styles
new historical release from Mills & Boone with a UK release in June 2008

Yours, Mine…or Ours is book two in Karen Templeton’s Guys & Daughters series (Dear Santa, Yours, Mine…or Ours? and Baby, I’m Yours)

Excerpt of Taken by the Viking by Michelle Styles, coming 1 May!!
Historical romance released by Harlequin 1 May 2008

Excerpt Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare aka the one to steam the screen

I am missing some and will add them tomorrow (I see Kresley Cole’s aren’t here). More excerpts to come from Lisa Kleypas, Jill Shalvis, Lynne Connolly, Stephanie Tyler, Caroline Linden, HelenKay Dimon, EC Sheedy, Liz Carlyle, Hope Tarr, Lora Leigh, Sabrina Jeffries, Jenna Petersen, Laura Drewry, Sydney Croft, Roxanne St. Claire, Jennifer Estep, Cheryl St.John and many more….

As well as some nifty prizes from t-shirts and books *g*. Some you will have to answer questions from the excerpts and other will be random drawings from the comments.

first recap can be found here

How Flashdance… LOL 

It’s Raining Excerpts!EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: Secrets of Surrender by Madeline HunterEXCERPT Part I: Thigh High: Parlor Games by Bonnie Edwards

EXCERPT: Phantom Pleasures by Julie Leto

EXCERPT Part I: Unlawful Contact
EXCERPT Part II: Unlawful Contact
EXCERPT Part III: Unlawful Contact
EXCERPT Part IV: Unlawful Contact

SSE EXCERPT: Dear Santa by Karen Templeton

EXCERPT Part II: Thigh High: Thigh High by Bonnie Edwards

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: The Love Letter by Linda Broday

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: No Time for Love by Phyliss Miranda

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: A Shade of Sunrise by DeWanna Pace

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: Amarillo By Morning by Jodi Thomas

EXCERPT Part III: Thigh High: Twinkle Twinkle Little Thong by Bonnie Edwards

Excerpt from Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife by Michelle Styles
new historical release from Mills & Boone with a UK release in June 2008

Yours, Mine…or Ours is book two in Karen Templeton’s Guys & Daughters series (Dear Santa, Yours, Mine…or Ours? and Baby, I’m Yours)

Excerpt of Taken by the Viking by Michelle Styles, coming 1 May!!
Historical romance released by Harlequin 1 May 2008

Excerpt Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare aka the one to steam the screen

I am missing some and will add them tomorrow (I see Kresley Cole’s aren’t here). More excerpts to come from Lisa Kleypas, Jill Shalvis, Lynne Connolly, Stephanie Tyler, Caroline Linden, HelenKay Dimon, EC Sheedy, Liz Carlyle, Hope Tarr, Lora Leigh, Sabrina Jeffries, Jenna Petersen, Laura Drewry, Sydney Croft, Roxanne St. Claire, Jennifer Estep, Cheryl St.John and many more….

As well as some nifty prizes from t-shirts and books *g*. Some you will have to answer questions from the excerpts and other will be random drawings from the comments.

Azteclady’s review of Riding the Storm (ACRO Series, Book 1) by Sydney Croft
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Delta 28 Aug 07  

This is the first novel in a series about ACRO, the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives. The series is a mix of erotic romance and adventure and suspense in an alternative universe where the paranormal is not as rare as we might think.

There are a number of intriguing secondary characters, and the world created is complex and compelling, full of possibilities. ACRO seems to be entirely populated by interesting and quirky people whose abilities range from the traditionally psychic (telepaths, telekinesis, foresight, ability to see/hear ghosts) to entirely original gifts.

One such gift is the ability to control the weather.

Haley is a scientist first and foremost, more at home with unexplained weather phenomena than with people in general. She carries some heavy emotional baggage stemming mostly from a frightening episode from her childhood; as a consequence, Haley avoids deep romantic entanglements. She’s definitely not prepared, either professionally or personally, to deal with Remy. The emotional and physical reactions he evokes in her are completely out of her experience.

And yet, she’s supposed to, first, find out whether the rumors about his power over the weather are true, and second, to convince him to trust her and the agency she represents.

For his part, Remy has spent all of his life suffering from stigma caused both by the circumstances of his birth, and by what he considers his curse. He can’t have a romantic relationship, and even friendships haven’t outlasted the bizarre effects his mere presence has on the weather. He’s even forced to leave the SEAL teams because of what Haley refers to as “his gift.”

Things come to a head when the bad guys come calling, ready to recruit Remy by fair means or foul, and ACRO sends its own team of good (and gifted) operatives to save the day.

While I liked Remy and Haley, and was quite intrigued by the other ACRO operatives introduced in this novel, as well as by the great potential for this universe, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had hoped I would. For starters, even if I hadn’t known it beforehand, it would have been clear for me that this is the first installment in a series. Too many characters are introduced, with one secondary plot taking up about as much space as Haley and Remy’s does, and several major conflicts are left unresolved. I expect that at least some of these will be addressed in the next installment, Unleashing the Storm.

I found the abundance and… lets say, speed, of the sex actually distracting to the main plot — but I believe that’s more a personal issue than anything to do with the writing itself. For example, Haley and Remy were having sex enthusiastically, for hours, starting literally minutes after meeting each other, and neither mentions protection of any kind to the other until the following afternoon. My brain kept firing alarm bulletins the entire time I read the chapters up to that. And when they do have that little conversation, it’s basically reduced to Haley saying, “I’m on the pill and I’m healthy” — which left me wondering about Remy. What can I say? Something about STDs won’t let me suspend my disbelief when the two people involved are human.

Finally, I found some of the plot points too shaky once the sex is, metaphorically, taken out. The bad guys are, of course, not Americans (e.g. is there anything more stereotypical than a Russian operative with an accent and named Oksana?), and they are sooooo bad they are almost caricatures. There was a certain inconsistency in the description of some of the gifts shown during the novel, which made it harder for me to suspend my disbelief. Also, the ambiguity of some scenes irritated me more than it intrigued me.

Grade: C+

Read Alicia’s review here, and Gwen’s review here.

Book summary:

     A storm’s rage. A woman’s desire. A man with the power to set them both free.

     He can summon lightning at will. Emerge unscathed from the center of a tornado. Strip a woman down to her barest defenses through the force of his sexuality. He’s gorgeous, dangerous, and the target of parameteorologist Haley Holmes’ latest mission. Haley has been dispatched to the Louisiana bayous to investigate the phenomenon known as Remy Begnaud—a man with a gift he never wanted: the ability to control a storm’s fury. But even a woman trained in bizarre weather phenomena has no defense against the electrifying power of the ex-Navy SEAL… a power his enemies would kill to control.

     With her agency monitoring their every move, Haley’s job is to seduce Remy, gain his trust—and help him harness his extraordinary gift. But who will protect her from this voracious lover who’s introducing her to a new world of erotic thrills—a man who grows increasingly insatiable with each new weather event? Haley knows a big storm is approaching—and with it will come unexpected delights. But so, too, will the storm unleash her greatest fears: an enemy bent on destroying Remy. And her worst fear of all—falling in love with this magnificent man, then having to betray him.

     Read an excerpt.

Alicia Thomas’s review of Unleashing the Storm (ACRO Series, Book 2) by Sydney Croft
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Delta 26 Feb 08

This book is the second in a series about a secret agency called ACRO. You can read my review of the first book, Riding the Storm, here. Since the first book was one of my top reads last year I had to read the second one.

Kira Donovan is a tough woman. She’s had to be. She’s pretty balanced considering her life, though. Besides being able to talk to animals an having some animal traits (like the heat season every year) she’s a pretty normal woman.

Tom Knight, known as Ender, is an assassin and a loner. He is supposed to bring Kira in to ACRO. The enemy wants to use her as a bridge between animals and humans to create biological weapons. So, Ender has to keep her out of enemy hands. He has to bring her in or he has to kill her.

In spite of the hero having orders to possibly kill the heroine, this book is lighter than Riding the Storm. This is partly due to the theme being communicating with animals rather than awe inducing weather. It is also partly due to the heroine being so sweet and innocent. Not sexually, of course, and yeah, I said she’s tough but she’s straight forward and basically just good.

But I said light-er, not light. The nature of ACRO means there will be darkness in the corners. The secondary characters and secondary story lines are all pretty dark and intense.

Very sexy with good characters and a fast moving plot but lacking some of the intensity of the first book.

Grade: B

From the back cover:

     Feel the heat. Hear the roar. The fever has begun.

     There’s a storm rising. Electricity crackles in the air. For Kira Donovan, it’s that time of year again: when the need floods her flesh, when almost any man-the bigger and the stronger the better-will do. For Kira, an animal psychic, the heat is a matter of life and death, and this year it has come at just the right time. Tom Knight, a natural born predator, has arrived at her isolated Idaho farm-for reasons all his own…

     At first Kira isn’t interested in Knight’s motives. She only needs him-his body, his hands, his scent. But soon, through a daze of desire and distrust, Kira discovers Knight’s world-the world of a covert operative, one man among dozens of secret agents waging an astonishing global war. Knight’s mission is to bring Kira–kicking and screaming if necessary–into the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives and harness her extraordinary gift. He never expected the powerful emotions she would ignite in him, or the fierce desire to keep her safe from harm. For as darkness gathers around them, Kira is feeling the heat once again, leading them both on a wild ride of delicious thrills…and terror beyond imagining.

     Read an excerpt.

Read Alicia’s review and Gwen’s review of Book 1, Riding the Storm.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of Riding the Storm (ACRO Series, Book 1) by Sydney Croft
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Delta 28 Aug 07

Alicia gave this an A- review.  You could say I didn’t like it quite that much.

The hero, Remy, and his abilities are presented interestingly and they’re uniquely described. He is a suitably tortured hero and is appealing. Haley not so much. I also didn’t like their dialog, what there was of it. For example, toward the end of the book, Haley says, “I need you too, Remy. With you, I can be so much more than a meteorologist.” WHAT? LOL I don’t know why, but that just struck me as an idiotic thing to say at that moment. The rest of the Remy/Haley story felt iterative – like I’ve read it before again and again. I was more interested in Creed and Annika’s relationship, and Del and Oz’s.

This was a good book. Not a great book, but it shows promise for the next in the series. There was too much boinking for me to take it too seriously (gads – did that sentence come out of my keyboard?), and some of the secondary characters were flat. Also, I didn’t like the way the men didn’t always act in character – it felt like they were written by a woman who doesn’t understand men, let alone military men, very well. Plus I think I already know who the mole is – bummer.

I can recommend this book if you’re a fan of supernatural ability books, or if you’re looking for a hot read and find it on the used books shelf.

Grade: C-

Blurb:

     A storm’s rage. A woman’s desire.  A man with the power to set them both free.

     He can summon lightning at will. Emerge unscathed from the center of a tornado. Strip a woman down to her barest defenses through the sheer force of his sexuality. He’s gorgeous, dangerous, and the target of parameteorologist Haley Holmes’s latest mission. Haley has been dispatched to the Louisiana bayous to investigate the phenomenon known as Remy Begnaud – a man with a gift he never wanted: the ability to control a storm’s fury. But even a woman trained in bizarre weather phenomena has no defense against the electrifying power of the ex-Navy SEAL…a power his enemies would kill to control.

     With her agency monitoring their every move, Haley’s job is to seduce Remy, gain his trust – and help him harness his extraordinary gift. But who will protect her from this voracious lover who’s introducing her to a new world of erotic thrills – a man who grows increasingly insatiable with each new weather event? Haley knows a big storm is approaching – and with it will come unexpected delights. But so, too, will the storm unleash her greatest fears: an enemy bent on destroying Remy. And her worst fear of all – falling in love with this magnificent man, then having to betray him.

     Read an excerpt.

Alicia’s review of Riding the Storm (ACRO Series, Book 1) by Sydney Croft
Paranormal romance released by Delta Trade Paperback 28 Aug 07

I went into this book pretty blind.  Sybil gave me some books and said, “These need to be reviewed, do any interest you?”  When I read the blurb, this one sounded good and I just dove right in.  The story is so good, I had to double check that it is an erotic title.  Believe me, it is erotic, but it in no way sacrifices quality authorship.

This book is the first in a series about a secret agency called Agency for Covert Rare Operatives, or ACRO.  This agency is a para-military organization that finds and trains people with rare, special abilities.  They have psychics, telekinetics, mediums, people who control or release energies, all kinds of cool stuff.  Very X-Men, very well done and very fun!

Remy is a tortured hero but he isn’t cold hearted.  He’s not one of those heroes you almost hate until he redeems himself near the end of the book.  I felt for him the whole way.  His character held through the book.  His choices and actions rang true to the end.

Haley isn’t quite as well drawn.  For example, it says that she has never liked military men, instead preferring the corporate suit types.  But, even if she has strong feminist feelings, she doesn’t come across as a fem-dom.  So she would have wanted a man she could respect… and she, knowing what went into military life from personal experience, would have respected military men more than suits.  But I still liked Haley.  She’s a strong woman but not unbelievably so.  She’s very real-feeling in the way she struggles to face bizarre circumstances.

I loved the storms!  The weather and its effect on the characters is so well written that I felt tlike I was there.  This was a big draw for me to read the book in the first place.  DH and I stood outside during parts of Hurricane Rita because we just loved the passion of the storm. This book captures this beautifully!  And Remy and Haley do all the things I wish I’d been able to do.  Yummy!

Now for what I read at the end… The author, Syndey Croft is actually a team!  The books are a collaborative effort between Stephanie Tyler and Larissa Ione.  I’d never have guessed from reading the book.  How they can make such a wonderful, cohesive finished product amazes me.  I can’t believe I have to wait for the next book (March 2008)!

Grade: A-

Blurb:

     A storm’s rage. A woman’s desire.  A man with the power to set them both free.

     He can summon lightning at will. Emerge unscathed from the center of a tornado. Strip a woman down to her barest defenses through the sheer force of his sexuality. He’s gorgeous, dangerous, and the target of parameteorologist Haley Holmes’s latest mission. Haley has been dispatched to the Louisiana bayous to investigate the phenomenon known as Remy Begnaud – a man with a gift he never wanted: the ability to control a storm’s fury. But even a woman trained in bizarre weather phenomena has no defense against the electrifying power of the ex-Navy SEAL… a power his enemies would kill to control.

     With her agency monitoring their every move, Haley’s job is to seduce Remy, gain his trust-and help him harness his extraordinary gift. But who will protect her from this voracious lover who’s introducing her to a new world of erotic thrills-a man who grows increasingly insatiable with each new weather event? Haley knows a big storm is approaching and with it will come unexpected delights. But so, too, will the storm unleash her greatest fears: an enemy bent on destroying Remy. And her worst fear of all–falling in love with this magnificent man, then having to betray him.

     Read an excerpt.