Loved Him to Death, Book 2: Omos of the Ether Freya’s Bower

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Author: K.M. Frontain
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

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WOW!

BUY IT, LOVE IT.

I’M SPEECHLESS.

 

(Wilga says: And that doesn’t happen very often…)

Edge of Sanity Book 2 Freya’s Bower

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Author: Jamie Hill
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

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The saga continues…

Joss and Jake continue to search the house for the source of the spooky noises that invade Joss’ house in the middle of the night. During their search, they find a loose board in the ceiling, which leads up into the attic. Climbing up onto an ottoman and gaining entrance, Joss and Jake find a grisly discovery…

The fact that the house is obviously not haunted is highly apparent once they discover their grisly find isn’t as grisly as they first suspected. Who put the ‘find’ in the attic? And why? Jake plans to find out, and discusses the options with Joss.

Jake and Joss have dinner together. Their attraction has grown further, and Joss goes back to Jake’s house for an evening of carnal delights.

Looking forward to finding out who is playing games with Joss, and why they want to do so…

Roll on part three!

Good Girls Do It Badder Amira Press

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Author: Sabrina Luna
Publisher: Amira Press

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Gina Adams has a thing for cowboys. One evening she decides to have a drink at the Silver Dollar Saloon, and when she spies hunky cowboy Clint, it’s not long before she takes him for a long, enjoyable ride in the bedroom.

A short, very hot erotic story, Good Girls Do It Badder stands out from the crowd due to its good humour and irrepressible sense of fun. This exchange between Gina and Clint had me giggling:

Clint grinned down at her, taking a sip from his bottle of beer, then added, “And I like your sense of humor.” “How can you like my sense of humor when you hadn’t met me until now?” Gina raised an eyebrow, perplexed.

With his beer still in his hand, he pointed a finger to her chest.

“What? My boobs?” A sudden rush of color burned her cheeks.

“Oh no, honey. I like your shirt,” he added simply.

That sets the tone for their night of passion, which is very sexy yet never loses the fun. One night stands should be fun and daring, and the author manages to convey Gina’s excitement at doing something naughty and uninhibited. She also deals with the morning after very well, too.

I really enjoyed reading this and happily recommend it to anyone seeking a short, sizzling and fun book.

Little Kunoichi Amira Press

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Author: Tania Walsh
Publisher: Amira Press

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Mika is waiting for a man:

It was 4am when he stumbled in, off his face. I hated to wait, and by the time he showed up, I was more than ready to kill him.

Which is what she proceeds to do, after distracting him with her body first.

In the post-apocalyptic city of Naru, the world is ruled by a sinister organisation known as the MOB, that manipulates people’s lives and rules through terror. Mika is an assassin, orphaned as a child and raised by Shiro, the owner of a brothel. But the whorehouse is a front for Shiro’s real job – he has a network of assassins who stalk and kill members of the MOB.

Scarred both physically and emotionally, Mika fears she is becoming complacent – or that she’s losing her taste for killing. A couple of close calls have put her on edge, and when her next target is a woman, she realises she can’t go through with it.

Shiro is angry at her refusal, but when Mika goes to confront him, she discovers that her world is changing and betrayal is everywhere. When Irie, a fellow assassin, comes to her with an offer of help, Mika has to decide where the truth and her loyalties lie.

This is a different kind of story to the average e-book. For one, it’s not a romance. Possibly it’s a futuristic urban fantasy mixed in with erotic mainstream. That’s quite a cocktail, but it hangs together well.

The erotic encounters are graphic and unapologetic, low-down and dirty with more than a hint of nihilism. The strongest element in this tale is Mika’s voice. She’s a fascinating character who craves sex (although we’re never fully told why), particularly sex with the men she’s about to kill. This can sometimes land her in trouble, but she doesn’t care. She just gets on with the job.

Mika is like a film noir private eye. She gets roughed up, she swears, she kills guys and she makes wisecracks. Her attitude is one of weary acceptance to her life, and her dark humour is a consistent theme: I met all the great looking ones on that job, but never got to keep them.

She’s tough but she does have an intense vulnerability that is touched upon with her responses to Shiro and Irie.

Some readers may be uncomfortable with the violence in the story, but I felt it deserved its place. Mika’s reaction to her injuries says a lot about her character.

I noticed a couple of editorial mistakes, but my main gripe with this story is that it wasn’t long enough to do justice to the characters or background. While I like the brief, detached style of Mika’s voice, we zip through the plot at breakneck speed when really, there needs to be more development and tension to make this story really shine.

As it is, Little Kunoichi is an intriguing read that hints at the possibility of a sequel or perhaps a whole series. I hope Ms Walsh writes more about Mika, Irie and the mysterious MOB. These characters and the set-up have a lot of potential and I’d love to see it explored further in other, longer, stories.

Speed and Need Amira Press

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Author: Robin Wright
Publisher: Amira Press

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Erik, a cop, is on patrol when he spots a customised car bearing the licence plate ‘Baaaad’. Street racing is on the increase and Erik knows just how dangerous it can be. He met his lover when she came to bail out her street racer brother.

Lately Erik has been having problems with his girlfriend. She supports him but worries about his career. Now Erik wonders if she’s right to be so anxious about his job as he chases down ‘Baaaad’.

The driver of the car is a sexy Native American woman who seems to love flirting with danger as much as flirting with Erik.

Fast cars, a faster woman and a pair of handcuffs all make this short story a spicy little read.
Favourite line: Living in a virtual sea of testosterone for eight to ten hours a day was a breeding ground for male angst.

I also loved the closing lines of the story, but it might give away the ending if I quoted them here. They’re witty and kicky and fitted the story perfectly.

However – the plot is predictable, the characters are under-developed and there’s way too much telling rather than showing at the start. This is a shame, because the street racing background is great and could easily justify a much longer story. But since this is a nibble rather than a novel, the focus of the action is the sex, which is very hot.

Ms Wright has a nice way with words and I’d be interested to read something longer from her. Speed and Need delivers what the title promises; I just wish it went that one mile further.

Redemption of a Cavalier Wild Rose Press

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Author: Kathy Otten
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Confederate soldier Wesley Cole is sent to investigate an abandoned house on the front line of the war with the Yankees. Inside, he discovers Abby, the woman he loved – who broke their engagement two years ago.

Back then he’d been a coward, but now he thinks he sees a way of redeeming himself. He’ll rescue Abby – and their child, a son he didn’t know about until now – and he’ll shield them from enemy fire with his body. But his idea doesn’t quite go to plan…

Another wonderful Western romance from Kathy Otten, Redemption of a Cavalier has strong action scenes that balance the moments of tension and romance. Once again filled with detail that really anchors this story in its historical setting, it has an upbeat ending that doesn’t disregard the horrors of the civil war.

Big themes of duty and honour, cowardice and courage, and most of all love, are skilfully encapsulated in this little tale. Kathy Otten’s prose is crisp and fluid, entertaining and edifying. She could probably give classes on how to write the perfect short story.

Favourite line: Instead he latched onto the memory of Manassas, flogging himself with haunting images of the battle, grinding them like salt into his wounded soul, making certain he would never forget that what he’d done that day had torn their love apart forever.

Well-written and moving, this one’s a winner.

The Girl Hunter LoveStruck Books

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Author: Sandee McCann
Publisher: LoveStruck Books

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Whilst on sick leave, Detective Bailey Simmons finds a young woman battered and left for dead in the Florida Everglades, in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity.

With the attacker still not identified, Katya leaves the hospital. Too afraid to go back to her own home, she accepts Bailey’s invitation to stay with him while she fully recovers. Katya and Bailey inevitably begin to fall for each other, but having both been hurt in the past neither tells the other how they really feel, and their lives spiral into familiar patterns of jealousy, deceit, betrayal, and violence, all of which revolve around Detective Peyton Moran, who has already stolen one woman out from under Bailey’s nose.

When Katya flees from Bailey’s house to her new apartment after humiliating herself by declaring her love for him, things take a sinister turn for the worst. Is it all over for Katya and Bailey? More importantly is it all over for Katya?

This was a well written story, which at times had my heart thudding in my chest, and at others had me grinding my teeth with frustration that they didn’t just get on with it.

If you enjoy a bit of romance, a bit of a thriller, and a bit of intrigue, this is the book for you.

Someone to Share the Sunsets Wild Rose Press

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Author: Kathy Otten
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Allie Nordstrom is travelling to Texas to start a new life. Left a widow by the civil war, she’s seen too much death and destruction during her time as a nurse in New York. On her way south, she stops in a small town to deliver the personal effects of one of her patients, Beau, to his brother.

Jackson Cameron welcomes her with a shotgun and drunken insults.

Eventually, Allie can state the reason for her visit, and a flood of emotions is set free.

Due to the brevity of the story, anything more would give away the ending, so I’ll just say that this was a completely satisfying read that actually felt longer than its actual length, due to the amount of detail and characterisation. The pacing was perfect, with not an ounce of flab anywhere in the story. It’s easily one of the strongest short stories I’ve read in a long time.

Favourite line: Hoops and whalebone would not have worked well for diving into the brush.

So many historical details come through in relatively few words, with the prose also serving to show the character’s personalities, such as in the line where Jackson says: “I’d offer you a chair, but what the army didn’t burn, the looters stole.”

The dialogue is lovely, and captures personality and emotion so well that Allie and Jackson leap from the page. The account of Beau’s death, where Allie is trying to hide the truth from Jackson to save him from more pain, is well done and absolutely heartrending.

Someone to Share the Sunsets is a little gem, and close to the perfect short story. I don’t usually like Western romances but this was a beautiful read. Definitely a keeper.

Dark Lord Seeks Friendship, Maybe More - Torquere Press

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Author: Elisa Viperas
Publisher: Torquere Press

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In the fantasy kingdom of Thance, the King and Queen long for an heir. The King visits a fairy, who offers him the expensive or cheap option of creating the perfect son. He chooses the cheap option, and the Queen gives birth to twins. Velenth is blond, adorable, picks flowers and hugs everyone he meets. Nalenth is dark and surly, and because he’s so grumpy, the King locks him in a tower.

Guess which one becomes the Dark Lord?

On his sons’ sixteenth birthday, the King found himself under attack by an elegantly reorganized army and betrayed by a castle staff won over long ago by hugs and big blue eyes.

Velenth assassinates his father and purges the realm of his enemies, including things he hates, such as unicorns and cute puppies. Soon he’s given the epithet of the Dark Lord, and everything is going swimmingly except for one problem: Velenth is hot, charismatic, powerful, and has nice boots, but he’s also lonely.

His advisor and accountant, the elf Reynard, along with Velenth’s supposed-to-be-silent Bodyguard who’s continually offering unwanted remarks, decide to arrange a series of blind dates. When these go disastrously wrong, they place an ad. Out of the jumble of losers, vampires and apparent Mr Perfects, surely Velenth can find a man who loves him for what he is… or is the Dark Lord doomed to a life of loneliness?

This story is hilarious, like an entire comedy festival rolled into one. Elisa Viperas is to be commended for the consistency of the humour, which is of the teasing it’s-cheesy-but- I-love-it-so-I’ll-send-it-up variety.

The laughs start on the first page and don’t let up, mixing knockabout humour with witty one-liners, sly references to pop culture (Velenth displays emo tastes in music, listening to ‘morose barbarian music’ performed by dark-haired, kohl-wearing artistes), along with more complex Eddie Izzard-type jokes.

Remarks about man-boobs segue effortlessly into surreal conversations about cheese and tomatoes – the kind of conversation you might imagine was really deep and meaningful if you were either very drunk or extremely nervous. This is cringe-inducing humour of the best sit-com variety, wryly mocking insecurities: Velenth’s own attempts at a wicked moustache had resulted in something resembling peach fuzz that had a distressing tendency to hold crumbs.

But the story also has a heart and a moral, but Viperas doesn’t bash us over the head with it. Because of all the comedy that comes before it, Velenth’s eventual admission of defeat is rather sad and touching, his words a poignant statement. The emotional punch of this is impossible to ignore: behind every comedy there’s usually a little tragedy going on.

The comedy ranges from the obvious to the subtle, the ridiculous to the sublime. There are send-ups of every fantasy and fictional cliché going, plus a lot of fannish jokes. All this makes it difficult to choose a favourite line! However, this one cracked me up because it reminded me of a cheesy scene in a movie: The torchlight flickered forebodingly as Reynard walked down the hall, a fact which did not escape his notice. He tried not to take it personally

Like the final Lord of the Rings movie, this has three epilogues. The third one ends with a brilliant fannish twist guaranteed to make you laugh and (depending on your taste) go ‘ewwww!’ at the same time.

Dark Lord Seeks… is like a slashy fantasy version of Mean Girls. You know you shouldn’t laugh, but by God you just can’t help it. Brilliant fun – and highly recommended.

Watching You Loose Id

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Author: Sheri Livingston

Publisher: Loose Id

 

 

911 operator Paige is stressed and sick of the way the cops seem to think her job is unimportant. Her friend Gail gives her the web address of an online D/s group, and although Paige is at first reluctant to try it out, she logs on when she discovers that the woman of her fantasies, hardnosed policewoman Kellie, is part of the group.

 

 

Kellie keeps herself to herself. As the niece of the station’s sergeant, she has to keep her nose clean – especially as she has a secret that could mean trouble both for herself and her uncle. Randy, her sleazy cop partner, knows her secret and is blackmailing her so she’ll keep quiet about his dirty dealing.

 

 

But hot-tempered Kellie has another problem: she punched a minor and faces trial for her actions. She’s had almost as much as she can take, and so she heads online to find relaxation and more in the D/s group.

 

 

Sparks fly and temperatures soar when Paige and Kellie meet online and in the flesh in this fabulous novella. This is the first f/f book I’ve ever read, and if I read any others, they’ll have big boots to fill because Watching You is almost the perfect lesbian erotic romance.

 

 

It starts with one of the strongest opening chapters I’ve seen – in the 911 response centre, with Paige talking to a caller. The set-up and tension is very realistic – in fact, it was this scene that stayed with me the most after I’d finished the book.

 

 

Ms Livingston gives us sharp, deft characterisation, even for minor roles, alongside direct and witty dialogue. My favourite exchange from late in the story:

 

 

“Are we still on for Monday night? We have to go celebrate your new career.” Gail popped a ranch dressing-covered baby carrot into her mouth and looked out over the operators sitting in the chairs.

 

“You bet. Thanks for inviting my dad.”

 

“Hey, any man who calls himself a lesbian because he loves women, too, has to be included on a girl’s night out.” Gail chuckled. “I about pissed my pants when he said that.”

 

 

I’ve always found cyber-sex rather laughable, but Ms Livingston manages to make the first online erotic encounter between Paige and Kellie both hot and relevant. It’s not just sex for thrills, it’s delineating their characters. This is an outstanding example of ’show, don’t tell’ and to have this in an extended cyber-sex scene is really impressive.

  

 

This is a very sexy story, exploring as it does the need for both women to take control and also to submit. The D/s issue is handled well: this is more about mental/emotional D/s switching rather than actual BDSM, which for me is far more interesting and reveals much about the characters. The scenes where Paige and Kellie switch and turn the tables on one another are excellent and very hot. The sequence in the nightclub is worthy of special mention – it has a sting in the tail in more ways than one.

 

 

There’s a lot of heightened tension and emotion, always kept in check and never swamping the characters or the plot. The negatives? Heck, I wished it were longer so I could read more about these fantastic women!

 

 

Above all, this felt real and believable and was a genuinely great read. Unashamed, stylish and sexy, Watching You is a definite keeper.

Haunted Torquere Press

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Author: Mike Shade
Publisher: Torquere Press

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Tom, a carpenter, is doing some restoration work in the local college library when he meets grad student and lecturer Adam. Drawn together by a mutual affection for old architecture and movies, the two men get to know one another and gradually start to fall in love.

Sounds like every other normal relationship story so far, right? Right: except there’s something different about Adam. Every time Tom sees him, Adam has a new bruise or scrape, and he’s the clumsiest guy Tom’s ever met. Crockery breaks. Piles of books collapse. The chain on a swing snaps. Is Adam just naturally unlucky, or is there something more sinister afoot? And is it any coincidence that the severity of the ‘accidents’ increases the further Tom and Adam’s relationship progresses?

As the title reveals, Adam is haunted – not just by a ghost, but by a shared past that he’s kept secret for years. Only when the haunting takes a more serious turn does the truth emerge, and Tom must fight to keep Adam by his side – safe and alive.

This is a nice book. I know ‘nice’ is a dreadful word for descriptions but it does fit this book, which has a homely, comforting quality to its prose. The style is both unassuming and undemanding: it’s easy to read and while the plot doesn’t really offer up any surprises (bar one), it gives the same reading experience as a Harlequin/Mills & Boon romance.

I enjoyed the carpentry details discussed by Tom in the early part of the book, and my favourite line was this nice sensual comparison: Adam’s skin was smoother than the best lathed wood.

Tom is a very down to earth, touchy-feely guy and the reader gets a strong sense of his character throughout the story. Tom’s mother is also a strong character. Adam is rather more insubstantial – deliberately so, since he’s the one haunted and so his personality is always more secretive on one level while being very open on another.

What’s impressive about this story is that the haunting is written as if it’s totally natural – which it is to Adam – and yet Tom’s concern is also natural, but not overbearing or too easily accepting. They’re operating in different spheres of normality and they’ve happened to come together. My reality isn’t always your reality. I like it: the story chugs along, two people meeting and learning about one another, even to the point of banality, but underneath it all is this terrible darkness that gets progressively more powerful – and poignant – until everything explodes.

There’s a shocking twist towards the end. It’s the kind of thing you’re half-expecting to happen, but again, the author lulls the reader into a false sense of security with this homely prose, so when it does spring at you, it’s an ‘Oh my God!’ moment.

The negatives: A few editing issues jumped out at me. I felt the story could have been tightened in places, especially earlier on; and nothing pulls me out of a story quicker than unnecessary repetitions. There was also some pronoun confusion, which was very distracting. The climactic scene felt rushed and just a little bit forced; considering the measured, slow pace of the rest of the story, the pacing was out at the end.

There’s an interesting morality play going on in Haunted on the subject of guilt. I’m not sure if I’d have liked it explored more fully or if I’m happy with it to lie simmering away as it does in the book. This is the kind of story where a reader’s personal experience will inform their response much more so than in the average paranormal romance. In places genuinely creepy and in others quite mundane, Haunted is a tale of how even ordinary lives can be touched by the extraordinary.

Love to Behold Lavender Isis Press

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Author: Sammie Ward
Publisher: LavenderIsis Press

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Wedding planner Valencia Hill has it all – a lovely home, a fulfilling job, lots of money. But the one thing she lacks is a man. Devastated by her ex-fiancé, who jilted her at the altar, Valencia has avoided romantic entanglements for the past two years, instead throwing herself into her work.

At a party hosted by Autumn, one of Valencia’s clients, she meets Michael Gomez, a baseball player with a national team. When a beautiful model named Kendall arrives at the party, Autumn introduces Valencia as Michael’s girlfriend. Michael plays along with it, glad to escape Kendall’s clutches.

He explains to Valencia that he and Kendall were just friends – but the reality is a bit more complicated than that, and soon enough Michael is going to have to tell Valencia the truth.

A simple, straightforward plot that nevertheless manages to entertain, Love to Behold’s strengths lie in its cast, particularly the two romantic leads. I liked how they didn’t just jump at one another with the first glimmer of mutual attraction, but reacted true to character. Valencia takes her time in learning to trust herself as well as Michael, and Michael is so keen to make a good impression that he glosses over a few teensy little issues in his past. Many readers can probably empathise with Valencia’s situation and I’m sure we all know a man who’s been economical with the truth in order to win the heart of a woman.

Not that Michael is a sleaze – he’s a good guy who made a mistake, but he’s not sure how to deal with it, and so he deals with it by hoping it’ll go away. I think this was my favourite thing about this story. The author really manages to show a typical male attitude in a way that the reader will understand. On the face of it, Michael is an alpha male, but he’s also got a lot of beta in him, too – making him an ideal romantic hero.

Valencia and Michael are backed up by a great supporting cast, particularly Simone and TC, whose exchanges and reactions are funny as well as wise.

Favourite line: Although he hadn’t physically touched her, Valencia felt as if he stroked her with his words.

The negatives: Some dodgy editing and typesetting in places, but the story was good enough to keep me wrapped up in it.

If you’re in the mood for a sweet but sassy romance, take a look at Love to Behold. While the plot is tried-and-tested, the sheer charm of the characters makes the story sparkle.

The Nettle Bracelet Wild Rose Press

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Author: Catherine Kean
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Lady Emmeline Deschartres is betrothed to Ashden Davenwood. After rebuffing all other suitors, Emmeline’s father took matters into his own hands and found a suitable marriage partner for her.

Shocked at his decision, and after a couple of rather amusing lines in the first scene, Emmeline flees their home upon one of her father’s horses. Yearning to be alone, even if only for the short time it took for her father’s men to find her, was a much needed event.

She heads for the forest and encounters a man who is also betrothed to another.

Favourite line from this scene, rich in visuals—brilliant: Sunlight slanted through the boughs above, dappling the web of roots around him and his forest green garments which blended all too well into the shadows.

The stranger makes Emmeline a nettle bracelet—and I learned a little fact about what he does with the nettle. So much so I may have to try it out for myself to see if it works! I visualised this very well.

Emmeline returns home. Her betrothed arrives. Another great line, which I won’t reveal, involves her yellow dress.

So much is packed into thirteen pages, cleverly so. It isn’t jammed in—the tale just evolved wonderfully, made me believe I had read much more than I had. I LOVE finding books like this.

Wonderful dialogue transported me back in time. The scenery brought to mind was of such excellent quality that I lost myself in The Nettle Bracelet. Now I wish I’d snagged One Knight to Cherish—a longer read that I imagine was truly fabulous.

Forest Over Stone Torquere Press

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Author: Vic Winters
Publisher: Torquere Press

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Andreas is an orphan taken into a monastery and raised as a serving-lad. Although grateful for their help, he resents the high stone walls of the monastery and feels no calling to serve God. He also dully accepts – but secretly resents – the brothers who use him against his will.

One day during the time of silence, he hears a voice that offers him seduction. Later, he goes into the forest to gather berries. It’s a hot day so he swims in a stream and relaxes on the bank. He dreams of a mysterious dark-eyed lover, and when he wakes in a rainstorm, he sees a strange male figure watching him from the cover of the trees.

In the monastery, Andreas asks about forest gods and is advised to keep quiet if he knows what’s good for him. On a second trip into the forest, he stays a little longer and meets the dark-eyed man again. This time Andreas is sure that this is no man but a nature-spirit. When he returns late to the monastery, the monks abuse him – but, given courage by the nature-spirit, Andreas runs away.

He takes refuge in the forest and in the arms of Arden, the nature-spirit, but the monks refuse to give up their servant so easily…

A low-key and eminently readable short story in the style of a folk tale, setting Nature against (organised) Religion, this is half parable, half romance. It also deals with Andreas really coming of age, both sexually and emotionally, and making his own choices rather than accepting what’s forced upon him.

There are lots of lovely turns of phrase. My favourite: Apparently, even the eyes were not allowed to speak during the vow [of silence] , and the author’s use of very small details really anchors the narrative, particularly in the forest scenes.

The love scenes between Andreas and Arden are tender and undemanding, which fits with what Andreas needs after his horrible experiences in the monastery.

Andreas is a strong character, not in his actions but in his thoughts. This is a very inward-looking story – Andreas may go from the enclosed space of the monastery to the freedom of the forest, but in a way, the forest also encloses him. The author skilfully reveals the difference that while one type of imprisonment brings suffering, another may bring security and joy.

The negatives: Some readers may perhaps wish they knew more about who/what Arden is (the backstory is somewhat vague), but overall that hardly seems to matter – the whole story is set in a nebulous, non-specific, possibly German, possibly medieval, world, so for me Arden’s formless character is in keeping with the rest of the story.

A very gentle yet at times unnerving read, Forest Over Stone is one that’ll make you think.

The Touch of Trinity Forbidden Publications

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Author: Laurlee Ann Harbig

Publisher: Forbidden Publications

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Davin has loved tales of fairies since she was a child, but life has been cruel – her parents dead in a car accident, her boyfriend walking out – and so her belief has been put to the test one too many times. Picking up the pieces, she keeps moving forwards and starts work at a radio station.

Half-Irish Davin has always been able to sense when things are going to happen, and so she’s disgusted but not surprised when Jason, one of the DJs, hits on her. The station hires a new guy, an Irishman by the name of Pan Trinity. That night, Davin dreams of a gorgeous hunk with green eyes – and she’s floored when she meets Pan the next day, who resembles the man she dreamed about.

Pan has come to the US in search of his mother, who abandoned him when he was a baby. He confides to Davin that he’s found his mother in a psychiatric hospital, but she refuses to see him. Davin tries to help, and unwittingly discovers the secret of Pan’s birth…

I liked the motto that weaves through this story: Life has a way of crushing dreams and dreams have a way of ending, but if you keep them safe they will return.

This short tale has plenty of witty one-liners and wry observations that kept me chuckling. Despite its brevity, it’s really quite charming, such as in the scene where Pan explains his unusual name: “I had taken a fondness toward the penny whistle back at the orphanage I was raised at. The good sisters named me Pan after the pagan Greek god.” Isn’t that great? I love it! A really nice touch of characterisation.

My favourite line was when Davin’s boss, who good-naturedly letches after her all the time, says: “Nice jeans”, to which Davin replies: “Thanks…they come with a chastity belt.”

The negatives: Some dodgy editing marred the flow of the writing in places, which was a shame.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, light-hearted ’sweet’ story, more about Davin’s growth and the resurrection of belief in dreams than a true romance. Short and cute.

Love Bite Forbidden Publications

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Author: Carol McKenzie
Publisher: Forbidden Publications

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Rayna ‘Ray’ Craig is at a pool party, watching her friends have fun while she sips a Virgin Mary – an appropriate drink, given that, at twenty, she’s still untouched. None of the guys her age interest her; in fact, she has the hots for an older man – divorcé Mike Zirelli, a nightclub owner, forty years old and totally gorgeous…and also totally the father of her best friend, Carla.

Carla encourages Ray to find a man: “Nookie.” She giggled. “It’s what a
woman’s body needs from time to time. It’s nature’s requirement.”

Unfortunately, the only attention Ray’s getting that evening is from the mosquitoes.

When Mike turns up at the party, he offers to put lotion on Ray’s bites. Things hot up between them, but Mike backs off before Ray can blurt out how she feels about him. They talk about school, and soon Mike offers her a job in his club. He assures her there’s no pressure to accept it, but she doesn’t feel comfortable getting too intimate with him and so she refuses.

Later, just before her twenty-first birthday, Mike approaches her again. Ray’s sleazy neighbour Ben is jealous that she’s flirting with Mike, and so he tells her that Mike isn’t all he seems – he’s a vampire. Ray laughs it off, but when she goes home she starts to put two and two together and realises that maybe it’s true.

Mike promises to take her virginity as soon as she turns twenty-one – but can she trust a vampire? And when it turns out there’s more than one vampire who wants to lay claim to her, Ray finds that losing her cherry is a lot more complicated than she ever expected.

I liked the May-December aspect of this story – a young woman fancying the father of her best friend is obviously a complex situation, and the author manages to present this in a sexy way. Ray’s reticence contrasts nicely with her growing desire, and I really enjoyed her characterisation here.

The continuity of different types of bite – mosquito bite, love bite, vampire bite – was well presented and fun.

Another plus point: How refreshing to see a vampire who can’t create vampiric offspring!

The negatives: I loved the premise of this story, and the first two chapters were great. It was when the paranormal thread of the story kicked in that I felt a little short-changed: there was simply not enough detail to make me really feel and believe in the plot. But this is a short story, after all, so the lack of detail is perhaps understandable.

I liked the forbidden section of the nightclub with the ghosts, and as it’s mentioned twice in the story and Mike specifically asks Ray not to go in there, I was expecting some kind of revelation about this building. Instead, the story ends rather abruptly. I’m not sure if the story really does end there or if some kind of sequel is in the works.

A story with potential but somewhat lacking in polish, this is a decent quickie read and worth the purchase price for the first two chapters.

Degrees of Separation: Book 1: Falcon’s Bend series Hard Shell Word Factory

REVIEWED BY:

SCORE:

 

Authors: Karen Wiesner and Christine Spindler
Publisher: Hard Shell Word Factory

REVIEW:

“She’d made the detour through the entrance of the park and toward the nearest bench overlooking the pond when she felt something come down hard on her neck. For a long moment, she didn’t have a clue what was happening to her. Then she realized she couldn’t breathe. Something cold cinched her throat. Before she could more than grapple for the constrictor, a knee slammed into her back and a weight came down on her. She was falling, clawing for air.”

In Falcon’s Bend, homicides are practically unknown. The only murders happen in bar brawls, drunk-driving accidents, or domestic violence. Lieutenants Pete Shasta and Danny Vincent find themselves faced with a startling and frustrating homicide case.

Falcon’s Bend is a fly-spot on the map of Wisconsin. Pete Shasta and Danny Vincent grew up together, playing cops and robbers. Danny left and went to New York to become an artist, winding up, like his friend Pete, becoming a policeman. Pete had joined up at the Falcon’s Bend Police Department right after school. Since Danny has come back from the NYPD, he and Pete have been partners at the 16-person Falcon’s Bend police department.

As the investigation begins, Shasta and Vincent meet a group of strange characters; all working for a smooth, manipulating ladies man, André Trewlaney, at the exotic club “Danse de Minuit”. Out-of-towners are rare in Falcon’s Bend and these folks are all “outsiders”. It was one of their own who was murdered, and now, all of the rest are suspect.

Slowly, in Degrees of Separation the story of each character is unveiled; some tortured, others unloved – many deeply troubled. What hold does André have over his women and his chief of security, Roy?
Teresa, the dark temptress; Vanessa, her eating disorder ruining her life; Sugar, naïve, who loves anything sweet; Cherry, the blond bombshell with dead eyes; Dee, who can’t keep her mouth shut when she’s got gossip to spread; Lacey, the tough bitch with a chip on her shoulder, and Melody, Andre’s wife, a sweet southern belle surrounded in a shroud of mystery.
Each person has their own demons that they are running away from. But which person’s demons have driven them to murder?

“I’ve done the right thing, Stephan Kelley told himself. Just yesterday, seventeen-year-old Tyaa Savic had given birth to twin daughters. Considering the young girl’s many dangerous addictions, it had been a miracle in itself that Tyaa had managed to carry them for seven months.

Throughout a sleepless night, Stephan had wrestled with the knowledge that finding parents who would take two newborns was difficult at any time. This time, it had been impossible. Only weeks ago, he’s located two couples, each of whom wanted a single child, and the paperwork and interviews had been completed in record time.

How do I choose? Stephan had agonized in the darkness of his living room, his hands clenched into tight fists. How do I decide which girl goes where? How can I make a decision like that when the worlds are so severely different?”

“I had no choice, he told himself over and over until he convinced himself.
And Stephan Kelley washed his hands of it, never once believing it was a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life.”

Shasta and Vincent can’t get straight answers from any of the group. They play cat and mouse with the manipulator, André. He seems to hold all the cards and no one can call his bluff. Both detectives’ instincts tell them that Trewlaney is their man, but can they be sure without so much as a shred of evidence?

As the investigation progresses, more homicides are committed. While Shasta and Vincent discover details about each of the suspects and victims; they still don’t have any solid leads to finding the assassin. With each twist and turn, they wade through lies and half-truths from the characters; all meant to protect themselves and each other.

Pressure and stress causes leaks in the fragile bubble of the group’s secrecy. One might try to run, another might fall apart, and others may commit errors in judgment. Bit by bit, pieces start to come together which lead Shasta and Vincent towards their murderer.

Bit by bit, we come to know and appreciate both Pete Shasta and Danny Vincent for the excellent detectives and also the fine men that they are. Their stories are as much of interest as the mystery itself. The book would be seriously lacking without Shasta and Vincent’s strong presence.

In a finely crafted mystery, we are jettisoned against the docks along with the tide of the story. Character development is very well done, but never gives away too much information about the actors too soon. Wiesner and Spindler are able to work together to create a tight, seamless plot that leaves us guessing until the very end.

Degrees of Separation merits a bottle of Champagne plus a flute as a standing ovation to the authors. This reviewer waits impatiently to read the second in the Falcon’s Bend series.

Tuition Fees Torquere Press

REVIEWED BY:

SCORE:

Authors: Naomi Brooks and Angelia Sparrow
Publisher: Torquere Press

REVIEW:

I have to admit, I’m not much of an m/m reader, and it irks me to no end when I read e-books that have common editorial errors because those pull me out of the read. However, despite those two strikes, I found myself yanked right into Tuition Fees.

This short title is co-authored by two very talented writers. Brooks and Sparrow have written an m/m romance that is both unique and very well written.

I’ve never encountered an m/m story that involved partner abuse before. The story about Christian and his roommate lover is both poignant and riveting. Professor Morgenstern is also a vivid and unusual character. I’d tell you more, but by doing so, I’d give the overall plot away. Suffice it to say that Christian’s name is ironic considering his “sentence” and, when the authors added their paranormal spice to this title, I found myself enjoying a grand m/m romance. Even the m/m sex is nicely written.

I’m very impressed by Brook’s and Sparrow’s work and will look for more of their titles in the future. I give Tuition Fees 5 flutes.

Romeo vs. Juliet Wild Rose Press

REVIEWED BY:

SCORE:

Author: Laura Hogg
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

REVIEW:

This book has one of the most intriguing opening chapters I’ve ever read. It starts straight into the action – eighteen year-old Josephine waking from a nightmare to see her husband – nineteen year-old Ambrose, who is originally from sixteenth century England, complete with Shakespearian language – saying goodbye and vanishing into a time portal. Josephine summons the portal keeper, Ambrose’s boss, and challenges him. The portal keeper has ordered Ambrose to undertake various assassination missions in different time periods, and Josephine isn’t happy about it.

So they strike a deal. The portal keeper will allow Josephine to arrive on the scene of Ambrose’s next kill ahead of him – and it’s up to her to make sure that the course of history as she knows it isn’t altered. Her task is full of risks – and of course, it pits her against her husband, who isn’t too pleased with the arrangement. Using the portal can also bring about memory loss – a plot device used to devastating effect throughout the course of the book.

Josephine also has to contend with a rival for Ambrose’s affections, the spoiled and fabulously bitchy Lady Huntley, a woman who won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

There are two parts to this book. In the first part, we meet Josephine properly – a bored, unfulfilled shop assistant who asks herself questions like: Who the hell needed cheap plastic junk littering up their houses anyway? And why did vegetables cost twice as much as the food that will give you cancer? An orphan, Josephine longs for True Love and a secure relationship, but all the guys she’s dated so far have been losers.

On her eighteenth birthday, her best friend takes her to see a fortune-teller, who foresees a great and epic love affair and also extreme danger. When a gorgeous young man turns up at her workplace, Josephine is smitten. He sends her a ticket to a Renaissance festival, and with help from her aunt, a re-enactment fan, she attends and meets Ambrose – who’s been waiting for her for centuries.

Ambrose takes Josephine through the time portal to Elizabethan England, where he acts as an emissary for the queen. He explains that he can travel to different time periods, from the court of Cleopatra to 1960s America and far into the future. Whilst in England, Josephine is visited by her future great-granddaughter, Melissa, a fellow time-traveller who begs her not to have children with Ambrose.

Melissa explains that her life in the twentieth/twenty-first century is horrific, and that she’s unable to have children of her own. Each time she tries to alter history, Melissa finds herself in a position where her abdomen is seriously injured. Her suffering is so much that she’s reached the point where she’s literally asking not to be born – but when Josephine puts Melissa’s request to Ambrose, he refuses. He tells her they must have children, but he can’t tell her why. Melissa says that she’ll do everything in her power to prevent Josephine from conceiving or carrying a baby to term.

With the vicious Lady Huntley on her tail and the threat from her own great-granddaughter, the second half of the book sees Josephine embark on her mission through time to undo the damage done by Ambrose. Her travels with the portal keeper enable her to experience key points of Ambrose’s life before he met her – some hilarious, some heart-wrenching – while their once perfect relationship begins to fall apart.

Will Josephine be able to turn back time, literally and figuratively, and not only save history but also her marriage? Will Melissa succeed in erasing herself from history? And will Lady Huntley ever get her comeuppance?

It’s difficult to describe this book, as it crosses so many genres – time travel, romance, historical, contemporary, action – and at the same time it defies any attempt at labelling. It’s fresh, it’s different, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before. This is a good thing. A very good thing. I’m seriously impressed by how well Ms Hogg juggles so many plot-balls in the air without letting a single one drop.

I’m not sure if it’s being marketed as a Young Adult novel or not, but it would make an awesome addition to the genre.

This is a long story – 374 pages – but the pacing remains consistent throughout. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting.

I loved the detail about the Renaissance festival – I felt as if I were actually there – and the author displays an impressive knowledge of historical minutiae for the scenes in Elizabethan England. I’m also impressed by the way Ms Hogg manages to keep Ambrose’s sixteenth century speech patterns intact all the way through the book – surely no mean feat!

There are some lovely exchanges between the characters as Josephine adapts to her time-travelling life. My favourite historical-cultural misunderstanding was Ambrose’s use of the word ‘die’ in a sexual sense. Josephine takes it literally and worries that he wants to kill her. Fortunately he manages to explain without totally ruining the moment…

Favourite line: when Ambrose is studying a billboard, he asks: “The artwork on thine advertisements. The public canvasses. Dost thou no longer have museums?”

And my favourite exchange between Josephine and Ambrose:

“Th…you art a rogue,” I muttered playfully.He grinned and raised his brow. “Didest thou harken that expression in the street?”“No, I read it in a hot romance novel.”

Ms Hogg manages to educate the reader about the Renaissance world without it sounding like a history lesson. Seen through Josephine’s wondering gaze, everything new and strange is explained quite naturally, really drawing the reader into the story.

The negatives: The only thing I can find to criticise comes in the second half of the book, when Josephine jumps in and out of different time periods. Occasionally I did find it hard to follow what was going on, but to be fair to the author, in a book this length with so many dangling plot threads to resolve, and with the complexity of the time-travel issue, it would be almost impossible to present the narrative in simple terms. It didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story, but it did make my head spin a little!

The scope of Romeo vs Juliet is enormous. In addition to being an entertaining read, an epic love story and a race against time, it also raises some questions for those readers who like to delve a little deeper beneath the surface. If you could go back in time and kill someone to avert a crisis, would you do it? You may think the answer is straightforward, but as Ms Hogg shows, time is flexible and infinite, and history is cyclical.

Touching, tender, romantic and sweet – but most of all, this book is truly unique, a real shining star in a crowded market. I’d recommend this to anyone.

Tahitian Nights, Book 1 Freya’s Bower

REVIEWED BY:

SCORE:

Author: Alyce Brown
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

REVIEW:

(Book 1 of a chap book)

Tammy’s sister, Cassandra, always comes up with hair-brained schemes. Tammy knows exactly when her sister is up to no good, and this time is no exception. Cassandra wants Tammy to join her on a holiday to Tahiti—but there’s a price.

With a wonderful voice, Alyce Brown transports us into the world of getting revenge on your sibling. So much happens in such a short space of time that I felt I’d read much more than I did. Hilarious schemes abound, and I couldn’t help but root for Tammy. Not only does she strive to pay back her sister, but she has a set of vociferous twins to contend with as well.

I’m honestly excited to see what else Tammy gets up to in future chapter instalments. If anyone else asks to review these books I’m refusing, you hear me?

Mine. All mine. Mwhahahaha.

A well-deserved bottle of champers.

The Whispering House, Book 1 Freya’s Bower

REVIEWED BY:

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Author: Kit Wylde
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

(Book 1 of a chap book series) 

REVIEW:

After selling her family home, Eleanor moves into a house out in the sticks. It appears that children in the area like playing pranks and cause a nuisance by making noises on the outside of her house.

Determined to return to normalcy after the events of the previous night, Eleanor goes for a walk. While out she meets a kindly neighbour, Michael. She gets along well with him, and he stirs something deep within her.

Very well written, The Whispering House packs many images into the first book. The feelings Eleanor experiences brought shivers to my spine and questions to mind. Will the noises stop? Who is making those sounds? I can’t wait to find out!