Happy Christmas!

Dear Authors, Publishers and Readers,

We hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thank you for your support since we opened our review doors. See you in 2008!

Wilga & The Cocktail Review Team.

Negative Image Wild Rose Press

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Author: Donna Michaels
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Lisa is in hiding. After being threatened by an unknown assailant for the negative pictures she’d taken, she spends her time in safety with Dean, a police officer. Their attraction for one another grows. Thankfully, the case gets solved and closed. Or so Lisa and Dean thought…

A thrilling, fast-paced read that made my stomach churn with anticipation!

Love Songs Wild Rose Press

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Author: M.G. Braden
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Madison takes care of her niece while her widowed brother, Jake, works. Jake arrives to pick up his daughter—and brings with him the guy who Madison had a crush on when they all attended school. Cam, the best looking boy in the school back then, surely wouldn’t fancy Madison. Would he?

Have things changed since they left school? Will the delectable Cam look at Madison in the way she’s always dreamed he would?

Love Songs—sometimes, when single, hearing them makes you sick. How that can change in the blink of an eye… A heart-warming read.

Coffee and Love To Go Wild Rose Press

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Author: Christine Columbus
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Since his divorce, Dan’s friends have been trying to find him a new woman. However, Dan has found one himself—only he hasn’t got the confidence to approach her. He sees Missy every day at the local coffee shop. To his surprise, while listening to the radio, Missy’s voice comes over the airwaves—and she mentions him!

Well, he’s sure it’s him…

Will Dan pluck up the courage to speak to Missy?

Find out in Coffee and Love To Go!

Dressage Cowboy Wild Rose Press

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Author: Nancy A. Lindley-Gauthier
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Jess is taking part in a dressage competition. Nervous, she tries to calm herself—otherwise, her horse will feel her tension. A gorgeous cowboy chats to Jess, and she finds herself draw to him, despite telling herself he’s probably in love with himself. Will he prove Jess wrong?

A nice, quick read.

Cheatin’ Hearts Wild Rose Press

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Author: Stacy Dawn
Publisher: Wild Rose Press

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Cara is looking for a nice man, though her sister, Michelle, insists on helping her out. While out at a bar, someone puts a cowboy hat on Cara’s head. She needs to find out who did it—maybe he’s interested in her? Not wanting to appear desperate, she scans the bar for possibilities. Michelle and her husband, Ray, help with the task. Michelle mentions various male attributes, and Ray has to keep reminding her he’s sitting right there. Hilarious.

Cheatin’ Hearts is a feel-good, 1st person read that induced many smiles. A great stocking filler for those who love to read romance.

Concubinage Phaze

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Author: L.E. Bryce
Publisher: Phaze

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In a land vaguely reminiscent of medieval Persia, two courtesans, Hanithi and Inandré, meet one another by chance during a festival. Both should be attending other men, their lovers and patrons, but momentarily alone, they find themselves enjoying each other’s company.

Hanithi is the ‘good boy’ courtesan, who tries and succeeds in attracting the patronage of a dour but wealthy noble, Ghazri. Inandré is more of a ‘bad boy’. He’s playfully wicked, oblivious to the fact that his actions, however innocent, could be misconstrued.

When Inandré is embroiled in a scandal, he flees the city to find Hanithi, who attempts to help his friend and lover pick up the pieces of his life.

This is not your typical erotic romance. It’s not even your typical e-book offering. Multi-layered, exploring in butterfly-touches questions of love, honour and loyalty, Concubinage is a rare and lovely little tale.

L E Bruce has a wonderful, ethereal voice in her writing, reminiscent of late Victorian travelogues, or perhaps more fittingly, of Sir Richard Burton’s translation of The Arabian Nights. In keeping with the Burton analogy, the style is quite detached and impersonal, which may deter some readers who prefer to get more ‘up close and personal’ with characters. As a whole, though, I found it refreshing and indeed charming, closer to a literary tale than to the usual type of erotic romance.

The world-building is exquisite, and includes a fictional language (complete with declensions!), used sparingly in the story for specific terms, such as the different ranks of male courtesans, games and pastimes, etc. Numerous small details set the scene perfectly, and highlight individual characters in a subtle manner. For example, this is my favourite description:

The guest bed had not been designed with lovemaking in mind,
which had no doubt been Ghazri’s intention when providing the
furnishings that went with the house. […] Ghazri had a keen nose,
and insisted on fresh linens scented with lemon, which he found
soothing. This preference meant keeping a large supply of bed linens on
hand, as well as a fuller’s bill twice what it should have been. Ghazri did
not mind the musk or emissions of sex, but each encounter must begin in
absolute cleanliness.

But – and there has to be one, no matter how beautiful the writing – this story felt like a couple of chapters from a much larger work. I haven’t read anything else by this author, so I’m guessing that most of the questions I have about who and what and why and how would be addressed in her longer works that feature the same shared universe.

Readers familiar with L E Bryce should add Concubinage to their collections without delay. If you’ve never read anything from this author before, it’s perhaps not the best work to showcase her undeniable talents, but it should certainly prove enough to pique interest in her backlist.

Caribbean Blue Phaze

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Author: Dahlia Rose
Publisher: Phaze

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Philadelphia cop Elijah Connors is wrung-out and in need of some R&R. He heads off to Barbados to stay with his friend Mick and his wife Jewel. Immediately he falls for the laid-back vibe of the island, and his holiday becomes even more enjoyable when he meets a mysterious woman on the beach, a snake curled around her shoulders.

Anxious to discover more about the woman, he asks Jewel if she knows of her. Jewel tells him a tale about a legendary race of people who live in the island’s caves, who stole a baby named Alison. Eli wonders if his mysterious beauty is the same girl, and decides to find out.

Trouble appears in Paradise in the shape of coral poachers. Alison attempts to stop the thieves, and Eli is injured as he tries to protect her. Can Alison save her lover and protect her beloved coral reef, and can two people from such different backgrounds find true happiness together?

I haven’t read a tropical island romance for a long time and expected the usual sun, sea and sex here. Instead I had rather a nice surprise. What I liked about this story was that it taught me something – I’d never considered that coral could have a gender, for example – and it had a conscience behind the erotic action. The subplot of coral poachers could have been a two-line mention in a little novella like this, but Alison’s passion for her home and for the coral really shine through.

My only quibble is that in some places I felt there was a lack of drama. The scenes with the poachers could be exploited more for tension, even in a read of this size.

However, I liked the characters of Alison and Eli. In particular, I enjoyed the scene where Eli’s (and the reader’s) expectations are turned on their head. I would quote that scene as having my favourite lines, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise for readers!

Overall, this is a sweet, undemanding read with a heart.

SheWolf Freya’s Bower

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Author: Teresa D’Amario
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

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Anna, a veterinarian, leaves a male revue club for some fresh air. Her senses have always been more alert than the usual human ever since her youth. She smells something… Assailed by two men, she acts bravely despite her hammering heart and frightened thoughts. What do they want?

Saved by Kieran after what Anna can only assume was a drug-induced episode—someone must have slipped something into her drink, surely?—Anna’s world is set to change. She discovers Kieran isn’t what she first thought—and that the person she always was isn’t the real her either…

Coming to terms with these new revelations, Anna explores her emotions. How can she possibly be…? How can Kieran be…? Meeting the people Kieran lives with is an eye-opener for Anna, but her skills as a veterinarian are needed—and quickly. She gets to work on some animals that have been cruelly treated and, with her new understanding of what these animals really are, she has to be careful. Using the senses she was born with, she tunes in to the animals, calming them as she works. I found this concept marvellous, and could only wish that real vets had this ability.

However, one of the men who assailed her hasn’t finished with her yet, and Kieran attempts to make it clear to the man that Anna isn’t the right woman for him. While on her way to visit Kieran, Anna is duped into following strangers deep into the forest—she senses something is wrong, but her duty as a vet urges her to go with them. Once there, Anna discovers things aren’t quite what the strangers had first told her. Anna must make a decision. Should she remain as she’s always been, or embrace the new being she’s discovered herself to be?

SheWolf held my attention throughout. I enjoyed the imagery—the scenes were conveyed with an assured writing ability—and the overall plot was interesting; a different spin on other werewolf tales I have read. Rich, full, and delicious. SheWolf was the last review book for me this year, and ended my 2007 reviews quite nicely. I couldn’t have picked a better book to close the year on—a main plot and a couple of intriguing sub-plots all merge together to create a crackling finale. Highly enjoyable!

Dream by the Fire: Winter Magic Freya’s Bower

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Authors: Various
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS:

A Love Rewritten
Esmerelda Bishop

Upon waking, Gabby finds herself ensconced in the world of the very book she’s been reading. Knowing how the plot works out, can she change fiction into the reality she wants? Will Devlin accept her as the heroine? A charming tale, one thoroughly enjoyed, especially because it goes back into olden day times.

Mistletoe Magic
Laney Fuller

With Christmas preparations well under way, Hannah and Jacob share the task of getting ready for the season to be jolly. However, Hannah experiences déjà vu, and panic assails her knowing what could possibly happen next… Will tragedy be averted?

High Maintenance
Jamie Hill

Poor Deirdre has a broken leg while on holiday with her family. The coming New Year celebrations don’t appeal—she can hardly jive around the dance floor, can she? Left to her own devices in the hotel lobby, Deirdre becomes bored. Until a certain young man catches her attention. Will she ring in the New Year with a smile on her face after all?

Letting Go
Ava Rose Johnson

Grace and John seem to have lost their way with regards to their marriage. Neither of them know what the other wants anymore. While learning to accept that divorce is probably their best option, a little magic—perhaps from Cupid himself?—intervenes, giving the couple something other than one another’s pitfalls to think about. Crossed wires and wrong signals are explored well here, making it easy to see how Grace and John both got the wrong end of the stick.

Upon a Midnight Clear
Kelly Madden

Soonsee ventures out into the forest to collect a Christmas Tree. A conversation with a mysterious fairy disconcerts her, and she flees home without the tree. However, the tree makes an appearance at a Christmas gathering. Who brought it there? The fairy? With the fairy’s arrival at the party, Soonsee discovers he isn’t quite as frightening as she first thought…

Solstice Night
Lyra Marlowe

Marta welcomes a hunter into her home to join the Solstice Feast. The Hunter, uninterested in sharing tidings of goodwill, wants only food and information: Where is the girl Liesel?

Liesel has gone out this stormy night on the moors, and the hunter is determined to find her. Will Liesel melt the burly hunter’s frosty attitude? Or will he remain a sourpuss forever? A really lovely, well-told tale.

A Winter’s Gift
Kim Rees

After a recent relationship break-up, Siobhan returns to her family home to lick her wounds. She has known Ethan for many years—almost too well. However, when he offers to take her on a surprise outing, she reluctantly agrees. After all, what else is there for her to do? All her other family members have gone out. Will Siobhan thaw when Ethan presents her with his winter’s gift?

Einmal nach a Modresnach
Emily Ryan-Davis

Sophie spends her winter vacation in Germany with the female members of her family. David, her grandmother’s nurse, explains his belief in Modranicht—the dreaming night. Dream what you wish for on this night and it may come true. Sophie is in need of true love. Will she fall asleep, dream of her desires, and wake up to find them? Very well written, Einmal nach a Modresnach is a tale of one woman’s yen for true, compelling love.

Sugar Baby
Fiona Shinn

Julia owns and runs Deveraux Bakery. Having to listen to her assistant, Tanya, waffle on about her current boyfriend isn’t Julia’s idea of fun. Especially when she doesn’t have a man of her own. A newcomer to town ventures into her shop, and Julia is intrigued by his knowledge of baking. He’s beautiful to look at, a veritable delight, and Julia finds herself thinking about him long after he leaves the shop. But, Julia’s hilariously portrayed low self-esteem prevents her from asking him out on a date when he next visits. My favourite tale of the bunch, Sugar Baby made me laugh out loud. What a well-written, excellent character portrayal. Bravo!

Sorcha’s Children: Dragons’ Choice Freya’s Bower

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Author: Debbie Mumford
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

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Oh, be still my excited heart! A new Debbie Mumford book came my way. Okay, so I fought for it again, but I won, didn’t I? Oh, yes, I did. And that’s all that matters. I got it first, ner-ner-ner-ner-nerrrrrrrr.

Ahem.

What a pleasure to read about Sorcha’s children (reading Sorcha’s Heart is recommended, not because Sorcha’s Children: Dragons’ Choice isn’t a great stand-alone, but because it’s a great book that shouldn’t be missed and lays the foundations for Sorcha’s Children: Dragons’ Choice).

Aislinn and Taran, two of Sorcha’s and Caedyrn’s children, are the main feature of this tale. Raised by a surrogate at the ice aerie, Aislinn and Taran, along with their other four siblings, have visited their parents in the real world from time to time, shape shifting into humans upon their arrival. Living mainly as dragons, Aislinn and Taran visit their parents as adult humans and learn more about the other half of themselves.

For Aislinn, experiencing the human emotions regarding a love interest has her mesmerised, excited, and confused all at the same time. It is difficult to separate herself from her dragon-self. After all, she is used to speaking through mind-thought not via her mouth. She is familiar with tuning in to other dragon’s thoughts and also able to switch off these thoughts at will. Imagine not being able to reach out to your loved ones in this manner, or find comfort in conversing with your siblings when you please. Being human has its dilemmas as well as its plus points.

Finding her human body responds in an altogether different way to her dragon-self, Aislinn throws herself into romance and blossoms. Regardless of the constant emotional dilemmas she faces while learning about her human side, Aislinn is faced with making a choice. Should she embrace the human way of life, or return to the ice aerie? Will the pull of love from Prince Ewan be enough to make her stay in human form?

With the task of convincing regular humans that a dragon poses no threat to the human race, Aislinn has her work cut out for her. I loved the character arc with Aislinn—a privilege to watch her grow and change.

Taran has always been a sickly dragon, the ice aerie seemingly unsuitable for the weakest of all six of Sorcha’s children. However, once he arrives in his parents’ world, his health improves dramatically, making it clear that the human side of him has the bigger hold. Taran also finds out that he has a special talent and, like Aislinn, he needs some time to adjust to this new way of life. I adored Taran, willed his health to improve, and wanted to hug the sickly fellow.

With a love interest that consumes Taran’s emotions, the young man knows in his heart where he needs to be. Sinister actions occur, making it clear that if Taran wants his lady love, Senga, he must fight for her. Taran makes the ultimate sacrifice for Senga—which is touching to say the least—and I found myself praying that everything would work out for the couple.

Sorcha’s and Caedyrn’s love for their children is abundantly clear, as is their love for one another—great to see.

There is so much more going on in Sorcha’s Children: Dragons’ Choice than I have touched upon. Sub-plots abound—damn good ones too! I absolutely loved this fantasy tale and wholeheartedly hope that the other children’s lives will also be written about.

Summary: A rich and delightful read. Ms. Mumford has an exceptional talent in making fantasy reality. Nothing is unbelievable; my mind accepted everything as fact, without question. Well done to Ms. Mumford in yet again making me believe that dragons do exist. Fantastic imagery, very good word use—a tale written with superb aplomb. I highly recommend Sorcha’s Children: Dragons’ Choice. A magnificent novel that I wished had gone on and on and on…

The Christmas Wish Freya’s Bower

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Author: Kit Wylde
Publisher: Freya’s Bower

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Facing another solitary Christmas, Lila remembers her Grandmother’s advice—to wish upon a Christmas star. In doing so, she wonders whether it was worth it, for she’s an adult now, and childish wishes don’t come true. Do they?

A charming, sweet tale that brings hope to the lonely people of the world. Loneliness can be banished, and love can be found when you least expect it. Well-written, The Christmas Wish should be in your stocking. Go and get it now! It’s free from Freya’s Bower.

Beckoned Wild Child Publishing

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Author: Ronald Scala
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

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Nick’s love of alcohol drove a wedge between him and his wife, Margot. Or did it?

Nick is a regular guy—he likes a beer or two, visiting his local to watch the latest game, and plodding along his path of life. Since separating from his wife and moving into his own place, Nick’s world is one of working and looking after his daughter, Marissa, on designated weekends. However, something from the past has been lurking inside Nick for years, only he didn’t realise it until Margot contacts him with an unusual request to meet up.

Margot has unearthed a fantastical chunk of information while researching for her job. That information starts to make much sense to Margot, and she realises that it had a profound effect on the deterioration of her marriage to Nick. She meets with Nick and begins to explain her findings.

As bizarre as it may seem, Margot’s findings revealed a spiritual being that wreaks havoc, murder, and mayhem within a certain mile span of the area in which Margot and Nick live. As a young courting couple, they unknowingly stumbled into the spirit’s domain, and ever since, the spirit has infiltrated their minds, manipulating them to do its bidding.

Nick suffers from visions—quick snap images that assail him while driving for his job in the region of the spirit’s realm. The closer he gets to Clarion, the worse the visions are. A spooky ‘pull’ passes through Nick, and he has to stave off the urge to commit horrendous acts. Luckily, armed with Margot’s knowledge, Nick is conscious of what the spirit is trying to do.

However, to rid themselves of the demon, Margot and Nick must revisit a place from their past where it all began. Will the couple defeat the spirit? And can they save their relationship at the same time?

I enjoyed Beckoned immensely. Nick’s character explores the change of his personality over the years and how he comes to terms with things he did in the past that he isn’t proud of. He realises that his actions, though aided by the spirit, weren’t good ones and, as his love for Margot is rekindled, Nick’s urge to save himself, his wife, and his young teenage daughter from the demon’s clutches is a battle that I joined in wholeheartedly. With fascinating facts and a plot that thickens with each page turned, Mr. Scala has written a tale that I won’t forget in a hurry. Excellent!

Seasons of the Brittle Harvest, Vol 1: Prairie Frost Wild Child Publishing

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Author: James Cheetham
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing

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Terry and Suzanne are two strangers thrown together. Terry, on his way home from the US to Canada, meets Suzanne in exceptional circumstances. Together, they fly a small plane in an attempt to flee the madness that has overtaken the world. A ‘virus’ has been spreading—a virus that kills, yet allows the dead to come alive again, to wreak havoc on the living as zombies.

However, the plane crashes, and Terry and Suzanne must find a place of safety or risk becoming zombies themselves. They happen upon a small farm. Glenn, the farmer, seems reticent to allow them entry into his home at first. And who can blame him? He has endured untold horrors since the viral outbreak.

The threesome form a bond and realise that they must leave Glenn’s farm and find a safer place, for the wandering dead make their presence felt in more ways than one… Terry’s urge to find his wife and children overrides his own safety. Suzanne’s need to assuage inner demons is a difficult task. And Glenn must learn to accept that his previous actions before meeting Terry and Suzanne were ones he had to take—he had no choice.

With the greatest snow storm that the trio have ever experienced swirling around them, they make their way to Terry’s home. His empty home… Survival instinct kicks in, and all three people must come to terms with who they are, what their lives had been like, and what their lives will become. Fighting to stay alive, with supplies running out fast, they must acknowledge that the world as they knew it has changed beyond all recognition and venture into the unknown in their attempt to reach a zombie-free sanctuary.

Cabin fever sits waiting to claim the trio in its web of insanity, while the weather connives to keep them indoors. However, cabin fever and the elements didn’t bargain on human survival instinct being so strong, and the threesome venture outside with determined bravery.

Will Terry find his family? Will Suzanne combat OCD? Will Glenn ever forgive himself for his past actions?

A fabulous read that chilled my bones at times—a fantastic exploration into three people’s personalities and how they coped with a world gone mad, while attempting to stave off the insanity that lurks at every turn. Prairie Frost is a must read for all horror enthusiasts. I really do recommend this book. An excellent look into the human psyche, the kind of look that made me examine what I would do in such a situation. And the zombies! Marvellous! They are weird, quirky, frightening and, at times, endearing. Mr. Cheetham pens a fine tale, in my opinion. Bravo, sir!