Review: Rebel by Aubrey Ross

Rebel by Aubrey Ross

Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Enemy Embrace, Book One

Rebel leader Corry Reah has a problem. His name is Ashton VinDerley. Though they are sworn enemies, she can’t make herself hate him. Compelling and powerful, he fascinates and seduces her, making her long for pleasures she has never known before. He teases and tempts, caresses and challenges until she forgets who is captive and who captor.

Korbin is having no better luck than his sister Corry. He has promised to keep his hands off stunningly beautiful Danette, but she haunts his dreams, summoning a dark, primitive part of his nature that he hasn’t indulged in years. How can he resist a captive who wants nothing more than to submit? She offers her body without reservation and he is powerless to resist. She is crucial to the upcoming negotiations, but Korbin is no longer sure he can set her free.


Dodie's Review

This book is two separate novellas in one volume; however, the two stories focus on the same event but from two different perspectives. The Rebels have taken three young well connected people hostage in the hopes of reforming the current government structure that favors the reach and beautiful who live near the government center and disenfranchises the less glamorous that live on outlying planets.

The first book, Corry, focuses on Corry's relationship with Ashton. Aubrey Ross did an excellent job of showing not only why Corry is a rebel, but also what it is she is rebelling against. The book doesn't revolve solely around the sex scenes between Corry and Ashton, but focuses on the bigger picture. The second book, Korbin, focuses on Corry's brother's relationship with Danette. This story picks up the bigger picture where the first one left off, and as Korbin and Danette discovery and explore each other, they are part of the rebels' attempts to show the injustices of their planetary system to the governmental leaders.

Both books are chock full of erotic sex scenes, written the right way. They definitely steam up the windows, but the sex scenes are there to further the relationships between the characters and move the story along, instead of interrupting the story. Neither story can quite stand alone as a novella, but I enjoyed having the two stories together, as one so seamlessly picks up where the other leaves off.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Locked In by Elizabeth Raines

Locked In by Elizabeth Raines

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Menage Romance

Heat Rating: 4

Blurb

Leesa Bouchard hires pilots and fellow wranglers Cain Hammel and Geoff Adams to share her lucrative mission—to bring the Dreaming Death virus from the barren planet of Charos in the war torn Rhotan System to Virus Initiative Corporation on Earth.

On their return flight, they’re arrested for smuggling an “illegal” virus, despite their insistence they were hired for the job. The sentence? Quarantine—thirty days for Leesa to spend with the two men she’s fantasized about for the entire mission. As they explore their mutual attraction and nurture their growing affection, she finds herself the target of a government investigation into who contracted her to collect the deadly virus. Evidence points to terrorists from the Rhotan System who might be targeting Earth.

Can Cain and Geoff help Leesa clear her name and protect her when a government agent wants to use her as bait to capture the terrorists?


Kris' Review

Locked In is book one in the Wicked Mission Series by Elizabeth Raines. It is very well written and has great character development. If Ms. Raines’ other books in the series are as good as Locked In, she has a real winning must-read sextreme series.

The main character Leesa Bouchard is a creature wrangler with a contract from Virus Initiative Corporation (VIC) to go to the Rhotan System and obtain the Charos dreaming death virus from the Thanotos lizard and bring it back to Earth. Since the job pays well she hires two of her friends to help her on the mission. Her teammates are Cain Hammel and Geoff Adams. Unbeknownst to Leesa, the two men are gay and have been happily married for six years now.

When the three return to Earth 60 days later, they find out that Leesa has been framed and there is no contract on record. Now considered criminals smuggling contraband onto Earth, their ship is seized and they are put into quarantine for 30 days until things can be sorted out.

Once in their new quarantine apartment, the men ask Leesa to join their sexual relationship making it a three-some. All three admit they have fantasized about a three-some. They find themselves very compatible in bed and have some mind-blowing sex.

But what will happen when the quarantine is over? Will the guys still want Leesa in their bed or is this merely a monthly fling for the old married couple? When a handsome cop tries to help Leesa prove her innocence, both Cain and Geoff try to mark her as their territory. Will their jealousy squash any hope of a continued relationship with her after the quarantine?

Locked In is a very wonderfully written scorching hot story that will keep your motor running.

4 1/2 Tea Cups!

      

Review: Alpha Heat by Crystal Kauffman

Alpha Heat by Crystal Kauffman

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

When Commander Jace Weston of the Universal Guard tracks a fugitive into the harem of a royal palace, he never expects to find an ally--and a lover--in the nubile princess of the rival kingdom. Forbidden to marry or even dally while on duty, Jace doesn’t dream about things he can never have. But when he meets the courageous princess condemned to a loveless marriage who dreams of nothing but finding love, he learns some things are worth wishing for.

Political climates change like the direction of the wind, and Princess Tamara understands someday she will have to marry the unpleasant prince of her neighboring kingdom. But when she is rescued from a grotesque alien fugitive by a drop-dead sexy soldier, Tamara seizes the opportunity to choose her first lover. The three-day journey back to her kingdom filled with scorching sex turns into more than just astounding physical delight, and Tamara fears she cannot live without the touch of the strong soldier who has stolen her heart.


Yadkny's Review

“He was a soldier, destined to a life of battle and hardship. Tamara was royalty, ordained to marry a prince, destined to be queen.”

Oh how I wish this story was longer! There was a lot of potential in expanding on both the world-building and character aspects had there been more story written. This would've created a greater connection with the reader and the characters. However, I appreciated the creativity of the world that was revealed and most especially adored the fugara, Weegul (you'll have to read the story to find out more). The shortness of the story provides an almost instant happily-ever-after kind of satisfaction without having to think to hard through all of the minute details that can sometimes cloud a sci-fi. The erotic moments were sizzling without being overdone as well.

“She was pure and innocent, and he would taint her.”

Reader's looking for a quick escape to a new planet with a heroically hot Commander and a resourceful Princess should definitely check this story out.

3 Tea Cups!

Review: Twice to the Stars by Alexis Reed

Twice to the Stars by Alexis Reed

Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Menage Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

As the only woman on board the pioneer-class galactic vessel The Adamant, Chief Engineer Samantha Hartland knows better than to let any man into her bed—or her heart. Unfortunately, she doesn’t want just any. One. Man. Blake and Kane Damsen, identical twins and fellow officers, haunt her most vivid erotic dreams. Together.

Blake and Kane have kept their passion for the green-eyed mistress of engineering a secret for two years. Barely. But when one of the crew members reveals he’s willing to kill to get Samantha’s attention, she turns to the twins for help. She gets a lot more than that in the bargain.



Lily's Review

Oh, Twice to the Stars is a good book and if you enjoy ménage, hot twins, galactic action and a little stalker mystery this is a must read for you.

I’m sometimes hesitant to pick up sci-fi and find it hard to immerse myself in these strange new worlds, but Ms Reed absolutely nails it with this one. I was right there on The Adamant, flying through space with chief engineer Samantha Hartland. The picture the author paints with words is very clear and beautifully done. Her imagination is as clear and concise as her writing style.

Now to the twins. Phew! What can I say? Blake and Kane Damsen are delectable. Not only that, they are also realistic, sensitive, vulnerable and the way they connect with each other is very skillfully written and what could have been weird felt perfectly natural.

Samantha is a great heroine. She’s strong and independent and I adored the tomboy aspect of her which didn’t interfere with her sexuality one bit. The boys love her and who can blame them.

Verdict:
This is one hot book with tons of steam-off-the-page sex, but more than that there is a great story woven in there too. Emotions and engineering problems combine with lust, desire and a hot threesome that will send you heading for the nearest space station in search of your own set of Damsens!

5 Tea Cups!

      

Review: Vigilant by Michele Hart

Vigilant by Michele Hart

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Sci-fi Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Alliance I-Marshal Weber hauls Yadira to her home planet and infiltrates the human-trafficking ring controlling her. But he finds himself unbearably attracted to his witness. A gift for detecting deception reveals she’s the next victim of a criminal industry.

Descending into shadowy worlds of slavery, Yadira endures a dark angel stalking her dreams and watches the quiet I-Marshal become dangerous in her defense. Everything about him moves her…except the memory of seeing him execute the most important man in her life. Shouldn’t she take vengeance? Delusions of a heavenly guardian affect her mind.

Slavers and demons plan to snatch her from Weber’s custody while he is uncovering connections, and Weber won’t hesitate to execute the guilty surrounding Yadira. Who but a son of fire can save her from fiends harboring hardcore fantasies of harming her?


Clare C's Review

Human trafficking is one of our dirtiest little secrets. In Vigilant, Weber is an I-Marshal whose current assignment is to stop a gang of bad guys from kidnapping the highly prized blonde-haired, blue-eyed women sought for sale. Yadira, a woman who was part of the gang, is his prisoner and his way to bust the ringleaders.

I’m not a huge fan of science fiction, but I found Vigilant easy to read. While some things were different from a contemporary piece, enough things were similar so that I didn’t feel lost or like I had to learn a new culture in order to understand the plot. Hart does a wonderful job of weaving vital information into the story in such a natural way. She has a friendly writing style that invites the reader into a wonderful, interesting, exciting world.

The characters were very well developed. I liked how Yadira grew as a person from the beginning to the end. She starts out as a sheltered person, but she really comes into her own and takes control of her own destiny. Weber’s journey was also riveting. As someone with supernatural powers, he’s jaded by what he can see about a person. Yadira makes him understand that his powers don’t have to keep him apart from people.

I liked the whole idea of angels, and I loved how Hart wove Dokiel into the story. Like Yadira, I couldn’t tell whether he was part of Weber or a separate being. It added another element of mystery and suspense.
Though the novel is longer, the pacing keeps it moving quickly. This is the first novel I’ve read by Ms. Hart, and I very much enjoyed the adventure. Whether or not you’re a sci-fi fan, you’ll enjoy this stirring, romantic adventure.

5 Tea Cups!

      

Review: Undiplomatic Relations by Ashley Ladd

Undiplomatic Relations by Ashley Ladd

Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

In the 26th century, Major Kady Elliott witnesses a heartless massacre of innocent children. Deeply disillusioned and troubled, she escapes the evil murderer, Emperor Lukas. She vows to stop him, so she defects from the Federation and goes in search of the rebel forces hoping to join their ranks.

But that’s not so easily done. Not only was she a high-ranking officer in the Federation, she’s the ex-lover of the rebel commander, Admiral Shane Trigilio. And Shane’s more than a little bitter about her supposed betrayal of him. To rebuild his trust, he demands she follow his every command…

Publisher’s Note: Originally available in the Chances Are anthology.



Dodie's Review

This was a great blurb and set up, but unfortunately the book itself didn't deliver for me. Kady was Shane's subordinate in the rebel army. She was also having a clandestine affair with him, as it was frowned upon in the rebel army. As Shane became more dedicated to the rebels, Kady decided to leave and join the Federation army. Of course this was the ultimate betrayal of Shane and everything he believed in. Kady rises in the ranks of the Federation army, but realizes that Shane and the rebels were right when she witnesses a horrible massacre. Kady decides to go back to the rebel army and fight and defeat the Federation.

Kady ends up on Shane's space ship trying to beg her forgiveness and get back in his good graces. This is where everything fell apart for me. Kady restablishing her relationship with Shane just went a little too smooth for me. Shane never really pushed his advantage in punishing Kady for her perceived betrayal. There wasn't enough of a resolution of their difficulties to cement their new/ old relationship and take their relationship into the future.

It was a great set – up and a highly entertaining read. The sex was steamy, and well written, but the story just didn't coalesce for me. If you like space romances, this was still a good read.

3 Tea Cups!

Review: Their Taydelaan by Rachel Clark

Their Taydelaan by Rachel Clark

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

How did bumping into a man in a hospital corridor develop into dreams of red-hot threesomes?

Jade can't understand why she's dreaming of the man she literally bumped into three months ago, but when she actually meets the men from her dreams at her sister's party, things seem to spiral even further out of her control. Unwilling to believe her sister's explanation, Jade still can't deny the telepathic link she now shares with the two men.'

Zack and Mitchell have finally found their third, the woman who completes them—their Taydelaan—but she seems intent on denying their future together. Can they convince Jade that being loved doesn't mean being dependent?


Wendy's Review

Their Taydelaan is a wonderful short story that had you wanting more.

Jade couldn't comprehend her sister Kayla's relationship with her partners, Jessica and David, but was forced to realize that she couldn't change her sister's future. They were together as a family with the birth of their daughter. But as Jade went to visit the happy parents she literally ran into her mate.

Mitchell knew the moment he held Jade in his arms at the hospital that she was his and Zach's mate. She was their Taydelaan but what he didn't expect was the reaction he got from her. The fear he felt from her had him letting her go for now.

After months of wet dreams, the three knew they had to do something—but what. Instead of calming down the sexual pull was stronger and harder to ignore. Meeting at the name ceremony at her sister's house for baby Emily, Jade again came face to face with the men who haunted her dreams. As Jade puts her fear and past behind her to open up to these gorgeous men, who love her with no condition other than letting them fulfill all her naughty dreams.

Who wouldn't want these two men doing everything that Jade dreamed for the last three months.

This reader just wished it was longer I hated to see the last word. Great Job, Rachel, on a well written story.

5 Tea Cups!

      

Review: Hidden by Abby Blake

Hidden by Abby Blake


Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Menage Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Alana wakes to find herself handcuffed to an old bed in a hunting cabin in the middle of nowhere. After six years of being held against her will and subjected to horrifying experiments she's learned to deal with almost anything.

Gabe and Rafe, twin brothers working as special agents, have been given an unusual assignment. Locate and rescue a woman who was handcuffed to a bed three days ago. When they get there she is not only exhausted and injured but also completely pissed off and telekinetic.

Alana has spent many years using the only currency she had to make her life better in captivity—her body. But, despite the attraction and rampant arousal she can sense coming from both men, they both turn her down time and time again.

But Gabe and Rafe want more. Can they convince Alana they want her love as well as her body?



Wendy's Review

Wow, Hidden starts out with adventure and it continues in the entire book. Abby has a way of writing that has you consuming all the words at a rapid pace so that you can get to the next phase of the story.

Even though I haven't read the first two stories I had no trouble in reading and understanding what was happening with Alana, Gabe and Rafe's life.

Alana was rescued by her brother, but to protect her he had to hide her chained in a cabin in a remote location. As the difficulties began to develop he had to call in two of his partners, Gabe and Rafe to rescue her from the cabin and keep her safe.

Gabe and Rafe were twins with telepathic abilities but what amazed them is that Alana had no trouble following their quiet conversations of the mind.

Keeping Alana safe was their first priority for their friend, but soon they realized that Alana was for them and that her safety was first and foremost for them.

This story keeps you wanting to reach in and help a woman whose life has been torn apart. With love of two men and a family that she didn't realize she had Alana learns that even through the loneliness of the last six years she could be loved without strings attached.

5 Tea Cups!