Review: Love’s Deceit by Joyee Flynn

Love’s Deceit by Joyee Flynn

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Alternative Romance

Heat Rating: 4

Blurb

Dimitri Anslow has been in love with Alexander since he came to the warrior camp as a twenty-four year old pre-transition trainee. Fifty years later, he finally has the perfect plan to be with Alexander… at least physically.

After their life changing sex, Alexander tells Dimitri that he doesn't love or want him. Crushed, Dimitri tries everything he can to forget the man, jumping from guy to guy. As Alexander gives him mixed signals, Dimitri tries to come to terms with the fact that his mate may never be his. Can Dimitri move on from the one that owns his heart or is there something worth fighting for?


Lily's Review

Love’s Deceit is a lovely read which you can really get your teeth into – excuse the pun – the story length is long enough to get to know the characters, invest in their happiness and fall happily into the world of vampires and warriors.

Dimitri is a great character and you really feel the strength of his love for Alexander. The pain of having such powerful feelings for someone but not having them returned smokes off the page. I could have cried for him a few times; about how he was used and discarded, how he flitted from one mad sexual encounter to another.
Alexander is how many men are, aloof and confident on the outside, but on the inside confused and just wanting what everyone else wants. I could almost see him standing before me, the descriptions of his sublime physical appearance were so intense.

The vampire/warrior world Ms Flynn creates is very believable, the secondary characters add wealth and depth to the story. The fact that their customs and practices are so ancient heightens the tension and the need, as a reader, to have a happy outcome.

Verdict:

The first book I have read by this author and I am certainly impressed. The voice is smooth and believable, the characters well rounded and the plot flows well. Great job.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Prescription for Passion by Jamaica Layne

Prescription for Passion by Jamaica Layne

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

Joanna Watson and Harlan Wilkinson are married now, and also working together every day at Covington Community Hospital. But the long hours and busy schedules are starting to take their toll on the relationship----they’re both soon finding that married life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. With almost no private time to themselves any longer, Joanna and Harlan search for ways to spice up their sexual relationship on the job.

Meanwhile, the nursing shortage has led Covington Community Hospital to do something it’s never done in its 85-year history----hire a male nurse. Billy Hartzell----a handsome, athletic 22-year-old fresh out of a big-city nursing school----is a fish-out-of-water in small-town Statesville. The young female nurses don’t exactly know what to think of Billy, but the one thing they do know is he’s smoking-hot. Soon, all the single ladies at Covington Community Hospital are jockeying ruthlessly for Billy’s affections. Billy jumps right in, and partakes of the pleasures that are offered him by the flirty young Starla Berring. But in the end, he only has eyes for one nurse in particular----a shy, virginal young woman named Dana.


Lily's Review

Prescription for Passion is a really good book, not only that it’s a long read that gives you the time to sink your teeth into the wonderful characters and invest in their happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the people and found myself thinking about them when I wasn’t reading - when I was doing my chores and walking the dog - for me this is a sign of a book well thought out and right up my street.

This is the first in the series I’ve read but that didn’t seem to affect my enjoyment. Ms Layne does a nice job of filling in the back story of Harlan and Joanna without making the reader feel like it’s an information dump. I adored reading about these two characters but it was Billy and Dana who really captured my imagination.
Billy was lovely, and bless him, not having much fun on his first nursing job. Dana is a sweet little thing with just the right amount of feistiness to not me a push over. I did think her and Billy fell for one another a little quickly to be believable but hey, I wanted them to get together so it didn’t really matter.

There were a few medical points I wasn’t one hundred percent sure on but being in the UK I am not absolutely certain of US practice so wouldn’t really want to comment. But all in all I got the impression the author knew what she was talking about when it came to writing medical drama. Oh, and did I mention the secondary characters – fabulous in a nasty, scheming way!

Verdict:
Prescription for Passion is a book I would happily pass on to friends. The sex is hot, descriptive and woven with emotion. The plot and characters were fulfilling and the writing elegant. A great read and I look forward to getting my hands on the others in the series.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Soul Sacrifice by Leanore Elliott

Soul Sacrifice by Leanore Elliott

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

It becomes hot and restless down in the deep south.


A Creole pact that haunts a family for a hundred years.

Its 1889...Cesso and Reeves meet, and it's an electrifying experience. They will love and fight until it brings their souls to peril, when they make the Soul Sacrifice.

It's 1989...Jubilee Evangeline is the last living heir, removing the Hundred year old curse is her destiny, but will she lose the man she loves because of it?

Charlie and Ravens are brought to the Avalonde plantation to lift the Evangeline family curse. Sparks fly between them as they begin again. But will the Demon of the pact tear them apart?

You will live the Sacrifice, Betrayal and the Redemption in...The Soul Trilogy.


Lorien's Review

Soul Sacrifice is an intriguing story based on a Creole family curse that began in 1889. The book takes us to a dream that Cessoline has of a man. When she finds out the man is her brother's best friend Reeves, she disguises herself in a costume from marrying him. Her plans backfire and they both end up dying.

A hundred years later in 1989, Cessoline’s heir Jubilee tries to lift the curse. Reporter Charlie Sanders and Blaine Ravens are brought to Avalonde Plantation to assist Jubilee. Instant chemistry ignites when Charlie and Ravens meet. Then there’s Nick St. Claire, a detective out to find the truth who still has feelings for Jubilee.

The storyline has plenty of amazing twists and turns. The author did a great job of interweaving suspense with romance. The world building and character development played an important role where it switches back and forth from 1889 to 1989. If you’re a fan of intricate plot and steamy paranormal romance, you will enjoy this book.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Blood and Dust by D. McEntire

Blood and Dust by D. McEntire

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

When Brody McAllister set out on a task he has done since his youth—driving longhorns along the trail from Texas to Kansas—the last thing he expected to find along the way is a beautiful woman dressed in men’s clothing. The tale of her brother depositing her in the untamed land, alone and hungry, has him fired up and ready to do whatever he has to do to see to her safety.

Finding herself abandoned in the middle of nowhere was bad enough for Brianna Wallace. She was used to city life, but that’s not the worst of her worries. She is a vampire. When a handsome cattle driver literally scoops her up and takes her along on his journey, Bri fights to keep her heart and her secret to herself, but loses both battles. The sudden reappearance of her brother to force her aid in his return to New York threatens to solve her Brody dilemma by taking her away and most likely, ending her life. Either way, she may never see Brody again.



Lisa's Review

McEntire does a fine job with this love story. Who doesn’t love a good vampire romance? Throw in a handsome cowboy and I am a happy woman.

Brianna is a delightfully innocent vampire who has suffered the loss of her father/creator at the hands of a murderous brother who left her all alone in the wilderness to die. Barely surviving on her own, Briana becomes infatuated with a handsome and thoughtful cowboy even while knowing they can never have a future together.

Brody is a cattleman out on the range driving cattle when he comes across a beautiful woman alone. All of his protective instincts spring to life around Briana. Why is she traveling alone? How can he leave her? Brody feels strongly for Briana and wants to ask her to stay with him, but doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. Surely a dignified woman such as herself would want a man who can traipse her about to all the society functions.

A great book, I hope there’s a sequel.

3 ½ Tea Cups!

   

Review: Light Me Up by Rebecca Royce

Light Me Up by Rebecca Royce

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Ruth has been a vampire for sixty-five years after being assaulted by a vampire during World War II while her family hid from the Nazis. One night, she is drawn to a house where they are celebrating Hanukkah and the candles are burning in the window. There, she meets a man, Benjamin Fox, who is immune to her vampire charms. Ben is thirty-five years old and dying of a heart problem he's had since he was a child.

Together, they will form a friendship that could be so much more if either could allow it. But when Ben is about to succumb to his illness, Ruth must decide whether to give in to his wishes and make him a vampire too. She is, he's decided, his ultimate Hanukkah gift.



LynnMarie's Review

This was an unusual short story. The hero of the book isn't your typical alpha male—he's dying from a heart condition and can barely walk down the street without needing to take a rest. He's visiting his family for his last Hanukkah because he has very little time left to live. Being unfamiliar with the Jewish culture, I enjoyed the intimate look into the traditions and history.

Ben was very likeable. Although he's dying, he keeps his humor and common sense. He's ready to face death—until he meets Ruth. Ruth is not your typical Jewish girl. She's a vampire that has been roaming the world alone for decades. When the two meet, sparks fly. An instant connection between the two ill-fated characters ignites and continues to grow.  The lights from the Hanukkah candles play a touching role in this story for the characters and reader.

We get a glimpse into Ben and Ruth's history and emotional state, which only makes the reader root for them and eager for a happily ever after.

Rebecca Royce has a lyrical quality to her writing and manages to pack a punch with even a low word count. Light Me Up was a sweet, touching love story with a paranormal twist. It's the perfect holiday read for Christmas or Hanukkah and will leave you with a smile and warmed heart.

4 1/2 Tea Cups!

      

Review: Silent Knights by Gale Stanley

Silent Knights by Gale Stanley

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Alternative Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Paul Stanton thought he had it all, a great job, a beautiful condo and a stable relationship with his soul mate. When his lover dumps him for another man, Paul is forced to rethink his life. He visits his childhood home in rural Pennsylvania rather than spend the holidays alone in San Francisco. But only a few days with his family is enough to convince him that you can't go home again.

Paul leaves for the airport in the midst of a snowstorm. Stranded in the woodlands, a chance meeting between him and a hunter is his only option for survival. He knows the type. A backwoods bigot like the men he grew up with. But what choice does he have? A few days with the Mountain Man convinces Paul there's more to Andy Reynolds than meets the eye. But is it enough to bind two men who have nothing in common except their sex?


Clare C's Review

Silent Knights is my first exposure to Gale Stanley, and I was very pleased by the experience. Paul and Andy are both unhappy men. Each has isolated themselves in their own way. Paul distanced himself from his family and spent the time pursuing plastic relationships. Andy fled to the mountains of Pennsylvania. A snowstorm traps them together right around Christmas.

They share some amazingly sweet and erotic moments that force them to come to terms with what they truly want from life. I liked the way Paul had to return to the place from which he fled in order to move forward. There was a poetic completion Ms. Stanley’s plotting. The pace of the story was perfect, though in some places the conversation carried the story instead of the narrative, and the characters were developed in a way that let the reader closely connect with them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading more by this talented author.

4 Tea Cups!

   

Review: Comes An Outlaw by Rie McGaha

Comes An Outlaw by Rie McGaha

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Western Romance

Heat Rating: 2

Blurb

Jacob Dobbs is alive.

That surprises him quite a bit since he's been shot several times and he's lost a lot of blood. His brother Luke wasn't as lucky, and as much as Jake hated to, in order to save his own life he had to leave Luke's body laying on the ground.

Now he's back at his cabin in the mountains of Montana and he's hoping to be able to heal up so he can go back and exact a little revenge, not to mention get back the five thousand dollars stolen from Luke. He knows exactly where to go -- Ebenezer Franklin is a big fish in a little pond and has the whole town in his pocket, but that doesn't deter Jake.

He'll either even the score or die trying. Or so he thinks . . . until he meets Franklin's niece and she proceeds to complicate his life unfairly.


Kris' Review

Any reader looking for a great romantic western will not be disappointed with this book. I know I was not. Ms. McGaha creates a wonderful story with richly well-developed lovable characters. She captures the period of ‘after the War between the states’ with vivid accuracy and memorable moments. The book starts fast-paced with a shootout and never slows down.

Wealthy parents in Boston raised Julia Franklin and left her a considerable amount of money when they died. Forced to move to Lincoln, Montana and live with her miserable uncle Ebenezer Franklin, Julia is out of her realm. Since she is still a minor, her uncle controls her trust fund until she is twenty-one or married. Montana is an entirely different world to her. Living on a ranch with smelly cows and sweaty cowhands is not the ideal life for Julia.

Jake and Luke Dobbs have a small cabin not far from Lincoln. One fateful night in Lincoln, Luke gets himself into a shootout over a poker game claiming he lost $5000.00 because another man cheated. Luke and Jake are both shot numerous times, as they flee. Finally, Luke tells Jake to leave him there and get away before they both die.

Believing that Ebenezer Franklin is responsible for Luke’s death, Jake kidnaps Julia for the $5000 ransom. When the hostage explains to her kidnapper that Luke is not dead but in jail, Jake finds himself in a conundrum. While Julia is with Jake in the cabin, the attraction is apparent. Nevertheless, he knows that he has to do the right thing. They head to town where he breaks Luke out of jail, and dutifully returns Julia to her uncle. Now a wanted man for breaking Luke out of jail and for kidnapping Julia, Jake convinces Luke to leave town. The brothers head for parts unknown to start a new life.

When the news that Ebenezer has sold Julia to an Englishman, for $10,000 and that his men are taking her by stagecoach to Sacramento, reaches Jake he has to another serious decision. Does he let the woman he loves get married to a man more her class, or does the outlaw go after her and fight for her?

With the fast-paced action of a western, and a side of romance, this book is one heck of a ride. A ride that I believe is definitely worth taking. ‘Comes an Outlaw’ earns five Tea Cups and a rating as a recommended read.

5 Tea Cups and a Recommended Read!

      

Review: Passion's Escape by Ashlynn Monroe

Passion’s Escape by Ashlynn Monroe

Publisher: Silver Publishing
Genre: Menage Romance

Heat Rating: 3

Blurb

In this harsh world only the strong survive.

Passion has a choice, escape or be sold by her desperate father.

Fortune sends two powerful men into her life. Men who have the power to free or enslave her, and who together bring her to the pinnacle of pleasure.

New worlds await Passion as she discovers that sometimes a slave can become the master.



Wendy’s Review

Let me begin by saying I loved, loved, loved this book! Ashlynn brings you into a futuristic world where there is danger and excitement. She has you reading word for word, line for line, paragraph by paragraph; you are afraid that if you don't read it that way you will miss something. The name of the book is Passion's Escape and she wasn't joking. Passion's Escape isn't just talking about escaping her situation with her father as much as escaping commitment. This story takes you into a world where the strong are the rulers and they rule with an iron fist. Even though her story is fantasy you get into the reality of the story line of today, there is passion, danger and extraordinary love and trust.

You feel Passion's emotions and with each word you feel for the woman who just wanted freedom. Passion is a woman who wants a life. She lives in a world where women are objects, not people.  They are to be owned and enslaved. She had enough courage to face down the enemy to get what she wants. Her strong will was an attraction to the Dragon and he wasn't being deterred. She was determined not to allow any man to own her, and to Dragon, it was his mission to own her body and soul. So when the two clash, tempers flair, but so does the sex. Passion has to stay one step ahead of Dragon and Hawk to make her way in life. Her fighting skills come in handy; she fiercely protects the ones she loves.

Dragon grew up harsh and wanted acceptance from his father, so when he met Passion something in him changed. Dragon could have any woman he wanted.  He couldn't understand why Passion didn't understand that by being with him, he was giving her everything. Everything but her freedom because she was his soul mate.

Hawk watched over Dragon, the emperor's son. They shared their lives and they shared Passion. Hawk had to make Dragon realize to receive true love from Passion he would have to be willing to give up control and let her go. When the three get together the sexual tension smolders until it lights the fire.

This is the first paranormal/futuristic book that I have read and I wasn't disappointed. Ashlynn wrote such a wonderful story that I can't wait to read another.

5 Tea Cups!