Kristen Ashley has without a doubt earned the best/most of everything for 2012 (addictive stories, unforgettable...more5 stars – Contemporary Erotic Romance
Kristen Ashley has without a doubt earned the best/most of everything for 2012 (addictive stories, unforgettable heroes, and moving epilogues) and is easily one of my all-time favorite authors. Her books completely beguile me every single time and this was certainly no exception. Never mind that I had boxes to unpack or a gazillion other things to do because Creed simply demanded my full attention...and boy howdy, he got it! I simply couldn’t put it down!
This actually started off a little bit rocky and I wasn’t quite sure what to think. But then around the 28% mark, everything started falling into place and I ended up loving it! Creed and Sylvie are both broken and battered with horribly tragic pasts, but they find healing and forgiveness through their resilient, enduring, and unconquerable love for each other. They’re memorable, unique characters, and I adored them together.
I loved Knight and Creed, and it’s hard to decide which I liked better. Both have compelling, strong, albeit very distinctive, heroes, and although related, they’re still very different books; so it’s probably best not to compare the two. Having said that, this definitely left me more emotionally satisfied than Knight, probably because there’s a definitive, more traditional, hard-won HEA.
Bottom line, Kristen Ashley is an author goddess and she’s once again made me a very happy romance reader! Big 5 stars!
The epilogue...of course. KA is the queen of heartwarming, mushy, gushy, and can’t-get-enough-of-it epilogues, and Creed left me smiling and wiping away tears.
Minor criticisms:
Creed naming his kids (view spoiler)[with another woman the same names that he and Sylvie had planned on (hide spoiler)] made my heart break. Talk about a hot poker to the chest! His reasoning was awful, twisted, beautiful, and tragic, and although things eventually worked out, it was still hard to take.
After waiting so long for the flashback scene to reveal the moment that Sylvie (view spoiler)[finally lost her virginity to Creed (hide spoiler)], I was very disappointed that it faded to black.
I think it’s a bit misleading that this series falls in the Unfinished Hero series that’s described as erotic romances with anti-heroes because Creed is without a doubt an honorable man and a full-fledged hero, and it’s really not all that erotic.
Oh, but I really enjoyed this one! There are opposites attract stories and then there are opposites ignite, combust, and...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Oh, but I really enjoyed this one! There are opposites attract stories and then there are opposites ignite, combust, and singe my Kindle stories and this is definitely the latter. Whew!
And the premise is one of my favorites...seemingly stodgy, stuffy, rich, straitlaced Darcy-esque hero and free-spirited, quirky, flamboyant, provocative heroine clash, battle, and then inevitably end up lusting and scorching up the sheets...and pretty much any stable surface.
But Sarah Mayberry has penned an insightful, affecting story and given depth to Martin’s and Violet’s characters that dispels clichés and stereotypes. And talk about a swoonalicious, husband-worthy hero! I absolutely loved Martin! *sigh*
Her Best Worst Mistake is a sequel/spin-off of Hot Island Nights that takes place during the same time period, and I enjoyed this much more having read Hot Island Nights first.
It’s a sexy, fun, super steamy, and emotionally gratifying romance with a memorable H/h. 5 stars!
There’s no possible way I can adequately express my feelings about this book or gush enough over how much I admire Kris...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
There’s no possible way I can adequately express my feelings about this book or gush enough over how much I admire Kristen Ashley’s writing brilliance. So I’ll keep things simple and just say that I loved, loved, loved this!
Ms. Ashley is the reigning queen of smokin’ hot, badass uber alpha heroes, addictive, sigh-worthy romance, and dreamy, gratifying epilogues, and Heaven and Hell is certainly no exception. It’s one of my very favorite KA reads to date! Huge, heavenly 5 stars!
Sam in all his sexy, swoonalicious glory:
Kia in casual glamour mode:
Kia lounging around Sam’s beach house in North Carolina:
Memphis going for a walk on the beach:
On a side note...I’ve been to Lake Como in Italy and it’s without a doubt one of the most beautiful, heavenly places I’ve seen. So I especially loved all the Lake Como scenes.
Lago di Como è bellissima!
This emotional, heartfelt scene pretty much sums up the book.
**********spoiler warning**********
(view spoiler)[“You walked into that dining room, baby, and you know, the minute I saw you, I wanted to fuck you. Two days later, I saw you outside havin’ a drink and even before you looked at me with tears in your eyes, just when I saw you sittin’ there, I was annoyed, thought you were playin’ games, and I didn’t care. Just you sittin’ there I knew it was you.” He knew it was me. Me I closed my eyes. “Look at me,” Sam ordered quietly and I opened them. “Weeks after that, Kia, I saw you standing in my kitchen writing a grocery list, doing nothing, just writing a grocery list. But you’d just made me laugh and, just like you, you made me do it hard. That shit with Gordo, with Luci, losin’ Ben, Felicia tryin’ to off herself, that shit’s too much, it wears you down. I hadn’t laughed like that in months, not since Gordo died and in that moment, you in the kitchen, I realized I did it all the time with you. There were times before, a lot of them, I’d look at you and feel your pull, so strong. I wanted to fight it, deny it but I couldn’t, you wouldn’t let me and I didn’t get it. But seein’ you standing in my kitchen, effortlessly beautiful, writing a fuckin’ grocery list after you made me laugh like that, I knew what it was. I got it. I knew it was more. I knew that wasn’t an offer. That was a promise. Even with all the shit goin’ down with you, shit that would wear any other woman down, it didn’t with you and you gave me that from the beginning. And it hit me then that was what my life would be like if I lived the whole of it with you. And I knew I couldn’t live without you.” Oh. My. God. He couldn’t live without me. His face got close. “You cannot leave me. You can’t. I can’t live without you.” He couldn’t live without me. He was in hell, just like me. And just like he did for me, I showed him heaven.(hide spoiler)]
My favorite badass alpha, yowza dirty talkin’ Sam quote:
**********explicit language and spoiler warning**********
(view spoiler)[“Kia, eyes on me,” Sam ordered gently and my eyes slid back to him to see he wasn’t smiling anymore and there was no trace of hilarity. He was focused, intent and serious but all of that in a tender way that made something important shift inside of me. “Makin’ you melt for me then makin’ you light up for me, listening to you get excited, feeling it, tasting it, eating it.” His words made me shiver and it helped that his hand was gliding up my back, my neck and into my hair then he pulled my head down so my face was an inch from his and he continued on a whisper, “Feelin’ you come against my mouth, watchin’ you drive yourself down on my dick, listening to you moan as your pussy clenched around my cock when you came, baby, yeah, that was all okay, that was all better than fuckin’ okay. It was fuckin’ beautiful.”(hide spoiler)]
GAWD I loved this book so much! There are many things that make this a great read but the reasons can be easily summari...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
GAWD I loved this book so much! There are many things that make this a great read but the reasons can be easily summarized in three words repeated over and over again: Detective Mitch Lawson. A Law Man and Dream Man extraordinaire, he is without a doubt my favorite Kristen Ashley alpha hero and one of the most swoonalicious, studtastic, heart thud inducing, and sigh-worthy heroes in Romancelandia. Seriously, Mitch is yummy husband hero material and utterly amazing in every single way and then some.
I’ll be honest that I wanted to smack Mara silly for about the first 30+% of the book. Her constant judging and referring to people in terms of their zone number...“they’re a 7.5, I’m a 2.5, and he’s a 10.5”...really annoyed me. There were times when I wondered, why doesn’t Mitch ever let Mara talk or even finish a freaking sentence? (This is a common behavior with all of Kristen Ashley’s alpha heroes.) But then I was like, oh wait, maybe it’s because all she ever says is “uh...”, “um...”, “pardon me?”, and “sorry?”! And I found myself agreeing with Mitch’s harsh assessment that Mara seriously needed to (view spoiler)[get her head out of her ass (hide spoiler)]. But once Mara’s past was revealed and her batsh*t crazy relatives came calling; I understood and liked her much better. And I was so proud of her along with Mitch when she finally recognized her own self worth, found some backbone, and stood up for herself and her kids.
That brings me to another main reason I loved this book so much, which is the adorable, heartstring-tugging kids, Billy/Bud and Billie, and the cute, sweet, and emotional moments between them, Mara, and Mitch. There were several poignant scenes that choked me up and had tears streaming down my cheeks and others that brought a big smile to my face.
Like all of the previous Kristen Ashley books that I’ve read, this grabbed me from the very beginning, kept me engaged throughout, and had me anxiously yearning for a HEA finale. And once again, like all of KA’s stories, I was sad for it to end and grateful for the beautiful, touching epilogue that is in and of itself worthy of 5+ stars. (view spoiler)[The scene in the epilogue where Bud pounds a fist over his heart while staring meaningfully at Mitch on his way to the baseball dugout had me gulping back sobs. (hide spoiler)]
And the romance? Oh yeah! It’s intense, sexy, and smokin’ hot! Law Man is another Kristen Ashley winner! Big 5 stars!
Josh Duhamel is my Detective Mitch Lawson, and he definitely has the soulful brown eyes. *sigh*
There are a lot of reviews for this already, so here are some of my random thoughts.
The Bad and The U...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
There are a lot of reviews for this already, so here are some of my random thoughts.
The Bad and The Ugly:
•Yes, it’s an editing nightmare that at times made me want to whip out my red pen and go crazy with correcting remarks. •There is way too much (and occurring too often) inane detail, especially about the heroine’s wardrobe, outfits, hair, makeup, getting ready, routine, etc. I understand that her self-esteem and makeover were a significant component to the story, but I still think an easy 50+ pages of random “stuff” could have been trimmed. •It was annoying to me how the heroine constantly answered the hero with “Sorry?”, and also how she repeated Tate’s name over and over again like Kate Winslet’s Rose continually said “Jack”, “Jack”, “Jack”, “Jack” all throughout Titanic.
BUT, despite those annoyances, here’s why I still rated it 5 stars.
The Good:
•The story has a frenetic hodgepodge of themes: chick lit self-discovery, steamy contemporary romance, small town drama, family angst, crazy exes, serial killer suspense...you name it. But amazingly enough, it works. I was sucked in and thoroughly entertained. •The hero is an ex-football star, ex-cop, bounty hunting, bar-owning, tattooed badass, uber alpha biker. He’s growly, sometimes mean, often pissed off, possessive, and fond of saying (or perhaps I should say grunting) “Babe” and “Ace” to communicate a wealth of things, rather than expressing or explaining himself. There were times I wanted Lauren to smack him and send his ass packing to the curb. But DAYUM! Tate is f’n HOT! •The heroine is insecure, funny, flawed, sweet, sometimes cranky and bitchy, caring, and most of all, genuine and endearing. Laurie is easy to identify with because she’s so real. I could see myself laughing over manis and martinis with her. •Cute scenes with Buster the cat, aka, Princess Fancy Pants. •Tender, heartbreaking moments with Tate’s son, Jonas. *sigh* •An unforgettable, quirky cast of secondary characters. •Great dialogue, snappy banter, humor, and emotion. It made me laugh out loud at times and tear up in others. •And oh yeah, the steamy romance between Tate and Laurie is truly addictive.
So it’s not perfect, but I still loved it and will definitely read more by this author!
I had a hard time casting my perfect Tate, mainly because he’s so impossibly gruff, badass, and smokin’ hot. But I think Hugh Jackman could portray him fairly convincingly, especially if he acted all Wolverine broody, growly, alpha badass and got some sexy tats. He particularly looks the part in these pictures. YUMMY!
Addendum after further Internet exploration for the perfect Tate:
This is Tate in all his beautiful, badass, bounty hunter glory. *sigh*
The Gamble is my second Kristen Ashley read, and I enjoyed it nearly as much as Sweet Dreams, mainly because yummy, pr...more5+ stars – Contemporary Romance
The Gamble is my second Kristen Ashley read, and I enjoyed it nearly as much as Sweet Dreams, mainly because yummy, protective alpha hero Max actually rocked my world more than SD’s Tate. Nina and Max were great together, and the story kept me completely engaged, despite the fact that it’s very lengthy. The Gamble is another winner, and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author. 5 stars!
One of my favorite scenes is when Max mops the floor with Nina’s snooty ex-fiancé, Niles, without even delivering a single punch.
(view spoiler)[He put the knuckles of his fist to the table, leaned toward Niles and spoke quietly, cuttingly, in his rough, gravelly voice.
“Fucked her last night, man, and this morning. Five times. Five. It was like she hadn’t been touched in a decade. So fuckin’ sweet. Damn,” he taunted, his eyes locked on Niles. “You’ve had her, you gotta know, not enough money in the world’s worth that.”
“Not one fuckin’ thing gentlemanly about protecting what’s yours. Looks like you’re gonna lose it, you do everything you can to stop that from happening.” Max looked back to Niles. “And you didn’t do that. She was a week away from me, she walked into a room I was in holdin’ another man’s hand, I’d lose my fuckin’ mind. Not at her. Wonderin’ where I lost my way and I’d talk to her about how to find my way back.”(hide spoiler)]
Wow! What can I possibly say about this one to convey how absolutely wonderful it is? Talk about a charming, wicke...more5 stars – Historical/Regency Romance
Wow! What can I possibly say about this one to convey how absolutely wonderful it is? Talk about a charming, wickedly splendid read and a smashing good time! A Week to Be Wicked is one of the most engaging, refreshing, witty, banterific, and all around pleasing historical romances that I’ve read in quite a while and definitely so far this year.
Colin is a handsome, flirtatious, affable, generous, funny, sweet, and utterly lovable scoundrel whose tormented past and insecurity make you want to hold him tight, heal his wounded soul, and never let go. And spunky, awkward, bespectacled, bluestocking, spinster geologist Minerva, who prefers spending her time unearthing rare rocks and minerals and making scientific discoveries to people, might appear his polar opposite, but together they prove that magnets indeed attract.
Colin, with his good-natured, roguish charm, endearing wit, and underlying tortured soul, reminded me of one of my favorite romantic heroes, Leo Hathaway, Lord Ramsay from Lisa Kleypas’s masterful Married By Morning, and that’s high praise indeed!
It’s a highly enjoyable, gratifying read for historical romance fans! Big 5 stars!
One of my favorite scenes/passages:
(view spoiler)[A hint of sensual frustration roughened his voice. “And I will curse the gods along with them, Min. Some wild monsoon raged through me as I looked at you just now. It’s left me rearranged inside, and I don’t have a map.”
“I will insist you be man enough to take it. I won’t have you making light of my feelings, or making light of yourself—as if you’re not worthy of them. Because you are worthy, Colin. You’re a generous, good-hearted person, and you deserve to be loved. Deeply, truly, well, and often.”
He looked utterly bewildered. Well, what did he expect, after the power he’d given her? He couldn’t compare a woman to a torrentially beautiful monsoon, and then look surprised that he’d gotten wet. “You reckless man.” She laid a touch to his cheek. “You really should be more careful with those compliments.”(hide spoiler)]
I’m a huge MacKinnon’s Rangers fan, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of...more5++ stars – Colonial American/Frontier/Highlander Historical Romance
I’m a huge MacKinnon’s Rangers fan, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Defiant ever since I squealed like a fangirl when I heard Connor would be getting his own book. I swooned hard and irrevocably for his brothers, Iain in Surrender and Morgan in Untamed, two of my all-time favorite romance keepers and heroes, and it seemed only fitting that brooding, enigmatic youngest brother, Connor, should get his own HEA. And after nearly two years of anticipation since I read the first two books in 2010, I’m happy to say that the brilliant and incomparable Pamela Clare not only exceeded my super high expectations but blew this right into the stratosphere! Brava!
I feel frustrated and inadequate writing this review because there just aren’t sufficient words to convey how much I loved this. It’s complexly A+mazing, powerful, emotive, thrilling, sensual, and heartrending with an unforgettable hero and heroine whose journey will leave you breathless, speechless, and deeply inspired. It’s the epitome of what I love about romance and a story of substance that I’d recommend for all those book snobs out there who look down their nose at romance authors and readers.
Defiant is a truly astounding, utterly enthralling, and beautifully moving read that will stay with you long after you’ve finished. Having read roughly 1,300 romances, Pamela Clare’s MacKinnon’s Rangers still holds a place of honor on my treasured keeper shelf. Huge 5++ stars!
On a side note, Pamela Clare is not only a superb author goddess, but also an amazing person who genuinely cares about humanity and her fans. And I just wanted to express my sincere gratitude for that. So, thank you, Pamela, for giving so generously and joyously of your talent, dedication, and friendship.
I highly recommend checking out the live action trailer for Defiant for visual inspiration.
Addendum: I’m beyond excited that Joseph will be getting his own book! YAY! *happy dance and fangirl squeal*
MacKinnon’s Rangers is one of my top, all-time favorite romance series and the MacKinnon brothers (Iain, Morgan, and Connor) are some of the best, most swoonalicious heroes in all of Romancelandia!!!!
Oh my! I loooved gruff, growly, possessive, sexy, fiercely protective, and surprisingly funny alpha thunderbird Tiago Black Eagle soooo much!!!! Thea Harrison is going strong with this amazing series, and she’s two for two for me in terms of 5-star winners, especially when it comes to her powerful, dominating, mega yummy heroes!
Although I didn’t enjoy the overall story as much as Dragon Bound, Tiago and Niniane were fantastic characters and really great together. Their romance was sweet, playful, passionate, amusing, erotic, touching, and off the charts smokin’ hot! Tiago’s fascinating combination of ferociousness and tenderness, brute strength and gentle care, violent power and worshipful regard, stormy gruffness and hidden sensitivity, and wild sexuality and smoldering sensuality make him an unforgettable, devastatingly sexy, and utterly swoon-worthy hero. And it sure didn’t hurt that Niniane compared him visually to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson! YOWZA!
I’m absolutely loving this series, and I’m looking forward to Rune’s book, Serpent's Kiss, coming out in Oct’11. But when is yummy Graydon going to get his book?!?!
These are my favorite Niniane “Tricks” lines:
Shoulda, woulda, coulda. They were the Three Stooges of regret. All they were good for was saying whoop-whoop-whoop and smacking each other over the head.
All of Dragos’s sentinels were mean and barbaric and sexy. Even that weird harpy-bitch Aryal, who she might have a teensy girl crush on. You know, in a totally hetero kind of way.
This passage is classic Tiago:
“Wait,” he said. When the policewoman paused and looked an inquiry at him, he rubbed the back of his neck and glared at the carpet as he tried to navigate in his head the foreign concepts involved in female frippery. “She likes pretty clothes. And lipstick, she likes lipstick and dangly earrings and things like that, with all the colors matching. And chocolate—could you buy her a box of chocolates? Maybe some of the stuff could be gift wrapped.” Rogers’s gaze softened. Tiago’s face darkened as the policewoman gave him a kind smile that crinkled the corners of her eyes. She asked, “Anything else?” He scowled as he thought. What was all the stuff that Dragos’s mate got when she was convalescing? Well, aside from the diamond ring and shit. “Froufrou magazines,” he muttered. “You know, the girly stuff.” “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go shopping for her yourself?” His gaze jerked up to meet Rogers’s, and he shook his head. Unless it involved the word semiautomatic somewhere, he wouldn’t have the first clue. “I’m not leaving her,” he said. “You’ll have to do it. I’m sure what you pick out will be fine. I just want you to make sure it’s nice.”
And I’d be remiss if I didn’t include some gorgeous Tiago (Dwayne Johnson) eye candy:
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! This time the author endorsements and reader hype are more than justified! I haven’t been this blown away...more5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! This time the author endorsements and reader hype are more than justified! I haven’t been this blown away by a paranormal romance debut or as energized and jazzed about a new PNR series in a long time. Not since diving into the addictive worlds of J.R. Ward’s bold, unbeatable Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lara Adrian’s mesmerizing Midnight Breed, Larissa Ione’s distinctive, dark Demonica, and Nalini Singh’s unique Psy-Changeling have I gotten such a thrill from discovering a new paranormal romance series. Dragon Bound, the first book in Thea Harrison’s innovative, compelling Elder Races, gave me the same kind of high. I absolutely loved it!
Paranormal romance was my first foray into the vast world of romance after devouring the Twilight Saga and jonesing for more mature (and hotter!) fare and therefore will always have a special place in my heart. But after reading so many and finding blissful escape in other romance sub-genres that I love, I find I’m much more selective about PNR. I’m ecstatic that I’ve found a new series that’s got me excited about paranormal romance once again!
Dragon shifter Dragos is one of the most ancient and powerful Wyr in the world and his rule over New York City is absolute. Nobody defies him, so he’s enraged and enchanted that a slip of a woman like Pia Giovanni would dare to steal from his prized treasure. Half-breed Pia was raised to closely guard her half-Wyr nature from other wyrkind, even if that means becoming a thief to protect her secrets from her ex-boyfriend’s threats of blackmail. The last thing she needs is to anger and arouse the fiercest Wyr predator in existence, but that’s exactly what happens when Pia invades a dragon’s private hoard. In exchange for a pardon and her very life, Dragos makes Pia a bargain she can’t refuse, and she finds herself thrust into the mysterious, dangerous world of magic she’s fought so desperately to avoid. If only she could resist the smoldering attraction that burns hotter than dragonfire between her and Dragos!
Dragos...Be still my predator lovin' heart! YUM! He’s a hot, dangerous, possessive, dominating alpha hero used to getting anything and anyone he wants and always having everything his way, and he’s completely undone by his unfamiliar feelings for Pia. It was hilarious to witness his attempts to tame and gentle his beastly side for Pia, and sexy-as-all-get-out when he let the beast loose in their lovemaking. YOWZA! I loved Dragos and Pia together, and they had such funny, sexy banter and explosive chemistry. Pia’s resistance to Dragos annoyed me at times because I would have rolled over and begged for him, but her spunk was also charming.
One of the things that impressed me the most is how the author created such an imaginative, complex alternate modern society with so many fascinating varieties of magical beings (shifters, raptors, fae, elves, witches, goblins) and yet managed to avoid bogging down the story with too many heavy details and excessive world-building. There is an amazing cast of secondary characters that has me very eager for future books in the series.
With a hotter-than-hell, possessive alpha hero, a quirky, feisty heroine, fast-paced action, clever dialogue, sexy banter, snarky humor, scorching sexual tension, strong, intriguing secondary characters, and steamy love scenes, Dragon Bound has everything I crave in a romance. It kept me thoroughly entertained!
I highly recommend this for fans of Ward, Ione, Singh, Cole, Showalter, and Feehan, and anyone who enjoys an excellent paranormal romance. I can’t wait for Storm's Heart to see what’s in store next for this thrilling series. Big 5 stars!
A few of my favorite lines:
Oh my God, not only is he older than the Grand Canyon, but he’s like the pope and the Fae King and the president of the United States all rolled up into one. To some ancient cultures he had been a god. He was going to hurt her so bad before he killed her so dead, and all she could think of was how hot his kiss had been in the dream and how delicate the touch of his finger was as it traced down her body.
For God’s sake. The male was injured and here she was ogling him like a pervert in a porn store.
He rested his cheek against her head and rubbed her back. “I am cursed with a terminal case of curiosity,” he said. “I am jealous, selfish, acquisitive, territorial and possessive. I have a terrible temper, and I know I can be a cruel son of a bitch.” He cocked his head. “I used to eat people, you know.”
*This review is only for Jeaniene Frost’s Home for the Holidays.*
A great Night Huntress holiday story that provided a ve...more4 ½ stars – Paranormal Romance
*This review is only for Jeaniene Frost’s Home for the Holidays.*
A great Night Huntress holiday story that provided a very satisfying Cat and Bones fix! And don’t miss the teaser for Vlad and Leila’s story, Once Burned, at the end of the book!(less)
I’ve enjoyed the previous Lucky Harbor stories, but Chloe and Sawyer are my favorite coupl...more5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Wow! I absolutely loved this!
I’ve enjoyed the previous Lucky Harbor stories, but Chloe and Sawyer are my favorite couple of the series. Chloe is a quirky, softhearted free spirit, but Lucky Harbor, her sisters, and Sawyer make her inner wanderer yearn to put down roots. Sawyer is a stern, protective, by-the-book sheriff and a reformed bad boy who’s still 100% hot, sexy, rugged, alpha male. YUM! These two set the pages on fire! The outdoor shower and painting scenes were fun and smokin’ hot! Whew! (view spoiler)[And Sawyer’s creative, patient lovemaking technique to help deal with Chloe’s asthma affliction was thoughtful, tender, and erotic. (hide spoiler)]Yowza!
It’s entertaining, sweet, steamy, and one of my favorite contemporary romances of the year. 5 stars!
Charlotte Featherstone’s Addicted and Sinful are two of my favorite historical romances, so I was thrilled when...more5+ stars – Victorian Historical Romance
Charlotte Featherstone’s Addicted and Sinful are two of my favorite historical romances, so I was thrilled when I heard she was coming out with a new Victorian historical romance series from HQN Books. I was very fortunate to receive an early copy of the first book in The Brethren Guardians, Seduction & Scandal, from NetGalley, and it far surpassed my high expectations.
Charlotte Featherstone's writing has a unique, lyrical quality and such beautiful, resonating eloquence to her words. Seduction & Scandal is a dark, sensual, gothic tale that captivated me from the very first haunting sentence and never let me go. I loved absolutely everything about it, and I devoured every seductive word from beginning to end. I don't think it's possible for me to adequately express how much I enjoyed this book, but I'll give it my best effort.
Isabella Fairmont's past is riddled with scandal, and she longs for a proper marriage and life of stability, even if it means a staid future devoid of passion. Although she misses the simplicity and romantic, rugged beauty of the moors of her childhood country home in northern England, she barely survived the poverty and painful ramifications of her mother's notorious indiscretions with men. Isabella is determined to free herself from the devastating secrets of her past and her mother's scandalous reputation, and a possible suit with steadfast, ambitious archaeologist and scholar Wendell Knighton seems to be a perfect means of getting the respectable life she craves.
Isabella's one escape is penning gothic stories about a dark, mysterious figure who haunts her dreams and seduces her, and she keeps her inner yearning and wish of becoming a novelist a closely guarded secret from everyone but her closest friend and cousin, Lady Lucy Ashton. But when Isabella meets and dances with the scandalous, reclusive, enigmatic Earl of Black at a ball, everything in her virtuous, safely erected life of propriety changes. Lord Black's tempting dark beauty, exotic blue eyes, and intoxicating sensuality are exactly like the hero of her story, and when he makes it clear that he desires Isabella, she finds herself lured into a dangerous world of seduction.
Lord Black has guarded scandals and secrets of his own, so he's remained hidden in the shadows of society. Although he's yearned for Isabella from afar, he's stayed away to protect her. But after one dance, one touch, sets him ablaze, he knows he can no longer deny the fierce attraction he feels or resist the explosive passion between them and is determined to make Isabella his. Lord Black's alluring, mysterious, and seductive nature draws Isabella like a moth to a flame, but he also represents every wicked temptation she's vowed to avoid. He seems to know all of her secret desires, and Isabella fears she'll surrender to his enchanting allure. But when Lord Black's mysterious enemies and secrets endanger Isabella and scandals of the past resurface, their tentative relationship and fragile romantic attachment is threatened.
It's a beautifully written, haunting, and evocative romance with gothic mystery, secret legends and treasure, clandestine societies, a sense of occult, a touch of magic, and lushly sensual love scenes. Lord Black is a sexy, brooding, mesmerizing, possessive, decadently sensual, and swoonalicious hero, and his amorous obsession with Isabella is sigh-worthy romantic. He's so emotionally intense, sexually potent, and deliciously tantalizing that I was amazed Isabella didn't faint in an aroused heap at his every touch. He's like an exotic combination of robust, full-bodied red wine and spicy, rich dark chocolate that I'd gladly sip, taste, and indulge in with utter gluttony. Isabella's resistance to Lord Black and denial of their passion was frustrating at times, but it was also understandable considering the pain of her past.
Seduction & Scandal is a very strong 5+ star read that I devoured and savored in one sitting, which is exactly what I long to do to delicious Lord Black. *sigh* The gothic tale that Isabella pens throughout the book adds an enthralling, hypnotic (and steamy!) element to the story. I also loved the intriguing, complex secondary characters, the Duke of Sussex, Lady Lucy Ashton, the Duke's sister Elizabeth, and rogue Scotsman Alynwick, and I'm desperately eager to read their stories now.
I didn't want it to end, and if the second book in The Brethren Guardians, was already out, I would have delved straight into it and kept on reading until I'd finished it as well. This series is that addictive! I highly recommend this for fans of dark, sensual historical romances with a touch of mystery and brooding, sinfully yummy, to die for heroes. I can't wait for the Duke of Sussex's and Lucy's story, Pride & Passion, to come out in December'2011. Big 5 stars!
I received this as a galley, courtesy of NetGalley.com.
Wow...just...WOW! A+mazing! Brava Ms. Hoyt, you have truly outdone yourself and exceeded expectations with this...more5+ stars – Historical/Georgian Romance
Wow...just...WOW! A+mazing! Brava Ms. Hoyt, you have truly outdone yourself and exceeded expectations with this spectacular romance!
I wanted to write a full review, but life has been crazy and stressful this past week, leaving me with too little time and insufficient mental capacity. So I’ll just do a bit of gushing about this magnificent read instead.
I’m a huge Elizabeth Hoyt fan, and I’ve enjoyed every book in the Maiden Lane series thus far. So it’s no surprise really that like so many others I’ve been eagerly waiting for Silence and pirate Charming Mickey to have their chance. I actually predicted and hoped for their romantic pairing back when I read Wicked Intentions.
“Call me crazy, but I can actually imagine her {Silence} being paired with Charming Mickey. That is if Hoyt can redeem him like Lisa Kleypas managed to do with Sebastian St. Vincent in the Wallflowers series.”
And my oh my, Ms. Hoyt most definitely delivered! Charming Mickey O’Connor is one of the best heroes in Romancelandia! He’s utterly ruthless and autocratic, yet vulnerable and endearing, not to mention rakish, vibrant, and sexy as all get out! And I love that he undergoes a transformation and redemption in some sense, yet still retains his rogue pirate’s charm.
Fans of Lisa Kleypas’s beloved heroes, Derek Craven from Dreaming of You and Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent from Devil in Winter, Billy Blade from Gaelen Foley’s Lady of Desire, and Andreas Merrick from In Total Surrender should find Mickey equally, memorably swoonalicious.
I just loved, loved, loved everything about this...the engaging story, perfect pacing, rich dialogue, superb secondary characters, nasty, cringe-inducing villain, danger and intrigue, drama and humor, steamy love scenes, and most especially the passionate, volatile romance between such an unforgettable H/H pairing: a dynamic, unrepentant bad boy hero and a prim heroine whose quiet strength finds and melts his nonexistent, cold heart. Charming Mickey O’Connor and Silence Hollingbrook are one of my all-time favorite couples. And the Clever John fairytale weaved stylishly throughout the story is an ideal compliment that makes it even more captivating.
I could go on and on, but quite simply, Scandalous Desires is the best historical romance, and one of my favorite reads, of the year, not to mention an all-time treasured keeper. Big, scandalously delicious 5 stars!
And don’t miss the video, “The Making of the Scandalous Desires Book Cover”, that’s posted here on Goodreads (link below) because it’s absolutely smokin’!
WOWZA! The most anticipated installment in the phenomenal Psy-Changeling series definitely delivers the goods and lives u...more5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
WOWZA! The most anticipated installment in the phenomenal Psy-Changeling series definitely delivers the goods and lives up to the hype. It’s an intense, passionate, and emotional epic romance with smoldering sensuality and thrilling action that is pure tribute to Hawke fanatics. It satisfied my super high expectations and then some. I was completely and utterly captivated by every word from beginning to end, and my only complaint is that I didn’t want it to be over. I loved it, loved it, loved it!
Hawke in all his alpha, growly glory is a sexy, magnificent thing to behold. I want to take a big bite out of him, and have him bite me (all over!) in return. YUM! Don’t get me wrong...I love Hawke and Sienna together and think they’re an amazing, unforgettable Romancelandia couple. But I still want to be Hawke’s mate and have his wolf babies. *sighs and swoons* Oh wait, I’m already mated to Lucas. I guess I’ll have to beg settle for being the center of a wolf/panther sandwich. *naughty girl grin*
Hot Alpha Wolf Kiss me for Eternity!!!!
My favorite quotes:
She came to, to find a very satisfied wolf at her side. He was drawing patterns on the sweat-sheened skin of her navel with his finger. “How was dessert?” she asked, her throat a husky reminder that she’d screamed at the end. A flash of teeth. “I plan to go back for seconds in a bit.” She sucked in a breath. “Bad wolf.” Sliding down his hand, he tugged at her damp curls. “Hungry wolf.” Right then, Sienna knew she was sunk. Absolutely and gloriously.
“You’re in my every breath and every thought, intertwined so deep inside me that love’s not a strong enough word—you have my devotion, your name branded on my soul, my wolf yours to command. A hundred years? It’ll never be enough. I want eternity.”
“You have the power to tear me to pieces, to wound me so deep and true that I’ll never recover.”
Hawke in his majestically beautiful wolf form (note the “Kiss of Snow” on his nose):
My Hawke (Eric Dane):
Sienna (note the ruby red hair and cardinal-like eyes):
This is another kick-ass read in the awesome, wildly entertaining The Blades of the Rose series that’s an intriguing, uni...more5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
This is another kick-ass read in the awesome, wildly entertaining The Blades of the Rose series that’s an intriguing, unique blend of Victorian-era historical and paranormal. Scoundrel is an exciting combination of action, adventure, magic, mystery, treasure hunting, seafaring, dangerous intrigue, humor, and steamy romance with an exotic Greek setting and fabulous characters.
It reads like a thrilling action-adventure movie that grabbed my attention from the very first page and never let go. I loved it! I didn’t think the series could get any better than Warrior, but I enjoyed this just as much. And that’s largely because of sexy, shameless Scoundrel hero, Bennett Day, who’s just to die for yummy.
Bennett Day loves the ladies. As an agent for The Blades of the Rose, a secret society dedicated to protecting the world’s magic sources from the evil Heirs who seek to obtain and abuse them for their own gain and power, his primary duty is always to the mission. But if all in a days work, the success of an operation should happen to involve getting under a woman’s skirt and petticoats or seducing a married woman to obtain vital information? Well, then that’s just gravy. The notorious ladies’ man has always been able to keep things carefree, easy, and aloof when it comes to women he’s attracted, seduced, and/or bedded, but then again, Bennett’s never encountered a woman like London Harcourt before.
The womanizing adventurer finally meets his match in intelligent, spirited widow London and finds himself strangely and completely captivated by her. It’s too bad that she’s the daughter of a top member of the Blades sworn enemy, the Heirs. Now it’s up to Bennett and some of his Blade allies to convince expert linguist London to help them translate an ancient dialect in order to find a magical source that’s hidden somewhere in the Greek isles before the Heirs find and use it for their evil aims.
Bennett is a flirtatious, affable, and charming adventure seeker who plays the part of devil-may-care scoundrel, rake, rogue, wastrel, and libertine proudly and with debonair ease. He and London share an explosive attraction and magnetic chemistry that turns into a wildly passionate affair in the midst of exploration and danger. He’s certain that he’ll eventually be able to move on easily when things cool down, like he always does. But when Bennett and London traverse the perilous waters of emotion, will he still be able to play the unaffected scoundrel? Whew...the scenes between these two are intense, fun, and smokin’ HOT!
And Bennett? He had me melting and swooning as if I’d been baking out under the blazing Greek sun all day. And I really liked that much of the story is told from Bennett’s POV because his internal thoughts flat-out cracked me up. He’s sexy, fun, infectiously cheerful, witty, wickedly charming, protective, strong, honest, and courageous, and when he realizes and declares his feelings...it’s utterly romantic, sweet, and sigh-worthy.
There’s also a great side romance between quirky secondary characters, witch Athena and sea captain Kallas, whose constant bickering masks an underlying attraction and simmering sexual tension that they fight like hell to ignore but eventually comes to a boil.
If you like romance with lots of action and adventure, humor, steamy love scenes, a smart, plucky heroine, and a to die for, scoundrel hero with a heart of gold, then don’t miss this highly enjoyable read! Big 5 stars!
WOW! What an extraordinary, freakin’ fun read this was! I loved it! Warrior is one of the most unique, entertaining roman...more5+ stars – Paranormal Romance
WOW! What an extraordinary, freakin’ fun read this was! I loved it! Warrior is one of the most unique, entertaining romances that I’ve read, with an exotic setting, captivating, complex characters that you’ll love, a thrilling combination of Victorian-era historical and paranormal, and an exciting, perfect mix of action, adventure, steampunk, magic, suspense, humor, and blistering hot love scenes.
And if you’re concerned or doubtful about the level of romance, no need to worry at all because it’s more than satisfying and plenty steamy. In fact, the romance is one of the strongest, and definitely sexiest, elements of the story.
The relationship between fierce, protective, honorable, brave, gruff, loyal, hardened warrior hero, Captain Gabriel Huntley, who’s more about actions than words, and spunky, bookish, feisty, spinsterish, kick-butt heroine, Thalia Burgess, who’s all the more relatable and lovable because she’s genuine and tough yet insecure, is the best thing about this. Their attraction and chemistry is magnetic and explosive from the start, and their romance is believable, passionate, fun, emotional, volatile, touching, and intensely erotic. Gabriel and Thalia share a soulful, deep connection and become each other’s warrior, protector, and savior.
I love a good action adventure, especially with a to die for, sexy warrior hero and a strong, plucky heroine who can stand by him in a fight without being emasculating, and this more than delivered...it kicked major ass! I had an absolute blast reading it! Warrior is an amazing, highly enjoyable read worthy of big 5 stars! But if you still need some convincing, here are some of the things that make it so awesome.
A = Action, adventure, arresting artifacts, archery, and author Archer’s amazing writing.
W = Warrior hero and heroine who bravely fight together to save the world from tyranny (see evil villains below).
E = Evil, elitist villains who’s lust for greed, power, and global domination threaten all of humankind.
S = Suspense, scorching hot sex, secret societies, sandstorms, windswept steppes, severe desert landscapes, and supernatural elements.
O = Occult, occasional laugh out loud humor, and odd, fascinating characters.
M = Magic, mystery, majestic Mongolian setting, multiculturalism, and mysticism.
E = Exotic locations, cultures, languages, and customs and erotic romance.
And how about this “Warrior” to play the part of Gabriel?
Whew boy! LJ’s wildly sexy Rough Riders series, with its hunky, dominating, pant-inducing, studli...more5+ stars – Contemporary/Western Romance/Erotica/BDSM
Whew boy! LJ’s wildly sexy Rough Riders series, with its hunky, dominating, pant-inducing, studlicious cowboys, makes me smile, laugh, cry, and fan myself in utter erotic glee every single time. Kane McKay is another yummy, to die (and drop panties) for hero, and he and strong, independent lawyer Ginger are pure fire together. Raising Kane is another smokin’ hot, hawt, HOT read and one of my favorites of the series.
I just loved Kane’s sweet and soft side and the way he was so nurturing, caring, and protective of Ginger and her son Hayden, but then all alpha, dominating, and demanding in the bedroom...YOWZA! Kane joins his twin Kade from Tied Up, Tied Down for my favorite McKay man.
It’s an entertaining, wickedly erotic read that’s emotional, funny, touching, yet deliciously raunchy with a hero who’s equally tender and dominating, a heroine who’s stubborn, strong, and genuine, and an adorable kid who adds to the story, rather than detracts. There’s plenty of nekkid fun, naughty rope play, and scorching hot sex, but there’s also lots of heart, which is what makes this series so fantastic. Big 5 sweet, studtastic stars!
Here’s my Kane (or any of the yummy McKay men for that matter):
WOW! I loved this, especially devilishly charismatic rake, the Marquis of St. Aubyn. Saint is a deliciously debau...more5+ stars – Historical/Regency Romance
WOW! I loved this, especially devilishly charismatic rake, the Marquis of St. Aubyn. Saint is a deliciously debauched scoundrel who glories in his depraved ways and pursuits, but he meets his match in caring, headstrong Evelyn. She’s determined to save the Heart of Hope Orphanage and teach Saint a lesson in compassion in the process; even if it means engaging him in a provocative battle of wills and indulging in his dangerous game of seduction. But who will be the victor of their passionate “lessons in love”?
St. Aubyn reminded me a lot of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent from Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas (one of the sexiest, yummiest romantic heroes, ever!), and both heroines have the same informal name, Evie, strong countenances, and kindhearted natures. Hmmm...interesting...But the stories are decidedly different and each have their own charms.
If you enjoy romances with unrepentant rake heroes who just love to be bad and spirited heroines who give as good as they get, then don’t miss this wonderful, engaging read. It’s a keeper! Big 5 stars!
His smooth panther’s stalk was magnetic even when he wasn’t hunting. With an entire room full of willing game, then, why was he after her?
This is my favorite sigh-worthy moment.
(view spoiler)[“I told you that I didn’t have a heart,” he continued as he gazed up at her, his voice shaking just a little. “I do have one. I just didn’t know it until I met you. You are my light. My soul craves you, and I love you with every ounce of the heart you’ve awakened in me. I...I could live without you, but I wouldn’t want to.”(hide spoiler)]
This is my favorite steamy moment.
(view spoiler)[The scene where Evelyn shaved Saint while he was chained up and then finally gave in to his wicked seduction was smokin’ hot! (hide spoiler)]
Wow! What an utterly delightful gem this turned out to be! I absolutely loved, loved, loved it!
One Night With a...more5+ stars – Historical/Regency Romance
Wow! What an utterly delightful gem this turned out to be! I absolutely loved, loved, loved it!
One Night With a Prince is such a fun, sexy, witty, steamy, entertaining, emotional, and engaging romance, and the H/h make a saucy, amusing, and unforgettable couple with magnetic chemistry in spades. “Prince of Sin” Gavin Byrne reminded me a little of Derek Craven from Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas (one of my all-time favorite romantic heroes) because of his brutal, impoverished upbringing, rise to success as a wealthy, powerful gaming club owner, and tarnished, cynical soul, but Gavin’s a bit more affable, devilish, and teasing, especially when it comes to seduction. And feisty, brave, spirited, temperamental, loyal, and kindhearted Christabel, who dares make him feel and yearn for things he doesn’t believe in, is his perfect, explosive match.
I’m usually a stickler for reading books in order, but I’m glad I made an exception for this because it would have been a real shame to delay enjoying such a wonderful romance. Now I’m looking forward to reading the first two books in the series and more by this author. Big 5, scandalously sinful stars!
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