Talon P.S.'s Blog, page 35
July 8, 2014
BOOKS n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS — Her Other Lover by T.K. Holt
4 ~ Stars!
Review of ~ HER OTHER LOVER by T.K. Holt
(Copy was submitted by author for review)
Romance / Contemporary / Erotic / MF
Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rayna needs to focus on finding herself after suffering a recent breakup. She turns to reading and working to clear her mind. Unexpectedly, she meets a man who catches her eye, but she runs for the hills, afraid of lust on the rebound. They reconnect via the internet and become distant friends, keeping their true feelings for each other locked inside their computers. When she discovers the man she craves isn’t available, she fades to the background.
Still pining for the man in the distance, another comes into her life and sweeps her off her feet. She never thought she’d find love again, especially so soon, but he’s everything she thinks she wants. The ultimate test comes when Rayna finds herself in dire need of support and compassion, only to find herself abandoned to fend for herself. Will her true love finally arrive at the eleventh hour to take her by the hand? To love and care for her the way she deserves?
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/her-other-lover-tk-holt/1117902167?ean=2940045951951
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/439373
All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-herotherloverhiddentruthsseries-1520849-358.html
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/her-other-lover/id880263645?mt=11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First off I have to say Rayna, our leading lady, did much better at her first Author meet and greet than I did. LOL If you ever get a chance to go to a book conference, DO IT, and take Rayna’s advice and go for the whole conference not just the book signing. There is nothing better than meeting the Authors of the great books we read and love!
This book is tagged as an erotic romance but it read more like a contemporary romance to me. It doesn’t really matter though because “Her Other Lover” is still a very satisfying read. T.K. Holt gives us a short story that has been put together very well. Our main characters Rayna and Steffon as well as the secondary characters will have you laughing, shaking your head, crying and turning up the A/C.
We all have our book boyfriend or girlfriend that fires our dreams but to meet the cover model that portrays them on our books makes them just a little more real. When Rayna meets Steffon the cover model for her new favorite book he is everything a book boyfriend should be. That is if he lived next door and was single but this is real life not one of the books she reads. Or is it?
Steffon isn’t the only new man in Rayna’s life and Elijah, or as his friends call him Eli, has the potential to be more than a friend. Eli is tall, dark and sexy! He also can do something a book boyfriend can’t, He can not only warm the sheets but he is there when you need him, right?
You are going to enjoy this story. You may even start looking at that one friend that makes you think, if only, a little differently. After all timing is everything *wink*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HER OTHER LOVER also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~ 3 Flames
TWIST FACTOR ~ 2 turns on a hair pin
BONUS FACTOR ~ 1 big “SQUUUEEEEEE” for meeting favorite author and the cover model; plus a “Seriously, he did what?”
July 7, 2014
July 1, 2014
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS — DIEGO: Endangered Fae by Angel Martinez
4 ~ Stars!
Review of DIEGO: ENDANGERED FAE, by Angel Martinez
MM / Fae Fantasy /
Review by Jaycee, for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
(copy provided by author for honest review, however reviewer also purchased book on Amazon.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Diego and Finn’s peaceful life in Montana shatters when Diego unwittingly rips a hole in the Veil to the Otherworld—mysterious prophecies, dying fae, hostile government agents, and there’s so much more that could still go wrong.
After defeating an evil wendigo, a man and his pooka lover deserve a little quiet. Unfortunately, Diego and Finn’s hard-won peace is disturbed when Diego, in a jealous rage, unwittingly rips a hole in the impenetrable Veil to the Otherworld.
Separated, stuck on the other side of the Veil where Finn has to face old conflicts and Diego is the only human in a land of fae, the two of them navigate rocky waters between huge egos and ancient feuds. Worse still, some of the fae are dying of a mysterious illness and everyone believes Diego is the key to a cure. Things can’t possibly get any worse, can they? Oh, yes—they can when the US government gets involved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I must warn those looking for input on this story that this reviewer is essentially Fae-challenged. Bereft of fairy dust. Lacking in fantastical understanding of any kind. I usually find the Fae worlds affect me much like math did back in the day, where even a determined mother and a sack full of chestnuts (we were an abacus-free family) could not crack the mental barrier that was math. There were so many rules and formulae, and every damned one of them with exceptions. Just like Fae. And I usually have a mental barrier to their stories because I can’t, or won’t, keep track.
But I love this story. Perhaps not from the same angle or perspective of most Fantasy readers, but I love it just the same. And I could and I did keep track of all the characters, and came to appreciate a few of them as much as Finn and Diego. Speaking of whom…
It was pleasing to watch as Diego came into himself and his powers, without even really being aware that was what he was doing. He was a natural, and unencumbered by experiences of past lives, such that, hopefully, this life sticks around for a while. In an aside to the author: you know, it wouldn’t be amiss in some future book, to see Diego inadvertently manscape Mitch in the form of a short-hair depilatory using his now well controlled wireless remote. I mean, Fae being a bunch of vindictive little bast…guys, and all. Just a thought…
I was surprised though not entirely disappointed that Finn seemed to retreat into weaknesses perceived by others, particularly in the face of his own kind of strength displayed in Book One (FINN: Endangered Fae). I felt it marginalized him somewhat until the very end when he stepped up to his own personal plate, and did so without fan-fare or attention seeking devices.
This romp was further facilitated by a subtextual lesson that “humanity”, and I use the term loosely, is often it’s own worst enemy because of their ignorant fears.
A small detraction from the overall story for me at least, would come in the form of a bit too much angst in the Diego-Finn personal relationship. The back and forth in status and the insecurities might have been a bit distracting from the overall tale, though in the end the results and the means of getting there, all made sense. The love story was ultimately gratifying to this romance-focused reader.
Some truly excellent secondary characters continue to promise a full and rich saga ahead. And all this reader needs now is some focused LLL (Learning of Legend and Lore) to fill in where once there were meaningless chestnuts!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ENDANGERED FAE also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~ 3 Flames
BONUS FACTOR ~ a note to humanity
June 30, 2014
Books ‘n Cozy Spots Book reviews – Wolf Run by BA Tortuga
3 ~ Stars!
Review of – WOLF RUN by BA Tortuga
(Copy was submitted by author for review)
Paranormal Romance / Shifter / Ménage / MM / MMM
Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mick is a lone wolf in all ways. He’s left his pack, he’s left his homelands and he’s on the road, footloose and fancy free. Well, at least until he wanders up to a fence and finds a little wolf running his ass off behind it. Mick stops to let the pup out and is stunned to hear the young wolf, Scotty, tell him “no”. Scotty’s mate and best friend, Danny, asked Scotty to stay behind the fence, so he will be safe while Danny fights to support them both. All this leaves Mick’s fur standing on end. Maybe, Mick doesn’t need one mate to bring him home. Maybe, he needs two.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don’t let the rating fool you, BA Tortuga gave us a fun loving easy read that will make your heart happy. Mick and his “pups” Scotty and Danny make this story a nice treat. Unlike BA’s other stories I felt this one was rushed a little or maybe just needed to be expanded on. As I read it the main plot wasn’t revealed until later in the book but this did add to the story when it was revealed to me. The age differences may make you go hmmmm, but the ages do make sense if you keep in mind shifters age different than humans and the lack of training and experience of our young pups. The order of events also gave me pause but for this story they do work and get our men where they need to be. I would recommend this book for a fun loving read where the characters experience not only the fun and adventure of learning each other but also the pitfalls.
Mick is a wolf who chose to leave his pack, travels alone, not staying in one place long. He is also an Alpha in the making. He knows who he is and thinks he knows what he is looking for and wants. But the best laid plans of mice, men, and wolves often have wrenches thrown in them, in more ways than one. Enter Scotty and Daniel. *wink*
Scotty and Daniel (Danny) are doing the best they can. They were forced to leave their pack at a young age without the training, skills and support from a pack that they needed to be on their own. Bad Pack Master! Oh wait ‘til you find out who the Pack Master is. *smh* In this mated pair of beta’s Danny has taken on the responsibilities of an Alpha and it has cost him a very high price. Scotty is an artist and I think the youngest or maybe the most innocent of our pair. He knows the price Danny has paid to take care of them and it weighs on him so he does what he can to make a home for Danny and follow the rules. Until Mick opens the gate and he experiences the freedom of running like the wolf he is, but what about Danny? Will Danny get to experience this freedom or will he just be free?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WOLF RUN also received the following ratings:
ROMANCE FACTOR ~ 2 Hearts
HEAT FACTOR ~ 2 Flames
TISSUE FACTOR ~ 1 box of ‘em
BONUS FACTOR ~ 1 cheese burger split in half (for sharing)
Book Blast – Wolf Run by BA Tortuga
WOLF RUN
by
BA TORTUGA
Blurb:
Mick is a lone wolf in all ways. He’s left his pack, he’s left his homelands and he’s on the road, footloose and fancy free. Well, at least until he wanders up to a fence and finds a little wolf running his ass off behind it. Mick stops to let the pup out and is stunned to hear the young wolf, Scotty, tell him “no”. Scotty’s mate and best friend, Danny, asked Scotty to stay behind the fence, so he will be safe while Danny fights to support them both. All this leaves Mick’s fur standing on end. Maybe, Mick doesn’t need one mate to bring him home. Maybe, he needs two.
Excerpt: He dropped his wolf form as soon as he was out of sight, his body lengthening into a biped. “Dude, why are you in a cage?”
The pup yelped and scrambled back, leaping onto the porch.
“Hey, I’m not here to hurt you. I can open the gate.”
The pup looked at him then boom, a lovely lean man stood there, shaggy blond hair curling around his face. “H-hey.”
“Hi. Would you like to run? I can get you out.” God, the kid was adorable and plenty old enough to play.
“Oh. Oh, no. Daniel would be so mad at me for getting out again.” Eyes the color of brandy caught the sun. “Daniel says I’ll get hurt, lost.”
“Does Daniel mistreat you?” Because Mick could beat someone down just for fun.
“Daniel? My Daniel?” The pup’s laugh was happy, joyous, the look on his face fond and warm. “Oh, no. Daniel loves me. He works for both of us. He brings me half his food every day. He’s a good mate. We… The Alpha said ‘too many males’, and we… Daniel pays for this home, he brushes me, he works all day every day.”
“Do you work?” Mick tilted his head, waiting, nodding in sympathy. Damn, it was hard for bachelor males to manage when thrust out on their own, especially ones who needed an alpha as much as this one did. It seemed like the kid barely held it together, at least on two legs. Sweet baby.
“I paint. I paint pictures, and I wash Daniel’s uniforms. I… I get… He follows rules better than me, and he can stop a shift, if he needs to. He can even work during the moon.”
Mick smiled, liking this kid a lot. “What’s your name, honey?”
“Scott. Scott Miller. What’s yours?”
Scott. It worked.
“I’m Mick Eagleheart. I like your belly. I kinda want to lick it.”
Don’t miss Books ‘n Cozy Spot’s review for Wolf Run
Author Bio:
Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds, getting tattooed, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing porn sites in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her partner, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but is feeling the Colorado mountains calling. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.
Author Links: http://www.batortuga.com
Twitter: @batortuga
Cover Artist: Kris Norris
Publisher: Resplendence Books
Tour Dates: 6/30/14
Tour Stops: Top2Bottom, Wicked Wolves & Dreaming Dragons, The Hat Party, www.amandastonebooks.com, My Fiction Nook, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Havan Fellows, Fallen Angel Reviews, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, MM Good Books, Parker Williams, Love Bytes, EE Montgomery, Prism Book Alliance, the Twins: Talon ps & Princess so, Redz World, Smoocher’s Voice, Renee George, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Decadent Delights, Up All Night, Read All Day, Dawn’s Reading Nook, It’s Raining Men, Iyana Jenna, Reviews & Ramblings, Sinfully Sexy
Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rafflecopter Prize: E-Book copy of Wolf Run
Sales Links: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K...
http://www.resplendencepublishing.com...
June 29, 2014
Plagiarism vs. Beach Litter
Plagiarism vs. Beach Litter
I know, I just stumped ya, and you’re giving me the look. But I promise, it will all make sense in a moment.
Plagiarism of one’s work is the fastest way to get an artist, author, musician, or engineer hot under the collar. It is a form of theft that no one is safe from. Be it the author who just launched their very first published book or their 101st. And it can be found in most any industry. Although, none more so, than in the world of books.
It is also a hot commodity for anyone wanting to take the fast track up a steep slope in the world of becoming an author.
The very engagement to becoming a plagiarist requires little more than copying someone else’s work or design with few changes plus a lack of consideration or respects for other people’s hard work. It’s easy actually if you have the low morals of a shrew.
However, trying to put a stop to it is about as difficult as cleaning up beach litter.
I actually know a bit about beach trash and marine debris. I ran a nonprofit for many years called Make Mine Bluegreen that did just that. Bring in volunteers together to pick up trash. The results at the end of the day were rather extraordinary and we got this sense of pride and self-accomplishment when we glanced at the dumpster full of yukky stuff that for a short bit you/we/us & them didn’t have to walk on or swim in. But the achievements were always short lived. Just after we snapped that trophy snapshot of us (the volunteers) and our dumpster filled to the rim that often weighed in at the tonnage level, a boat skidded by and pitched an empty soda bottle over the side and into the water we just cleaned up.
**deep sigh**
Even during the clean ups, I found myself observing an odd perspective. I would fight my way through thick mangroves to get to the beer bottle I saw just ahead, and having done so, just a few more steps was another, and then a few steps further… another, and on and on and on… it was endless. Somewhere between step number 52 and 53, while attempting to reach bottle number 103, I would realize that I could walk the entire coast of Florida then head for China and still not have picked up the last bit of trash.
The same sadly goes for plagiarism and pirating. The occurring of which is nearly as frequent as littering. At least it seems like it is, especially when you’re trying to track down and stop it, because the search and rescue operation is a never ending battle to rid the market of it.
And as if that weren’t frustrating enough, anyone who dares take a stand and carry a BIG spot light might finding themselves being subjected to some rather profound retaliation from the very thief themselves. Its about the same as being sued by the burglar who fell and broke his ankle while trying to rob your home.
It’s bad enough finding out someone has taken your work and is making a profit for themselves off it, but then for that someone to have the audacity to try to turn the table on you??? Wow, but yes, color me surprised.
I suppose I shouldn’t be, after all, most thieves will call out not guilty. But some have taken a more active role in retaliation.
One such occurrence was recent when a well-known author within the Erotica genre went after one of the larger ebook pirating sites. A site that for any author who has been pirated knows this web address and knows the DLMC submissions are a farce joke at the expense of the authors, not for the pirates. But if you thought these pirates weren’t making a buck off of the free file being shared on their website of your book, you’re wrong. The web master gets quite a bit of cash flow from the advertisers who post at the site because of the high amount of traffic that sweeps in for the free stolen goods. This advert income became the target for one author’s intent to fight back. What he wasn’t expecting was the webmaster to retaliate and cause trouble for the author’s books listed at legit distribution sites in retrun. For the author it was a cyber-bully nightmare.
Now unlike pirating, which is kind of like a passive aggressive form of theft, plagiarism is a full on contact sport. Just take a look at some of the books on Amazon that claim to show you: “How you can make a 5 digit income each month publishing on Amazon and never have to write a single word.”
Yes, it’s enough to make you sick to your stomach how ‘out in the open’ they are about it. These books actual tell the reader how to copy someone else’s work,change a name or two then publish, then sit back and watch the cash flow.
But the mask of theft doesn’t end there. Just recently a soon to be published author hosted her ‘Cover Reveal’ for her first book, sporting a cover that’s original design was created by me, specifically for her for this particular title. Someone who once was considered a friend. However, a falling out of our friendship led to the cover never being finished beyond the ‘Draft’ stage. But surprise-surprise, friends recognized it right away at this ‘event’ and brought it to my attention.
And I most certainly spoke out about it, both publicly and even made a private phone call directly to her. The worst of my name calling being the word ‘plagiarizing’. The following results I hear is she is taking the wounded dove act to new heights, calling me the nasty bully. While others feel I should be supportive of her like all authors.
Hmmmm… interesting claim, to say the least.
And while I am all for being supportive of artists, writers, and authors in so many ways, I don’t harbor theft for anyone. Whether it was my work or someone else’s, I won’t turn a blind eye to it.
I won’t be muzzled or coersed to zip my lip.
However, unlike beach trash, which I still pick up when I’m at the beach, I haven’t time to chase someone for the appropriate credit on a singular cover art design. I turned a light on and have said what I have to say. The rest I leave to those who must make the choice for themselves. Whether it’s to overlook the offense or overlook the buy button; to agree or disagree- that choice belongs to people individually.
Just don’t think that my lack of chasing them down, just as I spend little time going after pirate sites, (which incidentally 10 of the 12 books published by Talon and myself have been pirated), means I have dropped my convictions of her plagiarism. It only means I am busy writing and creating worlds made by me and my brother and will leave her to her own karma. As for my cover art design, it wasn’t even among my best, at least not by my perspective of the draft.
So, if colorful sublatives are needed to make me out as the bad guy for defending my involvement in the work, so be it. I will bear title of bitch proudly.
If the plagiarist wants to get a lawyer after me for calling it what it is, “Shoot for the stars!”.
Because if I see it again, I’ll still call it for what it is.
BEACH LITTER a.k.a. PLAGIARISM
Author and Cover Artist: Princess S.O.
June 26, 2014
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS ~ The Lost Reflection by Bruce T Jones
4.5 ~ Stars!
Review of ~ THE LOST REFLECTION by Bruce T Jones
(Copy was purchased at Barnes & Noble)
Dark Folklore / Spooky Conspiracy / Suspense / Fiction / Paranormal
Reviewed by Terry ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“‘What the hell?’, I uttered softly. The faint vision I witnessed rocked the foundation of my beliefs to the core; the chills running up my spine were undeniable. Instantly, the gray area between fact and fiction blurred into one. I was waste deep in a river of shit.”
Brian Denman, a retired CIA agent and lethal mercenary turned private investigator, unearths the scum and scandals among the politically powerful. When his friend Phillip Wilder, owner and editor of Urban Legends tabloid, recruits him to gather information for a blockbuster story, Brian cascades into a series of unexpected events. Sent to New Orleans, Brian probes into the centuries old myth of what the Vatican conceals on the third floor of the Ursuline Convent. As he delves deeper into the mystery, Brian is hurled into New Orleans’s dark and dangerous underworld, a labyrinth culminating in an epic battle of destiny and revenge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The city of New Orleans – home of Mardi Gras, beads, high octane beverages a place where you can party close to 24/7. New Orleans also has a few dark secrets, ghosts, voodoo and vampires. If you have the chance to go to New Orleans do it! It is an experience of a lifetime. While you’re there make time to take one of the Vampire Tours. You will be amazed at the history of these creatures in the Big Easy. This story plays with one of the best kept secrets there. The Ursuline Convent more specifically what is kept on the third floor and why no one is allowed up there. It isn’t the Ark of the Covenant but something darker more forbidden/evil.
Bruce T Jones has given us an adventure that brings the rumors to life. He takes us to the dark side of the Big Easy. If you haven’t been to New Orleans you will still enjoy this story, Bruce has given us just the right amount of back story to become captivated with the characters and events. He paints a good picture of what the city looks like and the people who live and play there. That is not to say he hasn’t taken some artistic leeway to give us the excitement this particular folklore requires. As one of the people who have seen the Ursuline Convent and heard the stories I found this story to be a page turner.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE LOST REFLECTION also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~
TWIST FACTOR ~
TWIST FACTOR ~
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS ~ Roped by SJD Peterson
4.5~Stars!
Review of ROPED by SJD Peterson
(Purchased on Amazon)
Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Guards of Folsom: Book Four
Life has been known by a series of constants. Violence, anger, drugs, sex, death, heartbreak, pain, fear and the most common, hunger. Always hunger. Not the kind that can be satisfied with food, but the kind born of circumstance. The kind that not only claws within a gut, but settles into a heart, consumes a mind. Deeper. Encircles, penetrates the soul. Hunger for something more, something better, safer. Always just out of grasp.
Craving. Starved.
It’s part of me.
Who I am.
Born of blood and violence, hunger is my fate.
Yet, the slightest things can change the directions of a life. An unplanned circumstance, random act—a connection—a chance event, like a lightning strike, fate trumped.
Jamie is my lightning strike.
Tek Cain
Tek Cain was cultivated from birth to lead the motorcycle gang, Crimson Eight. Jamie Ryan, his best friend, is destined to be his second. But forbidden desires have them questioning everything they know, and an undeniable bond makes them want more than their supposed brotherhood can provide. Their love could get them killed, but they are bound to each other—from the cradle to the grave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not your average beginning for a ‘Guards of Folsom’ story, but what a set up. From the creation and evolution of a friendship with a bond that stems from a connection deeper than they could know, this is the tale of a couple of bikers who defy that life, and ultimately the odds, to be together: to heal, to discover, and to live as they needed to be.
Not for the faint of heart, the first half of the book or what I call “the biker years”, is gritty and raw and uncomfortable in its nature. The life is graphic and violent and unforgiving. It is a life in no way romanticized, and yet that life is key to the men and the partners “Tek” Cain and Jamie Ryan ultimately become. From their immutable, from-the-cradle bond, the two grew into the heir-apparent and the spare for the Crimson VII MC, inseparable as friends, ‘brothers’ and eventually as lovers. Exposure to their Club brothers would have been fatal, and through a twist of fate (or twist of Fed, as the case may be), that possibility became reality. In a feat that put them in the cross-hairs of both sides of the law, the two passed from this life into the next…
…which just happened to be at The Guards of Folsom BDSM Club. Finding relative security in their new lives, working at the Club and making friendships that were based on trust and respect, and not a code based on fear of reprisal, the two became as comfortable as two fugitives from life can be. They accepted friendship and mentorship and most importantly, reconciled their past. They began to live and love with a freedom of spirit that made them feel almost whole for the first time in their lives.
…And they did so with friends who were not as oblivious to the existence of a “past” as the boys might have thought. Just as well, because it seems the past is about to come knocking.
An HFN story?; definitely. The dreaded ‘cliffhanger’? Perhaps merely another fork in the road, which is just as well, because methinks neither the Feds nor the Crimson VII have met the collective force that is “The Guards of Folsom.”
This is just a stellar story from a stellar series. I recommend both, wholeheartedly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ROPED also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~ 4 Flames
STING FACTOR ~ 4 Paddles
TWIST FACTOR ~ beaucoup de suspense
June 24, 2014
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS ~ Unleashed by Scott Hildreth
4.5~Stars!
Review of UNLEASHED, by Scott Hildreth
(Purchased on Amazon)
Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vivian “Vee” Simon is a Federal Defense Attorney. In the courtroom, she’s a woman who most prosecution attorneys fear, and for good reason. She’s tough, and takes no prisoners. When she gets home, however, things change. Sexually, she needs to toss her respective hands in the air and submit to her man – a motorcycle riding alpha male boxer.One problem. Her alpha male Dom has been charged with murder.
Mike Ripton is a bare knuckles boxer who protects those who can’t protect themselves. When he goes too far to protect a family member, he must learn to rely on the strength of a woman – and strength he gets.
A strong woman. A strong alpha male. In a D/s relationship that works and works well…..as long as she can keep him out of prison.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the finale in Book 2 (Unstoppable), and it is highly recommended you read in order because its just too damned good not to, I was not certain what to expect. Despite Mr. Hildreth’s assurances that “I. Got. This”, I couldn’t see how he could really, ‘have it’. I mean, what could he write that was going to make Ripp and Viv okay after something like…well…murder, her being an attorney and all? How could he make a legal story interesting, outside maybe conjugal visits? And what in the name of all that is good in the world would this do the global sales figures of Chucks?
Enter Vivian Simon, Barracuda–at-Law; the entire Dream Team in one tiny female body. I loved her confidence in herself, within her own personal fight ring. I didn’t love the game that is the Justice…sorry, Legal System, but for the purposes of the story, it was awesome how she maneuvered through the mire that was Ripp’s life and his case. However, the more important message here, if one must see it as a message, is that her utter devotion to Ripp at home did not detract from, or demean in any fashion, the strong, independent woman with a meaningful career. She is in fact, normal. Whooda thunk it?
Ripp, the man-boy formerly known as “What? Me? Serious?”, never shirked from his responsibility, and in so doing he found more in himself than he realized was there. He was smart enough and man enough to let Viv take the lead in her ring, and throw the punches for him. I loved the case resolution, and the sense of self that Ripp won because of the process, but it turns out that was just the first half of the book.
This Hildreth guy is gooooood…
In true and very appreciated fashion, Mr. H. delivers us a life and love story that, while not perfect, evolves with no silly drama, and while the ending is somewhat predictable –given the post trial course of the story-it is well done, not trite. It’s…complete. Fully realized. Just like Ripp and Viv.
And lest you think that these two lives took place in a vacuum, this installment contained some really excellent and quite deep insights into some of the secondary characters, some of whom will hopefully get their own day in court. Just not Viv’s court please! Hmmm, I wonder if A-Train practices Head Steppin’…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNLEASHED also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~ 5 Flames
STING FACTOR ~ 4 Paddles
TWIST FACTOR ~ 4 Feel Goods
Talon P.S.'s Blog
- Talon P.S.'s profile
- 188 followers
![[image error]](http://talon-ps.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/fire-o.gif){kind=link}