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Cereus #4
Cereus: Rescue
Even the strongest paranormal creature can need a rescue, as proven by the three stories in Rescue. In Free Demons, by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga, when demon Bel goes to the Cereus resort, he’s fleeing his father, the king of a demon dimension. When his bodyguard of old shows up, Bel thinks Xerxes is there to take him home, but Xerxes wants them to be free to be together.
In Sean Michael’s Spirit Bear, Lightning has been captive for a long time, but the werebear is rescued, and Etu takes him in, teaching him that love knows no boundaries, and that safety can be super-sexy. In Babysitting Job, by BA and Julia, Devon is sent by Cereus owner Jonny to escort vampire Sandro to safety. The two of them fall for each other, but they have to escape Sandro’s stalker in order to be together.
In Sean Michael’s Spirit Bear, Lightning has been captive for a long time, but the werebear is rescued, and Etu takes him in, teaching him that love knows no boundaries, and that safety can be super-sexy. In Babysitting Job, by BA and Julia, Devon is sent by Cereus owner Jonny to escort vampire Sandro to safety. The two of them fall for each other, but they have to escape Sandro’s stalker in order to be together.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2014
3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Sean Michael
663 books1,211 followersOften referred to as "Space Cowboy" and "Gangsta of Love" while still striving for the moniker of "Maurice," Sean Michael spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and persuing the kama sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to "Chicago."
A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.
Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.
A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.
Barring any of that? He'll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 17, 2021
Great series!!
Overall rating for the whole series: 4.5 stars
I enjoyed Cereus: Building, Opening, Training and Rescue. Jonny the creator of Bloodrose has now ventured out to make an all inclusive hideaway for all that is paranormal. Great reads!!
Overall rating for the whole series: 4.5 stars
I enjoyed Cereus: Building, Opening, Training and Rescue. Jonny the creator of Bloodrose has now ventured out to make an all inclusive hideaway for all that is paranormal. Great reads!!
February 3, 2015
I loved returning to Cereus, a paranormal resort in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest . Since the first book in this series, this location has grown to be somewhat of a refuge for supernatural beings who need a safe place, and those who want some peace and quiet. This fourth book takes a look at some new guests, refugees for all kinds of different reasons, and let me tell you, the security guys are getting a workout defending the place against everything from demons and vampires to intolerant humans who want to lock up those open to the spirits.
Free Demons by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga
Escaped-from-hell demon Bel has many reasons to keep a low profile: his father is some sort of lord in hell, and is less than happy with Bel leaving. But Bel has had enough of being the bad guy and doing whatever it is that demons do. He wants a break, and is loving his stay at Cereus. But when Xerxes shows up, the stone demon who used to be his bodyguard, Bel fears he will have to return. Nothing could be further from the truth, and as these two men start to talk, being able to be honest for the first time in millennia of knowing each other, all kinds of interesting and unexpected truths emerge.
This is a touching story about two demons who are not at all what they seem to the casual observer. With their emotions all over the place, Bel and Xerxes have to learn to adapt to a new reality, but when “dear old dad” comes looking for them, it is the demon lord who is in for a major surprise. If you like a mixture of wonderfully hot demon-on-demon action, emotional revelations, and some good old-fashioned suspense at the end, this might be a story for you.
Spirit Bear by Sean Michael
Both characters in this story broke my heart. Etu hears a voice calling him to help, and he ends up in the psychiatric ward because the human doctors think he is crazy. When he finally manages to get out with the help of his cousin (a permanent guest at Cereus), Etu is almost too late to save Lightning. Lightning is a spirit bear who has been caged and abused for a very long time, and he is almost lost to his animal form when Etu comes to get him. It takes time to build trust between the two, and it is a gradual process, but their interactions are very loving from the very beginning.
If you like stories were you’re right inside the head of the main characters, if you enjoy touchy-feely situations, and if you’re looking for a read that is as sweet as it is hot, then you should give this story a try.
Babysitting Job by BA Tortuga and Julia Talbot
I have to admit when I saw the title of this story I was wondering what babysitting had to do with some of the big, bad supernatural creatures in Cereus. But I quickly found out it was werewolf Devon’s word for being the bodyguard for a hunted vampire. All Devon is interested in is getting this vampire to the safety of the resort, but as soon as he meets him, his priorities change. Sandro is not at all who Devon expects, and the two quickly find all kinds of interesting entertainment of the wolf-on-vampire sort.
With a cute vampire, a growly wolf, and some very hot hanky-panky, this is definitely your kind of story if you’re looking for lot of bedroom activity.
All in all, this fourth Cereus volume is another great collection of fun paranormal stories. If you like paranormal beings of different species and backgrounds, if you want to see what may happen if some of them are threatened and need rescuing, and if you're looking for a hot read that will entertain you and make you smile, give this book a try. It's a worthy successor to the first three volumes, and I sure hope we'll get to see more in the series!
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Free Demons by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga
Escaped-from-hell demon Bel has many reasons to keep a low profile: his father is some sort of lord in hell, and is less than happy with Bel leaving. But Bel has had enough of being the bad guy and doing whatever it is that demons do. He wants a break, and is loving his stay at Cereus. But when Xerxes shows up, the stone demon who used to be his bodyguard, Bel fears he will have to return. Nothing could be further from the truth, and as these two men start to talk, being able to be honest for the first time in millennia of knowing each other, all kinds of interesting and unexpected truths emerge.
This is a touching story about two demons who are not at all what they seem to the casual observer. With their emotions all over the place, Bel and Xerxes have to learn to adapt to a new reality, but when “dear old dad” comes looking for them, it is the demon lord who is in for a major surprise. If you like a mixture of wonderfully hot demon-on-demon action, emotional revelations, and some good old-fashioned suspense at the end, this might be a story for you.
Spirit Bear by Sean Michael
Both characters in this story broke my heart. Etu hears a voice calling him to help, and he ends up in the psychiatric ward because the human doctors think he is crazy. When he finally manages to get out with the help of his cousin (a permanent guest at Cereus), Etu is almost too late to save Lightning. Lightning is a spirit bear who has been caged and abused for a very long time, and he is almost lost to his animal form when Etu comes to get him. It takes time to build trust between the two, and it is a gradual process, but their interactions are very loving from the very beginning.
If you like stories were you’re right inside the head of the main characters, if you enjoy touchy-feely situations, and if you’re looking for a read that is as sweet as it is hot, then you should give this story a try.
Babysitting Job by BA Tortuga and Julia Talbot
I have to admit when I saw the title of this story I was wondering what babysitting had to do with some of the big, bad supernatural creatures in Cereus. But I quickly found out it was werewolf Devon’s word for being the bodyguard for a hunted vampire. All Devon is interested in is getting this vampire to the safety of the resort, but as soon as he meets him, his priorities change. Sandro is not at all who Devon expects, and the two quickly find all kinds of interesting entertainment of the wolf-on-vampire sort.
With a cute vampire, a growly wolf, and some very hot hanky-panky, this is definitely your kind of story if you’re looking for lot of bedroom activity.
All in all, this fourth Cereus volume is another great collection of fun paranormal stories. If you like paranormal beings of different species and backgrounds, if you want to see what may happen if some of them are threatened and need rescuing, and if you're looking for a hot read that will entertain you and make you smile, give this book a try. It's a worthy successor to the first three volumes, and I sure hope we'll get to see more in the series!
NOTE: This book was provided by Torquere Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
June 8, 2015
I do enjoy this series. This one seemed longer than most.
The first story is a demon prince who escaped his father's control, only to have his demon guardian show up, and maybe now they are both free Bel can look at him differently. It was fun to see Bel have to look at the guardian that made him crazy in a different light.
The next one had kind of a surreal feel with a character who unlike his family couldn't shift but had visions and heard voices and was locked up in a mental hospital. He eventually gets out and finds a spirit bear who's been kept captive. When it comes back for him, they start kind of an odd relationship as the bear has forgotten how to shift. There was kind of an innocence and joy in Etu. He was just happy with his bear, but was sure he was crazy and just accepted that, and Bear thought he was perfect.
The last was a bit more traditional as a wolf shifter is sent to bring a vampire to the compound who is being chased by another vampire. A bit more action and a snotty sophisticated vamp with a more rough and tumble shifter.
All fun stories and you don't need to read them in order but there are lots of characters from the first books who make appearances.
The first story is a demon prince who escaped his father's control, only to have his demon guardian show up, and maybe now they are both free Bel can look at him differently. It was fun to see Bel have to look at the guardian that made him crazy in a different light.
The next one had kind of a surreal feel with a character who unlike his family couldn't shift but had visions and heard voices and was locked up in a mental hospital. He eventually gets out and finds a spirit bear who's been kept captive. When it comes back for him, they start kind of an odd relationship as the bear has forgotten how to shift. There was kind of an innocence and joy in Etu. He was just happy with his bear, but was sure he was crazy and just accepted that, and Bear thought he was perfect.
The last was a bit more traditional as a wolf shifter is sent to bring a vampire to the compound who is being chased by another vampire. A bit more action and a snotty sophisticated vamp with a more rough and tumble shifter.
All fun stories and you don't need to read them in order but there are lots of characters from the first books who make appearances.
January 29, 2021
I love the Cereus series but this one was a bit disappointing to me. B.A Tortuga and Julia Talbot failed to deliver a story that could match up to the previous ones and Sean Michael's story was soooo repetitive it was annoying.
All and all not a very satisfying book to end a great series.
All and all not a very satisfying book to end a great series.
February 1, 2015
4.5 star review by Cindy
I picked up this book to review not because of the blurb for once, but because of the trio of writers who’ve contributed to it. I’ve become a huge Julia Talbot fan in the last few months and have admired BA Tortuga since Racing the Moon. Sean Michael is a newer author for me, but I’ve read a few things by him and have been pleased so far with what I’ve seen.
This is an alternate universe Earth story where the world is inhabited by all sorts of fantastical creatures including shifters, demons and dragons just to name a few.
In Free Demons, we meet Bel, a demon who just wants to be free to live the life he desires, free of his father’s abuse and expectations so he flees his own dimension and takes refuge at Cereus, a resort for the supernatural creatures that need to escape the rest of the world.
Xerxes is his old bodyguard and when he shows up looking for Bel, Bel is unsure of what he wants. When he realizes that Xerxes has broken free of his obligations for a chance to be with him, he looks at him in a whole new light.
The world create to house these stories is amazing and the character’s that inhabit it are interesting and easy to become attached to. In this story, it’s not really a case of insta-love but more an awakening of feelings that have been simmering for a very, very long time.
In Spirit Bear we meet a young man who’s been haunted by a feeling to the point that most of the world thinks he’s crazy. With the help of a few trusted family member’s, he finally finds the being behind those feelings they are both set free of the things keeping them captive.
Etu is sweet and loving and he stole my heart from the first moment. The way he and Lightning are together is adorable and the people who surround and support them are amazing friends and fascinating in their own right.
I could see where this story was going from the start but I loved how it got to the inevitable end.
The Babysitting Job is really a case of someone smart bringing together to people who turn out to be two halves of a whole. A vampire and a werewolf? It’s a perfect combination. They start out at odds but quickly move on to a much deep connection.
It’s hard to review these stories separately as they are all intertwined and while I guess that they could be read as individual stories, they are a much richer experience when read as a whole.
These stories wove together seamlessly and created an amazing world where all the creatures of the supernatural live together in a safe place and it leads to some rather interesting situations. When I started this book I couldn’t put it down and I love a story that I can get lost in.
It’s not perfect though. The biggest issue that I have is that I feel like I was plopped down into the middle of a much larger story. I wanted to know more about Cereus and the men who started it and I really wanted to know where things were going after the book ended. I was frustrated by the feeling that I was missing out on something and if there are books that explain about this getaway for the for the fantastical or if there are books on the way then I would sure like to know about them.
But in the end, the writing was smart, well edited and compelling. The characters were perfectly cast and my admiration for all three writers continues to grow. I recommend this for anyone who likes a good fantasy story.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
I picked up this book to review not because of the blurb for once, but because of the trio of writers who’ve contributed to it. I’ve become a huge Julia Talbot fan in the last few months and have admired BA Tortuga since Racing the Moon. Sean Michael is a newer author for me, but I’ve read a few things by him and have been pleased so far with what I’ve seen.
This is an alternate universe Earth story where the world is inhabited by all sorts of fantastical creatures including shifters, demons and dragons just to name a few.
In Free Demons, we meet Bel, a demon who just wants to be free to live the life he desires, free of his father’s abuse and expectations so he flees his own dimension and takes refuge at Cereus, a resort for the supernatural creatures that need to escape the rest of the world.
Xerxes is his old bodyguard and when he shows up looking for Bel, Bel is unsure of what he wants. When he realizes that Xerxes has broken free of his obligations for a chance to be with him, he looks at him in a whole new light.
The world create to house these stories is amazing and the character’s that inhabit it are interesting and easy to become attached to. In this story, it’s not really a case of insta-love but more an awakening of feelings that have been simmering for a very, very long time.
In Spirit Bear we meet a young man who’s been haunted by a feeling to the point that most of the world thinks he’s crazy. With the help of a few trusted family member’s, he finally finds the being behind those feelings they are both set free of the things keeping them captive.
Etu is sweet and loving and he stole my heart from the first moment. The way he and Lightning are together is adorable and the people who surround and support them are amazing friends and fascinating in their own right.
I could see where this story was going from the start but I loved how it got to the inevitable end.
The Babysitting Job is really a case of someone smart bringing together to people who turn out to be two halves of a whole. A vampire and a werewolf? It’s a perfect combination. They start out at odds but quickly move on to a much deep connection.
It’s hard to review these stories separately as they are all intertwined and while I guess that they could be read as individual stories, they are a much richer experience when read as a whole.
These stories wove together seamlessly and created an amazing world where all the creatures of the supernatural live together in a safe place and it leads to some rather interesting situations. When I started this book I couldn’t put it down and I love a story that I can get lost in.
It’s not perfect though. The biggest issue that I have is that I feel like I was plopped down into the middle of a much larger story. I wanted to know more about Cereus and the men who started it and I really wanted to know where things were going after the book ended. I was frustrated by the feeling that I was missing out on something and if there are books that explain about this getaway for the for the fantastical or if there are books on the way then I would sure like to know about them.
But in the end, the writing was smart, well edited and compelling. The characters were perfectly cast and my admiration for all three writers continues to grow. I recommend this for anyone who likes a good fantasy story.
A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this and many more reviews, author interviews, guestposts and giveaways!
December 28, 2014
This anthology has some pretty diverse characters. The first story is by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga and is called Free Demons. We meet a horned demon by the name of Bel he is a prince in hell. He really just wants to run away from his job and have some fun. He gets that at the Cereus Resort for demons and paranormals. He really has a crush on his body guard a stone demon named Xerxes. Xerxes is more than prince Bel ever imagined. I loved the chemistry between these two. They have it off the charts. Bel is the passionate one who gives himself over to pleasure why Xerxes hides his hidden passions, but once he gives in he really can heat up the place. I felt so sorry for Xerxes when I found out his whole story. I would love to see another story with these two. I loved them so much. I am glad they got a happy ending they deserved it.
Rescuing Spirit by Sean Michael has the story of Etu and Lightening the bear. This one is a little more complicated to read. Sometimes it feels like Etu has lost his mind and at others I really was into the story. Lightening spends most of this story in bear form. So I had a hard time feeling connected to them as a couple. But if you can suspend your belief for a little while these two have a romance to remember.
Baby-Sitting Job by BA Tortuga and Julia Talbot Devon does not want to take a job he considers to be baby-sitting. But he was promised a nice long vacation if he did it so he does. Devon is a werewolf and he prefers to be outside running rather than cooped up inside. Sandro Maez is a vampire that Devon has to protect. Turns out to be the hottest protection program ever. These two burn up the sheets so to speak on their way to Cereus.
Over all Cereus: Rescue is a really great read. The stories are really well done, and have great memorable characters I really loved reading about. This is the anthology you pick up when you want some hot steamy man love, and stories you will never forget.
Five Shooting Stars!
Rescuing Spirit by Sean Michael has the story of Etu and Lightening the bear. This one is a little more complicated to read. Sometimes it feels like Etu has lost his mind and at others I really was into the story. Lightening spends most of this story in bear form. So I had a hard time feeling connected to them as a couple. But if you can suspend your belief for a little while these two have a romance to remember.
Baby-Sitting Job by BA Tortuga and Julia Talbot Devon does not want to take a job he considers to be baby-sitting. But he was promised a nice long vacation if he did it so he does. Devon is a werewolf and he prefers to be outside running rather than cooped up inside. Sandro Maez is a vampire that Devon has to protect. Turns out to be the hottest protection program ever. These two burn up the sheets so to speak on their way to Cereus.
Over all Cereus: Rescue is a really great read. The stories are really well done, and have great memorable characters I really loved reading about. This is the anthology you pick up when you want some hot steamy man love, and stories you will never forget.
Five Shooting Stars!
February 21, 2015
Rating 4.5
Free Demons by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga - 4.5 Nymphs
Demon prince Bel is happy to remain above ground, enjoying all the pleasures Cereus resort has to offer. Unfortunately Bel’s father is not pleased to have his son away from one of Hell’s realm. Xerxes is Bel’s former bodyguard turned lover and after eons as prince and servant, Bel and Xerxes are free to love each other or so they thought.
Rescuing Spirit by Sean Michael – 4.5 Nymphs
Spirit bear known as Lightning has given up on ever being free. He hates being caged as much as he hates the humans gawking at him everyday. However one night the voice in Lightning’s head finally arrives to recues him. It is a human named Etu who becomes Lightning’s liberator as well as his mate.
Baby-Sitting Job by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga – 4.5 Nymphs
Vampire Sandro is in need of a rescue from a master vampire determined to acquire Sandro as a trophy. Sandro calls his old friend Jonny, the vampire who owns Cereus for help. To ensure Sandro’s safe traveling, Jonny sends werewolf Devon as an escort. Sandro is a rare vampire species and Devon can morph into a dire wolf, which makes him an exceptional fighter as well as the perfect mate for Sandro.
Rescue is the fourth book in the Cereus series. The series is based on Julia Talbot’s original Bloodrose series which features a matchmaking vampire named Jonny who owns the Bloodrose club as well as Cereus. Many of the characters from Bloodrose also appear in the Cereus series.
What I find most impressive about Rescue is the detailed description of the characters and all the enjoyably amusing personalities illustrated. The resort is actually a sanctuary for paranormals, shielding them from various forms of oppression. Each couple demonstrates their monogamous bonding through scorching intimacy scenes.
Free Demons by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga - 4.5 Nymphs
Demon prince Bel is happy to remain above ground, enjoying all the pleasures Cereus resort has to offer. Unfortunately Bel’s father is not pleased to have his son away from one of Hell’s realm. Xerxes is Bel’s former bodyguard turned lover and after eons as prince and servant, Bel and Xerxes are free to love each other or so they thought.
Rescuing Spirit by Sean Michael – 4.5 Nymphs
Spirit bear known as Lightning has given up on ever being free. He hates being caged as much as he hates the humans gawking at him everyday. However one night the voice in Lightning’s head finally arrives to recues him. It is a human named Etu who becomes Lightning’s liberator as well as his mate.
Baby-Sitting Job by Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga – 4.5 Nymphs
Vampire Sandro is in need of a rescue from a master vampire determined to acquire Sandro as a trophy. Sandro calls his old friend Jonny, the vampire who owns Cereus for help. To ensure Sandro’s safe traveling, Jonny sends werewolf Devon as an escort. Sandro is a rare vampire species and Devon can morph into a dire wolf, which makes him an exceptional fighter as well as the perfect mate for Sandro.
Rescue is the fourth book in the Cereus series. The series is based on Julia Talbot’s original Bloodrose series which features a matchmaking vampire named Jonny who owns the Bloodrose club as well as Cereus. Many of the characters from Bloodrose also appear in the Cereus series.
What I find most impressive about Rescue is the detailed description of the characters and all the enjoyably amusing personalities illustrated. The resort is actually a sanctuary for paranormals, shielding them from various forms of oppression. Each couple demonstrates their monogamous bonding through scorching intimacy scenes.
March 2, 2015
Cebrus:Rescue
I just loved this book. I loved how past couples showed up in the stories for a little bit. I can not for another book in this series I hope. The writers are amazing in this series. Erin
I just loved this book. I loved how past couples showed up in the stories for a little bit. I can not for another book in this series I hope. The writers are amazing in this series. Erin
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews