Paranormal – Page 15 – Read-Love-Blog

Review….The Siren’s Touch by Amber Belldene

Synopsis:

One touch can change everything…

Hitman Dmitri Lisko is determined to avenge his father. Once he takes out the man he believes is responsible for his family’s tragedies, he’s done killing for good. But a mysterious woman may tempt Dmitri to change his plan.

Sonya Truss was murdered in a Ukrainian village in 1968. Now she’s reappeared in San Francisco as a rusalka—the ghost of a wronged woman. And she’s thirsty for the blood of her killer. But she has to make things right before she’s trapped between worlds forever.

Sonya’s enigmatic siren powers stir Dmitri’s long-buried chivalry, and he finds himself compelled to help her. He also can’t resist giving her a taste of the pleasures she never experienced while she was alive. Soon they discover that touch has surprising consequences. Yet when their shared mission comes to cross-purposes, they must choose between deadly sacrifice—or surrendering to the one act that can save them both.

My Review:

The Siren’s Touch is the newest work from author Amber Belldene, an author I have loved reading since picking up her Blood Vine series a few years earlier. I was so excited to read this new work and have to say, hands down, this is at the top of my fave list of Ms. Belldene’s books. I loved it!

Dimitri Lisko was in San Fransisco for one reason: to kill the man responsible for his father’s demise. He was a hitman, after all. What he was not in San Francisco was to help some type of siren ghost unravel the mystery of her untimely death ad help her seek vengeance. But after realizing he was the only one who could see her, and eventually touch her, he knew he couldn’t leave her alone. It helped matters that she was beautiful and had a personality that called to him like no female ever had. Just his luck…to fall for a ghost. A situation that is doomed from the start may have a happy ending built in…if they can just figure out how.

Wow. I absolutely loved the mix up of Ukrainian mobster tough guy meets otherworldly spectral beauty and the story of how these two unlikely worlds collided and what lengths they will have to go through to get to the bottom of a murder mystery. Ms. Belldene always puts a fresh and exciting view onto the paranormal and has always kept me glued to the pages she writes. As I said earlier, this book is at the top of my favorites list of her books. Dimitri is an unlikely hero and had never held the role before, which made me love him. He was this big burly man with a gruff exterior hiding a big heart when it came to Sonya. Sonya, having her life ripped away at her prime, is determined and open-minded when it comes to figuring things out. I loved these two together and the surprises along the way were wonderful and gave them a chance to become more than man and ghost.

Also, the mystery surrounding Sonya was well thought out and developed beautifully as the story progressed. I was so worried for these two and had no idea how they would be able to have any kind of happy ending! But not to worry…Ms. Belldene came through beautifully *dreamy sigh*

Overall, if you’re looking for a new paranormal romance with a fresh view and a dash of heat, this should be on your shelf! I’m also hoping that the way the ending was set up, we will see a series out of this amazing story. Thank you, Ms. Belldene for another fabulous read!

Four Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

Amber Belldene grew up on the Florida panhandle, swimming with alligators, climbing oak trees and diving for scallops…when she could pull herself away from a book. As a child, she hid her Nancy Drew novels inside the church bulletin and read mysteries during sermons–an irony that is not lost on her when she preaches these days.

Amber is an Episcopal Priest and student of religion. She believes stories are the best way to explore human truths. Some people think it is strange for a minister to write vampire romance, but it is perfectly natural to her, because the human desire for love is at the heart of every romance novel and God made people with that desire. She lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco and spends way too much time on Twitter @AmberBelldene if you want to chat.

Amber writes scorching, smart paranormal romance and quirky-hot contemporary romance–all of which draw on her interests in spirituality and sexuality. Visit her website to sign up for her newsletter for info about her latest releases.

Website

Ultimate Temptation (Book one of the Temptations Series) by K.A. Robinson….Blog Tour & Review

Blurb

Ella Wilkins only wants one thing out of life—to graduate from high school and escape her hometown where everyone knows her and the dark cloud surrounding her family.

Everything is going according to plan until two new students show up at her school. Asher and Cain, identical twin brothers, take an interest in her, and she can’t help but wonder why two gorgeous brothers would want anything to do with a social outcast like her.

As she gets closer to the brothers, she’s torn between the two. Asher’s kindness pulls her in and comforts her while Cain both tempts and infuriates her with his sarcastic and devious ways.

When she learns who they truly are—or rather, what they are—things start to get a little tricky.

Ella might not know it, but she is the key to winning the ultimate battle between heaven and hell. Both realms want her, and neither is willing to let her go.

She’s torn between the ultimate temptations of heaven and hell. Which side will she choose?

ULTIMATE TEMPTATIONS is now live!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1O2ebvJ

Nook: http://bit.ly/1JfCLWi (NOW LIVE!)

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Mqidxd

iBooks: http://apple.co/1HqYw7q

Excerpt

I watched as Asher hurried over to where I was standing. Cain rolled his eyes before joining the opposite team. I made room as Asher crowded between me and the boy standing next to me.

“What are we playing?” he asked.

“Dodgeball,” I said.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Seriously? You’ve never played dodgeball before?”

He shook his head.

“Basically, everyone attacks each other with those balls in the center of the gym. The goal is to hit as many people as you can without getting hit yourself. Once you’re hit, you’re out.”

“Seems simple enough,” he said.

I glanced at the muscles in his arms. I had no doubt that hurtling balls at innocent students would be easy for him. “Just don’t hurt anyone.”

He grinned when he noticed me staring at his arms. “I wouldn’t.”

Mr. Reynolds blew the whistle, and everyone took off at a full sprint toward the balls—that is, everyone, except for Amanda and me. We were both smart enough to stay against the wall as balls started flying.

Over half of both teams were hit within the first five minutes. After they were gone, things got harder for me. Without as many bodies to aim for, I soon became a target. I ducked and jumped out of the way as several students tossed balls at me. One hit right beside my head, and I winced. Whoever had thrown that one meant business.

I looked up just in time to dodge another ball flying right at me. It hit the wall just as hard as the other one. I glanced at the opposing team and noticed Jenny glaring at me. Of course it had been her.

She grabbed another ball and threw it. I dropped to the ground just in time.

The next few minutes passed in a blur as I dodged ball after ball. Almost all of them were from Jenny. Finally, she managed to hit me. Luckily for me, it was in the chest instead of the face. I glared at her before walking toward the bleachers to sit down with Amanda. I winced as another ball hit me in the back.

“Whoops. Sorry, Ella. I didn’t realize you were already out!” Jenny shouted sweetly.

“Skank,” I muttered under my breath as I sat down.

Two seconds later, I heard Jenny shriek in protest. I looked up just in time to see a ball nailing her in the chest. She frowned across the room at Asher before walking to the bleachers. Asher shot me a smile before turning his attention back to the game. I couldn’t help but smile back. He’d seen what she did to me, and he’d gone after her. I was really starting to like Asher.

For the rest of the game, my attention was split between Asher and Cain. I whistled under my breath as Cain nailed another guy hard enough to knock him down. The boy didn’t mess around. I counted my blessings that it was Jenny who’d hit me instead of him.

Finally, it was just Asher and Cain still standing. I looked back and forth between the brothers. They both openly glared at each other.

“This should be entertaining,” Amanda said from beside me.

“My money’s on Asher,” I muttered.

From across the room, Asher turned and grinned at me like he’d heard what I just said.

I rolled my eyes at myself. That’s ridiculous.

He was twenty feet away from me in a roomful of noisy seniors, and I hadn’t spoken very loud.

“Quit standing there, looking at each other, and throw the balls!” Mr. Reynolds shouted at the brothers.

Cain’s glare disappeared, and his trademark smirk returned. He grabbed a ball off the floor and threw it in Asher’s direction. Asher jumped out of the way just in time and grabbed a ball of his own. He threw it at Cain, and I tensed as it bounced off the wall. He’d thrown it with a lot more force than necessary.

“Come on, brother. That all you got?” Cain taunted as he tossed a ball at Asher.

On and on it went.

Both boys were throwing their balls without holding back in the slightest. The class went silent as we watched the epic dodgeball battle in front of us. My mouth dropped open when Cain did a flip in midair to avoid Asher’s ball. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he tossed a ball at Asher. It missed by inches and hit the wall next to the mats. I was only a few feet away, and my eyes widened in disbelief when I noticed the indent in the wall.

That’s impossible.

There was no way he could have thrown the ball hard enough to dent the wall. I was pretty sure the walls were made of concrete.

Cain growled in frustration when he saw that the ball had missed. Asher smirked as he picked up two balls at once. I watched in awe as he launched both of them at Cain. Cain dodged the first one, but the second made contact. It hit his lower stomach with enough force that he flew backward several feet.

Damn. That’s going to leave one heck of a bruise.

“Now, that’s how you play dodgeball!” Mr. Reynolds shouted.

Cain stood back up. Neither brother paid any attention to the teacher. Both were locked in a glaring contest.

Finally, Asher broke it. He glanced over at me and then back at Cain. “That all you got, brother?”

Review

Once again, K.A. delivers another amazing story!!

Ultimate Temptations is about Heaven and Hell but with a slight twist on it. Ella’s life completely changes one day but not the way she expects. Cain and Asher enter her life when things are spiraling out of control. But it’s the other actions when no-one else is around but her that make her question everything. And that is all I am giving you about the story and even that I feel may too much.

K.A. does a perfect job of building up the plot of this story and giving us the background on the characters and each of their stories. I love the new spin she puts on Heaven and Hell and how everything in between works. I was immediately drawn into this story from the very beginning. There are certain things that will be quite obvious to any reader, but it’s how Kelly writes that keeps you hooked and wanting to know where the next step leads. There are quite a few things going on and you definitely need to pay attention to EVERYTHING! While certain things seem obvious, they are other twists and turns that will leave you with even more questions as the story progresses.

“Do not fear me. You will be stronger that anything they’ve ever seen. This is the gift I give you.”

K.A. really knows how to paint a picture with her words. I am really excited to see where the next book takes us in this adventure of other realms.

Facebook giveaway: http://on.fb.me/1M3Rjx6

About the Author

K.A. Robinson is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of several New Adult and Contemporary Romance novels. She is both self-published and traditionally published through Atria Books (Torn and Twisted). She is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Agency.

She lives in West Virginia with her toddler son and husband. Her addictions include books, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy, coffee, and Rock Music.

Author links:

www.authorkarobinson.com

www.facebook.com/karobinson13

www.twitter.com/karobinsonautho

Wicked Ride by Rebecca Zanetti…..Blog Tour Stop & Review

Title: Wicked Ride
Author: Rebecca Zanetti
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: Kindle

“Non-stop action and a hero to die for!” —Alexandra Ivy

If you love the Dark Protectors, these wicked hot Realm Enforcers are for you!

Alexandra Monzelle is a hard-fighting, heat-packing Seattle vice cop, and she’s not much interested in being protected. Her short skirt and sex-kitten heels are tools to lure her suspects into talking about the deadly new drug hitting the streets. She can take care of herself and then some. Unfortunately, she can’t seem to get that through to Kellach Dunne.

Kellach is a fresh import from Dublin, and he’s landed at the heart of a vicious motorcycle club that deals in guns, narcotics, and mayhem. He’s all male, all rough power—and all interference in her damn investigation. Maybe he’s one of the good guys. Maybe not. Lex knows an affair with an immortal like him would risk everything. No matter how delicious he looks…

My Review:

Wicked Ride is the first book in author Rebecca Zanetti’s newest series, The Realm Enforcers. It’s a spin-off series of Ms. Zanettis’ Dark Protectors series but it’s not necessary to have read that series to get into this amazing debut!

When a dangerous drug hits the streets of Seattle, tough-and-no-nonsense-vice-cop Alexandra and immortal-working-undercover-as-a-member-of-a-biker-gang Kellach seem to start off on opposite sides of the game but will soon end up working together to find and end the existence of this drug.

What follows is an action packed, suspenseful, and passion filled ride taking these two unlikely allies on one hell of a trip!

Their chemistry is evident as soon as they meet but they definitely take their time in exploring it. I appreciated that. They share a lot of similarity in their personalities but also have more than a few differences. That only added to their push and pull leading to banter I thoroughly enjoyed!

I also appreciated Ms. Zanetti’s fresh and different take on witches and love how she builds her paranormal worlds. It’s always exciting and new. We are also introduced to a cast of characters I cannot wait to see more of.

Overall this was a fantastic and action packed PNR and I will absolutely be looking forward to more from this series! Thank you, Ms. Zanetti, for a great read!

Four Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Rebecca Zanetti has worked as an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner – only to culminate it all in stories about Alpha males and the women who claim them. She writes dark paranormals, romantic suspense, and sexy contemporary romances.

Growing up amid the glorious backdrops and winter wonderlands of the Pacific Northwest has given Rebecca fantastic scenery and adventures to weave into her stories. She resides in the wild north with her husband, children, and extended family who inspire her every day–or at the very least give her plenty of characters to write about.

For More Information

Visit Rebecca’s website.

Connect with Rebecca on Facebook , Pinterest, Goodreads and Twitter.

Hades by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Hades releases 5/26

Synopsis:

A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It’s easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice — or bestowing mercy — on the beautiful female who could be his salvation…or his undoing.

Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel’s plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades’s boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades’s prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected…

My review:

Hades is story number 11.5 in author Larissa Ione’s Demonica Series, story number 6.5 in her Lords of Deliverance Series as well as novella number 7 in 1,001 Dark Nights 2015 line-up. I have been a HUGE fan of Ms. Ione for years now and have been anxiously awaiting Hades story. This broody, mischievous, mohawked fallen angel has truly met his match when he met Cataclysm and this story was everything I had hoped and more…

You could say that jailing the souls of the evilest of the evil had hardened Hades of the last few thousands of years. How could it not have? He had to be a tough ass in order to keep all of these wretched souls and creatures afraid of him. Of course it could have been made a bit more comfortable, but he had earned a punishment from Azagoth many years ago and was still paying for his transgression. He had been used to all of that, though, and really hadn’t thought of things getting better or changing for quite some time. He had resigned himself to the fact this was as good as it was ever going to get…until he met Cat. Then things changed…but he was forbidden to go anywhere near her. Ever. And that’s what he hated most…

Cat knew her current cleaning crew situation could be much worse, so she wasn’t going to complain. Besides, getting brief glimpses of Hades during her daily cleaning of Azagoth’s home made things marginally better. He was beyond a sexy bad boy. He was also totally off-limits because she was here to be working off her indiscretion in unknowingly helping almost starting Armageddon, not oogling Hades. Just when she thinks things can’t get worse, she had to go and accidentally get herself stuck in Hades realm with no way back. She knew he was going to be mad. She knew he would hate having her here. She didn’t know that he had been as attracted to her as she had been to him…

Now this close, forced proximity was pushing them both into the shared desire to take their attraction to the next level. A level that involved emotions that Hades knew he wouldn’t be allowed to act on no matter how much Cat had begged him. Not to mention there was a bit of a situation with a possible overthrow of power happening down here. Was there ever a chance for them? Or was it as dismal as Hades feared…

I mean, really. Does anyone write fallen angel bad boys like Larissa Ione? From the very first page, I was completely hooked on Hades and Cat. He has been a bit of a mystery since we first met him in the series and now we really got a taste of who he is and why he’s in the position he’s in….and it broke my heart. Honestly, Ms. Ione has a way to turn the biggest, baddest, bad boys into these fragile broken guys and I just adore that so much. (Side note: I will never take peanut butter and chocolate for granted again.) All the feels! Cat is just so perfect for him and I adored her as much as I loved him. She is strong-willed with a big heart and I loved how she was going to try her hardest to break down Hades’ defenses, no matter how tough it was. I love a take charge gal! The heat between them is smoking hot and burns up the pages. There are two scenes that had me fanning myself and practically drooling on my e-reader. Yet another thing Ms. Ione kick ass at….heated sexy scenes with a ton of emotion. Mmmmhmmm! Oh, and speaking of emotion, the end scene with Hades, Cat, and Azagoth had me crying big, fat tears….not in a bad way, but the emotions were so high and I wanted desperately for Hades and Cat to have their chance at a happiness! (No spoilers but you know I won’t recommend a book that ends badly)

Thank you, Ms. Ione, for another fantastic trip into the Underworld! (and for the whole pee-stick thing lol!!)

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

Caress Of Pleasure by Julie Kenner…ARC Review

Caress Of Pleasure releases tomorrow, 4/28

Synopsis:

I’d thought that he was mine, the dark, arresting man who commanded not only my body but my heart. Dante had swept into my life, and I’d succumbed to the burn of passion in his arms.

I’d believed we had a love that would last forever, but he’d shattered my dreams and broken me into pieces when he’d walked away, taking a piece of my soul with him.

Now he has come back seeking my help, and though I try to keep my distance and protect my heart, I cannot deny that the fire between us burns hotter than ever. And I cannot help but fear that this time our passion will reduce us both to ashes.

My Review:

Caress of Pleasure is book number 3.5 in author Julie Kenner’s Dark Pleasures series as well as the 5^th novella in the 2015 1,001 Dark Nights line-up. I have loved the Dark Pleasures series from the beginning and filled with heat, action, and mystery, this novella was a wonderful addition.

I always enjoy a story where former lovers who experienced a nasty breakup are reunited and put into a situation which forces them to be in one another’s company again. This was the case with Brenna and Dante and oh my, the emotions run high from the very first time they lay eyes on each other.

When he calls on her for her expertise in her field and to help procure a rare jeweled brooch, she wanted to tell him no. It would prove to be easier said than done when she sees him and immediately all the feelings she had thought lay dormant awaken. She also realized he hadn’t aged a bit. Not one wrinkle. Now she wasn’t just on a mission to get a brooch, she was determined to know why he had crushed her dreams all those years earlier and what was going on with him and his eternal youthful appearance.

Those missions will throw her headfirst into a world she never knew existed. A world that not only held immortal beings but an enormous amount of danger. Those missions would also bring about another chance for the love she and Dante once shared.

When I first started this series I had been in a paranormal romance funk. With each release in this series and Ms. Kenner’s unique take on the supernatural beings within these stories, I am reminded of just what makes PNR so amazing. It’s a series I will continue to look forward to and one I enjoy more and more with each installment.

Thank you, Ms. Kenner, for another amazing read and for bringing us Dante and Brenna!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

By Sea by Carly Fall…Review

Synopsis:

While fighting the War on Drugs in Latin America, Marine Brody Teller was involved in an accident that left him with a supernatural power: a deep connection to the sea and the ability to control it.

When the mysterious Joe Smith approaches him with an incredible job offer, Brody thinks it’s too good to be true. His life-saving need and his desire to be near the ocean while earning a living are rolled into one perfect job.

Rayna Lopez lives a quiet life as she tries to climb her way up the CIA ladder, always in fear the government will learn of her family lineage. When her father asks for help getting her famous and belligerent half-sister out of trouble, Rayna reluctantly agrees to travel with her and they board a yacht where they will be protected.

Brody and Rayna realize they’ve met before, and despite a significant lack of trust between them, they face an attraction neither can deny. As they fight to keep Rayna’s sister alive, lies are revealed and secrets are told. They must both learn to trust each other, and—if they live through their voyage—figure out what to do about their whirlwind romance.

My review:

By Sea is the first book in a new series from author Carly Fall and the cover and blurb alone piqued my curiosity and from there it was a suspenseful and sexy ride that I truly enjoyed.

Brody Teller and Rayna Lopez met briefly before setting sail in an attempt to keep Rayna’s famous sister safe from a crazed fan. Their initial meeting, though brief, was intense. Working for the CIA, Rayna had been assigned to check up on former Marine Brody Teller, who had been discharged and off the grid since a terrible accident during one of his missions. She hadn’t expected someone so sexy and brooding when she arrived and he hadn’t expected someone so beautiful and fascinating when he answered the door. Now, months later, and after Brody had gotten an offer he couldn’t refuse from a mysterious man, they were both on the yacht he was captaining and in charge of keeping Rayna’s sister safe from harm. Both of them were surprised to see one another on this boat and both of them were finding it harder and harder to keep the mutual attraction at bay…

From start to finish this story was packed with mystery and suspense. From finding out what happened that left Brody with his powers to who was after Rayna’s sister, it was a thrill a minute. The sexual tension and heat between Rayna and Brody added a delicious layer that balanced out the intensity when it came to the impending danger and I really enjoyed it. Both Rayna and Brody were equally enjoyable for both their strengths and weaknesses. They were great together and worked well when the chips were down and danger was at their front door. They truly made a dynamic, ass kicking couple! This book was also a fantastic intro to the series and left me curious to see what Carly has in store for us next!

Thank you, Carly, for a fantastic read!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

Book links:

Amazon | B&N

About the author:

I am a wife, a mother and a slave to Nicky the dog.

I think chocolate and wine should be considered their own food group, and I wish Christmas happened twice a year.

I love the hot summer nights here in Arizona when my family and I play in our pool until late at night, and I hate 99.8% of politicians.

To visit Carly, go to www.carlyfall.com, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter

The Surrender Gate by Christopher Rice…ARC Review

The Surrender Gate releases tomorrow!

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Christopher Rice’s first foray into erotic romance, The Flame, earned accolades from some of the genre’s most beloved authors. “Sensual, passionate and intelligent,” wrote Lexi Blake, “it’s everything an erotic romance should be.” J. Kenner called it “absolutely delicious,” Cherise Sinclair hailed it as “beautifully lyrical” and Loreli James announced, “I look forward to reading more!” Now, Christopher returns you to the world first introduced in The Flame with an all new novel of The Desire Exchange…

Emily Blaine’s life is about to change. Arthur Benoit, the kindly multi-millionaire who has acted as her surrogate father for years, has just told her he’s leaving her his entire estate, and he only has a few months to live. Soon Emily will go from being a restaurant manager with a useless English degree to the one of the richest and most powerful women in New Orleans. There’s just one price. Arthur has written a letter to his estranged son Ryan he hopes will mend the rift between them, and he wants Emily to deliver the letter before it’s too late. But finding Ryan won’t be easy. He’s been missing for years. He was recently linked to a mysterious organization called The Desire Exchange. But is The Desire Exchange just an urban legend? Or are the rumors true? Is it truly a secret club where the wealthy can live out their most private sexual fantasies?

It’s a task Emily can’t undertake alone. But there’s only one man qualified to help her, her gorgeous and confident best friend, Jonathan Claiborne. She’s suspected Jonathan of working as a high-priced escort for months now, and she’s willing to bet that while giving pleasure to some of the most powerful men in New Orleans, Jonathan has uncovered some possible leads to The Desire Exchange—and to Ryan Benoit. But Emily’s attempt to uncover Jonathan’s secret life lands the two of them in hot water. Literally. In order to escape the clutches of one of Jonathan’s most powerful and dangerous clients, they’re forced to act on long buried desires—for each other.

When Emily’s mission turns into an undercover operation, Jonathan insists on going with her. He also insists they continue to explore their impossible, reckless passion for each other. Enter Marcus Dylan, the hard-charging ex-NAVY Seal Arthur has hired to keep Emily safe. But Marcus has been hired for another reason. He, too, has a burning passion for Emily, a passion that might keep Emily from being distracted and confused by a best friend who claims he might be able to go straight just for her. But Marcus is as rough and controlling as Jonathan is sensual and reckless. As Emily searches for a place where the rich turn their fantasies into reality, she will be forced to decide which one of her own long-ignored fantasies should become her reality. But as Emily, Jonathan, and Marcus draw closer to The Desire Exchange itself, they find their destination isn’t just shrouded in mystery, but in magic as well.

My review:

The Surrender Gate is the first novel in The Desire Exchange series by author Christopher Rice, the second release for 1,001 Dark Nights this year, and follows the world introduced to us in The Flame. Where The Flame was a delicious amuse-bouche, The Surrender Gate is a wonderfully prepared first course. I devoured it on one sitting and was completely drawn in by the relationships between the characters and the promise of a peek into a secretive supernatural world. It was amazing.

In a short amount of time, Emily Blane’s life has gone from relatively normal to anything but. The best friend she thought she knew had a whole secret side to his life, they’ve shared a night she never thought would happen, and she’s been thrown into a world she never thought imaginable while undercover and looking for her father figure’s long lost son. A secret world where nothing is as it seems. Where people are asked to open up and speak their deepest desires. A world that very few people knew of and a world that Emily couldn’t believe was actually trying to become a part of. Luckily her best friend was with her along the way, also undercover, and trying to breach the secret walls of this society of sorts. She also had another person on her side…Marcus. The guard tasked with keeping her safe by the man she considered a father.

As if all of that wasn’t enough to fill a girl’s plate, she finds herself growing seriously attracted to Marcus and soon she realized the feelings are mutual. But this wasn’t the time nor place to start any kind of relationship…not when she isn’t even sure she will get out of this mess alive.

Navigating the next few weeks will certainly be a test for Emily. She will experience emotions and pleasure like never before and will question her resolve more than once during this experience. Does she have to strength to endure it? Something tells her that having Marcus there with her for every step of the way she can…

Truly amazing. I am a huge fan of Christopher Rice’s work and have read his thriller work but, by far, my favorite of his writing is in this erotic suspense genre. Mr. Rice has such a beautiful and tantalizing way with words that truly bring the reader into every moment and allow you to feel the emotions alongside of the characters. This story has so many wonderful elements. There is the taste of paranormal with The Desire Exchange itself, the sexiness of the bedroom scenes, and the mystery of what has happened in the disappearance of a young man. But, hands down, my favorite part of this story is the ever-changing and evolving of the relationships between Emily, her best friend, and Marcus. What starts out one way, ends in a different direction, and the beauty of Mr. Rice’s writing is that I never once was unhappy or unsatisfied with how things were going. Relationships are complicated and messy at times in real life, and we delve into that head-on a few times within the story. I loved how real it felt. It was amazing to read and to accompany these characters on their journey.

I love that this book can cross so many genre lines and appeal to many different readers. I highly recommend it to fans of suspense, romance, paranormal, and of course, erotic romance. Thank you, Mr. Rice, for a beautiful and sensual story. I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us next!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1.001 Dark Nights

About the author:

By the age of 30, Christopher Rice had published four New York Times bestselling thrillers, received a Lambda Literary Award and been declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive. His latest novel is THE HEAVENS RISE, a supernatural thriller about a young woman who is exposed to a mysterious parasite in the Louisiana swamp that gives her the power to control minds and unleash living nightmares. THE HEAVENS RISE is currently a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel. Together with his best friend, bestselling novelist Eric Shaw Quinn, Christopher recently launched his own Internet radio show. An outrageous and irreverent comedy variety program, THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN streams 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at TheDinnerPartyShow.com, with new live episodes premiering Sunday evenings at 8 PM Eastern, 5 PM Pacific.

Christopher’s first novel, A DENSITY OF SOULS, was published when he was just 22. The controversial bestseller was greeted with a landslide of media attention, much of it due the fact that Rice’s mother is a legendary vampire chronicler who shares his last name. He served as a contributing columnist to The Advocate for many years and his additional criticisms and witticisms have been featured in The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Salon.com and his own Facebook page, which currently hails over 100,000 subscribers. The members of the InsightOut Book Club selected his novel BLIND FALL as one of the best novels of 2008, and his noir thriller LIGHT BEFORE DAY was hailed as a “book of the year” by mega-best selling thriller novelist (and Jack Reacher creator), Lee Child. His short fiction has been featured in the anthologies Thriller and Los Angeles Noir. He recently served on the board of directors of the West Hollywood Library Fund, which was instrumental in securing private funds to build a brand new state-of-the-art library in the heart of the city he now calls home.

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Wicked Wolf by Carrie Ann Ryan…ARC Review

Wicked Wolf releases today!

Synopsis:

The war between the Redwood Pack and the Centrals is one of wolf legend. Gina Eaton lost both of her parents when a member of their Pack betrayed them. Adopted by the Alpha of the Pack as a child, Gina grew up within the royal family to become an enforcer and protector of her den. She’s always known fate can be a tricky and deceitful entity, but when she finds the one man that could be her mate, she might throw caution to the wind and follow the path set out for her, rather than forging one of her own.

Quinn Weston’s mate walked out on him five years ago, severing their bond in the most brutal fashion. She not only left him a shattered shadow of himself, but their newborn son as well. Now, as the lieutenant of the Talon Pack’s Alpha, he puts his whole being into two things: the safety of his Pack and his son.

When the two Alphas put Gina and Quinn together to find a way to ensure their treaties remain strong, fate has a plan of its own. Neither knows what will come of the Pack’s alliance, let alone one between the two of them. The past paved their paths in blood and heartache, but it will take the strength of a promise and iron will to find their future.

My review:

Wicked Wolf is book number eight in author Carrie Ann Ryan’s Redwood Pack series as well as the first in the 2015 1,001 Dark Nights Novella line-up. I have read only one other of author Ryan’s work and after enjoying it tremendously, and being a huge fan of the 1,001 Dark Nights series, I was excited to read this novella. Well, I wasn’t disappointed and now have another series I will be following. This story was fantastic.

Members of different packs, both Gina and Quinn have suffered their own heartache and loss separately. Gina having lost both of her parents and Quinn having lost his mate, they weren’t strangers to feeling great pain. It’s that former pain that leads them both a bit leery of forming future relationships. But fate, that fickle gal, always has a plan and soon Gina and Quinn find themselves in quite a situation. After being asked to work together to make sure the treaty between the packs remains strong and only continues to grow, they soon find they may actually be fated mates. Ordinarily that would be great news, but Quinn isn’t able to let go of the painful loss from years earlier. Enter fate agin. Soon Quinn is faced with yet another possible loss and it’s a loss only Gina can help prevent. The loss of his son. Lucky for Quinn, Gina won’t let that happen and before he realizes it, the bond he once feared is the bond he now craves. The problem is, Quinn hadn’t exactly welcomed Gina with open arms in the beginning and now that he wanted her, she may not want him.

With so much at stake for both packs, and now for both Quinn and Gina personally, will the bond they are meant to form grow into a truly loving relationship?

From the very first few pages, the pull between Quinn and Gina was palpable. Nether wanted to acknowledge it at first, but there was no denying what was happening between them and it was amazing to read. I loved the push and pull of emotions and I loved being inside of each characters head and to read their inner monologue. It gave us a real feel for their emotions. Oh, and the chemistry between them once things heat up? Beyond smoking hot!

On top of the amazing characters, I love how Carrie Ann keeps the pack dynamics true to how wolves interact in nature. I once visited a wolf sanctuary close to my home and I was so fascinated with the mannerisms of the Alphas and their packs. It is truly an amazing dynamic and that they all communicate without words is almost magical. Carrie Ann wrote her characters in such a way that it was easy to lose yourself in the paranormal wolf world and, even if for just a moment, believe that somewhere out there a world like this could truly exist. That, to me, is a gift.

I will be looking forward to reading more of this series as well as going into Ms. Ryan’s backlist to enjoy more of the Redwood Pack. Thank you, Ms. Ryan, for a magical and fantastic read!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1.001 Dark Nights

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.

Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.

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Revenant by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Revenant releases December 16

HELL HATH NO FURY . . .

For five thousand years, Revenant believed he was alone in the world, a fallen angel beyond any redemption. Now he finds he has a twin brother who had all the light and love Revenant was denied. Caught in a tug of war between Heaven and Hell, he must weigh his thirst for revenge against his desire for a mysterious female named Blaspheme—a female whose very origins could deliver him into salvation . . . or destruction.

LIKE AN ANGEL SCORNED

Blaspheme has a deadly secret: she’s the forbidden offspring of an angel and a fallen angel. Hunted by both heavenly and satanic forces, she has survived only by laying low and trusting no one. When Revenant claims he can save them both, how can she possibly believe him? But the powerful angel is persistence incarnate and for Blaspheme, there’s no place she can hide in Heaven or Hell where he won’t find her . .

My review:

Revenant is the sixth book in author Larissa Ione’s Lords of Deliverance series as well as the eleventh book in her Demonica series and I’m sad to say the last book in both. I am a huge fan of author Ione’s work and reading this book was indeed bittersweet. It was a fantastic finale and I adore every minute of it.

I will say that if you haven’t at least read the preceding book, Reaver, I don’t recommend reading Revenant as I’m pretty sure you will be a bit lost. That being said, the entire series is phenomenal and I highly recommend.

Fallen angel and underworld bad ass, Revenant, had been raised alone in a world of death and cruelty. After the death of his mother when he was younger he knew he would truly be alone for the rest of his life and had lived with that weighing on his chest his entire life. Until now. After having his memories restored he found out he had a brother…and not just a brother but a twin. As if that wasn’t enough to reconcile he finds out who his twin is and he couldn’t be more opposite from Revenant. Adding to all of this confusion is the turmoil with Satan and Lucifer’s impending rebirth which meant a whole lot of trouble for all worlds, good and bad. Of course, it was fitting that he would meet a woman who would capture his attention like no other woman ever had before. It was all too much to take at once and Revenant must soon decide whom he can trust and what side of the team good vs. evil he must play for. Could a fallen angel ever have hopes for redemption and some kind of happiness? After all he had gone through in his life, didn’t he deserve it?

Underworld General doctor Blaspheme knew her time was running out. As the forbidden love child of an angel and fallen angel, she had been shrouded in a false identity her entire life to keep her true nature hidden…and that shroud was slowly disappearing. When it was gone, she didn’t stand the chance of survival and that thought terrified her. Now, with time running out and growing desperate, she finds she must rely on Revenant to help her. Revenant, the fallen angel she was both attracted to and unsure of. He had the power to end her or save her and never having gotten close to anyone before, both of those options had Blaspheme weary. Could she trust him to save her? Would he want to after finding out what she was?

With so much tension building between good and evil and the impending rebirth of Lucifer, due any day now, it’s insane to think now would be the chance for Blaspheme and Revenant to find a connection. Even more insane would be to think they would find love. But isn’t that always how things work? When you least expect it?

Once again Larissa brings the reader into a complex and fantastic world with great odds, tons of sarcastic wit, and characters we all have grown to love. Reading Revenant’s childhood was positively crushing. My heart broke for the little boy who grew up in agony and suffering and had grown into a man who, despite all of that, still had the desire to be accepted and loved. Blaspheme is amazing and since meeting her I have been dying to read more. She’s caring, loyal, and has some zingers in this book that had me totally loving her. I was so worried for her and her situation as it truly seemed hopeless. Of course, once you’re part of the UG family, they won’t ever let you down and it was so amazing to see Eidolon, Wraith, and the whole gang do their best to help solve this major problem. Speaking of which, the problems they are facing are huge and I was worried sick that there wouldn’t be a way to get out of it. Now I won’t give anything away but let me say that when the Horsemen and Demonica crew all come together don’t doubt that there’s a way.

Thank you, Larissa, for giving us all of these characters and their stories. Each one of them holds a special place in my heart and they are books I will continue to recommend and re-read at every opportunity. As sad as I am to see it all come to a close, I have no doubt we will see them again one day and I am excited to see what you have in store for us next!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

About the author:

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

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Caress of Darkness by Julie Kenner….ARC Review

Synopsis:

From the first moment I saw him, I knew that Rainer Engel was like no other man. Dangerously sexy and darkly mysterious, he both enticed me and terrified me.

I wanted to run–to fight against the heat that was building between us–but there was nowhere to go. I needed his help as much as I needed his touch. And so help me, I knew that I would do anything he asked in order to have both.

But even as our passion burned hot, the secrets in Raine’s past reached out to destroy us … and we would both have to make the greatest sacrifice to find a love that would last forever.

My review:

Caress of Darkness is the twelfth book in the 1,001 Dark Nights Series as well as the debut work in Julie Kenner’s new series, Dark Pleasures. I was intrigued when I read the synopsis for this story and by the end of the first chapter I was completely captivated. I tried desperately to read slowly and savor the story but alas I couldn’t, and I devoured it in one sitting. It was exceptional.

Successful assistant district attorney Callie Sinclair is at her ailing father’s antique shop, trying to sort through the finances and merchandise while trying to keep her emotions in order over her father’s illness when a sexy, tattooed, imposing stranger enters. And acts like quite an ass. Both startling her and having a less than pleasant reaction to her presence in her father’s shop. It wasn’t exactly how she wanted to start the day. After his rude arrival, and a few marginally more pleasant exchanges, her feelings of anger and annoyance are quickly replaced with feelings of curiosity and, strangely, attraction. There was something about this man who called to her on a deeper level and after chatting for a little bit more, and learning of his business dealings with her father, she feels at ease. Maybe there was something to this connection she was feeling? She would certainly get the chance to explore it further when they both can’t deny the attraction. The attraction that may turn out to be a reincarnation of a long-lost love. Could fate have given two once mated souls a second chance at a happy ever?

Ranier Engel was more than a little bit disappointed when he entered the antique shop and learned the item he was searching for hadn’t been found. That disappointment was soon replaced with a feeling he never thought he would feel again after losing his mate. But here he was, starting at this beautiful woman and thinking he must have her. He couldn’t explain it to her, yet, but eventually she would learn what he was and that he has been alive for thousands of years and had a bond with her that spanned those years. Would she be able to accept what he would eventually need to explain to her? He prayed she would…he couldn’t lose her again.

I have read a lot of paranormal over the years and when I first delved into the genre, I found a few key authors that still hold a place in my heart. They gave me the love of paranormal. It’s been quite some time since I’ve read a new paranormal romance that grabbed me like those original authors had. That’s not to say I haven’t read great books, but there is something different about those first stories. I hadn’t been able to recapture that feeling…until this novella.

Maybe it’s the way Ms. Kenner describes Raine in the first few pages. Maybe it’s the way she wrote the deep, soul-bound attraction or how strong of a heroine Callie is. More than likely it’s the combination of all of that but I can tell you, whatever that magic combination is, she has captured it and wrote it into these pages. Raine is all alpha but with a softer side that had me swooning. He’s a protector. A man who wants to comfort his love. Stop her from ever feeling hurt. Callie is strong and independent. She’s understanding and knows herself well. I enjoy those character traits immensely. The heat and fiery passion between them is intense and hotter than hot.

Above all of that, what Raine is, under his human façade, is new and fresh. It’s exciting and something I haven’t read but is intriguing and well thought out. Also being introduced to characters I’m sure we will se more of throughout this series has me beyond excited.

Truly, this is the start of a series I am certain I will adore. Thank you, Ms. Kenner, for rekindling my love of the genre in writing this phenomenal story.

Five Loves

Book Links:

Kindle | Paperback | 1,001 Dark nights

About the author:

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

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Love Me To Death by Marissa Clarke….ARC Review

Love Me To Death releases today!

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Medical research scientist Elena Arcos has always lived her life under the radar, which is not easy to do when you live with the craziest woman in the world. But eccentric Aunt Uza is a picnic compared to the other people who enter her orderly life after she is shot in a convenience store robbery.

Elena finds herself rocketed from comfortable predictability to supernatural insanity courtesy of her own private angel of death who happens to have the sexiest accent on earth and a body to match. Her death angel is convinced she’s some kind of freaky half vampire thing and that her deceased dad was the real deal: a blood sucking monster.

Yeah, right. She’ll play along, but then she doesn’t have much choice seeing how as the guy claims to be some immortal law enforcer and has taken her prisoner.

* * *

Nikolai Itzov had expected to fight the urge to torture the progeny of his father’s murderer, but he’d never anticipated battling the urge to kiss her her.

As a Slayer, an elite law enforcer descended from Azrael himself, his charge from the Underveil General is clear: Kill her or die. He has been told she is one of them–an Undead. Nothing but a parasite to be destroyed. But he has been told wrong.

Nikolai and Elena find themselves in a life and death battle to stop a plot designed to lift the Underveil and enslave humans.

With her analytical mind and his centuries of training and experience, they might be able to foil the plot with their lives and maybe their hearts intact. But in order to succeed, he must help her become the very thing he hates the most: an Undead.

My review:

Love Me To Death is the first book in author Marissa Clarke’s Underveil series and kicks it off with a pulse-pounding start!

Elena Arcos only wanted to get a candy bar. That’s it. Now, she finds herself in the midst of a world she never in a million years thought existed. A world with vampires, time-benders, future-seers, and more supernatural species than she ever had heard of…even in fairy tales. But before she can wrap her head around it all, she is on a mission to save the exact world she just learned existed. As if that wasn’t enough, she had to do it with Nikolai. The ridiculously sexy and extremely infuriating slayer she was now stuck with. Even if she tried to get away from him, she couldn’t. He was her only ally in this scary world. He was also the main object of her affections…thanks to more than a few circumstances. Could Elena really be the solution to the underveil’s unrest? Could she stop the war between species before it began? She really hoped so.

Love Me to Death is a great new world and had me pulled in from the very first chapter. I loved all of the paranormal aspects to this story and author Clarke’s spin on things. The characters were unique and enjoyable to read and the reason behind the unrest in the underveil was also a nice, new, outlook in the paranormal genre. Nikolai and Elena were really great together and the push and pull between them, all while having to deal with the constant threat of harm, was done really well. Their chemistry was smoking hot as well. Nikolai sure knows how to turn on the charm when he needs to and poor Elena doesn’t stand a chance. Luckily fate wouldn’t have it any other way. Adding another great layer to this story was the mission Elena and Nikolai were on and the twists and turns it leads them on. Acts of betrayal, murder, and duplicity add that extra spice to this book. We are also introduced to a cast of characters that I hope to see more of in the series.

Overall, this is an exciting new addition to the paranormal world and one I will be looking forward to continuing with. Thank you, Marissa, for an action, and heat, packed read!

Four Loves

About the author:

Marissa Clarke lives in Texas, where the everything is bigger, especially the mosquitoes.

When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, husband, and a Cairn Terrier named Annabel, who rules the house (and Marissa’s heart) with an iron paw.

Also writes YA for Penguin USA as Mary Lindsey

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