Review: The Ranger

The Ranger
Monica McCarty
Historical Romance (Scotland/1308)
Highland Guard/Book 3
Ballantine/December 28, 2010

From Goodreads ~

Embedded deep behind enemy lines, Arthur “Ranger” Campbell is Bruce’s secret weapon as he wages his final assault on the enemies who stand against him. Recruited to join the Bruce’s secret elite fighting force for his prized scouting skills, Arthur’s razor sharp senses and ability to blend into the shadows make him the perfect spy. But when this shadow warrior must infiltrate the clan of the chieftain who murdered his father, his heart is locked on revenge. Inside he faces unexpected resistance from the sweetest of obstacles—a honey-haired siren who is his enemy’s daughter. But the vivacious, enchanting Anna MacDougall is a woman whose skill at uncovering deception rivals his own.

Intrigued by this ruggedly handsome newcomer to her father’s forces, Anna accepts the challenge his determined indifference to her arouses. Though anxious for the war to end and yearning for a quiet life with a good man to love, Anna is drawn to this mysterious knight whose eyes devour her but whose words push her away. But as danger, treachery, and the threat of looming war draw them closer into each other’s passions and secrets, a warrior made of steel must make a choice from the heart: love or revenge.

The third book in McCarty wonderful Highland Guard series is about Arthur Campbell who must play a game of cat and mouse with the enemy within their very ranks. I've been curious about Arthur or Ranger as he's known in the Guard. He's very loyal to Robert Bruce which makes his task of posing as a supporter of Edward beyond difficult.

Arthur Campbell's mission is a test of his abilities. Then he is additionally tested when he meets Anna MacDougall. She is the daughter of his greatest enemy, one that Arthur has swore revenge upon. Of course they fall in love but Arthur knows they have no future. I loved how conflicted Arthur is. On the one hand he has his mission which is critical to the cause he believes so strongly in. On the other hand he is falling fast for Anna and sees no way it can end well. He was continually walking a tightrope creating a tense and suspenseful situation.

Anna MacDougall is an unconventional woman of her time. She is well educated, with even her father asking her opinion. She adores her father and enjoys helping him fight Robert Bruce aka King Hood, any way she can. I love when authors give us intelligent heroines, especially in historicals. I think we expect contemporary heroines to possess intelligence but given the constraints regarding education placed on women throughout history, it's always refreshing to have a historical heroine with the brains to challenge the hero.

The love story is filled with numerous obstacles, the obvious being Anna and Arthur on different sides of the war. It wasn't an easy road to HEA, which made it all the more priceless when they got there. It didn't help that Anna was blinded to her father's faults. She practically worshiped him and even with evidence to his brutality, for an intelligent woman, she took far too long to realize his loyalty wasn't with her. The action and suspense run high through much of the story. McCarty does well keeping the balance of political intrigue and romance in place. And while the politics were certainly present, I never felt they overshadowed the romance.

I wanted to add one minor problem I have with this series. The covers. I really wish publishers would move away from the man-titty covers and give us covers that better reflect what's inside. Yes, the heroes are all well muscled but this is such an intelligent and well written series that there is far more than man-titty between the pages. I would direct pubs to the lush and beautiful covers of historical fiction. They are not only gorgeous but give a feel for the time period. JMHO

I'm really enjoying this series. It has everything I like about historical romances. In a way, it's more like a historical romantic suspense than strictly a historical romance. However you label it, this series is not to be missed if you're looking for something different than your regency and Victorian romances.

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

The Chief
The Hawk
The Ranger
The Viper (October 25, 2011)

Review: Touched by an Alien

Touched by an Alien
Gini Koch
Science Fiction Romance
Kitty Katt/Book 1
DAW/April 6, 2010

From Goodreads ~

How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll?

Easy...

She's Touched by an Alien

Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.

In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.

It took me a few stops and starts before I could get into this book. But I keep going back to it because Nath liked it so much and while we don't agree on every book, I trust her judgement. :) And she was right! Once I got past the initial world building, with the info coming a little too fast, then the story became more character and action driven and worked for me.

Kitty is an average woman. She's doesn't come across as anyone out of the ordinary, until she defeats a monster and is whisked away into a secret world of sexy aliens, monster aliens and some really cool toys! Kitty took the news of aliens on planet Earth pretty well. Sometimes almost too well. No major meltdowns or freak outs. Maybe because all of the alien dudes are GQ super sexy. Which is one of the clues that makes Kitty think these guys are not your regular government agents. While I didn't always feel Kitty's reactions were realistic, I did like how she didn't let anyone push her around.

Jeff Martini and his alien buddies are not only cover model good looking, but they have some wicked cool abilities. Jeff's most obvious is his smooth talking way with women and he goes full throttle with the charm when Kitty shows up. It was over the top at times but that's just Martini. He can be annoyingly cute. He also has his serious side and I liked how Koch balanced that with his playful, flirty side.

There is a lot to take in with all the data on the aliens and their background. It does lay a solid foundation for the rest of the series but got to be a little overwhelming. The monsters or super-beings as they are called are ingenious in their creation. They're like something from the mind of mad scientist on drugs. It's these beings that Kitty is recruited to fight along with Martini and company. Those were the scenes I enjoyed the most. The fight scenes are fast and brutal, with Kitty and her alien pals using anything at their disposal to fight the big bad nasties that keep coming at them.

The romance is there but sometimes Martini and his confidence in his ability to win Kitty over bordered on stalker. He came on way too strong and left me annoyed more often than not. I did like when we saw his vulnerabilities. It was at those times when he seemed almost human.

Overall, a decent start to a new, unique series. I've got Alien Tango on the TBR pile waiting for me. I have a feel it won't take more than one try for me to get into it.

Rating: B

Books in this series ~

Touched by an Alien
Alien Tango
Alien in the Family

Review: Edge of Sight

Edge of Sight
Roxanne St. Claire
Romantic Suspense
Guardian Angelinos/Book 1
Grand Central/November 1, 2010

From the back cover ~

The killer she can't escape . . .
The heartbreak she can't forget . . .
The one man who can stop them both.

When Samantha Fairchild witnesses a murder in the wine cellar of the restaurant where she works, the Harvard-bound law student becomes the next target of a professional assassin. Desperate for protection the authorities won't provide, Sam seeks help from Vivi Angelino, an investigative reporter who recruits her brother, Zach, to protect Samantha. A Special Forces vet with the scars to prove he's equally fearless and flawed, Zach takes the job, despite the fact that he and Sam once shared a lusty interlude that ended when he left for war and disappeared from her life. Now, as they crack a conspiracy that leads to Boston's darkest corners, Sam and Zach must face their fears, desires, and doubts, before a hired killer gets a second shot...

Roxanne St. Claire's newest series is a spin-off of her popular Bullet Catchers series. I've read the first four books in the Bullet series and enjoyed them. Still need to catch up but I was in the mood for something new and Edge of Sight fit the bill. Edge of Sight is a stand-alone so no worries about reading the previous series.

The story begins in the restaurant where Sam works. Right off you can tell Sam have goals and is driven towards those goals. She recently was accepted to Harvard Law school and has a plan for her life. I liked that Sam is smart and doesn't downplay her intelligence. She has a few major insecurities but those played in well with her background. Add in the fact the she and Zach have a history and it makes for high tension.

Zach Angelino is a hero but he doesn't feel like one. He feels so far from hero status it's not even a spot on the horizon. Man, I dare any reader not to feel for this guy. Sure, he can be stubborn beyond reason but he's had such a hard time. As a kid and an adult. He has had some bright spots and one of them was the short time he spent with Sam. You can read the free short prequel at the author's site. It's about Sam and Zach's time together. But now Zach is sort of drifting. He's crashing at his sister's apartment with no real direction in his life. Then Sam is there and Zach has to do some serious thinking about what he wants to do. I loved seeing Zach begin to live again and have a purpose in his life. St. Claire did a great job showing the emotions this very stoict man was going through.

Sam and Zach together were smoking hot! The sexual tension was high from the moment they were together. I loved how they fought and made up. They're road to HEA wasn't easy since Sam's running for her life and Zach trying to protect her while trying desperately to keep from getting involved with her again. Yeah, that didn't last long - silly man! And thankfully no stupid "hey, lets have sex while the bullets are flying" scenarios.

The action and suspense fly high with not only Sam and Zach but Vivi, Zach's twin sister getting involved. There are a lot of twists and I found myself like Sam, wondering who to trust. There were a couple of times when things got a little too out there but then reality came back and I was sucked into the story again.

Then you have the Rossi family. They are Zach and Vivi's family of Aunt, Uncle and cousins. And I can't forget Great Uncle Nino. He was a hoot! I loved the close knit, strength of family portrayed throughout the story. It's the foundation of the series and it came through in spades. Edge of Sight left me in need of the next book, Shiver of Fear. Good thing it's sitting on the top of my TBR pile. :)

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Taken to the Edge (free prequel)
Edge of Sight
Shiver of Fear
Face of Danger (April 2011)

Access Romance Day ...

So late getting this up but I was happy just to get the post up over at the Access Romance Readers Gab. Luckily, I had most of it written last week. I'm over there talking about why I read YA. Come on over and let us know if you read YA and if so why.

It's been a really long week. I've got a bunch of reviews to write for some really good books but I'm only online for short periods. I got sick this past Saturday and end up in the ER with pneumonia. Spent a few days in the hospital (not fun) and now I'm home resting and trying to get rid of this before going to Denver next month. The transplant was put off until next month because my brother still had signs of cancer so he's going through another round of chemo. Right now I'm looking forward to July. My goal for July is a nice, calm, stress-free month. Please.

So, what have you all been up to? Read any good books lately?

Lori - I hope your mom is doing better. :)

Nath - Did your vertigo go away? Hope so. :)

Miss you guys!

Review: Revelations

Reflections
Janice Kay Johnson
Contemporary Romance
Count on a Cop/Book 23
Harlequin/Super #1228/September 1, 2004

From Amazon ~

Ann Caldwell doesn't know who she is. She doesn't really know what she is, either.

Growing up, she wanted just one thing—her father's approval. But she never got it. When she was little she was too much girl and later she wasn't enough woman. She even became a cop to please him. Now he's gone and she realizes how empty her life has become. She'd like to fall in love but doesn't know the first thing about getting a man. Even worse, the one man she wants is her partner, Juan Diaz — who has never looked at her twice.

As Ann struggles to find her way, she discovers a bigger task — figuring out who has begun killing cops. She and Diaz must solve the case before anyone else dies. Is on the job the only place they're destined to be together?

This is a follow up story to Johnson's Mommy Said Goodbye. You can read my review here. The heroine of Revelations, Ann Caldwell, is a cop just like her father. In MSG, Ann followed in her father's footsteps when it came to hounding Craig Lofgren, hero of MSG. Now Ann has realized her father wasn't the cop she thought he was. She's moved on but still trying to come to terms with the father she thought she knew.

Juan Diaz is an older, more experienced cop who finds himself partnered with Ann Caldwell, a newly minted detective. He's intrigued by her. She tries to dress to hide the fact that she's a woman but Diaz can't help but notice that his partner is a woman. Diaz has already lost one marriage to his job and he doesn't see his kids as much as he would like. We hear how divorce rate is high among cops so I'm glad Diaz had that baggage of a divorce, made it far more realistic. His kids were well done - having enough page time to establish his relationship with them but not too much since he didn't see them that much.

Ann Caldwell is a grown woman yet she hasn't had many of the experiences that most women have had. She doesn't date much and her work has her primarily around men all day. What she really needed was some confidence in her femininity. I do think that Diaz helped bring that out in Ann. You could tell she wanted to change and become who she wanted to be and not who she thought her father had wanted her to be. She just needed a catalyst to make that change.

The suspense plot I found somewhat boring at times. Maybe if it had been more graphic or I had felt Ann or Diaz were in greater danger, then the tension would have been higher. As it was, the villain was fairly easy to identify and I much preferred time spent with Ann and Diaz getting to know each other. I liked seeing Ann come out of her shell, shedding her nervousness and gaining confidence in her power as a woman.

I liked Ann and Diaz, seeing them take their professional relationship and turn it into a close friendship and eventually a romantic couple. The mystery/crime solving was simply okay. I do like Johnson writing style, she does well in the short format. Fortunately, she has a long back list and continues to publish with Harlequin.

Rating: B

Review: Silent Scream

Silent Scream
Karen Rose
Romantic Suspense
Book 11 in Loosely Connected Series
Grand Central/May 25, 2010

From the back cover ~

He Knows Your Secrets.

When a teenage girl dies in a suspicious fire, Detective Olivia Sutherland is assigned to track down the arsonist. Then she discovers something more sinister: a vicious blackmailer who preys on young people and murders without hesitation. Making her work even harder is sexy firefighter David Hunter. He's not only sharing the case but sparking memories of their long-ago night of passion, when feelings were left unspoken and hearts were broken.

He Hears Your Pain.

David has his own ghosts, and a million regrets. But while he and Olivia try to face the wall of pain between them, a diabolical puppet master is pulling strings to make a group of twenty-somethings do his bidding. Soon Olivia and David are scouring the city for a calculating criminal who seems tantalizingly close—and is moving in for the kill.

Finally caught up on this loosely connected series. If you haven't started reading Karen Rose and you're looking for well written characters and story line, definitely give her a try. In Silent Scream the hero and heroine have appeared as secondary characters in previous books. I do think plenty of background information is given on them that this can be read as a stand-alone but I would still recommend reading the previous books.

There is no doubt Olivia Sutherland is a good cop and a strong heroine. She does have some weaknesses but she doesn't let them interfere with her job. One of her weaknesses is David Hunter. David and Olivia have a history, they have a connection through their families and through a night over two years ago. Olivia has tried to forget David but I never got the sense that she really did. When she finds out he's not only moved to Minneapolis but is connect with her latest case, she has mixed feelings about seeing him again. I'm glad Rose didn't have Olivia fawning over David and his killer good looks. She tries to keep things on a professional level but... that doesn't quite work out.

David Hunter has some serious ghosts and guilt riding his conscience. He also has no memory of what happened the night he hooked up with Olivia Sutherland. Oops! Just one more thing for this sexy firefighter to feel guilty about. We first met David in Don't Tell, book 1, so his story has been brewing for some time. I do think he has matured since then and is trying to have a better outlook on life - letting go of some of that anger and guilt. It was nice to see him evolve instead of remaining stagnant.

The suspense and mystery were well developed. I liked how Rose had the blackmailer behind the scenes, manipulating the action. Rose allows the story to point to a few potential characters as the blackmailer, keeping the tension and suspense high. There is a lot of police procedure in this story, with the detectives trying to follow the dots and connect the various crimes together. Sometimes it was a bit too heavy but then Rose would lead us back to Olivia and David, keeping a decent balance between the romance and the suspense.

Olivia and David made a good, believable couple once they got past their rocky start. They did have a lot to discuss and both had baggage that got in the way. I did like how Olivia was the "leader" in the suspense aspect of the story but David made plenty of contributions towards finding the blackmailer. He had a couple of slip ups and should have shared information quicker with Olivia but when he did, she didn't brush him off because he wasn't a cop. They worked well together.

Silent Scream is another entertaining addition to Rose's loosely connected romantic suspense series. Next up, Rose heads to Baltimore and some new characters in You Belong to Me. Release date of June 7.

Rating: A-

April Reads...

*So sweet. Holding paws while sleeping*

April was one of those months that I'd rather not repeat. I usually associate April with happiness and warmth but this year all I can think of is stress and worry. I don't even want to think of what I would have done without books to escape into. So here's hoping May proves to be a better month all around.

Reading wise, I'm surprised at the number, mostly because much of the time it felt like everything was in a holding pattern. Waiting for this and hoping for that, it didn't feel like I read much at all. But apparently I did manage to keep up my usual pace.

Audio Books

1. This Side of the Grave/Jeaniene Frost/UF/
2. Silent on the Moor/Deanna Raybourn/Mystery/B-
3. Mercy Kill/Lori Armstrong/Mystery/B+

My audio books list is short for the month because I seem to have the patience of a 5 year old. There should be two other books on the list but listening was going too slow for me. At one point I was even reading along while listening to Karen Rose's Silent Scream, trying not to read ahead but couldn't help myself. (Seriously, who does this if not a 5 year old?) I finally gave up, turned on some music and read the darn book! The other book I tried to listen to but ended up reading was Rose's I Can See You. Clearly, mysteries and Bones' accent are what held my attention when it came to audio books. :)

Print/Electronic Books

1. The Sweetest Thing/Jill Shalvis/Contemporary/A
2. I Can See You/Karen Rose/Romantic Suspense/A
3. Demon from the Dark/Kresley Cole/PNR/A
4. Absolutely, Positively/Heather Webber/Romantic Mystery/A-
5. The Vampire Dimitri/Colleen Gleason/Historical PNR/A-
6. Silent Scream/Karen Rose/Romantic Suspense/A- (review to follow)
7. The Perfect Play/Jaci Burton/Contemporary/B+
8. Pleasure of a Dark Prince/Kresley Cole/PNR/B+
9. Mommy Said Goodbye/Janice Kay Johnson/Contemporary/B+
10. Mustang Wild/Stacey Kayne/Historical Western/B
11. Backstage Pass/Olivia Cunning/Erotic Romance/B (review to follow)
12. Blood Knot/Tracy Cooper-Posey/Erotic Romance/B (review to follow)
13. Revelations/Janice Kay Johnson/Contemporary/B (review to follow)

The Numbers

Contemporary ~ 4
Erotic Romance ~2
Historical ~ 2
Mystery ~ 1
Romantic Suspense ~ 2
PNR ~ 2

Format

Print ~ 8
E-book ~ 5

Not bad, certainly more than I expected. And no stinkers in the bunch! That's always a good sign of some excellent recommendations from all of you. So thank you! Now I just need to catch up on the reviews!

So how did April treat you? Any books that Wowed you?

Review: I Can See You

I Can See You
Karen Rose
Romantic Suspense
Book 10 in Loosely Connected Series
Grand Central Publishing/August 5, 2009 (HC)

From the inside cover ~

Eve Wilson's face was once scarred by a vicious assault. Terrified and ashamed, she escaped to the online realm, where she could choose the face she allowed people to see. Years later, her outer scars faded and inner scars buried, Eve has fought her way back to the real world and is determined to help others do the same. Now a graduate student, moonlighting as a bartender, Eve researches the addictive powers of online communities. When her test subjects begin turning up dead of apparent suicide, Eve doesn't know where to turn.

Homicide detective Noah Webster is one of the few people who believe the victims are connected murders. Eve becomes Noah's online guide and realizes that the handsome detective may have secret scars as painful as her own. As Eve and Noah chase a killer who is always one step ahead of them, together they try to overcome the tragedies of their pasts and learn to trust again, but soon discover that danger is much closer than they think.

We first met Eve in Rose's first book, Don't Tell where she was a teenage runaway caught in a dangerous situation. Then we met her again in Nothing to Fear where she has another run in with a dangerous psycho. It's been six years since that first book, now it time for Eve's story.

Eve Wilson has been damage, both physically and psychologically. But she is nothing if not a survivor. Eve's courage and determination, along with her kindness, have made her a favorite character of many fans. Ms. Rose doesn't disappoint in telling Eve and Noah's story. Eve has moved from Chicago to Minneapolis where she is a student, working on her master's degree and bartending to support herself. I liked that Eve didn't play the victim, but decided to do something to help people by becoming a therapist. She does keep to herself, having a few close friends but mainly spending her time studying and working. I think it would have been out of character had she become a party girl or social butterfly since she wasn't either of those previously. She does have a particular interest in Detective Noah Webster but it's not something she's willing to share with anyone, especially not Noah.

Noah Webster is a good cop who's fighting his own ghosts while doing a job he loves. His childhood wasn't a happy one but he has known happiness and he's also known great loss. I think he was a good fit for Eve because of knowing the degree of loss that he did. He understood her wariness and her unease at trusting easily. They both had a lot of baggage which I think made them more compassionate. Noah doesn't rush Eve, giving her time to sort out her feeling and accept their relationship. Had he rushed her, it would have been completely in her character to shut him down or run. Good thing Noah is a smart man.

The suspense runs high, as Rose is good at keeping the reader on the edge of the seat. There are twists and turns, surprises for both the reader and the characters. I thought the use of the online world of Shadowland clever and found it fascinating how it was populated with the variety of people from every walk of life. It wasn't surprising that Eve got into the play - it gave her a place where no one knew her background or could see her scars. It's not all fun and games and Eve quickly learns that her research might be connected to Noah's cases, bring them together after they've both tried keep their distance. This wove the romance right in with the suspense, giving the story a perfect balance of both.

One thing I often look forward to when reading this loosely connected series are catching up with characters from previous books. There are two such characters that stand out for me this time around. David Hunter and his nephew by marriage, Tom Hunter. David and Tom both knew Eve from Chicago and are part of her extended family. They are a perfect example of a family made from choice not necessarily from blood. Both Hunters are very protective of Eve, with David more than willing to go up against Noah if he thinks Noah won't treat Eve right. Love that tight, family bond so many of Rose's character have. It helps to balance the darkness of her villains.

I Can See You is easily one of my favorites of Karen Rose and that's saying something since so many of her novels have proven to be such exceptional reads. It was easy to pick up the next book, Silent Scream, which just so happened to be David Hunter's story. And it also turned out to be a favorite too. Is it any wonder I adore Karen Rose's writing? Her next release, You Belong to Me releases on June 7 here in the states. It was released in the UK back in January and has received wonderful reviews.

Rating: A

Review: Demon from the Dark

Demon from the Dark
Kresley Cole
Paranormal Romance
Immortals After Dark/Book 10
Pocket/August 31, 2010

*Spoilers for Previous Books*

From the back cover ~

A Dangerous Demon She Can't Resist...

Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he's pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A Maddening Witch He Aches To Claim...

Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

Trapped Together In A Savage Prison...

In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and the vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

After the cliff hanger ending of Pleasures of a Dark Prince, I had to start Demon from the Dark. And boy am I glad I did! Malkom Slaine has got to be one of my favorite heroes. Add in the wickedly smart Carrow and you have a couple who create a heroic team.

Carrow Graie is a powerful witch but like any witch, she gets her power from a specific source. Being imprisoned by a sadistic bastard isn't her idea of fun. She's desperate to get out and with little hope of escape for herself or her friends, she takes the one opportunity offered her. It's not much of a choice - it's either take the job or torture and death will follow, and not necessarily for just her. The story starts in a dark place, picking up where Pleasure of a Dark Prince left off. It's dark for both Carrow and Malkom but for different reasons. As I mentioned, Carrow is a witch and usually, I have little interest in witches but I liked Carrow a lot. She is a practical witch who deals in commerce and survival. She's also a modern witch and while she can be a little too self-absorbed at times, she is loyal to her coven. She's not perfect and makes some mistakes but her determination leaves you cheering for her.

Malkom Slaine - oh, lordy how I loved this tortured, wounded, fucked-up hero! Malkom has been through hell and back and still makes the occasional trip there. He is both demon and vampire but hates his vampire side, trying to suppress it as best he can. When he and Carrow first meet, they have trouble communicating because Malkom has forgotten how to speak the Vampire language aka English. Carrow's Demonish is rusty but they stumble along with Malkom giving orders and Carrow not always following them. Their interactions are humorous, with Carrow making fun of Malkom and Malkom being a typical male and not understanding Carrow, no matter the language! Malkom decides Carrow is his and he protects what is his. I loved how he was careful with her, wanting to take care of her while learning to trust her. He had been alone for so very long, it was difficult for him to trust.

Carrow and Malkom have a rocky start to their romance but they do get a romance. It's sweet and funny and sexy which is odd when they spend quite a bit of the time battling one enemy after another. And these battles are messy and bloody giving Carrow and Malkom all the more reason to enjoy getting clean. But Malkom hates the water so Carrow must gentle him to it. There is a scene where he goes into the water for her even though he has horrible memories of water. That for me, shows how much he is willing to do for her. But Cole makes these two work very hard for the HEA. Even though Malkom had decided early on that Carrow was his and you could certainly say he had a "mine" moment, it isn't that easy. They end up working together to survive and getting to know each other, making that mine moment believable. One minor irritant - Malkom biting off his claws so he could touch Carrow intimately. All I could visualize were jagged, broken fingers nails. Not something you want touching you intimately! I'm guessing he has strong, sharp teeth that worked more like heavy duty nail clippers but still, could get the imagine out of my mind. LOL

The plot and story arc move along at a decent pace. I never felt like there was too much action or too much down time. Cole does a great job at pacing the story, blending just he right amount of action and romance. I'm fascinated with the Order and want to know more about them - no doubt they will feature prominently as the Accession draws nearer.

There are many secondary characters and quite a few shouting out for their story to be told. Apparently Regin was shouting the loudest (hard to believe *snort*). Her story is next and while I like her, I'm not so sure about her hero. Dreams of a Dark Warrior is out now with Lothaire's book due out next year. Lots to look forward to, Nix - soon I hope! Demon from the Dark will be a hard one to top!

Rating: A

Books in the series ~

The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in Playing Easy to Get)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winters Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Novel in duology, Deep Kiss of Winter)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire (January 10, 2012)

Upcoming Western Releases & A Freebie...

I love a good western, be it a book or a movie. Unfortunately, they are few and far between. So here are a variety of upcoming western romance releases and a reprint to add the the list.


Bloodlands is the first book in Post-apocalyptic western urban fantasy trilogy. Christine Cody is the author who also goes by the name of Chris Marie Green, author of the Vampire Babylon series. I like the sound of this new series and the look of the covers. No man titty in sight and yet, he's still sexy. Imagine that!

It was called the New Badlands, home to the survivors of a cataclysm that altered the entire nation. Then the vampires arrived, an admit was rechristened the Bloodlands. Not because of the vampire, but because of the gun-for-hire who'd decided to slay every monster in the country by any and every means necessary.

The cover reminds me of Russel Crowe in The Quick and the Dead. Loved that movie!

The second book in the series is Blood Rules.

In the Bloodlands, sometimes the monsters don't even know themselves...

After the man named Gabriel came to the Bloodlands, Mariah Lyander was forced to face her true nature, and the horrible things she had done. To redeem herself, she embarks on a quest to find a rumored cure for were-creatures hoping to recover her own humanity - and Gabriel's love.

Book 3 - In Blood We Trust is set for release on September 27, no cover or blurb yet.


For fans of Jo Goodman's Reidsville series that started with Never Love a Lawman, followed by Marry Me, now have something to look forward to. Kissing Comfort is another historical western romance due for release on September 6. You can go here to read an excerpt. The excerpt takes place in the Sierra Nevada's so I'm not sure if it's part of the Reidsville series. My guess would be no, but I've been wrong a time or two. :) Does anyone remember Bode or Bram from the other two books?


Bode DeLong knows that his playboy brother Bram isn't really in love with Miss Comfort Kennedy, even though it's clear that she's enamored with him. With Bram's motives for the engagement suspect, Bode figures the safest place for Comfort to be is in his arms. Now, Bode just needs to convince Comfort that the childhood fancy she has for his brother is no match for the incredible desire that sparks between them every time they touch.






I've loved Jodi Thomas' historicals for years and The Tender Texan is one of my favorites! Originally released in 1991, it will be reprinted with a new cover and due for release on November 1.

Anna Meyer offers one hundred dollars to the Texas cattleman who can help her forge a frontier homestead. Chance Wyatt agrees to settle down and build a home with a lovely stranger. The boy in him never considered the possibility of love. But the man in him can't deny the passion that Anna brings out in him. they vowed to live together for only a year, but as the challenges of the savage land bring them closer together, neither can resist the aching desire that inflames their hearts - and touches their souls.




I haven't started this series yet but I will get to it! I love Lorelei James' Rough Riders series so it's a given that I'll read this one too. Wrangled and Tangled is the third book in her Blacktop Cowboys series. I swear she gets the best covers! Release date, November 1.

Janie Fitzhugh and Abe Lawson have long been divorced and living apart. Now she's back in town, a changed woman - making cattleman Abe want to wrangle an invitation to her bed...

To get his dream ranch, Renner Jackson has partnered with spoiled daddy's girl Tierney Pratt. She thinks she can handle this cowboy, but Renner won't make it easy. Little do they know they will be entangled in ways neither dreamed possible.



Another Lorelei James upcoming release is Chasing Eight, due for e-book release on June 28. The hero is Chase McKay, no word on who the heroine is yet. This is book 11 in James' wildly addictive Rough Riders series. And in case you haven't tried this series yet, you're in luck. Long Hard Ride, the first book in the series is free in e-book format for the entire month of May. You can get it here for the Kindle™ or here for the nook™. This is a great way to try this thoroughly enjoyable series. Who can resist sexy cowboys?


What books are on your upcoming must-be-read list? Any westerns you want to recommend?