Category Archives: 4 1/2 Stars

ARC Review: Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker

Format Read: e-ARC provided by NetGalley courtesy of Publisher for Review
Length: 352 Pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Black Knights Inc. Book IV
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Amazon, Books-A-Milliion, Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Book Depository, IndieBound, iBookstore, Kindle, Nook.

Book Blurb:

He’s Gone Rogue

Ex-Navy SEAL Rock Babineaux’s job is to get information, and he’s one of the best in the business. Until something goes horribly wrong and he’s being hunted by his own government. Even his best friends at the covert special-ops organization Black Knights Inc. aren’t sure they can trust him. He thinks he can outrun them all, but his former partner—a curvy bombshell who knows just how to drive him wild—refuses to cut him loose.

She Won’t Back Down

Vanessa Cordova hasn’t been the team’s communication specialist
very long, but she knows how to read people—no way is Rock guilty of murder. And she’ll go to hell and back to help him prove it. Sure, the sexy Cajun has his secrets, but there’s no one in the world she’d rather have by her side in a tight spot. Which is good, because they’re about to get very tight…

My Thoughts:

This novel is aptly named because it is a THRILL RIDE. You not only get a romantic suspense that moves at warp speed, Julie Ann Walker also gives us a sexy Cajun hero to die for and a heroine who risks all to bring the man she has warm and fuzzy feelings for back to Black Knight Inc. A man accused of being worse than a traitor to his country.

Richard “Rock” Babineaux a former SEAL and one of the founding members of the clandestine group of government defense warriors called Black Knights Inc., has unwittingly got himself into very deep weeds. Outside of his missions with the Black Knights, Rock used his skills as an interrogator to assist in a project he believed was operated by the good guys to ferret out evil crime lords. However, when he uncovers information indicating “the good guys” were actually not at all what they seemed he started poking a hornets nest to find out the truth. Framed as a rogue operator Rock has very big CIA guns looking for him as the evidence supporting he is a traitor to his country is irrefutable. Rock eludes the authorities, utilizes his formidable survival skills and sequesters himself deep in jungles of the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Despite the damning evidence against Rock, the close family of BKI specialists refuse to believe the worst about one of their own and set out to find him. When Rock is finally tracked down the beautiful Latino communications specialist Vanessa Cordero along with a small support group of Knights head to Costa Rica to bring him home. Rock is not pleased to see her and has no intention of putting the people he considers family in mortal danger and tries to send Vanessa packing. Vanessa is determined to convince Rock to accept the team’s help and follows him back into the dense jungle. Rock has no choice but to protect her not only from the host of dangers inherent to the location, but also from a major influx of CIA commandos with a shoot to kill agenda.

This book is a total adrenaline rush. Walker’s vivid descriptions plunge us into the lush jungle environment where Rock helps Vanessa maneuver one peril after the other, then the commandos arrive and things REALLY get tense and exciting. The enticing Cajun is an intelligent, battle-honed warrior who is prepared for every contingency. He also helps Vanessa deal with a paralyzing fear that has been relentless and traumatic. Rock and Vanessa have been dancing around an intense sexual attraction for some time. However he has some heavy-duty baggage with accompanying commitment issues that despite the desire flowing between them won’t allow him to give his heart to her. Walker builds the sexual tension over the course of the novel leading to hot, emotional love scenes. However, even after they become intimate, Vanessa still must face that Rock is determined to leave her.

Along loving the action and intrigue offered in this story, I enjoyed the laugh-out-loud humor that included a serving of awesome snark. Rock’s New Orleans’s dialect and colloquialisms are hoot-worthy and used liberally during dialogue and introspection. I have a thing for Cajun heroes, and in Rock, Walker developed a winner.

Julie Ann Walker gives excellent background information regarding the Knights and I didn’t feel disadvantaged at all for not having read the earlier series books. I understood why and how Black Knights Inc. came to be, had a good picture of each of the operatives as well as their quirks and quarks, and how they interact as a cohesive loyal group. There are also plot twists and quite a surprise in store regarding the identity of the very manipulative antagonist whose agenda and secrets are so well hidden proving Rock’s innocence seems hopeless.

There was a secondary plot-line developed between team member Bill and socialite Eva Edens so it will be interesting to see where Walker takes the Knight’s next. I was sorry when Thrill Ride ended; I loved Julie Ann Walkers’ voice and am eager to read the earlier and future books in this series.

I give Thrill Ride 4 1/2 Stars

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

ARC Review: Free Fall by Catherine Mann

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Format Read: digital ARC provided via Net Galley courtesy of Publisher for Review
Series: Elite Force Book 4
Length: 352 Pages
Genre: Military Romantic Suspense
Release Date: March 5, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook, Mass Market Paperback
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Powell’s, The Book Depository, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

Pararescueman Jose “Cuervo” James is committed to his job and not much else. He thought nothing could change that, not even sexy, smart Interpol agent Stella Carson. Their affair burns hot and fast, but family is everything to Stella, and Jose just can’t go there. His family demons are too deep, too tenacious.

The demands of their work make it easy to stay away from each other, until a fateful mission deep in the African jungle unexpectedly throws them together. With Stella’s life on the line, uncovering the truth about Jose’s fears and her tragic past might destroy the spark between them, or gain them a second chance at passion and forever…

My Thoughts:

After landing a job in Interpol’s American office as a code breaker Stella Carson set about securing an assignment in Africa. Why? When Stella was 15 year old her mother, an aid worker in the country was killed, supposedly in a car accident. The reported cause of her mother’s death doesn’t ring true for a variety of reasons and Stella is determined to discover what really happened, maybe then she would feel a sense of closure.

Now, a field operative for Interpol, Stella finds herself commandeering a speedboat through rough waters with four CIA operatives aboard to provide back up in case a helicopter was unsuccessful in picking up the SEAL’s and pararescuemen assigned to disable small pirate vessels reaping havoc in the sea off the coast of the Horn of Africa. When things go awry, Stella skillfully maneuvers the speedboat to enable the elite special forces to be pulled from the water. Stella takes a “free fall” into love when she lays eyes on pararescueman Jose “Cuervo” James.

“Need help?”

She turned and there were those coffee dark eyes again. Static-like awareness snapped when she looked back at the intense gaze that had held hers earlier as he’d lifted his facemask. Except now he was more than eyes and a wet suit. He was a lean, honed man in a pair of fitted swim trunks he must have worn under the diving gear. He was glistening bronze with a body trained for survival anyplace, anytime.”

Yummy!

Jose and Stella’s situation is reversed 6 months later as he and a team of elite forces are flown to a concrete hellhole south of the Horn of Africa to rescue Stella and a group of foreign college students kidnapped by a group of separatists. A whirlwind affair with Stella Carson had ended in a painful breakup but Jose’s feelings for her haven’t lessened with time, failing to rescue her isn’t an option.

Catherine Mann developed an amazing hero in Jose James, as a pararescueman or PJ (Parachute Jumper), he and his team are “like Supermen with EMT bonus powers”. These guys are “the best of the best”, trained for combat but also go through intense training as paramedics. Jose and his teammates are focused and exceptional at carrying out rescues in the worst of circumstances. However Jose carries a truckload of personal issues along with his rifle and medic supplies. Said personal issues were the source of monumental conflict between him and Stella resulting in their break-up. Despite their relationship disaster it is Jose she calls on when she is thrown into the worst of situations, and you are not going to believe how she sends out the call. I loved this guy, he is sufficiently tortured to make you want to hug him but also fearless, and fiercely protective of Stella, you can feel their love radiating from the pages.

Stella is equally unique, her brilliant logical mind enables her to break and interpret coded messages vital to national security. She is also trained in the use of weaponry and battle ready. Stella does have a soft, feminine side and she ultimately desires a stable home life with Jose at her side, but as she has learned, that isn’t meant to be.

Free Fall offers rescue scenes involving death defying feats and action aplenty. Stella and Jose become embroiled in thwarting a heinous plot to kill a high-ranking visiting dignitary along with hundreds of people. Mann gives us a plot riddled with surprises and It the background of the danger, subterfuge and betrayal and endearing heart wrenching love story that caused a lump in my throat more then once. The well-choreographed rescue/action scenes caused goose bumps to rocket up my arms. In addition, we get standout secondary characters both good and evil that add punch to this memorable story.

If you enjoy a high stakes military romantic suspense, you may well like to give Free Fall a try. This is the 4th book in Mann’s Elite Forces series, but it can be read as a standalone with no problem.

I give Free Fall 4 1/2 Stars

Review: Wolf Nip by Vivian Arend

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Format Read: e-ARC provided by Novel Sidekick courtesy of Author for Review
Length: 117 Pages
Series: Granite Lake Wolves, Book 6
Genre: Paranormal / Shifters / Erotic Romance
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Kindle, Nook, iTunes, Goodreads.

Book Blurb:

Cat got your tongue?

Tessa Williams is looking to make her mark outside the family business, and the unusual landlocked paddle wheeler she spots in Haines, Alaska, strikes her as the perfect location. Only the owner is being difficult, refusing to sell. Still, she’s sure that replacing her written queries with a little in-person charm is all she’ll need to shortly have her Eco-tour B&B on the road to success.

Local wolf-slash-owner of said vessel, Mark Weaver, isn’t hanging on to the landmark building out of spite. There are more reasons for holding back the sale than are easily explained on paper. A face-to-face meeting to resolve the matter only confounds it—when Mark recognizes Tessa as his mate.

But she’s a cat…and cats don’t do insta-mates.

The sexual attraction between them isn’t in question, just everything else. He wants her. She wants twue wuv. His wolf can’t figure out what the holdup is. Her cat thinks the entire situation, and the pack, are rather amusing.

Somewhere in here is the beginning of a beautiful relationship—if they don’t drive each other mad.

Warning: One hyper cat, one laid-back wolf. Inappropriate use of permanent markers, and a heaping side dish of cat/dog jokes. Shenanigans (read: nookie) in front of a roaring fire. Spiced liberally with sarcasm. Enjoy!

Excerpt

My Thoughts:

You can always expect a good time when reading a Vivian Arend’s wolf shifters story. The Granite Lake shifters are an especially fun-loving bunch who enjoy life to the fullest. Book 6 in Arend’s series matches wolf shifter Mark Weaver with the high strung, success motivated cat shifter Tessa Williams. We met Tessa in the previously published Wolf Line when she supported her best friend Keri during the antics inherent to her shipboard romance with Jared.

Tessa is determined to establish a Bed & Breakfast offering excursions to visitors and has her eye on Mark’s unique inherited paddle wheeler home. Tessa submits an offer to Mark to sell but he is unable because of stipulations regarding ownership of the family property. Mark has a counter proposal which he sees as ideal as he has identified the bouncy, impulsive Tessa as his mate. The wrench in the whole mating forever is that Tessa is a cat and doesn’t have the immediate “we are meant to be together thing” going on. Tessa wants to mate for love. Mark therefore makes her a joint-business offer she can’t refuse and sets about to woo said cat in the sweetest of ways.

I loved both these characters. Mark is kind, very hard working and absolutely devoted to Tessa. In Tessa, Arend develops a stellar cat shifter, she moves like greased lightning, speeding around the paddle wheeler in the blink of an eye, bouncing on her feet and loves making dog jokes. Their romance is endearing and special, Mark is respectful of Tessa’s need to be head-over-heels in love before she mates. The sexual attraction burns between them and it’s especially potent for Mark who battles with his wolf who is desperate to have his mate. Tessa’s cat is unsettled but she doesn’t quite get what is wrong with her other half.

Keri and Jared make an appearance so we learn how their relationship is progressing. As well there is the visit to the Granite Lake wolves pack house where a particularly aggressive female has something to say about a cat shifter in their midst poaching one of their eligible males. Tessa handles that issue in an absolutely hilarious way.

Can a wolf and a cat mate and share all the special benefits that two wolves do? Well, you may like to give Wolf Nip a try and find out. 😉 Wolf Nip is a quick, fast paced read and my favorite of Vivian Arend’s shifter stories to date. This story can be read as a standalone but it will make you want to catch up on the series.

Oh, and by the way–the Samhain warning for this one? Perfect! 🙂

I give WOLF NIP 4.5 Stars

Review: From the Ashes by Adrien-Luc Sanders

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Format Read: e-book provided by Courtesy of Publisher for Review
Length: 157 Pages
Series: Fires of Redemption, #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: September 6, 2012
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, Ever Afters Imprint
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook, Books On Board

Book Blurb:

Sociopath. Killer. Deviant. Monster, devoid of morals, incapable of human emotion. The villain known as Spark has been called that and more, and as a super-powered aberrant has masterminded countless crimes to build his father’s inhuman empire.

Yet to professor Sean Archer, this fearsome creature is only Tobias Rutherford—antisocial graduate researcher, quiet underachiever, and a fascinating puzzle Sean is determined to solve.

One kiss leads to an entanglement that challenges everything Tobias knows about himself, aberrants, and his own capacity to love. But when his father orders him to assassinate a senator, one misstep unravels a knot of political intrigue that places the fate of humans and aberrants alike in Tobias’s hands. As danger mounts and bodies pile deeper, will Tobias succumb to his dark nature and sacrifice Sean—or will he defy his father and rise from the ashes to become a hero in a world of villains?

My Thoughts:

As a Master’s student in Biogenetic Science at UC Berkley Tobias Rutherford seems an antisocial reclusive nerd who spends his free time toiling in the laboratory with Dr. Langdon a research scientist and head of the department. Tobias is leading a double life and in reality is the infamous Spark, second in command and son of the world’s most feared villain, High General Infernus Blaze. I know, as Tobias indicates, his father has quite a handle. However, Blaze has earned his name, using his extraordinary and lethal powers he has razed entire countries, and Spark has been at his side an up close and personal witness to the annihilation of millions of humans, including his mother.

Tobias, his father and all like them possess superhuman powers due to a genetic anomaly:

“They call us aberrants. Aberrant genetics. Aberrant psychology. We are sociopaths, psychopaths, sadists, freaks—a sickness of the worst kind, rejected by man and nature alike. They fear our power, but our power isn’t what what’s truly frightening.

It’s us.”

From the Ashes © Adrien-Luc Sanders

Langdon is studying the genealogy of aberrants and Tobias made sure he was assigned as the scientist’s assistant to monitor and investigate the doctor’s studies. Tobias and other aberrants fear humans will find a way to reverse the essence of who they are or, worse use science to wipe out their kind. The other side of the coin is that Tobias very much wants a recommendation from Langdon for his pre-doctoral qualification. He wants to study and understand what he is but the cantankerous Landon is is difficult at the best of times.

From the Ashes is told in the first person by our hero Tobias and Adrien-Luc Sanders carves a conflicted character who has been raised by his father to be a master assassin and villain. According to Blaze all aberrants are bad to the bone, they have no capacity or room for compassion. While Tobias has a strong sense of self-preservation and fully understands his role as Blaze’s “sidekick” he is questioning his father’s maniacal view of world domination. I could sense that despite the evil Tobias has perpetrated in his father’s name he feels unfulfilled, uneasy in his role.

Tobias becomes intimately involved with ethics professor Dr. Sean Archer when a completely unexpected initial attraction evolves into much more. Tobias doesn’t understand his burgeoning feelings for Sean but when Blaze sends Tobias and a team of aberrant assassins on a grisly mission and giving up his lover proves painful he then finds himself making some difficult choices.

As noted in the book details above, From the Ashes is a 157 page novella and Sanders has crafted a multi-layered story with a dark superhero comic feel. Admittedly, Tobias is a nasty who kills without mercy and seems irredeemable but I couldn’t help but like him, thanks to his self-depreciating and sarcastic wit and struggle for independence. This is a coming of age story about a being who has never been given the opportunity to explore his true self. It’s Blaze’s way or the highway and I empathized with Tobias’ longing to break free of his father’s tyranny. This is not an erotic tale, the love scenes are subtle and sweet, but you can sense the tenuous, growing bond between Tobias and Sean. Sanders isn’t afraid to incorporate graphic and grisly violence so you can expect kill scenes and action scenes that include humans with enhanced superpowers fighting to the death.

From the Ashes offers an all around great escapist read and establishes a strong foundation for the next story in the author’s Fires of Redemption series. This novella is an impressive debut and I’m looking forward to reading more of Adrien-Luc Sander’s work.

I give From the Ashes 4 1/2 Stars

Review: Primal Possession by Katie Reus

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Primal Possession by Katie Reus

Format Read: e-ARC provided via Net Galley courtesy of Publisher for Review
Length: 368 Pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Moon Shifter Book II
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: NAL Signet Eclipse
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Amazon, Books-A-Milliion, Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Book Depository, IndieBound, iBookstore, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

To protect her, he will unleash the beast within…

As his pack’s second-in-command, lupine shifter Liam Armstrong gives orders and takes what he wants—until he meets red-headed, blue-eyed December McIntyre. Liam knows the human beauty is his intended mate the moment he sees her, but December is far too strong-willed to accept his protection.

December, whose brother is the town sheriff, has every reason to mistrust shifters after one killed her youngest sibling. But the forceful and handsome Liam has gotten under her skin in a way she hadn’t thought possible, and the desire she feels for him is almost too much to bear.

When a radical hate group targets all humans known to sympathize with paranormal beings, December is attacked in her bookstore. Reluctantly, she turns to the only one who can help her: Liam. And he is going to take her to places within herself she never knew existed.

My Thoughts:

Katie Reus keeps up the fast-pace, action and passion in the second book of her Moon Shifters series as she continues to deftly develop and expand her world of lupine shifters. Now pack second-in-command, viral warrior shifter Liam Armstrong vigorously pursues December McIntyre, a human and sister of the town sheriff. Liam instinctively knows December is his destined mate and the need to protect and claim her is a force he cannot deny or ignore. Liam wants her and makes no bones about it.

December feels an inexorable pull to the sexy, charismatic warrior shifter but she and her brother have every reason to mistrust Liam’s kind. Therefore she has steadfastly refused to become romantically involved with him knowing it would cause a rift in whats left of her family. More conflict arises as the radical hate group, the Antiparanormal League or APL target humans sympathetic to shifters and make repeated attempts to kidnap December and her friend Kat as a means to strike against the shifter pack. December and her brother are left with no choice but to accept Liam’s intervention and protection.

Reus’ strong dominant alpha heroes always impress and entice me and they particularly stand out in her shifter stories. These guys are ancient, big, powerful with an impressive array of abilities that are shown during numerous well choreographed action and battle sequences. Further, Liam and his fellow warriors possess a magnetic, dominant sexuality that captures a reader and draws you in. This is particularly evident in the introduction of Jayce Kazan, the extraordinary, aggressively sexual enforcer for the North American Council of lupine sifters. Jayce holds a key secondary role in the story and has a romantic tempestuous history with Kat which is fleshed out in a subplot.

Alpha Instinct, series book 1 was a foundation story focusing on pack politics, building the shifter hierarchy, establishing the Armstrong’s as pack Alphas and introducing readers the evil APL antagonists. In Primal Possession we are given another hot romance but drawing on myth and imagination, new intriguing paranormal beings are introduced keeping the series fresh and interesting. I really liked how the author integrates the inherent differences between human and shifter social mores, and how Liam respects human customs over his own while getting closer to December.

When they finally took that next step, he didn’t plan to let her go. He’d mark and claim her then. He wouldn’t risk her throwing it back in his face later that this was a mistake or that she regretted it. That she’d been weak or needy or some excuse. When they took that step, he wanted it to mean something to both of them. No doubts and no barriers between them.

He placed a light kiss or her lips, then pulled the covers back and slid in next to her. “I want tonight to be only about you,” he murmured against her hair as he pulled her back against his chest.

Primal Possession © Katie Reus

There are a number of plot twists and seeming insurmountable conflict for our lovers to overcome. Liam and December must negotiate fundamental species differences as well as external conflicts. However, as December is drawn further into Liam’s world, and discovers his dominant but tender passion first hand her resistance wanes. Primal Possession is a page turning action packed rush brimming with intense primal desire.

The author gives good background to her world in Primal Possession and I think readers new to the series would have no difficulty reading it without having enjoyed Alpha Instinct. However, I think if you like this one and haven’t read book 1 you will want too. Book 3 Mating Instinct is scheduled for release in March 2013, I sure hope it’s Jayce Kazan’s story, because, wow–I can’t wait! 🙂

I give Primal Possession 4 1/2 Stars

ARC Review: Playing to Win by Jaci Burton

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Format Read: e-ARC provided courtesy of author for Review
Length: 320 Pages
Genre: Erotic Romance
Series: Play-by-Play Book 4
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Heat
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Author’s Website, Amazon, Books-A-Milliion, Powell’s, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Book Depository, IndieBound, iBookstore, Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

Someone’s going to have to let down their guard…

Football star Cole Riley is notorious for doing as he pleases—on the field and off. He parties hard and fights harder, but if he doesn’t clean up his act, his career is over—so Cole reluctantly agrees to work with image makeover consultant Savannah Brooks. He’s not used to being told what to do, especially by some (admittedly hot) southern belle. As for Savannah, she’s not convinced she can transform this cocky (and aggressively sexy) force of nature. But she’s determined to give it her best shot.

When the sparks start to fly, Savannah lays down the ground rules: no personal complications. If she can turn off the tingle she feels every time Cole gives her a hot stare with his gorgeous baby blues, he can turn off his desire as well. But for two people determined to have it all, a hands-off policy can only last so long before one of them yields.

My Thoughts:

Talented NFL wide receiver Cole Riley’s career is in trouble. He’s been traded or axed from the previous three teams he played for and is considered a public relations hot potato due to temperamental angry outbursts resulting in alienation of his team members and management. The media loves to bait him and exploit his shortcomings. Thanks to some arm twisting by his sports star cousins Mick and Gavin, Cole is signed by dynamo sports agent Liz Darnell who manages to negotiate Cole a contract with the St. Louis Traders. Liz brings in professional image consultant Savannah Brooks and in Liz’ take no prisoners style issues an ultimatum to the beleaguered football player: Accept Savannah’s involvement and advice and shape-up or suffer the consequences. Liz’s reputation and Cole’s career is on the line so he reluctantly agrees to accept an image makeover compliments of the beautiful Southern belle.

It’s evident from Cole’s cocky attitude that he doesn’t see what the problem is. It’s everyone else that is at fault, not him. The teams should be recognizing his ability to play the game and allow him to do it. What does image matter? In fact, he sees every comment or suggestion Savannah makes as a personal insult that he tries to turn into an argument. Savannah, is smart and savvy with a wealth of experience, she does her homework and sees Cole’s shortcomings quickly and clearly. She is having none of his nonsense and I loved watching her skillfully negotiate with him enabling him to see how his confrontational attitude and temper were having a negative impact on his life.

I have to admit, I wasn’t too sure that I was going to like this hero in the beginning, I found him far too arrogant and narcissistic. However, as the plot progressed and Cole begins to implement the changes Savannah suggests and sees the positive effect this has on his life and career I changed my opinion of him. Further, Jaci Burton shows Cole to be a man of substance, yes he is a confident professional sports player but his vulnerabilities, devotion to his family and ability to show compassion are evident. Essentially the author proves Cole to be a stoic guy who, with the right guidance and support, was able to change and become a valued member of his team.

Savannah can’t help but be drawn to Cole’s innate charisma and aggressive sexuality. She draws a line, no personal relationship with the sexy football player, but her moratorium doesn’t last and an initial one night of passion progresses into an intense affair. Savannah has her own skeletons rattling in the closet and there is a particularly emotional scene where they come tumbling out shattering the protective wall she has built around herself. This is a Burton erotic romance and she delivers the sensual erotic love scenes fans have come to expect.

We also get to see more of the Riley women and how the relationships forged during the progression of the series are faring. I really enjoy the subplot involving the tight knit Riley clan and how they support and guide each other. Liz holds a significant secondary role in Playing to Win, as Savannah’s good friend she provides significant support and more than a few laughs. As well, there is wonderful humor as Burton’s signature sarcastic wit permeates the dialogue and introspection.

She’d worn her hair up in some kind of twisty thing, had put diamond studs in her ears, and wore no other jewelry. And she had on sexy silver-and- crystal shoes that made her legs look a mile long. He wanted to be alone with her, have her wear those shoes and nothing else.

He wondered what she wore under the dress. Maybe she could wear the shoes and her underwear.

Yeah, and maybe he needed to get his fantasies under control before his dick got hard.

She threaded her arm through his and pulled him aside, straightening his tie. “Okay, let’s go through this.”

“I got it. Play nice. Don’t insult anyone. Don’t hit anyone. Don’t cuss. I pretty much have the basic manners thing down. You don’t have to worry about me.”

She cocked a pretty blonde brow at him. “It’s my job to worry. Your image is at stake and this is a very high-profile event. In case you haven’t noticed, several sports figures will be at this event tonight, along with the media.”

“I already told you I’d be on my best behavior.”

“Don’t engage the media. If you’re asked a question, be benign.” Now it was his turn to raise a brow.

“How, exactly, does someone act benign?”

“You can answer football questions, or questions related to being with the Traders this season. Behavioral questions you need to avoid.”

“Avoid . . . how?”

“For example—Cole, do you think the reason Green Bay dumped you is because of your behavior?—how are you going to answer that?”

He scratched the side of his nose. “I don’t suppose you’d let me tell them to fuck off?”

She looked horrified. “Definitely not.

Playing to Win © Jaci Burton

I’ve long been a fan of Jaci Burton’s romances and have loved her Play-by-Play series. In Playing to Win, she offers readers humor, heat and heart that makes for a compulsively readable sexy story. As a bonus there is a teaser from Thrown by a Curve, Play-by-Play book 5 due out in March 2013. This one is Cole’s sports therapist sister Alicia Riley and St. Louis Rivers star pitcher Garrett Scott’s story and and check out Jaci Burton’s website to see the awesome cover for Thrown by a Curve. Yum

I give Playing to Win 4 1/2 Stars

Dual Review: Bared to You by Sylvia Day

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Book Blurb:

Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness…

He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I’d never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily…

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other’s most private wounds… and desires.

The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn’t tear us apart…

Excerpt

Our Thoughts:

Lea: My eyes bugged when I saw Bared to You has 10,148 ratings and 1,571 reviews on Goodreads, I couldn’t help but wonder what more could be said about this novel but Jackie and I were interested in the read when BLI was asked so here we are. 🙂

As often happens with readers, Bared to You provoked varied responses and thoughts for each of us, so Jackie’s review is up first, then Lea’s. 😉

Jackie:

I had high hopes going into Bared to You that it would surpass that other series that it’s constantly being compared to. Thankfully, as far as the writing and editing go, it was so much better. That gave me hope for the characters and the storyline too.

But I have to admit, I didn’t really dig Gideon as much as I wanted to. I liked the anticipation, the build up, from when he and Eva first met and was looking forward to many steamy scenes between the two main characters. What fell flat for me was how controlling he was. Add that in with Eva’s off-balance mother and it became more of a psychological drama than I was expecting.

Adjusting to that shift in the story, my interest was captured. The level of issues experienced not only by Eva and Gideon, but also Eva’s mother and Cary, the best friend, promised to make for more interesting reading. But resolutions were lacking in this first book of the series. This gave me no small amount of frustration, I can tell you. While there are other books to come in the series, it would have been nice to see some part of the story closed out but it just didn’t happen enough for my satisfaction.

One other thing that irked me was Gideon’s mention of Eva being a submissive. This element seemed to be introduced later in the book and felt, to me, unnecessary. Eva was desperately trying to break free from her mother’s attempts at control, so why would she be submissive? This element just didn’t seem relevant to this story, though again that may change in further volumes.

For the fan of the erotic read, there were enough of these interactions in the book to offer satisfaction. I wasn’t a big fan of the scene in Gideon’s family home but that’s just my taste (as in, lack of interest in voyeurism).

I think the biggest draw for me reading the next book in the Crossfire series would be seeing if/how Cary can sort out his life. He’s got good reason to be messed up, but he’s the one character that I’m really rooting for. Overall, this book kept my attention to the end and I was drawn enough into the story to read it fairly quickly. It didn’t hit all the marks for me for an HEA, but it had definite moments of entertainment.

I give Bared to You 3 1/2 stars.

Lea:

To those viewing Eva Tramell’s life from the outside it would seem she has it all. An apartment on New York’s Fifth Avenue that she shares with her male fashion model best friend Cary. A new job with one of the preeminent advertising agencies in the United States. She is beautiful and fit. And, her mother is married to an extremely wealthy man who is quite willing to shower her with gifts. However, like all us, Eva has been shaped by her past and unfortunately her’s is marred by childhood sexual abuse. The horror of the trauma she endured isn’t revealed until an emotional scene much later in the novel but readers are made aware that she and Cary, share more than a close platonic relationship. They are trauma survivors and lean on each other for support.

By chance, Eva meets Gideon Cross in the lobby of the Crossfire building, home to her new employer. A mega billionaire, Gideon owns the building and controls numerous assets. As Eva observes he exudes a Dark and Dangerous persona, the man has a powerful force of will that draws her and those around him in.

“As he stared back, he altered…as if a shield slid away from his eyes, revealing a scorching force of will that sucked the air from my lungs. The intense magnetism he exuded grew in strength, becoming a near tangible impression of vibrant and unrelenting power.”

Bared to You © Sylvia Day

There is a potent, undeniable sexual attraction between Gideon and Eva. He is as possessed by the force of it as Eva and when they later cross paths during a business presentation given by her boss, Gideon takes her aside and makes it clear he wants her. In essence, Gideon crudely propositions Eva in a way that caused me to snort.

“Because I want to fuck you, Eva. I need to know what’s standing in my way, if anything.”

Later he approaches sharing intimacy like a business negotiation:

I was equally fascinated and appalled by the conversation. And, yes, tempted. It was hard not to be while faced with such a gorgeous, virile male so determined to get hot and sweaty with me. Still, the dismay won out. “Sex that’s planned like a business transaction is a turnoff for me.”

“Establishing parameters in the beginning makes it less likely that there’ll be exaggerated expectations and disappointment at the conclusion.”

“Are you kidding?” I scowled.

“Listen to yourself. Why even call it a fuck? Why not be clear and call it a seminal emission in a preapporved orifice?”

Bared to You © Sylvia Day

Ha! So, there Mr. Cross.

I admired Eva, her ability to call out this powerhouse of a man who was accustomed to bending people to his will and declining his crude and patronizing “suggestion”. Gideon soon learns Eva is smart, very kind and compassionate, but has a fiery temper and a carefully established set of rules concerning morality. Although he recognizes that she is going to be high maintenance and force him to rip open the very carefully sewn seams that encapsulate his life he cannot resist her. Sylvia Day writes beautiful erotic prose and the steamy vividly explicit love scenes described in this novel reveal the staggering depth of carnal passion Eva and Gideon share during their tempestuous relationship. Moreover, the author adeptly reveals the magnitude of what they feel for each other, for Gideon, it transcends love.

I give Day kudos for drawing a conflicted damaged character like Eva and telling her story in the first person. It gave me understanding of her insecurities, her volatile and jealous nature…Her fears. As well, I felt Eva gave me good insight into Gideon, his turmoil, his anguish and embarrassment during some of the more emotional and moving scenes that show the damage his apparent history of abuse (we don’t know exactly what happened to him only that it was horrible) has caused to his emotional and personal wellbeing. I have to say, his tortured essence made him all the more appealing to me.

The frenetic pace with which the protagonists relationship moves and the resulting highs and lows did exhaust me at times. And, there is Cary, who holds a key secondary role in the story, he is achieving success in the competitive world of male modeling but I found his self destructive behavior leading to a train wreck of personal relationships deeply disturbing. I’m worried for Cary and want to see what sort of resolution Day gives to his story. Cary depends on Eva for emotional support and guidance and she him. What is going to happen now that Gideon is in the picture, and needing her too?

As for Eva’s neurotic, controlling mother? I had a bit of a niggle with an issue that occurred earlier in the novel concerning her stalkerish behavior that went unresolved but this is a continuing series so I’m sure more will be seen of ‘Mom’ the debutant.

I didn’t view this as a BDSM erotic romance per se. Meaning, if you are expecting blindfolds, restraints, spankings and paddlings, you aren’t going to find it, which I felt was very wise on Day’s part. When you are dealing with protagonists who have been victims of such sadistic violation and resulting psychological damage, and in particular when one hasn’t been treated it would have been difficult to buy the breaking out of whips and handcuffs. However, I didn’t have a problem with Gideon finding pleasure in a sexually dominant role and recognizing Eva as a natural submissive. She is aroused by his dominate nature and taking control in the bedroom. Eva doesn’t understand his assertion that she is a sub and rejects it but it is a turn on for her, hopefully this aspect of their relationship will be explored further in Reflected in You, the next novel of the series.

I found the ending of Bared to You, fitting, viewing it as a HFN. Day left many open ended plot threads and I hope she gives us satisfactory resolution to her steamy and very dark erotic romance. Will I read the next novel? Yes. As much as Eva and Gideon, and Cary wore me out, I am looking forward to seeing where this talented writer takes her well crafted characters next. I’m just relieved I have until October to recover. lol

IMHO Bared to You is an impressive opener for Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series.

I give Bared to You 4 1/2 Stars

Review: By Royal Command by Laura Navarre

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Format Read: E-book provided courtesy of Publicist for Review
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance, Medieval
Release Date: July 2, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin/Carina
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Publisher, Authorʼs Website, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook.

Book Blurb:

Two brothers. One woman. Three hearts at war.

Katrin of Courtenay’s husband is dead—and she doesn’t mourn him. He was cruel and controlling, and she doesn’t need a husband to hold her northern keep. But her vengeful uncle, the King of England, has other ideas: intent on marrying her off, he’s ordered his Viking-bred warrior to return her to court.

On the journey, the Viking captures her interest, and for the ﬁrst time Katrin understands passion. But her guard is honor-bound to deliver her to the king, and so it is settled—she must wed the mysterious Rafael le Senay, the Baron of Belmaine.

A forced marriage to a stranger slowly becomes something more, and Katrin realizes
she is in love with Rafael. But with the shadow of her former lover hanging over her,
and Rafael’s powerful brother making dangerous plans, can Katrin negotiate the delicate balance between survival and happiness?

Excerpt

My Thoughts:

By Royal Command is written from the third person point of view and told by the novel’s heroine Lady Katrin of Courtenay. There are two-parts to the story. The first: “The Devil’s Minion”, chronicles Katrin’s meeting and relationship with Eomond, a soldier or sword-theyn in liege to the English King Ethelred. Part Two: “The Would-Be Bishop” takes readers through the next stage in Katrin’s life when she meets her future husband Raphael le Senay, the baron of Belmaine.

The year is 1005 and the English king is struggling to keep the Viking threat (who have already pillaged and burned much of the island) at bay. Katrin is the niece of King Ethelred, she is an aetheling or related to nobility and therefore a valuable asset during negotiations for fealty with rich landowners. At 14 years-old Katrin was banished to an unwilling marriage to Mordred, the pious, brutish Lord of Courtenay to seal his fealty to Ethelred. Mordred showed her no kindness or tenderness. Her abusive husband has been dead from plague for 2 years, the castle is destroyed and Katrin has struggled to maintain the lands and feed the few retainers who are left alive. Katrin is determined to remain out of her cruel, conniving uncle’s reach, her husband terrified her and she has no desire to be used as a pawn in another monstrous marriage arranged by Ethelred. However, the English coffers are running dry and Ethelred needs his beautiful niece to use as a bargaining chip to seal an alliance with a powerful, wealthy family.

Ethelred dispatches Eomond, his sword-theyn and captain to Courtenay with specific orders to bring Katrin to court. Eomond is of Viking/English heritage, he is strong and skilled in the art of battle, and completely committed to serving his liege. Eomond is an intimidating sight clothed in battle armor astride his great warhorse and Katrin is frightened of him on first meeting despite the fact he rescues her from certain death from a wolf attack. When she learns who he is and why he has come, her fear turns to horror. Katrin will use whatever means at her disposal to thwart Eomond’s mission including lies and feminine wiles. Eomond will not be deterred and makes it clear if he has to drag her before Ethelred using brute force he will. Katrin is intelligent and cunning but proves no match for the skilled warrior.

It was such a dark time in history and Navarre paints a realistic portrait of what these people face and endure on their long journey including predators, the threat of exposure to pox plaguing the small, sparse towns, outlaws and the elements. In the midst of it all Eomond and Katrin are drawn together in a forbidden tryst both know can go nowhere. They are leagues apart in rank and the king has specific plans for his niece. However, the formidable Viking captures Katrin’s heart by introducing her to passion and tenderness. Eomond, however is devoted to Ethelred for a variety of reasons and determined to fulfill his commitments. He will not forgo his duty to do as Katrin wants and spirit her away.

The perfidy and subterfuge of the brutal, amoral Ethelred’s (the Devil as Katrin calls him) court presents significant challenges for Katrin as she negotiates and tries to avoid his minions and mechanizations. Katrin suffers emotionally and physically at the king’s hands particularly when Eomond goes to battle leaving the stink of betrayal with another woman in his wake. When Katrin discovers she is to be married to Raphael of Argent, a man formally destined for the priesthood she is heartsick but has no choice but to travel to Mercia. This opens Part Two of the story where readers are introduced to the splendor of Caerwyne castle and the next chapter in this fascinating woman’s life.

Silently he placed a cup of wine before her, the silver goblet etched with crossed spears.

Sweet mercy, my uncle was utterly misled—or else he lied to me. This was no bookish monk, to be ruled through a clever wife. How on earth had Ethelred been so wildly inaccurate? For weeks she’d been preparing to marry an unworldly scholar who’d have little appetite for her bed, not this urbane and beautiful young lord with his watchful eyes. Close to panic, she wondered if it was too late to change her mind.

Rafael le Senay folded himself into the opposite chair. Damp ringlets fell around his face; sweet cloves scented the air. As she eyed him cautiously, he lifted his goblet in a wry salute.

“Forgive me for saying so, monseigneur,” she murmured. “But you’re not exactly what I was expecting.”

One brow arched, framing a wary green eye. “What were you expecting?”

By Royal Command © Laura Navarre

Raphael is, as Katrin describes, urbane and beautiful, he has an enticing on page presence. He is extremely intelligent and doesn’t easily give his trust. Raphael struggles with his decision to abandon church for familial commitments but despite his history of education with, and devotion to the Pope he is not pious or unschooled in the art of love. In a word, the guy is hot, for a variety of reasons. In contrast Eomond has a powerful warrior presence, an appealing hero for sure in many respects, but I really liked how the author handled the devolution of his relationship with Katrin, matching her with the enigmatic, sexy Raphael who is an equally adept warrior and leader. Great passion ignites between Raphael and Katrin, the eroticism is light, but the love scenes are intense. Katrin is an intelligent woman and educated, she is well read and has interests in the arts. They bond over hawking (falconry) a lovely and one of the less blood thirsty sports of the period.

Among the novel’s many well-drawn secondary characters is Borovic, Raphael’s brother, a fearsome warrior with no head for the administrative details of the family’s vast concerns. Borovic fancies his brother’s future wife which opens a Pandora’s box of problems for Katrin as she does her best to repel his attentions. One of the many things that impressed about this novel is the juxtaposition established between the two brothers and how the tension escalates between them leading to violence and a riveting climax. Readers can expect plenty of action (including jousting matches), a number of plot twists and tense intrigue.

By Royal Command is a complex historical romance with very dark undertones. There were some scenes, particularly in relation to treatment of animals, that I found deeply disturbing because of who I am but pushed through and was glad I did. The time-line is post Dark Ages and pre Danish Conquest, an extremely turbulent period in Anglo-Saxon history. I think Navarre has done a stellar job of layering sensuality into a story that remains true to the historical facts, particularly underscoring the power of the Church over people’s lives. By Royal Command isn’t a quick, light read, the prose is lush and descriptive giving an excellent visual of Katrin’s story. I hadn’t read a medieval historical in a number of years so it took me a little while to become comfortable with the language and terminology but once I got into the novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is significant depth and many layers to the plot but suffice to say, at its heart, By Royal Command is a moving epic tale of an 11th century woman’s difficult life and discovery of a great love.

I give By Royal Command 4 1/2 Stars

Review: Protector’s Mate by Katie Reus

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Protector's Mate by Katie Reus

Format Read: e-Book submitted by Author for review
Length: Novella
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne Cravings
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Formats Available: eBook, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: e-Harlequin, Author’s Website, Goodreads, Kindle, Nook, Books On Board, Diesel Book Store

Book Blurb:

After two years in a war zone, werewolf Felicia Serna has finally returned to find another pack has taken over her territory…and the new second-in-command is the very man who haunts her fantasies.

Alaric has wanted Felicia from the moment he laid eyes on her, and now he’s ready to claim her. When a threatening shifter begins stalking them, he’s determined to protect her…even if it means putting his seduction on hold. But even in the heat of danger, their red-hot passion cannot be denied.

My Thoughts:

Wolf shifter Felicia Serna returns home to Alabama after 2 years working as a nurse with an international health organization in war-torn Afghanistan. Shifter packs in North America control designated regions and the vast majority of wolves live in the packs and which provide companionship and protection. Felicia, however, is an anomaly, abandoned by her parents at a young age, she was taken in by a pack that treated her as an outsider. She worked hard, earned her nursing degree then fled overseas and excelled in her chosen profession offering her expertise to those in need. She is therefore ambivalent about this homecoming and has really only returned to retrieve her belongings shipped to human friends for safekeeping. Felicia harbors many insecurities where her kind are concerned and let no one know that she when or if she would return to Alabama. So when Alaric, a powerful werewolf, greets her at the airport she assumes the worst, fearing he has been sent to punish her for leaving her pack without permission.

Alaric, a fearsome, five-hundred-year-old shifter, is second in command to his pack’s Alpha. He met Felicia 5 years earlier when he visited her pack and his wolf instantly recognized her as his mate. She was 19-years-old at the time, too young and unsure for him to claim. Alaric had no idea how badly she was treated by her pack or that her old Alpha was not honorable. When Felicia went to Afghanistan, Alaric used contacts he had developed over the years to keep track of her. A few months previous to her return he struck up an e-mail exchange with Felicia hoping to establish a rapport. Their liaison went well but then she stopped communicating with him and he learned she was headed stateside.

I love shifter stories because it gives an author the flexibility to incorporate the protagonists ability to instinctively recognize and respond to their intended mate on a primal level. Alaric senses Felicia’s inner wolf recognizes and is drawn to him. Alaric is a quintessential Alpha male, his predatory and protective instincts shine through, and, he is extremely seductive. He has waited a long time for Felicia and is determined to claim her. These characters have amazing sexual chemistry, Alaric is dominant but he is tender and compassionate with Felicia, nurturing her passion. Katie Reus pens steamy love scenes.

A subplot involves subterfuge and betrayal within the pack and readers can expect exciting action sequences. Felicia shows bravery and considerable ability in doing what she must to defend her mate. As well, vampire/werewolf politics are adeptly incorporated into the narrative. While Protector’s Mate is a novella and a quick read, the plot is cohesive, extremely well orchestrated and satisfying. The majority of my reads have been full-length novels lately and this novella was a welcome change.

Protector’s Mate isn’t designated as part of a a series, per se but it is directly connected to Reus’ October 2011 Harlequin Nocturne publication, Destined Mate as it is set in the same world and it’s hero, Knox, is Alaric’s Alpha leader. Either book can be read as a standalone. If you enjoy a sexy, fast-paced paranormal romance involving wolf shifters, you may like to give Protector’s Mate a try.

I give Protector’s Mate 4 1/2 Stars

Review: Chosen By Sin by Virna DePaul

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Chosen By Sin by Virna DePaul

Format Read: e-book provided courtesy of Author for Review
Length: 254 Pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Para-Ops Book III
Release Date: January 1, 2012
Formats Available: Paperback, Kindle, Nook
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Amazon.com, Goodreads, Nook, Kindle

Book Blurb:

The longest life isn’t always the happiest one…

For now, werebeast Dex Hunt serves on the Para-Ops team, but his true purpose is to kill the werewolf leader he blames for his mother’s death. Biding his time, Dex keeps his emotional distance from his team members and anyone else he might care for, including a mysterious vampire he met in L.A.

As a doctor, vampire Jesmina Martin has dedicated her immortal life to healing others. As a scientific researcher, she’s trying to prolong life spans, in particular those of her adoptive dragon-shifter family and the werewolf who saved her as a child. Her greatest hope lies with Dex, a werebeast she believes can gift immortality to others.

Only Dex knows nothing about his gift or the fact Jesmina wants to harness it. After a passionate night together neither expects to see the other again. Weeks later, they are reunited in France and forced to acknowledge a fragile miracle—a new life struggling to survive. At the same time, they must stop a group of rebel shape-shifters hoping to unleash every demon in hell. But before Dex and Jesmina can save their child or the world, they must relinquish their secrets, face their fears, and open themselves to love.

Excerpt

My Thoughts:

Werebeast with a major–chip–on–his–shoulder Dex Hunt was surprised to find himself bonding with Para-Ops team members after agreeing to FBI Director Kyle Mahone’s offer of joining the clandestine group of Otherborn operatives. But Hunt’s allegiance came with a price and Mahone agreed to pay it.

Dex’s grandfather took him away from his mother when he was a young child and abandoned him to an orphanage where Dex was starved and abused. Dex believes it was because he is a half-breed and the old werewolf leader rejected his grandson out of bigotry and shame. To add insult to injury, Dex’s mother died not long after her son was taken from her and he therefore blames his grandfather for a litany of sins. The motivating goal in Dex’s life is to find his grandfather, Bodin of Hammersham and kill him. Mahone agreed to make sure the FBI looks the other way when Dex accomplishes his plan of vengeance. Bodin’s rationale for sending his grandson away was actually altruistic as he believed he was protecting Dex from an unfortunate fate related to an ancient werewolf legend.

Vampire Dr. Jesmina Martin has her own life goal and it directly relates to certain unsuspecting werebeast and an ancient, obscure werewolf legend. Bodin also played a pivotal role in the course of Jes’s life as he rescued her when her parents were killed and placed her in the care of the Draci, a race of dragon shifters. Jes, an immortal vampire has grown up with a race of beings who while powerful, have an accelerated and short lifespan. They are actually quite fragile beings. Jes has bonded with the Draci, loves them as her family and has made it her life’s pursuit to find a way to increase their lifespan. And she thinks Dex Hunt’s unique biology may hold the key.

Virna DePaul crafts another fast-paced multilayered paranormal romantic suspense in her latest offering in the Para-Ops series. The team is fractured, Caleb has taken Wraith to safety and Knox is hold up in the Vamp Dom, protecting his human wife Felicia (also a Para-Ops team member). Which leaves only Dex and Mage / Feline shifter Lucy active. When a threat surfaces involving the dangerous and misunderstood race of Otherborn shapeshifters living in Europe, who seem to be exterminating one another Dex is sent to France to establish a line of communication and try to ferret out the threat. Jes makes her home in France.

DePaul created instant chemistry between Dex and Jes when they met during a previous Para-Ops mission. She manipulates Dex into meeting her again and while it isn’t part of her plan they spend the night together. When again meet in France, Dex and Jes are drawn together by an electric attraction that neither can (or wants to) ignore and enter into a steamy, complicated relationship. There is a sense of destiny about their union. Jes has kept secrets from Dex and initially manipulated him. Further, Jes learns she is pregnant and there are complications, she needs a reluctant, shell shocked Dex to stay with her for biological as well as emotional reasons. To say their relationship is conflict ridden would be an understatement.

Chosen By Sin offers readers numerous surprises. DePaul continues to advance the story arc involving Knox’s brother Zeph and the nefarious Quorum. I loved that Lucy shows her mettle in a surprising scene with Mahone, a guy who I love to hate. As for Felicia and Knox? Well, while their bond is as strong as ever, but lets just say the natives are getting restless. Introducing the intriguing Draci who are unique among the dragon shifters I’ve read in paranormal romance opens a new avenue for DePaul to explore in her expanding Para-Ops world.

The sarcastic in-your-face Dex Hunt is a favorite hero in DePaul’s Para-Ops series and she didn’t disappoint in giving him a memorable story and well deserved HEA. I’d love to read Lucy’s story and see more of the Draci whose shifts are amazingly creative.

And, Virna: Zeph’s story needs to be told. 🙂

If you enjoy a hot dark paranormal romantic suspense with endearing characters entwined in a complex, fascinating world, enhanced by vivid descriptions Chosen By Sin is worth the read. I do think it’s important to read the books in order as the author has done considerable world-building over the course of the series.

Book 1: Chosen By Blood
Book 2: Chosen By Fate

I give Chosen By Sin 4 1/2 Stars

A Book In My Back Pocket

Lea Talks Books

Category Archives: 4 1/2 Stars

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Review: Chosen By Sin by Virna DePaul