Monthly Archives: June 2018
Defying the Dragon Prince by Selina Coffey
There’s no such thing as dragons!
Willow was told that her ancestors were dragon hunters.
But she never believed in dragons until she found the cure to her deadly sickness…
Her mate, a dragon prince.
As fate has decided for her!
She hates everything about him.
The fact that he’s charming.
The fact that he’s good looking.
The fact that he’s wealthy.
Most importantly, the fact that she doesn’t have a say in this!
She wants the chance to fall in love like everyone else.
She intends to resist him, to fight fate with every fiber of her being.
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Tattooed Hearts by Mika Jolie #Review
Being someone’s first love is unforgettable. Being their last is immeasurable.
Claire Peters should be on top of the world. She owns the radio waves and has a budding movie career. But her heart longs to be rooted. Ten years ago, she fled Martha’s Vineyard to pursue her dream and to make something of herself. But there’s still a void. After a decade of running, she returns to the island hoping to find her happiness with the man she’s loved all her life.
When a tragic event shatters Dr. Forrest Desvareaux’ well-balance world, the Vineyard’s hometown good guy discovers everything in his life is based on lies. Angry and betrayed, he turns to Claire – the one woman who has indelibly marked him.
Is it possible to run back to the person who broke you? Forever linked, Forrest and Claire are an unending continuum. But she’s a wildflower and Forrest’s roots run deep on the Vineyard. Can they accept home is not a place but a feeling?
There are few stronger memories than that of your first love, especially when it’s been your only love and you’ve never moved passed it. The young love between Forrest and Claire doesn’t end the way they both envisioned and it’s been an excruciating 10 years since. When Claire returns after tragedy strike Forrest’s life, he has a hard time moving past the hurt that her leaving caused. When she finally shares why she left, he starts to move on, but now he has many other stressors he would never have imagined. I really enjoyed this book and although I haven’t read the others in this series, I didn’t feel like I was a missing plot. And it actually makes me want to go find the others. I felt that all main and supporting characters were fully developed, interesting and believable. I rate this story 5 Stars.
*****I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts
and opinions are my own.******
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25797725
https://www.amazon.com/review/RAFQ4PWV1VVV5/ref=cm_cr_othr_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0157E69H6
Mine by Fiona Quinn #Review
This novella was part of the wildly popular Unlucky Seven Collection of small town murder mysteries. #1 on Amazon’s Mystery Anthology List, these novellas are now available as stand-alones.
MINE –
Not safe at home in Boston, Kate Hamilton seeks refuge in the small Virginia town where she was born and raised. Scarborough is no longer the bucolic village that she remembered. Pleasantries are only skin deep as big city issues and the politics of the world roil just under the surface. A string of untimely deaths has the whole town grieving. Only Kate thinks something nefarious is afoot. Can she convince the local police that coincidences like these are only found in fiction? Kate is determined to solve the puzzle and save lives, especially her own.
This book is the first book in the Kate Hamilton Mystery series and ends with the mystery solved. Kate’s husband comes back from Iraq with severe PTSD. She needs to move away while he gets treatment, for her own safety. Kate is a science teacher and decides to do a CSI internship in her hometown for the summer. She is to shadow the local police officer, Tim, who is also her ex.
Hearts in Darkness by Laura Kaye
Two strangers…
Makenna James thinks her day can’t get any worse, until she finds herself stranded in a pitch-black elevator with a complete stranger. Distracted by a phone call, the pin-striped accountant catches only a glimpse of a dragon tattoo on his hand before the lights go out.
Four hours…
Caden Grayson is amused when a harried redhead dashes into his elevator fumbling her bags and cell phone. His amusement turns to panic when the power fails. Despite his piercings, tats, and vicious scar, he’s terrified of the dark and confined spaces. Now, he’s trapped in his own worst nightmare.
One pitch-black elevator…
To fight fear, they must reach out and open up. With no preconceived notions based on looks to hold them back, they discover just how much they have in common. In the warming darkness, attraction grows and sparks fly, but will they feel the same when the lights come back on?
Rating: 5 out of 5Review: I don’t know about anyone else, but the idea of being stuck in an elevator freaks me out. I’m not technically claustrophobic, but being stuck in the dark with no moving air would be enough to panic me, especially if I were trapped alone. Caden Grayson has similar issues with dark, confined spaces but, luckily for him, he’s not by himself. Makenna James learned the hard way to not ask “what else could go wrong” when she’s having a rough day. Thankfully, they have each other to talk to and they open up in ways that total strangers never would if their elevator were well-lit and making an easy descent to the first floor.
I really enjoyed this fast read. While it was a little unrealistic for me upon further reflection, I got caught up in the well-crafted story and the chemistry that ignited between Makenna and Caden. I would definitely be interested in seeing if they can make a go of a relationship that started in so dramatic a fashion but I’m rooting for them. The sex scenes (even the ones not including penetrative sex) are well-crafted, but move the book into “for mature readers only” territory.
Reviewed by HR Duby for Romance Authors that Rock
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2391493266?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1
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Haunting Bryce by Julianne Q Johnson
The ghost of an old woman haunts Bryce night after night, begging him to do something about her cruel great-grandson. Mrs. Chipwithe is certain her great-grandson will end up killing someone unless he is stopped. There’s only one problem.
Bryce is eight years old.
What can he do about a boy who is older and much bigger than he is? He can’t go to the adults, they won’t believe him. Bryce has already learned he has to hide the fact that he can hear the dead. Now, the old woman won’t let him alone and he has no idea what to do about it.
A short story from The Unruly Ghost Mysteries.
This short story is really good. Bryce’s character comes through fast and the story moves along but is very short. While you are not left with a cliffhanger it does leave you wondering what is going to happen next to Bryce. My only fault with the story is so short it does not give the reader as much time to enjoy the story. I think this would be a good read for anyone who enjoys stories about ghosts or hauntings.
I’m giving this book 4 hearts
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from
Romance Authors that Rock. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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The Phoenix Dragons by Jadyn Chase #dragons #paranormal #Romance #Review
Kaley Jameson was a flight attendant on a layover at the Phoenix airport when everything went black. Now three months later she is still there. Hiding out and surviving as best she can . . . But she is not alone. The mysterious dragon shifters have come to town, quickly taking over and picking off the survivors one by one.
One night after being caught by the shifters, a mysterious man comes to Kaley’s rescue. Our stranger’s name is Donovan, a very sexy and very brave man who managed to save her from certain death more than once. However, Kaley soon learns a terrible secret about Donovan. Now she will have to decide whether to continue making her way alone . . . Or risk everything to be with him.
Donovan has been watching her. Why would air sneak into the lair. What could she possibly be thinking? Being discovered by the others, they’d kill her! What to do? Save her or fight the monsters?
The Phoenix Dragons was a good, quickness. I didn’t know it would be such a short read, but still liked it. I would have loved it if is was novel. I mean, a dragon saving me and fighting others to protect? Wow! Loved the mysteriousness if Donovan and how willing Kaley is to be open to him and brave. I love happily ever afters. Who wouldn’t love ending up with a dragon.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from
Romance Authors that Rock. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I gave this four stars!
Wings on Fire by Ann Omasta #Review
I have one job… Keep Kerry safe.
She’s in the hospital, so I guess that makes me a crappy guardian angel.
It is supposed to be simple. Kerry is my charge. My task is to silently watch over her and keep her out of harm’s way.
I’ve never before had a problem just keeping my humans alive. But Kerry is different. Everything about her draws me in. My wings are literally burning with desire for her.
I’m tempted to reveal myself to her, even though I know I shouldn’t.
She makes me vulnerable. My vulnerability puts her at risk, and I can’t allow that.
When passion and danger mix, what will happen to Daniel and Kerry? Will they fall from their tightrope balance of denying instincts and satisfying desires? Find out NOW by diving into Wings on Fire.
Cliffhanger ending alert: We wanted give you a free way to meet Daniel, the sexy angel in this book, and let him capture your heart. Most readers report being so enthralled by the exciting story line, they are anxious to continue reading the series.
Daniel may be an angel, but he’s no saint!
This book is the 1st in the Wings on Fire series and ends in a cliffhanger. Guardian angel, Daniel, reveals himself to his charge, Kerry, while she is recovering in the hospital. Daniel has been watching over Kerry her whole life and is in love with her. Kerry is attracted to Daniel and slowly comes to terms with what he is and how she feels about him. Kerry is warned away from Daniel by a rival angel.
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Hunted by the Dragon Duke by Mina Carter #Dragons #Shifter #Review
Sexy, royal and one of the ferocious black dragons… he’s way out of her league.
Orphaned and forced to live under the cruel eye of her stepmother, Saskia spends her days and most of her nights sewing gowns for rich dragonesses to wear to balls she will never see. When a chance encounter brings her into contact with the handsome Callan, Duke and cousin to the Queen, she thinks nothing of it. After all, what royal duke would want a woman with a broken, mad dragon?
But when the otherworldly intervenes, Saskia gets her chance to go to the ball, and dance with the man of her dreams…
Tiny, delicate and utterly beautiful… but where has he seen her before?
A royal duke by birth, and a black, Callan’s life has been dictated since the moment he was born. Ordered by his cousin, the queen, to pick a bride at the ball or she’ll pick for him, he’s between a rock and a hard place. Until he sees her. The tiny woman in the purple gown runs him a merry chase over the ballroom but one look and he’s determined. She will be his.
And she is, for the briefest of moments before his duty intervenes and he has to return a wayward youth to his father before he gets himself into a lifetime of trouble. When he returns his delicate princess is gone, leaving behind a single shoe…
Furious, Callan launches a hunt for his love…one that leads to a woman who is not who she pretends to be, a raid on a brothel and a fight with a troll. Can he persuade his delicate princess she’s not broken, but that she’s the perfect dragoness for him?
Hunted by the Dragon Duke
This dragon version of Cinderella was a quick and entertaining read. Although it follows the lines of the classic fairytale, it was a fun and entertaining read. Saskia has had to endure her wicked step-mother since her father’s death several years ago. In this slight variation, not only does Saskia’s step-mother and step-sisters beat her drastically, but they’ve imprisoned her dragon and eventually sell her. Thankfully, black dragon Duke Calan has been unable to forget about the quiet girl he let her away at the ball. When he learns what has happened to Saskia he sets off to rescue her. Of course, they get their HEA. I really liked these characters and wish the rest of the series was on KU. 5 Stars.
*****Reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*****
Kiss Kill by Dan Noble #Review
In a garrison city of North Queensland, Australia, a child has been tragically, accidentally killed. Years before, her own mother, Erin, wrote a strikingly similar scenario into her acclaimed novel. Is she somehow responsible?
Years later, Erin’s trying to cope with the unanswered questions, and thinks she’s finally come to a solution. But is her thinking sound? And how many lives will hang in the balance if it isn’t?
Kiss Kill is introductory novella to the psychological thriller novel series, THE GIRL IN THE BOOK.
Where does the line between fiction and reality actually lie? What is the appropriate way to deal with the death of a child? These two questions sound like separate subjects, but for Erin they are intertwined on the deepest of levels. As a writer and a grieving mother, Erin has been dealing with feelings of guilt…she had written about the death of a child before the tragic accident that took her Olivia from her, Now she flirts with insanity at the same time she also meets a stranger named Mick. As the different stories of each related person get intertwined, Erin gets closer and closer to a dramatic solution to her grief and possibly her life.
This book by Dan Noble is the first in “The Girl In The Book” series and is set in New Zealand. After reading this work, my first thought is that this is a book more for writers than for the general reader. While it has elements of romance to it, I would categorize this more as a psychological thriller that explores themes of grief, isolation, guilt, and the interplay between the written word and the real world. The characters in this book stand out as individuals, and each person’s story adds to the overall plot.
While this is not a long work, I hesitate to call it a casual read. Between the shifts in perspective and some of the ideas presented, I had to stay focused to appreciate the entire tale. As someone who has attempted to write, I also can’t say whether or not anyone who hasn’t at least tried to write will appreciate this one fully. What I can and will definitely say is that this is a unique piece and deserves a chance, even if it’s not the usual fare.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Romance Authors That Rock. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
The Better Bride by Natalie Knight and Daphne Dawn #review
A wedding to remember…if only I could.
Mysti May. Former beauty queen.
The woman I’ve wanted as long as I can remember,
But could never have because I’m her best friend’s brother.
Oh, and did I mention?
She’s marrying another man today.
This woman is off limits in every way.
Until she shows up at my door.
Packing a punch. Literally.
One that sets off a chain of events I never saw coming.
Because she wasn’t the only one getting married today.
Looks like fate knows best who’s the better bride.
Only now that I finally have her,
I have to convince her to stay.
***The Better Bride is a full length STANDALONE novel of 70,000+ words guaranteed to take you on a wild, fun-filled ride from the dynamic author duo that brought you the smash hits in the Accidentally Married series. Bonus content is included for your reading enjoyment!***
I’d say it was the female version of the hangover but it’s not, really. Just that trying to describe it makes you think of that. It’s actually much better. Not just because it has sex scenes that will make you wet, but because there’s even more action! The characters are awesome, which makes me want to read the rest of the series to get to know the other husbands better. If they are half as awesome as Brandon, their stories will be superb!
As an independent reviewer for Romance Authors that Tock, I can only give it four hearts although it would get 4.75 if I could do partials! I didn’t have any tears at any point but that not because of any lack on the writers part. It’s just not the tear-jerker type of a story! It’s a feel-good story with hot guys and fun times! Enjoy!!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2424949147
https://www.amazon.com/review/RX5PL3Z23WWO5/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
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