Fury's Kiss (Dorina Basarab #3) by Karen Chance

Dorina Basarab (Dory) often takes jobs for the Vampire Senate but this latest job leaves her with a sketchy memory and surprise surprise a lot of bad guys wanting a piece of her.  This is another action packed roller coaster of a tale that will leave you breathless and wanting more, more, more.

Spin offs are frequently not as good as the story they are spun from.  The Midnight’s Daughter series (Dorina Basarab) is as good if not better than the Cassandra Palmer series from which it was spun.  

Mortal Ties (World of the Lupi #9) by Eileen Wilks

I do love this series.  Poor Lily can’t catch a break.  She is living at the Nokolai Clanhome planning her wedding to Rule when one of Cullen’s magical experiments gets stolen.  Is there a traitor in the pack?  Who would've stolen it?  Then there is the fact that Lily’s sister Beth is living in San Francisco and working for and crushing on Robert Friars half-brother who suddenly goes missing. Rule gets some rather disconcerting news from Isen and why is ex-cop Drummond’s ghost still hanging around?

What a romp! Fast paced mystery that keeps you turning pages and staying up late.  Welcome to the world of the Lupi a mix of urban fantasy, mystery thriller, and paranormal romance.  You can’t beat it.

Werewolf in Denver (Wild About You #4) by Vicki Lewis Thompson

The debate is on!  For the Howlers (Honoring Our Werewolf Legacy) Kate Stillman.  The Howlers feel weres should only mate with weres.  For the Woofers (Werewolves Optimizing Our Future) Duncan MacDowell.  The Woofers believe weres should be able to mate with humans.  Both Kate and Duncan are passionate about their platforms and when they meet for debate at the Stillman resort in Denver their passions flair for more than their cause.  Can two weres from opposite ends of the cause meet in the middle for love?

Of course they can. My husband and I have been doing it for 19 years.  I get a kick out of this wonderful series by Vicki Lewis Thompson.  She takes serious situations and turns them into a love story without being heavy on the message which is pretty much “why can’t we all get along”.  This book comes out just in time for Election Day.  I hope folks take the message to heart.  My husband and I have long ago learned to respectfully agree to disagree. And cancel each others vote.  ;-)

Shifting Positions, Shifter's Surrender , What This Wolf Wants , Seduced by a Shifter by Jennifer Dellerman

Woodcliff Colorado has a pack of Wolf Shifters.  Only the males can shift.  There is a small percentage of women human or shifter that have the DNA to carry future shifters.  These four books are about four of the Woodcliff shifters that have found their mates and what they had to do to claim them.There isn’t much new or different about these books but they are a fun, sexy escape.   And if Jennifer Dellerman writes Rome’s story I’ll read that too.

Contract for Marriage by Barbara DeLeo

Ruby Fleming is pregnant.  The baby’s father is dead from a car crash not that he would have been in the picture anyway but just the same.  Now Ruby’s mom has passed away and she has to go home and deal with that and her past in the person of Christo Mantazis.  Christos is the boy she left behind.  Due to parental interference and pride these two have hurt each other  and now they have to work together to resolve her mothers estate.  Can these two headstrong heart hurt lovers get together?

This is a check your brain at the door read.  Nothing you haven’t read before but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to read again.

I'll Be Your Last by Jane Leopold Quinn

Cop and former Marine Mack grew up on the streets and has never had a relationship longer than the 6 months he has had his rescue dog Kiki.  When Mack spies the new guy on a bust gone bad the chemistry is instant.  Mack doesn’t mess where he works or even in the same town.  But damn new guy Woody Kane is hot.  Woody has had the total opposite upbringing.  He comes from a close knit family who know and support the fact that he is gay.  Woody knows who he is and what he wants.  He recently got out of a relationship because the guy wasn’t out to his family and Woody doesn’t want to be anybody’s dirty little secret.  Can these two very different men build something together or will their differences and issues keep them apart.

This is a well told contemporary mm romance.  I like that the author deals with real life issues such as dealing with a testosterone laden workforce.  

Bird of Paradise by Katie MacAlister

This story first appeared in the Heat Wave anthology which I haven’t read.  Due to the wonderful new world of self-publishing Ms. MacAlister was able to release this story solo.  The very first Katie MacAlister book I ever read was The Corset Diaries.  I laughed till I cried and I still re-read it on occasion.  Bird of Paradise is a lot like The Corset Diaries and I loved it for the same reasons.

Oversized journalist named Hero is headed undercover to an island for a dating game show.  She hopes to get a story and revive her flagging career.  There she meets a man and his unusual cat.  Private investigator Adam is posing as radio sex-therapist Monday Marsh to keep an eye on one of the contestants for her stalker ex.  The chemistry is instantaneous but they will have to overcome Hero’s body issues and Adams job.

There are so many things wrong with this story and yet I still loved it.  Check your brain at the door and enjoy. 

A Fighting Chance by Andi Penn

What would you do to get someone to pay attention to you?  Football player Tazer has it bad for his roomie Owen but the one time he hit on him Owen shot him down.  Now Tazer is starting fights just so he has an excuse to interrupt Owens dates and to get Owen to patch him up.   At least he will have Owens hands on him.  Can he convince Owen to heal him where he needs it most? 

Short and sweet m/m romance.

Nerds Are Freaks Too by Koko Brown

IR friends to lovers.

Leo is a 6 foot plus, genius, Greek god in horn rim glasses.  Lightning struck for him in freshman orientation when he met Roxanne.  They hit it off and become best friends.  Roxanne knows that lovers come and go but best friends are hard to come by so she relegates Leo to that category.  Now ten years later Roxanne is frustrated because her love life is less than fulfilling.  Leo offers to help her out but Roxanne doesn’t want to ruin their friendship.  A  little subterfuge, a little groveling for the subterfuge, and a hea.

A sweet sexy story.  Not too heavy on the kink despite the title.

Rev It Up (Black Knights Inc. #3) by Julie Ann Walker

The Black Knights are a group of extremely talented mostly ex-military special ops working out of a custom motorcycle shop in Chicago doing the mission impossible kind of stuff the government doesn’t want to talk about.

In In Rides Trouble (Black Knights Inc. #2) we learned that Frank “Boss” Knight had a sister Michelle and she has a kid.  In Hell on Wheels (Black Knights Inc. #1) the Black Knights pissed off a mobster and now there is a price on their heads which puts Michelle and her son in the line of fire.

 Jake “the Snake” Sommers worked with Frank in the military and met and fell for Michelle.  But when things go wrong overseas and mess with his head he pushes her away till he can get his head on straight.  Michelle coming from the same dysfunctional background as Frank takes this to be another sign that men are unreliable asshats. 

Jake has returned to make things right with Michelle and walks right into a war-zone.  Michelle wants nothing to do with him and someone is out to get her.  Frank plays enabler by asking Jake to guard Michelle and her son.  Some flames never die.

If it weren’t for miscommunication as a plot device I don’t think there would be half the number of romance novels out there.  It works.  What I like best about this series so far, besides the hunky guys, is Ms. Walkers quirky sense of humor and that the women aren’t shrinking violets. 

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks books for allowing me to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

Desire by Blood by Melissa Schroeder

Paranormal romance with a twist.  Cordelia is the disowned bastard daughter of a member the ton and a heretofore unknown “carrier”.  A carrier is a human woman genetically able to bear a “born” vampire and thus highly sought after. She is making her way by writing for a scandal sheet.  Her latest mission is to find out how Nicodemus Blackburn is making his money.  When they meet “born” vampire Nico is immediately taken with Cordelia and when caught in a compromising position Nico claims Cordelia in marriage to keep her from being ruined.  Meanwhile there is a born vampire out there that is making “made” vampires and not keeping control of them.  They are creating havoc and Nico and friends need to stop them.

This is a sexy vampire story that reads like a Victorian romance novel.  It works.  Melissa Schroeder is known for her erotic A Little Harmless series so the sex was a given to be hot.  Not as hot as her other stories but smoking just the same.  I just adore Cordelia and Nico’s mom.  Good strong women in an age where women were often ignored.  The story ended a little abruptly with questions still left unanswered but hopefully they will be answered in the next book Seduction by Blood. 

Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

Ryan Christianson is an overnight Mega Star (I kept thinking Robert Pattinson).  He can’t go anywhere without frenzied fans chasing him down.  He is Seaport, RI working on the third movie in a blockbuster trilogy when he ducks into Mitchells Pub to escape some particularly rabid fans.  There he meets pub owner Taryn Mitchell who may be the only woman on the planet who hasn’t seen his movies.  She is aware of who he is because every woman she knows is talking about him.  While waiting for the fans to recede so he can get a ride back to his hotel Taryn takes pity on him and treats him like a regular Joe.  They share a couple of beers and play a few games of pool.  Ryan is smitten from the start.  Taryn has been burnt before but eventually gives into the Christianson charm.  Can a superstar and a small town girl make a go of it?

One of my favorite chick flicks is Nottinghill.  I keep seeing the Ryan Christianson character as portrayed by Robert Pattinson in the Julia Roberts role.  I really liked this story.  It was however really long.  I am not an editor so I don’t know what could have been cut to give the same feel or if indeed anything could’ve been cut.  Do I feel that the time was less than well spent?  No.  I enjoyed every chapter and indeed had several laugh out loud moments.  

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, Inc. for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Just One Night by Eve Gaddy

Dallas Bomb Unit Detective Alex Sheridan meets former Navy SEAL now architect Luke Morgan in San Diego, CA where she gave a speech on bomb awareness.  I was supposed to be a one night stand.  What Alex didn’t know was that Luke lives and works in Dallas too.  That is until the building he is working on gets bombed and he is the prime suspect and Alex gets the case.  The chemistry they felt in San Diego is bigger and hotter in Texas.  Alex needs to find out who is framing Luke before she has to arrest him.

This was a quick read.  I couldn’t put it down because I needed to know Luke wasn’t guilty.  I love the fact that this big strong guy has to depend on a smart, sexy woman to save him.  It was a pleasant change from the alpha hero saving the “damsel in distress”.   

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bell Bridge books for allowing me to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

Delusion in Death (In Death #35) by J.D. Robb

I love this series!  I read this book in one sitting!  I could not, would not put it down.  Not only was it a great mystery but I enjoyed the fact that after all the new love stories I’ve read recently I could read a story with the deep true married love that Roarke & Eve share.

You know it is bad when the opening murder scene, an upscale bar, has over 80 bodies.  Lt. Eve Dallas speaks for the dead.   She is going to need help on this one.  The thing is it wasn’t like some guy came in with a gun or bomb this was way scarier.  Someone let loose a chemical cocktail in a happy hour crowd that turned the patrons on one another fatally and fast.  Eve and her team need to find out who and what before it happens again.

The Arrangement by Lillith Payne

Sweet, sexy romance this story took me by surprise.  I expected the typical arranged marriage story and while the plot was semi predictable the characters were not.  Corey’s fathers gambling debts have put his fathers company into position for a hostile take-over and while Corey can’t stand her father she adores her grandfather.  Enter lifelong friend of the granddad.  He is willing to help out with the condition that Corey marry his only family his grandson Reese (who just happens to be the man who took her virginity).  The grandfathers have tried match making them before.  They apparently want great grandkids. 

Surprise 1 this story takes place post war 40’s.  Surprise 2 I could totally see Katherine Hepburn playing Corey.  I have a fan girl crush on Ms. Hepburn of epic proportions.  Surprise 3 Reese was not made out to be Mr. Perfect.  Totally recommend for when you don’t want to read something too heavy.

Acts of Honor by Vicki Hinze

Fantastic mystery!  Secret military hospital. Secret military lab with secret military experiments.  Dr. Sara West wants answers and she will do just about anything to get them include put her life in danger.  Who can she trust? 

A wonderful mystery.  It got a little preachy at times but not too bad.  Acts of Honor kept me guessing right to the very end.  I will be recommending this one to my friends.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Bell Bridge books for allowing me to read this in exchange for a fair and honest review.  

Chocolate Kisses by Judith Arnold

A short and very sweet freebee from Judith Arnold.  Claudia is a blue collar girl trying to make a go of it as a caterer.  Ned is from a local blueblood family.  For goodness sakes he has roman numerals attached to his name.   Claudia meets Ned when she almost hits him while rushing to set up for a Valentines day cotillion that Neds sister is throwing.  This could boost her business into the black.  The attraction is instantaneous but can a romance work between a local prince and a girl from the kitchens?

Bones Are Forever (Temperance Brennan #15) by Kathy Reichs

Smart, often funny and always thought provoking this installment of the Temperance Brennan series doesn’t disappoint.

Tempe is back in Canada and is working the case.  Three infant bodies are found hidden in a prostitutes apartment but the mother is nowhere to be found.  Tempe’s on again/off again (currently off) Andrew Ryan is lead detective on the case.  This case takes them across Canada and into the Northwest Territories reuniting Tempe with an old fling RCMP sergeant Ollie Hasty.  Gold and diamonds, drugs and prostitution.  Motives abound.  But the dead speak to Tempe and the Mounties always get their man. 

While this often reads like a travel brochure the story is intriguing and I always learn something new.  This is a fantastic series and Bones Are Forever is a wonderful addition that I will re-read again and again and still pull something new.

Archangel's Storm (Guild Hunter #5) by Nalini Singh

Every time I think this series can’t get any better it does!  Archangel's Storm is Spymaster Jason’s story.  Jason is one of Raphael’s seven.  Jason has always been some what of a mystery as befits his job.  He is a gorgeous loner doing what he needs to get the job done.  In Archangel's Storm we find out why dark angel Jason is the way he is and find someone who may bring some light into his life.  As a spymaster and one of Raphael’s seven you expect this hero to be smart but Jason strikes me as more than clever he is really intelligent.  I love a smart hero.  Mahiya is not your average heroine either.  She isn’t blond and voluptuous or brunette and perky.  She is ethnic and quiet and a smart foil for our somber hero.  And then there is the mystery of who is killing off members of Neha’s court including her consort.  Another fantastic read from Nalini Singh 

In Rides Trouble (Black Knights Inc. #2) by Julie Ann Walker

Fun, sexy, romp.  Frank has wanted Becky since he first laid eyes on her three and a half years ago and she felt the same.  They’ve not done anything about it because Frank is the Boss and 13 years older than Becky.  He has other issues as well.  Frustrated by Frank and his stubborn refusal to include Becky in Black Knights business as anything but a cover story Becky flees to an Indian Ocean vacation with friend Eve where they are kidnapped by Somali pirates.  Will almost losing Becky wise Frank up?  Will almost losing Eve wise Wild Bill up?  (We will have to wait to find that one out).  This is turning out to be a fun “check your brain at the door” series.  I look forward to the next in the series.

Have Stakes, Will Travel by Faith Hunter

Four short stories in in the world of Jane Yellowrock.

In  WeSa and the Lumber King,  the Beast who lives inside Jane watches as her hunting grounds become prey and Jane watches as Beast gets even.  It took a minute for me to figure out that Beast was referring to Jane as WeSa or bobcat.  This story takes place in the early times.

In “Haints,” Jane and her best friend, witch Molly Trueblood, are hired to investigate mysterious paranormal phenomena—and the evil they find brings a new meaning to the words "haunted house."  This is told from Molly’s point of view.

Signatures of the Dead was previously published in Strange Brew and tells the story of the vampire massacre that made Jane Yellowrock a household name.

And in “Cajun with Fangs,” Jane makes a new friend who turns out to have old enemies, and finds herself drawn into a vicious blood feud, fueled by dark magic and ancient grudges.  It takes place shortly after Raven Cursed and before Death’s Rival.

I enjoy Jane Yellowrock and am glad to have any excuse to visit.  These quick reads are a fun adventure into the mind and world of Jane Yellowrock and her friends.

Two Ravens and One Crow (Iron Druid Chronicles #4.5) by Kevin Hearne

Anyone who has followed my reviews whether on my blog, Goodreads, Amazon or B&N or in person you know how much I adore this series. 

Two Ravens and One Crow is a novella set six years after the events of Tricked and six years before the events of Trapped.  I don’t know how much I can say about it without spoilers but I’ll give it a go.  Still in Arizona Atticus is still training Granuaile while fighting a growing attraction to her.  Oberon, pal that he is helps by distracting Atticus and letting him know when he is being too obvious which Atticus rewards with treats of course.   Things have been quiet when the Morrigan shows up and informs Atticus he must go with her.  She gives no explanation but does say that she will finally get around to repairing Atticus’s healing tattoo that was damaged in Tricked.  Leaving with the Morrigan Atticus gets his tattoo fixed and then is pulled into a meeting that will shape his future.

This is a quick read and a nice bite to tide us over until Trapped comes out.

Ink Master, Playing Doctor, and Cuff Master by Frances Stockton

I saw the blurb for Cuff Master and thought cool a cop, a psychic, and a little kink great I get that.  I started reading and was so lost by characters and events from previous books that I put it down and went to the authors website to see if it was part of a series.  Not much help there.  I returned to the online bookstore and it isn’t listed as part of a series there either.  I took a chance and purchased Ink Master and Playing Doctor and started over.

Ink Master

With Ink Master I still felt like I came in in the middle of something  but not as badly as Cuff Master.  So I continued.  Ink Master tells the story of Phalen, a former Army Ranger turned PI and tattoo-shop owner and eldest of the Maddox brothers and Cassie, owner of the diner and bookstore combo next to his tat shop.  Cassie’s twin Allie died 5 years earlier as the result of a murder/suicide.  The cops have just returned the things they took as evidence and from what Cassie has read in Allie’s journals she isn’t buying the cops conclusion.  Phalen offers to look into it for her as it gives him the excuse he needs to get close to the woman he has been lusting after for the past 6 months.  He knew when he first met her that she was “the one”.  Now he just has to convince her of that fact.

The mystery part of this story was terrific.  The sex was hot but the romance ran hot and cold.  Sometimes I had trouble believing it.  But over all I liked Phalen & Cassie.

Playing Doctor (m/m)

Alexander Grant sports agent and entrepreneur was in Ink Master and probably in earlier books as well.  I missed a lot of this backstory by not reading earlier books I think.  Alex is the son of a Kentucky State Senator and as a teen fell in love with Ryan Hathaway the stable hands son.  The relationship was never consummated.  Alex’s dad paid for Ryan to leave the state and go to college.  Now 19 years later Alex wants a chance with Ryan who is now an orthopedic surgeon.  Alex has moved to Massachusetts, a gay friendly state to convince Ryan he is ready to come out of the closet.  Now all he has to do is overcome the pain of the past and confront the future.

I love these guys.  I still feel like I missed out on a bunch of back history but this was a smoking romance.  Ryan was almost too good to be believable.

Cuff Master

Back to Cuff Master.  Detective Ethan Maddox and psychic Morgan Everhart are on the cusp of a relationship, if she can forgive him for doubting her abilities when they first met.  At Phalen and Cassies wedding Morgan gets visited by the ghost of a victim from one of Ethan’s cold cases.  If Ethan doesn’t take Morgan serious after she told him where to find Cassie when she was kidnapped in Ink Master then he doesn’t stand a chance with the woman he is convinced is “the one” for him.   

I enjoyed the story.  The mystery was great and the characters were engaging.  The sex was inventive and over-all a pretty good read.

I can’t wait to see Taran Maddox take on Ethan’s partner Sam.  I’d love to see Avery Grants story too.