Always a Marine 1NS series by Heather Long

The 1NS series by Decadent Publishing is a series of short erotic romance stories by a multitude of authors.  All they have in common is a set of rules put forth by the publisher and then pretty much anything goes.  I’ve read several by several authors and have enjoyed most of them.  Heather Long has set her 1NS books around a sub-series Always A Marine.  

Once Her Man, Always Her Man (Always a Marine #1) – Luke and Rebecca.  Luke left town and his girl Rebbeca after 9/11 and joined the military.  Now 11 years later he is out of the service and starting over.  He and his team have agreed to use Madame Eve’s 1NS service as a welcome back.  He never expects to reunite with the girl he left behind.

Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here (Always a Marine #2) – Zach, Logan & Jazz.  Jazz has a problem, as a senior enlisted woman marine she doesn’t often get to explore the woman part of that label.  Fooling around with the guys in her unit is not good for discipline and civilians don’t get the marine part.  Zach & Logan are best friends.  They grew up together and joined the corps together.  They’ve always shared everything.  When Logan is severely injured  by an IED it is up to Zach to prove to him that he is still a man.  He calls in Madame Eve’s 1NS service who sets them up with Jazz who will “get” what Logan has been through.

Tell It To The Marine (Always a Marine #3) – James and Lauren.  James is a clinical psychologist working with returned military and their families.  He is encouraged to sign up with Madame Eve if only as a sign of solidarity.  He ends up on a date with movie star Lauren. 

Proud to Serve Her (Always a Marine #4) – Damon and Helena.  Damon is a sensualist who has left the service and is opening a restaurant.  Helena is a button down uptight lawyer.  Damon sees the challenge in making her relax and enjoy.  (My biggest problem with this story is that no way no how could this date have happened on opening night of his restaurant.)

Her Marine (Always a Marine #5) – Brody and Shannon.  Brody is still active duty and on leave.  His buddies hook him into going on a date with Shannon.  Shannon is an artist who is suffering from her own form of PTSD.  She is a rape victim.  After five years of therapy and having it affect her life and her work she signs up with Madame Eve to see if she can rediscover passion.  I really liked Brody. 

Hot in Handcuffs by Shayla Black, Sylvia Day, & Shiloh Walker

Three sexy stories featuring law enforcement type that know how to use handcuffs in the best of ways.

Arresting Desire by Shayla Black – FBI agent Jon meets mobsters daughter Lucia while undercover.  The attraction is there but denied.  Now a couple years later he needs her to help prove his brother has been framed and the attraction is still there and hotter than ever except now he isn’t on the clock and her dad is dead.

On Fire by Sylvia Day – Someone is setting fires in fire inspector Darci’s town and it feels personal.  She calls in help in the form of Deputy Marshal Jared Cameron.  Can he help Darci solve the mystery of the fires and her sisters death while at the same time keep the attraction between them from spontaneous combustion?

The Unwilling by Shiloh Walker – My favorite of the three stories and they don’t actually use handcuffs at all.  Police Lt. Mica has a serial killer loose in her town.  Her former lover (the one she’s never gotten over) ex-FBI agent Colby is called in to help solve the case.  Turns out he’s never stopped loving her either.  Can they find the killer and find a way back to each other?

All in all one super sexy anthology.

Hoaley Ill-Manored (Hoale Construction Mystery, #2) by Declan Sands

Adam, Maddy, Walter, Mink and Dirk are back.  This time Adam & Maddy have purchased a 200 year old manor house to flip.  But once again they run into problems.  There are rumors of a murder in the past as well as a suicide.  There is said to be a hidden cache of jewels and previous owners have had problems with treasure hunters.  Adam doesn’t know if the place is haunted but it sure wasn’t a ghost that burnt down the gazebo. 

Mink once again provides comic relief.  Dirk is back as Adams on/off boyfriend.  Maddy and Walter are there for support.  I really enjoy this series.  This probably could be read stand-alone but would be much better if you read A Hoale Lot of Trouble (Hoale Construction Mystery, #1) first.  

Mark's Opening Gambit by Lee Brazil

I won this from The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads contest.   It is a short mm romance. 

Mason is a high school dropout working nights to help his mom support him and his brothers.  Thiers is a close family and they don’t care that Mason is gay.  Mark is from an upper class background whose family insists he can’t be gay and so force him into hiding.  Mark graduated from law school to get his folks off his back but doesn’t actually practice law.  He runs a chess café which is where he and Mason meet when Mason brings his little brother by for a tourney.  Mason is smitten from first glance.  But things are tough when you are trying to be something you aren’t.

This is a coming of age romance.  The chemistry was intense and there was almost too much sex for me at the beginning.  I like a little story with my sex.  But like a match when the initial flare burnt down there was light and a really good story.  

Take it Like a Vamp by Candace Havens

Fans of Molly Harper, MaryJanice Davidson, and Katie MacAlister will enjoy this fun PNR by Candace Havens. 

Vampire Nick has lusted after his neighbor Casey for the entire 9 months he’s known her.  She is a breath of fresh air.  Mostly I think because she offers him friendship without strings.  He is rich, powerful and good looking.  Everybody wants something from him especially his ex.  Casey knows she isn’t like the skinny models Nick goes for so she settles for friendship with Nick although she isn’t blind to his charms.  When Nick asks Casey to be his date to keep the match making mama’s off his back he brings Casey to the attention of factions that would use her to get to him and things get interesting. 

This is a fun romantic PNR with some honest laugh out loud moments.  Welcome back to the dark side Candy.  

Rolling in the Deep (Hawaiian Heroes #2) by Cathryn Cade

The Ho’omalu family is one of the oldest families of the Hawaiian Islands.  They are the chosen of Pele Hawaii’s Guardian.  To this end she has given them gifts to help them carry out their duties.

Melia’s friends Claire, Grace and Bella have come to Hawaii for her wedding to Malu.  Malu’s big brother Daniel is tasked to pick them up at the airport and another Ho’omalu is struck by lightning.  At least that’s what Daniel is wishing for.  He does NOT want to be attracted to Claire.  He has his reasons not the least of which is that he is a Ho’omalu although his affinity is for the water not fire like his brother.  In this book the Ho’omalu family is still trying to shut down the drug runners that are bringing in their kind of poison to the islands. 

I loved watching big, bad, tattooed Daniel fall bit by bit.  

Walking in Fire (Hawaiian Heroes #1) by Cathryn Cade

Take 1 Oregon chef and blogger, 1 smoking hot Hawaiian artist , some nasty drug runners and a pissed off Hawaiian Guardian shake well and you have a wonderful romantic suspense with a bit of paranormal.  I really enjoyed this story. 

The Ho’omalu family is one of the oldest families of the Hawaiian Islands.  They are the chosen of Pele Hawaii’s Guardian.  To this end she has given them gifts to help them carry out their duties.

David “Malu” Ho’omalu is trying to find out who is bringing in a new deadly designer drug to the islands.   

Melia Carson was supposed to go on a Hawiian vacation with her boyfriend when she found him banging some bimbo.  Her friends convince her to go anyway without him.  When she and Malu first meet she is taken with his good looks but not impressed by the women throwing themselves at him.  Malu is just as taken with her but she isn’t Hawaiian and he has a job to do.  This doesn’t stop them from invading each other’s dreams.   

Watching these two come together while in the midst of a terrific mystery was a blast.  Having it set in paradise only made it that much better.