Category / Samhain Publishing

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Anything You Want by Erin Nicholas

Format: E-bookanythingyouwant
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Marc Sterling
Heroine: Sabrina Rose Cassidy
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: March 15, 2011
Started On: May 17, 2011
Finished On: May 18, 2011

Anything You Want by Erin Nicholas is exactly what the doctor ordered for my restless craving to read something evocative and different. A huge shout out of thanks to Cari Quinn, one of the most fabulous authors out there who was wonderful enough to recommend this to me when I was feeling down in the dumps, wondering what to read to get myself out of this funk which I have found myself in lately.

Sabrina Rose Cassidy is down on her luck, stranded in a strange town, with no money and no means of getting herself back home to Justice after 4 whole years of being away, trying to find that elusive something that would fulfill her and curb the restlessness that has always been a part of her. Now pregnant, Sabrina wants to do the right thing, make the right decisions for the first time in her life, even if it means going back and facing all those whom she left behind when she left to pursue her dreams.

When Marc Sterling receives a call meant for his best friend Luke Hamilton, the last thing he expects is to hear the voice of Sabrina, the woman who broke his best friend’s heart and left town right after rejecting his marriage proposal. Not wanting  to subject Luke to Sabrina’s brand of charm is what has Marc hopping into a car and travelling 6 hours to reach the woman who makes his hackles rise just by existing. But what Marc doesn’t expect to happen is for Sabrina to stir his senses up and give him the fastest hard-on in history and to see the unexpected flare of desire burn in Sabrina’s eyes right back at him.

For two people who has a history of being unable to tolerate each other’s presence, the forced intimacy Marc and Sabrina are subjected to has both of them re-evaluating how they see each other, each finding qualities in the other that draws them in like a  moth to flame. Back home in Justice, Luke does the expected which has Marc reeling in sheer frustration amongst other things, knowing that he possibly cannot want to possess the woman whom his brother is set on marrying.

Anything You Want is a contemporary romance that has got everything going for it. In-depth character development that had me falling in love with each and every single character that came up in the story, wonderful dialogs that had me smiling, and of course the sexual innuendos that fly between Sabrina and Marc which just ups the sizzling heat factor in the book makes this a story of the cannot-put-down-for-the-life-of-me kind.

Marc is a wonderful hero, who starts out resenting Sabrina and her dependent nature on Luke which Marc knows is of the destructive kind, but later finds himself hopelessly ensnared by the different facets of the woman Sabrina really turns out to be. Sabrina is a heroine who starts out looking as a self-centered woman who knows just how to keep Luke dangling after her, but her character as it unfolds is so much more complex, layer after layer which Marc unfurls to find the passionate woman inside.

Sabrina is a woman who is faced with a tough choice. On one side is the man who offers her the security that she craves, the choice she knows that she should make in order to give her baby everything he or she deserves. On the other side is the man who makes her insides go weak just by walking into the room, whose way of calling her “Seattle” has her wanting to jump his bones each and every single time. He is the man who understands her, who wants to set her free so that she can do what it is that she loves doing, and never ever have to wonder “What if?”.

I don’t think I can do an adequate job of outlining just how much I loved everything about this story from its heartwarming characters and setting to the very well done sex scenes of the toe-curling variety that I just reveled in. Now I can’t help but want to find out whether Luke and the very unusual Kat gets their story, which I am hoping fervently that it does come out because it is so obvious that they are meant to be together.

Very highly recommended for fans of contemporary romances featuring a hot-as-sin hero and a heroine who finds where she belongs – in the arms of the man she least expects to find the cure for her restless wandering.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Reluctant Nude by Meg Maguire

Format: E-bookthereluctantnude
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Maxence Luc Èmery
Heroine: Fallon Frost
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 5, 2011
Started On: April 5, 2011
Finished On: April 24, 2011

Meg Maguire is a totally new author for me and though I added this to my wish-list way back in February/March when this title’s blurb and release date became available under the “coming soon” section in Samhain, what really propelled me to get a copy was the rave reviews this book received right from the very day of its release. Though my reading progress has been slow with this one, it had nothing to do with the book but rather my busy schedule which prevented me from reading and reviewing this book as soon as I would have liked to.

The Reluctant Nude is the story of 33 year old sculptor Maxence Luc Èmery (Max) and 29 year old Fallon Frost who reluctantly comes to seek Max’s services to fulfill her part of a bargain she makes with the devil himself. Most of the story takes place in Nova Scotia, Canada where Max has made a home for himself after his shot to fame when he was a mere 12 years old. An only child, Max though a world renowned sculptor prefers to live his life in seclusion, taking in clients as he sees fit.

The only thing that has him agreeing to take Donald Forrester on as a client is the large sum of money that he agrees to pay Max upon completion of Fallon’s sculptor, an agreement that Max starts to regret as he chips away the resistance that Fallon hides behind so very well to reveal the passionate woman who Max comes to fall in love with.

One of the things I appreciated most about the story is the fact that Max and Fallon’s relationship wasn’t about being in lust at first sight. Rather, the story developed at a pace that was believable, lending the sexual tension that practically brought the pages alive a quality which it otherwise would have lacked. Though Max might not be an alpha hero through and through, nevertheless Max proves to be a dreamy and albeit a bit of an unusual hero who managed to squeeze a lot of emotion from me as the story progressed along.

Max’s playful nature when it comes to Fallon with whom he feels comfortable with enough to let go of his celibacy for the past 8 years is an enjoyable facet in a story where the heroine is the more serious of the two, an aftereffect of the foster care system through which Fallon  had grown up.

Both Max and Fallon are broken in their own way and come together to create scenes of lovemaking so beautiful and vivid that it just about took my breathe away and picked up my pulse damn near every single time. As I said before, its the pace that the author sets with the story and the beautiful way in which she brings to life the tormented soul of Max as well as that of Fallon’s that makes this story a contemporary romance that all lovers of this genre must read.

Though I found Fallon to be lacking in some way which I can’t really describe, I still loved the story that unfolded and absolutely adored Max right from the very beginning. The epilogue left a huge smile on my face, a fitting ending to a story that held me enthralled all throughout.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Cowgirl Up and Ride by Lorelei James

Format: E-bookcowgirlupandride
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Rough Riders, Book 3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Cord West McKay
Heroine: Amy Jo Foster
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: March 18, 2008
Started On: March 18, 2011
Finished On: March 19, 2011

Book 3 of the Rough Riders series seems to be a favorite amongst many of its die hard fans. I was one who was initiated into the series a little bit later than everyone else. My introduction to the series came with Keely’s story All Jacked Up which hooked me to Lorelei James’ writing style and her way of writing the most combustive scenes ever. And since then, I have read and loved each of the books in the series that has been published afterwards. But, I have always been a trifle bit reluctant to go back and read the rest of the books in the series that I have missed out because frankly put, I am not much of a fan of raunchy sex which involves more than one guy and one girl. However, as my friends on Goodreads advised, I could always skip those scenes and still enjoy the stories that were published before and so I decided to take the plunge and find out the reason why fans seems to love this book so much.

This is the story of 35 year old Cord West McKay who is the eldest son and the one on whose shoulders most of the responsibilities of the day-to-day running of the vast McKay ranch falls on. Marital bliss is not something that has worked out for Cord since his wife Marla, a floozy from West Coast that he married during his time in Seattle didn’t see it fit to share his life with him for better or for worse. Marla was never suited for the life of a rancher’s wife and six months after their son Ky was  born, Marla had hightailed it out of their lives needing a period of separation from her husband. How things work out afterwards is what propelled Cord to file for divorce and full custody of his son. Cord is a man who tests positive for the adage “once bitten, twice shy”. Since Cord prefers not to acknowledge the fact that he is lonely and needs a woman to share his life with he refuses to do anything about it until sweet Amy Jo Foster decides to grow up on him and drive him mad with desire.

13 years younger than Cord, Amy had fallen in love with him and what he stands for when she had been 5 years old. Amy has waited a long time for Cord to notice that she is not a little girl anymore and she refuses to stand on the sidelines and just continue to be ignored by the man she loves and compares every man that she meets with. Amy decides to heat things up and approach Cord the only way she would be able to have him & thus asks him to initiate her into the world of sex and sensual desires, covering up her need for Cord that runs much deeper than a physical ache.

Cord doesn’t want anyone else knowing about what goes on between him and Amy behind closed doors. But what Cord does not expect to happen is to have Amy reach into a place he has closed off after his wife left him, and for him to come to care about Amy in a way that goes beyond what they promised each other. But before they both can embrace their happily ever after, Cord has to face the true nature of his feelings for Amy and find the courage to lay his heart open to the woman he loves hoping that she would accept him before he goes mad with loneliness and the perpetual ache in his heart that refuses to go away without Amy in his life.

For me, Cowgirl Up and Ride did not turn out to be that swell a read. Maybe because I have experienced Lorelei James’ later books which deliver so much more on emotional and character development along with the good smut that made those reads my favorites. I just couldn’t connect much with either Amy or Cord and the way he calls Amy “baby girl” sort of got on my nerves. Yikes!! I am all for dominance and sexual prowess of the alpha male in the bedroom but somehow the way Cord treats Amy most of the time set my teeth on edge which only improved towards the latter part of the book.

Though this doesn’t rate as a 5 star read for me, there were a couple of things that I loved towards the end. I loved how Cord woos Amy back into his life and how their 4 month separation brings them together emotionally and lets them build a healthier relationship that wasn’t just based on sex towards the end. I always love it when a hero gets the groveling thing down to a pat and Cord seems to have passed that with flying colors. And though I admit I skipped over some of the sexual content of the book, I found myself enjoying the latter scenes in the book involving Cord and Amy, the time Cord invites Amy over after Ky is back home although even then he doesn’t want to admit just how much he has fallen for the woman who is his match made in heaven.

Recommended for the fans of the series.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

fairread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Take a Chance on Me by Kate Davies

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Tom Cameron
Heroine: Jessica Martin
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: February 22, 2011
Started On: February 26, 2011
Finished On: February 26, 2011

Take a Chance on Me is my first Kate Davies and it definitely is not going to be my last if Ms. Davies can spin a tale such as this one which contains all the right elements that makes a romance so worth your time. The setting in this romance is a unique one. I say this because I don’t remember reading an adult romance that takes place in a high school, unless it involves high school students. This title took me into unchartered waters and delivered a very well written romance that would stay with me for a long time even afterwards.

Tom Cameron is the head of security at Summit High and prefers his lone wolf lifestyle which serves him pretty well. Four years back Tom had served as a cop until a domestic violence call which had come in a few hours before the end of his shift one night had gone horribly wrong spiraling Tom’s life out of control. Combined with media frenzy and the blame game which had pointed fingers towards him, Tom had lost his job and his marriage had dissolved soon afterwards leaving behind a man who guards his heart in steel barricaded armor and keeps his emotions close to him.

Jessica Martin is the newest recruit at Summit High brought in as a substitute teacher for the remainder of the year. Being a teacher has always been what Jessica has wanted and dreamed about regardless of how much her parents had tried to sway her mind. And irrespective of the fact that her parents are extremely disappointed with Jessica for choosing to do what she loves, Jessica is thrilled at the prospect of being hired even as a substitute teacher and has high hopes and every intention of becoming a full time teacher at Summit High if she plays her cards right. Klutzy and a bit messy in an adorable way, Jessica is a the exact opposite of Tom who keeps his life ordered and without any sort of clutter in it, which is just the way he likes it – or so he thinks.

When Ms. Klutzy and adorable meets Mr. Remoteness himself, sparks fly even from the first encounter itself. Tom who has never had a problem before in brushing aside any of the attempts by fellow staff members to befriend him finds himself tempted something fierce when he locks eyes with the beautiful and green eyed Jessica who makes his heart tumble inside out. Both Jessica and Tom’s intentions to avoid each other at all costs go awry in the most delicious possible ways when both of them find themselves in each other’s arms, heating things up to unbearable levels – something I just loved about this story. It takes a while but these two work through the hurdles and problems in their path to find a love that is long lasting, leaving me grinning from ear to ear at the end.

One of the highlights of the story was both Jessica and Tom. I’m always very much intrigued with heroes who want to isolate themselves and go out of their way to create their lone wolf lifestyle. And when their match turns out to be the exact opposite of themselves, in this case the adorable Jessica who has so much heart and has the ability to draw the man trapped inside of Tom to come out and play, needless to say I love these kinds of stories. And Ms. Davies has done a fine job in creating both their characters and giving them both just the right touch to make me fall in love with both of them. And lord, Tom is a man who certainly knows the art of kissing making my toes curl inward each and every time he decides to kiss his woman into a helpless puddle.

All in all a very satisfying read which has definitely made me curious to seek out the books in her back list and give them a go. Recommended for those who love a good contemporary romance featuring a couple you would root for right from the very beginning.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Creative License By Lynne Roberts

Format: E-book
Opens with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Caleb Anderson
Heroine: Lily McPherson
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: February 15, 2011
Started On: February 17, 2011
Finished On: February 17, 2011

I came across this title when Cari Quinn did an author interview on her blog on its release day. Even as swamped as I was with books to read, the blurb of the book caught my interest and I was keeping it in mind to squeeze this read in somewhere to sample my first Lynne Roberts as Cari seems to have pretty much loved the story and of course the hero, Caleb. So it was a delightful surprise to wakeup yesterday to find that Ms. Lynne wanted me to review her latest release which turns out to be the book which I was hankering after as well! So onto the review without further ado.

Caleb Anderson is an artist hoping to make it big, barely making ends meet as he lives in San Fransisco following his dreams. The son of a father who was a teacher and a mother who had owned a day care, Caleb is as middle class as they come. With dimples in his cheeks, a body that can rival that of a Greek God’s and wicked green eyes and long dark blond hair, Caleb is every girl’s romance hero personified coupled with his fierce tenderness towards the woman he got married to, one drunken night in Vegas, 3 years back.

Lily McPherson is the blue blood daughter of an investment banker and a socialite who has had her life mapped out in front of her since she had turned 16 years old. Lily has a ten year plan which features law school, internship, marriage, children and then a home office, all in that order. In a relationship with Stewart, the son of her boss with both their families expecting their engagement soon, Lily though she feels as there is something missing in her life doesn’t let melancholy feelings get the best of her as she hides the passionate woman she is behind a facade that fools everyone around her.

Lily’s one indiscretion in her otherwise perfect and spotless life had come in the form of a hasty Vegas marriage to the wickedly sinful Caleb. The 12 hours and 22 minutes that they had been married had been the most fun and carefree moments of her life, but panic reined its ugly head as she had woken up in bed with her brand new husband and a big fake diamond ring on her finger. 3 years later, Caleb calls out of the blue bearing news that turns her world upside down – their annulment had not gone through due to a careless clerk who had not filed the proper papers. And it is Caleb’s request that she travel to San Fransisco to help him out in a matter which requires her presence that finds Lily travelling on a 6 hour flight to her one & only glorious mistake.

With 4 days of togetherness looming in front of them, even from the first moment Lily eyes her husband looking as delicious as ever, sparks fly and desire denied for so long burst forth refusing to be brushed aside any longer. And along with their explosive passion, so does rise feelings that both have refused to acknowledge till now. But once their precious time together comes to an end, it is up to Lily to decide whether she would turn her back on a life full of happiness and laughter with the man who sets her senses afire and heart aflutter by her side or head back to the bleak colorless life that awaits her in Boston, the “perfect” arrangement for someone like her.

Things that made this book rock my world:

  • Caleb Anderson. He is everything that induces drool to drip down the sides of your mouth and so much more. His wicked sensuality in bed and out of it is enough to make this girl smile for an eternity and couple together with the fact that he is such a great guy out of it makes him the best thing about this story – hands down!
  • The very hot and well done love scenes in the book. Especially the shower scene which just took my breath away!
  • Lily McPherson. She is such a mass of contradictions who wants to do right by what is expected of her in the high and mighty world which she has been brought up in. Her vulnerability when it comes to Caleb is what made me love her and root for her in the end knowing that this girl who might be all ice on the outside and has a heart of gold and a fiery spirit lurking on the inside wouldn’t let me down.
  • The very hot cover. Certainly has got MY creative juices flowing! *wink*

Things that could have made this book better?

I think Creative License is just perfect the way it is! Loved my first Lynne Roberts to bits which I managed to read in just under 2 hours, because yes, it is that good!

Favorite Quotes

“So, what does he look like?” (Sharon, Lily’s elder sister asks)
“Tall, a little over six foot, the greenest eyes you’ve ever seen and long dark blond hair.”
“Long hair? You married the cover of a romance novel?”

Lily paused behind a wall of people watching for the machine to eject their luggage. Something like gravity prickled her spine, and she turned to look behind her. Lily’s breath caught in her throat. Caleb walked toward her. She’d never forget that sexy stride. His blond hair was pulled back, emphasizing high cheekbones and bronzed skin. The shadow of stubble along his jaw only improved his rugged good looks. Her hand itched to stroke his face, to feel the rough texture against her skin. Lily’s stomach did a quick flip and she had to remind herself to breath. Splashes of color decorated the jeans encasing Caleb’s long legs. A white T-shirt stretched over his muscled chest but a long-sleeved flannel shirt hid his arms from view.

Recommended highly for those who love their erotica with a lot of emotion wrenching goodness in the mix. A story that is just not well done erotica, but so much more.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Breaking Daylight By M. J. Fredrick

Format: E-bookbreakingdaylight
Opens with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Hero: Alex Shepard
Heroine: Isabella Canales
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 5, 2010
Started On: February 11, 2011
Finished On: February 12, 2011

Breaking Daylight is a novel I picked up on a whim, because I always love myself a good romantic suspense that includes a trek through the wilderness of a jungle which creates an environment that throws the hero and heroine together, regardless of their distrust and animosity towards the other. This one has been sitting in my TBR pile since then and I finally decided to take the plunge and read my first M.J. Fredrick last night. Despite the one review I read on Amazon which didn’t encourage me overly much to read this, I loved the story that unfolded and would definitely look forward to more by Ms. Fredrick.

Master Sergeant Alex Shepard hates trekking through jungles with a passion. A member of a team of rangers, Alex is the adopted son of his parents from Texas and looks forward to the day that he can claim the innocent and pure Rebecca back home as his own. Alex had grown up with a drug addict mother who had whored her way through life and made her son sell drugs for her until it had all come to a halt the day she had been killed by cops in pursuit of her. Though Alex had adjusted well to family life and the warmth and love that his adoptive parents bestow on him, their lurks emotional scars of a deeper kind which makes him long for the whole white picket fence with a family of his own regardless of the fact that he feels unworthy of such goodness in his life.

24 year old Isabella Canales leaves home when she is 18 years old in pursuit of adventure and finds more than she bargained for when she trusts the rich and charming Santiago Saldana who in reality is the baddest of bad asses when it comes to drug kingpins. Isabella makes her way to Central America in order to pursue her studies in Spanish and Immersion and had payed her college fees by strip dancing until she had met Santiago who had practically imprisoned her and made her bend to his every will and whim for the past 6 years. Stunningly beautiful, Isabella finds the courage to escape when her son Hector is taken away from her by Santiago in order to further manipulate her for his use.

It is when one of the DEA agents who infiltrates the Santiago gang is unheard of for a couple of weeks that Alex and his team partner up with DEA agents to find out what has happened to him, surrounding Santiago’s property deep in the remote areas of the jungles. Though the very first sight of gorgeous Isabella pleasuring herself surrounded by bath bubbles gets to Alex in a way he refuses to admit, it is Alex that ends up protecting a woman he feels nothing but detest and anger towards, because she had lapped up each and every luxury at the hands of someone like Santiago which brings memories of his own childhood too close to the surface. Isabella knows that the silent soldier whose eyes flash loathing at her would never understand what drives her and the deep rooted terror inside of her that Santiago would get his hands on her before she can find out where he had sent her son off to.

Isabella is someone who has never had a man want her just for herself. And so when Alex turns to her in despair upon hearing that his Rebecca was going to marry someone else, Isabella is helpless to stop the tide of desire and red-blooded lust that takes a hold of both of them for an unforgettable night that brings her shields down and makes her hope and yearn for things better left unsaid.

With Isabella on her way back to the States, Alex thinks it to be the last time he would ever see her and instead finds himself tailing her once again to see whether she draws Santiago in for the DEA to swoop in and arrest the one man who has eluded their every attempt at arrest in the past couple of years. Longing, desire and feelings better left unnamed all attack Alex full force as he begins to learn who Isabella really is inside and out and as both of them give into the combustive passion between them, so rises the danger that surrounds them together with betrayal from a person Alex trusts more than anyone else in his life.

I loved a lot of things about my first novel by Ms. Fredrick. First of all its fabulous cover showing off Alex’s magnificent chest with the dog tags just makes me nearly swallow my tongue each and every time my gaze is riveted upon it – which seemed to happen pretty much often the whole of last night. The man himself once I got to know his character and of course the way he just practically vibrates with intense longing each and every time he and Isabella are together just made me fall for him – big time. I love myself a tortured hero as much as the next gal in the world of romanceldia and Alex fits the description to a tee which makes him the best kind of tortured alpha hero out there! And I definitely sighed over the way Alex can’t help but call Isabella Bella or Goddess depending on his mood. *sigh*

Isabella Canales is a rare type of heroine for a romance novel. She has made huge mistakes in her life, had danced at strip clubs to make ends meet, had been young, naive and shallow enough to fall for a man like Santiago for which she had paid with 6 years of her life which had certainly not been a life one could be proud about. In spite of all that and maybe because of that, Isabella is a strong woman who is not without her own insecurities when it comes to relationships and love but nevertheless doesn’t hide behind denial when she does fall for Alex, a man who is truly worthy of her love and affection. Her loyalty towards her son, the one guy who means the world to her and her relentless pursuit of him regardless of what she has to put herself through along the way earned her my admiration and approval because she is just the kind of strong woman that Alex needs by his side.

Although I loved so many things about this story, I couldn’t help but feel cheated at the ending because I was expecting a nice little epilogue where I could see my Alex all happy and free of the shadows that seem to be a part of him. Its just my opinion that an epilogue would have indeed made this story a 5 star read and made it one of the unforgettable kind.

Recommended for fans of romantic suspense.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Samhain | BooksOnBoard

amazingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Two-Step Temptation By Emma Jay

Format: E-booktwosteptemptation
Opens with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Eric Viera
Heroine: Haven Reynolds
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 8, 2010
Started On: February 2, 2011
Finished On: February 2, 2011

Yeap, you guys guessed it right. This novella from Samhain Publishing caught my eye solely due to its uber-beautiful cover. Reading the blurb I was sold and have been on the look-out for its release date since then. February is definitely going to have a huge impact on my book budget with several great romances which I am keeping an eye on coming out within this month.

My first Emma Jay definitely started out with a bang and finished in a riot of beautiful colors leaving a huge smile on my face. Mr. Sex-on-legs aka Eric Viera might have had a thing or two to do with that fact as he strode into the story in his long, lean form, close-cropped brown hair and his sexy little goatee and deep blue eyes that just begs a girl to get into trouble of the right kind with him. Being an anthropologist means that Eric rarely stays around in one place for long unless it is to study behavior of some forgotten tribe of people.

Elementary school principal Haven Reynolds finds herself definitely in trouble of the right variety when she meets the sexy Eric Viera at their friends Jared and Christine’s engagement party 8 months back. A two week affair had left Haven certainly begging for more and eventually her heart had gotten involved and it had killed her to see Eric go on his anthropology trip to the Costa Rica afterwards. Though she would rather die than admit to the fact Haven knows that Eric owed her nothing when both of them had gone into the purely sexual affair with their eyes open.

Eight months later, Eric again walks into Haven’s life, this time for the wedding of the couple whose engagement brought these two together in the first place. Haven with her shields strongly in place face an even more appealing and a sexier version of Eric who has no intention of letting the best thing that has ever happened to him walk away from him as he is looking for something a bit more permanent with the woman who rocked his world 8 months back and the woman who has occupied all his thoughts since after. It is a highly enjoyable and a sensual journey done very well by Ms. Jay I must add that these two take and I loved every minute of it!

Things that made this book rock:

1- Eric Viera. No two ways about it. Mr. Sex-on-legs is definitely what he is! His at times gentle and other times no-holds-barred methods of seduction just makes me want an Eric of my very own! ^_^

2- Haven Reynolds. Though she is wary of getting her heart trampled upon, that doesn’t stop her from having a little fun with the only man who rocks her world. That makes her my kind of heroine and getting her happily ever after at the end was just icing on the cake for me.

3- The sizzle factor. Awesome hawtness throughout the story. Dancing has never sounded as good as it did in this story!

4- The beaaaaaaaautiful cover! Love it!!

Things that could have  made this book more awesome? I would change not a single thing about this book!

Recommended for fans of awesomely hot novellas. This one is just sinfully delicious!

Have definitely added Emma Jay’s list of published books to my wishlist!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Command and Control by Shelli Stevens

Format: E-bookcommandandcontrol
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Holding Out for a Hero, Book 2
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Trevor Wyatt
Heroine: Megan Asher
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 21, 2010
Started On: December 23, 2010
Finished On: December 23, 2010

My first book by Shelli Stevens was Dangerous Grounds, the first book in the Seattle Steam series which I read long before I started this review website of mine. But Dangerous Grounds has always lurked somewhere at the back of my mind as a book that I enjoyed immensely and I just might give in and revisit Gabe and Madison one of these days. So when I found out by following Ms. Stevens on Twitter that her latest release is all about a tortured hero who needs healing in all the ways possible, I didn’t hesitate to get myself a copy and indulge. And indulge is what I did as this short story delivered on all fronts and made all my senses come wonderfully alive with the raw sensuality between Trevor and Megan.

The story kicks off when Trevor walks into a coffee shop in his small hometown of Wyattsville to overhear the most notorious gossip in town declare that his ex-fiance Megan Asher was getting married. The streak of possessiveness that strikes through Trevor when he hears that someone else might claim his Megan is overwhelming to say the least. And it is with all this jealousy and possessiveness lurking close to the surface, almost ready to explode that Trevor confronts Megan to find out whether there was anything to the rumors floating around town.

Megan can’t believe it when without any warning Trevor walks in demanding to know whether the news that she was getting married that was circulating around town could be at all true. It is true that Megan had been the one to walk out on Trevor and their engagement but it had been Trevor who had really left their relationship after coming back injured from tour duty in Afghanistan, a man too haunted by memories that he had refused to let go or get professional help for him to heal. But leaving Trevor and trying to get over him certainly hadn’t worked at all when all Trevor had to do was just walk in for all her senses to come alive and slap her on her head for walking out on him.

With Trevor determined to win back what he rightfully considers as his, the heat is on as two people who have always shared a combustible passion between them fires up the pages in this delectable read. But compatibility in bed and out of it and a love that can last a lifetime certainly doesn’t seem to be enough when Trevor still ends up walking out on Megan afraid that by staying he would only end up hurting her. And it is Megan who remains undeterred in her conviction that she would help exorcise whatever ghosts that haunted Trevor and move them closer to the happily ever after that they both so much deserve making this book a lipsmackingly good read.

Likes:

  1. Trevor Wyatt of course! Was there any doubt in any of your minds about that? ^_^ Sexy, broody, tortured to the max and a possessive streak a mile wide when it comes to Megan, Trevor just makes my heart go thud, thud and my knees all wobbly with his mere presence. From the opening scene itself, everything feminine within me rejoiced in Trevor’s jealousy over the mere idea of anyone else claiming his Megan as their own. I definitely loved me some Trevor!
  2. Megan Asher. She definitely lives up to her character as in she is beautiful, smart, knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to work for what she wants no matter what happens which turned out to be her most endearing quality. Megan was wise enough to know what Trevor needs so that their relationship would have a standing chance  the second time round. Her plan to help Trevor certainly worked out well enough for her and for me as well. ^_^
  3. The hot, hot, hot sensuality between Trevor and Megan. I think my Kindle heated up a degree or two as Megan and Trevor, both with their take charge attitudes just simply combusted after a 1 year separation. Car smexing, shower smexing and smexing of the kinkier variety takes place, all very hot and all very well done!
  4. I loved the tidbits of Trevor and Megan’s shared past that made their forays into the story. Lent this story something extra of the wicked variety as well as in terms of character development.
  5. Command and Control certainly made me sit up and take notice of Kate and her crush on Todd Wyatt the youngest Wyatt of the 3 brothers. I have certainly added Flash Point, the 3rd book in the Holding Out for a Hero series which is to be published on March 2011 to my wishlist.

Dislikes: Though I know novellas are supposed to be pretty short, I just felt the ending was a bit too rushed. Of course things ended on a happy note but I would have loved it more if the ending had been just a tad longer.

Recommended for: Fans of contemporary erotica. This one is hot and sizzling good!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Collateral Damage by J.L. Saint

Format: E-bookcollateraldamage
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Plus Novel
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Silent Warrior, Book 1
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Jack Hunter
Heroine: Lauren Collins
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: December 14, 2010
Started On: December 18, 2010
Finished On: December 23, 2010

Like any reader, I am a bit apprehensive when it comes to trying out new authors, though that doesn’t stop me from trying out books on authors that I have never heard of because just sometimes, delving into the unknown certainly pays off when you find a book such as this one where the pages literally turn themselves with the fast paced action, romance and adventure that this one delivers – in spades.

Sergeant First Class Jack Hunter with more than 20 years of military experience under his belt also known as DT i.e. Double Tap because of his accuracy with headshots, wakes up in the ICU at the Walter Reed Medical Centre when the last mission where he had led his team members Rico, Pecos and Neil into the terrorist ridden areas of Lebanon where a group had kidnapped and held hostage the daughters of the Israeli Prime Minister and the US Ambassador had gone totally wrong. With Rico and himself seriously injured and Neil dead in the strike that had taken place, Jack is a man torn apart by the nightmares about the mission gone wrong and pieces that don’t seem to fit together. The one thing that Jack who has a strained relationship with his 6 year old daughter Livy after the hellish nightmare of a 7 year marriage with her mother Jill had ended up in divorce knows is that there is more than what meets the eye in what went down in Lebanon. With all his senses screaming at him to make sense of the blond and blue eyed American he had shot dead whose body had not turned up makes Jack all twitchy on the insides and makes him push himself to the limits to get back to the field before the shit hits the fan.

Lauren Collins with her 6 year old twin sons Matt and Mitch is just a month away from finalizing her divorce from Bill Collins the one man she had thought had been her Prince Charming who had later turned out to be the stuff made from nightmares. Right after Bill had taken up a job at BioLogics, a company that deals with invention of green technology as their PR executive and turned all secretive, their marriage had hit the rocks only to plummet deeper into abysmal when Bill began a string of extramarital affairs that had finally decided the fate of their marriage. And when Lauren receives the dreaded phone call in the middle of the night informing her that her husband had been shot dead in what appeared to be a random act of violence right after which her home is invaded by a masked gunman hellbent on searching for something Lauren has no clue of whatsoever, she barely manages to escape with her and her sons lives intact.

When the rough and tough looking six foot Jack Hunter with his square jawed and chiseled looks turns up on her doorstep commanding all her bedraggled hormones to take notice and clamor for his attention, he turns out  to be her only savior from danger that lurks wherever she turns. Lauren has no choice but to trust Jack with her and her sons lives as they race against time and try to piece together the cutthroat world of murder and mayhem that Bill had thrust his family into. As red-hot passion burns strong and sure like wildfire between Jack and beautiful Lauren so does a mad man’s thirst for world dominance that knows no bounds as he would go to any lengths to thwart those who stand in his way to prevent him from executing the perfect plan which would give him total power served on a silver platter.

Likes:

  1. Jack Hunter. He is broody, tortured and hot as sin!! I always love myself a tortured hero who knows what to do with his God given talents in pleasing a woman! And that’s not the only thing that drew me to Jack. He is loyal and wants to do right by what is his though he has had a hard time of things for the last couple of years. And on top of all that, he is black ops military. *sigh* Jack is utterly swoon worthy ladies, I solemnly swear by this! *swoons*
  2. Lauren Collins. She is perfect heroine material for the rough and tough Jack Hunter. With her sons she is the fierce mother tigress protecting her cubs, with Jack she is vulnerable and strong at the same time and what makes her unique is she doesn’t stand down and let Jack take all the control but rather she is an equal partner where she and Jack are concerned. Loved Lauren to bits.
  3. This story opened up my eyes to a lot of things that can go wrong with the precariously balanced “peace” that we take for granted in this world. Just add to it bad guys who are unscrupulous enough and have the means to manipulate the West and  the Islamic world as that happened in this story and you would have a global catastrophe of major proportions on your hands. Being a Muslim myself, I was a bit apprehensive when I started out reading and encountered the scene where Muslims had kidnapped the daughter of the Israeli prime minister. And I thought to myself, please don’t let this story be something where Muslims are portrayed as less than human and I was really glad of the sensitivity with which Ms. Saint handled the issue. There is no overly judgmental stuff going on in the story which brings home the hard truth of a war that was started by the Bush administration which has already cost the common man a lot more just a pretty penny from his pocket. Kudos to Ms. Saint for pulling this off so well.
  4. I liked the secondary stories that were taking place as the story unfolded. I liked how Ms. Saint didn’t overly make the story about the secondary characters, which is sometimes what happens when an author tries to juggle too many characters and their stories in one novel. She has laid the foundation nicely for this new series the rest of the books which has already landed on my auto-buy list. I am really looking forward to reading the story of the Delta Team commander Lt. Col. Roger Weston and Mari, the Muslim widow of Neil who dies in the op that is the starting point of this series and story.
  5. The cover. Believe it or not, the cover was what drew me to the story in the first place. I make it a point to surf through Samhain Publishing at least once a month to find out titles that might interest me. And when I looked into the eyes of the guy on the cover, I was baited enough to read through the synopsis and I have since then been looking forward to its release date which was earlier this month. This one definitely ends up on the fabulous cover list!  ^_^
  6. The creepy villain and his ever more creepy chimpanzee. Gives me the shivers of the bad kind even thinking about his warped mind. But he was a villain who certainly delivered enough to label him as one of the creepiest villains ever and lends the story the edge that it so well receives from him on the danger and adventure front.

Dislikes: As always the lack of a proper epilogue does rankle but not overly much since I hope I would be getting to see a bit of Jack and Lauren in the next couple of books in the series. ^_^

Recommended for: Fans of romantic suspense who love books filled with non-stop adventure and red-hot passion!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Before the Storm by Marian Perera

Format: E-bookbeforethestorm
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Plus Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Eden Trilogy, Book 1
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Lord Robert Demeresna
Heroine: Alexis Khayne
Sensuality: 2.9
Date of Publication: April 6, 2010
Started On: December 6, 2010
Finished On: December 8, 2010

I have never been one to indulge much in the world of fantasy romances, though I know that the world of romances and the happily-ever-after it offers is nothing much more than a fantasy in itself. However, I am talking about an altogether a much different kind of fantasy in this instance, stories where authors spin elaborate and fantastic worlds of their own making, within which mythical creatures of all types reside in, and the sky is literally the limit in what can take place in such a world. Though many read and rave about books such as the Lord of the Rings series or the Harry Potter, I have never had the urge to go buy myself a copy and indulge. And when Ms. Marian Perera approached me and asked whether I would review her book entitled Before the Storm, needless to say, I was a bit apprehensive at first, not knowing what I was going to find once I entered into the realms of the fantastic world that she has created in this trilogy.

The heroine, Alexis Khayne is someone who is treated practically as dirt by her master Stephen Garnath, the ruler of the indestructible coronet city of  Radiath, a man who is hellbent on acquiring power by any means possible. Alexis is known as the Black Mare, mare the term being used for whores, and Alexis is the tool used by Stephen to make use of and allow his friends and foes to make use of whenever he pleases. Alexis has learnt long back to hide what she feels behind a calm facade of nothingness beyond which lives a soul yearning to be free of the shackles with which she has been bound to Stephen since she had agreed to be his paramour. A woman with nothing left to lose, the ability to even bear a child taken away from her, Alexis’s salvation comes in the form of the Bloody Baron, Lord Robert Demeresna.

The baron of Dawnever Robert is the fair and just ruler of his people of the Dawnever Province which lies on the land’s edge. It was said that Robert’s fields were filled with scarecrows made from crucified men and that he had once impaled an opponent, driving an iron spike through the man’s pelvis which had in turn earned him the name Bloody Baron, a name which Robert uses to his advantage. Robert knows of and is wary of the war that he knows is definitely coming his way, in Stephen’s plans to conquer the Dragan cities and become the ruler revered and feared alike by everyone. To this end, Stephen employs a man named Ohallox, an Iternan magician who uses his abilities to help Stephen along in his nefarious mission.

When Stephen presents Alexis to Robert, both Alexis and Robert are equally surprised, apprehensive and wary of the gesture. Never having been presented to a man before in such a way, Alexis is at first scared out of her wits to be presented to someone known as the Bloody Baron to take her away and do with her as however he pleases. Robert and his trusted companion Mayerd, another Iternan sorcerer who had lost all his abilities, thanks to the heartbreaking betrayal he had suffered at his wife’s hands, make short work of allaying their suspicions regarding Robert’s unexpected gift for the time being as they both know that somewhere along the way Alexis would be used to gain the upper hand in a war that was fast approaching.

The last thing Alexis expects is to be left alone with no advances forthcoming of any nature from Robert. Accompanying him and his soldiers in the lengthy journey from Radiath to his home, Alexis plots and plans her escape which becomes thwarted at the last minute. And it is during the days that follow that Alexis learns of Robert’s true nature, and for the first time in her life, Alexis yearns more than anything to be possessed by a man, a man who shows not the slightest interest in her. However, desire and yearning takes a backstage when Stephen strikes like a viper, using the most unlikely of weapons, nearly destroying Robert and his allies with his vicious attack.

The battle that is waged is a fierce one, with Robert’s army sadly outnumbered by Stephen’s greater and much powerful armed forces. However, the one thing that Robert has on his side is the use of weapons from the Quorum, the mighty high lords who use religion as their tool (as most religious scholars do in the real world), their steam bellowing weapons and explosives making the story come alive in a whole different way.

And in the midst of all this, unwanted though at first, an attraction blooms which later grows into something much more as magic, ingenious weaponry, treachery and good old heroism comes into play to win a war against all odds.

Likes:

  1. Though it was at first hard to get a grasp on what was happening and who was who, as soon as I knew what was happening I loved the fantastic world that was created in this novel. Ms. Perera might just have turned me into a fan of fantasy romances with this one and I do thank her for the opportunity to read a fantastic novel which otherwise I may never have tried out. The descriptions of the world they inhabit are done so well that at times I felt as if I were watching a fabulous movie starring an ethereal world that at times I couldn’t for the world of me pull my eyes away from the screen. Kudos to Ms. Perera for a job well done. I am just amazed to say the least of the ingenuity of a mind capable of creating a world such as this one.
  2. Robert. Mind you, he is the 1st beta hero that I have loved. His possessiveness when it comes to Alexis comes to light in subtlety which made it much more sexier in fact! And it was refreshing to read about a hero who is not afraid to admit that he does not have a vast amount of experience when it comes to wooing and satisfying women in bed. So with the tables turned, with Alexis being the experienced one makes for a good change from the norm.
  3. Alexis Khayne. From her unusual name to her strong nature which refuses to break even under the most extenuating circumstances, Alexis is an admirable heroine if there ever was one. She doesn’t spend time on the what-ifs of life, but rather accepts what she is dished out, and love when it does come calling, Alexis doesn’t spend time contemplating on hows and whys, but rather accepts it even though Robert at first apologizes for the fact that he can’t help himself in wanting her. Beautiful, capable, strong and with a mind of her own, Alexis is a heroine I loved right from the very beginning.

Dislikes:

For me, this story was a bit lacking in the romance department. Not that I want explicit sexual content in every other page of the story, but the one thing that makes any sort of romance an excellent one is the sense of awareness and the sexual attraction that simmers, flows and ebbs between the two characters as the story unfolds. Just a tad more in the romance department, and this would have been a 5 star read.

Recommended for: Fans of fantasy romances. The setting here is fantastic, the characters multifaceted and the adventure non-stop!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

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