Romance Book Review: Sondrae Bennett's The Wolf Within

Author: Sondrae Bennett
Series Connection: Alpine Woods Shifters
ISBN: 9781616503369
Genre: Paranormal/ Shifter/ Romance
Publisher: Lyrical Press


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As the sister of three alpha wolf brothers and a sister, all who can shift, full human Julie has a bit of an inferiority complex. She's spent the past few years away at college hoping to met someone she can love, even though she knows she never feel the all consuming love of having her mate.

Branden, a wolf shifter from the Alpine Woods pack, has waited for what seems like forever for Julie to come back from college. He knew she was his mate before she left, but he never told her because he knew she really wanted to get her education. Now that she was home there was nothing stopping him from taking his mate. Nothing except for the fact that she thinks her sister is his mate and a stalker is after her.

Another wonderful story from the Alpine Woods Shifter series. We seem to be coming to the tail end of wolf shifter stories, but I really enjoy reading them. Sondrae Bennett has been doing a great job of keeping the shifter theme going while bringing in real life situations into the story. I really like the mix. The romance is great too. In The Wolf Within, both Julie and Branden seem to be a perfect match. I'm looking forward for the next installment.

Description:
Julie doesn’t know what to think when the man she’s had a crush on her entire life --a man she’s sure is meant to be mated to her sister-- hits on her after she returns home from college. But the harder she tries to distance herself from him, the harder he works to win her over. She knows he couldn’t want to mate with her, a freak who was born full human among shifters. So why won’t he accept her rejection?

Brendan has been waiting for his mate to return for years. Now that she’s finally home, there’s nothing that can keep him from her. Not even her three alpha wolf brothers. But he’s not the only one who’s after Julie. Something else wants to use her for its own evil purposes. Her need for protection allows him to get close, but at what cost? Will his love be enough to keep her safe?

Romance Book Review: Cameron Dane's Quick to the Hunt

Author: Cameron Dane
Series Connection: Hawkins Ranch
ISBN: 978-1-60737-996-6
Genre: Contemporary Western/ M-M Gay Romance

Publisher: Loose-id

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Quick to the Hunt features some connection to the Hawkins Ranch series, but for the most part this book takes anything the previous books delved into and takes it to a new level. This book is by far for the faint at heart. There were times when it got so hard emotionally to read I had to put it down, but I couldn't stop reading for long because I just had to know how it ended.


War hero Hunter Tennison has come home after two tours in the army racked with guilt and anger. The violence built up inside him theatens his overwhelm him.

Moving back home, Hunter meets the man he falls for, but he's too wrapped up in his own demons that he isn't sure he can handle a relationship with him now, maybe never.


Alexander Quick is about to lose his best friend to illness when he meets Hunter. He isn't sure he's ready to get into a relationship with someone who is going through his own demons, but he can't turn away from Hunter. The man draws him in so quickly that he falls in love before he knows it.


Before these two men can be together, Hunter must face his demons and learn to cope. Over the journey to his recovery there are so many starts and stops in this relationship. Alex knows it will take everything in him to wait until Hunter can get better enough to be in a relationship.
 
Description:
War veteran Hunter Tennison returns home physically and emotionally scarred. Unable to bear feeling anything, Hunter uses pain to quiet the chaos and to keep his emotions from destroying him. Hunter dare not risk falling in love. He can’t let anyone get close enough to see the violence inside him.

In business and relationships, Alexander Quick is practical and rational. The first time Alex looks into Hunter’s eyes, he sees the damaged soul within, and adamantly tells himself not to get involved. Too many things could go haywire with a volatile man like Hunter, and Alex doesn’t enter into relationships where he cannot predict the outcome.

Then Alex learns his mentor is ill. The news sends him reeling. Alex suddenly sees his life isn’t as perfect as he thought. An ache for something meaningful stirs in Alex, and Hunter’s broken soul draws him in like a beacon on the blackest night.

Two men, one running like hell from love and the other opening himself to the emotion for the first time, collide. Hunter and Alex begin a darkly sexual relationship bound to explode. In the aftermath, can Alex make Hunter believe their love is powerful enough to heal his scars?

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: male/male sexual practices, self-injury, spanking.

Romance Book Byte: Kasey Michael's A Midsummer Night's Sin

Author: Kasey Michaels
Series Connection: Blackthorn Brothers
ISBN-13: 978-0373776108
Genre: Regency
Publisher: HQN Books


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Description:
Meet the Blackthorn Brothers — three unrepentant scoundrels infamous for being mad, bad and perilous to love…

Handsome as the devil and twice as tempting, Robin "Puck" Blackthorn lives for the pleasures of the moment. His only rule — never dally with an innocent woman. But when an encounter at a masquerade ball leaves him coveting the one woman who refuses to succumb to his charms, Puck realizes that some rules were made to be broken ...

Scandalized to discover that the masked man with whom she'd shared a dance — and a forbidden embrace — is in fact the ton's most celebrated rake, Regina Hackett vows to keep her distance. Yet when her dear friend vanishes, it is to Puck that Regina must turn. And as they embark on a dangerous journey through London's darkest alleys, Regina will discover that beneath Puck's roguish facade lies a man who will stop at nothing to protect her — or to convince her to take a chance on an unrepentant sinner.

Romance Byte: Lindsay McKenna's The Last Cowboy

Author: Lindsay McKenna
Series Connection: Jackson Hole, Wyoming series, book #5
ISBN 13: 978-0-373-77616-0
Genre: Cowboy/ Western Romance
Publisher: HQN

Purchase this book here

Description: 
THE ICONIC COWBOY

Pure alpha male, fiercely protective of all he holds dear.  The last of a dying breed.  Otherwise known as a pain in the rear.

City girl.  It was written all over her like a sign warning him to keep off.  Sure, Slade McPherson would train her horse…  With his ranch one bad day away from foreclosure, he can’t afford to turn away a paying customer.  But no way is this cowboy getting involved with a woman like Jordana Lawton — no matter how pretty she looks in a saddle.

Yet everything can change in an instant.  A terrifying run-in with an angry bull tilts Slade’s world off its axis, leaving him wounded and unable to compete in a race that could change his future.  For good.  But what happens when this old school cowboy finds himself falling for a modern city girl?

THE JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING SERIES
If you’re interested in my new Jackson Hole, Wyoming saga-series (and it will also have some of the Trayhern family children in them), here is the list so far.  You can buy them at www.eharlequin.com

Book #1:  SHADOWS FROM THE PAST, HQN, December 2009, Kamaria Trayhern’s book.  Morgan’s Mercenaries Saga.  Book 42.  Beginning of the new saga-series, Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Book #2:  DEADLY IDENTITY, HQN, December 2010, Deputy Sheriff Cade Garner and Rachel Carson’s story.
Book #3:  DEADLY SILENCE, HQN, July 2011, Casey Cantrell’s story.  Morgan’s Mercenaries Saga.  (Casey is a twin, youngest of the Alyssa and Clay Cantrell family).
Book #4:  THE LAST COWBOY, HQN, December 2011, Slade McPherson’s story.
Book #5:  THE WRANGLER, HQN, July 2012, Griff McPherson’s story.

Site shows how to make a romance book wallet

Like the idea of re-purposing? Here's a great way to put your favorite romance novels to good use. This blogger shows how to make a wallet out of books: http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/romance_novel_wallet

This picture from their site is a little blurry, but the instructions are step by step and fun.

Cute holiday gift idea

 

http://www.cafepress.com/+r_is_for_reading_jr_hoodie,127666066

Don't know anything about this person who made this, but thought it would make a great gift for this holidays for someone who likes to read. Cute Hoodie style sweatshirt.

Romance Book Review: Alexis Ke's The Shadow Box

Author: Alexis Ke
ISBN: 9781603107037
Category: Contemporary/ Erotic Romance/ Interracial Romance
Publisher: Red Sage Publishing


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Very nicely written and triple X hot, Alexis Ke holds readers attention with this short story of friendship, love and erotic delights.

Afryca has been in love with her co-worker and friend Simon for a long time, but has been too afraid to let him know her feelings for fear of losing the relationship they have.

Simon feels the same way about Afryca but is convinced he doesn't stand a chance.

Then one night by accident they both have a chance to see exactly where their attraction can lead, but can each take the chance to see this relationship outside the secret club they meet at?

Two wonderfully strong, if not for the fact that they both seem to have inferiority complexes. This story is short, but comes to a quick resolution of the characters' ultimate conflict.

Description:
Afryca Leigh spent her entire adult life living and thinking IT. When she wasn’t at work fixing and tweaking computer tech, she was at home playing it.  Life was good.  That was, until she realized there was more to the guy next door, the best buddy who she’d known almost her entire life.  Now she wants more.  Her thoughts during the day and dreams at night are filled with images of Simon Ellery doing things to her she never thought possible.  But dreams are just that… dreams.  She knows he doesn’t see her the same way and no way is she stepping over the line of friendship.  After all, she tries to convince herself, she’d rather have a good friend.  Who’s she fooling?

 Simon Ellery kept his secrets just that… secret.  No one knew the true man hidden behind the glasses and the cocky smile.  But, Afryca Leigh is stirring things in him he thought she shouldn’t.  After all she was the girl next door, a friend for as long as he could remember. What her quietly simple voice did to him was impossible to put words to it. It was dangerous.  And this time it’s more than plain old lust.  But will she accept him for who he is, every exciting secret?  Will she accept he touch of his hands and the flick of his tongue or will his secrets run her away.

Reader Alert! : Afryca didn’t know entering the Shadow Box would send her secret desires into a whirlwind of sexual pleasure. The one man she’s dreamt about has spiraled her into a glorious, tantalizing awareness she didn’t think possible. Beware. When reading this story make sure you have two things available. 1. A tall ice cold glass of water and two a change of under ware because you will definitely overheat in the best way.

Romance Book Review: Shea McMaster's Rachel Dahlrumple

Author: Shea McMaster
ISBN: 9781616503291
Genre: Romance/ Contemporary
Publisher: Lyrical Press

Purchase this book here.

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It is 4th of July, 2009, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett have just died. Not only that, a famous football player has been found shot to death in the apartment of a woman who appears to have taken her own life. Everyone is watching the news to hear what celebrity news to see what will happen next.


Rachel can only feel sympathy for the families of those who have lost their loved ones, especially the football player's wife. She knows exactly how that woman must feel since she is now in the Myst of her own scandal after the death of her husband.

Rachel's husband was found dead while doing the nasty with another woman, and now Rachel is learning all kinds of things about her husband of 17 years she wished she didn't know. Not only that. it appears someone wants her dead and she has no idea who, only that it is someone related to her husband. Luckily she has handsome Deputy Dan to help her when she is attacked by poison plants and snakes and to help her over the heartbreak of her husband's deceptions.


This novel is written all in the first person and runs as an autobiography of the events that take place in Rachel Dahlrumple's life from the day before her husband's death until authoring the her thoughts of that time. At times the story seems to run a little slow, but readers get a chance to see the emotional ups and downs of Rachel's life as she and her friends try to decipher the mess her husband left behind.

There is a bit of a mystery to the story in trying to find out who the person is who is trying to poison Rachel.

Description:
Her husband's death is just the beginning of her marital woes.

Rachel's humiliation over the discovery of her late husband's affairs turns to fear when one of his mistresses sends her a poisoned bouquet. But finding the source of the killer flowers is only one step on her path to solving the mystery her husband left behind.

Deputy Dan Weston is with Rachel when the bouquet arrives, and he's at her side as she deals with so many of the secrets that come to light after her husband's death. Dan has carried a torch for Rachel since puberty and he's not going to let her dead husband's vindictive girlfriends or his psychotic mother come between them now. But that means finding out who is sending snakes and poisoned posies before one kills Rachel.

Romance Book Review: Pepper Anthony's Macy's Awakening

Author: Pepper Anthony
Digital ISBN: 9781937325091
Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance/ Interracial Romance/ May-December Romance
Publisher: Broadwalk Press

Purchase this book here

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When Macy finds herself away from home and in trouble, her father has sought out an old friend to help her. Jerrod is a lawyer in Portland. Recently divorced he finds himself immediately attracted to the young woman, but is determined to do his best to get her out of trouble he knows she's innocent of and stay away from her.

But soon he realizes that his attraction to Macy is mutal and then two of them together is something that he can't keep himself away from.


Macy's Awakening offers a fairly decent romance story wrapped around a series of erotic romance scenes. Although the potential is there for a lot of conflict within the story the novella doesn't really give the chance to take the story out of the bedroom. Not bad for a quick weekend read.

Description:
Can Macy and Jerrod overcome the differences in their age and race to find lasting love?

On Macy Wilson’s first grown-up adventure to the big city, she inadvertently ends up in jail. Her father hires an old college friend, defense attorney Jerrod Preston, to get Macy out of trouble. Jerrod is more than willing to help out his buddy by representing the gorgeous young black woman, but finds he must first battle his intense attraction to her, especially when the judge puts Macy under his protective custody.

Still an innocent at the age of nineteen, Macy ignores the differences in their age and race and sees the opportunity to learn all about sex from the handsome older man. On her second night in his home, a naked midnight rendezvous at the hot tub proves too powerful for either to resist, and Macy is awakened to pleasure like nothing she could have imagined.

But the morning brings feelings of remorse on both their parts. Macy knows her father wouldn’t approve, and Jerrod is convinced Macy should be with someone closer to her own age. They settle into an uneasy platonic relationship, both secretly longing for the love that now seems just beyond their grasp.

Then an unforeseen circumstance raises the stakes, and Macy must make the toughest decision of her life. When she lays claim to the man she can’t forget, will Jerrod send her away, or dare to open his heart to love once more?

Content Warning: explicit sex

Romance Book Review: Lora Leigh's The One

Author: Lora Leigh
ISBN: 9781419934414
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Publisher: Ellora's Cave

Purchase This Book Here

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Brenna is desparately in love with her stepbrother, Jase. On Jase's birthday she finally makes her move, only to be rejected. When her stepfather leaves her in an impossible situation Brenna must face her stepbrother's anger or face the chance of his losing his family ranch.

Hot as ever for Lora Leigh, but the novella was way to short and a little confusing. I can definitely see this moving into a full novel if she ever decides to revise the story.

Description:
Brenna’s love for Jase has grown from a crush to a soul-searing need, a painful hunger…and an unrequited ache, because the savagely sexy Texan doesn’t feel the same. A bequest and stipulation in his father’s will have hardened Jase, it seems. Now she must endure three months of living under his roof. Three torturous, tension-filled months and Brenna will have fulfilled the stipulation; will be free to attempt to regain the heart lost to Jase so long ago.

Since the age of eighteen, Jase has protected Brenna—from himself, as much as anyone else. Living with her proves too rousing even for his iron will. He’ll claim what’s his, take Brenna in ways he’d previously only dreamed, sink so deeply inside her luscious body he’ll never find his way out. And be damned if he’ll let her go.

A scorching Texas summer can’t compete with blazing lust as Brenna gives in, gives over, gives all that she is to Jase, to the only man she’s every loved…to the one.

Author: Willa Okati
ISBN: 978-1-61118-424-2
Genre: Contemporary/ M-M Romance
Publisher: Loose-id Publishing

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Most times heart breaking, sometimes frustrating, Make a Right features the story of two men who meet as teenagers in a foster home, both shaped by their young life. Together they embark on a life in love, until one mistake breaks them up.

Six months later, Tuck is still trying to find a way to get the love of his life, Cade, back. The wedding of two of their foster sisters gives Tuck a chance to get Cade to forgive him. The problem is that Cade has kept a big secret from Tuck all these years. A secret that he has felt the guilt from everyday since they day they met.

Thinking it is best to leave well enough alone and continue to go their separate ways, Cade pushing Tuck away at every turn, while at the same time sending signals to Tuck that he still loves him.

The feelings and depth in the words within this novel will keep readers on an emotional roller coaster. This is not a book for someone who is looking for a fun loving romance, but well worth the read for someone who wants to read a gripping love story. This story is told in the third person, completely from Tuck's point of view, which really works to keep the mystery of the secret going.

Description:
Stubborn, loving, and loyal, Tuck would take care of the world if the world would let him. When he loves, he loves for life. Even when he’s on the edge of a breakup with Cade he can’t give up hope for their future. Tuck knows that a painful secret from his past is haunting Cade and driving him away. He swears he’ll find out what’s wrong and make it right or die trying. When he and Cade are invited to the wedding of a pair of foster kids they once rescued, Tuck convinces Cade to go with him. They’ll pretend nothing’s wrong so they won’t spoil the wedding for the girls they think of as daughters.

Being this close to Tuck again, Cade’s resolve stumbles. He’s falling in love again--but it won’t last unless he and Tuck can reconcile their differences. Though Cade wants to tell Tuck the truth, pride keeps his lips sealed. He knows his one chance at a reconciliation is giving up his secrets. The reward would be absolute--but can Cade find the courage to take the risk and face the consequences?

Two wrongs don’t usually make a right.

But sometimes, once upon a time? They do.

Romance Book Review: Lexie Davis' His Handyman

Author: Lexie Davis
ISBN: 978-0-85715-178-0
Genre: Contemporary/ Gay MM
Publisher: Total-e-Bound


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After a messy breakup Austin's sister convinces him that taking on a project like building a new deck in his backyard will get his mind off his misery. The only problem is Austin is definitely not the handyman type. Going to the hardware store for advice may have been the best thing he could do.

Roman has worked construction for his father for years, but when his family finds out he is gay, he decides its time for a career change for a while. He takes on the job at a local hardware store and that is where he meets Austin.

I really liked this story because both Austin and Roman seemed so real. They are just two people who find each other at the right time. The author presents a wonderful love story.

Description:
One hot summer. Two horny men. It doesn't take a calculus teacher to do this math.

In an effort to get over his ex, high school calculus teacher, Austin Beckham, decides to work on a long-awaited house project to pass the time of summer vacation. Problem, though, he has no clue how to build his dream deck.

Roman has worked in construction nearly his entire life and wanted a change after his father caught him with another man in the construction trailer on a job site. So he takes a lower-paying job at the local hardware store.

What started out as a simple question from Austin turns into something more when he invites Roman to his place. Playboy Roman is good with his hands but how will he handle matters of the heart?

Romance Byte: Nora Robert's The Next Always

Author: Nora Roberts
Series Connection: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy #1
ISBN: 9780425243213
Genre: Romance/ Ghosts
Publisher:  Penguin Group (USA)


Already getting mixed reviews even though it has only been out since Nov. 1, although I am dismayed to read that some of the reviewers haven't even read the book yet, but are giving their opinion on it and placing rankings.

A reviewer from Amazon, who apparently did read the book and gave it only 2 stars said: "More troubling, however, is the fact that it seems to be a novel-length advertisement for her inn, her husband's bookshop, and her son's pizzeria in Boonsboro, MD. The three main businesses in the book really exist and belong to her family. Granted, the characters are fictional, but it's rather tacky and somewhat creepy to use a novel in this way."

This is one of those cases where fans of Nora might want to pick up the book and read it themselves. I will say that many authors write what they know and readers who get upset because of this would probably be appalled at how many times this is done by other authors who aren't as well know as Nora.

Description:
The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it’s getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett’s social life consists mostly of talking shop over pizza and beer. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was fifteen…

Romance Book Review: Brandie Buckwire's Fighting Faith

Author: Brandie Buckwire

ISBN: N/A
Genre: Erotic Romance
Publisher: Smashboard

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I originally found this book in a sample format. The beginning of the story seemed to go well. Faith is the ultimate rock and roll fan. She has made her career video-taping bands and helping to promote them. When she sees Eric and his band performing she has high hopes for them. Giving a critique about the band to band leader Eric didn't start their relationship off too well, but their is a fine line between love and hate. Before they know it they are off on a sexual affair that is likely to give everyone goosebumps.

This isn't quite the sweet romance it had promise in starting. At times their romance takes a few violent turns, so be prepared before picking up this book. Otherwise, I believe this book has quite a bit of promise and shows the author is worth me checking out another book of hers in the future.



Description:
Eric’s band is on the verge of making the big time and life is good. But when he’s forced to work with Faith, a sexy but hateful woman, life for the foreseeable future might be a little rocky.

The tension between Eric and Faith is nearly tangible. Their troublesome friction abruptly becomes a lust-hate situation, fraught with vicious barbs and spite, but an explosive sexual chemistry could burn them both, leaving nothing but a pile of ashes in its wake. But Cupid has a wicked sense of humor, and the two of them will find that the person you hate the most can rock your world the hardest.

Romance Book Review: Carol Lynne's Happy Trails

Author: Carol Lynne
ISBN: 978-1-60735-402-4
Genre: Erotic Romance/ Male/Male
Publisher: Respendence Publishing

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Very short erotic novella featuring a young man, Sam, taking a hike with his brother and his brother's best friend, Nick, whom he has has a crush on. After falling and hurting himself Sam's brother takes off for help, leaving him alone with Nick for the night. The two men finally show each other how they feel about each other.

Description:
Sam Sloan discovers more than nature when he steps out of his comfort zone for a hike up a mountain and a weekend of camping. When a fall lands him in the arms of his hiking companion, Nick, Sam begins to have a whole new appreciation for the desolation of the mountain.