The Gladiator by Carla Capshaw

The Gladiator by Carla Capshaw

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was a beautiful book. I have long been wishing to read a Christian romance that delivered such a rich story as this. I loved how the love story was full, and it was as much about the love between Pelonia and Caros, as it was also Pelonia’s love for Christ, and how she was able to come into Caros’ life and to help him to heal and to come to know Christ. Ms. Capshaw did such a great job of showing this without it being preachy. The message of God’s love and how it gave Pelonia strength and how it could heal Caros’ deep emotional wounds was rich. The narrative never came off as pedantic or filled with spiritual public service announcements. It truly was about people of faith living their lives. There weren’t any easy answers. Pelonia had a struggle sometimes to act true to her faith, putting her faith in God to help her and to be her strength, which is the experience of all Christians. She didn’t realize that her actions showed the truth of her message. Caros saw how her faith was her foundation, how it gave her peace, and he came to want to know her God, who had made her such a beautiful, peace-filled person.

Caros had the traits that I love in a good hero: he was strong, but gentle, loving, possessive. He was very masculine, and he was a good man, even if he had lived a rough life, and done things he couldn’t forgive himself for. I could easily see why Pelonia fell in love with him. I could also see how the Lord had brought those two together.

I also liked the developing secondary romance between Quintus, a slave who is being trained as a gladiator by Caros, and Adiona, Caros’ seemingly hardened widow friend. In a way, she is like a male version of Caros. She seems hard and cruel, but down deep, she hides wounds that keep her from living a full life. I have a feeling that Quintus will bring love into her life.
The setting of this book took me back to Rome in the period of the early Christian church. It was very disheartening to see how Christians were treated, murdered for their faith and called deviants. It called me to stand strong in my own faith, considering that people were martyred by the thousands back then (and still are in parts of the world). The least of my worries is facing humiliation or being scorned by people because I believe in Jesus.

I really want to thank Ms. Capshaw for writing this book. She ministered to me so fruitfully. I needed the lessons in this book, as they strengthened my faith, but also took my mind off my own troubles. It was a good lesson that you are never beyond God’s grace, and God has a plan that he will see through. It may not make sense, but His will can’t help but be done; and you are a part of His plan in whatever way that is unique to you, because you are precious to God. Ms. Capshaw did a better job of showing this message than I can in this review, and I’m glad of that. I am so happy I had the chance to read The Gladiator, and I look forward to reading more of her books. If someone asks for a recommendation for a good Christian romance to read, or a romance that is just plain fulfilling for any romance or historical fiction reader, I’d be happy to recommend this one.




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Street Game by Christine Feehan

Street Game by Christine Feehan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
To express my powerful feelings for the GhostWalker series, I would like to borrow the words from Oliver by its namesake: "May I have some more please?" Street Game takes the GhostWalker series to a different level, but captures everything that I loved about the preceeding books. I love how this series is so intricate, with different storylines that intersect. There are familiar things here that continue to light my fire for this series, but this story is also unique as Mack McKinley and Jaimie Fielding get closure on their past relationship.

Street Game focuses on the Urban Warfare team led by Mack McKinley. He loves his job and what he does. He even loves the enhancements that Whitney's program has given him. This is slightly different from the heroes in the prior books, because they generally felt betrayed that their bodies had been manipulated in such a fashion. Mack takes it all in stride, enthusiastic that his enhancement enable him to do what he does best, fighting the bad guys and protecting his country.

Mack is very much an alpha hero. In fact, he almost comes off as nearly unlikeable at times. He is the macho type, not one to express his feelings unless it involves putting his fist into something, giving orders to his men (and girlfriend), and expecting them to be followed, or having a bout of energetic sex with his girlfriend. He is blown away when Jaimie leaves him. He tells himself that she'll come back, because she needs him much more than he needs her. However, he finds that to be far from the case. Jaimie was his everything, and every day without her is like a gaping hole in his life. When a mission leads him to Jaimie's doorstep, he's determined to get her back, still baffled that she left him.

I said that Mack nearly was hard to like at times. Well, this would be be the case without Ms. Feehan's masterful handling of him. Hugely surprising to this GhostWalker fan, but Mack is probably the most alpha hero yet in this series. He is aggressive and intensely male, take charge, and used to giving orders. At first, it's hard to see his vulnerabilities, because he's quite adept at keeping that part of himself concealed. He's not a man who likes feeling helpless or wounded, and doesn't know how to express himself emotionally. Being in control is crucial for him. Before, this was something that Jaimie was used to. Mack was the one who kept their self-formed family together. They met when Jaimie was an eight year old genius who was already in high school, and Mack took care of her from the very beginning, protecting her from bullies and watching over her, along with the rest of the guys and girl they grew up with in their Chicago neighborhood. Over time, their relationship became a romantic one. For as long as he could remember, Jaimie was his, to protect, to watch over, and to come home to, loving the fire that they had together. Mack always admired Jaimie's intelligence, and was proud of her, but he didn't like her expressing doubts about the GhostWalker program, especially on a botched mission, and his way of dealing with it turned out to be the last straw for Jaimie.

Jaimie never stopped loving Mack, although she knew they couldn't be together, because they were too different, and she didn't like the violence of what their GhostWalker abilities allowed them to do. She didn't trust their superiors when they went into a mission that could have led to the death of some of their team members. When she tried to express her doubts about it, Mack doesn't listen. Instead he dismisses her concerns. She's devastated that he doesn't trust her or take what she's saying seriously, and knows that she has to leave him. Two years later, Jaimie has made a new life for herself, but plans to set up her business so she can take care of her brothers. She knows she can't be with Mack any more that way, but she still cares about him. When Mack and his team end up on her doorstep, she isn't surprised, knowing that she's being set up to be taken out because of the information she had recovered about the conspiracy behind the GhostWalker experimentation.

This book delves further into the conspiracies behind the GhostWalker program, going above and beyond Whitney to the power players that have ties with the White House. Jaimie is a thinking woman's heroine. Her phenomenal brain and analytical skills are used to follow the trails of information to find out who is setting up the GhostWalker teams and why. This installment of the series flows seamlessly into the other books, although the only returning characters are peripheral ones, or characters we only got an intriguing glimpse of in past books. Instead, we meet a whole new group of men, who managed to claim their place in my heart. What I love about this series is that each book makes me want more.

Christine Feehan really knows how to write characters that you become attached to, and yearn to read about. You see their flaws and their pain, and you want them to be happy. This book challenged me, because men like Mack tend to rub me the wrong way. I'm not a big fan of chest-thumping type men. But I was allowed to peel back the layers to see that Mack is a simple, yet complex man who takes his responsibilities very seriously. He has to be brash and confident, because he takes the lives of his team as a powerful responsibility. His way of taking care of others is leading and protecting them. For him, his feelings for Jaimie couldn't be described with mere words. Yet, Mack had to learn that Jaimie needed more from him that he was giving her. He thought that she saw his devotion and adoration, but she felt as though her only place in his life was as his hero-worshipping, cheerleading, brainy, and nurturing girlfriend.

This book has some moments that really strike me with their emotional intensity. These moments show the profound nature of the feelings between the characters. My favorite is when Mack is finally able to express into words just how much he loves Jaimie. I love how that scene is written, and how unexpected it was. She's blown away by it, and so am I. You know that Mack will never be the type to say the three words all the time, and freely, but it's more than clear how much he does love Jaimie. The steamy sex in this novel is pretty awesome, but the emotions behind it are what really enthrall this reader. You feel the fire between Mack and Jaimie, and the powerful bond between them that goes beyond the bedroom to the deepest parts of their heart and minds.

As usual, I love all the interactions between the GhostWalker team. I already love the new characters introduced in this installment, and look forward to seeing more of them. Each character brings something different to the table. I am impressed with the incredible storyline that Ms. Feehan has created with this series. I love reading about the abilities of the different characters, and how they seem imminently plausible, but fantastic at the same time. The action scenes are well-done, and I feel that this book would appeal to a fan of techno-thrillers as much as paranormal and romantic suspense fans. But what I love about these books is how you get the octane moments, the well-thought out and often mind-boggling plot involving the GhostWalkers, the steamy love scenes, the funny and heartwarming moments, and the three-dimensional characters that you cannot help but love, all fashioned together into a beautiful package. This book ends with the evidence that there are more adventures ahead, as the groundwork is laid to follow up on some important storylines introduced in the preceeding books, and touched on in this installment. And all I can say is, I Can't Wait!!

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Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan

Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Despite a slow start, I ended up loving this book. There was much to love in it, after all. If you read this book, hang in the past the helicopter scene, which was filled with a bit too much technical information. You might like it, but I found it was a little dry for me. Shortly thereafter, things really take off.

Ty Derrick isn't your typical hero. He is extremely intelligent. So intelligent that he isn't very good at doing the normal life kinds of things. He has poor social skills, and will say exactly what he thinks. Ty is a nerd. He's a delicious nerd. I am so happy that Ms. Feehan was brave enough to write a hero who was without any doubt a big nerd. Now Ty is also gorgeous and built from his extreme sports. But the cool thing is Libby has loved him from afar in large part because of his brilliance. Although most things of normal life cannot keep his interest, Ty was always interested in Libby, but hadn't worked up the nerve to pursue her until this book starts. It's good that he finally decided that she was the woman he wanted. Ty is not an easy man to love or to live with. So it's great that Libby understands and accepts him for who he is (in ways that no one ever did, including his cousin, whom he is very close with). He's so abstract in his thinking, so absent-minded, in the ways that truly brilliant people are. However, as the book unfolds, it is clear to see the change that Libby's love makes on him, and it is realistic. Ty will always be the absent-minded professor, but Libby has become one of his major fixations, and she'll always take number one spot in his life. Ty might be a braniac, but he makes a formidable hero in pursuit, and definitely makes my possessive/jealous heroes list.

I loved seeing Libby's story. She's truly a gentle, loving person. Her gift for healing is incredible, and she uses it with profound cost to herself in this book. I am a big fan of heroines who are educated and have careers in the scientific and technical fields. I loved how she was able to meet Ty on his level, although he is more on the analytic side of science, and she is on the applied, humanistic side. Their discussions on science and medicine were interesting to me (since I am in the medical science field), and it was an excellent way to show that this couple were made for each other.

Ty and Libby is one of those couples I root for. They are very good together. They seemed to complement each other. Ty finds it hard to feel, and Libby feels maybe too much. Instead of it being the case of Ty walking all over Libby's feelings (although he seemed to say cutting things to her in school that hurt her, he didn't mean it from a cruel way, but didn't know how to talk to this girl he was in awe of), he finds the ability to open up to her and love her in ways that he never could love anyone. Ty did frustrate me how he was determined to believe that the Drake family was a bunch of shysters, but it made sense for a man so rational and used to applying the principles of science to everything, and breaking everything down to its fundamental level, would have trouble reconciling the powerful magic of the Drake family. When Ty begins to pursue Libby, he is determined to save her from her family. I am really glad that this was not dragged out too long. I like how Ms. Feehan resolved Ty's doubts about the magical abilities of Libby and her sisters. I like how Ty came to find himself the family he always felt he was denied with the Drake sisters. He becomes part of their circle of love and protection.

Ty and Libby had excellent chemistry, but also a love for each other was gentle and strong in equal measures. They cared for each other and wanted each others' happiness. The love scenes are pretty sizzling, and show that their bond is deeper than just physical. I really love how Ms. Feehan wrote the perfect hero for each sister, intensely compatible and right for these wonderful women.

I never realized how much I would come to enjoy the theme of this series. I don't want to belabor a point about my usually avoidance of witch stories. But these books really show the elemental nature of these incredible young women, how good they are, and how natural what they can do is. I truly love the scenes in which the sisters are spending time together, how deep their love and support for each other is. How much they are willing to sacrifice for each other. They really show how strong family can and should be. I liked that Jackson and Jonas were in this book a lot. They are great characters, and I can't get enough of them. You can see how important they are to the Drake sisters, although they haven't found their happy endings with their respective Drake sisters quite yet. Only brief appearances by Damon and Matt, alas.

Again, I was laughing out loud with this story. Christine Feehan is really funny. I love the humor in her books. It's just as good as all the intense passion, steamy love scenes, and tortured angst, and it's a great counterbalance to the darker, more serious and emotionally-wrenching moments.


This book had less of the supernatural darkness aspects than some of the books. It was more of a crime/mystery type plot underlying the love story. The resolution of this story was rather heartbreaking in some ways. There is a happy ending, but the betrayal that Ty faces is astounding.

I am so glad that I picked this book up again after laying it down a couple of months ago, because this time I could barely put it down. It just goes to prove what a mood reader I am. It was a bittersweet read for me, since this is the last Drake sisters book that I can read for the first time (I ended up reading this series out of order). But I have a feeling I will be rereading this series sometime in the future. And there's always Ilya's brothers' books to look forward to. Thanks for writing another excellent book, Ms. Feehan.

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Woman Hater by Diana Palmer

Woman Hater by Diana Palmer


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reading this book this week turned out to be a serendipitous thing. I needed a book like this in my life right now. I'm kind of homesick, overworked, stressed, and tired. And a great book really helps to lighten my load. There are things about this book that I loved that I could go hoarse trying to explain to someone who doesn't 'get' why people enjoy Diana Palmer's writing.

Every writer has a formula. Find me one who doesn't if you want to dispute this statement. Sometimes the formula is disguised as anti-formula, but it's still there, all right. I think some authors get lambasted much more than others for their formula. Heck, I've been reading Diana Palmer for about 20 years, maybe more. I will freely admit that she does have a formula. And my retort to a mean-spirited anti-Diana Palmer reader is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Why do I say that? Because she can write a book that can make me laugh, stir my emotions, turn on the heat, without being overly descriptive, blatantly sexual, or outside of pretty much any reader's sexual comfort zone, and make me cry or feel like I might cry, and I end the book happy that the couple found their happy ending together. Do I love all the elements in her books? No. But I can't say there is a writer in my list of favorites where I can say that I don't dislike some aspect of what they have included in a story. That's including my absolute faves (including Diana Palmer): Anne Stuart, Kresley Cole, JR Ward, Christina Dodd, Nalini Singh, Lisa Kleypas, Laura Kinsale, Sherrilyn Kenyon/Kinley MacGregor, Simon R. Green, Jim Butcher, Manly Wade Wellman, and many more.

If I were to way the things I don't like about Diana Palmer's writing against what I love, she'd still and does make my list.

What I don't love/like:
--excessively hairy men
--cigarette-smoking men
--minimum of ten year age difference between hero and heroine
--tendency for hero to be verbally abusive (but I can see why most of them are that way. She writes very tortured heroes who have a history of being betrayed by a woman in some way. The most verbally abusive ones had a bad experience with a mother, and that can really mess a person up. She does the 'I am mean because I don't want to be in love' hero very well, in my opinion. There are a couple that I felt were worthy of being brained to death with my titanium shovel that I keep handy for jerky heroes, but most of them, I can end the book feeling like they've made up for their bad behaviors.)

What I do love about her writing:
--she can make laugh like crazy. She is such a funny writer. I love to laugh. You do the math.
--she has wholesome characters (and is not afraid for them to have old-fashioned morals)
--she tries to introduce information about different cultures (and peoples of different cultures) into her stories (although I wish she would have some Black characters move to Jacobsville).
--she writes extremely poignant, emotional stories with characters I feel for and care about
--even though her heroes can be mean at times, they do repent and show their remorse and go on to be very loving and caring to their heroines, and they are not physically abusive or sexually cruel
--personally, her gentle heroines (often disparagingly called doormats) don't bother me. I like them. Some are more tolerant than others, but she has some pretty smart alecky heroines who can give tit for tat, and score some verbal darts to keep them neck for neck with the hero. Her heroines are usually very kind, and are often very tormented. I love a tortured hero (a lot), but I also appreciate a tormented heroine. I like to see her get the happiness she deserves at the end of the story. I like her heroines. They are really good women who don't always get the best shots in their life. They make lemonade out of lemons, and that's to be admired.
--she's not afraid to write a virginal, less-experienced, or celibate hero, or a hero who might have a sexual dysfunction, for that matter.
--personally I think she has tried to do different things with her writing. Yeah, the rare Diana Palmer hater out there who reads this review might disagree with that, but how many Diana Palmer books have you read to dispute this? I've lost count of how many of her books I've read.

Argh!! Why do I always have to go into Diana Palmer defense mode? I love her, and that's good enough for me. I think it's because I think she's a dear, sweet lady, and I just want to hug her. Her books have brought so much joy into my life for more than half of my time on this earth. Even when I cast my most critical eye on her books, I still love what she does, because she's such a good storyteller. It says something when an author can have similar storylines, but still engage a reader's interest and enjoyment. I can't say I love all her stories to the same degree (only one story got a C rating from me by this author), but I always enjoy reading them, and the time spent on them. And they stay on my keeper shelf.

Well, Woman Hater is an older book that somehow got past my Diana Palmer radar. Thank you, HMS, for bringing this one to my attention. I was lucky enough to find it on Amazon used for a decent price, and I bought it. I'm so glad I did. This story does have a hero who has a grudge against women. Yet surprisingly, although he blew hot and cold, he wasn't cruel to Nicole. At the most, he kept her at a safe distance, until his passion seemed to get out of control (which happened frequently). You could tell that he genuinely liked and respected her from the beginning. He was very sweet to her, and really wooed her very gently and showed her the adoration a hero should show to his heroine. When she needed him, he was there for her.

I enjoyed hearing about life on the ranch in Montana, the interactions between Winthrop and Nicole (great chemistry from the beginning), and the secondary characters. I wanted to be in Montana in the fall, during a bad blizzard, stuck in the ranch house with Winthrop, Nicole, his brother Gerald, and various other cast and characters. I was sitting at the car dealership this morning, laughing out loud, and not minding the long wait for my car. In fact, I was happy to wait because I had some actual reading time for this book. I admire how Ms. Palmer can write romances that are very genteel in their love scenes, but very sensuous at the same time. I don't know how she does it, but I do find her love scenes stirring (did I say that out loud?)

Nicole has some very troubling issues with her family. I felt really bad for her because of what happened with her mother and father. I had to give her props for walking away from what she did, gaining her independence, and her own life, and sticking to what was right. I don't know how you can call a woman who could do what she did a doormat or weak. I certainly don't. I liked how she came to terms with her father, who had a 'Peter Pan' syndrome like you wouldn't believe. She had to open her mind and heart to seeing that he wasn't the villain that she always thought he was.

I liked Winthrop. I think he was flawed in a very human, relatable manner. Like him, when I am hurt by people, I tend to withdraw into myself. I am not one to put myself out there to get hurt again and again, so I don't blame him for keeping women at a distance, when his love turned her back on him because of a potentially crippling injury. That would really destroy a person's pride and ability to trust. He saw Nicole working for his brother, and part of him fell in love with her then and there, although he couldn't admit it to himself. She never left his mind, and he was afraid to love her. But for all that, he did what needed to be done, and showed his love in a way that brought tears to my eyes.

Ah, this sap loves the romance of that kind of story. I had to give this to be a five star read because it was really enjoyable. I laughed, almost cried, felt for the characters, and I was so interested, I didn't want to put it down. If you can find this one, definitely give it a read. If you haven't read Diana Palmer, but you've heard really ugly things about her, don't let that dissuade you if you want to give her a try for yourself. No, she might not be everyone's cup of tea. And that's okay. However, I assert that Ms. Palmer has earned her fans' loyalty in her many years of writing. I'll speak for myself. She's definitely a woman who has my steadfast loyalty.

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Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan

Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is probably one of the toughest reviews I've ever written, because of the very sensitive subject relating to what Elle endures in this book. I write this review with all due respect to other friends who have read this book and had issues and serious objections to the depiction of rape and abuse that occurs. I also write a disclaimer that I am not qualified to say what a rape victim can go through and how soon she can recover to move onto a normal life. All I can do is say what I personally think of the book. I know that some will disagree, but we all see things differently, and that's okay.

I thought this book was a very intense and moving story. I went into reading it with a heavy stone in my gut, afraid that I couldn't handle the events that occurred. In my humble opinion, I thought Ms. Feehan wrote those events tastefully, and she showed just enough for you to realize what a terrible ordeal Elle went through. I really was expecting to see minute by minute, scene by scene descriptions of what this psychopath did to her. It wasn't written like that, thankfully. However, there are a couple of real time scenes that are hard to read. But I think they could have been much, much worse. I came through those pages with a feeling of strange relief. I did make it through and I didn't break down.

Now some readers question why Ms. Feehan felt she had to put Elle through this. Why does crap happen in life? I think we all ask ourselves that. Should a character in a romance novel be immune from the horrors of life that occur? I don't think so. Are there some horrors I can't bear reading about in a romance novel? Yes, indeed. For myself, I can read about a character who has been raped in a romance novel. It's a rough thing and a touchy subject. But if it is approached with sensitivity, I can deal with it. I have other subjects I don't want to touch with a ten foot pole. That doesn't mean that those who don't want to read about rape or abuse are wrong or right. It's just different comfort levels.

I don't know what Ms. Feehan was thinking when she plotted out this novel. What I suspect is that she wanted to show the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst events possible. I think she wanted to have her character go down to the pits of despair and realize that she could rise above it. Maybe she wanted to have Elle and Jackson be on completely equal footing. It is not said explicitly, but it's clear that Jackson was also raped when he was kept as a prisoner by enemies during his time in Special Forces. I have a feeling that she wanted us to see how Elle has to come to the realization and acceptance of her destiny as the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter, and all the burdens that come along with that. Maybe she wanted the bridge between Elle and her destined mate Jackson to be that much stronger for what they have suffered together, and the kinship that formed when Elle made contact mentally with Jackson when he was being held prisoner and tortured. And conversely, how he refused to give up and moved mountains to get her back and to help her recover. Frankly, I think she was very brave to write this. Considering the backlash she's gotten, she really took a chance with this story.

In all honesty, I didn't feel that the ugly events that occurred to Elle was a huge diversion from the original books. In my opinion, this is a series with fairly dark subject matter from the beginning. I think the events in this book were slightly, but only slightly harder to read then when Hannah was savaged by the crazy man with a knife. Sexual violence hits home much worse, but the cruelty and horror of being violently attacked is bad, period. I have read all but two of the Drake stories, and they were all somewhat grim in some aspects of the storyline. But, this grimness is contrasted to the power of the love and sisterhood of the Drake women, and the men they love.

Do I feel that Elle recovered pretty fast from her ordeal? Maybe. But, I have to take into consideration that she's not an average woman. She is a woman blessed with powerful gifts and surrounded by other women with incredible gifts of their own. I also think that the bond she forms with Jackson helps her to heal faster. Should she have been ready to plunge into a normal sex life? I can't really answer that question either. I forced myself not to think of this as a normal, real life situation, because this is a paranormal romance novel. The time line did seem very fast, I don't deny that. I'm not sure why Ms. Feehan decided to have this story occur over a matter of days. Those are questions I turned around in my mind. I do have to say that, given the fact that Jackson and Elle had a very intimate association on the mental and emotional level from the beginning, allowed me to accept that they would be able to pursue an intimate physical relationship perhaps faster than a woman who has been sexually assaulted might do in real life. Again, I can't say because I don't have a real life scenario to apply it to, and I won't make any judgments on any women (or men) who suffered this way.

The thing about fiction, especially romantic or feel-good fiction, is that horrible, and seemingly insurmountable events occur, and good prevails. Some may not like this lack of realism. Myself, I am a believer in good prevailing ultimately. So I like my fiction that way. Christine Feehan seems like the kind of writer who believes that good will always triumph in the end, and her stories reflect that philosophy. Maybe this was her way of showing that there is hope for those who have gone through horrible experiences like Elle and Jackson underwent.

I felt that the end was a little rushed. However, I liked the fact that we got to see all the unmarried sisters get hitched at the same time. That was really nice. I loved the closing scene, where she shows all the couples in their own private places, enjoying each other and their love for each other. That put a smile on my face and was a nice thing to read before I went to sleep last night. In fact, I thought that was the perfect close for the story.

I really loved the strong bonds of family in this series. The mates for each sister became a part of the Drake family and are like brothers to each other. When I read stories, one of the best parts for me is the interactions between the characters. I think that Ms. Feehan does an exceptional job of writing these types of scenes. I like how she shows how unique each sister and her mate is from each other, yet how the men make perfect pairs with the individual sisters, and also bring different gifts to the table. The men work together to solve the problem in a way that will resolve the issue with Elle's crazed stalker and keep Jackson out of jail for killing him. They show a lot of understanding of each other and the way they think. The men are all strong, dominant fellows, but they treat the women with respect, and show a very high regard for them. Cherish is good word for this.

Another aspect I loved was the humor. For this to have such dark subject matter, it was nice to enjoy some really funny moments in this book.

Animal lovers will enjoy this story. Jackson's dog acts a sentinel and protector for the physically, mentally, and emotionally fragile Elle. There are also great depictions of sea creatures like dolphins (Abbey's loyal friends), whales, and seals. This animal lover was very happy, anyway.

I loved the fact that Ms. Feehan left us fans of Ilya (and the fact that he is the seventh son of a seventh son) a clue that we might get to see his brothers and what life has in store for him. I am eagerly awaiting their stories.

As usual, the magic parts were interesting and at times, eerie. The Drake house never fails to creep me out. It's a protective, benevolent house, but it's just kind of scary to accept that it's alive. I'm really glad I'm not the seventh Drake sister, but then, Elle's pretty used to that house. The scenes with the sisters chanting and using their gifts together tend to send a shiver down my spine. I'm not sure why. It's pretty interesting for me as a reader (and I don't really care for witch stories, so that says a lot).

Although this novel is not perfect (is anything in life perfect?), the power and message of it really hit home with me. Despite the fact that I think some aspects were left undone or dealt with perhaps a bit abruptly (maybe another 50 pages could have helped), it kept my interest, and I was invested in the characters. I felt that Christine Feehan did a really good job telling the last Drake sister's story. It wasn't easy to read at times, and it wasn't pretty (the depths of cruelty that humans are capable of never fails to disturb me). But at the same time, it showed that inner strength, faith, and the love of family and one's mate can really help to move mountains. A person who is wounded in such a way does have a long journey to recovery. I don't think Elle is fully recovered emotionally, but we see that she has the mental and emotional fortitude, and the support to get there someday.

Well, you might ask how I got a five star rating for this book. I'll tell you. I gave this one five stars because of the way it resonated with me emotionally. When I rate a book, I don't rate it on technical merit alone (that is a part of it, but I'm not overly critical on books in this way because the best technical writer can leave a reader bored and dissatisfied if the heart is not engaged). I rate books on the ability to tell the story well, but also on how it affects me as a reader and gets me involved. For me, Hidden Currents was a winner for its depiction of triumph of the human spirit in adversity, the power of love to heal the deepest wounds, the strength of the bonds of family, friendship, and one's spouse or mate, and good, involving storytelling. I also have to give it to Christine Feehan for not being afraid to go to the dark places, but also showing that where there is dark, there is also light. So, five stars it is.

PS. I had a disturbing moment when I thought I lost my review before saving it. God is good! It was still there. (Wiping forehead). Phew!

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Tempting Faith by Crystal Hubbard

Tempting Faith by Crystal Hubbard


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I remember when I realized I was in love with Keanu Reeves. It was when I watched Point Break. The scene when Keanu is soaking wet, and looking over his shoulder. The water was dripping off his black hair, and made his shirt cling to the taut muscles of his chest and biceps. It was love as only a fifteen year old girl can feel. It was a profound feeling. Yet, I can't imagine how Faith must have felt when she looked at the big screen, and she realized the man she was in love with, the man she lost, was on the big screen. Such is the story behind this wonderful novel.


Ten years ago, Faith and Alex formed a connection in a little town in West Virginia called Booger Hollow. They couldn't have been more different, and not in the obvious way. Alex was dirt poor, considered trailer trash. Faith was the pampered daughter of one of the richest men in town. But they were friends. They were deeply in love. A deadly storm took Alex away from Faith. And her heart with it. But she moved on.

Thus, seeing the very man she loved so very much on the movie screen was a painful moment. To think that Alex wasn't dead at all, but was now Zander Baron, movie star. Faith is in the position to find out what and who Zander really is. To make him face his past. She is a reporter for a celebrity magazine, and asks her editor for his story.

However, when Faith and Alex reconnect, they both realize that the story is nothing compared to the fact that their love never died, but is stronger than ever.

This book is one of those that sinks into you. It makes your stomach hurt as you ponder the incredible gift of true love, but have to face that true love doesn't solve all the problems in the world. Yet, there is the hope that love does conquer all. I felt it so profoundly, I had to put it down at times before I could muster the courage to keep reading. (It sounds silly, but it's so true).

I was prepared to be angry at Faith, thinking she would sell her love for Alex out for her revenge against him, and for a big headline. Thankfully that is not the case. Faith is a character you cannot help but love and like. She's kind, loving, and has not forgotten where she came from. She might have been a rich kid growing up, but she never acted like it. In fact, she one of the few people who gave Alex unconditional love and acceptance. My heart ached for what she suffered, thinking the boy she loved had died.

At the same time, my heart bled for Alex/Zander. If you like tortured heroes, you'll love Alex. It was intensely painful to read the flashbacks and to see how he suffered at the hands of his parents, and at the indifference and scorn of the townspeople. He was beaten and starved by his father, humilated and ignored by his mother. You wonder how people can be so cruel and hateful. I could see why he shook off the dust of that town and never looked back. But he never forgot about Faith. It seems callous at first glance, the way he walked away from her, but you have to look deeper. Faith was an unreachable dream. Faith was way too good for Alex in his mind. He thought he was doing what was best for her.

I feel sad at the ten lost years between Alex and Faith. But then I had to look at it the way I try to look at unfortunate events in real life. If the bad doesn't happen, how can the good happen? Alex needed to build his life and make something of himself. Find the self-confidence and self-worth he needed to know that he was worthy for Faith. That he was worthy period. Her saying it might not have been enough, you see.

This was a beautiful, heartfelt book. Ms. Hubbard shows her incredible, deft skill as a writer in the crafting of this love story. She manages to write a story that will break your heart with the poignant angst of young love lost and pain suffered from the cruelty of humanity, yet make you laugh out loud in other scenes. She ably juxtaposes the lazy rhythms of small-town life against the fast-paced, larger than life happenings of Southern California with all its glamour and glitz.

I used to live in Southern California, and I can testify that Ms. Hubbard captured it so well. The beauty of the mountains, the arid desert, the beautiful surf, the natural loveliness that seduces and captivates you. In sharp contrast to the facade of glitz that is Los Angeles and Hollywood. She made me miss the beauty of the setting of Southern California, but reminded me that I was glad I came back to Texas and the simple good things it had to offer this soul.

I liked that she showed how well Zander and Faith were able to adapt to the environs and the lifestyle of Southern California, but didn't lose their innate sense of what is valuable in life. Had she not done this, I probably would not have enjoyed reading about fancy clothing, expensive wine, and glitzy parties. Yet I did, because it showed how flexible and multi-layered our protagonists are. And at the same time, it made me glad that they both made it out of Booger Hollow and forged lives for themselves.

The most powerful aspect of this story was the strong, intense bond between Faith and Alex/Zander, one that never died, even though life had separated them for ten years. The love scenes are very detailed, almost erotic. But they have a beauty because they show that the attraction between Faith and Alex comes out of their intense love for each other, and the power of them expressing their connection physically.

I like that although there is some conflict between Faith and Alex, it's not so ugly that you feel their love is compromised. They have some issues to work through as Faith wants Zander to remember who he is and embrace the man she fell in love with. Zander wants to let go of the past and the ugliness of it. I could identify with both of them. You can't know who you are, unless you know where you came from. And you can't reach full potential, if you can't put the past into perspective and nullify its ability to cripple your growth. I think that Zander just had to be ready to face who he was in all ways. He needed the right catalyst, and he found it.

I can't say how much I loved this love story. It's very modern in some ways, but timeless at the same time. It reaffirms the power of the bond of love. How two souls can meet and become connected in a way that nothing can sever. People can go out of each other's lives (and live separate from each other), but when they come back together, their love is stronger because it never perished despite the time spent apart, and they have each grown as human beings fully able to realize that love. I'm such a romantic. I know that. I'm glad that Ms. Hubbard is too. This book surely shows that she is. Thanks for writing this fantastic love story, Ms. Hubbard.

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Dark Demon by Christine Feehan

Dark Demon by Christine Feehan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow, this book takes the story to another level by introducing the mage storyline. As if the Carpathian series wasn't intricate enough. I found it hard to follow some of the mage aspects, yet I was sucked in. Not only that, Natalya was one seriously kickbutt heroine. She was a total badass with all her weapons. A girl after my own heart. She even has a sword. I just loved how she jumped into the fray, guns blazing, sword swinging, and flinging knives. The part where she fights the shadow warrior in her room at the inn.... Just fantastic. This book would make a great movie!

Vikirnoff, what can I say? I loved him. He was definitely a sexy, manly hero, but he could respect his strong woman, although she wasn't what he envisioned for his mate. Although he got frustrated because she wouldn't sit back and let him protect her, he admired her at the same time. I liked how she saved his life numerous times, and yet he also saved hers. They were a great match. And boy, the chemistry was off the charts. Great love scenes, if I may say so.

I'm a little confused on how things all tie together with Razvan, Xavier, and the master vamps' master plan, but I'm going to keep reading to see where things go with this storyline. I couldn't quit this series if I wanted to. Something about these Carpathians. They are just in my blood (no pun intended).

It was cool to see some of the other Carpathians show up with their lifemates. I haven't read a handful of the books, so my interest was perked in seeing some of the Carpathians I wasn't introduced to. It was totally awesome as all get out how Mikhail went all Highlander (if you watch the show or movies you know what I mean) on the vamps. That was a rocking cool scene. They had a knockdown drag out that really kept me on the edge of my seat. Like I said, I'm totally voting for this one to be made into a movie (by the right director, of course).

I was really glad that I enjoyed this book, since I definitely got intrigued with Vikirnoff from his appearances in Dark Secret and Dark Destiny. He has lived up to my expectations, as Natalya has. She is probably my favorite lifemate now, which is tough to say because I love so many of these ladies.

Great job on this one, Ms. Feehan.

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Cry No More by Linda Howard

Cry No More by Linda Howard


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
It's hard to really say what I think about this story. It starts out so beautiful, showing Milla with her beautiful new baby, and then her life becomes a living hell. Milla is a character that evolves so much over the course of this book. She really is a person who has to rebuild herself from the ground up. You see this evolution occur painstakingly, and then you see her have to go through it again near the end of the book. It's one of those books that I got to the point where I wanted no distractions while I read. I turned the tv off, pulled the covers up over me and immersed myself to see how the conclusion would unfold. And when I finished this book, it was past my bedtime, but I was too keyed up to go to sleep right away. I had to start another lighter book to wind down.

This is definitely a five star book. The power of the story, the utterly believeable and intense nature of its protagonist, Milla, and her counterpart in Diaz really made this book a winner for me. There is some suspense, but really it's a book about a inner journey with an external crusade. Most of the violence is off-screen. I wonder if this was a deliberate move on Howard's part. Would this have been written differently if this was about a man's search for his lost child? I can't say I wanted more violence. I think it was great the way it was written. This is Milla's story, and she owns it. Yet, Diaz has a way of stealing the show without overshadowing Milla.

There was a part of the book where I was asking, why is she showing Milla doing housework, and going through her beauty regimen in such excruciating detail? Then it occurred to me. This woman lost everything. She has to have some sort of normalcy in a life utterly bereft of normalcy. She has dropped everything so that she could find her baby, and that was all she focused on. So she needed the few moments of normalcy in her life to stay sane.

Most people who have read this book talk about how it made them cry. We'll talk about the crying part later. First let's talk about how angry this book made me. I didn't get a headache, but I felt a smoldering rage inside at what Milla (and other women who went unavenged and unresolved in this novel) went through, and why. How could people be so devoid of humanity to do some things that people in this book did? Let's talk about who did it. If I had one wish that this book had shown, it was to see Milla confront the people who were the masterminds behind her son's kidnapping. The actual identities were such that my anger flourished as I read this book. Betrayal of that kind could not be easily, if ever forgiven. Yet we never see her confront anyone involved except the man who stole her baby from her arms, and a lady who took care of the baby for a short time. We never see Milla confront her betrayers. I wonder if Ms. Howard wanted to focus on the most important aspect for Milla, closure.

And then let's talk about Milla's family. I wanted to be angry at her ex-husband, David, but in the end, I felt sorry for him. He didn't have it in him to be with the 'Amazon' as he called Milla. He wasn't a warrior in the sense that Diaz was. He couldn't walk at her side, as Diaz does. But he does support her in the best way he can. Not so for her brother and sister. There is a scene where I wanted to slap the living tar out of Milla's sister, Julia. She comes to pick a fight with Milla when it's clear Milla doesn't have the time or inclination to be around either her brother or sister, when they toss out callous directives like, "Forget him. He's gone." As if that's so easy a thing to do. We don't see how this is resolved either. Again, I felt that Howard wanted to keep a sharp focus on what really mattered, Milla and her resolution of losing her baby.

Diaz is one of the things that kept me reading. I'm sorry if that sounds shallow of me. He was so fascinating to me. He was like the opposite of what many heroes are, and so appealing. He is a social misfit, but in the most intimidating of ways. People are scared to death of the man. He does some questionable things. But deep down, he has a lot of honor. I cannot even call him an antihero. He's a hero that willingly gets his hands dirty instead. If there was a man that was made for Milla, it's him. It was interesting to see Milla deal with her feelings for Diaz. She doesn't understand how she could connect with him on such a deep level, with him being so cold, so remote, so deadly. Well the old Milla certainly could not have. But she wasn't that person anymore. The new Milla needed a man like Diaz, in my opinion.

I didn't think that Diaz was blameless when he betrays Milla. He does something that he shouldn't have. It was wrong. He knew it. But he did it for the right reasons in his mind. He didn't know what Milla would do, and he did what was characteristic of him: dirty to keep things clean in the end. I was very glad that Milla was able to forgive him, because he really did need and want her forgiveness. He needed the connection with her to be human and to have a chance at a normal life.

I think that he showed his love for her unreservedly when he stood by her side when she had to do one of the hardest things any parent could have to do (there are worst things, not too many, though). I loved his caring, consideration, and patience with Milla towards the end of the book, how he watched out for in ways that few people could or would have, without ever being asked. I loved how he knew she was what he wanted and needed, and stayed the course. He was the soulmate for the new Milla. Ah, the man just fascinated me terribly.

I didn't cry until the part that was very hard for Milla occurred. I started crying when she went to see her ex-husband with the news. The interaction between them was brilliantly written because it showed that they would still be happily married and a cohesive whole if their baby hadn't been kidnapped. Yet at the same time, you see that they have gone in different directions and they will never be one whole again. David was the soulmate for the old Milla, who would never exist again. Yet they would always have a bond through their mutual son and their love for him. That was one of the best scenes in this book, in my opinion.

I was glad that we got a great epilogue that showed that Milla would have a good life in the future. I really needed to see that after so many years of her sacrificing, and the cost of what she gave up. It was great to see.

This is one of those books it took forever for me to get around to reading. Honestly, I avoid stories with children being hurt and kidnapped and loved ones suffering. Too real life for me. But Linda Howard managed to make me love this story so much, because Milla is the kind of woman that you cannot help but admire and root for. And Diaz is the kind of hero that is needed in this dark world. One of my all time favorite kinds of heroes, dark with hidden depths of light. Cry No More is without a doubt a wonderful book.


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Dark Destiny by Christine Feehan

Dark Destiny by Christine Feehan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Dark Destiny has a very tormented heroine. She takes the Carpathian books in a different direction where we see the heroine needing the hero more in some ways than he needs her. There is a mutuality to their relationship, without any doubt. His finding her has kept Nicolae from turning into a vampire. And reaching out to Destiny, saved her. Poor Destiny fell into a vampire's trap as a very young girl, and was forced to watch him murder her parents and many others. Not only that, she was made to drink his tainted blood and violated. Nicolae allowed her to share his mind, and taught her how to kill the vampires, which allowed her to destroy the vampire who had enslaved her, and to get free.

Since then, Destiny has been on the run. She doesn't trust easily and doesn't seek companionship from others, but somehow becomes emotionally attached to the people in the neighborhood she watches over from vampires, particularly MaryAnn Delaney, whose life she saves.

When this book begins, she is evading the beautiful voice in her head, that she has heard for many years, since she was enslaved by the vampire. Although this voice has helped her through some truly horrible moments, she can't allow herself to believe in its goodness, because of falling for the lure that the vampire who destroyed her family set.

Nicolae has followed his lifemate from place to place, doing everything he can to help her, yet trying to keep his distance, knowing her issues with intimacy. But things soon come to a head, and he makes himself known to her in person.

From there, this story unfolds slightly different from the other Carpathian books. Nicolae is a very patient, gentle suitor. He doesn't rush Destiny or force her into their relationship, although he does make it clear that she is his Destiny and his future. Things are complicated, because Destiny is tainted by the vampire. She doesn't know that the Carpathians are not evil and are not vampires. Her whole existence has been hunting and killing vampires, using her ability to sense them because of the shared blood of the vampire who enslaved her. She believes she is wholly evil and cannot be a suitable mate for Nicolae. Nicolae has to convince her that she is wrong, but also get her healing for the vampire blood that damages her body and causes her terrible agony.

It goes without saying that I enjoyed this book. It has a lot of the things that make Feehan's Carpathian books what they are. But it also has some new elements that make it different to read. I like the mix of magic and science, how the tainted blood of the vampire turns out to have a malignant infective lifeform in it that destroys the host from the inside out. I love seeing the battle scenes and the healing moments. There is wonderful humor in these books. Destiny is a real smart aleck and says some outrageous things to Nicolae that he never lets get to him. He's very wry in his humor, and Virkinoff, his older brother, is the type to say what he thinks and let the cards fall where they may. So I had many moments when I was laughing to myself as I read this book.

I think Ms. Feehan really has an appreciation and a touch for showing human relations. She shows the good and the bad about people, and how they come together to form families that have nothing to do with blood. Such is the group of people in the neighborhood that Destiny has ending up adopting. It was hard to see how there were good people who were doing bad things to each other, and no one was sure why. And this ties into the fact that there are monsters in the world that are of the very human variety.

I had to take time to write a review, because I didn't want to say the same things I've said with the other books. I hope that I did a good job talking about this book as a separate entity from the other Carpathian books, because each one is different. I can see how some readers might get bored with the series, but I haven't. I look forward to reading each one, to continue exploring this very interesting and different vampire world.

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Prospero's Daughter by Nancy Butler

Prospero's Daughter by Nancy Butler


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had never read Nancy Butler before this book, although she is quite well-loved in traditional regency reading circles. I can see why she is admired. The stories of people who have suffered grievously both physically and mentally never fail to touch me when written well. This is one of those books.

Initially I didn't think I would care for Morgan Pearce. He is upset because he'll have to put off his affair with a very married woman and leave London for the country, out of a debt to a friend who supposedly saved his life on the battlefield. I was thinking, how honorable is that to be having an affair with a married woman? This is one of those books where you need to keep reading and put your robe and gavel away. For soon, it is clear that Morgan has many times more honor than most men.

He goes up to his friend's family home to help his friend's retired General father write his memoirs. At first he is quite impressed with the family of his friends, the Palfreys. They are very friendly, have a beautiful and perfect home, and seem to be a warm, affectionate family. Even helping with the memoirs of General Palfrey is going well. Then one day his eyes lay on a very sad figure out in the garden. A thin, broken woman who is clothed head to toe in heavy wool, and abandoned in a Bath chair.

Morgan can't look away. Having fought in the army for years, he has seen his share of wounded soldiers, and his best friend lost a leg in the war, and has yet to recover emotionally or physically. He knows he has to help her. This is not one of those love at first sight books. Miranda is a shadow of her former self. She is very debilitated from barely eating,and her muscles are atrophied from disuse. Not only that, her face has been slightly disfigured on one side, with scarring and flattening of her cheekbone. Morgan doesn't see her as the monstrous figure that she believes herself to be, or her neglectful cousin and his family have deemed her to be. He sees a woman that he can help to recover (and he feels the desire to do so because of what his own friend has been going through) and go on to lead a productive life. It becomes his mission to do so.

As this book progresses, we see Morgan pushing and goading Miranda on to care about herself and to want to get better. Initially Morgan uses the tools of somewhat harsh words and saying things designed to get a woman's goat. It works, as Miranda is so angry she is empowered to fight back, to push this meddlesome do-gooder away. Gradually a strong chemistry develops between the couple. Morgan sees the attractive woman that Miranda is despite her infirmitites. He admires her spirit and intelligence, and her beautiful blue-grey eyes that sparkle with anger towards him. Miranda falls in love with the man who has pushed and prodded her to get better. She doesn't think anything can come of it, but she loves him anyway, and will enjoy the time they have together before he leaves to go back to his life as a publisher in London.

Prospero's Daughter succeeds in being a sweet but passionate romance at the same time. The action never goes past kisses, but you don't doubt the desire and longing that Morgan and Miranda feel for each other. Morgan was a very masculine, vital hero, but he was also a gentleman. Although he was not without his flaws, he was a really good person. Although he had an affair with a married woman and availed himself of courtesans and prostitutes in the past (two of my pet peeves in a hero), I couldn't hold that against him, because he really showed with a good person he was. He was honorable and kind, and he was the kind of person who did the right thing, even though it might cost him something. He was perfect for Miranda.

I loved Miranda as well. My heart was breaking for her. Not only had she lost her mother and father, she lost the dreams for a normal life and a future. She was not quite at the point of suicide in this book, but it was clear that fairly soon, she might consider taking that option. Miranda wasn't that kind of person who would give up easily and take that way out, but she was such a vital, strong-minded person, trapped in a feeble body, and treated like a burden and a monstrosity by her family, even though she had her own means and property. It must have been awful to be in her situation and to be so neglected and abandoned by those who were supposed to love her.

I was very glad that Morgan called her family on their selfishness and their shallow natures. It was awful that they lived in the same house with her, but never took the time to visit her, and reassure her. She lived a separate life, and wasn't even included in Christmas celebrations or dinner with the family. That kind of neglect was beyond criminal, and it probably added to Miranda's feelings of despair.

Miranda had a very wise thing to say to Morgan that he needed to hear. He had pretty much given up on helping his friend who had lost a leg in the war. She told him that he needed to tell his friend that he was okay the way he was, even if he never walked or got out of bed again. Morgan had to struggle with that, because he was used to feeling like he had to fight to be the best and to strive for excellence due to his troubled relationship with his father, who felt he married beneath him by marrying a daughter of a publishing family. His mind interpreted that as failure. But it turned out to be excellent advice that does help Morgan to accept Miranda as she is and not fixate on improving her if it's not meant to be, and he and his sister to deal with Phillip's condition. His sister Kitty is in love with Phillip but has finally given up and decided to marry another man. Miranda helps to get the two lovebirds back together, showing the intelligence and strength of will that she never really lost. It was just locked away in a feeble body and a heart starved for love and the acceptance of others.

This book really touched me and kept me reading. It is a wonderful story of how caring about someone enough to put oneself out there in the emotional danger zone, basically putting your money where your mouth is. Being a person of principles means nothing if actions don't back it up. Miranda's family thought they were good people, but it was clear that it was just a facade when it was really obvious how much they had neglected Miranda (despite having people to care for her most basic needs and nothing much above that). It's about doing the right thing, and reaching out to others in need, and how you will be blessed when you do take the time to open your heart and care for others. Morgan stepped up to the plate and discovered a treasure in Miranda, and a great love that will continue to reward him for the rest of his life.

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Murder Game by Christine Feehan

Murder Game by Christine Feehan


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Here I was thinking that Kadan was going to be mellow compared to the Norton twins. NOT! That man is intense. I loved this book. It starts out with a bang and keeps going.

I think Christine Feehan is wonderful at pairing these characters. Tansy and Kadan are a great match for each other. She's strong but willing to be submissive with Kadan. He's very much a dominant kind of man. At times I vacillated between being completely in love with him and thinking he was way too dominant for my tastes. It was like a knife edge in the very hot and sensual scenes for me. I was thinking, "Is he being too rough?" But he really wasn't. He didn't do anything that Tansy didn't like or made her feel uncomfortable. But he was all about control. He would do and say things that showed he was in charge, and Tansy probably could have fought him on more things, but she really didn't seem to feel the need to do it. She was a very calm, composed person.

Kadan thinks of himself as an ice man. Very remote, and always in control. Because of a traumatic event as a child, he sees himself as a cold-blooded killer, almost a monster. He didn't think he could have a family or a woman. He felt all he had was his Ghostwalker family and the next mission. From the moment he sees Tansy, he feels like there is something more for him. It was very refreshing to read a book where the hero is in love from the first moment. He might not have said 'I love you,' but if this man wasn't in love, than I don't know what love is. He was completely crazy about Tansy. I don't know why, but these kinds of heroes that I call 'stalkerific' never fail to appeal to me. They are crazy possessive and obsessed with the heroine. And sometimes it's a little scary, but since it's romance and fiction, it's all good. Well Kadan might be the King of Stalkerific heroes.

I think that he would be more scary if it wasn't absolutely obvious how much he adores Tansy. This man is crazy about Tansy. He would always need to touch Tansy, even around the other Ghostwalkers. It wasn't anything over the top, but definitely PDAs. The thought of her suffering or being hurt or in pain drives him absolutely crazy. It makes him get even more dominant alpha. I have to give it to Tansy. She really understood that, and reassured him that he had her love and always would.

Tansy was a very mature person. She was quite Zen. Although not an alpha heroine, she had a formidable inner strength. She had weathered so much for young age, and she goes through even more during this book. Tansy had a way of accepting things and seeing them for what they were. But I believe that her near breakdown and getting through that gave her the strength to be able to deal with very bad things in a straightforward manner without going off on the deep end.

I really loved Tansy as a heroine (which I love all the Ghostwalker heroines but she's my favorite now). She has the phenomenal mental ability to track serial killers by touching the objects they handled, although it makes her physically and mentally ill when she does it. Initially that was the reason that Kadan finds Tansy, to track the rogue Ghostwalker team who is committing a series of murders. When Kadan sees how devastating it is for Tansy to use her ability, his protective instincts override the desire to use her talents. He sees that she has not been shown how to use filters to protect her mind. I liked how Kadan was so protective of Tansy, and how he didn't like her doing something that was so bad for her. Although Tansy submitted to Kadan in almost every way, she refused to stop using her talent if it could save lives. So he did everything to help her to be safe when she did use her talent. Those scenes were very well done. This showed that although Kadan was so dominant, it was clear that he was able to be gentle and caring. Also this was shown in the other moments when Tansy is hurt or suffering. He couldn't handle it.

Kadan and Tansy have their first sexual encounter very, very early in this book. It didn't feel wrong to me. It felt right because of a few factors: intense relationship, their being paired because of Mad Scientist Whitney, and the fact that Kadan has already realized that she is the woman for him and that he's not letting go of her. If Tansy hadn't been the kind of heroine that wasn't as level-headed and philosophical, it could have felt ugly and forced, but it didn't. She's a special person, and made for this man. He'd be way too scary for a lot of women. But she is fine with him, immense control issues and all.

The action in this book is very in your face. I love action as much as I love romance, so it was a great combination. It was so cool to see the original Ghostwalker team (especially Nico, Gator, Ryland, but also Tucker and Ian) in on the action. They are in this book a lot (I was in heaven because I love these guys). It was nice to see the joking and comraderie between the Ghostwalkers. The pretty much adopt Tansy into the family. Kadan gets teased a lot because of his obvious adoration of Tansy. The Ghostwalkers work so well together and love each other (although they are alpha males and don't get all mushy about it, this is very clear). We also get to see Ken, Jack, Jeff, and Mari. These guys are total, badass (pardon my French) warriors. I am in awe of them. I could hug Christine Feehan for writing these books, because they really meet my needs for a great romance novel with high octane action. Readers who are sensitive about violence should be warned about this book. It does have quite a bit of violent scenes. I didn't think they were gratuitous, but definitely might be too much for a sensitive person. The subject matter is quite dark. There are people who kill for money and for sport in this book. But Kadan's Ghostwalker team is going to shut them down with Tansy's help. The end was very intense and Tansy has her own battle to fight with the Ghostwalkers' help. I wasn't expecting the way things wrapped up. It was sort of like a one-two punch. At first I thought the storyline was wrapping up a little too tidily, but then wham, bang. All I can say is wow.

There was nothing I didn't like about this book. It is my favorite in the series now. Kadan is just an incredible hero (kind of crazy in a typically quiet and deadly fashion, but really in the best ways). Tansy is just the heroine to handle this intense guy, and give him the love, acceptance and home he craved. And he's just the man to love her within an inch or her life and keep her very, very happy at the same time.

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Trolling Nights by Savannah J. Frierson

Trolling Nights by Savannah J. Frierson


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have heard nothing but good things about Savannah J. Frierson's writing. I can see the praise was well-deserved. This is one of the best books I've ever read. I've read a lot of romances, and luckily I don't actively dislike most of them. But neither can I say I love many of them to death and would seriously consider taking on a desert island as the only book I would bring. I feel that way about this book. It's one of those books you want to read again right after you finish it, and will no doubt pull off the shelf again and again to reread, in parts or completely.

This book is a love story, pure and simple. Don't let the fact that Tim and Bevin met in a bar on a night where her friends go out to pick up guys fool you. When they met, an intense connection was there. One of those once in a lifetime kind of things. Tim saw this beautiful, dark-skinned, thick/abundant/luscious/far from thin woman and knew she was the one for him. He loved her body, loved her being a dark-skinned Black woman, loved her heart and her mind, loved everything about her. Bevin thought he'd see her only as the gateway to her thin, sexy White friend who has her eye on him. But he makes it very clear that he's interested in her, not her friend. It takes a little while for this to sink in for Bevin, but Tim is a very patient man, and very willing to express his feelings for Bevin as often as possible, giving her the reassurance she needs. Tim is a man who knows what he wants, even in a very short period of time. His instincts honed in dangerous, spur-of-the moment situations make it clear that Bevin is the woman he wants and he should go for it. Tim is a very appealing hero in pursuit!

I knew I was going to like Tim early on in this book. Tim is real. He's down to earth, raw-speaking, big muscles (he picks up Bevin all the time), lovely sea-green eyes, Southern charm, mind-melting intensity and all. He knows how to love a woman. That is rare, even in a lot of the so-called romance novels that get written now. I submit that a lot of modern heroes know how to sex up a heroine. Love just happens along after they've had a few orgasms together. That is not this book. Yes, there is a strong sexual connection between Tim and Bevin, and I loved that about the novel. But it was the intense love that he shows Bevin that makes this book a winner for me.

Bevin is not an easy sale. Tim even thinks at one point that he had never worked so hard to get a woman. He says this with a sense of awe and satisfaction, no frustration. She is completely skeptical of his attentions after being ignored for her thinner, livelier, and might I submit looser friends (well, they are). He sees her as the real deal, the one that he wanted and was willing to work for.

I liked that Bevin was a strong woman, but she was gentle and sweet also. Somewhere along the way, a very pervasive stereotype of black women as hardass buttkickers who don't cry and never allow themselves to be vulnerable has caught on. It's so untrue. Black women want to be cherished and loved just like any other women. Like many other real Black women, Bevin was vulnerable, in a way that was almost painful to observe. Bevin was very real. Bevin was infinitely worthy of being loved so intensely by Tim.

Tim didn't have a real family, other than his now-deceased grandmother. His father was a drunk abuser who ran off when he was three. His mother was a drunk who neglected him. He found his home and sense of purpose in the NAVY SEALs and his team. He comes to the conclusion that he wants forever with Bevin, a family. He wants to love and cherish her and treat her with respect. You never have a moment when you doubt this in how he treats Bevin. I loved how caring and possessive Tim was. He was pretty raunchy too, but at the same time, he showed her a lot of respect. I was actually surprised at how late the consummation came and the way it came (Sorry. No spoilers here).

The secondary characters were great in this story: Bevin's wonderful parents, Tim's best friend Ulrich, Bevin's friends (Rosita, Courtney, Patrice, and Tamara), who are also her co-workers at the coffehouse The Grind that they own, and co-members in the Femme Crew. I love how Bevin's mom and dad adopt Tim very early on as their future son-in-law despite the race difference. He not only got the woman he dearly loved, but a ready-made family to go with her.

This is one of those really hard reviews to write. I can't say how much I loved this book, because my writing is nowhere near as good as Savannah J. Frierson's. But I can and do recommend reading this book from the bottom of my heart. I think that anyone who wants to read an intensely good love story that will touch the heart and engage the emotions, and keep your interest riveted past the last page would enjoy this book. It doesn't mantter if it's a fan of interracial romance, plus-sized heroine romances, or just plain romance. Yes, the sex is spicy (but happens in the best way (in my opinion), and there is some raunchy language, but this story couldn't be sweeter. In fact, I think the intense sexual attraction was an integral part of this story, because a woman should be desired intensely by the man who deeply loves her, and vice versa. I was buying her books already, but after this wonderful book, without a doubt, Savannah J. Frierson goes on my autobuy list.

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Saxon Bride by Tamara Leigh

Saxon Bride by Tamara Leigh


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is my first time reading Tamara Leigh's historicals, and I was impressed. Although this is not a quick read, it's worth investing time into reading it. I felt the setting was very authentic (which I really like in a historical), the characters were intense and multi-dimensional, and the relationships complex.

The Norman conquest of England under Saxon rule was a defining point in English history. It affected the country profoundly and led to much bloodshed. One of the things I really love about historical romance is the duality of having a great history lesson with an engaging romantic story. I think that Ms. Leigh did a great job of doing both of these. You get to see the human element, and how the everyday person was affected by the Norman conquest in this story.

Another thing I liked about this book is that the heroine Rhiannyn is not a lady. She was the daughter of yeoman farmers. The Norman conquering lord, Thomas Pendry, sees her and takes her into his keep, makes her a lady, and decides to marry her. She doesn't want to marry him because he's a Norman, and she was promised to marry the true lord of the keep, Edwin. Edwin is a fugitive, who should have died with his overlord (as is the custom of Saxons), but was brought back to life by an old witch. Rhiannyn was treated kindly by Thomas, but never grew to love him. But when he is murdered by an unknown Saxon rebel, she is accused of the crime. She actually takes the blame because feels her actions of running away lead to the murder. Even though she could have ran away, she stays and holds Thomas while he dies. Thomas curses her because she doesn't love him, also because fleeing after her leads to his death. He calls to his brother for vengeance and curses Rhiannyn to never to know love and to never marry and have children unless she belongs to a Pendry.

The instrument of vengeance is Maxen, Thomas's brother who was called the Bloodlust Beast for his many kills on the battlefield of Hastings. He has retired to a monastery to repent of his sins. When he gets a message that his brother has been slain, he comes to wreak vengeance. I found Maxen to be a very complicated, and initially not very likable character. He was a very angry man and seemed to let his anger control him too much. Although he spent two years in the monastery, he still seethed with negative emotions, the root of which are revealed as the story continues. He wants to destroy all those culpable for his brother's murder, and Rhiannyn is at the top of his list. However, when he sees her, he finds himself drawn to her in ways he doesn't like. Initially, he perceives this as the trap she set for his brother.

Rhiannyn is a complex character as well. She is completely torn between her loyalties to the Saxons, and the desire to do what is right and fair. She doesn't care for the Normans, but she wants peace, and she realizes that peace will come when the Saxons accept Norman rule. She is also conflicted because she is very attracted to Maxen, despite his anger and perceived ruthlessness. She is treated terribly by her people because they think she is a traitor, but she does do what she can to help them, even though it makes trouble for her with Maxen.

Maxen wants to be cruel to Rhiannyn, but he finds himself incapable of doing so. First and foremost, I think deep down, he didn't have it in him to be a cruel person. He might have been afflicted by bloodlust while on the battlefield. Also, his father trained him from the time he could pick up a sword to be focused on being a warrior. That kind of training is hard to turn off, even for a person that despises killing. That war rages in him. The desire for peace against the violent nature that was fostered in him by his sire. But it is clear that he would never hurt someone more delicate and helpless. Even when the Saxon rebels are captured, he spares them out of the desire to see no more lives lost. Ultimately, Maxen won my respect although he could be a hard person capable of harsh words, and initially he doesn't have honest intentions towards Rhiannyn. He swore he wouldn't marry her because of what she does to his brother. But he does want her and has intentions to make her his leman (mistress). Maxen is shown to be a very tortured character, but you can see how he heals because of Rhiannyn's gentle regard and acceptance over the course of this book.

Rhiannyn feels desire for Maxen that is difficult to resist. She is drawn to Maxen in a way she never felt for Edwin or Thomas. She knows that Maxen won't marry her, but the needs of her heart tell her to yield to him. There is a tug of war inside of her, and Maxen tests her willpower, although he also forces himself to hold back until she is ready. There was good tension and dramatic emotion between Maxen and Rhiannyn in this book that kept me reading to see what was going to happen.

I liked Maxen's younger brother Christopher very much. He is fourteen in this book, yet very mature. He was physically disabled, with a bad leg, but with an incredible brain and heart. He was the healer for the keep, but also very wise. He saw much and managed to probe deep into the hearts of Maxen and Rhiannyn and to help them see the truth about themselves and each other. He was quite the matchmaker for the couple, in fact. I hope that Ms. Leigh wrote a book about him before she stopped writing historicals, because I'd like to see him find happiness when he gets a little older.

There were times I had to put the book down and read something else for a little bit. I think it's because this is a serious book. Sometimes you want to read something quicker and light. This won't fit the bill when you're looking for a light read. But it definitely will fulfill a historical romance fan who likes an intense story that shows history from a personal perspective. All the characters are shown as humans, with good and bad urges. Edwin is the enemy to the Normans, but he is merely a man who wants back what was stolen from him. He is a man of honor, and that is made clear. His honor is questioned on a personal level in a way that really adds another layer to this story.

I will add Saxon Bride to my keeper shelf as another very good historical romance, highlighting the Normal Conquest Era. I was glad to read this book, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

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Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan

Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There were things I loved about this book, but it was a bit of a slow read. I think it's because I started reading Feehan with her Ghostwalkers, and I got used to the near constant adrenaline rush of those stories. One good thing about this book and the Drake sister series is the focus is really on the heroine. So if you like strong, heroine-oriented romances, you should read these books.

I like the idea of a family of sisters who are bound together by intense love and loyalty. I loved the scenes where they are chatting and kidding around. But I have to admit, I found the slice of life stuff in Sea Harbor a bit tedious. I don't know. I guess the happenings in Sea Harbor don't grab my interest that much. I did like the bit about the rivalry between the Drake sisters and Sylvia. Aunt Carol is a hoot as well.

Alexsandr was very yummy. Can I get one of him? I wasn't expecting him to be on the dangerous side. That was so cool that he worked for Interpol. He was a guy I could like and respect although he was considered shady and morally flexible. I didn't think of him that way at all. Before I read this story, I thought he'd be really straight and narrow (and maybe a little boring compared to Ilya and the Ghostwalkers), but he had dark edge that I loved. I don't know why I thought that when it's clear that Ms. Feehan writes some pretty excellent heroes.

As much as I liked Alexsandr, I have to say that Ilya stole the show and is the star hero in the Drake series for me. I just love that man. He was in this book enough just to tease and torment me. They talked about him a lot and I was smiling goofily the whole time. I am almost at the point where I'm considering a reread of Turbulent Sea just to get some more Ilya time (big grin). But since this is Oceans of Fire we're talking about, I should get back on topic.

Abbey was a good heroine. She was strong, yet vulnerable. I could understand why she didn't want to trust Alexsandr and let him back into her heart, although I wanted her to. She didn't really understand what he had to go through and why he 'left' her in that situation. She drew away from him to save herself, because the pain of his betrayal almost killed her emotionally. I didn't feel like she was too stupid to live about that. I think there are times when you love someone so much that they can tear a hole in your heart and you cannot survive unless you get some distance away from that person.

On the other hand, I could see where Alexsandr is coming from. He was in a bad situation and had some conflicted loyalties. What he was trying to accomplish did require a sacrifice, and he made the best decision he could, and it cost him his relationship with Abbey. Four years is a long time to live with regrets and to have to face the loss of one's true love. It was clear how much he suffered. He didn't want to fall in love. He was all about his work in law enforcement, but love walked in and took his heart. So he was really in between a rock and a hard place. I feel that Alexsandr truly did show steadfast love for Abbey, and that spoke louder than what his actions appeared to show. Let's just say it was a very complicated situation.

As an animal lover, I was very entertained by the interactions with the dolphins. They are such intelligent, interesting animals. You could tell that Ms. Feehan did her research on dolphins, and this part of the story felt authentic without going into 'info-dump' territory. And the descriptions of the coast and the ocean made me miss living in San Diego really, really bad. The ocean has a beauty that goes into your soul and doesn't let go. Ms. Feehan really showed this well in Oceans of Fire.

I'm not a big fan of the witch storyline, but Feehan does it well. I'd be a complete idiot to complain about the witch parts, since I read this book knowing that it is about witches, so I won't. It's interesting in a way, but my paranormal interests really don't go in this direction. I do like how they use their power to help others and can heal and control animals and the wind. That's pretty cool. All the herbs (Sort of. I'm interested in herbs to be honest), candles and various witchy accoutrements and their rituals was a little boring for me at times. Nothing against that, just not my cup of tea. One thing I do like about this book is the way the descriptions of the witchy aspects of the Drake sisters sends a chill down my spine at certain times. I feel that the power of the Drake sisters comes off pretty eerie (And I'm all about eerie/scary/frightening stuff in fiction. Maybe too much at times. Ask my sister about that). I kind of feel sorry for the men in their lives, because that aspect is probably really weird to someone not used to it. That house kind of gives me the creeps. Yeah, a house that comes alive. Not for me. Poor Jonas has been around it most of his life, and he still hasn't gotten used to it.

I just love Jonas. He's so fun to read about. He says the most entertaining things and he is so in love with Hannah and totally in denial about it. I'd like to see more of Jackson. His dangerous, strong, silent character is calling my name.

I love the Drake sisters, and Ms. Feehan does such a good job of making them unique from each other. They all have interesting personalities, and seem to support and love each other as sisters and friends. Their girl talk is a lot of fun to read. Hannah is so sweet, I just want to hug her. Joley is outrageous and fun, reminding me of my aunt. Sarah is very mature and protective. Kate is nurturing, Libby would bend over backwards to help ease someone's pain, and Elle is calm and loving. What a great family.

So I'd give this a very solid four stars for the good things: Alexsandr, Abbey, the Drake Sisters, the sexy Russian hero aspects, the sexy, dangerous hero aspects, Ilya, Ilya (I wrote that twice on purpose), the descrptions of the ocean and coastal life, and the dolphins. It could have be a more interesting read, but it was definitely a good read.

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Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
First of all, I want to thank my Goodreads friend, Shannon, for recommending this wonderful book. My life was so enriched by the reading of it. I also want to thank Ms. Simone Elkeles for putting fingers to keyboard and bringing this incredible story of the love between Alex and Brittany to life.

Life is cruel and harsh, and we all wear armor to protect ourselves against the pain of loss and the hardships we face. In Perfect Chemistry, we see two very different people who have a kindred soul. They are both walking through life wearing protection and disguises for their survival. One of the most illuminating and fascinating parts of this story is when these two reluctant chemistry partners are asked to tell the class a little bit about each other. What they say represents what the two of them want the world to see about themselves, even if that's not who they want to be.

Alex is a tough gangbanger, macho (and very appealing) Latino young man. He has pretty much had to join the Latino Bloods gang because his family and his own life would be in jeopardy otherwise. So far, he has managed to stay out trouble with the law, and to avoid crossing the line and killing and selling drugs. But the time is coming where he may not be able to prevent that transition. He sees Brittany and she is all he ever wanted but couldn't have. He tells himself that she's just a blond princess type, no substance, but he soon finds out that is far from the case.

I fell head over heels for Alex. He was not perfect, but even his imperfections endeared him to me. Under the scary, macho gang facade, he is a very perceptive, intelligent, and loving person. His caring nature is evident in how he treats his brothers and his mother, and even his friend Paco, and also how he treats Brittany, despite the teasing and sexual innuendoes. He comes off as being hardcore, but his heart is very good. I have to say that he was a very sexy guy. I was surprised at how much charisma this eighteen year-old kid was. I could imagine this drop dead gorgeous guy with black hair and dark eyes, a seductive smile, and a hard-body, riding his motorcycle. I am not big on gangs or the urban lifestyle, but this was so much a part of him, that it didn't lessen his appeal at all.

I loved seeing the world through his eyes, and enjoyed the authentic Latino/Mexicano flavor of his thoughts and language. I have a deep appreciation for Mexican culture, and I feel that Ms. Elkeles showed this in a manner that did it justice, adding to the depth and the characterization of Alex and flavoring the life he lives. Gosh, I cannot tell you how much I adored Alex. He made some bad choices, but also suffered for things beyond his control, and my heart ached to see what he had to go through. But deep down, I never doubted that he had a good head on his shoulders and he would end up doing the right thing in the end. I wanted for him to get out of that destructive lifestyle, and I was holding my breath hoping that he did.

I loved Brittany as well. She was a very three-dimensional character, even from the beginning. She might seem like the girl that I would avoid like the plague in high school, one of the shallow 'beautiful people,' but she had a really good heart, and was a very loving person. She was under tremendous stress trying to keep things together and maintain a perfect facade that was getting harder and harder to keep up. Her homelife was very difficult, with her hypercritical mother who was on the edge of emotional collapse, and her father who spent more time at work and thinking about work than interacting with his family. She is weighted down by her family's enormous expectations to always be perfect and to represent them well. Her steadfast love for her disabled, mentally-challenged sister really opened my heart to her, from the first page of the book. Shelley was very important to Brittany, although even her boyfriend was uncomfortable being around her. So she didn't let people come to her life or talk about Shelley. Not out of embarrassment, but because of the fact that Shelley was a private, personal part of her life that others didn't understand or know how to deal with. It meant a lot when she introduced Alex to Shelley and he hit it off with her right away.

Like Alex, Brittany impressed me as a very level-headed, mature for her age person. I really appreciated how she was able to look past Alex's scary gang facade and see the warm, loving boy inside. She inspired Alex to want to strive and to be the person he was meant to be. This book really teaches a lesson about judging a book by its cover. Brittany would be the kind of girl that would be envied by many. But the truth is, her life was very difficult, despite living in a big, beautiful house, driving an expensive car, and wearing designer clothes. Being the captain of the pom-pom team and dating the head quarterback isn't all it's cracked up to be, and Brittany knows this first hand. And it's clear that she would willingly give that up without any regrets to have a true love, even with someone so different from her as Alex. However, the fear of what will happen to Shelley if she lets go, keeps her on the narrow path that has been given to her to walk. It is wonderful when Brittany decides to go where her heart leads her, although she does have to deal with some anguish and heartbreak along the way.

This couple is one of my favorite couples of all times. That's saying something for this serious romance fan. I never thought I could feel that way about a couple in a young adult book, but I believe Twilight did open the door for me to young adult romance, and I am very glad about this. Alex and Brittany meet each other's needs in every way. They had blistering sexual chemistry between them, yet Ms. Elkeles wrote this book in such a way that I didn't feel conflicted about reading these teens expressing themselves sexually. You could see that every encounter came from a deep connection on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level. I loved how they saw each other clearly in a way that no one else did. That is what soulmates should do for each other.

The cast of secondary characters added to the flavor and the depth of this beautiful story. Some of the people in both Alex and Brittany's life are not good for them, and do much to hinder their growth, but people like Paco, Alex's best friend, Isabel, a childhood friend of Alex who becomes Brittany's friend, Ms. Peterson, and Sierra, Brittany's friend, do their part to help Alex and Brittany on the journey to self-discovery and finding a future together. Ms. Peterson, their chemistry teacher, was the kind of educator that we need more of. She works hard to inspire her students, and didn't give up on Alex and write him off as just another Mexican gangbanger who was going to end up dead or in prison.

This book has some parts that were hard to read, but they needed to be there, because it is a story about a young man who is surrounded by violence and crime on a daily basis. There had to be some of this in the book, or it would have lacked authenticity. Fortunately, this does not detract from the story, but helps you to see what Alex is dealing with, and to respect him for the choices he makes to have a better future.

The climax of this book will have your heart in your throat, and tears welling up in your eyes. But the way this book ends gives the reader so much hope and joy. It's truly a perfect ending to this book.
I could go on and on about how wonderful Perfect Chemistry is, but I will end by saying, if you read one young adult book, please put this on the list to consider. You won't come out of this book without having your heart touched.

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