Her Scottish King by Theodora Taylor

Her Scottish King by Theodora Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quite different from the first book in good ways. And more than one twist I did not see coming. Magnus is not exactly likable most of the time. He's really cocky and demanding. I know part of it is being an alpha werewolf and a famous Scottish rugby player. He didn't take Tara's rejection well, sure that they are fated as mates, and not able to understand she is running from their bond. I liked that Tara did have a legitimate reason for not wanting to mate with Magnus, and the reveal is really fascinating. Tara has a lot of layers to her that Magnus had to work to develop. It was good, though. He was used to getting everything he wanted easily. But that's how it works with your mate. While that bond is fated, that doesn't mean that your mate is not worth any effort and emotional commitment. And Magnus had to decide if his pride was worth more than losing his mate (ironically his father faced the same choice).

I liked that this wasn't a predictable book. Werewolf romance has some formula to it (as much as I love it), but Taylor did a good job of keeping things innovative.

It's not a five star because I didn't love Magnus. I really liked Tara a lot and she had a lot of dimensionality and strength to her, beautifully complex.


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His Revenge Baby by Theodora Taylor

His Revenge Baby: 50 Loving States, Washington by Theodora Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I will be blatantly honest. If I was rating this book by part I, it would be getting three stars and nothing more. However, the book in whole gets four. The beginning of this book is probably one of the most unromantic starts to a romance I've ever read. A hero who has a serial history of paying for mistresses for six months for the better part of ten years but is so tied up and proper, they can't even call him by his first name? The heroine interviewing for him naked? No thanks! She's not allowed to touch him or be seen with him and has to call him, Mr. Nakamura. She does all the work in bed?

No is really unsympathetic and actually rather robotic at the beginning. I don't even understand why he would hire mistresses. He seems like he shouldn't even have a sex drive. He is so tied up and controlled, it's hard to believe that he could fall in love with a woman. Much less have sex with so many women. Perhaps that's his only outlet, but I would have found this more believable if he had actually been more reactive in bed. I get where the author was going with this. She wanted us to see how being with Ana changes No, and how she was different from other women. She wanted Ana to stand out from the crowd, but it was too gradual for my tastes.

Lili/Ana I liked from the beginning. I have to say she really loves her brother and niece. I don't know if I could interview naked to be some rich guy's mistress for my family. Thank God I haven't had to do that! She does have a sense of innocence, but at the same time, she is remarkably blase' about the paid sex thing. I think without her internal monologue, I would have been very confused.

Japan seems very real in this book. I felt as though the author is very well acquainted with it and rather in love with the country. I've read books set in Tokyo, but not in Osaka. It was lovely to get introduced to that city. It's always good when you read a book and it makes you feel like you're visiting the place.

Now, I am the biggest Harlequin Presents fan on the planet, and the mistress scenario is a big plot in that line. I can't say I've ever been a huge fan of mistress stories, but I'm not averse to a preposterous plotline that works well. It was certainly something different. Overall, despite it's start and some parts that I didn't gel with, I walked away from this book satisfied. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it, but I was intrigued, so I read a sample on my Kindle. I ended up borrowing it from Amazon and finishing it in less than 24 hours. That says a lot right there.

As to the sex. I think that the initial sex scenes are way clinical to me, and I didn't like the thing that No would do to make Lili climax. All I can say is 'ouch!' I didn't care much for the blunt sexual language. I'm not a big fan of that. It's not that romantic to me. I'm fine with descriptive sexual scenes, but not with some of the descriptors. Lust is easy to find, but where's the love and romance?

I really love Asian guys. It's a huge surprise to me how much No didn't appeal to me for the first part of the book. He did start to appeal to me when he gets mad and decides he wants revenge. He actually starts acting like a human being and not a robot at that point. I like pissed off No much more than Billionaire, Proper Japanese Businessman with an Erection But No Other Emotions No. I liked how he changes and thaws and starts reacting normally. I know that his family is seriously screwed up. I realize that Japanese culture is very rigid in expressing emotions and requires strict public etiquette. I liked him much better after he comes to the US to start a company with his friend and to get revenge on Lili/Ana and his father. Angry No is Hot No. At the beginning, I didn't find him attractive because he seemed so emotionless. I did kind of like how proper and buttoned up he was, but I would have preferred if he turned into a wild man in bed instead the way he has sex with Ana for their six months together. I also liked how he nursed her when she was sick and how he seemed to want to spend more time with Ana, despite his intentions. While I normally like a coldly ruthless hero, I think No didn't work for me at the beginning because he wasn't cold in the still waters run deep, but too robotic acting.

One thing that made this book stand out, but in some ways had a problematic execution was the thread of suspense/thriller that ran through it. I had no idea how cutthroat the Japanese businessworld is, at least based on this book. I don't know how much of that's true, but the fact that No's family is samurai on both sides gives their behavior an authentic feel. When you find out how truly heinous the behavior of a certain person is, it's chilling. This makes for a much darker than book that one would expect. I think it was problematic in that some of the action aspects weren't well described. I'm picky about action scenes, because it's a huge love of mine. And when you throw in katana-wielding ninja and samurai, my expectations go up very high. But, despite that, I found it charming.

I like over the top when it's done well. The OTP in this book was done charmingly. I could have been a little better executed, if I'm honest. But despite that, I did have a smile on my face when I finished the book.

I have been hard on this book, and i realize that. I do think Ms. Taylor is a gifted author. I have such a deep love for interracial romance, I am hard on the genre. I hate that the romance part seems to be taken for granted. I think Ms. Taylor seems believe in romance, but with a bit of a more jaundiced eye than I would like. I'm excited to read His Pretend Baby: 50 Loving States, Oregon

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Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughn (Writer), Fiona Staples (Illustrator)

Saga, Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I didn't like this one as much as previous volumes. Probably because Marko is separated from his family for most of the book, and the focus on Marko's ex, although I do like the little girl the bounty hunter rescued from Sextillion. It seems like the goal is to get increasingly x-rated with the content. Plenty of violence and some really overly sexual imagery in this book. I still like the concept and the fact that it's narrated by young Hazel. Alana and Marko are compelling characters and their star-crossed love story definitely appeals. Not to mention cute little Hazel. I just don't think the storytelling is as strong at it was initially.

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Harmony by Sienna Mynx

Harmony by Sienna Mynx

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


I pulled this one up on my Kindle because I was watching the HBO movie "Bessie" with Queen Latifah (who is the definition of awesome), and I wanted to read something set at this time, and especially IR. I had downloaded is specifically because of the time setting and the storyline, and this was the perfect time to read it.  I wasn't disappointed. This was a very good book.

Disclaimer: I will use the term 'colored' for black people because that is what black people were called at this time.  This term is not appropriate to use anymore, but in the context of this story, it's timely.

Harmony sings the blues at the Cotton Club.  Music is in her soul and it's her gift, how she pours out her anguish over the loss of her grandmother and her man.  Her dreams of escaping a life bound by the restrictions of race and lack of money are given full rein when she sings.  When her brother goes missing, she exploits the fact that powerful gangster Vinnie Romano seems captivated with her voice.  She asks him to help her find her brother, knowing he'll have a price, and one that she's willing to pay.  Set in a time of Prohibition when gang violence is near an all time high, this book delivers on the intensity.

I bought in on the chemistry between Harmony and Vinnie from their first meeting.  I like that you initially don't know what Vinnie's motives are.  He's a hard man and he keeps his heart buried deep. Coming over from Sicily with nothing, he's earned his status as a Boss with blood.  And Vinnie definitely has an intimidating vibe.  I like dangerous heroes, although I can't same I'm fond of mobsters.  They aren't my cup of tea since I don't like brutality and the ruthless killing for profit and status associated with that kind of business.  What hooked me in with Vinnie was his extreme appreciation for Harmony's singing and his love of blues music, a music that was strictly colored music at this time. They actually called them race records.  For Vinnie to connect with such soulful music showed that he was deeper than he might have appeared.  While at first, you don't get that race isn't an issue with him, you wonder that it can't be if he would connect so deeply with a culture so different from his own.  Vinnie made me care about him. As Harmony sees his layers and the lion's heart he has, so did I. I appreciate loyalty and honor, and I don't tend to associate those with mobsters, but Vinnie clearly has those traits.  He's a fascinating guy and I could see why Harmony loved him.

Harmony is equally layered. She's tough and independent and fiery passionate, but also sweet and demure. She's an artist and a believer deep in her soul, a dreamer, even in this world where colored people aren't allowed dreams. I loved how determined and fearless she is at the end of this book. That was a really bad and scary situation and she did something that only a lioness would do to save her man. Kudos to her for that. 

I remember there is a great movie that I saw a long time ago called "Machine Gun Blues", starring Cynda Williams and Nick Cassavettes, about a colored blues singer who falls in love with an Italian mobster. It has a sad ending (sorry for the spoiler), and I always wished it had ended differently. I would like to thank Ms. Mynx for giving me a happy ending version of that seemingly doomed love affair.  There is a time in this book where you aren't sure you'll get a happy ending, and I think I hardly breathed as I read the final pages of the book.  The thing about Kindle books is it tells you how much time you have left in the book, and the last 20% was agony for me.  But Mynx delivered.

I have a problem with erotica, and I try to avoid it. I just don't like all the 'anything goes' sex. I like to know there will be limits on what kinds of sex acts are depicted in the book.  I don't mind steamy vanilla sex and plenty of it (so long as it doesn't take over the story), but I don't like the kinky stuff.  A reference during the first love scene had me worried, but that stuff didn't take place on screen in the book, so I heaved a sigh of relief.  While I do think this did have a bit more sex than strictly necessary, I can understand how important it was to show the passion and desperation of these two lovers, and how their love comes to the surface past their guarded armor and facades.

I won't say I'm a mafia/mobster romance fan, but I really did like this book.  And since I'm a sucker for Early 20th Century romance, and I like reading about the 20s and 30s, it kind of comes with the territory.  Prohibition was a very violent period in American history, and there are a lot of untold stories. I loved seeing what it was like a young colored woman and her Sicilian lover, that they did have a chance at a happy ending, even in their world of blood and strife.  I learned some historical facts as I read that found very fascinating, such as which states it was legal to marry interracially during this period. 

The writing was crisp and very organic and visually-stimulating.  I felt like this was a cinematic read, and I would love if someone did make a movie out of this one day. I would definitely go see it!  The music aspect was well-conveyed and integral to this story. The editing was pretty good, with only a few errors, mostly near the end.


I'd have to give this 4.5/5.0 stars because this was an intense, passionate and involving book that kept its hooks in me even when I was afraid to keep reading.  I really cared about Harmony and Vinnie and I wanted desperately for them to get their happy ending together.  I can see why Sienna Mynx is such a popular author.



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Her Russian Billionaire by Theodora Taylor

Her Russian Billionaire by Theodora Taylor

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


Having a Russian hero is always a nice start. But it has to meet other qualifications, and I'd say Theodora Taylor did that very well. The beginning has one of the best openings I've read in a romance for a while. The language is almost lyrical in those scenes.  I have to say that Alexei is just about scrumptious.  He's fierce and dangerous/lethal-vibed, but he's also a teddy bear deep down. That combination is so irresistible.  I liked very much how Alexei was three-dimensional. While part of him really despised Eva, and was determined to hurt her and get revenge, his heart didn't want that, and he'd never truly stopped loving her.  He was very sighworthy.  There is no question that Eva is the right woman for him, and I felt his pain and unresolved feelings over their breakup deeply, even though I wasn't sure that Eva was 100% to blame as he thought.

Eva was very likable.  She is one of those people that you can't help but like if you spend more than five minutes together. I think her parents didn't realize how lucky they are to have her, considering how terrible they acted towards her.  I figured she had a good reason for leaving Alexei, but my jaw dropped when it's revealed why she did.  For some reason, I wasn't expecting that.  You might say, 'well, duh,' but it was a surprise to me.  I normally don't like the plot that is a huge aspect of this book, but I can understand why Eva chose to make that decision, and I like how it was dealt with between Eva and Alexei.

Deep down, I will always be a Harlequin Presents geek. I loved that this has many of the HP tropes that I dig, but with a dangerous twist. And with a black heroine!  That's just about perfect for me.  I liked how Alexei was wining and dining Eva, but he was also wooing her by doing couple stuff.  And having South Padre Island as a rendezvous was a bit novel.

So why not five stars? I doesn't quite feel like a fiver to me. I think a large part was the rough sexual language. I am not a big fan of that, honestly.  I think the love scenes were very steamy, but I could have done without the big words that seem obligatory in a steamy romance book nowadays.   Personal preference. Thankfully, Taylor keeps the love scenes kink-free (wipes brow). I would have regretted if I had never gotten to meet Alexei just because the book was too kinky for me.  Also, it could have been a tad longer.  I think that for its shorter length, it was a satisfying story, but this easily could have been longer with more depth. 

I'm so picky with five star ratings lately. If I wasn't getting so stingy, this could have been a five. But it was darn close.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

Thanks so much to Teneatha for the Kindle Loan!



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Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan

Saga, Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan
My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars

I am kind of late posting this review. I wanted to think about it and I got sidetracked by other tasks.

First of all, I am so glad my precious local library had this! I had heard about it and was recommended this book, but graphic novels aren't in my budget. And look how the Lord does provide!

Saga is a fun, fast-paced, visually appealing graphic novel. The art is beautiful and subtle, possessing a clarity I appreciated despite the simplicity of the drawings. The lettering keeps the prose equally clear. I loved the fact that Hazel (the infant that Marko and Alana make together)'s POV is rendered in a different style/font. It threw me at first, but then I realized what was going on. That not only are we seeing this intriguing couple's story play out, but we're seeing there is a future for them, since Hazel must have made it to a certain age in order to narrate. That gave me some hope, since things feel pretty dire for Marko and Alana.

I was recommended this graphic novel on the Fans of Interracial Romance group, which is awesome, and I do have to say the romance is a good driver of this story. I think it shows how fundamental a love story is in many settings. Love and the force it exerts on us and how it drives our actions. Love is not a conflict so much as a precipitator and a facilitator for the movement within a story. In the case of this young married couple, their love for each other drove them to escape from their respective, although reluctant roles in a senseless war, and their love for their baby they made together, drives them to fight for a new life and a safe haven for their family. So it's very organic to the story. Also, there is a strong theme about the foolishness of conflicts and wars and our reasons for hating people who are different from us. This story is practically begging for an interracial/cross-cultural romance. Although Alana looks black and Marko looks white, the color difference is secondary in this novel (and they have strikingly different morphological touches--Marko has ram's horns and Alana has vestigial (underdeveloped) wings). Instead, the bigger disparity is the fact that Alana and Marko are from different planets at war with each other. I really appreciated how these very different people came together and decided to commit to their love for each other, regardless of the obstacles in the way. Their strengths and weaknesses complement each other perfectly, and I can see the respect they have for each other, and their commitment to stand together no matter what.

As far as the conflict and the action, it was well done. I would consider this rustic sci-fi, along the lines of the tv show, Firefly. It also had shades of the original Star Wars films (which is in my mind sort of rustic sci-fi as well). The story keeps active, and the writing doesn't bog the narrative down with going in depth with the sci-fi world-building. This book is quite gory and violent. There is a very explicit scene that I know would be really gross if this was a live action movie, (along with a few others that are pretty in your face) although I can understand what motivated the act. Along with violence, there is a fair amount of profanity and sexual content, including full frontal nudity, and frank sexual situations. Even a disturbing part in which the readers are confronted with the vileness of child prostitution (thankfully no scenes depicting it).

Yeah, so I'm not being very coherent. What I'm trying to say is that I was impressed with this book. It is the beginning of a series I can see myself eagerly following. Yes, it's quite out there as far as sex, language and violence, but the story is good and it gives us two leads that you really like and root for, and of course, their daughter, who is all sorts of intriguing.

Overall rating: 4.25/5.0 stars.

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Zora's Chance by Aliyah Burke

Zora's Chance by Aliyah Burke

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


I started a review and my computer decided it wanted to restart before I could save it!  Oh well. Here we go again!

I've had this ebook for years!  Better late than never.

I enjoyed this book.  It was a good read.   Why not four or more stars?

Let me tell you.

I am a curious person.  I can't help it.  I have been known to ask far too many questions.  It's wired in me to have a curious mind about the world and about the way it works, why people do the things they do.  That tends to be an important part of my analytical process when it comes to books. 

So when I finished this book, I had big huge question marks in my mind about Chance. I didn't understand the way his mind worked, why he was keeping himself so isolated and separate.  I didn't know, even when the book was over. It was like people knew this about him and didn't go there.  I think that although this was a major issue for Zora, nothing really seemed to change this. Yes, he declared his love, decided to let her into his insular life, but I didn't get closure on why he was like that.  Was it from a past hurt?  Was it ever going to change?  Would he open up a little more for Zora? I think if I had this understanding, I might have liked this book more than I did.

Also, I didn't like the casual nature of their relationship. Tthey hooked up for sex and mainly had separate lives.  Not romantic to me. Yes, I know, that's how some modern relationships are.  It doesn't work for me.  If there's going to be a sexual relationship first, I need it to feel like something more.  There was a push/pull here where Zora was slowly pushing at Chance's barriers, but at the same time trying to maintain her autonomy and accept the relationship for what it was, although she wanted more.  That was the main tension in this book. It's probably realistic for the development of many relationships, but not what I look for in a romance. I guess I'm still the fairy tale kind of relationship gal.  I don't apologize for that. I think it's important for all women to feel that they are worth the wooing and the seeking and that they are a princess to the man they love.  I don't want to be a princess, don't get me wrong, but it's good for you to know that you're a princess to the man you love and are in a relationship with!

I loved that Zora was a chef and liked to bake. As a foodie, that resonates with me. I also tend to bake when I'm restless, and I should be less shy and take my extras (of which there are often a lot) over to my neighbors.  No, I don't have a hunky ex-Marine neighbor, but still. 

Yes, this is a good love story although a bit nebulous for my tastes. Nicely steamy, with a hero who is quite appealing.  I do like the buttoned up hero, but I could have used more unbuttoning besides sexually. I loved the proposal though. This is one of Aliyah Burke's earlier novels, and I can see that she's come into her own and developed a smoother voice and more confident writing.  Even so, for being one of her first books, it's evident that she is a talented writer.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.



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A Touch of Midnight by Lara Adrian

A Touch of Midnight by Lara Adrian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It was great to read the story of how Gideon and Savannah met. I must say that they are one of my favorite Breed couples, and I always wondered how they got together. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I didn't like it quite as much as I wanted to though. I think that was because Gideon is so sex-bombalicious nerdtastic in the other books, I wanted to see more of his oh-so alluring geekiness. Instead, he was much like the other Breed males in his demeanor although there was a cool part about him creating a precursor to the laptop we know and love today (cause guess what I'm typing this review on right now?). Thus, this book didn't really stand out that much from the other books. That was probably my biggest issue and why this wasn't higher rated. Also, I didn't like (view spoiler)[how Gideon promised not to fight in the field because of Savannah's fear of it. To me, it makes her into the bad guy to take that away from him. Fact is, they live in a world with a lot of violence, and I think that Gideon's status as a warrior is honorable and something to be proud of. Yes, there is risk, but he's very good at what he does. I wouldn't want to take that away from him. It does answer why he doesn't fight, but since he had a bullet stuck in his head, that was just as good a reason for him not to fight (hide spoiler)]. Even though Gideon wasn't as geeky, I still liked him a lot. I love his typical British colloquialisms, which we see in this novella as well.

What I loved was getting to know Savannah. I really, really like her. She's very young, but she has a maturity that I respected about her. She's a very intellectual person with a keen mind, and I could see part of why they were drawn to each other. Also her strong sense of right and wrong, and that traditional heroic urge, which is addressed in the novella. When she gets a vision of Gideon by touching his sword, you could instantly feel that bond begin between them, and when they meet, the rest is inevitable.

One thing that stood out to me was that Adrian stays grounded in the 70s setting throughout this book. The scene when Gideon tells her to call the Order, she has to grab coins out of her purse and run outside to a pay phone. That was really well done. At first, I expected her to pull out her cell phone, and I would imagine that would be Adrian's gut instinct to write that, but she remembers that they don't have cell phones at that time. I was instantly reminded that this is set about thirty-odd years in the past. She didn't have to keep hitting me over the head with descriptions of bell-bottoms and stuff like that either.

Ultimately, if you're a fan of the Breed series, I don't see why you wouldn't like this. It has the same feel and intensity of the other books. I think the biggest draw was getting to see Gideon and Savannah's backstory on paper, and although it was a short novella, it was well done and I believe in their love, past, present and future. Of course, it was awesome to see more of Tegan, 'cause I just love him!


And I'm really happy to see a popular paranormal romance novelist who is upfront and comfortable with depicting a loving, committed interracial relationship in her books. Kudos for that, Ms. Adrian.

A respectable four star read for me.


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Connelly's Flame by Alilyah Burke

Connelly's Flame (The Megalodon Team, #3) by Aliyah Burke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Finally, I've started this series. I am smacking my head and asking what took me so long. Navy SEALs, interracial. Am I crazy? Well, I have rectified my mistake, and I am a happy camper.

This was a really good book. Aliyah Burke is an excellent writer. Her voice is authentic and polished to the eyes, making for an enjoyable reading experience. Her characters are real life and likable, flaws and all. I loved Dezarae. She was unique and interesting. Her ethnicity was a part of who she was, but she was in no way a stereotype. I liked that she was normal-sized with muscles from the physical work she did, and she was sexy with it. I loved her independence and the fact that she was good at doing something she loved--restoring cars. I've never been into cars, but movies like Gone in 60 Seconds, XXX, and the Fast and the Furious movies have pricked my interest. I recognized the Shelby from Gone in 60 Seconds, which was awesome. I seriously love a heroine who has her own life going on, but at the same time, she's open and warm. Dezarae opened her heart and her life to Ross in two huge ways: she saved his life, and she gave his daughter a safe, warm home. How could you not love her? Another thing I loved about this book was how many male friends she had (and no, not in dirty-minded way). I like to see women having male friends and being able to fit into that world easily because of their mutual interests. They respected her for her personality and her car savvy. They accepted her for who she was and she was happy in her own skin. People do want to be around you when you are confident and outgoing, so it makes total sense. It makes me wonder if I need to get into this kind of hobby so I meet more guys (I'm kidding, mostly)! Too bad I don't have a bit of mechanical car sense other than how not to get ripped off by car mechanics! Anyway, Dezarae had wonderful texture and I loved her as a heroine. I would have loved to understand why she had trouble believing Ross really loved her. I'm guessing it had something to do with her failed relationship with Jack, but this isn't explained. Maybe the fear of loss from her father dying...

Ross was not only deliciously hot, he was a genuinely nice guy. He cracked me up with his possessive jealousy. I like that in a hero, and I like that he wasn't too irrational about it. He had to deal with the fact that his woman was the kind of woman that men liked being around, even on a platonic basis. For all of that, he didn't try to change her or mold her to fit his preconceived notions. He really found her sexy for who she was. I think he was a very good dad, and I liked seeing him with his daughter Charmane (and I feel her part added significantly to the book, and she wasn't just a plot point), and how natural it felt for them as a family with Dezarae. He did have some insecurities about being low on the totem pole in his Team, but he wasn't aggravating about it. Towards the end, he was tripping out some, but I forgive him!

As far as romance rating, I rate this high. It's very steamy and that was great. Burke writes great love scenes: hot and sensual without being a turnoff because of the raunch factor. The steam shows the feelings and the growing love between Dezarae and Ross. You could see although there was intense chemistry between them from the beginning, they don't jump right into bed, which was great. They give their feelings time to be real and not just about sex. And when they do get intimate, it's so much better!


I can tell that Burke does have some real-life understanding of the military. She writes a sexy, credible Navy SEAL hottie hero, but it feels realistic and deals with the hard realities of that life. I loved the friendship between Ross and his Team, and how they open up ranks around his new-found love. Although I haven't read the first two books, seeing the couples from those makes me eager to read them very soon. Of course, I will make sure I get all the books in this series (I think I have most of them already), because I definitely want to read more of SEAL Team Megalodon and the women they love.

I guess I'll have to give this five stars, 'cause I really liked it a lot!

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Stranded by Pepper Pace

Stranded by Pepper Pace

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


I started reading this early this morning when I couldn't sleep, and I finished the whole book in that short time. This is really one of those unputdownable reads.  I was compelled by and drawn into the dramatic situation that Oceans and Marshall faced. 

I always enjoy a good survival on the elements book, and Pace excelled with this novel about two people who end up being stranded on a Caribbean deserted island and have to make a life there for the time being until they are rescued.  This book is incredibly realistic about survival on a deserted island, including the risks and privations that people would face.  Emotionally, Pace goes there. She involves you with Oceans and Marshall, makes you fall in love with them, and walk in their shoes in a way that doesn't leave you unaffected when the book is over.  I can honestly say that Marshall is the kind of man I would want to be stranded on an island with. He steps up to the plate in so many ways. While he isn't a chest-thumping, stereotypical alpha, he shows all the traits that a mature man should have in a desperate situation and when he has a family to protect and care for.  Oceans was also an incredible character.  Her ability to adapt and survive and to use her knowledge of the islands to help them both survive really made me admire her. She is the kind of more realistic heroine I would like to see in romance novels. Not perfect, but perfectly lovable.

One aspect of this story was utterly heartbreaking.  I felt the pain and anguish that both Oceans and Marshall faced, and I didn't think I would recover (it really hurt me on a deep level).  It was one of those situations where I didn't agree with the choice made, but I still love and respected the person who made it, and like the other party involved, I had to decide if I was going to move past it for the greater good.  I was so glad that things ended up working out in the end.  While I still would have loved this book, I love it more the way things ended than if they had gone in a different way, just because that is such a tough, wounding situation to read about. I don't think either party in this book could have walked away whole from that.  I can imagine it's even worse if you lived it.

I loved the fact that love blossoms realistically and intensely, and the sexual content wasn't the focus, although it was a big part of the novel. There were so many emotional depths to plumb that I would have felt cheated if this book was mainly sex scenes. I think a very good point was made about how sex is a way to express intimacy between two people, but certainly not the only way.  And the fact that Pace shows the real consequences of sexual intimacy on a couple, good and not so good. 

This is one of those books that lingers on the mind, making an indelible imprint on the emotions.  I was very glad I got the opportunity to read Stranded, and Pace has upped the bar for stranded/marooned/survival romance for me.  While not a perfect read, it's very close for me.

Overall rating:  4.5/5.0 stars.



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Beast by Pepper Pace

Beast by Pepper Pace

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Oh my goodness. This is one of those that has a sappy romantic like myself sighing.  A lonely, isolated man.  A woman who 'has it together' or so it seems, but is a wreck on the inside.  And they find each other.

The Beauty and the Beast retelling doesn't get old for me. After all, I am a die-hard romantic and a die-hard fairy tale lover.  Pepper Pace does both so well here.  Yet, instead of the Beast being grumpy and surly, Christopher is the sweetest teddy bear (although he probably resembles a Grizzly bear) imaginable.  I loved him! 

Pace challenges the reader here.  Our Beauty has a significant weight problem. And the weight problem isn't her issue, but the emotions underneath it, the ones that caused her weight issues, and the results of them.  If you've ever been overweight, you know how it is for Ashleigh.  The comments that hit like barbs, because someone thinks they have the right to say something or the fact that they are insensitive, because they've never struggled with weight problems. The assumptions made about you because of your weight. 

On the other side, she doesn't make Ashleigh into a completely harmless victim.  Ashleigh has some shallowness issues to work through.  But that's the beauty of this story.  She is able to see the beauty beneath the horrible scars and disfigurement that Christopher has.  I truly loved the emotional connection between Christopher and Ashleigh. And there was also a very sensual component to this book, for romance readers who need that in their stories.  Lots of spice and hot love scenes to go with an emotional love story that feels so authentic and timeless.

When I got to 38% on my Kindle and love declarations were made, I wondered what else could happen in this book. Well, plenty. This is a love story about not just two people finding each other, but also also finding their way to healing.  Making a life together in spite of obstacles they both face.

When you read these kinds of stories, the stubborn person in you is determined to be upset if the problem is fixed, such as the heroine losing weight, or the hero getting his disfigurement repaired. But is that truly fair to the story for the characters not to go through that passage 'just because'? After all, it's easy to stay where you are. Even harder to take that step of faith to change something about yourself for the right reasons. In this case, the resolution made so much sense and only added to this story.

If I could change anything?  That's a matter of personal tastes, and I'm sure many will disagree with me.  However, I could have done without some of the graphic language in the love scenes.  While they were scintillating and the chemistry powerful, I guess I didn't need to read certain terms when it came to body parts.  That's a small quibble.

I'm personally no grammar stickler, but there were a couple issues there.  I feel bad even pointing them out because a 100% accurate book doesn't necessarily tell a story that I love, like this somewhat imperfect one does.  Overall, I found the writing very poised, professional, and so emotionally-stirring that I couldn't help but give this a five star rating.

This was a beautiful love story. That's kind of ironic, because this story is about how what's on the surface doesn't show you everything. That what is at the heart is worth fighting for in the end.

Highly recommended to romance readers who enjoy a more sensually descriptive love story, or just any old sap who can't resist a tried and true love story.



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Serial Games by K. Victoria Chase

Serial Games by K. Victoria Chase
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Serial Games is a gripping romantic suspense thriller. Maggie and Brandon are an FBI profiler and a Fugitive Retrieval Specialist US Marshal who team up to recapture a notorious serial killer who escapes custody.

What I liked about this story:

*Maggie is an appealing heroine. She is a black woman who doesn't pander to stereotypes that are all too prevalent. Not only is she reserved, cerebral, and very good at her job, she is a woman of faith who shows dedication and drive to catch a very cunning serial killer--one that she had been highly instrumental in putting away the first time. I liked how she carries herself--she's not focused on being sexy or catching a man. She's focused on doing a good job in her field, putting her intelligence and training to use to better the world, and is a bit of a workaholic--not very good at the life/work balance. Even though she has feelings for Brandon, she doesn't allow herself to be his punching bag or let him to take advantage of their attraction to each other. She juggles a family dynamic in which she feels competition with her older sister, who is a successful attorney who is also happily married with a child. Her mom constantly reminds her of her need to get married, but Maggie isn't worried about that, when her job keeps her so busy.

*Brandon is magnetic and scrumptious. He's a bit tortured after losing his fiancee' and he is nursing an anger with God as a result. He was definitely blowing hot and cold, and he knew it, but I liked the way he interacted with Maggie.

*The chemistry was great in this book. It's clean romance, but the author conveys the attraction and the developing relationship between Maggie and Brandon in an engaging way. It's good romance for Christians who have certain beliefs about how to conduct a relationship and a courtship. It's kind of hard to find books that show this well. It's usually one extreme or the other: no chemistry, and too 1950s or way too erotic with behaviors that don't fit what is expected of single Christians in a dating relationship. I liked how Chase uses kisses, dialogue, and physical interactions and body language to build the chemistry between Maggie and Brandon. I found it very believable.

*The suspense part was well done. I felt like I watching an episode of Breakout Kings or Criminal Minds. Chase doesn't make things gruesome, but she portrays the pathology and the darkness of the serial killer very realistically.

*Chase's writing style is active and her voice is confident and sophisticated. She did a good job of balancing the varied themes of this book, without sacrificing any in the end result. It's only fair to say that I am not a big fan of serial killer fiction. While I didn't think she was heavy-handed, Ms. Chase doesn't skimp or go lightweight on this aspect of the novel. On the other hand, I didn't yearn for more focus on the romance because she was spending too much time on the suspense angle. I think that while she does convey a spiritual message, she does it naturally, so I don't feel like this book was at all preachy. Instead, it's a good choice for a reader who wants a good romantic suspense novel that is on the clean side and with characters who have personal relationships with God that they are working through. A person who is open to reading a novel with a Christian message, one that isn't focused exclusively on that message, or a reader is not necessarily a Christian, might enjoy this book.

Overall Thoughts

My thanks to K. Victoria Chase for the opportunity to read Serial Games. I was happy to be able to explore some interracial romantic suspense that is clean, and not focused on eroticism. These are quite hard to find in this genre. I liked that this storyline is unique for the majority of the interracial content available. Maggie is a heroine that I could respect as a person and admire for her work ethic and her personal ethics. Brandon is definitely appealing as a hero, with a touch of the tortured aspect to his character, and also very good at his job. I felt the chemistry between them, and I can definitely see them building a life together. I would recommend this book.




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The Grunt by Latrivia Nelson

The Grunt by Latrivia S. Nelson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book, from page one. Brett is such a sweetheart. He is a tough, formidable Marine, but he's also a caring, warm, emotionally vulnerable man. My heart ached for him because of the way his wife treated him. It seems as though there was little of value to his marriage, but he did keep trying to be a good husband. I can't imagine who hard it was for him to go out on the frontline and have an indifferent, judgmental, unloving wife at home. Never feeling good enough for her or that he had done enough. That's so damaging to one's self-esteem. When he and Courtney make a connection, I was cheering for him. He needed a woman like her in his life. And it was on the best day possible for them to meet. It surely felt like God was answering his prayers.

I also loved Courtney. She was giving, cheerful, honest, lovable, motivated, and open. She had made some decisions that her family gave her trouble about, but I liked that she owned those choices and learned from them, and chose to be a happy person despite the low points in her young life. Considering what she was risking to be with Brett, I think she was very brave. Although Nelson doesn't pretend ignorance about the racial issue, I love the fact that this is not really the issue for Brett and Courtney's relationship. Instead it is the fact that Courtney's father and brother are officers and Brett is happily a grunt in the Marines, not to mention his emotional baggage from a toxic marriage. I liked that Nelson takes the time to show why that was an issue. The detail that Nelson gives about life in the Marines, both as a soldier and as family to Marines comes highly appreciated. There is no patriotic flag-waving per se, but merely telling it like it is. And for a person who is not directly involved in the military, but does admire what the Armed Forces do for Americans, it was welcome.

Even though I loved Dmitry's Closet, I found that this book touched me much more. While Dmitry was more of a modern day fairy tale, The Grunt is steeped in realism, but no less (actually more) romantic. Although Courtney is about Royal's age, she seemed more mature and more textured as a person. While I normally like a sexually inexperienced heroine, I think it was fitting that Courtney wasn't inexperienced in relationships, and she knew what she was getting into with Brett and his son. She had her eyes open and the staying power to see it through. Plus, it's nice to different kinds of heroines get their happy ending, and Courtney works hard for and deserves hers with Brett and Cameron.

As far as sexual tension and love scenes, this book was hot! I was like wow! I love that Brett is both vulnerable and open emotionally, not a playboy, but he definitely can give a girl a run for her money in the bedroom! Dang! That's all I'm going to say! Man I was feeling the heat there. Brett and Courtney had great chemistry, but it was also clear that Brett respected and valued Courtney as a whole person, not just a convenient body or sex object. Ms. Nelson really earned my respect with how she portrayed the sexual part of their relationship, considering the circumstances.

The family dynamics were also well done. I was afraid that Courtney's family would lean so hard on her that she'd break up with Brett, but I love that she stood her ground, and Brett stood up for her and next to her. I like that Brett told her brother like it is. I loved Courtney's mom, Diane. She was a real sweetie, but knew how to handle her husband and son. I loved that Courtney was close to her mother, and that her mother was very supportive and proud of her. I thought her dad and brother weren't as well-developed, but then Courtney wasn't as close to them. I also loved Cameron. What a sweet little boy, but also realistically portrayed. I wanted to give him a hug. (view spoiler)[The one part I still have a question about is when/how is Brett going to explain that Cameron's mom is dead? I guess he'll wait until Cameron is older. (hide spoiler)]Final Thoughts:

Although there were some mild editing issues, I continue to be impressed with Latrivia Nelson's writing ability. I loved the connection she developed and conveyed between Brett and Courtney. It felt like true love, but also realistic. Never does Nelson downplay how hard family life can be in the military, but the power of the love in the relationship between a military person and their spouse gives them the energy and the fortification to go out there and risk their life for us all. I was a very satisfied reader when I finished The Grunt!

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Burn by Crystal Hubbard

Burn by Crystal Hubbard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Crystal Hubbard has delivered a great story of a woman trying to start a new life, and break free from the prison of fear that her abusive, controlling ex-husband held her captive to. For readers who enjoyed movies like "Sleeping with the Enemy" and "Enough", this book will strongly invoke memories of those stories, but Ms. Hubbard has put her own spin on that storyline of an abused ex-wife on the run from her crazy, stalker ex-husband.



Ms. Hubbard teaches me as an aspiring writer how to use language to tell a story. She always stimulates all the five senses when she writes. She beautifully describes colors and imagery, that give this novel a three-dimensional feel. I liked how she uses the language of color to describe how different Cinder's relationship is with Gian to her painful marriage to Sumchai Wyatt. Whereas everything was grays, blacks, and whites with Sumchai, there is a dazzling array of colors, each vibrant with Gian. Her descriptions of food were so scrumptious, I wanted to jump into this story and start eating. And the love scenes are very descriptive and evocative, making me think about sex and how it can express the feelings that a couple has for each other to a degree that I usually don't when I read a romance. Also, I appreciated how she wrote Gian as a hero in an inspiring, appealing way, but also showed that he was just a man, not a superman. In this case, Cinder didn't need a champion in the traditional sense. She needed to find her inner champion, and Gian helped her to do that.



The characters in this story came to life, fully realized. Cinder was a deep person, not perfect. A real woman. It's really easy to cast judgment on abused women, and say, I'd never let a man do that to me. However, it happens more than not that a woman ends up in a relationship that starts out good, and then finds that her life is completely controlled by a man who doesn't know what the meaning of love is. In this book, I could see how Cinder went from point A to point B, and woke up one day realizing exactly the extend of the control and games her husband had over her. Some of his cruel tactics made me so angry, and I couldn't imagine being in that situation. Yet, I didn't feel the need to judge Cinder, because being in love with someone does give them a control over you that allows you to put yourself in situations that can be just as unhealthy as Cinder's, and there is a large component of psychological damage, steadily inflicted that allows a person's will to be weakened to the extent that they feel that this is the norm. There is also that fear and shame of speaking out and telling others what is going on. Fear for oneself, and fear that this person might hurt them as well. As with the slow procession from lover to victim that unfolds with Cinder, we see her slow healing and the psychological breakthroughs that allow Cinder to come back from that edge and reclaim her sense of self, her identity, and control of her life. I think this was written brilliantly, and unlike film media, I could see deeper into the abused wife scenario. I admit that this was a harrowing journey at times, too. You think in your mind, how could someone associate this with love. How could you deliberately hurt your wife that way. It was clear that Cinder's ex-husband was a deeply mentally ill person, but not one that I ever felt sorry for. Not when he truly didn't want to get better. At the end of this story, I was cheering loudly for Cinder, having gone along the way every step with her and seeing how hard she worked for her emotional/mental/physical victory.



Gian was a hero that I just adored. He was a very good man--a lovely mix of oh-so delicious masculinity, stability, honor, sweetness, and gentleness. Not to mention sexiness. I liked how he was a man with a military past that had colored him, but he had some conflicted feelings about the violence he had to commit as a soldier. When he told Cinder why he ran a martial arts dojo, it was a very profound thing. I know I've heard it before that martial arts helps a person to empower oneself on a level that makes it easier for them not to kill someone, but it made even more sense from the vantage point of a man who had to kill people for a living, and was subjected to the violent acts of others. There wasn't anything I didn't love about Gian. He was a fully-realized kind of hero. The one that you can drool over and respect, and think how much you'd admired and be drawn to him in real life. It wasn't that he was perfect, and no man or woman is. He was just perfectly lovable.



I loved the integration of martial arts styles and philosophy in this story. It was clear that Ms. Hubbard did her research, and she built a beautiful story around it. I never felt subjected to 'info-dumping'. Instead I found the facts and descriptions very intriguing. Of course, being a long-time fan of Asian martial arts, in the real world, and in the cinema, that gave me just one more thing to like about this story.



As one of my friends on GRs touched on, I loved the diversity in this story. You have such a beautiful mix of ethnicities, which is how I see the world being. Not one palette, but so many colors, coming together to make an intriguing society, each contributing to the world in which they live. I loved the scenes of Gian's employees at the dojo, Cinder and his mutual friends, and their trash-talking and playing around. Also how they helped each other and stood up for each other. I even liked how things worked out with one employee who really acts like an idiot over the course of this book.



This is my third book by Crystal Hubbard, and my praise for her is well-earned. She is such a good writer, and she delivers a beautiful love story, one that is more than just romance. It's fiction that hits on many cylinders, and gives the reader even more than they expected. Burn is a book I'd highly recommend.







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Living on the Edge by LaVerne Thompson

Living On The Edge by LaVerne Thompson

My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars


This was easily a four star book, because I really liked it. Ms. Thompson is a very good writer. The story was interesting, and the characters likeable. The mystery/suspense was good. I liked the world she created with her Atrox shifters (extinct Cave lions). I think she was true to the cat nature in crafting her characters. I think it was interesting how many of the Atrox were in this story, even though they were supposedly rare (and Ms. Thompson even had a character make a comment about this). I liked that Ms. Thompson didn't have any loose ends or implausibility in her world-building. I have come to realize that although I am a huge cat-fancier, I love werewolf PNR more than cat paranormal. But a fan of cat shifters will be very happy with this book.



I found the characters to be well developed, although this is a shorter novel. I liked that Ethan was a good mix of alpha and beta, possessive and strong, vital and masculine; but he was cool with a strong woman, and he could handle her independent nature, and trust her to do what she did well, without taking it as an assult against his masculinity. Edge was a capable heroine, very intelligent, tough and confident, but not annoying in her kick-butt nature. It's not easy to bring an alpha heroine to life, and Ms. Thompson did it well.



The sensual parts were tres sexy, and the attraction between Edge and Ethan rich and natural. I liked that they didn't jump right into bed. Any sex breaks they took were appropriately timed. Although Edge wanted to look on their relationship as more casual than it was, Ethan definitely wanted to stake his claim. I could see Edge's reasons, but I don't like the casual sex thing, so I was bummed at her attitude about their relationship. But all that ends well.



One thing I must mention is there were some editing oopsies. I hate to harp on that, but I think it's important to state for anyone who has a serious issue with editing errors who might read this review. They were pretty minor, just a lack of commas were I felt there needed to be, and just a couple of homonym errors. I am no grammar expert, and I won't pretend to be. I can overlook minor editing problems very well, but I just wish the epublishers were better about not letting stories get by without fixing those things. Ms. Thompson is a very good writer, and her story has a polish that shines through, and I hate that poor editing might cause readers to look down on her work. In all fairness, I have seen major publishing houses and books by best-selling authors with errors, so I tend to try to shrug that off for the most part. (Danielle steps off her soapbox)



I must say, I am very picky about paranormal romance. It's one of my favorite genres, and I've read enough that I know what I like and I don't, and my standards are probably unfairly high, and I have found I am tougher about my rating of PNRs as I read more and more of them. I really need the zing factor with a paranormal romance to give it five stars. This one is up there for me, although not a five star read. Having said that, I want to thank Ms. Thompson for the opportunity to read her novel. It's clear she knows what PNR fans want, and she has a feel for writing a very good romance that shows in Living on the Edge. I will definitely read more of her books!



Overall rating: 4.25/5.0.



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Lone Star Seduction by Day Leclaire

Lone Star Seduction by Day Leclaire

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars


For seven years, Alejandro Montoya (I love this name!) focused on gaining his revenge against Sebastian Huntington, the man who fired his mother and threw them out on the street, all because he had the nerve to get involved with his daughter. But, he never forgot how Rebecca made his heart beat faster, even if he forced himself to believe he hated her. Now, Alex is a powerful man, rich, and determined to show that Sebastian Huntington is not better than him, just because of his Latino heritage and because his mother cleaned his house.



When it turns out that Sebastian embezzled $300,000 from the Texas Cattleman's Club, he plays right into his hands. Now he had the power to bring Huntington down. Even still, the idea of Rebecca being hurt doesn't sit right with him. He does what he can to nail her father, but help Rebecca, because his feelings for her have not dissipated despite his rage at her father.



Rebecca never got over Alex. She didn't understand why he would have made a terrible bet with his old friend from the barrio, "El Gato", that he could sleep with her. She's determined to help her father, even if it means she has to convince Alex to give her a loan against her lingerie shop and work as his housekeeper to help pay off her father's debt. Yet, as much as she wants to keep it all business, and Alex wants to focus on his need for revenge against her father, their powerful attraction keeps getting in the way.



I loved Alex. He was sexy and hot, all man. He was angry, but he really didn't want to see Rebecca hurt. He went out of his way to seek a resolution which would spare her, although he fully intended for her father to pay for his crimes, even if it was losing his ranch and having to move out of town. Alex reminded me of Alex from Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles, except all grown up, and a little more of a cowboy. They both have that powerful charisma. I could totally see why Rebecca was head over heels for him.



I liked Rebecca. She had mettle, and even though I didn't like her father, I admired her loyalty to him, which she didn't let blind her to the truth about him. Her actions were understandable. It would have felt cold-blooded for her to completely wash her hands of him.



Ms. Leclaire dealt with the prejudice issue deftly. People looked down on Alex and his family because they were Mexican-American, and his mother was a domestic. Even some of the members of the TCC who had books already did the same (especially Lance and Mitch). I liked that Alex stayed true to himself, and was proud of who he was, but strove to make something of himself to show the snobs where they could stick their prejudice. I was glad that Rebecca wasn't prejudiced against Alex, although she should have taken her father to task for his snooty attitude while she was dating Alex the first time.



I liked the suspense angle, with Alex's shady friend "El Gato" as a major player in Huntington's troubles, with intentions to claim Rebecca as his bride, and Huntington's land so he could play Cattle King. Alex had to resolve his loyalty to an old friend, who had some designs against the woman he loved. He showed some real mettle dealing with his friend, who was clearly a slimy criminal. And it forced him to accept his true feelings for Rebecca.



So far, this is my favorite in the newest Texas Cattleman's Series, at least out of those I've read. I need to read Darius and Summer's story, since I've liked him quite a bit in the books I've read.



Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.



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Boss Man by Marie Rochelle

Boss Man by Marie Rochelle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've been excited to read this book for over a year, since I read Dangerous Bet: Troy's Revenge. It was clear that Fancy and Maxwell had some exciting chemistry and wonderful tension building up between them in that book.



Finally, I did read this book, and I wasn't disappointed. Marie Rochelle writes scintillating interactions between her couples very well. The dialogue really furthers the storytelling, showing the fiery chemistry between Fancy and Maxwell. This book is the quintessential battle between the sexes. Fancy and Maxwell play a game of chaser versus chasee. Their dynamic reminded me of a game of chess. Each player tries to make a move that will win them the game, but protect their queen (their hearts).



Initially, Fancy was doing the pursuing, until Maxwell decided that he wanted to be caught, and he thought Fancy had moved on. Fancy has been in love with Maxwell for a while now. He came into the Tycoon Club (where she worked) with his friends Troy and Cole pretty regularly, and she tried to ask him out a couple of times, only to be rebuffed. She gave up on there being something more between them. However, she needs the position he's advertising for, as his assistant and cook. Fancy's determined to keep things professional between them, and to hide her feelings for Maxwell. However, Maxwell sees Fancy and considers all the possibilities. She's completely sexy, and he likes her--she's spunky and intelligent, and a great employee. He's not sure what he wants from her--he just wants her. But, his past makes him believe a wife and a family are not in the cards for him. At the same time, his attraction to Fancy makes it impossible not to pursue her and claim her as his own. For those who enjoy a jealous hero, it was kind of cute how Maxwell was jealous of his friend Cole's relationship with Fancy, who was very good friends with Cole.



This was a light (but not in a bad way), fun, and sexy read. I loved the back and forth between Fancy and Maxwell. They were both strong people, and neither wants to let the other win, although their feelings betray themselves into each others' arms. Additionally, it was great to catch up with Headley and Troy from Dangerous Bet: Troy's Revenge, who are very happily married, with a baby on the way, and more than willing to do some matchmaking between Fancy and Maxwell.



I do feel that the editing could be better. I hate to harp on that, because I've noticed that can be an issue with smaller presses. It didn't really hurt my enjoyment of this book, but I feel I should mention that there were issues here, for full disclosure. Editing problems aside, this was a great story. I enjoyed spending a Saturday watching Fancy and Maxwell's courtship unfold. For those readers who like the Diana Palmer-esque heroes and that kind of dynamic in a story (albeit with a pretty fiesty, independent heroine), you'd probably like Maxwell. He does have some of those traits.



I truly enjoyed this book. Thus the five star rating!



PS. I emailed Ms. Rochelle about Cole's story, and she kindly emailed me back almost immediately to tell me that his story came out in July. It's called Cole's Surrender, currently available through Red Rose Publishing. I'm looking forward to seeing Cole surrender to young, sweet Lauren. :)



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Dmitry's Closet by Latrivia S. Nelson

Dmitry's Closet by Latrivia S. Nelson


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Note to the author:
Ms. Nelson, I am in awe. How did you know I wanted to read a book like this? Maybe we are on the same wavelength here. You see, I have a thing for Russian guys. It developed slowly over time, and this book has not helped me get over my fixation. Now, I think I will be much, much worse. But the thing is, how many books after this one will have a hero like Dmitry Medlov?

I don't care that he's seven foot tall. He didn't need to be a giant to be larger than life in my mind. It was the sheer force of his personality, the many textures to him. He is an utterly ruthless crime boss, but he is a gentle, adoring lover and friend to Royal. How did you conceive of this man? Well, you did such a great job here.

This book: It was so many things. I love a book that gives me a seven course dinner in one story. This was a beautiful love story, and an intricate crime drama. And I don't even like crime dramas! I love how it started out as a glittering fairy tale. A girl meets her prince who saves her and sweeps her off her feet. Their love is perfect and pure. And then, the pages turn, and you see the other side. You see how Dmitry is a man that is feared by many, and for good reason. I was riveted to the page. I couldn't believe how well Ms. Nelson integrated these two. Her portrayal of this Russian mafia gang was so intricate, I completely believed what I was reading.

I do have to admit, I couldn't understand how Royal didn't see what Dmitry was. But, as my sister suggested (when I was gushing about the book to her), and as it is soon revealed, she trusted Dmitry implicitly. She loved him with all the power of her innocent heart. She didn't believe he could ever hide such a thing from her. Yet, even though Dmitry kept such a massive secret from Royal, he never lost my sympathy. You see, Dmitry was who he was. He wanted to be a different man for Royal, and he was. He was the sweetest guy to her, a dream lover. He didn't lie to her or do her wrong. He just didn't tell her everything.

I'm not into all the bling and the designer clothes. There's a lot of that in this book. Dmitry pulls out all the stops. I mean, he showers Royal with all the material things her heart could desire. Reading Ms. JR Ward really helped me to be somewhat immune to designer name-dropping, and it was part of the scenery here, so it wasn't terribly off-putting. Royal had a queen's equivalent of jewels and ice, and all the fancy clothes she could want. She liked that, but what she really loved was Dmitry. He was her family, her home, her present, and her future.

This book really made me think about shades of gray. If someone told me Dmitry was a bad man, I couldn't argue with that. But, at the same time, I would attest that he is a good man. What makes a person good? What makes a person bad? It's hard to say, and we would all have different answers. It was interesting how Dmitry saw Royal as a sweet innocent, even though she told him her deepest, darkest secret, which is not so innocent. Dmitry loved Royal so much, cared for her so well, that I couldn't see him as a bad man. He protected his men and made sacrifices to see that they could have good lives. He was a good father to his son. And he had limits about what he'd do to make money. For me, that made him a better person than some men who have less shady jobs than his. It's a dicey thing to hold others in judgment. This book gave me some food for thought when it comes to that. I firmly believe in the scripture that says, "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." And, as I read this book, I could see a lot of people making choices that could easily be judged, but I had to look at why they did what they did, and not that they did it. Because, in the end, we are all just humans. Some of us do more bad deeds than others. But, we're all human beings, with all the accompanying failings.

As for Royal and Dmitry, I could really believe in their love. Even when things started coming down around them. The scene where she confronts Dmitry was very powerful. I felt like the world was ending. I didn't want to believe that anything could come between these two lovers. My heart stopped at the thought. And things just get worse. But, Ms. Nelson doesn't let me down. The fairy tale essence of this story holds true. And here's the thing about fairy tales: the young maiden always suffers. She has to be strong and persevere to get her happy ending. She might lose a lot along the way, but her love with her handsome prince will stand the test of time. That's what I believe about Royal and Dmitry.

My heart is still stuttering as I have just read the first chapter for the next book, Dmitry’s Royal Flush: Rise of the Queen. Of course, I will have to read this sequel, holding my breath the hold time, most likely. Until then, I can only hope that the future holds much joy for this couple. I think they have earned it.

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Ebony Eyes by Kei Swanson

Kei Swanson is clearly eavesdropping in on my brain. She truly knows about my love for Asian men. If not, then she must be a serious admirer of Asian men, just like me. Laine Tanizaki was completely, utterly fantastic. Sexy as all get out, but sweet and kind and honorable. I kept picturing Ian Anthony Dale as I read this book, and badly in need of a bib to catch all my drooling. But, I don't want to objectify him. He was a fully-realized character that I fell in love with, just as Corie did. Helping people is in his blood, and being an undercover police officer wasn't something he enjoyed, but it was a way to do what he felt was necessary to keep people safe. He was so loveable, and lickable too (okay, mind out of the gutter). I like that Kei wasn't afraid to have a hero who is Japanese-American, but one who didn't cement or pander to stereotypes. I felt as I read this story that we are of the same mind, ethnicity doesn't control our lives. It's who we are, but just a part of our identities. Laine was an American who happened to be Japanese. He had some of those elements of his ethnicity and heritage, but he also was just like any other American. To be honest with you, I could give this book five stars just because of how much I adored Laine. He was just one of those heroes who claims my heart early on and doesn't let go. I loved how he watched out for, loved, and truly respected and liked Corie. He was a dream man, in my opinion.

I liked Corie, but she's the vulnerable type. If readers don't go for the kind of heroine who is always in need of rescue, Corie won't be your thing. I was okay with her, because I felt that she was the right woman for Laine, and I felt the chemistry between them. Also, she went through a tough experience, and came out of it a survivor, even though she was worse for wear from the experience. And, she gets points for running a bookstore, owning a cat, and seeing what a fine, sexy, hunk of burning love Laine was. I liked that she was also a character who didn't fulfill stereotypes about Black women. She's about as far as you can get away from the uncultured, uncouth, loud, bitter, mean Black woman that seems to be used as the poster child for women of my race. She came from upper class, born into money, but strayed when she fell for a man who turned out to be a straight-up hoodlum and drug-dealer, who beat her so badly, she lost her baby and was in the ICU for two weeks. Now, she lives in fear of him, which was a little frustrating. Although I could understand that fear can control us. I wasn't always happy with the choices she made in regards to dealing with her ex-husband, but I've never been in her shoes, so I didn't hold that against her too much.

This was a well-paced, well-written romance. The chemistry builds deliciously, and you feel the emotional bond between Laine and Corie. Even though they can't open up about who they are, there is a connection between them that drives their interactions. I liked the dialogue and the intimacy in their everyday interactions. When they make love, the fire has stoked to a tingling level of anticipation, and I was not disappointed.

I had a bad experience with the last interracial romance I tried to read. It also had an Asian hero and a Black woman, and that woman was also battered by a man in her life. This execution was so much better. There was nothing tawdry or disturbing about this story, but the abuse that Corie suffered was clear. Laine never came off as an opportunist or a user, but a man truly in love who knew how to care for his woman and to love her. Just what she needed. And, Corie turns out to be right for Laine, giving him a connection and the love of a woman, when he's felt so isolated, with only a dying father in his life, and his job. I am thankful to Kei for her deft handing of this tough subject. I loved how she dealt with the racial and socioeconomic differences, and how lovingly she brought Laine to life. It sounds really bizarre to say so, but I have a heart for Asian people, and I want to see more stories that show Asian Americans as they are everyday, minus the stereotypes that seem to cloud a true vision of a group of people who are diverse and rich in culture and personality. As a Black woman, I feel that on a personal level everyday, and it's not pretty. So, when I read a book that doesn't go in that direction, I feel very happy. I cheered for Laine and Corie to get their happy ending together, because I felt that I truly knew them as lovable, good people. If they were real, I'd definitely want to go to their wedding.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

Come to Me by LaVerne Thompson

Come To Me by LaVerne Thompson


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Come To Me is a book that asks a reader, "Do you believe in soulmates? In a soul-deep connection in life that leaves you searching until you find the one who makes you whole?" I won't ask you to answer that question, but instead, I will talk about this book.

Come To Me is a quick, but very satisfying read. It's about a man who has had empty, meaningless sexual encounter after sexual encounter. He's searched for something to fill that void inside of himself, in the beds of the wrong women. One day, he hears the voice of a seductive angel on the phone when he calls to complain of an issue with his condo building. A connection is made that very first time he talks to her. He does his player bit, trying to get her to go out with him, unsuccessful, although his mysterious "Jasmine" does flirt back with him. After leaving one last strenous, but unsatisfying bout in a just another woman's bed, he calls her to complain about a car parked in his space, and finally breaks through, getting her to agree with a date. He wants a date so bad that he's willing to fly across the country to see her. From there, it's just the fulfillment of what seems like his destiny.

This is a very romantic book. I am the first to say that I don't really care for modern romance that much, with the uncommitted sex, and the question of whether sexual chemistry leads to love. But I think Ms. Thompson managed to take these sort of premises and really write a story that touched me. Reading this story, I felt a strong connection between Baron and Jasmine that extended far out of the bedroom. I liked that a significant portion of this book was spent with them getting to know each other in ways that didn't involve the physical. Even though they had only talked on the phone for six months, and were just now meeting, I could feel that there was a strong bond between them. The love scenes themselves were romantic and emotional. I liked that Baron was the first one who was willing and able to admit that this was it for him, that he had found his soulmate. It didn't take Jasmine much longer to realize that he was 'the one'. I found the uncertainty about who was going to uproot her/his life to be with the other to be very realistic, and the conclusion they came to, showed their mutual love and regard for each other.

This is my first time reading Ms. Thompson, although I have talked to her and enjoyed our discourse--due to our mutual interest in interracial romance stories. I can say objectively that she has something to offer as a romance writer. She really does know how to pen a story that will make you sigh and feel the romance and the possibilities of love between a man and a woman. If you're looking for a shorter but satisfying read that will remind a jaded romance novel palate of why this genre is your reading material of choice, I recommend Come to Me.

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