Month: March 2015

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Grown-up by Kim Fielding

Dreamspinner presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6170

grown upBlurb

It’s time for Austin Beier to grow up. His car is falling apart, his roommates are less than ideal, and he’s just been fired for the umpteenth time. His love life hasn’t evolved past bathroom hookups at his favorite clubs. Forced to borrow money from his father yet again, Austin is walloped by an epiphany—he needs someone to mentor him into maturity. And who better to teach him how to be an adult than Ben, his father’s office manager? Cute in a nerdy sort of way and only a few years older than Austin, Ben is a master of organization and responsibility. But as he gets to know Ben better, Austin learns that whether you’re eight or twenty-eight, growing up is never easy.

Review

Austin is 29 going on 19. He’s never finished college, loses more jobs than he keeps, lives in a hovel with roommates who have also never grown up and he’s currently almost late for rent.

Austin goes to his dad for money – again- and notices for the first time that the long time assistant who works for his dad, Ben, is about Austin’s age, but he’s a GROWN UP.

After a series of epiphanies, Austin asks Ben to mentor him in the ways of adulthood. Ben reluctantly agrees and together they map out a strategy of mature action for Austin to undertake.

What happens in relatively short time (really the boy just needed to quit clubbing and do some damn laundry) is that not only is Austin holding down a job, he’s re-evaluating his life and starting to make some future thinking goals. The other side effect is that he’s made his first “grown up” friend in Ben.

After celebrating his new gainfully employed status, Austin offers to give Ben some of that missing childhood he’s never had by taking him out to a club. There they realize that besides being friends they might be more.

Of course, it can’t be that easy. We’ve got some more growing up to do – on both sides of the relationship – but we do end up with a pretty solid HEA and a giant smile on our faces.

**

I adore Kim Fielding. Her books are always awesome. Sometimes thought provoking. Terribly sweet and always heart-warming.

She is a master at character development and pacing, so though I always wish the story was longer, I can’t fault her for leaving anything out or skimming over any important details. They’re just so good I want more!

In this case I wish we’d had a bit more after the couple cements itself as a couple, though it is ooey gooey sweet and adorable, I wish we could have seen them for at least one final scene living in domestic bliss.

There was not a lot of smexy times in the story, but what we get was awesome.

I highly recommend this book and this author.

5 of 5 hearts

5

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PS I’m not sure what the deal is with the cover – but it doesn’t do the story justice.

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Nights Like These by Chris Scully

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5935

night like theseBlurb

Starting over sucks. At forty, Miles Koprowski thought he had life all figured out. He had a nice car, a hot young lover, and a cushy job… and then he didn’t. Call it fate, or karma, or a downturn in the market, but this opinionated cynic is now forced to play rent-a-cop in a dying office building in the burbs just to make ends meet. Throw in an unhinged ex, a coworker who hates him, and a hot new boss, and suddenly everything is uncertain.

Miles doesn’t plan on liking the night shift or becoming embroiled in a mystery that reawakens old passions and puts him in danger. And he certainly doesn’t plan on falling for the overbearing head of security, Colton Decker, former soldier and doting dad. But nights like these can change a man, make him start to believe there’s more to life than a high-paying job and a warm body in his bed. With a thief on the loose and his new job in jeopardy, Miles will have to decide what’s truly important. He might discover things he never knew he wanted… as long as he makes it through the night.

Review

Miles is having a rough time. He’s lost his boyfriend and several jobs and is now working as a night security guard where he meets his boss (for the second time), aka Mr. Perfect, Colton Decker.

Colton is an ex-military, widower, single-dad and now in security management. Both Miles and Colton are immediately attracted to one another, but Miles is skeptical that he can ever be in a real relationship and he doesn’t want to lose another job by fooling around with the boss.

In addition to the romance there is a mystery related to stolen art and that consumes the attention of both Miles and Colton throughout most of the story.

In the end, the mystery is solved, and Miles and Colton end up with a pretty solid HFN/HEA.

**

Chris Scully is a great writer. Her character development is top-notch and the wit behind the snark that is the constant hum of Miles’ inner dialog is brilliant.

I thought the action/mystery was fast-paced and interesting, but I thought it detracted from the romance. I really wanted to see more of the pair bonding and maybe more of them once they had become a couple. There is a lot of potential for fun there, considering the daughter, the age-gap, their employment, etc – and just as the romance was really starting to get interesting, the story ended.

Perhaps this is a part–one (she’s done that to us before!) and we will see more of them in the future (I hope!) but if not, the ending left me wanting more.

Writing/Editing 5
Romance 3
Sex/Heat 3
Storyline 5
World Building/Characterizations 5

4.2 of 5 hearts

4

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A Beginner’s Guide to Wooing Your Mate (A Beings In Love story) by R. Cooper

From DreamspinnerBeginnersGuidetoWooingYourMate[A]:

Zeki Janowitz has returned to his hometown of Wolf’s Paw to start his wizarding career. Unfortunately, Wolf’s Paw, a werewolf refuge, follows centuries of tradition and shuns human magic and a very human Zeki. He knows he’s in for a struggle, but a part of him has always belonged in the mountain town, or rather belonged to Theo Greenleaf. Years away at school haven’t lessened Zeki’s crush on the quiet werewolf. When town gossip informs him Theo still suffers from his mate’s rejection and does not date, it does little to ease Zeki’s embarrassing feelings. He decides now’s the time to get the man he’s always wanted.

Werewolves usually don’t recover from losing their mates, and Theo barely pulled through by focusing on his love of baking. It’s a daily struggle, and Zeki’s return to Wolf’s Paw shatters his peace. Theo doesn’t know what to think when Zeki attempts to woo him, talking about his wizarding business and settling in town for good. It’s like Zeki doesn’t have a clue how his words years before left Theo a shell of a werewolf.

Beginners in love, Theo and Zeki must seduce each other with a bit of heavenly baking and magic.

Marieke’s thoughts:

In the beginning of the story Zeki is not filled with a lot of confidence in himself. He knows he’s good at witchcraft, but his personality and looks have never been appreciated by the residents of Wolf’s Paw. The fact that he has magic is even more detested––or so he thinks. But during the story, Zeki meets some new people who don’t treat him badly, and don’t have problems with his magic. This makes him more self confident, which is great to read.

Zeki has no idea he’s the mate evil mate that rejected Theo, who everyone is talking about. In fact, he’s just as mad at the bloke as they are. So he tries to overcome his secret crush that makes him babble on and on, hoping to give Theo some comfort and friendship. Zeki has no clue why people suddenly start treating him as if he’s done a terrible deed again after he tells them the story of the one and only conversation between him and Theo in high school.

To be honest, Zeki was so clueless when it came to the mates stuff, I wanted to slap him. But I guess sometimes you close your eyes to the things that are too painful, or you keep thinking in circles and don’t see what’s right in front of you. That’s the only thing that kept me from being annoyed with Zeki in the second part of the book.

The first part of this story was very intense. I kept reading even when I really had to go to the bathroom, I kept putting it off because I didn’t want to stop reading. But the middle part got a bit confusing for me. The sentences became a bit chaotic, or they seemed to be for me at least. Zeki’s thoughts didn’t make a 100% sense anymore, but I got the gist of the things. He had so many conflicting thoughts, yet they all were kind of the same thing.
Anyhow, this was only a small part of the book and didn’t take away from the fact that the third book in this series is another hit for me. The third part of the book was another intensely emotional and romantic read. Zeki found out he was Theo’s mate and has a bit of a melt down. He takes some time for himself to think, while Theo tries to be patient and keep hope.

The bits where we read Theo’s POV are so sweet and endearing, I just want to hug him to pieces. The guy is so kindhearted and gentle, almost like a big teddy bear dressed as a wolf. His best friend is super funny, and his colleagues at the fire station are funny, a bit like Neanderthals when it comes to relationships, but caring nonetheless.

To make a long story short, this is a wonderful book. The middle was a bit out of my league (maybe because English isn’t my first language) but the ending was very satisfying. This series is one of my favorites, and I keep re-reading them.

Rating: 4.5

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Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen

Dreamspinner Presents:
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6039

everything changesBlurb

What happens when friendship catches fire?

Former Marine and lower-leg amputee Carey Everett keeps a grueling schedule of counseling fellow war veterans and their families. The injury he received in Afghanistan forces him to rely on a reserve of strength he didn’t even know he had. A much deserved vacation will let him reconnect with his best friend, who saved his life and has been there for him through devastating injury and painful recovery.

Part-time EMT and aspiring singer Jase DeSantis has been in love with Carey for years, but he’s come to accept that his straight friend will never be able to offer more. Jase fills his days with band rehearsals, ambulance shifts, and willing groupies, all while trying to cope with debilitating PTSD.

A week of sun, fun, and music in San Diego changes Jase and Carey’s lives forever when their relationship takes an unexpected turn. Jase has been longing for that change, but it leaves Carey reeling with confusion. As Jase fights to hold things together, Carey deals with doubts, fears, and his own preconceived notions about labels and the true nature of love.

Review

Carey and Jase are friends from the military. Carey is an amputee and dealing with a new body, Jase has PTSD and is dealing with leading a normal life. They lean on each other physically and emotionally until, one day, those emotions begin to change from friend to a more sexual relationship.

Jase has always identified as bi-sexual, so he is not surprised by his attraction to Carey. Carey, is a staunch “straight” guy, who is confused by the change in his feelings and his attraction to his best friend.

In a nutshell, Carey has to come to grips with his possibly being other than “straight” and Jase needs to find room in his busy life for a real relationship.

**

This is a new author for me, and I think this is her first full length novel in this genre. As such she did an excellent job. Her writing is clear and captivating. I was definitely hooked by the story line and though she did a great job with her character development and realism as regards her subject matter.

I loved the “hurt/abuse” part of this story. I thought the PTSD and the amputation was handled realistically and compassionately. It plucked my heartstrings and felt authentic and seemed well-researched.

I loved the idea of the GFY/friends to lovers part of this story, but it didn’t pan out for me. Their relationship started out with a real sensuous bang and I thought that having them “sort of “ hook up but then go back to being friends was a nice twist on the familiar story-line. I thought, “Yeah, that feels authentic. Carey needs someone, anyone and the low-level-of-commitment- hand-job wouldn’t necessarily make him “gay” but would get him started on that track of thinking.” So when they went back to being friends, though it was frustrating and hard to read (in terms of Jase) it felt – real. But when they do finally embark on a fully physical relationship (which Carey was weirdly eager for and not anxious about) and then Carey suddenly leaves again, both physically and emotionally, I was very put off. If it had been a quick bout of recriminations and worries, that would have been fine, but months?… and a new potential relationship for both MCs? I didn’t like it. I really felt Carey treated Jase poorly and didn’t do much to earn back his trust. The end was just too quick and didn’t feel solid enough for my tastes. I appreciated that no relationship runs smoothly, but after all the build-up, the quick apology and epilogue just felt rushed.

I liked this enough to read another by this author and truly liked, but didn’t love this story.

Writing/Editing 4
Romance 3
Sex/Heat 3
Storyline 3
World Building/Characterizations 4

3.4 of 4 hearts

3.5

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Rise and Fall (THIRDS 4) -Charlie Cochet

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Blurb: 

After an attack by the Coalition leaves THIRDS Team Leader Sloane Brodie critically injured, agent Dexter J. Daley swears to make Beck Hogan pay for what he’s done. But Dex’s plans for retribution are short-lived. With Ash still on leave with his own injuries, Sloane in the hospital, and Destructive Delta in the Coalition’s crosshairs, Lieutenant Sparks isn’t taking any chances. Dex’s team is pulled from the case, with the investigation handed to Team Leader Sebastian Hobbs. Dex refuses to stand by while another team goes after Hogan, and decides to put his old HPF detective skills to work to find Hogan before Theta Destructive, no matter the cost. 

With a lengthy and painful recovery ahead of him, the last thing Sloane needs is his partner out scouring the city, especially when the lies—however well-intentioned—begin to spiral out of control. Sloane is all too familiar with the desire to retaliate, but some things are more important, like the man who’s pledged to stand beside him. As Dex starts down a dark path, it’s up to Sloane to show him what’s at stake, and finally put a name to what’s in his heart.



Review: 

This is the fourth installment of THIRDS and in this part, the THIRDS unit takes a huge hit when team leader Sloane and Ash are out of commission. With both Sloane and Ash facing lengthy recoveries and the rest of their team made targets by Beck Hogan and his merry band of asshats, the higher ups at the THIRDS decide to put the remaining team members on leave and hand the investigation over to Sebastian Hobbs and his team. Of course, this doesn’t sit well with Dexter and he goes against orders and decides to bring down Hogan and his cohorts himself. 

This is an awesome series Cochet has here. The characters are absolutely wonderful and I think it’s fantastic how she manages to create storylines for each character without losing sight of the main characters. In this book, you see a different, more serious side to Dex. You get to see the serious, vulnerable, stubborn and determined side of Dex, understand the reason behind his weird 80s music obsession, why he feels he has to try go after Hogan and his army of maniacs on his own, what caused the problems in his and his ex’s relationship and all of that. Not only that, but you also get more of the other characters’ stories and their backgrounds in this book. In this, the author is laying the groundwork for the other books in the series and I for one am eager for the releases of them. I absolutely love Cael and Dex’s father and I laughed so hard at the ending of this book. I can’t wait to see more interaction between Tony, Sloane and Ash. I love how protective he is of his sons. The relationship between this father and his two sons gives me life! This book is filled with bad 80s music, a bizarre Gummy Bear and cheesy doodle addiction, a baseball bat named Old Bessie and an irate father. It was funny and hot and the action was fantastic. I highly recommend this series to everyone.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Amazing⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Getting It Right by AM Arthur

Carina Press Presents:  http://ebooks.carinapress.com/6D174924-1060-4B31-8A76-1BD338605A4E/10/134/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=6683E311-33F0-4252-B4A8-2E5502D530A5

getting it rightBlurb

Detective Nathan Wolf might just be a junior detective, but he tackles every case with the passion that he lacks in his personal life. A series of failed relationships with women has left him still single at thirty-four—because he’s too scared to admit to his longtime crush on his best friend James.
Dr. James Taggert likes to keep his profession as a psychiatrist separate from his party-animal persona. Known around the gay clubs as Tag, he’s the guy who screws them, leaves them, and never looks back. But James’s drinking is getting heavier, and when bad memories from the past resurface, he’s close to becoming the worst version of himself.

After a drunken blackout ends in a hot and heavy make-out session with his very straight best friend, James has no memory of the steamy affair. But Nathan isn’t sorry for the kisses that James can’t remember. Nathan finally musters the courage to tell James how he really feels, but a life-altering event might force them apart before they can ever be together.

Review

James is an alcoholic psychiatrist who is dealing with his own tragic past by living at the bottom of a bottle and mindlessly hooking up in bars.

At first Nathan is a just James’ best friend who may or may not be sexually interested in James (his first and only man-crush) but then he gets attacked and now he’s also suffering from PTSD.

There are also some secondary characters who are going through A LOT of really bad stuff and this stuff gets interwoven into James and Nate’s story as well.

Nate and James dance around their attraction and then finally commit to trying things out, but there are still obstacles to be overcome.

In the end we get a pretty solid HEA.

**

This was my first book by this author and I’m not sure if this is representative of all her work or not, but for me it was way too much angst and not enough fluffy, sappy, loving to reward me for living through the drama.

I did NOT like the fact that James is a black-out drunk to the point that he has some questionable sexual encounters of dubious consent, especially AFTER he and Nate are beginning to hook up with one another.  Because I couldn’t really like James (he’s a shrink who can’t realize he’s an alcoholic?  Sure, he’s in denial, but really??) I didn’t like him for Nate.

I liked Nate well enough, but thought his straight to gay-for-James was a little bit too quick given all the other drama in his life.

The smexy times were great, but it bothered me that James was seen (on page) with Elliott, too.

Perhaps this is a more “real” type romance in that life isn’t always kittens and rainbows, but for me, I look for books that are chock full of glittery-unicorn-rainbow-filled-love-fests and when those moments happen after an angst filled journey they are the highest reward.  In this case I got the angst but not nearly enough romance to compensate.

The writing was good and the story was interesting, but I was so tired of the drama by the end that I was honestly glad to see the story over.

Writing/Editing  4

Romance  2

Sex/Heat   4

Storyline  2

World Building/Characterizations  2

2.8 of 5 hearts

3

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Making Nice by Elizah J Davis

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5878

making niceBlurb

Twins Blake and Bianca Dunlap have always been there for each other, ready to lend support and make sacrifices. Blake can’t imagine a bigger sacrifice than getting along with Bianca’s fiancé, Matt. However, Matt turns out to be more than the meathead Blake had dismissed him as, but Matt’s best friend, Ryan Everett, is a different story. Ryan seems intent on being an insufferable jerk as often as possible. The fact that Blake is undeniably attracted to Ryan only makes the whole situation more annoying.

Since they’ll all be stuck together for the long haul, Blake is determined to make nice. Unfortunately he overshoots, and he and Ryan end up on much friendlier terms than Blake intended. While he and Ryan agree there’s no harm in having a strings-free fling, that changes when Matt and Bianca find out about it. As more complications arise, Blake and Ryan become more determined to do what it takes to avoid letting them down. But the only way to ensure getting through a joyous wedding and avoid the questions neither of them want to answer is to convince everyone it’s something more.

Review

Blake and Ryan meet because Ryan is Blake’s twin sister’s fiancé’s best friend. They immediately rub sparks off one another and sorta, kinda hate each other and at the same time want to f*ck.

So… they enter into a hate-sex sort of scenario, with neither of them really admitting that beyond the chemistry there might be a bit of something more substantial.

The premise is that at first they really DON’T like each other. Really. Blake is a pretentious prig and Ryan is a cavalier goof. Opposites attract and all that – so they are attracted to each other sexually but not emotionally.

Once they discover/admit this attraction – they want to hide it from their friend/sister because they fear/know that when it ends it will be messy if sides have to be chosen.

But – the family finds out – so they admit to a “real” but in fact, fake relationship so that they family is comforted.  But in fact they are still just messing around… or are they?

Sound confusing? It kinda is confusing.

Along the way – between the hating and the sexing and the pretending-  they end up really caring about each other-  up to and including – loving each other.

But they still can’t communicate this to one another for various reasons – this keeps them apart for a bit – and then there is a “BIG MISUNDERSTANDING” which leads to a blow out fight/separation which leads to… you get the idea.

**

Don’t get me wrong –  I actually loved much about this book.  The writing is excellent and the wit exceptional (I laughed out loud in places).  The development of the characters is great and the smexy times were pretty hot. But there are a few things that would need to happen to make this a GREAT book.

First: Some major editing. It’s a LONG book that doesn’t need to be. Some have called this a “slow burn” but it isn’t , not really. They get together early on and then waffle about with the “I hate myself for wanting him but I can’t help myself”, guilt ridden booty calls for way too long. Then, once they are “fake-together”, they waffle about their “I love him but I can’t tell him or he’ll freak out” way too long. And the end… well, that’s another story.

Second: I loved the MCs and many of the secondary characters. They were funny and added to the story and added a lot of realism. I loved the exes and the family and how they contributed to the story, shaping our MCs really nicely for us. Showing us and not telling. But … the MC’s lives were confusing to me. At one point Ryan is worried that Blake will judge him for not having a college degree when Blake himself is a nanny. And where does all the money come from? I kept expecting someone to have a trust fund because no one seems to work. And Blake has an interest in teaching Cello lessons but never plays or even listens to that sort of music. Given how long the story is, these kinds of details stand out.

Third: The “BIG MISUNDERSTANDING” leading to reconciliation. What should have happened is this: the “big misunderstanding”, the laughing and crying and forgiving, the making up and the “I love yous”. Instead we had to insert yet another bout of waffling and indecision that was patently not needed. When they do finally get things together it feels rushed and unsatisfying after the pages and pages of waffling. I really wanted to finally see Ryan and Blake expose themselves and show their feelings to one another. To make me believe in their happy ending. Though I thought the epilogue was terribly witty and somewhat fitting for the characters, it did not satisfy my romantic heart, or make me believe in the final outcome. At some point the jokes and the insecurities should be laid to rest and the real emotions get their page time.

I believe this is the first full length novel for this author. As such, I think it is a wonderful start. I would definitely look for her again. I would, however,  recommend some serious editing in the future, as I think that simply shortening this novel would have remedied a lot of my “issues”.

Writing/Editing (technical) 5
Romance 4
Sex/Heat 4
Storyline 2
World Building/Characterizations 3

3.6 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Lucky Man (Heated Beat #2) by Garrett Leigh

Dreamspinner Presents:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6144

lucky manBlurb

As a diehard music fan, a dirty, smoky gig is Vice Squad Detective Danny Jones’s idea of heaven. While watching one of the most popular bands in Northern England, the sight of gorgeous rock star Finn McGovern changes his life forever.

Beneath the tattoos and leather jacket, Finn is kind and sweet, but when he confesses a dark secret to Danny, it tests their fledgling bond. Danny digs deep to accept Finn, but before long, a terrifying trail of death threatens to tear them apart before they’ve even got started.

A monster is killing prostitutes on Danny’s patch, and when a dead girl turns up too close to home, Danny discovers a heartbreaking link between the girl and his bright new life with Finn, a life he’ll do anything to protect.

Review

Danny is a “sort of in the closet” vice detective who meets Finn one night after Finn’s gig. There is instant attraction and some hot sex that leads to an entire weekend of fun. But…

Finn has a secret that keeps him from finding a boyfriend who lasts. When Danny finds out, he’s not really too concerned, but it does make things more difficult.

And… Danny is working a case involving dead prostitutes and it keeps him away from Finn for days at a time.

Ultimately, Finn learns to overcome his fear of rejection and Danny manages to solve the crime and we end with a very solid HEA.

**
This is a short book FULL of subject matter. I really enjoyed the take on Finn’s medical condition. I found it fascinating and a unique subject for the genre.

There was very little angst surrounding Finn and Danny’s relationship. It sort-of flowed forward at a moderately quick pace with spikes of uncertainty mostly rising from Finn. Danny is more of a black box, not nearly as much introspection, but you can tell he cares for Finn deeply.

In a way, the book is almost too full. Since the subject of Finn’s illness is so big, I’m not sure adding in the other “heavy” subject of the dead prostitutes was necessary. To me it detracted from the romance and from the exploration of a disease that hasn’t been covered in this genre much, if at all. I don’t think the sad prostitute stories added enough to justify the neglect to the main theme. I wanted to see Danny interact more with Finn and to see them evolve more as a couple, dealing with the illness and ultimately winning.

I know I am definitely in the minority when I say this, but I loved book one because it was so light and fun, so the return to the darkness was a bit disappointing. I enjoyed the writing, the character building and the emotions Garrett Leigh is so good at drawing from us (she doesn’t disappoint on those fronts) but I had been hoping for a lighter story, similar to book one.

I really enjoyed seeing Will and Jack again – it was funny hearing them described as a couple who didn’t know where to go from here.

Overall, if you’re a Garrett Leigh fan you’ll love this. If you are (like me) a recent reader who loved the light hearted-ness of book one, you may be disappointed in the return to a more dark theme.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Whitedell Pride Series Books 1-4 by Catherine Lievens

Extasy books presents: http://www.extasybooks.com/?route=product%2Fsearch&keyword=lievens

Blurbs
Jamiejamie

Sometimes even a small decision can change your life.

Jamie is a normal guy with a normal, if not boring, life. Everything changes when he goes camping and stumbles on a well-guarded secret in the woods: shifters exists! It opens a whole new world to him, a world he wouldn’t have thought possible outside a novel, and he has to decide if Ward is worth the changes that are turning his life upside down.

Ward has searched for his mate for a long time, and now that he has found Jamie, he will do everything he can to keep his gorgeous human, even face jealous exes or try to convince Jamie to get over his fear of relationships. He needs a chance, just one, but just as Jamie begins to trust him, things starts to crumble.

When Jamie disappears, Ward looks for him, but without clues, how can he find his mate? Will he find Jamie in time to save him from a horrible future?

 

DerickDerick
Sometimes the best thing that can happen to someone happens in the middle of a crisis.

Derick is running from his pack, his family. He has to, if he wants to save innocent people. His Alpha is planning an attack on the Whitedell Pride, and he can’t let it happen. Sure, he knows he will probably have to pay a price for his betrayal, but he is ready to do it. He hadn’t thought his price would be a good one, until he finds his mate in the pride.

Nate is the pride’s Beta, and as Beta, he has to follow the unspoken rules that exist in the shifter community. He wasn’t looking for a mate, and he certainly didn’t think his mate would be a wolf shifter. Not that he has anything against wolf shifters, but this one brings way too many problems with him.

Derick’s Alpha knows what he has done, and he plans to make him pay. When Derick is kidnapped, Nate has to decide if he wants to play by the rules and risk his mate, or if he’s going to save Derick, risking a justified attack from the pack.

 

Nolannolan
You can’t outrun the past, especially when it comes back to get you.

Nolan has been in the scientists’ hands for months. He’s finally rescued, but it’s only to be abandoned in a snowy Whitedell, alone. Luckily for him he’s a cat shifter, and who wouldn’t want to adopt a cute kitty like him? That’s how he ends up in the middle of a house full of felines so much bigger than him, who could eat him for breakfast. They don’t, but a new problem arises. Nolan meets his mate, a mate he doesn’t want.

Casey ran from his birth pride years ago and spent most of his life alone in his cheetah form. After being rescued by Dominic, the pride’s Alpha, he is happy to find his mate, even if it seems Nolan doesn’t want him. Just as they start solving their problems, someone from Casey’s past comes back, someone who will do anything to have him back, even hurting Casey, or worse, Nolan.

Will Nolan and Casey be able to save their budding relationship from Casey’s past, or will they be separated forever?
FinnFinn

Sometimes you have to decide if helping others is more important than your own safety.

Finn has been free from the lab for months, but he still isn’t happy. After finding out his mate didn’t want him, he went back home to his tribe, where he is once again beaten and ignored. The mansion is the only place in which he feels safe, if only he didn’t have to face the mate who doesn’t want him…

Bryce has been heartbroken since Keenan left him. He was sure he didn’t want Finn as his mate, but finding out that the Nix is being hurt changes that. He knows he will have to grovel for Finn to forgive him, but he will gladly do that and much more to insure that Finn is safe.

While they find their way to each other, Finn uncovers a secret that might tear him apart. Will Bryce be able to win Finn’s trust and keep him safe?

Review

Catherine Lievens has a new (to me) shifter series. In the Whitedell Pride the alpha has collected misfit shifters, predominately feline shifters, and offered them sanctuary. Life isn’t easy, though. Besides finding their mates, the pride faces many obstacles along life’s path. For example, some of the pride -mates were found on a rescue mission saving shifters from a mad scientist running experiments. Also, the neighboring wolf pack is a source of contention. And finally, keeping the secret from humans is a continual source of trouble.

The basic shifter paradigm is in place: once a shifter “scents” his mate, he knows it is fate and the two are destined to live long, happy lives together. They heal when they shift, they live longer than the average human, they share senses with their shifted form, etc.

Some of what makes the series unique: In each book there is a strong resistance to mating from one or both parties. In book 1, Jamie doesn’t want a shifter or a boyfriend, because he’s been burned in the past. In book 2, the inter-mixing of species is an issue. In book 3, Casey thinks he’s broken because he has no sex drive. In book 4, Bryce had fallen in love with a human and then found he had a mate.

Each book is pretty short, a little over a hundred pages. There is plenty of hot shifter/mate sex. There is a lot of excitement in each book, some major crisis to overcome. The writing, editing and basic story lines are well done. Sure, the basic “romance” is fairly predictable. Meet. Resist. Overcome resistance. Danger. Re-connect and ILY. But… it’s done well and if you like the basic shifter formula, you’ll like these books as well.

Overall I am really enjoying the series and am looking forward to the next two in the series!

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Black and Blue Love by Judy Folger Blog Tour with Excerpt and Giveaway

Cover of Black and Blue Love

Excerpt:
Della leaned into Kallie so that their bodies were pressed close together. Kallie finally did what she had been wanting to do since the day she met Della. She reached up and tangled her fingers in that glorious, unruly hair. She had expected Della’s hair to be coarse, but it was soft and warm in her hands.

Then Della’s hands found her breases, and Kallie remembered where they were and what they were doing. It took every ounce of willpower that she’d ever possessed, but she withdrew from Della, backing into the wall at the end of the step. “We shouldn’t do this,” she said in a voice so hoarse with passion she scarcely recognized it.

Della’s green eyes reflected hurt and confusion. “Why not?”

“Because you’re my cousin’s partner.”

Della nodded sadly. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll go.”

Kallie tried to think of something to say that would ease things between the two of them, but no words came to her mind. All she could do was watch as Della walked out the door.
Pages or Words: 40,000

Buy: Amazon

After Kallie Moran’s husband, Aaron, is killed in Iraq, Kallie asks her law firm to transfer her back to her home town so she can be close to her mother.

When her request is granted, she realizes that closeness to her mother also means closeness to her mother’s dreadful sister, Bessie Benson.

Bessie is loud and crass, and her sons make a lifestyle of rotating in and out of the county jail. The only Benson that Kallie has ever been able to tolerate is her cousin, Andi. Andi, too, once dreamed of getting out of Brookville, but unlike Kallie, she never quite made it.

Now an out lesbian, Andi drags her intimidated partner, Della, to local bars and out-of-control family affairs. Della seems so miserable that Kallie finds herself reaching out to this beautiful, fragile-looking woman who just doesn’t seem to belong among the Bensons.

As Kallie and Della become friends, Kallie witnesses the verbal and emotional abuse Andi heaps on Della. Then comes the terrible night when Andi is no longer able to confine herself to words and slams Della to the ground, permanently scarring her face.

Della flees to Kallie for protection. In relative safety, she struggles to face the fact that she is a victim of lesbian domestic violence. She is also falling hard for Kallie, her rescuer.

Kallie, meanwhile, is keeping some secrets of her own. She wants to be with Della as much as Della wants to be with her, but she is afraid to embark on her first lesbian relationship.

Their love blossoms when Kallie risks her life to save Della from another of Andi’s vicious attacks. But it doesn’t take Andi long to realize she’s been betrayed. Furious, drunk, and carrying her father’s hand gun, she vows that this time she will REALLY make Della and Kallie pay.

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