The Devil of Kilmartin by Laurin Wittig

The Devil of Kilmartin by Laurin Wittig

Publisher: Laurin Wittig (September 2010)

272 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Elena, daughter of the former Lamont chief, possesses a mystical power to heal and lessen pain, but her gift has been kept a secret from her people, used by those in power for their own gain. When she is faced with an unwanted suitor, she flees only to have Symon, The Devil of Kilmartin, a man famed for his madness, save her and she isn't sure if her situation has improved or gotten worse. But, the more she sees of the man, the less she believes of the stories about Symon. I loved the exploration of the intricacies of Elena's gift and Symon's seemingly complimentary gifts. This is a great story of troubled souls soothing each other, with a bit of mystery woven through it. My only complaint is that Elena was stubbornly determined throughout to live without hope of happiness and it started to get annoying, especially near the end. Luckily, Symon had enough hope for everyone and I loved his character from the beginning. Great read!

Conquering the Dark Axe by Amber Dane

Conquering the Dark Axe by Amber Dane

The Northern Knights Series, Book 2

Publisher: Amber Dane (August 2012)

296pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Rourke, a notorious Norman warrior known as The Dark Axe, is a harsh, troubled man increasingly weary of war and trying desperately to overcome a broken heart. As one of William the Conqueror's favored knights, he is ordered to marry a Saxon bride and when the one contracted for him dies, he is ordered to marry her sister, Alexa, in her stead. If you are looking for a warm, tender hero, this is not the book for you. Rourke was abusive, hard and uncompromising and continued to be so throughout much of the story, only made worse by Alexa's headstrong, wild spirit. Their romance is rocky and full of conflict on both sides, and it was hard to read at many points throughout the story. I felt Rourke's character and actions were almost too realistic and time period appropriate, but I liked watching his slow evolution to the man he became in the end and I felt Alexa grew at least as much as Rourke did. Perhaps not a pretty story, but beautifully crafted, and with characters you can't tear yourself away from. I look forward to reading the third and final book in this series, The Beast of Renald, about Darc, which will hopefully be released soon!

Gem of Gravane by Amber Dane

Gem of Gravane by Amber Dane

The Northern Knights Series, Book 1

Publisher: Amber Dane (June 2012)

227 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $1.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Having long been subjected to her cousins' treachery and abuse, Danielle clings to the hope that one day a knight in shining armor will come and save her from her hardships. When William the Conqueror demands she marry one of his favored knights, she hopes her new husband will be the answer to her prayers, despite Aric's hard, warrior facade. Aric was hard to like in the beginning, but part of that was Danielle being so soft-hearted and easily hurt after being cut down by her cousins for so long. Once Danielle toughened up a bit and Aric softened, I found them both very engaging and enjoyed reading their internal struggles. The way this story was told from multiple points of view, I thought was great and it really gives you a chance to see things from all angles. The secondary romance between Aric's second-in-command, Balwain, and Danielle's maid, Edie, was a nice touch. There were a few editorial errors and some questionable phrasing/syntax, but I enjoyed the unique Saxon/Norman speech, different from Scottish Highland romances that I've read. I look forward to reading Rourke's story in the next book in this series, Conquering the Dark Axe!

Southern Seduction by Reece Butler

Southern Seduction by Reece Butler

Bride Train Series, Book 8

Publisher: Siren Publishing (December 2012)

207 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $6.39)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Finally, the Sweetwater Ranch's turn! Casey, dressed as a boy, and her younger brother, Willy, came to Tanner's Ford looking to escape their father's plans for Casey. Casey and Willy get hired on different ranches for the winter, Casey as a cook and Willy as a ranch hand, but Casey isn't able to hide her femininity from her employers for long, before the cat is out of the bag and Cole decides the only decent thing to do is marry her and annul the marriage in the spring, but the annulment part isn't to the liking of his cousins/partners Byron and Marshall or Casey. The story line here is much like the previous books in this series, but I really appreciated that Cole (the sole hold out in this group) didn't fight against things for too long and much of the story centered around them getting to know each other, instead of people fighting the inevitable. There was a bit more BDSM in this one, than in others in the series. I loved all the characters! Excellent read, plus, there were a few insinuations of happy endings for a few other minor female characters featured in the series!

Death Blow by Jianne Carlo

Death Blow by Jianne Carlo

Viking Vengeance Series, Book 2

Publisher: Etopia Press (December 2012)

135 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $5.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Nyssa is cursed by a sea-god making it difficult for any man to make her his own, but Konall seems to be the one man up to the challenge and he is willing to help her reclaim her castle and lands, as well, but she fears once he knows the full extent of her curse he will cast her aside. This is a wonderful story that brings you even further into Norse mythology than the first story in this series and with a slight BDSM edge to it. The characters, as always, were very engaging. I hope we see more of Nyssa's brother, Mus/Ciarran, in the third book, or at least learn what happens to him. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Vengeance Hammer, about Konall's brother, Draddor! Awesome series!

The Highlander's Lady by Eliza Knight

The Highlander's Lady by Eliza Knight

The Stolen Bride Series, Book 3

Publisher: Eliza Knight (December 2012)

292 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Due to an overprotective father and a tragedy involving her mother, Myra has been forced to watch from the shadows for most of her life, with the exception of one night spent dancing with Daniel, only to have it end in misunderstanding and heartache. When Daniel finds her alone and in need of help in the woods shortly after an attack on her family's castle, he offers her protection and help in fulfilling her brother's last request of her, and he hopes to rectify the misunderstanding that pulled them apart in the first place. Daniel and Myra had great chemistry from the beginning and their history together, just made it all the more intriguing. I found both characters very engaging and the story kept me riveted until the end. I look forward to reading Ronan and Julianna's story in the next book in this series, The Highlander's Warrior Bride, expected out March 2013. Great Series!

Shiver by Karen Robards

Shiver by Karen Robards

Publisher: Gallery Books (December 2012)

400 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $11.99)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Sam is a young single mother that repos cars for a living as she tries to scrape by and provide a decent life for her 4-year-old son, Tyler. Her daily existence is set awry when she thinks to repo a car with a man in the trunk, gets thrown in with him and is drawn into the dangerous world of undercover FBI agent, Danny, who is posing as Marco. I didn't care for Sam much. I found her abrasive, impetuous and not all that smart, many times acting at the wrong time and too single-mindedly. Other than being the most beautiful girl on the planet that every man who walked past lusted after, I wasn't sure what Danny liked about her. I also found the writing style to be a bit too crass/valley girlish for my taste. I liked Danny, but it's pretty hard not to like a man that seemingly has no faults. The action was fast-paced and definitely kept me interested right through to the end, with lots of suspense and a bit of mystery as to who exactly is hunting Danny/Marco. The plot was reminiscent of the books in Julie Garwood's Buchanan-Renard Series. Would be a decent read at a lower price, maybe.

Warriors in Winter by Michelle Willingham

Warriors in Winter by Michelle Willingham

MacEgan Brothers Series, Second Generation Novella Collection

Publisher: Harlequin Historical (December 2012)

284 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $5.21)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

This is a collection of three interconnected novellas about second generation MacEgan characters. 

The first tale, In the Bleak Midwinter, is about Brianna, widowed a year before and still dealing with her grief, loneliness and desire for revenge on the Viking responsible until Arturo comes along, providing a distraction and understanding gained from the loss of his own wife. I thought this was a sweet tale of two grieving hearts helping each other to heal and build something new and beautiful. 

In the second tale, The Holly and the Viking, Rhiannon becomes lost in a blizzard and is saved by Kaall, the Viking who killed her cousin Brianna's husband only to find that not all is as clear cut as it would seem and the Viking is blind. While tending the wound he got saving her from a wolf, she comes to know him as more than just her cousin's enemy. This was my favorite story of the collection. Kaall was an angry, bitter man eager to push everyone away, but Rhiannon wouldn't let him and I loved that about her. And once Rhiannon made her intentions clear, Kaall's determination was a match for her own and I found his strength and resolve inspiring.

In the last tale, A Season to Forgive, Liam is becoming increasingly concerned about his betrothed Adriana and her distance, especially given their impending nuptials. Adriana is struggling with guilt over the price she paid for Liam's life while they were away on Crusade and she fears he will cast her aside when he finds out. I was a bit disappointed in Liam's response in this one, but I suppose it is understandable and thankfully, he worked through it. I felt bad for Adriana, but did think things might have gone better if she had come clean in the beginning. A great collection nonetheless, and a pleasure to read!