Out of the Shadows by Sheryl Leonard

Out of the Shadows by Sheryl Leonard

Publisher: Montlake Romance (January 2013)

194 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

With an absent father and another relationship that ended in betrayal, Wendy's slow to trust when Eric comes to town looking for his brother, Scott, a man that had been a close friend of Wendy's. They are thrown together in their search for Scott, but Eric cools their attraction, afraid of violating what he perceives as the relationship between his brother and Wendy. Lots of misunderstandings and trust issues in this story, and I wish it had been a little less, though for the most part Eric was consistently upfront. The mystery portion of the story was more in the background, I felt, centering more on the slow progress of the relationship. I wish there had been an epilogue to further the resolution a bit, but I'm content as it is. Engaging Read!

The Real McCoy by Sheryl Leonard

The Real McCoy by Sheryl Leonard

Publisher: Montlake Romance (January 2013)

211 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Stephanie's had a serious crush on Dr. Granville for a long while now, blinding her to the fact that Luke Carter is the one interested in her, but Luke cooks up a plan to show her the 'real Dr. Granville' hoping to knock the man off the pedestal she's put him on, while highlighting some of his own finer points. Sweet romance. Luke is such a good sport about things, despite Stephanie's naiveté and blind devotion to his rival, and his clever use of her family as an in was great. The mixture of doctor/nurse interaction between Luke and Stephanie and out of work interactions made for a good balance. One of the few romances I've read that had kisses only and wasn't steeped in religion. Great Read!

Charming the Duke by Holly Bush

Charming the Duke by Holly Bush

Publisher: Holly Bush Books (March 2014)

289 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Thornsby needs a bride fast to collect his inheritance, but with a scandal currently underway, his choices are severely limited, while a pair of young orphans and Matilda, the plain middle Bisset daughter, unwittingly reek havoc with his carefully laid plans and shatter his superficial existence. Great story about the handsome rake put into just the right circumstances that he falls for the girl that he would likely otherwise have overlooked. It was fun to see Thornsby fumble around a bit without his social facade as he waded into untested waters, while Matilda grew in confidence and self-worth. I liked how Matilda's family were portrayed as humorously slow-witted, yet with an innocence and unfailing loyalty to Matilda that was endearing. I only wish Matilda would have revealed the unpleasantness to Thornsby right away at the end and let him help her . . . it seemed an unnecessary complication. Great Story!

Shadow Trail by LuAnn Nies

Shadow Trail by LuAnn Nies

Publisher: Melange Books, LLC (October 2013)

27 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

After her blind date backed out, Crystal was stuck as a third wheel on a romantic weekend in the Minnesota north woods, and her luck just kept getting worse. Cute romance between a lost snowmobiler and a park ranger, with an intriguing wolf. Nice short read!

The Darkest Joy by Marata Eros

The Darkest Joy by Marata Eros

Publisher: Gallery Books (February 2014)

321 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.59)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Brooke's world is shattered when her entire family is murdered, so she attempts to escape the memories by moving to Alaska and taking a job as a deckhand on a fishing boat, but some things you can't run away from and when her grief overwhelms her, she's lucky Chance was there to foil her desperate plans. This was a sweet romance between a no-commitments player and the broken girl that reformed him. I thought the dialogue was a little immature and overly snarky at times, but for the most part the dry humor was great and I liked the Alaskan backwoods setting and the rustic characters that populated it. Brooke's judgment left something to be desired on many occasions (not returning communications from the FBI and not blinking at having unprotected sex with a known player, etc.) and I'm not sure that grief is a sufficient excuse for it all, but I did like her. She was courageous, engaging and I enjoyed her sense of humor. Chance definitely grew on me as the book went on. The ending and the reveal of the murderer came as a total surprise to me, but I thought it was handled well, and I liked that we got to see a bit further on, to what happened with Brooke and Chance after that. Good Read!

Letting Go by Maya Banks

Letting Go by Maya Banks

The Surrender Trilogy, Book 1

Publisher: Berkley (February 2014)

353 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Joss was devastated by the death of her husband and leaned heavily on his best friend Dash for a while, but it's been three years and she's decided it's time to move on and she's taken steps to do so, but her plans go awry when Dash announces he's got his own plans for their future. It's not often that I finish a 300+ book in less than one day, but I just could not put this book down, mainly because most of it was so sugary sweet it just made me wonder when the axe was going to fall—and when it fell, it fell hard—the contrast with what came before it making it all the more jarring. I was so invested in these characters I just had to know what was going to happen and how they would get through it. I'm not sure I'd have forgiven quite so easily in the end, especially given the level of trust needed for their D/s relationship, but I did really like this story. It was a little slow to get going and there was a lot of dialogue and discussion of feelings and worries, but I think that's why I felt so connected to the characters. Joss and Dash were so vibrant. I look forward to reading Kylie and Jensen's story in Giving In, due out in May!

Kaleidoscope by Kristen Ashley

Kaleidoscope by Kristen Ashley

Colorado Mountain Series, Book 6

Publisher: Forever (February 2014)

376 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.79)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Jacob Decker had been mourning the loss of a girl for nearly a decade, but it wasn't until he ran into a part of that past that he realized he put the wrong name to the loss that he'd felt, and having made that realization, jumped at the chance to reconnect with Emme. I had put off reading this book, because the last book I'd read by this author was part of the 'Burg series (which if you've read them, you know they are good, but they take a heavy emotional toll), but this book in comparison was a breath of fresh air, and reminded me what I love about this author and how good her books can be. That is not to say there isn't emotional stuff going on in this story—because there is, as there is in any of her books—but it's done in a lighter, more hopeful way, and I really enjoyed seeing Jacob and Emme making their way together. Great Story! I’m looking forward to Deke's book! Can't wait!

Outlaw Kind of Love by Nicole Snow

Outlaw Kind of Love by Nicole Snow

Prairie Devils MC, Book 1

Publisher: Ice Lips Press (February 2014)

224 pages, eBook (provided by Author for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Betrayed by her own family and thrown into the clutches of a vile motorcycle gang, Rachel is saved in the nick of time by Jack, the VP of a rival motorcycle club, stirring up plenty of trouble for everyone in the process. This was a great MC romance, with just enough grit, for my taste, mixed in with a sweet courtship by a man with a strong honor code. Some of the dialogue was a little cheesy and some of the plot was a little sugar-coated, but I liked the overall optimistic feel of the book, knowing a HEA was coming, instead of having to wade through angst to get there. Jack could be a little immature and rash at times, but his flaws made him more real, and I liked the way Rachel jumped right in and made a place for herself at the clubhouse. I loved all the guys from the club (especially Freak and Tank) that we got little glimpses of, here and there, throughout the story, and I hope to see a sequel or two with some of their stories! Great Read!

The Raider by Monica McCarty

The Raider by Monica McCarty

The Highland Guard Series, Book 8

Publisher: Ballantine Books (February 2014)

418 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $5.49)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

After watching the rebel prisoners from her tower window when she was young, Rosalin had fallen in love with Robbie Boyd, leading her to aid in his escape, a decision she'd questioned since, given what she'd heard of the man in the following years, but when they are thrown together once again it all comes rushing back . . . too bad the feeling isn't exactly mutual. Rosalin was such a great heroine, strong, determined, loyal and with an unbiased sense of justice that was admirable. I loved that she came right out and told the truth, no matter how difficult it was or what the consequences may be, never hiding secrets or causing unnecessary trouble that way. Robbie may have had potential when he was younger, but the hardened man he had become was difficult to like. I don't know how Rosalin had the will to continue trying after a while. He was mean, distrustful and bitter, and gave her very little encouragement or hope along the way. It wasn't until the very end of the story, when it was almost too late, that he finally saw the light (like so many other men in this series). I hope at least one of the remaining stories in this series deviate from the formula and show a man willing to fight to obtain and keep his lady, without all this duty-bound reluctance that plagues the rest (given the blurb for Arrow I don't hold out much hope for him--Dragon and Striker you are my only hope). I look forward to Dragon's return with Bella's daughter, Joan, (from The Viper) and hope to read his story soon. The next book in this series is The Arrow, due out in August.

The Twelve Days of Randy by Heidi Cullinan

The Twelve Days of Randy by Heidi Cullinan

Special Delivery Series, Book 2.5

Publisher: Heidi Cullinan (December 2010)

46 pages, eBook (free read from author’s website)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

With their first Christmas at home just around the corner, Ethan finds Randy's past holiday antics intruding on his Christmas spirit leading to an ill-advised game of one-upmanish between Ethan and Crabtree, with Randy stuck in the middle. Nice holiday-themed story with the Special Delivery crew. I wish things could have been settled a bit more in the end with the Crabtree situation, but I suppose not everything can have a neatly tied solution . . . I just wish Ethan didn't have to be the outsider so often (Randy & Mitch, Randy & Sam, Randy & Crabtree), it makes me feel sad for him. Poor Ethan. I hope, in future stories, Ethan will have more of an exclusive hold on Randy, without all the uncertainty and insecurity. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, Tough Love!

Double Blind by Heidi Cullinan

Double Blind by Heidi Cullinan

Special Delivery Series, Book 2

Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. (March 2014)

350 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $5.00)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

While sitting in the casino owner's office watching the security cameras, Randy is immediately drawn to the man throwing all his money away on the roulette wheel, and when he meets Ethan in person he can't help but be drawn to the man even more. I loved the way both Ethan and Randy alternated in the dominate and subordinate roles in this relationship, taking on the role the other needed them to fill when they needed them to fill it. Things were complicated more by the addition of Mitch and Sam, and the undefined nature of their threesome with Randy, but it was great to see them work through it and adapt to a fourth addition with Ethan. My only qualm about this story was it delved a bit deeper into poker then I could follow (or was interested in following), but it was written in such a way that even a novice like me wouldn't miss any of the important parts in the story, for glossing over some of the card elaboration scenes. This story is followed by a companion novella, The Twelve Days of Randy, available as a free read from the author's website. I look forward to reading the next book in this series, Tough Love, due out next month!

Lacey and Lethal by Laurann Dohner

Lacey and Lethal by Laurann Dohner

Vampires and Werewolves Series, Book 3

Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc. (July 2013)

91 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.59)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Lacey's out hunting vampires in an attempt to revenge the death of her sister, but when she captures Lethal she finds things are a bit more complicated than she'd thought and she may have to rethink things a bit. Set in the same fascinating world as the first two stories in this series, it was fun to see Lethal get his chance at finding a mate. I liked the way Lethal let Lacey lead, while providing subtle constructive direction along the way. I love this series, and hope it will continue with Chase's sister, Jenny, and the human male she has her eye on.

Mine to Chase by Laurann Dohner

Mine to Chase by Laurann Dohner

Vampires and Werewolves Series, Book 2

Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc. (January 2013)

93 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.00)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Chase is a vampire/werewolf mixed breed and his dual bloodline complicates his life making enemies on many fronts because he can never really belong with either group, so when he feels a strong attraction to Jasmine he walks away determined to protect her from his life by not involving her in it, but he finds fate has other plans. Absolutely loved this short story and the world that it explores! I wasn't sure about Chase in the beginning, he seemed a little brusque and cold, but he really grew on me as he warmed to Jasmine, and all his abilities/quirks due to his mixed breed bloodline were fascinating and it was fun to learn about him right along with Jasmine. I look forward to reading Lethal's story in Lacey and Lethal, and I hope Jenny, Chase's sister, will get to have her own story with the human neighbor she's been contemplating. Great read!

Scarred and Kilt by Laurann Dohner

Scarred and Kilt by Laurann Dohner

Vampires and Werewolves Series, Book 1

Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc. (May 2012)

45 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.19)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

This is a short story included in the anthology Something Wicked This Way Comes (Volume 2). Matty's up late at night and takes to watching the movements of her new neighbor, her fascination with him becoming a bit obsessive but she never thought she'd actually meet the man she was sure was a vampire, that is until the night she saw a man breaking into his house and she followed, determined to save her neighbor from the intruder, but she never would have guessed the consequences of her actions. Blaron's courtship of Matty is a whirlwind that follows his love at first sight realization the he has no intention of just letting her walk away, no matter how much she thinks that's what she wants. Blaron's certainty about what he wants and the ways he goes about getting it were great! Matty's an amusing, slightly eccentric, character that I really liked, and she complimented Blaron perfectly. This story is followed by Mine to Chase, a story set in the same world, involving a friend of Blaron's.

Hungry for Her Mates by Marla Monroe

Hungry for Her Mates by Marla Monroe

Wolf's Pass Shifters, Book 2

Publisher: Siren Publishing (January 2014)

124 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.79)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Gabby has recognized Levi and Aaron as her fated mates, but she is confused about why they are taking so long to claim her, fearing they have decided to reject her, leaving her doomed to be alone. I loved this story! The different fantasy elements (magic, sylphies and shifters) combined in this story really worked well together. I really liked Gabby and both Levi and Aaron, and it was great to see the way their interactions with each other changed as all three came back into themselves. So many interesting things cooking at the end of this one. With the mystery of who is messing with the pack still hanging over their heads, I couldn't help but wonder if Avery wasn't involved in it in some sinister way (trying to keep Levi for herself), but perhaps that is loyalty to Gabby in overdrive talking. I can't wait to see what happens with Ariel, Galen and Kindle, as well as the other sylphies. Great shifter series!