Kathryn by Caroline Fyffe

Kathryn by Caroline Fyffe

Mail-Order Brides of the West, Book 5

The McCutcheon Family Series, Book 6

Publisher: Caroline Fyffe (August 2014)

195 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Kathryn escaped an unwanted arranged marriage by becoming a mail-order bride and she was determined to find happiness with Tobit, a young farmer who was eager to marry her, but flying luggage and a bad case of amnesia disrupt their carefully laid plans, throwing a wrench in everything. Tobit was a strong, capable man with patience and compassion, and I don't know how you couldn't like him. Poor Kathryn fumbles around most of the story with no memory of anything, and though they were only following the doctor's orders, I wished her friends would have helped her along a bit more, especially with the Oscar situation. The misunderstandings and prideful standoffs were a little frustrating for me and I wished things could have moved along a bit easier, but the ending was nice. Heather and Hayden have a storyline of their own along the way, and it was neat to see so much of the two previous mail-order Y Knot couples. Great Series!

Darcy by Debra Holland

Darcy by Debra Holland

Mail-Order Brides of the West, Book 6

The Montana Sky Series, Prequel

Publisher: Debra Holland (August 2014)

195 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Upon learning just what horrible schemes her half-brother is prepared to carry out as he strives to further his business interests, Darcy feels she has no choice but to flee to a mail-order bride agency and offer herself as a bride, but a match is slow in coming and when she feels danger nipping at her heels, she decides to take a risk and pursue a man mentioned by a friend as a potential match. Gideon isn't your typical gruff, alpha male . . . he's a shy, reserved learned man content for the most part with his quiet life in the woods, and I loved his mixture of vulnerability and intelligence, with the bit of steel he displays now and then, especially when he's feeling protective of Darcy. It was different to see the heroine be so protective of the hero, as he faced his demons over and over again. Great story! Looking forward to Bertha's, and hope to see it out soon!

Prymal Lust by Jianne Carlo

Prymal Lust by Jianne Carlo

Prymal Series, Book 1

Publisher: Taliesin Publishing (August 2014)

216 pages, eBook (provided by the Author)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Though Tania had indulged in little symbols of rebellion over the years to the heavily ruled existence of a Wylfen female, an encounter with a Feral shifter, named Axe, turns her world upside down, and she finds herself in the center of a war brewing between the three breeds of shifter (Wylfen, Feral & Rogue), and faced with claiming a mate despite her decision never to do so. I loved Axe! He was all that you would expect from a dominant military man (SEAL), but the soft vulnerable side that went along with it, was perfect. Tania had a bit of a chip on her shoulder in the beginning and she was a little too eager for a meaningless hookup with an unknown man for my taste, but she grew on me as the story went on, and one has to consider the intense nature of Mate Claim urges, I suppose. The raw, primitive nature of the connection between shifter mates is something beautiful, and I thought this story really did a good job of displaying that. I'm looking forward to reading the other Prymal alphas' stories in books to come!

Taking it All by Maya Banks

Taking it All by Maya Banks

The Surrender Trilogy, Book 3

Publisher: Berkley (August 2014)

320 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $7.99)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Chessy and Tate had been so happy, but as his focus on business creeped into all parts of their life, Chessy became increasingly discontent, until Tate made a huge mistake that forced her to face facts and left Tate scrambling to keep her. It was sad watching Chessy and Tate's marriage failing, especially since Tate was completely oblivious to it until it was almost too late. True to the series, just when you think everything is on the right track again, Tate messes up royally, and it was painful to watch. I never really warmed to Chessy (for one, I hate her name) she was whiny, fatalistic and unwilling to do anything about it for the longest time. This story includes a scene that depicts rape (this act is NOT perpetrated by the hero), and may be upsetting to some readers. There were a few places where characters names were inadvertently switched, and the repetition in the descriptions, dialogue and exposition was a little annoying, but I liked the way the story flipped back and forth from Chessy's to Tate's point-of-view, achieving a much fuller picture of the story. Nice end to the series, but it seemed to be wrapped up a little hastily.

Dreamtime Sensuality by David Russell

Dreamtime Sensuality by David Russell

Publisher: Devine Destinies (August 2014)

104 pages, eBook (provided by Author for review)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

This is a collection of four stories about people realizing their romantic fantasies in a very methodical, almost scholarly fashion. The fantasies feature slightly vain characters who enjoy voyeurism, delayed gratification, and a multitude of costume changes. Fun collection, ranging from beach scenes to risky intrigue. I like the descriptive, almost poetic style of writing that make these tales seem passionately glamorous.