Tag: Jessica Coulter Smith

Guest Review: Moonlight Protector by Jessica Coulter Smith

Posted October 5, 2010 by Book Binge Guest Blogger in Reviews | 0 Comments

Tracy‘s review of Moonlight Protector (Ashton Groves Werewolves, Book 1) by Jessica Coulter Smith

Cole Andrews, biologist by trade and werewolf by blood, is tired of being alone. He and his two brothers live in the large Victorian home that had belonged to their parents. He’s always wanted to find his mate and start a family. Now that he’s in his thirties, he’s starting to give up hope. He’s already seen all of the women available in his small town of Ashton Grove and so far none of them are “the one.”

Marin Thomas is fleeing for her life. After being abducted and held hostage, she is determined to escape the maniac once and for all. Stealing his car, she travels as far and as fast as she can – until a car accident lands her in some woods near Ashton Grove, Georgia. Fighting for her very life, she finds herself begging a wolf for help.

Is Marin the mate that Cole has been waiting for? Or will she end up with one of his brothers? One sniff tells him that she belongs to his pack. The only question that remains is who will win her heart?

The blurb pretty much covers the basics of this book. Marin was given to dealers by her brother to pay off a drug debt and then sold to the highest bidder. She was raped repeatedly by her “owner” and then given to several of his friends. She manages to escape but gets in an accident. She pleads to a wolf for help before she passes out. It just so happens that Cole Andrews is the wolf that she is pleading to. Cole gets his brother Gabriel, alpha of the pack, and they get her to their house. Gabriel, being the alpha of the pack can scent that Marin is part of his pack, though human, and therefore will be a mate to him or one of his two brothers – but Marin will do the choosing. Cole already knows that he wants Marin to choose him because he feels a strong pull to her. Cole watches over Marin during her recovery in his wolf form.

Here’s where things got a little tricky for me in the book. Marin wakes up and Cole has involuntarily shifted back to human and, of course, is naked in bed with Marin. She’s dreaming, he’s dreaming and they end up kissing, until interrupted by Gabriel. Ok, Marin has just been through this totally horrifying ordeal and been raped repeatedly yet she feels safe with the brothers. Then the whole kissing scene comes and I’m just shaking my head. I just can’t suspend belief like that. A woman who is raped is not going to fall into a man’s arms (one she doesn’t know) and feel desire. From having a friend that was raped years ago I know that it takes a long, long, long damned time for a rape victim to recover and feel comfortable with anyone touching them. I’m a very forgiving reader and can suspend belief with the best of ‘em but this was just too implausible. Going on in the book none of her issues are dealt with and not even mentioned unless to tell someone the details. I don’t know it was too unbelievable for me.

The book goes on with Cole and Marin getting together, her getting a job at his work and of course being stalked by her “owner”…the scum of the earth that raped her. Of course there’s an HEA which is always wonderful.

I have to say that I liked the premise of the book (besides the rape recovery issues) but it was told in a way that I felt like a story was being narrated, but it was done unemotionally. I couldn’t relate with the characters – even the brothers because I was being told what was going on, not shown. Little, unimportant parts of the book were described in detail and I found myself skimming a few paragraphs here and there and didn’t feel like I had missed anything.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

This book is available from Wild Horse Press in e-format only. You can buy it here for the Kindle or here in e-format.


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What I’ve Been Reading This Week

Posted January 26, 2009 by Tracy in Features | 8 Comments

Crazy, crazy week folks. I’m hoping next week is calmer and more relaxing – my Valium deep breathing exercises should help with that.

I just spent some time reading Emily Windsnap and the Monster of the Deep by Liz Kessler. Pretty cute book. My daughter got it for a scrapbook project she has to do for school – she had to pick a fantasy book that hadn’t been made into a movie. I liked that the teacher put those restrictions on it. Anyway, my daughter was soooo confused about how she was supposed to write a journal entry after she finished…just not good at piecing events together, my daughter. So I ended up reading the book so I could help her. Was a nice end to my reading week. 🙂

Anyway – on to the ADULT books I read this week (much more interesting)…

Kiss Of A Demon King by Kresley Cole. Loved it, loved it, loved it. Did I mentioned I loved it? Yeah, well, I did. Review below if you want more than that. lol

The Rancher’s Rules by Lucy Monroe. A category romance I read for Kmont’s category challenge. My review post will be up on Tuesday if I remember correctly.

Voice of Crow by Jeri Smith-Ready. The second book in the Aspect of Crow trilogy and it was damned good. Holy cow it’s just an amazing series. I’ll be posting a review and discussion later this week.

Take A Chance On Me by Susan Donovan was a great lighthearted read after my last read. Lawyer who kind of looks like a really hot thug goes to the vet/behaviorist with a Chinese Crested that he inherited at a crime scene. He and the vet hit it off but as much as Thug Lawyer doesn’t want to get involved with Vet he can’t seem to help himself. It was a totally cute book and I enjoyed it a lot. We even got a little insight from the Chinese Crested: Hairy. Too funny.


Moonlight Protector by Jessica Coulter Smith. This is book 1 in the Ashton Grove werewolf series. I read this one for The Book Binge so you’ll have to wait on the review. Aren’t I mean?


Winterbourne by Susan Carroll was my re-read for the month of January. My review will be up Saturday (I had previously said Sunday – I was wrong!) as requested but let me say that I loved it as much the second time as I did the first. Obviously it didn’t have the “surprise” factor with the events that you get when reading a book for the first time but sigh I just love it. I know there are those that don’t feel the same way but surprisingly, I still talk to them. lol

Anyway, have a great week! Oh and there are no links because I’m lazy tonight and I’m still trying to figure out what to do on DIK tomorrow. Oh yeah…I’m on DIK for the next three days (with a special guest on Tuesday) so visit me there as well!

Happy Reading!


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