Month: January 2022

Review: Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

Posted January 31, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Devil in Disguise by Lisa KleypasReviewer: Holly
Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas
Series: The Ravenels #7
Also in this series: Cold-Hearted Rake, Devil in Spring, Devil in Spring, Hello Stranger, Devil in Spring (The Ravenels, #3), Devil's Daughter (The Ravenels #5), Devil's Daughter, Chasing Cassandra
Publisher: Harper Collins, Avon
Publication Date: July 27, 2021
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Holly's 2021 Goodreads Challenge, Holly's 2021 Historical Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars


An enthralling and steaming romance between a widowed lady and a Scot on the run—who may have connections to one of London's most noble families.

Lady Merritt Sterling, a strong-willed young widow who’s running her late husband’s shipping company, knows London society is dying to catch her in a scandal. So far, she’s been too smart to provide them with one. But then she meets Keir MacRae, a rough-and-rugged Scottish whisky distiller, and all her sensible plans vanish like smoke. They couldn’t be more different, but their attraction is powerful, raw and irresistible.

From the moment Keir MacRae arrives in London, he has two goals. One: don’t fall in love with the dazzling Lady Merritt Sterling. Two: avoid being killed.

So far, neither of those is going well.

Keir doesn’t know why someone wants him dead until fate reveals his secret connection to one of England’s most powerful families. His world is thrown into upheaval, and the only one he trusts is Merritt. Their passion blazes with an intensity Merritt has never known before, making her long for the one thing she can’t have from Keir MacRae: forever. As danger draws closer, she’ll do whatever it takes to save the man she loves . . . even knowing he might be the devil in disguise.

Devil in Disguise (The Ravenels #7) by Lisa Kleypas is the much anticipated story of Lady Merritt Sterling, lately a widow and business owner.

Lady Merritt Sterling, the daughter of Lillian and Marcus, Lady and Lord Westcliff, is running her late husband’s shipping company. She is contracted with Scotsman Keir MacRae to store his whiskey in a bonded warehouse. It should be a fairly straight-forward process, but from the moment they meet they are drawn to one another. They come from two different worlds, but when someone tries to kill Keir, she’ll do whatever it takes to protect him.

Kleypas always tells a good story. I really enjoyed both Merritt and Keir, especially in the early parts of the book. Merritt was the perfect blend of her parents. Bold and fierce, yet caring and reserved. The way she and Keir got on was perfect.

There were things that bothered me. View Spoiler » Neither of those things ruined the story for me, but they did detract from my overall enjoyment. While I gobbled it right up, it isn’t my favorite of the series.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

The Ravenels

four-stars


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Sunday Spotlight: Savage Road by Christine Feehan

Posted January 30, 2022 by Casee in Giveaways, Reviews | 1 Comment

Sunday Spotlight is a feature we began in 2016. This year we’re spotlighting our favorite books, old and new. We’ll be raving about the books we love and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂

Sunday Spotlight: Savage Road by Christine FeehanSavage Road by Christine Feehan
Narrator: Ryan West
Series: Torpedo Ink #7
Also in this series: Judgment Road , Judgment Road, Vengeance Road, Vendetta Road, Desolation Road, Reckless Road, Annihilation Road, Recovery Road
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: January 25, 2022
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Pages: 525
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Series Rating: three-stars

#1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan explores uncharted territory in the new Torpedo Ink Motorcycle Club novel.
When Savin “Savage” Pajari and Seychelle Dubois first met, their connection was instant, their attraction undeniable. Their relationship has been full throttle since day one. Even though months have passed, the passion and love between them has only increased.
Savage completely owns what he is: a sadist in the bedroom who can only get off on his partner’s pain. He believes he’s not a good man, but he loves Seychelle with a fierceness that shocks him. He wants all of her, but only if she gives herself freely with eyes wide open.
Seychelle never imagined the lure of mixing pain with pleasure, or how much she’d crave Savage’s darkness. She’s been shaken to her core, but Seychelle is committed to Savage and their life together—even though he’s keeping a piece of himself back. And to truly make their relationship work, he has to give her everything that he is, just as she is doing for him.
Savage knows that what he really needs could break his woman if she isn’t ready. She agreed to come into his world, and he’s not about to give her up. He has to find a way to let her see the monster inside without pushing her away. But the real Savage might be more than Seychelle can bear...and he knows he wouldn’t survive losing her.

Excerpt

His lips moved from her ear to her cheek, soft, sipping at her tears in that way that stole her heart, even as she wanted to shove him away from her. He had her body tipped back so she was nearly off balance and couldn’t move.

“All right, baby, stop. Don’t cry anymore.”

“You don’t understand, Savage. You said we’d find ways to compromise, but you don’t think in
terms of compromising. It’s going to be your way.”

“I told you that. From the very beginning, I was honest with you that some things had to be my way.”

“Not this. This is an emotional need, Savage. My emotional need. There’s a big difference. You promised to see to my emotional needs, remember? Isn’t that part of our relationship? Our agreement. We talked right from the beginning, and you said you would make me happy.

There is no way for me to be happy if you insist on ignoring my emotional needs.”

His thumb rubbed back and forth along her cheek in a soothing caress. She wasn’t certain who he was trying to soothe . . . her—or him. There was nothing to say. There wasn’t going to be a marriage though. She might live with him, but she wouldn’t let him put a ring on her finger.

“We’ll figure it out.” His hands went to her waist, and he helped her straighten slowly even as he slid the whip from around her. “We’ll work it out.”

She took a step away from him. “That’s what you said a few days ago, when this kind of thing came up. We didn’t work it out though, did we? We had sex, and the sex was great, but we didn’t talk about what was wrong. We didn’t resolve it.”

“Seychelle. I can’t talk about club business, no matter how much I might want to.”

“But then, you don’t really want to, do you, Savage?” she challenged.

“Damn it, Seychelle, why are you making this so fucking difficult?”

“You’re right, Savage. I am being difficult. I shouldn’t want you to care how I feel, and I sure shouldn’t care that someone wants you dead.”

“That’s a bullshit thing to say.”

“It seems that everything I say is bullshit. I’m not certain what you want me to say. I don’t want to fight. Keep your secrets, Savage. Tell them to your brothers and sisters and leave me out. I’m getting used to it. I really am. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“Damn it, baby. We’ll find our way. Just give us some time.”

She didn’t look at him, just shrugged her shoulders and took another step toward the house and escape, because they weren’t going to really work it out. They’d have sex, and it would be great sex. It always was. It wouldn’t solve their problems though. She would feel alone more and more. She would want to discuss her business with him less and less, and there would be more resentment toward his club and the members, even though the problems she had with Savage weren’t their fault.

She glanced down at her beautiful engagement ring. The last thing they needed to do was get
married. Living together was one thing, but she refused to take a vow that wouldn’t mean anything in the long run.

“Seychelle. I can read you like a fuckin’ book.”

“You’re always so sure of yourself, Savage.”

“Because you don’t know how to guard your expression. You just looked down at your engagement ring and I never saw anyone look so fucking sad. We are going to get married.”

“I’m rethinking, just like you had to rethink things. Nothing is going to change for you, other than you’ll have everything you want. I need a full partner, Savage. I thought we’d have that. I have to rethink whether or not I can manage to be in a relationship or how far I can honestly go into this without getting all my emotional needs met. Eventually, how will that affect us, I don’t know, because I know it will affect me.”

“Damn it, Seychelle, it isn’t going to affect us, because we’re working it out. This is the first bump. We don’t run from it. That’s what we don’t do. We figure it out.”

From SAVAGE ROAD published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House
LLC. Copyright © 2022 by Christine Feehan.

Torpedo Ink

Giveaway Alert

We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the widget below to enter for one of this month’s features.

Sunday Spotlight: January 2022

Are you as excited for this release as we are? Let us know how excited you are and what other books you’re looking forward to this year!

About Christine Feehan

Christine Feehan Author

I live on the beautiful Northern California coast and draw much inspiration from the beauty around me. I've always been a writer, for as long as I remember. My sisters were forced to read all of my books from the time I could write a story on paper.

I love family. I love my brothers and sisters, my children, my grandchildren and my great grandchildren. My home was always full of kids and children give me so much joy.

I also love my "sisters of the heart", those friends who have supported me through my life, laughed with me, cried with me and loved me regardless of how crazy my life got. I am a strong supporter of women helping each other which is why I became a third degree black belt and taught self-defense to women who'd been abused.

I love people and dogs, good books and great coffee and I'm lucky to know just how blessed I am.


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What Are You Reading? (594)

Posted January 28, 2022 by Holly in Features | 3 Comments

Casee

I have been reading the Bailey Brothers series by Claire Kingley. I just finished Rushing In (Bailey Brothers #4). After that I decided to reread an old favorite. After the Night by Linda Howard has certainly not aged well. I’m having a difficult time not wanting to junk-punch Gray. Hard.

I listened to Honor’s Splendour by Julie Garwood this week & I just love this book. Madelyne is one of my top five heroines of all time. Duncan is pretty amazing himself. I’m going to keep my JG streak going & listen to Ransom or Gentle Warrior.

Holly

I finished Magic Unleashed by K.M. Shea, then moved onto the third trilogy set in that world. I read Hunted and United, but I didn’t realize the third book, Fated, isn’t out until the end of February. I think I’m ready for a break from that world, so it probably worked out for the best. I’m enjoying the series overall, but 6 book at once is a lot.

I am currently listening to A Farewell to Charms by Molly Harper, the 6th book in the Mystic Bayou series.

What are you reading this week? Any new favorites or books that drove you crazy? Share!


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Review: Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven

Posted January 26, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 2 Comments

Review: Dragon Unleashed by Grace DravenReviewer: Holly
Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven
Series: Fallen Empire #2
Also in this series: Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire, #1)
Publisher: Penguin, Ace
Publication Date: June 9, 2020
Format: Audiobook, eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 413
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Holly's 2021 Goodreads Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Magic is outlawed in the Krael Empire and punishable by death. Born with the gift of earth magic, the free trader Halani keeps her dangerous secret closely guarded. When her uncle buys a mysterious artifact, a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead draga, Halani knows it's far more than what it seems.

Dragas haven't been seen for more than a century, and most believe them extinct. They're wrong. Dragas still walk among the denizens of the Empire, disguised as humans. Malachus is a draga living on borrowed time. The magic that has protected him will soon turn on him--unless he finds a key part of his heritage. He has tracked it to a group of free traders, among them a grave-robbing earth witch who fascinates him as much as she frustrates him with her many secrets.

Unbeknownst to both, the Empire's twisted empress searches for a draga of her own, to capture and kill as a trophy. As Malachus the hunter becomes the hunted, Halani must risk herself and all she loves to save him from the Empire's machinations and his own lethal birthright.

Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven is the second book in the Fallen Empire series. I really enjoyed Halani in the first book and I was anxious to learn more about her. The first couple chapters of this book were a bit slow, but I’m glad I pushed through. Once the story picked up I really fell into it.

Halani is a free-trader who keeps her magic firmly hidden. Magic was outlawed in the Krael Empire, and Halani would be put to death if her magic were to be discovered. She keeps her head down and does her best to make a living and care for her mother, who is very child-like after a head injury. When her uncle turns up with a “rare artifact”, Halani has a bad feeling he’s put them in danger, but he won’t let it go.

The world thinks Dragas are extinct, but they still exist. Malachus must find a missing piece of himself to unlock his magic before it kills him. He tracks his prize to Halani’s camp and is convinced what he seeks is nearby. He’s injured during a confrontation with the poachers who stole what was his, and he and Halani connect while she cares for his wounds.

Draven has built a wonderfully drawn world here. I enjoyed visiting different parts of the Empire and learning more about the rich history of the lands. Malachus and Halani came from different backgrounds and that reflected in their attitudes and opinions. I loved how well they balanced each other, and how neither was afraid to call the other out when needed.

I enjoyed getting to know Halani and her family better, and learning about Malachus. There isn’t a ton of action, and the pacing was slower than in the previous book. That worked well in context and allowed us to come to know Halani and Malachus better. I’m anxious for the next book in the series.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Fallen Empire

four-stars


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