Tag: Carolyn Crane

Anthology Review: Fire and Frost feat Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane and Jessica Sims

Posted December 15, 2013 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Anthology Review: Fire and Frost feat Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane and Jessica SimsReviewer: Holly
Fire and Frost by Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane, Jessica Sims
Series: The Iron Seas #3.4, , Midnight Liaisons #2.3
Also in this series: The Iron Duke (Iron Seas, #1), Tethered (Novella), The Kraken King Part I, Here There Be Monsters (Iron Seas, #0.5), The Kraken King (Iron Seas, #4), Heart of Steel (Iron Seas, #2), The Iron Duke, Wanted: Wild Thing

Publication Date: 2013
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 370
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars

For the first time in print, six wild and steamy tales from three of today's hottest paranormal and steampunk romance authors.
The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook – While the search for a killer puts Constable Newberry's life in danger, he faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

Vixen by Jessica Sims – Miko's denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn't want to choose between both men…it wants them both.

Kitten-Tiger & the Monk by Carolyn Crane – Sophia Sidway, Midcity's most dangerous memory revisionist, seeks out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption…but it turns out that the Monk is not all that pious, and the turnpike is no turnpike at all.
These lovers create their own heat, even when surrounded by ice...
Speed Mating by Jessica Sims – Estrella may be going into heat, but she's determined to remain in control. Just because she's ovulating doesn't mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha's determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child…but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

Conjuring Max by Carolyn Crane – The witches of the world ridiculed nerdy Veronica for trying to use newfangled computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it's 1984 now, and she's perfected her spellcasting computer program. Hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything…or anybody? So when Veronica makes powerful new enemies, she conjures Max, a pitbull of a cop, to deal with the pesky hitmen who keep coming around. But tough-guy Max is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.

Wrecked by Meljean Brook – Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father's huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe's zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn't the only danger she has to fear—and now that he's found her, Caius doesn't intend to let her go.

From the authors who brought you Wild & Steamy come three all-new tales of lovers who create their own heat, even when they’re surrounded by ice…

This was a good collection of short stories. I’m familiar with Meljean Brook’s writing, as well as Carolyn Crane’s, but this was my first read by Jessica Sims. Though short, each story was well written and engaging.

 Speed Mating by Jessica Sims – Estrella may be going into heat, but she’s determined to remain in control. Just because she’s ovulating doesn’t mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha’s determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child…but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

Estrella has always felt like an outsider. As the only liger in a tiger clan, she doesn’t fit in and feels the wariness of everyone deeply. She tries to keep to herself, but she can’t keep it quiet when she starts to go into heat. Not only does she need a male to help her burn it out, but this may be her only chance to have a baby..and she wants it, bad. What she doesn’t want is to be tied to an idiot male for the rest of her life. Sadly that seems to be all she can find…unless she looks at the alpha. But that isn’t a good idea…or is it?

This was a quick read. I liked that Estrella was determined to make her own future. No, she didn’t have control of going into heat, but she did have control over who she shared it with and she made the best of it. Some of the dates she went on made me laugh. It was obvious to me as the reader that the alpha was having a hard time not claiming her for himself, but she was clueless.

The only complaint I have is her plan at the end. I thought that was immature and not in keeping with her character. It didn’t ruin the story for me, it just made me shake my head.

A solid and engaging read.

3.75 out of 5

Conjuring Max by Carolyn Crane – The witches of the world ridiculed and rejected nerdy Veronica for trying to use newfangled computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and she’s perfected her spellcasting computer program. Hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything…or anybody? So when Veronica makes powerful new enemies, she conjures Max, a pitbull of a cop, to deal with the pesky hitmen who keep coming around. Maybe Veronica can finally get some peace and quiet so she can work on her computer. But tough-guy Max is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.

Veronica figured out how to complain technology and magic to conjure people and things from pictures. Basically, she scans a picture and the image comes to life. But it isn’t a copy of the original..it’s the real deal. When she conjures Max, he comes with all his memories, baggage and natural protective instincts. The problem? He only lasts for 7 days before she has to conjure him again.

For months Max has been acting as Veronica’s bodyguard. He may disappear every 7 days, but he comes back with all the memories he made while with her. He sees past her tough exterior to the woman beneath and he’s fallen for her..big time. But he’s just a shell of himself and she isn’t interested…unless he’s more than that and she is…

Though short, I was really pulled into the story and became as attached to Max as Veronica did. Crane did a good job of creating a strong backstory for both characters. The action was good and kept the story moving forward.

I did struggle a bit with some of the deeper issues of conjuring a person. When either one would reference the future, it always niggled at the back of my mind that Max wasn’t really real. I also had a hard time with Veronica making decisions about Max without really thinking them through.

That aside, I enjoyed the story. The romance was believable and the characters solid. Plus, it was a kick being brought back to the 80’s..

3.75 out of 5

Wrecked by Meljean Brook – Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father’s huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe’s zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn’t the only danger she has to fear—and now that he’s found her, Caius doesn’t intend to let her go…

Elizabeth thought she fell in love with Caius when he was her guard, but he betrays her and she realizes he was just his father’s henchmen after all. When he finally catches up to her, she’s surprised that he seems to want to help her. But can she really trust him? Or is he just determined to get her back to her father.

I love Brook’s Iron Seas series. This story is set in the same world.  Elizabeth is a strong, capable, independent heroine. She’s on the run from her father and knows how to take care of herself. I think her capability is especially noteworthy since she’s so young. Brook writes men I want to know in real life. Caius had a strong sense of right and wrong, but didn’t come off as pious or overbearing. I really enjoyed him.

My only complaint is the length. Though everything was wrapped up to my satisfaction, I wanted more time with them as a couple.

Though short, the story was engaging and well-written. Definitely my favorite of the three.

4 out of 5

This book is self-published. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

four-stars

1 Comment

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

What I Read Last Week

Posted June 3, 2013 by Tracy in Features | 3 Comments

I’m DONE with dance! Yay! Ok, my youngest is still in her tumbling class but no more competitions, rehearsals for competitions and we had the recital yesterday so life will resume as usual. I couldn’t be happier! lol The team did really well yesterday at the recital so that was nice.

Right now I’m looking out the window wondering what the hell is up with our So Cal weather???! It was 109 on Saturday – OMG so effin hot! Then it was a relatively mild 85 on Sunday and now it’s overcast and about 65 degrees. WTF?? It just can’t seem to make up its mind, that’s for sure.

My oldest is now out of school which apparently means, now that she will be a sophomore in high school, that she can do anything she wants. Did you know that happened? Yeah, me neither. Oy. I think of the trouble that child can get into and it gives me chills – and not in a good way. I think I have about a thousand more gray hairs in my head just from this past weekend. lol I’ll survive the teen years, right?

I almost forgot (I’m such a bad aunt!) my niece graduated this past Friday night – valedictorian!  She’s so awesome!  She wants to be a vet and will be attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall.  Go Jessica!  Here she is with her brother who flew out from Pennsylvania to see her graduate.  What a good brother. 

Alright on to what I read: 

I started out the week by reading Faking It by Cora Carmack. This is book 2 in her Losing It series and it was a good one. The story was about a guy who is like the all American college student who gets roped into playing boyfriend for a girl who’s in a band and needs to fool her parents into believing that she is who they think she is. Make sense? She’s faked her true self all of her life and is still doing it. They are complete opposites but that doesn’t stop either of them. You can read my full review here. 4 out of 5 

Next up was The Mad Earl’s Bride by Loretta Chase. This is a novella length read that has us meeting Dorian who is going slowly insane as his mother once did. He is approached by a distant relative who would like him to marry Gwendolyn so that A) the family name can go on and B) she needs his money after he’s dead. Seems a bit crazy but it worked in the end. I really liked the story a lot and think this one is definitely worth reading. 4 out of 5 

Arrested by Love by Virna DePaul is a set of 3 erotic romance novellas all involving cops. We had the cop that infiltrated a biker gang, the cop that finally had a chance at the one that got away and the cop that helps the victim of an attack. It was a decent read and I’ll post my review for this one on Wednesday. 3.5 out of 5 

Bite Me by PJ Schnyder is the story set in London where they are having a zombie infestation. Most have evacuated but there are those still living and working in the city – some trying to figure out what’s causing the epidemic. In order to save people the werewolves have come out of the closet and are helping to keep the city safe. The Alpha of the London Pack, Seth, is out on patrol when he helps Maisie and some other folks with a hoard of zombies. This puts Seth and Maisie together and he finds he doesn’t want to let her go. This was a great little novella. It’s the first in the London Undead series (this comes out later this month) but I think it was a great start to an interesting paranormal series. 4 out of 5 

It Happened One Midnight by Julie Anne Long is book 8 in the Pennyroyal Green series and it was wonderful! The story of Jonathan Redmond, the trials with his father, the meeting and falling in love with a completely unlikely marriage candidate, Tommy (Thomasina), was just fab from start to finish. I loved it and recommend you read it when it comes out. 5 out of 5 

The Look of Love by Bella Andre is book 1 in her Sullivans series. The story revolved around Chase who found Chloe stranded on the side of the road. He helps her but she’s been hurt by her ex-husband in more ways than one and has trust issues. This doesn’t stop Chase from falling into insta-love. The story had potential and was decent but Chase bothered me with his undying love and frankly this should have been labeled an erotic romance because a large portion of the book is sex. My review for this will go up on The Book Binge on Thursday if you’re interested in reading more about my thoughts. 3 out of 5 

Last for the week was Fire & Frost by Jessica Sims, Carolyn Crane & Meljean Brook. Jessica Sims brought us the story of a were-liger who was supposedly sterile but was going into heat and trying to find someone within a week to not only satisfy the heat but make a good baby daddy. She was aided by the Alpha who was looking out for her best interests. Good story but too short! I wanted to know more about the Alpha, Vic, and why he hid how he was feeling for four long years! lol Next was Carolyn Crane’s novella about Veronica the witch and her super computers who can bring things to life by a picture. If you read Carolyn’s Code of Shadows book, Mr. Real, then you’ll recognize Veronica’s name. She was the aunt of the heroine in that book who left her the house and the computer. Good story and good action. Meljean brought us a story about a girl who is running from her father because he’s a bit cracked and wants her to replace her mother. Eww. Ok, there are really extenuating circumstances to her existence but still! One of her father’s minions has been in love with her forever and helps her out. Great story – very enjoyable. Overall I really liked the fire & frost theme. The way that each story showed us the frostiness in the relationships first and then the fire – very clever and well done. 4 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Agave Kiss by Ann Aguirre
Connected by Kim Karr
Remembering Love by Nadine Christian

Happy Reading!

3 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Review: Mr. Real by Carolyn Crane

Posted November 15, 2012 by Tracy in Reviews | 4 Comments

Alix Gordon is a woman who doesn’t take life too seriously. What’s the fun in that? So when she stumbles across occult software that can bring any computer image to life, she conjures up lots of awesome outfits and accessories. And then, on one drunken, horny night, she conjures up Sir Kendall, the sexy TV ad spy . . . who looks exactly like Paul Reinhardt, the super-sexy martial arts teacher who kicked her out of class three years ago.

Fighter Paul Reinhardt has good reason to hate Sir Kendall, the character he brought to life to land a part in a TV ad; he’d do anything to forget him. A cross country road trip seems just the thing . . . until Paul finds himself inexplicably drawn to Minnesota and is shocked to discover Sir Kendall – in the flesh – with the girl he’d once loved from afar. He barges into Alix and Sir Kendall’s love nest, determined to stop the madness – somehow.

But is superspy Sir Kendall transforming into something more dangerous anyone can imagine? And what will Sir Kendall do when Paul and Alix finally give into their mad lust for each other?

Alix Gordon has inherited her aunt’s house but that’s not all she’s inherited. She apparently found an old floppy and while trying to discover what it contained she added a spell to her laptop that takes things from a picture and makes them real. She freaks at first but it’s kind of cool. After creating a ruby necklace – which started the whole thing – she makes some vinyl boots with matching belt and purse, a barrel – just to verify – and then…a man.

Four years prior she had taken a martial arts class and had practically fallen in love with the instructor but he kicked her out of class and she never saw him again. When she finds him in a commercial for a liqueur she’s thrilled. When she decides who to bring to life and be her sex toy she figures that Sir Kendall Nicholas the Third would be perfect. In the commercial’s he is a spy, an international man of mystery. He comes in to a bar, seduces the woman, has a drink of the liqueur, walks out the door and disappears. Alix thinks she can bring him to life, use him as her human sex toy and then he’ll walk out the door and disappear. Yeah, it didn’t exactly work out that way.

Sir Kendall thinks that Alix is working for his arch enemy and plans to kill her after he gets his information and has his way with her. Alix is completely in the dark but is enjoying Sir Kendall – mostly because he looks like her old MA instructor. When that MA instructor, Paul, comes barrelling through her door she’s shocked but not as shocked as Paul when he sees his clone in Alix’s living room.

Alix doesn’t come forth with info right away to Paul but eventually she does because he won’t leave. He was devastated almost immediately when he kicked Alix out of his class because it was nothing she did that forced him to do that. It was his own demons he was trying to fight because Alix was making him feel happy and apparently that was ruining his MA focus. Now he doesn’t want to leave Alix with his worst nightmare come to life. But can he save her from something from another dimension when all he wants to do is send it back or kill it and Alix wants to help it integrate into society?

I have to say, right up front, that this is one of the most strangely bizarre books I think I’ve read this year…maybe ever. The story was very frenetic and as I write this I’m not sure who to rate it.

This is a fantasy set in contemporary times and I actually enjoyed the appearance of Sir Kendall and his whole back story – and yes, there is one despite the fact that he’s a tv commercial. He was a little whack but I understood it to a point.

Then there was Paul. He had had a messed up childhood and his step brothers had bullied, picked on and tortured him nonstop. Despite that he had gotten away, made something of himself and was ok – except when it came to Sir Kendall. You would have to read the story to figure out all the nuances of the relationship between Sir Kendall and Paul and even after reading the story I’m not sure I understand them all. Suffice it to say that Paul hated Kendall with a passion. Paul had some issues, sure, but overall he was a really great guy and definitely the best part of the book for me.

Then there was Alix. Sigh What to make of her? She was always the black sheep of the family – not the conservative types the rest of her family was but they still loved her. She always felt, however, that they considered her stupid because she made some really bad and sometimes really crazy decisions and yes, from time to time, fucked up royally. At this time she would screw up and then fix it and then screw up and then fix it and on and on it would go. She would get her feelings hurt but bounce back and be happy again almost immediately. I found that it made her seem emotionally shallow and made me wonder, when she was falling for Paul again, if she could sustain the relationship because it seemed her emotions had ADD.

I’ve very much enjoyed Crane’s writing in the past and the Dissillusionist series was great. This story, however, was kind of all over the place and that certainly didn’t endear it to me. I see that this is book 1 in a series and for the life of me I can’t quite figure out where there is to go from here, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see.

Rating: 2.5/3 out of 5 

Carolyn Crane

4 Comments

Tagged: , , , , ,

What I Read Last Week

Posted November 12, 2012 by Tracy in Features | 6 Comments

Hey there,

Another week has gone by and wow – they’re going so fast.  Yesterday the fam headed down to Anaheim to have an early family Thanksgiving dinner with my hubby’s family which was really fun.  The girls were apparently having fun with mom’s phone in the back seat while on the way down there.  Here’s just 2 of the MANY photos that were on it lol  Who would know that just 2 hours earlier they were at each others throats?  Ah, the joy of childhood. lol

So on to what I read last week:

I started off the week with The Sergeant’s Lady by Susanna Fraser.  This story was about Anna who was following the drum with her soldier husband but he was a complete ass.  She is on her own and trying to get home when her convoy is detained by the French.  When one of the French commanding officers decides that Anna would make a tasty treat in bed.  She’s saved by Sergeant Will Atkins.  They escape and while traveling start a sexual relationship that turns into so much more.  But they can’t be together because she’s a lady and was an officer’s wife and he’s just a  sergeant.  This was a really great book of love and trying to maintain that love while trying to deal with class differences.  It was emotionally charge and oh so good. 4.25 out of 5

Next up was An Infamous Marriage by Susanna Fraser.  The story follows Elizabeth and Jack’s marriage after he’s been gone in Canada for 5 years and been cheating on her.  But now he’s back and wants to make a go of the marriage.  You can read my full review here. 3 out of 5

My next read was All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey.  This is the 5th book in the Kowalski series and it was the story of Ryan Kowalski and Lauren who was once the wife of his best friend. They finally get together after many years but it’s not an easy road  You can read my full review here.  4.25 out of 5

Under the Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis is a short story in the Lucky Harbor series that comes out next month.  This story is one about Tara and Ford’s daughter Mia and her relationship with Nick who hasn’t known love his entire life.  It was a good one and definitely one that shouldn’t be missed.  4 out of 5

Wolfishly Yours by Lydia Dare was the story of a girl, Livi, who is sent by her father from New Orleans to England to her grandfather to learn how to be a lady.  She’s pissed off and wants nothing more than to be home running wild with her brothers in the swamps.  She meets Grayson who is besotted with her and ends up offering for her hand. When he doesn’t show up for his own wedding though things get a bit hairy.  Cute story but there certainly wasn’t enough shapeshifting with the shapeshifters for my liking.  lol  3.75 out of 5

Heart of Danger by Lisa Marie Rice was my next read.  Fugitive soldiers, psychic scientists and hidden fortresses.  You can read my review on Wednesday.

What Binds Us by Larry Benjamin was an m/m story about friends who meet at college, become lovers but then just friends again.  Dondi is a total playboy and sleeps with any and every man.  He’s definitely in it for the fun.  Thomas-Edward is a black student who loves Dondi but after a year of a relationship Dondi breaks it off in their sophomore year.  Still friends T spends a summer at Dondi’s family home and ends up falling in love with Dondi’s brother, Matthew, but neither make a move.  The story is about friendship, love, the horror of AIDS and the strange ties that bind people together.  It was a really good book and highly emotional especially at the end.  I cried more in this book than any other that I can remember.  The epilogue threw me off a bit and some things throughout the story did as well but overall very good.  4.25 out of 5



Last for the week was Mr. Real by Carolyn Crane.  The story is about a woman who brings a man to life through a spell on her computer and things are not exactly how she expects them to be.  You can read my review on Thursday.

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Charmed by His Love by Janet Chapman
Rescue My Heart by Jill Shalvis

Happy Reading!

6 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

What I Read Last Week

Posted August 29, 2011 by Tracy in Features | 11 Comments

Howdoo!
How are you this fine Monday? I’m doing well. It’s been hot like the sun here this past week (it’s gotten as high as 111 F) and it doesn’t look like there’s an end to it so I’m just trying to stay indoors as much as possible.
The kids had a good week as school and they both like their teachers and their classes which is a bonus! Hopefully the teacher love will continue! lol
I still didn’t get a picture of my oldest – she’s always in such a hurry in the mornings that she can’t be bothered to stand still for two second so that dear old mom can click. Soon – I swear I’ll tie her down if I have too. lol
Update: I finally got her picture this morning. You can tell how thrilled she was! lol  

 

The fam headed to a friends house for a get together this weekend. Judy used to live a few houses down from me for years but then moved to Iowa. She stayed there a year or so and when she moved back she moved about 2 hours away. Much closer than Iowa but still not as close as on the same street! I’ve hardly seen her since she’s been back, which sucks. We went and had a great time on Saturday night. Where she lives is considered living in the country but it’s gorgeous there. Rolling hills and open land and it was lovely. We were on her back deck when we got to see a mama deer and her 2 babies. We went for a walk about an hour or so after I took the picture and we ended up seeing the whole family – mama, daddy and 4 babies – so pretty!  The whole family had a great time and hopefully we’ll head there again soon.
I read a bit this week. I’m really behind on my netgalley and Book Binge reading and need to get my butt in gear. There are just too many distractions! lol Also, I know the month isn’t over yet but I realized that I’ve only bought 3 books the whole month and I spent very little money – one book was .99, one was 1.99 and the other 5.95 – bargain! Yay me! I’ve really been trying to read from my TBR and get those books read – it’s not easy holding myself back lol.
So what did I read?
First for the week was One Night in London: The Truth About the Duke by Caroline Linden. This was (kind of) an attached book to the novella I Love the Earl. The story is about a 3rd son who has stood by his father’s side through thick and thin – even when his two older brothers were off doing their own thing. The brothers find out after their father’s death that he may have been a polygamist. He was married before and never actually got a divorce – so will the sons inherit and will Edward’s oldest brother really become a Duke? That’s what starts the story off but not really the whole focus of the book. The focus is on Edward as he tries to quell the horrible (yet true) rumors going around London and helping a woman try to find her niece who has disappeared. I liked the romance quite a lot but I have to say that I was disappointed in not getting more info about the Duke and what exactly happened. So yes, some the truth about the Duke comes out, but not all. It was a cute book and I’ll read the next when it’s released to see if the truth comes out in that book…but I have a feeling we’ll have to wait until book 3 to discover it. 3 out of 5
Next was Jennifer’s Garden by Dianne Venetta. The story about a woman who is trying to get married before her mother dies and is creating a beautiful garden to get married in. But she finds herself doubting her decision to marry Aurelio when she starts falling for the Landscape architect, Jackson. You can read my review here. 3 out of 5
Changeling Moon by Dani Harper was a book I read for the Book Binge. It’s about Connor Macleod who is a changeling aka shapeshifter who is a vet in Alberta, Canada. He ends up saving Zoey’s life one night when she is attacked by a rabid changeling. The story is about their romance as well as keeping Zoey from harm when the wolf comes back to finish what he started. 3 out of 5
Changeling Dream by Dani Harper is the next book in the Changeling series. This book was about James Macleod who survived the shooting that killed his pregnant wife. He turns to a wolf and stays that way for 30 years. Now he’s back in Alberta and learning how to be a human again – but he’s only doing it because he’s so drawn to his brother Connor’s new Vet that he has on staff. He tries to stay away so that he doesn’t put her in danger but eventually the pair come together. I liked this book much more than book one. I love scarred heroes (emotionally scarred) and this one was good. The pair was apart for a lot of the book but it was still really good. 4 out of 5 (also read for The Book Binge)  
Am I the only one that was freaked out by this cover? I thought at first that the woman was turning herself inside out until I realized that she just had her necklace hanging down her back! lol Freaky!
Annabelle, the American by Lavinia Kent was my next read. This is book 3 in the Real Duchesses of London series and I’m loving it. The newest cartoon comes out and shows Annabelle’s husband, Thomas, standing with a second family. The story has Thomas revealing secrets and the couple falling in love. The novella’s in this series are all connected so I recommend starting with book 1. This story, like the others had a great little romance in it and it was a great read. 4 out of 5
My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was Betweens Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton. This story was about a bartender who had worked at the same place for 10 years. The work included bartending but it also allowed the bartenders to have sex trysts in the back storage room. Levi loved his work and the fact that he was satisfied sexually so many times a weekend. His family HATES his job and his sexual exploits and aren’t afraid to let him know. Levi grew up Mormon and though he loves his family he hates meeting for holidays as they seem to attack him every time. The thought is that they understand that he’s gay but they want him to live a celibate life as acting on his sexual urges is a sin. Levi meets Jaime when he goes for a massage to help a muscle problem he’s been having. Jaime was sexually abused as a child and can’t even stand to be touched. The story revolves around Levi and Jaime falling in love, Jaime coming to terms with his past and also falling in love and Levi’s family pseudo acceptance of Levi’s relationship with Jaime. It was a great book! I really hated the way that Levi’s family treated his homosexuality but it was understandable given their Mormon upbringing. The romance with Levi and Jaime was slow and steady and in my mind that’s exactly how it should have been given Jaime’s past. I definitely recommend this one. 4.5 out of 5
Wild & Steamy by Meljean Brook, Jill Myles and Carolyn Crane was my last read of the week.
Meljean’s story, The Blushing Bounder, was set in the steampunk world of her Iron Seas novels. This was Edward Newberry’s story (you’ll remember he was Mina Wentworth’s constable assistant) and was about him and his wife, who hates him. It takes a murder outside the couple’s flat to get the two together. As usual Meljean’s world was awesome and the romance was good too.
Vixen was Jill Myles’s story about a were-fox who is being protected from hunters by two cat shifters. Miko wants them both but doesn’t want to choose between them. The men, Jeremiah and Sam have no problem working together however. The story was cute – more a happy for now than a true HEA.
Kitten-tiger and the Monk by Carolyn Crane was a story set in her Disillusionist world. Sophia is searching for the Monk so that he can zing her and disillusion her and save her from herself. She can erase peoples memory (only going back a day) and when searching for the Monk runs into her old love who she betrayed and abandoned. The pair have many issues but they still love each other and decide to stay together. Sophia and Robert were messed up, both of them but really they were perfect for each other. Definitely a sign of a good writer when they can make me want an HEA for two people I don’t really care for. lol
The book as a whole 4 out of 5
My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Happy Reading!

11 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,