Tag: Samhain Publishing

Throwback Thursday Review: A Safe Harbor by Moira Rogers

Posted June 11, 2020 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: A Safe Harbor by Moira RogersReviewer: Holly
A Safe Harbor by Moira Rogers
Series: Building Sanctuary #1
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: June 4, 2010
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 84
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

A bootlegger will save her life. A debutante will steal his heart. Building Sanctuary, Book 1

Joan Fuller enjoyed a privileged life-until her wealth and connections garnered her the wrong sort of attention. Her rejection of a textile heir-s proposal comes back to bite her when he turns out to be a werewolf on the prowl for a mate. She may have been turned against her will, but now that she-s part of his pack she sets out to protect all its women. Even if that means joining forces with a witch and a vampire-and leaving the comfort of Boston.

Former bootlegger Seamus Whelan has cleaned up his act, but when his old partner Gavin comes to him for help, he can-t say no-no matter how deadly the threat. Escorting some female wolves to safety should have been easy, except their leader is a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself. Her courage captures his interest, and her first hesitant kiss ensnares his heart. But before they can build a haven for their kind, they must free themselves of the past-and the powerful man who-s out to teach her a lesson she may not survive-

Warning: This novella contains a rakish werewolf bootlegger forced to join forces with a teetotaling ex-debutante as they fight epic battles, engage in criminal activities and eventually give in to inappropriate passion on a kitchen counter.

*** Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy! ***

This review was originally posted on June 11, 2010.

This is a prequel to Rogers’ Sanctuary series, set during the depression era. Although I really loved the romance and learning the backstory on how Sanctuary came to be, I was a bit disappointed that more attention wasn’t given to the time period. I wish more details had been given – clothing and vehicle types, etc – to the era. As it was, the story really could have been set anytime. While that isn’t always a bad thing, in this case, I think it took something away from the story.

The characters were extremely well-drawn. I adored the strength shown by both, though especially Joan. As an alpha werewolf, it wasn’t easy for her to give up control. I love that she was able to share her strengths and weaknesses with Seamus and rely on him to share his with her. Too often with a strong female a line is crossed and she’s seen as bitchy and unbending. Not so here.

Seamus was the perfect combination of tough and caring. He was more than capable of taking care of his people and Joan’s, but he was also man enough to allow her some control. He wasn’t an overbearing alpha, but neither was he too weak or willing to put anyone in danger.

I really liked that they had some time alone together to explore their attraction and deeper feelings for one another. Though the story is short, the romance was believable.

I’m anxious to read more about how Sanctuary came to be, and I’m glad to know there will be more to come in the series.

4.25 out of 5

Building Sanctuary

four-stars

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Throwback Thursday Review: Sanctuary Unbound by Moira Rogers

Posted May 14, 2020 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Throwback Thursday Review: Sanctuary Unbound by Moira RogersReviewer: Holly
Sanctuary Unbound by Moira Rogers
Series: Red Rock Pass #4
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: June 1, 2010
Format: eBook
Source: Author
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 184
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

New England is ideal for vampire Adam Dubois. His cozy home in the Great North Woods reminds him of a happier time when werewolves and witches were stuff of legends, and he was a simple lumberjack.

Hiding from past failures has worked for over eighty years, but a life debt owed to the Red Rock alpha has forced him to leave his retreat--and come face to face with a woman who challenges and tempts him on every level.

Hiding secrets is a lonely business, and Cindy Shepherd is lonely with a capital L. Red Rock isn't exactly crawling with available men, but her interest in the mystery-shrouded new vampire in town seems mutual. After all, it's only sex--there's no danger he'll dig deep enough to unleash the demons of her past.

Casual flirtation turns deadly serious when Adam discovers that the vampire plaguing Red Rock is using his mistakes as a road map. When it comes to his life, he knows Cindy has his back. But in order to secure the future, they both must trust each other with more--even if it means sacrificing themselves to save everything they hold dear.

*** Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy! ***

This review was originally posted on May 31, 2010.

I’m not a fan of vampires. I can’t say there’s one particular reason why, it’s more of a collection of odd things here and there. I think for the most part I hate how stereotypical most of them are (I’ll have to ponder that for a post at a later date). So I tend to avoid vampire stories. There are, as always, exceptions, but mostly if I see a novel featuring a vampire I skip right by it.

I have to be honest and say I probably would have skipped this one, too, if I hadn’t read the one that comes before it and been intrigued by Adam. I’m adult enough to admit I would have missed out on a really great story if I’d done that.

Adam was strong and caring. For years he’s been living in regret and shame, the things of his past eating away at him. He prefers the solitude of his isolated cabin the woods and though he’s drawn to strong women, he tends to avoid strong attachments of any kind. To see him open himself up to Cindy was wonderful, especially since I knew the depth of his hurt from the past.

Cindy had dealt with her own pain and suffering. She was strong and capable, but soft enough to want someone to share her life with. She didn’t necessarily offer her trust easily, but she wasn’t closed to all relationships as she had every right to be. I liked that though she wanted to push Adam away, she didn’t.

Cindy and Adam were fabulous together. I loved the way they balanced each other – the  Lumberjack Vampire and the Werewolf Doctor. Each had scars from things in their past, and each really helped the other overcome some of the lingering pain and grief. I especially liked that both were strong despite having suffered so much in the past. Neither of them need to be rescued, only healed.

I also liked that the overall story arc of the series is moving forward. Sam and Gavin are starting to let go and Keith and Abby are stepping up. As much as I love Sam and Gavin, it isn’t realistic that they’d hang on forever. I’m glad Rogers recognizes that.  While I think this can be read as a stand-alone, there are references to things that have happened in the past, most recently in Sanctuary’s Price, so you may want to read that one first.

4.25 out of 5

Red Rock Pass

This book is available from Samhain. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

four-stars

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Throwback Thursday Review: Midnight Encounters by Elle Kennedy

Posted October 3, 2019 by Holly in Reviews | 2 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: Midnight Encounters by Elle KennedyReviewer: Holly
Midnight Encounters by Elle Kennedy
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: June 1, 2009
Format: Print
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 230
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three-half-stars

One night with him will change her life...

Between her waitressing job, volunteer work, and college classes, there are never enough hours in Maggie Reilly’s day. Especially not for a relationship. Luckily, she’s got the perfect arrangement: a lover she meets three or four times a year. But when she shows up at the hotel expecting to hop into bed with one man, she accidentally ends up with another—Ben Barrett, Hollywood’s most notorious bad boy.

Ben, determined to lay low after another scandal, just wants some much-needed sleep. What he gets is a scorching make-out session with a gorgeous, naked redhead. He won’t accept her apology, but what he will accept is a place to hide out…and if there’s some hot, no-strings sex involved, why the heck not?

But Ben soon discovers that one week with his sassy, bed-hopping waitress is definitely not enough. He wants more. A lot more.
Now he needs to convince relationship-averse Maggie that a bad boy might be oh so good for her—and the best thing that’s ever happened to both of them.

*** Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy! ***

This review was originally posted on February 22, 2009.

Last year I read a Samhain book that had an excerpt for this book in the back and just had to buy it. Midnight Encounters is a steamy contemporary romance by Elle Kennedy. I was drawn in by her writing in the short excerpt I read and wasn’t disappointed with the rest of the story.

Maggie is really buttoned down and determined to make something of herself. She was abandoned as a young child and spent her life in foster homes. As a result she wants to make a career for herself and help other young kids in the system. She has no room in her life for complications, relationships or fun and relaxation. Between work, volunteering and school, she has zero free time. But twice a year she makes time to get together with Tony for hot sex. Yes, you read that right, she only allows herself hot sex twice a year.

When an heiress socialite leaves bad boy Hollywood star Ben $10 million in her will, the media storm is overwhelming. In desperate need of a break, he seizes Maggie’s hotel room mishap as the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone: Get laid and hide out. He’s surprised at how much he ends up wanting to take care of Maggie, though. Seeing her workaholic attitude bothers him more than it should, and it isn’t long before he’s determined to get her to relax.

This was definitely a well-written novel. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Maggie was a little over the top at times, especially in her insistence that she make something of herself before worrying about the rest of her life. I understood her reasons for wanting a stable career, but all work and no play makes for a bitchy heroine, and she was occasionally that. Of course, if I only had sex twice a year and worked as much as she did I’d probably be bitchy, too, but still…

I really liked that Ben was the one who wanted to take care of Maggie. Too often it’s the other way around. I did find his arrogance to be kind of out of control at times. I wondered many times why Maggie let things slide with him instead of beating him over the head. But then..he was sexy as hell. That might have accounted for some of it.

My main issues stems from the fact that Maggie kept pushing Ben away and blaming him for things going wrong in her life. She needed to lighten up and Ben was trying to help with that. On the other hand, if a man came into my life and tried to complicate it without my permission, no matter how hot or how good in bed, I’d be pissed too. Basically, I understood where Maggie was coming from but thought she went too far.

Overall this is was a light, sexy read. It had some flaws, but I liked both characters and enjoyed the story for what it is.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

three-half-stars

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Throwback Thursday Review: Sabine by Moira Rogers

Posted September 6, 2018 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Throwback Thursday Review: Sabine by Moira RogersReviewer: Holly
Sabine (And the Beast, #1) by Moira Rogers
Series: And the Beast #1
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Format: eBook
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 68
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

A curse can erase her from his mind, but never from his heart.

" and the Beast, Book 1"

After three years at war, the High Lord of the Forest returns to his lands, a victorious wolf leader intent on claiming his mate. Instead Ciar finds an empty bed and a court with no recollection of the woman he loved. Following her long-cold trail proves far easier than facing what awaits him at the end.

Sabine s first instinct is to beg her beloved to leave. The High Lord s mother hired a witch to curse Sabine, desperate to wipe the lowborn wolf from her son s mind. But the spell worked too well, and Sabine has vanished from the thoughts of everyone who sees her. Including her own family.

The edges of his memory already blurring, Ciar and Sabine must race to find a way to reverse the spell. Yet every searing moment together is not enough to stop the curse s inexorable progress. His only chance is to bind Sabine to him too tightly to be forgotten, before she disappears once and for all.

Warning: This story contains cruel betrayal, destined love, vile curses, smoldering reunions, wicked deeds between wanton shapeshifters and a happily-ever-after worthy of any fairy tale. "

Every Thursday, we’ll be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books. Enjoy!

This review was originally posted on May 6, 2011.

This is a very short read, clocking in at just 41 pages. For such a short novella this really packs an emotional punch. Sabine and Ciar were going to be mated (this was personal choice – they were very much in love) when Ciar got called away to war. While he was gone, Sabine was cursed by her lover’s mother. Now no one remembers her – not even her mother.

When Ciar returns from war to find Sabine gone from his home, he immediately searches her out. He’s surprised to find her living in a cabin in the woods, cutoff from everyone and everything. Once she shares with him what happened, he determines to fix it by getting the witch to remove the curse. But..will he remember?

I loved the connection between Ciar and Sabine. Ciar loved Sabine just as much as she loved him. I can’t imagine how solitary and depressing it would be to not be remembered by anyone. Ciar remembers Sabine when he first returns, but forgets her soon after. While I would have liked to see this explored further (I think the emotional impact could have been much harder) I think Rogers did a credible job of making it work considering the page count.

I wish there had been more on the final resolution. Especially more about Ciar’s mother, and her part in what happened to Sabine. In the end it seemed too abrupt. I also want to read more about Ciar’s 2nd and his new wife. I’m hoping there will be another entry in the series featuring them.

3.5 out of 5

…and the Beast

three-half-stars

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Throwback Thursday Review: Memories of Us by Linda Winfree

Posted February 1, 2018 by Casee in Reviews | 4 Comments

Throwback Thursday Review: Memories of Us by Linda WinfreeReviewer: Casee
Memories of Us (Hearts of the South #5) by Linda Winfree
Series: Hearts of the South #5
Also in this series: Truth and Consequences, What Mattered Most, His Ordinary Life, Uncovered, Fall Into Me, Memories of Us (Hearts of the South #5), Hearts Awakened, Facing It, Hold On To Me, Gone From Me (Hearts of the South, #10)
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Publication Date: June 10th 2008
Genres: Romantic Suspense
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Beneath the lies is truth—and temptation that neither of them can resist.

Book Five of the Hearts of the South series.

Investigator Celia St. John is hopelessly attracted to the one man she shouldn’t want, district attorney Tom McMillian. Arrogant and completely alpha, McMillian is the type of man she likes—a tough son of a bitch. The problem? He’s her boss, and he’s still hung up on his ex-wife.

Since his marriage to a law enforcement agent failed after the death of his infant son, Tom has avoided emotional involvement with any woman. Despite his attraction to Celia, he refuses to get involved with another cop.

Their no-strings affair quickly becomes a tangled web of intrigue as they investigate an illegal baby adoption ring and more than one murder, one of which points to Tom as a suspect. The more they dig under the lies, the higher the risk, not only to their relationship, but their lives.

***Every Thursday in 2018 we will be posting throwback reviews of our favorite and not-so-favorite books.

This review was originally posted on August 5, 2009.

At the time of this review, I have completed the Hearts of the South series. So I can say with complete conviction that Tom and Celia are my favorite couple of the series. I don’t know if it was Tom w/ the heartbreaking tragedy of his son dying or Celia with her unequivocal understanding and empathy for him.

Celia has lusted for Tom since she started working at the DA’s office. Knowing him as well as she does, she knows that there is no chance for them. Tom is still hung up on his ex-wife and Celia will never get involved with someone she works with again. When a dead baby is found in a car that was pulled over for a traffic stop, Celia and Tom get much closer than expected.

Babies’ deaths always hit Tom hard. With his ex-wife remarried and now expecting her own child, this case hits even harder. With his emotions going every which way, he finds himself instead concentrating on Celia. He has always known that she’s a good Investigator, he has just never looked at her as a woman. Now that he has, he can’t get her out of his head.

Following the trail to the person(s) responsible for the baby’s death takes Celia and Tom to a place they’re ill prepared to go. Not only that, but it makes Celia a target. Someone doesn’t want her finding the answers to the questions she’s been asking and they’ll do anything to prevent it.

The relationship between Tom and Celia was just so real. I can’t think of another way to describe it. I continued to be amazed by the characters that Linda Winfree writes.

Hearts of the South Series

4.5 out of 5

four-half-stars

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