October 28, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Amethyst’s Incredible Journey by Lisa Bland

Fantasy adventure

For ages 11yrs+

Synopsis: Amethyst is a witch with extremely evil and powerful parents. Amethyst is terrified that if she don’t stop her parents soon it will be too late, and they will gain control of Golden Dragon City and the Fountain of Magic. Amethyst knows that she has only got until her next birthday to stop them!.Amethyst has to travel through different realms to collect the blood red rubies that she needs to stop them.

REVIEW

Amethyst’s Incredible Journey is a magical fantasy that will enchant the younger reader. Children will love the magic, spells, witches, dragons and worlds that Amethyst encounters.The author has great imagination that allows the reader to escape, with Amethyst, to all of the magical realms she visits.

The story opens up well and the reader is given a clear picture on Amethyst’s father, Andrew Shadow’s background. This allows the reader to understand how he thinks and why he does the things he does. Amethyst grows up in Forest Falls, where her parents have gained control of most of the magic that others previously possessed. Their aim is to take the magic from all and gain control of Golden Dragon City and the Fountain of Magic. This will make them the most powerful people in the realm and they can then take full control. Anyone who gets in their way is killed or harmed.

Amethyst, being born into this, knows no different. Although she does have a best friend and as she grows older, she soon realises to what lengths her parents will go. It all comes to a head for Amethyst when her father has her best friend killed. This she cannot forgive and decides to leave Forest Falls, after she realises that if she can collect the four red rubies and add a drop of her father’s blood, at Dead Witch Mountain, her father will be wiped of all his power and will no longer be able to control the power of others.

Lisa Bland demonstrates how strong Amethyst really is, to go against her own parents. She certainly has her morals in check, but will she be able to complete her mission before her parents catch up with her? To help her on her journey she meets up with, Grog (also able to use magic), who quickly becomes a friend to her and travels with her to help.

As well as providing a story of escape, Amethyst’s Incredible Journey also provides some realism and a chance for the reader to relate to Amethyst as she is flawed, as are many of the characters and the relationships they have. It is a nice reflection on reality that connects to the reader. For example, despite how close Amethyst and Grog are they still have their disagreements.

Although the storyline and characters are a pleasure to read, there are many issues with the punctuation, grammar and sentence structure. Whilst I understand that this story is self-published it would really benefit with a proof-reader and/or editor. The first page alone has punctuation errors. That said, I did finish the book and found myself reading through the story fairly well as it was easy to follow. And again, the magical lands that the author has created, as well as the characters and the main storyline is super. I will be giving Amethyst’s Incredible Journey 3 stars on Goodreads and Amazon, however once edited to a more readable level I would give this a 4 star.

A copy of Amethyst’s Incredible Journey was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

Available at Amazon UK and Amazon US. (Please note that this book is showing as currently unavailable, possibly due to editing. We do hope that it is available as soon as possible.)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 28, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Claimed (True Alpha #6 series finale) short story by Alisa Woods

Hot! Hot! Hot!

I have been completely absorbed with this series. Each short story has been completely full of action, passion and emotion! Below is my review of this fantastic series. And what’s more – as from TODAY the True Alpha BOX SET is available at Amazon (links below), so you can enjoy reading the whole series back-to-back!! Go grab it!!

New Adult Paranormal Romance serial – LAST IN SERIES

Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Mia has found her way free of the dark wolves, but what price will her friends pay? And will she finally be able to find a place among their packs?

Claimed (True Alpha 6) is 65 pages or 16,000 words. It’s the final of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

Adult content. Ages 18+.

REVIEW

Claimed was already going to be a brilliant read in my eyes, judging from the suspense and build-up of the first five short stories of the series, and Alisa Woods’ fantastic writing style. This is a series finale that was so much more than I expected and one that will be remembered and re-read. The reader won’t want to put this one down at all!

Now that Mia has been saved from the Red Pack her thoughts have been filled with how much she wants to belong and be a part of the Sparks’ pack. They have cared for her as if she was one of them already, she has become fond of many of them and felt the attraction of some of them. No matter what happens romantically this is where she belongs. But she does want to be mated so badly. Her inner wolf has strong feelings about this.

Lucas is always at her core and in her thoughts. He is the one that she is in love with. And, although he clearly cares for her a great deal and there is a deep, sensual attraction between them, he hasn’t been ready to mate again due to his heartache and pain following the death of his first mate, Tila. He just can’t go down that road again, especially if anything ever happened to Mia.

Over the last few stories, Colin, a strong wolf with alpha qualities from the Sparks’ pack, has been quite attracted to Mia. And he hasn’t tried to hide it! This has got Lucas’ back up on a few occasions. But Colin is HOT and so protective. Alisa Woods has written moments with Colin which shows he is such a powerful wolf but with caring and affectionate qualities. Especially towards Mia. The audience needs to know just how close he feels he is to Mia and how Mia has seriously thought about becoming his mate. To love him, and belong to the pack. Oh, I am a fan of Colin!

Although Mia is seriously considering to submit herself, she still has apprehensions since she was compelled to submit to Mace, leader of the Red pack, when she was kidnapped by them. Her whole experience of this has left her worried and concerned. She had no choice but to submit to Mace, despite her human state wanting nothing to do with him. It was a wolf thing that held her, like she was spellbound regardless of what she wanted. She now fears that whenever she does submit to someone in the future that these bad and negative feelings will return. She lives in hope that the next experience of submission will not be the same!

All short stories are available at Amazon UK and Amazon US individually. BUT, as from TODAY the TRUE ALPHA FULL SEASON is available to order!!

AMAZON UK link to TRUE ALPHA BOX SET

AMAZON US link to TRUE ALPHA BOX SET

You can check out my reviews for the first five books of the series below.

Desired (True Alpha #1) – short story

Guarded (True Alpha #2) – short story

Hunted (True Alpha #3) – short story

Captured (True Alpha #4) – short story

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) – short story

Claimed (True Alpha #6) by Alisa Woods was received gratefully in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 28, 2014 by Tina Williams

REVIEW Distant Love, by Layla Merritt

Sweet, Sexy and Suspenseful!

Erotic Contemporary Romance

Book Blurb

Kate Braxton has fallen into the role most women do by putting someone else’s needs above her own. In reality, she lives day to day unable to overcome the scars of her past to allow herself to move on with her life. Her divorce and a new job just might open the door to a brighter future for her.

Brayden Bennett is sexy and successful in the marketing firm he works for, but has been used and discarded by women, leaving him hurt and guarded. The beautiful new hire in Atlanta captures his attention in ways he didn’t think possible and he can’t help but wonder if she holds the key to his caged heart.

Kate is taking care of her ill father in Atlanta and Brayden’s son ties him to Chicago. Can they dare to dream of a future together? Can Kate survive the freak accidents that keep occurring, or will their relationship end in tragedy before they can figure out a way to be together?

My Review

Sweet, Sexy and Suspenseful!

Erotic Contemporary Romance

I highly recommend Layla Merritt’s Distant Love, which will charm you with the beautiful romance between Brayden and Kate, the hero and heroine and heat up your Kindle! It is both sexy and suspenseful and has some heartrending scenes as the hero and heroine struggle to develop and maintain their new found love for one another across the miles, against all the odds. They not only have their own strong family ties to factor into their relationship, but have a jealous ex-girlfriend and their own emotional baggage to deal with, not to mention a series of unexplained accidents that begin to befall Kate….

Yet this novel is far from doom and gloom. It contains many erotic and sensual scenes, as Brayden and Kate take full advantage of their mutual desire when they find themselves in each others’ arms. Braydon is a real hottie with a true heart who certainly knows how to treat a woman in and out of the bedroom. He is bowled over by the sweet and sassy Kate when he encounters her in the course of their work.

It is a while before they meet in the flesh, having to content themselves with modern means of communication. The sexual tension therefore builds to a crescendo so that when they eventually meet the flames soon ignite in some scorching and achingly sweet scenes. Kate is juggling a new job with caring for her seriously ill father and has had her own share of tragedies and Brayden takes his responsibilities to his son very seriously, despite his ex-wife having custody.

The connection between the couple is strong physically and emotionally. Yet fate and certain individuals conspire against their HEA. Will ‘amor vincit omnia’ or will the distance, the actions of others and events outside their control shatter their chances of a future together?

There is a hugely satisfying ending, but there is clearly potential for a subsequent book. I strongly recommend Distant Love to romance readers who like sweet, sexy and suspenseful romance with erotic love making scenes between a couple deeply in love.

A copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a far and honest review.

Goodreads

Amazon US Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Layla-Merritt/1395144594078095?fref=ts

October 27, 2014 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Your Cottage Awaits, by Derek A Barrass

Mirth, Magic and Menace!

A cracking read for Halloween or whenever you want to reconnect with a little magic ……….

Book Blurb

A couple in their late fifties planning to retire to the countryside discover what they believe to be their dream cottage. They return to finalise the details and to arrange to purchase the property, only to find all was not as they’d imagined. The property has completely changed, from being a rustic, rose covered pretty little cottage, to a tumbledown wreck of a building. Thinking it was just their imagination playing tricks on them they go ahead, despite their reservations when a number of strange and frightening experiences occur. A local witch is behind what is going on and she has plans for them within her coven.

My Review

Quirky and Original Modern Day Fairy Tale

Many of us dream of finding that ideal retirement home, often a charming cottage in the countryside, away from the stresses of modern life. Keith and Julie, the couple in this novel by Derek A Barrass, share this dream and are delighted when they find the perfect property in England’s green and pleasant land. Yet their ideas of rural bliss are anything but, as a series of strange events and mishaps start to befall them and their visiting family. They also begin to notice some bizarre and menacing goings on in and around their cottage and the village, not to mention some strange characters, not least their neighbour and local matriarch, Elfreda and her family……

Author Derek A Barrass weaves a quirky and original spellbinding tale, where magic collides with twenty first century ideas of reality. The reader, along with Keith and Julie and their visitors to the cottage, their son and daughter-in-law and their two grandsons, Tim and Luke, slowly become party to the strange happenings.

I loved the unpredictable nature of the tale – the author has a devilish mind and I particularly liked the way that the adults, Julie and Keith, for the most part remain clueless. It is the boys, Tim and Luke, who together with their new friends, Woodruff and Jill, from Elfreda’s household, who soon appreciate much of what is really going on. They do battle with Wellesley, Elfreda’s favourite, to counter his and Elfreda’s plans for Keith and Julie. There are some highly amusing scenes as the boys strive to keep Keith and Julie ignorant of what they know of the magic around them. The protagonist Wellesley has his own self-serving agenda as do others in the village. Indeed, all is not straightforward in this tale which contains mirth, magic and menace in equal measure.

I recommend this novel to those who, like me, suspect that the English countryside still has its secrets and believe that magic is still alive and kicking if we only open our eyes and look for it.

Purchase Links

Amazon UK Amazon US

Connect with the Author Derek A Barrass

https://www.facebook.com/dereka.barrass

October 22, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) (short story) by Alisa Woods REVIEW

For fans of paranormal, shifters and plenty of action!

Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.
Sacrificed (True Alpha 5) – New Adult Paranormal Romance

Even with Jak’s help, Mia finds escaping Mace’s grasp isn’t easy… in fact, it may require a sacrifice neither she nor Lucas want her to make.

Sacrificed (True Alpha 5) is 50 pages or 12,000 words. It’s the fifth of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

REVIEW

Sacrificed is the shortest of the True Alpha series, focusing on the escape of Mia and her friend, Jupiter, from the Red pack. And the story picks up just where we left off in Captured, book 4. It appears that Jak, a shifter and member of the pack that is holding her, is trying to help her and Jupiter escape.

Mia is struggling with her thoughts. There is the question of why Jak would be interested in going against his pack and helping them. But worse still is the strong hold that her submission to Mace has over her, making it almost impossible to go against the wishes of her captor. In her human self she knows that she doesn’t belong here, with the Red pack, but her wolf has little control now that she has submitted. She must obey his wishes. Mia needs to find the strength to do the right thing, if not for her then for Jupiter.

Meanwhile, Lucas and his father’s pack have their own rescue plan to save Mia. Without spoiling too much, I can sat that there is plenty of action and it doesn’t go as smoothly as one would like. However, it is exciting to read and the fear for both Mia and Lucas’ pack reaches a high.

Mace was not so easy to escape from, and now the reader does not know what Mace will have in store for Mia. Lucas is only too aware of the situation and is helpless, regardless of his growling and snarling inner wolf. He knows that Mace will claim Mia for his own unless they can come up with something…………….. and quickly!

Sacrificed, as well as the previous books of the True Alpha series, create a fantastic build-up of tension and excitement for the final instalment, Claimed. I loved the ending of Sacrificed, especially with a nice surprise that no reader would guess. I am certain that Claimed will be as thrilling, if not moreso, than the first five!

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) was provided by the author, Alisa Woods, in return for an honest and fair review.

Check out my previous reviews for Desired (True Alpha #1), Guarded (True Alpha #2), Hunted (True Alpha #3) and Captured (True Alpha #4)!

Sacrificed (True Alpha #5) is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US. (Currently individual books 1-6 can all be bought from Amazon for a small price. However, if you would like all books together in one set – this will be released on Tuesday 28th October, again for a small price. Book 6 and the boxset are available to pre-order in the time being.)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 21, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Review Tim O’Rourke’s Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy, #3)

A Paranormal Horror Adventure Filled with Action, Adventure, Surprises and Heart-warming Moments! A great trilogy for Halloween!!

Weak and still not yet a true vampire, Winnie McCall heads north toward Scotland in the company of the last of the werewolves, Thaddeus Blake. Hunted relentlessly by two police officers, Thaddeus and Winnie must find the Moonshine, a prism that when matched with the Moonbeam, will destroy the vampires.

When two ancient enemies go head to head, the body count soon starts to rise, but who is it leaving a trail of dead bodies along the path that Thaddeus and Winnie are taking? And what is the terrible secret from Winnie’s past that is preventing her friend Ruby Little from staying dead?

With terrifying consequences, Winnie discovers how far she and the man she loves, Thaddeus Blake, will go to survive and remain the last of their species.

A shock ending that will leave you stunned, ‘Moonshine’ is the final book in ‘The Moon Trilogy’ by bestselling author, Tim O’Rourke.

REVIEW

Another action-packed adventure of paranormal horror and drama from Tim O’Rourke, with many twists and turns, especially as the ending nears. You will be blown away with this ending and the many surprises that the author reveals. Two questions many of you will be asking are, ‘Can there ever be a truce between vampires and werewolves?’ and ‘Will Thad and Winnie’s love be enough to hold everything together?’

Winnie is slowly turning into a vampire, whilst Thad is the last of the werewolves. Being hunted down by his last love’s vampire father, Thad has to keep going to prevent the end for all werewolves. After Winnie has been bitten by a vampire, and turning into one herself, these two are very unlikely characters to unite and work together. Yet Winnie’s love for Thad keeps her doing just that! For the very first time in Winnie’s life she feels the love and the freedom she thought she would never have. Thad has given her so much, despite his early intentions. The bond they have is strong and the reader feels that anything is possible as long as these characters are together.

Not only do they share their love for each other, but they both need each other to survive. During full moons, Thad needs Winnie to ensure he doesn’t harm anyone in his wolf form. He needs to be caged somewhere and watched until he returns to his more human state. Meanwhile, as Winnie is becoming more vampire-like, she also has the need and thirst for blood. She needs Thad to help her through her thirsts. They need to ensure their safety from each other as well as the safety for humans to prevent either of them being harmed and to prevent the truth from coming out.

“She would have to look after him as much as he would have to take care of her. They needed each other. Thaddeus, therefore, knew in his heart that he couldn’t leave Winnie behind, even if he wanted to – because without her at his side, he risked dying as much as she. Whether she held him back or not, they were now forever linked – held together that shrouded the world he lived in.”

The plan for Thaddeus is to travel to Scotland where he can threaten to destroy all vampires if he connects the Moonbeam with the Moonshine. As a result of this connection, all vampires will cease to exist. With Winnie turning, Thaddeus is hoping that the vampires are willing to see reason and once they are aware of the true love that exists between Thad and Winnie then perhaps a truce can be made. To make matters worse, there is a trail of dead bodies that are following Thad and Winnie and the local police are following them. The police are not all they seem to be as readers may be aware from Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy, #2), and with vampires hunting them down Thad and Winnie do not have a great chance.

As well as the action, the chase, the attacks and the sheer desperation that Thad has, another element of Moonshine is the more spooky and eerie side, where the reader is given a much more detailed account of Ruby Little. Ruby Little was Winnie’s best friend from when they were younger and then living on the streets together. After Ruby’s death, Winnie began hearing her voice and seeing her. She has provided Winnie with advice and warnings. Still looking out for her friend from the other side. Some of these scenes are spooky and become more gory and horrific, especially as the trilogy has come on and the reader can envisage a Little Red Riding Hood character, back from the dead, but with maggots where her face should be. It is sad, especially for Winnie, and it is also horrifying and scary.

Moonshine is broken down into three sections: Thad and Winnie; Winnie and Ruby; and Winnie. Although I loved all three sections, I thought the flashbacks of Winnie’s history with her friend, Ruby Little, really stood out. This is partly due to the tragedy of Ruby’s life, the horrors that she endured. The whole atmosphere of this section is both dark and light as the reader begins to understand exactly what Ruby has gone through and her strength to cope with it and yet she also forms a special bond with Winnie that perhaps would never have been created if it wasn’t for the dark occurences. I feel that this type of scene is a new avenue for Tim O’Rourke and he has captured the hearts and minds of the reader magically. It is also extremely heart-warming when we discover how Ruby is protective of Winnie and she goes to great lengths, without really explaining an awful lot to Winnie to begin with. This is a friendship like no other and even after death, Ruby still looks out for her friend.

During the last chapters the tempo builds up again as the ending comes to a close. The rollercoaster of the series is set to turbo boost as the reader is thrown from one possible ending to another. The reader feels as desperate as Thad and Winnie as the heartbeat quickens from fight scenes to chases, from the uncertainty and the horror. This finale will leave the readers a little gobsmacked and torn between what has happened and maybe what they thought would happen. I love it when an author can completely baffle the reader and that’s what Tim O’Rourke has done.

The Moon Trilogy would be fantastic to read one book after the other, as one complete novel, as the reader is left on tenterhooks with the first two books. The pace is also very fast and full of action that you simply don’t want to stop reading. I would certainly love to see this series in a box set, but for now all three books are available for very affordable prices. (Currently Moonlight, The Moon Trilogy #1, is available for £0.77 at Amazon UK and $1.24 Amazon US. Please note that prices are subject to change.)

A copy of Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy #3) was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

You can purchase Moonshine (The Moon Trilogy #3) at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Review for Moonlight (The Moon Trilogy #1)

Review for Moonbeam (The Moon Trilogy #2)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 19, 2014 by Tina Williams

REVIEW ~ Sick Day, by Morgan Parker

Soul Searching Contemporary Romance

Book Blurb

Hope and Cameron made a five-year promise before college. Years pass and they never see each other again. But then one month before his planned wedding to Riley, Cameron looks outside and sees Hope in the pouring rain, watching him.

Now, three years later, Cam has one day – a sick day on this last Friday of summer – to convince the one woman whose very existence breaths life into his lungs, that sometimes love like theirs actually does exist, and it’s that kind of love that lives forever, no matter how hard you fight to forget about it and move on.

From the author of non friction and Hope, Sick Day follows one man’s day-long attempt to persuade the love of his life that sometimes it’s okay to break promises if it means keeping the ones that count.

My Review

Sick Day by Morgan Parker is an intense and sometimes raw examination of how true love does not always play by the rules. Although the main focus of the novel is the ‘sick day’ Cameron takes to persuade Hope to be his, the novel has a complex series of shifting timeframes where we become party to the couple’s longstanding relationship. Their romance had me tearing up on many occasions due to the wasted opportunities and lost years. There are nevertheless some romantic and passionate scenes between the couple and some humorous moments to balance the angst.

It was clear to me that the couple were destined to be together and care deeply for one another but I was left in tender hooks, not knowing whether Cameron would succeed in his carefully choreographed sick day seduction, the poignancy, drama and heartfelt emotions expressed making the book a real page turner for me. He is prepared to give and lose his all in his attempt to make things right after so many wasted years. Yet is he too late to persuade Hope to be his and can she forgive and forget the past? Hope in particular wants to know why Cameron did not contact her after they made a promise to each other.

Although both hero and heroine are cheating on their other halves – Cameron has a fiancée who later becomes his wife and Hope has a long term partner, I still found them sympathetic characters. We do not get to know their other halves in great depth (the character of Hope’s partner is a bit of a mystery although that of Riley, first as Cameron’s fiancée and then as his wife is a little more defined) but I did feel for them also as they were very much victims of circumstance.

I just HAD to keep reading as I really wanted this situation between Hope and Cameron to come to a conclusion and did feel that they belonged together. I recommend this novel to those who like to read realistic contemporary romances that get to the very heart and soul of relationships.

I received a copy of this novel in return for a fair and honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21495380-sick-day

Purchase Links

Amazon US Amazon UK

Connect with the Author

Facebook Website

October 17, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Captured (True Alpha #4) by Alisa Woods

Strong, dark, scary and intense!

Blurb: Shifters live in the shadows of Seattle, just under the skin of the alpha male, dot-com entrepreneurs who are building a new Silicon Valley in the Emerald City.

Lucas and Mia’s story continues as she tries to free Jupiter from the Red pack and he tries to save them both.

Captured (True Alpha 4) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the fourth of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

Adult content. Ages 18+.

Review

This series keeps on growing stronger and stronger. You can see from the recommended reading age, 18ys+, that this episode, Captured, is going to be darker than the previous, scarier than the previous and so intense! Mia really is in trouble now as she is being held by the Red pack and it doesn’t seem like there is much she or Lucas can do to save both herself and her friend, Jupiter.

With every passing moment the reader fears for her safety just as much as Lucas does. Not only has she been captured and held against her will, but an alpha from the Red pack, Mace, is quite keen to do more to her than simply hold her hostage. He wants Mia for himself, wants her submission – but just how far will he take his threat?

Lucas, meanwhile, is no fool. He is aware of the tendencies that members of the Red pack will have for Mia. Especially Mace’s! Lucas’ rage really comes to the fore, especially when he is willing to fight with his own pack members for Mia. He knows he can’t rush in and do anything stupid, putting Mia’s safety at greater risk (if that’s possible). But he wants his father’s and pack’s support and be able to go in strong to rescue her.

Another battle they both have in their minds is that they both blame themselves for what has happened. Lucas should never have gave in to his feelings and brought them to the fore, just to shut her out immediately after. And if Mia is truly what his inner self/wolf wants then maybe he should have given himself whole heartedly without messing her around. On the other hand, was Mia being too childish when she drove away in his car and left him naked in the woods?!

Alisa Woods has created brilliant suspense throughout and Captured really tops it for me. I simply can’t wait to read the final two episodes, Sacrificed and Claimed. Paranormal and shifter fans will love this series. The heat is turned up a little higher as each one is read. Now for Sacrificed……

Captured (True Alpha #4) was provided by the author, Alisa Woods, in return for an honest and fair review.

Check out my previous reviews for Desired (True Alpha #1), Guarded (True Alpha #2) and Hunted (True Alpha #3)!

Captured (True Alpha #4) is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US. (Currently books 1-5 can all be bought from Amazon for a small price. Book 6, Claimed, will be released on Tuesday 21st October 2014. However, if you would like all books together in one set – this will be released on Tuesday 28th October, again for a small price. Book 6 and the boxset are available to pre-order in the time being.)

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 14, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW By the Sea (novelette) by Katherine McIntyre

By the Sea

A short, light and refreshing romance with fantasy and paranormal elements!

Most kids had imaginary friends, but most weren’t like Megan’s friend Niall. There were rules: only at night and only by the sea. She could’ve sworn he was real, but when someone vanishes without a trace, what else can you believe?

All that was seven years ago, buried in the past until Niall shows up in town with his tight swimmer’s body and easy smile. For Megan, just the sight of him is enough to tear open a scar that never fully healed. However, their reunion only elicits more questions. Niall’s keeping secrets, unbelievable ones, and as Megan delves into the supernatural depths of who he really is, she’s sure he’ll vanish again.

Megan’s not stupid—she knows how bad it’ll hurt if she gets involved. The first time Niall disappeared, she never thought she’d recover. But the moment they lock eyes, it’s too late—because Megan will go to any length to see that boy smile.

REVIEW

By the Sea is a great novelette that reads as a short, fun, contemporary romance from the onset. However, as it opens up and the reader begins to settle into the story, the fantasy paranormal elements emerge.

Megan had been through so much to be rid of the delusions of her imaginary friend, Niall. And yet here is the new boy in town, Mason, with so many likenesses to her long gone friend. Megan wants to lead a normal life and decides not to let Mason in too much. She cannot go down that path and be left hurt and confused again. And yet despite this, her feelings of the past have not disappeared and have re-ignited with Mason.

As well as the romance current running gently throughout the story, later we realise that Niall is also on a mission to seek something that has been taken from him. Not only that but it could also bring a little paranormal trouble to Megan. These scenes I found exciting and left wanting more.

Being a short story doesn’t always allow much build up to prepare the reader, and I found this to be the case, only ever so slightly, with the supernatural element of the story. Once I had accepted the idea of what Niall was I was able to delve further and empathise with Megan’s character – the confusion and re-surfacing of her past feelings.

By the Sea is a nice story with something to offer the contemporary romance reader and the fantasy paranormal fans. I would recommend that it is suitable for Young Adults and over, and there is a coming-of-age feel in regards to the young characters of the book.

A copy of By the Sea was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

By the Sea by Katherine McIntyre is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 12, 2014 by Tina Williams

~REVIEW~ Lady Beauchamp’s Proposal, Amy Rose Bennett

*TOP READ*

Gothic Inspired Regency Noir par excellence

Erotic Historical Romance 18+

Book Blurb

A runaway countess finds love when she least expects it…but she can’t hide from her past forever.

Elizabeth, Lady Beauchamp, fears for her life. When she discovers her dissolute and long-estranged husband has syphilis—and he wants to beget an heir no matter the cost—she flees to a remote part of Scotland to begin a new life as the widowed governess, Mrs. Beth Eliott at Eilean Tor Castle.

When Mrs. Eliott unexpectedly arrives on his doorstep, the reclusive and recently widowed Marquess of Rothsburgh is both irritated and intrigued. No longer in need of a governess—his young daughter now resides with his sister’s family in Edinburgh—he proposes the beautiful widow fill a position of a different kind…

Torn between staying true to her marriage vows and her wanton attraction to the devilishly handsome marquess, Elizabeth struggles against the temptation to become his mistress. But living a lie is not easy when you have fallen in love. And secrets always have a way of coming out…

My Review

Gothic Inspired Regency Noir par excellence!

Erotic Historical Romance 18+

I LOVED this powerful and emotionally charged dark and angst ridden Regency romance – it is full of secrets and suspense and brimming with raw sensuality and has a real taste of the gothic about it. It is an excellent Regency Noir read and if you enjoy books by authors such as Anna Campbell and Anne Stuart you will also revel in reading Lady Beauchamp’s Proposal, a deliciously dark, dangerous and erotic foray into this genre. The author, Amy Rose Bennett, is one to watch.

The hero James, the Marquess of Rothsburgh, holed up in his castle in the wilds of Scotland, is truly mouth-watering! A loner, with an undeserved misanthropic reputation. He is emotionally scarred not only by his time spent in the army, but also by the death of his wife. He is also unconventional and I just loved it when he decides that he wants to make the heroine his and embarks on his seduction…. The scenes between them positively smoulder, at first with sexual tension and then ignite the pages with intense, graphic and passionate scenes. The author is skilled at writing lovemaking scenes which are simultaneously romantic and erotic.

The heroine, Elizabeth, Lady Beauchamp, is exceedingly brave and resourceful, fleeing to Scotland in the guise of a widowed governess to save her life. Her fear of the threat her husband Hugh poses to her very life is palpable. The last thing she expects to encounter in her flight is a real hottie of a man who will tempt her beyond all reason. Does she honour her marriage vows of should she grab her chance of happiness however brief once it presents itself? She desperately wants to conceal her secret, fearing for her life and future yet James, the object of her affection has been deceived by others in the past may find her lies unforgiveable.

There are a number of super plot twists and some truly painful and heartrending scenes and the HEA for this couple seems so elusive. I did shed some tears before the denouement, which I found wholly satisfying. I also really admired how Amy Rose Bennett included subjects which are often taboo in romance novels – infidelity and syphilis and the realistic way they were dealt with in terms of the impact they had on the individuals concerned. I recommend this to readers who are looking for a thought provoking and wholly entertaining historical romance which has plenty of heat.

A copy of this book was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Published by Secret Cravings Publishing

Cover design by Dawne Dominique

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22907824-lady-beauchamp-s-proposal