May 29, 2014 by Caroline Barker

21 Hours by Dustin Stevens – REVIEW

Blood-pumping, exhilarating excitement that cannot be missed!

Blurb: Felix “O” O’Connor is an ex-con from central Ohio that has spent the seven years since being released from prison working on a ranch in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. Rarely does he venture out into the world and never does it come looking for him. Both of those things change when his twin sister Alexa “Lex” Borden calls from Columbus, Ohio to ask for his help.

Earlier that afternoon, she and her husband were both beaten unconscious and their two year old daughter abducted from their front yard. Nobody saw a thing, the police are stumped, and it is a well known statistic that if a child isn’t found in the first 48 hours, they rarely are.

O immediately drives back to Ohio and finds himself with just 21 hours to find his beloved niece before potentially losing her forever. Plunging himself into a world he’d long ago left behind, he crosses paths with criminal masterminds, human traffickers, gun runners, drug smugglers, blood-thirsty spectators and suspicious detectives all in the name of bringing her home.

Review:

I absolutely LOVED 21 Hours, a perfect action thriller suspense following the love and determination of an ex-con and uncle willing to do anything to save his niece after she is kidnapped by a gang of criminals during a violent attack of her parents. This story is packed full of tension, action, emotion and pace, leaving the reader no opportunity to disengage.

Not only do we have such an intense situation to begin with, but to add to the tension further we have the time aspect. After realising the police have no leads and seem to be lost, ‘O’ is told that it happens to thousands of children a year – many of whom are never found, and those that are found safely are usually found within 21 hours.

Written in first person, the reader can follow every thought, every move of ‘O’. This sets the reader up knowing that ‘O’ will not stop until the very end or until he no longer can. The pace of 21 hours is therefore fast, exciting, powerful, intense and strongly emotive.

Whilst 21 Hours has it’s fair share of violence, blood and gore it is all necessary for the story. It adds to the tension, action and excitement. There are shootings and fight scenes that become inevitable as there are times when ‘O’ simply has no choice, when it’s his only chance of defence and when he is quickly running out of time. The gangsters and criminal masterminds he is dealing with have no compassion, or remorse, and would shoot him dead in a second. Therefore, the reader is left in no doubt as to the measures ‘O’ is willing to take.

A fascinating aspect of 21 Hours for me was the relationship between ‘O’ and the lead female detective in the case, Watts. Watts is a strong and determined character, who believes she has summed up ‘O’ from her first meeting with him. She and her colleagues have suspicions that ‘O’ could be involved and with his track record of being an ex-con it is a possibility that his past has something to do with this.

Watts provides ‘O’ with another challenge as her methods of investigating and his are completely different. Unfortunately, Watts has seen and heard of too many of these kind of cases, and with no leads she is left to play the waiting game in the hope that the abductors call for a ransom. ‘O’ on the other hand doesn’t want to waste precious time, considering he may only have 21 hours. This is a situation that is certainly unique to ‘O’ and extremely personal, whereas one could argue that Watts has no emotional tie and is not a stranger with working and hearing of these types of situations.

There is a clash between these characters from the offset but the beauty of this is when Watts’ eyes are opened to the different sides of ‘O’. It almost becomes a love/hate relationship. One of which I hoped to blossom into something more. I would love to hear from these two characters again as I believe they are too good to leave alone.

I cannot express how much 21 Hours is right up my street. Being brought up watching many action films of the 1980’s and 1990’s this novel fits easily into this category with many similarities (most notably with Lethal Weapon, Commando, Ransom, and Con-Air for me), and yet still remaining original and exciting to read.

What the reader can’t escape is the sheer desperation ‘O’ has to saving his niece and bringing her home. The reader finds themselves cheering him on and when he becomes injured you feel the need to jump into the novel, pick him up, brush him down and tell him to ‘go get ’em’!!

A copy of 21 Hours was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest and fair review.

21 Hours by Dustin Stevens is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

January 29, 2014 by Tina Williams

By Force, Forever Fae # 1, by Sara Hubbard

Captor/Captive Romance – Super Start to a New Adult Fantasy Series

By Force is the first book in Sara Hubbard’s new series, Forever Fae. In it the heroine is taken as captive by not one but five hunky male warriors!!! This has got to be one of my top fantasies – assuming there is plenty of romance to compensate for the drama and the angst of being kidnapped. In this Sara Hubbard does not disappoint! There is also non-stop action, adventure and suspense and an introduction to a fascinating medieval type world, which contains magic and strange creatures…….

So here’s the Book Blurb………

Kidnapping Isame would set them free…

Isame wanted freedom: the freedom to travel, the freedom to explore, but most of all, the freedom to choose the life she wanted over the life—and the husband—her parents had chosen for her. But when Isame leaves home to accept another man’s proposal, she happens across five fierce, handsome warriors. She wonders why they’ve travelled so far from home, but she never imagines their purpose might have something to do with her. Not even after they kidnap her.

Remmie is a man of honor and fierce loyalty. So when his king commands him to find a specific young woman on the island of Copaxa, he’s prepared to obey. But he’s not prepared for the woman to change everything. Isame is special. He can see it from the start. But how can one puny woman make him question everything he’s always known, including the rightness of doing what he’s promised?

My Review

By Force is a well written and entertaining fantasy romance, full of believable characters, many of whom I quickly grew to love! It is set in a fascinating world full of surprises and plenty of action as Isame and her captors travel across land, mountains and sea. Her kidnappers, five hunky warriors from Optavia, called ‘Savages’ by her people, due to their size and appearance, not to mention their behaviour, are out to do a job, kidnap Isame and deliver her to their king.

The heroine’s relationship with the warriors is a complex one. At first they want little to do with their captive and her with them and they do treat her rather poorly. However, slowly they begin to interact and get to know, like and respect each other and there is much humour in the banter between Isame and her captors and the other characters they meet on their journey. One of the warriors, James however, is an outsider and has an agenda of his own which becomes clearer as the plot develops. Isame is particularly drawn to Remmie, one of the warriors, who treats her more kindly than the others and their budding and touching romance is central to this novel.

I particularly liked the heroine, Isame and her transformation from a young woman about to acquiesce to an arranged marriage to one who is thrust into the adventure she has always craved, finding that she prefers this life to the one that was mapped out for her in her village. Although at first she vows to escape her captors, she starts to befriend them and falls hard for the warrior Remmie, who in turn is attracted to her. Their sweet romance is a delight to read and the scenes between them are full of sexual tension and hidden desire. However, there are many obstacles in the way of a happy future, not least the oath of Remmie and the other warriors to their king to deliver Isame to him and the fact that Remmie is a Savage, a race feared and held in contempt by her own people. He has also been responsible for abducting her and along with the other warriors represents a threat to her family should she try to escape. Remmie, despite his fearsome appearance and initial behaviour, is a sweetie at heart however and I could not stop myself rooting for their HEA!

Also what does the king want with her? There is also the prophecy of a mysterious gypsy, linking Isame, who has always believed herself to be a regular girl with Faemell, the Fairy Isle. Isame begins to question this and wants to find out the truth.

By Force is a super, well-paced, romantic read, full of sexy warrior types (what more can a girl want?), containing action and adventure, mystery and suspense. It is a great start to a new series and the next instalment, By Choice, is in the pipeline. I recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy romance with a feisty heroine and an alpha male with a heart.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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

One Way or Another You Will Pay, by Eve Rabi

Revenge of the Master Manipulator!

This novel is once again an original, emotional and compulsive work from Eve Rabi. It is a read that her fans will not want to miss and those who enjoy thrillers and dark romantic suspense will also enjoy. Do not read after the first paragraph if you want to avoid spoilers for book 1, You Will Pay- For Leaving Me (currently FREE on Amazon US and Amazon UK and Smashwords). Please note that as it describes scenes and the repercussions of domestic abuse, this series does contain scenes of violence and threat, some of it sexual.

In this and the previous instalment in the tale, You Will Pay: She Left her Abusive Husband He Took Revenge, (click title for our review), the author tackles the difficult and often taboo subject of domestic abuse. The abuser in this story is a sociopath who seeks brutal revenge on his wife who leaves him after years of abuse. There are harrowing scenes of threats, violence and murder and although not an easy read the ability of Eve Rabi to weave a compulsive and addictive story containing real life issues and characters with whom the reader can identify with is once more underlined. The remainder of this review contains spoilers for book 1.

In book 1, You Will Pay – For Leaving Me, we met Arena, married to businessman Tom. Tom likes to control Arena, from how she dresses to how she wears her hair and who she socialises with. His control also extends to their son Warren and after Arena becomes pregnant and their daughter Sasha is born, his behaviour turns violent. Arena finally takes the plunge and leaves him to make a new life for herself and her children. However, Tom dishes out the most terrible revenge imaginable on Arena and her family and is truly beyond redemption. Arena and Bear, the new man in her life, dish out their own revenge on Tom, which I absolutely loved! After the end of book 1, I was sort of happy that Tom had been incarcerated, although secretly I would have preferred him to have been AT LEAST 6 ft under! The fact that he was in prison due to the actions of Arena and Bear I regarded as natural justice after his sickening crimes against Arena and baby Sasha.

In book 2, Arena and Bear are happily married, living with Warren, Tom and Arena’s son, Bear’s daughter Amy, by his first marriage, and their own baby Savannah. All is fine and dandy apart from a series of abusive and threatening letters that Arena begins to receive from Tom, trying to persuade her to bring Warren to visit him. Arena does not respond to his letters and they abruptly cease. After a brief respite, the tenor of the letters changes and Tom claims that he is suffering from terminal cancer and that he needs to see Warren before he dies. Arena is torn between her hatred and distrust of Tom and the fact that he is in effect making a deathbed request that it would be heartless to ignore. After all what can he possibly do to her if she does visit as he is behind bars?

You need to read the book to see how Arena copes with the situation and the consequences of her decision on whether or not to acquiesce to Tom’s request. What I will reveal is that this instalment and Tom’s actions are just as chilling as book 1, as even from his prison cell Tom attempts to bring Arena, Bear and their family to their knees. Arena and Bear’s love is tested to the full and lives are put on the line. Once again this stellar read contains some intense and dark moments and once again I read it into the small hours.

I enjoyed finding out more about Bear in this book, such as what makes him tick, his relationship with Arena and how he seeks to protect her and their family from Tom. I felt for them both when they were faced with the terrible consequences of Tom’s actions and there were some truly heart rending scenes. I also enjoyed the character of Ritchie, Arena’s brother who supported them and the pivotal role played by the character of Ingrid.

This is perhaps one of Eve Rabi’s darkest works to date, Nevertheless it still contains her trademark scenes of intense love between the hero and heroine, the survival of a strong woman who survives against the odds, self-sacrifice, heart rending emotional scenes and a plot where the reader has absolutely no chance of predicting what will happen next, let alone the outcome.

I strongly rrecommend this book to fans of Eve Rabi and also to those who are not adverse to reading about difficult issues and examining the darker side of humanity.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

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

Purchase links: Smashwords Amazon US Amazon UK

Eve Rabi’s website

Eve Rabi Facebook

October 27, 2013 by Tina Williams

A Heartless Design, #1 in the Secrets of the Zodiac series, by Elizabeth Cole

Fast Paced and Oh So Sexy Regency Romantic Suspense!

A Heartless Design, by Elizabeth Cole, is an absolute delight. It contains a Regency style James Bond and an unconventional lady of independent means in a raunchy and rambunctious read. It absolutely sizzles with passion and desire and houses secrets that threaten the very security of the country, peppered with danger and deceit. It is guaranteed to entertain and get your heart beating ever faster as the tale develops and reaches its conclusion.

In A Heartless Design Cordelia Bering, a singular young woman who does not always abide by society’s norms, lives in London with her widowed aunt Leona, her parents having died. Cordelia uses practical scientific knowledge, gained from working with her late father, to secure a lucracive income to support her household. To continue her work in this field, Cordelia has many secrets, including one that could endanger her life. Secrets that she is compelled to hide from all, including any prospective suitor, let alone a husband. Cordelia is dubbed ‘heartless’ as she shuns the many marriage offers she continues to have on account of her engaging character and beauty.

Whilst attending a ball with her aunt, Cordelia encounters a mystery man to whom she has not been introduced. Sebastien Thorne, now the Duke of Thornewell, is one of the Crown’s elite secret agents belonging to a group known as the Zodiac. He has been summoned to the ball by his handler to retrieve instructions as to his next mission -preventing a certain piece of technical information leaving Britain and falling into enemy hands, which could give them a significant advantage. Sebastien can afford for nothing to get in his way, not even a woman as beguiling and challenging as Cordelia. However, as Sebastien pursues his leads, it becomes evident that Cordelia is involved and hiding something and he is compelled to employ whatever means necessary to persuade her to reveal her secrets to fulfil his mission and secure the safety of the nation. However, he did not gamble on his growing feelings for the lady……

Cordelia is a woman in a man’s world, who has to rely on subterfuge and her intelligence to pursue her dream of pursuing the scientific inquiries she loves and I was quickly drawn to her as a heroine. She is unaware of Sebastien’s work for the Crown and is therefore suspicious of him, although grateful when he proves himself useful to her safety on a number of occasions. Sebastien, for his part, does not conform to society and battles with the conflicting priorities of his title and work as a secret agent. He immediately senses Cordelia’s vulnerability, at the same time being drawn to her unconventional demeanour and kindred spirit. It is clear that they are attracted to each other and have a lot in common – but can a relationship succeed when Cordelia has vowed never to marry and there is so much deceit between them, not to mention those who are out to prise Cordelia’s secrets from her by fair means or foul? The couple must learn to trust one another and reveal all to one another before it is too late. There is plenty of sexual tension between the main couple and a number of sensual lovemaking scenes which I enjoyed. Both the plot and dialogue were well crafted, believable and full of suspense.

The secondary characters were also a delight to get to know, those making up Cordelia’s household and other members of the Zodiac in particular. I hope to find out more about them in future novels in the series by the author, which I sincerely hope that she plans to write. The bad guys in the story were menacing without being over the top and added sufficient suspense and tension to the plot without detracting from the romance.

I recommend this novel to readers of historical romance, particularly Regency romance, who like suspense with their read and who enjoy unconventional heroines. All in all a rollicking Regency read, which I heartily recommend!

Reviewed by Tina Williams

I received this book for free from Story Cartel in exchange for my unbiased review.

http://skysparkbooks.com/aheartlessdesign/

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethColeWrites

http://storycartel.com/

September 30, 2013 by Tina Williams

To Steal a Highlander’s Heart, by Samantha Holt – Released Today!

Faerie Magic Reunites Friends as Lovers!

Sensual Historical Paranormal Romance

This is Samantha Holt’s first foray into writing a Highland romance and I found it to be both a fun and romantic read. It also maintains the level of sensuality that I have come to expect and love from this author. Setting a medieval historical romance in the Highlands is an inspired choice to invoke beings such as faeries, and the central captor/captive theme, which in this novel is paired with the theme of friends to lovers, is one which never fails to please me!

In To Steal a Highlander’s Heart, the teenager Alana Campbell is shocked when her childhood friend Morgann McRae is banished for stealing from her father, the laird, leading to a bitter feud between both clans. Eight years pass, until Morgann kidnaps Alana in a desperate attempt to reveal some truths and compel others to stop he treachery which he knows is afoot, which risks the wellbeing of those he cares about and the future of his clan. However, what was a close childhood friendship now heats up into something far stronger as passion is ignited between the couple. Alana resolves to resist her attraction towards Morgann and to escape to prevent bloodshed. Similarly Morgann strives to ignore his instinct to claim Alana as his own and risk the further wrath of her father on his clan.

The plot is further complicated by the actions of a meddling faerie, Tèile, who is tasked to do all she can to ensure that this stubborn couple recognise their love for each other and marry. However, the actions of another threaten the couple’s welfare and means that she must work hard to ensure that she completes her task before it is too late.

The couple are well matched and believable. Alana is a feisty heroine who has missed her friend Morgann since his banishment. She immediately senses that he is not the fun loving boy he once was. Instead he has grown into a handsome and brooding warrior, to which she finds herself increasingly drawn. Morgann notices that Alana is now a beautiful woman, far more confident than the young girl he remembers, one that can well match him in intelligence, charm and wit. The repartee between the couple sparkles as they spar with and tease each other in some fun and sexy scenes. Of course, Tèile engineers things as best she can to give them every opportunity to explore their attraction in some humorous and inventive scenarios, which often leave the couple a little confused with events, which I found to be a nice touch!

Tèile is a great character. Whilst being frustrated at the stubbornness of the couple in acting upon the love and passion they undoubtedly have for one another, and wishing to return to the world of the fey, she develops genuine affection for them and pulls out all stops to come to their aid when it counts.

In addition to the fairy Tèile, the secondary characters include Morgann’s stepmother Margot and Finn, his cousin, another male hottie – what is it with these Highland warriors and where are they hiding? I was immediately drawn into the tale that involves a great deal of sexual tension and passion between the main couple, which culminates in some sensuous and playful lovemaking scenes. There is also plenty of action, danger and treachery before the plot concludes.

I recommend this novel to romance readers who like a romantic read set in the Highlands, particularly those who enjoy a touch of paranormal injected into the story. I am looking forward to any further novels Samantha Holt sets in the Highlands and finding out more about the world of the sidhe and any other magical creatures she decides to call upon.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

An Advanced Reader Copy of this novel was given to me by the author for the purpose of a fair and honest review.

Check out To Steal a Highlander’s Heart on Amazon and find Samantha online and click on her blogspot for a great release day giveaway!

Buy on Amazon UK Amazon US

https://www.facebook.com/romanticfiction

http://www.samanthaholt.org.uk/

http://www.samanthaholtauthor.blogspot.co.uk/ – click for giveaway

September 10, 2013 by Tina Williams

Wolfkeeper’s Woman, by Lisa Day

A Compelling and Emotional Romance!

I was blown away by the emotional intensity of this unorthodox romance between sworn enemies, a Native American warrior, Wolfkeeper and an American homesteader Cassie. I devoured the book in a day as I was so captivated by it!

In Wolfkeeper’s Woman, Cassie, who has recently given birth, finds her home attacked by Indians. Her husband is killed and Cassie finds herself captive of one of the men instrumental in his murder, a powerful and terrifying warrior, Wolfkeeper. Wolfkeeper gifts Cassie’s son to his brother and sister-in-law, who have already lost three pregnancies, which naturally leaves Cassie devastated. Cassie is referred to as The Ghostwoman by the tribe, shunned by many and is not allowed to communicate with her son. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes as Cassie’s son is taken from her and what occurs whenever their paths do cross. Wolfkeeper assumes the role as Cassie’s protector, ensuring that she obeys his command to keep away from her son, whom he tells her is now dead to her, and that she strives to assimilate into the ways of his people.

Cassie has little choice but to cooperate if she is to have any chance of escaping with her son. She despises Wolfkeeper for what he has done to her and her family. However, she is forced to rely upon him for protection, guidance and at times comfort in this strange new world, where she does not even speak the language and is ignorant of its complex customs, which are so different to those of the white man.

Wolfkeeper demands total compliance from Cassie, who finds herself carrying out daily tasks for him and having to permit his touches, which increase in intensity, becoming more and more sexual. Although their relationship is not immediately fully consummated, Wolfkeeper demands dominion over Cassie’s body to bind her to him, in a number of sensual scenes, and she is powerless to resist, knowing that no one will come to her aid. She permits his caresses at first because she is fearful of the consequences of refusal and then because she enjoys them, even while she despises him. Yet how can she permit her body to betray her when he has committed the sins of killing her husband and taking away her child? Can she possibly let him into her heart or even forgive him?

Wolfkeeper at first regards Cassie purely as the enemy and treats her harshly. However, he comes to respect her inner strength. He is pleased when she does begin to assimilate into the life of his people. Cassie begins to penetrate Wolfkeeper’s heart and he decides that he wants to make her his. He is a wise and patient man and knows that he must bide his time if he is to win her. However, the issue of her son is always between them. Will Cassie accept that her son is lost to her forever and embrace Wolfkeeper and the ways of the tribe or will she reject them and escape at the first opportunity? There are many twists to the tale as Cassie and Wolfkeeper both struggle with the feelings that they develop for each other and I was hooked from start to finish!

Cassie is a great heroine, showing great strength of character for one who has suffered so much. She has been given few choices in her life, being very much a victim of circumstance. However, she responds with courage and dignity. I found the growing respect, trust and affection between the couple a beautiful and touching love story, surprising given the circumstances of their relationship.

There are a number of supporting characters in the novel, some of them native American Indians and some of them other white settlers. One of my favourite characters, apart from the main couple was Wolfkeeper’s grandmother. I also liked the character of Becky, the widow of Todd, the friend of Cassie’s husband, who also lost his life in the Indian attack on Cassie’s home. The author weaves her story throughout the main narrative and I found it to be a touching one. I was also fascinated by the customs of the Native Americans and how they differed from those of the white man.

I recommend this novel to readers of western historical romance, especially those who like an emotional and sensual read. It will particularly appeal to those who like to examine forgiveness and acceptance and how individuals from different cultures can come together. The author Lisa Day has a true gift for original storytelling and I have already downloaded her latest novel, Love and Betrayal on the Santa Fe, also set in the American frontier, to read very soon.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

http://lisaday.weebly.com/

April 23, 2013 by Tina Williams

Addicted, by JoAnn DeLazzari

Steamy Romantic Suspense

We were both lucky enough to be sent copies of this release by Blue Star Books, to provide an honest and fair review. Rather than post the reviews separately, we have decided to post them together and share our opinions through the comments box. Feel free to join in the discussion or share your thoughts. 🙂

Tina’s Review (scroll down for Caroline’s review which follows on from this).

Addicted, by JoAnn DeLazzari is a steamy romantic suspense that delves into the dark and dangerous world of drug trafficking and corruption at the highest level. At its heart is a passionate love affair between two people who are unexpectedly thrown together in their quest for justice. I found this to be a much hotter read than many others in this genre, which for me was a definite plus!

In Addicted, Nikki Bradley, a well known journalist, enters the jungles of Columbia, to avenge the death of her brother who died of a drug overdose. She intends to find evidence against the man responsible, expose his drug ring and ruin him. In doing so she is taken prisoner by a drug trafficker, Kingsley Shaw. King, second in command to the local drug lord Pascal, has his own agenda and claims Nikki as his woman. This not only keeps her safe from rape and certain death at the hands of the other traffickers, but also prevents her from jeopardising his mission to find out who is behind the drug operation.

Nikki believes that King is a dangerous criminal as he keeps her his prisoner. He is also not averse to using some violence against her to prevent her escape. Their forced intimacy reveals a strong mutual attraction, which they both find it hard to deny, causing a lot of sexual tension and frustration. King will not force Nikki to capitulate to him sexually and Nikki fights her attraction, being repulsed that King is a drug smuggler. Before Nikki knows the truth about his true motives they reach an uneasy truce so that they can each satisfy their goals and they become lovers.

The complex plot includes violence and action, subterfuge, kidnap and many nail biting scenes, which take place in Columbia, Puerto Rico and back in the USA. The man behind the drug cartel is not going down without a fight, and he fights dirty, using his considerable resources to destroy Nikki, King and King’s associate Rob. The reader is kept guessing as to whether the couple will achieve their goals and also if they will have a future together, as the plot goes through many unexpected twists and turns before the tale reaches its climax.

King is an alpha male with a strong heart, adept at defending himself and Nikki and dishing out violence when necessary. He admires Nikki’s guts and determination and the fact that she makes him laugh. King realises early on that he has fallen in love with her and needs to protect her at all costs, professing his love to her, which I liked. He is a caring and masterful lover whom Nikki soon becomes addicted to.

Nikki is both stubborn and feisty, determined to expose the man responsible for her brother’s death, even risking her own safety as she very much wants to be an equal partner with King. Her relative inexperience with men and her reluctance to commit heightens the sexual tension between the couple. Nikki’s initial ignorance of King’s true motivations lead her to feel very angry, betrayed and used by him at one point, though she finds it impossible to resist him. Whilst I generally liked the heroine, I felt that some of her actions exposed her and others to unnecessary danger. However, perfect people do not always make for the most entertaining narrative and this tale was certainly a great read. Overall I felt that the hero and the heroine were well matched and I enjoyed the passion, humour and self-sacrifice in their volatile relationship, and their passionate and steamy love making scenes.

There are many other key players, including Rob, King’s associate, Senator Eversham and Pascal, the drug lord, to name a few. I enjoyed the humorous banter between Rob and King and also Rob and Nikki and found their adversaries to be worthy opponents. All the characters were believable and well rounded, all playing their part in a plot which involves high level politicians, drug producers, traffickers and those who wish to bring them to justice. I enjoyed the inventiveness of the plot and the way the author balanced the romance with the suspense element of the plot and I would definitely read her past or future work.

I recommend this book to readers who like to read an action packed and sensual romantic suspense, with an alpha hero and a feisty heroine.

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

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Published by Blue Star Books

Please find below Caroline’s review on ‘Addicted’:-

‘Addicted’ is addictive! An amazing passionate romance, suspense and thriller that definitely keeps the reader on their toes throughout. JoAnn DeLazzari has completely filled this novel with excitement, adventure, fear, fun and action with the odd amusing comments made by some of the main characters, Nikki, King and Rob. Within the first few chapters of reading this novel I could not help but remember movies such as ‘Romancing the Stone’ and ‘Crocodile Dundee’!! Although a completely different storyline (with plenty of hot, saucy moments!), we have the setting of the jungle, the attraction of the woman to the man and the disgust and fear of the man to the woman – as well as the comedic one liners and sarcasm. However, as ‘Addicted’ unfolds there is more intensity regarding the physical relationship of the two main characters as well as a serious underlying plot.

A high profile reporter, Nikki Bradley, in the Colombian jungle is trying to find sufficient evidence to bring down a high and mighty drug trafficking operation after her brother died of a possible cocaine overdose. However, when she is found and captured she finds her captor wants to have her for himself! King, her captor, happens to be a ruggedly handsome man that makes Nikki fear for him but also strangely desire him. Nikki finds herself torn between surrendering and losing hope on her mission or taking a risk and fighting for her brother! The heartbeat definitely increases pace during this great sexy, intense thriller/adventure!

Nikki’s character is possibly what one would believe a reporter to be like. She is very independent, intelligent, outspoken, strong-willed, aware of others and her surroundings and over time has developed survival skills having reported on many major new stories from across the globe. However, it is great to see a different side to Nikki after being captured as she does reveal a vulnerable side, making it easier for the reader to connect with her.

I do like Nikki’s character, however King steals the show for me! Here we have a dangerous, menacing drug trafficking captor who would stand up to any man who questioned him. However, when Nikki is captured he steps forward and ensures that his men are aware that she is his! I absolutely love this storyline. Here is this fearsome individual, taking hostage a young woman, and yet he is handsomely rugged and mysterious and preventing the rest of his men to harm her. The intensity and fear he allows Nikki to feel truly does make the heartbeat faster. Why does he want her for his own? What will become of her? With only the two of them to share his cabin, Nikki is left alone with King who has a strange way of teasing and threatening her with desire.

The reporter in Nikki wants to fight for survival. Does she run? Can she bring these criminals down? Or, does the woman in her try to find a way to give in to King’s desires? The scenes between Nikki and King are very intense, with King teasing her until she finds herself thinking more and more about him. When they are together it is very intimate and reveals a side to both characters that they obviously haven’t shown in a very long time. However, as they both have other reasons for being where they are they have to make decisions on their own missions.

Once the reader is quite familiar with both characters emotionally and physically the story carries on unfolding, providing more trouble for both Nikki and King. The novel takes the reader on an action/adventure, thriller suspense as we follow the characters through Puerto Rico and Los Angeles. Although both characters have their own ultimate goals, throughout the travelling, dangerous surroundings and threatening characters around they have to use their survival skills/instincts which mostly brings them together even more.

One of my favourite characters, aside from King and Nikki, is Rob. Rob is a man of King’s and also a friend of his. At times when King has other tasks to carry out Rob is asked to keep an eye on Nikki. Therefore, over time Rob begins to know Nikki quite well and, as man in the middle, he sees both of their perspectives and can be the logic that they both need when their own minds are clouded with thoughts of each other!

JoAnn DeLazzari has written this novel beautifully. From the beginning the reader engages with the two main characters, their motives and passions, and is also aware of the underlying plot. We are then taken on this wild ride of being scared but curious about King and so wanting Nikki to give in to her desires. I was gripped throughout and did not want to put the book down. My only disappointment was when it ended, making me want to read it all over again. I would love to hear more about these characters!

I would recommend this novel for readers above 16yrs, due to the passionate and steamy sex scenes.

‘Addicted’ by JoAnnn DeLazzari was received gratefully from the publishers in return for an honest and fair review.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

March 27, 2013 by Caroline Barker

The Hourglass Killer Trilogy by LR Potter

The Hourglass Killer Trilogy - All 3 Books What a brilliant and carefully written dark, dark crime thriller? Poor Tess!!! Tess Champion is a police detective in Colarado, and we begin the first novel, ‘Dwindling Sands’, with Tess being subjected to a violent, torturous, sexual attack in her own home. As she returns to work, alongside her partner, Anthony Delgado, they are faced with a murder of a woman with similar scenarios that Tess found herself in. Is she going mad? Is she scared after what happened to her? Is she adding two and two together and coming up with five? However, over time there are more murders, each with a possible link to her ordeal.

Tess, although now feeling vulnerable and weak, is actually one of the strongest heroine’s that I have read about. Mentally, she has been teased and taunted, confused and, after the third book, ‘Cascading Sands’, in that much despair that it is a wonder that she doesn’t end her own pain. However, she keeps on going. She is a fighter deep down and her inner strength helps her to survive.

As Tess’ attacker knew her by name, it is believed throughout that it must be somebody that she knew. There are five main characters to keep you guessing; Anthony Delgado, her partner; Carter, her twin brother (even though unlikely, you can’t rule anyone out!); Thom Wyndom, her new love interest; Dominic Wyndom, Thom’s brother and an acquaintance to Tess, and finally; Dane Carver, the first and only true love from Tess’ past. I kept an open mind as different areas of the story led me to believe that each of these characters were capable and had the opportunity but as the story unfolded there were so many possible scenarios that the reader simply cannot determine the culprit until it is all made clear at the end.

Due to the motivation, the obsession, of the murderer and their perseverance it does feel very personal. Therefore, each event that happens with Tess is very believable and horrific. He, the murderer, is referred to as ‘The Angry Man’ and, in the prologue, he is the first character the reader encounters. We learn of his obsession, his need for control and throughout the book we know how he despises those he deems vulnerable and weak. These can be disposed of, as far as he is concerned, as there is no real need for them.

Initially, I was planning to read ‘Dwindling Sands (Book 1)’ of The Hourglass Killer Trilogy and separate each book with another of my choice in between. However, I was hooked! Each book of this trilogy is carefully interwoven with the next that I just had to simply carry on reading. The stories, settings, characters, etc, are so fluent that it felt like I was reading only one novel. ‘The Hourglass Trilogy’ is absolutely gripping, with so many twists and turns and unexpected turn of events. Just when the reader thinks that there are no more ordeals for Tess – bam! – another hits you right in the face.

There are many adult themes in these novels, such as abduction, rape and murder. Hence the strongly recommended 18+ year age warning. LR Potter’s style of writing these horrific scenes is amazing. The reader feels so tense in parts and there are some scenes that are creepy and yet the writing of these scenes is not over-exaggerated. LR Potter displays her sensitivity towards these scenes when she describes Tess at her worst, after each ordeal. It would be so nice just to pick Tess up from the book and pop her in your pocket to keep her safe! She is in trouble, without even realising it at times, and, working for the police department, she feels like she should be able to protect herself. It is so upsetting, knowing that she is vulnerable and a possible target/link to this monster.

I am disappointed to let Tess go – although to be fair she has been through enough. However, the whole setting and characters of these books make me want to read more about her. If you are interested in crime thrillers this is a must-read. If you would like to try a crime thriller for the first time, ‘The Hourglass Killer Trilogy’ will blow you away, at the same time as keeping you on your toes. After this absolutely brilliant introduction to LR Potter’s work , I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her novels.

‘The Hourglass Killer Trilogy’ was sent to me for the purpose of a honest and just review. Received gratefully, with thanks, from the copyeditor, Carolyn Pinard.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

February 5, 2013 by Tina Williams

Unleashed by Kerrigan Byrne

UNLEASHED - eCover-001 Unleashed by Kerrigan Byrne

Sensual Berserker Read

Kerrigan Byrne has a great ability to weave romantic tales with Celtic and Norse mythology. Unleashed is a collection of three novellas set in medieval Scotland, comprising Unspoken, Unwilling and Unwanted. The novellas feature alpha berserkers and their different paths to finding their mates. Although they can be read alone, they are interconnected and I certainly enjoyed reading them together. They warmed me up during the cold winter nights, being a very hot read, containing plenty of passion and drama!

In Unspoken Evelyn Woodhouse, who works in a Scottish inn, meets berserker Roderick Maclaughlan on the eve of a great battle between the Stewart and Donald Clans. Evelyn possesses ‘the sight’ and has foreseen Roderick’s death in the coming skirmish. Roderick, whilst defending her from the lecherous advances of Angus Mackay and his men invites her into his room at the inn, where they both succumb to their mutual attraction and spend a night of scorching hot berserker sex! During this marathon Roderick’s berserker, whom Roderick refers to as his ‘beast’ is tamed by Evelyn and, unbeknown to her, claims her as his mate. In the morning Roderick, who is mute due to a curse, leaves for battle. He is intent on resolving his relationship with Evelyn after the fight. Will Evelyn warn him of his impending demise in an attempt to prevent it? She has never been able to avert anyone’s fate before. What happens during the bloodletting determines if they have a future together or not.

In Unwilling Connor Mclaughlan, Roderick’s brother, is tasked by Rory Mackay to kill his own brother, Angus the Younger, for his evil sins. Angus is betrothed to Lindsay Stewart, the Regent’s niece. En route to her betrothed, Lindsay’s entourage is attacked by Connor in his berserker form. Normally nothing can stop a berserker when he is in full battle rage from killing all in his path. However, once Connor’s berserker spies Lindsay he marks her as his mate. Connor is stunned that his berserker has claimed a mate as he does not want one. However, he has no choice but to abduct her and take her back to his ancestral home, for once a berserker has claimed a mate no other will do. Lindsay learns that Connor cannot force her to marry him and that she must accept him first. What follows next is an amusing but passionate tale of how a lovesick berserker tries to woo a fiery independent minded woman, who vows to resist his charms. This leads to some very hot and unusual lovemaking scenes! There is also the small matter of what Angus the Younger will do when he realises that his betrothed has been abducted.

In Unwanted Finn, a berserker from the Northlands has come to the Highlands to prove his loyalty to the temple of Freya, tasked with assassinating Connor and Roderick McLaughlan. Finn comes across a baby abandoned in the snow and rescues it from a wolf attack. He takes the baby to the village of Strathlachlan, and he is directed to Rhona McEwan, a wet nurse, who has lost her own baby. Finn intended to leave the baby and continue on his way. However, he cannot leave and both man and berserker become fascinated with Rhona. After defending her from the local woodcutter who demands her favours as payment for his wood, Finn offers her gold if she will let him do what he wants with her for one night! What follows is an erotic love fest where it becomes clear to Rhona that Finn is no mortal man! Finn’s berserker aches to mark her as his mate, but Finn resists, being uncertain of his future. The following morning, resigned to his fate of certain death against the powerful Mclaughlan brothers, Finn takes Rhona to their abode, Lachlan castle, where Rhona has been offered employment. Here he encounters the McLaughlans and we find out who will be victorious and whether or not Finn and Rhona will ever be mated and have a HEA.

All three heroes are striking men and even more impressive in their berserker form. Berserkers are blessed by the ancient Norse gods and filled with the power of Freya, the goddess of battle, so that their beast rises at the sight of blood. The author describes their superhuman powers which prove useful in battle, where they annihilate all within their sight. I liked the fact that despite the strength of these supernatural beings it is only a berserker’s fated mate who can tame the beast and the final decision on whether to mate or not rested with the women! All three couples also have very distinct personalities and back stories which makes each of the novellas stand out from one another in terms of the romance and evolving plot. They had all faced adversity in their lives and had strived to overcome it. Also the couples were drawn to each other as if by fate and I therefore found the immediate attraction between them believable. My favourite couple was that of Rhona and Finn in Unwanted, as both their trials in life had been particularly grim. The evolving romance between them was also very sweet as both felt unworthy of the other and were so deserving of love!

Kerrigan Byrne’s vivid writing style immediately drew me in to the world she painted. All the characters came alive for me and the love scenes were hot and playful at times and boy did those men have stamina! I particularly liked her descriptions of them in berserker form, not only in their battle rage but also when faced with their fated mates. I would definitely like to see more authors feature berserkers in their novels.

If you are looking for in depth historical narrative to accompany your paranormal romance, you may wish to look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for an original and entertaining sensual read for adults, containing reference to myth and magic then you will enjoy this trilogy. I shall definitely be reading the author’s next book, Released, an excerpt from which is given at the end of Unleashed and features a Banshee. As the trilogy Unleashed is sensual in content I recommend it for readers aged 18 and above.

Author’s website http://www.kerriganbyrne.com/

Cover art by kind permission of artist Kelli Ann Morgan http://www.inspirecreativeservices.com/default.htm

February 1, 2013 by Tina Williams

Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance #3), by Larissa Ione

Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, #3)

Seduction,Vengeance and Redemption

Lethal Rider, book 3 of Larissa Ione’s Lords of Deliverance series has it all, a rip roaring plot, a tortured alpha hero to die for, a strong heroine and fantastic secondary characters. It also has some smoking hot sex scenes! This author makes me laugh out loud at the dialogue and antics of the characters in one paragraph and in the next has me on the verge of tears as I fear for their lives.

This series centres on the Four Horsemen, Ares, (War) Reseph. (Pestilence), Limos (Famine) and Thanatos (Death), cursed to usher in the Apocalypse. The Daemonica, the demon bible, contains prophecies, which if fulfilled, will ensure that they fight for on the side of evil. The first two books in the series, Eternal Rider and Immortal Rider, dealt in turn with the trials of Ares and his sister Limos and their attempts to prevent their ‘Seals’ from breaking and propelling them into this evil path. Reseph (Pestilence) has had his ‘Seal’ broken already and has inflicted plagues on the world and has also released demons from Sheoul, the demon realm.

Lethal Rider continues the storyline at the end of the previous novel Immortal Rider, where demon-slayer Regan Matthews seduced a drugged Thanatos, stealing his virginity and becoming pregnant as planned. Thanatos had erroneously believed that his ‘Seal’ was his virginity, guarding it throughout his immortality. Fearing his vengeance Regan is holed up at the HQ of the Aegis (the society of human warriors set up to protect the world against evil), to await the birth of the child who, according to a prophecy, is fated to save the world. Thanatos wakes from his eight and a half months medical induced paralysis, which his siblings have put him under to contain his rage. Furious, he seeks Regan out intent on killing her for her betrayal. It is then that he discovers that she is pregnant with his child and he kidnaps her and takes her back to his castle, intent on retribution.

Regan is terrified, believing that her life will be forfeit once the baby is born. She also harbours a great deal of guilt about how the child was conceived. Over time Thanatos and Regan develop an uneasy truce and they begin to bond. However, other forces are at play and his brother Pestilence plots against him, with aid from an unlikely source. Moreover, the cohesion of the Aegis is threatened by fundamentalists who are against the recent rapprochement with some members of the supernatural world. All of this impacts on Regan, Thanatos and their allies and threatens their lives and that of their unborn child. I am in awe of how the author weaves together these complex plot lines towards a satisfying conclusion that also sets the scene for the subsequent book in the series Rogue Rider.

Thanatos is an alpha hero with a big heart. Furious at Regan’s deception, he is also very much ‘in lust’ with her. He desires a family, but has never dared hope for one due to his curse and the anger that he seeks to control. Stunned he is going to be a father, he wants to keep the child. Regan did what she had to do to save the world, but does not see herself as the maternal type and does not feel worthy of love. She has her own special powers and supernatural background that makes her less than human in her eyes. It is very sweet how Thanatos and Regan come to understand each others’ vulnerabilities and how out of distrust comes, understanding, respect, trust and eventually love. The sex scenes are liberally peppered throughout the plot, but do not overpower it. I have read few books where the author effectively portrays sex involving a heavily pregnant heroine, but Larissa Ione does so in effortless style in some scorching lovemaking scenes.

The main secondary characters include Thanatos’ siblings, Ares, Limos and of course Pestilence, who is now an evil adversary. Other characters include those from Larissa Ione’s Demonica series, notably the Seminus Demon brothers Eidolon, Shade and Wraith (who are each an incubus/sex demon with special abilities) and Kynan, the human who works for the Aegis. The Watchers, Reaver and Harvester, the angel and fallen angel, also play a pivotal role. The remaining cast of include a whole host of demons, vampires and other supernatural beings and scenes take place on earth, in the demon underworld and even in heaven.

As usual I loved the author’s writing style, which is very distinctive, being full of snarky humour. The story, violent at times, moved swiftly, from one location to another, although did not detract from the growing relationship between the two main characters. Readers of authors such as Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter are advised to check out this author if they have not done so already. I will be reading the next book in the series, Rogue Rider, as soon as it comes out as I need to know what happens next! I would recommend this book to adult readers of paranormal romance (due to the hot sex scenes).

http://www.larissaione.com