November 26, 2014 by Tina Williams

99c Blitz ~ Bloodgifted (The Dantonville series book 1), by Tima Maria Lacoba

Bloodgifted Being unable to age is only the beginning …

Laura Dantonville is shocked to learn her strange genetic mutation,
is linked to a dark family secret—a centuries-old curse that turned her Roman ancestor into a vampire. Now that she has come of age, she is the key to breaking that curse. But she’s also the prey of rogue vampires who inhabit the city’s frightening and violent underworld, as her blood gives them the ability to daywalk. For her protection she’s assigned a guardian—the handsome, sexy and dangerous Alec Munro.

Former military doctor and current leader of the Brethren, Alec Munro has no intention of being responsible for Laura. After all, it was her damned family who was response ble for his untimely death and subsequent transformation. He owes them nothing, yet he also knows his own fated role in breaking the curse, and the unthinkable consequences should he not accept.

To the Brethren, the ending of the curse spells disaster. Among a powerful few malice grows…

Buy on: Amazon US Amazon UK

I’m a fifty-something-young woman who lives on the Central Coast, an hour’s drive north of Sydney in Australia. My little house is surrounded by bushland, possums and seed-dropping Rosellas on one side, and waterways on the other. I moved out of the big city a few years ago, and the only thing I miss about it are the quaint shops and cafes. But I’ve gained fresh air and a home with front and backyards–with a garden swing–and wooded hillside views.

Before becoming a writer, I was a practicing archaeologist, and was fortunate enough to have worked on some amazing digs around the world. After several years in the field I was drawn to teaching and ended up as Head of History in a local high school. While there I took the opportunity to take my students overseas to visit various archaeological sites in Europe and Britain. It was a fabulous way to combine my love of history with travel, and share it with others. On one tour, in Italy, I managed to indulge my other passion – gelato ice cream. We renamed it The Gelato Crawl of Italy!

I’ve always been a storyteller, but it wasn’t until five years ago that I seriously ventured into writing. The result was Bloodgifted. In 2011 it was shortlisted in the Atlas Award and came fourth. In 2012 it was listed among the top ten in the Choclit Search for an Aussie Star Competition. In 2013, I was offered a publishing contract but declined in favour of going indie. I liked the idea of being in charge of my own creation.

Bloodgifted is just the start of a four-part series I’ve entitled, The Dantonville Legacy. Book 2, Bloodpledge, was released four months ago, and Book 3, Blood Vault, is due for release June 2015. Later I intend writing individual books on the other characters in the series, for they all have their own story.

Visit Tima Maria Lacoba Around the Web:

Twitter|Facebook|Amazon|Website

Goodreads

November 18, 2014 by Tina Williams

RELEASE BLITZ ~ Raphael, by Faith Gibson

New Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance

Title: Rafael

Author: Faith Gibson

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: November 18, 2014

Purchase Links: Amazon US Amazon UK

♦Synopsis♦

There’s a new species of shapeshifter in town…

Rafael Stone is the King of the Gargoyle shapeshifters. His family, The Stone Society, has ruled the Americas for over seven hundred years. As an architect, he has spent the last thirty years helping to rebuild New Atlanta since the near Apocalypse. As King of the Gargouille, he has spent those same thirty years protecting his city from the dregs of society.

Kaya Kane is the New Atlanta Chief of Police. At thirty-six, not only is she the youngest, but also the first female Chief the city has ever had. She has dedicated her life to keeping her city safe. When a multiple homicide brings her face to face with the elusive Rafael Stone, her life will never be the same.

Rafael’s kind has never mated with a human but just speaking to Chief Kane on the telephone nearly brings him to his knees. Kaya has given up on ever having a relationship other than her career. When the two meet, sparks fly. Literally. Can Rafael give in to the fact that Kaya’s human? Can she overlook the evidence pointing to Rafael as the killer?

Rafael, Stone Society Book 1 introduces you to a new world filled with Bad Ass shifters and the mates who love them.

♦About the Author♦

Faith Gibson lives outside Nashville, Tennessee with the love of her life, and her two-legged best friends. She began writing in high school and over the years penned many stories, and poems. When her dreams continued to get crazier than the one before, she decided to keep a dream journal. Many of these night-time escapades have led to a line, a chapter, and even a complete story.

When Faith isn’t penning her crazy ideas, she is either reading, riding her Harley, or playing trivia while consuming craft beer.

♦Social Media Links♦

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Page | Goodreads

♦Purchase Faith’s Other Books♦

Candy Hearts:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N

November 13, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Review Round-Up November 2014

Hi readers, Tina and myself hope that you enjoyed your Halloween, and here in the UK Bonfire Night. There have been some fantastic fireworks displays this year in and around Tamworth where we reside. We are now concentrating on enjoying the autumn/fall weather, watching the leaves as they fall from the trees and spending most of our time snuggled up on the sofa with a book or our laptops preparing for our best reads of 2014 and of course, Christmas!!

Below you will find our latest reviews over the last month covering the horror genre, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, erotica, fantasy adventure and crime thriller.

As always, we hope that there is something for everybody and that you all enjoy visiting our blog.

Keep on reading!

Caroline & Tina 🙂

(Please click on titles for review)

Distant Love by Layla Merritt, erotic contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina)

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?

Claimed (True Alpha #6) (short story) by Alisa Woods, paranormal romance (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

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+.

Amethyst’s Incredible Journey by Lisa Bland, fantasy adventure (reviewed by Caroline)

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.

After the Haze by Gary Richardson, horror (reviewed by Caroline)

Synopsis: The haze ravaged everything. Human life as we know it is over. Those who survived the haze awoke to find themselves in a new nightmare, as the dead returned with the insatiable desire to hunt down and feed on the remaining humans. Yvonne thought she had escaped her nightmare. Safely aboard the HMS Lancaster, Martin, Mike and herself believed they had found salvation with their military saviours. Things change when a devastating realisation is made. Humans no longer control the Earth. With this in mind, Yvonne has no choice but to assist in the operation to take back control of the UK and bring together all the survivors, but she soon learns that there are bigger threats to mankind than the living dead…

Afraid to Hope (Secrets and Seduction #3) by M.J. Nightingale, erotic contemporary romance (reviewed by Tina)

Blurb: Louisa Sears is ready to start over. Escaping her small town where prejudice, long memories, and old fashioned values haunt her, Louisa embarks on her dream of finding love, and a man who can warm up her bed at night. Pregnant at sixteen, divorced from an abusive husband at twenty, and raising a daughter alone, Louisa is now ready to live. She wants what every woman wants. A rock hard man, who knows how to love. Will Florida be the place where her dreams come true?

Jay Russell is battle scarred. A past filled with horrors from childhood, the war in Iraq, and the most devastating event of his life that occurred when he returned home, he is definitely not looking for love. When he first meets Louisa Sears, the bombshell with the fantastic body, he wants one thing, and one thing only, her body underneath him. The hot little ticket that walks by his t-shirt shop, meets all his requirements for a night of passion.

The scars in them run deep though, and they both have secrets. Can two people so deeply wounded by the past learn to trust each other enough to share those secrets? And if they do, will they be able to get past them and learn to hope again?

That Risen Snow: A Tale of Snow White & Zombies (The Scary Tales #1) by Rob E. Boley, horror/humour (reviewed by Caroline)

BLURB: The zombie sequel to Snow White begins where the classic fairy tale ends, with the Prince’s kiss waking Snow from her cursed slumber. Snow wakes up, but she doesn’t wake up right.

Now a deranged zombie, Snow infects both the Prince and the seven dwarfs’ leader. That leaves the young dwarf Grouchy, who is secretly in love with Snow, to find a cure for her malicious curse. So begins an epic journey that pits the lovesick Grouchy against dwarf-hating human soldiers, Snow’s ever-growing zombie horde, and his own bad temper. But when Grouchy and his motley crew of survivors escape Snow’s clutches and seek refuge in a nearby human village, he soon finds that her affliction has spread faster and further then he ever could have imagined. Snow is hell-bent on spreading her horrid curse across the land, and it’s up to Grouchy to stop her before it’s too late.

So begins THE SCARY TALES, a dark fantasy series featuring mash-ups of traditional fairy tale characters and classic horror monsters.

The New Governess/Awakening (The Erotic Adventures of Belinda #1 & 2) by Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross, gothic erotica (reviewed by Tina)

The New Governess blurb: When Belinda Moorland leaves her old life behind to become the new governess to a wealthy businessman’s children, she finds herself in a dazzling – and allegedly haunted – house called Ravencrest Manor. Her beautiful new home comes with an assortment of unusual staff members, including a handsome English butler surrounded by secrets, an icy power-mad housekeeper with a chip on her shoulder and a whip in her hand, and – most attractive of all to Belinda – her mysterious new employer, Mr. Eric Manning.

After just one night in Ravencrest, Belinda realizes that the staff, as strange they are, have nothing on the other residents of the house – the ones who only come out at night… the ones who enter and dictate her dreams, twisting them into dark, carnal visions of her deepest desires… and her greatest fears.

The erotic adventures of Belinda have begun…

Awakening blurb: In The New Governess, Belinda Moorland became governess to the children of handsome and mysterious millionaire, Eric Manning. She met several interesting employees at Ravencrest Manor, including the mischievous butler, Grant, and the frightening house administrator, Mrs. Heller. During her first night, Belinda was also greeted – and groped – by other inhabitants of the house; ones who are more phantom than flesh.

Now, in Awakening, we find out more about Grant Phister, the wicked Mrs. Heller, and some of the other inhabitants of the house, both living and dead. There are more secrets than ever waiting within the walls of Ravencrest, but Belinda has one final requirement to meet before she can get down to work: She must pass her physical examination – and it will prove to be far more intimate than anything in her wildest dreams – or her darkest nightmares. Will she get through her first day at Ravencrest intact?

The erotic adventures of Belinda continue…

The Love of Marisol by Christos Toulouras, contemporary emotional romance (reviewed by Caroline)

Synopsis: When Leo’s marriage ends, he falls into the depths of depression. He decides to escape the loss and the heartbreak with a trip to the other side of the world – Lima, Peru. In some ways, his journey becomes an unexpected salvation as his passions are reignited by the local food and people, the climate and the beautiful and alluring Marisol. The Love of Marisol is a poignant and passionate journey of heartbreak, loss but most of all self-discovery… it reminds us that at the end of one love story, there is always the possibility of a new one…

Windhaven by Charlotte Boyett-Compo, dark erotic fantasy romance (reviewed by Tina)

Synopsis: “Open your mouth even once, tell anyone about us, give them a name, and we’ll come for you, Sammy. There will be nowhere you can hide that we won’t find you.”Samiel Brell is being held against his will in the WindHaven Mental Hospital. His life there is a brutal nightmare from which he can not wake. The only anchor he has in this dark world is nurse Katelyn Tarnes who sees beyond the psychotic, self-destructive patient to the lost, lonely man desperately needing her help…and pleading for her love.

The Cabinetmaker by Alan Jones, crime drama/thriller (reviewed by Caroline Barker)

Synopsis: The Cabinetmaker, Alan Jones’ first novel, tells of one man’s fight for justice when the law fails him. Set in Glasgow from the late nineteen-seventies through to the current day, a cabinetmaker’s only son is brutally murdered by a gang of thugs, who walk free after a bungled prosecution.

It’s young Glasgow detective John McDaid’s first murder case. He forms an unlikely friendship with the cabinetmaker, united by a determination to see the killers punished, their passion for amateur football, and by John’s introduction to a lifelong obsession with fine furniture.

This is the story of their friendship, the cabinetmaker’s quest for justice, and the detective’s search for the truth.

This unusual crime thriller contains some Glasgow slang and a moderate amount of strong language.

November 12, 2014 by Tina Williams

Cover Reveal ~ RAPHAEL ~ Stone Society Book 1, by Faith Gibson

New Shifter Romance Series!

Raphael, the first book in Faith Gibson’s forthcoming Paranormal Romance series sounds like a brilliant read, and we are delighted to be participating in the cover reveal. If you like shifters but want to play with a new breed, check out the Stone Society. ❤

Title: Rafael

Author: Faith Gibson

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: November 18, 2014

♦Synopsis♦

There’s a new species of shapeshifter in town…

Rafael, Stone Society Book 1 introduces you to a new world filled with Bad Ass shifters and the mates who love them.

♦About the Author♦

Faith Gibson lives outside Nashville, Tennessee with the love of her life, and her two-legged best friends. She began writing in high school and overthe years penned many stories, and poems. When her dreams continued to get crazier than the one before, she decided to keep a dream journal. Many of these night-time escapades have led to a line, a chapter, and even a complete story.

When Faith isn’t penning her crazy ideas, she is either reading, riding her Harley, or playing trivia while consuming craft beer.

♦Social Media Links♦

Facebook | Twitter | Amazon Page | Goodreads

♦Purchase Faith’s Other Books♦

Candy Hearts:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N

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 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 11, 2014 by Caroline Barker

REVIEW Hunted (True Alpha #3) by Alisa Woods

THIS IS THE THIRD EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

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.

Now that Mia understands what happened to Lucas’s dead mate, she questions whether he’s truly the mate for her. Meanwhile, Lucas wrestles between keeping her close and letting her go… but he can’t resist when she asks him to teach her more about being a wolf.

Hunted (True Alpha 3) is 75 pages or 18,000 words. It’s the third of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

REVIEW

This short story series keeps on getting better! With Mia relenting to the fact that she will not be Lucas’ mate, she decides to help him as much as possible to come to terms with the death of Tila. She wants to be his friend at least, at the same time as his professional assistant in helping him analyse the LoopSource app statistics in the decision of whether Lucas’ father’s company should take on the software before their rivals, The Red Pack, make an offer.

The reader is constantly guessing whether Mia will tip Lucas over the edge and he just simply won’t be able to resist her. On the other hand, he tries his hardest not to give in and decides to sort out the LoopSource deal as soon as possible so that he can leave Mia with a bodyguard and create some distance between them. Lucas is in fear of his feelings for Mia and the reader can really sense this throughout the opening chapters.

However, in return for her kindness he does agree to help her discover more of the wolf within herself. This opens up a fast-paced, adventurous and dangerous storyline, which completely thrills the reader and creates moments for the reader to fear for Mia’s safety. There are also some moments of romance and the reader feels Mia’s heightened feelings for Lucas.

Hunted is a truly exciting read that will leave you on an edgy cliffhanger, ready for the following episode. And book 4 of the series, Captured, is out now, making it very easy for the reader to keep on reading! As I have said in previous reviews for the True Alpha series, this is a must-read for shifter and werewolf fans, and paranormal romance fans!

Hunted (True Alpha #3) 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) and Guarded (True Alpha #2)!

Hunted (True Alpha #3) is available on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

October 3, 2014 by Tina Williams

BLOG TOUR Unbearable ~ The Case Files of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist (#4) ~ Includes Giveaway!

Unbearable, The Case Files of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist (#4)

By: Cynthia St. Aubin

Paranormal Romance/Humor/Contemporary/Mystery

SYNOPSIS

When you can’t grin and bear it… Paranormal Psychologist, Matilda Schmidt is sick of secrets. But when her troubled mother falls into dangerous hands, she must enlist the help of the two men who may be hiding the most: the hot-bodied demigod who’s suddenly tight-lipped about his current client, and the delicious hit man who’s been concealing much more than a gun in his pocket. Faced with the destruction of her tidy life at the paws of three rowdy werebears, and protected only by an immortal egg on the edge, Matilda will have to come riding to her own rescue, or risk a life that’s anything but happily ever after.

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads: Amazon:

EXCERPT

“What are you wearing?” Crixus’s voice was clear and unsullied by sleep—a direct contrast to my own, which hovered right at the edge of ‘do not operate heavy machinery.’ He had answered on the second ring, a good sign he wasn’t plowing Goldilocks like a spring field, or so I told myself.

“My raincoat and galoshes. But I’m taking them off as we speak.” My cell phone, thankfully, like the bed I settled onto cross-legged—had remained mostly dry.

“Anything under the raincoat?”

“Save it,” I said. “I need your magic.”

“Now you’re talking.” The smile in his voice was as radiant as the sun reaching gilded fingers into the gray dawn.

“Not that kind of magic. So far tonight, my apartment has been home to three bears, eight firemen, and one immortal egg. I’m in no mood.” Twice now, I had depended upon Crixus to undo the damage wrought upon my apartment and office by his retinue of squirrely supernatural guests. It was the one power the demigod possessed I wouldn’t mind stealing for myself.

That, and the spontaneous orgasms.

“And you didn’t invite me?”

“Since when did you need an invitation?” Crixus’s propensity to pop into my life at his leisure had been a contention of mine since we first met. My office, my car, even my bedroom, he invaded with the carefree indifference of a child hopping rides at the amusement park. And still, he managed to be frequently unavailable when I needed him.

“If I could be there, I would.” His voice lacked its usual cocktail of arrogance and caprice. He almost sounded earnest.

AUTHOR INFO:

Cynthia St. Aubin wrote her first play at age eight and made her brothers perform it for the admission price of gum wrappers. A steal, considering she provided the wrappers in advance. Though her early work debuted to mixed reviews, she never quite gave up on the writing thing, even while earning a mostly useless master’s degree in art history and taking her turn as a cube monkey in the corporate warren.

Because the voices in her head kept talking to her, and they discourage drinking at work, she started writing instead. When she’s not standing in front of the fridge eating cheese, she’s hard at work figuring out which mythological, art historical, or paranormal friends to play with next. She lives in Colorado with the love of her life and three surly cats.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Find out more about Cynthia St. Aubin on her website.

Like me: https:// www.facebook.com/ cynthia.saintaubin

Follow me: https://twitter.com/CynthiaStAubin

Visit me: http://www.cynthiastaubin.com/

Email me: cynthiastaubin@gmail.com

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

September 19, 2014 by Caroline Barker

Guarded (True Alpha #2) (short story) by Alisa Woods REVIEW

New Adult Paranormal Romance serial

THIS IS THE SECOND EPISODE OF SIX in the True Alpha serial.

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.

As Lucas fights his instinctual attraction to Mia, focusing instead on guarding her and keeping her safe from the Red pack, Mia tries to discover the truth about Lucas’s dead mate.

Guarded (True Alpha 2) is 70 pages or 17,000 words. It’s the second of six episodes in the True Alpha serial.

REVIEW

Whereas book one was a very intense and hot read, Guarded (True Alpha #2) focuses on the emotional tension between Mia and Lucas. After a passionate night with Lucas, Mia’s inner wolf knows that he is right for her and that she belongs with him but Lucas is still in a great deal of heartache and pain from the death of his mate. The reader remains gripped to these characters and will question whether Mia will ever be able to help him come to terms with his deceased mate and allow her to belong with him.

Lucas battles his feelings for Mia, knowing that he can’t go there again. He can never be as close to anyone as he was with his mate. And, as much as he will protect and guard Mia from the Red Pack, he will not take her again or even come close. Guarded actually breaks down these two great characters where the reader will see Lucas’ more darker, serious side, his sorrow and pain, as well as his desire to keep Mia from this.

As a result he puts his defences up and distances himself. This makes him a little cold and impersonal with her at times, although it is also clear that he doesn’t want her to think bad of him. This in turn makes it more difficult for Mia to be with him and know how to respond. Book 2 certainly holds more emotional tension as opposed to sexual tension.

The reader can certainly empathise with both characters, making it unpredictable on the outcome of these two. There are twists and turns, a strong attraction, and danger from the Red Pack, as they will do anything to keep business going their way. (The Red Pack own a rival company to that of Lucas’, and threatening Mia may seem like a good idea to them – especially as they sense the connection between Mia and Lucas and his need to protect her.)

Mia’s character is strong as she feels that if she can help Lucas to open up and face what happened then she is in with a chance. She has much to understand about packs, mates as she has never been raised by one. At times this can make her seem a little naïve to Lucas. This makes the reader just long for Lucas to take Mia under his wing and teach her all he knows, guard her, protect her and love her! But will it all be too much for Lucas to bear?

Lucas’ dad has a strong impact on Mia as he is accepting, gentle and protective – all the things that a father should be that she has missed out on not having her own around. This scene was relatively small and yet had such a deep meaning, especially for Mia. I would like to read a little more about these two in the subsequent books.

The reader doesn’t miss a thing as Guarded (True Alpha #2) picks up where we left off in Desired (True Alpha #1). There are reminders of what happened previously, allowing the reader to easily remember and continue the story without having to keep checking back to the last episode. I cannot wait for the third instalment, Hunted. This series is a strong one for many a paranormal fan to follow. You will not be disappointed with the power and depth that these short stories provide!

Guarded (True Alpha #2) was provided by the author in return for an honest and fair review.

Guarded (True Alpha #2) is available at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

You can also check out our review of Desired (True Alpha #1) (short story) by Alisa Woods here.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker