A Candle In The Sun by L.J. LaBarthe

L.J. LaBarthe - A Candle In The Sun CoverTitle: A Candle in the Sun

Series:  Archangels Chronicles 09

Author: L.J. LaBarthe

Genre: Angels and Demons, Werewolves/Shapeshifters, Paranormal

Length: Novel (224 pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (October 2, 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts

Blurb: It is time for final revelations and an end to the enemies’ machinations. Now that they have all the information needed to fight the decisive battle, the Brotherhood of Archangels, led by Michael and Gabriel, march hand in hand into the very den of terror and fear. With their allies, the Archdemon Guild of Glass Knives and the Venatores, they face uncertainty and the possibility of their destruction. But Gabriel is determined not to fail, and Michael’s love for him gives him strength.

Now is not the time for sword and shield, however, but the time for guile and cunning. Gabriel and Michael must rely more and more on old foes now turned allies, and with growing uncertainty that they will prevail and save not just humanity and Earth, but all life everywhere.

As the ultimate confrontation draws close, Michael and Gabriel must battle fear, anger, and doubt as they strive to save the world and each other.

ISBN-13: 978-1-63216-778-1

Reviewer: Shorty

Product Link: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Review: This is book nine in the Archangels Chronicles. Wow what an epic ending for a finale. This story packs a punch as Gabriel and Michael fight to save everyone and everything. 

I was stunned speechless by the battle scenes and the cunning the evil ones went to get what they wanted no matter the cost. As always Michael and Gabriel along with the other archangels were brilliant in their strategy. I really loved how people the archangels were once enemies’ with came and aided them in their time of need.

This book has action, mystery, suspense, romance, and drama. It will keep you on the edge of your seat as well as shedding a few tears. Wonderfully written and gives the reader a sense of actually being there to witness the last stand so to speak. 

Fantastic ending to a great series. Highly recommended.

Throwaway Card by A.J. Marcus

A.J. Marcus - Throwaway Card CoverTitle: Throwaway Card

Author: A.J. Marcus

Genre: Historical Americas, Steampunk

Length: Novel (200 Pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (June 12, 2015)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Hugh Lafoux managed to survive the Civil War, but came out of it scarred for life and with an intricately crafted metal leg. Since the war ended, he’s wandered aimlessly, looking for the next card game and easy sex. He boards the Bayou Belle in Saint Louis, expecting a nice easy ride down to Memphis. But he runs afoul of Big Al Shank, the owner of the Belle, and ends up beaten and thrown overboard into the dark river.

Former slave Cotton Freeman spends most of his time hunting alligators along the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee. While looking for larger gators north of town one night, Cotton unexpectedly fishes a man out of the water. As Cotton nurses Hugh back to health, they realize a mutual attraction, and their love grows. But when Big Al Shank returns to destroy them, love might not be enough to win the battle.

ISBN: 978-1-63476-127-7

Product Link: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: I have only read one or two books by this author but have always been impressed with the work A.J. Marcus has done. They are well written with a lot of detail and meat to it. I am not a fan of books written with the past in mind. They come off very dry and boring to me. Although this one did have a lot of heat and heart to it, it was also missing something important to make it a perfect story.

A.J. Marcus has created a world that has the feeling of being in a different time period as well as another place altogether. Hugh has been caught cheating and the revenge is to throw his ass overboard. Which I am fairly certain is a better chance than most would have gotten back then. He had not expect Cotton to rescue his ass. Now Cotton use to be a slave and afterwards he basically hunts gators along the water coast, which is how he came to be in place to drag Hugh’s ass out of the water.

Now their love is heating up and they have the riverboat owner coming for them, the need to protect each other. With the help of Cotton’s friend Casandra, they are about to get pay backs. Now this story is a bit different than most that I have read. I mean you have romance, hot sex, steampunk and a bit of history to it. You have two characters who have heat, are very sexy and a bit quirky in my eyes who have found love with each other which is a main attraction to me.

I enjoy the look into their world and what it is like to be different from one another. A.J. Marcus has managed to pull off a historical type story with difficulties that others came across in the past and made it a pretty good read. I can honestly say that this is a damn good book, but was not for me. It is a very fast paced story with a pretty damn good plot to it. I loved the characters and their mismatched ways. Like I said the book was not for me, however it was one fantastic read for those who like the historical type stories. I would recommend it.

Scrudge and Barley, Inc. by John Inman

John Inman - Scudge & Barley INC. CoverTitle: Scrudge and Barley, Inc.

Author: John Inman

Genre: Holiday, Ghosts/Spirits, Paranormal

Length: Novel (200 pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (December 7, 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4.75 Hearts

Blurb: A classic tale takes off in sexy new directions! Poor Mr. Dickens must be twirling in his grave.

When E.B. Scrudge, putz extraordinaire and all-around numbnuts, is visited by his dead ex on Christmas Eve, he can’t imagine how his life could sink any lower. But the three ghostly spirits that come along after are even worse! Good lord, a dyke, a drag queen, and rounding out the trio, a big, hunky bear with nipple rings and a butt plug! What’s next?

What’s next is a good deal of soul-searching and some hard lessons learned with a dash of redemption thrown in for good measure.

And love too, believe it or not. Love that had been simmering all along at the heart of Scrudge’s miserable existence, although he was too selfish to see it—until a trio of holiday beasties pointed his sorry ass in the right direction.

ISBN: 978-1-63476-514-5

Reviewer: Shorty

Product Link: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Review: A wonderful take on a classic tale. I found E.B. Scrudge to be the perfect scrooge. Overbearing, mean and callous. At times this man gets put in his place when he visited by several spirits. The ghosts in this story are characters themselves with a humorous yet serious side to them all.

Willie, E.B.’s secretary was sweet and kind. I felt sorry for him as he harboured feelings for Scrudge. I was very glad when Scrudge started realizing how he treated others especially Willie. 

I really enjoyed the entire story. Seeing the way you’ve treated people in the past and present is no picnic. But seeing what could be in the future is downright terrifying at ties. Especially if you don’t heed the warnings you are given.

Great read on a fantastic classic.

Wolf Moon by Ethan Stone

Ethan Stone - Wolf Moon CoverTitle: Wolf Moon

Author: Ethan Stone

Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary, Shapeshifters, Fantasy

Length: Novel (230pgs)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (May 1, 2011)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts

Blurb: When college student Jack Coleman meets Derek Malone at a party, it’s mutual lust at first sight. Lies and secrets almost derail the relationship, but they face the problems head on, and it isn’t long before Jack and Derek decide to take their relationship to the next level. That’s when things get complicated.

It turns out Derek and several other people Jack thought he knew are werewolves… and so is Jack. In fact, his unusual birthmark brands him as a Chosen One, a werewolf of great power destined to be alpha. But Jack isn’t sure he’s cut out to be a leader. When a pack rival, Elias Fairchild, kidnaps Derek to force Jack’s hand, Jack has to make up his mind: Will he deny his newfound heritage or risk it all to save Derek’s life?

ISBN: 978-1-61581-813-6

Product Link: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Reviewer: Lisa

Review: This is the first story that I have read by Ethan and I have to say that it was amazing, if not a bit spooky. There are so many twists and turns in it that I couldn’t figure out who was behind it at all. This story caught my attention from the start and kept it all the way to the end. I loved that there was still a hint of humor in it, throughout the serious tone to it.

I love how the characters are beautifully written with big hearts, but if you cross them there is hell to pay. They will protect the men they love and their family with all they have in them. It shows how much strength that the guys have and it gives you an insight into their weakness also. When I saw the cover of this book I wanted to grab it right off the bat. Then I saw the title and knew I had to have it. There is nothing better than a good paranormal romance to me.

Jack lost his parents at a young age, taken in by a neighbors he had been given a good life. Then he meets Derek while at college and things start to go very strange for them. It seems that Derek and his friends are hiding secrets from him. Things are going strong until Derek is attacked by an old boyfriend. He is about to find out what they are hiding and what he is.

Derek is a werewolf. He wants Jack but he also wants him to be who he is supposed to be, his alpha and his mate. However Jack had decided he is not giving it up until after they had their first date. I loved that everything else is perfectly fine. These two are so easy.

It starts off just a cute little story with two gorgeous guys in college. Then it turns out a bit dark, especially when Jack finds out that he is a special type of wolf. He is the chosen one and is supposed to be alpha. However there is an ass who wants to be alpha and Rick doesn’t want to give up his position. Derek is willing to stand behind the man he loves even if it means going against his father, their alpha.

With this story I loved the first part of it. The way they are just college boys and finding out love. Although I did love the werewolf part of it, the fact that they don’t actually mate seems a bit strange to me. I did enjoy it quite a bit. The way it came off though you could tell that this was a paranormal story and that they were werewolves. You didn’t really have to read the blurb to figure it out.

I think that Jack went too easy with the fact that he is a werewolf, especially the change. Also there were some questions that I had about it, especially the family parts of it. Also Rick’s part could have gone a little different and I would have liked it a bit more. I had not expected the ending and wished for a different ending. However the story itself was pretty damn good and I did enjoy reading it. In fact I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I would definitely read this again and recommend it.

The Artist's Masquerade by Antonia Aquilante

Antonia Aquilante - The Artists Masquerade CoverTitle: The Artist’s Masquerade

Series:  A Tale of Tournai 02

Author: Antonia Aquilante

Genre: High Fantasy, Fantasy

Length: Novel (300 pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (December 21, 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: As the first-born son of the Duke of Tournai and cousin to the prince, Cathal has always tried to fulfill his duty to family and country, including following through with an arranged marriage to Velia, cousin to the emperor of Ardunn. But it’s Velia’s companion, Flavia, who fascinates Cathal. Cathal doesn’t know that Flavia is really Flavian, a man masquerading as a woman to escape Ardunn, a restrictive place in which Flavian’s preference for men is forbidden.

Even when Cathal discovers Flavian’s true gender, he cannot fight his attraction to him. Flavian is intrigued by Cathal, but Cathal is still betrothed to Velia, and Flavian worries Cathal is more taken with his feminine illusion than the man beneath it. While both men battle their longings for each other, spies from Ardunn infiltrate the capital, attempting to uncover Tournai’s weaknesses. They are also searching for Flavian, who possesses a magical Talent that allows him to see the truth of a person just by painting their portrait—a skill invaluable to Ardunn’s emperor.

ISBN: 978-1-63476-749-1

Reviewer: Shorty

Product Link: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Review: This is the second book in A Tale of Tournai. The book starts out by Cathal accepting a betrothal set up by his father to Lady Velia.  I found it irritating that nothing was discussed with Cathal ahead of time; after all it is his life. As he’s getting to know her he finds he’s not attracted to her but to her companion Lady Flava, who is really a man masquerading as a woman.  

Etan, Cathal’s brother, only wants his brother happy. So he wants him to follow his heart. Flavian wants to be allowed to love freely and it’s the reason why he is Tournai as where he was wouldn’t allow that. I really enjoyed the whole story. 

It was a really good book and I hope Etan gets his happy ever after at some point in the series. Wonderfully written story that draws you into a world where all is not as it seems. Love, honor and duty are important as well as deception are all throughout this story.

Great read.

Olivier by T.J. Nichols

T.J. Nichols - Olivier CoverTitle: Olivier 

Series:  Order of the Black Knights 07 

Author: TJ Nichols

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel (200 pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (July 31, 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Blurb: Olivier Merlo works for a dangerous man. He does what he’s told without asking questions because he needs to protect his sister and niece. When someone gives his boss trouble, Olivier does what he does best. It’s a routine hit—until the victim’s brother starts poking around.

Cody Anders left his family behind a decade ago—along with their wealth and influence—to live on his own terms. Still, he knows his twin didn’t die of a drug overdose, and he’ll do anything to find the truth. What he uncovers is a conspiracy that will topple his family and leave him staring down the barrel of a gun.

Olivier must decide if he’s going to obey orders or free himself from the curse that has guided his hand for centuries. Cody, who challenges Olivier’s notion that no one can love him, holds the key to breaking his chains. But when the truth finally comes out, it might be more than Cody can accept.

ISBN-13: 978-1-63533-768-6

Product Link: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Reviewer: Shorty 

Review: This story did not have the same intensity as the previous books in the series to me but the never the less was just as good. Olivier’s nightmares were a glimpse into what has happened in the past though he does not know it. Cody was determined to find out what happened to his brother no matter what.

Olivier’s past and present story was heart-breaking. I admired how strong he was mentally to do what he has to do to survive for his family. 

I felt sorry for both Olivier and Cody as one was ready to walk into danger and the other wanted to protect him from his boss and father. There were a lot of players involved but I found some were not explained well enough to get a complete understanding of their role.

It was a great read that I enjoyed.

One Plus One by P.A. Friday Release Blast, Excerpt & Giveaway!

P.A. Friday - One Plus One RB Banner

Hi guys, we have P.A. Friday popping in today with her new release One Plus One, we have a great excerpt and a brilliant giveaway, so check out the post and click that giveaway link! ❤

P.A. Friday - One Plus One Cover

One Plus One

(Maths 02)
by

P.A. Friday

James Cape has been in love with his mother’s best friend Laurie since James was sixteen and Laurie an inaccessible twenty-six. When he’s turned down flat by the older man just after his nineteenth birthday, James’s best friend Al encourages him to forget Laurie and find someone else. And James tries, he really does. But can he cope with his feelings for Laurie, his best friend’s home-life problems, and the deteriorating health of his father, all at the same time? And will Laurie ever notice the young man who’s right in front of him?

NineStar Press | Amazon | Smashwords | B&N | Kobo

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