Blurb: The only way out of Pine Hollow was to mate the alpha who didn’t want him.
Adam knew bounty hunting in another pack’s territory had risks, but being at the end of a shotgun for a forced mating was not one he expected. At least it wasn’t permanent. Once he paid the promised cut of the bounty the leader of Pine Hollow would dissolve the mating. Adam just needed to keep his hands (and his teeth) away from the enticing omega.
Ricky knew nothing about the outside world, but he knew his days at Pine Hollow were numbered. The barren, widowed omega’s best chance for survival was to find a mate at Lone Wolves Ranch. Anyone would do. Anyone but the ornery wolf who bit him. Adam said he didn’t want a mate, so why was he acting like a knot-blocker?
The Shifter’s Shotgun Mating is the second book in the Lone Wolves Ranch series of slow-burn M/M shifter Mpreg stories. It can be read as a stand-alone though secondary character’s lives continue from The Cub Club.
Review: Adam is part of a bounty team of paranormal’s for hire. Adam is fierce and loves his job. He’s on a mission to take in Gus, a known murderer. When he travels through Pine Hollow the local alpha insist he take someone with them so they can collect some of the reward as well since they will be in their territory. Things go bad when that person, Rock is killed. Adam and a few of his crew are injured and the alpha of Pine Hollow insists that he mate Ricky, Rock’s widow until they catch Gus.
I understood Adam’s anger at being forced to mate against his will. I even understood his reservations about Ricky’s omega gifts. However I could not condone or understand his treatment of Ricky. He was downright mean to the man. It was not his fault they were mated. It was not his fault that Rock was killed and Adam had to pay the price.
I was glad Ricky got out of the situation with Pine Hollow. I genuinely felt his amazement at the world past Pine Hollow considering he never stepped foot outside their territory. It tickled me how Adam would get jealous at the other wolves around Ricky. it was just what he needed to see what was right in front of him and to stop fighting his feelings.
Fantastic read with plenty of laughs, romance and action.
Blurb: Luca McGrath may be returning to Napa Valley, California, as a promising chef with dreams of starting his own restaurant and winery, but his heart still lives with the bad-boy son of a billionaire, James Armstrong. Luca spent his childhood playing games with the golden boy of California society, so blinded by James he barely noticed the dark, quiet lure of his conservative older brother, Dylan Armstrong.
But now Luca’s home, and his own powers of attraction are enough to make James question his dedicated heterosexuality and his promised marriage to a wealthy and powerful businesswoman. The obvious attraction between Luca and James spurs Dylan into action—but he’s fighting a huge secret. While Luca dreamed of James, Dylan dreamed of Luca. When Luca gets caught in the struggle between the brothers and gets accused of culinary espionage he’s ready to chuck the fairy tale—unable to even imagine Dylan’s power to make his dreams come true.
Review: The Return of the Chauffeur’s Son is a standalone book by Tara Lain. Tara Lain is not an unknown author for me and I have enjoyed a number of her books and the writing style that she uses. In fact, I’ve actually heard the audio of this book but hadn’t yet read it until now. It’s sweet and charming and had me engrossed from start to finish. It’s one of those books that I think just about anyone could listen or read this book and enjoy their escape from reality.
The story starts with Luca McGrath finding his way home to California after some years away in college and then making his name as an up and coming chef. He was raised in Napa Valley by his father after the death of his mother. Luca grew up on the Armstrong winery estate where his father was the family chauffeur. The Armstrong family supported Luca and his father after the death of Luca’s mother, although he was a baby at the time. As a result, Luca grew up alongside Armstrong boys, more so James who is Luca’s best friend and Luca’s first crush..
Luca’s homecoming is joyous but things are complicated when it comes to the Armstrong brothers. While Luca has spent so many years of his life pining away for James, he begins to learn that that he entirely overlooked James’s much older brother, Dylan. Dylan is helping Luca with just about everything but doesn’t know how to communicate his feelings. He is the strong and stoic type and there is no end to his chivalry, with his need to protect his baby brother. While James is a playboy, who is now engaged and seems keen to now suddenly explore his sexuality. Dylan is frustrated because he is attracted to Luca, but his parents are dismissing James’ behaviour as James continued hero worship of his out and proud, gay older brother.
Luca and Dylan don’t know much about each other, that much is clear from the start. However, as they get to know each other there is a lot they have in common, including a passion for movies and once again they have startling similar tastes. It’s just another point that shows that there is more beneath the surface.
Overall, this is a fun, sweet and sexy novel that shows us that sometimes a HEA is right in front of us and with the person least expected.
Blurb:Reeling from the painful rejection of a man he thought he loved, Asher is left holding the baby.
Ash wants a family, and is determined to continue with a surrogacy he’d begun with his ex. Bringing baby Mia home, he vows that he will be the best father he can be. Nothing in this world matters more to him than caring for his daughter, not even accidentally falling in lust with the doctor next door. Challenged by his growing attraction to Sean, and confronted by painful mem-ories of his family, Ash has to learn that love is all that matters.
When ER doctor Sean moves in with his friends next door to sexy, single-father Ash, he falls so quickly it takes his breath away. The sex they have is hot, but Ash is adamant his heart is too full with love for his daughter to let anyone else in. Why is Sean the only one who sees how scared Ash is, and how can he prove to his new lover that he desperately wants the three of them to become a family?
Review: Single is the first book in RJ Scott’s Single Dads series, which its pretty easy by the end of this book to see that this is following smoking hot first responders in their quest for love.
RJ Scott isn’t an unknown author to me, I’ve recently become reacquainted with her writing through hockey romances, so Single is a bit of a change of pace for me. I’ve read the book before, but I was keen to listen to the audio. I love that this is a super sweet romance that just me so many warm feelings with main characters that felt so real, so I wanted to get the audio experience too.
The narration of the story is performed by Sean Crisden. I’ve not heard of anything narrated by Crisden in what feels like a long time, so while I knew that I had enjoyed his performances in the past I couldn’t remember why. Crisden does an excellent job, and in fact his performance allowed me to enjoy Single in audio format more than I had by simply reading it. He a gentleness to his tone that suits the paternal side that comes out in Ash’s character, as well as the caring and compassionate side that comes from Sean (the character, not the narrator himself).
If you’re into hot men with babies, which is certainly a draw for many readers of romance, then this is the book (and audio book) for you.
The story is about Ash and Sean. Ash is the single dad of the story. He’s wanted children for so long and had started investigating surrogacy with his ex. When his ex leaves just as the surrogate got pregnant, Ash is left on his own. It was not a rosy picture to begin with. Ash had so much support from his twin sister after his daughter had been born, but he now he had to get back into his own home and start a routine for him and Mia. He’s stressed and sleep deprived, and so when one night he has his new, albeit drunken, neighbour banging on his front door one night when he finally got Mia to sleep, Ash is pissed off.
That drunken neighbour was one of the three very single men who moved next door, who Ash hasn’t met at all yet. His friends wrangle him after it was clear that the he stumbled to Ash’s place because the homes look so alike. This is how he meets the other two neighbours, but it’s Sean who is immediately captured by his new neighbour.
Sean is an ER doctor, not the most glamourous of first responders, but he is a doctor, and in romances where all us fickle people swoon over certain types, a doctor is certainly up there. Sean is instantly attracted to Ash, but is going to have a difficult time to make it through the man’s defences. First because of the awkward introduction to each other, and then later because Ash is completely stressed out trying to be the best dad in the world.
And while love isn’t instantaneous, these guys slowly get to know each other, which Mia in the mix. That is what I liked the most, this wasn’t an instant happy family. They had a simmering chemistry that complimented the overall tone of the book and the characters that I really liked. It is sweet and gentle, but there is depth to the characters and some depth to their emotions (although not as much as I would want of the latter).
This was a wonderful story and the ending hints to us about book 2, which I’m totally excited for.
Blurb: What would you do if your adopted son shifted into a wolf cub before your eyes?
For single dad Steven the choice was simple – find the boy’s family and hope they had the answers.
As the alpha of Lone Wolves Ranch, Mack trusted in humans as much as he trusted in love. Not at all. But he had a soft spot for the brave human searching for his son’s relatives. When he discovers Steven is his fated mate, he’s stuck between a soft spot and a hard place.
The Cub Club is a gay wolf shifter romance containing Mpreg and knotting. A complete 65,000-word novel – no cliffhanger!
Steven’s husband had came across an infant and his dead mother, brought the child home, fought to keep him and raise him. They were a happy family until Steven’s husband passed away in an accident. Now thirteen years later Steven is in for one more big shock. His son has changed into a wolf cub. He needs to find his son’s birth family to find out what to do.
Humans have never been trusted nor allowed on the ranch. So when Steven showed up asking for help, Mack is tempted to run him off. That is until he realizes that the man is telling the truth. Then he realizes that Steven is also a wolf that can’t change, a recessive.
This story started off with what I had assumed would be an excellent story. However the alpha of the pack couldn’t stop lying to save his life, hid quite a bit and just made a mess of things. There was little to no heat between them both, however the author paired them up. The sex between them was suppose to be hot but it came off dull and dry. The knotting was the only thing exciting and even then it fell in delivery. It was hard to connect with any of them. Even the son’s reaction to his own father was wrong. There was little humor in it which to me makes a story pop out to me, but nope very little.
You don’t really get the recessive definition until a bit later in the story. However it is well written but didn’t stand out to me. The characters also fell a bit flat. Then there was Mack’s grandmother, she pretty much gave me the creeps through out. Also you get the title, Cub Club, but you don’t see it until almost the end of the story and even then you only see the guys for a few pages. Steven’s husband dies in an accident but you find a different solution later on, but just a mere mention of it. This story just left a lot of questions and very little answers. I did like Steven more than anyone else.
This is the first book by this author and while the story had a great promise, it failed to deliver. To much detail for a story when most could have been left out, mainly the ex. So I am sorry to say that this story was not for me.
Shorty’s Review 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts:
Steven gets the shock of his life one day when his adopted son Peter shifts into a wolf. Not one to back down from a challenge Seven goes to the Lone Wolves Ranch for help where he meets Mack. Mack the alpha of the Lone Wolves Ranch assumes Steven is there to unload Peter on them. He is proven wrong by Stevens fierce determination to be thee for his son.
I liked the story. I thought it was great Steven was no pushover. I did not understand Mack’s need to lie to Steven. He should have explained everything upfront. Mack’s ex was a piece of work who I was surprised the pack let back in for a short tie given all that happened in the past.
All in all it was an intriguing story with humor, some angst, action and a whole lot of twists and turns with enjoyable characters that made for an amazing start to the series. I am looking forward to getting to know the lone wolves ranch pack better with each book that comes out. Fantastic read.
Blurb: Hunter always expected to be the next Alpha of the Rolling Hills Pack until he had to walk away, leaving behind his dream, forced to build a new life for himself and his brothers. Arriving with them to visit his cousins at the Blackwood Pack, he never expects to find his mate there, but when he catches his scent, it’s impossible for him to concentrate on anything else, including a secret he has that will change his cousins’ lives.
From the moment Hunter meets Jackson, tempers flare between the two Alphas as their anger builds about secrets both are keeping. Their distrust of each other grows yet they must struggle to find common ground due to their mutual responsibilities toward Hunter’s mate.
Fionn, a rare white dragon, has fought hard for his independence, believing it will protect him from relatives who want to seize his hoard. As a recent member of the Blackwood Pack, he looks forward to sharing the future with his new family. That is, until he realizes he has a mate. Needing time to sort out his feelings, he flees to his hoard, hiding from Hunter who impatiently waits for him.
Together, Fionn and Hunter must put aside past hurts and disappointments as they try to forge a new world for themselves while facing a dangerous threat to Fionn…and to the rest of the Blackwood Pack.
Review: Each book in the Blackwood Pack collection features a new romantic couple. To enjoy the overall story arc I would suggest reading them in sequential order.
Hunter’s mother trusted him with her visions right before she passed on. His aunt had shown up in bad shape a few years before but now she was dying. Her family, she believed had been killed. He was to take her to her son’s. He had not expected the shock of what was going to happen nor the shock of finding his mate.
Fionn is a very rare dragon, so rare only one is born at a time. He was a white dragon gifted from the gods. He was also only eighteen and had not been free from his father’s evilness for very long. Now he has found his mate. To top it off danger is coming their way.
This is one of those stories that need to be read back to back and in order. It gets pretty jumbled with all the characters and their story mixed in. I felt like I had been missing quite a bit when I first started reading the story. It is also a very long winded story that made it even more confusing then ever. It is a very entertaining and interesting story however and did manage to keep my attention. I can admit though I have no clue in what direction the story is headed. The characters were not a big hit with me but their shifter animals were. I just couldn’t figure out whether or not I liked them.
I will admit though I didn’t much care for the cover. It did not show any connection at all with the characters just a sex appeal. I didn’t really think about reading it due to the fact of the cover. However that is on me. I will also admit that it took a while for me to be in the story to even remember the previous ones.
Over all the story was interesting and the world was quite unique. I enjoyed the story and can’t wait to see where it goes.
Blurb: It only takes a few days for Ollie D’Angelo to lose his boyfriend, his job, and his home. Instead of mourning what he doesn’t have, Ollie celebrates what he does: the freedom to pursue his real passion—cooking. He begins Dinner at Home, a home-catering business, and it takes off.
Late one night, Ollie catches Hank Mellinger, a streetwise hood down on his luck, about to rob his car. Ollie soon discovers that appearances aren’t necessarily what they seem. Hank isn’t a criminal caught red-handed, but a hungry young man trying to make a life for himself and the four-year-old niece he’s trying desperately to take care of.
Instead of calling the cops, Ollie offers Hank a job and a way to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Together, they discover they can really cook… and that their shared passion for food just might lead to a passion for each other.
Review: Ollie wakes up one weekend thinking everything is perfect, he has a loving boyfriend, a wonderful home and a great job and then reality strikes as his boyfriend dumps him, he has to find a new place to live and he gets laid off from work. Ollie moves his focus to his freedom to do what he now wants: cooking. Hank fell in with drugs but after a stint in jail is trying to get back on his feet, when he finds himself having to take care of his niece, Addison, it becomes a struggle just to earn enough to buy food. Starving he goes looking for some quick cash but is surprised and ends up finding his saviour, Ollie, who offers him a job and a safe environment for his niece. Both Ollie and Hank discovered more on that dark night, they discover a shared passion for food and each other.
This is an amazing story of a man with a huge heart who, instead of wallowing in self-pity, embraced the opportunity to change his life and invited others to do the same. Ollie is an incredible character, he suffered the blow of being dumped by his boyfriend followed quickly by losing his job and he began to move forward with his life instead of stewing on what had happened. Hank is, amazingly, a character that you come to admire; he dabbled with drugs but cleaned himself up and genuinely wants to make something of his life and he keeps trying no matter what obstacles are thrown in his way. They might both come from different walks of life but their core is very similar, a love of food and the need to help and share with others.
While it might seem that food has a lot to do with this story (just wait till you get a load of the amazing recipes at the beginning of some chapters) it’s the love and comfort that is represented by the food that really shines through, a quite meal for two in the comfort of their own home, a lonely man needing a meal for one and a bit of company or even a family meal where the entire family attends and can relax, and for Ollie and Hank it’s the comfort of working together to make those meals that draw them together. It isn’t a rushed ‘oh my god he’s hot, lets jump into bed’ relationship, it’s one that is built up between them without them really realizing it and which is pushed into the forefront of their minds by a sudden burst of jealousy.
The entire story is wonderful; you have Hank and Ollie building a family unit with Addison and Rosa (another young person in need), then you have the sudden loss of a member which rocks the boat and nearly tears them all apart but they work to accept the changes. Hank and Ollie are beautiful together, they make a great couple for all that they seem so different and their love will get them through anything that life might throw at them.
I recommend this to those who love stories of dragging yourself up from the cesspit and making a new life for yourself, who love men with huge hearts who will hold a hand out and offer help, finding love when you least expect it, building your own family to love and getting your happy ever after through sheer hard work.
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc. (October 22,2019)
Length: Novella (98pgs)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts
Blurb: Deer shifter Leon Kinney’s first day at C.L.A.W. sees him thrown into the deep end when he catches the attention of tiger shifter, and assassin, Alistair Byrne. When one of Alistair’s colleagues tries to kill him, revealing himself to be a member of the terrorist organisation known as Pan, it’s Leon’s help he needs.
Leon knew his life would change when he left his old job working for a technology company, but he hadn’t anticipated just how much. He finds himself jetting off to Cuba to go undercover in the house of a drug lord where the only person he can trust is the assassin assigned to protect him.
Falling in love with a killer while pretending to be someone else, being held hostage, and having guns pointed at him way too often wasn’t the way Leon had imagined his life going, but as he was quickly learning, maybe he didn’t know himself as well as he thought.
Review: He had been working a normal job that wasn’t exciting but had what a normal person would need. That is until he was recruited by an organization that included excitement, adventure and danger, for those who were working on the outside. Leon was working as a collection and helped spy’s land on their feet. That was what he thought but on his first day he ended up helping one blow up a tank, and his life got stranger after that. Which considering he was a deer shifter was saying something.
Alistair was not only a spy but an assassin. One assignment that was suppose to be easy turned deadly, a tank was shooting at him. He needed help but the one on the other line was not who he expected. A tiger shifter who had a rough life until he had been taken in by a bear shifter, his job was what one would expected. Now with the help of a sexy little deer shifter they might just get out of this alive.
I came across this author quite some time ago and have always been fascinated by the worlds she has created. So when this series came out I knew I had to get my hands on it. I love paranormal’s that have a bit of suspense, danger, excitement and sexy ass spies in them. This gave me that and so much more. A tiger and a deer are an interesting combination. It caught my attention from the start and kept it till the very end.
I can guarantee that this is one of those stories that will be read many times over. I had a blast reading it and can’t wait to get my hands on the next story.
Blurb: Spaceships, daring heists, and interstellar intrigue.
Since murderous AIs drove humanity from Earth more than a century before, people have been rebuilding civilization. That doesn’t mean the galaxy is anywhere close to being civilized.
A liar and a scoundrel – and he’s the good guy.
The thing that Captain Sebastian Garcia values most of all is his ship, The Wayward Prince, and like most of his possessions, it’s something that he stole. Now the ship’s original owner has found Sebastian and he’s looking to collect what he’s owed.
When you want something stolen, call a professional.
Ren is someone Sebastian never expected to see again, and the one he never could forget. But Ren’s not offering forgiveness. Unless Sebastian can pull off an impossible heist on a distant planet he’ll lose everything – including a second chance with the man he once betrayed and still cares for.
Review: I really liked the MC’s, Sebastian and Ren, in this story. They are well matched yet different at the same time. The whole book had me hooked from start to finish as we travelled along with the crew as they traversed through dangerous situations and some intense scenes as well.
I liked that even though these two MC’s backstory together was messy it was not as drawn out as I thought it would have been. This was a fascinating tale with plenty of intrigue to keep the readers attention. I found myself immersed in the story quickly.
Ren enlists Sebastian and his crew to find a gem that was stolen from his planet. In return he will remove the bounty on Sebastian and the ship as well as give them credits. Sebastian agrees to help but things are not as they seem when they get going.
Blurb: To certain humans, the city is a place riddled with vampires. Cameron Jameson, a lover of art, ventures out of his rural hometown to see the work of his favorite painter in person. There, he meets Duncan Marlow, a persistent vampire. During their spark, an enemy throws Cameron into a new vampire world unknown to him with Duncan.
Duncan Marlow is new to dating a human. Is the vampire world too much for his human partner? A family secret takes Cameron by surprise and Duncan has to find a way to help him adapt. His intentions to keep Cameron away from danger are to no avail.
A fatal accident turns Cameron’s life around. While all expected it to be that simple, it turns out to be much more than ever imagined for them. His new-found existence creates surprise and fear in others during the test-run of his abilities.
Review: His Turn is a standalone paranormal romance by Elsa Aarden. Aarden is not an author that I’m super familiar with – I’ve come across her name a number of times while perusing the Siren website, and I’ve a couple of books in the past. However, this is not an author that I am invested in, to the point that I must read every book. That’s not to saying anything bad about the author or the writing style, I have enjoyed each book I’ve read by Aarden, but there are just so many book and authors that this did not tip to become on my very long must read authors list.
The story starts with Cameron Jameson. He’s a fairly ordinary human who lives with his very human family in a rural town. There seems to be a lot of fear and distrust when it comes to vampires from his people. The big, bad vampires all seem to populate the big, bad city. But being that Cameron loves art, there isn’t much he can do in his small town or farm, so when his favourite artist makes an appearance at an art gallery in the city, Cameron makes the drive. It is at the gallery, that not only does Cameron get to meet his idol, but he also meets Duncan Marlow, a vampire.
Duncan seems to be everything fearful that Cameron has heard about vampire, yet at the same time there is some inexplicable link between the two of them. However, Cameron is uncertain, and rather than push and become too aggressive, Duncan is ready to take things slow. However, there is as much darkness in the world of vampires that Cameron fears. Duncan will do anything to help and protect Cameron.
Cameron and Duncan have a great connection. There is sexual tension from the moment they meet, and while there is kindness and romance, there is also harshness and danger when Cameron must see and become a part of Duncan world, ultimately facing his fears. What I really like the most about Duncan is that while he can be a “brutal vampire” and is partly why he has survived for so long and has become so successful. While the story didn’t grab me and enchant me as much as I would have liked it was these elements that allowed me to enjoy the book.
His Turn is a pretty good, solid romance that wonderfully captures the danger and uncertainty that comes with the world of vampires along with the hot attraction between the main characters. If you’re into paranormal or vampire romances, I reckon it’s worth giving it a go.
Hi guys! We have Anna Butler stopping by today with the tour for her new release the Taking Shield Box Set, we have a a fantastic guest post, a great excerpt, Shorty’s review and a brilliant $20 Amazon GC giveaway so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
Taking Shield Box Set
by
Anna Butler
Hate buying books in a series until the whole thing is done? Then check out the Rainbow Award-winning Taking Shield series, just released as an e-book boxed set. Not only do you get the entire series, there’s a very nice saving on the cost of the individual books! Anna’s dropped in today to tell us more.
About Taking Shield
Earth’s a dead planet, dark for thousands of years; lost for so long no one even knows where the solar system is. Her last known colony, Albion, has grown to be regional galactic power in its own right. But its drive to expand and found colonies of its own has threatened an alien race, the Maess, against whom Albion is now fighting a last-ditch battle for survival in a war that’s dragged on for generations.
Taking Shield charts the missions and adventures of Shield Captain Bennet, scion of a prominent military family. Bennet, also an analyst with the Military Strategy Unit, uncovers crucial data about the Maess to help with the war effort. Against the demands of his family’s ‘triple goddess’ of Duty, Honour and Service, is set Bennet’s relationships with lovers and family—his difficult relationship with his long term partner, Joss; his estrangement from his father, Caeden, the commander of Fleet’s First Flotilla; and Fleet Lieutenant Flynn, who, over the course of the series, develops into Bennet’s main love interest.
Over the Taking Shield arc, Bennet will see the extremes to which humanity’s enemies, and his own people, will go to win the war. Some days he isn’t able to tell friend from foe. Some days he doubts everything, including himself, as he strives to ensure Albion’s victory. And some days he isn’t sure, any longer, what victory looks like.
Hi guys! We have Ardy Kelly popping in today with her new release The Shifter’s Shotgun Mating, we have a brilliant guest post, a great excerpt, a fantastic $20 Amazon GC giveaway and Shorty’s review, so check out the post and enter the giveaway! ❤️ ~Pixie~
The Shifter’s Shotgun Mating
(Lone Wolves Ranch 02)
by
Ardy Kelly
A bad bargain.
A botched bounty.
A binding bite.
Adam knew bounty hunting in another pack’s territory had risks, but being at the end of a shotgun for a forced mating was not one he expected. At least it wasn’t permanent. Once he paid the promised cut of the bounty the leader of Pine Hollow would dissolve the mating. Adam just needed to keep his hands (and his teeth) away from the enticing omega.
Ricky knew nothing about the outside world, but he knew his days at Pine Hollow were numbered. The barren, widowed omega’s best chance for survival was to find a mate at Lone Wolves Ranch. Anyone would do. Anyone but the ornery wolf who bit him. Adam said he didn’t want a mate, so why was he acting like a knot-blocker?
The Shifter’s Shotgun Mating is the second book in the Lone Wolves Ranch series. It can be read as a stand-alone though secondary character’s lives continue from The Cub Club.
Devastated by the death of his best friend, Zio is a soldier with one thing on his mind: revenge. Consumed by a conflict that’s raged as long as he’s been alive, he’s had little time or inclination to learn the legends of the shifter world he was raised in. And he certainly doesn’t have time to deal with a shifter of a different kind, even if it’s for the good of the war effort. For the good of his pack. The fact that he’s already crossed paths with the new face in his unit is almost irrelevant.
Almost.
Do no harm. Give life not death: it’s the oath Devan was reborn to live by, so when he’s sent abroad to embed with a wolf pack as their resident healer, he doesn’t hesitate. In the supernatural world, some bonds are instant—soldiers become brothers, pack become family. But others run deeper and before long, Devan’s at the mercy of instincts he can’t control.
Zio’s inner wolf is desperate to be with Devan, while Devan struggles to keep the pack safe. But as the war escalates, and new love is tainted by anguish and pain, the battles within might prove the toughest of them all.
Review: Fated Hearts is a paranormal romance by Garrett Leigh. It’s part of the world of Leigh’s now unavailable book Shadow Bound, however, since I’ve not read Shadow Bound I can happily say that it is easily a standalone novel.
I was looking forward to this one, because I do enjoy Garrett Leigh and love their writing style and how it benefits character development. But this is the second of Leigh’s books that has stepped outside of the comfort zone of what I’ve become accustomed to, particularly through Dreamspin Desires house line. But it’s worth it, totally, for me and will definitely make me more open in the future for anything by Leigh that may appear a little more different than I am now used to.
Fated Hearts is a story that starts in darkness, despair and revenge, but it’s only when the romance and “Fated” part comes along that the hope and lightness enters the story and therefore transforming the life of the main characters.
The world that we are placed in shows shifters and humans co-existing to a certain extent, although shifter packs appear to isolate themselves. There is trouble brewing in the shifter world. With packs seeking power and control, the wolf packs are on the verge of war.
Zio, lost his best friend who was also the pack healer in an attack. His grief is overwhelming, something that feels so palpable while reading about it. His control is not the best either. However, his pack needs a healer and his alpha must outsource to a group who are neutral in the struggle for power. Zio is drawn to Devan from the start, but of course there is a lot of fear and uncertainty gnawing at him and fighting the attraction.
Devan is a healer who has led a rather sheltered existence. When he was asked by his leader to move to a wolf pack in Northern England to replace their healer who been healed, Devan accepts his duty without problem. Like Zio, Devan is drawn to the wolf shifter when they first meet. But Devan sees the hurt and pain. So while these guys have a great attraction and chemistry, the start of their relationship is rocky, to say the least.
Politics also plays a role and continues to force the potential mates apart, creating a load of grief for both Devan and Zio. I really loved how I was able to connect to Zio and Devan. Despite the whole “fate” thing, they struggle with their feelings making them seem more relatable and making their attraction stronger and more believable. This is a rather gritty book, it is definitely not a fluffy shapeshifter romance, but it has a lot of heart, action and a definite sense of danger.
I recommend this to anyone that likes a darker type of paranormal romance, as well as action.
Blurb: Aramin Decourcey—Min to his few friends—might be the best thief in Amberwich, and he might have a secret that helps him survive the cutthroat world of aristocratic families and their powerful magic users, but he does have one weakness: his affection for his adopted nephew, Harry.
When the formidable Sabadine family curses Harry, Min must accept a suicide mission to save his life: retrieve Kazimir Stone, a low-level Sabadine hedgewitch who refuses to come home after completing his apprenticeship… and who is in Anhaga, a seaside village under the control of the terrifying Hidden Lord of the fae. If that wasn’t enough, Kaz is far from the simple hedgewitch he seems.
With the Sabadines on one side and the fae on the other, Min doesn’t have time to deal with a crisis of conscience—or the growing attraction between him and Kaz. He needs to get Kaz back to Amberwich and get Harry’s curse lifted before it kills him. Saving Harry means handing Kaz over to his ruthless family. Saving Kaz means letting Harry die. Min might pride himself on his cleverness, but he can’t see his way out of this one.
The Hidden Lord might see that he never gets the choice.
Review: Oh my word this was such a great story. You have Min whose a thief sent on a mission to retrieve Kaz from Anhaga. Not all is as it seems and soon secrets come to light about who exactly Kaz is but the biggest bombshell comes near the end.
I hated Kaz’s grandfather. He was a disgusting piece of crap that I so wanted to hurt. His forcing his son to marry his nephew was beyond words. I loved that despite Min guarding his feelings he went and tried to rescue Kaz after he returned him.
This was such a magical journey with plenty of tense situations and action. The chemistry between Kaz and Min was off the charts. Kaz’s abilities took me by surprise as well his other surprises.
Well written and brilliantly told this story captivates you from start to finish as it weaves it’s spell around you.
Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand, Inc. (August 22,2019)
Length: Novella (116 Pages)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Heart
Blurb: Enforcer Jeb Taylor found his mate in bear shifter Erik Thomas. He couldn’t be happier. The man was sexy, smart, and funny. He wasn’t happy that someone seemed intent on taking Erik from him. Helping his alpha establish a new clan wasn’t easy, but losing his mate would be impossible.
Erik Thomas’s life was one big roller coaster ride. He went from traveling home from seeing friends to being kidnapped to being rescued by the sexiest bear he’d ever seen. He’d get off the wild ride except that might mean giving up the best thing that ever happened to him.
When trouble comes at them from every direction, they have to learn to rely on each other and those around them to survive what might be someone’s bid to take over the clan.
Review: Jeb’s best friend had found his mate and his mate was an omega, which in turn made Rob an alpha. Two alpha’s can not stay in the same pack so Rob and his mate left the clan but not alone. So when Rob took over the new clan it was full of crafty asshats who thought they could have the clan and sell people. When one of the men ran he had a small accident and Jeb rescued his ass. To Jeb’s surprise the little guy was his mate.
Erik had went on a small vacation, ended up kidnapped to be sold, ran and help his friends escape. Then he had to just step on a bear trap, nothing was going his way. To his surprise a sexy bear shifter saved his ass. A sexy bear who just so happened to be his mate. To bad trouble seemed to follow him.
As always Stormy has written a book that kept me on my toes. I absolutely loved the characters and their story. Bear shifters are one of my top favorites and this just gave it to me. It was well written and was full of action. Although the only thing I found weird is the fact that his ankle was injured, could not shift into his bear but Erik was running after another before he could even shift. Other than that it was an explosive read.
I had a blast reading this and can admit that it will be one of those stories that will be read many times over. I can’t wait to see what the next story will have going on.
Blurb: Drill Sergeant Clay Norris has his military life running right on schedule. Career focused he appreciates that he joined up when his sexuality is at least acknowledged under Don’t Ask, Don’t tell, even if he doesn’t get to act on his urges as much as he likes.
In formation with his new trainee group he locks eyes with Chevrolet Banks and his life, their lives, are changed forever.
Dog Tagged is an insta love military romance based on real life incidents.
Review: Clay has his world turned upside down when he sets eyes on Chevy, for the first time he’s met someone who consumes his thoughts but they are both in the Army during the time of DADT and Clay has some hard choices to make when he is confronted by his commanding officer.
I loved this story, absolutely loved it. James Brock has written a realistic hard story about life in a military under DADT, it’s not sugar-coated and it’s not a gentle romance, it’s a story written with truth in every line.
The story is all from Clay’s POV, his thoughts, his feelings and his wants. We don’t really get a chance to know Chevy, only what Clay discovers about Chevy. Both characters are wonderful though and Evan, who becomes Clay’s best friend, is a fantastic character.
There is a hell of a lot of military detail in this story which I just adored, you get fully immersed in the life of Clay because of this and understand the pressure that these guys are under to keep their feelings to themselves. And while you do wish that Clay could have fought against his commanding officers actions you know that if he did then the story would have finished just as it was getting started.
For the length of this book there is a lot that goes on, homophobia, near death experiences, break ups, going wild on the town, capture, rescue, and make ups. I also want to say a thank you to James Brock for not having his MC’s be unrealistic heroic Marines or Special Forces, which many military stories focus on, as this gives us a chance to get a realistic view of normal grunts moving up the ranks.
Readers if you are looking for a sweet soft military romance then this isn’t for you because this story might have insta love but it isn’t an easy ride, and there are other men being sexed up by Clay (but no cheating).
I recommend this to those who love military stories which are immersed in military life, who love stories of hope, great friendships and an eventual happy endings.
Blurb: What the hell do you do when life changes on a dime without warning?
Ryder Freeman- His job is to keep Harrison safe from a stalker and one step ahead of the paparazzi. That’s it! The hotter than hell young billionaire is forbidden fruit and crossing that line is not an option. So, why is it that when bullets start flying, Ryder makes an executive decision to take his client away to the Freeman family cabin?
Harrison Trudel- His father’s last will and testament doesn’t mention a shot gun wedding, but it might as well have with its crazy stipulations! With his safety at risk and a company to run, he caves when his uncle brings in outside help in the form of a hot and sexy bodyguard. One who just happens to tick all of his boxes! Enter a picturesque cabin by a lake and all bets are off as far as Harrison is concerned.
Resolve gets tested… Lines get blurred… And suddenly anything seems possible.
Only there’s one problem, the stalker isn’t finished. Can Ryder and Harrison stay one step ahead of a killer bent on permanently removing Ryder out of his way?
Review: Harrison was in a pickle. His father was as crazy as one could think. He was killed in an explosion not to long ago and left his son the company he created, on one condition. He was to marry before the year was up or the company was sold to the people. His uncle wanted to bring in a bodyguard but he wasn’t having it. That was until he was attacked.
Ryder didn’t hate rich men but he certainly put them all in one list. He had been married to one and now divorced, so he was a bit single minded. Now his boss and friend wanted him to guard one. However he had not expect Harrison to be what he was. A sweet and sexy man with a heart of gold.
While it is an action packed story with a few twists to it, the characters were to easy. It gave you two guys who could be the one behind it and lets face it, many would have figured it out right from the start. So there was no surprise to it. The romance was a slow burn and lets face it the guys were hot. However the connection one feels when two meet was not really all that hot. It left something out for me. The guys were a bit on the boring and gave the exact responses one would expect. No surprise there with them. Ryder wasn’t the bodyguard I expected, he was a bit to loose in it. I was a bit disappointed in them.
Overall I did enjoy the story and hope the second book is harder to figure out who the bad guy is. I want more of a mystery to a mystery.
Blurb: Teenage grim reapers Max and Kody are already dealing with being dead… and now they’re expected to save the world.
With the help of their guardian angel, Slade, and each other, Max and Kody have finally discovered the destiny God planned for them—help the lost souls languishing in purgatory back to heaven. But they’re still growing into their roles. Kody, the Healer, struggles to understand the power born of his empathy, and Max’s abilities as Protector suffer because of longing for his best friend… along with Slade’s dire prediction that Max will lose Kody. So many are depending on them, and they’ll have to summon all the love and faith inside them to face a mass school shooting and bring love and hope to those who need it most.
Review: Max and Kody will have to face their fears and overcome them to help the lost souls they are destined to help. The path is not easy as both struggle individually. I liked the story but at times I felt it was repetitious especially when explaining the crossing over aspect. I loved how Kody and Max grew as a couple and truly learned how to use their powers in unison.
Max struggles with the absence of his best friend and the thought of losing Kody. Kody struggles with his fear of the shades. Together with help from Slade and their friends they discover love is greater than any fear they could have. They grow closer as the story progresses.
An enjoyable read about reapers and those they are tasked with helping.
Blurb: When Donnie met Will, it looked like the recipe for true love. But Happy Ever After took just a bit more work.
Donnie’s new romance with silver fox veterinarian Will looks like a real recipe for love. But first he has to deal with the problems of his job, his friends’ demands, and worries about Will’s privileged background. To say nothing of Donnie’s thwarted dreams of a catering career—and baking something that doesn’t come out a disaster.
Will is fascinated and entranced by Donnie. A mature, professional businessman, he’s far less confident in romance—and in the bedroom. Yet his eagerness to look after Donnie and show him a better life are misguided, and have a disastrous effect of their own.
Donnie is everyone’s friend. He’ll help anyone out. But who’s there to help him when he needs it?
Review: Zest is a spin-off/sequel to Claire London’s Easter holiday novella, The Accidental Baker. I strongly recommend that you read the novella before starting this one, because this romance follows a couple who started their story in that story. While this is longer than the novella that introduced us to the world of Donnie and Will, this is everything that I had hoped for in terms of getting a cute and sweet romance.
Donnie and Will are great characters. They are down to earth and totally relatable. This was the reason why I really liked them in The Accidental Baker and was more than happy to see that their story continued. I hope that the other couples from The Accidental Baker get the same treatment as Donnie and Will because I really enjoyed getting to know them better. While they got together easy enough in The Accident Baker they now need to work on their actual relationship to make it a proper HEA.
Will, who recently moved to town to take over the veterinarian clinic close to Donnie’s place, is enchanted by the younger man. But despite being described as a silver fox – and is everything that a gentleman should be – he struggles with allowing himself to feel the happiness that comes with intimacy. He’s not inexperienced, just unsure. Donnie is a guy with a heart of gold, the type that would give someone the shirt on his back if he had to. But he is very much the opposite to Will and so at first it seems like their romance is impossible. It all boils down to this, Will needs to find confidence in love and Donnie needs to find confidence in himself before it’s too late for them as a couple.
This is all about the sweetness, that it could turn anyone diabetic if it were food. I’m trying to think of other words than cute and sweet to describe this, and I think that gentle romance is also a fitting description.
I recommend this one to people that enjoy a light-hearted romance, low on angst and just makes your heart happy.
Blurb: Quintus Furius Varus is one of the best lanistas in Rome. Tall and strong in build, fearsome in manner, and sharp of wit, he trains the best gladiators bound for the arenas of Rome. When Senator Servius Augendus seeks personal guards, he attends the Ludus Varus for purchase of the very best. He puts to Quintus an offer he cannot refuse, and Quintus finds himself in Nea-polis, contracted as a trainer of guards instead of gladiators.
Kaeso Agorix was taken from his homelands of Iberia and delivered to Rome as a slave. Bought by a senator to be trained as a guard, his fate is handed to the man who would train him. Absent free will, Kaeso knows his life is no longer his own, though he soon realizes the gods have fa-vored him when he learns his new master has a kind heart.
Quintus and Kaeso forge a bond that far exceeds the collar at Kaeso’s neck, and together, they discover the senator’s move for promotion has an ulterior motive. Thrown into a world of politics and conspiracy, of keeping enemies close, they move against time to save Rome before traitors and the gods themselves see to their end.
And in doing so, see the dawn of the nova praetorian – the new guard – rise.
Review: Nova Praetorian is a standalone historical romance by NR Walker. I am somewhat familiar with NR Walker’s previous work, and while I recall enjoying the books, I’m fairly certain that this is the first historical book I’ve read (or rather, heard) by Walker.
I have a complicated view on historical MM romances. I’ll be up front. In the world of MF romances, historical romances are the only ones I really like to read. So, I’m already inclined to like MM romances. However, because of historical views of homosexuality I find some difficult to read and that just means I really need to be in the mood for an MM historical romance.
Now, this leads me to an equally complicated view on Roman historical romances. Because let’s face it, there are a lot of such romances that are set somewhere close to Pompei on Volcano Day. And part of me finds that a tad bit tedious. Yet, with Ancient Romans (as well as the Ancient Greek) were a much more accepting society when it came to homosexuality… and so my mixed feelings continue.
But as soon as I started Nova Praetorian I was completely blown away.
This is a story that has it all. Political intrigue, power plays, gladiatorial fights, a couple with an intense attraction and loads of sexual tension, that also demonstrates the diversity of the Roman Empire. There is a lot of development as we get to know the characters and their motivations, but there is also a great rhythm throughout the story which weaves together political games, action/fighting scenes, wonderful romance between the two MCs and some great sex scenes too.
The story opens with Quintus Furius Varus, he owns a gladiatorial school which had been passed down from his grandfather and father before him, and is well renowned for training some of the most fierce and strongest gladiators, both male and female. He has interesting back story, where he lost his parents but was raised by two house slaves who kept the gladiatorial school going through Quintus’s childhood. However, now as an adult, his reputation has garnered the attention of a powerful senator that wants Quintus himself to train the senator’s own guard as the man makes a play to gain more political power.
This is how Quintus meets Kaeso. Kaeso was taken from his homeland of Ibera (comprising parts of modern day Spain and Portugal for those playing at home) by the Romans when they had come to his villages and destroyed everything, as well as killing his beloved family. Kaeso arrives in what is near modern-day Naples defiant. However, with the fear and heartache that had brought him to Rome against his will, he discovers he is given to a man who is nothing but kindness, even to slaves. The two men become close, although Quintus is insists on being noble and not taking advantage of Kaeso.
The men have to battle their feelings for each other, the physical attraction, as well as watching every step they take as the senator brings danger and intrigue. They even find themselves in the orbit of the Roman Emperor himself. I really loved – and was really relieved – when I got to read a really nice HEA because it was one well deserved for both Quintus and Kaeso.
The narration of this story was performed by Joel Leslie. I suppose like television, even ancient people tend to have a British accent (or something similar to one) in audio books. But that is not a bad thing. Leslie’s narration is a wonderful performances that keeps the momentum of the story going strong. He managed to nail the pronunciation of so many Latin words and keep it even throughout the course of the book. I also love the voice he gave Quintus and Kaeso, in particular I loved his portrayal of Kaeso. A totally wonderful performance that brings so much more life to the book.
Amazing story. If you’re a person who is unsure about historical romances, I recommend this one as an a good example of a thoroughly well written and well performed story.
Blurb: Zeus loves his job on the Mad Creek Search & Rescue team, and his inner Saint Bernard is finally being used to his full potential. When he sees a mysterious and wild-looking quickened—a dog shifter—at an earthquake site in Alaska, Zeus is compelled to investigate. Zeus falls hard for the primal beauty of Timo and of Alaska itself. Both call to his deep canine soul. But the Qimmig pack’s laws are as harsh as the Alaskan winters, and Timo is out of his reach.Timo’s pack of dog shifters left their Inuit village generations ago and have lived wild ever since. Not trusting the “one-skinned,” and with their numbers dwindling, the Qimmig are on the verge of extinction. Timo is shocked to discover a whole group of “two-skinned” working as a rescue team, and he is particularly fascinated by Zeus, a gentle giant. He senses what Zeus feels for him… but it’s forbidden.Can Mad Creek save this lost quickened clan? Perhaps—if they can learn how to run with the wolves.
How to Run With Wolves is the fifth book in the series Howl at the Moon by Eli Easton. I adore this unique series and have enjoyed all four previous books a lot. Overall, the series is sweet and really quite charming, which fits since there are characters who have not always been human and some only recently transformed into dog shape shifters. While the previous books didn’t have a lot of angst, this one really does ramp up the angst with one MC and a number of minor characters having very little trust to the outside world.
I read on Amazon that this book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone. And while I do agree with that, there are not plot arcs which tie this book to the previous books, I recommend reading this this series if you can just to get a feel for the world of Mad Creek as it was set up. But then again, if something is a series I can’t stand not reading it all.
Since the end of the fourth book, we pick up with Mad Creek Search and Rescue team having been formed and now deployed to help humans during natural disasters, in their human skins not in their dog skins. One of the rescuers is Zeus. He was born quickened and grew up in Mad Creek and had moved away for a while. Unlike other quickened, he is shy around people and has an intense dislike for crowds. But nature and the open spaces call out to him and appeal to the Saint Bernard nature of his dog counterpart. It is on a rescue in Alaska that he discovers another quick. He hadn’t understood at first, until he figures out that the quick that he had seen must be part of a native tribe which keep to themselves. This is an exciting revelation because the town of Mad Creek had always wondered and was sure that they couldn’t be the only quickened in the world.
Timo lives with the rest of his tribe, which they call themselves two-skin as they change into the Huskies that used to be sled dogs for one of the local Alaskan tribes before white settlement. His ancestors had left the human world and they now live isolated. When he found another two-skin who was using his enhanced sense of smell to locate and save humans this was not a complete surprise, the surprise was that they were helping humans. Timo is in fact on an expedition to find more two-skins on their own to join their tribe, with low live birth rates the group is dwindling in numbers rapidly. But really, he needed to get away. His brother, Yuki, is the alpha in a group that has a definite pecking order that made life harsh, especially for Timo’s little sister, Hitty.
With their paths now together, Zeus and Timo want to help their people. Timo’s distrusting nature makes his character feel cold and distant, and at sometimes a tad manipulative. He is slow to trust, even when the people of Mad Creek give their help. However, that is the harsh reality of world in which he lives. Mad Creek is a revelation to Timo, but Timo knows that he needs to save his people. Between all this, Timo needs to understand what is happening between him and Zeus. His is everything that is kind and gentle, but also strong. He has a lot to deal with emotionally, something that he hasn’t had to do in the past. Zeus is certainly opening him to a new world of possibilities in more ways than you can imagine.
Shorty’s Review 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts:
Timo and Zeus meet when their lives collide with each others when Zeus is sent on a search and rescue in Alaska after an earthquake. Zeus is sweet and caring. Timo is from a Qimmig pack who used to be dogs many, many generations before. They had a falling out after they quickened and removed themselves from the inuit they were with.
Timo has outdated ideas about a pack due to their isolation from everyone else. Timo goes to mad creek with Zeus and begins to see things in a different light. But it still takes time for him to admit and process how he feels about Zeus. Between feelings, getting to know others and finding solutions to the Qimmig’s survival love blossoms.
Amazing story with love and struggles. I loved everything about the story. The descriptions of Alaska were beautiful and awe inspiring.
Title: The Shifter’s Shotgun Mating
