A Brewing Storm by E.J. Sutter

17933780Title: A Brewing Storm

Series: The Fall of the Weavers

Author: E.J. Sutter

Genre: Fantasy

Length: Super Novel (217 pages)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (May 31st, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: The Shadow Worlds are dying. Can two sworn enemies manage to get past their differences and ignore their burning attraction to each other long enough to save them?

Brandon is a Weaver, a member of an old, powerful race. His discovery that Master Weavers are disappearing, presumed murdered, is a shock. Even more so, when he realizes that the person responsible is not actually a person at all, but a Revenant, and worse, the creature also known as the Abomination.

Things are not quite, how they seem, however.

Jaime is a Revenant, a creature born from death and designed to do his Master’s bidding. He’s been living in the shadows for years. Now, the Shadow Worlds are dying, Weavers are disappearing, and Jamie is no longer the only Revenant to survive their Master.

Can these two men ignore the hatred, and the passion, that burns between them, and work together to find out just what is happening to the Universe around them?

They must uncover age-old secrets of the Weavers, and defeat enemies who are closer to them than they’d realized.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of non-consensual sex including the detailed account of a gang rape, not intended for titillation, which some readers may find distressing.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2161

Review: If you have read Weaveworld by Clive Barker then you will easily get into and understand this world and new series A Brewing Storm introduces us to. No, it’s not the same concept, it’s not an adaptation of Weaveword. It simply relies in the same idea when it comes to the magic the characters wield. It doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye and it’s rather explained and compared with weaving. But let me start this differently, perhaps from the beginning.

The Shadow Worlds are vanishing. A dark storm cloud is falling onto them and leaving nothing in its wake. The Shadow Worlds – parallel worlds identical to our Earth – were once numerous, with the farthest World being the home of the Weavers. People that learned how to manipulate and weave the energies and create Spells, Ritual etc. Through their magic, they could also manipulate the “walls,” for lack of better word, between the worlds and travel through and into the different Shadows of the Core World (our Earth). But now the dark storms are moving and every couple of hundred years they are swallowing another world. The numbers are falling and eventually there won’t be any place for the Weavers to be, but the Core World itself.

Through the thousands of years, the Weavers move from world to world they started helping their hosts and making their life better using their magic. They never lost a war and their greatest ritual was that of Binding a Revenant. A Revenant is the Weavers greatest warrior, for they are dead people whose part of their soul was brought back and bound to their body and the Weaver’s will by magic, making said body stronger, faster, and simply more that it once was, while they obey completely to their Master’s will, as long as their master lives, but they go mindless “zombies” the moment their master dies and are therefore extinguished.

All except one, the best warrior of them all, the Abomination, the only one to live after his Master’s death and retain his awareness and his soul.

I am hooked with this new series. I am sold completely, I’m a slave to this author’s work, and I literally cannot wait till the next book comes. I loved it, adored it, and couldn’t believe it when it was over how fast I consumed this book. The backbone of the story is incredibly solid, it’s such a strong work and it can host so many installments, it makes a perfect ground for many, many books to come.

The beginning is somewhat slow, with a steady pace; slowly introducing you to the lore and the basics of the story, while in the meantime introduces you to our protagonists. Through flashbacks, we get to know Jaime, the Revenant, who he was and what his life was like before he died, his new life as a Revenant and ultimately what his purpose is. We also get to know Brandon, a young weaver, somewhat naïve whose life changes in a matter of days when he discovers that everything he knew as facts had been carefully hidden lies, and that his people and mostly his father have been abusing and corrupting their spells and powers.

In a beautiful web of intrigue, romance, betrayals, use, and abuse, and the sparks of lust and undeniable attraction, this story grips you and takes you down in its magical core, letting you only to resurface when it’s over. Even then your brain refuses to let go, eagerly anticipating the follow-up installment that ironically is called The Beginning, because even if this is the first book of the series, it’s only the introduction for what I suspect to be a great Saga.

What more can I say, I loved it and I recommend it wholeheartedly to all fantasy/alternate world fans, for it is an exquisite read.

Stockholm Syndrome by Sage Marlowe

18215618Title: Stockholm Syndrome

Series: N/A

Author: Sage Marlowe

Genre: Thrillers & Suspense

Length: Novel (168 pages)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (August 9th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥2 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: We don’t get to choose who we fall in love with—and sometimes we fall too far…

Daniel Eames is a bodyguard. Usually assigned to protecting politicians, he has fallen out of his boss’s good books after getting too close to his last charge’s son but when rising Hollywood star and Academy Award nominee Bryan McTiernan receives peculiar letters and requires the best possible protection, Dan is put on the job.

While he agrees that the letters are more than harmless fan mail, he finds it impossible to narrow down his suspicions and Bryan isn’t helping by alternately seducing and irritating the hell out of him. Against his better judgement, Dan falls for Bryan’s manipulations, but the more he gets to glimpse behind the façade of the young actor, the more he realizes that something in Bryan’s past has a strong hold over him. While both Dan and Bryan are aware of this, neither sees the full extent of his fixation.

With the help of Gabe, a fellow bodyguard and friend, Dan pursues different theories and even hires a private investigator to learn about Bryan’s well-hidden past. What he discovers has the potential to destroy more than just a promising career and in the end, Bryan has to make a choice—allow for his past fixation to take him hostage again or run away and into Dan’s open arms?

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2244

Review: Wow, it’s the first time that I read a book by Sage and don’t quite like it. I’m a bit stunned by this fact and don’t know how to deal with it, however it remains a fact that this book didn’t have that magic hold that Sage’s previous works have had on me so far.

In this book, we meet Dan and Bryan. Dan a bodyguard and Bryan an actor, and the story is pretty obvious that they’ll fall for each other. Nice premises and I couldn’t wait to read it. It gets better as the plot is somewhat a mystery that you don’t get to really see until you’re far into the plot. Dan is trying to find Bryan’s stalker however, Bryan isn’t helping. In fact, during the entire read Bryan is resisting and trying to hide his any involvement or knowledge about his stalker. I kept wondering why and it wasn’t until the near end that this is revealed.

This part of the mystery I loved, I liked and enjoyed a lot. So you’ll very well wonder why I didn’t like the book. It’s just that the characters held no power over me. Bryan was sketchy and completely unapproachable for me the whole way. I read about him and it felt as if I was reading about a liar and that had no appeal to me whatsoever. Even when the truth was revealed and the veil of mystery gone, I still couldn’t bring myself to care. It was a bit too late for the vulnerability of his character to evoke feelings from me. I mean, I did pity him, but that’s that.

And as for Dan, oh my God what a character, what an utter idiot. He was supposed to be a bodyguard and very good at his job right? But he’d fallen from his bosses good graces because he screwed up his former assignment. And ok, I can understand screwing up once, it’s human. But then, this story starts with his boss giving Dan a second chance and guess what, goes on and does the exact same thing that should have cost him his job in first place. Ugh… Moving on, everything his did was against his job, so much so that I was thinking, this guy doesn’t have the slightest idea what a bodyguard position requires, I wondered if he could even carry a gun for crying out loud. He made one mistake after another and when the shit hit the fan, ok guess… Yep he didn’t move a muscle, nothing, zero, zip. Stood there watching the scene as if he was at the damn movies. Ah, so frustrating. Then, there was the fact that Bryan’s character was so damn fishy, that I wondered all the time why on earth he fell in love with him in first place. It just didn’t make sense. Their love scenes, yes were as hot and steamy as I’ve come to expect from Marlowe to write, but it was just that I saw and felt. Lust I get it, but I totally missed the love part there, saw no connection whatsoever and during the entire read felt detached and waiting for something to happen to make get into it more.

Anyway, I simply didn’t get into this one and feel this book needed a bit more work into it, so I’m crossing my fingers and waiting for Sage’s next one.

 

Nischal by Bailey Bradford

2370004958750Title: Nischal

Series: Leopard’s Spots, #9

Author: Bailey Bradford

Genre: Paranormal/Shifters

Length: Novel (144 pages)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (August 9th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: There are many ways a man can be held captive.

Nischal and his brother Sabin were captured as snow leopards and have been kept medicated and half starved, put on display for crowds to view. The drugs that are supposed to keep the snow leopards docile also, as Nischal and Sabin discover, prevent them from shifting. After years of captivity, Nischal struggles to retain any kind of hope for freedom. He watches his brother die a little more on the inside every day.

Then one afternoon, a freckled redheaded man stands out from the crowd. Nischal doesn’t understand why, especially in his drug-addled state. When that man’s life is threatened, Nischal finds strength within himself he never knew existed.

Preston Hardy’s brother went missing over a year ago. The local cops were no help, Preston’s parents didn’t seem to give a damn, and Preston was left to try to discover what had happened to Paul on his own. His research leads him to a skeezy travelling show, run by a man who immediately sets off warning bells in Preston’s head. When he sets out to follow the man, he doesn’t have a clue that his whole life and perception of the world is about to change.

And that is only the beginning of Nischal and Preston’s adventures as they try to find the truth about what happened to Paul and evade those who would capture the snow leopards again.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2233

Review: This is book #9 of the Leopard’s Spots Series and although it would probably be best if you read them in order, it surely can be read as a standalone. The structure of the series is each book being a story in its self with a common background idea so it makes for an easy read even if you pick them out randomly.

In this book, we meet Nischal and his brother Sabin. Both snow leopard shifters, their life was pretty secluded when they were at their home grounds in Nepal. After their mother’s death, the brothers lived alone for a while, and except a short period of time when they met a much older shifter, they had no contact with the human world. Until they were captured and enslaved.

For years, the brothers were kept in slavery and entertained the crowd for their captor’s benefit. Being starved and constantly drugged, their ability to shift back was suppressed and both of them were facing death shortly. Until one day, a gorgeous red-haired man captured Nischal’s attention. Through his haze and physical weakness, Nischal felt new emotions run his body and mind, and he also saw the danger the young man was. A danger he felt compelled not to let the object of his attention fall for.

I must say that the way this book started made all the difference for me. It was an immediate hook and I simply couldn’t stop reading. It starts with imminent danger and a possible murder to get your blood boiling and it continues with one of the most fascinating scenes I’ve read when Nischal and Preston figure what they are to each other, or when Preston suddenly realizes that there are more to this world than he believed.

Nischal being practically naïve on everything human, Preston being hell bound on believing he’s hallucinating, the odd circumstances they met and got together ranged from funny to outright hilarious. That was certainly one of the most brilliant “mates-coming-together” ideas I’ve read for sure. In that moment you get to adore Preston as a character, you get to love him even for being so freaking funny, and as for Nischal, wow, he definitely made my breath catch a couple of times there.

However, from that moment on the plot took a dip for me. It practically changed from “Nischal” to “Preston” as the entire focus was getting back Preston’s brother and how he felt and how he reacted etc. etc. There were plenty of holes there and things that were left unsaid or unexplored.

In addition, there was this contradiction when it came to Nischal’s portrayal. Nischal was supposed to be a virgin and not know the ins or outs of a sexual relationship, yet all his actions lead you to believe he had a very successful crash course on how to please your mate. He was also supposed to be ignorant on the ways of civilized humans, especially in America, yet he seemed to know quite well, what a submissive is and how some things worked, even as he hadn’t been acquainted with those ideas before.

Add to that the fact that the leopard’s didn’t go and have a bloody fight, and the only bloodshed was that of Preston’s scratch on the back and love-bite, and you have a very unhappy Thommie. Typos and errors that were a frequent sight didn’t help either.

So basically, I think I fell for this book from its great start and simply got hooked and went for it till the end. I did enjoy it and I’m curious as to what comes next so my grumping, whining, and annoyance with the flaws is as strong. I’d definitely recommend this book to all shifter lovers; it has quite the appeal that’s for certain.

Compromised by Ethan Stone

18107013Title: Compromised

Series: Uniformity, #1

Author: Ethan Stone

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Action

Length: Novel

Publisher: Total E-Bound (August 9th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Kash never thought he’d find true love working at a maximum security prison, but that’s exactly what happens.

Correctional Officer Daniel “Kash” Kashaveroff is single, gay and working at a maximum security prison in a small town in Nevada. Not the best job or town in which to meet men. He wants to fall in love again but isn’t actively looking.

Then he begins working with a new partner, Zane Davis, and his life is turned upside down. Kash is attracted to Zane but isn’t sure the sexy man plays for his team. When the gay or not mystery is solved, Zane and Kash begin a relationship that starts as friends-with-benefits but soon becomes a committed one.

Zane is bisexual and as much as he cares for Kash, he is still drawn to women. The attraction to the fairer sex creates problems in the relationship but Kash is committed to making it work.

While dealing with his relationship issues, Kash also becomes friends with an inmate named Cody Ives. Becoming personally involved with an inmate is against the rules, but Kash believes in the young man’s innocence and insists on proving it

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2234

Review: This was a lovely read, one I enjoyed quite a lot, even if it was a bit slow at the beginning. There are books we feel them realistic, and there are other we feel them as real. This one felt like a biography, the prison details and work routine were as if interviewing a real life officer. That made for a slow pace at the beginning, though in all fairness the author does inform us that this first book of the series is meant to give us a real feeling and introduce us into the non-glamorous version of this line of work. He ends up with the promise of more action for the next books.

So moving on, I loved this story. It was romantic without being cheesy, it was an everyday affair, and quite credible, while at the same time maintained a certain rush that came from the circumstances. I mean here we have an office working a high security level prison, secretly gay, having a relationship with a coworker and getting emotionally involved with an inmate sentenced for life. And to top things, making the action part of the story heighten in intensity, there are ghosts from the past coming for them. Lovely plot indeed, but what had my attention most of the time were the characters.

Kash; protagonist and a lovely character indeed. Having failed at relationships way too many times and being hurt by people he loved, Kash tries desperately to make things work with Zane. His past with his family is cringe-worthy; there are so many children who have lived that life. His beliefs and strength in them is admirable, and in general, Kash is a character that makes you fall for him quite easily. You grow to respect him and that is huge in my opinion.

Zane; Oh dear God what a despicable character. Yes in the end he managed to become less despicable (I insist with that adjective) but during the first half of the read, I wanted to strangle him, beat the shit out of him, and even break his legs. Good Lord, I think this was the character that evoked the strongest emotions from me, even if they were not good emotions at the time. See I don’t have a problem with cheating characters, after all, we are human, and we tend to make mistakes. But Zane, Zane was a whole different level of cheating, he was the kind that did it, came back for forgiveness and went on and did it again and again and again… Good grief, what a piece of work.

Cody; a sweet character if there ever was one, bit too naïve and easy trusting. The last bit was not my favorite but it helped him along this plot, since he got more that he even dared hope for. His past gave a certain depth to the character but I still felt I needed more. Thing is he only showed a certain spike during the end there, while the entire read he was more of a passive figure. Personality wise he still feels a stranger.

And that was a common treat with all the characters in this book. While the action part was very interesting, there was serious lack of chemistry and I still feel I don’t really know the people involved. In the end, while it was a very acceptable end despite the “forevers,” I wanted more from this particular couple, just more.

As it is, I recommend this book for the romantics out there and those who love action and adventure of the mild sort, since there is thankfully a lack of angst and drama here. And while I’m at that, can’t wait for the second book of the series that promises to be more intense and full of action.

 

Always by Sara Masters

2235Title:  Always

Author:  Sarah Masters

Genre:  Contemporary 

Length: Novella (83 pages)

Publisher:  Total E Bound (August 9, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5 Hearts

Reviewer:   Cat

Blurb:  Sometimes you have to suffer in order to make the one you love happy…

Steve eavesdrops on a phone conversation—and his whole world crashes around him. He hears something he’d never wanted to hear and knows his lover, Christopher, will be giving him some bad news. Two weeks go by, and with no news, no devastating upset coming his way, Steve decides to end their relationship…to save Christopher the guilt of doing it himself.

Lost in a sea of confusion, Steve tries to push himself back into the single game, only to find memories and his love for Christopher just won’t go away. Alcohol and bars only make his loneliness more apparent and, shoving his pride aside, he visits Christopher in order to make things right between them again.

However, there’s more to that phone call than Steve had imagined, and even though he’d caused their break up to save Christopher hurting, he begins to realize that he’s caused them both more pain than they could have ever imagined

Purchase Link:  http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=2235

Review:   Steve came home from work early one day and overheard a devastating conversation. His lover of two years was on the phone and didn’t have a clue that Steve was listening. That conversation changed both with men’s lives drastically.


Christopher was hurt beyond belief that Steve had dumped him saying he no longer was in love with him when he had just told him a few weeks ago he loved him always.


Oh, wow! This story is amazing. It is so beautifully written, full of angst and heartache and love. My heart went out to both men.
The story opens with hints of this phone call that changed their lives. As the story goes on you get only tidbits of what it could possibly be. Then the story interspersed a chapter of memory introducing us to how Christopher and he met, how their relationship began, and bloomed and then how it all came crashing down with a chapter of present day and how Steve was coping. I fought tears, but finally they won near the end. Do they reunite? What was this horrible phone call? Can their relationship be saved? You will have to read this and see.

I highly recommend this if you like angst, heartbreak, a breathtaking romance, lessons learned, and some sensual, hot love scenes. 

 

Orange Crush by A.J. Llewellyn

18080267Title: Orange Crush

Series: Titania’s Court (Fae Court)

Author: A.J. Llewellyn

Genre: Fantasy / Fairytales (Fae)

Length: Novella

Publisher: Total E-Bound (July 12th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Orly has never been accepted by his mum because he’s gay. On the eve of Queen Titania’s Summer Fae Fest, she claims all that has changed. Can Orly resist the allure of a hot fairy orgy?

In this sequel to the Oberon’s Court Winter Fae story, Sex and Candy, Orly the Moon Fairy has lived the life of a banished outlaw in the Forest of the Lost on the outskirts of Queen Titania’s Seelie Court for twelve years. Exiled by his family for being gay, he has forged an existence among other ejected denizens of Fairyland, including his sexy lover, the moon god named Mên.

Everything is perfect until Orly’s mother Lunette arrives, insisting that Orly come home for the Summer Fae Festival. His cousin Jing is due to marry the fairy prince William during the festivities and the invitation demands that all family members to be present. He has no desire to go, but is forced to do so when she threatens to formally request to have his wings clipped.

Orly fears his life, as he knows it is about to be wrecked, all for the sake of a summer orgy…

A funny thing happens on that hot, magical summer’s day in the hidden treasures of the queen’s sumptuous ball. Orly finds that love conquers all when he finds acceptance and, most of all, the importance of orange crush…

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2194

Review: And A.J. comes back with her fairytale world and her Fae Court, this time approaching Queen Titania’s Court and her strong sense of Love.

In her previous book Sex & Candy http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/sex-candy-by-a-j-llewellyn/ she introduced us a world of horny little fairies and especially the little redheaded fairy Jing who found his happiness in the face of the fire fairy Prince William.

On this book, we meet Jing’s cousin, Orly, who’s been banished from his family’s home a long time ago for being gay. Yet after all this time, his mother finds him at the Lost Forest and insists Orly to attend the Ball for the Summer Fete and Jing’s wedding.

While Orly has made it all these years on his own, lacking the magic and the life of the Court, he can’t deny the allure this opportunity holds for him. But things are not that simple, now the forest has become his home, his heart is trapped with a god, and the life of his family that once seemed lost, now only brings him dread for their lies and presence of happiness.

This is a lovely journey of finding love and acceptance amidst they horny lifestyle of the fairies and the hot sex that sparks in every turn. As always, A.J.’s writing, is fun, and brings a certain careless joy, while treading the mists of magic and the realms of fantasy. Her special care with love and emotions suited these characters perfectly. I loved the Moon God, Mên, his wondrous love for the Moon Fairy, Orly, was seductive and enthralling, and if there was the tinniest bit of angst or suspense this would have been one hell of a read.

As it is, it was fun and enjoyable and I’d recommend it to all the Fae lovers out there.

Summer's Child by Cari Z.

18080264Title: Summer’s Child

Series: Titania’s Court #2 (Oberon’s Court)

Author: Cari Z.

Genre: Fantasy (Fae) / Thriller & Suspense

Length: Novella (50 Pages)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (July 12th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Will the distant but brutal past destroy a changeling’s hope for a better life with the Summer Fae?

Dis, a human changeling, is tasked with delivering Oberon’s solstice gift to his estranged wife, Titania, at the Summer Court. Leaving behind the land where he barely survived to adulthood is harder than he expected—it means leaving behind his lover Marten as well. Dis hopes that once his task is completed, he and Marten can be together again.

The Summer Fae welcome Dis to their court, but there’s more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye. Dis struggles to keep Oberon’s gift for Titania safe while being continually tempted by the willful Summer Fae to disobey, and worse, he loses contact with Marten. Dis is left with no one he can trust, and is faced with the impossible choice between disobedience to Oberon, who will surely kill him once he finds out, or losing the man that he loves forever.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of violence.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2195

Review: Let me start with the completely illogical way this series has gone out and how confusing it is to find what you want. This is supposed to be book #2 in Titania’s Court Series, however that couldn’t be more wrong and I wonder how the authors and the publisher made this mistake.

Anyway, for the readers that loved the first book of this series by Cari Z. and that would be The Solstice Gift, previously reviewed by Pixie Mmgoodbookreviews http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/the-solstice-gift-by-cari-z/, this is the sequel and we find Dis in The Ways trying to make it to Summer Court and give Titania her husband’s gift of power. The gift though is a temptation hard to resist, its power always pushing Dis at his limits. It would be so easy to use it and no longer be a changeling, no longer be seen with contempt. But one thing Dis knows well enough, the one thing that helped him survive all this years in Winter Court, is the fact that he knows his place and what he most definitely must not do.

His journey comes to an end and he barely makes it to Summer Court where he is received quite differently from the Summer Fae. He is almost cherished there, as he is the sole changeling to have survived the horrors of Winter Court. However, he is not welcomed from everyone. While Queen Titania might accept him and his gift there are others who remember well the war between the Fae and their losses hurt no less now after all these years. Dis must wait for a month until the Queen will be ready to receive her gift, but that is a month that Dis must constantly avoid temptation, the Fae’s tricks, and what is worse, another month away from his beloved Marten.

I loved this book. It’s such a different take from the typical fae stories we read. The world of Winter Fae was dark and cruel and filled with pain and death, while the Summer Fae is, of course, happier, but no fewer tricksters. The scheming and backstabbing are in full effect even here, and one does not know who to trust and what to believe.

While the first book made you feel for Dis due to the horrors of the darkness he was wrapped with, at least there you knew without a doubt what to expect. In this one, though you have to see behind the masks and expect anything from anyone no matter how bright the smile. And while you’re on your toes with suspicion and the plot, you get carried away with the eroticism and the gorgeous relationship between Dis and Marten. How very sweet and romantic Marten was and it was the fact that he was an anomaly in his world that made him incredibly hot.

The ending was perfect this time around and while it gave you the hints that more might come in the future, you don’t mind this novella ending here. The unexpected happened and I loved the turn the events took.

So if you love the Fae world and you want a fresh take and see them with a fresh set of eyes, I definitely recommend this book to you. You can pick the previous one or read it as a standalone; it won’t really matter because it’s so well written that you’ll have no problem getting into the story. Recommended!

 

Total-E-Bound New Releases 08/02/2013

New Releases

The Dimple Of Doom by Lucy Woodhull
Point Of No Return by N.R. Walker The Key by Geraldine OHara Sorchas Wolf by Billi Jean Emma by Jane Austen and Katie Blu

Editor’s Choice

Collision Force by CA Szarek

Collision Force by C.A. Szarek

Book 1 in the Crossing Forces series

Bad boy FBI agent and feisty widowed police detective collide pursuing a human trafficker in small town Texas on their way to true love

Bad boy, married to his job FBI agent Cole Lucas always gets his man. So when the unthinkable happends and one gets away, Cole grits his teeth and hunts human trafficker Carlo Maldonado all the way to Antioch, Texas where he collides with Detective Andi MacLaren.

Read more…

Free Books

On The Beach by Lisabet Sarai Second Chance by Jambrea Jo Jones Hearts And Tails by Bailey Bradford Love In The Elevator by Lizzie Lynn Lee
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Venus Envy by E.M. Lynley

venusenvy_800Title: Venus Envy

Series: N/A

Author: E.M. Lynley

Genre: Contemporary/Myth/Gods & Goddesses

Length: Novella (56 pages)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (July 19th, 2013)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: When Sancus, the Roman God of Loyalty, finally meets a mortal with whom he desires a real relationship, he can’t pursue Aurelio because he’s under a curse…or is he?

Sancus, Roman God of Loyalty and Honesty, snubs an advance from Venus. Furious, the Goddess of Love convinces Cupid to cast a curse on him, causing Sancus to be attracted to every hot guy he meets. In fact, he can’t say no.

During a week of almost non-stop arousal and sex Sancus meets Aurelio, a mortal that he desperately wants to see again, but until the curse is lifted he fears ruining any chance for a real relationship. The only way to end the curse is for Sancus to untangle
the finely-woven threads and discover it’s actually a love spell…

Reader Advisory: This book was previously released at another publisher. It has been revised and re-edited for release by Total-E-Bound.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2202

Review: Well, being a Mediterranean girl born and bred I simply love the ancient Gods myths. Of course, I’m more used to their Greek names, but their Roman ones don’t annoy me the least. So it was surprising getting my hands on this beautiful mix of Contemporary and Myth. It was even more surprising reading the setting was in Rome and how the author maintained a somewhat ancient feeling in it even if the time this story happens is twenty-first century.

Sancus is the Roman God of Honesty and Loyalty. And immediately I was hooked from the choice of the author. Out of all Deities to choose Sancus was quite marvelous. Being the Loyal and Honest type Sancus finds himself with a curse when he dares decline an advance from Venus. Yeah, Venus has always been the vengeful type, damn Sancus should have known better, but that’s exactly what makes the “ancient God” character so much more credible. Somehow he was a bit inconsiderate in the way he declined the Goddess and arrogant when he didn’t expect immediate retaliation.

So Venus has Cupid (I know him as Eros) cast a curse and being the dutiful son he is, he did his Mommy’s bidding. But remember the fact that all Gods were tricky back then? Who said Cupid was any different? While he put a spell on Sancus and appeased his Mother for the time being, Cupid’s spell had one goal. Supreme love for it to end.

How very fascinating, the description of the Gods schemes was brilliant. Cruel in their lives they still managed to have purpose. Loved it really.

So this is how the real story begins. Sancus is cursed to have his hots for every hot guy, lose his girlfriend in the process, and be miserable because his entire purpose (Honesty and Loyalty remember?) is being mocked by this. Not to mention the misery of being horny non-stop and being able to deny a hot guy. Until he meets Aurelio.

After a night of beautiful passion and romance Sancus believes he’s cured when the morning after he’s not suffering from the curse while Aurelio cooks him breakfast. Little did he know that that’s the way of the spell. The moment Sancus really wants someone is the moment the spell takes opposite direction making him unable to perform for that special someone.

It was a fun and funny read actually. The old games Gods used to play with mortals are even more enticing here because they are turned upon one of their own. The knowledge behind the story is quite strong and makes for credible characters. I was only slightly frustrated at the beginning because the way Aurelio and Sancus met was kind of hazy. There was no talk except telling their names and during their entire intercourse; there was complete lack of dialogue. Only when it came his time to see things from his PoV did we get into Aurelio’s mind and started knowing “his voice” and it was weird waiting till then to meet the guy. He was mute  before that. Other than that, the rest of the read was quite enjoyable and damn if the end was satisfactory. Venus darling, payback is a bitch. 😉

So yeah, if you love your ancient Gods and are into a new perspective and approach of a sexy read involving them this is the book for you. I liked it a lot.

Secret Smile by Cassidy Ryan

secretsmile_800Title: Secret Smile

Series: Lust Bites

Author: Cassidy Ryan

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Short (33 pages)

Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing (August 2nd, 2013)

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Heat Level: Moderate

Blurb: Ten years, and he could still make my toes curl with a single kiss.

Famous actors Ben and James have been best friends and lovers since they met at drama school ten years ago. They have kept the true nature of their relationship a secret, to protect their careers.

But when they agree to help an old friend making a low-budget film, a moment of indiscretion leads to a photograph of them kissing appearing in a national newspaper.

They must now decide whether to let James’ publicist ‘fix’ the situation, or to finally step out of the shadows.

Product Link:  http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=2227

Reviewer: Cat

Review:  James and Ben have been secret lovers for ten years. They had a good but closeted relationship because of their careers as actors.
They come together to help a friend in the business plus the added benefit of a week together  since they’ve been apart 2 months and Ben can tell something is wrong with James.

Can a photo of a stolen kiss end everything they had or can it be a new beginning for them?
This is a beautiful story of two men in love, no angst, just pure love. Thought they are closeted they have been monogamous and happy I loved the sweet romance the little hints dropped throughout the story showing how intimate and in love they are. The ending came as an unexpected surprise. This is a lovely, heartfelt, sensual story. I loved it.

Recommendations: If you love short, sweet, fast, sensual romances about Hollywood and actors this is for you.

 

 

Point of No Return (2nd Edition) by N.R. Walker

17792846Title: Point Of No Return (2nd Edition)

Series: Turning Point 01 

Author: N.R. Walker

Genre: Action, Crime, Contemporary

Length: Novella (146pgs)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (2nd August 2013) 

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥ 4 ½ Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Matthew Elliot is one of LA’s best detectives—a smart, tough, closeted gay man. When he falls for his gym instructor, it’s not his colleagues he should be worried about finding out…it’s the bad guys.

Matthew Elliot is one of LA’s best detectives. He’s been labelled the golden boy of the Fab Four: a team of four detectives who’ve closed down drug-rings all over the city. He’s smart, tough and exceptionally good at his job.

He’s also a closeted gay man.

Enter Kira Takeo Franco, the new boxing coach at the gym. Matthew can’t deny his immediate attraction to the man his fellow cops know as Frankie. But in allowing himself to fall in love with a man known to his colleagues, Matthew risks outing them both.

Matt and Kira work to keep their relationship and private lives hidden from Matt’s very public life, fearing it would be detrimental to their careers.

But it’s not the other cops who Matthew should be worried about finding out his deepest, darkest secret…it’s the bad guys.

Reader Advisory: This book was previously released at another publisher. It has been revised and re-edited for release with Total-E-Bound.

Purchase Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2228

Review: Matthew enjoys his job as a narcotics detective, one of a team of four who have been shutting down drug-rings across the city. He might have a hinkey feeling about his current case but otherwise life is good, until he meets Kira (Frankie) and falls hard. Both Kira’s and Matthew’s jobs makes it hard to be gay but they can’t resist each other, but coming out is not an option until the bad guys try to get their revenge.

Wow, all I can say is wow, this book was great to read, it leads us through their relationship and then BAM we get a brilliant twist that shows both Kira and Matthew in their elements and gives us a spectacular ending. Matthew is a closeted cop and Kira a closeted boxing instructor, but once they meet they are perfectly happy to share their closets together, both men know the impact that coming out would have on their careers and although they would like to tell the world of their love, they aren’t ready yet. Unfortunately, for them a case that Matthew is working on blows up in all their faces and more than their love hangs in the balance.

The characters in this book are all wonderful with Matthew and Kira leading the way. Matthew is a confident man but behind closed doors with Kira, he is unsure and shy but damn is he cute, Kira is definitely the one leading the way and he pursued Matthew with just the right amount of confidence. I thought the storyline was great, both Matthew and Kira getting to know each other and spending time together before they declare their love for each other, and then we have Matthew’s case puzzling him and that gets woven really well and then we have the twist towards the end where the case and relationship crash together.

This story is well written, the characters are great along with the supporting characters, and we never get bored with what is going on, the story pulls us along nicely. The part near the end where Matthew worries about Kira is brilliantly written, with both of them reacting as you would expect in that situation, but the love they have and the slightly awkward acceptance that they find with Matthew’s friends is great. This is a great story that covers all aspects and gives you plenty of romance, action, suspense and some wonderful hot sex.

So I recommend this to those who love cops, hot men, action, suspense, a slight mystery, romance, danger, and a happy ending for some great characters.  

 

The Taste of Devotion by Trina Lane

15778173Title: The Taste of Devotion

Series: Phantom River Series

Author: Trina Lane

Genre: Paranormal/Wereshifters

Length: Novel (178 pages)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (July 30th, 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb: One man searching for a place to call home stumbles into the arms of another wishing for a mate to complete his.

Cooper Tessen, enforcer for the Phantom River Pack and Sheriff of Stonepass, has watched each of his two best friends enjoy their mated bliss. He’s thrilled they’ve found happiness; however, he feels a distance growing between him and his blood brothers because he has no experience of the connection between a shifter and his mate. Cooper fills the hours of his lonely days by spending as much time as possible working at the station to protect his town, and, secretly, off on dangerous missions for the government. Burning the candle at both ends gives him little time to focus on his longing to have a mate of his own.

Darren Caisil is on the run. Accused of a murder he didn’t commit, it’s either become a lone wolf or be killed by the very pack he’d spent his life trying to serve. He hits rock bottom when he finds himself lost, alone, hungry, and freezing in nowhere Montana during the dead of winter. His last semi—conscious thought as he succumbs to the inevitable is that an angel is lifting him towards heaven. When he wakes up in unfamiliar surroundings, he finds it wasn’t an angel after all, but a man. And not any man, but another wolf shifter…one who claims to be Darren’s mate.

As they explore their mating bond, Cooper tries to get Darren to open up about his past but the man refuses to share his secrets. Frustrated, Cooper decides to do a little digging on his own. Unfortunately, it seems Cooper’s investigation may have stirred up a hornet’s nest when it draws the attention of some of Darren’s former pack members who are bent on revenge…

Reader Advisory: This book can be read as a stand-alone, but may be more enjoyable when read in sequence.

Product Link:http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=1749

Reviewer: Thommie

Review: I did not expect it, but I really liked this story. I get a bit paranoid when it comes to wereshifters and werewolves but, oh my, Ms. Lane had this were-lore nailed. I’m not going to bother with the story as the blurb pretty much says it all but I’m going to stand on the points that I like so much.

First, there is the mating issue that we have often seen on were-stories but not very often is pulled so good. The magical issue of mating is a pro and a con when it comes to explain relationships between were-pairs, in this case, there is the link that allows the pair to channel their thoughts, but it doesn’t mean that they will automatically know each other’s thoughts. There can be secrets, that gives a notch of suspense in this story since Darren tries indeed to keep his past a secret, and Cooper, well Cooper has a whole big pit of them.

Then I loved the time that Ms. Lane gave her characters to build their mating bond. Yes, yes I admit that at some point I thought perhaps she gave them a lil bit too much time, you know, it kinda got boring with all that talk and all that emotional charge; but it worked for me this time, since Darren is an emotional character, being secluded and abused his entire life and having a major culture shock, I think he is entitled of time.

And of course, there was the sexual dynamic between the pair. Now I have not read any of the other books of the series, or any other book in general from this writer, but damn she had me with the sexual scenes; very intense, very sensual, and oh so very hot. I think the author handled Darren’s virginity with great mastery and well, if I didn’t liked Cooper until that point (which ofc I did), I loved him for his sensitivity. Made me wish I had a were-mate myself 😉

Last I just loved the Phantom River’s pack; their interaction with the outside world and humans, the way the pack works within, the friendship and respect that are in a blur yet distinguish themselves when necessary, everything about this were-story was great for me and I enjoyed it so much. I totally recommend this to anyone with a thing for wolves, fantasy and adventure for this book has it all.

The Paramedic and the Writer by R.J. Scott

ellery_paramedic_writer_800Title: The Paramedic and the Writer

Series: Ellery Mountain, 05

Author: R.J. Scott

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella (89pgs)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (23rd August 2013) (Available from 26th July 2013 with TEB VIP club)  

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Paramedic Jamie Llewelyn rescues accused murderer John Doe from a crash and his life will never be the same again.

Paramedic Jamie Llewelyn moves to Ellery to start a new life away from the city. He’s happy being attached to the hospital and working for his friend Liam Wolfe—even if he has to keep coming up with excuses to miss the Friday meet-ups. He has peace and he can finally make a difference in a community that needs him.

When he and Max rescue a John Doe from a crashed car balanced on the edge of a ravine, John opens his startling violet eyes and suddenly Jamie is falling hard. If only John didn’t have a gun and could remember why he’d shot the passenger in the car. Then maybe passion could change into something else…Love.

Purchase Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2249

Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Jamie moved to Ellery to start a new life away from the city, he works as a paramedic and is happy to work alongside his friend Liam, even if he makes excuses so he can avoid the Friday night meet-ups with all the happy couples. When Jamie and Max rescue a man from a car wreck Jamie begins to fall for the violet eyes and he wonders what the man’s story is, but the man has amnesia and there are many unanswered questions.

Ah, Ellery Mountain men are just something special and Jamie is no different from those that came before him. Jamie is a sweet character who loves his job, he goes that little bit further with the patients, caring for each and every one of them. When Jamie and Max rescue a man from a car wreck Jamie wants to know more about the handsome man, but until the death of the passenger of the car is cleared up he knows he can’t really get involved. John Doe (Ian) can’t remember what happened or who he is, he has flashes of memory but nothing that can really help him. When he does remember and the situation is resolved he makes his interest in Jamie known, but his own history might just count against him.

I really enjoyed this story where we find out a little of Jamie’s past that has scared him off adrenalin seekers for life. Both Ian and Jamie are great characters and they slot quite nicely together, even with Jamie’s fears that Ian will be running off chasing the next dangerous story. They are certainly hot together and although their first date ends with a terrible event, you can see the simmering attraction between them. The storyline is interesting, first with the mysterious circumstances surrounding Ian’s crash, then with the horrific attack on a secondary character and finally the developing relationship between Jamie and Ian, which is just a bit rocky.

The development of the Ellery series is continuing and broadening its horizons, we learn how Daniel’s Veteran house is coming along and we have a new development of a homophobic attack in the usually gay friendly Ellery. I can’t wait for the next installment of these sexy men, what may await us as the Veteran house is opened, and they get their first client in The Barman and the SEAL.

I recommend this to those that love mystery, daring rescues, hot men, hot sex, brilliant characters, men risking their hearts and a great ending.   

 

 

Sophomore: Undeclared by Daisy Harris

sophomoreundeclared_800Title: Sophomore: Undeclared

Series: Ivory Towers, Book #2

Author: Daisy Harris

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novella

Publisher: Total E-Bound (July 19th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Graduation looms for Angel’s lover Shane. Neither guy wants to
break up, but in a world of temptation, Shane will have to fight to make first love last.

Shane is graduating soon, and when he leaves, he’s going to tear out Angel’s heart. It’s been more than a year since Shane laid Angel over a desk and changed his life, but with the end of the school year approaching, Angel sweats over what will happen when Shane leaves. Shane says he loves Angel…but only when they’re naked and panting…

Preoccupied with finding a job, Shane doesn’t know what’s got Angel so stressed, but when he gets an opportunity to go to New York to make one of his movies, Shane realizes just how badly his leaving will hurt his boyfriend. He wants to stay together—Angel is the best damn thing in his life. Shane knows all about temptation, though, and about how even the best relationships fall apart.

Time and distance, temptations and fears…Love may not be enough to keep Angel and Shane together. But first love is stronger than either of them realizes. Will it be strong enough to turn the jaded Shane into a believer, and to keep them together despite the odds?

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2199

Review:
These books are best read in order, since they chronicle the evolution of one
couple through four years of college.

And Shane and Angel are back. Damn I missed them and I’m so glad that their comeback was just as good as the first book.

Here Angel and Shane have been together for over a year and the time for Shane’s graduation is approaching fast. Their relationship has slowly gone steady and solid, even if things still remain unsaid.

I think this couple had this particular problem from the start, they don’t communicate well and that makes for some frustration. So much trouble could be avoided, you know?

Anyway, while their relationship grows and their feeling along with it there is a whole different kind of tension lurking around and spoiling the mood. By spoiling, I literally mean it as some very hot and seriously sexy scenes were interrupted by Angel’s insecurities and fears.

The title says it all: Undeclared. Shane gets a job for next year on the East Coast and the things that have been left unsaid between the pair are making an appearance. Angel is not sure where they stand as a couple, if they’ll still be together, if that means they’ll break up, and being the little tongue-tied that he is he fails to broach the subject, instead venting a different way and causing unnecessary fights. As for Shane, he too doesn’t know how they’ll play out. Angel being a sophomore and glued with him from the beginning (not mentioning Shane being his first) has Shane thinking that his lover will be missing out, yet he doesn’t want to lose him. Still, right know Shane can’t see how they’ll work out what with Shane in New York and Angel still in California.

A weekend apart though solves all that for our couple. A bit of drama, a bit of angst and too much love make this lovely pair see a path and wave through.

So writing wise I liked it again. Nothing has changed from the previous book. The author still manages to take you with you and put you right in the middle of the story. The passion, the chemistry, the fears and insecurity of the young men are all felt and lived through the words written. And just like in the first book, their intimate scenes are so freaking hot, if  not better, I was bouncing on my seat waiting for them to come, while still enjoying the rest of the plot and not losing interest. I’m not big on drama, but the guys here were fortunately balanced on the, nothing over the top. It was one of my fears because Angel has a penchant for brooding and making a big deal out of things after having let them boil and boil.

Conclusion, this book was just what I expected it to be and thankfully, I was not disappointed. It was fast, it was fun, it had intensity, it was catching, and mostly it was an enjoyable light read. If you fancy any of the above, go ahead and grab it. Recommended.

The Doctor and the Bad Boy by R.J. Scott

R.J. Scott - thedoctorandthebadboy_800

Title: The Doctor and the Bad Boy
Series: Ellery Mountain 04
 
Author: R.J. Scott
 
Genre: Contemporary
 
Length: Novella (86pgs)
 
Publisher: Total E-Bound (19th July 2013) Available from 21st June 2013 with TEB VIP club.
 
Heat: Moderate
 
Heart: Black heart (cards)Black heart (cards)Black heart (cards)Black heart (cards)4 Hearts
 
Reviewer: Pixie
 
Blurb: Mitchell Ryan, the recovering alcoholic bad boy, meets Doctor Liam Wolfe, the man who shows him it’s okay to love…
No one has ever understood Mitchell Askett. The bad boy. The alcoholic. The loser. Buying into the Ellery Mountain resort and placing down roots in the community for himself, his sister and his niece puts him on the radar of the Fridays and Doctor Liam Wolfe.
 
He soon realises he has friends in his new home who don’t judge him for what happened before and finally begins to escape his past. When he falls hard and fast for the doctor, he even sees a future for him in Ellery.
 
But when his new happiness is first threatened by family interference then by disaster, he begins to lose faith, until Liam shows him it’s okay to ask for help.
 
 
 
 
Review: This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Mitchell is returning to Ellery Mountain after his family moved away when he was just a boy, he is returning for a quiet, peaceful, safe place for his sister and his niece, a place where they can call home. Mitchell had a reputation as bad boy though and he hopes it will stay in the past where it belongs, especially when he meets sexy doctor Liam. Liam is sympathetic to the uncle worrying over his niece in his hospital, but that sympathy is soon destroyed when Mitchell side swipes his car. Mitchell and Liam soon come to an understanding though and it is the beginning of something special.
 
This is a wonderful addition to the Ellery Mountain series where we see Liam, our favourite doctor, find his man. Mitchell’s return to Ellery is fraught with drama when his niece is rushed to the hospital, leaving Mitchell wondering if he has done the right thing with his move to Ellery. Liam makes his move on Mitchell when things get straightened out between them, finding what a loving gentle man he is and how much he cares for his sister and niece means more to Liam than some old gossip. Mitchell is happy with how their new start is going and the new friends being made, but he still has to worry about his parent’s interference.
 
This story really shows just how wonderful Ellery Mountain really is, people coming together and welcoming strangers into their midst’s, helping out where needed and offering friendship easily. Mitchell’s past was rocky but he has straightened himself out for the sake of his sister and his niece, returning to Ellery is for all of them and to get out from under the criticism of their parents. Mitchell is a character that warms your heart quickly, the fear and worry for his niece, the concern for his sister and the developing love he has for Liam shows him in a light that makes him shine. Liam might be a touch judgemental when he first learns of Mitchell’s alcoholism but he quickly sees the light and him and Mitchell are just wonderful together, he makes Mitchell realise that there are others to support and help him and that he doesn’t have to take it all on but can share the burden.
 
The Doctor and the Bad Boy is a story that is the perfect afternoon read, we have a relationship that develops at a great pace, we have caring and compassionate characters, we have wonderful friends helping where needed, we have a touch of drama and angst and we have the harridan of a mother trying to interfere. And we mustn’t forget how hot Liam and Mitchell are together either.
 
I say if you love hot men finding love, some angst and drama with problem parents, great friends (who are all hot) and a great new relationship, then you have to read this story.

 

Slave to Chaos by Nikki McCoy

17130288Title: Slave to Chaos

Series: Keepers of the Gods 04 

Author: Nikki McCoy

Genre: Paranormal, BDSM

Length: Novel (200pgs)

Publisher: Total E-Bound (28th January 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½ – 4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Damaged by the lies of those who should have protected him, Shayne must find the courage to surrender to the love of his mates.

Bred by his mother, the Goddess of Night, to be a weapon against the pantheon of Gods, Shayne is more powerful than any of his kind. He is a broken outcast after being forced at the tender age of twelve to destroy his mother and one of his mates, the God of Chaos. Now, at age nineteen, the only person who can hold him together is his other mate, Collen. But Collen struggles with his own yearning to Master the troubled youth.

Chaos, brought back from the edge of oblivion by his brother, the God of Justice, wants nothing more than to reunite with his mates. A single act from his past, however, has all but made that impossible. Half-Gods that he gifted with magic millennia ago have discovered Shayne’s power and will stop at nothing to use Shayne in their bid to take revenge on the pantheon of Gods who would have killed them out of fear. Now, in order to keep Shayne alive, Chaos must earn the trust of his mates and battle the very sorcerers he enabled.

Will he succeed and show Shayne the true meaning of submission, or will his past rise up to destroy his only chance at love and forgiveness?

Reader Advisory: This book contains M/M/M ménage, BDSM scenes including explicit sex, graphic language, graphic violence, and one scene of rape.

Purchase Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=1951

Review: This book is part of a series and must be read in order. Shayne is pushing the boundaries trying to get his mate, Collen to react in the way that Shayne needs, to be the Dom to control him. But, nothing that Shayne does pushes Collen over the edge. Collen doesn’t trust himself to be the kind of mate that Shayne wants, so keeps him at arm’s-length. Collen’s past holds him back from even trying and it takes the guidance of his other mate to bring out the Dom in him. Chaos is keeping an eye on both of them from afar. knowing that if he goes to them, then he will bring danger to Shayne, and also knowing that Shayne still blames him for his mother’s, the Goddess of Night, actions. But, Chaos has to step up to the plate when he inadvertently exposes Shayne’s whereabouts. Now, he has to get his two mates to safety, while earning their love.

This is another great installment of Keepers of the Gods with its action, danger, and complicated love story. Shayne, Collen, and Chaos are great characters in this story and they all have their parts to play. Shayne is wanted by a group of half-Gods with magic, Sorcerers. They have plans to use his powers to destroy the Gods. Collen is the glue that will hold Shayne and Chaos together, but he will also be the cause of Shayne’s betrayal. Chaos is pulled in two directions. The oath he swore to the Sorcerers and the love he has for his mates. He has to protect Shayne, but he still has the driving need to see the Gods punished for their betrayal.

This isn’t a book for anyone who is faint of heart, and if you have already read any of Nikki McCoy’s Keepers of the Gods series then you know that she doesn’t pull her punches and this book is no different. There is personal conflict, relationship conflict and business conflict. It gets down and dirty in places and there is unwanted abuse inflicted. There’s hot steamy sex and some lovely BDSM. We also meet some great characters in Marc and Gianni, and we see their romance as well.

I will recommend this to those who love, BDSM, danger, love, forgiveness, hot sex, great characters, and a great ending. If you want your books dark and gritty, with violence and abuse, but with the hope of true love then don’t miss this installment of Keepers of the Gods.  

Stealing Life by T.A. Chase

17930013Title: Stealing Life

Series: NA

Author: T.A. Chase

Genre: Fantasy and Fairy Tales, Futuristic and Sci-Fi

Length: Novel (142 pages)

Publisher: Total-e-bound (June 28, 2013)

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Heat Level: Explicit

Blurb: Two outsiders, a thief and an assassin, find an ally in the other as they fight an empire to stay alive.

Rue Thaday accepts a job to steal some files for the Inter-Universal Military. When he comes face-to-face with his mark, Rue realizes there’s more going on than meets the eye. He might even have been set up to take the fall while the IUM forces another planet to accept their rule.

Vlatko’s trying to find a way to survive. When Rue arrives in his life, Vlatko knows the thief has ulterior motives, but he’s willing to risk everything for a taste of Rue’s lips.

Together, they have to find a way to keep Vlatko alive, and not allow the IUM to win the very dangerous power play they’re caught up in. That might be the easy part, considering all the trouble appearing from Rue’s unknown past, along with the assassins who want to kill Vlatko.

Reader Advisory: This book was previously released at another publisher. It has been revised and re-edited for release by Total-E-Bound.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=2178

Reviewer: Cat

Review: Vlatko is a hired assassin. He knows he is dying and is trying to find a cure, while hiding from the force he defected from the IUM. He likes his solitude on the primitive planet he is hiding on.

Rue is a thief and is trying to steal the secrets the Assassin has and doesn’t know he is being double-crossed by the IUM. He knows his life will be changing drastically after his first night on the island with the dangerous, but gorgeous man.

I found this a very interesting science fiction story. The planets are not complicated and overly weird. The story line is quite intriguing with a few interesting twists and turns, and there is lots and lots of hot mansex. The story is peppered in among the sex enough to make it interesting and romantic. I liked the contrast of the characters and the deep emotions. It is very good story of other worlds and intrigue. I would definitely read more!

Recommendation: If you like outsiders, thieves, assassins, people from other planets, true love, firebirds and lots of hot man-sex  with a good ending this is definitely for you.

End of the Line by Ash Penn

end-of-the-lineTitle: End of the Line

Series:  Dark Love, Book #1

Author: Ash Penn
 
Genre:   Paranormal, Vampire

Length: Novella

Publisher: Total-E-Bound (July 4th, 2013)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Blurb: Bookworm David knows the difference between fantasy and reality…until he meets Alex.Orphan and loner David Greene has always found solace in the dark romance written by his great-grandmother. The book and a crumbling old house on the edge of town are all that remains of his ancestry and the family he never knew. But when David meets Alex, the new owner of the house, his world spins out of control.
Alex is every bit of man and mystery David could have conjured in his wildest erotic dreams, and he is drawn into a strange romance where weirdness becomes the norm. He even begins to sense the spirit of Vincent, the novel’s mysterious anti-hero, who issues a warning about the dangers of involving himself with Alex.
As Alex begins to manoeuvre and manipulate David’s empty life, the question soon becomes not who is Alex, but what is Alex? And once the truth is out David discovers that the fictional world of his great-grandmother’s novel was never quite so fictional after all. Reader Advisory: This book contains a scene of blood play.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=2188

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: Not your usual vampire love. This story starts out with plenty of mystery and questions, drags us through interesting plot turns and uncomfortable situations, and includes plenty of steamy smex scenes. The characters progress through the plot almost in a dream state; scenes jump forward, and sometimes back, while there seem to be parallel stories happening. I must admit to wanting more of the usual possessiveness trope, because it’s what I’ve come to expect, but these characters have plenty of room to grow into each other. I will warn readers that if it’s a HEA you want, you won’t’ really get it. In fact, it’s more like a relational cliffhanger. Not sure if the discomfort I felt at the end was intentional, or if the writer wants me to yearn for the next book to satisfy my happily ever after needs. I don’t’ know if I love and feel sympathy for Alex, or hate him. There are also times I wish David would grow a pair, but this is a series after all, and I expect we’ll see these characters mature a bit and come into their identities with time.

Politician Won by Amber Kell

17973906Title: Politician Won

Series: The Thresl Chronicles, #3

Author: Amber Kell

Genre: Science Fiction/Paranormal-Shifters

Length: Novella

Publisher: Total E-Bound (July 12th, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb: Zander Elios only wanted his Thresl to transform into his mate. Little did he know that once the Thresl changed, Zander would be the one who had to make the most adjustments.

Zander had just about given up on his Thresl ever changing forms. After two years, the beast was still in his cat shape with no signs of changing any time soon. When his health becomes precarious and his Thresl shifts to save him, Zander wonders if he was truly meant to be a mate of one of these special shapeshifters.

As part of his new duties as ambassador to the Thresl king, he is sent to investigate the source of the Thresl smuggling. Unfortunately, when things go wrong they go very wrong and Zander’s Thresl, Leo, is kidnapped. It will take all of his love and diplomatic skills to find their way back together.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2191

Review: Ah, what a trip, yet again. I think I’m totally enthralled with The Thresl Chronicles and no matter what the author writes, I’m going to swallow it whole. Book three in the series is even better than the second one, nearly matching book one. The big bonus is that now we can see the big picture, the world, the conspiracy, and the possibilities hidden in the storyline. I’m totally fascinated with it and I enjoyed book three so, so much. It was indeed a surprise.

See here we meet Zander again, remember him? The son of a politician who was at Thresl training along with Kreslan, when Kres was still learning what the hell it means to be the bonded of a Thresl? If you don’t then you’ve obviously not read Soldier Mine which I urge you to start reading immediately if you’re a fan of Sci-Fi / Shifters.

Now as I was saying Zander comes back – which is a surprise because I was expecting Saint’s story – and he’s having a serious problem. His Thresl has not shifted to human form after two years and Zander is really worrying that they are not meant for each other, not to mention the fact that he’s so completely horny being alone in bed for so long. The curious thing is that even as he thinks so, even as his Thresl refuses to shift, the Thresl still insists upon claiming Zander as HIS through their link. This distress brings Zander in an extremely dangerous physical condition literally forcing his Thresl to transform and really, as in really claim him.

You know what that means right? Hot, steamy scenes, interspersed with the inevitability of the fated mates and the “sappy” love that in truth does not grate at all, rather spices it up and gives their lovemaking the intensity needed to make you swoon. I’ve said it again and again, while I usually dislike that kind of love, it has really worked in this series and made me crave it more and more.

Zander and Leo are perfect. They have spent so much time together while Leo was still in cat form, that they lack that awkwardness of the newly found mates that know nothing of each other and need to go through the get to knowing phase. Zander and Leo are already best friends, they already trust each other and work together perfectly as a team, and this was invigorating in the series. But there is more.

The fans of the series already remember how Saint owns the secret of Thresls not losing their cat half after bonding. So here we have the addition of Thresls maintaining their form and shifting back and forth and it’s absolutely fantastic.

I, though, being the insatiable and the picky woman that I am, still craved for more. My all-time issue is the fact that the books are too small and there is no room for proper development. The action plot felt again half and rushed over, the fact that there was the incident of Leo’s abduction and they found nothing on who did it had me shaking my head again. That person or persons as they might be more than one are roaming free even as Saint is around now with the ability to read minds, so right there we have a huge hole. Also the introduction of the next book takes space from this one, again, and makes the ending extremely hasty, something that adds at my frustration.

All in all, I’m still having the same issues I had with Prince Claimed albeit they were fewer in this book. But I enjoyed this one even more, I had great fun reading it, I loved Zander and Leo as a pair and the new additions that the author added. Most of all I’m even more hooked and anxiously awaiting for the next installment that will probably be Saint and Mars’ story, a story that seems really worth waiting for.

As for this one/ Yeah, totally recommended! 😉

 

Fantasy for Sale by Sage Marlowe

fantasyforsale_800Title: Fantasy for Sale

Series: N/A

Author: Sage Marlowe

Genre: MM / Erotic Romance / Contemporary

Length: Novella

Publisher: Total E-Bound (May 31st, 2013)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

Blurb:What’s the price of reality when a fantasy is for sale?

Cam is young, sinfully sexy and willing to play without limits, a combination which makes him a fantasy turned to flesh for men and women alike—and he’s for sale.

Nate is curious when it comes to carnal delights but hasn’t found the right man to explore his desires with.

When a friend buys Nate a few hours of pleasure with Cam, it’s not much of a surprise that Nate ends up intrigued. He keeps coming back for more and the attraction between them appears to be mutual but while Nate finds himself falling for the sexy hooker, Cam makes no secret of the fact that for him, sex is just a job.

Determined to win him over, Nathan tries to show him that sex is about more than physical satisfaction but Cam’s walls seem impenetrable until a dramatic event forces him to reveal some of his secrets and Nate begins to understand that Cam pays more than just the price for the reality behind the fantasy.

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=2177

Review: Well I’ve come to love Sage’s work what with him being so freaking erotic and sensual, it’s practically hooking and intoxicating reading anything written by him.

So I was not surprised when this one was yet again hot as hell, sensual and sexy and arousing to the point where you simply want to scream. I was surprised with the plot though. There I was, naively enough, expecting just another version of the hustler and the client fantasy, and honestly, at the beginning it seemed to be the lighthearted one too. But Sage makes the difference with an admirable plot twist that leaves you gasping, makes your heart clench and hurt for the character, and waters your eyes on more than one occasion. In retrospect, I guess it’s still a stereotyped theme as well, what with the hard/painful past for the hustler and the charming prince that comes, or at least tries to, come at his rescue. It simply has a different feel to it.

You see Cam is introduced to us as that wet dream every man and woman has. His description is literally sinful and the image that is created in our head is enough to leave you drooling. His character also makes you believe he has a fun life; he’s easy going and seemingly taking his job as a joy ride, at least in the beginning, with him being a pricey escort with a nice clientele. The illusion is soon shattered though and despite the fact that certain aspects of his life become known, the mystery still takes a while to unveil, leaving you anxious with the uncertainty and wanting to quickly find out what comes next. You get to really care for Cam and pin for him in a most delightful way, and his true self makes you even shed a tear or two. Loved him.

And then, there’s Nate “the client” whose eyes we see this story through. Now Nate is adorable and quite admirable in a way, but I somehow found him a bit unreal. You see Nate falls pretty quickly for Cam and he somehow weirded me out. It only took him a hook up to fall into the trap and the second time, albeit it was three months later, he was already head over heels with the “hooker.” Have I said how I’m not a fan of insta-love? But other than that, this character has its way to make you love him too. He’s a bit over the top, a bit naïve and somewhat dramatic as well, but you get to love him and secretly scream at him in your head to move his bloody ar$e and do something for the love of God. Ah, the frustration he gave me at times. His character with his over-active imagination and the jumping to assumptions didn’t help with the intensity and the drama effect either. While it was adorable seeing his reaction, it was also a bit frustrating as it was catching and you get to get anxious as well right beside him.

The two of them really did give me a wild ride, jumping from hot and sexy scenes to sad and melancholy ones and then again to steaming hot and breath catching. I loved this book, I enjoyed it immensely, and as always, it had a depth that makes the difference from others. Strongly recommended.