Primal Pleasure: Pendragon Gargoyles #3

Emma is used to getting dragged into her twin sister’s magical messes, but this time her predicament is more than a minor annoyance. She’s chained to a cat shifter that her sister encased in a curse of stone. Worse, the unfortunate gargoyle’s waking up. And her sister’s not there to take the heat.

After a century suspended in stone, Cian would do anything to get his hands on the sorceress who put him there. Strangely, his dreams of revenge turn into an animal hunger to put his hands all over her—in every delightfully wicked way imaginable.

Never as talented as her sister, Emma doesn’t trust her own magic. But for now she must let Cian believe she’s the culprit in order to strike a bargain: to permanently lift the curse in exchange for his tracking skills to find her missing sister. The longer she is near him, though, the closer she comes to surrendering much more than her body to the brutal warrior.

As their attraction catches fire, Emma dreads what could happen when he learns the truth. If he will sacrifice her to break the spell…or fight for a love that goes beyond animal instinct.

Cian is finally free. Woot!

Interesting note: At the end of the last book, Sorcha and Cale capture a sorceress and trap her in a sack. They then proceed to get it on while she's in said sack a couple feet away. Yep. That's exactly the kind of peculiarity we're dealing with in this series as the aforementioned sorceress ends up being Cian's mate.

Cian is a feline shifter who is at odds with his instincts. After a century of being trapped in his gargoyle form, for no sins of his own, he emerges to discover that the sorceress believed to be the one whom imprisoned him is also the one woman his cat adamantly insists is his mate.

Convincing himself that the intense desire for Emma and conflicting need to protect her when he should be hating her is a result of some spell, Cian gives chase when Emma flees his family's home all the way to Las Vegas.

Emma knows it was her twin sister, Elena, who cursed Cian, but for reasons that are beyond my capabilities to accept she never reveals the truth to Cian. Instead, she uses him to find her sister after Elena is captured as insurance that Emma will go through with the arranged marriage her father set up for her. Along the way both Cian and Emma surrender to the passions between them. Whether the feelings they're having are real or the influence of some twisted spell begins to matter not.

Chapter three had me in tears with laughter. When introducing a man to a laptop for the first time, do *not* mention porn. I mean, come on. Welcome to an awkward conversation.

Oh hell, I'll share a piece:

Cursing her sister for the thousandth time, she opened the web browser. “There you go. Just try not to go blind looking at porn,” she added, hoping to break the tension a little.

“Porn?”

She took a step back, forgetting he was directly behind her, and froze. “As in pornography. Naked pictures of women. People having sex.”

“And you’ve seen this?”

“It’s hard to go many places on the net without coming across it at some point.” She was about to slide to the right when he planted his arm on the counter, hemming her in. “I’ve seen some,” she finally admitted, hoping the right answer would release the biceps barricade between her and the table.

“Show me.”

Not caring how close they stood, her gaze darted to meet his. “What?”

“Show me,” he repeated, the seductive edge to his voice making her blood push faster through her veins.

...

She slid the laptop down the counter when an adult website popped up, hoping he’d slide right along with it.

He reached around her and pushed it back. “Continue.”

Only in a dream would it have been that easy, she supposed.

Thinking she’d strap him down and subject him to hours of hippo sex if the tables were ever turned, she entered the site, mentally bracing herself for whatever images appeared.

Cian leaned in, his chest snug against her back now. God, he was throwing enough body heat to sink right through her leather jacket.

“So what’s your poison? Standard guy-girl stuff? Oral sex? Girl-on-girl action?” She was almost hoping for the latter to help curb her rising temperature.

He pointed to an image on the screen of a guy going down on a woman.

O-kay then.

In comparison to Primal Hunger's Kennedy and Primal Attraction's Sorcha, I didn't care much for Emma. Cian is what keeps it interesting. His obsession with Big Macs and Looney Tunes is laugh out loud funny!

My review of Primal Hunger
My review of Primal Attraction

Primal Attraction: Pendragon Gargoyles #2

A lethal huntress, Sorcha lives to track and eliminate rogue immortals—until her latest assignment turns out to be a sexy, gargoyle shape-shifter. From the start she’s shaken by the lust his touch awakens inside her. Not only that, but the cat is convinced she’s his mate, and for the first time, she’s unable to kill her target.

Still mourning the loss of his mate, Cale is stunned to find Sorcha alive. Yet the woman he aches to possess doesn’t recognize him and is after the only thing that will save his brother—a mystical weapon that will lead to Excalibur.

Determined to protect his family and reclaim his mate, Cale ruthlessly takes advantage of Sorcha’s one weakness—her desire for him. Desire that could unlock their past…or cause him to lose her all over again.

Not sure which is more traumatizing.. discovering the mate you thought long dead is actually alive, or making the discovery while she's hurling arrows into your flesh.

While Primal Hunger catered more to making you laugh in between getting one's libido up and running, Primal Attraction aimed more for your heartstrings. It starts off very emotional with some action for flavor, then things get a bit drawn out and the story loses some of its appeal. But damn, when Cale and Sorcha go Mr and Mrs Smith everything gets catapulted. I laughed. I teared up. I even got a bit nervous. There's definitely some apprehension to be felt from the suspense.

And once again, just as the first, the ending did very well in preparing the reader for the next installment. Yays for Primal Attraction!

 

Pendragon #1

My review

Primal Hunger: Pendragon Gargoyles #1

Kennedy Beaumont loves her bartending job, even if her spirited nature sometimes gets her in trouble. Like threatening to hose down one of Pendragon’s co-owners. When it comes to Tristan, she could use a good hosing down herself—maybe it’ll help her stop casting him as the star of her wickedest dreams. Since he goes out of his way to avoid her, it ought to be easy to put him out of her head—until he reluctantly offers her a ride home.

Gargoyle shape-shifter Tristan Callaghan hasn’t had time for anything other than recovering the mystical dagger that was used to permanently lock his brother in a prison of stone. The cat inside him should have stopped craving Kennedy’s touch long ago, but now that she’s sitting next to him in his car, his very human need for her is sharper than ever.

The distraction is costly. In a split second, Kennedy finds herself thrust into a dangerous, millennia-old hunt for Excalibur. A hunt that marks her for death—and leaves Tristan with a painful choice—sacrifice his family, his quest…or the one woman meant to be his.

Getting past the fact that it's a cat shifter story, I picked up the Pendragon series (books 1-3) when I found that the kitties were monogamous. My history with this particular shifting breed boasts quite the opposite so I tend to steer clear.

But OMG, where has this book been all my life!

Kennedy has to be one of the quickest thinking characters I've ever read. She's one hell of a smart ass. I shouldn't be all that surprised though. Somers does have some feisty alpha females in her books.

It's quite a spin on the Arthurian legend, with dragons and fae and wraiths and kitties all around. The beginning is rather action packed as well as darts start to fly which then evolves just as swiftly into some simmering sexual tension... in the car, on the lawn...

There's vicious dobermans that don't exist, a baby sister that's just way to well put together, a lost brother (or two), and an imprisoned brother. Plus, you just know there's more to Kennedy that meets the eye and Dolan is obviously the guy with all the answers.

Long for This World

In recent years, the dream of eternal youth has started to look like more than just a dream.

In the twentieth century alone, life expectancy increased by more than thirty years—-almost as much time as humans have gained in the whole span of human existence. Today a motley array of scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs believe that another, bigger leap is at hand—that human immortality is not only possible, but attainable in our own time. Is there genius or folly in the dreams of these charismatic but eccentric thinkers?

Full synopsis available via the link provided.

I don't think it a possibility to be any further from my comfort zone than I was with this book. But the idea of immortality, who could resist?

It begins with a clear definition and history of a mortal's life expectancy. How it is perceived and how that perception has grown. Transitioning from the philosophical to the scientific, the book does cover a fair range of thoughts and research on immortality. Many people played a part, none more so than Aubrey de Grey- a man who loves to hear himself talk.

The book offers a great subject to truly lose yourself in while providing information that leaves it's reader with 'food for thought'. There are constant references to Christianity and Greek mythology among numerous historical tidbits and one too many mentions of hydra, both the living creature and mythical beast. Offering a wide array of viewpoints, the author himself isn't attempting to win the reader over to one specific stance on whether or not one will ever find attainment in the quest for immortality but would one choose immortality for himself if given the chance. Do the pros outweigh the cons? Would you choose immortality even if your loved ones would not?

The idea of acquiring immortality is appealing and an aspect that gives the very best of fantasy and myth their charm. Would I want it for myself? Damn straight.

One such argument against immortality is boredom. That people would become bored with life.

What the hell is wrong with these people? Is the world not vast enough?

Okay, so I've proven one of their points. The young see the experiences to be had. The old see the time with loved ones to be spent.

I'm a statistic, yes, and I proudly support the Methuselah Foundation, if only in spirit.

Isaiah's Haven: Legacy #2

Love comes howling when-and where-you least expect it.

Isaiah Striker puts family first, the pack a distant second. Which is precisely the reason he's in noisy, crowded Chicago instead of alone in his beloved woods. One look at the owner of Haven nightclub, however, and a simple favor for his brother turns into something else entirely.

Meredith Cross holds her small pack together with sheer determination. After years on the run, they hide in the glare of the city's nightlife. Isaiah may heat her blood, but she can't afford to risk the lives of the outcast half-breeds in her care. Once exposed, every bounty hunter and werewolf purist in smelling distance will hunt them down. But when their sexual attraction spirals out of control, a moment's distraction is all it takes to lead danger right to Meredith's door. For Meredith there's only one choice: her pack. But Isaiah knows his mate when he sees her. And he's not giving up without a fight.

The last place Isaiah Striker wants to be is in Chicago, especially in a nightclub owned by a vampire where two women insist on dryhumping him and grabbing at his crotch. A guy's worst nightmare right?

Meredith is the mother of two (Benjamin and Michael- two very grown, very protective shifters) and the adopted mother of a handful of halfbreeds. She is very much the alpha of her small pack. When Isaiah, drawn by the sound of her voice, wanders into her bar after leaving the vamp's club, it's not immediately apparent to either of them that each is a wolf. For Meredith, her pack is the only in the area. For Striker, female wolves are few and far away.

This series explores the depth of family love. The first book was father/daughter. This was more mother/son, and a bit of sibling loyalty as well. Very good for the soul.

Isaiah's fall for Meredith is one of beauty. Here's a man, haunted by the fact that he failed to protect his sister... has refused any role in his pack, pretty much going lone wolf... and suddenly has found someone that calls to every need he has hidden himself from. And he goes for it. Packs up, moves to Chicago, ready to defend the Haven pack against any and all threats - and Meredith hasn't even accepted him as her mate yet.

These Striker men are something else. =)

Legacy, book 1
My review

The Alpha: Vanguards #2

Someone is about to get some Spice in his life.

Spice has nothing but the clothes on her back when she returns to Chicago. She's looking for a better life, and that means reuniting with her estranged twin sister, Sugar. She isn't thrilled to find out Sugar's boyfriend is a vampire. But then she meets Eric, once the bottle-cap-glasses wearing nerd next door - now grown into the kind of man she'd love to snuggle with on this cold winter night...and he's offered her his room in Sugar's house.

Eric can't believe Spice has returned. He'd given up hope of ever seeing her again, let alone having her stare at him as if he's sex on a stick. But now that all of his fantasies for them are coming true, reality rears her ugly head and Eric must tell Spice his intimate secret; he's actually an Alpha werewolf looking for his mate and he thinks he's found her.

The very beginning of this one had me tilting my head. Why would a wolf mistake his mate for her twin sister?

Soon -very soon- after, I was laughing my ass off. There are geeks, and then there are *geeks*. Eric is most assuredly the latter of the two. A virgin alpha. Whodathunk?

It's quite the switcharoo with Spice being the screw 'em and lose 'em type. And I don't care for it. Nor for Eric.

I want a gentleman. Not a saint.




Book One of the Vanguards series:

Unmasking the Mercenary

Nothing's going to sway Rem D'Evereux from his mission of vengeance. Especially not the beautiful intel operative who's just cut in on his turf—and put her life in jeopardy. If the only way to protect her is to keep her by his side, day and night, so be it.

Haley Engen's counter-terror work means everything to her, until she glimpses the man behind the mercenary's ruthless reputation. She knows what it's like to be haunted by the past. As passion explodes in the midst of danger, she gives Rem a stark choice. Revenge, or the woman who loves him for everything he is?

Yummmmmy!

What's better than a hot merc?

Actually, in my list of desirable guys mercenaries fall second to successful men in corporate America. Third being Special Ops and SWAT, but mercenaries are oh so sexy!

Rem is a man hell bent on revenge for the murder of his sister. Hailey is a former POW who doesn't want to remember the torture her body endured, and thankfully she can't. Yet. Despite their painful histories and the present threats to their lives, Rem and Hailey waste no time finding healing and strength in one another's arms. First day and she's already at peace in his arms, falling asleep against him in his bed.

Rem is the broken soul. The undiscovered hero. The guy who doesn't see how good and honorable he really is. All he sees is the darkness and his faults. And it's all he expects others to see.

Great story. Entertains all the way through. Then comes the end. And... well, I'm just not sold on it when a woman has to tell a guy to *tell* her he loves her. Nuh-uh. Not so yummy there.

Refuge on Crescent Hill

Moving home after a recent job loss was supposed to reassure Camden Bristow and give her time to decide what to do next. But when she arrives in Etherton, Ohio, she discovers that her grandmother, who she hasn't talked to in years, has passed away and "home" is an empty mansion hundreds of years old. Not exactly the comfort Camden was looking for. What happened to the house she played in as a child, the bedtime stories that told of secret passageways and runaway slaves, and all those family memories?

When antiques start disappearing and footsteps are heard, some of those memories start to creep back and Camden wonders if her grandmother's bedtime stories might actually be true. What really happened here . . . at Crescent Hill? How was her grandmother involved? Who still has access to the house? And for what purpose? As she works to uncover the past and present mysteries harbored in her home, Camden also uncovers secrets about her family that could change the town-and her life-forever.

This is one of those books where you really need to pay attention. We've got four main characters (Camden, Alex, Jake, and Stephanie) that we switch perspectives on in a fairly orderly pattern. And while one seems further out of the loop than the others, it comes to light that she's directly linked to each. When you're spanning back enough generations to predate the American Civil War, with all the secrets and lies leading the way, it's bound to be tricky.

Little romance. Only about as much as Jenny and Louise could scrape together as they pushed Camden and Alex together. The interest was there though, but mostly because Camden was the only woman Alex could stomach. That guy had some serious issues with woman talking to him.

Oh, let be on record that I am strongly opposed to the name Jacob/Jake being used for a villain. Especially a very *bad* villain. (And no, that has nothing to do with Stephanie Meyers or Twilight Saga damn it.)

Wolf's Magic: Westervelt #4

Wolf’s Magic is the story of Azriel Kane, fifth brother in the royal Westervelt wolf pack. Always different from his siblings, Azriel prefers to spend his time underground in a lab than out fighting battles to save the pack from destruction. In his own way, he feels he is contributing to the pack’s success. However, when fate plants his destined mate in a cage where he can’t ignore her, Az will be forced to face up the demons that have plagued him since childhood and be the shifter she needs him to be.

Leah St. James has no idea who she is or how she came to be trapped in a cage in Azriel’s lab. The only thing she is certain about is that she is not a wolf and that she wants out of her false wolf body as soon as possible. Counting on Az to save her from the same doomed fate as the other wolves Az is given to study, from the distance of her cage she can see Az for who he really is and not the false front he presents to the world.

But Kendrick Kane is not done with Westervelt and when he steps up his game to eliminate the Kanes from Westervelt, Az and Leah will need each other to discover the truth behind his evil plans, that is if Azriel can finally reveal the secret he has been keeping since he was a child.

With Leah’s help, can Azriel finally take his place in the pack hierarchy or will they fail and lose Westervelt forever?

Ah, Azriel. The shortest of the Westervelt brothers. The introvert. The one who fails to comprehend relationships and buries himself away in his underground lab.

Reminds me so much of Rydan. Remember him??? [hint]

In this book, Az is trying to heal the wolves that were a part of his father's dastardly experiments. And bear with me, there's a lot of stuff going on in this series. It's actually one of those when you might need to read them all at once just to keep everything straight.

Failure after failure has left one remaining wolf still alive.

Leah is trapped inside the body of a wolf with no memory of how she got there, or if she's really just a wolf after all. It's the cutest thing to witness conversations between a man who has no idea how to talk to others and a woman who has no idea whatsoever.

Seriously cute! So many quotable lines. But no, I won't clutter the post.

So while Leah is slowly discovering things about her personality, Azriel is dealing with his inner wolf, who is much more violent than Azriel himself. The enforcer looks at him funny and what does his wolf suggest? 'Hit him' LoL

In a world where strength lies with the males and magic with the females, it's a shock to all when it is revealed that Az possesses more magic than anyone. And it's also one of the reasons their father once tried to drown Azriel when he was a small child. Yeah, it's a twisted little world in Westervelt.

Oh and little Leah, a senator's daughter, can channel the dead.

Good grief that's a lot of drama!

He sat down on the floor and he tucked his legs under him like a pretzel. “I discovered I could do this by accident and unfortunately in the presence of my father when I was about two years old. I travelled backwards into his mind.” He shivered at the memory. Not too many people could remember things from that age but he could remember doing that. First off, it had scared him that it happened and second because of the way his father had reacted to the whole thing. “He didn’t much care for the experience.”
“Will we get to see what happened to me? Or is it just going to be my childhood, my parents and stuff like that?”
He shook his head; maybe he would actually start laughing at how little he
understood what was going to go on. “She-wolf, I have no idea what’s going to happen. I’m so sick of saying that to you. Sit here.” He indicated the spot next to him.
“Do we have to be right there next to each other or can it be just that you’re touching me?”
And it was already starting. She didn’t want to be near him. Well, he had warned her. He shifted slightly trying to cover his discomfort. “Just sit close enough for me to be able to reach you with the tips of my fingers.”
She nodded. “Right.” Moving to him, she placed herself directly on his lap, her back pressed up against his chest. “Does this work?”
Yes, it worked. His heart pounded hard and his groin jumped to attention. Shit, she smelled so good. All he wanted to do was stick his face into her colored hair and stay there for eternity. Forget anything that didn’t exist outside of Leah. “Um, yes. It works.”
He heard her laugh slightly. “I saw your face. You thought I didn’t want to sit near you.”
Okay, now he felt foolish. She squirmed in his lap and before he could stop himself, he groaned. Her tight, snug ass moving on top of him nearly undid him.
“Are you going to be able to concentrate?” Her voice had taken on a low, husky sound.
“No, but don’t you dare get off.”

“Everyone is so tightlipped about the mating. I don’t even really understand what happens.” He blushed and she wanted to giggle. “I mean, I do understand a lot of what happens. I think there must be more to it than anyone talks about otherwise what triggers the change in everyone? Cullen practically became a puppy after he mated with Summer.
Theo came back from the brink of madness and Tristan stepped up to finally become
Alpha.”
She couldn’t help but tease him. “Maybe the sex is just that good.”
He smiled and looked at her again. “Now if that isn’t pressure, I don’t know what is.”

Links

Her Wolf: Book 1- my blog post
Summer's Wolf: Book 2- my blog post
Wolf Reborn: Book 3- my blog post

The Last Track

Imagine if being late meant a child disappeared forever. That is the fear that drives Mike Brody: the man you want, when the one you love is missing.
Mike is more than just a master tracker. An ex-Special Forces operative, Smoke jumper, and now extreme adventure tour guide, he also possesses a unique ability to tap into the memory and emotional state of those he pursues.

In The Last Track, a police detective recruits Mike to help find an asthmatic boy lost in the dense woods surrounding a dude ranch in Montana. An unwitting murder witness, the boy burrows ever deeper into the rugged terrain, fearful of being found. As Mike and a local officer search for the boy, the killer follows them. While the investigation expands, his ex-wife, a well-connected journalist, uses her contacts to unravel the truth behind the murder.

Her discoveries threaten to snare them all in a treacherous conspiracy...

For much of The Last Track, I was plagued by the question of whether it packed enough of a wow factor to bring me back for a second adventure. With low key action balanced by an ever building air of suspense, it's not so much the story that keeps you entranced as much as the strong ending that it all builds up to.

I found myself thoroughly agitated by the character Erich. Or ELRICH, as I continued to call him. I wanted him to be the bad guy just so he would go the hell away. And I was pleasantly surprised with the turn fate took with him.

So either you're guilty and dead, innocent and dead, innocent but guilty, or guilty but innocent. I love the complications!

And I can't help but be ticked pink that the book didn't conclude all neatly packed up with a pretty bow. I like it when the bad guy outsmarts them all, even the noble hero.

What I don't like is when divorced couples get back together. But that's a topic for another post...

Special Thanks: Shelli Stevens

Shelli Stevens

The woman is goooood!

And doesn't this cover look familiar? It's already on my blog. =)




I was blessed to receive her book, NEED ME, through goodreads - and I loved it!



While on my lunch break today I was checking my facebook and just happened to notice her post about the Bradford Bunch blog where she was offering a chance at one of her backlisted works.

And I am so grateful to have been picked by whatever random means that was used. Anything I get from Shelli is bound to be AWESOMELY HAWT!

Sanctuary Unbound: Red Rock Pass #4

New England is ideal for vampire Adam Dubois. His cozy home in the Great North Woods reminds him of a happier time when werewolves and witches were stuff of legends, and he was a simple lumberjack.

Hiding from past failures has worked for over eighty years, but a life debt owed to the Red Rock alpha has forced him to leave his retreat--and come face to face with a woman who challenges and tempts him on every level.

Hiding secrets is a lonely business, and Cindy Shepherd is lonely with a capital L. Red Rock isn't exactly crawling with available men, but her interest in the mystery-shrouded new vampire in town seems mutual. After all, it's only sex--there's no danger he'll dig deep enough to unleash the demons of her past.

Casual flirtation turns deadly serious when Adam discovers that the vampire plaguing Red Rock is using his mistakes as a road map. When it comes to his life, he knows Cindy has his back. But in order to secure the future, they both must trust each other with more--even if it means sacrificing themselves to save everything they hold dear.

When I first popped open Sanctuary Unbound the first few pages had me in tears. Gavin.. dying? No way in hell.

So I held off, waiting for a time when I felt my heart could handle the possibilities.

As I progressed through this story I felt more and more... um... disappointed. Aside from Gavin and Keith who have each had me the palm of their paws from the beginning, I really didn't bond at all with this book.

The love story was far from believable for me. It was more a camaraderie than an actual destined, twist of fate and emotions as Adam and Cindy 'fell' for each other. Mayhaps it be because Adam is a really crappy vamp or Cindy, who ticked me off when she far too easily seduced Dylan into her bed all those many lifetimes ago, just never made it to my good side.

Sadly, this one didn't do the others justice.

But thankfully, on a good note, Gavin did make it to another birthday. Yays.

Her Hero In Hiding

On the run from a killer, Kay Young depended on the stranger who rescued her one snowy night. Though a lifetime of hurt had made her wary of men, Clint Ardmore was different. He offered her shelter, protection...and the chance to discover true passion.

A soldier-turned-writer, Clint craved the privacy of his secluded ranch, where he could be alone with the gruesome memories of combat. But once he let Kay into his home, he let her into his heart. When the danger shadowing her closed in, he knew that there was only one way to ensure Kay's safety and stop a killer's obsession.

I just want to know why this guy had condoms.

What hermit keeps condoms in his nightstand?

Windigo & After Dark

After a vicious attack, Arlene is left savaged and dying. Will Peter break his vow and save her?

Arlene is the lovely, free-spirited dispatcher for the local Sheriff in Cedarville, and she has tried over and over again to ignite the sexual tension she feels for Peter. But the sexy forestry ranger, with his long black hair and mixed heritage, resists her advances. She knows Peter feels the heat between them, but something holds him back. Discouraged and rejected, she takes a tumble on a mountain trail, and when she awakes, she is attacked by a vicious and powerful rival.

Peter knows too well that he cannot have Arlene the way he wishes, so to his regret he sends her on her way. But when he finds her mauled and left to die, he faces his greatest quandary. Will he break his deepest vow to save her life, and in that process, change her and possibly lead her into madness and murder? Or will he watch her die?

I first stumbled upon WINDIGO about a year ago. It then made it to my shopping list until it was eventually deleted. But aha! yesterday I finally picked it up.

What a wild story. It's all about the hunger. Oooo the hunger....

I didn't realize a couple things going into this. One, it's somewhat a part of the same series as The Alpha. Creed and Deanna do make an appearance. Secondly, I had no idea what a Windigo was. So when demonblood and spirit animals started popping up, this strange shifter story got a whole lot stranger.

Before that, I read AFTER DARK by Bryan Lee. I snatched this one off of Feedbooks, a site dedicate to spreading around free e-books, and after reading I decided I really need to check out more of Lee's stuff.

This was not a romance. This was a vigilante story where a werewolf is the hero hiding in the shadows. It caters more to the shifter that goes from four legs to walking erectly, which I care little for, but it was a very good, very well written short story. Me liked.


Links

The Alpha - My blog post
Feedbooks - 'Bryan Lee' search results

Watching Her Every Move

Agent Jonas Dreyer has been working night and day to intercept valuable memory chips before they are delivered into the wrong hands. A happily confirmed bachelor with good reason, he never expects for the woman who is struck by his suspect in a wild foot chase to be the one, his mate. Neither do they expect her to be targeted as the only person who may know where the vanished chips may be.

Hot damn! There is a shifter out there with some stones!!!

And Jonas is it.

The guy actually told Stacee what he was *before* he took her to bed. Inconceivable, right?

Watching Her Every Move actually comes before 'Alpha Awakening' in this apparently untitled series, and I knew that. AA just appealed more to me so once again I read a series backwards. Shoot me.

Jonas is an agent for the Department of Defense. Stacee is a realtor... and why is spellcheck underlining realtor? it's a word... anyhooooo.... Stacee and Kay (from Alpha Awakening) are out shopping when WHAM! Some guy completely barrels into Stacee and she's laid out on the pavement teetering on the line of unconsciousness. Then BAM! Jonas jumps on the guy, starts babbling about where a package is and cuffs the lawbreaking bastard.

I love DeRicci's stories. She's definitely on my watch list, a list I haven't added to in some time actually. Her characters aren't the 'I found you, I fuck you, I love you' type. They're more the... 'I found you, I like you, I want to spend time with you' kind. They actually date!!

And Jonas is such a sweetheart, he and Rush are going to get along fine. Just fine.

There's actually a part where Stacee is flirting with him and he kisses her. And it says that he would always remember that kiss as the one that melted him.

How cute is that? *gush*

Yes, gush. That's another thing I love about DeRicci's men. We always hear about the girls falling all over themselves when it comes to men. It's so nice to be in the guy's head and discover the same craziness.

"The reason I brought you home with me is because I had a choice to make. I either trusted you enough to tell you before I took you to my bed, or took you first and hoped like hell you could live with the beast within the man, because there’s no going back.” He took a breath and stood before her. “I trusted you enough to tell you first.” She shook her head, trying to not laugh, the first sign of hysteria. “I cared enough to tell you first,” he added. “Will you at least let me prove it to you before you leave?”

And the reply... after she wakes up, that is...

“You didn’t frighten me. You shocked the living shit out of me,” she retorted. “You. Do. Not. Exist.” His mouth popped open, but she covered it with gentle fingers. Was she denying him? Was she going to walk away after all? His stomach lurched. The sudden pierce of a knife sliced him from the inside out. Pain like he’d never known. His skin felt icy all of a sudden. He couldn’t move. She was going to leave him. She was going to walk away from him. His worst nightmare was about to happen.

“Jonas. I’ll keep your secret forever.” It was a whispered promise, and one that crashed his entire world into a vacuum of pain. His features froze. His entire being felt brittle, from his heart outward. Like he would shatter. He had to find a way to win her to him. He couldn’t believe he was the only male who’d failed.

He was so caught up in his misery he neglected to notice what Stacee was doing, oblivious to the movement when her fingers slipped from his mouth to trail over his ear. The warmth of her hand on his face dragged him back to the bed in slow increments.

“But I do exist. You saw me,” he challenged. The pounding in his ears was his breaking heart.

“Yes. But outside of this room, outside of this house, you can’t. I know that. I’d never break that trust.”

He shook himself. She was touching him. And had been. How long had she been doing that? Trailing her fingers around his ear, down his neck. She’s touching me. And she knows.

I still prefer Rush to Jonas although I'm not entirely sure why. Jonas did everything right. And then, maybe that's why. Rush lost it a bit. And it was sexy!

Alpha Awakening

An afternoon spent avoiding his sister places Rush Donovan on a collision course with Fate. Interrupting a possible violent disturbance brings him face to face with the one woman he never wanted to meet.

His mate.

Luv, luv, looooooooved this story! A true sweet-hearted tale of an alpha finding his mate. And not overly sexed, which I rather enjoy on occasion.

As Rush, a detective and alpha of his wolf shifter pack, waits in line to order some coffee he overhears a woman telling her overly aggressive ex to leave her alone. Just before the situation turns violent, Rush intervenes and finds that an afternoon spent chatting over coffee with his damsel in distress is just the beginning of a life he never knew he wanted.

Rush wasn't one of those alphas who likes to 'get around'. He watched his mother fall apart after the death of his father and the idea of finding a mate has always been bittersweet in his mind. With his mother's passing when he was fifteen, he found himself the guardian to his little sister and had to grow up fast. When he was twenty-one his wolf demanded he challenge the ruling alpha. So, yeah, as I said, he's grown up fast.

When he finds his mate, it's surreal. He savors each and every feeling awakened inside him, while at the same time finds himself truly torn between putting the pack first and giving in to his need to be with his human mate. When his sister, Sheridan, shows an objection to his care for Kaisha, he's forced to face where his loyalties lie.

Of course, Sheridan's attitude stems from a misunderstanding and everything works out well until the story veers to Kaisha's own personal issues. Wolf-shifters are one thing. Love is something else entirely.

❝“I’ve never heard you laugh like you do for her,” she (Sheridan) said. “I’ve never seen you be alpha like you are for her. You couldn’t see your expression when you came into the room. You were prepared to fight for her, even against me,” she finished calmly, with a total lack of tonal inflection.❞

And yes, I loved this cover because Rush is to die for and that model captures him *perfectly*.

Dark Obsession: Shadow Destroyers #4

I find myself still craving Severn's presence. I raced through Cast In Chaos because I couldn't bear to put it down. Also, because it was rather like a band-aid. That series always carries a bit of pain for me and I just wanted it over with. Quick and clean, you know?

So with Dark Obsession, I took things slow. Savored the emotions and complexities. And wow, did it have them. Sydney Somers is one of those authors where the reader can truly see the growth of her writing. Each new character introduced burrowed a bit further into my skin.

Rae has been there since the beginning as the head of the field office, in charge of the other destroyers. It was only a matter of time until her story was told.

In the last book, Parker found himself transferred to Rae's office. Ex-boyfriend Parker, that is. They have a history. And it's dark. And it's deep.

When Parker's mother murdered his sister and then took her own life, Parker himself began to spiral out of control in search of the truth. He has quite the Mulder-ish quality about him. I love that!

Before long, Rae had had enough trying to keep it all together. She became convinced she wasn't enough to save him and forced herself to leave.

Near the end, they barely spoke. Because Parker was initiated into the Destroyers by a Lust Demon, his addiction to sex became the only thing that had held them together. She never refused him. She always let him ride out his need. So when Rae finally found the strength to walk away, Parker realized how deep his carnal need for her went, and because of his love for her, suffered what he had to to let her go.

It's great they have a past. It enables both Parker and Rae to truly be infatuated with each other but still focus their mind on their work... with occasional fantasy day dreams by Parker though... always good for a laugh.

They know each other very well. They know the buttons to press. The skeletons in the closets. The ghosts of their pasts. They can go from riling one another one second to being the only person in the world capable of empathizing the next.

Yes, I'm truly into this characters. =)

Notes To Self (Destroyers, and the the type of Demon that initiated them)

• Gage-War(?) & Jordan-War(?)
• Braxton-Telepathic & Quinn-War
• Drew-Stealth & Blair (Brax's sister)-Storm
• Raelan-War & Parker-Lust
• Darcy-Telepathic & Linc (Jordan's brother; mythical Gatekeeper)- Stealth(?)

Hit & Miss: Mythconceptions #1

Nothing like a little foray into BDSM to make a girl feel good about herself. When Kat Toomy discovers her lover cavorting on her bed in her underwear with his best buddy, she knows it's time to kick his butt out of there and go looking for something to restore her confidence in herself. Kat's girlfriends offer her a weekend away on a tropical Australian resort that specializes in fulfilling fantasies and she's all for it, particularly when she meets her new Master, Gabe Carpenter, who can turn her on with the flick of a button. But how will Kat and Gabe feel when they find out they've been set up?

GREEKS!!!!!

This was my favorite BDSM story *ever*. Basically because these two had no idea whatsoever what they were doing.

Kat blurts out her birthday wish - to be locked away, dominated sexually, and screwed six ways from Wednesday - to her friends, and an eavesdropping Gabe.

Gabe, a temporary replacement while Cupid is out - has no experience in BDSM whatsoever. But when he accidentally shoots Kat in the ass with a golden arrow, he's forced to play the partner in her weekend fantasy. He even buys himself a grocery bag full of toys, costume complete with mask, and an instruction manual to ensure he doesn't screw anything else up.

Too freakin funny!

Of course, it doesn't help that a woman who says she wants to be the submissive is actually quite the dominating one. And it takes a surprise visit from Eros himself to set it all right.

Oh yeah. A man on his knees.

“Do you acknowledge that I am your Master?” He stared at her, a small smile on his lips.

All she could do was nod. If she didn’t play along, she’d burst into giggles and ruin the whole mood he’d set up.

He shocked the shit out of her when he leaned over and snapped a bright red and silver collar about her neck. Attached to it was a twisted red tether. He hooked his hand through the loop at the end and turned towards the door of the bure. “Then come. My appetite needs to be satisfied.”

Kat scrambled to her feet. “I hope you don’t expect me to crawl on my knees after you, buster. Ain’t gonna happen.”

He raised one eyebrow at her. “I didn’t you permission to speak, slave. But to answer your question, I’ll allow you to walk behind me this time. When I want you to crawl on your hands and knees, you’ll know.”

She shivered at the promise in his words and meekly allowed him to tug on the tether. They’d reached the little patio at the front of the building when he suddenly stopped and looped the end of the lead over the post of the patio railing.

“Wait here, I’ve forgotten something.” With that, he disappeared back inside.

“Hey, you’re not…” Kat’s words trailed off as he shut the door behind him. What did he think she was, a damned dog he could leave tied up to a pole? Like hell!

Amuse Me

One woman's inspiration comes from the realities of her life, mixed with a little fantasies of her own.

With her latest erotic romance due, author Megan Bradshaw develops a bad case of writers block. In a time crunch she bases her latest story off her last failed relationship adding a little fantasy of her own, making it one hot book.

The book becomes a bestseller and gains the attention of Blake Lockland, CEO of Quicksand Books, her publisher.

Megan never expected such a strong attraction to one man, much less her publisher, but the instant chemistry sparked a dance of seduction guaranteed to ignite imagination and gain plenty more best sellers. After all, didn't they always say write what you know? But Blake wants a commitment Megan's not sure she's ready to give. Will he be like all the past failed relationships, and only good for her muse? Or will he spark much more than her creative imagination?

Misery Loves Company

Every cry for help is heard even when no one is there.

Uncontrollable events and too many bad decisions have pushed Lola to the brink of self-destruction. To help break away from her depression she rents an isolated picturesque cottage, to rest, meditate, and explore a new passion- art. It is a valiant effort to start life again.

But she isn't alone in her misery. A shadow moves, a voice calls, a hand reaches for her from beyond. She has awakened another, a dark unearthly man, whose tortured existence is wracked with pain.

Barriers of time and space crack as their empathy and their passions explode. Once promises are made, however, she discovers just how horrifying her circumstances have become.

Misery loves company, especially when reality dissolves.

This is a seriously creepy story. Not erotica. More... borderline horror. A woman who is a recovering alcoholic after her husband left her rents a cabin for two weeks as she tries to rebuild. There, she finds the ghost of a man who committed suicide some time ago.

And well, there's really only one way they can be together.