Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Signet Available: November 2nd 2010 Genre: Paranormal Romance Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Samantha 

For nine years, Nika has had one goal: to save her younger sister from the Synestryn who hold her captive. Now the psychic bond Nika forged with her sibling is fading, and time is running out. But the one man who can unlock the power inside her left and never returned, leaving Nika alone to rescue a sister everyone else believes is dead.

Madoc swore to himself he would never enter Dabyr again. For his soul is nearly dead, and he fears what he might do to those he’s sworn to protect — especially Nika. If he accompanies her into the Synestryn realm, his forbidden desire for her may unleash the savage monster within him. But Nika’s need to rescue her sister soon becomes intertwined with her passion for Madoc, while the a key to victory in the war may be within her reach…

In this fourth book in The Sentinel Wars series by Shannon K. Butcher, readers are finally treated to the story of Madoc and Nika. Madoc is a fierce (maybe crazy?) and brutal warrior quickly in danger of losing his soul if he doesn’t find his mate. Madoc has always been drawn to the young and formerly frail Nika who for years was considered crazy. Nika was taken from her family 9 years ago and her sister Tori is believed to be dead, but Nika has always had a bond with Tori and Nika believes Tori is still alive somewhere. When Nika breaks free to go find her sister, Madoc is called upon to bring her home. Madoc struggles with his attraction to Nika for fear he will hurt her and knowing that when they touch each other, Nika is not the woman destined to save his soul. Or is she?

I was so excited about the release of this book because at the end of Running Scared (book 3) I was dying to see how the story between Madoc and Nika was going to unfold. It was so obvious their attraction to each other meant they would be soul mates. I also eagerly awaited more on the side story between paralyzed warrior Torr and his "care giver" Grace. And while I enjoyed watching how Madoc and Nika develop their relationship – as those two are like oil and water – I found myself getting distracted by all the various characters and other plot lines going on in the book. I had read all 3 books in the series prior to Living Nightmare and I realized I was having a hard time placing characters. It’s like the male warriors don’t having any distinguishing characteristics that makes me immediately think of scenes with them from the previous books and I found this sort of troubling. Then to see something major happen between Torr and Grace (no spoilers here!) only to find the preview of the next book is focused on two other characters had me scratching my head. How long is Butcher going to drag this thing out? There is just so much going on that perhaps there should could be fewer story lines in each book allowing more time to be spent with the characters to allow us to get to know them better.

But in the end Madoc and Nika are both very strong characters who carry the book. Madoc’s sheer fierceness (and sometimes seemingly psychotic behavior) blends well with Nika’s determination which is often laced with naivety, and I found I was rewarded with a story I felt I waited so long for. And these two particular characters have always had traits that make is impossible to forget them throughout the series. This series is one where you definitely need to read the other books or you will probably be lost if you pick up Living Nightmare as your first read in the series. But if you have been a fan of the series, then I think you will like this book.

Favorite Quote:

"If that’s really such a big problem for you, then I’ll go find one of the teenage boys downstairs, take care of the problem, and be back in ten minutes. I understand from gossip they don’t take long to finish."

 

Series list:

• Burning Alive (Sentinel Wars, #1)
• Finding the Lost (Sentinel Wars, #2)
• Running Scared (Sentinel Wars, #3)
• Living Nightmare (Sentinel Wars, #4)

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Improper Ladies by Author by Amanda McCabe Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Signet Available: September 7, 2010 Genre: Historical Romance

The Golden Feather Young Caroline Aldritch is shocked to learn her late husband’s only legacy to her is a notorious gaming establishment-where she must hide her face from all, including the dashing Lord Lyndon, who’s determined to unmask the secretive beauty…

The Rules of Love Rosalind Chase must endure her brother’s friendship with the notorious rake Lord Morley. But when she can’t stop thinking of the insufferable libertine, Rosalind wonders if his ways just might be the path to love…

Reviewed by: Samantha 

Improper Ladies contains two previous books released by Amanda McCabe: The Golden Feather and The Rules of Love.

The Golden Feather Caroline owns and runs The Golden Feather, a gaming establishment, while hiding her face behind a disguise. It would be disgraceful for the people of the town to find out a lady runs such an establishment. Caroline needs the money from the establishment to ensure her sister receives a good education. One evening she has an arousing encounter with the enchanting Lord Justin Lyndon. But Caroline must take care to never reveal her true identity to him. After Caroline sells The Golden Feather, she and her sister Phoebe arrive in a seaside town to spend their summer season. Caroline could have never guessed that the family next door spending their summer seaside would be the Lord Lydon himself along with his brother and mother.

The Golden Feather is a simple and uncomplicated historical romance that moved at a quick pace in large part due to the chemistry between Caroline and Justin. As the two spend their summer next door to each other, they each find themselves more and more smitten with each other. I actually found myself more and more smitten with Justin as I read. Caroline knows she can never reveal her true identity for fear she and her sister will be shunned. The story is also infused with other fun characters such as Caroline’s exuberant sister, Phoebe, and Justin’s boisterous and somewhat troublesome younger brother Harry. When I first saw the title of the book was Improper Ladies, I must admit I kept reading along waiting for something "improper" to happen between Caroline and Justin. I guess the "improper" part was the fact that Caroline owned a gaming establishment. The romance in this book is very chaste, so don’t expect to read any improper happenings on the pages. What you can expect is well drawn out characters that were enjoyable to read with each having a uniqueness that kept the story interesting and sweet.

Rating:

 

The Rules of Love Rosalind is the schoolmistress of a school for girls. She has also secretly written a book called A Lady’s Rules. The girls at her school and women everywhere are reading the book and living by the rules. Rosalind must sell lots of copies of her book to help pay for her brother’s debts which he keeps racking up at a feverish pace. One of her favorite students, Lady Violet is heading home for the break and waiting to be picked up by her brother, Lord Michael Morley. Rosalind believes Michael leads her brother into all sorts of trouble. After a brief encounter between Rosalind and Michael at the the time he picks his sister up from school, both leave each other with feelings of attraction. When Michael learns of the book of rules he sets out to break as many as he can. Her book stops selling and Rosalind must go to London to figure out what is going on. She of course comes across Michael in London where he starts to pursue her.

I did not enjoy The Rules of Love as much as I did The Golden Feather. I found the chemistry between the two lead characters of Michael and Rosalind to be a bit forced. And unlike Justin in The Golden Feather, I just didn’t find myself swooning much over Michael in The Rules of Love. This story was again very simple and uncomplicated, and the romance was very chaste. Again, I kept reading while waiting for something improper, but I think the only improper things I found was Rosalind’s desire to drink whiskey (which she really should have drank to maybe loosen up a bit!) and the fact that she hid the truth that she was the author of A Lady’s Rules. I did enjoy Rosalind’s sister, Violet. She was a sweet girl with an infectious personality. I also enjoyed the way Michael showed his softer side by looking after his sister. This story was just a little slow for me and overall I found it to be anti-climatic.

Rating:

 

Overall Rating for Improper Ladies:

Favorite Quote: From The Golden Feather

Justin: "Trying to distract you from what, Miss Lane?" Phoebe: "From my purpose in coming here." Justin: "Which is?" Phoebe: "To tell you what a looby you are, of course. A wicked looby." Justin: " A – what?" Phoebe: " A looby." "It is a word I heard your brother use. And I am sure you are one."

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Water Bound (A Sea Haven Novel) by Christine Feehan Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: Jove Available: July 27, 2010 Genre: Paranormal Romance Book received from: Penguin

Off the shores of Sea Haven, a beautiful diver rescues a man from drowning, a man with no memory of who he is-or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. But soon, he and his savior will be engulfed in a storm of dizzying passion and inescapable danger…

Reviewed by: Amy 

When you mention the name of paranormal romance writer Christine Feehan, most anyone that enjoys reading romance has picked up at least one of her books out of the many series she has written.  I started with the Carpathians in the Dark series several years back.  I think I made it to the eighth or ninth book and then became burnt out on the repetitive, one dimensional, alpha men reciting the famous "you are my lifemate” speech.  So when Water Bound, the first release of the Sisters of the Heart series, came across for review, I jumped to see if Ms. Feehan had evolved into a fresher, more modern style of writing.  While I liked the character development and enjoyed the story more than the latter Carpathian books, I’m still not completely sold on the series.

Rikki is a high functioning autistic with sensory dysfunction. She leads an extremely tight, organized, lifestyle with an obsessive compulsive approach to her home and her work. A sea urchin diver by trade, Rikki has a deep connection with the water and is even able to command water at will.  While out on a routine dive, Rikki finds and rescues Lev from almost drowning.  Upon their first meeting, Rikki and Lev both feel an instant  connection to each other. Lev does not remember the specifics of who he is but does know that he is dangerous and a former killer.  What Lev immediately feels toward Rikki is a fierce desire to protect her and know her. Rikki is drawn to Lev like the water. It is unforced and although Rikki knows Lev is dangerous, she does not fear him. She only fears her ability to cope with his intrusion on her life.  As both Rikki and Lev adjust to his recovering in her home, he begins to see Rikki as a person, how she functions, her lifestyle and longs for a sense of permanency with her.  While Rikki conforms to her abruptly disorganized home with Lev now living in it, he in turn brings a sense of grounding to her emotions and gives her even more inner strength to cope with day to day changes.  Both Lev and Rikki have a dark part of their past that comes back to haunt them and both vow to win the battle in order to have the freedom to love and live in peace with each other.

I have to say that this book was much slower paced than what I remember of past Feehan novels. It drug, a lot. The story it’s self was slightly boring and I wondered if I would make it through the entire lengthy book.  Also, Water Bound picks up immediately from her prior series, the Drake Sisters, which partially explains why I was confused in some parts of the book and had a few questions that had me baffled.  What was really surprising was that there was no sex until 280 pages in!  This is a major switch from her sexcapades in the Dark Series. In fairness, however,  because of Rikki’s autism, there had to be a great amount of trust building to establish an intimacy level that could progress to sex. But 280 pages?  I was shocked!  And in reading the sex scenes I felt like I was in an 80′s time warp which was reminiscent of how I felt when reading her previous novels.  Now, what has improved, in my opinion, is character development.  Ms. Feehan conveyed great detail into the sensory mindset of a functioning autistic person. You felt the frustration, the obsession, and the compulsion that Rikki fought within herself and you cheered when she was able to form coping strategies in her daily activities.  However, Rikki was never a character you felt sorry for. She was a strong, independent survivor and had a fierceness that jumped from the pages.  And with Lev, while he had some alpha moments, it did not dominate his overall character and you saw more of his patience, nurturing and loving nature that he showed toward Rikki.  Both characters drew and gave strength from and to each other which is consistent with Feehan’s style. My greatest praise to the author is her overall growth and transformation she brings to her characters in order to find and accept love and it was evident to me more in Water Bound than in any of her previous books that I have read. Even though the first book didn’t convert me to the series, avid readers of Ms. Feehan’s work should dive into Water Bound for a good read.

 

Favorite Quote:

"The trust in her eyes, the need and passion, aroused him as nothing else could.  There was possession in her touch for the first time. A claiming of her own."

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Wasteland: The Whore by Lilli Feisty  eBook: Novella Publisher: Samhain Available: May 11, 2010 Genre: Fantasy, Erotic Romance Source: Purchased by reviewer

Her quest for freedom plunges her into dangerous waters…of desire.

Wasteland, Book 3

Bryn is a “Rose”, but her life is no garden. A stolen child, prostitution is the only life she’s ever known—except on the nights she sneaks out in stolen men’s clothing to explore the city. A tiny taste of freedom that makes her long for a life outside sexual servitude, at the mercy of any man who can pay.

Xander remembers no other home except his pirate ship, smuggling weapons or anything else for a fee. He’s been happy with his life and his lover, Hawke…until he rescues who he thinks is a young man from robbers.

Figuring she can blend in with the crew, Bryn jumps at the chance to escape the Brothel. Then she discovers Xander and Hawke have a taste for pretty boys—and that she has a taste for them. In their arms, she embraces their incredible gift: control of her own sexuality.

Though women are considered bad luck at sea, Xander isn’t of a mind to give her up. Yet the time is drawing near when the ship must return to Wasteland to resupply. And what awaits them there is a danger that could tear them apart.

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

Quick Rundown: Wasteland is set in a futuristic, post apocalyptic world where Bryn, a Rose, should consider herself fortunate to have have food, shelter and protection.  Although prostitution is all she has ever known she longs to be in control of her life as well as her sexuality.  When she is rescued by two pirates and given the chance at a different and unknown future she takes it.  In her adventures she discovers a chance to make her dreams of self empowerment come true and then some. 

Impressions after the first chapter:  Yo, Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.  This is completely different from anything I’ve read from Lilli Feisty.  I’ve actually only read her contemporary erotic romances so this is an interesting change.

The Hero: There are two heroes in The Whore.  Xander, a dirty sexy pirate with a soft side who is actually a good guy.  His lover Hawke, was not particularly interesting to me.  I didn’t necessarily dislike him, but he was not a stand out character for me.  Xander was the pirate for me.

The Heroine: Bryn, appears to be a victim of her life’s circumstances forced to work as a whore in a brothel.  She is brave, spirited, yet reserved and longs for independence and self empowerment.  The courage that it took for her to leave the brothel where she is used, but protected, in search of a different life was admirable, especially since she was facing the unknown.

What worked: The post apocalyptic world in which the story is based is a dark, dangerous place in which women are mostly powerless. Lilli Feisty did a wonderful job giving the reader a good clear feel for the despair and inner turmoil of the heroine and the overall feel of the dangerous world this novella is based in. 

What didn’t work:  Although the sex scenes are very steamy, consisting of m/m, m/f/m and voyeurism, I never fully bought into the idea that Bryn immersed herself into a fulfilling sexual relationship with Xander and Hawke so quickly.  Granted this is a novella, and I often find that relationships are rushed probably due to limited word count, but Bryn was rescued, and on the ship only a very short amount of time before she was engaged in a threesome with Xander and Hawke.  After living a life of sexual servitude, I would have thought she’d need a little more time before entering into an intimate relationship since that was the way of life she was trying to leave behind. 

Final conclusion: This type of sci-fi erotic fantasy is not my usual choice of genre, however I very much enjoyed this quick read.  I think overall it was a nicely rounded story, laced with a bit sexy pirate romance, and a heroine that I came to like very much.  What I love about Lilli Feisty’s writing is her attention to character development in her heroines. I always come away from reading her stories feeling like I know her heroines well. Although I didn’t understand Bryn’s need to enter into a sexual relationship with Xander and Hawke so quickly, I still feel like I got to know her and like her very much. I enjoyed this erotic sci-fi fantasy, however I think I prefer Ms. Feisty’s erotic contemporaries.  Still, it was fun to try something different than what I’m used to from a favorite author. 

Favorite Quote:

“If you didn’t just save my sister…I’d throttle you.” 

Bryn managed a smile.  “But I did.  So you can’t.”

 

Purchase Link:

Amazon

Other books in the series:

Wasteland: The Wanderer book 1 by Crystal Jordan

Wasteland: The Breeder book 2 by Eden Bradley

Wasteland: The Priestess book 4 by R.G. Alexander

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Lovestruck  by K.T. Grant  eBook Publisher: Nobel Romance Publishing Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance (F/F) Book received from: Purchased by reviewer

CEO hotel mogul Barbara Jennings has three months to decide whether to close her Manhattan hotel or cut costs by firing some of her employees. She meets her much-younger employee, Jennifer Caffey and is instantly smitten. Now Barbara has another mission, and that is to seduce the innocent Jenny.

Jenny is also attracted to the powerful and beautiful Barbara, but has never really had a steamy love affair with another woman. Unwittingly, she allows herself to be swept away by her passion for this older woman who may ruin her life.

Reviewed by: Fiction Vixen

Lovestruck is K.T. Grant’s debut novel.  Although I have never met her, I have gotten to know her online through her blog and twitter, so when I heard she got published I was eager to read Lovestruck.  I admit F/F erotica is not my usual choice when I’m in the mood for a steamy read but I enjoy stepping out of my reading box now and then and this was the perfect opportunity to take a chance and read something a little different than what I’m used to in romantic gay fiction. 

Lovestruck is a May/December romance and that’s a romantic situation I usually enjoy in a romance novel as long as the age gap is not too broad.  I like the idea of an older, more experienced man leading the way for his younger less experienced lover so I fully expected this scenario to work well for me in a lesbian romance as well. I was not disappointed, I really liked that Barbara was the aggressor in the relationship and a take charge gal the bedroom.  She has a knack for dirty talk that made me realize I’m not just a sucker for the boys that like to get down, dirty, and chatty; I’m an equal opportunity lover of the dirty talk. The only issue I had with this May/December romance was Barbara’s habit of calling Jenny ‘kiddo’ and ‘kid’.  Every time she did it, I tensed up.  As I said, I like the May/December scenario as long as the age range is not too broad but this nickname tossed this relationship into the danger zone for me.  Yes, Jenny was of legal age, but I didn’t like Barbara thinking of her as a kid.  Perhaps she didn’t really think of her that way, but the nickname threw me off at times.

Jenny and Barbara are an unlikely couple and they certainly don’t go into their relationship on an even playing field.  Barbara is a financially stable, powerful business woman.  She has had romantic relationships and is comfortable with her sexuality.  Jenny on the other hand is a struggling student.  Not only that, she is an employee of one of the hotels that Barbara owns and although she is gay, she has never had a romantic or sexual relationship with a woman.  Clearly Barbara goes into the relationship with the upper-hand.  Barbara was motherly and somewhat gruff at times toward Jenny telling her to eat, or when to stop drinking etc.:

Quotes from Barbara (different parts of the story)

"There is no need to be ashamed because you didn’t further your education right away. Now stop playing with your food and let’s enjoy our meal."

After this last glass she would cut Jennifer off. Feeling good, yes. Falling down drunk, no.

Barbara grabbed the bottle out of Jennifer’s hand. "It’s empty and I think you’ve had enough. Don’t you have to get up early tomorrow?"

Jenny is a little meek, allowing Barbara to tell her what to do and boss her around.  I like my heroines strong and able to stand on their own two feet so I was concerned Lovestruck might be a lopsided romance.  However K.T. Grant handled the relationship obstacles nicely, addressing each one head on, creating a very satisfying, well rounded romance between Jenny and Barbara. Jenny eventually does gain the upper-hand on an emotional level at some point as well as stepping it up in the bedroom.  Once the relationship potholes are worked out and things even out a bit, Jenny and Barbara are a nice compliment to each other. 

Lovestruck has some interesting secondary characters as well.  Mike, Jenny’s gay roommate is funny and cute and has potential for a great story if Ms. Grant is so inclined to write his story. Tonya is Jenny’s best friend and I hope we’ll see more of her in the future as well.

Overall, I enjoyed my first full fledged romp into the world of F/F erotica.  K.T. Grant has written a fun, very sexy romance and I will read more from her in the future. 

Favorite Quote:

Jenny placed her hand on her friend’s shoulder. "Stop it. You’re beautiful, smart and brassy." Tonya raised an eyebrow "Brassy? You mean loud, obnoxious and chubby." She spread out her arms to show her petite, curvy body.

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I will have an interview with K.T. Grant later today and she will be giving away a copy of Lovestruck to one lucky reader. Be sure to stop back by for your chance to win!