A Match Made in Paranormal Heaven! (Recombinant by Denise Grover Swank and Shannon Mayer)

The minute I heard that Shannon Mayer (one of my favorite urban fantasy writers of all time) and Denise Grover Swank (a favorite of mine, as well) were teaming up to write a book, I got all excited and giddy.  It had to be good, right?  I mean, these two on their own are amazing writers and successful authors, so I figured the Blood Borne Series was certain to be worthwhile.

Turns out I was right.

Rachel is a reporter who stumbles across a huge story that involves murder, vampires, military experiments, corrupt government, danger, and Lea.

Lea is a vampire and a cazador.  A  hunter. She hunts her own kind, determined to eradicate the vampire virus from the earth.

Together, Lea and Rachel take on a vast conspiracy and some very nasty people and creatures in order to get to the bottom of things. There's action, adventure, violence, a little blood, love and pain, and everything else that makes for a great story.

All books have things in them that someone here or there won't enjoy, and this book had one of those for me. I'm not going to say what, because you might like it and I don't want to influence your opinion of this book. Suffice it to say that the story was compelling enough, and the writing engaging enough, that my dislike of one aspect didn't convince me to put the book down. I read this book in a total of about four hours and loved it overall.

The most notable thing about this book is that the shift between writers and characters is flawless. You absolutely cannot tell which woman is penning a particular segment.  So often, when a book has more than one writer, the shifts between authors can be distracting, or even detrimental to the story. Not so here. It's almost as if Mayer and Swank are the same person, but  . . . wait!  I have never seen them in a room together!  Could it be? No, of course not.  But really, the writing here is smooth, intense, appealing, and utterly seamless.  Swank and Mayer pull this off like they've been writing together for decades.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable story, featuring a couple of tough, strong, intelligent, resourceful, heroic women. They don't need rescuing, they do the rescuing. Gotta love the girl power!

The Bookish Bitch gives this book 5 bottles of Happy Bitch wine:

And one bottle of Jealous Bitch.  Because I wish I'd written this.  It's that good.

Click on the picture of the book to order this on Amazon, starting Tuesday, October 27.

Beneath These Chains, by Meghan March

Meghan March is a talent to be reckoned with. And watched. Because this woman is going to on the NYT and USA Today lists very soon. Trust me on this. (You can click on this very hot teaser to buy Beneath These Chains right now!)

I don't do plot recaps and I don't do spoilers, but I do gushing, fawning, love. Which is what I have for Lord and Elle. Each has their own issues, and each is looking for something special. They come together and it's inevitable.

Well, it's inevitable except for Elle's fear of being controlled, which leads her to limit her encounters to one night stands. Also inevitable except for Lord's past as a one night stand guy, himself. Inevitable but for Lord's belief that by having anything but a relationship with Elle, he might cause trouble for his brother and Vanessa, who happens to be Elle's BFF. And it's all inevitable if not for Elle's horrible family. And the murders.

What I really, truly, deeply love about Meghan March is that when she tells a story, it's not the tried-and-true boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back, girl loses boy, they reconcile, fight the evil, and live happily ever after. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I have enough stress in my life without worrying about fictional characters! March, on the other hand, takes two unlikely people, puts them together, and then pits them against the conflict *together*. There's no yo-yo relationship. They use their new found relationship to learn to be together, and whatever problems come against them are not from each other, but from outside forces. By pushing her characters to fight for one another, together, she creates believable, understable romances. She also creates really steamy, sexy, well-written love scenes.

CAUTION: March's stories are addictive and you may find yourself thinking about Con, or Lord, or one of her other heroes while, you're supposed to be working or cleaning house or whatever. You might realize that you've read one of the Beneath stories 20 times and you're considering going back for number twenty one. You might even decide you can live without that morning latte, and spend the money on Meghan March books to hand out to your friends! You've been warned.

Overall, a good read, a good story, a satisfying romance, hot smut, multiple orgasms, one sexy, tatted, pierced badass of a hero, a girl who has the same fears and insecurities as the rest of us, and true love. Relatable, enjoyable, and totally drool-worthy. All of them are, really.  Click on the pics to buy on Amazon.

           

Skip to the Good Part, Volume 4 - Various Authors

On March 16, 2015, we get Skip to the Good Part, Volume 4. Twenty smokin' hot excerpts from 20 romance novels written by authors you know and authors you'll be glad you found here.

These scenes are melt-your-panties, set the fire alarms off hot and they come from the likes of Emma Hart, Chelle Bliss, Melissa Foster, Lili St. Germain, and more. NYT best sellers, USA Today best sellers, and up and coming writers whose names you'll want to remember.

Get it quick, because it's only out for a limited time, too. And if you haven't read the first three?  Well, they're still available, too.

Amazon: http://smarturl.it/sttgp4am?IQid=.GW
iBooks: http://smarturl.it/sttgp4ap?IQid=.GW
Kobo: http://smarturl.it/sttgp4ko?IQid=.GW

The Phoenix Candidate by Heidi Joy Tretheway

If you're looking for something new and different in the adult romance genre, this book is it. Full of strong women, powerful men, politics, subterfuge, deception, current issues, sexism, flowers, kayaking, hot sex, and a burgeoning love story; Grace Colton's story has a lot for you to enjoy. 

Having suffered the loss of her husband and her only child five years ago in a moment of horrific violence, Grace enters the world of politics to make change in the world. She's not a big name, and her state isn't one with a lot of clout or controversy, but Grace is determined to make America safer, better place.

A casual night out results in a one-night stand for Grace and a sexy stranger. What transpires from that point on is a wild political ride that will leave you wanting the rest of the story. I try not to give away plot in my reviews, but suffice it to say that Grace and Jared both need to learn that the past doesn't have to keep you from having a future, and that love may not always come along at the best time, but it always comes along at the right time. They also need to learn not to make out under street lamps!

The writing here is top-notch. Heidi Joy Tretheway is also the author of the Tattoo Thief romance series, which I've also reviewed, and every book she publishes is better than the last. All of her stories are well-plotted, believable, romantic, and realistic, and she's always written well, but she gets sharper and better with every outing. Her humor and her ability to amp up the intrigue are huge in making this story not just good, but interesting and absorbing. You really won't regret reading this.

Grace Colton is Tretheway's newest, best, strongest heroine. Jared Rankin is one of the sexiest, most complex men she's created. The political story is well thought out and researched, and Grace's backstory is true-to-life. Oh, and so is the smoking hot sex!

This is a serialized story right now, so there's more to come beyond this first installment. It's something to look forward to, because I think this is the beginning of a really great political story as well as a terrific love story. Which means you need to get this installment, and then you need to be ready to get all the rest of this story as it's released.

Click on the picture, above, to buy part 1.

Love Notes by Kendall Grey: The Hard Rock Harlots Ride Again

I love the Hard Rock Harlots series. I love the attitude, I love the foul mouths and hot sex, I love the characters, and I love the stories. This novella did not disappoint.

Kendall Grey has created an over-the-top, insane group of young, hot, horny rockers who, in the end, are just like everyone else; they're just a little more honest about who they are than the guy you meet in line at the grocery store.

This little peek into one of my favorite series features Jinx and Toombs, alternately known as Gianna and Jeff (when they're alone) who love one another intensely, but who are learning that love isn't all that matters and, while sex and love are not the same things, sex is important, too. A holiday getaway begins their journey toward resolving some issues standing in the way of making this relationship - important to both of them - work. We also get a teaser that this is not the last we've heard on the subject.

I'm not going to get into detail here. If you've read the other three books in this series, you know what to expect. If you haven't, you should. Before you read this, actually, because there's reference to older stuff in here.

Kendall Grey gets it. She is not of the generation that refused to accept change. She understands what it is about rock and roll that frees us, she understands what it is to write a song or give a performance that lays your heart and soul out on the stage for the world to see. She recognizes that sex for the sake of sex is as valid a concept as love and marriage and that these are not diametrically opposed positions. She can take filthy language, kinky sex, deep love, and familial angst and put it all together in a way that makes you feel, makes you laugh and then cry and then breathe. Heavily. Kendall Grey writes the truth and throws in the love, the sex, the conflict, and the music to provide the context for what she's trying to tell you. You ought to give a try at listening to her.

This novella is definitely worth the 99 cents. It's also worth the price of the first three books, Strings, Beats, and Nocturnes, to get into this world and fall in love with Grey's wild rock stars and their romantic escapades.

WARNING: Reasons to NOT read this story:

1. You are opposed to hot, nasty, kinky sex between unmarried people just for the sake of having a good time.
2. You are currently living in a morally repressive and misogynist theocracy where owning such literature would be punishable by death, dismemberment, or stoning.
3. You tend to faint at the liberal dropping of the F-bomb.
4. You don't believe that the female orgasm, the G-spot, or subspace are real.
5. You are a pearl-clutching, poodle-permed, blue-rinsed, granny-panty wearing biddy who will have conniptions over this stuff.
6. You're a judgmental, chauvinistic, moralistic, self-impressed moron who fails to understand the very truth of what Grey is trying to tell us: That we all need to be loved, and we want to be loved just as we are.

If you don't fall into one of those categories, get this book.

I realize this is a lot of rhapsodizing over a pretty short story, but that ought to tell you something. So jam your inhibitions, your purity ring, and your moral compass down the garbage disposal and let 'em grind while you read the best rocker romance series ever.

Amazon US: http://bit.ly/JinxNToombs
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00QU30I7Q
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00QU30I7Q
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00QU30I7Q
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-notes/id949960896…
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/love-notes-17

Thirty-Three and a Half Shenanigans, by Denise Grover Swank

The latest entry in Swank's Rose Gardner Mysteries is a winner! A great, fun read with lots of mystery and heart, and plenty of action and intrigue, this story is a great continuation or a great series. While nothing is perfect, this book is more than worth the price and the time, especially if you're as hooked on this series as I am.

Let's start by saying that if you've never read any of the Rose Gardner mysteries, you should definitely take advantage of the current sales of the previous books in this series and start from the beginning, Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes. Because there's a lot of background that will delight and entertain you as you work your way through to this story. Now....

Rose Gardner is the sweetest, strongest, most entertaining southern girl you'd ever want to meet. The people who matter to her are a wonderful collection of funny, sad, warm, helpless, strong, intelligent friends and enemies; together, they fill this story with terrific interaction with our heroine, great lines of dialogue, and an exciting trip from start to finish.

The main story here is that Rose and her BFF, Neely Kate, are looking for Neely Kate's missing cousin. Joe Simmons and Mason Devereaux are working on a secret project that involves both their jobs in law enforcement. The two investigations dovetail and wind up in a conflagration at a strip club in one of Swank's typically tense, chaotic climaxes. Skeeter Malcolm, Fenton County's newest King of the Underworld, is here, too, and he's right in the thick of everything, making threats, providing information, and protecting Rose from all kinds of mayhem while at the same time creating plenty of mayhem of his own.

Hilary, Joe's ex-girlfriend who claims to be carrying his baby (I have my doubts about that) is here to create just a tiny bit of hate and discontent for Rose. She's moved to Henryetta and is still plotting to get Joe on a permanent basis, which is what she pretty much always does. Hils, girl! He's just not that into you!

Violet, Rose's sister, is paying the consequences for her betrayal of Rose and, while they're working on their relationship, things are not what they should be. It's still not clear to me that Violet truly, deeply understands the horrible things she's done to her sister in the past couple of books. Rose is right to take things slowly and carefully.

Neely Kate, pregnant and learning to cook, has a much bigger part in this story than she has in past outings, and she's a delight. She knows everything about every person they come across, it seems, and her juicy little tidbits of information are loads of fun, not to mention helpful to Rose in figuring things out.

Mason's mother, Maeve, has moved to town and set up housekeeping. She's there for Rose a lot, as she does some of the heavy lifting in her son's relationship by providing Rose companionship and insight while he's off doing his "very important job" as assistant DA of Fenton County.

Rose has divided her nursery business and brought in Joe and Bruce Wayne - former pot head slacker turned landscape gardener - as partners and is getting ready to re-open after a disastrous Thanksgiving vandalism.

And we meet Abbie Lee, a deputy sheriff who's burning a torch for Mason. One she'd seemingly like to use to light rose up and cook her to a crisp so as to have a path straight to Mason's heart. Given Rose's consecutive relationships with Joe - a former State Police detective and now Fenton County's Chief Deputy - and Mason, the county's ADA, Abbie has decided that our girl is a "badge bunny," a police groupie, and therefore unworthy of Mr. Devereaux.

The action is engaging and the story is well plotted. The writing, as always, is very good. Swank gets better with every outing and her writing gets tighter and more involving every time she publishes. As prolific as she is, it's amazing that she has time to also improve her work, but she does. I'm never disappointed in a book by Denise Grover Swank, and, as in this case, I'm often surprised at how incredibly good she is. I love this series, and pretty much everything else this talented woman writes.

As I said, nothing is perfect. I have some small complaints. For instance, Rose never mentions her dog, Muffy, without using the phrase "my little dog." After about the 15th time, I kind of wanted to scream that I KNOW THE DOG IS SMALL! Overused words and phrases tend to stand out and get on my nerves. A quibble, I know. Not really worth the mention, but I did it anyway.

Another complaint is that Rose is very big on being independent, taking care of things herself, and being her own person. Laudable, to be sure. But the minute she lands herself in hot water with the law, the first thing she does is calls Joe or Mason to fix things. You can't have it both ways, girl, but again, a small issue.

My biggest complaint about this book is that nothing happens. Not a thing in the overall, start to finish story that this series is telling is addressed. We don't move forward with Hilary's campaign to get Joe and demolish Rose. Nothing happens with Joe and Maeve, Mason's mother; in the novella that precedes this book, they began a friendship that just lays there doing nothing in this book. There's nothing that happens with Violet and Mike, who are divorced but might be working on that. There is no movement with Bruce Wayne, really. We don't even hear from Miss Mildred, Heidi Joy, or Jonah. How do you go to Henryetta and not even peek in at Miss Mildred?

Mason and Rose keep yammering on about how much they love one another, but that relationship really doesn't evolve in this story. There's lots of lip service to it, and there are some life-threatening events that occur and cause much love-pledging and such, but nothing really happens to convince me that these two belong together. (Yes, I'm a fan of Joe/Rose and hope against all hope that they are end game, but that's not my point at all.) Every time Rose tells someone, or the reader, how much she loves Mason, or any time she points out to Joe (for the thousandth time) that she's with Mason now, it sounds to me like she's trying to convince someone of that. Whether it's the audience or herself is what I'm not sure of. Had Joe's father not intervened, Joe and Rose might, and probably would, still be together and at no point has Rose or Mason or Joe or anyone else brought that up. Which reminds me of another thing that doesn't happen.

There is some suspicion on Rose's part that certain events in this book are the doings of Joe's father, a rich, controlling, manipulative megalomaniac who's out to put his son into the White House at all costs. But only Rose seems to see his hand in some of the events in this book. The men in her life - both law-school graduates and experienced investigators who are bright enough to go head to head with her - are oblivious? Really?

Ultimately, while this is a fun outing, an entertaining story, and a pretty good demonstration of Swank's writing chops, and while it's a peek into the always delightful world of Henryetta, Arkansas, there's one main thing it's not. It's absolutely not forward movement. It definitely IS a clear set up for the next installment of the series, and it's certainly a good read, and that's really all it needs to be. Thirty-Three and a Half Shenanigans was just vaguely unsatisfying for a fan of the series, which I am, but that's not to say I didn't like it. Because I really did. I just wish there had been more momentum on the whole.

The Curse Defiers: Book 3 in the Curse Breakers Series, by Denise Grover Swank

Let me start by saying that this is my favorite book in the series.  As the clues come together and the curses, prophecies, and secrets all point in the same direction, I finally understand what the heck is going on here!

First of all, Denise Grover Swank gets better with every book she writes (which, when you consider how many books she publishes each year is pretty impressive!) and this entry is proof of that. While I liked the first book, The Curse Keepers, and I liked the second book, The Curse Breakers, I really enjoyed the heck out of this book.

Our heroine, Ellie, is finally - FINALLY! - learning not to go off half-cocked. Well, okay, there are a couple of exceptions here, but at last Ellie is making sensible choices. One of my complaints about the first part of this series that Elinor Dare Lancaster wasn't the intelligent, sensible woman she should be in this mess. She always wanted us to think she was, and finally we can start to count on her acting like it.  Yay! I just really enjoyed that she started listening to people rather than to her own doubts, fears, and insecurities.

David, Ellie's lover and historical expert, is along for the ride and their relationship matures here.  David is pivotal to Ellie's understanding of the situations she finds herself in, and he's immensely helpful in unraveling some of the mysteries that present themselves.

Collin shows up and grows up.  I don't want to give too much away here, but Collin and Ellie's best friend Claire take on expanded, vital, more supportive roles than they have in the past.  It's refreshing.

If I had to find a quibble with this series, I'd say that it's often difficult for me to keep the supernatural players (gods, demons, various spirits and evil-doers) straight.  There are a lot of them.  I also find it distracting when presented with names that are difficult to pronounce and no pronunciation is given.  At some point, it would have been nice if someone had mispronounced Mishiginebig and been corrected so I wouldn't have stopped every time s/he is mentioned to try to decide how to say it. But, that may just be me. Please note, though, that these are very small bits of a big and very enjoyable saga, though, and not worth worrying about.

The writing here is, as usual, very good. Swank can string a sentence or two together with the best of them. She can also create a real mystery that is creepy, compelling, and truly intriguing.  Add to that a good romance, some romantic angst and regret, and answers to most of the questions you've had reading this series, and what you've got is a satisfying read that, if you're anything like me, you'll finish off in short order.

Basically, we're here to finally resolve the titular curse, and to answer the questions of what Ellie's and Collin's powers and heritage mean.  And we do.  Mostly. Swank has clearly kept the door open for epilogues of some sort, and I'm looking forward to whatever happens next.

The Curse Defiers 

comes out on September 30, 2014

Pre-Order now!

Revenge Bound - Heidi Joy Tretheway

Third in a four book series centered on the band Tattoo Thief.  Book one centers on Gavin and Beryl.  Book two, Tyler and Stella, deals with, well, you know.  This book can stand alone, but reading the series in order is a good idea anyway; you have more "insider knowledge" that way.

I love Heidi Joy Tretheway, I love the Tattoo Thief series, and I love Jayce McKittrick. I don't care if he's fictional, I want a Jayce of my own.

As I've said of Tretheway before (when reviewing Stella and Tyler's story), her writing gets better and better and better. Every outing is better than the last. This book is so well-written, and so well put together, and clearly so well researched (about revenge porn, among other things) that you just can't find anything to quibble with.

Jayce is a hot rock star with a sense of humor and need for control. He's also quite the stereotypical man whore, dragging a trail of groupies and easy one-night stands wherever he goes. He's happy with his no-strings attached, let's all have fun and then move on policy, until he meets Violet. She's different and she's special, and he knows it from the word go.

Violet is a teacher, an artist, and a photographer. She's been hurt, she doesn't trust easily, and she's trying to make a life for herself after a really bad relationship ends. To add to her problems, she starts getting very dirty, very scary texts which lead her to discover that there are naked pictures of her posted on the internet. Photos that were never supposed to see the light of day.

Revenge porn is a real thing, people.  This book, in addition to being fun, and full of love, romance, and some sizzling sex to boot, is a cautionary tale: what you put on the internet stays on the internet.  Forever.  For. Ev.  Er.

I'm not telling you anything more about the plot, other than to say that it's worth the trip. Read this book! Violet and Jayce are real people and they have a story to tell. It's a cautionary one about how bad things happen to good people. It's a hopeful one, about how making changes can and does happen. And it's a love story. Of course it is. Tretheway writes some of the best love stories you're ever going to run across.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The dialogue is real, and relateable, and a lot of it stuff I've heard come out of my own mouth. Jayce is a lot more than just a rock star, just a hottie, just a womanizer. He's a real guy with big decisions to make, big concerns to address, and a big case of lust for the beautiful red-haired woman whom chance tosses into his life.

Please do yourself a favor and read Revenge Bound. Because it's worth it to see two scared, reticent people make their way to one another, and because the things that are there to be overcome only make the story more compelling. But mostly, read this book because Heidi Joy Tretheway is a really terrific writer, with a real voice, who deserves your attention. Romance is not as easy to write as so many seem to think; Tretheway, however, certainly makes it seem like it is!

As always, click on the pic to buy the book.  You won't regret it!

Have you read any of these?

I've been a little busy and have gotten a bit behind on my summer reading.  I have many books to review, but no time right now.  Not to give the kind of attention I want to. So, I'm posting this list.  You should check out the books on it and let me know what you thought of them.  Maybe write a review in the comments.  These are books I've finished, or am starting on, and that I feel good recommending to you.  Enjoy them, and let me know your opinion on them.

1. Hot Blooded, by Kendall Grey  Grey is always outrageous yet relateable, and she always takes you on a ride you won't soon forget.  Book one in the Ohana series (ohana means family in Hawaiian) will take you an a typically Grey-esque adventure. If you've ever read Grey's Hard Rock Harlots series, you know how wild this is going to be!

2. The Call series by Emma Hart   On sale, 99 cents for two books and a novella, the complete set.

3. Hudson, by Laurelin Paige     Free with Kindle Unlimited, but worth the price anyway.  Epilogue/supplement to the Fixed Trilogy, which was totally enjoyable.  TOTALLY, people!

4. Slade: Walk of Shame #1  By Victoria Ashley     Hot, sweaty, steamy, dirty, sexy fun!  I loved the whole thing, just because it was so ... whoa!  99 cents, folks!  Trust me, just the physical description of Slade will have you drooling.

5.Beauty and the Badge, by Inez Kelly.  Fun, cute, romantic, sexy... and he comes with his own handcuffs!  Oh, and only 99 cents!  What's not to love?

6. The Bastard, also by Inez Kelly.  This woman had a really unique idea, created a great mythology, and then scored with a fabulous, hot and sweet romance.  This is book one in the series The Baddest Boys in History, and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment.

7. Cover Me, by Carrie Elliott.  Very sweet.  Very involving, really. I enjoyed this story quite a bit.  The lead characters are just so darned adorable together!   Free with Kindle Unlimited, and not real hard on the wallet without it.

8. Frigid, by Jennifer Armentrout (writing as J. Lynn)  Best friends since childhood, snowed in at a ski resort, discovering their love for one another?  AWESOME!

9. Playing for Keeps, by R. L. Mathewson  Fun little series of sweet romances.  I enjoyed the silliness in here, for instance, a food obsession that just makes me laugh.  The stories are nice and the writing is good.  Can't ask for much more in a summer read, and there are FOUR of them to keep you happily reading for a while.

10.  The King, by J.R. Ward.  Continuing the Black Dagger Brotherhood along in the style and excitement we've come to love. The King also kind of brings us full circle in the story of Wrath and Beth. I mean, we've all got our favorite Brother, right?

Quick read:  Alex, by Shannon Mayer.  A brief novella, and free with Kindle Unlimited or 99 cents without, that gives you a new insight into the werewolf in the Rylee Adamson series.  Also, a small hint of things to come?

So, what are you reading this summer that I haven't?  Let me know and I'll check it out.

OUT TODAY: Hudson, book 4 in the Fixed series, by Laurelin Paige

It came out today.  I'm reading it now.  It's awesome.  

Currently on sale at Amazon for $3.99, and worth every penny.  If you haven't read Fixed on You, Found in You, and Forever With You, read them first.  You will not regret it, trust me.  And as soon as I've finished Hudson's story, I'll post a review.  If you finish before I do, I'll post yours, too.

Click on the picture above to buy the Kindle book.