Sarah's Review: How the Dukes Stole Christmas

Remember, this is a Royal Pick for the month! Check back on December 27th when the monthly giveaway opens!

How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Shupe
Publisher: October 15, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance

Christmas magic is in the air... From the ballrooms of London, to abandoned Scottish castles, to the snowy streets of Gilded Age New York, four bestselling authors whip up some unforgettable romance...with a little help from some enchanted shortbread.

"Meet Me in Mayfair" by Tessa Dare
Louisa Ward needs a Christmas miracle. Unless she catches a wealthy husband at the ball tonight, the horrid, heartless Duke of Thorndale will evict her family from their beloved Mayfair home. But when her friend begs to switch dance cards, Louisa finds herself waltzing with the enemy: the horrid, heartless--and unexpectedly handsome--Thorndale himself. Now the duke's holding her future in his hands...and he's not letting go.

"The Duke of Christmas Present" by Sarah MacLean
Rich and ruthless, Eben, Duke of Allryd, has no time for holidays. Holidays are for whimsy and charm--the only two things his money cannot buy. Lady Jacqueline Mosby is full of both, even now, twelve years after she left to see the world. When Jacqueline returns for a single Christmas, Eben can't resist the woman he never stopped loving...or the future that had once been in reach. It will take a miracle to convince her to stay...but if ever there were a time for miracles, it's Christmas...

"Heiress Alone" by Sophie Jordan
When Annis Bannister's family leaves her behind in the rush to escape an impending snowstorm, she finds herself stranded in the Highlands, left to fend off brigands terrorizing the countryside, robbing homes locked up for winter. Her only hope falls on her neighbor, a surly hermit duke who unravels her with a look, then a kiss ... until she fears the danger to her heart outweighs the danger of brigands and snowstorms.

"Christmas in Central Park" by Joanna Shupe
Women all over America devour Mrs. Walker's weekly column for recipes and advice. No one knows Rose, the column's author, can't even boil water. When the paper's owner, Duke Havemeyer, insists she host a Christmas party, Rose must scramble to find a husband, an empty mansion, and a cook. But Duke is not a man easily fooled and she fears her perfect plan is failing--especially when Duke's attentions make her feel anything but professional. To save her career will she give up her chance at love? 

Where to Buy*:

Kindle | NOOK | Kobo

More Info:

Add it on Goodreads!

Sarah's Review:

Kat and Melinda's Review: Kiss Me

Today Kat and Melinda review 3 stories from the Kiss Me anthology. Note: they do not review the entire anthology, but they do rate and review the stories they managed (barely...) to finish. And honestly, it's probably not a stretch to say the rest of the anthology has similar issues, too.

Kiss Me: An Asian Hero Boxed Set by Joanne Dannon + 7 others
Publisher: IndieWrites (August 12, 2018)
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Two Worlds, One Kiss, a Lifetime of Love

This set features EIGHT sweet contemporary romance novellas featuring handsome Asian heroes.

From Australia's vineyards to the bright lights of Hong Kong, these stories have something for anyone looking for a little international flair in their romance.

This set will only be available for a limited time, so don't miss out!

Joanne Dannon - An Unexpected Forever

Khardine Gray – Kisses and Blossoms

Imogene Nix – Hero of Heartbreak Hill

Aislinn Kearns - Until You

Dakota Harrison – Once Upon a K-Pop Prince

Fiona Marsden – Beautiful Stranger

Terri A. Wilson – A New Ending

Zena Oliver - Seven-Day Cruise

Where to Buy*:

Kindle (KU Title)

More Info:

Add it on Goodreads!

Kat's Review: The Boss of Her

The Boss of Her by Julie Cannon, Aurora Rey, and M. Ullrich
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (April 16, 2018)
Genre: Contemporary Romance -- F/F

Going to work never felt so good. Three office romance novellas from talented writers Julie Cannon, Aurora Rey, and M. Ullrich. 

In For Your Eyes Only by Julie Cannon: Dress for success takes on a very different meaning. CFO Riley Stephenson finds herself in a particularly difficult position when the stripper she's fallen for shows up at her office―as her new employee.

In Lead Counsel by Aurora Rey: Attorney Elisa Gonzalez is happy working behind the scenes while still having time for a life. All that changes when her firm takes on a major case and Parker Jones, powerhouse litigator and her law school crush, is named lead counsel.

In Opportunity of a Lifetime by M. Ullrich: Luca Garner is eager and hardworking, but her new boss is a total nightmare―snarky and uncooperative, not to mention an ice queen. VP Stephanie Austin doesn’t mean to be unkind, but the last thing she wants is an assistant getting under her skin, especially one who is as attractive as she is kind.

Where to Buy*:

Kindle | NOOK | Kobo

More Info:

Author's Sites: Here, Here, and Here
Add it on Goodreads!

Kat's Review:

Jen's Review: Hamilton's Battalion

Hamilton's Battalion by Courtney Milan, Alyssa Cole, Rose Lerner
Publisher: Courtney Milan (October 17, 2017
Genre: Historical Romance -- M/M, F/F, and M/F

Love in the time of Hamilton…

On October 14, 1781, Alexander Hamilton led a daring assault on Yorktown's defenses and won a decisive victory in America's fight for independence. Decades later, when Eliza Hamilton collected his soldiers' stories, she discovered that while the war was won at Yorktown, the battle for love took place on many fronts...

PROMISED LAND by Rose Lerner

Donning men's clothing, Rachel left her life behind to fight the British as Corporal Ezra Jacobs--but life catches up with a vengeance when she arrests an old love as a Loyalist spy.

At first she thinks Nathan Mendelson hasn't changed one bit: he's annoying, he talks too much, he sticks his handsome nose where it doesn't belong, and he's self-righteously indignant just because Rachel might have faked her own death a little. She'll be lucky if he doesn't spill her secret to the entire Continental Army.

Then Nathan shares a secret of his own, one that changes everything...

THE PURSUIT OF... by Courtney Milan

What do a Black American soldier, invalided out at Yorktown, and a British officer who deserted his post have in common? Quite a bit, actually.

* They attempted to kill each other the first time they met.
* They're liable to try again at some point in the five-hundred mile journey that they're inexplicably sharing.
* They are not falling in love with each other.
* They are not falling in love with each other.
* They are.... Oh, no.

THAT COULD BE ENOUGH by Alyssa Cole

Mercy Alston knows the best thing to do with pesky feelings like "love" and "hope": avoid them at all cost. Serving as a maid to Eliza Hamilton, and an assistant in the woman's stubborn desire to preserve her late husband's legacy, has driven that point home for Mercy—as have her own previous heartbreaks.

When Andromeda Stiel shows up at Hamilton Grange for an interview in her grandfather's stead, Mercy's resolution to live a quiet, pain-free life is tested by the beautiful, flirtatious, and entirely overwhelming dressmaker.

Andromeda has staid Mercy reconsidering her worldview, but neither is prepared for love—or for what happens when it's not enough. 

Where to Buy*:

Kindle | NOOK | Kobo

More Info:

Courtney's Site | Rose's Site | Alyssa Cole
Add it on Goodreads!

Jen's Review:

[ARC Review]: "Dirty Work"

Dirty Work by Amanda Heger, Harper St. George, and Tara Wyatt
Publication Date: August 15, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance -- Anthology

Nothing can keep a Hennessy from what he wants, even if it means getting dirty... And these men are good with their hands. 

When an inheritance forces Natalie Green back to her hometown, she finds herself knee-deep in family heirlooms and unwanted memories. And some of those memories involve landscaper Chris Hennessy—the guy whose virginity she took all those years ago. As the two begin rekindling an old flame, Natalie realizes her entire life is about to be UPROOTED. 

When lawyer Rachel Cambridge's life falls apart, she should be heartbroken. So why can't she drag her thoughts from the bad boy she walked away from years earlier? Sexy mechanic Sage Hennessy isn’t interested in forgiveness, but he won’t say no to a night in his bed. Will it be enough, or will Rachel get back the one man who's ever REVVED her engine?

Cynical sports journalist Charlie Grant isn't looking for love, especially not with smartass carpenter Adam Hennessy. But when Charlie hires Adam to rebuild her deck, she can't seem to keep her hands to herself. When smoking hot sex turns into something more, she's worried she might get NAILED.

Follow the rough-around-the-edges Hennessys and the women who snag their hearts in DIRTY WORK, an anthology with novellas by Amanda Heger, Harper St. George, and Tara Wyatt.

Where to Buy*:

Kindle | NOOK | Kobo

More Info:

Author's Site | Author's Site | Author's Site
Add it on Goodreads!

Reviews of Wyatt's Previous Novels:

Primal Instinct (#2) -- TBQ


My Review:

[Kame's Review]: "Christmas to Remember"

Christmas to Remember by Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, + Marilyn Pappano

Publisher: Forever Yours (December 3, 2013) 

Genre: Contemporary Romance (holiday)

Curl up with this heartwarming Christmas collection!

Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

Where to Buy*:

Kindle | NOOK | ARe

More Info:

Add it on GoodReads! 

Kame's Review:

[NetGalley Review]: "Kiss Me, I'm Irish"

Kiss Me, I'm Irish by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis and Maureen Child
Publisher: HQN Books (February 21, 2012)
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Anthology)

Summary (Amazon.com):
The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. Claire

For one incredible night, Kendra Locke gave Deuce Monroe everything she had. Then he walked away without a backward glance to chase his big-league dreams. Now after one too many daredevil stunts, he's back in his hometown ready to pick up where they left off—but Kendra has no intention of giving in so easily….

Tangling with Ty by Jill Shalvis
Dr. Nicole Mann, a child prodigy who graduated high school at the age of thirteen, has no room in her mind or her schedule for romance. But when the architect renovating her apartment turns out to have a charming Irish accent, all bets are off—and Ty Patrick O'Grady plans to use every trick in his book to stay in her life for good.

Whatever Reilly Wants by Maureen Child
Connor Reilly only has a few weeks to go in his "no sex for ninety days" bet with his brothers—and he figures no woman is safer to be around than his best friend, Emma Jacobsen. Until Emma shows up at a bar in a short skirt and high heels, and suddenly seems anything but safe!

Where to Buy*:

Amazon | Kindle | BN.com | NOOK

More Info:

Roxanne's Site | Jill's Site | Maureen's Site | Book Site | Excerpt

My Review:

When you put three popular authors together in one book, you know it's going to be good.

When you add in hot Irish men, it becomes a decadent treat for any obsessed romance fan!

All three stories may have previously been published, but that doesn't detract from the impact of the book. After all, there are always new readers (like me) who have never read any of these authors, little loan these three novellas. Each story gave me a good glimpse at what that author is capable of. I'll definitely be putting their other books on my list!

I enjoyed each story, all for different reasons. St. Claire's is a story of second chances. Shalvis gives us a story of two “loners” finding each other. And Child's is the one we probably think of most often, both in books and out, that of two friends realizing they're meant to be lovers.

The Sins of His Past (Roxanne St. Claire) was a fun one to read. Deuce (is Wild) is the type of hero that we love to read about—kind of the bad boy, mostly just the golden child, the one that everyone praises and looks to. Now, he can be a bit arrogant—and if it's not done right, jerk-y at times---but in the end, he's a hunky hero we can fall for. And I did, about as hard as Kendra did. And Kendra was a strong heroine, not one to give up on what she wanted—both professionally and personally!

Tangling with Ty (Jill Shalvis) was also a fun read (are you catching the theme here?), and perhaps the one I could relate to the most. While I'm not a prodigy child turned doctor like Nicole, we both tend to stick to ourselves. While reading their story, I kept hoping for my own sexy Irish man to fall through my roof. After all, if Nicole was lucky enough to find her Ty, where's mine? As great as this story was, my only complaint is it didn't come complete with a real-life Ty. * sigh *

Whatever Reilly Wants (Maureen Child) was also a great story, and one that made me laugh more than a few times. I loved reading about Connor (as well as his three brothers). And while I wanted to shake him a few times—and teach him a lesson about “thinking before you speak”--his moments of idiocy were comical, and in the end I still loved him. Really, Connor, you almost made me hate you when you thoughtlessly told Emma that she was “safe” because she was a mechanic, not a woman. But you came around, didn't you? Our Emma has you well trained... :)

4 STARS! Each story, although very different, did have a few things in common: sexy Irish men, fun characters, charming settings and great loving (of both the sweet and spicy variety!). I very much look forward to reading other books by these three talented ladies, and I highly suggest you pick up this delicious anthology, regardless of whether you're a devoted fan of their work or a new reader! Now excuse me while I go off in search of my own Irish man to kiss....

~*~*~*~
I received this e-book from NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

~*~*~*~

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

*TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

[Review]: "SEAL of My Dreams"

SEAL of My Dreams by Cindy Gerard AND Other Authors
Publisher: Bell Bridge Books (November 11, 2011)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Summary (Amazon.com):
True heroes who will win your heart. Honor, duty, courage, passion . . . the men of the Navy SEALs are a special breed of hero, and in these stories by eighteen top romance authors the SEALs are celebrated not only as symbols of devoted service to their country but as the kind of man every woman wants to love. They'll rescue a damsel in distress and her lap dog, too. They'll battle hometown dramas and international bad guys. When it comes to giving away their hearts, they'll risk everything. All proceeds from sales of SEAL of My Dreams goes to the Veterans Research Corporation, a non-profit fundraiser for veterans' medical research. Among them, the authors of SEAL of My Dreams have won dozens of writing awards including multiple RITAs from Romance Writers of America. Their nearly 600 published novels have sold at least 25 million copies worldwide. The SEAL of My Dreams roster includes many of the best-known authors in modern romance fiction. In addition, many have strong family connections to the servicemen and women of our nation's military, and many specialize in novels featuring heroes and heroines from all branches of service.


Where to Buy*: Amazon | Kindle | NOOK
More Info: Book Site


My Review:

SEAL of My Dreams is an anthology full of best-selling and well known contemporary romance authors, with the theme for every story being the brave Navy SEAL man and the woman he loves. The premise for both the anthology and the individual stories is very promising. However, the execution falls a bit short and leaves the reader wanting.




Even if it wasn't for the fact that this particular anthology has so many novellas inside of it, I couldn't give you a summary or review of each one even if I wanted to. They each seemed to blend into the next one. Just as I would start to get into the story and begin to enjoy it, I'd turn the page and suddenly it is the next story. So off I began again on another SEAL related adventure and then suddenly it's time for that one to abruptly end as well. I felt as if I was in some sort of class and every 15 minutes the instructor was yelling “Switch!”, at which point one story would disappear and I'd find the new one in front of me instead.



Yes, I understand that an anthology is merely a collection of short stories. And perhaps some would say I am wrong to base part of my review on the fact that everything was too short, but I've read many novellas and anthologies—I know the difference between a short story that is done so well the reader doesn't even feel that more story is needed and one where it reads more like an excerpt than anything else. This book, unfortunately, fell under the second category. Every story was too rushed—most of them, I felt, barely even had a storyline, and the others had great potential...until it was suddenly hacked off, almost mid-sentence it would seem.



It's pretty unfortunate when most of the stories in SEAL of My Dreams were literally forgettable for me. Many of them left my mind as soon as the next novella began, leaving no impression of memory of it behind. The others were forgotten not long after I read the final page of the book. It wasn't intentional, but rather it happened from lack of substance, and therefore each one blew away before I was even done with it. Shouldn't I have been left with something by the end? A favorite story or two, a few complaints about my least favorite ones—something? I should have been, but I wasn't.



However, this anthology did still do its job to attract new readers to authors they've never read before, give them a taste of what to expect. Despite not feeling satisfied and fulfilled by the end of it, I still wanted to read more novels by most, if not all, of these authors. The novellas that were part of an existing series went straight on my list, and the others made me want to look up the author's other books to see which ones sound like my kind of romance novel. I'll admit, I enjoyed reading about the SEALs, and I'll do so again in a heartbeat. In this, at least, the book succeeded.



Despite my desire for more substance to these novellas, many of them did have a lot of positive elements going for them. Almost every one of these stories made me want to cry, to grieve—for both the men in the story and the real men that do these things in the name of our country every day. Other stories had me on the edge of my seat, biting my nails during the dangerous missions. A few had me sighing at the tender moments in between all the courageous ones. One or two had me on fire from the passion and love, though non of them were particularly spicy and only a couple even had a real love scene (and those were very, very brief).



3 STARS! I would still recommend SEAL of My Dreams to every romance fan out there. Even though it wasn't perfect, and it wasn't my favorite book of all time, it still touched something inside of me. And more importantly, the book is benefiting a great cause, with all proceeds from it going to veteran medical research and other worthy causes for the brave men and women that serve our country. Buy this book, enjoy a taste of what these authors have to offer in their full-length novels, and help out a great cause while doing so-- what more could you ask for?






~~~
Thanks to NetGalley, where I received this book for free in exchange for reviewing the book. (Free book does not equal biased review, however!)
~~~



Enjoy!






Until Next Time,

*TBQ's Book Palace is a member of both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles affiliates program. By using the links provided to buy products from either website, I receive a very small percentage of the order. To read my full disclosure on the matter, please see this post!

[ARC Review]--- "A Highlander Christmas"

Title: A Highlander Christmas

Authors: Sophie Renwick, Dawn Halliday, and Cindy Miles
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Publication Date: November 2009
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Historical, Magic, Anthology
Pages: 336


Summary (B&N):
A festive anthology featuring three all-new stories, three sexy Scotsmen, and a magical holiday setting.

An enchanting trio of paranormal Christmas stories:

Dawn Halliday's Winter Heat...Lost in a blizzard, a young woman casts a spell over the brooding Highland warrior who rescues her.

Cindy Miles's A Christmas Spirit...A museum curator's tour of a Scottish castle leads to an unexpected encounter with a dead-sexy spirit.

Sophie Renwick's Yuletide Enchantment...Passion blooms between an anxious bride-to-be and a dark, sensual stranger from another world.

Places to Order A Highlander Christmas:

B&N.com

Borders

Amazon.com

My Review:


Usually, I don't rate anthologies very high-- average rating, about a 3.5 or so is common for me. But with Highlander Christmas, there was no doubt in my mind that it would receive a 5 Star rating when I finished the last page!

When you get three very talented, very popular authors together, and have their stories all published in one book, you're sure to get one spectacular novel out of the deal. And with Highlander Christmas, that's what happened!

I don't even know where to begin-- all three stories were great, and I so loved reading each and every one!

Dawn's story, the first in the novel, could quite possibly be my all-time favorite of the three, if I had to choose. I almost forgot that her story was supposed to be a novella, part of an anthology, and therefore shorter in pages than usual-- you can't even tell! Why? Because the characters came alive in the pages, flourished and developed, and the connection, the love, between hero and heroine was clearly there, and very well done. Something that, usually, can be a bit challenging to accomplish in a shortened novel.

But Dawn, well, I already knew from her previous work that she could do it, and once again she managed to grab me from page one, and wrap the magic of her story-telling around me until the very end. Touching, passionate, and witty, I loved her "Winter Heat", which will definitely help to keep a reader warm during the upcoming winter evenings, snuggled up by the fire with this book! *Wink*


Next up was Sophie's "Yuletide Enchantment". Now, I've not yet read any of Sophie's contemporary romances, but I've been anxiously awaiting her upcoming paranormal series-- and this short novel is a bit of a prequel, I guess you could call it, for said series.

After reading this one, my mind was still a bit numb-- wow! I thought the plot/theme alone was very unique, not the usual ones filling the shelves today, and the story flowed nicely-- again, I almost couldn't tell it was a novella instead of a full length! The only problem, if you could call it that, is that the story teased me, leaving off at the end, and torturing me until the first novel, Velvet Haven, comes out this next year! *Cries* Otherwise, the characters were well done (and the hero, by the way, is very yummy!), there was plenty of romance, action, and a good dash of magic to captivate the reader!


The last story was Cindy's "A Christmas Spirit". I've read one of her books before, and I did enjoy it, so I had a fairly good idea of what to expect in this one-- and again, I wasn't disappointed. Although, to be honest, out of the three I would have to say this one would receive my lowest rating on it's own (but no lower than 4 stars, if that!), it was only because I didn't quiet feel the pull between the hero and heroine in her story. It was there, but it felt like it was a bit, well, rushed, like most novellas, and it only came in stronger at the very end. But I do enjoy her writing still, I always find a few witty areas and more than a few "Aw!" ones as well.

5 STARS! Over all, these three well-known authors worked their magic over the reader, pulling them in, and holding them in thrall until the very end. Wonderful, enchanting, and passionately written, these three paranormal Christmas novellas will leave you wanting only one thing: the hero to have as your own! Move over, fated heroines, you're going to have competition soon!



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Thanks again to Sophie Renwick, whose blog I won this from last month!
~~~~~~~


Quick question-- which do you like better: My old signature (the blue/starry kind of TBQ) or my new one (below)?



Enjoy!





Until Next Time,

[ARC Review]--- Healing Spell and Other Stories

Title: The Healing Spell and Other Stories

Author: Kiki Howell

Genre: Erotica, Wicca/Magic

Publisher: Excessica

Publication Date: Unknown (You can probably buy it in E-Book form already, but print, like I read, might not be out yet...) Summary (Author's Website):

In this anthology, Kiki Howell, Author of Magical Erotic Romances, shares the following short stories and novellas…

The Healing Spell Samantha leads David through the steps of a sexual magic spell with the intent to heal him. Yet, once the spell has been completed, he finds he cannot just take his talisman and walk away from her, and the witch finds her carefully protected heart on the line.

To Save A Witch from the Focus Anthology, ed. Kev Henley “Kiki gives us a brief but penetrating look into a world where shadow and power are subtle and often unpredictable. Even in this exotic and little-known world, however, it is never too late to correct one’s mistakes and set things right.” - Forward by Ed. Kev Henley

Beltane’s Guide from the Four Seasons: Spring 2009 Anthology, ed. Selena Kitt Meghan celebrates the sacred sex act of the God and Goddess when she goes on a Trust Walk blindfolded with a stranger in the woods. After the rite becomes more than she bargained for, she will have to work for her new beginning.

Rituals When a Wiccan rite opens Maddie’s eyes to her old friend, Ryan, they find freedom in the bondage lifestyle. But, once her past catches up with them, they will have to choose between being bound by it or bonding to each other.

Caught Under the October Moon A promotional short-short published on the Whipped Cream, Erotic Romance Reviews website and in the All Romance eBook’s Wildfire Newsletter where a witch gets caught skyclad during a moon ritual.

My Review:

Anyone who's ever read an anthology knows that there's almost always one problem with the book-- the stories are too short. And though that is the point of having an anthology, it's still hard to tell a story, develop it, and end it well. This one flaw is most of the reason behind my over all rating for this book.

The Healing Spell and Other Stories is a collection of Kiki Howell's short stories and novellas that have been published before in other anthologies. The nice thing about this anthology is you get to see what her writing it like (wonderful, but more on that later). The only down fall is that the romance story itself doesn't get to develop and pull through as strongly as in a full length novel. But, despite the page constraints, Howell does do a good job at telling a story... especially the sex, since this is an erotic novel!

Howell has a wonderful way of blending the words together, weaving them into a story, and really, she can easily 'paint a picture' in your mind, as they say. I had no problem with the writing style, the word choices, etc. In fact, I thought this was very well done, and it did grab my attention and help pull me into the stories....

...Only until the story was suddenly over, and it was time for the next one. But again, this is a problem you'll always find in an anthology. You want the story to keep going, but in reality, it's time for it to end and the next one to begin. Because of the shortness of the stories, I'm even more interesting in reading more from Howell-- I want to know if a full length novel from her will be just as amazing as I picture after reading this.

The story lines were interesting enough, and I wish we could have learned more about the characters, their stories and world-- especially the Wicca theme in the stories. I would have loved to hear more about the culture in the stories themselves.

3.5 STARS! Over all, a great introduction to a new to me author, and one that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good erotica novel. The Healing Spell and Other Stories is quick, but fairly satisfying, and leaves you wanting to read more! Always a good thing in a book, right? Fantastic, flowing writing, Howell has a gift for describing the scene to viewers-- I only hope that we'll get to see more of the description in her future novels, hopefully a full length one?

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

My January Reads (Part 1)

Finally, after saying that I will be update soon, I found the time to sit down and actually do it! So here they are, the books I've finished so far this year (January 1st to January 9th), a short summary and review and my rating of them. If this is okay with everyone else, I will probably stick to this format for all of my reviews, not counting certain favorite books and ARCs I might receive, instead of the long posts for just one book.

But if you would prefer it the other way, you can always leave me a comment saying so and who knows, I might just change back some time!

Okay, enough rambling on! Hope you enjoy. :)

EDITED TO ADD: Sorry about the post guys, but after I saved it and posted it the computer decided to suddenly mess up my spacing between paragraphs and books and now it looks crappy. But I tried fixing it and it just did it again. So I give up for now. It can just stay the way it is! I hope you can still read it though.

Title: Mysteria Lane

Authors: MaryJanice Davidson, P.C. Cast, Gena Showalter, Susan Grant My Rating: 4 stars Summary: Return to a town of bewitching seduction and sensual demons. There’s a spellbinding witch of love who wants to make one man hers; a vegan having trouble adapting to vampirism; Satan’s emissary, who is looking for steady work in Colorado; and angelic triplets feeling a wee touch of the devil. My Review: I've only read two of the four authors in this anthology (PC Cast and Gena Showalter, both of whom are one of my favorite authors). And while I had hoped that I wouldn't have to play favorites with the anthology, I had to: Cast and Showalter's were by far the best, but even then neither one hit a 5 star for me.

Don't get me wrong, each of the four stories had their own positive and negative qualities about them, the most common negative one being the fact that the "love" felt waaay too rushed, even for an anthology. BUT, the last two stories in there were the closest to an 'A' grade. The others were not horrible, in fact, they were a bit on the funnier/lighter side, which made them fairly enjoyable, but I don't think I'd want to re-read them again anytime soon.

All in all, the whole book was a good read, nothing great, but not horrible. Just barely above 'average' in my book. Personally, if you wish to see what these authors' books are like, pick up one of their full length ones so that you can get a better feel for it and you'll probably end up liking them that way.

Title: Night Falls Darkly

Author: Kim Lenox

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary:

A new voice in paranormal romance...A brand-new chilling saga....A cunning immortal who’s been called upon to reclaim a marked soul...

Ever since an accident took away her memory, Miss Elena Whitney can’t recall the secrets of her own past. All she knows is that with her mysterious benefactor Archer, Lord Black, returning to London at the behest of Queen Victoria, she should seize the chance to get some answers.

A member of the immortal Shadow Guard, Archer has been summoned to London to eliminate the soul of an evil demon—Jack the Ripper. Archer feels not only bound to protect the women of the night, but also his beautiful young ward, Elena, whom he spared from death two years before. But with a wave of panic spreading across London, Archer fears that Elena is his weakness—a distraction he can’t afford, especially since she’s likely to become the Ripper’s next target...

My Review:

At first I was a bit hesitant about liking the book, simply because it seemed to start off a bit slow and the characters, while definitely not the worst, also didn't seem to stick out a lot in my mind. And the fact that it was reading more like an urban fantasy than a para-romance didn't help to make me love it any either. But I was wrong, I will admit.

By about the 60th page or so, it picked up considerably and the characters and plot seemed to explode, they developed so quickly. I was instantly drawn all the way into the book instead of just part way like when I picked it up.

There were all sorts of twists and turns, mysteries and suspense, a few laughs and, yes, eventually a bit of a romance too. Though the romance seemed to take a back seat to the plot in this book, what little there wasn't half bad! It had it's moments, more so towards the end when he finally admits why he saved her in the alley in the prologue of the book. It wasn't the 'let-out-a-deep-sigh-oh-my-that's-true-love' type of romance, but it wasn't the 'ho-hum' kind either. Pleasant, but not awe-inspiring.

What it lacked in the romance it made up for at the end when the author pretty much leaves you hanging, drawing you in for the sequel, out later this year. Lenox just starts to scratch the surface of the story in this one, only telling us the bare minimum about these Immortals, which made me even more desperate to read the next one!

Title: Double Fantasy

Author: Cheryl Holt

My Rating: 3 stars

Summary:

Orphaned as a young girl, Anne Carstairs was taken in by her cruel, malicious relatives. She’s lived a lonely life at their Gladstone estate, but with a new earl coming, everything is changing. Anne has heard many rumors about him, but she is completely unprepared for him to be the most deeply seductive man she’s ever encountered. No sooner do they meet than he brushes her lips with a delicious kiss that leaves her wanting so much more…

As a boy, Jamieson Merrick was denied his inheritance and forced to work as a privateer on the high seas. Until years later, when Jamie discovers that he is the rightful heir to Gladstone. Now, as the new earl, he’s determined to claim what is his…including Anne Carstairs. Once he lays eyes on the petite beauty, he vows to take her to his bed and make her his own. She’s a pawn in his plan for revenge. But he never dreamed that revenge could be so sweet…

My Review:

I've read all but two of Holt's other books, and I enjoyed all of them. They had a bit of everything-- tons of steaminess, a good dose of romance, and a plot that, while maybe not he most interesting or original were still solid 'okays'. Together, it was always enough to add up to a 4-5 star books for me. So when I bought this one early last year, I thought 'Oh, this will be another automatic favorite for me!'. But I was wrong. I strongly disliked this one. It was pretty bad, especially coming from this author who has had so many notable books before this.

The characters were not strong, they were not very deep, and they whined. A lot. They had so many flaws, yet the author didn't expand on their characters and personalities enough to allow them to over come this flaws. If they had learned from their mistakes, I would have been a bit happier, but they didn't. And the fact that the twins were both rakes that didn't really care about the two women who *somehow* fell in love with them didn't really push my buttons either. I'm okay with the 'reformed rake', etc, but these ones never reached the reformed stage, even by the end I felt that they retained too much of their wicked ways. I'm not really interested in man whores as the hero, thanks.

As far as the sex factor, this one had plenty! I'm not usually one to complain, I liked my romances to be a bit more steamy, but I want the couple to fall in love during the event, not just see it as a mutual release like they did in this one! It had very little romance in it, and it made the whole story seem cheaper. When they *kind of* realized their love at the end, it wasn't as much of an 'aw' moment as it usually is for me because of their actions earlier on.

Title: Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband

Author: Melissa Mayhue

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary:

SCOTLAND, 1272. Connor MacKiernan, a descendant of the Fae Prince, is a warrior who lives only for honor and duty. Though he's vowed never to marry, that's exactly what he must do to save his sister. Enter a little Faerie magic, and the search for a bride is on.

DENVER, 2007. Caitlyn Coryell is having a really bad day -- she just discovered her fiancé with another woman! Imagine her surprise when she puts on some sexy lingerie and an antique pendant and Connor appears in her bedroom, begging for her help. He offers a simple yet outrageous adventure: travel to his time, marry him, and return home. But nothing's simple when Cate is trapped in the thirteenth century. The wedding's delayed, someone's trying to kill her, and in the middle of all this, she realizes she's falling in love with a man who can only be her husband for thirty nights.

My Review:

I read another book in Mayhue's Daughter of the Glen series last year and I loved it! I quickly put the others on my want to read list, and after reading Thirty Nights, I'm positive that she is now one of my new favorite authors!

Not only do I find the plots to be intriguing, but the romance is magical *and not just because of the magic themes in the story*, truly magical. It's both touching and steamy, witty and charming, funny and mysterious. It's everything you could possible want rolled up into one. Time travel, Scotland... and, oh yeah, did I mention sexy Highlander heroes? Oh yeah!

Honestly, I'm not sure what kept me from giving it the full 5 stars, but whatever it was, it must have been insignificant if I can't remember it now. It's so close to a 5 though! But my stars only have half way points, not 3/4 of stars. :D

Title: Persistence of Memory

Author: Amelia Atwater Rhodes

My Rating: 5 stars (though I'm suddenly leaning a bit towards a 4.5, not sure...)

Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Erin Misrahe just wants to be like everyone else in her new school. But Erin has more to worry about than passing AP Chemistry or making friends. In times of stress, she has always been overcome by her alter ego, Shevaun, whose violent behavior wreaks havoc on those around her. Erin can never remember anything about these episodes, and she’s grateful to have been spared them for a while.

But when a protective friend comes back into Erin’s life, he insists that Shevaun is a vampire who actually exists apart from Erin. Shevaun has dangerous allies, like the handsome witch Adjila—and they’re determined to sever Shevaun’s connection to Erin once and for all.

My Review:

From the first book I read from her (Which was also her first book ever, written and published when she was just 14. FOURTEEN!! Can you believe it? That alone is something to be proud of!) I was instantly hooked. Her worlds were written with such vivacity, such color and emotion and interesting characters. I quickly read all of her books, both the vampire series and her shapeshifter series. I liked the shapeshifter ones a bit more, only because the romance in them were a bit more prominent then in her vampire series, but still, all of them got 5 stars they were that good. It was a few years of no new releases, and then suddenly I got news of her newest, POM. Needless to say, since it came out in Dec, it quickly went on my X-Mas list. And what do you know, I managed to get it after all!

Like all of her books, it's fairly short, which means a quick read. But her work usually doesn't feel rushed, even though it's shorter than I'd like. But this one was a bit different. I found that even though I loved the book in the end, the middle parts seemed a bit, well, underdeveloped, especially the characters and their connections. I wish she had spent a bit more time in that area, but still, all in all, I loved it. There have been mixed reviews about this one, and while I agree that it doesn't seem as strong as her earlier works, it's still not horrible! She's an amazing writer, and I applaud her for all of her hard work and accomplishments. The world's she's created have turned into some of my all time favorite books, yes, even this one, though out of all of her books, it may be at the bottom because of a 0.0005 point on my star rating. But to make it easier, I just give the books 4.5 or 5 stars.

My point is, if you've read her books before and loved them, you will probably enjoy this one too, though, like I said, it may be a bit below the others in your personal ratings. Or not, of course, it just depends. But if you have not yet read her work and would like to, I would suggest starting with her earlier work first and then reading this one. Not that this one isn't a recommendable book, but, well, like I said, this one is slightly less 'Wow factor' in my opinion.

Title: Never Deceive a Duke

Author: Liz Carlyle

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Summary: They call her the porcelain princess... With her fragile beauty and regal bearing, the Duchess of Warneham knows how to keep her admirers at a distance. Twice wed and twice widowed, Antonia has vowed never again to marry; never again to surrender her freedom. But when her husband's death is deemed suspicious, and his long-lost heir returns to seize control of the dukedom, she finds that fate has placed her future in yet another man's hands -- but not just any man.

They call him a cold-hearted bastard... Deep in London's docklands, Gareth Lloyd runs Neville Shipping with an iron fist. Unrecognizable as the starving orphan who was abandoned by his family and sent an ocean away from home, Gareth has put his troubled past behind him. That is, until the Duke of Warneham is murdered, and Gareth turns out to be the dynasty's last living heir. Wrenched from his solitude, Gareth neither wants nor needs the honors and obligations of nobility -- especially the Duke's all-too-tempting widow.... Or does he?

My Review:

I've always enjoyed reading Liz Carlyle's work. She writes great historical romances that are both touching and passionate. And NDAD is no different. It's the second in the Never Series, the first one I read back in '07, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

The characters are very interesting, especially Kemble, and the story lines are also really good. I found myself laughing more than a few times, and the connection between Gabriel (aka, Gareth Lloyd, but I preferred thinking of him as Gabriel) and Antonia was very touching. I liked watching the two of them work the relationship out and learn to trust each other, since neither one, especially Gabriel, had an easy life. I can't say enough good things about this one!

Title: The Summoning

Author: Kelley Armstrong

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Summary:

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again. All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.

Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.

My Review:

Though at times the book was a bit rocky and slow, and the character did get a little annoying and flat, in the end this book came out shinning brightly!

The first in a new series, The Summoning tells the story of Chloe and her struggle to figure out what's going on in her life. Why can she suddenly see ghosts, and why won't they leave her alone? She gets sent to a special house for 'others' like her, but she thinks they are just treating them for real mental illness. Little does she know at the time, but the house is actually used to 'treat' and experiment on supernatural people, such as Simon, who is a sorcceer, or Chloe who turns out to be a necromancer.

You think you've got the book figured out, know what and who the characters are, and then suddenly you get thrown a curve ball, leaving you guessing until the very end.

And while the ending was a bit weak and leaves the reader on a big cliff hanger, I still enjoyed the book a lot. It was interesting, and I can't wait for the sequel, The Awakening, out later this year.

Well, sorry that that took so long to do-- I really wanted to have this posted yesterday (Sunday) but I was too busy and, I'll admit, a bit lazy too. I'm only a day late! Lol. I hope you enjoyed, and if you wish to know more or if my 'reviews' seem a bit confusing, just ask I'd be happy to tell you more or clarify.

I will probably use this format for the rest of my books I read this year. I'm going to try and post on Sundays and include the books from the previous week, but I could run a day late or early depending on the week in question.

Until next week then!

~TBQ~

"Shifter" Is One Sexy Beast!

Synopis from B&N.com:

When it comes to shapeshifting paranormal romance, who can resist...
New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight, USA Today bestselling author Lora Leigh, and national bestselling authors Alyssa Day and Virginia Kantra?

Whether transforming under a blue moon or prowling the streets, the shifters come alive to fulfill the wildest of fantasies in this seductive anthology by four masters of paranormal romance.






As a whole, Shifter was a great book- sexy, passionate, funny, thrilling, full of untamed desire... what more can you ask for? I know what you are going to say: Where's the delicious bad boys, the sexy shifter alpha males? Well, no worries ladies, they are in the book too-- plenty of them! In fact, you may need to call the fire department before you start reading, it's that hot!

When you find an anthology with top paranormal romance authors like Angela Knight, Lora Leigh, and Alyssa Day, how can you go wrong, right? Not only do they write great paranoraml romances, but they all know how to add in the perfect amount of borderline erotica, which is always a plus, in my opinion. And believe me, they do not disappoint, even in an anthology, where sometimes it feels like the stories are too rushed! I loved each and every one, and I felt like they were able to tell a great story and wrap it up nicely even with limited pages available.

The only story that I had a problem with was the last one, Sea Crossing, by Virginia Kantra. I've read her work once before, in the last anthology I rated, and in that one I was also a little disappointed. I do not mean to offend any Kantra fans out there *Or Kantra herself, of course!* but I have to say that after two slightly bland stories that I've tried of hers, I don't think I will be reading any more of her books. I will definitely re-read Shifter when I get the chance, but when I do, I will skip right past her story because it failed to hold my interest. Though she was able to write some pretty good sex scenes, I felt like the rest of the story line and characters, conversation and development, was forced, and not, well, completely developed. There was just something missing, and I'm not sure what it was, but I noticed it in the other story I read of hers. And I don't think that it helped any that the hero was a selkie. I've never really been into selkies in my romances, and the fact that it was the male who was selkie, it kind of turned me off, if that makes sense. There's just something about the thought of a handsome and sexy male turning into a seal that doesn't really work for me. Sorry to any fans out there, but this is my opinion.

Oh, just a little side note: In Lora Leigh's book, A Jaguar's Kiss, the lucious bad boy, Saban... WOW! Grab a fan or a bucket of ice before starting it! Not only is the story hot hot hot!, like all of her books, but Lora Leigh made this hero extra sexy, in my opinion, by giving him a Cajun accent and a name like 'Saban'. Is it unusual? Yes, BUT it's so damn sexy! Is it just me, or does the name just scream "Untamed Passion" that would boil over, both in bed and out!? And when you read the story itself, I swear, that "Untamed Passion" triples in it's intensity, which you would think couldn't be possible.. and yet it is. Oh, God, let me tell you-- it is! While reading Saban and Natalie's story, I found myself whispering under my breath 'Saban' over and over again, actually pronouncing his name outloud each and everytime it came up in the story.. and a few times when it didn't!- because it's such a sexy name. I'd love to have my own personal Saban... *SIGH!*

4.5/5 stars! Shifter is a great book, full of passion and thrill, love and laughter.. and Saban, as I've already said. ;) Don't miss this great book written by three wonderful authors... Oh, and one author that tried her best, but that I felt the book itself could have done without.

~TBQ~

"Over the Moon" Has a Few Weak Spots, but Still Manages to Come out On Top...

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:

Three bestselling superstars and one exciting new voice in paranormal romance in a hot new anthology.

When it comes to sexy werewolves, fairies, and magic, there's only one place for readers to go this winter: Over the Moon.

Angela Knight ventures to the borders of Mageverse, a land ruled by vampire knights.

MaryJanice Davidson returns to the wicked lair of the Wyndham werewolves.

Virginia Kantra finds magic and wonder in a strange fairy kingdom.

And Sunny discovers a Mixed Blood Queen in command of a new realm.


Okay, I have to start out and say that, unfortunately, the only reason I labeled Over the Moon as 'One of my Favorite' is because of Angela Knight's short story, Moon Dance. The other three stories, I felt, were a little weak and not exactly what I expected. I will give the whole book a
rating, and then I will proceed to break it up, reviewing each of the four stories and giving them their own rating.

Although the book was full of paranormal and romance, I found more of the first than the second-- and that kind of put me off, because when I pick up a book from the genre of 'paranormal romance', I kind of expect an equal amoung of both the fantasy, aka paranomal, and the connection and love, aka the romance. If I wanted straight out fantasy *I have heard some people refer to the genre as 'Urban Fantasy'* I would go to that section in the bookstore. No, I want an equal combination of both, and I felt that for the most part, Over the Moon failed in that area.

For a book total, I am giving Over the Moon 4/5 STARS, but I most, once again, point out that most of those stars come from the brillant work of Angela Knight. Her story in thie book, Moon Dance, continues her sexy Mageverse series that I fell in love with about a year ago. The other three authors, I am sorry to say, did not really impress me, at least in this book. This does not mean that I do not like their work, because I do not believe that I have read any of their other books before. I am willingly to give them another chance, and who knows, maybe they can impress me more when they are writing a full length novel by themselves-- I don't really know yet, but I will definitely give them another chance, some day, and read one of their own books.

Moon Dance

By Angela Knight

If you have read Angela Knight before, you already know how she deftly combines paranormal romance with both erotic sex scenes and even some tender love connections between the hero and heroine, providing, in my opinion, a perfect example of a paranormal romance book. I have devoured and loved each and every book in her Mageverse series, and in Over the Moon, her short story is a continuation of the series, following the sexy tale of Lucas and Elena, both of whom are Dierkind (Or werewolf for those of you unfamiliar with Angela's Mageverse series.)

The only thing I don't like about anthologies is that usually the author's individual stories cannot be properly spun out and resolved in only a hundred or so pages. True, some of them do it nicely and leave you satisfied in the end, but a lot of them, usually the great ones, seem like they've been cut short *Which I guess they have, in order to fit into the anthology.* and even though you love the story and the author's writting, you still finish the story and find yourself asking "But what about..." or "Wait, I don't want it to end- what's going to happen next?".

Moon Dance was by far my favorite book in the whole anthology, and probably the only one that I really felt was cut short and I would have loved to have seen Lucas and Elena's story in a full length novel.

So, for Angela Knight's story, Moon Dance, I felt it deserved a 4.5/5 STARS easily, because, once again, Angela has proven that she can write a great romance with fantasy and wild sex and yet still keep that true romantic feel to it in the end. Great story, can't wait for her next books, especially in her Mageverse Series.

Between the Mountain and the Moon

By Virginia Kantra

I have never read any books by Virginia Kantra before, so forgive me if may judge her a little harshly.

When the story started, the setting sounded like a promising one: the heroine is out in the mountains hiking, and she comes across a handsome man, whom she nicknames Tall, Dark and Mysterious for obvious reasons. I settled in, thinking I was going to be reading a great story that I would love and want to return to every now and then and rush out to look for previous novels by the author. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.

I found the 'sex' scenes to be kind of bland and, well, not very hot or wild, lacking 'details', if you will. I prefer my romance books to USUALLY lean more towards the 'X' rated, as some call it, or even 'erotic', and I felt that this one was very gentle, not the more 'mature' content that I am use to, that I have come to enjoy. Virginia had ample opportunity, considering that the hero and heroine were alone in the woods, he's a total rough and sexy alpha man type, but when the two of them finally had sex, it seemed quick and meaningless, with only vague refrences as to what was going on-- for a moment, I wasn't even sure if they had actually proceeded to the 'third base', because one moment Rhys was teasing her and the next thing you know it's two or more paragraphs of how good this felt to him and how he'd never felt like that before, etc *Which isn't a bad thing, but I would have prefered to hear more details inbetween his thoughts of 'could this be love'.*

Though it is not my first choice in romance novels, or any books, for that matter, I did find the sidhe 'plot' of the book very interesting, and I would have loved to have heard more about the race, especially Rhys and his chidlhood, and instead the story felt rushed and choppy. I may still give this author another chance, but for now, I'm going to simply move on and stick with my review of her work.

Between the Mountain and the Moon gets 3.5/5 STARS, because the ending was sweet and the story itself wasn't completely horrible.

Driftwood

By MaryJanice Davidson

Yet another author that I have yet to read any other books from, but I am pretty sure that this is one that I might just completely cross off my 'potential future reading list'-- sorry MaryJanice!

At first, I was happy to find that her story in the anthology would be about vampires-- one of my favorite fantasy characters. And then I started to read it... and I was quickly let down.

The starting was kind of flat, the heroine was a little bit annoying, and the hero wasn't very vocal, nor was he very strong in personality. In fact, he almost seemed like he should have been cast as the sidekick or best friend, because he just didn't seem to fit the role of a hero.

Just like I said about Virginia Kantra's story, MaryJanice's was a little bit bland and boring as far as the sex. I'm not asking for outright erotica from my romance authors, but I would prefer just a tad bit more orginality, personality, and, oh yeah, details!. Also, I thought that even for a short story, the plot was kind of weak and not the most interesting, and I was, I'm sorry to say and I hope I do not offend MaryJanice fans out there, but this is my honest opinion, happy to see the end of the story. Unlike the other books in this anthology, I worked through Driftwood much slower, forcing myself to stick with it to the end, hoping it would get better... Unfortunately, it didn't, at least not for me. However, if you have not read any MaryJanice Davidson before, please don't completely cross her off your list just because of my review. This is my opinion, nothing more, and who knows, you might love her work. I am only saying that her books aren't really my thing, and I doubt I'd pick up another one, unless I could be assured that it would be a complete 180 degrees from what I just critiqued.

Driftwood receives one of my lowest ratings, with only 2.5/5 STARS. I found it lacking details, plot, character development, sex.. pretty much everything that I look for in any book, especially a romance novel. If the plot cannot hold up the whole book, then it should fall to the characters interactions, conversations, connections and for me, Driftwood failed on all accounts.

Mona Lisa Three

By Sunny

Though I am not a huge fan of the heros and heroines of my romance novels being in 'Open Relationships' or polygamy, I was surprised to find that Mona Lisa Three wasn't half bad, all things considered. I wouldn't call it a 'romance' book, not in the classical sense of the word, since Mona Lisa, the heroine, has two loves from the very beginning of the story, both of whom are willingly to share because they both love her so deeply. I will give the book some 'romance' credit, because it does show how deep of a connection all of them have with one another, which is a plus in any book, but it's not a plot line that I would usually want to read, and especially not one that I would usually label as 'I really enjoyed it!'. However, I think that both apply to Sunny's work, though this is the first one I have read by her (so far). I may actually go on to read her full length novels about Mona Lisa and her life, just to see if she can continue the story without overduing it or making it seem repeatitive.

Be warned, if you do not like the idea of threesomes and hot and wild sex, all very detailed, I might add, then you might want to skip Sunny's book. However, if you are willingly to try those things or you already have a liking for them, then I think you will like it. The plot line is fairly interesting, with a few unique twists and turns to it, and the fantasy world she's created does add to the amazing sex that the characters have together (After all, a truly great book has to have more than just great sex in order to make it in the industry, at least in my view.) The story is very erotic and yet the characters have their tender moments.

The only thing I would have liked better is if the author has better explained Mona Lisa and her two lovers', Amber and Gryphon, lifes before the point in which she starts the book at. I'm hoping that her future books do a flash back type thing, in order to give us the full story, which sounds interesting, from what little bit Sunny tells us in this book.

Mona Lisa Three gets 3.5/5 STARS for having interesting characters, plot, and, of course, sex scenes, while still playing a bit on the romance that the series belongs to.

~TBQ~