ARC Review: The Day He Kissed Her

The Day He Kissed Her (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #3)

by Juliana Stone 

Blurb:

He can’t wait to leave…

Mac Draper finally has everything he’s always wanted: An amazing career. A New York City apartment. He’s this close to being free of his past forever. But a mind-blowing encounter with the sexy yet tough-as-nails Lily St. Clare has him delaying his plans to put Crystal Lake in his rearview mirror for good.

She’s finally found a place to stay…

For Lily St. Clare the charming small town of Crystal Lake is her haven – a place she can hide from her famous, back-stabbing family. It’s as close to happy as she’s ever been. Until an unforgettable night with tall, dark and tortured Mac Draper gives her a glimpse of what true happiness feels like.

Lily can’t help but melt a little under the sizzling heat of Mac’s touch. But Mac’s scars run deep, and Lily’s afraid she may be falling for the one man who can never return her feelings...

Themes: contemporary

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Wow what an emotion packed ending to a pretty great trilogy. Two of the three Bad Boys have met their matches and settled down in love, but the holdout, Mac, never imagined he would be able to, much less actually want to, give in to love and family.  I loved the previous two stories in this series, and enjoyed this story quite a bit too.  If you have read the others, you will recognize that there are some heavy emotions going on for both the H/H and their families.  While I enjoy a lighthearted romance as much as the next girl, this series is more like reality and that’s one of the reasons I love it so much.  Picking up right where we left off in the last book, the finale to the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake takes you on a  journey through the courtship of two deeply wounded and distrustful individuals, both fighting their feelings for one another, but each one changing for the better before all is said and done.  Though I am sad to see the series end, it was worth it to get to see Lily and Mac get their HEA.

Lily has been avoiding any situation that might bring her into contact with Bad Boy, Mac Draper, the man she turned to months ago in a need for human connection, one that she never planned to see again.  But sometimes fate has other ideas and she is no longer able to hide from him.  Confronted with the seductive Mac, Lily puts every obstacle she can think of in his path, but that just seems to tempt him more and when he decides to stay for the summer to stage a full scale campaign to get her back into his arms, Lily is no longer able to resist the pull between them.  Mac has never felt such a pull to a woman and the intrigue and desire to be with her is too much to deny.  Though he has no intention of ever settling down, being with Lily brings too much joy to his life to keep away from her.  But the past and his own fears cause grief that seems impossible to overcome. In the end only true forgiveness and the connection of two people deeply in love and determined to make changes in their lives, can allow them to get past the pain they have caused each other and find a chance to be happy together. 

Lily is an odd duck to me.  She comes from a family of people that are famous just for being famous, and not in any way that would be considered honorable.  She didn’t handle the death of her beloved brother well at all, but finally settling in Crystal Lake and cutting herself off from the negativity of her family is her shot at having a normal life.  She certainly has her fair share of insecurities and fears about having a  relationship with Mac, but when he becomes too persistent to resist, she focuses on enjoying their time together, never realizing she is falling deeper and deeper for him,  until it is too late.  The love she feels for him leads her to make some decisions that leave her hurting, digging to find her inner core of steel and determined to not let him break her heart.  But once again fate is not fair to her and she is left with a broken heart, hurt pride, and the anger of an ultimate rejection.  I found myself crying right along with Lily several times and came to really relate to her as a woman and a great character.

Mac on the other hand is an asshole about 90% of the time.  Though I know he certainly has his reasons, his past and relationship with his family being key, I felt like he wallowed in that too much instead of embracing the man he truly could be standing on his own.  To this point the only healthy relationships he has had are with his youngest sister and his two (once three) best friends.  With a mother that chose her abusive husband over her children, a drunk bastard of a father, and the pain of losing himself in his fears, Mac has a lot to overcome to be a man that is deserving of Lily.  I wanted so many times to reach into the book and slap him for being a selfish dick, but thankfully he gets his shit together in the end and is able to step up and be the man that he was always meant to be, a man that needs and deserves the love of his life.  There was a moment in the story that was like that slap in the face to him, finally waking him up from the nightmare of his past and allowing him a chance to see the possibilities of a future with the woman he loves.

I  was a bit surprised at times by the direction the story was taking, but eventually I found  myself so hooked that I couldn’t put it down and had to find out what was coming next.  The challenges thrown at Mac and Lily both internal and external were numerous, and I honestly thought Mac would never wake up and find the courage to reach for the future he wanted.  Lily was a woman I can see myself liking and I admired her ability to put her own needs aside to try to help Mac at every turn, but when it came down to it she stood up for herself and demanded all of his heart or nothing.  Mac finally comes to see that he is worth the love Lily is offering him, that he is nothing like his father and never will be, and that settling down with a woman that he loves and respects will never lead to anything like his parents’ relationship.  I was thrilled to see them finally overcome their frailties and come together in love with a promise of a chance at a life together.  I wish there had been a better ending for Mac and his mother, but in the end he couldn’t change her and finally accepting that gave him a measure of peace at least.  Getting to see the changing lives of the other two Bad Boys was awesome and I hope to one day see them again. In the meantime, this trilogy was a deep, sometimes dark, realistic and wonderful series about the loses that can lead to changes in a life and the ability of love to build bridges, close gaps, and overcome even the most difficult of pasts.  If you haven’t read the other books in this series, you will not be lost, but you are certainly missing out because the entire series is great and Mac and Lily’s story rounds everything out and ends the series with a bang.

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided. 

ARC Mini-review: Sweetest Surrender

  

Sweetest Surrender (The Serafina: Sin City #3)

by Katie Reus

Blurb:

A woman on the run…

Angel has been on her own for two years, moving from place to place to outrun her past. With no family and few friends to lean on, she’s managed to keep her secrets and stay safe. But when her past suddenly catches up to her, she has a choice to make. Run or stay and claim her life once more.

He’ll stop at nothing to protect her…

Vadim has never let anyone close to him—until Angel. From the first time he met her, everything changed. As a private consultant for Wyatt Christiansen, he’s good with computers and he’s got connections to unearth people’s deepest, darkest secrets. When Angel’s life is threatened Vadim steps in and uses all his resources to end the threat once and for all. As the danger closes in, he lies to her in an effort to protect her, not realizing that even once the threat is eliminated, he might lose her anyway.

Themes: contemporary

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

A love story between a socially awkward but incredibly sexy ex-marine turned computer geek and the sweet but secretive woman that has captured his interest and heart… what could be better? Not much in my opinion.  I have been looking forward to learning more about and getting to know Vadim since we met him in previous stories in this series.  The story of a past catching up with one of the main characters is one that we have seen a bit, more than once even from Katie, but she always gives each person their own unique spin on the theme and allows them to not ever become exactly the same.   I was happy to see Vadim come out of his comfort zone and ultimately let his emotions and desires lead him into Angel’s arms.  Even if you haven’t read any of the other stories in the series, I can say with a level of surety you will enjoy this story. 

Vadim has finally decided it’s time to take a chance and ask Angel out, being prodded by his friends, and just as he tries to make that leap Angel’s life becomes infinitely more complicated.  Thankfully Vadim is good at keeping people safe and solving problems.  With only a small amount of persuasion and manipulation he is able to get Angel right where he wants her, but when the truth of her circumstances come to light, Vadim immediately sets out to protect the woman he is coming to care for.  Angel has had enough with controlling men though and is determined to stand on her own two feet, even if her ugly past has finally caught up with her.  Deciding to embrace the relationship with Vadim, she gives herself the chance to find happiness with a man, even though he is infuriating at times and impossible to get a read on at other times. Ultimately there is no fighting their need for one another and getting past the small misunderstandings makes their happiness that much more deserved.  When the ultimate test of trust comes, Vadim and Angel overcome beautifully and are able to finally have the life they both desired, together.

Angel is a bit of a sad character, having fate working against her in the past, but ultimately I think it led her to Vadim, right where she needed to be. Though she is emotionally scarred by her past, she is willing to get past her insecurities for a chance to have Vadim all for herself, though she never imagines he will actually want her as much as she has always wanted him.  Obviously they are both clueless since all their friends and coworkers could see their feelings for each other while they couldn’t see it for themselves. When Angel finally decides to stand up for herself and work with Vadim to change her life, I liked her even more than when she was running from her past.  Seeing that backbone come out, seeing her demand her due from Vadim, and finally seeing her get her justice makes me even more happy that I got to meet Angel.  Vadim on the other hand is a strong silent guy, one with some serious kickass skills hidden under his placid exterior.  His ability to blank his emotions from his face leaves Angel a bit lost at time, but thankfully he lets his guard fall in the end so she can see the love he feels for her.  His protective streak is one that is wider and more deadly than the river Styx to those that threaten his loved ones, especially his woman. Though he is socially awkward, when he makes friends or develops relationship they are deep and lasting, as evidenced by his friends and the depth of love that Angel feels for him.  I loved Vadim on a couple of levels, but one that should not be forgotten is his obvious soft spot for his German Sheppard Charlie, because as much of a scary dude as he is to others, he is a squishy teddy bear around Charlie, showing us the true man that lurks inside him.

This story certainly lives up to its name.  In the end angel has to let go of her fears and surrender to Vadim and the love that develops between them, a bit unexpectedly, but it really is the Sweetest Surrender and the most rewarding move she has ever made in her life.  Vadim is a sexy, alpha, protective, and dedicated man who will go above and beyond every time to make Angel’s life safer, better and filled with love. Angel is a bit stubborn, but when she finally gives in to him and lets their love bloom, the result is wonderfully fulfilling for them both.  The plot of her past catching up with her, while a common enough theme, certainly came with its own plot twist that I never saw coming.  I have enjoyed this series and the original it spawned from (Red Stone Security) from the very beginning and Vadim’s story was right up there with my favorites.  I am looking forward to more in the series, but I must continue to reiterate I would love for them to be even the tiniest bit longer. Keep up the great work Katie.

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided. 

ARC Review: Bite Me

Bite Me (Pride #9)

by Shelly Laurenston

Blurb:

Livy Kowalski has no time for idiots. When you shapeshift into a honey badger, getting through life’s irritants is a finely honed skill. Until she gets stuck housing her nutso cousin and dealing with her dad’s untimely and unexplained demise.

That’s where Vic Barinov comes in—or his house does. Vic can’t step outside without coming back to find Livy devouring his honey stash and getting the TV remote sticky. It gets his animal instincts all riled up. But he’ll have to woo her at high speed: all hell is breaking loose, and Livy is leading the charge…

Themes: shifters, paranormal

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

For those of you out there that have not been following along with the Pride series from the very beginning, my review might seem a bit strange, but for the rest of us Pride and Laurenston lovers you’ll get exactly where I’m coming from when I say: “holy shit, these honey badgers are scary!” Laurenston has thrilled readers with all the different intermingled breeds of shifters in her world, and more recently the hybrids that are coming out of the woodwork with their freakish differences to make life even more amazing. From the very first book of Laurenston’s I read, I have been in love with all her writing, with the hilarity of her characters and the shit they find themselves in, and ultimately with the world she creates that sucks readers right into her imagination.  In this newest installment we get to see a whole new faction coming into the forefront, one that is terrifying and side-splittingly funny all at the same time.  I loved Livy and Vic individually and together and would love to see just what their cubs will be one day!

Livy’s life is in a tailspin that she can’t seem to recover from, but meeting Vic and trying to understand the new dynamic in her life is just too much for her.  As Vic tries more and more to be nice to Livy, she becomes stranger and stranger, only intriguing him more, creating a bit of a vicious and comical cycle.  Honestly there were moments in this story that I thought I would wet myself because I was laughing so hard. Livy, being a honey badger, but one that is even strange to her fellow honey badgers, is one woman that I would love to meet, briefly and only if I was on her good side on a good day….bearing several jars of honey.  She seems to genuinely care about her friends and family, though at times she certainly doesn’t understand their actions.  When she needs them, though, they are all there to rally around her.  I can honestly say that Livy scared me a bit, she was such a terrifying character, the ultimate predator: sweet and unassuming looking, with a hair-trigger temper and the ability to pretty much rip your face off without breaking a sweat.  Thankfully Vic is a steadying influence on her. 

Vic is a strange guy in his own right.  While I would say he has his moments of temper, strange behavior, and violent overreaction, overall he was pretty stable and a good guy to those around him.  Being a hybrid tiger/bear he has a certain tendency toward laziness, but once riled is a dangerous creature to be in the line of fire.  Defending shifters in general, his friends in particular and protecting Livy with his every breath, Vic is a man that uses all his considerable skills and advantages as a hybrid to get shit done when the need arises.  And just wait til you read all about his hybrid form! Vic obviously has feelings for Livy, though they confuse him as much as her, but the more time her spends with her it becomes obvious that the desire and passion are there, even if he is afraid of losing control and having her reject him.  But once she fully accepts him in all his hybrid freakish glory, there is no keeping Livy from his arms, bed, or heart. 

Bite Me was an wonderful continuation of a series that has gone in so many directions over the years, getting to meet new shifters, see old faces, and wrap up old story arcs all while having two unique and wonderful shifters come together in love.  Though there were a few lulls here and there in the story and sometimes the weirdness got even a bit much for me, in the end I can say I really enjoyed Livy and Vic’s story.  Seeing two creatures that have previously been reviled by others of their kind for their differences find love together was a wonderful reminder of the power of love to overcome all obstacles. While I would certainly have loved a bit more relationship time between Livy and Vic, I think the story was well written, progressed smoothly, and the love in the end was there for all to see.  It was great getting to share in the antics of the HB clans and seeing them taking care of business, as well as seeing some of the other badasses that have fallen in love during this series. If you haven’t read any of the series, you might find yourself asking WTF a lot, but otherwise I think you will love this amusing and entertaining look into the world of predators and the world they keep hidden from us.  I am dying to know whose story will be next and getting to read more.  I’m hoping for one of the Reed boys, but I guess we’ll see.

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided. 

Mini-Review: Twisted

Twisted (Dark Protectors #5.5)

by Rebecca Zanetti

Blurb:

Maggie is a wolf shifter who was captured and experimented on by the Kurjans. Now that a cure has finally been found for shifters (although not for vampire mates or witches), she can concentrate on creating a new life for herself and finally accepting that her memories are gone forever. Most memories, that is. Sometimes in the hazy world between dreams and dawn, she hears a Scottish voice, dark and deep, that sounds suspiciously like wolf-shifter Terrent Vilks. A man she happened to anger by kidnapping a few years back. Hey, it was for a good cause.

Terrent Vilks knows more than he’s let on for the past several years. After digging for answers, he knows exactly why the demons want Maggie dead. And he remembers his past with Maggie…very well. She is finally where he wants her. Now all he has to do is discover what exactly the Kurjans did to her, beat the demons into so much submission they leave her alone, and get her to fall in love with him. Again. Good thing he’s used to wrangling monsters.

Themes: Shifters, Werewolves, Vampires, Demons, Paranormal

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Fans of the Dark Protectors series have finally gotten what they have been salivating for since almost the beginning of the series:  Mysterious Maggie is finally unveiled.  I have been dying to find out the truth of Maggie’s past and the reason behind the connection she felt to Terrent since their very first meeting. I never imagined just how complicated their pasts were. This series has kept me intrigued for many years and I cannot wait to find out where the next story will take us.

Maggie’s on a mission from the king, trying to uncover the culprit behind the contamination of several vials of vaccines distributed to the national wolf packs and her prime suspect is council leader Terrent Vilks.  But never did she imagine that being with Terrent would bring the truth of her long forgotten past to light again.  She’s lived for over a decade with no real idea of who she was, suffering from traumatic amnesia, and she’s willing to even deal with Terrent’s arrogance if he can give her some answers.  And boy-oh-boy does he have the answers.  Terrent has loved Maggie for over a decade and has been trying to find a way to keep her safe from the monsters who stole her memories and all others that might hurt her.  But with war heating up around them again, pack infighting, and the fears she has of controlling men, will Terrent ever be able to convince Maggie to return his love or will they be forever forced apart by her broken memory?

Terrent is the supreme alpha wolf, a sexy shifter with all the arrogance of a man who knows what he wants and will go to any extreme to get it.  I loved seeing him finally reveal his true self to Maggie, showing her the vulnerable inner wolf that just wants his mate and the wounded man who wants her love in return.  I can’t imagine having the love of your life stolen from you, her memories erased, and having to hide your love from her for a decade, but Terrent has managed to survive it while he works to make the world safer for Maggie.  Maggie is obviously a kick-ass female, one to match Terrent in every way, but the past ten years have reshaped her into an even more challenging woman as she lived and fought alongside the vampire royal family.   Even without her past, she knows the woman she is and will let nobody, no man especially, tell her she needs to change. The connection between these two very strong personalities was palpable from the second they met in a previous story, but when they are finally alone the heat and desire they both feel is astounding.  When Terrent allows his guard down, finally letting Maggie see his true feelings for her there is no denying the love and connection they both feel, even if Maggie’s brain still hasn't caught up with her heart or her inner wolf.

I very much enjoyed this short novella, though I honestly would have loved if Maggie and Terrent has gotten a full length novel because they just had so much to work through, both as a couple and with the world around them. I loved the little plot twists about the vaccine and the issues with that, as well as the way pack politics affected Terrent and Maggie’s new life.  The sensual wolf bonding between Terrent and Maggie was a conflagration that I imagine blurred the world around them and wrapped them in their own private oasis.  I relished seeing Terrent bare his soul to Maggie and knew that she would protect him and his heart at all costs.  When they finally worked together they defeated all comers and that strength of bond will keep them together forever, a perfect match and a love for eternity.  I am very much looking forward to the next story in the series, Jase’s story, which has been a long time coming and will no doubt be full of danger, drama, heartache, and passion.  If you haven’t started this series, get to reading, so you’re caught up and can enjoy with along me. 

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided. 

ARC Mini-Review: Sensual Surrender

Sensual Surrender (The Serafina: Sin City #2)

by Katie Reus

Blurb:

I’m ready to move on. Please don’t search for me. Please just let me go.

~Ellie

The note on the kitchen table shatters Jay Wentworth’s world into bits. Ellie is his lover, his soulmate, his best friend…she’s the woman who stood by him through the aftermath of a horrible explosion, the woman he’s planning to propose to. He’d do anything for her…except let her go. With his fierce protectiveness kicked into overdrive, he teams up with Ellie’s Hotel Serafina boss, billionaire Wyatt Christiansen, to find her. Ellie is family at the casino and they take care of their own.

Ellie is devastated when her secret past finally catches up with her. Stupid to think she could bury the mistakes of her youth and find happiness with a good man. Leaving Jay rips her heart to shreds, but it’s the only way she can protect him from the dangerous people she once ran with. And deep down, she fears he’ll never be able to forgive her for hiding her past from him.

The closer Jay gets to the truth about Ellie, the deeper he plunges into danger. He’ll move heaven and earth to save her, but if she can’t trust in Jay’s love it might be too late for both of them.

Themes: Erotica, contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Another fast paced and emotion packed story of redemption, love, and the challenges of giving your trust to the one you love.  Sensual Surrender takes us through the relationship of a couple we met in a previous novel, so while they were already established, we get to see a whole different side of their relationship and watch them grow and change together.  Being a spin-off of the Red Stone security series, the Serafina series carries many of the same themes throughout and we get to visit some favorite characters from the first series.  There is always plenty of action, drama, and sensuality in a Katie Reus novel, but getting to see the softer side of these alpha guys is what keeps readers returning for more.  I also enjoyed the expanded length of this story and hope that they continue to get longer as the series progresses, but in the meantime the story packs a major punch, no matter its size.

Ellie and Jay have been together almost a year, but she has never really given up the secrets of her past, nor does she intend to, until the past comes back to bite her in the ass.  Determined to protect all her new friends and most importantly Jay, Ellie strikes out on her own in an attempt to get away from her past once again, and hopefully find a way to make it stay away this time.  But she underestimates Jay’s unwillingness to lose his Soulmate.  When he discovers she has run, he immediately sets out to bring her back and battle her dragons, if not for her, then at least with her. Though he is hurt and frustrated with her decisions, she is like a habit that he doesn’t even want to try to kick.   With the help of their friends and some unlikely allies, Jay and Ellie are able to ensure her past stays gone for good, but will that be enough to allow them to overcome the pain of Ellie’s attempted desertion? Only if Jay can forgive her, will they be able to find their happy ending and built a life together.

Jay is seriously the perfect guy! He is sweet to Ellie, loving to his family and friends, determined to overcome all obstacles, but still remains strong, naughty, and sensual.  When he is faced with the choice of losing the woman he loves or chasing after her into unknown circumstances, he doesn’t even think twice before throwing himself into danger to keep her safe.  Even his anger and frustration are sexy as he works to reconnect with Ellie and earn her unconditional trust.  Seeing him in action as he works to jump the hurdles to keep Ellie safe, you get a glimpse into the operator he obviously once was and the cunning and successful security agent he still is.  Ellie is a woman of contradictions.  Her convictions and vulnerabilities often leave her at loose ends, as she makes decisions meant to keep her friends safe, without worrying about the danger she might be placing herself in.  She so obviously loves Jay and her friends, but refuses to let her past indiscretions place them in the line of fire. When her plan backfires, putting her man into even more danger, she takes a stand and decides to give him her trust so that they can keep each other safe.  Finding that inner strength in her made me realize that she was indeed a perfect match for Jay.  She was stubborn but fearful at turns, but never gave up on her biggest goal—keeping Jay safe, in hopes they might one day have a future.

Sensual Surrender turned out to be more than just a story of a woman running from her past, it is really a story of a woman surrendering her heart to the man she loves so they can have a future, surrendering her fears to the faith that together they can win against any challengers.  I liked Jay in the last two books he appeared in, and getting to see him finally find a long lasting love was fulfilling.  Ellie is one of those characters who can’t see the forest for the trees, but when Jay finally opens her eyes and heart and she sees the wonderful life they could have, she becomes a force to be reckoned with.  The overall plot was well structures with action, suspense, and intrigue, running parallel to the story of two people reestablishing their love.  It was also great to get flashbacks of the beginning of their relationship, allowing us to see not only where they are, but also where they were then and hints of where they will be going in the future.  This is a great series, so even if you haven’t read any of the Red Stone series, or even book one in this series, I think you’ll love Sensual Surrender as much as I have.  Embrace the sexy men and women of the Serafina and their home in Sin City.   

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided. 

ARC Review: The Warrior's Bride

The Warrior's Bride (Lairds Of The Loch #3)

by Amanda Scott

 

Blurb:

MAN ON A MISSION

Robert MacAulay, heir to the influential Baron of Ardincaple, will risk everything to help his father and his clan. But when Rob becomes involved in a legal tempest stirred by an irresistibly maddening lady, his mission is threatened before it begins . . .

RECKLESS LADY

Lady Muriella MacFarlan is impulsive, mercurial, and sometimes illogical. She is a spinner, not just of yarns and threads but also of stories. She can gild the lily or tell a half-truth. When her active imagination lands her in the suds, she's forced to turn to the ever truthful and blunt-spoken Rob for help. Their destinies now entwined, Rob and Muriella may discover that love is one truth that cannot be denied . . .

Themes: Historical, Highlands

Rating: 3 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The Lairds of the Loch have finally all found their loves and everyone is back where they belong.  The series has been interesting and full of drama, with love, danger, and action driving each individual story and the overall trilogy arc as well. I have enjoyed the series to this point and was glad to see everyone find their HEAs and an overall happy ending for everyone in the area of the Loch. Scott has a unique writing style and I have enjoyed reading her stories about these three sisters and the special powers that they use to keep themselves and their family safe. The stories of these three amazing sisters have kept my interest and the vivid imagery and details of the land they call home make me feel like I was able to travel these beautiful lands with them.  I’m not sure I would pick up another Scott series right away, because they are very intense, but Murie’s story did at least have some levity as she fumbled her way into a marriage and ultimately into love.

The story revolves around the impulsive actions of Muriella, actions that ultimately land her in some serious hot water.  She is determined to live her life differently that other noblewomen of her day—she wants to be a story teller. She has dedicated herself to learning and sharing the stories of her clan and others, but her imagination and tempestuousness often leads her into dangerous situations. When she encounters Rob on one such spontaneous outing she is immediately angry that he sends her home, tattling on her to her father, and getting her punished.  Deciding to get payback, she sets out to seduce him just to plan to turn him away, but her plan goes awry big-time when she is kidnapped by their long-time foe Dougal, son of the man that usurped her father’s lairdship two decades before.  During the ensuing madness of Murie’s rescue she suddenly finds herself bound to Rob in matrimony and neither of them can escape those consequences. As they work to overcome their differences and build a marriage, trouble is lurking around the corner and only by working together can everything come to a happy ending. 

Rob was a pretty decent guy, one with his own unique ideas about being noble and living his life to the best.  He is a strong willed man, always willing to jump in and help someone, but he keeps himself from others and lives a very private life.  His mother is a master manipulator, his past is disheartening when it comes to love, and his future looks to be bleak, but he never gives in and always fulfills his responsibilities.  He tries to deny any desire for Murie, working hard to see her as just the annoying young girl he always has, but it is obvious she has grown physically, if not always obviously in maturity.  When he pushes her away he never imagines he will be pushing her into such a dangerous situation, so he immediately sets out to rescue her and make up for his mistake. Murie on the other hand has very little regard for the penalties for her mistakes; she has her parents wrapped around her finger, so even when they punish her it’s never very severe, she always seems to come out of every mess just fine.  Faced with a man who demands she grow-up, Murie is infuriated that she can’t charm or cajole her way out of trouble.  Kidnapping never seemed like a possible consequence and certainly not being tried for a crime she never could have even committed. Luckily Rob is able to save her in time, but now she has a new sentence to fulfill, one that will last a lifetime, being Rob’s wife.  Seeing them interacting was interesting, with Rob’s taciturn nature and Murie's sunny charm, each characteristic bleeding over onto the other, they find a balance that will make them a happy and strong couple for life.  They also worked well together, ruling their people, thwarting dastardly deeds, and ultimately returning her father to his rightful place in their clan. 

The ending to this trilogy was chock-full of strange and unlikely circumstances, events that were dangerous and difficult to escape, and even a bit of hilarity.  The “courtship” between Rob and Murie was certainly unorthodox but a laugh riot to be sure, with desire and disagreement, and attempts by those around them to manipulate both Rob and Murie for their own desires. Ultimately I think they were a good match, complementing one another, while having enough differences to incite passion and desire, but not cause any true rifts between them.  It was amazing to see Murie helping the men in her life as they worked to return her father to his place in the clan, and seeing her addressing the King was entertaining as well.  I liked the story all together, and taken with the others in the trilogy, but I can’t say I was blown away by the romance of the story (or the trilogy for that matter).  The historical and dramatic angles of the story were intriguing, the interactions between families and clans enlightening, and it was good to see men with open minds accepting the sisters as they truly were, but I never felt a true connection to any of the couples’ romances and I was missing that bit of spark.  Personally I didn’t love the series, but I did like reading the stories very much, and the secondary characters and their antics were enough to keep me interested, so I say give the series a shot for yourself and see how you feel.  The writing is good, the characters are fascinating, and the drama of the Clan MacFarlan is enough to keep me reading, but if you’re looking for a hot or steamy historical, you might not find what you’re looking for here.

 *eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided. 

ARC Review: Silence of the Wolf

Silence of the Wolf (Heart of the Wolf #13)

by Terry Spear

Blurb:

Gray werewolf Tom Silver is determined to find the wolves who have been attacking local livestock. While tracking the pack through the Rockies, a blizzard forces him into a remote cabin where he hears a plane crash nearby.

When he discovers the sole survivor is a beautiful female werewolf/coyote shifter mix, bound as a prisoner, he knows it's his duty to hide her. Now, they are both at risk as a search ensues for the missing prisoner.

Will Tom be able to protect this beautiful stranger while tracking down the wolves responsible for terrorizing the local livestock?

Themes: Paranormal, Shifters, Werewolves

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Returning to the world of these crazy and alpha werewolves, we get an interesting glimpse into pack dynamics and relations with other packs as well.  The series has gotten so complicated recently, with so many different packs having been introduced, that I have missed seeing some of my favorite characters from the beginning of the series, but this book brings a lot of them back together, interweaving the relationships between everyone and in a lot of ways (thought not officially) combining the local packs into an even larger family.  I will say that I was a bit annoyed by the misleading nature of the blurb.  It made it sound like Tom has no connection to Elizabeth until he rescues her from the plane and that’s not the way it really was at all.  Other than that the story itself was great, the writing was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see a lot of the couples that we met a long time ago in previous books.

The story actually begins with Elizabeth’s arrival in Silver Town, where she is visiting the ski resort to write an article and to meet with a friend from her former pack that has evidence of the truth about her parents’ deaths. When her ride arrives at the B & B to take her to the ski slopes she is floored to find herself instantly attracted to Tom Silver, brother of the local wolf pack Alpha, but nowhere near as surprised as Tom himself is.  Though it is his responsibility to keep Elizabeth safe while she’s in their territory, there is no denying that he is attracted to her and that just makes everything even more complicated.  When Elizabeth finds herself wrapped up in trouble, the pack instantly rallies around her and Tom finds himself unable to deny his visceral attraction and need to keep her safe. However she is determined to keep the pack and her new friends out of danger, so she returns to her home, which turn out to only put her into even more danger. Now comes the plane crash, where Tom rescues his girl.  Once they are safe again, Tom puts into motion a plan to find out the truth surrounding Elizabeth’s attacks and keep her safe once and for all.  And giving in to that need shows Tom that Elizabeth is his perfect woman and the only woman he could ever mate for life.

I liked Elizabeth from the very beginning, with her strength and refusal to allow herself to be bullied, like she has been in her past.  Being isolated from others of her kind since her parents’ deaths, has left her with a bad taste in her mouth concerning shifters in general and wolves in particular. Her initial attraction to Tom leaves her wary, but he is just too handsome and sweet to resist for long.  Seeing how wonderful he is makes her rethink her prejudices, but she is afraid he’ll change his mind about her, as so many others have in the past, once he understands the stigma that comes with her being a half-breed. Tom also feels the instant pull to Elizabeth, but he isn’t ready by any means to settle down and find a mate.  As they get to know each other better and learn more about the circumstances surrounding them, it becomes apparent that there is more there then just a base sensual attraction, the love they are both learning to believe in could be real if they just allow the emotion to grow.

Being a long-standing fan of this series, and others by the author as well, I enjoyed every second of Tom’s story, even though there was certainly some serious drama and heartache.  I loved seeing Tom and Elizabeth interacting with each other and the others in the pack as well.  The pack is like one huge family, with wit and teasing, love and loyalty, and the best of all is that they never let each other down in the hard times. Elizabeth comes to count on the rest of the pack as much as she does Tom, for the first time in forever allowing others to support and aid her in life. There are fireworks between Elizabeth and Tom even in the most unlikely of situations and when they finally give in to the passion between them there is no denying the fire that they start. The truth surrounding Elizabeth’s past was sad but not surprising because even though they are shifters, they are human and can be lead by greed and jealousy and be just as treacherous as the rest of the human population.  We get to see several previous couples come into this story, in different ways and see the whole web that links some characters I’d either forgotten were linked or never realized the connection.  I am looking forward to seeing what comes next in the series, but I know that no matter what comes next I know I will enjoy it immensely.  The Heart of the Wolf lives on and will always be one of my favorites.

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.