ARC Review: Dragon Lost (Dark Kings #16.5)

Dragon Lost (Dark Kings #16.5)

by Donna Grant

Blurb:

Destinies can’t be ignored. No one knows that better than Annita. For as long as she can remember, it's been foretold she would find a dragon. A real-life dragon. She’s beginning to think it was all some kind of mistake until she’s swimming in one of 
the many caves around the island and discovers none other than a dragon. There is no fear as she approaches, utterly transfixed at the sight of the creature. Then he shifts into the shape of a thoroughly gorgeous man who spears her with bright blue eyes. In that instant, she knows her destiny has arrived. And the dragon holds the key to everything.

All Royden wanted was to find an item his brother buried when they were children. It was supposed to be a quick and simple trip, but he should’ve known nothing would be easy with enemies like the Dragon Kings have. Royden has no choice but to trust the beguiling woman who tempts him like no other. And in doing so, they unleash a love so strong, so pure that nothing can hold it back.

Themes:  Paranormal, Dragon-Shifters, Fae

Rating:  4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Damn, that story was so not long enough. This series has gotten really intense as it moved on and it was nice to see a simple story where the focus was on the couple falling in love and the passion between them.  Donna Grant’s magic with romance and skill with story-telling shines even in this simple story, but I really do wish it had been longer, because Royden and Annita were interesting characters I would have liked to see more of. Annita has known her whole life she was destined to meet a Dragon, though what that really means for her future and in the long run is a mystery to her. She has lived her entire life on her family’s estate in Crete, awaiting her destiny and wondering how her life would change, until one day it happens in the most surprising of places and ways.  Annita’s always been pulled to the underwater caves below her family’s island estate, but one day the pull is truly undeniable and she walks into the dark only to come face to face—if only for a single second—with a huge dragon, until suddenly he’s replaced by the sexiest man she has ever met. Royden has returned to his old stomping grounds searching for a family heirloom lost for millennia hoping to reconnect with his dragons and family.  When Annita stumbles across him in dragon form, resting in his family caves, he is totally surprised by her acceptance of him and her story of her destined fate to meet a dragon. I loved getting to meet these two and see them find love, the sweetness of their emotional connection not cluttered by the danger and drama of recent stories in the series and see the simplicity of their deep connection. Royden was a sexy beast with a lot of emotions to work through and internal turmoil that Annita was able to help him come to terms with as they fell in love deeply and quickly.  Annita was a sweet and simple woman.  She showed her courage and strength in many ways as well as in how she pushed and pushed to make Royden accept her presence and explain his truth to her, so they could have a chance to learn about one another and have a future together.  The passion that flared as they accepted their fated love was hot enough to heat the ocean around them as they frolicked, while the depth of their connection shows that sometimes the length of time you know someone doesn’t mean anything to the strength of the love that develops. I am dying to know what comes next in this world and find out more about Rhi and her King in coming stories.  I understand that this main arc is ending in two more stories (OMG I am DYING for Con’s story) but that the series will continue with more Kings finding their mates and possibly another new arc beginning.  Donna Grant will always be one of the Queens of Paranormal Romance for me and will remain one of my favorite authors, earning herself a place on my shelves and in my heart. Another masterwork of love, despite my wish for it being longer for my personal enjoyment. ;)

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Mini-Review: Unforgettable (Always #2)

Unforgettable (Always #2)

by Lexxie Couper

Blurb:

Sometimes being an optimist is hard work.

Brendon Osmond’s an optimist, a fitness geek, a man with a plan and the drive to achieve it. He’s sure he knows everything there is to know about his life and where it’s headed—until he gets one brief text.

A text from her.

Amanda. The girl who broke his heart.

‘Thinking of you.’

Just three little words, but they’re enough to make Brendon drop everything and head half way around the world to see her.

Acting only on gut instinct, nothing can prepare Brendon for the truth he’s about to learn.

A truth Amanda kept from him for almost two years. A truth who has Brendon’s eyes and claims his heart in an instant.

A truth that comes with a devastating diagnosis with the power to destroy everything he never knew he wanted or held dear.

Themes: Contemporary  

Rating: 3 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Ok I’m gonna have to be honest here, while I have loved just about everything ever written by Lexxie Couper, this one was nowhere near my favorite and I am not going to be going back or finishing this series.  To my understanding this series was written a while ago under one of Ms. Couper’s pseudonyms and I can honestly say that I would not ever associate this story with her current writing style or any other story of hers I have read.  Yes, other series have had seriously heavy themes to overcome in the love story as well, but this one was just too much and there was too much going on in way too short a time for me to find it either believable or enjoyable.  The premise of the story is that a young man is called to make a long journey back into the arms of the girl that broke his heart once, only to have his world turned upside down again and again as he is forced to come to terms with secrets and drama.  I couldn’t relate to Brendon at all, being that I am pretty much the opposite of an optimist, but I was intrigued at the way he was able to roll with the punches (and there were a LOT of them) and find a way to put himself back together again.  Amanda on the other hand was one of those girls (sorry I just can’t call her a woman) that I can’t bring myself to like.  I can understand her fears, but keeping the secrets she did and then springing everything on Brendon the way she did multiple times... that level of immaturity was just unforgivable in my opinion.  The passion between them was undeniable and it was obvious to see that they loved one another despite all the issues they were dealing with. This story has so much going on in really less than a three-day time period, that it’s just too much to comprehend and process for the reader and to expect Brendon to either.  The fact that there was so much against Brendon and Amanda, more than just the obvious, makes it just too much and had it been spread into perhaps a few months, I might have been able to believe the story better.  I will say that some readers will love the story, but it was just not my thing.  I am looking forward to what comes from Lexxie in other series, but I doubt I will be back for the last in this one.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: The Bear's Forever Mate (Borealis Bears #3)

The Bear's Forever Mate (Borealis Bears #3)

by Vivian Arend

Blurb:

He’s got the perfect mate in mind, for five years from now…

The final title in a light-hearted shifter trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Vivian Arend.

Cooper Borealis is fully onboard with the concept of fated mates. Except mating the woman he wants—his tempting, complicated, human secretary—is not an option. Or not yet anyway. Still, he’ll keep the vow he made to his brothers, with a few loophole caveats, mating fever be damned. He’ll be with Amber Myawayan at the place and time of his choosing.

Amber has spent the past two years in the north looking for her missing brother—and falling in love with the big, growly polar bear at the helm of Borealis Gems. More than once, she’s caught him looking at her with hungry shifter eyes. But getting him to admit it? Ha! Luckily, mating fever is a thing, and she’s happy to cooperate as nature forces the issue to the forefront.

But when their mating bond is unexpectedly blocked, Amber and Cooper find themselves in a race against time. She needs to track down her brother while somehow proving she’s tough enough to be with her favourite bear. Cooper plans to protect her at all costs, even if it means secretly stifling his stubborn shifter side.

Somewhere in the wilderness they’ll find the answer…or lose their chance at forever.

Themes:  Paranormal, Shifters

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The trilogy comes to an interesting and amazing ending as Cooper finds himself captured by the woman that has been teasing his senses and stealing his heart for the last two years. I love pretty much anything that Vivian Arend writes, but my heart was first stolen by her shifters many years ago when I stumbled across them by accident one day.  Each time one of them finds their mate and begins getting into mischief, I fall more and more in love with her skill and imagination as a writer, but this trilogy was beyond fun and sexy and I cannot wait for whatever she dreams up next. The premise of the trilogy is that the family patriarch has decided it is time for his grandsons to settle down and find their happiness with their mates—and he puts a deadline with some serious consequences on his ultimatum.  The two younger brothers have both found their mates, though in unlikely places,  and Cooper knows the woman he wants for his mate as well, but the problem is he knows the time isn’t right to claim her yet. Amber is a human that has come north into the wilds of Canada seeking the truth of the disappearance of her foster parents and brother, and she has found her place with the Borealis family and their friends, but she is no closer to the truth she sought than when she arrived.  Amber is in serious lust with Cooper and knows it can grow into something much more if the stubborn polar-bear-shifter would just drop his protective guard long enough to give them a chance, and when she sees her opening she is not willing to let anything stop her. Cooper tries to keep himself from Amber when the mating fever strikes, but she’s having none of that bullshit and soon they are tearing up the little cabin he ran to.  But the mating bond can’t click into place until all three parts of their future are aligned—Amber, Cooper and the stubborn bear spirit that shares his soul.  Now they have to find a way to solve all their problems and track down her brother while proving to his bear that Amber really is the only one strong enough to be their mate. 

This was one twisty and fascinating story, with so much going on in such a short time that one might fear there wasn’t enough filler to build the relationship for Amber and Cooper, but Arend’s skill once again proves she is a mistress of romance for a good reason.  Fact is that no one else could have truly done this story the justice it deserved.  Amber was the kind of strong and determined woman, with the backbone of steel, heart of gold, and patience of Job that I wish I could be.  She is the match that Cooper needs to keep him in line, laughing at the ridiculousness that life can sometimes be, and just mischievous enough to keep their future mated life from being boring. Cooper is one of those people like me with a list for everything in life, one that doesn’t adapt well to change, and that has to think through everything little piece of a decision before he can commit, which is ironic considering he shares his spirit with a wild polar bear.  That dichotomy leads to some hilarious internal dialogue between the two and of course some decisions that require Amber to work all the harder to overcome his obstinacy.  I loved seeing these two balance one another and find a way to make their lives perfect just by being what the other needed at the most important moments.  The heat between them was of course off the charts leading to passionate moments that even melted the snow protecting them at one moment (nope, not a metaphor).  I also loved seeing the family togetherness and the ways that Arend shows how two cultures and families can come together to make a whole that is so much greater than the parts combined, reminding me a little bit of her contemporary series that are so family focused.  I loved this story for each and every second, and while I, of course, wish it had been longer just to prolong the enjoyment, there wasn’t a single thing lacking from the plot or the romance and I cannot wait to spread the word about this series and this trilogy specifically, not to mention now I can binge reread all three. Another masterpiece Vivian!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: Bishop's Queen (Endgame Trilogy #2)

Bishop's Queen (Endgame Trilogy #2)

by Katie Reus

Blurb:

He doesn’t believe in fairy-tale endings…

They used to call Evan Bishop the golden boy. He had it all and was about to close the business deal of a lifetime, then marry the woman of his dreams. But everything goes to hell when a faceless enemy wants to destroy his family’s empire and see him dead. Except the bomb meant to kill him fails. He wakes up from a coma to find his face scarred and his brother missing and wanted for murder. Now that he’s damaged, he hides away from the world—including the woman he loves. He refuses to be a burden to her, so even though it destroys him, he sets her free.

She’s about to prove him wrong…

Isla MacDonald isn’t walking away from Evan just because he’s decided to shut her out of his life. He blames himself for the bombing that got her father killed and nearly killed him—but he’s wrong. After all attempts to see him fail, with a broken heart she tries to resume her life and take over her father’s firm. Though it’s not her dream, she wants to honor his legacy and finish the deal that will save thousands of jobs. But when someone tries to kill her—twice—she needs a bodyguard. To her surprise Evan steps up and insists on protecting her, putting on a show as the caring fiancé. But he won’t let her back into his life or into his heart. To have any chance at a future together, they’ll have to resurrect the past and stay alive long enough to expose the man determined to see them both dead.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

OMG so many feels and so much emotional pain in one story. Isla and Evan’s story picks up right where this last story left off and we finally get to see these two overcome their issues in order to be together and move on.  There is so much happening in this one, including finding out what really happened in the very beginning to lead to the death of Isla’s father and the attack that separated them in the first place.  Katie Reus has been stealing my heart and mind for a long time with her different series, but this one is getting more and more interesting, even going in knowing that it will only be three stories long, which makes me a little bit sad honestly.  Evan push Isla away in the first of this trilogy after his attack left him scarred for life, knowing she deserved better than him and that he would never be good enough for her again. Isla fought with everything in her to keep Evan, even though she was also dealing with the loss of her father, but she refused to let the man she loved leave her, until finally she couldn’t fight any more for a man that just didn’t seem to want her anymore.  Moving on with her life, to the best of her capability, she only has a few tasks left in order to fulfill her responsibilities to her late father before she can let her old life go, when suddenly everything blows up in her face.  Once again Evan is right there, determined to push his way into her life and protect her from every danger, except the danger he poses to her heart. Evan has never stopped loving Isla and now that she is in danger he refuses to let her go, but as they spend more time together it gets harder and harder to accept that he might have to let her go again someday. I loved Isla and she was one of the strongest female characters I have read in a long time, simply because despite the damage that Evan did to her heart, she never truly stopped loving him.  She was determined to release him like he demanded, but she also knew she had to protect her heart at all costs; she never stopped loving him and knew that she had to get away from him in order find any safety for herself.  When she finds herself in danger, she accepts that Evan being in her life is a necessary evil and will keep her heart safe even if she can’t keep away from him.  Evan has decided that keeping away from Isla is highly overrated and that the time has come for him to reclaim the only woman he has ever loved. She is in danger from an unknown killer and there is no way he will risk her safety, even as she fights him and their love, but he will use everything at his disposable to make her accept him back in her life.  The passion between them is beyond undeniable and the heat is enough to burn up the entire city, even when it is just them fighting the passion and each other for dominance in their relationship.  I am seriously loving this trilogy and this family of badass alphas that have captured the hearts of even more interesting people.  I cannot wait to see the last Bishop come out of hiding, face those that have set him up as a traitor, and find his own mate. Damn Katie is a true Mistress of Sensual Romance and her grasp of human nature and relationships is magical.

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

Review: Wolf Rebel (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #10)

Wolf Rebel (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #10)

by Paige Tyler

Blurb:

She let him get away

SWAT werewolf Rachel Bennett is hounded by nightmares after a vicious attack left her with PTSD. Not knowing who or what she can trust anymore, she's relieved to be assigned to a high-profile protective detail. Diving into work might be the distraction she needs, until she notices the mysterious hunk who seems to follow her wherever she goes—and recognizes him.

Now he needs her help...

After he's badly injured, former Navy SEAL Knox Lawson seeks out Rachel when he realizes he's turning into a werewolf. He'd once been part of the group hunting her kind, but he knew he had to quit when he found Rachel in his crosshairs. Now he desperately needs her help.

Rachel isn't sure she trusts Knox, but having him around keeps the nightmares—and the monster creating them—away. Knox might not know much about being a werewolf, but there's no doubt he'll do everything in his power to win her trust and keep her safe.

Themes:  Paranormal, Wolf-Shifters

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 Wow, ok I so didn’t see this one coming.  We have been waiting for a while now to find out the story behind Rachel’s nightmares and the things she has been seeing out of the corner of her eyes, but we never imagined this was coming her way.  And of course when an enemy becomes a lover it automatically becomes all that more intriguing and complicated.  This series has been getting seriously more and more complicated as the enemies and friends continue to change and grow in the most outrageous of ways.  We have been introduced to an all new group of killers and in this series the new good-guys that we are supposed to trust turn out to be total douche-bags. I really loved this story and I am dying to see what is coming next in this series, but Knox and Rachel’s story was definitely more than interesting all on its own. Knox and Rachel first met when he attacked the SWAT team with the other Hunters months ago and their eyes connected across the battlefield, despite neither of them attacking the other, they both know that something is happening when he returns to her world now a newly-awakened werewolf in his own right. Knox has been obsessed with Rachel for months since the first moments he saw her and was unable to do what he thought was his duty and kill her, but that obsession has become even more important now that he needs someone to teach him to be a werewolf.  Rachel is dealing with her own shit, dealing with nightmares, waking visions, and blackouts that leave her as a weakness to her team and herself. But as the truth is uncovered and they are forced to come together in order to overcome all they are facing and defeat their enemies, the relationship between them gets hotter and hotter. Rachel was a woman with some serious issues but I enjoyed watching her find her way with Knox and show her just how strong she truly was.  She had been dealing with a lot since she became a werewolf, and until she almost loses her life she doesn’t realize just how much. Knox is determined to find his way in this new world he finds himself in, despite knowing that he will not be welcomed with his past transgressions, but Rachel pulls him like no woman before and he won’t let anything stand in his way.  When they are both faced with a very real enemy that neither of them ever would have thought could possibly exist, Knox and team rush to find a way to keep Rachel alive so that he can have a future with her.  Despite knowing they should be enemies, the passion and love that develops between Rachel and Knox was amazing to experience and I loved every second of watching them come together.  This series just gets more and more complicated and I find myself holding my breath for what comes next, knowing that Ms. Tyler will never let me down. Another great story and if this keeps up I cannot imagine how much better it could possibly get.

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

Review: Call Her Mine (Harmony Pointe #1)

Call Her Mine (Harmony Pointe #1)

by Melissa Foster

Blurb:

Ben Dalton has always been honest, except where his heart is concerned. He’s been in love with his best friend—saucy, smart-mouthed Aurelia Stark—forever. But Ben’s a planner, and timing has never been on his side. When he finally decides to make his move, Aurelia beats him to the punch with a move of her own—to a different town.

Aurelia loves her new life in the charming town of Harmony Pointe. She has a great apartment and her very own bookstore, and best of all, the sinfully hot, commitment-phobic friend she’s crushed on for years is no longer just around the corner. Maybe she’ll finally be able to leave her unrequited love behind and move on.

But when a baby is left on Ben’s front porch—a baby that is presumably his—Aurelia is there for him. Neither one knows the first thing about babies, but how hard can it be? Ben and Aurelia are catapulted into a world of love, laughter, and tracking down the baby mama, and it might even add up to a very happily ever after… just not one either of them expects.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

 Well this was an interesting introduction to a new group of folks.  I can honestly say I am not really into the surprise baby arrives troupe that a lot of stories have been using lately, but this one has an interesting twist of two for sure.  Melissa Foster has her ups and downs when it comes to being one of my favorite reads, but this one is right in the middle of the back for me.  I liked Ben and Aurelia, but they were both so immature in a lot of ways and when it came to finally admitting to their relationship and accepting that their love for one another was necessary to their future happiness it took entirely too long for my tastes. Ben has been in love with his best friend for years, and she has been in love right back, but neither of them ever admitted it to one another or could seem to see it in the other. Finally, Aurelia has decided it is time to move on and give them both a chance to find happiness, even if not with each other, but then Ben’s life is thrown into complete chaos and he just cannot let her go. Aurelia is determined to be there for Ben, even though she knows it will kill her in the long run, but soon he confront her and tells her the full truth of his needs and wants.    And now they are truly together, working to build a life that neither of them ever imagined, but can they truly overcome everything that is in their way in order to enjoy their new found HEA?  Ben was a bit disappointing to me, but then I am partial to take-charge alpha guys, but once he finally came to terms with the need to step up and prove to Aurelia that he truly loves and deserves her, I began to respect and enjoy his character much more.  Aurelia is a woman with so much emotional turmoil to work through and I valued the way she forced Ben to acknowledge her needs and truly give her all she wanted in order for them to have a future.  There was certainly a deep seated and long-repressed need between the two of them that when they finally let it loose was hot and sexy, but the sweetness of their connection was even more amazing to see.  I am looking forward to seeing what is next in this series and seeing if it gets even better.  Maybe the beginning of another great series in the making, but overall this first in a series was worth every moment and groan of baby grossness to get to the HEA.

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

ARC Review: Dark Alpha's Temptation (Reaper #9)

Dark Alpha's Temptation (Reaper #9)

by Donna Grant

Blurb:

There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I’m coming for you…

Carrying Death's orders is my sole duty. I've never had reason to question her, even if I disagreed. But Kyra's fierceness and willpower sheds light on my mission. She drives the darkness of my world away. The answers to the Others' goals lie in her past. For Kyra, I will risk going against Death's wishes. For her...I will battle the past and the future itself.

Themes:  Paranormal, Fae

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 Grant returns to the world of the Fae and her Dragon Kings, directly after the shocking events of the last Dragon King book (Fever) and we are all still in a lot of awe of the way that story went down.  That being said there was really no telling where she was going to be taking us in this next Reaper novel so we were all on the edges of our seats waiting quite impatiently to find out just what’s next. Grant has a magical skill with her ability to interweave all of her series and characters into the beautiful tapestry of the world that emerges from her imagination and with each story it just becomes more and more elaborate and amazing to readers.  Dubhan and Kyra’s story is no less than previous stories for being a bit shorter than I would have liked.  There was plenty of the expected drama and heartache, but I would have loved more time for them to build their relationship a bit more slowly.  Kyra witnessed something she never should have one chilly Irish morning at the Light palace and has been obsessed with the man—and his comrades to an extent—that she saw that day fighting the beasts she never believed existed.  Dubhan knows he’s being followed but can’t quite pin down the elusive fae until finally she slips up and he catches the female that has been haunting his steps for far longer than he realized.  Soon he realizes that she might be the key to uncovering the truth of the Others and finding a way to defeat them, but bringing her into the fold puts her directly into the path of Death and only with a bit of sneaky and well-planned action can they stay alive and together. I really enjoyed Kyra’s cockiness and her ability to lead Dubhan on a wild chase, but under all that she had a vulnerability and need to belong that made her the perfect match for him.  She was a woman that definitely needed to find her true purpose and being able to assist in the battle to end all battles is one that definitely gives her something to sink her teeth into.  Her interactions with Death were hilarious and showed that sass can be endearing at times, but I also enjoyed seeing her and Dubhan as they worked together to find solutions to the puzzles that were put before them. Dubhan was a male that has some problems, mainly that he got caught and has been followed without his knowledge for a long-time, not a good thing for a Reaper. He was an alpha badass like you would expect from any Reaper, but his warrior arrogance didn’t overpower his willingness to use his brain and recognize that Kyra was the best person for the job despite her not being fully into his world yet. I enjoyed seeing him embrace her fully and find a way to make her one of them and he shows her that she was loved and needed as more than just a resource; when her world turned upside-down, in the end she was able to lean on him and he gave her all the support she could ever need. The passion between these two was there from the very beginning, even when they didn’t even realize the other was there consciously, but when they come together the conflagration truly is a sight to see.  I loved every second of this short novella and I am DYING to see what comes next in this crazy world of Fae, Warriors, Druids, and Dragon-shifters, not to mention all the other amazing creatures that seem to cross their paths.  The battle seems to be getting only more and more complicated and there doesn’t seem to really be an end in sight (YAY!) which means there can only be more greatness to come.  

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.