ARC Review: Jaguar Hunt

Jaguar Hunt (Heart of the Jaguar #3)

by Terry Spear 

Blurb:

An agent and a jaguar-shifter chase trouble, and each other, through the jungles of Belize...

Agent Tammy Anderson has a reputation: she prefers to work alone. So when she’s paired up on a mission with jaguar-shifter David Patterson—who’s only recently been released from jail—to say she’s less than thrilled is a understatement. Until she realizes that this sexy agent has what it takes…

Soon, what started as an “easy” mission to locate a missing jaguar takes the pair to Belize, where they’re chasing down two renegade teen shifters who know more than they’re telling. As the action heats up, can they keep their minds on the job and off of each other? 

Themes: shifters, paranormal

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I have been a fan of Terry Spear since I bought the first book in her Heart of the Wolf series many years ago on sale for just a penny, and I have never found a book I didn’t like in any of her series since.  Her Jaguar series has many interesting parallels with her Wolf series and even some character crossover that only big fans of both series might catch, which gives me a little chuckle every time it happens.  The Jaguar series is always wild and the settings for most of them are deep and lush rainforests in places I would never venture into personally so getting a chance to go there in these stories is wonderful.  Book three in the series is one that had me laughing often, entranced in the lives of these jaguar shifters and reveling in the intense passion the H/h shared. I am looking forward to what’s next in this series and maybe even a few years from now seeing the sweet but adventurous twin boys getting their own novels.

Tammy is a many layered woman, but a lot of those layers sadly were put into place by untrustworthy men and the pain they caused her.  Her suspicions about her father, the two-timing guys she’s dated in the past and the generally womanizing nature of the men she works with day-to-day, have made her understandably wary of jaguar males and having a relationship with them.  The attraction to David from the beginning is undeniable however.  From the moment she meets the sexy male she finds herself losing more and more of her conviction to keep him away and she knows that if she keeps giving way in her own heart and mind he will worm his way right in and destroy her heart. She is a passionate female and is more than willing to give a no strings affair a try, but David has other plans in mind and sooner than later she finds herself in a relationship that gives her fears a chance to be proven wrong.  Jaded might be a good word to describe her, but David is such a great guy that she is unable to deny herself or him for very long.  When danger arises he doesn’t just push her out of the way, instead trusting her as a full partner, proving to her that they might have a chance for the future.

David is a sexy, fun, and intense jaguar male and his desire for Tammy is one that he refuses to leave unexplored.  When he sees his chance to work with her and spend more time with her, he jumps on the case and inserts himself into her life.  Working to overcome her resistance becomes more than just a fun sexy challenge for him as his heart becomes more and more invested in a relationship with the sexy she-cat.  He works to keep her safe while allowing her to do what she needs to do for her job, but leaving her to her own defenses is just not something he is willing to do.  Sometimes having a man like David stand beside you is just as or even sexier than having him stand in front of you.  David was a bit arrogant at times, but never in a repellent way; more in an exasperating manner that would just make you smile and shake your head at his antics.  He is defiantly a dangerous male in his own right, but seeing him be gentle and caring with the boys and earning their trust we get to see a softer and sweeter side right along with Tammy.  He is quite frankly the whole package—sweet, caring, strong, sexy, and don’t forget he can turn into a big cuddly Jaguar.

Jaguar Hunt is another great story in the Jaguar series that is sexy, entertaining, and hilarious at times.  The series has taken us from the heated jungles of Belize, to the dry heat of Texas, and back again.  The characters are wonderfully, richly written, and the settings are vivid, sensual and a great backdrop for the intense passion between the shifters that populate these pages. David and Tammy’s story is a prime example of all that makes this series great. Tammy is a woman who has lost her trust in the male of the species and has no interest in ever again risking her heart on a male cat that will just break it, until David begins to weasel his way in. David hasn't felt such intense desire for a woman before and is willing to fight to have a chance to explore that passion with Tammy.  Using the opportunity presented to him he insinuates himself into her case and with a little persistence hopes to worm his way into her personal life as well.  I loved seeing these two circling around each other, much like a dance, as they learn more about one another and work together to achieve there several objectives.   I am looking forward to whose books might be coming next in the series and where it might lead us next.  If you haven’t read others in the series or the Heart of the Wolf series, you will enjoy this book for sure, but you will be missing out on a lot of the subtext in the book and I highly recommend you set aside some time to catch up on the greatness that is these two series.

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

mini-review: How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days

How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days  (What Happens In Scotland #1)

by Kate McKinley 

Blurb:

Lucas Alexander, the ninth Duke of Arlington, is a man who gets what he wants. So when he sees the alluring Miss Pippa Welby from across a crowded ballroom, he vows to make her his. But the bold and spirited Pippa has sworn never to marry into the haute ton. Now Lucas must win her the only way he knows how—one wicked kiss at a time.

The daughter of a wealthy tradesman, Pippa has been sneered at by the upper echelons her entire life. So when the duke arrives on her doorstep with an invitation to her own engagement ball—to him—in ten days, Pippa hatches a daring plan. She must lose the duke before the ball, or risk losing her own heart.

Themes: historical

Rating: 3.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Well that was certainly one of the hotter historical romances I’ve read recently.  I’ve never read anything else by Kate McKinley, but she has me intrigued with this new series and I think I will be hunting for book two as soon as it’s available.  The story is set in the not too distant past and revolves around a spirited merchant’s daughter whose father is trying to nudge his way into the haute ton and a strict and sexy duke who is looking for a way to ensure his family never has to deal with financial hardship again.  An instantaneous connection and an attraction that neither can deny leads to some fun and sexy challenges for both lovers and soon leads them into the dangerous territory of the heart.  There were lots of laughs, sexy fun, and sweet love, and I cannot wait to find out what happens in Scotland in the future.

Pippa was a great character, one of the few women who really doesn’t have any use for the ton and is certainly not interested in marrying some stuffy and arrogant duke just to get in their good graces.  Faced with her future being dictated by the duke she immediately decides that she has to do whatever she can to make him change his mind about marrying her.  Hatching an outrageous scheme she sets out to make Lucas’s life a living hell, but no matter what she does he just seems to be more and more determined to make her his wife.  When the passion between them becomes undeniable, leading them down a road that can’t be turned away from, and there is no longer an option for her.  But when the truth comes out Pippa is heartbroken because not only has she given in to Lucas’s demands to marry, but she has given him her heart.  Now it is up to Lucas, a man who has never had to work so hard to make a woman his, to prove to Pippa that he is worth her heart and if she gives it into his keeping he will treat it with care.  While Lucas definitely has his issues, his vulnerabilities, I liked his determination to earn Pippa’s heart and it was obvious that his motives for seeking Pippa's hand were never purely financial, though he used that as a way to get what he wanted--a chance to explore his feelings for her

I really liked this story a lot.  There were great characters, an interesting plot, several fun twists, and enough drama to keep it from being too staid.  The heat and intensity between Pippa and Lucas was evident every second they shared the pages and I can honestly say that it was one of the more passionate historical romances I’ve read in a long time.  Pippa was a fiery, sweet, and loving woman who knows her worth to the world and will settle for nothing less than true love in her marriage.  Lucas has been his family’s only support for a long time and has always gotten what he went for in his life, but Pippa seems to be the one thing he can’t seem to get a good grip on, until he finally understands that a woman like Pippa will never be his unless he gives all of his heart to her.  I enjoyed the secondary story in the book as well and am looking forward to seeing where that might go in the future.  I will definitely  be adding Ms. McKinley to my list of authors to look out for in the future. 

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

ARC Review: Hunt the Darkness

Hunt the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #11)

by Alexandra Ivy

Blurb:

The vampire, Roke, is raw, sensual, always in control. Yet somehow he's allowed the unthinkable to happen: a nymph-like witch named Sally has used her magic to trick Roke into mating with her. The pair will remain bound for eternity unless Sally breaks the spell. The trouble is, she has no idea how. . .

Mating with Roke was an accident; at least that's what Sally keeps telling herself. She's on the hunt for her demon father, whose identity holds the key to releasing the spell. The search won't be easy with Roke shadowing Sally's every move. As they mate with a ferocity that leaves them both aching for more, Sally isn't sure if her world is more dangerous without Roke—or with him. . .

Themes: vampires, witches, paranormal

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Well this series has certainly taken some interesting turns over the years, but if you’ve been a fan from the beginning like I have you will probably have enjoyed the journey as much as I. Picking up right where Darkness Avenged left off, Roke and Sally’s story is full of revelations, emotional vulnerabilities, and the love that can develop between the most unlikely of individuals. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and am looking forward to a lot more in the future, but I gotta say I wish they were released much closer together because the wait in between books about kills me.

Sally has spent all her life trying to find contentment but it has always eluded her.  She’s been abused and used by her mother, looked down on by other witches, used and discarded by a seriously bad demon, held captive by vampires, and finally escaped only to find herself pursued by the vampire she accidentally mated.  While she is insanely attracted to Roke, she’s not willing to give up her quest to find her long lost father and try to understand her own heritage.  She never imagined he would chase her down so quickly and demand that he accompany her.  As her powers grow, the world around her begins to make less and less sense, but Roke is an anchor in her ever-changing world and she finds herself clinging to him and becoming more emotionally attached with every minute they are together.  When a long forgotten enemy comes after Sally, only by overcoming her insecurities and trusting in her own blossoming powers can she kick his ass and keep her mate, the man she has fallen irrevocably in love with, safe from harm. I loved seeing Sally kick some serious ass and the true nature of her magic and identity was a fun twist I never saw coming, but am looking forward to exploring more in coming books.

I think Roke is one of my favorite vampire characters in a long time.  He is definitely an alpha male of the highest order, a clan chief that expects others to fall in line, but when he’s faced with the unexpected he is able to flow with the changes like water over rock.  He’s been insanely attracted to Sally from the beginning, but when she accidentally casts a spell that mates them, he is at first reluctant to have her as a mate, but as his instincts flare and force him to chase her down, he begins to suspect that maybe it wasn’t an accident after all. I would have to say I was surprised by Roke’s ability to compromise in this story.  I fully expected him to fight Sally every step of the way, and though they certainly had their arguments he was surprisingly flexible and trusted her abilities much more than I thought he would. He takes obvious pleasure in taking care of his mate, but as he gets to know her and understand her more, he sees the woman she truly is and finds himself even more intensely determined that she is really his mate and it wasn’t just a freak magical accident that had them mated. I loved seeing how Roke challenged Sally at every  turn to accept her new role as his mate, but never tried to force her into a corner to get his way—or at least almost never.  I also have to say that I loved his willingness to give up everything he’s ever fought for, his clan, his friends, and even his world, if that’s what is necessary to keep Sally as his mate.  Honestly what girl could turn down that kind of dedicated?

Hunt the Darkness was a great read from start to finish, fast paced, full of action, drama, love and surprises, and written with all the flair I expect from Alexandra Ivy.  The story takes you more deeply into another culture, or class, of demon, the Fey, and we get to learn more about them and their powerful hierarchy.  Sally is on a quest, determined to find her father so she can learn about the demon portion of her DNA, initially in the hopes of reversing her mistake in mating Roke to her, but soon she finds her quest leading into new and unexpected directions.  Roke begins his journey believing he is chasing after Sally just to make sure that she stays safe long enough to remove her spell, but soon he begins to believe that the spell is the least of his reasons for chasing after her.  When they both begin to fall, there is no denying the intensity of their emotional connection and the expression of that passion will leave the reader reaching for ice just to cool down.  There were even some interesting new creatures introduced that expanded Ivy’s world of Guardians and the demons that share their world. I loved reading Sally and Roke’s story, one that reminds us that even the most unlikely of matches are sometimes made in heaven and the heart wants what the heart wants.  There was, as always, a bit of a cliffhanger in this story (something Ivy is famous for) and I am looking forward to finding out what happened in the next book with Cyn and Fallon.  Keep the awesomeness coming, Alexandra, but maybe just a little faster would be greatly appreciated so my fixes aren't so far apart.

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

Blessed Memorial Day

Being a member of a proud military family, I understand the importance of the men and women who work every day to protect our freedoms.  Most national holidays in the US are becoming more and more just free days for people to get together and party, with many never even understanding the true importance of the holidays.   Veteran’s day is biggie in my family as my brother is currently active duty, my sister-in-law is in the reserves, and we have several retired members as well.  But I am one of the lucky ones in that honoring Memorial Day for me remains distanced compared to most families.  Through the several wars, from Vietnam, to the gulf war, Korean conflict and even the more recent conflicts, my family members have all returned to us.

But for those whose families are not as blessed as mine, I honor your service and share my thanks for your sacrifice so I might be free to express my personal beliefs where in many countries there is no such choice.

Honoring those that have left us behind, on Monday there will be a national moment of remembrance at 3:00pm (1500 hrs).  In that moment take a chance to offer your thanks and silence to honor those that gave the greatest sacrifice that anyone can give.

So as you enjoy your barbecue, hot dogs & burgers, and visiting with friends and family, keep in mind those that will never again have that chance and the reason behind that.  

For more information and a perspective from a US marine on the reason one should never wish anyone “Happy” Memorial Day, visit the following link.

http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/marine-explains-what-memorial-day-means-to-the-worlds-biggest-anonymous-email-list

And from us here at Romance Witch reviews we send our thanks to those friends and families of the fallen and share or blessings with them in their time of memorial.

Remember "all gave some, but some gave all".

Have a Blessed day,

Michelle

The Romance Witch

ARC Review: Once Tasted

Once Tasted (Silver Creek #2)

by Laura Moore

Blurb:

Three siblings, an extraordinary family, a lasting heritage—in the irresistible Silver Creek Ranch trilogy, they’ll fight for the land and the people they love.

 Everything has come easily to Reid Knowles, the middle son of a California ranching family. But his charmed life is suddenly complicated when his good friend and neighbor asks him to help run the winery next door. His neighbor’s niece, Mia Bodell, is in charge—and she has made it clear that she’d rather be roped to a steer than to Reid Knowles. Never one to back down from a challenge, Reid vows to win her trust.

 Her life marked by loss, Mia knows that nothing comes easily—love included. In high school, her heart was crushed by Reid, and even though years have passed, the hurt lingers. Mia is achingly aware that the teen heartthrob has matured into a devastatingly handsome playboy, and the budding winemaker refuses to let down her guard. But one taste of unbridled passion changes things. From Reid’s first intoxicating kiss to his unexpectedly tender seduction, Mia is swept into a passionate affair that could tear her heart to pieces . . . or give her everything she has ever wanted.

Themes: cowboys, contemporary

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Well a hot cowboy who’s got a heart of gold and the determination of an angry donkey… what could make for a better hero? I was granted the honor of being able to read both of the current stories in this series in advance of their release and am thrilled to say that I loved both novels.  This family is extraordinarily dynamic and obviously loving, but their impact on their community is just as great and seeing how loved they were by their friends and neighbors reminds me of the way people can come together in the true sense of community to be a family. Seeing the second brother in the Knowles family fall under the spell of his sweet but terribly shy neighbor, Once Tasted takes you on a journey through the creation of wine from start to finish,  teaching you while entertaining you and sharing the power of love. I hadn't read anything by Laura Moore before this opportunity but I can honestly say she has made it to my favorite authors shelf and I will be looking forward not only to what’s next for the Knowles’s, but also whatever new worlds she might invite us into in her imagination.

Reid is my favorite kind of cowboy, one who rides steel horses as well as he rides his flesh and blood ones.  Riding back into town on his Harley he instantly causes a stir and is completely oblivious of all the attention he gets or the wake of hearts he leaves pattering. While is he definitely gorgeous, he’s not arrogant with it, instead he is as down to earth as can be for a dedicated bachelor always looking for the next woman to bring fun into his…life. Dealing with the fallout from the deal his parents made with their neighbor, Reid is determined to be there for Mia in every way as they embark on a partnership in their business and an all new unexplored relationship territory.  I loved seeing that he could look past the underplayed exterior Mia portrays to the world to the wildcat beneath her armor and the vulnerable heart buried deep.  He uses his not inconsiderable skills of seduction and persuasion to bring Mia out of her shell, never imagining that he would lose his heart to her in the process. When Mia’s world comes crashing down around her, though she tries to push him away, Reid knows that only by being there for her in every aspect will he ever stand a chance of proving his love to her and having a chance for a future with her.

Mia was a bit more difficult to peel down the layers to her true personality.  There are so many layers of insecurity wrapped around her after years of being beat down by her cousin and others that her own light is deeply hidden from the world.  She is obviously a very intelligent woman, with skills that could bring her business far into the future and make it shine, but her fears have always kept her from achieving her true potential.  When her uncle leaves her in charge, abruptly moving on with his life, Mia is left floundering like a baby bird kicked from the nest.  But with Reid’s help and the support of her team, friends, and Reid’s family she begins to trust in herself and spread her wings to fly.  Her feelings for Reid begin to deepen, making the crush she’s always had on him into something much deeper and more robust, like a finely aged wine, and when she begins to accept that love, her fears are thrust to the forefront of her mind making her question their relationship.  When tragedy strikes, her fears and worries lead her to push Reid away, hoping to protect herself and him from danger, while keeping her feelings hidden allows her to keep her heart form being broken.  Only when she sees just how dedicated Reid really is to her, she regrets every hurtful thing she has said to him and determines to share those feelings, even if the love isn’t reciprocated, showing her development into a woman of true strength and character.  

I really enjoyed learning about all the aspects of wine-making that were shared in this story.  The first book in the series focused more on the ranch and the animals that were the Knowles’s livelihood, and though there was plenty of that here, the focus was on the vineyard, allowing for an all new and exciting settling while still keeping things close to home.  Getting to see both Reid and Mia come into their own as they fell in love was a great example of love making a person better even if you never realize it is happening.  Mia was a great character as she blossoms into a strong and sensual woman, willing to do anything to make her business succeed and to find her place in the world, as well as becoming a woman that Reid can love. Getting to see Reid come into his own was exciting too; he was able to branch out a bit from his family and use his learned experiences, applying his business know-how to the vineyard to help Mia and also give himself pride in meeting and exceeding at a challenge.  The love between Reid and Mia takes them both by surprised, even though readers can see they are meant to be from the beginning.  They fight their attraction to one another and each carry heavy regrets about their past together, but when their forced interactions quickly turn to passionate exploration, the heat burns the pages up and leaves you breathless with anticipation to see what passionate adventure they’ll get up to next.  I enjoyed every minute of this story and am very much looking for to what’s coming next, which I suspect and hope will be Quinn’s story, but whoever it might be, returning to Silver Creek Ranch and the beautiful landscape it inhabits will certainly be no hardship. Brava, Ms. Moore, Brava.

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

Review: Blind Faith

Blind Faith (Sin Brothers #3)

by Rebecca Zanetti

Blurb:

A betrayal he couldn't forget . . .

For Nate Dean, love is a four-letter word. As part of a secret black-ops military unit, he and his brothers were genetically engineered by the government to be ruthless soldiers with an expiration date. They were loyal only to one another . . . until Nate laid eyes on the woman who stole his heart and blew his world apart. Now, years later, his family is still paying the price for his mistake. But as time runs out, there's only one person who can save his family: the very woman Nate swore he'd never trust again.

A love she couldn't deny . . .

The moment Audrey Madison spies Nate across a crowded ballroom, she can barely breathe. He's just as undeniably sexy as she remembers, yet there's an edge to him now that's as irresistible as it is dangerous. When he asks for her help, Audrey can't refuse. But she has secrets of her own-secrets that, if Nate ever discovers them, may cost them both their lives. .

Themes: paramilitary, contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The third story in the Sin Brothers series was full of ups and down, surprises, betrayals, and the love of two very damaged, confused, and ultimately perfectly matched people on a quest to keep evil from continuing to spread darkness over their lives. I have enjoyed the previous books in this series very much but Nate’s story gives so much more depth to the emotions of these trained killers and I found myself rooting for him every step of the way.   I will admit this book got a little bit more complicated in terms of villains, but it was done so well that it just seems to flow and make perfect sense. The little glimpses of the other brothers and their women was interesting as well, and finally finding out the truth about their youngest brother made the story perfect. I am looking forward to where the series heads next.

Nate is a wonderfully dangerous man, one who lives his life determined to never make the same mistake twice and to protect his brothers—and now their women—at all costs.  He never imagines that he is fit to have a woman of his own, and really the only one he’s ever wanted is Audrey, the daughter of the woman he has hated all his life with everything in him.  She once broke his heart, but he never imagines he would find her working with the enemy and the truth of that shakes him up quite a bit.  As they get to know one another again, Nate learns that his instincts are not to be ignored and Audrey is more than willing to remind him of her true nature.  I liked Nate for the most part, though he annoyingly jumps to the worst conclusion about Audrey every time something that looks bad happens, but thankfully he gets over that near the end.  He is obviously a gorgeous man, but his arrogance comes from his skills and abilities more than from his looks or innate charm. It was interesting to see him interacting with his brothers and their wives and to see how his changes when the thought of impending fatherhood hits him.  There was a gooey softness at the center of that hard and thick shell surrounding Nate’s heart to be sure.

Audrey was my favorite type of heroine: a compassionate woman on a mission to save the world.  Or at least the portion of the world she had her life wrapped up in.  She is determined to bring down the commander for his horrible experiments without putting her mother, or the Dean Brothers into danger.  She is finally ready to enact her plan when things start to go terribly awry.  First Nate explodes back into the life, then she is placed into mortal danger when someone discovers her connections to the commander, and finally by the commander himself when she is forced back under his thumb.  Really Audrey just had a bad couple of days! But she never once lets herself lose focus on her goals, protecting herself, her new family, and bringing down the bastard who caused it all. Her love for Nate is obvious from the very first second and I loved how she forced him to accept that love and admit to his own feelings for her.  She is sweet and naïve in some ways, but worldly and dangerous in her own right in other ways.  Her very determination to not accept defeat is what makes her ingenuity and craftiness so much sharper. I liked how well thought-out her plans were, though I felt like she should have just cut ties with her sociopath mother a long time ago, but when those plans are turned completely upside down, she is able to roll with the punches (literally in some cases) and find a way to win every time.  An undefeatable woman on a mission to keep her loved ones safe—heady stuff!

Overall this series has caused me a few tears, especially the glimpses we get into the terrible “childhoods” (and I use that term very loosely here) that the dean brothers lived through. Even though Nate was trained almost from birth to be a killing machine—as were his brothers—he never stopped looking for a better, more normal life, including falling in love with Audrey at a young age and never being able to move on.  While Audrey may have given up Nate the first time to keep him safe, neither of them are willing to let their love go a second time, instead determining that only together can they defeat the commander and find a way to be happy and safe, together, forever.  Audrey was a great character, one of those women that you can hold up as a role model.  Overcoming the ghastly beginning to their lives, both Nate and Audrey show that the nature of love cannot be trained out of the heart, no matter how hard someone tries to change you.  Their ability to love was remarkable under these circumstances, but never for a minute did I doubt they would find their HEA and defeat the commander, one way or another.  I cannot wait to find out what happens in the final book in the series coming soon (I hope). Another hit series for Rebecca Zanetti as far as I’m concerned.

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

ARC Mini-Review: Tamed

Tamed (Dark Protectors #6.5)

by Rebecca Zanetti

Blurb:

Caleb Donovan was never meant to be a prophet. At heart he's a conqueror, his appetites far more carnal than spiritual. He's not inclined to repress his passions and surrender to fate. After all, that's what cost him Lily—three centuries ago. She married another, because it was ordained. Now that he's in the same benighted calling—and forced into proximity with her—all the old desires are roaring back to life. . .

After widowhood and centuries of celibacy, Lily is eager to explore the wild side of life, except now she's vulnerable to another forced relationship, with an enemy. But this time she's determined to choose her own path. And if hot, furious Caleb comes charging to the rescue, it might just change both their destinies. . .

Love is about to start conquering. . .

Themes: vampires, paranormal

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The end is coming soon, but in the meantime we have a short but steamy story of two former loves that are getting another chance at love after three centuries apart. This story is one that I wasn’t expecting to feel any connection with, since I wasn’t overly invested in either the hero or the heroine from them being in previous novels. Surprisingly I found myself enjoying this story, though I certainly didn’t love it as much as previous novels.  The story takes place shortly after book 6 which was one that blew all previous books out of the water, so maybe if was just unable to live up to that greatness. I am looking forward to seeing where the war takes us in the next novel; though it will be sad to see the series end, even if it will hopefully end in peace.

Caleb lost the chance to love Lily three centuries earlier when she cut their courtship short to marry for duty. Through the years their paths have crossed, but only recently was there any chance for them to be together.  With her being infected with the virus created by their enemies, Lily is finally able to take a lover, but she knows to stay far, far away from Caleb.  He is the one man that has always stirred her desire, but his intensity and the anger he has always displayed when around her, leave her a bit terrified of him.  When he arrives to her rescue just as she decides to branch out and try her hand at sex, Lily never expected him to offer to fulfill all her desires.  Caleb has waited all these years for a chance to be with Lily and when he finds out that she is going to take a lover, he immediately decides he’s done waiting for her to come to him.  He is determined to claim her as his lover, his wife, and eventually his mate, but making her believe in him and accept his feelings is more of a challenge than he ever expected. But when the danger surrounding them intensifies there is no time for Caleb to focus on anything but keep them both alive and safe if they’ll ever have a chance together.

This story was one that provided the bridge between Jase’s book and what I believe will be the final in the series, Jane’s book. As such there is a lot of plot building with battles, changes in their world, and unveiling of truths leading to the final battle. While the connection between Caleb and Lily was blistering, their love affair was more of a reason for them to be involved in the peace talks than anything else.  Seeing them rediscover their connection was wonderful and watching Lily blossom and stop hiding behind her old-fashioned persona made the whole story even more important. Caleb was the ultimate alpha male, being a vampire in mating heat makes him even more intense, but he was sweet and understanding too. Lily, while a bit old-fashioned in public, was a wildcat in private, full of passion, determination, and strength.  Though she seems a bit timid at first, she comes out of her shell and shows herself to be a woman to be reckoned with and one that will do just about anything to keep her people safe, but only when she is true to her heart and morals when making those choices.  I liked the overall feel of this story and loved both the H/h and it seemed to blend well into the full series while providing fun twists and turns that lead to interesting changes in their world. I CANNOT WAIT for the next book and to finally find out the truth about the triangle of Jane and the two men that have haunted her childhood dreams and adult visions.  Sad to see the series ending, but I'm looking forward to new things from Rebecca and have no doubt I will ultimately love whatever comes next.

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