Happy New Year!

Another year has flown by for me here at Romance Witch Reviews!

While I haven’t been as faithful as I would have liked, with a lot happening in my personal life, I have read a lot of good books, and have had the chance to post a lot of great reviews.  I hope you have enjoyed reading the reviews this year and continue to read along in the coming year.

I am going to be working to make 2019 and much more productive year, with my review coming in a much more timely manner. J

Please give me any feedback as I always love to hear what others think of my writing and reviews.

 

Here’s to an amazing 2019 for myself and you all as well!

Thanks for visiting, 

Michelle 

the Romance Witch

Review: Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas (Rocky Mountain Cowboys #1)

Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas (Rocky Mountain Cowboys #1)

by Katie Ruggle

Blurb:

When firefighter and single dad Steve Springfield moved his four kids to a Colorado Christmas tree ranch, he intended for it to be a safe haven. But he never expected danger to follow them to his childhood home...

Or that he would come face-to-face with the one girl he could never forget.

Folk artist Camille Brandt lives a quiet life. As the town's resident eccentric, she's used to being lonely--until Steve freaking Springfield changes everything. Brave and kind, he's always had a piece of her heart, and it doesn't take long before she's in danger of falling for him and his rambunctious kids. But as mysterious fires break out across the sleepy Colorado town, Steve and Camille will have to fight if they want their happy family to survive until Christmas...

Themes: Contemporary, Holiday

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Well anyone that has read any of my reviews has probably noticed I am not really a kid person, so a story where there are 4 kids in the mix didn’t really jump out at me as a big draw, but seriously… a Colorado Christmas Tree farmer/fire-fighter cannot be resisted forever, especially during the holidays.  So here we are, and I can say that this story is a bit misleading in only the best of ways.  This story has some weird twists and turns, awkward characters that are a bit heartwarming, and a few loose plot strings that made me crazy in the end, but as a beginning to a new series it was solid enough.  I kind of loved the awkward and shy Camille and it was obvious she was a perfect character to blend with Steve’s mostly adult kids—yeah that was a twist.  These were not your normal kids in any way shape or form folks, so don’t be expecting little girls playing with dolls or little boys wanting to play video games all day. Steve has come home after some mysterious circumstances in his previous town, which to be honest I’m still unsure about even after the story ended, and has settled his family on his childhood family Christmas tree ranch, meanwhile volunteering as a firefighter in his free time since he can’t do it as a fulltime job anymore.  On his first day he runs into the intriguingly shy Camille and every time he runs into her she draws him in more and more.  Soon he finds himself wanting her in a way that he never imagined he’d want a woman after his wife passed away, and surprisingly his children have all developed an instant connection with her.  She seems to blend seamlessly with their unconventional family, and when tragedy strikes and she needs a place to stay it make sense for her to move right in for the holidays.  I liked Camille’s character, her babbling and geekiness reminding me a lot of my own interactions with men, but you can see that she understands each of Steve’s unique children in a way that no one else could and her attraction to Steve is incontrovertible.  Steve was the perfect hero, with a little bit of his own quirkiness thrown in here and there, and he obviously loves both his family and Camille once she worms her way into his heart.  I liked the story, but the ending was way too abrupt and left way to many questions in my mind.  I’m kind of hoping that the next in the series might fill in a few of the gaps, but it’s a solid beginning.  Not a bad way to ring in the holiday season if you like a quirky story about a woman finding her footing in a family of equally unique characters and a man that finally finds that woman that completes his family and makes them all truly whole. Happy Holidays all!

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

Review: Taking It Easy (Boys of the Big Easy #2)

Taking It Easy (Boys of the Big Easy #2)

by Erin Nicholas

Blurb:

Logan Trahan is one of the French Quarter’s hottest bartenders. A single, charming, sexy southern boy who’s proud to pour the best Pimm’s Cup in town. Yes, that’s his biggest accomplishment. So what?

Dana Doucet is a widowed mom of two who’s doing it all. And doing it well, thank you very much. But she had a moment--okay, an entire night-- of weakness and gave in after, ironically, nine months of Logan’s naughty flirtations. And a couple of those Pimm’s Cups.

It was just one night, but now they’re stuck with each other forever. Or at least for the next eighteen years, eight months, and one week. Not that she’s counting.

Well, this is definitely big. But there’s no way it’s going to be easy.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

So the bad boy has finally charmed his way into the widow’s bed with some very unplanned and unforeseen circumstances. Like I said with the last book in this series, it seems like this whole series is going to be focused around the romances between single parents and will focus a lot on issues involving kids and babies.  Being a non-kid/baby person, I’m not really jumping for joy at this trope, but I’m willing to admit that Erin pulls it off enough that it doesn’t drive me crazy and make me want to drop the whole story half way through.  It is obvious that the story revolves around meshing Logan into this family, but seeing as I myself come from a blended family I guess I can understand the problems he was facing, even though I had some issues with how Dana was determined to keep Logan in a strict role even as he tried to be all she and her girls needed. Logan is the brother of the hero from the previous novel in the series so we got to meet him a bit in that one, and see how he was attracted to Dana, but to see that he finally managed to talk her into bed only to get her pregnant was a bit surprising.  Now Dana and Logan are going to be irrevocably intertwined as they have to find a way to deal with the fact that he will be in her life forever now.  Logan wants more, wants to be her husband and a father not just to his child, but a stepdad to her girls as well, but Dana is determined that she will never come to depend on him.  Dana was a bit of a bitch, and I don’t like to use that term often, but I didn’t like how she kept trying to force him into this little box of being just a playboy even as he tried so hard to prove to her that he was willing to step up and be the man she needed again and again.  She was willing to sacrifice everyone’s happiness for her own stubbornness and unwillingness to bend right up until she almost lost the best thing that had happened to her in a long time, if not ever.  Logan knows he hasn’t grown up much, but once he understands that the time has come, he puts his all in and doesn’t shirk a single bit of his responsibility despite that fact that he easily could.  He gives his all to Dana, her girls, and the life he wants to build with them all, even as he is forced to fight her at every turn.  I definitely liked Logan a lot more than I did Dana, but the heat between them is obvious even when they were fighting or when they were playfully arguing.  There were a few frustrating moments to me that I really wanted to slap Dana upside the head for being ridiculous to Logan, but in the end she finally understood just what a great thing had landed in her lap, so I guess in the end I can forgive her.  I am actually looking forward to Lexi and Caleb's novel coming soon, and I enjoyed the little holiday novella that was slipped in as well, Eggnog Makes her Easy, so if you get a chance to read that one over first I highly recommend it.

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

Review: Rebel Hard (Hard Play #2)

Rebel Hard (Hard Play #2)

by Nalini Singh

Blurb:

Nayna Sharma agreed to an arranged marriage in the hope it would heal the fractures in her beloved family… only to realize too late that a traditional marriage is her personal nightmare. Panicked, she throws caution to the winds, puts on the tiniest dress she can find, and ends up in the arms of a tall, rough-edged hunk of a man who has abs of steel—and who she manages to mortally insult between one kiss and the next.

Abandoned as a child, then adopted into a loving family, Raj Sen believes in tradition, in continuity. Some might call him stiff and old-fashioned, but he knows what he wants—and it’s a life defined by rules… yet he can’t stop thinking about the infuriating and sexy woman who kissed him in the moonlight then disappeared. When his parents spring an introduction on him, the last woman he expects is her. Beautiful. Maddening. A rulebreaker in the making.

He’s all wrong for her. She’s all wrong for him. And love is about to make rebels of them both.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Ok I have to confess… I put this story off as long as I humanly could because I did not want to think about leaving these characters behind, even though I knew in my mind I was missing out on an amazing experience by not reading the story! And I was right. This story runs parallel to the first book in the series, Cherish Hard, which is the story of Nayna’s best friend Ísa falling in love with Raj’s best friend Sailor, so we have gotten a few glimpses of this story already if you read that story, which I must say if you didn’t, stop right now and go do that. I must preface this review with the comment that if you haven’t experienced a lot of different cultures either personally or through your reading, you might not understand a lot of the angst and drama in this story, as the two characters come to terms with their emotions and their family obligations, but it made perfect sense to me. Nayna has finally decided to give into the family pressure to be the "good daughter" and let her parents set up an arranged marriage, but she wants one chance to be the "bad girl" before she is forced into the role she has always feared and sets out for a night of wild fun with her friend at a party.  There she experiences the first real passion of her life at the hands of a man that should be all wrong for her and has no way to gauge her feelings for him or what he draws from her and soon finds that she has gravely insulted him.  When midnight strikes on her Cinderella night, Nayna decides to forget the man that brought out such passion in her, until she finds herself face to face with him in the most unexpected of places.  Raj is determined to find the woman made to complete him, but the siren that inspired more reckless passion than he has ever felt in his life is beyond unforgettable.  While he has promised his parents he will marry and is willing to let them set him up, he has changed his mind until he can find the woman that has haunted his nights, but when he discovers that she is in fact the next woman his parents have matched him with, his entire world tilts on its axis.  The gauntlet is thrown down between them, but as they spark off one another the challenge of what they both want versus what they think they owe their families becomes an entangled mess.  Raj has to decide if he loves Nayna enough to allow her to spread her wings, even if it takes her away from the love and life he wanted them to build together, or if he will try to cage the spirit that so draws him to her. 

The complex nature of heart versus mind is explored in great detail as both Nayna and Raj come to terms with the fact that you cannot always mold yourself into what the world wants, sometimes you have to mold the world into what works for you. Nayna was a woman that never really had a chance to embrace life, always hidden in the shadow of the mistakes made by her older sister and the scandal that she caused.  Being the good girl, mainly to make sure that her family was never again ripped apart, showed us that her heart might have been in the right place, but someone should have been looking out for her much more than they were.  When she finally has her chance, with Raj’s help surprisingly, we get to see the fully-evolved and amazing woman she was always destined to become and I have to see I could see her being one of my besties.  She is fun, sweet, loving, and sensual without trying to be, and her sass and verve for life would keep me on my toes as her friend as much as it did Raj as her lover.  While I hurt a lot seeing her go through her growing pains, it was time, and once she got past them she was a much happier and loving person for the drama. Raj is a great guy, even if he is a bit rigid, but with Nayna’s help he finds a lot of ways to unbend.  Once he decides that Nayna is it for him, he refuses to let anything stop him in his pursuit, even her own fears, and is willing to sacrifice anything for her happiness, making him truly a hero in my eyes.  And let’s not forget that he stood up to her family, his own, and the community as a whole to allow her to be happy, even at his own expense—can you say HOTT?! I would love to find myself a Raj type guy that I could have the chance to ruffle up while he helps me blossom.  These two spread heat like a wildfire as they challenge one another at every turn, whether they are arguing, loving, or fighting together against the world, and I can see that lasting into their old age as the explore the world together.

This story is one that many might see as too hung up on the customs and cultural issues that Raj and Nayna dealt with in the story, but I can only say that they obviously don’t understand just how much family obligation can truly shape a person and their love life.  I loved seeing Nayna break out of her shell and drag Raj right along with her to bring him to understand that just because a person spreads their wings to fly doesn’t mean they don’t need a solid home to return to.  Nayna was a woman that just needed the right reason to give herself the permission to put herself first and that reason was love and a man that was willing to work for her heart.  Raj too needed to find his balance between love and obligation and when he found Nayna, he knew he’d found the woman to complete his life.  I loved every second of seeing these two struggle to find their footing together and individually and find their places in one another’s lives and almost wish the story had been even longer so I could enjoy more.  I am hoping the series might continue someday so I get to revisit these characters, but if not I know I can always return for a reread to enjoy the magic all over again.  Thanks for the fun experience of these two magical stories of people that need one another more than they ever imagined to become the people they were meant to be, Ms. Singh.

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

Mini-Review: Christmas Lights and Cowboy Nights (Marshall Ranch Series Book #3)

Christmas Lights and Cowboy Nights (Marshall Ranch Series Book #3)

by Shelli Stevens

Blurb:

Rosa Mercado is looking for something more serious with her love life, which is why she hits the brakes on the sexy cowboy who walks into her dad’s restaurant and hits on her.

Calvin Marshall had Rosa lined up in his sights to be his next conquest. Until she makes it clear she’s looking for Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Now. Commitment isn’t exactly his favorite word.

But when they’re forced to stay at Misty Meadows Ranch together over Christmas, it becomes clear that there’s more at stake than just one of them inheriting the ranch by New Year’s Eve. The magic of the season will blur the line between love and hate, and challenge everything they both thought they wanted.

Themes: Erotica, Holiday

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I just love a good erotic holiday story—throw in some serious family drama and some unexpected emotions and you have the perfect cocktail for a cold winter night.  I have enjoyed many of Ms. Stevens’s works in the past, including a few series, so when I had the chance to read this holiday story I figured it was a no-brainer.  The story kicked off pretty quickly with our H/H meeting in a fun meet-cute and then finding themselves thrown together into an intense situation, but once the emotions and heat get turned, up the rest of the story just falls into place.  I enjoyed this story a lot, even though the plot-line seems to wrap up way too quickly in the end and there were some threads to the overall story that could have used a bit more page time to develop. The heat between Cal and Rosa was evident and as they embrace that, they both begin to understand that there might be more than just lust between them.  Cal is determined that the feelings he is developing for her won’t influence the future in a negative way for her, willing to sacrifice his dreams for her, showing that he is a true gentleman cowboy, and making me truly love him.  Rosa is a bit of a scared bunny through most of the story, refusing to truly accept the chance at love that has come her way, until it is almost too late.  I liked both Cal and Rosa in the end and the supporting characters were just fun enough that I would have liked to get to know them more through their interactions with the H/H.  I cannot say I was overwhelmed by the story in any particular way, but it was a solid story with a lot of heart and some heat and of course in the end there was a fun HEA and some laughs to bring the holiday theme out of the darker moments that lead to the ending.  I am wondering if I might have been a bit more invested had I read the rest of the Marshall series first, but that will have to come next year, and I can say I have no regrets at all to adding this holiday novella to the ending of my 2018 reading list.

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

Review: Holding On (Colorado High Country #6)

Holding On (Colorado High Country #6)

by Pamela Clare

Blurb:

Harrison Conrad returned to Scarlet Springs from Nepal, the sole survivor of a freak accident on Mt. Everest. Shattered and grieving for his friends, he vows never to climb again and retreats into a bottle of whiskey—until Kenzie Morgan shows up at his door with a tiny puppy asking for his help. He’s the last person in the world she should ask to foster this little furball. He’s barely capable of managing his own life right now, let alone caring for a helpless, adorable, fluffy puppy. But Conrad has always had a thing for Kenzie with her bright smile and sweet curves. One look into her pleading blue eyes, and he can’t say no.

Kenzie Morgan’s life went to the dogs years ago. A successful search dog trainer and kennel owner, she gets her fill of adventure volunteering for the Rocky Mountain Search & Rescue Team. The only thing missing from her busy life is love. It’s not easy finding Mr. Right in a small mountain town, especially when she’s unwilling to date climbers. She long ago swore never again to fall for a guy who might one day leave her for a rock. When Conrad returns from a climbing trip haunted by the catastrophe that killed his best friend, Kenzie can see he’s hurting and wants to help. She just might have the perfect way to bring him back to the world of the living. But friendship quickly turns into something more—and now she’s risking her heart to heal his.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

OMG the feels!

Ok, so now that I got that silliness out of my system…

This story truly is packed full of emotional trauma and is the story of a man coming out of the darkest and deepest pit he could find himself in, with the help of a woman that is determined she not lose him to that darkness—and a sweet puppy of course.  I love everything Pamela Clare has ever written so I was not really surprised to enjoy this story so much, and wasn’t even really surprised by the darkness and emotion that she tackles so beautifully, but I cried so much through this story that I was surprised that she was able to get to my heart even more than she usually does. While I can honestly say that I have been putting this story off, knowing that I would be a wreck after reading it, Pamela’s ability to put a person right there in the lives and minds of her characters, to make the reader feel like they are living their lives, is so masterful that I felt I was being pulled along with Conrad into Kenzie’s circle of love and there was no greater feeling. Conrad has gone through an ordeal so terrifying that most of the population will never experience something like it and it has left him a shell of the man he once was.  His friends and family are terrified they will lose him forever, especially Kenzie and she refuses to let him give into that darkness.  When brilliance strikes she uses the best weapon at her disposal, the sweet S & R puppy she is training, and uses her to force Conrad slowly back to the land of the living.  As they spend more and more time together and Conrad comes back to the life he left behind, he begins to see something in Kenzie that he always ran from in the past and wonders if he made a mistake in doing so.  As their love grows deeper, Conrad’s fears and worries rear back and soon he has to decide if he is a healed enough man to embrace the light and love that Kenzie represents or if he will forever remain in the darkness without the love of the woman that will sacrifice it all for him.  I ADORED every moment of this tear-filled, emotional and draining read and wouldn’t miss a single moment of it, might even go back for a reread soon, and seeing Conrad and Kenzie together gave me hope that there truly is someone out there for everyone.  Kenzie is a woman that will do just about anything for those she loves, or just for those in need, even to the extent of risking herself, but the way she fights for Conrad, again and again, refusing to give up on him…man she is definitely the kind of woman I want to be when I grow up.  She is obviously sexy, brave, talented, sweet, and funny and that is a bit intimidating to the rest of us normal women, but I can see why she needed to be all of those things to match the amazing Conrad.  Conrad has lived his life on the edge, always reaching for the next extreme challenge, but now that he has lost his nerve and willingness to even get out of his PJs, he needs an ass-kicking, and it comes in the form of the sweetest woman he’s ever met and her cuddly puppy. Conrad is sexy, sensual, heroic, and humble once he decided to pull his head out of his butt; the best part of course is seeing how sweet he is with the puppy and then with Kenzie one he lets himself accept their relationship.  If I could find a man like Conrad for myself you can damn sure bet I’d fight for him just as hard as Kenzie did and never let him go.  I am dying to see what comes next in this amazing town full of sexy heroes, amazing women and crazy characters.  MORE, MORE, MORE, Pamela!

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

Review: Innocent Target (Redemption Harbor #4)

Innocent Target (Redemption Harbor #4)

by Katie Reus

Blurb:

He wasn’t supposed to fall for her…

She was a target. A contract that came across his desk by mistake. Axel was simply going to warn her that she was in danger and get out. Then he got a taste of her and fell hard. But they’re from two different worlds. Not only is she innocent, she’s out of his league. He should keep his distance, but he can’t. Not when someone wants her dead. Now he’s driven to protect her, to keep her safe.

What happens when she discovers who he really is?

Hadley moved to Redemption Harbor for vet school and to be closer to her new family. Now that her billionaire father knows about her existence, her life has changed drastically. She just never imagined that she might be targeted because of her family. And she definitely never imagined she would fall for the one man she should never want. A man who kills for a living. A man who’s obsessed with her. A man who will do anything to protect her from the danger lurking in the shadows.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Wow didn’t see that coming!

So when this series began we had the expectation of exactly how many stories we’d get and who the characters in each would be because of the set-up of the agency, but we get a surprise in this novel when Hadley—a relatively new addition to the series and family—gets her very own romance. Hadley came out of nowhere in a previous novel as the long-lost half-sister of Brooks, one of the Redemption Harbor guys, and unknowingly has made herself a target of a deadly contract.  Axel is a contract killer, but when he finds out this target, he knows he can never let her death happen, so he ventures to the small town of Redemption Harbor to keep her safe and finds himself instantly so drawn to the young woman that he cannot leave her alone.  When Hadley meets Axel she has no idea of his true identity, but she is blown away by him and can’t believe that he is attracted to her. Axel knows he shouldn’t touch her, but Hadley makes him feel things he hasn’t in years and she pulls on his heart like no other ever has.  When the truth comes out and Hadley has to come to terms with what brought Axel into her life she must decide if she is willing to stand up for the man she has fallen for or give him up just because of perceived hurts and his dangerous past.  I LOVED seeing Hadley and Axel fall in love and find their HEA in this story.  The passion and sensuality they inspire had me reaching for cold water several times, despite the story being shorter than previous ones, and I liked that they both found a way to overcome their fears and pasts to embrace their love. Axel is obviously a man that has a dark and rocky past, but the love that he feels for Hadley is undeniable and when he finally lets go of his fears and takes the hand and heart she is offering him he becomes the best man he can be.  While it was interesting seeing the operator side of him as well, working with the Redemption Harbor team, the best part for me was the quiet moments he shared with Hadley.  Hadley too was a character that tugged on my heart;  she has lost her mother and just found her place in her new family, but is still fighting to find her footing in her new life, when she meets the man of her dreams, only to have a dark truth threaten it all again.  The way she handles all the emotional pitfalls she is faced with, with a grace and dignity that are irreproachable show me that she will only grow and develop into an even more admirable woman.  I cannot wait to see more of these characters in future novels and of course I’m dying to see how the rest of the team fall into the arms of Eros as they meet their match.  Keep the Love coming, Katie.

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

Review: What Are You Afraid Of? (The Agency #2)

What Are You Afraid Of? (The Agency #2)

by Alexandra Ivy 

Blurb:

SHE’S LEARNED ALL ABOUT KILLERS

They aren’t the kind of women anyone misses. Truck-stop hookers, runaways . . . no one would even notice they’d disappeared if the killer didn’t photograph their lifeless bodies, posed in the back of a semi-trailer. Exactly like the infamous Trucker murders. But this isn’t just a copycat. It’s a vendetta.

NOW HE’LL TEACH HER

Carmen Jacobs interviewed the world’s most terrifying serial killers for her bestselling book, The Heart of a Predator. The police might not believe her, but she knows there’s a monster out there, paying homage to other murderers. The only person who can predict where he’ll strike next is Griffin Archer—a reclusive software millionaire with ample reason not to help her.

HOW TO DIE . . .

Carmen has charmed her way past Griffin’s defenses before. He didn’t intend to let it happen again. But with a psycho sending her trophies of his kills, he has no choice but to get involved. The clues point to a killer obsessed with Carmen—someone who knows her work, her past, her secrets. Someone who won’t be satisfied until he has made all her deepest fears come true . . .

Themes: Contemporary, Suspense

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

While I continue to say that my preferred genre of Ms. Ivy’s work is paranormal, there is no discounting that she has a skill for making her killers terrifying and more than a little nightmare-worthy. This series revolves around a woman that stumbled into her work finding that sometimes life can mimic fiction if the author isn’t careful and in this case it puts her life in serious jeopardy.  Alexandra has a way with making her characters both interesting and relatable, making you want to keep reading to see what they get themselves into next and if they can get out of it too. Carmen never intended to become a best-selling author of a  book about serial killers, but now with more people turning up dead around her, Carmen is determined that she will be the one to put a stop to it.  Unfortunately, she has alienated the only man that can truly help her and she needs to find a way to get back into his good graces.  Griffin is just as determined that the woman that he thought he had a connection with, who really was just after a connection to his work for her own ends, never gets another chance to hurt him.  However once it becomes obvious that Carmen is really in mortal danger, Griffin knows he would never forgive himself if something happens to her, so together they set out to stop a killer, never realizing they might be playing right into his hands and giving him more ammunition. Griffin and Carmen have a complicated if brief past, but overcoming it they show us that together they can do just about anything, even thwart a serial killer and bring him to justice. I enjoyed this story very much, despite the couple of sleepless nights I had afterward, and loved watching Carmen and Griffin find their way to love.  Carmen is the kind of woman that quickly endears herself to you, making you love her and root for in equal measures.  She is willing to risk life and limb to protect innocents and bring a killer to justice out of the feeling that she is responsible, even if she isn’t.   Her spunk and sass are sweet and seeing her challenge Griffin at every turn and bring out the best in him was amazing.  Griffin was a bit of an asshole in the beginning, but as the story progresses we see it was just him hiding behind his hurts and once he gets over himself he becomes the hero we all expected him to be.  I loved his character and he truly was the perfect match for Carmen and the best foil for the villain in this story.  Even though I continue to believe I prefer Ivy’s paranormal novels, I know I will always jump at anything she writes, simply because her skill at writing and bringing the darkest of human truths to light in whatever form, is beyond reproach and always worth the time to read.

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

Review: Dragonfire (Dark Kings #14)

Dragonfire (Dark Kings #14)

by Donna Grant

Blurb:

It was a soul-deep longing, one that got into his bones and settled there, sending whispers of desire through him. The need, the hunger, grew tenfold with every breath. . . .

As a Dragon King, Roman is sworn to protect all mortals--even though they no longer believe in dragons. But deep in the Carpathian Mountains, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious gypsy who possesses the power to see into his very soul. To reignite the fire in his heart. And to help him find the long-lost sword that could save the dragons forever...

Sabina remembers the stories her grandmother told her. Legends of dragons and kings, fire and ice. And she's never forgotten the dark prophecy that filled her ancestors with fear--a fate they tried to prevent by stealing a Dragon King's sword. Sabina knows that helping Roman is dangerous. He is a dragon betrayed, and more powerful than any man. He could destroy her in a single fiery embrace. But how can she resist the longing in his eyes--or the feelings in her heart--when their destinies are bound by desire?

Themes: Paranormal, DRAGONS, Fae

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Wow this story has so many twists and turns that I never saw coming and I was intrigued by the complexity of this story, something that we don’t always get to experience.  Donna Grant has made her Dragon Kings into one of the most amazing, intense, and intricate groups of heroes and the war they are fighting just gets deeper and deeper with enemies and battles.  Roman and Sabina’s story has apparently been in the making for millennia, unbeknownst to either of them and I could not wrap my mind around everything initially.  Donna managed to take us back and forth through time, in and out of the bowels of the earth and through the pitfalls of a heart won and lost all in the space of a single novel, without losing a single bit of the magic she is so famous for.  I loved every single second of this novel and seeing Sabina and Roman finally find one another and get their HEA, even as I cried to see the difficult choices they were faced with along the way.  Sabina is a woman that has given up a lot in her quest to fulfill her family obligations and promises, even as she found a way to live a small piece of her dreams.  When she is faced with the decision to leave it all behind to do what her heart tells her is right, she never hesitates showing that she is truly a woman to admire.  I loved getting to see her stretch her wings and find her footing in the world and with the Dragon kings, even as she fell in love with the one man she knew she shouldn’t. Roman has ventured out to find the sword whose loss has haunted him for millennia, never realizing that in the process he’d find not only the love of his life, but another twist in the war they were fighting. He has always been a bit of a secretive and withdrawn character to this point so getting to learn more about him and his past while also seeing him fall in love was magical.  The heat between these two is palpable from the very beginning even as it baffles them both, but as we learn just how important they are to one another’s past, present, and future it becomes evident they were always meant to find one another in the darkest of moments and be the light for the other.  I am dying to find out what is next in this intricate and miraculous world that is intertwined with several other series by Ms. Grant as well, but most importantly I am dying to find out who Rhi’s King is and if they will reunite…You are killing us, Donna!

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