ARC review: Longtime Crush (Montgomery Ink Legacy #3)

 Longtime Crush (Montgomery Ink Legacy #3)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

When my best friend and I fell for the same guy in middle school, I stepped back.

I'd always expected to dance at their wedding.

Not sit in the back pew of her funeral.

I left town for my own reasons, but now that I'm back, it’s clear Sebastian Montgomery isn't the same man I left.

He's hard. Broken.

And a single father to an adorable little girl.

When it turns out he’s my new neighbor, I can’t stay away.

But I know I’m playing with fire and the heat between us burns enough to scorch.

I thought I was over my crush.

But now it might crush me.

Themes:  Contemporary, Tear-Jerker

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Man, I always knew this story was going to be a rough one, filled with tears and pain, but Carrie always finds an unexpected way to rip my heart out before she gives me the HEA I need. For those that have been following this series, Sebastian’s tragic love began back at the first Montgomery Legacy story where he and the love of his young life discovered they were expecting and had to grow up quickly.  Now life is nothing like what he expected for him and he is having to decide if he is truly ready to embrace a chance at love again or if he will leave himself buried in the past. Carrie Ann Ryan’s true greatness shines in this story of loss, love, healing, and heartbreak as we see the darker side of love and loss along with forgiveness and faith; I for one am thrilled I was given the unique opportunity to experience it before others and share my love of Sebastian and Raven and share their story with the world.  I am dying for more of this epic family and know that whatever Carrie puts her lovers through, in the end she will give them the true lasting love that they need to make their lives fulfilled. 

Sebastian Montgomery has been through so much in his life already and he’s not even thirty years old yet.  But despite go through the greatest tragedy imaginable simultaneous to the greatest joy, he knows that he has grown and changed a lot in the last 5 years.  He is busy raising his beautiful daughter, growing his family business, and just getting through the business of living life, but he never forgets the girl that he loved with all his heart and lost.  When it turns out his new neighbor is the best friend that moved away many years ago, causing a rift in what seemed an unbreakable friendship, he’s not ready to handle the emotions she causes and certainly not the attraction that flairs anytime he even thinks about her.  Raven Monroe ran away from Denver when it became unbearable to watch her two best friends falling in love, especially when her feelings for Sebastian were growing as well, even though she never stopped loving either of them. After Marley’s death, Raven never imagined that she would return to Denver, but she’s back now and living and working right next to the man that never let her heart go, but she won’t go there.  The more Raven and Sebastian are together though they come to realize that their feelings are too strong to resist and the connection between them is too right to deny.  Is there truly a chance for them to work through the baggage or their pasts, the ghost between them, in order to have a future, or will an outside danger prove them too late for an HEA?

OMG, I loved every second of getting to know Sebastian, the man instead of the scared to death teenager, and Raven was a wonderful foil and partner for him. Sebastian has loved and lost, learned how to be a single father, and matured into the family business, all while growing up from a teenager into the man he was meant to be.  There is not denying he’s hit a lot of bumps along the way and leaned on the support of his huge family, but ultimately his character and determination are what him such a success.  He’s strong and smart but able to bend in the storms that have hit his life, he doesn’t buckle under his grief and he always puts his daughter first as a good father should.  It was painful watching him come alive again when he began to fall in love with Raven, dealing with letting go of his first love and accepting that he could love again, but ultimately that ability to open his heart is what makes him a great hero.  I even enjoyed the heartwarming moments between him and his daughter and the moments when he was forced to stand strong and fight for his family against outsiders, though I tend to steer away from those dramas in the real world. Raven was the quintessential heartbroken heroine, the girl that stepped aside to allow her best friends to have a smooth love without her complicating matters, but boy was her story painful.  I cannot imagine what she felt when Marley passed, knowing that she’d lost them both, but when she comes back to Denver and finds Sebastian again it’s obvious, she’s terrified of her feelings for him.  I could see that her sass and strength in all other parts of her life just didn’t carry into this small corner, her confidence in her ability to be what Sebastian needed causing some problems.  I loved her relationship with Greer and the way she embraced old friendships with the rest of the Montgomery’s, almost like she’d never left, but obviously that stems from her being such a great person.  I also loved how she connected with Nora, obviously loving the girl immediately and deeply, not only for being Marley and Sebastian’s girl, but for her own unique personality, showing that she’ll be a great stepmother to her in the future.  Raven has dealt with a lot of heartbreak in her own life, but the healing love of the Montgomery’s is just what she needs to remind her of her own strength and ability to succeed.

This story is not one for those that can’t handle emotional pain and drama in their love stories, it was filled with not only the love of two people finding one another after years, but the baggage they had to work through to do that. Sebastian and Raven have a troubled and multilayered past, filled with ghosts, but in the end the love they found was rich and deep and will carry them through anything that comes at them in the future.  Sebastian is the perfect hero, one that has gone through a lot of pain in his past and found a way to grow and learn from his losses, without ever losing the core of his heart.  He lives for his family and work, offering his love to those that he finds worthy and when he brings you into his circle, he won’t let you go. Raven is tired of running and returns to her home, to the only people that have ever offered her the love she needs, but she never imagined she’d find the man she needs in the boy that she once had a deep crush on.  She is conflicted about her feelings, but the heart wants what the heart wants sometimes, and chemistry is undeniable, but ghosts are sometimes too much to overcome unless you are determined to work for what you want in life.  The passion and connection between Raven and Sebastian were there in every meeting of their eyes and each moment they touched, but when they finally quit fighting their chemistry the heat was a wildfire for sure.  I also loved the way Carrie made Nora such a hilarious character, one that I found I quite enjoyed even though I’m not much of a kid person, and I can’t see a third generation of Montgomery’s with these crazy kids easily.  I am dying for the next story (Best Friend Temptation) where we will get to see if Noah, Ford, and Greer can find a way through all their hang-ups and form another loving Montgomery triad. Carrie Ann Ryan never fails to make me cry, burn, and fall in love and Longtime Crush went above and beyond expectations.

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

Review: Rogue Wolf Hunter (Rogue Brotherhood #1)

Rogue Wolf Hunter (Rogue Brotherhood #1)

Kait Ballenger

Blurb:

Jace McCannon has one loyalty: the Rogue Brotherhood. Despite his mixed blood, his hatred for the werewolves he hunts is legendary. But in his search for a sadistic killer, Jace finds himself face-to-face with a stunningly seductive packmaster...and longing for a night with his mortal enemy.

Nothing can stop Frankie Amato from defending her kind - or from catching the rogue responsible for killing women in her territory. For that, this alpha female needs Jace's skills more than she wants to admit. But as their investigation exposes evil truths, need burns into a passion that dare not be fulfilled. For to do so will have deadly consequences for them both....

Themes:  Paranormal, Wolf-shifters

Rating:  3 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I had really high hopes for this series as it was a precursor series, previously published under another set of titles, to the Seven Shifter Range series which I really enjoyed from Kait, but I didn’t really connect with this book.  I can’t say I hated it or anything like that, but I didn’t love it either, it was just sort of good.  Jace McCannon is a half wolf that hates his own people, and on the hunt for a serial killing wolf. When he finds himself confronted with a she-wolf he’s not really sure how to handle her, but he takes her into custody and then decides to work with her to find the killer.   Frankie Amato is an alpha female that is trying to catch who is killing other female wolves, but she never thought to be working with the enemy, until she meets Jace. As they work together, their passion flares and soon they discover that their feelings are a lot more intense than either of them are really prepared for.  But if they can’t trust one another and their people, the enemy is going to all too easily kill them all and then continue on his murdering rampage.  Jace was an ok guy, for someone that hated half of himself, but I never really connected with him, probably for that very reason.  I have enough issues disliking myself, I don’t want to read about characters that intrinsically hate half of their DNA, though thankfully he did seem to get over that in the end with Frankie’s help.  He was also an ass through most of the story to Frankie, despite or maybe because of their intense attraction, but in my opinion when you find your true mate, you should never treat them the way he was treating her.  Other than that, he was a pretty good fighter, and all in all not a bad guy.  Frankie was a pretty cool heroine, a badass alpha female that I found I could like, but I wish she had stood up more for herself when Jace was treating her badly.  I liked seeing her in action leading and investigating, but other than that I never really connected to her.  The chemistry between them was there for sure as they dealt with their instant connection, but the love one would expect to develop never really happened for me.  I imagine when the republications of the rest of the series come out, I will give them a look, but I don’t hold out much hope I will love them as much as I did the last series, maybe the magic is gone.

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

ARC Review: Ancient Guardian (Ancients Rising #9)

Ancient Guardian (Ancients Rising #9)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

He lost everyone he ever loved before…

Alpha dragon shifter Orion woke from his millennia-long hibernation into a different world—and found a band of humans struggling to survive. He’s been living among them, secretly keeping the predators away, but he’s kept his true identity hidden from everyone. Until an enemy threatens everything he’s come to love, including the human female he’s obsessed with. The female he can never have but will sacrifice everything for.

Now he has to step up and be the Alpha they all need…

Violet fell hard and fast for the stranger who joined their small farming community after The Fall. He lives with them, works alongside them, but there’s something different about him that she can’t quite put her finger on. When a group of visiting supernaturals upends everything in her community, she discovers he’s been hiding a huge secret. But that’s the least of their issues. If they don’t claim their territory and eliminate the growing threat outside their borders, there won’t be anything left to fight for.

Themes:  Paranormal, Dragon Shifters

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Well what girl doesn’t dream of having a beautiful man come into her life and devote himself to protecting her and her family… and all the better if he turns out to be a dragon right? Katie Reus takes us on another adventure as sexy dragon shifter Orion finds himself awakened to an all-new world, one after the Fall of civilization as we know it due to idiot dragons that tried to take over the world.  As always Katie’s characters take us through a journey of passion, danger, drama, and love and in the end, we learn just as much about ourselves as we do about them.  I loved every moment of reading the story of Orion and Violet as they learned more about one another and learned how to accept their differences and similarities in order to share their love and find their HEA.  For fans of the series, it was fun to see not only all new characters finding love, but getting to see some of the previous couples getting to explore their new world and meet new people.  As the series continues, we have to wonder where Katie will be leading us and if we are going to explore more outside the borders of New Orleans, meeting new characters and getting to find out how other areas of the country and world survived the Fall. I am really looking forward to more in the series and experiencing Katie’s imagination as she branches out.

Orion woke to a whole new world after millennia of Hibernation, and of course the first female he ran across captivated him and drew him into the world.  Violet and her sisters have world with their neighbors to form a community to survive together after the Fall, managing to survive and thrive, but having Orion in their lives has definitely enriches it.  Orion feels drawn to Violet but he fights it constantly, unwilling to admit to the connection between them, even though Violet is just as attracted.  When a grow of strangers arrives, offering a new allyship Orion is forced to admit what has become his unacknowledged role as Alpha of the community, especially with the growing danger of rogue wolves and vampires attacking them.  Now Violet and Orion also have to deal with the attraction that is becoming undeniable, new people joining their community, enemies on their doorstep, and there’s just so much a dragon can take before he cracks.  Can Violet make him confess to his feelings and allow their connection to grow or will she forever have to hide just how much he means to her?

I truly loved this story which focused so much on the relationships and connections between the characters.  Violet and Orion have already become friends and their trust runs deep, with only one huge secret between them.  Orion went into Hibernation after a tragedy that almost broken him, but when he is pulled out there is no denying that he is drawn to Violet.  He denies so much that he is the leader of the group, refusing to take on their responsibility again, knowing that if something happens to his people again it will break his heart.  It was painful to watch him work through everything in his past, but with Violet’s help, and a few pokes from a very old friend, I loved watching Orion finally grow into the Alpha he needed to be in order to take control.  He is protective, loving, sweet, strong, dedicated, and willing to give everything of himself to his people.  I really could not think of a better male for Violet and to be a leader beside her for their community.  Violet was awesome too; a doctor, before the fall, she is smart, sassy, determined, opinionated, brave, compassionate, and sweet.  When she needed to be she stood up to Orion, stood behind Orion, and even stood in front of him, knowing just how to be the alpha female necessary to be his mate.  She refused to give up no matter the situation and even when she trusted Orion to come to her rescue, fighting to rescue herself too. The love she had for her sisters and those she cared for her in her community showed her compassionate nature as well and that she was a perfect leader.

There are some stories that focus too much on the overall plot, losing the relationship, others that are the opposite, but Ancient Guardian was the perfect balance, the plot and the romance feeding each other beautifully. Orion’s life has been tragic for millennia, but finally he has found his home, the woman that truly calmed him and gave him a sense of peace.  Violet has come to depend on Orion’s presence in her life since he stumbled into their community, but she knows that he is hiding his past form her.  When Orion’s secrets finally come out, Violet and Orion can no longer deny that their connection is more than just a friendship.  Orion was a perfect Alpha, strong, protective, and loving without being controlling or demanding.  Violet was sweet, resilient, and warm but she wasn’t a pushover and demanded her due from Orion as her lover and partner. The passion between these two, even when they denied it and fought the heat, was off the charts.  I also loved that there was a secret love story that built in this story, one not mentioned in the blurb, but that was amazing to experience.  I won’t spoil the surprise by sharing the names of the characters that find love, but I sill say its one of Violet’s sisters and another sexy dragon.  All in all, this installment of the series was one of the best since King’s story and I loved every second of it.  I have no idea where Katie might be taking us next, but I can’t imagine she can top this greatness of this story, so if she manages it, we’re seriously in for a treat. 

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

Review: Blame It on the Earl (The Duke's Estates #3)

Blame It on the Earl (The Duke's Estates #3)

Jane Ashford

Blurb:

• A young woman trying to do the right thing

• An earl's son whose clumsiness is their downfall

• A scandal that turns the haute ton upside down

• The undeniable spark that transforms a blunder into a tender connection

Sarah Moran's attempt to save Kenver Pendrennon—the heir of an earl—as he slips off the Cornwall cliffs, sends them both into each other's arms and into the sea. Now, marriage may be the only option to keep a scandal at bay. But what started as a terrible mistake may be exactly what both of them needs...

Themes:  Historical

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

What’s a girl to do when the heir to an earl is about to fall to his death and you can help… well I guess you offer your arm and get pulled over with him. This is just what Jane Ashford has her newest heroine do in this installment of the Dukes Estates series and it leads her into a terrible predicament that just might lead to the happiest of lives—after some trouble.  Sara Moran is out for the day, exploring the ruins of Tintagel castle and lost in the dreams of King Arthur and Guinevere when Kenver Pendrennon, the son of the local Earl, begins to lose his footing at the edge of the cliff.  Determined to keep him from falling to his death, she reaches out to help him, but instead they both go over and they are thrown into the sea and have to swim for the safety of a cave together.  Kenver is surprised to find himself in the company of the bright and sweet young woman, but he knows that they are in mortal danger if they don’t get to safety so he works only to get them into the safety of the cave, paying no mind to priority.  Spending a night together stuck in the cave, talking and getting to know one another Kenver and Sarah feel a connection, but Sarah knows nothing can come of it.  However, when they return to the real world, the scandal of their adventure means they are forced to wed, and that begins the nightmare for Sarah.  Kenver’s parents are adamantly against the marriage and have no problem stating that clearly and sadly Kenver is not one to push back.  Sarah knows she is in for a rocky life if she doesn’t find a way to make Kenver her ally and find a way for them to be untied and find a happy union.  With the help of some old friends, Sarah has to find a way to get Kenver and his family to accept her and their marriage or she will be forced to live a loveless marriage and wither on the vine.  I really enjoyed this story, despite it being painful to watch at times. Sarah was an intelligent, spunky, and sweet young woman determined to find a way to make her life one that was worth living and find a way to be happy with her circumstances. She might not have ever imagined that her life would lead her to be married to the son of an earl, but she knows that she and Kenver have common interests and that if she can get him to see that they can be happy together.  Kenver was a bit of a sop for most of the story, obviously having been browbeaten much too often to be willing to fight with his mother, and I can certainly relate.  Its not that he is weak, its just that the path of least resistance with a mother like his is to just let her have her way.  A person can only fight so much before the fight wear you down instead of the person you are fighting; I don’t agree with a lot of the other reviewers who think that made him weak, because I’ve lived that existence and I really can’t blame him.  He lived his life and let her have her way until it was important and then he found a compromise and in the end he, Sarah and his mother all found a way to coexist without anyone being unhappy.  He is smart, loving, kind and gentle and one day, when is mother is REALLY out of the picture he will grow into a strong man and be able to lead his household without having to defer and I imagine that will be when he truly gets a chance to shine.  I enjoyed the slow build relationship between Sarah and Kenver and loved when they finally found a way into one another’s arms and hearts.  I am hoping this series continues and I get to see more of these folks in coming stories.

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

ARC Review: Dragon Arisen (Dragon Kings #6)

Dragon Arisen (Dragon Kings #6)
Donna Grant

Blurb:

You have to burn before you can rise.

Handsome. Commanding. Powerful. Alasdair isn’t a Dragon King to sit and wait. His carefully laid plans dissolve when he comes upon an enchanting woman. Lotti’s beauty beguiles him, her spirit intrigues him. The longer he’s with her, the more mysteries he uncovers. And the more his passion grows. He never expects she will lead him into the heart of Stonemore —while ensnaring his at the same time. With their enemies closing in, Alasdair will do anything to protect the woman he’s destined to love.

If there’s one thing Lotti knows, it’s that she’s a danger to others. She keeps her distance. Always. But all that changes when she lands in a difficult situation…with a gorgeous, seductive man. Every choice somehow leads her straight back to Alasdair. She can’t ignore his sexual magnetism or the undeniable desire between them. Their journey unravels everything she knew about herself to reveal a carefully constructed fallacy. Yet, she discovers an inner strength she didn’t know she had. But is her yearning for Alasdair worth the risk for them both?

Themes:  Paranormal, Dragon Shifters

Rating: 4.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Wow I have seen a lot of twists and turns in this crazy world of Donna Grant’s and a lot of them I saw coming, but this one I NEVER could have predicted … and I LOVE IT! Donna Grant fans have been following this story for a long time, some of us from the very beginning of the Dark World series when we first introduced to the magic of Druids and Warriors, through to the introduction of Dragon Kings and the Fae, but we finally learn the secret of it all in this story and it’s amazing.  Donna truly blew my mind with her imagination and the way she brings in creation myth from so many different cultures, weaving them together but then making them uniquely hers; being one of those that loves studying different cultures and spiritual paths a lot of it was reminiscent of known stories, but truly there is no match for the way Donna makes it distinctively hers as she weaves the truths into the plot of the stories.  If you are willing and ready to open your mind to an all-new direction to the Dark World and learn more than you ever imagined about the Dragon Kings, strap in and enjoy because Dragon Arisen is the book you have been waiting for.

Alasdair traveled to Zora when the dragons were first rediscovered in the hopes of being able to recover some of the peace he’d been denied for millennia.  But the pain just got worse as the dragons continued to turn their backs on the kings, snubbing them at every turn. Now one of the Dragon Kings has gone missing and Zora is on the brink of war, so Alasdair needs to get away from everyone, and heading into enemy territory on a recon mission sound like just the thing to deal with his restlessness. Lotti has been on the run for most of her long life and now that her latest refuge has been found she’s rootless again, but when she comes across a helpless infant in the wilds, she can’t bear to leave the babe alone there.  Alasdair comes across the babe and Lotti and together they travel to a safe place to leave the baby and then she can be on her way to a safe place for her.  Too bad the more time she spends with Alasdair the more she comes to like him and rely on him and then she learns the truth of the secret he’s been keeping and she runs.  Once on her own again, heading for what she thinks is safety she finds that leaving behind the man that has found a way into her heart isn’t all that easy.  Now Alasdair and Lotti are enmeshed in a dangerous mission to infiltrate the heart of treachery in an attempt to rescue his friend, but more they are coming to a realization that nothing they thought was true—about Lotti, her past, the world, or even their origins—is fact.  Can either of them come to terms with the truth or will the world falling apart around them tear apart two people so obviously bound together as the Dragon’s rise in a war that was always destined to happen.

Well, I’m going to have to keep this next bit a little bit vague so that I don’t give away too much of the story, because really you have to experience this one for yourself. Alasdair begins the story in serious emotional trauma, dealing with pain that has been festering for longer than most of us can even fathom, but it’s affected him mentally and he is at a breaking point.  True, Dragon Kings are some of the strongest beings in the universe, but without a shoulder to lean on, someone to truly balance them, anyone can slowly become despondent.  Alasdair needs his mate to balance him but he knows that the chance of finding her is low enough that its better to throw himself into fighting the war he senses brewing instead of finding that balance.  I loved getting to know him, seeing that even beings as strong, brave, and alpha as a King can be vulnerable, feeling the pain of abandonment and the fear that he will never find his place in the world again.  When he finally sets a goal for himself and looks to the future, as dark as they are, he finds himself again and his strength shows through, but he’s at his absolute best when he is fighting for Lotti and showing her how much he cares for her and can be a partner to her.  Lotti has never had roots, a true wanderer all her long life, but not by any choice she’s made.  Pushed out of any home she’s ever had and forced to run again and again, she doesn’t offer her trust easily, but when she does give it, she expects others to betray her anyway.  Her own secrets are devastating and despite her fears, she just doesn’t know herself or her past the way some others do because she’s been left in the dark.  With the help of Alasdair and the other Kings she slowly begins to learn about herself and her past and OMFG is all I can say to that.  Her power and strength are immeasurable and I loved seeing her finally come to that realization herself.  She was sweet and loving when she finally got the chance to open up to others, but when she needed to fight for her freedom and the safety of those she cared for, she never hesitated for a second to sacrifice everything she had and was for those in need.  That truly is the definition of a hero(ine) in my opinion and it made her the perfect match for Alasdair who was a hero, even if he’d temporarily forgotten that fact in his hopelessness.

This installment of the Dragon Kings series is truly one for the ages and my understanding is the next one, which obviously had to come after it will be the prequel to the entire shebang, one that begins back at the very beginning of the world when Dragons and magick first arrived (or met) for the first time on earth.  I am dying to read that one and Donna has set us up for it beautifully with Dragon Arisen as she opened our eyes to just how deep and twisted her imagination truly can get.  Alasdair has had a long time to sink into his despair, but the time has come that he is going to pull himself out of it in order to protect the dragons and fight for their place in their new world, whether they will thank him for it or not. His goals are few, but they are deadly and he needs the help of one very unique and deadly gifted female, even if no one—even the woman herself—really understands her gifts.  Lotti has never found her place in this world, never been welcomed or found home, but she will fight to prevent the entire world from being thrown into a needless war.  She doesn’t understand the instant and unheard-of attraction she feels to Alasdair, but at the same time she doesn’t want to fight their pull.  Her sass, strength, intelligence, and diligence will serve her well as she fights with and beside this bossy and annoying Dragon King to save all worlds from the evil that is bent on beginning the end of it all.  The passion between Alasdair and Lotti is unreal even as they both fight it every moment, not understanding how they can be so drawn together when they don’t know or trust one another, but once they accept there is no fighting it, the fire is beautiful to watch burn. I loved how they came together and found one another despite all the dangers, obstacles, and fears they and others kept placing between them, proving that truly nothing conquers true love.  I am absoluting dying for the next story coming our way, Ignite the Magic, and I know that when it comes, I will be taking time off from work unless I get it on a weekend because there’s no way in hell, I will be able to focus on any world beyond Donna’s Dark World once the magic hits me.

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

Review: The Dangerous One (Osborn Brothers #1)

The Dangerous One (Osborn Brothers #1)

Lori Foster

Blurb:

Hunter Osborn left his family, his friends and his job as a park ranger after uncovering a disturbing crime scene. Haunted by nightmares and dark thoughts, Hunter relocated to a small cabin outside of Ridge Trail, Colorado, where he lives off the land (and mostly off the grid). To pay the bills, he works on classic cars, keeping his interactions with others to a minimum.

Still, Hunter can spot trouble from a mile away, and when he encounters Jodi Bentley, he knows she’s trouble of the most tempting kind—even more tempting when she moves into the run-down cabin next door. But when Jodi’s own past comes knocking, Hunter gets drawn out of his own darkness and into hers.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating:  4 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 An all-new series from Lori Foster begins with a huge bang as two people that are both looking to hide from the world find each other and their worlds are changed forever. Lori Foster is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors and I love it when she begins a brand-new series with new heroes and new adventures. Hunter Osborn has been hiding from a terrible event in his past, one that pushed him out of his career, but when his new neighbor moves in he knows immediately that she is going to be trouble for him.  Jodi Bentley is running from her own past, just wanting the peace and quiet of her little cabin in the middle of nowhere, but she didn’t realize it came with a grumpy but sexy neighbor. When danger comes knocking on Jodi’s door, Hunter steps in to protect her and they soon find themselves partners in a dangerous new mission, one that could cost both them and their friends or family their lives if they aren’t careful, preventing them from ever having a chance to find out if their relationship is worth building on.  Hunter was such a sweet but broken hero, one with a tragic past that has left him floundering and unable to handle reality, but when he stumbles onto what he believes to be a damsel in distress he doesn’t let that stop him a moment and he jumps right into hero mode.  I loved watching him in action, as his protectiveness, sweetness, and lovability were a perfect match for his grumpiness, and fears.  I enjoyed watching him work through his past as he helped Jodi defeat her enemies and together, they kicked some serious ass. Jodi is a serious badass from the very beginning, even when she is trying to be nice, and refuses to let anyone walk on her. She has her own sad past to work through, but she doesn’t let it drag her down or prevent her from reaching for her dreams.  Her sarcasticness, sass, wit and intelligence, not to mention resourcefulness in moment of danger were amazing to witness and I loved seeing her team up with Hunter as they fought their enemies. Their connection and passion were fun to witness as they wound their obstacles and found their way into one another hearts. I loved every moment of this story and I am really looking forward to the next story in this series and seeing where Lori Foster takes us with it.

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

Review: Garrett's Destiny (Dark Protectors #15)

Garrett's Destiny (Dark Protectors #15)

Rebecca Zanetti

Blurb:

Love and danger . . .

For most of his life, Vampire-Demon Garrett Kayrs, nephew of the King of the Realm, has carried a heavy mantle of responsibility with ease and control. Fate declared him heir to the throne, Fortune marked him with the power of the mysterious circle of Seven, and Chance promised more surprises to come. Nothing deterred him from his path. Until the nightmares began--agonizing dreams of having a female, the female, his mate, on the back of his motorcycle—only to have her torn away from his protection. He feels the menace around her, the danger she’s in, and he can’t rest until he finds her . . .

Duty and desire . . .

Destiny Applegate bears the weight of her name with a respectful balance of fear and purpose. She has been given some direction, but not nearly enough to truly understand her duty, what she was born to do. Even as a child, she had a sense of him. The him, her mate. A dream moment or two with him that might have saved her—or possibly cursed her. So now, when he finds her, she has no choice but to jump on the back of his bike and do her best to hold on until she discovers her path—even if that means ending his.

Themes:  Paranormal, Witches, Vampires, Demons

Rating: 4.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The finale is almost here, but before that happens, Garett has to find his mate, the one he has been hunting for since he had a vision of her on the back of his bike, and the time has finally come for her to find his Destiny. Zanetti has been building to this moment for a long time and we can all feel he end coming for this main arc, which it will with the next book I believe (Warrior’s Hope) with another triangle between the only female vampire ever born and the two men that have been in her heart since she was a young girl.  But I have a feeling this triangle is going to end much differently than the one between her mother and father!  That said Garrett’s book was just as wonderful as we knew it would be, filled with drama, action, tragedy, pain, lust, and love and all packed together so beautifully that you almost hoped it would never end. Garrett Karys, Vampire-Demon nephew to the king of the Realm has made a lot of decisions in his relatively young life that have led him into peril, but he knows that he and his team are needed to prevent the world from falling to the Kurjans and their most deadly leader to have ever lived.  But he needs his mate for his own sanity and to be able to keep fighting that fight, but she is proving to be elusive.  Ace reporter Destiny Applegate has always known that her mate was out there and has dreamed of him more than once, so when she finally runs across Garrett, she knows he is the one even if he doesn’t. The dangers keep coming at them, but as Destiny and Garrett spend more time together the connection between them grows stronger until neither of them can deny the need and love between them, but there is an enemy with an even greater connection and Destiny’s very soul is at risk if Garrett can’t protect her.  Destiny was a remarkable character to get to know, truly willing to give up anything in order to defeat the Kurjans, but at the same time willing to do anything to protect her mate.  She knew from the beginning she might have to give up her life for Garrett’s and she didn’t even blink, but I loved her sweetness, calm, and innocence in the face of everything that is thrown at her in the darkness of Garrett’s world.  She is sharp as a tack, her intelligence truly an asset to Garrett and his men, and watching her work through the problems they were faced with was like watching a master strategist working through planning a war on multiple fronts.  Garrett was kind of an ass in the beginning of their story, already having gone through so many women as he looked for the woman, he was just sure was his mate based on his preconceived notions.  When he was finally faced with his true mate, he refused to believe what his own instincts were telling him and fought against himself and Destiny for far too long.  Once he finally manned up, he became the Garrett we all loved, with his strength, love, and consideration back in command, but it took way too long for that to happen in my opinion.  The passion was there from the beginning even though Garrett fought it, but once they both came together as mates, yeah, no denying that passion was intense.  I am dying for the last book in this arc, though I hope the series continue long into the future just like it did after the last arc ended, because truly Rebecca’s characters, plots, and writing are bar none one of my favorite combinations in the romance world. Garrett stole my heart but Destiny shows us all that sometimes a woman just needs the courage to show her man that his fate lies with her.

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