Yuletide Enchantment by Cindy Spencer Pape

Yuletide Enchantment: 1 (Holiday Hearts)
By: Cindy Spencer Pape
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Published: December 9, 2009
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Erotic Romance, Fantasy, Holiday, Inspirational, Mystery
Content: M/F, Oral Sex, Toys
Length: Short Story
Heat Level: Scorching
Reviewer: Suki
Date: June 20, 2015

 

The company Christmas party goes awry in an erotic way when quiet accountant Shelby Carter is magically whisked into a miniature Victorian village with the boss's gorgeous son, Noel Holiday.

Noel has always honored the policy against fraternization, but when he's trapped for several days with sweet, sexy Shelby, he decides it's time to start breaking the rules. While exploring the enchanted surroundings, they delve into their deepest fantasies, even acting out scenes from a collection of erotic Victorian postcards. After all, what's Christmas without a little magic and a whole lot of sexy fun?

Though Shelby's crazy about Noel, she's sure he'll forget all about her once their interlude is over. But Noel has fallen head over snow boots in love with Shelby. Now he just has to convince her that holiday wishes can come true, and his devotion will last beyond their Yuletide Enchantment.

Yes I am reading a Christmas book in June.  Perhaps I am hoping for some of that snow we got this winter to cool things off a bit. This book is not going to cool anything off. In fact I think it rose the temperature a degree or two. 

Noel Holiday (HERO) works for the family greeting card company as a designer and is asked to check out the new Christmas display to see what is missing from it. When he gets there what he finds is Shelby Carter from accounting who is intent on the village. When they touch hands and the village at the same time they find themselves transported to the Victorian village or at least the house.  Complete with Victorian clothing and condoms. 

Once they discover there is no real way to escape they decide to make the best of it and let their attraction for each other takeover. But will it last when they are returned to reality?

I really enjoyed this book. And when you read any Ellora’s Cave book you know you are going to get sex scenes that are hot and detailed. I personally would have liked more about when they got back to reality, it seemed rushed. A couple more pages might have done the trick. But the book was very well written and edited and I fell in love with the Characters.

If you are looking for something to heat things up, this will do it.

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The Masterful Mr. Montague by Stephanie Laurens

The Masterful Mr. Montague: A Casebook of Barnaby Adair Novel
By: Stephanie Laurens
Publisher: Avon
Published: April 29, 2014
Genre: Historical, Action/Adventure, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Suki
Date: January 24, 2015

 

Montague has devoted his life to managing the wealth of London's elite, but at a huge cost: a family of his own. Then the enticing Miss Violet Matcham seeks his help, and in the puzzle she presents him, he finds an intriguing new challenge professionally ... and personally.

Violet, devoted lady-companion to the aging Lady Halstead, turns to Montague to reassure her ladyship that her affairs are in order. But the famous Montague is not at all what she'd expected - this man is compelling, decisive, supportive, and strong - everything Violet needs in a champion, a position to which Montague rapidly lays claim.

But then Lady Halstead is murdered and Violet and Montague, aided by Barnaby Adair, Inspector Stokes, Penelope, and Griselda, race to expose a cunning and cold-blooded killer.who stalks closer and closer. Will Montague and Violet learn the shocking truth too late to seize their chance at enduring love?

First I want to say I am a huge Stephanie Laurens fan. Fell in love with the Cynsters years ago. That said, this is not your typical SL book. When I first started reading it I was confused, where was the love story with Montague and Violet? Wait, why are we in the bedroom of the other two characters, and in their head. None of this fit the usual style. If you have read SL’s books you have seen Penelope in a few other books and her story with Adair has already been told in the previous book, Where the Heart Leads, and although I love to catch up with past characters, I do not need to be in their bedroom again. We have seen it and been there; we know their love story...I digress. I was confused enough to finally go to Ms. Laurens website where it states The Masterful Mr. Montague is a mystery with romantic elements. AHHHHHH well that's a horse of a different color isn’t it. So now that I am not expecting the typical SL romance I can get down to the mystery. And this is a mystery, in fact it's one of many and it appears that they will now include this whole group solving them.

I have to say I didn’t guess who did it although there were times when I suspected. The story is good and I actually skimmed over the love scenes when they came (see above for why). My biggest complaint about the book is that the love story is shoved into the last few pages of the book and it is not given the time and the space these two characters deserve. I enjoyed these two very much and want to know more about them. Although I love the book, because the publisher is selling it as a romance I can't give it a 5, but because SL does explain on her website that it's a mystery with romantic themes it redeems the book back to a 4.

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Steaming by Vanessa Barger

Title:  Steaming

Author:    Vanessa Barger

Publisher:  Decadent Publishing Company, LLC  

Publication Date:    March 2011

ISBN:   9781936394920   

Genre YA Steampunk

Length:   42,000 words

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Author Website  

Heat Level:    1

Other: A few kisses

Reviewer:  Suki

My name is Cornelius Latimer, and I have fallen in love. The object of my affection isn’t tall and blonde with all the right curves. It isn’t even human. My love belches smoke and breathes fire. My world runs on steam and hard metal, and I am a master of both. My Uncle, Rufus Harrison, has funded my expeditions. He’s gifted me with a lab containing all the parts and space I could possibly need. For weeks I have been toiling over my journals, crafting my biggest and best creation yet. It’s heady, this feeling of power. But I made a fatal error. I told a friend about my machine. And now someone who should not know, does. I should tear everything apart, but I can’t.

Steaming from Vanessa Barger was a surprising page turner. I say surprising because it took me a while to get through the first few pages, honestly there was a moment when I didn’t think I could read more, not because it wasn’t well written, it just wasn’t my style of writing. But once I got about a chapter in, WOW the adventure begins and NEVER EVER stopped until the very end. Cornelius is naïve, young, insecure and a bit of a loner. He prefers his gadgets and inventions to the people of London.

UNTIL…until that fateful night at the ball when a beauty catches his eyes and he is smitten. But as you can imagine, things don’t go as planned. The Time Keeper is the perfect steampunk villain and tBea is the perfect Steampunk heroine/co hero.

I was genuinely drawn into the characters and the plot. I enjoyed entering the world Ms Barger created and couldn’t be more pleased that I didn’t let my initial feeling stop me from reading what was a very enjoyable read. The steampunk aspect wasn’t over played in the story,  many steampunk books forget that the plot must be there for the steampunk to work. This book set in nearly any time period would have worked, the story was that strong. The author left the door open for a sequel, one that I will buy on its release day.

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Death by Scandal by Marguerite Butler

Title: Death by Scandal

Author: Marguerite Butler

Publisher: Musa Publishing

Publication Date:10/2011

ISBN: 978-1-61937-038-8

Genre: Regency

Length: 283 pages

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Author Email

Heat Level: Sweet

Reviewer: TJ

Date: October 11, 2011

Lady Calandra can't help it if the scandal sheets have dubbed her “the dangerous debutante.” The Earl of Camden needed to be shot. And she certainly didn't poison her latest suitor for failing to make her an offer...although everyone seems convinced she did. She's never killed anyone, but someone is determined to make it look as though she has.  

Desperate to save her reputation, Lady Calandra needs a betrothal-now-and turns to one of the few friends she has left. Arthur, Lord Alsbury is only too happy to oblige her. Arthur has loved the beautiful musical prodigy for years. To save Calandra, he must put himself at risk. In order to unmask a killer, Arthur must pretend to be Calandra's next intended victim. If he fails her, the consequences are dire--either a slow death by scandal or a swift one at the hands of a murderer.

Death By Scandal is a witty whodunit and Lady Calandra and her set have become absolute favorites of mine. I love traditional Regencies with non-conventional heroines as I find it much easier to relate to them. Our leading lady and her friend Julia are very amiable characters and their circle of family and friends kept me in stitches. Arthur is a strong and steadfast hero. 

And I found myself holding my breath in the hopes that he would win over his friend’s affections. I enjoyed the action and the setting and could not get enough of the heroine’s outrageous Aunt. I appreciated how certain subject matter was handled with the proper amount of humor and deference and I am looking forward to seeing Julia buck society’s conventions and get her very own adventure. Overall I delighted in this story and I am looking forward to reading many more by this talented author.

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Montana Rose by Sherry Derr-Wille

Title: Montana Rose

Author: Sherry Derr-Wille

Publisher: Red Rose Publishing

Publication Date: 11/09

ISBN: 978-1-60435-424-9

Genre: Historical

Length: 322 pgs

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Rating: 2.75 Diamonds

Heat Level: Sweet

Reviewer: Sasha Evins

Date: 12/14/09

Rose McKinney has lived her entire life at the Purple Moon cathouse in St. Louis. When the man she has always considered her father dies and leaves her his ranch in Montana, the Rocking M, she leaves vowing to sell the property and return as soon as possible. Once on the ranch, she learns not only must she stay for one year before she can sell, but also that her father's murder is one mystery she needs to solve before more deaths occur on the Rocking M.

Cameron Blake has found refuge on the Rocking M, not only for him but also for his son. His first impression of Rose is that she's someone he wants nothing to do with. It's evident she's a whore and he certainly doesn't need that kind of influence around his thirteen year old son. It isn't until he becomes completely involved in solving the murder of his former boss, that he comes to see Rose in an entirely different light. 

I really enjoyed the setting and world building in this release. It was very real to me and I found myself daydreaming of what life was like in 19th century Montana. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the cattle rustling as well. The hero and heroine were realistic to me and I could see each growing emotionally as they left their pasts behind. This was a sweet romance, with a couple of chaste kisses, which I respect as this is what is expected with the 'Sweet' heat level. I was disappointed that I really felt no chemistry between the hero and heroine, and in the end almost felt they had fallen into a marriage of convenience  I couldn't see the spark of love growing between them. If you're looking for a good historical mystery with a romantic element this is a good read, and I would have rated it a 4 outside of a romance review site. I did enjoy the story very much, but not as a romance.

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