The Other Duke by Jess Michaels

The Other Duke
By: Jess Michaels
Publisher: The Passionate Pen
Published: January 13, 2015
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Sensual
Reviewer: ReadingPatti
Date: August 21, 2015

 

For years Serafina McPhee has been engaged to marry the heir to the Duke of Hartholm and for almost as long, she has been struggling to find a way out of that engagement. When he suddenly dies, she does not mourn but thrills at the idea that she will be free. Unfortunately, best laid plans go awry when the next in line for the title, her intended’s cousin, Raphael “Rafe” Flynn is forced to take over the engagement. But Serafina knows Rafe’s reputation as a libertine and wants nothing to do with him, either, even if he is devastatingly handsome. 

She proposes an arrangement: she will agree to the marriage and provide Rafe with his heir and spare. Once she has done her duty, he will let her go. Rafe is intrigued both by her beauty and by her utter disgust with the idea of being his bride. Women normally fall at his feet, not cringe away from him. However, since their arranged marriage is not something he can escape, he agrees to her terms.

But when he finds out on their wedding night the truth about her torture at the hands of his predecessor, he finds himself driven not just to fulfill his bargain with his new bride, but to introduce her to desire. While they move closer together, surrendering to wicked pleasures, dangerous emotions may violate every agreement they’ve made.

Serafina McPhee learns that her betrothed is dead and she is now going to marry the new duke. Mean while Raphael Flynn finds out that his is to inherited his cousin’s title and estate. He also learns that he is to marry Serafina.

Rafe and Serafina meet and agree to marry on their own terms. They go on outings and learn about each other. This is when odd things begin to happen to Rafe and Rafe.  Rafe takes steps to protect Serafina and his property.

As time goes on Rafe begins to not only like but love Serafina. He has to find a way to make Serafina fall in love with him. She is not certain after her experience with Cyril.

Rafe and Serafina are two lost souls who found each other in strange situation. They love each other that is all that matters.

I loved this book. I got caught up in it from the very beginning. I wanted Rafe to fall into love with Serafina. Serafina slowly fall for Rafe in spite of what others say about him. They come together to create a live for themselves that they thought they would never have. I will recommend this book.

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It’s Complicated by Joyce M. Holmes

It’s Complicated
By: Joyce M. Holmes
Publisher: Sweet Cravings Publishing
Published: April 28, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Sensual
Reviewer: Marchelle
Date: March 21, 2015

 

Having grown up with no one but herself to count on, Maggie Lapage carefully guards her feelings. Professionally, she goes above and beyond to give others the support she wishes she'd had as a child. When she develops a forbidden attraction to a client, she does what she thinks is necessary, to save his family and to protect her own heart.

Tom O’Shay finds his life caught in a nightmare when he risks losing custody of his daughter. It goes against his character to seek help, but he doesn’t have a choice. That doesn’t mean he has to like it. Everything changes when he falls hard for his daughter’s counselor and he suddenly has two fights on his hands. One for his daughter and another for the woman he loves.

He wants a real relationship, she's afraid to love. It’s complicated, but is it impossible?

Maggie Lapage is a youth counselor working at an outreach program assisting children and families in need. Tom O’Shay is a struggling artist who is not only struggling to make a living but also having a difficult time with his young daughter, Hailey. His ex-wife recently died, leaving custody of the child to her wealthy parents, Sebastian and Agnes Devetrie, in a final act of spite against him. His former in-laws, besides being filthy rich, are not his biggest fans and are doing everything they can to turn his daughter against him. He quickly gets a court order granting him temporary custody and on the advice of his lawyer, seeks a therapist to help Hailey deal with her feelings and all the changes she is being subjected to. Hailey is angry and confused about everything that is happening. She is acting out against her father and his heart is breaking for the pain his daughter is in. He just wants to help her through this difficult time and prove to her that he loves her more than anything, no matter what her grandmother tells her.

Maggie, although young, has a great deal of experience dealing with troubled kids and seems like the perfect solution. She is caring and kind while at the same time she is straightforward, direct and sometimes painfully honest. She begins working with Tom and his daughter and quickly becomes an advocate for keeping them together. However, while helping them, her own life seems to be taking some rocky turns. To make matters worse, personally, she wants to see Tom on a personal basis, but as a client, he is off limits. She can lose her job and everything she’s worked for if she pursues him.

Maggie is a great character. She is the perfect mix of a strong woman with a vulnerable side. She isn’t afraid to take what she wants or needs. The fact that she is passionate about helping people makes her likeable. When she speaks to the gallery owner about Tom’s paintings much to his annoyance and tells Tom what she has done on his behalf, he gets angry and they argue. She is unapologetic because she firmly believes what she was doing was for his own good. That was one of the best scenes in the book in my opinion. She is feisty and opinionated and stubborn but she truly has a heart of gold. She is very real. She also doesn't learn a lesson from Tom’s anger with her and continues to meddle in other aspects of his life.

I found this book very well-written and I loved the story. The characters were believable and true to life. I even found myself rooting for Nora, Maggie’s mom, and having a grudging respect for Sebastian Devetrie.

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Goddess, Awakened by Cate Masters

Goddess, Awakened
By: Cate Masters
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
Published: July 7, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Sensual
Reviewer: Marchelle
Date: October 1, 2014

 

With a little help from a goddess, battling evil is a piece of cake for Jocelyn Gibson.

A descendant of the goddess Iris, Jocelyn Gibson may have forgotten about the realm of magic, but it hasn’t forgotten her. When Eric Hendricks is targeted by a demon, Joss must step in to battle the evil and save the town’s awkward, but endearing, vet…who also happens to be the man she loves.

Joss’s new inn, a culinary career specializing in cooking with lavender and a new love all make for a fine recipe of disaster. She needs to embrace her inner goddess and harness the powers she never knew she had before it’s too late.

Joss is starting her life over after the death of her husband. She sold her home and purchased an inn. With the help of her best friend, Annie, she is renovating the building and trying to turn it into a thriving bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, the inn is situated along a ley line which unbeknownst to Joss, presents a problem for her. Her Aunt and Grandmother finally let her in on a family secret; they are direct descendants of the goddess Iris and Joss herself is a goddess.

Eric is the local veterinarian who also happens to be a widower and still recovering from the death of his wife. He finds himself inexplicably drawn to Joss. At the same time, he feels drawn to a local waitress but it doesn't feel right. He tries to fight it but finds it more and more difficult. An evil power is taking over him and he needs Joss and her family to help save him.

I enjoyed the story and the use of good and evil/light and dark. Joss, seeing the lights of the fae in the field and incorporating the lavender into all her recipes to bring happiness, was obviously the element of good in the story. Sharee, with her manipulative behavior and her conspiring with the mystery man who appeared at the party was obviously the evil. Her Aunt Lydia added some humor to the story with her quirkiness and innuendos.

It was nice to see a strong female lead like Joss. She wanted Eric, even knowing he might not feel the same and he might not be the best for her, but she still took what she wanted and didn't beat herself up over it. She also didn't pine over him like many female characters do now. She went on with her life and took care of her business without worrying whether or not he'd call or come by. For many reasons, she was certainly believable as a goddess as were her family members.

The biggest problem I had with this book was that there were too many characters. It was hard to at one point to keep everyone straight. There also seemed to be scenes that didn't move the story forward and for that reason didn't make much sense. It seemed like Joss' son was added as an after thought. He appeared in the story and seemed like he may be part of a conflict but then he left to go back to school and there was no issue. Annie, as her best friend for years, was not trusted with any of the things that were happening which also didn't make sense to me. Another example is the Thanksgiving scene when Eric goes to his sister's house. I don't feel like that scene contributed to the story at all.

Overall this is a good book. I would probably read other works by this author if all the female leads are as strong as Joss.

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A Seal's Mission by Rachel Kall

A Seal's Mission (Love & Scandal 2)
By: Rachel Kall
Publisher: NYLA Publishing
Published: July 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Suspense
Length: Novel
Heat Level: Sensual
Reviewer: Marchelle
Date: August 18, 2014

 

When renowned journalist Rowena Murphy uncovers the biggest story of her career, she was prepared to take some risks. But when she learns that more than her life is at stake, she doesn't know who to turn to...

After Navy SEAL Scott Ranger rescued investigative reporter Rowena Murphy in Afghanistan, he thought his mission was complete. But it’s six months later, and he still can't get her out of his head. The game changes when her life is threatened once again...

As they start to uncover just how deep the conspiracy runs in Washington and abroad, Scott vows to keep Rowena and her sources safe--even if that means temporarily dropping the story. But for Rowena putting her investigation on hold isn't an option.

Loyalties are tested and passions ignite as Rowena and Scott race to complete A SEAL's MISSION.

Scott Ranger gets his first glimpse of Rowena Murphy when he and his fellow Navy Seals lead a mission to rescue her from kidnappers in Afghanistan. They don't see each other again until several months later when Scott finds out Rowena is trying to find him and shows up at her door. She opens up to him and tells him about a story she is working on that has political implications and he is unsure if he believes her - until Senators involved in the story start dying suddenly. He vows to protect her with his life until they get to the bottom of it.

Not having read the first book in this series, I was pleasantly surprised to find this book truly stands alone. There was no unfinished business from the first book that needed to be wrapped up and the characters that reappeared here were given a brief background that didn't really affect this story but did make me curious enough to make me want to read the first book.

This was a really good story. There was an unexpected twist at the end that made this unlike any other suspense story I've read. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was pleasantly surprised to find there was more to the story. The suspicion on Scott's colleagues kept me on the edge wondering if and/or when they would be betrayed. It was nerve wracking to not know who they could trust at any given time and if they were doing the right thing.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that the focus was not on the sexual relationship between Scott and Rowena. There was a great deal of questioning "would they?" or "wouldn't they?" but it didn't take the focus away from the plot. It was kept in the background and it really drove home the seriousness of what they were facing. I think it takes away from the suspense when the characters are more worried about their feelings for each other, than the fact that someone is trying to kill them. The author didn't do that here, she kept the focus on the situation they were in and it helped to keep my interest in the story. It seemed more realistic that way.

I definitely plan to read the first book in the series and I hope the next book will give us Med's story.

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Slipping the Past by D.L. Jackson

**Review from Original Release**

Title: Slipping the Past
Author: D.L. Jackson
Genre: Futuristic, Sci-Fi, Romance
Heat Level: Sensual
Length:  Novel
Reviewer: Suki
Original Review Date: August 8, 2010

“Some love affairs last a lifetime…others never end."

Fifty years into the future, if you’re one of the damned, you don’t run for your life, you run to save your soul. Jocelyn Miller is wanted for crimes she committed before she was born. Homeless, blind and out in the elements on one of the coldest nights of the year, her desperation results in a bad decision. When Jocelyn and her brother Nate rob a convenience store, Jocelyn comes face to face with her worst nightmare and greatest love, a reaper named Gabriel.

Gabriel Solaris is an Enforcer, a genetically-enhanced psychic often referred to as a reaper for his ability to take souls, and he’s charged with collecting Jocelyn’s. When he finds Jocelyn outside the store, he’s sure she’s up to something illegal. Proving it isn’t necessary. He holds a warrant and it’s all he needs. But the closer Gabriel gets to Jocelyn, the more he begins to question his duty and why he believes her claims of innocence. When Jocelyn tells him she loved him once, Gabriel loses control and kisses her. Instead of taking her soul, he gives her a week to prove innocence in her past-life crimes, something he has no authority to grant”

What a wonderful, inventive, and suspenseful read. From the prologue you know you are reading a book quite different from most anything else out there. Slipping the Past takes place in the future when we as humans have learned to create super humans with extraordinary powers and how to harness the powers of those who are criminal. But what happened when all the criminals have been harnessed and you need more, you head to the past and find people whose souls have committed crimes in past lives. And that is just the beginning of this book full of twists and turns at every corner. But at the Center is a love affair that crosses the bounds of time and past lives.

Gabriel is the Enforcer Charged with finding Jocelyn, the woman he has he has always loved. But he isn’t alone and how do you prove your innocence through past lives and past crimes.

D.L. Jackson creates a world that is fascinating and asks the question how much power is too much.

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Kissing the Bridesmaid by Dominique Eastwick

Kissing the Bridesmaid
By:  Dominique Eastwick
Publisher:  Musa Publishing
Published:  November 23, 2012
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length:  Short Story
Heat Level:  Sensual
Reviewer:  Toni
Date:  April 2, 2013

A single kiss can change everything.

Callie Sherman has moved past her silly schoolgirl crush on Aiden Marshall. But she is still haunted by the one kiss they shared the night before he married her best friend.

Aiden has been in love with Callie since he first pulled her pigtails years ago. Believing he could never have her as more than a friend, he moved on with his life. But everything came crashing down after one kiss.

Now divorced, Aiden isn't going to let anything get in the way of his second chance with Callie. This time, if he has anything to say about it, will be their finally ever after.

Kissing the Bridesmaid is a sensually sweet romance of two people who were destined to be together; who have loved each other for two decades and now they are finally able to make it happen. I’m reviewing this as an addition to the Sherman Family Series.

Callie and Aiden have been friends since they were children. Their friendship remained strong until distance and outside interferences separated them; each carrying guilt, jealous and sadness within their hearts. Years later, circumstances have changed and Aiden is not allowing any more time to pass. Kissing the Bridesmaid is about the day their lives change forever; the moment that Aiden takes a chance to win back the heart of his best friend and the woman of his dreams.

Very short stories are hard to rate. If it is very good, you are left wanting, but are satisfied with the outcome. That is where I am. I loved Kissing the Bridesmaid. Would I have loved it without having read Ms. Eastwick’s other Sherman Family novels? Probably not, but I would have still liked it immensely. One of the biggest complaints from people about short stories is that they are not long enough. Of course I would have wanted a novella or a full book, but this story still felt complete. When you love something you can’t help but want it to continue and let me tell you I have fallen in love with this series.

Callie and Aiden are wonderfully written. Ms. Eastwick did a great job in the time allotted her. She kept the details of them and their pasts tight, thorough without draining the word count. She was able to make me feel their pain and understand what each of them where going through in their individual moments in time. Once the walls were torn down, they had nowhere else to go, but into each other’s arms and I couldn’t be happier for them.

If you want to know about Tony/Haven or Spencer, pick up the two prior books in the Sherman Family Series: Hunting JC and Tony’s Haven. This series is top notch and I’m enjoying it very much and thank you Ms. Eastwick for the quick escape and tasty little morsel of Kissing the Bridesmaid, before the next installment of the series, Killing Lucas.

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To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield by Bronwen Evans

To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield
By:  Bronwen Evans
Publisher:  Self Published
Published:  February 1, 2012
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length:  Novel
Heat Level:  Sensual
Reviewer:  Toni
Date:  August 27, 2012

Let the Wicked Wagers Begin...

Lady Caitlin Southall’s temper has finally got the better of her. She’s challenged Harlow Telford, the Duke of Dangerfield, the most notorious rake in all of England, to a wager. She wants her house back. The one her destitute father lost to Dangerfield in a card game. But if she doesn’t win their bet, she not only loses her home, she loses her dignity and pride and damn it all, maybe her heart... For the handsome Duke has decreed, when he wins, she must spend the night in his bed.

Harlow Telford is amused by his hellion neighbor, Caitlin, or Cate to her friends, who seem to encompass everyone on earth except him. When she bursts into one of his private gatherings, he mistakes her for the entertainment. Her slap across his face sets him straight and raises the absurd desire to seduce the unconventional beauty into his bed. When she issues her daft challenge to win back her father’s pile of rubble, the terms are set. And he’ll do anything to win—except fall in love...

To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield is a fast and furious read. I was captivated from start to finish, and couldn’t wait to see what was up next for these two stubborn people.

Lady Caitlin Southall’s lost her home and she knows if she can race her prize horse Ace against the Duke, she can win it back. What she doesn’t count on is him making a counter bet. Even though his bet has a steep price, she can’t back down. Her home is the only thing she has left from her mother and this rake will not deter her.

Harlow Telford, Duke of Dangerfield, was instantly fascinated by the beauty bent over her horse’s hoof. His passion ignited and desire flared. What he didn’t count on, was that she was the brat that dared laugh at him years ago. Even though he now knows her identity, he is more determined to bed her. But what surprises him the most is that his desire to bed her turns into a need to wed her.

What was once to be one bet turns into the best two out of three; wits, skills and tenacity are used to win at all costs. Down to the last trial, things are neck to neck; one wrong move and everything changes. Can they heal from this new disaster?

To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield is the first in the Wicked Wagers trilogy. They are a collection of novellas involving three friends. To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield is a wonderful start to the series.

Sometimes you can’t get a clear picture from a shorter story. Ms. Evans does a fine job telling the story, detailing the characters and engaging us in the plot. As I sit here, I don’t even wish To Dare the Duke of Dangerfield was longer, which is frequently the case. I’m very pleased with this little gem and I can’t wait to read the next in the trilogy, To Wager the Marquis of Wolverstone.

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