I’m really not used to reaching any kind of story with incredibly Southern names in it. Names like Darla Mae, Egbert…. It took me a little bit to get used to reading such names. But, once I moved past that, I definitely enjoyed this story. Particularly when I realised that it’s a tale about Dee Ann’s parents. Who I’ve only really met in the Honey Badger Chronicles, but I know I will have a greater appreciation for as I delve into the Pride series.
I thought that this was quite a humorous novella. Kind of like the Laurenston stories that I’ve already read so far. It had me smiling and laughing, and just all round enjoying this storyline. I mean, it’s a story of two individuals falling for each other. But in the meantime, there is a whole lot of family drama, killers on the loose and siblings who are determined to put their nose into everything. The perfect combination for a fun and fast paced tale.
I loved how Darla was able to just… handle everyone. She might be the meeker of the sisters, but she is only like that because she doesn’t feel the need to fight. The moment her sisters step too far over the line, she happily shoves them back into line and handles their nonsense. A perfect match for a man who is a known killer. Then, she also finds a way to mess with Egbert’s brothers, family and race fast cars.
A great novella that has me ready to dive into a whole new Laurenston series. I’ll definitely be devouring this series just as quickly as the rest of the books on my shelves.
Like ever other book in this series, or, indeed, by this author, Badger to the Bone is freaking hilarious. It’s witty, cute, fun and humorous. Although, I did have a bit of a moment of regret – this is the last romance of the three MacKilligan sisters. But, it did also introduce Max’s basketball team and those four women also need their own stories, so I have another rabbit hole to dive into. Very, very happily.
As much as Max is totally a psycho, I’ve been dying to read about her since the prologue in Hot and Badgered. I loved getting more of an insight into just why she acts the way that she does. Particularly in her relationship with Stevie – finally, the way that Max is constantly aggravating her begins to make sense. Plus, Max is the only full honey badger of the three siblings, and this difference was incredibly fun to read about.
I love that although you know that Max is chaos personified, she is actually kind of a do-gooder. She hides it really, really well. And she refuses to let others in on her goodness. That, and the fact that although Max thinks that Charlie is unaware of many of her extracurricular activities, the older sibling is still completely in tune about the insanity that is her younger sister. Yet another amazing sibling moment that had me grinning from ear to ear.
ZeZe is a great counterpoint to the insanity that is Max. Where Max is just pure chaos and happy in her own skin, she is also a serious handful. ZeZe, being entirely cat is quite happy to just stand back and watch the insanity unfold. With humour. And feeling entertained. Much like a real cat would I imagine. His smugness and contentment (once he accepts what he actually is) made me an incredibly happy woman.
ZeZe’s journey in this, whilst totally overshadowed by my love for Max was fun. I love the idea that he doesn’t actually know that he’s a shapeshifter and anything about fitting into the world that he should have been born into. Likewise, the relationship with his grandfather is a little bit tender, but ultimately beautiful. A reminder that sometimes people do the wrong things for love. And a great way to get more and more glimpses into Laurenston’s world of shapeshifters. Now I just need to keep diving into these amazing stories.
I must admit, I’m kind of completely obsessed with the Honey Badger Chronicles, because… well, honey badgers. But also, Laurenston writes amazing romances that are filled with wonderful friendships, strong women and a whole lot of humour. They make me smile with every single page turned and leave me incredibly happy that I’ve had the pleasure of discovering such amazing books. The fact that this continues to follow the MacKilligan sisters, who are most certifiably insane and completely lovely, well, that made me dive right in. Actually, it took me a little while to actually get to this – because I can’t seem to put these books down once I start reading them.
I love that this story is about Stevie, who is most definitely the most neurotic of the MacKilligan sisters. I particularly enjoyed that she just… decides that Shen is her boyfriend. He is such a chilled being and kind of just meanders along. The dichotomy between Stevie’s intensity and inability to relax, and Shen’s calm nature worked really well in this relationship. It was fun getting to know another species of shapeshifter in this series – Shen’s enjoyment in upsetting the other bears with his bamboo chomping in particular. There’s also the way that, although Shen is so damn calm all the time, he is also not exactly the kind of being that you want to mess with… kind of making him the perfect laid back balance to Stevie’s high-strung reality and tendency to find herself in dangerous situations.
Stevie’s other form is definitely terrifying and intense – as demonstrated in Hot and Badgered. It was thoroughly enjoyable getting to know more about just what Stevie is capable of in this form. And just how much damage she can truly do. Although, the moment when she realises that she is actually a badass with DNA that eats other DNA… I thought this was freaking fantastic. And may have laughed for a good minute after reading this. Stevie’s ability to finally accept a part of herself that she’s both feared and reviled was a really nice moment. Definitely gently helped along by Shen’s quiet presence, but also just finally growing enough to realise that just because you’re scary, it doesn’t mean you’re bad.
This might have been a romance about Stevie and Shen, but, yet again, it’s the MacKilligan sisters and their honey badger kin that really steal the show. I genuinely loved the parts where everyone attends a honey badger funeral… there’s a truck vs. badger collision, Charlie wanting to kill her father (again), and a whole bunch of snakes thrown into the mix. It’s not quite what I expected, but fits in completely with the idea of honey badgers being certifiable, down to the last one. I honestly don’t want to stop reading about any and all of the crazy honey badgers that are running rampant through this series. But, it’s not just the honey badgers that steal the show, it’s all of the sibling pairs. Laurenston has a wonderful way of writing about sibling relationships which just feels genuine – there’s loving and affectionate antics, but also those that are about just pushing each others’ buttons, because that’s always fun. I’m honestly hoping that Shen’s, Berg’s and Kyle’s siblings all get their own stories as this series continues on….
This was such an amazing paranormal romance. Not just for the wonderful, steamy sex. The beautifully matched couple. But also the high jinx and shenanigans. Every time I read one of the wonderful stories written by Laurenston, I’m transported to a wonderful world that has me smiling and laughing. Also having all the feelings, because that’s what you should always have in a good romance.
This is a fun and light shapeshifter romance, one that is a very quick and easy read without all that much substance to it. And it was one that I very much enjoyed. The fact that it was such an easy and simple read had me smiling and just drifting away on a happy little cloud. Sometimes you’re in the mood for something that is incredibly action filled and dramatic. Other times, you just want something nice, simple and enjoyable. This fits that simple and enjoyable box perfectly.
Nell takes to the dramas of Grizzly Cove wonderfully well. She kind of just rolls with the punches and the shocks of the activities around her. Although, I did love that she’s kind of dense about what’s been happening around her – in fact, it was her sisters who knew almost immediately what was happening in their small town. And her outrage that her sisters just… neglected to tell her was even funnier. The sister trio and its dynamics had me smiling quite a bit throughout this story.
Brody is definitely a fun and dreamy lead – particularly since he can change into a massive Grizzly Bear. You imagine a kind of lumbering and hulking man, and although he is big, he’s definitely not hulking and lumbering. I love that his first drive is to protect his people, and the way he describes the town and pulls Nell into it is kind of sweet. But, it’s the dates and the moments of tenderness that made me appreciate him the most. Having said that, for all that Nell and Brody are wonderful leads who you want to get a happily ever after, I didn’t get overly attached to either of them. Maybe it was just the speed and simplicity of this story. Maybe it was that I didn’t have anything in common with the leads. Whatever it was, a fun story, but not a memorable one.
Except for the koala. I mean, a drunk koala who tries to get into a dominance battle with a Grizzly… that made me seriously laugh out loud. And now I really want more of his shenanigans.
Love, love, love the Alien Bachelor. I mean, you get introduced to a whole range of different peoples, there is ridiculous drama and it’s just all around fun. I might not be a fan of shows like The Bachelor in real life, but if they were like this with death and aliens… maybe I’d actually have half an interest in actually engaging with such nonsense. Alongside all of this drama, there is also some wonderful more clues to Dina and Caldenia’s pasts and how they ended up where they are.
For starters, I loved finding out more about just how Caldenia managed to end up having so many bounty hunters on her tail. And why she ended up being such a well-known murderess. And, without giving anything away. It was actually kind of sad. I mean, totally not the motivations that I had expected and it made me like this character even more. Which was surprising, because I freaking love Caldenia anyway – she is all sass, pomp and careful manipulations.
Then, you also get to fit another piece of the puzzle into just what happened to Dina’s parents. There are still SO many unanswered questions. And probably actually created a few more unanswered ones if I’m being honest. But, I finally feel like there is progress as to just what is going on in the background of the innkeeper world. The big mysteries continue, making me need to dive in again and again to this series… I’ll just have to continue doing rereads until the next one is published.
Although you do spend the whole time wondering just who from the Alien Bachelor is going to win, you also spend about half of that time wondering just who it is that’s trying to kill the bachelor. My first impressions are often fairly spot on in these instances and I thought I would be able to guess exactly what was going on… I was wrong on literally every single account. I loved that my first impressions were basically universally incorrect, and it makes me want to read this again all that much more. Now that I know the true motivations for characters, I want to see if I can pick up on all of these nuances!
Yet another book that I absolutely loved and can’t wait to read again. I also love that it gave a little bit of closure to the George and Sophie story and gave us a little bit more time with Gaston. I loved these characters in the other Innkeeper books and The Edge series.
I really love the whole idea of an innkeeper specific holiday. I mean, most religions have something similar. And then there’s the fact that it falls just after Christmas (which in One Fell Sweep meant quite a bit to Dina). Then there’s the fact that it’s based on the first innkeepers and that the three main individuals who were present at their first lunch managed to be present at Dina’s celebration.
The idea of a warrior, pilgrim and philosopher being in the inn at the same time, some of whom wanted to eat each other was fun. I also loved that this novella also introduced me to a whole slew of new alien peoples. Particularly the Koo-ko (who we get the pleasure of spending time with again in Sweep of the Heart).
I also love that, where at the end of One Fell Sweep, Sean and Dina finally start to take the steps into their new relationship. Then, as this novella unfolds, they start to actually ease into the daily activities and nuances of a relationship. That, and the fact that they are acting as innkeepers together. Sean’s approach was definitely more my speed and happiness.
The illustrations in this just help to expand on the images that parade through my mind. Although, admittedly, when I showed my partner some of the illustrations, he was incredibly confused. Just how I like it.
It took me a little while to actually realise that G.A. Aiken and Shelly Laurenston are one and the same. But, when I did, I dived right into the one Aiken book that I have on my shelves. And boy, I was not disappointed. This was of a totally different flavour to the shapeshifter romances that I’ve read so far, but it was just as good. A little darker, a little less sassy. Just as much fun.
Fearghus and Annwyl are absolutely wonderful characters. You feel connected to both of them from the very beginning. And, honestly, I just loved their names. There was something about the names that gave you hints as to who the characters are, without being painfully obvious. Then you add in their titles which they’ve earnt, and it all just… rolls off the tongue.
I love that as Annwyl is falling in love with Fearghus, she’s falling in love with both aspects of his being. She falls in love with the brain and the wit of her dragon companion, but lust with his human seeming. In fact, it’s that intellectual connection that ends up being the strongest of the relationship and makes you fall in love with this partnership again and again as you turn the pages. Annwyl is also the perfect companion, a fiery, feisty woman in her own right. One who isn’t afraid to go up against a dragon. The blood, gore and fury throughout this story is freaking brilliant. I love how violent the whole tale is, even if it’s primarily a romance. There is just so much fighting. Not only in Annwyl’s fight to claim the crown, but also just in the little squabbles and difficulties along the way. Annwyl’s ability to terrify men and face up to death made me fall seriously in love with her. And then there’s the whole idea of the claiming, it was definitely a painful sounding process, but I love how it worked. And I look forward to seeing how Fearghus’ other siblings go about this process…
Although, chronologically, this novella takes place before Dragon Actually, it is most definitely best read after reading the first novel in this series. It gives a lot more context to the Claiming and also the obsession with chains throughout. Honestly, it just makes the whole storyline that much funnier when you realise how the children of this couple turn out.
I enjoyed Rihannon in Dragon Actually, she was definitely a nutty and off-kilter dragon queen. And her consort, whilst kind of an aggressive idiot, was also a fun character. Reading about their “courtship” just had me falling even more in love with them both. And just this whole series in general.
This whole series so far has been filled with kick ass, strong, fantastic women. And Rihannon is no different. It’s a nice reminder that even those of us who are somewhat volatile and passionate, can find someone who actually admires that strength. I tend to be volatile, this makes me feel a whole lot better about finding someone to put up with my little moments of… let us call them passion.
Although I loved this whole novella, the bit that stuck out the most to me and had me laughing quite a bit towards the end was when it came to what Fearghus and his siblings did to their brothers tail. You hear the story in Dragon Actually, it is SO MUCH funnier in Chains and Flames.
It’s always interesting to see how a story will drop you right into the action. In the case of Wicked Ways, this novella starts off with a date gone wonderfully, horrifyingly wrong. Like, seriously bad. But then, because it’s paranormal romance, it gets better and better. Leaving you with a smile on your face and a bit of a spring in your step. I absolutely loved reading this and it’s definitely moved some of my Cynthia Eden books to the top of my TBR priority… until the next amazing story that I read.
I love that as Miranda starts to fall for a shifter man, she is able to accept all of him. There is no gentleness in his Otherness, and she is able to take that on board and just… enjoy his company. I’m all for love stories that involve completely accepting your other half for all of their flaws. Miranda just takes that a step further as she accepts him for all of his… claws.
This novella is a great romantic suspense, with shapeshifters and vampires thrown in. At it’s heart, it’s really a story of two people falling in love as they hunt down a serial killer and sociopath (or is it a psychopath, I get my paths mixed up). The fact that the killer is a vampire and the man hunting him is a cat shapeshifter adds to the drama, blood and adrenaline. But, it’s still a pretty simple and fun romantic suspense novella.
Wicked Ways is yummy and fun. It was a wonderful novella that I thoroughly enjoyed for the steaminess and action. I definitely loved the drama and look forward to more of this in the future of my Cynthia Eden reading.
I’ve read a Cynthia Eden story before, a little while ago. But just the one, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with this novella. Likewise, after reading the blurb for this tale, I thought I had an inkling of what I was going to enter into. None of these things prepared me for the story I got. And it was completely epic for that fact. I seriously loved this and had a great time reading through this novella.
There is a whole lot of betrayal and treachery throughout this story. The turns and the deceits happened so quickly that I got to a point I was expecting it with each turn of the page. I most definitely had a beating heart throughout this tale. And it most definitely made my poor heart hurt for both Gage and Kayla – they so obviously care for one another, but are also constantly thrown into the path of some seriously horrible drama.
Gage and Kayla work wonderfully as a couple, although Gage does spend most of this story underestimating her, and then getting his butt kicked. I love that Kayla is able to go toe to toe with Gage in every moment that he underestimates her. It made me smile and laugh. I love a strong woman who is able to stand up for herself and take people to task for underestimating them.
To add to the drama and heartbreak throughout this story, there is Kayla’s brother and the past trauma that they both experienced. You spend the whole time hoping that Kayla and Gage find their happily ever after, but also hoping that Kayla is able to find that with her own brother. And the two seem to be mutually exclusive conditions…
Earth and Skye 