Tag Archives: Paranormal Romance

Blood Feud by Patti O’Shea

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Blood Feud
Author: Patti O’Shea
Series: Blood Feud #1
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 26th April 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: No matter what, Isobel would remain safe tonight.

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Synopsis

Isobel was forced to walk away from her lover years ago. But, now, a twist of fate, or maybe something more has thrust them back together again as they rush to find a killer and save their races from war.

Thoughts

There are a few books in my shelves that deal with demons. But not many. So, finding a new series that features (I think) demons, vampires and a heavy dose of paranormal romance was really exciting. Especially since the writing and the characters were incredibly enjoyable, and they come to the storyline already laden with burdens of the past.

I thought that this was going to be a fairly typical paranormal romance story. Two individuals are investigating a series of deaths, meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. That was until I found out that there is a lot of history between the two leads. Which both upped the stakes and also meant that there was no certainty of a happily-ever-after. After all, it is incredibly difficult to get over the past when you’ve been hurt by it before…

Sometimes I love when a short story begins (or takes place in) a series. Sometimes, I kind of hate it. This is one of those kind of hate it moments… I absolutely adored this short story, but won’t have the chance to buy the next tale in this series for a little while. I’m currently on a book buying ban… so now I’m just frustratedly waiting until I am allowed to buy books again…

 <- Into the Mist For Ever ReviewLove Bites Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

My Lady of the Hearth by Storm Constantine

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for sirens and other daemon lovers book cover

Title: My Lady of the Hearth
Author: Storm Constantine
In: Sirens and Other Daemon Lovers (Ellen Datlow & Terri Windling)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal fantasy, Paranormal romance, Twisted romance
Dates read: 7th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: EOS
Year: 1998
5th sentence, 74th page: In time, during our lovemaking I too began to make the sounds and Simew displayed her approval with purrs.

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Synopsis

He has the best of the world – looks, intelligence and a great big estate. Yet, something seems to be constantly lacking from his life. That is, until his feline companion becomes something much more thanks to the dark gift of a goddess.

Thoughts

This short story was quite uncomfortable to say the least. It was a really interesting tale. Certainly, one that I enjoyed reading… but not one that I felt… comfortable about at the end. After all, the romance is between a man and his cat-turned-woman. And although it could have been considered a love story, I just couldn’t get the idea that the woman in the story started out as a cat.

The first story in any anthology tends to set the tone for the rest of the collection. Even if it is of a different theme or tone than many of the other stories in the book. So, I found it quite interesting that this series started with passions that weren’t quite natural. A story about being spurned by the people you are surrounding yourself with and accepted by those that have always been there.

This story was also about respect. The protagonist willingly takes Simew into his life, bed and home. Knowing exactly who and what she was, he still chose to marry her and keep her by his side. Yet, when she didn’t perform exactly as he wished (catching a mouse in your mouth will probably make most people a little upset), he starts to pull away from her. Which is a great reminder of how we should treat the people we love – even if they aren’t quite able to fit into the perfect world view that we have of our lives.

<- Sirens and Other Daemon LoversThe Faerie Cony-catcher ->

Image source: Goodreads

High Stakes by Erin McCarthy

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover high stakes erin mccarthy

Title: High Stakes
Author: Erin McCarthy
Series: Vegas Vampires #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Romance, Vampires
Dates read: 9th April 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: Did you have a pleasant flight to Nevada?

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Synopsis

From the USA Today bestselling author of Bled Dry comes a vampire-meets-girl story about lust and love in the city that never sleeps – except during daylight: Las Vegas…

He’s a bloodsucking freak of nature. But, unlike other politicians, Ethan Carrick is a nice guy – and a hot, casino-owning vampire. It’s election year for vamps, which means he’ll first have to escape his opponent’s hit men and then find a First Lady, like the smart and sweet Brittany Baldizzi. But when her protective sister, Alexis, steps in with a message for Ethan – Bite me – he realizes it’s no-nonsense Alexis who raises his stake. And as much as she denies it, she wouldn’t mind a romp in a coffin with him. But can a mere mortal make a centuries-old womanizer feel something new?

Thoughts

I have had a bad month. I needed something fun and happy to read. So I picked up High Stakes. And it was just amazing! I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t get my mind off of the story. I can’t wait to open the pages of Bit the Jackpot. It was all just so cute and easy. A great, fun read to sink my teeth into (pun intended) when the world around me just isn’t quite working the way I want it to.

I’m not the kind of woman that most people would consider “traditionally beautiful and appealing”. I have average good looks and my personality is full of stubborn, difficult ticks. Especially when I’ve decided that I don’t want to do something. Which meant that I related very, very well to Alexis. The fact that she has a leggy, outgoing and social sister who tends to attract attention frequently just makes me relate all the more strongly to the lead female. The fact that Ethan decides to choose the difficult, non-traditional woman over the more outwardly suitable one… I thought it was just sweet. It shows that we don’t always need what we think we want in life. And that those little surprises that get you are the ones that make life fun and perfect.

Las Vegas features in so many TV shows and stories about America. It seems to be one of those destinations that everyone has been to or wants to go to on a messy weekend. Yet, this is the first story or series that I have read which is based in this town. It brings a whole less seedy side to light and makes it a lot more understandable why people like to travel here for a bit of fun. At least, for me. The use of romance to sit against the flashiness of L.A. works beautifully and helps to highlight the intensity and fun of each storyline.

If you’re single and alone, this is maybe not the best book to read. It’s just so damn cute and coupley… I was home alone the night that I read this and it definitely made me miss my partner. I may have started ringing him to hurry home, just so I could get an affectionate cuddle and kiss.

 <- Undead Man’s Hand ReviewBit the Jackpot Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Blood and Thyme by Camille Bacon-Smith

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Blood and Thyme
Author: Camille Bacon-Smith
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Food, Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 10th April 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: It turned out she liked working here.

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Synopsis

She’s the chef that could help him save his business. But, when he realises just how much she means to him, he’s not sure if he should risk his life or his livelihood first.

Thoughts

This was kind of cute. It’s not the first time that I’ve come across a story about a genetic vampire (rather than one that has been unwillingly changed), but it is probably the first one that featured entertainment and food so strongly. Actually, weirdly enough, it made me want to do a bit of cooking when I finished this story. After all, the lead female is a chef and the lead male almost gives up his life to make sure that he does have a great chef in his damn kitchen…

The sexuality in this short story was seriously damped down in comparison to some of the other paranormal romance stories that I’ve been reading lately. Which was kind of nice. It still had that component to it, but it was the first moments of courtship that really took centre stage. Those moments when there is almost no touching, but a lot of glances and curiosity about one another. Considering this is found in a whole collection of vampire romances, it was nice to have one romance that was a lot more cute, and a lot less sexual to balance out the intensity of some of the other tales.

 <- Deliver Us From Evil ReviewInto the Mist For Ever Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Burning Up by Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra & Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
burning-up

Title: Burning Up
Author: Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra & Meljean Brook
In: Burning Up (Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 30th January – 4th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: Ria opened her mouth to reply but something made her turn to the doorway.

Synopsis

Passion runs as hot as a fever dream in these all-new stories by four New York Times bestselling provocateurs of the paranormal…

In Angela Knight’s Blood and Roses, a vampire warrior and his seductive captor join forces to stop a traitor from unleashing an army of demonic predators on their kingdom.

New in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series is Whisper of Sin, in which a woman in lethal danger finds an unlikely protector – and lover – in a volatile member of the DarkRiver pack.

Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in Shifting Sea, the story of a wounded soldier rescued by a strange and enigmatic young woman.

Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series with Here There Be Monsters, as a desperate woman strikes a provocative – and terrifying – bargain to gain overseas passage.

Thoughts

I’ve had this collection sitting on my shelf for ages. I just haven’t gotten around to reading it… until now. And now I’m wondering why I took so long to sink my literary teeth in… I already had the Psy-Changeling series, but now I have another three paranormal romance series to obsess over… when they eventually arrive on my doorstep.

The themes and paranormal characters in this collection of four novellas run the gambit. There’s a steampunk tale with pirates, a romance with a leopard shapeshifter and one with vampires and their battles. The romances are instantaneous and involve a lot of running away… the only thing that these four novellas really have in common is the fact that they are all intense, fun and have a good ending. Although, maybe not good stories to read when you have to sleep alone….

 <- Here There Be MonstersWhisper of Sin ->

Image source: Nalini Singh

Deliver Us From Evil by Dina James

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: Deliver Us From Evil
Author: Dina James
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 1st April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: How had he found her, and how had he gotten in here?

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Synopsis

He lost his soul generations ago, but a chance encounter with a symbol in a psychics shop could turn everything around for him. Help him find his way back home to his family.

Thoughts

This play on a soulless vampire was quite good. Normally when stories focus on the lack of soul in a vampire, it is either to excuse his evil, or to set him on a journey to find that which he has lost. And isn’t it funny that it normally features a male in these stories…? This tale took a slightly different take on the idea. The vampire was still soulless and searching for something that he couldn’t remember searching for. But, when he found it, it wasn’t his soul, it was a whole other mythos which helped him find his peace and salvation. And more, importantly, to find his way back to his family.

I like Mary in this story (she goes by a few different variations of the name throughout, but I like the name Mary the most). She is forced into situations that she doesn’t really like. And there is a level of complex vulnerability to her. Yet, she still manages to show her back bone throughout the tale. Every time she is backed into a corner and feels so obviously uncomfortable, she digs deep, sticks her feet in and pushes right back. Something that I admire more than a woman who can actually fight her way out of every situation in some circumstances… after all, it’s a little bit more relatable and tough to be fierce when you can’t actually defend yourself.

 <- Perdition ReviewBlood and Thyme Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Here There Be Monsters by Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for here there be monsters meljean brook book cover

Title: Here There Be Monsters
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas #0.5
In: Burning Up (Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Pirates, Steampunk romance
Dates read: 31st March – 4th April 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: Her laugh left him as full and light as an airship.

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Synopsis

Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series with BB Here There Be Monsters BB, as a desperate woman strikes a provocative – and terrifying – bargain to gain overseas passage.

Thoughts

I can’t stop thinking about this novella! It combines steampunk, pirates and romance. There is so much passion, humour and grit to the tale. Not only is it impossible to put down, it is also impossible to forget. I might have ordered most of the books in the series when I was only halfway through, but I still have to wait for the dang things…

I have a slight fascination with pirates, have since I was a kid – it always seemed so free. But, as I grew up, I realised that they weren’t that romantic, and women had pretty much no rights. So I kind of love the fact that I get to read a series about pirates that is based in a steampunk world. A world where women have their own places and the ability to work. It’s not to say that there isn’t a fight to gain respect, but at least there’s more of a chance to be something beyond a mistress in the steampunk world.

Ivy and Mad Machen are a fun mix. But, what I love the most about this storyline is that Ivy is able to grow. She starts off timid and unsure, unable to truly understand her worth and value. It isn’t until the end that she is fully grown into herself, but this all happens around Machen. Alright, a little bit because of him, but mostly Ivy’s growth is Ivy’s journey, he just gets to go along for the ride…

 <- The Blushing Bounder ReviewThe Iron Duke Review ->
Image source: Amazon

The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the blushing bounder meljean brook book cover

Title: The Blushing Bounder
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas #0.4
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Pirates, Steampunk romance
Dates read: 25th April 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Ahead of them, she saw the springing machine, bounding, bounding, bounding beneath the roof of the striped tent.

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Synopsis

While the search for a killer puts Constable Newberry’s life in danger, he faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

Thoughts

This is a fun little short story, and it provides a great background into the idea of bounders in the realm of The Iron Seas. Constable Newberry seems to be kind of a bastard at the beginning. One that tricked a woman into marrying him for the worst possible reasons. And one that you kind of want his come-uppance to happen to.

But then you start to get glimpses of the man (all told from the point of view of his wife, Temperance). And you start to realise that he’s actually not the douche you thought he was. Rather, he’s kind of a giant, loveable red head with the tendency to blush whenever he’s uncomfortable.

I love that in the beginning I viewed Constable Newberry as a villain, but by the end of the story, he was an incredibly sweet man and one that I can’t wait to know more about. Which is perfect, because he features in The Iron Duke alongside Mina, the female lead.

 <- The Blacksmith ReviewHere There Be Monsters Review ->
Image source: Meljean Brook

Weddings from Hell by Maggie Shayne, Jeaniene Frost, Terri Garey & Kathryn Smith

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for weddings from hell book cover

Title: Weddings From Hell
Author: Maggie Shayne, Jeaniene Frost, Terri Garey & Kathryn Smith
In: Weddings From Hell (Maggie Shayne, Jeaniene Frost, Terri Garey & Kathryn Smith)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 5th February – 27th March 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Harper Fiction
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: He was Ian.

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Synopsis

Some marriages are made in heaven… Some are not.

What happens when “the happiest day of your life” turns into a nightmare? Forget the drunken best man or the bridesmaid dresses from the ’80s… none of these wedding day disasters can compare to a cursed bride determined to make it down the aisle, or a vampire who is about to disrupt you wedding.

Thoughts

My best friend is getting married this year. Which made it feel like kind of a fun time to read this collection of four wedding themed novellas. After all, I get to be a bridesmaid, and this collection will definitely put into light the ways in which things can go seriously and drastically wrong. Especially since none of these things are going to happen at her wedding.

I was honestly expecting these to be four novellas about a couple getting married and things going drastically wrong for them. Instead, it was four tales of mayhem and magic where the weddings just happened to be the backdrop event, or, in some cases, the instigating event. It made the storylines so much less predictable and just that much more fun…

 <- The Wedding Knight ReviewTill Death Review ->
Image source: Harper Collins

Shifting Sea by Virginia Kantra

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
burning-up

Title: Shifting Sea
Author: Virginia Kantra
Series: Children of the Sea #3.5
In: Burning Up (Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, Mermaids, Paranormal romance
Dates read: 29th March 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: “That’s why we came,” Hobson said.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in BB Shifting Sea BB, the story of a wounded soldier rescued by a strange and enigmatic young woman.

Thoughts

I like the switch from selkies to finfolk in this short story. It helps build upon the storyline of the past, but also to open up a whole new avenue in this series. Or at least, that’s how it kind of felt to me. (I haven’t actually read Sea Lord yet, but I know who it’s about). And Shifting Sea jumps from the modern day to the 1800s, featuring a different group of powerful children of the sea.

I really enjoyed reading about Morwenna and Jack. They had this gorgeous Scottish Highland fling that kind of made my heart melt a little. It was just such a beautiful concept, a beautiful setting and a fantastic romance. The fact that there was treachery and confusion sprinkled throughout this novella just made it all that harder to put down.

I loved this beautiful Celtic romance. It was kind of stunning and just set against a great backdrop. It was hard not to imagine yourself swept away in this situation. Hard not to imagine the world in which these individuals found themselves.

 <- Blood and Roses ReviewHere There Be Monsters Review ->
Image source: Nalini Singh