20 on the cover
contents March/April 2015
columns 41 The Scrying Eye
LOST CHILDREN, LOST INNOCENCE, LOST PICTURES AND LOST WORDS
55 Ali B. and the Forty Spaceships
stories 25
NO ONE EVER GOT A PRIZE FOR SECOND PLACE, BUT WITH SO MANY SEQUELS AROUND...
71 The Heat Diva
AN AUTHOR’S MIND
99 Chic Trends in Romance KEEP YOUR HEART POUNDING WITH ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
125 Hot Hunks of History
MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL: THOMAS BECKET AND HENRY II
137 Forever Young THRILL ME
genres 39 MYSTERY & SUSPENSE 53 SCI-FI/FANTASY & PARANORMAL 69 EROTIC & SENSUAL 97 CONTEMPORARY & ROMANCE
33
BTS GOES HOLLYWOOD Robyn Peterman
features 47 Kelly M. Hudson 51 Diane Bator 88 Kathryn Kelly 91 Caridad Pineiro 92 Nicole Morgan 95 Becky McGraw 121 Susan Griscom
123 HISTORICAL & WESTERN 135 YOUNG ADULT plus
on the website
Blogging 101 with Babs Hightower Karen’s Writing Detours with Karen Albright Lin Science News for Writers with Jim Fisher
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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BTS Book Reviews
LLC
Your Guide to Great Reading
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Executive Coordinator Myra Nour Executive Designer Dawn Seewer Promotions Director Babs Hightower Promotions Assistant Melanie Executive Assistant Babs Hightower Marketing Director Kayla Lords Newsletter Editor Jo Gafford Production Assistant/ Designer Cyrene Olson Editor Sheri Kraft Associate Editor Kellyann Zuzulo Author Liaison Diane Bator Yahoo Promotions/ Ad Coordinator Simon Nour Promotions Assistant Char Chaffin Triberr Team Amber Easton Keta Diablo Barbara Bradley
Social Media Amberr Meadow Review Coordinator Heather Powers Review Assistant Bea Connors Babs Hightower Reviewers Sasha Hibbs Olga Núñez Miret Kim Patten Tina Huey Brittany Hale Leigh Warner Sarah Ryan Tiffany Moorman Jamie Crosby Karen Fainges Kristy Grissom Stacie Carrier Christie Mitchum Shannon Ferguson Cassandra Graham Susan Frances Tammy Thompson Heather Lewis Arushi Raj Rejoice Denhere Mindy Gomer Sally A. Wolf Nathifa Swan Toni James Leigh Warner Hollywood Interviewer Danita Minnis
Columnists Karen Albright Lin Alex Bardy Sandra Bunino Christy English Jim Fisher BJ Gaskill Babs Hightower Kelly Hudson Nicole Morgan Kellyann Zuzulo
No material in this magazine can be used or copied without BTS or the author’s permission. © Copyright 2014. BTSeMag, BTS Book Reviews, All Rights Reserved. By submitting material to BTS Book Reviews or its affiliates, authors certify they own the rights to all published information.
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Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
11
From the Desk of
Myra Nour BTS CEO
New Website:
Public submissions for Book Reviews reopens:
Dawn redid the website beautifully and followers of BTSeMag have responded with excitement!
Submissions are open March 1st to the public. To submit visit: http://btsemag.com/bookreviews/ request-a-review/ Cover Sales: All 2015 covers are sold out! Get yours for 2016 before they are all gone! http://btsemag.com/ advertising/cover-sales/ New Staff Members:
“Love the new look.” “Very easy to navigate.” “The large banner is nice.” “I like the fact that the magazine is near the top and you don’t have to scroll down to see it.” Changes to Magazine Layout: Starting with the March/April issue, the length of the emag will be cut back to the 160-page range. We decided to try something new in order for every genre in the magazine to be viewed in a prominent spot in different issues. In this issue we have moved the Mystery/Thriller section as the first genre to be viewed in the emag. Every issue, we’ll move a different genre to the front end of the magazine. Important update for the 2016 Red Carpet Award Presentation: We will be holding the Red Carpet Book Awards during The Novel Experience convention in Atlanta in 2016. Details: http://romanceink.org/ We are thrilled to be a part of such an exciting con. Stella Price welcomed us to become a part of her convention experience.
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I’d like to welcome our Video Coordinator, Lady Soliloque, who is creating lovely videos highlighting different areas of the emag each week. You can find them on YouTube and our home page. Talented bloggers and reviewers, Melanie & Andi of Fang Freakin’ Tastic Reviews, will be joining us as our first team members for reviews. You will find their BTS reviews & blogger reviews under the PNR, S/F & Fantasy genre area starting in May. Melanie also joins us as Promotions Assistant to Babs, Promotions Director. I met Melanie recently at Coastal Magic and was impressed with her enthusiasm in helping authors promote their work. Updates to Staff: Babs Hightower is Myra’s new Executive Assistant.
| Industry Insider |
Publisher Spotlight Looking for some fantastic reads? Check out the wonderful books these publishers have waiting for you!
14 | btsemag.com
| Industry Insider |
Publisher Evernight Publishing - /www.evernightpublishing.com We’re looking for new and established authors to join Evernight Publishing. We are currently accepting completed manuscript submissions of 8,000 to 100,000 words in all sub-genres of romance and erotic romance, as well as some urban fantasy. We are also seeking fresh teen fiction that is raw, gritty, and real for our upper Young Adult imprint, Evernight Teen. We want teen romance, coming-of-age stories, and cutting-edge fiction that today’s young adults can relate to. The stories should have real issues, a strong emotional punch, and a plot to keep the reader turning the pages. Please refer to Evernight and Evernight Teen submissions guidelines for more information. Totally Bound - www.totallybound.com Totally Bound delivers ‘A list’ escapism for readers who love Erotic Romance fiction. We are the go-to destination for deliciously good stories that put a smile on readers’ faces and a spring in their steps. We are currently actively acquiring manuscripts of 10k to 100k in the following genres: MM Suits, World Wars, MF historical, MF cowboy and western, MM shifter detectives, MF and MM BDSM bikers, MM vampire cowboys. Our imprints are also always open for submissions: What’s her Secret? – MF contemporary, What’s his Passion – MF contemporary and Totally Five Star – all pairings. We are still accepting manuscripts in our usual genres which can be found on our publisher site. http://www.totallyboundpublishing.com/ submissions/submission-calls/ BookWhirl Publishing - www.bookwhirl.com BookWhirl Publishing offers a wide range of marketing and publishing services to self-published authors of an equally wide variety of genres. Noted for our high-quality output, we strive to provide the best services at the most affordable rate. We take pride in our commitment to empower authors all around the world by offering complete digital publishing solutions and highly-effective online book marketing tools. We believe that your hard work and talent in writing is meant to be shared with the world. Our goal is to make you successful in
your craft by getting you the exposure and recognition you deserve. Let our team of experienced online publishers and marketers help you meet your self-publishing goals. Start your publishing journey with us now! Decadent Publishing- www.decadentpublishing.com The Black Hills Wolves “shared world” shapeshifter series is going strong and we release one story/week from that line. We also have a shared world sub-series that spun off from the 1NS line. It is set in Las Vegas at the BDSM-themed Carnivore Club and Madame Eve is one of the primary owners of the club. Loose Id - www.loose-id.com Loose Id is always accepting submissions from new, unagented, and agented authors. After ten years in business, we have a sterling reputation with authors, agents and readers. Our editing, cover art, author development process, and marketing is unparalleled. We accept all subgenres of romance and heat levels from spicy on up. In particular, we’re currently looking for multicultural, romantic suspense, New Adult, LGBTTQA, and BDSM. If you have a strong story with sizzling chemistry between the romantic leads, we want to hear from you! In sales and distribution news, Loose Id has partnered with Google to get all of our titles into Google Play store. Additionally, our books are now available for pre-order at many sites; pre-order at www.loose-id.com should be available for your holiday shopping. We’re also offering select series in e-box sets at significantly reduced rates; in most cases only at www.loose-id.com. Soul Mate Publishing - www.soulmatepublishing.com Soul Mate Acquiring Editors Char Chaffin and Cheryl Yeko have a few busy months ahead for SMP: In addition to participating in Savvy Authors’ recent PREPARE, PITCH AND PUBLISH event, Char and Cheryl also participated in CoffeeTime Romance’s recent Industry Chat, in February. Char and Cheryl will be attending the upcoming RT Convention in Dallas, from May 12-17. They’ll be taking pitches during the regular pitch event as well as Pitch-a-Palooza, and are hosting a Spotlight on Soul Mate Publishing. During Pre-Con, they’re participating in an editor panel for Boot Camp on Tuesday, May 12.
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
15
Upcoming
| Industry
2015 Conve
The Novel Experience April 3-5, 2015 Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas NV http://novelexperienceevent.org/ 2015 AWP Conference & Bookfair April 8 - 11, 2015 Minneapolis , MN https://www.awpwriter.org/awp_conference/schedule_overview Romancing the Capital (RTC2015) April 17th & 18th, 2015 Ottawa, Canada http://orc.evelanglais.com Carolinas Writers Conference April 18, 2015 Wadesboro, N.C. http://www.carolinaswritersconference.org/ 2015 Las Vegas Writer’s Conference April 23-25, 2015 http://writing.shawguides.com/2015la svegaswritersconference Kauai Writers Conference May 1-3, 2015 http://www.kauaiwritersconference. com/
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Insider |
entions Austin Authors Affair May 22-24, 2015 Renaissance Hotel, Austin TX http://austinauthoraffair.blogspot. com/ 2015 DFW Writers Conference July 24-26, 2015 Dallas, TX https://classic.regonline. com/register/checkin. aspx?eventid=1551122
Indie Romance Convention (IRC) October 13-18, 2015 Mackinac Island, MI http://www.eventbrite. com/e/2015-indie-romanceconvention-grand-hotel-ticketstickets-12194464973
Author & Reader Con
July 30th - August 1st, 2015 New Orleans, LA http://www.authorreadercon.com/ Including: BTS Red Carpet Book Awards! Authors After Dark August 12-17, 2015 Sheraton, Atlanta GA http://www.authorsafterdark.org/ index.html
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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Author & Reader Con 2015
FEATURING AUTHORS:
Author & Reader Con
July 30th - August 1st, 2015
2nd ARC NOLA Con and Book Signing
Quinn Loftis
Plus, the BTS Red Carpet Book Awards! - Enjoy the tours and fun of the French Quarter with the authors - Speed Date the authors - BTS E-Magazine Red Carpet Awards - Book Signing - Games - Hollywood Ball FUN FUN FUN! Visit AuthorReaderCon.com to register now! Authors - $125.00 Includes entire weekend with 1/2 table for book signing!
Readers - $15 Includes entire weekend access!
Keynote Speaker: Abbi Glines
V.A. Dold
author and creator of ARC
Donna Michaels
Myra Nour
author and CEO of BTSeMag
and many more!
Visit AuthorReaderCon.com to find out more and register online!
BILL BITETTI
20 | btsemag.com
An Interview with Bill Bitetti
author of distinct psychological/international thrillers When did you consider yourself a writer? I considered myself a writer when I started writing poems, while studying at the university. Since I am a helpless romantic my first poems were an expression of love for a particular coed who was then the object of my affection. The poems seemed to be a natural response to my overwhelming desire to reveal the innermost thoughts and feelings that were begging to be expressed. However, my need to write soon became an obsession. I began to write short stories soon thereafter. Ultimately, my writing served as a catharsis for feelings that smoldered deep within my restless soul. Thus, I decided to write my first novel Caught In A Hellish Nightmare, while I helplessly watched my beloved wife die a slow agonizing death from breast cancer. I have gone on to write six additional novels. What book do you wish you’d written? The book I wish I had written is how my mother and father, the children of Italian immigrants growing up during the Great Depression, married young and somehow overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their quest to better themselves, raise a family, and live a productive happy life together. Perhaps one day I will find the time to write their story.
What surprised you most when you became published? I recall an interview I read once where the interviewer asked an author what it felt like to be an overnight success. In response, the author had said that he’d been writing for twenty years, so he didn’t consider himself an overnight success. I couldn’t agree with him more…. How do you deal with criticism/rejection? Like anyone else, I frown on criticism if I think the reason for the criticism is not valid. However, rejection is the bane of every artist, anyone who creates must be confronted with the criticism of those who, for one reason or another, find their work unacceptable. My understanding is that rejection is commonplace for anyone aspiring to have their work published. Though every writer must strongly believe that he, or she, has something to say that will appeal to the reading public, or they will ultimately fail. Thus, I firmly believe that we must constantly endeavor if we are to succeed. What are your plans for the future? My plans for the future are to endeavor to have my novels made into movies, by doing so I will be able to reach a much larger audience. A number of movie producers and directors have expressed interest in my novels; however, I have yet to sell the movie rights to any of my novels. Hopefully, that will change in the near future. Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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| Cover Author Showcase |
A Sneak Peak at SWORD OF VENGEANCE by Bill Bitetti
Finding himself imprisoned in a loveless marriage and infuriated by his father’s betrayal of his beloved mother, a handsome successful attorney, John Ireland, Jr, leaves his wife and quits his father’s law firm to pursue the gorgeous young Christiania Tetchenova. In the midst of their steamy affair, John frightfully discovers that Christiania is the mistress of Nicholas Sarkin, a wealthy Atlanta land developer who happens to be an old friend of the head of the Russian Mafia in America, Stefan Krylenko. When Sarkin’s body is found in a bloody heap on the floor of his bedroom stabbed twenty-seven times, John Ireland, Jr. finds himself running from the police in a desperate attempt to prove his innocence.
Chapter One, page one, from Sword of Vengeance: He opened the front door, then slammed it shut with a bang. His pulse was pounding. He knew once his family found out that he’d run away with a married woman, they’d disown him. But it didn’t matter. Whatever was out there had to be better than living in his father’s shadow. Ignominiously, the junior after his name had always made him feel like an appendage. As far back as he could remember, his father had expected him to follow in his footsteps. Why couldn’t his father understand that he didn’t want to take over his prestigious law firm? He was bored to death, and afraid that one day he’d put a bullet in his head to prove it.
Buy it now from BillBitetti.com 22 | btsemag.com
| Bill Bitetti |
Also now available in audio and ebook:
To purchase any of these fantastic books in eBook or Audio format please visit Bill’s website at
BillBitetti.com
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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There was a thundering roar as the landing rockets engaged. A cloud of icy dust rose up, glittering in the blue-white floodlights of the landing zone as the space module touched down on the glacial surface of Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Petra boarded the excursion rover and strapped herself in. The drop from the Jupiter-orbiting space platform had left her a bit queasy. She gripped her stomach with both hands as the immense metal framework around her shook and groaned, the surface ramp descending slowly from the lander module’s keel. The surface rover’s electric engines activated with a purring hum as the atmospheric filter pumps kicked in. Petra’s body lurched against her restraining harness as the rover’s sturdy metallic wheels rolled down the boarding ramp and touched the moon’s surface. The sound of iron grinding against crunching ice filled her ears. She looked through the observation ports and marveled at the beauty of a world whose surface was an undulating plain of pure ice, shimmering with a delicate pinkish sheen. Mighty Jupiter, with its bright, multicolored cloud bands, filled half the sky, sharing it with two other moons. Immense cracks ran the course of Europa’s glassy surface all the way to the gently sloping horizon. Faintly visible in the distance were the black towers of the atmospheric processing plants, freeing oxygen from the ice below. Directly ahead was the brightly lit metallic tower, which was the lift platform leading into the excavation shaft. Petra winced and covered her ears against the deafening clatter of metal grinding against metal as the rover’s wheels made contact with the lift platform. The rover came to a dead stop. Suddenly, the ground under her seemed to tremble and sink as hydraulic winches lowered the rover through the giant hole in the ice. A twenty-foot circular bore-
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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| Hunting Ground | hole cut through the Europan ice sheet by a drill the size of a Sherman tank. A gentle mechanical vibration passed through Petra’s body as the giant lift carried her vehicle straight down the long expanse of the shaft. A shaft traversing six miles of solid ice. The exterior light dimmed as the rover’s internal lighting automatically grew brighter to compensate. Petra’s only sense of time was the rover’s thermal indicator, a glowing red line inching steadily higher as the rover descended closer and closer to the moon’s volcanic core. The temperature in the ice shaft mounted until the ice became a liquid sea. The rover’s lights dimmed as the sea outside was illuminated by a cascade of blue-white lights surrounding the huge Plexiglas tube leading into the immense underwater dome of the research base. As the rover rolled through the tube into the airlock, Petra felt a sharp prickling on the back of her neck. The scent of something large and hungry reached her nostrils. She stared into the dark tube ahead of her. She knew it was waiting for her at the other end. Stephen pressed the buzzer outside Petra’s door and spoke into the intercom, identifying himself as the station’s resident exobiologist. The electric door slid open, and there Petra stood, unpacking her belongings on the bed in her quarters. He smiled as he entered. She was lovely. “How do you do,” he said, extending a hand. “Welcome to Europa. I’m Stephen Banks.” “Petra Lupescu,” she said with a slight smile, shaking his hand. A warm, firm grip. Strong for a woman. A graceful hand with long nails. He delicately took her hand to his lips and kissed it. She looked only slightly embarrassed. As it should be. He was good at the game. Right off the bat, he’d detected a slight European accent and knew the old-world manners were the way to go. “Is this your first time off Earth?” he asked. “Why, yes. A fascinating opportunity.” Her dark eyes widened and sparkled a bit. “I’m so excited. I can’t believe I’m actually here!” Exuberance. Youth. He liked that. It would be so easy. Not too soon, he thought. He’d play it out and try to finesse things first. More fun. “I see you’ve made yourself at home,” he remarked absently, strolling about the bed and the
metal table nearby, glancing over the varied items she’d unpacked. You could tell a lot about a person by the articles they traveled with, he thought. This one seemed to have some artistic and scholarly inclinations, judging by the antique, leather-bound books and charcoal sketches she’d left lying about. Odd sketches. Mythological beasts. Centaurs and satyrs. “I see you’re into Greek mythology.” “I’ve studied the mythology of many cultures. A hobby. We’ve much to learn from antiquity.” “Oh, I agree,” he said. Finding an interest was always a surefire means of egress. “Are you familiar with the myth behind the namesake of this moon we’re on?” “Europa? Oh, yes. A Phoenician princess who Zeus lusted for. To ensnare her, he took the shape of a white bull and mingled with her father’s flock. Lulled into a false sense of security by the bull’s seeming gentleness, Europa ventured too close to him. Taking her by surprise, Zeus carried her off to the island of Crete on his back.” He smiled. “Not too bright of Europa, was it?” “Oh, I don’t know,” she said, moving closer to the door, her eyes fixed on him. “Personally, I’ve always felt she knew exactly what she was doing.” Not so naive after all, perhaps. Pretty and smart. This might be a challenge, after all. He moved toward her. “I do still have a bit of unpacking to do, Mr. Banks.” “Stephen.” “Stephen. I would also like to brush up on a few of the tech manuals before I start my first duty shift. Why don’t we meet in the monitor room in about one hour, and you can show me the routine?” “Time enough for that later,” he said, stopping about two paces from her and glancing over the gentle curve of her throat as it met her collarbone just above the unfastened top catch of her blue work coverall. “I thought we might become acquainted. Since we’ll be working together so closely over the next few months . . . why postpone the inevitable? You are beautiful.” He stroked her hair, running his fingers through the long, dark strands. She stepped away from him and pressed the wall button that opened the door. As the steel hatch slid open, she stood beside the open portal, staring coldly at him. “Shy?” he asked. “I think you’d better go,” she said with tension in
| Tom Olbert | her voice, pointing at the security camera on the ceiling, which was watching them and compiling computer memory files even now. He glanced up at the little spy machine, sighed in frustration, and left. “Round one to her,” he mused darkly as he walked out into the white-tiled corridor and heard the door slide shut behind him. Perhaps he’d moved too soon. But, no matter. He’d wear her down little by little, like a wolf wearing down a deer for the kill. And, if she wouldn’t surrender to him willingly . . . there was always the alternative. He trembled with anticipation as he stepped into the lift. He honestly couldn’t decide which option would bring him greater satisfaction. Petra entered the monitor room, her hair now fastened in a knot behind her head and the collar of her coverall now buttoned up to her neck as she strode indifferently past him and seated herself at one of the monitor stations. “Hello again,” he said. “Here for the grand tour?” She kept her eyes on the instrument panel in front of her, not facing him as he stood. “I see you’re concentrating your probes on the northwest and eastern quadrants of the reef,” she remarked casually, punching up the database search on the computer terminal in front of her and calling up the coordinates of the deployed robot probes. “There’s plenty to see in those sectors. You just missed a fascinating spectacle. A school of Othello squid taking down a reef dancer. Let me play it back for you.” She sighed. “Waste of time. The life cycle of that species has already been documented. We should focus our attention on the southern sector. According to your computer files on the last seismic readings, it looks like a new volcanic vent has just opened there. We should be recording the change in water temperature in that sector as well as any resulting chemical changes and effects on the local sea life. This could tell us a lot about the long-term stability of the reef and its biosphere.” He shook his head. Was this a woman or just a really convincing droid? One way or another, he’d find out. Walking over to the back of her chair, he put his hands on her shoulders and began softly massaging her. Her muscles tightened like steel coils. She was obviously athletic. He liked that type. “Please don’t
do that,” she said in an irritated tone. “You need to relax. All this tension isn’t good for you, you know. It just makes you burn out faster. Loosen up, girl. Here.” He unfastened the catch holding her collar closed, and gently massaged her neck. “Better, eh? Now . . . lie back and put yourself in my hands.” He slipped his hand inside her coverall and touched her breast. She lurched out of the chair. “Get away from me!” Her resistance entertained him, but he felt himself growing impatient. “Enough with the game playing, will you? You know you wanted it.” He reached for her again and she pushed him away, slapping him square and hard across the face. She retreated to the other side of the room. He rubbed his cheek where she’d slapped him. She’d gone too far. She needed to learn the basics. He started toward her. “Stay back,” she warned, anger in her voice. “If you come any closer . . .” “You’ll what? You’re not armed. We’re alone here until the replacement team arrives from Earth three months from now, and there’s no place you can go. There’s nothing below this reef but an ocean of scalding water boiling over a volcanic furnace, nothing above us but six miles of ice, and the nearest cop is about a half a billion miles from here. So, what are you going to do?” “I don’t have to do anything,” she said defiantly. “I know this room is monitored.” She pointed to the security cam on the ceiling and moved toward the center of the room, placing herself squarely in its frame of focus. “Unless you like the idea of a great many men doing to you what you’re trying to do to me, I suggest you start acting like a human being and not some hound in heat.” He scowled at her angry face in contempt. Smug little princess. “What’s the matter with you, anyway? Too chicken to bleed? Or, isn’t your preference for men?” “I’ve never limited myself,” she said in an icy tone. “But, I have no use for spoiled adolescents with overactive glands.” Gritting his teeth and fuming, he clenched a fist and took a step toward her. He stopped himself, remembering the security camera. She just stood and gazed coldly at him with her large, dark eyes.
| Hunting Ground | “Fine. We’ll play this your way.” He strode angrily out of the room. She’d crossed the line. Now, whatever happened, she’d have no one to blame but herself. Completing the security override and hacking into the computer mainframe from the maintenance terminal, Stephen accessed the security camera record files. He knew the computer wouldn’t be transmitting the files to the Jupiter space platform until it orbited into alignment with Europa’s space antenna, and that wasn’t for another four hours. He had plenty of time. Erasing the files was impossible, but he’d surfed the net enough in college to have learned a few handy tricks in modifying visual records. It was just a matter of selectively reshuffling a few bytes of computer memory in combining two entirely different vid records into one. Calling up the video recordings of himself and Petra in her quarters and in the monitor room, he spliced in a few choice reels of bedroom porn a buddy of his had smuggled to him from his favorite adult website. A bit of tinkering . . . a face here pasted onto a disrobing body there, and voilà! He and Petra were suddenly lovers, unquestionably of the mutually consenting variety. Any story she told now would not be believed. Which meant she was his to do with as he pleased until the next shuttle arrived, months from now. As he logged off, Stephen lamented his father’s foolishly naive ideas. His father was an idealist, a gutless pacifist living in a dream world. He’d been that way ever since Stephen’s mother had abandoned them. He’d had to be both mother and father to Stephen. That woman had killed his father’s manhood, he realized. Stephen would never be like that. He would always be master of his own fate. And, of any woman he desired. That was the natural order of things. He grinned eagerly as he strode out of the computer room on his way to Petra’s quarters. His pulse was racing as he pried loose the electrical service panel outside Petra’s quarters and hot-wired the electrical contacts that triggered the door lock. As he cut the insulation away from the two live wires and touched them together, there was
a small blue spark and a smell of ozone. The steel hatch slid open. As he stepped into Petra’s quarters and closed the door behind him, he found himself bathed in a lurid blood-red glow radiating from several small lanterns of red-tinted glass in which candles burned. She’d arranged them in a circle around her bed. He tried the overhead lights but found them inoperative. The flickering red light washed over everything, including Petra’s long, dark hair and naked flesh as she sat up in bed looking at him, a sheet pulled up over her breasts. “Get out,” she commanded. “I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you,” he mocked with a vengeful grin. “I’ve altered the vid records and disabled the cameras, so don’t bother threatening me. And, for your own sake, don’t resist me. At least, not too much.” He smiled as he walked toward the bed. He was exhausted, his head tingling as he lay upon her. His face was hot and flushed against her cheek, his body drenched in sweat, his breathing labored. He smiled in cold satisfaction. Feeling something moist against his fingers, he squinted at his hand in the flickering red light and saw it was smeared with fresh blood. He heard a cold guttural laughter and looked down into her eyes, now glowing a hellish red. Her teeth grew long and sharp as needles as her beautiful face warped and twisted before his eyes into something monstrous. He felt long, razor-sharp fingernails slicing through the flesh on his back like knives through cheesecloth as she clawed him. He screamed in agony and pulled away. Her hand raked across his face, ribboning the flesh of one of his cheeks. He stumbled backwards, tripping over one of the lanterns, and fell to the floor. He scrambled to get up, the sounds of anguished human moaning coming from the bed rapidly giving way to inhuman rasping. His every move infuriatingly slow and feeble, he reached the door. He pressed the release button, but nothing happened. He pressed it again and again, the sickening sound of bones and muscles agonizingly stretching and cracking as they changed shape coming from the direction of the bed behind him. His heart beating like a drum, he pounded at the button
| Tom Olbert | and then clawed at the steel hatch, but it was no use. She must have locked it somehow when he’d first come in. A moist slithering sound reached his ears. He heard the sound of claws screeching against the floor tiles. Forcing himself to turn, he gaped in numb horror at the thing on the bed. A writhing mass of coiling black tentacles, it lengthened, peeling off layers of flesh like a snake shedding its skin. Four impossibly long arms reached out, long black fingers extending four-inch curved claws. A huge set of jaws smiled a hungry smile, long, curving white fangs glistening in the red lantern light. Red eyes blazed with fire as it laughed, a long, stinger-like black tongue lashing out. Stephen screamed as the thing slithered off the bed with nightmarish speed and lunged for him like a spider scrambling in its web after a snared fly. As her space shuttle passed over the rings of Saturn, Petra looked out the viewport, admiring the vast concentric circles of glittering ice fields girdling the immense, brightly colored planet. She smiled, licking her lips. Hunting was good here. This species was amusing as well as tasty. Not to mention good breeders. Two thousand years she’d been here and still wasn’t bored. Closing her eyes and leaning back in her flight seat, she ran her hands over the fullness of her breasts, getting the feel of this new body. Opening her eyes, she looked at her face in her compact mirror. Green eyes and red hair. Fetching. Like her last host, it would serve her well. The cloudy yellow globe of Saturn’s moon, Titan, grew in the viewport. The shuttle’s heat shields engaged as the robot pilot was cleared for landing by the Titan base computer. The ship trembled as it descended through Titan’s dense nitrogen atmosphere. As the atmospheric jets engaged and the ship cruised along, Petra could make out the ice caps of towering mountain peaks faintly visible through the thick, blood-red mists shrouding every plain and valley of this cold, forbidding world. As the landing rockets kicked in, Petra could see the metal towers and radio dishes of the research station rising through the dark crimson mists. The shuttle touched down on the landing pad. A hydraulic lift lowered the ship into the subsurface tunnel leading into the base. The massive surface hatch
slid closed above her, and she heard a faint hissing sound as the access bay pressurized. She shouldered her travel kit and prepared to disembark. She suddenly felt a familiar sharp prickling in her flesh and smelled predators close by. The predatory smell grew stronger as she walked down the shuttle’s boarding ramp and through the base airlock. Two young men waited for her on the other side. Their smiles were broad and hungry as they greeted her. “Well, hello,” the one with blonde hair said. “Welcome to Titan Research Station Alpha. I’m Phil Grant.” “And, I’m Tony Sayers,” the dark-haired one said. “Paula Lang,” she said. As she shook hands, Grant took her hand and kissed it. ”I’m sure the three of us are going to get along just fine. Why don’t we show you around?” “I’d like to get settled in first,” she said. “Why don’t you two go on ahead to the monitor room, and I’ll join you shortly.” The two men started down the gray metallic corridor, exchanging sideward glances and private jokes, laughing softly as they walked out of her field of view. “Don’t worry, little one,” she whispered to her unborn daughter. “You and I will both eat heartily very soon.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom Olbert lives in Cambridge, MA. His science fiction and horror fiction have appeared in Mocha Memoirs, Eternal Press, and Musa Publishing as well as such anthologies as In The Bloodstream and Torched . Visit Tom at http://tomolbert. blogspot.com.
Movies | Television | Books | Adaptations
on the RED CARPET
BTS GOES HOLLYWOOD
Featured Videos,
REVIEWS and more
BTS showcases writers and other professionals who bring characters to life through movies & TV.
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 | 33
ROBYN PETERMAN NYT and USA Todaybest selling author
NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Robyn Peterman writes because the people inside her head won’t leave her alone until she gives them life on paper. She writes snarky, sexy, funny paranormal and snarky, sexy, funny contemporaries. Her addictions include laughing really hard with friends, shoes (the expensive kind), Target, Coke Zero Cherry with extra ice in a styrofoam cup, bejeweled reading glasses, her kids, her superhot hubby and collecting stray animals. A former professional actress, with Broadway, film and TV credits, she now lives in the south with her family and too many animals to count. Writing gives her peace and makes her whole, plus having a job where she can work in her underpants works really well for her.
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Interviewed by Danita Minnis
Robyn, the first thing I want to talk about is Astrid, that beautiful vampire with the kick-ass attitude who started your Fashionably Dead, Hot Damn series. Her dry humor is hilarious, and I was laughing from the first page of Fashionably Dead #1. As authors, we get to live out our fantasies. Is this super girl one of yours? Probably. I think most writers are a bit of the characters they write. I adore Astrid and her balls and all her faults. Writing her growth has been a joy. I like her as much now as I did when I started this series! You’re bringing the Hot Damned Series back with Book 4, and I’m sure it will warm up Winter 2015. Can you give us a sneak peek into that world? Sure. We go back to Astrid and Ethan and their Baby Samuel... It’s awesome, sexy and funny and then all hell breaks loose! I luuuurrve writing this series. Here’s the blurb— And I thought being half Vampyre/half Demon was hard . . . That’s nothing compared to being a mother. Sweet baby Moses in a boob tube, there aren’t any books on raising True Immortals so let me give you a few tips... ~Make a map of every closet and bathroom in your home if you enjoy having sex. Sleep deprivation can cause confusion and a map will help if you only have seven minutes and thirty-one seconds. You’re welcome. ~Parenting books are useless if you’re not human. If your child is half Vampyre/ half Demon I would suggest not using parenting books at all—they can backfire like a mother humper. Trust me on this. ~Have sex. ~When your child tells you he has an imaginary friend, do not discount this as fantasy. Often times your child isn’t imagining anything. If he persists with alarming and violent stories about this fictional buddy it’s probably a Troll. Do a thorough search of your home and kill it. Decapitation works best. Some imaginary
friends are harmless. However, it’s wise not to take chances. ~Have sex again. ~When in large crowds, make sure you hold tight to your child’s hand. Losing a child in an amusement park is terrifying. If you’re truly paranoid a parent could consider putting a chip in their child. If you do this don’t discuss it at dinner parties. People will think you are weird. ~At least cuddle. ~Playing with dolls is fun. Being one? No so much. If your child ever finds a Genie in a bottle, flush it immediately. Many children wish for things that are very difficult to reverse . . . like being doll sized. If this happens, move to Oz. There are many people of small stature there. And yes, it really does exist. ~Find a closet and go to town. Essie McGee of the Chicago WTF (as in Werewolf Treaty Federation) is the werewolf heroine of your latest novel Ready to Were, Shift Happens Series, #1. Essie must return to her hometown, Hung Island, on WTF business. We know the fur is going to fly because as you mention in the story, all male werewolves are “hung like horses.” Innuendos abound in this book and really bring your characters to life. Does the actress in you ever interact with your quirky characters to complete a scene? Character building as an author isn’t that much different than character building as an actor for me. I’m not sure how all authors do it, but that makes sense inside my warped brain. I also tend to write very dialogue heavy and I think that stems from having read so many scripts in my life. As a paranormal romance writer, you must spend quite a bit of time in other worlds. If you were living in a paranormal world, which being would you want to be: a vampire, werewolf, or witch? Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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| BTS Goes Hollywood | Would you be a villain, an archangel, or a little of both? On Monday and Wednesday I’d be a vampire. Tuesday and Thursday, werewolf. Friday, a witch. I’d reserve the weekends to shapeshift into all sorts of different things— dragons, lions, Spongebob . . . As far as good guy or bad guy? I’d do both. It’s a hell of a lot of fun to be bad.
For a good time... read Robyn Peterman Just Released!
RobynPeterman.com
ABOUT THE INTERVIEWER Born and raised in the heart of New York City, Danita is a singer, writer and lover of romance. She is the author of The Cardiff Novels, a series about one family’s trials with vengeful demons, a legacy of ghosts and mysterious blood jewels. A member of Romance Writers of America, Danita is currently working on the third novel in the Cardiff series, which introduces the family connection to ancient vampires. One more hour with her laptop and Danita is living the dream - mystery, mayhem, the fantastic and the fey. http://danitaminnis. com
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Coming Summer 2015!
Mystery | Suspense | Thriller | Horrror
BEYOND the EXPECTED
MYSTERY & SUSPENSE
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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trends
reading trends in mystery & more
Scrying EYE The
Kelly Hudson
Lost Children, Lost Innocence, Lost Pictures, and Lost Words Welcome to another edition of The Scrying Eye! Come into the parlor, sit down, and gasp as the curtain is pulled back! Place your gaze upon the swirling crystal ball as the mists part and the future is revealed! Inside you will find tales of mystery, suspense, and horror. They will come in the form of lost children, sassy detectives, illustrated serials, and forgotten tomes of terror! Witness as the Eye opens and reveals all!
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| The Scrying Eye |
Suspense/Mystery Hidden Doors, Secret Rooms by Jamie Eubanks (CreateSpace Publishing—available now) is a thrilling tale of suspense, featuring a mother with a secret that threatens to kill both her and her five-year-old daughter. Jillian Braedon is on the run with her child in the middle of a blizzard; oh, and she’s critically injured, as well. She has to send her daughter, Valerie, off into the storm all alone. Valerie stumbles upon the house of retired musician John Mills, seeking help. Soon, Mills is caught up in the troubles of the endangered mother and daughter and finds he is squaring off against an evil that will silence anyone involved. The story unfolds in classical mystery form, as Mills peels back layer upon layer of the puzzle, each bit revealing more and more about why the FBI are pursuing Jill Braedon and her child. And with each revelation comes more suspense. What is the secret behind Jill Braedon and will this mystery cost John Mills his life? Read on to find out! Veronica Mars: Mr. Kiss and Tell by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham (Veronica Mars, #2, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group—available now) finds our intrepid sleuth embroiled in a new, strange case in the complicated town of Neptune, California. Based on the TV show and movie featuring the character of Veronica Mars, her family, and friends, this new literary series by the creator of the show, Rob Thomas, expands and details the world in which Veronica comes from and lives in. The Neptune Grand is the ritziest hotel in Neptune, where all the rich and famous go to play. When a woman turns up nearly dead and claiming she was assaulted by one of the staff, the hotel turns to Veronica to prove or disprove the case, hoping to save its now-tarnished image. As usual, nothing goes easy, and Veronica finds herself in a whirlwind of mystery and intrigue. If you’re a fan of the show or the movie, you’ll love the books, as we find the smart, sassy, Veronica in fine, fine form.
Horror! The Book of Lies by Paul A. Newman and Various Artists (an ongoing webcomics series) is an interesting idea that further expands not only the realm of horror itself, but comics and graphic novels as well. About every other week, a new horror story is released on the site, free of
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| Kelly Hudson |
charge, featuring an all-new tale of terror illustrated by a different, talented artist. As of now, there are over twenty stories posted with hopefully many more to come. The stories are interesting, the ideas are unique, and there are enough different styles of art to please even the most hardened critic. The best part? It’s free. Go to the site, read the intro, and then delve in whichever story appeals to you the most. And drop a note to Mr. Newman and let him know how he’s doing. This is horror comics at the cutting edge. Detours edited by Brian James Freeman (Cemetery Dance—available May 23, 2015) is an intriguing scrapbook of lost and interesting artifacts. Sometimes when authors write books, they will take a detour. This can amount to a cut chapter from the final work, an essay about the origins of said work, a connecting short story, or any other sort of oddity that gets chopped from the work itself and left to the side, never to be seen again. Until now. Freeman takes these scraps and collects them here for the first time, where you can find “lost” works by Stephen King, William Peter Blatty, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Kelley Armstrong, Michael Koryta, David Morrell, Michael Marshall and Michael Marshall Smith, Chet Williamson, Poppy Z. Brite, Stewart O’Nan, and Owen King. This volume offers a fascinating insight into a world of words that many thought forever inaccessible to the regular reading public. Do not miss this opportunity!Quaternity serves as a prequel to Hoover’s previous book, Haxan.
And there it is, sweet ghouls and goblins, the truth as the Eye has seen it! You have much to look forward to in the great year that is 2015, and these captivating new stories are just the tip of the severed finger! But for now, the curtain closes and the Eye must sleep, perchance to dream of future tales of mystery, suspense, dread, and horror! Close the door softly as you leave and take this opportunity to explore the fiction that has been revealed to you on this lovely spring day. Take care and never forget: the day is always followed by the night, so pull your collar tight and approach both with eyes wide open...
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST Kelly M. Hudson is the author of two horror novels and dozens of short stories, including his latest short story collection, The Cemetery Job: Tales of the Living Dead. You can find links to all of his works by visiting http:// www.amazon.com/Kelly-M-Hudson/e/ B003ZUB0DI if you dare!
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reviews mystery | suspense | horror
Wake For Me Isobel Irons
Romantic Suspense Heat Rating: 3
If you woke up and met the man of your dreams, would you believe he was real? When winery heiress Viola Bellerose has a fight with her “up and coming” Irish rock star boyfriend, she blows off steam in true diva fashion—by making out with a hot stranger in a bar and promptly crashing her Mercedes into the East River. Whoops. Now Viola spends her days trapped inside the prison of her own body. When she isn’t eavesdropping on the private conversations of her hospital caretakers, Viola is lost in a world of vivid and terrifying dreams, in which a tall and brooding doctor appears in a sizzling romantic role. Review: Wake for Me by Isobel Irons is a stunning debut! The premise of the novel being a comatose patient, Viola, and the doctor/intern that attends her care, Sam. This is a wonderful, fresh, and contemporary re-telling of Sleeping Beauty with just the right amount of haunting eeriness to make this tale entirely Ms. Irons. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat cheering for Sam to finally realize that his Sleeping Beauty was connecting with him, and that he was what was saving her from the dark abyss of her own mind. The feelings conveyed from Sam to Viola were so tender and real. The romance was excellently paced and made for a climactic ending. No spoilers here. Wake for Me is a novel worth savoring to the very last page! Reviewed by Sasha Hibbs
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The Vagrants
Dark Gold
Horror Heat Rating: 3
Mystery/Thriller Heat Rating: 4
Brian Moreland
Beneath the city of Boston, evil is gathering. Journalist Daniel Finley is determined to save the impoverished of the world. But the abandoned part of humanity has a dark side too. While living under a bridge with the homeless for six months, Daniel witnessed something terrifying. Something that nearly cost him his sanity. Now, two years later, he’s published a book that exposes a deadly underground cult and its charismatic leader. And Daniel fears the vagrants are after him because of it. At the same time, his father is being terrorized by vicious mobsters. As he desperately tries to help his father, Daniel gets caught up in the middle of a war between the Irish-American mafia and a deranged cult of homeless people who are preparing to shed blood on the streets of Boston. Review: Having read and reviewed Brian Moreland’s The Devil’s Wood and enjoying it, I was looking forward to The Vagrants. I was not disappointed. The story is shorter and tighter, graphically rendered and truly terrifying. The protagonist only intends to tell a story of social importance (that of the homeless plight in one of America’s big cities, Boston) and to prove himself. He discovers The Seekers and their leader, Mordecai, who are recruiting amongst the destitute in what appears to be a new cult. He manages to escape their influence then. But they are not done with him and the final confrontation will shake him and the readers to the core. The central character is likeable and easy to root for and even the lesser characters are credible. The vivid descriptive style of the author makes the reader share in the horrors. Prepare to be scared.
Sean E. Thomas
Two bodies are found in Prince William Sound—a frozen one wearing a WWII pilot’s uniform and another killed within the last few days. A plane carrying a shipment of gold was lost during the war. Alaska State Trooper Sergeant Robert Sable follows the clues as the body count rises, and he finds death awaits anyone with knowledge of the shipment. One by one, the clues lead Sable closer to the killer and the gold. Review: Dark Gold is a thriller (according to the subtitle, ‘A Robert Sable Mystery’) set in Alaska involving a ranger down on his luck and whose personal life has had more than its fair share of tragedy. He has lost people he loves more than once and not even his ESP (extra-sensorial perception) has helped him. Sable is a complex character, a good fighter with Tlingit heritage and although the novel does not offer us his full background he is more than capable of holding our attention and keeping us reading. A mystery involving a plane full of gold that went missing in WWII, a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, murders, corruption and plenty of action make this fast-paced novel a good read. Competently written, action-packed and with a fabulous setting you’ll see the movie in your head. Reviewed by Olga Núñez Miret
Reviewed by Olga Núñez Miret
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reviews mystery | suspense | horror
Tidal Falls
Psychic Evidence
Romantic Suspense Heat Rating: 3
Court Room Drama Heat Rating: 3
Jacquie Biggar
Nick has spent the last few years of his life working as a dog handler in the U.S. Marine Corps. His sole focus was to keep his team alive in the midst of chaos. When he fails to notice an IED in time and loses most of his teammates, Nick shuts down. It takes meeting and falling in love with a woman in danger to make him realize life’s worth living. Review: The author did a fantastic job of making the story feel real. The suspense started from the beginning and I found that I was on the edge just waiting to see what would happen next, there were twists and turns in the story that kept my interest piqued. I admired Sarah, she was a strong and courageous. Nick is the perfect hero. He is all male and his desire to protect Sara and her daughter made me want to melt inside. Both had flaws and insecurities and had great chemistry, but they fit perfectly together. The obstacles to their path to HEA are nearly insurmountable, but they manage to make the best of the situation they find themselves in. What I really loved about this novel is that it has a heartfelt and sensual romance, while managing to unfold a larger and suspenseful story that was thrilling and emotionally charged. Reviewed by Kim Patten
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Carol Costa
A homicide detective and a county prosecutor risk their reputations and careers to bring a killer to justice based on evidence obtained at a séance. Review: Psychic Evidence is a very busy novel. We have a missing person’s case that becomes a murder, a female detective in a homicides department painfully shortstaffed, a star public prosecutor who is willing to take risks, new recruits to the department, drugs cases, prostitutes who are also mediums, non-committed love stories, possible love interests awaiting to develop, court cases…With such breadth of content, it is difficult to fully develop all the story lines. I enjoyed the fast pace, the many varied cases and open avenues, and I even learned about “clacking” that I’d never heard of before. It is not a book for those seeking gritty realism, detailed character profiles, or a fully developed paranormal theme. It will appeal to fans of ‘Law and Order’ and similar programs as it marries well both elements, the investigation and the court case. Reviewed by Olga Núñez Miret
feature author interview
Kelly M. Hudson Cemetery Job
Kelly M. Hudson is the author of over two dozen published short stories as well as two horror novels, The Turning and Men of Perdition. More about his work can be found at www. kellymhudson.com Kelly loves horror and rock n’ roll and all things weird. A good ghost story is hard to beat.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Mostly I watch a lot of movies and read as much as I possibly can. I love all sorts of different genres but I stick to pulpy stuff because that’s what I love the most. A good mystery is hard to resist! What is your writing routine? I write first thing every morning unless there’s some pressing engagement. I have some breakfast and spend about an hour working on whatever it is I’m working on. I start by editing what I wrote the day before and then continue the story from there, that way I get one edit done while I’m working. What comes first, plot or character? Well, it depends, but almost always I have some plot idea pop into my head and the story and characters grow from there. Occasionally I’ll have an idea about a character and the story will come from that, but 95% of the time it’s plot first. What genre do you write and what got you started? I write almost all horror, although I like to write mysteries and have written a western, along with a bit of fantasy. I like to write all kinds of genres but I almost always drift towards horror. I got started because I wanted to read certain types of stories and no one was writing them. So I did.
“The Dead are hungry, and they live again in these eleven tales straight from the grave. Witness grave-robbers, rednecks, hospital workers, Vikings, and Civil War soldiers, all fall prey to the Living Dead. Full of suspense, gore, and fun, this is a collection for lovers of all types of zombies.”
Kelly @ Amazon
What is your biggest piece of advice to aspiring novelists? Write. Just write, write, write. Get it out and down on paper or computer screen. It doesn’t count unless you write it. So that means work. It’s really that simple. You can edit the hell out of it later, just get the thing written first. Write. Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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reviews mystery | suspense | horror
A Poisoned Legacy
The Flower Girls
Thriller Heat Rating: 4
Mystery Heat Rating: 3
Margaret Blake
Is someone trying to kill Belinda? There seems to be too many strange happenings but if so, whom can she trust? Could Jesse Crane be behind it or, as unlikely as it seems, the charismatic preacher Carl Nash? Slowly secrets are uncovered; the legacy is tainted, people are not what they seem and Belinda realizes she’s being drawn into a web of deceit.
Margaret Blake
Poppy leaves all she loves in Florida to join her sister in Yorkshire. Jasmine has been writing frantic letters letting Poppy know that she’s frightened of her husband, Seth Sanderson. Yet when Poppy arrives in Yorkshire, she finds that Jasmine is away. No one seems to know where she’s gone but Poppy learns it’s something she frequently does. Seth doesn’t know and although his cousin Edward appears to know more than he’s saying, the mystery cannot be solved. Poppy finds Seth not frightening at all, in fact she finds herself more and more attracted to him. Guilt overwhelms her when she discovers what has happened to Jasmine, yet the attraction to Seth continues…
Review: This was a great story about how family can have so many different meanings to different people. This story incorporates money, greed, rape, murder, love and friendship. I read this book in 2 days simply because I couldn’t put it down. The suspense and mystery kept me wanting more with every page that I turned. My favorite character was Morning. She was a woman who had endured a lot of pain in her life and had many kept secrets. She was also an elegant, beautiful woman with a kind, strong, and courageous spirit that glowed inside and outside. If you’re interested in reading a story that encompasses love, resilience, a web of deceptions from various so-called family members, friends and workers/laborers then this is the book for you.
Review: The storyline of this book was based on two sisters who are very different from one another, a husband, a lover or two and a murder. The book had a few interesting characters none of which captivated my attention. I enjoyed the book, however I did not feel the excitement one gets when reading a mystery. I never felt that anxious feeling inside when you just need to find out what’s going to happen next. If you’re interested in an easy read with a good story then this is the book for you.
Reviewed by Tina Huey
Reviewed by Tina Huey
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feature sneak peek
Diane Bator
Death of a Jaded Samurai Gilda Wright thinks she’s landed a dream job managing a karate school. Sure, her boss, Sensei Mick Williams, is almost as demanding as he is sexy, but Gilda is inspired by the strength of people around her and hopes to absorb some of that into her own life. But when Gilda finds the body of one of the instructors, laying in the dojo with a sword through his chest, suddenly Gilda must find her own inner strength and fast! The police see everyone as a suspect, including her boss, and it’s up to Gilda to find out what really happened. She follows the clues of the missing scroll of the Four Possessions of the Samurai down a deadly path, filled with lies, deceit, and poisoned ninja stars! If she doesn’t watch her step, she just may become the killer’s next sparring partner.
What kind of man refused to take no for an answer even after two years? Gilda shut her eyes and inhaled slowly. I am not going to make a scene. Thayer frowned. “What I said was—” His partner, Detective John Fabio, clapped a hand on his left shoulder. “Just ask her out already so she can deck you and get it over with. We have work to do today.” Thayer growled, the color in his face deepening to crabapple red. “If you guys don’t mind, I’d like to do this alone.” “I don’t mind at all. I was just leaving.” Gilda stood and grabbed her purse. She marched up to the cashier to pay for their food. This week it was her turn. A convenient excuse to escape. Marion joined her, shoving the cell phone into Gilda’s back pocket. “You might want this before I get too attached.” “Who does Thayer think he is?” Gilda reached for a mint then took three. She needed something to crunch. “One of Sandstone Cove’s finest.” Marion sighed. “He certainly does look the part, even if he does need a complete attitude adjustment.” When Gilda’s phone buzzed, she gritted her teeth and growled. “Not
again.” “Ah, and there’s another one who looks the part,” Marion said. “Mick?” She left her change as a generous tip and pushed the front door open. “What do you mean he looks the part?” Marion popped a mint into her mouth. “Handsome and authoritative, but from the stories I’ve heard—” Gilda covered her ears. “I don’t want to hear any more stories. It’s bad enough I have parents at the school spreading rumors. I don’t really want to hear them from my best friend. Keep in mind, I do have to work with those guys.” “Even if I know the stories are all true?” Marion asked. “Especially if.”
Diane is an avid hiker, Reiki Master and martial artist. Joining a writing group was the catalyst for writing her first murder mystery series. Hard at work on her second series, she lives in Southern Ontario, Canada with her husband, three teenagers, and a cat who thinks he’s a Husky.
penspaintsandpaper.com
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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Science Fiction | Fantasy | Paranormal | Urban Fantasy
SCI FI / FANTASY OUT of this WORLD
& PARANORMAL
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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trends
reading trends in sci fi & fantasy
AliB FORTY and the
Spaceships Alex Bardy
No One Ever Got a Prize for Second Place, but with So Many Sequels Around . . . “Taboo is something that is so sacred and so terrible that it cannot be changed, touched or mentioned.”
—The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, Diana Wynne Jones
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| Ali B and the Forty Spaceships| I have previously waxed lyrical about anthologies and the burgeoning Independent Publishing scene here in the UK, so I’m particularly happy to introduce fantasy fans to a new kid on the block, of sorts. The website www.fantasy-faction.com has been around since 2010 (and seen over three million visitors to its website, mid2014), but this first FantasyFaction Anthology (FantasyFaction Publishing, Sept. 2014) took a while to arrive— editor and website founder Marc Aplin thought it would be a good idea to encourage website visitors to “just write fantasy” and put an open call out for submissions. Two years and 1,700 submissions later . . . this is a cracking volume, made all the more entertaining because the stories throughout are interspersed with non-fiction articles from several leading genre authors. I know there’ll be more to follow, but at least, Marc has agreed to draft in some extra help for the next one, to ensure it doesn’t take quite so long to compile. Highly recommended. The Miniaturist (Harper Collins, Aug. 2014) is another debut, this time from Jessie Burton. This heavily hyped upon first release and winner of the Waterstones’ Book of the Year for 2014, Burton’s debut, has received both praise and stiff criticism from many quarters. Eighteenyear-old Nella Oortman is married off to a wealthy merchant twenty years her senior, and instead of consummating their marriage, he gifts her an extravagant miniature dollhouse—a perfect replica of their own stately home—and invites her to populate it at his expense. What follows is a strangely beguiling mystery that deftly incorporates typical scenes from seventeenth-century Amsterdam, evoking the period really well. Alas, the main criticism levelled at this is that several characters seem somewhat too twentyfirst century for a seventeenth-century universe—and as good as this concept may sound, I’m afraid that’s not an inherent part of the whole, unfortunately . . . Worth seeking out, though, I think.
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Regular readers will know I’m a big Sarah Pinborough fan, and her heartbreaking story about terminally-ill children (originally called Stay With Me) will finally be released in February 2015 under the new title The Death House (Gollancz, Feb. 2015). As the name suggests, this is a place where terminally-ill children—called Defectives— go to live out their dying days, without bringing bothersome stress and worry to their parents. . . . The children are watched over by an eagleeyed set of austere nurses looking for that first portend of impending doom and then dutifully whisked off to the sanatorium during the night, along with all their worldly belongings, while the rest of the children remain fast asleep. Into this depressing, secluded world, the prospect of young love blossoming seems startling. Sure enough, that’s what Toby finds when new girl Clara comes to join them, shaking up this staid, miserable environment and playing havoc with the established status quo. Of course, the inevitable happens, and it’s heart-rending, but to quote the blurb: “ . . . because everybody dies, it’s how you choose to live that counts.” Wonderful, moving stuff. *Sniff* On a brighter note, there are many great new books scheduled for release in 2015, so here’s a select few for your delectation . . . Jen Williams’s The Iron Ghost (Headline, Feb. 2015) is the sequel to her popular debut novel, The Copper Promise (Headline, Aug. 2014), and sees our trio of mercenaries return after their first adventure more in demand than ever before. There are a few love tangles
| Alex Bardy | here, plenty of bickering, of course, some great combat and action sequences, and a gamut of unanswered questions. . . . Just what you’d expect from the second book in a trilogy, really. “Traditional fantasy this is,” says my mate Yoda. The Boy Who Wept Blood (Gollancz, Jan. 2015) is another second book in a trilogy worth looking out for: Den Patrick’s The Erebus Sequence. Set in a kingdom with a definitive Renaissance Italy vibe and sporting aspects of Mervyn Peake’s claustrophobic Gormenghast trilogy with its glorious mix of decadence and decay, the first book, The Boy with the Porcelain Blade (Gollancz, March 2014—paperback just published, Jan. 2015) proved a fabulous opener. So, I’ve got really high hopes for this sequel.
in a chaos-infested, alternate-reality London and filled to the brim with supernatural creatures and wild magic, this one is definitely worth keeping them peeled for . . . ;-) ’Til next time. Keep reading, folks!
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST Alex Bardy lives in a very dark place, below a small dank stairwell, beneath a dark step, under a speck of dirt, tucked away in a cold, dark emptiness, somewhere on the fringes of the charming, historical city of York, in the North Yorkshire area of the UK. He also writes as DenizenOfTheUniverse under his Twitter moniker: @ mangozoid. He is a contributor, reviewer, and word-lender to the British Fantasy Society, and an active member on the board of the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), mainly responsible for the design/layout of their publications, coupled with an occasional foray into writing/interviewing.
Another forthcoming sequel is Joe Abercrombie’s Half The World (Gollancz, Feb. 2015)—more astute readers will recall I mentioned the first volume, Half A King, a while ago (along with Best Served Cold in the same column), so rest assured I’m keen to get my hands on this second book in the Shattered Sea YA trilogy. If there’s one thing this author is really good at it is world-building, and Half the World sets the scene nicely for another bout of gritty violence and vengeance sought . . . Finally, with little room for anything else this time round, how handy would it be to have The Invisible Library (Tor, Jan. 2015) by Genevieve Cogman? Set Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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reviews science fiction | fantasy | paranormal
Miss Predictable Kelly Ethan
Paranormal Heat Rating: 4
What’s the next step when a girl is forced to tell the truth and deal with crazy Greek gods? Have mind-blowing sex with a hunky god, of course. Cassandra Troy comes from a long line of fortune-tellers and her mother is no exception. But having sworn off the business when her mother goes missing, Cassandra’s not impressed. She has to track her mother down before the family business drives her round the bend. But with strange accidents, an inability to tell a lie, a hunky hotel manager named Hermes and a host of people who swear they’re gods of mythology, the task might be harder than she thought. It’s time for a girl to lay down the law. Review: Weird things have been happening to Cassandra, starting with an aggressive black cloud that has been following her as she searches for her missing mother. Her search takes her to a luxury hotel run by a sexy man named Hermes. Thrown into a world that she never knew existed, Cassandra learns that she isn’t the ordinary woman she thought she was. A highly entertaining read, Cassandra is a very relatable character, and who doesn’t love a sexy man. Reviewed by Brittany Hale
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Hell’s Kitty
Dead Reaper Walking
Shifter Romance Heat Rating: 4
Urban Fantasy Heat Rating: 4
Eve Langlais
Okay, so Felipe ate a few of the Styx sea creatures. In his defense, they were awfully tasty. Depleting the monster reservoir didn’t mean Lucifer had to go all Lord of Hell on him and order him to go on a stupid mission. And to Siren Isle of all places! Everyone knows males should stay far, far away from that dangerous place. The only stroke of luck is the woman he’s after isn’t a siren. Nor is she quite a mermaid. As a matter of fact, Jenny isn’t like anyone he’s ever met—so, of course, this curious cat wants her. Except he’s not the only one. Review: Eve Langlais’s tale of Hell’s Kitty makes me wish I had my own Hell Cat. Mixing different genres and myths from different cultures that describe the same creatures and places is a new and unique way of telling tales. We are all familiar with these mythical creatures, but now Eve has given them a modern spin that you can relate to. This tells an exciting story of a young woman discovering first love, adventure, and her own self-worth. I recommend this story to all and am looking forward to reading about other adventures that Eve has created for us in her world. Reviewed by Leigh Warner
Mina Carter
Underage witches, a breakout from demon prison and a new hellgate... What could go wrong? Reaper extraordinaire, Laney Larson, is stuck in Liberty, Oakwood of all places, for two reasons. One, there’s way more paranormal activity going on than normal for a little town like Liberty. And two, a sexy as hell cop called Troy. So when the proverbial hits the fan and they get wind of a demon break-out from the third hell, a prison even the demon king himself won’t set foot in, what’s a reaper to do but strap on her blades and help track the escapee down? But then the creature takes her man, and all bets are off. A reaper, a demon and a cop...will Death claim them all, or just one? Review: Mina Carter has created a new world in her second book in this series, one where the paranormal are rising and becoming more prominent in the city of Liberty. Her characters, Lacey and Troy are so developed that they make you see them as real people. Lacey is not human, and this book shows how she grows from simply being a Reaper to something more. Troy is the cop that has fallen in love with her, and he’s simply human. The interaction and the heat between the two characters leaves the reader wanting to know more about them and their life together. The story line for the novel is one that is also intriguing and appears to be a set up for what is to come in future book, as big changes happen for both characters. The series has great potential and I look forward to reading more. Reviewed by Sarah Ryan
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reviews science fiction | fantasy | paranormal Hand of Miriam
The Sorcerer’s Dragon
Evermore
Steampunk Heat Rating: 3
Fantasy Heat Rating: 4
Urban Fantasy Heat Rating: 3
Eva Gordon
On an archaeological expedition, Bayla Gideon, is widowed by a supernatural force and branded with the Hand of Miriam or Knowing Eye. Threatened by evil, she awakens the golem; a mythical man of clay, who protected the Jewish community over three centuries ago. The golem, Gesher, is surprised. Freedom –by a beautiful, enchanting woman. His desire is to return to the celestial spheres and regain his status as an avenging angel. Yet, Bayla challenges his mind, body and soul. Would he risk his return to the heavens for her? Besides, dealing with the otherkind, mad inventors and an unrelenting matchmaking aunt, Bayla is equally determined to resist her steamy attraction to the striking fallen angel. Thrust into a malevolent war, which includes facing Jack the Ripper, they must resist the magnetic pull toward each other, while protecting the world from encroaching evil. Review: Walk into the world of Victorian London where ships sail through the sky and goggles, corsets and stop watches are part of the everyday attire. Gordon truly knows her steam and the legends behind the creatures that go bump in the night. Though this novel is a rather lengthy one, each page is well worth the read. Hand of Miriam is a tale full of magic, mayhem, love, loyalty, betrayal and plenty of blood thirsty fiends. Reviewed by Tiffany Moorman
C.D. Muller
When a demonic entity known only as the Sorcerer breaks free from the gates of Oblivion, he seeks out an ancient relic known only as Ragnarok, foretold by the prophecy that it would give him the power to take over the empire of Armageddon and to recreate the universe. The empire’s last ray of hope, Selena Ayladail, a fourteen year old girl with no memory of her past, begins to uncover the secrets behind Ragnarok while also researching the strange symbol on her left hand that she has had for as long as she can remember. However, what she unravels places her life in danger. Throughout her adventures, she befriends an extraordinary dragon who she names Thor. As she and Thor adventure across the empire, Selena unravels the truth behind Ragnarok, her gift with magic, and experiences firsthand the true wickedness of the Sorcerer. Review: The Sorcerer’s Dragon is the first book in an all-new series The Armageddon Series. This book ropes you in to an immediate adventure involving a dragon, a fourteen year old girl with no memory of her past, and a mysterious sword that is prophesized to defeat a powerful evil Sorcerer. Though the dialogue between the characters felt forced at some points, the rest of the book read smoothly. I could see the setting, plot, and characters playing out in front of me like a movie. Magic, mystery, and mythical creatures dripped from each chapter, leaving you wanting more. A wonderful read for anyone who loves fantasy stories. Reviewed by Jamie Crosby
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Tmonique Stephens
There is no such thing as a chance meeting. There’s no room in Avery Nicolis’s life for an obsession, yet why else does he stalk Emeline Gamble. Lurking in the shadows, he hungers for a woman he can’t have. Between the secrets he guards and anarchy roiling in his soul, his only solace are his glimpses of Emeline. He will resist her, protect her from himself, and deny his desire to claim her heart. Emeline Gamble was a Watcher for the Order—a secret society of women charged with monitoring the offspring of the gods. For months, she observed Avery Nicolis, an elite mercenary, Descendant of Ra, and an enemy of the Order. Never knowing he had her in his crosshairs. Review: Evermore is an urban fantasy novel about Emeline, who is just trying to keep afloat while she cares for her ill grandfather. Emeline left a life behind, as a member of a secret society, in order to care for her grandfather one that she never thought would come back to haunt her. That was until she and her grandfather were hospitalized by the very society she had once been a member of. Forced to trap a man who she was previously assigned to case. As it turns out Avery had been looking into Emeline as well. Emeline embarks on a dangerous adventure to save her grandfather, and engaging in a bit of romance. Evermore is a novel full of adventure and romance that won’t disappoint. Reviewed by Brittany Hale
Darkness Unbound
Owner Of My Heart
Urban Fantasy Heat Rating: 4
Fantasy and Fairytales, Gay Heat Rating: 4
Zoe Forward
Covert op partners Astrid Scarre and Kane Langford click on a level that defies logic. Astrid wants to say yes to the sexy Kane. But the guy who stole her heart and then shattered her soul twelve years ago shows up. Seeing the Dragon magus, Zannis, again ignites a wild physical attraction, but doesn’t eliminate her simmering hatred. Astrid is torn between her physical need for Zannis and her emotional connection to Kane. Kane will never turn his back on Astrid, even when she gets inducted into the Scimitar magi, an organization he knows well and respects. His gorgeous ex-spy partner might push him away at every turn, but that’s too bad. He’s exactly the man she needs to protect her life and her heart. All he has to do is convince her that when something feels this right, you don’t let it go. Review: First of all, I would caution readers to read other books in the series first. I went in blind and felt a little lost at first. Having said that, I found myself caring about these characters very quickly. Astrid is strong, feisty, and loyal. She is thrust into a new world where, despite her skills, she has to prove herself all over again. This old boys’ network is ancient, scimitar magi sworn to protect humanity from Daemons summoned to slaughter. Her old CIA field agent skills clash with the magic she has been denying ever since the man it linked her to broke her heart and trust by almost killing her. Now she must face it and him and work out why the gods bound them together. Reviewed by Karen Fainges
Valentina Heart
Can King Merin face his loss, save his husband and protect his kingdom, or have his enemies finally found a way to defeat him? When an enemy Merin thought defeated takes his unborn children away from him, he’s at the end of his rope and still has to find enough strength to save his husband Rin from the clutches of sorrow. Unable to find peace, Merin and Rin must deal with an aggressor who plots to ruin any chance of happiness that they might have. To make things worse, the newly united countries must prepare for a new trial—a war against a vicious invading army that’s using the weakened state of the kingdom for its benefit. How will Merin and Rin recover from their terrible loss and give their people heirs? Will the newly united countries work together as one to save Merin’s kingdom—and his family—from the ongoing dangerous challenges? Can love truly push through all obstacles, or will their enemies discover their weaknesses and finally achieve victory? Reader Advisory: This book contains a male pregnancy. It is best read in sequence as part of a series. Review: Merin is driven not only to unify his kingdom but also to keep his husband, Rin and unborn children alive. Their union has unified two warring nations, Jede and Kari, which is why it is extremely important to keep his husband safe. Assassins try to get to him by killing those closest to him. Merin must help Rin to fully develop his magic, to keep him and his unborn heirs safe. This science fiction/fantasy novella is full of action, magic and erotica. The fantasy world created is intriguing but I feel like if I was a man who liked men I would be better able to rate the sexiness of this novella. Reviewed by Brittany Hale
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reviews science fiction | fantasy | paranormal Dark Heirloom
Marked
Urban Fantasy Heat Rating: 3
Gay Paranormal Heat Rating: 4
J.D. Brown
“You’re a vampire” is so not what Ema Marx wants to hear when she wakes from a two-day coma in a cryptic yet exquisite castle in northern Finland. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like why she’s able to see in the dark and walk through solid objects. What she doesn’t understand is why the other vampires expect her to have all the answers. It’s their fault she turned into one of them…right? Jalmari’s hatred for his old-man intensifies when he’s ordered to bring that troublesome girl to their castle. He has a clan to run, there’s no time for babysitting newborn vampires no matter how they were converted to their culture. But when a two-thousand-year-old premonition threatens to take the crown and his life, Jalmari sees no other choice than to take out the catalyst. Ema Marx. Fortunately for Ema, she could also be the clan’s only savior. The race to figure out her vampiric origins is on. And maybe she’ll get the hang of the blood-drinking gig along the way… Review: Ema awakens in a castle far away from her hometown of Chicago. A changed woman, Ema learns that she is now a vampire. Kept as a prisoner by a clan of vampires who desire to know who sired her. Without any memory of being bitten Ema must discover how she became a vampire. While she hones in on her newfound skills and learns more about her family’s origins, Ema begins to develop an unlikely relationship with one of her captors. Dark Heirloom gives readers a fresh take on vampires, creating clans who each have their own unique abilities. Reviewed by Brittany Hale
Jaxx Steele
Sharing what you know with your lover can give him the power he needs to win, especially when he’s fighting a rogue wolf. Mark Delonco was betrayed, ostracized, rejected, beaten and left for dead by a pack brother. As he wanders the forest, an unfamiliar scent brings him to a gruesome scene—and his betrayer. Another confrontation brings not only victory for the moment but also the possibility for love and redemption. Victor Bradley could never maintain a relationship with anyone and he didn’t know why. It wasn’t that something was wrong with the men he chose, it was just that no one ever felt right to him. While visiting his forest home, a stranger appears at the door and changes his life. How can he know a man he has never met? Review: This was a cute story that explored everything you could want from a paranormal story. You have werewolf sprites, the magic of the forest, and of course with heartache blooms love... This fast-paced story really was able to hit all parts to make a story a true fairy tale. You had a villain, a fairy godmother, a knight in shining armor, and a simple man. Jaxx weaved a story of honor, truth, redemption, and of course the outcome of true love and reaching ones true destiny. I was impressed by his usage of the different paranormal species and how they worked together to bring about the redemption of Mark’s unjust disgrace. He also allowed for the love even though it happened in fast forward to become amazing. The way Jaxx used the bond to allow Victor to relive what he needed to know was brilliant. He also was successful in creating scenes that would steam up a window. Reviewed by Kristy Grissom
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Wolf’s Strength Ambrielle Kirk Shifter Romance Heat Rating: 4
Tension grows between old rivals... Cold-blooded murder sparks a feud that could lead to the deadliest civil war in Pack history. Alpha Devin Caedmon and his council are tempted to risk all that is precious to protect their bloodline. Tristan Arnou, the rival Pack’s leader, isn’t the only force trying to tear down the unity holding them together. All threats must be eliminated before their entire race is destroyed. Forbidden love burns like a wildfire... There is one woman who Blake DeLuca loves more than anything else: Naomi Valentine. Despite the escalating battle and power struggles among their leaders, the erotic fire between these two lovers has yet to be extinguished. Naomi’s heart belongs to Blake, but her allegiance lies with Arnou. She’s left with two choices…assume her duty or accept Blake’s eternal bond? Review: Given the richness of the background story, I strongly recommend not reading this book before reading the rest of the series. Although the characters and settings are well described, I did find myself lost from time to time. The story weaves through the two separate clans of wolves, interleaved by the forbidden lovers and two Alphas trying to keep their packs strong. Motivations are many and we’ll described, I loved the multidimensional nature of the book. The sex is rough and ready. Overall, a solid continuation of the series.
The Book of the Forsaken
Yannis Karatsioris Metaphysical Heat Rating: 3
The Magi, the most powerful of men, confront the supernatural beings – the Forsaken races- in a deadly Game to control the collective unconscious of mankind. An ancient demigod, our storyteller, stands between the two sides and unfolds his plans to outflank them. Review: The Book of the Forsaken is the first book in The Game series. This fantasy novel looks at the existence of mythical beings in the modern world and how their presence both disrupts and enhances the human experience. There are humans with super powers, Bringers of Death, were-animals and murder. There’s also time travel and the discovery of ancestral relationships. It is also filled with mystery. What is this Book of the Forsaken and why is it so coveted? What fate brought these three men from different parts of the world together on this journey? This novel was easy to read, entertaining but at times confusing. It needed a round of editing to correct simple errors and string together inconsistencies to make the story easier to follow. Regardless of the flaws, I would recommend this novel. The original concept and entertaining plot make the story enjoyable and I believe most fantasy fans would agree. Reviewed by Stacie Carrier
Reviewed by Karen Fainges
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Sensual Romance and Erotics of all genres, shapes and sizes
see BEHIND closed DOORS
EROTIC & SENSUAL
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trends reading trends in erotic
Heat DIVA The
BJ Gaskill
An Author’s Mind So, I’ve thought long and hard about suspense and mystery in books nowadays. Some authors nail it like the mysterious G-spot, and others hit, skip, and miss. Like the guy who claims to be the best lay you’ve ever had, but turns out, you were better off with your trusted battery-operated friend for the night.
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| The Heat Diva | Personally, I’m all for the authors that can add suspense and mystery. Authors likehottie Devon Hartford. He finished publishing the One Year Love series (Indie Publishing—available now) in December, 2014. It was done in four parts to keep readers on their toes. The sex was freaking hot as Hades! It was like walking on hot coals while you tried to piece together what the holy hell was going on with Drakken and River! Wholly Boogers! I can only imagine what he’s going to write next. I’m hoping McJogs and Finch! Of course, you have Lisa Renee Jones who kills it in more ways than one. That woman has you wishing that some geek has made a machine that instantly pops you into any book. I mean look at the start of her best-selling Inside Out series, If I Were You (Gallery Books—available now). Sara takes over another woman’s life. She is now on an adventure into some of the best sex in the world with a hot artist, has a dream job, and lord knows, all hell is going to break loose. Damn, I love this book. I want to be Sara. Yes, I know everything can’t be all peaches and cream. There are some authors out there that add a little murder to the suspense. I just read book one of the Shattered series by J.M Walker, Break Me (Beau Coup Publishing—available now). Talk about one messed-you-up kind of book. Here you have your hot bad boy, Sebastian, to get your juices going, but then you’ve got this butthole Jose that’s thrown into the mix as a buzzkill. If that wasn’t enough, hell, let’s throw in a hot nightclub owner, Brett. You know, never enough men in a book. Oh, and heaven forbid, some hot sex and shootouts. Book two is already waiting on the Kindle to be devoured! Go ahead and say it, “But, BJ, these are all freaking series! I don’t have the damn
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| BJ Gaskill | time for this!” No, worries, I’ve got you covered! I totally understand the need to have your cake and eat it too. I think that there is no other greater mystery than that of a blind date. Even in the real world. I’ve had my fair share of “OMG! What if he’s a total Bloke!” I think there’s only, maybe, two that I can count that I haven’t had to use the dreaded escape phone call on. Thank God these couples had Madame Eve. She never seems to get a match wrong when it comes to One Night Stands. These authors prove, without a doubt, that she does her job perfectly once again in the Box of 1Night Stands: 17 Sizzling Nights (Decadent Publishing—available now). It’s great for those of us with little time. We can read a story at a time or more. The sex between the couples is amazing, well, when they finally get to the point—it is a story after all. With seventeen different stories, there is sure to be one to suit your needs. If all else fails, might I suggest some of these little short stories that have just the right blend of hardcore sex and story to make it worth a half-hour read? Just enough to get your panties moist and a rise out of your temperature. “Devil’s Outlaws” by Alicia Devine (Indie Publishing—available now) is one of those short stories. Emily works as a photog in DC, lands a major photo, only to be sent to Texas to chase some motorcycle gang. Yay, fishy! She ends up having majorly hot-as-sin sex. And who pops up? Her exboy toy. Too funny. Honestly, if you ask me, some of the stuff that comes out of these authors’ minds scares me, some I’d vacation in, and others I’d set up house in. Overall, I think the real mystery is what an author is thinking in a group of people. I know I’m not the only one who’s thought of this!
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST BJ Gaskill loves reading everything but self-help books, as there is no help for her. When she isn’t running her blog, Inside BJ’s Head, you can find her on Facebook stalking her favorite authors. She calls about five acres on the East Coast home and claims to have some of the best minions around. Feel free to connect with her on her Blog: Inside BJ’s Head and on Twitter and Facebook.
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reviews erotic | senusal romance
Kick
Holly S. Roberts Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Cami Avesque is a shy, wannabe journalist, working for the largest newspaper in Ohio. Gorgeous brothers, Van and Joel Stelson, own, manage, and play for The Slam. They see through Cami’s shields and attack in order to make their goal. Who will be the first to get her in bed? Who will be the first to win her heart? Remember in rugby… 80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Lets Ruck! Review: Holly S. Roberts is the very reason why I love reviewing books! I find writers I never would have before, and I am so glad I found this book to review. Loved it!!!! There was nothing at all that I would have changed. The characters had me enthralled from the very first page. I loved the chemistry between Van and Cami and his ability to see through her baggy clothes and glasses to see how very beautiful she was inside and out. I have read sports romances on everything but rugby, so I did learn a few new things. This is the first book I have read by the author, but it won’t be my last. I have already added her other books to my wish list. If you like sports romances with a little bit of spice, give this one a try! Reviewed by Christie Mitchum
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Our Omega
Claiming the Cowboys
Erotic Shifter Heat Rating: 4
Erotic Contemporary Western Heat Rating: 4
J.J. Black
Sometimes two just isn’t enough. Noah Steele is a broken man. Born a strong, confident Alpha, he’s now a shell of the man he once was. Tortured and betrayed, he no longer trusts his instincts or his ability to lead. Shamed, he hides himself away, even from the mate he longs to claim as his own. Dax Marshall needs some down time. Between protecting the Pack in his role as Beta and leading teams to search for more of Alpha Steele’s facilities, his responsibilities are starting to overwhelm him. If only he could find the one person destined to soothe both himself and his wolf. A chance run-in with Noah Steele changes everything, giving him hope that his future won’t be as lonely as he’d feared. Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of ménage, violence and reference to sexual abuse. Review: This book is such a great read. Noah is a strong alpha, who always dreamed of a family of his own and kept his sexual preference hidden from his family. Dax has a dominant nature also, so it was fun to read who was going to be the one in control of certain situations. All the characters were phenomenally written, even the villains. JJ Black brings up issues that many gay men probably face throughout their lives. Our Omega was a very well written novel, and I can’t wait to read book 3 in this series. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a hot m/m shifter novel.
Alysha Ellis
Two cowboys. One woman to rope ‘em and ride ‘em! Two cowboys enjoying a passionate bout of sex in the living room is the last thing Sophie expects to see when she arrives to inspect the homestead she inherited from her grandparents. Outraged by what they believe to be trespass, the men insist the prosperous horse stud is theirs. The confrontation catapults Sophie into a torrid three-way sexual adventure. The only way for her to win is to round up her cowboys and ride ‘em. Reader Advisory: This book contains M/M sex scenes. This story has been previously released as part of the Lasso Lovin’ anthology by Totally Bound Publishing. Review: After reading Claiming the Cowboys, I believe I have found a new goal in life. And that is to find two sexy bisexual cowboys and make them mine. The chemistry was hot and immediate between Hamish, Sophie and Jackson. The love Hamish and Jackson have for each other, and realizing that there is something missing, was a sign of true love. Alysha Ellis definitely turns up the heat in this short story. Reviewed by Shannon Ferguson
Reviewed by Shannon Ferguson
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reviews erotic | senusal romance
The Best Part of Breaking Up Alannah Harte Erotic Heat Rating: 3
Rafe McGraw is a tough rancher who spends his time farming a wild and untamable cattle ranch in the Northern Territory of Australia. Jenna Davidson is bright, feisty, and not afraid of a little hard work. She’s not going to let anyone get in the way of her dream to be a flying vet. Rafe has cattle to get certified for export by the flying vet during his cattle muster. He is expecting his usual vet to show up but the person getting off the plane is not what he expects. Jenna has encountered all kinds of farmers and their attitudes since starting her job, but the gorgeous, sulking, arrogant grazer is a definite challenge. If that means flying in a week of living outdoors with a sexy grazer growling at her, then she’s up for it. Review: Jenna was a flying vet who’d met Rafe when she found his cattle ranch work station that was basically in the middle of outback nowhere. Rafe hadn’t planned on a woman vet being there but he dealt with it. No sparks flew at first, but a lot of barbs sure did. Eventually they managed to see eye to eye when they’re forced into an unexpected situation and a few other hiccups that came along. You liked the drover Grey, Rafe’s friend Holt, and a few others though you kind of questioned Jenna’s family when you met them and understood why she left. You even understood about Rafe and what made him tick. It had the right amount of adventure, drama, tension, and steaminess. If you’re in for an adventure, pick up a copy. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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Her Forever Cowboy
Mating Scents
Erotic Romance Heat Rating: 3
Multicultural Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Donna Michaels
Single mother Shayla Ryan is tired of running, and longs to put down roots to create a stable environment for her baby girl and her younger sister. Having grown up with the opposite, she’s determined to raise her daughter right, and Harland County holds a lot of appeal. Too much appeal, in the form of a Casanova cowboy with eye-catching good looks and easy charm. It was time to settle down, create a forever home, and despite the fact the sexy cowboy interferes with her pulse, he’s made it perfectly clear he’s allergic to forever. If there’s one thing software company vice president, Kevin Dalton loves more than puzzles, it’s women. Size, shape, race doesn’t matter as long as they don’t want a relationship. Been there, done that. He’s not looking to repeat the past, and happy to remain single. Until two beautiful redheads drop him to his knees—one with her cutie-pie smile, the other with her elbow. Too bad the elbow-toting beauty was both hot and puzzling. A killer combination too strong to resist. So he doesn’t, and without realizing it, the redheads slowly rewrite the code around his heart. Review: Shayla Ryan, the heroine in the tale, tugs at the reader’s heart. Her sacrifices and efforts to keep her daughter and her younger sister alive and safe evoke compassion in readers. Kevin Dalton, the knight in a business suit and cowboy boots, is dreamy at first sight and just as attractive inside. Neither is seeking an intimate relationship but they fall into one naturally and convincingly. The dialogue has a conversational flow, the language has a colloquial lilt, and the situations which the characters find themselves in are credible. It’s much more than a typical boy meets girl story and they fall in love. The boy meets the girl and he must go through a gauntlet to save her and her loved ones, challenging his mettle and forcing him to face desires that he had concealed. Readers will find themselves cheering for the hero and compelled to the heroine’s troubles.
McKenna Jeffries
A memorable encounter brings a man in the path of a woman who will set his pulse racing and make him long for forever. For Bailey Rueben, giving into temptation leads her to knocking a man off his feet. When she finds out who he is, she’s the one who’s swept away. She wants to get to know this man who makes her pulse race. In Garrick, she finds someone who makes her wish she believed in love, but she won’t let that happen to her. Fun is all she wants with him…or does her heart want more? Garrick Radley has been off the market for a long time and is rusty with the current dating rituals. When he has an opportunity to get near the woman who has captured his attention, he takes it. The misunderstanding that follows makes him wonder if he should continue not to date yet Bailey changes his mind. As he gets to know her, he realizes that he is already in deep. Now it’s just a matter of getting Bailey to accept their mating scents. Review: Bailey was interesting and so were her friends and co-workers. From the moment you met Bailey you really liked her and the first time she officially met Garrick. That was an introduction that he won’t soon forget. But once fully recovered they made a good couple and everyone surrounding them had an awful lot of wit and charm. Their supporting cast of friends, family, and co-workers most definitely needs their own stories. They were something else entirely. They definitely had their steamy moments and they really did make quite the couple. It was a quick read and if you get a chance, pick up a copy. You’ll like it a lot. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Reviewed by Susan Frances
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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reviews erotic | senusal romance
No Letting Go Anne Rainey Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Man-Maid, Book 2 The moment Jason Kershaw spots former schoolmate Emma Ryan waitressing at the local pizza place, he decides it’s time to catch up on old times. Trouble is, the pretty, sharp-witted brunette wants nothing to do with him. With his new business venture, Man-Maid Cleaning Service, off to a successful start, Jason’s not used to being turned down over and over again. But he’s not going to let that stop him from trying to chisel through her armor. Emma lusted after the bad boy back in high school, but at a hundred pounds overweight, she was pretty much invisible to popular guys like him. Hard work and determination helped her shed the extra weight—as well as the vulnerable teenager she used to be. With a business to get off the ground and no desire to let another man toss her aside like yesterday’s trash, charmers like Jason are off her menu. Except the easygoing boy she remembers has become a stubborn, downright mouthwatering man. And Emma’s starving for a taste. Review: Who knew a story about a man-maid service would turn out to be a fun read, complete with mixed signals and very good looking men? This very short novella was a very fun read that had likeable characters. You couldn’t help but like reunited couple Jason Kershaw and Emma Ryan from the first moment you met them. Their supporting cast was very good as well and they deserve their own stories. If you’re interested in hunky men who reunite with old flames and actually know how to clean something fairly well, this just might be right up your alley and you may actually like this a lot. Pick up a copy and give it a chance. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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Icy Control
Sealing Fate
Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Action Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Elizabeth Lapthorne
Trina Lane
Rob and Sally have known each other forever. They are thrown together to uncover an ancient secret hidden in a mysterious painting. Rob finds himself losing control and loving it. Robert Stevens has known Sally Langtry for almost his whole life. They’ve been friends forever, and he’s always secretly loved her. Sally, an artist, is everything he feels he’s wrong for. She’s free spirited, innocent and optimistic, Rob has always resisted bringing the darkness of his job, the horridness of what he sees day in day out into her life. The action now has turned deadly, but it’s too late for them to turn back. Rob tries to protect Sally, but he no longer has the legendary control he’s so used to working with.
Time is short and the risks are high but victory is priceless. After a chance encounter in a crowded St. Louis nightclub, anthropologist Dr Kat Martin is swept into the arms and the dangerous life of Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Jace Hudson. However, their hearts aren’t the only things in danger of being taken prisoner. Jace’s missions are compromised, and Kat finds herself becoming the obsession of a stalker. Only a team of America’s bravest will travel from the American Midwest to the steamy jungles of Central America to discover the person responsible. Failure is not an option as Jace refuses to allow the fates that brought him and Kat together to rip them apart forever.
Review: This book was fast paced and intriguing right from the start and it holds your attention to the end. You will like Robert Stevens and his lifelong friend Sally Lantry as they journey from being friends to being a couple via the dangerous world of artifacts. It was really a good story. I liked Sally’s fun loving off-beat character right from the start and I knew she’d like adventure, just not the very dangerous kind, and it was a nice bonus that she hooked up with her buddy. Even though Robert knew his work was dangerous, he didn’t want to put Sally in harm’s way, but he needed her expertise and vowed to keep her safe. Well... as best he could. The suspense and action were really good and kept you engaged from the beginning. If you get a chance, check it out.
Review: Jace and Kat made a steamy and likeable military couple who knew how to give each other a good challenge or two. If you like fast-paced action complete with bad guys who want to harm them, you’ll like Jace and his team of military seals of cohorts. And you’ll definitely like the relationship between Kat and Jace. So if you get a chance, pick up a copy you won’t be sorry. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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reviews erotic | senusal romance
End Game
Lucien and Serenity
All I Ever Wanted
Erotic, Gay BDSM Heat Rating: 4
Historical Erotica Heat Rating: 5
Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Sean Michael
This is book five in the Chess series Things are changing again for the foursome. Can they weather these changes as they do everything else—together? Things are changing again for Bishop, Knight, Rook and Jason. Not only is Jason going back to school, but Knight has bought a cottage on a lake several hours away, and none of them are quite sure what it all means for their family of four. As Knight loses himself in his art at the cottage and Jason begins the hard work needed to keep up with school, Rook and Bishop call each other often to stay in touch, but it isn’t the same thing as all four of them being together. Could this be the beginning of two couples and the end of their foursome just when Jason was settling into being a part of this weird but wonderful family? Or will they find a way to make it work just like they have everything else? Review: This is book 5 of the Chess Series and is NOT a stand-alone. I have not read the previous books in the series so it made it a little hard to read at first. The story line (what there was of it) was good. It was mostly sex, sex, and more sex. This was a really hot read. The sex was steamy, well detailed and easy to visualize. I’m sure there was more to the storyline from the previous books but I had to guess what had happened in the past to have the storyline make sense. Knight, Rook, Bishop and Jason are all hot! Knight is a painter, Rook owns an erotic store, Jason is a student, and I have no idea about Bishop.
Brita Addams
Ten years after she abandoned her marriage, and in fear for her life, Serenity Damrill returns to London, desperate to win her husband’s unwitting protection. Without Serenity’s sexual submission, her husband Lucien sees little reason to resume the marriage. When Serenity’s past comes to call, her deceit is revealed and the fragile peace between husband and wife hangs in the balance. Ah, but at the Sapphire Club, rules don’t exist, and anything is possible… Review: This historical erotica novel is HOT. Serenity is a hot sub, but seems to have a dominant side hidden within her. The club sets the scene for many hot and taboo scenes. Lucien exposes Serenity to a deeper side of fantasies, and she is willing to fulfill his needs. Lucien is a hot dom, who isn’t sure what Serenity’s return actually means. The chemistry between the two as well as the small group of characters mentioned, sends sparks flying. Add in a bit of suspense, and mystery, and this book has it all. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a hot read. Make sure your hubby or significant other is around, because it will definitely leave you wanting. Reviewed by Shannon Ferguson
Destiny Moon
Hard-working and sensible Claudia Demers meets The One, but is she ready for his unconventional and intimidating lifestyle? Claudia Demers has found herself in a rut, living the same life day in, day out. All this begins to change the night her best friend, Monique, gives her a makeover and takes her out to a corporate function. An introduction to Sebastian Porter, the captivating, handsome owner of the company is set to alter everything in a way she never thought possible. He instantly dotes on Claudia and she begins to feel sexy for the first time in years. Sebastian Porter is a powerful corporate executive turned philanthropist, but there is more to him than his extravagant appearance. Fiercely prone to privacy, he struggles to open up to anyone until he meets Claudia, the one woman he feels understands him. Review: Destiny Moon’s All I Ever Wanted centers on Claudia, a dull graduate student and Sebastian, a high-powered executive and artist. A bitter break-up sends Claudia out on the town with her best friend, and straight into Sebastian’s arms. The premise is a good fit for the story as is the setting of the Toronto art world. Several themes run through the novel including non-traditional marriage, light BDSM and alternate sexual lifestyles. Claudia’s character is inexperienced and naïve, but willing to learn and empower herself both professionally and personally. Supporting characters lend well and don’t overwhelm the tale. It’s a good story, easy to read and a good choice for readers who want a little more with their traditional romance. Reviewed by Heather Lewis
Reviewed by Tammy Thompson
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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reviews erotic | senusal romance
Bound to You
Vanessa Booke Humorous Erotica Heat Rating: 4
Arrogant, brooding, domineering, possessive, dangerously handsome, and a playboy. These are all of the characteristics on Rebecca Gellar’s Run-Like-Hell list for men, but she’s about to meet the man who’s the epitome of these and more… After breaking off her engagement with Hollywood actor Miles Storm, Rebecca is ready for a change of scenery in her life and in her bed. So when the opportunity to work for StoneHaven Publishing, one of New York City’s most respectable publishing empires presents itself, Rebecca doesn’t hesitate moving to the Big Apple. Get ready for a battle of the sexes… Review: Volume 1: We have a badass protagonist and the usual smoky, hot-as-hell, make you swoon and “The Alpha Male” love interest. There is nothing new or unique in the plot. They literally stumble on each other. There is “undeniable attraction”. Seem to keep running into each other and alas! He is her new boss. It’s sexy and funny but pretty predictable. As far as writing is concerned, there are too many typos and grammatical errors. Volume 2: “He is engaged and she has a past” is used to keep the plot moving. I found it a little disturbing that the supposedly chemistry is actually a workplace boss-employee dynamic. If your boss asks you to be his date for a Gala how much of an independent choice is that? Volume 3: “The evil bitch”, can a woman be demonized for not wanting “sparks flying” between her fiancé and his secretary? As the third volume concludes after “the ultimatum”, “happiness or family” and “Millionaire’s dilemma”, there really wasn’t anything unexpected. Though the writer has tried her very best to portray Rebecca as a strong character, she is just a modern version of “the damsel in distress”. Of course, the volumes are an amazing “easy read” for those who enjoy such novels. Reviewed by Arushi Raj
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Glorious Mistake
At Cross Ends
Passionate Bid
Erotic Multicultural, Gay Heat Rating: 4
Erotic Suspense Heat Rating: 4
Erotic Heat Rating: 4
Vicktor Alexander
This is book two in the Mistakes series, see the full series. Keith Williams has spent his life hiding from his true sexuality, but when he stops to help Estevian Tucker on the side of the road, he realizes that true love won’t let him run from this glorious mistake. Keith Williams gets a phone call from his best friend, Russell Heter, about his decision to stay with Xavier, a much older, disgraced former mayor, in his cabin in Wyoming. Positive that Russell is making a mistake, Keith rushes off to rescue his friend from himself and his mistaken fantasy of being in love. However, when he sees a man on the side of the road, smoke billowing from his car, Keith pulls over and makes his own mistake. Review: This is a great short story I only wish it was longer. I definitely think we could have stood to read about what happens when everyone leaves the cabin. In truth though this was an amazingly cute story that encompassed many emotions as well as trials and tribulations. Both men have issues that need to be worked through but together they fit. Together they complete a whole circle and realize what has been missing in their lives. The book shows that everything can be easier if the one you love is by your side. Love doesn’t have a time limit and when you find it hold on and don’t let go. Reviewed by Kristy Grissom
Christy Poff
Mark Kincaid owes Graham Cross for two years captivity in the hands of Central American terrorists and the loss of his team. He accepts a presidential assignment unaware of his enemy’s involvement. Riley Devane becomes an unwilling pawn in a madman’s game of revenge against first her father then his enemy. She falls in love with the man sent to rescue her but their happiness is short-lived. How long with they be at cross ends before someone finally stops an international criminal? Review: I enjoyed the premise of this book, two lovers using their strengths to rescue each other from a dangerous man. There were some great moments. The hero focusing on his love to survive, the passionate loyalty of them both. And yet... Sometimes the point of view changed to the other protagonist without any heading or other indicator what was happening. There were also times I felt I was told who was a good guy rather than being allowed to decide by their actions. That fed into times where people trusted someone with no real reason. There a trigger moments that touch the characters far too lightly. Overall, a decent read for a quick dip into the fantasy world, but it was too fantasy for what is a real world for so many. Reviewed by Karen Fainges
Tierney O’Malley
This is book one in the Blue-Eyed Four series When fate brings unexpected love, when destiny knocks on your door… There is no escaping it. The destiny of a man… Drop-dead gorgeous veterinarian Julian Ravenwood has made a mistake—he’s slept with young virgin Joanie Saint Claire. Forced to do the right thing, he marries her then leaves while she’s still in her wedding gown. The fate of a young woman… After her one night with Julian, Joanie finds herself facing an altered life. She’s left alone with a little bug who means the world to her. The spirit of an abandoned wife… An opportunity to solve Joanie’s problems comes when Julian shows up to serve her. She agrees to sign the divorce papers on one condition—he must pay her one hundred thousand dollars. Review: Julian Ravenwood, the hero in the story, is no Sir Galahad but convincingly passes for a good boy who flirts with being a bad boy as an admirer of women possessing hard bodies. Julian is forced to marry an underage neighbor, Joanie Saint Claire, after he gets her pregnant, except he doesn’t stay in town long enough to find out about his daughter. Shy and sincere, Joanie is easy to like and the person whom audiences would like to see happy. The story alternates between Julian’s point of view and Joanie’s, giving the reader input from both sides of the quandary. The author probes each of the character’s perspectives exposing and exploring how each individual feels and why. The language can be crude and callous and then shifts to being emotionally moving. Written to appeal to twenty-first century mindsets, the story confronts a complicated situation that resonates with today’s readers. Reviewed by Susan Frances
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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feature book showcase
Kathryn Kelly Inferno
I’m a rocker with the eyes of the world on me. Waiting for my triumph or my downfall…just waiting. Most of my life is in my hands. My destiny? That’s another story. My destiny isn’t as debt free. My band, Phoenix Rising, arrives in Houston to cut a new album. Before we perform our first concert in the city and I choose my groupies of the night, I’m thrust into debauchery. Sleeping with a gorgeous woman twenty years older than me has its perks, especially when her husband orchestrated the encounter and eagerly watches. To me, performing is performing. If a man wants to share his wife, who am I to stop him? Unfortunately for me, I don’t make a clean getaway as I leave the McCall mansion. Georgie, their sixteen-year-old daughter, is in the midst of her own intrigue, sneaking home in the middle of the night after an evening of drugs and sex with her older brother’s best friend. In her, I see me. She’s lost and drifting. Her hedonistic parents insist she’s old enough to make her own decisions. Instead of time and love, they give her money and things. I’m a twenty-five-year old international superstar and I know better. I’m cocky and arrogant. I know it so I own it. Somehow, I’ve always bested the fates. I have all to lose—my reputation, my career, and my freedom. Her mother’s jealousy forces my hand and I take Georgie on the tour. This is our story and our secret relationship and the destruction of my life. You know the adage about secrets? Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. Wise words from a wise man. If only I had listened. Secrets have a way of revealing themselves in the harshest way.
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My door opens and I sigh. I’m sure it hasn’t been two hours since my vital signs were checked or my blood was drawn. “Here for vampire food?” I ask and look up, unable to stop my fluttery heart or my huge smile. A warm glow flows through me at the sight of the gorgeous man with the brown-black hair and clear blue eyes. “Sloane?” “Need company?” He raises an acoustic guitar and I almost swoon from giddiness. I suck in an extra dose of air. “As long as it’s you, I’m always open for company.” Eyes twinkling, he shakes his head. “You’re so coy.” Instead of thin leather bracelets, he’s wearing leather cuffs with spikes. His hair is messy and I itch to run my fingers through his strands. A T-shirt with layers of nails hanging from the material stretch over his chest. “You’re so sexy,” I counter, removing the oxygen lines going into my nose and sitting up. Drawing in a deep breath, I wince at the pain and cough. “If I remember, I told you so the night we met.” “Georgiana,” he says in soft warning, sitting in the bedside chair and propping his guitar up. The headstock of the real one aligns with his tatted headstock when he bends his wrist. The flex of his muscles quicken my pulse. He seems oblivious, demonstrated by the disapproving lecture he launches into. “First, you need to replace the oxygen. Second, we need to forget about what happened the night we met.” I lower my lids and bunch my sheet. “I know. I want to—” “You lied about your age,” he says flatly. “Not that anyone will care. It’ll all be on me.” “I’m so sorry I put you in that position.” “Position?” he echoes with a wicked smirk. He gives me an under-eyed look and I flush, giggling, the anxiety in my belly unclenching. He smiles at me and I shift in the bed, ignoring the discomfort of my IV and the beeping monitors. All I see is Sloane and the smolder flaring in his gaze. My body responds immediately to his raw sensuality and my face burns in embarrassment as open I feel to his probing look. He has to see my desire. It’s too strong, too intense, not to go unnoticed. In his presence, the darkness inside of me morphs into a bright light and kindles into a hot flame. “I’d never do anything to
jeopardize you.” “Why’d you do it?” he asks. “And was it only me you were willing to be with or anyone who happened upon you while you waited for the jerk?” Although anger flashes through me, his question is legitimate. I was touching his penis within twenty minutes of meeting him and he didn’t even know my name. Shame replaces everything else and I think about Crowell. He’d give me something to make me forget and I’d be able to pretend I don’t have a care in the world. “Well?” Hanging my head, I wheeze a breath. “Crowell gave me the coke,” I begin, not sure where to start. “And?” “He brought me in that room and told me he’d be back in a few minutes to collect payment.” Silence falls but a heaviness fills the air. I peek in his direction. Fury blazes from his blue eyes and something else, almost indefinable. Bitter envy, similar to what I experience whenever I think of Lana or try to figure out who Sloane could’ve been visiting at my parents’ house. My mind goes round and round with scenarios. Other than my mother—since he smelled like her—I don’t know who else to pair him with. Although I know it’s probably one of the maids, mainly because my mother is like Josh—elitist. She’d consider Sloane beneath her due to his age and his profession. “Did you hear me?” he growls. I press my lips together so I won’t moan like a dog in heat at his rough tone. “You had no money with you,” he offers in a low tone. “You know he didn’t want my money.” A curt nod is my answer, but I’m compelled to defend Crowell. He’s a stupid ass; however, he’s my friend and has stuck by me when no one else would. “It’s only recently that he’s began to request anything in exchange for the powder and he always gives me pleasure, too, so it isn’t one-sided.” His jaw clenches and his grip tightens on the guitar neck before he closes his eyes. When they pop back open, they’re angrier and colder. “What were you doing there and would you have been with another man if I hadn’t found you?” “You almost sound jealous.” The thought makes me hum in my throat. He doesn’t answer me, but stares me down until I give in. Blowing out a noisy breath, I plop back dramatically. “Crowell brought me to meet you. He got me in. We’d only been there a few minutes before he brought me to
that room. As to your other question, no, I wouldn’t have.” I chew on a fingernail to settle my nerves. “The whole thing confuses me because I’m ashamed of myself and sorry for the position I’ve put you in, but I wouldn’t change those moments with you for anything.” My confession is wrenched from deep inside of me, leaving myself completely open to Sloane. His eyes soften, roaming over me like the barest caress, and he relaxes again, easing my tension. Long fingers pluck at the guitar and his lashes lower as he gazes at the instrument. He plays no definitive tune, but it disappoints me when he stops with the same abruptness that he started. We stare at each other and, despite his demand that we forget about our first meeting, it hangs between us. Passion glazes his eyes. He’s remembering our encounter as much as I am. I want to know him. Really, really discover his essence. From news stories, I already know his favorite movie and food preference. I’m aware of much more but reading about him and experiencing him are totally different. “You’re beyond brilliant to have picked up a lead guitar at Maitland’s house and learned to play in a few weeks.” His fingers glide over the strings again and he smiles. “That’s a good story, isn’t it?” I lick my lips and his eyes follow my movement. “It’s true, right?” His wry words bother me. “No,” he says calmly, and plays again. This time, his voice rasps the bands biggest hit with only the acoustic guitar as the musical accompaniment. The song is more meaningful with just his croon and a solo instrument. It’s sad and haunting and seductive. Absorbing him, each small nuance, my gaze remains glued to him, so I don’t miss when he closes his eyes and loses himself in his music and I’m rapt with awe as he refocuses on me, to bring it to a conclusion. All of the emotion that he put into his song is stark in his features. Kathryn Kelly is the author of the Death Dwellers Motorcycle Series. Although she’s moved on to rock stars, she still loves Harleys and would like to own one day. She loves football and scotch, which came in handy as her beloved Saints lost their mojo. In reality, she’s the girl door, but a biker babe at heart.
kathrynkellyauthor.blogspot.com Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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feature sneak peek
Caridad Pineiro
Take A Chance (Box Set) Three sexy novellas about risking it all for a chance at love and passion . . . JUST ONE NIGHT - Jason Hart has just one night to prove to his best friend’s older sister that anything is possible . . . ONE SPECIAL NIGHT – Jasmine Reyes has no time for rich sexy men who’ve never had a care in the world and wouldn’t understand her determination. But Tommy de Salvo’s charm is seductive and she knows that she has to explore the attraction, even if it’s only for this one special night.
Nicole de Salvo stared out the train window as every passing mile brought her closer to home . . . and to him. It had been a hectic day with a dash down to the Philadelphia area for her brother’s ONE LAST NIGHT - Thrown and Jase’s graduation and then a rushed trip together, Trevor and Maggie back to New York City for an interview for a can’t ignore the sexual heat position she wanted for her summer break from between them. As they satisfy medical school. An interview that couldn’t be one set of needs, another slowly rescheduled no matter what. develops as passion breathes The nearly two hour train ride down to her life into other emotions. Will family’s home on the Jersey Shore was long, but Trevor and Maggie’s one last at least it would give her a moment to catch her night together possibly lead to breath and prepare for seeing him again. many other nights in the future? For seeing Jase, possibly for the last time. He had looked amazing that morning in his dress uniform, sword at his side and his second lieutenant’s bars gleaming in the morning sun. The deep blue of the uniform had made his green eyes seem aqua, like the ocean bathed with brilliant light. Tall and imposing, he had looked every inch an officer and a warrior until he had fixed his gaze on her and offered up the wicked little boy grin that did all kinds of things to her insides. She pressed a hand to her stomach to quiet the nervous flutters as she thought about seeing him again once she arrived at home, where her younger brother Tommy’s graduation party would be in full swing. It had been tough enough seeing Jase that morning, knowing that with every minute that passed their time together
was fading away. This night at the party and knowing it would be the last one they’d share was going to be one of the hardest things she ever did. Driving that thought from her mind, she glanced out the train windows and caught glimpses of the shoreline and ocean visible from the North Jersey Coast line. They’d all spent so much time in those waters, her, Tommy, and his best friend Jason. Jase to his friends. She was a friend, kind of. After all, they’d grown up together and had spent many a lazy summer along the shore. But as they’d gotten older, something had changed. The typical teasing between kids, between her and Jase, had become more flirty. Definitely full of subtle sexiness. Or at least, it had gotten that way on his part. She hadn’t known how to handle it when an eighteen year old Jase had settled that green-eyed gaze on her, flashed her a not-so-innocent dimpled grin, and heat had ignited inside her. Four years later, she still didn’t know how to handle him. NY Times and USA Today Bestseller Caridad Pineiro is a Jersey Girl who just wants to write, travel, and spend more time with family and friends. Caridad is the author of nearly 50 novels/novellas and loves romance novels, super heroes, TV and cooking.
Caridad.com Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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feature book showcase
Nicole Morgan
Risque Renovation
After years of abuse at the hands of her ex-husband, Sandra Jameson flees in search of a new identity and happens upon the small coastal city of Grand Isle, Maine. The quaint little town is exactly what she has been looking for to set down roots and begin her new life. Kade Riley is a bit of a ladies’ man. As the local handyman, he is called on by many for various projects. So when the new woman in town catches Kade’s eye, he gladly comes to her rescue. Patreece slowly lowers the protective walls she’s built around herself while the days tick by and their attraction for one another grows. Now, the only thing standing in the way of their future is her past.
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She squeezed a dollop of toothpaste onto her toothbrush and turned on the faucet when her quiet night was interrupted by chaos. Water squirted out, hitting her in the eye. Her toothbrush flew from her hand and an instant later, she heard the unmistakable sound of something plopping in the toilet. Turning her head sideways, she reached for the knob to turn it off. She turned it and turned it, then turned it again, but nothing happened. Ducking underneath the continuous stream of water, she tried wiggling the faucet in hopes she could undo whatever the hell she had done. Nothing she did worked. She finally leaned into it, trying to use all her weight. She realized a second too late just how bad of an idea that was. The knob came free from the faucet and the continuous stream turned into a horrendous geyser. Water shot up from her sink as if it was a fire hydrant that had just been run over. “Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!” she shouted to the empty room, knowing full well it wouldn’t do a damn thing. She stared at the tsunami taking over her bathroom and cringed as she realized she had no freaking clue what to do. She closed her eyes and silently prayed that maybe it was all just a really annoying dream. The sound of water splashing around told her she couldn’t be further from the truth. Was this going to be her demise? Would surviving Carl have been for naught, because this damn house, which she’d insisted on having, was going to do her in? She laughed bitterly at the irony. It was either let the humor in or cry. And she vowed long ago to never cry again. She’d shed way too many tears in her life already. She took a calming breath and tried to think. She was a grown woman. Surely she was smarter than a damn faucet. Suddenly, she remembered something her father taught her when she was younger. A valve. There should be some sort of shutoff valve near the sink. She looked behind the porcelain pedestal and saw a silver oblong knob. It was wet and worn, making it nearly impossible to get a good grip on it. She had to try, though, and give it her best. She wrapped her fingers around the cold metal and turned as hard as she could. It barely moved at all. Still, it did give just a little.
The water was beginning to creep up the sides of her feet. She didn’t have time to look, but she prayed it wasn’t getting to the rest of the house. Moldy carpet was the last thing she needed. At least the bathroom was tiled and would make for an easy clean-up. She knelt down in order to get better leverage and put everything she had into it. She wasn’t sure, but didn’t think it should be this hard to turn it off. She considered that maybe she was making it worse. Stopping for a second, Patreece squinted, trying her best to read the tiny, oxidized letters on the nozzle. They were completely illegible. All she had to go on was a faint memory she had as a child. Her dad always made it look so easy. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. Easy-peasy. Right! Clearly, she was an idiot, or this house was out to get her, because nothing she was doing was working. Her shirt was now soaked and she was beginning to shiver. She wasn’t sure if she should be thankful she turned on the cold water first or not. Though, in retrospect, being blasted with cold sounded a lot better than scalding her body with the hot. Damn it! Why was this so freaking hard! Turn a knob! How hard is it? Was she a complete moron that she couldn’t even…? Finally, it began to move. The oblong piece of metal started to move with her manipulations. She felt as if she might just get herself out of this mess. The relief-filled moment lasted only a second before something went horribly wrong. “Nooo!” she screamed. Water shot everywhere, much higher than it had been. She squinted against the harsh spray and tried to stand while pushing herself up against the wall. Bracing her other hand against the sink, she managed to get up to a standing position. As soon as she made it upright, the slippery floor got the better of her and she lost her balance. Quicker than she even had time to react, her feet were sliding out from underneath her as she fell to the floor. The back of her head cracked painfully against the tile floor. She felt disoriented for a second and actually thought she heard a man’s voice. Kade’s voice. Damn him. She was tired of him always entering her mind as if he had a right to be there. Couldn’t he just leave her be for a moment? She lifted her hand and rubbed her eyes. The
voice was getting louder and it no longer sounded as if it was her imagination. She tried to hear what he said over the sound of the water, but it was nearly impossible. A large shadow of a man came toward her. She tried to see who it was as she squinted against the constant water spraying around her. Whoever he was, he stepped over her and reached behind the sink. She heard the welcome sound of metal scraping against metal as the valve turned. Next, she heard the magnificent sound of the water slowing until finally there was nothing more than a few drips. Then, thankfully, silence followed soon after. The water was finally off. Whoever he was, he was a miracle worker in her book. He stood over her and bent down. With strong hands, he lifted her up and pulled her to a standing position. The light no longer cast a shadow against his face and she could see who it was that had come to her rescue. Kade. She could feel his breath on her face. Despite her shivering, instant heat warmed her wet body. The cold water at her feet no longer made her tremble. Her heart began beating at a rapid pace as she looked up into his chocolate eyes. A sensation she’d forgotten she was capable of worked through her body. That bundle of nerves that had tormented her all night and day worked its way up to her throat. It lodged in place, making uttering a single word impossible. Not that she’d have any idea what to say him. She had no idea what it was about this man that caused such havoc on her thoughts and action. Damn it all. Something told her she was about to find out. Nicole Morgan is an author of erotic romance novels. While she’s written just about every subgenre there is, her leading men will more than likely be wearing a uniform of some kind. From military to police officers, she has a love for writing about those who protect and serve.
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feature sneak peek
Becky McGraw Till Death
Dave Logan is stunned when Dallas FBI head, Susan Whitmore, darkens his doorstep accusing him of being the cause of her losing her job, and demanding he hire her at Deep Six Security. Even as his brain says no way, the Barracuda is a woman nobody can work with, his white-knight complex forces him to offer her a job as his very overqualified temporary secretary. A wealthy couple who ordered a designer baby which wasn’t delivered contacts Dave for help. To get answers for them, Dave has to get inside an overly-fortified fertility clinic going undercover with Susan as his temporary wife. The situation inside is worse than they imagined, and soon their pretend ‘til death do us part’ could become very real, unless the two alpha personalities learn to worth together to stay alive.
Dave huffed a breath too as he followed Mac out of the conference room. Yes, the sooner he got Susan out of his office the better. He had been avoiding her like the plague, hadn’t seen her since their confrontation over the popsicles, but he knew now his luck was running out. Against all odds, his men were becoming attached to her and she was obviously encouraging it. The last thing he needed in this office was friction or drama, and he could see it coming with the new Susan Whitmore fan club. Dave just needed her gone, before she embedded herself into his group and removing her would be like extracting a cactus spine. Just as he rounded the corner into the outer office, Susan walked out of the kitchen toward him. She was sucking on something, but it didn’t look like a popsicle. When she got closer he realized it was some kind of candy. It was also the first time he’d seen her that day, or any day since the day he told her to lose the baggy suits. Her new uniform of choice was skin tight yoga pants and a tank top. No wonder his men were gaga. Dave just barely kept his own tongue from flapping out of his mouth, as his eyes ticked over her full breasts and down her mile-long, muscular legs to her toes while she walked over to her desk. Dave knew Susan was athletic, and over the years he’d often wondered what her body looked like under those baggy black suits. Well he didn’t have to wonder anymore. Every square inch of
her tight body was right there for him to see. There was absolutely nothing left to his imagination. Good God— she was built like a brick shithouse. His body quickly registered that fact too. Susan paused at her desk and held his eyes as she slowly slid the white stick out of her mouth until a round, pink ball appeared. She stopped to twirl the candy between her lips, which made matters much, much worse. As she pulled the candy from her mouth, it made a sucking, popping noise and Dave bit back a groan. Susan’s eyebrow lifted, and she smiled. Waving the candy at him, she said breezily, in that husky voice of hers, “Howdy, stranger. Did I catch you before you scurried into your office like a cockroach? Or did you need something?”
A jack of many trades, NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Becky McGraw has been an optician, a beautician, a legal secretary, a real estate broker, web designer, graphic artist, and romance writer. She knows just enough to make her dangerous, and her books varied and interesting. Becky resides in Florida with her husband of thirty-three years and her dog Abby.
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Contemporary | Romance | Mainstream | Literary Fiction
CONTEMPORARY & ROMANCE
the HAPPILY ever AFTER
Issue 26 | March/April 2015 |
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trends reading trends in romance
Chic in
Trends Romance Sandra Bunino
Keep Your Heart Pounding with Romantic Suspense Heart-pounding, page-turning, late-night binge reading to find out what’s going to happen next . . . yes! It’s Romantic Suspense! I asked my Facebook book group, the Bookalicious Babes, why they love this special genre. Tai loves the combination
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| Chic Trends in Romance | of exciting love scenes mixed with action-packed suspense. Thrills and nonstop action keep Liz C. and Susan reading through the night. Liz Z. likes smartass heroes and heroines. If she can’t guess who the bad guy really is right away, she’s happy. She’s a fan of the clever misdirection. I love the unique story lines romantic suspense authors weave. Nancy Sartor’s Bones Along The Hill is one of those truly cool stories. Bones Along the Hill by Nancy Sartor (Boroughs Publishing Group—now available) Neva Oakley is a funeral facial restorationist with a legendary skill at making the dead look alive. But for all her talent, she can never bring back Gray Ledbetter, her first love, who took his own life ten years ago. Davis Pratt, too, is consumed. Long ago his younger brother disappeared, and Davis won’t give up hope. Perhaps that’s why he and Neva are such a good couple. Or perhaps that’s why they can’t move forward. Then the search leads them to the Oakley cemetery and a murder tied to a human trafficking ring. Suddenly, impossible crimes threaten both family and friends, crimes that cannot be ignored. Not even the Nashville PD can keep Neva safe, but if she and Davis succeed, together they just might solve all their mysteries and free each other to embrace their future. Who can resist a sexy FBI agent and the fiercely independent heroine? You’re in for a wild ride in Cait Jarrod’s second book of the Band of Friends series, Mystic Hearts. Mystic Hearts by Cait Jarrod (Band of Friends, #2, Evernight Publishing—now available) Temptation landed at Special Agent Larry Newman’s feet— literally. Charlene Smith captured his heart after he rescued her from terrorists
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| Sandra Bunino | two months ago. A failed relationship and abusive child have turned him into a loner and workaholic. The scars weigh heavily on him and keep him from pursuing her. So what’s a guy to do when the woman he pines for passes out in front of him while working a case? Battling psychological wounds from abduction is easier than coming face to face with the sexy FBI agent she’s fantasized about for months. As single mother, she chooses to avoid the drama that dating would bring to her son’s life. So she only allows Larry close in her dreams. Now, she’s second-guessing her decision. Should she have a relationship with this man who makes her feel alive just by being close? I had the wonderful opportunity to ask authors Nancy Sartor and Cait Jarrod about the romantic suspense genre. SB: In your opinion, what sets romantic suspense apart in the romance genre? NS: The unexpected danger, suspense adds to the romance to escalate the reader’s emotional thrill and setting it apart from the contemporary romances. CJ: Tension in a word although all romance and all stories for that matter must have tension or the book fails. Romance tension centers around the relationship between the hero and heroine. They come together, fly apart, misunderstand and finally solve all their issues and come together. Romantic suspense needs some of that same structure, but it is usually interwoven among a fairly dark suspense story in which one or both the hero and heroine are threatened by something evil or bad or awful. SB: What qualities must a romantic suspense heroine possess? NS: Strength and courage like all heroines, but whereas a suspense heroine could (although most are not) be completely disinterested in the opposite sex, a romantic suspense heroine must have those interests as well. She also, in my humble opinion, needs to be hot, which is to say very attractive. CJ: For me, honesty, integrity, character. Even dealing with her struggle, her wound, she needs to be able to see past her issues to see what needs to be done.
SB: I love those qualities in a heroine. Please, tell me something special about Neva Oakley from Bones Along the Hill and Charlene Smith from Mystic Hearts. NS: The coolest thing about Neva is that she chose me, came to me in the dark of the night and whispered, “My name is Neva and I fix the faces of the dead.” What a *great* way to keep a writer awake all night. She’s the only child of an undertaker, meaning that while her family is respected among the community, they’re not always the first people on the guest lists for a wild and wooly party. Something about inviting death to your festivities. CJ: When Charlene arrived in Fredericksburg in Kidnapped Hearts, Book one of the Band of Friends series, she was a mess. Lost, not knowing whom to trust, she does whatever she has to save her son, which meant putting someone else and herself in harms’ way. In Mystic Hearts, she recovers from the kidnapping, learns how strong she is, and confronts her ex-husband to keep her family safe. Thanks, Nancy, Cait, and the Bookalicious Babes! Readers, be sure to check out these two new releases! They’ll be sure to keep you reading into the night.
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST Sandra Bunino is a romance author of several novellas including The Satin Rose Experience series. Her first full-length novel, The Colors of Us from the McAvery’s Bar Series, released in August 2014. She makes her parents proud by putting her MBA degree to good use dreaming up Alpha heroes who dominate the bedroom as well as the boardroom. When not staying up past her bedtime torturing her oh-sosexy heroes, she can be found shopping for shoes or saving turtles. She looks forward to hearing from her readers and she may be contacted at sbunino@gmail.com. As a social media junkie in need of a ten-step program, you can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter. Join her book group, Bunino’s Bookalicious Babes, on Facebook! You can also visit her website at SandraBunino.com.
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reviews contemporary | romance | mainstream
The Lion Trees Owen Thomas Literary Fiction Heat Rating: 3
What happens when you get the life you aim for and it hurts like hell? What if survival required you to unlearn who you are? How far would you fall to save yourself? The Johns family is unraveling—but sometimes happiness is a long way down. The Lion Trees. Review: This is one of the most well-written novels I have read in a long time. As I read it I remember thinking, this is what novel writing is about. It is not just about the plot unfolds or even how the story ends but about engaging with its audience and awakening their imagination and senses. The rich descriptive language not only draws the reader in but makes them care about what happens to each character and somehow feel like a part of the story. The Kindle version is over 1,300 pages, making it a very long book which can be intimidating. However, I would say that with its healthy mix of intrigue and mystery Owen Thomas definitely has a winning combination. Highly recommended for serious readers. Reviewed by Rejoice Denhere
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Broken Wings
Soul Scars
Military Romance Heat Rating: 4
Contemporary Heat Rating: 4
Erika Ashby
Lynsie Fox has what she considers to be a perfect life. Married to Lincoln, a military pilot, she’s living the Army life she’s always loved. Being a sucker for great love stories, Lynsie makes it her mission to find Lincoln’s best friend and co-pilot, Dax Adams, a good woman. Losing the one woman he’s ever loved, Dax attempts to be a good sport by playing along in Lynsie’s match-making scheme. However, Dax is certain he will never get the woman of his dreams. But life doesn’t always fly smoothly. When turbulence strikes, Lynsie watches her world crash and burn around her, leaving her empty with broken wings. Despite her grief, can she mend the pieces back together and learn to fly again? Review: Broken Wings by Erika Ashby was a beautiful story of love, loss, and finding love again. Lynsie, Lincoln, and Dax are best friends. Lynsie is married to Lincoln and desperately in love with him. She wants Dax to have the same kind of love that she and Lincoln have, so it’s her mission to set him up with a good woman which he resists for a good reason. However, life changes in a horrible way for Lynsie; she experiences a loss that she may never get over. Dax is a support to Lynsie, all the while hiding his true feelings for her. Please don’t let the heavy subject matter scare you from reading this gem of a book. It’s a beautiful book of loss, healing, friendship, and love. Another great read by Erika Ashby.
Tasman Gibb
Dog trainer Lulah Wallis yearns for security in her life. Combat PTSD left Vince Marr yearning for respite from crippling flashbacks. He finds a kindred spirit in Calliope, a rescued pit bull, and with Lulah trains her as a service dog. Growing friendship ignites a passion neither can resist, but doubts cast by their deep scars grow along with it. For both of them love is unsafe, and trust is a terrible risk. Review: This book had me from page one! The emotional turmoil was gripping, it grabbed my attention from the start and left me feeling like I was pulled right into the lives of the characters. It’s a combustible read that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat and breathless in anticipation of what will happen next. The author did a fabulous job of writing characters that bring the sheer power of overwhelming love to the forefront of the story. Even with all of their flaws, the romance was soul consuming and passionate. Who doesn’t want a hero whose life has been derailed by past turmoil and a woman who is there to pick up the pieces and put his heart and soul back together? I recommend reading this book. I can’t wait for the next book in the series! Reviewed by Kim Patten
Reviewed by Christie Mitchum
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reviews contemporary | romance | mainstream
Wrecked
Anne Conley Contemporary Heat Rating: 4
Welcome to Serendipity, Texas, where the days are hot and the nights are steamy. Meet real people with real problems, as they live life and find love in a small town. One moment of distraction, and Renae causes Jason to wreck his motorcycle, setting into motion a love affair that could be her undoing. When their lives entwine, they both have choices to make, hurts to get over, and ideals to let go of. Is it possible for them to do it, in order to get their happily ever after? Or will things be wrecked? Review: Who doesn’t love Serendipity Texas, where the weather is hot and the men are even hotter! The author has created a well written story with charming characters that you can easily breeze through and completely enjoy. It was a fantastic read that was fast paced, sexy and extremely entertaining. Jason and Renae were not without faults, both dealing with life altering changes and together the two were perfectly suited for one another. They had fantastic chemistry and I loved how they completely drove each other crazy at times and at others had the most tender & loving moments. They are each other’s strength and weakness. This book was extremely well written and sexy, with a very creative and entertaining plot. This is a must read in the Serendipity Texas series. It can also be read as a standalone. I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did! Reviewed by Kim Patten
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Fever Pitch
Wyne and Dine
Gay Romance Heat Rating: 4
Romance Heat Rating: 4
Heidi Cullinan
2
Love Lessons, Book
Aaron Seavers is a pathetic mess, and he knows it. He lives in terror of incurring his father’s wrath and disappointing his mother, and he can’t stop dithering about where to goto college—with fall term only weeks away. Giles Mulder can’t wait to get the hell out of Oak Grove, Minnesota, and off to college, where he plans to play his violin and figure out what he wants to be when he grows up. But when Aaron appears on campus, memories of hometown hazing threaten what he’d hoped would be his haven. As the semester wears on, their attraction crescendos from doublecautious to a rich, swelling chord. But if more than one set of controlling parents have their way, the music of their love could come to a shattering end. Review: This was an amazing story about two lives that come together beautifully but not without its share of tears and drama. This book incorporates friendship, love, and music in such a way that makes you feel like you are there in the story with these characters. You can almost hear the emotion in the songs that are being sung and feel the roar of the music in your gut. Include all the additional characters that come into play and this becomes a wonderful story full of emotion that includes drama, resilience, suspense, laughter and tears. My favorite characters of this story were Giles’ parents. They were very kind and supportive parents that loved their son and his friends unconditionally. I didn’t read the first book but absolutely loved this book. I am looking forward to reading the series!
Donna Michaels
Thanks to his sister’s best friend, a National Guardsman will never look at a banana split the same way. She has an MA in History and a master’s in sexy. But, w hen the attraction takes on a new level at his sister’s wedding, his carefully guarded heart begins to thaw. Will she leave him for a career in NYC? Yet, if he doesn’t take a chance, will the best thing in his life become history? Review: There was a lot of enjoyable banter between the main characters, their family, and friends. Lea and Ben basically had known each other for years and one may have had a crush on the other, not knowing that the other one also had a crush on them as well. It was a steamy, sexy, and a fun read that had a little serious moment, like when Ben confronts his phobia when he realizes where he truly wants to be. And it also had its sweet and tender moments as well as the steamy ones. Lea’s friend Brandi needs her story told as well as Ben’s brothers. They were an absolute delightful hoot and were truly enjoyable. So if you get a chance pick up a copy. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Reviewed by Tina Huey
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reviews contemporary | romance | mainstream
One Mad Night Julia London Romance Heat Rating: 3
One winter’s night a blizzard sweeps across the country, demonstrating that fate can change the course of lives in an instant…and fate has got a sense of
humor. Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty are high profile ad execs in cutthroat competition for a client. When a major winter storm puts New York City on lockdown, the two rivals have to make it through the night together—oh, the many ways in which opposites attract...
Review: Co-workers Chelsea and Ian always seemed to viealways seemed to vie for the same accounts. Neither one of them liked that, but they were kind of force to deal with it. One day while preparing her pitch to the partners for a very important account, snow started falling and by the time she had finished practicing, it had turned into a full blown major snowstorm and trapped her and Ian at the office. They were not too happy about that, but they made the best of the situation. They eventually called a truce with some major hiccups along the way, but they realized that they’d actually be very good together. It was a fun, quick, and very enjoyable read. If you get a chance, pick up a copy, and check it out. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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A Little on the Wild Side Robin Kaye
Romance Heat Rating: 3
A woman who gets what she wants… Bianca Ferrari—exsupermodel turned successful business woman—seems to have it all: beauty, brains and a career she loves. And she did it all by herself…through sheer force of will and ruthless determination. So when her life is suddenly turned upside down, it’s hard for her to admit that going it alone may not be an option… A man who knows what she needs… Sexy, rugged and down-to-earth, Trapper Kincaid has a knack for attracting all kinds of women—mostly the wrong kind. When he finds out that the exhaustingly independent and drop-dead gorgeous Bianca is in serious need of help, he knows he’s the man for the job. But Bianca isn’t going to make it easy Review: A little wild indeed! And it came with some unexpected consequences, no less. Trapper Kincaid and Bianca Ferrari paid the price for their booty call indiscretions. The news that he’s about to be a daddy would probably not sit well with him until he managed to come to terms with it. As for Bianca, a former model, turned business woman, she’s had to cope with the unexpected surprise and they made quite a delightful couple when they eventually got together. Even with the hiccups they had along the way. It was a fun read with likable characters from Trapper’s side of the family to Bianca’s BFF James. And there are quite a few who deserve their own stories too. So if you get a chance, check it out. You just might be pleasantly surprised. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Rough Rider Victoria Vane
Cowboy Romance Heat Rating: 3
Two loves ... Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect-until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash. Different Dreams... Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good-roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there’s a void he can’t seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts...but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget. When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he’s determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love? Review: It was a really good tale in the rough and tumbled world of cowboys and bull riding. Dirk was a well-known bull rider and Janice basically took care of the bulls, by getting them ready for the bull riders’ eight-second ride. She knew a lot about bulls since she grew up around them, but cowboys were bulls of a different variety. Dirk had been in a relationship but they eventually broke up, leaving the road clear for Dirk and Janice. They did make quite a good couple and you even liked Grady, who was a bit of an annoying pain, but he just might deserve a story of his own. So, if you get a chance, check it out and check out her Devil Devere series as well. You definitely won’t be disappointed and you’ll have a good time. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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The Trouble with Texas Cowboys Carolyn Brown
Cowboy Romance Heat Rating: 3
No sooner does pintsized spitfire Jill Cleary set foot on Fiddle Creek Ranch than she finds herself in the middle of a hundred-year-old feud. Quaid Brennan and Tyrell Gallagher are both tall, handsome, and rich...and both are courting Jill to within an inch of her life. She’s doing her best to give these feuding ranchers equal time-too bad it’s dark-eyed Sawyer O’Donnell who makes her blood boil and her hormones hum... Review: Oh the trouble with cowboys from Texas. They are most definitely a handful and if the right lady comes along and manages to tame the untamable, that’s a notch in her favor. You’ll enjoy the antics of Sawyer O’Donnell and Jill Cleary from the first time they meet under misunderstanding circumstances and how they’re forced to navigate the circumstances of Jill’s arrival. You like her aunt Gladys and she needs her own story. She’s definitely a feisty one and quite a handful. It was a thoroughly enjoyable treat and it had lots of humor and a very quick wit along with a hefty dose of sarcasm and you definitely enjoy the quirky characters you meet and the funny situations that crop up. If you’re a fan of Carolyn Brown, you’ll definitely enjoy this high spirited tale. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
A Single Kiss
Walking in the Rain
Romance Heat Rating: 3
Gay Romance Heat Rating: 4
Grace Burrowes
New attorney Hannah Stark agrees to spend six months helping out in the family law department, though an upbringing as a foster child has left her determined never to set foot in a domestic relations courtroom. Trenton Knightley, the law firm’s family law expert, is equally determined that business and pleasure can’t mix. Hannah finds herself working with Trent on one tough case after another, and grows less and less pleased with her vocation. Trent, however, is increasingly impressed with Hannah – and not simply for her courtroom skills. Review: Trenton Knightly and Grace Stark made a good couple even though, technically, he was her boss. You wouldn’t have thought that Grace and Trent would make a good couple but they really do. Trent actually stands behind Grace when she’s force to confront an unexpected dark situation that crops up and also helps her to find another missing piece to her puzzle that had eluded her for quite a while. There were a lot of humorous moments and a lot of serious ones as well. You liked the characters that you came across, especially the ones in the Knightly family and the unexpected ones that came into Grace’s world. You rooted for them to work out and for everybody to get what they want. So when you get a chance check out A Single Kiss. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
T.A. Chase
This is book five in the Rags to Riches series. Sometimes fate brings us the right person to make our world perfect. Dayton VanHooren is a United States senator who doesn’t really like his job. He’s been too busy to date, much less pick anyone up for sex. Being openly gay means he doesn’t have to worry about scandal, but he’s looking for something more than a good time. Mickey O’Leary can barely think, he’s so exhausted. Working three jobs to help pay his brother’s hospital bills keeps him going and helps him forget about how lonely he is. Mickey would like to meet a nice guy who won’t run at the first hint of Mickey’s problems. A wedding reception and a thunderstorm are catalysts to bring these two men together. What can they do when they discover the perfect man for them but fall in love? Review: This book was great. Taking a subject like having an openly gay Republican congressman was priceless. The story itself though touched on numerous heavy topics never swayed from the light happy feel you got when the story began. It was a modern day Cinderella, well Cinderfella tale to a degree. Once again, T.A. Chase lived up to my expectations. This was an amazingly cute story. If you are looking fort a quick read that will leave you with the warm and fuzzies, this one is for you. There was a smile on my face the entire book. I will continue reading any of his books I can. Reviewed by Kristy Grissom
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An American Girl in Italy Aubrie Dionne Contemporary Heat Rating: 2
An Italian paradise is the last thing she wants... but the one thing she needs! Surely any girl would kill for the chance to tour Italy’s most famous cities for the summer? To experience the warmth of the Tuscan sun, the culinary delights of the pizzerias and caffés and to stroll along the cobbled streets of the City of Love itself... Any girl apart from ambitious oboist Carly Davis that is! For her, the Easthampton Civic Symphony’s latest European tour is one massive inconvenience. She can’t even put her smartphone down long enough to snap a picture of the Coliseum. Only, there’s one Italian attraction that Carly hadn’t quite expected to be a part of the tourist route... Review: The book is about a European vacation with an orchestra which turned into a nice unintended romantic Italian vacation that included a hottie who had an unusual name, and looked like he just stepped out of a GQ magazine. Carly and Michelangelo made for a very unusual couple. She plays Oboe for a visiting orchestra and he’s a wine maker, playing tour guide to help save his winery. You wouldn’t think the two would hit it off, as a couple, considering their rough start, but they actually made a very good couple. So, if you want a little Italian scenery complete with a hottie, check it out. You just might have a good time.
Jesse’s Girl Char Chaffin
Nostalgia Romance (1960s) Heat Rating: 3
Tim O’Malley returns home to clear his name and reconnect with Dorothy, his love since eighth grade. Blamed for a destructive fire he didn’t set, only Tim and Dorothy know that Jesse Prescott, Tim’s friend and Dorothy’s boyfriend, committed the crime. Jesse died in that tragedy and years later, locals honor him as a hero. In trying to set the record straight and claim Dorothy, Tim and Dorothy both discover that legend outweighs the truth. Review: When Jesse is killed in a fire in 1958, they all blamed Tim O’Malley. Tim leaves for seven years. When he returns in 1965, things are not different and Jesse has been claimed a hero. Even his own parents do not know the kind of person he had become, the only one who knew was Tim, his best friend, and his girlfriend Dorothy. He came back to Skitter Lake to clear his name, and reclaim the girl he fell in love with but never told her. This is a cute story of the wrongly accused boy from the wrong side of the tracks, that comes back to clear himself. Reviewed by Mindy Gomer
Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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reviews contemporary | romance | mainstream
The Girl in the Photo
One Kiss
Contemporary Heat Rating: 3
Romance Heat Rating: 3
Wally Wood
After the death of their father, an eminent surgeon, his adult daughter and son discover a memoir he was writing about a time in his life they knew nothing about and his love for a Japanese woman. Even as they mourn, David and Abbie question what they thought they knew about his life—and theirs—as they struggle with conflicting memories, unexpected emotions, and new possibilities—an unknown sibling. Review: The Girl in the Photo by Wally Wood was a well-written and emotional novel. How well do we ever know someone? That’s the question Abbie and David face when uncovering information about Masami Takeda, the woman their father had been sharing his life with in Japan. After the discovery of the unfinished memoir and the photo, Abbie and David began to question their father’s intentions with not only his wife but their life as a whole. I enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it. I liked the transitional narration that took place with the inclusion of some of the “chapters” from the memoir which brought history and added depth to the story. I wasn’t a fan of some of the religious undertone between Abbie and the rest of her family which became repetitive. The mystery of Japanese family brought life to the story though and kept me invested. Reviewed by Stacie Carrier
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Lisa Fox
Sometimes one kiss can change everything. New Year’s Eve is supposed to be a night for celebration and new beginnings. For best friends Kat and Dean, it is a nightmare filled with disastrous dates and enraged exgirlfriends! Lucky for them, they’ve got each other to help laugh off the embarrassing, and downright inappropriate, moments. But then midnight rolls around and neither of them have anyone to kiss… There’s no doubt this is a night they will always remember. The real question is whether it will be a night they want to forget… Review: One Kiss by Lisa Fox was a quick, steamy read. It takes place over one night, New Year’s Eve. Best friends, Dean and Kat, have always had an underlying attraction to each other. Will the kiss they share at midnight turn into something more, and will their friendship survive? Friends turned lovers are my favorite kinds of books, and this was no exception. The sexual chemistry between the two of them is hot and sexy, but the romance was sweet too! If you like your romance with a little spice, give this short story a try! I look forward to reading more by Lisa Fox. Reviewed by Christie Mitchum
The Bull Rider’s Keeper Lynn Cahoon
Modern Western Romance Heat Rating: 3
Jesse Sullivan isn’t afraid of any thing, any man, or any bull. In typical Jesse style, he jumps to purchase Main Street Gallery, a Boise tradition in the art world proving he’s more than the bullrider. Taylor DeMarco has one goal- getting the gallery on sound financial ground to prove to her parents that she can keep her grandfather’s legacy alive. When Jesse makes his offer, she vows to stop the sale, no hands barred. Review: A bull rider who was looking for a chance of normalcy by taking art classes and didn’t count on finding the woman in his art class to be the one for him. Even if they got off to a bad start, he walked in on her when she wasn’t expecting it, and she didn’t know if he was a stalker. She even turned out to be the daughter of his art teacher, which was news to him and kind of gave him a shock. It was fun and had just the right amount of spice to make it interesting. Jesse Sullivan and Taylor Demarco made a really steamy couple and I really enjoyed the banter between the two of them. If you want a little spicy steam, pick up a copy and you just might enjoy it. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Burning Love
Family Connections
Romance Heat Rating: 4
Contemporary Gay Heat Rating: 3
Cassandra Carr
Firefighter Jude Mason is hurt on the job and placed on disability. While he rehabs his injuries, doubts start creeping in. What if he never heals? Worse than that, is the question he barely dares to contemplate—what will he do for work if he can never go back to the station? Firefighting is all he knows. Michaela owns a café and lives her life with the constant threat of her business failing. She works long hours making her restaurant a success, leaving little time for romance. And who would want her anyway? She’s far from model-thin, for one thing. Sure, she’d like to have someone to share the good times and bad with, but her prospects are few, so she concentrates on her job rather than bemoaning her complete lack of a love life. Review: Recuperating firefighter Jude Fisher meets Michaela, who also happens to be a chef, when she accidently runs into him when he was about to leave a fashion photo shoot. They hit it off quite nicely, despite the incident, and they really did have a few steamy moments as well as some funny ones. Like when they first met. Some of the supporting cast need their own stories. For starters, there is Pedro, the photographer that introduced Jude to Michaela, and Jude’s firefighting buddy who had connections that helped him connect to a rather interesting job opportunity, and even Jude’s trainer. It was a fun and a very quick read and had likeable characters that you really liked a lot in this short steamy novella. If you like a quick, enjoyable read and hunky firemen, you just might like this one a lot.
N.J. Nielsen
This is book one in the The Connelly Chronicles series. Ray and Viv realise love isn’t always what they expect it to be, but learning to deal with the road ahead can be worth the heartache. When everything is running smoothly, an ex comes along to ruin their happily ever after. They must fight their past demons to make their future even better. Together they are family in the greatest sense, but do Ray and Viv have what it takes to beat the odds this time? Review: This story included drama, exlovers, the true meaning of family and how to love unconditionally. The beginning of the book was a little confusing but after a few chapters I was able to understand where we were in the story. There were also times throughout the book when I thought the story was going to end but instead it would simply delve into more fun, crazy, and interesting drama. There were many colorful characters within the story, however my favorite character was GG, Ray’s grandmother. She was feisty, fun and had a love for life that always brought a smile to my face! Thoroughly enjoyed the story from beginning to end and am looking forward to reading the sequel. Reviewed by Tina Huey
Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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reviews contemporary | romance | mainstream
Cry Wolf
Thea Harrison / Amanda Carpenter Retro Romance Heat Rating: 3
Fleeing for her life, Nikki Ashton rounds a corner and runs into an unyielding wall of man. Injured and desperate for rescue, she’s the very picture of a damsel in distress. Businessman Harper Beaumont is more than willing to act as her white knight—and after taking care of her he offers Nikki the career chance of a lifetime. But Nikki sees more in Harper than just her savior. She sees a man she can fall in love with. But Harper needs a strong, passionate woman at his side, and though Nikki knows she can be that woman for him, he only views her as a girl in need of protection… Review: The dance of Cat vs. Mouse has been portrayed many times in literature. This book is a classic example of the fight, flight, and then love scenario. One evening when Nikki was fleeing from muggers, she happens to run into a businessman who takes pity on her. He offers to nurse her back to health. She soon finds out that he has a hard time separating his work life from his personal time. Unfortunately, during her care she falls in love with him. Despite all of the warnings that his business mind was incapable of love. Does she win her prize, or is she left shattered? You will just have to read this book to find out. If you are looking for a quick read that will leave you satisfied, then this one is for you. If you are looking for an emotional connection, with powerful love scenes, strong characters, and an original plot then skip this one. Reviewed by Sally A. Wolf
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Drifter’s Heart
Dreams of Perfection
Contemporary Heat Rating: 4
Romance Heat Rating: 3
Karen Wiesner
Return to cowboy country in Fever, Texas, where the heat isn’t the only thing causing a fever! See if you can find the heirloom wedding band! Easy to love, hard to hold... Maggie May’s pa is still looking for the cowboy who knocked up his cowgirl vixen daughter five years ago. Little Tex has grown up without a father, but he’s the shining star of the May Ranch. Like his father, though, he’s always running off and disappearing. Just when Maggie May thinks it’ll never happen, the drifter she loves shows up, suddenly wise to the fact that his oh-so-altruistic efforts to quiet her endless stream of conversation had ended with a child. Horse trainer for hire and former rodeo bullfighter, Ryder McCall returns to Fever, Texas. This time, Maggie May plans to get him back in her clutches--and win his heart forever. Review: Karen Wiesner brings us a realistic love story with contemporary problems set in rural Texas. The story centers on Maggie and Ryder, two people with a passion for each other but very different lives. The author paints the relationship well, including details of Maggie and Ryder’s son’s issues with ADHD. The subject matter is unusual for a romance novel which only adds to the book’s allure. In a genre full of military, paranormal and historical subjects, it’s a pleasure to read a story that could easily be someone I know, ordinary and real. Supporting characters add much to the tale as does the Texas scenery. There’s not much heat in the romance since it’s about relationships and redemption, not passion. If you like real-life love stories, A Drifter’s Heart is a lovely book and completely worth your time.
Rebecca Heflin
What if perfection isn’t truly perfect? Best-selling romance writer, Darcy Butler, is holding out for perfection in the form of her own carefullycrafted heroes. Once blissfully engaged to be married, Darcy’s post-traumatic commitment phobia is depriving her of the very thing she wants most: her very own happily-ever-after. Now, here she is just six months shy of her thirtieth birthday, and not a Prince Charming in sight.
Sweet, But Sexy Boxed Set Multiple Authors Sweet Romance Heat Rating: 3
Turquoise Morning Press presents eight sweet contemporary romance stories that will convince you that sweet, can still be sexy! We’ve selected stories from some of our most popular romance authors to showcase in this set – stories that will take you from the beach to Christmas, from small town to big city, from keeping secrets to building dreams. After all, sweet and sexy romance, comes in all shapes and sizes, right?
Review: A twist on the flick When Harry Met Sally, Heflin’s tale deals with the theme of finding the perfect romantic hero vs. the right man for the woman waiting. A romantic triangle forms between Darcy Butler, Dr. Blake Garnett, and Josh Ryan. At a point, the reader cannot discern if Darcy is meant to be with Blake or Josh, but similarly to the afore-mentioned movie it becomes clear that Josh is the one that Darcy can live her life with until the end, though Blake is the one who sweeps her off her feet. The author delves into the concept of the perfect man vs. a man which a woman can share her low and high moments with unconditionally. It’s a journey of self-discovery and self-analysis on both the part of the female and male characters as humor is injected into the dialogue giving the read a light-hearted tone.
Review: It was a long nice set of 8 sweet and sexy stories by some of todays’ contemporary authors. They had good looking ladies and their equally good looking and sexy counterparts and they were thrown into some very interesting situation. Some of the stories pique your interest, more than others, but they are all interesting tales of the modest variety. There is a lot of wit and humor and a lot of likeable characters. Each story had just the right amount of length and steaminess and sweetness, that’ll have you coming back for more and each and every one of them were enjoyable and some had villains you definitely want to knock into next week. You’ll probably find a favorite among them, so if you like box sets with quite a few stories, you’ll enjoy these stories.
Reviewed by Susan Frances
Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Reviewed by Heather Lewis
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reviews contemporary | romance | mainstream
Only the Lonely Karen Wiesner Romance Heat Rating: 2
Return to Karen Wiesner’s awardwinning Angelfire Trilogy, where you first met and fell in love with these colorful, lovable friends. Now you can read the stories of those secondary characters—and some new faces—in an all-new spin-off quartet. Review: Karen Wiesner’s story has the makings of a soap opera drama as the naïve and impressionable Diane Hoffman is enamored of her boss Robert Drake whom she discovers is married with children. The writing lures readers into Diane’s life evoking their compassion and their interest to see how she’ll fair after the ten-year affair. She seeks a pretend boyfriend and turns to garage mechanic Mikey Lund who has been hiding his crush on her since they were teenagers. It’s a story about missed chances as well being a classic love triangle as Diane teeters between a reprobate and the man who genuinely cares about her. The author writes with clarity showing a deep connection to the characters though the narration can be judgmental, telling readers what to think. The story has a young adult tone, treating the reader as someone who needs to be told how to see the characters. Reviewed by Susan Frances
Debauched in Diamonds Nikki Duncan Romance Heat Rating: 4
When it comes to programmed assumptions, the heart is definitely not an easy hack. Tulle and Tulips , Book 4 At work, Darci Drummond, aka The Bunny of Bling, shines as bright as her trademark tie-shaped diamond necklace. Her dating life is a bit more tarnished. After getting hurt by a string of boyfriends, she takes solace in helping other women shine on their special day. She wouldn’t complain if she found someone to give her a few simple pleasures—and zero strings. Just not that nerdy computer programmer working upstairs. Review: The witty dialogue is the most likeable trait about Nikki Duncan’s story as beauty and the geek come together when workaholic computer programmer Victor Green develops a tenderness in his heart for wedding planner Darci Drummond. The writing is perceptive and appeals to the reader’s sense of intelligent repartee as the characters tease each other playfully, make valid points, and enter into intimate conversations that give audiences a distinct impression of each individual. No two personalities are alike or share similar circumstances. The writing is good quality though the empathetic denial on the part of the two main characters wears down the reader’s patience to stay with the story. It’s obvious that the author wants the pair to come together but the two keep fighting it. What should be sparks flying between the couple end up being a chemistry contrived by the author. Reviewed by Susan Frances
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Red, White & Screwed Holly Bush
Women’s fiction Heat Rating: 2
Political strategist Glenda Nelson is having a meltdown. Her handpicked, very married Congressional candidate was just caught climbing out of the window of the Sleepytown Motel, and her philandering ex-husband seems to have the most to gain from the colossal scandal that follows. As Glenda attempts to salvage the campaign in a hotly contested race, conservative and liberal pundits pounce on the story to further their own agendas. Review: Written in first person, the reader is given the sense that the story is an autobiography rather than a work of fiction. Seen from the point of view of Glenda Nelson, a political strategist for the Democrats, her reflections and conversations are slanted towards ridiculing Republicans until she meets a nationally acclaimed painter, Chris Goodwich. Their attraction is primal revealed to the reader using explicit language shown in their steamy thoughts and their frisky banter which is unhindered. It’s a modern story driven by a contemporary attitude about the relationship between a man and a woman. They’re a couple that hooks up, moving away from the man courting his lady approach. The heroine is a highstrung career gal while the hero is laid back and indulges in his creative talent. The atmosphere is sketchy though the dialogue informs readers, keeping them in touch with the characters and their controversial situations.
Skipping Stones
Meg’s Secret
Romance Heat Rating: 2
Contemporary Heat Rating: 3
J.B. McGee
Recovering from injuries sustained in Afghanistan, an Army doctor claims to be saved by her soulmate, who vanished after a brief romance fifteen years earlier. Review: Skipping Stones by J.B. McGee was a sweet love story. Alex and Drew meet for the first time when they are both teenagers. He helps her heal after suffering a devastating loss, and first love blossoms. However, just as her hearts begins to heal, Drew disappears, and she finds herself trying to survive another loss. Years later, fate brings them together, but will he stay this time? I loved both of the characters, and it was a sweet love story. The description of the creek was very vivid, and I could see it in my mind. But, the passage of time was a little too quick. I thought the pace should have been slower. However, I did enjoy the book, and I would definitely read more books by this author. Reviewed by Christie Mitchum
Kelly Abell
In this southern romance, Meg O’Banyon makes a mistake during her senior year in high school. She gets mixed up with football star Rowdy Rod Owens, and after one night of foolish passion, Rod, on his way to serve Uncle Sam, leaves her with a gift…one she knows her father will never approve of. Fearing his drunken rage, Meg flees on a Greyhound Bus with only twenty dollars in her pocket and a baby in her belly. Meg has struggled for ten years to keep food on the table for her and her daughter, Emma, and up until now has done okay. A visit to the doctor is about to change all that. Review: A very nice story, that’s a little on the slow side, but well worth it once you get to the end. It is also a little bit of a tear jerker. It tells the tale of a woman going through ovarian cancer. She had a very strong relationship with her family. And they stuck by her as she dealt with this horrible disease. She did worry about one of her sisters, but that sister had a silver lining in her boyfriend Aaron who had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. When her old boyfriend Rod should up, he turned out to be a blessing too, not to mention an unexpected source of strength even when he found out about the hidden secret. So if you get a chance pick up a copy, you just may be pleasantly surprised. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Reviewed by Susan Frances
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reviews
contemporary | romance | mainstream Save the Date Sadie Grubor Romance Heat Rating: 2
AIDAN IVERSON III, old money wealthy and blatant playboy, has never felt the need to be with one woman. Why, when he has the looks, money and a family name to rule the nightlife? And, when it thoroughly aggravates Grandfather? LILLIAN SNOWE, do-it-yourself overachiever, has a plan to keep her father healthy and living in the home where he raised her. But, how can she, when the hospital bills are piling up, the bank wants their money and she is hundreds of miles away from home? From the moment they meet, Aidan would have to be blind not to feel an attraction, especially with Lilli’s work attire and feisty humor. Review: Flashes of stories like Cinderella, Pretty in Pink, and the TV series The Nanny might enter the reader’s mind as these stories and Grubor’s share common links. Lillian Snowe is described as an impoverished female struggling with finances. Aidan Iverson III is a wealthy male pressured by his family to marry and produce an heir. The two meet through a mutual friend, and though the narration insists that the characters have a natural attraction, the reader isn’t entirely on board. The story fosters the concept of a modern marriage arrangement which promises romance, but the characters feel flat and indistinguishable. Aidan’s personality blends in with his male friends and Lilli’s features are interchangeable from her friends. The point of view alternates between Aidan and Lilli which causes audiences to seesaw between the two, usually to the detriment of the read. Overall, the story lacks the kindle to spark a romance.
Just One Spark
Jenna Bayley-Burke
Men-In-Uniform Romance Heat Rating: 4
Once the flame is ignited, there’s no escaping the heat. Hannah Daniels reads steamy romance novels so she can forget her lack of a personal life—and the fact that the one time in her life she took a risk on love, her heart was left in pieces. Her busy schedule means she reads whenever she can make time. Like at the laundromat while sitting on top of a washing machine. Mason McNally has waited his whole life for a woman who stirs his soul. When he finds her, she’s nose-deep in a racy paperback, perched atop a vibrating washing machine. Her beauty, boldness and raw sensuality definitely stir something in Mason. But there’s a problem. He’s forgotten he’s wearing a wedding ring. Review: The writing in this book was not constant. The description of the book said that Hannah loves to read erotic novels, but only once she read a book and after that, nothing. I do not like that I was promised one thing, but got something totally different. I liked how the author portrayed Mason, he was spontaneous and sweet and really easy to relate to. All in all, the author had a good story concept and the writing was okay, but I did not connect with the characters as I usually do. Yes I liked Mason, but I felt like I was reading about him, rather than experiencing with him, if you understand what I’m saying! The author was not consistent with her ideas and it came out jumbled and confusing. This book was a confusion of emotions and I hope you guys can keep up. Reviewed by Nathifa Swan
Reviewed by Susan Frances
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feature sneak peek
Susan Griscom Beautifully Used
Suave, handsome Brodie Beaumont has a history of using and being used by women. A past he doesn’t like to talk about has turned him into the type of guy he is today, but he hasn’t really cared. Until the beautiful and feisty Gabrielle Demeres comes back into his life. Gabrielle learned the hard way what type of guy Brodie was the first time she met him. His crude seduction attempt earned him a slap to his face, and Gabrielle wasn’t exactly looking forward to another encounter with the cad. Unfortunately, her best friend was marrying Brodie’s brother, and Gabrielle and Brodie would be forced to spend time together whether she liked it or not.
The house seemed unusually quiet. I wanted to call out to her, then considered that she might be sleeping and that it would be rude of me to wake her. I peeked in the kitchen, but she wasn’t there. Hunger pangs tugged at my stomach, but I needed a shower first, so I walked quietly down the hall toward my room. Passing hers on the way, I glanced in since her door was open. There she was, sitting, head bent over her laptop as her fingers flew over the keys, her long brown hair pulled back into a long ponytail that draped over her right shoulder and kissed the top of her bare thigh. She wore a t-shirt covering a small portion of that thigh, but it looked to me like the t-shirt was the only thing she had on. “Hey,” I said. She looked up at me and smiled, oblivious to the fact that she was sitting there looking so sexy and tantalizing. I had a hard time keeping myself planted in the door jamb instead of pouncing onto the bed and pulling her into a long seductive kiss. Any red-blooded male would have. God, this woman drove me nuts. How would I ever survive this arrangement? “Hi. You worked late. Did you have a chance to eat dinner?” Her melodious words jarred me from my intemperate, seductive thoughts. “Uh … no. You?” “No. I waited. I’ve been craving sushi and hoped I could convince you to do take out.” I fished my phone out of my pocket and looked at the white neon 8:12 on the display. It’s kind of late. We could call and see if they’ll still deliver this late. I searched
through my contacts and located the local sushi restaurant, well, the only sushi restaurant. Lucky for us, they delivered. Even luckier, they were still open for business. “Hold on just a sec,” I said into the phone and handed it to her. “Here, order whatever you want.” I pulled out my wallet, snatching out my credit card and handing it to her. “I like everything, but make sure to add in some spicy stuff. I’m gonna hop in the shower. See if they’ll deliver a bottle of saké too. Something dry and bold. We have some celebrating to do.” I turned quickly before she could ask me anything, leaving her with the phone, and headed to my room. I wanted to yell back and tell her to put some clothes on, but thought better of it. She probably had short shorts on that I couldn’t see. Gabrielle wasn’t the type to sit around in her underwear with her door open.
I spent my childhood daydreaming or playing in the mud. I still like to play in the mud, but only to soak. I daydream often and sometimes my daydreams interrupt my daydreams. All my stories have a dark edge with a high level of steam, unconventional and mixed with heat.
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Historical | Western | Period Fiction
once UPON a TIME
HISTORICAL & WESTERN
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more beyond the books
HotHunks The
of
HISTORY Christy English
Murder in the Cathedral: Thomas Becket and Henry II For this month’s Hot Hunks of History, I am touching on a hunk we already visited briefly in the past, namely King Henry II of England. Henry is one of my favorite historical figures, and as such, I must admit my bias in his favor at the outset. But there was a time in his life when he was a figure
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of great controversy across Europe because his Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, was murdered in his own cathedral.
Well, you might ask, what has that to do with Henry? People, even important archbishops, were murdered every day in the Middle Ages. You would be right, but at the Christmas festivities at his court, Henry II was reported as saying “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” Of course, Henry may very well never have said such a thing. That is part of the mystery of this particular historical thriller. Did Henry, one of the most powerful kings in Western Europe, order the murder of the man who had once been his best friend? No one knows for certain. I tend to think that he did not, and here’s why. Henry II was known for his temper, which he wielded as a political weapon both at court and on the battlefield. He made certain that just as his barons loved him, they feared him as well. He spent a great deal of time venting 126 | btsemag.com
his spleen on his sons, even going so far as to lock away his wife of twenty years after she had raised a rebellion against him. So Henry II was certainly no man to be trifled with. But in my opinion, he was not one to murder a priest in cold blood either. Henry lived to establish the king’s peace and the rule of law. To break the law in such a flagrant manner would have undermined everything he spent his entire life working for. As king, Henry did accept responsibility for Thomas’s death. After quelling the open rebellion that threatened him in 1173–1174, Henry made public penance for Thomas’s murder, taking the sin of it on himself and asking for forgiveness from the Church and from God. Here again, however, this does not make him guilty to my mind. Henry was simply taking responsibility for the actions of the men under his command, the knights who had done the killing in the first place.
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST Christy English is happiest when she is dreaming. Her dreams have taken her to the royal court of Henry II in The Queen’s Pawn, to medieval Paris in To Be Queen, and now to Regency England in Much Ado About Jack, Love on a Midsummer Night, and How to Tame a Wilfull Wife, where she loves to watch her characters find true love, often in spite of themselves. Please visit her on her blog, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
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reviews historical | western | period fiction
The Spider and the Stone Glen Craney
Historical Fiction Heat Rating: 3
As the 14th century dawns, the brutal Edward Longshanks of England schemes to steal Scotland. But a frail, dark-skinned boy named James Douglas--inspired by a headstrong lass from Fife--defies three Plantagenet kings and champions the cause of his wavering friend, Robert the Bruce, to lead the armies to the bloody field of Bannockburn. A thrilling saga of star-crossed love and heroic sacrifice during the Scottish Wars of Independence. Review: Taking place during the Plantagenet Era, The Spider & The Stone, this novel follows the side of the freedom-fighting Scottish people, particularly the life of Jamie Douglas, otherwise known as Black Douglas. Jamie is a rambunctious youth who falls for a woman promised to a man from an opposing clan, but this doesn’t stop Jamie from pursuing Belle MacDuff. Belle is a strong woman who truly embodies strength and conviction. Romance isn’t the main focus of this novel but it is artfully woven throughout the tale. The Spider & The Stone focuses mainly on the political turmoil that occurred during this period as well as the atrocities Longshanks exacted on the Scottish people. I really enjoyed this book it is a well written enthralling adventure. Reviewed by Brittany Hale
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Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress Theresa Romain Historical Heat Rating: 3
One good proposition deserves another… Heiress Augusta Meredith can’t help herself—she stirs up gossip wherever she goes. A stranger to Bath society, she pretends to be a charming young widow, until sardonic, darkly handsome Joss Everett arrives from London and uncovers her charade. Augusta persuades Joss to keep her secret in exchange for a secret of his own. Weaving their way through the treacherous pitfalls of a polite world only too eager to expose and condemn them, they begin to see that being true to themselves is not so bad…as long as they’re true to each other… Review: Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress was a truly great read. I enjoyed the banter that went on between Joss and Augusta. It was a very smooth read that I read from start to finish with no problem. The relationship between the H and h was easily believed and I loved that the hero wasn’t super macho in a way that makes him hard to like. That is one of the most important things to me about reading a book. You have to believe and be able to understand each character which the author was able to project through the story. While in Bath with a friend and acting as her companion, Augusta decides to not be herself anymore and comes up with another name and personality, hoping that she will recognize no one that can dispute her story. Enter Joss, who recognizes her and the fun begins. As each character figures out who they really are the relationship between them grows. This is my first book by Theresa Romain and I will definitely look forward to more!
Jewel of the East Victoria Vane Historical Heat Rating: 4
Having once lived his life only for larks, laughter, and ladies of easy virtue, Captain Simon Singleton has returned from the war with the colonies a shambles of a man. Now free from six years of captivity, he’s still fettered by irrational fears that confine him to a life of seclusion. Once the crowning jewel of the most lavish brothel in London, the exotic Salime finds her reputation and livelihood destroyed by a bitter rival. With a closely guarded secret stripped away, Salime fears no man will ever desire her again. Seeking aid from the man who once saved her life, Salime accepts a proposition to repay her debt to him by becoming a companion to his war-scarred friend. Circumstance brings these two damaged souls together; but fate ignites a love story worthy of the Arabian Nights. Review: If you’ve ever read a Devil Devere novel, you’ll definitely enjoy this installment. This particular one is #5 in the series, and really enjoyable with extremely likeable characters. So if you haven’t checked out the series, check it out from the beginning. You’ll enjoy all the characters you meet. And you’ll have a fairly decadent good time. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Reviewed by Toni James
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reviews historical | western | period fiction
Song of the Highlands K.E. Saxon
Scottish Highlander Heat Rating: 4
Morgana Cambel harbors one wish: To have one night of ecstasy with Robert MacVie. So, when she is offered such a chance—a secret switch—she determines to take it. Robert MacVie desperately plots to ensnare his heiress lover into marriage in order to gain her dowry and pay his King the debt his late father owed. But a last minute switch changes the course of his life—and his heart—forever. Review: A really fast-paced and interesting tale. Morgana Cambel and Robert MacVie made a very interesting couple, who had to deal with unusual circumstances and fate. They dealt with that in the best way they knew how, and when they actually got together they made an amazing team. They beat the odds and the intrigue. The supporting cast was intriguing as well and some were quite likeable. The villains were just vile and definitely deserved the punishment they got for the crimes that they had doled out. The story was fast paced and it held your attention from the very beginning. If you like intrigue and highlanders, you’ll like this story. If you get a chance, check it out you definitely won’t be disappointed. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
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Claimed by the Captain
A Touch of Passion
Historic Time Travel Heat Rating: 5
Historical Heat Rating: 3
Demelza Hart
What a pirate captain wants, he gets. And when Becky Dymond is thrown across time onto his ship, Captain Jasper Trevelyan takes. The very modern Becky Dymond seeks adventure on the high seas. But when her training brig is beset by a storm, she’s flung overboard and loses consciousness. Scarcely able to believe it, she realizesshe has been thrown back in time and onto a pirate ship with a strange and intimidating crew. But her situation improves greatly when she meets the charming and gorgeous Captain Jasper Trevelyan. If Becky wanted adventure, she’s getting more than she ever thought possible. Soon her desire for the pirate king is impossible to deny. Review: What’s a girl from the 21st century to do when she finds herself in a totally different century after falling overboard during a ferocious storm, and ends up in the company of pirates on the high seas? She hoped she died or lost her mind. She’d probably prefer the latter. Especially when she gets claimed by the captain in ways even she couldn’t have dreamt up. This was a very short and a very steamy read. Even though it was a little off the beaten track, it was quite good and just the right length. If you like pirates, adventure, and time travel to a new world, give it a chance and you just might like it. Reviewed by Cassandra Graham
Bronwen Evans
In the latest Disgraced Lords novel from USA Today bestselling author Bronwen Evans, a vivacious thrill seeker clashes with her dutiful defender—causing irresistible sparks to fly. Independent and high-spirited, Lady Portia Flagstaff has never been afraid to take a risk, especially if it involves excitement and danger. But this time, being kidnapped and sold into an Arab harem is the outcome of one risk too many. Now, in order to regain her freedom, she has to rely on the deliciously packaged Grayson Devlin, Viscount Blackwood, a man who despises her reckless ways— and stirs in her a thirst for passion. Review: I was so excited to receive this book. I read the first two books in the series, and I loved them and this book was no different. I enjoyed the passion that Portia had for life. She did not want to leave this earth with any regrets, but that attitude is what made her such an easy target to kidnap as well. In my opinion, Greyson needs to get over himself. He just thought that Portia would change her ways to please him and that she would accept his marriage proposal. The author wrote in such a way that she captured your attention and did not let go. The emotion and drama that the book contained will have you wishing for more. I strongly advise that you read this book; BUT you have to read the first two books to fully understand what is going on. Reviewed by Nathifa Swan
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reviews historical | western | period fiction
Invitation to Passion Bronwen Evans Historica Heat Rating: 3
Consummate rake, Lord Richard Craven, has his heart broken when the woman he loves is forced into an arranged marriage to a violent brute. To make matters worse, circumstances force him to marry Lady Madeline Knight—a woman he views more like a sister-only for fate to play the cruelest of tricks. Shortly after his wedding his former lover is widowed, and Richard learns she could be pregnant with his child. Madeline Knight thought she was doing the right thing when she saved Richard Craven from his lover’s irate husband. Now her silly schoolgirl crush has left her married to a man who’s in love with another woman. Consumed with guilt over trapping Richard, she tries her best to be the perfect wife and win his heart. Failure is not an option. For if she fails she loses everything, she loves him too much not to set him free… Review: I was not expecting that ending, it was so unexpected, yet it felt right. Maybe I might have figured it out if I read the entire series, but unfortunately I did not. This book can be read by itself but to fully understand it, you have to read at least the first book in the series, at least that’s what I get from what I read. This is the first time, since I have been reading books that the male main character is free with their love. I’ve read about love at first sight, and even denying their love, but never this. The story is AMAZING. It piques your interest at every turn and you would not be left wanting. You’ll be in a constant state of anticipation, wondering what’s going to happen next. I know I was! Reviewed by Nathifa Swan
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The Contract Violet L. Ryan
Historical Romance Heat Rating: 3
Orphaned Grace Barnett receives many proposals because her property has a dependable year-round water supply. She agrees to marry Jacob Cooper, the stranger from the ranch next door who claims he’ll never fall in love. They’ll have only a straightforward contract. Jilted two years before, Jake doesn’t trust women. He wants water rights, heirs, and a peaceful home. He expects the boyish girl next door to provide these without the messiness of emotions. When he sees her walk down the aisle, dressed as a woman, clean, and lovely, an inner struggle begins. Two strangers learning to live together in a house filled with emotional conflict and family intrigue will test their ability to cope and hinder chances to fall in love. Review: Set in Pioneering times, in a somewhat idealised XIX century past, The Contract is an easy read. With arch-villains, scheming ex-loves and relatives, handsome cowboys, formidable women, sexy Native-Americans and plenty of action, what the characters lack in psychological depth and consistency, they make up for in the sheer variety of misunderstandings and adventures they get involved in. Grace/Barney, the orphan protagonist is naïve and knows little of life when the story starts, but is resourceful and has a backbone. Her beau, Jake, thinks he is a man of the world but is as naïve as her in a completely different way (he misjudges people and situations throughout). With no hard sex, a varied and charming set of secondary characters, and some thrilling scenes of moderate violence, this will remind you of ‘Little House in the Prairie’ and will leave you smiling. Reviewed by Olga Núñez Miret
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Young Adult | New Adult | Childrens
YOUNG & NEW ADULT
BEYOND the fairy TALE
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trends
reading trends in young adult
Forever YOUNG Kellyann Zuzulo
Thrill Me Teenage brains are wired for risk and so are their stories.
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| Forever Young | Young adult fiction offers increasingly high drama, whether it’s a comic coming-of-age, a tender love story, or a treacherous adventure story. Emotional angst, defiant hijinks, and/or looming danger are necessary to capture the interest of the teenage reader. Apparently, that’s because the young adult brain needs thrills. It’s an evolutionary remnant of a time when mammals in adolescence started sniffing the air and wandering beyond the familial lair. They were seeking sensory input and satisfaction. “It’s not that adolescents don’t understand risk. They understand it perfectly well,” says Beatriz Luna, a neuroscientist at the University of Pittsburgh, who was interviewed by CNN reporter Elizabeth Landau. “It’s just that they find it more rewarding to impress their peers, and things of that sort, than the risk that’s involved to their actual survival; it’s just what they value at that point,” notes Luna. Teens are more likely to give in to peer pressure because of this drive. A classic YA novel that sums up such thrill-seeking is Divergent by Veronica Roth. We see that desire to impress in the classic scene where Beatrice (Tris) Prior has decided to leave Abnegation because, well, it’s boring and dive into Dauntless. By doing so, she has to leap from a speeding train and land on a rooftop, which she does to the hoots and hollers of her new comrades. I’m getting palpitations just thinking about it. But that’s the kind of thing that young adults may seek in real life and, certainly, in the books they read. The most thrilling thrillers are those that put the main characters at risk, not just of reputation but, often, of their very lives. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is not a thriller, but the depth of emotion and sense of inevitable loss make the teens hang on tighter. We clutch our tissues as they
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clutch one another. To make a plot really speak to a young adult, look for renegade factions, kidnapping, cults, military coups, global viruses, social shunning, dread disease, time travel, and intergalactic escapades. But it has to be relevant to today’s youth. And that is dependent on a strong main character, so that no matter how outrageous—albeit exhilarating— the plot, readers will ride the roller coaster for that plummet and tousle of their equilibriums. According to the latest statistics on the rising number of young adults who are living at home, perhaps they are finding the necessary sensory boost in all the great YA fiction that’s out there (and, of course, the book’s nemesis . . . the video game). If they’re finding thrills in a virtual world, why wander outside? Sure enough, the number of young adults living with their parents has increased by a quarter since 1996, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the UK show. Between 1996 and 2013, the number of young adults sharing a home with their parents rose by 25 percent, despite the proportion of the population aged between twenty and thirty-four remaining broadly the same. The ONS states the reason as high house prices and growing youth unemployment. But they probably haven’t accounted for the YA market.
ABOUT THE COLUMNIST Kellyann Zuzulo is an editor and author. Her novel, The Genie Ignites, was a finalist in the 2013 Abalone Awards, which recognizes “Outstanding Ethno-Cultural Romance.” Her latest release is Ever Afters, the fifth book in her 101 Nights series from Boroughs Publishing Group. As an editor, Kellyann edits both fiction and non-fiction books for clients who seek clarity, continuity, and beauty in their written work. Kellyann is a member of International Thriller Writers, Backspace Writers Group, and Romance Writers of America. She lives on the East Coast with her husband, three children, and two terriers. Visit her at http://kfzuzulo.com
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reviews young adult | new adult | childrens
Compass
Jennifer Gibson Young Adult Heat Rating: 1
“Being a teenager is hard enough. To be hard of hearing on top of that is like being stuck in the middle of a never ending soap opera.” In Compass, the sequel to Sway, Jessie’s life begins to change its course, sending her towards a new reality. When her world is ripped apart by an angry rival, the one person she trusted to stand by her side, simply walks away. With her composure shattered, Jessie questions everything she believed about herself, and as her life takes her on a new path, it becomes a perilous journey, full of surprising twists and turns. Review: In Jennifer Gibson’s book Compass, the author tells us a nice story about a young girl’s trials and tribulations. It delves into the world of someone who is hearing impaired and shows you how this affects all aspects of her life. It goes into great detail about Jessie’s accomplishments in Karate and earning her blue belt. It also tells a great story about Jessie working at a camp for disadvantaged youth with struggles of their own. Jessie grows as a person in this story. The author did go down a different path a few times talking about dreams and Spirit Guides that I didn’t quite follow in the storyline. Overall, it is a good read and I would recommend this book. I think this would be especially useful for a ‘Tween’ who may have some learning or physical disadvantages of their own. Reviewed by Leigh Warner
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Keeper of the Gate Paula Kennedy Young Adult Heat Rating: 3
Anna, the girl with flaming red hair and attitude to match, always felt like an outcast. In her final year of high school, when she can’t even connect with the right guy, she meets mysterious bible-loving Devin and feels strangely drawn to him. There’s more to Devin than good looks and his weird obsession with scripture, and Anna finally understands theemptiness she’s felt her entire life. Join Anna as she searches for answers about her past with Devin, struggles to accept her true identity, and begins an adventure into the City of Fire to reseal the gates of Hell. 14+ due to mild violence and adult situations Review: Keeper of the Gate is a classic YA Paranormal read brimming with adventure, angst, and action. I enjoyed getting to know Anna and Devin, the two main characters, who they are and what they mean to each other. Ms. Kennedy did an incredible job writing about good versus evil, light versus darkness, and those charged with keeping the balance. There was never a dull moment and the characters shine, taking on a life their own. While essential to the story, the love wasn’t over-the-top, it was done just right. I appreciated the patience the author exerted to make the reader work for the reward of the story and how it unraveled. It was heart-wrenching to see Anna go through some of her sufferings and the way the author incorporated Devin into them…I would highly recommend Keeper of the Gate to YA lovers, especially stories with a paranormal/spiritual theme.
Devils In the Dark Marcus Damanda Young Adult Heat Rating: 1
To most of the Facebook Fifteen, bullying Audrey Bales was just a game—until two deep cuts with a Swiss army knife changed everything forever. Audrey didn’t want attention anymore. After five weeks at Fairview High School, Audrey wanted to die. The doctors did the only thing they could with her: they put her away. But in Fairview, Virginia, the nightmare is only beginning. The chat session had not gone unobserved. The Facebook Fifteen have drawn the attention of an ancient evil that lives only to punish those who would prey upon the weak. Review: Terrifying. Delicious. Sinister. Brilliant. The story focuses on Audrey Bales, who reminds me so much of our youth today. She’s the underdog, the bullied, the girl with a voice so small the ones that need to hear it don’t, but there’s one that does, and while scared, I’m intrigued by him. I loved the way the author conveyed Audrey’s despair, as heart wrenching as it was to watch Audrey go through her trials and tribulations, it was necessary to get inside her head, to understand and live through her pain with her. I couldn’t help but think of high school when I attended and how vastly different it is now. Words didn’t hurt any less then, but with Social Media today, it poses serious problems for kids, especially those targeted by groups of kids like the FB fifteen in this novel. Devils in the Dark is gripping and powerful. Reviewed by Sasha Hibbs
Reviewed by Sasha Hibbs
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reviews young adult | new adult | childrens
Divine Fall
Kathryn Knight
YA Paranormal Romance Heat Rating: 1
Jamie Brandt has suffered a great deal of tragedy in her 16 years, and now her only goal is to finish high school so she can leave her small hometown behind. Until then, she spends her time at the barn where she boards her horse; it’s there she encounters Dothan Reed, the mysterious new stable hand. It soon becomes clear that he’s hiding dangerous secrets, and somehow Jamie is connected to his plans for revenge. Review: Divine Fall is the first novel I’ve read from Kathryn Knight and there was no disappointment here! This delicious YA novel was filled with love, rich in history, suspense, and enough twists to keep the reader turning the pages. The lead female, Jamie, was a strong character matched with an equally strong male lead, Dothan. I love stories with Angels and in particular, Nephilim. So, Divine Fall really fit the bill for me. The angst was done just right and made the budding romance between the two believable and relatable. I enjoyed the struggles the author made Jamie and Dothan face together and separately. It was interesting to see how they persevered and jumped through their own obstacles. If you’re a fan of the Mortal Instruments, Divine Fall certainly satisfies the craving for Angels, Nephilim and a wonderful love story! Reviewed by Sasha Hibbs
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The Devil’s Flower
Phantom’s Dance
Secrets of the Truth
YA Paranormal Romance Heat Rating: 2
Young Adult Heat Rating: 3
Young Adult Fantasy Heat Rating: 1
Lisa Collicutt
Killing isn’t exactly on Rosalie Lockwood’s list of things to do when she runs away from home. But despite her search for peace; guns and motorcycles become her latest fashion accessories as Divine interference leads her to Steele, co-leader of the Fallen Paladins motorcycle club. Leathered and tattooed, Steele’s presence scares off most people he comes in contact with—but not Rosalie. She’s immediately drawn into the dangers of his biker world—and into his heart. But Steele guards a secret that if Rosalie knew, could shatter their new love—along with destroy the human race. And the truth comes at a price. Will Rosalie risks her soul to prove her loyalty to Steele? Review: The Devil’s Flower was a wonderful ride filled with demons, angels and motorcycle clubs. I have to admit, this was the first novel I’ve ever read that incorporated all three things, and Ms. Collicutt did it flawlessly. The reader is introduced to Rosalie and Steele, the novel’s couple on opposite sides brought together in a supernatural world riddled with all sorts of suspense and action. It begins as what seems like a contemporary novel, but halfway through the paranormal elements kick in taking the novel into overdrive. I loved the unique factors in the book that made it original like in order for a demon to gain a soul the demon had to complete a series of tasks such as obtaining the tear of an angel. There was so much more originality to this novel than most, that I would highly recommend it to fans of paranormal romance.
Lesa Howard
Christine Dadey finds a kindred spirit in Erik. And though his disfigured face forces him to stay hidden, Erik helps Christine rediscover her love of dancing. But as she grows closer to the wounded dancer Christine fears he may be hiding more than scars behind the mask. Set in real-time Houston, the novel tips its hat to Andrew Lloyd Webber, but its phantom stays truer to that of Gaston Leroux’s original Phantom of the Opera.
Jessica Dragon Cheramie
Meridienne Drake was on the brink of her high school years, when she discovers she has more family. Feeling betrayed by her parents’ deceptions and secrets, Meridienne struggles between accepting and rejecting this new family. But this was only the beginning. The strange and unusual keep occurring until she discovers an even bigger secret. Magic. Her fourteenth birthday reveals secrets and realities that Meridienne had only dreamed about, literally.
Review: Phantom’s Dance was a wonderful modernized retelling of Phantom of the Opera, the YA version. We were introduced to the same line of characters but younger, mixing a nice tone of opera and dance making this quite unique and fun to relive in this setting. It was exciting to see things play out for Christine, Raoul, and the Phantom. The romantic element to this set against the dancing/opera background was eloquent and thrilling to experience. The ending was…a surprise I didn’t see coming and added to the suspense of the story. The descriptive writing in this novel was well thought out and executed precisely. This was a quick, easy read and I would highly recommend to lovers of the arts, as the author did an incredible job detailing the artistic element to ballet. Phantom’s Dance would certainly be enjoyed by any YA lover, too!
Review: Secrets of the Truth is the first novel in the Meridienne Drake series written by Jessica Dragon Cheramie. It is an enchanting young adult novel filled with magic, dragons and a continuous battle of good versus evil. Laced with teenage angst we follow the main character, Meridienne, as she tries to understand and exist in her new surroundings. She is plagued by nightmares and questions of what being a Drake really means and why her father, Robert, has hidden this world from her. Secrets of the Truth was an easy read filled with an interesting concept revolving around a world filled with magic within the human realm. It lacked though in character and world development which made some of the dialogue seem forced or stunted. If more focus had been placed on the magical world instead of a budding love triangle between the undeveloped characters then I would have found the novel more enjoyable and would be invested in the series.
Reviewed by Sasha Hibbs
Reviewed by Stacie Carrier
Reviewed by Sasha Hibbs
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from our website must read columns
Guest Blogging Guest blogging really does work IF you know how to do it and do it right. It can help you and your blog and also the other person’s blog. There are several reasons why you would want to guest blog.
and gain you some readers. The bloggers will love you have content for their authors that will be worth wild in reading. Be sure to look around for some places/ blogs that you have something in common with.
• You would like to build your creditability • Create Connections • Drive Traffic • We will touch on these to help you get started.
Driving Traffic to your blog. Look for sites that have high traffic and good comment from readers. These are the sites you need to be looking at. Also looking for mid size blogs will help as well. They will all help drive traffic to your blog and gain you some new followers and readers.
Building your creditability. You want to talk about something you know. Readers will pick over your post especially if they think you are have no clue what you are talking about. Some of the best sites like Lifehacker, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Entrepreneur, etc. are ones you should try and get on. They will bring small traffic to your site but the bigger picture is they will get your the you the exposure and raise your authority in the buisness. Creating Connections you want to build a relationship with fellow bloggers and readers. Providing high quality posts will do this for you
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ABOUT THE COLUMNIST
Babs has been helping authors since 2000. She owns a book review blog Babs Book Bistro which got her started in PR and helping authors promote themselves. In 2012 she started working for Entangled Publishing and worked her way up to Publicity Director over the Scandalous Imprint. She is now the Promotions Director for BtseMag and is the publicist for World Castle Publishing. She’s a mother of 4 boys, 12 Siberian Huskies, 1 cat and married to her best friend. When work is over she is also a writer of romance. – BabsHightowerPR.com
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from our website must read columns
SCREENWRITING: What’s Hot? Your High Concept Join me as I enter into that screenplay world. As you read about my experiences, please keep in mind that the industry and format expectations constantly evolve. You’ve written a great script, a killer log line, and a treatment that highlights the power of your story and characters. You’ve attended film festivals and conferences. You’ve packaged the script in plain cardstock and two brads (if they want hard copy rather than an attachment in e-mail). You’ve gotten feedback from contest judges and consultants who constantly take the pulse of the industry. How else can you learn what Hollywood bigshots and indie directors are seeking? Is there any way to get it exposed with less expense? Yes. Read directories like Hollywood Creative Directory, online news mags such as Moviebytes, and the trades including Variety and Hollywood Reporter. Online lead services, such as InkTip, list directors seeking specific types of scripts. The requirements can be as general as “script for 20-something female lead, any genre. Two million budget” or as specific as “psychological horror script, no slashers, set in Tokyo with a 30-something male American led. Mumblecore (micro budget).” You can pay for the full list of InkTip leads ($60 for four months) or take the free service, which lists a few possibilities with access codes and links to send your log line, synopsis, and bio to the director. Response times vary greatly, but it’s exciting when you get a bite: “Send the whole script please.” Hollywood, like the N.Y. publishing world, seeks “same but different.” Familiar says the world is ready for it. Different means it’s a new take on a tested idea. Think of the variety of successful approaches to vampires and zombies. That being said, writing to trends is risky. By the time you complete the script and try to get it out there, what’s impressing the box office may be different. Write the movie you’d like to go see. Then pitch it. Make your script sound as hot as you know it is. Convey
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your unique premise as High Concept. Imagine what your audience will see on the movie poster. What is its soul? The fewer words you can use to convince someone of its mass audience appeal, the higher the concept, the hotter your story, the better its earning capacity. Consider crossing one film with another. “Die Hard Meets Forest Gump.” Give them a quick idea of where you’re going. Jaws in space—Alien. Only compare it to movies or books that sold well. If your hook is clear and catchy, your script “has legs,” and you won’t need a big name already attached to it. In fact, a big name will want to get attached to it. Having Tom Hanks or Angelina Jolie buying in means super hit. So be sure to capture your high concept in your pitch. Give it a catchy title. Are you more intrigued by The Shark or Jaws? I considered Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind intriguing but find it hard to remember. Same for What Dreams May Come. Neither told me what the movie was about. On the other hand, could there be a better, more appropriate title than Snakes on a Plane? The title is the pitch and has a clear genre and conflict all rolled into one short phrase. I’ve offered a few hints about what makes a screenplay hot. Now make your high concept script stand out and sell it! As you write and revise, remember to keep your dialogue snappy and your directions brief. Don’t step on the director. Avoid dusk and dawn.
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ABOUT THE COLUMNIST
Karen is an editor, ghostwriter, pitch coach, speaker, awardwinning author of novels and cookbooks, and a produced screenwriter. She’s consulted on numerous projects and has written over a dozen solo and collaborative scripts (with Janet Fogg, Christian Lyons, and director Erich Toll); each has garnered international, national and regional recognition: Moondance Film Festival, BlueCat, All She Wrote, Lighthouse Writers, Boulder Asian Film Festival, SouthWest Writers Contest, and Pikes Peak Writers Contest. Find out more at www.karenalbrightlin.com
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Now Accepting Books for Review for our 2015 Red Carpet Awards! If you would like to have your book considered for the 2015 Red Carpet Books Awards, simply submit your book to BTS Book Reviews for review consideration. Vist our website at btsemag.com for details! Note: As a courtesy BTS asks our reviewers to look at our customer books first when choosing a book for review. Genres: All genres covered in the BTS Book Reviews will be considered: Contemporary & Romance, Historical & Western, Erotic, Mystery & Suspense, S/F, Fantasy & Paranormal, Young and New Adult. Sub-genres such as Urban Fantasy or Horror will go under the appropriate genres. Timeline: Awards for 2015 will end with the November/December 2015 issue of BTS Book Reviews magazine. Please note, we have a 2 month lead-time for our reviewers, this means your book must be submitted by September 30th, 2015 in order to fit the timeline requirements. Any qualified books reviewed after the November/December 2015 will be considered for the 2016 Red Carpet Book Awards. Categories: Readers Choice – Readers to vote on their favorite (one only) in each of the genres. Voting on all 4 & 5 star reviews in each genre. Grand Prize Winner plus 2nd and 3rd place finalists. Reviewers Choice – Reviewers choose their favorite book. Committee vote for top winner. Cover, blurb, review and overall presentation to be considered. Grand Prize Winner plus 2nd and 3rd place finalists. Best Book of Year – Top winners in categories will be considered. By committee vote. Grand Prize Winner plus 2nd and 3rd place finalists. Best Cover – By committee vote made up of Design and Marketing staff. Grand Prize Winner plus 2nd and 3rd place finalists. Rising Star – Authors with 1 to 3 books published, with stellar reviews. By committee vote. Grand Prize Winner plus 2nd and 3rd place finalists. Best Short Story - All short stories published in BTS Book Reviews during 2015 are eligible. By committee vote. Grand Prize Winner plus 2nd and 3rd place finalists and honorable mentions. Please note that submitting a request does not secure a review within our emag. Only reviews published in the BTS Book Reviews emagazine will be considered for the 2015 awards.
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