Review of The Summer He Came Home

THE SUMMER HE CAME HOME may be purchased here.

THE SUMMER HE CAME HOME
Juliana Stone

Cain Black, an up and coming rock star, has returned to his hometown of Crystal Lake, Michigan, to attend the funeral of one of his best friends.  While at the reception, Cain meets Maggie O'Rourke and her adorable son.  The attraction between Cain and Maggie is instantaneous.  Unfortunately, Cain is getting over a bitter divorce and Maggie has secrets of her own.

THE SUMMER HE CAME HOME is an enjoyable contemporary romance with interesting characters and small town appeal.  Ms. Stone has a great way with descriptive text, which paints the reader a vivid picture of the setting.  I felt as though I were visiting Crystal Lake.  Cain has a reputation as a bad boy, a love-em and leave-em type of guy, but appearances can be deceptive.  Because when he falls in love, Cain is a stand-up guy.  Cain makes a good hero, because he has the bad boy edge, but deep down, he is really a family man.  Maggie is the girl next door type, and people in town are protective of her and warn Cain away.  Maggie has trust issues, because of some secrets in her past.  While I understand Maggie's trust issues, I really wish that she had confided in Cain sooner.  In the end, Maggie confronts her fear and displays bravery.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review. 

Excited about some upcoming releases

I'm really excited, because in the next three months my three favorite series have books coming out.  I can't wait!

IN JUNE

IN JULY

IN AUGUST

Review of Nicholas

NICHOLAS may be purchased here,

NICHOLAS
Grace Burrowes

Nicholas Haddonfield, Viscount Reston and heir to earldom, has promised his dying father to marry as soon as possible.  While fleeing two marriage minded women, Nick enters a darkened room, only to find that he isn't alone.  Lady Leah Lindsey, daughter of an earl, is hiding from a lecherous old man, whom her father is pushing as a groom for her.  Nick and Leah talk and Nick becomes interested in Leah's plight. 

After reading Darius, I couldn't wait to read Nicholas and Leah's story.  Luckily, Ms. Burrowes doesn't disappoint.  At first, I was a bit worried, that the reason keeping Nick and Leah apart would prove insubstantial, but I'm pleasantly surprised to find this wasn't the case.  Nick is a great hero, who has a large and boisterous family, on which he dotes and protects.  Nick is a very protective hero and he not only has the physical prowess but, also, the intellect to use in the aid of others.  I loved the way Nick handles Leah's vicious father.  Leah is an great heroine, who has known great pain and comes out of it all the stronger.  With Nick's help, Leah comes into her own and establishes herself as an admirable heroine.

NICHOLAS makes a great addition to the Lonely Lords series, and I enjoyed this book just as much as DARIUS.  Ms. Burrowes has earned a place on my must read list, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.

Review of Bite Me, Your Grace

BITE ME, YOUR GRACE may be purchased here.

BITE ME, YOUR GRACE

Brooklyn Ann

Ian Ashton, Duke of Burnrath and Lord Vampire of London, is perturbed by the publication of "The Vampyre" by Dr. Poldori.   Ian fears that the book will call attention to himself and the other vampires in London.   Because of this, Ian is searching for Poldori to question him about his knowledge of vampires.  Meanwhile, Ian's neighbor, Angelica Winthrop is tired of being paraded in front of the ton in hopes of finding a good match.  Angelica has aspirations of becoming a great novelist, and the house across the way seems a likely setting for her Gothic tales and the mysterious duke makes a good subject for study.

BITE ME, YOUR GRACE is a romance which combines two of my favorite genres, paranormal and regency.  Unfortunately, this book fell a little short of the mark for me.  Angelica is described as a very innocent bluestocking, who is well-read and headstrong.  While these qualities are usually admirable to me, Angelica is, at times, ridiculously naive.  I find it hard to believe that Angelica, who sneaks around and reads books forbidden to young women, would be so naive.  Angelica is, also, impulsive, which gets her into unfortunate situations.  Luckily, toward the end, Angelica has some commendable actions, but she just really never grew on me.  Ian makes for a good hero, because he allows Angelica to be herself and pursue her goals.

All in all, BITE ME, YOUR GRACE has an interesting premise, but it isn't to my taste.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an unbiased review.

Review of Darius

DARIUS may be purchased here.

DARIUS
Grace Burrowes

Darius Lindsey is the second son of an earl, who has cut him off without funds.  Because of this, Darius becomes something of a gigolo, in order to survive financially.  Darius is very circumspect in his actions, in order to avoid scandal tainting his siblings. Lord William Longstreet, is an elderly statesman married to a much younger woman, whom he married to save from the schemes of an evil stepfather.  William knows that he has little time left on earth, and he needs a heir to inherit his title and estate.  Because of this, William decides to hire Darius to impregnate his wife, Lady Vivian.  Vivian is hesitant about this plan but decides to go through with it.  Will Vivian and Darius escape their time together with their hearts unscathed?

DARIUS is a lovely, regency romance with an atypical hero and an interesting premise.  At first, I was hesitant to read this book, because of the characterization of Darius as a male prostitute, but I'm very glad that I gave it a chance, because Darius has become one of my favorite heroes.  Raised by a brutal, abusive father, Darius has something of a poor self-image, but he has a great determination to sacrifice, help, and protect those that he loves.  It is wonderful to see Darius' interactions with his family and servants.  Darius has a tendency to aid those in need, and many of his servants fit this bill.  Vivian is a true lady, who puts up with a lot from her stepfather, who is a very dastardly character.  It is great watching Darius bring Vivian out of her shell and watching them fall in love. 

All in all, DARIUS is a delightful romance, which I highly recommend.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an unbiased review. 

Review of Flirting Under a Full Moon

FLIRTING UNDER A FULL MOON may be purchased here.

FLIRTING UNDER A FULL MOON
Ashlyn Chase

Nick Wolfensen, known to the women who frequent the Boston Uncommon bar as "One Night Nick", flirts with Brandee Hanson.  Brandee doesn't want much to do with Nick, especially since she just got dumped via text.  Before long, Nick, a werewolf, realizes that Brandee is his mate, but convincing her of that may be difficult.  Meanwhile, Nick has a danger-filled case involving Brandee's cousin, and Brandee sticks her nose into it.

Filled with quirky, amusing characters, FLIRTING UNDER A FULL MOON, is an entertaining read.   I really enjoy the world that Ms. Chase has created, and there is plenty of action to keep the reader on her toes.  Unfortunately, Brandee can be a little ditsy and impulsive, and she has a few TSTL moments.  Even though Brandee can be annoying, overall, I find her likable.  Nick is a great hero, who is determined to make Brandee his.  While not overly alpha, Nick is still very protective of those he loves.

All in all, FLIRTING UNDER A FULL MOON is an enjoyable read, which I recommend.

NOTE:  I received this book in return for an impartial review.