On a Lee Shore by Elin Gregory (3 Stars)

Jul26

A high-seas adventure with a young man who learns what it really means to be a pirate.

Lt. Christopher (Kit) Penrose, who recently lost his ship and crew, takes a job as a valet for a traveling elderly gentleman. The ship is attacked by pirates who take Kit captive due to his sailing capabilities. Le Griffe (Griffin) is the pirate ship captain who actually has a strong belief in honor and rules. As Kit spends more time on the ship, he finds many of his own values and beliefs being brought into question.

The entire story is told from Kit’s perspective. Kit is a nice character who has a lot of experience on the sea, but he is still pretty naive about life. There is a huge cast of interesting characters in this saga, providing plenty of opportunity for adventure. Some parts of the story were a little challenging to read if you aren’t familiar with shipping terms. The majority of the story was Kit telling us what was happening on the ship with some touches of Kit’s thoughts and feelings.

While the story was well written, and the author did a nice job making the adventure seem somewhat exciting, this didn’t work at all as a romance novel. The only real romance happening was between Lewis and Protheroe, who made it abundantly clear that they were truly in love with each other. Kit and Griffin had feelings for each other, but there were almost no conversations that we were privy to that would explain why they were attracted to each other. They spent a good portion of the book upset with each other for one reason or another. A few stolen kisses and quick sex scenes do not qualify as a romance.

If you are looking for an exciting tale of pirates and life on the sea, this is a well written tale of one man’s journey.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Creature Feature by Mary Calmes and Poppy Dennison (3 Stars)

Jul24

It’s a double serving of creatures with werewolves and demons and twice the danger!

Diagnosis: Wolf by Poppy Dennison

Andrew Hughes is struggling to meet the bills after his brother stole everything from him. Fortunately, he’s a nurse and an opportunity for a high paying job just opened up. Not sure what he’s getting himself into, but desperate enough not to care, he shows up to take care of a very sick and special patient. The patient, Caleb DiMartino, is a shifter who is immediately attracted to Andrew. Can they find out what’s wrong with Caleb in time to save his life?

Andrew and Caleb made a cute couple as Andrew tries to cope with the thought of having a werewolf for a boyfriend. In addition to trying to save Caleb’s life, they spend some time getting to know each other. Andrew is a pretty good guy who seems to get taken advantage of too frequently, especially by his brother. It was nice to see Caleb yearning to take care of him. There were some family issues with pack politics coming into play. They were somewhat interesting until the mystery was solved. At that point, there was just a bit too much going on that wasn’t explained well enough to make sense. However, there was a really sweet epilogue bringing everything to closure.

Landslide by Mary Calmes

Frank Corrigan has been working as a courier for the demon, Cael Berith, for three years. Frank has significant self-esteem issues, and he doesn’t believe that he is Cael’s mate. When Frank’s sister is in need of some help, he is desperate enough to ask for Cael’s help. This is the chance Cael has been waiting for so that he can prove to Frank that they are mates, and Cael will never leave Frank.

Frank was an awesome character. He was mentally strong although a bit insecure due to his concern about his weight. Cael was sexy, confident, and very much in control of everything around him except for Frank. The romance between the two of them was a bit frustrating. It didn’t make sense that it would take 3 years for Cael to push the issue with Frank. Their declarations of love and overall discussions also became a bit repetitive.

The world building was great in this story and very well fleshed out. Unfortunately, while short stories are normally a huge win for me, there was just too much going on in this one. On top of the new world and a budding romance, there was also an issue with his sister, a murder, and a competitive “friend”. The shifter politics were also a bit confusing. However, this would be a great start to a series in this world.

The stories are not related and can be read independently. Neither of them are really very scary or gory. If you enjoy suspenseful paranormal stories with low angst, then this might be the book for you.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
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Take My Picture by Giselle Ellis (5 Stars)

Jul24

Engaging dialogue between very interesting characters kept me reading this non-stop. It was obvious to everybody, except for Aaron and Jake, that they should be more than just friends. Their unusual employer/employee relationship made it even more interesting. I also loved their friend Alyson who they managed to frustrate to no end.

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Meteor Strike (Astronomers #2) by Silvia Violet (5 Stars)

Jul22

Can these two men in love make their relationship work, or is it out of reach just like the stars?

Matthew Dansk and Alan are both brilliant physicists who spent several months working together. Matthew made it clear he was interested in more than just friendship, but he also refused to be with somebody who wouldn’t publicly admit he was gay. Alan refused to come out, and Matthew left the state and took another position. Flash forward several months later, and they are both at a conference together. The sparks are still flying, but has anything really changed enough for them to be together?

I just adored Matthew and the story is told from his point of view. He was sweet, sexy, knew what he wanted, and wasn’t willing to settle for less. Alan was not the most lovable guy, but Matthew seemed to bring out the best in him. I think the fact that they had been working together for 6 months made the whole relationship seem much more realistic. Even though we mostly saw Alan’s gruff side, Matthew also brought out Alan’s vulnerability. This made for a very touching love story.

Their steamy sex scenes were fantastic and included a good mixture of places and positions. The plot was great with a focus on their positions in the research department and the conference that they were presenting at. It all served as a perfect backdrop to the romance. There was plenty of interesting dialog as they worked through their issues. Although they were well on their way to their happy ending, I look forward to seeing them in future books in the series to see how they progressed.

Although part of a series, this book can be read on its own. However, I’m off to buy the first one! I enjoyed this fast-paced romance with steamy love scenes and interesting characters so much that I literally read it in one sitting.

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Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb