Tag Archive | Light Sexual Content

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.
Book Blurb

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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Book Blurb

A Shadow of Wings by Linda Gayle (5 Stars)

Jul19

Positively magnificent! Between the romantic, sensual love story and the unique shifter angle, I was in paradise reading this story.

Dylan has been living a very challenging life after being abandoned by his family. He’s barely making ends meet working for a veterinarian, but he’s trying hard to improve his place in the world. Cam Coburn is a cockatrice shifter (large bird-like creature with a tail) who is drawn to finding and helping people in danger. They meet when Cam rescues Dylan from being attacked by a group of thugs. This is the beginning of a forbidden relationship, since Cam isn’t supposed to spend a lot of time with humans.

The characters were extremely well-developed, and I loved both of them. Dylan had this sexy, tough exterior with a need to protect. I could have listened to him talk all day, especially when he was sweet talking Cam. Cam had more of a refined but naive tone to him. He was very cultured about the world, but had never really been in love before. Dylan and Cam were amazing together. They cared about each other, and truly treated each other with respect. I loved how Dylan questioned Cam’s uniqueness, but also accepted it in a way that seemed believable.

A good portion of the story was focused on their evolving relationship, with the remainder dedicated to the paranormal aspects which created a perfect dynamic. The story was sensual, romantic, and suspenseful. There was a solid epilogue, and the ending was perfect. Since there is the opportunity for the author to continue in this world or stop here, I certainly hope she continues.

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

Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny’s Lair (Knitting #5) by Amy Lane (4.5 Stars)

Jul18

I was a little hesitant to read this story after the last one ended so violently. I’m glad I ended up reading it, because it was an excellent story. Jeremy spent the beginning of the story in the hospital recovering from his beating and reflecting on his relationship with Aiden. The rest let us see Aiden and Jeremy’s relationship grow as they both learned to share their feelings with each other. I really enjoyed the time they spent together at home and in the store. There was also a heavy focus on the amazing support provided by a community coming together. By the end, I was tearing up with feelings of happiness.

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Book Blurb