New Releases in Romance - Week of May 31, 2015

I think June looks like a really fun month. Tons of great books coming out and hopefully some really good weather to go with them.

Paranormal

Historical

Contemporary

Suspense

My Eternal Soldier by Krystal Shannan - Release Tour and Giveaway

My Eternal Soldier

Sanctuary, Texas #3

The saga continues with the vampire Eira and an immortal Elvin from the Veil. Join me in Sanctuary again for an adventure that will knock the breath from your chest, bring tears to your eyes, and keep you turning the pages all night. Its Werewolves, Djinn, Dragons, Vampires, and more!

The last time he saw her, his sword was in her chest.

Inner demons have haun
ted Killían North since he killed the only woman he ever loved on a battlefield a thousand years ago...at least he thought she’d died. He unexpectedly gets a second chance to win her heart again, if he can just stay alive to do it. Evil lurks around every bend in the road. Magick, romance, and heart-pounding suspense greet them at every turn. But he’s determined to find a happily-ever-after with the woman he loves no matter what.

The last time she saw him, she was dying...

When the werewolf rescue squad Eira Rennir sets off with is ambushed by SECR military forces, she barely makes it away with her life. Willing to do anything to save her friends, Eira agrees to the mysterious destiny in Sanctuary she’s been avoiding for months.

Only with help from Sanctuary, can they find a way to save her friends from the treachery of Xerxes and forge a new destiny with each other in a world that’s been torn apart by hatred and prejudice.

Releasing Everywhere June 1st, 2015

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Author Bio:

Krystal Shannan goes to sleep every night dreaming of mythical realms with werewolves, vampires, fae, and dragons. Occasional a fabulous, completely human story slips into the mix, but powers and abilities usually crop up without fail, twisting reality into whatever her mind can conceive.

As a child, her parents encouraged her interests in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and all things historical and magickal. As an adult the interests only grew. She is a child of Neverland and refuses to ever stop believing in fairies.

She is guilty of indulging and being a Buffy the Vampire Slayer groupie as well as an Angel fan. For those of you unfamiliar with the world of Joss Whedon, you are missing out! She also makes sure to watch as many action and adventure movies as possible. The more exciting the better. Yippee-Ki-Yay..... If you don't know the end of that phrase, then you probably don't like the same movies.

She writes stories full of action, snark, magick, and heart-felt emotion. If you are looking for leisurely paced sweet romance, her books are probably not
for you. But, for those looking for a magical ride, filled with adventure, passion, and just a hint of humor. Welcome home.

Krystal Shannan

Putting Magick in Romance one Soul Mate at a Time.

___________________________________

~NEWSLETTER~  

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Bound by Blood by Claire Ashgrove - Review

Title: Bound by Blood (Inherited Damnation #4)
Author: Claire Ashgrove
Source: Author Request
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: Spring 2015
Reviewed by Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

Beth Whitley has finally put her life back together after her husband’s betrayal and is
determined to piece together the clues to her past. But she never imagines an ancient scroll bearing the name of a Celtic ancestor will plunge her into a world of demonic ritual. Nor does she suspect that a kiss shared with genealogist Fintan McLaine will unveil the secrets of her dreams and a burning desire.

Fintan McLaine wants freedom from the dark curse he’s suffered for centuries. When Beth arrives with evidence that she shares ancestral ties with his Selgovae Celt tribe, he must confront the truth of his inherited damnation. As he struggles to convince Beth the truth within her dreams, she awakens a dangerous and forbidden yearning in his heart.

To save them both, Fintan must convince Beth to believe in herself and her ability to overpower his unholy sire. If he fails, he will remain an eternal slave to his tainted blood and lose Beth forever.

I really loved Fintan.  Perhaps it is because of his academia side with his scrolls and knowledge of history, but he was just a really great character. Beth isa great match for him. Both were incredibly well developed with history and emotions that really ran deep. Beth is denying herself and what she really wants to follow a dream that isn't hers. But Fintan is willing to try anything to make her see what's really there and embrace it.

The ties to the Selbovae Celt past were a very nice touch and really helped give me a better understanding of the family history. Beth history is a very important part of the story and it was a bit of a surprise to see just how much it affected her. We have a nasty sibling living with Fintan that really does her best to ruin everything - and actually comes very close! They had me worried for awhile about how it was all going to work out right!

I think this couple may have been my favorite so far, and the setting was just about perfect.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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More on Claire Ashgrove

Jasmyn's Review of Cursed to Kill (Inherited Damnation #1)

Jasmyn's Review of Tormented by Darkness (Inherited Damnation #2)

Jasmyn's Review of Destined to Die (Inherited Damnation #3)

Guest Post: Before the Storm

Jasmyn's Review of Before the Storm

Laurie's Review of Bound by Decency

Artemis' Review of Immortal Hope (Curse of the Templars #1)

Artemis' Review of Immortal Surrender (Curse of the Templars #2)

Emi Lia's Review of Immortal Trust (Curse of the Templars #3)

Character Interview - Immortal Surrender

Characterfest

The Lure of Darkness - Guest Post

Finding His Way Home by Mia Ross - Review

Title: Finding His Way Home (Barrett's Mill #3)
Author: Mia Ross
Source: Self-Purchased
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational
Length: Novel
Release Date: February 17. 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 1

Prodigal son Scott Barrett is back home in Barrett's Mill with plans to atone for his
past mistakes and restore his future. But the quiet Virginia village feels like a different place since his return. The old cottage and chapel are crying out for repair--much like Scott himself. Luckily, sensitive artist Jenna Reed offers to help. Jenna sees Scott without judgment, though she reveals little about her own troubled past. As they work together to renovate the chapel, Scott begins to earn her trust, and soon he's envisioning life with the beautiful Jenna. Can the love of a good woman finally make him whole?

Mia Ross is my go to for sweet romances with some amazing characters and lots of emotion. She wraps up her Barrett's Mill series with a wonderful pair that you just fall in love with. I'd liked Jenna from the moment I met her in a previous book. She is the epitome of the wandering artist without a care in the world. Her carefree spirit was contagious, but she was still grounded enough to appreciate the community around her.

Scott has a record in his past, quite literally. He's on parole and being stuck in his small home town where everyone knows everything is very difficult. He finds there are two groups of people - those that want to give him a chance to prove himself, and those that judge him and want nothing to do with him. As he isolates himself at his grandfather's "homestead", using his time to fix the place up, Jenna was exactly what he needed in his life.

Watching the two of them bring out parts in each other that no one realizes were even there was so much fun. While there is a hint at religion here and there - do not let that scare you away from this series or from Mia Ross. There's no hitting you over the head with a bible in this one, just a sweet romance in a small town.

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 More Posts About Mia Ross

Jasmyn's review of Blue Ridge Reunion (Barrett's Mill #1)

Jasmyn's review of Sugar Plum Season (Barrett's Mill #2)

Jasmyn's review of Rocky Coast Romance (Holiday Harbor #1)
Jasmyn's review of Jingle Bell Romance (Holiday Harbor #2)
Jasmyn's review of Seaside Romance (Holiday Harbor #3)

Outlaw Hearts by Rosanne Bittner Spotlight and Giveaway

Title: Outlaw Hearts

Author: Rosanne Bittner

Series: Outlaw Hearts, #1

Pubdate: June 2nd, 2015

ISBN: 9781492612810

United by chance, bound by fate, consumed by passion.

Miranda Hayes has lost everything—her family, her husband, her home. Orphaned and then widowed, desperate to find a safe haven, she sets out to cross a savage land alone…until chance brings her face-to-face with notorious gunslinger Jake Harkner.

Hunted by the law and haunted by a brutal past, Jake has spent a lifetime fighting for everything he has. He’s never known a moment’s kindness…until fate brings him to the one woman willing to reach past his harsh exterior to the man inside. He would die for her. He would kill for her. He will do whatever it takes to keep her his.

Spanning the dazzling West with its blazing deserts and booming gold towns, Jake and Miranda must struggle to endure every hardship that threatens to tear them apart. But the love of an outlaw comes with a price…and even their passion may not burn bright enough to conquer the coming darkness.

USA Today bestseller and award-winning novelist Rosanne Bittner is known as the “Queen of Western Historical Romance” for her thrilling love stories and historical authenticity. Her epic romances span the West—and are often based on Rosanne’s personal visits to each setting. She lives in Coloma, Michigan, with her husband and two sons.

**********

This June Rosanne Bittner’s beloved title, Outlaw Hearts, will be back in print for the first time in over twenty years! To celebrate, we’re pleased to welcome the hero and heroine of the book Jake Harkner and Miranda Hayes, who will be sitting down with us today for a quick Q&A.

What gift from your spouse came as the biggest surprise?

Jake: Her heart.

Miranda: The gift of love, because when I first met him I couldn’t believe he knew the meaning of the word.

An Excerpt:

Miranda watched Jake saddle up while she held the two gunnysacks full of supplies she had prepared for him. He gave Outlaw’s stomach a light punch. “Suck it in, boy,” he barked. “You don’t fool me, filling yourself up with air like that.” The horse’s belly contracted, and Jake tightened the cinch. “All I need is to be on a hard ride to get away from some marshal only to have my saddle slip on me.”

Miranda saw him wince, knew he was still in pain. “Jake, can’t you wait one more day?”

Jake kept his eyes on the cinch, thinking about the restless night he had had, lying awake and wondering what Mrs. Miranda Hayes would have done if he had gone out to her cot and planted his mouth on her sweet lips. “No, ma’am. Too dangerous for you having me here, what with that sheriff sweet on you and all. Hard telling when he might show up again.” He let down a stirrup and turned to meet her eyes. Was that a trace of tears he saw there? No. He would not believe that. “If you had any common sense at all, you would stay here and marry the sheriff and let him take care of you.”

Miranda stiffened with indignation, glad he had said something that made her momentarily forget about wanting to cry. “Why do all men think a woman needs ‘taking care of’? I’ll be just fine on my own. And if I did have common sense, you would be sitting in prison or hanging from a tree by now, and I would be five thousand dollars richer.”

Jake grinned. “You’ve got me there.”

Miranda thought how he looked even more handsome now in the morning light. It was the best he had looked since the first day she saw him in the supply store, bearded and mean-looking, then so sick after that. He had a fine, square jaw and dark, wide-set eyes that were perfectly outlined with dark eyelashes. Even his nose seemed perfectly matched to the rest of his face, and when he smiled, his teeth were straight and clean. She surmised that in spite of his cruelty, Jake’s father must have been as handsome as his mother was beautiful, for they had produced a son that was the best of both. How sad that they had never given that son a decent home.

A faint scar on Jake’s left jaw and another tiny one on his upper lip only seemed to make him even more handsome, lending a ruggedness to his looks that was accented by his tall frame and broad shoulders. She found herself wondering how his full, firm lips would feel on her mouth, how a man like Jake Harkner kissed a woman…”

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The Millionaire's Unexpected Proposal by Jane Peden - Review

Title: The Millionaire's Unexpected Proposal (Miami Lawyers #1)
Author: Jane Peden
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 2
Sexual - 3

His marriage of inconvenience…


Camilla Winthrop is about to do something she's never done in her life—she's about to ask a man to marry her. Not just any man. She hasn't seen Sam Flanagan in almost five years, after he coldly walked away from a passionate and intense two-week affair. Now Camilla is widowed and desperate…and marrying Sam is the only way she can protect their son. The son he never knew about.

A hugely successful attorney in Miami, Sam certainly never expected to see the stunning Camilla come through his door again. Nor can he ignore the desire heating his blood. But after she tells him her situation, Sam is furious. He'll marry her, but under his terms. And he'll take everything, including Camilla in his bed…unless she can find a way to thaw the millionaire's icy heart once more.

Another book with a hero that I just couldn't like. It seems to be trend lately. Sam is a very well to do lawyer now, but he wasn't when he met Camilla. Now that she has shown up with his son several years later, he automatically thinks that she's only after his money. I get that - I really do. But he doesn't give her a chance to really prove herself AT ALL. And the times she tries to show him that she isn't a money hungry witch, he throws it in her face and shows her just how little he thinks of it all.

Camilla bears it all in good form, she's more worried about making sure her son stays with her than the opinion of the man she hasn't seen in years. She's a pretty great mom and sister and I really loved how dedicated she was to both of them. She's had a bit of a rough past and is trying really hard to make a better future.

Eventually Sam comes to his senses, but not until it was too late for him in my mind. I did enjoy the story and the basic premise behind the romance was a good idea. Sam just really needed to turn into a good guy a lot sooner.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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New Releases in Romance - Week of May 24, 2015

Happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope we all remember the reason for this holiday and take some time to really think about everything our service men and women do every day.

Historical

Contemporary

New Adult

Other

Witches Be Burned by Stacey Kennedy - Release Day Blitz and Giveaway

Title: Witches Be Burned (A Magic and Mayhem Novel)
Author: Stacey Kennedy
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 19, 2015

Nexi Jones has lost her family, she’s been stripped of her guardian duties, and she’s still learning the ins and outs of white magic. At least she has Kyden, the smoldering hot elite guardian who’s been there for her every step of the way. But just as Nexi completes her training, tragedy strikes the Otherworld when a fellow guardian is murdered by a group of rogue vampires. Ready or not, she and Kyden trek into the Earthworld to hunt down a killer—and Nexi alone will be put to the ultimate test.

Although Kyden knows that Nexi must fight her own battles, his guardian instincts are raging as he struggles to keep her close. The ruthlessness of these vampires is like nothing he’s ever seen. And at their helm is the Black Witch Astoria, a demon with one burning desire: to shed Nexi’s blood in the name of vengeance. What troubles Kyden even more, though, is the warlock who covets Nexi’s heart. Let the devil do his worst . . . all Kyden can do is love and protect Nexi until his last breath.

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Author Bio

STACEY KENNEDY is the USA Today bestselling author of the CLUB SIN series. Growing up, Stacey’s mind wandered the path less traveled and that path most often led to love. She has always broken rules and she continues to feed off emotion – staying true to her heart. Those traits are now the bones of her stories. She lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, who puts any of the heroes in her books to shame, and their two young children. If she’s not on mom duty or plugging away at a new story, you’ll find Stacey camping in the summer, hibernating in the winter and obsessing over Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones and Outlander. 

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The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrowes - Review

Title: The Duke's Disaster (True Gentlemen #0.5)
Author: Grace Burrowes
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Historical Romance - Regency
Length: Novel
Release Date: April 7, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 3

Noah Winters, Earl of Anselm, spent months sorting and courting the year's crop of
debutantes in search of an ideal bride. When the sweet, biddable young thing he selected accepts another's proposal, Noah decides to court her companion instead.

Thea Collins, though, is anything but biddable. She has learned the hard way that men are not to be trusted, especially the handsome ones. When she reluctantly accepts, Noah rushes Thea to the altar before she can reveal her deepest secret. Can she finally move on from her past, or will it come back to haunt her?

Lots of good things about The Duke's Disaster.  I enjoyed that it seemed more "real" than some historicals in terms of how marriage worked.  You didn't fall in love and get married - you got married and hoped you liked each other.  Noah and Thea are trying very hard to like each other at the beginning of their marriage, but they got off to a bit of a rocky start.

The are a great match in so many ways, and watching them discover this was a lot of fun. The mystery surrounding Thea's past is a tiny bit too dramatic at times - maybe.  It just seems to never go away even when she tries to tell the secret to Noah. I think I would have preferred one big huge blow out scene where it was revealed instead of the little bickering and sniping that happens throughout the entire story.

The language of the story was also very formal - even when the characters weren't speaking. I actually really enjoyed the formal sounding dialog bewteen Thea and Collins as they layered meaning into their words that were quite funny at times. It was just not quite the type of thing I expected from the rest of the narration and took a little while to get used to.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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More from Grace Burrowes

The Newly Wed Game with Noah and Thea

New Releases in Romance - Week of May 17, 2015

A little bit of everything this week. And some really great covers, too!

Paranormal

Historical

Contemporary

Suspense

Erotic

Book Spotlight and Stupidest Mistake with Author Jade Lee and Giveaway

Today we excited to welcome Jade Lee to the blog! Jade’s latest title, 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake, is out May 5th and is the first in her hilarious new Rakes & Rogues series. To celebrate her new release, Jade is here to share a quiz. See if you can guess correctly!

Question:  Warning: Goofy post! I'm in the home stretch of a 25 stop blog tour where each site has gotten something original. I've said everything I can about 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake without giving you the book. It's funny, sexy, and the best thing I've ever written. Hope you check it out.

In the meantime, you get a goofy multiple choice question. What does Jade consider the stupidest mistake in her writing career?

A. Starting out in sweet traditional regencies. No sex. Barely even a kiss at the end. I had no market savvy whatsoever.

B. Writing historicals set in China. My Tigress series was a six book disaster. Who wants to read about China?

C. Not writing more paranormals. I love those and now the market is flooded and nobody wants them. Too bad. I'm writing them anyway and they'll be just for me. And the two other people who can find them.

D. Not googling Jade Lee before I took the penname. She's a porn star. Latest project: Timid Pimps where she plays Jade the Blind Hooker.

We'll put the answer further down - so keep reading to see if you picked the right one!

--------------------

Title: 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake

Author: Jade Lee

Series: Rakes and Rogues

Pubdate: May 5th, 2015

ISBN: 9781492604990

Mellie Smithson has a plan…

Mellie Smithson is trapped in the country with no suitors and no prospects on the horizon except, perhaps, the exasperating—although admittedly handsome—guest of her father. Unwilling to settle, Mellie will do anything to escape to London...

Trevor Anaedsley has a problem…

Trevor Anaedsley’s grandfather has cut off his funds until he gets engaged. Beset by creditors, Trevor escapes to the country—ostensibly to visit his old tutor Mr. Smithson—where he meets Smithson’s lovely daughter Mellie. The obvious solution is suddenly before him—but will this fake engagement go as Trevor and Mellie plan? Or will they find that even the best laid plans often go awry?

USA Today bestselling author Jade Lee has been scripting love stories since she first picked up a set of paper dolls. Ball gowns and rakish lords caught her attention early (thank you, Georgette Heyer), and her fascination with the Regency began. An author of more than thirty romance novels and winner of dozens of industry awards, Lee lives in Champaign, Illinois.

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*****  So who wants to know the answer?  I DO I DO!!! *****

Answer: D. Starting out in traditional regencies was a labor of love. That's how I started reading regencies, and I still love the work I produced back then, even though it's missing the sex. My tigress series might not have been a huge sales success, but I connected with my mother and my ancestry with those books. I don't regret them at all. And yes, maybe I should have written more paranormals back before they were popular, but I was doing good work in other places.

                So the big stupidity? I didn't google Jade Lee before I took the penname. My mother once asked me about my newest book, Pussyman's Escape from LA. That's not a book, mom. I have seriously regretted that stupidity since the day I discovered there was another Jade Lee. BTW, that's why my website is: www.JadeLeeAUTHOR.com  Don't want to confuse anyone.

Excerpt from 50 Ways to Ruin a Rake

Trevor was down. Ronnie was going to finish the fight. But he hadn’t reckoned on Melinda. She’d been an unwilling participant in this whole disgusting display. Well, if her cousin wanted a Cheltenham tragedy, she would bloody well give him one.

She surged forward, having no need to fake the desperation in her voice. “Stop it! Ronnie, stop it now!” And when he didn’t hear her, she said the words she’d never thought she’d utter in her entire life. “My love!”

That got his attention. His fist was raised, but he looked to her, his eyes alight with excitement. “Mellie!”

She flung herself forward. Dropping to her knees, she slid in the mud, coming to a stop just where she’d intended—right beside Trevor’s head. Ronnie reached for her, but she pushed him away as she wrapped herself around the fallen lord.

“Stay away, you brute!” she practically spit at her cousin. Then she used her cloak to dab at the blood on Trevor’s face. “My love, my love, are you alive? Oh God, someone fetch a doctor! Please, someone!”

Her words were ten times more dramatic than were needed, but she’d learned that the best way to deliver a message to her cousin was in the most theatrical tone possible. So she cradled Trevor in her arms and crooned like any heroine in the most lurid gothic romance.

Trevor’s face was indeed a battered mess, but not so unrecognizable that she didn’t see the gleam of appreciation in his eyes or the mischievous smile that pulled at his swollen lip.

“Are you an angel?” he asked. “Have I died?”

The man was lying in the mud, his ankle nearly snapped in half. His face oozed from a myriad of cuts, and yet he still had the wherewithal to give the crowd a good show. It was enough to make her contemplate dropping him in the mud. She didn’t, of course, but she hoped her glare would suffice.

Meanwhile, Ronnie just stood there poised, his fist still raised as he gaped. “Mellie?”

She looked up, shooting a venomous look at his bloodied fist. “Do you mean to trounce me as well? Lay me out in the mud and the shite like last week’s garbage?”

“What?” Ronnie took a moment to understand while she gestured with her chin toward his fist. Then he abruptly gasped and shook out his hand, dropping it helplessly to his side. “But I won. This was an affaire d’honor.”

“Congratulations,” she mocked. “You beat a man half your weight.”

“Hey!” muttered Trevor. “I’m not that small.”

“Oh shut up. I’m making a point.” Then she turned her attention to her cousin. Best make the situation absolutely clear. “You were right, Ronnie. You have made everything so clear to me. I could never love a brute like you. It’s him I want. A man of elegance, not violence.”

She watched her cousin absorb her words, his mind obviously working slowly, and no wonder. Certainly, Ronnie was an accomplished fighter, but he’d never in his life been called a brute. He was a poet, for God’s sake. And his father was wont to call him a useless fribble with no starch whatsoever. Of course, both appellations were completely wrong, but truth didn’t matter here. Not when he’d wanted drama. And so she stretched the truth—she outright broke it—and she felt no remorse.

“I love Trevor,” she said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“Since when?” her cousin demanded.

Since never. She had a thorough disgust of them both. Especially as Trevor began to speak in a quavering voice.

“Oh, to finally hear those words, now in the moments before I expire. My life is complete.”

“You’re not dying,” she hissed. Unless he was hurt more than he appeared. The thought shot her with alarm until he started speaking again.

“I am dying!” he cried. “Kiss me, my love. Kiss me, and mayhap your love will keep me tethered to this mortal coil.”

“I will not,” she said between clenched teeth.

He pitched his voice to a plaintive wail. “Then I shall die for sure!”

Damnation on all bloody, arrogant, ridiculous men! One glance about her showed that the crowd was hanging on his every word. She didn’t really care until she looked at Ronnie’s face. He wasn’t stupid. He could see that Trevor wasn’t really hurt. It wouldn’t take him long to remember that she’d never spoken of Trevor with anything but disdain. And from there it was a small step to realizing that this entire display was a sham. So she had to do something quickly. Something that he’d never forget, even if he did suspect the lie.

So she did it. She kissed Trevor.

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The Originals: The Loss by Julie Plec - Review

Title: The Originals: The Loss (The Originals #2)
Author: Julie Plec
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Historical Urban Fantasy
Length: Novel
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 2

Family is power. The Original vampire family swore it to each other a thousand years
ago. They pledged to remain together always and forever. But even when you're immortal, promises are hard to keep.

After a hurricane destroyed their city, Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson have rebuilt New Orleans to even greater glory. The year is 1766. The witches live on the fringes in the bayou. The werewolves have fled. But still, Klaus isn't satisfied. He wants more. He wants power.

But when Klaus finally finds a witch who will perform a spell to give him what he desires most, she secretly uses Klaus to unleash a curse; one that brings back hundreds of her ancestors; and begins a war to reclaim New Orleans. As the siblings fight off the attack, only one thing's for certain; the result will be a bloodbath.

Things don't look so good in the Mikaelson family at the end of book one, but they are looking a tad bit better at the beginning of The Loss.  Rebekah has moved on from the loss of her love and is enjoying her "life" again.  But Klaus - always the brooding type - refuses to accept the fact that his love is gone.

In typical Klaus fashion, that I've grown to love to hate, he takes off on his own path and finds a way to get what he wants.  But, as always, it comes with a price that he doesn't realize. Soon the family finds themselves under attack by strange undead zombie like creatures.  And every night there are more of them.  Instead of banding together the siblings really fragment and go in three different directions here.  While I expected Klaus to do his own thing and not really give a crap, I was surprised to see it from the other two, especially the oh so mature Elijah.

Over all this was a very exciting addition to their history.  I really enjoyed seeing just how all the witch/werewolf/vampire rivalries got started and their affect on the lives of the people of New Orleans.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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More from The Originals by Julie Plec

Jasmyn's Review of The Rise (The Originals #1)

Have you watched Vampire Diaries or The Originals?  What do you think of the spin off and now a book series?

Sinfully Yours by Cara Elliott - Review

Title: Sinfully Yours (Hellions of High Street #2)
Author: Cara Elliott
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Historical Romance - Regency
Length: Novel
Release Date: April 28, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 3

After an eventful Season, Anna Sloane longs for some peace and quiet to pursue her writing. Though her plots might be full of harrowing adventure and heated passion, she'd much prefer to leave such exploits on the page rather than experience them in real life. Or so she thinks until she encounters the darkly dissolute-and gorgeously charming-Marquess of Davenport.

Davenport has a reputation as a notorious rake whose only forte is wanton seduction. However the real reason he's a guest at the same remote Scottish castle has nothing to do with Anna . . . until a series of mysterious threats leave him no choice but to turn to her for help in stopping a dangerous conspiracy. As desire erupts between them, Davenport soon learns he's not the only one using a carefully crafted image to hide his true talents. And he's more than ready to show Anna that sometimes reality can be even better than her wildest imaginings . . .

Such a fun story!!  I loved the Sloane sisters and their scandalous writing habits.  Running behind for her deadline, Anna agrees to attend a summer party to find some quiet writing time.  Instead she finds Davenport. A handsome man with quite a reputation - and not a good one. He is on the hunt for a potential murderer, but the attractive Anna i causing a distraction.

I really enjoyed how the two characters interacted - how all of the characters did actually. Grumpy old scots, meddling mamas, and nosy maids really helped make the story jump off the pages. As Anna and Davenport try to find out who is planning murder and how, they go down several false rabbit hole and I loved how the suspense was drawn out. I was very happy with just about everything in the story.

One little thing stood out that I didn't really care for, and that was how Anna and Davenport first hooked up. It had a hint of manipulation - not much, but just a tad and it just didn't fit with who they were everywhere else.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Her Wild Hero by Paige Tyler - Survival Tip and Giveaway

Today we are excited to sit down with Declan MacBride and Kendra Carlsen, the heroes of Paige Tyler’s May release Her Wild Hero! The latest title in Tyler’s hot X-Ops series finds Declan and Kendra deep in the Costa Rican jungle fighting for their lives. Kendra and Declan are here to give us a peek at their jungle adventures and a survival tip for would-be X-Op agents!

“He’d been running at full speed for the past hour through the rugged, mist-covered terrain that made up this part of the Talamanca Mountains, and yet he wasn’t tired. He was too damn furious to be tired. And his temper had only gotten worse when he’d found her helmet and NVGs a while back.”

Declan’s Survival Tip: If you're a shifter, don't be afraid of the animal rage inside of you. It might just save your life or that of someone you care about more than anything.

*****

Title: Her Wild Hero

Author: Paige Tyler

Series: X-Ops, #3

Pubdate: May 5th, 2015

ISBN: 9781402292156

Department of Covert Operations Training Officer Kendra Carlsen has been begging her boss to let her go into the field for years. When he finally agrees to send her along on a training exercise in Costa Rica, she’s thrilled.

Bear-shifter Declan MacBride, on the other hand, is anything but pleased. He’s been crushing on Kendra since he started working at the DOC seven years ago. Spending two weeks in the same jungle with her is putting a serious strain on him.

When the team gets ambushed, Kendra and Declan are forced to depend on each other. But the bear-shifter soon discovers that fighting bloodthirsty enemies isn’t nearly as hard as fighting his attraction to the beautiful woman he’ll do anything to protect.

Paige Tyler is the USA Today bestselling author of sexy, romantic fiction. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines who fall in love with them. Visit her at www.paigetylertheauthor.com.

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New Releases in Romance - Week of May 10, 2015

Happy Mother's Day!!  No matter what kind of mom you are or may be, make sure you take a few minutes today to enjoy yourself.  I plan on spending a little bit of time with family and then coming home and getting lost in a good book.

Paranormal

Historical

Contemporary