Romance Review of Enthralled (Orion's Shield Book 1) by Elizabeth Jordan

Title: Enthralled (Orion's Shield Book 1) 

Author: Elizabeth Jordan

Genre: Romance

Length: Novel

Source: Purchased at Indie Romance Convention 

Rating- 4

Sexual- 1

Lady Caroline Alton is young, beautiful and in London for her first season. She is excited about her first foray into society, but family secrets seemed to be piling up around Caroline more and more each day. She thought she might discover the great secret in her own life one day, except when she did, she had a feeling that it just might change everything. When she meets Lord Thomas Steele at her home in London, she is immediately intrigued by the handsome, dashing young barrister, who is a friend of her father. Each time she sees him, she becomes more and more aware that he, too, is deeply involved in the secrets that surround her, and she sets out to prove to him that she has the courage to face whatever it is and to stand beside him as he confronts the evil that threatens him.

Thomas, the youngest son of a Marquis, has been fighting an uphill battle against vampires most of his life. London is under attack and Thomas is the captain of the guard of Orion’s Shield, a clandestine group of vampire hunters sanctioned by the Prince Regent himself. Having been attacked and bitten by a beautiful and seductive vampire at a young age, Thomas struggles against the forces of darkness that have never stopped trying to consume him. An ancient and powerful evil has come to England, and a physical battle, as well as a spiritual one, must be waged against it. If the battle is lost, it will leave Regency England vulnerable to hell on earth. And yet in the middle of the fray, two souls try to find their way both to the light and to each other before the darkness destroys whatever happiness they may find.… Can love truly conquer all, or will evil consume them both?

Enthralled is a true romantic gem, I couldn’t wait till my reading time each day so I could dig back into the story.

If you love the older type of vampires that enthralls humans, kills humans, drinks blood, you can kill them by stakes through the heart, you’re bound to enjoy this.

Elizabeth Jordan writes a loving yet harsh world where Lady Caroline and Thomas has to deal with lawlessness vampires and let me just say Lady Caroline is no dismal in distress, nope she knows how to handle herself around them even though she has no clue vampires exist beforehand.

My only reason for not rating it a 5 is the majority of the time I felt like the story was set in modern times by the way they talk to each other, but yet I am very picky so, some of you may never notice this.

I recommend this to anyone that loves action pack clean romance. 

Sacrifice of Mine by Janeal Falor

Title: Sacrifice of Mine (Mine #4)

Author: Janeal Falor
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance
Length: 218 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: September 14, 2016
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

After a ravaging war, Bethany and her family are forced to flee to Envado. There, women are safe from the oppressive rule of male owners. When her pursuers draw too close, Bethany stays behind to buy her sisters time to escape and she's captured.

She's turned over to a depraver who tarnishes her. Now bald, branded, and barren, she's worth less than the shadow she casts. From this lowly place she leads the tarnished to overthrow the Grand Chancellor--the man behind Chardonia's oppressive rules against women and the tarnished. If they fail to defeat him and his supporters, all will be lost.

The final book in the story of Chardonia is a sad one. Bethany has been captured, tarnished, and finds herself in a very very very very (I can't say enough very's here) bad place. But she's also in a good place to try and help the resistance from within the heart of Chardonia. But a lot of lives will be placed on the line because of it.

Unfoturnately, the editing errors in this one were really bad. There were times I think she mixed up the two countris of Chardonia and Envado, because otherwise parts just wouldn't make sense. The ending was also a little off. It seemed to just "poof" wrap up with a nice bow. Yes, there was a lot leading up to it, but once we got to the top, it just all dropped off really fast.

I really enjoyed this series. It leans more towards a fantasy than a romance, but each story had a nice little romance that weaves through it and really made a different set of characters stand out in a nice way.

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Mine to Fear by Janeal Falor

Title: Mine to Fear (Mine #3)

Author: Janeal Falor
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy Romance
Length: 227 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: August 17, 2016
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Waverly resents being sent home to Evando just as things are getting intense in Chardonia. She can't just sit in safety while her friends suffer under oppression and restrictions simply because they are women.

Upon returning to Chardonia, she discovers conditions have degraded faster than she thought possible, and her mere presence puts her loved ones in grave danger. When the Grand Chancellor calls for a change in laws that threatens the lives of her friends, her family, and anyone who doesn't comply, her only option is to run, with both friend and foe.

As the stakes grow higher with each passing day, Waverly must become the leader she's never been, or her life, and the lives of all those she cares for, will be lost.

This series takes a very dark turn in Mine to Fear. Things are not going well, and I'll warn you, the story arc does not end well. We do have a fairly decent HEA for the romance side, but the realm Chardonia is in chaos and it only gets worse.

The people of Envado are trying desperately to change things, and they are losing the battle. The Grand Chancellor is taking the country in hand by making drastic and severe changes that puts the lives of many at risk. It's scary, very scary, and you don't see much light at the end of the tunnel.

Waverly finds herself caught up in the war as she tries to free her friends from the tyranny of the Grand Chancellor and his friends that are determined to keep women and magic under the control of a very select male population. There's a lot to  read between the lines here, and it was done very well.

My biggest complaint, and Mine to Fear may have gotten 5 stars without this, is the editing. There were some areas that were quite poorly done and it really did take away from my ability to just read the story. But it is one hell of a story.

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Do You Hear What I Hear? by Margaret Brownley

Title: Do You Hear What I Hear (Second Chance at Star Inn)
Author: Margaret Brownley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: Novella
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Two bad things happened to Sally Cartwright that week. Three if she counted the pink slip received at the Home and Familymagazine's annual Christmas party. But nothing was worse than plowing into a snowbank and being stuck in a town she swore never to see again. A town she once called home. Now she must spend the long cold night in the car or follow the bright shining star through the woods to the old Star Inn. She chooses the inn and that's where her troubles really begin...

Lumber mill owner, Rick Talbot, is in no mood for Christmas cheer. Having recently buried his father, he's still trying to sort out the financial mess left behind. Unless Rick comes up with a miracle, the mill run by the family for generations is about to shut down for good. That would put a lot of men out of work and impact the future of the town. If things weren't bad enough he's now stuck at the old Star Inn waiting for the road back to his cabin to reopen. His luck takes another turn for the worse when he suddenly comes face to face with the past he'd sooner forget. For unless he's seeing things, the only woman he's ever loved is standing in front of the inn's blazing fire trying to get warm. How is it possible that one chance meeting could stir up so many old memories?

Both Rick and Sally regret what happened between them, but his family lumberyard clashes with her tree-hugging ways and neither is willing to try again. It will take the storm of the century, one stage-struck young boy, a certain meddling "angel"--and even a cranky cat--to convince them that in matters of the heart, sometimes the second time around is best.

The best in this little collection so far! I loved Sally, and the one that got away theme is always a favorite of mine. Sally is spunky and has a mission in her life. Life just may not agree with it. I loved her go-get-em attitude and would love to be bestfriends with her.

Rick was a tad cliche. But I've come to expect a little bit of that in a Christmas romance. He's always regretted letting Sally walk out of his life, but he still doesn't see any other choice. Their life goals were just too far apart. But what if all that changed? What if they could align their views and goals and find a way to make it stick this time?

A great second change romance with some really fun characters.

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

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Second Chance at Star Inn

Room at the Inn for Christmas
Silent Night, Star-Lit Night

Silent Night, Star-Lit Night by Ruthe Logan Herne

Title: Silent Night, Star-Lit Night (Second Chance at Star Inn)
Author: Ruth Logan Herne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novella
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Jed Taylor knows how to cowboy up on the range, and on the sales’ floor of his family’s rapidly growing western and ranch store in Central Washington, which is exactly where he would normally be a week before Christmas… but when he heard Mia O’Loughlin was planning a trip north, pregnant and alone, Jed’s promise to her late husband kicked in. More Grinch than grace, he boarded a plane and headed to the coast, determined that his best friend’s widow wouldn’t make the long trek alone. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, widowed, pregnant and all alone on the West Coast.

E.R. nurse and Red Cross emergency responder Mia O’Loughlin had always taken life in full stride, but losing her deployed husband the week before she realized they were expecting their first child knocked her off-kilter. With Christmas and her due date approaching, all she can see is getting back home to Kittitas County for the birth of her child… their child… and seeing her failing Grandpa Joe one last time. Determined to do it on her own, she reluctantly allows Jed to accompany her, mostly because the gruff cowboy showed up and won’t take no for an answer.

But when a blizzard grinds their progress to a stop in Northern Oregon, the light from an old inn beckons them into a town hunkered down to ride out the unexpected storm. With the help of the inn’s wise and wonderful “angel,” Mia realizes the old white church has been turned into a shelter. She insists on leaving the inn to help those forced out of their homes and off the highway. As she and Jed improvise to provide comfort to others, they begin to see that facing this once-dreaded Christmas together could be the very best way of all.

 Another sweet glimpse into the Star Inn and Christmastime. Once again, plans go wrong and a very pregnant Mia finds herself stranded at the Star Inn with her friend, Jed. The set up for this was cute, but a bit cliche. With Mia's husband having died, Jed seems to swoop in to rescue her from all of the things. Yes, all of them. It was a bit much.

But Mia does her own fair share of saving while stranded in the little town. When a blizzard keeping the electricity out, her Red Cross training comes in handy in a very unusual way - and two little kids will never forget this Christmas.

I enjoyed the story, but it justs didn't stick to me. It wasn't as memorable or sigh-inducing as I had hoped it would be.

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

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Second Chance at Star Inn

Room at the Inn for Christmas

Room at the Inn for Christmas by Mary Connealy

Title: Room at the Inn for Christmas (Second Chance at Star Inn)
Author: Mary Connealy
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: Novella
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Welcome to Heywood, Oregon where three lost women find healing, hope and love under the bright light of the town's old Star Inn this Christmas season.

Amanda Star’s father always wanted her to come into the family business, and run the majestic old Star Inn with him but she had bigger plans. She’s a high-powered executive in the multi-national Halston hotel chain. One more promotion—which she expects to get by Christmas—will make her the youngest vice president in Halston history and she’s got her sights set on the CEO job.

Then she inherits the Star Inn. With no time to be away from her job, she impatiently rushes home to list the beautiful old bed and breakfast for sale. Now that she’s here she’s swamped with sweet memories and keen regret. Her father has made the inn a safe haven where weary travelers can get away from their hectic lives, and Amanda, working 10-hour days and living on coffee and antacids, desperately needs that safe haven.

As Amanda struggles against the lure of home, she also is reunited with an old classmate: Anthony Carter, a handyman with a guarded heart. Hurt before by a woman who saw his contentment and pleasure in building and living on his own land as a lack of ambition, Cart reluctantly finds himself drawn to a woman who wants so much more than a man with callused hands and sawdust in his hair. A woman who came home for Christmas and badly needs to stay. With the help of Angel Rafferty, the front desk clerk and a lifelong friend of Amanda’s parents, can Cart help Amanda realize the hospitality industry is far more than spreadsheets and bottom lines in time for Christmas?

This is one book in a series that are all centered around the Star Inn. This one seemed like the perfect place to start with an introduction to the Inn, it's family, and the town of Heywood. And it was a great place to kick off.

This story starts off on a roll with Amanda returning to clear up her father's estate after his death. She's a big city girl that's always on the go. When she runs into her old crush, Anthony, she's in for quite a surprise. Not just because he's hot as all get out and seems genuinely happy to see her (at least at first), but his appearance is the first in a string of lies that begin to unfold.

Now, I won't be giving too much away when I say that Amanda is about to find out that pretty much everything she heard after she moved to the city about her hometown and family was all lies. Really big lies. She is perfectly devastated and confused, her reaction was everything it should have been. But Anthony doesn't really buy it. Why didn't she come see for herself, or call, or something.

Eventually the two find their way through the sea of lies and come up with a reason for why they were told to her. I really really really didn't buy the reason. None of it felt right, and they even admitted that they were just guessing. But it threw a hole into the story that I had a hard time getting out of. I kept going back to "why?" And I never got an answer that seemed even remotely believable to me.

I've already dove in to the next books in the collection. I'm excited to see what happens at the Star Inn this holiday season.

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

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Hometown Holiday Reunion (Oaks Crossing #3) by Mia Ross ~ Review

Title: Hometown Holiday Reunion (Oaks Crossing #3)

Author: Mia Ross
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational
Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Falling for the Girl Next Door

Returning home to take care of his ailing mother, Cam Stewart reunites with his best friend's little sister. And while Erin Kinley is still a firecracker, she's grown from an annoying tagalong to a beautiful woman and devoted foster mom. She and Cam still drive each other crazy…until Erin turns to Cam for comfort during a stressful adoption process. Cam's fractured family had him convinced he'd never be a dad, but suddenly he's considering two things he never thought he would: having a family and staying in Oaks Crossing. Could Erin and her son be everything he's longed for?

Another great story from Mia Ross - she is the ultimate queen of Contemporary Inspirational Romance. Returning to Oaks Crossing to visit the girl of the Kinley family, Erin is setting off on her own to set up a new pet shot in town. When she goes to see the space she might be buying she's surprised to find out it's owned by Cam (he's equally surprised). They haven't really seen much of each other since they tormented each other in school.

But life has changed both of them, although it does take them a little bit of time to realize this, but old impressions can be hard to change. Gradually, their lives begin to intertwine more and more. The best thing about Mia Ross's romances, is that I could see them happening to anyone, anywhere. The couples come together so naturally that that you just sit back and enjoy a very pleasurable ride.

Now, things aren't all sun and roses. Every relationship will have its bumps, misunderstandings, and differences. Those are all present as Cam and Erin discover their new feelings for each other and learn their way with each other.

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Oaks Crossing

Her Small Town Cowboy #1

Rescued by the Farmer #2

Rescued by the Farmer by Mia Ross

Title: Rescued by the Farmer (Oaks Crossing #2)
Author: Mia Ross
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational
Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: June 21, 2016
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Searching for a safe haven in the Kentucky hills, city girl Bekah Holloway encounters the unexpected—a handsome country boy who offers her help. Drew Kinley gives her a job working with wounded animals, but on the run from an abusive boyfriend, Bekah needs more than employment. She needs a hero. Instinct tells Drew he's the perfect man for the skittish beauty. But he's spent a lifetime saving his family farm and now it's his turn to see the world outside of Oaks Crossing. As Bekah finds her forever home, will Drew leave…or stay and embrace a future together?

I love Mia Ross's inspirational small town series. They match couples up beautifully, and I really get to see their relationship bloom and grow into something more. The Kinley family and the town of Oaks Crossing star in her newest series, and I've already fallen in love with all of them.

In Rescue by the Farmer, she hits a soft spot for me with animal rescue. And she does it right. She shows the struggle the small rescue facility faces with finding the right personnel, funding, and pormotions to keep the place running. It seems like a gift from God when Bekah lands in their world.

But Bekah is a rescue case in her own way. Running from a past (that I wish we had seen a little more details on), she finds herself welcomed and sheltered by the Kinley family and the small town around her. But she's afraid that she'll be forced to move on and have to give it all up - everything she cares about - all over again.

This may sound like quite the dramatic story, but it's much more simple. This is just the backdrop to two people falling in love, learning to trust again, and finding their own path into the future. Another winner from Mia Ross.

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Oaks Crossing

Her Small Town Cowboy #1

Twice Blessed by Barbara Cameron

Title: Twice Blessed
Author: Barbara Cameron
Genre: Inspirational Amish Romance
Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Source: Amazon Vine
Rating: 4/1
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

About Her Sister’s Shadow
Katie and Rosie Stoltzfus work part-time in an Amish store and part-time in Two Peas in a Pod, their own business raising vegetables and fruits and canning them for sale. Although they are identical twins, their personalities are very different: while Katie has always been more outgoing and attractive to boys, Rosie has always felt in her sister’s shadow. It will take an unexpected business opportunity and one very special man to help Rosie see that she’s a unique woman of her own.

About His Brother’s Keeper
Ever since they were boys, Ben Fisher has trailed after his brother, Mark. Ben has always envied Mark because he’s always been more adventurous, but he's even more jealous now that Mark is engaged to Rachel, a woman they both love. When a terrible accident on Christmas Eve results in their mistaken identity, Ben suddenly has an opportunity to create the life he’s always wanted. While everyone believes he is his brother, who’s still in a coma, Ben finally has a chance with Rachel. But how can he realize an opportunity for real happiness if it means deceiving his kin?

These were a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved Her Sister's Shadow, but wasn't a thrilled with His Brother's Keeper.

Her Sister's Shadow is all about the shy twin finding her way to happiness and love. There was a lot of really great story in this one. Katie and Rosie were both fun personalities, but completely different. Katie is outgoing and flirty - loves to be in the middle of everything. But Rosie prefers to be at home, working in the garden or kitchen. But they both find a way to find love and happiness in Her Sister's Shadow. They also both get a look at tragedy and people aren't always what they seem - but it works out great in the end. This was my favorite of the two stories.

His Brother's Keeper just didn't have the best trope for me. A twin pretending to be the other one is all fun - when you're kids. But when your twin is in the hospital in a coma, pretending to be him so you can spend time with his fiance is just creepy. Now it starts as a genuine case of mistaken identity, but he doesn't bother to correct anyone. The ending....well it just confused me. Some people knew and they talked about telling other people, and I'm not entirely sure the whole thing came out?

I highly recommend the first story, Her Sister's Shadow, but you can skip His Brother's Keeper.

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

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Review: After the Fall by Carissa Lusk

Title: After the Fall
Author: Carissa Lusk
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: BookBaby
Release Date: July 8, 2016
Source: Review Request
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Vashti

Amity cries out into the darkness that surrounds her, hoping for a solitary voice to provide direction; she hears two.

Amity knows she loves Alexander, yet the loneliness brought on by the miles that separate them can only be curbed by the cryptic affection of Marcus Riley. She can’t understand the strange familiarity she finds in the wild blue of Marcus’s eyes, but she will soon learn his secret.

Plagued with dreams and memories of lives beyond her own, a tragic fate will emerge from the ashes of a love scorned. Eventually, she will discover the dark truth that will leave her running for her life, and she will learn who sacrificed everything to save it.

New author, Carissa Lusk, has written an outstanding debut NA Paranormal novel.  I was hesitant at first to review this book because I'm not a big fan of YA so I was thinking how is New Adult any different? Is this going to be along the lines of Twilight? But then I remembered I freakin' loved Twilight.  I actually read the entire series in one week. So here we go!

Amity Day is a college student who meets the love of her life, Alex, at her high school senior prom. There is an immediate magnetic pull and a very believable intense love bond after the first date. Forward several years later, Alex and Amity are separated by 400 miles while she's in her junior year of college and Alex is in law school. Amity is not very sociable, she excludes herself from extra curricular activities (even though she is a sorority sister). She is consumed by an emptiness since Alex is no longer around and it's almost like she can't operate or breathe, and only lives for her nightly calls from Alex.  What's a girl to do, how is she to combat the loneliness?

In walks Marcus Riley and he's here to save the girl, and get this love triangle train moving.

Amity finds herself in a sweet little situation that I think many women would die for. She's got two gorgeous men vying for her affection, both of them like loyal lapdogs without ever giving other women so much as a Wham Bam Thank You Mam!

Miss Lusk does a good job of setting up the scene and she gives a short description of each character as they are introduced.  The paranormal aspect is hinted at early on in the book but  it really isn't in the forefront until the middle and the ending of the book. What was really cleverly done were the literary clues scattered throughout the book. References were given to "A Pair of Blue Eyes" by Thomas Hardy, which if you've read more than one book by Thomas Hardy you know what usually happens to his heroines, Othello, Romeo  & Juliette, Somewhere I Never Traveled, "The Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dali(which is actually a painting). These scattered references were like finding clues to solve a murder mystery.  I found myself wondering if the author was a literary major. You gain insight into the characters based on the literary references, but they by no means give away the outcome of the book.

My favorite character was Marcus, once he entered the picture I honestly could not put the book down. I read till 3:00 am.  I simply had to finish this story I was that drawn in. Marcus is extremely quick-witted and most of the funny dialogue in the book, and there was quite a bit, was between Marcus and Amity.  They joked around, teased and laughed a lot.  There was an ease and flow in their conversation. There is also a really strong, intense, enigmatic chemistry, and romanticism between the two of them that Amity can't explain nor dismiss. And unlike Alex,  Marcus is not afraid to act on his passions. The book is written in 1st person, which I don't mind at all, but I would have loved to get in Marcus's head and understand where he was coming from and what motivated his actions at times.

Miss Lusk has done a brilliant job of creating genuine feelings between each character, yet it seemed at times that Amity's feelings were based on whoever she was with at the moment.

Throughout the entire book, I kept wondering how is the paranormal tied in? I won't say how; you'll have to read the book yourself.  This was a paranormal genre that I have never read before but it was quite interesting and I am looking forward to the coming prequel.

Miss Lusk has quite brilliantly created a story in which you genuinely feel the heartache and joys with each character. You find yourself pulling for one or rooting for the other. Some of the romantic build-up and  tension was so intense that I felt it in my gut, but I will forewarn you that's where it stops! This is COMPLETELY  PG without the 13.  So if you're looking for anything beyond that, you will be sorely disappointed. However, the emotions of the characters and mystery were enough to keep you interested and reading to see where all of this was going to culminate. This was quite a nice break from the many Historical Romance, Highlander or Vampire books that I usually review.

I highly recommend this book to readers of any genre of Paranormal,  Romance, NA,  Love Triangles and just a  Clean Romantic Read.

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Her Small-Town Cowboy by Mia Ross ~ Review

Title: Her Small-Town Cowboy (Oaks Crossing #1)

Author: Mia Ross
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Romance
Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: December 15, 2015
Source: Self-Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Lily St. George dreams of marriage and a family of her own. But as a temporary kindergarten teacher, she can't get too attached to anyone in Oaks Crossing. When a student brings in her single father for show-and-tell, Lily is drawn to charming cowboy Mike Kinley. Working overtime to save his struggling horse farm, Mike claims to have no room in his life for love. But when they team up to start a riding school for children at his ranch, Lily knows she'll have to help Mike see their partnership is meant to be permanent.

Mia Ross is the queen of small town inspirational romances for me. I love her characters and her places. Her Small-Town Cowboy definitely delivered on the fun characters, but it fell just a tad short on the small town itself. Lily and Mike meet in a very unexpected way. It had me chuckling to see them interact for the first time - and what they both thought was the only time.

Both are surpised to find each other again when she begins to substitute teach for his daughter. His daugher was such a charmer. She was everything I could have wanted from her character. The perfect little mix of mischievousness and sweetheart. And she's determined to keep Lily in her life somehow.

Now this isn't a case of a little girl getting two people to fall in love. What I liked best was that she was just one of the forces pulling Lily and Mike together. There were so many more, and was mixed very well. But....yes, the dreaded but....the town just didn't shine in a way that I've come to expect from Mia Ross. The other people in the town were fun, especially the school kids, but I wanted to see more of the places and sights.

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Captive by Amanda Pillar ~ Review

Title: Captive (A Graced Novella
Author: Amanda Pillar
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Dystopian Romance
Length: 102 pages
Publisher: Momentum
Release Date: February 11, 2016
Source: Review Request
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Chris

Civilization has ended.

Vampires, werewolves, and the Graced are at war with their human creators, and humanity is losing. But one girl might hold the key to salvation. Held captive with her fellow humans by alpha Wolfgang and his pack of weres, Laney secretly inches ever closer to breaking were and vampire blood dependency forever.

But Laney doesn't have long. Their numbers decimated by plague, humans are being kidnapped and reduced to livestock. And when Laney and her sister are kidnapped by a neighboring vampire clan notorious for its "farming" of humans, their only hope lies in Wolf – who doesn't know the shocking secret Laney has gone to great lengths to conceal.

With their lives and the future of humanity in the balance, can Laney and Wolf learn to trust each other before their races cease to exist?

This books packs quite an action punch. While I read it without reading "Graced" first, I was able to follow along. I would recommend starting with "Graced", as there is a substantial amount of back story jammed in the first half of the novella.

This book screams futuristic Mad Max meets old school sci~fi. Humans are the under dog, and the future isn't looking good. With so many creatures in this story, I'm looking forward to a developing series.

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

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Visions ( Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong ~ Review

Title: Visions (Cainsville #2)
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery
Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: August 19, 2014
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Cerridwen

Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.

Continuing the Cainsville series was a treat! Another " I don't wanna go to work, I just wanna finish this book." kind of book.

In Visions you get to learn a lot more about the mystery that surrounds Olivia and her parents. The town is still not quite clear to the reader if it's a helpful place or if going back there will bite her in the end. Things are getting more dangerous and more questions are popping up.

Can't wait to get my hands on the next one!

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Cainesville

Omens

Island of Lost Girls by Jennifer McMahon ~ Review

Title: Island of Lost Girls

Author: Jennifer McMahon
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: April 22, 2008
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Cerridwen

While parked at a gas station, Rhonda sees something so incongruously surreal that at first she hardly recognizes it as a crime in progress. She watches, unmoving, as someone dressed in a rabbit costume kidnaps a young girl. Devastated over having done nothing, Rhonda joins the investigation. But the closer she comes to identifying the abductor, the nearer she gets to the troubling truth about another missing child: her best friend, Lizzy, who vanished years before.

From the author of the acclaimed Promise Not to Tell comes a chilling and mesmerizing tale of shattered innocence, guilt, and ultimate redemption.

Hmmmm...wasn't as impressed with this McMahon book but it is one of her earlier ones. It was still creepy with the whole kidnapping scenario. That's every parent's worst nightmare, but it still took me a good 70+ pages to get going and decide I needed to find out what happened to these missing children.

True to McMahon style though she delivers a twist and punch with the end you don't see coming.

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Omens by Kelly Armstrong ~ Review

Title: Omens (Cainsville #1)

Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 486 pages
Publisher: Dutton
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Source: Library
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Cerridwen

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

I actually picked Omens up because I picked up the sequel, Visions first. Dragging myself back to the library mad because I thought I had stumbled upon a new series only to find out I was behind, I snatched Omens.

I have read Kelley Armstrong before, but haven't really stuck to any of her series. Apparently it's been a long, long time because reading this made me go bad and bookmark several I would like to read.

So, stop rambling....from the very beginning this story grabbed me. My 100 page rule need not apply here cause at page 5 I couldn't put it down. So much so my fiance was taking pictures of me stirring a pot of spaghetti with one hand and reading the book with the other. (He has never witnessed such a feat, but I'm sure other fellow readers have done similar. )

This is more of a mystery, as Olivia navigates the secrets of her past by visiting people in the town and her imprisoned mom, although it does have several supernatural elements and some strange things going on. You get that vibe you're along for the journey with Olivia. You want to know the truth as bad as she does!

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This Scarlet Cord by Joan Wolf - Review

Title: The Scarlet Cord: The Love Story of Rahab

Author: Joan Wolf
Genre: Historical Romance, Inspirational Romance
Length: 307 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Source: Self-Purchased
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

A chasm lies between Rahab and her beloved Sala that can never be crossed. Though Sala rescues young Rahab from slave bandits, he knows he can never fall in love with a Canaanite. His belief in the One True God prevents them from a future together. Rahab's beauty gains royal notice, and she is selected to entice the King during the annual sacred marriage reenactment praising their pagan god, Baal. But when the King suffers a heart attack and dies, Rahab is saved from the humiliating act. Her despair drives her curiosity about Sala's One True God. Could He accept her . . . even love her? Deceit and pride stand in the way of Rahab's happy ending. Only God can use these events to tell the larger story of forgiveness and redemption.

I don't know much about Rahab and the story of Jericho - other than the walls fell down and the Israelites were victorious. But Joan Wolf has a way with words. The city jumps off the pages, from the crowded and congested lower city, to the pristine temples of Baal and Ashera.

Rahab is a very fascinating character. She is a strong woman that seems to really look at what is going on around her, choosing her decisions based on what her heart tells her. She seems a great math for Sala, but there is one huge problem. She is a Canaanite and he is an Israelite. Neither of their families would ever agree to a marriage.

But as her life begins to fall apart, she begins to re-think her beliefs and her way of life. This was no sudden epiphany, but a good long soul-searching that was quite touching and a little scary. As an army approaches the city of Jericho, her decisions will mean the life or death of her entire family.

While this is an inspirational romance, you do not have to be religious to enjoy the romance and time period. It's a very well told story of two amazing people during a time that isn't visited very often.

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A Midnight Clear by Hope Ramsay - Review

Title: A Midnight Clear (Last Chance #9.5)

Author: Hope Ramsay
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: Novella
Publisher: Forever Yours
Release Date: December 1, 2015
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Dr. Tom Crawford isn't feeling the spirit of the season when he arrives in Last Chance. Far from friends and family, he's the odd man out in this town of gossiping, tight-knit Southerners-until he meets a sweetly sexy single mom who makes him feel welcome. Suddenly the handsome doctor is thinking he's finally found a place to call home. Local florist Teri Summers has her hands full of mistletoe in preparation for the holiday, yet finding someone to kiss is her last priority. But when the gorgeous new doctor makes a connection with her special needs son, Aiden, Teri finds herself wondering if she's finally found happiness in this season of joy. For Teri and Tom, Last Chance may be their best chance at love . . .

OMG. This book may be a shorter novella, but it will have you tearing up like crazy! Teri is a single mom with an autistic son. She has come to the conclusion that this is all her life is going to be - who would want to take on all she has? Her son, Aiden, is adorable. But he hates Christmas - Santa, carols, candles, red - he'll have none of it! But Dr. Tom sees something in both of them and he just can't resist getting to know them better. Here's where the tears start, and they just kept coming in the most amazing and heartfelt way.

I loved that this was such a real look (as for as my knowledge goes) into not only a single mother, but also into a family with a child that no one seems to understand. There are even small breaks in the narrative where we get to see things from Aiden's point of view, and they were amazing. Everything he thought made such perfect sense, but it just didn't quite translate into our world in the best way.

Watching Teri, and then Tom, work with Aiden to make his life fulfilling and comfortable. Working with his unique quirks while still trying to expose him to a wonderful world was great to see.

As Tom and Teri try to navigate this new relationship, Aiden is trying to navigate a new world of his own - a new type of Christmas.

And now I'm tearing up again. Seriously, everyone has to read this!!!

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

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Winter of Wishes by Charlotte Hubbard - Review

Title: Winter of Wishes (Seasons of the Heart #1)

Author: Charlotte Hubbard
Genre: Amish Romance, Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Source: Self-Purchased
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

As another year draws to a close in Willow Ridge, life seems to be changing for everyone but Rhoda Lantz. Her widowed mother is about to remarry, her sister is a busy newlywed, and soon Rhoda will be alone in her cozy apartment above the blacksmith's shop. An ad posted by an Englischer looking for someone to help with his mother and children may offer just the companionship she's looking for, but if she falls for the caring single father, she may risk being shunned by her community. Certain she can only wish for things she cannot have, Rhoda must remember that all things are possible with God, and nothing is stronger than the power of love.

 This was a really different Amish romance and nothing like what I expected. Rhoda is discontent with her life. She feels like the odd one out as both her sister and mother are getting married and moving on with a new life with new families. She feels a change in the air and jumps into a new job without looking back. I have to say, I admire her bravery for taking that leap.

That leap leads to more than just a great job that she loves. It leads to a family that deparately needs her - and even if she doesn't realize it just yet - that she desparately needs as well. But there's one really big problem. This family isn't Amish - so they are strictly off limits in the romantic sort of way.

Rhoda tackles this problem by trusting God, her Englischer friend tackles the problem in a way that I thought was postively brilliant. If I hadn't loved him already - I definitely would have fallen right then and there. The romance was amazing, the people in the story were amazing. I loved this part soooo much.

Again, and I've mentioned this before in other books by Charolotte Hubbard, the accent was just a bit too much for me. It was toned down in this one since a good portion of the book takes place outside of the Amish community. I understand the concept of drawing the reader in with accents and realistic language, but it just doesn't do it for me in this case.

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The Talisman by Paula Knight - Review

Title: Cougar Romance: The Talisman (Secret Shades of the Alpha Blood #1)

Author: Paula Knight
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 32 pages
Publisher: Kindled Romance Publishing
Release Date: August 28, 2015
Source: Publisher Request
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Everyone has secrets, but some can change your life forever…

Diana Grant does not fawn over celebrities. She has always been a quiet, serious type of person. A budding anthropologist, she is interested in facts. Not romantic ideals. She finds it odd then that, ever since she saw a picture of Catahasa Yazzie, the young billionaire CEO of a property company in New Mexico, she’s felt herself inexplicably drawn to him.

She finds it even odder that, when she accepts a temporary position at his company's headquarters, he seems equally drawn to her. What Diana doesn’t know is that her new boss has a secret. A secret with roots that go back to an ancient civilization older, perhaps, than time itself.

When the fruits of this secret reveal themselves to Diana, will she be able to survive the encounter?

Another novel split up into three parts....I'm just not a fan of the format, so I won't be getting the second and third ones. Which is really too bad, because it's a great start! There's a bit of a different twist with some Native American elements and some anthropology references that my inner nerd went crazy for. Not sure how accurate they were, but I like when an author at least tries.

We have a no-name office temp, Diana, who has this strange obsession with her boss and finally get to meet him. But, or course, he isn't what she expects - I doubt he's even human, but we still aren't sure by the end of this little bit.

Good potential to make a great story, but something you will want to buy a bundle for instead of picking it up in 30 page segments.

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

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An Amish County Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard and Naomi King - Review

Title: An Amish County Christmas

Author: Charlotte Hubbard and Naomi King
Genre: Inspirational Romance, Amish
Length: 352 pages
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Source: Contest Win
Rating: 2
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

In Willow Ridge, Missouri, the Christmas season is a time when faith brings peace, family brings warmth and new romance brings sparkling joy. . .Twins For Christmas

For spirited Martha Coblentz and her twin Mary, the snow has delivered the perfect holiday and birthday present to their door--handsome brothers Nate and Bram Kanagy. But when unforeseen trouble interrupts their season's good cheer, it will take unexpected intervention--and sudden understanding--to give all four the blessing of a lifetime. . .

Kissing The Bishop

As the year's first snow settles, Nazareth Hooley and her sister are given a heaven-sent chance to help newly widowed Tom Hostetler tend his home. But when her hope that she and Tom can build on the caring between them seems a dream forever out of reach, Nazareth discovers that faith and love can make any miracle possible. . .

I normally enjoy inspirational and Amish romances. They are a step away from what I generally read, and the sweet aspect of it all is just a lot of fun. These two however, fell very flat. They were so sweet that it gave me a stomachache and much of the time I felt like I was reading a parody of their behavior and way of speaking. It was just way too over the top for me.

In Twins for Christmas two brothers fall in love (at first sight) with twin sisters. This seemed a bit fast and a little ridiculous. The antics the girls pull while trying to figure out which brother they want were childish and I can't imagine grown women doing them, or grown men still wanting to "date" the girls that did it.

Kissing the Bishop took a step in the right direction though. Again we have two romances, but they have a bit more time to develop. I also liked the fact that our couples were older than what you traditionally see in romance novels. It added a very different conflict aspect to the story that was a lot of fun. This was by far the better of the two stories.

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