Without Restraint by Angela Knight - Review

Title:  Without Restraint (Southern Shields #1)

Author: Angela Knight

Source: Public Library

Genre: Erotic Romantic Suspense

Length: 336 pages

Publisher:  Berkley

Release Date: August 4, 2015

Reviewed by: Artemis

Rating –  5 Stars

Sexual –  5 Flames

The first novel in the explosive new Southern Shield series from New York Times bestselling author Angela Knight explores the intoxicating games between a female cop and a Navy SEAL—and the killer instincts of a secret enemy watching every move they make. 

Atlanta deputy Alexis Rogers and Navy SEAL Frank Murphy know all about power and restraint, necessary force, and pushing their limits. When they meet in the darkness of a BDSM club, their skills are put to use. With each successive night comes a new adrenaline rush, and while they’re falling into something perilously close to love, their games are still too private, too extreme, and too daring ever to be exposed.

But their intimate lives are upended when a fellow deputy of Alex’s is killed. It’s not a tragic hazard of the job. It’s cold-blooded murder. And he’s not the last to be taken out. Now Alex and Frank have found themselves more vulnerable than ever—and exposed to a killer with a twisted vendetta who turns desire into the most dangerous sensation of all.

WOW! What a ride! Ms. Knight delivers a suspenseful BDSM erotic romance with very powerful leading characters. This is not your usual "slap & tickle" erotic romance. Without Restraint offers the reader so much more than a billionaire with a hidden room. It opens with a wicked dungeon scene!

The romance is very erotic; not dark, but some may find it a bit harsh. Because of their employment and positions in the small southern community, all of the kinky couples/characters in this story need to keep their sexual activities hidden from prying eyes. Well damn, that didn't last long and mayhem ensues - makes for a damn good story too!

One (of the many) things I really liked about this book was the way Ms. Knight explained different BDSM terms, lifestyles, attitudes, etc., within the story without getting too technical or bogging it down. A reader new to erotic romance will appreciate the information; whereas, another may learn something new.

Oh wait, I was wrong. The other thing I really, REALLY liked: Someone used the safeword - RED 

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The Taming of Malcolm Grant (The MacGregor’s: Highland Heirs Book 4) by Paula Quinn - ARC Review

The Taming of Malcolm Grant

(The MacGregor’s: Highland Heirs Book 4)

By Paula Quinn

Pages: 384

Publish Date: September 29, 2015

Publisher: Forever

Source: Netgalley

Review requested by Author

GENRE: Historical Romance

AMAZON     BARNES & NOBLE     GOODREADS

AN ALLURING LASS

Emmaline Grey spends her days with her beloved dog, dreaming of the sea-until a brawling Highlander shatters her quiet life to pieces. Though her blindness prevents her from seeing his face, his voice is a warm blend of velvet and silk, and his rakehell ways unmistakable. Risking the wrath of a rival clan as she nurses him back to health, Emma soon realizes the real danger is the magnetic pull she feels to this half-naked Scot recovering in her bed.

A RECKLESS ROGUE

With his rugged handsomeness and wicked charm, Malcolm Grant wants nothing more out of life than whisky, women, and the occasional war. The only lass he's ever trusted left him with more scars than a battlefield. Yet now at the mercy of this sweet stranger, Malcolm can barely resist the gentle hands that make him feverish with desire-until Emma, the one he will never have, is the only woman he wants . . . 

RATING:  5 STARS

SEXUAL: 3 FLAMES

Review by Ronda Tutt
a.k.a Queentutt

Historic Writing of Brilliance!

Ms. Quinn’s master piece of creativity combines one enchanting sexy rogue, one blind determined and independent Lass, and one incredible woven life of experiences filled with harsh realities and haunted regrets producing one visionary and heartfelt Highland Romance of all time.

I was totally spellbound from the first page. This exciting story is full of mischief, humor, deceit, jealousy, honor, death, and sacrifices.  The stunning characters will have you caught up in their story as if you were living it with them.

I loved getting to know Malcolm Grant.  His highland honor and pride are ordinary traits, however what captivated me most was his character’s demeanor and experiences of trying to correct his wrongs, giving up women for the last few years, separating himself from a previous clingy old rump in the sack, and rationalizing his purpose in life along with discovering if love would exist for him which had my heart singing for him.

Emmaline Grey (Emma), hands down is one of the best female characters ever created and that you will ever read about.  Sure she is like every other woman being independently strong and feisty but her special quality exceeds any personality trait I have ever read about.  She is blind but doesn’t let her handicap hold her back.  She acts like she is not blind and moves around like every other ordinary female.  She is intelligent and beautiful inside and out.  I loved that she was a healer and was knowledgeable of the herbs.   I fell in love with her Seeing Eye dog Gascon too and could feel the special bond between the two.

The character connection between Malcolm and Emma is explosive.  Emma is off limits due to respecting his friend’s wishes but their chemistry between each other is stronger than honoring his friend’s wishes.  Their sexual tension steams off the page and their toe curling interlude romantically involves a secluded beach and some ocean waves. SWOON! (3 Flames)

Other characters won me over too and I can’t wait for Paula Quinn’s next installment to find out more about these new characters.  Cailean, Malcolm’s young brother has definitely had his share of tragedy.  We already knew from a past installment that he lost his best hound but now he has had another great loss that will possibly send him into insanity or locked into himself forever being sad.  My heart just cries when I think of his devastating baggage. 

Also, the character Sebastian Winther has my interest.  It was bad enough that Sebastian’s brother Oliver is an evil monster who caused all kinds of hell and many died from him but Sebastian was the good guy and I hope the readers get his story of him living his dream of sailing his own ship.  Sebastian’s sexual charisma bled off the pages and I only wanted more of him.

In the end, I’m still reeling with the lasting images as they play through my mind. The Happy Ever After is blissful and has me satisfied with giddiness, yet the unfinished battle of the wicked evil Baron of Newcastle has me hungry for more story.  This is just an outstanding read and I totally recommend this historical romance to all readers.  I can actually say this is one story that I will enjoy reading over and over again and definitely will be keeping it on the shelf.

Review: DARLING BEAST (Maiden Lane, #7) by Elizabeth Hoyt

Darling Beast, A Maiden Lane Series Novel
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Source: My Personal Library
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: Novel
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Reviewed by: Artemis

Rating – 5 Stars
Sexual – 4 Stars

A MAN CONDEMNED . . .

Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .

A DESPERATE WOMAN . . .

London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants—a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.

OUT OF ASH, DESIRE FLARES

Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.

"Jealousy," he grated, pulling her close, pulling her into his arms, though she struggled to get away. "I would that it were something as easy, as simple, as mere jealousy," He bent and murmured against her mouth, his lips caressing her with each word. "This is far more awful than jealousy."

Ms. Hoyt has struck pay-dirt with this addition to her Maiden Lane series.

I'm not usually fond of young children and yappy dogs in my romance novels. However, it's young Indio who first discovers the monster living in the garden and reports back to his mother, Lily. I will admit, I was chuckling at his antics at the dinner table.

Lily makes the assumption that Caliban (a name given to him by Indio) is a simpleton, because he is mute, hired to work in the garden and befriends him. WHOA! Was she ever wrong.

Apollo Greaves - a huge, beastly, bulging man! Laboring as a common gardener - in truth: Viscount Kilbourne, part owner of the now destroyed pleasure garden, seeking to clear his name of a crime he didn't commit.

Not only is DARLING BEAST a very satisfying book from beginning to end, but we get a closer look at a very untidy, Asa "Harte" Makepeace. Along with another character, the Duke of Montgomery, who likes to collect people and information. I'm hoping we'll see his story before too long and the willful, strong woman who brings him to his knees!

One last note. Ms. Hoyt began each chapter with a teaser from The Minotaur which I enjoyed very much; my reading addiction began with Greek Mythology. If you would like to read further, I suggest starting with this:  THE KING MUST DIE. I read it many, many moons ago and just recently put it on my shelf. I need to revisit it once again.

Review: AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY by Jillian Stone

AN AFFAIR WITH MR. KENNEDY (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard #1)

Author:  JILLIAN STONE

Source:  My Personal Stash

Genre:  Historical Romance

Length: Novel, Mass Market Paperback

Reviewed by:  Artemis

London, 1887. Part stoic gentleman, part fearless Scotland Yard man, Zeno "Zak" Kennedy is an enigma of the first order. For years, the memory of a deadly bombing at King's Cross has haunted the brilliant Scotland Yard detective. His investigation has zeroed in on a ring of aristocratic rebels whose bloody campaign for Irish revolution is terrorizing the city. When he discovers one of the treacherous lords is acquainted with his free-spirited new tenant, Cassandra St. Cloud, his inquiry pulled him unexpectedly close to the hear of the conspiracy -- and into the arms of a most intriguing lady. 

Cassie is no Victorian prude. An impressionist painter with very modern ideas about life and love, she is eager for a romantic escapade that is daring and discreet. She sets her sights on her dour but handsome landlord, but after she learns their meeting was not purely accidental, she hardly has a chance to forgive her lover before their passionate affair catapults them both into a perilous adventure.

Review: UNCOMMON PASSION (Uncommon #2) by Anne Calhoun

UNCOMMON PASSION (Uncommon #2) 

Author: Anne-Calhoun

Genre:  Erotic Romance

Length:  Novel, 312 pages

Source:  My Private Stash

Reviewer:  Artemis

After leaving a restrictive religious community, Rachel Hill is on a mission to divest herself of her virginity. Newly independent and struggling to establish herself, she’s not looking for anything complicated. She bids on sexy SWAT officer Ben Harris at a bachelor auction, confident he’ll give her the night of her life and nothing more.

But Ben is jaded and detached, living his life in an endless cycle of danger-fueled adrenaline jags, drinking, and sex. When he misses the fact that his bachelor auction hookup is a virgin, he’s shocked by his obliviousness, and by the risk she took. To make amends, Ben offers Rachel all he can: a no-strings-attached sexual education.

Ben’s lessons introduce Rachel to down and dirty passion, but she’s searching for something more profound than sex, and she’s willing to walk away to find it. Ben can’t get Rachel out of his head, but will he come to terms with his troubled past and learn to love?

Review: THE WICKED DEEDS of DANIEL MACKENZIE (Highland Pleasures #6)

THE WICKED DEEDS OF DANIEL MACKENZIE (Highland Pleasures #6)
Author:  JENNIFER ASHLEY
Source:  My Private Stash
Genre:  Historical Romance
Length:  Novel, 384 pages
Reviewed by:   ARTEMIS










Daniel Mackenzie lives up to the reputation of the scandalous Mackenzie family—he has wealth, looks, and talent, and women love him. When he meets Violet Bastien—one of the most famous spiritual mediums in England—he immediately knows two things: that Miss Bastien is a fraud, and that he’s wildly attracted to her.

Violet knows she can’t really contact the other side, but she’s excellent at reading people. She discerns quickly that Daniel is intelligent and dangerous to her reputation, but she also finds him generous, handsome, and outrageously wicked. But spectres from Violet’s past threaten to destroy her, and she flees England, adopting yet another identity.

Daniel is determined to find the elusive Violet and pursue the passion he feels for her. And though Violet knows that her scandalous past will keep her from proper marriage, her attraction to Daniel is irresistible. It’s not until Daniel is the only one she can turn to that he proves he believes in something more than cold facts. He believes in love.