February 23, 2014 New Releases in Romance

Here's some great new releases for the week of Feb 23rd.  They are separated by sub-genre (paranormal, historical, etc.) so take a look and maybe you'll find something that catches your eye.

(Plus there's some great eye candy here.)

Paranormal Romance

 Historical Romance
 

Contemporary Romance


Romantic Suspense

ARC Review: THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND (The Devil's Playthings #1) by Laura Oliva

THE DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND (The Devil's Playthings, #1)

Author :  LAURA OLIVA

Source:  ARC ebook provided by author for an honest review

Genre:  Serialized Romance

Length:  Novella

Reviewed by:  Artemis

Professional burlesque dancer Francesca "Frankie" Strong has learned the hard way: on San Francisco's cutthroat party circuit, crime has a way of going unnoticed. When her best friend is brutally attacked, she's determined not to let the case fall through the cracks, even if that means crawling through every alley and back room in San Francisco to find the truth.

Undercover cop Johnny Marsden is in desperate need of a win. His career on the rocks, he's infiltrated the infamous nightclub Cafe Outré, rumored front for San Francisco's Chinatown mafia. Johnny has never seen anything like the glitter-and-sin-encrusted world he's now a part of. He's certainly never met anyone like Frankie Strong.

Realizing they'll get farther together than on their own, Frankie and Johnny forge an uneasy partnership. Neither expects the heat that flares between them. Neither is ready for what it could mean. Together, they run down a trail that leads directly to Chinatown, and a faceless terror its residents refuse to name.

Frankie's only interest is in protecting her friend, and she's willing to make a deal with the devil to do it. But Johnny suspects the attack was part of something larger, something darker... and he's right.

RATING:  1 - Oh, no.  I didn't like it.
SEXUAL:  3 Flames

The story centers around Johnny, an undercover cop at Cafe Outre, and Frankie, a burlesque dancer. Frankie's BFF, Cookie, was jumped and beaten right outside of the club one night.  When the police fail to investigate the crime, Frankie takes matters into her own hands.  This gives Johnny the perfect opportunity to work along side of Frankie and investigate the Chinatown underground at the same time.

The Devil's Playground is a serialized romance.  It does not end with a HEA. Not even close to a HFN. I would say it closely resembles a work of gum-shoe serial fiction.

I have no idea when this takes place and this is very frustrating.  No one uses a cell phone, and Johnny drives a motorcycle.  Still, that doesn't give me a frame of reference.  Without knowing a time frame or era of some sort, it's very hard to place these characters.

When Frankie and Johnny meet, they call each other "Slim" and "Steve", respectively, in a verbal sparring.   Oh, great!  If you, Dear Reader, are not familiar with classic B&W films, you will have no earthly idea what this is about.  Not only that, these names are used interchangeably with the "real" ones through the entire story.  Talk about annoying.

At one point during their investigation, Frankie takes Johnny to a decaying part of town to talk to someone.  Once they get there, Frankie starts talking with this person in stanzas from classical literature.  However, this is suppose to be a romance book, not Classic Lit 101 where I'm interpreting Poe, Longfellow, Browning, or Nietzsche.  Yes, I did google a few of the lines out of curiosity.

Because sexual intercourse takes place in the story, according to BBR guidelines, I have to rate this book 3 Flames, Sex with Details, R Rating. Although, personally, I would give it 1 Flame All Show, No Heat.  I cannot say any more without giving HUGE spoilers.

Frankie and Johnny have skeletons in their closets.  It is brought up time and again.  It's the BIG reason Frankie isn't able to let herself get close to Johnny - her dark and terrible secrets.  There were plenty of references to the "past", but nothing concrete.  The tale ends the same way it began.

The Devil's Playground contains brief scenes of interracial f/f.

And, just in case if you were still wondering about SLIM AND STEVE.

Review: A Cinderella Christmas Carol by Hope Tarr

Title: A Cinderella Christmas Carol ( Suddenly Cinderella #1.5)

Author: Hope Tarr
Source:  Entangled Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: Novella
Release Date: November 29, 2012
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 1

There’s nothing On Top managing editor Cynthia “Starr” Starling hates more than
Christmas. With an important deadline looming, plus her dreaded Christmas Day birthday, Starr just wants the holiday to end. But when she wakes up Christmas Eve night to the ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future—all in the form of the super-hot Matt Landry, the new art director—she knows she’s in for a long night.

Matt is the one person on Starr’s team she can’t boss around and the only one she doesn’t need to. He’s also her employee and totally off limits, even if he does seem interested. Though he’s seven years younger and all kinds of forbidden fruit, he’s the form the Powers That Be decided she’d be receptive to.

Because they have a message for her: learn the true meaning of Christmas spirit or risk being alone for the rest of her life.

My review of the Suddenly Cinderella Series Bundle:  Review Here 

When I read the Suddenly Cinderella Series Bundle a little while ago I realized there was a very short novella (only about 50 pages) that wasn't included.  So begged and pleaded with Entangled Publishing and they were awesome enough to send me a review copy.  Now I know it isn't Christmas season for a long time yet, but I don't think there's ever a bad time for some Christmas cheer (I know - sappy right).

This is the story of Starr and Matt - both employees at the magazine from book one (Starr was Macie's boss).  It's a fun and quirky twist on the classic Christmas Carol.  Starr's special spirit visitor chooses the form of Matt - her hunky work crush - and shows a life with and without.  Starr just needs to figure out how to open up enough to make all the good things come true in her life.

This was a fun quick jaunt through a Christmas classic.  It's hard to do it wrong, but it's also hard to make it something new and exciting.  Hope Tarr did a good job trying to add some interesting modern twists to the tale.

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Review: Cold Light by Traci L. Slatton

Title: Cold Light (After Trilogy #2)

Author: Traci L. Slatton
Source: Author Request
Genre: Dystopia (Paranormal Romance Trilogy)
Release Date: June 27, 2012
Length: Novel
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4
Sexual - 1

The end of the world brings chaos, madness, and psychic powers. For Emma and Arthur,
separated by an ocean, it brings a love that demands everything. Emma's beloved daughter is kidnapped by vengeful raiders, and Emma embarks on a soul-crushing journey to rescue her. When Arthur finds Emma, can she trust him? Against impossible odds, Emma draws near the rogue camp, where she also confronts the deepest choice of her heart....

Emma has made is successfully back with her family (her husband and two girls), but she had to leave her new love, Arthur, behind.  But Arthur isn't one to let someone he cares about just disappear and he is on his way to find her.  In the meantime a group of raiders has kidnapped Emma's oldest daughter - and when they find the raiders I was surprised to see who it was.

In the book we get to see a little more of Haywood, Emma's husband, who doesn't want to let her go.  Emma is going to need to make a choice soon between the two men, but she is unsure who is more important to her.

Cold Light is another very exciting and action packed book.  We find out more about Emma and Arthur's powers and are introduced to a crazy woman named Kangee that I really enjoyed, along with a whole new group of friends and allies.  It was a great follow up to Fallen, but I'm still not sure which man she will eventually choose.

Goodreads - Amazon 

ARC Review When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath

Title: When the Duke Was Wicked (Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, #1)
Author: Lorraine Heath
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: Novel
Reviewed by: CaroleDee

Rating- 4
Sexual- 3

They are England’s most eligible bachelors, with the most scandalous

reputations. But for the right woman, even an unrepentant rogue may mend his ways…

Lady Grace Mabry’s ample inheritance has made it impossible for her to tell whether a suitor is in love with her—or enamored of her riches. Who better to distinguish beau from blackguard than her notorious childhood friend, the Duke of Lovingdon?

With no interest in marriage, Lovingdon has long lived only for pleasure. He sees little harm in helping Grace find a proper match. After all, he’s familiar with all the ploys a scoundrel uses to gain a woman’s favor. He simply has to teach the lovely innocent how to distinguish honest emotions from false ones. How better than by demonstrating his wicked ways. But as lessons lead to torrid passion and Grace becomes ensnared in another man’s marriage plot, Lovingdon must wage a desperate gamble: Open his heart fully—or risk losing the woman he adores…

Review-

Lorraine Heath is one of my favorite Historical romance writers. She's a master at the 'scarred and tortured hero/heroine'  While I found When the Duke was Wicked to be fun, it wasn't an all time favorite. I felt like the friend that became the tutor, that became the lover story has been overly done. Although, Heath did throw in an interesting twist when it came to Grace's reasons for needing to find a man that would love her for her personality and not her money or body. And, boy, what a twist it was! (Yes, I cried)

Seeing the kiddos of the Scoundrels of St. James crew was fun. I look forward to reading more about them. Hopefully the next one in the series will be something a bit more fresh for me.

Review: The Billionaire's Demands by Addison Fox

Title: The Billionaire's Demands (Boardrooms and Billionaires #3)

Author: Addison Fox
Source: Entangled Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novella
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 3

Booth Harrison has made a habit of getting what he wants, be it a new addition to the
Harrison media empire, or a better relationship with his half-brother. But meeting his brother’s new sister-in-law, Camryn McBride, poses a new challenge. The savvy CFO of McBride Media has a brain he wants to pick…and a body he needs to claim.

Camyrn has spent the past few years helping to rebuild her family’s magazine company, focusing on that rather than her disastrous personal life. But when Booth Harrison invites her to be the keynote speaker at a sales conference in Hawaii, she’s tempted to combine business with pleasure.

But meeting the billionaire’s demands won’t be easy, because someone doesn’t want a merger between them to happen.

The Billionaire's Demands was an interesting mix of romance and business maneuverings.  Booth and Camryn both work in the publishing world with some very well respected magazines.  When he asks her to be the keynote speaker at his company's annual retreat he has two  motives.  One, she's a great speaker.  Two, he wants to spend some more time with the woman he has been crushing on for months

Right when they think they have really hit it off (in Hawaii of course), Camryn uncovers something fishy and she's not sure what to do about it.  This drives a wedge between them that may not come back out.  This was a great story - the conflict could have been built up a little more though.  I think Camryn was an amazing character - Addison Fox seemed to nail the "business woman with something to prove in a male world" perfectly.

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Uncovering You by Scarlett Edwards

Title - Uncovering You
Author - Scarlett Edwards
Genre - Dark Romance
Release Date - March 27th, 2014

When I wake up in a dark, unfamiliar room, I have no idea what's waiting for me in the shadows.  My imagination conjures up demons of the worst kind.

Reality is much worse:

A collar with no leash.  A prison with no walls.  And a life stripped of meaning.

I am presented with a vile contract and asked to sign.  It outlines the terms of my servitude.  The only information I have about my captor are the two small letters inked at the bottom:

J.S.

Armed with only my memories, I must do everything I can to avoid becoming ensnared in he twisted mind games.  But in the end, it all comes down to one choice:

Resist and die.

Or submit, and sign my life away.

Goodreads

Author Bio

I'm Scarlett Edwards.  I wrote my first book as a sollege sophomore.  After six months of edits, it made its debut as Yours to Savor.

That was the start of 2013.  I've written more books since then.

It's funny how quickly life changes.  I used to think I'd need a degree to get a "Real Job".  Then I wrote a few books, they got somewhat popular, and now I'm living the life as a full-time romance author.

Thanks to all my readers for making my dreams come true!

Facebook - Website - Goodreads

Cover Reveal: Guarding Angel by S.L. Saboviec

Guarding Angel by S.L. Saboviec
(Fallen Redemption #1)
Publication Date: April 28th 2014
Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Guardian angel Enael can't seem to keep her human Wards in check.  They're the ones who choose their paths before reincarnating - she's just there to help make sure they stay on track.  But it's not as easy as it might look.

When she meets and falls in love with charismatic Kaspen, a fellow Guardian, Enael's feelings about Heaven, Hell, demons, and the life she's knows are turned upside down..  Worse still, angel-turned0demon Yasva, Kaspen's former love, still holds him in her clutches. Even as Yasva works toward obtaining complete control of Earth, she taunts and haunts Kaspen's and Enael's lives.

Now Enael is forced to face her past (which is centuries long and bursting with secrets), her present (which is terribly unfulfilling and full of questions), and her future (which becomes more uncertain as time passes).  Armed with a newfound love and fear of losing it all, she must figure out how to save the world - and the angel she loves.  Which side will win?  Who will Kaspen choose?  Will Heaven and Earth continue to exisst, or will everything go to Hell?

Goodreads

Author Bio

S.L. Saboviec grew up in a small town in Iowa but now lives in the suburbs of Toronto with her Canadian husband and expatriate cat.  Books that captured her imagination include Isaac Asimov's The Gods Themselves, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game series, Sylvia Browne's The Other Side and Back, and Stephanie Meyers' The Host.  You can find her tweeting random nonsense on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/saboviec), pinning all the awesome fantasy and book pins on Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/saboviec), and opining about the lastest book she read on her blog (http://saboviec.wordpress.com).

Review: Fallen by Traci L. Slatton

Title: Fallen (After Trilogy #1)

Author: Traci L. Slatton
Source: Author Request
Genre: Dystopia (Paranormal Romance Trilogy)
Length: Novel
Release Date: July 12, 2011
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 1

When the world ends, all that is left is love....

As chaos descends on a crippled Earth, survivors are tormented by strange psychic gifts. In this time of apocalyptic despair, love is put to the test. One woman with mysterious healing power guides seven children to safety. Charismatic Arthur offers her a haven. Slowly Emma falls for him. But at the moment of their sweetest love, his devastating secret is revealed, and they are lost to each other. Will Emma stay with him?

The first in a romantic trilogy set during the end times.

The world as we all know it is gone - most of the people have died and buildings and infrastructure have disappeared.  Murderous bands are roaming and no place seems to be safe.  Emma has been accumulating children - trying to protect them and keep them healthy, but she knows they can only make it for so long.  When she sees the chance to join an honorable camp of men she jumps at the chance.  She doesn't count on falling for the leader - falling hard.

Fallen details the beginning of their relationship and has a ton of world building.  I love character and world building so this was a really big plus for me.  On the flip side, I don't know how I like Emma or Arthur right now.  Both kept very very big secrets from each other - life changing secrets.

The story ends with no resolution (it is a series and I've already started book two) and no HEA (just a warning for those that need to have that at end of every book).  I'm anxious to see what these two do next because there's a lot up in the air at the of this book

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble