Enticed By His Forgotten Lover (#1) By Maya Banks

""Have we met?""

Answer: a right hook Because Bryony Morgan pulls no punches. Even when she's very pregnant and facing down the father of her unborn child. She fell for wealthy hotelier Rafael de Luca when he courted her for her beachfront real estate. Then he disappeared. Now, she's in New York for answers--and she won't accept a brush-off.
But selective amnesia after a crash has Rafael puzzled. How could he ever forget a combustible beauty like Bryony? Solution: return to the island where they met, and relive the unforgettable nights in question--until he remembers everything...

Holly's Reviews:

 You know the story, boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy gets girl pregnant, boy gets amnesia.....But seriously, that is the exact premise of this book and as soap opera corny as that may sound this was actually a really good book!! Maya Banks has never let me down and this is no exception. Rafe and Bryony spend a wonderful four weeks falling in love on the island where she lives and when Rafe attempts to return to New York to attend to some business he has an accident and wakes with amnesia and absolutely no memory of his time on the island or Bryony. So, imagine his surprise when a hopping mad, very pregnant Bryony shows up demanding WTF!! Even though Rafe doesn't remember her he can't deny the spark between them and decides that they should return to the island to retrace their steps, in a way and possibly fall in love all over again. I spent most of this book aching for one or the other of these characters, you could just feel their hurt and confusion~~ But, have no fear, there is always a HEA!! I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and find myself happily awaiting the arrival of the others in this series!!

 

Faythe Reclaimed ( #3) by Lisa Sanchez

Running through a strange forest with a bloodthirsty demon hot on her heels wasn’t Taylor’s idea of a rockin’ evening. Then again, neither was soaring backward through time and space. Time travel chafed and left a rank, nasty aftertaste. So, when she finds herself floundering amidst a sea of Commandment-loving holy rollers who fling accusations of witchcraft and bedevilment like hotcakes in a diner, finding her way home jumps to the top of her to do list. Too bad she can’t remember who she is or where she came from. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Taylor realizes she’s fallen for Gabriel, the mysterious Latin warlock who came to her rescue.

Battling an identity crisis and lost in a time that’s not her own, Taylor is determined to find her way back to twenty-first century Hanaford Park. But first, she and Gabriel must work together to uncover the dark scourge lurking in the shadows of Salem Village, and in doing so, save their lives, and the lives of countless innocents from a lethal date with the hangman’s noose. 

 

 

Grace's Review:

Bewitching, Dark, Smexy!

If you're a fan of the Hanaford Park series by Lisa Sanchez, then Faythe Reclaimed is a MUST READ!!! Seriously! I'm so glad I read Pleasures Untold right before digging into this one, because I don't know if I could have waited all these months to find out what happened to Gabriel and Taylor!

This sequel begins right where we last see these two at the end of Pleasures Untold. The story is written from both their POVs. I'm so glad it's done this way, since a lot goes on when Taylor is thrown back through time and lands smack dab in a forest outside Salem Village, Massachusetts in 1692, the time and place of the Salem witch trials. Gabriel, a Latin warlock, has no choice but to go back in time, too, but suffers the painful consequences of doing so.

Sanchez cleverly incorporates from Greek mythology the Moirai, or The Fates, who warn Gabriel that he cannot change Taylor's fate. He is also plagued by a harsh curse placed upon him by someone in his past. A curse designed to rip his soul mate away from him and put her through hell inevitably causing each of them great pain. Do you think either of these things keeps him from trying to save Taylor? No way! Gabriel is willing to accept whatever punishment The Fates have in store for him.

Taylor has her own set of problems, too. She can't remember who she is or where she came from...and wonders why everyone is wearing ugly Pilgrim outfits. She immediately observes that the villagers are quick to judge and accuse. So when they think she is an apprentice named Faythe Ellwood, she agrees with them just to stay on their good side, even though she senses that is not her true identity. “Faythe” meets and feels a familiar connection to a young Gabriel. The villagers are already wary of the presence of both Faythe and Gabriel, so when accusations of witchcraft and bedevilment start flying, all hell breaks loose! Did I mention that someone is conjuring up demons as well? They have to deal with them too!

Faythe Reclaimed is darker, has more angst from the previous books, and the demons are bigger and scarier! What captivated me the most was the perseverance and strength maintained by the two central characters. Gabriel and Taylor both go through immense physical and emotional pain and sacrifice a lot to be together. Sanchez doesn't hold back in this department at all. She really puts both characters through the ringer, their anguish raw and descriptive. Even with all that, the author is able to keep the wit and snark I've enjoyed throughout the series. Imagine Taylor cursing “beeyotch” in the 17^th century...yeah that doesn't hold well for her at all! Sanchez also spikes up the heat level in this one. All I'll say is that a certain Latin warlock sure does like warm maple syrup! I'm going to giggle every time I pour that stuff on anything. Mmmm!

So does Gabriel's curse get broken? Does our hero and heroine make it back to the 21^st century? Will Taylor ever get to wear skinny jeans again? Read it and find out! I laughed, cried, and bit my nails to their nubby ends! I'm excited for anyone who reads Faythe Reclaimed, because Sanchez has truly written a special treat for her readers. Well deserving of 5 stars and a nice place on my favorites shelf! Releases May 17, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

Defiant by Pamela Clare- MacKinnon's Rangers Book 3

Charged with a crime they didn’t commit, the MacKinnon brothers faced a death sentence until they agreed to serve the British Crown in the Colonies and take up arms against the French. Allied with the Indian tribes who lived beside them in the wilderness, the Scottish Highland warriors forged a new breed of soldier…

MacKinnon’s Rangers

Major Connor MacKinnon despises his commander, Lord William Wentworth, beyond all other men. Ordered to rescue Wentworth’s niece after the Shawnee take her captive, he expects Lady Sarah Woodville to be every bit as arrogant and contemptible as her uncle. Instead, he finds a brave and beautiful lass in desperate peril. But the only way to free Sarah is for Connor to defeat the Shawnee warrior who kidnapped her—and claim her himself.

Coming July 3, 2012

Rhonda's Review

He was awful to behold, moving with a natural grace- swift, agile, deadly.

Let me first say what an honor it was to have been given the opportunity to read this magnificent piece of work from Ms. Clare.  This has been one of my most anticipated novels this year, and I didn’t want to get too long winded in my review but I’m afraid that won’t be possible.  There is no way to convey in a few short paragraphs just how much I loved this story.  So bare with me while I spread my adoration all over Ms. Clare. 

This is the 8th novel by Pamela Clare that I have read, and for the 8th time Pamela Clare has delivered an incredible reading experience!  This is the long awaited 3rd installment to the Mackinnon’s Rangers series, Connor MacKinnon’s story.  This has been one of my very favorite historical romance series, and I didn’t think it could get better than book one…. Well, I thought wrong!  This book was everything I could have hoped for, and possibly more.  Pamela Clare delivers a story once again with a strong, heroic, sexy, rugged, alpha hero. And a courageous lovable heroine.  This story is not only about the dynamics between Connor and Sarah, but there is an incredible story being told that is rich in historical reference, and you can feel how much love  Ms. Clare has for her story and it’s characters which pour from the pages of this novel with so much emotion.  If you haven’t yet picked up a novel by this author, you are truly missing out.

Lady Sarah Woodville had been sailing to Albany, with her chaperone, and lady’s maid to see her uncle, William Wentworth.  After being caught up in a scandal, Lady Sarah is seeking Wentworth’s assistance.  Before she could arrive in Albany, Sarah was taken prisoner along with her lady’s maid, and a young boy,  by The Shawnee  Indians.  Katakwa, the Shawnee war chief has plans for Lady Sarah… to make her his bride. 

 
Upon the news of what has happened to Sarah, and the rest of the Rangers still at home with their families, Wentworth sends Major Connor MacKinnon to save Sarah.  Connor vows to find Sarah, and do whatever he can to bring her to Wentworth.  With his lifelong friend and Indian brother Joseph at his side, and often times the voice of reason for Connor, they set out to find Lady Sarah. 

 
Arriving at the Shawnee camp, Connor and Joseph plead their case to the Chief for the release of Sarah to no avail.  On a chance opportunity, Connor challenges Katakwa for Sarah’s hand, this the only way Connor might be able to save her, since he and Joseph can’t very well take on the whole camp and win.  Upon winning Sarah’s hand, the Shawnee chief isn’t just going to let them walk away.  The demand is to see their marriage ceremony through, and the marriage consummated with a witness to the consummation.  Sarah’s choice is simple,  Connor or Katakwa, and Katakwa has anger and retribution in his heart, and Sarah knows this.  Her maidenhead for their freedom.

“Are you certain my lady? For I willna take you by force. You must come to me as willingly as I come to you- each for the sake of the other”

 Simply letting Connor, Sarah, and Joseph leave the  Shawnee camp isn’t all it seems.  They have many obstacles to hurdle and days to travel before they can breathe a little easier.  During the days of travel, feelings start to stir and form between Sarah and Connor to the point that their desire gives Connor a chance at redemption, and Sarah a chance to feel something that she was certain her circumstances leading up to and after the precious few days with Connor, that she would never have again.

Fate had given him this one chance to take away the pain he’d caused her, one chance to show her loving between a man and a woman as it was meant to be, one chance to give her a lifetime’s worth of memories to comfort her on lonely nights. 

 
Upon returning to Fort Edward, a whole new set of issues arise for Connor and Sarah.  Letting each other go, proves to be a great challenge for many reasons. The events that led Sarah from England to the Shawnee village, to Connor, and their travels have changed her forever, and Connor too. 

It is now impossible for me to tell anymore about this story without giving things away.  So much more happens, and in Pamela Clare’s never failing pen, it is a beautiful, emotional story.  The “Love to hate’ feelings for Wentworth are ever present, and Connor is so sweet and reverent with Sarah, and Sarah is strong and brave even in the face of the worst horrors.

 His name was death, and Hell followed with him.
 

 



 

 

Shades Of Desire By Virna DePaul

WHAT SHE CAN'T SEE COULD KILL HER. Natalie Jones is the lucky survivor of an elusive killer who preys on young women and then disappears from view. And since her harrowing ordeal, the once gutsy photojournalist has remained isolated in her home, paralyzed by fear and her failing vision. Special Agent Liam "Mac" McKenzie has scars of his own. But despite his efforts to ignore the attraction that simmers between him and Natalie, he needs her help to catch a predator. Soon, they will forge a tentative alliance-charged with desire. Through a soft-focus lens, Natalie dares to envision a future with Mac beyond the investigation...never guessing that the clues hidden within her photographs are drawing them into an explosive confrontation with a madman.  

Elena's Review:

I really enjoyed this book,especially when it came to the characters stories plots and thow both the hero and heroine each had their own demons to deal with. It made the story have more meaning, besides just a mystery/suspense novel. Both characters have a past and both were very hesitant for what the future had in store for them, or, if there ever could be a future.I thoroughly liked how the book explored the emotional side of Natalie,she was made to seem like a strong independent Heroine who needed no one to help her overcome her current stage of being a disabled blind woman,but is also struggling to accept her blindness,but her partner in crime who she seems to push away more and more often is the one person who has faith in her,Mac. Mac and relationships just don’t mix,but he has a strong hold for wanting Natalie in his life despite that his brain keeps telling him to back off. 

Special Agent Mckenzie aka "Mac" is working on a murder case when he bumps heads with Natalie,whom has become a victim of a killer who likes to prey on younger woman. Natalie has no idea why or how's she survived her attack, but Mac is determined to keep her safe and find this madman. 

The book  delved into a lot of emotion, ranging from self-loathing and pity to love,forgiveness, and friendship.Along with the suspense of crazy demented perps. Lol!! I've dealt with many romantic suspense novels  where the villan  is  usually a sicko, but this novel had three perps, or I could say four,the woman in their circle is demented too.  Lol! It will definitely keep your mind reeling. 

This was my first novel I've read by this author,I quite enjoyed myself. In the near future when I come across a novel written by this author, I won't hesitate to add it to my to-be read shelves. I liked her style of writing and hope to come across many more :)

 

 

 

Funny,Funny,Har Har!

Pervs? Guess again.....

A bus stops and 2 men get on. They sit down and engage in an animated conversation.

The lady sitting next to them ignores them at first, but her
attention is galvanized when she hears one of them say the following:

"Emma come first.
Den I come.
Den two asses come together.
I come once-a-more! .
Two asses, they come together again.
I come again and pee twice.
Then I come one lasta time."

The lady can't take this any more, "You foul-mouthed sex obsessed pig," she retorted indignantly. "In this country. we don't speak aloud in Public places about our sex lives."

"Hey, coola down lady," said the man.

"Who talkin'abouta sex? I'm a justa tellin' my frienda how to spell 'Mississippi'."

(I bet you're gonna read this joke again!)