ARC REVIEW Wolf Trouble by Paige Tyler

Book two of Paige Tyler's SWAT series, Wolf Trouble, is an exciting, heart pounding, steamy read. I fell in love with the Dallas SWAT team in the last book, the introduction to such a special group of men with extraordinary abilities. Now that closed off group Alpha shifters has to deal with the first female shifter they have ever met. This book was everything the first book was. Xander is a walking turn on and Khaki is an amazing heroine. Paige Tyler is a great storyteller, I was completely immersed in the story.

Leader of SWAT Sergeant Gage Dixon has been backed into a corner by HR and his superiors to "diversify" the team. The only way he agreed was that it had to be his pick, considering the list they gave him to pick from are all humans and not qualified and quite a bit of them were last assigned in IA. Gage admits he has been wanting to bring in a woman and he has just the one in mind.

Khaki Blake started to notice something was wrong with her after the night she was attacked saving a woman's life. Khaki has been a police officer for the Lakefront PD for years, but after a bad break up with a fellow officer, Jeremy Engler, she has been wanting a change, he has turned the department against her and every time she has needed back up he made sure she didn't have it. Three months after she first noticed the change she is approached by Gage and asked to join the Dallas SWAT team and with almost no hesitation, after she realizes he's for real, she agrees.

Senior Corporal Xander Riggs isn't so sure about having a woman on the team, but he accepts that it has happened. He is ready for her training and knowing he is going to have her on his team he's not ready for the enticing scent of her. She proves herself pretty much right away and gains the approval of the guys right off the back. The only one who seems to be disappointed in and push her harder than necessary is Xander. Xander keeps trying to keep her at a distance, he knows she just got out of a bad relationship and doesn't want to cross that line and make her uncomfortable and he is pushing her hard because he knows she can do it. Khaki has become fast friends with MacKenzie, she may be human but she knows more about shifters since she is engaged to Gage. MacKenzie isn't shy about telling Khaki that the reason Xander smells so good is because he is "The One" and explains how special that is for shifters.

Xander is basically a walking hard on whenever Khaki is near, but is impressed with how fast she is learning. When she comes to him for help he is surprises she is that strong and talented even though she has yet to fully shift yet. Xander coaches her on how to do the things the rest of the guys can do that she hasn't figured out yet. Their relationship quickly changes gears when they both admit their feelings, but because it is against regulations they have to keep it hidden.

Things get all messed up when a gang of bank robbers are hitting Dallas banks and the FBI calls the SWAT in to assist, but the agent in charge is douche and risks the lives of innocent bystanders, Khaki's quick thinking saves a young girl. The appearance of Jeremy Engler also messes with the hot and heavy relationship between Xander and Khaki and threatens to expose their relationship.

This book is everything I like about Paige Tyler, she has taken a new twist to shifter romance. Overall, this is a definite keeper and i really look forward to more and hopefully see more of Khaki's shy neighbor.    

ARC REVIEW Reaper's Kiss by Abigail Baker

First book in Abigail Baker's Deathmark series. I really wanted to like this book. I love the premise; different classes of reapers, scriveners who mark the soon to be dead people with a tattoo each unique to them and the reapers themselves who collect the souls, then you have Eidolon who police everyone and the Head Reaper. It's a unique idea but for me the storyline fell flat.

Ollie is an unsuspecting hero, she was just trying to live her life and stay under the radar until her powers as a scrivener starts to show that she is on the verge of becoming a Master Scrivener; and that's bad. Head Reaper not long ago tried to wipe out the master scriveners. It is known that only a Master Scrivener can give him a deathmark and an eidolon to take his soul. Unable to control her powers Ollie gets the attention of the Head Reaper and his Eidolon Chad. Here to help her is Reaper Brent Hume, a disgraced reaper and a rebel. He knows of Ollie's growing powers and wants her to be the scrivener to mark the Head Reaper so he can farey his soul. One thing leads to another and Ollie and Brent are on the run and meeting up with other rebels to end Head Reaper Marin's tyranny.

One thing about this book is that I could not connect with Ollie or Brent. The attraction was instantaneous, and that fine with me, but it went from blushes and heart fluttering to I hate you to lets have sex and then I love you. There didn't seem to be much substance in their romance. It had little things here and there but to me there is something missing in their love story. The action sequences felt rushed and short for the exception of the very last one. The ending predictable, not spoiling anything but it's not a cliffhanger but leaves the barn doors way open for the following book. I may or may not read it sometimes it takes until book two to really get good.      

ARC REVIEW Forged in Fire by Jessica Scott

The third book in the Homefront series, Forged in Fire is another classic Jessica Scott. There aren’t any more good things I can say; I have exhausted my vocabulary on how much I love Jessica Scott books. Jessica Scott writes what she knows; I love the insight of life on base and all the bull crap political stuff the characters (and inevitably real life soldiers) have to put up with.

Like in her other books, Sal and Holly fight to make things work. They have suffered so much that finding peace with each other just makes sense. One problem is that there are rules that could get them in trouble for being together. Another problem is favoritism is going on and people who should be discharged are being kept on because other people trust them in combat, even if the combat is breaking them emotionally. One other thing that this book touches base with is abuse; Holly believes one of Sal’s soldiers is physically abusing one of her female soldiers. One tangled web of deceit and lies has Sal and Holly working together after a rocky start. Holly is brought in to help get things straighten out in their unit, after a bad experience she never wanted to get involved with another soldier again but in walks Sal all sexy and alpha. Sal and Holly bump heads on how they should lead and train their soldiers, not every solider is so easily trained by yelling at them and insulting them. The attraction is there and they are both willing to risk their careers to be together. Sal sees Holly for who she really is and admires her strength and commitment to her troops. Holly gets over thinking Sal is caveman-ish and sees that he really does care about his troops and he needs to learn how to do that even if it means knowing when to let go.



Overall, this is an emotional story with the right amount of humor to lighten the mood of the books so it’s not all gloom and doom. Romance as usual fits right in and is cohesive with the story line. I must apologize to Jessica Scott, because I am lucky enough to be able to get an ARC from her and I am so late in getting this review out. It was released the end of June and here it is two months later. I am usually more prompt then this and I’m sorry.

RELEASE WEEK BLITZ Breakout by Ann Aguirre

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Ann Aguirre's BREAKOUT!

 BREAKOUT is an Adult Romantic Science Fiction novel set in the Jax Universe and is a part of Ann Aguirre’s Dred Chronicles, published through Ace. 

Grab your copy of BREAKOUT today!

                                              

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    BREAKOUT Synopsis: All hell is breaking loose in the edge-of-your-seat follow-up to Havoc and Perdition fromNew York Times bestselling author Ann Aguirre…
    The prison ship Perdition has become a post-battle charnel house with only a handful of Dred’s soldiers still standing and now being hunted by Silence’s trained tongueless assassins. Forging an uneasy alliance with mercenary commander Vost—who is their only chance at escape—the Dread Queen will do whatever it takes to end her life sentence on Perdition and keep the survivors alive long enough to cobble together a transport capable of getting them off station. If Dred and her crew can win the deadly game of cat and mouse, the payoff is not only life but freedom—a prize sweeter than their wildest dreams. Yet the sadistic Silence would rather destroy Perdition than let a single soul slip from her grasp…

  Praise for the Dred Chronicles: "There's so much action, so much adventure, and more than that, it's great writing."—USA Today "Sirantha Jax fans may be intrigued to see what befell Jael after his ill-considered actions there, and new lead Dred is a strong linchpin for a promising new series."—Publishers Weekly "Spectacularly and spell-bindingly perfect with high octane action that keeps you on the edge of your seat and a romance that is surprisingly sweet and tender in a harsh and unforgiving setting...This is honestly one of the best SF romance series I have read." —Book Pushers  

They didn’t speak until they had put a fair amount of distance behind them, then Dred signaled her desire to pause by tapping his ankle. He couldn’t turn fully because the ducts had narrowed, but he glanced over his shoulder. 

“You all right?” 

“Just . . . spooked.” The somber tone told him he hadn’t been alone in what he felt, watching those crazy, tongue-less bastards. 

“It’s different now,” he said. 

“With what she did to Queensland . . . she seems larger than life. I’ve been afraid before, but . . . not quite like this.” 

The words were barely a whisper, and they roused an answering prickle of gooseflesh on his arms. 

“I know. There’s run-of-the-mill evil, like Priest and Mungo. And then there’s Silence.” 

“It’s like she can do worse than kill me. Rationally, I know that’s not true—” 

“But it’s uncanny the way she’s last one still standing, moving through the carnage.” He didn’t say it out loud, but he thought, Like Death itself. Dred nodded. “I’m still here, too, but I’m not the Dread Queen anymore.” 

“If it’s any consolation, I don’t miss her.” 

“Me either,” she whispered. 

There was no space to touch her as he wanted to, and it wasn’t the time anyway, so Jael continued on. They slid out of the ducts near the closet, but when he opened it, there were no droids plugged in. He choked out a curse. It was impossible to predict when a bot would come back, and it was dangerous to wait out in the open. They desperately needed some intel about how many men Silence had left, how often they patrolled, and where, but with manpower as scarce as it had become on their end, recon had to wait. 

“Back up?” Dred whispered. 

He nodded. This time, they found a way in that gave them vantage over their target, so they’d know when a bot returned. He’d just finished fitting the vent panel in place behind them when he heard the familiar, shuffling sound of Silence’s men. From her expression, Dred registered it, too, and she practically stopped breathing. The fact that her killers were roving freely must signify that she believed herself the undisputed ruler of Perdition. 

When they rounded the corner and came into sight, he stifled a surprised sound. This group was huge, compared to the usual numbers, ten this time, and horror jolted through him like lightning when he realized they were carried a human-sized bundle. They’d wrapped their captive in dark fabric, so he couldn’t tell anything about the person, but the worst part was, he or she was still moving, thrashing against his bonds. 

Who is that? And why the hell would Silence want someone taken alive?

And don’t miss the previous books in the Dred Chronicles!

PERDITION

                                       

HAVOC

         About Ann Aguirre: Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.      

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ARC REVIEW An Alpha's Choice by Carrie Ann Ryan

Another emotional roller coaster courtesy of Carrie Ann Ryan. Brynn and Finn, finally, and of course it isn't going to be an easy read. I love everything about this series starting way back at the start of the Redwood Pack series, there is no book I didn't love; this book is no exception. Carrie Ann Ryan does not disappoint.

As we read through the Redwood pack series we saw young Finn as a baby and small child. Now in the Talon pack series he's all grown up and he's not going to waste time on a woman when there is not hope for something permanent, but the sexy and snarky Brynn calls to him like no other; sadly his wolf does nothing.

Brynn has lived through hell, the former Alpha of the Talon pack her father was a horrendous leader who did countless atrocities to pack and especially his children. Brynn has moved past all that and now that she knows her mate a man her wolf calls out for she suffers far worse because Finn doesn't feel it too.

Their world has changed their secret is out. Their existence is out of the proverbial closet. Now the Packs walk a thin line to keep the human from getting scared and yet still show no fear. Talon and Redwood Packs have agreed the best course of action for now is to just be seen and be seen doing normal things, harmless things. Finn and Brynn are elected to go together shopping, drinking coffee and what not. But some humans are still scared and outright attack them, in the long run Finn and Brynn end up looking the heroes for it. That just makes the evil humans more upset and started attacking the packs homeland testing the wards.

Finn finally gives in and reveals everything to Brynn, and despite it all they give the mating mark a try but no avail, it doesn't work both heartbroken return to their homes. But all hope is not abandoned, Hannah has been afraid of this and has a plan.

Overall, I love this book. The love story does seem to overshadow everything else but heck this is a romance and it is still balanced.

ARC REVIEW On The Hunt

On the Hunt is a collection of four novellas by Alexandra Ivy, Rebecca Zanetti, Dianne Duvall, and Hannah Jayne. All the stories have the same theme of hunting or being hunted. I loved three out of four of these the last one just isn't my cup of tea, I really didn't like anything about it.

On the Hunt: Alexandra Ivy

An in between novella for the Sentinel series. Mika has always loved Bailey. But for reasons of her own, aside being very head strong, parts ways from Mika. Years later Mika is tracking down a boy and it leads him straight to Bailey's front door. After all those years no matter how hard she tried Bailey could not forget Mika and her love for him and his sudden reappearance is doing things to her head. When the runaway boy leads Bailey into a trap by a psycho looking to live forever Mika is her only hope and she knows it's only a matter of time before he does.

I love this series and I am always happy to see another HEA to come out of the universe. On the Hunt is an action packed and feel good romance. I love a good second chance romance.

SCORPIUS RISING: Rebecca Zanetti

Disregard what the the goodreads.com blurb it is very wrong, the only thing right is their is a strange pandemic going on and it's not killing everyone but mutating some. Nora Mendina just started her well deserved vacation when a bunch of government agents basically kidnap her. The man behind it is her ex-husband Deacan MacDougall. Deacan has very much changed since she left the damaged military man she once knew the only thing that hasn't changed was his feeling for her. Unfortunately getting back together wasn't the reason for her abduction. A meteorite landed in the Nevada desert and the group of students who found it got sick with some kind of alien bacteria. As one of the world's leading Microbiologist and her best friend the are racing to find a cure. While trying to find a cure her assistant is contaminated and goes crazy and starts spreading the bacteria. Deacan is determined to stop the pandemic and convince Nora she still loves him.

I loved this story it was a brilliant beginning to the new series. It's exciting and romantic, and so in depth detail wise. It reminded me a little of The Andromeda Strain mixed with Fated. Great story I can't wait for more

PHANTOM EMBRACE: Dianne Duvall

Yuri Sokolov has lived a long time as one of the Immortal Guardians, and as such he has special abilities even when he was human he could see and talk to ghosts. Cat Seddon haunts the home of the Immortal Guardians, her brother is the only connection she had to the mortal plain and since he's an Immortal Guardian that's where she stays. Cat has become fascinated with one of the Russian guardians, she follows him and watches him, never knowing that he could see her too until one day he spoke to her. From them on out they created a close friendship than soon developed into something more. They even found a way to visit each other in Yuri's dreams. But with dangers unbounding against the immortals and Yuri getting more reckless. Cat is afraid he is injuring himself on purpose, he is but not for the reason she thinks. The more injured he is the longer his healing sleep is the more time her has with her.      

This was a very bitter sweet one for me to read. It takes place before and during Night Unbound and if you've read it, you know what happens to Yuri at the end of the book. The entire thing made me want to cry it is such a sweet and romantic story that doesn't seem like it should have a happy ending, but it had me crying like crazy.   

STAKE OUT: Hannah Jayne

Unlike the rest of the Underworld Detection Agency, this one is told from Nina's point of view. Nina has made her break in the fashion world and is now getting rest for Fashion Week in New York. Until some pretty stiff competition shows up and starts showing up Nina. Next thing she know the model she just fired for hitting on her boyfriend winds up dead in her studio, and then undead and running amok and changing the rest of the models. Nina, her photographer boyfriend, and her nephew try and track down the bite happy model and find out who is behind it all before it ruins Fashion Week and her career.

I just didn't like this one. I didn't like Nina or any of the other characters, the story seemed bland nothing about it really stuck out to me as special. It just isn't my personal preference.     

  

BLOG TOUR Immortal Matchmaker Inc. by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Seven days to go from lethal immortal assassin to Prince Charming? Not likely.

Demigod Andrus Gray may look like every woman’s dream, but when it comes to charm, he sees no point pretending: He has none and makes no apologies for it. Behaving nicely hasn’t made him the deadly assassin he is today. But is that really the reason he’s still single?

The Goddess Cimil—owner of Immortal Matchmakers, Inc.—thinks yes. So when she foresees a mate in Andrus’s near future, she’s determined to make the match happen. That means hiring aspiring actress Sadie Townsend to help the barbarian “act” a little more civilized.

But are seven days really enough? And why does the idea of seeing Sadie everyday excite him more than meeting his mate?

iBooks - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/immortal-matchmakers-inc./id1024194257?mt=11

Kobo - https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/immortal-matchmakers-inc

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014AMK9UE/

All buy links will be posted on Mimi’s webpage on 8/24.

  http://www.mimijean.net/immortal-matchmakers-andrus.html

She pressed her ear to the door.
Groan.
The sound was deep and throaty, almost like the sound of a man…well, getting off.
He cupped her hands over her mouth. I can’t believe this guy. The clock was ticking and it was really rude to keep someone waiting so he could wank it.
She gave the door another hard knock. “Listen, buddy, if you’re doing anything but dying, you’d better open this door, or I’m leaving. And I’m pretty sure you don’t want that.”
The man groaned again, but this time the sound was so deep and hard, it sent shivers up her spine and down to her nether region. His voice was just so damned sexy.
What? Sadie. What’s wrong with you?
“Oh. Come on, buddy!” Knock. Knock. Knock. “Can’t you do that later?”
She suddenly heard some rustling and then the sound of something large thumping on the floor. The door flew open and a huge man, wearing partially unzipped leather pants, stood panting in the doorway, no underwear, his pants barely holding to his hips and slung low on his muscular torso. She could see a dark patch of hair and the base of his cock, which looked hard as hell, straining against the inside of his pants.
She gulped. The man was hung.
Her eyes moved up over the snug fabric of his black T-shirt, the muscles of his chest and arms stretching it to its limits. She was sure this guy was some sort of weight lifter or martial arts enthusiast. Or the next Thor. Just like Bob had said.
When her eyes finally got to his face, two intense turquoise eyes burned right through her, stopping her breath for several heartbeats until her brain registered the fact that it was the same face who’d visited her the last two evenings in two unwelcome, very erotic dreams.
“So we meet again, meat wench.” His sinful lips flashed a smug little smile. “Why am I not surprised to see you here begging for more?”

Mimi Jean’s bio:

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of Paranormal and Contemporary Romance.  Her books have hit the Amazon and B&N top-100 lists multiple times and have been #1 genre sellers around the world. Both traditionally and independently published, Mimi has sold over 500,000 copies since publishing her 1st title in 2012, and she plans to spontaneously combust once she hits the one-million mark. Although she obtained her international MBA and worked for over 15 years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance-closet and follow your dreams.

When not screaming at her computer or hosting her very inappropriate radio show, (Man Candy on Radioslot.com!), Mimi spends time with her two pirates in training, her loco-for-the-chili-pepper hubby, and her rat terrier, DJ Princess Snowflake, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

She continues to hope that her books will inspire a leather pants comeback (for men) and that she might make you laugh when you need it most.

Website - http://www.mimijean.net/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MimiJeanPamfiloff

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MimiJeanRomance


AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What is the hardest part about writing supernatural characters? What is your favorite part? 

The hardest part is remembering all of the crap I’ve made up and ensuring it all knits together. Over time, especially for the longer series, it gets harder and harder to keep it all straight.  My favorite part is that the only limit is your imagination.  The other thing I love is using a reader’s own expectations of the paranormal genre to surprise them.  What I mean is that most of us paranormal fans read a lot, and I know what you’re reading!  I can figure out an angle that will surprise you because I know how to make a part of my story feel like you’re going down a path you’ve gone down before and then…BAM! Let’s go somewhere else. It’s so much fun.

Of your cast, who would you most like to meet for drinks?

It would be a toss-up between King (because he’s so evil and sexy), Votan (because he’s the God of Death and War and could tell me about all of the other gods from his own POV), and Bennett Wade (you’ll get to meet him August of 2016, but he’s the sweetest jerk I’ve ever written—I want one!).

Do you do lots of outlining when you write, do you wing it?

I do a little outlining, but then I let the creative process flow. It is SO much fun, and it’s so exciting to know we’ve got to go from point A to point B in a story, but not how the characters will get there. Surprises always pop up along the way that are much better than anything I could pre-plan. I’ve found that detailed outlining takes the fun out of writing—I need to feel some suspense along the way since every story is like watching a movie someone else has written. I’m just trying to capture everything I see.  Sounds strange, but it’s true.

If you were casting your dream team for an Immortal Matchmakers film, who would play Andrus? What about Sadie?

Oh boy. I love this game. But! I can never decide. For Andrus, I really see him as that guy on my cover.  But I have two other dudes on my Pinterest page. https://www.pinterest.com/mimijeanromance/men-from-my-books/

For Sadie, I guess I see her as cute, thin, athletic brunette—maybe like a Nina Dobrev (“Elena” from Vampire Diaries) or slightly younger Jennifer Connelly, but honestly? Who the hell cares? It’s the hunky hero that matters! (Plug self into heroine slot and call it a day.)

Giveaway:

One Grand Prize Winner will receive copies of the five Accidentally Yours books and Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. plus this gorgeous tote from Saddleback. http://www.saddlebackleather.com/simple-leather-tote

Four Winners will receive a signed copy of Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. plus a bookmark and a magnet.

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