Review: Rookery Cove: Kidnapping Karisma

Rookery Cove: Kidnapping Karisma
By Tuesday Morrigan

Karisma “Kitty” Knowles is the best at what she does, making people feel sexy in their delicates. Still, she’s a little surprised when Rookery Cove Aphrodisiacs offers her a job at their company designing erotic lingerie. It’s the perfect excuse to avoid the four men that make up the Kanakis Pack. The four very different, gorgeous men are convinced she is the final element required to complete their family.

Karisma is surprised and angry to find that the Kanakis Pack has followed her to Rookery Cove. One by one, the men seduce her mind, body, and soul. Things get really crazy when Karisma gets an overdose of the secret aphrodisiac called “Venus” that makes her lingerie oh so alluring.

Watch Kitty go wild with four very hungry men willing to appease her every wicked desire.

I loved reading this book. Kidnapping Karisma is a stunning offering by Tuesday Morrigan and a fitting addition to the Rookery Cove multi-author series.

Karisma “Kitty” Knowles was such fun to get to know. She was strong-willed and determined to live her own life, no matter how her heart ached for the men in the Kanakis Pack. It may seem that she’s crazy for turning down four very hot men who are very much in love with her, but Karisma has her reasons, and very valid reasons at that. She doesn’t want to give up her career to be a stay-at-home wife to four very alpha males. She wants to be an equal partner not only in love but in life as well, and who can really blame her! She was a pretty amazing woman and I could see why her men would do anything to get her back into their lives.

The entire story is told from Karisma’s point of view, but I loved that the author was still able to put forth the feelings and emotions of the four men as well. At one point I thought that it would be nice to have seen the story from the men’s points of view, but then realized that it probably would have been too confusing to be given five points of view to keep track of. I have to say, I’m glad that Ms. Morrigan decided to keep it in Karisma’s perspective as I was able to focus more on the story than on who was feeling what.

The men of the Kanakis Pack were varied and each had their own personality traits that endeared them not only to Karisma but to the reader as well. The four men who make up the pack are all shifters of a different variety: Aleka, the apparent leader of the pack is a Phoenix, and runs hot in every way. Jae, the closest of the pack to Aleka is a dragon, and runs with his own heated desires. Bailey, the Irish werewolf seems to have the most apparent sense of humor of the four, and made me smile on more than one occasion. Last, but definitely not least, Malik, the black panther, who was just as determined as the rest of the men to convince Karisma that they need her in their lives. All four men were hot in their own way, and this reader can guarantee you’ll feel the abundance of super-hot shifter pheromones!

I loved that we were given the chance to get to know each man as an individual as well as a part of the whole group and their place in the pack. The individuality of each man made a deeper and richer story for the information given. All in all this book was a journey of love for all five, but a bigger journey of discovery for one man in the pack most of all as he learned to let go of fear and trust in the amazing, miraculous love they all shared. If he can learn to let his heart lead then he will learn that the love they share will see them through anything life can throw their way.

The only drawback, and the main reason I can’t bring myself to give this a full five cherries, was an issue regarding Karisma’s nature. In the beginning of the story a question regarding her nature and form was put forth regarding whether an old “fairy” tale was true or not. This question was never answered one way or the other and I found myself a bit disappointed that something that had seemed important or at least interesting and able to further the storyline wasn’t fully addressed.

Aside from the above concern, I thoroughly enjoyed Kidnapping Karisma. Tuesday Morrigan has created a book that is full of heat, frustration and a deeper love that will leave you smiling. I gladly recommend this book and hope that you will take the time to enjoy this as much as I did.



Review by Viscaria

Review: Insatiable Passion

Insatiable Passion
by Nicole L. Pierce

Casey Riske is a strong woman who has raised her son alone since her ex-husband left town. Now her son needs his father and she tracks him down, but is disturbed that she still has strong feelings of both love and lust for the man who’d disappeared.

Damian Ballentine is the son of the small town’s biggest employer. His family is hated and, when his alcoholism raged out of control, he felt it best to leave his precious wife and son and let them be free of his problems. Now he’s back to help his child, shocked that he still has strong feelings for Casey. He’s sober now, but only one sip of alcohol away from relapsing. Worse, he’s receiving threats from somebody. But who?

Damian and Casey rekindle their insatiable passion, as well as acknowledge their love, but is it sane, or even safe, for them to try again?

Insatiable Passion is a sweet story about sacrifice, forgiveness and second chances.

Casey is a mom with a troubled son and I admired Casey's devotion to him. Even though she knows it may be opening old wounds, she puts her heart in peril to get him what he needs. She is gentle and patient and I like the fact that she is extremely attractive but doesn't seem to know it. She's also strong and, although wary, she fights for her man.

Damian is a hunk and a half. He's also wounded, physically and emotionally, and he is doing his best to mend, but he still feels as if he is damaged goods. He is such a sad character; I just wanted to cuddle him! His love for his son is heartrending, and I was really touched by the intense feelings that he expresses about him. He is honest about the passion he feels for Casey; that it will never change, and that he will never feel the same for anyone else. But he is also convinced that he is bad for her. I think that this element of his persona makes their tug-of-war that much more tragic as he and Casey try to deny what is between them.

Casey and Damian have incredible chemistry that is evident from the very beginning. They also have a history with a lot of baggage, which adds conflict to the story and supports the overall theme. Each have specific and plausible reasons for being apart, but their mutual longing for one another cannot be ignored. The main supporting characters, Damian’s brothers, are well developed. Sam, his oldest brother, goes through changes as the drama progresses, and his metamorphosis is gratifying. The relationship between Damian and Alex, Damian’s twin, is warm and it is apparent that he cares and depends on him. The antagonist’s plot is dribbled in as the story progresses, with mysterious occurrences to keep the reader guessing.

Some of the action scenes cast Casey — a small town mom and music shop owner — as something just short of a female Rambo. I thought her behavior was a little over-the-top, but it did give me a chuckle and made the story fun. Insatiable Passion is entertaining, with a happy ending that will warm your heart.



Reveiw by Camomile

Review: Rogue Warriors 1: Rebel

Rogue Warriors 1: Rebel
By Marie Treanor

Jake Lindow has always been a rebel, but now he has a cause.

A veteran of the war with the west, Jake was kicked out of the army for disobeying orders. Now he's back in Dome City, leading a growing band of rebels who mercilessly harry the Ministry in pursuit of peace, freedom and the end of Dragul domination.

Crina, daughter of Beth and Aurel (Dragul Dawn), is in the midst of her own personal rebellion. Her partly human blood means she has reached adulthood much earlier than other Dragul, yet her parents thwart her search for a sexual relationship. When Jake takes her hostage, and neutralizes her superior powers, she is forced to look beyond her own petty fears and desires, and gradually realizes that the future of the world depends on how she handles her dangerous yet disturbingly attractive captor.

Crina is a Dragul, a fascinating mix of human and dragon. She comes to the Dome City with her father in order to help the humans stop fighting their useless wars against each other. She is captured to be used as a bargaining chip by hunky ex-military rebel, Jake Lindow.

Crina is amazing because even though she is captured by Jake and his gang, she finds the inner strength to withstand all the scary and demeaning things in her way. I was surprised that she continued to have a positive outlook, even going so far as to help Nick (one of her captors) when he was gravely injured. I found it easier to relate to Crina because she suffers claustrophobia, it made her seem more human-like. I think you'll like the part when she gets emotional -- Jake gives her something else to think about.

This story used a great backdrop of a post-nuclear war environment where they lived under domes and people resorted to hiding out to evade capture by the government. Seems some stupid humans brought destruction on their own heads and now need someone to help them straighten out their problems - enter the Dragul. The story totally pulls me in and made me want to be Crina.

Jake is scared and hates the Draguls. Mostly because, like you and me, when you've never met or experienced something before, the unknown is scary. I enjoyed reading how he had to get past his misplaced hate and when he does, he realizes Crina is not the monster that he thought she was. This tale was spicy and the intense love scenes made me long for more. Really, the passion between Crina and Jake is explosive! Rogue Warrior has a love story between two totally different beings that survive an intensely desperate and seemingly hopeless time. Love can conquer all.


Book Rating

Reviewed by Ivy

Review: Model Soldier

Model Soldier
by Cat Johnson

“Out of every 100 men, 10 shouldn’t even be there, 80 are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” ~Heraclitus, 500 B.C.

Meet the one, the model soldier, Army Staff Sergeant David “Hawk” Hawkins

Marketing executive Emily Price is accustomed to dealing with glamorous models, men and women who are polished to perfection. When she’s offered an assignment featuring one of Uncle Sam’s finest soldiers, she jumps at the challenge. Who better to turn a war-hardened alpha male into a too-good-to-be-true poster boy?

Staff Sergeant David “Hawk” Hawkins is a model soldier on active duty in the Middle East. Dedicated and disciplined, he’d never imagined wanting to refuse a command or decline an assignment. Until he was ordered to work with Emily Price in the middle of a war zone on the new Army recruitment campaign featuring… him.

Packed with sexual tension, passionate love scenes, heart-stopping action, and an appearance by the men of Task Force Zeta, this long-awaited sequel to Cat Johnson’s award-winning A Few Good Men will take you on a memorable, fast-paced journey that is sure to leave you wanting more.

As I took this book for review, snatched it up actually, I was told that there was a lot of good buzz about it going around… which worried me! I never know if I’m going to like something that other loved and I feel pressured if I don’t like it as much as others have. I needn’t have worried where Model Soldier was concerned! This book more than measured up to the hype and I have nothing but good things to say about it!

Emily is determined to do a such a fantastic job on her first solo outing as a marketing guru. She heads off into the fray to dazzle and astound her boss and her boss’s bosses, and if she happens to find the man of her dreams along the way… well then that wouldn’t be a problem either. Imagine her surprise when the soldier she’s been sent to work with wants nothing to do with her or her marketing campaign! Throw in his gruff, no-nonsense, downright condescending attitude and she’s ready to spit nails. What in the world is she supposed to do with a surly, albeit hot, soldier who isn’t at all helpful? Emily does her best to work with what she’s got and hope for the best!

Emily was so much fun to get to know! She was that friend that we all have who seems to have her head in the clouds, but at the same time knows when she needs to be grounded. A woman who has seen her best friend and boss fall in love with an amazing man and who wants the same amazing love for herself, Emily reminded me of so many women… and yet she was unique! She was sassy and straightforward, and at the same time she had her shy moments. A thoroughly entertaining heroine!

Hawk is every man’s soldier, and a good one at that! When he’s pushed into an assignment that he never would have volunteered for on his own, he’s determined to do his duty… begrudgingly. When the hot and feisty Emily steps into his strict military world with her references to his “camouflage outfits” he’s at a loss as to how to deal with her. When his strong and surly act only makes her irritable in return… will he come to his senses and behave himself? Or will he set out to breach Emily’s defenses?

OH, wow… I just adored Hawk. His he-man personality was so fun and appealing. What made him even more so was the fact that he was completely honest about the kind of man he was and what he wanted from Emily. Well, what he thought he wanted anyway. When she throws him for a bit of a loop it’s interesting to see how he struggles through and comes up with what he feels is a workable solution. He was also such an honorable man, and I admired him when he made a decision that may not have made any sense to Emily, but was really the best one he could make considering his options.

This was a wonderful and wonderfully hot book that will definitely go onto my reread list. The fast-paced dialogue and verbal combat between Hawk and Emily kept me grinning and turning the pages on more than one occasion, if for no other reason than to see what they would say next. I also felt that the military situations and dialogue were spot-on, coming from a Military Brat and all… I felt right at home! The camaraderie and good-natured ribbing between the men as well as the competitive nature they are cursed… I mean blessed with, was so realistic and made me laugh out loud more than once. Cat Johnson writes gripping, three-dimensional characters that had me running a gamut of emotions from laughter and fondness to frustration and pain to love and pure happiness. There’s not much more I could say to endorse a wonderful author. I find that I am so looking forward to reading the previous book in this intense and intensely sexy series. Way to go, Ms. Johnson!



Review by Viscaria

Review: The Masters: Samson

The Masters: Samson
by Kate Hill

A scheduling error brings Cortez and Jendaya together at Sunlight of the Soul with appointments to endure the sexual gauntlet with Master Samson as their guide.

All three will experience the rigors of the gauntlet and gain more pleasure than they ever dreamed possible. They don't plan on falling in love, but can't deny they are experiencing a joining of hearts.

When Samson's old enemy threatens to destroy him, his new mates are determined to fight to keep their trio safe.

I loved The Masters: Samson! I’m afraid I’m going to turn into a great babbling fountain of love for this story. Vampires, sultry threesome, violence…what’s not to adore? In this story, Kate Hill gives us three characters I find distinctly memorable beginning with Samson, a Master vampire with a harsh past and a mortal (technically immortal) enemy that’s been trying to kill him (and vice versa) for the last thirteen hundred years. He is currently residing in a sort of vampire temple where he stays in constant preparation for the battle.

But he also a Master of Ecstasy, a type of vampire that seems to wield a remarkable amount of sexual domination and not only does he educate young vamps in sexual endurance and control, he also gets a free blood supply. Talk about a sweet deal, right? Then enters his newest donors, one Cortez, young, cocky and deliriously attractive and one Jendaya, lovely, cool and calm. Both come for different reasons and it was nothing but entertainment watching them all meet for the first time. Each bring something interesting to the table and the result is some of the most sizzling sex I’ve ever read.

It was fascinating to watch as each slowly but surely tumble from lust into something new altogether. The word love is never mentioned but it’s so strongly felt, the words are never needed. And then when Samson’s enemy strikes, I booed but applauded when Cortez and Jendaya plunge into the fight despite Sampson’s strenuous objections. Each character has found a place in my heart and I wholeheartedly enjoyed everything from the pacing to the perfect ending.

Ms. Hill has created a keeper folks and I feel no shame in praising this as loudly as I can!



Review by Narcissus

Review: MerLion's Pleasure

MerLion's Pleasure
By Diane Taylor

What happens when you mix a woman bent on Maritime History and the ghost of an Irish pirate in Greece? Absolute Mayhem! Teresa Lorence is a thesis away from gaining her Doctorate in Maritime History. Through a friend of a friend, she gets to fly to Greece for some experience in building a Pirate Vessel. The moment she boards the plane from New Orleans, she is dropped squarely in the middle of a mystery. First is the package containing an ancient map and a note signed only with MM, then the tales of a ship called the MerLion that sails the Mediterranean and the ghostly stud muffin that suddenly appears in the Captain's cabin, demanding an explanation. From there, the mystery deepens, widens, and becomes more complicated than the Seven Seas combined. Through it all, Teresa is drawn to the handsome ghost, who she now knows as the MerLion himself. Has Fate brought them together, only to be ripped apart by death? Come aboard, open the book, and let your imagine sail you into the adventure of a lifetime!

I found MerLion's Pleasure to be a rousing and fast read filled with amazing daring-do and touching romance.

The heroine, Teresa, is an inspiring character. She's determined, fearless, funny and has a smart mouth. She is no girly-girl to be run off by pirates when they attack. And no, that's not a spoiler. It would be if I tried to explain.

Marik is the hero who is also part man, part ghost. How can he be both? Ms. Taylor was clever in her scene descriptions and I had a lot of fun with how she played around with that dynamic.

My only blip would be wanting Marik to be a bit more alpha to Teresa's female alpha because Teresa is so capable. Not that Marik is a wimp, far from it - he made a wonderful pirate and he knows how to do damage. As it is, I found him quite yummy as a romantic hero.

Another aspect I enjoyed is the thread of humor that threaded throughout this whole story. From the interaction Teresa has with her rowdy and concerned brothers, her current crew and her scenes with Marik, I found myself grinning many times throughout this very exciting tale.

Ms. Taylor has a deft hand in dealing with the mystical and the ghostly making me think and wonder. The decisions that Teresa has to make - balancing her love versus what she knows is the right thing to do on top of dealing with one astounding revelation after another truly had me eager to turn the pages.

If you are looking for a romantic,upbeat and adventurous tale, look no further than MerLion's Pleasure.

Rating:

Reviewed by Xeranth