ARC Review: One Bite Per Night by Brooklyn Ann

In 1822, Lydia Price is leaving New Orleans to cross the Atlantic on her way to her English grandmother, the one who disowned her father for marrying her mother. Lydia loves to paint and hopes to meet Sir Thomas Lawrence. He painted a cherished portrait of her late father. Both he and her mother died of yellow fever. Lady Morley has no intention of accepting her granddaughter, Lydia, into her home. She calls upon Vincent Tremayne, Earl of Deveril and Lord Vampire of Cornwall, to prevail on him to honor an alliance formed centuries ago. A select few know about the vampire part. The locals refer to him as the Devil Earl because of his nocturnal habits and reclusive nature. Lady Morley wants Vincent to serve as Lydia’s guardian and keep her out of society. Vincent sees it as a challenge and hires a maid, a chaperone, and enlists a friend to make sure Lydia’s debut is spectacular. He also brings in a pair of vampire seamstress sisters to make the gowns. They have a bad history with Sir Thomas and are looking for revenge. Lydia arrives in Cornwall and is smitten by Vincent. It’s more than mutual. She adapts well to all that is expected of her and loves London. There she meets Ian Ashton, Lord Vampire of London, and his wife, who writes Gothic novels. After a few parties, Vincent receives inquiries from men who want to marry Lydia. He wants her for himself, but doesn’t want her to know about him. Lydia hears him and believes all of his help is to beat Lady Morley’s other granddaughter to the best match. Lydia runs away and is attacked. Vincent must save her life by changing her into a vampire. He’s in trouble with the Elders and both their lives hang in the balance.

Lydia paints, plays darts, fishes, and shoots a gun. A Renaissance woman for her time, she’s a good match for her ancient love. Lydia shows strength, courage, and embraces change. Vincent is brooding and set in his ways until Lydia breathes air back into his life. He’s committed to helping her and doesn’t know how he “lived” without her.

I liked the Sidwell sisters, Maria and Sally. Their relationship with Sir Thomas Lawrence is true. He was engaged to one, then when she got sick, he went after the other. Their mother was the famous actress, Sarah Siddons. In the book, they visit with her and warn her about Thomas’ designs on her niece. Their sewing is impeccable and fast. After women see Lydia’s fashions, they clamor for the sisters’ skills.

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ARC Review: Between the Sheets by Molly O'Keefe

Shelby Monroe is an art teacher at Bishop Elementary. She has many secrets, but one was broadcast on national television. A quick sex romp with a travelling executive branded her as promiscuous, living up to her late father’s assessment of her. Embarrassed beyond words, she hopes the talk and stares have finally stopped. Her mother, Evie, is in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s and Shelby is in denial about it. She keeps Evie with her and doesn’t accept help. This is her penance for not protecting her mother from her father’s abuse. In the middle of the night, her new neighbor, Ty Svenson, decides to rev up his motorcycle. Shelby takes out her frustration with her life by yelling at him. His son, Casey, is her new student and in trouble. Shelby and Ty meet again in the principal’s office. Casey drew a picture of himself in a cage and upset Shelby. She suggests art therapy to help him deal with his feelings. His mother neglected him and he’s only been in Ty’s life for a couple of months. Major life adjustments for them take time and acceptance. There is a physical attraction between Ty and Shelby and it’s all she wants. No relationship, no conversation, just sex. This works at first, but Ty wants more. He invites her to his home to meet some of his friends. Casey is uncomfortable because of the bad memories he has of his mother’s entertaining drug addicts. Ty moves the party to the local bar which is owned by his employers. He auctions off a prize motorcycle and the town hopes he’ll open a garage to fix cars. Meanwhile, Evie has been wandering at night and Casey sees her. He’s been trying to befriend a stray dog. It’s a bad idea especially when the dog decides to attack him and Evie steps in to protect him. Shelby blames herself and tries to close everyone off, but Ty won’t go without a fight.

Ty is a true hero. Shelby has shut down her feelings and it takes a crowbar to pry her open again. Ty slips into the small cracks in her armor and starts to heal her. Casey has been broken, but finds his way to his dad. Ty is clueless about how to raise a child, but relies on the lessons his grandfather taught him. Ty’s not social and talking with people is a challenge. He realizes it’s necessary to establish a home base for Casey and a career. He takes both bold steps forward.

There’s true sadness in this story. Evie, Ty, Shelby, and Casey have all been emotionally wounded by family members. They cobble together to form a family unit based on trust and caring. It will be an ongoing process.

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ARC Review: Night's End by Yasmine Galenorn

Cicely, Queen of Snow and Ice and Rhiannon, Queen of Rivers and Rushes are cousins. They keep the balance between fire and ice. Both of them are locked in battle with Cicely’s mother, Myst, Queen of the Indigo Court. Cicely is half magic, a wind witch, and half Uwilahsidhe meaning she can transform into an owl. Her husband, Grieve, can shape shift into a wolf. Cicely has a wolf tattoo and feels his emotions through it. Myst’s Shadow Hunters are killing innocents and attacking Cicely’s allies. A spy has infiltrated Cicely’s ranks. As a result, all closest to her must undergo a mind torture, even Grieve. Her paternal grandfather, Hunter, shows up to help and offers to teach her more about her powers. The vampires must be coddled as well. Lannan saved Cicely’s life and has a blood lust for her now. Luna is possessed by a crazy ancestor. Kaylin has transformed into a demon. Cicely must pool all of her resources and keep them under control to defeat Myst. The Snow Hag reminds her she has the power of memory. Use it to find Myst’s heartstone, the key to her immortality. Cicely travels back in time to her childhood and watches the ceremony. Now she has to remember where it is hidden and get to it before Myst does.

Cicely is a brave and conflicted queen. Her loyalty to her mother is gone, but she still feels a small bond. Killing her is necessary and Cicely takes the task on herself. Grieve is noble and has given up much to be her consort. They are a strong couple and make an excellent team. The other couple in the book is the siblings, Lannan and Regina. They are vampires, have powers, and are attracted to Cicely. How much are they willing to risk for a reward?

There is a Laurell K. Hamilton vibe to this book. Merry Gentry deals with competing men and paranormal beings, she is also a queen in waiting. There is a guide to the secondary characters and their relationship to Cicely at the end of the book.

This is the fifth book in the series. There is a lot of history and conflicts between the characters so the books should be read in order.

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ARC Review: The Captive by Grace Burrowes

Christian Severn, the eighth Duke of Mercia, has just been released from a French prison. One thought kept him alive during his torture and disfigurement, revenge against his captors. Upon arriving home in England, he finds his wife and son have died and his daughter, Lucy, has stopped speaking. His heir, Marcus Easterbrook, is also the new Lord Greendale. Christian’s late wife’s cousin, Gillian, is the recent widow of the late Lord Greendale. There was an inquest suggesting she may have helped him along to the grave. She wants nothing to do with Marcus and turns to Christian for help. She has spent quite a bit of time at his home and is close to Lucy. They agree she will live there and help Christian. Devlin St. Just brought Christian home and comes back to check on him. A friendship grows and Devlin realizes the depth of Christian’s suffering. A few stolen kisses and nights heal Christian and Gillian. She survived a brutal marriage and is not anxious to join hands with anyone. Christian proposes a number of times. Three accidents befall the couple and the target is Gillian. Christian suspects his former tormentor is in England and seeking to kill him. His true enemy is closer than he thinks and guilty of many crimes against the House of Mercia.

Christian is a guilt ridden and broken man. Gillian insists on tending to him, from fixing nursery tea to tailoring his clothes. She demands he confront his past and losses. She knows he was not happily married and he’s the only one to bring Lucy’s speech back. Gillian knows true pain and suffering. She can relate to being caught in an enemy’s net. Both have overcome much to stay sane and be together. I especially like Gillian. She knows Christian has been through hell, but she can help. She anticipates his needs and moves to fill them without embarrassing him. His recovery is her focus and she’ll do whatever it takes to make him better. She starts as a devoted friend, concerned for a child and ends up as a perfect mate.

Christian’s captor is a surprise. He’s careful and conniving. He keeps Christian alive and almost helps him. When he arrives in England, he has no interest in Christian and is trying to blend in. Christian tracks him down and challenges him to a duel. Instead, he gets is an explanation, which is what he needs to heal.

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ARC Review: To Marry a Scottish Laird by Lynsay Sands

Campbell “Cam” Sinclair sees a young boy being beaten by a thief. He joins the fight and realizes there are two more attackers. He is stabbed in the back by one. Between him and the boy, they defeat the robbers, but Campbell is hurt. The boy is really a girl, Joan, who is a healer. She disguised herself as a boy to make travelling easier. She sets out to tend to her unconscious defender. Leaving him safe, she decides to bathe in the river. Cam wakes, follows the trail, and discovers her secret. He doesn’t say anything and they continue on their journey to Scotland. Joan is on a mission to deliver a scroll left by her dead mother. Cam is friends with the MacKays and promises to take her to them. Joan’s mother, Maggie, was a healer and midwife. She lived in a friary, learned to write, and tended to the sick. After her death, Joan was cast out. She has no family and no home. After delivering the scroll, she feels she has no purpose in life. Cam’s wife died in childbirth and has no interest in going through loss again, but he’s the oldest son and needs an heir. He confesses to Joan he knows she’s a woman and they get better acquainted. They are caught in a compromising position in front of Ross MacKay and his men. The MacKays welcome them and realize the scroll is addressed to the lady of the house. Joan is Annabel MacKay’s niece, the daughter of her late sister Kate. Ross demands Cam make an honest woman of Joan and they are married. They travel to the Sinclair home and find many unmarried women waiting for Cam. His mother has decided he needs a wife and invited the prospects. Some are furious and pack for home. Others stay and make their peace with the situation and offer to help Joan by sewing her new clothes. There’s a poisoning attempt on Joan’s life. One woman is mean and insulting and winds up dead. Then a gentle horse rears up and throws Joan. Someone wants Cam bad enough to kill Joan, but who?

Cam starts out by saving Joan’s life and she immediately returns the favor. Their courtship is an interesting dance because they spend so much time alone. He deserves to be happy again and she deserves a loving family. The fact that she is related to the MacKays gives her a built in support system.

Nice taste of a whodunit intertwined with the love story. Marriage has always been a cut throat business, especially with titles, money, and property on the line. Going back home unmarried meant these women were on their way to the convent. Some refused to go quietly and would rather kill the competition.

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ARC Review: Vampire Trouble by Sara Humphreys

Shane Quesada is an old vampire, a sentry for the Presidium and the Czars of New York City, and enthralled with Maya Robertson. She’s a new vampire and bartender at the Coven. Czar Olivia, Maya’s maker and pregnant with Czar Doug’s child, thinks Maya needs a steady hand. She takes unnecessary risks with men at the bar. Maya is trying to remember anything past her last night of life. The only thing she has is a necklace and a vague vision of her grandmother. Shane finds himself in one of Maya’s dreams and sees how she was killed. This nightmare replays every night and Maya doesn’t know how to stop it. Shane makes his presence known in another dream and kills the attacker. He assures Maya she can do this herself. The physical attraction grows between them and Shane bites her. They are now linked as blood mates and can communicate telepathically. Olivia is told a pack of werewolves are about to make an uninvited visit. Maya makes a job change and goes to work in a seedy bar. When the wolves arrive there, their leader, Horace, only has eyes for Maya. Shane is her assigned bodyguard and unhappy about the wolves’ attention. After an incident with Horace, Shane and Maya leave for New Orleans. They stay with Olivia’s gypsy friend, Lottie Fogg. Shane is determined to teach Maya how to defend herself and packs many different weapons. Lottie senses there is dark gypsy magic in Maya and sends her into town to a palm reader. All decide the wolves hate her necklace, so Maya decides to hand it over to Horace and be done. He sets a trap for her and her friend. The vampires and Horace’s brother arrive to help her. The necklace has been destroyed and Maya finds her magic within.

Shane is the strong silent type, always the observer until he meets Maya. All of his attention is on her to the point where he loses some of his powers. Maya is struggling to be independent and get a handle on her past. It’s a journey she is terrified to take. Shane acts as her guide and mentor. The fact that she chisels through his armor makes them more vulnerable and interesting. The idea of going on alone appeals to no one, but to find the true mate makes the search worth it.

My favorite character is Lottie. Nothing fazes her: weapons training, werewolves attacking, and hiding vampires in her house. All in a day’s work. Plus her magic powers are pretty impressive.

Tall, Dark, and Vampire is the first book in this series and highly recommended too.

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ARC Review: Perfected by Kate Jarvik Birch

Miss Gellner has trained the pets at Greenwich Kennels to sit pretty, stay silent, and smile. She forgot to mention don’t listen, don’t feel, and don’t let your heart rule your actions. Number Eight is bought by Congressman and Mrs. John Kimball. Their daughter, Ruby, needs a companion. The first pet didn’t work out and John can’t admit defeat, especially since he’s a big supporter of pet buying. The genetically engineered girl can barely absorb the beautiful house, the gorgeous clothes, and the stunning young man of the house. Penn, Ruby’s brother, stirs feelings she’d never known existed. He chooses her name, Ella. He hears her play the piano and realizes they share a love of music. The attraction grows from there. A neighbor abhors the pets and likens them to slavery. She kidnaps Ella and ditches her at a “safe” house. Ella must sell her clothes to the woman in the filthy apartment and is cast out. Runaway pets must be returned to their rightful owners. Ella has an embedded microchip and is found. Then the nightmare begins. Whom can she trust? What is the purpose of a pet? Where can she hide? How does one forget love and move on?

Ella and Penn are teenagers whose future has been mapped out for them. Ella has been trained how to behave. She can’t read or write, but it doesn’t stop her from asking questions. The humanness in her only grows when she realizes what she has been denied. Penn has to adhere to his father’s plan. No music study, only business school. Both rebel with unforeseen consequences. Both take many risks to find answers and happiness.

The story looks at power from many different sides. Political, family, and social forces rule every day. What can be done about oppression when a person has no voice or power? People are slotted into boxes before they are born and aren’t allowed to escape or request another route. Ella is a toy given to Ruby. She must play her role to survive. The first pet was returned and imperfection is not tolerated. Penn tries to stand up to his father, but without money and power, he has limited choices. He sees his father in a negative light and must break away.

This is a disturbingly good read and open ended, hinting of a sequel.

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ARC Review: What a Woman Needs by Judi Fennell

Bryan Manley, a famous movie star, loses a bet with his sister and has to work for her. The Manley Maids is her business and she ropes her brothers into helping her. Bryan is assigned to Beth Hamilton. She is a widow with five children. Her husband was a pilot and killed in a plane crash. She had to deal with the press and gossip surrounding the accident. Now a gorgeous man is cleaning her home and helping her raise her children. He offers advice and makes the children keep the house clean. The youngest one falls hard for him. Maggie is five and misses her father. She would love for Bryan to be her new dad. The attraction between Beth and Bryan grows and the neighbors start to notice. So does the paparazzi. They swarm the town and approach Beth and stake out her house. Bryan tries to appease the fans and the frenzy surrounding him. Beth sees all the attention and doesn’t want it near her children, but it’s a part of Bryan’s life. He leaves to begin work on a movie, but he misses Beth and the kids. Will he be able to balance his career with his love life?

Beth is too calm about her life and future. Her worries disappear when Bryan arrives. She cedes her authority to him with her children. They ask him and defer to him. Beth should step up and remind her children who’s in charge and stop asking the stranger in the house. She accepts him joining them on family outings and doesn’t take things slow. She jumps into the relationship knowing her children will be very hurt if it doesn’t work out.

Bryan is beyond perfection. He is attracted to Beth immediately and never wavers. He dispenses advice to all the children who listen to him and follow his directions. He goes out of his way to clean the house and fix things, even building a better clothesline. He begins to see himself as the father of five children without a moment of hesitation. He’s too good to be true and a caricature of the perfect man.

The kids are stereotypes too. The rebellious oldest son with shaggy hair which Bryan gets him to cut. The lonely teenage girl has a crush on Bryan and wants to be popular. He sets her down softly without breaking her heart. The twin boys fight with each other and finish each other’s sentences. Bryan gets them to work together and be there for each other. And Maggie is the sweet youngest child who loves Bryan immediately and unconditionally. He wants to be her father, no questions asked.

Too neat and too sweet.

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ARC Review: Fireborn by Keri Arthur

Emberly Pearson is a phoenix, a spirit reborn from ashes and flame. She can control fire and devour it. Her former love, policeman Sam Turner, called her a monster before he left. As she waits in the cold to save his life, she wonders if his opinion has changed. Death waits on the corner across from her. Who will get to Sam first? The creatures chasing Sam are evil and grotesque. Once she rescues him, he explains a virus is infecting people, called Crimson Death. Emberly is a lab assistant to Mark Baltimore. His work is top secret and linked to the disease. Sam has seen too much death, including his brother’s and still doesn’t trust Emberly. Her fire mate, Rory, helps her heal from a scratch by turning into fire. They live together, but they aren’t in love. Her relationship with Rory destroyed hers with Sam. Mark turns up dead and the last person to have his notebooks is Emberly. Now the police, the vampire syndicate, a gorgeous fire Fae, Jackson, and a competing research lab are after her. She doesn’t understand the research, she just types up the notes. No one cares as she’s harassed, kidnapped, drugged, and dumped alongside the road. They want the notebooks. The police have her followed, but she avoids them at every turn. She and Jackson decide to partner up and get much better acquainted. They make progress, trip over more dead bodies, and are close to the killers. Too close and some bodies refuse to stay dead.

Emberly’s name is a nice pun about her powers. She throws fire at people. They don’t burn right away, but they get the idea that it can all change at the flick of her wrist. She’s an immortal who has died many times. Her curse is to fall in love and lose him every time. A witch put a curse on the phoenixes centuries ago. Her relationship with Jackson is a good one. Too bad her love belongs to Sam, the most unworthy recipient.

Sam is the meanest character in the story. He crushes Emberly’s spirit every chance he gets. He calls her names and implies vicious things about her. It’s a toxic relationship for her. It adds drama to the story, but every time he appears, I knew it would be bad.

This is the first book of a continuing story. Many plot lines are opened, but none resolved.

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ARC Review: Jaguar Hunt by Terry Spear

David Patterson is a Special Forces Golden Claw JAG agent. He’s at the Clawed and Dangerous Kitty Cat Club in Dallas tracking twins. He believes the brothers, Nate and Alex Taylor, know something about a missing jaguar taken from an Oregon zoo. The bouncer at the club, Joe Storm, has a bad history with David. Olivia Farmer left David for Joe. After he dumped her, she committed suicide. After a scuffle at the club with Joe, David loses the track of the Taylors. David has a new partner, Tammy Anderson. She is an Enforcer and notorious for ditching her partners. They claim she takes all the credit for solving crimes and has created bad blood between them. David believes the trail to the missing jaguar leads to Belize. He and Tammy travel there and give in to their mutual attraction. The twins rifle through their belongings, leave them a trail of water filled condoms, and offerings of fruit. They know the whereabouts of the jaguar, but there are moles in the JAG organizations. Find them and the twins will release the jaguar to Tammy and David. She is targeted in a zip line accident, pushed into a river, and misses being shot. Joe and another agent, Quinn, have been spotted in Belize. Tammy and David make their way back home and follow clues to the circus. By pursuing the missing jaguar, they also stumble on a larger criminal enterprise.

Tammy tries to flaunt her independence by showing up her male counterparts. Her arrogance comes back to bite her, literally. Being part of a team is a primary part of her job. If she plans to have a leadership role, pulling in all the different people and gaining their trust will be crucial.

David is preoccupied with Tammy when they are on a dangerous mission. If agents are involved romantically, they should step out of the assignment. It doesn’t seem to bother their bosses that they are in love. There must be a strict code of conduct, especially when agents are in the field. The situation leaves both of them vulnerable to attack.

David and Tammy didn’t engage me as a couple. Physical attraction is there, but not much else. They also check in with their bosses frequently. If they are special agents, they should be able to work with little supervision and guidance. Flying by the seats of their pants should be standard operating procedure. There are extra parts added about Tammy’s father and her cousins which distracted from the story.

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