Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Author Review: Double Dare by Rhonda Lee Carver

Double Dare by Rhonda Lee Carver
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Romance, Erotica
Length: Short Novel


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary:

Zoe has a problem and his name is Lieutenant Jagmeyer.

Zoe Carmichael has one true love—work. But a satisfying career doesn’t sate her desire for steamy Lieutenant Jagmeyer, a career military firefighter. He’s as anti-relationship as she is, if not more. She sees in him the perfect opportunity for companionship without commitment.

Things, however, don’t always work out as one plans.

When Jag becomes Zoe’s protector after a death threat against her life, unbridled passion pulls at them both. Can Zoe resist falling for Jag who wears his hardcore badge for everyone to see? Will Jag risk losing everything he’s worked for?

Content warning: explicit sex, graphic language.

Ashley's Review:

When I'm reading my romance, a hunky military man is right up there at the top with a cowboy and a cop. I don't know why that is, but hey, it works for me! He's handsome, self-assured, and knows how to please a lady. She's ready to take that double dare from her friend and see what he's got.

Rhonda Lee Carver quickly had me rooting for Zoe and Jag to get together. They each think they can handle a no-strings-attached fling, but then they're unexpectedly thrown together as Jag is assigned to protect Zoe from a threat. I just love it when the characters need to be professional, but the sizzling attraction between them creates so much sexual frustration, they just can't hold back. Yummy!

Double Dare by Rhonda Lee Carver is an excellent story! It's explosive and you'll want to put it at the top of your Must Read pile!

Rated 5 Ravens by Ashley!

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: Infected: Prey by Andrea Speed

Infected: Prey by Andrea Speed
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: m/m, fantasy, paranormal, erotic romance, mystery, suspense
Page Count: 376


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary

In a world where a werecat virus has changed society, Roan McKichan, a born infected and ex-cop, works as a private detective trying to solve crimes involving other infecteds..

The murder of a former cop draws Roan into an odd case where an unidentifiable species of cat appears to be showing an unusual level of intelligence. He juggles that with trying to find a missing teenage boy, who, unbeknownst to his parents, was “cat” obsessed. And when someone is brutally murdering infecteds, Eli Winters, leader of the Church of the Divine Transformation, hires Roan to find the killer before he closes in on Eli.

Working the crimes will lead Roan through a maze of hate, personal grudges, and mortal danger. With help from his tiger-strain infected partner, Paris Lehane, he does his best to survive in a world that hates and fears their kind… and occasionally worships them.

Pomme’s Review:

When I picked up Andra Speed’s Infected, I definitely did not expect to completely fall in love with the writing, the characters, and the plot.

The premise of the book is one found in many paranormal romances, but what is compelling about Infected is that it is none of those things exclusively: it is paranormal, it does have some romance, but it is not one of those cliché-ed shifter books. The world Ms. Speed creates is one with a scientific twist, where shifting is caused by a virus and there is none of the mystical rhyme usually associated with it saturating the book. It’s a dark, gritty and real disease which comes across as ugly and something of a death sentence to its carrier.

Told in the alternating limited third person points of view of either Roan, the protagonist, or his boyfriend Paris, the writing is incisive and the pace is quick. I was immediately immersed in Roan’s life and adored the way he comes across as snarky and cynical. He’s one tough cookie who knows what he wants and where he stands. He’s gay, and he’s an infected, and if anyone has anything to say then he has no qualms throwing it in their faces. I didn’t know quite what to expect when I realised Roan was already in a relationship with Paris at the beginning of the book. I couldn’t anticipate what kind of ride Ms. Speed was taking us on: was the book going to be driven by a disintegrating romance? Was it going to be mainly the mysteries that come across Roan’s desk because he’s a P.I? She left me guessing, especially as he prose is everything but purple, and I couldn’t put the book down.

The book itself is divided into two stories, ‘Infected’ and ‘Prey’, which each revolve around a case of Roan’s: they stand independently, but by the end of them both I realised that Infected is not about the romance or about the mysteries... It’s really about Roan: about what he feels, how he develops, what kind of man he is and is becoming. It’s very much about the way the virus affects him, and how it also makes him different from other infecteds out there.There is no information dumping at any point, and the writing flows flawlessly.

Paris, Roan’s boyfriend and assistant, is another very strong character. A born manipulator, he’s described as an Adonis who knows how to make use of his charms. While he appears as a golden boy, he’s also infected, and has hidden depths even Roan cannot fathom. His outlook on life is simply staggering, and by the second book I was as attached to him as I was to Roan. The portrayal of their relationship left me with a fuzzy warm feeling: they’re both deeply flawed and definitely not perfect, but they complement each other beautifully. Their banter is gold, and as the stories progress we get deeper glimpses into both their psyches: they are so much more than they seem. They are both emotionally wounded, but the manner in which they need and support each other, building something together when both of them almost auto-destructed when alone, echoed really strongly all throughout the book. Their relationship definitely gives an extra dimensionality to the whole Infected universe. A thing to mention is that any sex in this book is implicit: Paris and Roan share their bed together away from the reader’s eye, and that’s also something you don’t see very often in m/m books. In this case, it detracted nothing from the story or the feeling, but it’s definitely a novelty.

There are a host of secondary characters which don’t have much screen time but are expertly crafted nonetheless: the people involved in Roan’s investigations, the suspects, the the witnesses... everyone is painted three-dimensionally and in shades of grey, which is an amazing feat. The murder-mysteries were terrific and kept me guessing, especially as they were woven with Roan’s private life. I felt as if I was juggling the whole thing with him, and it’s all due to the perfect pace of the book.

There were no typos that I could find, and the layout is very pleasing to read. A point to mention would be the overall gritty feel of the book, which is not all sunshine and rainbows. It echoes the murder-mystery P.I angle extremely well, but be warned that it is not very conducive to a happily ever after atmosphere. The endings are not depressing by any mean, but, well.. They’re real, without all the loose ends tied up. It definitely left me wanting, and I wandered to the author’s website for more and devoured everything that I could find.
There are not enough words to adequately do justice: even if you can’t stand shifter books, or are not sold on the idea of a whole book without any sex, pick this up regardless. Ms. Speed’s writing alone will make you fall in love with both. and put her on your ‘favourite authors’ list.

Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by Pomme!


Photobucket


Photobucket


FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: Trouble in Cowboy Boots

Trouble in Cowboy Boots (Sequins, Saddles and Spurs, Book 1) by Desiree Holt
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Genre: Western/Cowboys, BDSM, Erotic Romance
Length Count: Novella


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary:

Stranded in Mesa Blanco, Texas, with no money and no prospects, Emily Lathrop hires on as the cook at the Lazy Aces Ranch. Two problems—she can't cook, and owner Wyatt Cavanaugh is so hot she nearly burns herself just standing near him. Trying to keep her hormones under control is a problem when Wyatt seduces her into his bed and teaches her the real meaning of erotic love.

Now proper Emily finds herself shockingly addicted to the BDSM games he likes to play, her body craving the bondage and domination that pushes her thermostat past the point of combustion even though she suspects it's all going to come crashing down any moment with a big, painful thud.

Tamara's Review:

First of all I have to say, I absolutely love Desiree Holt! So when I saw Trouble in Cowboy Boots come up for review, I snatched it up. Believe me, I was not disappointed in this fast paced little read from Ms. Holt.

She always delivers - not only feisty women who have an inner submissive longing to get out, but realistic Doms who may struggle, stumble but find their way back to their women. Wyatt is just too yummy for words and I couldn’t help but fall a bit for him myself. He takes in a stranded woman who he’s never met before rocking her world even after finding out that she lied about being able to cook. (Her not being able to cook had this reviewer wincing. I know there are women out there that don’t cook, heck I even have a sister who doesn’t but I love to cook for my man.) I also love the fact that Ms Holt didn’t make him perfect. Perhaps that’s why she’s so successful at making these characters seem real.

So if you’re looking for a steamy hot BDSM book with true life characters who each have faults but still manage to overcome them, then Trouble in Cowboy Boots is a must read. Kudos, Ms. Holt!

Rated 5 Ravens and Recommended Read by Tamara!

Photobucket

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: Past Pleasures by Charlotte Stein

Past Pleasures by Charlotte Stein
Publisher: Total E-Bound
Genre: Sci-Fi, Time Travel, Ménage a trios, M/M/F
Length: Novella


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary:

Book one in the Desire Through Time Series

The future holds all the pleasures any woman could want.

No sex? No women?

When Kate agrees to a mad experiment with something as insane as time travel, she expects exactly what Professor Waites had suggested: dystopian nightmares and possible barbarians.

So when she finds herself in a future where women no longer exist and the men have no idea what they’ve been missing, she can’t seem to catch her breath.

Especially when the men in question—the darkly handsome Tem, and his starkly beautiful companion Aley, are so curious and so ready to learn everything she has to teach—including all the past pleasures they never knew existed.

Tamara's Review:

When I read the blurb for Ms. Stein’s Past Pleasures I was intrigued. It seemed like it would be a good read. Ms. Stein did a wonderful job sweeping me away into Kate’s story.

I loved the almost ‘innocent’ feel of how Tem and Aley reacted to Kate (to them an unknown being – after all there are no women in the future). The chemistry between the characters was great as was Kate’s moral dilemma about forsaking her mission for the chance at love. While I won’t go into the ending of the story, I just wished that Ms. Stein would’ve written more to the ending along with fleshing out Tem and Aley’s world a bit more. It left this reviewer feeling a bit unsettled.

But if you’re looking for a story that has a touch of sci-fi, plenty of chemistry and two anxious to please men, Past Pleasures is a quick read to satisfy those hungers.

Rated 3 ½ Ravens by Tamara!

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: Namesake by Marie Harte

Namesake by Marie Harte
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi, male/male, ménage, shifter, M/M/F
Length: Novel


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary:

In the year 2078, Cross Step, Kansas, is now home to strange portals called Voids. Norms (normal people), Voiders (those who came through the Voids) and Conduits (humans affected by the Voids) all live together, segregated from the rest of the world.

Vicki is a Conduit, a human with the psychic ability to tap into the energy around her. A mistake at a bar puts her under the scrutiny of one very hungry Ravager pack, werewolf-like Voiders who like what they see.

Eric isn't just any Ravager, he's Prime, the king of his clan. He takes what he wants, when he wants it—and he wants Vicki. It'll take more than her sneaking, conniving and seductive ways to dissuade his interest. Because in Vicki, Eric and his packmates have something much more precious than a rare queen…they have a woman to love forever.

Reader Advisory: This book features totally hot scenes of foursomes and fivesomes, during which Vicki experiences oodles of orgasms courtesy of her red-hot Ravager lovers.

Tamara's Review:

Wow! Don’t you just love ménages? I know this reviewer does. Throw in the paranormal slant of Namesake and you have a winner.

Ms. Harte has done it once again. She has totally captivated me with her writing. Not only does Ms Harte build strong sexy heroines and even stronger alpha males, the world she has created in this book just speaks for itself. Even as I was whisked away by this world, the characters intrigued me more.

The feisty Vicki, who’s named after her loving grandma who can do things with her mind that are just scary, meets her perfect matches in Eric and Dom. I love the way Vicki is constantly challenging these alpha males into claiming her and taking what they want. And don’t get me started on the steam these characters generate. They are so hot they’re smoking. Add to that a cast of wonderful secondary characters… I’d love to know more about Kate and her men, if you’re reading this Ms. Harte, please hurry and write faster because this reviewer wants more.

So if you’re looking for a book that has strong characters, strong passions and a fast paced plot with a bad guy or two, Namesake is the book for you.

Rated 4 ½ Ravens by Tamara!

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: Carnal Moves by Koko Brown

Carnal Moves by Koko Brown
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Paranormal, Erotic Romance
Length: Novel


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary:

Diagnosed with chronic stress disorder, half-demon Gideon is ordered to take up a hobby. Initially balking at his shrink’s remedy, but faced with an eternity in solitude, Gideon signs up for ballroom dance lessons.

His hobby turns into another kind of hell when Gideon is partnered with the curvaceous Macy. He’s avoided human females for more than a thousand years, but her moves evoke carnal images of sweaty bodies and tangled sheets. Unable to resist temptation, Gideon thinks a few nights of soul-searing sex will slake his lust for the human female.

He couldn’t be more wrong!

Lea's Review:

This is the first of Koko Brown’s books I have read, and may I say she has quite a gift for comedy.

Gideon is a 1,200 year old half human-half demon who is having some problems and signs up for ballroom dancing lessons as an outlet for his stress. Macy is a divorcee who has some self image issues and is also taking dancing lessons. The gathering where Gideon and Macy meet is hysterically funny. The description of the gathering with primarily geriatric dancers at the social had me laughing out loud.

Gideon and Macy are teamed together for a dance competition, but the dance Gideon is truly most interested in doing with Macy would be the horizontal mambo. While Gideon pursues Macy, he is being pursued by a rather crazy Voodoo Priestess, Celine.

In Carnal Moves, there are also two other story lines. One is about the abduction of children. Macy is assigned the job of doing investigative reporter work on that situation by her editor. No one will talk to her, and children continue to disappear. The other story line is about Gideon’s life as the son of the devil and third in line to the throne of Hell. The two supporting story lines were almost too huge a contrast for me from the light and humorous sections of the story.

Carnal Moves has the bones of a great story.

Rated 3 Ravens by Lea!

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: His Brother's Keeper by Ali Katz

His Brother's Keeper by Ali Katz
Publisher: Loose Id
Genre: GLBT, M/M, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Length: Novel


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary :

A Loose Id "Hot Hooks" Winner!

After six months, Jess and Sal are still living the honeymoon -- sex in the hall, sex on the stairs, sex on the kitchen floor. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

Enter Jess’s little brother, Teddy.

A kid is the last thing the lovers need, especially a sullen, troubled teen with far too much baggage, but Teddy needs them. When life throws a curve, real men swing.

A kid in the house, however, means getting together is no longer just a matter of wrestling to see whose going to top, or stashing little bottles of lube in convenient places. It takes innovation: they haven’t tried the laundry room in the garage yet. And discretion: it's hard to be discreet if your lover crows when he comes.

Still, watching Teddy bloom makes the daily challenges worthwhile. They manage, and their little family is just beginning to take on a healthy new shape when Teddy is viciously attacked and Sal comes under suspicion.

Now, where and when take second place to if and but. The ultimate test begins as they fight to hold fast to love and family while merciless forces work to rip them apart.

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Male/male sexual practices.

Kathy’s Review :

My Brother’s Keeper by Ali Katz is a compelling novel of family love

Teddy is fleeing from Jess and Teddy’s abusive father, John, when he comes to live with Sal Bataglia and Jess Sullivan. With time and patience, Teddy is beginning to trust Jess and Sal, and life is beginning to settle down into a routine as he slowly begins to heal. Unfortunately, their fragile peace is short-lived when John tracks down Teddy, and Sal, who is a police officer, comes home to find John assaulting Teddy. John’s subsequent arrest puts into motion a chain of events which will test Jess and Sal’s relationship.

Ms. Katz skillfully tackles the complicated and emotionally charged issues of child abuse, sexual identity, and social work with a very realistic approach and without descending into angst. Ms. Katz does not present quick or easy fixes to the problems facing Sal, Jess, and Teddy, and that is what makes this novel so appealing. Jess and Sal’s relationship is pretty solid but, like most couples under strain, they discover problem areas that begin to crack from the pressure they are under.

All of Ms. Katz’s characters are well-developed and engaging. The interactions between Sal and Jess, and their neighbors and tenants, Beth and Carmen, provide many of the novel’s light-hearted moments. Despite his issues, Teddy is a likeable and sympathetic character. The strongest element of My Brother’s Keeper is Jess and Sal’s partnership. They are a fantastic couple who deal with their problems, for the most part, head on. The sex scenes between Jess and Sal are tender, sometimes funny, and always smoking’ hot.

My Brother’s Keeper by Ali Katz is a superb novel with a lot of heart.

Rated 5 Ravens and a Recommended Read by Kathy!


Photobucket


Photobucket


FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Author Review: Through the Red door by Devon Rhodes

Through the Red Door by Devon Rhodes
Publisher: Total-E-Bound Publishing
Genre: Paranormal, Erotic Romance, M/M, GLBT, Shapeshifters, Morphers
Length: Novella




Summary:

Book two in the Vampires & Mages & Weres, Oh My! Series

Just a demon's luck. Seth finally finds the perfect house...and it comes with an angel.


The last thing that demon Seth expects to come across while house hunting is an injured angel...especially one who has no idea he's anything but human. Every instinct in him wants to stay far away, but Kyrian is being targeted by another demon, and Seth reluctantly finds himself playing guardian to the irresistible male.

Kyrian has no idea what is 'haunting' his house, but after he breaks his ankle being shoved off the deck, he's had enough. Strong, handsome Seth is a godsend, making him feel safe and secure. But he alludes to secrets that will test everything Kyrian believes...and turns the tables on just who needs protecting.

Reader Advisory: This book is part of a series, but can easily be read as a standalone book.

Sofi's Review:

I found this a much deeper, more satisfying read than A Pint Light. The characters are just as interesting, and I get to know them a little better this time. I was pleased to be able to spend time with them. Seth is a great contrast of dominating male; all protective and surly at the same time, and he manages to convey just the right amount of uncertainty to balance Kyrian's giving personality.

I felt a little bit like there was more to the plot that i had missed from a previous book, though I don't think there was any other book involving the demons and angels. I'm not sure. Even with that, Ms. Rhodes has done a fair job of making sure we get all the information we need to understand the story. As with the first book, I think she could have gone into much more depth in many respects and the story would be a richer, more compelling experience. It isn't because it's hard to understand or because we don't get to know the characters enough. It's because she'd done such a good job of drawing a compelling picture it would be wonderful to get lost in her world and her characters lives.

I thought the climax showed off Kyrian's abilities and strength nicely, rounding out his character and giving him the backbone to be a good mate for Seth. I enjoyed the humour she interlaced throughout the book. This was definitely a fun, entertaining read.

Rated 3 1/2 Ravens by Sofi!

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Author Review: His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane

His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane
Publisher: Total E-Bound
Genre: Contemporary, GLBT, M/M
Length: Novel


Review Copy Received from Publisher

Summary:

Book two in the Perfect Love Series

The search to find the one man destined to complete his life has sent Ethan to places high and low. What will it take to find his perfect partner?

Ethan Harrison has wonderful friends and a rewarding career, but he feels something is still missing. He’s yet to find the man that makes his fantasies reality and soul find peace.

All that changes when a complicated case of economic espionage comes across his desk, and Special Agent Ryan Ashton walks through his office door. Life however is no fantasy and Ethan and Ryan’s journey is much more complicated than a storybook.

Will the two men be able to hold on to their love or will a defendant bent on revenge have the final judgement?

Kathy’s Review:

His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane is a charming love story with a nice happily ever after ending. Although it is the second book in the Perfect Love Series, it can be read as a standalone novel.

Ethan Harrison is a lawyer working in the US Attorney General’s office in Boston, and Ryan Ashton is an FBI Agent. They meet when Ryan turns the case he has been working on over to Ethan for prosecution. Sparks fly at their first meeting, and when they unexpectedly run into one another outside of the office, their relationship quickly becomes romantic, but it does not take long for lust to turn into love.

His Perfect Partner is an entertaining quick read. The characters are well-developed and very likable. There are a few editing errors but the plot is solid. The suspense angle to the story falls a little short of the mark, but the love story between Ethan and Ryan is enjoyable, and the sex scenes are hot. The only real conflict in the book is the fact that Ethan’s family does not accept that he is gay, but Ryan’s family welcomes Ethan with open arms. The interactions with Rick, Conor, and Calleigh, from the first book in the series, The Perfect Union, were heartwarming and humorous.

If you are a fan of love stories with perfect heroes, then you won’t be disappointed in His Perfect Partner by Trina Lane. I am looking forward to the next book in the Perfect Love Series.

Rated 3.5 Ravens by Kathy!

Photobucket

FTC Disclaimer: 

In accordance with FTC guidelines, it's important for you to know that we also have an Amazon Associates account, which means that we receive a nominal referral fee every time a reader purchases a book on Amazon through the links on our website or Amazon Store. With that said...

Thank you for your continual support and we hope you enjoy our new site.


The Blackraven

BlogPlay

Share your links easily.
Related Posts with Thumbnails