Dragonfire by Donna Grant

    Dragonfire

Author: Donna Grant

Publisher: St.Martin's Press

Publication Date: October 30, 2018

Buy it at: Amazon

Source: eBook kindly provided by

St. Martin's Press for 

an honest review

Audience: Adult

Genre: Paranormal Romance

My Thoughts:

Dragons have always fascinated me, whether it's the fact that could have existed at one time or just the thought that they might actually still exist. That being said when I read the synopsis for Dragonfire I knew I had to read it and I'm so glad I did. From the very beginning, I was hooked. 

Sabina is a young woman who's mother took her away from her Gypsy family at a young age and she was raised without their influence though she never forgot her history. She has kept her heritage quiet so as to keep her younger brother and herself safe from those that are biased against them. She leads a simple life supporting her brother and herself designing jewelry. All that changes when she meets Roman, one of the few remaining Dragon Kings.

Roman is bent on helping his dragon brother V find his sword. Every dragon king's sword is like an extension of them and to not have their sword is painful. Their search for V's sword takes them to where Sabina lives and it's soon discovered that she has some connection to V. She and her brother join the dragon kings in their search. 

What follows is a mystery that keeps you intrigued. I have not read any other books in the Dark Kings series, but I had not problem keeping up with the characters. If you like paranormal reads that have dragons, shifters, fae, good vs. evil, not to mention love, then you'll love Dragonfire. 

I'm giving Dragonfire 5 little birdies for grabbing my attention from the Prologue and not letting go. I truly had a hard time putting this book down. I will definitely be looking for more of Donna Grant's books.

Blurb

As a Dragon King, Roman is sworn to protect all mortals—even though they no longer believe in dragons. But deep in the Carpathian Mountains, he discovers a beautiful and mysterious gypsy who possesses the power to see into his very soul. To reignite the fire in his heart. And to help him find the long-lost sword that could save the dragons forever…

Sabina remembers the stories her grandmother told her. Legends of dragons and kings, fire and ice. And she’s never forgotten the dark prophecy that filled her ancestors with fear—a fate they tried to prevent by stealing a Dragon King’s sword. Sabina knows that helping Roman is dangerous. He is a dragon betrayed, and more powerful than any man. He could destroy her in a single fiery embrace. But how can she resist the longing in his eyes—or the feelings in her heart—when their destinies are bound by desire?

                         

Wicked S.O.B.

Author: Zara Cox

Publisher: Forever Yours

Publication Date: Aug. 8, 2017

Page Count: 135

Buy it at: Amazon

Source: eBook kindly provided by Forever  Publishing for an honest review

Audience: Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My thoughts:

Quinn Blackwood is a man who has built his whole life around getting revenge on those who caused the death of his mother. Along the way he meets Elyse Gilbert. Fast forward to after Quinn has obtained his revenge. His whole life has been about making others pay and now that he has accomplished that he doesn't know how to move on. All he knows is that he can't/won't let Ellie go. It's as if he's addicted to her and every minute that she is away from him he goes through withdrawl. Ellie understands his inner demons and won't leave him alone to deal with them. She is hoping that they can move their relationship to a lifetime one, but knows that they walk a fine line with his obsession.

This is a short novella that follows up Beautiful Liar. I hadn't read Beautiful Liar before this book, but the author does a good job of referencing the first book just enough so that you are not lost in Wicked S.O.B. I really liked this book, though at first I wasn't sure if I would because of Quinn's obsession with Ellie, but Ms. Cox does a great job of moving the characters forward. Being a novella, the book is fast paced and their is some intrigue left over from the first book that adds to the story.

I give Wicked S.O.B. 5 little birdies. The book is hot, well written, and I like the way she resolved the couple's issues. I will definitely be looking for more books by Zara Cox.

Blurb:

For so long, I lived for revenge. Now I live for her. 
Ask anyone and they'll tell you that Quinn Blackwood is not someone you mess with. I see. I want. I take. And you better not get in my way. That's how I built my billion-dollar empire. That's how I made my enemies pay. That's how I won the one good, pure thing in my life, Elyse "Lucky" Gilbert. But after what I've done, my luck may have run out.

There is a fine line between love and obsession.
I'm not a fool. I didn't think coming back to Quinn would be easy. That we would fall into a happy future and the darkness inside him would just disappear. Still, after everything we've been through, I couldn't leave him to fight his demons alone. I've tried to convince myself nothing else matters as long as we're together. But if I give him what he needs, will there be anything left of me?

Book Review: Before The Dawn

Before The Dawn

Author: Cynthia Eden

Publisher: HQN Books

Publication Date: July 25, 2017

Page Count: 384 pages

Buy it at: Amazon & Harlequin

Source: eBook kindly provided by TLC Book tours

Audience: Adult

Genre: Romantic Suspense

My thoughts:

I was given this book for an honest review. Dawn Alexander is the only victim to have survived an attack by the serial killer known as the Iceman. Her boyfriend, Tucker Frost, was the one who saved her by killing the Iceman, who happened to be his own brother. 

Seven years after the fact, they are brought together again when someone starts killing in New Orleans and the MO is that of the Iceman. Dawn is now a private investigator and Tucker is a top profiler with the FBI. Even though the body of Jason Frost was never found, Tucker assures Dawn that he is dead, while she swears she has seen Jason.

What follows is a race against time as more bodies start piling up while Dawn and Tucker try to reconnect despite the pain of their past. The characters are well written and the author does a great job of drawing you in to both Dawn and Tucker's feelings of being in each other's lives again since they never had closure when their relationship abruptly ended seven years before.

I was hooked from the first page and couldn't put it down. Ms. Eden kept me guessing as to who the killer was and when it's finally revealed I was blown away with the twist she put in. I give Before The Dawn 5 little birdies for being such an awesome read. I will definitely look for more books by Cynthia Eden.

Blurb:

The Killer Instinct series from New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Eden continues as an FBI profiler tracks a case that resurrects ghosts from his past

Ex-SEAL Tucker Frost knows that the world is full of evil. He saw it in the face of his own brother, Jason Frost, a cold, methodical, sadistic killer. A killer Tucker put down with his own hands in order to save Jason's final victim--Dawn Alexander, the only girl who got away from the infamous "Iceman."

It's Tucker's up close and personal experience with evil that's made him perfect for Samantha Dark's experimental profiling division in the FBI. And when women start turning up murdered with the same MO used by the Iceman, Tucker is sent back to Louisiana to investigate.

Seven years have passed since the night that Tucker faced down his brother...and since he last saw Dawn, his one-time lover. But as Tucker and Dawn grapple with a desire that never died, they must also face the shared shadow from their pasts. Both have the same question--has Jason Frost come back from the dead to hunt again? And this time, will he succeed in killing the victim who got away?

Wolf's Mate

Author: Celia Kyle

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: August 1, 2017

Page Count: 368 pages

Buy It At: Amazon

Source: eBook kindly provided by Forever

Audience: Adult

Genre: Paranormal Romance

My thoughts:

I was given this book for an honest review. The author grabbed me from the first page and never let go. If you like Alpha heroes, feisty heroines, hot sexual chemistry, action, intrigue, humor, and sexy-as-all-get-out Shifters, then this is the book for you. I loved this book and am definitely adding Celia Kyle to my Authors to Follow list.

Everything about this book appealed to me. The characters, sexual tension, intrigue, humor, and yes the story. The interaction of Declan and his team, each shifter having a unique personality, as well as the way Declan and Abby dealt with their own inner animal had me cracking up. The story, in my opinion, was a unique one of shifters against humans and while this was book one of her Shifter Rogues series, I'm eagerly looking forward to the following books as the story continues to unfold. I'm giving Wolf's Mate 5 birdies for being an awesome read that I couldn't put down.

Blurb:

Danger shouldn't be this sexy...

Cougar shifter Abby Carter always plays it safe. That's why she's an accountant--no excitement, no danger, and no cocky alpha males. She loves her quiet life, but fate has other plans. When Abby uncovers the shady dealings of an anti-shifter organization, she'll have to trust the too-sexy-for-her-peace-of-mind werewolf Declan Reed... or end up six feet under.

Declan Reed is starting over. After two years with Shifter Operations Command, it's time to put his past behind him. Now Declan is the only thing standing between the gorgeous Abby and an early grave, and if he's going to have any chance of keeping her alive, he'll have to embrace the darkness he's fought to keep at bay. But first he has to convince Abby that there's no safer place in the world than the arms of a big bad werewolf.

Too Scot To Handle

Author: Grace Burrows

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Publication Date: July 25, 2017

Page Count: 385 pages

Buy it At: Amazon

Source: eBook kindly provided by Forever

Audience: Adult

Genre: Historical Romance

My thoughts:

I was given this book for an honest review.  Grace Burrows has a way of drawing the reader into the world she creates. Colin MacHugh is a newly titled gentleman and while adjusting to all that entails he has to try and avoid being shackled by one of the many marriage minded young ladies of the ton. In the meantime, his new sister-in-law, Anwen Windham, has asked for his help in saving the orphanage that she runs. Anwen is no simpering miss. She's spirited and strong, which is a welcome change for Colin. There is intrigue, humor, and the boys of the orphanage are well boys. 

Too Scot to Handle is the second book in Ms. Burrows The Windham Brides series. I definitely recommend this book and give it 4 birdies.

Blurb:

A MAN WITH MANY TALENTS

As a captain in the army, Colin MacHugh led men, fixed what was broken, and fought hard. Now that he's a titled gentleman, he's still fighting-this time to keep his bachelorhood safe from all the marriage-minded debutantes. Then he meets the intriguing Miss Anwen Windham, whose demure nature masks a bonfire waiting to roar to life. When she asks for his help to raise money for the local orphanage, he's happy to oblige.

Anwen is amazed at how quickly Lord Colin takes in hand a pack of rambunctious orphan boys. Amazed at how he actually listens to her ideas. Amazed at the thrill she gets from the rumble of his Scottish burr and the heat of his touch. But not everyone enjoys the success of an upstart. And Colin has enemies who will stop at nothing to ruin him and anybody he holds dear.

Branded As Trouble

Author: Delores Fossen

Publisher: HQN Books

Publication Date: June 27, 2017

Page Count: 384 pages

But it at:  Amazon & Harlequin

Source: eBook kindly provided by TLC Book Tours

Audience: Adult

Genre: Western Romance

My thoughts:

I received this book for an honest review. It's been awhile since I have read a Western romance, yet despite that I liked this book. 

Roman Granger returns home when he feels that his teenage son is following in his bad boys ways.  Roman is also hoping that he can reconnect with his son as he has been gone more often than not because of his business. Add to his problems, Mila Banchini. There's always been an attraction there, but he's refused to act on it because she's his sister's best friend and a virgin. Too sweet for someone like him.

What follows is funny (the hospital scene with Roman and his mother coming up with code words for time to change the subject), romance, heartbreak, redemption, and forgiveness. Note that there is a suicide attempt, but the author handles it, along with the healing, with grace and intelligence. 

I highly recommend this book and give it 4 1/2 little birdies for an awesome read.

Blurb:

Every town needs a bad boy, and Wrangler's Creek's has been gone far too long… 

Getting his high school girlfriend pregnant was just one square in Roman Granger's checkered past, but it changed him forever. When his son's mother skipped town after the birth, Roman decided to do the same, baby Tate in tow, hoping for a fresh start. 

Now Roman fears his teenage son is following in his wayward footsteps, so he returns home to Wrangler's Creek, aiming to set him straight. It's there he encounters Tate's cousin Mila Banchini, the good-girl opposite of Roman who's had a crush on him since childhood. The old spark between them undeniably never died, though Roman worries it'll only lead to heartache. But if falling for Mila is such a bad idea, why does everything about holding her feel so right?

Call to Engage

Author: Tawny Weber

Publisher: HQN Books

Publication Date: June 27, 2017

Page Count: 384 pages

Buy it at: Amazon & Harlequin Books

Source: eBook kindly provided by TLC Book Tours

Audience: Adult

Genre: Military Romance

My thoughts:

I received this book for an honest review.

Elijah Prescott is a Navy SEAL who is recovering from an injury he suffered on his last mission. Despite being physically cleared to resume his duties, he feels that maybe he's not mentally ready and takes some time off to sort his life out. He heads back home to stay with his cousin, who owns a gym, and runs into his ex-wife.

Ava Prescott has turned her life around from what it was when she was married to Elijah. She teaches numerous classes at the gym and with the discipline she's learned to get her body in shape, she's buried the pain of her failed marriage.

Proximity, as well as the rekindling of their physical relationship, makes Elijah and Ava do some soul searching in regards to their marriage, one of them being that Ava never really accepted his chosen career. When she's pulled into an ongoing mission with Elijah's team to ferret out a traitor, she finally learns to accept him for who he is.

Call to Engage will pull the emotions out of you while keeping you turning the pages. There's action, intrigue, love, humor, and heartbreak. If you like your heroes to be strong Alphas and their women strong enough to handle them, you're going to definitely want to read this book.

I give Call to Engage 5 little birdies for a superior read. Tawny Weber is an author who knows her stuff when it comes to military books and it shows.

Blurb:

The Poseidon team are hard-bodied, fiercely competitive Navy SEALs. But when a sensitive mission goes disastrously wrong, three of the team's finest will have to trust their hearts and instincts to uncover the truth… 

Lieutenant Elijah Prescott should be spending his precious leave somewhere with sun, surf and scantily clad women. Instead, he's heading home with two goals in mind. Figure out exactly how his last assignment went to hell and almost killed him—and reconnect with the woman who might offer salvation. 

Ava Monroe has streamlined her life, eliminating every source of pain—including a marriage touched by tragedy. One glimpse of her ex and those good intentions turn to bad-girl desires. Her strategy: get over Elijah by getting under him again, sating herself until she can finally let go. But as betrayal within the rank of the SEALs turns deadly, there's no denying that her heart and her life are on the line. Elijah is the only man who can protect both…