Collision Point (Brute Force #1) by Lora Leigh

Title: Collision Point (Brute Force, Book One)

Author: Lora Leigh

Publication Date:February 27, 2018

Genre: Romantic Supense

Rating: 3.5 out 5 stars

Those readers familiar with the author's previous series will not have a problem falling head first into Collision Point, the first entry of the Brute Force Series. This first entry has all of the markings of a Lora Leigh tale, which includes a good storyline and lead characters whose chemistry leaps off the page.

What happens when the son of a Russian mob boss goes legit? Well, a lot of baggage is cut loose (some still breathing) and they gain more enemies than they had before. Amara, the daughter of the Resnova crime heir represented a solid female lead for the first entry of Brute Force series but I would have liked to see her character do more. Amara's character is a survivor with incredible heart and loyalty but I do feel there was a little something missing. Amara's character survived being kidnapped, being brutally beaten and memory loss. After going through all of that there was still an expectation to see more an evolution of her character beyond the regaining of her memory.

Riordan is the sexy alpha male lead that Ms. Leigh is famous for and nothing is missing from this character's makeup. Ubber protective and willing to go toe-to-toe with Amara's father, Riordan is the cock-of-the-walk of this entry but besides being great mind candy his character is a bit limited. His task is to keep Amara alive and there aren't many action sequences that display his ability as her protector. Was looking forward to having scenes where this character was kicking the tar out of something. As her lost love, there is more than enough fuel for the interactions between the two characters. The chemistry is off the charts.

While reading, it will be easy for the reader to believe that they know who is behind the plot to take down the Resnova family but the author will keep the reader guessing until the end. Since the memory loss angle took up most of the story the ending is a bit rushed. Trust and believe there are many more characters that didn't meet with what they deserved.

Thank you to the St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cleaning House (Appalachian Elementals #1) by Jeanne G'Fellers

Cleaning House by Jeanne G'Fellers
Publication Date: August 1, 2018
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

About the Book

Centenary Rhodes is an old soul with a well-traveled name, but she doesn't know this yet.

Growing up in southern Appalachia wasn’t easy, so Cent left home as soon as she could, but the post-collegiate happiness she’d expected has never occurred. She can’t find a decent date, much less find that special someone and, after losing her job in a corporate downsize, she’s struggling to meet her most basic needs. Her car has been repossessed, her bills are piling up, and her questionable North Chicago neighborhood is dangerous to navigate.

Returning home to Hare Creek, Tennessee, never crosses Cent’s mind until her Great Aunt Tess contacts her with an offer she can’t refuse. The family’s southern Appalachian homestead must be sold, and Aunt Tess needs someone to clean it up. Cent will have access to Aunt Tess’ garden and truck and can live on the homestead rent-free for as long as it takes. A part-time job is waiting for her as well.

It’s a chance to solve some of Cent’s financial woes, but will her return be enough when evil sets its sights on Embreeville Mountain and the homestead?

Cleaning House is a carefully woven Appalachian tapestry of granny magic, haints, elementals, and the fantastic diversity of the human condition – served with a delicious side of fries and a generous quart of peach moonshine. 

The Review

Being a Southerner, I really liked the idea of this book - something that brings together folklore and beliefs that some people of the South (the Southern portion of the U.S.) grow up hearing. Unfortunately, Cleaning House became a book that was DNF'ed(did not finish) because the story was a bit too confusing. Centenary Rhodes (the heroine)is an interesting female lead who is dealing with the duality of her spirit/mind and past lives. The secondary characters presented are intriguing as well but this wasn't enough to combat the confusing nature of the story or any of the issues with timing (story/character progression).  

Thank you to Mountain Gap Books and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


View all my reviews

About the Author

Born and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Science Fiction and Fantasy author Jeanne G’Fellers' early memories include watching the original Star Trek series with her father and reading the books her librarian mother brought home. Jeanne’s writing influences include Anne McCaffrey, Ursula K. LeGuin, Octavia Butler, Isaac Asimov, and Frank Herbert.

Jeanne lives in Northeast Tennessee with her spouse and their five crazy felines. Their home is tucked against a small woodland where they regularly see deer, turkeys, raccoons, and experience the magic of the natural world.

Website           Goodreads         Twitter      Amazon

Bella Cove (A Second Chance Romance)

Title: Bella Cove (A Second Chance Romance)
Author: Rochelle Katzman
Publication Date: April 24, 2018
Rating: 3 of 5 stars


About the Book

She Gets a Second Chance at Love, But Her Family's Secrets Could Ruin Everything

Kayla Conway is devastated when she is forced to leave her life and her fiancé behind in California to take care of her family. She must return to her hometown of Bella Cove, a small, charming town on Long Island to visit her grandma on her deathbed. Just before her grandmother dies, Kayla promises that she will help put the pieces of her family’s life back together.

But when she makes that promise, she has no idea of the lies, deceit, and betrayal she will have to deal with. The grief from grandma's death brings out the worst in her family.

Two years later, her family is stronger, but Kayla’s passion for life seems to have died the day grandma left.

When her ex-fiancé, Gabe Wademan, walks back into her life—not as her partner, but as her new landlord and neighbor—Kayla feels more alive than she has in months.

But getting back together with Kayla is the last thing Gabe wants—he never forgave her for leaving him so suddenly. He demands explanations for her behavior two years earlier, but Kayla refuses to reveal her family’s deepest, darkest secrets.

So instead, she makes it her mission to show Gabe she’s the same woman he fell in love with back at school—just a little older and a lot less naïve. And if he gives their relationship a second chance, she promises she’ll never leave him again.

But when Gabe gets close to her family, Kayla is terrified that he will discover their secrets. How could he ever trust her again if he found out?

He’s only been back in her life a few weeks, but Kayla doesn't think her heart could handle losing him a second time. Especially since this time it would be forever.

The Review

Bella Cove is the tell Kayla Conway's and Gabe Wademan's second chance at love. It is a quaint love story about college sweethearts who were torn apart by life's circumstances. The backdrop for this tale is the charming town of Bella Cove where everybody knows each other. Also, this town plays a very important role in bringing Kayla and Gabe together.

Leading characters in any story can make or break a tale and Kayla makes for a somewhat troublesome leading character (at least for this reader). Kayla is strong, beautiful and sometimes overly caring. She lacked some sass or a least some extra inner strength to not take on the secondary character's issues. While reading, there was an expectation that the heroine would have this grand personality evolution and that she would finally get the consideration that she deserved. Her character evolved (somewhat) but it happened slowly and not in a very satisfying way.

The male lead, Gabe Wakeman representative the typical male for a romance novel. He is handsome, successful, generally liked by everyone he encounters. Unfortunately, I think the relationship between he and Kayla was a bit lopsided and I believe that his character was a bit too rigid. Due to the rigidity, Gabe became the perpetual victim of his behavior, his distress, and his selfishness. His character added to the abuse that the heroine was already experiencing and Kayla calmly accepted it. Though the story did end with a happily ever after for the characters, I would like to see a change in Gabe's sooner so that there could have been more focus on the couple's romance. More focus on romance - less focus on dysfunction or a least make it equal. It the story is going to be sweet like Bella Cove then their needs to be some wining, dining, flowers, chocolate or something other than a distrustful leading male and a leading female that way too accepting of his behavior.

Bella Cove is well written and it showcases family dysfunction at its finest. The secondary characters are well structured and relatable. There is an easy flow to this work that makes for a smooth transition between pages.

Thank you to the author and TSK Publishing for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

About the Author
Rochelle Katzman spent her childhood penning stories, and at the age of six, she won two creative writing awards. When she was twenty-two years old, she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in musical theatre from Syracuse University. Rochelle is also an international yoga instructor and a life coach. When she’s not traveling the world teaching workshops or helping women to achieve their dreams, she’s at home writing books. She currently lives in New York, but she’d love to move to a beautiful land filled with ethereal fairies and magical castles. Rochelle enjoys spending time with her dog, Henry, when he’s not eating her favorite shoes. 

You can find this author 

Amazon          Goodreads          TSK Publishing

The Breaker Series - (The Breaker 1 - 10) by Jeon Geuk-Jin, Park Jin-Hwan

Title: The Breaker (Volumes 1 - 10)
Author: Jeon Geuk-Jin - Illustrator Park Jin-Hwan
Publication Date(s): August 2007

About the Series

The new English teacher, Chun-Woo, is not your ordinary teacher. Shioon, a victim of constant bullying, unexpectedly witnesses Chun-Woo's fighting power, and begs him to make him his disciple. Chun-Woo claims he can teach Shioon only if he is truly determined, and Shioon must jump off a bridge into a deep river in order to prove it!

It turns out, however, that Chun-Woo and his powers are more than meets the eye. Shioon makes a grand entrance into the hidden world of martial arts, and he is about to be taught by the best there is ...

The Review

If this reader was to express that the series was an absolutely thrilling read, then that would be an understatement.  The reader of the series is treated to absolutely fabulous artwork and one heck of a storyline.  

As a reader, it is always good if the author can make the audience relate to the characters and this poor kid Shioon ... the reader's heart just breaks for him.  Not just break but righteous anger on this characters behalf because there is the thought that someone's kid may be actually experiencing something similar to Shioon.  Then there is the anti-hero, Chun-Woo and all of the baggage he drags with him.  Chun-Woo is the good guy that can't really afford to be nice but it is really nice to see the relationship development between the two main characters and it lures the reader to believe that this Chun-Woo guy isn't really that bad.

With the combination of artwork, action sequences and good storytelling The Breaker is a very good candidate for enjoyable binge reading.  Readers must be aware that in some volumes that there seemed to be some translation/wording issues but this shouldn't hinder the readers enjoyment of the story.  

Southern Discomfort (A Southern B&B Mystery #1) by Caroline Fardig

Southern Discomfort by Caroline Fardig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

About the Book
Southern hospitality meets deadly deception in the start of a charming new mystery series from the USA Today bestselling author of the Java Jive novels.

Quinn Bellandini loves her life in Savannah, Georgia, where she runs her grandfather’s B&B with her sister, Delilah. From baking fresh scones and serving up grits every morning to ensuring the guests see the best of their historic city, Quinn can’t imagine doing anything else—even if it means dealing with nuisances like the occasional malfunctioning commode. But when Quinn drops by the local restaurant owned by her friend Drew Green, and stumbles upon a murder, her whole world comes crashing down.

Drew’s brother was always a little surly, but Quinn can’t imagine that someone disliked the prickly chef enough to kill him. The police, on the other hand, don’t believe that Quinn was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Before her guests can even digest the next morning’s gourmet breakfast, Quinn learns that she and Drew are suspects.

Drew thinks they should do some investigating of their own. Quinn is pretty sure she’s better suited to playing hostess than amateur sleuth. But with Delilah as her cynical sidekick, Quinn starts looking for the real killer—before she gets put away faster than you can say “sugar.”

Don’t miss Caroline Fardig’s thrilling Java Jive mysteries, which can be read together or separately:

DEATH BEFORE DECAF | MUG SHOT | A WHOLE LATTE MURDER | BREW OR DIE | MURDER OVER MOCHAS

“I was hooked from the first page. I loved it!”—Dorothy Cannell, award-winning author of the Ellie Haskell mysteries, on Death Before Decaf

“This series is delightful, well written, and wildly entertaining.”—Suspense Magazine

The Review

Quinn Bellandini leads a pretty average life and her days are filled with running her families B&B with her sister (Delilah), grandfather and her dead great-uncle Frank. Set in the beautiful backdrop of Savannah, GA, as readers we get to stumble along with Quinn as she tries to figure out who stabbed her friend's (Drew) ill-tempered brother in the back. The author (Caroline Fardig) skillfully weaves an who-done-it where the reader, along with the heroine carefully fit together the pieces that tragically lead up to the victim's death. Like any good murder mystery, the cast of secondary characters included in this first entry could all be possible suspects and it was enjoyable to guess ahead (trying to zero in on the suspect). The author added some mild romantic elements with very little drama associated with it. The conflict that revolved around the romantic entanglements were too easily resolved and this element could have added another juicy layer to the mystery. Overall, a good read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this Arc in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews

About the Author

CAROLINE FARDIG is the USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR of the Java Jive Mysteries series and the Lizzie Hart Mysteries series. Fardig's BAD MEDICINE was named one of the "Best Books of 2015" by Suspense Magazine. She worked as a schoolteacher, church organist, insurance agent, funeral parlor associate, and stay-at-home mom before she realized that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. Born and raised in a small town in Indiana, Fardig still lives in that same town with an understanding husband, two sweet kids, two energetic dogs, and one malevolent cat.

Friending the Devil by Debby Rice

Friending the Devil by Debby Rice
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis

Friending the Devil is the story of Kelsey James’ seduction into a world of magic, murder, and corruption. The novel unfolds in a dark urban forest—a place where evil hides in plain sight and a bite of chocolate gives the power to soar over skyscrapers or make a gun jump to an unwitting assassin’s hand. 

Kelsey enters this fairytale laid low by fate. Orphaned overnight and dismissed from her advertising job like so much clichéd copy, compulsive shoplifting has become a shameful refuge from those life-shattering experiences. 

When Kelsey lands a job at Lively Enterprises, her luck seems to be changing. Her employment package includes a luxury condo, a limited edition car, and an intriguing male supervisor. But the deal is tied with the devil’s strings. Far from being an outsider to a family business dedicated to promoting chaos and lining pockets, Kelsey discovers that Lively Enterprises is her frightening inheritance. 

As curiosity and fear drive her deeper into her new family’s dangerous embrace, Kelsey uncovers the truth about her past and learns that her real job has nothing to do with work. The supernatural mafia that runs the company has been searching for her to release a fresh breath of evil into the world. Kelsey’s fate threatens to ruin her closest friends, transform her identity and compromise her soul.

The Review

Friending the Devil is an interesting take on long-existing religious myths and the influence of wealth and greed. In this entry, the reader is introduced to the lovely Ms. Kelsey James who is down on her luck. With a chance encounter with a bench, a well-placed ad and a handshake with Mr. Lively, Kelsey is swept into a world that was best left hidden. The story is written well but as a reader (like Kelsey) it was hard to follow what was going on, hard to figure out what the characters actually were and what the heroine's actual abilities were. In short, while reading I was just as confused as the heroine. There was a lively bunch of secondary characters and animals that should have had more focus. Though the stories focus was Kelsey and her transformation from one existence to another - it took too long to get there and the reader doesn't fully get to appreciate the characters transition. Overall this was a fluid read.

This ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews

About the Author

Debby Rice is a freelance writer who lives in Chicago. She has spent time in Mexico City, San Miguel Allende, New Orleans and San Francisco, and her experiences in those cities color her work. Debby’s books inhabit that foggy space where magic obscures reason and paints a universe that makes the impossible irresistibly real.

Debby is the author of Friending the Devil and Chihuahua Karma. Both novels are available on Amazon.

The Big Alpha in Town by Eve Langlais, Milly Taiden, and Kate Baxter

The Big Alpha in Town
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

About the Novellas & Authors:

BEARING HIS NAME

Meeting his mate should have been cause for celebration. There’s just one teeny tiny problem. Jade thinks Ark might have impregnated her sister. He didn’t, but convincing Jade is going to take a bit of honey.

EVE LANGLAIS is a New York Times bestselling Canadian author who loves to write hot romance. She enjoys strong alpha male heroes, shifters, and a happily ever after. Eve's novellas include Legal Wolf's Mate, Catch a Tiger by the Tail, and The Alpha's Mate.

OWNED BY A LION

Keir’s been told to stop playing the field and settle down—difficult advice for a hard and hot man with a lion’s heart to follow. But his sights have always been set on Ally. She’s his mate, plain and simple. With her sweet and delicious curves, she’s nothing but sugar and trouble all rolled into one. But he’s known her and sparred with her for years. She’s his best friend’s little sister, and it’s going to take a whole new level of convincing that he’s the mate for her. 

MILLY TAIDEN is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the renowned Paranormal Dating Agency (Kiss My Asteroid), the Sassy Mates books (Scent of a Mate), and the Federal Paranormal Unit novels (Wolf Protector).

NO NEED FUR LOVE

Moving with his pack to the tiny town of Stanley, Idaho has Owen Courtney a little on edge. With literally no women in sight, Owen will be lucky to find a date, let alone his true mate. But you know the saying about a werewolf walking into a bar…

Gorgeous wood nymph Mia Oliver is on a mission: Find a suitable male to get her good ‘n pregnant and provide her with an heir. But when Mia decides to pick up a gorgeous and oh-so willing werewolf at the bar, she realizes she might be in over her head.

KATE BAXTER is a die-hard romantic with a thing for Shakespeare. She lives in the great northwest and writes about all things fanged, furry, and undead, including The Last True Vampire series (The Warrior Vampire).

The Review
The authors included in this collection of novellas have a talent for producing mouth-watering tales that keep their audience(s) glued to every page.  The stories included in The Big Alpha in Town don't fail to disappoint as a collection.  Overall rating for this collection is 3.5.

Bearing His Name by Eve Langlais

The ever caring Jade has a problem – she has a very pregnant sister living with her and baby sister doesn't have a clue which Zeus knocked her up. Besides, looking after baby sis becomes very difficult after the appearance of a very determined Greek bear at her door. Bear shifter Ark believes he is after the possible mother of his child but on the other side of the door is fate.

There is definite chemistry between the hero and the heroine but it isn’t as fiery as it could be. With a heroine who’s preoccupied with everyone’s well-being, it is hard for this couple to focus on the romance that a reader may be looking for. The male and female leads are the standard good looking couple with the hero being the territorial 6'5" overly possessive wealthy shifter. The heroine has her own set of issues besides the pregnant sister but due to the condensed story, full exploration of her issues wasn't possible. A noteworthy mention would be the second male lead (Stavros) who appears to be a bit edgier.

This novella is well constructed with a clear separation between the beginning middle and end (with some clumsy action sequences thrown in for good measure) but there are some issues with holding the reader's attention for an extended period. Due to the length of the story, there was a rush to close the story as neatly as possible. Though the story is shortened it remains a good read.

Owned by the Lion Millie Taiden

Ally is the curvy heroine of this Tale who is full of SASS and spunk. Keri the male lead who is has the full package and has used it all to his advantage. His character isn't the shallow but life and circumstances have influenced have behaviors. There is definite smoke between the leading characters but also the reader will be able to feel the connection between the characters.

This novella also hits another aspect that I love in these types of stories. It always spices a story up when jealous exes appear within the tale. Not just the average jealous ex but a crazy jealous EX. Now, there were some jealous female characters and some overly inquisitive ones that the leads had to dodge but they were not at the level of crazy needed to make this a true page-turner. Though the story is entertaining and the parade of women gives the reader hope that one will move fully to the dark-side, this just never happens. In the end, the story is neatly wrapped up and concluded without a cliffhanger.

No Need Fur Love by Kate Baxter

So, a Wood Nymph and a Wolf meet in a bar ... this is not the start of a dirty joke but the start of the best of the three novellas. I've never come across a paranormal romance with the heroine being a wood nymph but would have liked for this story be expanded. No Need Fur Love has a lot of great elements besides the attractive leads with insane chemistry. There is the Wood Nymph leader who would name an awesome villain in an expanded story and I hope that the author would write more using his character. I see a very wicked good time with Nymph Daddy if he happens to appear again. Overall, this was a fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Mother Earth by Lydia Lee

Mother Earth by Lydia  Lee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

About the Book
When climate change reaches a catastrophic stage, Gaia and her unlikely friend, Toks, an alien-machine hybrid, set out to save the world. With the help of Toks, Gaia accidentally created an enchanted brush to revive life from its basic DNA. Unfortunately, an undercover U.S. political force is determined to exploit the last remaining oil fields in Antarctica and ignores the environmental degradation. Therefore, Gaia is a target that needs to be eliminated. Amidst all of the conspiracy, a super villain is born. Even though Gaia encounters set back after set back, creatures of all kinds were revived from stones and deep sea, helping her through many difficult situations. While this is a Superhero genre, the characters draw your attention to the real issues in today's world and bring humanity and friendship to the forefront.

The Review

Mother Earth challenges its reader(s) to think about human impact on our planet (Earth). The graphic novel contains really lovely artwork that helps to narrate the story well. The dialogue is written in a way that children will understand and become more conscious of their surroundings (plus what type of footprint they may leave behind).  This entry does speak about some environmental/political issues but it is done in a way that can be easily digested by the young adult reader.

Thank you to the author for providing this entry in exchange for an honest review

View all my reviews

About the Author

Emily Carr is a University in Vancouver, B.C. and Mother Earth  has been accepted by The Vancouver Public Library for their collections. 

Something to Howl About (Alphaville 0.5) by Christine Warren

Something to Howl About by Christine Warren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you’re a fan of Christine Warren’s The Others series then the inhabitants of

Alphaville will provide everything that you crave.

The leading characters penned by Christine Warren are everything a reader would want in their alpha roles. The banished she-wolf, Annie Cryer has confidence and beauty and the brown bear, Jonas Browning is what every arrogant alpha is supposed to be. Between the two there is an immediate attraction but it takes a real alpha to misunderstand what he is supposed to do. Meaning every misstep he could make, he made them. Jonas believes that bear shifters, especially brown bear shifters don’t mate for life and like their counterparts they mate with any available female. That understanding of how mating works is getting in the way of what his bear is telling him and the female he is focused on will not tolerate any of his nonsense.

It truly takes a great balance between the leading characters to propel a story forward. Both leading characters are equally as strong so that one doesn't drown out the other. Plus, helps that (for the reader) there are some forehead slapping moments and some “what the heck is he thinking”! This was a perfect introduction to residents of Alphaville.

View all my reviews

Review: Final Siege (Love Over Duty, #2) by Scarlett Cole

Final Siege by Scarlett Cole
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In the second entry of the Love Over Duty series, the reader is introduced to Delaney Shapiro the heroine of this tale. Delaney is smart, independent and a real go-getter and this is what makes her an excellent investigative journalist. Unfortunately, I really couldn't get into her character, at least I will not be apart of the Delaney fan club. The character's back-story has affected her personality and Delaney seems really selfish and maybe way too stubborn. As the reader, it is always a goal of mine to find books that highlight strong female leads. Female leads who kick butt and take names with some flying kicks here and a couple of roundhouses for good measure. Delaney holds her own when her in this story but her interactions with her male lead (Mac) leaves a bit of a sour taste. It seems that her character didn't contribute much to balance the relationship.

Malachai “Mac” MacCarrick is the overly considered hero of Final Siege and he is what all heroes are chalked up to be. Mac is dashing, handsome and an all around good/protective guy. Like so many of these stories the hero is easily twisted around the small finger of the heroine and does whatever it takes to get into her good graces. Where’s the balance? Mac spent a lot of time securing the heroine’s safety without much appreciation. Honestly, I thought that these two characters would part ways towards the end of the book in order to save the hero his dignity or just to give him some of his dignity back. Now, I must say that grief is a hard thing to deal with (even for us regular folks) and people cope with their grief differently. I just needed a little more balance between the characters.

A sign of a really good author is his/her ability to draw the reader into the story. Scarlett Cole was able to draw this reader into the book and into her characters. Though I did not care for the heroine, the male lead and the secondary characters were really great. The action sequences we're fascinating and a setting/background were well-thought-out and well-planned.

As the series progresses it will be interesting to see the different types of female leads introduced. Not only that, it will be equally as interesting to see how the stories of future female leads connect with established heroines.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Royal Pain (His Royal Hotness, 1) by Tracy Wolff

Royal Pain by Tracy Wolff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sometimes, its good to be royal or at least that's what Wildemar's
  playboy prince

thought. Why should the handsome Prince Kian care about what happens at home if he is only the spare ... the just in case royal heir? Life has a way of twisting things about and with the kidnapping of Wildemar's Royal Heir (Garrett), the spare is called to duty.

Every Prince Charming must have the girl from the wrong side of the tracks and that role is filled by Savvy (Savannah), the American who has her own secrets. The hero and the heroine have very good chemistry and while reading it is easy to see what draws them together. Savvy is the independent heroine while Kian is accustomed to women falling at his feet.

For the first installment to the His Royal Hotness series, this was a solid entry with characters (primary and secondary) that kept the reader's interest. Also, there is enough angsty material that makes this first entry hard to put down.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Review: Baby, I'm Howling For You by Christine Warren

Baby, I'm Howling For You by Christine Warren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

WELCOME TO ALPHAVILLE, where the she-wolves and alpha-males play. . .for keeps.

Renny Landry is a wolf on the run. Pursued by a shapeshifting stalker and his slobbering pack of killer coyotes, she is forced to flee her job as a librarian to find sanctuary in the wooded hills of Alpha, Washington. A well-secluded safe space for troubled shifters, Alpha is Renny’s last hope. But the first person she meets there is a gorgeous alpha male with fiery eyes, fierce tattoos, and one ferocious appetite—for her…

Mick Fischer thought he left his past behind when he moved to Alpha. But fate has a way of biting him in the tail when a female wolf shows up on his property. Wounded, desperate—and disarmingly hot—Renny brings out the snarling, protective alpha beast in Mick like no other woman he’s known. Can these two haunted, hunted wolves manage to mate for life…even as the deadliest past demons howl at their heels?

The Review

First, it has to be admitted that the title for this first entry of the Alphaville series is kind of cheesy but besides that, it embodies some of my favorite PNR characters/elements that I love to read about. 

Female red wolf, Renny 'Little Red' Landry is on the run and she is doing everything she possibly can just to stay alive. As for character, Renny would be considered a typical leading female in a Paranormal Romance, but I feel that her character is a bit annoying. When reading paranormal romances, I look for female leads who are strong, have a take-charge attitude, can hold their own in a fight, and have a good bit of common sense. Renny’s character is strong and determined with that keeps her moving forward. What is annoying are the portions of the story where her character willfully misunderstands her counterpart. The misunderstandings between the main characters become a bit of a distraction and I spent a good amount of time fussing at the book … at her character.

A reader actively fussing at the book or being drawn into the character(s) is a very good indicator that the author really, REALLY knows their craft. Just my opinion.

As an alpha male, Mike Fisher is a pretty good lead. His character hits all the good guy benchmarks like he’s handsome, strong, protective attractive and super indulgent. I do feel that there was a bit of an imbalance between the two leading characters. The leading male is an Alpha and not much of that Alphaness got through. Where the leading female willfully misunderstood everything, there wasn’t much on his part to counter her behavior. The author does a good job of detailing this character's background and I would have liked to see more of his past overlap in this story. Just enough to show Mike’s true Alpha abilities.

This is a solid entry into the Alphaville series and there are enough action and crazy secondary characters to keep the reader interested. As secondary characters, the Coyotes are an interesting mix and I really would have liked to see more from them. Their characters are so varied, dysfunctional and it would have been good to see more of the inter-workings of there group.

I look forward to seeing you what happens in the next installment. Overall, 3.5 review for this installment.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing this Arc in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews

About the Author

Born and raised in coastal New England, Christine Warren lived in the South and the Mid-Atlantic before hopping to the other side of the country to take up the life of a transplant in the Pacific Northwest. She completely bypassed those states in the middle due to her landlocking phobia. Hmm, need to research a scientific term for that...

When not scrambling frantically to complete her latest writing project, Christine spends most of her time as a crazy animal lady, hanging out with her dog Levi (he’s the one with the hair) and pretending to train him to have some manners. She also hangs out with her horse, Cal—a thoroughbred with a craving for strawberry licorice twists—her goddog, Merlin; and her best friend, fellow author Hannah Murray. In addition to playing with her pets, Christine’s hobbies include identifying dog breeds from photos of their underbellies, appreciating fine and not-so-fine wines, shopping for the perfect pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over.

She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached via email sent to Christine@christinewarren.net or by postal mail to Christine Warren, PO Box 871900, Vancouver, WA 98687-1900.