E Only Romance Reviews

The Centurion's Prize

2011-08-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

To save their way of life, enemies must become allies.

In the final days of the Roman Empire, the Celtic princess Nara, daughter of a tribal king, has discovered a secret that will shatter the lives of the people and tribes she holds most dear. Once a sworn enemy of the Centurion Corvinus Aelius Martialis, she must now look to him for help.

The Roman’s very presence ignites a powerful and consuming passion within her, one that Nara knows is dangerous and could cost them both their lives…but is she strong enough to resist the Centurion’s all-consuming kiss?

Never one to trust a Celt, let alone a woman, Corvin is taken aback by the bold princess’s bargain. He knows her father is the puppeteer of a very dangerous game involving a rogue band of Rome’s sworn enemies, and he can’t be certain—did the apple fall far from the ambitious, traitorous tree? Or will he claim the fiery princess, body and soul, for his very own?

Set against ancient druidic forests amidst political intrigue and violent betrayal, The Centurion’s Prize is a tale of a love that could save two worlds—or destroy everything in its path.

Content Warning: explicit sex

I had both my likes and dislikes of this story. I loved how well Harper Bennett portrayed the time period and cultural differences. Nara was a good strong lass without being overbearing and snarky. She was a completely believable character and I instantly liked her. Corvin, was a likable character but, for a Centurian General, he seemed a tad soft and gullible around the edges. He fell for Nara a little too fast and hard for a man who has the strict disciplines of the soldier.

There were a few editing and formatting issues (which I don’t hold against the author) such as words pressed together or noun confusion. I did have some difficulty getting through the first chapter due to several characters being introduced at once whose names all started with C (Castus, Corvin, and Caedyrn). There were several times I had to go back and re-read to get them straight. It detracted from the flow of the story, but quickly smoothed out after the first chapter. My only other issue was that sometimes the writing was a bit stilted, especially during the sex scenes. The battle scene, on the contrary, was vivid and realistic.

Despite a few hiccups, I did enjoy the story quite a bit. I loved the plot and how artfully the political tension played out, staying true to the power games that were renowned in governing societies those days. I hope to read more of Harper Bennett’s work in the future.

4 HEARTS!

Kate's Hellion

2011-08-10T13:32:00.000-07:00

Katie thinks she’s going crazy when a baby immortal and death’s personal assistant appear at her doorstep. She’s drawn into a world filled with immortals like Rhyn, an outcast half-breed who claims her as his mate in a show of defiance to his brothers. Rhyn rescues her from Hell and discovers his little human has the gift of immortal immunity that will help his brothers protect the immortal and mortal worlds.

But Rhyn must keep her alive from good and bad immortals determined to use her and her gift of immortal immunity to their advantage, and Katie must find a way to trust the outcast of the immortal world.

Sometimes you come across a book which you just cannot put down. Doesn't matter what you're doing you think about it and are desperate to get back to it. With some books you expect this. The cover, the blurb and the title are all kinds of awesome and you just know you're gonna be in for a treat. What's even better though is when you don't expect it, and the awesomeness comes out of nowhere.

Katie's Hellion, to me, is one of those books.

Here's how I stumbled upon this little treasure. I was perusing Amazon the other day and Katie's Hellion was up as a free read. Why not I thought, the reviews looked good and the premise was intriguing... so I downloaded... and then I read, and couldn't stop reading, and now I'm freaking desperate for the next installment.

Oh yes I should say that Katie's Hellion is part of a trilogy called 'Rhyn Trilogy' and a quick surf has shown that book two isn't finished yet. I bloody hope Lizzy Ford gets a move on because I want to know what happens NOW!

I've sat here tonight trying to understand what exactly it is about this book that I loved so much and I think it's a combination of several things. An intriguing storyline, a likeable hero and heroine and the writing style of the author. She also created a heroine that questioned and rallied and didn't just accept her fate and I like that. Oh, and the secondary characters were fab, I want them all to have their own stories! In the end all this worked so well and I read, read, read, desperate to know what happened. She left me on a freaking cliffhanger though! Urggg... but I'll wait, and book two will be all the more satisfying for it.

Now don't get me wrong Katie's Hellion was not without faults. The complex world Lizzy has created took a little while to get my head around and I felt like she could have explained it a whole lot better and moved the reader along with her a whole lot easier. The beginning was also a little rushed and she glossed over the heroine's emotions a little I felt. I'd have liked a bigger build up, but then I'm a build up kinda girl. What else? Well some parts were a little repetitive, phrases and whatnot and the sex scenes were sweet rather than smoking--but then this is billed as suitable for YA, so I mustn't complain.

Overall I love it, just in case you haven't picked up on that yet, and it is a clear 5 hearts. I WANT more, more, more!!! Now!!!!

The Blood Between

2011-08-07T13:24:00.001-07:00

New to the big city, Kyle is having a hard time fitting in. He has a job, and a roof over his head, but something is missing. One night, after an experience he'd rather leave forgotten, he meets a mysterious man named Luca. Kyle doesn't know it, but they've met before. Soon after, Kyle is thrown headlong into a world of darkness, death, and a secret Luca is struggling to keep.

Will Luca reveal what draws him to Kyle, and more importantly, will Kyle believe him?

Be Warned: m/m sex

What I liked about this short story was the romance between Kyle and Luca. Sometimes in m/m the emotion is sacrificed for the erotic, and whilst I have no probs at all with reading something durrtttyyy, it's nice once in a while to read a book which concentrates more on the romantic aspects.

Kyle was an interesting character, he came across as very vulnerable and so it wasn't difficult to see why he was drawn to the stronger Luca. Talking of Luca he was, IMO, a little bit obvious. I don't mean that in a bad way, just that he seemed a lot like many other vampire type heroes I've read about. It gelled though, because set against the weaker Kyle the author kinda had to have a brooding vamp to make it work.

The sex scenes were well done. Not too erotic that I could literally peer into cavities and not too light to make me frown. As I said I was happy to give up the erotic to get the romance in this one.

My only drawback? Well I would have liked to read more about Luca's past. There was an almost Interview with the Vampire feel to it and I ADORE that book. It would have been nice for the author to expand on that part of the story a little.

Overall I'd recommend this as I quick read whilst sitting in a steamy bath.. which is exactly what I just did!

4 HEARTS.

Destitute Yet Defiant

2011-08-07T07:35:00.001-07:00

I do love a bit of Mills and Boon and this book came from one of my favorite lines. Sarah Morgan is also one of my most loved authors so I knew right from the get go that I was in for a bit of a treat.

The hero was luscious, all sexy and brooding (gotta love my brooding heroes) and the heroine was likeable enough for me to root for her. I do have a thing about financially challenged heroines (been there, done that) and Morgan made her just poor enough for me to want her to get her man but not too poor that I was thinking, ach cliche, cliche! Don't get me wrong she did grate on me at times. She was a bit whiny and I sort of felt like their conflict could have been resolved years ago. Sarah kept it hanging on by a pretty thin thread imo. Still, I can't complain because the ending was happy enough to make me smile, the sex scenes frisky enough to get a nod and the hero lush enough for me to wish I'd created him. So overall I'm left sending Sarah a high five for a happy couple of hours and four well deserved hearts.

Ruthless sicilian, virgin mistress
He’s scarred, sexy, and unashamedly Sicilian…
Silvio Brianza dragged himself out of the slums, but his scars run deep…
She’s defiant, desirable, and utterly disobedient!

Jessie still scrapes her living, scrubbing floors by day and singing in seedy bars by night… Silvio turned his back on that world, but now he’s found Jessie he’s going to make her his!

Jessie may be powerless to resist Silvio’s raw sexuality, but no amount of dresses and diamonds can change their history. He’s her enemy, he’s shunned his past – he’ll never love the street girl she is…will he?

Self-Made Millionaires

Devastating, dark-hearted and…looking for brides

Raising Seth

2011-04-19T12:26:00.001-07:00

This is my first foray into m/m romance. Curiosity got the better of me, it was riding high up the ARE bestseller list, and I thought why the heck not.

So where to start... Eden has a lovely writing style, that struck me immediately. She's also very good at painting believable characters, and giving you a glimpse into their thoughts. Excellent descriptive prose and scene building, and a really good grasp of where to pull the reader in and heat things up.

My main quibbles are the quite obvious age difference between the characters, it kinda put me off--not really feeling like an equal relationship, and I thought the ending was a little cliched.

In terms of the sex scenes, I have to fess up that m/m erotica doesn't really do it for me, it's just not my thing. However I could imagine that if it was your thing the sex scenes were certainly hot enough to raise a little steam.

Overall an enjoyable read.

The Vessel

2011-04-03T05:36:00.000-07:00

Tortured and ruined for all women who cross his path, he still remains the most infamous seducer in a world filled with magic and creatures of myth. His one dream? To destroy the kingdom that took everything he ever cared for. Abigail is everything a man could ask for. She’s sweet and charming, with a little bit of New York flair. She soon realizes her love for a gorgeous prince is the worst decision of her life, and she spirals to new levels of depression. After her kidnapping, it seems her fate is doomed, but she cannot fight the feelings that lurk beneath her conscience. This tortured man who stands before her, offers freedom like she has never felt with another. But will it be enough to erase her past? Trauco’s love goes no further than the women from which he steals. That is, until he sets his heart on the wrong kind of target. Will he finally fall like the others and take on a vessel, or will his battle for vengeance continue?

Original. This is the best word I can give for this book. Rose has created a plot unlike any I've ever read before in this genre. I like original, it can become a little tiresome to read the same sort of formulaic writing in romance, but I did not have to worry with Rose's work. The characters were engaging, well rounded and interesting. The emotional connection between them was wonderfully done, something you don't always see, the emtional coming second to the sexual in some fiery books! The descriptive prose was excellent, and the 'feel', you know that vibe you get from a book, was spot on. Cons? Well it kinda slowed down a little in some place, but soon picked back up--so I'm not going to moan! I am however, going to take a heart off for that, so it's 4 hearts for Rose and The Vessel. Next in the series? Well I don't doubt it'll be excellent, I look forward to release and you know, I wouldn't be suprised to see Miss Rose on the bestsellers list at some point.

Fairy Flavor

2011-03-23T12:31:00.000-07:00

Fairy Flavor by Anna Keraleigh

The fairies are going extinct. The trolls are trying to take the land for their own nefarious purposes and King Carrick, ruler of the fairy kingdom, has found a human mate. Now he just has to convince her to stay amidst the chaos.

Brook finds herself in love with a fairy, as if that isn't strange enough, she's kidnapped by the trolls and asked to be queen of this fantasy kingdom. Her heart screams approval but a man named Valen and some deadly trolls stand between them...

Well now doesn't that sound cool? Fairies, trolls, a king... all the ingredients of something with a bit of... erm... flavor.

So with a fabbo description, and having a bit of a thing myself for fairies, I was intrigued to click this book open and enter Keraleigh's world.

I'm going to say immediately that I did not like the beginning. A couple of pages in I was hmming and haaing--and my main reason for this is the fact that the dialogue was a bit choppaliscous and Brooke a bit too accepting of the whole shabboodle. Keraleigh could, imo, have started the thing with more of a wham.

Fear not though readers, fear not! I implore you to race through these first pages and immerse yourself in the story proper, because oh what a world Keraleigh creates.

You should know by now that I don't give away plots, but I can say that her imagination has created a whimsical world, where luscious fairies wander and things certainly get a lot of flavor. I was totally pulled into the whole thing, her descriptive prose is quite fantastic, and yeah ok, the dialogue chops it up now and then, comes across as a little stilted at time--but you know what, who gives a heck! I was captivated and titillated all at once, smiling as I navigated my way through the story.

I liked Brooke, and Karrick was certainly kingly--they made a likeable and believable couple. The show stealer of the whole book for me though was Valen, poor wingless Valen. Send him my way Keraleigh! I will take him and mend his broken heart!

I guess I should really give this a 4 heart review, because of the few issues I've pointed out, but you know what I'm not going to. I love the world so much, loved the whole concept, that Keraleigh's getting a 5 heart shout out.

I warn though this will be removed immediately if the next story is not Valen's! Please, please Keraleigh I ask you now... in fact I demand... it better be Valen's story!!!!!!

Live it Again

2011-03-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Hugh Nance thought his wife whined too much and his three kids took everything for granted. Hugh Nance was ten years old.

When a bitter, unremarkable forty-seven-year old man's life is cut short on an icy highway, he receives the opportunity to try again.

Hugh is taken back to 1974--back to the body of his boyhood--with all the memories of his middle-aged life in tow. He must re-live the next three-and-a-half decades carefully, or he may never be reunited with his future wife, who he realizes means more to him than he thought.

But the memories of his first family begin to fade as this second life proceeds; old habits kick in and unintended consequences make what seemed like every man's dream into a nightmarish reality...

This is a romance review site... and so we review romance ebooks. There's certainly no shortage of those, and we have a bunch of bodice ripping, vampire biting, fairy flirting ebooks awaiting our attention. But every once in a while we come across a book that, whilst not traditionally a romance, still has enough romantic elements in it to sway our typing fingers. So this week I'm very pleased to serve up something a little different, the treat that is Live it Again.

First off I should fess up right off the bat that the author, Geoff North, is a good friend of mine. That doesn't guarantee him a good review though, as I'm often harsher on my friends than I would be on everyone else (they eventually forgive me for it). Thankfully I don't need to get my claws out with this one, because Live it Again is one heck of a book.

Actually if I'm honest it was a bit too captivating. I'd planned to make cupcakes last night and thought I could dip in and out of Live it Again whilst whisking my mixture and piping my icing. Ah... the best laid plans... The cupcakes did not come to fruition. I curled up on my chair and read the whole thing in one swift sitting, and damn I'm glad I did.

Live it Again tells the story of Hugh Nance, a man embittered by his life, his lost opportunities and his lack of success. One night his life changes drastically and he is given the chance to live it all again--and he does, literally, from the age of ten years old.

Just imagine that for a moment. Being back in your ten year old form with all the memories you have now. What a fab idea... or so you'd think. Trouble is it's not all new opportunities, chances to make amends etc, because for Hugh to meet up with his family again, as in meet his wife and have their children, Hugh is constrained by what he can and can't change. He has to steer a difficult course through his 'second life' and Mr. North charts that course with some beautiful writing.

Imagine knowing when your parents are going to die, when your friends might meet an untimely end, or the things you hold most precious might be taken from you. Mr. North addresses all of this and more than once I felt tears rising behind my eyes. The relationship with his wife is thoughtfully done, and one moment in the book made me pause in delight. The first time Hugh sees her again since he was 'reborn'. It was quite captivating.

By the last chapter I was sobbing quite freely. Everything is brought together in such a way that you don't expect it at all, a tricky thing for any author to pull off--but Mr. North manages it. I'm gushing I know, and certainly, I don't want you to think it was all chocolate and bunnies. There were a few issues with this book that made me frown.

I was not at all keen on the whole diary entry device as a way to pull the plot onwards. I felt this was a little lazy and Mr. North could have made the book even better by including these moments in the actual plot. I'd like to have seen more of the relationship with his wife and children and more about his feelings with his new life.

Nevertheless I will forgive Mr. North these things. The bad is far outweighed by the good. It's four stars for this one and I'm looking forward to reading more from this new author.

You can buy Live it Again here. Let me know what you think if you do!

Visit Geoff North's website here, and check out the freebie reads.

Perfect Score

2011-03-05T13:16:00.001-08:00

By Susan Roebuck, from Awe Struck Publishing

Feckless, exasperating Alex Finch is a rich, handsome and talented singer/songwriter who longs for two things: a career as a professional rock singer, and to have his love for Sam Barrowdale reciprocated. But drifter Sam's two aims are simply to earn enough money to pay his sister's medical bills and to hide from the world his reading/writing and speech disability. At this time the word "dyslexia" is generally unknown so to most people he's just a "retard". From the severe knocks life's dealt him, Sam's developed a tough outer coating and he has no time for a spoilt, selfish guitar player.

Despite his defects, Alex's love for Sam never wavers and when Sam unexpectedly disappears, Alex begins a somewhat bungling quest to find him, only to discover that Sam has a fearful enemy: Alex's powerful and influential yet sociopathic uncle.

As Alex spirals downwards towards alcoholism, many questions need answering. Just why did Alex's evil uncle adopt him at age eleven yet deny him any affection? And what's the mystery behind Alex's father's death?

Both seem to face unbeatable odds. Are they doomed to follow separate paths forever?

This is a romance that isn't really a romance, if that makes sense. It's about family life, coming of age, responsibility and finding your place--the romance is almost secondary, and at many points in the book I read and wondered how, and if, the romantic resolution was going to come about. It does though and in such a beautiful way. Honestly, I can't express just how well written that resolution is!

Centred around Alex and Sam Perfect Score tells the story of two people struggling to make sense of life and themselves in the 1960's. Ms. Roebuck writing style clearly expresses this time period, and though it was a little tricky at first to get used to the language she uses, I soon got into the saddle so to speak.

The characters of Alex and Sam are wildly different and this difference is perfectly (excuse the pun) shown throughout the book. You find yourself wondering who has it hardest of the two, Sam with his dyslexia or Alex with his evil uncle. Either way the characters are complex enough to grab your attention and keep it there. I'm still not sure who I liked the most. Sam seems the obvious but Alex grows on me with each reading (third time now).

I'm not going to give away the plot--I hate it when that happens--but I will say that the author has created something here that is a long way from the romantic norm. This is no easy read, the story, in many places, is so complex that you have to give it your absolute attention, each page must be carefully devoured before the next.

Again, no spoilers, but there is more than enough conflict to keep you on the edge and the author pulls it all together by the end of the book. Breath held I flipped (electronically of course) through the last pages, fists clenched, hoping to get the ending I wanted.

Ms Roebuck does not dissapoint and I would urge you to buy this book and add it to your keeper collection.

It can't be anything less than 5 hearts.

The Genie of the Portrait

2011-02-28T10:47:00.000-08:00

Three nights of pleasure…will it be enough?

Amanda had always been forgiving, until the night of her engagement. It was at that moment, when she found her fiancé banging the waitress in the bathroom, that she changed. Never again. Men were not going to use her ever again.

So when she found William’s portrait and learned that his sole purpose for existing was to please her, an electrifying relationship resulted. Her genie offered her three nights of pleasure. And Amanda quickly realized she wanted more.

I have one major issue with this book, and that is the length. I wish it could have gone on for longer, I'd have been happy with another hundred pages. It felt a little rushed, but then I knew it was a novella so what the hell am I complaining about? That said, my moaning aside, Ms. Burke has done a good job with the amount of words she had.

It's an excellent twist on the genie idea, and Amanda was an engaging character. William was lovely, sigh-be-still-my heart-lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed the passionate scenes between the two.

I had a couple of qualms about how quickly Amanda accepted the situation, but give the girl a break she'd had a hard time of it.

All in all a nice, quick read, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Indecent Encounters

2011-02-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a woman needs more than a lover…

Independent, lustful ladies find pleasure and intrigue with more than one man, from a scandalous vacation in Australia, to a forced seduction at a cabin in the woods. A witch needs to break a shameful spell, and an older woman slakes her sexual needs with two younger men. Cougars purr with unrequited desire and werewolves compete for the love of their mate. Satisfaction is just a sigh away as a surgeon bends the rules for her patient, and an over-stressed boss finds more than a little peace with secret admirers.

Find out what wicked delights await you with Indecent Encounters.

8 Author Anthology

Raw by Amarinda Jones. Be Warned: f/m/m/m/m/m, m/m, bondage, sex toys, anal sex.

Taken by Three by Delilah Hunt. Be Warned: menage a quatre, forced seduction.

Post Op by Erin O'Riordan. Be Warned: menage a trois, brief m/m interaction.

The Birthday Surprise by Pepper Anthony. Be Warned: menage a trois

Admired by Ashlynn Monroe. Be Warned: menage a trois, anal sex.

Waking the Lioness by Tessa Monroe. Be Warned: menage a trois, brief m/m interaction.

Do It Fur Love by Melissa Hosack. Be Warned: menage a trois.

The Problem With Love Spells by Angelina Rain. Be Warned: menage a trois, anal sex.

Dear lord fan me down and get me some more batteries!!! Geez this is one HOT book.

Okay, deep breath... where was I, reviewing yes... so...

Well firstly, I love a book that's covered in 'Be Warned' tags. I like being warned, it means there's going to be plenty of action... and damn action there is. Did I mention it was hot???

Secondly, I love anthos, so was pre-disposed from the start to like this one. It's always a treat to get a whole bunch of blood pumping stories in one book, I kinda feel like I've gotten a bargain somehow and the publisher doesn't realize, plus you can take your time, read one here and there, and just enjoy the experience. You need time with this one, damn do you need time. Read the first, take a deep breath and some ice and then start the next. This whole breath-ice-breath-ice thing will see you through the whole book, trust me on this. Did I mention it was hot???

Thirdly, this antho has a group of very talented authors who know just how to raise the temperature. I've read work from some of these authors before so it was fab to be able to pick them out and read their latest offering. Almost like looking up old friends. There's something for everyone from witches casting spells to medical mmm-hmmm and even some cougar action. Did I mention is was hot???

All in all I have absolutely no choice but to rate this five stars, it would be indecent of me to give it anything less!

Oh and did I mention it was hot???

2011-02-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

Martine's tarot cards didn't warn of the handsome stranger about to walk into her life.

Wade didn't want to fall for the sexy gypsy causing havoc in his.

Neither knew of the magic that brought them together or the evil that threatens to tear them apart.

Mama Susu has watched over Martine for years and believes Wade can give her the love she craves. After using her powerful magic to bring them together, she prepares to do battle with Clairvius - the bokor obsessed with Martine and determined to end Wade's life.

Voodoo and betrayal in the heart of New Orleans. Can their love be saved by Mama's Charm?

I've never read a romance involving voodoo, so I was intrigued to open this one (on the Kindle of course, ebooks only here!), and despite the fact it's in 1st person pov (not my fav type), I was not disappointed.

Martine is an engaging character, right from the very first page I liked her and wanted to get to know her better. Wade was a little different. At first I thought he was a bit of a wimp and I did not like it. I don't like wimpy men in my romances. But as the story develops I realized that Wade was actually an honourable man trapped in an awful situation. You really start to feel for him and want him to get some resolution. By page eighty odd I was oohing and ahhing over him.

And talking of oohing, damn does Ms. Ryder know how to write good sex. She constructed her love scenes so beautifully, steamy yet loving--something that is always difficult to convey.

I don't want to give the plot away but Ms. Ryder offers us plenty of unexpected twists and turns, more than enough to keep my eyes glued to the screen. She also created some interesting secondary characters and her descriptive prose is fantastic.

It's four hearts all the way, buy this one, settle down with some chips, and enjoy a satisfying few hours.

Buy here

Learn more about Luxie Ryder here.

Watch the video for Mama's Charm here.

Beyond the Wall

2011-02-15T03:22:00.000-08:00

Angelina knows all about survival. She can handle the tough city streets where crime and chaos are the norm. When she finally flees to the protected community of West Caper, she meets her match with the handsome small town cop.

Brandon is everything Angelina is not. He’s only known safety, security, and the love of his family. When he tries to bring Angelina into his world, she resists, unable to settle down and trust after living a life on the run.

The walls around the town are unable to protect the couple forever.

Will Angelina’s past threaten the new happiness she’s found with Brandon? Can the secret she carries help a world set on destroying itself?

I wanted to read this one purely because of the premise. I loved the idea of a protected community whilst the rest of the world is in chaos. Ms. Espino did not disappoint in this regard, the descriptions of the ‘cities’ were intriguing and I’d have loved more of this. The characters were engaging, Angelina in particular was a feisty heroine and I always enjoy strong female characters. The sexual tension hummed along nicely without being overly overt, meaning the intimate scenes were all the better for it.

Overall an enjoyable read my only grumble (in a good way), is that the ending was a little rushed and I’d have liked a longer story. I’d have been happy to keep reading for another hundred pages.

Buy here http://www.evernightpublishing.com/products/Beyond-The-Wall-by-Stacey-Espino.html