Tag: 4.5 Stars

Taking Her in Hand


Taking Her in Hand
by Marlee Wray







This is an author who is a little bit hit-or-miss for me.  Taking Her in Hand was definitely a huge hit, in fact there wasn’t really anything in it I could criticise. OK there is one thing – but it is very minor! The story starts about half-way through the blurb, we first meet Laci after the party that proves too much for the kink/BDSM/DD gated community she lives in.

I can predict some readers may have issues with Laci, what I see as dealing with loss, feeling alone and maybe just a bit of burying her head in the sand, others might interpret as childishness and even whiny behaviour. For me the author created a backstory for this character that totally explained the where and why of how Laci was. And she grows so much through this story, not just maturing but also getting stronger.

Eric could have come across as sleazy, but I was so drawn in by his passion for Laci. His desire not just for her but for her well-being sold me on him being a worth-my-time hero. Yes he didn’t always have the best words or actions to help Laci over her grief but that only made him feel a perfectly imperfect human. What I really liked was how the author allowed Laci to make decisions on her own. Too often in D/s books I find that the woman isn’t allowed a brain, the Dom is written as knowing what the heroine thinks/needs/knows better than she does. Oh my word does that bit of unreality annoy the heck out of me.

Now Laci’s slow progress to accepting her new feelings does lead to what some might consider OW drama, though it only touches the very edges. Kudos to the author for flipping overused cliches in how Eric felt and his actions over the situation. The slow progress doesn’t mean we don’t get plenty of heat and sexy times, some of which involves our couple (without intercourse) and some involves other couples in the community.

Whilst the setting is clearly kink/ Ds based, there isn’t a great deal of BDSM type play, though there is one very hot medical play scene towards the end. It has just enough for those who enjoy the kink but not so much that those unsure would be turned off.

This is a nice, steamy, NSFW kinky read.










Laci had just aged out of foster care and was jobless and sleeping on friends’ couches when she met Colin. He gave her the loving attention and firm-handed discipline she needed, and soon they were married and living happily in Haywood Hills, a community of likeminded people where a man spanking his wife when she is naughty is nothing out of the ordinary.

Then Colin died of a sudden, tragic illness, and Laci has been lost ever since. After a year of increasingly irresponsible behavior on her part, things finally come to a head. When Laci invites outsiders into Haywood Hills and her recklessness puts everyone at risk, she is given a choice. She can accept the guidance and correction she clearly requires or leave the community.

The man tasked with taking her in hand is Eric Renard, a close friend of Colin’s whom Laci has always considered too stern. When Laci reluctantly agrees to the community’s demands, she quickly finds herself over her handsome new guardian’s knee for a painful, embarrassing bare-bottom spanking in front of a room full of witnesses. Eric makes it clear that he will not put up with Laci’s sharp tongue and defiant attitude, and over the coming weeks his intimate, shameful punishments leave her with blushing cheeks and a burning backside on more than one occasion.

Eric’s bold dominance rekindles Laci’s passion in a way she thought nothing ever could, and part of her cannot help yearning for him to claim her properly, but is she truly ready to put aside the past and make a place in her heart for him?

Publisher’s Note: Taking Her in Hand includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.



Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

Exquisite Possession (The Machinery of Desire, #4)


Exquisite Possession 
(The Machinery of Desire, #4)
by Cari Silverwood


I’m featuring a ‘blast from the past’ review today. Cari Silverwood is, without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite author to read. I just adore her unusual mix of sarcastic humour, filthy depraved kink and incredible sci-fi.

It’s difficult to compare her work to another authors – she has such a unique voice. However the best I can do is say Douglas Adams but with dub-con, whips and bondage sex! There are also times when she is clearly channeling the spirit of the dearly missed Terry Pratchett.

There quite simply isn’t another author who can make me snigger at her subtle wit, get very hot under the collar (whilst also occasionally cringing in terror) at her kinky sex scenes and stand in awe of her superlative world building skills.








Fast paced, filthy, funny, frenzied and fabulous. An exciting, humorous and often thought provoking conclusion to this epic series.


I’m probably (OK definitely) going to take a while to get to the crux of this review, so I’m going to lay down now how much I LOVED this book, how gripping the story was, how fabulous the characters were, how hot the sex was and how sad I am that the series has ended. Whilst this can be read as JI and Fern’s stand alone story, reading the series will give you a better understanding of where all the other characters fit, along with how and why certain events happen.

I fuck therefore I am. He would rewrite Emery’s ideas on what made a self-aware AI.

JI/Osta, Exquisite Possession


Acquired Possession , book #1 of the Machinery of Desire series was my first ever Cari Silverwood read. (Actually that’s a slight fib, My Romance Curse was the first but since that was written on a whim and a dare I’m not counting it here.) I saw adverts for that book, downloaded a sample and immediately 1-clicked to purchase the book as soon as I got to the end of the sample. I haven’t looked back since – I’m still not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing 😉

“Girl,” he sucked in air. “This was my best idea. I hope you and Aunt M have a better one.”
Now to return to feeling lost and despairing.
It seemed late in life to take up biting his nails.

JI/Osta, Exquisite Possession


Each book in the series has brought something new to the story of Aerthe and it’s inhabitants. Each tale has opened our eyes to a new facet of what life is like for its people. They’ve also contained some downright filthy and perverted sex scenes, and boy are they wonderful to read. Now normally I’d be bleating on about the amazing world building skills of the author, but in Exquisite Possession she took things in a different direction. We had a story that looked inwards at what makes us human and what constitutes a good or a bad person, rather than focusing on the outwards.

Still learning how to human … Some days he seemed a cross between her perfect Dom and a teenager.

JI/Osta and Fern, Exquisite Possession



JI/Osta was a mechanoid, a sentient robot for want of a better description. He took over a ‘human’ body (or technically a Scav body) in Book 2 of the series. Fern is a human, dragged through time and space, otherwise known as a portal, to become a blood slave to the Mekkers. Only Fern stabbed the judge who ruled that they weren’t ‘sentient’ enough to have rights and ended up being ejected from their landship broken, battered, bruised and close to death. So it’s fair to say that both characters come with a fair bit of baggage.

The first part of this book focuses on JI and his battles with the fantasies he has about Fern. Fantasies that include pain, humiliation and domination. Fantasies that just perhaps Fern might have too.

With a thrill to top what already had grabbed his balls … he realized Fern could be his experiment. His little experiment on sex.
Little being more due to her size compared to his, not to what was possible. Because there was everything. Possibilities seemed endless. He, an ex-mech with control of a girl.

JI/Osta, Exquisite Possession



JI goes through a lot of soul searching, but it never felt too introspective or naval gazing. Usually because CS would always drop in some of her wonderful humour when things started getting a little too serious.

“I would never hurt you more than you want,”

JI/Osta, Exquisite Possession



This was much more of a love story than any of the other books, possibly with the exception of Blue and Sassik’s story. It still retained dark edges and some very extremely kinky play, some of which involved the surgical implantation of blunt spikes around a part of JI’s anatomy. However JI was always far too caring to ever truly be a bad man, and given Fern’s traumatic past he was the perfect hero for both her and us. That didn’t stop him from using the connection both he and Fern had with the mechlings to his own benefit.

“Is a part of you still Osta? The thinking part of you?”
“No. I’m not him at all. I told you that.”
He wanted to ask her if that would scare her more than she could bear but didn’t dare to. Because the answer might scare him.

JI/Osta and Fern, Exquisite Possession



The second part of the story is more ‘traditional’ sci-fi action, if being strung up naked on the nose cone of a war ship, your body pierced by countless wires, could ever be considered traditional. Like all truly great books, lots of strands and easter egg clues all wove together to bring a very satisfying ending to this amazing series. Did I also mention that there is a lot of very hot, kinky and lust filled sex?

Exquisite Possession
US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MDWKTYG/
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MDWKTYG/
CA – https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07MDWKTYG/
AU – https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07MDWKTYG/

Box Set
US – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WHY8M49/
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WHY8M49/
CA – https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07WHY8M49/
AU – https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07WHY8M49/




KINGMAKER SAGA #5 – Dark Horse




Dark Horse
(The Kingmaker Saga #5)
by London Miller



Oh my that twist!

For a while I thought this would be a 3 star book (4 on Amazon), good but not great. However I’m now debating between 4 and 5 stars! The start was slower, less intense than previous books, we met several new characters and also learnt a lot more about some of the supporting characters. On reflection this world and character building was vital, building up to the most emotional of endings. Karina and Uilleam are not the people they once were, and I’ve gone from loving to hating and back to loving them at various times through both this and the DoM series. I can’t wait for this pair to get the HEA they so very much deserve.

As already mentioned there is a huge bombshell of a twist, you start getting hints half-way through the book. The signposts for the big reveal are intentionally very obvious and easy to spot because the beauty of London Miller’s writing is in the subtle, tiny, little details. She weaves seemingly irrelevant snippets of information into complex stories and she breathes such life into her characters that you feel, live and breathe their emotions.

Whilst much anticipated resolutions are attained, suddenly the rug is pulled out from under our feet and we discover that the bad guy was someone else all along. Now I’m left wondering just what will happen in the next book, Alpha Omega, and hoping that London finds time, amidst becoming a first-time mom, to continue writing this series.


PS will we ever find out what happened to Uilleam’s uncle?





First came love.
Then came hate.
And now? Now, there was only war.

When he crossed paths with Karina Ashworth all those years ago, Uilleam Runehart didn’t expect his world to get turned upside down—but he also hadn’t known what it meant to love someone as he loved her.

But greed can corrupt so easily, and what he possessed, he lost just as quickly.

Even knocked off his feet, however, Uilleam isn’t one to back down without a fight, no matter how impossible the odds.

There’s a reason they call him the Kingmaker, and now it’s time to show everyone what that title really means.

From Romantic Suspense Author, London Miller, comes the next thrilling installment in the Kingmaker Saga where emotions run high and love may be the thing that saves them all …






AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / GOODREADS



Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

THALIA BOOK #2

Striking a Balance (Thalia, #2)
by Jennifer Bene

Since I featured Security Binds Her yesterday, I thought I’d post my review of the second story in the series today. Striking a Balance, whilst not particularly dark, is still a full of emotion and a brilliant follow up to the first book.

A really good follow up to Security Binds Her

The first thing I will say is that Striking a Balance must be read after reading Security Binds Her. This book really won’t make any sense without an indepth knowledge of the events that occur in Book #1.

Whilst the first book is a very dark read, this was much more of a contemporary BDSM romance read, though I do believe the next book edgers into darker territory. Having read and loved SBH, I very much wanted to continue on this journey with Thalia. Although the story didn’t quite proceed in the way I imagined it would, it is still a very captivating and engaging read. In fact I thoroughly enjoyed it, loving how it was more about getting to know James, the hero, and to understand the dynamic between he and Thalia

This picks up from where SBH ends, with Thalia setting off to begin her new life with James. At one point (and this was a fair chunk into the book) I began to wonder why Thalia wasn’t receiving more help following her captivity, rape and torture. I got that letting the authorities know what had happened would put James in the firing line, but with his resources he should have been able to get her some type of support. It was almost enough to reduce my enjoyment of the book, until it wasn’t. Stick with it because, just as I reached that point, we get a very unexpected twist that leads to truths being revealed and a total change in direction of the book.

Most of the time it felt as though Thalia still remained a captive, captive in a different way but still not truly free. This gave a much needed edge to the book and kept me reading. She is so totally lost that at times it was difficult to ‘get’ her character, but that is the whole point. I felt that the author did an amazing job of portraying how very broken Thalia is.

Written in third person the book also allowed me to get a very good feel for James, both as a character and also as a Dom. There were times I wanted to shake the arrogance from him, thankfully Thalia did a damn good job of doing just that when her confession pulled the rug out from under his feet. He has a selfish streak, that was shown by the fact that he watched footage of Thalia, knowing the girl wasn’t a willing trainee slave. But I liked how it made him fallible and human, so much more believable as a ‘hero’.

Finally, and oh my word, that cliffhanger – the only reason I’m not cursing the author is because book #3 is already available, lol!




Thalia may be free, but can she learn to live after the darkness?

Thalia and James have just met under the most insane of circumstances. He purchased her at an underground auction from a man who kidnapped her, tormented her, and sold her to the highest bidder.

In their first few months together Thalia wants to view James as her savior, her knight in shining armor that she can stay with in safety, but she can’t escape the trauma she went through and the lingering effects it has caused. James isn’t sure, now that he has Thalia, if he can handle the depth of submission she displays.

Can James help her strike a balance between who she is as a person and her newfound craving for submission, or will her urge to submit swallow her whole until James has no choice but to set her free?


AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / GOODREADS

Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

HIS WILLING OMEGA #1

Yes, Alpha (His Willing Omega, #1)
by Merel Pierce



Not just Yes, Alpha, but yes please and thank you very much Alpha!

This is a short read that managed to provide some great world building alongside making me fall in love with both Daniel and Meghan. Whilst Daniel is all alpha and Meghan an omega, this is not the dark omegaverse worlds we are more familiar with. Instead this is a BDSM story, heavy on the consent, lighter on the kink and chock full of heat. I adored this opening episode, which could in theory be read as a standalone, since it ends on a HFN note. However once you’ve experienced the sheer smexiness that is Daniel, and the beautiful soul that is Meghan you will not only want, but will also need, to follow their story until the end.

Meghan is a total newbie to the scene, so I felt that Daniel’s insistence on taking things slowly was perfect. I just know that the heat level will increase ten-fold in the next book, and Daniel will push Meghan to the very edges of her limits. I don’t want to spoil anything but there is a beautiful example of not only how consensual all activities are, but the depth of caring that Daniel showed to the relatively inexperienced Meghan, towards the end of the book. When you get to the piece of black fabric you’ll know what I mean. To my mind this was perfect, allowing Meghan to build trust with a man who was still relatively a stranger to her.

The book is written third person and, even though view points change fairly often, I never struggled with knowing which character I was following. Best of all the dual point of view really allowed me to get a feel of both characters, seeing the desperate loneliness of an isolated and misunderstood omega and the dominant but deeply caring nature of the alpha who was called by her. I just hope Merel Pierce cracks on with writing the next book as I already have a Daniel and Meghan shaped hole in my heart.





Meghan

I don’t belong here.
A BDSM club isn’t a safe place for an unattached Omega.
I should know better, but I can’t help myself.
He’s just too perfect an Alpha to resist.

*
Daniel

She’s so sweet and vulnerable,
I can hardly stand it.
She needs a real Alpha to show her how it’s meant to be.
She may not wear my mark,
but she’ll wear my collar.


***His Willing Omega is a novella length Omegaverse/BDSM romance. It is a work of fiction meant for adults. While the relationship between the main characters is consensual, it will contain aspects of power exchange. If you are uncomfortable with this trope, please consider whether or not this book is right for you.***





AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / GOODREADS

Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

CULTIVATED #2

ATLAS (Cultivated #2)
by Elin Peer


MY REVIEW – 4.5 STARS

One of the things I really love about this author’s work is that you get so much more than just a love story. Her characters are multi-faceted and have incredible depth, so much so that you feel as though they might step off the page and into your life. The plots are always amazing, avoiding all the usual cliches yet complex and thought provoking too.

Atlas is such a conflicted character, ashamed of his sexually dominant nature, convinced he’s inherited psychopathic tendencies from his father. Jolene is a wonderfully strong and determined heroine, so very real in her actions and reactions. Atlas is haunted by his past, Jolene is hunted by a very real present day threat. The question is can this unlikely pair overcome the barriers they have placed between themselves.

I found myself emotionally invested in the characters and their story, found myself caring about their lives, hopes and dreams. With several different plot strands that cleverly weave together into a rich tapestry, Atlas is one fabulous, well written, and incredibly captivating read.








Is there a place for a man with a troubled past and a dark psyche?

Warning: Don’t pick up this book unless you have the capacity to embrace the imperfect and see light in the darkness.
It’s not a sweet romance, but it does have a satisfying end.

This book dives into the darkest corners of Atlas’ mind. He’s the son of a cult leader and battles some serious inner demons.

There were darling readers in my review team who couldn’t stomach his dominant nature or the fact that we get to see what his father did that disgusted Atlas so much. That scene was important though, because it shows why Atlas’ biggest fear is that he’s just like his father.





People think that I’m a nice guy.
They’re wrong!
What they see is the polished, non-threatening, good guy that I want them to see.
It helps distract them from the darkness within me.
No one can know that I have a sick mind like my dad, the infamous monster from the Red Manor Cult.
Except, unlike him, I suppress my urge to dominate, hurt, and control.
Every day, I tell myself that I’m NOT my father; that I’m a better man.
But after Jolene began working for me, my control is slipping.
It feels like there’s a wolf inside me, stirring, growling, and pushing to get to Jolene. The fantasies of the disturbing things the wolf wants to do to her, haunts me.
I can’t allow the wolf to get control over me… or Jolene!

**This is not a stand-alone. You must read Charlie(Cultivated #1) first.





Available in Kindle Unlimited
Buy Links:
US: https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Cultivated-Book-E…/…/B07Y49YYLD
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atlas-Cultivated-Book…/…/B07Y49YYLD
CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Atlas-Cultivated-Book-El…/…/B07Y49YYLD



About the author:
Elin Peer is the author of the popular series, Men of the North, Clashing Colors, and the Slave Series. Her books are fast-paced, thought-provoking, and always offer humor and a solid romance story at the core.

Website: http://elinpeer.com/

Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

Elemental Fae Academy

Elemental Fae Academy: Book Three
(Elemental Fae Academy #3)
by Lexi C. Foss & J.R. Thorn

A Brilliant action packed, scorching hot and very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.


This is a reverse harem series and all three books must be read in order. It builds on events and information from the previous two books and can not be read stand alone.

I loved how all the lose ends from the story were neatly tied up – even ones I hadn’t realised existed. Clever writing ensured that the bond between Claire and her guys, Exos, Vox, Cyrus, Titus and Sol, was convincingly portrayed, it was also great to see the guys forming bonds of their own, especially between those who had struggled to see eye-to-eye with each other in the past.

Whilst I really, really enjoyed the book as a whole and couldn’t have asked for a better plot, I did find the first quarter quite slow moving. The plot really didn’t feel like it moved forward in any significant way. For me there was too much unnecessary sex in this part of the book. I’d already been convinced of Claire’s bond with/attraction to/love for the guys in Book #2 and didn’t need more here.

Once the pace picked up, boy was I totally and utterly gripped by this book. Reading it at any opportunity, not wanting to put it down and loving every word of it. Whilst there weren’t too many ‘bad guy’ possibilities, I preferred that to suddenly finding out it was someone we had never even heard of previously. The build up to the final confrontation was brilliant, with both successes and failures along the way.

This is a fantastic reverse harem series that successfully develop 6 main characters, making them feel like individuals and giving them depth. The story is twisted, fast paced and packed with danger, frustration and struggles, as well as love, support and hope. The writing is excellent and it’s very much a set of books that I happily recommend.

Amazon US: https://geni.us/ZWaq
Bookbub: https://bit.ly/2R215K0
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37Gz14y

How is a girl supposed to concentrate with five hot fae mentors? It’s not like I have a lot to do or anything.

Royal Coronations.Finals.A Solstice Ball.And a mother hellbent on ruining the fae world.
Just another ordinary day for me, Claire Summers, the halfling fae with access to all five elements.
Everyone is counting on me, even my esteemed mentor, Elana. Because I’m the only one with enough power to take my mother down.
But what if it’s all a lie? What if the bad guy I’ve been chasing all along is the one standing right by my side?
I’m in for the fight of my life with five fae protectors and an ally I never saw coming. It’s up to us to save the Fae Kingdom before it’s too late. And it’ll require giving my heart to all my mates, to guard and to hold, for eternity and beyond.

Note: This is book three of the Elemental Fae Academy trilogy. There’s a lot of heat in this one, and a scene you don’t want to miss between Cyrus, Exos, and Claire.

Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

Pytes, Sentinels and things that go bump in the night…

Without Regret
(Pyte/Sentinel Series Book 2) 
by R.L. Mathewson

I loved this packed full of snark, action and emotion story

I read the first book in the series a couple of years ago and bought the rest soon after. Then foolishly never actually got around to reading them. Over the weekend I realised I have over 300 bought books that I haven’t yet read and I’m hoping this is the first step in remedying that oversight.

Pretty much from the first pages I was absolutely addicted to this book. I read it into the early hours even though it was a work day. I read it during any quick breaks I got during work. I read it the moment I got home and didn’t put it down until I’d finished the book.

Chris and Izzy are mates, there will never be another for them, it’s part of the Sentinel way. However Izzy isn’t quite what Chris wanted or hoped for, and Izzy had absolutely no idea what was going on most of the time. So many times I wanted to shake Chris or slap him around the back of the head. A lot of reviewers hated him, he really is a total bum-wipe a lot of the time. However I can understand why he acted as he did and the only reason I forgave him was because in the end he suffered more than Izzy did. Izzy was just so perfectly imperfect, a little bat *ahem* crazy, totally sweet and very quirky. The pair had a love-hate relationship that sizzled with one heck of a lot of chemistry.

The story is a fast paced, action packed, thrilling and exciting ride. I couldn’t read it quickly enough and absolutely loved every minute of it. In fact the only reason it didn’t get all 5 stars was that the book had a LOT of missing words, and other errors that should have been caught during beta reading an editing. Normally I can ignore it but at some points of the story their were errors on every page and it did become a little distracting. Despite that I really would still recommend this book.


AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / GOODREADS

Chris Williams is used to making sacrifices. For years he’s done his duty by his family and his calling as he awaited the one person that was meant for him. When she finally came into his life she was nothing like the woman he’d expected. Instead of being the warrior ready to help him protect his family and the humans under his care he got…..

A computer geek named Isabella, who somehow managed to get her name on every Master’s hit list. One minute she admits that she’d made a foolish mistake and the next she’s kidnapped, held hostage by a crazy cult who steals her chocolate and she’s sure is after her program, a program she has no plans on giving up anytime soon. As she tries to keep her wits about her the sexiest man she’s ever seen claims her, only he doesn’t seem to happy about it. It’s clear that he doesn’t want her, but the stubborn man just won’t let her go even when it’s clear that he may not have a choice.

Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.

A Step Back In Time

CELT (Den Of Mercenaries #2)
by London Miller

Despite feeling like I have a mountain of arc books to read (a situation I really need to resolve by perhaps stepping down from several teams) I’ve recently been struggling with having enough reviews to share. So I’ve gone into the Goodreads vaults and dug out some from several years ago. My eye was caught by the Den of Mercenaries series, particularly since I know there is another book in the linked Kingmaker series due out soon. If you haven’t read her yet I highly recommend London Miller’s work to you. She is an amazing author who writes romantic suspense/organised crime/mercenary plots that are deep, multi-layered and very complex. The strands weave together into the richest of tapestries sporting the most stunning of patterns.

Sadly whilst I have read the first book, coincidentally named Red, it was in the days before I religiously recorded every review on Goodreads. So I’m starting with the second book of the series, which features an Irish art thief and the innocent girl who gets caught up in his world.

I loved Amber and I loved Celt. I do need to ask though, why does no-one ever warn the hero that keeping secrets will only lead to trouble?

Celt is just such a well written, captivating and incredibly twisty romantic suspense. The main characters have genuine depth, felt like real people you could meet tomorrow (even despite one being a mercenary!) and had amazing chemistry. Celt is just such a swoon-worthy hero, completely stealing my heart. His intention was to use Amber, but very quickly she came to mean the whole world to him.

The intrigue feels totally plausible and is combined with little breadcrumb hints of mystery, enough to send your brain into a frenzy. Celt is packed with action, adventure and peril that has you turning pages as fast as you possible can. There is also a wonderful love story that totally draws you in. Finally there is the ever mysterious, slightly sinister Kingmaker, pulling so many strings behind the scenes.

I really enjoyed this, although it is part of a series it can easily be read as a standalone. However I will warn you that once you enter the world of the Den of Mercenaries you will not be happy until you know just what Uilleam is up to and exactly how he has manipulated all the characters into their current positions. London Miller’s writing will enthral you and leave you needing more.

I definitely recommend not just the book, but the whole series.

Amazon US –> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IFSE56S

Amazon UK–> https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01IFSE56S

Amazon CA–> https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01IFSE56S

Amazon AU–> https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01IFSE56S

Welcome to the Den …

Six minutes is all he needs to get a job done …

Kyrnon “Celt” Murphy is one of the best thieves in the world. After all, his childhood was spent with a caravan of Irish Travelers that taught him everything he knows.

He got in …

He got out …

No witnesses …

When his latest assignment, one that even the best of thieves couldn’t pull off, brings him into contact with a girl that awakens a part of him he long thought dead, Kyrnon is reluctant to walk away.

But in his trade, witnesses meant consequences …

And sometimes those consequences meant death …

Dark Paranormal Romance

Earlier this year I came across a series of books by a new-to-me author. They were a scorching hot mix of shifter/paranormal and spanking/domestic discipline romance. The heroines in Delta James’ Wayward Mates series are all strong, determined women who know their own minds, enjoy their mates dominance and endure the spankings they get because they know the sex that follows is mind blowing. Plus they love their fated mates.

In the last few books of the series we discover the heroines are no where near as well behaved as their mates believe them to be. Not happy to sit safely in the background whilst the men deal with turbulence in their patriarchal society, the women have been planning and plotting their own moves behind the scenes.

The series reached a natural end but both the readers and author weren’t quite ready to say goodbye to this world yet. So what emerged was a new series, set in a dystopian future where technology has disappeared and life is lived more like it was in medieval times. The first book was Warlord, which I’ve reviewed on here previously. The next book, Overlord is the focus of this post. The really great news is that future books are also in the pipeline.

OVERLORD by Delta James

Please be aware this is a DARK romance, which means it contains some elements of dubious/non-consent

Overlord is the follow up to Warlord, it can be read stand alone but I would suggest reading the books in order to gain maximum enjoyment. Sloan and Gareth’s story isn’t always easy – as the blurb states “Today Gareth of Ravenscar decided she was his, and she wasn’t given a choice in the matter.”  However it is full of passion, which is bound to happen when two very strong and determined characters lock horns. I thoroughly enjoyed their story and couldn’t read it fast enough.

There were moments when I didn’t even like Gareth, but then the author cleverly wove his emotions into the story, often via his fated mate link with Sloan, totally changing my mind. Yes he could be considered dictatorial, but when we really listen via his thoughts, words and actions he truly loves, honours and respects Sloan. The author really persuaded me of his affection for and deep regard of his mate, turning him from a possible arrogant alpha-hole into a dominant alpha male.

Whilst Sloan and Gareth’s story is complete, at least for now, trouble is brewing and I’m fairly certain there will be a few more books before peace is truly restored in this dystopian/shifter world.


AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / GOODREADS


BLURB –

She was not asked. She was claimed.

Sloan has lived among shifters long enough to know what happens when an alpha takes a mate, but she never imagined that her turn would come to be marked and mastered. Until today…

Today Gareth of Ravenscar decided she was his, and she wasn’t given a choice in the matter.

Now, with her cheeks blushing, her bottom burning, and the evidence of his rough conquest still dripping down her bare thighs, she is beginning to understand what it truly means to be claimed.


Publisher’s Note:Overlord is a stand-alone novel set in the same world as Warlord. It includes spankings and sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don’t buy this book.

Ratings
5 stars – This is a book I will not forget and would definitely read again.
4 stars – I really enjoyed this book, I might not read it again but I would definitely recommend it to others.
3 stars – This story was good but either forgettable or just very typical of its genre.
2 stars – Whilst the book was readable I either didn’t enjoy parts of the plot or just could not connect to the main characters.
1 star – This is a book I simply could not finish for reasons listed in the review.