REVIEW - Retreat (Balm in Gilead #3) by Noelle Adams

The Book
Release Date: 25 October 2017
Goodreads Link

For years, Cecily has poured her time and energy into her work at Balm in Gilead. She's more successful than she ever imagined, but her work is no longer enough for her. She wants more. She wants a man, even if that man is completely unavailable to her. 

She wants Zeke Ward, who looks like a lumberjack and acts like a hermit and has worked for her for eight years. 

Ever since his wife died, Zeke has cut himself off from the world, scaring people away so they never get close to him. But he can't help but watch Cecily, even knowing he can never have her. When she starts to seek out his company, he knows it's only because she's been feeling a little lonely. 

She'll never want him for him. 

Retreat is the third book in the Balm in Gilead series, a spin-off from the Willow Park series about couples who fall in love in a physical and spiritual rest center on the North Carolina coast called Balm in Gilead.

My Review  4 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

I have been waiting to see if these two characters would end up together and i am so glad that they did.

We have seem bits and pieces of Cecily and Zeke in the previous book and i was always intrigued by Zeke. Now we get his story and the reasons as to why he is like he is.  He is also a really sweet guy.

Cecily is a level headed woman who faces things even if they hurt.  She practices what she preaches but no finds herself in a lonely position and looking at Zeke in a way she never has before.

Its pretty much a friends to lovers book with a Christian theme, but has an emotional edge to it that just has you turning page after page, i really could not put it down.

I cant wait to see if there is another book in the series.

REVIEW - The Untamed Vampire (Last True Vampire #4) by Kate Baxter

The Book
Release Date: 2 May 2017
Goodreads Link

WILD AT HEART

Chelle is not your typical vampire. Turned not with a bite but an age-old magic, she's the only one of her kind and more powerful than most. Still adjusting to her endless thirst and lethal fangs, she's desperate to discover what sets her apart. When she encounters a brutally virile alpha werewolf, she soon learns that she's not immune to the mating call and her own primal longing

The leader of the ancient Forkbeard pack, Gunnar is stunned by Chelle's lush beauty. The wild wolf inside him howls for her, but unions between vampire and werewolf are strictly taboo even if their clans weren't on the verge of war. Desire has never been so dangerous but, as a malevolent new power rises, Chelle and Gunnar face an even more frightening threat. Together, they might find a way to save their clans. But can they claim their passion, in The Untamed Vampire by Kate Baxter.

My Review 4 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

Again this is another brilliant instalment into the world of the paranormal in which Kate Baxter pulls you along in the world her character reside.

Chelle has been in previous books and is Roman Daly's twin sister.  She is also a race of vampire all of her own.  She is a strong sassy female who has always lived knowing of the paranormal world and had always been a vampire relic hunter, especially as she had been a relic hunter, trying to find a way to help the race survive.

Gunnar is a viking were-wolf that has survives for centuries and has been in charge of his pack for what seems forever. A meeting with an intruder however has his wolf changing at the bit that his mate has been found.

With dual race and adversity to overcome, both our strong female and our alpha male need to find the path of less resistance in a place where the paranormal world around them is changing and adversity is just around the corner.

The story becomes that much more complex, some questions are answered and more questions left unanswered, however i am REALLY enjoying this series.  It has been brilliantly put together and thought out, i highly recommend it.

REVIEW - The Dark Vampire (Last True Vampire #3) by Kate Baxter

The Book
Release Date: 3 May 2016
Goodreads Link

The grave threat to the tortured race of vampires is greater than ever in Kate Baxter's THE DARK VAMPIRE. An unforgettable, intensely emotional, and hot series for fans of J.R. Ward, Nalini Singh, Lara Adrian and Larissa Ione.

Centuries ago, the vampire race was almost destroyed. Now, salvation rests upon one - the last true vampire. 

For centuries, Jenner has been plagued by the shadows of his past. Now, a newly-turned vampire, he stalks the night like a wild predator, unable to satisfy his insatiable desires. Until a beautiful vampire sets his soul on fire...

Bria is pure innocence, hidden her whole life from a merciless enemy determined to hunt her down. When things become perilous, safety comes in the form of a fearsome bodyguard - Jenner.

One fateful night, Bria is saved by her vampire protector and a blazing connection is sparked. But surrendering to the powerful call of passion means breaking free from the shackles of their pasts. And with the war against the slayers more savage than ever, they must fight to survive. For the vampire race depends on it.

My Review  4 STARS
This is the third book in there series and the background with each story is so interwoven and gets even more complex as each book comes a long.

This is Eric Jenner's story and we have seen him in previous books and loyal muscle and is now third in command to the Vampire King.

Jenner's transformation however has not gone as easy as Ronan's and he struggles with his desires for blood and his lust for sex.  His past also causes him problems but it is only in tethering with Bria that he finds that the past is no longer the true him.

Bria has been kept a prisoner in her home for centuries by her uncle, but has been on the parkour scene and like to do geocaching.  She has been escaping at night for years unbeknownst to her uncle, however with a request for her protection to the Vampire King her entire world changes.

Bria is another strong female in which her male counterpart thinks that he knows better and that she could not possibly be the woman for him and she is so breakable.  Jenner soon learns however that Bria is much stronger than she looks and is every bit the woman who completes him.

Another breathtaking book that captivates and pulls you along.

REVIEW - The Warrior Vampire (Last True Vampire #2) by Kate Baxter

The Book
Release Date: 1 December 2015
Goodreads Link

The vampire was built for sin, every inch of him tight and bulky with corded muscle. A killer, that much was apparent, and she couldn't help but wonder if his appetite for violence would rival his appetites for other...things.

A WOMAN SEDUCED

Naya Morales is no ordinary mortal. Born with a shaman's power, she has devoted her life to tracking down stolen magic—and punishing those who take it. But one fateful night, she follows the alluring call of a sensual magic that is too glorious to be true—and finds herself face to face with a stunningly handsome thief who is too magnificent to resist...

A VAMPIRE ENSLAVED

From the moment he sees her, Ronan knows Naya is his mate. Driven by a deep, almost mystical connection, he aches for her body, hungers for her blood, and swears their souls are anchored together. Naya refuses to believe the words of a vampire—or risk the wrath of her tribe. But when she tries to make Ronan her prisoner, neither chains of silver nor fires of hell can help her escape the truth: she is the one who's been captured...

My Review 4 STARS
This book continues the building world and story started in the first book, however it could be read as a stand a lone book.

In this book we have newly turned Ronan Daly, the second in command for the king of the Vampires. He has left his coven in search of his sister who contacted him at the end of the previous book saying that she needed him.

Ronan has missing memory, but waking up in Naya's bedroom he immediately knows that he has been tethered (mated) and that the woman is his mate.  He only has to convince her that they are mated and to help him find his sister.

Naya is a mother strong female with smarts and skills of her own.  It's good to see strong women who can stand up to their men and show strength and that they could look after themselves if required.

This is a brilliant book in the series and i look forward to reading more from this author.

REVIEW - Bountiful (True North #4) by Sarina Bowen

The Book
Release Date: 20October 2017
Goodreads Link

No last names. No life stories. Those were the rules.

Once upon a time a cocky, copper-haired tourist sauntered into Zara’s bar. And even though she knew better, Zara indulged in a cure for the small-town blues. It was supposed to be an uncomplicated fling—a few sizzling weeks before he went back to his life, and she moved on. 

Until an accidental pregnancy changed her life. 

Two years later, she’s made peace with the notion that Dave No-Last-Name will never be found. Until one summer day when he walks into her coffee shop, leveling her with the same hot smile that always renders her defenseless.

Dave Beringer has never forgotten the intense month he spent with prickly Zara. Their nights together were the first true intimacy he’d ever experienced. But the discovery of his child is the shock of a lifetime, and his ugly past puts relationships and family out of reach.

Or does it? Vermont’s countryside has a way of nurturing even tortured souls. The fields and the orchards—and hard won love—are Bountiful.

My Review  5 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a beautiful edition to the True North series and seriously had me turning page after page, i just needed to know what was going to happen next.

We have seen Zara in all of the previous books and i am so happy that we get her book this time.  The girl certainly needed a good thing to happen to her and that good thing is Dave.

In this book we get the initial meeting and Dave's vacation time down in Vermont.  Then we get the after story, the part where Dave goes back to Vermont and learns he is a daddy.

Zara has pretty much gotten over most of her issues, but ultimately it is Dave who makes the most changes and startling revelations about his past.  But his sister also helps him out and supports him when he least expects it.

Its a lovely book in which two strangers come together because of their daughter, but find a happiness they never thought they would ever have.

REVIEW - Second Best by Noelle Adams

The Book
Release Date: 20 November 2017
Goodreads Link

We meet every other Wednesday night in a downtown hotel. No dates. No commitments. No hearts and flowers. Just his body and mine.

Maybe I’m his second best. He’s definitely mine.

But second best has never felt so good.

My Review  4 STARS
**My thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

This is a more erotic book from this author as the is sex, sex and more sex, however the couple also have a great connection and form an attachment they both thought would never happen.

It is basically a second chance at love and romance for both these characters, as well as finding that some people just are not who you think they are.

Its quite sweet in its way, but a lot of the book is focused in the hotel bedroom where they met up, so lots of sex, a little eating and drinking and a lot of bedside getting to know you stuff.

REVIEW - The Last True Vampire (Last True Vampire #1) by Kate Baxter

The Book
Release Date: 2 June 2015
Goodreads Link

As Michael’s eyes lit on a female not twenty feet away, he knew without a doubt that it was her blood that called to him and her scent that had awakened him.This female had tethered his soul and returned it to him.

Soul Survivor

He is the last of his race. The one true king of the vampires. Michael Aristov roams the nightclubs of L.A. after dark, haunted by his past and driven by his hunger. The last of the Ancient Ones, he alone has survived the destruction of his race at the hands of the slayers. Now he is forced to hunt and feed like a common vampire, a creature of lust. Nothing in this world can fulfill his needs…until he meets a woman who’s everything he’s ever wanted. And more.

Sweet Salvation

Her name is Claire Thompson. Her blood is so sweet, so intoxicating—the smell alone draws Michael to her like a moth to the flame. Sly, sexy, and seductive, Claire seems to be the only mortal who can satisfy his craving and seal his fate…forever. Can she be trusted? From their very first kiss, the last true vampire sweeps Claire into a world in which darkness rules desire—and where falling in love is the greatest danger of all…

My Review  5 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

I must say that i really did enjoy this book.  It has been a little while since i read a paranormal book and the writer has a way of really bringing you into the world where magical beings are living alongside humans in secret.

Michael previously known as Mikhael is the last of his kind, the only vampire left and looking after his half human, half vampire counterparts.  With him is the only way that they will be able to be turned into a vampire, but in order for that to happen, he needs to be tethered to the world by his mate.

Claire is a hustler living on very hard times and it is only going for a mark that she first sees Michael and is initiated into another world and a very sexy vampire.

The story really pulled me in and i never quite knew how things were going to turn out, but  yes we get a satisfying ending along with the knowledge of which character is going to be next in getting a HEA.

I am certainly looking forward to reading Ronan's story as he is a great character and seems to be a steady and loyal friend.

REIVEW - Stripped Bear (Last True Vampire 0.5) by Kate Baxter

The Book
Release Date: 19 May 2015
Goodreads Link

Get lost in the powerful, sexy novella by Kate Baxter where one alpha shifter will do whatever it takes to claim the woman he can *bearly* resist...

Caden Mitchell is the ultimate alpha. Known to most as a smoldering hot billionaire, his secret weapon- the ability to shapeshift into a strong and deadly bear- allows him to be the most ruthless enforcer of the Sotari, a paranormal organization tasked with keeping the course of Fate on the right track. But when the ailing health of his grandmother leads him back home, the luscious curves of his childhood nemesis will be too much to resist...

Leah Ridgeway never expected Caden to give her the time of day. With his abs cut from stone and powerful, strong arms, she knows there's no chance he's interested in her handful of curves. But Caden is tormented by thoughts of her beautiful body. And when evil threatens Leah's very life, Caden will stop at nothing to keep her safe...and claim her as his mate...

My Review  4 STARS
Kate Baxter is a new to me author and she really pulled me into the world she has created with paranormal beings entwined within the modern world.

Here we get a taster where bear shifter Caden finds his mate via a scheming grandmother and his mates human father.

The lust and chemistry leaps of the pages in flames and is scorching hot and the author is not a shrinking violet at the emotions or the description either, but it is tastefully done.

Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

REVIEW - His Convenient Husband (Love and Sports #1) by Robin Covington

The Book
Release Date: 9 October 2017
Goodreads Link

NFL football player Isaiah Blackwell lost his husband three years ago and is raising their teen son alone. He lives his life as quietly as his job allows, playing ball to support his family but trying not to draw unwanted attention. His quiet life is shaken up when a mutual friend introduces him to Victor, a visiting principal ballet dancer who is everything Isaiah is not.

Brash and loud, Victor Aleksandrov has applied for political asylum to avoid returning to Russia, where gay men are targeted and persecuted. He’s been outspoken about gay rights in his home country, and if he doesn’t get asylum, going back to Russia is a death sentence.

Their one-night stand turns into a tentative friendship, a relationship they both agree is temporary... until Victor’s denied asylum. Isaiah can’t offer Victor a happily ever after, but he can propose something that’ll keep Victor in the US and safe... marriage He just doesn’t expect his new husband to dance away with his heart.

My Review  3 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

It has been a long time since i have read a M/M book and i am quite glad that i picked it up.

Yes, there can be some quite graphic sex scenes, so if that is not your thing, this book is not for you, but the emotional connection between the two and the growth of the characters is just what i expected from Robin.

A well written book that really makes you feel that the two deserve each other and that they have a special connection and some really great friends and a wonderful adopted son.

REVIEW - Catching the Player (Hamilton Family #3) by Diane Alberts

The Book
Release Date: 9 October 2017
Goodreads Link

It all started with a bet…

Kassidy Thomas decided to stop hiding behind her past, and start living, but she didn’t quite bet on that start including her singing a horrible song in front of the handsomest bachelor in the NFL, Wyatt Hamilton. She also doesn’t think he’d then consequently ask her out on a date, but turns out when you’re actually living life…crazy things happen.

He needs to win…

Wyatt Hamilton is a player in every sense of the word. Married to the game, he has no interest in relationships, love, or even second nights with the same woman. But from the second the girl-next-door beauty Kassidy knocks on his door to deliver a singing telegram, nothing goes as planned. He can’t stop thinking about her, and keeps showing up on her doorstep for more. That is, until the unthinkable happens…

And all bets are off.

My Review  3 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

I have not read a book by this author for a while, but it was everything that i was expecting.  Its a fun, sweet read that sometimes had me laughing out loud, hoping against hope that the characters would find a happy place and that they were two well matched individuals who challenged each other to be better people.

We get a HEA of course and the epilogue gives us the ending that we so hoped would happen.

REVIEW - The Wicked Billionaire (Tate Brothers #2) by Jackie Ashenden

The Book
Release Date: 3 October 2017
Goodreads Link

The Tate Brothers were once orphans and they have been raised to do one thing only: protect what is theirs.

As a trained sniper and Navy SEAL, Lucas Tate found the courage to distance himself from the wealthy, wicked patriarch who adopted him. Instead, he’s devoted his life to the elite band of brothers from his unit. So when the widow of one of his former comrades finds herself in apparent danger, Lucas makes it his job to protect her against all enemies. . .and not let her out of his sights.

Grace Riley feels overwhelmed by Lucas's presence, but the cold-eyed marksman will do anything to keep her safe. Soon the special attention he pays her becomes a wild romantic distraction―one that troubles Grace, since Lucas was so close to her deceased husband. Still, how can she resist Lucas’s intense, ice-blue stare? All she knows is that a life without strong, passionate Lucas is one not worth living. Can Lucas can find a way to honor his former brother-in-arms by saving Grace. . .and loving her, too?

My Opinion  4 STARS
**My thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press, for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**

Gosh, i just love this author.  She manages to draw me into pretty much every single book i have read of hers and this book is no exception.

Lucas Tate is an ice cold sniper who never really lets anyone get close to him other than his brothers and he hold them pretty much at arms length.

Grace has lost her husband and now, pretty much lives in a box and find that she is now a target thanks to her deceased husbands illegal activity.

The sparks fly from the moment that Grace spots Lucas watching her and continue to get brighter until Lucas cannot contain himself any more and they both go up in flames.  Lucas is steadfast and there for Grace, but she brings out a side of him that he though that he would never see again.  Grace brings him back to life.

Grace thinks that perhaps she is selfish, but Lucas shows her that she is very talented and gives her another point of view to see from.  

Its a brilliant book and i cannot wait to read Wolf's book too see how his role plays in all of this and how her gets his HEA.