Review:Trinity by Lauren Dane

The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain Publishing, available in print and e-book.
The Source: All Romance
The Grade: B-

The blurb:
Renee Parcell loves her life. Her smoothie/coffee cart business is successful, and she’s deeply in love with her boyfriend, Galen. He makes her laugh, he’s gainfully employed, and he satisfies her as only a sexy cat shifter can. He even puts the toilet seat down.
Yet they both sense something in the air. An anticipation that leaves them both unsettled.
Tall, blond and gorgeous Jack Meyers, Enforcer of National Pack and one of the most beautiful men Renee and Galen have ever seen. When he stumbles into Renee’s life, the riddle of their expectation is solved—Renee is Jack’s mate. What surprises them all is when the three of them touch, magick creates an unexpected triple bond of witch, cat and wolf.
Even as they learn to navigate the steamy intricacies of their bond, a threat looms over Renee. First in the form of resurrected memories, then in the shape of darker magicks someone is aiming at her. Set on stealing her inherent powers—even her life.
Renee can stand to lose almost anything, except her mates. But there seems to be no talking them out of laying everything on the line for her…

 The Review:
This review is a sign of the power of the re-read. I read Trinity for the first time last year, and I liked it. But, then out of the blue I was hit by an urge to read more of Lauren Dane’s Paranormal Romances, so I decided to re-read it.
I liked the World that Lauren Dane had created. It was intriguing and believable. From the close knitted way of both the jamboree and the National Pack, to the way not everyone loved Renee.
I also liked how well intigrated the supernatural was into the society. While they didn’t tell everyone they met that they were shifters, they didn’t struggle to keep it a secret.
I loved Renee. She was a wonderful mix of independence and generosity. I liked the glimpses I got of her past, even though they were heartwrenching.
Galen was hot, supportive and just the right kind of possessive. In other words: just like I want my alpha heros. Jack was hot, supportive, but I liked that he pushed Renee into opening up.
The plot was well written, and engaging. It hooked me from the start. I liked how Renee’s past and present got caught up with each other, but also how it gave rise to more questions, and more trouble. But I’ll admit that I wished that story had given a better glimpse into the reasoning of the villain.
That said, I had a lot of trouble with the swift transistions. One moment they were in a public place, the next they were somewere else and having sex. It might be that I simply missed the lines that took them home, but it was a bit confusing.

Review: A Hint of Frost by Hailey Edwards

The particulars: Fantasy Romance, Samhain Publishing, available as e-book and in print 
The Source: review copy from the author.
The Grade: C
The blurb:

When the head of the Araneidae clan is found poisoned in her nest, her eldest daughter, Lourdes, becomes their clan’s new maven. If her clan is to survive, she has but one choice: she must marry before her nest is seized. All she needs is a warrior fierce enough to protect her city and safeguard her clansmen. Such a male is Rhys the Cold.

Born the youngest son of an impoverished maven, the only things Rhys has to his name are his sword and his mercenary reputation. His clan is starving, but their fondness for the flesh of fellow Araneaeans makes them unwelcome dinner guests. Torn between loyalty to his clan and fascination with his future bride, Rhys’s first taste of Lourdes threatens to melt the cold encasing his heart.

Amid the chaos of battle, Lourdes’s sister disappears and is feared captured. Lourdes and Rhys pursue their enemies into the southlands, where they discover an odd plague ravaging southern clans as it travels north, to Erania. Determined to survive, Lourdes will discover whether she’s worth her silk or if she’s spun the thread by which her clan will hang.

Warning: This book contains one mercenary hero with a biting fetish, one determined heroine who gets nibbled, and an answer to the age-old question, “What does dragon taste like?” Matricide and sibling rivalry are available upon request. The house special is revenge, best served cold.

The Review:

Through a pure coincidence, I requested an review copy of this book, and then shortly after it became a freebie from Samhain :).   I am glad I requested it, though.  

I fell in love  with Erania from the first page.  This world, was detailed and believeable.  From how the locations affected the living of the different clans, to the intricate relationships between the different  clans.  I also liked how the author used traits of different spiders to distinuish the clans, and how that in turn affected the relationships.  

I enjoyed followed the relationship between Rhys and Lourdes.  From the wariness the first time they meet, and how they gradually started to trust and love each other.   I also liked seeing how Lourdes and her clan struggled to adjust to the fact that she was Maven now.  It was also intresting to see how close Lourdes and her siblings were, which showed in so many different ways.

The story was told from Lourdes POV, which meant the reader found out about the events at the same time as Lourdes did. I liked  Lourdes, she had a strength to do what must be done, no matter if she liked it or not.  The plot was well crafted, and I enjoyed Lourdes and Rhys journey. It gave the reader a glimpse into the world.   But also raised the stakes by hinting of more, severe trouble coming in the future. 


While I liked the book, I missed Rhys POV.The were times when his actions baffled me, and I think if the scenes had been from his POV, it would have flowed better. Also, I wondered how he reacted when he found himself married.  

Valentine’s Day Bargains

Since today is Valentine’s Day, there is a lot of one day bargains going on. 

Allromance offers a 50% rebate on all eligible books.
Samhain offers a 30%  off coupon code. 

Feral Magic by Robin D Owens are discounted to 0.99 at Amazon and BN. Today only.. 
Hotter than hot by Tina Leonard is a free pre-order from Samhain.
.
Freepartay offers free books from a lot of authors, among them Stephanie Bond.

They don’t advertise it on their webpage, but Carina Press have discounted a lot of their erotic romances.

ARC Review: Wolf Nip by Vivian Arend

The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain Publishing, available as e-book
The source: ARC from the author
The Grade: B
The Blurb:
Cat got your tongue?

Tessa Williams is looking to make her mark outside the family business, and the unusual landlocked paddle wheeler she spots in Haines, Alaska, strikes her as the perfect location. Only the owner is being difficult, refusing to sell. Still, she’s sure that replacing her written queries with a little in-person charm is all she’ll need to shortly have her Eco-tour B&B on the road to success.

Local wolf-slash-owner of said vessel, Mark Weaver, isn’t hanging on to the landmark building out of spite. There are more reasons for holding back the sale than are easily explained on paper. A face-to-face meeting to resolve the matter only confounds it—when Mark recognizes Tessa as his mate.

But she’s a cat…and cats don’t do insta-mates.

The sexual attraction between them isn’t in question, just everything else. He wants her. She wants twue wuv. His wolf can’t figure out what the holdup is. Her cat thinks the entire situation, and the pack, are rather amusing.

Somewhere in here is the beginning of a beautiful relationship—if they don’t drive each other mad.

Warning: One hyper cat, one laid-back wolf. Inappropriate use of permanent markers, and a heaping side dish of cat/dog jokes. Shenanigans (read: nookie) in front of a roaring fire. Spiced liberally with sarcasm. Enjoy!

The Review:
This is the latest Granite Wolves novella, and I had a blast reading it.
I enjoyed reading about Tessa and Marks romance. From their first meeting, when Mark’s wolf says ” Mate!” and Tessa balks. It was intresting to see the differences between wolves and cats, and how their animals tried to nudge them into mating.
That said, I admired Tessa for her strength to hit the brakes, and insisting that they got to know each other first.
Following Tessa and Mark as they worked on renovating the paddlewheeler was a crashcourse in compromises. But it was also a case of mates complimenting each other, which they did in a beautiful way.
I giggled when I read about Tessa’s meeting with the pack. I liked how she held her ground, and grudingly won the pack’s respect.
The biggest problem I had was with Tessa. I liked her, but I never felt I saw how her emotions to Mark developed from attraction to love. Maybe that was why her lightbulb moment that she loved Mark felt rushed.

Amazon’s Gold Deal: 6 Harlequin novels for 1.99

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one…except the “thing” inside her

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch.

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she’s special, says she’s one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets, against the wishes of his band of misfits. And Finley thinks she might finally be a part of something, finally fit in—until a criminal mastermind known as the Machinist threatens to tear the group apart….

Included for the first time in print, meet Finley in her first adventure The Strange Case of Finley Jayne the novella prequel to The Girl in the Steel Corset!

Emma Shaw needs a husband, and fast! Not because she’s interested in romance—after all, she’s too busy with her landscaping company—but because Grandma Shaw is coming to town, and she will have nonstop questions about Emma’s (stagnant) love life.
Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma to be her fake fiancé. Sean doesn’t like the deception, but he can’t help his attraction to the feisty brunette. A little pretend kissing won’t hurt anyone—especially when there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home. But when fake, innocent kisses lead to very real, explosive sparks, Emma and Sean discover that their big ruse might just lead to happily-ever-after….

Could a cordon bleu chef be a junkfood addict? The more Blake Cocharan learned about Summer Lyndon, dessert chef extraordinaire, the more intrigued he becameand the more determined he was to hire her. Blake wanted the Best, and Summer looked extremely good to him. Her superb credentials were icing on the cake.
Summer was accustomed to traveling around the world, creating the perfect ending to perfect meals. But Blake had a unique appeal. Summer found herself responding to the challenge, both professionally…and personally…. For the first time, Summer was planning a meal from start to finish—and creating a perfect ending all her own.

After nearly a decade as a sous-chef in a trendy eatery, and fresh off a divorce from the owner, Jenna Stevens is desperate for a change. So when she spots a for-lease sign in her hometown, she impulsively decides to open her very own cooking store. Her crash course in business is aided by a streetwise store manager and Jenna’s adoptive mother. But as soon as she gains a foothold in her new life, in walk her birth parents—aging hippies on a quest to reconnect.

Now Jenna must figure out how to reconcile the free-spirited Serenity and Tom with the parents who raised her and decide whether to open her heart to a man who just might be the best thing to happen to her in years. All without sacrificing her newly found dreams. In the end, Jenna will find that there is no perfect family, only the people we love….

It’s been years since Abby O’Brien Winters set foot in Chesapeake Shores. The Maryland town her father built has too many sad memories and Abby too few spare moments, thanks to her demanding Wall Street career, the crumbling of her marriage and energetic twin daughters. Then one panicked phone call from her youngest sister brings her racing back home to protect Jess’s dream of renovating the charming Inn at Eagle Point.

But saving the inn from foreclosure means dealing not only with her own fractured family, but also with Trace Riley, the man Abby left ten years ago. Trace can be a roadblock to her plans…or proof that second chances happen in the most unexpected ways.

Undercover agent Gideon Yarbro is renowned for stopping outlaws almost before they commit a crime. But now he must stop a wedding—despite the bride’s resistance. Lydia Fairmont will lose everything if she doesn’t honor her betrothal to a heartless banker. Unless she marries someone else instead…whether it’s a love match or not.

Determined to honor his own decade-old promise to help Lydia, Gideon carries her off to Stone Creek and makes her his reluctant wife. Forget a honeymoon for “show”—not with a vengeful ex-fiancé on their trail and a hired gun on the loose. But there just might be hope for the marriage…and two hearts meant for each other.

To get to the deals, just click on the covers. Also, I think the deal prices works outside the US too ( at least there’s no Whispernet fees for me!)

Friday Bargains: Discounts and coupons

Penguin have discounted the following books.( hat tip to Apesmom at Mobileread for compiling the list.  Several of them are on my Wishlist and I cannot buy them, since the discounts are US only. *sniffle*)

Magic Unchained by Jessica Andersen Kindle | Kobo
Irresistible by Mary Balogh Kindle | Kobo
In the company of Witches by Joey W. Hill Kindle | Kobo
If I fall by Kate Noble  Kindle | Kobo
Hunter’s Rise by Shiloh Walker   Kindle | Kobo
Wedded in Scandal by Jade Lee Kindle | Kobo
Shadow’s Fall by Dianne Sylvann Kindle | Kobo


Carina Press has discounted their upcoming releases to 2.99 this month at all stores. 
Rush by Maya Banks is discounted to 7.99 ( This one has a lot of mixed reviews. It seems that reviewers either hate it or love it)
Books on Board has a new coupon that gives 40 % off:  happy price (  I strongly recommend that you download the books you buy immediately, since I have had problem with their site recently)

Review: Wolf Games by Vivian Arend

The particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain Publishing, available in print and as e-book.
The Source: Purchased at Kobo
The Grade: B-
The blurb:

True love’s path never did run smooth.

Granite Lake Wolves, Book 3

After seven years of total denial, Maggie Raynor’s body–and her inner wolf–are in full revolt. Weak and shaky, she literally falls into the very large and capable arms of the Granite Lake Beta, Erik Costanov. The last thing she wants is a mate, particularly when just looking at another wolf scares her to death. And one as big and sexy as Erik? Really bad idea, no matter what her libido says.

Erik expected to meet Maggie in Whitehorse to escort her to the home of her sister, his pack’s Omega. Sheer chance puts him in the right place at the right time to catch her, but the realization that hits him with the force of a full body shot is no accident. She’s his mate. An even bigger shock? She wants no part of him–not until she resolves her issues.

She’ll have to work fast, because they’re both selected to represent the pack during the premier sporting event for wolves in the north. Not only will she have to work as a team with Erik, she’ll have to face down her fear of wolves. Let the Games begin

The Review:

This is the third story, and like the others I enjoyed it a lot.  

It was intresting to see another glimpse of the world Vivian Arend has created, in the shape of the Arctic Wolf Games.  I liked how it was a mix of outdoor sports and cleverness that won the games.

Maggie and Eric’s romance was sweet to follow.  Both of them recognized they were mates, but I really liked how they took it sloow.  Part of the reason was Maggie’s scars from the past ( and I loved the fact that she had them, since that often  is missing in PNR).
I cheered for Maggie as she regained her self confidence, and started to blossom into the strong wolf that she was.   Eric was the perfect compliment to Maggie. He was big, solid and confident. And when he focused on Maggie and what Maggie needed



The biggest problem I had was due to the fact I read three of the stories in a row. It was wonderful, but it also meant that  after awhile my attention started to wander a bit.





Review: Wolf Flight by Vivian Arend

 The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain publishing, available in Print and Digital
The source: purchased at allromance
The grade: B+
The blurb:
Tad Maxwell’s workaholism serves to keep his bush-pilot company in the air, and his inner werewolf in check. In the two years since he discovered his heritage, he’s resisted the longing to test the power of his wolf side. It would mean compromising his human principles.

Then Missy Leason re-enters his life. Ten years ago, their teenage attraction never went beyond hand-holding. Now their chemistry is off the charts, pushing him closer to the step he’s not sure it’s safe to take, especially with a human.

But Missy is more like Tad than he realizes. She’s wolf too,and a wolf pack is a dangerous place to have secrets. Missy’s Alpha has sniffed out her carefully hidden Omega powers. Her first response: run from the corrupt Alpha’s plan to make her his mate. Step two: get to Tad, and hope like hell his untapped powers are strong enough to negate her own.

Every touch with Missy is hot, hot, hot, but even finding out she’s pure wolf doesn’t solve Tad’s dilemma. Is she using him, or are they truly destined mates? Only one thing is certain. He will defend her to his last breath—on his terms. Even if it means losing his life.

The review:
This is Missy and Tad’s story. This isn’t the first time I read it, but I fell in love again with them. 

It was fascinating to get a glimpse, albeit brief, into how another pack worked.  It showed what good Alpha’s Keil and Robyn was.  But it was equally fascinating to find out about Omegas. What they could and couldn’t do.  I was also intrigued by the concept of First Mates, and the dangers that held.

The plot was gripping, I enjoyed the mix of romance and suspense. As Tad and Missy fumbled through the first step of their relationship, both of them were uncertain, and struggled with their secrets. But, it made it oh so much sweeter when they started to work together to defeat the bad guys.
In fact, my only problem with this book is that the Whistler alpha felt a bit predictable. Both in how he acted, and how he was described. .

Review: Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

The Particulars:  Paranormal Romance, Samhain Publishing, available in Print  and as e-book.
The Source: Purchased at All romance. 
The Grade: B+
The blurb: 
Talk about getting your signals crossed…
Robyn Maxwell doesn’t care that her brother has to cancel out on their backcountry ski trip. She can do it alone. The fact she’s deaf doesn’t make her survival skills any weaker. The chance to get away from it all and relax in the Yukon wilderness is just what she’s been craving.
Meeting wilderness guide Keil at the cabin starts cravings of another kind. Keil’s one hot hunk of ripped, tasty male. Now she has to deal with raging hormones as well as strange questions about wolves and mates and challenges to the death. Keil was trying for a nice reflective retreat before challenging for the Alpha position of his Alaskan pack. He wasn’t planning on meeting the woman destined to be his mate, or finding out she’s not aware she has the genes of a wolf.
Between dealing with his accident-prone younger brother, a deaf mate with an attitude and an impending duel to the death, his week—and his bed—is suddenly full.
Far from the relaxing getaway any of them had in mind…
Warning: Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘talking with your hands.’ Includes dangerous use of sarcasm and hot nookie in a remote wilderness sauna.

The review:

I love Vivian Arend’s Granite Wolves series, and  I have been intending to review them for awhile.
It was a delight to re-visit the pack again.  

The setting in wilderness at the border between Alaska and Yukon felt believable.  I could almost feel the cold air, hear the sound of skis flying over the snow covered lake.  And it felt utterly logical that there was a werewolf pack in the area.  

Normally, I don’t like instant love, but Ms Arend managed to make Robyn and Keil’s romance feel very believable. Part of the reason was that she allowed them to get to know each other before making love.  Another part was that she gave Robyn time to adjust to the fact that werewolves existed.

I loved the banter between Keil and TJ, although Keil wished TJ wasn’t there occassionally.  

I just wish it had been a bit longer, but that’s the greedy reader in me. LOL!

Review: Sanctuary Lost by Moira Rogers


The Particulars: Paranormal Romance
The Source: Purchased at AllRomance
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

If there’s one thing that Brynn Adler hates, it’s feeling helpless and vulnerable in unfamiliar territory. Three weeks ago, life tossed her into just such a world. A world of werewolves she never knew existed—until she found out her sister was one of them.
The pack seems determined to hurry her back to the normal world of humans. But after everything she’s witnessed, she’s not sure she wants to go—especially if it means leaving not only her sister behind, but the one man who makes her forget her life is falling apart.
Now all she has to do is convince him to agree to a plan to force the pack to let her stay.
Joe Mitchell has been battling his protective instincts since he rescued Brynn from her kidnapper. Getting involved with her is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. She’s on shaky emotional ground, and a supernatural war is no place for a human woman. He’s not about to let her make a hasty decision, one that will only bring her pain and regret.
Now all he has to do is let her go.



The Review:

This is the second book in the series, and it isn’t stand alone. I don’t believe there are many spoilers to book one in it, but to understand the background, it is best to have read book one.

I enjoyed the insight this book gave me when it comes to the Hierachy of a Werewolf pack. I loved how everyone (except Gavin) are dominant to some wolves, and submissive to others.I also enjoyed the insight in werewolf politics it gave me.    

This is a heart wrenching book.  My heart ached for Brynn, as she struggled to pick up her life and adjust to the changes in her life.I liked how Joe was there and supported her, even though he didn’t always agree with her descions.  But he did his best to ensure she could defend herself.   

Brynn might be submissive, but I love the fact that she is strong. She knows what she wants. I also loved that she had to fight for it, both with her sister and the Alphas of Red Rock Pass.

The plot was action packed, and filled with unexpected twists.  I loved how Ms Rogers took Brynn’s wishes and turned them upside down.While Joe acted as Brynn’s Guide,  I also liked that in the end it was Brynn that reached a balance with her wolf.

As all this happens, other events builds up to a confrontation with Alan Matthews.
While nothing with this book was bad, it took awhile before it fully hooked me :).