Cyndi Friberg, Therian Prisoner

Title:  Therian Prisoner

Author:  Cyndi Friberg

Rating:  Five Siren Stones

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Keywords:  Shape-Shifters

Length:  Novel        

ISBN E-Book:  978-1419941917

Price:  $5.95

Publisher:  Ellora’s Cave

Buy-Link:  http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10252-therian-prisoner.aspx

Reviewer:  Stacey Krug

Blurb/Summary:

Therian Heat, Book Three

Though Devon comes from a line of cougar-shifters, her own animal nature has not yet been defined. The mysterious “backers” have captured her, intent on using her untapped Therian abilities for unknown ends. She escapes from their prison, but not from the emotional scars left by their abuse.

Ian, an ancient Therian raptor, offers protection and encouragement. Devon has always wanted Ian, always felt a connection deeper than friendship. But Ian insists he’s too old and jaded to make Devon an honorable mate. If she hopes to feel whole again, she must regain control over her emotions and desires. And she desires Ian.

At first Ian resists Devon’s attempts at seduction. She needs a shoulder to cry on, not a demanding lover, and Ian is never satisfied until his partners surrender unconditionally. But Devon stirs primal instincts and awakens ravenous longings he has suppressed for centuries. He wants her, but he fears the darkness inside him will destroy her.

Review:

Therian Prisoner is part of a series by Cyndi Friberg.  I had previously read Therian Prey so I already had a sense of the world and some of the characters.  I did not get a chance to read the second book in the series, but it makes no difference to the flow of this story.  The author does a nice job filling you in with background history as Therian Prisoner progresses and just builds up curiosity of the past.  Even though this is part of a series, it stands alone quite well.

Cyndi Friberg packed Therian Prisoner full of non-stop action that pulls you in from page one and keeps you enthralled.  The story is filled with twists and turns in the plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Ian and Devon have a wonderful chemistry together as well as some history.  Even though these characters have been in the previous books of the series, the author ‘introduces’ us to them while letting us know that Ian and Devon have know each other for a very long time.

Ian rescues Devon unexpectedly from the evil backers that have been experimenting on her.  From there everything takes off for the two of them.  Ian helps her overcome some of the horrors that she experienced while in captivity.  Ian has lived a very long time and his experience and background help to make Devon more comfortable and able to trust.

There developing romance does not disappoint.  I look forward to seeing what will become of Ian and Devon in the future for while this story comes to an end the complete story has not been told.

During Therian Prisoner the main characters, Ian and Devon, shine, but there are a lot of other story lines that run through their tale.  It makes for a very interesting story.  There are several secondary characters that sparked my interest in Therian Prisoner.  Hopefully they will get their own romance later.   

This is one of those series that will need to be followed.  The story lines, unanswered questions, and cliff hangers will have me coming back for more.

Jianne Carlo, Hades Squad 4: Demon Seed

Title:  Hades Squad 4: Demon Seed

Author:  Jianne Carlo

Rating:  Five Siren Stones

Genre:  Multicultural Romance

Sub-Genre:  Contemporary Suspense

Keywords:  Hades Squad Series, Navy SEAL, Explicit Sexual Situations, Graphic Language, Violence, Voyeurism

Length:  Plus Size Novel        

ISBN E-Book:  978-1-61118-697-0

Price:  $7.99

Publisher:  Loose Id

Buy-Link:  http://www.loose-id.com/hades-squad-4-demon-seed.html

Reviewer:  Kristin Boyd

Blurb/Summary:

“You speak English flawlessly.” With a hint of an Irish accent. Intriguing. “Gracias. Languages are easy. Not like the physics.” What a half-assed conversation to be having in the middle of the ocean with a woman he’d just rescued from certain gang rape, being shot, and who knew what else. A curvy, luscious female whose virginity he’d just taken in front of four armed men. Talk about the best laid plans backfiring; Demon’s carefully plotted plan to capture the man who abused him, Pedro Nunez aka The Smiling Killer, was not off to a good start. “What’s your name?” “Jacinta Nunez.” Jacinta claims to have lived her whole life in a cloistered convent. Claims she’s an orphan. Claims she’s only lived in the outside world for fifty-seven days. Yet she’s the mirror image of Pedro’s sister, Rosa. The sister Pedro murdered fifty-seven days ago. There are no coincidences in life. Not for a SEAL. Is Jacinta Pedro’s ultimate revenge on Demon?

Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: violence, voyeurism.

Review:

Absolutely riveting from beginning to end.  A steamy romance with enough adventure to keep the reader on their toes.  Demon Seed is an expertly written wild thrill ride.

Jacinta, raised in a cloister by nuns, is a rare combination of naievety and passion.  With her sharp tongue and experience with a variety of weapons, Jacinta may feel that she can handle herself in life beyond the walls of the cloister.  Never could she have imagined the web of violence and deceit in which her journey to discovering her family would cast her.  The book opens with an attempted gang rape orchestrated by her half brother and the evil revelations of her family tree build from there with details of kidnapping, murders, drug activity and a rivalry that makes the classic tale of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s seem like a playground argument.  Why did her mother send her to live sheltered and hidden away in the cloister?  Would she ever find the family and love of a family that she so desperately yearned for?  Why would her own brother want to cause her harm?

Demon is the epitome of an alpha male.  When he first encounters Jacinta as a damsel in distress, the last thing he expected was to become engrossed in every detail of her; from the body he finds surprisingly irresistible, to the life she has lived and her lineage.  When the puzzle pieces began to come together and he realizes exactly who she is, suspicion arises in him.  The coincidence of their meeting on a beach that he had been surveying, his original mission and her lineage colliding, and the continuous peril that the couple constantly battles all keep Demon (and the reader) wondering exactly who is the puppet master and what needs to be done to ensure the success of his mission as well as Jacinta’s safety?

The plot of this story is thick.  The sensuality and romance shared by Jacinta and Demon is as hot as the steamy jungle nights they share.  Although this book is one of a series, it is written so well that you do not have to have read the previous installments to understand and enjoy Demon Seed but once you do, you will quickly find yourself scrambling to meet the entire rest of the Hades Squad. 

Toni Lynn Cloutier, The Patriot Girl

Title:  The Patriot Girl 

Author:  Toni Lynn Cloutier 

Rating:  Four Siren Stones

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Keywords:  Last Rose Of Summer, Sensual 

Page Count:  248       

ISBN E-Book:  978-1-61217-265-1

Price:  $4.99

ISBN for Print:  978-1-61217-266-8 

Price:  $11.99

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Buy-Link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_140&products_id=4882

Reviewer:  Nikki

Blurb/Summary:

MaKayla Adams has always been curious about the wild side of life. Making love with her late husband wasn't exciting, and she never could understand the big deal...until hunky nightclub owner Dustin James hires her as a public relations consultant. His touch arouses feelings she's never known, and his kiss tempts her to cross the line between business and pleasure. 

Dustin doesn't remember the car accident that put him in a coma three years ago, but since his recovery, he's pushed his own needs aside to be a single father to his young daughter. When MaKayla offers to help publicize his country nightclub, however, she ignites deeper feelings he can't ignore. 

But there is more than mutual attraction between MaKayla and Dustin—there is a shared past connected to her husband's death. Will the truth bring them together or tear them apart?

Review:

When one thing is all you've ever known, finding something new could be quite difficult.  MaKayla is in a difficult place in her life.  Still dealing with the loss of her husband, and dealing with the feelings of having some excitement, she runs smack dab in the middle of it, in the form of Dustin James.

Dustin has his own demons.  There's the accident, and there's providing for his daughter.  But he has a need so deep that MaKayla pushes to the surface, and vice versa.

With a few secrets, this couple is going to have a long way to their happily ever after, but the journey there is emotional and engaging. 

Sasha Cain, Return to Celio

 Title:  Return to Celio 

Author:  Sasha Cain

Rating:  Four And A Half Siren Stones

Genre:   Fantasy

Sub-Genre:  Science Fiction

Keywords:  Faery Rosebud, Adventure, Spicy

Page Count:  211       

ISBN E-Book:  978-1-61217-326-9

Price:  $4.99

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Buy-Link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4926

Reviewer:  Nikki

Blurb/Summary:

Maggie Malone falls through a mysterious door during a Hollywood studio tour and lands in a strange world full of man-eating monsters. All she wants, beyond survival, is to return home. The sexy Neanderthal keeping her alive questions her life choices and marches her halfway across creation, but claims he can get her home.

Darrios Derosa is a loner, out to rid his world of the murderous beasts in Celio's Outer Rim. They took his best friend—he won't allow them to take anyone else. The last thing Darrios needs is an alluring woman under his protection—especially one in denial. She wants to be taken home, but doesn't realize what she's asking.

Darrios promises to take Maggie to Inland, where she'll be safe, and from there to Avascon, where she can get home. But first they have to fight the monsters and the fire...the one blazing up between them.

Review:

Return to Celio is an adventurous tale full of magic, time travel, and some sizzling sexual tension between two people from a different world and different time.  Maggie begins a venture she'd never imagine or dream of, but it's all too real.

Darrios is a hero to swoon for.  He's there to take Maggie and protect her, but who is going to protect her from him and the longing he has inside for her?  You'll have to read to find out.

The premise and well-done world building in this story intrigued me.  It's a mix of everything.  Action, science fiction/fantasy, love, and suspense.  This book will appeal to eclectic reader.

T. Sue VerSteeg, Secrets of the Sapphires

 Title:  Secrets of the Sapphires 

Author:  T. Sue VerSteeg

Rating:  Four Siren Stones

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Keywords:  Black Rose, CIA, Vampires, Shape-Shifters

Page Count:  268       

ISBN E-Book:  978-1-61217-180-7

Price:  $5.25

ISBN for Print:  978-1-61217-179-1 

Price:  $12.99

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Buy-Link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_136&products_id=4878

Reviewer:  Nikki

Blurb/Summary:

Nia Brooks entered the CIA to get to the bottom of her parents' deaths. Joining the Paranormal Division, she learns to fend for herself after dealing with prejudice, not to mention the vampires and shifters. Paired with an egotistical agent, the bloodsuckers and hairy boys don't seem so bad. 

Garrett Van Deren has his own agenda behind joining the CIA. When his dead partner's body disappears without a trace, Garrett knows the vampire underground is responsible and the Paranormal Division offers him answers. He slams head first into a roadblock when he meets his new partner. A hundred pounds soaking wet, he'll be babysitting instead of tracking down the killer. 

Tossed back in time by a mysterious white sapphire, two headstrong agents must learn to trust one another while they search for a way back to the Twenty-First Century and the people responsible for the rift in time.

Review:

In a world so different from ours, shape-shifters are known and roam around.  There's a special division in the CIA devoted to all things paranormal.  Nia Brooks is a part of that, fueled by deaths of family members.  Garrett is driven by a similar reason.

Secrets of the Sapphire is a paranormal, time travel, suspense, and adventurous story.  I was blown away at how the story lines blended so well and kept me reading.  I'd love to read more stories like this.  I found myself very intrigued by the characters and the plot.  And wow, what twists and turns that there were I never saw coming. 

Sylvie Kaye, Honky Tonk Man

Title:  Honky Tonk Man 

Author:  Sylvie Kaye 

Rating:  Four Siren Stones

Genre:  Western Contemporary Romance

Keywords:  Yellow Miniature Rose, Spicy

Page Count:  123       

ISBN E-Book:  978-1-61217-110-4

Price:  $2.50

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Buy-Link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_141&products_id=4807

Reviewer:  Nikki

Blurb/Summary:

[Honky Tonk Hearts] 

Jace Monroe has rules about rich women…Sunny Brooks hates rules…

Pool shooting, guitar playing, honky tonk singer Jace has a knack for hooking up with the wrong kind of women—rich ones who don't take him or his music seriously. So when Jace meets a down-to-earth, honey-haired waitress at the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, he thinks his luck has changed. 

The last place Sunny wants to be is on her daddy's thriving ranch, but her ailing mother needs her. When she fills in as a waitress at the Lonesome Steer to help out a friend, she meets a cowboy who makes her heart sing—but only because he thinks she’s someone else.

When Jace discovers the truth about her, the sweet music they make together might be silenced forever—unless Sunny can show her honky tonk man that some rules are meant to be broken.

Review:

Who needs rules when you're free to roam as you please, singing, playing games in bars, and enjoying yourself?  Until he meets Sunny, Jace has been doing just that.  He's a singer on the down and out side with a past that he'd rather not think about.  Sunny is strung around by her rich family, when all she wants is a life of her own.  Upon their meeting, things are about to change, and get a little on the hot side.

I'm enjoying the stories in the Honky Tonk Hearts series.  Sylvie Kaye's enjoyable edition kept me reading, and when I got to the last page, I wasn't ready to leave the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk.  This is a great story, I love books by Ms. Kaye and this latest one is another for the keeper's shelf. 

Patrice Wilton, A Catered Affair

 Title:  A Catered Affair

Author:  Patrice Wilton

Rating:  Four And A Half Siren Stones

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Keywords:  Last Rose Of Summer, Sensual, Widower 

Page Count:  266       

ISBN E-Book:  d5432

Price:  $5.25

ISBN for Print:  978-1-61217-031-2

Price:  $12.99

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Buy-Link:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_140&products_id=4808

Reviewer:  Nikki

Blurb/Summary:

A family tragedy has career-minded Jenna Cassali housebound with two teenagers, a baby, and a dog from hell, with a hot doctor in pursuit. The longer she stays the more she realizes what’s missing in her own life, but she likes to play it safe, and safe means returning to New York and her job, not launching a catering business, or falling in love.
 
Grant, a pediatrician and widower, believes his son died because of his negligence. The hospital becomes his life, but when he meets Jenna, his broken heart begins to heal. 

Can he close the door on his past, and allow himself to love again? Will Jenna find the courage to change her destiny, open her life, and her heart?

Review:

Talk about chaos!  Having to take a break from your job and living in a house with some rowdy teenagers, a child....and a chance at love? Jenna is about to embark on a journey she'd never imagined she'd have.  Life has a few curve balls aimed right toward her.

The hero is a bit on the tortured side.  He's a doctor, and he is ashamed because he couldn't even save his own son.  Put Grant and Jenna together, and comes a new look on life.  There's some healing to be done, but together, these two learn they can accomplish anything.

A Catered Affair is an emotionally charged story that hooks the reader and keeps them going.  It's a touching story that sticks with you when you're not reading it.