Remembering Ashby by Heather Long

Title: Remembering Ashby
Author: Heather Long
Publisher: Sapphire Blue Publishing
Published date: April 2009
ISBN: 978-1-934657-17-1
Genre/Theme: Fantasy
Length: 97 pages
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Review

Peace among the clans has been nonexistent for the past centuries. But now that clan Lairds have decided to summon the God-touched people from their magical Isle to perform the rituals of Beltane to bless the peace talks between the clans, peace is within reach.

Melanie is honored to be chosen as one of six maidens to represent the Goddess at this important event. She is meant to be a vessel for the power of the Goddess while forgetting the failures of humanity during the festival. She knows should be concentrating on her part as a Maiden of the Hunt, yet she cannot banish the handsome Scot from her mind. Running in the Hunt is as sacred as the Goddess herself, and should her desires be known, there could be dire consequences for her and the clansman. However, she can’t find the will to deny his pull.

The mists of the Black Mountains enhance the excitement of their forbidden love while providing an escape from the Islanders encampment. Can they give in to their desires at the expense of their destinies?

Especially once The Sorcerer discovers their dalliance…

This was a great book! I really enjoyed it. I’m not much of one to try new authors, but something about this book drew me in and I’m so happy it did! Normally with stories like this one I have a hard time keeping up. The author has so much going on and you get confused and lost and you’re like…hey what the heck is going on? But Ms. Long has written a story that is very well in tact. It’s easy to keep up with; it’s easy to see what is going on with the characters and with the drama going on around them. I cannot wait to see more from this author, I am sure she is going to do great things. I recommend this book to any fantasy lover.

Rating: 4.5 Smacks
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Holli Winters

Nice Girls Do by Michelle Miles

Title: Nice Girls Do

Author: Michelle Miles

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Published date: November 2007

ISBN: 1-59998-681-7

Genre/Theme: Contemporary

Length: 139 pages

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Even nice girls can be bad…

Cara Davis wants to be a nice girl. She really does. So she quits her job at the strip club and takes on a job at The Bitter End coffee shop. She even dates the owner’s very nice—and nice looking—son David. Mark Sawyer used to be bad, but now he’s mended his ways. He comes to The Bitter End to make amends with his mother, but his attempt is rebuffed by both her and his baby brother. Worse, David is dating the newest hire, a buxom blonde Mark is sure he’s seen somewhere before. He sets his sights on Cara with every intention of stealing her away. Sometimes it’s good to be bad, and who said turning over a new leaf was such a good idea, anyway? With the coffee house in danger of closing its doors forever, Cara and Mark team up to save the day. The only problem is, Cara can’t stop herself from falling in love with the bad boy. And damn it, she’s tried so hard to be good! Like good coffee, the longer Mark and Cara’s desire brews, the stronger it gets. And once their passion percolates, there’s sure to be plenty of steam…

Author Michelle Miles does it again, creating a rich story that makes you want to cheer. Cara Davis is gorgeous, smart and thoroughly likeable. Mark Sawyer is every girl’s fantasy man, right down to the sexy dimples. The fact that both of them are trying hard to make up for their less-than-stellar pasts is fun and heartwarming to watch. Between the hot sex and the tense emotions building between Cara and Mark, I got carried away by their story and was thrilled with a very satisfying ending. This is a definite must read for anyone who loves an erotic story but with lots of sweet elements.

Rating: 4.5 smacks

Heat Level: Explicit

Other: Explicit sex

Reviewer: Valerie Mann

Talk Dirty to Me by Michelle Miles

Title: Talk Dirty to Me

Author: Michelle Miles

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

ISBN: 1-59998-072-X

Genre/Theme: Contemporary

Length: 152 pages

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Shy girls need to talk dirty too…

Commitment-shy Claudia has found the perfect man. He never leaves his dirty socks in the living room floor, eats all the cookies, or leaves the toilet seat up. In fact, he’s just a voice on the other end of the phone. And, as Trixie, she’s been talking dirty to him every night for the last week. “Jack” calls the Talk Dirty To Me phone sex line nightly just to talk to Trixie. She loves his silky voice and he has a way with words that lights her fire, leaving her hungry for more. Then Claudia meets the tall, striking Dr. Blake Marsh, a man with a familiar voice she can’t quite place. After spending time with Blake (and her nightly calls suspiciously stop), she begins to suspect he is Jack. Now that she’s falling for the sexy doctor, can she prove he really is the bad boy on the other end of the phone?

I adored this book. Period. Claudia and Blake were believable characters with real flaws and normal lives. The author had a wonderful way with the snappy dialogue and describing the interaction between the pair of lovebirds so that the reader is pulled into the story immediately. Claudia is sassy, Blake is just plain sex on a stick and when the two literally run into each other the first time, sparks fly. Both commitment-phobes, neither wanted or expected the instant, deeper-than-lust attraction for each other. When Blake discovers Claudia’s phone sex hotline secret, his anger and pain are palpable, as is Claudia’s when she knows she’s lost him, just as she realizes she’s in love with him. Fortunately for her, Blake is sexy AND smart, and quickly discovers he loves her as well and the phone sex line thing? Who cares, he wants her anyway. Yay! I say go ahead, buy this book and prepare yourself for a fun, very hot, enjoyable read!

Rating: 4.5

Heat Level: Very Spicy

Other: Explicit sex, graphic language

Reviewer: Valerie Mann

Daughter of the Wind by Beth Trissel

Title: Daughter of the Wind
Author: Beth Trissel
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published date: 2008
ISBN: 1601544898
Genre/Theme: Romantic Suspense
Length: 258 pages
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Autumn, 1784: A tragic secret from Karin McNeal's past haunts the young Scots-Irish woman who longs to know more of her mother’s death and the mysterious father no one will name. The elusive voices she hears in the wind hint at the dramatic changes soon to unfold in her life among the Scot’s settled in the mist-shrouded Alleghenies. Jack McCray, a wounded stranger who staggers through the door on the eve of her twentieth birthday and anniversary of her mother’s death, holds the key to unlocking the past. Will she let this handsome frontiersman lead her to the truth and into his arms, or seek the shelter of her fiercely possessive grandfather? Is it only her imagination or does something, or someone, wait beyond the brooding ridges—for her?

I loved the plot of this story, oh and the setting was wonderful. I just can’t believe how much detail the author went into without being boring about it. Ms. Trissel is great at creating believable and loveable characters. She’s also great at giving us a happily ever after…kind of a bittersweet ending…No, I can’t tell why, you’ll just have to read the book for yourself to figure that out. I just love book covers, usually they are the first things I notice about a book. If the cover can draw my attention than I’ll normally read the book. The cover for Daughter of the Wind is absolutely gorgeous. Whoever the cover artist is did a wonderful job. And to me the book stood out as well. It was a great read and one any romantic suspense or Beth Trissel fan should read. Beth Trissel is a new author for me and one I will be looking for in the future as well.


Rating: 4.5 Smacks
Heat Level: Sweet
Reviewer: Ruby Lee

Breaking all the Rules by Phyllis Campbell

Title: Breaking all the Rules
Author: Phyllis Campbell
Publisher: Carnal Passions
Published date: February 2009
Genre/Theme: Erotica
Length: 90 pages
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Review:

When temptation walks through the door, it’s time to get rid of the rulebook.
Her assignment as an investigative journalist is to get the story on a sex resort, not sleep with her servant! But Kristine Olsen can’t stop wanting the sexy man assigned to her. She hasn’t counted on the unexpected feelings for Cole, and especially the story she uncovers.
When Cole Hunt spots the newest guest, he knows his week will be filled with more than just paperwork to close his resort. The blue-eyed beauty has branded him with her white-hot kisses. She’s keeping secrets, but will giving his heart to Kristine become his downfall when his resort is exposed?
Is breaking the rules worth it?

Phyllis Campbell has written a very pleasurable story with lots of steamy sexual encounters and plenty of passionate arguments between Cole and Kristine. The author had a way of giving us a very descriptive plot line without ever giving away to much information at one time. There are some authors who leave their usual writing style to try the erotica field. In my opinion, not many are able to make such a transition so easily. Ms. Campbell has found her niche. I think she should continue with more books in this genre. It’s as if she created erotica or it was invented just for her. Both characters are trying to pretend to be something other than what they are. Cole believes only women want him for his money because of his ex-wife. Kristine believes the resort is a place for sex! Can the two learn to trust each other to make this affair work or will their affair end?
This is a very steamy fast paced book that I believe any Phyllis Campbell fan will enjoy and I believe there will be many readers drawn to her other books as well. She’s an author you have to add to your must-read list, trust me you won’t be sorry!




Rating: 4.5 Smacks
Heat Level: Explicit
Reviewer: Tonya Callihan

Single White Vampire by Lynsay Sands

Title: Single White Vampire
Author: Lynsay Sands
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing
Published date: November 25, 2008 (1st edition September 2003)
ISBN-10: 0843961880ISBN-13: 978-0843961881
Genre/Theme: Paranormal Romance
Length: 384 pages
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Review:

A romance you can sink your teeth into.

"Lucern." Successful biographer of family, books recently categorized as "paranormal romance." Something of a recluse. Hates crowds, aggressive women. Doesn't like sunbathing, garlicky dinners or religious symbols. Likes old-fashioned values; spicy Mexican dishes; warm, nice-smelling neck; and plump red lips. Stronger than ten men and can vanish in the blink of an eye. Currently unaware he's seeking a woman to share eternity.

"Kate C. Leever." Newest editor of Romance at Roundhouse Publishing. Perky, fun. Has recently discovered a legacy author just dying to be broken out. In fact, her career could take off from it. (The tall, dark, handsome writer just needs to be taken to several romance conventions and introduced to his fans . . . and stopped from acting so strange in public.) Dislikes "difficult, rude, obnoxious, pig-headed writers." Currently she's met the man of her wildest dreams.

OH, DEAR.

First let me start by saying that this was a book full of laughter and wit between the characters. You have a grumpy 600-year-old vampire who writes romances. You have a new publisher trying to get this vampire to agree to a book tour. Lucern receives the letters Kate keeps sending him. His reply is always the same, No. Finally Kate decides to go to Canada to convince him in person. Lucern thinks that with time he will wear her down. He decides to agree to one thing. But the family has other ideas about the pair. Before Lucern realizes it Kate’s his lifemate and he’s agreed to go to a romantic convention where he will more than likely be the only man around with thousands of females wanting a piece of him. This story is tantalizing and enticing. The characters will capture your attention and enthrall you. It’s a perfect vampire romance to read. Ms. Sands gives the readers a new outlook on being a lifemate to a vampire. This family isn’t your typical family of vampires and they aren’t the typical vampires you see in movies and read in most books. They are unique and they have a very fascinating story about how they became vampires. If you want to find out read the books. The entire series is to DIE for. I really enjoyed the mix of emotions in this story; it was fully of passion, humor, and a great deal of desire. The secondary characters in the book played a major role; at times you would consider them to be major in the story. You can see now why there are so many books in this series, it’s a large family and even when the characters pop up in another story they desperately want there own. They want the readers to hear their story.

Rating: 4.5 Smacks
Heat Level: Spicy
Reviewer: Tonya R. Callihan