Anchorage, Alaska

The vampire population may have created an economic boom in Alaska, but their altered energy field fries most technology. They rely on hard-living—and short-lived—couriers to get business done…couriers like Sydney Kildare. Sydney has survived to the ripe old age of twenty-six by being careful. She’s careful when navigating her tempestuous clients, outrunning hijackers and avoiding anyone who might distract her from her plan of retiring young to a tropical, vampire-free island.

Her attitude—and immunity to vampires’ allure—have made her the target of a faction of vampires trying to reclaim their territory. Her only ally is Malcolm Kelly, a secretive charmer with the uncanny habit of showing up whenever she’s in trouble. Caught in the middle of a vampire turf war, Sydney has to count on Malcolm to help her survive, or the only place she’ll retire is her grave…
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

I was looking at Carina Press’ weekly new release e-mail when I noticed the title which was rather intriguing. Then I looked at the blurb and thought that I would enjoy this different take on vampires and humans so I decided to get it. Overall I really enjoyed reading this with a few quibbles and when I stated that on Goodreads I was asked if I was going to review it, which I wasn’t but decided I would. As a result this will be a shorter review then my usual ones .

I enjoyed how Ms Summers pulled different aspects of vampire legend together. For example the mind control and also that their blood could possess healing properties that didn’t always work as planned. I liked how the couriers were considered fair-game by the vampires instead of being off limits so they were forced to develop methods of self-protection and disguise. The couriers had their own rules and tried to mentor the new ones yet each was responsible for their own survival. I found it fascinating that even though the courier companies were independent it almost seemed like certain individual couriers were considered property of certain vampires. And given how vampire politics tends to operate that could contribute to the shortened life expectancy of the couriers.

As much as I liked Ms Summers’ idea I still noticed some things that bothered me. It is mentioned in the blurb that vampires and technology don’t mix well but I didn’t get to see that in action and I wanted to. Even with that limitation it seemed they still had ways of finding out information that was kept hidden. I did think that the couriers would have a closer finger on the “political” pulse of their area since they went everywhere making their deliveries. No, they might not know what was in the messages they delivered but the overall feel/tone should have told them something. Looking back over what I have written so far I really haven’t talked about Sydney or Malcolm. Sydney is pretty much as described in the back-cover blurb and I never really got a feel for Malcolm. I was enthralled by the world and the action and not as much with the characters. I think if Don’t Bite the Messenger had a longer word count the main characters could have been fleshed out more while maintaining the same level of action.

I really hope that Ms Summers continues to write in this world because I do want to see more and I liked the ideas she presented. I give Don’t Bite the Messenger a B-

Links to purchase

Nook | Kindle eBook

Review – Don’t Bite the Messenger by Regan Summers is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.

Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title. Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once rescued him and his brothers from certain death.

Lady Mary Wynne-Jones paid dearly for helping the imprisoned young Lords of Pembrook, and she remembers well the promise she made to Sebastian all those years ago: to meet him once more in the abbey ruins where they shared a bold, forbidden kiss. While Mary is betrothed now to another, a friendship forged with dark secrets cannot be ignored. Unexpected passion soon burns dangerously between them, tempting Sebastian to abandon his quest for retribution to fight for a love that could once again set him free.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I’m a big fan of Heath, and when her newest book in her newest series was announced, I couldn’t wait to read it. I’ve always loved Heath’s voice and am glad to announce that she has another winner with this release.

Sebastian is the true heir to the Dukedom of Keswick, but he and his younger brothers ran away as children to escape the greedy uncle that wanted them dead. Now that Sebastian and his brothers are older, they are back to claim what is truly theirs, whatever the cost. But they never realized that one of their biggest obstacles would be dealing with the people of the ton. Lucky for them, their childhood friend Mary is still willing to do everything to protect them.

Mary helped Sebastian and his brothers escape from their uncle as children. Now that they are back, she wants to be able to catch up on their friendship and protect them from the rumors around the ton, but Mary’s fiance doesn’t want her to help because of the intense attraction between her and Sebastian. With an attempt on Sebastian’s life, Mary nurses him back to health, regardless of the fact that it leaves her at the center of a scandal, one that includes the one man she always knew she could love.

One of the things I love the most about historical romances is that sometimes the couples get married before they love (or even like) each other. They have time to get to know one another while forced to spend day in and day out together. While Mary and Sebastian had a chance to form a friendship, I loved the moments they spent together after they were married, learning to live with each other, support each other, and fall in love.

I adored Mary and Sebastian right away, and watching them dance around each other provided for such an sweet and endearing read. The tension between those two was off the charts, and each time Mary went back to her fiance I wanted to bop her up-side the head and scream at her for making such a stupid decision. It was obvious from the moment Sebastian walked in the door as an adult that these two would be explosive together.

I am also so excited for the other books in this series because of the wonderful way that Heath portrayed the relationship between Sebastian and his brothers. I loved how different their lives were, the struggles they had to endure to survive. I can’t wait to see how Heath gives them each their HEA, especially since their back stories are still a little bit of a mystery. I just hope that we will get to see them develop more of a friendship with one another, that we will get to see them become even better friends then they’ve already become.

For regency historical romance fans Heath is a wonderful author to pick up. Her books continue to be wonderful. They have a little bit of mystery, a lot of fun wonderful moments as the main characters fall in love, and even quite a few sexy times between the hero and heroine. I can’t recommend her books fast enough to fans of the genre!

All in all I really enjoyed this book. While the mystery subplot was easy to unravel, it was still very enjoyable to read. The romance between Mary and Sebastian was the perfect mixture of sexy and innocent, fun and frustrating and an all around pleasure to read. I’m anxiously awaiting the next in the series.
I give She Tempts the Duke a B+

Barnes & Noble | Amazon Book
| Kindle eBook

Review- She Tempts the Duke by Lorraine Heath is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Fallen angels… They rule Moscow’s seedy underworld, promising untold pleasure to the females who dare to mate them. That promise – and Brends Duranov’s own raw sexual power – has hopefuls mobbing the velvet rope outside his elite club G2’s.

But Mischka Baran has no intention of hooking up with one of the Fallen. Not even after Brends gives her an unforgettable taste of the sin and seduction he can deliver with those wicked lips. She’s after information, not a stint as some Goblin’s toy of the month. What she doesn’t know is that with a sadistic killer carving up his brethren, Brends is playing for keeps, hunting the one woman whose bloodline can end the mayhem, whose bond can restore his lost wings.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

Back in August 2010 I had just finished reading Claire Delacroix’s Eyes of the Republic trilogy and was in the mood for more books that had apocalyptic settings and involved fallen angels when I found Bond with Me. It looked like it fit those requirements so I decided to give it a try. Well it certainly met those requirements and delivered more! Ms Marsh developed a really fascinating world that took some rather interesting twists on the reason for and what happened after the War in Heaven.

After the War in Heaven things drastically changed for the Fallen, like the insatiable desire to feel although they lost the capacity to create their own feelings. They could temporarily appease that need by feeling vicariously through a human, which required consuming part of the human’s soul through a bargain called a bond. But if they allowed the need to satisfy that hunger to rule them, they would become hunted and imprisoned rogues loosing all chance of redemption. Each Fallen did have a chance to return to heaven, which involved a special woman, however after thousands of years had passed none of them had regained their wings so they stopped believing. The loss of that hope caused more and more of the Fallen to succumb to their hunger. I will just say that Angelic politics certainly played a role in that…

Ms Marsh took a different approach with Bond with Me by including two couples in different stages of their relationships. One had been slowly building over years so was more of a friends to lovers while the other was closer to a physical relationship that turned into love. I enjoyed the dichotomy between the two because I think it highlighted just how dangerous stereotypes and hasty decisions can be. I also got to see just how determined the Fallen could be in their pursuit of one particular woman even with throngs of others clamoring for their attention. Each of the Fallen had their own distinct personalities with some more dominate then others but all of them would certainly be considered the Alpha type.

Brends was certainly something else. He was such a contradiction as he kept his word, played by the rules and yet seized every advantage to get what he wanted. The catch was that Mischka had to be willing in order for the bond between them to actually happen. Watching the interplay between Mischka, Brends, and his conscious as he maneuvered, manipulated and ultimately fell in love was very entertaining. Mischka made him work for every single thing he gained which I loved.

During my re-read for this review I was captivated all over again. It was great seeing that a couple of years and hundreds of books later I still had the exact same urge to rush out and find the next book. This time I can actually get His Dark Bond because it released this Tuesday.

I give Bond with Me an A

Links to purchase:

Amazon Book | Kindle eBook | Barnes & Noble

Review – Bond With Me by Anne Marsh is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

His Dark Bond

I love fallen angels. As heroes, fallen angels are dark, sexy, and so damned alpha. The heroes of my book are take-charge warriors who, despite their Fall from heavenly grace, have a bedrock core of honor and a fierce desire to do what is right. The hero of my current release, His Dark Bond, is also an unrepentant bad boy—my favorite kind of hero, especially once my heroine gets her hands on his heart. She’s his last hope for salvation, whether he wants to be saved—or not.

Clearly, I’m not the only one in love with the bad boys of the angel world. My “first” was J.R. Ward’s Lassiter; after him, I’ve spent hours lost in other fallen angel books by J.R. Ward, Michele Hauf, Gena Showalter, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Kristina Douglas and Cynthia Eden. I was hooked.

Blurb:

Zer is no angel—well, not anymore. He’s explored every flavor of sin imaginable, drinking in the pleasures of humanity. But now he must find the woman who carries his salvation in her very blood… a woman like Nessa St. James.

Nessa has considered the bargain the Fallen offer. Anything she wants in exchange for accepting Zer’s bond? No way. Not her. Not when she finds out about the mind-blowing ritual involved, and the marks of surrender that will ink her skin. But with a serial killer to stop and centuries of experience on his side, this is one job Zer’s going to nail.

Excerpt:

                        The erotic stillness of her body as she tried to make sense of an overload of sensations rocked his world, teasing all his senses with sensual promise. And then she melted into his embrace.

                        Good. “First time, baby,” he promised. He moved up her body, bit lightly at the smooth skin of her throat, marking her. Next time she wore that damn chignon of hers, the whole world would see his mark of possession. Would know that she belong to him.

                        He shouldn’t be doing this, but the pleasure was a torment now. So long since he’d felt this sense of welcome. Homecoming. As if, in all the universe, this was the one place he belonged. A male could drown in this pleasure.

                        Christ, he wanted this to be right for her. For him to be her fantasy the way she was his.

                        Ruthlessly, he stripped off his boots and pants. Shot a look at the shadows. Solid as a rock, there was his boy. Nael hadn’t moved from his position in the darkness. Safe. So, he slid his weapon under the pillow but didn’t remove the pair of blades strapped to his upper arm. Nael had his back, but no way would Zer risk Nessa now. She was worth too damn much. Losing her wasn’t an option, and for reason he didn’t want to explore. Not now.

                        Covering her, he deliberately bore down with his weight, pinning her to the bed. Her husky feminine moan went straight to his head.

                        “Bond with me,” he growled.

                        Her answer, when it came, rocked his world.

                        “Yes,” she groaned, licking at his ear. “You bond with me.”

Which fallen angel book sticks in your heart and your memory? I’d love to give away a signed set of Fallen books (Bond with Me and His Dark Bond), so leave a comment and tell me which story you can’t forget. Giveaway is open internationally and ends February  10th. Good Luck!

Guest Post & Giveaway with Anne Marsh is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Eadie Burke

Congrats Eadie! Check your email

The Professor Winner is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get the book: Netgalley Arc

Publisher: Kensington

Release date: Out now

Review: Firelight by Kristen Callihan is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Paranormal Romance

Firelight by Kristen Callihann – January 31st

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . .
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family’s fortune decimated and forced her to wed London’s most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it’s selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can’t help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Inked Magic by Jory Strong – February 7th

Skin didn’t lie to her. It was her gift, sometimes her curse. To feel what others felt. To see the things held in their memories…

With the touch of her palms to the skin of a crime victim, San Francisco tattoo artist Etaín can see the faces of the guilty and draw them. Changeling elf but unaware of it, at odds with her police captain father and FBI brother, magic and gift have put her on the path of two compelling men.

Cathal Dunne, the son of an Irish mob boss, needs Etaín’s help finding the rapists who left his cousin for dead. Eamon, a powerful elf lord, is determined to make her his consort-wife.

Her gift once made permanence impossible when it came to a lover. Now as she approaches the transition to fully Elven, her survival depends on keeping two. One of the men is willing to share her. The other isn’t—until the search for a sexual predator turns deadly—and only by paying magic’s price will there be any future at all.

Something About Witches by Joey W. Hill – February 7th

Ruby Night Divine is a witch who runs a gun shop. Magic can fail – she knows that first hand, having experienced it with full-blown tragic consequences, far beyond what Dr. Phil can fix. Smith & Wesson is a whole hell of a lot more reliable, and nothing’s as cathartic as the ability to put a few holes in the things that piss you off. Like Derek Stormwind.

A powerful sorcerer, Derek is determined to get to the bottom of why she pushed him away and ran three years before. He also wants her help. A coven needs training to face a demon and his army of minions. Oh sure. It’s amazing what sweet things a guy will offer to get back into a woman’s heart, and into her bed.

Only in this case, she knows he never left her heart, and in her bed is exactly where she wants him to be. Unfortunately, her bed’s already made, and she’s close to losing her soul. And not even Smith & Wesson or Derek Stormwind can fix that.

Vengeance Born by Kylie Griffin – February 7th

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born…

Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na’Reish King, longs for more than her tormented life among her father’s people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she’s gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy…

With the Na’Reish vastly outnumbering them, Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, knows the future of humankind depends on him alone. Incursions into human territory and raids for blood-slaves by the Na’Reish Horde have increased. As Chosen-leader, he faces the task of stopping the demons-and convincing the Council of aging Light Blade warriors that change is necessary for survival.

When Annika learns Kalan is a prisoner in her father’s dungeon, her dream of escape seems within reach. She agrees to free him in exchange for his protection once they reach human territory. Now, marked for death for helping him, Annika must learn to trust Kalan as they face not only the perilous journey to the border but enemies within the Council-and discover a shocking truth that could throw the human race into civil war…

Pack & Coven by Jody Wallace – February 20th

Harry Smith is a lone wolf, and he likes it that way. When he’s targeted to be co-alpha of the local pack, there is only one thing he can do to maintain his freedom: flee. But it’ll take a miracle to stay a step ahead of shifters in their own territory.

June Travis has been in love with Harry for years, but he doesn’t know her real identity. He sees her as the sweet owner of the local tearoom—the facade June presents to humans and werewolves to keep them from finding out she’s a witch. She may not be able to offer Harry a miracle, but she can help him escape.

Harry is drawn to this new side of June, and not just because he’s grateful for her help. With her magic temporarily hiding Harry from his pursuers, the witch and the wolf explore their mutual attraction. But there are consequences for witches who bed down with wolves…

Angels Flight by Nalini Singh – February 28th

In Angel’s Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

In Angels’ Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all…

Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT

In Angels’ Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless…

And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Angels’ Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.

The Darkest Seduction by Gena Showalter – February 28th

At long last, New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter unveils the story of Paris, the darkest and most tormented Lord of the Underworld….

Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price. Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die. And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now.

Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet in Paris’s arms, the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up.

Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally—or tear them apart?

Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper – February 28th

Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of all things marital, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend Gabriel are coming along smoothly. But the road to wedded bliss gets bumpy when a teenage acquaintance is fatally wounded in front of Jane’s shop and she turns him to save his life. The Council pronounces Jane responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst.

Jane’s kitchen at River Oaks barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased Grandma Ruthie has declared a war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly,
choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake that she can’t eat seems downright relaxing in comparison.

Tensions inside the house are growing…and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of…

Urban Fantasy

By a Thread by Jennifer Estep – February 28th

Then again, how often does an assassin live long enough to enjoy her retirement? In this line of work, you either get lucky or you get dead. And since I destroyed my nemesis Mab Monroe a few weeks ago, all of Ashland’s lowlifes are gunning to make a name for themselves by taking out the lethal Spider—me, Gin Blanco. So I’m leaving behind my beloved barbecue joint and heading south with my baby sister, Bria, to cool my heels in a swanky beach town. Call it a weekend of fun in the sun.

But when a powerful vampire with deadly elemental magic threatens an old friend of Bria’s, it looks like I’ll have to dig my silverstone knives out of my suitcase after all. Complicating matters further is the reappearance of Detective Donovan Caine, my old lover. But Donovan is the least of my problems. Because this time, the danger is hot on my trail, and not even my elemental Ice and Stone magic may be enough to save me from getting buried in the sand—permanently.

Science Fiction Romance

Synthetic Dreams by Kim Knox-February 27th

Vynessa Somerton was just a girl when she learned about true evil. An encounter with the tyrannical Corporation scarred her body and exiled her to the crime-ridden S-District. Now an adult, Vyn creates glamours, worn by those who visit a virtual playground to live synthetic dreams. She’s tried to stay unnoticed by the Corporation, but her latest invention has brought their agents to her door.

Paul Cross works for the Corporation, but he’s been plotting their downfall since they took his brother and replaced him with an imposter. Paul has a plan to get his brother back, but he’s going to need Vyn and her invention to carry it out.

Vyn agrees to help Paul, but their alliance shatters the barriers she’s put up to protect herself, tempting her to give in to desire. Just as Vyn starts to trust Paul and believe he wants her, scars and all, the Corporation prepares for its final move. Can Vyn trust Paul completely, or has he been using her all along?

Historical Romance

A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean – February 28th

New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean has taken the world of historical romance fiction by storm With A Rogue by Any Other Name, she once again boldly breaks new ground. The first book in her remarkably fresh and original Fallen Angels series–featuring four dark Regency Era heroes who will steal the hearts of their heroines and the readers alike–A Rogue will captivate fans of Julia Quinn and Suzanne Enoch while bringing new romance readers eagerly into the fold. The scintillating story of a disgraced Marquess reduced to running a London gambling hall who hopes to restore his good fortune by marrying a very proper lady who’s secretly drawn to sin, A Rogue by Any Other Name is sexy and wicked fun.

Contemporary Romance

Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton – February 12th

The last thing Jenna Riley needs is more sports in her life. While her brothers are off being athletic superstars, she’s stuck running the family’s sports bar, whether she likes it or not. Then in walks pro hockey stud Tyler Anderson. As much as Jenna would like to go to the boards with him, she’s vowed to never fall for a jock—even one as hot as Ty.

Ty, intrigued by the beautiful bar owner, becomes a regular. He senses that Jenna wants to do something more with her life. And as he gains her trust, the passion between them grows, as does Ty’s insistence that Jenna should start living for herself. With his encouragement, Jenna starts to believe it, too…

But first, Jenna has to figure out what she wants, what she needs, who she loves, and if she has the passion and pride to take a shot at having it all—including Ty…

Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas – February 28th

Lucy Marinn is a glass artist living in mystical, beautiful, Friday Harbor, Washington. She is stunned and blindsided by the most bitter kind of betrayal: her fiancé Kevin has left her. His new lover is Lucy’s own sister. Lucy’s bitterness over being dumped is multiplied by the fact that she has constantly made the wrong choices in her romantic life. Facing the severe disapproval of Lucy’s parents, Kevin asks his friend Sam Nolan, a local vineyard owner on San Juan Island, to “romance” Lucy and hopefully loosen her up and get her over her anger. Complications ensue when Sam and Lucy begin to fall in love, Kevin has second thoughts, and Lucy discovers that the new relationship in her life began under false pretenses. Questions about love, loyalty, old patterns, mistakes, and new beginnings are explored as Lucy learns that some things in life—even after being broken—can be made into something new and beautiful.

Romantic Suspense

Nightfire by Lisa Marie Rice – February 7th

Chloe Mason’s childhood memories consist of seemingly endless hospital stays. Now all grown up and healthy, her determination to fill the gaping holes in her past leads her to her long-lost brother, Harry . . . which brings Harry’s friend and business partner, Mike Keillor, crashing into her life and her heart.

Former Marine Force Recon sniper and SWAT officer–a martial arts expert and owner of a successful security company–Mike can deal coolly and efficiently with any threat . . . until he’s blindsided by something he never expected: fierce, fiery passion . . . and love.

But when Chloe inadvertently crosses the Russian mob, Mike realizes that evil is darkening his world once again. He has already lost his family; he will not lose the woman who enflames him, who makes him whole. Failure is not an option.

Fantasy Romance

The Lord of Illusion by Kathryne Kennedy – February 7th

He’ll do anything to save her…
Rebel Lord Drystan Hawkes dreams of fighting for England’s freedom. He gets his chance when he finds a clue to opening the magic portal to Elfhame, and he must race to find the slave girl who holds the key to the mystery. But even as Drystan rescues Camille Ashton from Dreamhame Palace, it becomes unclear exactly who is saving whom.

For the fate of humankind lies with Camille…
Enslaved for years in a realm where illusion and glamour reign, Camille has learned to trust nothing and no one. But she’s truly spellbound when she meets Drystan–a man different from any she’s ever known, and the force of their passion may yet be strong enough to banish the Elven Lords from this world forever.

Young Adult

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi – February 7th

WORLDS KEPT THEM APART.

DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER.

Aria has lived her whole life in the protected dome of Reverie. Her entire world confined to its spaces, she’s never thought to dream of what lies beyond its doors. So when her mother goes missing, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland long enough to find her are slim.

Then Aria meets an outsider named Perry. He’s searching for someone too. He’s also wild – a savage – but might be her best hope at staying alive.

If they can survive, they are each other’s best hope for finding answers

E-novella Specials

As an extra special treat, we have three e-novella specials that we are really looking forward to. They all release on February 7th!

Dire Warning by Stephanie Tyler – February 7th

A breathtaking new tale of the Dire Wolves, from the bestselling author of Dire Needs…

Immortal and invincible, Rifter is the head of the last surviving pack of Dire Wolves—a band of Alpha brothers charged with protecting the Weres. But now that witches have joined forces with nefarious weretrappers, it’s a perfect storm for double trouble. When the murder of a human points to a wolf, along with the threat of the packs being outted to the world, the Dires fear that something even more dangerous is out there hiding in the dark, something waiting for the right time to show itself.

Includes a letter from the author and a teaser chapter from Dire Needs.

The Voice by Anne Bishop – February 7th

An original novella from the New York Times bestselling author of Bridge of Dreams…

In a small village outside the city of Vision, the people know no sorrow or grief. But this seemingly idyllic community is hiding a terrible secret. As a young child, Nalah did not know why she was told to bring a cake to the mute girl known as the Voice whenever she was upset, only that doing so made her feel better. Now grown, Nalah understands the dark truth, and yearns to escape from the oppressive village that has been her life-long home. But it is only after visiting the city of Vision and discovering the Temple of Sorrow that Nalah understands what she must do to be free…

Hot Summer Bites by Nina Banks – February 7th

An investigative reporter has come to the Galveston amusement park Live the Fantasy to do an expose on the rumors of sexual escapades that are happening at the adult park. But what happens when she’s sidetracked from her story by the sexy handyman at the Castle of Dark Dreams? A handyman who happens to be a vampire, and who has a secret agenda that could damage Kristin if she’s not careful…

February Must Haves is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get the book: Bought

Publisher: Digitally reissued and self published by the author

Release date: Out now

We’ve started a new feature called Retro Romances where we review books from the past. This is my review of San Francisco Surrender, aka Hawt Romance with Guy who has a Dragon Tattoo

BEGUILING THIEF Lovely Victoria Chambers had a dangerous secret: forced by desperation into a life of crime, the eighteen-year-old beauty was actually the notorious wharf thief known as “The Serpent”! But from the moment she set eyes on sinfully seductive Sebastian Blood, the voluptuous vixen-in-disguise realized that her nights on the docks were numbered! She yearned to yield to his searing midnight embrace, even though he’d be sure to uncover her deception. She’d gladly forget the criminal trade, burning to surrender her trembling flesh to Sebastian ‘s deepest, darkest desires… SEDUCTIVE STALKER Blood–better known as “The Dragon “–vowed to beat the thieving “Serpent” at his own villainous game, but the instant he laid eyes on the spirited street urchin, he found himself strangely captivated–and definitely suspicious. The wily waif’s enchanting emerald eyes, wildly sensual lips, and poorly disguised curves drove the rugged San Franciscan to distraction. This was no boy! He wouldn’t rest until he d uncovered the deceiving damsel, stroked her silken skin into submission, and made her pay for her wicked charade with a night of rapturous lovemaking!

*Blurb taken from Goodreads*

This is going to be an oldie but a goodie review, because San Francisco Surrender was one of the first big historical romances that I read as a teen. I evolved from reading Sweet Valley High/High school romances which I soon got bored with, and then I went on to Harlequins. But then I discovered Historical Romance and holy manitties, how I fell in love! And most especially I had fallen in love with those Zebra Hologram historical romances. If this was an imprint that was cracklicious then this was the one for me. I recently reread this book and I was pleasantly surprised about the nostalgia effect that came upon me, especially the second time around — although there are a few issues I have with the book. So this review is going to be a tad different to my usual ones. I will include the views of  my fourteen year old self along with my current opinions to the book!

(Fourteen year old self)
OMG! This hero has a dragon tattoo on his arm (swoons!!!!!) and its a historical romance and the heroine is spunky (yes I thought spunky at the time!). And she’s dressed like a boy and she got one over the hero. I’M.IN.LOVE with this book.

(Current self)
San Francisco Surrender has all the ingredients that makes me a happy bunny for a romance. It has a heroine, Victoria,  who is disguised as a boy (I so adore this trope!) and is forced into a life of crime to help support her ailing sister. A smexy hero called Sebastian Blood (you gotta love a surname like that!) with a dragon tattoo who finds himself outwitted and mugged by Victoria — although he has no idea that she’s a girl or the thief called The Serpent. But something about this scrawny little kid called Vic calls to him, and he soon invites and takes him in to work for his business when he learns that his sister Beth is gravely ill. But Victoria is on a mission: she wants to kill her uncle who is the man who destroyed her family and stolen their money. Disguising herself as Vic is the only way she can get information and to move freely about and get revenge on her uncle. But it’s very difficult to do so when an alpha male with a dragon tattoo discovers that Vic has boobies, and then understands why he’s so drawn to the little feisty girl who dares to rebel against his orders.

(Fourteen year old self)
I adored their banter and Vic really stands up to him and omg *Sigh*.  The scene where he discovered she has boobs – ha ha! Big alpha male tricked by a girl and he didn’t even guess why he was so drawn to her! And the love scenes?  Hawt! The scene when she teases him is so funny and builds up the tension beautifully.

(Current self)
Sebastian also discovers Victoria’s past and the vendetta she has against her step uncle. Typical Alpha male hero going all protective too but I like that Victoria stands up to him and still sneaks out meeting her old friends to find out information on how to get vengeance on her uncle. Her relationship with Sebastian soon after they get married doesn’t go smoothly when he gets into alphahole mode, but Victoria deflects this attitude when she proactively asks for advice from a friend about sex and seduction and goes on to seduce him which I love!

During my second reread, there were a few elements which had me rolling my eyes at Sebastian and even Victoria because of a misunderstanding early on in the book, but it never verged onto TSTL territory and the story and characters do hold well. I am pretty happy that the nostalgic feel fits close to what I felt as a teen and this is an old skool read which I will treasure. San Franscico Surrender is a fun and sexy read with a feisty heroine and an old style alpha male that never becomes abusive or callous, and I am really glad the author has re-released it in digital format because in my eyes it’s a gem of a read!

I give San Franscico Surrender a B+

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Retro Review: San Francisco Surrender by Donna Fletcher is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The final “powerfully intense” (Romantic Times) Black Ops, Inc. novel from New York Times bestseller Cindy Gerard, featuring a covert private security team and electrifying romantic suspense.Black Ops, Inc. operative Joe Green is determined to bring to justice the man responsible for former team member Bryan Tompkins’s death. He’s convinced the ambush that killed Bryan was no coincidence, but a setup. Unsure of the consequences of the battle he’s about to start, Joe distances himself from both his Black Ops, Inc. team members and the woman he loves, Bryan’s sister, Stephanie Tompkins. But Stephanie knows there must be some reason Joe broke it off, and when she hears Joe’s charged with a murder in Sierra Leone, she wastes no time in breaking him out of prison. Then they must unravel the mystery behind the ambush, and bring resolution to a long-ago betrayal….
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I put off reading those book as long as I could, because then I could fool myself into thinking the BOI series wouldn’t have to end. But all good things must come to an end, so as soon as I opened the first page in Joe’s book, I was sucked in and didn’t put it down until I was finished.

Joe has been haunted by the deal of former teammate Bryan for years, and now that he finally had a lead on who betrayed them, he is willing to do anything and everything to make sure the truth comes out. But in order for him to do that, he knows he has to leave the love of his life and Bryan’s little sister, Stephanie.

Stephanie has been in love with Joe for years, and she is crushed when he leaves. When she discovers that he is in prison, she will do what it takes to get him out and help him uncover the mystery behind Bryan’s murder, a traitor in Washington, and the truth behind the one mission that changed so many lives long ago.

I don’t even know where to start with this review. I was pulled into the story immediately and like I said, once I started reading couldn’t put the book down. It feels like I’ve been rooting for Joe and Stephanie to FINALLY get their HEA forever, and after the way this story stared, I could feel my heart breaking for them both. The emotional angst and drama surrounding their initial break-up and Joe’s decision to tell Stephanie he wasn’t in love with her had me tearing up within the first two chapters.

Once Stephanie goes off half-cocked at the idea of saving Joe I was glad to see her really step up and grab life by the horns. Instead of being a passive observer as life passed her by she stood up and took her life into her own hands. She was willing to risk everything to save him – her job, her life. Everything. Although I worried she would start pulling TSTL moves one after another, Stephanie also showed restraint in know what her capabilities were. I liked that. She knew when to take a step back and let someone else run the show.

At the same time she had this amazing revelation about her past relationship with Joe, where she wanted the future to go, and what she would have to do to have a future with him. It was eye opening for Stephanie and also great fun for me to see such a huge transformation! And poor Joe… He was so taken by surprise by her complete 180 that he didn’t seem to know what to do with himself or her. It was awesome to see such a hard core warrior brought down to his knees by Stephanie growing a pair.

I was a little mad at Joe at first, not just because he ran off into the unknown without any backup, and knowing full well he would need it, but for not trusting that his team would not only want to be in this fight, but that they would believe him and trust his instincts. There were moments when he was acting like a spoiled child and I wanted to pop him on the head for not reaching out to the other BOI guys.

Like all Gerard books, the suspense and action keep the book moving and kept me at the edge of my seat. Although there felt to be more down time than usual, I love that even the slower Gerard books are more intense than other books I’ve read in the romantic suspense genre. I was happy to see the original mission of the first book revisited and resolved and everyone was finally able to make their peace with Bryan’s death. The traitor was discovered and the series was wrapped up with a nice big bow.

The epilogue was a great way to end the series as well (although I will admit to thinking it was just a LITTLE bit corny). we got a chance to see all the BOI guys together once again with their leading ladies and families. It was fun to see them all together, growing up and moving onto the next chapter of their lives. I can only hope that Gerard plans to write a book about Mike, the on-again-off-again BOI pilot who helps the boys every now and then. We get to see a lot more of him… *grin*

All in all I’m so sad to see this series end, but so happy with the way it did. Everything was wrapped up, we got a chance to see all the guys back together again and see just how great of an impact their wives had in their lives. It was emotional and wonderful and optimistic and left me feeling like everything will have a fairytale ending for not only Joe and Stephanie, but the BOI guys as a whole. WELL DONE CINDY GERARD!
I give Last Man Standing an A

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Review – Last Man Standing by Cindy Gerard is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Women have been known to lament, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” For Johnny Smith, the problem is, “Always a Best Man, never a groom.” At age 33, housepainter Johnny has been Best Man eight times. The ultimate man’s man, Johnny loves the Mets, the Jets, his weekly poker game, and the hula girl lamp that hangs over his basement pool table. Johnny has the instant affection of nearly every man he meets, but one thing he doesn’t have is a woman to share his life with, and he wants that desperately. When Johnny meets District Attorney Helen Troy, he decides to renounce his bro-magnet ways in order to impress her. With the aid and advice of his friends and family, soon he’s transforming his wardrobe, buying throw pillows, ditching the hula girl lamp, getting a cat and even changing his name to the more mature-sounding John. And through it all, he’s pretending to have no interest in sports, which Helen claims to abhor. As things heat up with Helen, the questions arise: Will Johnny finally get the girl? And, if he’s successful in that pursuit, who will he be now that he’s no longer really himself? THE BRO-MAGNET is a rollicking comedic novel about what one man is willing to give up for the sake of love.

*blurb from Goodreads*

Lou: This is a book that I would never have chosen to read for a number of reasons. One: The cover. Yes, I’m a cover-snob but looking at that cover I would have thought the book would be about people playing pool. In my normal book browsing habits, I would not have noticed it. Two: I rarely read out of my genre comfort zones. And having a book from a male POV that’s not strictly a romance is somewhat alien to me. And three: I’m not a huge fan of humour books because very often I don’t find the humour funny. And therefore, makes me feel as if my funny bone is missing. But I did pick this book up because of the recommendation from Jane at Dear Author. So bought it I did, read it I did, and loved it I did. I.loved.this.book. It had me smiling from the get go and I was happily snorting away in laughter because the hero, Johnny, manages to be endearing and so bro-male at the same time. And the situations he gets himself into were hilarious.

Has: Oh I feel the same way! I wouldn’t have picked this up because of that cover which I don’t think really reflects the tone of the book, and I am leery of the idea of the male POV especially with the comedy element. Humorous books can be really subjective and the few I’ve read didn’t work for me. But I was so glad I listened to the recs by Lou and Jane. This book was a pure gem of hilariousness. The hero was wonderfully engaging and likeable, and he felt so real, and any wariness I had dissipated because once I read that opening passage I was lost into the fun. I rarely laugh out loud let alone giggle throughout a whole book, but I did with The Bro-Magnet.

Lou: He was so endearing because he always ended up getting things wrong, and always saying the wrong thing. When the book first starts (and it’s told in 1st narrative), Johnny tells us about how he was a disappointment to women even since his mother, and how she looked at him in surprise when he was born because he wasn’t a girl, and then she abruptly died. When you think of it, it’s quite sad but it’s oh so humorous at the same time. Then Johnny takes you through to his childhood briefly. The bra-snapping incident was so funny because yes, it happened when I was in school. I think nearly every girl has had her bra snapped by annoying boys as kids. Here’s the bra-snapping quote because even though it’s a immature stunt played by a immature boy, there’s so much humour in the writing.

“Alice Knox has the nicest breasts of any girl in our class. Hell, the nicest breasts of any girl in the whole school – throw in seventh and eighth grades, because those are some amazing world-class breasts!

Which is why, as she receives her tray with a salad on it and I reach for my own orange tray with one hand, I reach out the other hand, place one finger under the suddenly blinding white bra strap that’s peeking out from beneath her pink tank and snap it.

Snap.

Which is almost immediately followed by…

Slap.

Oh yeah, and that’s almost immediately followed by Alice dumping her tray over my head.
And that is immediately followed by Alice seething, “I hate you, Smith,” before helping herself to a fresh tray.”

Has: I think this is why it was so appealing. It had the male POV done so realistically and with humour but it conveyed the family and friendship dynamic so well too. His interactions with his father and aunt felt so real and full of chemistry and I adored his best friend who was a lesbian and was just as woeful with her experiences with women. This was a fantastic book that really delved into the male psyche and how they viewed the opposite sex as well romance.

Lou: Johnny is also a unreliable narrator. For those that don’t know what that means, a unreliable narrator is a narrator where the reader can’t tell for sure whether or not they are telling us truth, fact, or if it’s complete bollocks. But Johnny’s not unlikeable — never that. Since being a woman and all, I can’t tell if Johnny was portrayed realistically within a man’s psyche, but by god I had one hell of a time laughing. Johnny’s romance of Helen was so sweet, and you couldn’t help but root for him because despite how clueless he was, he really liked Helen. I did have a fearful moment in the beginning where I thought Alice would be his love interest. Alice was a bitch in all capital letters. Johnny was never mean to her, but she seemed to have a raging hard on for him all the time. But Johnny was never perfect either, and this is one of Has’ favourite quotes. It’s crude, but funny as hell. This quote is where Johnny is desperately trying to explain to Helen how he does not finds loopholes in court cases.

“So let me get this straight,” she says. “It’s not loopholes you have a thing for, it’s ice holes?”

“Oh, yes,” I say, “from when I was little and my dad used to take me ice fishing. Ever since he got MS and can’t get around as well anymore, I like to remember the times when we used to be together on the ice, sitting around the ice holes.”

Well, at least the part about him having MS is true.

“That’s sweet,” she says.

Hey, I’m on a roll here.

“Not only do I like ice holes,” I say, “but I like sinkholes.”

“Sinkholes?”

“I mean, I’d hate to get my truck stuck in one, but they’re so interesting, the way they just appear all of a sudden. And peepholes, I like those too.”

“Peepholes?”

“It is always good to see who’s on the other side of the door so you know whether you want to let them in or not. Oh, and blowholes – you know, whales. They should be saved.”

“So,” she says slowly, reviewing my case item by item, “you like ice holes, sinkholes, peepholes and blowholes?”

I nod.

“But not loopholes?”

I nod again.

Hole this, hole that – even when I’m determined not to just be myself, I’m such an asshole. I just can’t help it.

Has: I think the author captured that male POV but not all males will be like that, but I think because of the chemistry and the use of dialogue — which flowed really naturally as well sparkling with humour — it felt real. I think the idea of the how women and men think was realistically portrayed because it never really felt forced or resorted to cliches. And when it did, the author deftly challenged that. In a lot of ways, although this was a book that was about the mishap adventures of a guy trying to woo a woman despite having the crappiest luck ever because he was such a guy’s guy,  this is a book about relationships between friends and families. I loved how it explored different facets of that and in such a fun and entertaining way. Such as the fact his BFF was a lesbian and that he was brought up by his father and aunt. It never resorted to stereotypes.

Lou: It never did, and some of the incidents in the book were so far away from any typical male stereotypes. From Johnny totally get owned by a little kid who he’s buying a kitten from. That scene had me in stitches because the kid totally played him like a fool. Johnny did all of these ridiculous situations because it’s what he thought a woman would want, and what Helen would want. He was actually very sweet. And I thought Helen was just perfect for him because in the end, it wasn’t just Johnny that partook in some untruths to impress the other person. I would recommend and book push this book with no reservations. If you would like a funny book with a male POV with a cute romance, please go and read The Bro-Magnet. I don’t think you will be disappointed. I give this a resounding and well deserved smacking A+.

Has: OMG that scene was HILARIOUS. And the image of him with that cat leash — although the Barn Opera was my favourite because it was beyond ridiculous and the fact he was so blind-sighted by it LMAO. I love the feeling of a book that really takes you by surprise, although I did wish we had more at the end of the book, especially on the HEA because it felt so abrupt. But I highly recommend this book, it really shines with humour, joy and wit and I dare you not to laugh because this book will have you in giggling away! I give this a sparkling A

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Joint Review: The Bro-Magnet by Lauren Baratz-Logsted is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter