Fox Tale - Karen Hulene Bartell

Heights terrify Ava. When a stranger saves her from plunging down a mountain, he diverts her fears with tales of Japanese kitsune—shapeshifting foxes—and she begins a journey into the supernatural.

She’s attracted to Chase, both physically and metaphysically, yet primal instincts urge caution when shadows suggest more than meets the eye.

She’s torn between Chase and Rafe, her ex, when a chance reunion reignites their passion, but she struggles to overcome two years of bitter resentment. Did Rafe jilt her, or were they pawns of a larger conspiracy? Are the ancient legends true of kitsunes twisting time and events?

My Review

This is a hard review to write. Fox Tale is a paranormal romance. The paranormal side of things is facinating and it's what kept me turning the pages, keen to know how it would all unfold. For me, the romance did not work. Mostly because I did not like either of the male characters.

The whole story is built around Japanese folklaw, something that I know less than nothing about. We have shape-shifters, possession by good and evil foxes and immortal beings with grudges that span the centuries. I loved this side of the story and really wanted to know where it would go.

As I mentioned before, I wasn't keen on either of Ava's potential love interests. I'm trying to explain why here without giving away too many spoilers. They both come waving more red flags than is healthy. I couldn't understand why Ava would give Rafe the time of day after what he did to her previously. He gives an explanation and there is more that we learn later, but that just made me dislike him even more. 

This may well be a personal thing and as I said, I really enjoyed everything else in the book so don't let my issues put you off. This really is a good read. I found the Japanese culture facinating. I also polished this book off in a little over 24 hours, so you can see it was one I enjoyed. If you're looking for something a little different, then I would suggest that you won't go far wrong with this. 

Author Bio

Dr. Karen Hulene Bartell, author of Wild Rose Pass, The Keys: Voice of the Turtle, Christmas in Cahokia, Holy Water: Rule of Capture, Lone Star Christmas, Angels from Ashes, Christmas in Catalonia, Sacred Gift, Belize Navidad, Sacred Choices, and others, is a best-selling author, motivational keynote speaker, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life. She writes multicultural, offbeat love stories steeped in the supernatural that lift the spirit. Dr. Bartell lives in the Texas Hill Country with her husband Peter and her "mews"—three rescued cats and a rescued CATahoula Leopard dog.

Reaper of Chaos - C.D. Britt

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Reaper of Chaos
C.D. Britt
(Blood of Saviors, #1)
Publication date: December 5th 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance

She loves death.
He is Death.
Thanatos took a fifty-year vacation from his duties as Death, psychopomp of the Underworld.
Returning to Halcyon, he meets Lira, a professor of Thanatology with the ability to see souls . . and
him.
Intrigued, he finds himself obsessed with learning about the woman who studies, and sees, death.
As he finds himself growing closer to the woman who has him fascinated for the first time in centuries, a
devastating problem arises in both the mortal world and the Underworld.
People are no longer dying.
Thanatos and Lira now have a choice to make: each other or death itself.

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Author Bio:

C.D. Britt began her writing journey when her husband told her she needed to use her excessive imagination to write stories as opposed to creating a daily narrative for him. Ever since she penned her first words, life has been a lot more peaceful for him.

She currently resides in Texas where she has yet to adapt to the heat. Her husband thrives in it, so unfortunately, they will not be relocating to colder climates anytime soon.

Their two young children would honestly complain either way.

When she is not in her writing cave (hiding from the sun), she enjoys ignoring the world as much as her children will allow with a good book, music, and vast amounts of coffee (until it’s time for wine).

C.D. Britt is the author of Shadows & Vines, Sirens & Leviathans, and the upcoming book, Storms & Embers.

All three books are part of the Reign of Goddesses series.

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My Review

What a read! I loved this book and the characters in it. Although it is the first book in a series; Blood of Saviours, it also follows on from a previous series; The Reign of Goddesses. I haven't read this first series, or indeed any other books by C.D. Britt, but I certainly plan on doing so in future.

This book takes Greek mythology and the Gods and Goddesses who fill the stories and give them a twist. It works really well.

I loved Thanatos, he's such a likeable character, both ancient and at the same time childlike, I found myself laughing and smiling as well as being gripped by what was going on. Lira is a great match for him and I really enjoyed the way their story developed.

I'm so pleased to have found this new series and author, I can't wait for more!

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Princess of Thorns and Ruin - Anya J. Cosgrove

 A grumpy human servant.

An arrogant bodyguard.

The scoundrel that broke my heart…

Betrayals and secrets rule the deadly and hypnotic court of night.

The pleasure bite is an art that a proper vampire princess shouldn’t think so much about, but how can I resist the pull of Leo’s blood or the warmth of his tanned skin? My new servant has sworn his life to me, body and soul, but he’s quiet and full of secrets.

Alec Beaumont simply boils my blood every time he opens his damn beautiful mouth, and Sebastian Chastain is as cruel and calculating as the day he set fire to my dress.

I can’t fall for any of them, forced to marry whoever my brother will choose for me, but is duty reason enough to betray my own heart?

I’m a Delacroix. We rule or die. There’s nothing to compromise.

Princess of Thorns and Ruin is book 1 in a fast-paced, sizzling romance duet set in the deadly Delacroix night court. You’ll love this story if you like sexy vampire bites, enemies-to-lovers relationships, and heroes who love to share.

This duet is set in the same world as Magnetic, but it stands alone. Downton Abbey meets House of Dragons. Mature themes.

My Review

When it comes to dark, paranormal romances, you don't get much better than Anya J. Cosgrove. It's been a while, but I was really excited to find out that there was a new duet on the way. Although this is linked to Magnetic it is a standalone story. Do you need to read Magnetic first? No. Should you read it anyway because it's great? Obviously.

Arielle has just come into her 'powers' her human servant who gave her the first drink of blood that turned her into a vampire doesn't really want anything to do with her. Then there's her bodyguard, an old crush and even the hint of an angel towards the end of the book.

In many ways, this first part of the duet is just to set everything up for the conclusion and I have to be honest, I'm not really sure yet where it's going to go. I know where I might like it to go, but I'll have to wait and see.

I don't ant to give any spoilers, so I'm being quite vague. This was a brilliant read and I can't wait for the next book. Fortunately, I don't have to wait too much longer!

Oath-Breaker - River Starr

Oath-Breaker
River Starr
( Angel of Death & Demons #1)
Publication date: May 5th 2022
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

No one survives their meeting with the Angel of Death—except for me.

After being accused of rallying citizens to revolt against him and breaking the rules of engagement with demons to save my best friend—guilty as charged on both accounts—the Angel of Death demands to personally oversee my sentencing in his obsidian castle of demons and death.

I’m done for. This is the end. But my death won’t be in vain—I’ll die a martyr to the Paladins Order’s cause, and I’ll rescue my best friend at the same time. She’ll be safe and the paladins will pick a new leader. They’ll thrive and continue the fight.

Or so I think. When judgment day arrives and I’m knelt before the Angel of Death, with his onyx eyes, his ebony hair, and his seductively imposing stature, my soul doesn’t leave me.

It soars.

Because when I dare to look the Angel of Death in the eyes, everything changes. And what unfolds in my anger and vengeance’s stead is a thread of events I never could have foreseen.

I survived my meeting with the Angel of Death. But can I survive his love?

OATH-BREAKER is the first of a M/F paranormal demon romance duology full of steamy goodness.

Goodreads / Amazon

My Review

I love a good paranormal romance and this one is certainly that. This is the first book in a two-part story, which ends with you wanting to know more, but not in a gratuitous cliffhanger which these kinds of stories sometimes can. It was enough to make me want to read the next book and find out what is going to happen next.

Alya and Lucius make a good couple. There's a lot of instant attraction here, but with the whole idea of fated mates, particularly reluctant ones, I don't mind, it works well. I certainly was keen to see their relationship progress and find out how they are going to come to terms with their differences. There was a little repetition around Alya's coming to terms with what the Angel of Death is to her and how her previous mate fits into all of this. I get that it might take her a while to accept, but I don't think repeating that really helped emphasise the point, sometimes less is more.

The book ended with a bit of a twist. It wasn't a completely unexpected one if I'm honest and I thought that it was going to be what was going on. Even so, that didn't detract from my enjoyment. I'm keen to find out where next for this couple and how they are going to sort out the problems their world faces. 

Author Bio:

River Starr writes books that help you escape, especially fantasy romance full of magic and supernaturals. Favorite things: coffee, wine, chocolate, and a heavy dose of books to chase away the dark... or invite delicious darkness in.

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The Christmas Spirit - Alexandrea Weis

The Christmas Spirit
Alexandrea Weis
Published by: Rosewind Books
Publication date: October 27th 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

SOMETIMES IT TAKES ONE BROKEN HEART TO HEAL ANOTHER.

Courtney Winston is a writer on a deadline. Eager to finish her book and get over a recent break-up, she ditches Christmas with her family and retreats to a secluded cabin in the mountains.

Appliances rarely work, and cell service is spotty, but Courtney senses there is more to her rustic rental—something dark and haunting.

Then Peter, the attractive Stone Mountain Lodge owner, and a meddling cook, Mrs. Finn, keep coming around, shattering her peace and offering advice on how to fix her heavy heart.

Courtney grows closer to Peter, but Mrs. Finn warns her of his troubled past. Undaunted, Courtney sets out to win him over. But being with the brooding stranger may end up costing her more than she ever imagined.

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Author Bio:

Alexandrea Weis, RN-CS, PhD, is a multi-award-winning author, screenwriter, advanced practice registered nurse, and historian who was born and raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Having grown up in the motion picture industry as the daughter of a director, she learned to tell stories from a different perspective. Infusing the rich tapestry of her hometown into her novels, she believes that creating vivid characters makes a story moving and memorable.

Weis writes romance, mystery, suspense, thrillers, supernatural, and young adult fiction and has sold approximately one million books. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans where she is a permitted/certified wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and rescues orphaned and injured animals.

She is a member of both the International Thriller Writers Association and the Horror Writers Association. www.AlexandreaWeis.com

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My Review

The Christmas Spirit is really about two types of 'spirit' Firstly, our heroine Courtney is not feeling the Christmas spirit herself. After splitting up with her boyfriend and not looking forward to her mother's fully on Christmas celebrations, she's only too happy to lock herself away to work on her book and spend Christmas alone. It soon becomes obvious that she isn't completely on her own, even though her cabin is very isolated. Every day she sees owner Peter, the cook Mrs Finn and a black cat.

Although this is a romance, it isn't one in the way that most romances are. The story is as much about taking risks and finding out who you are. All is not as it seems in this out of the way cabin and Courtney has to embrace Christmas and the chance of love while she is there.

This is quite an unusual story with a few twists and turns. I did guess where it was heading before we got there and there are a few clues on the way. I really enjoyed it though, a perfect festive read. 

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Forbidden Need - by Lee Colgin

Forbidden Need by Lee Colgin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the 'they bite' series and like the previous books, it features a relationship between a vampire and a shifter. In this case, we have Samuel a vampire over a hundred years old and Rudy, a Coyote shifter in his thirties.
As vampires go, Samuel is a particularly grumpy one. Even so, there is something that is almost innocent about him when it comes to relationships. He has had a number of bad experiences over his long life and although it has led him to become the hardened warrior that he is, when he meets Rudy a softer and more vulnerable side to him comes out. Some of the story is told via flashbacks to both Rudy and Samuels youth and we find out more about what has shaped both of their characters.
I enjoyed seeing the unfolding relationship between them. From the start, Rudy is convinced that Samuel is his, but it takes Samuel much longer to come around. After all that he has been through, he's not convinced that he deserves the kind of relationship and happiness that Rudy is offering him.
This third book is another great read and one that I really enjoyed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Tempting the Dragon King - Kiersten Fay

Tempting The Dragon King by Kiersten Fay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tempting the Dragon King is set in the same world as the Shadow Quest series, of which I've read the first book The Demon's Possession. I don't think it really matters if you have read any of those or not, although it does help to explain the world that this series takes place in.
Juniper, or June as she prefers to be known found herself trapped on an alien spaceship hurtling through space to who knows where. She didn't know that it was a space ship when she entered and she has no way of understanding the controls or getting home. She is intercepted by the king of the dragon shifter race who doesn't know if he can trust her or not. It soon becomes clear that there is something between them that draws them together.
Spaceships and the like aren't usually my thing, but I really enjoyed this story. June and Tristan make an interesting couple and lets face it a romance is a romance wherever it's set. As long as there's plenty of chemistry and you like the characters then it doesn't really matter where they live. That's certainly the case here. Tristan and June work well together and I enjoyed reading about their growing relationship.
This was a good read and I'd certainly be keen to read more in the series. The epilogue certainly suggests that there's more to come from this world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Bait N'Witch - Abigail Owen

Bait N' Witch by Abigail Owen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I do love Abigail Owen's books and Bait N'Witch is no exception. This is the third in the Brimstone series and picks up the story of Rowen, the witch that was forced to act against the wolves in the first book. You wouldn't have had to read either of the previous books to enjoy this one, although they are linked and the characters do pop up again here, this works fine as a standalone too.
I liked both Rowan and Greyson. They suited each other well and I liked the way that she brought out the best in him, even though they weren't willing to fully trust one another to begin with, it's clear that there's something between them from the start.
The only thing that I didn't like about this book was that it could just have been a little bit longer. There were one or two things that I couldn't help but feel hadn't been fully addressed. (I don't want to give any spoilers away, but there were things that happened that were just accepted, I wanted to know more.) More than anything, I just wasn't quite ready to leave Rowan and Greyson by the end of the story, but I suppose that the aim of all authors, leaving us wanting more?
I don't know if there's more to come in the Brimstone Inc series or not, I'd certainly be keen to read more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Forbidden Love - Lee Colgin

Forbidden Love by Lee Colgin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Forbidden Love is the second book in the They Bite series. I read book one, Forbidden Bond back in December, so when this one popped up on Netgalley, I couldn't resist requesting it. I have to admit though, that it did take me a little while to get into this one. This was mostly because for some reason (possibly my own stupidity) it took me a while to realise that the book actually starts in the middle of the last one. I eventually clicked and then everything made much more sense. It would have probably been better if I'd read (or re-read) the first book just before this one.
Nathan and Ben make a cute couple and I enjoyed their romance. They work well together as a couple and I liked the way that they addressed the issues facing their relationship. Ben did seem quite young at times, he's supposed to be 46, which is young for a vampire, but still, it didn't quite seem right to me.
This is quite a short story, but a lot takes place in it, there's plenty of action as well as the romance. I did think that there could have been a bit more said about the motives of the bad guy, it was kind of left once they knew who was behind it. There was a suggestion that they may not have worked alone, but nothing more was said. I do wonder if, like this book, a future book will pick up that story and take it further from another point of view?
This was a good read and I'd be keen to read any future books in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Passion Awakened - Katherine Diane

Passion Awakened: A Vampire Romance by Katherine Diane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Passion Awakened is the first in a new series and I have to say that it's a strong start. The book tells the story of Kyr, who leads a group of vampires who defend their kind against demons. Known for his strength, both of character and physically, he hasn't thought to look for a mate. From the moment that he meets Mira, it's clear that there is something between them. Mira is a psychologist, tasked with breaking past the walls that Kyr and the other members of The Hush have put up. But she finds that she can't resist Kyr either.
I enjoyed the world-building in this story and the growth of the relationship between Kyr and Mira. They work well as a couple and although their relationship moves fairly fast, it didn't feel forced as often happens in this type of story.
The only thing that slightly annoyed me was the constant use of the word 'male' I realise that it was used rather than 'man' as these are vampires that we are talking about so not human, but at points, it was really overdone. So much so that had it been 'man' that had been written, even that would have been too much. I did worry that it was going to spoil my enjoyment, but once I got into the story, I was able to let that go, even though it was used an awful lot.
I enjoyed Passion Awakened and would be really keen to find out what next for the members of The Hush. I'll be looking out for the second book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Demon's Possession - Kiersten Fay

The Demon's Possession by Kiersten Fay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit that space set sci-fi-ish books aren't usually the kind of thing that I reach for. In some ways, this is more of a cross between sci-fi and paranormal in any case. The main characters are much like you would find in a paranormal romance (demon, magical gifts and the like) they just happen to come from different planets.
There's a lot going on here, in terms of world-building and setting up for the larger story arc that is going to play out through the course of the series. Although this book does cover the story of Sebastian and Analia, it doesn't conclude the overall story and I can only assume that they both have more of a role to play in future books.
I liked Sebastian particularly. He's a strong character, but he doesn't completely dominate and overrule Analia. He wants to protect her, but still respects what she wants, needs and is able to do. Analia has spent all of her life that she can remember in captivity as a slave and she has a lot to learn as she discovers life beyond that. On the whole, I liked her characters and strength and I think that she worked well as a couple with Sebastian.
This is the first book in a series, I will be keen to read more and find out what will happen to the other characters that we have already met. I will be reading the next book in the near future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Shift Out of Luck - Abigail Owen

Shift Out of Luck by Abigail Owen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We met Marrik and Tala, albeit briefly, in the first Brimstone Inc book The Demigod Complex. Shift out of Luck starts with the arranged mating of Tala and Marrik and then follows their attempts to unify their packs.
In some ways, this story is quite unusual, as Tala is already an alpha in her own right, she knows what she is capable of. This isn't a story about her finding her place, but rather about Marrik accepting her as an equal and of them finding a way to work alongside one another.
I liked the interaction between Marrik and Tala, as they did their best to work the new situation out. I also really liked what a strong character Tala was. It was clear that although they were going to be able to work together in the future, they weren't always going to see eye to eye.
This was a fairly short story, but still an enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Heart of Darkness - Kay Doherty

Hearts of Destiny by Kay Doherty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is quite a short and quick read, but that doesn't mean that there's not a lot happening. This is book four in the series and I suspect that there has been a lot of world-building and explanation in previous books. I think that I managed to get the gist of things in this book, although there is plenty of reference to characters who must have appeared in previous books and had their romance told.
I liked both Matthias and Ean (pronounced like Ian? I'm not sure but that's what I went with in my head). For the most part their romance was good, with Matthias rejecting Ean to begin with and trying to deny his feelings, but ultimately doing the right thing. I wasn't entirely convinced or onboard with Matthias keeping calling Ean 'little boy' but I think that it was meant as a counter to being called 'old man' but I would have prefered if he hadn't. Context is everything, but you still can't escape the negative connotations, even if they weren't meant.
I think that this is one that would work better had you read the rest in the series, but I still enjoyed it. I should perhaps go back to the beginning and start there for a real feel for it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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A Game of Wings and Marks - Rebecca Crunden

A Game of Wings and Marks by Rebecca Crunden
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't know what I would really classify this as, as strange as that might sound. While it is a romance with paranormal or supernatural themes, I'm not completely convinced that it fully fits that genre. In many ways, it has more of a fantasy feel than anything. While there is a love story in here and the heroine gets her man, in many ways, that doesn't feel like the main drive of the story.
I think my reason for saying that, is perhaps that there are two males (one being a demon and the other an angel, I don't think that 'men' would be the right term) who are interested in her. I won't tell you who she ends up with, but I personally liked the demon Zev more than angel Raphael. We see far more of Zev and he is quite an interesting character, much more willing to bend the rules and make things happen his way. Raphael is a far more steady character. Admittedly he is torn between his feelings for Octavia and his need to stick to the rules, but he just lacks the mischievous edge that Zev has.
I really enjoyed this read and read it fairly quickly, mostly because I wanted to see how it would all pan out. In many ways, the storyline was almost as though it was set up for future stories in that world, I don't know if that was the case or not? I'd certainly be interested in reading more from this interesting world.

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A Wicked Hunger - Kiersten Fay

A Wicked Hunger by Kiersten Fay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'll start by saying that I didn't realise that this book would end on a cliffhanger. I gathered as I neared the end that that was the way that it might be going, but up until then, I hadn't known.
Coraline has had a hard life. After her marriage, she thought that things might be on the up, but when her husband firstly doesn't seem that interested in her and then gets murdered, it's clear that she isn't about to have an easier time soon. She finds herself under the care of a vampire, she had unpleasant experiences with his kind in her youth and is now terrified of what might happen. Mason is a different kind of vampire and she soon begins to realise that she can trust him.
This book did feature something that seems to happen in a lot of similar books in this genre, she has powers and a past that she had no idea about and through the course of this book, she is only just beginning to learn about them. I don't always like this as a plot, as it's been done so many times. It does mean that it makes describing the world that she finds herself in a little easier and I did enjoy much of the rest of the story, so I'll let it go.
I liked the romance between Mason and Coraline. I'm not sure where it's going to go in the next book, but so far so good. I assume that Knox will play a greater role in the future and possibly at least one other vampire that has been mentioned. Really not sure other than that where it's going to go.
I will say that this one did keep me guessing. On more than one occasion it seemed to disappear in a different direction than I had been expecting. In some ways, the previous events seem to almost have been forgotten about. Little is made of her marriage or loss of her husband or what was going on there. This might simply be because it is something that will come up again in later books. Overall, this was a good read. I want to know what happens next, but I'm not diving straight into the next book, I think I can wait a little while
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Unforgotten - Cassie Laelyn

Unforgotten by Cassie Laelyn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first of these books that I've read but the second book in the Fallen Guardians series. The book worked well as a standalone novel and while there was a bit of the background and world to understand, I didn't feel that I missed out at all by not having read the previous book. There is an explanation of all of the angel types and what they do at the end of the book, which was helpful. I think you could work out most of it from the story, it might have been better before the story began?
What I particularly liked about this story was that the hero and heroine were not a new couple, falling in love the moment that they met, but rather a couple that had been together for thousands of years, until they had been separated and living apart for the last three hundred years or so. Like in many romances, much of their difficulties came from a lack of communication. Although they both tried to do what they thought was best for the other, they acted without speaking to the other first and working together.
I found myself drawn into this story and couldn't put it down. It was easy to feel for Willow, who felt abandoned after having been left behind. Aric may have felt that he was doing what was for the best, but Willow has no way of knowing why he has done what he did.
The only thing that I wasn't entirely convinced by was some of the language. For saying that these are beings that have been around for thousands and thousands of years, they all talk with very modern phrases and speech patterns. That's not to say that they wouldn't pick up modern phrases and the like, but I'm not convinced that everything would be like that. It's a minor quibble in an otherwise very enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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The Demigod Complex - Abigail Owen

The Demigod Complex by Abigail Owen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I should start by admitting, that this is the second time that I've read this novella. Not that it really matters, I enjoyed it the first time around and enjoyed it just as much the second time around.
Lyleia is a water nymph, after losing her spring she has had to find her way in the world without the love and protection of her fellow nymphs. She is the perfect person to be an executive assistant to demi go Castor. He needs someone who can resist him and won't fall for him. Which is something she's managed to do, resist him at least, she does seem to have fallen in love with him.
This is a fun quick read. There's mention of the dragon shifter world which features in two of Abigail Owen's other series. Although this is more of a signposting that they inhabit the same world, rather than properly being part of the book.
If you're looking for a quick romantic read, then you won't go far wrong with The Demigod Complex. Lyleia and Castor are great and their romance and the problems they face together make for a good read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Forbidden Bond - Lee Colgin

Forbidden Bond by Lee Colgin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read quite a few books that just haven't quite hit the mark, it was great to finally come across this one that ticked all the boxes. Forbidden Bond is the first book in the They Bite series, based on this one, I don't think that it will be the last that I read.
In this world, supernaturals have come to an uneasy truce, but they are far from friendly with one another. Sinclair, an as yet still living vampire, wants to attend a werewolf university and learn more of the history of the various species. His family are against it, but as he is in his mid-twenties and an adult there's little that they can do about it. (Although, he does appear to be younger than that somehow.) The alpha wolf who looks after the pack at the university, Mitchel is not happy about his arrival, to begin with, but he soon finds that he not only likes the young vampire but is also very much attracted to him.
I enjoyed the romance between Sinclair and Mitchel and the story around humans learning about the existence of paranormals and how they were all trying to deal with it was great. The book did leave me with a few questions, the relationship between Sinclair and Mitchel was unheard of and as nice as it was to see them cement that connection properly, I think that I would have liked to see a little bit more after that. I'm guessing that as more books from this series come, we'll start to learn more about the situation with both wolves and vampires. Perhaps the reason for there being less information here is simply because it's something that will be dealt with in later stories.
Overall this was a great read and as I mentioned before, I'm keen to read more from this world.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Hero's Haven - Rebecca Zanetti

Hero's Haven by Rebecca Zanetti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There's always a danger that when you get to the eleventh book in a series, that it might become hard for new readers to follow what's going on. Although I have read some of the others in this series (the last two) I don't think that's the case here. You could come into the world at any of the books and not be lost in what's going on. That's not to say that there aren't links with the previous books. The characters appear across the series and play various roles.
There is an overarching storyline here and each book does seem to lead a step closer to what I assume will be the final conclusion. But you aren't left feeling that the book isn't a complete story itself and as a standalone, these all work fine.
Hero's Haven deals with Quade and Haven. Haven has grown up thinking that she's mad. The family that adopted her have abused her in an attempt to change who she is. What she didn't know is that she is a fae demon hybrid. She has been visiting Quade for years in her dreams, not realising that he has existed in another dimension and not simply been part of her imagination. Now that they finally meet for real, she struggles to trust him and to believe that there can be anything between them.
I loved Quade, in some ways he seems like an overgrown kid. He's been exiled for centuries away from the earth, so much is foreign to him. He even keeps eating toothpaste because he likes the sweet minty flavour. He's full-on and overbearing, but this type of hero often is. I'm not sure I'd want to cope with someone like that in real life, but he's fun to read about in a book.
I'm not sure where to next for this series, but I'm looking forward to reading more and finding out.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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War of Hearts - S.Young

War of Hearts by S. Young
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's not that often that I give five stars to a book, but War of Hearts was definitely deserving of them. This is a paranormal romance with enemies to friends storyline. Actually enemy is possibly too strong a word for the initial relationship between Thea and Conall. He is sent to find her, as he has tracking abilities which mean that he can follow anyone anywhere in the world once he has their scent. Thea doesn't know what she is, but she too has powers and she has been on the run for some time. Even though Conall is there to try and return Thea to the man that she fears beyond all others, Thea trusts Conall on some level. The more time that they spend together, the more that the bond between them grows until they can't resist it.
The relationship between Conall and Thea is lovely. As they learn more about each other and learn to trust one another they grow closer together. They are willing to sacrifice everything for one another, but they also understand what that might mean in the longer term.
There's quite a lot of back story here and while this book is a stand-alone there's certainly plenty of scope for more books within the same world. The story did deal with everything and didn't leave any loose ends. At the same time, there were other things that I think would be interesting to find out more about in future books.
This was a really good read and if there are to be more books by S.Young in this world, then I really want to make sure that I read them. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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