Location: United States
Member Since: Oct. 24, 2011
Sophia Rose
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This member has not published any books.Smashwords book reviews by Sophia Rose
- To Finish the Dance
on Oct. 31, 2011
I learned of this book through the GoodReads Clean Romance Fiction Group on FB. I like to explore new-to-me authors and this choice did not disappoint. The book is about a middle aged man and woman who were childhood sweeties and were on the brink of marriage when the unthinkable happened and they broke it off to go their separate ways. Twenty years later they are both still affected by this. The man's current girlfriend insists that he must bury the past before their relationship can continue. This sets off the movement in the story. He returns from the city to his small town roots to gain some closure. The story is told from both their perspectives and that of the minor characters. It also utilizes flashbacks so one can fill in all the back history between the two. In places, there is almost a journalistic aspect with the emails and the way time used to pace the end. This story has its soft tender moments, but can also wring out your heart for the h/h because of the plotting that includes some angst. I do not wish to offer up spoilers. The characters were deep and well written and the dialogue and silences were good. Recommend!
- Spartan Heart, Part One
on March 28, 2012
What would happen if that gorgeous Greek warrior statue in the museum you are visiting comes to life? That is the premise of this story about Evangeline who is sad and alone with the death of her parents. Evangeline has been away from her parents for nine years after she parted from them under a cloud of anger. She never gets the opportunity to heal the rift before she stands at their graves. Now she has inherited her parents' Greco-Roman Museum and after a drunken night out with her friend where she meets the man who broke her heart many years ago, the museum is the place that she goes. Evangeline finds an intact statue that was recovered from a dig in 1918. Knowing her history, she identifies the statue as the Warrior Prince of Sparta, Dorien. The statue is male perfection and she goes from admiring it to kissing it. Unknown to her, the statue is in reality the actual Dorien who was cursed into this existence. Evangeline's kiss somehow helps him break free of the curse. Dorien is instantly attracted to his female rescuer and she is attracted to him. Evangeline thinks Dorien is a figment of her imagination at first, but then she thinks he is just her mysterious romantic interest. Dorien keeps a low profile until he starts learning the ropes of the modern age. His pouch of coins is sold by the assistant he hires and now he has the wealth to acquire what he needs to take on a modern identity. Dorien continues to see Evan and their relationship deepens. Unbeknownst to the couple, there are hidden enemies who seek to destroy the couple's happiness. Dorien is able to protect Evan from the rabid dog, but what about the next time? And what about the creepy museum caretaker who frightens Evan? There is more, but I do not wish to spoil it for anyone. The novella ends on a cliffhanger since this is just part one. I enjoyed the characters of Taryn who is such a great supportive BFF and Dorien with his warrior heart given entirely over to Evan, but I had a hard time with Evan half the time. That part in the end where she inexplicably lies to Dorien after he has told his secrets and given her his trust bothered me- especially knowing the lengths that he was willing to go to sacrifice for her well being. I still admire how she struggles through grief for the death of her parents and works hard to keep the museum funded. And the villains, definitely fall into the 'love to hate' category. The plot was basically a good one in the overall sense- loved the Spartan Warrior statue come to life and try to figure out the modern age. However, there were specific moments when it was hard to follow almost like there were gaps- her parents murder is never really explained or what the separation from them and the guilt was all about (perhaps part two explains this). There were also moments that stretched my credulity like a Disney fairy tale quality. It was not the insta-love I struggled with although admittedly that is not my favorite romance-style. I found it hard to believe that after being burned by a guy before that after a drunken night when Evan isn't even sure where she met him, Evan just accepts the relationship with Dorien. I also found it incredible that she just let a total stranger, without meeting him, rent her cottage. And I really did not understand her anger when she found out the stranger was Dorien- now she's worried about betrayal? That all being said, I love the world building that Greek gods, goddesses, oracles, and witches existed/exist alongside and in human history. I do love the mystery, intrigue, and build up that the author created to end part one. I am vested in the outcome and will be checking out pt. 2
- Blue Maneuver-Urban SciFi/Fantasy
on April 16, 2012
This is a good Sci-Fi/UF 'What if' story. What if the previous generations who came before us on earth were such an advanced civilization that they were able to travel to the stars and establish themselves on other worlds? What if some of those previous generations were at war with each other about how to handle government and colonization? What if an autocratic class-based society was set on taking over the mother world and there was a group hiding in plain sight on earth and in the stars determined to thwart them? In the middle of all this epic stuff, oblivious and ignorant, one unemployed daughter of hippies and government conspiracy freaks, stumbles into it all when she decided that she must turn over a new leaf. Rae decides she needs to get fit and find a job. Out at 0'dark thirty in the morning, she stumbles over a body from which blue firefly like things come out, chase her down, and burrow under her skin. Her trip and fall is witnessed by a park ranger. Later another trip and fall is witnessed by the new handsome latino looking guy, Victor, who has moved into her complex. She doesn't feel so good from the falls and finding the body so Rae groggily directs Victor to drop her off to feed Vivian's cat. No sooner does she enter Vivian's apartment then everything changes. She is captured by that innocent looking park ranger, informed that she is going to be killed for teaming up with the intergalactic bad guys, and then jolted out of her blissful ignorance of what all she has been missing. Her captor is in reality a military spec ops officer for the organization sworn to protect earth and he thinks she is working with Victor to bring it all down. The other big news that he gives her is the knowledge that those little blue fireflies that stung her earlier were actually some sort of ancient organisms that had bored into her body and were even now syncing up with her with the kicker that they contained hidden codes that every power in the galaxy was eager to get their hands on. Rae was now the hot item that everyone would be after. Tobias then gives her the option of working as his partner in the task of helping aliens and refugees adjust to settling on earth and thwarting the bad guys plans. I loved the plot line and how it is first person so the reader is learning along side Rae. It also leaves the other players in the story somewhat of a mystery which is good because there is always that element of who can she really trust. And that is the crux of the plot. Who to trust? Someone has infiltrated the United Earth Defense and what about Victor the mercenary? And what happened to cause that botched alien landing where the guy with all the stolen info got killed? Not being able to trust even their own people and being chased by the bad guys has Tobias and Rae on the run. Its all very exciting. The pacing was a little troubling a few times. I think I am like Rae in some ways in that I lost a little interest when we got to all the tech details. The book explains a great deal about the world building behind the story, the gadgets and gizmos, and what its like to interface with the CBs (little blue fireflies). I found that the pace bogged down a few times because of it. The scene in the hidden base when Rae must eat to build up her strength when using her CBs drains her goes on quite a long time about all the food she consumed. I would have been good with a brief explanation that she needed to feed and then a fade out to a pile of plates and glasses. I was also getting a little bugged by Rae's limited vocabulary of expletives. I think the amount of times 'crap on a cracker', 'praise Buddha' and 'Son of a monkey butt' occurred numbered in the high double digits. It was cute and fun at first, but not so much by the end of the book. The relationships in the story are interesting. There is instant attraction between Rae and Victor and he has this whole 'I've got to kill you and take the information, but I'll regret it a little' thing about him. Rae and Tobias start out very prickly. Here we have more of her limited vocabulary. She calls him 'douche' so many times that the man probably thinks its his name. Slowly through trial by fire, they grow into a good partnership. He still tries to protect her and boss her around, but she shows that she can contribute to their efforts. That leads me to the characters. Rae is the main character and she is well written. I liked how she is a pretty normal gal taken way out of her element. She's got a good steel backbone and even death threats only tick her off. Victor is enigmatic with his whole dark angel thing going on. He basically works for whoever pays him and has no moral compunctions even though he is not into senseless violence or hate. He even seems to have a thing for Rae. Tobias starts out as a straight as an arrow military guy. He is carrying around a boatload of guilt for the failure of his last mission when his weak partner got the whole team slaughtered. At first command tells him to eliminate Rae which he would have done (orders are orders), but then they make her his new partner. Later Tobias, starts to question orders and information that are coming down chain of command and refuses to follow through on the order to kill Rae when the alien arrival and landing mission is compromised. He is a strong leader and team player. Though he did not act on it, he too has a thing for Rae. As to the rest of the characters, they had fairly small roles with longer peeks at Tobias' team. The villain was truly sadistic and evil. Oh mama was I glad to see her get hers. The main threat is dealt with by the end of this story, but there are a few smaller threads that leave it open for a series. This book was enjoyable and I hope that the coming books only improve in pacing and action now that the world building is established. I'm pretty interested in seeing what happens next with Rae, Tobias, their team and new alien refugees, and the enigmatic Victor.
- Lifeline Echoes
on April 19, 2012
From the first time I read the blurb all the way to the clicking onto the last page, I was enchanted by this book. The story is told in the present time with periodic flashbacks to explain what happened seven years before. This is the story of Ryan McGee and Alexandra 'Sandy' Wheaton who first met across the airwaves of a two way radio during an LA earthquake. He was an emergency responder to a fire and she the emergency dispatcher. When Ryan or'Mick' as Alexandra calls him is trapped under the rubble from the building collapse during an aftershock, Alexandra or 'Angel' as he calls her is the one who stayed on the radio with him to the bitter end- or so she thought. One of Ryan's wishes is for Sandy to visit Wyoming so when she hears that he died she does just that and puts down roots by buying the local bar and keeping her fiesty horse out at the McGee ranch. Its a small town and the people are just starting to accept her when everyone starts talking about the black sheep Ryan McGee returning home. Ryan is called back by a troubling letter from his younger brother. It doesn't take long for him to learn that mysterious incidents and 'accidents' are slowly destroying the ranch. Many still blame him for an incident that happened years ago that caused him to leave home so there is little sympathy for his circumstances. The bright side for Ryan is his immediate attraction to the beautiful sexy bar owner, Sandy, and her attraction for him. Neither of them realize that they are Mick and Angel from seven years ago in LA. Ryan had been searching for his angel from the moment that he recovered from his injuries, but though she promised to wait for him, his angel had disappeared. This story is a blend of sweet contemporary romance and high drama western. It is interesting that as the reader I was in the know all along that Ryan and Sandy were the ones who had connected seven years earlier. You would think that would make this story predictable and take away some of the build up in the plot, but it just made it more interesting. I kept sighing in frustration when they would miss the opportunities to discover the truth. The moment of truth for both of them was so awesome that I forgave Kay Springsteen for toying with my patience. The plot and pace were well done. There were two plots going on in the story. There was the romance between the hero and heroine and the ranch feud situation with the McKays which made things pretty tense and also drove the plot along to its nail biting climax. I worked through and guessed several things accurately about the 'who's and 'why's of the story and there were still some surprises. The characters were extremely likeable from Ryan and Sandy to Justin, Sean, and Mel. The McKay family were not as predictable as they might seem on the surface as the obvious bad guys. Then there were all the minor 'Small Town' characters to fill it all in. Wonderful Contemporary Western Romance!
- Between The Land And The Sea
on April 19, 2012
Even as I try to decide what I wish to say in my review, my head is full of the thoughts and emotions this story generated. I love the backdrop, the characters, and the plot. This is a YA fantasy novel about a girl who is sent to live with her father's sister when his work takes him to Afghanistan for a year. Reluctantly, she leaves the city life of San Francisco for the quiet coastal town of life with her aunt and cousin. Almost on arrival, inexplicable things begin to happen to Marina. She has an affinity for the sea and meets a mermaid who bares a striking resemblance to her. The meeting with Lorelai the mermaid is the catalyst of change even more than her move. Marina has to begin living two lives. There is her public life of settling in with her misfit relations and her new school and her secret life where the call of the mermaids grows stronger with each day. I loved the characters in Marina's story from her fabulous neighbor and friend cum fairy godmother who she calls Aunt Evie, her quirky high on life Aunt Abby, her cousin Cruz who dreams of designing fabulous clothes for the runway, Cruz's talented musician friend Megan, mysterious and wise Lue Khang, Ethan who has more to him than his looks and surfing talent, and the intriguing mermaid Lorelai. These are not cardboard, cookie cutter characters. Even the mean girl has a depth to her that was interesting to read. The plot kept my attention as it wove around Marina's adventures with new relationships and her first time living as a typical teen to her more clandestine adventures learning the secret of her other life as abilities and yearnings start to surface. I thought it wonderful that the author wove daily life experiences in with fantasy so that the story was balanced. I found the voice of the story fascinating with that underlying haunting bittersweet tone to it. Fun and laughter happen, but below the surface there is always that other feeling leading up to that inevitable climax of the story and the choice Marina must make. There was only one aspect of the story that bothered me, but not enough to ruin it. This was told from Marina's Point of View so as the reader I really got to know her. There were two aspects of her character that put me off: I found her annoying on a few occasions in the middle of the story. It's possible I was expecting too much based on what she was going through, but her repeated 'I gotta go it alone and keep my secrets' mentality in the face of empirical evidence that she was not doing so hot at that and always needed rescuing by Ethan and her friends irritated me. It also particularly irritated me because I didn't like that it was her willful thoughtless behavior including lying and breaking promises to everyone that caused trouble, but yet she was the one angry and hurt in feelings after they called her on this behavior. I know I'm being vague by not providing examples, but I didn't want to give spoilers. As I said, it wasn't bothersome enough to truly destroy my enjoyment of the story just a peeve of mine. I think this is a great book that I'll recommend to all who love a good YA fantasy and want a change of pace from the vamps, shifters, and angels.
- The Moon And The Tide
on April 19, 2012
This was the second book in the series and must be read it order. The plot and characters continue to be well done. I particularly enjoy the little high school gang of friends. The book begins where the first one left off. The first third of the book was the set up section for what was to come. Marina sees her friends' talents finally recognized including a nice surprise in the form of Shayla who as become more of a friend after the events of the first book. Evie and Ethan meet like two titans and walk away suspicious of each other. Marina still has that overwhelming call from the sea and is trying to learn how to reconcile the two halves of herself. There is the new mysterious quality to Evie and foreshadowing of events going on beneath the surface. It was the part about Marina's inner angst and struggles in the first part of the book that just did not set well with me as a reader. I was not fond of her thought processing or her treatment of Ethan. She again is into sneaking and lying- putting herself into danger and manages to hurt others in the process. I was also not impressed with the way the father checked out of her life knowing what he knows. I love Dutch and Abby, but they too seemed content to be oblivious just trusting the kids to do right and stay out of trouble. Fortunately, there was the latter two-thirds of the book. Marina seems to really come into her own and be more of a girl that I could like when she must step up with heroic courage to face physical danger on all sides, what she thinks of as betrayal, a choice of love interest, and then must make decisions that affect her family and friends. Mer-girl Power! Yeah, about the last portions of the book- x-sigh-ting!!! I couldn't stop reading. Marina's made of stern stuff and I really love how Ethan steps up and supports her. He's a real treasure in that he will sacrifice his future plans if he has to just to be with Marina and he is capable of being supportive even when he understands or disagrees. He seems to be the only one capable of calling it like he sees it with her too which she really needs. Everything about Evie becomes clear though now Marina's situation just becomes more complicated. Then the threat of danger is still out there. Looking forward to the next segment!
- His Destiny is Karma (The Gossip of Mysterious Lane #2)
on April 19, 2012
I enjoyed reading this second book that is novella length in the Mysterious Lane series and had to laugh several times at the situation the hero got himself into. Though he starts out as a guy who seems to have no endearing qualities other than his friendship with Hank, Alex grows on one as he learns that he is not really what his rep as a 'horndog' is. It takes the appearance of a stunning woman who seems uninterested in what he has to offer to do it to him. This book references back to characters in the first one and there are spoilers so they should be read in order. If I had to compare this installment to the first book, I liked the first one better because I liked the way the h/h interacted and had a relationship to build on. This one came on a bit quicker in the pace of the romance than for which I was ready. It was a love at first sight story and that has its appeal too. This light Fantasy Romantic Comedy is a delight to read. The fantasy world of all species of supernaturals living among the humans, the well written characters, the humor, and even the romance are enjoyable for a nice escape.
- The Seduction of Damian (The Gossip of Mysterious Lane #1)
on April 19, 2012
I won this book in a contest and I was not sure what to expect. It was so delightful. A Romantic Paranormal Comedy! Damian, a vampire, won the vote of a leading magazine amongst the supes as the most eligible bachelor. He thought he would like the attention, but discovered that he hates each new encounter. Only his best friend, Jo, a troll, can ease his tension. Damien is unaware of her deep feelings for him The plot was cute, the little world about Mysterious lane was fun, and the main characters were endearing. I laughed out loud several times and felt so sorry for Jo at times. Loved house the scenes are simple and everyday. My only complaint is that it was too short. I loved hanging out with Damian and Jo. Recommend for a nice light read.
- A New Dream
on June 17, 2012
I'm always interested in stories about people who have to overcome difficulties in their lives so when I saw the blurb on this one about a man who had to overcome a physical disability, the loss of a Pro Football career, and his fiancee leaving him, I just could not resist. Matt has it all going for him until a car accident takes it all. He is forced to start over in a new life that he never imagined. The loss of part of his right leg and permanent limp in his left leg has destroyed his football career, sent his shallow fiancee, Stacey, packing and caused some family troubles. Matt his now living at home and working as a grocery store manager. All is not entirely bleak for him. The first day on the job he lays eyes on the beautiful bakery worker, Violet, whose eyes twinkle and her lips smile with genuine pleasure when she sees him. He doesn't think that anyone woman would ever consider a cripple like him, but he cannot resist getting up the courage to ask her out. Violet says yes and what's more, she truly enjoys him for just him and not fame or fortune. Violet is a girl brought up sheltered on conservative principles. She knows about Matt's past, but she believes that he has changed and she is so happy when they are together. Violet is very beautiful, but feels inadequate because she is not glamorous or successful like she imagines what sort of woman Matt should be with. All is cruising along fine with Matt and Violet all set to marry when his old flame shows up in town with a baby- Matt's baby. Stacey is determined to get Matt back and have him be a daddy for her baby. Stacey is not afraid to do whatever- and I mean whatever- it takes. Violet is to unsure and insecure to deal. Will Stacey's plotting succeed? Or will Violet's faith in their love be strong enough? Now, what are my thoughts on the story? At first, I really loved it and was getting all those warm fuzzies that despite what Matt went through in the beginning that he was finally going to get his happiness. But then all the emotional angst started when Stacey hit town again and I was angry at what was going down. Then I was sad about how things were turning out. The plot just took me through a whole gamut of emotions- which in case you're wondering, is a good thing. I like to feel and be engaged by a story. I really wanted Violet and Matt's relationship to be strong enough and I'm not a big one for the angst, but truthfully it made sense to have most of it. Matt did mess around and sometimes there are consequences. I think Violet's angry and jealous reaction to the possibility of sharing Matt with his son and having to deal with Stacey's presence were honest. Stacey's conniving and seeming success at having her way is realistic. I say all this because I was not prepared for the story to take a realistic and painful turn the way it did which caused me to lose patience with the whole situation for a time. So since it took me by surprise when the tone of the story changed, I thought I should make that clear to others so they'd expect it. I thought the characters were good. They drew many different emotions from me which is always a sign of a well-written character only poorly written characters make me indifferent. My favorite character aside from the main ones was Matt's brother, Chris. I felt he lit up the scenes that he was in and he was such a good brother to Matt. All in all, it was a nice read and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys Sweet Contemporary Romances. ****Spoiler alert****** For those who need to know there is a happily ever after before they will read a book, there is after a great deal of painful misunderstanding.
- I'll Be Your Drill, Soldier!
on Oct. 15, 2012
I kept seeing this book pop up in my recommends so I decided to give it a try. I loved it and it is definitely worth the read for those who love military romance. It was a unique read for me because it began at the very beginning of a soldier's career in boot camp and followed through many years of his life where he acquires friends and a lover as well as battle experience. It was realistic both in the military backdrop and how romance could build between two such men as a new recruit and his drill sergeant. The story is told in a late enough time frame so that Don't Ask Don't Tell is a thing of the past so the only barrier is work ethics when it comes to attraction. Most of the beginning is told from Ryan Gracen, the new recruit's point of view. His mental dialogue through much of his training experience was hilarious at times as was the trouble he and his posse got into. I found the camaraderie a really nice touch in the story. There are finally switches to Phillip 'Big Daddy' Grabowski's perspective which made an interesting clarification to how Ryan perceived things between the two of them. During the deployment periods, I thought the email segments were a nice touch so that pacing didn't drag in the story. Ryan has crushed on Phillip since boot camp and even long afterwards so it was amusing to read how he reacts when he learns that Phillip is newly placed not just on the same base, but in his unit. This is the point when the relationship building actually starts to take place and a military family starts to form with the other guys and Phillip's family which is needed to see them through the tough days of deployment and its aftermath. The epilogue was a nice touch and the irony had me bursting out with a laugh. Terrific story!
- Color of Loneliness
on Nov. 16, 2012
I chose to read this book because I thought the blurb sounded promising. I love small town romances and this one had the heroine moving back home from the big city. I found it an entertaining reading experience. Myra has just buried her grandfather, the last member of her family, and returns back to her job in Philly where every day she is confronted by the sight of her cheating ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. When it becomes too much, she packs up and returns to small town Nyssa to live in the home her grandfather left her to start her writing career. Only there's a problem, the house is run down and needs a bit of work so her neighbor Jim gives her the name of a reliable contractor. Dylan turns out to be the most hateful, anti-social man, but he is a good contractor so Myra hires him. For his part, Dylan sees another woman who wants to seduce him so he growls and grumbles his way trying to keep a distance. But circumstances in the form of the dying neighbor, Myra's best friends' visit, Myra's injury, him falling on Myra's car through a rotten roof, and unpleasantness with other men cause Dylan to go from distant to desiring Myra in a few weeks. Unfortunately, Dylan has his secrets which he wants to share with Myra, but can't figure out how to put them into words. In the meantime, Myra's ex shows up and he runs the guy off, but then he must go and visit family. All the while, Dylan wants nothing more than to be with Myra back in Nyssa. The end is a cliffhanger with a huge twist to leave everything up in the air. With this book, I had mixed feelings. I found the prose a bit rough, but the story line was pretty good. It switched back and forth between Myra and Dylan's point of view. I was really vested with what was going on with Myra and Dylan. As to the characters, I enjoyed them up to a point, but there were times that I found them becoming almost cliches of themselves. For example, Suzie was funny as all get out with her fixation on Myra's sex life, hating Myra's ex more than Myra did (solid BFF there) and her diet disasters, but there were times that it just got to be too much for me. Every time she got on the phone, I knew what was going to be said and those phone conversations were regular parts of the story. And this type of thing was true of several of the characters in their own ways. I'm going to reserve opinion about Dylan's dilly-dallying with the truth and that surprise at the end of the story until I find out what it is he's hiding. But it better be a real humdinger to keep backing out of just telling Myra the truth. I was a bit frustrated at the way he was acting particularly when she spilled all her uncomfortable sad stuff to him and reassured him more than once that she was ready to listen. I do have a strong curiosity to find out what happens next. I would recommend this for Contemporary Romance fans who like stories with a meek heroine and a bitter hero.
- A Snowy Christmas in Wyoming (Contemporary Romance)
on Dec. 01, 2012
I was looking for a cozy Christmas read and I was so pleased to find this one. It combines the holiday themed read with a contemporary Western romance which are a great pairing in my book. Oh, and did I mention this is an opposites attract love story? Caroline is a big time news anchor for the national news out of Washington DC, but she has small town roots. For Christmas, she returns to the home ranch in Wyoming where her only remaining relation, her grandmother, still lives and operates the small family ranch. When she gets there, she discovers a surprise- and a nasty one at first. Caroline finds one of the Coyote men who are descended from the local Crow tribe, Andy, and his daughter living and working on the ranch. Her hackles rise the instant she learns this because everyone knows the Coyotes are bad news. This one was reputed to have raped a girl in high school and probably had a rap sheet a mile long. Caroline never did believe that gossip about the rape, but she is hard on Andy the instant she sets eyes on him. But as a big snowstorm comes in, Caroline gets to see Andy in action as he works hard helping her get the cattle down out of a high pasture to the areas nearer the ranch house where they can be cared for and fed. She sees evidence in the fixed up house and barn that he's a conscientious man who works hard and then the way he interacts with his daughter shows that he is a loving father. By the time they return to the ranch, Caroline gives Andy her apology and starts seeing him in a different light. Andy has his own prejudices too. He thinks Caroline is a rich snob who pre-judges people. He is terrified that she will make trouble for him and find an excuse to get him fired. This job as ranch foreman is his last chance and he needs it to provide for his daughter. Caroline and Andy worked together to keep things going through the big snow storms hitting the area and things are going well until Andy's little girl has a fever seizure which is followed shortly after by Andy's arrest for theft. In fact all the Coyote brothers are brought in and nobody cares to get past reputation to establish guilt or innocence- nobody except Caroline. But adding on cattle rustling and a fight with the whole town including a despondent Andy who doesn't believe he stands a chance, just gets Caroline's fighting spirits up. She has a huge Christmas to-do list if everyone is to have a merry Christmas. The plot was really good with all that is going on in the story. The story breaks were a bit rough, but didn't disrupt the storyline too badly. It seemed that the scenes were a string of loosely tied together vignettes that swap back and forth between narrators. The ambiance of Christmas is there, but it takes a back seat to the love story and other issues plaguing the family. Caroline was a good heroine. She was sensible in how she looked beneath the surface of Andy's family reputation to give him a chance, how she was a hard worker who might be a big time DC news anchor, but she wasn't afraid to get a bit of dirt under her nails to help on the ranch, how she was passionate and patient in first her attraction and then love for Andy, and how she was a true heroine in how she fought to establish Andy's innocence and make him see his own worth. Andy was an interesting hero. He is one of those rare characters known as a beta hero. Everyone loves the alphas, as do I, but I also find a beta hero provides a nice change when handled well. Andy Coyote endures under an unearned bad reputation, he thinks little of himself because he has a learning disability and because he made mistakes leaving him with one child he never sees and another one who he just got custody over because the mother abandoned little Sarah. He feels he is inferior to the woman he loves because she is successful and has money. During the story, it is obvious that he is a man of quiet strength because he doesn't go down the same road as the rest of his family and he sticks by his principles by how he handles his feelings for Caroline and how he works hard to be a good father. I can recommend this for those who enjoy holiday romances, western contemporary romances or those who like sweet romances with just a hint of passion.
- Bloodraven
on Dec. 21, 2012
I can't honestly put my finger on just one single reason for why I pick this book for my next read because it was several things: recommendation from fellow readers, the blurb, being in the mood for a darker story, love for fantasy? All the above most definitely. It was a wonderful reading journey for me drawing me in from the start and engaging the gamut of my emotions. I must add a caution though that for some this will be a difficult read. I am on the tender-hearted side so I admit to being squeamish about some scenes from the beginning of the book that involve non-consent/slave stuff and later there is one really horrific torture. It all fit within the context of the story and was told from the perspective of the fogged, crazed mind of the victim so wasn't as clear as it could have been, but it was definitely harder for me to read. The story like many high fantasies involves a few different people groups with human being just one of them. It opens with a fae-type forest dweller, Yhalen, who has accompanied his grandfather as part of delegation to meet with the other peoples of the south regarding the growing threat of the ogres coming down from the north. Yhalen and his two friends are not comfortable in cities so they wait outside the city in a nearby forest and that is when his young life changes irrevocably. Yhalen and his friends are attacked by ogres. His friends are killed, but Yhalen runs. He is captured when he comes back to check on his friends. The group of ogres keep him alive doing unspeakable things to him and then leave him to die. But though he is mostly dead, Yhalen's will to live and his affinity to the magic of the earth allow him to draw strength from the earth and he survives only to be kept captive and brought back to a larger group of ogres encamped in the vicinity. All this time, because there is a language barrier, Yhalen has no idea what is his fate. He is taken and given to a smaller ogre who has more human features. He can't help, but notice the oppressed human slaves working around the camp. He figures out that this is to be his fate. And it is to a certain extent, but Yhalen's task is not that of menial labor, but that of a sex slave because of his beautiful features unlike the humans from the north that he is amongst. One of the humans shares with him that his master is Bloodraven, a half-ogre and commander of this group, who is not as cruel as the others. Yhalen doesn't feel his luck until he witnesses a few examples of what the other ogres do and their vicious behavior. Yhalen is determined that he will not be broken like the rest and he will escape this nightmare. All the while, he is terrified of what consequences amongst his people, his own misuse of power when he healed himself in the forest will bring. Bloodraven is enamored with his new little human slave, but he is suspicious of why his personal enemy has given him such a wonderful gift. Ogres are not known for kindness or any other redeeming qualities to human way of thinking. They respect strength and they go for what they want and need with that being about it. Bloodraven soon discovers that his human is a great deal of trouble and is revealed to be much more than he seems. There is the temptation always to rid himself of the troublesome human, but something always stays his hand. And that weakness as the ogres think of it is what takes the half-ogre and his human slave on many adventures together with the biggest adventure of all that tentative thing that grows between them that they both fight not to feel. As I said, this plot gets a bit sticky with harshness, but there is just something about the word building, the characters, and the story line itself. At first, I thought the story would be entirely from Yhalen's point of view, but then I was delightfully surprised when it started switching back and forth with Bloodraven's perspective. The two come from utterly different worlds and ways of thinking. There is romance in this story, but it begins with brutal sex and only slowly becomes anything else. I love the spunk that both these heroes show when they face bald face realities. As a slave, Yhalen must adjust to his loss of freedom and what he can make of things. As a half-ogre, Bloodraven is despised by both races that make up his blood, but with the ogres he must always fight not to be worse than a slave and he earns his rank as war leader. I liked the fact that they learn to see something in each other when understanding starts to come. So it was a good, strong fantasy adventure with slow to build romance that will not appeal to everyone because of its darker nature.
- Chasing Sam: Vegas Mates Book 1
on Feb. 20, 2013
A werewolf shifter story? A hunt to the death? This book sounded appealing to me just from reading the blurb and I wasn't disappointed. I love encountering unique paranormal romance lore and Krystal Shannan delivered with this extraordinary take on the werewolf mate bond ritual. It was a dash of fated mate with a bit of something darker or more dangerous. An unwitting Samanatha Demakis returns home from school for the holidays only to be confronted by her noble werewolf family's time honored tradition of arranged mating for each female who attains the age of twenty-five. Sam wants nothing to do with the ritual, but her parents give her no choice. There is a ray of hope however in the form of Chase Michaels. Chase comes from a commoner werewolf family, but it is the fact that he is a rarity. Chase is Sam's mate. The weary soldier has come home for the holidays too and after all, but giving up hope he scents his fated mate in the airport. He wants his mate and will not let the archaic rituals of the nobility in the form of this mate hunt stop him from claiming Sam. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against him even before the hunt to the death even begins. The plot was tight and moved along well providing background, character development and action all in this short exciting read. I really liked Chase and found myself rooting hard for this handsome underdog and Sam was likeable too with how hard she fought for a chance at a true bonding and a life that wouldn't slowly smother her. The story ended quick with a few unanswered questions for me, but I assume this will be teased out in the other books in the series. It was a fantastic beginning to a new to me series. I recommend it to paranormal romance fans who either need or enjoy a shorter story that still packs a punch for both action and passion.
- Tarnished Knight
on April 15, 2013
I couldn't believe my luck when I no sooner finished the first story in the series than I found out about this novella free at Smashwords. On top of that news, I discovered that this is really two stories not just one. Yummo! The first story gives two minor characters in 'Kiss of Steel' their chance at romance and happiness. Rip puts up blocks faster than Esme can tear them down, but she is determined. He thinks he's nothing special and now that he's been infected with the virus and a blue blood he is afraid that he will accidentally lose control with her so he pushes Esme away while maintaining silence that she takes as a signal that he doesn't wish to be more than friends. With a little Christmas hope and the meddling of friends along with a dash of danger from the Slashers who are snatching women in Whitechapel for their blood, they might get past their problems. I enjoyed seeing this couple get their chance and I was frustrated along with Esme though I completely understood where Rip was coming from. Esme is a great character and I loved how she looked past the surface stuff and saw the beautiful soul inside Rip. However, I should admit that she likes the exterior package too. They were great together and I hope they get some face time in the rest of the series. It was neat to get a glimpse of many of the characters. The second story is really a short teaser piece that acts as a transition for the second novel that makes Lena and Will the main characters. It ends on an ominous note for a few different plot threads. While I was sad to see what was happening, I enjoyed the snapshot at where things are leading and look forward to book two.