The heroine was never the adventurous one until her missing sister compelled her from the safety of her secluded island and into the vast unknown worlThe heroine was never the adventurous one until her missing sister compelled her from the safety of her secluded island and into the vast unknown world. Now 4 years later she's adapted well enough to her new life as a mechanic on a steam ship, keeping tight hold on her secrets but making friends among the crew. One day she is saved from arrest by the hero. He is badly scared, missing a hand, his legs and an eye but he risks his own life to save hers so in her mind, he is a true hero. Plus, she's more intrigued by his robotic hand and spyglass eye than repulsed and he becomes the first man to ever interest her.
The hero may have alterative motives to get close to the heroine but that doesn't stop him from being absolutely enchanted by her. Compelled by a promise made to his dying mother, he's determined to discover her place of birth and see her necklace buried among her people. When he hears his mother’s accent on the lips the heroine, he knows she's his only hope of finding the mysterious and secret place he seeks. So, he does his best to befriend her. He's ever been gifted with conversing with people, women in particular, because of his appearance. If people aren't disgusted but his infected blood than their repulsed by his scars or his machine hand. Growing up without knowing a women's touch or any tenderness from anyone, he is self-conscious and timid but he tries with the heroine. He finds her easy to talk to as she doesn't judge him or worse, pity him, instead, she treats him with respect and he admires her honesty.
This honesty is shared between both of them as they make no qualms about hiding from the truth. The heroine knows about his motives, trying to get her to take him to her people, and the hero knows that this isn't something she can do regardless of how noble his intentions are. In fact, when she believes he's only interested in her for this reason, she distances herself from the only man to ever understand her. But the hero is not to be denied. He knows that he has a very short window to be the heroine and very enough, he's pursuing her for himself rather than for his mother. He's scared to death of rejection but the idea of finding a woman whom can stand to touch him as he desperately wants to be touched is too good to pass up.
When their time draws near, the regret the circumstances that will eventually draw then apart. But fate has other plans. Arriving in Iceland to the upheaval of industrial progression, greed and old enemies, the hero and heroine are thrust together and must depend on each other to survive.
My goodness this book was hard one to rate. I felt the romance was easily a 5 star, without a doubt. Compelling characters, mad chemistry and off the chain devotion to that one person who they could trust and rely on for everything. The timid and bold coming together. The hero was magnificent. A man of few words and less confidence, his heartbreaking desire to be loved made me fall in love within that first meeting. The heroine was amazing. So strong and bold but vulnerable and she herself just wanting be loved. Together they made a hell of a pairing and the sec scenes were super sweet but hot and spicy at the same time. On the flip side, however, the plot was severely lacking. I honestly couldn't definitively tell you want it was really about.... Was it political? Yes. But I honestly glazed over a bit trying to understand what was happening and why. Without the awesome characters and the fantastic romantic storyline, I would have said this book fell flat. But as such, especially considering that heart wrenching and super romantic bit where the hero carries the dying heroine through the snow, I felt it warranted a 3 star. 3 stars, in my book, are books I liked and would read again, but not anytime soon. Maybe a revisit 4-5 years down the road. ...more
While on a stake out trying to catch whoever was responsible for the string of armed robberies in the act, Eric Becker never expected to instead come While on a stake out trying to catch whoever was responsible for the string of armed robberies in the act, Eric Becker never expected to instead come face with face with a woman who was destined to be The One. One look and Eric knows he's fallen hard for this mystery woman who seems to be as shocked as he is. Even though she's one of the criminals his SWAT team is hunting, Eric knows he can't arrest her. Instead, he hides her away - saving her from the violence erupting around them. Only when the gunfight dies down, Eric finds his mystery woman is gone.
Jayna is a wolf in a bind. Stuck in a pack with an alpha who is willing to put his own people in mortal danger all for the money and respect of Albanian gangbangers, Jayna is just trying to survive and keep those close to her safe. The last thing she needs to deal with is a handsome but all too alluring cop who seems to have found her out of nowhere. However, when it becomes apparent he won't leave until she hears him out, Jayna agrees to talk. And through talking, realizing this man might be the key to her escape.
Eric then infiltrates the pack to get inside information, as well as being closer to Jayne to protect her if her asshole alpha or one the gangsters become to touchy. Jayna might not believe in The One business' but that doesn't stop her from falling hard for Eric.
Good book. Rushed? Yes. Simple concept? Yes. Ground breaking storytelling? Hell no. But what this book did offer was a basic werewolf love story which I found entertaining. I liked Eric as a character- this man who be, on one hand, super sweet and charming. Then when it came down to business', could flip and turn into this truly terrifying beast, capable of killing any who stand against him or those he loves. Jayne was a woman discovering her power and that was lovely to see. Discovering that she's not some beta female under the rule of lesser males but rather a true alpha in her own right.
Rating is likely a 3.5 but lets round up and give it a soft 4 star....more
Since childhood the heroine has dreamt of the boy who started out as her friend, and then later on of the man who is destined to be her soul mate. SheSince childhood the heroine has dreamt of the boy who started out as her friend, and then later on of the man who is destined to be her soul mate. She has turned away any suitors she may have had and has waited 10 long years in anticipation of this man coming to find her so they could be together. But he's never come. And now she's plagued with dreams of the future, seeing her soul mate in danger-needing her help. She must go to him. So she hides her fiery red hair-ashamed of the colour and the fact that it marks her as evil- she paints her face to hide the freckles and she convinces her half sister to take her to the city to find him.
There she meets the hero. The man is arrogant, pigheaded and so not the man she seeks. But everyway she goes she seems to run into this man until one day she sees the scar on his hand and is astonished by the realization that he is the man she seeks-the man meant to be her husband. She proclaims to him that he is meant to be hers, that she's dreamt of him and loves him and that they are destined for each other.
The hero in turn is repelled at first by this young child's uncouth declaration. He wants nothing at all to do with the odd and unsophisticated girl who practically throws herself at him. He is the son of a man who defied the king and married a peasant woman for love in turn spurning a well connected family and casting shame on his family name. Then his father killed himself when his beloved wife died leaving his son to live in a shadow of such a scandal. Now the hero lives only for one purpose-regaining his title and marrying the daughter of a gentleman to right the wrongs his father committed. He doesn't believe in love or any such nonsense yet despite the bizarre personality of the young woman he turns away, he feels a connection to her. He is possessive of her, jealous of the idea of her with any other man. But he makes it clear he will never marry her. Distraught over the rejection and ashamed of the way she's behaved, the heroine wants to leave. Then she meets the hero one night without her disguise. Thinking her to be the heroines sister, the hero is overcome by his desire for the beautiful red head and they sleep together. Then they enter into an affair, he not knowing who she truly is and she not wanting to tell him as this is the only way she can be with him- to protect him.
He regains his title and the next step is to marry the right woman but suddenly the idea of a cold emotionless marriage doesn't sit right with him. He is instead rather torn between the overwhelming desire he feels for his Tiger or as he calls her- and the heroine whom he feels companionship with. All of this finally comes to a head when he is attacked and saved by his tiger woman who soon reveals herself to be the heroine. At first hurt by her betrayal and then smart enough to realize that his two desires have turned into one woman, he takes her back to his castle. There, while trying to convince her of his love for her, they must figure out who murdered his father and who in turn is looking to murder him as well.
I feel so torn about this book. On one hand this story is everything that gives the historical romance genre a bad rep. It is overly dramatic, filled with pointless declarations of who fine thy eye are and rather stupid characters. The author jumped POV's quite frequently and often broke the setting with modern phrases. Yet at the same time there was something about it that drew me in. Maybe I'm just a sap for historical romance in generally and though it was full of eye roll induced scenes, I did find myself enjoying the book overall. I can say that the characters were constantly flip flopping emotions and I was quite lost as to where each of them stood but there were funny moments and the dialogue could be witty and charming at times. That being said, I can 100% understand those who think this book was insufficient because there characters were at times unlikable (mostly the hero who basically had 2 woman on the go and couldn't decide whom to love). But I felt a 3 star rating was fair and can say that I liked it well enough....more
The hero has always known what his life was going to entail since a young child. He's trained his body and tunnel vision his work ethic to fight for hThe hero has always known what his life was going to entail since a young child. He's trained his body and tunnel vision his work ethic to fight for his country as a navy SEAL. He's never been big on sentiments or feelings and he's basically limited family interacts to holidays and births. But now, he finds himself back home after a devastating injury that killed his friends and left him badly scarred and burdened with a massive amount of guilt. He never really considered Bayberry island home. The myths and the 'magic' of the place always left him frustrated and rather uncomfortable. The legend of the Mermaid has always been a big hit with the locals but it never interested a strong and level-headed man like himself. Still, the paintings of mermaids are everywhere-there's even a sort of erotic one in his bedroom. These are painted by a childhood friend who he hasn't seen or spoken to for 20 some odd years but who has obviously made a name for herself in the art world.
The heroine had always known that what she and the hero shared is special and 1 in a million. She's known since they were teenagers after their first impromptu kiss when she received a vision of the future that they were destined to be together. She's loved him ever since with a single-minded devotion and a sometimes stubborn dedicated. See, she hasn't spoken to him for so long and is honestly too afraid to be the one to approach him but that doesn't stop her feelings. Their first meeting however doesn't go exactly to plan. When the heroine finds out he's realized it was her leaving him all those gifts these years she is frightened that he will take it the wrong way. Instead, he kisses her which just confuses her more because obviously he's uncomfortable with her actions but still desires her enough to make out. But she doesn't want just a psychical relationship. She wants the eternal love she knows lies deep inside him. From then on, they share dates and family functions where the hero declares he's returning to active duty and that nothing serious can develop between them. He is uncomfortable when he learns of the heroine's devotion to him and strong resists every and any attempt life has to rope him down. He's so dedicated to what he images his life to be that he's letting life pass him by. He uses excuses to push those around him away but he's met his make with the Mermaid legend and he's somehow got to be strong enough to love a woman as strong as the heroine.
Hmmmmm.....This is a hard one to rate. It's a contemporary. Meaning, it's quite- boring at times and it lacks the drama and the excitement of other genres. Still, I will say that I enjoyed the tormented hero and the devotion of the heroine. He was a frustrating character. First of all, he's described to be quite a beautiful man but he was a real asshole as a child and the flash backs show an angry and bitter young man who didn't think of anyone but himself. He's still like that just now he's carrying the guilt of his dead friends. He doesn't seem to want family attachments and the emotional thing doesn't sit too well with him. He's more likely to run for an uncomfortable emotional situation than gunfire. I got a little tired of his angsty guilt ridden routine as well as his excuses for developing human relationships. The heroine was sweet and strangely a mixture of seductive and innocent. She knew she wanted the hero, she knew they were meant for each other but she knew she had to wait for him to make the first move. She actually did begin to doubt herself now that she's reunited with hero after all these years because he refuses to believe in magic or love. They have a hot and cold sort of relationship and I wasn't entirely sold on the idea of them being true lovers. The plot was practically nonexistent which is typical for contemporary romances and I don't think the characters completely made up for the lack of story. On the fence about this one and as I won't be reading it again probably, I'll rate it a 2 star....more
Wounded in the war and worse, having the reputation as a ruthless torturer for his country, the hero wants nothing more than to live peacefully in theWounded in the war and worse, having the reputation as a ruthless torturer for his country, the hero wants nothing more than to live peacefully in the country. His 'gift' or rather his curse to see the colours of lies as made it hard to impossible for a life in London yet that's what his father is asking of him. The goddaughter of his estranged mother has been accused of murder and only his gift of seeing the truth will be able to determine if the Lady if guilty or not. He puts up a fight but, in the end, he is a good man, an honorable man who can't stomach the idea of an innocent woman hanging for a crime she didn't commit. So, with his cousin in toe, the hero travels to the big city. There he is truly horrified by the site that awaits him in the jail. The lady is badly beaten, starved and had been very close to being raped. Pulsing anger shoots through him at the idea of such treatment and he demands her freedom from the prison and takes her into his care. With nowhere to go to allow the heroine to recover and for him to begins creating a case for her defense, he grudgingly accepts the fact that he must take her to his mothers. She needs a lady to care for her and his presence with an unchaperoned girl will send tongues wagging and very well thrust him into a marriage, something he refuses to allow to happen. But his mother is not in town and until he can find a replacement, the girl needs him. He is astonished by his protectiveness of the girl. He wants to shield her from the world and the fact that innocent of the crime she is accused of makes him fear for his life is he should fail to find the true killer. Despite his attraction to her, or rather because of it, he tries to distance himself from her. He remains on the streets all day hunting down clues. Clues that lead him into the smuggling game and serves up plenty of potential suspects.
The heroine truly hated her step father but she didn't kill him. And no one seems to believe in her but the damaged hero. He accepts her word as fact even though she keeps secret the man she's been sneaking off during the night to meet with. Her stepfather was a cruel man and a drunk and she's not surprised someone wanted him dead but with the crime hanging over her head, she's frightened for her life. She's a fallen woman in more sense than her tarnished reputation. No man will want her now. But she wants the hero. And he wants her in return. She pushes him to surrender to their passion because she longs for the feel of love in case something should happen. And as time starts to run out, the hero must to everything he can to save the woman he loves.
I was anticipating this book something fierce and the stunning cover paired with the stellar beginning of the novel signed to me of a potential home run. But despite appearances, I was less the impressed with this book. My main issue is the fact that the hero and heroine spend very little at all time together before suddenly falling madly in love. Most of the story is based around the mystery or who killed the stepfather and that's not what I'm looking for in my historical romance. Funny me, I'm looking for romance set in the historical.... Sooo, I was disappointed with the way this book played out. I wanted more drama, more angst. I imagined the hero, with his bum leg and anger over how people perceive him to be more developed. The heroine was nice. Vulnerable. Beautiful. Heart of gold. Maybe a bit whinny and having the tendency to cry too often. Over all, I thought the chemistry was okay but nothing amazing. The plot just didn't hold my attention and the characters weren't fully developed into their potential. ...more
The characters used to be friends until the hero murdered their coven and went on the run. The heroine goes after him for revenge.
The hero was like tThe characters used to be friends until the hero murdered their coven and went on the run. The heroine goes after him for revenge.
The hero was like terminator. He's recovering from the burns that he received as he murdered his coven, the heroine stabs him when she finds him in the hotel room and when they are captured, he's tortured and beaten. All of this and he still finds strength to escape their prison, swim through icy cold water, drag the heroine from said water and basically drag her up the side of a mountain. I found myself laughing thinking what could possibly be next! I really liked the hero despite him being sort of an evil dude in the previous books. He's very one-man army and holds all his cards to his chest.
He really does bad and hurtful things but I always got the sense that he had a real reason to do them. Like murdering the coven after he saw that they meant to sacrifice him. The killing of the heroine sister was kind of screwed up but she was dying anyway and she wanted him to have her hearts blood. I loved the heroine. She was such a contradiction. She was booth strong and fragile. Brave yet cowardly. She struggled a lot with her feelings for the hero. She couldn't deny them but every time she gets close to him he would do something to screw it all up. I found her to be strong in that she was willing to forgive him and stick by him knowing he was far from perfect but deep down he was decent. She readily admits to hating him as much as she loved him and I felt it was a genuine bond the two of them had. ...more
The hero is employed at the company to discover what and who is interfering with the heroine's mind and making her question her own sanity. He knows bThe hero is employed at the company to discover what and who is interfering with the heroine's mind and making her question her own sanity. He knows better than anyone that he's a monster. Psychically, his size, his scars and his stern personality makes people openly stare in horror at what stands before them. And internally, he remembers the things he's done and the people he's hurt and considers himself worse than a monster, he thinks himself evil. But the heroine, even from the first meeting, sees something deeper. She sees past the scars to the man underneath, the man who's suffered great pain in his life but despite his appearance is a good man. He's sweet and thoughtful. He reminds her of a knight of old, and really he does consider it his duty to defend and protect his charge. Not because it's his job but because he can't stand the idea of such a beautiful creature being hurt. Not when she shows him affection and tenderness, both he's been severely lacking in for his many years. Their relationship develops quite quickly from being just a bodyguard/ward into something far more important. The heroine feels this instant and powerful craving to trust him and she does because he believes her when she tells him her troubles. Someone is playing with her mind, whispering and somehow controlling her. It's becoming not only a risk to her company but also to her very life and those around her. And now that she has her larger than life protector, this entity feels threatened and in turn now the hero's life is in danger. So much is stacked against their relationship not limited to just the heroine's problems. The hero himself is cursed. To live for eternity and cause pain and death to anyone he loves. That is his punishment for unintentionally killing the daughter of a wizard. So no matter how much he loves this woman and longs desperately for that happy ending, fate will eventually rip them apart. Regardless of this impeding doom, they can't seem to keep their hands off each other. The connection is too powerful and their mutual longing for something other than loneliness is pulling them together. But as was bound to happen, something pushes them apart. And it's not the hero's immortality or the guilt, it's the heroines fear. She can't believe the man she thinks of as a father could be the one behind these attacks let alone that he's an immortal wizard. So when the hero tries to tell her this, she doesn't believe him. The pain of this mistrust makes the hero grow distant. But he refuses to allow her to be hurt. Even if he can never have, nothing will hurt her while he's alive.
Second time reading this book and I have no idea why I didn't recognize the awesomeness of it the first time around but I know now. My goodness the ANGST. The drama! My heart! Tortured hero? Check. Sexy intense but loving relationship? Check. Wizards....Check. I couldn't have loved this hero anymore if I tried. Gentle giant with such a tormented soul. He deserved the heroine's kindness and he deserved to be happy. His devotion to the heroine was constant and admirable. Even if she faltered, he was always on her side and there to help her through it all. This book is so much better than it's cover. It just real heart and absolutely adored it....more
Suffering from the grief of losing her mother and her husband only 2 short years ago, the heroine is given a dream by her grandmother which tells her Suffering from the grief of losing her mother and her husband only 2 short years ago, the heroine is given a dream by her grandmother which tells her it's time to return home. The heroine is there within days and instantly she is surrounded by the healing peace of love and home. She knew she should have returned long ago but her pain over the murders made her lose focus on what was important. Her grandmother gives her the news that she is chosen to be the guardian of the Storm Pipe, a powerful artifact that currently sits in the hands of a man who has already used it to kill the vice president and who plans to kill more. She knows this quest if her destiny and she does not fight it but within she knows she also no warrior.
The hero too is suffering from his torture and scars from his service in the military and he's just returned from a soul quest to the news that he is destined to train the heroine for her mission. The hero knows no matter what, he must be hard and ruthless with this woman if they are to make her ready within 5 weeks. So as their training begins, he resolves himself to show no mercy or emotion towards her though she is beautiful and dedicated to their training. She dislikes him at first because he is dismissive and brutal with his methods but what most disturbs her is the fact that she can't know what he is thinking. 4 weeks pass in a blur and in that time, she has come to respect this man as both confidant and teacher. She can't imagine spending her days without him and worries that he does not feel the same towards her. And the news that it's the enemy she seeks now that killed her mother and husband have only driven the heroine harder to ready her body and mind for the mission ahead. Still, she is glad when the hero announces he will be traveling with her. He knows that she needs him to be the ruthless soldier he is and he's willing to be the dark side to her light. He's also acknowledging to himself and to her that his feelings run far deeper than that of a teacher to his student. In his own words, he tells her he loves her and, in that moment, all the pain of their lives was washed away by the surge of hope for the future. When the time comes to steal onto the enemy's land and take back the artifact, the heroine unleashes everything she has learned on the man responsible and she fights like the warrior within. Still, though the mission may be a success, it's not without its casualties and the enemy is not defeated yet.
This was a nice surprise is that I wasn't expecting much to start with. I don't know why I go into these sorts of book with such a low expectation but perhaps I'm hoping to get more than I bargained for rather than be disappointed. Maybe I enjoyed this book more than I should considering the rather simplistic plotline and the fact that (I bought a used copy of the book) the previous reader has decided to throw religious gibberish throughout the pages. The plot was rather straight forward and at no time was I either surprised by the turn of events or ever really anticipating what was to come. The characters were rather muted in that while it was touched upon that they both have suffered great emotional trauma, only the heroine's story was developed. The hero was just the solid rock to which the heroine relied upon. I would have loved this book light years better if the hero's torture story was more drawn out or if it played a larger role in either his characterization or the story. As such, while I did like him as a character, I was disappointed with the loss of true greatness. Why did I like this book as much as I did consider the cons listed above? First of all, it had a great cultural reference to native Americans which didn't involve stereotypical woo-woo. Secondly, the characters have an easy and a charismatic love based on friendship and trust. Lastly, the book was rather easy to read and follow along with. Perhaps, I am over rating this book but I just can't bring myself to rate it below a 3 star. Sue me. ...more
Grace's life was good. A faithful and loving husband, a good career and friends who loved her. Then everything came crashing down around her. One nighGrace's life was good. A faithful and loving husband, a good career and friends who loved her. Then everything came crashing down around her. One night, while she was in the possession of an artifact which needs translation, men break into her home and murder her husband. She sees him die and then knows they will kill her too. So she runs. With only her computer and clothes on her back, Grace goes on the run. Living homeless for weeks, struggling to adjust to the fact that she has nothing. Along the way, she finds friends. A job. An apartment. But the loss of her husband is a painful memory. Then she starts to have vivid dreams. As she translates the ancient text, she finds herself connecting with a man long dead. By almost 600 years.
Grace knows that her future lays in the past. The man she's come to love even across off time and space is in danger and she knows she is the only person who can help him. But upon arrival in the past, her welcome isn't all sunshine and roses and she realizes she's now in a place of danger and death and in her bid to save Niall, she herself my perish.
This book wasn't romance. This was fiction. The majority of the book is spent on Grace on the streets as a run away homeless woman struggling to find stability. We read all about her hardships, from finding food to be robbed and to finally finding a new life surrounded by friends. Very little time is spent on Niall as a character and every less time is spent on those two characters together. No joke, it's not until 3/4 of the way through the book that they actually are in the same room. I was waiting for a time travel romance but instead I got a, not bad mind you, story of a woman's struggle to survive. Grace was a strong woman who took to homelessness quite well. I would have curled up and died night 2 of losing my husband and people wanting to kill me. Niall, again, typical male of his time but not a lot of characterization.
Can't say this was particularly bad but it was kind of boring and I wanted more time travel romance....more
When the heroine discovers the man that she's admired from afar is a vampire and he's unable to mesmerize her to forget the discovery, he arrests her When the heroine discovers the man that she's admired from afar is a vampire and he's unable to mesmerize her to forget the discovery, he arrests her as vampire lord of the city and imprisons her in his house to await her fate. The heroine is not your typical kidnapped victim however, in fact she goes willingly with him. She's never treated like a prisoner and in turn, she does try to escape or cause any undue fuss. Partly, this is because she is a decent person and she knows and understand that her knowledge of vampires would put them at risk, but mostly because her scientist brain wants a chance to study them. The hero is horrible scarred and has no use of his one arm and she vows to use her medical knowledge to heal him.
The hero, attached to the beautiful but insecure female has a dilemma on his hands. He's been told by the council that he's to either change his prisoner into a vampire or kill her. He utterly refuses to do the latter because he grows to love her quite quickly, but in the previous book he illegally changed a human and therefore can't safety change another so soon. In desperation he reaches out to anyone who can help him save her life.
This was a very nice story but this whole series has been lovely. The hero and heroine are both so unsure of the others feelings but so drawn to other that it makes it impossible to stay apart. I absolutely adored the heroine. A countess who wants nothing to do with the society that's always shunned her and desires only to help people and receive recognition for her talents. She was beautifully rational and posed from start to finish and very rarely allowed reckless emotion to divert her from logic. The hero was once a stern and harsh vampire whom did not make friends easily and wasn't known for mercy. But with the heroine he was nothing but kind and loving. This was a great story and I highly recommend this series. ...more
Cast aside by her parents who fear her stranger visions, the heroine has been banished to the little island where she lives and adopts all sorts of unCast aside by her parents who fear her stranger visions, the heroine has been banished to the little island where she lives and adopts all sorts of unwanted people. She’s envisioned a prophecy of a man. A man with a horrible scar who will come to the island and do her and everyone on it harm. So when she finds a man washed up on the beach she knows instant panic. Is this the man she’s dreamed about? The man is badly injured and suffers from a head injury that makes his lose his memory but even then, she knows he’s dangerous. Young men always are. And she can’t wait until he is healthy enough to leave. The hero wakes up to such a pain in his head and the face of an angel hovering over him. A beautiful angel but a mad one.
In fact, the whole island seems to be a cage for those crazy enough not to be allowed in polite society. There’s the cook who threatens to poison him. The beast of a Nanny who is almost his size and hates his guts. There’re the 2 idiots who bicker constantly and who seem to have a brain between them. And their mistress is the maddest of them all. She’s reckless, stubborn and frustrating beyond capability. She runs from him every chance she gets until he finally corners her and forces contact. See, no matter how mad she is, she is a pretty little thing and in the chaos of his lack of memory she is the one constant. Without her, he would truly be alone.
The heroine is terrified of this man who has taken over her island, making demands and posturing like the lord of the castle. He makes her feel stupid and awkward and it seems like everything she does isn’t good enough. He shames her for willingly starting a war with her neighbor and disrespects her in front of the servants. In short, he is the most arrogant and sufferable man she’s ever known. And she’s horrible attracted to him. Their passion was doomed to end in an affair but that’s not where the story ends. When another stranger comes to the island and proclaims the hero to be the villain he seeks, the heroine is horrified. Not only is this villain a priest but a traitor to the crown. Perhaps it’s her insecurities and fear of her emotions that propel her to reject him but neither the less, she completely dismisses him and whatever lies he’s told her. No matter how much he proclaims his innocence she is blind to it and it hurts him to have her so lacking in faith. But it makes him enraged. And then, he remembers who he is. He’s not a man so pitiful to chase a skirt. Whatever love he may have felt for her was no what was in his heart but rather it was a foolish mistake of the man he used to be. The heroine is confused and hurt by this abrupt change of heart. The man she knew is no more and, in his place, is a cold ruthless man whose words are sharp. She doesn’t completely understand why she follows him to the main land but she does and in fact shoots him when she thinks he’s about to hurt an innocent woman. It’s then that the truth comes out. He is a soldier for the crown and everything he’s tried to tell her was honest. She realizes she’s lost the love she once had because of her unwillingness to believe him. But when he realizes she is in danger, he still rushes to protect her and just may all that stand between them is pride and hurt feelings.
I struggled with this book for a few reasons. Language was one thing. I commended the author for attempting to keep the language authentic but it still made it extremely hard to follow along. And the frequent curses of God’s Balls or God’s intestines was driving me absolutely nuts! Secondly, both characters were hard to like as they were insufferably stubborn and ignorant. The hero was a jerk, a womanizer and a arrogant SOB before he regained his memory but afterwards? He was an asshole. If he wasn’t insulting her on a daily basis he was making rude comments to her and expecting her to fall on his dick at a moment’s notice. It did seem that what he felt for her was lust, not love. He was also a complete flip flop. One moment he hates her and the next, out of nowhere, he’s trying to seduce her. It was weird. The heroine was just as confusing but at least what she did made sense even if was as ignorant as he is and by far as stubborn. Overall, I just couldn’t get into the story completely. It always felt like I was on the outside, not submersing myself in the plot. It wasn’t horrible, but neither was it great. ...more
She came to him in his lowest point, when he just wanted to die rather than suffer in agony another day. Kidnapped and tortured by his enemies, the heShe came to him in his lowest point, when he just wanted to die rather than suffer in agony another day. Kidnapped and tortured by his enemies, the hero is barely holding on physically but he's suffering more mentally knowing his silence means the death for his teammates. Then he hears the voice of an angel. In his state of mind, he thinks he's finally lost it but it's such a sweet sound that he can't turn her away. She helps him through his torment, actually taking away his pain so he's able to escape. Then, just as he's free, she's gone. 6 months later, he hears her plea for help in his head and it drives him to her rescue with a desperation close to madness.
The heroine, mourning the death of her parents and the separation from her sister, is on the run from those who want to use her for her special abilities. She trusts no one but the tormented man she forged a deep unbreakable bond with while he endured such torture. Instantly she knows he'll come for her and when he does, the know without hesitation just how much they mean to one author. But the enemy is still hunting her and using her sister to as leverage so they must rely on the hero's brother to help keep her safe.
I can say that the first half of this book was easily a 5-star rating. I was so in love with the connection between the heroine and the hero. They were equals in everything they did, she helping him and carrying him through his troubles just as much as he in turn helped carry him through hers. They don't actually meet in person until well into the book but that doesn't stop them from falling in love via the bond between them. I was so excited to read what was going to happen next. And then I felt it start to fade. The conversations and situations the hero and heroine found themselves in started to repeat. A lot of the same conversations kept popping up until I felt it lost some of the magic. Also, it turned into a feel-good contemporary romance from the half way point to about 3/4 of the way through before jumping back into the action when the heroine is kidnapped. I didn't enjoy the overall pacing of the story and steadily found myself losing interest in the story but I loved the hero and the heroine from start to finish. I wanted so much to rate this at least a 4 star but couldn't in good conscious as I did end of skimming through towards the end. But it does give me hope for the other books in the series and I will happily read this author again. ...more
Tara has had a shock of a lifetime upon being told that the woman who raised her is in fact not her mother. That her parents were Lords and Ladies befTara has had a shock of a lifetime upon being told that the woman who raised her is in fact not her mother. That her parents were Lords and Ladies before being betrayed and murdered for their title. As their only child, she is destined to inherit the land and title and the priceless mystical gem stone in her possession if her proof. When on the road to claim her birth right she is besieged and kidnapped by the worst kind of villain, a handsome thief.
Rhys was betrayed himself, beaten within an inch of his life and left to die after having an affair with the lord’s wife. A woman horribly abused by her husband, a woman he loved more then life. Vowing revenge, Rhys sees an opportunity to kill the man who wronged him and come into possession of the stone which will solidify his claims for the title. He never imagined falling in love with the spirited young witch who should be a means to an end.
I kept waiting for something, anything to happen in the story to make me perk up and pay attention. Unfortunately, the whole thing was bland and lifeless. Characters that I have no investment in both protagonist and antagonist alike. And a story that all in all, meant nothing. It was also barely paranormal. I thought the stone of magical, characters dropped himself that it was but it was just a gem stone. Tara herself wasn’t a witch either, despite being told plenty of times that she was and her praying to the goddesses. Her mother, I mean the woman who’s not her mother, was a witch.
A lot of time was spent of subplots involving secondary characters and that time should have been spent developing a reason for the main characters love. Because all I felt like lust. And Stockholm syndrome. ...more
Scarred and crippled with constant pain in his leg, the hero isn't the man he used to be. After his injury he took himself off into the countryside toScarred and crippled with constant pain in his leg, the hero isn't the man he used to be. After his injury he took himself off into the countryside to live as a recluse but the threat to his sister has brought him back. He slips happily back into his role in the underworld of London, pleased to have a purpose again even though his pain makes him less capable. He tracks down the woman who he believes is blackmailing his sister only to discover a deeper plot. The heroine is hiding from the law who think she murdered her friend and she's terrified when the hero shows up knowing who she is. But even from the jump she's attracted to him and when it becomes clear that a villain used the hero to find the heroine, he life comes into danger. They want to use her abilities to revive the life of a dead girl and will stop at nothing to retrieve her But the hero is instantly attracted to her and feels a deep soul binding urge to protect her. They start off as hesitate to trust each other, smart considering the world they both operate in, but it's clear that they have a connection. The hero feels like a capable man again, especially as the heroine believes him to be all powerful and a man to rely upon. It soothes his wounded pride and the heroine is blatant in saying to him to stop being melodramatic.
I absolutely loved the fact that she never catered into his low self esteem, telling him he was stupid to retire when he's still a dangerous man even with the bum leg. She was perfect for what he needed as she allowed him to lead the investigation. Mind you, she was very capable in her own right. She had a gun in her garter belt and was calm and cool under pressure. But she bowed graciously to the hero's superior knowledge of current situations. I loved her for that. Over all I was extremely pleased with this story and loved it much more than I thought I was going to. Though it did still sport the typical plot line of the series, this book had heart and charming characters who communicated very smoothly together. Each of them had a deep respect for the other and it showed in their working relationship and their personal on as well. I really like it when the characters can argue and bicker but when it comes to the job, they can run like a well oiled machine. I was engaged with the story and the love affair between the stage actress turned agent and the crippled but iron willed messenger. Very nice book and I happy recommend it for fans of paranormal historical romance with a twist of suspense....more
Long ago, when the hero was younger, he had a chance encounter with an angel. Little did either of them know but that meeting changed both of their liLong ago, when the hero was younger, he had a chance encounter with an angel. Little did either of them know but that meeting changed both of their lives forever. The hero saw a magical being heal a broken leg right before his eyes. The heroine saw a capable surgeon use science and medicine to save countless lives. Both were instantly enchanted with each other but life drove them apart. The heroine was sent to the middle east where she apprenticed with an accomplished doctor who later became her husband. And the hero, receiving a wound to him hand as well as being unable to save his brothers wife in childbirth, married the wrong woman and imprisoned himself in loveless marriage. Now, some years later they have met again. The hero seeks out the angel where she now works in a church hospital as he knows without a doubt her magic is the only thing capable of healing his disabled niece.
The heroine has given up on her gift long ago when she was almost convicted for witchcraft and killed, instead, thanks in large part to the hero, she now uses her gift for medical knowledge to help people. But even that is hard to do when your a woman. When the hero comes to her and demand she travel with him to his keep, she refuses. Not out of spite but out of fear that he'll make her use her gift, or even worse, that she'll discover she no longer possesses that gift. But the hero is stubborn and refuses to be denied, so he kidnaps her. Not much of a kidnap, if the heroine is honest because she feels save in his company and instantly becomes drawn to the handsome man's soul. At his home, she uses all her medicine knowledge to help the enchanting little girl who believes her uncle to be a fairy king and the heroine to be an angel sent to do miracles. As the time passes, the heroine feels so at home with the strange family who seem to have the worse luck. The one brother is crippled, the little girl is losing function on one side of her body, the hero's hand is badly scarred and trembles and the sister has lost 6 babies before they even have a chance to draw breath. The heroine long to help them all, she even tries to use her gift but it doesn't seem to be working. The hero believes different. He sees the change in his niece and he sees the change in himself. He laughs more and is generally happy most of the time. But its a challenge to deny himself the growing love he feels for the heroine. He's bound by marriage but he can't seem to stop himself from touching the heroine, from falling more and more under her spell. They travel to the heroine's castle-now under the control of the hero's step brother- to help save his sister when she goes into labor. It's there that the hero discovers the smuggling ring and the treason the step brother is committing against his king. It's there that he's told the truth about his wife and the plot to see the heroine forced into marriage but there's nothing the hero won't do to protect the woman he loves. He's waited for her so many years and he'll be damned if he'll wait any longer.
This was a middle of the run book for me. It was rather boring and monotone in the plotline as well as the character interactions. It wasn't bad, let's be clear, but I rarely if ever becomes so enraptured with the story that I lost all sense of time. Rather, I found myself reading...and looking at the clock...and skipping forward to see when the chapter would end. It was just not exciting. It had good chemistry. It had goo characters with torment and ghosts in their past to over come. It had good forbidden love. It had a good villain who was not quite a villain...but was a villain. But that's just it...It was only ever good. Not great! I think it deserves a 3 star rating but only just. Okay, maybe a 2.5 but it's only fair to round up in these sort of situations....more
When the heroine left her then lover, the charismatic caption of the Queen V, she did so with a heavy heart and more than a healthy amount of cowardicWhen the heroine left her then lover, the charismatic caption of the Queen V, she did so with a heavy heart and more than a healthy amount of cowardice. While lying in a hospital bed recovering from the surgery she performed to give him new lungs, he couldn't stop her. But neither did he come after her.
So, she expected to never see him again. But after three years of separation, she finds herself kidnapped and held on his ship. Not only must she deal with the pain of seeing him again and knowing that she never stopped loving him- she must survive the heart ache of tending to his wife, who's been shot.
The heroine shattered his heart when she left him and seeing her again is more painful than all the injuries he's ever sustained. But the woman lying with a gunshot wound, his wife in name only, holds the information that insures his realize from the Wardens debt. And even though she's not the only he loves, she's still a friend. And having her as his wife provides a buffer between him allowing himself to fall into the heroine clutches again. He knows that if she should even hint towards rekindling the love they once shared-he would fall to his knees in surrender.
The heroine left him because she was afraid. His recklessness and habit to leap into danger terrified her that the day would come when not even she could be about to save him. So, instead of risking him being taken from her, she left him. The hero, angry and confusion and deeply wounded by her actions calls her on her cowardice. Didn't she know that if she should have only asked he would have given it all up for her? The action, the adventure, nothing meant anything if he didn't have her.
I absolutely adored this story. First off, between the characters had crazy off the chart chemistry. Not just sexual, though that was present too. There was a very noticeable and undeniable tension laced between them for most of the story. This spoke of just how much history they had and all the unresolved feelings kept swirling around them. They were so different personality wise but yet soo very much alike. Especially with their stubbornness and pig-headed pride which makes it impossible for them to admit their deeper emotions without shouting and raging at one another. But never once could either of them fool the reader as it was plain to see just how much they meant to one another. Though there were some 'off' parts (where the hero attends Arden's birth-super weird) but this story was a healthy 95% awesome so well deserving of a 4-star rating. ...more
Set during the time of Scottish rebellion against the English invaders just at the defeat of Culloden and in the aftermath of that battle, the hero waSet during the time of Scottish rebellion against the English invaders just at the defeat of Culloden and in the aftermath of that battle, the hero watches as his father is cut done and he himself enslaved. He awakens in the company of other Scottish prisoners and endures the long journey in the cold, shoeless and starving, to the boats that will take them to the Fort. On the journey he protects and befriends 2 young boys of no more than 14 years of age. As is in his nature, the hero defends the weak, using his charms and smooth tongue to stop the threat of violence but is very willing and able to finish a fight when provoked. By the time they arrive in the new prison, more than half of their ranks is dead from disease, starvation or from the cold and those left alive are hollowed shells of what they used to be. No longer willing or able to fight their captures, they wait for judgement to rain down upon them.
Then the two young lads come to him with a plan. They've created a hole in the wall of the Fort, big enough for them to fit through and if the hero can squeeze himself through tight spaces, larger enough for him to escape through as well. They make their escape at night during a torrential downpour and though the hero and one boy make it through, the other lad is found and murdered on the spot. Regardless of their grief, they press one. They battle through the freezing river, starving and their bodies broken until reaching London. They earn enough coin by the boy singing at a local tavern to see their bellies full and enough supplies to aid them on their journey back to the Highlands.
The boy is shy and withdrawn at first, timid around others and still a bit shy around the hero but regardless, they are all they have and soon become as close as brothers. They find an abandoned cottage and spend their time making a home of the small hut, hunting during the day and reading to one another at night. Life isn't perfect but it's peaceful.
That is until they are attacked by rogues and in the process the boy's secret is revealed- the secret he had been mumbling about in his sleep for years. The boy isn't a boy at all.
The heroine has lived her life as a boy for almost 14 years, deeming it safer than living as a vulnerable female. The hero is both shocked, hurt and confused by this revelation. Shocked that he didn't recognize it before-what with the heroine dainty bones and voice of an angel. Hurt because she felt like she had to keep this secret from him all these years. And confused because suddenly his best and only friend is a woman whom he is attracted to. He struggles to maintain their friendship but eventually he can't help his desires and they become lovers.
Now their relationship is closer and more in depth than ever before. She becomes the love of his life, his world and she feel the same love for him. But all that comes crashing down around them when the heroine is kidnapped and in the struggle the heroine thinks the hero is murdered. Separated and lost in the world without one another, the heroine is taken aboard a ship for the Americans where she is sold into slavery. The hero is arrested for murder before given the choice of the noose or to travel to the Colonies to fight for the English. Never imaging to eve see one another again both characters struggle to survive while painful memories haunt them of the life in that little hut.
This was so much more than a romance novel. Regardless of its 300 some odd pages, it had the feeling and grandeur or a historical drama. The mood of the entire book was strikingly depressing and realistic. Both characters endured so much throughout the book and the pain and suffering they went through wasn't sugar coated by the author which both impressed and saddened me. Reading about starving people, walking through the cold without shoes and given only a small helping of oatmeal a day was heartbreaking. Regardless, I admired the fact that the hero could find reasons to laugh and, in most situations, regardless of how beaten they were, he could find a way to make jokes. And the fact that the heroine was that boy all that time blows my mind because I never once considered that until she revealed herself. It was so well done because though thinking back now, the author did drop hints of the heroine’s secret, she did such a good job of allowing us to see the world through the hero's eyes and never once did he suspect the truth. This was a heavy book but an amazing book as well. The two characters are separated for a great deal of time and as such I felt it couldn't warrant a 5-star rating, I still was in love with this story and the characters and the whole setting. Like I said, this is so much more than a romance novel and I can't wait to read more from this author. ...more
All of her life the heroine has been the dutiful daughter, then the dutiful wife. She's always swallowed her pride and strived to be the woman everyonAll of her life the heroine has been the dutiful daughter, then the dutiful wife. She's always swallowed her pride and strived to be the woman everyone else wants her to be. Now a widow, she's finally free. She sells her house and sets off to follow her passion for art and to see the world. But she does so with a heavy heart with the guilt of knowing she's tricked the unwitting new owners of her house. See the place is haunted.
The hero is horrified to realize his new home, the place intended to be his peace, is haunted by a mischievous and frustrating phantom of the previous owner. In his rage over having been duped, he tracks the heroine down and forceful drags her back to the house, demanding she find a way to rid the house of the ghost. Not a bad person and horribly guilt ridden over her decent the heroine agrees. All she wanted was freedom. Her father sold her off the man who lusted after other men and therefore paid her zero attention. Since the age of 15 she's been secluded away in that house with only the ghost to keep her company. So, of course she loves the phantom as her only friend.
I really felt for the heroine. She selfless to a fault. She literally gives the clothes off her back and food off her table to the people of the village and she tried everything in her power to be a good wife but all she got for it was heartache. In the hero she finds something within herself never felt before. She feels powerful in her womanhood and desirable as the hero treats her like no other man has ever treated her before. With respect. He truly was a very good man. At times he can be a bit harsh on the outside but inside everything he does is in service to those around him. Tortured by his memories of the war, plagued by a limp caused by an old wound and hunted by his scum of a step brother, he has a lot of things working against him. But he's willing to fight to protect the things and people he loves and it was truly admirable. He wasn't overly dramatic, so dark or moody. Most times he was smiling and flirting with the heroine in some fashion but at times he was taken back to his cousins’ death and it broke your heart to see him in pain.
I really liked the story. The two characters had mad chemistry. At first, I hated the ghost but as time goes on you understand his loneliness and his pain and it even helped the hero to relate to him though they hated each other for most of the story. I felt a little like the evil brother popping out of the woodworks was a bit haphazard and rushed. But overall, I loved the interactions between the sweet naïve but eager to please heroine and the sad, hardworking but loving hero. ...more
Once the heroine could have fooled herself into believe they had a future but when reality comes crashing down, her heart grows cold and she turns froOnce the heroine could have fooled herself into believe they had a future but when reality comes crashing down, her heart grows cold and she turns from him and becomes obsessed with her goals. Now, years later, fate and the leaders of both their governments have reunited the pair but whatever trust or connection that once existed between them had dissolved.
The hero is a damaged man and it shows in his scarred body, his bloodshot eyes and his alcoholism. He is a disappointment to his family, his soldiers and, if he's honest himself. Life for him started out so fresh and hopeful but marriage to his now deceased wife and the choices man to be away from her poison has modeled him into a tortured man who lives in constant memory of what he's done and what he's become. He once turned to the heroine to sooth that ache but when she found out he was married, to her it a betrayal. So she cut ties. Now, even if she didn't look at him with disgust and anger, he is not the man she once knew and he never will be again. When he is told their mission is to hunt down a rogue half-fae and a magical sword which he's using to create undying soldiers, the hero is resistant to the idea that magic even exists. He is much of the idea that life is plain and normal and horribly over rated. And it's this attitude and his habit of drink that actually make him a liability to the heroine and their mission at the beginning. But as times goes on, he sobers up and starts opening himself to the reality of magic. Because he's seen the magic and he's seen his uselessness almost mean the end for the heroine and that's something he refuses to allow again.
Despite the pain and the strained relationship between them, he means to keep her safe. The two face their past and for the most part, air out their differences and even find themselves succumbing to the desire between them. But, no matter how hard it is for the heroine to resist him, especially when he's being charming and tender, resist him she must. There can be no future for them. She is destined to take her place among the Fae, no longer the half breed outcast. And he is destined to take his place in society among the rich and the titled, no matter how he hates the idea. Their lives are so different and no amount of sex or wishing for otherwise can change that. But when the final act comes and the stakes are raised as the hero's sister has been kidnapped by the villain, the heroine risks everything to prevent the hero from succumbing to the darkness within. If he returns to that cold and dark place, she fears he will never be free of it. So, she's willing to sacrifice herself for the man she loves - pride or stubbornness be damned.
I think what I liked best about this book was the damaged hero and the heroine who saw him all too well. Life with his treacherous wife urged him to war in an attempt to escape her. There, he encountered the horrors of death and blood and something deep inside him changed into that monster. He was forced to kill and it molded him into something he hated. Even now, years gone past and left in nothing but an empty shell of his former self, the hero is still haunted by his dead wife and the agony of his memories. The heroine has always been a soothing element to his life and when he lost her, it hurt him deeply. He never got the chance to tell her the truth, that she was not his mistress but the light of his life. Now, she too has changed. From that soft and innocent woman he knew into this warrior woman with a jaded heart and stubborn streak. The heroine is still very hurt by his betrayal and she doesn't forgive easy. Their mission requires close contact between them but though desire runs hot, the tension is thick. Despite her cold shoulder towards him, she in fact is one of the few people to actually see the real him. She sees past his handsome face and into the damaged man. She sees his pain and hears his nightmares. And she sees the monster lurking deep down, the monster he fears and she herself is unnerved by. She doesn't hide from him or their past relationship but she harsh towards him now. They spend the entire book battling that push and pull of their emotions and honestly, I don't know if everything was completely solved by the end but perhaps that's honest. The story was action packed but at times a bit slow. No matter, the complex characters and sexual tension fixed that right up and I could almost let myself be swept away. It wasn't perfect, mind, but it was still rather enjoyable. Fae, magical swords and damaged heroes? Sign me up....more
Raymond has never believed in fairies or magic or witches and despite being Lord to a small Irish village, he’s stayed true to his rationality. All arRaymond has never believed in fairies or magic or witches and despite being Lord to a small Irish village, he’s stayed true to his rationality. All around him his people talk of a curse that hangs over the land, or a beautiful witch who may have caused it and Raymond casts it all aside in favour of good English reason. It’s a struggle enough to feed the people, he doesn’t have time or energy to listen to nonsense like curses. He doesn’t have time to deal with a troublesome woman who believes herself a witch either but something about her just enthralls him while at the same time enrages him.
Fionna has spent almost a decade and a day in exile, as is her punishment for loving the wrong man and in turn, betraying her people. A decade and a day out in the cold, forbidden to enter the castle, forbidden to speak with her countryman in fear of them getting punished. She doesn’t deny her fault in her banishment but she eagerly awaits the day that she can openly claim her daughter as her own.
Fionna and Raymond bicker and banter like cats and dogs anytime they come within 10 feet of each other. Fionna is a hardened woman who has built up walls to protect herself from more heartbreak. Yet still she eagerly offers her healing abilities to anyone who asks, and anyone who doesn’t. Both countryman and English alike. Despite Raymond ire. She knows he doesn’t believe in the magic surrounding him and that’s a source of animosity between them.
Yet that sexual tension is there. Ever present in all of their fighting and arguing. And soon it becomes apparent that along the way, they became less enemies and more friends. Even soul mates. I very much enjoyed this book and it was easy to see why. This author grabbed my attention from the jump with her ability to paint a scene in my mind so that at times it felt like I was watching a movie. Fionna and Raymond had great characterization and even better chemistry. Not really enemies but bickering friends, I loved the sexual tension and arguments between these characters. It was very believable. ...more
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