In Flames by Jessica Jayne

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***Warning:  Erotic Romance…This book is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.  Graphic sex scenes and material.***

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I have to preface this review with a confession. I am more than a little bit obsessed with all things firemen.  So when I saw the blurb and the cover for this book, I already knew I was in love.  And even though I already knew I was in love, Jessica BLEW me out of the water with this book.  I was hooked from the start and consumed it in one sitting.  Matt is the epitome of hotness and I may have had to wipe off some drool at several times throughout my read.  On top of the major sexy factor this book has to offer, the story is believable.  I could see the widow of a firemen finding herself in just this situation.  The story follows Gracelyn Riley, the recent widow of firemen Chad Riley.  Matt Riley is Chad's brother and fellow firefighter and is overwhelmed with survivor's guilt over the death of his brother.  Matt and Gracelyn have supported each other over the year since Chad's death.  Gracelyn's young children love their uncle and he does everything in his power to make them smile.  Graceyln is still very close to Chad's family and attends weekly Sunday dinners at her in-laws house.  As the emotions between Matt and Gracelyn move from grief to desire, they will have to face some difficult decisions.  This story had me "In Flames" and I enjoyed every second I spent with the Riley family.  

Platinum Book Reviews gives Jessica and In Flames:

5 platinum rings!!!!

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Blurb:

Gracelyn Riley married a firefighter. She knew that came with risks. But she never imagined herself widowed in her early thirties with two children to care for on her own. 

As a fireman, Matt Riley was at the scene when his brother, Chad, was killed. He suffered greatly from survivor’s guilt and depression after the accident.

The last year has been difficult for both Gracelyn and Matt. They’ve relied on each other to get through the tough times. With the anniversary of Chad’s death upon them, Gracelyn and Matt once again turn to each other for comfort and support. They find it in each other’s arms—and bed. 

Will their desire for each other consume them? Can they overcome the guilt and scrutiny to find love again…together?

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Excerpt:

He sat there cross-legged on the floor for several minutes combing her hair with his fingers before she stirred.  Her eyes fluttered open.

"Matty," she said in a scratchy voice.  His heart beat a little faster.  No one else called him Matty.  In fact, he hated when anyone else used that nickname.  He usually felt like a little kid when someone called him that, but when Gracelyn said it, it was different.  She had called him that since the day they had met.  "What are you doing here?"  She pulled herself up off the floor and sat on her heels across from him.  Her long hair was disheveled.  Her mascara smudged under her blood shot eyes.  

"I thought you might need a friend," he said softly.  His hand swept away the loose strands of hair from her face and tucked them behind her ear.  Even in her lowest, darkest moments, Matt found her amazingly beautiful.

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~~~Find Jessica here on Facebook~~~

Blood Flows Deep in the Empire by N. Isabelle Blanco

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***Warning: Erotic Paranormal Romance…This book is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.  Graphic sex scenes and material…

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Holy.Hotness.Batman!!!  I am a HUGE fan of paranormal romance and paranormal erotica. With that being said I am not sure I have ever read a erotic paranormal romance that I loved as much as this.  The author has created the sexiest, most badass males who happen to be Gods.  Not just your average Gods, however, but ALIEN Gods.  I seriously got hot flashes during several parts of this, no lie.  Please do not let the glossary at the beginning of the book scare you off.  I was a little intimited at first and decided to skip over that part and dive right in.  Ms. Blanco does a wonderful job of explaining everything you need to know in the text and I never felt lost.  This book follows the story of Dyletri, the fine as hell God of Fertility who makes a deal to sacrifice a human girl so that her sbring her back to life.  Dyletri will not find this an easy task as the human, Ismini, is causing him to feel lust and then some.  Along the way we are introduced to some other uber smexy Gods.  Zenial, (OMG) Ianthen, (*faints*) and Crius (yum).  Though the story is full of sizzling hot, swoon-inducing sex scenes, there is also a good share of action and humor that makes the book impossible to put down.  I gladly gave up almost an entire night of sleep to spend some time with these hot males and the amazing world that Ms. Blanco created.  I will be very impatiently awaiting the next story and more hotness from my new favorite Gods.

Platinum Book Reviews gives N. Isabelle Blanco and Blood Flows Deep in the Empire:

5 Platinum rings!!!

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Blurb:

Dyletri, God of Fertility, has locked away his powers. No woman is allowed to touch him, not until he can return his long-dead lover back to life. All he has to do is sacrifice one human girl. A girl who unlocks his powers and rips his dormant lust right out of his body. Trapped by his promise, Dyletri has no choice but to watch her die, no matter how much he wants her. Yet the darkness of his calling is spiraling within him, demanding he claim the human as his. If he goes back on his promise, the energy of the Fates will cause untold destruction in the Universe. That doesn't change how Dyletri's begun exhibiting symptoms that point to more than just lust. How does he allow Ismini to die when she's come to own him from the inside out?

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Excerpt:

Someone tried to hurt her.  Tried to hurt what's mine.  Rip them apart.  Destroy them...

Ismini's voice pulled him back from the edge.  "Two guys.  Things.  They were chasing me before you came."  The pounding in his head grew worse, but she was still shaking, and the need to get her somewhere safe overrode everything else.

She looked both scared and agonized.  Sweat gathered on her brow, and her skin turned a darker shade of red.

Wait.  Red?

Something was wrong.  Something was happening to her that he didn't understand.

"Dyletri?"

The fear in her voice was too much.  Everthing within him demanded he protect her.  He knew it was ridiculous, considering what he'd come for, but he was powerless against his instincts.  He lifted Ismini into his arms as gently as he could.  She cried out from the movement, and her skin reddened further.

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~~~Find N. Isabelle Blanco here on Facebook~~~

Saving Gracie by Terry Lee

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This amazing story by Terry Lee was like nothing I have ever read.  Having lost my mother several years ago to the monster that is cancer, I felt very much in tune with every emotion that Grace went through before and after the loss of her mother, Kathryn.  What makes this novel even more magnificent is the fact that a reader can probably find something within the pages to which they can relate.  Whether it is raising a child with a disabilit,  surviving loss, marriage triumphs and troubles, or an overbearing mother, you will find it between the covers of Saving Gracie.  The book tells the story of Grace and her mother Kathryn.  Kathryn is a take charge, on my terms mother who believes her daughter cannot function on a day to day basis without her assistance.  Grace aids in her mother's overbearing personality by calling her numerous times a day to get advice on anything from cooking to place settings at a dinner party.  Grace's life is forever changed when her mother is taken from her by cancer and she is left to run her family without her mother's daily advice and phone chats.  Grace has to raise her children, rejoin society, and save her marriage all on her own.  On top of the grief she is still trying to deal with this can prove to be next to impossible at times.  Kathryn finds herself trying to keep the promise to her daughter that she will find a way to take care of things from the "other side."  There were so many little quirks and situations in this story that made it that much more wonderful.  The little girl, Cherry that tugged at my heartstrings.  Kathryn's sister Ruth.  And the ever hilarious Ruby just to name a few.  I went through at least a half of a box of tissues as I read Saving Gracie but still found myself laughing through the tears.  If you are looking for a unique and heartwarming tale of loss, grief, and the afterlife, Ms. Lee has shot it out of the ballpark with Saving Gracie.

Platinum Book Reviews gives Terry and Saving Gracie:

5 Platinum Rings!

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Blurb:

Kathryn Broussard has managed her life with dignity and an I know you have feelings, but I'm coming through anyway attitude. She exudes confidence and control over the land much as a reigning queen rules her court. Her main focus-Grace, her daughter. Although grown, Grace depends on her mother's razor sharp decision-making ability for everything. All is well in the land of dysfunctional mother-daughterhood until the unthinkable happens. Kathryn dies. With her mother now gone, Grace is forced to manage her own life for the first time. And Kathryn must find a way to maintain control of her daughter, even though unusual circumstances from the "Other Side" present a fair share of obstacles to overcome. A mother's love, however dysfunctional, is a force to be reckoned with.

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Excerpt:

Her mother's smile.  Like a kick in the stomach, Grace realized she had depended on that smile her whole life.  Without warning, Grace's legs buckled, reducing her to a crumpled heap on the floor.  Wrenching sobs erupted from the pit of her stomach and moved upward, the emotional pain choking her.

Kathryn, in her weakened condition, moved from her chair to where Grace slumped on the floor.  She somehow found the strength to lead Grace to the sofa.  "It's okay, Gracie, I'll figure something out."

"You can't fix this!" Grace sobbed, dropping her head to rest in her mother's lap.  She closed her eyes and caught a hint of Obsession, her mother's perfume.  

"No worries, my love."  Kathryn stroked Grace's hair.  "I'll never leave you."  

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~~~Find Terry Lee here on Facebook~~~

Speak of the Devil by Shawna Romkey

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I knew from the second I laid eyes on the cover of this book I was going to fall in love.  And Ms. Romkey did not disappoint.  Everything about this story had me hooked.  The setting in my home state of Missouri.  The YA genre with a unique paranormal storyline.  Strong characters, both male and female, some who have you rooting for their success, and some who you just wish would disappear.

The story follows Missouri native, Lily Tyler, who is involved in a tragic accident with her best friend Julie and almost boyfriend Mike.  Both of her friends are killed and she is brought back from death by first responders to the scene.  Unable to handle living in the town and attending the school where the ghosts of her friends still haunt her, she moves to Kansas City to live with her dad and his family.  There she meets a group of theater friends all too eager to make sure she is okay and fitting in to her new school.  At the center of these new friends are Mo and Luc.  Mo, the geeky theater boy is full of kindness and a need to take care of her.  And Luc, the gorgeous yet mysterious young man who Lily feels drawn to and always shows up at the right place and the right time.  A war between good and evil will feature Lily right in the center of the action.  She will learn who she must trust to stand beside during the struggle and who will ultimately wish her gone.

Ms. Romkey took me on a rollercoaster with this story and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.  It is a beautiful tale and I will be anxiously awaiting a sequel to see where the characters are taken and who will ultimately win the war between good and evil.

Platinum Book Reviews gives Shawna and Speak of the Devil:

5 platinum stars!!

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Blurb:

When falling in love and falling from grace collide... High school junior Lily Tyler dies along with her two best friends in a car accident, but miraculously she comes back to life several minutes later. Unable to deal with her loss and her survivor's guilt, she moves to her dad's. While there trying to heal from this tragedy and come to terms with the event, she meets some people at her new school who are all too eager to help her. Struggling to fight her feelings for two of these strange new acquaintances, Luc and Mo, she finds out their true identities. Lily must move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, and find a way to stop a divine war with the fallen angels, all while trying to pass the eleventh grade.

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Excerpt:

"I'm Luc." He smiled when I glanced up at him.  People talk about love at first sight, and I had always thought it was a bunch of crap, but I got lost in his smile.  There was something about him. He didn't smile, really.  He had a certain kind of funny grin or a smirk. He was pleased with himself, I could tell.  I could actually see those eyes this time.  Green and deep.  I could drown in those eyes.  Confidence.  He stood strong and tall.  He didn't blink.  He didn't look away.  His eyes just pierced right through me to my core.  Most of the people I knew at school would break eye contact out of insecurity or shyness or whatever.  I tried to do just that, but I couldn't.  It was like looking at a book I just couldn't put down.  I had to keep reading because there was something more there, maybe something he was trying to tell me?

Mo bounded in between us and broke it up.  Had he not done something, God knows how long I would have stood there, staring at this boy.

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~~~Find Shawna Romkey here on Facebook~~~

The Golden Years, A Swinging Sixties Novella by AJ Hawkins

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A J Hawkins has pulled me in yet again with his novella, The Golden Years.  His descriptions of the setting and interactions with every character in the story, no matter how minor, are strong and they pull me right into the action.  The story follows Charles Fairbanks, an elderly man living in London whose health is failing and is alone aside from his caregiver, Agnes.  He spends his time drinking tea during the day, scotch at night, and taking naps in between.  The only break in the monotony of his days comes from his daily visits from Agnes to clean his already spotless penthouse, make sure he is fed, and to try to engage him in some social interaction.  A breaking news flash from Los Angeles takes him back to his past as a successful spy and he has to know if his guess about who is behind the acts is true.  He sets off on what may be his last mission and tells the reader the story of his past through a dream he has en route.  I was quite smitten with the younger version of Charles and his mysterious and adventurous ways.  A J took me on another wonderful ride with this story and I can't wait to see where he chooses to take me next.

Platinum Book Reviews gives A J and The Golden Years:

5 platinum rings!!

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Blurb:

Charles Fairbanks was once one of the world’s greatest spies, but that was a long time ago. Now he lives alone in a too-spacious penthouse apartment overlooking Hyde Park, with only his carer Agnes for all-too-occasional company.

Just as Charles begins to succumb to boredom and despair, a story crops up on the news that relates to his last ever field mission. He contacts MI6, but his concerns are thoroughly dismissed. Rightly or wrongly, he is determined to find the answer, even if it means certain death.

En route to California he falls asleep, reliving the vivid details of the mission that changed his life forever.

Written in the spirit of the James Bond novels, The Golden Years brings a thoroughly modern twist.

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Excerpt:

He slumped into his armchair, placed his retrieved cane against the crook of the chair's arm, interlocked his fingers, rested his hands on his chest and nestled his head into the generously cushioned headrest.  He let his mind go adrift, and was asleep within a minute.

He dreamt he was the young man he'd been so very long ago, driving down a dusty, dirt track, rocky walls on either side.

He was suddenly inside the enemy base with no memory of how he came to be there, and in another blink he was walking down a corrider formed by giant metal containers.

He saw Miyamoto before him, the sagging red banner adorned with four black Chinese symbols hanging overhead behind the madman.  Suddenly they were running, but Charles was getting nowhere.  In his mind, Miyamoto's maniacal cackling was coming from every direction, heralding the inevitable.

The explosion engulfed him, and Charles snapped awake with a start, glancing around, expecting to see a concrete floor covered in soot and debris, but all he saw was that much-maligned cream carpet much closer then he'd have liked, his own shadow stretching before him.  He'd fallen out of his chair.  He hoped to prove Agnes wrong; he was determined that he couldn't be so enfeebled that he couldn't get himself up again.

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~~~Find A J here on Facebook~~~