Review: Tempt Me Tonight

Review: Tempt Me Tonight by Toni Blake

Trish Henderson has returned home to Eden to take care of some family business...and some personal business, as well. Though she's achieved remarkable success as a high-powered Chicago attorney, Trish has never forgotten her small-town high school sweetheart, Joe Ramsey, or the devastation of heartbreak.

Now she's come face-to-face with the gorgeous sex god Joe has grown into, and she's determined to get him out of her system once and for all - and maybe take a little revenge, too. And this time, she has all the power. After all, where is it written that only men can explore and enjoy a physical relationship without commitment? Her plan: seduce him for just one night, then walk away...

But there's just one problem. Trish is about to find out that one night with Joe may never be enough...

Fourteen years ago, Joe Ramsey broke Trish Henderson's heart in two. High school sweethearts in the small town of Eden, Illinois, the two had planned on getting married the moment that Trish returned home from college in four years but instead the two were fated for betrayal that changed both their lives drastically. Now, unwillingly back in Eden to help her parents sell the family diner and set them up for retirement, Trish is taking a two week vacation from her life in Chicago as a major player and soon to be partner at one of the most prestigious law firms in Chicago. The last person she wants to see is the person from her dreaded past: Joe. The man she loved. The man who broke every dream and promise that had once led to heaven, now only reminds Trish of hell.

Unfortunately, that electric spark they shared as kids is now combustible as adults and no sooner does Trish lay eyes on Joe that her body begins to heat and her heart starts beating a tattoo against her chest. The handsome boy she once knew had grown into the hottest thing on two legs to ever grace the earth and it's in that instant that Trish knows that she's in big trouble. But instead of trying to resist the magnetic pull of Joe Ramsey, Trish is going to get what she wants. She's going to rock Joe's world and leave as soon as she's done.

Joe can't help but think he's died and gone to heaven when he opens his front door to reveal a scantily clad Trish who takes control of his fantasy and blows it out of the water. But when dreams of morning pancakes and a chance to get to know the new Trish are dashed the moment he awakens to empty arms, Joe can't help but determine that Trish is punishing him for his mistake fourteen years ago. If this a game of love 'em and leave 'em then two can play. But when passion sweeps through his heart, he can't help but be affected and he suspects that it's the same for Trish.

As the two become closer. As the hot sultry nights blend together with passionate kisses and loving embraces. As secrets are revealed and the heartache of the past is slowly pieced together and rectified, both Trish and Joe have to face the glaring facts within their hearts that neither ever lost the love between them even after all these years apart. And as Trish submerges herself deeper and deeper into small town life, she begins to realize that things had been missing in her life.

While she was caught up in the competitive world of climbing the career ladder, she now sees that it was all in an attempt to shield her heart from any and all who could potentially break it once again. For years after Joe's betrayal she'd cried herself to sleep, yearning for him and wishing that he had tried in some way to come to her; To bring her back and make her stay with him. She wanted the grand gesture and all this time that need had been there but she'd been so busy protecting herself that she hadn't realized it. All this time she had been distrusting of others; always assuming the worst and therefore preparing and maneuvering her life so that the worst could never be allowed to happen. Now, back with Joe, Trish realizes how she's let life pass her by. But can she truly forgive Joe for the past? Can she allow herself to take the ultimate risk? Make the ultimate sacrifice for a man that she can't in all certainty believe in again?

Joe Ramsey is a hero that all others aspire to be. A hero that I've read before and loved but also a hero that is rarely penned so well. I can only rattle off a handful of heroes that embody the same luscious traits as Joe. That lazy confidence. The utterly cool aura that draws people in like a magnet. A man's man who works and thrives in a man's world. He's like the sexy construction worker or titillating garbage man. Joe's an auto mechanic and a damned good one. Yet even though he's male to the core, Joe is also the keeper of a kind heart, a nurturer who has raised two girls in some shape or form. And his heart is reserved for one woman. Despite his renowned experience, there is only one woman in the world that can grant him the ultimate satisfaction. She's the one woman that he'd give up anything for. He'll risk it all if she'll just say yes and it's Trish that Joe wants.

Trish was an enjoyable but often times, frustrating heroine. She portrays a strong and assured exterior but inside, she's still that frightened girl with a broken heart. Unknowingly, even to herself, she's held on with white knuckled fingers to her tragic past in an effort to block any future pain. She's done this with her job, her loft in the city, her wardrobe of pantie hose and five hundred dollar suits. She's allowed herself to become wrapped up in a competition where she never truly even wished to win. Trish has made sure that no one could present that kind of risk to her heart again after Joe. And it's only after she looses Joe that she truly sees the fortifying walls that she's erected. Now all she wants to do is tear them down to pieces. For Joe she'll make the ultimate sacrifice. For Joe she'll give up the life that she's worked so hard for. For Joe she'll be his cupcake in truth and her heart will forever be his.

I have to thank Barbara for urging me to read this book. 'Tempt Me Tonight' embodies a strong and easy flow that draws you in and captivates until the very end. Joe makes your heart flutter and your body tingle while you simultaneously clench your fists over Trish's fear. While I understood her pain, I wanted Trish to just give in to the magnet that is Joe. If I had written this book, it would have been over in a few chapters. That's why I'm so happy to not be an author today for I'd be hopelessly unemployed. Instead, I willingly give myself over to the torment of the women who pen the beauty that is romance. I submit to the angst and nerves pulsating in my heart with the only reassurance that all will work out in the end. I don't know what I would do without the bliss of a guaranteed Happily Ever After. Nothing is guaranteed in real life but in a romance novel, I can pitch a fit and scream and rail at the hero and heroine while knowing that happiness is their destiny.

Hussy Approved Reading Material!

A

Monday Musings: Virginity - Relevant or so over?

I recently read a paranormal in a contemporary setting that featured a twenty-six year old virgin. Now, the majority of the time I find that the author can provide a solid and convincing theory for this phenomenon but others leave me scratching my head. It's all comical of course because while my brain believes the heroine to be a blood sucking vampire, it can't grasp her twenty-six year old virgin state without justifiable cause.

In both straight contemporaries and contemporary set paranormal, I find myself searching for the virgin card. It almost distracts me from the book at times because I'm wondering about: a) if the heroine will be a virgin and b) if she is a virgin, will I be able to believe in the reason given.

If the reason for the heroine's virgin state provides enough proof to the cause, then I can understand. For example: Gena Showalter's heroine in 'The Darkest Kiss', Anya, is a self assured, independent, gorgeous goddess but she's also a centuries old virgin. For those that haven't read the novel, I'm sure you're shaking your head over this. But Anya's virginity is justified. This goddess was cursed at an early age. If she were to allow a man inside her, she would forever be bound to that man and if he were to die, then she'd mourn him tragically forever. This I can understand. Proof positive.

Although, unfortunately even if the book has good cause, I still kind of want to say "come on already. Do we really need another book featuring a virgin heroine?" You know what I want? I want more virgin heroes. And beyond that, I want more sex from the hero's POV. But that's another discussion entirely. Back to the heroine. Why do we place so much importance on the virgin heroine anyway? Men, the same as woman, must loose their virginity at some point. Is it that we want our heroes experienced in the ways of pleasure? Do we want that fantasy where the man knows exactly where to move, touch and kiss to give the ultimate ecstasy? If so, why do they have to achieve this by sleeping with numerous women to achieve that perfect lover status? Why can't it just be instictual?

Now, with historicals, it's pretty much a given that the heroine will be a virgin. In almost no cases do you have a virgin hero. And both these facts are accepted practically universally. Although I've noticed, and much to my delight, that the historical romance market is introducing fallen women and widows as their heroines. Loretta Chase is and has been writing an entire series of fallen women. Anna Campbell has written two novels featuring courtesans (and one with a virgin hero. Yay!) and I've found myself becoming excited over these cultured and more experienced women. Is it because it projects the more modern woman? Perhaps, but I find myself being gravitated to this new historical heroine.

More to the point though, do we even want virgins these days? Does it make sense in contemporaries to have a virgin heroine? Understandably, historical romance authors have a perfectly valid excuse but again, is it virgins that we want to read?

Review: Edge of Danger

Review: Edge of Danger by Rhyannon Byrd

Read an Interview with Rhyannon HERE.

Check out an Excerpt of 'Edge of Danger' HERE.

Read a Review of Book One, 'Edge of Hunger'

Saige Buchanan travels the world studying her dark past, guided by a strange gift that enables physical objects to tell her their secrets. Yet nothing can protect her from her family's sadistic enemies. Until—in her hour of greatest need—she encounters a mysterious, impossibly sexy shape-shifter.

Sent to find the woman whose darkness has yet to awaken, Michael Quinn battles his primal hunger for Saige. He alone can help her lay claim to her full powers. Yet in doing so, he will destroy her innocence, and mark her as his forever….

Primal Instinct Series Book Two

Rhyannon Byrd is fast becoming very accomplished at writing the stubborn alpha hero and her efforts shine admirably in 'Edge of Danger'. Michael Quinn is a raptor shapeshifter and Watchman for the Consortium - a organization charged with the task of monitoring supernatural activity. But with the reemergence of a being so fierce and destructive, Quinn and his fellow Watchmen have decided to take action. Quinn's task: Go to Brazil, find Saige Buchanan and bring her back to the base in Colorado. Sounds easy enough but as Quinn will soon find out, nothing about Saige is easy.

Unlike her brothers, Saige has understood and accepted the radical changes in store for her. Her Merrick, the once dormant primal being that lurks beneath her surface, is awakening and with that awakening comes the knowledge that her will to live will soon be tested.

For centuries the Merrick genes have been dormant after their arch nemesis, the Casus, were banished into a metaphysical holding cell known as the Meridian. But now, something or someone is releasing the Casus from their prison. After years of isolation, the Casus are mere shades of their former self. As their shades are released from the Meridian, they overtake a human with Casus genes, forcing that humans soul from its body yet retaining their memories and thereby assimilating into the modern world with frightening ease.

With her awakening triggered, Saige knows that a Casus is searching for her and not only is the monster looking to avenge its centuries long imprisonment, but she soon discovers that it's looking for the Dark Markers as well. A brilliant anthropologist, Saige has been searching the globe for the mystical crosses that throb with power and protection. It helps that she has the power to read any object she touches and thereby glimpsing its past. After touching many different objects in her search, Saige finally discovered the first Dark Marker in Rome. Sending the Dark Marker on to her brother, Ian, Saige uses the maps that she also discovered at its location to search for the others. The maps are coded and only with her power was Saige even able to decipher the location of the second Dark Marker in Brazil. But when her Merrick senses come alive, Saige knows that the Dark Marker is in jeopardy and she devises a way to have it taken safely out of Brazil. Yet her journey home isn't destined to be easy.

Quinn is a dark mystery to both Saige and the reader. Ms. Byrd never let's us forget his gorgeous good looks and rasping deep drawl. The man oozes sexual energy and Saige is helpless as she hungrily soaks him up.

Saige shook her head at the rich, deep rumble of Quinn's voice, thinking the guy should come with a warning label. Caution: Approach this male at your own risk. Possible dangers include excessive drooling, rapid heart rate...and in some cases, hormone-induced spontaneous combustion.

Edge of Danger © Rhyannon Byrd

And it's not just her human psyche that sparks at Quinn's nearness, her Merrick is stirred up as well and Saige is soon spinning in desire. But it's her distrustful nature that provides her some measure of control. All the men in Saige's life have abandoned her in some way or another and despite the fact that she knows Quinn is a Watchman and is here to protect, her suspicious nature blurs her rational. Quinn's mysterious allure also doesn't help Saige's initial judgement of him either and she resolves quickly to escape but first she wants answers regarding her Merrick. While she has a vast knowledge of the Merrick and Casus, little is known of female Merricks and she wants to understand what her change will entail. Lucky for her, she doesn't Hulk out yet retains the amazing strength that surpasses any human but her need to feed the primal being within her requires fangs and Saige is more than interested in sinking them into Quinn.

A dark and tragic past weighs heavily on Quinn's soul. He was betrayed, tortured and forced to watch as his fiance was raped and executed at the hands of the Collective - a human organization bent on the task of eradicating the existence of all supernatural beings. Quinn will do anything to protect his broken heart even if he has to harshly push Saige away and hold her back at a vast distance. He'll not let her become part of his tragedy nor will he ever give her the opportunity to betray him. And while he wants her with a terrible fierceness that would surely scare her, Quinn will not bring himself to get close to her even when she begs. But his heart can't stay shielded forever and he's helpless against Saige's onslaught as she steadily chips away at his resolve.

Christ, he wanted to spread her out and do things to her that he'd never even thought about doing to another woman. Desire was a raging, biting beast in his gut, demanding its due. He didn't care how he had her. He just wanted her, in every possible way there was, until he'd imprinted himself on her so deeply, she couldn't get rid of him. Until she was marked by his scent...his seed...his soul, to the point that any man coming near her would know exactly who she belonged to.

Which means you've gone out of your ever-loving mind.

Edge of Danger © Rhyannon Byrd

Both Saige and Quinn are naturally distrustful creatures which allows for a lot of back and forth angst coupled with highly explosive sexual tension. Makes for great reading, in my opinion. Funnily enough, both are also highly protective of each other and find themselves in a couple of life threatening situations based on their need to protect the other even if it means lying to achieve the intended outcome. But when push came to shove, Saige proved to be the most courageous with her heart.

"You know, for a man with wings, you're awfully bound in place," she murmured, thinking of the nightmares he suffered from each night. Nightmares she believed were a part of why he was so afraid of letting himself get close to her.
...
"You have more freedom than anyone I've ever known, and yet, you can't move beyond the past. It's just ironic, when you look at it that way."

Edge of Danger © Rhyannon Byrd

Yet when Quinn finally comes to realize that Saige is strong, that she can handle his dark possession and raging passions, he doesn't waste time.

Slipping his fingers between her legs, he pressed his open mouth against the pounding beat of her heart and asked, "Can you take me again?"

"Always," she whispered, already desperate for him as he moved over her, pushing back into her with a thick, possessive stroke.

Edge of Danger © Rhyannon Byrd

I really enjoyed 'Edge of Danger'. While Quinn was a stubborn hero, he wasn't as frustrating as Ian from 'Edge of Hunger', which made falling in love with him much easier in comparison. I also loved how Ms. Byrd reminded me time and again of Quinn's melting sexuality. And there is just something about a hero asking the heroine if she can take him again. He's so desperate that one earth shattering session of hot sex simply won't be enough and he must have her again, immediately. Be still my hussy heart!

Saige was wonderfully refreshing as well. I love when a character already knows and understands the ins and outs of their supernatural abilities and better still, that they accept it. It gives the reader the opportunity to focus solely on the relationship between the H/h rather than read tedious monologues of their irrational fears with regards to their awakening powers. While Saige tended to throw herself at Quinn, I don't think she would have cracked his shields nearly as effectively if she held her heart from him. Quinn needed to be reassured time and again of Saige's desire. She certainly didn't make it easy for him to ignore her and really he found that he couldn't stay away even if he tried.

I'm also enjoying the over-reaching plots and my curiosity has definitely been piqued over the Collective and the corruption that's taking place within the ranks. Definitely some interesting surprises there. It appears as though the Watchmen's roles are not only be questioned but changed as well. These shapeshifters are brave as they are loyal and I can't wait to learn more about each of those sexy heart-throbs.

Hussy Approved Reading Material!

B+

Review: Skin

Review: Skin by Karin Tabke

Curvaceous and feisty, Francesca Donatello is the owner of Skin, an upscale woman's magazine and her pride and joy. To boost sales, she's decided to feature a smoldering male centerfold in each issue - even though it was once forbidden by her rigid father, a recently murdered mob boss. He always doubted her ability as a businesswoman, and now Francesca is even more determined to succeed. So when she meets sexy, charismatic model Reese Barrett, she knows he is perfect, and perfectly chiseled, for the job.

From the moment Reese sheds his clothes for the photo shoot, business becomes pleasure, and both are overcome with unadulterated desire for each other. But what Francesca doesn't realize is that Reese is a cop who's using her to infiltrate the Donatello family and find out who murdered her father. Even she is a suspect. But it soon becomes apparent that someone wants Francesca as dead as her father. As they dodge bullets and bodies Francesca and Reese shed secrets and inhibitions -- and learn that they must trust each other to survive.

Francesca "Frankie" Donatello, a bay area Mafia Princess, has one dream that she'll do anything to bring it to fruition and that's to see Skin flourish. It's one of the only businesses of Donatello Inc. that's legit and despite Frankie's last words with her father and his threat to disown her, she'll make Skin into the premier magazine that it was destined to be. But several roadblocks have sprung up to hinder her goal. One, her father was murdered the morning after their argument. Second, her spoiled half brother has suddenly taken up an interest in Skin. Third, a codicil will has surfaced taking Skin away from Frankie. And lastly, someone wants Frankie dead. But these facts could prove to be the least of Frankie's worries.

Enter Reese Barrett, a.k.a. Reese Bronson, an undercover cop investigating the murder of Frankie's father, notorious bay area mob boss Santini "Sonny" Donatello. The prime suspect: Francesca Donatello. Reese isn't above sleeping with women, lulling them into a false sense of trust and thereby listening raptly when all their secrets come tumbling out onto the pillow. Also Reese's conscience isn't perturbed in the least when he uses those secrets to build a case against said women and/or their families and the delectable Frankie is no exception. Posing as a male model, Reese auditions for Mr. Skin and to be featured as the magazine's anniversary edition centerfold. Reese's intense and immediate physical interest in Frankie gives him slight pause but he's determined to crack this case and hopefully put away some very bad people.

Frankie knows immediately that Reese is trouble but she's also desperate to prove to the family that she is more than capable of making Skin a success. Her body's instant arousal over Reese's sexy good looks and smoldering charisma is undeniable proof that he's the perfect model for the task. But her euphoria is short lived. Three back-to-back attempts are made on her life leaving Frankie shaken but more determined then ever to prove once and for all that Skin is hers and that she'll do anything to keep it. Hoping to find her father's original will, Frankie decides to to head to Carmel with Reese in tow. He's been promoted to body guard after saving her life twice and Carmel's beaches will also be the perfect backdrop for Reese's photographs.

Reese has been working diligently at portraying the man that seems to be lighting Frankie's fire. Normally he isn't anywhere near this outgoing and the facade is draining to maintain but finally Frankie succumbs to the raging need between them. Unfortunately for Reese, Frankie can turn off the afterglow of hot sex faster than any man he knows hence no pillow talk and consequently, no information. Reese knows instinctively that Frankie's hiding something but is it just her loyalty to her family or is she really her father's murderer? So far she's given nothing to Reese that he didn't already know. So he resolves to build an even deeper trust with Frankie in the hopes that she'll spill and for the first time, he feels a twinge of guilt over what he must do. Somewhere along the line Reese started to develop strong feelings for Frankie.

After noticing some suspicious behavior on Reese's part that smells strongly of cop, Frankie is already setting herself up for betrayal but her heart isn't her main concern. She makes Reese swear that no matter if he turns out to be something other than he's said, he must honor the contract with Skin. Frankie can't afford to loose Reese as her centerfold model and time is more than precious at the moment. When the house in Carmel proves not only empty of her father's will but it is the scene of another attempt on her life, Frankie gives into Reese's demands that they get as far away from the San Francisco as possible. A few hours later, the pair land in Wyoming.

The last place that Reese ever wanted to see again was his childhood home. Saturated in the past, Reese is once again overcome by guilt for his hand in his younger sister's death but to keep Frankie out of harms way, he'll face his demons. It's at this point in the book that the characters really start to come alive for while Reese is being haunted by his past, Frankie is realizing her love for the man that she knows will ultimately betray her. It's also at this time that Reese is informed that all arrows point to Frankie as the murderer and while his heart screams it's raging denial, Reese has to not only face the facts of the evidence but also the fact that he's fallen in love with a cold blooded murderer. Desperately he tries to come up with different possibilities that may save Frankie from life in prison but once again he starts kicking himself for wanting to deal with a murderer. Reese resolves to seduce Frankie one more time and get her to spill the truth before he's yanked off the case. For surely if his team knew about the emotional turmoil broiling in his head, they'd pull him away from Frankie fast enough to make his head spin.

Frankie decides to give into her desires one last time and in a moment of pure insanity for both Frankie and Reese, the two make love with such heated passion that the memory is burned on them both forever. Frankie can't run away anymore. Hiding out in Wyoming does nothing for her and she must stand up to her family. To do this she must leave Reese and make things right if she ever wants to be with him. But when his ultimate betrayal is uncovered, the pain is like nothing she's ever felt. Despite the fact that she was preparing herself for it, her heart had always denied it despite her brain's warnings. Before Reese can even summon the courage to go to Frankie and do his best to make amends, she's gone. Taken. And Reese finally comes full circle on the truth. But it may be too late. The first horror is that Frankie will end up dead and the second, is that if she lives, she'll never forgive Reese.

'Skin' was a love/hate read for me. The beginning was interesting and unique, drawing in my reader heart like a moth to a flame. But then that flame fluttered and dimmed. I was having issues connecting with both the hero and heroine. I didn't like their decisions, their motives, or their words to one another. I didn't like how their angst always led to sexual tension or straight sex. I'm not a fan of "death and destruction gets me hot and bothered". Plus, Frankie had some real "Too Stupid To Live Moments" that irritated me. But when with these two fierce personalities touch down in Wyoming, the flame began to burn bright again and once more, I was in love with this book.

Frankie is a unique heroine. One that I haven't read before. She's defiant, strong-willed and shockingly sassy yet underneath, she's scared shitless. Truly, she has no idea what she's doing or who she is. At heart, she's a people pleaser to the point where she'll risk her life to prove herself to her family. Frankie is also extremely naive and very trusting even after she's warned by the ones she loves that nothing is as it seems and she must trust no one. Times are dangerous when a mob boss is taken down and all out war is threatening to explode in the battle for power. Besides, she's been horribly duped and used before, but still her trusting nature stays in tact and Reese is able to penetrate her feeble defenses. Frankie also proves to be a conundrum to Reese for she's unlike any woman he's ever known when it comes to sex. She's fierce and passionate but once the party is over, her mind is on her work leaving Reese to fight harder for the intel he's after. Yet this is effective in getting Reese to open for Frankie. He tells her things that he hasn't told a soul in fifteen years.

Reese was also not your run of the mill hero. While his cover made him appear outgoing, in truth he really gave nothing away. It made me wonder if we ever saw the real Reese. He was a safe to crack but when opened, his anger spawned mostly from latent childhood rage. I was extremely happy that Frankie made him work for information in exchange for opening himself up to her in trade. But even still, Reese's story isn't revealed until nearly the very end. Both of these characters had tough shells to break and it didn't help that neither trusted the other fully for a good portion of the book, for Reese it wasn't until the very end. His convictions of Frankie's involvement in the death of her father were hard to take and many times I wanted to strangle him but what angered me the most is the lack of discussion showing a reconciliation of Reese's accusations with Frankie. I don't know if the author ran out of page time or what, but the ending was rather abrupt.

The suspense plot that was woven throughout, actually wasn't that bad. I had my suspicions of who wanted to kill Frankie, but even at the end, Ms. Tabke still had me guessing. Kudos to her on that one.

In an effort to close this long meandering review, I will say that I enjoyed 'Skin' and it won't be my last read by Karin Tabke. The book had all the makings of a fantastic story yet there were some elements that I couldn't get past and for that it merely makes it a good read and one I'd definitely recommend.

Hussy Approved Reading Material!

B-

Interested in Karin Tabke? Click HERE for More Info!

Reviewette: Invite Me In

Reviewette: Invite Me In by Delilah Devlin

Back Cover Blurb (Taken from Author's Website)

On a sultry night in the French Quarter, alone in a room thick with desire, she is able to channel the wanton mating of the couple down the hall — each kiss, each sensation, each stroke is as real to her as if she were the one being ravished. In her desperate arousal, she unconsciously calls out to him, until he is at her door, in her bed, knowing fully what she wants and how to satisfy her completely…

She is suddenly awoken by a male voice commanding her to invite him in. She knows this voice. She's heard it before. But why he's returned when the woman next door could have hardly satisfied him is beyond her understanding. But no matter, she's just glad he's back.

Infiltrating the mind of her female neighbor, she lives every sensation that he bestows upon her. She uses the woman's fingers so caress his skin and feel his heat. But when the sharp pinpricks slowly descend into the flesh of the woman's neck, she flees from her mind, frighted by the sensations.

No sooner has she returned to herself when the voice once again commands her to invite him in but this time it's not from the woman's apartment next door. He's at her balcony.

She knew from the first that he would be different and when she opens the door, the fact that he's on her balcony doesn't even give her the slightest pause. He has what she needs and he wants what she has. Mutual understanding dawns and they allow their desires to ignite. In each other, they've finally found what they've always needed.

This was my first read by Delilah Devlin and it won't be my last. This short was as hot as it was passionate. It captivated me from beginning to end. He, a vampire, is a being of immense strength and at any moment, he could have overpowered her and made her enjoy it. But instead he's impossibly gentle. While she, a succubus, opens her mind to his penetration and allows the heated desires that she's obtained to wash over him in waves. They form instant trust without ever disclosing their names but you know that whatever started in that room, doesn't end there.

The only downside to this piece was that it's tantalizingly short! I couldn't believe it when my rapid flip of the pages led me to the end. At the very most, I had perhaps thirty pages of undiluted escapism. Needless to say, I was devastated.

B+

Interested in 'Invite Me In'? Click HERE for More Info!

Coming Soon from Delilah Devlin

Darkness Burning

A Novel of The Dark Realm Series

Releases June 23, 2009

Beware the place where darkness rules and bloodlust is the ultimate aphrodisiac…

An apocalyptic storm has transformed New Orleans into a city of lawless terror—and Mikaela Jones is standing in the center of the nightmare. A beautiful, courageous journalist with a mysterious past, she sees monsters prowling all around her. But the gravest peril of all awaits Mikaela when she is taken captive by a mesmerizing male who is not mortal—a breathtaking creature who arouses the fire in her blood, making her burn for the exquisite erotic ecstasy of total surrender.

For seven centuries Alex Broussard has been waiting for the chance to free himself from the threat of the matriarchal undead society that seeks his destruction. And now, finally, that time is at hand—until the opportunity is ruined by the stunning, innocent, human interloper Alex is compelled to rescue from certain doom. Now they are joined, for good or ill, as they give in to the burning need that neither can resist—risking everything to experience the ultimate sensual release as the darkness rises all around them.

Read an Excerpt HERE!

Review: The Darkest Pleasure

Review: The Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter

He can bear any pain but the thought of losing her…

Reyes is a man possessed. Bound by the demon of pain, he is forbidden to know pleasure. Yet he craves a mortal woman, Danika Ford, more than breath and will do anything to claim her—even defy the gods.

Danika is on the run. For months, she’s eluded the Lords of the Underworld, immortal warriors who won’t rest until she and her family have been destroyed. But her dreams are haunted by Reyes, the warrior whose searing touch she can’t forget. Yet a future together could mean death to all they both hold dear. . .

The Lords of the Underworld Book Three

Centuries ago, a band of warriors and guardians to the Gods attempted to teach their charges a lesson. Pandora, while a gifted warrior in her own right, was thought by the warriors to not be qualified to handle the task of guarding dimOuniak - a box made by the Goddess Oppression to contain the horrors of the world. To prove this fact and avenge their wounded egos, the warriors stole the box from Pandora and opened it, thereby unleashing it's bound demons upon the world. As punishment for their arrogance, the Gods cursed each warrior with a demon and to be forever bound to one another. Thus, the Lords of the Underworld were born.

Reyes, keeper of Pain, is a man tortured by his need for self mutilation. In order to prevent Pain from inflicting it's own breed of violence upon others, Reyes has looked to himself to provide the demon with it's painful desires. But in that pain there is pleasure to be found. Although at the moment, the demon's drive for satisfaction is raking through his mind at a cutting rate and it's demands for more and more cause Reyes to resort to throwing himself off the Lord's fortress in Budapest. Feeling his body crumple on the jagged rocks below is the single satisfying pleasure to be had and Reyes knows of only one other that can soothe his demon more than the gruesome promise below - the human, Danika Ford.

Danika is on the run. After a group of warriors kidnapped her, her sister, mother, and grandmother while they were vacationing in Budapest, it became known rather quickly that the warriors wanted their death with no viable explanation. But after their rescue and inexplicable release in the States, the four hit the ground running and split up to make recapture difficult. Now broke and alone, Danika has no idea if her family is still alive. What Danika does know is that she will never be taken advantage of again. Still ridden with guilt for freezing up during their kidnapping, Danika vows to herself that she will never again be helpless and spends all her money on self defense classes. But despite all her rage at the warriors who destroyed her life, there is one that she can not break free from - Reyes. The gorgeous warrior haunts not only her dreams, but her every waking hour. But her infatuation will not cloud her desire for revenge and Danika is finally given that chance when a group of men - Hunters - share her same hatred and ask for her help.

The Hunters are a human faction bent on killing the Lords of the Underworld with the ridiculous belief that by eradicating Pain, Death, Disease, etc., those traits will also be eradicated from humanity. Previous intel has linked Danika to the warriors and the Hunters hope to lay a trap. The warriors will undoubtedly come for Danika and the Hunters will let them take her but with a little insurance by promising Danika that they will find and protect her family if she relays any and all information she can obtain from the Lords. Wanting to save her family at any cost, Danika agrees.

When news reaches Reyes that Danika has been abducted by Hunters, he will not let her go again as he did in the past. He will retrieve her from his enemy and make her his, if only for a little while. Reyes knows immediately that the Hunters have asked something from Danika. For all intents and purposes, he should kill her. Gods know the other Lords want him to. But selfishly, he will not allow any harm to befall Danika. In addition, he promises to take her to the one person that he knows for certain will be able to tell where her family is - Aeron, keeper of Wrath. The Lord was summoned by the gods and ordered to kill Danika's family. Knowing that the females were innocent, Aeron resisted killing them and instead abducted them until a decision could be made. But as the gods foretold, with each passing day his bloodlust would grow until he ultimately became consumed with their deaths. Now, chained and locked in the dungeon bellow the Budapest fortress, Reyes takes Danika to see the man intent on her and her family's destruction.

Answers aren't the only information that Danika receives from Aeron. Something about herself is discovered as well. Something that changes her role with the Lords of the Underworld.

Yet in the midst of searching for her family and coming to terms with her unbelievable abilities, Danika finds herself falling in love with the one man she should hate. Her burning desire for Reyes can't be denied any longer but when she makes attempts to become intimate with the gorgeous warrior, all she receives in return is rejection.

Reyes swore off women long ago when it became apparent that his brand of sex inadvertently turned his bedparnters into beings consumed by pain. Their eyes no longer projected their once gentle nature and they did things, painful things to others that they wouldn't normally do. His demon would corrupt them until they were filled with bloodlust. After everything Reyes has already done to Danika, he's not going to turn her into a monster on top of it all. But when a battle leaves his body torn, Reyes at last turns to Danika assured that his demon has been sated on the pain previously inflicted. And when he can finally climax into the woman he loves Reyes is literally transported to heaven.

Danika has never known passion like she does in Reyes's arms. And while she should be repulsed by his need for pain to feel pleasure, Danika finds herself craving his trust to hurt him. She understands his fears that she'll turn into a blood thirsty being, but somehow she knows that it'll be different with her. Besides, the idea of Reyes going to another for his pain, or even turning to himself when she is willing, ramps her anger and jealousy like nothing else. Some how, some way she will have to prove herself able to handle all of Reyes, even his demon.

'The Darkest Pleasure' has proved to be my favorite of the current releases in the Lords of the Underworld series. With each book, Gena Showalter weaves a darker and darker tale with TDP being the darkest. It's not just the nature of the story that's dark but there is little comic relief as well. Although Anya, heroine of 'The Darkest Kiss', does have her moments that left me always with a smile (that goddess is a hoot!).

Reyes was a wonderful multi-layered hero. He sacrifices so much to help Danika. And while he burns for her, he's also so self conscience of how she's going to feel when she discovers his need for pain. He's never hated himself more when he sees her look of abject horror when she stumbles upon his way to gain release. But he's soon shocked when her desire for him seems to burn even hotter. I think Reyes felt so humbled by Danika's acceptance of him but still, his worries that his demon would corrupt her linger and it takes time before he'll allow Danika to have all of him. He's not holding back because of ego but because of a deep seeded need to protect her at all costs, even from himself.

Danika was a strong heroine. While I disliked her initial hatred of Reyes, I could sympathize with her reasons. This man and his friends ruined her life and broke apart her family. But when she realizes all that he's sacrificed, she's quick to rethink her judgements. It had always felt wrong for her anyway, her hatred of him and the emotion withered quickly when faced with Reyes. And while her initial reaction to Reyes's need for pain is disgust, it's more in the way of a reaction to the rules of society. People should not cut themselves, but she soon feels the need to be the one to inflict his pain. It sounds weird but she knows that it's pleasure he feels and he needs it to protect others. Danika recognizes it as her right to be that person for Reyes.

There is a lot of new developments that happen as well in 'The Darkest Pleasure'. The Lords come to learn who is actually leading the Hunters and giving them information that humans shouldn't have possessed. I was a bit shocked to learn who was pulling the strings and it definitely adds a new and interesting layer to the mix.

And then there is Paris, keeper of Promiscuity. O-M-G! He's probably considered one of the more selfish of the Lords, but he truly made the most incredible sacrifice - the greatest out of any of the Lords. I'm dying to know what the gods are doing with you-know-who, for those that have read the series.

B+

Interested in 'The Darkest Pleasure? Click HERE for More Info!

Interested in Gena Showalter? Read my Reviews for 'The Darkest Night' and 'The Darkest Kiss'!

Coming Soon

The Darkets Whisper

Lords of the Underworld Book Four

Releases September 2009

Sabin, keeper of Doubt

Read an Excerpt HERE

ARC Review: Highland Obsession

ARC Review: Highland Obsession

Releases August 4, 2009

They were the unlikeliest of friends debauching their way around London: the Earl of Camdonn, a nobleman of vast wealth and power, and Scottish laird Alan MacDonald, a respected Jacobite with ambitions of his own.

But their friendship is destroyed when Alan marries beautiful Sorcha Stewart - only to
witness Cam kidnap her from their bedroom. Then Alan learns the truth: His bride was not an innocent. She took a lover before him - his friend, who taught her the ways of pleasure.

Now Alan will do anything to get his wife back.
Cam fights to redeem his honor, even as he refuses to give up his obsession. Torn between love and duty, Sorcha must watch as the two men she desires go to war over her. But when the battle lines are drawn, all three lovers are lured into a triangle of forbidden passion.

Alan MacDonald has returned to his highland home and birthright, Glenfinnan, after a twenty year absence. Born the son of the laird and an English woman, when his father died, his mother couldn't survive the harsh elements and took her son home to England. The people of Glenfinnan were a bit nervous for their laird's return. Would he return to them a snobbish Englishman complete with wig and accent? No. Their laird was a man of kindness and charm who spoke flawless Gaelic and within a few short months he earned their undisputed loyalty and the hand of the beautiful maiden, Sorcha.

Alan, already besotted with his bride of a few hours, believes that he's obtained the heart of a beautiful and innocent maiden. A woman untouched by another save himself. Knowing that his bride has dealt with the painful passing of her mother through child birth, he promises Sorcha that they'll wait to have children until she is ready. After a beautiful joining, Alan let's down his guard and in that moment Sorcha is snatched from his grasp and taken forcefully by the Earl of Camdonn - his friend of twenty years. The man that saved his arse countless times and visa verse. Alan can't believe that the man he thought of as a brother is now dragging his naked wife and tearing away from his cottage while leaving his giant of a body guard behind.

Cam has no idea what he's doing, all he knows that he can't stand by and allow Alan to touch the woman he loves. Twenty years of friendship means nothing in the rage of his jealousy. He knew this marriage was coming, Alan had told him himself and Cam had done his best to not think upon it. Sorcha could never be his wife. He's an Earl and a highlander for his bride is not an option. But that doesn't mean that he can't still possess her. He'll chain her in his dungeons if he must but he will not relinquish the one woman that had shown him so much passion prior to her return to Glenfinnan. He's sure that she loves him for she must.

Sorcha can't believe what's happening to her. With her highland nature comes fierce pride and unwavering loyalty to her marriage. Despite the fact that she barely knows Alan, she will remain loyal to him no matter what the cost. She had planned on never telling Alan of her affair with Cam. Her marriage was a time for a fresh start and she had successfully duped him on her virginal state. But with Cam hauling her naked into the night, Sorcha fears that the worst will be discovered. Once at Cam's home, Sorcha rejects him at every turn. Although she hates to see Cam hurt, it becomes very apparent to her that she never truly loved Cam. Now more than ever, Sorcha must escape to her husband.

Alan fights Cam's guards nearly to the death to retrieve his new bride. All he can think about is how innocent she is and how frightened she must be. Awaking to find himself at home with battle wounds and a blow to the head, Alan is soon visited by Sorcha's father. He informs Alan of his suspicions regarding Sorcha and Cam, leaving Alan horrified of the implications.

Sorcha, managing to escape Cam's castle, walks home to her husband. But the instant she sees him, she knows that he is now well aware of her past. Sorcha is instantly condemned by Alan for her past actions and her conniving ability to make him believe that she was a virgin. He believes her to be a liar and in no way can he trust her. But Sorcha is given some measure of hope realizing that Alan has no intentions of throwing her out. Perhaps she can win back his trust.

But no matter how Sorcha tries to please Alan, he still will not bend. He cuts her at every opportunity and while in the beginning she knows that she was deserving of his wrath, now it's her anger that's igniting. The two clash heavily in a verbal battle but achieve some measure of peace. Both feel that they may be able to save their marriage. But something must be done about Cam for he's still scheming to get Sorcha back and Alan will not have his pride be toyed with again. He challenges the Earl to swords.

When Cam is brutally wounded in the dual, like any good friend, Alan agrees to stay with his hurt and scared fallen brother. For the moment, the past is forgiven while in the wake his best friend's possible death. Sorcha too decides to help and the three hunker down at Cam's castle to see him through recovery. Yet something foreign is kindling between the three. It's not anger but desire and with each day that Cam grows stronger so does the burning need for one another. In a combustible collision that leaves them all both healed and destroyed, it's Alan that's the most wounded by their drunken encounter. Awaking to find his beloved wife, whom he still hasn't yet forgiven, entwined with Cam leaving him on the edge of the bed and in the cold, brings his life into perspective. He loves Sorcha and it's clear that she loves Cam. Alan could have lived with Sorcha's past but he can't and will never be able to withstand her love for another man. With that admission to himself, Alan steals into the morning light and heads out to the battle his men have yearning to fight. And if it's death he's meeting, so be it.

'Highland Obsession' was fabulously unexpected. It's a character driven story rife with anguish and betrayal. My heart went on a journey with these characters. In the beginning I was deeply committed to Cam's plight for Sorcha's love for his heart was dark with jealousy and bitter sadness. In turn, I felt that Sorcha was betraying Cam with her marriage and her burgeoning feelings for her new husband. But after I cheered Cam and his abduction of the woman he loves, I was instantly felled by the shear ferocity in which Alan fought to save his wife. My heart clenched with his anguished thoughts of his innocent new bride's fear when in truth she knows Cam infinitely more than Alan could ever have imagined. And when Sorcha risks her life to escape Cam and his guards to return to her husband, even knowing that her reputation is irreparably damaged, I was struck with admiration. Such courage from this heroine.

When Alan's pride poisons his emotions, I hoped desperately that Sorcha could win his trust once again. There are many tense moments between Alan and Sorcha that left me on the edge of my seat yearning for Alan's capitulation to his love for Sorcha. And when she finally grew angry over Alan's avoidance and harsh accusations, she rises boldly before him and challenges his beliefs. I cheered for the women of those times that were condemned as whores for being passionate while the males of their time were applauded for their sexual conquests. Alan's thoughts were biased in the extreme and it took Sorcha's fierce anger to finally get him to see things from her perspective. But truly these two characters come alive for each other.

And poor Cam. He stole my heart repeatedly throughout the novel. He embodies an almost childlike desperation for Sorcha that leaves him making several mistakes but he matures with the realization that Alan and Sorcha are meant to belong together. He comes to see that his love, while intense, can never be and he must give his blessing and hope to keep the two people that he loves the most as his dearest friends.

A-

Interested in 'Highland Obsession'? Click HERE for More Info!

Review: The Darkest Kiss

Review: The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

She has tempted many men. but never found her equal.

Until now.

Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death - a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable
forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining..

Lords of the Underworld Book Two

Centuries ago, a band of warriors and guardians to the Gods attempted to teach their charges a lesson. Pandora, while a gifted warrior in her own right, was thought by the warriors to not be qualified to handle the task of guarding dimOuniak - a box made by the Goddess Oppression to contain the horrors of the world. To prove this fact and avenge their wounded egos, the warriors stole the box from Pandora and opened it, thereby unleashing it's bound demons upon the world. As punishment for their arrogance, the Gods cursed each warrior with a demon and to be forever bound to one another. Thus, the Lords of the Underworld were born.

Lucien, keeper of Death, has managed to present and maintain an image of total self control. He is a being of utter calm for if his temper were to unleash, no one would be safe from Death. As leader and former Captain of the Guard to the gods, Lucien has always felt immeasurable guilt for having not only led his fellow warriors on the hunt to steal dimOuniak, but he was also the one to open it's lid and condemn them all to an eternity bound to it's evil contents.

As keeper of Death, Lucien is bound to the task of taking souls to their respective afterlife. When Death first entered his body, Lucien killed indiscriminately for two hundred years while trying to control the compulsion. Still a bit feral but in control, Lucien met and fell in love with a mortal. He learned his lesson quickly that to deny Death would only further the pain of the one marked. Knowing that he could never survive the loss of another loved one, Lucien brutally maimed himself to drive off any potential interest from females. And for the last few millennia, the tactic worked until the day Death met Anarchy.

Anya, the minor Goddess of Anarchy, will tell anyone who's listening that there's nothing minor about her. Daughter of the Greek Goddess of Lawlessness, Anya needs disorder to appease her naturally destructive behavior and she's discovered that petty theft and white lies are fabulous ways to curb her desire for war and destruction. But Anya wouldn't mind unleashing a little hell to get a rise out of her current obsession. Lucien is a walking contradiction that Anya can't seem to get enough of. His personal code of honor and kindness run contrary to the fact that he's possessed by Death and never had Anya seen a being so intent on living. Although her obsession is scarred way past the point of ugliness, Anya can't help but find him more beautiful for his imperfections. Cloaked by her shield of invisibility, Anya stalks Lucien until she finally can't take the need to touch and be touched any longer. Risking the wrath of the gods, Anya drops her shields and attempts to seduce Lucien into a kiss.

Of all the men in the world, no one is more surprised and suspicious than Lucien when a beautiful woman comes up to him with seduction in mind. He knows that he's heinous to look upon by the fairer sex and he can only assume that the beauty dancing before him is Bait. But when he catches her scent of strawberries and cream, Lucien immediately recognizes the beauty as the presence that has been stalking his every move for weeks: Anya. Knowing that she helped him, Maddox, and Reyes escape their death-curse, Lucien had instructed that research be done on this immortal to determine her potential threat. He knows that she is the minor Goddess of Anarchy and that her mother's reputation as a whore also branded her daughter with the same label. Lucian also knows that Anya is cursed yet how has yet to be discovered. But what he doesn't know and what frankly terrifies him, is why she's undoubtedly interested in him.

Lucien's contradictory behavior rears its ugly head when Anya finally gets to taste the warrior's luscious lips. One moment they're making out and all reality ceases to exist, in the next instant he's telling his buddies that she means little if nothing to him. Yet Lucien's nonchalance where her feelings are concerned does little to snuff her burning flame of desire.

Lucien's interest, although hidden behind his stoic demeanor, has piqued immensely with Anya's unveiling. But his passion is quickly cooled when he's summoned by Cronus, King of the Titans and recent usurper of the Greek Gods. Cronus demands that Lucien take Anya's soul and deliver her body to him. If Lucien tries to deny this command, Cronus will go after the ones he loves most: The Lords.

While disappointed by the order, Lucien resolves himself quickly to the task. Flashing into the spirit world - a gift from Death - Lucien is able to track Anya's travels. As an immortal, Lucien doesn't really think anything regarding Anya's ability to flash herself around the mortal world as well as the spirit world. Finding her quickly, Lucien tells Anya of his orders and how he has come to take her life. Feeling more than betrayed, Anya wastes no time informing Lucien that she'll do her best to kill him first. Thus the two careen about the world trying to kill one another yet it's all done rather halfheartedly and it's soon discovered that neither can deliver the death blow. Lucien instead tries to deal with Cronus by discovering that what signed Anya's death warrant was her unwillingness to give Cronus the All Key. Lucien, not knowing the full import of the All Key, tells Cronus he will get the All Key from Anya in exchange for her life. Cronus agrees on the condition that if Lucien can't retrieve the key, that he's still obligated to kill Anya.

Anya, ruled not only by her curse which was delivered upon her by a jealous goddess, also can't survive wholly without the All Key. It's a part of her, a gift from her father Tartarus the God of Confinement. Anya must either willing give the All Key to another and sacrifice her memories, strength and power. Or someone would have to kill her for it and thereby rendering her murderer powerless. Both options have dire results. Anya will not give the All Key to Lucien or Cronus who desires the All Key for the power it would give him. But Anya has another plan to eradicate her death warrant. The Lords are searching for Pandora's Box in order to protect their lives for if the box is opened and the demons sucked from their hosts, the Lords will die. But to find the box, they must first find four artifacts that will lead to the box's location. The Lords aren't the only ones looking for Pandora's Box. Cronus and the Titans are as well. Anya hopes to exchange the artifacts for her life without Lucien discovering her motives for she would be betraying the Lords.

Yet the longer Anya spends time with Lucien, the more she finds herself unable to betray him. For once in her life, someone accepts her for who she is, petty thief and all. And bonus, that someone is a hot immortal warrior that speeds up her heart and melts her soul. Meanwhile, Cronus is not letting up on his demand for the key. Noticing Anya's rampant desire for Lucien, he tells her that with each day she refuses to give him the All Key, Lucien will grow weaker and weaker until death will steal him from her. Crushed by the ultimatum, Anya still can't seem to stop herself from falling in love with Lucien but she can't admit that even to herself much less voice the words. To do so would mean she would have to give the ultimate sacrifice to keep Lucien. She must sacrifice the All Key.

I really enjoyed 'The Darkest Kiss'. Cecile! Charlotte! I don't know what you girls were thinking!?! I thought Anya was a blast to read. She's silly and fun with a backbone made of absolute steel that totally contradicts her vulnerability regarding her self image. She's also a strong, kick ass warrior that doesn't back down in any fight and challenges Cronus at every turn, defying his commands and out smarting his attempts to have her killed.

Anya was a perfect match for Lucien. A man so burdened by his past and his daily compulsions to lead spirits to their respective afterworlds. Quite depressing really. His mask of calm and detachment really needed to come crumbling down and no one could have done that better than Anya. For such a stoic warrior, Lucien was passion defined. He was eternally respectful of Anya's die hard independence and adapted to her needs with a readiness that melted my heart.

Another great aspect of 'The Darkest Kiss' was that it wasn't predictable or forgettable. I really had no idea how Anya and Lucien were going to conquer all the road blocks set before them. I also love the scenes where Lucien is trying to kill Anya. It sounds horrible but really, Anya bested him at every turn and he couldn't help but admire her. Never could they have killed one another. You knew that from the very beginning. But the halfhearted attempts were engrossing with edge of your seat fun.

The only downfall to the novel, in my opinion, and I can't explain too much without giving away spoilers but suffice it to say that I wanted there to be another outcome. I wanted Anya to have her cake and eat it too. I thought she lost some of her freedom whereas before, I really loved how she and Lucien were on equal footing with regards to their strengths and powers. But I think these issues are really only MY issues. Anya couldn't have been happier with the outcome. That I don't doubt.

B+

Interested in 'The Darkest Kiss'? Click HERE for More Info!

Interested in Gena Showalter? Click HERE to Read my Review for 'The Darkest Night'.