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2013 Reading Challenge

2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
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New-To-Me Authors


2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.

1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe

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Showing posts with label Stephanie Julian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephanie Julian. Show all posts
Thursday, June 6, 2013

Review: Shades of Moonlight by Stephanie Julian

Shades of Moonlight
Author: Stephanie Julian 
Release Date: May 17, 2013
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Lucani Lovers #6
ISBN: #978-1419946561
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotic
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher

About the book:
Wolf shifter Race Aragon knows Mara Marrucini is meant to be his, in bed and out. And he’s not about to let anyone or anything get in his way of protecting her and her baby. She’d been the prisoner of a madman and has the emotional scars to prove it. Now that she’s free, he’s going to make damn sure she gets to live her life—with him at her side.

Mara adores Race. He’s the first man to make her feel like a woman. To make her feel protected. His touch ignites her desire but she fears for his safety. Her presence in his life puts him in the crosshairs.

But with her son’s life on the line, Mara trusts no one but Race to keep them both safe. And to care for her heart—always.

What B is talking about:
The first glimpse we’re given of the potential for a relationship between Race and Mara comes at the end of book 5, Grace in Moonlight, which I also recommend. It is a sweet little tidbit about the future mates, and sets up their interactions in Shades of Moonlight nicely. As is common for Ms. Julian’s shifters, Race’s attachment to Mara is evident from the very beginning of her time with the versipelli (“skin shifters”), even if he doesn’t understand it. One my favorite things about this story is that Race doesn’t really care why he feels so strongly for Mara, he simply throws himself into an endearing devotion to her happiness and well-being. Mara similarly trusts Race when she hardly trusts anyone else, and worries that any contact with her will put him in danger. 

The ongoing build up to war with the “Malandante” (evil descendants of the Etruscans who care only for money and power) provides plenty of action throughout the series, Shades of Moonlight included. An unwilling former breeder for the Mal, Mara lives in fear for the safety of both herself and her infant son, Arin, and worries that her time with the wolves is a temporary arrangement at best. Arin, meanwhile, has a special gift of his own that throws the shifters, as well as their deities, into a further state of alarm. And if all that wasn’t enough, Race is confronted with a crisis close to home that puts his and Mara’s faith in one another to the test. 

I’ve had the privilege of following the Lucani Lovers series for a long time now, and I believe it is a fine addition to the collection of any fan of shifter erotic romance. As a novella-length story, Shades of Moonlight advances the tension between the wolves and the Mal, while telling the story of an unlikely pair of misfits discovering a loving and undeniable bond with one another. Neither Race nor Mara believes they’re good enough for the other, but they can’t resist their mutual attraction, either. It isn’t logical, but it’s extremely romantic and absolutely sexy. While this story can stand alone, it is better when read within the series, as quite a few of the secondary characters already have novels of their own. While fairly simple in its execution, this story has plenty of action and sensuality to make up for it. Sometimes, the best parts of a narrative lie in not having to worry about all the details in favor of simply enjoying the story as it is, and Shades of Moonlight does that and more just fine.

Bs Rating:

Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)






Purchase Info:

Reviews in the Series:

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Review: By Private Invitation by Stephanie Julian

By Private Invitation
Author: Stephanie Julian 
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Salon Games #1
ISBN: #978-0425262870
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic
Format(s): Paperback (320 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher

About the book:
Antiques dealer Annabelle Elder’s life is nowhere near as passionate as the erotic art she collects. A cheating ex-boyfriend and her business have seen to that. So when she attends a New Year’s Eve party at Haven Hotel, she sees a chance to blow off some steam. But she never expected to meet anyone like Jared—or to experience such passion in his arms…

Handsome, rich, and charming as hell, Jared Golden brought his Midas touch to Haven Hotel—and created an anything-goes pleasure palace on one floor to cater to his special friends and their very special desires. After falling in lust with Annabelle at first sight, seducing her was easier than he expected. What he didn’t expect was to be seduced in turn…

But unrestrained passion in the bedroom is not the only spark between Annabelle and Jared. Their mutual attraction is confounded by their separate pasts. Caught in an ever-growing web of painful secrets and sensual fantasy, will they be able to face the truth about themselves and trust in true love?

What Im talking about:
I have been a big fan of Stephanie Julian’s paranormal stories for several years, so I was excited to have the opportunity to review her latest release, By Private Invitation. Starting this book I had no idea what it was about, but knowing Ms. Julian, it would be sexy! 

The first chapter not only sets the stage for the reader, but it grabs ahold and doesn’t let the reader go. Right up front, we learn that our hero, Jared, is a pleasure seeker and part owner of a hedonistic pleasure hotel. He clearly enjoys sexual exploits outside of the norm. He has a private room known as the Salon, where friends can experience their inner most sexual fantasies, by invitation only. In addition, we learn that his family has been "cursed in love" when a ring and pin were stolen. And... hmmmm... Is that the missing pin that our heroine Annabelle is wearing?! Annabelle is ready for a night of pleasure after having a lousy year in the romance department.

There is just something special about By Private Invitation that captured my imagination and warmed my heart. The book is first and foremost a delightful romance. It’s a refreshing change to enjoy an erotic contemporary romance where the main characters are generally both mentally and emotionally healthy! Both Jared and Annabelle have a robust sexual appetite and make no excuses for wanting a “no strings attached” relationship. However, once they spend time with each other, they realize that there is more between them than just hot sex (and *fans self* it is HOT!)

Although they come from different backgrounds, Annabelle and Jared have much in common. I love that Jared wanted Annabelle to talk about her work and art just as much as he wanted her sexually. As the couple get to know one another, we learn that Annabelle has a pretty big secret... and I admit it took me by surprise! However, all of the clues were there, and I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t piece it together before the reveal. All I can say is that I was so wrapped up in what was happening between Jared and Annabelle, I just didn’t see anything else. The reveal happens fairly early on, and the twist adds an additional layer of complexity to an already interesting tale. The balance of Annabelle’s perceived need to keep her secret and her desire to be accepted by Jared creates tension between the two that was realistic and didn't come across contrived. I enjoyed watching them help each other grow--they made the other a better, more complete individual.

Despite the fact that Annabelle’s secret plays a fairly significant roll in the story, much of the interactions between the different characters is fairly open and honest. Once of my favorite scenes is a frank discussion between Jared and his parents. In addition, both main characters are sincere with themselves as they evaluate their own feelings and the situation.

I don’t have really anything negative to say about By Private Invitation. However, I felt that the continual self-introspection grew to be tiresome near the end of the book -- both characters were constantly reminding themselves it's only for sex, etc. In addition, although the sex was off the charts hot, other than a fairly vanilla ménage and voyeurism, it wasn't overly kinky or naughty. And my only real criticism is that after the nth time, it started to feel a little repetitive, but not in a way that turns the reader off.

In the end, I was totally choked up during the climatic scene between Jared and Annabelle. The display of raw emotion was touching and just plain awesome. Overall, By Private Invitation is a hot, sensual story, full of great heart and a pleasure to read. I cannot wait to read the next book!

My Rating:

Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)

and has also earned the title of one of...







Purchase Info:

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Review: Goddess in the Middle by Stephanie Julian

Goddess in the Middle
Author: Stephanie Julian 
Release Date: July 3, 2012
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Forgotten Goddesses #3
ISBN: #978-1402251535
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotic Romance, m-f-m
Format(s): Paperback (320 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher

About the book:
TOGETHER. THEY CREATE THE MOST POWERFUL MAGIC OF ALL ...
Romulus and Remus are sexy werewolf cousins with an unbreakable bond. When they meet beautiful goddess Amity and save her from an encroaching demon, they discover that the three of them together are way more powerful than any of them could ever have imagined.  And they're going to need that power to overcome the forces that are determined to steal Amity's magic and destroy the two men.
As different as night and day, and each an amazing man in his own right, Rom and Remy make all of Amity's deepest fantasies come true ...

What Im talking about:
The third book in Ms. Julian’s Forgotten Goddesses series opens with Amity Monroe letting off some steam with a coworker at a local bar. Amity is also known by some as Munthukh, the Etruscan Goddess of Health. Amity continues to use her dwindling powers for healing as a medical aesthetician - helping cancer patients and burn victims regain some of their physical appearance. It’s at this bar that cousins Rom and Remy catch the eye of Amity, and she decides it’s time to have some fun.
Rom and Remy are magical lucani - wolf shifters - on the run for years ever since their families were killed by the evil Mal (think paranormal crime family). While they are meant to fulfill some sort of prophecy, Rom and Remy only want revenge and the opportunity to kill the demon that murdered their families. Knowing that the demon is after Amity, they decide to spend time with her, hoping for a chance to avenge their family.
First of all, I want to say that Goddess in the Middle is not only the HOTTEST book in Ms. Julian’s series to date, but also the best. It is an exciting and sexy romance, full of action, emotion, and danger. I breezed through this story - hardly putting it down. 
The sexual chemistry between Amity, Remy and Rom was spectacular. But it was more than that... not only was their relationship incredibly hot--from m/f pairings to full-on menage sex--it was more than sex... it was emotion. Ms. Julian does a superb job making this erotic tale more about the developing love between two men and one woman than simply hot sex. But again, the smex is smokin’!! I enjoyed that throughout the story, the cousins work through their concerns about where this threesome is heading, and all three end up with much more than a few hot nights. The story is lusty and sensual, but simply romantic. 
The overall plot continues to revolve around Charun, the Etruscan God of the Underworld, and his attempts to steal power from his sister goddesses in hopes of breaking free from the underworld. Amity and her twin Kari are warned that one of them will be his next target, and certain enough Amity is attacked that night. But we witness a new side of Charun, which has significant impacts to the story arc. However, there is a new twist with the involvement of an evil, mafia-like group, the Mal. They are after Rom and Remy because of the power they hold, and they aren’t above using Amity and Kari to get what they want. We also are brought up to speed on some of the couples and changes that occurred in the first two books.
Overall, I really enjoyed how this story unfolded and played out. Sexy. Exciting. Suspenseful. I hope there is a next story soon because there are definitely some loose ends that need to be resolved. However, the book can be enjoyed by new-comers to the series. Goddess in the Middle is an incredibly erotic, unconventional, romantic love story, and it is most certainly worth the read. 

My Rating:

Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)





Purchase Info:
Reviews in the Series:
How to Worship a Goddess (Forgotten Goddesses 2)
Friday, June 8, 2012

RAGT Wrap Up and Shameless Summer Giveaway Hop

Well, I’ve had a few days to process the whirl-wind trip that was my weekend in Ohio, and I’m here to give you the highlights AND to giveaway some GREAT prizes! Keep reading for the giveaway details!
There are two big reasons I made the trek to West Chester, OH to the 2012 Lori Foster Reader - Author Get Together. The first is to visit my dear friend (and review teammate), Nima. As you may recall from hilarious post last year (HERE), she lives very near to the event. So of course, I had to jump in a plane and visit... and BONUS, our friend, Ang, was also visiting at the same time. I got myself 2-for-1 friend action!
Second reason I made the trip: my amazing book friends and blogging tweeps. After meeting so many of you in Philadelphia last year, I had to take this opportunity to see you again (and hang with some of the Sisterhood of the Werefly!).
I landed in the Dayton, OH airport about 10:30 AM on Friday June 1st and was back there by noon on Sunday June 3rd. It was a quick but wonderful visit! I got to spend time with Nima and Ang (who could not attend the event because Nima’s daughter was graduating high school), and I got to get in lots of author and friend time at the event.
So, here are some of the highlights of my trip...
Friday June 1:
First of all, if you’ve never been hugged by Bells from Hanging with Bells, you are missing out! She alone was worth the trip and I miss her already! I got to meet up with many of the friends I’d met in Philly: Bells, Mandi (from Smexi), Danielle (Lush), Penny, Dren, Marq, and Jaime Saare. I also got to meet several of my tweeps for the first time... Like Colette (aka A Buckeye Girl Reads), Liza (MsLizalou), NikiBrandyberry, Penny’s sister: QueenCityE, Bridget Locke, Jackie (Literary Escapism) and Nicole (aka Adam S. Walker - or as you would know her, Admin for Shiloh Walker). And bonus... I got to hang with Trelaina again (after meeting her in August when I was in Chicago). LOTS OF FUN!
That night there was a book signing and I took advantage... I got to meet Sherrilyn Kenyon... Yes THE SHERRILYN KENYON!! She is so sweet and I would have loved to talk with her longer, but there was a line and well, I was a bit tongue-tied & fangirl. I also finally got to meet Shiloh Walker after tweeting with her for the past couple of years. Then I spent time catching up with some of the authors I meet last year in Philly... PJ Schnyder, Judi Fennell and Stephanie Julian. All such wonderful women. I really enjoyed talking books with Judi (I kind of monopolized her for a while!)  
After the signing, we played some very interesting Pictionary sponsored by Carina Press. Let me tell you, even if it looks like it, the answer is not “penis!” We laughed a lot! I also took the opportunity to meet Angela James, editor at Carina and another twitter buddy.
After hanging in the bar for a bit, I took off back to Nima’s house, where I made it up until 1:00 AM (I woke at 3:30 AM Friday morning).
Saturday June 2:
I was up bright and early! I headed back over the hotel for breakfast and conversation. After the buffet, we broke into small groups, and I selected the one with Virna DePaul. Although I’d never read any of her books, I’ve heard some amazing things about her characters and world-building. I am so glad I went! Meeting Virna is one of the highlights of my trip. She is such a nice person and I enjoyed discussing how bloggers/reviewers fit into the mix. She will be at AADNOLA this August and I cannot wait to chat with her some more.
Next I went to a discussion sponsored by Berkley Publishing. Although much of the discussion centered around the submission process (and I am not a writer), I learned many new things about the world of being a published author. I also won an ARC of Lora Leigh’s Stygian’s Honor. WOOT! You all know how I love me some BREEDS!
At lunch I tracked down another person I wanted to meet: Sue Grimshaw from Romance at Random (Random House). I’ve chatted with her often on Twitter and enjoyed meeting her live and in person. Another wonderful woman!
After lunch was the main book signing. Since I’d gotten most of the author’s autograph’s I’d wanted on Friday night, I took advantage of the time to catch up with friends. We also cracked open the bottle of wine given to me by Angela James and drank it from the hotel paper cups! Oh, and Mandi and I got to pose with some cover models... er, um... cutouts of cover models that is!
The rest of the time was spent chatting more with the people I’d come to see and meet. I finally headed back to Nima’s about 10:00 PM, and when I got there, Nima, Ang and I stayed up until nearly 3:00 AM catching up!

I had such a great time the whole weekend, it was worth the sleep depravation! In fact, I’m still trying to catch up on my blogging and reading, housework and school functions! I definitely want to return next year!  For more pictures from the weekend, go to the “photos” tab of my blog!  Thanks to all for such a great time! Special thanks to Lori Foster, Duffy Brown, the Marriott Staff and all of the volunteers!
NOW FOR THE FUN... a GIVEAWAY!
I’m participating in the SHAMELESS SUMMER GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP!


While I was away, I thought of all of you - my readers! Really, I did. And I was able to pick up a few fun things to share.

First Prize: the first three books from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s League Series: Born of Night, Born of Fire and Born of Ice - all SIGNED by Sherri herself! 

Second Prize: A SIGNED copy of The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis AND a hand-crafted bookmark made by Shannon K. Butcher.

Third Prize: A copy of Guilty Pleasure by Lora Leigh AND a book cover flat and bookmark signed by Lila DiPasqua.


How to Enter and Giveaway Rules: To enter, please leave me a comment telling me what author you’ve never met, but would love to meet some day. To be eligible for the contest, comments must be made by 11:59pm EDT on Friday, June 15, 2012. One entry per person, the winners will be selected from eligible entries using random.org. Contest is open to US and Canadian mailing addresses ONLY; please leave your email address so I can contact you. I am not responsible for items lost in the mail. You do not need to be a Google Friend Connect follower of my blog, but it is appreciated.
Special thanks to Jen at Red Hot Books, Brie at Romance Around the Corner & Michelle at Michelle's Book Blog for sponsoring the Shameless Summer Giveaway Hop.  Please visit these other great blogs for more chances to win other great prizes!


PS... If you don't want to enter the contest, but still would like to leave a comment, please do so and just note "no contest entry."



Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Review: The Bigger They Are...


The Bigger They Are...
Author: Stephanie Julian 
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Lovers on the Fringe #2
ISBN: #978-1419939549
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Purchased with my own funds

About the book:
Andy Lohani is in a serious funk. The Yeti shifter is looking for love, or at least some loving, and when he meets Jenna Durham one dark night, sparks fly. She’s beautiful, sexy and hot for him. Getting her in his bed is job one. Unfortunately, she’s Normal and he’s really…not.

Accountant Jenna Durham doesn’t believe her brother’s crazy theories about Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. But she agrees to check out a bar in northern Pennsylvania where her brother says Bigfoot hangs out. At least she’s getting an expenses-paid weekend away.

When Jenna meets seven-foot blond and blue-eyed hunk Andy, she realizes she owes her brother one hell of an apology. Because she has a huge crush on the Abominable Snowman. And what he can do between the sheets is not something a girl could soon forget. But if she wants to keep him, she might have to give up her Normal life for one on the Fringe…

What Im talking about:
It seems to Jenna Durham that she is always helping out her twin brother, Joss, when he needs money, and he always needs money. So when instead, he asks her to check out a remote location in Pennsylvania because Bigfoot may live there, she isn’t certain what to do. She adores Joss, but isn’t quite ready to believe that the supernatural world is real.
Jenna decides to take up Joss’s job offer and finds herself in the middle of nowhere, sitting in her car, parked in front of a rundown shack. When Andy, a giant blond god, strolls out of the structure and up to Jenna’s car window, she is ready to follow him anywhere. And Andy wants two things 1) to get Jenna away from the building that doubles as a bar for the “Fringe” beings (supernatural creatures) and 2) to get Jenna into his bed.
Overall, The Bigger They Are... is an enjoyable and fun story that doesn’t take itself seriously. The novella is full of quirky sci-fi references (which bodes well for a nerd-girl like me!), sexual innuendo, slap-stick humor and more pop culture references than I can count. 
The first half of the story primarily focuses on Andy and Jenna getting to know each other via light banter. Although the humor had me chuckling out loud and the pop culture references were fun, after a while the constant references to comics, movies and TV programs began to crowd the flow of the story. And since I didn’t know all of the references, I felt like a third-wheel in their discussions. 
However, the flow of the story changes about midway through the book when Andy and Jenna sleep together. First - they are HOT! I love Ms. Julian’s ability to write a sexy, erotic scene. Then, with the introduction of Joss’s friend, Mike, the storyline really picks up. And the uncovering of the “truth” to Jenna is highly entertaining (Andy is a Yeti shifter after all!). I breezed through the second half of the story and wanted to continue on. (Did I get a hint that maybe Joss’s story would be coming up soon?)
The Bigger They Are... is a FUN read! The story is full of humor and is highly entertaining. I recommend you pick up both novellas from the Lovers on the Fringe series for an amusing and enjoyable time! I will leave you with one of the many humorous pop culture references in this story (and definitely my favorite): 
She was a clone living with other clones on the Death Star while Andy and his friends hung out on the much cooler Millennium Falcon.
My Rating:

Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)






Purchase Info:
Reviews from the Series
Size Matters



Thursday, December 8, 2011

Review: How to Worship a Goddess

How To Worship a Goddess
Author: Stephanie Julian 
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Forgotten Goddesses #2
ISBN: #978-1402251504
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (304 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Publisher

About the book:
HE'S EXACTLY WHAT SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED...
Lucy was once the beloved Goddess of the Moon. These days the goddesses of the Etruscan pantheon are all but forgotten. The only rituals she enjoys now are the local hockey games, where one ferociously handsome player inflames her divine blood...
AND SHE UNLEASHES HIM LIKE A FORCE OF NATURE...
Brandon Stevenson is one hundred percent focused on the game, until he looks up and sees a celestial beauty sitting in the third row. A man could fall hard for a distraction like that...

What Im talking about:
Lucy is one of the “forgotten goddesses” of the Etruscan pantheon who now lives in the United States. She, like her sister goddesses, has lost most of her powers and keeps a fairly low profile. Unlike other goddesses, Lucy still has a small group of loyal subjects, the Lucani (werewolves), who remain respectful of the old ways.  She passes time running a bar for her followers and attending hockey games.
Brandon plays for the local hockey team and has been keeping an eye on Lucy. One evening, he finally tracks her down and sparks fly from the moment the two lay eyes on each other. The bond is so strong from the first moment, that Brand is able to find her again, even after Lucy erases his memories of their (very, steam hot) first encounter.
I was drawn into Lucy and Brandon’s story right from the start. The “lust/love at first site” trope worked for this story, and I didn’t feel like they rushed into things. I was glad that the characters didn’t find ways to drive apart their bond. The two “share their love” *wink* often - and aggressively, at times. Ms. Julian is an expert author of steamy smex scenes.
How to Worship a Goddess is the second story in Ms. Julian’s Forgotten Goddesses series. However, it is a spin off of sorts from her Lucani Lovers series, and as someone that hasn’t read that series, I kept wondering if I was missing references from other books. It didn’t detract from the story, but it was always in the back of my mind. However, I was a bit disappointed in how little the Involuti and to a lesser degree, underworld god Charun, played in this storyline.  Both were major parts in the first book, What a Goddess Wants, and I still had questions lingering from reading that book this summer.
There were some interesting twists that I would have liked to have  had more details flushed out for me. One involves a Lucani named Catene. This young woman was surrounded in mystery for almost the entire book, and once it was revealed why, I wanted to know more. I wonder if she’ll make another appearance in this series, or if she’ll become the focus in the Lucani Lovers series.  Also, I wanted more interaction with Brand’s parents - I feel like there was no closure on that end. 
Overall, I enjoyed How to Worship a Goddess and most certainly will continue reading this series. I have many questions about this little known (to me) pantheon, and I look forward to finding out where Ms. Julian will take her goddesses next.

My Rating:
Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)

 
Sunday, October 23, 2011

Contest Winner - Spell Bound

I would like to thank everyone for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About for my Authors After Dark 2012 Feature Author Spotlight with Stephanie Julian. I also want to thank Stephanie for graciously donating an electronic copy of her new book, Spell Bound for our giveaway. 

Every person that commented on Stephanie’s guest post or B’s review of Spell Bound was entered into the contest - one entry per person. The winner was selected using random.org.
The Winner:
Felicia the Geeky Blogger 
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I am sending the winner an email verify the address before Stephanie sends you the ebook. You have until Friday October 28, 2011 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner.
Thank you and Happy Reading!

 
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Review and Giveaway: Spell Bound

Spell Bound
Release Date: September 22, 2011
Publisher: Moonlit Night Publishing
Darkly Enchanted #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author

About the book:
She’s running from fate…
Shea Tedaldi is the only thing standing between her six-year-old brother and the men who killed their parents. Descendants of the ancient Etruscan magical race, Shea and her brother keep powerful secrets that make them the targets of the evil Malandante. They’ve been looking for a safe haven but the bad guys are gaining on them and Shea needs a hero, a guardian who won’t falter in the face of danger…
He’s looking for the key to break the spell…
Gabriel Borelli is a warrior born to protect the Etruscan witches living under a curse. He’s dedicated to breaking the spell and avenging the murder of his father by the Malandante. He won’t let anything—or anyone—get in his way. Not even the one woman who may hold the key to his quest…and his heart.

What B is talking about:
Working in a strip club wasn’t the kind of dancing Shea Tedaldi thought she’d be doing to pay the bills, but she made enough money to take care of her little brother, Leo, and that’s all that matters. But when the men chasing them get too close, she’s forced to reach out to one of the fabled grigorio for help. Whether she’d end up kissing or kicking the arrogant warrior is the real question.  
Gabriel Borelli doesn’t need the frustration of a young woman and the small child with her showing up on his doorstep asking for help. Sure, as a grigorio, he’s bound to assist them, but he’s got a mission of his own to deal with: killing the man who murdered his father and brother. A man who has also been hunting down and killing the members of a group of cursed witches for 500 years. 
I was very pleased to find that Julian’s latest novel centers on the streghe, or witches, of her Etruscan community. Typically, holding a peripheral role to the shifters, these amazing women are seers and healers, as well as possessing other “Goddess Gifts” which they use to help those in need. Shea is born to an especially secretive group of streghe, and the more she learns about her family’s history, the more she realizes her own time is running out.
Gabriel is one of my favorite alpha males to date. His arrogance is initially quite palpable, but fades quickly as his duty to Shae and her brother take precedence. As he becomes dangerously attached to the pair, he learns a valuable lesson about the things that really matter, and what’s worth dying for. 
In addition to plenty of well-crafted suspense, the characters’ romantic progression was by turns growl-worthy and sweet, which suited them both perfectly. The cameo by Tivr, the moon god, was a happy surprise as well, his insight and use of humor a welcome break to the rising turmoil Shae finds herself in. The ending, too, I enjoyed very much, even though it wasn’t at all what I expected. 
I’m so pleased to have had the opportunity to read and review Spell Bound, the first in the Darkly Enchanted series, by Stephanie Julian. Her tales of the Etruscans and their deities have become more enjoyable with each addition to the Lucani Lovers series, and Spell Bound, while broadening the hidden society of witches, shifters, and fairies, is easily as delightful, if not more so.

Bs Rating:
Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)








Books in the Series
Spell Bound (Darkly Enchanted)
GIVEAWAY:
Stephanie is graciously giving away one (1) electronic copy of her newest release Spell Bound. Please leave your comments for Stephanie at the end of today’s review or on YESTERDAY’S AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT. Comments must be received by Saturday October 22, 2011, at 9:00 PM EDT to be eligible for the contest. One entry per person, winner will be selected from eligible entries using random.org. Contest is open internationally; please leave your email address so we can send you the book. Thank you to Steph for this fun giveaway!


Coming Up...

Review: Making It Last by Ruthie Knox

Review: Dangerous Proposition by Jessica Lauryn

Review: Vicious Moon by Lee Roland

Review: The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans

Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Review: Marine with Benefits by Heather Long

About My Blog...

WELCOME to my blog! At That's What I'm Talking About, we discuss romance books and generally review the paranormal and urban fantasy genres, with some other fun topics tossed in. I hope you will stay and visit for a while!

Happy Reading!

Jen
aka Twimom227

Disclaimer

About our reviews: The reviews posted here are the writer's own honest opinion of the book, not a judgement on the subject matter or author. We read for pleasure and at the request of authors and publishers. We do not receive compensation for our reviews, other than the copy of the book to read for the review.

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