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2013 Reading Challenge
Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
read 0 books toward her goal of 75 books.
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
Sunday Snippets
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Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Ebook Deals for June
Dear Readers... I want to share with you some SPECTACULAR eBook deals from SOURCEBOOK going on during June. Look for the deals wherever Sourcebook eBooks are sold, but please be patient if pages aren’t uploaded immediately on June 7, as it does take their eBook retail partners a little bit of time to update/upload their information.
Also—do you LOVE hearing about Sourcebooks' eBook deals and romance novels? Become a CasaVIP by clicking HERE.
Enjoy and Happy Reading!
JUNE eBook Deals from Sourcebooks:
New York Times Bestselling Author, Grace Burrowes has the next book in her delightful regency romance series in stores this month: The Soldier. During this exciting time: The Soldier will be $2.99 for 2 weeks (06/07/2011 – 06/20/2011) and The Heir at $0.99 for 5 weeks (05/02/2011 – 06/06/2011)—so get them both while you can!

In honor of Terry Spear’s latest, Heart of the Highland Wolf, hitting stores Seduced by the Wolf will be FREE during the first week of publication of Heart of the Highland Wolf. Terry’s werewolves act like real wolves—including mating for life!

Have you ever met a hero that can purrrrrr? Find one in The Cat Star Chronicles, the out of this world sexy series by Cheryl Brooks! Book 7, Virgin, is in stores now! To celebrate, you can download Outcast for FREE during the first week of publication of Virgin! 06/07/2011 – 06/13/2011 only.

It’s Hannah Montana meets Project Runway! Get the first book in this great middle grade series, The Allegra Biscotti Collection, for FREE this week only, and meet Allegra Biscotti, a fabulous and famous fashion designer—only no one knows because she’s actually Emma Rose, and still in junior high! If you love this book, don’t get your threads in knot—book 2, Who What Wear! Is now available.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could find out HIS side of the story? Matt Dunn, a women’s fiction author who just so happens to be a guy, tells all in The Ex-Boyfriend’s Handbook, which is free this week, in honor of Ex-Girlfriends United hitting stores! Did I mention he’s British?!

Christmas in June? Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley is free for one week! Love her awesome wit, hilarious scenarios and super sweet love stories? Her brand new US release, Wish You Were Here is now available!

Did you know Georgette Heyer wrote two Gothic Regency Romances? The Quiet Gentleman is dark, moody, and not what anyone expects! Still craving the frothy, effervescent tone of Heyer? Get one of her most beloved, Cotillion, for free this week!
Also—do you LOVE hearing about Sourcebooks' eBook deals and romance novels? Become a CasaVIP by clicking HERE.
Enjoy and Happy Reading!
JUNE eBook Deals from Sourcebooks:
New York Times Bestselling Author, Grace Burrowes has the next book in her delightful regency romance series in stores this month: The Soldier. During this exciting time: The Soldier will be $2.99 for 2 weeks (06/07/2011 – 06/20/2011) and The Heir at $0.99 for 5 weeks (05/02/2011 – 06/06/2011)—so get them both while you can!
In honor of Terry Spear’s latest, Heart of the Highland Wolf, hitting stores Seduced by the Wolf will be FREE during the first week of publication of Heart of the Highland Wolf. Terry’s werewolves act like real wolves—including mating for life!

Have you ever met a hero that can purrrrrr? Find one in The Cat Star Chronicles, the out of this world sexy series by Cheryl Brooks! Book 7, Virgin, is in stores now! To celebrate, you can download Outcast for FREE during the first week of publication of Virgin! 06/07/2011 – 06/13/2011 only.

It’s Hannah Montana meets Project Runway! Get the first book in this great middle grade series, The Allegra Biscotti Collection, for FREE this week only, and meet Allegra Biscotti, a fabulous and famous fashion designer—only no one knows because she’s actually Emma Rose, and still in junior high! If you love this book, don’t get your threads in knot—book 2, Who What Wear! Is now available.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could find out HIS side of the story? Matt Dunn, a women’s fiction author who just so happens to be a guy, tells all in The Ex-Boyfriend’s Handbook, which is free this week, in honor of Ex-Girlfriends United hitting stores! Did I mention he’s British?!

Christmas in June? Dating Mr. December by Phillipa Ashley is free for one week! Love her awesome wit, hilarious scenarios and super sweet love stories? Her brand new US release, Wish You Were Here is now available!

Did you know Georgette Heyer wrote two Gothic Regency Romances? The Quiet Gentleman is dark, moody, and not what anyone expects! Still craving the frothy, effervescent tone of Heyer? Get one of her most beloved, Cotillion, for free this week!
Review: Demons Prefer Blondes
Demons Prefer BlondesAuthor: Sidney Ayers
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Demons Unleashed Series #1
ISBN #: 978-1402251740
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): Paperback (416 pgs), ebook
I received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
A BAD DAY FOR A DEMON...
Rafe Deleon is a senior demon and he resents like hell his assignment to Earth to retrieve the Chest of the Damned before it ends up in the wrong hands. But then he meets beautiful, intriguing succubus, Lucy Gregory, and she’s just unleashed a whole load of trouble...
REALLY SUCKS FOR A SUCCUBUS...
Lucy’s chic suburban salon has suddenly become the Underworld’s center of mass chaos and destruction. The only good in a day going rapidly down the tubes is the arrival of a gorgeous demon who’s adamant he can help her...
But Lucy has quite a few deeply unpleasant--not to mention deadly and hateful--surprises ahead of her. Surely there’s never been a worse time to tryout a new boyfriend...
What B is talking about:
Lucia Gregory is doing just fine, thank you. She’s got a steady clientele at her salon, a quirky, but devoted, assortment of friends, and has been successfully boyfriend-free for five years and counting. While she’s not complaining about the latter, her mother certainly is.
Rafael Deleon is a centuries-old member of the Paladin, a select group of demons allied with and blessed by angels. His sister has been captured by the Infernati (bad demons), the chest she was sworn to guard has been sent to Earth, and he’s been tasked with guarding a succubus who’s just come into her powers. Could things get any worse?
Of course they can! Ayers’ website boasts “Sinfully Snarky Paranormal Romance” and she’s not kidding. Demons Prefer Blondes firmly embraces the idea that while things might seem to be as bad as they could possibly be, they are likely to become much worse before all is said and done. Good thing her characters have a sense of humor—or, most of them do. Ayers keeps the funny stuff going throughout the novel, two of the best jokes being an amusing bit of alliteration concerning the toes of one of Lucy’s customers and the regrettable exposure of some gravitationally-challenged Santas.
Lucy doesn’t have a lot of moments of self-doubt, which should be a great thing for a heroine. Occasionally, however, it seems that a little more reliance on her friends would have saved her a lot of pain and frustration. Lucy does figure out that all of her loved ones are crucial to the battle she’s destined to fight eventually, and she’s able to not only survive, but also win the day because of it.
There’s only one sex scene in the novel, but there are lots of other sexy ones. It takes a while for them to finally cave in to their desire for one another, and several stops and starts within the scene itself, but once they do, Lucy and Rafe make it a good one. There are several scenes where Ayers just lets them react to one another that are electric and sweet at the same time.
Demons Prefer Blondes has a lot to offer, its most noteworthy charms resulting from the easy rapport and affection between Lucy and her friends, the humor Ayers liberally casts throughout the novel, and the erotic tension that’s present when Rafael is hiding behind his sworn duty instead admitting the truth of his own heart. It’s full of lively characters, some likable, some most definitely not, but nearly all memorable. I’m not sure where Ayers is planning to go with the next novel in the series, but I’m interested to find out.
B's Rating:
Liked it a lot – recommend (B+)
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of Demons Prefer Blondes to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Sourcebooks (www.sourcebooks.com) for sponsoring the giveaway of Sidney’s newest release. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of today’s review of Demons Prefer Blondes or yesterday’s interview with Sidney (link HERE). One entry per person. Winners are restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from June 6, 2011 until Friday June 10, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org.
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Monday, June 6, 2011
Author Interview & Giveaway - Sidney Ayers
Today I have the honor of bringing to you author Sidney Ayers. Sidney loves infusing her stories with humor. She writes a plethora of genres, ranging from historical, to paranormal, to contemporary.
A native of Michigan, Sidney still lives in the same town she grew up in. No matter how hard she tries, she just can’t seem to get away. Michigan is in her blood. Right now, Sidney is currently working on the 2nd book in the Demons Unleashed series of humorous paranormal romances. Please help me welcome Sidney toThat’s What I’m Talking About.
Twimom: Sidney, welcome and thank you for stopping by.
Sidney: You’re welcome. And a Big thank you for inviting me.
Twimom: First of all... Michigan?! I am also a native, although I haven’t lived there since 1994, I still travel back yearly. I grew up *holds up hand and points to spot* here. (For those non-natives, we Michiganders can show where we live by using our hand as a map.) I have to ask... Wolverine or Spartan?
Sidney: Go GVSU Lakers! Sorry, I don’t want to offend anyone. Hee hee hee.Twimom: Well, as long as you didn’t say OSU, we are good! Okay, enough about Michigan... can you tell my readers how long you’ve been writing and what sparked your interest in the paranormal genre?
Sidney: I love stories like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and love shows like Supernatural and other shows with a paranormal elements. I’ve always enjoyed reading paranormal romances as well. However, I noticed a lot of books in the genre took a rather dark turn. I really discovered my penchant for humor when I entered a round robin story contest that Avon sponsored back in 2006. I wrote a couple of off-the-wall parodies that got rather good feedback. Little did they know that their contest would unleash a monster.
Twimom: Or rather a demon! (hehe) Demons Prefer Blondes is the first book in your new Demons Unleashed series. Can you tell us a little about this new world you’ve created and your plans for the series?
Sidney: The series takes place in Connolly Park, a fictional suburb in a fictional metropolitan area in the southwestern part of Michigan. If you’re familiar with the area, you’ll be able to figure out what town it is loosely based on. As the series progresses, this town will become an even bigger hotbed of demonic activity.
Twimom: I look forward to seeing where the series leads! I see on your website that you also write under the name Arianna Skye. Can you tell us about the other books you’ve written? What is your favorite genre to pen?
Sidney: As Arianna Skye, I’ve written one fantasy erotic romance, Wings of Desire, published by Eternal Press last February. It’s a little steamier than Demons Prefer Blondes, but it’s just as snarky. My favorite genres are paranormal, fantasy and historical romance. Eventually, I’ll find a way to combine them.Twimom: Wow - now there is a book I’d love to read... I love all those genres! I always like to ask authors about their reading habits... What types of books do you enjoy reading? What was your favorite read during 2010 or so far in 2011?
Sidney: I love reading historicals. I’m about ready to dig into Unveiled by Courtney Milan. I also enjoy paranormals, of course, but I tend to avoid reading the same genre while writing.
Twimom: What upcoming 2011 releases are you most excited to read?
Sidney: I seriously have to list them all? I’m still hankering to catch up on JR Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood novels. My TBR list is a mile high right now.
Twimom: Oh those Black Dagger Brothers *sigh* Yes... that is a great place to start playing catch up!
Sidney, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. It was wonderful chatting with you.
Sidney: Thanks again! I had a great time!
You can find Sidney Ayers on line at
Her Website
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of Demons Prefer Blondes to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Sourcebooks for sponsoring the giveaway of Sidney’s newest release. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of today’s interview or tomorrow’s review of Demons Prefer Blondes. One entry per person. You do not have to be a follower of my blog, but it is always appreciated! Winners are restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from June 6, 2011 until Friday June 10, 2011 at 9:00 PM EDT. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org.
A Visit to Lori Foster's (not so little) Event
Dear readers. NO... Unfortunately I did NOT attend the marvelous gathering that Ms. Lori Foster throws every spring. However, my dear friend, Nima (short for Nissan Mama) did attend the public signing. Being the amazing friend that she is, she wrote up this wonderful post and took some photos so that we could share the experience with you all.
Nima claims to be an apprentice fairy godmother. Until she earns her wings, she spends her time as a spinning instructor, riding her bike around the suburbs of Cincinnati, Ohio, and consuming large quantities of chocolate. She plays the flute, loves to read, and has issues with paper clutter. She’s in total denial that she has a college student in his twenties, but as a peri-menopausal woman likes that her other two children are teenagers because life is so much more fun when everyone’s hormonal. Her husband escapes the insanity by taking to the road on his Harley. Nima encourages this because who doesn’t love a man in leather?
Amazingly, to her anyway, Nima is a published author. Her emphasis has been non-fiction in periodicals and documentary scripts. She has worked as on on-line video editor and voice-over artist. At present she is attempting to actually finish her first fictional novel, but is easily distracted by sparkly objects and all the books in her to-be-read pile.
Nima will likely show up here when you least expect her. Please help me in giving Nima a warm welcome here at That's What I'm Talking About! Take it away Nima...
*hangs head in shame* I didn’t know. I didn’t know! I swear I didn’t know!
I live in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio. There is a best-selling author, you might have heard of her, Lori Foster, and she lives in Ross, Ohio, about 30 minutes from my house. Every year for the last five years she has worked to sponsor this little affair un-astonishingly called the Lori Foster Reader and Author Get Together. Sounds intimate and low key, doesn’t it? Quaint even. Yeah, not so little. Why did no one tell me this was going on in my back yard all these years?!
I finished Hawke’s book yesterday, closed it with a sigh, and was giddy that I would be meeting Singh in less than 24 hours. Today, my car thermometer said the outside temperature had hit 100 and I was glad to be heading for air conditioning at the Marriott in West Chester, Ohio. I had no trouble parking and walked into the lobby forty-five minutes ahead of the signing, hoping the line wasn’t already too long. Hoping, that not many people had heard about this signing and I wouldn’t be subjected to the long lines I had recently endured for the J.R. Ward signing. (Totally worth it, by the way, the woman is a stand-up comedienne.) I figured out this was no small deal when I saw that Barnes and Noble had taken over the smaller ballroom and set up an on-site bookstore.
I wound my way through the crowds to the main ballroom. Inside they were handing out raffle prizes. I could see digital slide shows of book covers and trailers flashing to my right while waiters hustled to and fro to clean up lunch service. Male cover models (hip dents anyone?) and life sized cardboard cuts-outs decorated the room as much as very colorful participants—some authors, some readers, some publishers. Think feather boas and sequined hats and themed t-shirts. My favorite was worn by a very large, intimidating man and it said, “Ask me about my wife’s books.” Clearly this was a party and I had missed it.
Determined not to miss anymore, I was second in line behind a woman who had driven 4.5 hours from West Virginia to get Singh to sign her 30+ books. As I looked around, I realized there were tables and tables and more tables set up for authors, all making themselves available to readers for signing and chatting. Scanning the room when 2:00 pm had come and gone, I finally saw Singh making her way through the crowds. She wore a starched, white ruffled blouse, gray pinstripe slacks, and carried a soft pink leather purse. While she does look like her picture in the jacket of her books, I found her to actually be much softer and prettier in person. Perhaps it was the difference between living color and a black and white photograph? While being quite petite, she has a smile the size of Texas. Singh was one of the last authors seated because she had been part of a live internet chat/interview with Foster. Apologizing profusely for being a mere four minutes late, she announced that she had brought “sparkly pens” to make up for her tardiness. She then proceeded to sign ALL 30+ of Ms. West Virginia’s books.
When it was my turn, she graciously took a picture with me and I asked if she had actually spent any time in San Francisco for that was what had originally drawn me into the Psy/Changling series, being born and raised there. She replied in the affirmative and then asked me, “Did I get it right?” I laughed, assured her that she did with one exception. She referred to “old subway tunnels” which if you’ve ever been to the City by the Bay, you’d know are BART tunnels, not a true subway since it runs mostly above ground and is a monorail system, not at all unlike the ride at Disneyland. And there aren’t very many of them. Only a native San Franciscan would note that, however, and I grant her full leave to exercise literary license for the sake of storytelling. The rats have love somewhere, right?
Over the next half hour, I met multiple authors and had them sign bookplates, the modern answer to having something for the author to sign if you’re an e-reader . I learned that many of the authors are huge fans of each other--squealing, geeked-out fans. Virna DePaul, Chosen by Blood, was so excited she got to sit next to Singh that I thought she was going to wet her pants. She had a large stack of Singh’s books on the floor next to her own. Jess Granger had a stack on her table too, although she turned them face down while she was signing her latest, Beyond the Shadows. With first time published author Keri Stevens I discussed the advantages of different e-readers. Donna MacMeans and I chatted about Victorian vs. Regency historical novels, she gave me an unpublished excerpt from her latest Redeeming the Rogue, which won’t be released until August of this year, and a peacock feather to adorn my hair since it was pulled up in a French twist. The apparently hysterical antics of Dakota Cassidy at a recent conference in Columbus, Ohio was a source of great entertainment among readers waiting their turn to speak to the next author or their “must meet” list. I ended up in a lengthy discussion about the pros and cons of classifying a book as either sci/fi or romance since romance sells more books, but many hardcore sci/fi fans who enjoy a little romance in their stories would never venture into the romance section.
Next year! Next year! I promise to register and I’m taking Twimom227 with me!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sunday Snippets #61
Vampire in Atlantis
Berkley Sensation Publishing
June 7, 2011
With a desperation born of passion, he took her mouth with his own. Claimed it--claimed her--though he could never deserve to keep her. Kissed her as if he were a dying man and she the only chance at life.“Remember this,” he said fiercely. “Remember the feel of my mouth on yours, my body against yours, when you find that perfect Atlantean man someday.”
She started to protest, be he silenced her with his lips, kissing her so hard and deep that he could almost pretend that she belonged to him and always would. It would have helped him find his way back to sanity if she’d fought him.
Instead she pulled him closer, and he was lost.
Long minutes later, he raised his head, coming back to himself enough to realize they stood unprotected in the middle of the path, and their enemies were closer than was safe. Serai clung to him, her body trembling, and he had never wanted anything as much as he wanted to strip her clothes from her and take her, bury his cock in her warm sweetness, and make her his.His timing sucked.
“I love you,” she said.
And the bottom fell out of his world.
He opened his mouth to answer, but nothing came out but a hoarse, choked noise, and then finally he made his stunned brain work and words happened. “Your timing sucks.”
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Review: Queen of the Summer Stars
Queen of the Summer Stars Author: Persia Woolley
Release Date: 1 June 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Guinevere Trilogy book # 2
ISBN: #978-1402246401
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format(s): Paperback (512 pages), e-book
We received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
In a country still reeling from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the young King Arthur and his wife Guinevere struggle to keep the barbarians at bay even as they establish the Fellowship of the Round Table. The spirited and outspoken Guinevere skillfully combats an accusation of planning to poison Arthur in a country simmering with unrest and scandal. But Guinevere's greatest battles are dangers Arthur cannot see-ones she'll have to fight on her own. And all the while, she must reconcile her thirst for freedom with her duties as queen, and her growing love for Lancelot with her loyalty to her husband. Vibrantly human and touchingly real, Guinevere reigns as a woman poised to discover the true peril and promise of the human heart.
What Gikany & Una are talking about:
Queen of the Summer Stars is the second novel in the Guinevere Trilogy. The book opens with Guinevere being summoned to Arthur’s dying mother’s side. The novel follows Arthur’s and Guinevere’s lives from shortly after their wedding until Mordred comes to live with them. Included within this story, are the stories of Tristen and Insolde as well as the story of Arthur’s parents told from Guinevere’s point of view.
Una mistakenly volunteered to read this book for Twimom (volunteering Gikany along with her) thinking that it was a historical romance. Let us be very clear, it is not. This is definitely historical fiction. When we looked at Amazon to verify the genre, it is strangely not listed. We discovered the genre by looking up the author on the Wikipedia. Sadly, Una felt it read like a textbook, one with really interesting antidotes, but a history textbook nonetheless. Was the story interesting? Yes, however, this is not our type of escapism reading. We thought it was going to be something it is not and were disappointed. The blame is solely ours. We felt that the book started out a bit slow but livened up in the second half. True historical fiction lovers and true Arthurian legend fans would really enjoy Queen of the Summer Stars.
There are a couple of character points that were a little off. We understand and accept how this period thought of women and treated them. Guinevere was characterized as an independent and strong-willed woman. For a woman who thought of herself as a queen who would rule at the king’s side, she seemed to be meek with Arthur. She didn’t seem to show any backbone or strength with him, she just let him lead her around like a very obedient dog. It was also startling to see her afraid to ask her a servant questions. It may have been primarily because he was male not just that she thought the question was too personal.
Again, we need to state that we mistakenly picked this up to read, thinking it would be something completely different. That being said, even with the characterization issues, we felt it was an interesting read and would really appeal to those that love historical fiction. If you love Arthurian legend, you should pick up Queen of the Summer Stars.
Their Rating:
Liked it, there were a few issues - recommend (B)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Review: Heart of the Highland Wolf
Heart of the Highland Wolf
Author: Terry Spear
Release Date: June 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks CasablancaWerewolf series, Book 7
ISBN: #978-1402245527
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): paperback (416 pgs) ebook
I received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
Ian McNeill, laird of Argent Castle finds his capital squandered through unwise investments and the wolf clan's home that has been theirs for centuries is in danger of being forfeit for nonpayment of taxes. When a movie producer contacts him with the notion of using his castle to produce a movie, Ian abhors the idea, but it's his only salvation. Even worse, his people become extras in this epic Highland movie. But when one American werewolf romance author, Julia Wildthorn, slips into the castle under the guise of being with the movie company, except she is trying to jumpstart her muse with writing a book set in old-world Scotland--specifically about his castle and his people as the characters in her newest book venture--she and Ian tangle.
What B is talking about:
Despite her Scottish roots, Julia MacPherson has been building a successful career in America as a writer of werewolf romance novels under the penname “Julia Wildthorn,” and with little wonder. She herself is a lupus garou: a werewolf. Unfortunately, she’s got a novel due but is having a nasty case of writer’s block. So, when her friend Maria heads to a genuine Scottish castle as part of a movie production crew, Julia tags along for inspiration. It should be easy, except that the very same castle holds a family secret: one she’s been ordered by her grandfather to steal and return.
Ian McNeill has given up on finding a mate after the disastrous first attempt he made long ago. Instead, he now devotes himself fully to his responsibilities as laird of his clan, a task that’s become increasingly difficult since an investment scheme left the clan nearly bankrupt. When an American film crew negotiates to use his estate as the location for their movie, he knows he has no choice for the sake of his people but to accept their offer. But he doesn’t have to like it. He intends to fight them all the way, until a beautiful redheaded American changes his mind.
Having read a lot of novels with Weres/shifters of varying sorts, I was prepared for a fairly predictable take on werewolves from Heart of the Highland Wolf. While there were some clichés, Spear does well with her wolves, and ties in enough true wolf behavior with her version of the Weres to keep the novel fresh. Her werewolves are both born and turned, are sensitive to the phases of the moon without all being slaves to them, and equate “pack” to family with all the humor, frustration, and affection the word entails.
Spear has written each novel in her Werewolf Series as a standalone, so there wasn’t a learning curve required to get into Heart of the Highland Wolf. Bless her. She also limits the setting to the specific locales where the action takes place, so she’s able to give plenty of details for the sake of imagery without skimping on the story itself.
I liked Ian and Julia much more once they became a couple than I did when they were trying not to be. Their “dance” around one another, while fairly predictable, wasn’t a very comfortable one. The attraction versus ineffectual denial that is somewhat common to the genre seemed more a necessary device than the erotic tension I got the impression it was meant to be.
Once they give in to one another, however, they are hot. Spear has a knack for writing yummy sex scenes and gives her couple quite a few. Ian and Julia revel in each other, both thoroughly enjoying the teasing, wanting, taking, and having that they find together. It works, with Ian’s Alpha assertiveness complimenting Julia’s modern sexual sensibilities.
Spear packs a lot into Heart of the Highland Wolf, combining action, intrigue, compelling characters, and magic into an all around good read. Though some aspects of the novel left me wanting, she makes up for it in others. If a quick, sexy story that embraces the familiar without being stale is what you’re looking for, this just might hit the spot.
My Rating:
Liked it a lot – recommend (B+)
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