Review: Mercy

Title: Mercy 
Author:  Pam Dingée
Publication: Sept 24, 2013 by Amazon
Reviewed by: Taryn
Rating: 3 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Eden has had a tough year and is trying to bounce back from the tragedy of her father passing recently, and she’s also hoping to learn to love and trust again all while going through a sticky divorce with the Dick.

Dom is Eden’s BFF’s brother, he’s also a bit of a player and a sexy distraction for Eden. He wants to earn Eden's trust, but she's been burned before and is skeptical. Can Dom help by being a good friend to Eden and steer her in the right direction?

Eden is 22 years old and has recently lost her father. She’s also going through a messy divorce with Richard, aka Dick. They’ve been married for 3 years, but Eden recently discovered Dick was being unfaithful. For the past month, Eden has been staying in her best friend Aly’s guest house as she saves money to get back on her feet. Eden and Aly work side-by-side at the same beauty salon, and they’ve been close ever since they met while earning their cosmetology degrees at the Las Vegas School of Beauty. Aly’s husband, Sloane, and her older brother, Dominic, work with Dick at Vegas Builds.

Eden can’t help but be attracted to Dom even though she is pretty sure he’s a big player. Soon she finds out that Dom’s feelings for her run much deeper than friendship, but Eden’s not sure if she’s quite ready to cross that friendship line into something more. She’s still nursing a broken heart and doesn’t want to get hurt again.

I’ve always enjoyed reading stories about people who were friends first before they fell in love. And Dom was definitely a swoonworthy love interest -- he was hardworking, loyal, protective, funny, cheesy at times...and of course, hot!

Mercy was a quick and easy read, but the conversational writing style took a little getting used to. It was very informal, almost like sitting down to have coffee or a cocktail with a friend and discussing the ups and downs of her love life. There were a few flashbacks which provided a peek into how Dom and Eden’s friendship and attraction grew over the years, and I wish there were more of these. A couple of times the point of view abruptly switched to Dom’s, and that was a bit jarring. Maybe if there had been more chapters included from his point of view it would have been a smoother transition for the reader. At times I felt annoyed with Eden’s immaturity, but then again, 22 is still pretty young and the characters’ actions seemed realistic for someone that age.

Despite these small issues, I found Mercy to be an entertaining read and would recommend it to fans of new adult romance.

 

Review: Lady Thief (Scarlet #2)

Title: Lady Thief (Scarlet #2)
Author:  A.C. Gaughen
Publication: February 11, 2014 by Walker Childrens
Reviewed by: Taryn
Rating: 5 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

Lady Thief is the second book in a trilogy that is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. Scarlet was an unputdownable read that I raced through in just one day (although I’m sure I’ll go back and reread it again more slowly to savor it!). Lady Thief picks up soon after the events of Scarlet. Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed and she has been forced to marry Gisbourne. Her husband is returning to Nottinghamshire, though no one knows why since there is no sheriff to hire him as a thief taker. They soon find out that when he married Scarlet, he assumed her father’s land and title (Lord Leaford), and the contract also gave him the right to petition the prince for the sheriff position. He makes Scarlet a deal--if she agrees to live with him while the prince is there and try to dress, speak, and act like a lady, he’ll grant her an annulment.

Considering that the only reason she married him was to save Robin Hood’s life, Scarlet decides to comply with Gisbourne’s wishes. But she can’t help but wonder, What’s the catch? Can she really trust that he will be true to his word? And will Gisbourne be named sheriff, or will the people wishes to see Robin Hood made sheriff come true?

Wow, what an intense and emotional read! My heart just ached for Scarlet and Rob and all the suffering they had to endure. The love and longing between the two of them felt so real and it almost took my breath away. And those kissing scenes! Let’s just say I had to fan myself a little while reading. I never thought I’d find myself swooning over Robin Hood, but I stand corrected.

I really admired Scarlet as a heroine. She was stubborn and flawed, but she was also incredibly strong, brave, and devoted to those she loved. When Gisbourne abused her both physically and emotionally, she stood up for herself time and time again like a true fighter.

So often I am disappointed in sequels or second books in trilogies, but I am happy to say that I loved Lady Thief even more than the first book. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series (which is as yet untitled). Give this series a try if you like action, adventure, and swoonworthy romance.

Review: Curl Up and Dye

Title: Curl Up and Dye
Author: Sharon Sala
Publication: February 4, 2014 by Sourcebooks Landmark
Reviewed by: Taryn
Rating: 4 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review.

A brand new Southern women's fiction from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala who has 1.5 million books sold.

Wally Lamb meets Steel Magnolias in this story of LilyAnn Bronte, the Peachy-Keen Queen, which in Blessings, Georgia, was the epitome of success. After losing her fiance in the war in Iraq, her zest for life went into decline while added weight crept on. When a new guy arrives in town, LilyAnn embarks on a quest to remake herself from start to finish only to discover that love was always just right next-door.

Back in high school, LilyAnn Bronte was the head cheerleader, the homecoming queen, and the valedictorian. She dated the star quarterback, Randy Joe, and was named the Peachy Keen Queen. She seemed to have everything going for her and her future was bright until Randy Joe joined the Army and went off to war, never to return. Not only did LilyAnn lose her first love, she also lost her way in life. Years later, she is still grieving Randy Joe, and she has let herself go in many ways. She’s stayed out of the dating pool but has only recently started to feel as if she might want to jump back in. When a handsome new man comes to town, it motivates her to start taking better care of herself with a major lifestyle overhaul. She believes that she needs to get her act together and work on her appearance if she wants to attract and impress this newcomer.

What LilyAnn doesn’t know, however, is that there already is a man who loves her just the way she is. Mike Dalton, her neighbor and childhood friend, has never mustered up the courage to tell LilyAnn how he feels. So he continues to pine for her secretly and give her the space she needs to grieve her loss. He can’t help but wonder, what will it take for LilyAnn to notice him as more than a friend? Or is it too late--will she end up falling for another man instead?

I enjoyed this sweet love story set in the charming town of Blessings, Georgia. The tone is lighthearted for most of the story (except for a few intense scenes). The secondary characters were all interesting in their own right, especially Ruby Dye, beautician and owner of The Curl Up and Dye hair salon. It was fun to see just how much Ruby knew about everyone’s business since her salon functioned as a sort of town confessional. Gossip moved pretty quickly through this small town, and Ruby always had the scoop. She also helped people work through their problems. My mom is a hairdresser, and I think she’d really like this character, too!

I’m interested in seeing where this series goes and which characters are featured in the next book. If you like The Curl Up and Dye, you can also check out Color Me Bad, a novella also set in Blessings, Georgia.

Review: One Rogue Too Many

Title: One Rogue Too Many
Author: Samantha Grace
Publication:   Jan 7, 2014 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Reviewed by: Taryn
Rating: 3 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review.

When two of the ton's most eligible bachelors fall for the same young woman, only one will win her heart...

Anthony Keaton, Earl of Ellis, and Baron Sebastian Thorne have been competing since childhood. Now, they both have their eyes set on Lady Gabrielle.

Gabby feels like a fool for trusting in Anthony—but she doesn't know the whole truth. Determined to guard her heart this time around, she's looking for a man who is steadfast and eloquent.

Sebastian knows this is his one chance to steal her heart. He has everything she's looking for. But when Anthony finally reveals his true feelings, how will she choose between the two?

 

Lady Gabrielle Forest is secretly betrothed to Anthony Keaton, Earl of Ellis. They grew up together, and he is her brother Drew’s best friend. Gabby has always had feelings for him. Lately, Anthony has been in Wales, but Gabby does not know the true reason for his absence and isn’t quite sure if she can trust him. Anthony isn’t yet ready to reveal all of the secrets of his past, including his first wife’s betrayal and the true father of their child, Annabelle, who is now being raised by an aunt. To make matters worse, Gabby is given false information about Anthony, which makes her question his integrity and trustworthiness.

Baron Sebastian Thorne has been competing with Anthony since childhood. He has set his sights on Gabby and decided that he will win her heart. Lords Corby and Ledbery bet on how long it will take Thorne to woo Gabby and steal her away from Anthony. When Anthony discovers that Gabby has been seen on a carriage ride and dancing with Thorne, he doesn’t believe it. Deep down, Gabby knows her heart belongs to Anthony, but she also feels inexplicably drawn to Thorne, who is keeping secrets of his own. Both men must prove their love to her and try to win her hand in marriage.

One Rogue Too Many was an entertaining read, but I thought the competition to woo Gabby started off a bit silly (for example, the men were both challenged to write her a sonnet). And some of the events (I won’t spoil them!) seemed kind of far-fetched, and I found it hard to believe that the conflicts that arose would be resolved so easily and without scandal. At times I was frustrated with all of the main characters because their lack of communication led to misunderstandings and incorrect assumptions. Being open and honest would have save them all a lot of heartache and trouble!

I really like when romances develop between people who were friends first, so that was a fun aspect of this book. There was a flashback at the beginning to when Gabby and Anthony were younger. I wish there had been a few more of those included to get a glimpse into their past and why Gabby fell in love with Anthony in the first place! Despite the complaints, I did enjoy reading this fast-paced story, and I recommend it to anyone looking for a light, fun read with not one, but two handsome love interests competing to win the heroine’s heart.

Review: Thimble Down

Title: Thimble Down: A Mystery (Chronicles of Dorro)
Author: Pete Prown
Publication: 2013
Reviewed by: Stephanie
Rating: 4 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

THIMBLE DOWN is a country village where death and malice lurk the quiet lanes. When the vile, drunken Bing Rumple acquires a gem-laden treasure, violence begins to follow him everywhere. Where did Bing find such a precious jewel, and worse, is someone willing to kill to possess it? In this fast-paced adventure, the village bookmaster, Mr. Dorro, and his young companions Wyll Underfoot and Cheeryup Tunbridge are in a desperate race to find the answer—before death comes to Thimble Down.

 

I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading this book. So much detail! From the beginning you see an index of the major characters of this story...so much gratitude towards the author for doing this. Loved the quick reference for remembering the character’s name and how to correctly spell them since a lot were a bit unusual. Having it all within reach was fantastic, especially when you are using an e-reader. Haha. Continuing with the detail, author Pete Prown throws in a map of the town of Thimble Down. That was a good reference as well because you were able to look back and follow along with the clues Dorro uncovered in relation to location within the town. This story and the characters reminded me a lot of Tolkien's The Hobbit mixed in with Sherlock Holmes.

Dorro Fox Winderiver is a Halfling and Bookmaster of Thimble Down. I just love saying his long intriguing name, lol. He is such an intelligent and interesting character. Taller than the average Halfling in size with a round belly because, like most halflings, he loves to indulge in savory meals throughout the day. How can you not love him already? Dorro’s pure determination and unexpected bravery pulled at my heart strings. Even in the face of danger this halfling stared eye to eye glaring at it in order to get answers. He has to for the sake of young Wyll, Bing, and his beloved village. That sure is a lot of weight to carry on one’s shoulders, but he does it brilliantly. You will fear for him and cheer for him!

I hadn’t read a good mystery in awhile so I was delighted and thoroughly enjoyed Thimble Down. This story doesn’t contain a lot of action because it requires so much set up. You are following a few character’s along the way like Dorro, Sheriff Forgo, and the Woodland Elves that contribute clues towards the murder and stolen elf brooch *Telstar*. Now I’m not saying that action is completely missing from this story, it just happens when the time is right. *wink* So if you are not a person who enjoys a lot of dialogue and story set up, perhaps this might not be the right book for you. If you enjoy reading about hobbits, elves, mystery, murder, and food, then make Thimble Down your next read. I can’t wait to see what mysteries Dorro uncovers next.

Review: Kissed by A Dark Prince

Title: Kissed by a Dark Prince (Eternal Mates #1)
Author: Felicity Heaton
Publication: 2013
Reviewed by: Stephanie
Rating: 4 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

Olivia thinks it’s her lucky night when a dangerously handsome unconscious fae ends up on her inspection table. He’s her chance to redeem herself with her employer, the demon-hunting organisation, Archangel. But when the tall, dark and deadly immortal warrior awakes, she gets much more than she bargained for…

Attacked by his enemy in the elf kingdom, the last thing Prince Loren expects when he comes around is a beautiful angel watching over him and medical technology of the mortal realm. Hazy from his injuries, all he can focus on is the pulse ticking in her throat and the sweet allure of her blood.

One single bite reveals she is his eternal mate, triggering a bond between them that will leave him weakened until it is complete… or broken, and pulling Olivia into the crossfire of his ancient feud.

To protect his people and his mate from the machinations of a madman, Loren must risk everything by working with Olivia at Archangel to find a way to break the bond blossoming between them.

But will Loren be strong enough to place duty before desire and give up the one thing he has waited millennia for and craves above all others—his eternal mate? And will Olivia be able to resist the incredible heat that burns between them and the temptation of her dark prince’s kiss?

I haven’t read a good Paranormal Romance story in a long time and this book was a great reintroduction to this genre for me. I’m extremely hooked on this series! You have soul mates, demons, elves, hot men, sexy women, teleporting, action, erotica, and much more. Sounds like your kind of read, huh? Well, I was very much engulfed into this story taking on the feelings of each character and their struggles. I loved the passion between Loren and Olivia and their friends loyalty in Sable and Bleu. This was definitely a book I made a lot of commentary on...NO…What’s wrong with you...Oh no she didn’t...Awww! Good thing I was alone most of the time, lol.

The chemistry between Loren and Olivia is explosive. Their animalistic need to claim each other from any potential mates, because of this bond, is a bit nerve wrecking. You can imagine the anger and violence this sort of need would cause and believe me, Loren definitely did some damage to anyone who even glanced at his beautiful ki’ara (fated mate). Loren is a tall, dark, handsome, muscular Elf Prince with the most luring purple eyes *fans self* and he doesn’t wear anything under his armor. *wink* Olivia is a sassy, smart, sexy, scientist having rich brown eyes and wavy chestnut hair who seems to catch the attention of the demon kind of men. Olivia’s latest demon relationship caused an unknown breach to her science facility (Archangel) where many were killed leaving her badly injured, heart broken, and a feeling of shame and guilt. How could she trust or love another? *sigh*

So what is my over all decision about this book? I absolutely loved it! It fed my need for Paranormal Romance and really made me excited to read the second book in this series. I was hooked from the beginning starting off with a little action and mystery which only sucked me in further. Now hungry to know more, I devoured page after page lingering a bit longer on the erotic scenes. Don’t judge me! Haha. By the end, I was shaking my leg nervous to see what will happen to the characters I’ve become so attached to. Wouldn’t you like to know? *evil cackle* Heck, I’m interested in reading more of Miss Felicity’s other series as well if this is what I am to expect. This Paranormal Romance has great characters, smokin’ hot erotica, great imagery, and a story that will linger making you want more. Felicity Heaton has the next book in this Eternal Mates series “Claimed by a Demon King” coming out sometime in 2014. *Squeeee* I can not wait! 

What’s next in the Eternal Mates paranormal romance series?

It’s great to be here at Book Soul Mates today as part of the Kissed by a Dark Prince Book Tour celebrating the release of the first book in my new Eternal Mates series of paranormal romance novels.

Today, I’m going to talk about what’s next in the series.

But before we get to the main event, I want to introduce myself. I’m a British paranormal romance author and a USA Today best-seller. I have been writing since 2005, and went indie in 2006. I love to write big worlds, populated by vampires, shifters, demons, fae and angels, and I have several series. This tour is about the Eternal Mates series, which is actually a spin-off from my Vampire Erotic Theatre series. That series focused on a family of vampires at one theatre in London but it had glimpses into the wider world outside the theatre. It’s that world of fae, dark elves, demons, witches, shifters, and other incredible species that the Eternal Mates focuses on.

So what’s next in the series? What do you all have to look forward to as we venture deeper into this world?

The next book is Claimed by a Demon King and takes us down into the depths of Hell to the Third Realm and King Thorne’s war against the Fifth Realm. Things are heating up down there, with the Fifth King constantly pushing Thorne’s forces to their limit and weakening his numbers. Of course, things will be heating up for another reason when Prince Loren leads his legion of elves to Thorne’s aid and Sable leads her band of mortal hunters from Archangel with him.

Elves and humans aren’t the only ones assisting King Thorne with his war though. The vampires are sending their First Legion of the Preux Chevaliers, led by their fearless commander, Lord Van der Garde, and the werewolves are up for a scrap too, but it remains to be seen whether that’s with Thorne’s enemy or with the vampires in his own castle.

Expect plenty of passion in this one as Thorne fights for his kingdom and his mate, determined to claim the fiery huntress Sable and have her as his forever. He’s not alone in his quest for Sable’s attention though. Thorne has competition in the form of the elf commander, Bleu, and the male isn’t about to just roll over and let the king have his way.

You’ll also get to meet more future heroes and heroines, and new species, such as dragon shifters and bear shifters!

After Claimed by a Demon King, we’re taking a walk on the wild side with one very broken elf prince and a sorceress with a serious problem on her hands. It’s a book that I cannot wait to write and one I know a few readers are already excited about and eagerly anticipating.

Claimed by a Demon King is due for release on February 22^nd 2014, and if things go according to schedule, you can expect the third book in the series to follow it on November 29^th.

Be sure to follow this fantastic tour to learn more about the passionate heroes and sassy heroines in the Eternal Mates romance series! You can also find yourself in with a chance to WIN a $50 or $25 Amazon Gift Certificate if you follow the tour. More details, including how to enter and a full list of stops, are available at the Kissed by a Dark Prince Virtual Book Tour page: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/kissedbyadarkprince-book-tour.php

Kissed by a Dark Prince is available from Amazon Kindle, Kobo Books, Barnes and Noble Nook, Apple iBooks stores and other retailers. Also available in paperback. Find the links to your preferred retailer and a downloadable 6 chapter excerpt at: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/kbadp

 Kissed by a Dark Prince (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 1)
Felicity Heaton
Olivia thinks it’s her lucky night when a dangerously handsome unconscious fae ends up on her inspection table. He’s her chance to redeem herself with her employer, the demon-hunting organisation, Archangel. But when the tall, dark and deadly immortal warrior awakes, she gets much more than she bargained for…

Attacked by his enemy in the elf kingdom, the last thing Prince Loren expects when he comes around is a beautiful angel watching over him and medical technology of the mortal realm. Hazy from his injuries, all he can focus on is the pulse ticking in her throat and the sweet allure of her blood.

One single bite reveals she is his eternal mate, triggering a bond between them that will leave him weakened until it is completed… or broken, and pulling Olivia into the crossfire of his ancient feud.

To protect his people and his mate from the machinations of a madman, Loren must risk everything by working with Olivia at Archangel to find a way to break the bond blossoming between them.

But will Loren be strong enough to place duty before desire and give up the one thing he has waited millennia for and craves above all others—his eternal mate? And will Olivia be able to resist the incredible heat that burns between them and the temptation of her dark prince’s kiss?

Books in the Eternal Mates romance series:

Kissed by a Dark Prince (Eternal Mates Romance Series Book 1)

Claimed by a Demon King – coming February 2014

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felicity Heaton is a USA Today and international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal

romance books. In her books she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons!

If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Eternal Mates series.

If you want to know more about Felicity, or want to get in touch, you can find her at the following places:

Website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk

Blog: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/blog/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/felicityheaton

Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Mailing List: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/newsletter.php

Review: Big Sky Secrets

Title: Big Sky Secrets
Author: Linda Lael Miller
Publication:  Dec 31, 2013 by HQN
Reviewed by: Taryn
Rating: 3 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Self-made tycoon Landry Sutton heads to Hangman Bend's Ranch to sell his land to his brother Zane. Though he's got cowboy in his blood, Landry plans to return to city life before the dust even settles on his boots. Of course, he didn't count on falling for Big Sky Country…or Ria Manning.

Ria's starting to settle into country life herself…until she has a close encounter of the terrifying kind with a buffalo. Turns out the peeping monster belongs to the cowboy next door—and he has her running even more scared than his bison. She wants a home where the buffalo don't roam, and the men don't either. Could Landry's homecoming be her heart's undoing?

 

 Landry Sutton and his older brother Zane each own half of Hangman’s Bend, a ranch outside Three Trees, Montana which they bought sight unseen a few years ago. Previously, Landry had been living in Chicago and working his way up the ranks of Ingersoll Investments. After his failed marriage to the boss’s daughter, Susan, he moved out to Montana.

Ria Manning, a widow, bought a flower farm and moved to Montana around the same time as Landry. She has disliked him from the start, thinking him arrogant and a little too full of himself. Yet she can’t deny her strong physical attraction to him any time he comes around. She just has to be careful not to let anyone get too close to her. In addition to dealing with the loss of her husband, she’s struggling with the fact that he betrayed her trust by cheating on her. She isn’t sure she’ll ever love again.

One day Landry’s buffalo herd tramples Ria’s flowers, and when he comes over to assess the damage, he kisses her out of the blue. He convinces her to go out with him, despite her hesitations. There actually wasn’t much else going on plot-wise between Landry and Ria. They went on one date and Ria got drunk, which caused a bit of a scandal and gossip, but that was all cleared up quickly. Most of the plot seemed to revolve around issues with each of their families. Ria’s 16-year-old niece, Quinn, shows up unexpectedly and stays for the summer due to problems at home with her mom. Landry’s father shows up asking for money after getting into trouble while gambling. So when Landry and Ria are suddenly declaring their love for one another, I wasn’t sure what had happened to make them fall in love. It was clear that they were magnetically attracted to one another, and I loved their playful banter, but I just didn’t believe that they were in love so quickly.

I’ll admit that I have not read the previous books in the Parable, Montana series, but I think this one, the series finale, actually stands alone pretty well for new readers. I wasn’t confused at all while reading, and while characters from previous books made cameos, this book was focused on Landry and Ria plus their families. The secondary characters were interesting, and I may go back and read some of the earlier books in the Parable, Montana series to get their stories.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the lush descriptions of the landscape. Right away, I was swept up in the descriptions of the beautiful Montana setting, and I could picture it very well despite never having traveled there myself.

Review: Timeless

Title: Timeless
Author: Jan Scarbrough
Publication: 2013
Reviewed by: Stephanie
Rating: 3 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

When Beth Abbott receives a surprise inheritance from her birth mother, she travels to the family’s nineteenth century mansion in Old Louisville, now a bed and breakfast. There she meets the resident ghost, a little girl whose crying scares, but intrigues guests. Beth sets out to discover the identity of the ghost and why she appears happy to Beth, not sad.

Jeff Halstead, a man with several secrets, runs the bed and breakfast. But he’s more than that to Beth, and she feels their connection immediately. A psychic medium who doubts his skills, Jeff slowly uncovers the truth of their past lives. Will he be in time to reveal the identity of Beth’s enemy? Will the love they shared in the past follow them into the future?

This Contemporary Gothic Romance novel has a lot of themes going on for such a short read. I felt that I was being pulled in many different directions with the past stories and the present, then we have ghosts and reincarnation, and then rape. *sigh* So much was put into this story that it really felt a bit overwhelming. I would have liked to see more focus on the present characters’ story development. Jeff and Beth had such a connection, but it didn’t seem like I knew enough about them. I also wanted more ghost elements within this story because those parts really had my attention. I can see what the author was trying to go for by having long lost souls reunite with each other, which I thought was sweet and enjoyed that part of the story.

Jeff and Beth definitely have this chemistry that made the pages hot and steamy. Jeff was this dark haired, blue eyed, mysterious, sexy, older man and Beth was this pretty, blond haired, young, shy woman. *Bow chicka wow wow* Wow, what a tease dance of sexual tension between these two. Obviously I was rooting for a hook up with every turn of the page. *wink*


I did like the ghost element of the story where little Grace haunts the Chadwick Bed and Breakfast. I tried to not read those parts when I was alone at night. I swear I thought I heard a child giggling which made that part even spookier for me.*Eeepp* I also would have liked to have known more about Beth’s birth mother, Melissa, but not much was said about her. Honestly, I believe if the story was longer and the characters and story were a bit more developed, then I would have enjoyed this book so much more. If you enjoy short reads with elements of the paranormal, reincarnation, and long lost love, then pick up a copy of Timeless.

Review: The Christmas Town

Title: The Christmas Town
Author: Elyse Douglas
Publication: 2013
Reviewed by: Stephanie
Rating: 3 stars
Reason for Reviewing: Ebook provided in exchange for an honest review

The Christmas Town, by Elyse Douglas, is a new time travel, mystery, romance novel that was released on October 11, 2013.

Traveling home for Christmas, two young women in their 20s are forced to drive together during a snowstorm, and they get lost. They cross a covered bridge and, suddenly, they enter the past, finding themselves in a small picturesque Vermont town in 1943. They meet two handsome soldiers, who are about to be sent off to war, and they fall in love with them, while also struggling to find a way to return home to their own time.

With the soldiers’ help, on Christmas Eve, the two women finally have one chance to return to their own time, but they are caught between their love for the soldiers, and their desire to return to the present. At the last moment, they must make the difficult decision and, because it is Christmas, a miracle happens.

 

This was such a cute holiday time travel romance. Although it was somewhat predictable, I did however enjoy the glimpse into an American’s life in 1943. The attention to detail from the clothes, to the shops, and even the way these characters thought and spoke really transported me into this time period. I kept thinking how the heck would I have dealt with rations and the love of my life going off to war? Such a tough thing to go through, but at the same time an important milestone for women because with the boys away they were able to step up to the late and do the men’s work. I liked that the author emphasized how important woman were at this time and how the world seemed to have changed because of it. This seemed like the perfect time for two strong willed working women from 2013 to travel back to 1943. Perfect or disastrous, lol.

These two strangers, Jackie and Megan, find themselves needing each other the most when they take a wrong turn into the past. Just imagine you are driving in the rental car with this woman you hardly know and find out you are stuck in the year 1943!! Eeep! I would pinch myself hard and really hope I was dreaming. Seriously, what the heck would you do? I suppose one could try to fit in as much as possible because it’s not like someone would really believe you. What a pickle that would be.

Jackie is a headstrong, sexy, logical woman who is focused on getting the job done. Being this way, she needed to tone it down for this new world she was in since most women didn’t act this way around these parts. Megan is a bubbly actress who loves the challenge of telling a good lie. Together these women are the Yin to the other’s Yang which helps them get out of a few difficult situations. Nothing brings a friendship together than going back in time to a small town where everyone thinks they are strange or mysterious. *wink*

Since this is a Contemporary Romance novel, it must have smoking hot men in it, right? The author gave us two handsome, strong soldiers. Jeff Grant is a black haired blue eyed hunk with a smile that will make you melt. *swoon* Danny Crawford, or Danny Boy, is a redhead, green eyed, broad shouldered stud with a shy side to him. *double swoon* These good ol’ boys were perfect gentlemen, going off to serve their country in a few days, and wanted to spend their limited time with Jackie and Megan. You can imagine how difficult this all can get when the ladies are desperate to find a way back to their own time and how falling in love might change things completely. Yet another pickle they have managed to get themselves in.

This was a fun read with a lot of great imagery about what the 1940’s would have been like and I enjoyed traveling alongside Jackie and Megan. I did find that, at parts, the story felt a bit dull with hardly any romance scenes. I found it a little disappointing being in the Contemporary Romance genre. Jackie and Megan were not my favorite characters, but I did enjoy the supporting characters a bit more like: Jeff, Danny Boy, and Aunt Betty. Perhaps it’s their small town charm that I found heartfelt and most interesting. This was my first time travel read so I’m not sure if this is indeed the genre for me. If you like to read Contemporary Holiday Time Travel books with less romance, but still a cute story with great imagery, then why don’t you give this book a try.