Izy

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 3.5 stars.

Rachel wainwright is a public defender of the convicted murderer of Annie Dawson, who has been in jail for 30 years. She believes her client didn’t kill Annie. Rachel is both strong yet vulnerable at the same time, she could also be a bit a naive in her thinking.

Deke Morgan is a cop and son of the man who put Annie’s killer in jail. Side note every time I read that name I couldn’t help but think I’d Derek Morgan from criminal minds, that name is really close. Anyhow Deke might not like his father much but he believes that his father was a great cop and put the correct killer in jail. Both the protagonist were strong characters if a bit lonely and cynical at times.

First of all this book should not be classified as romantic suspense, there was absolutely no romance in it. It should be classified as mystery and thriller. The ‘romance’ part felt like an afterthought from the author without much build up and after 85%. I thought the book really didn’t need it, it would have been fine to read even without the romance since the suspense and all plot keeps you interested all long. Another reason I wouldn’t say this is a romantic suspense is because we don’t actually get to know about the protagonist that much beyond their careers and some superficial details. I know more about Annie than I do about them.

The book is really about the finding the real killer of Annie Dawson which happened thirty years ago and the killer of the current murders happening in Tennessee. The book has many twists and turns and the reader is on a rollercoaster ride to figure out who murdered Annie and who’s doing the same now.

Finding the killer was very interesting and so was finding who Sugar was (the guy Annie wrote letters to) though the other part of the mystery about Annie I figured that out, fairly easily. The suspense part of the book was spot on and I really enjoyed that.

Quibbles: There were a lot of POVs, almost all the characters in the book had at least one scene told from their POV. Another thing was the how many shifty characters there were and many closet sociopaths (a lot of them old) in this story, really how come no one ever noticed their behaviour around them is a very strange. Last thing, since it’s classified as a romance there should be have more of it, or atleast some build up and more of a connection between Rachel and Deke.

Nevertheless the story makes a very good mystery/ thriller who-dun-it and it is very griping. I really liked the authors writing style and I couldn’t put the book down. Happy reading.

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 3.5 stars.

This is the third book in the purgatory series by Cynthia Eden. This time it's about Connor marrok and Chloe Quick.

Connor Marrok was first introduced as the mentally unstable, psychotic killer and brother of Duncan (the hero of the first book in the seriesThe Wolf Within). He tried to kill Duncan in that book, later he gets transferred to purgatory where he almost dies but wakes up as a super beast ( half wolf/ half vampire). He wasn't actually psychotic don't worry, but he did hate his brother for a while because he was left under the not so tender mercy of his actually psychotic father. He has been working with Eric in lieu of him getting out of purgatory and to make amends of all the things he did. His last assignment for the para unit and Eric, is guarding Chloe Quick.

Chloe Quick is the best friend of Olivia (heroine of the second book Marked By The Vampire). She was bitten when she was sixteen yet she couldn't ever transform much to dismay of her father, who wanted to a werewolf himself and treated Chloe as an experiment. In the last book her father kills her and she dies but comes back alive both due to the wish of a dijinn. Now she's unknown to the para unit since she isn't a werewolf anymore but gives out a scent that makes her prey to the werewolves.

Both the protagonists had a connection and chemistry that was plain to see, it just did not get that much screen time. They only got those end of fighting day scenes or random encounters. The plot took over more of what should have been their relationship build up.

The story I thought was about protecting Chloe and it was supposed to be Chloe and Connor's story instead it was more about the experiments that Chloe's father did and the werewolf pack that got screwed over by him. The book was also short compared to the others in the series, it felt rushed in the romance area as well. Though it had the usual interesting twists and turns of Cynthia Eden's books, which keeps the reader on the edge. But this time I did feel that one particular twists wasn't necessary at all, it just added unnecessary drama near the end.

Overall it was a enjoyable and goodish read, I just felt this wasn't up to par with Cynthia Eden's usual delish books that I devour. My favourite of the series remains the first one. I am though looking forward to reading about that mysterious lady vampire and Eric pate. Happy reading!

ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Rating ~ 4 stars.

This is the fourth book in the Rulers of Darkness series. The series involves the stories of each ruler of the different vampire clans. All the rulers have a time limit on their reign as after two hundreds the curse starts affecting their lives and they are longer capable of taking care of themselves let alone leading their clans. The book is about the remaining ruler and only queen in the vampire clans Sonya and a black knight Falcon.

Falcon Kenwrec is a black knight and second in heir for the Hadrian King of the Validus Clan who was the hero in the previous book Caressed by a Crimson Moon. He is very fiercely loyal which was shown in the last book as he rather than take the crown himself kept the peace in clan and remained loyal to his sire Hadrian who at that time was going mad.

Falcon's internal monologue: "He would barter what remained of his soul to save his Sonya."

Sonya Rebane is the Queen of the Voidukas Clan, known as the warrior queen. She is also the reason that there are no longer any werewolves in the world because she killed all of them because of them butchering her family. She has been in love with Falcon since meeting him years ago.

Sonya to Falcon: "I’ve loved you for two hundred years and I will never stop loving you,”

They have in love with each other since meeting fifteen hundred years ago. And with every moment that passes their love for each other grows. Though they have denying their love because a black knight and the queen can't be together and the punishment for which is quite severe.

Falcon: “You would be stripped of your title and banished as an outcaste,” he said, his voice low and rough.
Sonya: “And you would be sentenced to death.”

In the last book, Sonya allows herself to be kidnapped by the witches because of the shaman. Falcon goes alone to save her. Which was good not in the sense that poor Falcon had to save her without any help which he did quite splendidly I believe but because it gave them time alone together.

This a book that I had been waiting for quite a while now and I do think that the author did the character and their story justice. From the get go we see the connection that Sonya and Falcon have. As the story progressed we see how much they truly love and care about each other. There are some interesting twists and turns to keep the reader guessing of how and if they would actually end up together.

We see glimpses of other future couples like the shaman witch and Gabriel's second and Gabriel's and the singer girl from the bar I believe will be his heroine.

Overall I really liked the book, the book has action, some sexy times and some emotional moments. The book had the right amount of everything to make it a great PNR read. I can't wait for Gabriel's book who I believe will get the next book. Happy reading!

A copy of the book was generously provided by the Celia Kyle in exchange for an honest review.

On the growl is an anthology featuring five books about many different kinds of shifters:

Bear your teeth by Lynn Red

Rating~ 3 stars.

Shifters in the novella: Rabbit and bear

This novella is about Paprika (a rabbit shifter) and Thor (a bear shifter and the dentist of the town). Paprika has problems with her teeth, the rabbit teeth that she has as a shifter come out when she sleeps and they won’t go back in. This problem causes her to visits her dentist a lot and now she has a huge crush on Thor. I really liked the start of the book I thought it was going to be really funny but soon the book just become weird and bizarre with the whole Jamesburg thing and the way that Paprika and Thor both would decide to be together and the next you know they are freaking out about it. I found that behaviour slightly annoying.

To Screech their Own by Marina Maddix

Rating~4.25 stars.

Shifters in the novella: A tabby and an eagle.

The book Is set on a resort island for shifters called Haven. Katie (the tabby shifter) is an activities coordinator at the resort and Arnaud is a lawyer (the eagle shifter) who’s mate died a couple of years after which he become a workaholic, he is a guest at the Haven. Katie really wants Arnaud but the Haven has a strict policy against fraternizing with the guests. How will they end up together ? Well you will have to read it to find out. I think this was a really cute, sweet story and for Arnaud a second chance at happiness & love.

 Tiger by the tail by Jessica Sims

Rating~ 4.5 stars.

Shifters in the novella: Were-tigers.

Mandy’s whole life turned upside down when her date bites her making her a were-tiger. She then gets moved to Alaska with the said date by the Alpha who doesn’t know that Mandy did not consent to become a were-tiger. Suddenly all the decisions were getting made for her and she just wants to be normal again. So when the beta of the pack Adrian offers her a bet that would leave to her getting back to her life she takes it. I really liked Mandy and Adrian together. Adrian was a dominant but he understood Mandy and let her make her own decisions. The novella was sweet and sexy.  I really enjoyed this one and I will definitely read more of Jessica’s book.

Waking up were by Celia Kyle:

Rating~ 4 stars.

Shifters in the novella: Werewolves

Brenna Davis is a newly bitten human who did not know about shifters before and Declan Ross the alpha of the Swan mountain pack. Declan is also Brenna’s boss (she’s an accountant) and Brenna has been lusting after him for quite a while now. After getting bitten Brenna comes to her best friend (a Vet) for help who is also a shifter gets really happy about it and tells her about werewolves alas Brenna thinks her best friend and everyone else has lost their minds until that is Declan sweeps in. This novella has Celia’s usual sense of humour (which I really like) and is filled with sexy times making it a great read.

Please note I did not read Bears repeating from Flora Dare simply because I do not read ménages.

The stories are all unique and fun to read. I would recommend them to anyone who loves shifter stories. These are short stories so it takes no time at all to read them. Happy reading!

Izy

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 3 stars.

This book is the prequel to the book series Sentinels by Alexandra Ivy. I am a fan of her Guardians of Eternity series and have really enjoyed following that series. This series though completely different shows promise to be good.

The book introduces us to a very fascinating world where there are freaks (high-blood), necromancers, psychics, witches who live mostly in Valhala and their differences are due to genetic mutations.These differences have given them different powers of varying degrees.

The prequel is about Dr Anegla Locke, a brilliant young genetic scientist and Niko a sentinel on a mission. Niko's mission involves him posing as a professor to get close to Angela who is in sights of a psychopath sentinel. They are both attracted to each other from the moment they meet. I liked them together, Niko was very much an alpha male but Angela held her own.

Quibbles: I would liked a bit more Niko and Anegla's meetings as flashbacks or memories and Angela's back story which was quite limited in the book. I do think it is quite hard to keep a balance when starting a new book in relation to the setting/ back story, just giving enough information to tantalize the audience without giving away too much. And in the case of this book the backstory took a second role to the overall plot. I would liked a bit more information about the sentinels and the Valhala because it felt quite a few unanswered questions about how it all came to be. Though I am not complaining about the book being more focused on the protagonists.

I enjoyed this book.There isn't much else to say since the book is quite short without giving away everything. Overall I think this book was a interesting start to a new series by Miss Ivy and I'm looking forward to reading more from it.

Full review to come near release date:

Rating~ 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed the suspense in the book. The whole plot was griping and I couldn't put the book down. The only thing I wanted was more romance.

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

Rating~ 4.25 stars.

I really love Hannah Howell's Wherlocke series, there is something very likeable about the whole family with their quirks and their gifts. This is the sixth book in the series and frankly I hope Howell writes more of them because there is so many fascinating characters who should get their own story. 

This story is about Lady Catrin Gryffin de Warrene and Orion wherlocke. 

Lady Catrin is a widow and has a son Alwyn who get is kidnapped by her brother-in-law because Alwyn is the heir of his father's holdings. Catrin had a terrible marriage experience and the only good thing that came out of it was her son whom she loves very much. Catrin is a red head with the temper and a lioness with her cub but she's also a very kind-hearted and loving woman. 

Orion is a part of the king's man. Sir Orion Wherlocke is like every other Wherlocke male a confirmed bachelor who doesn't want to get married because of their family's history of bad marriages and abonnement issues. He recently found that he has three sons, all which have lived a hard life on the streets before being taken in by Orion's cousin and is getting used to being a father. At the start Orion is very much a man from the society and the only things he cares about is his family and the duty to his king.

Orion and Catrin relationship is very much a slow burn, even though they are attracted to each other form the first moment they met each other, get to know each other, become friends and trust each other before they make a decision to be together. I really liked their romance and the development of their relationship especially since they are both loners at the start of the book. I really liked them together.

Almost throughout the book Orion and Catrin are travelling and trying to catch Morris, which I liked because it gave them a chance to be together throughout without other people interfering. The only thing I did not like was the circumstances and obviousness of the Alywn's parentage. 

They are some serious issues in this story like the treatment of illegitimate children, adultery and murder but the author deals quite well with them and combats the whole seriousness of the issues with the other things in the book such as laughter, happiness and the love and loyalty of a family. 

Overall how can you not love the quirky, different family and their family members with their gifts and loyalty to each other. I really enjoyed it, the story leaves you with a smile on your face and I am eagerly waiting for Mordred's book, he has been mentioned and being part of the cast for a couple of books now so I think it's about time he got his own book. Happy reading!

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 2.5 stars.

The main protagonists of the story are Reed Conway and Ella Porter and the book revolves around the lives of their families and the murder that happened fifteen years ago.

Reed Conway was in prison for a murder he did not commit for fifteen years his step father who was a very bad man. He wants to find the guy who killed his stepfather and get revenge on everyone that contributed to him being falsely accused which includes the heroines father.

Ella porter is a circuit court judge. Her father is the senator and also the lawyer that put away the hero years ago. She has always been attracted towards the bad boy of the town so when he returns and she gets letters which are similar to the ones he wrote her from prison, she goes to question him about it which starts of their subsequent relationship.  

Quibbles: I only rarely think it's okay for the hero to sleep with someone else in the book but I always dislike it when the author writes the hero and some random women sex scene. While doing the act is ok before meeting the heroine, doing it after you have known her for years and meeting her again and then thinking about while doing the act with someone else is not ok. Which brings to my next quibble the book has too much sex, not only does it have sex scenes of the hero and heroine but also the above mentioned hero and random girl, then there was the heroines fathers and his mistress similarly the hero's cousins and the heroines aunt and uncle's scene. It was just a lot of it. The suspense part was ok I guessed it from the start from the way that person acted but I was expecting some twists and turns which never came though the author did try to manipulate the suspicion it did not work for me. Lastly, while I could see why the couple would be attracted to each other, I did not feel their connection especially from the Reed's side.

In a couple of chapters towards the start I was getting a feeling like it read a bit like Linda Howard's old romantic suspense which I really like but the feeling soon disappeared.

Overall the story ended up being ok. I guess I just had higher expectations from the book because of the blurb. I felt like there was more drama than the actual suspense and the story ended up being predictable and the ending too good to be true considering everything that happened. 

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 4 stars.

This is the second book in the NA contemporary Rock kiss series by Nalini Singh. The series follows the stories of the band mates from the rock band Schoolboy Choir. This is David's and Thea's story and follows the events from the previous book.

David is the drummer of the band. He is said to be the gentleman of the band. He is also shy because of his childhood and prefers to be quite unlike the rest of his band members which makes him more attractive in the eyes of the fans. He was a sweetheart.

Thea is the publicist of the band. Thea is half-sister of Molly (the heroine of the last book Rock addiction). She had recently gone through a bad breakup and hence is a bit apprehensive about trusting men and getting in a relationship. I really liked her, she was a strong heroine. 

David and Thea's story falls into friends to lovers trope. They had known each ever since Thea become the publicist for the band and are good friends. David has had a crush on her since the beginning which later become love but since she was engaged to someone else, he never said a thing. In the prologue, we see how David asks her out and she refuses which breaks his heart but we also that Thea though she refused was also attracted to David.  So after talking to Theas sister and taking her advice he decides to peruse Thea; make her see that he is the right man for her.

 I liked this more than the previous book, maybe because it was shorter than the previous book, had the right level of drama, sexy times and development of the protagonists relationship. 

Minor quibble: I did think the plot device towards the end could have been skipped, though it did show that Thea would fight for their relationship I just felt the book would have been good without it.

I really liked their relationship and it was very much a courtship as the name of the book suggests since they are not together till after 40% of the book. Before that they communicate through phone, mail and memo's. Their book and romance is sweet, leaves you with a big smile and a happy sigh. The book makes for a perfect cosy winter book where you can just get lost in their story. I enjoyed this a lot. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Happy reading! 

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 3.5 stars

I really love Cynthia Eden's books but I especially love her romantic suspense books. They have everything action, romance and suspense. 
This is the fifth book in her romantic suspense series Mine. This book is about;

Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Ward is kidnapped and taken as a hostage by a hit-man. She has no idea why she was taken and why someone wants to kill her. At the start of the book Elizabeth seems very fragile, She is in shock but as the book progresses you see her gaining strength and confidence.

"She loved him. She needed him. And she was not letting the guy die for her. "

And

Saxon:

Saxon Black is brother of Jasmine (the heroine of the previous book in the series) and Victor. He is an undercover FBI agent, who's last job is doing a favor to Victor which involves saving Elizabeth. He wants to get out of the job and that world because after years of pretending to be a criminal and doing shady behavior he wants a new life where he doesn't feel like he doesn't even know who he is anymore. From the moment he meets Elizabeth he feels not only attracted but possessive of her and she changes all the future plans he had.  

"You're in my blood, sweetheart, and I can't get you out. I want you, more than I've ever wanted anything. "

The chemistry between the two protagonist is always a given in Cynthia Eden's book and this time is no different. I really loved how protective Saxon was of Elizabeth and how she looked past his projected image to the person he was. I also really liked their banter, the twists of the plot. The one that I really particularly remembered and enjoyed is where Elizabeth's scared and alone with Saxon at the start of the book and she tries seduces him to escape. 

Minor quibbles:

I do wish we had a bit more of Saxon side/POV and maybe some more flashbacks of his past life so we could have gotten to know him better. Also the language which usually doesn't bother me in Eden's books but this time it was slightly off-putting when reading because it wasn't in complete sentences. 

Overall You can always count on Cynthia Eden's book to provide you with fun, sexy times and action filled book. The book is also the right length, I read it one sitting. I am really looking forward to the next book in the series hopefully it will be Victor's. 
. 

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating ~ 3 stars. 
Alex Crossman is an NHL player. He had an abusive childhood his mother died when he was young and his father was a hockey player who couldn't make it in major league and became a drunk and forced Alex to play hockey and beat him up when he made a single mistake hence Alex become an asshole who played a game he hated and was a prick to everyone around him. Hence the reason everyone calls him MVP (most valuable prick)

"I'm a player they love to hate and I could give a fuck."

Sutton Price is young woman who works at Drug crisis center. She's 22 years old and has a master's in sociology  of course. Sutton father was an alcoholic and he was abusive so her mother left him and took Sutton with her. Her mother eventually married a really nice guy and they are very happy even with the tough financial situation. 

Sutton and Alex meet when Alex is forced to do community service. They are both attracted to each other. They both start caring about each other and soon become involved. 

The thing is while I liked the individual story line for characters with Alex abuse with his drunk father and Sutton's father. It just didn't live up to the potential that it showed at the start.  
Quibbles: I could understand their attraction to each other, they are both opposites in personalities, attractive looking hence the lust at first sight but  I didn't feel the love. There was just something missing. Secondly, I just never saw what was extremely Special about Sutton that changes Alex in a couple of days.  Alex was supposed to be this asshole but we don't see that behavior apart from at the start of the book where he is the guy who doesn't care much about anything, he plays a game he hates because of his father who he despises and he's extremely anti-social/crude to everyone around him especially the women he sleeps with. This behavior just went away, he become the guy who loved playing hockey and become a guy who wanted to nice for Sutton but I didn't understand the progression.  Furthermore, Alex needed to grovel more, he behaved appalling towards her near the end and then just comes back and she just takes him back. Sutton's behavior regarding her ex-boyfriend and the way how she behaved after Alex's behavior was weird to me. Lastly the resolution of Alex father was too easy, Alex suffered so much and at the end of the day the conflict was solved to easily.

The book showed not only how children who are abused can turn out so differently but that there is always help available for those going through tough times dealing with addiction. I do like Miss Bennett's writing style and I have liked her other books so I will continue to read her future books especially with the next book in this series which is about Garrett. 

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review 

Rating~ 3 stars.

I love Katie Reus's other paranormal books/series and her romantic suspense so when I saw that she had written a book about a dragon shifter I jumped at the chance to read it. Who doesn't love a good shifter book especially if it's a dragon shifter. 

Drake has in hell (literally) for the past fifteen hundred years. He escapes hell and saves Lyra and Finn's daughter in the previous book in the series (which I have not read but it didn’t effect the story of this book). Drake is a dragon shifter with no memories of his life before hell. 

Victoria is the healer of the Starvos pack. She was abandoned by her family as a baby and saved by Finn. Though it isn't quite explained why her family left her. The starvos pack love Victoria and baby her sometimes. Her nature is described as a healer, a person who doesn't like inflicting pain exact opposite of Drake who is a warrior and fighter through and through. 

Upon escaping hell Drake and Victoria meet and Drake recognizes Victoria as his mate, but since he has no memory of anything not even his name, he wants to be a better man/shifter before he could mate with Victoria. Victoria was also attracted from the first time they met but since Drake was confused about so much, she decides befriend him. 

The blurb and the plot line of the book was very promising especially with the fact that it’s a friends to lovers trope. The characters also had potential. But because much of Victoria and Drake's friendship/getting to know each other was off-screen we didn’t really get to know Victoria. Connected with the fact that Drake didn't know himself, he was still trying to be human/dragon on earth, I felt that I didn’t know them. The book also left quite a few questions such as about the blade and the blue fire. Which I suppose will be answered in the sequel. 

Overall I liked the plotline but felt had the character and the plot line combined could be have been executed a bit better. I was intrigued by the supporting characters and I would love to read them so I hope they will be getting their own books. 

ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review 
Rating~ 3 stars

Zachary Fox is the singer of the band school boy choir and the hero of the book. Fox had a rough childhood, his mother abandoned him and left him with his grandparents who died later hence he has no other family than his band members and has associated the word love with those hurtful memories of his childhood. Which changes when he meets Molly.

"Her smile smashed into him with stunning force. He heard nothing of the party around him saw no one but her." 

Molly is a librarian and a fan of the band. Her parents died in a car crash when she was young. Her father was an adulterer which lead to her mother becoming an alcoholic leading to Molly becoming an orphan. She and her whole family where in the limelight because of her father's behaviour which has led to Molly resenting and fearing the media. She is only close with her best friend Charlotte and her sister Thea other than that Molly lives a very solitary life. 

Molly and Fox meet at a party which leads them to having a one night stand. Molly doesn't want a relationship with Fox because his position in media would expose her old wounds while Fox from the moment he meets Molly wants to make her his but Molly doesn't anything more than one night stand for her memories. Which begins their courtship. 

What I liked: I really liked the fact both Molly and Fox wanted to actually be together and were willing to work/compromise for each other. Molly and Fox are together for all the chapters in the book which is different since most books have the inevitable separation. 

Minor quibbles: Firstly too much sex, it was like every two chapters there was at least one sex scene. I also felt that the whole (view spoiler) felt a bit excessive. Molly got on my nerves a few times; she would get overly teary/emotional in part one and in both parts she would have a rage inducing jealousy, while I think jealousy is a normal reaction, her level of jealousy was irrational. Fox decision that Molly is the one after spending a couple of hours felt thin and is questionable. Lastly, this book was longer than I think the average contemporary book when I don’t think it needed to be. The first half of the book was slow but it went eventually picked up its pace, I felt that part two of the book was better than first. 

First books in the series are usually the whole building block for the books to come which is why sometimes they can be weak. The thing is when authors like Nalini Singh who are very muched loved for her stories and series publish a new book you get very excited and have high expectations which is why I didn't love the book like i expected to because I expected more of the uniqueness her books have. 

Overall It ended being an ok read and the sneak peeks we got of T-rex & Molly's best friend Charlotte and Thea & David's has made me curious about the next books in the series. I do think that people who love this trope would like it more. 

ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Rating~ 4.25 stars.

This is the 12th instalment in the series and Lara Adrian has managed to keep the series fresh and interesting especially with the new arc. I know some people did not want the stories of the next generation but I think it's a great idea with specific regards to the new enemy and characters.  

Nathan:

"I never recall a time when I felt I was anything other than what they made me: a hunter. A killer. A weapon at Dragos's disposal." 

We first met Nathan in Deeper Than Midnight where he is found and bought into the compound by his mother Corrine and Hunter. At 13, his personality was set in stone. His captivity and training at the hands of Dragos had made him much like Hunter and even after having found a family and friends, he is very much a loner and focused on doing duty as a member of the order.

"Nathan's internal monologue:  'He was the fighting dog, rescued from the squalor and violence of the betting pits brought into a kind, loving home to live a better life.....Yet, like the dog removed from the ring, when a hand reached out to him-in play or in comfort- it was all he could do to keep from biting it.' "  

 

"A part of him had never come out of Drago's lab and likely never would."

Nathan is an amazing fighter and protective of his family though he doesn't see he is protecting them because he cares. So when Nathan meets jordana and starts to feel something for her it shakes up his whole world. Poor guy. He is also very possessive of Jordana.

"You're mine." Nathan growled savagely. "I can't stay away from you. Fuck, Jordana...I will never have enough of you." 

Jordana:

"I want you. I want the storm I see in your eyes when you look at me . I want the high cliff and the breathless leap into the dark, which is how I feel when I'm with you. All I want is you, Nathan. I Love you." 

Jordana Gates is best friend to Carys (chase's daughter) and an art gallery owner. Jordana at a young age was adopted by a breed male and has spent all her life doing what was required of her because of her father. From the moment she meets Nathan, she feels attracted to him and similarly to Nathan doesn't know how to handle it. I really liked her. Throughout the book you see her become a strong, independent woman and one who understood and loved Nathan.

It was also very nice to see that though Nathan thought he had his emotions under control he was rattled enough for Chase and others to notice. I really loved Nathan and Jordana as a couple, they had explosive chemistry and their interactions with each other made me sigh. How could you not like them.

"I need you Jordana and I don't want to know what life without you will feel like ever again."

After reading the book I have a few questions especially about Carys and Rune. I would like to know their back-story and since I hate angst I would like Carys and Aric to just talk to each other.

Minor quibbles: I did feel that book was short and because of that I felt that the time the couple actually spent together was quite limited. I checked the book is definitely shorter than the last book, it is also takes place over a week or two at most I think which limits the amount of time Nathan and Jordana spent together.

Overall it was a great read, with an alpha hero, a strong heroine and a compelling plot line.  I can't wait for the next book.

Read: 23 August 2014. 

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

Rating ~ 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed the previous book in the series Stone Guardian and I had been looking forward to reading this for awhile now. 

Without giving away too much, this story is about Nalah a 'magic breaker' and Esh 'the cage king'. Nalah and Esh were childhood friends and then later more. The childhood relationship was sweet and their adult one all consuming. When her brother dies, Nalah feels hopeless and decides to steal back her mother's ring which eventually leads her to be appointed by the Guild and she decides to leave Esh and everything related to that old life behind .Years later after the events of the last book, her mothers ring goes missing and to find it she needs Esh help.   

Minor Quibbles: While I enjoyed the book I loved how Esh was very much still in love with Nalah even after she had left but I had some issues with Nalah, namely that for a person who grew up on a streets she lacked certain thoughtfulness in her actions and in caring towards Esh. I understood she was protected by Esh and her brother though her brother usually got them in trouble as well so it was just Esh who was taking care of the siblings. I also don't know why but Fallon irked me in this book, I don't remember her doing that in the last book.   

It is very difficult to get everything in a novella not just the romance but the plot line interesting while keeping the characters likable hence very rarely there is a novella that is prefect but I think Danielle did a good job. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series.