Wondering where I'm at?
- White picket fence has had some major updates, and I moved the whole blog over to blogspot. I'd love to have you follow me over there!
- whitepicketfence1.blogspot.com
Book: Immortal Surrender
Author: Claire Ashgrove
Series: The Curse of the Templars #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
Farran de Clare, loyal member of the cursed Knights Templar, wants nothing to do with predestined mates. Even the Almighty won’t turn him into a fool again—he’d rather sacrifice his soul. Yet in the scientist Noelle Keane, a devout atheist, Farran meets the seraph designed for him.
Ordered by the archangel Gabriel to protect Noelle, the possessor of a sacred relic that could give Azazel incredible power, Farran swears to do his duty—but in name only. Fighting an attraction that grows with each day, he’s determined that he’ll never pledge himself to her.
As they war over her future, their mutual passion ignites a conflict far more damning. But before Noelle will agree to eternity with him, she demands the ultimate sacrifice – his heart.
My Review:
“Immortal Surrender” was a little slow to start relationship wise, but other than that this book was an amazing continuation of “The Curse of the Templar’s” series. This is the ultimate paranormal romance; its got demon’s, knights, angels, and predestined soul mates. Each of the Knights is being affected by the darkness that consumes their souls. Farran’s darkness is causing him to be bitter and angry all the time, but when Noelle comes around Farren finds himself laughing once again. There were a few things that I didn’t quite fully understand because I hadn’t read the first book “Immortal Hope” but in no way did it affect the quality of this book. I had great pleasure in reading this book, and I found Farran and Noelle to be an incredibly amazing couple. They have a few rocky patches but all in all they make a great example of a real relationship. Claire Ashgrove has a true talent for writing, at times I found myself comparing “Immortal Surrender” to some of my favorite books. Farren and Noelle’s story flowed nicely, and kept me gripping the pages eagerly waiting to see what happened next.
There is darkness each Templar Knight knows and feels. It is the overwhelming feeling of dread and the inkling feeling that their souls are withering away. Farran de Clare is one of the Knights and he is counting the days until his likely demise. He knows the darkness is consuming his heart and soul and is prepared to do anything for his fellow knights. The one thing he doesn’t see coming is the appearance of his Seraph or predestined mate. Noelle doesn’t believe in anything magical, she believes in what she can see and understand. But when Farren opens the door to a hidden society she can’t believe her eyes. Noelle is the only one who can heal Farran’s heart but will either of them be willing to let their feelings get the best of them?
Originally Reviewed on Night Owl Reviews
http://romance.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Orangepeacock-reviews-Immortal-Surrender-by-Claire-Ashgrove.aspx
Book: Wedded In Sin
Author: Jade Lee
Series: Bridal Favors #2
Genre: Historical Romance
Synopsis:
The dazzling wedding fashions of A Lady’s Favor dress shop are guaranteed to make any girl the talk of the ton. But the brides aren’t the only ones falling in love…
With her parents murdered and her inheritance stolen, all Penny Shoemaker has left is her job working for A Lady’s Favor dress shoppe. But that’s not enough for her to support herself or her young brother. Her only chance to regain what is rightfully hers rests with a peculiar but brilliant gentleman with a weakness for damsels in distress.
Samuel Morrison is a dispossessed younger son searching for his place in the world, though the one thing he is good at is solving mysteries. So when Penny’s predicament lands at his feet, he decides to spend his time helping her out. But she fills more than his time—she fills his heart. And all he has to do now is solve the mystery, win the girl, and create a life not only for himself, but for her as well…
My Review:
Wedded in Sin had a great story to tell, Samuel Morrison is a man of many talents and the knowledge to solve any problem. I was happy to see intelligent character’s in Jade Lee’s second Bridal Favors book. I was also glad to see that Penny Shoemaker wasn’t the typical proper lady; she stood up for her beliefs and her trade as a shoemaker even though she was a woman. These two characters were a great pair that kept me intrigued till the end of their story. The one thing that I have to say against this book was that the story was pushed and pushed until the last thirty pages to the point where it felt as if the author was trying to just get through the relationship building and story building. This of course added an unrealistic element to the story. Other than that one unfortunate aspect to this book I really enjoyed these two characters, and I never knew that there could be sex scenes quite like these in historical romance.
Miss Shoemaker has just lost everything important to her, her parents, her house, and her livelihood. But there is one man who puts everything in his life on hold to help her, Mr. Morrison. He knows from the beginning that something is amiss and he sets out to solve the mystery of Penny Shoemaker’s shamble of a life. But as things become dangerous Samuel Morrison realizes there is more at stake then Penny’s house and shop. He has invested his heart in Penny and their love for each other will be put to the test by one horrific event.
Originally Postsed on Night Owl Reviews
http://romance.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Orangepeacock-reviews-Wedded-In-Sin-by-Jade-Lee.aspx
Book: The Fireman Who Loved Me
Author: Jennifer Bernard
Series: Bachelor Firemen #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
Fearless, smoking hot and single: meet the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel. These firemen might be heroes, but it’s their bad luck in love that makes them legendary.
News producer Melissa McGuire and Fire Captain Harry Brody couldn’t be more different, though they do have one thing in common: they’re both convinced they’re perfectly wrong for each other.
But when Melissa’s matchmaking grandmother wins her a date with Brody at a bachelor auction… Sparks fly. Passion flares. Heat rises. (You get the picture.)
Add a curse, a conniving nightly news anchor, a stunningly handsome daredevil fireman, a brave little boy, a couple of exes, and one giant fire to the mix and Melissa and Brody’s love may not be the only thing that burns.
My Review:
First off let me tell you I really, really liked this book; Melissa McGuire and Harry Brody make an amazing couple. This was one of the most fun books I have read all summer. “The Fireman Who Loved Me” starts out at a bachelor auction; Melissa’s grandmother Nelly has invited Melissa so she can find the man of her dreams. See Nelly is the typical interfering grandmother; she wants her granddaughter to find a man worthy of her love. When Nelly bet’s an ungodly amount of money for a date with one of the irresistible bachelor’s Melissa has no choice but to attend. This is where things heat up.
Nelly is a very lovable character and the life of the party -and by party I mean story- throughout this book. She talks with her dead husband, she always lets the characters know when they are doing something wrong and she is always there! To be honest I found her to be a little annoying at times but most of the time she reminded me of someone who wants the best for someone they love.
The storyline of this book was quite enjoyable; Melissa and Captain Brody have a great relationship. They can talk to each other about anything and there is plenty of heated sex. But of course there can’t be a romance story without ex’s and horribly mean characters. The fact that both Melissa’s and Brody’s ex’s show up at the same time was a little unbelievable for me. That is just too much of the same conflict. Now for the horrible characters of the book we have Ella Joy, the incredibly sexy anchor woman for the news station Melissa works at. Ella Joy is that character that can’t do anything for herself, and steals everyone’s attention. Now this is fine for a conflict in a book, and I found Ella to be quite the character. It’s just some parts of Ella Joy’s life were a little too involved in this book. I mean “The Fireman Who Loved Me” is supposed to be about Melissa and Brody, not how Ella Joy and Melissa’s ex get together.
Throughout this book Melissa is working to save a little boy from an abusive foster family, and it is going along and I am starting to hope for a happy ending for this little boy. But when some critical points in Melissa’s life happen she just “forgets” about the boy. I found myself waiting and waiting for things to be resolved with this case but once things get going good for Melissa again Rodrigo, the boy from the abusive family is never mentioned again. The story ends without the expected resolution of this problem. I just found that to be a little annoying. I mean the character cares so much for this little boy and then we don’t even get to know what happens. I mean what is with that?
Other than those few problems I found this book to be a great fun and easy summer read. I really liked the main characters and I did enjoy seeing Ella get taken down a notch or two in the end. These characters were some of the most realistic people I have read about in a romance novel. I am truthfully looking forward to reading the next in the Bachelor Fireman series. This book does have its flaws but all in all it was a fairly good romantic comedy.
Book: I Am Wolf
Author: Joann H. Buchanan
Series: The Children of Nox #1
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
“You can’t fight who you really are, Jonah …you are wolf.”
When Jonah unknowingly creates an unnatural creature, he is thrust upon a path of unremitting shadows and unrelenting torment from the creature he becomes connected to. In stark contrast, seven teens, the youngling pack from the tribe of Tibolt, join forces with Jonah, their newest member. Together, they must stop the “unnatural,” who brings horror wherever he travels. As the murderous creature makes his way east to Tennessee, it becomes a race against time to save a small child of destiny known as the Dream Maker. Will Jonah reach her before the creature is able to turn her for his evil purposes?
My Review:
“I Am Wolf” by Joann H. Buchanan is a great coming of age story. This book follows many characters over a period of time where their lives are changing for the better. Jonah one of the main characters is sent to live with his grandparents to figure out his heritage. As it turns out he is a wolf, and learning to deal with his emotions and transformation isn’t as easy as it would seem. With a climax I will never forget I can’t find enough good things to say about this book. Ms. Buchanan has an incredibly beautiful talent for writing. Her characters have heart and soul, her story grabs you and pulls you in from the very first page and her imagery shows how much she enjoys what she does. I was told that this book had quite a lot of violence, which is does but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t handle. “I Am Wolf” was tied up very nicely in the end but left you with enough to worry about until the next book!
I found this book even more believable because it is set in Sisters Oregon, a town I have been to many times. There is nothing better than a small town with amazing views to get your imagination flowing. Joann H. Buchanan did an amazing job describing the surrounding areas and the small town feel of the main drive through Sisters. This book has given me a new understanding of how it is to be a wolf, and I will be sure to not miss the rest of the books in The Children of Nox series.
My Top 10 Favorite Romance Book Covers!
1. The Elusive Flame by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
2. Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sherryl Woods
3. Tainted by Temptation by Katy Madison
4. The Next Always by Nora Roberts
5. Taking a Shot by Jaci Burton
6. Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas
7. Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz
8. Beneath a Rising Moon by Keri Arthur
9. The Claimed by Caridad Pineiro
10. Harvest Moon by Robyn Carr
Book: A Dangerous Kiss
Author: Francis Ray
Series: The Kiss Trilogy Book 3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis:
HE’S GOT SUMMER ON HIS MIND.
Sexy, single sports consultant Payton “Sin” Sinclair has tackled the world’s most valuable players–and most eligible women. But ever since his two best friends found love, despite his dangerous secret, he’s tempted to take a chance himself. And that temptation is a woman named Summer…
SHE’S GOT SIN IN HER HEART.
A self-made restaurant owner with a painful past, Summer has always counted on Sin. Beneath his smooth charm–and hard body–lies a tender-hearted friend who always keeps her going when the going gets tough. But now, swept up in her cousin’s wedding plans, she’s trying not to let the champagne–or Sin’s innocent passes–go to her head. Because one dangerous kiss will only lead to another…
My Review:
I know a good book when I see one, or should I say read one. Let me tell you Francis Ray’s “A Dangerous Kiss” was a great book. Summer and Sin are both people who believe that “Happily ever after” or “Forever” isn’t for them. I really enjoyed the path the story took; this book was filled with all consuming passion and a secret that Sin doesn’t want to share unless he has to.
Personally I think this novel could have picked up faster, I mean we need character development but there was just a little too much in “A Dangerous Kiss”. That doesn’t by any means mean that I didn’t like this book, because I surely did! These characters had me wondering if I could handle some of the problems that occur in their relationship. If an author can make me think about how I would handle a situation or even if I could handle it, shows me that they have an amazing talent for creating a story and relatable characters. This book is the seventh in the Grayson Friends series and can definitely be read as a standalone. I didn’t have any problem keeping up with the storyline and characters which is a good thing since I haven’t read the rest of the series. But, there are characters from previous books that make appearances that might mean more if you have read the other six books.
Summer and Payton “Sin” Sinclair have always been the best of friends. But when they start to feel more than just friendship towards each other things get complicated. Both the Hero and Heroine have busy lives, only in these pages will you find out if they can make room for a love that could change everything.
Previously reviewed on Night Owl Reviews:
http://romance.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Reviews/Orangepeacock-reviews-A-Dangerous-Kiss-by-Francis-Ray.aspx
Book: Moon Called
Author: Patricia Briggs
Series: Mercy Thompson #1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Synopsis:
Werewolves can be dangerous if you get in their way, but they’ll leave you alone if you are careful. They are very good at hiding their natures from the human population but I’m not human. I know them when I meet them, and they know me, too.
Mercy Thompson’s sexy next-door neighbor is a werewolf.
She’s tinkering with a VW bus at her mechanic shop that happens to belong to a vampire.
But the, Mercy Thompson is not exactly normal herself…and her connection to the world of things that go bump in the night is about to get her into a whole lot of trouble.
My Review:
What a great place for a series to start, as the reader you get to jump right in to Mercy Thompson’s life from the very first page. Personally I have always loved books that can pull this off; if the author can give you enough back story without spending the first 30 pages doing that exact thing then there is a great talent there. When I went into this series I didn’t know that it had such a big fan base, which was great because then I didn’t have the opinions of fans or haters before I went into it. I have always found popular books to be that much better when I don’t know that they are “popular”.
Anyways, Mercy Thompson is a great strong female lead character. She is a natural born coyote shifter also known as a walker. Mercy works at a car repair shop where she takes in a runaway werewolf shifter. That’s not the only problem she faces in the debut novel of the Mercy Thompson series. She also signs on to help her neighbor find his missing daughter. This book had some amazing magical elements and major conflicts that run through everyone’s- well maybe not everyone’s- lives. I enjoyed the male leads and many of the side characters; honestly I can’t wait to see what happens next in the second book-“Blood Bound”-in the Mercy Thompson Series!
Book: Night Embrace
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Series: Dark-Hunter #3
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
Dear Reader,
Life is great for me. I have my chicory coffee, my warm beignets, and my best friend on the cell phone. Once the sun goes down, I am the baddest thing prowling the night: I command the elements, and I know no fear. For centuries, I’ve protected the innocent and watched over the mankind, making sure they are safe in a world where nothing is ever certain. All I want in return is a hot babe in a red dress, who wants nothing more from me then one night.
Instead, I get a runaway Mardi Gras float that tries to turn me into roadkill and a beautiful woman who saves my life but can’t remember where she put my pants. Flamboyant and extravagant, Sunshine Runningwolf should be the perfect woman for me. She wants nothing past tonight, no ties, no long-term commitments.
But every time I look at her, I start yearning for dreams that I buried centuries ago. With her unconventional ways and ability to baffle me, Sunshine is the one person I find myself needing. But for me to love her would mean her death. I am cursed never to know peace or happiness— not so long as my enemy waits in the night to destroy us both.
—Talon of the Morrigantes
My Review:
This is a story that has stuck with me since I read it about a year ago. Talon is a motorcycle riding Celtic god and Sunshine is an artist with a hidden past. These two characters have a shocking tale to tell. I know that I never in a million years expected what would happen between the two of them. I have a never ending fascination with vampires and the many worlds that authors like to create around them. The Dark-Hunters are very close to the world of vampires, and let me tell you the Dark-Hunter world is by far one of my favorites. The women hold the only chance that the warriors have of getting their souls back. Now isn’t that amazing, the women hold the power!
“Night Embrace” is the third book in the series and true, some of the characters and story carry over into this novel but you could if you wanted to read this book as a standalone. But as you now know it is part of a series and the best place to start would be with “Fantasy Lover” the first book.
I loved the setting of this book, the swamps of New Orleans. Not to mention the not so friendly neighborhood crocodile. Hahaha now there is a character! Talon had me from the first page, Sunshine has many quirks and took a little getting used to, but once I saw her for the beautiful woman she is I completely fell in love with this couple. With an ending that any romantic action reader would be more than happy with this is a perfect book for all of you paranormal romance fans out there!
I hope you will get as much enjoyment out of “Night Embrace” as I did! Now go on, get a book, find a cozy place and sit down and read!
Book: Storm Of Visions
Author: Christina Dodd
Series: The Chosen Ones #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Synopsis:
When the world was young, twins were born. One brought light to a dark world; the other, darkness and danger. Their powers could not be denied, and they gathered others around them, men and women destined to use their gifts for good or evil. Today, their descendants walk the earth as the Chosen … and the ultimate battle is about to begin.
Jacqueline Vargha has always run from her gift. Now Caleb D’Angelo forces his way into her life, demands his place as her lover, and insists she take her place as one of the Chosen. She flees, he pursues, but she can no longer deny her visions, or the dangerous man who is her downfall … and her destiny.
My Review:
This book was a tale of love and action that will sweep you off your feet, and into this fantastical world. Jacqueline Vargha is running from who she is; one of the Chosen. She is blessed or cursed with the sight. Now I found Jacqueline to be a great starting character for the first book in a new series. Caleb D’Angelo is an extremely sexy Alpha male, who is also one of the Chosen. At first I thought he was the bad guy, but I guess that was the point. But in the first chapter you the reader are brought into an amazing world and tale of a hidden race of warriors that were born to save the world.
Who doesn’t love a good prophetic novel? Well I do, prophecies have always drawn me in and when I heard about The Chosen Ones series from one of my favorite authors Christina Dodd, I couldn’t help but rush out and buy the first book! I can still remember when I read this novel I was sucked in and no one could draw me out of one Ms. Dodd’s many worlds. I have a feeling when I get into a book and everything around me falls away, my family finds it truly difficult to live with me. Ha-ha. But I really did enjoy the creative storyline of Christina Dodd’s first novel in her The Chosen Ones Series. I really enjoyed the characters, they were very relatable and the love aspect of the novel was very heated and sweet.
Personally if you find that prophecies are your cup of tea then Storm of Visions by Ms. Dodd will be the perfect world to fall into. I know I did and you are surely going to as well.
Page 1 of 9
