Luck of the Dragon, Susannah Scott (PNR Review)

Luck of the Dragon, Susannah Scott

This title was recommended to me during a hop by a fellow lover of alpha males, love those hops.

Alec Gerald has loads (technical term, lol) to prepare for. He is top alpha, although his enemy is trying to challenge his position. He is opening a casino to provide a sanctuary for his fellow dragon shifters, on top of preparing for their mating ceremony, hence his need for Dr. Luciana de Luca.

Dr. Luciana de Luca has a PhD in gemology and can certify Alec Gerald’s jewel collection, the main attraction at his new casino The Crown Jewel, she also happens to be his human mate.

Bookswagger Marcia: Three Crowns, swagger jacked, decent read. There were some funny scenes in this one. I almost did not buy this one thought Luciana might have been stuffy but she was snarky and a little funny, one of the things that kept me in the story. She came from a rough background, her love for her brother is what kept her doing the things she did not want to do like stealing from Alec. My only issue is some of these things would have been easily resolved by talking. Plus she and Alec were technically dealing with the same bad guy but it was kind of glossed over. There were so many good elements here I think it just need to be tightened up a bit because I am loving the casino background it is a perfect place for modern shifter dragons and I am liking the mating ceremony, so many places to go with this.

Blind Date with a Bear (A BBW Paranormal Romance), Marie Mason, Marie Mason

Blind Date with a Bear, Marie Mason

 

It is years after the great reveal although Paige Matthews has never dated a shifter she is aware they mate for life and she can’t be Quinn Blackwood’s mate so she is aware it is all fun and games so she might as well relax for once and just enjoy herself. Right? Quinn agrees to go on a blind date with his sister’s co worker to get her off his back. She thinks she can match mates because she got it right one time. He agrees to the date never expecting to meet his mate, he is still in his prime after all. His mate is human and he wants to take it slow, the last thing he wants to do is scare her off by jumping on her like an animal.

Bookswagger Marcia: Three Crowns, swagger jacked, decent read. Okay, this was an okay read (bears repeating hehe), I am really into bear shifters right now and would like more, more and more. I like the idea of this read but the plot was moved along by something that could have been cleared up by a conversation. The heroine doubted the hero was in to her because he did not get a haze of lust and jump on her like she heard bears did when they found their mates so cue the doubt. He loves me, he loves me not. I did like the author created world where shifters had careers, a ruling council and all that jazz. I like my shifters living and working in the real world makes it a little more realistic. Plus humans should not be the only ones suffering.

Straight to the Swagger: Quinn and Paige it was an okay read, if you looking for something quick to read with some bears and a little angst from the supporting characters this will get you through.

Wolf ‘s Strength, Ambrielle Kirk (Caedmon, 5) (Review)

Wolf’s Strength, Ambrielle Kirk

Mates since before they were on rival packs, Naomi Valentine and Blake Deluca knew there would come a time they would have to choose. They would have to choose their packs or each other. Times are changing and there is an enemy, one who wants to see all wolves destroyed.

Naomi has to decide to leave behind her life as an Elite Enforcer for her traditional Arnou Pack, if she wants to be with her Caedmon mate Blake. The first time she couldn’t do it; this time might be the last time.

Blake is tired of sneaking meetings with his mate, he has never marked her for it could cause her harm but she has always been his. He has reached the point where a decision must be made. He is a Councilman for his pack, a good pack. He will not allow anyone to harm Naomi, not this new deadly force nor his own pack.

Bookswagger Marcia: Four Crowns, good read, on the way to swagger. The Caedmon pack has come a long way from book one. Their lives have changed and it is more than a story of a couple meeting, falling in love and obtaining their required HEA. We now have plots unfolding from book to book. Characters dying that have helped previous stories unfold (and I have to say, alright now). We are firmly in series territory no backing out now. This book could definitely be read as standalone but the alpha, his second and those who have gone beforeeeeee (pretend to hear an echo) help move the story forward. I liked Naomi, she was a tough chick, made some tough choices which led to her not being able to be with her mate. I like the fact the author did not let it be a simple issue of her just being a fraidy cat. Blake was definitely man enough, no shifter enough to respect her choices, catch her when she needed it and knew she was a grown a$@ woman.

Straight to the Swagger: The end gets a little muddy, but it’s all non-stop action. Naomi is no one’s punk and Blake is the man to handle all that shifter.

Previous Series Reviews: Wolf’s Haven (Caedmon Wolves, 1) Wolf’s Promise (Caedmon Wolves, 2)

The Bobcat’s Tale (Blue Moon Junction, 2), Georgette St. Clair (Review)

The Bobcat’s Tale (Blue Moon Junction), Georgette St. Clair

Lainey Robinson shows up in tiny Blue Moon Junction a shifter town during prime wedding time. The Alpha is getting married, the bride’s tiara has been stolen and guess who just might be a suspect. Well that just might take a back seat because she has caught the eye of Deputy Tate neighboring alpha and parent to a bunch of cute siblings who just love to get in trouble, hence why he is still single.

Lainey has her secrets, alphas hates secrets but Tate knows she smells greats, feels greats and his siblings haven’t killed her.

Bookswagger Marcia: Four Crowns, good read, on the way to swagger. I am really feeling this author, I read her Big Beautiful Witches did not see any other books then kept checking on her and she had a whole backlist, love when authors do that. This is book two in her Blue Moon Junction series but can be read alone. The town is full of kooks and that makes for great reading especially when they know they are kooks. Lainey is running from a family of uptight bobcat shifters who want to blend into Philadelphia money and ignore their shifter roots they are all about the money honey. She takes a chance by snapping up a vacation to Blue Moon, she does have a big secret which Tate finds out, clutch those pearls (it’s not really that bad) she did it for good reason, this is a romance novel you know it is going to end well.

Straight to the Swagger: Funny, small town shifter romance with an alpha who has small siblings he is raising bringing the funny and a Bobcat shifter climbing trees to rescue those kids. Oh there is XXX as well, yes XXX.

New Release Spotlight: Taking The Stage, Heather Long (Soul Girls, 2)

Taking The Stage, Heather Long

(provided): Roseâtre takes one look at the white tigers that the stage manager has brought in to shake things up at the Midnight Mystery Lounge, and nearly has a heart attack. It doesn’t matter that the beautiful creatures’ handler raises her pulse and makes her want to purr. The tigers are sure to recognize her—and arouse her need for the hunt.

Pride outcast Anthony diNapoli wasn’t expecting to encounter an Amazon princess when he brought his white tigers to the lounge. The lucrative show will go a long way toward securing his future, but not if he gives in to the urge to make her submit to his dominance, and claim her as his mate.

No matter how desperately her body aches for the sun-kissed stranger and his completely lickable abs, Roseâtre is no man’s prize. Yet she finds herself hungering for Anthony to defeat her and take her for his own.

It’s show time in the Arcana Royale’s Midnight Mystery Lounge and all bets are off.

Excerpt:  Taking the Stage

“Not the toes.” Roseâtre refused to squeal. As lead dancer for the Arcana Royale’s Midnight Mystery Lounge, she would never squeal or scream, but her voice pitched high enough that the syllable at the end of toes cracked.

The great white tiger snuffling her feet through the five-inch strappy black-and-sapphire Louboutins rolled his head away. Instead of obeying, he stroked a whiskered cheek down her bare leg.

“Cut!” Voice booming, the show’s stage manager hustled out from the wings. Heidi was a brisk woman with a quick temper and a stout body, dedicated to creating the best shows. After Pandora’s escape from her contract, she relied on all of her girls to have the same dedication to the performance, Roseâtre more than most.

Pandora. She’d always made the lead look easy. She’d walked out on the stage and owned the audience. Roseâtre believed Pandora could have shared the stage with twelve chimpanzees and it wouldn’t have mattered. Gazes would have been riveted to the tawny nymph.

The white tiger stretched out his neck and yawned, showing off a mouthful of glistening teeth. He flexed his paws, claws scoring the stage. She wasn’t fooled by the sleepy-eyed expression or house-cat similarities. Big cats weren’t pets.

The rest of the dancers relaxed from their poses, some even dropping down to coo and stroke the cats whose arrival had elicited a long round of awws and aren’t they sweets. Roseâtre, however, shifted away from the cat with his tickling whiskers and raspy tongue.

“Rose?” Heidi beckoned, a pen behind one ear and a notebook tucked under her arm. She pursed her lips in a you’re-not-in-trouble-yet moue, but the wrinkles knitting her brow told an entirely different story.

“Yes, ma’am?” Roseâtre didn’t drag her feet. One certainly never dragged Louboutins, but she couldn’t quite resist displaying her mutiny with an uplifted chin and wrinkled nose.

Cats.

Her nose twitched. Her sinuses burned. Her eyes threatened tears. But she maintained her composure.

Damn cats.

 “Look, I know you’re not thrilled with this idea.” The opening gambit was classic Heidi, softening her up for the too-damn-bad often attached to those statements.

Closeted together at the far end of the stage, Roseâtre was glad to be out of earshot of her shield-sister Cerveau, the other dancers and thankfully, the damn tigers.

The Midnight Mystery Lounge was closed for an entire week so the dancers could learn this new act. She’d woken to the bad news that the diNapoli Tigers—tigers—were joining the show for a three-month trial to drum up business in the magical casino and resort.

“But you’re just going to have to get over it. The apothecary will provide you with a tea for your allergies. We need this show and you’re the headliner. That means you and the tiger will be all over each other on that stage and you’re going to love it.”

And there it was, the verbal slap demanding submission. The command chafed. But a promise was a promise and she was as bound by her oath as her shield-sister Cerveau was by her curse.

“Is there any way we can do this without cats?”

“Not really, no.” The sympathy was real, but from Heidi’s compressed expression, the stage manager was plainly not on Roseâtre’s side. “I’m sorry, Rose. But the diNapoli Tigers were an enormous success in Monaco and Paris. We need them for resurgence of interest or the Overseers may very well break up the show.”

“Really?” Panic drifted under the surface of her skin, sending her heart puttering. The Overseers controlled the Arcana Royale, the sprawling complex where meta-humans of all types were welcome and could be themselves. They controlled the shows, the people and in the case of the dancers, their souls. Breaking up the show meant the dancers with varying leases on their souls could be placed elsewhere at the Overseers’ discretion.

Worse, Roseâtre and Cerveau could be separated. Roseâtre couldn’t allow that to happen. She’d sworn an oath. Pride could be sacrificed. Honor could not.

A shield-borne oath was an oath.

“I’ll try. It’s not just the allergy, though.”

“What is it?”

No simple answer existed. Roseâtre glanced over her shoulder to where the great cats lounged. Some groomed themselves while yet another rolled over on its back, presenting its belly to Peppermint for attention. Of all the dancers, Peppermint was the most gracious, the most loving and the most likely to enjoy gamboling with the tigers on the stage.

“I assure you, nothing is wrong with my cats.” The dark, deep masculine tones teased up her spine. She jerked her attention back to discover a bare-chested, bare-footed blond god had joined them.

Oh my. Who did he kill to get those abs?

 She snapped her jaw shut with a flicker of irritation, and forced her gaze up from the hard six-pack of clear-cut muscle to roam over the ripped planes of his chest and shoulders.

Dear gods, does it end?

The cool dislike in his blue eyes slapped her back to the present. Everything about the man seemed larger than life, from his thick thighs, easily three times the size of hers, to his wide hands and square, chiseled jaw.

“Roseâtre, Anthony diNapoli.” Heidi’s snapped introduction rebuked her. “Anthony, this is our headliner, Roseâtre.”

Be professional. She extended her hand and kept her gaze focused above his chin. Despite the five additional inches her designer shoes added to her considerable height, topping at around six foot, the man towered over her.

And he inspected her with an air of detached amusement, his gaze clearly dipping below her chin to where her breasts strained against the confinement of the black leotard.

“Your pleasure, I’m sure.” The bastard smiled and ignored her hand.

“Anthony’s cats are in high demand, and he’s graciously consented to this trial contract so we’re going to do the best we can to make the most of this situation.” Heidi turned to Anthony as though unaware of the icy drop in Roseâtre’s regard. “We’ll add extra rehearsal time so Roseâtre and her cat can get used to each other.”

We will? Incredulous, Roseâtre could barely pull her eyes away from Anthony to look at the stage manager. “More rehearsals?” Tired of holding her hand out to the air, she let it drop.

“Absolutely.” Heidi nodded briskly, clapping her hands and striding away to gather the dancers, completely ignoring the cats with the poise of one who was likely more dangerous than the wild animals. “Ladies!”

Cerveau stood next to Kiki, Peppermint and Amber, the question in her expression obvious, but Roseâtre shook her head, waving her off with one short hand gesture. She didn’t need backup.

“So what’s your problem with cats, princess?” The words shivered up her spine. Anthony’s voice prowled behind her, his body heat brushing against her in challenge and invitation.

“Does it matter?”

She didn’t have to play nice. The bastard couldn’t be bothered to shake her hand.

“It might. You’re going to be riding my tiger every night for the next three months.” The words dripped with mockery and some other indefinable emotion.

Roseâtre shifted away, sparing him a dismissive look. She’d practiced the art of cool disdain for years under her mother’s tutelage. He might call her princess in his low, rolling sexy voice as a jest, but it didn’t make it any less true.

“What’s the problem now, princess?”

“You’re getting sarcasm on my shoes.” She lifted one, taking great care to inspect it.

Anthony threw his head back and laughed, a deep belly-trembling shout of amusement.

The noise drew the dancers’ attention like children to free chocolate. Cerveau’s face twisted comically, a mixture of censure and curiosity reddening her cheeks. She wouldn’t approve the tone, but she would appreciate the cause.

“You still haven’t told me why you don’t like my cats.”

“They’re cats.”

Head canted to the right, he studied her. The deep blue of his eyes was enhanced by a circle of darker blue along the iris. His pupils seemed to blink on their own, but that wasn’t possible. Roseâtre forced her gaze back to his dimples, just barely disguised by the thick rush of blond beard coating his cheeks.

“Cats are magnificent, bold and affectionate creatures. They are slow to trust, but have unshakable loyalty.”

“Until you’re dead and then they just eat your corpse.” She shuddered.

He laughed again. “You don’t need your body when you’re dead.”

She was missing everything Heidi was saying to the other dancers. Clearly, the stage manager didn’t care because she wasn’t even looking in Roseâtre’s direction, much less shooting her with her optic laser beams of impatience.

“I’d rather my body was undisturbed, thank you very much. The idea of anything feasting after I’m dead is unappealing.” Not to mention sacrilegious. A warrior’s death should be honored with blades and flame, never teeth.

 Or, the gods forbid, a hairball. Roseâtre grimaced.

“Would you prefer they do it while you’re alive?” The silken whisper brushed against her ear. Tingles raced over her skin from the sweep of his beard on her cheek.

Heart leaping, Roseâtre barely managed to suppress her startled scream and settled for smacking his chest. The hard muscles didn’t even budge as her hand made contact, leaving a vivid, white mark against the golden tan.

“You really need to stop doing that.” Enough is enough. The man might be here at Heidi’s request or the Overseers’, but his job was to deal with the damn cats.

“Stop what?” The mock innocence coating his teasing grin reminded her more of the tiger yawning than it did a conciliatory gesture.

“Invading my bubble.” She rolled her hand in the air between them. “You haven’t been invited into my bubble.”

The coolness in his gaze warmed considerably, his grin widened. He was obviously enjoying the hell out of her irritation.

“How does one get invited into your bubble?” He batted the air in front of her, a downright playful gesture that sank its claws into her belly.

Nope. Not going to be turned on.

For More Information: Amazon and  B&N

Warrior’s Moon (A Children of the Moon Novel 5), Lucy Monroe (Review)

Warrior’s Moon, Lucy Monroe

Shona is human and her mate a wolf, who turned away from her because she did not have a wolf. Now she is a widow running from her stepson back to her highland relatives. Before she can make it back to her family she is faced with Caelis, her mate who let her go for being human at their Lairds demand. Now things have changed, he expects to claim her and his children as if he never threw their bond away.

Bookswagger Marcia: Four Crowns, good read, on the way to swagger.I am a huge fan of this series but book one remains king, although this one was pretty good. Shona is now a widow, her wicked Baron dead and who should she run into on Sinclair land but her mate Caelis. Right! I loved it, we all love it, that is why we read romance. Caelis is arrogant and just expects her to still admit her love for him. After all she is a peace-loving feisty lass just like he remembers. Not.  She is a mother who has had her heart-broken and she acts like it. Shona does bend but she gives him what for as well. Her children provided some laughs, I admit I enjoyed them because sometimes I groan when I see kids in books, but this one was done well.

Straight to the Swagger: Warrior’s Moon can be read as standalone, book one still my fav, the saga continues for the Chrechte (the shifters) but not between Shona and Caelis, they get their HEA, Caelis bounces back from his dark deeds in the previous books.