Blood Lust by Alexandra Ivy
St. Louis crime lord and renegade sentinel assassin Bas Cavrilo still remembers the first and last time he saw gorgeous clairvoyant Myst. That was the night they created their daughter Molly until Myst dropped 2 month old Molly at his apartment and disappeared again. Now Myst is back and Bas is demanding to know why, especially since Molly only recently survived a kidnapping by his enemies.
Bas listens as Myst explains being sold to the Brotherhood as a teen after a vision she’d create an Armageddon weapon, her escape and years of being their prey. Bas contacts The Mave, Lana to provide protection for Molly at Valhalla while he and Myst seek answers. Lana and Bas’ time as more than friends is long past but piques both Myst and Wolfe’s jealously when Lana agrees to help.
Brotherhood leader Stella’s confident it’s time for the weapon. As her minions search for confirmation the rumbles are heard in Valhalla and Stella plans beyond the step of eliminating Highbloods. Meticulous planning, a breach and a deviation from protocol are the perfect storm to position Stella for even more power when she stumbles onto things she can’t recognize. But then the big guns take aim.
Rating:4.25stars
Deadly Fallout by Katie Reus
Few knew the reason Dr. Zoe Hansen changed jobs, apartments and friends was she’d caught the attention of a stalker. She was safe while he was out of the country. But he returned and Zoe became his hobby again. Red Stone Security’s resources, specifically former SEAL Sawyer McCabe step up to guard Zoe’s body…er life. Then her stalker is found dead and Zoe’s arrested of his murder.
Though cleared of the murder charge, it was obvious someone framed Zoe which meant her life could still be in danger. Receiving mystery mail means it’s not over and Sawyer’s not leaving Zoe’s side as the smoldering embers they shared become flames. Being influentially despicable bought Zoe’s stalker many enemies and plenty of false friends as the police uncover suspects galore.
Lively Zoe runs the gamut of emotions and has excellent chemistry with agent du jour, Sawyer in this nicely written and vividly woven tale. The reader is quickly invested in an illusion of a love affair at its most terrifying. It shakes a strong, capable and independent woman to her core first she lives with fear then fights to keep her friends, love and on her terms. Definitely a series favorite!
Rating:4.5stars
Obsession Untamed by Pamela Palmer
The previous outing left Vhypher escaping after stealing the Daemon blade that held the vicious Daemon King and his horde, a high level mage switching sides and be-spelling half of Tighe’s soul in a clone leaving only seven Feral Warriors to help their brethren and protect humans from the draden. Things got complicated when Tighe found himself seeing through the clone’s eyes and saw… her.
FBI agent Delaney Randall’s hot on the trail of an elusive serial killer that specializes in women and children. Having been that child, Delaney didn’t want another in that position. Though she escaped the mad man he must’ve done something to her because now she’s glimpsing new murders as he commits them.
It was bad enough Tighe was helpless to stop the murders he saw through the clone’s eyes but somehow Delaney’s hijacked them. His brethren’s sure Delaney’s death will restore the visions to him. Tighe’s too protective to let that happen though Delaney dredges memories he’d rather forget. When they meet, Tighe’s story ensures Delaney thinks he’s the killer on drugs. And woo hoo is he sexy!
This outing had great intrigue and the likeable leads chemistry was explosive in this cat and mouse tale. Delaney’s comfort zone of only black and white threatened the HEA a few times but softness did what softness does. The secondary thread of chasing the blade could’ve been tedious but had a twist or two of its own and was infrequent enough to create its own degree of excitement for its chapters.
Rating:4.5stars
Justice Ascending by Rebecca Zanetti
For former hacker, Sami Steel secrets are a way of life and the best part about playing soldier is anything involving medic Tace Justice, especially their late night sparring sessions. Since he recovered from Scorpius, the smoldering Texas cowboy’s different. He’s harder and more predatory. Tace was done wondering if strength, speed and cunning would be the only changes, he wondered about Sami.
Sami knew she couldn’t keep acting indifferent toward Tace to her friend, his latest bedmate and the world when he set all her parts fluttering. They couldn’t happen and after last night’s session she wanted to tell him everything. Their sparring also left Tace rattled so he jumped at an assignment away from camp. Unaware of their changed status, Jax assigned Sami as Tace’s back-up.
This busy outing teased out several meaty threads including secret alliances, resolving three overlong pieces, uncovering a traitor, smacking own major enemies in stellar skirmishes and gaining an ally. The tired ‘we’re marooned on an island so let’s fall in love’ vibe made favorites Tace and Sami’s romance fall a bit flat in places for my taste before finding its footing in this satisfying read.
Rating:4.5stars
Under His Protection by Katie Reus
While Mina looked at lingerie in preparation for her wedding to Blue, newest Red Stone Security agent, Ivan Mitchell looked at lingerie shop owner Julieta Mederos. Ivan was enchanted by the petite beauty from the moment he saw her and it doesn’t hurt that she’s Lizzy’s best friend. Noticing Jules pale at the bridal shower, Ivan quickly finds out she’s being stalked and assigns himself as her protection.
Though Jules had been noticing Ivan she wasn’t certain they were looking at each other the same way or for the same reason. Now that they’re seeing things eye to eye she’s grateful for his help. Ivan’s sure the explicit texts and vandalism incidents at Jules’ shop are connected and attaches himself to her side.
Distracted by everything, Jules brings Ivan into the bosom of her family. They’re charmed, especially when they find out about his Ranger background and how seriously he’s taking the threats to Jules’ life. Meanwhile, her stalker is more than a little upset that there’s now a man in Jules’ life and steps up his elaborate plans to solidify his own future with her.
Rating: 3.75stars
Hot Protector by Lynn Raye Harris
Though he ignored her and resented his neglectful father who seemed to dote on his adoptive daughter, Sophie Nash crushed on stepbrother Special Ops soldier Chase “Fiddler” Daniels during his annual visits when she was a pre-teen. A dozen years later he doesn’t recognize the just his type woman when she wakes him from a much needed sleep.
Dear old dad sent Sophie to Chase for protection against her problem. No sooner does Sophie get her tale of fear, possible murder and a threat by Androv, a threat on the HOT watch list, than Chase’s apartment explodes with them in it. They barely escape to the nearby forested area with their lives and pursuers that won’t give up since Maggie took proof and needs Chase to help her retrieve it. In Paris!
With Androv’s best assassin on their trail with knowledge of their destination and no official help from HOT, Chase is mostly on his own in protecting Sophie as the flames between them become blazes. Beautiful, innocent, self-conscious Sophie has no idea of the explosive secrets on the flash drive she stole or how far Androv would go to get it and her back in his possession where they both belonged.
Unable to officially assist or investigate or not, the Hostile Operations Team isn’t sitting on the sidelines when there’s a damsel in distress that means anything to one of their own, even if it means giving up much needed vacation. Especially if the threat is already on their radar and Androv most definitely is. Mostly because now that they know what he’s up to.
Skirting the edge of taboo may never have been this exciting as the outing fits the series mold and doesn’t stint on romance, action, intrigue or the lusciously delicious and intoxicatingly dangerous Ian Black in addition to the usual sexy alpha warriors of HOT!
Rating:4.5stars
Unconditional by Lauren Dane
A dozen years ago Pacific pack enforcer Josh Neelan was turned and didn’t know how to cope so he left Roseburg and Michelle Slattery without a word. Before Josh left, Michelle planned to tell him how she felt and that she was a witch. Now a police officer with a personal stake in a missing person’s case, Michellle has to ask the pack to help track down the victim while resisting Josh’s charms.
Michelle refuses Josh’s offer to let the pack handle it but learns Mages are suspected of being behind a rash of kidnappings and deaths of witches and weres across the continent. With Michelle calm about the otherness of the wolf lifestyle, she and Josh found time to mate as the mystery of the kidnappings and murders deepened.
With the Cascadia pack ruling family mated off, this outing spins to its allies and connected pack, Pacifica by introducing a new threat. Leads Josh does well in the spotlight and his lady choice, Michelle is strong and independent without being irritating. Cameos from Cascadia Wolves and (presumably) De La Vega fan favorites and new characters fanned the all hands on deck urgency of the read.
Rating:4stars
Fated by Lauren Dane
Enforcer Megan Warden wants to be mated more than anything except maybe not being trapped in a car for hours on her way to a wedding with her mother and grandmother lamenting her lack of a mate. Layla’s anchor, Dr. Shane Rosario was raised human not wolf but made sure he came to the wedding to see Lay. When Shane and Megan’s eyes met, he’d never be happier to be a wolf.
With the war settled, danger non-existent and all the Warden siblings mated this emotional outing was good but this reader missed the danger, excitement and tension that had been the series norm. It was difficult for this reader to see strong, self-assured Megan askew, likable Shane brought huge human elements to the tale as he had no idea of pack-life or familial bonds.
Rating: 4stars
Navarro’s Promise by Lora Leigh
The city is blanketed by council coyotes with one goal. They’re to capture Mica Toler, best friend of the heavily protected wolf/coyote breed, Cassie Sinclair. Mica’s security is breached and she’s escaped her kidnapped but hasn’t reached safety by the time wolf breed Navarro Blaine ditches his assignment and gets to her side for protection until transport’s arranged or mete out punishment.
Safety is a temporary illusion as the coyotes are resolute and single-minded in locating Mica, interrupting the interlude with Navarro. The coyotes are successful in separating the elite breed force from their principal but Mica has Navarro and his recessed genes do nothing to stop his determination to protect his woman. The coyotes are just as determined to get the upper hand at the expense of the human.
For the reader it’s been more than a dozen outings since Mica interacted with breeds so this outing with Navarro, supposedly rekindling a desire they’ve been fighting comes across as false. Snippets of remembering childhood antics, glimpses of teen-aged crushes and a stolen kiss before sex gave the read a pedophilic vibe for my taste. An insta-lust relationship would have felt more honest.
Rating: 3.5stars
Wolf Unbound by Lauren Dane
With her anchor not an option and done mourning the mate she lost, Cascadia enforcer Tegan Warden’s ready to leave the protective shelter of her family and her pack. Tegan knows she needs someone specific for her sexual needs as she re-enters the dating world. Detective Ben Stoner’s not a wolf but she’s howled since their erotic encounter at Club DeSade where their needs were definitely met.
Over coffee, they realized they’d known of each other for two years but hadn’t met, Ben worked with her brothers and had been to the house and she was on Cade’s personal detail. Making a date, Ben rushed to make a meeting with Cade and Lex, and both immediately noticed Tegan’s scent on Ben. With an accidental mating by the end of their first date Ben and Tegan have the Warden’s up in arms.
While the primary thread was Tegan and Ben’s relationship and everything it entailed, all things Pellini, the threat, thugs, tricks, plots and plans owned the secondary thread. Before packs could spring their meticulous trap designed to completely ensnare and neutralize Pellini loosed a multi-pronged attack shaking Cascadia and the wolf community to its core, leading Cade to declare open war!
Rating:4stars
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