A Galaxy of Scars by Jorja Tabu

BW/WM

Published: August 2016

Rating: 3 out of 5

The author sent me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is the first Jorja Tabu book that I've had the opportunity to read, so as always when it comes to new writers I was excited to give it a try. A Galaxy of Scars was well written, and the storytelling had a visual quality that I appreciated. It is obvious that Jorja Tabu is a writer with talent, yet there was something that held me back from truly enjoying A Galaxy of Scars as much as I wanted to.

The One by Danielle Allen

Published: 3/2016

BW/WM

Pages: 304

Contemporary Romance

Available @ Amazon

The One is a book by author Danielle Allen. The story follows Zoe Jordan, an independent young law student who is struck by a case of cold feet prior to taking the bar exam. Wallowing at a cross roads, Zoe feels like she is suffering a quarter life crisis when a friend's joke turns into a "reality." 

Zoe's been approved as a contestant in the reality dating show The One. 

Although this independent woman generally has a negative view on dating shows and their portrayal of women, The One serves a purpose as it turns out to be a timely solution to a problem. All she needs to do is stick it out for an episode or two. Unfortunately the contestant, songwriter and musician Julian Winters, speaks to her soul and is all she's ever wanted in a man. If only they hadn't met on a TV show where love is meant to go by script and everything is staged for maximum ratings.

His Wolf's Desire by Shannon Nydia

Released: April 2016

Character composition: BW/WM

Pages: 

Rating 3 out of 5

Purchase @ Amazon
*I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Although shape-shifter romances have been around for a good while, I still appreciate reading them. Especially when it also means discovering a new author and a new voice. So, I was really happy to receive a review request from new-to-me author Shannon Nydia. Her latest release, His Wolf's Desire is published by Loose-ID.

Right Side of My Pillow by LaShawn Vasser

Released: February 2016

Character composition: BW/WM

Pages: 174

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Purchase at: Amazon
*I received this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Jade (Cricket) and Cole grew up together in a shady group home, where they were extremely close. Cole, who is several years older than Jade, is about to age out of the system and head off to college. Before leaving he makes her a promise that he has every intention of keeping. The story picks up ten years later, when their paths (which have gone in two very different directions) cross again. The Right Side of My Pillow follows Cole as he tries to win back the friendship that he shared with a woman he's always viewed as his "sister," while Jade tries to move past the feelings of betrayal and hurt that she has towards the man that she's always loved.

Her Russian Brute by Theodora Taylor

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Character diversity: Yes (?w/wm)

Published: February 26, 2016
Purchase: @Amazon
*I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review*

In Her Russian Brute, we get the story of Ivan and Sola. Ivan is the cousin of Alexi and Boris/Bair Rustanov from previous installments in the 50 Loving States series. In fact, if you are a fan of the series you've already met Ivan in Her Russian Beast. I'm not gonna lie, I was really looking forward to Ivan's story. I mean, the man was brutish as heck and an overall mess when he was first introduced. Super excited. While I liked the story well enough, it wasn't the best work that I've seen from Ms. Theodora. Like everything, it had highs and it had lows.

Entwined by Harper Miller

Published: November 2015

*A copy of Ironic was provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review*

The first thing to know about Entwined is that it's not a novel. It's a novelette that's about 40 pages give or take. It's the third book of the Kinky Connect Chronicles, but you don't need to read the first two to follow this one. They're each complete on their own, with each book in the series telling the tale of a couple who meet on a website for people who are interested in romance with a little more (kinky) flavor to it. The second thing that you should know is that the story also includes a bit of f/m/f action. Okay... so this isn't really my thing, but since I don't really have anything against bisexual, lesbian, or gay love, and Harper Miller is just an amazing author, I gave it a shot. I'm glad that I did. The third thing is that cover. BAM! Stop take another look at that. Hot or what?!  Yes world, black women come in all flavors! Love the shaved head and the red highlights in her hair. I'm seeing some amazing covers lately and I'm hoping that this trend continues!

Wolf Bite (Wolves of Willow Bend #1) by Heather Long

Published: August 2014

Pages: 184

Diversity: Yes (BW/WM)

Rating: 3 out of 5

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Wolf Bite is a paranormal romance about a woman named Alexis and a wolf shifter named Mason. Alexis grew up as one of the only humans in a shifter "wolf pack" after her mother marries and eventually becomes one. As a result, Alexis never really fit in as she never possessed the traits of other wolves such as the ability to shift to a wolf or enhanced strength and senses. As a young wolf Mason is not only her friend but they also develop feelings of great affection for one another. That is, until Mason disappears suddenly without saying goodbye or telling Alexis where he's gone. The story begins when the two reunite by chance. Old feelings are still there despite the time that has passed and the changes in both of their lives. Mason is now a lone wolf and cannot mate with anyone from the pack, and Alexis is now an independent woman on her own in the city. To be together would be dangerous for them both, but fate takes it out of their hands and Mason must do what's necessary to be with the human woman that he loves.

With These Four Rings by Ana E. Ross

Published: June 2015

Pages: 245 pages

Diversity: Multicultural

Rating: 3 out of  5

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Today I'm reviewing the fifth book in the Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls series by Ana E. Ross. In general I'm a fan of the series which is always a bit of fun escapism with some very sexy men. For me the series ended with book 4; however, much to my surprise the author released With These Four Rings, which is sort of a follow-up to the original four books. I walk away from it with mixed feelings. Parts of it I really enjoyed, others not so much. It may be easiest to break it down by couples:

Wolf's Honor by Ambrielle Kirk

I jumped  ahead a bit to read Wolf's Honor, the latest release in the Caedmon Wolves series. I've previously read Wolf's Haven, which was the first in the series, but that was before I started regularly reviewing. I remember wondering what happened next, but never got around to continuing the series. Recently, I was fortunate enough to receive a review copy of Wolf's Honor from the author. I was pretty excited and looked forward to catching up on what I'd been missing. That said, I wish that I could say I really loved this book, but for me it was just an okay read.

Wolf's Honor is about Connor Maxim. He's a wolf shifter who operates within both the shifter and the human worlds as he was raised by his human father and shifter mother. Apparently there have been several unsolved murders of members belonging to the Caedmon and the Arnou wolf shifter packs. The question of who is committing these murders needs an answer before the human government gets involved. Obviously, human involvement isn't something that any of the packs wanted. Time is short and it's Connor's job to get those answers.

Mine Tonight by Lisa Marie Perry

Mine Tonight is the fourth installment of the The Blue Dynasty series by Lisa Marie Presley. The series revolves around the Las Vegas Slayers, a fictional football team marred by a scandal caused by its former owner. It is also about the Blue family who now owns it. Unlike previous books, a member of the Blue family is not the focus in Mine Tonight. Instead, the story focuses on one of the previous owner's sons - Santino Franco (his brother Nate was in Book 1), and Bindi Paxton his father's ex-fiancee. Santino is a former player for the Slayers who suffered a devastating injury due to his father's machinations. These injuries have had a profound and life-altering affect on Santino who sets out to find his fleeing father. To do that he needs help from his father's gold-digging ex-fiancee, Bindi. Bindi is a woman with whom he's never gotten along with, yet she is also a woman that he has more feelings for than he's comfortable with. Bindi is rethinking her gold-digging ways and taking a hard look at her life. She relunctantly agrees to help Santino, but she's got a bit of an agenda of her own. She too has feelings for Santino. Can these two overcome their history, find Santino's father, and find love together despite the lies between them?

Radio Silence by Alyssa Cole

What happens to the world when the power goes out? On a global scale? And what if it doesn't come back on? This is the premise on which Radio Silence is based. While this is no Walking Dead zombie style book, it does have that surviving, end-of-the-world thing going on. Radio Silence takes place weeks after an apocalyptic turn of events. Without electricity and all that comes with it, life in the U.S. is starting to fray at the edges. People have started to embrace lawlessness as they begin to realize that things may never go back to normal. There are several characters of importance in the story. The first being an African-American woman named Arden. Arden is our heroine, the main female protagonist. She's traveling with her best friend and roommate John Seong. John is a supporting character, but what I love about him is that he's not only Korean but gay as well. Talk about diversity in books! This is a reflection of real life and I love it. Life isn't just black and white and it isn't populated by straight people either. I like books that paint a realistic image of the world and who lives in it. So yay! Right off the bat I was liking this one.

Cupid: A Dark Erotic Romance by Kenya Wright and Jade Eby

Cupid is a really hard book for me to rate. It's filled with "I'm going to love this," moments, but it also had its problems. It is written, in part, by author Kenya Wright who I honestly believe is currently one of the most creatively entertaining, out-of-the-box writers that's out there. This author is fearless and her books are always well thought out and  well-written. Of course this doesn't mean that every book that she churns out is a winner, but there is raw talent there. I guess that's why I'm a bit disappointed with this book and why my review isn't easy for me. I hate spoilers so I'm going to try to pull this review off without giving away anything that will ruin the story for you.

What It's About
There's a serial killer loose on Ovid Island, but no one seems to know or care. The island is a playground for self absorbed rich people with more wealth than decency. It is also the playground of a killer who eventually is dubbed "Cupid." We meet Cupid just as he's finished killing a

Forever with You by Farrah Rochon

Forever with You is a story that takes place in a town called Gauthier. Ms. Rochon apparently pens a series called Bayou Dreams that, I believe, centers around this fictional town and his populated by characters who play a minor role in this book. Despite its connection to the series, Forever with You is a standalone title and I had very little difficulty understanding what was going on, and I think other readers will find it easy to follow as well.

Now to my review. This is a very sweet and tame tale about a widowed mother named Leslie who has two girls. Her life is all about raising her daughters following the death of her husband some years ago. When not focused on raising her daughters, her life focuses on work and her place as president of the Parents Teacher Organization. Some people in town, especially the little old ladies at church, feel it's time for Leslie to meet a man, but that isn't a part of her plan. If only the new principle wasn't so tempting! Gabriel

The Tycoon's Temporary Bride by Ana E. Ross

I'm a huge fan of Ana E. Ross and her Brides of Granite Falls series. Her books aren't perfect, but they are engaging and pure escapist fun for me. If you read my past reviews on the series you'll see they've all managed to get a 5 star rating from me. It's because I love this series that I hate to say it, but the Tycoon's Temporary Bride dropped the ball in my opinion.

What it's About: Tashi is a woman on the run. She's been sent to Granite Falls by a mysterious FBI agent who saved her life. She was to meet up with a man whose name started with an "A." She only heard the beginning of the name, but she knows he is to help and protect her by making her his "temporary bride," at least until the agent can find her again. She was to trust no one. She happens to "bump" into Adam Andreas one day. Adam is cousin to the completely delicious Massimo (yummy) Andretti from The Playboy's Fugitive Bride. Adam is a sexy hunk-o-man and since he

Taken by Koko Brown

I want to start off by saying that the cover of Taken is one of my favorite covers of the year. It is striking in the intensity of the model's stare and clearly it's not a cover that has launched a thousand previous books.This guy just seems to stare through you (even though he's a bit heavy on the smudgy eyeliner) and dares you to pass up on the opportunity to read his story inside. With that cover and a fair idea of what the book was about, I was pretty certain I was in for a fantastic few hours of reading. I mean, this had all of the makings of a book that I should have loved. A story set in the early 1900s. African-American siblings who were not destitute, but educated and successful. A heroine who's a nurse in 1908, and a foreign hero, arrogant and unwilling to take no for an answer. Strong and plucky, our heroine is someone who would keep our hero on his toes and make him work for her affections. Add in a journey to Africa and rich, descriptive writing - well, just gimme a comfy spot, a glass of wine and don't interrupt me I'm reading. Sigh. Unfortunately, Taken didn't earn the five star rating that I would like to give it.

Ensnared by Charisma Knight

Ensnared is an interracial (is it interracial if the hero is an alien? Technically he wouldn't be defined by something like human race, but I digress...) sci-fi/paranormal romance. The heroine of the story is a woman named Charlie Marine who is from Earth and who also has some psychic abilities. The hero is an alien, a shifter dragon, named Rhyker. At the beginning of the story we learn that the people of Rhyker's planet have more or less been wiped out during a war with Earth. The surviving males of his race remain with another alien race with whom they've allied. A few of the shifters go to earth. Years in the future we meet Charlie who is headed on a vacation to Mars despite the protest of her sister who is worried because of the disappearance of human women. Even their other sister has disappeared. Undeterred Charlie moves forward with her vacation plans and soon finds herself kidnapped and taken to the alien planet where she is given to Rhyker. Rhyker wants her but won't force her, she is determined to resist. The two soon discover that things aren't exactly what they seem and danger and frightening betrayals reveal themselves. I give Ensnared

Talk Sweetly to Me by Courtney Milan

Talk Sweetly to Me is the story of a womanizing journalist named Stephen and his mathematical genus neighbor Rose. When I say Rose is a genius, I mean exactly that. She works as a human computer for her boss and has a love of astronomy during a time when it is still very much a man's world. Oh, and did I mention that she is also a black woman living in 1882? Stephen is a typical rake, who loves women and they love him back. He's attracted to Rose, her intelligence and sweet demeanor. In his efforts to seduce her, Stephen manages to get Rose to act as a tutor (with a clueless chaperon in tow of course). Stephen is Irish Catholic and he a white man, which adds to her hesitancy regarding interaction between them considering the time period that they live in.

What Grows in the Garden by Stacy-Deanne

What Grows in the Garden is a sweet, but short (around 34 pages when read using my Nook), story. Elle is a widow with a son and a daughter. She lives in a small town named Sunset where she's lived all of her life. Growing up she was in love with a boy named Harper. They were each other's first loves and first lovers. Harper didn't see a future in Sunset so he left for Germany and, in doing so, he also left Elle behind. In Germany he carves out a good life with a great job that he loves and where he makes good money. Although he still has feelings for Elle, the money and his life in Germany are more important and it is the life that he chooses. In the meantime, Elle has married another friend from her childhood who also happened to be Harper's best friend. Over the years, on the occasions that Harper visits Sunset he's become a default uncle to her kids and remains a part of their lives. But those visits are few and far between, and he hasn't always come back to see the people he left behind even when he should or when they've needed him the most. When Harper shows up in Elle's garden, he's back with a purpose. He wants a second chance. The question is why, and is Elle willing to give him what he wants?

Beyond Solitude by Kit Rocha

Beyond Solitude is an erotic romance and part of the Beyond Series by authors Kit Rocha. The story takes place in a dystopian future years after an event called the Flare. This

Kristar by D. Renee Bagby

I fully appreciate authors who aren't afraid to step outside of the box and create stories and worlds that are a bit unique. There are so many romance novels out there that are