Loving the Earl by Sharon Cullen- Secret & Seduction #2

Having vowed never to wed again, widowed viscountess Claire Hartford is about to do the unthinkable: travel unaccompanied across the continent in search of a lover. Her adventure begins sooner than expected, when she meets a magnificent cloaked stranger on her ship’s gangplank. He is Lord Blythe, a man whispered about in London’s ballrooms and drawing rooms, a scandalous rogue hell-bent on seduction.

Nathan Ferguson curses the day he agreed to look out for his best friend’s wayward sister. The charismatic earl is traveling to Paris to uncover the truth behind his father’s death, but his desire for Claire threatens to be his undoing. From France to Italy, on a journey of passionate discovery and danger, Nathan is honor-bound to protect her—from himself most of all. What can he offer Claire? Only love, as he sets out to prove to the woman of his dreams that she belongs to him—body, heart, and soul.

Loving the Earl is a book that I liked a lot,

Claire is perhaps a bit naive and inexperienced, with regard to aspects of life in the real world, while  she's traveling, but shows courage and stubbornness to follow her dream, her desire for freedom drives her to take the reins of her life and live an adventure that can help her to erase the memories of a terrible past, lived with a husband who abused her both physically and psychologically. Widowed no longer wants to live a life with limitations and restrictions imposed by others.

Nathan is an earl, but his reputation has been irreparably compromised, when in youth he had to save his family's finances with his luck and skills in gambling and playing cards, and he choosed to continued to built his fortune with it.

He promised to Claire's brother to keep an eye on her and make sure she gets safe in France, but he did not reckon with the stubbornness of women and her ability to get into trouble.

I found often funny the dialogues and situations in which are involved the two.

I loved Nathan especially for his ability to "read" Claire, understand that she's hiding something  that hurt her under the appearances and he care so much for her to discover the truth.

A beautiful book, the second in the series Secret & Seduction, but that you can read quietly as one-shot to enjoy the adventure of Nathan and Claire.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Loveswept for the book.

RATING: 5 stelle

TITTLE: Loving the Earl

AUTHOR: Sharon Cullen

SERIEs: Secret & Seduction # 2

PUBLISHER: Random House Publishing Group- Loveswept 

Loving the Earl è un libro che mi è piaciuto tantissimo,

Claire è forse un po' ingenua e inesperta, per quanto riguarda gli aspetti della vita del mondo reale mentre viaggia, ma dimostra coraggio e testardaggine per seguire il suo sogno, il suo desiderio di libertà la spinge a affrontare un'avventura che la possa aiutare a cancellare i ricordi di un passato orribile, vissuto insieme a un marito che abusava di lei sia fisicamente che psicologicamente. Rimasta vedova non vuole più vivere una vita con limiti e restrizioni imposte da altri.

Nathan è di origini nobili, ma la sua reputazione è stata irrimediabilmente compromessa da giovane, quando per salvare le finanze della famiglia è riuscito a salvare baracca e burattini grazie alla sua fortuna e abilità nel giocare a carte, e ha continuato la sua fortuna gestendo case da gioco.

Ha promesso al fratello di Claire di tenerla d'occhio e assicurarsi che arrivi sana e salva in Francia, ma non ha fatto i conti con la testardaggine della donna e la sua capacità di mettersi nei guai.

Una storia con una bella trama, raccontata con un ritmo che non lascia spazio alla noia mentre si legge e i dialoghi e le situazioni in cui si ritrovano coinvolti i due sono spesso divertenti.

Di Nathan mi è piaciuto soprattutto la sua capacità di "leggere" Claire, capire che nasconde qualcosa sotto le apparenze e tenga così tanto a lei da insistere per scoprire la verità.

Un bel libro, secondo della serie Secret & Seduction, ma che si può leggere tranquillamente come autoconclusivo per godersi l'avventura di Nathan e Claire.

Ringrazio Netgalley e la Random House Publishing Group- Loveswept  per il libro.

VOTO: 5 stelle

TITOLO: Loving the Earl

AUTRICE: Sharon Cullen

SERIE: Secret & Seduction # 2

EDITORE: Random House Publishing Group- Loveswept 

The Vampire Hunter by Michele Hauf- In the Company of Vampires #2

A vampire hunter finds himself powerless to resist a bewitching stranger's dangerous magic in Michele Hauf's latest romance 

In all his years of battling the undead, Kaz has never seen bloodlust like this. And as a Knight of the Stake, it's up to him to find out who's responsible for the mayhem sweeping the streets of Paris and put a stop to it. Kaz's task becomes infinitely more complicated when a very attractive witch wants to help. 

With her quirky charm and irresistibly kissable lips, Zoë just feels right to Kaz, the way no mortal woman ever has before. But as a sworn enemy of the supernatural, can he really trust a witch? Especially one with dangerous secrets of her own? 

Cute this second book In the Company of Vampires series by Michele Hauf, although I must say I didn't literally go crazy with it.

Maybe because there aren't big news in this world with paranormal creatures: vampires, witches, fairy anything but nice and humans, among which there is Kaz the protagonist who is a vampire hunter, he belongs to an Order dedicated to protecting humans.

Zoe is a witch, with the best intentions of this world, cute, an sweet, a real "natural" sexy enchantress, and without any spells, Kaz is irresistibly attracted by this woman. It is not just physical attraction between the two of them but perhaps the fact of not having to hide his dark side pushing Kaz to Zoe, who can understand the reality to which he belongs, since she also lives her life knowing about paranormal creatures.

I liked both of them, but for me wasn't a love "at first read", I began to appreciate them in the long run. Perhaps it contributed to make me less excited about reading the book that I already understood from the beginning what's going on from the start of their story. Then I missed a bit of pathos in following the events of their adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the book.

RATING: 2.5 stars

TITLE: The Vampire Hunter

AUTHOR: Michele Hauf

SERIES: In the Company of Vampires # 2

PUBLISHER: Harlequin

Carino questo secondo libro della serie In the Company of Vampires di Michele Hauf, anche se devo dire non mi ha fatto letteralmente impazzire.

Sarà che non ci sono grosse novità in questa sua realtà paranormal: vampiri, streghe, fairy tutt'altro che carini e gentili e umani, tra i quali c'è Kaz il protagonista che è un cacciatore di vampiri, appartenente a un Ordine che si dedica a proteggere gli umani.

Zoe è invece una strega, con le migliori intenzioni di questo mondo, carina, gentile, sezy, una vera ammaliatrice "naturale", e senza che lei debba fare nessun incantesimo, Kaz è attratto irresistibilmente da questa donna. Non è solo attrazione fisica tra i due, ma forse il fatto di non dover nascondere il suo lato oscuro spinge Kaz verso Zoe, che può riuscire a comprendere la realtà di cui fa parte, visto che anche lei vive la sua vita tra creature paranormali.

Mi sono piaciuti entrambi, ma non è scoccato nei loro confronti un amore a prima vista, diciamo che ho cominciato ad apprezzarli alla lunga. Ha, forse, contribuito, a rendermi meno entusiasta nella lettura del libro il fatto che già avevo capito dall'inizio dove si sarebbe andati a parare con la loro storia. Quindi mi è mancata un po' di pathos nel seguire gli eventi della loro avventura.

Ringrazio Netgalley e la hHarlequin per il libro.

VOTO: 2.5 stelle

TITOLO: The Vampire Hunter

AUTRICE: Michele Hauf

SERIE: In the Company of Vampires #2

EDITORE: Harlequin

Rock Hard by Nalini Singh

La mia recensione in italiano del libro la trovate pubblicata sul sito di Romanticamente Fantasy Sito

http://www.romanticamentefantasy.it/anteprima-recensione-per-gli-inediti-italia-rock-hard-di-nalini-singh-rock-kiss-2/

"Rock Hard" is a little different from the two previous books, in the new contemporary romance series "Rock Kiss".

Neither of the two main characters is a member of the rock band, but Charlotte is Molly's best friend that we met in "Rock Addiction", first book of the series. Her presence in that book, though short, had left its mark and I was hoping so much that it was given a bit of space, to Charlie and her T-Rex, or Gabriel her despot boss. From there the nickname Charlie kindly give it to him when she speaks of the man with Molly.

T-Rex is really ok for him as nickname and I am in love with this couple and their history.

Charlotte is a girl who does everything to blend into the environment, rather than give into the eye and she doesn’t want to attract the attention of others, especially of men, I think she would arrive at the point of dressing up with the wallpaper if it were possible. It’s not just plain shyness, but the result of a bad experience in the past that has left indelible marks in her life. She has to come to terms with her fears and her panic attacks, by approaching them boldly from day to day, to try to live a life as normal as possible, but Gabriel has no intention to let her hide like a scared mouse. He saw the glimpses of a different woman behind the facade that Charlotte shows to everyone, and he is intrigued and decided to come into the open, because he wants that woman at his side, although his instinct makes him understand immediately that the source of the girl's behavior is due not only to her character, but is tied to something bad that happened in the past.

It was the perseverance and stubbornness of Gabriel that conquered me, the great attention he shows to Charlotte, the way he teases her, how he puts her under pressure to pull out her claws at him, and show that underneath the surface there is a determined and intelligent woman, a survivor who can handle a bad-tempered and dominant T-Rex, putting him back in his place.

Charlie is adorable, and despite all her problems is really tough, a person who has been the rock that helped Molly to endure her terrible and painful adolescence. Charlotte is a true fighter, willing to expose herself to defend those she loves.

Gabriel is the only one that manages to make lose her control, her apparent calm, a weapon that she has always helped to face her fears and manage them. She can’t think too much and to filter her reactions and emotions with Gabriel and she reacts impulsively.

I enjoyed a lot reading their verbal clashes and another thing that I liked a lot in Gabriel is that he doesn’t shelter Charlotte under a bell jar, for fear of scare her because of his "physicality" and the attraction he feels for her, and certainly a former rugby player in the "physicality" thing does not fail. He’s willing to give her all the time she needs, but he is deeply convinced that she can handle herself and the strong physical attraction they feel for each other and then, however, and he teases her in all the way.This is important for Charlotte: being treated like a woman, to feel emotions so strong and intense that push her to face her fears.

In their story it isn’t all roses and flowers, sometimes they make one step forward and two back, but it's a wonderful love story, so beautiful, as she only Nalini Singh knows how to write, creating characters so wonderful.

The parts of the book that I preferred were those in which Gabriel and Charlotte joined his family playing rugby "in the family", these are scenes full of magic, where the author gives her best, funny moments, sometimes full of tenderness and while I was reading it I felt a great desire of belonging.

Needless to say that T-Rex is my "new book-boyfriend"!

Thanks to Netgalley and TKA Distribution for the book

RATING: 4 stars

TITLE: Rock Hard

AUTHOR: Nalini Singh

SERIES: Rock Kiss#2

 

Demonic Dora- The Demon Diaries by Claire Chilton

She's finally managed to summon her first demon...

Dora Carridine is trying to summon a demon, but she's not very good at Latin and nothing ever works out the way she plans.

Her life is fraught with weekly exorcisms and having to watch her father’s fire and brimstone TV show every Sunday. So, when Dora finally succeeds in summoning an incompetent demon lord, she’s absolutely delighted when all hell breaks loose.

She thought summoning a sexy demon lord would be the answer to all of her problems, but her problems are only just beginning when her zealot parents try to burn her at the stake, and Dora is left with only one option—to escape and follow her demon straight into Hell.

Very cute and funny this book, that I just need something like this to detach a little from my usual readings that perhaps begin to be a little too repetitive.

First of all is a young-adult, but so unique in its kind of way, which was a real surprise.

Claire Chilton wrote a horror-comedy, very pretty in which Dora find herself involved in paradoxical situations and surreal, but very hilarous, as are the exchanges of ideas between Dora, wanna-be witch and her parents, twov very religious believers, fanatics who have repeatedly subjected her to attempted exorcisms. Priceless irony and sarcasm in Dora's responses to her two "oldest".

By mistake in one of her attempts to perform a spell, finally she manages to summon a demon and from there begins her adventure in hell, In the true sense of the word, since see's forced to flee from home and accept the protection of "her" demon, which more or less is a teenager too,so to speak.

Cute, funny and unusual, the pages are literally flew away, and even if the comparison is not quite correct, it reminded me a bit of some dynamics in the Addams Family, which I have always adored.

I can't wait to continue the series, saw that Demonic Cora ends with a cliffhanger.

Thannks to Netgalley and Ragz Books for the book.

RATING: 4 Stars

TITLE: Demonic Dora
AUTHOR: Claire Chilton
SERIES: The Demon Diaries #1
PUBLISHER: Ragz Books








Molto carino e divertente questo libro, che mi ci voleva proprio per staccare un po' dalle mie solite letture che forse cominciano a essere un po' troppo ripetitive.
Prima di tutto è uno young-adult, ma così unico nel suo genere, che è stata una vera sorpresa.
Claire Chilton ha scritto una horror-comedy, molto carina nella quale Dora si trova di fronte a situazioni paradossali e surreali, ma molto divertenti, così come sono gli scambi di idee tra Dora, aspirante strega e i suoi genitori, fanatici credenti religiosi, che l'hanno ripetutamente sottoposta a tentati esorcismi. Impagabile l'ironia e il sarcasmo nelle risposte di Dora ai suoi due "vecchi".
Per errore in uno dei suoi tentativi di realizzare un incantesimo, finalmente riesce a invocare un demone e da lì comincia la sua avventura all'inferno, nel vero senso della parola, visto che si vede costretta a fuggire di casa e ad accettare la protezione del "suo" demone, che più o meno è un suo coetaneo, per così dire.
Carino, insolito e divertente, le pagine sono letteralmente volate via, e anche se il paragone non è proprio corretto, mi ricordava un po' alcune dinamiche presenti nella Famiglia Addams, che io ho sempre adorato.
non vedo l'ora di continuare la serie, visto che Demonic Cora termina con un piccolo cliffhanger.
Ringrazio Netgalley e la Ragz Books per il libro.


VOTO: 4 Stelle


TITOLO: Demonic Dora
AUTRICE: Claire Chilton
SERIE: The Demon Diaries #1
EDITORE: Ragz Books

Built 4 it by Daisy Harris

EBook three in the Love-Bots series.When a riot erupts in Built4’s stein-building lab, the alpha stein Kee drags a submissive young lab assistant into his cage. Kee’s been studying the human. Ben’s sad eyes and slender form call to Kee—urging him to equal parts lust and possessiveness.Prisoner to the alpha, Ben surrenders to the stein’s fierce determination and gentle seductions. He’s long hated his job, feeling like a monster for following his boss’s orders, especially once he’s seen intelligence flickering in the alpha’s green eyes.If Kee’s to escape, he needs Ben’s help to learn about the world outside the laboratory—a world full of people, sex and experiences Kee’s only beginning to discover. And guilt-ridden over the things he’s done, Ben can only forgive himself if the alpha forgives his sins first.

It was a bit strange reading this short-novel Sci-Fi and M/M where the protagonists are a human laboratory technician and an undead created in the lab to do testing.

In my imagination the zombies are those of Romero's film and then I find myself reading a story that has one them for the protagonist, who falls in love and feels attraction for another person, it was a little unusual.

The story has all the limitations that you may have because of its brevity, but it's a cute story, very hot, but also very sweet.

Kee, the stein (or zombies) is the dominant alpha among the creatures trapped in the lab. He is physically and sexually attracted to Ben, and his ways are sometimes a little "barbarians", but he feels aso a big protective instinct toward the man. It's one of the traits that I appreciated most in him, along with his intelligence and ability to learn and adapt in order to survive.

Ben has some conflicting feelings towards Kee: fear, curiosity, attraction. His work forces him to horrible actions and he must deal with his conscience

This is the third book in the Love-Bots series, but you can also read it individually, by focusing on the protagonists of the story.

Thank to Netgalley and Ellora's Cave for the book.

RATING: 3.5 stars

TITLE: Built 4 it

AUTHOR: Daisy Harris

SERIES: Love-Bots # 3

PUBLISHER: Ellora's Cave

È stato un po' strano leggere questa short-novel sci-fi e M/M dove i protagonisti sono un tecnico di laboratorio umano e una creatura non morta creata nel laboratorio per fare sperimentazione.

Nella mia immaginazione gli zombie sono quelli dei film di Romero e quindi ritrovarmi a leggere una storia che ne ha uno per protagonista, che si innamora e prova attrazione per un altra persona è stato un po' insolito.

Il racconto ha tutti i limiti che si possono avere a causa della sua brevità, ma è una storia carina, molto hot, ma al tempo stesso molto dolce.

Kee, lo stein (o zombie) è la creatura alpha dominante nel gruppo di creature imprigionate nel laboratorio. È attratto fisicamente e sessualmente da Ben, e per quanto i suoi modi a volte siano un po' "barbari", prova anche un grosso istinto protettivo verso l'uomo. È uno dei tratti che ho apprezzato di più in lui, insieme alla sua intelligenza e capacità di imparare e adattarsi per sopravvivere.

Ben prova dei sentimenti un po' contrastanti nei confronti di Kee: paura, attrazione, curiosità. Il suo lavoro lo obbliga a compiere azioni orribili e deve fare i conti con la sua coscienza.

È il terzo libro nella Love-Bots serie, ma si può leggere anche individualmente, concentrandosi sui protagonisti del racconto.

Ringrazio Netgalley e la Ellora's Cave per il libro.

VOTO: 3.5 stelle

TITOLO: Built 4 it

AUTRICE: Daisy Harris

SERIE: Love-Bots #3

EDITORE: Ellora's Cave

The Lost Wolf's Destiny by Karen Whiddon -The Pack #14

A desperate mother. A scarred man. A powerful bond…

The moment he saw Blythe Daphne on the television news, Lucas Kenyon knew three things: she was a shapeshifter, like him. She was the most desirable creature he had ever seen. And she was in terrible danger.

Now, the wolf in Lucas is driving him to save Blythe and her young daughter from a man he knows is evil personified. A man who believes all shapeshifters are demons straight from hell. But Lucas knows he must never reveal the secret that threatens to tear him apart—not even to the one woman who could heal him.

To tell you the truth, I was not particularly impressed by the story and the characters in this book, but if I had to say why I don't really know.

The book is written in a smooth way, the plot is different from the usual books about werewolves, but anyway I didn't feel involved from the story while I was reading it.

Lucas is the son of a wealthy and influential man, a preacher who has created his own sect, and tortured for years his son due to his nature as a werewolf. Aside from the twin sister, the boy has never had contact with other creatures like him, has never been part of a pack and after escaping from imprisonment he did everything to live safe life, hiding from the man who has ruined his past. More than anything he survived. But seeing that his history is about to repeat itself at the expense of another  innocent woman, unaware of the danger, Lucas decides that it is time to face his enemy.

Blythe on the contrary has lived in apack, used to have contact with others of her species and she only hope to be able to heal her sick daughter, seeking any kind of help and solution, even that of a preacher, not knowing what the man is hidind.

Lucas and Blythe feel attracted from each other from the start, but they have a more important mission to accomplish, save Blythe's daughter  from the hands of Lucas' father.

The book is part of the series "The Pack", but the story is so centered on two characters and can also be read for itself.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the book.

RATING: 2 stars

TITLE: The Lost Wolf's Destiny

AUTHOR: Karen Whiddon

SERIES: The Pack #14

PUBLISHER: Harlequin

A dover dire la verità non sono rimasta particolarmente colpita dalla storia e dai personaggi di questo libro, ma se dovessi dire per quale motivo non lo so nemmeno io.

Il libro è scritto in modo abbastanza scorrevole, la trama differente dai soliti libri sui licantropi, ma comunque non mi sono sentita coinvolta dalla storia mentre la leggevo.

Lucas è il figlio di un uomo ricco e influente, una sorta di predicatore che ha creato una sua setta, e ha torturato per anni il figlio a causa della sua natura di licantropo. A parte la sorella gemella, l'uomo non ha mai avuto contatti con altre creature come lui, non ha mai fatto parte di un branco e dopo essere scappato dalla sua prigionia ha fatto di tutto per vivere al sicuro, nascondendosi dall'uomo che ha rovinato la sua vita. Più che altro è sopravvissuto. Ma vedendo che la storia sta per ripetersi ai danni di un'altra creatura innocente e ignara di quello che l'aspetta, Lucas decide che è ora di affrontare il suo nemico.

Blythe al contrario è vissuta in un branco, abituata ad avere contatti con altri della sua specie e solo la speranza di poter far guarire la figlia malata la spinge a cercare qualsiasi tipo di aiuto e soluzione, anche quella di un predicatore, non sapendo quello che l'uomo nasconde dietro la sua facciata.

Lucas e Blythe su sentono attratti subito l'uno dall'altra, ma hanno una missione più importante da portare a termine, salvare la figlia di Blythe dalle mani del padre di Lucas.

Il libro fa parte della serie "The Pack" di questa autrice, ma la storia essendo incentrata sui due protagonisti può anche essere letto a sé.

Ringrazio Netgalley e la Harlequin per il libro.

VOTO: 2 stelle

Nightmaster by Susan Krinard

Rumors of war are rumbling in the vampire city of Erebus. Undercover agent Trinity Ward must pose as a blood slave to unearth the truth and keep the peace between vampires and humans. Acting now as a serf to Ares--a powerful Bloodmaster--Trinity must give herself to him.. . . Yet one look into his striking eyes turns submission into burning desire. The fiery beauty has the same effect on Ares, but as their passion grows so do the risks. Now Trinity's betrayal could cost her the mission—and the man she loves.

I was a bit disappointed by this book.

I liked the setting and the care with which the author has created her vampires world and the laws governing their society, really intricate and important for all the Bloodmasters of Erebus.

Ares is no doubt fascinating as a character, but the way Trinity manages to do everything according to her plans with him was a bit disturbing for me. She comes as a slave and immediately became the favorite, and manages to affect Ares.

This is why I didn't feel all this whole great sympathy for her, even if she voluntarily offered to help Ares out of trouble, beccasse of her..

Perhaps giving too much space to explanations on laws to which they are subjected the Bloodmaster broke the rhythm of the book for me, making me less excited in going forward with the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the book.

RATING: 3 stars

TITLE: Nightmaster

AUTHOR: Susan Krinard

SERIES: Nightsider # 2

PUBLISHER: Harlequin

Sono rimasta un po' delusa da questo libro.

Mi è piaciuta molto l'ambientazione e la cura con la quale l'autrice ha creato i suoi vampiri e la leggi che regolano la loro società, veramente intricate e importanti per tutti i Bloodmaster di Erebus.

Ares è senza dubbio affascinante come personaggio, ma il modo in cui Trinity riesce a fare tutto secondo i suoi piani con lui è un po' disturbante per me. Arriva come schiava e diventa subito la favorita, e riesce a influenzare Ares.

Motivo per il quale non ho provato tutta questa gran simpatia per lei,anche se poi volontariamente si offre per aiutare Ares a uscire da guai in cui in primo luogo lo ha messo lei.

Forse il dare troppo spazio alle spiegazioni sulle leggi a cui sono sottoposti i Bloodmaster ha spezzato un po' il ritmo del libro, rendendomi meno entusiasta nell'andare avanti con la storia.

Ringrazio Netgalley e la Harlequin per il libro.

VOTO: 3 stelle

TITOLO: Nightmaster

AUTRICE: Susan Krinard

SERIE: Nightsider #2

EDITORE: Harlequin