Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Secrets of the Knight Review




Reviewer: Deniz

"Several years ago life forced Thomas (Bo) Bowden to give up everything, including the woman he loves, and take refuge on a Caribbean island. Little did he know, he was taking the first step to fulfilling his mystical destiny.

Nicole Balian has come to the small island of Trenado to find a missing teenager. She's shocked to the core to find her former lover instead. And the attraction between her and Bo is as strong as ever.

Working together to solve the unexplained disappearances plaguing the island, they find themselves in a frightening world of voodoo and magic. Trenado's history is shrouded in supernatural mystery. The danger they face serves to reignite their love. But as Bo fights an ancient evil that haunts the island, will Nicole be able to save the man she loves? Or will she lose him once again, this time forever?"


A breathless adventure in a steamy island setting. Two long lost lovers, reunited - what could go wrong?

Singer's story is full of tension, and the reader is kept in suspense over Bo's past choices and current secrets. Though the intensity lags a bit during some of Nicole's lengthier interludes of internal debate, once she sets out on her investigations, the reader is firmly in her corner, especially after discovering what really happened between her and Bo all those years ago.

One aspect of their relationship that disturbed me was Nicole's admission that she hadn't been with any other men since Bo left - yet Bo has had a number of island flings. I'd have liked the heroine to at least have made some effort to move on. Even though, of course, I was rooting for her and Bo to come together the entire time. You can tell they're made for each other; he doesn't even care about the changes and mysteries in his life until Nicole arrives on the island and starts asking questions.

If you haven't picked up your beach reads for this summer yet, start with this one!


Lady of the Drake Review




Reviewer:  JoAnn

Lana is a healer and midwife in Eddleton, a small village near the Ashen Forest, which is supposedly defended by dragons. A plague is killing people throughout the entire kingdom and Lana has discovered a plant that could be the difference between life and death. While hunting for dragon bane she meets a handsome stranger – and the attraction is mutual. Alaron shows her an herbal concoction that will cure the plague but she cannot tell anyone about her or where she learned about the medicine. Several secretive and passionate meetings later, she decides it’s time to be Alaron’s mate and leave her former life behind.
This is a seriously steamy book. There are couplings of twosomes, threesomes, foursomes, voyeurism, a little bondage, and even a little dragon sex. The intimate acts were described quite nicely and yet I would have enjoyed the book without them. The storyline was terrific and would have be successful without the erotica.
I love happy endings and I was not disappointed with the way this book ended. I would love to read more about Lana and Alaron’s adventures.





The Night Lamp Review


Reviewer:  Deniz


“Military confidant Cole McKnight will do anything to reclaim his home, even run bounties for an unprincipled bondsman. When Isa Foster becomes his latest assignment, Cole jeopardizes more than his property to bring her in.
Isa Foster has a bounty on her head and a dead friend at her feet. Accused of the murder, she must rely on her espionage training and wits to clear her name. Cole McKnight is one distraction she can’t afford.
With George Washington's impending inauguration and the birth of a nation hanging in the balance, Isa and Cole must work together to uncover the truth behind the murder. While Cole fights for his family home, and Isa for her very survival, their biggest battle may be fighting their attraction for each other.”

If you don’t count Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, I’ve read very few stories set in the time of the Revolutionary War. I think this was my first Revolutionary War romance! I can think of no better introduction to the era than Cole and Isa’s adventures. Though the politics were slightly confusing, speaking as a Canadian who’s studied European history more than American, the hero and heroine spring to life from the first page.

I loved the ongoing sparring between Cole and Isa – from the verbal battles (“should I anticipate sore ribs every time I meet up with you?”) to their foot fights under the dinner table. Spradling does very well when writing those scenes where the couple almost kiss, almost admit their feelings for each other, but then are interrupted or stop short of revealing the depths of their emotions. If it wasn’t a romance, I’d hope to see more of Cole and Isa!

A titbit! This book has a connection to another wonderful romance author – Kristen Callihan, whose debut, Firelight, was published in February. Callihan and Spradling are both members of the Compuserve Books and Writers Community, and the town of Callihan in The Night Lamp is named after Kristen!