Author: Kasey Briggs

Highlander’s Hope by Mariah Stone

Called by a Highlander Series, book 2

Highlander’s Hope features ex-marine Konnor and Marjorie, now temporarily in charge of the castle while her father and brothers are fighting with Robert the Bruce. Both Konnor and Marjorie have experienced trauma and violence in their pasts and they believe they are too damaged to find love. An injured Konnor is sent to the past by Sineag. Marjorie finds him and takes him back to her castle for shelter and healing.

Marjorie has a big problem. While she was hunting, she heard some men talking in the woods about the castle’s weaknesses, which they plan to report to their commander. Now the untried Marjorie must prepare the castle for an attack by the clan’s enemies.

Konnor is surprised by his attraction to Marjorie but tells himself he can’t pursue it. However, after thwarting a kidnap attempt on Marjorie’s son, Colin, he knows he can’t leave until Marjorie and Colin are safe.

Can Konnor and Marjorie get beyond their old wounds and find the courage to try to love? And can they defend themselves from the enemies that outnumber them?

I really enjoyed this book. Watching Konnor and Marjorie balancing fear and attraction was very moving and entertaining. Both know this relationship will probably be temporary, and it takes a lot of courage to take the risks needed.

I look forward to other books in this series. Each story stands alone, but is in the same world.

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Lavender and Cinnamon Book 1: Hexes and Kisses from Seattle By Monica La Porta

Hexes and Kisses from Seattle was a delight to read. Aubrey is having a very bad day. Yesterday she received a summons to a meeting with her landlord. Stress caused her to spend most of the night baking. That’s good for her shop but bad for her attitude. When he’s late for the meeting her patience has reached it’s end. She walks in his office and…(that’s for you to read). When she finds out he plans to evict her in a month and breaks his desk. She fixes the damage but then he’s kissing her and claiming that he’s been looking for her for ages.

Aubrey is a witch who tries to follow the rules and keep magic secret, but it’s hard when a day is so challenging. The landlord turns out to be a hot dragons shifter and they are cursed to be tethered together. Reeling from this discovery, there’s more news. Andrew forgot to mention he’s engaged.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Aubrey tells the story with a lot of snark . It’s a fun read, but there’s a cliff-hanger at the end.

I look forward to reading more of this series. The next two books are already out.

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Scars of the Duke, by Deborah Wilson

Selena was pregnant and ruined. Abandoned by her duke, she fled the city. Before Duke Marley Bing could recover from the shock she was gone and he was kidnapped and held captive for years. When he returned nobody would tell him where Selena was. Although he longed to do right by his love and his child, he couldn’t find them until his well-meaning brother laid a trap and she was caught.

Now all Marley has to do is get Selena to forgive him. For everything. Selena doesn’t want to hear his excuses, and she certainly doesn’t want to forgive him. Can Marley gain her forgiveness and win back her trust, or will he lose the only woman he has ever loved?

This was a great book. The secrets and the depth of history this couple had before the kidnapping gives them a deep backstory. The tragic coincidences that kept them apart at crucial times make for a heart-wrenching storyline, but the love behind it all gives one hope for a happy ending or should I say a happier beginning to the next chapter of their lives. I love this series and can’t wait for the next book.

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The Bears of Valor Lake Box Set

The Bears of Valor Lake Box Set is worth notice. Each book covers a different family/clan of bear shifters who live around Valor Lake. The clans don’t agree on much. Managing resources, distributing wealth, and above all, keeping the secrets of the shifters are a constant source of problems between the clans. Then you have the exiles who don’t want to live by the rules but are forced to stay in the area. All in all it has the ingredients for a rich world full of conflict and romance.

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The Highlander’s Promise by Anne Morrison

Nicholas is an English Knight. Recently ransomed from a prison is France, he returns to his lands to find them in the hands of a stranger and there’s no sign of his sister Agatha or his niece Catherine. Fearing Catherine might have been taken north, he heads into the border lands after her.

Ava is a Scotswoman who lives by her own rules, dressed as a boy, she’s been raiding cattle and traveling the country since she was a child. She’s in a spot of trouble with some villagers who are determined to burn her as a witch when she’s rescued by a lost and confused Nicholas.

It quickly becomes apparent that Nicholas needs some rescuing himself. Feverish from an infected wound, he barely makes it through the rescue before collapsing.

When he recovers, Ava agrees to help him travel north and look for his niece. They have some hope of finding her because of a birthmark on her foot. This is fortunate given the number of orphans and foundlings caused by the recent wars.

This was a very interesting and enjoyable book and I highly recommend it. The dialogue is quick and witty, sometimes funny, sometimes painful. The plot is intricate and refers to other books in the series in a intriguing arc.   The book is part of the Highlands Warring series but each book is completely readable as a standalone.

I received an advance copy from the author. My opinions, as always, are my own and are freely given.

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The Marriage of Time, by Mariah Stone

In The Marriage of Time, by Mariah Stone, Mia is a modern woman in need of a rescue, and in a hurry. Her ex boyfriend/mafia boss just found out she is pregnant and is dragging her back to his lair. Help can come from strange places and in strange ways. After a brief interaction with an old woman, she finds herself outside a Viking village, threatened by a bear, an grabbed by a Viking as he thunders by on horseback. Shocking, but she an her baby seem to be safe, for now.

Hakon “The Beast” believes he is cursed. He has been told so since he was born. After a defeat in battle, he agrees to meet a daughter of the king the next summer in the secret grove and then to marry her. This happens to be the very day Mia arrives after touching a golden spindle.

Both Mia and Hakon have bad histories, trust issues and secrets of their own. Do they have it in them to look for the happy ending neither believes they can have?

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was varied with a lot of surprises and a complicated arc that kept my interest. The dialog is engaging and the mythology seems to be well-researched. I recommend this book. It is book 3 in the called by a Viking series. I’ll be checking the rest of the series out soon.

I received an advance copy of this book. My opinions are, as always, my own and freely given.

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Mated to the Pack by Jade Alters

Mated to the Pack is a reverse-harem romance book.   Each book in the series is stand-alone.

 

Vivian is in the first semester of her graduate program in Archaeology when she is chosen to assist on a dig in Columbia.  Unfortunately, the dig director runs into problems with the cartel and Vivian is rescued by mercenaries and sent out of the country.  With nowhere to go, she heads to the home of her recently deceased grandmother.

When the mercenaries rescue the dig director they find out that he hid valuable documents in Vivian’s bag, so they follow to protect her from the cartel.  The mercenaries are actually a pack of wolf-shifters with military backgrounds.

Shorly after arriving home, Vivian meets four strapping guys that answer her advertisement of rooms to rent in exchange for some help fixing up the house.  Vivian thinks she must be going crazy.  She’s attracted to all four guys. Meanwhile, each of the guy’s are hearing their wolves say “Mate!”

I enjoyed this book.  despite all the excitement of the cartel and the tensions over who, if anyone can claim Vivian, there is a sweet romantic feeling to the story.  Each character is given a backstory and feels complete.

I read a review copy of the book.  My opinions, as always are my own.

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Death Cult, by Declan Finn

This is book 2 in the Saint Tommy, NYPD Series

Poor Tommy! And even more poor wife, son, and neighbors.  Tommy barely has time to recover from the incidents in book 1 when the action starts again, and it just keeps coming.

Tommy and his family are just settling in to their new house when they are attacked.  The intruders are marked with the sign of a demon, indicating that the cult from book 1 is back and now he’s their target.

This story takes place over a just a few days and the action is fast and furious.  As Tommy and his partner try to find out who is behind the attacks, they meet enemies new and old and some surprising allies.

I really enjoyed the book.  The dialogue is witty with plenty of snap and sarcasm.  The mystery is detailed and intriguing.  The story is the kind you just can’t put down and you won’t want to.

I received a review copy of this book.  My opinions, as always, are my own.

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God of the Sun, by Kimberly Loth

As I have become more ‘mature’ I have a mixed relationship with young adult fiction.  I tend to get impatient with the heroines when they are selfish, indecisive, or flighty.  It isn’t about the writing, I understand teens can be that way, but I prefer strong heroines.

So, when I realized that The God of the Sun’s heroine, Zwaantie, was one of those teenagers, I knew I was in for a challenging read.  I wanted to like her, but she drove me crazy.

Despite that, I really enjoyed the book.  The world-building is impressive and the story line keeps you guessing what will happen next.  This is the first book in the series and the book ends with a dramatic cliff-hanger that leaves you wanting more.

The world is divided between the kingdoms of Sol and Stella.  In Sol there is abundant sunshine and across the wall in Stella there is none.  Zwaantie is the heir to the throne of Sol and her parents are ready for her to settle down, marry and take over the kingdom.  Zwaantie doesn’t want any of those things and she particularly doesn’t want to be queen–something she must keep a deep secret even from her close friends, her slave

 

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Rekindling Christmas by Rebekah Ganiere

No sooner had Jesse set foot in his old college town than her ran into the reason for his return.  Annika and Jesse had been engaged when he got an offer from the NFL.  Jesse left town to pursue his football dreams and Annika finished her degree and went on to teach at the same college.  Fifteen years later, Jesse is retired from football and realizes what he missed out on: the family he always wanted with Anna.

Anna resists his advances. She’s been hurt badly by Jesse’s departure and by other men.  If Jesse wants to win her back, he’s got a long road ahead of him.  Fortunately he has some allies:  Anna’s son T. J and a little blond girl who keeps popping up with advice.

This book Rebekah Ganiere’s first contemporary romance.  She does a great job.  The characters are deep and the conversation is snappy.  An enjoyable read.

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