Twice Upon a Time by Hope Irving *Review
Once upon a time, there was the wandering soul of Morgann, an 8th century Irish calligrapher-monk longing to be reunited with his soul mate. Deirdre was his forbidden love, a witch with whom he wrote a coveted book.
Under her spell, the souls of the star-crossed lovers travel from bodies to bodies until they find each other. Eventually.
That became his quest: unearth her new body and trigger her memory, for she is clueless about whom she once was. Unfortunately their story didn’t get a chance to become a fairy tale yet it still turned out as a famous urban legend referred as The Black Angel Book.
Twice upon a time, not so long ago, there was me, rational and devastated Rose. I needed to get a grip, said my French mum after my year of numbness due to a painful break-up that led me to cut my wrist daily, to feel something, anything.
So she sent me off to the free-spirited village of Provincetown, Massachusetts, to spend the summer with my American relatives. And just like that, I wasn’t myself any longer. Because someone pulled me out of the darkness and bewitched me, somehow.
I couldn’t wait to jump his bones… but why was he holding back?
He couldn’t wait to welcome me into his world… but was I ready to question my convictions and acknowledge that my self-inflicted cuts were now healing in record time?
How could I have imagined he was longing for his own unorthodox fairytale to come true? Frantically.
In the 8th century, an Irish monk/calligrapher named Morgann did the forbidden act of falling in love and going against his pledge of celibacy. But he didn’t just fall in love with any one. He fell in love with a witch. Deirdre, the witch in question, fell in love with Morgann too, and together they worked on a book of spells that was coveted by the very people who tried to kill them. But before their demise, Deirdre placed a curse on them that would allow their souls to travel across time, occupying different bodies in order to meet each other again one day. True soul mates. Now in the present time, Virgil, the host body for Morgann’s soul, remembers his past life and is in desperate need to find his soul mate so they can finish the book which their past selves couldn’t. But he is aware that the host for Deirdre may not remember her past with him, so he has to find her and push her into remembering or their love may be lost forever.
Rose, a Parisian college graduate comes to Provincetown, Massachusetts to visit her American family and to also get away from a very bad breakup. She had been depressed for a year, practically a zombie, and only found some sort of rush for life when she cut her wrist. Although vacationing with her favorite cousins and aunt seemed like fun, she was afraid that nothing would get her out of her funk. That is until she decided to take a calligraphy class and meet the very tall and awkwardly handsome Virgil. After spending time with him, a fire is ignited inside of her that she has never felt before, and her whole body desires him. She has no explanation for why she wants him so bad, but when Virgil feels the same way about her, he realizes that she must be his soul mate, the host body of Deirdre. Not wanting to rush things, Virgil decides to take things slow and gradually get to know Rose instead of forcing them together because of Morgann and Deirdre. But can he find the courage to tell Rose the truth about them? And if he does, will Rose stick around and believe him about why they are attracted to each other, or will she find the whole thing nuts?
Twice Upon A Time is a true roller coaster ride. Some parts exciting, some parts uncomfortable, but altogether a rush to read. I will say that it took me a while to get into the main plot of the story, because the first half or so is about Rose in Provincetown and then about Rose and Virgil meeting and getting to know each other. I’m not saying that it was necessarily a bad thing, but it kind of frustrated me to know that the real nitty-gritty stuff happened more than midway through. It made me wonder what took so long to get there. Maybe that’s just me since I’m the type of person who likes to know what’s going on before the halfway mark (well except if I’m reading a mystery/suspense/horror), especially in a book about soul mates that triggers romance. I don’t like waiting long before I know that the characters are going to be together. And I don’t like waiting long to find out that my characters are different than they appear (once again except in mystery/horror/suspense). I shouldn’t have to read more than half the book to find out that a character I once thought shy and awkward is actually a killer with a cause…in a plot I would consider a romance! Even though it was a nice and exciting twist that added more depth to the plot, it was a mind blow because there were no innuendos that led up to that crazy character development, and it was kind of just thrown at me. It made me sit up and read it over again, hoping I didn’t read the words wrong. But none of that turned me away from the book. There were a lot of surprises within the plot and between the characters that kept me on edge and made reading enjoyable. I give Twice Upon A Time 4 fangs! I recommend it to the romantics out there who believe in the power of love, reincarnation, and the existence of soul mates.
Reviewer for Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock!
Review: Fever Claim by Marie Johnston
![Fever Claim: A Wolf Shifter Romance (The Sigma Menace Book 1) by [Marie Johnston]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WAQntXS4L.jpg)
After being ditched only weeks before her wedding, Cassie Stackwell wasn’t out looking for a hookup. Then the devastatingly handsome bartender she’d been trying not to obsess over for months offered to give her a ride home. What could one night hurt?
When his future was almost taken away after one impulsive decision, wolf-shifter and ex-con Jace Miller waited patiently for months before making a move on the woman he knew to be his destined mate. But will one night of passion keep his little human by his side once she learns of his world and the danger it brings to her doorstep?
Enter a new world of loyal shifters and their bold mates!
*Re-edited second edition to decrease typo distractions and improve your reading experience.
Cassie is a headstrong psychologist who has had her share of struggles in her life. Those struggles have given her strenghth and led her to not put up with nonsense, question everything, have empathy and ultimately open herself up to things she never dreamed possible.
Jace is the hot bartender, so far out of her league that she has never thought to even attempt anything with him. So what happens when the hot bartender has the same outlook, that she is out of his league?
Now that we have that established, we can move into the story which is remarkable. I feel like with all the paranormal stories I have read, shifter and otherwise it is getting more and more difficult to find unique stories that can still leave you breathless. This one gives you mystery, all the angst and superb heat in the romance department. If you are looking for that next series to jump into that will take you by surprise, give this one a shot.
BUY HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QWHMB3Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Review: Ruthless King by Meghan March
![Ruthless King (The Anti-Heroes Collection Book 1) by [Meghan March]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51lm3DlU0tL.jpg)
Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with an alpha romance from New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.
New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.
*Ruthless King is book one of the Mount Trilogy*
About Meghan March
Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street
Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.
Review:
I took a hiatus recently due to COVID and not being able to find a book that really tripped my trigger. I am all over the hot alpha’s, dominance, romance and even a little manipulation. This author knocked it out of the park. This book is my first from this author and she has me hook, line and sinker. She surprised me at each corner with unexpected twists, kept up the category 5 volcanic eruption in the sex department, and made me develop a love hate relationship with the man. He is really ruthless but at the same time, when you know what you want, you really stop at nothing. I love the character and story development and cannot wait to see what is next in this series. high praises from Romance Authors that Rock!
Jack Jetstark’s Intergalactic Freakshow by Jenifer Lee Rossman
Jack Jetstark travels the universe to seek out the descendants of superpowered freaks created long ago by VesCorp scientists. The vibrations encoded in a particular song transform the members of Jack’s crew into a firebreather and an angel, a wildman and telepathic conjoined triplets, so they hide the truth of who they really are with the theatrics of a carnival.
The song plays every night through the receptor Jack carries with them, but when one night it has a different ending and their temporary powers become permanent, Jack believes the change is a signal from the woman who sent him on this quest in the first place. He and his freaks must navigate a universe at war to protect the love of his life.
But does the ruler of VesCorp really need protecting?
Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble iTunes Kobo
Author Jennifer Lee Rossman is a disabled and autistic freak, and proudly so. Her work has been featured in many anthologies and her debut novella, Anachronism, was published by Kristell Ink in 2018.
She blogs at http://jenniferleerossman.blogspot.com/ and tweets @JenLRossman.
“First thing you’ve got to know,” I said, brushing my hair from my face as the wind began to pick up, “is that we’re all freaks. Everyone in the whole universe, for one reason or another. Most try to hide this fact. A few of us embrace it, not so much because we want to but because there’s nothing else for us. So we show people the terrifying and unseemly parts of us no one wants to see, and we charge ’em good money to see it.”
Lily stepped forward and knelt to display her shoulders and back, all bare, featherless skin down to the dangerously low neckline of her sequined dress. “See? No wings.”
“But you flew,” Cara insisted. “If it isn’t costumes and harnesses, then what?”
I held up the receiver, a small wooden box the size of my hand with a speaker on one side and images of galaxies and solar systems carved into the others. Not the most advanced technology, but I wouldn’t have anything else.
I checked the time. Soon.
I debated how much to tell her. No matter how many times I tried to explain it, it never sounded remotely plausible, but I had to warn her. Seeing the end result was one thing; seeing it happen before your eyes was another matter entirely, though the complete truth was an ancient burden none of them deserved to be saddled with.
“The music plays,” I said. “Same song, same time every night, and it triggers something inside us. That feeling you had, like you were made of magic? That’s what it feels like when your DNA recognizes a song, even if you’ve never heard it before.”
She stared at me in eager anticipation, nodding slowly. Whether she actually believed me or was just humoring me, I couldn’t say, but it was a nice change from the usual interruptions of “that’s impossible” and “science doesn’t work that way.”
I cast a sideways glance at Theon, who had given me more trouble than the others, and continued. “Makes you feel alive, like there’s a purpose to your existence and you can do the impossible, and that ain’t just in your mind. We’re all freaks, but we—” I motioned to my crew. “Well, we’re different. Our bodies hear that song, and it triggers our genes to change, to grow into… I don’t know, the true selves that live in our heart or some sentimental crap like that.”
“How poetic,” Lily said with a laugh. She looked up at Cara. “I know it’s hard to understand. It happens to me every night, and I still have no idea how it works, but I can fly, Merulo becomes the feral wildman, Parthen and the boys really can read each others’ minds and feel each others’ pain… Jack breathes fire and gains the ability to give impassioned speeches without sounding like an uninterested jerk.”
I checked the time again.
“So what changed in you?” Pneuman asked with earnest interest. “During the music, I mean?”
Cara hesitated, almost like she was afraid of hearing the absurdity out loud.
“I turn into a wild beast,” Merulo pointed out quietly. “And these three grow into one, psychic organism. Whatever you’re about to say will probably be the most normal thing we’ve heard in months.”
After another moment’s thought, Cara rolled up her sleeves. Her arms, though pale peach and freckled like her face, gleamed in the diminishing sun.
I reached out to touch her. Cold, almost metallic. That explained how she opened the lock.
“You’re a cyborg,” I said, tapping my nail on her forearm to hear the clinking sound. They just couldn’t get the texture right, no matter how hard they tried.
Her moon didn’t seem like the type of place to have a neurologist trained in bio implants, and I doubted anyone there could afford to travel to see one.
“Fancy. Who wired it into your brain?”
“I did it all myself.” She held up a hand and demonstrated the various functions and attachments installed in her fingers, glossing right over the fact that she had just admitted to performing brain surgery on herself. She yanked her sleeves down. “And I’m not a cyborg,” she clarified. “I’m just good with electronics and I like gadgets. My dad says it’s bad to be a cyborg.”
“Well, I tell you what, kid. You can’t make a person change by pointing out their flaws, but you can be the one person who doesn’t try to.”
“I’ve always had a connection to electronics,” she said, shyly extending a hexagonal wrench from her forefinger, “like I could talk to them. But when I heard the music… something happened.”
I checked my watch. Not long now. “Yeah, something always happens. What matters is what happened to you, kid.”
“They… talked back.” Her words came slow at first, her reluctance to being different still holding her back, but as she talked, she grew more excited, more animated. “I could hear the messages stored on the phones of everyone around me, could see the last videos that played on their contact lenses. I could see the blueprints of your ship in my head. She’s an Aldebaran cargo ship, Highwire model. Superluminal capability, more weapons than she came out of the factory with, and she has a capacitor that should be repaired soon. And I felt like, if I wanted to, I could touch any source of power on the ship and control everything remotely.”
“Ready to feel that way again?” I asked, holding out the transmitter as showtime approached.
And passed.
It was time, but the music didn’t play. The music didn’t play.
Why didn’t the music play?
Dirty Blood by Heather Hildebrand #REview
I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.
Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And Two, I was born to kill them
This story is great. The characters develop fast and draw the reader right in. The way things start it just grabs the reader and keeps you turning the pages. I just could not put it down. It is a new take on the idea of the hunters, who are there to protect humans and kill werewolves, and the werewolves themselves. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal coming of age style books. I would caution you that the book is part of a series, so you need the next books to continue the story. I found a set of the first four books and purchased that for me after reading this book.
I’m giving this book 5 hearts
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from
Romance Authors that Rock. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Stormy Secrets by Laurie Gene #Review
She’s the mayor’s daughter. He’s a bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Together, they’ll incite a storm the small town of Carterville has never seen before.
When Elisa Cook rejects Buddy Elliston–son of the prominent wealthy banker backing her father’s political campaign–she stirs up the financial state of the town and her family’s connections with the local bigwigs. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and Elisa’s heart is set on Marsh Tilton–Buddy’s opposite in every way, except for one. Wealth.
A former orphan, Marsh is the recipient of a grand inheritance that has blindsided everyone. Including Marsh himself. For Elisa, though, wealth is measured in character, not the ability to spend, and Marsh’s character is rich with independence, self-reliance, and a hard-working attitude. Buddy, on the other hand, is immature, self-centered, and a leech off his dad’s wealth and status.
Her family can’t seriously expect her to choose Buddy over Marsh. Can they?
With distrust and bitter secrets unfolding, and outside forces conspiring to keep Elise and Marsh apart, these star-crossed lovers must decide what they will sacrifice in order to finally be together. The price may just be bigger than either of them are willing to pay.
Fans of The Notebook, Heart of Eden, Marrying a Prince and The Hideaway will fall in love with STORMY SECRETS.
Scroll up and one click to start reading this charming Contemporary Romance today!
Superb. Characters grabbed me from the start. Storyline is interesting with several twists that kept me reading to see what would happen next. Beautiful romance novel suitable for any age reader. Some mention of pre-marital sex, but all done tastefully and without spoiling the storyline in any way. I plan to read more of this author for sure!
As an independent reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock I gave it my full five hearts beating for making me tear up in a happy way and for the fullness of my heart when I was finished reading. Honestly people, read this one. It will remind you why you fell in love.
BloodRush by Ben Galley #Review
“Magick ain’t pretty, it ain’t stars and sparkles. Magick is dirty. It’s rough. Raw. It’s blood and guts and vomit. You hear me?”
When Prime Lord Hark is found in a pool of his own blood on the steps of his halls, Tonmerion Hark finds his world not only turned upside down, but inside out. His father’s last will and testament forces him west across the Iron Ocean, to the very brink of the Endless Land and all civilisation. They call it Wyoming.
This is a story of murder and family.
In the dusty frontier town of Fell Falls, there is no silverware, no servants, no plush velvet nor towering spires. Only dust, danger, and the railway. Tonmerion has only one friend to help him escape the torturous heat and unravel his father’s murder. A faerie named Rhin. A twelve-inch tall outcast of his own kind.
This is a story of blood and magick.
But there are darker things at work in Fell Falls, and not just the railwraiths or the savages. Secrets lurk in Tonmerion’s bloodline. Secrets that will redefine this young Hark.
This is a story of the edge of the world.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Hearts
Review: When young Tonmerion Hark’s father is found dead, Tonmerion believes that his life cannot possibly get worse; he is wrong. Sent to the wilds of Wyoming, to live with an aunt that he has never met, thirteen year-old Merion soon discovers that there is a whole world beyond the gates of his father’s estate. Set in an alternative world of faeries, magick, and things that go bump in the night, Bloodrush is a novel that is slow to build but, once it builds momentum, it is difficult to put down. It took me a long time to get into the book because the format of the novel is that each chapter begins with a diary entry, and the entries are a bit confusing until you get about 2/3 through the book. Additionally, because it is set in a world that is like, but is not, our own, I had to suspend my disbelief to a certain extent, and that was difficult at times. Now that I’m through this book, however, I’m interested to re-read it and see if it flows a bit more smoothly. I am also very interested to see what happens in the other books in the trilogy and am very grateful to the author for not leaving us in a cliffhanger! While there is some gruesome action, the book is appropriate for mature readers 16+.
Reviewed by HR Duby for Romance Authors that Rock
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3CDPNR2RTEWFR/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00QL15SRC
Darkness Forged by Matt Larkin #Review
Darkness Forged
Following three brothers as they search for their Valkyrie wives, Darkness Forged takes us on many dark and disturbing turns. The story features travels of all three brothers, but a primary focus is on Volund who has a very dark, disturbing story. The good; I found the story to be attention getting, descriptive and interesting. It has a dark theme, so that might disturb some. The difficult; I am unfamiliar with Norse mythology and that’s what this story is based off. I found following it all a little challenging at times. Also, although it’s a relatively short read, it took longer than I expected, I think just trying to get everything. I rate the book 4 stars.
***Reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*****
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34404360
https://www.amazon.com/review/RHGGTRKJ33I32/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
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Mated to the Claws by Laura Wylde
Clara was flung headfirst into a dangerous mess when her father started racking up gambling debts that he couldn’t pay off. She found herself paying the debt off to keep her father safe, but she was putting herself in danger on a daily basis.
The men her father owed were not quite men and the leader, Mathew could be described as a beast. He was the one that she had to plead with when the money ran short one month and now Mathew wanted more than just her money. He wanted her body as well.
Clara has to find a way out of this mess.
The answer comes when a man she doesn’t know offers her help. Michael tries to convince her that he’s only trying to help, but Clara suspects that he wants something more. She’s heard the rumors. She knows what he is, but none of that stops her from feeling more than she is supposed to for her savior.
Things get out of hand and Clara is once again in way over her head. She finds herself in the middle of a blood feud that she wants no part of. Clara doesn’t have a choice but to get dragged into it.
She won’t be coming out the other side unscathed.
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Saved by A Cowboy by Julia Daniels #review
Running from the mob boss is why she takes the offer to cook for a ranch in the middle of nowhere Nebraska. Will the ranch boss be the reason she stays?
Great characters. Great writing. More romance than erotica and a super interesting storyline made this a very satisfying read. The heroine is truly believable and everyone’s reactions are on par. Would love to see some more of the other couples but fleshing out the main characters was obviously this Authors priority, thankfully! Just enough loose ends floating around to make a great series but not leave you lost and confused.
As an independent reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock I give this one the full five hearts for touching romance, family and fun mixed with suspense and action. A great read for anyone with only a few mild scenes that might need some parental guidance in advance for younger readers.
Running from the mob boss is why she takes the offer to cook for a ranch in the middle of nowhere Nebraska. Will the ranch boss be the reason she stays?
Great characters. Great writing. More romance than erotica and a super interesting storyline made this a very satisfying read. The heroine is truly believable and everyone’s reactions are on par. Would love to see some more of the other couples but fleshing out the main characters was obviously this Authors priority, thankfully! Just enough loose ends floating around to make a great series but not leave you lost and confused.
As an independent reviewer for Romance Authors that Rock I give this one the full five hearts for touching romance, family and fun mixed with suspense and action. A great read for anyone with only a few mild scenes that might need some parental guidance in advance for younger readers.
https://www.amazon.com/review/RQQQG9YXGFCYG/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
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