Category: Kimberly’s Review

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Kimberly’s review of White Swan Affair by Elyse Mady

TITLE: White Swan Affair
AUTHOR: Elyse Mady
PUBLICATION DATE:   05/21/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
After the tragic death of her beloved, Hester Aspinall vowed never to be ruled by her passions again. Still, she is drawn to her landlord, handsome adventurer Thomas Ramsay—but she doesn’t fool herself that a man of his station would look twice at a poor tailor’s sister.

With the sea for a mistress, Thomas has no intention of entering into matrimony. And yet, he can’t get the plain-spoken and desirable Hester out of his mind, even though she’s never tried to secure his attentions as other women do.

Everything changes the night Hester’s brother is arrested during a raid on a gay brothel, the infamous White Swan. With no one else to turn to, and terrified Robert will hang for his crime, Hester accepts Thomas’s offer to bear the cost of the defense. A true gentleman, Thomas expects nothing in return—but Hester can no longer deny her own desires…
She may offer her body eagerly, but can she protect her heart?

REVIEW:
I was not sure what I would think of this book when I first picked it but it sounded so different than most books that I read that I decided to try it and I must say it surprised me. This story is more than a romance. The relationship between Robert and his sister Hester really makes the book. It is set in a time when being gay was punishable and Robert is having a hard time with his homosexuality. But Hester will do whatever she needs to do to help her brother. And while the relationship between Thomas and Hester is the romance in this book it is the sibling relationship that keeps the readers attention.

It is interesting to note that the White Swan and Robert are real characters that the author has written a story around. And even more interesting is the fact that some of the situations the book deals with are the same situations that are happening even in these modern times.

This book has everything a romance should be. I think if the reader can handle the topic then they will enjoy the book immensely and will agree this book is one of a kind.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James

TITLE: Fifty Shades Darker
AUTHOR: E.L. James
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/15/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house.

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades.

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before her, and make the most important decision of her life.

REVIEW:
This is the second in the Fifty Shades trilogy. And as with the first book I loved it. If the first book was about lust than this book is about love. Something changes in this book and while it is still erotic it is more about romance.

This book picks up where the first book let off. Christian and Ana have broken up and been miserable and now we learn what both of them are willing to give up to be with the other. Can Christian tame his Dom to be with Ana? Can Ana be more submissive to Christian?

I have heard that this trilogy is a love story more than anything else and having read this book I can see why that is being said. The love that the characters have is palpable. There is something about this story that makes a person believe in love and the fact that a real love means being willing to compromise.

As with the first book I do think this is a love or hate story for the reader. Christian is a haunting character that stays with the reader. There is something about him that appeals to the woman who needs to fix her man. And there is something about Ana that women can relate to as well. Every woman wants to feel loved, treasured, protected and needed.

There is just something that draws me to this trilogy (and millions of others as well). This is the modern day fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast. And I am all for the “Happily Ever After”.

Disclaimer:
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review.

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Kimberly’s review of Hostile Takeover by Joey W. Hill

TITLE: Hostile Takeover
AUTHOR: Joey W. Hill
PUBLICATION DATE:   01/27/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ben is the last unattached member of the five-man executive team of K&A Associates. The other four, all Masters, have found the submissive of their dreams. That’s fine. The sharp-edged lawyer knows he’s the most hardcore of all of them, with extreme tastes as a Master he satisfies physically through experienced club submissives. He doesn’t really need anything more than that.

Marcie has loved Ben since she was sixteen. He’s never behaved as anything more than a protective big brother, a family friend. But now she’s twenty three and starting her career as a corporate investigator. She may be a blood-and-bone deep submissive, but she won’t hesitate to use her aggressive talents to prove she’s meant to be his. With a Master as tough as Ben, she’ll have to take whatever measures are needed—even if her deepest desire isn’t a hostile takeover of his heart, but an unconditional surrender to it.

REVIEW:
**This book is hardcore BDSM if you are not into that than this book is not for you.**
This is the fifth in the Knights of the Boardroom series. This series has been released originally in anthologies with three other authors but it looks like the stories are being released under the author name alone. This story can stand alone but if you enjoy this genre then you will want to read the others.

I believe “Hostile Takeover” is what everyone imagines “50 Shades of Grey” to be before they read it and realize it is not so hardcore.  And while I might understand the comparisons to “”Shades” you must realize that this series was begun in 2005 before the other was released.

I am going to assume that if you are reading my review and read the first line above than reading hardcore BDSM is something you enjoy and if that is true then I think you will enjoy this book. The characters of Marcie and Ben are very intriguing. Marcie has been in love with Ben for as long as she can remember and while everyone thought it was a crush she knew it was love. She is now an adult and has learned that she enjoys being a submissive and a masochist. She knows Ben is a Dom and a sadist so she wants to prove to him that they are a perfect match. Ben finds himself obsessing over Marcie and it is the last thing he wants but is it what he needs?

This story is written very well and while it can be harsh at some points if you enjoy the genre than there is nothing that will surprise you. The only complaint I had was it seemed like so many of the erotic scenes took place together. I kept thinking “save something for another page” but there did seem to always be something for the next page. And while the story was very fluid I believe that if some of the scenes had been spread apart it might have added to the story. There was a lot of Marcie thinking about how much she loved him and wanted to prove herself to him as his sub/slave and Ben wallowed in self pity a bit too much but I really enjoyed the storyline. I enjoyed the characters very much and while the scenes are very extreme I did not find them over the top for this type of book. The story may not make the splash that “Shades” did but I would bet that if someone mentions that the book was tamer than they expected you will turn to them and say “you need to pick up Hostile Takeover.”

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Sleeping With Dogs & Other Lovers by Julia Dumont

TITLE: Sleeping With Dogs & Other Lovers
AUTHOR: Julia Dumont
PUBLICATION DATE:   04/24/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon  B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Cynthia Amas has her hands full. In the middle of launching a boutique matchmaking service–Second Acts–amid the sun, surf, and celebrities of Southern California, her own romantic life gets a whole lot more complicated…and steamy. While expertly juggling the needs of her exclusive clients, her own maddeningly irresistible bad-boy, sometime lover unexpectedly returns for a hot and heavy reunion. Meanwhile, her high-maintenance mother busily concocts harebrained schemes for meddling in Cynthia’s affairs. And her new best girlfriend– the sexy proprietress of a chic Beverly Hills dog-grooming salon–just happens to roll with a purebred entourage of curiously gifted canines. Before long, Cynthia’s personal, professional, and amorous lives begin crashing hilariously into one another. Join Cynthia as she begins her own “Second Act” and find out who accidentally slips into bed with whom, who has a penchant for low-cut lederhosen, and who winds up naked and alone on a beautiful beach in Malibu.

REVIEW:
This is the first in a new series called Second Act. This book is a cute quick read. There are some funny pages and the dogs are adorable. The problem is that I never really found myself liking Cynthia. She and the rest of the cast can be very annoying. I never felt any chemistry with Max and Cynthia at all and spent the whole time trying to figure what she saw in him. Don’t get me wrong this is a cute read but just really didn’t have enough romance in it for me. Something is just off about this book for me even though I am not sure what it is.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly’s review of The Accidental Bride by Christina Skye

TITLE: The Accidental Bride
AUTHOR: Christina Skye
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/18/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon   | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When her friends order her to take a vacation, successful chef Jilly O’Hara is less than enthused. She may be overworked, but a trip to the mountains is not her idea of fun. Especially when she’s roped into an outrageous scheme to pose as a happy bride—all to fulfill the kindly resort owner’s dreams of once again hosting a lavish wedding. But the ruggedly handsome make-believe groom may just make it tolerable….

Walker Hale has kept to himself since his return from active duty—but the next thing he knows, he’s also playing along with the wedding charade. Even this jaded loner isn’t immune to Jilly’s quirky charm…or her beauty. But vacations have to end sometime, and they’ll soon have to decide if the feelings between them were more than pretend.

REVIEW:
I LOVED THIS BOOK!  I have always been a fan of Christina Skye but this book was one of her best. And that is saying something!

I loved that Jilly is so strong and independent yet so vulnerable with her heart condition. She is written so wonderfully and connects easily with the reader. Walker is just too scrumptious for words. He is so protective and generous with his caring that he is hard to not fall in love with. And do not even get me started on Winslow!  I think I was in love with him for the first time he was introduced.

Skye always writes wonderful books that make you not want to put them down until you are at the last page and only then because you have no choice. I think this is Skye’s best book in a long time and since I love everything she writes that means that I would give this over 5 stars if I could. Make sure when you start this book you have time to read it cover to cover because you will not want to stop.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly’s review of Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts

TITLE: Better Than Chocolate
AUTHOR: Sheila Roberts
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/25/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they’re about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They’ll have a chocolate festival! Time’s running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town’s behind them, so everything’s bound to go smoothly….

Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother’s attempts to help aren’t helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It’s enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake’s also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there’s something even better than chocolate.

REVIEW:
I just could not get into this book. None of the characters seemed to have any chemistry including the love interests. Honestly the end might have been a little better than the beginning but by the time I got to the middle of the book I really just did not care anymore.

The book starts off at a funeral and continued to be a downer for a lot of the story. The story was just too long with way too many moments of self-pity. Nothing seems to ever go right for any of the Sterling family and it gets tiresome.

I have never read a Sheila Roberts book before so I am not sure if this is typical of her writing but it just did not appeal to me.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly’s review of Fancy Dancer by Fern Michaels

TITLE: Fancy Dancer
AUTHOR: Fern Michaels
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/06/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon  | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
On his thirty-fifth birthday, Jake St. Cloud inherits a fortune—and learns the whereabouts of his mysterious half-brother. On her deathbed, Selma St. Cloud revealed that Jake had a sibling, a product of his father’s affair. At last, Jake is in a position to track down Alex Rosario and make amends for their father’s past neglect.

At least, that’s the plan. When their initial meeting goes badly, a distraught Jake crashes his car and is sentenced to community work—with Alex as his parole officer. Jake must spend a year helping Angelica Dancer and her daughter, Fancy, at the Dancer Foundation for neglected children. Fancy, scarred within and without by the accident that ended her ballet career, is even less happy with the arrangement than Jake. Yet as they’re thrown together, Jake, Alex, Angelica, and Fancy make unexpected connections. And as he unravels the painful truths of his past, Jake realizes that his mother’s greatest gift to him lies not in his inheritance, but in the future, and the family, he’s slowly piecing together.

REVIEW:
Another great book from Michaels. This is not much of a romance even though there is some romance in it. This is more of a mans coming of age story. The story of Jake and the men in his life is more poignant than the story of Jake and Fancy.

Jake’s world is turned upside down a number of times in this story and it is good to watch him triumph over his challenges. The males he has in his life including Alex , Zeke, Jonah and Charlie all bring something into his life whether he expects it or not. The relationship with Fancy is really just a background story that might have added more to the story if there had been a bit more romance.

I am not sure why this book is called Fancy Dancer since it is really all about Jake and the changes he makes and the people who come into his life. It really is a wonderful and moving short story.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

TITLE: Fifty Shades of Grey
AUTHOR: E.L. James
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/26/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind – until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her – but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

REVIEW:
I can understand why readers would either love or hate this book and I have to say I fall into the love. I was not sure what to expect exactly from this book (except a bunch of kinky sex) but this book is not only about sex and considering how much I heard about it there was not as much sex as I originally thought. I am going to break this book down into a few sections for my review.

First the erotic sex: As I said there was not as much as I expected. All the hoopla made it sound like every other page had a erotic scene written but that is far from the truth. Yes there are erotic scenes but that is not what this book is about. This is about the underlying emotions of the characters and how they feel about changing to accommodate the person they are with and the person they are within. If you have read any erotica this book will not have anything that you have not already read. Yes there was BDSM, spankings, and control issues but it is not overwhelming in the story. I doubt there is anything in this first book the will surprise the reader unless you have been living under a rock. Even if you do not live the life I am sure you have heard of it.

Ana: She is such an interesting character. She seems to be living in the shadow of everyone around her (her roommate, mother, etc) yet Christian is attracted to her and she can not understand why. She is inexperienced when it comes to sex and when she is thrown into the world of Christian her mind, heart and body all have a different idea of what she wants and needs. While so many women, if given the real opportunity, who live a life with a rich man would take everything he gave her and expect more Ana does not want anything. She wants to be the woman she knows she can be and yet wants to make Christian happy. She so desperately wants to run and stay at the same time and her heart is torn at every turn. I found myself thinking so much of the woman Ana is and how complicated her heart must be. The one problem with Ana is she sees her inner self as different characters (a goddess, her subconscious, etc) all have a different face (no she is not schizophrenic) and that gets a little old.

Christian: Wow what a wounded soul this character has. You hurt for him and yet he makes you smile, laugh and want to cry. He really shows his lighter side in the emails he sends to Ana and they are a delight to read. But at the same time he has such a dark side that he is the one that claims to have the “fifty shades of f*ucked up” that gives the book its name. Christian not only wants to be in control but he needs it. We do not learn enough of his background yet in this book to understand why he has become this way but we know something has happened and it leaves the reader wanting to know not only more but everything about this man. If you love reading about a strong, generous yet possessive man than Christian is the one to read about.

Honestly, I can not recommend this book to you or not because this is a book that can be one you want to throw away or one you want to keep forever. If you are not into reading the romance genre do not jump on the bandwagon and pick up this book because this is a book of romance and sex and you will not enjoy it. If you enjoy reading romance then you will probably enjoy this book unless you are not comfortable with sexuality than, again, you will have a hard time with this book. If you are comfortable with the romance genre and your own sexuality then you will be able to get into the depth of this book and what is behind the words. This book is addictive and makes you want to finish one and pick up the next one before you even close the cover of this one (even if it is 3:30 in the morning).

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Kimberly’s review of Against His Will by Trish Jensen

TITLE: Against His Will
AUTHOR: Trish Jensen
PUBLICATION DATE:   08/10/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon|B&N

 

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Get Ready For…The Time of Your Life! FBI agent Jake Donnelly is not a happy camper. His favorite aunt is gone and he’s gained…not the childhood retreat he loves, but custody of a bulldog. Worse still, the terms of the will require him and Muffin to spend two weeks at a dog spa owned by a quack canine shrink named LeAnne. But after one look at the luscious LeAnne, Jake knows the dogs aren’t going to be the only ones drooling at the Hound Dog Hotel. At a place where doggie astrologists talk about the Puppy Love dating service and breakfast is eaten at the Chow Chow diner, it is easy for desires to be unleashed. Private therapy sessions with the lovely doctor soon have Jake eating out of her hand and deciding maybe Muffin is mans best friend if he can bring his owner and his trainer together for good.

REVIEW:
This is a very cute story wrapped around a man, a woman and a dog. And I think the dog steals the show. This book is a re-release from 2000 and some small parts of it feel a little dated but not enough to distract the reader. The relationship between Jake and LeAnne is nice but Jake and Muffin is the part that is so endearing. Muffin seems to understand more than a real dog ever could but that is ok since it is fiction and just for entertainment.

I wish there had been more with LeAnne and Muffin though. I feel we missed a bit of who they both are by not having this interaction.

I have always enjoyed Jensen’s work and this book is no exception. This is a cute read and if you like a book wrapped around animals than this is one not too miss.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Forever Werewolf/Moon Kisses by Michele Hauf

TITLE: Forever Werewolf/Moon Kisses
AUTHOR: Michele Hauf
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/03/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
FOREVER WEREWOLF
Alexis Conner, princess of the Alpine pack and pureblood werewolf, hides a painful secret-she has never shifted. If she can’t shift, she can’t mate, and so Lexi resigned herself to a lifetime of loneliness. But then a stranger arrives, and Lexi senses that her world will never be the same….
A massive avalanche might be to blame for Trystan Hawkes getting stuck at Castle Wulfsiege, but after one look at Lexi, Trystan is not about to leave. Lexi is strong, smart and incredibly sexy. Not that it matters. Tryst is an omega-the fabled lone wolf. Even more damning is his mixed vampire heritage. Lexi knows that the vampire blood running through Tryst’s veins makes him off-limits, but what if he’s the one man who can rouse her inner wolf?

MOON KISSED
Escaping from bloodthirsty vampires, Belladonna Reynolds ran straight into the arms of a werewolf. As a man Severo drew her in with his dark good looks; as a beast he astounded her with his insatiable sensual appetite. Whether afraid or aroused, Bella fled to his lair when threatened by an evil monster of the night…. Severo tried to keep Bella–his mate–safe from the vampiress who held a malicious desire for revenge against him, but he alone wasn’t enough. Now Bella had taken the form of his most cursed enemy. How could he desire the very thing he’d spent his life destroying? And even if he did, what would the werewolf do to Bella on the next full moon?

REVIEW:
This book contains two stories. Reviewed separately.
FOREVER WEREWOLF
3 Stars… Honestly I am not sure how I felt about this story. While I wanted to know what happened and wanted to read to the end of the book I also wondered why I wanted to do that. The characters were written in such a juvenile way (especially in their speech) that I actually went back to check to see if this was YA, which it was not. The sex scenes later would give that away. The story was interesting and kept me interested but I was just never into the characters. Tryst seems like some kind of childish man who idolizes the idea of living in a pack and Lexie is very cold. But something does seem to click with them eventually. This is my first story from this author so I am not sure of her normal writing but something is just different about it.

MOON KISSED
3 ½ Stars… Based on the first book (see above) I was not sure about reading this story but it was much better than the first one I read. This story was more mature and the storyline was very good. I enjoyed the characters of both Bella and Severo even though I felt the writing did not keep to the character of Severo toward the end and changed him which was disappointing. Bella is a bit of a desperate woman to me but yet something about her is very intriguing. This is a good werewolf story that any fan of the genre would enjoy.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly’s review of Just One Night by Eve Gaddy

TITLE: Just One Night
AUTHOR: Eve Gaddy
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/29/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He’d invited her to walk in the moonlight–but would it lead to more than just one night?

His tender smile invited her to confess her deepest secrets, but Luke Morgan never expected Alex Sheridan to reveal the memories that tormented her dreams. When his comforting caresses escalated into sudden, sweet ecstasy, Alex was stunned by the speed of her surrender! The rugged architect had slipped through her defenses and touched her soul, but when suspicion shadowed his every move, could she help him clear his name?

In this explosive and intriguing novel of high stakes and risky business, Eve Gaddy challenges her lovers to walk a tightrope between trust and betrayal. Drawn to a charismatic man who’d soothed her grief one restless night, she’d found herself sharing her pain–and his bed–but could she believe their sudden passion might be the real thing?

REVIEW:
For some reason I just could not get into this story. It has an interesting story so I am not sure what it was but it was definitely something that just didn’t click for me. I also had a hard time with some of the inaccuracies like the fact that Luke just hands over the names of his Navy SEALS (ummm no!), etc. I wish I could explain what didn’t work for me with this story but I just can’t. I would say if the synopsis interest you then read it because it could just be me and you might enjoy it more than I did.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly’s review of How To Marry A Warlock In 10 Days by Saranna DeWylde

TITLE: How To Marry A Warlock In 10 Days
AUTHOR: Saranna DeWylde
PUBLICATION DATE:   09/25/12
ORDER LINKS:  Amazon | B&N
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BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Middy Cherrywood does. She’s got more warlock than she can hex with Dred Shadowins. He isn’t just a billionaire playboy and Weekly Warlock centerfold. He’s a spy for the High Chancellor, and he convinces Middy to pose as his fiancée for his latest mission. Too bad no one told his mother before she slipped Middy a potion that will make their sham engagement all too real in just ten days.

Dred Shadowins already has his hands full with cursed objects, possessed nuns, and dreams where Merlin makes him pay for taking his name in vain by relating his sexcapades with Nimue. But by the end of the mission, he’s convinced his most difficult challenge is the hero’s cape Middy’s draped over his shoulders. Because he wants nothing more than to give her the one thing he may not be capable of providing: Happily Ever After.

REVIEW:
I have to say that I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I was not sure based on the beginning of the book because it seemed a little over the top on magic and thought it might be heading towards a cheesy witch story but a little way into the book I really began to enjoy it.

Middy and Dred have a great relationship and are written really well and with a good amount of humor. I liked the fact that Dred admits he has always had a crush on Middy because it brings the story full circle. There were some twist and turns that were fun to read.

I think anyone would enjoy this story whether you are a fan of paranormal or just romance but as a fan of books with witches you will find yourself unable to put it down.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts