Dark and Deadly: Eight Bad Boys of Paranormal Romance by Jennifer Ashley, Alyssa Day, Felicity Heaton, Erin Kellison, Laurie London, Erin Quinn, Bonnie Vanak and Caris Roane
Publication Date: April 12, 2014
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated: 4.5 Stars
Eight hot paranormal romances by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. Alpha-male bad boys will fulfill your darkest, most deadliest desires in these stories about shifters, werewolves, vampires, magic, special powers and other realms. But only if you dare…
✿BODYGUARD by Jennifer Ashley
Elizabeth Chapman is saved from an armed attacker by a Kodiak bear who shifts into a tight-bodied, naked human male. Ronan takes Elizabeth to Shiftertown, becoming her 24/7 bodyguard. The mateless Ronan has adopted a houseful of orphaned Shifters–having grown up in foster care, Elizabeth is touched by his protectiveness. Ronan only wants to keep Elizabeth safe, but the sassy woman is triggering his long-buried need to mate.
✿REVIEW: This is the first I’ve read in the Shifter’s Unbound series and I was glad I read it! I was hesitant as I don’t care for books where the shifters are segregated with extreme prejudice. Especially these control collars but I am so glad that I gave it a chance. I liked Ronan’s quiet strength and calm and Elizabeth was very likeable. Their warm romance was satisfying and blended with the story well. I like all the characters and now want to read about them all.
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✿ALEJANDRO’S SORCERESS by Alyssa Day
He’s a warrior, hardened by years of protecting his town from vampire attack. She’s a garden witch who sees the world in shades of sunshine and delight. Opposites don’t only attract, they go supernova in this sizzling tale of magic and mayhem.
✿REVIEW: Stoic and guarded Alejandros meets quirky Rose and her crazy family. I loved the humor and fun little story on how they meet and fall in love. Thankfully the author added a glimpse of my favorite Atlanteans too. A good simmering romance filled with laughter. I can’t wait for more!
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✿BEWITCH by Felicity Heaton
A vampire with a bloodstained past and a soul tainted with darkness, Payne is perfect in his self-control, never surrendering to his darkest desires. Now a beautiful witch in the shadowy fae underworld reawakens long denied hungers and tempts him with pleasure. When one incredible night of fulfilling their fantasies leads to more than just keeping a promise and saving a friend, will they be able to overcome the barriers that stand between them and forever?
✿REVIEW: A lovely erotic romance of Payne and Elissa, each facing demons from their past. They are both strong yet vulnerable and the two sides blended well with the story. A very enjoyable read.
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✿DARKNESS FALLS by Erin Kellison
Agent Malcolm Rook is hunting for people with the rarest of talents—the ability to master dreams. He finds the undeniably gifted Jordan Lane, but she’s wary of mysterious Rook and resists his pursuit as long as she can. Yet the dreamwaters they enter are too exhilarating to resist, and attraction soon ignites electric passions. Delving too deep stirs a nightmare, one they must defeat, or be forever lost to darkness.
✿REVIEW: Not the usual storyline that I am used to but I got caught up in the possibilities of this dream world. The danger of exploiting this dreamscape was a nice backdrop for the hot romance. A good introduction to a series with a lot of exciting possibilities.
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✿ROGUE’S PASSION by Laurie London
Blaming himself for the death of a friend, Iron Guild warrior Asher Kane vows to bring those responsible to justice. After he’s hurt on a mission and nursed back to health by a beautiful yet mysterious woman with special psychic abilities, this dangerously sexy bad-boy finds himself falling for her…even as he struggles to stay away. But stalking them on the streets of New Seattle is a cruel and vengeful evil—one that threatens to destroy them both…
✿REVIEW: This is a tense hot romance in the Iron Portal series. I loved the cat and mouse danger and was pulled hard in to the different character’s lives. A very interesting storyline angle and I can’t wait to read more. On my TBR list for sure.
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✿THE FORBIDDEN LIFE OF ALEX MOORE by Erin Quinn
Alex’s mission: Kill the hellhounds that have invaded earth and return to his home in the Beyond. But from the start, things go horribly wrong. The hounds are cunning and a human female witnesses their attack—she intervenes and saves Alex’s life. Now he must keep the alluring Lilly alive while fighting his desire for her. When passion flares, Alex risks all to protect her and defend the forbidden life he craves.
✿REVIEW: The title threw me off at first but I was pleasantly surprised with the action filled story. The romance was satisfying and I’m intrigued by the turn of events in their happily ever after.
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✿THE MATING HEAT by Bonnie Vanak
Werewolf Kara Mitchell fled with her brother Aiden to Montana after their alpha father punished her for kissing sexy omega werewolf Ryder Carrington. Left scarred by her father’s cruelty, Kara believes no one can love her. After killing his alpha to save the pack, Ryder now rules, but needs a mate. His blood runs hot for Kara. Ryder will do anything to claim her, even risk an all-out pack war that could cost them everything…
✿REVIEW: This is a nice quick read about overcoming scars from the past and embracing love and hope for the future. A very likeable cast of characters and I enjoyed it.
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✿TRAPPED by Caris Roane
Mastyr Vampire Zephyr, a one-man fighting force, struggles to save the life of a woman who despises his warrior ways. She’s been a thorn in his side, but he has one goal: to keep her safe. For Alesia, however, she just wishes he’d leave her alone since she can never approve of his profession. She broke up with him months ago and wants to start a new life. The trouble is, he’s still the one man who can curl her toes.
✿REVIEW: A fast paced story of fighting their love while being hunted. I wasn’t thrilled with her prejudice against the warriors who protect her people but she finally came around. A nice little paranormal romance.
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EXCERPT FROM DARKNESS FALLS BY ERIN KELLISON
Want? There was that word again, piercing through the conversation.
He wanted to put his hands low on her hips and feel her arch back into him. He could forget what haunted him with her. He knew he could.
“Are you making me feel like this?” she demanded. “Why do you make me feel like this?”
“Like what?” Did she feel it too, then? This atomic attraction, like molecular bonds straining to attach?
But her eyes just got wider, her glare accusatory.
“It’s your dream, Jordan,” he said. “I can find you within it, but I can’t make you feel anything.” Though there were some agents who had the knack. He was just a humble tracker.
“Well, you don’t have to stand so close.”
“Your dream,” he said again. “Push me away.”
He knew she could—it was well within her ability—and soon she’d be able to do so without thinking. Her dreams were her playground. It was only deeper into the waters of sleep, Darkside, that she’d have difficulty.
But she didn’t push him back.
Okay, still scared. Still disoriented. He needed her trust, so he’d give her the space she requested, and he would back off.
Except…his backward motion was met with stiff resistance. She wasn’t pushing him away; she was keeping him close. He could break her hold. However strong she was, he had considerably more experience. He could break the dream, but he didn’t.
A smile of deep satisfaction pulled at his mouth, an entirely foreign feeling to his face, to his soul. If he begged, would she let him stay here? He’d promise to keep the darkness at bay, because it would come. It always did.
“Michael?”
The false name was a reminder. There are rules. There are rules. There are rules.
She rose on tiptoe.
His hands found her hips, knew just the angle to his grip—she didn’t protest. He pulled her flush against him, and her back arched, just slightly, exactly as he’d hoped it would, her ass pressing—good God—into his groin.
Warmth coursed through his gut and spread out to his limbs and mind. It was part lust—no helping that—and part peace. It was a full-body sensation, burning out pain and loneliness, leaving only this feeling of want and connection.
She tilted her face back.
All her little adjustments meant yes, yes, and yes.
At the moment, hers was the only permission that mattered.
So he kissed her.
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