Back Cover:
“No one touches my woman. She bears my mark. I claim her.”
Dangerous warrior Ivar Gunnarson is a man of deeds, not words. With little time for the ideals of love, Ivar seizes what he wants – and Princess Thyre will not become the exception to his rule!
Mysterious and enchanting, Thyre rouses Ivar’s desire the moment he lays eyes on her. With Viking factions engaged in a bloody feud, Thyre is yet another captive this hardened warrior conquers – but to be king of Thyre’s heart will entail a battle he has never engaged in before…

Thyre is her stepfather's advisor and the driving force behind her his estate, but secretly she dreams of a man to love who loves her back for herself, not her worth. The fragile peace between the Ranriken and the Viken creates a situation they try to keep far away from, but because her stepfather, Ragnfast the Steadfast, owns a bay that is coveted by both parties, it's difficult. Especially when a Viken ship, led by the Viken jaarl Ivar Gunnarson, comes to shore for repairs after a sea battle with a Ranriken jaarl.
Ivar is immediately fascinated by Thyre and sets out with the intention of spending just one night with her. A ruse to deceive Ragnfast and Ivar, in which Thyre takes her half-sister’s place, turns into a night of passion after which Ivar soon discovers what Thyre did and plans retribution. He claims her as his concubine and takes her with him to punish her for the deception. Disclosure on her parentage, however, leads to a somewhat forced marriage but before they can work out their complicated relationship, an outside threat appears and saving Thyre's loved one becomes their first priority.

Thyre is dutiful, responsible and loyal. She is also resourceful, quick-witted and an instinctive take-charge kind of woman. Secretly she longs for adventure and to break free from the confines of her life. Though she's intelligent and resourceful her actions sometimes get Thyre in more trouble than she bargains for but luckily for her, things in the end all work out in her favor. I found it remarkable how at first, Thyre doesn't see that everything she dreams of in a man, is right in front of her in the form of Ivar. Ivar surprises Thyre by showing her he is not all warrior with muscles and prowess but he has brains and can be sensitive too. And he is such a sweet talker too.

Quote Ivar and Thyre:
"You are all night-time promise and daytime fierceness.”
“Something to be admired?”
“To me it makes you interesting, a puzzle. I am finding that I quite enjoy puzzles."

Thyre may seem content but deep down she's not. Ivar puts this nicely into words.

Quote Ivar:
You're not living, you are only existing.

Ivar sees through the smoke screen Thyre puts up to protect her inner feelings and dreams. Ivar has several contradicting sides to him. A tender, caring, sensitive side opposed his rude, impatient, harsh side. He is confident but at the same time also very suspicious of people. He doesn't trust easily.

Both Thyre and Ivar are proud, headstrong, and full of loyalty and a sense of duty. Thyre goes from doting daughter who's running things behind the scenes, to a passionate yet a little deceitful concubine, to reluctant wife. Ivar develops from the warrior out for the spoils with no need for a significant other to a man who cares deeply enough to protect Thyre at all costs. Every stage is written excellently and believably. I admired not only Thyre's stubbornness and perseverance, but also Ivar's ability to keep a cool head because Thyre really tried his patience on a couple of occasions.

The cast of secondary characters was extensive but necessary. Although some were more remarkable than others, all of them contributed to the plot in one way or another. The more memorable for me were Dagmar, Thyre's sister, who is a bit of a drama queen, especially in the beginning, but she did grow on me further along in the book. Then there was Sigmund Sigmundson who is Ivar's nemesis and one of the villains in the story. I truly loathed him for being a treacherous coward. He was not the only villain though but to reveal the other would be too much of a spoiler so I'll let readers discover that story line themselves. Asa, Queen of the Viken was hard for me to pinpoint. I thought her vicious, resentful and conniving but she also did some things that made her a little bit redeemable. Reading the interactions of Ivar and Thyre with some of Thyre's friends (Haakon, Annis, Vikar and Sela) made me curious for the books of those couples as I suspect they are the main couples featured in Michelle Styles' other books in the Viken series. I would love to read more about how their love stories came to be. Finally there were Ivar's nephew and sister, Asger and Astrid, who were very likeable and enjoyable.

There was one small thing that bothered me in this story. Thyre's mother died 8 years before the start of this story, when Thyre was 8 years old. This puts Thyre at 16 during the events in this book and even though I know customs and circumstances were very different in medieval times I did have some trouble believing a 16 year old would have the maturity Thyre has and the ability to go through the things she goes through in this book.

It took me a while to get into the book because of this discrepancy (Thyre's age/demeanor) and because of the Viking terms that were unknown to me in the beginning. I do think reading the previous books in this series would have been helpful and preferable over starting with this installment without some background. Still this did not impede the overall feeling of a great read I had when I turned the last page of the book. I didn't read the other books in this series but now, after reading THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE PRINCESS, I really want to so I can read the back stories of some secondary characters that I liked. So I will most surely be looking for the connected books.

The last time I read a historical romance in a Viking setting must have been ages ago and was in Dutch translation because I've only been reading English for a few years. With reading THE VIKING'S CAPTIVE PRINCESS my appetite definitely has been whetted for more. It was a story of seduction, duty, family-intrigue, secrets, politics, trust and passion, with a great plot that was revealed gradually, with strong characters that held my attention firmly, with the right amount of battle and action and with a courtship brimmed with adversity that made the HEA that more welcome and appreciated.
Though this book was a category romance of less than 300 pages, it totally didn’t have that feel, it was well rounded, well crafted and complete. Hence, praise to Michelle Styles for the delivery of another entertaining, solid Viking story and giving this historical romance lover an escape in the form of a few pleasurable reading hours.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10
(ROOB-rating: 4 stars)

Back Cover:
After years of turmoil, Roderick Cherbon has left the Crusades to return to the home he loves. But the wars have changed him, and the heir who thought to heal his father’s injustices has become a vicious beast of a man, scarred inside and out. He will speak to no one, see no one; he leaves the shadows of his ruined keep only under the darkness of night. And even in death his father mocks him: to retain his land and title, Roderick, the Beast, must marry.

Lady Michaela Fortune is reviled for her poverty, ridiculed for her dreams, and preyed on for her soft heart. Humiliation and want dog her beloved family, and her pride is an indulgence she can ill afford. Cherbon and its shattered lord offer a solution. But to court a man who has fallen so low, Michaela will need all her grace and beauty to harbor any hopes of taming the beast…

Roderick Cherbon returns home after escaping the clutches of death on the battlefield to the home were he was never wanted and an inheritance laced with the condition he marry before he turns 30. A condition made by his deceased father as a last spite to show Roderick he is not worthy. Finding a wife when scarred physically and mentally proves very hard though as all candidates flee the moment they lay eyes on Roderick and his gloomy castle. Even the offer of money doesn't entice the ladies.

Roderick’s quest for a wife comes to the ears of Michaela Fortune who is devastated when the man she thinks she’s in love with, and he in love with her, marries another. That man happens to be Roderick's cousin, Alan Thornfield, the man who inherits everything if Roderick doesn’t succeed. For Michaela there's no better revenge than to marry Roderick and make sure Alan doesn't become the heir by default. The money Roderick offers will also help her family who is scraping by. But soon money or revenge is the last thing on Michaela's mind as the scarred man, who beneath the ornery and harsh exterior is a man of honor longing to be loved, enthralls her.

TAMING THE BEAST was my first encounter with Heather Grothaus' writing and I must say I enjoyed it very much. Her strength definitely lies in her characters that are far from flawless but very likeable at the same time. Michaela grew with every page. She is smart and outspoken from the beginning but she is also a bit musing. Even though I liked her a lot because of her clumsiness, the way she holds her own and her caring nature and love for children I didn't like the parts where her blind adoration and crush on Alan took an almost childlike form. Luckily this changed when she went to Cherbon and fell in love with Roderick.

I loved Roderick. He is the epitome of the scarred beast hero but often enough his outer shell of rudeness cracked and showed the man beneath who is tender and yearning for love and acceptance. Like Michaela, he too grows in the story. Things around him are subtly and gradually exposed to the reader and some were pleasantly surprising and unexpected.

Next to the well fleshed out, three-dimensional hero and heroine, Grothaus also delivers on the secondary characters. Alan is manipulative and greedy and even though I started out not liking him at all, he was caring towards his daughter and he redeemed himself a bit at the end of the book. Harliss, Roderick's childhood nurse plays a very important role in the plot and she reminded me of the typical mean old witch we all know from the fairytales. As much as I liked Michaela and Roderick, I despised Harliss and, to some degree, Alan.

And then there's Hugh, Roderick's best friend. His character puzzled me several times in the story. One moment, I would like him, the other moment not so much and it wasn't until I got a surprising bit of information about him that it all clicked for me. I really didn't see that twist in his characterization coming at all and it had a nice twist to it and the story in general.

I know there are plenty romance readers who dislike having children play a part in romance novels but I really like it and in this book it was Leo who stole my heart, he is such an adorable 3 year-old. He's the kind of child you want to take out of the book to cuddle with. He is also crucial to plot and characterization and I really loved how Heather Grothaus wrote his character into the story.

The plot TAMING THE BEAST is a layered and rich one but at times also a little bit predictable. This could have been a problem for me but because of some very surprising twists, especially from the second half onwards, I totally forgot about the predictable stuff in the beginning. The last part of the book was very emotional and included some paranormal elements that were unexpected despite the hints to them given prior in the story. Many things that arose questions with me in the beginning, fell into place to my relief and satisfaction.

With TAMING THE BEAST Heather Grothaus tackles the age old trope of "the beauty and the beast" and she does it with original and refreshing writing, wonderful characters and a plot with a dash of paranormal, that goes from a little predictable to completely unexpected twists. If you love medieval historical romance with engaging characters and an interesting plot, this is not to be missed on the reading pile.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10
(ROOB-rating: 4 stars)

Back Cover:

ALEX LOVELL MAKES PEOPLE DISAPPEAR. TURNS OUT, SHE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE.

Private investigator Alexandra Lovell uses computer skills and cunning to help clients drop off the radar and begin new lives in safety. Melanie Bess, desperate to escape her abusive cop husband, was one of those clients. But when Melanie vanishes for real, Alex fears the worst, and sets out to discover what happened. Using every resource she can get her hands on — including an elite team of forensic scientists known as the Tracers, and a jaded, sexy Austin PD detective — Alex embarks on a mission to uncover the truth.

As far as homicide cop Nathan Deveraux is concerned, no body means no case. But as much as he wants to believe that Alex's hunch about Melanie's murder is wrong, his instincts — and their visceral attraction — won't let him walk away. As a grim picture of what really happened begins to emerge, Nathan realizes this investigation runs deeper than they could ever have guessed. And each step nearer the truth puts Alex in danger of being the next to disappear....

Private investigator and computer expert Alexandra Lovell is specialized in aiding people who don't want to be found. Let's call it a civilian (cyber) witness protection program. She is very good at it but when she finds out one of her clients, Melanie Bess, has really disappeared she suspects foul play, especially when she finds out Melanie came back to Austin, where danger lurks around every corner for her. Alex calls in the help of Nathan Deveraux, a detective with the Austin Police Department, whom she met in the line of duty about 7 months earlier. He promises to help her and look into it but his promise complicates things more than it facilitates them since the main suspect in Melanie's disappearance is a fellow policeman who is well-liked and respected. Alex only has suspicions and very circumstantial evidence to go on and there Nathan’s hands are pretty much tied. When she enlists the service of the Delphi Center, a privately funded forensics lab and base of "the Tracers", things come to the surface that put both Melanie and Alex' lives in danger and Nathan must act quickly to save them.

Next to the suspense in UNTRACEABLE, which was great as always in Laura Griffin's books, the characters of Alex and Nathan are on the top of my list of what I liked most in this book. Alex is sarcastic, tough and sharp-tongued, but underneath the outer sharpness there's caring and warmth too, especially for those less fortunate than her. Nathan is rugged, cynical, straightforward and unapologetic. And together they create both sensual and verbal sparks that I really liked. Their road to a HEA was complicated not only by Melanie's case but also by their different backgrounds and their expectations of themselves, each other and their relationship.

Both Alex and Nathan first made their appearance in Laura Griffin's Glass Sisters series. At the end of book 1 (THREAD OF FEAR) of that series I really thought Nathan was going to be Courtney Glass' hero in book 2: WHISPER OF WARNING but reading that book I soon discovered I'd been totally off-base with my speculations. When Griffin put Nathan and Alex together in WHISPER OF WARNING secondary characters I didn't dare to speculate again but I was thrilled to find out they were the first hero/heroine couple in this new series, The Tracers. I loved their chemistry in WHISPER OF WARNING and in UNTRACEABLE, which takes place about 7 months after WHISPER OF WARNING, Griffin combined that chemistry with some top-notch suspense. As with all Griffin books the suspense is extraordinary good. The first page of this book grabbed me by the throat and never let go until I reached the end.

By chapter three I was completely immersed in the suspense. The set-up in the first two chapters promised all the intrigue, twists, complications it delivered on in the rest of the book and the chemistry between Nathan and Alex was definitely tantalizing and promising too. This is the third series of Laura Griffin I'm reading and yet again she surprises and amazes me with a totally unique vibe. Even if this series is sort of a spin-off from the Glass Sisters series and set in the same world with the many known characters and the same police department, Griffin manages to deliver a first installment of a series that definitely stands on it's own as far as the suspense plot arc is concerned. Where the focus in the Borderline series was on drugs and drug trafficking and the focus in the Glass Sisters series is on murder investigations, The Tracers series is very much into forensics and corrupted law enforcers. Despite the emphasis on different aspects of law enforcement, in all three series the romantic story arc is always subtle and intense, fitting the main characters and their development throughout the books. The romance in UNTRACEABLE was subtle and sprinkled with some complicating elements which were linked to both Nathan and Alex' backgrounds and personalities.

I really love this new series and I am definitely ready for more as there were some secondary characters who certainly spiked my curiosity and interest with their roles in UNTRACEABLE, for example: Troy Stockton, John Holt and Mia Voss. I hope future books in this series will feature them at least.

At almost every page turn there was a surprise waiting for me. The suspense plot was unpredictable and excellently put together. Griffin kept me speculating and guessing constantly and right till the end. Something I liked in Griffin's writing of the other books made this one great for me too: Dosed bits of plot information and stuff that seems unrelated come together to form a great suspense plot. Once you're in the flow of the story it's hard to tear yourself away from it. I just had to keep on reading and speculating on the information given. Trying to decide if the suspect was truly the bad guy, what the motives were and how it all connected. The conclusion was one I didn't quite see coming, which of course is a very good thing, as I don't like predictable suspense novels. And even though the wrap-up felt kind of rushed and I expected more information on some things, which now leave me with lingering questions, I still very much liked the twist given to the plot.

Again Laura Griffin did NOT disappoint me. I love her crisp, clean and smooth writing and I love anything to do with forensic science and law enforcement. This made UNTRACEABLE an absolute winner for me.

Quote:
And then it was all good, only good, only pleasure, as they moved together in a blissful rhythm, his hands stroking up her back, then down again. They were together, completely, and with that wonderful friction, she felt the knot of loneliness deep inside her start to come loose.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10
(ROOB-rating: 4 stars)

Though he is a titled nobleman, Royal Dewar is singularly unlucky ...forced to choose between his soul mate ...and his salvation.

After years abroad, Royal has returned to Bransford Castle to find his father dying and the family treasury nearly empty. Then the old duke wrests a final promise from his guilt-ridden son: that Royal will marry heiress Jocelyn Caulfield and restore the estate to its former glory. However, it is not his fiancée who quickens Royal's pulse, but rather her beautiful cousin Lily Moran.

Penniless Lily knows that nothing can come of their undeniable attraction―but there is a way she can help Royal. Enlisting some questionable characters from her past, Lily concocts an elaborate ruse to recover some of the Bransford fortune from a notorious confidence artist. As the dangerous scheme unfolds, Lily and Royal are thrown together in pursuit of the very thing―money―that keeps them part...

The back cover blurb of this book summarizes the book perfectly so there’s no need to write one just to repeat what the blurb says and I’ll get right down to business. ROYAL’S BRIDE is great historical romance in which I was easily and effortlessly introduced to the Duke of Bransford’s three sons: Royal, Reese and Rule Dewar, whom after their father’s death are compelled to fulfill their father’s dying wishes. This first book of the Bride’s trilogy focuses on the eldest son. He is to marry a wealthy heiress in order to have funds to restore the Bransford seat in its former glory. But things don’t always happen as we wish or plan and when Royal falls in love with his fiancée’s companion, restoring the family’s fortune seems to the least of his worries.

Although the plot of forced marriage and forbidden love lends room for characters who can be annoying, whining etc…Kat Martin avoids that trap and delivers a main couple that is extremely likable despite the initial illegality of their feelings. Royal Deware is passionate, loyal and dutiful. Even when he knows his heart belongs to Lily he cannot put his father’s dying wish aside carelessly. There was a point in the book where I thought he could have restrained himself better physically but on the other hand it would have surprised me if he had, since the whole forbidden love trope would’ve lost its strength and its purpose. Lily is sweet and caring but also toughened by the life she’s led. She doesn’t let anyone walk over her and is not one to impulsively give into her feelings, not even the strong ones she has for Royal. She is genuinely kindhearted and realistic. She’d rather not have Royal in her life than be with him and betray her family, even if that family doesn’t always treat her right.

There are quite a few secondary characters in this book, but it never felt overcrowded or too much because they all had their roles in the plot and/or romance. One secondary character that pleasantly surprised me in terms of character development was Jocelyn, Royal’s fiancée. Throughout the book she grew from a spoiled, shallow and materialistic girl that I really didn’t care for to a woman who earned my sympathy because she too had been pressured into a situation she didn’t ask for and in the end she did turn out to be sensible and mature. And then there were The Oarsmen, a group of intriguing friends surrounding Royal. They are a diverse group of men, all noblemen, some higher ranked than others, but it’s a tight night group who prove loyal friends to both Royal and Lily.

I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing 4 books by Kat Martin for ROOB now and I must say that ROYAL’S BRIDE is my favorite of the 4. Even though the premise arranged marriage and forbidden love isn’t new or original Kat Martin wrote a story around it that was definitely refreshing. I loved the way she set up this book. The romance, the forbidden attraction, the plot, the characters, they all complemented each other and together formed an excellent, high quality historical romance. One that is intriguing and complicated and compelled me to keep turning the pages to know not if but how Lily and Royal were going to end up together, because that the were going to end up together was clear from the beginning. I was curious how Kat Martin was going have them deal with the Jocelyn (Royal’s fiancée) situation, the financial problem and still give the reader a satisfactory solution and a HEA. My worries were unfounded because Kat Martin pulled it of perfectly.

With ROYAL’S BRIDE Kate Martin delivered a historical romance I could savor and enjoy with wonderful characters, a refreshing take on an age-old trope in romance novels and a carefully dosed amount of conflict and angst, that was never over the top. She even managed to imbed a suspense plot that did not intrude on the romance at all. In fact, romance and suspense complemented each other perfectly.

Finally, in this book intriguing hints are given in regard to Royal’s brothers Reese and Rule and those hints are enough to make me curious about their stories and whether they’ll be as enjoyable reads as ROYAL’S BRIDE was.

Rating: 8.3 out of 10
(ROOB Rating: 4 stars)

Sylvia Winters returns to her hometown where 8 years ago she broke her engagement to Joe Dixon. Stricken with cervical cancer, Syl moved away for treatment but never told Joe the truth. To heal the pain of his fiancée’s imagined betrayal, Joe turned to drinking and accidentally killed a man. Now Joe is out of prison and Syl is back in town but it will take a miracle to restore their lost love.

Lottie Sparks and her grandson, Teddy also live in town. Eight-year old Teddy lives with Lottie, his only living relative. Teddy loves his grandmother so much and desperately wants to buy her the old Victorian clock she adores in the window of Tremont Antiques ~a clock that vividly reminds her of her childhood. But the memory is soon to fade along with al the rest as her Alzheimer advances.

Summer turns to fall and Lottie worsens. With winter approaching, will a Christmas miracle be enough to bring the people of Dreyerville hope, love and redemption?

Honesty compels me to admit that I started reading this book with a few preconceived notions: I thought it was going to be a Christmas story and was not in the mood for a Christmas story in a warm August month. I thought it was going to be a story centered around an 8-year old boy and wasn't in the mood for a romance-less children's story and finally I thought it was an anthology story and I wasn't in the mood to read a short story with no room for a well-rounded story or fleshed out characters.

Subsequently, I went into this story with low expectations but from the moment I read the prologue, I knew I was going to be proven very wrong. The prologue intrigued me and due to some personal issues in the past, the first chapter caused me to choke up and I knew this was definitely not going to be a light and breezy Christmas story. And now after having read the book I have to eat my words (or rather thoughts) and fess up that Kat Martin surprised me and wiped out my preconceived notions entirely with a well-written, beautiful, heart wrenching and romantic story that brought a lump to my throat and a fuzzy, warm feeling to my heart.

THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK isn't a just story about a boy who wants to buy his grandmother a clock and the people surrounding him. It's about the lives of a woman dealing with a horrible disease eating away at her memories, her everyday functioning and the ability to take care of her grandson. It's about a young couple that was torn apart by fear and lies and is now trying to overcome their pasts and find happiness. It's about an older couple finding their way back to each other after having slipped into their own worlds and everyday comfort, neglecting the joy of loving each other and each other’s company.

This was a book that is far from my usual reads; it is definitely a different style of contemporary romance I am used to reading. It was not fast-paced and there was no action or suspense. There was no witty fun and the heat level was far from sizzling. Instead I was treated to a story that was touching, lovely and heartfelt and to characters that were true to life. All the character’s backgrounds and history were touching, their actions were endearing and their emotions were genuine. I liked and empathized with each and every one of them. From Freddy, a brave and sweet boy who wanted to buy his grandmother the clock she desired and finds a new family to love, to Dottie who was coping with a disease she had no control over, to Sylvia who was reunited with her one true love whom she had pushed away to shield him from pain and loss, to Joe, who was left devastated by Sylvia's rejection and slipped into destructive behavior but managed to overcome it all, to Dottie and Floyd who rediscovered marital happiness. They all won my admiration and affection and made this a memorable read. Kat Martin did an amazing job of intertwining the lives of all these characters in a realistic and subtle matter, writing towards an ending that was a little bit predictable but no less impressive or touching.

To me THE CHRISTMAS CLOCK read like the Wednesday night true-story movies I used to watch together with my mom, when I was a young girl and as with the movies I couldn't but wipe away a tear on occasion and breath a sigh of content relief with the happy ending.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10
(ROOB Rating: 3,5 stars)

REVIEW RATING AS USED ON ROOB 1 star = Not worthy of your time2 stars = Average story with no surprises3 stars = Interesting & entertaining story4 stars = Ooo yes!!! This definitely rises my bloodpressure5 stars = The ultimate high and very addictive REVIEWED FOR ROOB