Charlotte, Duchess of Wyre, once held the Queen’s highest confidence—and the technological secret that keeps the royal heart beating. Fearful of what atrocities that Britannia might commit with her research, Charlotte turned to the galaxy’s most infamous assassin, Lord Sigmund Regret, to stage her own death.

Even without the simplest of luxuries, seven years hiding in the Americus colony is preferable to one day in the Tower of Londinium. Until a bounty hunter’s bullet forces her to revive her research. Now the same nanobots that keep the Queen alive also run rampant in Lord Regret’s body. Making his yearly Solstice visits increasingly… intimate …and complicating her courtship with the safe and honorable Sheriff Gilead Masters.

When the Americus colony declares independence, and her humble sheriff makes a shocking confession, Charlotte has had enough. Weary of running, tired of living without tea and silks, she fires a warning shot across Britannia’s bow: cease hunting Lady Wyre, or lose the technological power the crown holds so dear.

Title: LADY DOCTOR WYRE
Author: Joely Sue Burkhart
Series: Jane Austen Space Opera, book 1
Genre: Science Fiction Romance, Futuristic Romance, Steampunk
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, March 29
Format: eBook
Source: Requested and received an e-ARC from the author for review

First line:
“I cannot marry you.” Charlotte Wilder struggled to take a deep breath through the heartache banding her chest, made even more difficult by her corset.

Memorable Scene:
- fight scene with the Raven Guards and its aftermath > can’t tell much about it because of spoilers but it the fight was breathtaking and the aftermath was tearjerking
- scene at the end with Charlotte and her two men > you all know my soft spot for ménages by now
-Not a scene but I found it awesome that the Marshalls’ names were Smith, Wesson, Colt, Gatlin and the their director’s name was Howitzer > these artillery piece association was a touch of brilliance, Joely Sue!


Charlotte Wilder faked her own death to escape her planet. She’s the former physician to the Queen of Brittannia and lost her position in society because she turned to science and military intelligence. Now both she and the man who helped her escape are in danger of being found out. Charlotte, lady Wyre, is proud, determined and extremely intelligent.

Charlotte is the character this novella revolves around. Her two men are Gilead Masters and Lord Sigmund Regret. Gil is sheriff and marshal on the planet she takes her refuge, Americus. He’s a soldier turned lawman and deeply in love with Charlotte. Sig is the man who helped her fake her death and flee from her home planet, Brittania. He’s a gunslinger and assassin, ruthless yet with a weakness for Charlotte.

One man wants to marry her, the other wants her to sail with him and hide from their/her enemies. They will both go to the ends of the universe for her and she doesn’t want to choose between them.

While reading this book I knew this was going to be a review that was going to be one of hardest reviews to write. Why? Because I love this author’s voice and works in other genres but this book just didn’t quite work for me. This was partly because of the genre. Steampunk is a new-to-me genre and going by this novella I don’t think it’s a genre that I will read many books in.

The reason I still enjoyed this book was because of Joely Sue Burkhart’s writing and style. Even in a genre where the technical, mechanical stuff (nanobots, assemblers, living organism handcuffs, life force protecting lockets, etc.) sometimes went a little over my head I still enjoyed the characterization, the plot and romantic aspects of the book. So I tried to read through the tech-y parts, even if I was sometimes puzzled by the futuristic stuff, and enjoy the, fascinating plot, the complicated romance and the characters that are intricately layered and brought together in a great way. Little by little you get to know them and their back-stories and I loved that.

With this series Joely Sue Burkhart has created an alternate world where future and history are meshed and a world where women are the leaders. This made LADY DOCTOR WYRE an interesting read which I enjoyed but I discovered the steampunk genre is not for me as I felt myself zoning out on the technology bits...Fascinating and though different from anything else I've read by Joely Sue Burkhart, I still enjoyed most part of the book.

If you are a lover of steampunk romances I really recommend this book and I do hope there will be more stories set in this world with these characters.

Favorite Quotes:
She’d reluctantly fallen in love with him and those hands, so incredibly gentle in their ruthlessly slow attack against her every resistance without ever once touching her intimately. (Charlotte about Gil)

Masters turned his head and pinned Sig in a hard glare. “Are you telling me you’d kill five hundred men? At once?”
“If I had to get through them to her, most definitely. I’d rip them apart one by one with my bare hands.”

When two strangers meet by chance, their shared ecstasy challenges cultural differences and changes the course of their future.

Two societies have lived apart on a remote planet for generations. At the top of the Dwelling live the Aerotaun, people who have built wings to help them fly. The bottom is occupied by the Marimar, hearty swimmers who live and feed by the sea. Because of the mystery surrounding their ancestors’ landing, suspicions and distrust thrive between the cultures.

Until a taboo encounter occurs on an isolated beach.

Ariana, an Aerotaun, cannot resist the seductive allure of the forbidden Andreus. Their few days alone ignite sexual exploration and uninhibited ecstasy. But when Ariana finally learns the shocking secret about their purpose on the planet, she must decide if her heart belongs with her people or the sexy Marimar.

Warning: This title contains the following: explicit sex and graphic language.

Title: TABOO
Author: Leslie Dicken
Series: I have no information on whether this book is part of a series so I’m classifying it as a standalone
Genre: Futuristic Romance, Erotic Romance (Light) Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Year of release: 2011, May 17
Format: eBook
Source: Received an e-ARC for review from author

First line:
He was forbidden.

Memorable Scene:
-scene at the lagoon where Andreus finally takes Ariana > the build up to it made it an impressively climactic scene


TABOO is my first encounter with Leslie Dicken’s work, despite having two of her historical romances on my digital bookshelves. After reading TABOO I know I want to read those soon though because this first taste of her writing has left me wanting to read more.

Before receiving a review copy of TABOO I talked to Leslie Dicken on Twitter about this book because having read the blurb I was convinced it wasn’t going to be a book that would completely fit my reading preferences. I thought it was an erotic fantasy romance and though I don’t shy away from erotic romances, I have learned, reading romance over the years, that fantasy romance is not quite my cup of tea. However, when Leslie Dicken mentioned that TABOO was more light fantasy and science fiction romance-ish, I started to get more and more intrigued by the book as the title had already captured my attention.

Though TABOO classifies as a sci-fi/fantasy erotic romance I couldn't escape the historic vibe Leslie Dicken’s writing gave off. The writing style was agreeable and fluent and I was soon immersed in the story of Ariana and Andreus but I did find the writing to have a historic feel to it, especially in the wording and sentences.

Though the start was slow and it took me a chapter or two to get into the story, it remained fascinating and intriguing and soon I was curious as to how the story would unfold. Once I got past the first two chapters I had little trouble envisioning the world Leslie Dicken created in this story and found the mix between world building, eroticism and plot to be nicely balanced. I also really liked how Leslie Dicken set up the world within this book, with the two different people and the star-crossed lovers trope.

Although I do think the story was too short for extensive characterization, I really liked the characters and their backgrounds. In that vein, I must also say the plot, the eroticism and the world building made a bigger impression on me than the characterization.

The love scenes were explicit and sexy and the sexual tension was built up excellently towards the scene where they finally fully give in to the chemistry between them. At first I wasn't sure I liked that Ariana is betrothed to one man and lusting after/attracted to another and the one thing I didn't really like was the way this was also not addressed in the end when Ariana never really tells her intended she wants out of their betrothal but does get her HEA with Andreus.

The story focuses mainly on Ariana and Andreus as there are hardly any secondary characters. If I counted them correctly there were two on page secondary characters who appeared extremely briefly and there was one mention of a secondary character but that was it. Understandably because as I’ve mentioned the plot, eroticism and world building didn’t leave much room for characterization and it’s not more than logical that too many secondary characters would take away even more space for Ariana and Andreus to be thrive as main characters.

TABOO is a character-driven and sensual fantasy-ish science fiction romance that, after a somewhat slow start, managed to capture and keep my attention with its excellent writing and fascinating plot and world building. I loved the original and refreshing setting and backdrop for the romance and I really enjoyed the sexy, sensual love scenes. This first taste of Leslie Dicken’s work certainly won’t be my last.

Favorite Quotes:
“Tell me,” he whispered in a voice thick and gruff. “Did your lover kiss you like this?”

She slipped the tip of her tongue out to taste him. His flavor was raw and wild, like the sea he tried to tame.

“Make me well,” he whispered against her mouth. “So I may ravage you again.”

A small tug of male pride curled his lips. He’d have her screaming before it was all over.

Inarrii agent Alinna Gaerrii was tasked with observing the Starforce base on Earth. Crash landing her observation pod onto the base was not part of her mission briefing. Neither was making m’ittar—mind contact—with Major David Brown, the human who discovered her amongst the wreckage.

David thinks she’s a psychologist sent to evaluate his Special Forces team, and Alinna goes along with his misconception, seizing the opportunity to observe humans up close. But their daily contact has unexpected side effects, and Alinna soon invades David’s dreams. Through their intimate mental connection she allows him to express his forbidden physical desires.

Alinna delights in the sensory exploration and grows excited by the prospect of a treaty with the humans and a potential life mate in David. But an attack from an unknown ship sends the base into chaos, and Alinna may be forced to reveal her lie, erasing all hope of a successful treaty, and driving David away forever

Title: ALIEN REVEALED
Author: Lilly Cain
Series: The Confederacy Treaty Series, book 1
Genre: Science Fiction Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Year of release: 2010, June 14
Format: eBook
Source: Requested from publisher via NetGalley

First line:
“I repeat this is Agent Alinna Gaerrii, Unit Nine. Tel sho ahoi. I am in a crash situation.”

Alinna Gaerrii is an Inarrii agent tasked with observing Earth/human behavior to see if the can form a Treaty within the Confederacy against the Raveners. When she crash lands her spy pod on a human Starforce base she decides to continue her observation, especially when she’s mistaken for someone due to arrive on the base.

Major David Brown mistakenly presumes Alinna is Dr. Janet MacPherson, the psychtech assigned to evaluate his team for an upcoming security mission escorting new settlers to Mars.

Though when writing this review I can’t remember much about the story, because it’s been almost 4 months since I read it, I also didn’t make extensive review notes and that is never a good sign with me because it means there weren’t many things that made me grab my notepad to scribble down impressions or stuff to remember for my review. I have no notes on Alinna or David’s characters/personalities, I have no notes about the romance or on what I thought about the writing style. I’ll just have to go with the notes that I do have and those aren’t many.

About a third into the book in I started to suspect David might be more than just human, part Inarrii maybe? But this was not explored further, to my disappointment. The only thing I learned about David was that he had dark fantasies about sexual dominance.

There weren’t many secondary characters as the story focuses mainly on Alinna and David and their attraction to each other. However the ones that made an appearance intrigued and I hope to see some of them back further along in the series.

ALIEN REVEALED was a nice story but I couldn't escape the feeling that I wanted a little more world-building or background. And that's weird for me because normally I complain about too much world-building/background information. In this book it felt a bit brushed over in favor of the plot, romance and eroticism.

I felt a bit lost in the plot after the attack on the base...it felt like the plot lost momentum after that particular event with David easily accepting Alinna's confession and revelations. The last few chapters felt rushed in comparison to the even-paced first part of the book but I did find the erotic part of the book was hot and nicely done and I liked the romance between David and Alinna too.

In conclusion I can’t say that I read a bad book when I read ALIEN REVEALED, it just didn’t make a big lasting impression on me, which is okay because not every book can be mind-blowing material. Sometimes you need a nice, quick, uncomplicated read and that was exactly what ALIEN REVEALED was to me.

This being said, I do want to add that I found out that book 2 in the series is being released in June and I am definitely going to get it because even though this wasn’t a book to blow me off my socks, it did leave me wanting to read more by Lilly Cain

Favorite Quote:
His mental voice rubbed against her in the same way his deep-toned speech did in the physical world. It resonated with sexual promises, no matter what the words communicated.

This book was released on May 27th and I reviewed it for REALMS ON OUR BOOKSHELVES







Dedicated, driven real estate agent Julie Ferris is enjoying a day at the beach with her sister Laura when a strange, almost undetectable charge fills the air. Then under the hot Malibu sun, time stops altogether.
Neither sister can explain their "lost day" --nor the blinding headaches or horrific nightmares that follow-- but Julie chalks it up to the stress she's been under since her boss' son took over Donovan Real Estate.

Patrick Donovan would be a real catch if not for his notorious playboy lifestyle and matching attitude. But when a cocaine-fueled heart attack nearly kills him, Patrick makes an astonishingly fast --and peculiar-- recovery. Julie barely recognizes the newly sober Patrick as the same man she once struggled to resist. Maybe it's the strange beach experience fueling her paranoia, but she can't help sensing something just isn't...right.
As Julie's feelings for Patrick intensify, she's about to discover how that day at the beach links her newfound happiness with her wildest suspicions...


Julie Ferris has always been attracted to Patrick but because of his destructive way of life and his playboy behavior she has never given into those feelings.
One day when they are on the beach, aliens abduct Julie and her sister Laura without being aware of it. The only consequences of the experience are their nightmares, Julie's migraines and Laura's paranoid behavior.
Not long after their abduction Patrick Donovan has a heart attack and his body is taken over by Val in order to investigate why Julie resists the alien tests and examinations
Julie discovers that with the "new and improved" Patrick, she has more and more trouble resisting him.

It was interesting to see how Val deals with Patrick's memories, sensations and experiences and at the same time it's difficult at first to discern what feelings are Patrick's and what are Val's. Reading I was wondering how Val was going to pull it of and how he was going to explain everything to Julie and what twist Kat Martin was going to give it. The way everything came out was a little predictable but still a very believable one.
For me Val was the most engaging character of the book. The other characters were rather kept on the surface. I didn't get to know and understand them as much as I would like. There is background information that hints about certain things but it didn't go far enough for me to truly empathize or relate to them as much as I wanted to.

The book started quite slowly paced and didn't pull me right in, but gradually I did get into the story and I learned to appreciate the writing style even though the subject wasn't one of my personal favorites.
The book was not intense as some other paranormals or suspense books, but in retrospect it didn't need intensity to keep the reader interested in the outcome of the story. There is some minor suspense plot and some romance but the focus is on the paranormal, the extraterrestrials and alien abduction plot
In the beginning it wasn't able to keep my attention and had a bit of trouble getting into the first few chapters.
I think this has mostly to do with my personal taste because it was well-written with an original concept but I’m not really into the whole alien abduction thing and that is what the book basically came down to.
But after the first half the story started to grow on me more and I really loved last few chapters of the book, where emotions and feelings came more into the story and gave it more of what I like in my books, the stirring of my own emotions.

This paranormal was more realistic than what I'm used to and it was a nice change for all the fantasy escapism I'm used to and which I prefer in the paranormal genre. It focuses more on the realistic possibilities of the existence of otherworlders and the skepticism believers in alien existence have to deal with.
While reading I noticed Kat Martin did extensive research into UFO's, close encounters, alien abduction and space travel. I have to applaud this because it gave the book that realistic feel.

For me it's difficult to rate this book because although the subject/concept isn't to my personal taste, the writing, the characters and plot are quite good.
The alien abduction plot is the main plot and for me the characters weren't strong enough, with the exception of the last few chapters, to carry the story without the need for a plot more to my personal taste with a bit more action or suspense.

When a writer knows how to intrigue me with a subject that is not to my taste I can't but applaud her and her writing. Kat Martin was able to do this with Season of Strangers and I can recommend this book to everyone who is interested in a well-written and well-researched romance novel in this genre.

Quote
But of course his heart wasn't fine at all. It was broken. He had read the term and now he understood it, and it was even more painful than the words implied. His heart had been sliced in two by a fiery little redhead with the courage to confront him with the truth.