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Red Wolverton couldn't be more different in 1927 if she tried. She's a female private investigator, dresses like a man and has female lovers. That last one got her into trouble when she had a fling with a member of Boston's Brahmin society and was caught by the woman's fiancée. Now her reputation has been trashed among the people who can afford to hire her and Red will take any job just so that she can pay her bills. She certainly can't afford to hire Evadne Davenport, a wealthy widow who is looking for adventure and a chance to be rebellious, but Red agrees to let Evadne work as her secretary on a trial basis. A stalker case for a man who thinks he's being chased by a monster turns into murder and the women become partners more than employer and employee. With the way Red is constantly beaten up and nearly killed, she needs someone to cover her back instead of taking dictation. Red isn't sure whether all of the people trying to kill her are connected to the original case or not. Evadne isn't sure if she's taken on more than she can handle. They need to stay alive to answer those questions and a mysterious creature is making that difficult.
By choosing to set the story in the 1920s, Scarratt creates a different feeling and environment for this book. It's almost a throwback to the old murder mysteries popular in the movies in the 1930s and 40s. It's a strong story that has twists to keep the reader guessing. What is peculiar or unusual about this book is that Scarratt has a very nice period piece developing and then throws supernatural creatures into the plot. What was a mystery is suddenly speculative fiction. It doesn't ruin the story, but does seem odd. The book could have stood on its own without that factor, but it does make the story even more different.
30 Days Hath September is an interesting story to read. It seems to lend itself easily to a sequel. It would be interesting to see how Red and Evadne develop.
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Reviewed by Lynn Pierce
Karin Kallmaker enters the world of cyber business for her latest romance.
After failing to qualify as a Secret Service agent, Kip Barrett went to work for Sterling Fraud Investigations where she specializes in tracking financial transactions. She's very good at her job, but she's still surprised when CEO Tamara Sterling gives her the special assignment to find out who is embezzling money from the company. Kip has complete access to all of the company's records, but she can't tell anyone else what she is doing and she is to trust no one, including Tam. That proves to be prudent because, as she tracks the culprit through paperwork and cyber information, she can't prove that Tam isn't the thief.
Kip and Tam develop an attraction for each other, but there is a strict non-fraternization policy at the company and Kip refuses to compromise her integrity. If Tam turns out to be the thief, Kip is going to make sure she is prosecuted. As they dodge government investigators, rumors in financial newspapers and use false identities to sneak out of the country, Kip is determined to do her job first and worry about a relationship later. At the heart of the story is the issue of trust between the two women and the answer to the puzzle turns out to be the worst kind of betrayal possible.
Kallmaker has written a nice tight suspense story with some action included. Though it's a romance, that's not what drives most of the action. Sometimes the reader can get a little lost in the discussion of the technology involved and the details of how information is gathered, but that's a minor point. This is the type of solid romance that Kallmaker's fans expect from her. The most curious question about the book is the cover. It really doesn't reflect the story at all and could mislead a reader about what to expect.
Karin Kallmaker is referred to sometimes as the "queen" of lesbian romance. Above Temptation is an example of why she has earned the title, but it also is proof that she can handle other aspects of a story.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
How do you differentiate one romance from another? The plot is basically known, so it must be character development or the story. Blind Bet by Tracey Richardson is an example of how characters can make a book.
Ellen Turcotte is trying to recover from a divorce from her wife that caught her totally by surprise. She thought they had been happy for thirteen years until she found her wife in bed with another woman. Ellen decides to visit a friend in Vancouver for a change of scenery and meets Courtney Langford. Courtney's life was turned inside out when she missed a flight and the airplane she was supposed to be on crashed, killing one of her staff members. After dumping everything in her life, she took off on a motorcycle in an attempt to discover why she survived.
Both women are trying to figure out what to do with their lives when they meet in a situation that casts Courtney in a less than positive light. After more accidental meetings, Courtney realizes that Ellen might be the person she's been looking for, but Ellen isn't so sure herself. Lady Luck has been Courtney's best friend in everything she's ever done, but that may have changed as Courtney tries to convince Ellen to risk her heart one more time.
The romance in this book is fairly routine; but it's the emotions that Ellen and Courtney go through that make it interesting. Richardson uses these two characters to illustrate the effects that someone else's actions can have on a person's life. Ellen has to face the issues of betrayal by a spouse and her own guilt in the situation. Courtney suffers from classic "survivor regret" and a healthy dose of post traumatic distress. Neither one of them is able to interact with other people in a personal manner. These two are the least likely candidates to start a relationship, yet their shared emotional struggles allow them to reach out and help each other. The dance they do, denying their feelings and each trying to isolate herself within her own form of grief, makes the book as much an exploration of personality as it is of romance.
Tracey Richardson's other books have shown romance against a variety of backgrounds, including war, politics and adventure. Blind Bet takes a different approach and illustrates how negative emotions, left unaddressed, can ruin the positive that comes into a person's life. It's an interesting book to read.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Body Language
Author: Kenna White
ISBN 10: 159493151X; 13: 978-1594931819
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 264
Genre: Romance
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Joanna Lucas, a fine arts restoration expert is bamboozled into going to Venice to work on the restoration of mosaics in a well-known Venetian church. Joanna’s good at what she does, and she rolls up her sleeves to do it as soon as she arrives in the city. What she doesn’t bank on is running into her ex, Chandler Cardin, an artist and teacher, in the city of canals. Joanna’s attitude toward Chandler is rather caustic at first, born of the hurt from their bitter breakup, but after Chandler comes to her rescue in several situations, Joanna begins to see Chandler in a different light. Threading throughout the romance is an underlying question of Chandler’s motives and incentive.
A
nd who is the real hero of this story? Is it Joanna, the wounded woman with the courage of her convictions or the ever patient, knight-in-shining-armor, Chandler? As Joanna works her way toward finding the right solution to the problem of the mosaics damaged by the constant assault from the rising Venetian tides, she struggles against two forces—her feelings toward Chandler and the opposition she encounters from the man who will do the work on the cathedral floors when Chandler finishes her research.
There is a mystery element surrounding this story, and although interesting, it's wrapped up a little too easily with a missed opportunity to build tension and bring it to a more satisfying conclusion. In the end, some details of the subplot surrounding the events in the church were left undone or were explained away with as little effort as swatting away an annoying fly—a missed opportunity to fully engage the reader.
Romance is White’s forte and she does it well, once again, in Body Language, making us root for the protagonist and worry about whether or not she and her former love interest are meant to be together again. Body Language is another terrific White romance, but the mystery subplot is a little underdeveloped.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
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Title: Body Language
Author: Kenna White
ISBN 10: 159493151X; 13: 978-1594931819
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 264
Genre: Romance
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Joanna Lucas is offered the chance of a lifetime when she is asked to visit Venice and consult on the restoration of a mosaic. She's always wanted to go there and the trip will help her forget a recent nasty breakup. She takes her best friend Deena with her to share the sights, but she would have been slower to accept the opportunity if she had known who was behind it. Chandler Cardin is an award winning painter, Joanna's ex-lover and the person who recommended Joanna for the job. Chandler is hoping for a chance to redeem herself with Joanna and restart their relationship, but she'll have to overcome Joanna's broken emotions and Deena's open hostility.
The interesting part about this story is the atmosphere that White creates. Venice is a unique city with travel by gondolas and water taxis and great art work on practically every corner. White imbues everything with an overpowering sense of romance. That makes a routine story – girl tries to get girl back - more appealing by adding a depth the story would not have had. By casting the characters in different situations than usual, the book has a freshness about it that makes the story more enjoyable to read. White makes it clear in a note in the beginning of the book that Venice is one of her favorite places and she certainly captures that feeling. The reader may have to resist an urge to buy a plane ticket after she finishes the book.
Kenna White has developed a reputation for writing satisfying romances with strong characters. Body Language may be the best she's written so far.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Cassie Lewis tried to do the right thing by testifying against her corrupt landlord and now people are trying to kill her. In a panic, Cassie flees from her home, traveling across the country with no plan in the hope that it will throw off the killers. That's how she comes to Bourn's Edge, a quaint village on the outskirts of an ancient forest. Among the unique people she meets there is Tarian Brangwen. To the people of the town, Tarian is an eccentric artist, but she's also a Fae who has been exiled from Faerie by Queen Mab. Tarian wants to lead a quiet life of isolation, but when she senses that people have come to the town to kill Cassie, she has to respond. Fae and mortals are not supposed to mix well, but Tarian and Cassie discover that isn't a problem for them, but dealing with people in both of their worlds could get them killed.
Bourn's Edge is presented as three short stories instead of a book length story. Part I explains how Cassie and Tarian meet and become partners. Part II, called "The Doll Hospital," involves them in trying to undo the work of a changling and freeing the human whose place he took. This one has permanent consequences for Tarian that require her to make a great sacrifice. Part III, "The Raggedy Bush," requires Tarian to battle an old enemy to save Cassie and brings the women in contact with magic that is older than even the Faeries possess.
The book is enjoyable, but breaking up the story means it doesn't have a consistent pace. The reader is also left with the feeling that there are pieces of information about the characters that are missing. The characters hop from adventure to adventure and lose some development in the process. For example, there is a relationship between Tarian and her two wolf hounds that indicates something more is going on between them than just a relationship between a mistress and her pets, but what the situation is rests just beyond the reader's grasp. These are the types of stories that could easily lead to a series revealing more about the characters and their world. Bourn's Edge will appeal to people who like stories about faeries interacting with humans. The stories are just the length for an hour or so of reading and then the book can be put down. One note is that the author is British and sets the stories in the area between England and Wales, so she stays true to British spellings and references. US readers particularly will have to adjust to seeing words like tyre and kerb and references to foods they may not recognize.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Devil's Rock
Author: Gerri Hill
ISBN 13: 978-1-59493-218-2
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 245
Genre: Mystery
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A new mystery from award winning author Gerri Hill is always exciting. Devil's Rock, set in tranquil Sedona, Arizona, does not disappoint. Deputy Andi Sullivan, an LA transplant, has tied the recent murder of a college student to a serial killer. The FBI has sent in Agent Cameron Ross to lead the hunt for Patrick Doe, the known killer. As the body count on the trails around Sedona mounts, Andi and Cameron team together to catch a killer who seems to taunt them.
Hill's protagonists are complicated women. Andi is trying to bury the memories of her police work in LA, and to conquer the guilt she has brought with her. Cameron has her own past with its own set of horrors. A natural loner, only her kitten seems to bring out her softer side. As a team, Andi and Cameron work smoothly; as their friendship builds, so does the sexual tension between them.
Hill has skillfully described the beauty and ruggedness of Sedona. She's also done a good job of writing an exciting page turner with plenty of action, humor, and some very hot sex. Devil's Rock is definitely a must read.
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Reviewed by RLynne
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Title: Frosting on the Cake 2
Author: Karin Kallmaker
ISBN 13: 978-1-59493-205-2
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 256
Genre: Short Stories/Romance
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What a delightful dessert it is to savor the characters of many of Kallmaker’s previous full-length stories. From Above Temptation, a more recent offering, to older stories like Touchwood and Paperback Romance, we are reminded why we relish the characters that people Kallmaker’s romances. These vignettes are like meeting up with old friends we’ve haven’t seen in a long time. Yet when we meet them, the time and distance melt away and we feel as if we’ve only been separated from them by a few days. Catching up with them is sheer enjoyment.
In Frosting on the Cake 2, we glimpse the reality of busy daily lives with a variety of these characters. Some struggle to balance work with romance. Some are off on vacations to join friends about to be married. Other characters get into complicated situations, giving their partners cause to panic. Some are just plain still-in-love-and-lust with each other. The time spans between the initial full-length stories and the “dessert” Kallmaker offers vary.
At the end of Frosting on the Cake 2, after we get caught up, we get “sprinkles”—little thoughts on why the author chose to write the specific glimpse into the selected characters’ lives. These are terrific insights into the workings of the mind of a successful writer, a delightful addition for Kallmaker fans.
Frosting on the Cake 2 is like eavesdropping on the lives of people we know and love in order to check in and make sure things are still going well for them. There are times when a good idea doesn’t play well a second time around. This is far from true for these sweet second-helpings from the Queen of Lesbian Romance.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
Liar's Moon is the sequel to Kate Sweeney's award-winning novel Residual Moon. It continues the story of Grayson MacCarthaigh, a former Chicago police detective who has been granted immortality and special powers in order to protect Ireland and its ancient traditions.
Grayson has taken up residence in the village her family has protected for generations so that she and her friend Corky can study ancient manuscripts about the Celtic people and the Tuatha De Danann. Those hold the key to what Grayson is meant to do in her new role and will hopefully give her information about how to defeat Phelan Tynan, the ancient wizard who wants to steal her power.
Amid visitations of immortal beings and visions provided by Grayson's deceased mother, a new threat is revealed. Someone close to Grayson is a hidden enemy and will be revealed during the Liar's Moon. Before that happens, she and Corky need to find some way to combat this new force. In the process, Gray discovers that many people around her have reasons to lie about their lives. Who can she trust?
Liar's Moon is actually a mystery. The characters have to decipher prophecies, hunt down evidence and evaluate clues. This keeps the reader truly guessing as to what will happen next and Sweeney provides plenty of misdirection to hide who the traitor is until the very end of the book. It has a wonderful environment full of the Irish landscape and stories of the ancient world. The brooding Irish weather adds to the feeling of the story and enhances the sense of mystery and old evil.
The reader can identify with Gray's feelings as her world is turned inside out and
she struggles to understand what is going on around her and why she has been chosen to deal with it. Sweeney's fans also will have a chance to enjoy characters they have met in previous books, especially the vampire Sebastian, who is Grayson's reluctant associate. Liar's Moon is an entertaining book to read, full of engaging characters, mythology and tension. It might help to read Residual Moon first to fully grasp what is happening, but it's not necessary since Sweeney provides enough to fill in what a new reader needs to follow the story. This would be a good choice to read.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: More Than An Echo
Author: Linda Kay Silva
ISBN 10: 1594932190 13: 978-1594932199
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $15.95
Pages: 288
Genre: Paranormal
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When we enter the story More than an Echo, we find a teenager named Jane Doe who has been in the foster care system all her life. Because of her history, she is well versed in dealing with the system and her feelings of displacement. What unnerves her is the new feelings and insights that she gets as she begins to realize she knows exactly what other people are feeling, but doesn’t understand why she is able to do so.
When Jane protects her high school friend, Danica, from an attacker because she “knows” what the attacker is feeling for her friend, Jane embarks on a journey that shakes her to the point of thinking she might be mentally unstable, reinforced by a stay in a metal institution because of her “erratic” behavior against a young man with rape on his mind.
In the mental facility, her salvation comes in the form of a big bear of a man who soothes her fears and gives her the first insight into her special abilities as an empath. She is invited to choose a new identity and is spirited away from the hospital to be sent to a place deep in the Louisiana Bayou. Taking the name Echo for the way in which she senses people feelings (“like an echo”), she settles in to be trained and nurtured, finally finding a true home and a feeling of family for the first time in her life. More than an Echo introduces Echo Branson as she comes of age as a gifted empath, matures into adulthood and struggles to find her place in the world and a way to offer something back.
Returning to the San Francisco Bay Area, Echo finds herself in the journalistic competition of her life—and when homeless people start to go missing, she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. A homeless friend of hers becomes one of the victims, making Echo determined to find him and his friends and prevent anyone else from disappearing from the homeless community. What she gets is a little more than she bargains for. While she battles a nameless, faceless enemy, she also struggles with relationships and appearing “normal.” The questions now become: Can Echo succeed in her career? In her personal life? Can she find love with someone and really be herself?
This story introduces us to fascinating characters with interesting powers. The first in a new series for Linda Kay Silva, it promises to be a spellbinding one. The characters and their special abilities are captivating, as is the story line through which Echo and her friends walk. Fans of Silva’s Across Time series are sure to be entertained by this new series. It’s a welcome addition to the paranormal tales Silva tells so well.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
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Title: Mother Load
Author: KG MacGregor
ISBN 13: 978-1-59493-204-5
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 217
Genre: Romance
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Mother Load is the fourth book in the Shaken Series. It tests Anna and Lily Kaklis in new ways as they face a troubled economy which threatens their livelihood at the same time as they try to add to their family. Anna's four car agencies are in the red, and she finds herself faced with either cutting staff or continuing to bleed money in payrolls. At the same time as she is worrying about business, her wife, Lily, is trying for the third time, to become pregnant.
MacGregor does a fine job of showing her two characters facing real life challenges: the economy, a murder trial in which Lily is defending a long time client, the demands of their adopted son, and the daily stress of life in Los Angeles. Through all of this, comes the mystery of whether the third time is the charm for Lily. And, since she was implanted with an egg from each of them, will Lily or Anna be the biological mother?
Mother Load is rich in the details of the large extended Kaklis family, and in showing the deep love and support Anna and Lily have for each other. Fans of the Shaken Series, as well as new readers, will enjoy this story of two lesbians trying to join the 'gayby' boom
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Reviewed by RLynne
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Title: Not Every River
Author: Robbi McCoy
ISBN 13: 978-1-59493-182-6
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 275
Genre: Romantic Intrigue
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McCoy has given her readers a novel with an unusual setting: the desert around Yuma, Arizona. She also has given us two very different protagonists: Bureau of Land Management geologist Claudine "Randi" Randall, and Kim Gatlin, professor or archaeology. Kim, out of personal interest and hopes of professional growth, has taken the job of cataloging the remarkable petroglyphs located on a remote site outside of Yuma. Randi, who has found hard sought solace in the quiet of the desert, has mixed feelings about Kim's interest in bringing public attention to the rock art.
McCoy has done a wonderful job in describing the wonders of the desert as well as the history of its people. She deftly describes the loners who choose to live "off the grid," eking out a living on their own terms. She also goes deeply into the motivations of both of her complicated characters and delicately shows their approach/avoidance as the sparks fly between them.
Not Every River is full of interesting twists and turns as Kim discovers some of the mysteries and dangers the desert can hold. Beautifully written, and edited by Katherine V. Forrest, this is a great read.
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Reviewed by RLynne
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Title: River Walker
Author: Cate Culpepper
ISBN 10: 1-60282-189-5
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $16.95
Pages: 231
Genre: Paranormal Romance
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River Walker is set in a small village in New Mexico. It's protagonists are Grady Wrenn, a cultural anthropologist and Elena Montalvo, a curandera, or spiritual healer. Grady is teaching a summer seminar at the nearby university. She and her students are fascinated with a local legend about a vengeful spirit called "The River Walker." The spirit is a woman whose mournful cries cause men to commit suicide in the Rio Grande River. Elena, who is a direct descendent of the spirit, is desperate to stop the suicides which are causing fear and distrust in the village.
River Walker is a beautifully written novel which evokes the spiritual beauty of the Southwest. Culpepper's descriptions of the light, the mountains, and the river are wonderful. Her story of Grady and Elena's harrowing pursuit of the "River Walker" is gripping with its twists, turns, and surprises. Grady and Elena are thoroughly fleshed out complex and likeable characters. This is a haunting novel which I predict will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned.
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Reviewed by RLynne
The title of this book, Rum Spring, refers to the Amish custom of rumspringa, the years between sixteen and twenty when Amish youth may explore the outside world before making, (or not making), the choice to join the church.
Rebecca, one of the main characters, is fourteen at the beginning of the novel. Her father is the head of the local congregation. He preaches, performs baptisms, marriages, and ordinations. He also excommunicates congregants who break the Ordmung, the laws which govern the Amish. Rebecca's family are Old Order Amish, adhering to the way things have historically been done.
Dylan Mahoney is the other main character in the novel. She is the same age as Rebecca, but "English," or non-Amish. Dylan's family are friends with Rebecca's, and the two girls have grown up together.
In Rum Spring, Wallace has given readers a powerful look inside the Amish tradition, as well as built an understanding of the struggles Amish youth may go through as they make the major decision to join or not to join the church.
Dylan, who comes from a supportive family, has fallen deeply in love with Rebecca. Readers watch as she does her best to help Rebecca see what she is missing. Rebecca is torn between enjoying Dylan's company, and the love and loyalty she feels for her own family and community.
Rum Spring is a tender, well-told story as the girls go through their teens into young adulthood. Rebecca and Dylan are strong, likeable characters that will touch hearts, and their story is as powerful as that in the classic movie, Friendly Persuasion.
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Reviewed by RLynne
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Title: Shadow Point
Author: Amy Briant
ISBN: 978-1-594496-216-8
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 263
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
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Madison McPeake has had a very bad day. She's been given an unrequested leave from her job in Boston because she has become "increasingly erratic and hostile." Arriving home, she receives a phone call informing her that her brother has died, and as his next of kin, she now has custody of his five-year-old daughter.
Thus begins Briant's moody, spooky, scary novel, Shadow Point. Shadow Point is a sequestered point on San Diego's naval base. It's not easy to reach, and once there, there is no television nor cell phone reception. The breath taking view of the Pacific Ocean doesn't quite make up for the strange smells and the things that go bump in the night.
Madison McPeake makes a wonderfully feisty heroine. She'll win the heart of every carefree single lesbian as she worries about quitting smoking and drinking prior to meeting Katie, her niece. The bonding that happens between Katie and Madison is described well, as is the sexual tension between Madison and her brother's neighbor, Pipe. What follows is a wild and exciting ride as Madison, Pipe, Katie, and a wonderful English bulldog named Henry the Eighth, battle the forces of evil on Shadow Point. A gripping first novel, edited by Katherine V. Forrest, this is a fun read.
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Reviewed by RLynne
NOTE: Although both of the editors are lesbian authors, this book is not strictly lesbian fiction. Some of the stories feature lesbian characters, but about half of them are not in that genre. Many of them center around women who are in relationships with men.
Skulls & Crossbones is a collection for people who enjoy pirate stories. It contains twenty tales by different authors, many of whom have been published in other anthologies or who have books of their own. There is a biography of each author provided at the end of the book. The stories are arranged in chronological order ranging from Viking raiders to space marauders in the future and they vary in length, from five to eighteen pages. They demonstrate that the definition of a pirate is not standard as some of them feature blood-thirsty killers, some privateers and some characters who see piracy as a way to help people who are less fortunate. Happy endings are not guaranteed in these stories, but pirates seldom have happy endings.
One of the unique aspects of this book is that the stories don't vary in quality. Usually in an anthology, some stories are weak, some are strong and a lot fall in the category of alright. This book doesn't have any poorly written stories, but none of them stand out either. A couple of them are difficult to understand because they drop the reader into the middle of a story or make references to events that the reader has no knowledge of. One positive for the book is that it is well edited.
This is a perfect book for sitting on the night stand. You can read one story at a time and not have to worry about remembering plot points.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Horrible circumstances have forced teenager Loretta Digby into the oldest profession in order to survive. She’s no longer naive, but another young girl, Amelia Benson, still is and Loretta has to rescue her from a difficult situation. Both work for Jack Coulter in a St. Joseph, Missouri, brothel and both long to be free of him and the men he brings to them night after night.
When Jack becomes displeased with Loretta, he brings her to the brink of death. The only reason she survives is because of Amelia, who returns the favor by saving her in her hour of need. Amelia needs help to save Loretta and she gets it from one of Loretta’s clients from the brothel. It’s fortunate that Amelia rightly thinks the man will have enough compassion for the injured Loretta to help them escape Jack’s wrath. These three unlikely companions, along with a fourth, a schoolteacher with a past of her own, form a little band on a journey further into the Wild West to start a new life.
Their new lives bring them more than they could have hoped. For Loretta, it’s the mysterious, and slightly cantankerous Clare McIlhenney. Loretta and Clare try to battle demons that both bring to a business association while forming a tentative relationship that is more than either woman had ever dared hoped for.
The characters that populate Soiled Dove are believable and fully realized. The story is captivating and we root for them all to succeed in finding respectability, freedom, and love. This is a western to be enjoyed on a long, lazy afternoon. At a minimum, don’t start the last quarter of the book unless you plan on finishing it in one sitting because you’ll likely not be able to put it down. Adcock keeps us on the edge of our seats until the end.
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Reviewed by Anna Furtado
Loretta Digby seems to be always fleeing westward. First she left an abusive stepfather and ended up in St. Joseph, Missouri, working as a prostitute. Then she headed for Colorado hoping to leave everything behind and make a true fresh start. Clare McIlhenney offers that opportunity, reluctantly. Clare is a stubborn, hard-headed woman who has been fighting for twenty years to create a successful ranch and she doesn't think she needs anyone's help, but when she is injured she needs someone to cook and clean for her ranch hands. Having Loretta at the ranch awakens feelings in Clare that she believed she had shut off completely. Just as the women begin to believe they might have a future together, Loretta's past catches up with her. Protecting Loretta may cost Clare everything, including her life.
Soiled Dove is a well written western. Adcock stays true to the history and doesn't twist it to suit her story. The details, terminology and atmosphere are true to the times. The town doesn't approve of how Clare lives and having a relationship with Loretta could destroy them both. That's the way it was in 1876 and Adcock has her characters find a way around those problems instead of pretending that they don't exist or giving them simple solutions. There are a few places where words are left out and the end of the story seems a little rushed in its conclusion, but those hardly detract from the story. The characters are vibrant and interesting, which make the book.
Brenda Adcock has written a number of enjoyable books. Soiled Dove easily fits into that category. Not only does she provide an entertaining story, but the reader will learn some information about the old West in the process.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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Title: Something to Believe
Author: Robbi McCoy
ISBN 13: 978-1-59493-214-4
Publisher: Bella Books
Available At: Bella Books
e-Book Available At: Bella Books
Price: $14.95
Pages: 275
Genre: Romance
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Robbi McCoy excels at developing her characters, and Something to Believe proves this strength. Her main characters, Lauren, Cassie, and Faith are all strong women in very different fields. Lauren, a soil conservationist and Faith, a professor of anthropology meet Cassie, a high school English teacher and her partner on a trip to China. Faith is particularly interested in how death has been handled by various cultures. Her study has led to interesting vacations for the couple, as well as fascinating table conversation. The only two lesbian couples on a small ship, the four women spend several days exploring the Yangtze River together. Cassie and Lauren, feeling as though they have known each other forever, develop a fast friendship.
McCoy follows these three women over the next several years, watching them follow their dreams and their passions. Readers learn interesting beliefs about death and the soul, as well as reading about some wonderful dinners. Something to Believe is an engrossing book about three very likeable women as they explore life, death, sex, and love.
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Reviewed by RLynne
The Midnight Hunt deals with more than one subplot. Supernatural creatures are cast as another group that is fighting for civil rights and the reader can't help but draw analogies with the fight other groups have gone through. There is also the conflict within the Praetern community between those who want to fit into general society and those who don't see a need for that, also reminiscent of real groups. The focus of the book however is the interaction among the pack members, their hierarchy and casual attitudes about sex. This book may be presented as speculative fiction, but it's also a work of erotica, to the point of almost overdoing that aspect. Sometimes the characters are so focused on releasing sexual desires that the reader might wonder how they find the time to do other things.
There is a good story at the center of this book and fans of supernatural fiction will probably find it particularly appealing, although the erotica may not agree with them. The explanation of Were society is interesting and the book works well as a set up for the later books in the series that the author promises. Radclyffe may be writing under a different name, but The Midnight Hunt shows the solid writing for which she is known.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
Wolfsbane Winter is about two women who end up in a place they don't want to be, dealing with situations they didn't create and falling into a relationship that neither is sure she wants.
Deryn has dreamed most of her life of joining the Iron Wolf mercenaries and working on the Misery Trail guarding travelers. A profound tragedy early in her life has convinced her that it's best not to have any ties to anyone or stay in one place too long. Sometimes she makes unwise decisions and one of them results in her agreeing to work in a settlement in the middle of nowhere.
Alana comes from a noble family and is discovered to have a magical ability that results in her being exiled to the same community. There she becomes a healer and vet and tries to hide her family ties since they could get her killed. Each of the women tries to protect the community in the way she knows best and they find themselves often working together. As they confront marauders, magic and legends from the Time of Chaos, Deryn and Alana develop a deeper relationship which threatens the lives that both of them would prefer to live. Each has to decide if she wants to continue an empty life that suits her needs or take a chance on something that offers more, including the possibility of being hurt.
Jane Fletcher is known for her fantasy stories that take place in a world that could almost be real, but not quite. Her books seem like an alternative version of history and contain rich atmospheres of magic, legends, sorcerers and other worldly characters mixed in with ordinary people. The way she writes is so realistic that it is easy to believe that these places and people really exist. Wolfsbane Winter fits that mold perfectly. It draws the reader in and leads her through the story. There is enough excitement that this is a book that is hard to put down and begs for a sequel. Very enjoyable.
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Reviewed by Lynne Pierce
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