Kiss of the Highlander - Karen Marie Moning

Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Audio Book
Series: Highlander Series

A laird trapped between centuries...

Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he’d ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side....

A woman changed forever in his arms...

Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern — to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she’d ever seen? Or that once he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t let her go?

Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them ... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves....

...source: Barnes & Noble website...

As always, Karen Marie Moning does not disappoint. I was happy to finally get to read the first half of the MacKeltar twin's stories and fill in some of the gaps that I missed by reading The Dark Highlander first. Drustan and Gwen were perfect together from beginning to end. I actually liked how in this story there was a little less confusion about how Drustan and Gwen feel about one another - a little less fighting the inevitable...well, at least until the 2nd half. I also really enjoyed the parallels between the first and second half of the book, only in the first half Drustan is the "crazy" one, while Gwen takes the role in the second half.

My favorite part? I think it would have to be when Gwen accidentally marries Drustan while she's relaying the story of what went on in her century, I could just imagine the roar coming out of Drustan's mouth and the urgency welling up in him while Gwen continues reciting the vows unrealizing what she's doing or why Drustan is reacting as such. I also love Drustan's acceptance of Gwen and everything before the memory spell is spoken.

The part that I should have seen coming and didn't was the end. Very, VERY good way to end this book!!

The Nymph King - Gena Showalter

The Nymph King by Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Book
Series: Atlantis

Females young and old beautiful and plain crave Valerian's touch. None can resist his blatant sensuality and potent allure...until he steals Shaye Holing from a Florida beach and holds her prisoner in his underwater kingdom.

The cynical Shaye wants nothing to do with the mighty warlord, but she's inexplicably drawn to him. For underneath the warrior's arrogant beauty lies a complex and powerful man. A man whose caress is like fire...

Now Valerian must fight for the privilege of claiming her as his own. Because there's one thing Shaye doesn't know...

That when a nymph discovers his true mate, she's his for life.

...source: back of book....

The Nymph King is exactly what you would think it is. It's almost too much sex and not enough other stuff in my opinion. While I did enjoy the book, I found Valerian overly arrogant and self righteous. He didn't spend enough time wooing Shaye, and just expected her to fall to her knees for him. In the end, that is pretty much what she did. She didn't have much to base her submission to him, except his insistence that she would eventually give in to him. While Valerian decided one night to "get to know her," they never really did end up talking much. A little tid-bit here and there.

What I did like about the book was that there was a story part and partial to the mating of Valerian and Shaye that I felt was more meaningful. I did enjoy Shaye and Valerian's "I hate you" conversations near the end as well. And the orange, such a sweetheart Valerian proved himself to be. He truly did want to give Shaye everything she wanted - he's just not good at the chatting I guess. Oh, and the finale - the show down between Nymphs and Dragons, I felt, had a very satisfying result.

One question I ask Gena, why didn't you have Shaye wear the dress she longed for that was hanging in Valerian's closet? I *thought* that was foreshadowing, and figured Shaye would take some pride in getting to finally wear the dress she really did want. :)

The Bachelor - Carly Phillips

The Bachelor by Carly Phillips
Genre: Adult Romance
Form: Audio Book
Narrator: William Dufris

After news of his mother's weak hear summons him home, globetrotting journalist Roman Chandler loses a coin toss with his brothers that determines who will relinquish his bachelor status to give their mother a grandchild. Roman decides to "settle down" without giving up his travel-intensive job, and as one of the most handsome men in town, he can have his pick of the local women - except for Charlotte Bronson, his high school crush. Thoughts of her parents' miserable long-distance marriage keep Charlotte from accepting Roman's proposal, despite the sexual sparks that fly at their every encounter. Mutual attraction eventually proves too powerful to resist, however, but first Roman must win her trust...

...source: back of audio book...

The Bachelor is a fun romance filled with love, mystery and drama. I loved the characters in this book, and the interaction between characters. What I didn't love was the narration. It annoyed me through the entire book, making the Chandler brothers sound like Ranger Roy wanna-be's with a "howdy partner" type affliction on their voice. But the dialogue that Carly wrote did not indicate a cowboy type attitude. She created arrogant male lead(s), but to me they should have had a husky romantic playfulness about them, instead of a harsh sounding cowboy.

The characters in this book definitely made the book what it is. I found myself wanting to fall in love with Roman Chandler myself, and also wanted to see sparks fly for his brother,as well. Perhaps there will be a part 2? The sparks really do fly for Roman and Charlotte - so much that neither one can resist. I loved the scene when where one of the small-town girls finds her way into Roman's bedroom wearing only panties (panties that are special to this book...), and finds herself caught in a tricky situation when, 1. Roman does not welcome the surprise, and 2. his mother suddenly shows up at home as well.

But the book really is not all fun and love - but does have some baring of the heart as well. Both of the main characters in this book end up having to strip themselves to the core to understand their preconceptions of the way they thought things were, and the reality of what really was going on in their lives. It is only when they know the truth about themselves and their families that they can truly love each other.

Jewel of Atlantis - Gena Showalter

Jewel of Atlantis by Gena Showalter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Form: Book
Series: Atlantis Series

All Atlantis seeks the Jewel of Dunamis, which legend claims can overcome any enemy. Grayson James, human agent of the ultrasecret Otherworld Bureau of Investigation, has orders to keep it from the wrong hands - or destroy it. What he doesn't know is that Jewel is a women, not a stone! But once he meets this precious gem, destroying her is the last thing on his mind...

Jewel, part goddess, part prophet, needs Gray's help to win her freedom. Gray needs her wisdom to navigate monster-ridden Atlantis. But need blossoms into passionate love as they battle demons, dragons and vampires - and fight for a future that seems impossible...

...source: back of book...

I am a much happier camper now! Jewel of Atlantis, for me, was much better than Heart of the Dragon. The story as a whole moved at a good pace. There was no rushed battle scene (in fact, there were many action filled battles scenes in this book), and the ending was not rushed to an abrupt stop either. I loved Gray and Jewel's first meeting, inside Gray's head - it helped to build the intensity of the relationship having him so attracted merely by her voice. The story as a whole was much better built in my opinion. The danger that wraps around Jewel seems real and the story as a whole really gives you a good glimpse of the world of Atlantis that Heart of the Dragon did not allow you.

Some of my favorite parts include Jewel and Gray's day at the market, and Jewel's joy of shopping, followed by Gray pretending to be a God. It really just made for the perfect day, and the only few hours of relaxation the two get to share until closer to the end of the book. But my absolute favorite part was Gray himself. The handsome hunk of a man who unwillingly admits he's falling in love with Jewel. His words, "You are mine, you are mine you are mine," echo in my head as I think about this book. He is one of my favorite male leads to date, falling closely behind Adam Black & Daegus MacKeltar of the Highlander series.

Soulmates - Elizabeth Chandler

Soulmates by Elizabeth Chandler
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Form: Book
Series: Kissed by an Angel

Time is running out...

After her boyfriend, Tristian, dies, Ivy thinks she's lost everything - until she discovers Tristan is her guardian angel. But Tristan has come back to Ivy with a mission: The same vicious killer who killed him wants Ivy dead. Together Tristan and Ivy must find out who it is and stop him.

But if Tristan rescues Ivy, his mission will be finished, and he must leave the earth and his true love behind forever. Will saving Ivy mean losing her...just when he's finally reached her again?

After he's gone, will the spirit of his love protect her?

...source: back of book...

Soulmates was a quick read. I started and finished it on a Saturday when I wasn't feeling well and didn't feel like doing much else. It was pretty thin on content and depth, but it was entertaining none-the-less. For something easy to read, this book will fit the bill.

Character interaction was pretty good, which is probably what kept me reading. Otherwise, the lack of depth would have found me bored and putting it down forever. I did not think that Elizabeth brought out the latter conflict of the books summary (rescuing Ivy = Tristan leaves thus leaving her) very much. I did like how Tristan freed Ivy up for future love. I also enjoyed Beth's character as well, Ivy's premonition receiving friend. I had wished she got to play a bigger part in the story. I also actually really liked the villain of the story. He was well played and deceptive enough, though the deception was not drawn out enough in my opinion. Ivy and everyone else were privy to him too early in the story. It may have actually played out better had it been a little bit more of a surprise.