A Healer's Touch by Ashlynn Monroe

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Wild Horse Press
Paranormal Romance
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Blurb: As if being a young single mother wasn't challenging enough, Phoebe is also the last adult descendant of the witch who cursed Willow Lake in response to her betrayal and murder. Phoebe inherited the family curse, but with love and compassion, she uses her magic for healing.

Fabian Sterling likes money, he likes power, and he likes Phoebe. He's also the ancestor of the man who burned Phoebe's witch ancestor at the stake. Can passion overcome a centuries old grudge? When he looks at Phoebe he doesn’t see a witch, only an angel. How can anyone so beautiful be reviled by an entire town? Fabian vows to protect her, whatever the cost.

Review: Ashlynn Monroe has written an adorable story about one of my favorite paranormals. A witch named Phoebe who has the ability to ease pain and heal people. Phoebe is a descendant of the Penn witches, who lost her parents too soon. She works hard all day to pay the bills and support her three year old son and herself. Phoebe doesn't spout off spells or hexes to the people who won't accept her. She isn't bitter about her life or her gift. The only thing thta matters to her is her son.

Ashlynn conveys the daily struggle this single mother goes through trying to make ends meet. At the same time, she never makes Phoebe look week or pitiful. There is a fire inside Phoebe that pushes her on. Even when she has exhausts herself to the point of unconsciousness saving the life of a little girl, Phoebe still pushes on. She visits the nursing home bringing healing and pain easing love to the residents, even if only for a little while. She uses her abilities for the greater good. Phoebe doesn't save the world and that's refreshing. She simply wants to help people.

However, when Fabian shows up to help her repeatedly, it is hard for her to let down her walls. She's guarded and doesn't trust people easily. Who could blame her? Especially when residents of Willow Lake "out" her on cable TV. She witnesses just how cruel and ignorant the townspeople can be. Even in the twenty-first century. Phoebe soon learns she cannot protect her son and herself from everything. Will she open herself up to Fabian and allow him inside her heart and life? Or will she lose the one man she has ever loved because of her pride?

Mistletoe Magyk by Linda Palmer

Story: 8
Presentation: 8.5
Total: 16.5
Publisher: Wild Horse Press
Paranormal Sweet YA
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Blurb: Jordyn meets Rio by accident, literally, but the two are drawn to one another from the beginning. When they are thrust together over the Christmas holidays, anything is possible - even a little mistletoe magyk.

Review: This was a light, sweet, easy to read holiday story with just enough magyk it make the paranormal pop. The “I love you’s” came a bit fast for me. Even though they both question their intense love that seems to have sprouted so fast, I wasn’t rolling my eyes and groaning. :)

All in all it was a cute fast read that made me smile. Ah young love …ok, love at any age is great, but it is especially sweet during the holidays…even when the dad’s evil girlfriend is trying to drain his powers :)

Everything worked out and all is right in the world again. Just the way I like it.

Reese’s Peace by Julie Kimball

Story 8
Presentation 9
Total: 17
Wild Horse Press
Contemporary
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Blurb: Reese Lindsey doesn't have time for anything but work and renovating her house, especially dating. When Chase Boyd steps into her life, things change instantly. He's charming, handsome and really smart but his job doesn't intrigue her. Men of her past, including her father, haven't proved to handle the fame of the medical field, therefore Reese avoids male medical personnel.


Several embarrassing moments, as well as bad luck, cause Reese and Chase to cross paths. Maybe she's starting to change her mind about him. Can Reese make peace with her past and let Chase into her life?

Review: Have you ever felt like a klutz, both physically and mentally? Everything possible is going wrong and you feel like an accident waiting to happen? That's Reese.Her father cheated on her mother, her stepfather cheated on her mother,, and her ex-fiancée cheated on her. So she has a rule,no serious relationships with any men, and definitely mo medically connected men.

The opener is great! Reese is at her sister, Monica's house for a family get together. The whole family is there and most are playing softball in the empty lot next door. Reese's turn at bat and she smacks a foul ball (and wouldn't you know it?) Right through the new neighbor's window. She goes over to apologize and interrupts his shower with her loud knocking on the door. As Chase - oooh, what a hunk! - comes to open the door, he steps on the broken window glass and cuts his foot. Reese get sick to her stomach at the sight of the blood and has to turn away. Chase is an EMT and starts caring for his wound. Reese turns around as he starts putting stitches in his own foot. She almost passes out. Chase catches her and is immediately attracted,

. What a great first impression!

Later that evening after Reese has taken her Grand home, the old lady falls, breaks her wrist and has a concussion. Guess who one of the EMTs is, You got it, Chase.

When Reese gets home her garage door won't open. What luck!. Then she gets a phone message to rush to the hospital because her grandmother has been admitted. More bad luck in her life.

After being at the hospital, she returns home to find her home on fire. Fire trucks, firemen, ambulance and EMTs are there. and guess who... Chase, of course.

She stays with her sister while her house is being repaired. Everyone, the whole family likes Chase and encourages her to attract him. Grand, Monica, her brother-in-law, the niece and nephew, and even her people hating cat likes him. They are all encouraging her to break her rule of no men, and definitely no medically connected men.

They are physically super attracted to each other and after several conversations about not wanting to be involved ( he has had a rotten experience himself) they decide to date, as FRIENDS. They date and Chase is slow to admit he is interested, even to his EMT partner. The partner is a 'player' who is after any and all women and he thinks Reese is 'hot' even if she doesn't have big boobs. What a jerk.

Reese is insecure because of past relationships. Several things happen to increase her doubts about Chase. He is good with kids, a great cook, likes he family, they like him; and he is a sexy hunk! But is he hiding anything? He seems to be working long hours and has broken some dates, when he had to cover someone else's shift.

Are events conspiring to work against this couple? Is he really a very slick cheater?

I LIKED this book. The characters act like real people with all the feelings, insecurities, doubts, and emotions that we have all felt at one time or another. The dialogue is real people talking, not like some character with unreasonable talk. The nephew's lisp was well done and cute. Sometimes I had to reread to determine what the kid was saying. For instance, "You hewe siwen?" When I finally read it out loud, I could just hear a little kid asking, You hear siren?

I liked it from the beginning to the end. There were no evil villains causing problems, just two people and their insecurities. Ms. Kimball has written a nice, sweet, believable interesting story. And yes there were some "hot" passages.

READ AND ENJOY

A Slave to Her Passions by Jessica Coulter Smith

Story: 7.5

Presentation: 9

Total: 17.5

Publisher: Wild Horse Press

Erotic Sci-Fi

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Blurb: Abducted outside of her home in Los Angeles, Alyson now finds herself a slave in the land of Shar. One look at the fallen angel who buys her and she melts. Adam's sexy body and smoldering kisses leave her weak in the knees and make her heart flip-flop in her chest. Is it possible to fall in love with a man who owns you? Alsyon is going to find out if she's just a slave or a slave to her passions.

Review: Though I have always had issues with the whole "We just met a few hours ago but I love you" thing, this story was really good :)

One woman, two sexy men and an unstopable love? The only thing that could make it better is some hot sex...Oh wait :) it has that too! I wish the story had been longer and I had time to believe the love that was so fast in coming but that aside this story has everything and is written very well.

Thank you Ms Coulter for a fun story that worked well. Where can I find my own fallen angel? or two :O

Eclipse of the Twin Moons by J. L. Oiler

Story: 7

Presentation: 8

Total: 15

Publisher: Wild Horse Press

Paranormal

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Blurb: A fierce warrior, Jaden has roamed the countryside with a group of mercenaries, but a heroic act to save a village lands her right into her villainous half-brother’s hands. Forcing Jaden into a cruel union, Jerreon hopes to gain power over all the clans, but before the bonding ceremony can take place a handsome stranger steps in to save her. Now as the twin moons begin to eclipse she must choose whether to take a chance on love or deny herself the pleasure of being in Breton’s arms.

Review: This story was unique.

Jaden is a very strong heroine who demands respect from those around her. Brenton is determined to prove they are mates. The ups and downs and twists this story takes made it an enjoyable read.

There were a few editing issues that I think should have been caught but other than that the story was solid and told well. Steamy love scenes and a family rift that just brings the whole story together. Oh yeah :)

Whispering Lake by Jessica Coulter Smith

Story: 7

Presentation: 7

Total: 14

Publisher: Wild Horse Press

Paranormal Romance 222 Pages

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Blurb: While on vacation with some friends, Cassie finds herself drawn to a handsome stranger. Hoping she will finally have a shot at a normal life, she allows herself to care for Cole. When things get hot and heavy, Cassie's spectral best friend Matt materializes - literally. Cole is secretly a werewolf... will Cassie be able to handle the truth? Or will the fact that he turns furry turn her off...More importantly, will Cole be able to handle Cassie's psychic abilities? With ghosts popping up here and there, will they have a shot at a real romance?Cassie has a choice to make. Will she choose the hottest werewolf of all, or the ghost of her dreams?

Review: Not a bad story at all. There were times when I felt very torn between the two men in Cassie's life and I didn't really know who to root for. The climax was a little predictable as was most of the build up. Since this is only the first in what appears to be several stories about these folks, I have to say that I am looking forward to reading Cole's story next as I really liked him.

There were some editing issues that I found in the ARC. The editor was emailed and made aware of the issues.

All in All it was a cute read and the characters seemed to have good motivation most of the time. I still had some unanswered questions at the end, but as I said, this appears to be the first of several stories so I assume we will get the answers later :)