For the sake of complete honesty, adult fiction has never been my reading genre of choice. However, when I read the synopsis of Waking Isabella, the storyline just called out to me. The author promises to take us on a journey filled with discovery, history, art, and culture set in a beautiful place -- who would want to say no to that? So I jumped at the opportunity, waited for my free copy and gotten so much more than what I expected.

Waking Isabella is a story about uncovering hidden beauty that, over time, has been lost, erased, or suppressed. It also weaves together several love stories as well as a few mysteries. Nora, an assistant researcher, is a catalyst for resolving the puzzle of a painting that has been missing for decades. Set in Arezzo, a small Tuscan town, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the city’s antique trade and the fanfare and pageantry of its medieval jousting festival. While filming a documentary about Isabella de’ Medici—the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband—Nora begins to connect with the lives of two remarkable women from the past. Unraveling the stories of Isabella, the daughter of a fifteenth-century Tuscan duke, and Margherita, a young girl trying to survive the war in Nazi-occupied Italy, Nora begins to question the choices that have shaped her own life up to this point. As she does, hidden beauty is awakened deep inside of her, and she discovers the keys to her creativity and happiness. It is a story of love and deceit, forgeries and masterpieces—all held together by the allure and intrigue of a beautiful Tuscan ghost.

One of the things that I loved most about Waking Isabella and the author's writing style is her ability to transport readers to the beautiful country of Italy. From art and culture to the people and language, one could easily be lost in the pages of the book. Even though I'm not very knowledgeable about art, the way Melissa Muldoon talked about it in her novel, with so much passion and detail, I can't help but appreciate the beauty of it, especially its rich history.

Waking Isabella takes us on an interesting journey when one woman, Nora, decides to move on with her life after a failed marriage. She visits a small Tuscan town named Arezzo and that's where she started her path to uncover a mystery that will change her life. The story jumps through different timelines and different personas -- we have Nora, Margherita, and Isabella, different women whose lives are intertwined in some ways.

Before I started reading, I feared that the story may be boring at one point which can sometimes be the case with adult fiction (at least with my experience with them). However, that's not at all the case with Waking Isabella. Muldoon gave her characters so much life, and every scene was described in so much detail that it's impossible not to hang on every word. It's obvious that the author's personal background with art and design seeps through her writing as well.

Waking Isabella is truly a wonderful read. It's not a one-dimensional story. There's a lot of layers to the plot and a lot to uncover and learn. I'm also now more inspired to visit Italy and learn the language and culture because of this book -- that's how good it is. This book is definitely one to be enjoyed by women who are looking for more than your average romance novels. I highly recommend it.

Melissa Muldoon is the Studentessa Matta—the crazy linguist! In Italian, “matta” means “crazy” or “impassioned.” Melissa has a B.A. in fine arts, art history and European history from Knox College, a liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, as well as a master’s degree in art history from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She has also studied painting and art history in Florence.

Melissa promotes the study of Italian language and culture through her dual-language blog, Studentessa Matta (studentessamatta.com). Melissa began the Matta blog to improve her command of the language and to connect with other language learners. It has since grown to include a podcast, “Tutti Matti per l’Italiano,” and the Studentessa Matta YouTube channel. Melissa also created Matta Italian Language Immersion Tours, which she co-leads with Italian partners in Italy.

Waking Isabella is Melissa’s second novel and follows Dreaming Sophia, published in 2016. In this new novel about Italy, the reader is taken on another art history adventure, inspired by Melissa’s experiences living and traveling in Italy, specifically Arezzo, as well as her familiarity with the language and art. For more information about Waking Isabella and links to Melissa’s blogs and social media sites, visit www.MelissaMuldoon.com.

As a student, Melissa lived in Florence with an Italian family. She studied art history and painting and took beginner Italian classes. When she returned home, she threw away her Italian dictionary, assuming she’d never need it again, but after launching a successful design career and starting a family, she realized something was missing in her life. That “thing” was the connection she had made with Italy and the friends who live there. Living in Florence was indeed a life-changing event. Wanting to reconnect with Italy, she decided to start learning the language again from scratch. As if indeed possessed by an Italian muse, she bought a new Italian dictionary and began her journey to fluency—a path that has led her back to Italy many times and enriched her life in countless ways. Now, many dictionaries and grammar books later, she dedicates her time to promoting Italian language studies, further travels in Italy, and sharing her stories and insights about Italy with others. When Melissa is not traveling in Italy, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Melissa designed and illustrated the cover art for Waking Isabella and Dreaming Sophia. She also curates the Dreaming Sophia blog and Pinterest site: The Art of Loving Italy. Please visit the Pinterest page for pictures of Arezzo, the Giostra del Saracino, and all the places we go in Italy in both books. Visit MelissaMuldoon.com for more information about immersion trips to learn the language with Melissa in Italy, as well as the Studentessa Matta blog for practice and tips to learn the Italian language.

Ever since I discovered the wonderful world of magic thanks to J.K. Rowling, fantasy books have always held a special space in my heart and mind. I'm always interested in reading about magical or mystical creatures, places, or situations because it gives us something more than just words on paper -- it piques our imagination and draws us into another dimension.

This is exactly why I was excited when given the opportunity to read and review Cathedeus, I jumped on it right away. And boy am I glad I did. Let's jump to my review.

It has been six hundred years since the Alchemists fused together men and beasts to form strong, mindless slaves. Now, their most vicious creations have attacked the mystical Walking Gates, slaughtering their Keepers and isolating their cities. Wounded in the brutal attack, Braxton Prinn’s mother is on the verge of death and he makes a desperate journey to find the reclusive elven master who can save her. But when he discovers an ancient magic, Brax is caught up in an even greater struggle and soon finds himself hunted for his power. Drawn into the chaos of an impending war and pursued by enemies on all sides, Brax must fight to save his mother and her race from slipping into darkness. Though his untamed magic may be the greatest threat of all . . .

Let me start off by saying that the synopsis of this book does not give the story justice at all. Cathadeus is such a well-written book that takes place in a beautifully thought of world that I was reminded of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Lord of the Rings in that the author managed to bring a mythical place to life so wonderfully. The author describes each scene so vividly in every sentence that envisioning yourself in that place and time is not at all difficult. 

I, for one, do not shy away from violence when it comes to novels, so I was quite excited at the number of battles and fight scenes this book had to offer. The story was fast-paced so there were no dull moments that made me want to skip a page. Now the main character, I believe Brax developed a lot from the beginning of the book to the end, and not just because of the new abilities he discovered, but also as a person. But we must remember that this is book one in a series and obviously Jeff J. Peters intends to pace his characters so there would still be growth to look forward to in the following instalments. 

Cathadeus is the kind of story that would occupy your thoughts days after you finish reading it. You just can't help but imagine yourself thrust into that world and be part of the good fight, so to speak. This is truly a fantastic first part of an exciting series that I look forward to reading. I highly recommend this to those who enjoy being taken on a grand adventure filled with mystical creatures, magic and battles. 

 “Jeff J. Peters’ strong cinematic writing style allowed me to easily visualize the story and feel that I was right there alongside the characters.”

“Jeff J. Peters’ writing is so smooth and easy to read – I can’t tell you how much of a pleasure it was…and how quickly you end up being drawn into the story because of it.”

“Cathadeus is the best kind of fantasy story - you get to learn along with a flawed main character while you get lost in a richly designed world. You can’t help but keep reading. A cleanly written pairing of characters you wish you could spend more time with and an enthralling world built around them. Cathadeus is the kind of story that plays perfectly off of your imagination, with characters grounded in reality to make it feel like you could really be there.”

“Jeff J. Peters definitely has storytelling skills...The story stayed on my mind when I wasn’t reading it. Young readers will be drawn in this imaginative story, while they relate to Braxton’s struggles with temper, insecurity, and young love. Cathadeus is dramatic, with an anxious tone—at times bleak, as the story keeps you wondering until the final battle if good will prevail.”

JEFF J. PETERS was born in South Africa and immigrated to the United States as a teenager, where he fell in love with all things fantasy. He obtained degrees in digital electronics and computer science and worked as an IT professional for more than twenty years. In 2014, he left his corporate position to focus full-time on writing. Cathadeus is his debut novel. He is currently working on the sequel.

When I was presented with the opporunity to read Degrees of Love, I jumped right on it. The synopsis drew me in like a moth to a flame. I'm not saying I can relate to our female protagonist's dilemma, I can't say that I can't either. However, I just knew deep down that I'd be taken on a roller coaster ride filled with too-real situations and emotions and I'm too masochistic to say no to that. 

Let's get right on my review.

At thirty-six, Susan Sinclair has it all. She's just been promoted to Senior Vice President of Mobile Banking at her firm, a prestigious position bringing fresh creative challenges and a hefty salary increase. Like the shiny new BMW in the driveway of the Silicon Valley home she shares with her husband, Matt, and their two beautiful boys, Susan exudes confidence and style.

Yet despite her success in juggling the roles of wife, mother, and businesswoman, Susan struggles with a secret dissatisfaction. Matt's work in cutting-edge computer research pays less than her job, and with each advance in her career, he has grown more distant. But Matt refuses to admit there is a problem, and Susan forces herself to play along, determined to give her boys the close-knit family life she never had.

Then she meets her new boss, Reese Kirkpatrick. Working and traveling together, she and Reese become a crackerjack team, but little by little, pleasure mixes with business. For the first time in a long time—maybe ever—Susan feels seen and appreciated for who she is. Certain she would never allow their friendship to cross the line, Susan lets herself stray dangerously close to the edge.

​A moment of weakness changes everything. Now, unable to stomach the façade her marriage has become yet unwilling to decimate her family by moving forward with Reese, Susan faces a choice that could cost her everything—including her children . . . but possibly bring her more than she can dream.

Degrees of Love talks about a woman with a successful career, a "loving" husband, two beautiful children, and resources to make their lives even better. On paper, Susan has it all. But by now, we must all know that nothing is ever as it seems, and there is no such thing as a perfect life. 

Susan, bless her, is stuck in a place where she has to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of her kids. It's a situation many women (whether you admit to or not) is familiar with. As parents, we know that we have to put the well-being of our children way above our own, especially if divorce and having a broken family is on the table. And Susan didn't want to risk it. I mean, it's not like Matt is the worst man in the world. Sure, he has ego issues that, in turn, affects how he treats his wife, but he's not a "bad" guy. He just takes Susan for granted (sometimes despises her success, even) and forgets to make her feel loved and treasured. 

This is where the complication comes in. 

Susan is thrust into a situation that forces her to see that there is more to life than settling for mediocre affection. She finds herself with a new boss who not only respects her professionally but is also attracted to her on a personal level. The attraction is mutual, as said boss is a real looker. But it's not even the physical aspect that confuses our protagonist. No, it's the feeling of acceptance and respect, and support, all that. She's been thirsting for that kind of attention and now she's been given a taste of another kind of life. 

I don't really want to give anything away about the book as I feel like most of you get the gist of the story now. However, I gotta say, reading Degrees of Love made me think of things too. Because of the situations that are all too real, it's easy to find similarities between what's happening to Susan's life and maybe what some of us are going through right now. It's a novel that makes you question things. Makes you wonder about the possibilities. 

For me though,  Degrees of Love is a book about self-love. It's about loving yourself and putting yourself first when need be. As women, our accomplishments, our dreams, they shouldn't be stepped on, they should be celebrated. And honestly, that's what this book represents for me. 

I really loved Degrees of Love. It's such a well-written book that follows a woman's journey to "self-discovery" is what I'd like to call it. It talks about fear, getting over those fears, and eventually finding what makes you happy and grabbing it. The road to that life may not be easy, but in the end, it's all worth it. 

Degrees of Love is Lisa Slabach’s debut novel. She is currently working on her third full-length manuscript and a collection of short stories inspired by her experiences growing up in a small farm community in Washington’s Yakima Valley. In addition to writing, Lisa works for a Fortune 500 Company, leading a sales team in the financial industry. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband and has two daughters, who are both pursuing careers in film. In her free time, she enjoys drinking wine with friends and cooking in her pink kitchen.

The only ever memoir I've read before was Ellen Degeneres' Seriously...I'm Kidding. If I'm being honest with myself, learning about other people's lives, people who are virtually strangers to me, is simply too intimate, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of revelation.

However, for reasons unknown, I was simply drawn to say yes to To Mend A Broken Heart. I don't know why, nor did I knew exactly what was coming, but when I flipped to the last page, I was glad I did.

“I just want to write the words as I feel them bleeding from this old heart of mine…”

Bad memories are never really forgotten. Just suppressed under the mountain of lies we’ve told ourselves, so that the painful ones are easier to bear. I remember a lot, and my life has been emotionless for a long time. I recall watching as my mother was beaten bloody in front of me, and then, as if I were old news, I was cast away.

Until now, I’ve been patching the holes in my heart with band-aids; but I’m ready to feel again. So that true healing can finally begin.

Honestly, I don't know how to write a review about To Mend A Broken Heart without revealing much about myself and past struggles as well. I did not expect to relate to Myunique C. Green's work at all, but there are one too many instances where I found myself saying, "I know exactly what you mean." 

Reliving the memories shared by the author was not an easy feat for her, and she mentioned so multiple times in the book as well. But it was a necessary process to help her deal with the things that have happened in the past. 

To Mend A Broken Heart isn't for the faint of heart. I don't think the author wrote this to gather sympathy from other people. That is probably the last thing on her mind. What she wanted to do, in my opinion, is to let others know that it's okay. You're not alone in this world. There are other people out there who went through and/or are going through crappy things and/or situations. It's up to us to be survivors instead of victims. 

I don't want to give much away about the stories Myunique shares in her book, as I feel like that is something you, the reader, have to experience for yourself in all its nitty-gritty glory. I will, however, tell you that the memories she shares are sensitive. It talks about sexual abuse, physical abuse, depression, crime, and other delicate subject matter. It's real and it's raw. If you've experienced any of the aforementioned stuff, you'd either want to read it or steer clear of it. I recommend the former because you'll know the story of one woman who struggled through life and all its shit and came out on top. 

The writing style was as you would expect from a book like this. It was honest, somewhat graphic, candid, and just raw. It feels like the author is right in front of you telling you her memories as she remembers them. There's no particular order in which she narrates events in her life, and that's what makes it good, in my opinion. She wrote it one chapter at a time, going back and forth through different stages in her life. I love the diversity. Makes the entire read more interesting.

To Mend A Broken Heart is heartbreaking as it is inspiring. The things that happened to Myunique are real, I myself can attest to how life can fu** you in the ass, chew you up, and spit you out. I love how she kept real to the events that happened no matter how horrifying they are. 

I am a current student and teacher. My every breath is literature and fiction. I hold two degrees but I’ll let you guess which ones. In 2012 I independently published my first novel, Bloodlines: Everything That Glitters after a lot of agents turned me down.

They said I didn’t have what it took.

Two years later, I became a kindle bestselling author, with titles sold around the world. 713, a mystery crime tale, dominated the United States Bestselling Kindle Short-stories and remained a #1 seller for two consecutive weeks. In fact, the complete trilogy of Chopped and Skrewed was nominated as one of the Best Books of 2016.

I’ve accepted a few awards in my time, one of which was from the Midtown Journal for a fiction, short-story entry into their semi-annual writing contest.

In my downtime, I consider myself something of an oddball and undoubtedly the black sheep of my family. My quest began by simply wanting to create something different.

Book image provided by the author.

Have you read To Mend A Broken Heart? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Share it in the comment section below.

One of the things I love most about blogging and writing book reviews is I get to [digitally] meet new people -- fellow bloggers, other bookworms, and of course, authors. At this point, I'm still not used to the fact that authors personally reach out to me to get their work read and reviewed. It's such a humbling and flattering experience and one that I will never take for granted. 

With that said, we are here for the review of Releasing the Demon, book one of The Order of the Senary by author L.D. Rose. She reached out to me a couple of weeks ago, asking me to read and write an honest review of Black Bullet, which is the second instalment in the same series. I, however, ended up falling in love with the first book and decided to share my thoughts on this paranormal romance novel. 

So let's jump to it.

Blaze Knight has been through hell and back, but the nightmares aren't over yet.

Five years after Blaze was maimed by Cyrus Chimola, a powerful vampire with a penchant for torture, he's still trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. As a genetically engineered mercenary with the ability to bend fire to his will and to see in infrared, Blaze's mission is to protect what's left of humanity. When Chimola and his crew return to the Bronx gunning for Blaze's blood, Blaze is forced to face the demons of his past. Hell-bent on revenge, he seeks the help of Valerie Medeiros, an NYPD detective who manages to steal his heart and save his life in more ways than one.

Motivated by her sister's gruesome death, Valerie has made it her life's goal to bury every vampire in the ground where they belong. When she brings in Blaze Knight for suspected murder, she discovers he's not only innocent, he isn't a man at all-he's a half-vampire hybrid working with a band of brothers for the U.S. military. Valerie has a hard time trusting anything with fangs, yet she quickly falls headlong into Blaze's life, a life full of darkness and horror she can't even begin to fathom. The bodies are stacking up, but Valerie can't seem to let go of this hybrid, a beautiful monster filled with pain, rage, and passion unlike anything she's ever known.

In a world where the line between good and evil is blurred, Blaze and Valerie will find danger at every turn, risking everything they've come to know and love, including one another.

Blaze Knight is a good man with questionable methods. He's been "gifted" with a power that made him a target for years and even tortured for months, at one point. Ever since then, he's been hell-bent on ridding the world of vampires as much as he can, even if he loses himself in the process. That is until a brave detective brought him to his knees, literally, and his infrared world just got a whole lot brighter. 

Valerie Madeiros is a brave, motivated, and honourable woman. Despite his lack of supernatural powers, she still aims to fight and kill vampires and to protect the human race as much as she can. Anyone who destroys bloodsuckers is on her side, as far as she's concerned. But when she discovers that her mysterious vigilante is more complicated than she thought, her brain and heart are thrown for a loop. 

Releasing the Demons is set at a time when the world is overpowered by vampires. Basically, the only thing keeping people safe is shutting themselves in when the sun sets, and not inviting bloodsuckers in your home. A reasonable strategy, but not good enough. That is where our protagonists come in. 

Valerie works for the NYPD -- yes, the police force still exists and they are, as far as I can tell, on the good side. During the day, she's busting her ass off figuring out where the vamp dens are and reading up on her favourite vigilante, and at night, she tries to rid the city of as many monsters as possible. On the other hand, Blaze and his brothers hunt all over New York City to eliminate as many vampires as possible. With their abilities, strength, and dedication, killing a hundred of the beasts is the norm. But then an old foe of theirs, namely Blaze, made itself known again by killing people so freakin' brutally and sending our hulk friend a message. 

This is where it gets really interesting for me. I've never been one to shy away from violence and gore, so I was elated because the author didn't hold anything back when she wrote graphic scenes. Yeah, I guess that's one thing you guys need to know: If you're squeamish, this book might not be for you. Anyway, L.D. Rose managed to balance the bloodiness by only adding gruesome scenes when they're essential to the story. 

The writing style as a whole really appealed to me. There's a good amount of humour without going over-the-top, and the action scenes are intense but not overplayed. The romance between Blaze and Valerie isn't sickeningly sweet too, which is fantastic because again, there are bigger issues to focus on. I also like that the author created a strong female character who is willing to put her life on the line and fight monsters even though she only has her gun, guts, and determination. However, despite the lack of super strength or super speed, and with her newfound beau being a hybrid and all, she's not at all interested in being a vampire herself! No offense Bella Swan. She's good with what she's got and she manages just fine as a human. 

Now the chemistry between Blaze and Valerie was slow burning. There was no love at first sight. No I-just-knew-he-was-the-one-when-I-first-laid-eyes-on-him crap. And I loved that! There was a sense of realism. I would be remiss if I don't mention though that the love scene was intense AF. It's short but oh so sweet. Doesn't take away from the heaviness of the story at all. 

The plot of Releasing the Demons is actually quite interesting. I mean, what would happen to the world if supernatural beings do take over? How would we survive? How would the economy function? What will the government do? Those are some of the questions raised by this novel. Now, to be honest, the author didn't divulge much into the technicalities of things -- like what's happening to the rest of the world apart from New York, and how do people make a living -- and I would love for her to hint on that on future instalments. But that's not what the story is about, I think. At least not at this point. I believe, however, that as the series goes farther along, it would be interesting to see more realistic elements come into play. Again, like the government making themselves known, maybe seeing some regular people trying to fight back, something along those lines. 

SUMMARY: 

Overall, Releasing the Demons is a well-written book that seems to be a solid foundation for an excellent series. I look forward to reading more of the authors work and I do recommend this to bookworms who like a little action and fantasy alongside their romance. 

RATING: 

L.D. Rose is a neurotic physician by day, crazed writer by night, and all around wannabe superhero. She writes dark paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but she’s been known to delve into horror, sci-fi, and medical suspense on occasion. L.D. Rose is a PAN member of the RWA, FF&P, NEC-RWA and CoLoNY. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her studly hubby, her hyperactive Boxer, and her two devious cats.

Sign up for her newsletter for the latest on the Senary, sneak peeks, giveaways, and other fun stuff. You’ll receive a free horror short story with sign-up! You can also join her reader group on FB for more shenanigans.

Book image from Goodreads

Have you read Releasing the Demons? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Share it in the comment section below.

Vi Keeland, for me, is one of those authors who I know is famous and has already published a lot of books but I have yet to read her work. I bought three of her novels (Egomaniac, Playboy Pilot, and Beautiful Mistake) sometime last year and they have been patiently sitting quietly in my phone's reading app. 

However, with the new year, a surge of energy came to me that made me want to catch up on my reading that I missed out on in 2017. I decided to start off with good ol' contemporary romance, and as I was scrolling through my digital library, I came across my small collection of Vi Keeland's work. Hot man on the cover? Hell, yes. 

Basically, I had no expectations when I swiped my ebook copy of Beautiful Mistake open, but a few pages in and I knew Vi Keeland would forever be one of my favourite authors. 

A sexy new standalone from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Vi Keeland

The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.

He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.

When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass.

You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married.

He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done.

Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant.

Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy.

Oops. My mistake.

Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology.

I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right?

That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning.

Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant.

I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking.

Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.

This was going to be interesting…

Confession: I pictured Theo James as Caine and it worked for me.

As I said, I had no expectations when I started reading Beautiful Mistake. But only after a few pages, when Rachel and Caine crossed paths, I was instantly hooked. I'm a sucker for witty banter and the way Vi Keeland wrote the exchange between the two, I was a goner. I couldn't keep the goofy grin off of my face because the dialogue and even Rachel's internal monologue was hilarious. 

I'm not going to lie -- I didn't know what the story was about because I didn't even bother to read the book's blurb until after I was done. But honestly, I never would've guessed that it would go the way it did, based on the book's synopsis alone.

Honestly, the synopsis doesn't give much away about the plot, aside from our female protagonist is the Teaching Assistant of our male lead. Spoiler alert: the storyline is so much more complicated than that. 

I did not expect the author to go the route that she did. I mean, I had my suspicions that Caine and Rachel share a deeper connection than that of a romantic nature, but it still blew me away when the dots have been connected. 

I love that the author gives us glimpses into different timelines that give the story more depth. We get to see our characters in a different setting, at different moments in their lives. We get to see them vulnerable and in a generally bad place, but despite all that, they managed to become who they are at the present time. 

I know what I'm saying doesn't make much sense, but needless to say, the plot twist was so good that I don't want to spoil it for anyone. 

We've already established that I'm in love with Vi Keeland's writing style. Now, we have to talk about Rachel and Caine. The chemistry and sexual tension between them was so palpable, it's frustrating. Like, get to it already! And boy when they finally caved in, oh my goodness. The author has a gift of making you laugh one second and turning you on the next. Caine is such a strong and intense character that you know when he gives his full attention to you, you'd melt into a big, horny puddle. But more than being completely sexy, he also carries a lot of guilt and regret which stops him from being truly happy. He tends to consider himself responsible for a lot of things and people, and when things go bad, he instantly blames himself. 

It's not uncommon for male leads in novels to be dark and broken, but Caine stands out in a way because he doesn't want whatever messed up past he has to consume him and in turn hurt Rachel. Same goes with Rachel who has been through a lot at such a young age and yet she flourished because she wants to help and be an inspiration to others. The two leads complement each other a lot and seeing how they went from Teaching Assistant and Professor to lovers is exciting.

Beautiful Mistake is wonderfully written. I loved the arc of the story and how it all came back full circle. This novel offers hope and wisdom while showering us with sexy innuendos and humorous conversations. 

There's no doubt that I would read more of Vi Keeland's work, and I have no doubt in my mind that I would love those as well. I strongly recommend that you add Beautiful Mistake to your reading list.

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over ninety Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

I've always been extremely picky when it comes to historical romance because I find it difficult to deal with the different setting and the terminologies and culture that go with the time frame. But I've decided to give Heart of the Highlands: The Beast a chance because the book has won several awards and it was highly recommended. And to be honest, I had the hots for the man on the book cover. So here's what I thought about this story set in 1500's Scotland.

For hundreds of years, Scotland has battled the English for their freedom. Now, they face a new enemy. In a divided world between politics and religion, the young King James V faces the threat of his own people rebelling against him. As civil war breaks out among the Highland clans, James recruits a secret group of warriors for protection. He calls them the Protectors of the Crown.

Ian MacKay has one mission; to defend the crown no matter the cost. Along with his men, Ian's mission is to hunt down one of the most dangerous men in the Highlands. But when the daughter of an enemy enters his life, his heart becomes captured instead.

Keira Sinclair has lived a life of peace and simplicity until now. With her clan on the verge of losing everything, she is forced to wed a Laird from a neighboring clan to ensure that hers survives. During her travels to her new home, her carriage is attacked and Keira is taken hostage by a ruthless man.

Caught in the middle of a war that she does not understand, will Keira's secrets be safe, or will she succumb to the Highland warrior who now threatens to capture her heart?

Going through the first few pages of Heart of the Highlands: The Beast, I was greatly intimidated when I realized that the story takes place in Scotland during the 1500s. I have to admit, my brain's Scottish accent (the one I use when I picture the scenes happening in my mind) needs some serious work and so I worried if I could truly immerse myself in the dialogue and the scenes. But lo and behold, when I got to Ian MacKay's POV and saw the action and rawness of the setting, I was hooked. 

I loved that, as the story unfolds, the complexity of the plot deepens. There were a lot of hidden ties, unclear agendas, and treachery happening at every corner. This isn't just a simple historical romance about how a man and a woman came together and encountered a speed bump on their way to their happy-ever-after. No, this amazing tale also involves matters of character, politics, war, alliances, etc. It's some serious Game of Thrones-level sh**. 

I would be remiss if I don't talk about the chemistry between Keira and Ian. From their first meeting, I already knew that their relationship would be explosive and intense. The strength of our hero matched with the feistiness of our heroine makes for a fun read. Their exchanges were definitely amusing. 

I have to point out though that, in the book, Keira referred to Ian as a cold-hearted beast a bit too often for my liking. But in my opinion, he doesn't really deserve that description. From the very beginning, he has shown her tenderness and consideration that belies her assumptions of him. I mean, maybe it's because of the customs or -- I don't know. This is why I've always found historical romance to be tricky territory sometimes. 

Anyway, this is excellent work, in my opinion. The characters were not dull and one-dimensional, there's a lot of backstory that we only got a glimpse of, the future still has a lot to behold, basically the foundation has been perfectly set. I'm excited for what's in store for these characters in the future.

SUMMARY:

When I opened the book, I never expected the story to turn out the way it did, and that's a good thing. Sometimes, when you've read one too many romance books, it can be quite predictable. And I'm glad Heart of the Highlands: The Beast broke away from that mould. 

I definitely enjoyed every minute I spend reading it and getting to know it's characters. I felt excited, nervous, scared, curious, maybe a bit turned on *cough cough* all while absorbed in the intricate storyline of Heart of the Highlands: The Beast. I look forward to reading the following instalments in this series because I want to find out more about Ian and Keira's future (the ending was too abrupt, in my opinion) as well as his brothers. 

April is an Award-Winning Author for her Scottish Historical Romances. For more than ten years, she has worked full time in the direct marketing business, but developed a passion of historical romances through her love of reading, history and genealogy.

Hey, Booksnakes! Today, I am going to be reviewing the third instalment of Marian Tee's Desert Sheikh Romance series, Tarif. 

Before proceeding to the actual review, I'd like to point out some differences this book has compared to Malik, the second part in the series. Call it a disclaimer, if you will. 

First, the steamy scenes are way hotter (and more frequent). Second, the story was more unpredictable and complex, Third, I cried my eyes out multiple times in a span of 200 pages.

“It’s a pleasure to finally have a chance to speak with you.”

“The honor and privilege is mine, Your Highness.”

“I wonder if you truly mean that, anisdi.”

Prim and proper Anisah Kahveci led a simple, orderly life with simple, ordinary goals.

One: Terrorize – err, discipline – her students into becoming law-abiding, socially mindful citizens of the kingdom.

Two: Work hard to secure a safe future for the brat – err, her younger sister.

Three: Eat all the sweets – err, indulge in a scoop of ice cream now and then.

But all her plans were for naught and her life turned upside down the moment Sheikh Tarif Al-Atassi decided he wanted her to be his woman.

Note: This is a full-length standalone (no cliffhanger) romance written to bring laughter and tears into the reader’s life. It is 100% escapist, contains explicit (but not gratuitous) sex scenes, with an alpha hero and an innocent but fiery heroine falling in love and enjoying a happy ever after in the end.

Let me start off by saying that, by far, Tarif is my favourite novel in Marian Tee's Desert Sheikh Romance series. The rollercoaster ride my emotions was taken on was no joke. In most stories, there's like one scene that'll wreck you, and that's usually the climax. But since Marian Tee is super extra, she didn't want to make her readers cry just once. No, we have to bawl multiple times. And that's what I did.

I don't want to give much away about the story and the whiplashes that await future readers, but it might be somewhat unavoidable so please excuse me in advance. 

The story's timeline may somewhat be confusing to some, especially if you have yet to read the books that precede it. Basically, at the first few pages, we are thrown back to events of My Arabian Billionaire, this time from the perspective of our female protagonist, Anisah. Immediately we see her strong and unyielding character. Her loyalty. The author is no stranger to creating stubborn heroines with soft hearts, but most of them are -- for lack of a better word -- meek. I didn't get that at all with Anisah. She has her hard-headed tendencies, yes, but she's also fierce with an unyielding conviction, she puts others' well-being above hers, and she refuses to show weakness in front of others. 

Now let's talk about our hot-blooded, male protagonist, Tarif. He's really not what I expected him to be. Apparently, he's supposed to be the resident playboy of the kingdom, or at least that's what his image is. But there's not much in the book that indicates that kind of lifestyle. Well, there is that one -- oh, wait. I shall not speak of that because it might be a minor spoiler. 

Anyway, Tarif is obviously the guy that no one outside his family takes too seriously. He's like that friend who you'd go to if you're looking for a good time, but in more serious matters, people easily dismiss him. And that's just crappy, especially since that kind of treatment led to an emotional and mental scar in our hero. 

The chemistry between Anisah and Tarif is insane. Their steamy scenes are passionate and scorching, their banters are witty, and their emotional turmoil was heartbreaking. I couldn't help but put myself in their shoes while reading their moments of despair, and I thought to myself, "How does one go back from this?" 

The sadistic part of me wanted to see their pain expounded and to have it come full circle, and the romantic side of me just wanted them to have their happy-ever-after. It was a tough battle, but Marian gave me the best of both sides so I'm satisfied. 

SUMMARY: 

Tarif made me feel a lot of different things in a span of two hours (time it took me to read the entire book), and I enjoyed every emotion. I felt contented when I flipped through the last page ... The last page ... THE. LAST. PAGE. Marian, wtf you have a lot of explaining to do. 

So yeah, there's a teaser right there, folks. Marian Tee left us a little something to stir our imaginations and make us wonder what she has in store for us for the following instalment in her series. 

Hey there, Booksnakes! It has been a while since my last review, but I am back with another Marian Tee novel, and it is part two of her Desert Sheikh Romance titled, Malik.

I have a confession to make: I actually read this after finishing Tarif, which is actually the third installment in the author's series. For some screwed up reason, I belatedly realized that I received a copy of this book from the author. I only found out about it when I was already writing my review of the book which apparently comes after this one. But better late than never, I say, so I jumped in head first in the story and came out of it feeling thrilled, happy, and slightly dirty (which was the author's intention all along).

Sheikh Malik Al-Atassi was only seventeen when his mother took in orphaned 7-year-old Kyria as her legal ward.

Since then, the royal family had raised Kyria alongside Malik as if they were brother and sister…even if they were not related by blood.

And for a while, everything was as it should be…until Kyria came into womanhood, and she realized that her feelings for the sheikh were also that of a woman for a man.

Come join Marian Tee in another sheikh romance set in the exotic desert kingdom of Ramil. This is a no-cliffhanger standalone romance and does not require you to read any of the other Desert Sheikh novels.

Kyria Markide is a strong and passionate woman who hides herself behind an image of meekness and submission. She believes that she owes her life to the royal family of Ramil for taking her in, raising her up, and making her feel loved. To return their generosity, she swore to remain loyal to them and not bring them shame in any way. That is until she realized that her feelings for her sheikh brother is more than just familial...it was also quite carnal.

Malik Al-Atassi is a man of many faces. He could be gracious, forgiving, and patient, but he's also prone to doing dangerous and desctructive actions. Overall, he's an honourable, dependable man who would rather spend a decade pretending he doesn't just love his adoptive sister, he's also in love with her.

As a bookworm whose main genre of focus is romance, I have read a lot of books that cover a myriad of love stories. There's the typical boy-meets-girl tale that make us all sappy, and then there's the more mature, dark, and erotic novels that are not for the feint of heart. Malik falls somewhere in between, with the author's writing as charmingly comedic as it is, but the subject-matter being taboo to a lot of people -- incest.

I'm no stranger to love stories that are far from the norm. Erotica is also a staple in my to-read list, so Marian's approach in Malik and Kyria's story didn't deter me from opening my e-reader and enjoying the ride one bit. In fact, one of the things I liked about this novel is the realistic approach the author took. Realistic, how? Kyria was taken in by the Al-Atassi family when she lost her parents at a very young age. Malik was 10 years her senior and so he made sure to look after her and do everything he can to take away her pain and make her happy. 

FACT: They're not related by blood and Malik is old enough to understand this. 

FACT: Loving someone doesn't always entail physical attraction first. Only pervs think that. 

FACT: The bond these two people shared growing is deep and only they can understand it. This kind of relationship actually happens somewhere in the world, most people just refuse to acknowledge it. 

But because this is not socially acceptable, the author made a point of putting this problem in perspective for the characters. So it's not all rainbows and butterflies. 

I don't want to give much away about the story, but I will say that Malik is incredibly hot. I think he's the one I like most out of the five sheikhs. I also saw a funnier and more intimate side of the Al-Atassi family. From the banter between Malik and his mother, to the constant ribbing of the guys, and of course, the love and loyalty they all have for one another. 

Malik, compared to the other part of the series, is relatively laid-back. I didn't cry as I did in My Arabian Billionaire or Tarif, but I felt satisfied knowing that they're happy together, and that they can fight whatever the world throws at them because they have the people who love them to back them up.