L'Auberge Pipistrelli: Pleasure a la Carte by Madeleine Oh

Title: L’Auberge Pipistrelli-Pleasure a la Carte

Author: Madeleine Oh

Publisher: Changeling Press

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-60521-317-0

Genre: Paranormal/Vampire/Werewolves

Length: Novella

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Rating: 3.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: Oral

Reviewer: S. K. Fero

Date: 9-4-10

Passion, potential mates, and prejudice…Book four in the L’Auberge Pipistrelli series has all of it.

Maria Mannaro, the younger sister of two older Alpha wolf brothers, is continuing with a secret love affair with a vampire and interfering in one of her brothers’ lives. She is friends with a werewolf, Elaine Vargas, from another book, who wants to mate with Luc. Elaine returns to try and convince Luc that they can have a future in spite of their differences.

Luc Mannaro feels strongly about Elaine but his prejudices run deep. He is a descendant of an ancient race of werewolves who have long inhabited this Italian state as proprietors of an inn that is the winter home for a colony of vampires. She is of a lesser lineage.

The characters were fairly well developed, but I was a bit lost in their background. Romances begun in other books of the series continue, but it would be a good idea to read the first three books before this one. I couldn’t tell if the series was going to continue or not. I hope so, because there seemed to be many loose ends.

Bloody or Nothing: Sudsy by Kate Hill

Title: Bloody or Nothing: Sudsy

Author: Kate Hill

Publisher: Changeling Press

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-60521-384-2

Genre: Paranormal/Vampire

Length: Novella

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Rating: 4.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: Gay

Reviewer: Starla Kaye

Date: 9-4-10

This is not your everyday vampire story, not almost comic-sweet or dark and heart-stopping. I enjoyed it more than I expected to when I first started reading the novella.

Esteban “Sudsy” Waters is one of the oldest vampires, owns a vampire hotel in Las Vegas, and has been protecting both humans and vampires for centuries. More than that, he is an ass-kicking beauty when in drag and hotter-than-hot when in vampire crime-fighting mode. He has made it a rule not to get romantically involved with mortals, but when a gorgeous singer in trouble crosses his path…

Julian, a mortal human, has worked hard to build his music career and, after his relationship with an old friend, martial artist lover falls apart, he plans to focus only on his career. But life gets even more complicated when he gets attacked by “friends” of his ex-lover. The attack threatens his life as well as causes problems for his career. And then he meets a stunning drag queen who is so much more than that. He has never been drawn to men in drag before, but Sudsy is different. Sudsy is…irresistible. Beyond that, Sudsy is involved in something he keeps secret from Julian, something that can ruin their relationship…or get one or both of them killed.

The characters were very well developed. Their internal conflicts were believable within the genre. The emotions and setting details were nicely handled. And the external obstacles were enough to keep the reader pulling for them. Overall, this was a wonderful read. I am anxious to read the next story in the series.

Foxes' Den by Teresa Noelle Roberts

Title: Foxes’ Den: Duals and Donovans: The Different Book 2

Author: Teresa Noelle Roberts

Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-60928-149-6

Genre: paranormal romance

Length: 103

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Author Email: Teresa@teresanoelleroberts.com

Rating: 4 Diamonds

Heat Level: explicit

Other: m/f/m, m/m, oral, anal, double pen

Reviewer: Brecken Stevens

Date: September 4, 2010

Akane should have learned her lesson about sorcerers and humans years ago when she was cursed to walk as a human instead of her true form. But when she meets sorcerer Paul Donovan and his adorable husband, fox dual Taggart Ross, she not only asks them for help with her curse, but ends up falling for each. When Taggart is kidnapped, Akane feels the distress though she is thousands of miles away. Loving mortals is dangerous to her, but not loving them isn’t an option either.

“Foxes’ Den” has a lot going for it. The three main characters are markedly different, especially the two men, so the relationship has real dynamic. The sex scenes start intense with more ritualistic, spell related couplings, but as the story progresses, the affection and love between the characters show much more and is wonderful to see. It’s a quick, sexy read with action and just enough back story for me to really want to go pick up the first story and get in line for the 3^rd when it’s ready. Paranormal lovers who enjoy some sexy ménage will really enjoy this one.

Devlin and Garrick by Cameron Dane

Title: Devlin and Garrick (A Seeking Redemption Novel)

Author: Cameron Dane

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Publication Date: June 7, 2010

ISBN: 978-1595787088

Genre: Contemporary, m/m

Length: 169 pages

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Rating: 3.25 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: Oral, anal, rimming, light bondage, spanking

Reviewer: Finn

Date: 9/4/10

Devlin Morgan and Gradyn Connell have one thing on their minds when they meet in a bar one Friday night in San Francisco. One good, hard fuck. After the hell he’s been through, Gradyn knows the young man sitting at the end of the bar--with his sweet nervousness and beautiful face--is just what he needs. And Gradyn has absolutely no problem getting up to say hello. Devlin knows inviting muscle-bound, tattooed Gradyn to his motel room is the riskiest thing he’s ever done, but there’s something in the man’s warm green eyes that tells Devlin everything will be all right.

One explosive encounter in Devlin’s motel room is the plan. Only, it turns out one hot fuck isn’t enough for either man. Dinner afterward leads to another round in bed, and what follows is a weekend together that stirs more emotions than either Devlin or Gradyn ever expected to feel.

Things are not always what they seem….

Cameron Dane has always had a wonderful flow with words and this book is no exception. You genuinely feel for the characters and take the journey with them as you watch the story unfold. Especially in this book, the encounter talked about in the part of the blub above between the two men is actually told through a series of flashbacks and boy, is there a lot of “encounter”. If you’re looking for hot male loving, this is the story for you. It’s hot and enjoyable, that’s for certain, but there was a few places where it seemed like the story had become all about that—the sex. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it detracted from the plot a bit. I’d get pulled into what happened before and forget about what was happening currently. Still, a very well told story that draws you in and takes you for a delightful ride with the men.

Between Love and Obsession by Cassidy Ryan

Title: Between Love and Obsession

Author: Cassidy Ryan

Publisher: Red Rose Publishing

Publication Date: May 27, 2010

ISBN: 978-1604357097

Genre: Contemporary, M/M

Length: 48 pages (10K words)

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Rating: 3.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Erotic

Other: Anal

Reviewer: Finn

Date: 9/4/10

Ben can't walk away from Aiden, even though Aiden seems to have no problem walking away from him, time and time again. In spite of his friend's warnings, Ben refuses to believe that Aiden is just using him, until a devastating secret is revealed. However, Aiden isn't the only one with something to hide.

Someone else is keeping a secret that threatens not only Ben and Aiden's relationship, but Ben's very life. Will they be able to keep Ben alive?

I was utterly surprised and taken aback by how much I enjoyed this very short story. There was actually some character development as well as a genuine plot that flowed, along with some conflict. Emotions ran high and I felt for the situation the characters found themselves in and wanted it to genuinely work out for them. While the story starts off right out of the gate with sex, once it ended, the book became about the secret and the resolution to it. But that works and works well. Overall, a highly enjoyable short.

The Outlaw's Daughter by Sandi Hampton

Title: The Outlaw’s Daughter

Author: Sandi Hampton

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Publication Date: 2010

Genre: Historical western romance

Length: Novella

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Rating: 5 Diamonds

Heat Level: Sensual

Other: na

Reviewer: Starla Kaye

Date: 9-1-10

Two people on “different sides of the fence,” two people who could be enemies…but aren’t.

Charlotte “Charlie” Daughtery escapes being wrongly hanged because of a lawman who intervenes and plans to use her to find her family of outlaws. She’s never had a normal life, always shunned or hated because of her family. It doesn’t matter that she disapproves of them or has nothing to do with what they do. She can never have the normal dreams of a young woman: a man to love her, a home, and a family of her own. She has accepted that, until…

U. S. Marshal Trey Thornton had wanted to hate Charlie Daughtery, but he wasn’t able to do it. The sight of the lynch rope around her neck and the terror on her face had gotten to him. He had to remember who she was, a Daughtery, an enemy…

The author has done a beautiful job of creating not only a hero and heroine to care about, but also side characters to enjoy. Conflicts, obstacles, complications galore…and yet a romance develops. An excellent read, especially if you are a reader who enjoys old-time Westerns.

Jager's Mate by Marisa Chenery

Title: Jager’s Mate: Roxie’s Protectors series

Author: Marisa Chenery

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-59578-718-7

Genre: paranormal

Length: 64 pages

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Rating: 4.5 Diamonds

Heat Level: erotic

Other: oral play

Reviewer: Gabrielle

Date:8/31/10

When police officer Daylen Reardon comes across two men fighting in an alley with swords she never realizes that this chance encounter would change her life and Jager is stunned to see his mate show up while he is fighting a lone wolf who is working for Miles.

This book is another great installment in this series. I enjoyed watching the bond grow between Daylen and Jager. Daylen is a smart woman who can stand on her own. Jager is an alpha male through and through yet he yearns for a mate who can stand toe to toe with him.

As the two are trying to deal with their mating urges they must also deal with Miles the sworn enemy of Roxie and her protectors. Not only do we get to see Jager and Daylen we get to visit with many of the characters from the previous books. I could not get enough of the hilarious banter between everyone especially during the family meeting scene. Each and every one of these characters endears themselves to the readers.

Marisa Chenery weaves a wonderful story keeping the reader turning the pages wanting to see what comes next. I love that all the alphas whether they are men or woman have depth and make mistakes. Jager’s Mate is a well-written book that should not be missed.