The Wild Rose Press

Review – Coyote Heat by Desiree Holt

May 2, 2013 by Admin Leave a Comment

Title: Coyote Heat

Author: Desiree Holt

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Coyote Heat Here!

Rating: You Need To Read

Reviewed By: Donna

Blurb:

A wild weekend in Key West with Team Arapaho is just what Navy SEAL Miguel “Coyote” Cruz needs after a tough mission. Cold beer and hot women. The last thing he expects is to meet a woman who singes his body with the slighted touch and stokes the fire in his guarded heart. Too bad she’s determined not to fall for a military man.

Review:

Cori has been burned by a military man, and she has lived with the mantra “once bit, twice shy” ever since. She also doesn’t like pushy guys who think that because she lives in Key West she must be easy. So, a chance encounter with a Navy SEAL who admits he only wants her for the weekend should have driven her away faster than a speeding bullet. Instead, she is drawn to his honesty, and if she can only have one weekend with him, then she will make the very best of it. It normally doesn’t bode well when I find a typo in the first sentence of a book. I admit to being quite anal about grammar and editing when I’m reviewing books, but when I find a typo on page one, flags start flying. Despite the typos and grammatical errors, of which there were quite a few, the story is still enjoyable with likable characters, yummy sex scenes and a lovely beach setting.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Donna, The Wild Rose Press, You Need To Read

Review – That Night By Diane Dooley

February 25, 2013 by Bemiown Leave a Comment

Title: That Night

Author: Diane Dooley

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy That Night Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed By: Bemiown

Blurb:

Lindy Hopkins works early, works late, always gets the job done and never, ever has incredible one night stands with handsome coworkers. Until that night. But it’s okay. She’s just going to keep on pretending that it never happened.

Alex Anderson never imagined that buttoned-down workaholic Lindy had the ability to transform into a table-dancing, champagne-guzzling femme fatale. Until that night. And it’s not okay that she’s been giving him the coldest of shoulders ever since.

Neither are prepared to face the other, but they have no choice. They’ve each booked the company Catskill cabin for a few days before Christmas and are both too stubborn to budge. Over mulled wine and under a blanket of snow, it’s starting to look like that night might happen all over again.

But this time Alex is playing for keeps, while Lindy is determined that no man will come before her career. Will they find that love is forever or will it be just another night to remember?

Review:

What happens when a one night stand is not enough for one of the pair? That Night tells what does happen. Lindy doesn’t date co-workers. This is a steadfast rule of hers. One night she drinks a little too much and oops, the rule is broken. The way she deals with it is, it just didn’t happen. That to me is rather immature. Face it head on or you’ll be facing it forever. Nobody thinks anything of a man having an affair with a co-worker. I believe that is the double-standard kicking in.

Alex has a different way of facing it. He just bides his time, slowly thinking of how to play this out. How likely would it be for two people, trying to avoid each other, book the same cabin for the same period of time? That’s not very likely, but it happened. Lindy Hopkins books the company cabin in the Catskills, not knowing Alex had too. She just can’t bear to spend the holidays with her family. They are just too much. Lindy is from a small town that is slowly dying. Her family expects her to stay close to home and marry as soon as she can. I feel that a lot of families are like that, but it can cause such riffs in a family. Too much control and Lindy was not out to be controlled.

Lindy spends a lot of time disappointing her family. She doesn’t do what they expect. She only feels hurt and rejection from them, because they don’t understand who she is. She just can’t seem to please them, but she keeps on trying harder and harder. . She has no life. We all know people like that. Maybe we are like that.

Then they become snow bound in the cabin right before Christmas. IT is on……What a Christmas it would be, snow bound in the mountains with one HUNK. Whoa! There are worse things that could happen. They don’t realize it, but this was meant to be.

This is a fun and entertaining read. It’s sort of a get snuggled down on the couch read. Let the snow fly and the wind blow and it just adds to the moment. It’s not a page turner, nor a don’t put down book, but it is definitely a good read. The book cover is amazing. It tells the tale. The book may not be quite as entertaining at any other time than winter, with the snowin’ and the blowin’.

I give this book 5 Stars.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: bemiown, The Wild Rose Press, You Gotta Read

Review – Pack of Lies By Kimila Bowling

February 11, 2013 by EmeraldDragon Leave a Comment

Title: Pack of Lies

Author: Kimila Bowling

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Pack of Lies Here!

Rating: You Could Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

For as long as Rae Taylor can remember, she’s felt others’ emotions as if they were her own. With the untimely death of her grandmother, she leaves the city and returns to the quiet town of New Haven, hoping emotions won’t interfere while she mourns her loss.

Gage Archer has also returned home to New Haven and to the pack he left behind. Luke Bainer views Gage as a threat to both his growing alpha position and his attraction to Rae. Developing feelings for a woman outside the pack can be dangerous. Where Gage will do anything to keep Rae safe, Luke has other ideas.

As Rae struggles to control her special talent, no one is aware her gift is linked to a secret. A secret that could destroy Rae and the pack.

Review:

The one word that comes to mind for this story is predicable. There is not one “twist” in this story I did not see coming a mile away. From Luke dying to Gage becoming leader to Rae being a werewolf, the story does not veer from the rails even a little bit. The only surprised was Wes Baker as a bad guy, and only because it was completely without set up and thus came out of left field.

My biggest problem is that this story is on rails, it hits all the plot points without stopping to consider if they are plausible or their consequences. Let’s take about Rae, and everyone else’s, Empathic abilities as an example. As an empath, Rae is going to know what the emotional norm for the average person should be. So when she reads someone like Luke, who flies into a homicidal rage at merely by being turned down for sex on the day of her grandmother’s funeral, she should know he’s not right and keep her distance.

This logic, of course, extends to Noah and Gage. They have known Luke his whole life, and while they recognized that he wanted to lead, but despite the fact that they can feel his emotions, they fail to realize he is a sociopath. They even make his crazy ass sheriff. Noah goes so far as to say keeping things quiet was why he was put in the job. Since sheriff is an elected position, did they stuff the ballots to get him the job?

And with Luke comes the questions about the werewolves. Why is a group so bent on keeping their existence a secret, living in a town with people? If Luke wants to be leader, why not challenge Noah, who is old and injured, for the title? Why does the challenge have to be to the death? Doesn’t that create unexplained bodies or disappearances?

Then we have Rae, the socially withdrawn, empathic, artist who fancies herself strong and independent while always finding herself in situations in which she needs rescue. She is the “chosen one,” literally, the book uses these exact words, and despite the fact she has never transformed into a wolf before, her natural instincts allow her to kill far more experienced opponents, and do so without feeling more then a passing wave of guilt.

As an extension of this, part of writing is knowing enough about your subject to fake expertise. A medical examiner, a general practitioner, and a surgeon all have a PhD in medicine. But they are very different practices and it is highly unlikely for a single doctor to do all three, especially in a small town. In fact, in a town this size, a hospital of any kind would be completely unexpected. There might be a small ER or Urgent Care Center, but they would only be equipped to handle broken bones at the worst. All major accidents would be taken to the nearest hospital in a large city.

Speaking of accidents, they involve physics. A car, going at speed, cannot tumble into a twenty foot ravine, eject one passenger, and slam into a tree, catching her between it and the tree, and leave her with nothing more than a bruised ankle and mild concussion. They should both be massively injured, if not dead out right.

Overall, what is really left to say? The story is on the rails and the characters never question where they are going or how they get there.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Janelle, The Wild Rose Press, Wild Rose Press, You Could Read

Review – Another Waltz By Kathy Otten

February 10, 2013 by Zara Yates 1 Comment

Title: Another Waltz

Author: Kathy Otten

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Another Waltz Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed By: Zara Yates

Blurb:

After a magical waltz in a winter wonderland with the only man who has ever made her believe she is beautiful, Madeline Winthrop doesn’t think life could be anymore perfect–until the night of the Christmas ball when she learns everything James Sullivan has told her is a lie.

Revenge against Madeline’s brother forces James to do what ever is necessary to get back what was stolen from him, even if he has to use Madeline to do it. But the one thing he doesn’t count on is the way she makes him feel.

Review:

For the first time, I wondered if the hero would turn out to be a true hero.

Kathy Otten has created a great romance with a bit of mystery as well. I was rooting for both Madeline and James to both get exactly what they deserved! But then Otten takes the tale and gives it a twist that makes it totally fresh, but such is the magic of Ms. Otten, that the story came together in a much unexpected way.

Overall a magical read.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: The Wild Rose Press, You Gotta Read, Zara Yates

Review – Bad Kitty By Cari Quinn

October 8, 2012 by Donna B. Leave a Comment

Title: Bad Kitty

Author: Cari Quinn

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Bad Kitty Here!

Rating: You Need To Read

Reviewed By: Donna Bryant

Blurb:

Reformed bad girl Nikki Carson has spent the past year trying to forget her boss’s Halloween party and the unbelievable sex she had with her boss’s hot twin, Patrick Nolan. Patrick hasn’t mentioned that night since, much to Nikki’s endless disappointment.

Years of following in the wake of his womanizing brother cause Patrick to wonder if Nikki even knows which twin she slept with. He can’t believe she could possibly prefer him over her slick, polished boss. That doesn’t mean he’s been able to stop fantasizing about taking her again. Against the wall. On the floor. Everywhere.

It’s Halloween again, and trick or treat takes on a whole new meaning when Nikki and Patrick go for round two. Especially since Nikki’s come prepared with a Domme kitty costume meant to drive Patrick wild. And this kitty’s ready to show her claws if she doesn’t get what she wants…

Review:

Nicole is in love with her boss’s brother. And she has good reason to be hot for him since they shared a very intimate experience at the annual Halloween party last year. For some reason, he never spoke of the experience afterwards, and this year, she’s determined to make him fulfill her every wicked fantasy…for more than just one night.

Patrick is crazy about his brother’s assistant. Unfortunately, she thinks she had an experience with his brother last Halloween, but this year he’s determined to give her the best sex of her life and make sure she knows who’s delivering it.

Cari Quinn has written an arousing short story about two sexy characters, a holiday party and a much anticipated repeat performance of naughtiness. The plot is fun, the setting is decorated for haunted holiday spirit, and the sex is delicious.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Donna, The Wild Rose Press, You Need To Read

Review – The Morning After by Brenda Whiteside

October 1, 2012 by Donna B. 1 Comment

Title: The Morning After

Author: Brenda Whiteside

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy The Morning After Here!

Rating: You Need To Read

Reviewed By: Donna

Blurb:

Honky Tonk Hearts Series

Can there really be love at first sight?

Abigail Martin doesn’t think so. Unless the sexy red-headed stranger she wakes up with the morning after her best friend’s wedding is telling the truth.

Bobby Stockwood fell cowboy-hat-over-boot-heels for the brown-haired beauty, and married her in an impromptu wedding ceremony. Now he just has to convince his new bride that the morning after can be the first day of the rest of their lives.

But just when Abigail starts believing the fairy-tale is real, she finds out exactly who Bobby is, and the walls of make-believe start crumbling down.

Review:

Abigail is hearing her biological clock ticking away. ‘Always a bridesmaid, never a bride’ has new meaning until she wakes up with a hunky cowboy and a hangover from Hades. He is funny, cute and cuddly, but her head hurts too much to analyze the fact that he is claiming to be her husband.

The Morning After was a very pleasant surprise. Sexy, spontaneous, and fun, the plot is down to earth with lovable characters, romantic sex scenes and a heartwarming happily ever after. The story is well written and highly entertaining.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Donna, The Wild Rose Press, You Need To Read

Review – Rawhide: Buckskins, Boots & Bondage By Desiree Holt

July 19, 2012 by Donna B. Leave a Comment

Title: Rawhide: Buckskins, Boots & Bondage

Author: Desiree Holt

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Rawhide: Buckskins, Boots & Bondage Here!

Rating: You Want/Need To Read

Reviewed By: Donna

Blurb:

Twins Justin and Tucker Davis only want one thing–one woman to share for the rest of their lives. Angel Cruz wants two men who will cherish her forever. Sex between them is hotter than the Texas sun in August as they play out their fantasies at Rawhide, the private bondage club. But when her job threatens their livelihood, will their newfound connection be strong enough to survive?

Review:

Men. As the old song goes, you can’t live with ‘em and you just can’t shoot ‘em. Sometimes they can be so obtuse, and Justin and Tucker are shooting themselves in the foot by letting the best thing to ever happen to them go. Sometimes you just have to swallow your pride, and Angel has done it for the men she loves.

Ms. Holt has written an entertaining story with sexy characters, mild BDSM elements, and a happily ever after.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Donna, The Wild Rose Press, You Want/Need To Read

Review – Ex Appeal By Cari Quinn

July 6, 2012 by Donna B. 1 Comment

Title: Ex Appeal

Author: Cari Quinn

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Ex Appeal Here!

Rating: You Need To Read

Reviewed By: Donna

Blurb:

As the webmistress for one of the Northeast’s hottest dating sites, Hunk Du Jour, Jenny Talbot is no stranger to reading the applications of potential clients. But when the latest application that crosses her inbox belongs to Ty Randall, the guy she broke up with a mere twenty-seven days ago, she does a double take. Reading what Ty wants in bed not only gets Jenny hot, it also makes her rethink ending their relationship. All she longed for was a little more spice in the bedroom—okay, a lot more—but he let her go without an argument. Faced with the possibility that Ty may really be moving on, getting her ex back becomes more appealing than ever. But will revealing exactly what she needs allow Jenny to finally experience ultimate pleasure or will she drive away the man she loves for good?

Book 2 of the Hunk Du Jour Series
Review:

Book two in Cari Quinn’s Hunk Du Jour series was better than the first! The story is well written, the characters are sexy and have tons of personality, and the whole thing was arousingly heartwarming. I did have one remaining question – why did Ty not fight for Jenny when she told him it was over?

This series is very sexy and entertaining, and I am definitely looking forward to the next one.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Donna, The Wild Rose Press, You Need To Read

Review – Full Disclosure By Cari Quinn

July 4, 2012 by Donna B. 1 Comment

Title: Full Disclosure

Author: Cari Quinn

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Full Disclosure Here!

Rating: You Want/Need To Read

Reviewed By: Donna

Blurb:

Thirty-eight-year-old divorcee Holly Burrows has had enough of battery-operated love. Prompted by an ad left at her law office, she investigates Hunk Du Jour, a website designed to foster ‘adult connections’. After weeks of sexy emails and phone calls with surf hunk Kent, she’s ready to test their chemistry in person. But first she has to get through lunch with her colleague Alex, a man with a brain as agile as his body. When their consultation ends with a bang, she barely remembers the man she’d lined up for dessert. Now she thinks she’s juggling two hot young guys. How can she choose between her two gorgeous cubs – and why do they remind her of each other?

Book 1 of the Hunk De Jour Series

Review:

Who can resist a hot young stud? Not Holly, that’s for sure. She has not one, but two young studs on the line…or so she thinks. Kent is her online Hunk du Jour, and she has started falling for him through their online chats and their one phone conversation. Alex is a junior at her law firm, and he has a body that she drools over…and on. Oh, the tough decisions a girl’s gotta make.

Alex has been less than honest with Holly. He wants her. Badly. That part he’s been completely honest about. But he owns the Hunk du Jour website where Holly met “Kent”, who happens to be Alex’s alter-ego. Now he just has to find a way to keep her once she’s heard his full disclosure.

Ms. Quinn’s characters are vibrant and full of personality, the plot was familiar but fun, and the sex scenes were hot. An enjoyable read.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: Donna, The Wild Rose Press, You want/ need to read

Review – A Marshal of Her Own By Linda LaRoque

June 3, 2012 by LastNerve 2 Comments

Title: A Marshal of Her Own

Author: Linda LaRoque

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy A Marshal of Her Own Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed By: Val

Blurb:

Despite rumors of ‘strange doings? at a cabin in Fredericksburg, investigative reporter Dessa Wade books the cottage from which lawyer Charity Dawson disappeared in 2008. Dessa is intent on solving the mystery. Instead, caught in the swirling mist that surrounds the cabin, she finds herself in 1890, in a shootout between the Faraday Gang and a US Marshal.

Marshal Cole Jeffers doesn’t believe Miss Wade is a time traveler. He admits she’s innocent of being an outlaw but thinks she knows more about the gang than she’s telling. When she’s kidnapped by Zeke Faraday, Cole is determined to rescue her. He’s longed for a woman of his own, and Dessa Wade just might be the one ‘if she’ll commit to the past.

Review:

From the beginning of this story, we find that Dessa Wade is a strong willed character who is about to find out things aren’t quite as they seem. Armed with ambition and a sassy attitude, Dessa finds herself in one very unexpected adventure. Enter the hunky, drop dead gorgeous Marshal Cole Jeffers, Cole cannot believe his eyes when Dessa appears out of nowhere. Instantly attracted to her, Cole finds himself questioning his bachelorhood.

The relationship between Cole and Dessa simply sizzled. The back and forth banter between the two had me giggling at moments and at others, mentally screaming “kiss her, hurry!” Cole was not your ordinary man, he was a man of strength and character, with a lot of humor and pure male hotness thrown in. Dessa was the quirky new woman in town who raised a few eyebrows with her actions. Cole’s main concern was trying to help this woman uphold her good reputation. He was a man who had his hands full.

Each time I read a Linda LaRoque book, I am swept away to a world of intrigue where the characters are enchanting and genuine. I have to admit that historical romances have not always been my favorite genre to read but there is something about the way Ms. Laroque presents the story. I never really thought about the expectations of the time period and the concessions one would have to make to live in the 19th century vs. the 21st century.

Ms. LaRoque brings her characters to life with vivid descriptions and effortlessly weaves humor with drama. This is one author who has definitely done her research on life in the 1890′s. Any book by Ms. LaRoque is one I automatically add to my to be read list because I KNOW it’s going to not only be a fun read but educational as well. Treat yourself to a the luxury you deserve and take a few hours to sit down and read this book. A Marshal of Her Own was a visually creative, touching and uplifting romance. I highly recommend this book.

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: The Wild Rose Press, Val, You Gotta Read