Review: Celtic Love Knot by Angela Britnell

Celtic love knot by Angela Britnell
 “Can two tangled lives make a love knot?
Lanyon Tremayne is the outcast of his small Cornish village of St. Agnes. Susceptible to fits of temper and with a chequered past behind him, he could even be described as a bit of an ogre. But nobody knows the painful secret he hides.
Olivia Harding has learnt a thing or two about ogres. She’s a professor from Tennessee, specialising in Celtic mythology and has come to St. Agnes to research the legend of a Cornish giant – and to lay to rest a couple of painful secrets of her own.
But when Olivia meets the ruggedly handsome Lanyon, her trip to Cornwall looks set to become even more interesting. Will she get through to the man beneath the bad-tempered façade, or is Lanyon fated to be the ‘ogre’ of St. Agnes forever? ”

 

Angela Britnell does it again. Some how she manages to bring her down home Tennessee charm to everything she touches; this time she blends a “little bit country” with the mysticism of Cornwall.

Olivia, Tennessee’s latest import from the States, arrives in Cornwall to research its old legends and meet Lanyon – Cornwall’s own modern-day Mr. Darcy.

Lanyon’s heart is frozen from loneliness and past heart breaks, choosing to live the life of a reclusive hermit- until Olivia melts his heart and brings him back to life.

Olivia is smart and sassy and takes no gumpf from Lanyon and that playful tension turns into an exciting romance filled story.

Angela Britnell’s writing is beautifully vivid, that I felt like I knew Cornwall and had visited there myself without leaving the comfort of my armchair. Superb, is the only word that comes to mind to describe Celtic Love knot, it will not disappoint.

 

Review: The Silent touch of shadows by Christina Courtenay

The Silent touch of shadows by Christina Courtenay

“What will it take to put the past to rest?
Professional genealogist Melissa Grantham receives an invitation to visit her family’s ancestral home, Ashleigh Manor. From the moment she arrives, life-like dreams and visions haunt her. The spiritual connection to a medieval young woman and her forbidden lover have her questioning her sanity, but Melissa is determined to solve the mystery.
Jake Precy, owner of a nearby cottage, has disturbing dreams too, but it’s not until he meets Melissa that they begin to make sense. He hires her to research his family’s history, unaware their lives are already entwined. Is the mutual attraction real or the result of ghostly interference? A haunting love story set partly in the present and partly in fifteenth century Kent.

Winner of the 2012 Best Historical Read award from the Festival of Romance. ”

Genealogist Melissa goes to her family’s Manor and from the moment she walks in, she is plagued with de ja vu. When a neighbour, Jake, asks her to research his family tree – what they discover is a twisting branch they both share.

A hauntingly beautiful romance that spans the ages and is often bitter-sweet. It was enough to send me on an emotional roller coaster ride and got me totally addicted.

Christina Courtenay is one of those authors that submerge you into their world and keeps you riveted until the end.

This is a must read for time-slip fan and Barbara Erskine fans. It is a gorgeous read, that I highly recommend.

 

News: New Blog

Here at Elder Park Book Reviews, we are happy to announce a new blog to our line up Elder Park Cozy

This blog will bring you the best recipes, crafts, home arts, Crafting book reviews and the best of Cozy mystery book reviews. Please be sure to have a look and print off our first recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup- cakes.

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Review: Forget me not by Stacey Nash

Forget me not by Stacey Nash

“Anamae is drawn into a world which shatters everything she knew to be true.

Since her mother vanished nine years ago, Anamae and her father have shared a quiet life. But when Anamae discovers a brooch identical to her mother’s favorite pendant, she unknowingly invites a slew of trouble into their world. They’re not just jewellery, they’re part of a highly developed technology capable of cloaking the human form. Triggering the jewellery’s power attracts the attention of a secret society determined to confiscate the device – and silence everyone who is aware of its existence. Anamae knows too much, and now she’s Enemy Number One. She’s forced to leave her father behind when she’s taken in by a group determined to keep her safe. Here Anamae searches for answers about this hidden world. With her father kidnapped and her own life on the line, Anamae must decide if saving her dad is worth risking her new friends’ lives. No matter what she does, somebody is going to get hurt. “

****

Forget me not is a stunning début by Stacey Nash. Mae never got over her mother’s disappearance nine years earlier. Unwittingly she stumbles upon a brooch that is identical to her mother’s pendant. She finds it is a talisman of some sort of technology that really is a cloaking device.

Mae wasn’t suppose to know or even posses it and when a secret society finds out she has it- she becomes a target.

Forget me not is an exciting adventure. I could not put this book down once I started. I highly recommend to all YA and sci-fi/fantasy fans.

Stacey Nash is an author to watch out for. I’m very excited to read “Remember me” the next book in the series.

 

Review: Morningstar by Robyn Bachar

Morningstar by Robyn Bachar

Out September 23rd, 2014

“Desire is an addiction that could destroy them all.

Cy’ren Rising, Book 2

The second son.

Lieutenant Commander Jace Harrow is the second son of House Morningstar—the spare, not the heir. Armored with an arrogant mask, Jace keeps the world at arm’s length to protect those around him from becoming targets for his bloodthirsty brother.

The broken sword.

Lieutenant Bryn Viera was a shadow sword and a decorated officer, dedicated to protecting her people. But for the past five years she has lived as a slave and has the scars to prove it. Bryn vowed to escape or die trying—until she met Sabine.

The slave.

Born into slavery, Sabine never expected to fall in love. Her feelings for Bryn sparked her desire for a new life, but now Sabine is in phase, consumed by the need to mate with a male. Her dream of freedom with Bryn is on the brink of destruction, for to deny the phase means death.

Thrown together by the unforgiving demands of the phase, they must unite to save Cyprena’s people from a deadly new bioweapon—or be destroyed by the scars of their pasts.

Warning: Contains an arrogant officer with a weakness for having his hair pulled, an insatiable empath, and a badass warrior woman who form a male-female-female threesome sizzling enough to melt your shields.”

****

This series was my first outing in this genre. I first found “Nightfall” and I was hooked. Although it is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone.

Moringstar focus on Jace Harrow- the swarthy Lieutenant Commander. He did come off as stoic and a bit arrogant at first- but that was just the surface; underneath he is a maelstrom of passions.

As well as being a very erotic tale, the back story is enough to satisfy any sci-fi geek girl.

There is plenty of excitement in this space opera; in and out of the bedroom. There is explicit sex and threesomes, but nothing vulgar. It is all done tastefully with emotional romantic ties.

It is a brilliant series an I can’t wait for Sunslingers, just to see what happens next.

 

 

Review: How to date dead guys by Ann M. Noser

How to date dead guys by Ann M. Noser

“College sophomore Emma Roberts remembers her mother’s sage advice: “don’t sleep around, don’t burp in public, and don’t tell anyone you see ghosts”. But when charming Mike Carlson drowns in the campus river under her watch, Emma’s sheltered life shatters.

Blamed for Mike’s death and haunted by nightmares, Emma turns to witchcraft and a mysterious Book of Shadows to bring him back. Under a Blood Moon, she lights candles, draws a pentacle on the campus bridge, and casts a spell. The invoked river rages up against her, but she escapes its fury. As she stumbles back to the dorm, a stranger drags himself from the water and follows her home. And he isn’t the only one.

Instead of raising Mike, Emma assists the others she stole back from the dead—a pre-med student who jumped off the bridge, a desperate victim determined to solve his own murder, and a frat boy Emma can’t stand… at first.

More comfortable with the dead than the living, Emma delves deeper into the seductive Book of Shadows. Her powers grow, but witchcraft may not be enough to protect her against the vengeful river and the killers that feed it their victims.

Inspired by the controversial Smiley Face Murders, HOW TO DATE DEAD GUYS will ignite the secret powers hidden deep within each of us. ”

How to date dead guys is a refreshing paranormal adventure. Emma is a nerd-girl who can see ghosts. Dragged along to a college party, there is an accident and Mike dies – some how Emma is blamed.

Emma tries to resurrect him with a grimoire she found conveniently lying around. What ensues is a story filled with mystery, witchcraft and a touch of romance.

Anne Noser created a beautifully written tale with great three-dimensional characters. Emma matures throughout the story and there is a lot of wisdom to be learnt from it.

How to date dead guys is a fantastic book and I can not wait to for the next instalment in the series. I highly recommend to all NA, YA, paranormal/supernatural fans.

Review: The Vampires’ Last Lover (Dying of the Dark Vampires Book) by Aiden James with Patrick Burdine

The Vampires’ Last Lover (Dying of the Dark Vampires Book 1) by Aiden James with Patrick Burdine

“Txema Ybarra is the most unenviable nineteen-year-old girl alive.

Smart, pretty, and athletically gifted, this University of Tennessee freshman should be enjoying college life and her entrance into adulthood. And for a moment she does… until the vampires show up.

Born with an unusual ‘twin teardrop’ birthmark on her neck, Txema (pronounced Chema) is one of only a handful of females in the world who bear this trait. It marks her as a vessel of eternal youth and beauty for an elite vampire society determined to protect her precious blood… But it also is the only thing standing in the way of a rogue ‘undead’ nation determined to destroy mankind and usurp the power their sexier brethren have held uncontested for centuries.

Caught in the middle of this war after all the other bearers of the birthmark are murdered, Txema must flee America and heads to France under the protection of five beautiful vampires who all have a vested interest in her survival. The race is on to save her blood, as well as her very life, to ensure the survival of Les Amantes de Vampire.

Otherwise, Txema will be the last one… the vampires’ last lover.”

The Vampire’s last lover is perfect for fans of the Vampire diaries. The novel is written from Txema’s point of view, who is nineteen, and it does contain plenty of teen angst. From what I can remember of my teen years, I found Txema’s emotional state so accurate, this book could have been written by a teenage girl.

I did find the book enjoyable with an original plot and many twists, but I do think this book is more suitable for a younger audience or YA fans. The Vampire’s last lover is a unique story that will entertain.

 

 

Review: Follow me follow you by Laura E. James

Follow me follow you by Laura E. James

“You save me and I’ll save you
Victoria Noble has pulled the plug on romance. As director of the number one social networking site, EweSpeak, and single mother to four-year-old Seth, she wrestles with the work-life balance.
Enter Chris Frampton, Hollywood action hero and Victoria’s first love. His return from LA has sparked a powder keg of media attention, and with secrets threatening to fuel the fire, he’s desperate to escape. But finding a way forward is never simple. Although his connection with Victoria has lasted the test of time, has he been adrift too long to know how to move on?
With the risk of them breaking, will either #follow their heart? ”

“Follow me follow you” is an enchanting read with rich characters. Truly rooted in reality, it is a romance of modern times with modern problems but Laura James still manages to add fairy tale charm.

Victoria runs the most delightful social media company, Ewespeak and I wished it was real. Being a single mother, Victoria just about gives up on romance and focuses on her son Seth and work, until a blast from the past arrives.

Suave Chris arrives from Hollywood and puts a spanner in the works. Chris and Victoria wonder if they can rekindle their old flame, as they battle the obstacles of real life.

Laura E. James, does it again and creates a heart warming, humorous story that everyone can relate to but adds her own magical hallmark to make every character so real and life-like.

“Follow me follow you”, will make you sigh as you close the book and keep you smiling for days after.

Review: The game and the governess by Kate Noble

The game and the governess by Kate Nobel

“As the Earl of Ashby, Lord Edward Granville has never been in short supply of luck. Making a wager that he can have any woman he desires even without his title, ‘Lucky Ned’ switches places with John Turner, his friend and secretary. But once he does, Ned’s luck suddenly abandons him, for the ladies now have eyes only for Turner.

Governess Phoebe Baker wants nothing more than to keep her head down, teach her students, and go unnoticed – especially by the Earl of Ashby. But his rakish secretary has the infuriating habit of constantly crossing her path – and making her pulse quicken. If this prim-and-proper governess lets her heart rule, will fate intervene where Ned’s luck has forsaken him? ”

The premise is that Ned switches places with his Secretary, John Turner for a bet. The bet is that Ned can still have any woman he desires, but sadly, without his title – the fish just aren’t biting.

Phoebe is a strong woman who at times I think is playing Ned. She isn’t as naïve as your usual heroines.

I didn’t really form any attachments to Ned, I found him a bit arrogant, shallow and when he didn’t get his own way- he took what he needed with no regard to anyone else.

With that being said, I enjoyed this book because of Phoebe, she really held her own and I enjoyed her little cat and mouse games with Ned.

The game and the Governess was a light quick read and would certainly entertain Regency romance fans.

Cover Reveal: Deceptive Cadence by Katie Hamstead

Deceptive Cadence, by Katie Hamstead

Genre: new-adult romance with paranormal elements

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Date of Release: to-be-confirmed

Cover Artist: Alexandria Thompson http://gothicfate.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20875301-deceptive-cadence?from_search=true

Description:

Cadence awakes in a hospital to find her husband and daughter dead, killed in an earthquake. So when her guardian angel appears and offers her a chance to go back in time with all the knowledge she has, she accepts, desperate to prevent their deaths.

She shoots back eleven years to her fourteen-year-old self, and faces high school all over again. She is determined to do everything better, including preventing the loss of her best friend and not dating any of her original, drama-inducing boyfriends. Her main focus is on her future husband, who she won’t meet for several years.

But James Gordon crosses her path. While she wishes to remain single, the bad boy pursues her. He threatens to disrupt everything that is to come as she begins to develop unwanted feelings for him, and distract her from her original goal: to save her future family.

About The Author:

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter, and their dog.

She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.

Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Find Katie Hamstead Online:

Website (http://kjhstories.blogspot.com/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Hamsteads-Stories/247238178656484) | Twitter (http://curiosityquills.com/authors/katie-hamstead/) | Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6585259.Katie_Hamstead)