Vella DayCritiques

In book two in the Hidden Hills Shifters series, Tasha is a bear shifter who’s big boned and a little chubby. She’s a bear, after all. Back in high school, she felt an undeniable attraction to a fellow bear shifter, a boy she’d known all her life, but Burke never found her attractive and made fun of her for being big. He preferred the skinny, wild girls. Fast forward eleven years and they meet again after Burke’s drug addict brother dies. Burke starts to reevaluate his live-free, party-hard ways and finally acknowledges the secret attraction he always felt for Tasha.
Tasha is stubborn, smart, and strong-willed. She’s a normal, shy woman with body issues. I really liked her, but I couldn’t connect with Burke. He pursued Tasha because he couldn’t control his lust, not because he cared about her, at least not at first. Tasha wanted him just as badly, but at least she understood nothing serious would come from it. They had sex constantly and rarely talked. Poor communication led to needless problems.
Book three in the series is set up (Wade and Emmaline) and we get to read a few pages in their POV. Storm and Chey from book one makes a few appearances, and I would’ve liked to read more about them.
The story was told in third person POV. Though there were a few typos, none of them distracted me from the story.
3 Stars

Disclaimer – I downloaded this book from Instafreebie and volunteered to review it. I am not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

In book one in the Hidden Hills Shifters series, Cheyenne is a cheetah shifter with a problem. Her father is the alpha of the pack and plans to step down. Since he doesn’t have a son and only men can rule the pack, he demands that his only daughter marry a man she despises. He chooses Chuck, a cruel, abusive man. So when Chey meets Storm, a sexy human in a bar, she’s only looking for a good time before she has to subject herself to Chuck for the good of the cheetah people.
Storm’s the new doctor in town. The connection between him and Chey is instant. He doesn’t understand it, but falls hard and fast for her. Then Chey’s problem threatens to tear them apart.
Romance blooms quickly, but it’s more like insta-lust since the sex scenes are numerous and frequent. Storm accepted Chey being a shifter very easily, and the mating bite and the consequences that come with it didn’t bother or unnerve him. The twist at the end left me smiling, but I figured it out long before I reached that point.
The story is well written in third POV and properly alternates between Chey and Storm. I’d like to read more in the series.
3 Stars

Disclaimer – I downloaded this book from Amazon and volunteered to review it. I am not compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.

An interesting read.

I liked it

I've read some of the other reviews and they say that this is very used theme, but since I'm a huge romantic and a huge werewolf fan I do not agree. I can never get tired of this kind of books, that's just the way I am. Also, even if the general story is very basic, there were new, unique things in this book. Two mates, a human bad-ass girl etc. and I loved every word of it. I just hated the ending and now I have to get my hands on the next book.

There were some bits of this in which I thought the male protagonists were being a bit autocratic i.e. we're going break up with you (not that they really had a true relationship at that stage and not communicate with you at all for two years because if we were hurt it might upset you and it's for your own good and discussion will not be entered into. And we're just going to state this and not explain things to you fully or at least make sure that you understand our POV . Still it does align with the personality type. It's just that not discussing things in a relationship is one of my pet hates.

Still it was definitely an enjoyable read.

I've ended up reading this series in reverse so it was good to see how Jade got together with her men. Another enjoyable installment.

DNF. I can deal with insta-love in paranormal romances usually but when the characters don’t understand it themselves and are in denial make it too hard for me to overcome.

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** This review is for Hot Blooded Desert Nights by Anna Lowe **

~ 4 Hot Blooded Stars ~

The Wolves of Twin Moon Ranch series has fast become one of my favorites to read. I'm always looking forward to a new installment into this world to indulge my fix. I highly recommend pick up the series.

This short, Hot Blooded Desert Nights, gives us a sweet taste of Cody and Heather during a moment in their novel Desert Blood.

I loved Cody and Heather in [b:Desert Blood|25209190|Desert Blood (The Wolves of Twin Moon Ranch, #2)|Anna Lowe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1442839124s/25209190.jpg|44582129] and seeing a little moment inside the story was delightful. The author always does an amazing job with her writing and giving you both characters POV’s. The sensual moment is well written, steamy, and hot.

Hot Blooded Desert Nights is a sweet little edition into a magical world of sexy cowboy wolf shifters and the women who capture their hearts.

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy free of charge from the author Anna Lowe with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

A Magical Shift is book one in the Weres and Witches of Silver Lake by Vella Day.

I picked this up for free through the retailer. There were some interesting things going on with a stocker and then things happening in town that weren't normal.

Unfortunately, the story and characters weren't pulling me in. I really tried to read this, but kept setting it aside to read something else. My main issue was I wasn't connecting with the characters. I didn’t feel the attraction or romance between our leads. The words were there, but the feelings weren't coming through to me.

I eventually just said that’s enough and DNF'd this title at 28%.

Even though A Magical Shift wasn’t the book for me I urge you to give it a shot, especially if the blurb intrigues you. Just because it did not work for me does not mean it won’t for you.

** This review is for Happily Mated After by Anna Lowe **

Happily Mated After is a bonus epilogue to [b:Desert Heart|27043692|Desert Heart|Anna Lowe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1444404734s/27043692.jpg|47084171] and exclusively featured in the [b:Wicked Alphas, Wilder Nights|26849661|Wicked Alphas, Wilder Nights (Wicked Alphas, Wild Nights #2)|Anna Lowe|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1443747757s/26849661.jpg|46796301] collection.

This was a sweet little novella featuring Rick and Tina from Desert Heart. We are given a delightful taste of the authors writing. I just love Ms. Lowe and how she portrays her shifters. The connection the human and wolf half's have with each other is unique and easy to follow. The author also does a satisfying job recapping this couples relationship, but not giving to much away, so when you do read their story in Desert Heart you won’t feel like things are spoiled.

This was a wonderful sweet read in The Wolves of Twin Moon Ranch and I can’t wait for more. If you enjoy sexy cowboy wolves then you should give this series a try. It’s one I highly recommend.

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy free of charge from the author Anne Lowe with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

Good mystery and suspense. I like the story, too. However, the read was a bit slow for me.

*Book source ~ NetGalley

Brooke Armstrong is a nerd with her own computer store, but when she witnesses a murder she ends up with two hunky bodyguards. Gavin Kirkwood and Riley Landon have lusted after Brooke since they moved to Pleasure, Montana, but they’ve been a bit busy settling in to ask her out. When Brooke finds out she’s the center of these two hot guys’ fanatasies she doesn’t understand why they want her overweight nerdy self. The guys just need to convince her they want her all while keeping her safe from a murderer. Multitasking is their middle name.

The characters are the best part of this story. They each have their good and bad points and they’re fairly believable. However, the plot is a long stretch of the imagination and for professionals the guys are incredibly awful at protection. I wouldn’t trust them to watch my plants after seeing them in action in this book. The writing is clunky, the dialogue is stilted and the BDSM is so-so. The sex scenes themselves aren’t bad though. All-in-all this story is just meh. I have no interest in reading the rest of the series.

3.5 stars

Melody Snow Monroe is a new author to me and I did enjoy this book. This may be the ninth in a series, but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. There is ménage sex, but also one on one and both are very hot and intense. I had no issue with the editing and felt the story was well written and flowed nicely.

Mandy is a woman on the run from an ex-husband who may do anything to keep her from testifying against him. To be on the safe side she tells no one where is going and is sure to not work as a teacher which Craig would expect. Working on Sam’s ranch as a guide for women Mandy runs into Vance and is immediately attracted to him. On top of worrying about her ex, she has a run in with her guys’ ex-fiancé. Is it a good idea to get involved with your bosses cousin? It worked out for Mandy.

Vance is instantly attracted to Mandy and brings her home to meet Cam. There weren’t any real issues with Vance and I loved him. Cam had issues; his ex-fiancé ran off with his ring and credit card and ran up a lot of charges. This is something Cam deals with and does so quickly.

The mystery is who exactly is trying to run off or kill Mandy. There’s shooting, fires and bombs involved. Is it the boys ex, Sharon or Mandy’s ex Craig? This is one of the things to figure out while you enjoy the interactions and very steamy sex between Mandy and her men. There were times I wished the three of them got intimate more instead of the one on one sex. I did pick this because of the ménage aspect, but overall this was an enjoyably hot read.

I recommend this for anyone who likes cowboys, ménage relationships, action, and mystery.

(I was given a copy from the publisher in return for an honest review.)

Darker Passions

This is a good beginning to a new series. It basically revolves around three college friends that start up a security/surveillance company.

Dani has moved back home to the small town of Freedom for the business she and her friends have started. On a stakeout Dani sees a murder and catches the killer on camera. Unfortunately he also sees her and this is where the mystery of exactly who is trying to silence her. Brady walks into her life that night as he’s the sheriff. Dani is immediately reminded of the crush and fantasies she had of him in high school. When Brady suggests she moves in with him and his roommate Lucas so they can keep her safe she fights it for a few seconds; but who wouldn’t want to be keep safe? ;)

Brady is drawn to Dani and he wants to see what Lucas thinks of her. They’ve been looking the one they can share permanently. Lucas is more serious about a D/s relationship than Brady, not that Brady isn’t into the scene, he just wasn’t as strict a Dom as Lucas. I have to admit Dani slept with Lucas a bit too soon for me I’d have at least waited a day or two. The sex was hot and varied, sometimes just two and others all three. If you’re looking for a steamy erotic romance this is a good one to pick up.

The mystery of who the killer was seemed to be secondary, and a bit drawn out. I’m still not sure of the real motive behind the first murder; there was a lot speculation but no definitive answer. This is the only issue I had with the story. It’s well written, edited, and flows nicely. I’m hoping the following books in the series focus on Dani’s partners Nikki and Holly.

(I received a copy from publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Darker Passions

The tenth book in the Pleasure, Montana series is an intriguing erotic menage a trios with sexy cowboys.

Returning to Pleasure, Montana to lick her wounds after her actions cost a man his life, Ceci is thrown into her sister’s drama involving a drug lord and two detectives are assigned to keep her safe. Attracted to the sexy blonde there are hired to protect, Gabe and Dylan know she’s hiding something and are determined to free her of her demons and bring her into their loving menage world.

The author portrays the steady paced plot with vivid descriptions that engage the reader. The story has the added enticement of an intriguing the case the guys are working on that brings danger into this erotic tale but focuses mainly on the romantic and emotional journey. The emotions are conveyed with an intensity that makes it easy to relate to each character and to understand where they are coming from.

All the characters are enchanting and easy to become enthralled with as the author takes us on this erotic and emotional journey. The chemistry between the threesome radiates heat from every page and the sex scenes scorch the reader as the passion sizzles with M/F/M relations, anal sex, sexual language, and light consensual BDSM.

The author has created an interesting and entertaining town that titillates the senses and leaves the reader wanting more of these wonderful characters.

I received a copy of "Diamonds and Spurs" in exchange for an HONEST review. I'm not familiar with the author, Melody Snow Malone. I was also not aware at the time that this was the 9th in the "Callens Series" of books featuring menage relationships. However, not knowing either of those things didn't affect my reading of this hot novella! It reads well as a standalone book and I'm sure would also be a great addition to those who are invested in the series, because I'm sure that many of the folks mentioned are well-loved characters that everyone would be happy to get an update on!

The premise of "Diamonds and Spurs" is that the female lead, Mandy, has become aware her husband is engaged in illegal activities and she manages to get a divorce from him to escape. She had prepared her plan and had a position waiting for her on a ranch to take women-only expeditions into the mountains. While there, she meets Cameron & Vince, who just ended an engagement a month ago. Accidents start to happen to Mandy, and the question becomes if it is her ex-husband trying to scare her so she doesn't testify against him... or if it's Cameron & Vince's ex-fiancee who is trying to eliminate Mandy as competition to get the men, and their money, back in her clutches.

Remember - this is a menage relationship, so you do get scenes of m/f/m -- but no m/m. There's some spanking, toys, etc... and the sex scenes are really hot & inventive! It's also nice to see Mandy shed her high society ways she had to adopt to fit in with her husband and return to her roots - which are country. (This is where the concept of diamonds to spurs comes from -- one of her friends says at the end that she's gone from diamonds to spurs.)

While I've never read anything from this author or this series before (as I've mentioned) I really did enjoy it. The character development was great; the sex scenes were hot; the descriptiveness of the dialogue was great... and quite frankly, the "mystery" of it all was very good & wasn't predictable! Overall, I'd say this is a great buy for the price. Great for the Kindle so you can "hide" it from the kids... and great to share with your favorite partner!

3 stars

ARC supplied by Netgalley. BDSM/MFM
First book in an erotic paranormal series by author Vella Day.

This is pretty short, not much more then a novella, which may explain some of the problems I have with this book. I think the author tried to squeeze too much into too short of story. There are erotica, paranormal romance, suspense and even a little mystery elements all thrown into a 163 page book. While the premise was pretty good, the execution was somewhat off. And I believe some of it stems from the short book length. I never got a chance to get to know the main characters. The plot seemed rushed and the action hurried. The writing also seemed somewhat stilted and unnatural. I am more a fan of paranormal then erotica and the paranormal aspects of the book were diffidently overshadowed by the erotica. And the erotica part was pretty much the standard fare.
That said, the author and the series both show promise, I hope we get to see more of it in her next book. But if you are looking for a quick read that is lite and easy to follow and are a fan of the paranormal and erotica I would recommend you give this book a try.

PLEASE NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review.

It was good..I loved all the twists the story had..I loved how the brothers were so different with each other but so same in the way they both love Liz..
Liz is probably one of the most kickass female leads I've ever read about..The way she just decided that she will kill Couch..her determination and devotion to her dead mother..Kickass stubborn but incredibly loyal to the core..
Dante is a sweetheart..He is the man every girl dreams about..
But I think Trax is the one every girl obsesses over..
They make a very interesting trio..However,what I didn't like was the fact that only men can be werewolves..That is soo not fair..

I'm very interested in reading the next book..There are some things we still don't know..

TRAINING THEIR MATE by Vella Day

PLEASE NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an HONEST review. However - be aware that I hadn't paid attention & I had already read this book as a purchased copy. Get over it - I'm a Mom so I have no brain cells remaining.

I had already read this book -- when I requested it as a read & review I thought it sounded familiar, but let's be honest with each other -- a lot of these shifter novels seem to have some cookie cutter elements, so since it sounded "familiar" I didn't think too much of it.

Despite having read it before, I still enjoyed it. Since I hadn't completely blocked it from my mind, I couldn't have thought it too horrendous or I wouldn't have remembered it at all. [Just sayin'.]

In the Pack Wars series you have the good guys, "The Pack", and you have the bad guys, "The Colters". Unfortunately, Liz gets caught between the two. Her mother had been raped by a Colter, Harvey Couch, and Liz wants revenge. She buys out his secretary in order to get a job with him and tries to kill him - but unknown to her, he's a werewolf so he smells the GHB she put into his drink in order to subdue him to kill him. He then decides she needs killed... and during that attempt, she is saved by Trax - a member of The Pack.

Trax, and his brother, Dante, realize that Liz is their mate... and thus begins their "training" -- since Trax is a Dom & they have a built-in "playroom" in their condo. Read the story for what all happens; it is an easy read since it is short. This actually stifles the flow of the book at bit simply because it could easily have been expanded; but for a "hit & run" style book it's great. Good to go into the beach bag for a breaktime read!

Be aware - this book features M/F interaction; M/F/M interaction (no sibling/male interaction); BDSM play; and explicit sexual acts. (Yay, Vella Day LOL!!)

ONly got to @ 50% before i gave up. Just couldn't get into the story line and/or characters.