Review: Goldie and the Three Behrs by Harris Channing

Some men are too hard. Some men are too soft. But only one man is just right…

Choosing the perfect bed is easy, but sometimes finding the right person to share it with is an adventure!

The Marquess of Blackwood lays eyes on Goldie Locksley, and immediately falls for her. Unfortunately, his youngest brother, Joseph, decides to make her his bride. But when their father tells him no, all hell breaks loose and all three brothers will do their utmost to see that they are a part of her future. But her happily ever after lies in the arms of one man. Will he be able to prove himself in time, or is Goldie destined to a life of misery or mediocrity?

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Rosalie's rating: 4/5

This one surprised me.

I don't make a habit out of reading menage or multiple partner books unless I'm in the right mood. For a story to appeal to me, the characters must have a connection above the physical, and in the menage/multiple partners stories I've read to date, the emotional connection either isn't there, or is completely forced for the sake of excusing the prolific sex scenes.

Goldie and the Three Behrs is a prime example of "Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover." You have Goldie, who is a sweet, perhaps headstrong young woman who is auctioned off by her family to marry someone she doesn't know, only to find herself on the edge of a scandal when she discovers the marriage was a deception to trick Goldie into bed. Then you have the elder brother, William, besotted by Goldie but promised by family duty to someone else. Ms. Channing did an exceptionally good job developing the emotional bond between Goldie and William, as well as a good, solid plot to keep the action moving and the reader guessing.

I expected a lot of sex with little substance. What I got was a very hot, fast read with likable characters and a lot of heart.

Sugar and Spice/Snakes and Snails

So, it's been about a year since I entered the wacky world of publishing. My initial release was Firsts, which was contracted approximately this time last year and released in November of 2009. I've made some fantastic friends within the writing community, learned a thing or two about the differences between publishers and editing styles, and for someone who did very little promotion, comparatively, have enjoyed moderate success.

I suppose the most important thing I've learned over the last year is the impact of reviews. Like almost every writer I know, I take my work very seriously. I put all of myself into whatever I'm crafting, often obsessing over word placement and sentence structure to the point of insanity. While I try to keep myself grounded in terms of reception, I was terrified after each one of my first three releases that the review sites would rip them to shreds. They didn't...at least not yet. Now, I didn't receive a glowing review every time, but every site had something nice to say. Those reviewers that loved my work REALLY loved my work, and those that didn't love it still enjoyed it, at the very least. Ripples Through Time was a radically different story for me, at least at the time it was written, and after it was released I spent countless hours Googling for review results. It was, ironically, the least reviewed of all my releases, but those reviews it received were complimentary, even the lukewarm ones.

I suppose this is what ultimately convinced me to calm down when it came to reviews. Yes, a bad review can hurt - my non-professional peer-reviewed writing has taught me that much - but it's an inevitable part of being published. You can't please everyone, you can't appeal to everyone's personal tastes, you can't make the perfect book in terms of everyone's definition of perfection. Therefore, when my latest release, Moving Target, hit the e-book shelves, I barely followed its initial progression.

This is the first release I've had that has displayed an almost even divide in its reception. I've received some positively flattering reviews from HEA Reviews and Seriously Reviewed, and at least one downright depressing review from Book Utopia. What these individual reviewers took away from Moving Target is completely different. Completely. And it has illustrated something that I needed illustrated for my own survival as a professional writer. I'm a sensitive person, though I try not to be, and I let little things get to me, even though I know I shouldn't. I've wanted badly to be well-received, and while I've gotten my wish in many venues, I've come to accept emotionally what I've always known intellectually.

You can't please everyone. Sometimes, you can't please anyone. I'm perfectly content now knowing that I can please some of the people some of the time, and at least hope to keep the others entertained. If a reviewer from one review site doesn't like something, that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad story...it might mean that, granted, but not necessarily. What it definitely means is that story didn't speak to that person, and that's fine. I just like knowing my work speaks to others.

So thank you to my reviewers, the good, the bad, and the ugly. And thank you to my readers - all of you. You have helped me develop a better sense of self. For a year into my publishing career, I think I'm exactly where I need to be.

GIVEAWAY SPOTLIGHT!!!!

An innocent woman. An assassin with a conscience. A deadly attraction.

Although Anna Winter doesn’t fit the profile, Nathanial ‘Wolf' Thornton can’t be sure she isn’t the woman he’s supposed to assassinate without getting a closer look.

Once he discovers his cover’s been blown, his options are limited: walk away or watch an innocent woman suffer the consequences.

A slave to his conscience, Wolf decides to take Anna along for the ride of her life…all the while battling his desire for her.

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GIVEAWAY!!!

Review for 'Shakespeare Undead,' a novel by Lori Handeland

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Rosalie's Rating: 3.5/5

A brief summary: Shakespeare Undead is about a necromancer vampire who goes by the name Will Shakespeare and has, among other things, penned a good percentage of the world's great literature over his considerably long life. He abstains from drinking from humans and raising zombies, though he has done both in the past. Teamed up with Kate, a zombie-slaying machine, Will works at chopping the undead down to size all the while attempting to identify the necromancer responsible for the zombie invasion. He and Kate are also infatuated with each other, though she is married and he is, well, a vampire.

There were many things to enjoy in Shakespeare Undead. The writing is above par, and while I didn't care for the shifting POVs, it didn't distract me from the story as much as I thought it might. I also really enjoyed Ms. Handeland's characterization of Shakespeare. He is drawn as a brilliant, though aloof character, often fantasizing about various plot ideas that come to him at the most inconvenient moment. The audience is supposed to infer that Shakespeare ultimately pens The Wizard of Oz, The Sixth Sense, Star Wars, and perhaps one or two other works of consideration. This was cute the first time the reference was made, but by the time Shakespeare started envisioning Princess Leia telling a wise old sage that he was her "only hope," the joke had run its course.

Ms. Handeland also did a good job of creating sizzling chemistry between Will and Kate. I truly enjoyed the back-and-forth of their relationship.

I mentioned the shifting POVs, and while they didn't distract me, they didn't seem necessary by the end. Kate's first person narration didn't reveal anything that Will's third person did not. Likewise, if there was any mention as to what Will used as a blood substitution, as he didn't feed from humans, it wasn't made obvious. Yes, vamplore is ever-changing and subject to the author's personal mythology, but when the cornerstones of vamplore are dismissed, we need some explanation as to where the vampires who abstain from blood of any kind get what they need in order to survive. Like I said, this might have been touched upon in the book, but if it was, it was done so in such a way it was easy for the casual reader to overlook it.

I also caught myself thinking of Shakespeare in Love more than I should have. Obviously with any fictionalization of Shakespeare's life, we're going to see some references to his literary works, but from the stolen balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, to the R&J lark/nightingale back and forth as dawn approached, to Kate masquerading as a boy both to hunt zombies and to act on stage, to the Silvia speech from Two Gentleman of Verona, it seemed Ms. Handeland's best knowledge of Shakespeare came from the movie and not history books. I would have liked some hint at other Shakespearan insight than just from the film. Constantly reciting from Shakespeare's plays was also a little jarring when Ms. Handeland returned to normal dialogue. It was likely meant to be an intentional anachronism, but the shift was very obvious.

I will say I thought the last few lines of dialogue were brilliant, and I love where she left this story off.

Overall, this was a very entertaining read, one I gobbled up in less than 36 hours. It kept me interested, made me laugh, and while I did find fault with it upon reflecting, the plot spoke to the Shakespeare enthusiast in me, as well as the lover of a good paranormal romance.

Wonderful review for Ripples Through Time at HEA Reviews!

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

Centuries ago, Ravenna Mal was One of the Few, one among many sworn to protect the world from the night’s creatures. Her upbringing was unforgiving; as a warrior, she could form no close relationships, and she could especially never fall in love.

A vampire called Nicolai challenged everything she knew, introducing her to worldly sins, worshipping her flesh with his hands and mouth, and worming into her heart before she realized how painful love could be…especially when ripped away.

In the present, Raven Rayne has a problem. A new vampire called Nicholas in town; one who speaks to her without saying a word, one who stirs long-dormant feelings she can’t dismiss as dreams.

A chance spell reunites Raven with the past she never knew, and memories of Nicholas she couldn’t have dreamed. And though he doesn’t remember her, she knows she must do everything she can to remind him.

Ashira Datya’s Review

Romeo and Juliet have nothing on Ripples Through Time's Nicholas and Raven. Their love began in the 1700’s, despite the differences in who they were; she is a Vampire Slayer and he is a Vampire. Their love was forbidden and despite the tragedy that befalls them, Raven is determined not to let it destroy them or their love and does the unthinkable to ensure that they stay together. Flash forward centuries later; Raven and Nicholas find each other again and have to fight a big bad evil demon to stay together.

More here!

If you're interested in reading excerpts for Ripples Through Time, click here for a hard-R excerpt, and here for a raunchier selection.

Now available!

An innocent woman. An assassin with a conscience. A deadly attraction.

Although Anna Winter doesn’t fit the profile, Nathanial ‘Wolf' Thornton can’t be sure she isn’t the woman he’s supposed to assassinate without getting a closer look.

Once he discovers his cover’s been blown, his options are limited: walk away or watch an innocent woman suffer the consequences.

A slave to his conscience, Wolf decides to take Anna along for the ride of her life…all the while battling his desire for her.

NOW AVAILABLE FROM LYRICAL PRESS!!

New paperback release!!!!

Ripples Through Time is now available in paperback! This is a first for me. I'm so excited!



Click here to read excerpt I (R)
Click here to read excerpt II (NC-17)

Centuries ago, Ravenna Mal was One of the Few, one among many sworn to protect the world from the night’s creatures. Her upbringing was unforgiving; as a warrior, she could form no close relationships, and she could especially never fall in love.

A vampire called Nicolai challenged everything she knew, introducing her to worldly sins, worshiping her flesh with his hands and mouth, and worming into her heart before she realized how painful love could be…especially when ripped away.

In the present, Raven Rayne has a problem. A new vampire called Nicholas in town; one who speaks to her without saying a word, one who stirs long-dormant feelings she can’t dismiss as dreams.

A chance spell reunites Raven with the past she never knew, and memories of Nicholas she couldn’t have dreamed. And though he doesn’t remember her, she knows she must do everything she can to remind him.

Now in paperback!