On the Green

Title: On the Green

Author: Nicole Dennis

Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing

Publisher URL:  https://www.totallybound.com//

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-78430-186-6

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary Series

Rating: 3.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewers: Dragon Minx

For Malcolm Bissette, life at the Southern Charm is different than the years spent on the street as a homeless teen.  Now an adult, he’s the hardworking, responsible sous chef, who’s still crushing on Reece Simpson, the local landscaper. Too bad Reece doesn’t return his feelings and looks on him as the kid he used to be. Or does he?

The Southern Charm is getting the face-life she’s needed for years and Reece is able to tackle the overgrown vegetation on the property. It puts him close proximity to his friends and lets him get better acquainted with Mal. He suddenly realizes if he puts the past behind him, he has a chance at happiness. Will it work? Can they be more than friends?

On the Green is the third release in the Southern Charm series by Nicole Dennis. With the ongoing plotline and recurring characters, I recommend the books be read in order. Be aware that there’s some timeline overlap with By the Numbers.

This is such a cute series. I love the idea of the Southern Charm, restoring the old house to her former glory and men who work and live there. It’s a setting filled with wonderful descriptions that make the story come alive and make it seem like a real place. I’d certainly like to visit it. Then there are the people. The author has created some interesting characters and in On the Green the focus is Mal and Reece. They’ve both made appearance in the past. Their personalities are pretty well rounded but their baggage makes their emotions and actions unstable at times, causing the middle to drag.

I enjoyed seeing all of the individuals that were featured in the first two books. They’re woven into the plot smoothly, giving the reader an update on their lives, while grounding the book. Now back to Mal and Reece. I like these two and they make a nice couple, but the ending left me feeling a little unsettled about their relationship. It seemed up in the air—more a happily-for-now than the happily-ever-after I expected. I hope with the next book we see a much smoother life for them. 

Now my really big niggle. There are two dangling plot threads that seem to have been forgotten since the beginning of the series. They need to be dealt with—the mugging and poisoning. They’re not mentioned and I can’t be the only one that this is bothering.

Family Connections

Title: Family Connections

Author: N. J. Nielsen

Publisher: Totally Bound Books

Publishers URL: https://www.totallybound.com

ISBN/BIN: 9781784301668

Genre: {M/M}, Contemporary, Series

Rating: Golden Blush Award

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Neither Ray nor Viv are gay, or so they say.  When brought together by their children, the two men have a hard time denying the attraction they feel for the other.  With their crazy family right there beside them, these two men go on a crazy journey to find love.

With each new book, I find myself becoming a bigger fan of Ms. Nielsen’s and Family Connections is no different.  This is a story that will pull the reader in from the very beginning.  All the characters are well written and the story line is one that will keep you wondering what will happen next.

It was easy to fall for the characters in this story.  Ray is a young man who has everything going for him, yet he’s lonely, wishing for someone to share his life with.  Worried about what his family would do, he continues to deny the fact that he is gay.   Ray is the type of guy that goes out of his way making sure those around him are taken care of, so readers will have no problem wanting to see him find his happily ever after.  Viv is the opposite of Ray.  While Ray was born into a wealthy family, Viv has had to fight for everything he has.  Determined to make a better life for himself and his younger brother, he works hard.  Viv has no reason to believe he is gay so the sudden attraction he feels for Ray blows his mind.  His confusion comes across the pages clearly so it is easy to understand the way he behaves at times.  That does not mean, however, that there weren’t times that I wanted to smack him upside the head.  Viv’s struggle to find himself is a tough one though, and I love how the author finally allows him to see the truth. 

The bond these two men form is a tight one and they have no problems bringing those they love into their family.  These secondary characters are just as wonderful as the main ones.  Each and every one is crazy and will have you laughing out loud at times.   This is not a light hearted story as there are some dark subjects touched on that will break your heart. These moments are important to the story and the author handles the situations very well.  

This is the second edition of Family Connections, the first having been published by a now closed company.  Those that have read the first edition do not necessarily need to repurchase the book unless they would like to have the new cover.   Family Connections is also the first book in the author’s series The Connelly Chronicles.  This is a series that I am highly looking forward to.  Book two, which hopefully will be out soon, is another ensemble story, however, books three through five are coupled based and I was surprised by one of the couples and I can’t wait to see what will happen.  This is one book that those who love the m/m genre should really pick up as you will not be disappointed.

Accepting Caladon’s Scales

Title: Accepting Caladon’s Scales

Author: Charlie Richards

Publisher: eXtasy Books Inc

Publisher URL: www.extasybooks.com

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-4874-0013-2

Genre: {M/M} Paranormal Series

Rating: 3 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Dragon Minx

Seventeen years ago, while in his boa constrictor form, Caladon O’Hara was taken captive and put in a cage. After he’s rescued, he moves onto the gargoyle manor grounds to recuperate while they help locate his son, Taolma. When he sees Taolma’s adult face for the first time, Caladon has a panic attack and Nurse Leroy Wilde comes to his aide.

Leroy helps the gargoyle clutch doctor during the daytime and when he rushes into assist with Caladon, he’s smitten. But he has a couple of problems.  Leroy’s family is extremely bigoted against African Americans and he’s scared of snakes. Despite these issues, Leroy feels the pull of the mate bond and agrees to try dating…his family isn’t happy. Then he discovers another problem. When Caladon was captured he was married, and mates or not, a wife is something that has to be dealt with.

Accepting Caladon’s Scales is the ninth release in A Paranormal’s Love series by Charlie Richards. Since there are many returning characters and Caladon makes a brief appearance in book six, I recommend you at least read, Calming a Demon’s Heart, first.

I always look forward to each new release in this fun and entertaining series and have been anticipating Leroy finding his mate for some time. Yes, putting a man who is afraid of snakes with a boa shifter is an unexpected pairing, giving them issues to work out. That goes for the problem of Caladon being married when he was taken, too. Unfortunately, that issue is resolved so quickly and smoothly that it became a non-issue in the end and didn’t really matter. 

I appreciated how the author had Leroy stand up to his bigoted family and how he worked to overcome his fear of Caladon’s snake form.  These are my two favorite parts of the story and both are nicely done, but I didn’t feel these guys as a couple—for me their connection didn’t seem real or believable.

Trusting Love

Title:  Trusting Love

Author: Mari Evans

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publishers URL: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

ISBN/BIN: 9781627989565

Genre: {M/M}, Coming of Age

Rating: 4.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Laurie’s life is not that of a typical teenager.  Coming from an abusive family situation he now lives in a group home for boys.  Dreaming of becoming a veterinarian assistant, the young man volunteers at the local animal shelter where he meets Sam. Laurie is surprised by how much his life is about to change.

Trusting Love is my first book by author Mari Evans, but it will not be my last.  From the first page I was pulled into this coming of age story.  Laurie is the type of character that readers will find themselves falling in love with.  Even though he has had a hard childhood, the events of which may leave readers crying, there is still innocence to him.  The way he would get flustered around Sam in the beginning had me laughing.

Sam is the new vet in town, and is ten years older than Laurie, who is only 17 when the story starts.  He’s instantly attracted to the younger man but readers will understand why he hesitates to act on the attraction.  I like that the author uses this as part of the story line rather than pretending the age difference is a non-issue. 

There are a few issues in the story, some the readers may see coming and others they will not.  The secondary characters are just as well written as the main characters and each helps move the story along. 

Trusting Love really made me a fan of this author and I cannot wait to see what she will have out next.

Smoke and Mirrors

Title: Smoke and Mirrors

Author: Lillian T. MacGowan

Publisher: Loose Id

Publisher URL: loose-id.com

ISBN: 978-1-62300-153-7

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary

Rating: 3 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Chocolate Minx 

The building is about to collapse but Firefighter Frank “Deck” Dekker knows there is one more person trapped inside. Risking his own life, Deck manages to save Dr. Naim Moreau. 

Smoke and Mirrors would have been an enticing plot, but the overuse of the “F” word as well as what I assume is British slang along with the numerous recaps of Naim’s background, which became tedious. I got the impression the characters were being ridiculed as if they were the scum of society rather than people performing a valuable service for the community.  

Deck is a crude speaking good natured flirty man who suffers from survivor’s guilt. Deck immediately fell in love with Naim but felt he was too uncouth for Naim to be attracted to him.

Naim is a talented surgeon of unknown origin with a sullied past. Naim suffers from a more complex case of survivor’s guilt as well as a barely controlled hostility. 

In general, I enjoyed the budding romance premise. The mystery aspect is devoid of justice for the unidentified perpetrator. 

Bride of Blackness Castle

Title: Bride of Blackness Castle

Author:  Elaine Coffman

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Publisher URL: http://www.ellorascave.com

ISBN/BIN:  9781419949500

Genre:  {M/F} Historical

Rating:  4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer:  Amethyst Nymph

Lady Anne Crofton is a woman who refuses to let fear stop her.  She’s willing to do anything necessary for her father’s life.  Confronting the beast of a man holding her father captive isn’t enough.  Anne is selfless and comes up with the perfect solution, she thinks.  Unfortunately she’s tricked into a situation that she has no control over while things grow more complicated by the minute.

Robert MacQueen is a broken man.  His life is one of isolation and pain.  The only thing keeping him alive is his determination to get revenge on the man who ruined his life in the first place.  Finally fate is on Robert’s side, and he comes face to face with the man he hates most.  Marrying the man’s daughter seemed to be the icing on the cake. 

Robert and Anne both misjudged each other.  Anne is more of an annoyance to Robert when they first meet.  He had sunken too deeply into his sorrow to recognize all that Anne offered him.  He was so focused on the past and reliving it, that Robert almost lost his chance for a future.  He said he blamed Anne’s father, but honestly Robert blamed himself.  At some points in the story I wanted to cry beside Robert because I felt the burden of his pain.  I’m amazed he could go on like that.  Once Anne learns the entire story of what happened to Robert’s family, she begins to understand him and stops seeing him as a monster.  When she finally sees him as a man, Anne accepts her feelings for him.  I was touched by the scene when Anne went through some items in his room.  It gave me more of a glimpse into Robert that I wasn’t expecting to get.  Anne was easy to understand in a comfortable, relaxed manner.  I knew who she was, right from the beginning, but Robert took some work that I was happy to do. 

Bride of Blackness Castle is a wonderful tale about second chances.  Elaine Coffman has a talent for creating male characters with serious baggage and making readers feel as if they were witnessing their struggle as a sidekick, not a reader.  Anyone who appreciates being sucked into another world would be missing out by sleeping on this story.  It’s an eye-opener.

Can’t Let You Go

Title: Can’t Let You Go

Author: Sidda Lee Tate

Publisher: Beachwalk Press

Publisher URL: www.beachwalkpress.com

ISBN/BIN: 9781940744360

Genre: {M/F} Contemporary

Rating: 3.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Rose Nymph

Cop Ty Sellers has accepted his lot in life. He has accepted he won’t get his happy ending, not that it upsets him; he doesn’t think he deserves it after all. He can go through the motions but the things he has seen and been through in the past has caused him to slam up a wall so tall and so thick, no one is ever getting in. At least, that’s what he thought, before he met Lynette Brooks...

Lynette is a bit of a drifter, never really finding that one place to settle down and call home. She likes to travel, likes the adventure; certainly doesn’t plan on staying long in Pineville, but fate would have it that her path crosses with Ty’s. Serious and brooding, bordering on downright rude at times...but Lynette isn’t fooled. There is a kind, protective, giving heart buried deep beneath the cool facade. She is definitely attracted to the man – he takes care of his body as well as he protects his heart – and she can tell the attraction is mutual.

There is some serious chemistry at work that could result in something truly scorching, but be careful, Ty. You can only push a woman so far... 

Can’t Let You Go is book 4 of The Night series, but can be read as a standalone story. The story was well paced and easy to follow. Ty and Lynette captured my attention. I was interested in their back stories and wanted to keep reading to see if/how they could work together as a couple. The author really did a good job with the chemistry between the two. I appreciate that it must be quite difficult to write a character like Ty, to keep him likeable while he doesn’t like himself. He’s trying so hard to push others away and hide his vulnerability, which endeared him to me, but sometimes he was a bit too harsh for my liking. It’s a pretty good characterization, I just don’t know if I could have been as strong and patient as Lynette when confronted with it. I had an easier time with Lynette – I liked her and wanted her happy. I would recommend this to fans of the genre. It’s written in such a way that you meet other characters that I’m sure are the leads in the other books of the series, so if you like this, you can go explore the rest of their lives.

With This Ring, I Thee...Oh, Sh*t!

Title: With This Ring, I Thee...Oh, Sh*t!

Author: Dane Waters

Publisher: Loose Id

Publisher URL: http://www.loose-id.com/

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-62300-345-6

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary

Rating: 3.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Dragon Minx

Dean’s getting married. He just didn’t realize doing it in Texas would turn his level-headed fiancé into a bridezilla, complete with crazy friends and relatives. That’s especially true of his future father-in-law who’s rude, obnoxious and hates just about everyone. The only person Dean likes is Leo, his fiancé’s little brother, and he brings out all the feelings Dean thought long gone.

The night Leo was involved in a car wreck, he lost everything—his father’s love and his home at the family ranch. Now he’s been forced back for his sister’s wedding or their father will disinherit her. It’s a tricky situation filled with anger, distrust and hate. Then he meets Dean…and he likes him…too much. Helping Dean deal with his unexpected feelings for a man backfires, and suddenly Leo is in love for the first time.

Dane Waters, the author, is new to me, so her writing style was unknown when I decided to try this one. I started reading with an open mind but finished the last page with a lot of mixed feeling about With This Ring, I Thee...Oh, Sh*t! 

On reading the blurb I thought the story had promise but what I found is a well written story with a plot that didn’t work. Don’t get me wrong, the story is filled with good descriptions, has a quick pace, unique characters and an interesting setting. There’s even snappy dialogue and a little action with some of Leo’s crazy family, but I have a problem with the cheating part of the plot line. It’s not that I don’t like Leo and Dean together… I do. I just didn’t like how they became a couple. Considering Leo returned to the family ranch to protect his sister’s inheritance, his actions with her fiancé is underhanded and dishonest.  It just didn’t work for me. And the Texas family is too over-the-top nuts, angry and mean, making them seem unrealistic and unbelievable. 

Crimson Mate

Title: Crimson Mate

Author: Nikki McCoy

Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing

Publisher URL: www.totallybound.com

ISBN: 9781784301163

Genre: {M/M} Paranormal Series

Rating: 5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Chocolate Minx 

Prince Quinn is distinctively unlike the vampire clan he was born into. Quinn’s scent, when mentally stimulated, could produce a sexual frenzy in all unmated vampires, as well as shifters within smelling range. Quinn discovered this when, as a young man, he barely escaped being gang raped. Now Quinn lives in fear of having a repeat of the horrible event. Shifters Ruler Manning recognized immediately that Quinn was his mate by the appealing scent, however, instead of an introduction, Quinn ran away leaving Manning desperately trying to track him.

Crimson Mate is the first book in the Of Blood and Spirit series. The plot is an exceptionally fascinating mystery romance combination. The vampire clans live in France and are ruled by a power hungry king. The shifter clans live in America. How the vampires and shifters became enemies is a secret known only by clan historians. Nevertheless, both the vampires and the shifters are compelled to surrender to the draw of the full moon or risk death.

Quinn suffered abuse at the hands of his father most of his life. He assumed his ill-treatment was due to the fact of his being gay. It was not until Quinn moved to America that the mysteries of his twofold personality began to reveal themselves. Quinn has powers that could only be manifested after he bonds with his mate.

Manning is on a mission to find his mother’s killers as well as to find a mate. Meeting Quinn, Manning recognized that their mating required fortitude on his part to gain Quinn’s trust. Manning had never been intimate with a man before Quinn, although he was not opposed to having a male mate nor was he concerned about Quinn’s species.  Manning’s love for Quinn was unwavering.    

Nikki McCoy has created a superb thoroughly enjoyable saga. Crimson Mate illustrates emotional drama such as fear, cruelty, scenes of homicide, as well as sensual intimacy. I particularly enjoyed the different shifter species in the same blood related family. 

Vexing Voss

Title:  Vexing Voss

Author:  Gail Koger

Publisher:  Loose Id, LLC

Publisher URL:  www.loose-id.com

ISBN/BIN:  978-1-62300-507-8

Genre:  {M/F}, Science Fiction, Space Opera, Series,

Rating: Golden Blush Award

Literary Nymphs Reviewer:  Amazon Nymph

Zoey is hiding while trying find her mother’s killer, as well as trying to find traitors that compromised Earth’s defenses against the Tai-Kok.  She is considered a siren and has come to the attention of Voss, the Battle Commander for the Coletti.

Vexing Voss is the third book in the Coletti Warlords series.  I love this series.  Not only is there all kinds of action, the women the Coletti end up mating have some very unique qualities.  Because of the way Zoey is, this book is aptly named as she definitely causes Voss lots of headaches.  The author has created some very strong women, as well as some unique alien races, that join forces to fight against the Tai-Kok.

I was laughing at Zoey and the way she interacts with the various people she meets, including Voss.  I know that Zoey is very realistic with her actions as I actually have a couple of friends just like her.  She not only knows how to handle herself, she is a master at getting into trouble and causing extreme frustration for Voss and the Overlord.

The relationship that Voss and Zoey have is intense.  Their reactions to each other as they try to work together with the differences in their background and culture is funny.  Zoey has a way of making friends that is interesting and adds so much to the story.

The Coletti men in this series have some of the typical vampire qualities, but with some major differences.  I love the personalities the author has created, especially Voss and Zarek.  The descriptions of some of the allies are interesting and I have to laugh at the various reactions of everyone.

While the Coletti Warlords books do not have to be read in order, it is best to do so to get the most out of the stories.  Be aware that it is difficult to get the first two books as that publisher is no longer around.  I am looking forward to reading future books in this series, and will be reading this one again.

Mating Scents

Title:  Mating Scents

Author:  McKenna Jeffries

Publisher:  Totally Bound

Publisher URL:  https://www.totallybound.com

ISBN/BIN:  9781784301569

Genre:  {M/F} Contemporary, Multicultural

Rating:  4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer:  Amethyst Nymph

Garrick Radley realizes too late that listening to his friend’s advice about women might not have been wise.   Garrick finally has his chance with the woman he’d been dreaming about for weeks, but his approach isn’t as suave as he planned it to be.  Bailey is everything Garrick wants, so falling head over heals for her is unavoidable.

Any woman with eyes would be salivating over Garrick and Bailey Rueben is no exception.  She wants Garrick so much, she decides to take action into her own hands.  The sinful things that man does to Bailey’s body keep her breathless just thinking about him.  Sex has never controlled her life so there’s no way Bailey intends on letting that happen now.  What she has with Garrick is just a fling and flings don’t last forever.

Bailey’s confidence and boldness are outweighed by her resistance to commitment.  Her family life is wonderful, but it’s also given Bailey a warped idea about relationships.  This causes her to hold back with Garrick and he feels it.  Bailey is Garrick’s future, so he’s not shy about letting her know that.  Bailey gets scared and this might push away a weaker man, but not Garrick.  He knows just what to do to make Bailey feel safe. 

I was shocked by the couple’s first meeting.  It left me giggling and rereading it again for a smile.  Theirs is the kind of story so off-the-wall wonderful that their grandchildren will be telling it some day.  Their drama was resolved easier than I thought and I think readers will appreciate that.  If that isn’t enough to draw you in, then all the interesting friends of Garrick and Bailey will certainly do the trick.  So far, I have a top three list of characters who deserve to come back in their own story.  McKenna Jeffries did a splendid job in making readers feel a bond with her characters.  In some I felt a sadness that I just have to see turn into a happy ending because they deserve it.  The town, the businesses, the jobs and the personalities were all unexpected and that kept me curious.  I suggest you jump on board now with Mating Scents, the first of the Rules of Attraction series so you won’t feel left out.  

The Walls of Troy

Title: The Walls of Troy

Author: L. A. Witt

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Publisher URL: www.samhainpublishing.com

ISBN/BIN: 978-1-61922-085-0

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Dragon Minx

Release Date: 10-07-2014

MA1 Iskander Ayhan isn’t thrilled with his new orders. He’s to serve as a bodyguard for Admiral Dalton’s son, Troy, while he attends college. At first he agrees with the other men on the detail that the Admiral is abusing his position and that the threat to the Admiral’s son is bogus. It doesn’t take long for him to realize that something really is going on and that Troy is scared and possibly suffering from PTSD.

Fear’s an emotion Troy’s been living with for months and he knows the men assigned to protect him don’t believe him. That changes when Iskander arrives and realizes almost immediately that the danger is real. Troy has hope, but is afraid to reveal the truth. That changes as he and Iskander spend time together and they grow closer.  When the danger grows more intense can Iskander keep Troy safe or will he need to leave the man he’s come to love behind to protect him?

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a book by LA Witt and I don’t know why, since I found The Walls of Troy well written and entertaining. 

Yes, the story starts off rather typically, with Iskander thinking his new commanding officer is abusing his position, but it changes when the danger to Troy’s realized. The pacing is fast, there’s action and danger throughout and you can expect plenty of surprises to keep your attention. It did for me. There are other guards in the house aside from Iskander, but the only character that plays an important role is Admiral Dalton. His relationship with Troy is loving but he’s kept in the dark about what‘s going on until almost the end. The Walls of Troy ends up being a story that revolves almost entirely about Iskander and Troy, and what happens as they try to fix Troy’s problem and build their unexpected relationship.   

LA Witt created two guys who shouldn’t have become a couple but she got them together in a realistic and believable manner. It worked. At least I thought so. I like these men and the back stories that go along with them go a long way to rounding out their personalities. Their attraction is almost immediate and their chemistry is sizzling.  The descriptions are vivid, I liked the protective role the dogs play and especially love Troy’s giant Rottweiler, Talos. Did I mention that big, bad Iskander is afraid of dogs? It’s another nice little twist. I hope you enjoy this new romance too.

McFarland's Farm

Title: McFarland's Farm

Author: Cardeno C.

Publisher: Self Publishing

ISBN: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MTXABBO 

Genre: {M/M} Contemporary

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Chocolate Minx 

Jared McFarland is lonely, he has plenty of friends in the small town of Hope, but there is no one special in his life. However, circumstances change for Jared when Lucas Reika’s arrival as a visitor turns into Lucas becoming a permanent resident.

McFarland’s Farm is a charming short story. The characters are believable. Lucas has never had a job, although he has had plenty of job opportunities. Lucas has never been motivated enough to work. Forced to stay on Jared’s farm for a month, Lucas began to face his many moral failings. Away from his pampered lifestyle, Lucas developed work ethics as well as gained the self respect that comes from doing a job well done.

Owning a vegetable farm was always Jared’s dream. Several of the town’s residents did whatever they could to help Jared in making his dream come true. Jared considers himself to be a plain man not worth the notice of Lucas. Nevertheless, Jared did become aware of a mutual attraction between them, but he refused to act on his desires until Lucas made the first sexual advance. 

Cardeno C. has created an impressive charming romance that I vastly enjoyed.         

Beauty and Her Beast

Title:  Beauty and Her Beast

Author:  Kyla Logan

Publisher:  Changeling Press

Publisher URL:  http://www.changelingpress.com

ISBN/BIN:  01103-00335

Genre:  {M/F} Paranormal

Rating:  3.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer:  Amethyst Nymph

Xavier is a shifter who’s been waiting for the right moment to approach the one woman made for him.  Though she appears conservative, Jenna has more edge than even she knows.

The element of surprise makes this hot encounter more meaningful.  The couple’s future is riding on Jenna and Xavier just has to accept it.  But that doesn’t mean he can’t use the power of persuasion. 

Beauty and Her Beast is the kick off of the Lochinver Werewolves series.  Jenna and Xavier’s quick coupling left me wanting more.  I predicted some events, so I was happy with the ending Kyla Logan gave this story.  It’s not easy to give readers the big picture in a short story but the author delivered.  Readers will be left curious enough to find out what’s next.

Accursed

Title:  Accursed

Author:  Belladonna Bordeaux

Publisher:  Liquid Silver Books

Publisher URL:   http://www.lsbooks.com/

ISBN/BIN:  978-1-62210-122-1

Genre:  {M/F/M}, Ménage, Paranormal, Series

Rating: 4.5 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer:  Amazon Nymph

After a spell that Alexandra’s cousin casts goes awry, Canoir saves her from the destruction it causes.  Both are startled by their attraction, but become aware they are mates. 

Accursed is the fourth book in The Hellfire Club series and is about Canoir and his curse, though he is both a wolf and vampire, he becomes a mindless beast once a month and runs amuck.  This story touches a little on The Hellfire Club, but focuses more on what is going on with Mishpokov’s grab for power as well as what is going on between Alexandra and Canoir.

Alexandra and Canoir have a lot of chemistry. Quite a few obstacles are thrown at the couple, including a ritual that includes testing Canoir’s ability to please Alexandra publically. As some of Canoir’s history unfolds, it is apparent this is also a very good twist on the Beauty and the Beast theme

Several interesting twists are thrown in that could lead to war. Part of the group involved are members of the king’s family. The more I learned about Mishpokov, the more I disliked him, especially the way he treated his people.  His son is even worse than he was.

There were some humorous moments, especially with Alexandra’s familiar. The author threw in an unexpected twist by closing the various realms off from the others until certain things come to pass.  This, of course, opens up all sorts of possibilities in the future. 

The Hellfire Club series should be read in order to really get a good grasp of the various issues between the paranormal races, though each can be read alone.  I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming

Title: Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming

Author: Kiernan Kelly, Julia Talbot and BA Tortuga

Publisher: Torquere Press

Publisher URL: www.torquerebooks.com

ISBN: 978-1-61040-777-9

Genre: {M/M} Anthology

Rating: 4 Nymphs

Literary Nymphs Reviewer: Chocolate Minx

Welcome to the Pack by BA Tortuga - 4 Nymphs

Pack tradition required Denver to come home and take his place as Alpha since his twin brother had been killed by a demon bull. Denver expected to be challenged for the alpha position, but what he did not expect was to discover that a mixed blood wolf named Blaine is his mate.   

Oklahoma Rain by Kiernan Kelly - 4 Nymphs

The rodeo employees consider each other as family; nevertheless in every family there is always one member that is an outcast. Blaze, a psychic, had been tormented for years by a vindictive troll until Zack joined the rodeo family. Zack’s powers could fling large objects into bone breaking deadly heights including the hateful troll obsessed with Zack’s new lover Blaze.   

Big Bear, Little Bear by Julia Talbot - 4 Nymphs

Grizzly bear Ozzie is overjoyed when black bear Ben returns, but something is different about Ben, his bear form is in hiding. Ozzie is on a mission to discover what happened to Ben during his head injury treatment as well as assist the healing process with love.

Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming is a collection of three impressive romantic paranormal stories written by three creative authors. The stories illustrate natural animal behaviors with an entertaining twist. All the stories are heartwarming with fascinating characters. Each couple consists of individuals close to their own breed. I thoroughly enjoyed Midnight Rodeo: Homecoming.  

The Last Thing He Needs

Title: The Last Thing He Needs

Author: J. H. Knight

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Publishers URL: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

ISBN/BIN: 9781627988605

Genre: {M/M}, Contemporary

Rating: 5 Nymphs

Literary Nymph Reviewer: Critter Nymph

Tommy stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago, around the time he became responsible for his seven younger sisters and brothers.   At twenty-two, he’s just hoping he can keep a roof over everyone’s head and food on the table.  It’d also be great if he could keep his brothers out of jail.  When Bobby walks into their lives, Tommy has no idea how to react.  Hopefully, the young cop will stick around while Tommy tries to figure everything out.

The Last Thing He Needs is the newest release by author J.H. Knight.  This is a story that will grab you from the beginning.  The characters are very well-written and the connection between Bobby and Tommy is strong, although it makes Tommy leery.  Tommy has had a hard life, thanks to the irresponsibility of his parents, yet rather than letting this drive him crazy or running off, he steps in and takes care of his siblings.   As the oldest child in a large family, it was easy for me to understand where Tommy was coming from.  I liked that the author kept this part of the story realistic, rather than making light of what Tommy and his siblings where going through.  Bobby makes a great match for Tommy.  Bobby is a young cop; in fact the young men went to school together and was a secret crush of Tommy’s.   Like Tommy, Bobby is also mature for his age and rather than run from Tommy and his problems, he jumps in with both feet.  I liked Bobby.  His strength is just what the little family needs and soon things start to even out.  Or do they?

With seven siblings to care for the story is full of secondary characters.  The readers won’t be able to help but fall in love with the children, especially two of the younger brothers.  The scene with the cat had me laughing, although I can’t say the same for Tommy.  Then there is Bobby’s mother.  She is just what is needed to make the family whole, and Tommy and his siblings are just what she needs as well.  Of course, you can expect Tommy’s parents to show up a time or two and more than once I wanted to smack them. 

The Last Thing He Needs is not always an easy read as there are some tough moments in the story; however, it is a very well done story and should not be missed.  The author does a wonderful job wrapping the story up and I loved how everyone turned out.  This is definitely a must keep and one I will be reading again.