The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1) by Gena Showalter

Title: The Darkest Night
Author: Gena Showalter
Publication Date: OUT
Publisher: Harlequin

Blurb: All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments... and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love...

Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive -- and unimaginably powerful...
Review:  Many moons ago when I was in college I was living with a fellow romance lover.  We got in the habit of exchanging books and one day she walked over to me while I was sitting on the couch and plopped a book down in my lap.  At this point in my romance reading career I'd never read a paranormal romance before and wasn't sure I wanted to start but my roommate basically said, "Read this or our friendship is over."  (Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly that... my memory is foggy.)

The book was The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter and it was really the beginning of the end for me.  The whirlwind of emotions and internal conflict I suffered while reading the Lords of the Underworld series has, to this day, been unmatched by any other paranormal romance.  When I need a really, really, really hot read with explosive characters and a quizzical plot I know exactly where to go... my kindle folder labeled "Gena Showalter's Lord of the Underworld Series."

The Lords of the Underworld are a group of immortal warriors who, hundreds of years ago, were responsible for the release of Pandora's box on the world.  As punishment they were given the responsibility of hosting the demons within their minds and bodies.  Hundreds of years of violence and chaos went by before the Lords were finally able to learn to control the demons to the best of their abilities.  Now they live in the mountains of Budapest with two goals: find Pandora's box and trap the demons in their once more, even if it means losing their own lives in the process, and fending off the Hunters, keen on killing them, until they can find the box.

When Ashlyn stumbles upon their mountain they don't believe her claims that she's here for their help and they certainly don't understand why she's desperate to stay in Maddox's company.  They believe she's bait sent by the hunters to trap them, but as Maddox gets to know Ashlyn he can't believe someone as innocent as she could possibly be on the side of the Hunters.

Ashlyn loves that the voices in her head fall silent when Maddox is around and she struggles to come to terms with the fact that her savior is host to the demon of Violence.  As the sparks between the give way to uncontrollable flames of passion Ashlyn must decide what side of the fight she's on and whether she's willing to sacrifice herself to save the man she loves.

The Darkest Night isn't the best written book you'll read today.  The plot is still finding itself and the characters haven't been fully fleshed, but the chemistry is out of this world.  This book will make your palms sweat, your heart swell, and your body shake.

Are you sold on this fire-cracker of a novel?  No?  What if I told you there are seventeen books to date!  SEVENTEEN.  You could read for days and days and still have more to read.  Isn't that the best thing you've ever heard of?  Oh, wait, did I mentioned they're still being written?!?!?!?!  It's like freaking Christmas, or whatever holiday you do or don't celebrate during the holiday season.  

And, even better as the series goes on it is easy to see that Gena Showalter more than find her rhythm with this series.  Every book has diverse and well-rounded characters that are so incredibly unique in their appearances and personalities. Her commitment to providing the romance world with powerful, independent woman capable of bringing even demon-possessed men to their knees is incredible. I have no clue how the woman manages to write a totally different book seventeen times in the same world with as many characters as she does without having it get monotonous.  It seems unreal.

This series will delight even the most seasoned paranormal readers, although I have to believe if you're a seasoned paranormal reader you've already heard of and read Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series.  If you love this series, she has also blessed us with a spin-off series Angels of the Dark.  It's as though she never wants us to stop reading her... and I don't mind that at all.

You can purchase the novels at your local independent bookstores or, if you're a kindle person, you can buy them for a very reasonable rate here.

Rogue Desire: A Romance Anthology (Resistance Romance)

Title: Rogue Desire: A Romance Anthology (Resistance Romance)
Authors: Adriana Anders, Amy Jo Cousins, Ainsley Booth, Emma Barry, Dakota Gray, Stacey Agdern, Jane Lee Blair, and Tamsen Parker.
Publication Date: July 20th
Publisher: Pronoun

Blurb: When all else fails, find love.

Eight brand new romances for fans of the West Wing, fired-up #resistance fighters, and everyone who ever had a crush on that guy at a protest...

Review:

A couple days ago I was sitting at my computer browsing FaceBook and found a post by one of my favorite authors, Adriana Anders, about Rogue Desire.  I almost never review or purchase anthologies because I prefer long, drawn out stories rather than short novellas, and because I almost never like them.  But when Adriana Anders tells you to do something, you do it.

Rogue Desire: A Romance Anthology (Resistance Romance) is the perfect read for progressives who are unhappy with the current political climate (and also read romance).  I'm not going to tell you that you're going to love every story in this anthology because most likely you won't.  I didn't.  But that doesn't meant you're not going to find a story that really clicks with you, and a new author to boot, because I did.

My absolutely favorite story in this anthology was Resistance by Amy Jo Cousins.  Here's the specific blurb: "All Kaz Shamsi wanted to do was get his college students to and from the DC protest without losing any of them. Getting caught up in the fringes of anarchist violence was not on the agenda. Neither was a motorcycle escape, messing around with a bandanna-masked antifa protestor, or figuring out that guy was one of the students he was supposed to be chaperoning. Now he’s got a ten-hour bus ride back to campus ahead of him, with a stupidly cute student who makes terrible decisions trying to talk Kaz into making one more."

Does that not sound amazing?!  And it was.  I signed up for Amy Jo Cousins' newsletter the moment I finished with the story and realized my heart had fallen out of my chest, my breath was ragged, and my jaw was dropped.  The full story of Kaz and his sexy student will be coming out soon, thank god, and I plan to be first in line to purchase that book.

Anyways, the long and short of it is that I found new authors from this novel and got to spend time with some like-minded characters.  It was a refreshing collection and I strongly recommend it to those who are seeking some new authors but don't want to commit to a full book.  I guarantee you'll find a new one here.

AND IT'S ONLY 99 CENTS.  Ahhhhhhhhhh!  Pre-order here.

Mister Hockey (Hellions Angels #1) by Lia Riley

Title: Mister Hockey (Hellions Angels #1)

Author: Lia Riley

Publication Date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: HarperCollins

Blurb: Her biggest fantasy is about to become a reality. . .

Jed West is Mr. Hockey. The captain of the NHL’s latest winning team, the Denver Hellions–and the hottest player on the ice—at least according to every magazine…and Breezy Angel. Breezy has been drooling over Jed at games for years, and he plays a starring role in her most toe-curling fantasies. But dirty dreams don’t come true, right?

Then Jed saunters through the doors of her library, a last minute special guest for a summer reading event, and not only is he drop dead gorgeous up close, his personality is straight up swoon-worthy. He even comes to the rescue when she has an R-rated “Super Book Worm” costume malfunction. But when he mistakenly assumes she’s more into books than pucks, she’s too flustered to correct his mistake. And then comes a big kiss, followed by a teensy-tiny problem. Jed’s dating policy is simple: Never date a fan.

So what’s a fangirl going to have to do to convince her ultimate crush that he’s become less of a perfect fantasy, and more like the perfect man…for her?

Review:  I’ve always thought that humor plays an important role in the perfect romance novel.  If a romance novel can get me to crack a smile then I can consider my time well-spent.  Mister Hockey by Lia Riley didn’t just have me cracking a smile, it had me laughing out loud throughout my elliptical workout (and trust me, it’s really hard to find any sort of humor in working out).

The main character in Mister Hockey is Breezy, a children’s librarian with a hockey addiction and when she meets Jed West, star player for the Hellions, she thinks she’s died and gone to heaven.  I liked Breezy, a lot.  She was quirky and relatable and her inner dialogues had my sides busting with laughter.  She was a nice change of pace from your some of your more stereotypical romance heroines.  And I positively love any romance novel with a book advocate starring at the main lady… I’m definitely biased.

Jed West is a handsome devil who’s self-conscious about being wanted for his stardom instead of his winning personality and charm.  He’s a sexy guy who has mad skills in the bedroom, but he’s not so good at relationships.  I really enjoyed watching him try and work through his feelings for Breezy while trying to handle his own personal issues.  I love when the main guy seems genuine and Jed definitely met that criteria for me.  (Also, look at that cover picture.  Perfect model for Jed.  Hubba hubba).

As the book went on it suffered from a little thing I, and millions of people everywhere, like to call cliché.  I saw the climax coming from a mile away, for instance, and the ending was a tad unsatisfactory for those who like drama or enjoy when the offending partner has to work for forgiveness, but some people prefer more realistic endings and I totally get that.

Long story short: I’d recommend this book wholeheartedly because I just really enjoyed it the entire time.  Read it in just a couple hours.  A couple hours of easy fun.

You can pre-order it at any independent bookstore (yes, I'm always going to plug this).  

On the Chase by Katie Ruggle

Title: On the Chase

Author: Kate Ruggle

Publication Date: September 2017

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Blurb:

The sole witness to a horrific crime, Kaylee Ramay flees to the Colorado Rockies to start a new life.  There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel employee desperately trying to avoid attention—especially from dangerously attractive K9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

Because Hugh is tall, dark… and nothing but trouble.

Hugh is anxious to get back in the field after an act of heroism left him warming the bench.  Until then, he and his K9 partner, Lexi, spend their hours teasing the town’s mysterious newcomer.  But when their simmering attraction is nearly cut short by a sniper’s bullet, Hugh’s mystery woman must come clean about the secrets she keeps…

Or both of them will pay the price.

Review:

People often ask me why I read romance novels.  I give them my generic answer and then they add the little “you know men like that aren’t real, right?” gem.  I don’t know that. I’m married to a spectacular man whom I do not deserve, for one.  But I do concede that, realistically, I’m unlikely to be swept off my feet by a handsome, high-ranking Duke who believes women can do anything men can but only because I don’t live in 1800s England and not because they didn’t exist.  Though, if we’re being honest with one another (we are, aren’t we?) the men in romance novels are the ultimate level of perfection.  Something which is rather difficult to attain in the real world.

Why am I on this tangent, you may find yourself asking?  Hugh Murdoch.  As I read On the Chase by Kate Ruggle I thought to myself, “This man is the real deal.”  He wasn’t over the top, ridiculous, man-perfection that so many modern romance novels are force-feeding us these days.  He was… real.  The dialogue, his witty retorts specifically, were some of the most honest bits of conversation I’ve had the pleasure of reading in a romance novel before.

I wanted to reach through the pages and tug humorous, kind, warm-hearted Hugh into my world.  But then I realized that the best part about Hugh was that he wasn’t all that special (besides being a cop and impossible to kill, of course).  His personality, his sense of humor, his kindness were all things that exist in men all around me, including my own husband.  And maybe that’s what made him one of those most attractive fictional men I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

Kaylee “Grace Robinson” Ramay is a regular girl who stumbles across a horrific crimes and she handles it better than I would, but certainly not with the finesse of someone used to fleeing scenes.  She doesn’t stay and fight.  She runs and that makes her your regular girl as far as heroines go.  I enjoyed getting to know her piece by piece and watching her find her confidence and bravery.  She’s the sort of character that has you thinking, ‘that could be me.’

On the Chase was a delightful read, the second in its series Rocky Mountain K-9 Unit.  If you’re looking for a spicy read before September 2017, the release date for On the Chase, you should pick up book one Run to Ground.  Theo, the star of book one, is a more serious, tenser version of Hugh and attractive for completely different reasons, but attractive all the same.  Those who love action-packed, crime filled novels with intermittent periods of making out will love what Kate Ruggle has to offer.