The Fall by Claudia Dain, A Review

Since I’m trying to be a little more present, I thought I would try something a little different today, something that I haven’t done in a while. Ladies and gentleman, it’s time for a book review!

It’s been some time since the reading bug has hit me. I’ve recently finished Jonathan Van Ness’ autobiography, Over the Top, and it was a beautiful piece that I will recommend to anyone. But, I am a romance author and this is a blog centered around romance books, so my review is not for dear Jonathan’s book.

This review is for The Fall by Claudia Dain. 

What an astounding piece of work! Here’s the blurb…

England, 1165. Juliane: they call her Lady of Frost. Though she is beautiful beyond description, she turns men cold and they wither under her gaze. She was once married, but her husband could not rise to do his manly deed, and so the marriage was annulled. She has remained unmoved and untouched since that day.

Ulrich of Caen, a knight loose upon the Earth, searching for a place upon it, searching for a home and a wife with nothing but a name for seduction to bring to the marriage bond. It is not enough to win him a wife. Unless that wife be a woman who can turn aside all seductions and render a man empty of passion.

It is upon this ground they meet, one legend against another. Romance was a game to them, a subject of wagers and taunts, and nothing could come of it. He had no land to give a woman. She had no warmth to give a man.

But in their games of seduction and mockery, Juliane fears she is close to falling in love, and falling in love is the most dangerous thing a woman can do.

 

My thoughts.

It was such a unique read! Set in a medieval time period, Claudia Dane has written it so that every sentence, every description, every word sems ripped from history. One word to describe it? Immersive. Another word? Erotic. Throughout. Sometimes, a little overly so. I mean, it is a book about erections.

In all seriousness, it was such a good read, one that I finished in two days. Ulrich could be a little overbearing, but he was a true honorable knight at heart. Juliane was a new type of heroine, one who was protected by her legend and had no reason to fear any man in a time when that was what most women did. On that note…

Trigger warning: It might be a little spoiler-y and I do apologize, but I wish there had been some sort of warning for me. Yes, I would have still read the book, but it would have been nice to know beforehand. There is a rape scene. It is a little disturbing, not overly descriptive, but there it was. And, before anyone says anything, it did contribute to the plot and wasn’t just there for shock value. And, remember, this is a romance so there’s a happy ending!

Would I recommend it?

If you like erotic romance, the slower burn and then super steamy, melting kind, then yes!

Like My Mother Before Me, A Review...

Hello, lovelies! I’m here a little early to share my review of the novel Like My Mother Before Me by Naley Gonzalez. Spoiler alert: I loved this book! Other than that, I’ll try my best to avoid spoilers.

I’ve been a fan of Naley’s for some time and, when I signed up to become an ARC reader, I was hopeful. It wasn’t long before I had my very own copy downloaded to my Nook and ready to go. I was honored to be among those chosen and, having just finished reading yesterday, I wanted to share my thoughts and opinions.

Firstly, here’s the blurb to give you an idea of this New Adult novel:

(Summary from Naley Gonzalez's website)

Spoiled and self-centered daddy's girl Alizé Salvas spends her time texting with friends, cutting class to get high, and playing volleyball.

When Alizé witnesses a horrifying sight of a skeletal woman vanishing from her father’s study, she's certain she's losing her mind. She quickly goes into denial, but her avoidance only makes things worse. Now, plagued by horrible visions and other unwelcome specters, Alizé finds her world spiraling out of control—effecting the lives of the people closest to her.

Pursued by a personal demon, she must overcome her selfish habits and embrace the truth about her family's past, and herself, or suffer the same fate as her mother.

 

Now for my thoughts.

The story as a whole was solid. There was enough happening outside of the main plot to invest me in the characters and their lives, as well as watching them deal with real-world problems alongside this monster and confusion. It made the story a little more real and added a depth of emotion that I appreciated.

The characters themselves were supremely written, with their own personalities and reasonings. Alizé was a relatable, ordinary girl trying to achieve her dreams who was treated unfairly at times. I felt myself being frustrated with her, being elated with her, just feeling everything she felt as she tried to come to terms with the drastic changes in her life.

Veronica was beautiful in her otherworldly form, there’s no other way to describe her. I wasn’t sure how to feel about Martin at first, but I fell for him even with his persistence. Ezra and Estelle felt very real with the things they dealt with and, though they weren’t exactly main characters, I loved their parts in the story. Zoraida was my favorite character and that’s all I’m going to say about that!

The monster was terrifying, absolutely horrific. I swear I’ll be having nightmares about this thing. Aside from that, I loved the use of Spanish, the Latin culture, and all of the food mentioned that sounded delicious!

All in all, I would highly recommend this book. While I was reading, I could see the story playing in my head like a movie, and for me that’s the best it can get. I received an eBook ARC, but I fully intend to get a physical copy for my shelves.

You can find links to Like My Mother Before Me and Naley Gonzalez’s social media below!

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre

 

Preorder LMMBM: https://www.naleygonzalez.com/likemymotherbeforeme

Website: https://www.naleygonzalez.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naleygonzalez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/naleygonzalez

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorNaleyGonzalez/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCawSppswttLyZ0WNRKs8Tnw

RoseBlood, A Review...

If you know me, then you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of The Phantom of the Opera. Movies, musicals, books and sequels- I’m there. So, when I came across RoseBlood by AG Howard, I knew I had to read it. The cover, first of all, is absolutely gorgeous. And the pages? Every word and image in this book is printed in crimson ink and it makes my heart hurt in the best way. As for how the book is…

(Summary from GoodReads)

In this modern day spin on Leroux's gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she's trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune's mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn- an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn's dark agenda comes to light and he's forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he's ever known/

This book is, in my humble opinion, the best tribute to Phantom of the Opera you can find. It’s dark, melodramatic, and exists in a world alongside the fictional media.

When I started reading, I couldn’t figure out how it would work. How can a character exist in such a world without it being complicated or meta? Well, it was a little meta, but done with such a twist that it didn’t really matter.

The romance took a little while to get going, but once it did it was heavenly.

I don’t usually traverse into YA. I gave it up in high school. But this was a refreshing change of pace and opened up my imagination. Though Thorn will never replace Erik for me, I loved seeing my Phantom still plagued with darkness and having someone similar to him for company.

You can purchase your own copy here:

https://www.amazon.com/RoseBlood-G-Howard/dp/1419719092/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, a review

Julia Quinn is by far my favorite romance author! I’ve read nearly every one of her books (some more than once) and follow her blog religiously. That being said, when I heard there was a show coming to Netflix called Bridgerton, which would be based on Julia’s series, I was beside myself with joy!

In anticipation, I wanted to go through the series again and review them before the show itself comes out. I started more in the middle with Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, as it was available and (here’s the fun part) you don’t have to read the books in order! Sure, it gives you more context and sometimes there will be bits in the story that are important, but they can stand by themselves and that is just the best.

But you’re all here for the review, so here we go. Let me start by saying this will be spoiler free! I want all of you to read the story for yourself! Let’s start with the description (direct from GoodReads):

Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend's brother for...well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret...and fears she doesn't know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone's preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can't seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same -- especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide...is she his biggest threat -- or his promise of a happy ending?

Now, I’m not going to break down and rank an author like Julia Quinn. But, I will give you my honest opinion and tell you a bit about what makes this book so fantastic.

To start with, you have a main character who isn’t perfect. She’s a shy girl who doesn’t quite fit society’s standards and who much prefers food to dancing at parties. I can relate! I loved Penelope from the first page and liked seeing her develop over the course of the story.

Colin was equally flawed, with a refreshing vulnerability and striking weaknesses. Still, he had the ability to make a woman’s heart race!

Great characters combined with a wonderful story made for a more than enjoyable read! I loved that there was classic romance, but also a mystery aspect as you try to uncover the identity of Lady Whistledown. And, can I just point out that Julia Andrews, regal goddess that she is, has been cast as Lady Whistledown?!

Expect much more Bridgerton content on this blog, dearest readers, because This Author has so much to share!

                                                                                  Lori Fayre’s Romance Blog, 16 February 2020

If you wish to read Romancing Mr. Bridgerton here is the GoodReads link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9138518

This Magical Christmas, A Review...

I’m going to be honest with you all: I love romance! If that’s news to you, see my other posts. But I love a particular kind of romance and cozy, fluffy stuff has never been my thing. Neither has holiday-themed romance. But, when Leyna asked me to read and review an ARC of This Magical Christmas, I couldn’t say no.

She had shared parts of the story with me throughout writing this book, nothing too spoiler-y, so I was definitely interested. I thought it would be something I would read and enjoy, but it turned out to be the most amazing book I’ve read in a while!

Let me repeat myself: This Magical Christmas is an utterly captivating book!

Here’s the blurb:

When iconic magician and brilliant engineer, Blaire Witch, is advised to partner with an arrogant colleague, she decides to do one last magic trick; retire into a puff of smoke. With no one outside of family knowing her secret identity, Blaire is confident that her final disappearing act will leave her free to explore her options. Eager to reclaim her lost passion, she decides to pay a visit back to where it began; her hometown. But when she finds out her family's bakery is going under, her new life gets put on hold.

In a spontaneous effort to protect the store, Blaire enters a local ballroom dance competition with a prize that just might save the day; if only it didn't involve partnering up with the brooding stranger who despised her alter ego. Couple that with lost luggage, painful shoes and a handsome, charming competitor and who could blame her for being less than graceful on the dance floor?

But when her pride starts jeopardizing the competition, she must decide whether to keep hiding in the shadows or to reveal her secrets and use her skills to win. With more than just a prize on the line, will this solo act learn how to depend on others, or will she stay center stage and risk it all?

And here’s my review:

The story is a thing of beauty, weaving magic, dance, and conflict into a story unlike any other. It pulls you in and you fall in love with the characters. You laugh, cry, celebrate, and fall with them, following on the roller coaster of competition and discovering who you are.

Even with my advance knowledge of the story, I was never really sure what was going to happen next. I had moments where I was worried or excited for the characters and had such a hard time breaking away from the page.

My favorite character is Mena, who you think you know at the beginning, but just wait: she’s full of surprises! The romance… Oh, the romance. This book delivers, my friends, in the most heart-warming and heart-racing way. And the dancing! And the magic! There’s just so much to love in this book that I don’t think I could put it all here.

Here’s the point: You should read this book! If you love a cozy love story with dancing and gingerbread competitions, this is for you. And, Leyna even has a second stand-alone Christmas story coming out November 20 (which I will be reviewing soon!)

This Magical Christmas by Leyna Paige is available for pre-order at the link below and will be released on November 6.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YSYDH37/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_jRgVDb72S8NXQ

Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter, a review

When I was contacted to review Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter by R.S. Penney, I almost declined. Almost. Because it wasn’t romance or anything like my usual read. But the summary I was sent sounded so enticing, I had to give it a shot. Fantasy/Western? I’m a Firefly fan, so I can get behind this. I thought I knew what I was getting into…

Let me start by saying this will be spoiler free! I want all of you to follow the story for yourself, so, if you’re interested, there are links to the book as well as the author’s twitter at the end.

The description I was given is as follows: Desa Kincaid has spent the last ten years in pursuit of a man whose experiments have killed over a dozen people. Blessed with the power to transform ordinary objects into devastating weapons, she journeys through trading ports, backwater towns, forests, deserts and the haunted remains of a dead city. But can she stop her enemy before he unleashes something terrible on the world?

Now, I’ll try to be brief and not give too much away and I want you all to know that this is my completely honest opinion. This. Book. Was. Amazing! I don’t like to read outside of my preferred genres, and it usually ends badly when I do. This was a rare exception.

First of all, the book was wonderfully formatted. Not important to some, I know, but it’s a big deal for me. The action scenes are superb, the changes in point of view are handled well, and it has a compelling and immersive story line.

Vivid descriptions take you right into their world and there is a constant, looming sense of danger that keeps you turning the page. The ‘magic’ system is awesome, with its power being energy based and limited. There is diversity in the characters and LGBTQ+ representation, which is important.

The characters are all great. You have Desa, with her no-nonsense approach to whatever life throws at her. She truly is an inspiration. But my favorite character had to be Lommy-I mean, Tommy. He is flawed and relatable and goes through some interesting development. I can’t wait to see what else is in store for him!

All I can say in the end is that Desa Kincaid: Bounty Hunter is a fantastic read and I cannot wait for the series to continue. If you want to read it for yourself (which I highly recommend), you can find it here at  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PFB635W. And don’t forget to give the author some love by following him here https://twitter.com/keeperssaga. I plan on doing more reviews soon, so stay tuned!