PNRGroupManager

• Rated 3 stars

“In this sequel to Time Rogues the year is 2152, a future in which mankind is confined to the Earth’s Core, unless you are a Time Rogue, like Maude Kincaid, who are genetically suited to travel to past to heal temporal rifts. Insuring the future by saving the past is their motto. A Rogue has time for nothing but the next mission, and especially not romance, but Maude’s last jump had brought her into contact with 21st century cowboy/PhD Preston “Gil Gillespie and sparked a connection she had not wanted to forget. Of course it had been necessary that he forget her, and he would courtesy of a memory purge, but she had chosen not to submit to one but rather download the memory of their brief moment in time to a memory chip to be revisited in her down time. Little did she know that triggering that chip was also triggering Gil’s episodes in the past.

The strange and recurring episodes in which Gil had waking dreams of a somehow familiar bald beauty had the newly appointed museum curator questioning his sanity. That is until he spotted her in the flesh visiting with his boss Mackenzie Cates Mason (Time Rogues). As a result Gil finds himself back in the future and in need of further memory modification.

Although it is determined that Gil’s genetics puts him off the charts in both the Scio and Rogue spectrums he is denied permanent residence in the future, designated as an EE (era essential). After yet another mind purge he would be sent back to 2008 once more to live out his life, but not before he and Maude rock each other’s world for one last time. After a night of unbelievable passion Gil knows without a doubt that only a total purge could erase the memory of this woman who had stolen his rough and ready heart. But their time together is cut short when Maude’s fails a routine body scan. Soon the pair will be forced to defy inviolate protocol and make unauthorized transits in a race against time to save her future.

As with most titles from the SHOMI line the fantasy plot is far stronger than the romance development. In this case the connection is fait accompli pretty much from the get go. But for the record it works just fine (the line is labeled “action/adventure” after all). The question becomes how much are these two willing to risk to ensure that they will have a future and will it be together or in their own respective times? The story moves somewhat slowly until about two thirds of the way through, it is just enough to keep the reader engaged while providing necessary clues that one won’t realize they need until the critical plot twist catches them unaware and then it’s off to the races. What I like best about this story is that in spite of the future society’s advancements the human factor cannot be discounted as Maude’s friends break every rule in the book to keep her in their lives. -- For PNR Reviews”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Sunday, June 15, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“When we last left Chasidah Bergren, former pride of the Sixth Fleet, and Gabriel Sullivan, a rare human Kyi-Ragkiril, in GABRIEL’S GHOST they had just destroyed an illegal jukor lab on Marker and had barely escaped with their lives, thanks largely to Chaz’s ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and her estranged brother Thad. Both men now knew Sully’s secret, a secret that could jeopardize both of their lives. They had also learned that the political corruption went all to the top of the Imperial government, with First Barrister Darius Tage who they had trusted unquestionably with the most sensitive information pulling the strings along with Sully’s cousin, Hayden Burke, who had been endowed with the Sullivan fortune and intended to keep it. Power corrupts and it will affect the heroes as well as the villains in their next incredible adventure, SHADES OF DARK.

When we pick up their story, the Boru Karn is on a mission to destroy a second, space bound, jukor lab but they are not exactly sure where to locate it. Guardian Drogue, an Englarian Monk and Sully’s former mentor, had arranged for them to meet with an informant known only as Dell on Narfial. When Chaz taps into a news beacon, her largest concern is that information regarding Sully’s feared and abhorred talents had been broadcast across the galaxy. If that were the case, their connections would rapidly dry up and Sully would face unbearable rejection from every one whose respect he had earned or whose trust he had carefully cultivated, including his crew. The news is not good. Although there is no mention of Sully’s genetic aberration, Chaz learns that her brother has been imprisoned, and knows that Tage and Burke will stop at nothing to get the information they want from him. Should Thad resist, a Stolorth Ragkiril would glean his knowledge the hard way. Either way Thad was dead man. Although Chaz is torn with the strong need to rescue her brother, her Fleet training kicks in, and she knows that the needs of the many supercedes the needs of the one. They must get to Del ASAP before the damning information is revealed.

Sully agrees, but more trouble soon follows. When they are intercepted by a Farosian Infiltrator, it becomes painfully obvious that a trusted member of his own crew had betrayed their trust. Painful as it may be, Sully knows he must break his hard and fast rule about probing his friends’ minds and discovers the culprit.

Sully’s fears regarding the confrontation are justifiable. Kyi-Ragkirils are highly motivated by strong emotions, both pleasure and pain. His relationship with Chaz, his bondmate, has strengthened his power radically and he doesn’t know what’s happening to him or how to control it. It frightens him. Predictably he loses control during the interrogation and Chaz is forced to take drastic action.

With the conspirator confined, the Karn proceeds to the rendezvous point. Another surprise awaits them in Del, one who will test Sully beyond anything he could ever have imagined, putting both his personal ethics and his relationship with Chaz into question. The Kyi is seductive and Sully’s new mentor is not endowed with human morality. What price will these lovers pay for his assistance?

I have read books that I couldn’t put down before, but nothing has compared to the experience of reading SHADES OF DARK. I found myself hurtling through space, experiencing every twist, every emotion, every betrayal and every victory. There were moments (many) in which Del made my flesh crawl, as his culture and will collided with Chaz and Sully’s. Yet in the end he was honorable in his own way. Chaz’s self control astounded me, while her compassion left me completely in awe. Sully, what can I say, this is a trial by fire for him and he emerges sadder but wiser. Granted he makes grave errors on the way to finding himself but there is nothing he will not do in order to redeem himself. The love he and Chaz share is inspirational.

All I can say is wow, this book should win every literary award on the planet, and then some. If you read one SF romance this year, make it SHADES OF DARK. And if you haven’t yet read GABRIEL’S GHOST run, don’t walk, to the nearest bookstore and read it first. BTW fans of this series - get excited! Ms. Sinclair is currently working on a story for Admiral Philip Guthrie, which she is calling HOPE’S FOLLY. I personally cannot wait.

Reviewed for PNR Reviews”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Sunday, June 1, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Prejudice is defined by Webster’s as “an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge” and “an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics.” What if the faith of an Empire was based on such a prejudice? What if every member of a society, from the smallest child to the highest executive and military official, was steeped in such dogma? What would it be like to be the subject of such prejudice? Worse still, what would it be like to be raised in such a society, steeped in such beliefs and one day look in a mirror and discover yourself to be exactly what you had always feared and despised. What would it be like to face the rejection of those you loved most, to fear for your very life on a daily basis? Meet Gabriel Ross Sullivan, poet, smuggler, mercenary, a man born with a rare genetic gift that had forced him to fake his own death.

Captain Chasidah Bergren, pride of the Sixth Fleet had been court-martialed for a crime she didn’t commit and sentenced to the harsh prison planet of Moabar, a fate worse than death, a world from which there was no escape. No one mourned the loss of her crew more than Chaz, but she had never received the order that she had been accused of ignoring which had resulted in their deaths. With no way to prove her innocence, Chaz’s life had been reduced to finding a way to survive in the hostile environment her world had become. The last thing she had expected however was to be a attacked and sexually assaulted by a Taka guard. The attempt had failed and Chaz had added another name to her death toll. Check that, the last thing she’d ever expected was to come face to face with a ghost from her past. Gabriel had come to liberate her. Why “Sully” of all people? True they had played a game of cat and mouse across the universe both professionally and personally. Was their mutual attraction enough for him to risk exposure?

No sooner has she reconciled herself to the fact that the man both she and her government had thought dead was indeed alive and well, when they are attacked again, this time by a nightmare she had thought had long since been destroyed – a jukor, a genetic war experiment gone awry. The project had been banned decades ago. The creatures were uncontrollable killing machines.

Gabriel needs Chaz’s help. Someone was breeding jukors on Marker, the planet where Chaz had grown up as a military brat. Sully and his crew planed to destroy the illegal labs. Chaz knew the planet inside and out and her knowledge of the military systems would be invaluable to their cause. It may very well be a suicide mission but what did she have to lose? Where Sully is concerned – only her heart!

In the close quarters of Sully’s ship, old feelings resurface, passions are stirred, but Chaz can feel that Sully is holding part of himself back. The brash, cavalier space pirate seems almost vulnerable. When she accidentally discovers his dark secret she is shocked. She had been raised to fear and despise the Stolorths because they possessed these dangerous abilities but had never a known a human to possess them. She had immediately feared Sully’s Stolorth friend and crew member until she had been assured that the man’s blindness prevented his use of the genetic trait. She had accepted Ren, giving him hope, but Sully’s power was not curbed by a disability and it was more powerful than Chaz could have ever imagined. Not only had Sully invaded her heart and soul, he had access to her mind as well. For him it was a double edged sword. Her every fear and doubt had the power to wound him deeply. For her it would test every ounce of faith and trust she had in the man she had come to love with all her heart.

While they are sorting all this out, the reality of the jukor lab on Marker is confirmed. There they discover that the conspiracy goes all the way to the top of the Imperial government, involving fanatical members of the Purity Englarian religious sect and the presumptive heir to the Sullivan fortune as well! How much more personal can their mission get? Help comes from surprising places as well when they are aided by Chaz’s estranged older brother Thad and her ex-husband Philip Guthrie. At least one more jukor lab remains, but this one is not planet bound. The race continues to destroy the lab before war destroys the galaxy! Find out if they succeed in the next installment, SHADES OF DARK.

Linnea Sinclair has created a perfect balance between well defined world building and equally well defined relationships. Bravo. I tend to feel that when you have one without the other the read becomes rather flat. Sully the clever and handsome daredevil would not engage the reader nearly as well without that touch of vulnerability which gives him empathy for the blind Stolorth, Ren, who is an outcast among his own kind and feared by all others. Rescuing Chaz seems like a much greater risk when you realize that her acceptance of him means even more to Sully than the success of his mission. Chaz has a considerable amount of indoctrination to overcome, which is handled very believably. She has a very analytical mind which helps her to sort out the facts when her biases and emotional turmoil threaten to overwhelm her. I love the fact that although the physical attraction is undeniable they take the time to really know each other and overcome the obstacles between them. A chase - how refreshing! The relationships in this tale create empathy for the characters that can only add to the adventure because we care what happens to them. As for the world building, all I can only say is - Wow! What an adventure this was.

In a world far beyond our place and time, war is being orchestrated by men who hunger for power and fanatics who hate because of ignorance. Greed and prejudice, how far-fetched is that? GABRIEL’S GHOST deals with all of our touch points, race, religion, politics, and the wars that result because of our differences. We survive because of the people in our lives that make life worth living, as do Sully and Chaz. I highly recommend GABRIEL’S GHOST for a non-stop science fiction action adventure that had me riveted from the very first page. I laughed, cried, and held my breath throughout and can’t wait for the rest of the story.”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Wednesday, May 7, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“WINTER’S DAUGHTER is a paranormal romantic suspense which raises many questions about the goings on in the town of Salem, Ohio. Some will be answered in this first tale, some will make you crave the next book in the Coven series.

There had always been an Angelov living in Angelov house, that is until Victoria Angelov was murdered 20 years ago, under suspicious circumstances. Victoria’s four daughters, Synnamon, Chloe, and twins Summer and Autumn had been separated and put into the foster system in different states. Victoria had told her daughters that should something bad happen and their Aunt Bethany could not find them, that Angelov house would someday call them home.

Twenty years later, Synnamon Angelov returns to Salem, Ohio and the home she had been forced to leave on that tragic night. Not only has she come to reclaim the family home, but also to uncover the details of her mother’s murder. Oh she had been told her mother’s death had been an unfortunate accident, but so many things about that night just didn’t add up. Why had the police searched the house and taken away items in bags labeled “evidence”? Why had they demanded the key to Victoria’s secret room? Why had the girls been lied to and separated, and most of all why had Syn felt dark power emanating from Police Chief McNutt? Who had a motive? Victoria had been beautiful, lusted after by men, hated by women. She had also been a witch. Had the killer been a jilted lover, a betrayed woman, or a superstitious citizen? Synnamon would not rest until she got answers.

There’s a new Police Chief in town. Law enforcement was in Matthew Whitefeather’s blood. Matt had not been a Salem resident at the time of Victoria’s death. However he had always been strangely attracted to Angelov house. The house was said to be haunted, and he’d heard the rumors about the family and their practice of witchcraft. He’d even witnessed strange happenings five years earlier when one of the town’s children had died on the property. Still he was not a believer, that is until Synnamon Angelov returned to town.

Matthew is attracted to Syn at first sight, but is skeptical about her account of the night her mother was killed and even more skeptical about her supernatural gifts. But the town folk don’t want Syn stirring up old wounds. That message comes through loud and clear when someone riddles her house with bullets. Digging up the old case is going to be harder than expected. Most of the file on Victoria’s death is missing but one thing is certain, the rope burns evident in the one remaining picture of the victim proves to him without a shadow of a doubt that murder had been committed on that long ago night.

Who is the murderer and why did they murder Victoria? The answer will shock both the characters and the readers. But more questions remain. Why does Victoria’s supposed best friend want the Angelov family grimoire at any cost? What other secrets are The Brotherhood hiding? What has become of Syn’s sisters and when will they return? What exactly is Itsy? Will Syn and Matthew live happily every after?

Syn and Matthew have definitely made a good start. Their attraction was instant, and the romance is hot, hot, hot from the get-go. Matthew appears to be in the relationship for the long haul. He won’t rest until he track’s down Victoria’s murderer and has promised to help Syn find her sisters if they don’t soon return on their own. The tale’s Epilogue is a teaser, and it appears the next eldest sister, Chloe has heard the call, will she answer? I for one can’t wait to find out!

WINTER’S DAUGHTER is a fast-paced thrill ride that lovers of romance and suspense will not be able to put down until the last word has been read.”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Friday, April 25, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Have you every wondered, are there aliens among us? If so, what if they've assimilated to the point that they no longer know who they are? Meet Abbey Shore.

In the aptly named action adventure TWIST, Abbey is an orphaned student of architecture who flips houses to earn tuition and studies karate as a hobby. As you can imagine this leaves little time for romance, even for the blond haired, blue eyed hunk she's ogled on the El every morning.

Fate seems to have something else in store for the two of them however. Heavy rain and a dead cell phone are responsible for Abbey having trekked all the way to her cancelled karate class. On the way home she takes refuge in Java Joe's and literally bumps into the hunky doctor on her way out. Later that night while tearing down an unsightly brick wall, hoping to reveal an impressive fireplace, the wall collapses tearing a gash in Abbey's arm. With no phone service, Abbey attempts to walk through the crime ridden streets of Chicago to Sacred Heart Hospital hoping that she can make it there before she bleeds to death or becomes the latest victim of a bizarre killing spree. Luck is with her. She makes it as far as the ambulance bay then collapses into the arms of Dr. Shane Maddox.

While she is being stitched up, Abbey learns that another homeless victim of the serial killer has been brought in. The condition of these victims has the doctors stumped as to the cause of death. It's as if they've been deflated. Shane notices a strange woman dressed in black leather lurking near Abbey's room. Abbey claims not to know her and is released with the admonition to be careful on the streets and a date with Shane for the following evening after he admits to having felt the pull of attraction on the El as well.

Their date is not to be however, at least not in this century. Undaunted by her recent brush with death, Abbey continues work on the wall, intrigued by the whirring noise behind it that sends her dog Charlie into a tailspin. Behind the wall she finds a tank filled with what she believes is water. The noise is tracked to a hourglass shaped device that begins to spin. Investigating further Abbey accidentally breaks the tank dousing herself with what turns out to be peroxide and then her world turns upside down.

She next finds herself in her own city one hundred years in the future -- an apocalyptic future following a pandemic that had wiped out most of the human population. And as she finds out from an accusatory Shane, those who remain are merely fodder for the Ticks and that their dire circumstances are all her fault! All because of a missed date?

How is it that Shane is still alive? And what does the mystery woman, Lucinda, who they'd both seen in the hospital on that fateful night, have to do with all of this? Abbey soon learns the source of the vampire legends of old. Lucy is from a alien race known as the Chronolotians who maintain their immortality by sucking the life out of their mortal victims. When Abbey failed to turn up for their date, Shane had spied the woman in an alley and had stopped to ask her what she knew about her. Now a Tick himself Shane refused to betray his doctor's oath and was the only thing that stood between his own civilization and the aliens who fed on them. He is understandably bitter but the attraction between the pair hasn't dimmed in spite of everything he's been through. When Abbey joins the fight, everyone is stunned by her ability to fight as well as her ability to heal rapidly.

It's no coincidence that the Tick's have made Abbey's house their headquarters, the time gate that Abbey had opened had allowed Lucinda free access to the past where she could feed and turn others to keep the odds even. Now that Abbey had arrived the gate had closed to the Ticks. It appears that Abbey is a genetic Time Guardian whose destiny was to protect the time gate from the Chronolotians. The alien race had been responsible for the deaths of her parents and theirs before them. Abbey was the last of her race and had no daughter to pass the duty down to. Shane was her destiny as well, which is why he'd been turned. There would be no future Time Guardians unless......

All the aliens need is Abbey to ensure their domination. The human race needs her to travel back and change the past, but at what cost? She loves Shane more than life itself but Abbey has come to love these valiant refugees, the only true friends she'd ever had, as well. Would changing the past and saving Shane mean that they would never come to exist? Would it truly mean a better future?

Abbey is an amazing character never missing a beat for a moment. She braves a whole new world and a devastating destiny with integrity and fierce determination. Shane too has his demons to face. He knows he must periodically give in to his urges in order to stay alive and give his people a fighting chance. He stays true to his oath as much as is "humanly" possible but his nature eats at him. In spite of years of bitter feelings, his attraction to Abbey cannot be denied either. He loves her but knows in his heart that he can't have her, not as he is. It isn't fair to her. Yet he knows that she is now the only one who stands between them all and certain annihilation. Even knowing that he is compelled to love her, through some weird predestiny, doesn't change the fact that she is his soul mate. He is even willing to face his own death to send her home, knowing that she might not make it back in time to save him from his fate. But first they must battle the Ticks. Who will win?

TWIST is like a peanut butter cup, a perfect paranormal blend. Chockfull of action, aliens, time travel and a future Earth, this tale is to be savored - if you can manage not to finish it in one gulp! I for one couldn't put it down. I strongly recommend that you indulge yourself and pick up a copy.

If you enjoyed this SHOMI action adventure romance I strongly recommend that you also pick up DRIVEN by Eve Kenin.

Reviewed for PNR Reviews”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Monday, April 7, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Susan Grant introduced us to Aviation Romance with strong female aviator/role models such as Jas Hamilton (THE STAR KING) and Jordan Cady (CONTACT) and Earth to alien cultures. Like CONTACT which dealt with terrorism in the aftermath of 9-11, Ms. Grant's latest novel MOONSTRUCK is very edgy dealing with the scars left by war. This is a tale about an injured but strong woman, an honorable man who had been her sworn enemy and the healing power of love. Did I say that I simply love an edgy paranormal romance? I really adored this one.

In MY FAVORITE EARTHLING (Otherworldly Men series: Book 2) the Goddess herself, Queen Keira of Sakka, had killed the Drakken leader and with the help of thousands of Draaken faithful who had worshiped the goddess in secret, had put an end to the brutal galactic war between their peoples. Earth, the backwater home of Keira's consort Prince Jared, had been declared a holy untouchable Shrine. The Coalition government and their former enemy the Drakken Horde were no more. Instead the two would unite, along with Earth, to form the new Triad government. And they all lived happily ever after, right? Not quite.

Not everyone was happy about the new arrangement. Admiral Brit Bandar, commander of the Coalition Space Ship Vengeance had spent her career hunting down Hordish pirates, among whom she'd earned the name Admiral Stone-Heart, and protecting the Coalition worlds from the Imperial Armada . It had been a name well earned for her heart had turned to stone following the Massacre at the Arrayar Settlement which had taken her beloved family from her. To Brit the only good Drakken was a dead one. Vengeance even more than a sense of duty had spurred her to become the most successful commander in the Coalition forces, winning more battles than any other. Her business with the Horde was far from finished. No one other than Prime Admiral Zaafran knew of her secret pain, a pain she both buried and revived on shore leave in the pleasure dome of a resort planet. It is there that she is contacted to report to the Ring to receive her new assignment -- a diplomatic assignment. Peace wouldn't last, of that she was certain. Imagine her chagrin upon arriving at the Ring and smelling -- Horde!

Drakken Warleader Finnar Rorkken, of the former Imperial Fleet, had been summoned to the Ring as well. Prior to his promotion he'd been a notorious pirate tagged The Scourge of the Borderlands. Although he is not certain whether the trip indicates a new assignment or a trial for war crimes he is optimistic for he has very little to lose. He and his crew are on the verge of starvation. Brit had come close to capturing Finn several times. He'd respected and admired her as a worthy opponent and was more than a little intrigued by his rival. She had held a secret admiration for her adversary as well and she fully expected to make him pay for that. Imagine her dismay to learn that her new assignment would a diplomatic position as the Captain of the Triad Alliance Ship Unity, commanding a crew consisting of Coalition, Earth and Drakken, with Rorkken as her second in command!

No, she couldn't relegate the Drakken crew to menial tasks as far from her sight as possible, they were to be integrated and if she didn't like it she would be reassigned to dry dock. For the first time in her life duty would have to come before her need for vengeance. Her career was her life. But nothing could have prepared her for the shock of meeting Finn or his resemblance to an older version of her dear departed husband, the love of her life murdered by his kind.

Finn sees the assignment as an opportunity. Orphaned as an infant in a Coalition attack, he'd been rescued and then abandoned on another world and raised by other homeless children. His crew was his only family and he would do anything to convince Brit to take them aboard the Unity. He's floored by their first meeting. He'd admired Brit before but couldn't reconcile Admiral Stone-Heart with the woman he'd kill to have in his bed. Brit is shocked and dismayed at the medical reports that reveal his meager beginnings, the last thing she had wanted was to see him as human. With both hiding their feelings, working together is NOT going to be easy! It's not long before she realizes there is only one way to get him out of her system. She was going to hate herself in the morning, or would she?

Brit wasn't the only one dissatisfied with peace. When communication is lost with the Cupezikan science outpost in the Borderlands, the Unity is sent to investigate. What they find is a brutal slaughter. Has Brit gotten gotten her wish or have time and Finn finally healed her wounds?

Oh my! The interaction between these two star-crossed lovers is as complex as it is heartwarming. Brit's feelings are raw and heart wrenching, due her devastating tragedy that has stolen her faith. What begins as admiration, curiosity and intense attraction for Finn quickly becomes a need to know the woman he's come to love in every sense of the word and to do what ever it takes make her whole again. For that to happen, Brit must let go of both her pain and her hatred. The result is a touchingly beautiful romance filled with courage and heart that was pure pleasure to read.

One a final note, I very much enjoyed the adventures of Admiral Bandar's assistant, Lt. Keyran. Hadley is a true innocent who hero-worships Brit. Brit sees her own strong potential in the girl and plans to toughen her up on this assignment. In the meantime the hopeless romantic from a planet of hopeless romantics becomes caught up in a romantic triangle between Rueben Barrientes a.k.a. Tango, a big time player from Texas and Battle-Lieutenant Bolivarr, a shy former Drakken Wraith assassin who has amnesia due to a near fatal injury. She's swept away by the smooth talking Tango but the mood ring he gives her has other ideas. This side story brought humor to an otherwise tense situation. I do hope we see Keyran and Bolivarr again.

For me a keeper is a gut wrenching, edge of the seat novel that makes you laugh, cry, and sigh, one that you can't put down until you've finished the last word, and then want to read all over again. MOONSTRUCK is a keeper!

Reviewed for PNR Reviews
”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Monday, April 7, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“A common Enemy ....

Opposing Goals ....

For a sister lost - and a sister found ....

In a post-apocalyptic future, Raina Bowen is an independent trucker who delivers supplies in a frozen territory now known as the Northern Waste. Raina has been taught everything she knows about survival from her father. Unfortunately, her best had not been enough to save him from an attack by Siberian Ice Reavers. Before he died Sam Bowen had informed Raina that she had a younger sister, Beth. Taking on the reins of that responsibility, in the hope of a better life for her sister and the dream of finally having a family, Raina enters a driving contest with impossible odds. She must race up the ICW and be the first to cross the finish line at Gladow Station with her load of grain. The only problem is that the big, bad Janson Trucking Firm and their powerful, morally corrupt owner, Duncan Bane, dominate the ICW. As a child Raina had once been at Bane's mercy. She had bested him then, leaving him scarred and bent on revenge. She is determined to best him again

That's where Wizard comes in. Sam had arranged for the man to provide Raina with the Janson pass needed in order for her to drive on the ICW. Unbeknownst to Raina, Wizard has his own bone to pick with Duncan Bane. He and his genetic siblings had started life as genetically enhanced test tube babies. When the new world order had taken over Bane had left them all for dead. They owed their lives to Sam Bowen, but eventually they'd been at Bane's mercy once more. Wizard and his sister Yuriko, like Raina, had been strong and had escaped the horror. Their gentler sister, Tatiana, had not. Yuriko now commanded a rebel outpost in the Waste. Wizard, who Bane had trained to be his assassin, intended to be just that -- his assassin. He would do anything toward that goal, even using their savior's own daughter as bait to draw Bane out. He been expecting to meet with Sam but Raina would definitely do.

Raina's hopes of keeping a low profile are shattered when Wizard arrives at the designated truck stop and immediately gets into a brawl with the Janson crew. They haven't even been formally introduced and she's already bailing his butt out of trouble. Raina finds her new partner to be a complete enigma. Different from any man she's ever known, he can see in the dark and crack her toughest security measures without batting an eyelash. He's got an answer for everything down the decimal point, and appears completely devoid of emotion - except when it comes to a certain tough and gorgeous lady trucker of course. And just what is it about him that makes her want to keep him around even after she discovers that the coveted pass he's brought her is stolen and therefore useless?

Raina is one of the most exceptional heroines I've ever encountered in a romance novel, not skipping a beat even when she discovers the load she's carrying is not grain but guns. Though her fondest dream has been dashed, she takes this new detour in stride and throws herself into the Wizard's cause with courage and gusto, knowing that it is just a matter of time before she'd be facing the final showdown with her greatest nemesis.

Eve Kenin, who also writes Dark Historical Gothic Romances under the name Eve Silver, is an author to watch. I've read an enjoyed the first two titles in Dorchester's new Shomi line but this book is sensational! With DRIVEN, Kenin has obliterated the gap between the science fiction and the romance genre for all time. This book is HOT! I simply couldn't put it down. Look for her next title HIDDEN, coming from Shomi in July. So far I've been unable to discover any advance hype on the storyline, but there were a number of hints throughout DRIVEN that indicate that Wizard's sister Tatiana may have survived after all. Let's keep our fingers crossed. For excellent world building, gripping action and one of the best alpha pairings this reviewer has encountered in any novel, I highly recommend DRIVEN.

Reviewed by Leslie Tramposch for PNR Reviews”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Saturday, March 29, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“DRAGONBORN opens with Kiril, Dag Racho’s newly appointed governor and dragon-hunter, stalking his latest victim. Dragon’s were evil. Kiril had known this since he was a boy. His cousin Jaseen had been chosen to incubate a dragon’s egg and had become a dragonborn. It had changed the gentle young man into a monster. Clearly the dragon had taken control of his will.

He had hoped to save the boy Huet, but it was too late. The demon spawn had already hatched. The boy was Dag Huet now, a dragonborn, his mind irrevocably bonded with the newly hatched beast. His chance to retain his humanity was lost. Dag Huet and his dragon were no match for Kiril’s legendary sword skills. One down and one more dragonborn child left to murder. Then it would be done.

Kiril now searches for Natiya Draeva, orphaned daughter of Dragon Scholars, hoping that she can lead him to the Clutching Caves where he would find and destroy the egg which held the unborn dragon Queen. Little does he know that Nitiya herself is incubating the egg disguised as a belly jewel in her navel, waiting for the day that she, along with her Golden Queen, could avenge her parents’ deaths by killing the Emperor, Dag Racho, and his Copper dragon. Already the egg communes with her. It is insatiable in its curiosity. Seeking knowledge and experiences it questions her endlessly and magnifies her every emotion.

A new Governor must introduce himself to the population that he will govern, and what better place to show oneself than in the local tavern. There, quite by accident, he finds Natiya. Natiya is a dockside dancer, the best in Dabu’ut arguably the best in the entire realm. She is not at all what he had presumed. Expecting a lewd display, Kiril is blindsided by her skill and by the lust he feels for her as he watches her dance. Although Natiya resented being forced to dance for him, her heart beats faster at the very sight of the new Governor. Against her will she throws herself into the dance, performing like she’s never done before. But her only priority must be to protect the egg until the hatching. He is sworn to kill them both. Neither of them had counted on falling in love.

DRAGONBORN is a fantasy of superior quality which bridges the gap between the romance and SF&F genres, expertly blending a star-crossed relationship, superb world building, and riveting suspense. Dag Racho, the antagonist, like Kiril and Natiya. is beautifully drawn. Like the heroes he is a complex character whom the author takes from a sickly tormented child to a cruel and ruthless ruler and back to the confused and lonely man that lies deep inside him. This book is sure to appeal to a wide range of readers, the only difficulty will be deciding where to shelf it. For an excellent fantasy/romance/action-suspense read, I highly recommend DRAGONBORN by Jade Lee.

Reviewed for PNR Reviews

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PNRGroupManager wrote this review Wednesday, January 23, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“THE MAGE’S DAUGHTER picks up where STAR OF THE MORNING leaves off. As Morgan recovers slowly from a near fatal poisoning under the care of Nicholas of Lismòr on the Island of Melksham, the archmage Miach is leagues away in Tor Neroche where the attack on her, orchestrated by Lothar, the black mage of Wychweald, had occurred.

Tor Neroche was currently being invaded by courtiers come to witness the marriage of his brother, King Adhémar, and Miach wished he was elsewhere. He was comforted by the fact that Morgan still lived, though he had greatly feared at times that she wouldn’t. Only a few hours remained before the ceremony, after which he would be free to go to his lady love and hopefully convince her to forgive him for his deception.

His departure is more panicked than expected for during the long dull stretch of the ceremony Miach had cast his mind to the University of Lismòr seeking Morgan but had found no sense of her.

Morgan is alive but has fled to Gobhann in hopes that she could outrun her dreams, her own magic, and the lies of the man she had lost her heart to – a man who was not a simple farmer but what she hated most, a mage, the man who would have used her for his own purposes and who hadn’t even bothered to inquire about her condition. Gobhann, the place where she had learned her sword skill was a “magic sink” a place that blocked magic. Her mentor Weger had shared her hatred for magic and mages. It was a place Miach would never go to find her.

When Nicholas informs Miach, he quickly follows on her heels and enters Gobhann, putting his obligation to Neroche and the Seven Kingdoms on hold. For Miach this is a very large decision considering that evil magic has been eating away at his border wards for some time. But life without Morgan is not worth living. In order to exit Gobhann alive with his love he must earn Weger’s mark of a master swordsman. No easy task and he makes at least one enemy in the process.

It wouldn’t be romance if Morgan didn’t agree to throw her lot in with Miach’s at some point but I won’t go into detail. Suffice it to say that nothing and no one she holds dear is quite what she’d thought, including herself.

Morgan’s magic had lain dormant until the sword of Angesand has sung to her, now back at Lismòr she learns that her beloved guardian is in fact her uncle and that she herself is Elfin Royalty and that she is also the daughter of a notorious black mage.

The pair has been attacked repeatedly by evil trolls without warning which leads Miach to believe that they are somehow tied to Morgan and the disintegration of his border wards. And so they journey to the Elf King’s kingdom so that Morgan can meet her family and Miach can ask for her hand while searching Sỉle’s library for answers that will lead to the black magic responsible for destroying his wards.

Needless to say where there is dark magic, Lothar is not far behind. The story ends with Miach’s discovery of its source and though he had planned to go face it alone neither Morgan, her family, or his own is going to allow him to. Will they be successful or will there be more battles ahead for them? Stay tuned.

Oh my, I really hated having this installment end. I couldn’t put the book down and hope that I won’t have to wait so long before the next installment is released. Note: Lynn does recap the gist of the first segment in Chapter one of THE MAGE’S DAUGHTER but this should only serve as a refresher for those who read the first book, STAR OF THE MORNING two years ago. For those new to the series, I highly recommend reading the two books in order. The fantasy world, drawn so beautifully, is too wonderful to miss any of it. I highly recommend this book, the series and all of Ms. Kurland’s other works. Brilliant!

Reviewed for PNR Reviews”

PNRGroupManager wrote this review Sunday, January 20, 2008. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“Rain Tairen Soul had left the Fading lands after a self-imposed exile of a thousand years on a quest. The tairen, soul-kin to the Fey were dying. Their last hope lied within the mortal city he despised, Celiera.

She called him out of the sky. Ellysetta Baristani, the foundling daughter of a Celerian woodcarver and his wife. She was the soul mate he sought and won. But with every blessing came a price.

In the thousand years the Fey had remained behind the curtain of the Faering Mists, the mortals had grown in independence and in distrust of Fey magic. Now they were entertaining the thought of opening their borders to the Eld, Rain’s bitter enemy. He must convince the Celierian council that Mage Council has reconstituted itself and are preparing for attack. Rain had won little support with his high handed claiming of Ellysetta who had been legally betrothered to a Celierian citzen, Den Brodson.

The High Mage Vadim Maur is seeking the lost child he planned to use to destroy the Fey. He had appeared to Ellie in her nightmares all of her life, making her fear the magic deeply locked up within her. She had carefully guarded herself against giving herself away to the “Shadow Man” but once she is promised to Rain the nightmares return. She dreams of the future and the death and destruction of everyone and everything she holds dear by her own hand. Fear gives her away. The High Mage now knows who she is and where to find her.

A Sulimage, Kolis Manza, has been dispatched to Celiera where he manipulates events and people to expose Ellie’s true identity. In one guise he captures the ear of the Celieran queen, Annoura, manipulating her through her pride. Born of royal blood she will not welcome a woodcarver’s daughter as her equal before the Celieran aristocracy. When her attempts to make a fool of Ellie backfire at a state dinner, the entire court is overcome by Ellie’s wine and keflee induced erotic weave. Outrage sways the Celerian nobles even further toward an alliance with the Eld.

Like the others in the room Rain had been overcome by lust from Ellie’s weave. He had fled from her in order to keep his vow to her father to keep her pure until her wedding day. But through their connection Rain’s dream that night becomes Ellie’s as well. At last she knows why he had sought her. The survival of the Fey and the tairen rests on her shoulders, but could she go with Rain to the Fading Lands knowing that she could very well be the instrument of their destruction.

Den Brodson had sensed the magic in Ellie and he would stop at nothing to get her back. He is easily manipulated by the High Mage’s minion as is her best friend, Selianne, who fears the Fey for her own reasons.


Ellysetta’s mother has no love for the Fey as she has feared magic all of her life. Because of childhood seizures Ellie had one been declared demon possessed, and when Lauriana witnesses Ellie using magic she fears for her first born daughter’s soul in the hands of the Fey king.

Manza has marked Selianne who is of Eld descent and uses the girl against Ellie. Selianne plays on Lauriana’s fear until she agrees to involve the church to save Ellie’s soul and break her bond to the Fey.

The great Dahl’reisen (rogue Fey who have lost their souls) known as the “Dark Lord” believes that he has discovered a devastating truth regarding the Feyreisa’s origins and travels forth to Celiera intent on killing her, even though he knows her death would also mean Rain’s and ultimately his people’s - Better at his hand, than by the Eld.

Even Rain’s trust is shaken as word comes to him of Ellie’s suspected origins, and as each of Kolis’s puppets play their role, Ellie finds herself isolated and without protection on the day of the Bride’s Blessing.

Will the High Mage claim his greatest prize, or will Ellysetta Baristani, pushed to her limits finally unleash her magic and become the powerful Feyreisa she was born to be? The tairen await her in the Fading Lands. Will she find a way to save them all or will the High Mage, Vadim Maur, have his revenge? Look for the final installments, KING OF SWORD AND SKY and QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS, in 2008. LADY OF LIGHT AND SHADOW is an exciting continuation of the Tairen Soul/Fading Lands saga. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Reviewed for PNR Reviews
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PNRGroupManager wrote this review Tuesday, January 15, 2008. ( reply | permalink )