ReviewsByDebbieH

The Ocean's Shadow
By Jennah Sharpe
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN: 1-59998-494-6
Merman
51 pages
Available Now

Ailfinn is a lone merman, feeling as if he let his family down in battle now he roams the shores near the village of Copperberry, claiming it as his own. The people there live in fear of him because of the storms and havoc he brings to them. Many have lost their lives to him and he does not feel sorry for the loss of human life. But everything changes on the night he sees the newly widowed Julie and leaves her on the shore when he hears someone thrashing in the water.

Clair McIvor is an indentured servant to a cruel family that it traveling by ship to America. When she is dragged up on the deck to be whipped for the injustice of not being seasick while her mistress is she seeks refuge in the storm that rocks the ship. The water looks so good and the call is too deep to prevent her from going in. For even death would be better that what she lives now. But someone, something, is there to save her and when she awakes it is to the sight of a truly beautiful man. Can she find safety in his arms?

But there is more in store for both of them. Silvain the man Clair works for wants more than a servant and is willing to hunt for her to see that he gets what he wants. The people of Copperberry, long in fear of the merman, Ailfinn, are more than willing to send the bounty hunters in the right direction, none more so than Julie. But Ailfinn has finally found the one thing that he can't walk away from, the one thing that calls to his heart and soul. And no matter what he will reclaim Clair and just maybe find home.

The Ocean's Shadow is a lovely tale of what vengeance can bring you. Ailfinn is seeking his own redemption through punishing the humans who are the very reason why he feels he is a disgrace to his people. He is a loner a punishment to himself for failing. He seeks to use the humans, for sex, for entertainment, for retribution. Then he saves a small women who for some reason makes him feel more alive. Her name is Clair and she is the one person he finds that he can’t take from and walk away. He wants to possess and keep her. Clair has not had an easy life, either. Her own kind has mistreated her and she now finds herself an indentured servant pressured to be the sexual toy of her cruel master. She feels a kinship for Ailfinn that defies their differences. Ms. Sharpe has crafted a wonderful tale that will keep you entertained and intrigued. Though I longed for more, especially at the end, I do realize that this is a short story and not a novel. It would be a great lead into a longer story though. 3.5 out of 5 Quills.

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
April 10, 2007

No Safe Place
By Joann Ross
Pocket Books Fiction
ISBN: 978-1-4165-0166-4
Fiction
400- Pages
$7.50
March 2007

Kate Delaney took a chance on doing the right thing and now the Chicago Detective is on leave and with increasing numbers of death threats needs to find a place to lay low. What she doesn't want is the phone call from a New Orleans Police Detective telling her that her estranged twin is dead, apparently from suicide. But Kate doesn't believe that Tara would commit suicide and she is on her way to prove it with or with out the help of NOPD.

What she finds is eye opening to say the least. Her sister Tara was a well paid prostitute for the very wealthy who worked under the guise of a hostess on board a boat. And what has her mother, a confirmed charlatan gotten herself into this time? Kate is up to her eyeballs in secrets and lies in a city that knows well how to guard her own. When the police refuse to help her or let her help them, Kate is given the name of a PI in New Orleans, a former member of the NOPD.

Nick Broussard is a cop gone bad, one caught taking bribes in a city still caught in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But Nick is now a PI and Kate needs his knowledge of the city to help her dig out the truth of her sister's death. What neither expects is the sexual tension and unwavering desire that they feel for one another. And unknown to Kate, Nick is doing a little something on the side, something that he isn't willing to share with her. Something that might just get them both killed.

No Safe Place is an action packed roller coaster ride filled with twists and turns that leave you breathless. Absorbed from page one I didn’t want to put the book down. Ms. Ross has once again put pen to paper and crafted a gem. The chemistry between Nick Broussard and Kate Delaney sizzles off the page and makes you pant in the sultry New Orleans streets as well. The secondary characters are once again lively and refreshing each bringing their own edge to the story. I for one would love to see more of Father Mike! I know that there has to be more to his story! Ms. Ross thrills again with No Safe Place, a book guaranteed to please any reader. 5 out of 5 Quills!

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
March 19, 2007

Men in Love - Ben's Wildflower
By Carol Lynne
Ellora's Cave Publishing
ISBN: 9781419909276
Contemporary/ Contains M/M scene
107 Pages
Available Now

Kate hides out on her ranch only going to town when she needs to. She does this because of what occurred one fateful night long ago on her birthday. A night that changed her life forever as well as the lives of her parents. Now they are gone leaving Kate to try and hold on to the family ranch all on her own.

Ben met Kate when he came to help his old Seal buddies protect the woman they love. He fell in love with the land and maybe a little with one firebrand blonde. When he hears that Kate is having trouble he offers to buy into the ranch and become her business partner. What he really wants is so much more.

But someone doesn't want Kate to have a happily ever after and they will do anything to make sure that she leaves. Will Ben be able to protect the woman that he is falling in love with from a predator? Will he be able to protect her from himself? And will Kate be able to let go of the past and thrive in the midst of challenges like the wildflower that Ben sees her as?

Ben's Wildflower is a beautiful love story that shows first hand the baggage that we all bring with us when creating a new relationship. Kate was raped when she was younger and that one incident has led her to hide from people seeking the isolation on her ranch. She doesn't trust and she looks for reasons why in every act of kindness. Ben has scars as well. He is a big man at six foot seven inches and his body is proportional. He tends to be rough in his lovemaking and hurt a woman once when he was younger with his ardor. Since then he has kept his sights on more experienced women and shied away from petite women like Kate. Watching these two learn to trust each other as well as themselves kept me eagerly reading just a little more until the book was finished. I love the way that her characters are dealing with real issues and still get their happily ever after. I enjoyed this second book by Ms. Lynne in her Men In Love series and look forward to the rest of the stories. Here's hoping that we see many more works by this very talented new author. 4.5 out of 5 Quills.

Reviewed by Debbie H.
May 10, 2007

The Vampire Shrink
By Lynda Hilburn
Medallion Press
ISBN: 1933836237 / ISBN: 9781933836232
Paranormal with romance, mystery, humor and sex
Release Date: October 2007

Kismet Knight is a psychologist in Denver, Colorado. Little did she know that it was such a hot bed of paranormal activity until it all exploded into her life. First she had a new client who thinks that she is hanging out with vampires. This opens Kismet's eyes to a whole new side of Denver and she decides to make this sub-culture of vampire wanna-be's the subject of her next book. So she advertises as the Vampire Psychologist.

Then her client shows up with a friend who is near dead from blood loss. Her only wound is the two puncture marks on her neck. So Kismet helps to get the victim to the hospital where she runs into sexy FBI profiler Alan Stevens. Funny thing is that Alan is following the trail of a serial killer who drains his victims completely of blood. And Alan's take? Vampires do exist. What is an educated woman to believe?

Then she meets the sexy charismatic Devereux, a self-proclaimed 800-year-old vampire who introduces her to his world and all of its eccentricities. Single handedly he manages to shatter all of her beliefs of what is real and what is make believe. With him she is able to lose all of her inhibitions and embrace the woman she is. They are connected in some way that she can't deny and he claims that he has been waiting for her, that she is his soul mate.

Is she taking advantage of a very disturbed but very sexy man? And what about her attraction to Alan? Is it possible to want two men at the same time? Suddenly her sane, normal life is ripped apart and Kismet finds herself in the middle of vampires, ghosts, psychics, cops, and the deranged killer himself.

The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn is a can't put down, spine-tingling, laugh out loud book that will keep you glued till you turn the final page. Even then I found myself wanting more and praying that there would be a continuation. Devereux is pure delight for the senses, a vampire to delight any woman. Alan is a complex soul that deserves to be explored more thoroughly. And Kismet Knight is the very meat of the story. I love her expressions, her sarcasm and wit, and the inner workings of her mind that are shared with us. I can't wait for more of Kismet! So if you only pick up one vampire book this year, make sure that it is The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn. You won't be disappointed!

5 out of 5 Quills.

©Reviewed By Debbie H.
May 14, 2007

Egyptian Days
By Jennifer Mueller
Linden Bay Romance
ISBN: 978-1-60202-043-6
Time Travel
100 Pages
Available Now

Victoria Bredehorst is still inhabiting the body of Mayati in ancient Egypt after having been killed by her husband in modern times. It seems like only yesterday that she awoke as someone else and yet she is now the mother of Adjo. It is not easy taking over the life of a woman that many know to be cold hearted and adulteress. How do you make amends for things that you don't have knowledge of doing? Thank heavens that she has Khaemhat as husband. He is the only person who knows that she is really Victoria. Together they have rebuilt a life and found happiness.

Khaemhat, a Priest of Osiris, is returning home to spend more time with his wife and child. Now he and Victoria can be together more and celebrate the chance they both have been given at happiness. But when they attend a party surrounded by friends everything changes. Their host is murdered and all the signs and gossip lead to Mayati as the killer. How can Victoria prove that she didn't do it? Can Khaemhat save the woman he loves when someone has framed the women whose body Victoria inhabits?

Egyptian Days is a wonderful sequel to Egyptian Nights. Victoria and Khaemhat are finally getting to spend time together and their love is beautiful. Neither had a good spouse or life before they were thrown together by fate and just when everything is within their grasp someone throws a kink in their future plans by framing Victoria for murder. Victoria is desperate to prove her innocence and Khaemhat is the same. Ms. Mueller has penned another keeper filled with the simplicity and beauty of ancient Egypt as only she can bring to life. Egyptian Days is a poignant glimpse at a time in history that enchants many and will not disappoint the reader. 4 out of 5 Quills.

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
April 28, 2007

Yesterday's Dreams
By Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Mundania Press
ISBN: 1-59426-354-X (Tade Paper)
ISBN: 1-59426-353-1 (eBook)
Fantasy/Urban/Celtic
Available Now

Kara O'Keefe has given up her hopes and dreams to come back home and help her family in a time of crisis. Her father, Patrick, is facing cancer and her mother needs her to help hold everyone together not to mention the financial burden they now face with Patrick unable to work. So Kara refusing to give up music entirely seeks to teach and works other part time jobs around it. But still it is not enough. So Kara makes the hardest decision of her life. She decides to take her violin, Quicksilver, the only link she still has to her beloved grandfather and pawn it to help pay the mounds of bills piling up all around them. She takes it to a little shop called Yesterday's Dreams

There she meets Maggie and a whole other world is opened to her. All the stories that her grandfather told her of Ireland and its magical tales were more than just dazzling stories. They were real and Maggie is a part of it all. Even more unbelievable is that Kara is as well. When a strange new power seeks to claim Kara and use her to seek revenge it is up to Maggie and her fellow Sidhe to protect the O'Keefe family. Will Kara put it all together and find the destiny left to her by the man who taught her a love of music? And what exactly was Quicksilver's role in her Celtic fate?

Yesterday's Dreams is a wondrous tale of Irish magic and legend spun into a modern day theme. The O'Keefes are struggling and fate leads Kara to the one person that has always been there for her to turn to if only she had known. But Kara finds it hard to believe all that Maggie tells her. Ms. Ackley-McPhail shares a story of the re-awakening of a soul when dreams have long since been put aside. Kara's tale is a magical adventure filled with good, bad and unbelievable. It is a true adventure for any lover of Irish legend and lore. 3.5 out of 5 Quills

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
May 17, 2007

Being Randy
By Ashlyn Chase
Ellora's Cave Publishing
ISBN: 9781419908637
Shapeshifter
70 Pages
Available Now

He was struck by lightening and unable to shapeshift back into his coyote form. Starving he had wondered toward civilization hoping to find someone who would give him food. Instead he found people who gave him a one way trip to the loony bin. No one will believe that he is a coyote. And nothing is the same in his human form. The staff has given him the name of Randy because of his heightened "urges." All he wants is to get home to his hill and find a way to return to his life. That is until he meets Sky. She is different from the rest of the people he has met. She seems to really believe him. Can she be the one to help him gain his freedom and return to the coyote inside?

Being Randy is the best comedy I've read so far this year. Ms. Chase had me laughing from the first page to the last. Randy gives you a fresh look at everything from the way you view others to the social niceties we all seem to adhere to. To be perfectly honest I can't wait to read this one again. I look forward to reading her other published works. Ms. Chase has definitely been placed on my automatic buy list! 5 out of 5 Quills.

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
May 17, 2007

Overheard
By Maya Banks
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
ISBN: 1-59998-315-X
Ménage a trios
87 Pages
Available Now

Gracie Evans has had it with the men she dates. She wants something more, longs to explore the darker side of her sexuality. She wants to try a little bit of everything and she wants the best orgasm of her life. With Valentine's Day just around the corner she decides to dump her unworthy boyfriend instead of settling for the same old vanilla sex. She confesses all of her hidden desires to her best friend never dreaming that someone else might be listening as well.

Luke Forsythe has been friends with Gracie for a long time. They buddy around and spend a lot of time around each other. But he never once realized just what she hid from him. She wanted all the deepest and darkest desires that he did. She wanted to explore her wild side and he was just the man to help her. One thing was for sure. This would be the best Valentine's Day of her life if he had anything to say about it.

Overheard is an erotic adventure that will leave you flushed and panting. Gracie has the secret desires of most women and yet feels that she must settle for what she can get. Luke is just the type of lover we all dream of - strong, sure and focused only on you. Bring in Wes and his "nice package" and head for a cold shower. Maya Banks is erotica at its very best and has placed herself in the small group of authors that are automatic buys for me. Overheard is one book guaranteed to leave you breathless. 5 out of 5 Quills.

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
May 18, 2007

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal
By Sarah Strohmeyer
Published by Dutton, a member of Penguin Books
ISBN: 978-0-525-95018-9
Romantic Comedy
336 Pages
Available June 2007
$24.95 ($31.00 CAN)

Genie Michaels is thirty six years old and has been trapped in the same life for way too long. She has worked for the admissions office of the same college for fifteen years, lived in the same tiny apartment, and been dating/living with the same man for the last four years. Then the unthinkable finally happens! Her boyfriend Hugh, now a successful author, proposes on the Barbara Walters show on national television! It's a dream come true! There's only one slight flaw…he didn't propose to her.

When her best friend Patty shows up complete with Tequila to help console Genie, she is filled with advice. Wake up Sleeping Beauty! Life is passing you by while you just sit and wait on that perfect man to give you your perfect life. So together they concoct a scheme to say nothing thus giving everyone the illusion that Genie and Hugh are engaged. And of course no good deed goes unpunished. Now Genie is swamped with wedding plans, engagement parties, gifts, and well wishers who gush over the ring. How can she get out of this and not appear to be a deranged woman scorned?

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal is a must read for all women! It is an empowering book that will make you laugh, cry, panic, and scream. But even more it will make you think. Genie is the representation of so many women who just go through the motions until they can meet Mr. Right and have that perfect life. Until she finally wakes up and sees that her life can begin as soon as she wants it to sans a man. I absolutely loved this book and will encourage every woman I know to read it. While laughter is a definite given, it is at times eye opening and closer to the truth than many will want to admit. Ms. Strohmeyer has penned one of the best books of 2007, one of the few books definitely worth the $24.95 price of purchase. I highly recommend this to everyone! 5 out of 5 Quills.

©Reviewed by Debbie H.
April 30, 2007

Reviews by Debbie H.

On Page 1

The Ocean's Shadow
By Jennah Sharpe
Samhain Publishing

No Safe Place
by JoAnn Ross
Pocket Books Fiction

Men in Love - Ben's Wildflower
By Carol Lynne
Ellora's Cave

The Vampire Shrink
By Lynda Hilburn
Medallion Press

Egyptian Days
By Jennifer Mueller
Linden Bay Romance

Yesterday's Dreams
By Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Mundania Press

Being Randy
By Ashlyn Chase
Ellora's Cave

Overheard
By Maya Banks
Samhain Publishing

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal
By Sarah Strohmeyer
Dutton, a member of Penguin Books

More Reviews on Page 2

--Thank You's--

Hi Debbie,
I LOVE the review you wrote for Being Randy. I could kiss you! If you go to RT next year, I will! LOL.

Ash * I promise I won't lick your cheek, though.
--Ashlyn Chase

Meet The Reviewer
Debbie H.

Debbie has been falling in love with stories since she was a young girl. Starting at an early age she could always be found with her nose buried in a book or playing pretend with her friends as they acted out their favorite stories. Some things never change. She can still be found avidly reading whatever she can get her hands on often making her way through three to four books a week. And this doesn't even include the nightly ritual or story time with her three kids. Reading is a love that she shares with family and friends always introducing them to new authors or favorite books. Recently, she has turned her love of reading into a career change by publishing her first book under a pseudonym. Even though she has now embarked on a new journey in her life she will always be faithful to her first real love, that of a really great book!

Debbie H's Quill Rating System
1 Quill = Couldn't hold my interest
2 Quills = Muddled through but wouldn't recommend
3 Quills = A good book
4 Quills = Great book, would recommend to family and friends
5 Quills = Fantastic Book! Will stop everyone I know and strangers as well to tell them of the amazing book she just read!