The Prince's Captive Virgin by Maisey Yates (Once Upon a Seduction #1)

Review by TashNz - 4 Stars

Captivating tale with the essence of Beauty and the Beast. 

I really enjoyed this read because I was captivated to see how the heroine could be written to genuinely love the hero given his appearance and that technically she had been kidnapped but Maisey Yates managed it well as she always does when she spins creatively.

Another reason I enjoyed the read was because while it followed the famed Beauty and the Beast story it was still it's own story and I loved the faithfulness it had.

A very captivating tale, as old as time :)

The Last Di Sione Claims His Prize by Maisey Yates (The Billionaire's Legacy #8)

Reviewed by Helen

What a fabulous end to this series and Maisey Yates has put the icing on the cake with this one, it is now Alessandro's turn to get his beloved grandfathers last lost mistress back his lost love and to do this he must visit the exiled Queen Lucia of D'oro in the small country of Aceena where Alex's life is about to be turned upside down in such a good way.

When Alex arrives he is greeted by a young woman who appears to be owl like but there is something about her that draws him in she is a little feisty and stands up to Alex by saying that her grandmother is not available but of course Alex is nothing if not business like and determined to please his grandfather and the meeting goes ahead.

Gabriella D'oro has lived with her grandmother most of her life does not travel she is a complete blue stocking and wallflower and she loves it that way she studies history and art but the minute that this tall dark handsome stranger walks into her home Gabriella starts to feel sparks that are very new to her.

This really is a fabulous story it is sensual and moving there is drama a mystery and of course we finally get the full story of Giovanni's Lost Mistresses and what a very enchanting story that one is but of course this one is about Alex and Gabby and they travel a very sensual and magical path as Alex the monster (so he says) becomes Alex the lover and Gabby the wallflower becomes Gabby the beautiful. This one is sure to leave you smiling absolutely fabulous thank you MS Yates for a keeper it really does tick all of the boxes for a great romance.

5/5 stars for a fabulous story

Expected publication: January 17th 2017 by Harlequin Presents Large Print


Review by TashNz | 4 Stars

A fantastic ending to a wonderful series which I absolutely adored and couldn't get enough of.  The mystery of the Lost Mistresses was solved and I am very happy with how that all panned out.

Maisey Yates has done a fine job of delivering what might be one of the most anticipated books of the series.  I love the mystery behind locating the last mistress, the drama and the intrigue.  I loved the way the last mistress was bought back home and I loved the little surprise appearance by a special character.  I really liked Alex's portrayal, it was true to his reputation and I really liked Gabby as a character and her outlook on life.  

Thank you to Maisey for concluding the series in such fine fashion and to each and every author who contributed to the Di Sione series, it was absolutely wonderful and I devoured each story!

Review by Lynn Brooks | 5 Stars

A satisfying conclusion to The Billionaire's Legacy series! We've been seeing all of Giovonni Di Sione's grandchildren be sent off to hunt for one of his "lost mistresses", a sentimental object that meant a great deal to him that he wanted to see one last time before he dies. With this story, Maisey Yates brings us the story of the last grandson, Alex and we get to learn the story behind it all finally. Alex and Gabby had a fun depth to their relationship when they first met with neither hesitating to speak their mind, therefore bringing a good bit of humor to the plot.

Alessandro Di Sione is the last of Giovonni's grandchildren to be asked to hunt a treasure down for him. He knows what's been tasked to his siblings, so he's been expecting his time to come. Now he's being asked to find a painting that is only rumored to exist, and is beneath a shroud of royal scandal.

When Alex shows up asking about the painting, the Queen sends her granddaughter Gabriella D'Oro to accompany him on his search for it to their old estate on Isolo D'Oro. Alex is the cold, uncaring member of the family and he doesn't hesitate to show Gabby that side of him during their journey, but she gives attitude right back to him and amused, he actually likes it. Can she get him to see that the past that haunts him isn't the man he is today or will he continue to punish himself and withhold any happiness from his future? 

Hold Me Cowboy by Maisey Yates - Cooper Ridge: Desire #2

Review by TashNz
4.5 Stars

I really liked the beginning of the story, what a fantastic concept and I loved how I gelled with the two characters instantly.  Agreeing to 12 days together with no strings attached i thought Sam and Madison had a fantastic journey together and it was really enjoyable watching them travel the rocky path of love.

I liked Sam and Madison had irritably danced around each other for so long when ever their paths crossed, i thought the author did a fantastic job capturing that, setting the scene bringing them together.  I liked their back stories and how both had made their own stories to be part of who their character was and I liked how the author got each character to believe in the other and see the best in the other despite their own view of the world.

Another reason I enjoy Maisey's writing is becasue she's fantastic at capturing emotion and when Sam told Madison he didn't love her, my heart literally dropped - because the scene was set up so well.

I found Hold Me, Cowboy to be a lovely Christmas themed read which didn't have a wasted word or conversation, it was filled with just the right amount of everything one needs in a good book.  This book is my second visit to Cooper Ridge and I will visiting more often for sure!

The Spaniards Pregnant Wife by Maisey Yates (Heir's Before Vows #1)

Perfection - no other word!

The Spaniard's Pregnant Bride
by Maisey Yates

It is destiny in motion when two strangers meet at a masquerade ball.  Their attraction, while dancing, is through the roof and the consequences of the night leaves no stone un-turned with changing everyone's life and changing the path of fate.

I was 27% of the way through this story knowing I'd be giving it 6 stars.  I give it 6 stars because 100% satisfied is how I was felt at the conclusion.  I loved how the last sentence referred back to the beginning of the book. I loved how Allegra and Christian discovered each other was each other and how Christian found Allegra. I love Allegra's brother, his way of standing by his sister (more than once) and can not wait to read his story in the trilogy.  I love Allegra's personality and how the author portrayed her lot in life and Allegra's take on it all.  I loved Christian and how he was written and what makes the story is a combination of their engagement with each other and the amazing way the author has with the words she uses.  I loved the background of Christian and Allegra and how they've been involved with each other's lives since way back and I just loved loved loved the flow, the banter, the plot and everything inbetween to bring it all together.  I loved how there were signs of how Christian felt about Allegra and despite coming across as gruff you could tell deep down he cared.

For the first chapter t think it's nothing short of amazing skill to have an entire chapter written with basically no words - just the thoughts of Allegra to carry the story and be completely blown away by the storyline.  To be caught up in her world and her story and be curious enough about the stranger at the masquerade ball who has made Allegra feel alive and feel like herself for the first time ever.  I wish I could describe how wonderfully written this book was - it truely swept me away from today!

I am so so so looking forward to book 2 and 3.  I can not thank Netgalley and the publisher's enough for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

TAKE ME, COWBOY by Maisey Yates

Review by Amanda

Maisey Yates doesn’t disappoint in Take Me, Cowboy. Her skills at creating broken characters with deep emotions combined with unique writing adds steady pace to her intense and drama riddled Desire novel. The two main characters were hilarious at times though under pressure they pushed themselves beyond the limit to reach their inner and outward goals. Anna is a character full of courage and strength though beneath her tough outward tomboyish persona lingers a delicate vulnerability that is realistically portrayed. Chase is fan-yourself-hot and he just jumps out at you from the pages. I smiled more than once when he and Anna exchanges banter. The way in which Ms. Yates brings Chase and Anna together from the onset balanced the story out and gave me something to cheer about. I only wanted them to reach their HEA because the both deserve it and of course Maisey Yates made sure they had to work hard to achieve it. Overall, Take Me, Cowboy is an entertaining addition to the Copper Ridge series. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

Recommended
4.5 Stars

To Defy A Sheikh by Maisey Yates

Reviewed by Nas

TO DEFY A SHEIKH by author Maisey Yates is a November 2014 release by Harlequin Presents.

Sheikh Ferran Bashar, ruler of Khadra, fought back when he found an assassin in his room. She came to kill him but he overpowered her and had her in captivity. Then he found out she was none other than Sheikha Samarah Al-Azem of Jahar, a neighbouring sheikhdom. He offered her a place in the dungeon for the assassination attempt or to marry him and be his sheikha.

Samarah had burnt with revenge all her life and had trained to kill just so she could get her revenge on Ferran. Would she take his ultimatum and marry him to kill him? Could Ferran trust her now not to kill him any chance she got?

TO DEFY A SHEIKH is a fast, thrilling story. I loved the tension and the drama, the intrigue and the suspense in this story. Author Maisey Yates realistically brought to life a hero who denies himself passion and love just so he could keep in control. And a heroine who wanted revenge above all else, yet finding out the whole truth changed her.

All readers of romance would love this story. 

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Fifth Avenue Series Book 1: Avenge me by Maisey Yates

Reviewed by Desere


This is book one from the new Fifth Avenue series and tells of Austin Treffen  He was born into a world of privilege, you know the never want for anything kind, but behind the gilded doors lies corruption so sordid New York's elite would never believe it!

Especially because his infamous philanthropic father lies at it's core. With everything he believed in shattered into a million pieces how is Austin meant to take down his father, risking the family name and those he loves , when he has no proof?

That all changes when one earth shattering night with Katy Michaels unlocks not only the deepest, most passionate desires but also the key to bringing Jason Treffen's reign to an end. Only with the intense sexual attraction that combines a heady mix of exquisite pleasure and sublime pain it comes down to them either satiating their thirst for revenge and each other or losing themselves to a darkness there is no escaping from.

I have always been a huge fan of this author's books. The first book I read by her was brilliant and perfect in so many ways, but as she grew and wrote more and more her books started to take on a different feel. The sex scenes became more intense, the emotion so much deeper and the characters more dirty thus also more realistic.

This of course made me super happy because when I read a book it's that realistic this is real life feeling that makes me feel truly connected to the characters , and without it the reads are simply just a story to me, and let's face it there's no fun in that ! This author does it all perfectly!

In this read both main characters could not have been more real. They both deal with real issues, yes I know your most likely thinking Austin is a spoiled rich hunk what issues could he possibly have to deal with , a real
" Ag life is so hard! ".

But you could not be more wrong, Austin is rich and yes he is a hunk and yes he is spoiled but even the most spoiled ones out there can reach a point where life just doesn't seem so great or so perfect anymore. He 's had his share of a knock to the ground ten years ago, but he pushed past it and moved on. Only when he receives information that links his father to the death of a friend ten years ago does his life start to spiral out of control.

The read gets super interesting and super hot when it all comes into focus when Katy Michaels steps into his world and it turns out Katy is much closer to the tragedy from ten years ago then Austin at first thinks. The character of Katy was also just as Austin so realistic that her past when revealed sent actual shivers down my back. But if there is one thing this author's previous books have taught me it is that you always have to get back up and fight.

And this is exactly what this read comes down to. Austin and Katy can and do get down and dirty and yes in the very kinky and very erotic way, hey I did say it 's written by Maisey Yates and those who know her books knows the woman get down and dirty with a bang, so be warned if your not into the sub/dom world steer clear from this read. But in between the hot and very sweaty sex sessions there lies a story of making a choice. One can either take the revenge you so badly crave but what if you have your revenge and then still find yourself trapped in a world of darkness?

Will the revenge truly be worth it? No, of course it won't it never is , and the author brings home that message with utter perfection! I highly recommend this read for all fans of Maisey Yates books, just like her previous Harlequin Presents books you will be swept into a world of romance with spice and emotion and remarkably realistic characters and situations where people just as in real life try to back out, find a easy way out and even try to bring life back into focus by jumping the gun.

But the added fun of this read that makes it stand out from everything else she has written is the level of hotness and almost emotional detachment when it gets to those really dirty sex scenes. You can feel the characters growing nearer to the each other yet there is still this level of uncertainty that prevents the reader from wanting to start rooting for the hero and heroine to find a happy ending.

And in this lies the true talent of this author, she knows exactly how to get your attention, hold it to the point where you think you will go completely insane and then just as suddenly draws you back into her world letting you crave more and more of the magic where romance lives and it's a lot sexier and dirtier than you can ever imagine.

I look forward to the rest of this series and as always this author remains a auto buy on my list! Excellent work Maisey keep 'em coming !

5/5 star review
" The plan is a simple one of revenge, that is until the light stats to shine through threatening to erase the darkness of their souls" 

Avenge Me by Maisey Yates

 Reviewed by Nas

AVENGE ME (Fifth Avenue) by author Maisey Yates is a June 2014 Harlequin Presents release.

Katy Michaels came for revenge. Revenge for her sister, but Austin already had planned to revenge Sarah, Katy’s sister. And meeting Austin brings out all Katy’s naughty girl to fore.

Austin also discovers his dark and deep passionate nature. Could they take revenge now or would they lose themselves in their passion?

AVENGE ME is a spine-tingling and thrilling read. I was hooked in as a reader with the mystery and couldn’t wait to get to the end to find out what happens. And the deep sensual passion Austin and Katy shared makes this a super sexy and hot story! 

Crazy, Stupid Sex by Maisey Yates

Reviewed by Nas

CRAZY, STUPID SEX by author Maisey Yates is a February 2014 release by Harlequin for new imprint Cosmo Red-Hot Reads.

Evie James tries unsuccessfully to land a man in a bar despite being a millionaire. She is a geek who develops apps.

Playboy Caleb Anderson watches her unsuccessful attempts and picks her up. He is attracted by her. They hook up and have a wild few weeks after that. As in really *wild.*

But would Evie be satisfied by just hot sex? Or would she want more of Caleb? Would Caleb be able to give more of himself to Evie and their relationship?

CRAZY, STUPID SEX is a super hot, sexy read. There was only sex connecting Evie and Caleb yet they managed to fall in love. Author Maisey Yates packed this super sexy story with enough emotional drama to satisfy a romance reader.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Hajar's Hidden Legacy by Maisey Yates

Review by TashNz

Hajar's Hidden Legacy
by Maisey Yates

A powerful and thought-provoking love story reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast.  An incredibly moving story about determined Katherine and the famed Beast/Sheikh of Hajar, Zahir, which was delightfully sprinkled through-out with Maisey Yate’s trademark wit and humor

Katherine literally rocks up to Zahir desk demanding he marry her.  Demanding she honor an age old agreement between her father and his.  Forget-about-it Zahir pretty much growls while trying to throw her out.  Katherine’s having none of it.  She’s here to save her country and the only way how is for Zahir to marry her.  Zahir demand she leaves but instead Katherine moves in.  Over time her persuasions and her reasons for the marriage have Zahir agreeing with her plan.

Sheikh Zahir is the only surviving member of a fatal attack on his family.  The mental effects of such a distressing experience have left Zahir a prisoner in his own palace.  His nickname is the Beast of Hajir because he is scarred.  Katherine is the light to Zahir’s dark.  He can’t understand why anyone would feel desire for him after the woman he loved left him, not able to handle the fall out from the attack. Katherine naturally shows kindness to people but there’s something about Zahir that makes her look twice at him and as she gets to know him her desire turns to love.

The reasons I loved this story is because firstly Maisey Yates managed to make me fall in love with a scarred hero.  Zahir is the perfect Sheikh!  Maisey’s wit and humor ALWAYS has me giggling and I just love a lil go-getter who passionately goes after what she wants and bravely faces the wrath of the Sheikh. 

As an extra you'll find at the end an excerpt of A Hunger for the Forbidden... a book that I have only one word to describe: Perfection!  

Thank you TryHarlequin for the download.

4 Stars

His Ring Is Not Enough by Maisey Yates

Reviewed by Desere

All most any woman who has a sister or sisters will tell you that even though you argue sometimes even to the point of hitting each other, yes it does happen, yet you always remain friends and you will always be there for each other. Sisterhood is a bond that simply cannot be broken.

In the new Maisey Yates read this is proven by the character Leah. It is her sister's wedding day, a day everyone should be happy and ready to drop in and help the bride with any crisis she may encounter, but standing in for her as the actual bride is pushing it.

Yet this is exactly what Leah does, telling herself it is simply for the sake of her family business and to ensure her own company does not go down, and it has nothing to do with the fact that the groom is all dark and sweet Ajax, that she has been in love with since forever!

But once she marries him, she finds there is so much more to the man behind the mask then she ever thought, and getting him to release that mask and show the real him that lurks inside is a backup plan she has to play by feeling and not by instinct, afterall look what instinct reactions got her, married to a man she never really knew!

The character of Leah was not your typical Harlequin Presents heroine, yes she is fun, feisty, always ready to fight, yes the kind I simply adore! But where other heroines from this line are the kind to be described as if they are supermodel thin, Leah is curved and totally owns it, when she can. I liked that the author lets Leah have a issue with the little bit of extra weight but also lets her hit a low here and there with it all, it made her more realistic to me as reader. The fact that she owns a candy shop was a little bit of a "And you feel self conscious over your weight at times" moment for me, but I also found it to again feel very realistic and brought the read closer to real life. Nicely incorporated Maisey!

The character of Ajax, was in the start one that I thought was going to be one of those yummy, delicious, sweeter than candy hero's and guess what, I was not disappointed , I got that and a whole more! The author has written some pretty dark hero's before and yes some of their actions have touched base with the dangerous Mr. Grey, but this time the author delved deeper into the dom/sub world and the hero was so much more than just dark, the man was so dark he was darn right scary at times, but oh so very hot!Yes, the kind where you forget you're a lady and simply say " Come here let me take off your pants".

But if you are thinking that it is sounds more like a erotica, then you need to remember is that Harlequin Presents reads are known to be very hot and spicy but also keep it very nicely compressed into a sweet and sensual little bubble, perfect reading material for those of us that prefer 'love is forever and not to un-vanilla me completely 'reading fans, and that this read will not quite go that way.

Instead this read hit all of the high's and low's with sweet and sensual romance touching base with erotica but not full on, just enough to maybe wet your appetite to go looking for a real erotic read if you have never read one, and enough to let you know this is going to be awesome, bring on the deep, dark hidden emotions!

The read was full of tension right till the very end, really left me feeling as is if I was not reading a Harlequin Presents, because it simply felt as if that sweet, kind (and what Harlequin Presents are know for) moment is not going to come and this is a ending I will surly not like, however the author did not disappoint, and I will advise when reading this book that you repeat the mantra " Keep going the best part is coming".

I am taking away a message of sometimes masked are indeed needed, but they can ultimately cost you dearly. When the right person comes along you need to find the courage to drop the mask and look deeper for your answer of happiness lies in the eyes of the person looking back at you with pure, un-judgemental love.

The secondary characters of Leah's runaway sister and the "love of her life" Alexios, was incorporated into the story just enough to make you know, that when the author sets that one loose on the world you will be first in line to grab a copy.

A hot page-turner of a read! I highly recommend this read for all romance fans that love a good old fashioned brideswap story but with the added bonus of a so not expected hero.

5/5 star review
" A ring is not the only thing that he will be binding her with" 

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Reviewed by Nas

HIS RING IS NOT ENOUGH by Maisey Yates is a Harlequin Presents release for September 2013.

At long last Leah Holt had a chance to do something out of her famous sister's shadow. To be a stand in bride for her sister when the latter did a runner on the day of her wedding to business tycoon Ajax Kouros.

But would it be enough for Leah just being his wife? She wanted his heart too! Read this brilliant romance to find out how Leah manages to get Ajax's, the person with no heart, heart.

HIS RING IS NOT ENOUGH is a sensual and emotional tale shimmering with breath taking romance. There are many complexities to the hero and heroine's character which makes reading this story amazing.

Highly recommended for all lovers of romance.
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Review by TashNz
4.5 stars

WOW! What a story!  So many great aspects of this story I'm not sure where to start.

The opening chapter is brilliant, Leah's sister has left her groom waiting at the alter.  Leah suggests she step in and marry the groom, Ajax, because it was for business purposes anyway, it means that she gets to keep her business and Ajax gets to take over as CEO as agreed between him and Leah's father who's retiring.  As the first daughter married it means if Leah marries Ajax then the enemy who Leah's sister has runaway with wont inherit the business empire if they marry.  I did a little research and am so so so pleased to read Leah's sister will get her story next year (can.not.wait)

As soon as the ring's on the finger you learn that all is not as it seems with Ajax, he's not the perfect man Leah has spent her childhood running around after, his past has truly haunted him and he refuses to lose control ever ever ever again.  Leah's not having it tho, she knows what she wants and goes after it full throttle, determined theirs will be a marriage in every possible way it can be.  Ajax is as dark as night to Leah's light as day which makes for many interesting interactions for the two.

Maisey Yates is now an Auto Buy for me. The more of her stories I read the more I'm left with the WOW feeling when I reach the last page.  I want to heap praise on Maisey for this story because she has changed up almost every mould there is for a Harlequin Presents story.  In NZ the Presents line is called Sexy.  If you want to heat things up even more you read a "Blaze".  His Ring is Not Enough is a brilliant mix of the two. Maisey deserves praise because she has taken the marriage for business scenario and changed it up in so many brilliant unique ways it's original.  I'm not really going to elaborate on what precisely is original because it'll spoil the plot.  You'll know what I mean when you read it.

HRINE is for you if you love dark tortured heroes and enjoy the heroine kicking butt, knows what she wants and will try everything no matter how many times the answer is no.  Heroine's that don't give up or play by the rules.  It's pretty intense in the bedroom and would be right at home in a Blaze line.  This story breaks almost every Presents mould and has a very original back story and original approaches by the lead characters.  Even as I write this i'm still thinking WOW!  And as I said before I can.not.wait for Leah's sister's story next year.

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Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

Maisey Yates hits it out of the ballpark with this brilliant novel.

Leah Holt has no problem stepping in for her sister, after she does a runner on her wedding day, after all she has secretly been in love with Ajax for years. So marrying him should not be an issue.  She also has other reasons for marrying him, seems she might lose the business she has built on her own and that just cannot happen. I loved the character of Leah, she was independent, strong even though she was tormented for not being as good looking as her sister. But she loved with her whole heart.

At first I really didn’t care for the character of Ajax Kouros. He had a few too many hurtful things that he said to Leah. But I cannot stress enough to readers to stay the course and finish this amazing read. He agrees to marry Leah but to save everything he has worked hard to make his. And he feels his heart belonged to Leah’s sister “Rachel” who jilted him. Ajax came from a VERY dark background, and he has kept his pass to himself. And Leah will help bring his darkness to light, and help him see what is right in front of his eyes.

The passion in this book leans towards the erotic side, with hands being tied. To me the reader, it was written in very good taste and had me craving more. Another nice part had to do with some candy.

One of my favorite passages :

“Love,” she said, looking up at him. “You want it to look like love. You want me to gaze at you in adoration so no one doubts my happiness or your penis size – I got it.”

5/5 stars

I received a copy from the Author in exchange for an honest review.

Unbuttoned by Maisey Yates

Reviewed by Nas

Unbuttoned (A SILVER CREEK ROMANCE)

UNBUTTONED by USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates is a June 2013 release. It's a Silver Creek novella.

Lucas just couldn't make a move on Carly Denton despite being attracted to her as she was his best mate's little sister. So he ignored her till she was sixteen, then kissed her.

Now Carly couldn't put him out of her mind, but she was hurt when she came across him kissing other women or going out with new women all the time. So she ignored him till they were thrown together for work.

Will they still be able to ignore each other and the attraction simmering just under the surface? What will Carly's brother say now?

UNBUTTONED has a unique twist on family upbringing and family loyalty. Author Maisey Yates has written a fun, engrossing and fast paced story. There are hidden depths to Carly and Lucas's characters. The emotional and sensory details are exquisitely done. UNBUTTONED has strong characters, snappy dialogue, and tender, sweet and exciting moments which will keep a reader riveted from the first page.

Animal Attraction by Lori Foster, Heidi Betts, Maisey Yates and Jules Bennett

Reviewed by Desere


                           Buckhorn Ever After by Lori Foster

In this five chapter read we meet Shohn, he is hot, hot, hot and more hot! He wants Nadine, he has always wanted her yet something has help him back and instead he has stuck to his playboy love-em-love-em lifestyle.

But looking into the eyes of Nadine one day he suddenly realises it's time to go for it. He has her every which way you can think of.

Only Nadine wants their relationship to remain a secret, for when Shohn breaks her heart like all the other girls in town she would prefer to handle the heartache in secret, instead of being branded as yet another notch in Shohn's bedpost.

Shohn can handle this but only up to the point where letting the world know she is his woman, even if he has to kill off a family member to prove it!

A hot little read about jealousy, finding happiness in the place you are and family that come together to ensure love finds it way to completion. The characters were well written and I liked the conflict and heat between the characters, it set the pages alight.

Adored the cat in this little tale, it added the feeling of coming home to the read. Recommend for Lori Foster fans and for all romance readers who like family meddling!

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                                                   Imagine Me and You by Maisey Yates

All Maisey Yates fans know she writes gorgeous ,tormented, badboy hero's that are simply to die for! This time around she has done so again, a drool worthy, come sit in my lap and let me unwrap you for Christmas cowboy!

That cowboy is Jace,but he is not your typical romance hero, yes he is drop dead sexy, great in bed, a badboy when it comes to the have sex and walk away traits, but his past has given him one very quirky habit, the man is a neat freak!
                 
His home is the absolute perfect image of clean. Nothing is out of place, everything is spotless. That is until his best friend Samantha shows up needing a place to stay, only with her comes her beloved dog Poppy with extra drool included.

Jace actually does not handle the dog fur and drool situation too badly and it was rather funny. But the one thing he cannot handle is the simmering attraction for Samantha, it has been there for years but he has been able to brush it off. But now she is in his house looking all gorgeous and he wants her bad. He is thrilled to find she wants him too, but risking their friendship is something Samantha simply will not do. Jace however has a plan and if he has to allow the drooling dog to sleep on his precious couch to get Samantha into bed then this neat freak will break all his own rules!

The characters were both simply great ! I am use to this author's Mills and Boon reads with classy heroines and classier rich hero's but in this read the main characters were both down to earth, spoke their minds and just went with the flow, this was nice and refreshing!

The read comes in at only eleven chapters but was in no way too short or too long, it was just perfect. A very sensual, sexy read about friends who turn to lovers. Highly recommend for all Maisey Yates fans and lovers of cowboys who just don't quit when it comes to getting their woman !

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                                                            Gimme Shelter by Heidi Betts

Another five chapter read, this one about Dean and Erica and the three adorable kittens that bring them together.

Dean rescues them so he is definitely hero material ladies! Now the attraction between Erica and Dean move very quick and it is not long before the pages start to burn up with the sizzling heat!

But when Dean decides he is not keeping the kittens he goes from hero to zero in Erica's eyes only the poor man has no idea that is the reason she is giving him the cold shoulder, so he sets out on a mission to get to the bottom of it!

The characters were both likeable and I found myself thinking how perfect they are for each other. I liked the  author using the kittens as the link for this couple. It gave the perfect "ties that bind us" feel for this read.

A very nice little story about compassion and communication. Recommend for all cat lovers !

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                                                        Partner in Crime by Jules Bennett

We all do something in the middle of the night that we find heroic, but things can always go wrong. Only for Saige she thinks rescuing animals for crazy owners is just that and the only thing that can go wrong is if she is caught, but she is always extra careful and so reckons it will never happen. Until her red hot drop dead gorgeous ex-cop neighbour Abel turns her in to the police!

Not only is she arrested she loses the dog she was trying to rescue! She is in total shock as only a few hours before she had been having the best orgasms all thanks to being in this man's arms and now this!

This is a short nine chapter read that was also a very easy read, the authors words flowed very nicely and she brought all together with a crazy mess of various animals, each one cuter than the other!

The characters were both very nicely written. I liked that the author lets the attraction between a always do the right thing Abel and do what you must even if you break the law Saige pop from page one.

A wonderful message of life gives us what we need when we least expect it! Highly recommended for all lovers of Jules Bennett fans and romance reads that move with ease and at a fast pacey.

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All four stories contained adorable animals from cute little kittens to seriously bad smelling dogs,I adored each one of them. I highly recommend this read for all romance readers looking for a book that contains it all some mystery, some suspense, some police action and yes a delicious cowboy!

Sexy, passionate, romantic, heartfelt, sensual and completely rocking!

5/5 star review
" The playboy, the neat freak cowboy, the rescuer and the cop all meet their match" 


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Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

Animal Attraction by Lori Foster, Maisey Yates, Heidi Betts and Jules Bennett 

Four Short Stories:
Buckhorn Ever After by Lori Foster
Imagine Me and You by Maisey Yates
Gimme Shelter by Heidi Betts
Partner in Crime by Jules Bennett

Buckhorn Ever After by Lori Foster

Nadine has been attracted to Shohn Hudson the local Forest Ranger for what seems like forever. But she has kept her feelings well hidden. She now runs the local Pet Hotel, where folks can drop their beloved pets off for the day or while on vacation. Nadine is loveable and strong minded and has no problem standing up to Shohn.

Shohn Hudson is not the serious type, oh he loves the ladies but he has never been in love with them. He is never in short supply for female company and word has gotten around just how much the ladies love him. When he stops by the Pet Hotel to pick up his cousins dog he is shocked at just how attracted he is to Nadine and wonders why they never hooked up before. Now he had decided he will do whatever he needs to do to have Nadine. Including, adopting a BIG CAT.

There were some really cute lines in this book. It had me snickering quite a bit. And to see what they come up with to have some private time away from this “stuck like glue Cat” Louie

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Imagine Me and You by Maisey Yates

In this darling short by MaiseyYates, we meet long time friends Jace and Samantha. They have known each other since high school. While neither one has had a relationship that has lasted, their friendship has stood the test of time.

Samantha has shown up on Jace’s doorstep needing a place to stay. She has a MOOSE aka “Newfoundland “for a dog and needs a temporary place for a month. She promises it won’t be an issue, but we all can see the writing on the wall when Samantha and Poppy move into Mr. OCD’s house. Jace is a clean freak, everything has a place and no dust is going to settle on his furniture. So how is he going to stop from going nuts when drooling Poppy moves in?  Let the laughter begin.

And wow was there ever some steamy scenes in this book … yeah I know but seriously they were in the shower … STEAMY!  For a short story Maisey was able to pack in quite a bit of back story to explain Jace’s obsession with cleaning and having everything in it place.


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Gimme Shelter by Heidi Betts

In Gimme Shelter: Erica has secretly drooled over her hunk of a neighbor for a year now. And she is surprised when he shows up on a rainy evening after midnight holding three small kittens. Dean has come to the only person he thinks can help him with the small kittens he rescued from work. Erica is an animal L O V E R! Mom to two dogs and three cats of her own. So she was the go to gal when it comes to animal care.

Dean had noticed Erica before but never up close and is shocked how pretty she really is.  While she helps him warm up the kittens and feed them they start flirting with each other. She lets him know he will have to stay at her house with her, to help feed the kittens every couple of hours. They soon realize they have a lot in common. And neither can move fast enough to get the other in bed.

Heidi Did a great job making me feel like I was watching the antics of these three little kittens. I even enjoyed how Dean named them The Three Stooges Larry Curly and Moe. It was quite cute to see what they go into.

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Partner in Crime by Jules Bennett

In Jules Bennett’s short story Partner in Crime: We meet Abel who is pet setting for his sister Leah who is in the military in Iraq.  Recuperating from a gunshot wound he received while a police officer. He is waiting to be cleared to return to the Police force and is hoping to take a job in Lexington. When the neighbor’s dog fluffy grabs a plastic ball with Spike inside “Leah’s guinea pig”, of course Abel panics. But soon the guinea pig is rescued. But Abel is not sure he will be the same.  He is instantly attracted to Saige. She is just the type of woman Abel is attracted to, not all skin and bones. But a woman he can hold on to.

Saige is so much more than a pretty face. While she works at a vet clinic during the day. At night she is busy breaking the law by stealing dogs. With tips from a friend she dons black clothing and goes into the worse of neighborhoods to rescue dogs that are being abused, used in fighting or just plain neglected. She uses her own money to care, treat and love these dogs to health while finding them good homes to go to.  

When Abel sees her leaving late at night he follows her. He makes her tell him what is really going on and when she is determined to go back for the dog, he tells a fellow police officer and has Saige picked up. But there is so much more behind this. While Saige is really angry over feeling betrayed, she soon changes her tune when he tells her why he did this.

I loved the story line Partners in Crime. I loved that there was someone willing to do anything to rescue abused and neglected animals. There were also a few funny lines in this book. Especially regarding Fluffy, and her little problem.

These four short stories were really cute.  One of the things I enjoyed was each one had a few laughs in each, along with some steamy romance.

Another reason to purchase this book - The authors are donating all of their proceeds from Animal Attraction to the Animal Adoption Foundation of Hamilton, OH, a charitable organization.

 4.5/5 stars

Royal Baby Collection by Various Authors ~~ Overview

                                                             Series Overview                      
                                                    The Royal Baby Collection 
                                              The Celebration of Royal Babies From 
                                                              All Over The World

Overview by Desere

Babies, babies and more babies! The series is all about how the royal's from around the world find themselves suddenly thrown together by the power of a new life.

From the the very far corners of the world six talented authors bring us the short stories of six couples who all have each have one incredible night that leads to a lifetime of happiness, but only after all obstacles have been cleared, and there are many, tradition, laws, arranged marriages, no talk of love, past hurt and anger it's all there!

In Sheikh's Baby Bombshell by Melanie Milburne we meet Abby, out on the prowl for one night of incredible hot sex with a stranger to ward of old memories and pain, what she finds is Talib. He turns her life upside down in and out of bed. But Abby is not up for settling for marriage without love.

In His Pregnant Mistress by Maisey Yates we see how Princess Alys who one night gathers all her courage and goes after the man she loves, only her bodyguard Liam is not interested in her heart he is only there for her body, and this princess will have to offer up everything to prove a point.

In Scorsolini Baby Scandal by Lucy Monroe Kiki and Mich each hide their royal titles in order to be loved for who they really are, but when the truth is revealed it might destroy or cement their relationship , only their love for each other will show the way forward.

In The Queen's Nine Month Scandal by Abby Green the pure pressure of being ruler of a country since the age of nine and always being guarded and never truly alone leads Queen Analia to run for one night straight into the arms of Daniel. The no names mask remains on game of incredible sex turns to a very real problem instead of a memory when the Daniel opens the newspaper to find a headline : Virgin Queen Pregnant.

In The Accidental Heir by Susan Stephens we meet Princess Astrid, she went from barely getting by every month to luxuary beyond her wildest dreams. But with her new found magical life comes responsibility to bare a heir, the royal council does not care how or with who , she just needs to get it over with. So when Prince Karl comes along she can hardly resist but will he think she trapped him just because she had no choice or does the Princess truly care?

In His Royal Love Child by Lynn Raye Harris tells the story of young lovers being reunited. But Charlotte is not her mother and being mistress to Prince Luca, she simply will not share the man she loves with another woman, only when she is carrying a part of Luca how can she not take him anyway she can have him. Love is  the strongest emotion.

The books can be read as stand alone's in any order and do not link into each other. In some of the reads I found the author used secondary characters from previous books. Each book contains between five to nine chapters, very short chapters and therefore does not take longer than twenty to thirty minutes to read.

Very entertaining, passionate, sensual and sexy reads, each one great for a afternoon pick me up read!


                                    


                                             

The Couple Who Fooled The World by Maisey Yates

Reviewed by Desere


Setting your heart in stone to make it to the top of your game and never looking back has been done by many successful people and it has even worked for them somewhere along the way they found everything they needed but also ended up lonely.

That alone is enough to make my heart ache, imagine you have all the money in the world that you ever wanted, success is on your side every step of the way, yet you spend your nights cold and alone, you might as well be dead.

One thing is always certain the reasons for building those walls is never the same, most of the time yes it is for money but other times there is some deeper, darker reasoning behind it and somewhere along the path to success you will find yourself broken into so many pieces and no amount of money in the world will put you back together.

In the new Maisey Yates read I was shown how two people each one successful and ready to fight for anything they wanted, meet their match in each other, however both have erected walls of stone and ice around their hearts and vowed to never be the people they once were, and nothing and no one can break through the barriers.

The character of Julia was a strong and feisty heroine, I loved her from the word go. I liked the idea that she is always dressed in her signature black which lets her scare of any competitor who might come her way, all but one I am -always-in-control-of-making-you-hot Ferro. The man makes her blood boil to the point of distraction and no not in a good way, well not until she takes the time to get real close and personal. But being a kick-ass fighter has gotten her where she wanted to be and no man is going to stop her winning streak. Reading about the strength she finds to get up and move on after a horrifying experience was awesome! The author showed that woman are much tougher than they look but also that not being yourself is good but only to a certain point, thereafter you need to let go.

The character of Ferro was another one of this author's dark hero's I have come to love. He is just as Julia a fighter that has fought his way to the top of his game, he has it all but most importantly he is always in control. I loved that he was addicted to control as it matched with his past perfectly, his past though was a pretty shocking one, one I certainly did not expect, at first I did not like the idea of it all very much as it just seemed so very dirty, but as the book moved along I found myself remembering that everyone has done something they are not proud of in order to survive.

The dialogue was really great, I got moments of conflict as these two character go head to head to reach for the top. There was also some pretty great lines of control and satisfaction that left me as reader with a almost eerie feeling of being torn between loving the hero and hating him.

The author also let both Ferro and Julia have more of less the same issue in life, both have erected these walls around their hearts but more or less for the same reason, and no here is where I am keeping the secret, you will have to read it to find out what that reason is. I will say that it made the book very interesting as it brought the characters down the the same level even whilst both still at the top of the success ladder.

Backdrop settings were nicely described by the author, she kept it exciting yet fun and also a little dark and cold, letting it blend in with the emotions of the characters. Ambition, lust, control, power were all apart of this read and left me as reader with a sense of wonder at just what people will do to make it to the top.

I highly recommend this read for readers that like sunshine-love filtering in through the deep dark recesses of life and how money will never bring you happiness.

5/5 star review
' She's dark he is even darker, together than will find the light" 

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Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

Fierce rivals in business Julia Anderson and Ferro Calvaresi agree to work together on a project. When this project is over it is gloves off and back to business as usual. One other small thing, they will have to pretend to be lovers. Shouldn't be a problem for two sexy, wealthy adults, but both of them have a troubled pass.

Julia is the richest woman in the world at the young age of twenty five. A confirmed geek she has hired a team to dress her, do her hair and makeup and teach her even how to sit. But a traumatic past has made her Leary of men. I loved her character, she was quirky, spunky, brilliant, talented and beautiful and didn't even know it. 

Ferro Calvaresi has woman vying for his attention, but they are just arm candy. Growing up on the streets of Rome, he has made himself into the richest man in the world, but at what cost? A past he can never seem to let go of. He might be rich and handsome but he a VERY lonely man.

It's just a matter of time before these two hook up and let me tell you, it was hot. But I also half to admit I had issues with how he treated Julia after their first time together. I get he was a tortured soul himself, still doesn't make me have to like it. Maisey does a really good job of tackling two issues "one with each of the main characters" that you don't always see in a Harlequin Romance.

4.5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

His Pregnant Princess by Maisey Yates -Royal Baby Collection

Reviewed by Desere

Being a Princess can have it's advantages but it can also have it's downfalls. Like being in love with your bodyguard whilst being engaged to another man. Scandal !!

In this new short read from the Royal Baby Collection written by various authors Maisey Yates took me as reader on the journey of the courage it takes to stand up and take what you want when you simply cannot have it in the eyes of the your royal family or public.

The read is about Princess Alys, about to be engaged to the man her father chose for her years ago, and never having experienced love on a emotional or sexual level, she decides it't time that she for just night takes what she wants. And what she wants is to be in the arms of her long time bodyguard Liam.

She gathers all her courage and finds herself right where she wants to be, experiencing the height of passion in the arms of the only man she has ever truly wanted to be with. One month later however, she discovers she is expecting Liam's baby. She has three choices, one, bring scandal to the family by marrying Liam, who will be seen as nothing more than a commoner and will also let her stand the chance to loose her right to the throne.  Two, beg her finance to marry her is haste and claim the child as his, or three seduce her fiancée and hope he does not do the maths when she announces she is expecting.

Of course only option one is the lesser or all evil and the only one she wants, but Liam refuses to marry her. The only thing left for this Princess to do is face it all alone unless she can get Liam to let go and admit the truth.

The character of Alys was a little bit arrogant, but this is due to her royal upbringing. She knows when to stay calm and confident when the timing calls for it, afterall a Princess is to ooze charm and poise at all times, so her arrogance made perfect sense to me. But she is also kind and sensitive and caring for others, so much so that she does not ever really truly conciser her own feelings until she finds herself running out of time. I loved that the author on more than one occasion gives her the courage she needs to take what she wants and to not go down without a fight, even when her adoring public is sure to condemn her, she simply puts herself out there and goes for it. Simply adored her courage.

The character of Liam was everything a woman, Princess or not can ask for. He is calm and collected when needed, he is strong and confident and always makes sure he is in charge of his job, knowing when to strike and when to back down. Even when backing down means he has to watch the woman of his dreams on the arms of another man. But he is also afraid of letting his feelings show, he fears when letting go he will lose the Princess for good, putting her in harms way. The only time this man loses it is when he is in the arms of the woman he has loved for as long as he can remember. What made him so perfect as a hero was that he is a protector yet he is afraid, giving him the perfect balance of being a bodyguard first and a man in love second.

The backdrop settings were creative and matched the story line and the dialogue was hot, passionate and fierce yet also sweet and caring when the time called for it.

Because this is a short read coming in at only eight chapters the author did not go into detail on the full background of the characters or the history of the families royal line, or the full personalities of  Liam or Alys. Yet she was able to give me as reader just enough to bring me into the loop and be able to appreciate the reading experience, in just a few short pages. I will also add that the heroine was not the author's normal flare but again with this being a short read I can understand that the author did not have as much time to give it all to the reader as she would in her longer reads so we ended up with the basic details of the characters and not the all that we are use to, but at no stage did I as reader feel cheated or lost.

If you are a fan of short reads you will definitely enjoy this one. It is short and to the point, moves along very rapidly and still lets you walk away with the feeling of happiness any romance read is meant to give you.

And even if you are not a fan of short reads this one I personally think will be one to convince you to take the time to give it a try, if not for the royal scandal or for the happy ever after then for the author's writing style, she was able to take me on a yes short,  but also very uplifting journey of love and courage, in less than 30 min she wrapped it all into a very neat bow that will stay with me for a long time. Passionate, classic and uplifting !

The message from this read is loud and clear, no matter who we are or what we face in life, find the courage needed to make the first step towards the future you want, and you will never regret it.

5/5 star review
"He only wants to be protector of her body not her heart"

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Review by Maria

Maisey Yates his known for her sexy, contemporary romances as well as for royal romances.  She's back with a short, royal romance involving a royal pregnancy here and she does it with flair and style.  Is there any other way with Maisey Yates?

Yes, she's not only done the royal romance, she's done it, Princess/Bodyguard way and here she is doing it again.  But unlike the insecure, rather immature princess Evangelina Drakos of her previous Princess/Bodyguard work A ROYAL WORLD APART, Alys Bowen, the Crown Princess of Brynland is a woman deeply secure in who she is and what she needs.  All she has to do is convince her loyal-to-a-fault bodyguard Liam Ryder that their love is worth fighting for.  Even if it costs her her potential role as Queen of Brynland.

Anyone who loves the work of Maisey Yates will love this short read, which will take less than an hour to devour.  Maisey Yates' writing is all about the power of true love and how it lifts us above the ordinary.  Take this read along with a cup (or three!) of coffee and you'll be set up for the day!

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Review by TashNz

This is the amazing Maisey Yates's contribution to The Royal Baby Collection, 6 short stories written by my favorite authors.

This one explores the forbidden relationship between Princess Alys and her bodyguard Liam Ryder.  One night, with the fantastically brave prompting of Alys they succumb to their feelings and spend a blissful night together.  This results in a life-long consequence which then forces the two together to nut out how they're going to face this given their prospective status's in life... including other complications like a fiancee.

What will become of Alys's royal baby? What will her father, the Kin say?  Does Liam even want to be a father?  Will he offer his hand in marriage?  How will Aly's fiancee react?  Will Alys give up her future for the sake of love?  Will Liam offer his hand in marriage instead?  What will the royal subjects think?

Find out now in Maisey's sweet but passionate short story!

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Reviewed by Nancy Crocker

His Pregnant Princess by Maisey Yates

I can't even imagine what it must be like to have a husband chosen for you out of duty. But that is what is to happen to Princess Alys Bowen in Maisey Yates novella His Pregnant Princess.

Knowing she must marry out of duty is slowly eating away at Princess Alys. She has known the day would come when an engagement would be announced to Count Damien Rycroft. But she has secretly been in love with her longtime bodyguard Liam Ryder, and before she marries for duty she plans to have a night she will not forget.

Liam Ryder has been protecting the Princess for eight years, he has even taken a bullet or her. He has been loyal to the Royal family, so loyal in fact it has cost him a marriage. He struggles with the feelings he has had for Alys for years, married another because he believed she was never to be his. But when years of pent up passion ignite, neither are able to walk away.

Soon their night of passion changes everything. And Princess Alys is left with a difficult choice she must make. Give up her crown for the love of her life. Marry a man she does not love and have him raise her child as his. Or seduce her finance and pass the child she is carrying off as his.

I think every woman wants to have someone to be there for them, and let’s face it there is something so very dreamy about a bodyguard and forbidden love.

4.5/5 stars

There are six books in the "Royal Baby Collection" due out June 1st, and they are:

The Queen's Nine-Month Scandal by Abby Green

Sheikh's Baby Bombshell by Melanie Milburne

His Royal Love-Child by Lynn Raye Harris

The Accidental Heir by Susan Stephens

Scorsolini Baby Scandal by Lucy Monroe

His Pregnant Princess by Maisey Yates