Mine To Take by Cynthia Eden

Mine to Take
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Genre-Contemporary/Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
151 pages

Trace and Skye were foster children at the same home in their teenage years. Skye’s parents died and Trace’s just didn’t care to raise him. After Trace saves Skye from an attempted rape by their foster brother, they became friends and then lovers. Trace broke up with Skye and joined the Army. Skye became a ballerina and pined for Trace. After an auto accident and the feeling she was being watched, she moved back to Chicago. She tried to hire Trace’s security firm but he offered to help her find her stalker for free. Trace wants Skye back in no uncertain terms.

It was good suspense but I think it’s hard to build great suspense in a novella. The romance was rushed and the lone love scene was hot. I wanted to like it more than I ended up liking it. It was just an okay read for me but I would definitely read more from this author again. Cynthia Eden writes good paranormal books with blistering love scenes that I missed here. Are you a romantic suspense fan?

Two of a Kind by Susan Mallery

Two of a Kind (Fool's Gold, #11)

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Fool’s Gold #11
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
384 pages

Gideon Boylan was a sniper in the armed forces and a P.O.W., which has left him scarred. He has settled in the town of Fool’s Gold to try and find some peace. He bought the town’s radio station and even does the nighttime DJ job. He likes his privacy and doesn’t want to get too involved with anything. The he learns his one night stand from the past is here in his new hometown.

Felicia Swift is smart, scary smart. She was a logistics master with the Special Forces. She still works with four of them and is helping their new business in the town of Fool’s Gold  get off the ground. She has never had a family but wants one desperately. But to get that, you have to out your heart on the line and rejection is scary.

I wanted this to be so much better than it was. It was okay and I didn’t hate it but I certainly didn’t love it either. I mean it had everything I would normally love: a scarred hero and heroine, a secret baby and this town I love to read about. It never came together for me. Besides, the town has already had a secret baby story and I thought that was cheap. I’ll continue because of my love for this series but this was not as good as it usually is.

Ravenous by Eden Summers

Ravenous

Grade-C
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
56 pages

Back in high school, Jesse and Erin were a couple. They were in love as only teenagers can be. After school, Jesse left their hometown and Erin for the big city and bright lights of Sydney. He became a chef and a success. Erin became a caterer and nursed a broken heart. She gets a visit from Jesse, who is home for a visit with his folks. He asks her to cater his mother’s birthday party. Erin is shocked to see him and discovers she’s still in love with him. Jesse has never forgotten Erin either.

This is a cute, short read about the power of a love that never dies, even after years of separation. The premise is one of my personal favorites but the story never fully hooked me. It wasn’t bad but it left me wanting more.