My Love Will Set You Free

My Review: 3.5 Stars

This short work of fiction by Ms. Storm is quite charming. In a poignant journey to the 1950's we meet Rip Rockwell and Deborah Walker, two souls trying to survive having had their hearts and psyche's torn apart.

Rip Rockwell's character is tenderly written. The trauma of watching his best friend die in battle, and then surviving, is an anguish we can keenly feel. For those who have experienced something such as this in real life, the depiction may be simplified, but I appreciate Ms. Storm taking on the challenge of finding the path and purpose to survival.

Deborah Walker is a simple girl of the era. She finds out that her boyfriend, James, whom she'd hoped to marry, has died in battle as well. The news, delivered by his friend Tommy, leaves Deborah wondering what her future will be. In a time when marriage and babies were a woman's future, things look bleak for Deborah. She has few skills and little ambition. The loss of James forces her to take a long look at herself and the changing world around her.

When Deborah and Rip meet, the attraction is instant and sweetly written. Ms. Storm manages to convey physical and emotional connection through a series of innocent encounters. Deborah's loss allows Rip to share his PTSD with her, and there begins the journey of their healing.

It is challenging to write a short story. In very few words one most convey the descriptive narrative, dialog, and emotions succinctly, yet paint a full enough picture that the reader feels the story has been completely told. My Love Will Set You Free has many threads worthy of pursuing more completely, leaving me wishing for many more pages. I felt like a rock skipping across the water, splashing down on pivotal moments, wanting to fully experience them.

This book is a great taste of her work as an author, and I look forward to reading Ms. Storms other work.

Rise of the Flame

My Review: 5 Stars

Ms. Lees epic novel is the first piece of fantasy fiction that I have read in quite some time. I found the book utterly transporting, imaginative, and gripping.

The first in four books, Rise of the Flame introduces us to all the major players in this saga. With six races, four realms - including humans  - there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle to keep a hold of when reading the book, much like reading JR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series. Like all epic novels, where worlds, beings, hierarchy, rebellions and alliances are being formed, there is a lot of data to track. However, if you give yourself over to Ms. Lee's skilled story telling and allow yourself to fall into the journey, all the pieces crystalize into a magical experience. Honestly, I cannot quite understand how she managed to keep track of all the threads, but she did.

In book one of The Eura Chronicles we meet Lilae. Immediately after birth she is taken and hidden from her people and all those who would wish to find this girl - gifted with a power so enormous she can bring all of the realms and races to their knees. The first portion of the book is dedicated to the years she grows up, amongst her surrogate family, and learns how to fight and protect those who will eventually need her. Unlike other books of this genre, she is not surrounded by those who love her or a villain or two. Everyone and anyone can become something or someone else. It is easy to feel compassion and revere for Lilae - for in an ever changing world, she is who she is, and she doesn't bend.

We are also introduced to Liam. Now leading his army against the realms that would annihilate his, he finds Lilae in his dreams, and soon realizes that she plays an important role in his destiny. These dreams however turn out not to be dreams, but another realm where they meet and come to understand the epic battles that lie ahead of them.
Ms. Lee brings us to the end of book one in desperate need of reading book two. The magnitude of the scale and detail of this book cannot be expressed, only utterly appreciated. I would recommend this book to anyone who love a truly epic journey. If you loved Lord of the Rings, you will love The Eura Chronicles.

Anyway You Slice It, Book One, The Upper Crust Series

My Review: 5 Stars

This is the first book of Ms. McDonells that I read, and I became an immediate fan. Inventive, tender, funny and full of identifiable characters, Ms. McDonells book are quick reads, but only because you don't want to put them down.

In this book, we meet Piper. She followed her boyfriend from Australia to the US only to find herself alone. Unwilling to give up on her own dreams, she stays in the US without a visa and follows her passion - which ends ups being a very smart decision. Her business, food trucks that serve Aussie Meat Pies, is becoming very successful... which is causing her a few legal problems.

Fortunately for Piper, her best friend Cherie has the answers. Cherie's cousin Aaron is on the market for a wife to solve a problem or two. Not the stuff of romance, the two meet and have a candid conversation about their reasons for marrying, and decide to move forward with getting married. An easy friendship turns into more, but not without complications.

What makes Ms. McDonells version of this story so charming are those complications. Despite the all the nuances that make Piper and Aaron a loveable couple, the problems they face may be bigger than Visas and people from the past.

In particular, what I've come to absolutely love about Ms. McDonell is that her characters are anything but predictable, but not in outlandish ways. They have gumption, tender hearts, passions and pursuits that all of us can identify with... but maybe on a level that takes us out of ordinary life and transports us to another stratosphere of life.

Peri In Progress - Brand NEW book.

My review: 4 Stars

This is a fun, fast read by Ms. Lavoie.

We meet Peri McKenna on her thirty first birthday, and though she survived turning thirty, she is barely surviving turning thirty-one. As a result of a rather underwhelming year in her life, Peri decides it is time for epic changes. EPIC. As she sets the changes in motion she soon discovers the fall-out of some of her decisions. With no choice but to proceed, Peri continues to sweep the cobwebs out of her life, and for that I truly loved her. She doesn't question her decision to make major changes, she deals with the pain and works works her way through her enormous list.

Just past halfway I thought, "All the pieces are in place... something's gonna happen." And that something is spectacular. Ms. Lavoie delivers an absolutely charming book that one can completely disappear into. It's the kind of book you keep on your shelf, so that you can pull it out and read it over and over.

Published on 10/28/15, this book is brand new, hence the low number of reviews. Nonetheless, a definite must read.

Blue Phoenix Series, Box Set

5 Stars for the Series!

I adored this collection - The entire cast of characters are complex, riddled with the issues that I can imagine afflict a rock band. Each member has had a roller coaster journey, leaving us to wonder if they can survive themselves and the fame they've created? Their salvation may rest in one very unlikely woman.

I've reviewed each book individually:

Summer Sky (#1):
Though the title and cover leave you to feel this is a light romance, it's not. Both Dylan and Sky, our main characters, are just trying to find a way to survive. Dylan and his addictions escape to a beach home his family visited before fame assaults him. Sky retreats to her grandmothers home after fleeing what she thought was an enviable life.

As they escape their worlds, a car crash brings these two broken souls together.

Sky is a strong woman facing the fact that she has made her life and her boyfriends life happen. But now that he doesn't want it, what does she do? She picks herself and dusts herself off, knowing that the next chapter in her life needs to be written with eyes wide open.

Dylan is a parched man, choosing between the desert and the sea. The desert is the life he's been leading, the sea is the past - and possibly the present? At the sea he finds childhood tokens that lead him to wonder if he can be more, have more, find the boy who took delight in such simple pleasures.

Sky and Dylan's paths cross, and a relationship of sorts emerges. She represents all that he doesn't know how to have, but wants, and she has no idea who he is, which leaves his drama unknown.

This is a definite five-star read. I promise you'll want to read book two, so buy it!

Falling Sky (#2):
This book left me feeling like I was holding onto a ledge, my fingertips always slipping. Emotional highs and lows, epic in proportion, since Dylan's life is crazy and Sky is trying to decide if she can separate the rock star from the man and if not, then what?. The rock star's bandmates add to their relationship troubles, as does the press. They find happiness and tenderness for short bursts, but as with real life and real change, it doesn't come easy or without a price. One moment they have it all, and then it's lost. Their time together is as powerful as their time apart.

Ms. Swallow writes an excellent saga about imperfect people seeking to overcome the past and the emotional and torturous journey she takes us on is spell-binding.

This is a must read, with a well deserved five stars.

Summer Star (#1.5):

People are broken. The how's and the why's often more complex and deeper in the psyche than we can ever imagine. How can someone who endeavors to be rational justify the irrational to themselves over and over? Again, Ms. Swallow takes on an emotional journey, where Dylan takes on the enormous task of overcoming himself. Sky continues to be his North Star, and though she loves him, he's walking a tightrope that is wearing everyone out.

The disparity in their lives, he a wealthy rock star, she who takes work at temporary agencies to make ends meet, is the constant reminder of the work Dylan needs to do in order for her to truly trust him, to truly enter his life. He hates her poverty, hates that she won't take his help and that leaves us knowing he is capable of more than his self-absorption.

This book is the journey where we find out if Dylan will be able to make healthy decisions when he is away from Sky or if she is another form of addiction. Again, 5 Stars.

Thoroughly engaging, page to page, I would recommend this series above pretty much everything else I've read in many months. Absolutely riveting, so be prepared - you'll forget to stop reading.

You will re-read this series over and over.

Relatively Famous

A thoroughly enjoyable escape from reality, but one must suspend all kinds of disbelief - but that doesn't make it bad.

Sydney Allen, an up and coming interior decorator and daughter to one of Hollywood's most tumultuous couples, loves the anonymity of living in New York City. She has her routines, such as getting coffee at her best friends shop, where she chats with the locals. On an average day, she encounters Drew Forrester.

After a series of encounters, Sydney and Drew forge a relationship. Through a series of misdirection, Drew buffers his secrets from Sydney, which leaves us all wondering what will happen when she learns the truth? Well, not really. This book is a fairly straight-forward, but charming, happily-ever-after with an interesting twist.

If you enjoyed The Thomas Crown Affair this will be a great read.

A Long Goodbye

In book one of The Southern Comfort Book Series, we meet Dane Woods, Ashton Winslow, and Lulu (Ashton's best friend). Three divergent personalities thrown together for a once in a lifetime journey.

Determined to have an epic weekend before she says yes to marrying the man her fathers has chosen for her, Ashton and Lulu head to Nashville for a little bit of fun. Unbeknownst to the two, Dane has been hired to ensure their safety by Ashton's father, and is hot on their heels.

Dane's connection to the Winslow family is complex and this part of the book unfolds beautifully. While I found the book to have a great beginning and end, the middle did not meet it's potential. Dane and Ashton forge a connection, based upon Danes desires to help her create the memories she wants to have, for when she is bound to a husband in a loveless marriage. These scenes are loaded with tenderness and warmth - utterly charming. When the trio leave Nashville for Florida, the tenderness evaporates and lust takes over. Ms Mooney does a great job in bringing it back at the end of the book.

I would really give this book 3.5 stars if I could. I liked it, I almost really liked it. Another reviewer mentioned the need for another pass by an editor or proofreader, and while that may be, I would give this book a solid 4 if the descriptive narrative and dialog that takes place on a dusty road outside Nashville could have filled more pages of the book.