Review: Reckless (Luckless Book 3) by Cari Z

Rating: 4.75🌈

“Evan Luck was a dragon rider with no dragon. Now he’s got Lee, a rare and powerful dragon who can take the shape of a man or a dragon with equal ease. However, the fight to keep Lee’s son Jason safe, as well as the city of Forge protected from the monsters that roam the Front Range, will test Evan and Lee’s bond to the utmost, and send them on a quest that they might not come back from.”

Reckless is the finale story for Cari Z’s tremendous urban fantasy series, Luckless. And it’s been so great and so well written, that it’s short length and imaginative elements that have been left unexplored just make me more than a little frustrated with the author.

I want this to double in length or at the very least offer additional stories in the series.

This novel picks up from the surprising events of Dauntless, where Jason’s crisis came to a dramatic resolution with new characters arriving from the city of Chicago with devastating news.

Chicago has been spoken of as a veritable fortress city of multiple dragon pairs and a successful defense against the monsters. But the news brings a different reality.

It’s one that necessitates Evan and Lee leaving Forge and their son in search of answers about the increasingly complex and deadly monsters their city is facing and what happened in Chicago.

For a short story, this packs a shocking emotional punch. It’s got unexpected elements and a very powerful plot twist that, of course, is so great that this book could be twice it’s length and still not dive into this plot line’s full potential. It’s that intriguing.

Which brings me to the conclusion. It’s satisfying in a way yet not. With all the traumatic events that’s happened, it’s felt simplistic. Lovely, HFN, and heartfelt but missing something.

I truly wish Cari Z would revisit this series and universe and give it and us an update. So tremendous a world that this series and the characters deserve it.

Highly recommended!

Cover Art by Vivid Covers

Luckless series:

Luckless #1

Dauntless #2

Reckless #3

Buy link

Reckless: Book Three in the Luckless Series

Blurb

Refugees have been streaming into the city of Forge from around the country. Monsters are coming down from the mountains and staking out new hunting grounds. Even as the dragons of Forge grow stronger and more numerous, the challenges they and their riders are facing are only increasing, and there’s only one place to look for answers.

Chicago is the strongest remaining city in the Midwest, home to thousands of people and protected by powerful dragons … or at least, it was. By the time Evan Luck and his dragon, Ladon, arrive there, it’s clear that something’s gone terribly wrong. People are starving, dragons are dying, and nobody knows who’s behind it all.

It’s something they’ve never faced before—something they thought didn’t exist, yet that’s terrifyingly familiar. It’s up to Evan and Ladon to stop it … or lose their city, their son, and their lives.

Publication date: April 26, 2022
Language: English
Print length: 124 pages

Review: My Inherited House Might be Haunted by AJ Sherwood

Rating: 3.5🌈

My Inherited House Might be Haunted by AJ Sherwood is a cute, no angst paranormal romance. It originally came about as a serialized story on the author’s Patreon site but has been updated and expanded.

The characters are adorable, there’s a inherited haunted house, along with ghosts (a family of ghosts which we never meet unfortunately), brownies, witches everywhere!

There’s so many interesting elements here pack together for a short story. Especially the familiars , a cat and puppy, that these characters never get fully developed into their elements. They are familiars in name only because they’re recognized by others as such. But do they talk or do things that we think of as being something familiars do? No. They do things that our cats and dogs do just as adorably mostly.

The romantic relationship is fast and the book length just doesn’t leave them much time for development of magical skills, new knowledge of how magic works, or other relationship areas. But the characters, Rhett and Calix and Calix’s family are so interesting that this story makes me wish for a sequel or expanded version.

Read My Inherited House Might be Haunted by AJ Sherwood for a delightful instant love paranormal tale!

Adorable Cover by Katie Griffin

Buy link

My Inherited House Might be Haunted4.6 out of 5 stars1854.6 out of 5 stars. 185 customer reviews.Kindle Edition$0.00or $3.99 to buy

Blurb

Rhett’s inheritance of the gorgeous Victorian house was expected. What was not expected was:

Two familiars
A house full of ghosts
Magic powers?!
A new boyfriend, maybe, possibly, please and thank you

Now if he could just figure out how to handle everything, life would be peachy.

Review: Dauntless (Luckless Book 2) by Cari Z

Rating: 5🌈

The second book in Cari Z’s excellent fantasy series, Luckless, about dragon rider Evan Luck , his mate/dragon Lee Caldwell, known in his dragon form as Ladon and his son Jason.

Dauntless builds on the foundation that the first novel laid out, but now the author has relationships and a mystery to explore further. There’s also Jason’s unique physiology that’s a major dramatic element here, for his family and the story. It’s superb as the boy’s struggles and deep pain for acceptance is relayed by the author’s scenes so beautifully.

There’s new monsters to fight and the action sequences are suspenseful and compelling. All the while, the Fortress City of Forge, formerly Denver, Co, the location for books 1 and 2, is a bigger presence. The author gives us more details, including possible dragon politics to how the very structures of the Forge, making it more a reality.

By the ending, a family struggles become a wider story, new insights into the world are added, new characters introduced and a mission launched. I’m even more invested than ever before.

What an amazing story and series. Highly recommended!

Cover Art by Vivid Covers

Luckless series:

Luckless #1

Dauntless #2

Reckless #3

Buy link

Dauntless: Book Two in the Luckless Series

Blurb

Evan Luck is a dragon rider who, after years of thinking he’d never bond with another one, now has a dragon again. His empathic connection with the powerful silver dragon Ladon, known in his human form as Lee Caldwell, has made them the most valuable defenders of the city of Forge against monstrous invaders. The fact that they love each other and dote on Lee’s ten-year-old son, Jason? Those are blessings Evan never saw coming. He knows life is good…even as he realizes that the world is becoming more dangerous by the day.

With monsters leaving the mountains of the Front Range to roam the plains for food and the influx of refugees to Forge increasing by the day, Evan has his hands more than full defending the city and training new recruits to fight. When Jason, desperate to bond with a dragon of his own but continually refused by the dragons of Forge, begins to lose control of himself, Evan and Lee make plans to do the unthinkable: leave Forge to fend for itself and take their son to Chicago, the nearest human and dragon stronghold to their own city.

But Chicago has its own terrors to deal with, and their last hope for Jason’s future might be lost before they can save it.

Publication date: September 21, 2021
Language: English
Print length: 133 pages

Review: Luckless (Luckless Book One) by Cari Z

Rating: 4.5🌈

Luckless, a fantastic fantasy short story from Cari Z, reads like a much longer novel. It’s got a depth of characters, and its world building surpasses its length in exploration and dimension.

A absolute fan of anything dragon or dragon rider related, the tale of Evan Luck, now called Luckless because he survived the unimaginable. The loss of his dragon and their bond.

The author brings Evan grief and shattered memories vividly, painfully to life, including the hate and fear that comes from the people around him.

It’s a dystopian Earth fighting for survival against monsters and humanity’s only major hope is the dragons who came and fought with them.

Told completely from Evan’s perspective, we see the remnants of the city, the creatures they are fighting, the dragon and rider pairs, and Lee Caldwell, a new important arrival.

Lee and his young son are both great characters. They balance out Evan in multiple ways, and while it’s easy for a reader to understand or guess about Lee’s role, nothing takes away from the story and the journey that these characters have to go through.

While, the end is a bit abrupt, it helps to know that there’s 2 more books ready to read in this series.

I highly recommend this excellent book, with its fantastic characters and terrific story.

Great cover too.

Luckless series:

Luckless #1

Dauntless #2

Reckless #3

Buy link

Luckless (The Luckless Series Book 1)

Blurb

Evan Luck is a dragon rider with no dragon. Five years ago, his dragon gave her life defending the monster-ridden remnants of Marble, and ever since, his ability to connect empathically to another dragon had been as broken as his heart. Now he spends his days dodging his disappointed mayor, crafting arrows, fighting off the not-as-legendary-as-they-should-be beasts that’ve overrun America, and just trying to get by in the city of Forge.

But when he meets newcomer Lee Caldwell, Evan thinks his lonely luck might be changing. Lee is the only person in the city who doesn’t blame Evan for his dragon’s death, and he welcomes Evan into his own little family. There’s more to Lee than meets the eye, though, and between his refusal to talk about himself, pressure from the mayor to split them up, and a monster attacking the city’s foundations, Evan isn’t sure he’ll live long enough to learn the truth. But not learning the truth will almost certainly be fatal, both to Evan and Lee’s budding relationship, and to the entire city.

Publisher: Cari Z. (June 1, 2020)
Publication date: June 1, 2020
Language: English
Print length: 80 pages

Review: Curse of Silver & Blood: An Infinite Arcana Novella by Sheena Jolie

Rating: 4.5🌈

I thoroughly enjoyed Curse of Silver & Blood: An Infinite Arcana Novella by Sheena Jolie ( formerly writing under the pen name SJ Himes). It’s been a long while since I read their Infinite Arcana novels, so getting to dive back into this universe was exciting.

It’s not essential to have read the other books to understand the world of the characters and the foundation behind the storytelling. Jolie’s narrative does a splendid job of explaining the history of the world and otherworldly beings living there.

Curse of Silver & Blood literally has an explosive start, one that has our main characters on a collision course with fate.

Alec, an elf is escaping horrific captivity, and Leif, a cursed ancient werewolf, who hears the explosion on the edge of his territory, are two fantastic, well defined characters. Beautifully rendered, from their personalities to their own backgrounds, it’s easy to slip into connecting with each of them and their fated mates relationship.

Their fated mate relationship is built in the story in a way that’s makes the reader accept their bond and their growing chemistry. These characters work together. Jolie also creates magical elements that feel realistic in that situation but fascinating enough that I would want this couple to have additional stories.

The ending is solid and holds so much promise for the characters and their future together. I loved it.

I highly recommend Curse of Silver & Blood: An Infinite Arcana Novella by Sheena Jolie and the others in this universe.

Cover designed by Kelley York of Sleepy Fox Studio

An Infinite Arcana Novel series:

The Beacon Hill Sorcerer*

The Necromancer’s Dance

The Necromancer’s Dilemma

The Necromancer’s Reckoning

A History of Trouble Collection Mastering the Flames

Love Springs Eternal

Blood Omen

The Necromancer’s War

The Edge of Fate

Infinite Arcana Novels*

Curse of Silver & Blood

Wolfsbane (Werewolves of Boston)

The Wolfkin Saga

Wolves of Black Pine

Wolf of the Northern Star

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Curse-…Curse of Silver & Blood: An Infinite Arcana Novella eBook : Jolie, Sheena: Kindle Store

Blurb

Alec has been held prisoner for months, coerced into using his magic to manufacture illegal drugs for the mountain mafia. His gifts are profitable and dangerous, and his captors have no intention of letting him go. Alec engineers his escape–which lands him in the territory of a local legend–an ancient werewolf, a lone alpha cursed by silver and blood.

Leif has been alone for a thousand years. Forced to keep his distance from his own people, Leif settles into the depths of the Appalachian Mountains and spends his endless days patrolling his territory. One night the forest is rattled by an explosion, and the sudden appearance of a bedraggled fae running for his life.

Neither expected to come face to face with their fated mate in the cold, dark woods.

Fate has a hand in uniting Alec and Leif–but it’ll be up to them to forge the nascent mate bond between them, and Alec and Leif have a fight on their hands–the mafia wants Alec back, and the curse laid on Leif is out for blood.

The expanded version of the FATED MATES Charity Anthology short story, set in the Infinite Arcana Universe by bestselling author Sheena Jolie (formerly SJ Himes.) Contains new content. Novella, MM Paranormal Fantasy Romance. 36k words.

Publisher: Sheena Jolie Books (December 27, 2024)
Publication date: December 27, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 154 pages

Review: The Pastel Prince (Crowns of Melowynn #1) by V.L. Locey

Rating: 4🌈

V.L. Locey has written a new MM fantasy romance in The Pastel Prince, the first novel in her Crowns of Melowynn series.

It’s an age gap, slow burn romantasy that’s setting the stage and foundation for the world and stories to follow.

Locey has managed a magical horrifying journey, a terrifying mystery, an epic adventure, and a developing relationship to engage the reader’s imagination and hold our attention.

Mages, elves, pixies, and various other creatures and types of magical elements that will continue to be explored as the series deepens its knowledge of the political system and its history, little of which is set down here.

Kenton, the young Druid and Beirach , the archdruid , were a solid well written couple and strong start to a new series.

If you love fantasy romance, check them out and this series from VL Locey!

Fabulous Cover by Meredith Russell

Crowns of Melowynn:

The Pastel Prince #1

The Ivory King #2 – 2/6/2025

Buy Link

https://vllocey.com/Pastel_Prince

Blurb

The fate of the wilds is in his hands.

Kenton, a young druid prince, feels trapped in the bustling city life, a world away from the forests of his birth. Despite his royal duties keeping him tethered to the urban sprawl, his spirit remains tangled with the whispering trees and the ancient, mystical rhythms of the forest. But when a sinister threat endangers his people’s land and lives, Kenton embarks on a perilous journey to track down a powerful and ancient being; the lone archdruid powerful enough to stop the darkness.

Only, Beirach is nothing like the archdruids of old tales. Instead of withered and world-weary, he is younger than expected, vital, and has a magnetic charm that Kenton can’t ignore. Thrown together by fate and bound by a shared mission, Kenton and Beirach find themselves in the heart of a battle to save nature. As the dark mage’s shadow looms over the forest, they fight together and find a love as raw and wild as the forest itself.

The Pastel Prince is an M/M age gap romantasy set in a faraway land with magicks and mythical beasts, a belligerent pixie, a young druid on an epic quest, an older archdruid who’s not as washed up as he thought, Elven castles, long glances over a campfire, and a fey-tastic happily-ever-after.

Publication date: January 17, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 223 pages

Review: A Spell for Heartsickness (The Rune Tithe #1) by Alastair Reeves

Rating: 3.5🌈

Spoilers 🚨

A Spell for Heartsickness (The Rune Tithe #1) by Alastair Reeves is a fantasy romance or romantasy written by an author I’ve never read before.

The story is preceded by a lengthy author’s note, which I always read. This one was informative, but somewhat overly detailed, especially equating curses to debilitating illnesses. More on this later.

For two thirds of this story, Reeves had me absorbed into the lives of the characters and the magical mysteries of the island of Coill Darragh. There’s well crafted engaging ghost witch, Gretchen. She’s a character with a huge role here, as well as part of a horrific mystery needed to solve that’s got multiple layers to it.

The main characters start out astonishingly well. Witch Briar Wyngrave’s personality and character is reflected by his painful reality and dire circumstances. He’s cursed which has resulted in a incurable physical illness . And Briar wants to achieve his life goals within a certain time period.

The history and the ramifications of this curse will be revealed slowly by events and by Briar, the narrator of the story. How Briar handles living with his increasingly debilitating physical condition, the impact of his curse has on his life emotionally and mentally, is very well written. It helps bring him closer to the reader’s perspective, understanding his mindset as he deals with his life as the curse worsens.

However , there’s a flip side to this approach. As the only pov , to stay connected, Briar’s actions need to be relatable and consistent with his personality and storytelling. . By making Briar carry the sole responsibility and weight of this narrative, the author risks losing some appeal to the readers when Briar’s actions become either mind numbingly inconceivable (read SMH dumb) or ones certain readers won’t get over (like knowingly sleeping with the villain).

That starts to happen just as he’s gotten to the point this reader was able to understand his background and his new positive life choices.

The others characters , including damaged Rowan , the mysteriously scarred alderman,his wonderful sister and her family, are fantastic in their vivid characters and beautifully crafted locations. Plus let’s not forget Gretchen, the ghost witch whose involvement starts strong and then storyline goes sideways. That’s a real shame.

The wild, enraged magical forest, the angry vines, all these elements are wonderfully brought to life, vibrant and horrifying.

I wish I could say the same about the villain. From the moment he appears he’s got a capital V stamped on him that inescapable. It’s a matter of oh yeah, there the bad guy immediately which makes Briar’s actions even worse.

So there’s much here to enjoy and admire. There’s also quite a bit of elements in the characters and storytelling that make the narrative puzzling and less appealing.

If the author and their books are in your TBR folder, add this to it.

The Rune Tithe series:

A Spell for Heartsickness #1

A Hex for Hunger #2 – July 15,2025

Buy link

A Spell for Heartsickness: A Romantasy (The Rune Tithe, 1)

Blurb

In this charming MM romantic fantasy, cursed witch Briar Wyngrave has a date with destiny―but isn’t totally sure which man that date is with.

Witch Briar Wyngrave’s time is limited. The wasting curse that killed his mother is coming for him too, consuming his magic bit by bit. At least he’ll have the chance to make his name as a magical fashion designer with an elite placement in Pentawynn, the country’s glittering capital, after graduation. Until, that is, a prophecy sends him to the remote island of Coill Darragh instead, in search of a predestined lover with a mysterious mask.

When Briar arrives with his grumpy magpie familiar, Vatii, he finds an unwelcoming town, a murdered poltergeist named Gretchen in his apartment, and a handsome alderman named Rowan with a haunting scar. He also gets pulled into the mysterious magic of the darkly enchanted forest that surrounds the town and seems to have something to do with his curse . . . As if all that weren’t enough, famous witch Linden Fairchild has come to town, complete with a charismatic smile, an unreadable aura, and a surefire plan to cure curses.

How’s a cursed witch to know which enchanting man is his destiny? And can Briar possibly make an impact as a magical fashion designer in this tiny town? One thing is certain: a witch’s magic requires a tithe―a berry, a feather, a cut into flesh―and Coill Darragh may take tithes Briar isn’t ready to give . . .

Publisher: Podium Publishing (October 15, 2024)
Publication date: October 15, 2024
Language: English
Print length: 330 pages

Review: Prince, Charmed by Duckie Mack

Rating: 3🌈

Prince, Charmed by Duckie Mack has a very strong start on a potentially engaging fantasy romance but several elements ending up making it fall short.

The storyline revolves around an embittered witch who lives on the edge of a forest. Florian once was a young child in the castle and best friend of Prince Malachi. Until he was thrown out into the streets, when he was 13, sick, and without resources or some place to go. He faced twenty years of fighting homelessness, poverty, and finding himself isolated and a witch in a world that didn’t understand magic.

That’s a good plot and character. Florian has many character traits that make him relatable to the reader and a strong background.

Then Malachi appears, and what could be a terrific romance starts to lose its appeal. This is a 20 year old separation, a traumatic one and the scene should be emotionally reflective of the situation. It’s not. They could be coming off a misunderstanding over a bagel choice. It’s that low key.

The rest of the author’s story takes the same approach. A high drama plot that has little of that in the narrative. It’s so low angst that even the mystery maladies that affect the Prince are comical.

The Queen is the final issue here. And I’ll admit that in her behavior she’s a personal flag for me.

After chucking a hurting, sick 13 year old out of the only home he’d ever had and never following up on him afterwards, what does this person say 20 years later to him. Any apologies? No. Just this . Framed out that she’s feeling better about herself now that she’s sees that her son is determined Florian is staying so as he’s the next King there’s little she can do.

“For what it’s worth, I really am happy to see you again, Florian. It broke my heart to send you away, but seeing you two together again has mended a tiny piece of that.””

— Prince, Charmed by Duckie Mack

It’s basically oh, you survived being tossed out, suffering homelessness as a sick child. Then poverty and discovering that you are a witch in isolation. We lied about you and no one , except for our son, cared. It ends well, so I can feel better about myself and my despicable actions.

For me, I’d rather they tossed her out. But no. And it appears Florian gives us his cottage to treat all the castle royals.

There’s just too much that’s unexplored or left at a one-dimensional element while being a subject that requires a deeper or more detailed explanation.

On one side a child thrown away, suffering and hardship. The other ? Magical hilarity from parsley and croaking frog noises. Child abandonment and years of trauma versus instant love and quirky humor.

It’s too incongruous. To work well, imo, this needs more layers and exposition. Just way more length.

Read it because you’re a fan of the author. Or reading the series.

Cauldrons and Kisses (8 books):

🔹Love Potions and Moonlight by Kota Quinn

🔹Charmed by Rainbow by Jax Stuart

🔹Prince, Charmed by Duckie Mack

🔹Enchanted Hearts by Jacey Davis

🔹Oral Hex: An MM Omegaverse Romance by Salem Jack

🔹How To Summon A Memory by Morgan Lysand

🔹 Half Past Hex by Toby Wise

🔹 The Trouble With Spells by Raiven Matthews

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Prince-…Prince, Charmed – Mack, Duckie: Kindle Store

Blurb

Malachi is a prince and next in line for the throne, but as his coronation gets closer, strange things keep happening to him.

Florian grew up in the palace alongside the prince. The two were always together until it was discovered that Florian had magic.

The young witch was torn away from his friend and cast out from the only home he’d known. Despite the turn his life had taken, he has worked hard to build a reputation for helping people.

When Malachi realizes his problems are magical, he seeks out his childhood friend. As Florian works to undo the charms controlling the prince, that bond they once had comes back even stronger than before.

Prince, Charmed is a low angst MM friends to lovers romance. Cauldrons & Kisses is a multi-author series of MM magical standalone stories. Each low angst read will feature a witch finding love.

Review: An Unwitting Bargain by Grae Bryan

Rating: 4🌈

Well, this was just adorable. Like holding a lively lovable golden retriever but in narrative form . Grae Bryan’s short fantasy story is a quick delight of a romance.

That’s totally due to the author’s engaging couple and a common theme given a fun twist.

Benny, the human golden retriever main character, is one who has appeared in this author’s other terrific series, Demon Bound. I’m so delighted that Benny gets his HEA here. Benny is a joy. Bryan has created in Benny someone who’s enthusiastic about everything new that comes his way. His brilliant positive energy jumps off the page.

So of course, he doesn’t really know what he’s getting into when he meets this gorgeous man in a bar who’s paying attention to him. Helio, someone who listens and asks questions, and lets him do his thing.

Helio is that other hilariously funny character, a frustrated Fae where nothing he’s doing is working on the happiest human he’s ever seen.

There’s not a lot of world building or layers to the backstory but it’s short and honestly, these two (plus a misbehaving villa) are fabulous together.

I loved it and would hope they pop up together in the Demon Bound series in some future roles.

Or maybe a tiny sequel. Highly recommended! Just adorable.

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › Unwitt…An Unwitting Bargain – Kindle edition by Bryan, Grae. Romance …

Blurb

Never give your name. Never accept a gift or favor. Never eat the food of the realm.

Benny is having the best summer ever. He’s made a new friend, and now he’s getting an extended vacation at a private island. And sure, his buddy didn’t ask Benny’s permission before taking him there, but what could be so bad about exclusive sandy beaches and a free stay in a fancy villa?

Helio is having the worst time of his life. Here he’s gone to all the trouble of kidnapping a human to the fae realm, and the man doesn’t even have the decency to be afraid. Benny’s broken all the rules, and Helio has a right to keep him, but his prey doesn’t even realize he’s been captured. Is this human messing with Helio, or is it truly possible for one man to be so damned oblivious?

AN UNWITTING BARGAIN IS A 15K NOVELLA FEATURING AN OBLIVIOUS HIMBO HUMAN AND THE MORALLY GRAY FAE HE’S ACCIDENTALLY DRIVING A WEE BIT MAD. THERE’S A KIDNAPPING THAT GOES UNNOTICED, A MAGICAL VILLA WITH A CRUSH, AND AN EXTREMELY WHOLESOME HUMAN WHO JUST WANTS TO MAKE HIS NEW FRIEND HAPPY.

Publication date: January 3, 2025
Language: English
Print length: 68 pages

Check out the latest release , for “Chaos Kin“ by Sheryl R. Hayes (Other Worlds Ink Tour and excerpt)

Sheryl R. Hayes has a new MMF paranormal book out (bi, poly), Jordan Abbey book 3: Chaos Kin.

In the town of Rancho Robles, can one werewolf protect the Children of the Wolf and the Bat? Chaos Wolf Jordan Abbey has made friends among the Black Oak Pack even though she refuses to join it. The same can’t be said of the vampires, but her life has taken a turn for the better.

That is until Enya Blevins, sister to the werewolf who turned Jordan, arrives in Rancho Robles. She wants to know who killed her baby brother and is less than impressed by the Chaos Wolf. Enya wants revenge, starting with Jordan and ending with the vampires infesting the area.

Jordan is prepared to flee, but a technicality makes her an Alpha Werewolf. Now she must stand her ground to protect her nascent Pack and those she loves.

The past has come back to bite her. Does she have the fangs to bite back?

About the Series:

In the Northern California town of Rancho Robles where the Children of the Wolf and the Bat share an uneasy coexistence. One werewolf woman threatens to upset that balance.

Universal Buy Link | Liminal Fiction | Goodreads

Giveaway:

Sheryl is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47323/

Excerpt:

“You ready for this?”

Jordan nodded. She and Montgomery had pulled over three blocks from the entrance to the Black Oak Pack’s compound for one last quick discussion. “Got the Uber request programmed in to meet me here. If things go wrong, we run.”

Montgomery shook his head, hand tightening on the steering wheel. “No, you run.”

Jordan’s expression tightened. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Jordan, you have to run without me.” Montgomery stared at her until she looked away. “I know you’re afraid of what will happen to me. But they won’t harm me. To do so is to risk open conflict with Elder Marcus.”

Jordan bit back her response. Alpha Shane may have a vested interest in living in peace with the Elder of the Conclave of Rancho Robles. That didn’t mean that these strangers who came from far away would have the same desires. Add to the fact things were personal between Montgomery and Enya, and the odds were that they wouldn’t be thinking about insulting the vampires in the area.

She sighed and recited the plans they had come up with the night before. “If things go south, I run back to the Cataluña and wait for you or Thorn. If after twenty-four hours, neither of you show up, I ask Elder Marcus for help getting someplace safe. You and Thorn will join me once you’re able to.”

Montgomery smiled and nodded. She noticed a tear in the corner of his eye. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”

She didn’t bother to say that he didn’t sound like he believed it any more than she did.

Jordan closed her eyes but lifted her head as she and Montgomery drove up to the gate of the Black Oak Pack’s home territory. As if by mutual consent, neither of them spoke as Sentry Rodriguez waved them through. There was no point hashing out their plans further. In the next ten minutes, they would know if she would have to run and hide with her tail between her legs.

The silence continued as they walked to the front door. Angela opened the door before she had a chance to knock on it, focusing on Jordan instead of Montgomery. The blonde blond werewolf arched her eyebrows in a question.

Jordan shook her head ever so slightly.

Angela’s lips pressed together as she narrowed her eyes. Jordan could hear her thoughts. Why am I not surprised? Instead, she gestured them inside. “This way please.”

The entire pack was gathered, clumping together in little knots around the room. Pamela met her eyes and then turned her attention back to her conversation with Tran. Alpha Shane, Envoy Blevins, and Talespeakers stood by the cold, dark fireplace. Angela took her place with the rest of the younger people in the room. The tension in the room ramped up as the four highest-ranking werewolves focused on her and Montgomery. Alpha Shane dipped his head in greeting. “Chaos Wolf Abbey, Mr. Cooper.”

Enya was far less formal, not giving Montgomery and Jordan a chance to greet them. She assessed Jordan, head lifted so she stared down her nose. “Were you able to retrieve the fangs?”

Jordan drew herself up to stand straight and as tall as she could. “No.”

Everyone around her tensed, which she expected.

“This isn’t her fault,” Montgomery said. “She didn’t know—”

“Silence, vampire!” Enya snapped. Her focus was on Jordan as she paced forward. “It’s not completely your fault. I blame you as much as I blame him.” She nodded towards Alpha Shane. “And him.” Her gaze turned towards Montgomery.

Alpha Shane’s shoulders hunched. He shifted his weight but said nothing.

She felt her ears flatten, an impressive trick as she was in her human form. Jordan opened her mouth, trying to force her words through her snarl. To her surprise, Billy, Juan, Tran, and Maria surrounded her and Montgomery with Angela taking the point in front of Jordan. Jordan couldn’t see her expression, but the young woman stood stiffly, legs apart, and fists braced on her waist.

Confused, Jordan looked at Billy on her right, eyes wide. “What’s going on?” she whispered as Montgomery put a hand on her shoulder.

“We’re saving your skin,” he said. “Now, shush.”

Angela looked at Enya. “Jordan shouldn’t be treated as a chaos wolf. She is—”

“Angela!” Alpha Shane barked, glaring at her.

His daughter didn’t stop speaking. “—An alpha wolf in her own right.”

Author Bio

Sheryl R. Hayes can be found untangling plot threads or the yarn her three cats have been playing with. She is equally likely to be shooing one of them off the keyboard as she is working on her novels and short stories. In addition to writing, she is a cosplayer focusing on knit and crochet costumes.

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