Category: Scattered Thoughts Best of 2014

A MelanieM Review: Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) (Pulp Friction 2014 #19) by Havan Fellows

Ratings:  5 Stars out of 5

Final Blow coverRowen Smithe fought his demons, in this case the people who turned a 14 year old boy into a warped nightmare of a man.  But Rowen escaped them but never the darkness they created inside him.  Now, with the events of the past weeks behind them, Rowen is finally prepared to start living again, this time with Mick, the man who helped free his soul and stole his heart. But in the aftermath of the horror and killing, things have changed and now its Mick that the darkness has swallowed and Rowen is uncertain how to help the man he loves regain what he has lost.

Mick Rutger was a happy-go-lucky type of guy, a feeling he liked. But his encounters up close with Rowen’s past and the events that followed have left Mick with feelings of hatred and rage, feelings he is unprepared to deal with. Drowning under his fears, nightmares, and anger, Mick closes himself off to the outside world in a drastic measure of protection.  Just when Rowe has finally opened up to him and Mick had hopes for their future together.

Both men will have to battle the darkness one more time if they hope for that HEA and trust that their sanity won’t be lost forever.

Final Blow is the penultimate story in Havan Fellows’ Whispering Winds (PF2014) series.  I have loved both of her characters, but especially the damaged Rowen Smithe from the very start.  Mick Rutger was Rowe’s opposite, always he seemed to be that affable and lighthearted golden bouncing after the haunted, dark soul that was Rowe.  It was Mick who drew Rowen out of the cabin, or down from his tree, ever so slowly out of the silence and isolation that Rowen had wrapped himself in.  It was a beautiful balance between the sun and the night, a twilight journey the reader was thrilled to be on along with Mick and Rowen.  For every heartbreaking reveal from Rowen, Fellows gifted us with an endearing scene of Mick beckoning Rowen further out of his shell.  Remember this scene from Blown Kisses?

Huh?

Rowen sat quiet for a second, wondering where the extra noise came from when it happened again, and he looked up to the right.

“Shit…” he muttered under his breath. Someone was knocking on his door.

He turned his body, slowly moved the curtain out of the way, and with only his right eye, peered out the window. He couldn’t see the front door from this window, but he wondered if a certain.

Two clear pale blue eyes stared back at him, crinkled around the edges undoubtedly because of the smile Rowen couldn’t see from this close. Mick moved back enough to lift up Filigree—no, the stray cat—and wave her paw at Rowen.

I laughed about that scene all the way through the terrors that followed, and the glimpses of hope for a future together that the author allowed us to see.  Consistently, just when things were at their worst, Fellows incorporated lighter elements to alleviate the heaviness and strain that has been a major factor in this series.  And always it was Mick who was the bearer of light tidings.

But in Blown Chance, there was a major reversal of roles between Mick and Rowen, the dynamics of which are just being felt here in Final Blow.  Now we see the trauma and rage those acts have visited upon Mick as well an uncertain Rowen trying to reach out and  save the man he finally acknowledges that he loves.  It’s an unsettling turnabout for all and it heightens the vulnerabilities and frailties of both characters like we have never seen them before.

Havan Fellows reveals Mick as a character far more complex and layered then he originally appeared to be.  It makes the relationship we have seen develop between the tortured Rowe and Mick more authentic and believable.  If there is to be a yin to his yang, then it also needs to be on equal ground with matching complexities and overtones. The author accomplishes that hard-won balance in Final Blow.  Here her characters find themselves in situations that require them to achieve a certain amount of emotional growth and healing in order to move forward, hopefully together.  It was painful and wonderful and immensely satisfying to see characters we have come to love reach out for each other and more, much, much more.

I love Final Blow as I have all the preceeding stories in this series.  But there is one last story to come.  There are still monsters at play and demons to vanquish.  Who and what they are is still to be revealed.  I can’t wait for December to come.

But until then, grab up this marvelous series if you haven’t already.  Make the acquaintances of Rowen Smithe (who definitely give Wicked Templeton a run for the money as favorite Fellows character) and Mick Rutger.  Start at the beginning, enjoy the journey to love  and HEA.  Its one of the top series of the  year, along with its interconnected Pulp Friction 2014 series, all of which are listed below.

Cover artist:  Laura Harner consistently delivers a great branding job with the series and the PulpFriction 2014 logo.

Sales Links:  All Romance eBook (ARe)   amazon   Final Blow

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 50 pages
Published October 14th 2014 by Appleton Publishing Avenue
original titleFinal Blow (Whispering Winds #5) (Pulp Friction 2014 #20)
ASINB00OII4ZRE
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #19, Whispering Winds

About Pulp Friction 2014

Pulp Friction  2014 Authors: Laura Harner ~ Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ T.A. Webb
The Pulp Friction 2014 Collection. Four authors. Four Series. Twenty books. One fiery finale. Spend a year with an eclectic group of strangers brought together through circumstances, as they are tested by life, and emerge as more than friends.
The strongest bonds are forged by fire, cooled in air, smoothed by water, grounded in earth.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment. All stories have been read and reviewed at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:
Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:
Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:
Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:
Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five:
Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors coming in December.

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

A MelanieM Review: Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) (Pulp Friction 2014 #20) by T.A. Webb

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Terra Firma coverWith everything that has gone down in the past months, Charlie Turner would rather take a bullet than hurt the man  he loves,  Amos Greene .  But Charlie is in possession of some knowledge that he’s not sure Amos wants to know about.  And the indecision and secrecy is killing him.

Amos Greene grew up in a series of foster homes that left him abused, hardened, and closed off. Meeting Charlie Turner changed his life. Now Amos is part of a family. But there’s still a little bit of him that wonders who he really is.  Little does he know that Charlie has a file in his possession that will change everything for both of them.

Now all Charlie and Amos need is a little more courage and trust to see them through to the ending they both deserve and desire.

Terra Firma by T.A. Webb has settled into my heart like the warm glow of a crackling fire on a cold winter’s night.  The warmth and light draws you in after leaving the cold and dark behind.  You appreciate it so much more because of the past surroundings and the journey you took to hearth and home.  Terra Firma feels like that.  It feels like coming home.

Through a remarkable four stories we have watched Charlie Turner and Amos Greene struggle with commitment, trust issues, bigotry, horrific abuse, and a family in tatters.  And cheered as each man faced the obstacle in front of them and survived, as individuals and, finally as a couple we have learned to love.  Along the way, Charlie and Amos became a family, along with Charlie’s younger brother, Damon.  Still there always seems to be one more barrier to overcome, one more secret to surface before things can become sane and happy once more.

T.A. Webb drops us into Charlie and Amos’ life just as another wave of change approaches.  And while Charlie sees this one coming, what it will leave in its aftermath is anyone’s guess.  All three of the main characters that make up this complex family have been wounded by life, yet Webb meshes their damaged natures and needs into a whole that feels real and intimate.  Terra Firma is that place Charlie, Amos and Damon have been looking for, emotionally and physically and now it seems that another barriers has to be faced, although this time they do it together.

Earthquake has always been a series played out on a smaller stage, with the cast of players decreasing story by story until this last installment is almost a cast of three.  It’s a warm, close knit group that now feels as familiar as old friends.  The last hurdle?  A file folder containing information about Amos’ background and history, something that has caused him profound pain and determined his life path towards Flagstaff and Charlie.  As the scene plays out, the dynamics between Amos and Charlie, Charlie and Damon, and Damon and Amos, step onto the stage, each unfolding with believable interchanges and loving dialog.  And as the men grapple with the information, the cloak of family falls over all of them, and makes it possible for them all to move forward.

As I said, Terra Firma, the solid foundation Charlie, Amos and Damon have been seeking, has arrived and it is my favorite story of them all. It’s comforting, warm, and embracing. Its love, family, and the future you always wanted rolled into one.  How amazing that T.A. Webb accomplished so much in only 40 pages.  That’s the power of succinct storytelling and  a depth of characterization that continues to pull you in line after line.  That’s a beautifully constructed and  well written narrative doing the job it is supposed to do and then some.  That’s Terra Firma by T.A. Webb, short story writing at its best.  Dont miss out on this amazing book.  But start at the beginning, enjoy the journey.  It will make this happy ending so much more satisfying as well as one to remember.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Another great  cover in a series of covers.  The branding is especially effective.

Sales Links:  All Romance eBooks     amazon    Terra Firma

Book Details:

ebook, 40 pages
Published October 31st 2014 by A Bear on Books
ISBN139781311836977
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #2

 

 

About Pulp Friction 2014

Pulp Friction 2014 Authors: Laura Harner ~ Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ T.A. Webb
The Pulp Friction 2014 Collection. Four authors. Four Series. Twenty books. One fiery finale. Spend a year with an eclectic group of strangers brought together through circumstances, as they are tested by life, and emerge as more than friends.
The strongest bonds are forged by fire, cooled in air, smoothed by water, grounded in earth.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment. The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:
Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:
Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:
Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:
Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five:
Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors coming in December.

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

A MelanieM Review: Semper Fi by Keira Andrews

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

 The war is over. The battle for love has just begun.

Semper Fi coverLittle did  Jim Bennett and Cal Cunningham know what the future had in store for them when they met abroad the train bound to South Carolina and the training ground for the Marines.  The time is 1942 and WWII is underway.  From that initial meeting, a strong bond was forged, one that would see them through the rigors and pain of Parris Island where they became Marines then across the ocean to the Pacific campaign where the horrors of Guadalcanal and Okinawa awaits them.  And through all the blood, tears and anguish, the bond grows from friendship to love at least for Cal, a love undeclared, buried and forbidden.

After the war, Cal stays connected to Jim from afar until Jim’s wife dies. Then Jim’s need for Cal’s help overrides Cal’s plan to stay away from the man he loves and he arrives at Jim’s farm thinking to stay just a short time.  But Jim is a man in pain, suffering from PTSD and with an orchard and two small children to care for.  The bonds between them snap back into place and the loves Cal holds for Jim is stronger than ever.  But what happens when Jim begins to see Cal in a new light? Soon their relationship starts to deepen in ways neither expected. Can they build a life together as a family and find happiness in a world that would condemn them?

With Veteran’s Day almost upon us, I can’t think of a more appropriate time to recommend you discover this poignant and heartwarming novel Semper Fi by Keira Andrews, author of A Forbidden Rumspringa.  A richly layered saga of a love that begins on board a rickety train bound for Parris Island in the year 1942, the story continues through the war years and ends in 1957.  All the social upheaval, all the National milestones that came with WWII, it’s all here, bound up in an intimate tale of the struggle for love and family.

From the moment we encounter these men on the train, we know that these men are remarkable.  These characters exude a vitality perfect for their ages while brimming over with an authenticity of the times and the impact that Pearl Harbor had upon the nation.  Young men were eager to enlist and serve their country, a naive enthusiasm that is quickly dispelled by their Drill Sargent and the rigors of boot camp at Parris Island.  Keira Andrews has done her research for the history and minutiae incorporated into the story are factual while overlaid by the emotions and physicality of their situation and the times.  We experience “the breaking down to build up” that goes on in boot camp.  It’s humiliations, pain, and hardship that have to come before the rewards that the men go through.  And throughout it all we feel the bonds growing into place between Jim and Cal.  This deep emotional attachment that forms soon includes the readers in its intimacy and scope which translates well when the story moves into 1948 and Jim’s small home town.The characters of Jim Bennett and Cal Cunningham, both from New York but separated by social status, wealth, and self knowledge, are men who will capture your heart with their struggles and journey towards a loving relationship that must always be secretive and unacknowledged by those around them.

The author has chosen an unusual format here. Each chapter includes two different time perspectives.  One in the “present” 1948 and Jim’s Clover Grove Orchard in upstate New York, then it returns to 1942 and the start of Jim and Cal’s relationship and journey through WWII.   I hate to call this a flashback because it doesn’t feel that way.  More a turn of a prism that incorporates the whole of someone’s life journey.  A twist of the crystal and another facet comes into the light before turning once more.  We start out in 1948 as Cal arrives at Jim’s farm.  Then its 1942 and they are meeting on a train to South Carolina and training camp.  Each chapter moves the story forward in each time frame.  Far from being disjointed, this format serves to bring balance and a deep sense of history to the scenes occurring in 1948.  The men in 1948 are still trying to deal with the devastating emotional and physical aftermath of the war.  The men of 1942 are so young in outlook and naivete, a viewpoint that is eroded by war time experiences full of blood, horror and death.  And the reader is there with them …on the beaches, in the sweltering jungles of the Pacific, and the pounding bombardments of artillery fire from both sides.  And it all happens so gradually, while interfaced with scenes from the present, that we don’t even realize at first that their pain and suffering has become ours as well.

Another important element of the times and story?  The need for homosexuals to stay hidden even as they search out like individuals in situation after situation plays out again and again here.  The desperation and hunger that is found in the darkness and anonymity for people like Cal comes across the pages with a realness that almost hurts.   Cal has always know he was “queer” and the implications that it has had on his upbringing and outlook.  Jim?  That’s a far more complex and hidden aspect of his personality, one he doesn’t deal well with.  For him, his feelings are a “sin”. Their situation is fraught with peril, full of subtle touches and emotional support and the joy of discovery and the pain that arrives as well makes this story one you won’t soon forget.

There is a mystery to unravel, believable children to win over, and always a relationship in flux between two characters we have come to love.  I can’t recommend this story enough.  With Semper Fi, Keira Andrews now has two books in Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words “Must Read” Top Lists of 2014. This story will tug at your heartstrings while making our past and the sacrifice of so many young men feel immediate and haunting.  Pick up both stories today and start your journey with this remarkable author.

Cover design by Dar Albert is as lovely and haunting as they story itself.  A top cover any way you look at it.

 

Sales Links:   All Romance eBooks             amazon             Semper Fi

Book Details:

ebook, 320 pages
Expected publication: November 11th 2014 by KA Books
ISBN139780993859854
edition languageEnglish

A MelanieM Review: Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) (Pulp Friction 2014 #18) by Lee Brazil

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

 You’ve got to kiss a lot of frogs… 

Cold Day In Hell coverCannon Malloy has been through hell and back, from the horrific events in Atlanta to the loss of his career as a surgeon in that aftermath.  But moving to Arizona has changed him.  Mountain Shadows campground has given Cannon not only a new family of friends, but a man he has come to love like no other, Finn Lorensson.   But recently Finn has been acting remote and secretive.  Just when Cannon is ready for the final commitment for them both.

Finn Lorensson is in trouble.  His big heart and concern for Cannon allowed him to make some poor judgements that have put himself and his relationship in danger.  But what is he to do?  All he wants is a future with Cannon but now that seems to be in jeopardy.  One thing Finn realizes is that it will be a cold day in hell when he lets the man he loves walk away.  Now if only he had a solution for their problems…

Here we are, Cold Day in Hell – Story 5 (or 18 depending upon how you are counting), and the stakes have never been higher for  both of  our remarkable main characters.  It has taken two series, with more heartache and pain than any character should go through,  to get Cannon Malloy to this point in his life.  Lee Brazil has taken us on a journey that saw the reader disliking Cannon because of his treatment of Chance (PF2013) of Chance’s Are, then slowly bring about this character’s evolution. Cannon has grown from  a self centered story irritant to a complex man finally coming out of the closet and into his personality.  It has been a rough and tumble sort of metamorphosis that involved a psychotic killer, a Dom, a lot of regret and finally a move to Flagstaff, AZ.   And every painful step forward that this complex, intelligent man has taken moved the reader closer to him as an individual and a part of the Cannon/Finn coupledom,

If you had told me I would end up loving Cannon Mallow after my initial impressions, well, let’s just say my disbelief would have been huge! But Lee Brazil has skillfully made this progression of feelings towards Cannon resolve itself into one of compassion for and understanding of  a man in transition at a later point in his life.  We now “get” Cannon, his issues and the road he had to travel to become the man that Finn Lorensson loves today.  And that was partially made possible by the marvelous character of Finn Lorensson himself.  What a noble (overly so), self sacrificing (yes too much), hugely brilliant Viking of a man!  Brazil has constructed a man you want to jump because of his brain and body, and then smack upside the head because of his actions.  Is  Finn believable?  Absolutely, which makes it both hilariouis and frustrating when the actions run counter to those the readers want to happen.  And sometimes that behavior turns the  story dark and scary.

Pulling the pieces of  their various pasts back into the picture and their relationship is a large element of this story.  Cannon’s children, Finn’s past actions…it all needs to come out and coalesce  for Cannon and Finn to have a future together.  How Lee Brazil does that is both the charm and the terror of this story.  What a dichotomy!  Cannon’s grown children need to see the man their father has become and the life he has made for himself in Arizona.  Finn needs to resolve the mounting problems  he created, out of the best intentions of course, that now threaten everything he loves and has worked for.  Family and threat to family, loving relationships balanced by those that were never meant to happen. And while we (and our heartstrings) are zigging and zagging along the many plot twists Brazil has in store for us, the siren song of Cannon and Finn’s love has never been stronger.  It is that ocean swell that carries us and the men along to that final story and, hopefully, their HEA.

Yes, one more group story to go.  Just one.  One to tie up all the loose ends (and there are many).  Bring all the lovers, their famlies together for a resolution we can cheer for because we have so much invested in these characters and their stories.   So look forward to December and in the meantime, if you are already along on this journey, get prepared by reading Cold Day in Hell by Lee Brazil.  It’s a heartgrabber, just like the men it revolves around.  If you are new to the series,  back, back, I say!  Go to the beginning and start there with this series and all the rest.  Don’t miss out on a story, not one.

Cold Day in Hell takes it’s place among the top stories/series of the year for Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  See you back here in December for the finale!   Happy Reading.

Cover art by Laura Harner.  These covers are wonderful.  The artist does a great job branding the series with the logo and the model works for the character.

Sales Links:    All Romance eBooks    amazon   Cold Day in Hell

Book Details:

ebook, 51 pages
Published October 1st 2014 by Lime Time Press (first published September 30th 2014)
ISBN13LBRZL0201441
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #18, In From

 

About Pulp Friction 2014
Laura Harner ~ Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ T.A. Webb
The Pulp Friction 2014 Collection. Four authors. Four Series. Twenty books. One fiery finale. Spend a year with an eclectic group of strangers brought together through circumstances, as they are tested by life, and emerge as more than friends.
The strongest bonds are forged by fire, cooled in air, smoothed by water, grounded in earth.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.  The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:
Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:
Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:
Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:
Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five: 
Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors coming in December.

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire

Barb, a Zany Old Lady, Review: Starstruck (Bluewater Bay #1) by L.A. Witt

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Starstruck coverI’ve been “starstruck” by an amazing storyteller named L.A. Witt. The author put together the best and longest slow burn- ust story I’ve ever read, and when the two MCs did finally come together, they exploded in a supernova!

Levi Pritchard, aging (late 30’s), former Hollywood superstar, is known best for his role as Chad Eastwick—an action hero role he despised because it completely stifled his creativity and smothered his acting ability. He also despised the whole Hollywood scene, especially the press vultures who refused to let him live his own life—a gay man deeply closeted who only wanted to be allowed to love his partner Dylan, but instead had to deny him to the world, bringing about their eventual breakup. He’s also the victim of two alcoholic parents who, though now in recovery, are still critical of his life and would never accept him as gay so he can’t find the courage to out himself and force the expected estrangement. In short, Levi is a deeply closeted, frustrated man who is running away from the career he loves and running to the family he hates, rather than being true to himself. When he’s offered a chance for a small role in Wolf’s Landing, the successful show that’s been filming in his town, Bluewater Bay, he’s considering it for two reasons. The first is that his good friend, Anna Maxwell, is the highly esteemed director and the second is Carter Samuels, a young actor who caught Levi’s eye when he first came on the Hollywood scene a few years before.

Carter Samuels is thrilled when he learns that Levi Pritchard, his idol and the man on whom he’s had a secret crush for years, is going to be joining the cast of Wolf’s Landing. In fact, Levi is the reason Carter became an actor. He first fell in love with Levi and Levi’s talent when he was exposed to several indie films in which Levi starred in his early career. Even once he was typecast as Chad Eastwick, Carter saw through the constraints that role placed on Levi to the talent hidden below the surface. Now, to have a chance to work with him, whether it’s for this first “walk on” role, or whether the role becomes ongoing, Carter has all he can do to contain himself.

When the two meet, there’s a definite sexual chemistry, though neither wants to acknowledge it. A chance private encounter brings them together in a kiss that neither can ignore. They do acknowledge that the kiss happened and that it was good, but they make a conscious decision to avoid the entrapments of a relationship. They’ve found that they have a lot in common, including a love of obscure indie films, and want to focus on their friendship because they each accept that Levi is firmly in the closet and not interested in coming out.  Spoiler alert: Continue reading “Barb, a Zany Old Lady, Review: Starstruck (Bluewater Bay #1) by L.A. Witt” →

A MelanieM Review: The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

The Devil Lancer coverCaptain Elliott Parrish of Her Majesty’s 17th Lancers cavalry division and his men make the treacherous voyage across the seas as part of the British forces grouping in the Ottoman Empire to fight along side the French and Turks in the Crimea War against the Russians,  Storms make passage for the frigates hazardous and vomit inducing.  But the conditions the troops find upon landing are scarcely better.  Rampant cholera, missing supplies, inept planning and unbearable heat quickly dose the hope for a summer victory for the British.  Then winter arrives bringing with it starvation, freezing temperatures and a lack of rations and shelter that quickly takes it toll on all involved.   But even worse are the rumors of black magic and witchcraft that spread throughout the encampments, mostly revolving around the enigmatic, solitary figure of Cornet Ilyas Kovakin.  It’s Illyas Kovakin who catches Eilliot’s attention, attracting him as a man while raising Elliot’s suspicions about his orders.

Cornet Ilyas Kovakin is half British, half Russian and returning to his homeland under conditions so heartrending and horrific that you want to weep for him. For Ilyas carries within him something monstrous, something that even the camp rumors can’t begin to encompass.  Ilyas is on a mission, reporting only to one man high up in British command.  Isolation, along with other factors make him both a target of suspicion and a danger to all who get in his way. But one man seems to be unable to let him be.  That would be the handsome Captain Elliot Parrish who goes out of his way to welcome Ilyas and try to get to know him better.   Ilyas feels as though he has no barriers he can raise against the feelings building in him, for Elliot. Something far darker lurks inside him.  Because Ilyas is not totally in control and the monster’s strength is growing.

Against the backdrop of the Crimean War, Elliot and Ilyas do battle with forces far beyond the natural world, the stakes are nothing less than their lives and those of all nations.

What an absolutely stunning story!  Astrid Amara combines the heartbreak and history of the military campaign in the Crimea War with romance and magic to arrive at The Devil Lancer, a story so huge in scope and impact that it goes beyond genre into something that can’t be restricted by categories or boxes.  The story opens on May 1854 on board ships crossing the Bay of Biscay  France.  The voyage is harrowing, the men and horses sick and sometimes dying.  Through descriptions so vivid and raw, we feel every wave, every squeal of the frightening horses tossing about below deck, and the fear that all must have  felt becomes real.  And once they land at Varna in the Ottoman Empire, the men find themselves and their horses thrown into hellish conditions that few will escape from.

Each chapter moves the story and campaign forward as the men march into Crimea. By Chapter 4 its August 1854 in a war that will last a little over two years. Here history isn’t dry but alive and writhing with the everyday horrors of sickness, starvation, arrogance and death that war brings, especially to the enlisted men.  And into this nightmare of geography, hysterical national fervor, and strategy, Astrid Amara weaves a tale not only of romance but of ancient malevolent magic let loose once more.

The characters feel so alive and believable.  Whether it is Elliot Parrish, the fifth son trying to find a future for himself or Ilyas, a man with a mission and secret that threatens to consume him, our hearts and attention are focused on them and the wars that wage around them.  Yes, wars, because there are so many layers here waiting to be revealed and each one carries an unanticipated nasty surprise.  There is the battle to accept their attraction and feelings for each other where such a discovery means death.  A battle for trust, support, and finally of survival.  This is a saga for sitting around halls and blazing fires as the tale unfolds.  Even the side characters ring with a humanity and force that makes them hard to forget, whether its Henry, Elliot’s friend, chilly Charles Cattley  with his secret intelligence department or even Valentin, Ilyas’ black stallion.  Read and be prepared for them to captures shards of your heart as the story proceeds.

And those elements of magic and mythology that anchor this story along with the location and campaign!  From subtle hints and glimpses in scene to scene is  a pantheon of evil built that will shake the foundations of this story and the hopes for all the characters you have come to love. Amara makes this mystical aspect of the story feel every bit as believable and authentic as her factual research on the war.  It’s epic, as unforgettable as all the other facets to be found within this story.

Finally, there is the deep and complicated romance between two soldiers under the most horrendous conditions you could imagine.  Its brutal at times, gentle when possible, and heartrendingly believable. You are never quite sure how the author is going to pull it off and where she will take it.  I loved that uncertainty and it heightens the suspense for the final outcome for both men.  The ending was just as splendid as I could have hoped for.  But its the journey there that will have the reader on the edge of their chair, caught between actions loving, erotic, bloody, and heroic in scope.

Amara has done a huge amount of research for this story, from the various battles to camp conditions, even down to the jackets and equipment used.  This attention to detail and the manner in which they are folded into the narrative combine to produce a powerful, and appalling portrait of men at war under the worst of conditions and leadership.    There is a list of references used at the end, some so fascinating that they cry out for exploration.  Where others might falter, this author brings together the gods of war, the frailty of human beings combined with the need to love and survive into a story that will continue to resonate long past the last word read.

Who should read this book?  Everyone.  Yes, everyone.  I know some will say they don’t read historical fiction because its too dry or has too many dates.  Not so here.  This book will reach out and shatter those beliefs and assumptions.  The Devil Lancer will make you realize that history is vital, raw and real. Its full of blood, sweat, tears, death, and sometimes things you can’t explain.  Its full of love and romance and an uncertain path that needs to be negotiated before you can arrive at a HFN or even HEA.  The Devil Lancer should be on everyone’s must have, must read list.  It will certainly be at the top of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2014 in December.  Don’t wait until then to pick it up and begin your introduction to this unforgettable story.

Cover art by Dawn Kimberling.  Not a favorite of mine.  There are so many elements that could have been included or highlighted, that the figure on the cover feels to rough and singular for the scope of this saga.

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Book Details:

ebook. also available in paperback and kindle format
Published October 7th 2014 by Blind Eye Books
edition languageEnglish
settingCrimea