Book Reviews The Guardian

When Helena Bale decides that a marriage is overrated, she decides to skip all the formalities and to get to what she really wants; an heir. Headstrong and determined to have her way, she convinces Alexander to abide by her contract. What she didn't count on is how emotional it will all get.

"A book to rival TWILIGHT and VAMPIRE DIARIES, and one that will have you wanting to keep reading until the very last page! If you are into adventure, love and vampires this book is the one for you!" --Vampirebooksite.com (regarding Turned) OBSESSED is Book #12—and the final book—of the bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, which begins with TURNED (Book #1)--a free download with over 900 five star reviews! In OBSESSED, 16 year old Scarlet Paine races to save her true love, Sage, before he is killed at the hand of the Immortalists. Alienated from her friends and family—and with only one night left before Sage is wiped out—Scarlet is forced to choose whether to sacrifice it all for him.Caitlin and Caleb race desperately to save their daughter, still determined to find a way to cure Scarlet and to end vampirism for all time. Their quest leads them to one shocking secret after the next as they seek to find the ancient, lost vampire city, hidden deep beneath the Sphinx in Egypt. What they find may just change the destiny of the vampire race for all time.Yet it may still be too late. The Immortalist nation is intent on killing Scarlet and Sage, while Kyle, too, is on a murderous rampage, turning Vivian and the entire high school into his own vampire army, set on destroying the town.In OBSESSED, the shocking finale of the 12 book series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, Scarlet and Caitlin will be left with a monumental choice—one that will change the world forever. Will Scarlet make the ultimate sacrifice to save Sage’s life? Will Caitlin give up everything to save her daughter? Will they both risk everything for love? “Morgan Rice proves herself again to be an extremely talented storyteller….This would appeal to a wide range of audiences, including younger fans of the vampire/fantasy genre. It ended with an unexpected cliffhanger that leaves you shocked.”–The Romance Reviews (regarding Loved)

Lies, deceit and darkness lead Esmerelda on a journey through dimensions where she faces a world she never knew existed. Dark lords, aliens, and vampires await as she struggles to save her friend from the vampires by aligning with aliens who she later learned were cannibals! Through it all, she's finally reunited with Lance... but what about Killian? The thrills, suspense, and romance continue in "Beyond the Portal", book 3 of the Esmerelda Sleuth, Paranormal Investigator series.

With her enemies in pre-civil war Virginia still seeking her death, Esmerelda is forced to return to the future only days after wedding Lance. Because it was necessary to fake her death in order to stop her enemies from following her to the future, her new husband, Lance, was forced to stay behind. He’d placed a magic box for them to communicate until he found a way to safely be with her beneath the floorboards of the house. Now, she must find it. A task that is easier said than done! “The Magic Box” is book two of the exciting paranormal-romance-mystery-thriller Esmerelda Sleuth Series

Caitlin Paine wakes to discover that she has once again traveled back in time. This time, she has landed in eighteenth century Paris, an age of great opulence, of kings and queens—but also of revolution.

Reunited with her true love, Caleb, the two of them finally have the quiet, romantic time together that they never had. Caitlin decides to give up the search for her father, so that she can savor this time and place, and spend her life with Caleb. Caleb takes her to his medieval castle, near the ocean, and Caitlin is happier than she ever dreamed.

But their idyllic time together is not destined to last forever, and events intercede that force the two of them apart. Caitlin once again finds herself united with Aiden and his coven, with Polly and with new friends, as she focuses again on her training, and on her mission. She is introduced to the lavish world of Versailles, and encounters outfits and opulence beyond what she ever dreamed. With never ending feasts and parties and concerts, Versailles is a world of its own. She is happily reunited with her bother Sam, who is also back in time, and having dreams of their father, too.

But all is not as well as it seems. Kyle has traveled back in time, too—this time, with his evil sidekick, Sergei—and he is more determined than ever to kill Caitlin. And Sam and Polly each fall ever deeper into toxic relationships, which just might threaten to destroy everything around them.

As Caitlin becomes a true and hardened warrior, she comes closer than ever to finding her father, and the mythical Shield. The climactic, action-packed ending, takes Caitlin through a whirlwind of Paris’ most important medieval locations, on a hunt for clues. But surviving this time will demand skills she never dreamed she had. And reuniting with Caleb will require her to make the hardest choices—and sacrifices—of her life.

Catalina De Luca’s world turns into trouble when a single bullet, unleashed in a moment of heartache by her shattered father, almost claims the life of young Luca Moretti—the 10-year-old son of Matteo Moretti, a formidable billionaire with deep connections to a dangerous underworld. Matteo is driven by a fierce, unwavering belief: “An eye for an eye. And a tooth for a tooth"As danger looms over his son’s life, a fierce determination ignites within him, driving him toward a singular path of retribution. That night, Catalina’s father, consumed by grief over his wife’s passing, unleashed his anguish into the darkness, each shot echoing his heartache. But in a fleeting moment of happiness, a stray bullet found its mark, hitting young Luca and shattering the bliss. Now, Matteo’s fury is limitless. He captures Catalina’s father, dragging her into his lavish estate, a gilded cage where she must tend to Luca until he is strong enough for the crucial surgery that could save his life. But time stretches painfully as Luca’s condition halts the operation, and Catalina is pulled into Matteo’s mysterious realm, where peril lurks beneath every gleaming facade, and the notion of safety is nothing but a mirage. As she delves into the depths of Matteo’s existence, Catalina finds herself captivated by his intricacies—a man who embodies both fierce determination and gentle vulnerability, shattered yet resolute. Catalina uncovers the truth behind Matteo's past, uncovering a heart yearning for redemption and love. As stakes rise, she faces a heart-wrenching choice: navigate the dangerous journey or heal Matteo's broken spirit, seeking salvation for both. In a realm dominated by retribution, is love possible as the only solution to set aside the dangerous world?

Lindsay Lennox, daughter of the governor of Turkey, worries she’ll never have the chance to meet a man and fall in love. Being the youngest of eight daughters, it is customary for all of her sisters to marry before she can be out in society and even meet a man. Her twenty-fourth birthday is coming quickly, and she’s running out of hope. Desperation takes hold and she disguises herself as a servant in order to slip through the palace gates. Disaster strikes when she meets a handsome sea captain and is mistakenly whisked across the sea to England. Lindsay knows her only hope of salvation will be to find her Whitton relatives in England and beg for help. Unfortunately, the devastating Captain Braxton proves more tempting than her lonely heart can resist.

"Everyone wants to tear them apart. But he's not giving up without a fight. The last thing Sara Flannigan needs is a man in her life. When she returns to her hometown, she vows to create a happy life for her son and to rebuild her life after a painful divorce. Yet when she meets her son’s new doctor, she can’t deny the spark of attraction that heats between them. The problem? He’s Harrison Thornton, the oldest son of the illustrious Thornton family. His family would never accept a woman like Sara, a woman who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. She tries to ignore the whispers of her past, but she soon realizes secrets can never stay hidden for long. Especially from the man claiming her wounded heart. Growing up in the rich and powerful Thornton family, Harrison has lived a charmed life. A renowned physician, the last thing he expects is to desire the mother of one of his patients. Sara is beautiful and intelligent, and she’s completely devoted to her son, something that only deepens his attraction to her. He doesn't want a single night of passion, though: he wants forever. Yet there are forces at work and people determined to tear them apart. Even Sara turns from him, certain she's unworthy. Harrison refuses to let Sara slip away, and soon, he’s fighting the greatest battle of all. The battle to win the heart of the woman he loves."

In VOWED (Book #7 of the Vampire Journals), Caitlin and Caleb find themselves in medieval Scotland, in 1350,of the quest for the Holy Grail said to contain the key to true vampire immortality. Landing on the shores of the ancient Isle of Skye, a remote island off the Western coast of Scotland where only the most elite warriors live and train, they are ecstatic to reunite with Sam and Polly, Scarlet and Ruth, a human king and his warriors, and with all of Aiden’s coven.

Before they can continue their mission for the fourth and final key, the time has come for Caleb and Caitlin to wed.

Simultaneously, Sam and Polly, to their own surprise, are each falling deeply in love with one another. As their relationship accelerates, Sam surprises Polly with a vow of his own. And Polly surprises him with her own shocking news.

But all is not well beneath the surface. Blake has appeared again, and his deep love for Caitlin might just threaten her union, on the day before her wedding. Sera has appeared again, too, and vows to break apart what she cannot have.

Scarlet, too, finds herself in danger, as the source of her deep powers are revealed—along with the revelation of who are her true parents.

Pregnant with Grayson Godwin's child, Amberleigh Dubois is left reeling from the shock of his dramatic rescue and all the dark secrets it brought to light. Grayson Godwin is an angry man, hellbent on a mission to bring down those responsible for his beloved brother's death. His best friend Leo Clemonte is hellbent to keep the billionaire from an even earlier grave as Grayson goes down a dark road of vengeance. Further complicating matters, is Amber's growing feelings for Grayson even though her heart now belongs to Leo. Amber will have to make a choice between two men she loves. That is if any of them even survive this deadly game they are playing with the Van Tessins. Life's not a fairytale, it's time for Amber to arm up and fight for her happy ending.