REVIEW: THE RIVER OF NO RETURN is the first storyline in Bee Ridgway's new time travel series that is unlike any time travel series you will read. This is not a foray into the realm of science fiction, but more of a fantasy where emotions and thoughts pull the characters into another era.

The focus is on Nick Falcott who facing death `jumped' forward two hundred years and found himself in the twenty first century with a new identity and everything he ever wanted at his disposal. The fact that he wanted to return to 1815 and to the woman with whom he was falling in love, was of no consequence. The Guild, the ruling time-travel elite and cult-like overlords, had given Nick his orders and in doing so have once again placed his life at risk. The Guild needs to stop the Ofan from bringing about the end of the world or so they say, and Nick is the man they option for the job.

THE RIVER OF NO RETURN is a storyline that takes the reader on a journey from the Spanish battlefield of 1815 to modern day America and London England where intrigue meets romance and, spy vs spy. The story is awash in philosophical speculation about time travel and the inherent possibilities of changing the course of history. If you could go back, what would you do to stop a catastrophe in the making?

Bee Ridgway introduces The Guild and The Ofan-two warring factions of time travellers each with a hidden agenda. The world building is continuous and intricately detailed throughout the storyline-but at times went above and beyond what I thought was necessary. The book is over 500 pages long and, filled with back-story, history and reflections about the philosophical aspects and conundrum of the time travel directive. Like a river that flows in one direction, the journey will take you far but can you ever go home again? The river is a symbol of time-flowing forward; it can speed up or slow down and in some cases, be stopped, all together; it is a river of emotions and one that will pull our hero as well as the reader into another time and era.

The character development changes on many occasions such that we are never sure if the character we currently know is the same character we will meet at another time. The dual-personalities and counter-espionage make for a storyline that keeps the reader in suspense until the very end and the end most definitely leaves room for a continuation of the story.

There are numerous characters that overlap from one era to another. The Guild has been around for thousands of years and in each incarnation, there is a battle between for the right to control time. Not only do we see time travel, but the ability to stop time-completely.

Bee Ridgway has written an interesting storyline that will see one man pulled between doing what he knows to be right and what he knows he has to do. The philosophical look at time travel is detailed, with unanswered questions at every turn. And for some reason, the hero and heroine are kept in the dark through much of the storyline and must discover exactly who and what they are, on their own. Part of the storyline takes place in modern day and the remainder is set in the early 1800s. If you like a story with time-travel elements, historical fiction and a little romance, The River Of No Return is for you.

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A SEAL’S SEDUCTION is the first installment in Tawny Weber’s UNIFORMLY HOT SEALs contemporary romance series. This is Blake and Alexia’s story. The premise focuses on Blake’s two week R & R and Alexia’s need to get out and have a good time. But when the two of them meet, sparks fly and a one-night stand turns into something more. But when Alexia discovers that Blake is a Navy SEAL under the commander of her father, she walks away leaving Blake with a broken heart.

The storyline and conclusion are predictable as are all contemporary romance storylines. You have the instant attraction and sex, the angst and betrayal, and finally the reconciliation between the couple you know belong together.

The characters are flawed: each has issues they must deal with before embarking on a relationship. Alexia’s relationship with her family is strained, due in part to a controlling father and her need to prove herself worthy. But her attitude at times was a little disheartening-the only person, to whom she felt any love, was her brother and he too, had some issues at home. I am not sure if you would consider the adult children –Navy Brats- but there were definitely some dysfunctional family problems.

Blake is the consummate professional SEAL. His relationship with Alexia and her subsequent rejection left him distraught and angry. But eight months after Alexia walks away, their lives will take a dramatic turn, and they will be thrown together for another night of passion and love. But it is Alexia’s mother who will open Alexia’s eyes and heart to the possibility that love with a professional military man is worth the heartache and worry when at the end of the day, she will be loved and cherished.

A SEAL’S SEDUCTION is a quick paced storyline with a little action, a little romance, a little sex and a little family drama. The emotional connection between the hero/heroine lacked a little something, but overall the storyline is a welcome reprieve from the usual paranormal stories. If you are looking for a quick read with a happily ever after, A Seal’s Seduction is the perfect escape.

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BLOOD PROPHECY is the fourth installment in Gabrielle Bisset's Sons of Navarus paranormal series that furthers the storyline surrounding the Prophecy of Idolas, the hunt for the Key, and the battle between the Sons of Navarus and the Archons. Blood Prophecy is Ramiel and Noele's story but it also encompasses plenty of background information and history as well as a little more about Thane.

As this is Ramiel's story, we are privy to his early years as a Visigoth during the Roman uprisings, viewed through dream sequences, memory and recollections. We learn that his childhood was not all roses and sunshine. And Thane's early years as a nobleman in the English countryside is only matched by Ramiel's visions of Tudor England through the eyes of television and movies.

Gabrielle Bisset's vampires are both emotional and colorful. Ancient vampires, each with a history and story, are pulled together to prevent the end of their species at the hands of the Sons of Navarus nemesis-the Archons. But true to form, the evil Archons always seem to be one step ahead of the Sons. As the Prophecy of Idolas is slowly deciphered, the Sons attempt to discover and locate the `who and why' of the ancient scripts. Fate has a way of grinding reality to a halt when betrayal and hatred; love and loss; faith and hope pull the Sons together in an attempt to save one of their own-but they may be too late.

There is a secondary storyline running throughout the series: Vasilije, as the self-appointed head of the Sons of Navrus, remains a vampire of questionable integrity as it pertains to the vampires he sires and Sasa (the woman he claims to love) in particular. The novella THE DEEPEST CUT furthers Sasa, Vasilije and Thane's storyline (released December 2012) and the continued animosity between these three is addressed again in Blood Prophecy. Betrayal, heartbreak and the disillusion of a relationship are difficult but probably inevitable, although one that I hope will see a different resolution in the future.

Gabrielle Bisset is not afraid to address controversy in her storylines: death, betrayal, unrequited love, addiction and infidelity are all part of the reality of vampire life. Her heroes and heroines are not perfect; they are fallible and broken and, because they were all human in a previous life, their troubled emotions and characterstics still retain some definite human qualities. Blood Prophecy is a well-written, detailed and emotional storyline that fans of the series will definitely not want to miss. Gabrielle Bisset takes the vampire genre and puts a twist on the storyline that is all her own.

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REVIEW: SCREAMING SNOWFLAKES is the first storyline in Amber Tesia’s paranormal YA (Young Adult) series of the same name. As the blurb alludes to, Raphael is our hero-the son of Lucifer, exiled to Earth for five hundred years, only to be called back to Hell just as he discovers the one person who can change his view of humanity-Eleanor.

Sentenced to spend five centuries among the human vermin, by his father as punishment for what Lucifer deems a betrayal, Raphael has watched from the sidelines as humanity worked to destroy itself. But the day he discovers Eleanor’s aura, Raphael is pulled towards her free spirit and carefree attitude. Vowing to protect Eleanor from the darkness threatening to claim her, Raphael slowly learns what it means to love and be loved.

But the blurb speaks of more than what is revealed in the first storyline. Part of the focus of the blurb is on the mysterious locked door and the heroine’s great, great grandmother but very little, if any, of that particular premise is brought into the storyline until the very end.

The novel reads like a YA story but a story where the reader sits on the periphery to watch and wait. And we wait a very long time before a small bit of information is revealed. I wanted to be invited in but I felt relegated to the sidelines waiting for something – anything – to happen. The storyline is very slow to build. It is only when Raphael reveals to Eleanor the truth about his father and, the philosophical and theological nature of his own existence does the storyline begin to take shape.

The mysterious locked room and its’ contents are uncovered in the final pages of the novel, and therein used as a cliffhanger towards the second storyline. The locked room was first introduced early in the storyline but was forgotten and dropped by the wayside for all intents and purpose throughout the remainder of the novel until the very end, where it was abruptly brought back into the storyline focus. Eleanor finds a major piece to the puzzle surrounding the room and the former tenant, but there is very little revealed to the reader at this point. But there is obviously a connection to Raphael, Lucifer, Eleanor and her great, great grandmother.

Overall, SCREAMING SNOWFLAKES is an interesting introductory novel with all the earmarks of a YA storyline: the very slow build up of a relationship, the angst of mistaken beliefs and the heartbreak of perceived betrayal and, of newly discovered feelings. There is no sex; no foul language; no violence and only the beginning of a romantic relationship. There is plenty of religious and philosophical speculation between good and evil, heaven and hell, as well as humans and immortals. There is the potential for a love triangle-from two different angles-but let’s hope it never comes to pass.

THE IMPETUOUS AMAZON is the second storyline in Sandy James’ Alliance of the Amazons series focusing on four female Elemental Amazon warriors and the men they love. The storyline continues to build on the introductory premise as Megan Feurer, the fire Amazon must learn to control her anger and her fire, or find herself powerless in a world haunted by demons, demigods, mythological goddesses and the walking dead. And to ensure Megan follows orders, Sentinel Johann Herrmann, the man who stirred the embers of Megan’s soul in book one, will shadow her every move as she endeavors to reign in her temper when things get out of hand. And to complicate matters, the truth about Megan’s heritage will reveal a deeper connection to the fire goddess than anyone could have imagined and place an invisible wall between Johann and Megan that may be impossible to overcome.

The storyline progresses as Megan and Johann must investigate the mysterious disappearance and deaths of a number of young women all seemingly connected to a popular singer. But it will be Megan that becomes his ultimate target when power and greed are his to command with the help of a number of other supernatural deities.

As the title of the storyline implies, Megan is impetuous; a fiery redhead who is the epitome of fire, Megan’s temper and acidic personality fuels the fire that burns within the Amazon warrior. And our heroine hides a painful past –one of betrayal and rejection at the hands of a woman she once called aunt and mother. But as Megan learns to control her fire, she is unable to control her burning need for the man who is trying to keep the flames under control. Johann will learn first hand what it is to love and be loved by a fire Amazon, and without a shield, Megan’s burning love for her Sentinel may put an end to their relationship before it has a chance to begin.

Sandy James combines mythological goddesses and demons with a contemporary storyline that gifts another Amazon warrior with her mate. The world building is limited in this particular story, as most of the premise is character driven-and saying that many of the previous storyline characters play a pivotal role in the fight against evil. There is romance and love, sorrow and pain, action and suspense as well as the continuous animosity and rivalry amongst the goddesses that risks the lives of the men and women under their command. But the heroine was difficult to like at times-her attitude and personality left much to be desired and saying that-she was who she was because of her past. I am definitely not excusing Megan’s acerbic characteristics because in the real world she would be told in no uncertain terms-where to go and how fast. The Impetuous Amazon is an interesting and fascinating addition to The Alliance of the Amazon series by Sandy James.

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: THE BRAZEN AMAZON is the third storyline in Sandy James’s Alliance of the Amazon series focusing on four elemental Amazon warrior women. This is Gina Himmel’s storyline-the air Amazon.

Like the previous storyline, Gina is a strong-willed, independent and kick-a$$ heroine, but there is a softer side to Gina that has yet to emerge. Gina grew up less than feminine-a rough and tumble tomboy and believes herself unworthy of a man’s attention or love. But Gina will have two men vying for her heart: Richard (aka Dick) a former SOG (Son of Gaia): and the other, her most recent assignment-Zach Hanson. Zach is a computer genius and he is the next target of abduction in the struggle for world domination in the war between the gods and goddesses.

The battle for Zach’s invention will lead Gina and the Amazon warriors into a fight between good and evil, but who is fighting whom for domination? When friends present as enemies and enemies present as friends, Gina’s world will be thrown into chaos and Zach will be the unwitting pawn. But a ‘gift’ from the gods will have Zach deep in the heart of the conflict where the wrong move could prove disastrous for everyone.

The relationship between Zach and Gina is quick to build. The couple’s attraction to one another is instant but there is also someone else vying for Gina’s heart. When Richard becomes the odd-man out, sides will be chosen and betrayal will be the ultimate weapon against Gina in the battle for her heart.

THE BRAZEN AMAZON is another fast-paced well-written installment where the premise and storylines are female driven. There is always a fine line between strong –willed heroine and b*tch, but Sandy James treads carefully in this particular story. Alpha females are often subdued by the men in their lives, but Sandy’s Amazon warriors stay true to form-while not usurping the males- they become equals in their own right.

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THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is the first storyline in Sandy James' Alliance of the Amazon series. The premise focuses on the background information about a female race of Amazonian elemental warriors-Earth, Water, Air and Fire and, how each member of the Alliance must work together with their fellow `sister warriors' to put a stop to the end of the world. The storyline and series premise also pulls in mythological gods and goddesses, demigods and demons, and a hierarchy of power and control that is tested by the very Amazons trained to defend the world. But as the women are pulled together to locate three of their missing sisters, they will face betrayal and the pain of loss at the hands of one of their own.

Like many supernatural storylines, our heroine is not aware of her heritage or powers until a handsome immortal stranger takes her under his wing. Meeting her fellow warrior sisters, Rebecca soon realizes she is not on the same level of playing field as the others. As an Earth Amazon, it is her heritage to nurture and grow, and she has a difficult time mastering everything that she needs to know. But as the story progresses, Rebecca will discover that she is a leader as well as a warrior, and the others will eventually have to look to Rebecca for guidance and direction. We follow as the Amazon sisters are trained to defend and protect, fight for what they believe and, finally come to the realization that that trust must be earned and should not be given freely.

The relationship between Artair (Highland warrior Sentinel) and Rebecca is immediate but a relationship that may place everyone at risk as Artair's attention and need to protect Rebecca moves his focus from the women he is supposed to train onto the woman who has stolen his heart. As the history of the Sentinels and Amazons unfolds, we are privy to Artair's long history with the Amazon warriors and his desire to re-enter the human world. Artair believes it is time he retired but in doing so, he must give up the woman with whom he has fallen in love.

THE RELUCTANT AMAZON is an interesting storyline that blends mythology with a contemporary storyline. The different elemental Amazons are each ruled by a goddess specific to each bloodline, but the goddesses are not without some issues of their own. Sandy James weaves a tale that places an ancient warrior with a modern woman who has yet to discover her true self but when she does sometimes having too much power is never a good thing. The storyline has a little bit of romance, a little bit of sex, a little bit of action as well as betrayal, heartbreak and love. The story does not end on a cliffhanger but with the knowledge that the evil is still out there and the Amazon warriors will be needed once again.

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ALLURE is the second storyline in Nina Lane’s contemporary romance Spiral of Bliss series that continues the journey of Dean and Liv as they struggle to overcome jealousy, betrayal and a painful past. ALLURE furthers the couple’s spiral into a world fraught with loss, love and the potential to lose everything. Just as their lives take an unexpected turn, a family crisis will see Dean and Liv embarking on a journey that will end with a loss that one or both may never be able to overcome.

The storyline, once again, blends the past with the present by way of flashbacks, recollections and memories but the majority of this particular storyline is told from Dean’s POV. The reader is pulled into the drama of family betrayal when what everyone sees on the outside, does not come close to the truth underneath. We learn the heartache of pain and sorrow as Dean’s family refuses to accept the woman that he loves as well as the continuous animosity between siblings and parents that threaten an already fragile peace. Dean’s past will resurface with a connection to his family, but his need to protect Liv from further exposure will only force the couple to take a hard look at where they are going-together.

As their lives continue to spiral out of control, the ugliness and brutality of a vengeful student will further Dean and Liv’s already tentative hold on their relationship. But it will be Liv who makes the ultimate sacrifice when she tells Dean what he has to do, and in doing so, may lose the man in whom she loves.

Once again, Nina Lane pulls the reader into an emotional journey of one couple’s struggle to keep the pain at bay, as the walls around them begin to crumble. The romance is sensual and sexual as the couple endeavors to rediscover each other following a heartbreaking separation but sex is not always the answer at the end of the day. Dean’s need to protect his wife from himself and his past, will test the boundaries of their love when Liv asks Dean to let go of the painful memories that threaten to overwhelm him at every turn.

Nina Lane has written a storyline of one couple’s struggle against the realities of life-from betrayal to trust, heartbreak and sorrow, love and lost to the realization that everything you ever needed may be only a few feet away or lying next to you on the bed. Dean and Liv’s relationship is not perfect-it is flawed in ways similar yet different from most. They suffer painful rejections and losses and, like the real world, will be tested at every turn. Their story broke my heart and left me in tears, and I am hoping for a HEA in book 3-AWAKEN.

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REVIEW: The Hot Shots is the second storyline in Stephanie Queen’s Scotland Yard Exchange Program focusing on international terrorism, secret missions and, the men and women who fall in love. Although this particular installment is the second storyline, it can be read without too much difficulty. The major players from the first book are present and blend well within this novel.

The Hot Shots focuses on interior designer Sophia aka Pixie Alano who is asked, as a favor for friends, to escort Scotland Yard detective Chauncey Miller to Boston Police Headquarters. But along the way, the pair will become involved in a life and death chase when a Middle East terrorist sets his sights on Chauncey. With Sophia now an unwelcome accomplice, Chauncey must seek out the whereabouts of the terrorist while protecting the tiny pixie-like woman with whom he is falling in love.

The relationship between the couple is both humorous and a little off-center. Sophia continues to put herself in harms way trying to ferret out information, hoping to assist Chauncey at every turn. But her actions put them into more dangerous situations each time she demands to accompany Chauncey on one of his undercover plans.

There are moments of exasperation as Sophia gets in over her head and puts everyone in danger and in this the reality of the Scotland Yard-Boston Police Department cooperation with each other seems more fictitious than based in any sort of reality. But in the end, this is a work of fiction and the entertainment level is worth the read.

Stephanie Queen takes the reader on a fast-paced, quirky journey between America and Scotland Yard. We are introduced to Chauncey’s father- a relationship that is strained at best; and there is a potential storyline for another one of BPD’s finest. Overall, The Hot Shots is a wonderful storyline between a hero and an unlikely heroine whose goal is to survive long enough to make a name for herself as a famous interior designer.

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REVIEW: STAIRWAY 2 HEAVEN is a dystopian/sci-fi/futuristic fictional novel that looks at the dirty side of corporate greed, big pharma and the philosophical/theological impact of separating the body and the soul. Whether you are a believer (or not) of all things spiritual or a version thereof, Stairway 2 Heaven will definitely make you think about the `what-ifs' and `whys' of the complicated Triad of big business, religion and medicine. And if you believe, you are like many skeptics, big business and medicine are inseparable and irrevocably connected to (and involved) in our daily lives.

The premise follows Matthias Chalmers, a retired psychic in the 22nd century and the fall-out of a research experiment gone horribly wrong--or right-- depending on your view point, vantage or need. When Matthias's twenty-nine year old son Lanier, a young man with Asperger's Syndrome and a genius IQ `accidently' separates his soul from his body while developing a new toothpaste for GORIS pharmaceuticals, Matt will become the pawn in a deadly quest for the ultimate prize.

The storyline is written from Matt's POV covering various back and forth timelines and intersecting plots. We journey with Matt as he reflects on a lifetime of sins and the past indiscretions that got him to where he is today, all the while on the search for the elusive formula that has gone missing and presumably in the hands of someone close. With a price tag on his head and a target on his back, as well as threats against his family and friends, Matt will discover that even the Vatican is not exempt from the reaches of corporate greed and the possibility of life ever after-but the Vatican wants to destroy the procurer of the ultimate sin.

STAIRWAY 2 HEAVEN is awash in a philosophical and theological conundrum-if there is a way to separate the body from the soul, would you be willing to pay the ultimate price for a chance at a new life? Thompson's writing pulls the reader into a storyline that will make you think about what really goes on behind the scenes of big corporations, medical research and the quest for the almighty dollar. Add organized religion and the Vatican-you have a story that will question the ideology of our society-who truly is in charge of our daily lives?

Stairway 2 Heaven reads like a movie-the reader is pulled into the fast paced action, the anger, the angst and the chase as Matthias Chalmers must find the stolen formula or face the possibility of his own death and the death of everyone he loves and knows. Chaz Thompson has written an amazing storyline that will fascinate as well as examine the possibilities of a pharmaceutical discovery that could change the concept of body, soul and life ever lasting.

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