Lady’s Minstrel

Author: N.J. Walters

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Purchase:   http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lady039sminstrel-605725-144.html?referrer=romjunkies

Alicia had married Reys and their marriage bliss was short lived for he left to go on a Crusade.  For six years she waited for him to come home.  With every day that passes and she doesn’t hear from him, she fears he is dead.

 To complicate matters, a mysterious man appears at her home.  He shrouds his face in a cloak; his presence at the castle does not go unnoticed, but strangely the workers do not question his existence.

When Alicia confronts the stranger she learns that it is her husband Reys.  He explains that he was captured and tortured in a foreign prison.  The abuse he received while he was captured is evident in the scars he has and the emotional drama she sees in his eyes.

Will Alicia be able to look past Reys scars and rebuild their marriage?  Or has so much time passed that she feels it is useless to try to build something that barely existed?

LADY’S MINSTREL is one of those books that you can’t help but fall in love with.  N.J. Walters does an exceptional job in creating two emotionally challenged characters.  How she weaves each other back into one another’s lives is the tragedy triumph this reader craves.  I highly recommend this book to any beauty and the beast fans!

{Romance Junkies}

Phantom Touch

Author: Cindy Jacks

Publisher: Ellora Cave

Release Date: October 14, 2011

Purchase:  http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9623-phantom-touch.aspx

During the week Erika works at a dead end job as a data entry clerk. On the weekend, she transforms into her alter-ego Little Lottie, a singer at a local club.  Being Little Lottie allows her to let her hair down and live a carefree existence.

For months Erika has shared an online romance with a man known only to her as “Phantom”.  This man of mystery has her curiosity heightened.  She can’t wait for the day to meet him in person.

Phantom hides behind his computer to protect his real identity.  He fears if Erika were to discover who he really was she wouldn’t give him the time to prove that he is worthy of her love.   

The day arrives when Phantom reluctantly gives into Erika pleas to meet him.  He hides his identity by wearing a mask.  Will Phantom live up to Erika’s expectations as her perfect companion?  Or will her fantasy turn into her greatest nightmare? 

Being a fan of the Phantom of the Opera I was excited to find Phantom Touch by Cindy Jacks.  She puts a rather unique spin on a modern day Phantom of the Opera theme.  There are many similarities that are assured to delight true blue Phantom fans.  The only weakness I found in this book was the author using flashbacks of a time past revolving around Phantom.  At first I found these scenes distracted from the overall story, it was only until the end did I fully understand their meaning and how they played a huge part of the story.

{Romance Junkies}

Invitation to Ecstasy

Author: Nina Pierce

Publisher: Ellora Cave

Release Date: August 10, 2011

Purchase:   http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-invitationtoecstasy-595450-144.html?referrer=romjunkies

Sara Lancaster had suffered abuse from her former master.  As a submissive she was thought to serve her master with the best of her ability.  When the one she trusted took advantage of her both physically and mentally, she questioned her choice in the BDSM lifestyle.  It has taken her two years to recover from the ordeal.  An opportunity to get back into the BDSM scene arrives in the form of an invitation from the XTC Resort.  Sara knows this is her chance to throw caution to the wind, and be able to once again reveal her submissive side. 

Derek Thomas questions his ability to be a Dom.  Once his dominant side had brought an adrenaline high that was able to feed his hungry soul; now the pleasure he once craves seems to have lost its luster.  When he receives an invitation to participate in Dom training, he decides this might be what he has been seeking to jumpstart his BDSM lifestyle and get it back on track. 

Derek is presented Sara as his submissive.  Although she is older than he, there is something about her spirit that calls out to him to become her master.  Can two damaged souls be able to heal the wounds that have been inflicted on them from others?  Or will they find that their favorite pastime of Dom and Submissive has lost its appeal to their senses? 

Nina Pierce’s INVITATION TO ECSTASY is one scorching novel!  I like how she has entwined two wounded souls that find salvation in the BDSM lifestyle.  INVITATION TO ECSTASY is an emotional rollercoaster, it will tear at your heart one minute while the next it has you reaching for ice cubes.  Nina Pierce is always a favorite of this reader for she offers the best reading experience possible!  I highly recommend any of her books for anyone who would like to take a plunge into BDSM.

{Romance Junkies}

True Surrender

Author: Tracey Cramer-Kelly

Publisher: CreateSpace

Release Date: September 29, 2011

Purchase:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466242418/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romancejunk0b-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1466242418

While in Afghanistan Major Aaron Bricewick was captured by terrorists.  His abductors try to pressure him to reveal top secret information.  He refuses to corporate with them and they savagely tortured him by breaking both his legs.  He fears that he will not be able to survive another beating.  With is life hanging on by a thread he is miraculously rescued.

The nightmare doesn’t end when he is found; instead he is rushed to Holbrook Medical Center, a military hospital that specializes in extensive trauma; the damage to one of his legs is so severe the doctors have no other choice but to amputate one of his legs.  Aaron has to come to terms with his amputation.  To complicate matters is his prosthetist Holly Rossiter.  Holly and him had shared a passionate love affair, but the time came when he had to decide to choose her or his career.  With no looking back, he moved forward by selecting his career. 

When Holly discovers that Aaron has been admitted to her hospital she assigns herself to his case.  It is difficult for Holly to see such a strong man as Aaron face such a life altering surgery.  She thinks as Aaron’s prosthetist she will be able to provide him the comfort and expert care that his condition warrants. 

 As Holly sees Aaron come to terms with his amputation will she be strong enough to provide him the strength he needs to get through his dark days?  Aaron is determined that his disability will not deter him from having the career he worked so hard at maintaining.  Will he once again walk away from the love that Holly is offering?  

TRUE SURRENDER is one EXCEPTIONAL book!!!  Mere words cannot express how impressed I am with this novel.  Tracey Cramer-Kelly has out done herself on this military romance.  This book is so well developed it would make an excellent candidate for the Lifetime movie channel.  This author has fully convinced me that she is a voice that will quickly earn her high marks in the book world.

{Romance Junkies}

A Christmas to Remember

Author: Debra St. John

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: 11-02-2011

Purchase:  http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-achristmastoremember-638199-149.html?referrer=romjunkies

A year ago, Heather Morgan’s boyfriend jilted her for another woman.  The two of them had planned to spend Christmas together at a ski lodge.  Heather refused to cancel her vacation and decides to make the trip solo.  Entering into the ski resort she immediately felt the holiday spirit consume her, and with it a level of sadness of why she was there alone.

When she settled in, she decided to go downstairs for dinner.  There was not an available seat to be found, and then Heather meets a handsome stranger named Sam.  He offers to share his table with her. 

Sam reveals that he is visiting with his brother who thinks Sam is long overdue for a vacation.  The two of them enjoy one another’s company, and before they know it the dinner is over.  Sam makes Heather an offer that she can’t refuse, to teach her how to ski in exchange for spending time with him while they are there. 

Heather is intrigued by Sam and accepts his offer thinking that she has the better part of the deal.  Their vacation days quickly fly by as they spend them together.  The day comes when they each much return to their own lives.

A year passes, and Heather finds that she still finds herself thinking of Sam.  She wants to reconnect with him by returning to the ski lodge; the same one that she was at year prior.  Will Sam also feel the connection and return?  Will history repeat itself once more with a different ending? 

A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER is the perfect story to get you in the holiday spirit!  Sam and Heather are two lonely souls who found one another and discovered a love each one never anticipated.  From page one, I quickly got absorbed in their story with the authors descriptive passages I felt as though I was living each scene with the characters.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to see love rediscovered.

{Romance Junkies}

A Pirate’s Bounty

Author: Eliza Knight

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Release Date: June 22, 2011

Purchase:  http://www.jasminejade.com/p-9306-a-pirates-bounty.aspx

Faryn was having trouble sleeping, to calm her mind she decided to take a moonlight stroll along the beach.  She never anticipated that she would be captured by pirates.  Captain Wraith Noir commands the vessel.  The people that is captured and brought to him are destined to be slaves to a pirate Queen.

When Wraith sees Faryn there is something about her spirit that captures his attention.  He knows that her future is destined to be bleak for one so fair and young would stand little chance against the harsh elements of being a slave.

Wraith makes a deal with the pirate Queen to trade for Faryn’s life.  He makes a deal with Faryn if she is to surrender her body to him, he will see that she is returned to her family.  Faryn knows in order to survive; she must give into the pirate and sacrifice her body for his needs.

Faryn is surprised at how Wraith is able to set her body on fire.  In his arms she finds his touch and gentle caress is pure ecstasy.  When the day arrives when Wraith must decide if he returns her to her family as he promised will he be able to let her go knowing the chances of seeing her again is highly unlikely?

Eliza Knight has written a superb swashbuckling romance!  A PIRATE BOUNTY’S is one high action packed romance that will keep you glued to your seats.  The love scenes scorch the pages they are written on.  For those who appreciate a trip back to the past, this is one book you definitely don’t want to miss out on.

{Romance Junkies}

The Rebel’s Angel

Author: Cassandra Lutheran

Publisher: Melange Books, LLC

Release Date: April 23, 2011

Purchase:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005F9YDUE/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=romancejunk0b-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B005F9YDUE

The Civil War had divided a nation; as battles were fought, countless lives were lost.  Jenna Carson’s world has been torn apart when she loses her father and learns her brother is missing.  As a battle of Antietam takes place close enough for her to see, she realizes the danger that she is facing.

After the smoked cleared, Jenna was relieved to see that her land and home were untouched. As she looked out toward her lands she spots a man slumped over a tree.  She is uncertain of which side he is fighting for, but she knows that she can’t leave him out there to die. 

Major Miles Hanson is a confederate soldier.  To Jenna, she should have seen him as her enemy but instead she saw a man who was gravely wounded.  Jenna knew the risk she would be taking by helping to save his life, but her conscious would not allow her to leave him to suffer. 

Miles thinks he has been rescued by an angel, for the beauty he sees before him is of angelic quality.  When he recovers enough to have full control of his senses he meets Jenna.  Although he has strong southern loyalties he can’t help but be attracted to Jenna. 

Will the war keep Miles and Jenna from exploring a forbidden love?  Or will they overcome their views and be able to experience a love that is able to heal each other? 

THE REBEL’S ANGEL is one fabulous book!  I was so impressed with the in-depth historical details that  the author provided to the reader.  It made the reading experience that much richer.  I was very impressed with Cassandra Lutheran’s writing style.  She brought a new meaning to the gene of historical romance with her exceptional characters and descriptive historical setting.  THE REBEL’S ANGEL is worthy enough to be the next “Gone with the Wind”.

{Romance Junkies}

The Pilot and the Fairy Princess

Author: Jack Saux

Publisher: Arthur Hardy Enterprises, Inc.

Release Date: June 17, 2011

Purchase:  http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Fairy-Princess-ebook/dp/B0056QJEXC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1317557811&sr=1-1

John Dees had arrived in Saint Francisville, Louisiana to keep a promise he had made to himself to find his deceased friend Duke’s family and to check on how they were living their lives without him.  John blamed himself for Duke’s death.  He feels if he had reacted differently that horrific day that his best friend would still be alive.  Although he survived the crash by parachuting out of the plane, he landed in enemy territory in Iraq.  With his landing, he broke his ankle that got infected and resulted in his leg being amputated by enemy hands.

John manages to locate Duke’s widow, Louise, and his five year old daughter, Gabrielle.  He doesn’t reveal who he really is in fear they would reject his help.  He applies for a job at the local school for he wants to ensure that he establishes himself in the community to be available to Louise and Gabrielle.

Gabrielle took an immediate interest in John.  Louise welcomed him into her home and quickly grew to look forward to his visits.  John seemed to be the missing piece of the puzzle from both her and Gabrielle’s life.  Although she would never forget her first husband, she can’t help but feel a growing attraction to John.

When the day comes when John is forced to reveal his true identity will Louise be able to accept him and their growing love?  Or will she throw away all her feelings because she can’t accept his deception to bring himself in both hers and her daughter’s life?

THE PILOT AND THE FAIRY PRINCESS is an enchanting story of tragedy, triumph, and the strong will to survive and move forward.  Jack Saux does an exceptional job in capturing each one of these deep emotions.  I was highly impressed at his skill as a writer by how he offered a story that captured my attention from page one.  This is one book that you will have a hard time forgetting once you finish.  Although it is not fully devoted to being a romance, you can’t help fall in love with these beloved characters.

{Romance Junkies}

A Broken Christmas

Author: Claire Ashgrove

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Release Date: October 26, 2011

Purchase:  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=4659

Aimee Garland thought she had the perfect marriage; then the unexpected occurred when her husband filed for a divorce fourteen months ago.  She refuses to believe their marriage is over, and is determined to be there to greet her wounded husband as he exits off of the military plane. As he makes his way off the plane, she sees in his eyes that he is haunted by far more than just his physical injuries.

Delta Force operative Kyle Garland’s last mission shattered his body and spirit.  His physical wounds are nothing compared to the horror he witnessed in Afghanistan.  To protect his wife from knowing the truth of what he had done, he made the painful decision to file for a divorce. 

Aimee refuses to give up on the love Kyle and she share.  Kyle thinks that to protect Aimee he must keep his distance.  As Christmas time approaches, will the holiday magic be enough to allow them to put the past behind them and see that to heal, they are both in need of the love they share for each other?

A BROKEN CHRISTMAS is one exceptional book!  Mere words can’t express how much I fell in love with this story.  Aimee and Kyle are two characters that you soon will not forget; I found myself hating to see their story end.  Claire Ashgrove has definitely made an impact with her writing on this reader’s mind.  This is the first book that I have read by her, but I assure you that it will not be the last.  For anyone who appreciates a book with which you will develop an emotional bond then A BROKEN CHRISTMAS is just the book to satisfy your needs.

{Romance Junkies}

Pleasure Partners, Book 5 – Perfect Master

Author: Ann Jacobs

Publisher: Ellora Cave

Purchase:  http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Master-ebook/dp/B005HBYPJY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1316555851&sr=1-1

Twelve years ago, King Gawain thought he was on his deathbed.  Obsidion law called for the succession of his eldest son.  To do so, all of the Kings other children and male cousins were to be castrated.  Arik was the second son, he refused to allow his manhood be taken and fled his homeland.  A group of mercenaries was sent to find and kill Arik.  When King Gawain found out that he was not to die, he called off the search to kill Arik.  By the time his command was heard, Arik’s manhood had been spared, but the mercenaries had savagely tortured and maimed him.

Arik will not allow King Gawain to forget the day he dedicated his death sentence.  He refuses the help of Pak Song who is known to have the power to remove scars, and to restore the use of loss limbs with his bionic prosthesis.  Instead, Arik spends his days in his room, whenever he ventures out, he is swathed from head to foot in leather to spare anyone from the horror what lies beneath his covering.

King Gawain knows that with Arik being the Crown Prince, he must carry out the royal lineage by bearing sons.  With Arik’s scars, he doesn’t anticipate that anyone young maiden would come willing to his bed.  He makes a decision to request Obsidion’s matchmaker to find a suitable mate for Arik.  Her skill as a matchmaker is a success as she matches him with one of Eli the jeweler’s beautiful daughter Emerald. 

Emerald is thrilled to be selected to wed Arik.  She remembers seeing him once from a distance, and was enthralled by his handsome profile.  As she is prepared for the mating ceremony she finds herself anxious to see Arik.

As the ceremony begins, she is puzzled at why Arik is covered from head to toe in leather.  Emerald demands to see Arik unclothed; Arik fears that once she sees the monster that he has become she will want released out of their union.  Will Emerald’s love for Arik be strong enough to accept his scarred image?

PERFECT MASTER is the perfect way to break away from life’s hectic pace.  Ann Jacob’s has once again written an award winning novel.  For anyone who is worried about starting this series without reading the other four books, don’t be since each story can easily stand alone.  I highly recommend any of the Pleasure Series books or anything that Ann Jacobs writes.  This is an author who knows how to provide the upmost reading enjoyment to her reviewers.

The other titles in the series include:

• His Pleasure Mistress – Book 1 in the Pleasure Partners Series
• Pleasure Slave – Book 2 in the Pleasure Partners Series
• Enslaving the Master – Book 3 in the Pleasure Partners Series
• Imperfect Partners – Book 4 in the Pleasure Partners Series

  {Romance Junkies}