Dark Curse by Chrisitine Feehan

Ratings: * * * * (out of 5 *)
Genre: Paranormal Romance

The 19th Book to Christine Feehan's Dark Series. Feehan has never disappointed and her books are getting deeper and deeper to the problems with Carpathians and vampires. This time, when the plot thickened, the people of the earth bonded together.

Her Carpathian men are swirling with testosterone and that includes our hero, Nicolas De La Cruz. Nicolas is the middle of the five De La Cruz brothers who resided in the Amazon. The eldest, Zacarias, sent him with information to the prince of his people who is half the world away in the Carpathian Mountains. On the way to meeting the prince, he meets his lifemate and his world has met a metanoia.

Nicolas always believed in a fairytale ending where his lifemate would fall madly in love with him, have tons of babies and stay at home. He gets the opposite. She had a strong will and a fire in her. Sex is something she cannot tolerate because she cannot bare to be touched. Her powers are explosive to the point of endangering everyone. Worse, the Carpathian people need her powers.

Danger is at their doors. The endangered Carpathian must deal with mutated bacterias, pollutants, mages and marital struggles as they find a way to save their race.

I'm spoiling a lot already. One thing I must say, this is a must-read and the series is a must-collect. Who knew Carpathians, vampires, werewolves, jaguars and mages would combine in a world we are very ignorant of.

Extra treat for Feehan fans: Gregori will get a scolding form Father-in-law and his dear older brother.

My Immortal Highlander

Ratings: * * * (out of 5 *)
Genre: Fanta-Historical Romance

A two-part novel by Hannah Howell and Lindsay Sands, My Immortal Highlander is about identical Twins Bothan and Calum NacNachton. Twins who went their own ways and found brides. Each becoming a laird in medieval Scotland.

Rumors hound the MacNachtons. They were said to be demons preying on souls of virgins and bairns but that was not so for the women who found themselves in situations that called for big strong men that were more than human.

Hannah Howell's The Hunt stars Bothan. He searches for an Outsider, one who is not of clan, to be his bride. Centuries of inbreeding had weakened them. His father made sure to mix their blood and dilute their curse. So Bothan and his siblings delve in two worlds. He can come out in the day but takes precaution to hide behind a thick cloak. They drink blood when weakened and heal very fast. Destiny has sent him to the aid of Kenna Brodie who's murderous uncle claims her inheritance Bantulach from her. Together, they must vanquish foe and dark rumors and as all good romance do, have a happy ending.

Lindsay Sand's The Rescue deals with Calum. Lonely from being separated from his twin, now a laird, Calum sets out in quests that takes him away from his home. As fate had brought his brother to a woman in need, so he too faces an heiress in trouble. Seems marriage was the only solution. Will he take the plunge? Can she and her people accept a vampire laird?

The story, the set and the concept is good but it leaves the reader hanging. I felt it was an abrupt ending and it needed expansions.

The School for Husbands by Wendy Holden

Ratings: * * * * (out of 5 *)
Genre: Contemporary Romance

The story doesn't start with boy meets girl. The story starts in the middle of a marriage. Couple do fall out of love for various reasons and it takes a love story to bring them back together.

Sophie is not happy with Mark. He works late and never phones. All the responsibilities are placed on her shoulders and he's being a typical male. As in not closing toothpaste, not cleaning after self, that kind of thing. Small but everything adds up and Sophie can't take it anymore. Worse, she and her mother thinks he's sleeping with a co-worker.

Mark is desperate to save his marriage especially now that they have a baby son to worry about. When Sophie went to her mother's house, he quits his job and enrolls in Dr. Martha's School for Husbands.

Dr. Martha has her quirky ways in training good husbands. Tortures, awful lodgings, ghastly food but Mark has to bear it all to prove his love to Sophie. On the sides, there is Sophie's mother pushing her to date a millionaire and sabotages to make sure Mark fails his final exam: Marriage.

It's a very good read especially to those who are just beginning to be couple. In life, men will be men. Sometimes, these men still have that caveman thinking that women must take care of the home. But this is a book for men as well. It shows that there must be compromise in a relationship. Little things might blow out of proportions because of the lack of communication. Oh, and in a relationship, you have to be best friend with your in-laws.

A witty and hilarious novel!

Her Kind of Trouble by Evelyn Vaughn

Ratings: * * * * * (out of 5 *)
Genre: Romantic Suspense

I should be reviewing a different genre of romance but this was what I had in my desk. :-) It's a Bombshell series.

Maggi Sanger is a grail-hunter. But not just any grail hunter, she hunt for special kinds of cup. The ones she and her girl-power family needs to keep safe for the sake of all the women in the world.

In the mean time, there are assassin from an organization of super manly man who wants to kill her and take the cup. By the way, her ex is part of that org... and he wants her to marry him.

It is a very eventful book. Action packed and very romantic. Did magic actually occur? We let you speculate on that. Magi and her Lex are very romantic but she has to watch every corner. Bad guys seem to leap out at her. Is is Lex or his demented cousin Phil? Perhaps this is all part of the curse of the grail?

This book is a keeper.

Lover Enshrined by J. R. Ward

Ratings: * * * 1/2 (out of 5 *)
Genre: Paranormal Romance

In Cadwell, New York, a band of Brotherhood protects the vampires from the undead slayers. They are the Black DaggerBrotherhood.

This is the sixth instalment of Ward's Black Dagger Bortherhood Novels.

Talk about emotional vampires! Everyone has their past and it comes to haunt them. Especially Phury. In the previous novels, he is introduced as the celibate twin of Zsadist. We think he is so engrossed in saving his brother or the whole world but the dark side to it is not. He is actually a masochist. His hurts himself emotionally. He also hurts himself physically through drugs and alcohol. Phury also has a sadistic side but he often show it to the slayers.

Enter Cormia, a Chosen female sent to be his first mate. Phury has accepted to be Primale. Meaning: He has to ensure the race by impregnating 40 females form the Scribe Virgin's Chosen. Unfortunately, he's falling in love with one of them. Throughout the book, he battles drug and alcohol addiction and a strange inner voice pulling him to destruction.

In the mean time, the other brotherhood members have their own battles to fight. The Glymera is being massacred, King Wrath is having problems ruling. Zsadist is fearful of Bella's pregnancy and John Mathews is not comfortable in his transition. Outside of the brotherhood, things are also chaotic. Rhevenge is being blackmailed. Haver's Clinic is hit by the Lessening Society(Slayers). Will they all pull through?

Who would have known emotional vampires could be fun and romantic? The main characters are given depth and each one is tested. Unfortunately, not all characters are featured. I felt there wasn't much on Butch, Vishious and Rhage. Guess, these three didn't have that much of an impact on Phury as Wrath, Zsadist and Rhevenge. John's story is very much part of the problem. His friends are there to protect him and he is there for them. Slowly he grows up emotionally but it is in steps. Ward's Series is a must collect. It's not-your-usual vampire series.

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

Ratings: * * * * (out of 5 *)
Genre: Paranormal Romance

I thought my first review should be about the first book of my favorite romance series. Dark Prince is Christine Feehan's Book one on her Dark Series, a Carpathian Novel. It is a different take on vampire novels.

They are not vampires but Carpathians. Not dead but very much alive. These Carpathians are named after their mountain origins. They are a separate species, a powerful and immortal one but seemed doomed to extinction. After 200 years, a male Carpathian looses their emotions, feelings and ability to see colors. The lure of power and destruction becomes a nagging urge. When they can no longer take it, they kill their prey and relish the momentary surge of rush. This turns them into vampires, undead. Vampires are Carpathian males who turned and are no longer "of the light."

In order to save them from this plight, they must find their lifemates, their one true love. This lifemate will give them back their colors, emotions and life. She will save is soul and bring him back to the light. Unfortunately there are so few Carpathian women.

Mikhail, prince of the Carpathians is in turmoil. His inability to feel weakens his will to live on for his people. They have to face it: extinction. His sister was just murdered by human vampire hunters who cannot tell the difference between a Carpathian and a vampire. He is the judge, jury and executioner of his people. Mikhail has no other choice but to bring justice.

Enter Raven Whitney. She is a psychic with remarkable talents. Attraction flares up between her and Mikhail. Little did she know he was her... Dark Prince.

I like the series. Though, Dark Prince was not the first one I read. It is actually the third book I got my hands on in the series. It is a must-read and a must-collect. The main characters each struggling with their emotions but through it all, they profess their love. Mikhail struggles with his acquired emotions and the need to protect Raven at all cost. Raven, loner for most of her life, is struggling with the loss of her independence and rigid Carpathian ways. Their customs clashes but one thing they know and that is to protect each other at all cost. It's an explosive beginning!