Unwrapping: Review of THE DEVIL'S HEART, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell

Having already read the first two Chattan Curse novels, LYON’S BRIDE and THE SCOTTISH WITCH, I had no choice but to find out if Margaret would be able to solve the mystery of the little white cat, end the curse, and fall in love in THE DEVIL’S HEART by Cathy Maxwell. Well, I was not disappointed. In fact, the final book of this series is by far the best of the trio and concludes with a fabulous and heart-wrenching finish.

***eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for THE DEVIL’S HEART:

They call her the Unattainable. Lady Margaret Chattan spurned every suitor for her hand, vowing never to marry. The only way to break the curse plaguing her family for two centuries is this ultimate sacrifice. But now her brothers' lives are in danger. Determined to save them, she risks her very soul by traveling into the heart of the highlands to battle a force that has transcended time.

Heath Macnachtan is not superstitious. Laird of the most independent, nonconforming, madly infuriating clan ever to grace Scotland, he believes he has his hands full. And then, a woman lauded as one of the most beautiful in England, arrives on his doorstep with wild accusations and a mystical quest . . . one that just might help him discover who murdered his own brother.

But the real danger for Heath and Margaret is not a supernatural foe, but a very real love that could destroy them both.

                                                      *                     *                      *                      *                      * 

With the urging of her ailing brothers, Margaret Chattan has traveled to Loch Awe in an attempt to end the curse that threatens to claim two more Chattan men. On the way, she encounters the elusive Owl, a white cat with folded ears and large round eyes. When told that no one else in the group can see the cat, Margaret leaves it by the side of the road but then as if no longer protected, a storm develops that throws the carriage off the road. Broken and battered, Margaret lies dying alongside her companions and fears the curse will win after all.

 

Heath Macnachtan is the Laird of Marybone, home to the remaining direct descendants of Fenella Macnachtan, the witch that put the curse upon Charles Chattan, and his descendants, after he jilted her daughter, Rose, to marry an Englishwoman.  On the verge of losing all that has been in his family for generations, Heath feels he’s failed the memory of his murdered brother, Brodie. Returning home with news that will not change his family’s circumstances, he stops at the site of his brother’s murderous death and discovers a dreadful scene and a sleeping beauty untouched from the accident. If I tell you more I'll spoil it for you.

Excerpt:

She lay on her back upon a bed of pine needles, her hands folded at her waist, her eyes closed, her face serene … and she was beautiful. Her lips were red, her complexion flawless.

Heath recognized her immediately.

This was Lady Margaret Chattan, the Unattainable. He’d seen her once on a London street. She’d been followed by a flock of male admirers.

Hers was a face no man could ever forget. It was said men fought over her, they begged for her favors, they worshipped her – and yet no man had ever claimed her.

That day, almost a decade ago, a much younger Heath had gazed upon her and had the feeling that one day their paths would cross. He’d even said as much to other men. They had assured him he was deluding himself.

But Heath’s belief had not been so outlandish. She was a Chattan; he a Macnachtan. There had been a moment in time when their histories had entwined.

And now she was here in his wood. And she was alive. - THE DEVIL'S HEART

 

THE DEVIL’S HEART, book 3 of the Chattan Curse series by Cathy Maxwell is an excellent conclusion to a wonderful series. Cathy has conjured a mystery on top of a mystery, a battle of good against evil, and leaves us truly believing that love conquers all. I thoroughly enjoyed the buildup to the end and wasn’t disappointed. Margaret is headstrong yet yielding, and Heath is compassionate yet steadfast in his role as Laird, protector, lover, and conqueror. His disbelief in the curse begins to wane as his need to protect Margaret and to aid her in her search for an end to the curse becomes all consuming. When all seems lost to both, his strength and need to prove his love for Margaret is what saves them. More than the curse is resolved in this thrilling historical romance that has a truly heart wrenchingly sweet happily-ever-after.

 

I highly recommend THE DEVIL’S HEART by Cathy Maxwell to anyone who believes that love can bring anyone together, even enemies. To anyone who believes that good will always overcome evil and to anyone who loves a truly wonderful read. Whether or not you’ve read the first two books, LYON’S BRIDE and THE SCOTTISH WITCH, Cathy provides enough backstory to draw you in so that you’ll be wondering what you missed, but will still keep you hooked straight through to a tissue grabbing ending. However, to experience the full impact of the Chattan Curse and the fight to free the Chattan siblings from Fenella’s evil, I do recommend reading from the beginning of the series. It’s very worth it.

 

Happy Reading Everyone!

 

THE DEVIL’S HEART, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell, Avon Romance, releasing April 30, 2013 in print and ebook formats.
 

                                                                  

And Cathy Maxwell's Chattan Curse Novels go to ...

 

I want to thank everyone who visited and played,
As always it's a delight to have you come by to say hello!

I hope you've all been following the AVON ADDICT BLOG HOP,
there are still plenty of fun posts and giveaways yet to come.
For the complete list of blog hop sites
click BELOW.

AVON ADDICT BLOG HOP


Now for what you've all been waiting for
the winner of
THE SCOTTISH WITCH
and
LYON'S BRIDE
by Cathy Maxwell
is:




PENNI FREELS






Congratulations to Penni! 
The winner has been notified by email and already responded.

Happy Reading Everyone!



Day 17 - AVON ADDICT BLOG HOP: Review of THE SCOTTISH WITCH, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell

Welcome to DAY 17 of the AVON ADDICT BLOG HOP! I'm pleased to join my Sister Alums and my new Avon Addict Sisters, the second group of super readers for Avon Romance, in this 24 days of fun & fabulous Giveaways!

On Friday, I reviewed LYON'S BRIDE, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell and I told you that in order to appreciate the next book, THE SCOTTISH WITCH by Cathy Maxwell, you had to read the first. Well, I'm going to give my honest and unscripted review of THE SCOTTISH WITCH and then I'm going to give someone the chance to find out for themselves and read both books. More on that later.

Blurb for THE SCOTTISH WITCH:

Every woman has her dreams
Portia Maclean believes she is beyond love and marriage. Then one moonlit night, while attempting a daring masquerade in a desperate bid to protect her family, she finds herself swept off her feet by a powerful stranger. His very touch makes her long for much more. But what will he do when once he discovers she has betrayed him?

Every man has his demons
Harry Chattan is fighting for his family-their honor and their lives. For two hundred years the Chattan men have been destroyed by love.and now he's come to Scotland on the hunt for a witch who can break the legend's curse. Instead he finds himself bewitched by the tantalizing Portia. Determined to right legendary wrongs, Harry has vowed to fight the demons that torture him.
But will that battle destroy her as well?

                     *                          *                        *                        *                        *

Colonel Harry Chattan is a warrior who never backs down from a fight and right now he's in a fight for his brother's life and possibly some day his own. He never plans to fall in love so he doubts he will ever be faced with the consequences of the Chattan curse but he needs to find a way to end it to save his brother and sister. However, if he needs to he will offer himself up in place of his brother, Neal - Lord Lyon. He's traveled to Scotland in search of someone or something to end the curse set upon his family before his brother succumbs to it now that he's happily wed and expecting his first child.

Portia MacLean is the oldest of two sisters. It's her place to take care of her mother, her sister and ensure that they keep a roof over their head. When money becomes tight and the threat of being put out of their home becomes imminent, Portia connives another way to make sure they survive. When she learns that a Chattan has arrived in Glennfinnan to find a witch to remove the curse he believes haunts his family and is willing to pay well for it, she decides to lead him to believe she's that witch using an old book of recipes and home remedy cures she found in her attic. Complications ensue when he catches her before she has a chance to disguise herself, he begs her to help him, then she runs away with the promise to meet him again only to not show up. When Harry decides to stay in the village until he finds the witch he believes is Fenella of the Macnachtan reincarnated unaware that she is, in truth, Portia, she does her best to stay out of his way yet finds herself drawn to him in a way she can't explain.

Magic surrounds this story from the beginning, with a second remembrance of the story of the curse from Rose's point of view to Portia's discovery of Fenella's book of spells to the appearance of a strange cat, named Owl, who appears, disappears, then reappears mysteriously. Owl, the cat becomes a very intricate part of the story and the mystery. We soon discover that only Harry and Portia seem to be able to see it - and Monty's dogs!

Whereas LYON'S BRIDE alone was only good read, it was a great setup for this novel. Having read it, I thoroughly enjoyed THE SCOTTISH WITCH, the second book in the Chattan Curse series by Cathy Maxwell because of the history known of the story and having already met Harry. Not only is the relationship between Harry Chattan and Portia MacLean much more vibrant and magical, in that I got the definite impression that Owl might very well have a lot to do with their instant and passionate attraction to each other, but because I had already found myself attracted to Harry from the first book. After he meets Portia, who I so very strongly related to, Harry brings her alive and as she does him. The pair are wonderful together, charming and endearing. Harry is a good man with a loyalty that cannot be struck down by the meanest curse and when he extends that loyalty to Portia, you just want to embrace the man and wish him for your own.

THE SCOTTISH WITCH by Cathy Maxwell is fast-paced, character rich, and leads the reader into an even greater mystery with a teaser end that will have clamouring for the next installment. We are definitely left with an I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT yearning to read the next book in the Chattan Curse series, THE DEVIL'S HEART - which won't come to us until April - darn it!!

I do have one problem but it's very inconsequential, except maybe to me -  I do have to question the idea of a Scottish fold cat being in existence at this time in history. I suppose it's possible but the genetic anomaly wasn't even noticed until the 20th Century. I am, however, very pleased that Cathy decided to make this mysterious and bewitching cat white instead of black. Black cats, throughout history, immediately conjure a strong negativity among some people, which I truly wish they would get over. Black cats are beautiful and they are just cats but that's a rant for another time and place.

I highly recommend THE SCOTTISH WITCH by Cathy Maxwell, if you've read LYON'S BRIDE. If you haven't then do and get yourself caught up in this series. It's truly bewitching!

Now, since I just declared that everyone should read this series from the beginning and on through, I'm going to give one of my wonderful readers a chance to do just that. In celebration of the AVON ADDICT BLOG HOP, I am giving away a print copy of each of these Chattan Curse novels. Simply tell me this:

Have you ever read a novel with a character that you strongly related to and if so, who was the character?

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:  One print copy each of LYON'S BRIDE and THE SCOTTISH WITCH by Cathy Maxwell.
Feel free to click on the title to read my review of LYON'S BRIDE. 

GIVEAWAY RULES:

** This Giveaway is OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY (void where prohibited)

** To qualify for entry in this Giveaway, you must leave a comment and a valid email address. Remember the magic formula to be entered:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

** This Giveaway will run until 11:30 PM EST, Wednesday, Dec 19, 2012 when one lucky commenter will be chosen at random to win both of these books.  The winner will be notified by email and announced in a special post on Thursday but if the winner fails to answer back by end of day, Monday, Dec 24, 2012 - I will be forced to run the randomizer again and give the prizes to someone else.

Good luck and Happy Reading Everyone!

THE SCOTTISH WITCH, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell, Avon Romance, available now in print and ebook formats.


                                       

Unwrapping: Review of LYON'S BRIDE, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell

A few weeks back, I started a discussion about series and gave away three copies of LYON'S BRIDE, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell provided to me, by Avon Romance, as an Avon Addict. I hadn't read it yet but since I've got a special posting coming up on Monday for the AVON ADDICT BLOG HOP featuring the next book in the Chattan Curse series, THE SCOTTISH WITCH, I thought I should read this one first. I saved one of the copies just for that purpose. I'll be parting with it in the next giveaway but more on that another time.

***Print copy supplied by publisher for reading, my choice to review and as always it will be honest and unscripted.

Blurb for LYON'S BRIDE:

"When a Chattan male falls in love, strike his heart with fire from above..."

They call him Lord Lyon, proud, determined-- and cursed. He is in need of a bride, but if he falls in love, he dies. His fervent hope is that by marrying-- and having a son--without love, perhaps he can break the curse's chains forever.

Enter beautiful Thea Martin--a duke's headstrong, errant daughter and society's most brilliant matchmaker. Years ago, she and Lyon were inseparable, until he disappeared from her life without a word. Now she is charged with finding Lyon's bride--a woman he cannot love for a man Thea could love too well.

                            *                      *                      *                     *                       *

Thea Martin is a widow with two sons to provide for and who has been cut off by her family because they didn't approve of her marriage. She has turned to working as a matchmaker.  She's got quite a knack for it and because of her success has been summoned to aid an old friend. When she learns the circumstances of the man's need for a wife he will not ever love, she is quite disbelieving as to the reason.

Neal Chattan, Lord Lyon needs a wife, not a bride, not a lover - simply a wife. One he hopes to never find desirable enough to fall in love with but one who will merely suffice as a spouse and bear him children. Why would a man wish for such a thing? When a man believes he is cursed by an ancient old witch whose daughter was slighted and left broken hearted by a Chattan ancestor, he will do anything to survive. His own father had survived and was the first Chattan in centuries to sire more than one child only because he had no love for their mother. However, after his unloved wife died, he fell madly in love and quickly died. No Chattan can fall in love without suffering the consequences of the curse set upon them by the witch, Fenella of the Macnachtan.

Thea and Neal have a past together. As teens, they were heading toward a true love. Then Neal was warned by his father that any such relationship will only end in tragedy. Neal tore himself away from Thea, Neal set himself against marriage and Thea married for what she thought was love. They had parted ways, thinking to never reconnect until one fateful day when they found themselves together in a solicitor's office. Their feelings for each other had not waned and were quickly reignited.

LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell is a good read. Is it a great read? I don't think so but it's the beginning of what appears to be a very intriguing series. Having already read the second book in this series which I will review on Monday, I can tell you without a doubt that this one, LYON'S BRIDE, is a must read if you wish to have an understanding of what is happening in the second book.

As a second chance romance, LYON'S BRIDE works very well. More importantly, it lends itself very well to setting the stage for what's to come in the next two books. This is definitely a trilogy that must be read in order to both understand the current story and the fight to end the curse that's been laid upon the Chattan family. By reading this story first, you learn some of the tale of the unfortunate suicide of Rose, the daughter of Fenella - the witch who cursed the Chattans.

Cathy Maxwell has set the stage for a mystery that will carry us through to the end of the third book and hopefully provide us with a Happily Ever After for Neal and Thea and Neal's siblings, Harry and Margaret. For if the curse is not ended, Neal will surely die followed by Harry and Margaret, if they fall in love as well. I found Neal a bit stuffy at first, but thankfully, Thea brings out the best in him and you can't help but pray that the curse will be lifted. Harry, Neal's brother, is the charmer and thankfully, the hero of book two. Whereas all three siblings had decided never to fall in love, so that hopefully the curse would end with them, you know that just isn't going to happen in romance novels.

I have to recommend LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell not because it's a really wonderful romance, it was a good read, but rather because if you wish to enjoy what comes next, you definitely need to read this one. This is definitely a continuous series and we won't see any real HEAs until the series concludes. Come back on Monday and I'll tell you why!

Happy Reading Everyone!!

LYON'S BRIDE, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell, Avon Romance, available now in print and ebook formats.

                                                             

And 3 Copies of LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell go to ...

Thank you to everyone who came by and visited. 

And to those who commented,

 I loved hearing about why you love series.

I believe it's pretty much unanimous that series are much loved

 and hopefully, are here to stay.  : )

 

The Winners of the 3 Print Copies

of

LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell

 

are

ERIN

MELODY MAY

MICHELLE AHRENS

 

 

 

The winners have been notified by email so I hope they will

check their mail and especially their

SPAM folders in case the message goes in there.

 

Congratulations and thank you for playing.

 

And as always, thank you for visiting

UNWRAPPING ROMANCE

 

I do it all for you, my wonderful readers.

xoxo

 

 

Happy Reading Everyone!

 

Wacky Wednesday: SERIOUS ABOUT SERIES!

It's Wacky Wednesday and yes, I've got a fabulous Giveaway for you but first I'd like to ask you what you think about SERIES - not sequels but series.

Series are books written so that each book works as a stand-alone novel but as a group, they tell a greater story. Many of the romance novels I review here at UNWRAPPING ROMANCE are books in a series. Series like the Mistress Matchmaker Series by Jess Michaels (I just reviewed her new release if you'd like to check out this wickedly naughty historical romance - FOR DESIRE ALONE), or the Devil DeVere Series by Victoria Vane (I'll have a review of her newest novella coming soon - we love that Devil, don't we?), or the Feral Warrior Series by Pamela Palmer (Go Feral - LOVE UNTAMED is coming next month - yes, I'm reviewing).

They may be called by another name such as Gaelen Foley's The Inferno Club or Maya Rodale's The Writing Girls but they are still by definition, a series.

I love series. I love that the characters I meet in the first book I will meet again when their stories intertwine with others and eventually they get their own happily-ever-after.  A series gives me something to look forward to as the next comes along. Of course, there's a certain amount of sadness when a series finally runs its course but hopefully it will be a long time down the road.

Cathy Maxwell has begun a new series called the Chattan Curse. The first book in this series is called LYON'S BRIDE. Now, I do have a copy of this one - in fact, I have four copies of this one - as well as a copy of THE SCOTTISH WITCH, the second Chattan Curse novel but I have not read either - YET!

Blurb for LYON'S BRIDE:

The Chattan Curse: When a Chattan male falls in love, strike his heart with fire from above...

They call him Lord Lyon, proud, determined-- and cursed. He is in need of a bride, but if he falls in love, he dies. His fervent hope is that by marrying-- and having a son--without love, perhaps he can break the curse's chains forever.

Enter beautiful Thea Martin--a duke's headstrong, errant daughter and society's most brilliant matchmaker. Years ago, she and Lyon were inseparable, until he disappeared from her life without a word. Now she is charged with finding Lyon's bride--a woman he cannot love for a man Thea could love too well.

                    *                               *                             *                                *

A Curse! A series about cursed men! Sounds like something I'm eager to follow, how about you?

To help get you hooked by this new series, I'm going to give away three (3) print copies of the first book in this series - LYON'S BRIDE by Cathy Maxwell to three (3) lucky commenters.

All you have to do is tell me if you like or dislike series! If you don't, then maybe you'll share with us why not.

Giveaway Rules:

* This Giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY (void where prohibited).

* For your entry to qualify, you MUST leave a comment and a valid email address. Remember:

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  Thanks for playing.

 

* This Giveaway will run until 11:30PM EST, Friday, November 9, 2012 at which time, three (3) entries will be chosen by a randomizer and those lucky folks will be notified by email and announced in a special post on Saturday.

 

Good Luck and Happy Reading Everyone!

LYON'S BRIDE, a Chattan Curse novel by Cathy Maxwell, Avon Romance, available now in print and ebook formats.

                                                        

Unwrapping: FOR LOVE AND HONOR, an anthology in honor of our military

Coming out on May 29, 2012 is a new anthology from Avon Impulse. It features novellas from Cathy Maxwell, Lynne Hinton, and Candis Terry. All of the stories feature military men and it's being published in honor of anyone and everyone who has ever worn a uniform, is wearing a uniform and will ever wear a uniform. Happy Memorial Day to our troops!

Story Blurbs for FOR LOVE AND HONOR:

Three military heroes . . . fighting to protect their countries, their homes, and the women they love.

In New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell's THE BOOKISH MISS NELSON, it's the duty of daring Army Captain William Duroy to escort Miss Pippa Nelson through enemy territory, bringing her safely home to England. But can he resist falling in love?

In Lynne Hinton's LETTERS FROM PIE TOWN, a New Mexico town couldn't be prouder of its very own Raymond Twinhorse, injured while fighting in Afghanistan. So Trina Lockhart gathers letters from Raymond's friends and family, hoping their wishes will help to heal the man she loves-and bring him back home.

In Candis Terry's HOME SWEET HOME, Lt. Aiden Marshall returns to Sweet, Texas, after facing the devastation of war. With the help of the entire town-and a tail-wagging companion-the woman he's always loved makes her hero's homecoming all the more sweet.

                  *                         *                         *                         *                         *

FOR LOVE AND HONOR, an anthology featuring works by Cathy Maxwell, Lynne Hinton, and Candis Terry is a touching tribute to all those who have ever worn a uniform or ever will. It's a thank you that will touch your heart and have you wishing to extend your thanks to every man or woman in uniform. I read all three stories plus the excerpts for these three authors' other works in one evening.

The first story by Cathy Maxwell, THE BOOKISH MISS NELSON, is a delightful historical romance set in Spain during Wellington's battle against Napoleon. As his perceived punishment, Captain William Duroy has been ordered to escort Miss Pippa Nelson, the daughter of Sir Hew Nelson to Lisbon. Sir Hew is the British envoy to Spain and has left his book loving daughter at Wellington's encampment while he does his duty. Worried that he will miss the real fighting when the British go against the French, Captain Duroy tries to get his commanding officer to relent but fails. From the minute William meets the independent Pippa, they butt heads. Angry with the man in charge of her military escort for forcing her to leave her book laden coach behind, she decides no man, no matter how handsome, will tell her what to do. At the first opportunity, Pippa steals an innkeeper's son's clothing and riding alone sets out to return to Wellington's encampment where she believes her father will be expecting her to be. William is forced to go after her and when he finds her, they both find themselves in the middle of a French military unit. Their adventure together means being forced to hide from the French in a supply closet, then when Pippa discovers the French have taken her horse, Tatiana, she insists on getting her back. William's concern is greater. He's discovered the French have a train laden with ammunition and it will be coming in behind the British, meaning his fellow soldiers were in danger of being flanked on both sides which could mean certain failure and doom. He and Pippa set out to stop the train, retake Tatiana, and escape with their lives.
Reading THE BOOKISH MISS NELSON by Cathy Maxwell was like reading a teaser, a teaser that left me wanting more, much more. I wish that it was a full-length novel instead of just about forty pages. It is a story that is truly meant to be told in its entirety not condensed.

The second story by Lynne Hinton, LETTERS FROM PIE TOWN, had me reaching for a box of tissues very quickly. Told through a series of letters to be put into a care package to Raymond Twinhorse, a wounded soldier hospitalized in Germany. The letters are written by close friends, his father, and the girl he loves. We learn just how much they care about him and wish him to come home to them. We learn from them what a good man Raymond was even before he signed up to do the ultimate duty to defend our freedoms. They are all very proud of him not only for his doing his military duty but his duty as a son, a friend and as the beloved man who accepted a girl pregnant with another man's child. This compilation of letters is moving, endearing, and literally brought tears to my eyes.

The third story by Candis Terry, HOME SWEET HOME was definitely the most moving for me. Having just returned home from serving in the military, Aiden Marshall is a changed man. He's seen the horrors of war, the loss of good friends, and bears the guilt of a man who feels he doesn't deserve the right to have survived. Even though he's in love with the girl he left behind, Paige Walker, he feels she deserves better than him and walks away from her. However, Paige's love for him is too strong to let him go so easily. She invites him to become a partner in working the bed and breakfast that she took over from an aunt who had become too old to handle it anymore. While taking some time to consider Paige's proposition even after he'd disappointed her so greatly, Aiden is approached by the town to be a judge in the Sweet Apple Butter Festival's apple butter competition. Unable to turn down two blue-haired ladies who'd expended an enormous amount of compliments on him, he agrees.
Aiden's guilt and overwhelming sadness isn't just about returning to Sweet, Texas without his buddies. It's also based in the knowledge that he'd abandoned the one buddy that had given him loyalty and love, unconditionally. His buddy, a dog named Renegade, that he and his buddies had adopted as one of them, the Musketeers, while in Afghanistan. He had confided this painful guilt he carries to Paige so she sets out to help ease his conscience. She and the town have a surprise for Aiden and it's not just the honor of being a judge or even the biggest welcome home party that he'd never expected. Paige gives him the ultimate gift other than her undying love even when faced with his stubborn idea that she deserves better than him.
Unknown to Aiden, she and the town have banded together and arranged for that buddy that was left behind to be the guest of honor at the festival. The buddy, Aiden felt he'd abandoned, the buddy that would never understand why he hadn't returned to him, the buddy that, when he saw Aiden, wagged his tail happily, licked his face and forgave him on the spot. This great gift lifts Aiden's heart, helps heal some of the guilt and opens enough space in his heart to allow himself to believe he deserves to be loved again. 
HOME SWEET HOME by Candis Terry is a sweet, touching, even heartwrenching story. She touches our hearts with the grief that soldiers bear after seeing the horrors of war but then goes one step further and adds the love and loyalty of an innocent animal caught up in the world of war. By the end of this story, I was bawling like a baby.

I recommend that everyone who has a sense of duty to family, country, and those who allow us to keep our freedoms by sacrificing themselves - mind, body, and soul - that everyone one of you should read this anthology, FOR LOVE AND HONOR. Just be sure to have a big box of tissues nearby when you do.

Happy Reading Everyone!

FOR LOVE AND HONOR, an anthology by Cathy Maxwell, Lynne Hinton, and Candis Terry, from Avon Impulse, available in ebook format on May 29, 2012.

                                                              

Unwrapping: New Release Tuesday

Let's take a moment to congratulate the authors of new releases now available for our reading pleasure. Don't you just love a New Release Tuesday?!

We've got a wonderful variety of new releases to choose from and the Holidays are fast approaching so you might want to start making those lists, yours and theirs.

ECSTASY UNTAMED by Pamela Palmer

[I've been personally waiting anxiously for this one to be released.]

Shattered by recent nightmarish events, Hawke feels his bond with his animal spirit weakening—and once it breaks, he’s finished. The arrival of Faith sends his life spinning even further out of control, for although she delights him and enflames his deepest primal passions, she’s promised to Maxim, the newest Feral Warrior.

THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS (an Anthology) by Lynsay Sands and Jeaniene Frost

In Lynsay Sands' "The Gift," Katricia Argeneau knows grey-eyed cop Teddy Brunswick is her life mate. She just needs to convince him they belong together, and being snowbound in a secluded cabin will make this a Christmas neither will forget.

It's "Home for the Holidays" in Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, but this Christmas, an evil vampire and long-buried family secrets will threaten to take a bite out of their holiday cheer.

AGAINST THE STORM by Kat Martin

Some women find trouble wherever they go.

And some men are their only protection against it.

Redheads like her are nothing but trouble. But Trace Rawlins, a former army-ranger-turned-private-investigator, takes the case anyway. After all, he knows how to deal with women.

Trace can sense that something’s wrong—Maggie O’Connell isn’t telling him everything. If these menacing calls and messages are real, why won’t the police help her? And if they aren’t real, what is she hiding?

 

NEVER LOVE A HIGHLANDER by Maya Banks

In a tale of strong ties and true love, Maya Banks’s trilogy comes to its stunning conclusion, as the youngest McCabe brother uses sword and seduction to save his clan—and seal his heart.

Caelen McCabe’s young, reckless heart nearly destroyed his clan. Now, putting family loyalty above all else, he steps up to marry his older brother’s jilted bride and salvage the uneasy alliance between two clans. While beautiful Rionna McDonald is a fit wife for any man, Caelen trusts no woman, especially not this sweet temptress who torments him with white-hot longing.

BRING ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Robyn Carr

This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly high-school relationship and moved on.

So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

NIGHT HAWK by Beverly Jenkins

Outlaw.Preacher. Night Hawk. He’s had many names, but he can’t escape the past.

Since Ian Vance’s beloved wife was murdered years ago, the hardened bounty hunter knows he’ll never feel love or tenderness again, so he’s made it his mission to ensure others get their justice. But when he’s charged with delivering a sharp-eyed beauty to the law, Ian can’t help but feel he may still have something left to lose.

Orphaned at twelve, Maggie Freeman has always found her way out of trouble. But now there’s a vigilante mob at her back who would like nothing more than to see her hang for a crime she didn’t commit. Maggie may have to accept help for the first time in her life . . . even if it’s from the one man standing between her and freedom.

As the past closes in, the sassy prisoner and toughened lawman may just find a passion between them that could bring blinding happiness . . . if they’ll let it.

SCANDALOUS LORD DERE, a novella from the anthology Secrets of a Perfect Night by Stephanie Laurens is being released today as a stand-alone-ebook and at a great price!

Once upon a time, a young woman attended a New Year’s Eve ball...The moon shone brightly, music filled the air. Kisses were stolen and promises made. But what happens when morning comes? A new year brings new scandal when a rake awakens in the bed of the flame-haired temptress who had seduced him years before. All of society has them bedded, but can he convince her to become wedded?

  

BECAUSE OF YOU by Cathy Maxwell

A re-issue of her wonderful 1999 story:

Is a reckless rogue worthy of the love of an innocent enchantress?

Pretty Samantha Northrup knows it is her duty to marry—but the chaste English vicar’s daughter secretly desires to be swept off her feet by a man whose kisses leave her breathless. And when a seductive stranger arrives at her door one stormy night, Samantha’s neat and orderly life is turned upside down—especially when she finds herself in a most compromising position . . . and is forced to marry a man she barely knows!

Hope you find something wonderful to read among these newly released and re-released novels.  Perhaps you'll let me know which you read any how you liked it. 

Happy Reading Everyone!

Unwrapping: WHO'S THAT ON CATHY MAXWELL'S COVER?

Okay,  we were supposed to discuss the Romance covers that grace our shelves in the 21st Century next but something caught our eye and just couldn't let it pass. We'll discuss the 21st Century covers later.  Right now there's a more pressing issue - has anyone else noticed that occasionally the male models on the covers look somewhat like celebrities?

Two stand out in particular but then maybe it's just wishful thinking.
You can decide.

On Cathy Maxwell's cover, do you see any resemblance to a younger Jon Bon Jovi?

 

On Pamela Palmer's cover, do you see any resemblance to a younger Andy Garcia?

So what do you think? See any resemblances?

Have you noticed any resemblances on other juicy covers?  If you have, share ... please.

Happy Reading and don't worry, still more juicy stuff to come.