The Vixen and the Vet (A Modern Fairytale #1) by Katy Regnery

"……………...why me?"

"…………because you said yes."

After finishing Never Let You Go (release date June 12th, 2015) which is a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, joyously hopefilled thing of beauty, I was left desperately wanting more by Ms. Regnery. And because I’m a fan of fairytales that have been given a modern twist, I decided to read The Vixen and the Vet - a Beauty and the Beast tale, retold.

From the start I fell in love with the physically ruined and emotionally scarred Asher Lee. Beast. Head over heels, I have it bad for this war hero who has secluded himself away, unable to bear the fear in children’s eyes or the way grown men and women cringe and turn away from what’s left of his face after an IED explodes while he’s making his way to save a wounded soldier. Bogeyman. He’s grown accustomed to his life of solitude, finding his escape through reading anything and everything he can get his hands on. Day in, day out, he’s on his own except for Miss Potts, his housekeeper, and his visits to his doctors. He’s accepted his fate and is making the best of his miserable existence. Recluse.

Enter Savannah Carmichael, formerly one of the top investigative reporters in the country. She had it all – the job of her dreams, money, status…everything she’d ever wanted. Until a “reliable” source fed her a bunch of false information and she found herself not only jobless, but persona-non-grata in the world of journalism. Pariah. She had pretty much given up on ever finding work as a reporter again, when a phone call from someone she had helped years earlier gives her a chance at redemption; all she has to do is convince Asher Lee to let her tell his story, and she’ll be back in the game. Ambitious. But what starts out as merely a chance to rebuild her reputation becomes something far more when she finds herself helplessly drawn to the subject of her article, finding Asher Lee not at all the nightmare the people of Danvers make him out to be. He’s lonely, damaged, and the most beautiful man she’s ever met. Changed.

The Vixen and the Vet doesn't have the level of angst Never Let You Go has, but this is a story I will enjoy reading again and again. I can't even begin to tell you how romantic, how charming, how passionate, and how touching this story is. Asher and Savannah are perfect for each other, and their happily ever after is a thing of beauty!

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves a sighworthy hero in need of healing.

A HUGE thank you to Lisa who answered my shout-out for a Kindle Lend! I adore this story and appreciate your kindness in lending it to me!!!!!!

Intrusion (Under the Skin #1) by Charlotte Stein

Intrusion is a story I had a hard time reading, at the same time not being able to put down. To say it’s gripping is to say the least, and finding the exact words to do this story justice will not be easy.

Blurb…

I believed I would never be able to trust any man again. That kindness was only for fools and would lead me down that same terrible path into darkness. I thought so with every fiber of my being-and then I met Noah Gideon Grant.

Everyone says he's dangerous. He never comes out of his house-a place that looks like it could be featured in Serial Killers Monthly. But the thing is … I think something happened to him too. I know the chemistry between us isn't just in my head. I know he feels it, but he's holding back. The pleasure he gives me is unreal-if only I could give something in return. If only he would let me in. I think I can make him feel something good. And for the first time in forever, I want to.

He's made a labyrinth of himself. Now all I need to do is dare to find my way through.

Reading Intrusion… well, at first I wasn’t sure what in the hell I was getting myself into…

…because this story isn’t at all what I was expecting. This is not my first Charlotte Stein book, but it’s definitely turned out to be my favorite. I want to call it a psychological thriller, but that’s not exactly right. A dark, romantic suspense might be more apropos, but I also have to add it’s one sensually erotic, passionate, poignant, and romantic journey. It’s a tale about two people who, for all intents and purposes, should be ruined, but who find a way to protect themselves by hiding behind the carefully constructed walls of their lonely but comfortable lives. Their journey… and that’s what it is, a journey… to finding their way back into the light is one that will stay with me, and in some ways haunt me, for a very long time.

If you enjoy darker stories about the resiliency of the human heart and the undying hope of the human soul...

...then definitely give Intrusion a try. It’s typical Charlotte Stein in that it’s told from the first person (heroine)POV, with a lot of internal dialog – some of which had me laughing out loud at the absurdity of Beth's thoughts, and other times wanting to weep at the harsh reality of them, too. Such an emotional roller-coaster read!

Note: This story can be read as a stand alone. While there's an ongoing theme, a different couple is the focus of the next book.

An ARC was provided by Red/Avon Impulse via Edelweiss. In return I’m giving them an honest review.

Half Moon Hill by Toni Blake

Trying to escape her troubled past, Anna Romo has come home to Destiny determined to carve out a place for herself. When she buys the old Victorian house on the hill with the intent of furnishing it into a Bed and Breakfast, she’s thrilled by the possibilities.

Ex-biker-gang member Duke Dawson is as much a fish out of water in Destiny as Anna, but he’s handling it fine until an accident scars not only his body but his mind. When Anna stumbles across him in an old cabin in the woods near her newly acquired house, at first she’s terrified. But they work out a deal - she’s willing to keep his solitary living arrangement a secret if he’s willing to help her with some of the heavy lifting at the house.

Working together on the rennovations, romance brews between Duke and Anna. That is, until war hero Jeremy Sheridan returns home in a blaze of glory and sets his sights on Anna. Suddenly torn between the outgoing and charming Jeremy and the intriguing Duke, Anna’s heart is torn between two paths and left with only one solution.

*************

This sixth book in Toni Blake’s Destiny series is a sweet, poignant, sexy story. Even though I adore this series, I was a bit apprehensive about this book because, to be honest, I had a bit of a problem with Anna in Willow Springs, and wasn’t sure I’d feel much differently about her now.

Hah! Silly me! I should have known better, because this is Toni Blake, after all.

Anna’s story is sort of a two-parter, told between Willow Springs and Half Moon Hill, and as I said, I really didn’t like her much in the previous book, but upon reevaluation, I guess it’s not so surprising, after all. I mean, there wasn’t a lot to get happy about with her coming between Logan and Amy at every turn, and even though Logan was somewhat clueless, Anna was not. She knew about Amy and still made a move on Logan, and that did nothing to endear her to me, so yeah… wasn’t sure I’d be able to get behind her story, this soon, but what I learned about Anna changed that.

If you’ve followed the series you know that Anna is Mike and Lucky Romo’s little sister, the one who went missing when she was just 5 years old, leaving her family without answers as to what had become of her. Well, she finally came home in Willow Springs and did everything she could to fit in, find acceptance, and come to grips with her past while facing her future. To me she seemed selfish, arrogant, ungrateful… but in truth, she was just lost, and that’s what I learned about her, and why I was able to come to care about her.

Duke Dawson is such a fantastic hero, but everything about him makes you want to run for cover - he’s gruff, crass, scarred inside and out, and looks like he’s devolving into a caveman. His story, which comes out in bits and pieces, is heartbreaking! I’m not sure many women would be able to love a man like Duke, but with Anna’s past, with all she’s been through, she’s able to see the man he truly is. Over time, she finds the chink in his emotional armor and sets him free, and for that reason alone I care about her and respect her.

This is a really nice addition to the series, and I truly enjoyed spending a lot of time with the other couples. In addition to watching Anna and Mike work out their problems and become the family they should have always been, there are a couple of side stories that were tugging at my heartstrings, and I love how they all worked out.

The bottom line: Toni Blake is such an amazing storyteller! The Destiny books are very sexy, some bordering on erotic, but there’s so much story there… so much life and love! Even with all the passion and sex, Ms. Blake's stories never fail to evoke deep, powerful emotions, and I know that once I've turned the final page, I'll be left with a smile on my face and a sigh in my heart.

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of Half Moon Hill in exchange for an honest review.