Belonging to Jillian had taught him that it was possible to live without fear and pain.
Belonging to Stacey had taught him it was possible to live.

Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione

Sold into slavery mere hours after his birth to werewolf parents, Tracker spent decades in service to cruel underworlders. Then the fallen angel Harvester transferred his ownership to a human woman who gave him as much freedom as the unbreakable bond would allow. Still, thanks to his traumatic past, he’s afraid to trust, let alone feel love. But when an acquaintance shows up at his door, injured and in need of help, he finds himself longing for a connection. For someone to touch. For someone to care.

Stacey Orr has had it bad for Tracker since the day her best friend, Jillian, was forced to hold his unbreakable slave bond. At first, the fact that he’s a werewolf seemed weird to Stacey, but hey, her best friend was married to one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, so weird is definitely a matter of perspective. Stacey knows the depths of Tracker’s trauma, and she longs to help him even as he helps her, but breaking through his walls isn’t easy.

And it only gets harder when the only blood family he has, the pack that gave him away, lays claim to him… and everything he loves.

Amazon US * Amazon CA

Whenever a book explores slavery, it touches me in a weird way. It's a sensitive subject for almost everyone and as a black woman, it always tears me apart. Tracker's story tried to devastate me!

The only freedom a slave got was in death. It was the best someone like him could hope for.

However, it failed. The author injected so much hope and positivity into this story that there was no way that darkness could win. Tracker was left broken after decades of abuse and with his new master, Jillian, he was slowly learning what it was to have some freedom. No more abuse, no more pain. And with Stacey he was learning what it was to truly appreciate his new life. He learned what it was to not only give, but to also receive love.

I loved the way their relationship developed. It was filled with passion, compassion and understanding. While Stacey was understandably horrified by Tracker's past, her huge heart was open to showing and giving him a new lease on life. Her affection soothed him and her love healed him. I loved getting glimpses of all the new wonders Tracker was experiencing. I especially loved watching this male turn into a beast to protect his woman.

Good thing he'd learned to live with pain because he was going to use it. He was going to f*ck some people up, and then he was going to find Stacey.

And he was going to claim her.

Screw the slavers. She. Was. His.

I haven't read much from this series, but after reading this, falling for these characters, and meeting Harvester and Reseph (who aren't together and are actually mated to other people, but are really compelling people I want to know), I'll be changing all of that. This series is obviously full of must-read stories!



Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career in meteorology to pursue her passion of writing. She has since published dozens of books, hit several bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today, and has been nominated for a RITA award. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her retired U.S. Coast Guard husband, her son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhounds, a King Shepherd named Hexe and a Belgian Malinois named Duvel.

Pure Ecstasy by Aja James

Jade: She is a ruthless, cunning vampire queen, the most powerful amongst all the Hives in the world. Beautiful, predatory, and alluringly dangerous, she’s a huntress who revels in blood and sexual pleasure.

Seth: He is calm, cool, and level-headedness personified, as the most effective negotiator and mediator amongst the Pure Ones. Known by the moniker of “Monk,” he thought he could resist any and all temptation.

3 years ago, they made a deal, one that gave the Pure Ones a critical advantage against a deadly foe. But the price he paid still haunts him to this day.

3 years ago, she played a delicious game, not realizing until it was almost too late, how he changed her entire world.

Now, common enemies force their paths to cross again. Only this time, the stakes are higher, the risk is greater, and the love—should they choose to claim it—will be worth every sacrifice.

Buy it here: https://amzn.to/3stNHPa
(free to read with Kindle Unlimited)

I'll say this now... Jade and Seth were heartwrenchingly beautiful together!

I'll admit that when I first realized that Jade was meant for Seth, I was a bit horrified. This woman, who kept him as a blood slave, manipulated him, treated him like a toy, and had sex with multiple lovers (some at the same time) right in front of him, couldn't possibly be his forever mate.

So what if she listened and appreciated his counsel? So what if she understood that what she felt for him was far more than she had felt for any other male? So what if she was lost and devastated without him?

She didn't respect him!


But I changed my mind for many reasons, one of them being that I've learned that not only did she not have real sex with these people, she made sure Seth was completely aware of it.

What I loved most about Jade were her moments of vulnerabilty and fragility. I could appreciate her being a badazz, but her having a soft side... Her humanity is what made her truly endearing.


I didn't find her past to be as devastating to me as the ones I've seen before, however, I felt such sympathy for her. She was once a slave, with no rights and no freedoms, aside from what she was able to manipulate from her masters. I thought it would make her more empathetic with what Seth found abominable. But no.


Honestly, Seth could do no wrong with me. He was so sweet, so kind and considerate, so sexy and loyal and generous, so amazing. I loved this man so much!!


Once again, Aja James had me swooning and engaged and anxious for more.

And here are my kinda spoiler-y discussion points...

I thought that nothing could really surprise me with this book because a) the author seems to love shocking us and b) I was prepared for all of the shocks. I'm telling you now... I was not prepared! I read these lines:

It didn't want Benji's short, innocent life to be snuffed out with all the other candles in the human world.

It wanted its son to live.

What are you telling me? The Creature is the father of Benji? Again with this 6 degrees of separation. So it's the father and Inanna is raising her nephew without even knowing it. Why has The Creature gotten itself involved in everyone's lives like this? Don't even get me started on its conversation with the comatose Dalair, letting on that it was the man Sophia chose over Dalair in her past life (the one in which he sacrificed himself for). What. The. Ever. Loving. Heck. Is. Going. On???


Then there's the rest...

I found it incredibly off-putting that Ramses was not only attracted to Jade (and really, who could blame him?), but that he was also extremely possessive of her. I'm not thrilled that he was depicted this way. Where did it even come from? I'm hoping I forget all about it by the time I get to his book about him finding his own mate.

Other than Tal, do any of these people believe in foreplay?

Ayelet referred to Seth as family. Is that real or chosen?

Why is no one suspicious over Wan'er? I can't wait to see this whole thing blow up!

I think I'm most excited to see when The Creature realizes who he truly is. I have a feeling this author, based on how amazing she's been so far, is going to make this reveal AWESOME!!

Check out the previous books:

Aja James just completed the Pure/ Dark Ones paranormal-fantasy romance series in 2020. If you want your heart battered, bruised, shattered and skewered, then put back together in the most glorious ways, check out the series below. Every couple gets an HEA, but they fight like hell for it on the way.

Aja is now working on her new series, Dragon Tails, because dragons are her favorite shifters of all!

Claimed by J.R. Ward

Buy it here: Amazon

A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love... or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?

What.
Was.
THAT?!

Lydia was a behaviorist and I loved her passion in protecting the wolves and their habitat. Although her impulsiveness, rash judgments and curiosity could be annoying, these traits also helped to move the story along and feed into the questions and secrets surrounding the plot. And while I'm no fan of women who know what they want, but play that they don't, I enjoyed the little flirting games she played with the hero.

Daniel was the character who would definitely raise some eyebrows. There was obviously more to him than met the eye and I still don't quite understand who he was supposed to be. His cover story of being a drifter and handy man made me question everything. What were his motives? Who did he work for? The fact that he was sexy was an interesting bonus!

Xhex was also featured and I practically drooled for every glimpse of John Matthew!! Seriously, what is going on with Xhex? What do the Wolven have to do with her present, her traumatizing experience with the labs, and her murky future?

Claimed was far more than your run-of-the-mill paranormal romance. It held mystery and intrigue and suspense. I did find that it was slow to start, however, when things started to pick up, I couldn't put it down. Here I am at the end and I'm devasted to learn that I have to wait until next summer to find out what will happen next!

For lovers of The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Claimed is a must-read! And if you're anything like me, it will inspire you to give the entire series a re-read just to be able to dive back into this dark, deadly, enchanting, and binge-worthy world again!

J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world.

After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.

Visit the JRWard Facebook Page for more on the Brotherhood or email her at assistant@jrward.com.

Add it to Goodreads / Find it on Amazon

You’re the Charge…

Bad Boy. Screw-up. Good for nothing. Hero. Angel. These were all words Grayson ‘Torren’ Trammel had heard whispered behind his back over his lifetime. What he hadn't heard was ‘quitter,’ and he’d be damned if some little rehab chick, with her beautiful blonde hair, and hot, sassy little mouth was going to label him as such.

To My…

Tru knows Grayson’s not for her. He’s too bad. Too hot. Too demanding. Too taken.

She tells herself that almost daily as she helps Grayson get back into fighting shape after a horrific accident nearly ripped his life away from him. That had taken the life of one of the men in his MC.

Grayson is everything her father warned her about, but there’s just something about him that intrigues her. That makes her want more.

The man's a firefighter. How bad could he be?

Line…

Apparently, he could be way worse than bad, but he could also be so very, very good. Something Tru realizes, rather quickly, when the two can no longer fight the pull that’s between them.

Now there’s only one word she wants to hear when it comes to him: his.

I found the relationship that grew between Tru and Grayson to be sincere, organic and wonderful! She got him in a way that no one else had and it was beautiful. Thankfully, with Tru in the picture, Cleo's horrible little sister, Molly, didn't stand a chance!

In the last book (Life to My Flight), Torren risked his life to rescue Rue from a fire. He damaged his shoulder in the process and in order to get back to work he needed physical therapy. Tru was the woman to get him back on track and she gave her all to give him the power to be the hero he needed to be. Which was awesome because it allowed him to put down all threats to his woman.

Things got a little horrific towards the end, but overall, this was a sweet and funny romance with plenty of heat.



I loved getting that first glimpse of the love brewing between Reese (Tru's sister) and Luke Roberts. I'm looking forward to their story in Center Mass!

I'm a little confused with the story of Torren and his half-brothers. Ross seems to be the only decent one (I hope he gets a story) and I wish everything got fleshed out a bit more.

Watching Ashe and Ford playing/fighting together as kids made their connection so much sweeter, knowing that they end up together when they grow up :)

    Torren/Grayson & Tru's family tree:

        Their children
            Ashe (daughter) - Maybe Swearing Will Help
            Spencer (son)
            Coal (son)

        Grayson's family
            Ross Bradley (half-brother)
            Colby Prescott (half-brother)
            Bobby Prescott (half-brother)

        Tru's family
            Reese (sister) - Center Mass

Check out my reviews of the previous books:

Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

Keys to My Cuffs by Lani Lynn Vale

Loki’s life was a lie. Everything he’d done for the last eight years was under an assumed name for the Benton Police Department. He’d lied, cheated, and stolen all in the name of the law. He wore himself thin, and not even the open road could take away the pain anymore. Then his little next door neighbor moved in, and suddenly he had a reason to get out of bed every morning. Except he was an officer of the law, and a member of a prominent motorcycle club in the area, The Dixie Wardens MC. Neither of which she could deal with.

It wasn’t the scars that covered her new neighbor’s body that scared Channing. It was the badge. The fact that he belonged to The Dixie Wardens MC was only icing on the cake. She should be running away as fast as her legs could carry her. But there’s something about Bryce ‘Loki’ Rector. Something that eased the unreasonable fear she felt every time she came into contact with something that reminded her of her past.

They say love isn’t easy, and it definitely isn’t for the two of them. Loki has to learn to feel again, and Channing has to learn to live. Their road isn’t an easy one by any means, but Loki makes two promises. One, he’ll never let anything hurt Channing again. Two, it’d be over his dead body that he’d ever let her go.

Find your copy of Keys to My Cuffs on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qqgK5v

I finally found out the truth of Loki and I'm extremely satisfied! This man made me sad in previous books, with his heartbreak leaking through, and I'm so happy he got his happy ending.

There were plenty of things I loved about this story...
Loki was an undercover cop, going after a dangerous drug lord and murderer
Loki was tired of living a lie, especially when he met a woman he could picture living a life with. Too bad she had a healthy fear of cops.
Although I had planned to dislike Channing because in a previous book, she was making Loki question even being a cop anymore (seriously, this guy was made to be a cop), I ended up really liking her. She had her reasons for being afraid and slowly but surely, with the help of Loki and his people, she was able to conquer them. Brave girl!
After meeting Peter Parker Penn in Maybe Don't Wanna and loving him, it was a bit of surprise to see a younger version of him in pain and why he was so heartbreaking.

I'm a huge fan of the way this author creates a connection between her characters. They feel genuine and I can't wait to see them all again!



I do wish there was more to be said as a resolution to the suspense part of the story. I'm happy that there was a happy ending, but there was a death that affected Channing and it was just swept away. Not cool.

Loki & Channing's family tree:

    Their children
        Justice (son) - Make Me
        Glory (daughter

    Loki's family
        Andrea (mom)
        Zeth (step-father)
        Unnamed father
        Unnamed older brother

    Channing's family
        Colton (father)
        Andrew (brother)

Check out my reviews of the previous books:

Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

Drakon's Promise by N.J. Walters

Goodreads / Amazon

Darius Varkas is a drakon. He's neither human nor dragon.

He's both.

He's also the target of an ancient order who want to capture all drakons for their blood. When fresh, a drakon's blood can cure any illness and prolong a human's life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.

When librarian Sarah Anderson stumbles across a rare book belonging to the Knights of the Dragon, she's quickly thrust into a dangerous world of secrets and shifters and things she never would have believed possible. When the Knights realize Sarah has a secret of her own, she becomes just as much a target as Darius. Her scary dragon shifter just might be her best chance at survival.

After falling so deeply in love with The Forgotten Brotherhood series by N.J. Walters, I added her all of her books to my to-read list. Drakon's Promise is the first in a series about dragon shifters and I was super excited to read it because... DRAGONS!!

Darius - a four thousand year old drakon, he has only feared one thing... either himself or one of his brothers being captured by the Knights of the Dragon, where they would be tortured and drained for the power in their blood. This was a fear he was familiar with, however, when he met Sarah, he realized that his long, lonely existence would never be the same and that fear for her safety was a whole other terror of its own.

Sarah - quiet and unassuming, she had a special affinity for objects, especially books. Her new job comes with new problems and when she finds out her new boss intends to kidnap and possibly kill someone (Darius), she feels duty bound to warn him.

Karina Azarov - a young, ruthless woman who happened to be the learder of the Knights.

I absolutely loved Darius and I'm intrigued by his brothers. I'll definitely be continuing this series because I have to know how these drakons eradicate the Knights. While this story was just as brilliantly written as I expected it to be, the heroine was a drag and took away from how much I could have enjoyed it.



I haven't come across a heroine I've disliked as much as Sarah in a while. Every moment spent with her was its own special torture. Her words and actions inspired huge eye rolls and anger.

I'm not a feminist. I'm a realist. In my opinion, women cannot do everything a man can do, just like men cannot do everything a woman can do. Yes, we are equals, but it's our very uniqueness that makes life interesting. There's a reason for the difference in the sexes. So when a woman like the heroine of this story, who has never done anything heroic, has no physical strength, and merely has a strong will, comes across a male who is half-man and half-dragon, who has lived for thousands of years, who is battle tested and possesses strengths far greater than any human, she shouldn't expect to be able to do what he can do. When this man knows more about the world he lives in than you because he's lived for thousands of years and until recently you didn't have a clue that the supernatural world even existed... maybe take his direction. Maybe you don't complicate things with your nonsense. Maybe tone down the harpy and act like a sensible person.


Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years.

One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel and life would never be the same. N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.