In book one we get to watch Lydia fall in love Ryan and are introduced to the werewolves of Surrey. In book two we get to watch Lydia fall in love with Taylor and learn more about his very sad past. In book three we get to know Lawrence better. Lawrence is the hard ass that has been resisting the mating bond with Lydia throughout the series so far. His past is incredible tragic - but Lydia knows that if she just keeps trying she can break through his walls and set him free - she hopes.

But all is not well in the Surrey pack. Lydia's presence is causing rifts that lead to a few wolves making horrible decisions. I really wanted to yell at them through the pages and tell them it just wasn't going to end well for them! This book brought out a gazillion different emotions for me. Please be warned that it is much darker compared to the first two and pushes the limits a few times, but it never really crosses any lines.

On top of the pack turmoil, the Trident is determined to take the pack out. The side story of Amil from book two continues, but I'm not sure where she was going with it, but she definitely has me wondering what's going on with him. I'm sure we'll find out more in book 4 (October 2014). With the Trident's very clever plan falling into place, Dianna Hardy had my heart racing wondering if all my people were going to make it!!! It was incredibly suspenseful and very memorable climatic scene.

At the end of the book I literally had to take a moment and just sit and think "Holy crap!" This was a brilliant addition to the series and I am desperately wanting more.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/03/review-heart-of-wolf-eye-of-storm-3-by.html#sthash.6Sk6tSOO.dpuf

Erikousa was a refuge for Daphne. Spending summers with her grandmother, listening to the old myths, and finally being able to be herself. But many years later Daphne is grown up, and she is finally returning to her refuge after many years. Only now she is truly an American - running her own restaurant, 5 year old daughter in tow, and engaged to a wealthy banker. She thinks she's finally made it.

When the Cypress Whispers shows that sometimes what you think you want isn't what you really want. It takes us back to Daphne's Greek roots. While there is no huge action scene or great mystery, the story unfolds beautifully. Through Daphne's grandmother and friends she is able to reconnect with the stories she knew so well as a child and learn new ones, real ones, a part of her history that is inspiring but immensely sad at the same time.

The story isn't just about Daphne, it is also about her daughter who seems adrift when she first arrives in Greece. She was adorable and watching her come out of her shell while surrounded by her extended family was a lot of fun. There's a bit of a love story, but it's not a romance and it's hidden deep for most of the story. Now that spring is here and the weather is getting warmer, this would be the perfect book to enjoy with a cool drink and a fresh breeze.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*
- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-when-cypress-whispers-by-yvette.html#sthash.c0UGk8Pm.dpuf

The majority of Studio Saint-Ex is told by Mignonne Lachapelle as she thinks back over the beginnings of her career in New York. The world of fashion has been devastated by WWII and the fall of France. Now this may seem like a trivial thing to most, but to the artists, it was a horrible thought. Mignonne is willing to fight tooth and nail to make sure her ideas are seen - and this is what leads us into the strange story of the beginnings of Studio Saint-Ex.

The story of Mignonne, Consuelo, and Antoine is a very complicated one. There are feelings of love, betrayal, passion, and loss being thrown around in all directions. But ultimately they all need each other - for a variety of reasons. Their time together allows each of them to become more than what they already were and create something that brought hope to the French that fled their homeland.

The writing of Ania Szado was amazing. It was incredibly fluid and full of imagery. I don't know a whole lot about fashion, but I could see each and every stitch as a garment took on its shape. I could feel the aching back and the aching hearts from page to page. This was a fantastic look into WWII America (and even a bit of WWII Canada) as well as an amazing view into the beginnings of the American fashion world.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-studio-saint-ex-by-ania-szado.html#sthash.6DntiuRq.dpuf

From This Moment On was just a little too far-fetched for me to get into. I know that most contemporary romances involve hard to imagine situations, but this was just a little too many long shots for me. I found myself flipping through many intimate scenes scanning for dialog instead of enjoying the hot moments.

Now that I've criticized the storyline, the characters were the exact opposite. I really enjoyed Nicola and Marcus as people. They were fun and if the circumstances had been different I think I would have enjoyed their romance. Their first meeting and night together were fantastic and if there had been more like that I know I would have loved it.

Now this is a series that has tons of great reviews, so if you're thinking about it don't let me turn you off. I enjoyed book one and book three (review soon). And while the didn't knock my socks off, I will be giving the series another shot with book four.

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/#sthash.aARja1kN.dpuf

Apparently I wasn't the only one worried about Winter's fate at the end of Rising Shadows. To help calm us readers down and lead the way into Book Two (expected late Aug it looks like), Bridget Blackwood was nice enough to provide us with a little filler to let us know what's been going on.

I loved seeing Winter again and was so glad that she might still have a chance at her own HEA. It also set up a very tastely little conflict to add to the problems she's already having. I loved it! Can't wait to see how things end up in book two.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/04/review-winters-kiss-world-in-shadows-15.html#sthash.W8O88GH2.dpuf

There was just a little too much deceit in this one at the very beginning for my taste. I don't care how hot you are, if it ends up looking like you slept with me to get a contract at the place I work, I'm not going to forgive you easily. Perhaps if it had been a novel with more time for them to make up I would have liked it more.

I did like the characters. They were both very real - single parents just looking for someone that understands and they can have a good time with. It was nice to see such a realistic look at how they might find someone to connect with. They would have really shone in a longer format. I don't want to sound like I'm bashing novellas. I enjoy many of them, but some stories just need more pages and for me, this was one of them.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/04/review-night-of-misbehaving-by-carmen.html#sthash.WGoAJrp3.dpuf

Curses, ghosts, betrayal and love. All elements to a perfect ghostly story. Now this isn't a ghost story in the way that it's scary and frightening. It the story about a curse and a ghost and the girl and boy who try to break it. The curse was a character all its own - very literally. It came alive in a form that could walk and talk and steal little girls into its world.

Alice wakes up to find herself in a world that's familiar and strange all at once. She can see bits and pieces of the real world, but time she has to figure out how to return is very limited. The curse she fights against was brilliant. It kept things so very interesting and mysterious, giving just enough information to keep pulling you in futher and further with every page.

I was constantly rooting for Alice. She was such a real teenager. Her struggle to find her way out took just enough time. It wasn't overly drawn out or rushed. Even the ending seemed to have just the right touches. The flashes to the past we experience with her are memorable. The story of the house and the curse unfold at the same time as Alice's.

If you're looking for a good ghost story that's meant for suspense and not horror, or if you're just a lover of some really good paranormal magic, this is just the book for you. It's hard to find such a well rounded book - and it's a stand alone (even more rare).

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2014/04/book-tour-review-and-giveaway-looking.html#sthash.3ZC3GA9o.dpuf

Kate is a computer whiz with her own store. But that store is at risk from the millionaire Will Thornton. He wants to knock the store down because it sits in the middle of his new development. Kate is determined to play the waiting game and hope he just goes away. Will has other plans. He thinks Kate is cute (in her own nerdy sort of way) and plans on flirting his way into getting her to sell.

What follows is one of the more humorous and exciting romances I've read without actually becoming a comedy or suspense. Kate was hilarious. She's was perfectly awkward and totally unfraid to own her inner an outer nerd (there is a convention involved). Will seems to be the perfect handsome rich boy, but deep down there's more to him. As Will and Kate get to know each other both of their plans begin to crumble.
But there's a third party involved that's willing to do a little more across the line type of stuff to try and get her to sell her store and it may just tear Will and Kate apart as well. I loved this book. I loved the side characters. I loved the setting. I loved the story. I don't think I would have changed anything and I've always had a soft spot for the nerd finding their perfect match.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/04/review-seduction-game-by-emma-shortt.html#sthash.1FVTLvJC.dpuf

Creepy Hollow - what an awesome name for a creepy fairy tale forest - and yes it does get questioned on why it sounds like Sleepy Hollow. The first time Nate enters the forest was a bit humorous. I loved Nate's "I'm not sure what to say so I'll make a joke" attitude - even if many of the failed. If anything that made me like him even more - which may not have been a good thing (ah ah ah ... can't say why).

Vi is the purple haired fairy version of Lara Croft meets Wonder Woman. Between her amazing fighting skills and ability to leap off a moving vine while performing a triple flip and thowing knives (ok slight exaggeration), and her powerful magic, I'm surprised she ever loses. These two combined are a fantastic pair to read about.

Now Ryn, well he's definitely different than Nate - and even after finishing I'm not sure what I really think about him. Part of the reason is I'm a little confused. There are bits to his storyline that don't seem to add up all the way. Or that I'm putting together too soon perhaps?? They are never resolved or explained that I saw. It kind of left a whole in the story for me.

There is tons of action and lots of plot twists. There is so much good stuff in The Faerie Guardian that I hope she had some left for book two. There is still a lot for Vi to figure out once book one has ended, but it does try to wrap up some of the threads so we're not left with a complete cliffhanger. This would have been a five star book if not for my confusion about Ryn (see my comments above).

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://hotofftheshelves.blogspot.com/2014/04/review-faerie-guardian-by-rachel-morgan.html#sthash.DkGnSGsJ.dpuf

Laura Landon has a way of creating really interesting characters and situations, but Intimate Surrender gets a little repetitive in the conflict between our characters. As an owner of London's most infamous bordello, Hannah knows she isn't a good match for the Vicar Rafe Waterford. She repeatedly tells us until I hoped someone in the story would slap some sense into her. Her occupation isn't even as bad as it sounds - it once was, but now she is a woman with a mission and a purpose in life. It was all very admirable.

Vicar Rafe Waterford doesn't care that the woman he loves used to be prostitute, she isn't now, and maybe no one will recognize her if she changes locations or something. Good idea in theory - but not when a person isn't interested in changing who they are.

The most interesting part of this story wasn't the romance, unfortunately, but the turf war between the bordellos. It escalated quickly and reminded me a bit of the gang wars large cities have now. At first I was amazed at what people were willing to do to try and keep their girls, but I guess it's a matter of paying the bills in a business like that.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/2014/04/review-intimate-surrender-by-laura.html#sthash.6QPcM1HL.dpuf