Another great addition the the Dreamwalker series

Maggie takes the reader on another ride to the dark side, across the veil between life and death, except this walk is more to the realm in between. The tension between Baxley and Mayes is tangible, whetting the reader’s appetite for what comes next. Well done and highly recommended.

3.5 stars

This was fun, I did enjoy it, but I have to say, the main character is really unlikeable through most of the book. With that being said, I didn't put it down or throw it against a wall. As a reader, you know the author has to show his growth, and she delivered. Giving the rakish hero a virginal heroine almost seemed cruel, especially while he displayed such contempt for women as a whole, but the author also did a good job of showing the way the heroine was drawn into the hero's vulnerability, could see through to the man inside. There was a point in the novel when she makes that observation, and I would have liked to see how she figures it out rather than just saying "Oh, I get it," but again, it all worked for me when it was said and done. Having one of the hero's best friends as a roommate provides a vehicle for her to say something like "Gabi was right about you..." and maybe I missed that.

The other thing I guess I didn't realize was that this was a "Kindle in Motion" book. My first adventure with that. I found it somewhat distracting (this is no fault of the author, just a personal preference).

Worth the read? I'd say yes, but be prepared to hate the hero. He really does give off a "what a jerk" vibe. It's in knowing the author has to redeem him that I was able to keep going.

Spoiler

She gives them a happy for now rather than Happily Ever After that made it at least somewhat believable. Not sure I give this particular hero confidence to make it for the long haul.

Always a fan of Erica’s. While this is not one of the Gothic romances she started out with, she does an excellent job with this one sending a spinster off to “live” life just once before she gives up on ever having the chance. She chooses a war hero, a friend of a friend, but the man in question is already fighting a moral dilemma. Adding one more to his laundry list of behavior unbecoming a gentleman might throw him over the edge of sanity, a precipice he’s wobbled on before.

I enjoyed this book right up until the grand gesture at the end, which was a little OTT for me, but all in all I really enjoyed the story.

A full five stars for this one. I'd noticed a propensity for Ms. Dare's heroes to come up with their self-doubt as the black moment out of the blue, but this one started in with it from the start. As much as I've enjoyed her other books, this one takes you for the whole ride, through the hero's insecurities right along with the heroine's.

Full of humor and heat, this book has it all. Well done, Tessa.

Honesty is the best policy

I don’t like books written in first person and the American hero uses decidedly British phrases. I wasn’t sure I was going to like this one. Until I did. It sucked me in. From a wallflower-people pleaser, Emma looks death in the face and inadvertently spills all her secrets to a stranger on a plane. Except that stranger turns out to be her boss. He provides her an ego boost and backing to speak the truth, a formative moment, and she feels empowered. Until all her secrets are broadcast on television and she is utterly humiliated. Out of her humiliation, Emma is transformed. Fabulous book.

Well drawn, unique characters

3.5 stars.

A very unorthodox heroine and a rogue go on an adventure. What lost me was the “black moment.” It didn’t make sense to me at the time, although it was clearer when it was subsequently explained. And then it was quickly resolved. Some of the negative phrasing confused me as I had to go back to reread.

Overall, I enjoyed it. The characters were well drawn and unique.