I began reading Kit Rocha before Kit Rocha existed. Okay, that made me shake my head at myself. But seriously I started reading the works of the duo that make up Kit Rocha with their work as Moira Rogers. When I heard the two were branching out with a new pen name I jumped right in to see what the new series was all about. OH MY! I fell totally in love with the world that is the O’Kanes. The Beyond Happily Ever After series are short takes on life that comes after a couple, or in this case, a triad’s book in the Beyond series.

Blank Canvas is a slice in the life of Cruz, Rachel and Ace that takes place well after their story in Beyond Jealousy. It takes place between Beyond Innocence and Beyond Ruin. With all the typical brash and in your face sexuality that the series exudes, Blank Canvas takes you for a spin in another first for the triad. You get a chance to see just how giving and caring Cruz can be when he takes Rachel and Ace on a surprise ride beyond the sectors. The wonders of the past are beauteous but not as beautiful as the love of these three lovers. If you’re an aficionado of this dystopian series you won’t want to miss this latest short.

The inventive world that K.J. Chapman creates had me bolstering for more from the first several pages. Lured in with the promise of action, I delved deeper into a world separated by EVO, those inflicted with a singular ability, Non-EVO, whose dismayed understanding of the EVO could very well lead to ruin, and TOROs, created by who and what, you’ll be itching to know as the pages practically turn themselves. The mystery of the TOROs was one of the main reasons I couldn’t put this book down, and I wanted desperately to find out how they came to be. Teddie struggles with her “gift” or is it curse, and is now the forefront of a major revolution. This book offered plenty of twists and turns, an understanding of Teddie that was turned on its head a few too many times, and an incredible amount of intense action. All-in-all, an incredible debut by this newly self-published author.

Love Built to Last is Lisa Ricard Claro’s first published novel, however, she has had many other works published. It is the first book in the Fireflies series but it is a standalone; there is no cliffhanger – yay for that!I read all kinds of romance, from sweet to erotic, and I like them all for different reasons. I would call Love Built to Last women’s fiction with a heavy emphasis on romance. If you are looking for a wonderful story to read, with lots of heat but no explicit sex scenes, I highly recommend this book. This is a book where the anticipation and tension between Maddie and Caleb made the story that much more compelling for me.This book touched on all of my emotions. I cried and I laughed and I felt frustrated at times when Maddie and Caleb let things keep them apart. A book is a winner for me when it makes me feel all of these things so deeply.

The blurb for the book is very accurate so I won’t restate the story. I’ll just say that I love the way it unfolds and the depth of Maddie and Caleb’s characters. Lisa’s writing is so deliciously descriptive that I could easily see in my mind what the characters were seeing, doing and feeling.

There is an excellent and entertaining cast of secondary characters, including meddling, matchmaking families. Given that this is the first of three books in the Fireflies series, I expect we will be seeing more of them.

This is book one of the Society of Gentlemen Series but I actually read it after book two (A Seditious Affair) and didn’t feel like that was a bad thing. I’m usually a stickler for reading books in a series in the proper order. However, A Fashionable Indulgence and A Seditious Affair pretty much take place at the same time. Each book is about a different couple but the timelines are parallel. Because of the overlap, and the fact that each book stands alone, it didn’t bother me that I read book two first.The book blurb (see above) is great so please read it; I’ll concentrate the rest of my review on how the book made me feel.

Historical romantic fiction isn’t usually my first choice to read. However, I’ve found a couple of authors whose books are at or near the top of my must-read list and K.J. Charles is one. Her attention to detail in her stories makes her books a pleasure to read. She knows how to evoke many different emotions and as a reader I felt like I was “in” the story.

Men having intimate relations with other men can get you killed during the time period this book takes place; Harry and Julius have to be very careful. The trials that Harry goes through to become a “gentleman” and Julius’ tutelage of him invoked all of my emotions. For me, a book that does this is a great one and A Fashionable Indulgence didn’t disappoint. I can’t wait to read the third book in this series.

I wish I was one of those reviewers who write wonderfully descriptive reviews with good details about why I like a book and the author’s writing – but I’m not. I just don’t know how to express things that well which I why I’m a reader instead of a writer. I don’t read many historical romance books but when I saw this one on Net Galley, and read the description, I knew I wanted to read it. Not being a history buff I have no idea how historically accurate this story is but I don’t care because it was a wonderful story regardless.Two people who couldn’t be less alike and yet they still have many things in common, Silas and Dominic begin as forbidden lovers who are able to fulfill each other’s sexual needs. Despite their differences in class standing and beliefs, they become friends and lovers – not just f*** buddies.

The first book I’ve read by Ms. Charles, this is a captivating story about trying circumstances. It was at times suspenseful, heartbreaking and humorous. Her writing is wonderfully descriptive; I felt like I was there and feeling what the characters felt. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Note: while this book is part of a series each book can be read as a stand-alone.