Wild & Steamy
Meljean Brook, Jill Moyles & Carolyn Crane
Kindle Book
This is a free anthology on paranormal & steampunk romances I picked up a while ago, but have only recently got around to reading. As there are only three stories in this collection I thought I’d review each story separately.
The Blushing Bounder (Iron Seas #0.5) – Meljean Brooks
The search for a killer puts Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth's life in danger and her assistant, Constable Newberry, in the line of fire. But Newberry faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?
This is a nice addition to the Iron Seas world filling in some background information on Mina’s bounder partner, Constable Newberry, his wife and why they came to London. It’s the shortest story but some nice relationship development between both Newberry and Mina and Newberry and his sick wife. The weird and wonderful world of the Iron Seas is touched on briefly with a murder and some unusual cab ride across London adding some colour to the rather sweet romance. A very pleasant story and expansion of a great world. 8 out of 10.
Vixen - Jill Myles
Miko's denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn't want to choose between both men...it wants them both.
Miko is a were-fox and as such shares some of her Vixen’s personality traits – such as the inability to settle for one man. So she lives alone in the countryside, but when two were-cats turn up on her door in order to protect her from a local hunt, her instinctive behaviour can’t let her decide between the two of them. For me this was very much in the paranormal romance filter with heavy on the romance. There is some very smexy action, but overall the plot lacked any focus. I usually prefer my PR with more action and story rather than descriptions of sitting around the house. 6 out of 10
Kitten-Tiger and the Monk (Disillusionments #2.5) – Carolyn Crane
Sophia Sidway, Midcity's most dangerous memory revisionist, seeks out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption...but it turns out.
A Memory Revisionist is searching for the Monk in order to start a new life, but runs into an old flame. I’ve not read any of the Disillusionment series before but I have to admit I’m intrigued by this short glimpse into the world of Midcity! The characters are different – both damaged and unique with a complicated history, while their world is so completely different to anything I’ve seen before. I definitely want to know more about this world – and luckily I have both Mind Games and Double Cross in my TBR pile. If I can find them, I will be diving into this world again soon! 9 out of 10
Overall, this was a good mix of Steampunk, Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy which should have some appeal for most people and might even get you interested in a couple of new series!
Recommended for fans of Pip Ballantine and Kelly Gay. 7.5 out of 10
I've actually just picked up some paranormal romance anthologies recently. I love any type of spin off, it always gives you great insight on other characters and how things came to be in the story. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's nice, 3 great authors in the same book.
ReplyDeleteI really like the Brooks one :D That was sure my fav
ReplyDeleteThe Iron Seas novella was the best of the lot for me, Mel! The constable really surprised me as a hero, it was so nice to read about him and his wife!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this one as well. I read it for Carolyn Crane's story, and enjoyed the Iron Seas story. :) Vixon was good too. :) Glad you liked it.
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