ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ NO LIMITS BY LORI FOSTER

Title: No Limits (Ultimate, Book One)
Author: Lori Foster
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Paperback: 432 pages
Expected Publication: August 26, 2014


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ARC provided by NetGalley

A surprise inheritance reunites a mixed martial arts fighter with the woman he's never forgotten in the first in a smoldering new series from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster…

Cannon Colter is quintessential hero material: chiseled jawline, shredded body—the works. He's also the guy who rescued Yvette Sweeny from kidnappers, only to put an end to her romantic dreams. These days, she's older, smarter, determined to face whatever life throws her way. Even the prospect of sharing a house and business with Cannon.

Cannon knew Yvette wanted him three years ago. But she was young—and some things are worth waiting for. Thrown together by her grandfather's legacy, he realizes how deep Yvette's scars really go, and how much danger lurks in their quiet town. As pent-up desire explodes between them, protecting her becomes the only fight that matters. And he'll break all the rules to do it…

I can remember the first book I read by Lori Foster. It is one that I have recently re-read. It is that good. And for those of you who have a curious nature, the book I am referring to is Simon Says, which is book two in her SBC Fighters series. Which....also happens to be loosely connected with her newest series, Ultimate.
 
Lori has a way of making her characters jump off the page and into my living room...at least, metaphorically speaking. But what I truly love about her writing is the abundance of sexual chemistry her characters have from the get go. She can take a few, innocent words and have me swooning. She has talent in spades and will always be an auto-buy for this reader.

That being said, No Limits was not a disappointment. Combustible sexual chemistry, a supreme cast of secondary characters, a dash of suspense, and cameo appearances from her Love Undercover series: all the key ingredients needed to make a hot read you don't want to end. Lori Foster delivers it and has whetted my appetite for more.

Cannon Colter is a young fighter on the brink of success. He has recently returned from Japan and learned of the death of a close friend. When he returns to Ohio, he finds himself face to face with the woman he hasn't been able to stop thinking about--Yvette Sweeny.

Yvette returns to Ohio to settle things after the death of her grandfather. Her childhood home holds horrific memories of a time she wished she could forget. And the presence of Cannon, her teenage crush, has her facing long-denied desires she thinks best left alone.

But the heady and smoldering sexual tension is something that will not be denied between them. And as the two spend more and more time together, things are bound to pretty damn hawt.

Because of what happened to Yvette years ago, she feels broken and afraid she will disappoint the man she has fallen for. But Cannon is determined to show Yvette she has no problems whatsoever when it comes to sex and his slow seduction is almost painful in a lip-biting, squirming-in-my-seat kind of way.
 

“Stay with me, honey.” And then, “You’ll like this.” With building anticipation Yvette watched him bend down until his dark head was between her thighs, his breath hot, his mouth hotter”.

"First time will be fast and hard. Second time might be better. I'm still up in the air on that one." He drew her close and playfully bit her lower lip. "The third time, though...for sure, that one will be all for you." 

Of course, Foster throws in some suspense to keep you turning the page...an unstable ex-boyfriend who waits in the shadows for his chance to grab Yvette could prove to be dangerous and deadly. Or is it someone else, someone unsuspecting, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike back with malignant intent?

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Berkley, Silhouette and Samhain. She is currently with Harlequin.

Click here for a complete list of Lori Foster's books. 

ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ DARKNESS RISES BY DIANNE DUVALL

Title: Darkness Rises ( Immortal Guardians, Book Four)
Author: Dianne Duvall
Release Date: October 1, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

Krysta is used to getting the drop on vampires. Her "special abilities" aren't much, but the plan is simple--she plays helpless pretty young thing to lure them in. Then her shoto swords come out and it's bye-bye, bloodsucker. Until one night she finds herself with an unexpected ally. He's a vampire, all right, but different. Mysterious. Handsome. And more interested in saving her skin than draining it.

Etienne has been an Immortal Guardian for two hundred years--long enough to know that Krysta is special. He can't stop thinking about her long legs, even more than her short swords. Then he discovers the vamps she's exterminating have friends in high places, and the Guardians are in danger too. He'll have to accept Krysta's help to save them. The stakes for a mortal are high. But the cost to his heart might be higher. . 

Book Review

I admit that I have only read the first book of Duvall's series, Darkness Dawns. But I love a great vampire book, and enjoyed the first book, so I had to jump ahead a bit in the story line in order to read Darkness Rises.

That being said, the story is easy to follow and I did little fumbling along the way trying to catch up.

Duvall has created a world where vampires are the bad guys. Her vampires have been infected with a virus that eventually turns the vampire crazy.  And it is up to the Immortal Guardians to hunt them down and destroy them before they kill or can infect others.

These Immortal Warriors are different in that they too have been infected with the same virus--but because of their unique gifts (ability to heal, ability to read others thoughts, etc), the virus doesn't infect them in the same way. They maintain their gifts and only the positive aspects of being a vampire.

Krysta and her brother, Sean, have been hunting vampires for over six years. With their special abilities, they are able to demolish and kill those vamps that prey on the innocent. But a run-in with the sexy Immortal Guardian, Etienne, changes everything.

And Krysta finds herself falling in love with a vampire. Except, Etienne is different. And it is those differences that attract her to the sexy Immortal Guardian as he exposes her to another kind of world. Can she trust this stranger to be who and more importantly, what he is?

Duvall has built a solid world with attractive Alpha heroes who are bad-ass to the bone. She intertwines several plots with ease and the secondary characters almost outshine the intended couple of this book. Fans of the paranormal and vampire world will love to sink their teeth in this sexy series.