Highland Knight
Cindy Mills
Signet, Jun 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780451224392

Charleston, South Carolina writer Amelia Landry suffers for the first time in her successful career from writer’s block. Desperate as her manuscript is due to her editor shortly, Amelia’s personal assistant Zulia Tinkerly rents a remote Scottish house to help motivate her. Thinking inspiration by the historical tower like facility, Amelia loves the place.

However, Amelia is stunned to find Laird Ethan Munro and his brothers living in some form of in between realm. Every day at twilight, they enter the mortal realm in solid bodies for one hour. She introduces her hosts to all sorts of modern gizmos like TV, computers and iPods. However, Ethan becomes her inspiration for her next novel as she is falling in love with him. She hopes to uncover the truth about how he and his siblings were cursed, how to end it, and hopefully stay with her Ethan forever.

The extra fun in this wonderful paranormal romance is the reactions of the fourteenth century Highlanders to modern gizmos. Amelia and Ethan is a charming couple while the support cast enhances the well written story line. Readers will enjoy the antics between the twenty-first century Southern belle and the early fourteenth century HIGHLAND KNIGHT.

Harriet Klausner

Running Wild
Sarah McCarty
Berkley, Jun 2008, $14.00
ISBN: 9780425221501

“Donovan” needs to persuade his cousin Wyatt to come home as his father the pack’s alpha is dying. At a bar, he meets his soul mate Lisa who was pounding the crap out of male crap for harming her younger sister Robin.

“Kelon” arrives to help his brother Donovan to convince Wyatt it is time to come home. When Kelon meets Robin he knows she is his soulmate, but some sh*thead took her virginity and hurt her emotionally so she is reluctant to be with any man.

“Wyatt” returns to his pack with his two cousins, their mates and a third sister Heather, who is his soul mate. However, like Donovan and Kelon, he must choose between the woman he loves and his pack as humans are taboo.

The three interrelated novellas provide werewolf romance fans with a strong heated collection. The story line is fast-paced whether each of the pairs are coupling or in dangerous scenarios. Fans will be RUNNING WILD with Sarah McCarty and her pack who make this fantasy romantic compilation a fun read.

Harriet Klausner

Season of Strangers
Kat Martin
Mira, Jun 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780778325543

Realtor Julie Ferris and her sister Laura are enjoying their day relaxing in a private cove on Malibu Beach owned by friend and client Owen Mallory when both discuss hearing and not hearing an odd buzzing sound that seems everywhere and nowhere. They fail to complete their chart as each has an urge to take a nap.

Not long afterward, the siblings feel plagued by that lost day that neither can fully recall. Since their day at the beach Julie, who rarely had a headache, suffers from crippling migraines and remembers only falling asleep; while Laura suffers from nightmares of an alien abduction.

Meanwhile at the real estate office, realtor Patrick Donovan recovers from a cocaine heart attack that changes him from a drug using philander into a considerate person who wants Julie as his lover. Julie is stunned by the makeover and her attraction to the newly improved Patrick, but rationalizes that the near fatal heart attack warned Patrick that he can no longer abuse his body. However, she soon realizes that extraterrestrial Val Zarkazian has taken possession of Patrick’s body; he has fallen in love with the earthling, but must leave and when he does Patrick’s body will die just like the man’s soul has already did.

SEASONS OF STRANGERS is a well written but odd paranormal romance as readers will need to adapt to a male lead body snatcher. The fast-paced story line hooks the audience from that eerie opening scene on Malibu Beach and never slows down as Julie begins to ponder the impossible by connecting the dots. Sub-genre fans will enjoy Kat Martin’s third “Earth Girls Are Easy” when they fall in love with non-traditional males (see SCENT OF ROSES and THE SUMMIT).

Harriet Klausner

Shadow Magic
Cheyenne McCray
St. Martin’s, May 2008, $8.99
ISBN: 9780312949587

In Otherworld, gray witch Hannah Wentworth plans revenge against the Dark Goddess of Underworld Ceithlenn, who caused so much death and destruction in San Francisco. Using her dragon elemental mirror to scry the future, Hannah is shocked to see humans flee from the Fomorii Demons and her familiar Fire Dragon shoot flames at her. Hannah travels with D’Dannen warriors and fellow D’Anu witch Rhiannon to meet with the latter’s father Drow King Garren ruler of the Dark Elves, considered a traitor by those in the Otherworlds of elves and humans for allowing Ceithlenn and her evil God spouse Balor to escape from Underworld. However, to defeat Ceithlenn, they will need Garren’s support although his elves like him cannot travel in sunlight as they have been cursed.

At the meeting Hannah feels nervous around Garren as they are attracted to one another. However, they ignore their desires and discuss the situation. Garren makes it clear he will do what is right for his people. After escorting Hannah on a tour of the Dark Elves realm, he explains they opened the door to Underworld to let in the light, but erred instead allowing the Fomorii Demons and Ceithlenn to escape; his beloved brother died in the fight to stop them.

In San Francisco, Ceithlenn is weak from her fighting with the witches, warriors, and cops, but most of her anger is at Darkwolf who has stolen her spouse Balor’s Eye. She also fears for her husband as she has not found him and knows he must be very weak and near death. Soon all the parties will converge in a key showdown.

This series is already one the best romantic urban fantasies and SHADOW MAGIC may be the best book to date. The lead couple is a great pairing who the audience will like while the paranormal species all seem genuine as does the attacks in San Francisco. Though there are obviously previous novels in this series and the future is somewhat established, this excellent tale can stand alone as Cheyenne McCray affirms she is a great fantasist.

Harriet Klausner

Highland Rogue
Tess Mallory
Berkley, May 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780425220429

In Austin, Texas, Maggie Graham loves everything about historical Scotland; Liam Neeson of Rob Roy fame is her hero. Thus she is euphoric when she receives the letter from Dr. Alexander that she has been accepted to join an archaeological dig near Drymen in the Scottish Highlands.

At the site, Maggie finds a a huge, tri-spiral carving in the floor of the cairn that sends her back in time to 1711 at an importune moment. She drops into the midst of a battle between the forces of Quinn McIntyre and those of the Duke of Montrose. Quinn saves her life taking her to his friend, Ian McGregor for safekeeping. However, when Montrose captures McGregor, Quinn vows to free his friend; Maggie wants to help. Their efforts fail leaving Quinn mortally wounded and McGregor slated for execution. Maggie takes her beloved back to the future where he can get medical treatment that will save his life; she knows they will go back because McGregor still needs rescuing.

This back and forth entertaining time travel romance is a fun tale starring a courageous heroine who has romanticized the Scottish legendary heroes so much so that Quinn wonders if he can measure up to her ideal. Fast-paced fans will enjoy the romance between the modern day starry eyed Texan and her HIGHLAND ROGUE.

Harriet Klausner

Highland Rogue
Tess Mallory
Berkley, May 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780425220429

In Austin, Texas, Maggie Graham loves everything about historical Scotland; Liam Neeson of Rob Roy fame is her hero. Thus she is euphoric when she receives the letter from Dr. Alexander that she has been accepted to join an archaeological dig near Drymen in the Scottish Highlands.

At the site, Maggie finds a a huge, tri-spiral carving in the floor of the cairn that sends her back in time to 1711 at an importune moment. She drops into the midst of a battle between the forces of Quinn McIntyre and those of the Duke of Montrose. Quinn saves her life taking her to his friend, Ian McGregor for safekeeping. However, when Montrose captures McGregor, Quinn vows to free his friend; Maggie wants to help. Their efforts fail leaving Quinn mortally wounded and McGregor slated for execution. Maggie takes her beloved back to the future where he can get medical treatment that will save his life; she knows they will go back because McGregor still needs rescuing.

This back and forth entertaining time travel romance is a fun tale starring a courageous heroine who has romanticized the Scottish legendary heroes so much so that Quinn wonders if he can measure up to her ideal. Fast-paced fans will enjoy the romance between the modern day starry eyed Texan and her HIGHLAND ROGUE.

Harriet Klausner

Code Spell
Kelly McCullough
Ace, Jun 2008, $6.99
ISBN: 9780441016037

Magical has gone digital in the twenty-first century with magic performed on the MWeb which uses computers formed by webgoblins. Both forms are sentient and Melchior, Ravirn’s familiar is loved by the man who once owned him then set him free when he realizes he was sentient. After fighting Hades, he was turned into a Chaos entity with his own House of Raven. While in Hades, he rescued Persephone and his girlfriend’s webgoblin Shara. He e-mails her to Raven’s girlfriend Cerice. He did not realize that Persephone created a virus that she placed in Shari.

Now the magic of the mweb is chaotic and working at fifty percent capacity. Cerice leaves Ravirn to repair the supercomputer Necessity and because she belongs to the House of the Fates where order is obsessive and she realizes she cannot cope with the chaos Raven brings. Necessity is a goddess who turned herself into a supercomputer so that magical users can access the multiverse while the Fates are subordinates to the compute. The Fates hope to repair the machine, but under their control. Ravirn is backed by the Furies to fix their mother Necessity so that the Fates will not have control of her. He holds all the powers of the world in his fingertips, which leads to many wanting him dead before he repairs Necessity.

This is a fun to read fantasy filled with irreverent witticisms, plenty of action, and a mind boggling romantic subplot. The protagonist has become a demigod and has a new outlook while juggling romances, avoiding enemies and relatives who in some cases are both, and fixing a sentient computer. Ravirn has a dry wit and a streak of kindness that at times gets him in trouble but endears him to readers as he bumbles and fumbles with a CODE SPELL.

Harriet Klausner

Goddess
Fiona McIntosh
Eos, Jun 2008, $14.95
ISBN 9780060899073

Religious fanatic Aranfanz holds captive in his desert fortress pregnant Zaradine Ana because he believes Percheron’s leader Zar Boaz is the father of the unborn. Aranfanz plans to use the heir as a pawn.

Ana wonders if her beloved Prince Lucien of Galinsea, known in Percheron as Spur Lazar, is the father. However, her biggest concern is for her child wheile she remains incarcerated by the desert warriors. Meanwhile her spouse Zar and her beloved Luicen obtain the help of shapeshifting demigod Iridor in their quest to find and free Ana at a time when their two nations turn to war and Maliz the demon in human guise as the grand vizier tries to prevent their success.

The final Percheron tale (see ODALISQUE and EMISSARY) is an interesting ending to a strong trilogy though this entry is not quite as engaging as the previous pair is as it takes too long to move into confrontational mode. The key cast remains solid characters as Zar obsesses over Ana to the point that he leaves his country at risk from the sea to mount a desert rescue of her. Although newcomers must read the rpevious books to comprhened what is going on in GODDESS, Fiona McIntosh closes her saga on a fine note.

Harriet Klausner

Playing With Fire
Kate MacAlister
Signet, May 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780451223784

While spellbound to the demon lord Magoth, naiad Cyrene created her doppelganger twin May Northcott to take some of the demands off her. Due to her connection to Cyrene, May is also obligated to Magoth. The demon uses her to steal valuable magical objects.

While on a mission for her liege, she is caught in spite of her skills to hide in shadows. Gabriel Tauhou of the Silver Dragons learns she is his soulmate when she survives his fire. However, although she desires the hunk, who somehow always sees her; she has other horribles besides her heart to contend with. Her twin worries that May is in menopause since she is no longer fun to be with; a powerful outraged mage has invoked the Otherworld law and set a price on her head for her head; a black dragon demands fiery satisfaction from an affront he accuses her of doing; and finally Magoth owns her.

HOLY SMOKES this Aisling Grey sidebar romantic fantasy will have readers rooting for the heroine who lands in more fiery situations than a fire spirit. The story line is fast-paced as May proves she can play lead instead of third fiddle. Fans of the series will enjoy the first feature length Silver Dragons tale as Kate MacAlister proves her skill as a magician when PLAYING WITH FIRE, she places Aisling in a secondary role yet enchants her audience.

Harriet Klausner

Fallen
Erin McCarthy
Jove, May 2008, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515144628

In 1849 New Orleans Anne Donovan loves John Thiroux and would do anything for him even die. John is actually the fallen angel Gabriel St. John sent to earth to help humans, but failed to cope with mortal suffering and turned to absinthe to drown his woes. When Anne violently dies, Gabriel is unsure whether he killed her as he was intoxicated at the time. He pledged to his heavenly boss to remain sober even as he is acquitted by a jury of his not peers of the homicide.

In present day New Orleans, true-crime author Gabriel is stunned by the parallels between the murder of Jessie Michaels and that of his Annie. Once again the accused Dr. Rafe Marino in this case is exonerated after a trial. Jesse’s daughter Sara Michaels has left Florida to uncover the truth about her mother’s murder; Gabriel plans to write a book on the subject. These two wounded souls collaborate seeking peace from closure, but neither knows how connected the mid nineteenth century murder and the recent one are to one another.

This is an engaging murder mystery investigative fantasy starring two angst laden individuals seeking solace by bringing rest to their beloved dead. The story line is fast-paced as the duo follow clues in trying to solve two homicides. Although the climax seems to have fallen from nowhere, fans will enjoy Erin McCarthy’s fine tale.

Harriet Klausner