Leigh, Lora, et. al. Hot for the Holidays. (New York: Berkley, 2009). ISBN – 9780515147001. Anthology including Vampire’s Ball by Angela Knight, A Little Night Magic by Allyson James, Sweet Enchantment by Anya Bast and A Christmas Kiss by Lora Leigh.

Main Characters: Jessica Raines and Hawke Esteban

Related Works: This is one of Lora Leigh’s the Breeds Series. See Lora Leigh’s Breed Chronology. This series includes the following:

• Tempting the Beast - (Feline Breeds #1 – Lion Breeds) – story of Callan Lyons and Merinus Tyler
• The Man Within - (Feline Breeds #2 – Panther Breeds) – story of Taber and Roni
• Elizabeth’s Wolf - (Wolf Breeds) – story of Elizabeth and Dash Sinclair
• Kiss of Heat - (Feline Breeds #3 – Snow Leopard Breeds) – story of Kane Tyler and Sherra Callahan
• Soul Deep - (Coyote Breeds) -  story of Kiowa Bear and Amanda Marion
• The Breed Next Door – (Feline Breeds – Lion Breeds) – (part of Hotspell anthology with Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker, and Meljean Brook) – story of Tarek Jordan and Lyra
• Megan’s Mark - (Feline  Breeds – Lion Breeds) – story of Megan Fields and Braden Arness
• Harmony’s Way - (Feline Breeds – Lion Breeds) – story of Harmony Lancaster and Sheriff Lance Jacobs
• Tanner’s Scheme - (Feline Breeds – Bengal Breeds) – story of Tanner and Scheme Tallant
• Wolfe’s Hope - (Wolf Breeds) – (part of Primal Heat anthology with Sherri L. King, Lori O’Clare, and Jaci Burton) – story of Hope Bainesmith and Wolfe
• Jacob’s Faith - (Wolf Breeds) – story of Jacob and Faith
• Aiden’s Charity – (Wolf Breeds) – story of Aidan and Charity
• In a Wolf’s Embrace – (Wolf Breeds) – (part of Beyond the Dark anthology) – story of Matthias Slaughter and Grace Anderson
• Dawn’s Awakening - (Cougar Breeds) – story of Dawn Daniels & Seth Lawrence
• Jaguar’s Kiss - (Feline Breeds – Jaguar Breeds) – (part of Shifter anthology) – story of Noble Chavin & Haley McQuire
• Mercury’s War - (Feline Breeds – Lion Breeds) – story of Mercury Warrant & Ria Rodriguez
• Christmas Heat - (Feline Breeds – Jaguar Breeds) -(part of The Magical Christmas Cat anthology with Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones) – the story of Noble Chavin and Haley
• Coyote’s Mate - (Coyote Breeds) – story of Anya Kobrin & Del-Rey Delgado
• Bengal’s Heart - (Feline Breeds – Bengal Breeds) – story of Cabal St. Laurents and Cassa Hawkins
• A Christmas Kiss – (Wolf Breeds) – story of Jessica Raines and Hawke Esteban – part of Hot for the Holidays anthology
• Lion’s Heat – (Feline Breeds – Lion Breeds) – story of Jonas Wyatt & Rachel – (to be published in April 2010)

My Thoughts:

When I first read that Jessica and Hawke’s story was going to be part of an anthology, I was seriously bummed out. We first met Jessica several books ago, when she was revealed as a traitor who had sold out the location of the Wolf Breed Compound. However, she had also saved a couple of Breed mates. We also knew that she was the mate of another Breed (I forget when we found out she was Hawke’s mate. Either the way, the two have known they were each other’s mates since they met). In a later book, we find out that Jessica had betrayed the Breeds because she had been drugged and coerced. There certainly seemed to be much more to the story of Jessica. So, I was bummed because I was rather surprised that this story would be a novella. Surely, Jessica and Hawke deserved a full length novel of their own???

So, I was totally surprised by the fact that A Christmas Kiss worked really well as a shorter-length story. We find out rather quickly that Jessica was held in a type of solitary confinement for a year and questioned repeatedly. After a year, she was released from her incarceration, but confined to the Wolf Breed Compound. She was monitored by the medical staff to make sure that the drug in her system was continuing to dissipate. Hawke, meanwhile, kept his physical distance from Jessica believing that she need to be proved innocent in order for her to be accepted into the Breed community. He also needed to maintain his distance so that he would not kiss Jessica and start the mating heat with his hormones. It all made sense to me. Jessica’s pain at Hawke’s distance was real, but the situation wasn’t easy for him either.

At the start of A Christmas Kiss, someone attempts to kill Jessica. With her life in danger, Hawke can no longer keep his distance from his mate. In what I believe is a Breed first, Hawke and Jessica have their first sexual encounter without the influence of the mating heat. Hawke deliberately restrains himself from kissing Jessica and thus releasing his mating hormone into her system. Of course, this doesn’t last long and soon thereafter the mating bond is cemented for real. The resolution to the threat to Jessica’s life did seem a bit rushed, but I did expect that given the brevity of the story. The threat is someone who she has known and trusted – although I don’t remember even meeting him.

A Christmas Kiss is probably my second favorite of the Breed novellas (The Breed Next Door, Wolfe’s Hope, In a Wolf’s Embrace, Jaguar’s Kiss, Christmas Heat and A Christmas Kiss) behind Wolfe’s Hope. Despite the brevity of the story, I was able to connect with Jessica and Hawke in a way that I haven’t really been able to do with the characters in the previous ones (except for Wolfe and Hope).

Read first on September 30, 2009

Burton, Jaci & Lauren Dane. Holiday Seduction. (Macon, GA: Samhain, 2008). ISBN – 159998959x. Includes Unwrapped by Jaci Burton and To Do List by Lauren Dane.

Main Characters: Amy Parker and Justin Garrett in Unwrappedand Belle Taylor and Rafe Bettencourt in To Do List

Description from Book:

Unwrapped

Amy Parker’s kind of fantasies wouldn’t cut it in the straight-laced law firm where she’s fought her way to partnership. And she refuses to let a younger man use her to advance in the firm. Justin Garrett might be brilliant, gorgeous and sexy, but he’s firmly implanted in the look-but-don’t-touch realm.

Until a corporate acquisition in Hawaii over Christmas gives Justin the opportunity to show Amy he’s interested in her as a woman, not as a way to advance his career. And he has the ideal plan to help unwrap the perfect Christmas gift for Amy.

To Do List

Since she could pick up a pencil, Belle Tayler has used lists to map out her life. But now, just steps away from her highest career goal, she realizes the life she thought she wanted exacts too high a price.

Exhausted, she heads home for Christmas to make a new to-do list.

She didn’t factor in Rafe Bettencourt, her brother’s best friend, kissing her under the mistletoe! Suddenly, Belle finds herself with a whole new set of goals to balance with what she thought she always wanted.

Because Rafe’s plan is to seduce Belle back home where she belongs.

My Thoughts:

Unwrapped: I thoroughly enjoy Jaci Burton’s erotic fiction – one of the reasons that I was so surprised that I had a rather lukewarm reaction to The Darkest Touch. In this story, Amy is a very career-minded woman who is overly concerned with work. As such, she has trouble unwinding. Justin Garrett works at the same law firm, and Amy has always seen him as a threat to her position. However, a Christmas work trip to Hawaii is the perfect place for Justin to help Amy learn to unwind a bit. Once in Hawaii, Amy has to slow down a bit. After all, their client Mitch is a rather laid back guy.

I thought there was some serious heat between Justin and Amy (and Mitch too). I was caught up in it from the time that Amy pleasured herself on the plane thinking that Justin was asleep until the last page of the story. This story definitely made me want to go to Hawaii for Christmas!

To Do List: I think this is the first Lauren Dane story that I have read, but it definitely won’t be the last. I’m a huge fan of the older-brother’s-best-friend-as-romantic-hero plot. This story opened with a toe-curling first kiss under the mistletoe. With this kiss, Rafe Bettencourt made his intentions toward Belle quite clear. And then, he followed through with them.  

Read first December 2008

When I get home from work tonight, there will be two packages from Amazon waiting for me – one with Lisa Kleypas’ Seduce Me at Sunrise and the other with the anthology My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. I absolutely adored Mine til Midnightby Kleypas. In this book, we met Cam Rohan and Amanda Hathaway – the main characters. However, we also met Amanda’s sister Win and the mysterious gypsy Merripen who is somewhat part of the family. I have been waiting rather impatiently for Win and Merripen’s story ever since. You can bet that I will be reading this book tonight.

But, I’m willing to bet that before I get to Seduce Me at Sunrise, I will be reading Sherrilyn Kenyon’s A Hard Day’s Nights-Searcher story in the My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. This past month, I have been on a quest to read all of Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter books. Once I read A Hard Day’s Night-Searcher, I will have completed the quest. I was actually quite sad when I finished reading Dark Side of the Moon- which was the last full length novel of the series that I read (yes, I read them out of order). It seems like an awfully long time until the November 4th release date for Stryker’s story, One Silent Night. Fortunately, I think that I need to go back and read several of the books in the series, including Fantasy Lover, Devil May Cry, Dream Chaser and Acheron because I know that I missed chunks of the story by reading things out of order.

Sigh! I will be a happy girl tonight!

Walker, Shiloh, Mary Wine and Lora Leigh. A Wish, A Kiss, A Dream. (Akron, OH: Ellora’s Cave, 2005). ISBN – 1419952323. Includes three short stories: Djinn’s Wish by Shiloh Walker, Paying Up by Mary Wine and Cowboy and the Thief by Lora Leigh.

Description from book:

Djinn’s Wish – Shiloh Walker

When Tamric cose to become Djinn, he never imagined that he would be trapped in service to a magickal mirror for thousands of years, granting one wish to each woman who holds it.

Tam is ready to do anything to obtain his freedom when he meets the human who will make him burn with a hunger he had long ago forgotten and yearn for a love unlike any he has ever imagined.

For her he will give up his freedom, his dreams, his everything. Just to see her joy – before he disappears from her life forever.

Paying Up – Mary Wine

Christina Faulkner made a bet and now she owed him a kiss. If she’s lucky, he’s forgotten all about it. Shane Jacobs didn’t just want the bet paid. He wanted a whole lot more.

But once passion touches it targets, desire transforms simple contact into mesmerizing obsession.

And Christina is about to discover that Shane hasn’t forgotten her. In fact, he’s coming back to claim what is his. All of it.

Cowboy and the Thief – Lora Leigh

The owner of the ancient Irish Torque will always be an Irish lass. The wearer, the lover of her heart and soul.

It’s Angel Manning’s legacy and has sparked dreams of an unknown lover who would fill her nights with heat, her heart with joy.

But when her father sells the Torque to Jack Riley against her wishes, destiny and fate are put in motion. She’ll get it back if she has to steal it. But Jack catches her, and he’s not giving it up without a fight.

Walker, Shiloh. Djinn’s Wish

Main Characters: Tamric and Kat

My Thoughts:

I had trouble reading this story since I have problems suspending my disbelief for this type of story. The hero, Tamric, is Djinn. One who is trapped in a magickal mirror with the power to grant one wish to the woman who has possession of the mirror. Despite this, I was routing for Tamric and Kat to overcome his curse – and was quite happy with the outcome of the story.

Wine, Mary. Paying Up.

Main Characters: Christina Faulkner and Shane Jacobs

My Thoughts:

This is a great story. Christina Faulkner lives in a small town situated quite near a mysterious and secretive military base. Shane Jacobs is one of the soldiers from the military compound. Christina first met Shane when he rescued her from a violent kidnapping – and shooting. Christina lived with Shane while she recuperated. Christina did return to her family, but she did owe Shane a kiss. Several months later, Shane returns to town to collect his debt – and more.

I was hooked on this story from the beginning. Shane is the epitome of the military, alpha-male hero. In this story, he literally comes to claim Christina – even if he isn’t quite sure that she can live with his secret, military existence. As is often the case, my biggest problem with this story was the length. I was bummed when the story was over – I wish I could have spent more time with both Christina and Shane.

Leigh, Lora. Cowboy and the Thief.

Main Characters: Angel Manning and Jack Riley

My Thoughts:

In this story, Angel Manning breaks into Jack Riley’s house looking for an Irish Torque. Her father sold the torque to Jack despite the fact that Angel believes that it belongs to her. Of course, Jack catches Angel in the act. Rather than turn her into the authorities, he makes her stay with him. There is an intense chemistry between the two – and they cannot stay away from each other. Angel and Jack had quite an adventure together – one orchestrated by a loving father. I loved Jack and Angel. They seemed perfect for each other – although they were not willing to give in to each other without a fight.

Read first in December 2007

Holly, Emma, Lora Leigh, Shiloh Walker, & Meljean Brook. Hot Spell.(New York: Berkley, 2006). ISBN – 0425212882. Includes The Countess’ Pleasure by Emma Holly, The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh, Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brook and The Blood Kiss by Shiloh Walker.

Description from book:

Venture into a world beyond the ordinary, where the dark passions and voracious appetites of vampires, werewolves, demons, and a few undaunted mortals combine to unleash a potent . . .

Hot Spell

Here are lovers like you’ve never dared to imagine: eyes that glitter with keenness born of ancient knowledge. Hands that move with a tenderness belying superhuman strength. Inviting smils that reveal exquisitely lethal fangs. Rippling, leonine muscles. There’s danger in the air – and heat.

Steam rises up off the pages of these four scorching novellas, sensuously crafted by four acclaimed authors who beckon you to slip into the shadows and experience the otherworldly pleasures of the nights . . . 

This story was ok. I did get a bit caught up in Iyan’s plight as an indentured servant. As a whole, I found some of the story difficult to follow. I’m not sure that I totally get the Yama and what they are supposed to be. This is one of the things that I often find unappealing about paranormal stories - the fact that they are often about different races and there is a bit of a learning curve to completely understand the characters, their world and their behaviors. I think that I tend to space out if I don’t completely understand what is going on – and that often can ruin the story for me. The problem is compounded in short stories because there is very little time for much description.

My Thoughts: 

This is a great story. I absolutely love the fact that Tarek has his own home, loves to do yard work, but really doesn’t know how. The scene where he cuts Lyra’s roses is very funny. My only real complaint is that this story is SO short. This shouldn’t be a surprise given that it is part of an anthology, but I felt as if I didn’t get to spend enough time getting to know Tarek and Lyra. Their relationship develops very fast – seemingly going from adversaries to lovers over night. This was definitely my favorite of the stories in this anthology

Related Works: This is one of Lora Leigh’s the Breeds Series. See Lora Leigh’s Breed Chronology. This series includes the following:

• Tempting the Beast (Feline Breeds #1)
• The Man Within (Feline Breeds #2),
• Elizabeth’s Wolf
• Kiss of Heat (Feline Breeds #3)
• Soul Deep (Coyote Breeds)
• The Breed Next Door (part of Hotspell anthology with Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker, and Meljean Brook)
• Megan’s Mark
• Harmony’s Way
• Wolf’s Hope (part of Primal Heat anthology with Sherri L. King, Lori O’Clare, and Jaci Burton),
• Jacob’s Faith
• Aiden’s Charity
• Tanner’s Scheme
• In a Wolf’s Embrace (part of Beyond the Dark anthology)
• Dawn’s Awakening
• Jaguar’s Kiss (part of Shifter anthology)
• Mercury’s War (Feline Breeds)
• Christmas Heat (part of The Magical Christmas Cat anthology with Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones)
• Coyote’s Mate (tbr – February 2009)

Sabrina Jeffries, Liz Carlyle, Julia London, and Renee Bernard. The School for Heiresses: Lessons on Love for Daring Young Ladies. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006). 9871416516118.

This books includes four novellas.

Description from book:

At the School for Heiresses, the lessons go far beyond etiquette and needlepoint. In addition to teaching her students how to avoid fortune hunters, headmistress and founder Charlotte Harris proposed the radical notion that women of means need not shackle themselves to men at all–unless they find a suitable and desirable mate. So lessons in the fine art of acquiring a loving and passionate husband are part of the curriculum at this highly unusual school. And as the holidays approach, Mrs. Harris sends her young ladies home with personally tailored lessons to work on. Will they return any closer finding the perfect husband?

Sabrina Jeffries. Ten Reasons to Stay.

Main Characters: Colin Hunt, Earl of Montieth and Elizabeth Crenshawe.

Liz Carlyle. After Midnight.

Main Characters: Martinique and Lord St. Vrain.

Julia London. The Merchant’s Gift.

Main Characters:Grace Holcomb and Barrett Adlaine.

Renee Bernard. Mischief’s Holiday.

Main Characters: Alyssa Martin and Leland Yates.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoy novellas because they are generally very quick reads. The generally problem that I often with them is that I don’t feel as if there is enough time to get emotionally vested in the characters.  Out of the four novellas, Mischief’s Holiday was my favorite – and probably because I connected most with (or really enjoyed) Alyssa and Leland. Alyssa was such an adorable character who was always getting into scrapes. Leland, of course, was always there to see Alyssa at her worst.

Read first: January 12, 2007.