Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Home Blog Page 113

Uncaged Feature Author – Cheryl Yeko with Excerpt and Review of Protecting Rose

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

As seen in the June issue of Uncaged Book Reviews:

A different format from just an interview, Cheryl talks to us about her editing and her first published book, Protecting Rose.

Thank you for hosting me. I’d thought I’d discuss my entry into the writing world as an author, then acquiring editor for Soul Mate Publishing.
My writing career began when my wonderful husband bought me a Kindle for Christmas and changed my world. I started reading romance novels, and fell in love with them. I decided to write one myself, so I took some online classes, checked out some books from the library, and disappeared into my room over a long Wisconsin winter to write Protecting Rose.
My only problem was I had no idea what to do with it. So, I did some more research and found this wonderful romance association right there in my backyard! Who knew? So I joined The Romance Writers of America, and everyone was very helpful and supportive. Armed with some great advice, I submitted my baby to a few publishing houses and received two contract offers.
I signed with Soul Mate Publishing in 2011, and couldn’t be happier. Protecting Rose went on to win the 2012 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence in the Romantic Suspense category.
Today, I’m a multi-published, award-winning author, and write romantic suspense and sexy contemporary. I can also be found under the pen name of CiCi Cordelia, with my writing partner and BFF, Char Chaffin. Together we write paranormal and western genres, both contemporary and historical.

In 2012, I was honored to have Debby Gilbert, Senior Editor and Founder of Soul Mate Publishing ask me to come onboard as an editor. I currently have over sixty-five edited novels under my belt, and an inbox that will keep me busy for the rest of the year. Eventually, I went on to become the coordinator for Soul Mate’s newsletter, cover art, and social media promotions. Busy, busy…

In my spare time, I write romance!! I can honestly say that I’m never bored. 🙂

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’d like to share a short excerpt from my debut novel, Protecting Rose:

A fire ignited under the hood and billowed. Smoke flooded the car. The strong odor of gas hung in the air. His heart raced. Grasping the woman under the arms, he eased her back toward the door. “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he murmured, “but we need to get you out of this car.”
A bright bolt of lightning ripped across the sky. Hungry flames, fed by the wind, spread through the car. He pulled her from the vehicle and cradled her in his arms. With a burst of adrenaline, he raced toward the coverage of the trees at the bottom of the hill. He sprinted the last few feet to safety before the car exploded behind him with a thunderous roar.
The shock of the blast nearly knocked him to the ground and he barely managed to stay on his feet as he stumbled forward. He clasped the woman to his chest and dove behind a line of trees. Nate turned at the last moment to take the brunt of the impact before rolling over to shield her with his body. The heat from the explosion enveloped them, and debris rained to the ground. When he lifted his head, the car was engulfed in flames.
She moaned.
Nate glanced down in time to see her eyes flutter open. His pulse raced when he looked into a pair of breathtakingly beautiful brown eyes, sheltered by long sweeping lashes.
“Where are you hurt?” He frowned when he noted a bruise on her cheek darker than the rest. He ran his hands over her, searching for injuries. She gasped and struggled against him. Her large doe eyes filled with confusion and fear. “Whoa there. Take it easy, sweetheart.”
Nate grasped her wrists to keep her from moving. “You need to remain still and wait for the paramedics.”
She cried out in a pained gasp. Nate froze and eased his grip. He cursed when he saw what appeared to be rope burns circling her wrists. Eyebrows furrowed, he released her and rolled to the side. He glanced down the length of her body to see the same red marks at her ankles.
His jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed at the thought of her restrained in such a cruel fashion. “Who tied you up?” His gut screamed danger.
Nate lifted his head to scan the area. A loud thunderclap shook the air. The temperature dropped sharply when the storm rolled in. Suddenly, there was a loud pop, and dirt flew up next to him.
What the hell!

Someone was shooting at them.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A fun little tidbit. I just finished adapting Protecting Rose into a screenplay. It was so much fun!
Since Protecting Rose was my debut novel, I’ve learned a lot about writing since then. I was able to pull out the best parts of the story, tweak or add other scenes to make the story better, and ended up with a 117-page screenplay. I’ve joined a local screenwriting association and hope to learn how to get it optioned. So who knows…maybe someday you’ll see Protecting Rose on the big screen. A girl can dream. 🙂

Char and I are currently working on a three-book series under our pen-name, CiCi Cordelia: THE BRIDES OF LITTLE CREEDE. A three-volume series centered around the men and women brave and resourceful enough to make a better life for themselves and their loved ones in the brand-new state of late-nineteenth-century Colorado.

I’m thrilled to announce: that Book One-RETTA, took First Place in the Historical category of URWA’s Annual “Great Beginnings” contest. Since this is our first foray into historical westerns, we are beyond thrilled. We hope to have RETTA completed by mid-summer. Look for it!

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Cheryl Yeko is an award winning, multi-published author and lives in Wisconsin with her husband Patrick. She loves to read, play piano, and spend time with family and friends. She enjoys novels with fast-paced action and steamy romance, protective alpha men and strong heroines. Cheryl belongs to several writing groups, and is a member of Romance Writers of American (RWA), as well as the Wisconsin Chapter. Cheryl is also an Acquisitions Editor for Soul Mate Publishing. As an Editor, she welcomes Romantic Suspense, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Contemporary, and Erotica. Cheryl is thrilled to be able to add author/editor to her resume and would love to hear comments from readers.[/symple_box]

CherylYeko.com

 

 

 

 

Protecting Rose
Cheryl Yeko
Suspense/Romance

Rescuing damsels in distress is all in a day’s work for Detective Nate Stone. After saving a beautiful woman from a burning car and an assassin’s bullet, he vows to protect her. But the determined assassin always seems to be one step ahead of the game. Suspecting a leak within his Department, Nate takes Rose and runs. He soon discovers that the hardest part of the mission is resisting his desire for the woman who trusts him with her life.

Rose awakes in a hospital with no memory, only to discover that someone tried to kill her. Her only chance to survive an assassin’s game of cat and mouse is the man who saved her and who has promised to protect her. She may not know her past, but she knows her heart, and it longs for her protective warrior, who ignites a passion in her she can’t deny.

Uncaged Review: This book started out full tilt action, and grabbed my interest within a few pages – and that makes a great read. Nate is a Milwaukee detective, driving home when he witnesses an accident. Stopping to help, he pulls a lady from the car, and is promptly shot at. Getting her to the hospital and to safety is his number one priority. When she comes to, she doesn’t remember anything – and Nate is determined to keep her safe. Since they don’t know her name, he calls her Rose.

There is a lot of danger, and it doesn’t stop with one dramatic moment like a lot of books do. It keeps ramping up with each incident. This was a very easy read, very easy to get submerged in and keep going until you know who Rose really is and why someone wants to kill her. The only thing I had a hard time believing was the romance and how fast it took off, and especially with a girl who was thought to be sexually abused from the person chasing her, but it was easy to like the characters and the storyline was fast paced and didn’t slow down. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Renegade Wife by Caroline Warfield

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

The Renegade Wife
Caroline Warfield
Historical/Victorian

The Renegade Wife kicks off the new Children of the Empire series, companion stories to award-winning author Caroline Warfield’s Dangerous series. Raised with all the privilege of the English aristocracy, forged on the edges of the British Empire, men and woman of the early Victorian age seek their own destiny and make their mark on history. The Renegade Wife is the story of healing and a journey home, of choices and the freedom to make them, set in 1832 in Upper Canada and in England.

Uncaged Review: Set in 1832 in Canada we meet Meggy who has broken into an empty house with her children as she is on the run from her husband who is abusive. A drunk who occupied the house comes back unexpected from his trip and isn’t very happy. Until he notices how ill Meggy’s daughter is and the real reason they’re staying in his house.
Even though it’s strange to think they had squatters at that time and age, it’s nice to see how the owner of the house ends up changing from hating her at first to falling quickly for her even though he has had his heart broken in the past. It’s nice he overcomes this by turning over a new leaf and helping Meggy and her children. He also comes across in the book as a nice guy and help’s save an injured animal, so he definitely gets my seal of approval.
This book was a delight to read as it proved that sometimes the good guys are out there and they are willing to help a damsel or an animal in distress. I look forward to reading more of this series. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Hunting in Bruges by E.J. Stevens

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

To read an interview with E.J. Stevens, and a excerpt from her upcoming book, Tales from Harborsmouth – please see the June issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Hunting in Bruges
E.J. Stevens
Urban Fantasy

The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vampires in Bruges.

Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters’ Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there’s no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.

On second thought, maybe Bruges isn’t so bad after all.

With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters’ Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city’s scenic canals. With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.

Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions–but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.

Uncaged Review: Right in my comfort zone, this spin-off of the Ivy Granger series really hit a sweet spot for me. Jenna from the Hunter’s Guild is sent to Bruges, to find out and stop some supernatural killings, and what she runs into is far worse than any of them imagined. Full of great action and memorable characters, we have a strong heroine in Jenna, and my favorite character in a long time has to be Ash, but I’ll let you discover this eccentric character all on your own.

Great action sequences, and a well thought out plot, keeps you turning the pages on this urban fantasy. I’m looking forward to the next one in the series, and now I need to go back and dig into the Ivy Granger series. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Unknown by Phil Price

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Unknown
Phil Price
Paranormal/Dystopian

It happens every year. A select few disappear, never to return.
From The Falkland Islands to the Himalayas, Puerto Rico to England – humans are vanishing without a trace or explanation.
A young man, who’s lost everything, stumbles across an ancient secret.
Can he unlock the mystery?
Will he find those who need him?
Can he escape the Unknown?

Uncaged Review: We go through a battle at the start which I can only describe as creatures gathering from the darkness speaking of a war to come in the future. Between them, fast forward to a young scot on a mission to take some pictures when he and his guide get trapped in a snowfall where a strange boy in old clothes is spotted. Again we go to another time frame where a lazy boss vanishes. We come to modern times where a young policeman, Jake, takes a trip abroad after losing his family.

The author is clearly building up to the story and why these strange creatures of darkness are roaming around different time frames.

I’m hooked and read this book in one sitting and am desperate to find out what happens next.

Horror fans will love this. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review: Unethical Conduct by Cole and Williams

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Unethical Conduct
Cole & Williams
Suspense/Crime

Corrupt senior officers, a murder, a rape and a flasher. Can DI Terry McGuire’s day get any worse?

McGuire became a police officer to uphold the law and to protect those who cannot protect themselves. When he discovers a connection between a former friend and colleague and a body buried on a beach that appears to have been frozen for five years, McGuire knows there is only one course of action he can take.

With a murder, a rape and a flasher adding to McGuire’s headache, is there a connection between his colleagues and the awful events unfolding? Can McGuire stand up for what he believes and bring the perpetrators to justice, whoever they may be?

 

Uncaged Review: So some bad guys who are in jail are blaming an ex-dirty cop now turned local counselor. For their jail time D.I. Terry Mcguire and his team try to get this handled in a quiet, discreet manner. More stuff comes out of the woodworks and the ex-cop is also accused of rape. Poor Terry has to deal with even more when a body turn up at the beach.

This is a short read but it gets to the point straight away. It’s just a matter of getting the evidence to prove it. A dark fast paced and gritty book that sets up the character of Terry and his team quite well for book one. Book 1 to7 is out now and all proceeds of this book go to charity.
Reviewed by Jennifer.

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Playboy Assistant by Roe Valentine with Excerpt!

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

To read an interview with Roe Valentine, please see the June issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Playboy Assistant
Roe Valentine
Contemporary

Jilted ex-bride Antonia Robuchon has been groomed to be a trophy wife her entire life. When her mother falls ill, Toni suddenly finds herself temporary CEO of the family business. Though against her life plan, she realizes she has what it takes to succeed in the workforce. While trying to convince the executive team of her value, she finds help in an unlikely source—her society playboy assistant, Fabian. The closer they get, the more she questions her initial opinion of him. Can she protect her heart and her mother’s secret?

Trust fund baby Fabian Pallis has a reputation of being a ladies’ man who can’t—and won’t—commit. When Fabian’s father insists Fabian prove he’s a responsible employee, he’s forced to work for an old classmate, Antonia, who grew up to be more stunning than he remembered. Sparks fly on day one, and he quickly wonders if she could be the one to change his relationship status. How can Fabian leave the job with work experience when all he wants is his boss?

Excerpt

“Goddamn it, Antonia, tell me the truth.” His voice was low and growling, like he’d let his animal instincts take over. It scared her a little, but excited her just the same.

She trembled. “So you’re with Camille again, are you? Or is she just a friends-with-benefits thing?” Her jealousy showed its ugly head. That she tipped her hand enough to show him such an emotion irked her.

“I’m not with her.” He palmed her throat. The soft pad of his thumb lay on her pulse as it raced. “And don’t change the subject. You owe it to me. Tell me why you lied to my father,” he demanded softer that time, leaning closer to her face.

Desire worked through her body, igniting her senses. “I… I…” She moaned, acutely aware of how close his mouth was to hers. All she wanted was his lips on her lips. His lips on every part of her.

“Tell me, Toni.” His fingers tightened on her throat. She gasped at the eroticism of being caged by him, demanded by him. Her clitoris throbbed with how turned on she was by his power.

And without thinking, the words came. “Because I don’t want you to go.”

His mouth crashed down on hers. He bit her lips, sucked her tongue and tangled it with his. They matched intensities, both taking exactly what they wanted. She took it all. His lips, his tongue, his touch. He slid his hand down to her sex and rubbed hard until she pushed away in fear of orgasming right there in the hallway.

“We can’t,” she croaked, trying to get her bearings, only finding the room was spinning faster with each blink.

Fabian pulled her against him. “Don’t run from me.”

She jerked away from him. “You don’t get it.”

“Oh, I get it.” He scrubbed the side of his head in exasperation. “Admit it, Toni. Admit I might be the one you want.”

“What kind of a fool would I have to be to admit that to you?” A spike of anger rose inside her at the thought of Camille and all the other women in his life. “The last thing I’ll ever be is your fool.” But she wanted to be, horrifically. She wanted him in the worst way for the worst reasons. She wanted to be his fool, his stupid fool who showed up at his place of employment and nagged about a future. She wanted to be just like the others. And that was plain stupid.

“You have no idea what you would be to me.” His eyes glistened with the words.

“And I’m not going to find out either.” She turned on her heel, reeling in what had just happened between them. Again. She ached deep within, regretting walking away, but knowing she’d regret it more if she stayed.

Uncaged Review: I think I drug my feet getting around to reading this one mainly as it seems to be marketed as an erotic – and even though I’ll read most anything, erotica is not a go-to genre for me. By the time I finished the book, I decided I had just read a contemporary romance, a love story. Sure, it has a couple hot sex scenes, but what romance these days doesn’t? So for people shying away from this because it’s in the erotica category, I hope you will change your mind. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast I read this – and that happens mostly when I’m enjoying the story.
I will say, I did not like Fabian at first. And I almost groaned at his arrogance in the beginning. A rich boy playing the field, never getting serious about his life – party after party, woman after woman. On the other hand, I liked Antonia right off the bat. Antonia is the acting CEO of her family’s investment firm, since her mother is very ill. But her mother and Fabian’s father arranges for Fabian to work for the investment firm to try and teach Fabian how to be responsible, as the assistant to the CEO. Which so happens to be Antonia. And that first meeting does not go well, but Antonia will honor her mother’s wishes.

This is well written, and I did learn to like Fabian as the story progressed, and some twists were not expected. Erotic love scenes that will satisfy erotica lovers? Absolutely. But just remember, it’s so much more than that. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

Uncaged Review – Cover Me by Kacey Hammell

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Kacey Hammell is a Feature Author in the June issue of Uncaged Book Reviews. To read an interview and an excerpt of Guarding Midnight, please see the issue on page 32.

Cover Me
Kacey Hammell
Contemporary Erotica

Wanting her son’s best friend shouldn’t feel so right…

Jay Savage is one of the most sought after models in the business who seems to have it all. He’s the face of romance novel covers from coast to coast, and has expanded his brand to an executive role. Despite the endless possibilities in his life, Jay doesn’t have the one woman he wants most. She is everything he needs, and everything he can’t have. Their age difference isn’t the only obstacle standing in the way of convincing her they were made for one another. Leanne is also his best friend’s mom.

Uncaged Review: We start off with Leanne’s son Beau getting married. At the start of this, Jay, whom is Beau’s best friend, tells Beau of his attraction to his mother Leanne, who was hit with a bitter divorce a few years ago. Beau supports his friend and his mother, and gives his blessing to Jay. When Jay and Leanne stay on for a few days at the resort where the wedding was, they begin to get to know each other. But will Leanne be able to get past the idea that she’s old enough to be Jay’s mother?

There is a bit more too this one, but this is a novella length, so there is quite a bit of story packed into this erotic tale, along with some hot and steamy sex scenes – and you may be needing a cold shower afterward. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 1/2 Stars

Uncaged Review: Christmas Nightmares Anthology

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Christmas Nightmares Anthology
Various
Horror

~ Sacrifice Season ~
Notorious serial killers, the Spawraths, are in prison, yet a killing has happened at the Spawrath home and this time it is their youngest daughter who is the victim.
When the shreds of the truth surface, Hannah, Matthew, and Ethan all realize their parts in an old religion with old practices.

Uncaged Review: A set of Christmas tales that all feature around Christmas time, but I think can be read at any time. If you are a horror fan like me or just love spooky tales, there are some Christmas crackers in this book.

The ghost of Christmas past left me in goosebumps after reading it. It’s about a real estate agent who is selling a beautiful old Victorian house which holds a lot of secrets and where a cheating husband gets his just desserts.

There is also such things in this book as Christmas baubles that holds people’s souls and deadly cult Christmas Carol singers, which will make you run when you hear them sing. A must read at any time for fans of Christmas or horror or even enjoy both.
Reviewed by Jennifer.

5 Stars

Uncaged Review: Shadow Hunted by Walt and Hamilton

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Shadow Hunted
Jasmine Walt & Rebecca Hamilton
Urban Fantasy

Once a whip-smart detective and a powerful Shadow, Brooke Chandler has been stripped of both memories and identity. She now spends her days scrubbing floors, reduced to nothing more than a servant girl.

But even with no memory of her previous life or how she ended up a slave, Brooke won’t remain trapped for long—not with friends and enemies alike vying to find her.

Her escape attempt lands her in the deadly, beautiful land of Faerie, where nothing is as it seems—possibly including her father, The Winter King. Here, she rediscovers her past life, full of allies and foes all waiting for her return.

Faced with the opportunity to flee, Brooke must decide which fate terrifies her more: staying where her enemies wants her dead, or returning to confront the ones who want her jailed for murder.

Uncaged Review: This is the third book in this series, and it’s just getting better. I finished it quickly, but not because it was a short book, more because I was so wrapped up in it, I didn’t even realize it until it was almost over. In this book, it picks up where we left off in book two, Shadow Marked. Brooke has been taken by the Morrigan, and put into slavery without her memories. When she finally escapes and gets to Faerie, she is finally brought to her father, the Winter King. Brooke must regain her powers and her memories to fight the injustice in the Earth realm, and to keep the lands of Faerie safe against a dangerous Coven.

A lot of danger, a lot of great action, and Brooke will need her friends and foes(?) – a.k.a. Maddock, to prove her innocence to the Salem PD. The writing is spot on as always and if you are an urban fantasy lover, this is a great series, but start at the beginning – they don’t do well as standalones. Maddock and Brooke are an excellent team, and even though romance brews just below the surface for these two, it is kept on a back burner…for now. Reviewed by Cyrene

Uncaged Review: Natasha’s Dream by Heather Greenis

By
Cyrene Olson
-
0

Natasha’s Dream
Heather Greenis
Women’s Literature

Walking the ocean front near their property, Keeghan and Will find a bottle containing a portrait of a royal family dated in the 19th century. This inspires an ongoing dream. Princess Natasha grew up knowing her parents wanted another boy, not a daughter. Raised in a sheltered environment, her only friends were her brothers and Nanny. An innocent swim brings a chance encounter, where she discovers a different life exists beyond the walls of the castle. Underprivileged children become her salvation and she dreams of a better life, a normal life. Conflicted, Natasha must risking hurting her family to help them. Told the story is important to her, Keeghan is determined to learn why it dominates her subconscious.

Uncaged Review: We meet Keeghan and Will who have bought a property near the sea. After walking their dog they come across an object bobbing in the sea. A bottle with a rather interesting object inside. After examining the bottle at home, they find that inside is a picture of a royal family. Thinking nothing of it at the time she continues with her day. Feeling sleepy she goes for a nap where she meets a strange man in her dream, who tells her the story of a young gentleman and a royal girl. We get swept up with this story of Stewart and Natasha and panic to find out what happens next. The ending of the book is a surprise.

I loved this book it was an interesting storyline and I adored the relationship between Stewart and Natasha. I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Reviewed by Jennifer

1...112113114...128Page 113 of 128

© 2016 - 2024 Uncaged Book Reviews, All Rights Reserved