The Earl of Infamy must escort one mourning lady out of London and hide her away in the country. Should be easy. But from the moment he steps into her life things get…complicated. Not only is she far too pretty for his liking but she’s got a knack for telling him no.
“No, I don’t want to go to the country with you.” “No, I won’t share your room.” “No, I won’t marry you, I don’t care that we’ve been alone.”
Is the woman daft? What lady in her positions turns down an offer liked his? He’s an earl and she’s all but ruined?
Still, the more she resists, the more, he has to confess, he’s intrigued. How can he get her to say…YES.
Uncaged Review: All of Avery’s family has been in danger, with the attempted kidnapping of her sister, Noah has agreed to marry Avery and get her out of London and danger with the dowry being Bash’s stake in the Den of Sin, a gaming hell. A business arrangement that suits Noah perfectly, until he falls in love..
Mystery and danger, and love all throughout this short read. This is a good entry into this series, and I may or may not have read a bit out of order, but each book can standalone, but it does make it more enjoyable when you read in order, as other characters from past books do pop up from time to time or they are mentioned. A charming and entertaining read. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! Can you tell readers more about The Keepers that will be releasing May 19th?
The Keepers is a work of fiction born from this question: How have the events of a town’s dark past continued to have influence over people and places in the present? The King Philip’s War, 1675, was per capita the bloodiest war in America’s history, which saw the rise of one people and the demise of another. Native American tribes, feared as godless pagans by the early settlers, were annihilated. Many believe that the spirits of those who died in the swamps and surrounding territories have haunted the area for over 300 years. The Keepers is the story that followed.
What is the most difficult scenes for you to write? What is the easiest?
I think the most difficult scene to write is one involving female characters, specifically younger ones who are caught up in boyfriends, cliques, and being popular. Gag me with a spoon.
My favorite and perhaps easiest scene to write, probably because I enjoy it, are about deeply trouble characters facing moral dilemmas that test their strength, often times failing and the consequences thereafter. I enjoy diving into the base motivations of people and the scenes that ensue.
Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Has there been a character that’s been hard to write about?
Like being asked who your favorite child is? But seriously, I think my favorite character in The Keepers is Chief of Police, Elias Hicks. He is motivated by a biblical sense of purpose, and by the oath he and The Keepers swore: to appease the warring spirits in the realm of the dead and to protect God’s faithful. He believes God is watching and testing his resolve to keep the faith, but his modus operandi would be considered by most readers, pure evil.
The hardest character to write about is when a dog or pet of some kind is suffering. I don’t really have any taboo subjects that I wouldn’t write about, if the subject matter was not gratuitous and it is essential to the story, but if I did have a rule, it would be not to injure or neglect an animal. It’s hard to write a scene where a family pet or animal of any kind is suffering.
How do you come up with the title to your books?
Organically, is the answer I think, and not until the book is nearing finish or finished does a title pop in my head. It kind of just appears. Because I generally have no idea where the story is going, if I did think of a title at the beginning, it would change perhaps a hundred times by the end. No kidding.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue below
Chris Burns writes under his pen name, Tan Van Huizen. Van Huizen is a phonetic variation of the name “Van Husum” his 8th times great-grandfather’s name. Van Husum was a sailor for the Dutch West India Co., and the first of Tan’s maternal line to arrive in America, 1639. When Tan’s not writing, he enjoys researching family history, hiking, travel, driving “The Beast” his souped-up F-150 truck, and hanging out with his best friend and wife, Ann Stewart Burns. He and Ann live in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Everyone in Titicut Township knew Carl Jenkins suffered from paranoid delusions, but what truly haunted him was far darker in nature. Whatever the small-town talk, only Carl and the shadow force of keepers (headed by Chief of Police, Elias Hicks) knew the truth. There is evil in the swamp-the place where spirits dwell.
When outsider and city reporter, Don Williams, arrives to investigate a 1973 cold case involving Carl Jenkins and the disappearance of three men, Hicks knew time was running out. The secret order he swore to protect was under threat of exposure. As chief of police and head of The Keepers, his charge was two-fold: appease the warring spirits in the realm of the dead and protect the faithful against God’s adversary.
Hicks ordered Titicut locked down and called a meeting beneath the old meeting house, but something went wrong. It was the first time in the order’s dark history a member would violate their oath of secrecy placing all within the township at risk. What only Hicks and the order knew is there were some secrets so grave, that if ever unearthed, not even God himself could save them.
Excerpt
CHAPTER 56 THE DOGS OF DOOM ARE HOWLING MORE
Carl Jenkins woke before the alarm and stared listlessly at the ceiling. But for his eyes flitting along the exposed attic beams and drifting toward the gables, he remained lifeless as a corpse. It was a rarity on such nights, especially after heavy drinking, he would even stir in bed, and usually found himself comatose straight through the alarm; but tonight, he knew why he woke so early as his eyes settled on the rafters. They were here and there was no escape.
The once-terrifying, dark shadows, the ones that came for him at night, were no longer feared as they once were. The long nights of hauntings and the foreshadowing of evils yet to come, were over. It was here, and it was now. There would be no escaping or hiding or negotiating. And even if there was a way out, Carl Jenkins no longer cared. He wanted it all to end.
Like the sun rising in the east, or the force of gravity, or the immutable truth that all that lives must surely die, there were certain unbreakable scientific laws that governed the planet. There were also rogue laws that governed the underworld. As dark and incomprehensible as these laws may be, they exist and have always existed. They have cast their long shadow of condemnation since the beginning of time and have wielded enormous influence over mankind. And although not fully understood, the laws of demonic possession have been practiced over the millennia and were as sound today as Newton’s laws themselves: when the realm of darkness stakes a claim of ownership on a poor soul, a thousand holy men the world over are powerless to stop it.
There are no miracles. There is no salvation. There are only immutable truths governing the realm of the living and the realm of the dead and the cheating of such truths are an impossibility. In the end, all that remains are unpaid debts and prayer offerings for the departed. Carl lifted slowly and sat on the edge of the bed. His breathing was slow and deep, almost unconscious. As he looked blankly at the floor, a sense of amenable nonresistance took hold, melding with the thick cloud of despondency hanging over him. He lifted his head and peered through the blackening window. The moon’s light which had watched him to bed had been swallowed in a pit of darkness. As the creature’s enormous shadow came to settle over the house, he sat there quiet a moment in the heavy pitch and weighed his final thoughts.
I stalk her from the shadows, waiting to make my move.
She’s not like the others.
It’s not just her blood, her very essence calls out to me, begs me to make her mine for all of eternity.
But she claims to hate me, to loathe my kind.
She doesn’t know that I always get what I want. And soon she will be one of us.
Scarlett
One of my earliest memories? Standing frozen in horror as a rogue vampire killed my mother in cold blood.
Now I make it my business to put an end to the blood-sucking scourge, so they can never hurt another human again.
I see him watching me, and I will use his infatuation to drive a stake right through his heart.
Uncaged Review: In this world, vampires are out to the world, and sometimes this book borders on horror and sometimes on a more romantic feel. But there is a suspense involved that gives it some staying power. Scarlett is the head of a team for the Paranormal Task Force, to keep any rogue vampires in line. She watched her mother die from a vampire attack and now has made it her task in life to keep vampires from doing the same to others.
Draven is an alpha vampire, who has been alive for centuries, and once he sees Scarlett, he’s drawn to her like no one has. Unfortunately for Scarlett and Draven, they will have to work together to solve a threat to both humans and vampires.
This is a nicely paced book with a lot of action, some hot sex scenes and a bit of horror and gore mixed in. I wasn’t completely onboard with Draven throughout the book, he’s a bit of an overbearing vampire with a possessive streak that takes it a bit far sometimes, but he grew on me as the book progressed. I didn’t like where the book left off, and I will probably move on to the next book in time. Reviewed by Cyrene 4 Stars
The human world was the last place I wanted to hide, but after my mother, the Queen of the Light Court, wed me off to our mortal enemy, I just wanted out.
My husband, The Twilight King, may be tall, handsome, and everything that would make most females bite their lips—but he’s also holding far too many secrets behind his golden eyes. On top of that, he’s controlling, possessive, and makes me feel things I shouldn’t. Especially not for a man who’s rumored to be more brutal than any other Fae king in existence.
So after our wedding was complete—I vanished—and I’ve been hiding out in the human world ever since.
I thought the Twilight King would forget me and move on, but that’s not his style. Now, the turbulent changes in my powers, and a growing pandemic in Avalon, have brought my husband and I face to face again.
My Kingdom needs me.
My King needs me.
And, whether I like it or not, I can’t ignore what’s happening to my people, because without our combined efforts, there is a good chance that nobody will make it out alive.
Uncaged Review: To escape an arranged marriage from her mother, Ashlynn escapes the fae world to hide out among the humans with her friend, Cole. Her husband, Kian, is the Twilight King, and Lord over all the dark realms, and closely on her heels trying to find her. Ashlynn and Cole stay a half a step ahead of him until Ashlynn is in a car accident and Kian finally catches up to her.
Kian is very dominating, and possessive, and Ashlynn is very rebellious and spoiled at times. But there is a lot going on in this book, and it all starts to reveal itself and will some of it is very surprising. There is a plague facing the fae realm, and Kian wants Ashlynn to return to help heal the realms, with the people dying and coming back to life like zombies.
So you have a good urban fantasy, mixed with a healthy dose of suspense, and sprinkled with horror and just a smidgeon of romance. This is a good mix. I didn’t really like where the book ended, but it is a trilogy, and all the books are available, so it makes the hit a bit easier to take. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to book 1 in the exciting new series Echoes in Time from New York Times Best Selling author Paula Quinn.
After receiving a dragon brooch from a distant great aunt, twenty-first century historian Kestrel Lancaster finds herself in fifteenth century England. Smack in the middle of a war. Like…in the middle of a blood and guts spewing, heads flying around her war. With six armored men riding toward her, bloody swords raised high in the air, horrified looks on their faces, there isn’t time to think. Only to scream. But like a dream, a dark knight rides into the fray and saves her from them all. When she realizes where and when she is, she doesn’t know whether to thank him for keeping her alive or curse him for it.
Sir Nicholas de Marre has seen many things in his years as military commander for the House of York, but he has never seen a woman appear right before his eyes—and in the middle of the battlefield. Without thinking, he kills the Lancaster bastards closing in on her. Thankfully for her he is able to fight with her deafening screams behind him. He saves her from certain death, not knowing if she is mad, or he is, and carries her to safety.
That’s his first mistake. The second is showing her mercy when he finds out she’s a Lancaster. But this odd woman who takes pictures with imaginary phones and teaches Cook to make cupcakes is easy to fall for, and before long, the heart of York’s champion is captured by a Lancaster.
England’s throne is about to change. The House of Tudor will reign, and the War of the Roses will finally be won with the intimacy of a kiss, the tenderness in a touch, and love that will echo through time.
Uncaged Review: This book is definitely for those who enjoy the idea of time travel mixed with history, action and of course love. This author does a good job of explaining how the main characters view each other and their reactions based on their respective time periods. If you love the idea of time travel and the days of King Arthur this book is enchanting. Reviewed by Jeanna
Welcome to Uncaged! Your latest release is called They Canceled the DJ, can you tell readers more about this book? What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
They Canceled the DJ is inspired by actual events and follows the story of a radio personality’s not-so-stellar moments. An incident with a listener goes viral, then he ends up scoring a date with said listener, THEN…they hit it off. But just when things start to go right, she ditches him on-stage at a concert for a world famous pop star. And his quest for revenge ensues.
As for current projects, I’m polishing up my 2022 release. A psychological thriller of sorts. It centers around two unsavory individuals, one of whom is a failed radio personality turned podcaster having an affair with the other’s mom. That’s all I can say for now.
You are also a radio host and host a podcast, can you tell us more about that?
I left pop radio after more than twenty years. Needed a change. My new podcast is called Freddy’s Huge ASK Podcast. Twice a week, I’ll speak with some of the coolest people in the world. Former Delta Force veteran turned author Brad Taylor, Pulitzer Prize winner and author Stephen Hunter, CEOs, entrepreneurs, life coaches, and more. Think of this as TED meets AV Club meets Masterclass meets Book Club.
What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?
The final chapter went through several iterations before getting the proverbial chef’s kiss. The concert scene in chapter 20 was the easiest and required very little editing.
Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Has there been a character that’s been hard to write about?
I really enjoyed creating AC’s character because he’s so REAL. Perfectly imperfect. He’s not necessarily good or bad. He’s just a regular guy who, like all of us, is capable of making terrible decisions.
The character I had the most trouble with was Bobbi. But she eventually came to life.
Read the rest of the interview below in the issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Freddy Cruz is a Houston area media personality, last heard on the Marconi Award winning 104.1 KRBE. He is also an author, philanthropist, lover of new music and old books, and the host of the Book This with Freddy Cruz podcast. Fueled by coffee, laughter, a shared delight in his community, and love for his family,
Freddy often marvels at his luck in being able to spend his days filling the buckets of all the things he values most in life.
When a hotheaded DJ is caught in a viral web of vengeance, it’s unlikely he’ll find the wisdom to quiet his inner critic.
Radio jock Aubrey Cortes cares way too much about what others think. After he humiliates himself in front of a listener-turned-love interest, he’s horrified when the explosive episode goes viral. But, after the disaster turns into a first date, he celebrates with a barrage of search-and-destroy tweets aimed at torpedoing his online critics.
Thrilled when his newfound viral fame lands him a nationally syndicated show, he uses his connections to arrange a backstage pass to meet his new squeeze’s legendary musical idol.
Cue mayhem.
Aubrey’s heart is cruelly betrayed on centerstage, and blows up big time. Again.
And now he wants payback.
Can Aubrey eat humble pie and take a Zen lesson or three, or will he go down in a fiery fit of revenge?
Excerpt
Since the turn of the century, fans have taken the meaning of “fanatic” to a whole new level. Gone are the days of a simple band shirt and tour poster. Those are for beginners. Artists who only go gold. And coffee mugs, tumblers, and smartphone cases? Those are for no-name SoundCloud artists who scored a two-hundred-dollar check in exchange for permission to use a clip of their song in a commercial for some dude’s used car lot, starring the Used Car Lot Dude’s daughter with that annoying kid lisp. Real fans showcase their diehard support with canvas paintings using blood and sculptures using the ashes of a dead loved one.
And nobody rocks the merch game stronger than River Bronswell, the highest-selling artist of all time. Shirts, hoodies, jackets? He’s got the best designs. But those are for fake fans, the ones who can only name his radio hits. Any real River Bronswell fan has all the apparel, plus his complete line of talking dolls that sing and speak twenty different languages, including Aborigine. They have also bought his virtual reality games, augmented reality games, and vinyl dipped in twenty-four-karat gold, even though they have no idea what a record player is. They drink River-brand vodka, tequila, and River Tickler whisky gets his fans drunk enough at shows to pay two hundred dollars for a limited edition, three-dimensional photo book.
Bobbi opens the door and ushers me into her townhome. She has everything. She waves a hand in the direction of framed magazine covers and articles featuring her home—in more languages than I can count. Fan art, created by her, lines an entire wall. Large pieces, small pieces. Art on canvas. Sketches in black and white. When guys show up to a love interest’s home for the first time, they show up with a gift. Flowers, something. Anything. What I have seen in Bobbi’s home makes me glad I have opted for something less tangible. It may cement my place in her heart.
Giant text covers an entire side of the hallway that leads to her apartment. It reads, “Mr. Bronswell makes my heart swell.” The “Bronswell” and “heart” are red, the other words are black. The letters resemble what a serial killer would use in a note to a future victim.
“This is…interesting,” I say with my mouth gaped open, pondering the fact that the authorities would consider her a person of interest if River ever turned up missing. For a split second, I consider rescinding my surprise. What she won’t know won’t hurt her. Or in this case, River.
Across the hall hangs a stained-glass image of River as a saint. Next to it, a Renaissance-inspired painting depicting River as a Roman emperor. I clear my throat and raise my chin, embracing the role of museum curator. “And here we have, the Marcus Aurelius of Pop Music, benevolent ruler of hearts across the Rivertopian Empire,” I say with a horrible accent.
“Not much, but it makes me happy,” says Bobbi, fluffing the River pillows and throw blankets on her couch. “Some might say I have an obsession.”
Do you want to be a Bounty Hunter? Class is now in session at the Academy of Necessary Magic.
Amanda Coulier is a young shifter and ward of one of the greatest bounty hunters of all time.
But Johnny Walker is better with hound dogs than young girls. Especially the kind who can grow fur and fangs and rip out your throat in the middle of teenage angst.
Where to send Amanda for an education that won’t leave anyone in tears… or dead?
Time to start a new school with two more legends. James Brownstone and Leira Berens.
Mix in Summer Flannerty, a young Witch who’s got a thing for breaking rules and just landed in Amanda’s room.
Trouble leads the girls to a relic hidden away for good reasons.
Can Amanda quell the angry spirit that’s on an angry rampage to destroy the campus?
This school is gonna be legendary. Enroll at your own risk…
Uncaged Review: When I first started reading this book, I almost stopped when I learned one of the main characters is 12 yrs old. This isn’t marketed as a young adult, and most of the books on the market for magical academies are at least older teens. But I kept going, and it was a decent read. Amanda is a shifter and trying to keep her secret from the rest of the school because shifters are frowned upon in this world. Wanting to be a bounty hunter to avenge her family and so other kids aren’t taken is her main desire to be in the school, although shifters don’t necessarily have any magic of their own. She ends up making friends with a small group, and with an outcast new student named Summer. Summer is a delinquent that was kicked out of her last school for blowing things up and is the first to figure out Amanda’s secret. Finding a soul crystal in a cave gives them an advantage in school, until it doesn’t…
This is a pretty fast read and it was a decent storyline with a good pace. Amanda is likeable enough and Summer is a refreshing kick butt friend. The different magic used and the world building is pretty good although we didn’t really learn what the other students are, except a couple wizards and witches and one kid who is a Crystal. If you like the academy type books, this is an easy choice. Reviewed by Cyrene
When Fiona MacHugh inherits her aunt’s B&B in a magical sanctuary village, she knows to expect some surprises. Bats in the attic, a rotting front porch, even the giant black dog that only appears when she’s alone… all of these things she can handle; especially since every day, she gets closer to solving the mystery of her aunt’s death.
One thing Fiona didn’t expect was to find herself at odds with her neighbor, a grumpy casino owner aptly named Devil. Devil is handsome and brooding and dangerous… and hell-bent on getting rid of her.
Devil Walker doesn’t have anything against Fiona MacHugh. He really doesn’t. In fact, those curves and dark eyes call to him in a way that makes it hard to keep his hands to himself. But the B&B is part of the family legacy he’s been trying to reclaim ever since his father destroyed their empire. He promised his grandfather; he made a vow. And no matter how sexy or sweet or alluring his neighbor is, he has to find a way to make the B&B his.
Uncaged Review: Dark Hollow is a sanctuary town, divided by a magical Current, that separates it from Brightwood. When Fiona’s aunt Minnie dies, she inherits a B&B inside the magical town. Even though she has no magic of her own, she decides she’s going to keep the building and find out how her aunt really died.
Dev, who is a spirit mage, runs the casino next door. His father lost the B&B which had been in Dev’s family for generations and he’s determined to get it back. But he wasn’t expecting Fiona. There are a few things going on that keeps this book humming along. There is a mystery about the death of Fiona’s aunt, and a romance that brews as an enemies-to-lovers storyline. Dev was a bit over the top in his alpha ways at times, but Fiona does seem to handle him pretty well. There is also a lot going on about the town itself and the people in it and the ending was unexpected. This was an easy read, and I look forward to book two. .Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book, Dead Ringer will release April 7. Can you tell readers more about this book?
Thanks for having me! Dead Ringer is a dark thriller following Taylor Callahan, a young woman with a troubled past and criminal record. When she accidentally causes the death of a teen girl who looks just like her, Taylor takes over her life to give herself a fresh start. But soon she comes face to face with the deadly secrets the girl’s family is hiding and she must try to outwit them in order to survive.
What is the most difficult scene for you to write? What is the easiest?
There is a flashback scene where Taylor remembers her mother throwing her out of the house at the age of sixteen. It was hard for me to write about someone being so cruel to their own child, but it serves as a catalyst for many things that happen over the course of Taylor’s life.
The easiest scene to write was the beginning when Taylor takes over Jamie’s identity. Taylor has survived on the streets by committing low level crimes. It was fun to have her use her street smarts to pull off a much bigger con.
Do you have a favorite character you’ve written? Has there been a character that’s been hard to write about?
I’ve really enjoyed writing Taylor’s character. This was the first full length manuscript I wrote after college and I became very attached and invested in her. When I would take a break while writing the book, I would even miss her like she was a real person I know.
Her partner-in-crime, Ivan has an abusive father. I didn’t enjoy writing him being disrespectful and neglectful of his own teenage son.
How do you come up with the title to your books?
Some come to me in a flash and others I have to think about for weeks or months before I get the right title. Dead Ringer came to me in an instant. I saw the title with my main character’s appearance and personality, and I knew I had to put it paper.
I picked the title because it is a bit ominous with the word “dead” in it. Plus, it plays on the old folktales about bad things befalling you when you meet your doppelganger which certainly happens to the girls in this novel when they meet the person who looks just like them.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue below.
V.P. Morris is an award-winning thriller and horror writer and podcast host. Her interest in criminal psychology inspired both of her novels Dead Ringer and ShadowCast.
When she isn’t writing or reading, she is cooking healthy meals, watching scary movies, and spending time with her husband and son.
Small-time criminal, Taylor Callahan, dreams of starting her life over. When she inadvertently causes the death of a teenage girl who looks just like her, she does the only thing she can do: she takes over the dead girl’s life.
Now, twenty-one-year-old Taylor must navigate the ins and outs of living with the MacKenzies, the safe and loving suburban family of the dead teen girl. By using her street-smarts, fast-thinking, and the help of her best friend and partner in crime, Ivan, she works to keep her true identity a secret while fighting the demons of her past. Just as Taylor thinks she has made a new life for herself with the MacKenzies, she learns that this wholesome family hides a twisted and deadly secret.
Excerpt
I gathered the strength to turn around and stand up. In front of me, I saw each of the girls lying flat across the ground. Their blood soaking through their clothes into the wooden planks of the pier. My heart pounded as I knew it would have been me lying dead on the ground if Zeke had seen me first instead of Jamie.
But somewhere between my horror and fear, I could see this tragic event as an opportunity for me. Ivan came running up from the parking lot, his eye swollen from Zeke’s fist. “Taylor, I’m sorry.” His voice was shaking. “He had a gun and told me he was going to kill us both if I didn’t say where you were and that he just wanted to talk to you. I’m so sorry,” he said as he pulled me into a hug.
I hugged him back even though I was pissed at him for cracking so easily.
I pulled myself away from his hold.
“What do we do about the girls?” he asked, wiping a tear away from his good eye.
He looked at the bodies then knelt down by Jamie. The bullet blasted through her eye socket, causing the right side of her face and back of her head to explode with blood and gore.
“Holy shit, Taylor, I feel sick.” Ivan knelt on the floor and started dry-heaving. He took a breath and calmed himself down before asking, “Why did he even bother to kill them when he was after you?”
“This girl, Jamie. She looks exactly like me. That’s why he killed her, he thought I was her.”
Just to be sure, I felt for her pulse. Nothing. The same with the other two girls.
Ivan crossed his arms across his chest. “Looked exactly like you? I don’t believe it.”
I reached into the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out an iPhone with a bright orange case coated with stick-on jewels and a pink leather wallet with a plastic display area for an ID. I handed him her driver’s license.
“Damn, you’re right. She could be your twin.” But the sight of three dead bodies started to overwhelm Ivan. He began breathing heavily and shaking. “What do we do? Should we call the police? They shouldn’t just be left here. Who knows the next time someone will be out here?”
“You’re right but—” I flipped through her wallet and found her school photo ID. The colorful logo of a purple and yellow bear mascot was on the side.
Here’s my chance, I thought. I can go back to high school and start over. When opportunity knocks, I might as well answer the door.
I stood up and threw my jacket and shirt to the ground.
When Lady Olivia Gosling finds The Book of Love in a musty bookshop, she is most eager to try out its love “recipes” on someone safe.
Did she say safe?
Well, Beast isn’t really safe, but with her odious guardian about to marry her off to one of his unsavory friends, Olivia needs her childhood friend to fall in love with her… fast. If Beast can love her, then any man she chooses will surely do the same.
Alexander Beastling, Duke of Hartford, is known as Beast among the ton. He is big and muscled, and there is a dark aura of mystery about him that he makes no effort to dispel. Now that he’s returned from battle, he’s appalled to learn of the marriage plans Lady Olivia’s loathsome guardian has for her. Beast has decided that he will help her find a proper husband, even if it means putting up with her ridiculous experiments taken out of a book she refers to as The Book of Love. Olivia calls them magical recipes for love.
Is it possible they actually work? Because suddenly, Beast can’t seem to get Olivia out of his mind… or his heart.
Uncaged Review: Olivia finds a book, or I should say the book finds her by falling on her head, in an old bookshop, the book is called The Book of Love, and Olivia is anxious to read and try out the book in order to find a match for the season. Olivia is in a bind of sorts, seeing how her parents died and her guardian has the mind to match her off with a man of questionable morals for money. With no dowry, she decides to try out some of the book’s advice on Beast, a childhood friend. But we can’t see that backfiring at all now can we…. But Alexander (Beast) is beginning to see Olivia as more than that childhood friend and his protection instincts toward her are beginning to take over all of his thoughts. Is the book working?
Or was Olivia and Beast always meant to be together? This is a slow burn romance, and a fun one getting there. Seeing the romance develop kept me hooked, and I am looking forward to book two in the series. Reviewed by Cyrene
