She wields the power to change fate. And it absolutely terrifies her.
When her sister is abducted by supernatural forces, Upstate New York high schooler Tasia is thrust into an ongoing shadow war between vampires and reapers, and awakens an incredible magical power within herself.
Too bad she’s too afraid to use it. The excruciating side effects don’t help things, either.
To find her sister, Tasia will need to team up with Ace–a handsome and mysterious vampire who steals her breath away (but hopefully not her blood). They’ll have to battle ghosts, vampires, reapers, and even werewolves as they navigate through two hostile worlds at war.
Uncaged Review: This is a good start to a series, and it’s original in a crowded genre. Tasia is tossed into the supernatural world, a world she never knew existed. She meets Ace and Sunny, brothers and vampire/reaper hybrids when she’s attacked on her way home from her job one night. That’s when she finds out that Remnants exist and that she has her own strange powers. This book has a great pace, and we learn a lot in this world with the excellent world building, but there are a lot of unanswered questions that may be answered in the following books in this series. One of my big questions is what is Tasia? Supposedly a human with reaper powers, we don’t get any clue as to what she could be. When she sees golden “threads” in her vision, she will need to learn what they are and how she can use them to save her sister.
There is a romance, it’s between Ace and Tasia, but reapers are not supposed to interact with humans. This is a clean romance and has good action scenes and a buzzing plot. It was enough to propel me toward book two. Reviewed by Cyrene
Magic is real, fairies are obnoxious, and everyone knew the truth but me…
Sera Allen needs a change. The family house she inherits is the perfect place for a fresh start, except for the sexy neighbor she’d ditched years before and the surprise fairies living across the street. Before long, she’s neck-deep in magic, Fae, and zombie bunnies, and her tenuous connection to her powers relies on the one man she wants to avoid.
Jake Thomas is happy in his mundane life. Magic is for other people. Until the girl who’d broken his heart moves back home and he finds himself drawn into the world of the Fae. She needs his help, but can he trust her to stick around this time when things get rough?
With a dark force threatening the town, they’ll have to face their pasts and overcome their distrust to have any chance at a future. Together they can make magic, but will it be enough?
Uncaged Review: This book is a good start to a series, and there is a lot going on. A lot of truths will be revealed and some of the mystery I guessed, some I didn’t. There was quite a bit of action and humor and it didn’t slow down too much. There was some repetitive explanations that could have been omitted, but all in all, it wasn’t hard to overlook. I think the ending was a bit rushed, and there wasn’t really a wrap up a couple side stories in the book, but maybe they will be addressed in later volumes.
The secondary characters were interesting, and reading ahead, I see that some of them are getting their own stories, which is intriguing. Nice start to a series. Reviewed by Cyrene
In the Nexxus system, water is a scarce commodity. Vice Ambassador Kieran Phaetal has been given the monumental task to broker peace and heal the century’s old wound between the water planet of Westran Alpha and the savage denizens of Hexaka. As he boards the first available transport vessel, his thoughts focused on the future only to have his past rise up and kick him right in the gut.
It had been six years since Vanysha Kureen had seen the man who abandoned their love and destroyed her life. Six long years of climbing up from slavery as one of the Unsought, disowned and discarded, to become navigator and owner of The Royal Janstar. When an impromptu flight through the bloodiest quadrant of the Nexxus system drops into her lap, she finds her luck turning for the worst as she discovers Kieran is their passenger moments before her ship is shot down, crashing onto Hexaka in flames. With the rest of her crew injured or dead, it’s up to Vanysha and Kieran to search for help on the hostile desert planet.
Forced together by enemy fire, they must move beyond the anger and passion swirling between them to bring an end to the hostilities. With the fate of the Nexxus system at stake as well as her own happiness, can Vanysha dare to trust Kieran with her scarred and shattered heart or will his mission destroy their chance at forever?
Uncaged Review: This is one of those scifi books that doesn’t leave you hanging on complicated technology that it leaves you scratching your head. The technology is easy to grab hold of and suits the story well. This was a great scifi romance, and it grabbed my attention within the first couple of chapters and it was one of those books I was looking forward to getting back to.
Kieran is an ambassador, hiring passage to a remote hostile planet of Hexaka. Unknown to him, he hires Vanysha’s transport ship. Both have a history and both will need to come to terms with their pasts if they want to have a future. There is a good suspense in with this scifi romance and everything is not as it seems, and the characters are well developed. Vanysha is strong and stubborn and a survivor with a violent past as being sold on the slave auction by her parents. Kieran has been groomed for his role in politics and when they meet again 10 years later, much has changed for both. The secondary characters are a perfect foil, and this is a non-stop story that never lets off the gas. Here’s hoping the author has more up her sleeve in this world. Reviewed by Cyrene
The friendship that changed the destiny of a nation…
In the waning years of the thirteenth century, two young noblemen form a bond that forever changes their destiny and that of Scotland’s. Their shared pledge of honor would endure for a lifetime to secure power in the Isles for Angus Og Macdonald and a crown for Robert Bruce. This is the story of their friendship, their times and the battle that secured their future.
Standing beside them would be two women from Ireland, Áine O’Cahan, the dark-haired beauty from Ulster, who captured the heart of the Lord of the Isles, and Elizabeth de Burgh, the fair Norman heiress who stood by her man, King Robert Bruce, though it would cost her dearly.
Enter the world of medieval Scotland and live the adventure!
Uncaged Review: This is a sweeping tale that encompasses the friendship and loyalty of 2 men, and the history around medieval Scotland when Robert the Bruce was reigning, and with battles for the freedom from England. Angus and Robert form an unbreakable bond after meeting when there is a meeting called for many families to discuss the future of Scotland. There is love interests in this book, and even though they are crucial to the story, this isn’t a historical romance in that respect. What this is, is a epic journey with real historical facts, there is so much research that had to go into this saga, that it boggles the mind. This is a bit longer of a book, but it really does bring you to medieval Scotland with descriptions that never slow the book down. This story is based on a lot of facts from the author’s own ancestry and she does them proud. Start from the first book and you may be surprised at the time you spend reading. Reviewed by Cyrene
Don’t believe what they tell you about Robin Hood, outlaw of Sherwood Forest. There never was such a man. But there is a woman…
That’s me, Robynne: fox shifter, master archer, and jaded outlaw with a fierce desire to avoid trouble. But when my impulsive brother and his merry band of misfits rob a passing carriage, they set off a chain of events that changes my destiny forever. Too late to stop them, I settle for the next best thing: taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
All well and good, except that puts the new sheriff of Nottingham hot on my trail. Operative word: hot, because unlike his predecessor, Daniel is a muscle- and duty-bound knight/dragon shifter freshly back from the Crusades. One who inspires all kinds of new desires…
As outlaw and sheriff, we’re sworn enemies, though we want the same things: justice for the downtrodden, the return of our rightful king, Richard…and a chance to indulge our wildest, most sizzling fantasies.
But that’s not so simple for us star-crossed lovers. The year is 1193 — an era of scheming princes, greedy warlords, and ruthless shifters. To earn our happily-ever-after, Daniel and I must rely on cunning, fierce fighting, and love that burns hotter than dragon fire.
I’ve never let rules, expectations, or impossible odds stop me…but I have to admit, this will be one hell of a challenge.
(And if you hear a canine growling, that’s my fox side. Challenge accepted.)
Uncaged Review: This is a master retelling of the Robin Hood tale, with a well rounded cast of shifters, which this author is known for. The outlaw of Nottingham is none other than Robynne, a crafty fox shifter who is talented with a bow and arrow. Her group of Merry Men include her brother Robert – a wolf shifter who needs a better education, Little John – a bear shifter and a few other shifters. Daniel, a dragon shifter and Robynne’s true mate, has returned from the Crusades and is given the post of acting sheriff of Nottingham. But sometimes him and Robynne are on the wrong side of each other with the law and when Robert gets captured and found guilty and sentenced to hanging, it will take all the Robynne, the clan and Daniel to save him.
This is a great book that had me hooked right away and so different from what I’ve read from this author. Plenty of action, romance and suspense. I’ve read several different Robin Hood retellings, and this is by far my favorite. This is a trilogy and I’ll be first in line to get the next one. Reviewed by Cyrene
A fun-loving man who has become a staid duke . . .
An independent lady who wishes to pursue her artistic bent . . .
A long-ago meeting which left a lasting impression on them both . . .
Daniel Judson, the Duke of Westfield, changed from a carefree young rogue into a sober duke once faced with a mountain of responsibilities after he assumed his grandfather’s title. After seeing both his sisters wed, Daniel knows it is finally time for him to take a wife in order to provide the necessary ducal heir.
Lady Margaret Townsend’s come-out was delayed by the ill health and subsequent deaths of her parents. Now an ancient four and twenty, she makes her debut into Polite Society—not to find a husband—but to secure important social connections within the ton in order to acquire commissions to paint their portraits, a dream she has long held.
Sparks surfaced during their initial encounter ten years ago. Their second introduction at the inaugural ball of the Season leaves Daniel certain he has found his duchess, while Margaret is confused by the never-known feelings stirring within her.
Will the duke convince this lady she can have both marriage and her art—or will her stubbornness to follow a chosen path have her miss out on love?
Uncaged Review: Lady Margaret has always placed 2nd fiddle to her beautiful sister. Her sister was doted on by their mother and when it came time for a match, they schemed to find her the best match with the most value and the best title. As Lady Margaret took care of her ailing mother and father, her debut wasn’t until she was 24 yrs old, much later than most debutantes. Having to live with her sister and her husband, Lady Margaret is thrust into the Polite Society to find her match and to move her out from her living situation by her sister Dolley. But Lady Margaret is an artist, inheriting the talent from her late Grandmama.
Daniel, the newly minted Duke, has finally agreed to find a wife. Daniel had met Lady Margaret during Dolley’s coming out when Lady Margaret was not quite 15 yrs old. He never forgot the spitfire and when he saw her again, he knew he’d found his match. But Lady Margaret has no intention of getting married, and Daniel will need to work for it.
This is a nice historical that is a great page turner. I was pulled into the pages almost immediately, and loved the characters and the original story. I liked that Daniel knew what he wanted, and that Lady Margaret was an independent planning on making a living on her paintings. An engaging, original storyline that is smart and addicting. Reviewed by Cyrene
Cuba in the 1930s is the backdrop for a vibrant short story about the rhythms of the heart and the twists of fate that echo through time by the New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana.
Havana, 1939: It’s opening night at the famed Tropicana nightclub. Cuban American college student Natalie Trainer, on vacation from Miami, is watching from the sidelines—as usual. Then comes an invitation to dance from a handsome stranger named Antonio. Normally cautious and reserved, Natalie somehow finds herself saying yes. A tiny thrill of rebellion, of taking a chance, and Natalie’s in heaven. Will her first step into this unfamiliar realm set a new course for her life, or only tonight?
Uncaged Review: This is a short, sweet story of a young lady who goes on vacation with her parents to Cuba in 1939, and meets Antonio at the famed nightclub, Tropicana. About love lost and found, the author does a great job having you care about the characters in a short amount of space. I can’t give away too much, but if you have an hour to spare, this is a perfect interlude to your day and a great introduction to this author. Yes, it’s short and sweet, and sometimes that’s exactly what we need. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book, Training the Duke released on October 12 and is part of a series called Suddenly a Duke. Can you tell us more about the series and this book?
AA: Suddenly a Duke is an 8-book Regency romance series. I love a fish out of water story, and so my 8 heroes gain their unexpected dukedoms and have to adjust to their new lives as a duke. These dukes find themselves attracted to interesting females Polite Society does not believe worthy of holding the title of duchess. The heroines I this series are not typical ladies of the ton. One is a portrait painter. Another composes music. Two are designers—of hats and furniture. One is even a famed Bow Street runner! Fortunately, these dukes choose to forge their own paths with these remarkable women and find that trusting their heart is always the right choice.
Training the Duke’s unusual heroine, Lady Finola Honeyfield, is a dog trainer, specializing in training English springer spaniels. Army officer Cyrus Cressley’s head wound has left him alive but blind in one eye, so he is unsuited to lead soldiers into battle. He returns to his childhood home to heal and find a purpose in life—and Finola’s adorable pups bring the two of them together. Of course, both Cy and Finola hold close a few secrets, and things become even more complicated when he suddenly becomes the Duke of Margate. Cy must convince Finola they are meant to be together.
What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
AA: I have two different series in the works for 2024.
My Regency historical romance series, The Strongs of Shadowcrest is my first family series I’ve written since my popular St. Clairs. It will tell the love stories of the Strong family, including eldest brother James; his four half-sisters; the girls’ mother; and his two cousins. This series will release between February & October.
My small-town contemporary romance series is set deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where people come seeking new opportunities and a chance to reinvent themselves—and maybe even find love. Lost Creek is a 5-book series, and a new romance will drop each month from May to October.
Read more of this interview in the issue below
USA Today and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Alexa Aston’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love. Her contemporary romances are light and flirty and sometimes contain a bit of suspense.
She is the author of 16 historical and contemporary romance series, including Suddenly a Duke, Second Sons of London, Dukes Done Wrong, Sugar Springs, and Hollywood Name Game.
A native Texan, Alexa lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys a great Netflix binge, reading, and travel, and she has the two most adorable grandkids on the planet.
An army officer who has returned to his childhood home . . .
An earl’s daughter forced to earn her own living . . .
Two damaged souls who find friendship . . . and love . . .
Lieutenant-General Cyrus Cressley’s head wound leaves him blind in one eye and unsuited to lead men into battle. Selling his commission, Cy returns to Melrose to find his father long dead and his distant brother, who is in poor health, the new Duke of Margate. Cy is given use of the hunting lodge on the estate, where he seeks to find his purpose in life after being forced from the military.
Lady Finola Honeyfield’s come-out was ruined when a cruel trick was played upon her, leaving her to trust no one but her dogs. She retreats to the country and becomes one of England’s premier trainers of English springer spaniels, having found a way to earn her keep, even as she is lost in loneliness.
Thanks to her Honeyfield spaniels, Finola has a chance meeting with Cy. Soon, a friendship springs up between them, with Cy even helping Finola train her current litter of pups. But these two keep secrets from one another and when Cy suddenly finds himself the Duke of Margate, Finola washes her hands of him. Can Cy convince Finola they are meant to be together and forge a path as the Duke and Duchess of Margate—or will her mistrust of gentlemen of the ton keep them apart forever?
Excerpt
“My commitment to you is unbreakable, Finola,” Cy said, holding her hand as she perched on the bed where he lay. “I may not bring a wealth of worldly goods into our marriage, but know that my love is the biggest gift I can offer you.”
He kissed her tenderly.
“Will you allow us to live at Belldale?” she asked quietly, and he saw the worry in her eyes. “It has been your home for many years. I would not take you from it or your dogs. The sale of my commission will bring in some income for us to live on, but you will need to continue training and selling your Honeyfield spaniels.”
“We,” she emphasized. “We will train them together. Perhaps we should rename them Cressley spaniels.”
The thought left a sour taste within him. Cy wanted no association with his brother or father touching his relationship with Finola. “No, they are to remain Honeyfield spaniels. That is what they are known as. It will be your lasting legacy, and I am more than happy to continue to help you in this work.”
She touched his cheek, stroking her fingers against it. “Bertie will be happy about this turn of events.” Cy chuckled. “He will, indeed. And speaking of Bertie, where is the lad?”
“I sent him to Belldale to work with the dogs today so I could stay with you since your headache was so debilitating.” He kissed her hand. “Thank you for being with me during the worst of it. I am much better now. Dr. Sheffley said the headaches, like my eyesight, are results of the bullet entering my head and the swelling and stress that resulted from that. I hope if my sight returns that the headaches might end.”
Finola rose from the bed, saying, “Dr. Addams will return tomorrow morning to check on you.”
“What of Stoneham? And Pollux? When do you plan on delivering the pup to the duke?”
“His Grace knows I wanted you and Bertie to accompany me. He said he would send his carriage again the day after tomorrow, hoping you would be fully recovered by then.”
Cy took her hand, bringing it to his lips for a tender kiss. “When will you wed me?”
“I suppose in three weeks’ time. It will take that long to call the banns.”
“There are other ways to speed things up,” he told her.
“I’ve got one rule and it’s no women on board. Ever.”
When the youngest brother of the rough and tumble Smith family turned to smuggling, Fulton Smith knew he had to keep his operation simple to keep from being caught.
But the beautiful stowaway, Sophie, makes his life anything but easy. His smuggling self knows he ought to drop her at the nearest port and follow his own damn rules. It’s a dangerous business. The lord in him, however, can’t help but protect the fragile beauty who has demons of her own.
But when his past begins to haunt them too, danger lurks around every corner and not even his boat is fast enough to outrun it.
Keeping her safe will push him to the breaking point. Keeping his hands off her…
Uncaged Review: This is a fun story with a perfectly imperfect hero, and a woman who is the perfect combination of courage and grace. Sophie hides away on Fulton’s ship, trying to escape an arranged marriage with a cruel man and a loveless family, and Fulton is hunting a criminal who has terrorized his family. But things don’t always go to plan, and when Fulton discovers the daughter of the wine maker he purchased at one of their stops in the hold of the ship, he threatens to take her back to where she’s escaping from. But he has a hard time fighting his attraction to her.
This book has romance and danger, and secrets that will be revealed. Secondary characters are well developed, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Reviewed by Cyrene
Paige, a popular hard-charging television anchor, is handed a dismal new assignment to improve the station’s ratings. Her new job involves, of all things, sports. Gag. She hates sports, plus being on the road may put her career and her secret engagement to a rival news anchor in peril. Never mind that her fiancé constantly flirts with his so-called fans or the fact that her new male coworker may be after her job. What about the wedding? Hello? How can Paige possibly plan nuptials while constantly traveling to, ugh, games?
Emma, an overwhelmed single mother, is asked by her best friend to plan her wedding. Problem is, Emma has a thriving Etsy business making promotional items for authors, plus her energetic five-year-old daughter is beginning kindergarten. And little Lucy happens to have the hottest teacher on the planet. With a teenage-like crush, Emma can’t stop volunteering for every school activity imaginable. Always loyal, Emma agrees to help her BFF. Except her crazy schedule causes memory issues. Big ones.
Will Emma realize her mammoth blunder and race against time to create an unforgettable wedding for Paige, or is it too late? What if the wrong bride is getting married? Should they swap or forget the whole thing? Guilt is a powerful drug.
Uncaged Review: This book started out a bit slow for me as contemporary romance is a really not a go-to genre for me, but once I hit the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down. I “had” to read what happened next. After I read the Coconuts series by this author, I was intrigued of where she was going next, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Two unlikely best friends, totally different paths and the book narrates between the two of them, chapter by chapter. I was completely absorbed in their lives, and I was already choosing their partners. Paige is a regionally famous television news anchor who gets saddled with a sports job from her boss, a part of the news she has zero knowledge of. On top of that, she gets a partner – who seems too good to be true. She also is engaged to a rival station’s anchor, a cad of a man named Trent. Emma is a single mom with a charming daughter in kindergarten who is quickly falling for her daughter’s teacher.
This book is funny, it will make you laugh and cry, and have you cheering on the characters. There is a bit of a surprise toward the end, and if you’ve read the Coconut series, you will know what I mean. All I can say is there had better be a book two. Reviewed by Cyrene
USA Today and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Alexa Aston’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love. Her contemporary romances are light and flirty and sometimes contain a bit of suspense.