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Uncaged Review – Only You by Elizabeth St. Michel

By
Cyrene Olson
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Only You
Elizabeth St. Michel
Historical Regency

Nicholas, heir to the Duke of Rutland, has been kidnapped. Imprisoned aboard a Portuguese slaver, Nicholas learns that his family members have been either captured or slain—but a mysterious woman allays his despair.

Fellow prisoner Alexandra has overheard that his family is safe. But can he believe her? She claims to be a woman of status, but as she cannot prove her story, Nicholas assumes she is a thief. They are in the same predicament, however, and he and Alexandra form a friendship.

When a hurricane destroys the ship and Alexandra rescues Nicholas from certain death, he must discover the truth about her. They wash up on a deserted island, where her survival skills come to the fore. As an aristocrat, Nicholas feels unequipped to handle the situation, but he watches Alexandra with growing admiration—and hears her account of how she, the daughter of a baron, came to be so resourceful.

Nicholas yearns to leave the island and seek revenge on his captors, yet he can no longer deny his growing passion for Alexandra. Of noble birth herself, she is an appropriate match for Nicholas. Yet Alexandra has more secrets—and one of them could doom their love.

Uncaged Review: This story jumped out in the first chapter – and did a great job holding my attention though out the book. A timeless love story, but there is a lot going on. Suspense on several levels, danger on almost every turn – but there is also love, family and romance. When Nicholas and Alexandra are both captive on a ship that is hurled into a hurricane – they are washed up on a deserted island as the only survivors thanks to the genius of Alexandra. They will need each other to survive…and to fall in love.

I’m not giving anything away, but you have a cruel stepmother, a dashing heir to the Dukedom, and his wonderful family, a deserted island with its own secrets and it reminds me a lot of a mix of Cinderella meets Robinson Crusoe. The only negative to the story is the multiple grammatical errors, but it didn’t detract from the wonderful story. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Dark Awakening by S.K. Ryder

By
Cyrene Olson
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Dark Awakening
S.K. Ryder
Paranormal

Reality as he knows it is about to change–into a nightmare without end.

A mysterious black mega yacht drops anchor off Saint Barthélemy’s idyllic Caribbean shores. The profound unease the vessel stirs in resident Dominic Marchant turns out to be justified when he draws the unwelcome attention of the yacht’s ancient and powerful master.

Soon Dominic discovers that not only are vampires real, he has become one. His supernatural abilities are shocking. His appetites are terrifying. And his once charmed life seems as lost as the sun. 

But worst of all, he has been made a pawn in a macabre game with those he loves most. There is only one rule–kill or be killed.

Will the price of freedom be what’s left of his soul?

Uncaged Review: I’ve read the entire Dark Destinies series and this prequel is going back and showing us how Dominic became a vampire, and the origins are dark, gritty, raw and horrible for Dominic. Like the rest of the series, this book is fast paced and after reading this prequel, I have even more love for the Dominic I came to know in the full series. A worthy prequel to the series. For those who read this first before the series, this series gets better with each installment and will satisfy even the strongest of the vampire fans. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – When a Laird Loves a Lady by Julie Johnstone

By
Cyrene Olson
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When a Laird Loves a Lady
Julie Johnstone
Medieval Historical Romance

A need to belong drives her. A longing to forget compels him. Fate may send them into each other’s arms, but only love can mend their hearts.

An Outlander

Raised by a tyrannical father, Marion de Lacy yearns for the comfort of belonging to a loving family. So when her father announces her betrothal to an evil knight in exchange for his help to overthrow the king, she concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage: feigning her own death and then fleeing England. But when her plan goes terribly awry and she’s captured by the knight, not even her careful preparations could ready her for the Scottish barbarian who rescues her and then informs her that he’s to marry her by edict of her king. Certain her father will defy the king’s orders and wed her to the knight if she refuses the Highlander’s hand, Marion agrees to marry the strangely compelling but obstinate laird of the MacLeod clan. 

A Highlander

After the death of his beloved wife, Iain MacLeod has no desire to marry ever again. Yet when he finds himself obliged to do so to secure the freedom of his childhood friend and king, he reluctantly travels across England to collect his unwanted bride, expecting to find a cold Englishwoman. Instead, he discovers a fiery, bold beauty who is fiercely loyal, protective of those she loves, and defies him at every turn, challenging his certainty that his heart is dead.

Ensnared

Following a hasty marriage and perilous journey to Scotland, Marion harbors no illusions that her new husband loves her. Still, her heart cannot resist the noble, brave warrior, and she cannot suppress the hope that she has finally found where she belongs. However, the harder she tries to fit in with the clan and gain Iain’s love, the farther away her dreams drift. Iain is more than willing to give his respect to his courageous wife—her kisses and caresses even ignite his blood and demand his passion—but he refuses to give up his heart. That is, until enemies near and far threaten to take Marion from him. Now the demons that haunt him can only be conquered by surrendering body and soul to Marion, if only it’s not too late…

Uncaged Review: My first time reading a book from this author, and I am hooked. This book is a bit longer than most books these days, coming in a bit over 400 pages, but there was very little “fat” in this book. Everything mattered.

Our heroine of the story, Marion, tries to fake her own death to get away from her evil father trying to marry her off to a greedy man, just to gain him as an ally to try and other throw the King. When she is rescued by Iain, a big Scot, she learns that he was coming to marry her to by word from the King. Seeing no other option, Marion agrees.
This is a story of love, courage, danger, suspense and family. The author does a good job with keeping the reader turning the pages, from danger in Iain’s castle for Marion, to her cruel father and man who wants to capture her and bring her back to England.

My only negative to this book was Iain’s inability to let go of his dead wife’s memory, I think that aspect was taken on a bit too long, but overall, this was a good read and I look forward to the next in the series. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Reviews – Shadowspell Academy: The Culling Trials by Mayer & Breene

By
Cyrene Olson
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Shadowspell Academy: The Culling Trials
Breene & Mayer
Young Adult/Urban Fantasy

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You. 

I had no idea how those words would change my life. Or how they’d changed my life already… 

Until the day the most dangerous man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a death sentence. 

In an invitation. 

My younger brother has been chosen for the prestigious, secret magical school hidden within the folds of our mundane world. A place so dangerous, they don’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive. 

If he doesn’t go our entire family will be killed. 

It’s the same invitation my older brother received three years ago—the same place he mysteriously died. 

The academy has already killed one sibling. I’ll be damned if they take another.

I do the only thing an older sister can: chop off my hair, strap on two bras to flatten the girls, and take my brother’s place. 

Magic and monsters are real. Assassins are coming for me, and the dead are prone to rise. What’s a girl faking it as a boy supposed to do? That’s right—beat the academy at its own game. 

Or die trying.

Uncaged Review: This first book in this promising new series starts out a tad slow for me, as I’m a heavy reader into this genre. Wild is tossed into a world she never knew existed, and so we are learning about this magical world as she does – and that was part of my own issues with the story. The reader is in the dark as long as Wild is. When the Assassins come for her younger brother Billy, Wild fakes it as a boy and takes his place, because her older brother Tommy died in the academy and she won’t risk her little brother. To get into the academy, everyone must go through The Culling Trials, one for each of the five houses. This book takes you through one of them. Think of an extreme version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire meets The Hunger Games.

I enjoyed the characters and I think this is a series that will get better and better. Wild is a strong lead, and her rag tag team that she bands with are well thought out and likeable. The action and the sequences were well done and I’m looking forward to the next book. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Junkyard Druid by M.D. Massey

By
Cyrene Olson
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Junkyard Druid
M.D. Massey
Urban Fantasy

Every druid knows…

Dealing with the Fae is a death sentence.

So why risk your life helping an evil Faery Queen?

A year ago Colin swore off druidry, and for good reason.

These days he hides himself behind six acres of scrap iron, steel, and magic wards, where the fae can’t bother him.

But when a Faery Queen with god-like magical powers calls, you don’t send her to voicemail.

Now Colin has no choice but to find out why evil incarnate has requested his presence.

One thing’s for sure…

If he gets dragged back into the supernatural world, there’s gonna be hell to pay for it.

You’ll love this urban fantasy with a twist of suspense, because everybody loves a down on his luck magician who has to fight to save the people he loves.

Uncaged Review: Colin McCool is trying to live his life and go to college. His years as a Hunter did not end well, with his partner dying, by his own hand. Colin was cursed by an evil witch who is trying to get back on everyone in his bloodline. This is a well written story, although I didn’t get a good handle on Colin as I’d like with his powers and his angst was a little over the top at times but I enjoyed his snarky attitude even though he seemed too young at times. But I enjoyed the story well enough to keep reading the series, and I liked the 2nd half of the book as it really picked up from there. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – A Total Mismatch by Madelaine Grant

By
Cyrene Olson
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A Total Mismatch
Madelaine Grant
Contemporary Romance

Fate brings polar opposites Samantha (Sam) Peabody and Jordan Hart together. Free spirit Sam is an artist, occasional belly dancer, and sloppy housekeeper while Jordan is a lawyer, fitness and neatness freak, and lover of ice cream. 

The one thing they have in common is their dislike of big, fussy weddings.

After a fight with her oldest sister, Andrea, Sam decides not to attend Andrea’s lavish wedding. When Jordan is invited to a wedding, he asks Sam to accompany him, not knowing it’s Sam’s sister’s affair. Complicating Sam’s busy life is an offer from a local craft beer company to belly dance for a TV ad and become the symbol of their new beer company. 

Sam’s disastrous first marriage and the difficult dynamics in her family make her insecure about a new relationship. Besides, she hates the idea of marriage. Can Jordan’s persistence win Sam over and dissolve her fears? 

Uncaged Review: A fun romance book featuring Sam a shy insecure girl who does not know her right from left. But hides a hidden talent that will become public very soon. Just not for the right reasons. I thought Sam’s character was quirky and adorable. This was such a fun book to read.
Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Instant Enticement by Samanthya Wyatt

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Instant Enticement
Samanthya Wyatt
Contemporary Romance

A naked woman in his shower . . . 

Craig can’t believe his eyes. A practical joke on his friend turns out to be a naked beauty standing before him in all her fine glory. He is too shocked for words. A man who has had his share of women suddenly finds himself speechless before this exotic creature. She is an aching temptation. Surrendering to his passion could cost him his best friend. Yet, he yearns to taste, to touch . . . but she is hands off.

Kelly has given up on men. All men are liars, except for her best friend. The only man she would ever trust. At least that’s what she thought . . . until she meets his best friend, Craig. He turns her world upside down and has her rethinking her vow. She yearns to taste the ecstasy his dark eyes promise. But he holds back. And now she must convince him she is innocent of betrayal.

Uncaged Review: This is a Contemporary Romance book filled with emotion and lots of passion. Kelly runs to her best friend after she finds out the shocking truth about the man she has been seeing. This was a enjoyable read with lots of twists and turns. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Forced to Love by A.M. Costello

By
Cyrene Olson
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Forced to Love
A.M. Costello
Fantasy Romance

Destined to reign since infancy, the revelation of an ancient law forces Princess Quigalla to make a choice: marry before coronation or hand over her title to a neighboring kingdom. 

Faced with the prospect of a war with her uncle, who wants the crown for his son, she plans a secret mission. 

Will her need for independence be her downfall, or will the arrogant Sir Felix Quon be able to save her from danger?

Uncaged Review: Princess Quigalla, the daughter of Queen Quenessa, is the heir to the throne of Qualla. In the first chapter, King Ronan, Quigalla’s father is ruling the country. The princess is out practicing her archery when a badger threatens Pauline, one of the young servants of the castle. To save Pauline, Quigalla ends up getting bit on her leg, necessitating a trip to the healer, delaying the start of the council meeting she was to attend.
The country of Vulster is ruled by her mother’s brother, Venus. His son Vaylor is the heir apparent. The backstory is that Venus wanted to rule Quigalla but the rules said the female was to rule the country. He moves away and makes his own kingdom which he rules with fear and terror. He is planning on invading Qualla, still wanting the throne there.
Once everyone but Quigalla agree to discover it the Lord of Vulster is planning to attack before doing something about the, King Ronan brings up what he calls a delicate subject. Quigalla must marry before her coronation or a distant male relation will be chosen for the throne. Her coronation is in two months on her eighteenth birthday.
Of course, Quigalla, who doesn’t believe she needs anyone to help her, denies she is going to marry until Breasal, a counsil member says it’s the law and she must marry. She appeals to her father who says he isn’t going to change the law. As she listens to them saying she needs to marry in two months, Quigalla becomes angry and tunes them out while thinking nasty thoughts of all the council members.
Because her father is set on her marrying, Quigalla decides to defeat the kingdom’s enemy, Vulster and Lord Venus. She would go to Queen Andrea, her grandmother, and enter Vulster from there.
The next morning, her hall if filled with those wanting to marry her. She escapes by the window of her room. She falls when her injured right leg spasms, falling into the arms of a man who is concerned but yet amused at catching her. Enter Sir Felix Quon who is there to help her find a bow suited to her.
This sets the stage for the rest of the book. Felix is assigned as her guard as she goes to her grandmother’s castle and then into Vulster. As one disaster after another happens, she discovers her cousin, Vaylor, is on her side and willing to help her.
I’ll not give away any more of the story, but the story is how Quigalla learns that no person is an island and everyone needs help. It was a fun tale to read and one I recommend as long as you can keep all the Qu’s and V’s separate.
I give it 4 stars. Reviewed by Barbara

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – When the Vow Breaks by Michelle Libby

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

When the Vow Breaks
Michelle Libby
Romantic Suspense

Good cop or bad cop? Colin Rourke takes protecting and serving seriously. When he is notified that he’s being sued for millions in the death of a known drug dealer, he is confident he will be cleared. 

His new wife, Regan Rourke, craves security and stability after spending her teen years in the foster care system. She is blindsided by the knowledge that everything they’ve worked for could be taken away. 

Drastic action must be taken. 

A quickie divorce to strip Colin of all he owns is the only option. Can Regan help clear her husband’s name so they can be reunited, or will Colin’s career and their marriage vanish? 

Uncaged Review: Regan and Colin are engaging characters. It opens with Colin, a police officer, being accused of murdering a petty criminal, Rodrigo Ramirez, by throwing him off a bridge with a video as the evidence. There wasn’t enough to charge him for murder, so the family brought a civil suit against him for their beloved’s death.

Ragan, who is married to Colin and is madly in love with him, grew up in foster homes with nothing to her name. She doesn’t want to lose everything they worked for if the lawsuit goes against them. Her solution is for them to get a divorce prior to the trial so she can hold all their assets in safety until Colin is cleared.
What happens is that everything falls apart. They are jealous of the people they go out with to make the divorce look real which creates problems between them and Colin’s best friend, Jack. Even though they have difficulty staying away from each other, they manage to keep their attraction and love hidden until the party where Regan shows up with Jack and Colin with a new blond bimbo recruit. Colin decks Jack and they all leave in disgrace.

There is a person who is following Regan and he is scaring her. This is after a note was slid under the door to her house. She lets Colin know about the stalker and the note after her adopted brother Brian hires a private security man named Dirk to watch over her.
Things become more of a muddle when Regan discovers Brian is the attorney for the Ramirez family who is suing Colin. She makes the mistake of telling Brian about Colin’s use of excessive force over the six years while an officer. He uses that against Colin in the trial which angers Regan.

Things get more complicated, but I’ll let you read the book to the reasonably predicable ending. It was a good read with interesting characters. For a romantic suspense, it was a fun read and worth the time if you are wanting to be entertained without a lot of thinking involved.

I would give it four stars. The story was well written, predictable but fun. Reviewed by Barbara

4 Stars

Uncaged Book Reviews, July 2019 Now Available

By
Cyrene Olson
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0
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