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Uncaged Review – The Girl Who Knew DaVinci by Belle Ami

By
Cyrene Olson
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The Girl Who Knew DaVinci
Belle Ami
Romantic Suspense

In the spirit of the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and the Art Forger by B. A. Shapiro, blended with an unforgettable romance . . . The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami unravels a compelling mystery with an emotional love story.

Three destinies, three timeless loves, one remarkable painting.

Will her visions lead her to the truth?

Art historian Angela Renatus is haunted by dreams of Leonardo da Vinci and a mysterious painting of Giuliano Medici and his mistress Fioretta Gorini. A painting that, as far as the world knows, doesn’t exist. Compelled by her visions, Angela is determined to find out the truth.

When Angela is contacted by art detective Alex Caine, she’s shocked to learn that he too is seeking the same painting. Alex’s client, a wealthy German financier, is determined to clear the name of his late uncle, Gerhard Jaeger, an art historian, who went missing in Florence, during World War II. In letters written before his disappearance, the historian describes his love affair with a beautiful young Italian woman named Sophia Caro and the discovery of an extraordinary painting by the great master himself-a painting depicting Giuliano and Fioretta. 

Angela and Alex journey to Florence in search of the priceless treasure. Is it a lost da Vinci, potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars, or a wild goose-chase that will only lead to a dead end? But someone else is searching for the elusive painting-Alberto Scordato is a powerful man in the art world and a sociopath who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even murder. Scordato knows something about Angela that even she doesn’t know, something that could threaten both Angela and Alex’s lives, forcing them into the crosshairs of fate.

Uncaged Review: This is one of those books you want to keep reading and don’t want it to end. It has multiple subplots, engaging main characters, a bad guy you can’t help but hate and a love story which spans centuries. No, no, this isn’t a huge tome, but it does take you from the 1400s to 2018.
Angela Renatus see visions of people from the past. When the story opens it is 1944 and you see a Sophia Caro and Gerhard Jaeger at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. Gerhard is a German who is an art historian and Sofia works at the gallery. They have a painting they believe is a da Vinci attributed to one of his students. They leave through the Medici secret passageway to the church to escape the fall of Florence as the Germans retreat. Gerhard takes on the name of Giorgio Bandini, an accountant from Piza.
The story jumps to 2018 Getty Museum. Angela is having a problem with her boss Angelo Scordato, the museum director, who is a lecher and is threatening her job as an art historian intern if she doesn’t do what he wants sexually. Angela can’t stand the man, let along having him touching her. She also believe she only dreams about the da Vinci and Fioretta Grini, Guiliano Medici, da Vinci and Lorenzo Medici, Sophia and Gerhard.
Enter Alexander (Alex) Caine who is a detective who hunts for lost or stolen works of art. He had been hired to find the missing Leonardo da Vinci painting of a wedding. This is where things get very interesting. Alex is unusual in that he has two different colored eyes. Angela looks like Fioretta and Sophia. Meanwhile Scordato believes Angela will lead him to the missing painting he was hired to find over a year ago but never found, only he wants the painting for himself.
As this story bounces back and forth from the present to the past, the history of the painting is revealed along with the growing love of Angel and Alex.
When I started this book, my first thought, was oh no, another time travel, but not even close. Angela has visions from the past where she becomes part of what happened and leads her to help put the ghosts to rest by finding what they are leading her to with the help of Alex. The past and the present merge at various points of the story.
Alex and Angela go from California to Florence, Rome and Paris and Montefioralle in Chianti. Along the way you learn a lot of history of the Medici period and the 1944 invasion of Florence. It was one of the most fascinating romps through history all tied up in a missing painting, engaging characters and a lot of mystery and intrigue. This is a book not to be missed. If I could give it more than five stars I would. Reviewed by Barbara.

5 Stars

Uncaged Review – Sea of Darkness by Brown & Hamilton

By
Cyrene Olson
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Sea of Darkness
Brown & Hamilton
Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

An unexpected partnership changes everything

Sea Slayer Kelia Starling has grown up with one truth: Sea Shadows are vicious creatures that need to be eradicated. No exceptions. Not even for him.

The Society’s sole purpose is to protect the general population from supernatural monsters, and Kelia’s their top Slayer. But when her father is murdered and her handler insists it’s suicide, she starts to question whether The Society really has her best interests at heart.

Now, to solve her father’s death, Kelia must work with an unexpected ally: Drew Knight, an infamous Sea Shadow and the most beautiful creature Kelia has ever set eyes upon. A Sea Shadow who, without intending to, just may show her who the real enemy is…and it’ll only cost her one unnamed favor to be collected at a future date.

But after her affiliation with Drew Knight is discovered, Kelia is forced to choose between what she’s known since the beginning of her existence…or a dark, terrifying truth that puts her life at risk.

Uncaged Review: I’m a huge reader of the urban fantasy/paranormal genre. This is a good start to a new series. It wasn’t perfect and it has it’s issues, but it’s a good solid base that makes me want them to hurry the release of the second book, slated for August.

The good, the world building and the characters. I like Kelia, even though she has more growing up to do, in some ways, she’s beyond her years and others she is lacking. I loved Drew, he’s a strong character – and as Kelia learns, not the enemy she has been taught all her life to believe.

The bad – there was a lot of repetitive stuff going on. That happened more than a couple times, and mostly because I enjoyed the story as much as I did, I could overlook it. There also wasn’t much action, except in the first part of the book, so some of it got stiff and drawn out. And my last issue, is it’s billed as a romance, and although the groundwork was being laid in this first book, there isn’t much to speak of – but I hope that the authors have fixed it for the second book. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Author Interview with Christine Amsden with Excerpt and Review of Cassie Scot

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about the Cassie Scot series? With 7 books in this world, are you still planning on more?

Cassie Scot began as the only “normal” member of a magical family, desperate to find a place for herself. I was inspired by the wave of strong female heroines with tremendous superpowers, but I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted to show that there is more than one way to be a hero, and that even those of us who don’t have (or more likely, don’t think we have) special skills can make a difference.

There were only going to be 4. The original quartet, in my opinion, tells a complete story. Then Cassie’s two best friends took on a life of their own each demanded a book of her own. As for book 7, it begins with the line:

Apparently, life doesn’t end when you get married.

Cassie kept on talking to me, even after I “finished” writing her story, and basically, I let her talk. I do have two more books planned after this one, a second trilogy that will all tie together. That should be it, but I said the same thing after book 4 so no promises!

Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

I have a lot on my plate right now, all in various stages of completion.

1. Metamorphosis is the story of a woman who finds herself pregnant despite not having done anything to get herself that way. I’m calling the genre alien fantasy (urban fantasy with aliens). The tone and the style should remind readers a lot of Cassie Scot, even though the situation and challenges are different. The story is set in a completely new world, and will being a new series. It’s FINISHED but is sitting in limbo while I decide how to publish it.

2. Playing God is, on a very, very superficial level, an Anastasia retelling, but in reality it’s a layered story that is hard to pin down in terms of genre. (I’m sure my publicists will help me do that when the time comes!) Relationships and family dynamics play a huge role in this book, which will appeal to a lot of Cassie Scot fans, but the tone is darker and more serious. This book is drafted but still needs significant revision. I am hoping to have something editable by the end of 2018. This, too, will begin a series.

3. Forgotten Magic is book 8 in the Cassie Scot series. I have a complete rough draft, but it needs revision. I am also hoping to have this finished by the end of 2018. This is likely to be my next published book.

4. The Seer’s Fate is a novella set in the Cassie Scot universe. It’s a short romance between Adam Scot (Cassie’s younger brother) and a young seer. It’s almost done, and it stands alone.

Uncaged: Can you tell people more about what Speculative fiction is? What inspires you to write?

To me, speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. It’s fun, imaginative, and magical, but at the core of every great story is a great character. And for me, real life has sometimes been challenging to write about. Every once in a while I consider telling the story of some defining moment in my life – what it was like to watch the world fade from sharp details to colorful blurs, for instance. (I’m legally blind.) I can’t seem to tell the story of a girl with limited vision in a visual world, but I can, for instance, tell the story of a girl with no magic in a magical world.

Uncaged: Are you nervous, scared or excited (or all three) when you release a new book?

All three, definitely! To tell you the truth, I’m useless during the month of a book release. When I’m thinking ahead, I try to clear my schedule of any creative work, leaving only business and marketing tasks. When those first reviews come in, my heart is somewhere in the region of my stomach and for a minute I’m sure – despite all evidence to the contrary – that this is it. This is the one that’s going to bomb. Everyone’s going to hate it. And then… wow! With Frozen, the first reviews universally claimed that it was my best book yet and suddenly I’m in the clouds. That’s right. I knew it all along. I wasn’t scared. 🙂

Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?

I read the good reviews. Basically, anything with a four of five-star rating is fair game. Three stars… depends on my mood. Luckily, I don’t get many bad reviews, but I did learn early on that it doesn’t help to read a bad review. These are usually people who didn’t connect with the material, and that’s going to happen.

That connection is what I’m looking for when I read reviews. Writing is, ultimately, a communication art, and communication goes both ways. I learn a lot from reading reviews because in the end, every book exists in three separate modes: The story in my head, the story on the page, and the story in your (the reader’s) head. The story can look surprisingly different in each of the modes, so seeing that feedback from the reader helps me rediscover the story in a whole new light.

Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?

I had a fan tell me once that Cassie Scot helped her get through Chemo treatments. Enough said!

Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?

I love the writing itself most of all, especially on those days when I lose myself to a scene. Not all days are like that, but I take a lot of satisfaction from conquering those challenging scenes too.

I love hearing from fans, whether by e-mail or Facebook or at a con. On those days when I start wondering what it’s all for, reader feedback reminds me that I’ve touched people’s lives.

Marketing is often frustrating for me. I’m not naturally good at it, and sometimes I feel like it’s taking away from what I really want to do, which is write! I have recently hired a new publicity team that I believe will help shoulder some of the burden and leave me to do what I do best.

Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?

I take daily walks and do yoga (almost) every day to keep my emotionally grounded and physically fit.

I love playing games, especially of the board or role-playing variety. I currently own nearly 200 board games.

I recently began practicing martial arts with my family, so you’ll find me at the dojo three times a week. I’m currently a blue belt (low intermediate).

My favorite place on Earth is wherever my family is.

Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?

I developed Stargardt Disease around the age of sixteen. Sometimes also called Juvenile Macular Degeneration, this gradually causes a loss of central vision and a corresponding visual acuity of somewhere between 20/200 and 20/400 (legally blind). Since it does not impact peripheral vision, it does not cause total blindness. Still, everything’s blurry and I’m drafting this in 36-point font.

Despite this, I am an author and an editor. By increasing the font size of a manuscript, I am capable of doing both developmental editing and copyediting. I prefer developmental editing, but mostly because it’s more fun.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

Thank you. First, for giving me a chance. I know that picking up a new, untried author is a risk. Second, for telling your friends about me, because it’s always easier to give a new author a chance if someone you know says you should.

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Christine Amsden has been writing science fiction and fantasy for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.

At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.

In addition to writing, Christine teaches workshops on writing at Savvy Authors. She also does some freelance editing work. Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children, Drake and Celeste.[/symple_box]

christineamsden.com

Cassie Scot
Christine Amsden
New Adult/Paranormal/Fantasy

She was born into magic, but she has none of her own…

Cassie Scot is the normal daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. She strives to find a place for herself, but living in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. All she wants is a nice, normal job, but her dreams of independence from magic are threatened when she stumbles upon the gruesome body of sixteen-year-old Nancy Hastings.

Cassie is plunged into a paranormal investigation which gets her tangled up with the victim’s powerful family, the Blackwoods. Dark, dangerous, and handsome Evan Blackwood tempts Cassie deeper into a world she seeks to escape. Yet Evan – and magic itself – may not be ready to let her go.

Excerpt

My parents think the longer the name, the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie.
I’ve been called a lot of things in my life: normal, ordinary, and even a disappointment. After the Harry Potter books came out, a couple of people called me a squib. Since I haven’t read them, I have to assume it’s a compliment.
Personally, I prefer normal, which is why the sign on my office door reads: Cassie Scot, Normal Detective.
You have to understand that around here, when your last name is Scot, people are easily confused. Not only are my parents powerful practitioners, but I have six talented brothers and sisters. Plus, my family hasn’t always been known for its subtlety. When weird stuff happens around here, the people who are willing to believe in magic are prone to suspect the Scots.
The day I opened for business I got a call from an old woman who swore her cat was possessed by the devil. She also swore she’d read my web site, which clearly stated the types of work I did and did not do. Exorcisms were on the No list, and while I hadn’t specified pet exorcisms, I would have thought it was implicit.
After that auspicious beginning, things went downhill. It seemed people weren’t entirely convinced an associates’ degree and six months as a deputy with the local sheriff’s department was quite enough to fly solo. I did receive three calls from people asking me to cast spells to look for lost items, two from people in search of love potions, and two from a pair of neighbors who each wanted me to curse the other. I thought I’d hit bottom, when a ten-year-old boy wandered into my office one afternoon and asked me to help him summon Cthulhu.
It was a near thing, but I managed to rein in my sarcasm long enough to explain the difference between the real world and horror worlds created by early 20th century authors. He seemed more or less convinced until my brother, Nicolas, came in and started juggling fireballs. Kind of walked all over my point there. He’s a terrible showoff; thinks it helps him with women. For some reason, it does.
Sheriff David Adams, my old boss, stopped by once every couple of weeks to “check in on me” and offer me my old job back, but I always turned him down. It’s not that I disliked working for him. In fact, he was a great boss and a good person, albeit in a little over his head. Eagle Rock, Missouri and the surrounding areas have more than their fair share of strange and unexplained cases. I would even say that I took the job hoping to use my better-than-average knowledge of the paranormal to help protect the innocent, but in the end, those cases only served to remind me that despite my magical connections, I, too, was in over my head.
So I quit. I got my private license, rented an office, and installed a frosted-glass door like in the old movies, then I furnished it with the sort of busted up furniture that costs an arm and a leg to make look just right. The old wooden filing cabinets behind the desk and the office chairs in front came from estate sales, but I finished the desk myself. It was a beautiful piece of lacquered mahogany before my hammer and screwdriver got through with it. I did that just after the cat exorcism call. It was rather therapeutic.
By the door stood an old wooden hat and coat rack, while a nearby table held a coffee maker, compliments of my father. I don’t actually drink coffee, but Dad told me to have some for my customers, so I brewed a pot every morning while I waited for my tea to steep.
It was June seventh, a Monday. I’d spent six months in that office, going in to work at eight o’clock, breaking for lunch at noon, then going home at five. That day started like all the others. I updated my Facebook page to say that I was at work and feeling happy, though that last was a lie. I checked a few of my favorite blogs, posted a couple of comments that I’m sure were witty and insightful (though I suspect no one read them), and twittered that I’d just posted the comments to the blogs. After that, I picked up my kindle and buried myself in some mystery novel I’d already solved by page thirty seven.
When the door opened, I was sure it would be Sheriff Adams, in for his bi-weekly chat. As the months wore on with no sign of a client, it was becoming harder to politely turn him away. In recent weeks, my replies had become more blunt, bordering on rude. I’d really hoped he wouldn’t come around that day, on my half year anniversary, but just in case he did, I had come up with a story about a statewide convention I was sure would help me find work. The convention part was true–the certainty less so.
All I can say is, it was a good thing my parents were rich.
I lowered my kindle and raised my eyes to the door. The words, “Hi, Sheriff,” started to spill from my mouth when I realized it wasn’t the sheriff at all. It was Frank Lloyd, from Lloyd and Lyons, a man I knew more by name and reputation than anything else. My boyfriend had a summer internship with his firm, and a good friend of mine worked there as a receptionist. Lloyd and Lyons specialized in family law, especially divorces, and the gist of the reputation was that if your marriage was over, you’d better get to Frank Lloyd before your soon-to-be-ex did.
He looked impressive. His head nearly touched the top of the door frame, while his broad shoulders aimed for the sides. He wore an expensive dark gray suit that had been tailored to fit his athletic frame. His face was long and handsome, featuring deep, dark eyes and a wide, curving mouth that formed into a friendly smile. It was the sort of face that commanded trust.
Lightning flashed outside, brightening the room for the space of a few seconds, and I couldn’t help but smile. All the best stories started in a thunderstorm, didn’t they? I had no idea what the day would bring, but one thing was for certain–Frank Lloyd was not there to ask me to exorcise his cat.
He laid a long, black umbrella carefully against the wall near my coat rack, and strode confidently inside. “Hello, Ms. Scot.”
“Cassie, please.” I wound my way out from behind my desk and offered him my hand. He took it, his grip firm and self-assured.
“Cassie, I’m Frank Lloyd.” He released my hand but held my gaze as if he could take the measure of me by looking through them to my soul. Some practitioners can do that, actually, but I’ve never met one.
“Yes, I know.” I did not lower my eyes. Something told me that would be a sign of weakness. “What can I do for you?”
“I’ve got a small job for you, if you have the time.” It was very diplomatic of him to say it like that, since I’m sure he knew I had plenty of time.
“What’s the job?”
“Serving a subpoena,”
Ok, so it wasn’t sexy, but it was a job, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with magic–or so I thought. In any case, at that precise moment, I couldn’t have been more excited if he’d dropped some line out of a movie about someone trying to kill him.
“I can do that,” I said in a calm, measured tone. “Who am I serving?”
Frank broke eye contact and stepped around me to the desk, where he laid his black briefcase down and opened it. On top of a large sheaf of papers lay a plain white envelope with the name, “Belinda Hewitt” written on it in a long, slanted handwriting.
Hewitt was another name that many people in town associated with magic, though few were diplomatic where the Hewitts were concerned. Even my mom called them witches, and she normally wouldn’t call a woman a sorceress. (She thinks it’s sexist.)
Belinda was a gifted herbalist and an expert potion maker. A gift is, well, it’s a special power tied to the soul in such a way that it can be performed almost without thought, and it has a strong influence over the bearer’s personality. Most sorcerers possess a gift, as well some seemingly ordinary people, though in the latter case you can usually find magic in their family tree. Belinda’s gift was growing things, but to say she had a green thumb would be like saying a diva could sing. Belinda could grow things, anything, anywhere, and under conditions that would starve farmers out of business.
She sold a lot of her plants and herbs to local practitioners, though my parents refused to buy from her because of the other thing she liked to do–brew potions, especially love potions. At any given time, she would have two or three men under the influence of powerful love potions that made them hopelessly devoted to her. She would play with them for a few months or a few years, depending upon how interesting they were, and then cast them aside. She’d torn families apart.
It was mind magic. My dad liked to say that magic itself is never black; only the uses to which it is put, but mind magic is already tinted a deep, dark gray.
As far as I knew, though, Belinda had never been married, so I wasn’t sure what Frank Lloyd would want with her.
“Belinda Hewitt?” I raised an eyebrow at Frank in question.
“My firm is filing a class action lawsuit against her on behalf of a number of men who feel her love potions have caused them irreparable harm.”
“Gutsy move.” I approved. I whole-heartedly approved, but going head to head against a practitioner could be dangerous, to say the least. For the most part, they did what they wanted to do and suffered no interference, not from other practitioners and certainly not from the law.
I wasn’t entirely sure what Belinda would do to me if I showed up on her doorstep with a subpoena. Probably, nothing, since she’d have to answer to my parents for anything she did to me. That may even have been why Frank chose me, but I wasn’t too proud to take advantage of my connections when it suited me, as long as the job itself was normal.
“Belinda is going to curse you for this,” I said as I took the envelope from Frank.
He just smiled. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s about time the sorcerers living in our community learn they are not above the law.”
What a beautiful sentiment. I used to think that way, back when I’d first dreamed of becoming a cop. Fat chance, though. The sorcerers in our community owned this town, whatever most of the regular folks thought. Everyone else was tolerated, and that included me.
For a minute, I wondered if I should try to talk him out of it. As much as I loved the idea of putting an evil witch in her place, Belinda wasn’t someone to mess with. That either meant he didn’t believe in magic, didn’t understand it, or he had an ace up his sleeve.
I lifted my eyes to his and saw the confident, calculating expression there. He was still sizing me up, and in that moment I took the measure of him as well. He wasn’t insanely successful because he walked into anything blindly.
“You have an ace,” I said. It wasn’t a question.
Frank just smiled.
“I’ll run this over to Belinda’s this morning,” I said. “I’ll give you a call when it’s done.”
Frank reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “If this works out, we may have some more work for you.”
I took the card from him, letting a genuine smile touch my lips. Lightning struck again and thunder rumbled. “Thank you.”
He packed up his briefcase and left without another word.

Uncaged Review

This book starts a tad slow, but it’s well written and interesting all the way through. Cassie is from a magic family, but she doesn’t have any of her own, a magical “dud” if you will. But with her above average knowledge of the paranormal world, she opens her own detective agency, even though she doesn’t get much work. Cassie is under the protection of her family, so she’s relatively safe from magic users.

When she gets a job serving a subpoena to a woman who uses love potions on men, the suspense begins, especially when a different woman is found dead at the scene. And when her old childhood friend turned bad-boy powerful sorcerer, Evan shows up – the book starts to pick up speed. Evan’s powerful reputation and the feud between the two families heats up this book well. Even though Cassie has a boyfriend, you don’t meet him until you are into mid book. There isn’t any way to really bond with him.

When Cassie and Evan decide to work together on a case, Cassie will need to use everything at her disposal to take down a rogue vampire. I wanted the Cassie/Evan romance to move forward more than it did, but it seems like it’s one of those series that is going to keep the reader hanging for a bit longer.

I enjoyed this story, and will definitely be picking up the next in the series. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Raven Awards – Finals Voting is LIVE

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

To begin voting in the Raven Awards final voting – go HERE.

Good luck to all the finalists!

Voting will be from August 12 through August 18 and winners will be announced in the September issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

If you have any issues voting, please email me at [email protected]

Author Interview with Laura M. Baird and Review and Excerpt of Love on the Line

By
Cyrene Olson
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As seen in the July issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.

Uncaged: Can you tell the readers more about Love on the Line?

Love on the Line was only going to be about 7K words, but as I got into it, more developed, and it became about 28K! With social media exploding, I wanted to revert back a bit, when people got to know one another through conversation – not by liking every selfie posted! My heroine has a bad break-up, so her friend sets up a profile online through a site where people contact one another based on common interests, and just talk. She’s reluctant to say the least, but after hearing the alluring voice of the hero, well… it turns into so much more!

Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

I’m working on developing three different series – one of which the first story is already out (“Unexpected Adventures” from Evernight Publishing). I have lofty goals! New Adventures series is about 4 siblings finding paths they never thought to encounter. My Cover Model series is just that – about cover models, their lives, and their loves. And then there’s my small-town romance series developing, with fun and sexy characters, and a bit of suspense.
Uncaged: Your books are often in related genres, contemporary, suspense, erotic – but there is always romance. What inspired you to start writing?

I have always loved reading, and fell in love with romance through Nora Roberts’s books. I thought, I want to do that – write romance and give readers joy. Simple, maybe cheesy, but true. I love an escape, or a way of looking at something I never thought about before. Writing allows me to explore paths I might not otherwise experience, so it’s also an adventure for me!

Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?

I’ve read many reviews, and thankfully most have been good, but there’s always that one that makes your heart plummet… and I know there will be more. Not everyone will connect with my writing, and that’s okay, but I wish people would take this to heart – “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” That being said, critique is good, as it helps you evolve (hopefully), but a bad review, or one that just makes no sense definitely hurts. So, I’ll just continue to write what I enjoy, continue to learn, and hopefully gain loyal readers.

5) What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?

That the reader was able to vividly picture my story in their mind, as if they were a part of the scene. I love that, and that’s the goal!

Uncaged: What is your favorite part about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?

My favorite part of being an author is the creation – working a story that makes my own breath catch, or makes me laugh. If I can do that, hopefully the reader will as well. My least favorite part is selling myself – promotion. Don’t get me wrong, I love to talk, and I could talk about myself and my writing all day long! But I don’t want to be a salesperson, just wanting readers to buy my stories. I want them to get to know me and truly want to enjoy my work. Promotion is necessary, but difficult, and I’m still finding that balance of being bold, so people come to know of me, but not being pushy or inauthentic.

Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?

When I’m not writing, I’m either reading, working my day job as a dental hygienist, or trying to make the most of my time with my hubby of twenty-eight years! My favorite place on Earth… as I’ve mostly travelled in the U. S. (and to Honduras while in the Army) my first thought would be any beach. But I also love the mountains, taking a drive where few go. So, I guess I don’t really have a favorite, but I’d like to discover one! Hubby and I dream of travelling to Scotland and Fiji!

Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?

I’m not sure I can adequately answer this one, as I just think of myself as “me”. When I thought I had no direction in life, I joined the Army, which still shocks a lot of people when they hear that. There I met amazing friends, and my husband. Over our years together, we’ve moved 11 times, put ourselves through college as adults, raised two wonderful sons, and simply want to enjoy life.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

I’d like to say, thanks for taking the time to read this, and my work. I may never reach the status of Nora Roberts (as she’s pretty much the measuring rod for romance), but we all need something to strive for! 😉 I love engaging with readers and writers, and supporting others, so please, feel free to engage! I can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, YouTube, Bookbub, or contact me through my website.

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Wife, mother, former U. S. Army, and dental hygienist, I can now add published author to the list. I’m slowly transitioning out of hygiene, hoping to make writing a full-time endeavor. After writing for many years, my publishing dreams came true in August of 2017 with the release of my debut contemporary romance, “Keyed Up”. To date, I have eight stories released, and many more are in the works.

I write in a variety of romance subgenres: contemporary, comedy, and erotic, with stories containing suspense and small-town romance being developed. I’m constantly learning, loving the journey and all the amazing people I’m meeting. A voracious reader myself, I enjoy all romance from contemporary to erotic to paranormal to suspenseful.

I strive to write stories I can be proud of and enjoyed by many; ones that are not only sexy and fun, but thoughtful as well. I love engaging, so find me on the many social media platforms.

I grew up on the East Coast and now reside on the West Coast, having lived in FL, GA, SC, MA, ID, and WA. Hubby and I hope to fill our passports with stamps from Scotland and Fiji, to name a few destinations. In the meantime, we’ll enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.[/symple_box]

laurambairdauthor.com

Love on the Line
Laura M. Baird
Contemporary Romance

AJ finds it hard to trust another man’s intentions after being duped and dumped, so the last thing she wants is another in her life. But her friend has other ideas and sets her up with the perfect guy—through a chat-only service.

Hesitant at first, AJ is lured in by the deep, sexy voice and fun banter that easily becomes a nightly habit. As their bond grows and she begins to fall hard for him, they make plans to meet face-to-face.

With love on the line, will AJ decide to forgive him when he confesses to being part of the set-up?

Excerpt

Jen reappeared holding AJ’s phone. “Okay, so, maybe finding a guy can be easier said than done, and I’ll tell ya how.”
AJ eyed her friend skeptically and asked how.
“So, there’s this online site called Flirt Chat, where people register to just talk to others based on similarities. You know, you program in all this information about yourself and then you seek out others who have the same qualities, interests, whatever.”
“Okay,” AJ said hesitantly. “And you’re telling me this, because…?”
“Well, because I registered you there, and I picked out a guy for you to talk to, and I’ve just alerted him you’re going to give him a call.” Jen began hitting the screen on AJ’s phone, obviously punching in numbers to contact this guy.
AJ sprang to her feet. “Oh, you did not! No way, Jen. What the hell?”
Before she knew what was happening, Jen handed her the phone, kissed her cheek, grabbed Kayli’s hand, and hauled her out the door, laughter ringing out.
“Shit!”
****
“Hello,” said the husky voice. “This is Mathias.” His few words were clear, succinct, and surprisingly soothing. Still, AJ remained quiet, locked up, unsure if she could even do this. She was on the verge of disconnecting the call when Mathias broke the silence.
“Would you like to tell me your name?”
Oh yes, definitely a voice made for phone sex. Okay, she hadn’t called for phone sex. She wasn’t even the one who called. But did people even do that anymore? Call for phone sex? Mathias’s sexy
timbre certainly made her think of that, giving her goose bumps and making her short hairs stand on end.
Thanks a lot, Jen, AJ thought, remembering her laughter as she quickly explained her scheme. Real mature for thirty-something. Oh God, and here she sat with her phone to her ear, listening to this undeniably alluring voice, wishing she had just hung up the damn phone the minute the first word had been uttered.
“…and apparently you do, too.”
I do too, what?
“Hello?”
Crickets.
“If you’ve changed your mind, that’s understandable. No harm. I’ll just say good-bye, and—”
“AJ,” she blurted. He sounded so down. Disappointed. She felt bad.
Oh my God, what is wrong with me? I don’t even know him, and here I am feeling sorry for him because I’m the one who won’t speak to a stranger?
She slapped her forehead as she closed her eyes and grimaced.
“Hi, AJ.”
She swore she could hear the smile in his voice when he said her name. She was so weak.
“So do you really like hiking and kayaking?”
“Yes,” came her simple reply.
“And you enjoy beer more than wine. And you prefer college football over NFL?”
“Yes, and of course.” So her friend really had listed true facts.
“And even though you love to indulge in pizza, burgers, and ice cream, you still manage to keep your figure in tip-top shape as an ice girl for the Idaho Steelheads.”
“W-what!” AJ sputtered.
Mathias’s light laughter echoed in her ear. “Gotcha. Just seeing if you were paying attention.”
“The Steelheads don’t even have ice girls.”
“You are correct. Think they have puck bunnies though? Amelia Jane.”
AJ sucked in a quick breath. “You knew my name all along.”
Mathis cleared his throat. “Yes. I got an alert you were going to call. I just wanted to break the ice, so to speak. Make you comfortable.”
Jen put my full name in the profile? What else did she put in there? Should I know what’s in his? Gah!
“So, I take it you like hiking and kayaking, too?” AJ asked.
“No. I like indulging in pizza and burgers and ice cream while also keeping my figure in shape as an ice girl.”
AJ couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped her.
Mathias followed suit, laughing as well. “I like your laugh, Amelia Jane. And your name. Do you always go by AJ?”
“Thank you, and yes, AJ’s always been easy.”
“Okay, but I hope you won’t mind if I tend to say your full name. It’s a beautiful name.”
“Thank you.”
“And to answer your question honestly, yes, I do enjoy hiking and kayaking. I also mountain bike, no street cycling. I’ve done some rock climbing and BASE jumping.”
“Wow. Really adventurous.”
A chuckle preceded his words of “I suppose.” “I really enjoy being outside, losing myself in nature. And our area provides a lot of opportunity for that.”
“Do you live in Boise?”
There was silence for a moment before he spoke again. “You did read my profile, right?”
“Um, no. I know nothing about you.”
“But you called me, based on our matching profiles and similar interests. Right?”
“No again,” she stated. “I had no idea what was going on when one of my friends just handed me the phone as she suddenly decided she needed to be elsewhere. She told me about this Flirt Chat, and how it worked, but I didn’t know she’d actually registered me until it all came spilling out in a rush.”
“Right before rushing out the door.”
“Precisely.” She hesitated before continuing. “Um, I’m sorry?”
“Why are you sorry? It wasn’t your doing. Your friend must really be desperate for you to find someone.”
“You have no idea.” AJ sighed. As much as she loved Jen, this act was pushing the envelope between caring about her and being intrusive.
“Are you upset with her?”
“I don’t know yet. I know she cares, but this … this was…”
“Pushing it?”
AJ laughed. “Exactly. Very uncanny how you say just the right things.”
“Well, I try.”
His attitude came across as relaxed, nice, and truth be told, AJ didn’t mind talking to him at all. He was witty, and she could truly listen to his voice all day long. Possibly into the night. Her face heated at the thought. Thank goodness they weren’t video-chatting, because how awkward would that be? Anonymity was safer.
“So, AJ, would you like to keep talking? Because truthfully, I’m enjoying this.”
She hesitated a moment before confessing. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“Excellent! So, what would you like to know? Since you know nothing about me and I know everything about you.”
“Oh, is that so? And what exactly is everything you know about me?”
“Well, besides what I already said… And I’m still fantasizing about you being an ice girl.” He chuckled. “I know you’re thirty-two and passionate about your career in advertising. You want to visit all twenty-three World Heritage Sites in the United States, five of which you already have. And that’s just for starters.”
“Again, wow! I guess my friend was pretty thorough. Tell me,
are there any pictures on the profile?”
“No. It’s an informational site only. They want to promote relationships based on commonalities, rather than superficial trappings like appearances.”
Wow. Okay.
“But people could lie about their likes and dislikes, just like they could post false photos on any other site, right?” She could feel her brow wrinkling.
“True. I think some people may detail what they think they’d like, trying to switch it up or attract someone they might want to get to know.”
“But then how do you know you’re getting the real person? How can you start off any sort of relationship with lies?” She knew her past with Brad was making her skeptical, but that kind of mistrust you just couldn’t put aside. His actions had really taken a toll on her.
“With some, they certainly could be lies. With others, they may be the opportunity to explore new possibilities.”
“But they’re being deceitful. How can you trust that?” Her voice rose and she knew she was getting defensive, but she couldn’t help it. “What does a person have to gain by lying?”
Oh, she knew all right. She knew selfish behavior was just that—all about the self-serving asshole who liked to feel superior, who liked control, who didn’t want anyone else to appear better than them! Who…
“Well, I know we really don’t know one another yet, but you’ll hear only the truth from me. So, if you still want to give this a try, I’m game.”
“This took an awkward turn, huh? Bet you didn’t bargain for this seriousness.” A strangled laugh escaped her.
“I’m not sure what I bargained for, honestly, but I can certainly understand your caution. I took a chance on something new and different, and here we are.”
“And here we are. So why did you think you needed this? What’s wrong with you that you can’t meet people another way?” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she cringed and wanted to immediately take them back. “I am so, so sorry! That’s not exactly what I meant to say. I—”
“It’s okay.” He chuckled. “You’re wondering if I’m some creeper, trolling for women. Or maybe someone who’s not six three, two-ten, with six-pack abs and a killer smile, but pretending to be.”
AJ noisily gulped, imagining the man he just described. That vision, combined with his hypnotic voice was enough to cause her belly to flutter and moisture to gather in certain unmentionable places on her body.
“Um, okay.” She was at a loss to say anything intelligible.
“So, would you like to know about me?”
“You tell me what you’d like me to know. Is that okay?”
“Absolutely. I’m thirty-five, Boise born and raised, and a diehard Broncos fan. That’d be Boise State as well as Denver. I’ve visited ten of the World Heritage Sites here in the States, two in India, and would love to visit many, many more.”
“So far, so good. What else?”
“Okay.” He chuckled.
There was certainly plenty of laughter and gaiety between them, and she wanted that to continue. It sure beat the pathetic sobfests she was prone to lately.
“Well, I’m a software engineer who spends a considerable amount of time alone. Not that I’m antisocial, I just prefer solo adventures more often than not. And besides, when all your friends are already hooked up and trying like crazy to get you hooked up, there’s only so much one can take. As you can attest to.”
“Amen to that!”
“So what do you think so far?”
“About you, or this experience?”
“Yes.”
AJ was hesitant, not wanting to jinx the fun they were having, yet not knowing how far she wanted to encourage this. “I think, so far, it’s been pleasant?”
“Well don’t hold back, by all means, regale me with your praises.”
Again, AJ couldn’t hold back the laughter, and it felt liberating. “Well, as far as talking on the phone to a total stranger goes, it’s been enlightening. And fun. Aaannd, I’d like to continue.”
“All right. So would I. Your profile says you’re a Boise native as well. Did you attend Boise State for your degree?”
“Yes, I got my B.F.A. in graphic design then went on to do advertising.”
“And you’ve never been out of the country but have your passport ready to go.”
“Yes again. I want to hike Machu Picchu and swim the Great Barrier Reef. And see the great Pyramids and tour a castle. Or twelve.” She tried but failed to stifle a giggle. When she’d talk about her dreams of travel and adventure with Brad, he’d scoff and ask why. Everything she’d ever need was in the United States, he’d say. That should have been a clue to their incompatibility.
“Um, how about you? Besides India, what other out-of-country adventures have you been on? Oh, and do you prefer Mathias or Matt?”
“Mathias. I had the opportunity to go to Dubai on business, and while there, I BASE jumped off the Princess Tower. And since I was in the vicinity, I ventured over to see the Taj Mahal and the Chitwan National Park in Nepal.”
“That’s so amazing! Wow, that’s really something to brag about.”
“I’m pretty fortunate with my job and lifestyle. So why haven’t you fulfilled any of your out-of-country dream trips?”
“Oh, well, I … you know, I’ve been busy building my career.” And letting a manipulator basically run my life for two years while I was oblivious to his true nature. Let it go, AJ! What’s done is done!
“And are you where you want to be?”
My God, his voice is something, she thought. The kind you read about, if you’re one to read romance novels, which she totally was, and how a voice like his was described as a panty-dropper. She had to fan herself from the heat suddenly overtaking her entire body.
Sheesh!
“AJ, you there?”
“Oh, yep, still here.” What was the question? Oh, yes, am I where I want to be? “My career’s been going great. Hit a bit of a road bump recently, but you know, that happens.”
“Anything you care to elaborate on? Anything I can do to help?”
“Unlikely. I’m sorry, I guess I’m not ready to discuss that right now.” Because it’s much more than just my career that’s hit a road bump.
“Please stop apologizing. I understand. I mean, how much do you really know someone after only ten minutes of chatting?”
“Precisely.” Although I feel like I could say things to you I never could to Brad. How interesting. AJ cleared her throat. “So, any plans for your Labor Day weekend coming up?”
“Yeah, I thought I’d go check out the hot air balloons at the Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic, then head down to the 10 Barrel Brewing Company for the beer wars.”
“Really?” She, too, had thought of checking out the balloon classic, and since she loved beer…
“What about you? Any plans?”
How much do I tell him? What if he wants to meet up? Could I?
“AJ? Do you always have a habit of going off into your own little world from time to time?”
She knew he was teasing by the laughter that followed. “Is that your way of asking if I’m an airhead?”
“I would never!” he feigned outrage, causing her to giggle.
Giggles, really? Get a grip!
“Well, if you must know—”
“And I must,” he smoothly interjected.
“I was also thinking of going to the balloon classic.”
“And since you prefer beer to wine…”
“Oh my God, are you a mind reader?”
Mathias chuckled. “No. Just following logical thinking. The engineer in me.” He paused, and before she could say anything more, he asked, “Amelia Jane, I’m going to take a leap and ask if you think it’s too soon to plan to meet one another on Saturday?”
She remained silent as she let the whisper of her name from him float through the air. She couldn’t even stammer a response. Her mind suddenly flooded with yeses and nos, with pros and cons, with a host of scenarios playing out in her head.
“We could continue to talk with one another, get to know more about each other little by little every day leading up to Saturday. Because what I’ve heard so far has me wanting to know more.”
“Really?” she squeaked out, surprised he seemed to feel the same way she did. And surprised at herself for feeling this way so quickly. “You want to spend your Sunday evening talking to a stranger?”
“Yes. Really.”
AJ grinned from ear to ear, ridiculously pleased and nervously hopeful. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
“So, now what?”
“Now, we get to know more about each other. So how long before you get over this road bump?”
“Wow, right to it. Um, I’m not sure. My agency has been great, but I seem to be lacking my drive.”
“And you need a confidence booster. Or you’re reevaluating whether to stay in the profession. Or you’re recovering from a pulled hammy while doing the splits during practice out on the ice.”
More laughter. “What is it with you and this ice girl fantasy?”
“Well, they’re terrific dancers in tremendous shape. They’re usually gorgeous and wear those sexy little outfits. What’s not to like?”
“So it’s all about appearances, is it?” she asked teasingly.
“Absolutely,” he returned, his sarcasm evident. “Isn’t that what we’ve learned from social media these days?”
“So you’ll be thrilled when I tell you I look just like Miley Cyrus. Because that’s the look I’ve been going for these days. She’s all the rage, don’cha know, what with being such a marvelous judge on TV and all. Not to mention her eye-fetching attire and sassy attitude.”
“Then you’ll be happy to hear I like sassy. And I look exactly like Chris Hemsworth. And even though Miley preferred Liam, let’s just say maturity has its advantages.”
“And let me just say I actually prefer older guys, and due to my diligence at staying in shape, twerking on the ice is a sight to behold.”
Matthew’s deep laughter washed over AJ, infusing her with joy and comfort. It’d been much too long since she felt this at ease, and with a complete stranger no less.
“Oh, AJ, you are a joy.”
“I know, right?”

Uncaged Review

A nice romance – a short and sexy read easily read in a couple hours. I loved the banter between AJ and her friends, and when her friend Jen, sets her up on a phone dating site, AJ relents and begins having nightly talk sessions with Mathias.

When AJ finds out that Mathias was in on the set up with her friend Jen, will she be able to overcome what she sees as a betrayal?

Both AJ and Mathias have trust issues from being burned in past relationships, but AJ’s has been a bit over kill. I think she responds to certain aspects more like a high schooler than an adult woman, but she does finally get to where she needs to go, and the reader will want to shake some sense in to her at times, and other times will want to hug her. There is some hot and steamy sex, and you may want to sit in front of a fan, but this was a fun read and introduced an author to me that I hadn’t read before – and I definitely plan to read more from her. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Author Interview with Elena Kincaid with Review and Excerpt from In Fair Brighton

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

As seen in the July issue of Uncaged Book Reviews

Uncaged: You released In Fair Brighton in February, can you tell readers more about your Star-crossed Mafia series?

In Fair Brighton was inspired by Romeo and Juliet, though my main characters do not meet the same tragic end. They feel a deep connection to one another the moment they meet, neither of them knowing that they are the children of two of the most powerful Russian mob families in Brooklyn. Readers will need to take a bumpy ride before my couple gets their happily ever after. The rest of the series will build off of the first book, continuing with the Star-Crossed theme and rival mob families and the next books will have to deal with a circumstance from the first book.

Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

Right now, I am working book 6 in The Beyond The Veil series I co-write with my awesome writing partners, Maia Dylan and Sarah Marsh. I am also working on book 3 in my Pack Warrior series, titled Beta Wars which picks up after the pack wars in book 1. More on that to come soon. I am hoping to get to book 2 in my Star-Crossed Mafia series shortly after those projects are done. Book 2, titled, Of These Two Foes, is already outlined and ready to be written. I can’t wait to share Nikita and Rose’s story with my readers. They may be two of the most stubborn characters I’ve ever written.

Uncaged: What are the advantages of joining your Street Team group on Facebook?

So as I mentioned, I have two amazing writing partners I co-write a series with. We also run our street team together. Our members get a sneak peek into what the three of us working on, we run monthly contests exclusive to the group, and we have a blast in there with random topics and games, and tons of yummy eye candy. We even have a theme song. Be warned: shenanigans often ensue. 😉

Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?

I try not to, but sometimes it’s hard to resist. The main thing I always take away is being grateful that someone took the time to read my book, whether they liked it or not.

Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?

My boyfriend thanks you. 😉

Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?

The writing part is my favorite. I get to do what I have wanted to do since I was a kid. Turning my ideas into full-fledged stories is beyond amazing. The negative part is pretty much what we’ve all been experiencing lately in the book world. The fact that there are those who can’t play well with others and want to take advantage of the system is an ugly thing to witness.

Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?

I love spending time with my daughter either binging on something cool or family game night. We recently just got back from Florida where she got to go to Disney for the first time, and though I’ve been before a few times, getting to experience this with her was by far my favorite time. And you can throw Disney and Universal up there as some of my favorite places. And then this past October I went to Australia for a book signing in Brisbane and totally fell in love with the country. I’m a tv, music, and bookaholic, I love to travel, and hoping to one day be able to travel at least twice a year.

Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?

I used to do gymnastics when I was younger and can still twirl a ribbon like nobody’s business. I am also a natural speed reader and was reading at college level in elementary school.

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

My readers are the absolute best! I thank you for taking the time to read my work. They can follow me here: Twitter: https://twitter.com/elenakincaid1
FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/elenakincaidthree

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Elena Kincaid is an award-winning and Amazon best-selling author. She writes Paranormal and Contemporary Romances with alpha males who stop at nothing to protect their women, heroines who are anything but damsels in distress, and stories where the only love worth fighting for is the forever kind of love.

She was born in Ukraine and raised in New York, where she currently lives with her daughter. Her desk is constantly cluttered with journals, sticky notes, and torn-out pieces of paper full of ideas. When not working, Elena loves to spend time with her family, travel the globe, curl up with a good book, and catch up on her soaps.[/symple_box]

elenakincaid.com

In Fair Brighton
Elena Kincaid
Mafia Romance

Sasha Palmer, a travel writer, never stays in one place long enough to find even the possibility of love. The baggage of her family keeps her closed off from everyone, but one day, love finds her in the form of strong arms, wrapping around her, and pulling her to safety from oncoming traffic. One look at Rome, and she’s a goner.

Roman “Rome” Valentin is a killer … and a good one at that. He leads a life he detests, full of self-loathing until the day he meets Sasha. She barrels into his life and steals the heart he didn’t know he still had … and then she vanishes.

Their two families have been at war for decades. Will a chance meeting and a passionate growing love end the bitter feud or spark a battle that may destroy them all?

Excerpt

Verona, Italy
The heavens were about to open up and pour. Sasha downed the last of her cappuccino and then threw down money for the bill. Her hotel was only five blocks away. “I can make it,” she mumbled.
She was wrong. One block’s worth of a light drizzle, turned into a torrential downpour. Leave it to me to visit Verona during one of the wettest months of the year and not think to carry an umbrella. By the end of the second block, she was completely soaked through from her head all the way to her damn, adorable, Gucci, four-inch heels, which prevented her from making a run for it. Instead, she slowed down her gait and embraced the soak.
Another block later, with the rain easing only slightly, Sasha found herself standing stock-still, while in the middle of crossing the street, after a loud boom resonated somewhere around her. Was that a gunshot? Frantically, she looked around her for the source, but when finally, realizing that she needed to get out of the street, it was a moment too late. A car was headed straight toward her, brakes screeching, and as if trapped in a slow-motion movie, her brain had time to process that she would not get out of the way fast enough.
Strong arms wrapped around her, jerking her backward, landing both her and her savior with their asses on the pavement. Those same strong arms lifted her and nudged her forward.
“Over here,” the man said loudly to compete with the sound of the heavy rain falling. They ended up in a narrow alcove, the front of a little antique shop which was currently closed. “Are you all right?”
She looked up at the tall, brunet male, stunned by the color of his greenish-gray eyes, and nodded as droplets of water rolled down his face. Her heart still beat frantically, leaving her breathless and unable to speak just yet. When she finally managed to catch her breath, she said, “I heard … I thought I heard a gunshot.”
His face turned serious, concern written on his handsomely rugged face, his well-defined jaw tense. “No, sweetness. Just a Vespa backfiring. With so much going on in the world, I don’t blame you for thinking that.”
Sasha inhaled deeply and then noisily exhaled, slowly feeling her heart rate return to normal. “Thank you for saving me.” She managed to give the stranger a shaky smile.
His answering smile nearly took her breath away. A small gap in between his front teeth was even more endearing on his otherwise perfectly straight pearly-whites.
“What’s your name, sweetness?” he asked her.
“Sasha.”
“Well, Sasha.” He took her hand in his. “I’m very glad to have been in the right place at the right time.” He brought her hand to his lips. “I shudder to think what could have happened.
He released her hand, making her feel bereft of his touch.
“You didn’t tell me your name.”
He smiled again. “I’m Rome.”
She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her. “All you need is an O at then of your name, and then you’re definitely in the right city.” She knew her joke was lame, but it got him to smile again.
His eyes sparkled. “Too bad your name isn’t Juliet.”
Oh my!
They stood staring at one another for some time after that, neither of them seemingly able to look away. For her, maybe it was sharing a life and death moment with this stranger, or the fact that her body had never had this intense of a reaction to someone she had just met, or ever for that matter. True, he was stunningly beautiful to look at, with his gorgeous face, and well-built, lean muscular body, but it was more than that. She felt an undeniable pull to him.
When the rain all but stopped, she realized she couldn’t simply walk away from this man and never see him again. “Can I buy you dinner?” she asked. She could feel her cheeks burning. She’d never asked a man out before. “To say thank you, I mean.”
“No, you may not,” he said with a smirk.
Disappointed and embarrassed, she was about to make her quick getaway, when he added, “My mother taught me from a young age that a gentleman never allows his date to pay for dinner.”
Date?
“Will you please allow me to take you to dinner tonight?” His smile faltered, as if he was suddenly unsure of what her answer would be, despite the fact that she had asked him first.
Meanwhile, she nodded her head, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, like some love-stricken teenager. When he gifted her with another heart-stopping smile, she figured making a fool of herself was worth it.

Uncaged Review

This is a good intro into a series, even though it’s a short read, the author manages to pack quite a bit into the pages. Two mafia families at war for a long time over the deaths of loved ones – and when two people fall in love from these families, will they be able to make it work?

I think the love story was too quick, and there wasn’t as much tension in the relationship as there could have been, but there was a bit of danger that you would expect from a mafia romance, and the author did a nice job with the story. I guess what I really wanted was for it to be longer, so I could get a better feel for Sasha and Rome, and the backstory. I wanted to keep reading in this world, and that’s a good thing and I’m looking forward to the next book. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Make Me a Match by Mackenzie Lucas

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Make Me a Match
Mackenzie Lucas
Contemporary Romance

Widower Mark Cage needs help getting a date with a cute kindergarten teacher, only the last person on earth he’d ask is Athena Sullivan, Essence’s resident dating guru. Yet, Mark doesn’t have much of an option when his teenage daughter forces his hand and purchases a matchmaking package for him with the sexy relationship coach.

Sparks fly as Athena polishes Mark’s manners and helps him become dating savvy. Unfortunately, Mark begins to realize too late that the woman he thought he wanted is not the one he needs.

And, with the aid of The Soul Mate Tree, that his destined true love is closer than he’d imagined, if only he will open himself up to love a second time.

Uncaged Review: A fun and easy read, well worthy of The Soul Mate Tree series that it’s a part of. Since Mark lost his wife, he’s shied away from any commitments. When he sees the very sexy Athena at Essence, he thinks he immediately stereotypes her, and dislikes her on sight. When he learns she’s a relationship expert, and she will be his “relationship coach” bought for by his teenage daughter, Mark realizes that Athena is a lot more than just a sexy woman.

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover, is the main theme going on in this book, as people so often do. This is a nice shorter romance that had some fun banter even though Mark was a little too rough around the edges, and the book was a little too short to get a good connection to the characters. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

The Uncaged reviewing team, including myself, have read the majority of this series, The Soul Mate Tree. This series on a whole is highly recommended – not one of the stories have received less than 4 stars, and many of them received higher. They have just about everything, paranormal, contemporary, historical – a nice variety. 

Uncaged Review – Fire in Ice by Jennifer DiGiovanni

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Fire in Ice
Jennifer DiGiovanni
Young Adult/Paranormal

A girl with a gift. A boy with a secret. A dangerous energy they must learn to control.


After suffering a rare illness, straight-A student Cara Scotto struggles to deal with lingering side effects. Refusing to admit she can’t handle the disruptions in her otherwise normal life, she tries to move on and heal.

Alexander DeMarsh is unhappy about returning to his small hometown for three weeks. He prefers living in the city, where he attends an elite boarding school far away from his overprotective parents. Sure, they have reason to worry about him. As a Generator, Alex’s body constantly manufactures supernatural energy that’s often difficult to control.

Over winter break, Alex runs into Cara and picks up on the powers they share. Soon, he realizes Cara is the only person in the world who has any chance of understanding him. But first, he needs to find a way to draw out her supernatural abilities without revealing too many secrets of his own.

Uncaged Review: If Cara thought it was weird she had gotten the attention of Alex, the richest, cutest boy in Amber Lea than when she found out they had something major in common it threw her for a major loop. You see they are both Generators and when Alex found out he decided to take Cara under his wing, whether she wanted to accept she wasn’t normal or not.

This is not your typical love story. Alex has to fight Cara for her attention. His lady mans reputation doesn’t do much to put him in her good graces. Little by little Cara comes to trust Alex and it’s a great read to see their relationship blossom as it does.
Never a dull moment is to be seen in this story. You will truly enjoy reading and experiencing Cara coming into her power all while falling for the “bad boy” of Amber Lea! Reviewed by Danielle

5 Stars

Author Interview with Magali A. Fréchette – Excerpt and Review of My Soul to Give

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

As seen in the July issue of Uncaged Book Reviews

Uncaged: Your first published book with Evernight Publishing, My Soul to Give, was released in June 2017 and Uncaged reviewed the book in October. Can you tell readers more about the book? Is there still plans for a sequel?

The book is about a widow who’s in over her head when the demon she made a deal with turns out more trustworthy than the husband she’s avenging. There’s romance and mystery, and it’s the first book in a series of many. There’s still a plan for a sequel – it is currently with the publisher. This series, A Demon’s Love, is just one of many in a whole universe in which several other series will connect with My Soul to Give. I’m hoping all will be published in the next few years.

Uncaged: What do you have coming up next that you can tell us about?

Apart from the sequel to My Soul to Give being with the publisher, I also will be submitting the series following it called Storm Owl Legend as it follows the A Demon’s Love series two years later. I’ve also written a dark contemporary romance that is part of a trilogy I hope to submit once it’s gone through some more edits and a few beta readers.

Uncaged: What is your inspiration to write in the dark fantasy genre? Are you planning on writing in different genres in the future?

I already am, but I always stick to romance – I can’t seem to write outside the genre, even when I try! And no matter what, it’s always on the dark side, so I guess that’s a bit of my ‘set genre’.

Uncaged: Do you read your reviews? What do you take away from them?

I do read them, but mostly by accident now. I used to check amazon and goodreads quite often to see if there was maybe a new review, but ever since my first one-star, I’ve learned it isn’t necessarily a good idea. The negative reviews I brush off, and the positive ones make me happy someone liked my story, but I don’t really ‘take away’ anything from them – even the good ones. For a while, writing the sequel to My Soul to Give was almost impossible because I kept thinking of the positive reviews, and I’d start getting terrified the sequel wouldn’t be as good or people who loved the first would hate the second. It just ended up putting so much pressure, and I had to remind myself why I write. Because it’s like breathing – I have to write, and I love it!

Uncaged: What is one of the nicest things someone has said to you about your books?

That they stayed up all night reading it! Or one person who asked when the sequel was coming out because they needed a ‘fix’! But generally, just any fan reaching out to say they liked it, or make a post on it on social media to get it out there as well, I always appreciate!

Uncaged: What is your favorite parts about being an author? What have you found to be the least favorite?

Knowing the stories I write are out there for people to read… and that’s also the least favorite lol To a certain extent, I’m putting a part of myself out there, which I love when people receive it well, but it hurts when people call it garbage. One thing I love, and this is before even being an ‘author’, but the writing community is really something else – I’ve never found a community this encouraging and loving. It’s really a true family, and I’m happy to say that working with Evernight Publishing is just like that as well – a family.

Uncaged: What do you like to do when you aren’t writing? Where is one of your favorite places on Earth?

When I’m not writing I’m thinking of writing lol. But I like to watch Markiplier (Youtuber) – I’ve been watching his videos since 2013, and it got me through the difficult parts of university, and even during the time I was trying to find myself as cliché as that sounds. To this day, I’ll watch his videos when I’m stressed out and it helps. I also love playing Mario Kart and Minecraft with my son, and even just play video games in general. Love to read, spend time with any animal I can find (my rental doesn’t allow pets), and chat with friends.
Uncaged: What can you tell us that is very unique about you?

I’m not sure if there’s anything really unique so to speak (Hey! That rhymed! Does being corny count? lol). I’ve got a criminology degree, I’m francophone, from Canada, lived in three provinces, love Ottawa, love my family, adore my son and am more proud of him than I could ever put in words, and I love animals more than I like most people and yet I care about people too. Unique? Not really, but there is only one of me 😉

Uncaged: What would you like to say to fans, and where can they follow you?

To fans I’d like to say thank you. Thank you so, so much for reading my book! If you liked it, left a rating, review or not, I love you all so much and appreciate that you gave my book a chance!

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Magali A. Fréchette writes the darker side of stories. Paranormal, dark fantasy, and mystery/thriller, but always with romance – she’s an extremist and loves both dark and cute things. All her stories are either set in Canada, or in alternate worlds (makes sense since she’s Canadian, right?). She is always writing and enjoys freelancing as a book cover designer.

Magali wrote her first story when she was 12 years old (and she’ll never speak of it again!), but started taking her writing seriously three years later. Since then, she always writes. It’s always been a dream to be a published author, and she can happily say she’s reached that first goal and plans on continuing writing and publishing for the rest of her days.[/symple_box]

stormowl7.wordpress.com

My Soul to Give
Magali A. Fréchette
Paranormal Romance

When Celina Leviet escapes the brutal home invasion that kills her husband, she’s left with a bullet in her gut and vengeance in her heart. An alluring demon, Mekaisto, offers an irresistible deal—in exchange for her soul, he’ll let her live long enough to get her revenge, but she must hunt and kill the murderers herself.

After sealing the contract, Celina digs into her husband’s past for clues about his murder, and what she uncovers makes her question everything she thought she knew about him.

His company never existed.
His family history was a lie.

And he was involved with The Lumen, a shadowy religious order whose members know too much about demons. As the life she thought she knew crumbles around her, Mekaisto’s charms become harder to resist. Forced to face a horrible truth, Celina struggles against her late husband’s betrayal and the dark seduction of the devil she knows.

Excerpt

They walked to the door, but she stopped and observed Kai from head to toe.

“If you’d like a better look, just ask.” His hands moved to the top button of his shirt and a malicious smile spread over his lips.

She rolled her eyes and ignored him, wrapping her arms around herself. “Can you go into a church? I mean, since you’re—”

“A demon? Yes, I’m aware.” He tilted his head to the side.
“Are you going to be okay in there?”

As much as she hated him—going inside her head, invading her personal space, ordering cruel experiments, and even threatening her—a part of her wouldn’t be able to bear it if he was hurt. It was a part she’d rather not know about, but it existed nonetheless.

His eyebrows rose, but a gentle smile appeared on his lips. “I knew you’d be interesting to work with. I see I wasn’t mistaken.” He grinned. “I may burst into flames—”

“Are you serious?” Her fists clenched as she took a few steps closer to him. “You were going in there without saying anything? What if something happened to you? I wouldn’t even know what to do.” She grabbed the front of his jacket, panic seething in her veins. “You aren’t allowed to die on me, Kai.”

His gaze shone with such fondness it brought tears to her eyes. Celina bit the inside of her cheek. She already felt weak and stupid and didn’t want to add weeping to her list.

“I won’t burst into flames. That was a joke. And I’m immortal—always have been and always will be. I can’t be killed.”

She let him go and backed away, smoothing his jacket. “I’m sorry I overreacted. It’s been a strange day.” She couldn’t take her gaze off his face.

Kai pinned her against the stone wall of the church and her blood ran cold, freezing her in place. “You know what you’re feeling Celina, but your human consciousness can’t accept what your heart already knows. Stop fighting yourself and give in to me.”

“What I’m feeling—or not—doesn’t matter, Kai. We both know once you’ve completed your end of the deal, it will be all over for me.”

I still love Thomas… I won’t betray him. But…

He kissed her, this time using her passion against her, drawing the feelings from her as his tongue slipped inside her mouth and caressed her own, as she threw herself into the kiss, body … and soul. When she shuddered he withdrew from her, with his usual mischievous smile.

“Shall we go inside then?”

She took a breath to steady herself. “And nothing bad will happen to you?”

“If anything, the church may burst into flames.”

“Stay with me, Kai. Promise me.” An eternity of torment awaited her at the hands of this demon, but he was her demon.

“I promise.” He held the door for her.

Uncaged Review

I reviewed this book in October, 2017 and we are revisiting that review here.

Is it wrong to fall in love with a demon? Because I did. And he’s not a good demon, he’s violent and cruel. But he’s also sarcastic, hilarious and can you believe – likable? But Kai is gentle, and cruel and sarcastic and sweet with Celina, but for all the right reasons. This is a story about betrayal, truths and yes, it’s a love story.

Celina’s husband is brutally killed and when she runs away from the house and the murderers who are racing after her, she’s shot and on her way to dying also. Along comes Kai, the dark shadow that Celina has seen all her life, morphing into a human-like figure with red eyes. Kai offers Celina revenge for her husband, in exchange for her soul and her life. Already knowing she is dying, Celina accepts the offer.

I’m not giving any more spoilers, but I loved this book. I loved Kai, and a very strong Celina. And the twists and turns that the author takes you on while delving for the truth was so much fun. Do be warned though, there is a lot of violence – but it all makes sense. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

New Advertising Opportunity

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Premium Animated Website Banner Ad

 

Starting in September, Uncaged will open it’s animated front page banner to advertising. This banner is a premium location on the website, and is limited to 4 per month. UncagedBooks.com receives 30,000-40,000 visitors each month and that number doubles during the Raven Awards. 

You supply the content, and Uncaged will design the animated ad. Don’t miss out on this prime placing.

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