Uncaged Review – Something Chosen by Alex Owens

August 28, 2018

Something Chosen
Alex Owens
Paranormal

Death isn’t always the end… sometimes it’s only the beginning.

Claire’s trapped in a dead-end marriage, strapped for cash and getting desperate. Her chance at freedom comes in the form of a music con in Florida. Her mission? Win over a few big clients and collect a fat bonus check. It should have been easy, but Claire didn’t count on a bewitched violin, its sultry Italian owner, Bette, or her dark and dangerous companions.

Unfortunately, life isn’t all song lyrics and seduction. Tied to darkness by blood and power, Claire must harness her abilities if she has any hope of surviving this business trip from hell.

Uncaged Review: The start of a series,(that was released previously as a different title), then re-edited and new content added – I hadn’t read the previous release. The book has a unique twist to it, and a bit of humor. I’m not sure which characters I liked the best, or if I was really drawn to any of them except Claire. I don’t know that I’ve met the character that I see Claire with the best yet. We will see.
As a new vampire, Claire also has extra powers that have been sparked to life with her new undead status. Her maker, Bette – is trying to unravel them, in the meantime, Claire tries to negotiate her new life as a vampire, with a daughter at home and a soon-to-be ex-husband.

The premise kept me interested, but I think it had a slow start for me. It wasn’t until I was well over half-way through when the book really took off for me. It will be interesting in the next books to see where Claire will go from here.Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Author Interview with C. Lee McKenzie and Excerpt and Review of Sudden Secrets

Cyrene Olson

August 28, 2018

As seen in the August issue of Uncaged Book Reviews

Uncaged: You write in the Young Adult and younger genres. What inspires you to write for the younger generations?

Like others, I find it fun and interesting to go back and be young again. I wouldn’t want to “really” do that, but being able to capture a time when I could climb trees and skin my knee and lick from a spoon coated with cake batter is a treasure. That first kiss and the rush of any first time is so exciting. I get to experience all of that when I write stories about middle graders and young adults.

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

I have two books with an agent at the moment. One is about justice, or maybe injustice. I’m always keen on people getting a fair shake. The second is about a senseless killing that alters many lives.

I’m currently working on something I said I’d never write—a young adult fantasy. So how did that happen? Who knows? But I’m always curious about why people treat those who are different from them so badly, and so this story popped into my head and stuck. It will be about being shunned because of fear and superstition and being different. I’m at 43K at the moment.

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

I used to be all three. Now, I’m just excited. I know more about this business after having published eight books, but I love launching a new one. Here’s what runs through my mind: Will anyone like it? Will I get rotten reviews? Here’s my answer: Who cares? I loved the process, and whatever happens will be how it is. Just release the story and enjoy the experience, Lee. That’s what I tell myself.

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

I read them when I need to “steal” their language and use them for my promo. Some reviewers are darned good writers. 🙂

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

I think the best thing that people tell me is that they want to read more stories about my characters. I thought writing a middle grade trilogy was enough, but some readers have asked for a fourth book. I’ll have to think about that. And, while I write with a younger reader in mind, I find my fan base is an older group. I didn’t expect that either.

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

This is a great question because it’s easy for me to answer. I love telling myself stories. That’s the best part. The least favorite is sitting. I have the darnedest time gluing my pants to the chair. I’m an outdoor person, so I often find I have to take a hike with a pad of paper and a pencil just to keep writing.

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

Wow! The first question is easy. The second not so much. When I’m not writing, I’m hiking or practicing yoga. As I said above, I’m an outdoor person, so I take to the trail whenever I have a chance. And to from getting down or stressed, I practice yoga.

Now about that favorite place…I have so many: Istanbul (I have friends there and have visited several times), South of France (It’s like northern California with an accent. Love it. Oh and it has castles, which I adore—they are in some of my books), where I live is also a favorite place. I’m on the edge of a redwood forest and when I look out my window all I see are trees. I’m not a city-dweller, so this is a perfect place for me.

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

I’m not sure I’m unique in any way. I’d like to be, but I’m pretty much a standard issue person. One thing people often remark on is that I don’t eat sweets. Does that count as unique? I’ve never liked candy much. I’ll eat dates and peaches, but cake and cookies are far down on the list of things I enjoy. My family suffered because of this and often resorted to bringing their own desserts home. They knew I would totally forget to have any.

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

If there are people who enjoys reading what I write, “Thank you.” There’s nothing more rewarding for writers (including me) than readers who “get” them.

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]I’m C. Lee McKenzie. I love to write for young readers, and I write both young adult and middle grade fiction. Sliding on the Edge, The Princess of Las Pulgas, Double Negative, and Sudden Secrets are my four YAs. My middle grade adventure/fantasy series is now a trilogy: Alligators Overhead, The Great Time Lock Disaster, and Some Very Messy Medieval Magic. I also have a stand alone MG fantasy called Sign of the Green Dragon. Italia Gandolfo represents me.

I’m very fortunate to have some great five star reviews from readers and reviewers. And I’m really pleased that I’m learning this business. Promotion has been my biggest challenge. I’ve had to learn how to schedule, so I can still write and do the promotion I need to do for my other books. It’s a full-time job.

When I’m not writing I’m practicing yoga, doing sun salutations in my garden (AKA weeding) or scratching my head over how all of this writing stuff started. I’m still not sure, but the ride has been exhilarating and so much different than I’d expected.[/symple_box]

cleemckenziebooks.com

Sudden Secrets
C. Lee McKenzie
Young Adult

One Secret

Cleo has struggled to heal after her baby sister’s death, but the flashbacks to the accident won’t go away. With the move, she vows to keep her tragedy a secret and avoid pitying looks.

One Mystery

Something’s strange about the abandoned house across the street—flashes of light late at night and small flickers of movement that only someone looking for them would see. Everyone says the house is deserted, but Cleo is sure it isn’t, and she’s sure whoever is inside is watching her.

Another Secret

In one night, Belleza’s life changes forever. So famous, her only choice is to hide her secret from the world so she can silence small town bigotry.

Then Cleo happens.

Excerpt

I was glad my window looked onto the street and faced south, so I didn’t get morning light, but lots of afternoon sun. Still, I wasn’t crazy about it looking directly into the house across from us. Every time I glanced outside, I remembered back to a few months ago when we first came here, and I was sure I saw movement inside that second-story window. Thinking about that sent goosebumps trickling down my arms, but all I saw now was an empty derelict, sagging into the ground.
The first morning in my new room I stayed in bed, thinking that by the following week I’d be getting up early and walking to school—a new school, where nobody knew anything about Cleopatra Brown. It wouldn’t be like at my old school, where everybody stared at me after the accident, even when they tried not to. I wouldn’t have to shut myself away like I did at Buena Vista High. I could be a normal junior.
“It will take time to heal, Cleo,” the counselor kept saying. “Leaving your old house will help, but it’s up to you to move on, to let go of the past.”
“Move on,” I said. “I’m trying.” Only, it was hard to move on. It was like I’d be leaving Aziza behind. I wanted her with me, with us, again. I wanted Dad with me, with us. I wanted— “Mail!” Mom called from downstairs. “Dad’s sent us a letter. Come down.”
I threw off the covers, grabbed my robe and pounded down the steps. This was the first news outside of short emails from Dad since he left, and I couldn’t wait to hear what he’d written.
Mom waved the letter and sat at the dining room table as I hurried in. Her face was lively and flushed. I could almost hear her heart beating, rapid fire, inside her chest.
Grandpa was already there, reading the morning paper. His thick glasses rested at the end of his nose, and he peered over the rims at me as I pulled out the chair across from him.
“It’s late.”
Grandpa believed in rising early. When I was five and he told me, “It’s the early bird that gets the worm,” I turned up my nose with an “Eww!” We didn’t agree on when to get out of bed, any more than we agreed about Clyde. At least that morning, Grandpa didn’t have his pet. Mom had set some rules: Clyde stayed in his cage until after breakfast. Clyde was never to come to the table.
“Things sound like they’re going well,” Mom said. “Listen.” She began to read: “‘Here I am up to my ears in Afghani sand and potatoes. Yes, I said potatoes. My colleague, Dr. Hamidi, has hit upon a brilliant idea for recruiting the farmers to our side. We’ve arranged to buy potato crops, providing the farmers will store the artifacts they’ve unearthed. I’m hearing everything through an interpreter, but the farmers seem happy, and so does my colleague. Now these valuable finds will have shelter until we can build a museum to house them. There’s so much to do here if we’re going save these irreplaceable pieces of history, and our progress is painfully slow. Please take good care of each other. Don’t let Clyde eat Nefertiti, okay, Pops? All my love, Derek, AKA, Dad, AKA, your son.’”
I loved that Dad’s spark of humor came through in this letter. It was the first time he’d sounded like himself in such a long while. Maybe he’d answer one of my emails now. The last time I tried to contact him, he only wrote, “I miss you” –– he never answered my question about when he planned to come home.
Mom swiped her eyes. Grandpa used both hands on the table to push himself to his feet. He didn’t shuffle like many men at seventy-five, but his gait was stiff for the first few steps. Like he said, he needed to idle a bit before his motor warmed up. Sometimes he still made me laugh. “Walk,” he said and he pulled on his coat, set his beret so it dipped over one eye and left through the front door.
“He’s worried about your dad,” Mom said.
Her voice was heavy with worry, too. I hated how what had been a happy moment shifted into another sad one. My eyes teared up, so I hurried into the kitchen and, at the sink, splashed water on my face.
It had been a terrible and very long journey from that tragic Christmas to now, and I couldn’t think about losing another one of us. We’d each done all we could to live without Aziza. Dad went as far away as possible from where the accident happened. Mom sold our house and moved us to a new town. Still, we weren’t over that December day.
Mom buried herself in her work for long hours.
Grandpa pulled into himself, wearing that glazed look he’d adopted before the funeral.
I was almost sure he’d wear that look for the rest of his life. He loved Aziza. And what wasn’t there to love? Beautiful golden girl, my mom called her, forever poking her four-year-old nose around the corner daring any of us to chase her. Teasing, begging for attention, which we gave because we couldn’t resist her.
Grandpa loved my sister a lot. I was afraid he loved me very little now.
I wasn’t so fond of myself, either. I shut out all of my Buena Vista friends and started running alone.
From the window over the kitchen sink I watched Nefertiti as she sat on the step, preening in a sunny spot around the back of the house. I went out to sit with her, stroking her fur and surveying the weedy backyard that Mom hadn’t had time to think about. She kept saying she planned to hire a gardener, but there was always something that derailed that plan. In September, it was the new show at the museum that she had to set up by October. She was in charge of staging the Egyptian pieces coming on loan, but she was shorthanded and putting in extra time to make up for only having two assistants. It was going to be a while before the toilet and other debris disappeared.
It was all too depressing to look at, so I walked around to the front and for a minute glanced at the windows of the house across the street. I almost expected to see someone staring out at me. I couldn’t shake the creeped out feeling I got every time I looked at that place.
I knelt to check my laces, and then I was racing down the street, hoping to shed old fears, old thoughts . . . at least for a while. I was at the end of the block, deciding which way to turn, when I spotted Grandpa. I went in the opposite direction, so neither one of us had to pretend that everything was all right since that letter from Dad.
The high school was only four blocks away––one of the reasons, Mom said, she chose this location. It also had one of the best academic ratings in the valley. Another reason she told me she zeroed in on our cozy cul-de-sac.
When I reached the school, I stared up at the two-storied building where I’d spend my last two years of high school. Then what? Junior college, or a job at K-Mart? I worried that I’d bomb on my SAT’s. I’d bombed on almost everything, hadn’t I? My grades, my friends––being a sister.
I walked up the stone path, leading to the main doors, imagining that first day here, my stomach balling up with worry just on the edge of dread. That first day was going to be the worst.
Off to my right, a thick oak sheltered tables with benches, so I jogged across the lawn and sat on the wooden slats and thought about how it was going to be when school started. Everything new. Everything different. The stares all newbies get. Nobody would know who I was or why I was here. They wouldn’t know my mom was famous for her books on Egypt, or that my dad was an archeologist—the one people called when they dug up important ancient anything in the Middle East. But they’d know something was different about me the minute they heard my name. Cleopatra wasn’t on any baby name list they’d ever read. Neither was Aziza, but she was too little for her name to embarrass her. She’d only just learned what it meant. Precious. And she was that. She was.

Uncaged Review

A very well written young adult that throws in a bit of a mystery. Cleo’s family has been torn apart by an accident that killed Cleo’s baby sister. Her mother buries herself in work, her father has been in Afghanistan as an archaeologist, and no one knows if or when he’s coming home, and Cleo’s Grandpa barely communicates. When Cleo’s mom moves them to a new town, in a new home, Cleo starts at a new school. She’s lucky though, she makes a few new friends and things seem to be looking up. But the crumbling house across the street that is supposed to be abandoned since the fifties, Cleo has seen lights flicker in the windows, and a van that pulls up every single week.

I like the author gave us great characters to latch onto, Ethan, the handsome jock with his own skeletons and his girlfriend Stacy, who turns out to be the bestie everyone wants, and of course Rudy. Maybe not the most handsome boy in school, but perfect for Cleo.

You’ll have to read the book, but the last 20% of the book, really made this one. I have to admit, it was a bit slow going in the beginning, but the ending pulled a higher rating out of me. Will Cleo’s family ever pick up the pieces? Will the mysteries of the house across the street ever be discovered? The ending was a bit abrupt and it could have been pulled out a little more, but overall, this is an entertaining read and worth the time. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Author Interview with Rose Wulf and Excerpt and Review of Dirty

Cyrene Olson

August 19, 2018

Uncaged: Can you tell readers more about your Elemental series?

The Elemental series is sort of like my baby. I originally dreamt it up something like twelve or thirteen years ago – of course, it looked a lot different then! – and I’ve worked really hard to get it where it is today! Before publishing the Elemental series, as you see it now, with the wonderful Evernight Publishing, it was available through another publisher (now defunct, and whom I won’t mention by name). That experience was very insightful. Ultimately, I am incredibly grateful I’ve had the opportunity to revise these books and re-publish them. I’m so proud of the end result. I’ll even tell you a secret. Dirty, my most recent release, was actually my least favorite of the originally published set. I was just never truly satisfied with it. Because of that, it received the heaviest revision of the series thus far, and I have to say, I am THRILLED with the result! So I hope my readers are, too!

As for more on the content of the series, I worked very hard with the Elemental series to pace it out so that not everything is revealed in the beginning. It’s not until book 2 (Blown) that the main characters even learn exactly who they’re up against! But I also wanted to leave little nuggets of clues along the way for the readers, so it was entirely possible for them to have figured it out before-hand. Dirty is the third, and essentially middle, book of the series – there will be five in total. One book for each brother, and then a final book for their sister, Angela. Now that the readers know more about the antagonists’ identities, and some motivations, it’s time to learn about their histories. I also might reveal some other histories more connected to the protagonists and the overall elemental world, as well. But you’ll have to stay tuned to see how that all unravels!

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

The next Elemental book I’ll be working on is Dean’s book. I very much love Dean’s book, and I think my readers will, too! But before I get that out to my publisher, I’m first working on the third installment of my Dark Light series. The Dark Light series is set in a world heavily entwined in the conflict between demons and angels. In fact, Dark Light 2 (Sparks of Blue) was my first award-winning novel! Dark Light 3, which I’m calling ‘Burning Midnight’ right now, stars Gwen Manning – who was a prominent character in Dark Light 2, so readers will quickly recognize her. Her hero will also be familiar, but I’m not going to spoil that surprise! The premise of the book directly follows her storyline from the previous, but will be recapped well enough to keep any new readers from feeling terribly lost if this is their jumping-on point. And for those who did read Sparks of Blue – it turns out, surviving the curse was only the beginning of Gwen’s story!

Uncaged: What advice would you give aspiring authors?

I’ve received a few pieces of helpful advice over the years. Most of us have heard some variation of ‘don’t write for the market,’ and I do agree with that, but I always fall back on a quote I don’t even know the origin of. “Write the story you want to read.” It’s pretty simple, isn’t it? Haven’t we all really wanted to read a certain kind of story – maybe with specific characters, or in a specific type of setting, etc – and just never found something that quite satisfied that desire? That’s what you should write. Every time. Because for as much as you want to garner a big, enthusiastic audience, the first person who has to enjoy your work is you. So write for yourself. Make it something you’re willing to revisit, not as the author, but as a reader. And, yeah, practice makes perfect, so write a lot. Then write some more. Then write until your eyes blur and your fingers hurt (okay, not literally), because the more you write the better your writing becomes. Your readers will see it. You’ll see it. Then that story you wanted to read, that you wrote, will become something a grateful reader can’t put down – and that’s what we all want.

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

I’m excited! Most of my nerves kick in when I hit ‘send’ on a new submission, and the fear hits when I get that first round of edits in my inbox. But by the time the book is polished, tucked behind shiny cover art, and ready to go? I’m excited. I’ve worked hard on that book. I want the world to love it. I want it to do well. What if this is the one that puts my name out there? You never really know, after all!

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

Of course I read my reviews! At least the ones I find, when I find them. Reviews are an interesting thing. For starters, they’re great! Even if the content is depressing, just knowing that there’s a new review out there (they’re so hard to come by) is nice on its own. But sometimes they kind of leave an author baffled. I haven’t had the experience of a truly negative review (and I’m not complaining!), so it might be easier for me to say they’re mainly good than for others. Still, at the end of the day, someone took the time to review my book and I’m appreciative of that. But I sincerely hope they liked it, too!

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

Oh wow. Honestly, I’m incredibly humbled and flattered with every compliment my books – or I – receive! But if I really had to pick a single nicest thing pertaining to my books, it actually wouldn’t be something that was said in words. The truth is that, like so many others, I suffer from more than fair share of insecurities. And who doesn’t wonder if there are really that many people reading their books? So in 2016, when one of my personal favorite books of mine won Best in Category for that year’s Reader’s Choice Awards, I was amazed. And so touched. That was proof that people – actual strangers – read my books. Not only read, but like! I became an award-winning author and I immediately felt so good about myself and my product. It was beyond words. So in a way, all of those readers who voted said to me “we love what you’ve given us,” and I cried tears of joy.

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

My favorite part about being an author? That would have to be the ‘being a professional writer’ part. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do, since I was a little girl, and while I certainly can’t afford to quit my day-job right now, just being able to do what I’ve dreamt of doing is wonderful.

As for my least favorite … that’s trickier! Sort of. But I think the answer is promo. I am horrible at promo. I’ve never been good at ‘selling myself,’ I always feel like I’m just nagging people, and it makes me self-conscious. So I end up making maybe a grand total of five posts about every new book and crossing my fingers that I did enough.

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 a big TV and movie watcher. I get a lot of my inspiration from media – sometimes just from a line of dialogue, or a passing visual, but whatever it is, it’s unpredictable. Plus, it’s a great escape. I can let the show do my thinking and just relax!

One of my favorite places on Earth is Old Station, California. It’s a small mountain town where I go for vacation every year. Formally, it’s known for its fishing, hunting, and camping. (And I do love camping.) For me, though, it’s just so relaxing. I typically get a lot of writing done there, but sometimes instead it’s where I get my best reading done! It’s great for peace of mind – and soul. Also, there’s a local diner (JJ’s Café) with some of my favorite food and even better people. If you’re ever in the area, go there!

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

Very unique? Gee, no pressure! Well, I’m a not-so-closet anime fan with a leaning toward adventure and romance stories. I probably never will stop fangirling, since I don’t intend to try! I’m also a long-time comic book/superhero fan. Yes, I have a favorite. Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing. (I recommend Google Images if you don’t know who he is!)

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

To my fans, I would like to say a sincere thank you. Your continued readership is invaluable. I hope you continue to enjoy my work! I have many more ideas to keep you entertained for quite a while!

[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Reader’s Choice Award Winning author Rose Wulf is a giant romance fangirl. Hot, protective, and occasionally barbaric heroes and spitfire heroines are her favorites. Rose has been writing for as long as she can remember and has no intentions on stopping anytime soon! The bonds between characters have always captivated her, and as an author those are Rose’s favorite things to play with – not always to the relief of her fictional babies!

Behind the scenes Rose is a quiet personality. She enjoys spending her non-writing time with her German Shepherd, Shadow, her mom, and her friends. Be it a fun game of Cards Against Humanity or a relaxing movie night, Rose believes everything is better with company. As for her own romance, she’s still searching for her hero (and hoping that, when she does find him, he’ll be willing to cook).[/symple_box]

rosewulf.weebly.com

Dirty
Rose Wulf
New Adult/Fantasy

Clarabelle Buchannon never imagined the secret Logan Hawke and his family kept. But no amazing secret would change how she felt.

The real problem wasn’t that the man she wanted controlled the earth – it was that he was as stubborn as a rock. And he had some lethal enemies who’d recently bumped him to the top of their hit-list. Now that she’d inadvertently foiled an attempt on Logan’s life it seemed Clare was in their sights, too
She’d have to think fast if she wanted to keep Logan from doing the heroically stupid thing and pulling away.

Excerpt

Clarabelle blinked up at the broad-shouldered man before her. She was as surprised to see him standing on her doorstep as she was to see him standing there with a box of pizza and a bouquet of colorful flowers. The overall sight had sufficiently tangled the frustrated lecture she’d planned to greet him with the next time she saw him. “Logan…?”
It wasn’t like he’d called first. Or answered her call from that morning. Or even said a word to her at all before leaving his family’s home the day before, apparently in a hurry to catch up on missed work. He’d been obviously avoiding her, and frankly, it hurt. He’d never treated her so rudely before.
But he’d never shown up at her door, unannounced, with pizza and flowers either.
Logan cleared his throat, possibly the most self-conscious sound she’d ever heard him make, and said, “I, uh, I owe you an apology. A big one. And I thought maybe you’d take it better with pizza.”
Her lips twitched. She couldn’t help it. “Pizza’s a start,” she relented, stepping aside and holding the door open for him. “Come in.” She waited for him to pass, telling herself it was the pizza or the flowers she was drawing a quick, deep breath of, and not the man carrying the items, before shutting the door and moving toward her kitchen. “Plates are in the cupboard to the right of the fridge,” she offered. “I’ll take the flowers.”
“Clare,” Logan said as she arranged the flowers so that each color spread out as evenly as possible. “I’m sorry.”
Clare paused, keeping her gaze on the flowers, and swallowed. “Thank you,” she said. She wasn’t sure what about her learning his family secret had upset him, or if it was just that she’d stayed to wait, or if it was something else entirely. She still wanted to know. But she didn’t want to push him either. It was his secret, after all. Still, he could’ve been a little more grown-up about this whole thing.
A warm presence settled beside her, drawing her out of her thoughts, and Clare glanced over to see Logan had moved in closer. Much closer. She felt her heart skip a beat.
“Please understand,” he said, his voice quieter than usual. “The more you know, the more involved you get, the more likely it is you’ll be targeted. The Matthews’ aren’t rational. If they think there’s a chance they can get to one of us through someone else, they’ll take it.”
Clare swallowed and turned to properly face him, inadvertently putting herself inside his personal space. She looked up in order to maintain eye contact and said, “And you being rude before protects me from that somehow?”
Logan looked away, turning his head slightly, but otherwise remained as he was. “No,” he said, “it doesn’t. That was just me reacting poorly.” The muscle in his jaw twitched as if he were clenching it too hard.
Without really thinking about it, Clare reached up and curled her palm around his cheek, angled so as to press the flat part over that area of his jaw. His eyes widened and she felt her own cheeks flush as he looked immediately back to her, but it was too late. So she plowed ahead. “I appreciate your apology, and I accept it.” She paused, took a breath, and added deliberately, “It’s not your job to protect me, you know.”
Logan’s blue eyes flashed, darkening slightly, and the next thing Clare knew he’d backed her into the counter and covered her lips with his in a firm kiss. His hands, strong and hot, landed on her hips. He held her against him as she twisted her fingers in his shirt and kissed him back. After a moment his tongue swept inside, rolling along hers before moving to explore as he angled his head and deepened the kiss.
Clare moaned and adjusted her grip until she was digging her fingers into the muscles over his spine, her back partially arched into his chest. She’d never been kissed this way before—as if she were some long-desired reward—and it was making her head spin. To say nothing of what each sensuous stroke of his tongue was doing to parts further south. And the way his thumbs had begun rubbing circles over her hips while his fingers dug in just a little deeper… Clare could hardly feel guilty for her instinctive responses.
Logan’s chest rumbled as he leaned a bit more into her and the kiss broke, but he didn’t step away or release her. He trailed feather-light kisses up her jaw to her ear, and, breath still heavy, whispered, “I need you … to understand. Associating with me right now endangers you.”

Uncaged Review

Previously released with the title Rock Steady, Dirty was reworked for it’s release with a new publisher. The paranormal part or fantasy part of book are the elementals. The family of five siblings are born, with four sons and one daughter. The daughter is the healer, and also the one in the family that will bear the next generation of elementals. Each son has an element, fire, earth, water and air. This book centers on Logan, who controls Earth.

Logan has blamed himself for years for the deaths that were not his fault, so he keeps to himself and doesn’t allow anyone to get too close. Along comes Clarabelle – a woman he’s admired since high school, and who smashes through his walls.

I didn’t get real attached to Logan, maybe because he was too depressing most of the time, and angsty like a teenager. I really enjoyed his family almost more than him. But he and Clarabelle are a good match, and she’s strong enough and stubborn enough to persist. When a feud with another family reaches its peak, Clarabelle and her family will be in the crosshairs.

This is book 3 in the series, but it holds up well as a standalone, with plenty of suspense and action. I am really looking forward to reading more within the series and the other elementals. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – The Girl Who Knew DaVinci by Belle Ami

Cyrene Olson

August 19, 2018

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

Cyrene Olson

August 16, 2018

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

Cyrene Olson

August 16, 2018

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

Cyrene Olson

August 12, 2018

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

Cyrene Olson

August 10, 2018

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

Cyrene Olson

August 7, 2018

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

Cyrene Olson

August 6, 2018

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.

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Uncaged Book ReviewsServing Indie and Small Published Authors since 2016

Uncaged Book ReviewsServing Indie and Small Published Authors since 2016

Uncaged Review – Something Chosen by Alex Owens

Author Interview with C. Lee McKenzie and Excerpt and Review of Sudden Secrets

Author Interview with Rose Wulf and Excerpt and Review of Dirty

Uncaged Review – The Girl Who Knew DaVinci by Belle Ami

Uncaged Review – Sea of Darkness by Brown & Hamilton

An unexpected partnership changes everything

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

Raven Awards – Finals Voting is LIVE

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.

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

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

Uncaged Review – Make Me a Match by Mackenzie Lucas