Betrayed

I waited patiently for the release of the latest book in Nicky Charles' Lycan series. It was well worth the wait! Once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. There are just so many things about this book and all of the Law of the Lycan series that I love. The female characters are smart, strong and independent. Male characters are just as likely to make a potentially disastrous error as their female counterparts. In short, male and female characters are equals.

I'm not a big fan of straight up romances, so the fact that there is also a strong storyline to go along with the romance is a big plus for me. The tensions between the shifters and fae, and the threat of the purists are just as important to the story as the relationship evolving between Eve and Rafe.

Yet another pleasant surprise was the reappearance of Reno and Brandi from The Bonding. It's always nice to revisit my old favorite characters.

I would definitely recommend this book to any fan of paranormal stories.

Adam & Steve

Adam More is a successful wedding planner. His life partner, Steven Worth, is a writer for The (Gay) New York Times. Life is good until Adam realizes that he is spending his life planning for others something that he is forbidden by law to have for himself, a wedding! The fight for marriage equality is on. Adam quits planning weddings and decides to boycott all weddings until he and Steve are able to have a wedding of their own.

Inspired by his partner's convictions, Steven writes a series of articles about the boycott for the newspaper. Others begin to join the cause; florists, caterers, bakers... When a trade show for the wedding industry comes to town, Adam and Steven organize a peaceful protest.

Our heroes find their resolve tested when Adam's sister and Steven's brother announce their engagement. Should Adam and Steven make an exception and attend their siblings' wedding? Will their decisions about attending draw them closer together or drive them apart?

This book is a lighthearted look at the very serious issue of marriage equality. Never preachy and full of delightful characters, both gay and straight, it drives home all the reasons why marriage rights should be extended to all loving couples. If you are a member of the LGBT community or a straight ally this book is a must-read. If you are on the fence about marriage equality, please read this book with an open mind. It may open your eyes as well.

I have one request for author, Ken O'Neill. Since marriage equality is now a reality in New York state, can we have a sequel, pretty please?

Outfoxed!

Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg teamed up to write this delightful tale of a gung-ho, tough gal FBI agent (Kate O'Hare) who finds herself "persuaded" to work with her nemesis, con man extrordinaire (Nicholas Fox). What could possibly go wrong, besides everything?!

With characters that are all larger than life, this book will ensure that you remain captivated from the first page to the very last. None of the cast of characters do anything in a small way. From a busty blonde going through a serious midlife crisis, to an actor whois all about becoming his character, the secondary characters are just as amusing and well developed as the mains.

Should you read this book? If you are a fan of the Stephanie Plum novels or any of the USA network "Characters Welcome" series, by all means, yes. If you're not, read it anyway. It's fast paced and loads of fun. The ony people who should steer clear of this novel are those who prefer realism. Not much of that to be found here.