Monday Book Review: HIGHLAND BURN by Victoria Zak

Highland Burn (Guardians of Scotland, book one)
By Victoria Zak
Published 2014

About the Book:

Will Love’s Flame Quench the Dragon’s Fire? …

The past never stays in the past, it rears its ugly head eventually. James the Black Douglas knows this all too well. With a past that has left him vengeful and his dragon blood thirsty, his reputation as a ruthless warrior haunts his enemies in their sleep. As his allegiance stands with Robert Bruce, the King of Scotland, he must now repay a debt to the king and agrees to marry his daughter, Abigale Bruce. The problem is he doesn’t want a wife. When flames start to burn out of control between him and the auburn-haired lass, he must decide to either kindle the flames of passion or shelter her from the truth and set her free.

It’s What Shines in the Dark That Brings Forth Your True Light…

Determined to keep his daughter safe and out of the hands of the English, Robert hides Abigale behind the safe walls of a nunnery. After eight long years of living her life in seclusion, Abigale is finally set free. But her new found freedom comes to an abrupt halt when she learns of her betrothal to the infamous Bogeyman – James the Black Douglas. She soon finds herself falling in love with the uncontainable and haunted man. Is her love enough to soften his hardened heart?

My Take:

A sizzling paranormal tale set in 1314 Scotland, the author begins the book with a prologue to explain the premise and mythology her series is based upon. She's come up with a unique take on why the Highlander clans were such fierce and bloody warriors: they're actually not human, but a different race entirely. A race of dragon shifters. Which would explain their legendary fierce fighting abilities, quick tempers, and the "otherness" generally associated with Highlanders.

I mean, it makes a kind of sense.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this book - obviously, the premise being the main thing- but in terms of the execution, I wish the author had painted the characters with more consistent brush strokes. I wanted to like both the hero and the heroine, but at times struggled with stupid things each of them did, or ways they contradicted themselves. I felt a stronger hand in editing might have helped smooth the character growth curves to something easier for the reader to follow and fall in love with.

That said, this was a fast-paced, enjoyable read if you don't get too hung up on every detail. And especially if you like historical fiction with a paranormal bent,  you should give this series a try. Dragon shifters are hot. (Yes, pun intended.)

Find your copy on AMAZON. When I posted this, the Kindle version was free - so why not give it a try?

BOOK REVIEW: EMBRACED BY FIRE by Louise Delamore

Embraced by Fire, by Louise Delamore
Published January 2014 by The Wild Rose Press

About the Book (from Goodreads):

The last thing Ryu McKay needs on a mission to expose a black market information ring is a simmering attraction to his boss. Not only is he undercover, he needs to keep his shape-shifter identity a secret. Despite his desire, he dare not act on his attraction.

For Kait, excitement and that one special man exist only in her dreams. However, everything changes when Ryu walks into her office looking for a job as a fire-eater. Now she wants nothing more than to turn her dreams into reality.

Kait's attraction to Ryu grows, but can it survive the secrets he's hiding? Like the fire with which he plays, this man is dangerous.

MY TAKE:

Kait Jones is the event coordinator for Fantasia Alive, an entertainment company that supplies performers for specials events and corporate functions. She feels an instant attraction to the sizzling hot guy seeking employment, even if he looks a bit familiar.

Ryu MacKay works undercover for a secret government agency. His latest assignment makes him apply for a position at Kait's company. When he recognizes her as his crush from high school, he realizes he'll have to use his real name and do less lying than he normally would.

Kait always harbored secret fantasies about Ryu, starting in high school and ever since. Little does she suspect that he's a shape shifter, with a dragon lurking just below the surface.

This was the second paranormal dragon shifter tale I've read recently. This had a lot of action, but what really grabbed me was the sexual undercurrents that pervade every interaction between the main characters.

You expect dragons to sizzle and Ryu doesn't disappoint. Every aspect of him exudes heat, and the chemistry between Kait and Ryu works really well. In short, I enjoyed this book a lot and will definitely look for more from this author.

About the Author - in her own words:

I've held a number of jobs; working in a coffee shop, a men's clothing store, and an air-conditioner manufacturing plant. I have been a librarian, an editor, and a business analyst. However, maybe because my grip on reality is somewhat flexible, nothing I've done beats telling stories. Ever since I was a little girl I've imagined wonderful heroes and happy endings - so what better stories to tell than romances. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Want to know more about me or my books? Visit http://louise-delamore.weebly.com/