With her debut Warlands trilogy, Elizabeth Vaughan established herself as an author capable of balancing good fantasy world-building with romance. It was a mix that worked perfectly for me and was well done throughout the three books. Given that, I expected good things from her new novel set in the same world (though in a…
Some of Margo Maguire’s earlier books have a light, fairytale mood, so seeing her move into fantasy romance seems natural rather than forced. Unfortunately, Temptation of the Warrior contains too much hackneyed prose and too many tired cliches to work. While parts of the story are quite likable, the book is far too uneven to…
Bedlam, Bath and Beyond sounds like the title of a cute and cozy mystery, but it’s a fantasy romance. It has its virtues, but I can’t really recommend it. Samantha Jones (actually Dorringer) lives in a beautiful McMansion in the most exclusive gated community in town. Her rich husband Marshall adores her, and showers her…
Fantasy is fast becoming my favorite niches within the romance genre. The Mage’s Daughter, the second in The Nine Kingdoms series by Lynn Kurland, is just one of the few books I’ve read recently that is slowly luring me into the world of fantasy. Morgan of Melksham is recovering from a near fatal poising at…
Favorite books are funny things. Much like relationships, they are never perfect – they just have to be perfect for you. Shana Abé works for me. I recognize the problems in her books, but, for the most part, I just don’t mind. Take Queen of Dragons, for instance, the third and latest book in her…
Many (okay…most) of the historical romances I’ve read with paranormal or fantasy elements have disappointed me. However, Sarah Gabriel’s combination of fairies, second sight, and Scotland added up to a romance I could really warm up to. James MacCarran and his siblings have inherited a vast fortune from his grandmother. Yet, in order for all…
With an array of interesting-sounding stories inspired by the four elements of air, earth, water, and fire, Elemental Magic had the potential to be a wonderful read. However, the quality of the stories varied greatly, making this merely a mediocre read overall. Though more fantasy than romance, I adored the Shinn story most of all,…
It’s been a while since I last reviewed for AAR, partly because my life had become hectic and partly because I’d read what felt like dozens of books that made me go meh. I decided to dip my toe back into the reviewing pool and picked what I thought would be a safe bet: the…
It’s no secret that fantasy and paranormal romances are gutting the market these days. It’s also no secret to most romance readers that ho-hum, been-there-done-that, screamingly average fantasy and paranormal romances make up the vast majority of those books. Submitted for approval is this prime example. Start with a Highland lord. (Everybody knows Highlanders are…
I truly enjoyed Jigsaw, so when I saw Kathleen Nance had a new book out, I looked forward to having the chance to review it. Unfortunately, this story did not flow well as the suspense plot never really flared to life, weighed down as it was by a convoluted fantasy world. The world-building and the…
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