Deirdre O'Dare

This was a very well written paranormal love story that ran through the ages. Rhys and Liam have been friends, brothers and lovers in many lives through the centuries. They are two halves of the same person. Now rangers on the U.S. Border Patrol, Rhys and Liam have to rediscover their love and gather their strength to defeat an ancient evil bent on destroying them. I like the way that Ms O'Dare brings her characters to life more through actions than words. I was a little disappointed that the third character, Billy, was not developed further but he may shine in other books in this series. I strongly recommend this short gem.… (mere)

Keeping the borders safe in the face of external threats, be they drugs, terrorists and their weapons, or illegal trafficking of people and contraband, is an important task entrusted to the US Border Patrol. In this story, the author takes their objective a step further, and focuses on a new division - the Paranormal Operations Unit. Its members are in charge of guarding the country against paranormal intrusions and attacks. Clay is the head of this group of paranormally talented agents, and he loves working with them despite the danger. But then he runs into Aron – who says he is an elf – and things begin to change. What follows is an action-packed adventure with a love story woven in between the new threats Clay’s group faces.

Clay has never really had a family. His father vanished for parts unknown before Clay was born, and in a time when unmarried women with children were ostracized, he did not have it easy growing up. So his new unit has become his chosen family. But when Aron appears, right when they need help against a new threat, Clay isn’t sure that is a good thing. He may trust Aron instinctively, but some of his statements about Clay’s father being an elf make Clay extremely uncomfortable. And as much as this story is about the external threat Clay has to deal with, it is also about the internal changes Clay goes through as he reconciles what he thinks he knows with the new facts. Neither of the two is an easy journey.

Aron is very different from Clay. Not just because he is a full elf with more than one trick up his sleeve, but also because he has faced change more than once and adventures are part of his life. He is open to new experiences, and getting to know Clay is fast becoming one of his favorite activities. Aron is sure they can become great partners and is happy to help Clay in any way he can. No matter what dangers they face – and there are quite a few! – Aron remains optimistic and ready to confront the next challenge.

If you like paranormal action/adventures, if you want to see two loners who are destined for each other struggle to figure things out, and if you’re looking for an action-packed read full of dangerous enemies, betrayal, and a friendship growing into love, then you might like this collection of two novellas.


NOTE: This book was provided by Changeling Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (mere)

Fighting fires and raising kids at the same time, without the support of a partner, is not what Grady had planned for. But when his sister dies in an accident and nobody else seems prepared to take care of her son, Jamie, Grady steps up to the plate. He recognizes that his life will change, but he has no idea how much until he experiences it.

Firefighters have tough jobs, and Grady has an even more challenging time of it than most. He needs to get used to being a father and that will impact his personal life, and he has decided to move to a small village in Colorado, believing it will be a better, safer environment for Jamie to grow up. Not only is firefighting in a place like that very different, since he is working mostly with volunteers and outdated equipment, but he also faces a very gruff second-in-command who seems determined to make Grady’s life as difficult as possible.

Sully is a mechanic by trade and owns the local garage. He wanted to be the next fire chief, only to have some city boy put right in front of him. I can see why Sully is upset, and feared he was going to sabotage everything Grady did, but luckily I was wrong. Yes, Sully is grumpy and not exactly enthusiastic, but he is also fair and focused on getting the job done.

Grady and Sully feel attracted from the beginning, but they are hesitant due to their rivalry (at least in Sully’s eyes) on the job and the fact that they live in a village where acceptance of a gay couple is likely to be low. Only gradual exposure and working together can help, and once they share their first real crisis, things begin to change - very slowly. I enjoyed the gradual mellowing of their relationship. Jamie and the puppy he adopts play a part, and that made this story even more fun.

If you like stories about firefighters, if a new start in life with significant changes for one of the characters is your thing, and if you’re looking for a light, entertaining read, then you might like this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by JMS Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (mere)