Reviews

Water Bound
Christine Feehan
Jove, Jul 27 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780515148244

In Sea Haven, Rikki Sitmore dives for sea urchins. However, her attention radically changes when she notices a man in trouble in the swirling currents. Rikki rescues severely injured Lev Prakenskii. Besides his physical traumas, Lev suffers from situational amnesia, but is well aware he must remain hidden as someone wants him dead.

Reluctantly Rikki takes Lev to the estate she and her five “sisters of the heart” call home. Like Lev, Rikki has issues as she cherishes the water and loathes the fire as a tragedy left its imprint on her. Each has deadly enemies coming for them, but together with two hearts beating as one, they can overcome anything even lethal predators and autism.

Returning to Sea Haven, home of the Drake Sisters, Christine Feehan begins a new saga as once again some paranormal is blended inside a mystery, which in turn is inside a powerful romance. Though somewhat similar in tone to the “parent” Drake Sisters’ series, the audience will relish this action-packed tale from the moment Rikki saves Lev from drowning and fans will enjoy this entertaining thriller. Ironically even with a strong love story between two traumatized souls and plenty of suspense, it is the deep look at what haunts the pair especially Rikki and the tragic fire that brings compassion to the tale. Harriet Klausner

Tempting Fire
Sydney Croft
Bantam, Jul 27 2010, $15.00
ISBN: 9780385342285

In the Brazilian rainforest, a force massacres a highly regarded elite Navy SEALs unit. Cryptozoologist experts insist the Chupacabra predator cannot exist in spite of the shocking evidence that they agree speaks otherwise especially with the only survivor Chance McCormack insisting so.

Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO) sends field agents Sela Kahne who brings expertise on the mythic logical Chupacabra and Marlena West to investigate. Sela has another skill of being able to read the mind of her partner while they make love. She needs to do so with Chance, but is attracted to the man who saved the SEAL and leads their expedition Logan Mills; at the same time Chance and Marlena pair up. Meanwhile vicious Phoebe of ITOR also wants the Chupacabra.

The latest ACRO paranormal romantic suspense thriller (see Riding the Storm, Seduced by the Storm and Taming the Fire) is a strong tale with a legendary beastly spin. The lead foursome makes the rumble in the jungle seem genuine as they chase after the Chupacabra; a creature they hope does not exist while also falling in love. Series fans will appreciate the latest confrontation with ITOR over the Chupacabra. Harriet Klausner

Sureblood
Susan Grant
HQN, Aug 1 2010, $7.99
ISBN: 9780373774661

The pirate clans live in the Channels asteroid belt. They earn a substandard existence by raiding passing ships containing precious minerals needed for the intergalactic war fought in another sector. However, the clans have their own combat going on as instead of cooperating for the overall good of everyone, they fight with one another.

A new clan leader Dake Sureblood is a visionary who can see how teamwork would benefit everyone, but is blank as to how to proceed when no one trusts anyone from another clan; even he distrusts the other broods. Two clans the Surebloods and the Blues raid the same vessels. Dake saves the life of Valeeya Blue. Her grateful father Conn invites Dake and his kin to join forces with his clan. Already attracted to Val, Dake readily agrees. However, betrayal by opportunists causes the two clans to bicker and consider hostile actions against one another rather than teaming with Dake left in hell for five years after someone assassinated Conn. However, that traitor never counted on Dake returning to prove his innocence and claim his wife and their son as his though he knows she believes he killed her father.

This is a fun sort of Scottish Highlanders in outer space futuristic romantic science fiction romance. The story line is fast-paced from the opening raid and never slows down as betrayal and murder keep the lead couple apart. Readers will relish the swashbuckling escapades of Dake and Valeeya as he returns to avenge his father-in-law and himself while desperately wanting his spouse at his side and to finally meet their son. Harriet Klausner