Stephanie Burke

This is a hilarious, somewhat tongue-in-cheek story about an alien abduction, taking the meaning of "anal probing" to a new, fun-filled level. Have you ever thought about bunny-like creatures living on Mars? Well, neither had I, until reading this story. I have to say, the idea sort of grew on me as I was reading about Cosimo's adventures. It definitely made me laugh, and the passion between these two very different male specimens may have been somewhat unusual, even as human-alien relationships go, but the passion was unmistakable.

Cosimo is an ex-Marine with a boring security job. He may have left the military (before the repeal of DADT) for a better life, but he doesn't find it until he starts protecting the "Mars Rabbit" found by a secret US mission to Mars. And when he realizes he is to be this man-rabbit's consort, he doesn't quite know how to feel about it. Mind you, taking into account the mind-blowing sexual heights this alien gets him to experience, it doesn't take too log for Cosimo to decide.

Tissor is a Martian, or Lagomorph as they call themselves. That alone made me grin – lagomorph is the Latin name for the order of rabbits, hares and pikas. Tissor wanted to explore Earth and ended up in a laboratory. Once he escaped, taking Cosimo with him because the man protected him, he decides to keep him as his consort. Luckily for Cosimo, this is a very treasured position and will allow both of them to explore the galaxy together.

If you like your sci-fi to come with a healthy dose of humor and quite a lot of inter-species heat, if you enjoy reading about alien abductions, and if you don’t fear anal probes of the special kind, then you will probably like this story.
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Dragons and magic in one story, with the added feature of a sex-shifting dragon and the promise of some enemy-to-lover sparkles, had me wanting to read this book from the moment I spied the blurb. And let me tell you, this tale is definitely imaginative, different, and not your average romance. While Garyn is a dragon shifter, who also happens to be able to shift between the male and female gender, Youltan starts out thinking he is straight, only to learn that not all is as it seems with him either. If you’re up for an adventure not just of the magical and fighting-the-evil-enemy kind, but also of the explore-the-characters’-sexual-orientation kind, then you should give this book a go.

Youltan is a young Ice Mage, the last of his kind, and not much liked by the ordinary people he helps. There is a mystery around why they need to be protected, and it’s definitely an interesting one when it gets revealed toward the end of the story. As usual with the best stories, at least for me, not all is as it seems, and the final solution is neither easy nor does it even seem possible. Youltan has fought prejudice all his life, and yet he has always selflessly done what was asked of him. But when he almost dies and is brought to Garyn in a last-ditch effort to save him, he ends up in a situation he likes less than his “normal” life.

Garyn is a dragon shifter, but an enslaved one. He is determined to free himself –sooner or later – no matter the cost. Only when he discovers that Youltan is not at all who he expected an Ice Mage to be, Garyn’s determination is put to the test. So are his morals and his honor. Both his and Youltan’s idea of who the enemy is and what they are after are severely put to the test, and what follows once they figure out the details is a battle of wills and wits that had me wondering if either of them would survive.

If you like mysteries and secrets, if the idea of a sex shifter who also happens to be a dragon sounds interesting, and if you’re looking for a different read that is as suspenseful as it is fun, then you will probably like this short novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Changeling Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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I always love to find stories about unusual shifters, and bears are some of my favorites. Even better, this book features a polar bear called Theo, his cub Mow, a protective alpha and godfather, and a super-sexy Canadian Mountie named Richard. What I found especially funny is that the polar bears are of Russian descent, but have found a new home in Canada. They are not a cuddly kind of shifter by any means. They are civilized enough but when provoked? Be ready for some serious fury.

Theo - very few bears and almost no humans call him Teddy and live to tell the tale – is a polar bear shifter and the keeper of his house. It means he is in charge of remembering and passing on the stories and legends that came down through the generations. It is a tough job, so when he has some time off, he wants to have fun. Being chased by a crazy-sounding female cougar is not it, but running into a Native American of Cree descent definitely fits the bill.

Richard didn’t expect to find true love in a bar, but he quickly understands that he wants Theo to be a lot more than a one-night stand. He only needs to convince Theo. Not that it is an impossible task – Theo likes him as well, but there is the matter of Theo’s very adorable son. And learning about bear shifter law. And dealing with the crazy cougar. Richard has his hands full, but he pretty much takes it all in stride.

If you like stories about bear shifters and their world, if two men who are destined for each other but need to sort out a few details first sound interesting, and if you’re looking for a story that is as charming as it is filled with suspense and cuteness, then you will probably enjoy this novella.


NOTE: This book was provided by Changeling Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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Playing in the red zone, the area right before the goal, statistically means the likelihood to score is higher, but it also makes everything more intense. That is certainly a good way to describe this fun filled and very hot story. Dean and Dolton have eyed each other for a while, both playing in the same weekend football league team, but now that they've both decided to approach the other, the tension ramps up a few notches and they come together in an explosion of passion and heat.

Dolton is self-confident, knows what he wants, and very intelligent. An anthropologist by training, he is also good at observing people, which comes in handy not just when ogling Dean, the man he is crushing on, but also when one of their teammates, Dean's friend Robbie, makes some very nasty comments and may be up to more. Dolton is a great guy, very dominant and a good top, but extremely sensual at the same time and more than ready to let Dean fight his own battles and take the lead on occasion.

Dean describes himself as a pushy bottom and he is certainly that. He also likes to give up control, and when he gets to know Dolton better, he realizes he can trust his new lover completely. As happy as Dean is to have Dolton as his lover, his old friend Robbie makes him wonder why they ever became close. I could see the confrontation between them coming, and when it does, Dean certainly makes his point more than adequately.

These two men play hard, whether it's on the football field, in the playroom, or in bed. They are a great fit, and the smoldering heat between them flares up to burning levels at almost any time they more than look at each other. If you like stories about tough guys who each give as good as they get, if you enjoy reading about partners who are ideally suited to be lovers, and if you're looking for a read with as much kink as heat that requires no toys, then you will probably like this novella.


NOTE: The anthology this story was published in was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.… (mehr)