Beauty Ravished is another excellent story in what is, sort of, the Carnal series. Lycans and all that good stuff. It had the anticipated intense hero, and very hot love scenes. It also had a quirky, and not-so-submissive, heroine that managed to make me grin several times. I'm a fan of the Carnal series, and this story is why. It manages to put in the beginnings of romance, very sizzling attraction between the characters, and it begins the story of Nigel and Cherry. The ending was cut off, I believe deliberately, so I'm not sure if that was the entire story or not. I'm hoping not, as it just got me rooting for the characters and hungering for the full story as it stopped. Ms. Anwar's heroes are the draw for me, and Nigel is perfect for a romance. He has all the brooding sensuality romance heroes have had in the past but without the common borderline cruelty and domination. He can dominate, but in a GOOD way. I'd recommend this one for fans, and new readers looking for a hot paranormal.

Dream Shadows by Angelica Hart
Violet has a dream lover, a man she's never met, and one she never really expects to meet, though she does hope. Unfortunately, the nuptial auctions, in which young trained girls of good bloodlines are auctioned off to the highest bidder, regardless of the bidder's inclination towards Dark or Light, are soon to begin. She'd rather die than go to a Dark Lord, but that's where the Seraglio, the trainers and auctioneers, intend for her to go. A Dark Lord would appreciate breaking her rebellious spirit. But she pushes one of them too far, and is punished. Which is how Ash finds her.

Ash is attracted by that spirit, but has no intention of looking into it. He must find a mate, but he wants one that won't take any of his attention away from his magic. But when she's auctioned off to Lord Darth, The Dark Lord, he finds he can't allow that to be her fate.

Dream Shadows is the beginning of what seemed to be a fantasy series. I enjoyed the initial setup of the story and cultural background of the characters, enough so that I wanted to know more, especially after finding out Violet's plans. The scenes involving the villain and his victims, while not very detailed, were just enough to turn my stomach. So was Violet's punishment one night for slapping a eunuch. It seemed somewhat necessary to the story for Violet's punishment to be brought up, but I didn't understand why, as a reader, I needed to know what Lord Darth did to two of his victims. Also, the romance didn't seem central to the story, but instead was a tool for the story to progress. Dream Shadows really seemed to be a fantasy short story with the makings of romance, and if looked at as such, was pretty good. It's best attributes lay in that it seemed to be the background for a second story, one that, if written and published, I plan on reading.

Blackthorne's Light by Marie Harte
Trey is a vampire, and he hunts those who do evil, primarily women. In the area, there have been a rash of murders, all victims were women with dark sides to them, often involved in prostitution and various other crimes, sometimes even murder. He needs their blood and sex in order to survive, and though he believes he was born that way to help the Light, he can't help but feel as damned as they are. Until Adara walks into his club. Her aura is beautiful and full of light, and when they kiss, he feels as though some of that rubs off on him. Nor can he get over the fact that she brought him release without ever giving her blood. But can she accept what he is, or will he be alone again?

Blackthorne's Light was a little surprising. The hero was dark and very sexual, and though he didn't feel righteous over his murders, I was shocked that he was able to tolerate sex with the women. I was also surprised at the characterization of Adara. Though Trey described her aura as light and pure, she wasn't portrayed as an innocent, sweet girl. She was a woman who knew enough to know that she found Trey attractive. And though she was initially afraid and repulsed by Trey's dark side, she soon realized that was not all of him. He was also a good man, and a wonderful lover. I liked this vampire story, if only because it was different from what I usually read. Not many vampires out there like Trey.

The Dark One by Goldie McBride
Samantha decides to take a vacation in France, in a supposedly haunted chateaux. When she walks into the chateaux, she notices a man with brooding good looks. She sees him again later, but no one else appears to. His name is Gerard, and he was the owner of the chateaux several hundred years ago. And she's the only one he's been able to speak to, and more importantly, to touch. He was cursed long ago, and he has no intention of letting go the one person who can reconnect him to the living world.

I liked the The Dark One because it encompassed a deep sensuality and conflict between the characters. I'm a Goldie McBride fan, mostly because her writing reminds me of some of my favorite authors like Johanna Lindsey and Sara Bennett. This story wasn't medieval, yet it had a very similar romance. The conflict was well-done and Gerard was the classic sexy jerk. The scenes between Gerard and Samantha were so very hot and both their personalities were strong enough to stand up against each other without annoying me with petty attitudes. Truthfully, I have a hard time knowing why I liked this story. It just left me with a very satisfied feeling whose origins I can't seem to pinpoint.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Tara Black
June 29, 2004