To end the month on a high note Vanessa North is visiting today to let us in on her new release, United, the second book in her Ushers series. Today you get my review of this book, as well as a give away for five eBook copies of the book. So keep reading to learn all sorts of juicy details about United.....
Irresponsible is the only way to describe the last twenty years of Fionn Murphy's life. Now the fate of Were society depends upon him getting his act together. After all those years of bad behavior, he doesn't believe himself worthy of happiness
Monica is the one woman who can give Fionn the happiness he doesn't believe he deserves. She's been preparing for their mutual destiny for decades, never expecting her mate to be so...careless. She's willing to fight like hell for her man, but in return, she wants all of him.
When Fionn's enemies exploit his past to discover his weaknesses, the two must stand together to unite the packs as one and save Fionn's family.
When Fionn's enemies exploit his past to discover his weaknesses, the two must stand together to unite the packs as one and save Fionn's family.
EXCERPT:
He laid his head in her lap, and she savored the feel of it, the weight of him against her as he relaxed onto her legs. Her hand stole into his dyed-blond hair, ruffling though it, the texture like silk under her fingers. She felt his wolf within him, reaching for her touch and knew that he denied himself as much as her. She stroked from his hair down into his beard and she watched as his lips parted and he drew a ragged breath.
Annie stood quietly, then tiptoed from the room, closing the door behind her.
“Fionn,” Monica whispered. “Why are you doing this to us?”
“I don’t know, dammit.” His eyes clenched shut as he sat back on his heels, burying both hands in his hair. Finally, he looked up and his eyes met hers, agony hovering just under the surface. “I’m falling apart, just being close to you.”
“Kiss me,” she demanded. He looked at her, startled.
“C’mon, Finny, kiss me,” she repeated.
“Mo…”
“No, Fionn Murphy.” She stood up, tugging him to his feet with her. “You need to know something. I’m your mate. I know what that is, how it feels. You’ve never been mated before. You’ve played around, but you don’t know what it feels like to kiss your mate. Don’t you want to know? Aren’t you even the littlest bit curious?” She stood up on the tips of her toes, pressing her face to the skin of his throat and inhaling his scent.
Oh Goddess, up close he smelled even more intense and amazing.
“Mo,” he pleaded. She met his eyes and saw in them a hunger that sent echoes of need into her. Feeling the heady power of seduction, she leaned forward and licked from the hollow between his collarbones up to his ear, and she bit, scissoring the lobe between her teeth. She felt the rumble of a growl run through him, and he pushed her away. Her eyes closed, tears forming with a sting behind her nose.
Then his hands were bracketing her face and his lips crushed down hard on hers. This was no gentle kiss. Nothing like Angelo’s caring caresses, intended for comfort. This kiss wasn’t about caring. It was full of anger, lust, regret. But as his tongue swept through her mouth and his elemental male taste tingled all the way to her toes, she felt her teeth lengthen and she smiled against his lips. Her mate.
His assault on her mouth lost some of its fervor, replacing the urgency with languor as he swept his tongue through her mouth again and again as if he wanted to memorize her taste. Her hands fisted in the cotton of his tank top, pinching the nipple ring underneath. His hands sank into her hair, tugging. She felt with her tongue and realized his teeth had shifted too. The knowledge sent a victorious thrill through her.
He knew. He knew, dammit.
He pulled away, leaving her bereft. She watched as he dragged the back of his hand across his mouth in horror. “I’m sorry Mo. I should never—ever—have kissed you in anger.”
“If that’s the only way I can ever have you, I would take it,” she confessed. It broke her to admit it, but she knew the pull of mate to mate.
His eyes closed and a spasm of pain crossed his face.
“You deserve so much better,” he whispered. He ran a gentle hand down the side of her face and grimaced. “I have to go. We can talk, after I get back?”
She nodded. Of course they could talk. All they ever did was talk.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
United picks up right where we left off from the first book in this series....Unification of all wolves is becoming more difficult just as unexpected relationships unfold and danger comes close to home. Fionn has been holding back from claiming his mate Monica because he feels unworthy of her. After many years of wild living he still feels like that lost boy even though he has a power necessary in the Unification. Monica's tired of his holding back though. She's had a Mate before and knows the intense feelings associated with the joining and, along with others in their inner circle, push him to stop wallowing in old feelings and finally make his claim.
Annie stood quietly, then tiptoed from the room, closing the door behind her.
“Fionn,” Monica whispered. “Why are you doing this to us?”
“I don’t know, dammit.” His eyes clenched shut as he sat back on his heels, burying both hands in his hair. Finally, he looked up and his eyes met hers, agony hovering just under the surface. “I’m falling apart, just being close to you.”
“Kiss me,” she demanded. He looked at her, startled.
“C’mon, Finny, kiss me,” she repeated.
“Mo…”
“No, Fionn Murphy.” She stood up, tugging him to his feet with her. “You need to know something. I’m your mate. I know what that is, how it feels. You’ve never been mated before. You’ve played around, but you don’t know what it feels like to kiss your mate. Don’t you want to know? Aren’t you even the littlest bit curious?” She stood up on the tips of her toes, pressing her face to the skin of his throat and inhaling his scent.
Oh Goddess, up close he smelled even more intense and amazing.
“Mo,” he pleaded. She met his eyes and saw in them a hunger that sent echoes of need into her. Feeling the heady power of seduction, she leaned forward and licked from the hollow between his collarbones up to his ear, and she bit, scissoring the lobe between her teeth. She felt the rumble of a growl run through him, and he pushed her away. Her eyes closed, tears forming with a sting behind her nose.
Then his hands were bracketing her face and his lips crushed down hard on hers. This was no gentle kiss. Nothing like Angelo’s caring caresses, intended for comfort. This kiss wasn’t about caring. It was full of anger, lust, regret. But as his tongue swept through her mouth and his elemental male taste tingled all the way to her toes, she felt her teeth lengthen and she smiled against his lips. Her mate.
His assault on her mouth lost some of its fervor, replacing the urgency with languor as he swept his tongue through her mouth again and again as if he wanted to memorize her taste. Her hands fisted in the cotton of his tank top, pinching the nipple ring underneath. His hands sank into her hair, tugging. She felt with her tongue and realized his teeth had shifted too. The knowledge sent a victorious thrill through her.
He knew. He knew, dammit.
He pulled away, leaving her bereft. She watched as he dragged the back of his hand across his mouth in horror. “I’m sorry Mo. I should never—ever—have kissed you in anger.”
“If that’s the only way I can ever have you, I would take it,” she confessed. It broke her to admit it, but she knew the pull of mate to mate.
His eyes closed and a spasm of pain crossed his face.
“You deserve so much better,” he whispered. He ran a gentle hand down the side of her face and grimaced. “I have to go. We can talk, after I get back?”
She nodded. Of course they could talk. All they ever did was talk.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
United picks up right where we left off from the first book in this series....Unification of all wolves is becoming more difficult just as unexpected relationships unfold and danger comes close to home. Fionn has been holding back from claiming his mate Monica because he feels unworthy of her. After many years of wild living he still feels like that lost boy even though he has a power necessary in the Unification. Monica's tired of his holding back though. She's had a Mate before and knows the intense feelings associated with the joining and, along with others in their inner circle, push him to stop wallowing in old feelings and finally make his claim.
And make it he does in numerous sexual interludes that are super steamy. Even though they seem like an odd couple due to an age difference and her serious and his playful personalities, they're perfect together. There's a definite give and take to their relationship and a strong support of one another that's heartwarming to see.
Unification is dangerous as they discover when they head to the South and find a wolf pack with a completely different, and bloody, agenda. Their powers are unexpected and it brings in an unexpected alliance with humans that leads to even more bloodshed. This part of the storyline is action-packed and makes traitors out of surprising characters and leads to a quickly wrapped up conclusion that sets the stage for the next book in the series as we literally await the arrival of the final lynchpin in the plan for Unification.
The secondary characters in the story are memorable and leave a lasting impression, both heroes and villains. Among my favorites being Angelo who has been Monica's friend/sometimes lover who realizes his time with Monica has come to an end and decides to set off on his own. I felt sad for him as it's like he's lost another loved one. Here's hoping he finds a HEA soon!
This was another satisfying installment in the Ushers series! The story moved along at a brisk pace and created a sense of urgency towards the next series installment. With its likable characters and life or death circumstances I highly recommend this book to fans of the paranormal.
My rating for this is a B+
*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
BUY AT: MUSA PUBLISHING | AMAZON | ARe | BOOKSTRAND | SMASHWORDS
Vanessa North was born in New England but moved to the South as a teenager, where she learned to appreciate biscuits and gravy, bluegrass, and that most welcome of greetings: “Hey y’all!” She has a degree in Mass Communication but has long since abandoned journalism in favor of writing romance. Instead of telling the news, V would rather tell stories.
Vanessa has a voracious appetite for books and loves all kinds. She writes obsessively: every day brings new ideas and stories to tell. When she’s not buried in a book—hers or someone else’s—you can find her taking thousands of photographs of the people she loves.
She lives in Northwest Georgia with her handsome husband, not-quite-civilized twin boy-children, and a very, very large dog.
Website: http://www.
Blog: http://
Facebook: http://facebook.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Goodreads: http://www.
Website: http://www.
Blog: http://
Facebook: http://facebook.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Goodreads: http://www.
**********GIVEAWAY**********
WIN 1 OF 5 eBOOK COPIES OF UNITED BY VANESSA NORTH
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Joder, Thank you so much for hosting me today, and for your lovely review. (and, I love that you liked Angelo so much--he's my favorite!)
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for being here today! I again enjoyed the further adventures in this series and greatly anticipate the next installment.........hopefully with a HEA for Angelo.
Delete