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Publisher:
Berkley Sensation
Release Date:
October 7, 2008
Genres:
Anthology
Erotic
Paranormal Romance
Shape Shifter
ISBN:
Print
9780425223550
Bookmark Rating:
Reviewed by
Jennifer Ray
Review Posted:
September 2008
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Berkley Sensation really knows how to light up the Christmas season, with an
anthology guaranteed to be on many a Christmas list this year! With four hot
novellas by Lora Leigh, Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones,
THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT will thrill lovers of paranormal
romance.
Each of the stories shares a common theme – they are all paranormal stories that
center around a feline. Although three of them are part of series by those
authors, each works well as a standalone story that will give new fans a
tantalizing taste of those authors’ work.
With four short stories that are big on romance, THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
is truly a gift for lovers of romantic fiction!
~STROKE OF ENTICEMENT by Nalini Singh~
It is not unusual for a Changeling to recognize his mate the moment he sees
her. When Zach meets his nephew’s pretty teacher, Annie, he can’t deny his
reaction to her. Everything about her entices the man in him as well as the
leopard.
But Annie is more than a little skittish, determined that any relationship will
be short-term only. Zach must restrain himself in order to seduce her not only
into his bed, but into his life forever.
I have loved every story in Nalini Singh’s PSY/CHANGELING series
so far, but I do believe that Zach and Annie’s story is my new favorite!
Everything about this tale totally worked for me.
Zach was true to his feline nature, with a personality that is a little bit sly,
a lot playful, and a way about him that effortlessly wins the heart of both
Annie and the reader. He faces every obstacle facing them with patient cunning,
ultimately winning his heart’s desire.
Annie is just a doll. Although she has a slight physical disability, she never
lets it get the best of her, and always keeps a positive outlook. This quality,
along with her natural empathy for others, makes her a wonderful teacher, but it
also makes it easy to see why Zach is drawn to her.
STROKE OF ENTICEMENT is a wonderfully fun romance that will please
fans of Nalini Singh’s PSY/CHANGELING series and entice new fans
to want more.
~CHRISTMAS BREE by Erin McCarthy~
Bree doesn’t know quite what to think when her sister predicts that the man of
her dreams will come knocking on her front door very soon. Despite her belief
in the paranormal, it all just seems a little too unreal, especially the part
where he’ll be wearing a pink shirt and sport a yuppie look, in stark
contrast to her own more Goth style.
Then her cat turns up that bit of magical mistletoe she and her sisters put a
love spell on a year ago… No wonder she’s been having erotic dreams lately!
So when Ian turns up on her doorstep looking every inch the lawyer he is, she
can’t quite turn him away… Their unlikely attraction seems to be pre-ordained
at first, but does Ian really want her or is he simply seducing her on behalf of
his mysterious client?
If you read AN ENCHANTED SEASON, then you’ve already met the
Murphy sisters in Erin McCarthy’s novella CHARLOTTE’S WEB. Ms.
McCarthy continues matchmaking these women in her offering to THE MAGICAL
CHRISTMAS CAT. CHRISTMAS BREE follows the brief courtship
between Ian and Bree, two polar opposites.
Or at least, that is the way they appear on the outside… As they get to know
each other, this unlikely pair finds they have more in common than they might
ever have expected. As their feelings for each other grow, both Ian and Bree
reevaluate what is important to them, and what they want to do with their
futures.
In the end, we have a beautiful love story that demonstrates that it is who we
are on the inside that really counts and if you look past what is on the
surface, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you find underneath.
~SWEET DREAMS by Linda Winstead Jones~
When Ruby receives the mysterious cat sculpture as a present from a secret
admirer, she is a little unnerved. And that is before the weird things start
happening – strange feline sounds in her home, the cat seemingly moving on its
own, and those frighteningly real dreams…
When her sexy but preoccupied neighbor shows a sudden interest in her and the
cat, she doesn’t know quite what to think. Is Zane truly trying to help her or
is he behind the growing threat she feels is near?
I’ve not read anything by Linda Winstead Jones until SWEET DREAMS,
but I liked the story a lot. Her characters are likable, the plot was very
good, and the story flowed well.
Ian was a great hero, with the sense of nobility romance readers expect from a
romantic lead. Ruby was adorable, with a knack for loosening the
oh-so-disciplined Ian up, tempting him with more than her baked goods…
My only disappointment with SWEET DREAMS is the heat level.
Surrounded by three stories that had plenty of steam, I fully expected at least
one really good love scene in this one, but it just didn’t happen. While the
romance was definitely there, and we enjoy one nice scene with a little
foreplay, the lack of a more sensual bedroom scene made it seem a little out of
place in this anthology.
Still, the story was very entertaining, and I will certainly be reading more of
Ms. Jones’ work in the future.
~CHRISTMAS HEAT by Lora Leigh~
When Haley McQuire is a witness to a plot against the Breed community, she finds
herself in unexpected danger. Noble Chavin immediately appoints himself as her
personal bodyguard, a situation that she doesn’t mind in the least. She has had
eyes for the handsome Jaguar Breed for some time, and being near him is
certainly no hardship.
Noble has been more than patient, biding his time for the last year in order to
give his sweet little librarian time to get used to him, to choose to be with
him on her own before the Mating Heat takes control of both their libidos. When
an attempt on her life is made, all bets are off. Noble will do whatever it
takes to keep his mate safe, and to finally make her his.
But treachery lurks within the Breed Compound, and in order to protect Haley,
they must ferret out the traitor in their midst.
Lora Leigh does it again! Her addictive BREEDS saga grows ever
more popular with each release in this series, and CHRISTMAS HEAT
is sure to win a whole new set of fans for her. This novella includes
characters we’ve met and liked in other stories, but works well as a standalone
for those who haven’t yet read the previous tales.
Like her story in HOT SPELL, THE BREED NEXT DOOR,
this new short story reminds readers of just everything that the BREEDS
have missed in their hard lives. In this case, we see the Christmas experience
through Noble’s eyes as he learns what the season really means from Haley.
Noble is the epitome of the Breed hero – a man who loves with every fiber of his
being, is savagely protective, and undeniably sexy. I have to admit I find
Noble just as irresistible as Haley does.
Haley is a breath of fresh air in Noble’s world. She brings a normalcy and
wonder to his life that he never knew existed. She is constantly thinking of
others, wanting simply to make people happy and comfortable.
CHRISTMAS HEAT is a perfect combination of sweet love and lusty
romance. I’ve already read it twice, and know I’ll be reading this one again
and again through the years.
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