Review of Hour of The Lion by Cherise Sinclair

I actually finished this book a while ago, but this is the first time I’ve gotten the chance to actually sit down and write down my thoughts on it. Hope you enjoy the review, ’cause I know you’re gonna love the book!

*dragging feet* As for me, time to get back to work.

Blurb:

As a dedicated covert ops agent, Victoria Morgan follows two rules: accomplish the mission and protect the innocent. When bitten by a werecat—yeah, that was a sucky day—she must investigate beings that shouldn’t exist and are hard as hell to identify. Just how can she tell if a person is human–or an animal-shifter who enjoys Bambi-sized snacks?

During her investigation, she finds a real home and friends for the first time. Sweet, right? But there’s a flip-side: the bad guys are waiting for her to turn into something four-legged with a tail, the shifters suspect her of spying, and she has fallen in love with a pair of Thumper-eating werecougar brothers.

Her duty is to expose their existence. Or she could follow her heart and protect them with all of her deadly skills.

I give Hour of the Lion 5 strong shots…

…and I’m very tempted to throw in the whole bottle. *takes a few chugs while
admiring vodka boy’s goods on review page*

Here you go Ms. Sinclair. Bottoms up!

As a fan of Ms. Sinclair’s writing, I was prepared for a well written, smoking hot story—but then I started reading and all my expectations were smashed to bits.

After the one ménage scene in Cherise Sinclair’s last Shadowlands book, I was cautiously optimistic about reading her take on a polyamory. I tend to be very, very picky when it comes to multipartner relationship because, as far as I’m concerned, it’s still a relationship. A threesome can be a nice little thrill for a couple, but often I find the feelings of the third person are neglected. Or someone gets jealous and of course, that means the fun’s over.

I was very, very happy to see that wasn’t even an issue in this book. The three-way relationship develops at a nice pace, beginning with a good dose of sexual tension which gave way to passion and romance. Fans of erotica—and Cherise Sinclair—may get impatient for the sex, so this is what I suggest:

If you’ve picked up this book to spice up your night, put it down. Find your favourite sex scene from one of the Shadowland books—or maybe one of the Dark Havens. This is not a stroker by any stretch of the imagination.

You back? Okay, give me a minute…<g>

If you really want an idea of what this book is like, think Laurel K. Hamilton (her earlier stuff), Kim Harrison, and Jennifer Armintrout. The heroine, Victoria Morgan, is a kick-ass spy. From the very first page you get an idea of her strength and can’t help but root for her as you’re thrown right into the action. I love nothing more than a story that hits the ground running, so this was a special treat. The first chapter had me holding my breath and scooting up to the edge of my seat—I had to know what was going to happen to this woman. Part of me was sad because…well, I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say the lump in my throat dimmed the excitement. Not in a bad way, I was just that into the story.

What follows is constant struggles for the heroine, and the introduction of not one but two sexy, dominant men. Alec and Calum. As always, Sinclair’s men are easy to fall in love with. Alec is a bit more playful and easy-going, while Calum is serious and intense, and their differences make it easy to understand why Vic would fall for them both. But you just know Vic’s secrets are gonna be an issue. While you soak in every wonderful moment, part of you remains tense; hoping for the best, knowing the heroine will lose everything once the truth comes out.

And that’s just the romance part. What really got me was the paranormal elements and the action. Usually, when I read romance, I accept that the actual plot will be overshadowed by the relationship. But this story didn’t lack for anything. Rather than get a morsel of the same old, recycled legends, you’re given a full helping of something fresh. Yes, shifter stories have been done before, but never quite like this.

In the end, all I really want is for a book to make me forget that I’m reading—that’s not too much to ask, is it? Being a writer myself getting my damn inner editor to shut up while I’m trying to enjoy a story is hard. So far, every one of Cherise Sinclair’s books has gagged that inner critic. Hour of the Lion is no different.

This is going up on my shelf—virtual and real (soon as I can get it in print)—of favourites to be read again and again when I need a break from reality. This is a world I could get lost in for a long time—I really hope Ms. Sinclair brings us here again.

To read an excerpt or buy this book, click on the book cover.

And the Best Kiss Award goes to…

Well, I don’t know about all of you, but I had tons of fun with this contest. Each and every single one of the participating authors gave us some hot lip locking and my list of TBRs got a lot bigger.

But, since it was a contest, there must be a winner. And according to the votes of the readers…can I have a drum roll please…The winner is…

Cherise Sinclair’s Club Shadowlands!

Honorable mentions to the runners up:

KD Grace with The Initiation Of Ms Holly

and

Cat and Mouse by Justine Elyot

And a great big thank you to all the authors that shared their kisses!

Now for the readers who supported your favourites, there’s a few prizes for you.

For a print copy of either Rosemary Entwined or Deadly Captive:

Gabrielle

The winner of Cari Silverwoods brand new ebook, Three Days of Dominance is:

Rho

I’ll post the names of the rest of the winners shortly!

 P.S- I’ve been having some technical problems with wordpress today, so I’m really sorry if some of the links on my site aren’t working. I’ll fix them as soon as I can.

The Kiss-Cherise Sinclair CLUB SHADOWLANDS

Still smiling, he led her to the bar. “This time you may choose your drink.” 
 
Jessica hesitated. Water or alcohol? Water would be smart, but a drink would definitely help the shakes. And somehow the fear had burned off any alcohol from before. “A margarita. Thank you.” 
 
“Cullen,” Master Z said, his voice somehow carrying past all the conversations, maybe because it was so deep. The bartender glanced over. 
 
“A margarita, please.” 
 
Ignoring the other people waiting, the bartender made her drink and set it in front of her. He smiled at her escort. “Definitely a pretty pet, Master Z.” 
 
“I’m no pet.” Jessica scowled. “What kind of derogatory term is that, anyway?” She tried to slide onto the bar stool but couldn’t quite manage. Wobbly legs, short – why couldn’t her parents have been tall? Then she wouldn’t look so much like a dumpling with feet. 
 
Sir grasped her around the waist and set her on the seat, taking her breath away with his effortless strength and the feel of his muscular hands through the thin fabric she wore. 
 
“Not derogatory,” he said, standing close enough that their hips brushed. “It’s an affectionate word for a sub.” 
 
“But I’m not a sub. I’m not into that at all. I hated what that man wanted to do. Being whipped… Just the thought makes me sick.” 
 
He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers leaving a tingle in their wake. “It’s a rare person who would enjoy being assaulted by a stranger.” 
 
“Huh.” The shakes were lessening, and her brain was starting to work again. “So a submissive person doesn’t just go belly-up when some guy orders her around?” 
 
He grinned, a flash of white teeth in a darkly tanned face. “Hardly. Just as with any relationship, a Dom/sub relationship has attraction” – he stroked a finger down her cheek and her breath stopped at the intense look in his eyes – “and trust.” 
 
Pulling her gaze from his took effort, but she managed. She wasn’t comfortable at all with the way her senses had woken up, as if he’d plugged her into an electrical current. Turning, she rested her elbows on the bar top and concentrated on her drink, trying to ignore the way her body felt, the way he affected her. Hmmm, her reaction was probably from him saving her. She’d read something about that. Okay, fine. 
 
Be cool, continue talking, girl. “What kind of trust?” His scent came to her again, appealingly male. 
 
He curled his hands around her bare upper arms and turned her toward him. With one hand, he tilted her chin up until his gaze trapped her. “The trust that your master knows what you need and will give you what you need, even when you aren’t always sure.” 
 
The words, the sheer certainty in his rich voice, sent heat stabbing through her, a wave of need so potent she quivered inside. 
 
As if he could see into her head, he smiled slowly and whispered, “The trust that lets a woman be tied down and spread open for her master’s use.” 
 
Her mouth dropped open as she took a hard breath, the image of herself naked, spread-eagled on a bed with him looking down at her was more erotic than anything she’d felt before. 
 
He cupped her cheek, leaned forward, his breath warm against her ear as he murmured, “And your reaction to that shows you are a submissive.” 
 
She jerked away from him, away from the heat growing inside her, and the awareness of his body so close to hers. “No way. I really am not.” 
 
Time to change the subject. She cleared her throat, her voice husky when she asked, “So, what’s your name, anyway? Does everyone call you Master Z?” 
 
He merely smiled at her and picked up the drink the bartender had left for him. His big hand engulfed the glass. When his lips touched the glass, his eyes met hers, and she could almost feel those lips closing over her mouth, over her breast… Jeez, Jessica, get a grip. 
 
He set the glass down, and then, as if he’d heard her thoughts, he took her face between his hands and brought his mouth down on hers. Her heart sped up, but it was the way he held her in place that sent hunger searing through her veins. His lips were firm, knowledgeable, teasing a response from her. A stinging nip made her open her mouth, and he plunged in, his tongue stroking hers. 
 
Everything inside her seemed to melt. A burn started between her legs, and her hands curled around his muscular forearms in an effort to keep herself upright. 
 
With a low laugh, he took her wrists and put her arms around his neck. Nudging her legs apart, he moved between them. Hand on her bottom, he slid her closer until her mound rubbed against his thick erection, the thin material no barrier at all. When she gasped at the pleasure surging through her, he simply took the kiss deeper, his grip implacable. 
 
By the time he pulled back, she was trembling all over; her hands dug into his wide shoulders so tightly her fingers ached. The room seemed to throb in time with her whole lower half. 
 
His eyes crinkled when she just looked at him, unable to speak. Cupping her cheek, he sucked on her lower lip, drawing it into his mouth, his tongue sliding across it. And when he released her, a wicked smile told her that he was thinking of putting his mouth elsewhere.

http://cherisesinclair.com/ClubShadowlands.aspx

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