Tag: Romance (paranormal)

Flash: Who Did This to You?

Erin Penn 2 Comments

Photo by Roman Denisenko on Unsplash

“Who did this to you?” my not-my-boyfriend boyfriend growled when he found me washing up.

I rolled my eyes, then winced as the water hit the worst of the street-rash on the arm. “I already took care of it.”

Jeremy raised overprotective to heights which would make the dark romance mafia billionaire book-boyfriends look tame. Tall, blonde, square-jawed, strong, famous, and rich, he could one-two punch out the lights of a paparazzi who got too close then one-two blacklist them by buying out their newspaper. “No” wasn’t a term he understood, which worked for me, because my walls rivaled the Great Wall of China and obnoxious persistence was the only way to drill through.

My formative self-protection was necessary in my line of business, and level of magick.

I’ve never run into the overprotectiveness before in my life. My parents raised me free-range and feral, keeping me fed, clothed, and covened but that was the end of their care.

Jeremy … he treated me like I was breakable. He, a mortal, a normal human, who I rescued from the jaws of something which wasn’t special effects during the filming of his latest blockbuster, which he knew for a fact wasn’t in the script because he was the director, cherished me like I was a treasure.

He came over, lifted my chin with a finger, looking at where a claw had grazed a cheek and the cuts across my head where I had decided the best way to get the monster off of me was to headbash it. Not my brightest moment; the scales were sharp.

“Okay, then can I take care of you?” he asked softly.

He never had asked permission to help me before. I nodded dumbly, tears leaking out the sides of my eyes as I something inside of me stopped fighting.

(words 304; first published 5/23/2026)

BookQuotes: All I Want for Christmas is a Gargoyle

Erin Penn Leave a comment

So many times in a book someone responds with “It’s complicated,” and that ends the conversation. This is the first time I read a response that I really liked to that.

Even better, the response is from a series I love by an author I adore: All I Want for Christmas is a Gargoyle by Liana Brooks

Book Review (SERIES): The Wolf and the Nun

Erin Penn

The Wolf and the Nun series by Emily Leverett

Book 1: The Wolf in the Cloister
Book 2: The Enchanted Rose
Book 3: The Song of the Black Wolf
Book 4: An Honorable Love

Full disclosure: I was on the editing team for An Honorable Love (book 4) as a copyeditor. I was not part of the team for any of the prior books. Can I tell you how cool it is to help make a book in a series you love??? VERY COOL!!!

I mean this was a series where I read the first book twice because I enjoyed it so much!

Amazon Cover

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for THE WOLF IN THE CLOISTER

A witch turned reluctant nun. A veteran turned werewolf. A vengeful demon out to destroy them both.

Marie de France was born to be a princess and brought up to be a witch, but when her heart is broken, she she has no choice but to take refuge as a nun at Shaftesbury Abbey and leave the world behind. Spending her days working in the scriptorium, she pines for adventure. After a run-in with a demon, she is thrown back in to the world of politics and desire with the world’s biggest libertine.

Bleiz Clavret, lord of Sarum Castle, returned from the Crusades a changed man: bitter, broken, and cursed with a magical “gift” he never asked for and barely understands. Now infamous for debauchery, he hosts notorious parties. an open secret attended by the most powerful men and women in England; his name is known by all. But his darkest secret, his curse, he hides: three days a week, he shifts into a wolf.

A stolen relic and the rising of a demon bring Marie to Sarum Castle to search Bleiz’s impressive library for clues to the source of both. Intrigued by her sharp mind as much as her seemingly innocent beauty, Bleiz begins by trying to seduce his guest. But he soon discovers this “little nun” might well be more than his match. Equals in mind as well as courage, they discover a mutual attraction that might prove too powerful to resist.

As dark forces gather around them and their secrets are exposed, can they work together before enemines know and unknown destroy them?

The Wolf in the Cloister is the first in a shifter paranormal romance series from Falstaff Crush.

MY REVIEW for THE WOLF IN THE CLOISTER

Original Read May 9th, 2020

Interesting twist by the writer, taking a medieval romance writer and Abbess Marie de France, and using her as the main character in The Wolf in the Cloister – a novella which is a love letter to all things medieval romance by Dr. Leverett as well as being a steamy modern romance. In particular, seeking inspiration from one of the Abbess’ own fictional romances to base this fictional romance.

There are a couple rough transitions, the transition to the steam scene being the harshest of the lot, but this tends to be a common issue with the novella format. Lack of space to smooth out all the rough edges. On the other hand, being able to chunk through a book in three hours is worth a few rough edges when wanting a full story and to also wake up in time for work.

Demons and Bishops, Shapeshifters and Witches, Crusades and Calligraphy. Action, romance, deception, and combat. A fun read.

(read through Kindle Unlimited)

Second Read December 4, 2024
I took a longer time to reread this wonderful novella. Still all the magic, romance, and historic goodness as before. Now to dive into the rest of this series!
(Read from book bought from the author)

 

Amazon Cover

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for THE ENCHANTED ROSE

Fairies and demons and wolves, oh my!

Sister Marie is back at Shaftbury Abbey, none the worse for her adventures and very much the better. With the magic she inherited from her Irish witch mother, she has banished the demonic Bishop Josceline back to hell where he belongs. Doing so means she’s had to return to the abbey instead of staying with her new love, the Viscount Bleiz Clavret. But since he’s a rogue as well as a scholar and changes into a wolf three days out of every seven, a cooling off period doesn’t feel like such a bad idea. For the first time since she gave up her life as a royal, she is excited to see what her future might hold.

But the Bishop refuses to stay banished. And when she writes Clavret to warn him, his only reply is to thank her for her concern and tell her he’s off to France to reconcile with his ex-wife. Furious and heartbroken, she flees the demon on her own, following the trail left for her in her mother’s journal. Near the monastery at Kells, she finds a gateway to the kingdom of Tryamour, a fairy queen, and a whole new world of magic and possibility. But in her nightmares, she’s not the queen’s beloved but a wolf in a deadly trap.

The Enchanted Rose is the second chapter of The Wolf and the Nun, a fairy tale for grown-ups based on the work of the medieval poet Marie de France.

MY REVIEW for THE ENCHANTED ROSE

A nun who is the daughter of a witch and a king. A solider-lord stolen away by his first love to France. A fairy queen tempting and teaching. The Kells monastery, yes, the one where the Book of Kells was made, missing a holy object. A bishop possessed by evil beyond reckoning.

The second in this well-researched historical romance isn’t as engrossing as the first one from a romantic end, but the political maneuverings of the chess board between a nun, knight, queen, rook (monastery), and bishop make up the difference. The ending isn’t a cliffhanger, but the reader closes this part of the series knowing the next book has all the pieces on the board.

Book bought at a convention from author’s table.

 

Amazon Cover

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for THE SONG OF THE BLACK WOLF

“You two are connected—love him or hate him—and what you dreamed is not a dream.”

Witch, nun, and loyal half-sister to England’s king, Marie de France has left the mortal world behind. Heartbroken by her betrayal by the roguish shapeshifter Lord Bleiz Clavret, she chooses an endless life of tranquility and more quiet passion with Tryamour, the immortal fairy queen. Her fiery connection with Bleiz feels like a wistful dream.

But a terrible vision shatters her peace—Bleiz trapped in his wolf form, pursued by hunters led by Marie’s own brother, King Henry II. She knows the vision is real, that without her help, Bleiz will die. Confused and fearful but determined as always to be brave, Marie leaves the safety of Tryamour’s palace to find her Black Wolf.

But Henry is only one of many enemies looking to destroy this “little nun” and her big, bad wolf. And they’re all controlled by an ancient evil Marie knows only too well.

MY REVIEW for THE SONG OF THE BLACK WOLF

Beginning when book 2 leaves off, and ending when book 4 will start, The Song of the Black Wolf is very much NOT a stand-alone in The Wolf & the Nun series. It serves a purpose: gather together the loose ends of books 1 and 2 into bundles, weaving the plot points together so everything is on the edge and ready to go in … I am guessing here … the final book of the series.

The ongoing series is still rich with historical roots and magical loam. The perfect blend for a medieval historical fantasy romance. Start at book one, The Wolf in the Cloister, and work your way through the series.

 

Amazon Cover

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON for AN HONORABLE LOVE

With a mysterious coin and a dearth of allies, Marie must stop Henry and the demon Hardoiun who possesses him from getting the Apostles’ relics. When Henry gets his hands on the crozier, the most powerful of relics, Marie knows she must act. She makes a bargain with Bette, Bleiz’s ex-wife, to try to steal back the relics.

When Bleiz, still trapped in wolf form, discovers that Henry has Marie, he wants to go save her, but Oberon, the King of the Fairies, refuses to allow him to break his knightly vow of loyalty. With the Fairy King, the knight Orfeo, Thomas Becket, and the monks of Ireland, Bleiz will fight Henry and his demonic army. However, when the option comes to save Marie, he takes it.

Bleiz and Marie must face Henry and Hardouin for the fate of Europe, and possible the world.

MY REVIEW for AN HONORABLE LOVE

The final book in this Historical Romance Fantasy, An Honorable Love starts with Marie captive by her brother (and that which possesses him). Her werewolf friend Bleiz and the fairy queen Tryamour are beyond castle walls and cannot be reached by song or letter. But nothing is ever lost so long as Marie has her wits about her.

I love the strength of the main character as she battles politically, emotionally, magically, and physically. The historical world is strong, the characters each have their own motivations and history, and the plot weaves between different points-of-views and locations like a fairy weaving with spider silk. Each reveal is a burst of color woven deep into the tapestry, the final battle a fringe of gold perfecting the cloth.

Sometimes, when I get invested in a book, I get worried about the ending. I was verry pleased at how well Dr. Leverett sticks the landing. … The Epilogue intrigues me. Are we going to get a spin-off series?

Full disclosure: I was part of the editing team on this book (only). (and no, I don’t know the answer to my last question … dang it!)

Book Review: The Hummingbird’s Gift

Erin Penn

Amazon Cover

The Hummingbird’s Gift by Reese Morrison

BOOK BLURB ON AMAZON

What if the gods got it wrong?

When children in Rohahen’s tribe come of age, they receive shifter forms from the gods. Sometimes these forms come with an extra gift: strength-sharers can give mental commands while heart-singers can shape others’ emotions.

Rohahen has been hiding his crush on Tier for fifteen years. For the balance of the tribe, the Chief must marry a heart-singer, not a strength-sharer like himself.

Only Rohahen is starting to wonder if there might be other ways of being a heart-singer. When Tier starts to return his affection, perhaps he can find the bravery to show the world who he really is.

Because the ways of the gods are mysterious. And maybe they didn’t get it wrong after all.

“The Hummingbird’s Gift” is a companion to “Hummingbird and Kraken” and continues the story of one if its primary characters. (It will not make sense as a stand-alone.) It is a friends-to-lovers story with an adorable bison shifter, a uncertain Chief, a heart-singer coming into his own, plenty of heat, and a HEA.

 

MY REVIEW

Most romances focus on the relationship between the two love interests and leave the rest of the world to adjust to them. Love is that powerful a force, or so the fantasy magic of romance tells us.

But community is a true powerhouse in reality, and as a chief, Tier’s duties are to his people and being in balance for them. Any relationship he takes on much consider these duties because they are as much a part of him as his shifter abilities.

Rohahen understands this and has kept his distance, but since the gardener’s abduction Tier is no longer keeping his.

Can they find balance without harming their beloved community?

Although, at times, the dialog is somewhat stilted, overall the story is a sweet (and spicy M-M) short story romance. I always adore a story where the society pressures are based on love, not hate. Reese Morrison delivers again.

While the Amazon blurb indicates that this story should be read after its companion book, I found this short story worked just fine on its own. We are all used to being dropped into the middle of the action and figuring things out from there, right?

(Read through Kindle Unlimited)

Flash: F is for First and Foremost

Erin Penn

Photo 16440074 | Tin Can String © Alexstar | Dreamstime.com

 

“The trackers on your phone. You don’t think your phone isn’t buggy?” I asked.

Cage’s bedtime voice rumbled from the cell beside my ear. “Enlighten me.”

“Sure thing shadow boy.” He asked for mansplaining, I can give him mansplaining. I stuffed my third pillow under my back and retucked the blankets against the winter chill. “First you got the basic GPS tracking which is necessary for cell phone pinging and has the benefit of helping with maps and finding services so most people just leave that on. Downside of that is companies ping cell phones, gathering meta data to sell things. Once I drove through Ohio and then next week a highway restaurant asked if I wanted to drop by. I was back in the Carolinas by then. All phones have this general privacy infringement, it is the cost of cells. With me so far?”

“Yes.”

“And, as television shows indicate, cell towers keep track of cell phones in their area. That is how they instantly connect phone calls even when you are traveling. You text, phone, or use a service, you are tracked. But you got a government-issued cell phone.”

“I do,” growled through the line. My toes curled. I could live inside his voice.

“Right, so you got all the basics of tracking everyone has, plus whatever Uncle Sam drops into his toys, and if I had the responsibility of keeping track of supers, I would load up everything I could. The phone would have an additional tracker, likely hardened against electrical bursts and other acts of quirks. I would also put in a repeater on all email messages and texts sent through the phone. Monitor website and social activities. Nearly all that is already built into phones today so you can pull up text threads excreta. And, of course, I would record all phone messages.”

“Of course.” The statement carried a question mark about the level of my paranoia, but there was a reason why I never registered.

“Yes, I would also put tracers in all the shoes because while someone might forget their phone, few people leave buildings barefoot. Your bosses likely line some basics into the uniforms including heartbeat monitoring, although those likely would need to be replaced often after battles between damage to the uniforms and energy powers.”

He chuckled darkly. “They are replacing my uniform right now. Gremlin’s mech suit shredded it.”

“Exactly. But even with the constant replacement, I would make sure the uniforms also have cameras, for the same reason police are required to have them. To protect citizens and the blue. Well, the supers in this case. Not all of this is just to keep you on a leash. Although that is high on the list. They also are gathering scientific information figuring out how our powers work.”

“And how to neutralize them.”

“Exactly, not everyone is going to march into a regional headquarters and sign up. A lot of people don’t trust governments. And people who run to the not-nice side of things never do.” My fingers start playing with my fur blanket, but I grip them into a fist. Nope, not another random whatever. It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours. “Not all of it is big brother government. Some of the monitoring is beneficial just like why they monitor firemen, police, and military – easier to direct in an emergency, keep track of your health, find you if something bad happens, do post action reviews, all of that. But,” I sighed, rubbing between my eyes with one hand,  “first and foremost it’s all about tagging and tracing supers.”

“Paranoid much?”

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

He made a grunt-like sound, then asked, “Are you wrong?”

“Can’t say for certain, but…” I paused, turning things over through my gut. I don’t have precog or meta level knowledge some supers can claim. Still, just living as a human being in America who grew up during the Cold War gave me insight to just how controlling toxic my government can be. “I’m certain.”

“Yeah.”

Cage made some uncomfortable sounds on the other end and I wince in sympathy. Doc Peterson did some damage.

“So how are you stopping the tracing?”

“How do my powers work? Isn’t that a bit personal?”

“Um, well…”

“Kidding. My quirk,” I giggle at the term, remembering the pure joy my niblings had explaining me all the lore of the anime, “is connections. Creating them or breaking them. If you looked at the symbol I drew, the doodle is two tin cans with a string looping between them.”

“Fuck,” he grunted in surprise. “You’re right.” comes more quietly, like he pulled the phone away to look at the symbol.

“Of course I am. Just repeat after me, Vector is always right.”

He dropped his voice into his lowest register. “Vector is always right.”

“Oh. You’re good.”

“Except when I’m very bad.” The hero chuckled.

“Put a bookmark there. We are still on our first date.”

“Are we? We are, aren’t we.” After clearing his throat and raising his voice out of the bedroom levels, to my curled toes disappointment, he asked, “Where were we? Vector is always right … symbol of tin can. Ah, how does that symbol work?”

“Right now your phone and mine are connected like two cans with a string. We aren’t going through cell towers, no energy is being used. Your voice to my ear.” I swirl my finger in a circle, connecting beginning to end. My power adds a bit to the existing symbol. “Your battery isn’t being drained.”

I hear another “Really” and picture him pulling the phone away from his ear. “What do you know?” More clearly he says, “That’s cool.”

“I added a cloud of matching parenthesis around the outside so no one else will hear what you or I am saying either through bugs or eavesdropping. Always close your parenthesis so words don’t fall out.”

“Fuck, my apartment is bugged isn’t it?”

“What do you think?”

“I am much more naïve than I thought I was.”

(words 1,007; first published 4/7/2024)

Hold Me Against the Dark series

  1. I want you beside me… (12/31/2023)
  2. Someone who cares if you come home (3/31/2024)
  3. F is for First and Foremost (4/7/2024)

Spin-offs

  1. Bridesmaid (6/30/2024)