Book Reviews: Kiss of Moonlight and Captured

Tamra McMillan is hiding. She has bounced from town to town because she was brutally raped. Although her rapist is in a coma, she lives in fear he’ll come out of it and find her. Tamra has no one to turn to that is until Kyle Rossini enters her life.

Kyle enjoys his life of solitude where he enjoys spending time with the young teenager Cat, who he treats like his own daughter even though he is not her biological father. Cat calls Kyle by “dad” because she feels he is a father to her as much as her natural father is. Kyle loves Cat more than his own life and keeps a close watch on her because she sometimes doesn’t obey her elders. And for a shift-changing werewolf, she needs to be more careful because of their enemies. Kyle knows all too well what it’s like is to be a protector because he is the king’s assassin. Cat doesn’t see his violent nature that simmers just below the surface. And now she wants Kyle to help their new next door neighbor, a human woman who is very frightened and alone, or so Cat believes. And because Cat has Kyle wrapped around her little finger, he does what she asks.

When Kyle goes to Tamra in his wolf form, he falls for her instantaneously as she tells him about her on-going nightmares and her fears of never living a normal life again. The farthest thing Kyle wants is a mate, but he connects to Tamra in ways he can’t explain. He begins to court her slowly and carefully, trying to keep his animalistic hunger for her under control. But, all bets are off when Tamra’s home is broken into and she is the victim of a kidnapping plot that hits closer to home for Kyle’s family and friends. It’s up to him to protect Tamra and claim her as his.

Kiss of Moonlight should appeal to those fans who enjoy a shift-changing semi-alpha hero who doesn’t want to fall in love, but does. Kyle is a wonderful character who tries to hide his tender nature (because he’s big he-man, hear him roar), but can’t because of his love for the sweet and innocent Cat, and his passion for the scarred Tamra. The way Kyle handles Tamra is exactly the way a man should act towards a woman who’s been brutalized. Tamra keeps her emotional distance, but because Kyle does have that special way about him, she can’t help but fall into his arms. Why Tamra is so open to being with Kyle is explained so the reader isn’t put off over the fact that a woman recovering from a horrible trauma would be open to such intimacies with a man.

Stephanie Julian does have nice storytelling and world building skills, but one specific part of the plot didn’t really make sense for me. This is in regards to Tamra’s kidnapping, which comes out of the blue for no reason and doesn’t have anything to do with her rape. This is because of Kyle and the world he lives in. Also, Tamra does a somewhat stupid move that has a major cause and effect for her and Kyle’s relationship I felt wasn’t needed. I guess it was to cement the emotional bonds between these two. I also felt the, “let’s tie up loose ends ending as fast as we can” fell flat.

There are some nice steamy love scenes and I did really enjoy Kyle who has those alpha like tendencies readers may desire in their literary heroes. Kiss of Moonlight was a pleasing read even with a few minor issues I had. (You can purchase at Ellora’s Cave)

Final Grade: B-

A few other Kiss of Moonlight book reviews on the web:
Erotic Horizon
Sensual Erotic Romance

A naked Mari awakens and finds herself in a cage on a spaceship surrounded by other unconscious naked women. She has been drugged and is very frightened. Things grow worse when two large figures in jumpsuits check on their captives. Mari refuses to cower, and demands to know why she has been treated this way. One of the males, who speak English, is both impressed and shocked because she shouldn’t be awake. The fact that Mari engages in conversation is an oddity because he thinks of her as an animal and a piece of meat that will be sold, much like cattle. Female human flesh is a delicacy and brings in a high price. Mari is appalled and disgusted by this cannibalism. She feels if she can become friendly with one of her captors, and make him see she isn’t a mindless animal meant for the dinner table, perhaps he will spare her.

Ekkatt Vom Barekah of Elae doesn’t know what to think of this specific type of livestock. His alien race doesn’t eat humans. When he tells his superior about Mari, the Chief is intrigued and wants to study her because it has been centuries since a human female has made problems. Mari will then be sold at a private auction because she is a rare specimen. Ekkatt has tender feeling for the human female even though these feelings or possible sexuality activity with a human is a sin against nature and a crime punishable by death. Ekkatt doesn’t want Mari to be sold and does something very illegal.

Against everything Ekkatt has been taught, he brings Mari to his home planet on Attun-Ra to hide her and keep her safe. He’s not sure what to do with Mari because he can’t return her to her home planet and she’s too smart to be his pet. Plus, his feelings for Mari are more elemental in nature where he wants her as a mate. At first Mari thought of Ekkatt as her enemy, but as she gets to know him and the length he has gone to in order to save her from death, her feelings for her former hunter and trapper has changed. She wants a future with him even though their relationship is taboo. Ekkatt tells Mari of time when the men of his planet once mated with human woman because of the lack of their native women. Rumors state that these Attun males, their women and offspring vanished and may live in secret. Because Ekkatt wants a future with Mari, he will try to find this place so they can build a life together.

Julia Rachel Barrett really takes some chances with Captured, her science fiction romance. Mainly, because Mari is thought of as food. Her eventual love interest, Ekkatt even thinks of her like that at first, as well as the belief she’s a mindless animal. This is a major hurdle, but because Mari is a strong, smart and quick thinking, she’s able to save her life and change Ekkatt’s opinion, who comes to many new conclusions because of the way Mari is able to stand up for herself.

It took me a while for Ekkatt to grow on me because he is the type who goes along with the status quo. As soon as Mari gets under his skin, that’s when he really makes an impression. He is a bit innocent in his thinking as he tries to understand Mari. He has always assumed things were one way. It takes the redheaded Mari to open his eyes. Ekkatt then must grapple with breaking the rules he lives by, as well as his growing feelings for a creature that goes against everything he’s been taught. Once he’s willing to embrace these feelings, his love for Mari is wonderful. Mari introduces him to new ways of loving such as mouth kissing and using her mouth to pleasure other body parts Ekkatt was never aware of before. These scenes smolder in their intensity.

Ekkatt and Mari’s quest for a Utopian society becomes a very important part of Captured and one that you hope they both find before a certain enemy comes upon them and destroys their new found happiness.

Captured has an almost erotic feel to it, and Ekkatt and Mari’s love for one another is very believable and emotional. Julia has written a nice sold romance. (You can purchase at Siren Publishing)

Final Grade: B

Another Captured book review on the web:
Fran Lee's Book Reviews