The Wing Commander by Ellen Margret

TITLE: The Wing Commander

AUTHOR: Ellen Margret

PUBLISHER: Melange Books LLC

PURCHASE

MAIN GENRE: Historical 

SECONDARY GENRE: Military Romance

LENGTH: 136

HEAT LEVEL: Boiling  

OTHER: M/F  

ROSE RATING: 3.5 Roses 

REVIEWED BY: Anya

BLURB:

Even as a child Pru adored Varian Verney, but he thought  her an irritating little chit, and did not hesitate to tell her so.  She bet him half-a-crown she would one day make it as a pilot but his response was to call her a gormless brat. When she rescued him from occupied France during World War Two, he knew he would have to pay up, but he did more than that. He  fell head over heels in love with the beautiful Ferry Pilot.

REVIEW:

Pru wanted two things in life: to be a pilot and Varian Verney. Unfortunately, Varian didn’t share her sentiment. After being shipped off to school and separated from her childhood crush, Pru focused on pursuing her goal of flying. While she developed the skills of an excellent pilot and could outfly just about any man, her love-life didn’t fare so well. An abusive marriage and bitter divorce left a bad taste in her mouth concerning men. Her life as a pilot and her daughter were all she cared about, or so she thought. Taking her brother’s place, she secretly flies into occupied France to rescue a stranded pilot. Little does she know that one trip will change her entire life, in more ways than one.

Varian frequently thought about the little girl he tormented years ago. Despite her devoted affections for him, her red hair and freckles weren’t exactly attractive at the time. Besides, she was far too young and ate far too much toffee for his liking. But as he got older, guilt assailed his conscience. If he ever got the chance, perhaps he’d apologize to the young chit that always managed to drive him crazy. Little did he expect that the pilot who’d come to rescue him would be the very girl—all grown up into a beautiful women—who’d plagued his thoughts over the years. He had a lot of making up to do, and he intended to give it his best. Unfortunately other circumstances in their lives interfere, threatening what promises to be a happy future.

The Wind Commander is a very endearing story. There’s a lot to take into account as you’re getting accustomed to the characters. While the author keeps the mood fairly light, there’s always the understanding that Pru and Varian are in the middle of a war, as are the people they care about. Any given day could bring about disaster and change their lives. Despite being wordy at times, the dialog between the characters proved humorous and entertaining. Pru has a very spunky wit, but makes a few decisions that seemed reckless and out of character, considering what she stood to lose.

Varian starts out a little cocky and arrogant, but as his feelings develop for Pru, he does a lot of growing up and becomes a true hero. A few editing errors caught my attention in the form of missing words or ones that were out of place. Ms. Margret handles point of view fairly well with clearly labeled changes which helps to keep the reader grounded and on top of what’s going on. Overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more from this author.

For a combination of wit, danger, and endearment, grab a copy of The Wing Commander by Ellen Margret, she’s woven a wonderful tale of what happens when young love grows up.

The Inn at Little Bend by Bobbi Groover

TITLE: The Inn at Little Bend

AUTHOR: Bobbie Groover

PUBLISHER: Melange Books LLC

MAIN GENRE: Historical 

SECONDARY GENRE: Romance 

LENGTH: 292

HEAT LEVEL: Boiling

OTHER: M/F  

ROSE RATING: 5 Roses 

REVIEWED BY: Willow

BLURB:

A DAZZLING BEAUTY…

In antebellum America, life for an abandoned woman was difficult at best. But when young Grayson escapes her sadistic guardian, she finds freedom just as hostile. The lonesome, starving wanderer flees straight into the path of vicious marauders. Only one thing keeps the rustlers from violating the curvaceous, dark-haired beauty but the punishment they intend to mete out for her crimes borders on insanity.

A SURLY COWBOY…

Not far away a lone rover hears the screams, yet continues down the road. He wants nothing more of life than to be left alone. He has his own debts to account for. Once a headstrong irresistible rakehell, the drifter had bolted, shuttered his heart and retreated deep within himself. But now the wafting agony tears at him--his own and the wails of another. Swearing under his breath, he whirls the horse around.

A SIMPLE INN…

Grayson Ridge struggles to survive her fated trials and conceal the secrets that plague her. Her exploits collide with the life of Drake Somerset, a scraggly yet oddly dashing drifter besieged by dark shadows. Neither realizes their chance encounter could free them both. Their wrangling ignites a turbulent journey and sets their worlds on fire.

REVIEW:

Like a moth to the proverbial flame, the Inn at Little Bend draws the broken-hearted, the desolate, and the hopeless.

Grayson, River, Raven, Ridgely, Gracie…five different personalities all rolled into one complicated woman with a desperation to survive. What Grayson doesn’t expect is how complex the simple act of pretending to be someone she’s not will become. Somewhere along the line, she loses her heart to the one man she can’t confide in. But her web of lies has grown so multifaceted, that she fears she will soon be exposed for the fraud she is. Orphan, runaway, murderer…seems fate has left her desolate and alone, just like her parents. When the temptation of love is dangled before her, she yearns with everything in her to grab it and rejoice, but fear and deceit keep her from confessing all and claiming that coveted prize. She’s learned in life that good things come with a price, and she’s not the only one who’s paid.

Guilt and despair have changed Drake from a life-loving Lothario to little more than a hermit. A tragic accident in his past has robbed his purpose for living. Unable to come to grips with the mistake that cost another their life, he travels the countryside in aimless sorrow. He’s constructed an impenetrable wall around his heart and soul. All he has left is his music and his misery. That is, until a little “peach-fuzz” of a boy enters his life and begins chipping away at the fortress he’s so carefully crafted to keep others out. But there’s more to the scrawny runt than meets the eye. Somehow, the kid worms his way into his life and his heart, he just can’t figure out how or why. There’s something odd about River, but he hasn’t the time for wayward adolescents and feelings, he needs to get moving on. So why can’t he leave?

The Inn at Little Bend was an excellent story. It’s been a very long time since I’ve picked up a book where the characters are superbly penned. Ms. Groover has done a marvelous job with description and emotion. You really get a good feel for the depth of Drake’s misery, as well as the desperation of Grayson’s situation. The secondary characters are equally crafted. There’s a lot of emotion in this book and it’s not one to take lightly. You don’t whizz through the characters, plot, and setting. It’s very deep and intense. Ever so slowly, you see Drake and Grayson change. It’s like watching a flower open its petals, waking up to new life and displaying the beauty hidden inside. The beginning starts out strong and just keeps going. But be prepared to go through the gamut of emotions. There’s a lot of punch packed into these 292 pages.

Other than a couple of missing words, I didn’t find any major editing or grammar errors. Point of view shifts are clearly delineated with asterisks, which is always a plus when there’s so much information to ingest. Over all, this was a wonderful story. Very thorough and expertly crafted. Congratulations to Ms. Groover for penning an excellent historical romance, and thank you for letting me review it.

If you like deeply emotional stories with complex characters and a thorough journey through their change and development, then I highly recommend The Inn at Little Bend. Bobbi Groover most definitely delivers. Drake and Grayson are sure to warm your heart and remind you how much true love is worth fighting for.