Once upon a time there were arranged marriages. Luckily we don’t have to worry about such things now. At least, those of us who aren't half-alien with mysterious pedigrees don't have to worry about arranged marriages. They bring up all kinds of issues that most contemporary cultures don’t have to worry about. The initial relationship in Forced Mate falls into that category of unavoidable arrangements. In most situations, characters swept into life decisions by powers beyond their control would be thought of as a couple of limp biscuits, ready to crumble at the merest conflict.

As a huge fan of romances involving time travel, the teaser for A Bend in Time by Michelle Miles caught my eye. Who can resist a story that could take you, along with the characters, anywhere in time? I certainly can't. While doing my pre-review research, I discovered that Ms. Miles previously published the elements of this story in serial form. A Bend in Time is actually a compilation of two seasons of serial romance all in one neat little package. Very convenient.

Science Fiction is often viewed as something geeks like to read, and shows where men like to gawk at girls in skimpy costumes. The thing is, most of the writers of science fiction, at least among the fan magazines and underground stories, are women. Fruits of Betrayal is a take by a woman on science fiction that is primarily a romance. Perhaps the latest change from the hard science, fictionalized to now romanticized as well as fantasized.

Could a geek and a streetwise survivor ever find true love? Vicky Burkholder seems to think so, and to prove her case she wrote Prime Time. Only in this tale, the geeks are known as Techies and the streetwise survivors are known as Porters. The light satire of the names is not lost on me. Porters are also the names of people who do all the physical labors in many so-called third-world countries. Techies? Well, that could be just about any American who happens to have a job above minimum wage.

I've heard from other reviewers that Linnea Sinclair is a wonderful sci-fi fantasy romance author so when I was offered a chance to read her new speculative fiction book - Finders Keepers - I jumped at the chance. However, when I received the book and read the back blurb it stated that this book blended hard SF with sizzling romantic suspense. Now I'm not especially fond of hard SF since it tends to be a little too high tech for me so I had to wonder how these two elements could possibly blend and blend well.

Country Priestess centers around a little boy and his family. Timmy is not an ordinary boy. He's autistic. But at the same time, he's an artistic genius. The character of Timmy is so promising and interesting that he is what drew me to reading this book.

Timmy has a special relationship with his uncle Joe; he draws pictures. After Joe's girlfriend dies under strange circumstances, Timmy starts drawing mysterious pictures of maps, names of strangers, precognitive art--clues for his uncle Joe. In the meantime, Joe gets blinding headaches which seem to be contoured to controlling his behavior. Timmy's artwork is a beacon for his uncle.

I love humor. I haven't read all that much erotica that combines humor with story. Maybe the occasional funny character, or a hero or a heroine with a sense of humor. The concept of funny erotica might be an oxymoron, but even if it is, whenever I've come across it, I have enjoyed it immensely.

Asteroid6969 doesn't start out as if it has any humor. It starts off like a space opera, perhaps with a feel to it a little like the movie Space Pirates. Lance, the blond Adonis-like space pirate has to put down on Asteroid6969 and in the meantime, he's going to get a hot bath in real H20. He's also got an infestation, a space ship full of furzbas, small furballs that live off of energy. They're faintly reminiscent of tribbles, that charming nuisance of an animal documented in the original Star Trek series. Naked, our hero swashbuckles out of his bath to rescue a virgin wanna-be-submissive from the evil clutches of a Dom who's meaner than she'd expected.

Alicia Sparks' Dragon's Law: Damon, is a book with a plot so complex that any attempt at writing a synopsis would reveal enough of the book to ruin it for some readers so instead, let me tell you about a couple of my favorite scenes and characters.

Damon is a man with a mission. He needs to find his betrothed before time runs out, in order to save his kingdom and throne from his worse enemy, his own brother. Six years earlier, during a struggle between the brothers,

The Rogue Prince is the fourth of the Lords of the Var series by Michelle M Pillow. Albeit slightly out of order, I have read and loved every single one of them. The Rogue Prince is no exception to the high standard set by the previous three. All of them are simply fabulous and a must read, particularly for sci-fi and/or futuristic romance fans. I cannot wait for the next in the series, Jarek’s story, and I would love for the author to write their children’s stories, also. I am soon going to read the two linked series, Dragon Lords and Galaxy Playmates, and if they are anything like these, I will not be able to put them down.

Though I have read the tales of Lords of the Var out of order this has not detracted from my reading pleasure, though I do recommend they be read in order as there is a background storyline running through them. I started with the third in the series The Bound Prince, then moved on to the first The Savage King, and now this, the second, The Playful Prince, after becoming hooked by The Bound Prince. Consequently, I am now avidly reading the rest, including the other two loosely linked series, Dragon Lords and Galaxy Playmates. I believe you, too, will like them so much, you’ll want to get yours hands on any and all related tales!

I am reading the tales of Lords of the Var out of order. This is something I try to avoid, but unfortunately could not in this case. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of reading a series in their sequence. The first story I read by Michelle M Pillow was The Bound Prince, which is the third of the Lord of the Var tales and the one that got me hooked. Consequently, I am now avidly reading the rest and am having a ball! Though the sci-fi and futuristic genres are fairly recent discoveries to me, Ms Pillow has ensured that they remain high on my list as exceedingly enjoyable and engrossing. There are two series. The first is Dragon Lords, the romances of the four Draig princes. The second is Lords of the Var, the romances of the five Var princes, one of which is still unpublished. I am going to read every single one; indeed I have enjoyed this and the other one so much, I can't wait.

I have never read anything from ImaJinn Books, and I hoped to read some speculative fiction. Winged Victory would have been speculative fiction had it not been for the compelling love story.

The Valtarie are becoming a race of males since every Valtarie woman dies soon after childbirth. Dr. Juliana Harris is a human visitor trying to reverse this certain extinction. Despite the strict Law of Conduct governing the presence of females from any planet, she receives permission from the ruler of Valtar, Cyclemintus, to send to nearby Kasara for medical technician Abilene Brown.

Lord Lachlan de Douglas, a noble warrior lord known for his uncommon gaze, was the first-line heir to a Clan of Ancient Earth. Possessing power and passion, he defended his clan from destruction during an unjust war of masked vengeance.

Kimberley Kinsale, a diplomat's daughter and a stunningly beautiful fighter pilot, was motivated by honesty and integrity. She knew that her commanding officer, Commander Rama, was stark raving mad. Her life, governed by the intrigue and lies of her commanding officer, hung in the balance.

Joe Ladzlodt (pronounced Lancelot) measured his life in days according to when he had to help his sister out with her autistic son, Timmy. Joe had also lost the woman he was to marry, Helen, six weeks earlier. Since Helen's death, recurring headaches would appear that would sometimes knock Joe unconscious.

Knowing he needed some time to himself, Joe decided to go on a short vacation. At the same time, his nephew had begun to draw more and more pictures and gave them to his uncle. One was of a map to a place in Michigan called Quiet Lake. Also in the drawings was the name of a man: Benjamin Huntington. For some unknown reason, Joe knew he had to find Huntington.

Ever wonder what it would be like if the world truly existed on a Darwinian level where only the fittest survived? That's the challenge Tory faces in Blatant Appeal's book, The Proving Zone: Tory's Story. This science fiction futuristic page turner blends a real life Survivor with The Bachelor.

Tory, a petit cherubic female, bids her family farewell wondering if it will be the last. Her family believes she is returning to her job as one of the top scientists of the planet. But in truth, she's going to the deadly Proving Zone. Years ago, when indiscriminate mating and child bearing became a problem which led to overpopulation and weak offspring, a social agreement was formed for all the people: those who wished to bear children must prove their suitability in the harsh conditions of the Proving Zone. Only the genetically and physically superior were able to survive and have the implants that made them sterile removed. Then they were allowed to find a non-sterile mate, if they didn't already have one.