Review: Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity, Book 8
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9780593440735
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Nalini Singh Reading Order

Daughter of two ruthless high-Gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzy—or just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby…a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an unnerving depth of interest from her dead mother’s closest associates.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies…and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy…but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, and Remi’s feline heart is as fascinated by her as his human half.

Then Auden asks Remi to help her shatter the wall of secrets that is the Scott bloodline. What they unearth will reveal a nightmare beyond imagination. This time, the battle is to the death…

Primal Mirror is a story of survival and of love conquering evil. Auden Scott is the daughter of two former Psy Counselors, but her abilities weren’t the telepathic kind her parents wanted. She has survived her parents, but didn’t come out of it unscathed; something was done to her brain that causes blank spots and times where it feels like she’s not entirely herself. She is also pregnant and desperate to save her baby from whatever plans her mother had set in motion before her death.

RainFire alpha Remi Denier doesn’t quite know what to make of his new neighbor. The first time he meets her she’s eerily blank, then next time a heavily pregnant woman ready to fight for her unborn child. Remi is a protector at heart and he and his pack will do anything, risk anything to help Auden and her child. But Remi’s drawn to Auden on another, far more personal level. What will happen to the two of them as her mother’s plans are uncovered? And how can they fight an threat that is taking place inside Auden’s mind?

Remi is a hero who is easy to fall for. He’s kind, protective, and has worked hard to make his new pack strong and whole. Auden is more complex. Her brain injuries and what was done to her make her unpredictable. Primal Mirror is a bit slow to start because Auden isn’t always herself. The mystery of what was done to her and why unravels over the course of the story and I was rooting for Auden to beat the odds and destroy the evil plan her mother put in place. Remi and Auden are characters whose core is love – they will fight for those they love until their last breath. They make a great couple but their love story is understandably slow to build, given Auden’s mental state.

Primal Mirror isn’t just about Auden and RainFire’s survival. It’s about the survival of the whole Psy race. The PsyNet is continuing to fail and it’s incredibly tense throughout the story as characters we’ve come to love over the course of the series struggle to save as many people as possible. It’s doomsday time for the Psy and there’s a pall cast over the story by the imminent threat of millions of lives lost. How things work out and what the future looks like, I won’t spoil, but I am curious to see how Nalini Singh continues things for the Psy race.

Primal Mirror is the eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series and while you don’t have to have read all the books to enjoy Remi and Auden’s story, you definitely need to be familiar with the world to follow what’s happening in the overarching storyline of the Psy. In Primal Mirror, Singh continues to weave an intricate web of characters, connections, and powers that is utterly absorbing. I adored Remi and Auden and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Singh takes the Psy-Changeling world next.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: The Highlander’s Wild Flame by Heather McCollum

The Highlander’s Wild Flame by Heather McCollum
Series: The Brotherhood of Solway Moss, Book 1
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781649376541
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Entangled
Heather McCollum Reading Order

Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod has sacrificed for his clan. But taken as prisoner―in place of his older brother, who’s meant to be laird―is more than any man should bear. So when the chance for escape presents itself, Rory risks everything for freedom. But instead of returning to the welcoming warmth of home, Rory steps into a blazing trap…

Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But when her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she cannot stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood…left to the mercy of her greatest enemy.

Now her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother: the fierce MacLeod warrior she’s forbidden to want. And as hunger blazes to life between Rory and Sara―unbidden, untamed, and hotter than the fires of Beltane―they quickly find themselves caught between honor and a love that will turn blood against blood.

Rory MacLeod knows all about betrayal. Trapped in an English prison he had to unite with three other warriors from rival clans to escape. After he returns home to heal, he catches sight of the enemy’s daughter, who happens to be intended for his brother. Sara Macdonald isn’t anyone Rory should want, but he’s drawn to her like a moth to flame. Then on her wedding day Sara’s father sets the church on fire, trapping the MacLeods inside. Only Sara’s quick actions save them, but leave her unable to return home and untrusted by the clan she’s at the mercy of. Now Rory will have to decide what to do as threats abound and he begins to fall for a woman he doesn’t know if he can trust.

Heather McCollum kicks off her Brotherhood of Solway Moss series with a forbidden romance that’s easy to fall into. Rory and Sara are both survivors; Sara from an abusive family and Rory from a horrid upbringing and an even worse time imprisoned in England. They know loyalty from one’s family isn’t ever assured but they’re still torn between wanting to protect their clans and the call to do what they know is truly right.

Rory is a strong Highland warrior who leads with skill. He’s got trust issues, that’s for sure, and it makes him unsure whether he can follow his gut and believe in Sara. Sara is independent and fierce in her own way, as equally protective as Rory. When she’s taken prisoner by the MacLeods (even after having helped them escape) she has to stay on her toes to survive. While Rory would protect her, his elder brother is as nasty and brutal as Sara’s treacherous father. Both Sara and Rory have their work cut out for them if they hope to achieve peace between the two clans.

At the heart of The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the romance between Sara and Rory. I liked them together and thought they had good chemistry. Rory makes mistakes due to his aforementioned trust issues, but overall they are a solidly entertaining couple. They are both kind, compassionate, and willing to fight for what’s right. I was rooting for them every step of the way even as I was unsure of how McCollum would make things work out with constant treachery afoot.

The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the start of a series that features four men who were imprisoned together after Soloway Moss. While only one other of the men (Sara’s brother) played a supporting role in this book, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how things come together over the course of the series. All in all I really enjoyed Sara and Rory’s romance. It’s sensual, sweet, and both Sara and Rory work to earn their happily ever after.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley

Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley
Series: The Wild Wynchesters, Book 4
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781538726150
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Bold, curvy Elizabeth Wynchester loves cuddling hedgehogs almost as much as she adores vanquishing villains with the sharp blade concealed inside her cane. Despite others’ opinions about her body and gender, nothing will stop her from seeing justice done. When her next mission drops her at the dastardly Earl of Densmore’s castle, she’s prepared to duel like gentlemen—only to be locked inside! Her trusty sword cannot defeat the castle’s hidden traps… or protect her heart from the devilishly handsome rogue guarding the keep.

When reclusive inventor Stephen Lenox agreed to impersonate his cousin for a few days, he didn’t expect the earl to vanish altogether. Nor could Stephen predict mounting death threats… or the arrival of a beguiling, blade-wielding spinster who declares herself his new bodyguard. As the earl’s enemies lay siege to the castle, Stephen fights his way past Elizabeth’s defenses. She’ll share his bed, but when the adventure concludes, she vows to sever their affair. Unless he can somehow convince a swashbuckling siren to surrender her heart…

Elizabeth Wynchester – aka Beth the Berserker – meets a most unexpected match in Hot Earl Summer. The most brash and impulsive of the Wynchester siblings always hoped to find love with a dashing warrior but it’s a brilliant tinker with unexpectedly delicious ab muscles who claims her heart.

Elizabeth swings her sword first and asks questions later. When she’s sent on a mission to find a will and prevent a villain from taking over a castle meant to be an orphanage, she’s ready to battle her way to victory. But the Earl of Densmore she comes to demand aid from is actually the man’s cousin, inventor Stephen Lenox. Stephen’s cousin had asked him to impersonate him for a few days but instead he finds himself trapped for months, fending off the enemy with clever traps. When Elizabeth arrives and decides to be his bodyguard, Stephen can’t help but fall for the beautiful warrior.

Over the course of the series I admit Elizabeth has been my least favorite Wynchester; she was just a bit too over the top for me. Erica Ridley changed my opinion on Elizabeth in this book – I loved seeing beneath the surface to what made Elizabeth tick. She’s bold and likes to charge headfirst into battle, yes. But there’s much more to her than “Beth the Berserker.” Ridley does a solid job of creating a heroine with chronic pain and a disability that can knock even the strongest warrior down. Elizabeth is a warrior at all times and I liked that she set boundaries and acknowledged what she needed, taking the time to rest and recover. Elizabeth isn’t perfect and she does make mistakes, but it makes her an interesting heroine. Stephen is a recluse more at home among his extravagant inventions than people, but he’s swept off his feet by Elizabeth. I loved how sweet and kind he is and how he practically swoons over how brave and strong Elizabeth is. The two of them have a lovely dynamic that’s fun, sweet, and sensual.

It wouldn’t be a Wild Wynchesters story without the entire family but I liked that Ridley kept the focus on Elizabeth and Stephen. The Wynchesters all play a part, never fear, and their unique talents along with how they all come together plays a part in Hot Earl Summer. You don’t have to have read the previous four books in order to enjoy this one, but it’s fun to check in with past protagonists. All in all, Hot Earl Summer is a charming romp with bold and clever characters, a very dramatic villain who must be defeated, and a sweet happily ever after.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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