Women’s Fiction – Baskerville Book Reviews

Review: Minion

There is one woman who is all that stands between us and the eternal night. Here is an account of her legend….

All Damali Richards ever wanted to do was create music and bring it to the people. Now she is a Spoken Word artist and the top act for Warriors of Light Records. But come nightfall, she hunts vampires and demons―predators that people tend to dismiss as myth or fantasy.

But Damali and her Guardian team cannot afford such delusions, especially now, when a group of rogue vampires have been killing the artists of Warriors of Light and their rival, Blood Music. Strange attacks have also erupted within the club drug-trafficking network and drawn the attention of the police. These killings are a bit out of the ordinary, even for vampires. No neat puncture marks in the neck to show where the life’s blood has been sucked from the body; these bodies have been mutilated beyond recognition, indicating a blood lust and thirst for destruction that surpasses any Damali has encountered before.

Damali soon discovers that behind these brutal murders is the most powerful vampire she has ever met, and this seductive beast is coming for her next. But his unholy intentions have also drawn the focus of other hellish dark forces. Soon Damali finds herself being pulled deeper into the vast and horrifying vampire world.

Review: Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues

A hilarious new standalone novella brimming with otherworldly charm from the reigning queen of paranormal romantic comedy Molly Harper!

Ingrid Asher is the newest resident of Mystic Bayou, a tiny town hidden in the swamp where shapeshifters, vampires, witches and dragons live alongside humans.

Ingrid doesn’t ask for much. The solitary tree nymph just wants to live a quiet life running her ice-cream shop in peace. Unfortunately, she can’t seem to shake her new neighbor, Rob Aspern, head of the League’s data science department and so good looking it just isn’t fair.

If there’s one thing Ingrid doesn’t need, it’s someone poking around in her business. But the more she gets to know the hunky mathematician, the more she finds herself letting her guard down. Can she trust him with her secrets, or will her past destroy everything?

Review: Beauty’s Curse

The death of a tyrant king should have set her free. Instead, Sadira could be dead by dawn.

After the fall of Alaric Khan, Sadira finds herself still at his mercy, held siege in his castle by a deadly curse: Alaric’s ultimate revenge. Surrounded by chaos, rising paranoia, and disasters, Sadira discovers an unlikely ally in the barbarian warrior Bannon Sha’kurukh. Alaric’s killer…and her new master.

To escape Alaric’s power, Sadira must bring Bannon into her secret world of domination, possession, and desire. But their quest to uncover Alaric’s secrets – and their own ruthless passions – draw them closer and closer to an unspeakable conclusion.

The source of the curse…can only be Sadira herself.

Fans of The Witcher, Immortals After Dark, and Anne Rice’s Sleeping Beauty series will love this high-heat fantasy romance full of dangerous liaisons and passionate themes of power exchange.

Review: Ares

MMA fighter Harmony “Harm” Makos steps into the ring every day for more than the fame and glory of the fight. For her, it’s the alternative to therapy. An opportunity to tame the constant beast struggling to break free. Hardened by a broken home and high school ridicule, she’s learned to control the fury but it always lurks beneath the surface.

When a threat on her life arrives in the form of an ominous letter, a bodyguard is assigned to follow her every move. Harm is immediately against the idea, and the animosity rises when said bodyguard is none other than former MMA men’s heavyweight champion, Mars.

Between their heads butting at every turn, forced proximity, and constant banter, Harm will discover Mars isn’t all that he seems. Around him, visions of battle, chaos, and destruction plague her thoughts. The red glint in his eyes holds more than mystery – it bears the unknown cure for both their fury…if they can learn to work together, that is.

Review: Starting Again

A sweet holiday romance in Henderson County.

When Dawn realizes starts prepping for the Christmas season, little does she know that it will be her last in the Henderson County. However, with the announcement of her ex-boyfriend’s wedding, Dawn wants to flee.
Until she meets Gage Baxter. He’s everything she wants in a man, except she has no plans to stay here anymore and Gage seems too good to be true.
One stormy night, she finds out that one secret Gage kept to himself that caused her to waste twelve years of her life waiting. Or was it destiny?

Review: Illusions Unveiled

Sometimes you squander all your second chances…

At the tender age of seven, Peter Stratford fell in love with the only woman who would ever claim his heart. But Carrie represented Ardor Creek, the town Peter detested. Determined to make something of himself in New York City, he leaves her behind, breaking both their hearts.

Carrie Longwood accepted that Peter would never love her enough to stay. Embracing her inner strength, she married another and had her precious boys before her messy divorce. Alone in Ardor Creek, she builds her life around her small family unit.

When Peter returns to Ardor Creek, battered and broken from addiction, he begins to heal, knowing Carrie will never forgive him. But Carrie kept her own secrets and, whether they’re ready or not, all of their illusions will be unveiled…

Welcome back to Ardor Creek! If you love second chance romance, this book is for you! The main character is a recovered addict whose addictions are discussed openly so please consider before reading. Enjoy!

Review: Resolutions Embraced

She came back to win…and to rewrite a narrative created so long ago….

Chad Hanson has one true love: being mayor of Ardor Creek. With his charming personality, kind nature, and adoration of the small town, it’s as if he was born for the role. Although he dates constantly and loves playing the field, he’s never come close to falling for someone the way he loves his job.

Abby Miller left Ardor Creek after high school, determined to become something other than a pariah. Chad Hanson had accidentally bequeathed her the name “Flabby Abby,” which destroyed any chance of making friends or having a normal high school existence.

Two decades later, Abby returns, fierce and confident after her tenure as a senior advisor for a prominent Washington DC senator. Armed with her skills and experience, she begins an invigorating campaign to become the first female mayor of Ardor Creek…and to exact a smidge of payback against Chad.

Chad is blown away by his opponent. Drawn to her, he slowly realizes she might actually win…not only the election, but Abby Miller might be the first woman to capture his heart.

Welcome back to Ardor Creek! If you love sizzling banter that cracks you up and makes you snicker, smokin’ hot love scenes, and a sweet frenemies-to-lovers tale, this book is for you! As with all of Ayla’s books, there’s a slight holiday twist, and this one has a fun New Year’s Eve ending. The Ardor Creek gang is back and ready to watch serial dater Chad Hanson fall in love. Enjoy!

Review: Desires Uncovered

It was supposed to be a casual affair….

Dr. Teresa Roe moved from the bustling city to small-town Pennsylvania, hoping the slower pace would help her focus on finding a partner and building a family. Unfortunately, life had other plans, and Teresa finds herself single in her mid-40s, unable to have the children she craves. Determined to focus on the positives, she builds her thriving therapy practice and joins a hook-up app looking for a fun, no-strings-attached affair.

Mark Lancaster has no time to date or cultivate a relationship, so meeting women on hook-up apps is perfect for his busy schedule. When he meets Teresa, he can’t believe his fortune at finding someone so smart, sexy, and funny. In fact, his casual affair with her quickly becomes the highlight of his hectic life.

When Mark decides to run for County District Attorney, his opponent quickly reveals their relationship, spinning their affair as nefarious and creating a scandal that almost derails the campaign. Thankfully, Teresa agrees to enter into a fake engagement, saving him from ruin. But the road to victory isn’t easy, and as they grow closer, the relationship they both swear is casual begins to grow into something real….

Can two fiercely independent souls find true love amidst scandal?

Welcome back to Ardor Creek! If you love fake relationship shenanigans that lead to true love, this book is for you! As with all of Ayla’s books, there’s a slight holiday theme, and this one ends with a romantic Christmas. There are discussions of infertility and domestic abuse, so please consider that before listening. Enjoy!

Review: Tangled in Thorns

The first time Catherine got mixed up with the fae, it cost her dearly. This time, they will take it all.

Magic is dangerous. No one knows that better than Catherine. She thought she would be content with her garden and a quiet life. But she longs for connection. When she tries to reach out to others, disaster strikes. Creeping vines emerge from Faery choking the gardens of Thornwood, corrupting the minds of those who encounter it and turning them into raving zombies. Among those infected is Catherine’s niece. And her only hope at a cure is Ray.

After the accident, she swore never to speak to Ray again. But with three days until the plant kills, she must put aside her vow to save the village. To stop the spread, they must find the plant’s origin and destroy it. Catherine’s magic can do that if she can learn from Ray. As her magic flourishes beneath his tutelage, so do her feelings that she’s tried to deny.

Embracing her magic means luring in the fae and losing a piece of her humanity. Caught like a fly in a web of intrigue, Catherine struggles to find a balance between her desire to be human, the threats that lurk in shadows, and the ancient songs of Faery calling her home….

Get lost in the magic of Tangled in Thorns, the second in this gothic romantic fantasy trilogy. Fans of Uprooted and Daughter of the Forest will not want to miss this tale steeped in fae intrigue, romance, and mystery.

Review: The Priestess and the Dragon

The Cruel Prince meets Inuyasha in this slow-burn romantic fantasy. You won’t be able to put down this action-packed fantasy adventure!

Exiled to a mountain shrine, Suzume trains to become a priestess serving the god of the mountain. As she toils at the temple, she longs for a life beyond its walls. Until she awakens the slumbering god and unmasks the temple’s centuries-old secret.

The god is a fake. Five hundred years ago, the shrine’s founder sealed a dragon in a stone. And now that he’s free, he wants revenge. Unleashing the dragon wasn’t an accident. As Suzume learns, she’s the first priestess’ reincarnation.

He spirits her away and Suzume plots to kill him before he kills her. But the more time they spend together, she starts to question her feelings for him. Tangled threads of fate bind them together and Suzume must decide: will she follow her heart or will history repeat itself?

Start the adventure today with this epic romantic fantasy sure to please listeners who enjoy aching slow-burn romance, twists and turns, complex characters, and villains you love to hate!