Just Fooling Around by Kathleen O'Reilly and Julie Kenner

Basic stories – ridiculous premise
2 stars

This is a set of 4 short stories (or encounters) all based around April Fool’s Day and the Franklin siblings who are all cursed to receive bad luck on this one day each year.


CAM’S CATASTROPHE by Kathleen O’Reilly
The oldest of the Franklin siblings, Cam refuses to be laid low by a curse. So each April Fool’s Day he does something outrageous and laughs in the face of the curse that plagues his family. And each year he finds himself in the E.R. being cared for by Dr. Jenna Ferrar.

This story spanned about 4 years with the relationship building up over the space of a couple of hours over one day in each of those years. With that in mind, the fact that these two people could discover feelings for each other (or probably even remember each other) after such a teeny tiny amount of interaction made the story unbelievable and a little frustrating.


DARCY’S DARK DAY by Julie Kenner
Darcy Franklin is determined to visit New York on April Fool’s Day to show the curse can’t hurt her. Determined to save her from the curse, Cam asks his best friend, Evan, to make sure no harm befalls Darcy. But what Cam doesn’t know is that Evan has always had a crush on Darcy and this is the perfect opportunity for him to make his move.

Curse aside – this was a sweet story if a little unsatisfying in terms of romance. Not bad though and easily the best story of the four.


DEVON’S DILEMMA by Kathleen O’Reilly
In order to hide from the curse, Devon holes herself up in a fortress of a house in a remote town. On April Fool’s night she receives a visit from airman, Chance, who’s happy to take her mind off the bad events that are sure to follow.

It wasn’t the story that was ridiculous with this effort but the fact that Devon lived in such a state of fear from a curse that only struck one day a year. Regardless, Chance didn’t seem like long-term material and I didn’t believe in the romance.


REG’S RESCUE by Julie Kenner
Reg Franklin is the one sibling determined to find the cause of and break the curse. Because of the curse he let go of the only woman he’d ever loved to keep her safe. But now she’s back and the curse just might be ready to be broken.

While I liked this story and the two characters – to my mind Reg didn’t love Anne enough to be with her and it was only his lust driving him to get back with her. Disappointing.


I feel I could really have got behind the premise of a curse that inflicts a whole family for one day a year if it had been handled a little less clumsily and with a little bit more reality – as strange as that may sound. As it was, the whole book was fantastical, a bit baffling and utterly ridiculous. Shame, really. 2 stars and the extra one is only because I finished all the stories and didn’t mind Julie Kenner’s attempts.

Blazing Bedtime Stories: Volume 5

One great story, one mediocre

4 Stars

This is the fifth book in Blaze’s Bedtime Stories collection which gives fairy stories a romantic and sexy twist.

A PRINCE OF A GUY by Leslie Kelly

Olivia Vanderbrook has been sent on a very important mission. Journey from her home in the fairytale land of Elatyria to the mystical, magical world called San Fransisco to find and return the kingdom’s errant prince. But it’s not the prince she goes looking for that she ultimately finds.

I am really beginning to enjoy sexy fairy tales and this one is definitely that. Somehow, it’s a believable story with great characters, an interesting plot and some nicely sexy moments. Highly enjoyable and a story that I couldn’t put down.

GOLDIE AND THE THREE BROTHERS by Jennifer LaBrecque

Finding a guy and getting married is Goldie Dawkins’ biggest desire. That is until she lays eyes on Jake Malone. But Jake is 100% against marriage and although he feels the same desire, he won’t risk his freedom. But then they’re trapped together in a cabin in the woods during a storm and they have to deal with their attraction.

I found this story a bit hit or miss. I couldn’t see how two people with such opposing views (and seemingly understandable reasons for these views) could find a way to be together. When they did it was such a turnaround and so quick that I didn’t believe it for a minute. This isn’t a fairy tale and while easy to read and somewhat entertaining – it didn’t do it for me.

This was a book of two halves with the first story one I enjoyed a lot and the other that I could take or leave. Still, for a quick, romantic read with just a touch of fantasy – this is a fine book to choose. 4 stars – 5 for the first story and 3 for the second.

Tempted by the Night by Elizabeth Boyle

Interesting paranormal romance

4 Stars

Lady Hermione Marlowe has been in love with Lord Rockhurst forever. Despite the gossip, she refuses to believe that the handsome, mysterious man is as wicked and scandalous as they say he is. She just wishes he knew she existed.

Lord Rockhurst doesn’t care about his reputation as he has more pressing, and dangerous matters to deal with. But when a mysterious woman ends up falling into his arms, and saving his life, he realises that perhaps there is more to life than the quest he is on as whoever this woman is, he can’t resist her and that could be disastrous for everyone.

This is the second book in Elizabeth Boyle’s Marlowe Series (after the brilliant His Mistress by Morning) and while it probably does stand alone, I think that by reading them in order will make the magical element of the book a little easier to understand.

When I first picked it up I didn’t realise that this was a paranormal historical and that’s really not really the kind of book I usually enjoy. Having said that, I did very much enjoy the story as despite the magic and supernatural goings on, it wasn’t scary and it was still a good romance.

I love a good tortured hero and Lord Rockhurst was certainly that. Hermione was a great feisty heroine and I loved how, due to Hermione’s affliction of invisibility, you really felt like the characters got to know each other which made their falling in love all the more real.

Despite enjoying the book, I don’t think I’m likely to read any more paranormal romance but I would still recommend this book if you’re a fan of Elizabeth Boyle or if you just like a good romance with some fun action thrown in. 4 stars.