Feline Valentine by Tara Quan

Under magical house arrest in her great-grandmother’s suburban cottage, college graduate and reluctant earth mage Shelley Dupree whiles away most mornings spying on the warlock next door. Though erotic daydreams offer some distraction, she faces long working hours, cash flow problems, and a repeat burglar. On Valentine’s Day, she sets a trap for the mysterious intruder, intent on ending his crime streak once and for all. But her scheming cat familiar foils her best-laid plans, and, with a little help from Madame Eve’s 1-Night Stand service, she discovers a far more dangerous species of magical feline.

After moving in next to a ramshackle building on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., pastry chef Adrien Chatdurois is plagued by repeat sexual fantasies starring the same curvy brunette. In a state of constant arousal, he devotes his early mornings to grueling exercise and spends the rest of his day handcrafting the city’s best chocolates. When his younger brother stirs up trouble on the shop’s busiest day, the frustrated shifter is forced to pay a surprise visit on his reclusive neighbor. He soon learns not all witches are wart-covered hags, and one in particular might prove the most delicious of desserts.

Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks

I was excited to hear that there was a new book out in the Witch's Night Out series as this has been one of my favorite series by Tara Quan. Even though each book only gives us a short glimpse into it, the world that she has built here seems very rich and full of possibilities. Most of them have been pretty sizzling hot too which only adds to the appeal. This one delivers the heat as well, though not quite at the level of previous books I think, and while I did enjoy it I have to admit to being somewhat disappointed as well. Although to be fair it would have been difficult for this one to live up to the intensity and scorching heat present in the earlier books of the series.

Fireworks at Midnight by Tara Quan

Recent college graduate and part-time cat familiar Dulcina “Sweets” Gato is having the worst New Year’s Eve in living memory. End of year expenses trigger serious cash flow problems, and her microwave just went up in smoke. To make matters worse, her best friend’s overprotective big brother is back in town, and his return threatens to put a huge crimper on her nocturnal activities. The only thing she can look forward to is Madame Eve’s 1-Night Stand service. After all, she’s sick and tired of being a 21-year-old virgin.

Enforcement Agent Mikal Knight is a warlock on a mission. Having finally scored a transfer to Washington, D.C., he’s now at liberty to pursue the object of his desires—his baby sister’s best friend. But first, he has a vigilante to track down and a mysterious matchmaking service to investigate. Sent on an undercover operation, he resigns himself to a pointless 1-Night Stand on New Year’s Eve. As luck would have it, his mystery date’s identity might let him kill several birds with one stone. 


Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Decadent Publishing

This series has quickly become one of my favorite by Tara Quan, if not the favorite. They're fast paced, have delightfully quirky heroines, deliciously hunky heros, and plenty of steam to warm up any winter night. This latest edition to the series fully lives up to the expectations set by the first two books and definitely does not disappoint, though for some reason that I can't quite define, this one fell just a tad bit short for me. That said, this one also has me a bit excited for the future of the series, for we get to delve into the workings of the magical community a bit more here and see how their self-governing works. This look inside gave us a glimpse of conflicts that have been simmering and may or may not be gaining prominence, as well as some hints about some possibly major changes that are in store. All of this speaks to a larger story to be told in this universe, which means more books (possibly even longer ones?), which is all to the good as far as I'm concerned.

Frosty Relations by Tara Quan

Attorney Jack Frost never understood why holidays did weird things to people. His secretary went on vacation, his best friend ditched their annual Aspen trip, and the law firm’s stubborn human resources assistant refuses his clerical support request. What’s a warlock to do on Christmas Eve but go on a 1-Night Stand? But when an oddly familiar empath shows up as his date, this ice mage has a hard time denying the magic of the winter solstice.

Faced with an anemic employment market and financial woes, college graduate and former witch Mina Mao lands an HR assistant job at Frost and Sons. Having spent her day saving Christmas from Frost Junior’s Grinch-like behavior, she accepts the gift of Madame Eve’s service and heads over to the Castillo Capital. When her date turns out to be her childhood crush and workplace nemesis, she braces herself for the sexiest icy ride of her life.

 
Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Decadent Publishing

Whew! It's hot in here! Or, er, is that freezing? Hmm...freezing hot? That certainly describes this sizzlingly cold little story by Tara Quan. The descriptions will have you shivering and reaching for a sweater against the cold and shivering and fanning yourself at the same time for entirely different reasons. So grab a cup of cocoa and whoever or whatever you prefer to help warm you in other ways and prepare to be delighted. Trust me, you'll want the latter when you've finished reading. ;)

Flirting With Fire by Tara Quan

Apprentice witch Catalina Gato is prohibited from assuming her human form in front of her new employer without his express permission. Since he doesn’t know he’s a warlock, he can’t give it, leaving her in a familiar’s limbo. To make matters worse, she’s barred from leaving his house, and her attempts to enlighten him of his true nature results in burnt notes, charred walls, and exploding laptops.

On All Hallows’ Eve, she gets one night of freedom. Deciding some no-strings-attached sex might take the edge off the intense attraction she feels for her clueless boss, she signs up for Madame Eve’s service. When she meets her masked mystery date at the Castillo Capital, she realizes she might have gotten much more than she bargained for.

After being gifted a one-night stand from his annoying best friend, attorney Leo Difuoco reluctantly ventures to the Castillo Capital to celebrate Halloween. When he meets his oddly familiar green-eyed date in a Cat Woman costume, flames literally ignite, sparks magically fly, and life as he knows it changes forever.


Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Decadent Publishing

Tara Quan's novella's are always a sure thing in my book. She is very talented at bringing her characters alive in a very short space of pages such that they never feel like cardboard stereotypes as is the case in many short stories and novellas. Her gift extends to storytelling as well, and she almost always manages to fit a lot of story into very few words such that you feel you've read a work that was twice as long as it actually is when you're finished. All of these caveats hold true in this latest tale of hers, though I have to admit that this one did leave me a bit less satisfied than some of her others have. While thoroughly enjoyable, I did feel that it could have done with a little more fleshing out perhaps.

Operation Owl by Tara Quan

A Beyond Fairytales Adaptation of Grimm’s The Owl

Five years ago, Maya Jain kissed her best friend only to have him run out of her dorm room and leave the state. When he shows up in Washington, D.C., a wanted fugitive sought after by every branch of the US government, she can’t bring herself to ignore his plight. As their physical relationship picks up where it left off, she decides it’s time to make him see her as more than the bespectacled, bookish girl he once called “Owl.”

After being accused of espionage and treason, Zack Strong needs a forensic accountant to help clear his name. Not knowing who he can trust, this white-hat hacker has no choice but to ask his former best friend and math tutor for help. Together they unravel a cyber conspiracy at the Barn, an NSA facility tasked to intercept electronic communications. But as they traverse the nation’s capital to avoid capture, Maya insists on letting their simmering sexual tension take its natural course. Even though he’s never been able to shake the memory of their one kiss, he refuses to let her give up her life for a man with no future.

Where to Buy

Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Decadent Publishing

I'm a fan of fairytales that are retold with a modern twist, but while this story technically qualifies as such, it's not incredibly obvious that's what it is. To be fair, the story it's based on is a rather obscure one that few are likely to be familiar with--I know I'm not--so perhaps that's why it lacks a true fairytale feel to it, at least to me. This isn't to say I didn't like the story, for I did enjoy it quite a lot, I'm just noting that it doesn't entirely fit its billing.

Catching Red by Tara Quan

Scarlet “Red” Ryding is on a mission. To prevent mass suicide, she must fulfill her grandmother’s evil wishes and return posthaste. With knives in hand, she dives headfirst into an abandoned hospital full of zombies. But after getting trapped within, she is forced to accept help from the world’s most dangerous predator—a man.

Covert Agent Marcus Woodsman received strict instructions against interfering in the affairs of nomads. As a spy for the Federal Military Agency, his mandate is to observe and report. But when he finds a little redhead caught in the center of a brain-eater swarm, conscience compels him to put his ax to good use. By the time he realizes this smart-ass scout comes equipped with a world of trouble, it’s too late—he would do anything to keep her safe.

As Red and her Woodsman work together to survive undead, brave a snowstorm, and bring down an evil cult, they learn to laugh, love, and fight for happiness. The second book in Tara Quan’s Undead Fairy Tales series, Catching Red is a post-apocalyptic thriller with a happily ever after.

Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Liquid Silver Books

An intriguing follow-up to book one of this series, Tower in the Woods. While this book can stand alone and is fully understandable without having read the first book, reading them in order can help you to understand a few things that happen or are mentioned a bit better. This book expands upon the universe created in book one, filling in some more blanks about it and giving us a larger picture of what the world is like in this post-apocalyptic future.

Delicious Delay by Tara Quan

Stranded in a Middle Eastern airport, Michelle Day finds herself the object of interest for an abrasive, but all-too-sexy stranger—a stranger who tempts her with the forbidden in a land where indecency could get her killed. But how does one say no to such a deliciously, relentless pursuit?

Khalid Al Dehri takes one look at the red-headed spitfire in the business class lounge and knew he’d either been transported to heaven—or hell. Her tart response to his surliness intrigues him beyond all propriety and the longer he spends in her company, the more he can’t deny his forbidden attraction. But will she explore the sensuality between them or will society’s rules keep them apart?





Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Decadent Publishing

While the premise for this novella was intriguing enough, when I found out from the author that a conversation we'd had on Twitter months ago provided much of her inspiration for this piece I simply had to read it. I expected good things from it since I have enjoyed Ms. Quan's other works, and I wasn't disappointed. This one is sizzling hot from start to finish as what starts out as a semi-casual tryst between two people that meet by chance slowly develops into something that hints at an HEA for them in the future.

Warlock's Pawn by Tara Quan

Foreseeing the warlock’s destiny, Alia saves the man her sister plotted to kill. He returns five years later to conquer her city. A pawn in a battle for desert waters, Alia resigns herself to a political marriage and an empty bed. But when Duncan demands more than just her name, she chances losing her heart along with her freedom.

Determined to reclaim her kingdom, Anora parlays her body to remain at Duncan’s side. From within the Helicon court she spins her web, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Alia is all that stands between her and the throne. Her sister must cease to breathe before the warlock’s affection wanes.

A master tactician, Duncan has no qualms about making Anora his courtesan and Alia his queen. But it is Alia’s eyes that haunt his dreams, and she soon becomes his only weakness. With the perils that haunt the Helicon court, caring for the fey is absolute folly. A warlock’s love is a fatal curse, and Alia’s death will be his undoing.

Inspired by The Arabian Nights, Warlock’s Pawn is a romantic suspense replete with political intrigue, magic, and a sword-wielding alpha male.

Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBbooks
Liquid Silver Books

Right from the start of this book you're made aware that Alia is not a heroine that's going to need someone to save her. She'll save herself and her man, thank you very much. Though she's also not your typical kick-ass female warrior fantasy character, for she's really very self-effacing, a bit shy, and more than content to leave the spotlight to those who want it. Given her choice, she'd prefer to stay in her temple, doing her work as a priestess and healer and not get involved in the politics of the realm at all. Even though events force her to take a part in them, she still sits back and lets things unfold around her for the most part, only taking action when she must. That she is not afraid to take action when necessary, and does not hesitate to do so when the time comes, shows her strength of character.

Tower in the Woods by Tara Quan

Raised by the Women’s Independent Territory Church (WITCH), Nel Zapur is a skilled sniper tasked to eliminate zombies. Never having once laid eyes on a man, she has been a prisoner in her tower for eleven long years. A fateful snowstorm leads a mysterious stranger to her window, and saving him may prove to be the best and worst decision of her life.

Special Agent Dane Prince was sent to gather intelligence on the WITCH, and his journey leads him to a mysterious tower in the woods. Snowed in with a virginal member of the feminist cult, Dane is determined to use the situation to his advantage. Not only will Nel provide him with the information he needs, she will also learn to submit to his every desire.

Based on the Grimm’s fairy tale "Rapunzel", Tower In the Woods is a post-apocalyptic thriller, complete with zombies, snipers, a fateful snowstorm and...a hot, alpha male!

Where to Buy

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Liquid Silver Books

As is evident by the title and the description, this book is inspired by the classic fairytale, Rapunzel. Our heroine has been locked away in a tower from which she can't escape for nearly half her life with no way to escape it and dependent upon her jailor/caretaker to bring her supplies. She brings the supplies (and later Dane) up into the tower by means of a rope made from human hair. That is pretty much where the similarities end however, and what follows is quite unique.