Tied With a Bow [Paperback]

Lora Leigh (Author), Virginia Kantra (Author), Eileen Wilks (Author), Kimberly Frost (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 1, 2011

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh headlines an all-new paranormal romance anthology that turns up the holiday heat.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh features the Breeds in her story. New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra brings a haunting tale of a fallen angel. USA Today bestselling author Eileen Wilks returns to the shapeshifing Lupi for another magical tale. National bestselling author Kimberly Frost introduces a new paronormal world of muses and vampires.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lora Leigh lives in Pennsylvania. Virginia Kantra lives in North Carolina. Eileen Wilks lives in Texas. Kimberly Frost lives in Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 042524329X
• ISBN-13: 978-0425243299
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Anthologies are always a little tricky to review--how do you give a final rating? November 6, 2011

By Jackie-the-Greyhound TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Do all the stories have to rock, or is one good one enough to make up for something poorer? Does it matter if they fit a theme? Does it have to hurt is something is outside a genre I might normally like? And my biggie...if a story is part of a series, will I want to go read the series? Or if it's a series I already follow, is it a worthy entry?

Basically I mentally try and give each story a yes or no vote and figure out if the end tally comes closest to 100/80/60/40/20 consistent with the 5 star system in place, while taking the above into consideration.

Also, I normally don't give too much of a plot summary--it gets tiresome when other reviewers and/or the book blurb do a great job. I did notice one review was full of factual errors (HK)...but the others (look at Melindeeloo particularly) do a great job, which is good as this book's 'publisher's blurb' is terribly empty.

The cover implies a running holiday theme...the holidays were the backdrop for several, but honestly there is one story I can't even remember the link. I also thought theme-wise, this anthology was highly variable. Historical/near-future/alternate modern, and peppered with Angels (fallen and otherwise), vampire kin, wolf kin and the Breeds. Kind of all over, but the variety was interesting. I'm not sure other than the bare hint of holiday exactly how these were chosen, but I did enjoy them, so not a big deal in the final count.

So...the stories.

1. Upon A Midnight Clear--this one was the toughest for me to decide on. I've yet to get hooked on the historical era novels (this was 1792-1810s if I did the math right--can't call that Regency right?), and the Fallen Angel theme has also been one I've not gotten into as much. Despite my trepidation I found myself quite enjoying this. The writing flowed well and there was some real interest generated in the characters--I'd love to see more about them. I get the idea this is the prequel for a new series by the author and I will keep my eye out. I may not read them given I don't usually go for this era, but some day when I'm in the mood for something different I have a feeling this will be a great place to start. Win.

2. First Light--the start of a new series. I doubt I would have given this series a second look given the length of my TBR list but I found this one a great read. It managed to set the tone for what promises to be a complex world combining elements including half-human vampire descendants, demons, angels and human descendants of the Muses. I never would have thought this sounded feasible, yet this story was extremely well done. The characters never devolved into the tiresome `explaining' syndrome--the were well drawn and I felt that I got a real taste and sense of them. This story really pulled me in and I have now added the upcoming series first book to my `list'. A definite `Win'.

3. Human Error--this is the first book I have ever read in the `worlds of the Lupi' by Eileen Wilks. This was obviously part of a series, and events from the series were mentioned, yet I never felt as though I was missing anything by not having read the precursors. Once again the writing was well done enough that the novella stood on it's own merits. I must admit that shape-shifters are among my favorites of the `paranormals' so this one also is getting added to my `list'. It's nice to have a series to start that is already far along--gives you a chance to really sink into it without having to wait. Win.

4. An Inconvenient Mate--ah, the Lora Leigh Breed story. I try to keep tabs on which story is coming out when, but I don't watch her website. A few months ago the publishing order was different--there was a story with a different title listed as coming out around this time frame, and her upcoming novel originally had a publication date before this anthology. I definitely got the feeling that once I read her next novel (now coming out in December if I recall correctly) will help suss out some of the details incorporated into this story. The Breed history is pretty convoluted and if you haven't been reading them I think this story will leave a lot of questions. As a Breed story it was pretty typical--it's always fun to see a Breed find a mate, and this mate was not a ninny as some have been. I rather liked her. I loved some of the tidbits dropped and as usual, I felt like the novella length suits the author nicely. I only noticed one significant editing flub, which I think is a record for her publisher and it wasn't terribly distracting. Great for the Breed fan...and I do continue to follow the series. Win, but for those already `into' the Breeds. I'm not so sure for the Breed-naive.

Overall, I was pretty happy with this anthology--some very pleasant surprises and at least one that might have me going off in a whole new direction. My usual desire to split stars is present but given my level of enjoyment with each story, the 5 stars are well earned.

JTG

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars For the Breed Fans November 2, 2011

By Readergirl

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Obviously the minute I got this I moved to the Inconvenient Mate story featuring Lora Leigh's Breeds. Many fans of the Breeds have been buzzing about this story...so here is the information:

I couldn't remember running into Malachi in other stories (let me know if you remember which ones he is in). Malachi is coyote. He meets Isobel when he goes with Ashley, Rule and Stygian to meet with the Navajo Nation. They are searching for one breed (I think this stems from Caleb's story)and two human women (one they refer to as Christine Roberts who may be the 'Honor Roberts' they have mentioned in Aiden's story who potentially may be related to Amburg possibly). They think the Navajo nation knows where they are and the breeds are trying to find them.

Really this story furthers the plot and sets up future stories. Lawe and Diana are briefly mentioned as already mated...I think it might set up Stygian's story as well (for some reason I think he might have Honor Roberts as his mate-but as always I could be wrong).

The story itself is good...but very short (hence the antho). It kind of reminded me of Creed's story in Primal. I think that it is definitely worth the read because Lora Leigh does use it to set up/continue plots.

My thoughts.....

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Holiday feel to the stories December 21, 2011

By K. D. Davie

Format:Paperback

There are four stories in this anthology of romance.

The Stories
Virginia Kantra's Upon a Midnight Clear is an historical romance some years after the French Revolution. A decision made by an angel to rescue a girl from Madame Guillotine results in his becoming Fallen although he later finds Aimée surviving as an unpaid drudge in her cousin's house when Lucien arrives to court the daughter of the house for her dowry. A cute romance that could have stood more work. That or it needed to become a full-length story as Kantra simply dropped us into situations without developing them. It's all just too easy.

Kimberly Frost's First Light was a rather unique perspective on angels with this time traveling angel attempting to resolve an centuries-old feud Definitely an interesting romantic conflict with both parties thinking they knew the other but had no idea how or where. Frost did a nice job in creating an alternate world with few words and creating tension although the ending seemed too abrupt. I'd like to see if this is a series.

Eileen Wilks' Human Error occurs less than two months after the events in Death Magic (World of the Lupi, Book 8) with Benedict going to spend the Yule holidays with Arjenie's Wiccan family. It's a bit of an uphill row for Benedict as they can't explain about the mate bond and various members of the family are angry at him; they believe he has used some sort of juju to enthrall Arjenie into doing as he wants. All it takes is a short battle with Coyote and a humongous bear to bring the family 'round.

I like that Benedict is concerned about what his clothes will say culturally to Arjenie's family.

Arjenie Delacroix's family consists of the aunt and uncle who raised her after her parents were killed in a car accident (the one that resulted in her limp), Robin, a large animal vet, and Clay, a blacksmith and sculptor and two of their three kids, the twins, Siri and Sammy; Uncle Hershey and his partner Gary; Uncle Ambrose and Aunt Carmen with their kids; Uncle Nathan with his wife Sheila with their three kids; Stephen; and, I'm not sure who Malik, Danny, and Amy belong to as Wilks did a lovely job of creating a sense of boisterous family; and, Havoc the terrier who plays a very important role.

Lora Leigh's An Inconvenient Mate focuses on Isabelle Martinez and a Coyote Breed, Malachi. It's an inconvenient time to find his mate. Rule and his men are trying to find some Breed survivors on the Navajo reservation and they can't come right out and tell the tribal Elders this. The primary theme is the man stalking Isabelle. Holden. He doesn't understand no. Doesn't care about no. But now he has Malachi to explain the definition. This story takes place during Lawe's Justice (Breeds, 25).

The Cover
The cover is a red and white icicle-strewn background of Christmas with a partially wrapped present of a dew-bedecked, muscled male torso. I do like the positioning of that bow!

My guess is that the title reflects that each story is wrapped up all pretty and tidy at the end.