Customer Reviews

Unleashing the Storm (ACRO, Book 2)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kira Donovan has long since accepted the overwhelming urge to mate that comes once a year. Having decided that being pro-active is best, Kira makes sure she has men available to see to her needs. Working on an isolated farm in Idaho (seriously), Kira has found a measure of peace in taking care of animals that no one wants but her. As an animal psychic, Kira is able to bond with animals in ways that few other people can. When Tom Knight shows up at her doorstep looking for work, Kira can't afford to let him leave. Not only does she need the help, but the more men around means the easier things will be for Kira.

Tom "Ender" Knight has a very simple mission. Bring Kira onboard with ACRO within 48 hours or kill her. Ender knows that the reason he was brought in was because he is just about the only agent that would kill an innocent woman if necessary. Soon after arriving, Ender learns that he's not the only one after Kira. What he does know is that he has to get into Kira's confidence, and fast. When her "heat" begins, Ender is more than happy to see to her needs...for the first 24 hours. It's not until he finds himself having feelings for Kira that he wonders what he has gotten himself into.

Soon Ender and Kira are on the run from Itor, the other agency that wants Kira. The difference between ACRO and Itor is that ACRO will teach her to help where Itor will force her to hurt. Even with his growing feelings for Kira, Ender still knows that he would have to kill Kira before letting her fall into Itor's greedy hands.

I highly recommend paranormal lovers give this series a try. You won't regret it!

Kira Donovan, an animal psychic living on an Idaho farm animal reserve comes to ACRO's attention because of her ability to speak to and control animals. Kira's character is fascinating in that she actually has a `heat' once a year when she requires her sexual needs to be satisfied or she suffers unfortunate side effects. Kira has suffered ridicule and revulsion from others her entire life because of her gift and yearly needs but has eked out a comfortable existence on the farm caring and nurturing a large cross section of abused and abandoned animals.

ACRO agent Tom "Ender" Knight's mission is to bring Kira in at all costs because the bad guys want her and if she were captured her gifts would be used against the world. Ender is an awesome character, a former Army Delta Force Covert Operative sniper; he is conflicted, powerful and focused on one thing - the completion of his mission. Ender has a dark rapier wit that took me by surprise and had me laughing out loud. However, he is also a lethal predator who doesn't hesitate to use deadly force when required.

Kira and Ender are perfectly matched with respect their base, sexual needs. They share a connection to the animal kingdom in an elemental way that enhances their remarkable sensuality. Ender is however a solitary individual who resists his growing involvement with Kira, she is "a mission" after all. I have to say the authors penned a conclusion to their love story that was both surprising and sweet. Kira and Ender's story tugged at my heartstrings until the last page.

As with all the ACRO stories, the action had my heart thumping and the suspense was thrilling.

If you're interested in paranormal romance books (Kresely Cole, J.R. Ward, Christine Feehan, etc.),then you should give this book a chance. I really enjoyed the world that Sydney Croft created and the various secondary and minor characters. Also, if you didn't know she also writes under the name Larissa Ione and has a book out call "Pleasure Unbound," another paranormal romance (but not an erotic romance), which was great as well.

this one was even better than her first! likeable characters, good action scenes, surprising plot twists and lots of romance.
highly recommend reading Riding the storm first though, due to the plot spoilers in this one.

I think I liked this one better than the first! This one is about Ender one of the most trusted agents boss Dev of ACRO has. ACRO is an agency of people with supernatural abilities helping the greater good of the world. Ender was in the military, after a tragic event he went to work for ACRO. He has no friends, cause he likes it that way, its safer for them and for Ender(in his mind). Sent to procure a female animal whisperer, to get her to sign on to ACRO or he'll have to terminate her so she doesn't fall into the wrong hands. He goes in as a farm hand to the place Kira Donovan works. When he gets there he is instantly aware ACRO's enemy Itor is on her path and coming after her. After reading her file he learns she has a mating period of 4 weeks every year, he thought this was a joke, but it's not. If Kira doesn't get the males release in her every 4 hours she gets deathly ill, too long and she will die. On the run from Itor Kira's needs makes it hard for Ender to seperate his growing feelings for her from the mission.
I liked this book, its fast paced and entertaining. I like the sub-characters as well, Creed and Annika, Haley and Remy and Dev and Oz. I will definately be moving on to the third in the series.
Riding the Storm (ACRO Series, Book 1)
Unleashing the Storm (ACRO, Book 2)
Seduced by the Storm

Erotic with a highly engaging plot, Sydney Croft has done it again. What more can an erotica superfan like myself ask for?!? Ender/ "Tom" and Kira's story was very imaginative: the use of sex as a survival requirement, who would have thought. It proves that anything is possible. My enjoyment was magnetized by the sheer hold a woman can wield over a man especially when they are as virile, gritty, hard-assed, and self-assured like Tom. Although, Kira's powers were underdevelopment, with a cast of supernatural abilities, intriguing in-depth supporting characters that continue to develop with each installment like Annika's and Creed's, my absolute favorite couple, this book was a winner. This was an enjoyable addition to the series. I enjoy this installment of the series more than "Riding the Strom", the 1st book. I love a book that has everything: a complicated plot that involves romance, hot sex, angst and some great adventure.

Beware this series contains homosexual sex scenes. I don't care one way or the other, but I know several people that would be greatly offended by that. Ok, also don't expect the depth of the Demonica Series. This is described as Erotica, basically I have found that means a loose plot and filler to link together really good sex scenes. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I would have liked to see the Agencies defined and thought out a bit better. There again I have NEVER found that in Erotica. Just don't expect too much, and it will be an enjoyable read.

Wow this one is hot and lots of sex, Man this is my favorite series of books

WOOOOHOOOO!!!! So totally liked this book. Much better than her 1st and will probably keep getting better as the series continues. I've read all of these stories and Unleash The Storm was my personal favorite. Maybe because it was my 1st by Sydney Croft. I'm just glad I'm hooked on her Acro books. Fans of erotic paranormal will be bowled over by secret agents, good guys versus..you guessed it the bad guys.LOL. I never get tired of seeing the good guys win. This love story features Tom Knight aka the Ender. Knight is a cold hearted assassin who believes in getting the job done. Enter our animal expert Kira. Acro wants to recruit Kira for her gifts of communicating with animals.Tom Knight is sent to recruit her.
Knight and Kira are pushed together through the circumstances of her gift and soon the two are inseperable. This 2nd novel in the triology pulled me in to the hero and heroine so much more than Ride the Storm and I was wishing all the way through for their HEA. As the story rocks on we are once again given glimpses of Croft's awesome cast of secondary characters and I LOVE Creed and Annika. This is paranormal erotica at its best. Well worth the 5 stars.

On a general note, I like the concept of this series: ACRO, an Agency where people with super-human abilities are gathered to work for the good of the world as opposed to its evil counterpart, ITOR.

This series is very heavy on the sex - bordering on boring - because really, after a while your reading feels as sore as the protagonists of the book. It's entertaining though. I didn't really care for the main couple but I didn't dislike them either. I think there were aspects of Kira's ability that were added during the story as an additional touch, but the story line is simple and since I like animals, I liked the way she could interact with them. Ender was rough but caring, but he was more interesting when he was bantering with Remy or arguing with Dev than when he was with Kira. I think he's sharper edge was smoothed down.

I was more interested in the side stories, especially Dev, his former lover Oz and Dev's past. Maybe it's because ghosts appeal to me, but Dev, Oz and Creed are my favorite characters. I didn't like Annika very much, I can't understand what she has in his mind.

It's a series that I'll read again in the future, but I feel no real urgency to grab the next book.