Jeffe Kennedy

Five Golden Rings by Jeffe Kennedy
(Novella #4: Facets of Passion Series)
Source: Purchase
Rating: 5/5 stars

What could be better than Christmas in Cozumel at an exclusive resort with a hot man and the promise of rest and relaxation and some fantastic sex? Pretty much nothing; that’s one damn fine week Tilda Campbell has planned. Too bad all those plans got scrapped the second her man dumped over the phone while she was waiting at the airport for their flight. Balls!! With the week already show more planned and the time from work already taken off, Tilda boards that flight with the intention of mending her broken heart and salvaging what she can of the week. Little does Tilda know how radically her last-minute plans are about to change.

Miguel d’Oro is on his way to the family-owned resort and Cozumel to negotiate a large and very personal deal. Though he would rather not be spending Christmas working, his plans begin to look up considerably when he meets Tilda Campbell en route. After a brief and very flirtatious conversation, Miguel and Tilda (aka Roo) decide they will not only spend the week together but they will do so in a most naughty and experimental manner. Though she has never done anything so reckless or exciting, Roo is willing to not only experiment but to also leave all of the planning and execution to Miguel. With a safe word in place, Roo and Miguel embark on their own wonderfully naughty Twelve Days of Christmas.

The excitement and the sex play begin almost immediately with a sexy dinner and the promise of a gift the next morning. You see, though Roo has never done anything quite so naughty, Miguel has and he has planned a gift and event related to each of the twelve days of Christmas. True to his word, Roo finds a lovely little sex toy and significantly revealing outfit delivered to her the very next morning. Though nervous, Roo decides to play the game and much to her very, very great pleasure is rewarded by Miguel, his incredible stamina and, creative mind. Up to this point, Roo had no idea orgasms could be so plentiful and so damn good!! And so, the Twelve Days of Christmas begins . . .

For most of the twelve days, events related to Roo and Miguel’s sexual relationship continue on with few interruptions, a great deal of inventiveness and, a great deal of pleasure. But, Roo is a very smart and perceptive woman and knows that things with Miguel and his negotiations are not going well. On several occasions Roo attempts to engage Miguel in conversation about his negotiations but is shut down each and every time. With only a few small outbursts, Miguel refuses to discuss the negotiations and when things finally come to a head, the Twelve Days of Christmas comes to an early end. Though Roo understands Miguel’s decision to leave, it does nothing to relieve the slightly unsatisfied and disappointed feelings she is experiencing. But, perhaps Miguel has one last play that will leave all involved totally and completely satisfied.

The Bottom Line: I am all kinds of in love with Jeffe Kennedy’s Facets of Passion series. Each novella can be read as a stand-alone should you choose too, each read is full of interesting and naughty moments with only the tiniest bit of kink, each read has distinctly different and fully-developed characters and, each read is well written and fully resolved with no unanswered questions or loose ends. For me, these short, fast and thoroughly entertaining reads satisfy my need for good storytelling and erotica all rolled up into one naughty little package. show less

You can find this review and others at my review blog Pages & Prose

4.75

Jennifer lives a life of lies; lies to make her happy, to make her feel that everything is okay in her life. The problem?

The lies aren't working.

She's stuck in a relationship with a man she doesn't even like and she's plagued by dreams of a large, black dog. While at a party with the annoying fiance she leaves after a disagreement and takes a drive only to end up at the Devil's Tower (which confused me because I still show more have no idea what it was). She spends the night, decides to go for a walk the next morning (in heels and a cocktail dress, no less. Now, that's pure awesomeness!), and ends up in Fairie World.

That's when the fun starts. For Jennifer and the reader.

I have to say that Jennifer/Gwynn is one of my favorite heroines out of the books I've read lately. She's tough, intelligent, and, for the most part, highly logical. Those irritating ladies who seem to misplace logic as soon as they're faced with a hot guy get annoying. Jennifer was not one of those chicks and I loved it. Sure, I didn't agree with all of her decisions, but I understood why she did them. She was pretty badass.

The world was complex and well thought out. I loved that Fairie World was dark and somewhat sad. As an adult reader, I want the dark because not everything is bright and beautiful in life. That's how I picture my fairies. Gorgeous to look at and scary as hell up close. I was completely sucked into their world and didn't want to leave when the book ended. Only one series of books have had that effect on me, Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts, and that, in itself, was a revelation. I like/love certain books but I'm not sad to leave the world when they end like I was here.

Write more, Jeffe!

It took awhile for me to get into the book, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The reason I gave it 4.75 out of 5 stars is because in some places the writing was confusing. It was almost too much description, which I never thought I'd say. I'm aghast at my words! But, they're true. And, this is a small thing, but it bugged the crap out of me for some reason, stop talking about your contacts! I don't care about them. And, anyone who wears contacts knows that you never, ever put them in water to soak. Bad, bad Jennifer! My other complaint is that I still don't know what was so special about Jennifer/Gwynn or why Rogue called her. Fill me in!


Honestly, this book was awesome. Intelligent and beautifully written. I will definitely read more of Ms. Kennedy's books and I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys non-cookie cutter type heroines, heroes, and worlds. show less

This is a wonderful wrap-up to an exciting and original romance-fantasy series.

Con might have managed to rescue Lia from the grip of the evil wizards, but by bringing her back to life, none of them came out scar-free. Lia's more than confused...and those around Con keep reminding him it is the brain which rots first. But there's more to it; he's sure there is. But as she's lost in a muddled-mental-nightmare, the island is dying and sending the entire kingdom into chaos. But even if he finds show more a way to help her heal, there's still the question of what to do now that he knows the plans of the one who took her captive.

I'll admit, I can't remember if I read the second book in this series or not, but the first one definitely still sticks in my memories. So, while it took a bit to sink into this third installment and figure out what was going on, it wasn't too difficult either. Still, I recommend reading this as a series, since none of these are stand-alones.

There are so many original elements about this fantasy and surprises that it's hard to put this one down. Con has developed so much from the first book and is finally filling the shoes of the king he's meant to be. Lia has always been a force to be reckoned with, but now, the secret behind her entire existence is being exposed (one she doesn't know herself). It sheds an entire new light on her and the island, and she embraces all of this only the way a true heroine can. Of course, they have all of their allies on their side, which round off the richness and depth. I've learned to like every single one and am sad to see them go.

The pacing in this one is quick but by no means ignores the psychological and character development. There's just so much tension and darkness still to be unraveled that this bunch has more than enough to deal with. Of course, the writing is grabbing and the world building still draws in. So, the fantasy side of this sits solid and promises an exciting ride.

Then, there's romance. These two have long bonded, and despite several lingering doubts, are a couple through and through. Their relationship goes beyond superficial, which was really nice to see. There are a couple of steamier moments, but these are kept in check and don't overtake the main story in any way. The development in this one does leave the reader wondering how it will all turn out in the end, but the author does know how to close this one up in a wonderful way, too.

I received an ARC through Netgalley and really enjoyed the dive into this fantasy world. show less

The Mark of Tala
4 Stars

As the middle daughter of the High King of the Twelve Kingdoms, Andromeda has neither her elder sister's skill on the battlefield nor her younger sister's sweetness and beauty. Nevertheless, she is the daughter who captures the attention of a dangerous stranger accompanied by wolves and ravens who will stop at nothing to claim her as his queen. Will Andi forgo all she has ever known in order to fulfill her destiny?

Although the book is slow to start, the world-building show more is intricate and interesting, the characters well-developed and appealing, and the romance engaging.

The world of the Twelve Kingdoms is very compelling although the details concerning the war between the kingdoms and the feud between the Tala and the Moriyha (Andi's people) are revealed slowly as the story progresses. Likewise, the exact nature of the Tala's abilities as well as Andi's connection to them emerges throughout the narrative. Nevertheless, it is well worth the patience to get to the twists and turns - Andi's vial of blood and Hugh's death some of which will obviously play a part in the next installments.

The enemies-to-lovers romance is the highlight of the book. Andi and Rayfe, the enigmatic leader of the Tala, have tangible chemistry from their first encounter and the emotional bond that eventually develops is very satisfying. The fact that they are not pre-destined mates as is first suggested, but rather choose to join forces and fall in love makes their relationship even better.

The next book focuses on the youngest sister, Amelia. To be honest, she is the least likable of the trio with her simpering and self-absorption. Despite Andi's claims that there is more to her than superficial beauty, it remains to be seen whether there is actually an intelligent and good person behind her facade. I am interested enough in the world and the ongoing story-arc to give her a chance. show less