Mr. Red Riding Hoode ★★★☆☆

Author: Dana Marie Bell
Genre: Paranormal Romance
97 pages

The better to make you mine, my dear…

When it came down to saving his best friend Ben’s relationship, Steven Hoode didn't hesitate to trade his Florida timeshare for a month at Red Wolf Lodge. Cold weather isn't his favorite thing, but hot snow bunnies are, so he plans to make the most of his vacation.

Good karma kicks in when he sees a pretty brunette chatting with the lodge owner. All thoughts of nuptials and nookie take a back seat to the heat that flares between them.

When Graciela “Chela” Mendoza catches sight of the gorgeous man shivering in a red-hooded parka, she realizes why he makes her heart beat faster. He’s her mate. The problem? Steven has no idea his friends are Wolves.

Chela plans to break it to him gently, but when he accidently witnesses the whole Pack shifting, things get a bit…hairy. He bolts, locking himself in his cabin and refusing to listen, even to Ben.

Unless she can get him to see that Wolves are people, too, Chela will lose her mate faster than she can say woof.

Warning: This book contains explicit sex, graphic language, a man packing some nice goodies and a she-Wolf all ready to gobble them up.

Cynful (Halle Shifters #2) ★★★★★

Author: Dana Marie Bell

     There is something about Dana Marie Bell's books that just entrances me.  It's like I start reading and next thing I know the whole day is gone.  I can't do anything until I'm done reading the book!  I've come to love all of the characters from the Halle Pumas/Shifters and Pocono's Pack.  This is the best book of either series so far.  I lovvvved it!  The cover is super hot too.

     If you read the first book from the Halle Shifters series Bear Nessesities then you are familiar with Cyn and Julian.  He's a spirit bear and she's the human friend of Tabby from that book.  Both of them were so much fun to read!  They're hilarious.  As you'll see in my favorite quotes I couldn't stop laughing.  But there were parts that made me cry as well.  This book'll take you through the emotions that's for sure.  

     In this book someone is hunting Cyn and her friends from the tattoo shop.  They can't figure out who it can be and more and more people keep getting hurt.  Soon the Pocono pack is involved and to keep her friends safe Cyn decides to use herself as bait.  Let's just say all hell breaks loose and the person who is hunting them is not who I thought it would be.  So there's a good bit of mystery thrown in there as well.  I really enjoyed this book and everything Julian.  Hubba hubba!  Hot bear shifters anyone?   

Favorite Quotes:

"Dios.  It's like watching two Yorkies fighting over a french fry."

"Oreos are manna of the gods, you evil heathen."

"Aw, you're so cute.  Sort of like a rabid weevil.  With anthrax."

"You want me to find you some honey?  A cookie?  Mabye a small, furry animal?  You could hug it and love it and call it George."

Finding Forgiveness (Poconos Pack, #1) ★★★★☆

Author: Dana Marie Bell

"Warning: This book contains explicit sex, graphic language, and male/male 
love scenes between two top dogs. Who knew Rock Paper Scissors could be 
such fun?"

     This is only the second m/m book that I've read.  The first was Lover at Last from the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  There was nothing in this book that made me uncomfortable and it made me wonder why I never read any m/m because I know a lot of people who do.  Dana Marie Bell made this book just as entertaining as any of her other books.  The above quote from her website made me laugh because only guys would use rock paper scissors as a precursor to sex.  

     In previous books there's been a big deal made if it's even months before mates get together.  That pales in comparison to the 9 years that  went by before Ben and Dave finally face the facts.  A few silly misunderstandings that could have been cleared up in one conversation kept them apart all that time.  This one is a tear-jerker that's for sure!  I loved it and how fun it was as well.  Ben really annoyed me at the beginning of the book but in a way his behavior is understandable.  Dave was my favorite.  I liked him in Rick and Belle's book as well.

     While I did feel that this book could have been a little longer I was happy with the way it ended.  I look forward to the next Poconos Pack book that will be released next month.  Dana Marie Bell is turning out to be one of my favorite authors.  She has a way of making her characters so realistic and funny, it keeps me coming back for more.  Especially after other books continue to disappoint.  I know I can turn to her books and get a happy ending.

Only in My Dreams (Halle Pumas #5) ★★★★★

Author: Dana Marie Belle

     A few months ago one of my Goodreads groups read Bear Necessities.  At the time I didn't realize that the Halle Shifters series was a spinoff from the Halle Pumas.  In Bear Necessities there is a big confusion with Chloe's cousins over who her mate is.  They assume that it is Gabe the sheriff.  I now understand that sooo much better now that I've read this book.

     Let me just start off saying that Gabe is an idiot in this book.  It also doesn't make Chloe look very good either.  What happens is that shortly after Gabe and Sarah realize that they are mates Gabe has to leave for like 8 months.  Instead of mating Sarah before leaving he thinks it would be better to wait until he gets home.  Then he quits calling her because he doesn't want to disappoint her by not being able to share with her where he is and when he will be back.  Instead he asks Chloe to befriend Sarah and keep her spirits up.  Chloe lets Gabe think that this is what she's doing when instead she uses her friendship with Gabe to make it appear as if they are dating.  She does this because she is jealous of Sarah's relationship with Jim, Chloe's mate.  

     A lot of the reviews that I read for this book were negative because of Chloe and Gabe.  I gave this book 5 stars because of the intense feelings that it elicited in me.  Seriously, I was shaking at one point I felt Sarah's pain so thoroughly.  Any book that can you make that level of emotion deserves 5 stars in my opinion.  Another favorite part of this book were all of the Orlando hotspots mentioned.  I live close to Orlando and it was really cool reading about places like The Rainforest Cafe that I have visited.  

Steel Beauty (Halle Pumas #4) ★★★★☆

 Author: Dana Marie Bell

    I have fallen in love with this series!  This book is no exception.  In Steel Beauty we are introduced to the Pocono Pack.  Belinda from the Halle Pumas ends up being the mate of Rick, the alpha of the Pocono Wolves.  I found it interesting because my hubby is from The Poconos.  :)  As with the Halle Pumas pride this pack is struggling through a change in leadership.  Rick is the new alpha and his pack is still going through growing pains.

     One of the issues that this new pack is suffering is that Belinda or Belle can't join the pack because of the injuries that were inflicted in the last book while protecting Sheri the marshall's mate.  It is decided that it would be better for her to stay with the pride until her hip is better.  Which ends up being around five months.  During that time the most dominant female in the pack tries to take over.  She's a royal bitch and I couldn't stand her.  

     Rick and Belle have to struggle through not only a new mating and her coming from a pride to a pack but also a dominance battle.  I loved Belle in this book.  She really shows her stuff.  I also liked the packmates including the omega Chela and the second and Marshall Ben and Dave.  Looks like the next Pocono pack book will be with Ben and Dave as well!  I think my fav was Chela out of all of them.  The way she treated Belle and defended her against Gina was awesome.  

My favorite quotes:

"So this is what it's like to be pussy-whipped.
He decided not to share that little observation with Belle.  She'd probably do something gruesome to him in his sleep."

"And last, but not least, you will show deference to the Omega.
Because if you don't, you will regret it in a very bad, not good, terribly awful way."

Cat Of A Different Color (Halle Pumas #3) ★★★★☆

Cat Of A Different Color by Dana Marie Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So far this was my favorite of the Halle Pumas series. This series is really messing with my to-read books for this month. I only meant to read the first book in the series but I just can't stop myself. That's what I get for getting them all at once. The temptation is too much! While trying to figure out the reading order I found it and some free ebooks on Dana Marie Bell's website: http://www.danamariebell.com/eBooks.html

All of your favorite characters from the first 2 books are in this book to an extent. This book is about Sheri who we met in book 2 as the friend of Max and Simon from college that was joining the pride and was having personal problems. We discover her personal problems and a lot more at the beginning of the book. I really liked Sheri. We also get to know Belle or Belinda more in depth in this book which was pretty cool. Adrian as you know is the puma that shares a practice with Max. He finds his place in the pride in this book. I found all of that fasinating. We also get to meet Richard, the new alpha from the Pocono pack of wolves.

I enjoyed this short read. Although short there was a lot packed into it. And now for my favorite quote. It brought tears to my eyes!

"The snow-white puma came soaring out of the back window with an effortless grace that burned through him. Her bright red eyes were fixed on him with fear, love, relief and hope."

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The Wallflower (Halle Pumas #1) ★★★★☆

The Wallflower by Dana Marie Bell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had read Bear Necessities a few months ago, not realizing that the Halle Pumas series came first. I finally got back to this series and I'm glad I did. My only complaint is that it was too short, oh and I don't like the cover. I haven't checked yet but I'm assuming the next book is Becky and Simons? I'm looking forward to the rest of this series and then picking back up on the Halle Shifters series as well.

Emma was easy to relate to. Us wallflowers have to stick together! I thought her and Becky were both hilarious. I always appreciate when an author goes through the trouble to not make the characters perfect. What fun is that anyway? Max was your average alpha-male. But that's why we love these books though right? Max and Simon were almost as entertaining as Emma and Becky. Almost.

If you like shifters, romance and a little comedy thrown in you'll love Wallflowers. I have the feeling I've found another favorite author.

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