Lucci's List: February, 2021

This month I am pleased to provide you with a selection of love stories to warm your heart.

"The Price of Paradise" by Susana Lopez Rubio, translated by Achy Obejas, is a must-read. Romance, action, adventure - this book has it all!

Set in Cold War Cuba, two lovers must navigate the local mob, sinister family ties, and social mores.

The characters are so well written, that the reader feels immediate empathy with them. The banter and witty conversations bring life to each scene. The setting is at once glamourous and raw.

Love, heartbreak; desire and murder all entertwine in this tangled tale of what love is, and how far people will go to make or break it.

I am not usually a romance fan, but this book was so much more than boy meets girl. Thrilling!

"Traveller" by Caitriona Page is lesfic at its best.

Riona is an Irish immigrant who is graduating from college. She decides to purchase a Volkswagen Bus and fix it up so she can travel the country wit it and her trusty fiddle. A sudden tragedy and an unplanned romance urge her to give up on her dream.

Riona must rise up against an evil mystery and embolden herself to come out of the closet as a gay woman. If she doesn't, she may not just lose her future hopes, but also her present loves.

Riona is bright and talented, playing her father's old fiddle in a traditional Irish band while she finishes her exams in her music school. Parentless, she has found family through her best friend, Jordan.

Then one horrific car accident changes her life forever. Riona is forced to live a lie. Just as she was about to come out of the closet, her devotion to he adopted family shuffles her back in.

When her heart is broken and the truth comes out, who does she have to turn to?

The characters in this book are vivid and realistic. Even the minor characters shine through. Tomi, the former airfare pilot who Riona falls for, is a sexy and intriguing woman.

The way the minor and major plot lines intertwine is both natural and surprising.

The response to coming out as a gay person, addressing drug abuse, and showing overt prejudice against LGBTQ individuals in society was handled delicately at first, then head-on.

The love scenes are described with passion without being overtly graphic.

There were some grammatical errors, but not bad enough to take away from the richness of this book.

"Traveller" is a great romantic novel perfect for teen and adult readers.

"Hearts Eclipsed" by L.C. Son is a companion novel to "Beautiful Nightmare (Book 1)." I did not read book 1 first, although the author recommends to start there. Nevertheless, I soon found myself immersed in an easy to follow storyline with smooth settings and interesting characters.

Jackson is a wealthy man of power. He is in love with Damina; beautiful, sultry, and strong yet resigned. Their passion for each other is mutual and exquisite. But Jackson has a secret that prevents them from consummating their love sexually. He is a werewolf. As long as they remain unmarried, Damina will never have to know this other part of him. Jackson obsesses over the perfect way and time to confess all to Damina. He is not the only contender for Damina's affections but he is determined to make Damina his wife.

In the meantime, Jackson continues his personal goal of ensuring peace in th supernatural world. This isn't always easy although his small group of friends and family support him, sometimes by challenging him.

Caught between the natural and supernatural he tries his best to be noble, to be a protector, to be a person who can be relied on. His instincts work for him and against him.

The other supernatural beings he encounters create epic scenes that sometimes border wonderfully on the macabre.

"The smell of freshly spilled blood feathers my nose, causing my fangs to elongate and my tongue to slither at its invitation."

Horror turns to heartache as Jackson's wolf form overtakes him, causing him to miss a vital milestone in his and Damina's life together. Then Damina disappears. Jackson is sworn to protect her, and must find her or else lose everything he has ever cared about. But what if she doesn't want to be found?

Although there are traitors in his midst, Jackson needs to choose to trust his supporters, even when their actions defy his will.

This modern werewolf story is fast-paced and flows well. The pure love is sweet but tempered by morbidity so as not to be saccharine. Told in first person present from Jackson's point of view, this paranormal romance involves werewolves, vampires, and other dark creatures who aren't always as evil as they appear. Hinting at sex without being gritty, and exploring grim scenes of murder without being explicit, I recommend this for fans of paranormal romance.