Enthralled

Breeds #19.5 (The Devil's Due)

by Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook

They have the power to hold you spellbound, to captivate your senses, and to keep you forever in their control. Forever enthralled…

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh returns to her sensual world of the Breeds…as one stubborn Breed meets her match, and can no longer deny her mate—or the fierce desires of her own heart.

New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day introduces the League of the Black Swan…and the dangerous game one woman plays when her family’s curse dooms her to kill the man she loves.

New York Times bestselling author Meljean Brook delivers a new story in her steampunk world of the Iron Seas…as a man who’s lost everything returns home to find that not only is his marriage in jeopardy, but he must now fight air pirates who intend to steal his one remaining treasure—his wife.

And Lucy Monroe, national bestselling author of the Children of the Moon novels…unleashes the feral passions of a werewolf on the body, mind, and soul of his prey, his lover, his lifemate.

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, Anthologies, Fantasy, Shapeshifters

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2013

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.


https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...

Reviews

[aarya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rating is only for Meljean Brook’s SALVAGED. I love angsty marriage-in-trouble stories so much. I can’t believe I read three novellas in one day!

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enthralled takes us a back to the familiar worlds of Lora Leigh’s sensuous Breeds, Meljean Brook’s steampunky Iron Seas, and to the medieval Highlands of Lucy Monroe’s shapeshifting Children of the Moon, plus it introduces the brand new Bordertown world of Alyssa Day’s Order of the Black Swan. Most of the stories are nice little carve out romances that will work for newbies and fans alike – though for Leigh’s having at least a passing familiarity with the Breeds is probably a good idea – and the stories were for the most part long enough to flesh out the leads so that I cared about their HEAs, which meant that Enthralled was a real winner for me.

The stories (in the order that I read them)…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Salvage - from Meljean Brook's Iron Seas (excerpt)

Salvage starts off with a bang, or rather “four thunks”, and it takes a bullet, a kidnapping, and a decision to throw away old promises to win this great starring pair a second chance happily-ever-after as Brook delivers another wonderful mix of romance and adventure from her Iron Seas world.

The characters in this series are always compelling, so it was no surprise that I loved the leads here: the clever, practical, determined, and self sufficient Georgie - and the strong, earnest, and vulnerable Thom. And I liked seeing Thom and Georgie work to salvage their marriage even as their lives are threatened, and that they are a good pair when it comes time to take the slimmest of chances to win their freedom -- her brains perfectly complement his brawn (and hidden gadgets).

So, Salvage was smart, sweetly romantic yet sexy, and fun - the door scene brought a smile to my face – and best of all everyone gets exactly what they deserve in the end.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Curse of the Black Swan - from Alyssa Day's new Order of the Black Swan series (excerpt)

Day did a good job of whetting my appetite for more of her Bordertown, which sits in a dimensional rift between the human, demon and fae worlds hidden in downtown Manhatten, while delivering a spicey-sweet romance set against a serial arsonist’s magically fueled attack on Bordertown.

Brynn, who plans on being the last in the line of daughters cursed to turn into a swan and sing, soon finds herself breaking her own rules by agreeing to a date with firefighter Sean (who doesn’t even blink an eye when witnessing her transformation) because she recognizes the loneliness behind Sean’s sexy grin. And Brynn makes Sean want to break his own rules as well, because Sean also has a ‘curse’ that he has decided not to pass on and is sure that no woman's love could survive the reveal of his secret. But pretty quickly Sean is convinced that a HEA may actually be within his reach - and Brynn may just be the one woman who can accept his hidden fiery nature.

I really liked both of the leads in this story. Brynn and Sean are both sweet and they are sweet together – their shared loneliness gives them common ground and allows them to make a deeper connection that makes this romance work in the short space. And I have to say it, fire demon firefighter -- Hot stuff. I also enjoyed the little glimpse at this new world, and I am looking forward to seeing more from Bordertown.

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Devil's Due - from Lora Leigh's Breeds series --(Leigh talks about the story on her blog here)

I am pretty sure that fan’s of Leigh’s Breeds aren’t going to want to miss this one, because it looks like she is pulling some threads to use in future stories.

For a short story, it takes a bit for Devil's Due to get to the main pairing in the current day but I liked the prolog which recaps the series in prose and “introduces” Devil, “the Grim Reaper of the Breeds”, and then moves on to touch quickly on the events surrounding the heroine Katie’s rescue as a young child from a Breed facility and - I think, since I only read the Breed shorts in anthologies like this one – to lay some ground work for the future of the series with another kind of Breed. Also there seems to be some other things in play as well with Cassandra and with a Breed who’s ‘passing’ for Lion.

So there’s a fair amount of story bits that are outside of the mating heat for Devil and the grown up Katie, strung in with the steamy stuff. The smexy times between Devil and Katie are as intense as you’d expect from Leigh, but for a Breed pairing they come together pretty easily, so I missed the usual build up of sensual tension from a Breed futilely trying to deny the pull of a mate and then explosively succumbing to the heat. And *in a small voice* I guess I watch too many nature shows because the description of “knotting” during the pair’s coupling brought a really awkward picture to my mind – but hey, guess that means that Wolf Breeds have to be cuddlers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ecstasy Under the Moon - Ecstasy Under the Moon - from Lucy Monroe's Children of the Moon –

Monroe, takes a step back to tell a story set before Dragon Moon.

Wolfshifter Byrant, is working to bridge the distance between the wolfshifting Faol and the birdshifting Elan, and trying to overcome the distrust caused by a few of his brethren hunting the birdshifters to the brink of existence. Eagle shifter Una, bears the emotional scars from her own encounter with the Faol, but walking with Byrant in the shared dreams of mates will help her to find the strength to trust in their connection.

This was a pleasant little romance that gives a glimpse of the Elan on their home turf and a chance to see prince Erik with his people before he made the trek to unite the wolves and birds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

eARC courtesy of my favorite author - release date June 2nd

[MelissaB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating for Lora Leigh book only - not bad but the story wasn't focused enough on the leads, I felt like I barely knew them. There were some side stories which aren't bad in a full size book but took too much time from the leads in a short story.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2013/07/review-...

I’ll be honest, when I saw Alyssa Day and Meljean Brook had stories in here, I begged, pleaded, and promised unsavory things to get Enthralled. I’m glad I did. Not only did I get the promised goodness I knew would come from Day and Brook, but I was also able to sample some of Lora Leigh and Lucy Monroe. I have heard of both authors but had not yet ventured into reading their series. I will be sure to rectify that as soon as possible.

Lora Leigh-The Devil’s Due (Breeds #28)

I’ve always been wary of this series because I’ve heard the men are REALLY alpha and some of the heroines are not treated all that well by some of the heroes. Regardless, I enjoyed this novella. In here we watch Devil find his mate. Devil is Breed and with the European counc. He is rumored to be the last face you will see before meeting your maker. Katie was rescued from a lab and raised as a human. When her change comes about, Devil and her family race to keep her safe. Though their romance develops super fast with the inclusion of the mating instinct, there is a good balance between the romance and the main conflict. There is also an interesting side story that develops.

Rating: B-


Alyssa Day- The Curse Of The Black Swan (League of the Black Swan #1.5)

I love this new series of Ms. Day’s. This novella gives us the backstory on the black swan legend and introduces a delightfully steamy romance between two people who have all but given up on love. Sean O’Malley is a fire demon who hides his true nature because of the rumors of instability and danger. Brynn is trapped in a centuries old curse that forces her to transform into a swan every third night and sing. An intriguing mystery intertwines with the main conflict and is used to expose Sean’s secrets and open both the hero and heroine’s hearts to a love worth fighting for.

Rating: B



Meljean Brook-Salvage (Iron Seas #3.5)

The Iron Seas series is a favorite of mine and this novella further solidified my love for it. Meljean Brook beings us love on the high seas in this romantic story of rekindled love. All Georgie wanted was her husband in her bed every night. All Thom wanted was to be worthy of Georgie’s love and stayed away at sea in order to achieve this. When both are kidnapped by a greedy nobleman, Thom and Georgie rediscover their love and passion among the high seas. Well defined characters and a strong emotional base that will have you rooting for this strong couple whose miscommunications cause a small blip in their journey to happily ever after.

Rating: B



Lucy Monroe-Ecstasy Under The Moon (Children Of The Moon #4.5)

When predator and prey find the courage to love despite their past conflicts, you get a sweet love story. This is my first time reading Lucy Monroe and I was intrigued by the story she told. Una, a bird shifter, still bears the emotional scars from her dealings with the wolf shifters. When Bryant, a wolf shifter, seeks to heal the damage caused by his brethren, he finds himself thoroughly enchanted with Una. His gentle nature and never ending patience gives his mate and her people the ability to rise above their prejudices and forge a connection made in love and trust.

Rating B-

[Cheesecake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Devil's Due (Breeds 28), by Lora Leigh *** 3 stars
I read this a while ago, so short review. Especially as I was a bit lost when I read it, because I hadn't read all 27 stories that came before. Katy and Devil. She is a breed but didn't know it growing up as she isn't as obvious as some. The authorities want to experiment on her but she's blockaded in her house. He's some kinda assassin/spy and has been watching her for years. He rescues her and well,
I honestly can't remember much more. i remember it wasn't particularly romantic and a lot of the already short story being wasted on other characters.

Curse of the Black Swan (League of the Black Swan 1.5), by Alyssa Day ---
Didn't read, not interested.

Salvage (Iron Seas Prequel), by Meljean Brook ** 2 stars
This is the story of 2 people who don't communicate well and so their marriage is estranged. It starts with Georgie dragging the wounded body of her husband, whom she hasn't seen in 4 long years, up the beach to her house. Thom, the husband who didn't even send her a letter in all that time knows he is top of her sh*t list, but not for the reasons he thinks. Then along comes a shifty self important wannabe nobleman, turned pirate. He kidnaps them both and during this experience, Georgie and Thom reconnect. The story is wonderfully crafted and unpredictable, but I didn't find it romantic. I thought Thom was an idiot to mistake her words and she was an even bigger idiot to decide that her poorly chosen words meant their whole fiasco of a marriage was her fault. So NO not a fan of this couple of twits. If Thom had spent more than 3 days with her over the course of their 8 year marriage, maybe they might have had a chance to communicate! While he is away he is spending all his time with Ivy. Sure she's just a friend, but he's giving her his time and care instead of his wife who has no idea where he is until she hears about it from others. not nice. Does he grovel? NO instead he is all self stoically self pitying. Georgie is the one doing all the verbal apologizing!!!
TO make the story worse, Georgie is sexually molested at about 70%. Not much detail is given, but it was very creepy.
So even though it's a pretty cool story, I had to give it a low rating cause I didn't enjoy it.

Ecstasy Under the Moon (Children of the Moon 3.5) by Lucy Monroe *** 3 stars
faol/wolf=Bryant & Elan/bird=Una
Una had something awful happen to her 5yrs ago, when she was 14... not rape, but torture
So now she is scared of everyone except kids, but especially wolves. Bryant is a cheerful guy though so if ever there was a wolf... Anyways, they start to meet in the spirit realm and get to know each other there before they meet. Bryant proves himself to her prejudiced father and it was a sweet HEA. Not my fave by this author, but it was enjoyable.

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I read scary fast, plus I have been home with a mild migraine, so I did read Affliction and Enthralled in a little more than 20 hours.
Goodreads does not offer a way to rate each story in an anthology, except by rating within the review. Enthralled earned 5 stars from me for Salvage, an Iron Seas love story/pirate adventure/steampunk tale. Georgie and Thom are my favorite characters since the Iron Duke and Mina. Georgie is a great female character, and the fake sex scene had me laughing hysterically.
The Devil's Due (3 stars) was a bit of a disappointment with a good story but little character development. Kate and Devil could have been so much more fun. The lack of bemoaning of her fate by Kate was a refreshing change. I would not be unhappy to be a Breed mate, and Kate's easy acceptance of Devil was nice. Mercury's War remains my favorite in this series.
Alyssa Day's Curse of the Black Swan (4 stars) was a sweet paranormal love story, but the plot had nothing to do with the blurb on the back of the book.
I am not a Lucy Monroe fan, and did not read Ecstasy Under the Moon.

I really wanted to read Salvage again, thanks to Grace Draven posting on Facebook several comments about reading The Kraken King. Salvage is just as good the second time. I giggled through the fake sex scene.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stories in this anthology, two I really wanted to read (see below) and two I just skimmed over.

The Devil's Due...It seems quite a while since I've read a Breed's story after reading all of them in a space of a couple of years. Despite a million reasons not to continue I must admit I do love my "guilty Pleasure" read and it was good to be in the Breeds' world again. As a novella, nothing of super significance happened to move the plot along except a bit of a teaser concerning Rule Breaker who is coming up next. And after perusing Lora Leigh's website she has finally provided us with an end point to the series and Cassie's book as a finale.... there are only four books to go. ★★★☆

Salvage... Another Iron Seas novella which could possibly be read alone but considering the intense world building is better read in series order. A poignant tale of misunderstandings and second chance love... and airships, submerged treasure and megalodons! ★★★★

[Preeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, so I only read Meljean Brook's story, but it was a fantastic one! It reminded me in tone of another novella of hers, the one about the marriage of Mina Wentworth's (remembering name correctly?) assistant. This one is about an estranged husband and wife forced to deal with monsters of both the human and beastly variety. Her monsters in the Iron Seas series (megalodons, zombies, etc.) scare the crap out of me. Clueless yet earnest and stalwart hero was endearing.

[Amyiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

First these are romances, paranormal ROMANCE, pnR with emphasis for each story on the R.

In my compilation I think the Lora Leigh book is missing which is alright with me as I haven't liked her Breed books. It is a library digital audio book and I don't think any of the audio versions has the Lora Leigh story as it is sold separately for $17. I'm glad to skip it. I started it for the Iron Seas novella (really like the Iron Seas) and the League of the Black Swan (Wanted to try Alyssa Day's new series)

Curse of the Black Swan- by Alyssa Day - 4 stars
I've been wanting to try the new series by this author as I liked her Warriors of Poseidon series. It's a mixed bag but over all I liked it. So this was my introduction and if the series, set in boardertown, is like this, I will definitely be reading more. I really liked the two and thought that she made a connection in the characters which is pretty hard in such a short time. It is a PNR and the mystery of the arsonist takes a backseat to the relationship. They both have secrets, though he stumbles upon hers so knows the basics pretty quickly. With their secrets, they have had a pretty lonely lives. He is tongue tied around her and it is quite cute. She is socially awkward so they match really well. I really liked this short and will try the first book.

Salvage- by Meljean Brooks (Iron Seas) 4 1/2 stars
Really liked this addition to the Iron Seas. A man has stayed away from his home trying to make a living for himself and his wife, thought there are other reasons too. His wife only wanted him to stay home and hold her. Now amiss rumors of infidelity and the long time abandonment, he arrives nearly drowned and dead on his wife's shores. She takes him in and nurses him back to health But has decided to give him his walking papers. Even before they are able to go to town to finalize any type of separation, his past catches up with him and takes her along.

This is a story of a lot of misconception due to not talking about feelings. There is a over arc of the pirates and kidnapping and trying to retrieve the gold, which was really quite good too. Mainly thought it is a PNR concentrating on second chances. I thought it was done very well. Brook can put a good story with a romance.

"Ecstasy Under the Moon" by Lucy Monroe - 3 (3 1/2) stars
After reading this one, I felt like I knew just a little bit about the shifters and the conflict. What I didn't feel is a big connection to any of the characters. Una was abused but we never get into how exactly other than one incident having her hand nailed to a post. we get that there is more to it but it is alluded to. Mainly this is a romance where the two meet in a mystical spot and then in real life. Getting to the end was drawn out and a bit boring as it focuses mainly on her fear, the dad's blaming the wolves, and Byrant pushing into their lives. This is going to help their people bridge a long divide. Anyway, that is what we are left with. It was sweet and touching when they finally get together in the end. Their vows and consummation, then being brought to the mystical place again to have it sanctioned. which made it worth reading if you like romance. It did get me wanting to know more about the world so I might try the first book. Then again maybe not.

[Jujubee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, I'll give the anthology a solid 5* rating for three reasons:
1. Salvage in the Iron Seas series...Georgianna and Big Thom are my new fav Steampunk couple!!
2. As of my 2019 reading, Salvage by Meljean Brook and Ecstasy Under The Moon by Lucy Monroe do not appear to be available anywhere else (at least I couldn't find any GRs listing.), so these two appear exclusive to this anthology.
3. Nice mix of stories. All enjoyable as rated below!

The Devil's Due (Breeds 19.5) 03/23/19 3*
Main Breed plot ambiguous in only the way LL can write, but the mating scenes btwn Devil and Katie/Kate were almost poetically prosed. Who knew that could happen LOL. Just MEH on this series somewhere after book 15ish ;)

Curse of the Black Swan (The League of the Black Swan 01.5) Alyssa Day read 03/25/19 a solid 3.5*
Enjoyed this shorty, that could be a standalone, for love over adversity btwn a cursed swan's lament and the heat of a lonely fire demon halfling.

Salvage (The Iron Seas 03.5) Meljean Brook read 04/04/19 5*
Georgianna and Big Thom are my new Steampunk couple!!
The journey back to each other was all the sweet hot love-hate angsty tension and action-packed thrills only this author can conjure up. I floved it hard!!! Big Thom will do anything for his Georgie ♡♡♡♡
Love had never been in question between them—only whether it was enough to overcome all the other hurts.

Ecstasy Under The Moon (Children Of The Moon 03.5) Lucy Monroe read 04/07/19 3.5* this novella sits somewhere in the middle of the series. I can not say if reading Bryant and Una's story would have more depth if I had read along in the series. For me it started out well enough, Una's circumstances made me immediately sympathetic and Bryant was noble in his character right from the get go...then her Da's bitter anger (justifiably so, initially) for Bryant's wolf-side went from protective father to self-serving stubborn bigot to all wolves in general. That plot devise slogged this shorty down, with not enuf writing space left for Una to develop beyond her fears believably IMHO. Not a badly told story by any means, just would have liked these two more page time. May see them more in futurebooks. Maybe one day I'll find out ;)

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read Lora Leigh's The Devil's Due (Breeds #28).

3 Devils Stars

Lora Leigh returns to her familiar Breed world with The Devil's Due. This is the story of the dealer of Death, Devil, and his mate, Katie. What they undergo is not simply about finding each other, but also dealing with those enemies who want Katie dead.

We don't get the usual sexual tension and woman fighting the mating heat, but Lora does't disappoint us with the intense sexual Breed encounters that we have come to enjoy in this series.

I am an avid Breed series fan, but I had trouble at the beginning of this story understanding what was going on. Once I got into The Devil’s Due and read Lora Leigh’s Blog post (here) on this story; did I finally understand what was happening.

We see Kate's rescue as a child and a peak at the Bengal Breed that everyone has been hunting in the last few books. He has been hiding out in plan site at Lobo's ranch. He finally understands why he has been hunting the girl/women so intently.

Fan’s of the Breed series will not want to miss this story or her blog post on it, because she’s pulling some new things together for future stories.

[Rei · Rating 4 out of 5]

The devil's Due
The Plot is amazing yet it had to ruined by the crappy dialogue.
not to mention the story moved way too fast, there was nothing substantial there.
the heroine looked weak and pathetic, come on when is Lora Leigh going to make a feisty heroine.
And as usual the guy was totally domineering and controlling and Katie the main girl just gave in quick. the plot line was the same as all the other books but this had no substance, katie the heroine was just a fickle character. this was not well thought out.
I think Lora Leigh is loosing her touch, she seems to be rushing the series. I would also like to see some more cunning and domineering form the women in this world. And the men to be just a little more understanding and a little less cheesy. The next time a male says a completely boneheaded and controlling thing the girl should just punch him and tell him to kiss his own bruises. thank god though that there are already some women in the series that have already asserted themselves as equal and powerful to their mates, the up coming mates should be set from their examples.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enthralling mix of paranormal and steampunk romance, this anthology will captivate your senses and leave you spellbound by the abundance of mystical creatures and their passionate love.

Read this review in its entirety at Fresh Fiction

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2013/07/05/...

I love Meljean Brook’s Iron Seas series, and for that reason alone I was excited to read this anthology. And I’m glad that I did, because I really liked three of the stories, and found two additional new authors that I’m excited to read more of.



The Devil’s Due by Lora Leigh is a story set in the Breeds universe. I have to be honest, I didn’t even like this story well enough to pay that much attention as I was reading. I didn’t really like Devil or Kate for that matter, and I thought their romance was lacking. It felt like half the story was spent on one of the secondary characters as much as the romance between Devil and Kate. I have read one other Breed story before and I didn’t hate it as much as I did this. I almost stopped reading this book two or three times, but ended up finishing it. However, I would give this story an F.

The Curse of the Black Swan by Alyssa Day is a novella set in the new series world, League of the Black Swan. I didn’t know what to expect while reading this story, as I’ve never read anything by Day before, but I was so happy with what I did read. The world was exciting and engaging and something unique. I liked the aspect of the city of Bordertown being in the midst of three different paranormal worlds and how they all interacted together. The story between Sean and Brynn was wonderful. The backstory with the curse was so fun and different, and I loved the way that Sean and his family felt they needed to hide their demon status. The worldbuilding was fabulous, the romance between Sean and Brynn sweet and sexy, and the set up for the series itself was wonderful. I’m excited to read the full length novel and am so glad that I’ve found a new author to enjoy.

I give The Curse of the Black Swan a B+

Salvage by Meljean Brook is a novella set in the Iron Seas world. I love the stories within this series, and this story was the main reason I read this anthology. This is the story of Thom, a salvager who left his one true love in search of a treasure to bring home to her. The only problem is that the only thing his wife wanted from him was to be home with her every night. When they get taken hostage by a pirate, they will have to rely on each other to get out alive. I really liked this story. It was sweet and gave us a glimpse into another aspect of the vast Iron Seas world. I really liked both Thom and Georgie, thought they were pretty perfect for eachother. I loved that Georgie was willing to wait for her husband to return to her, and yet she was also willing to pick up and make something of herself when he was away. Poor Thom had some big insecurities to overcome, and yet he did everything he thought he needed to in order to keep Georgie safe and happy. I thought they had a great rekindling of their romance, and I adored the two of them together.

I give Salvage an A.

Ecstasy Under the Moon by Lucy Monroe was the final story in the anthology, and a historical paranormal. While I’m not usually a big fan of historical paranormal stories, I read this are more of a fantasy romance, and it ended up working great for me. Una is an eagle shifter, but given her past she is scared of the wolf emissaries that come into their home. Something about Bryant attracts her though, and Una is willing to take a chance getting to know him in the spirit world. I happen to love fated mates stories when done right, and I thought Monroe got it right. I loved that Bryant pulled Una out of her scared little bubble, and that he was willing to go through so much to show her how special he thought she was. I liked that it seemed that these two very different cultures, wolf and birds, were going to come together to make their lives better all around. I don’t know how I would feel about a full length book in this series, but I did really enjoy this short and sweet novella.

I give Ecstasy Under the Moon a B.

All in all I thought the anthology was strong, except for the Leigh story. However, I know that the Breeds series is very popular, so fans of that will probably enjoy Devil much more than I did. On the plus side, those who pick up this anthology for the Breed story alone, will also have some great reading ahead of them with Day, Brook, and Monroe also providing knock-out stories.

[Reading In Pajamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

ENTHRALLED ANTHOLOGY by Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook and Lucy Monroe
PUBLICATION DATE: July 2, 2013
REVIEWED BY: Reading In Pajamas/ Donna
RATED: 4 Stars

Description and review for each novella separate below:

DEVIL'S DUE

DESCRIPTION:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh returns to her sensual world of the Breedsas one stubborn Breed meets her match, and can no longer deny her mate—or the fierce desires of her own heart.

REVIEW:
This was my first taste of a Breed Novel but I had no trouble following the storyline. The danger from outside forces coupled with sometimes wondering if the good guys were really all that good, kept the tension going. As for romance? It was HOT! I can only imagine what a full-length novel would be like. This series was already on my TBR list, now they have moved up.
*********************************************************************************************************

THE CURSE OF THE BLACK SWAN

DESCRIPTION:
New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day introduces the League of the Black Swanand the dangerous game one woman plays when her family’s curse dooms her to kill the man she loves.

REVIEW:
This was a nice introduction to her new series. Ms. Day did a good job of introduction without getting bogged down and overshadowing the story. I really liked the romance. Tender, heartfelt and warm. It blended nicely with the action. I cannot wait for book 1 of this new series to come out.
*********************************************************************************************************

SALVAGE ( A Tale of the Iron Seas)

DESCRIPTION:
New York Times bestselling author Meljean Brook delivers a new story in her steampunk world of the Iron Seasas a man who’s lost everything returns home to find that not only is his marriage in jeopardy, but he must now fight air pirates who intend to steal his one remaining treasure—his wife.

REVIEW:
This is the first time that I have read a Steampunk novel. I will admit that it isn't my cup of tea. That is a personal preference and does not reflect upon the writer's ability to bring the story to life. She has a smooth writing style that kept me reading and I found the romance sweet and touching with just the right amount of heat. If you've not tried this genre yet, this would be a good one to try.
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ECSTASY UNDER THE MOON (Children of the Moon)

DESCRIPTION:
And Lucy Monroe, national bestselling author of the Children of the Moon novelsunleashes the feral passions of a werewolf on the body, mind, and soul of his prey, his lover, his lifemate.

REVIEW:
This was a short pleasing novella. I've also not read the Children of the Moon novels and this story made me add to my TBR list. A story of two shifter nations joining together again entwined with a sweet gentle romance was a very nice combination.

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[Cecilia Quick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Of the 4 stories, I liked the Meljean Brooks, "Salvage", the best. I'm not usually a fan of steampunk, but here the inventions were integrated so smoothly into the story that it felt natural that the world would include people with mechanical arms. I liked both the main characters, and their characters were intelligent, damaged, yet strong. They'd both hurt each other unintentionally, despite the fact they loved each other, and their separation made sense. The plot was really interesting, and the action was fast paced and suspenseful. I will read more of this author. My next favorite was "Curse of the Black Swan." Both characters were so lonely, really reaching out for each other, that when they connected it was poignant. I thought the idea of having a fire demon who was a firefighter was very clever, and I liked how it worked in the story. Two teeny nits: one; the curse was in such archaic language that I couldn't understand how being forced into being a singing swan every three days meant any man the heroine loved must die (the person doing the cursing needed to be a little more clear for those of us who don't inhabit a supernatural world); and two, one of the main plot points is that the heroine has a particular affliction; suddenly it's abruptly addressed in one sentence. Having devoted so much time to the set up, it needed a better payoff. Still, it was a satisfying read. My third-favorite story was "Ecstasy Under the Moon" by Lucy Monroe. This was an interesting use of shapeshifters; I particularly liked the idea that those with a true bond could meet in the spiritual world as well as the physical, and so the hero recognized the heroine's true nature, even though in the real world she was emotionally damaged and seemed timid. This had a good plot, as well as a touching love story. I'm not familiar with this author, but I will read more of her work. My only nit (since I'm a nitpicker) is that throughout the heroine believes she was punished for being curious and going exploring; I thought that at the end, it should have been clarified that she was captured through her inexperience, but it was in her nature to explore and be curious (she was a natural predator, after all) but that link is never made. The final story was a Breed tale by Lori Leigh. I used to love this author but the main story arc is never propelled forward, and her stories are all the same; there's maybe a paragraph or two of plot and the rest is soft core porn. It's the same characters and same plot every story, and she's become boring. This story was no exception; it's the only one in the book I didn't finish.

[AH · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice little collection of stories by authors Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook, and Lucy Monroe.

The Devil's Due by Lora Leigh - 4 stars.
I have not yet read the Breeds series by Lora Leigh and I now know that I will definitely be adding the many books to my bloated to read list. This was one hot little story and I loved the two main characters Kate and Dev.

The Curse of the Black Swan by Alyssa Day - 4 stars
I enjoyed this story about a young woman cursed to become a swan and sing to the moon and her half fire demon love interest, fireman Sean O'Malley. I loved the interaction between the two main characters. Fun!

Salvage by Meljean Brook 5 stars
Absolutely brilliant! Of course I am biased as The Iron Seas is one of my favorite series. This is the story of Big Thom and his wife Georgiana. Their marriage is kind of on the rocks because Thom hasn't been home long enough to be a husband to Georgiana. Things change when they are kidnapped and Thom is forced to dive for some treasure. Loved it!

Ecstasy Under The Moon by Lucy Monroe DNF
I just couldn't get into this story at all. I'm not sure if it's because I have not read any books in the series or if I was distracted. I may give it another chance later on.

Overall, this anthology gets 4 stars.

*I won a copy of this book from Meljean Brook, but that didn't influence my rating.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't shake the feeling anthologies are not really for me. I don't think I ever found one in which I liked all of the stories, but I'm happy when I liked at least half. Enthralled was such experience.
Actually, it wasn't that bad. I didn't like two of the stories, but "didn't like" is quite different from dislike, so I can say it was a good enough read.

Honestly, I bought it for the Breeds novella. I love Meljean Brook. But while I love to read them, missing one of her stories doesn't mean you miss a piece of story arch. Ms Leigh, on the contrary, always adds something even in her novellas.
And Devil's Due hinted at a lot of things: Cassie's mate, Gideon, European Breeds, new breeds...all packed in her usual romance.

The other novella I liked a lot was Ms Brook's. Her world is absolutely fascinating and so are her characters.

The Black Swan and Ecstasy Under the Moon weren't that good to me. But while I was interested in the world-building of the first, I can't really say I found anything I liked in the second. Both stories are saccharine to the excess. The second had a even less appealing heroine (and the usual boring mated pair motif).

[Wild_irish_rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved, loved, loved Dev!

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lora Leigh - The Devil’s Due
A recessive Wolf Breed is revealed and she has to hide from almost everyone. Those against the Breeds want her dissected and checked since she passed all the tests which were supposed to show she is a Breed. None of those tests were successful until the fever hit and she found out she is, after all, not human. Those who are not against the Breeds see the benefits of having her. This is a standard Breed story minus the arguing common to other Breed stories.
I was more interested in the parts of the story which don't have anything to do with the two main characters. The first is Cassie's shadow (the guy is still following her). The second is the Bengal with an APB on him (not a new character; they have been hunting him in the last few books). 3 stars

Alyssa Day - The Curse Of The Black Swan is a beautiful love story of a swan and a fire-demon, and a moon curse. I don't know anything about the League Of The Black Swan series, but I liked this story enough to read The Cursed. The description says: Day introduces the League of the Black Swan, and a woman cursed to kill the man she loves. It is completely misleading. There isn't any curse like that in the story. She turns into a swan and has to sing to the moon. She has to choose not to fall in love or to have children since the curse will pass to her daughter. How it all started is in the prologue, so I won't bother writing about it here.
Bordertown is an interesting place.

Built on the frontier between three realms—the Fae kingdoms of Summerlands and Winter’s Edge, the demon realm known as Demon Rift, and the human world—Bordertown was the place where the riffraff came to play, scheme, and eke out a sketchy kind of existence.

It's not a spoiler to say they do get rid of the curse in the end (well, not a spoiler for those who read paranormal romances and urban fantasies), but you don't get any explanation. The second thing is the lack of reaction to the fact that Sean O'Malley is a fire-demon when you are constantly reminded that they are "the most hated and feared species of creature in Bordertown". 3 stars

Meljean Brook - Salvage
I am so easy when it comes to Iron Seas series. I love the world so much that no matter where and what it is about, it gets a good rating. This is a story of Big Thom's return home. His wife, Georgiana, found him wounded on a beach and dragged him inside to heal. On his heels come pirates and they blackmail him to do something for them or they will kill his wife. I am aware this sounds a bit bland, but it isn't. 4.5 stars

Lucy Monroe - Ecstasy Under The Moon
I almost didn't read this because of the title. After Maljean Brook's Salvage, it did not sound very promising. Nor does the cheesy description help. But I have this compulsion to read everything I start (a horrible thing, I know), so I read this one too.
The Prologue is long and those interested may consider it a good explanation. There are some -eye-rolling moments in the prologue and in the end, but to be fair it could be that I've read a lot of shifter finding his or her soul mate stories that this one was not anything special. Only the setting and time are a bit different. However, it isn't a bad story and the characters are interesting. Just soldier on through the prologue and you'll get to a nice romance between the two shifters with trust issues.
A few wolf shifters came to a bird-shifters' village to prove that not all wolves want to kill them. The act is necessary to save both. Una, an eagle shifter, was a pray of the wolves five years ago and she doesn't trust the wolves at all. The unexpected thing I liked in this story was the almost lack of sex and how Una is not acting tough to get, but simply as the one who experienced the torture. The focus is on making Una see how not all are evil. 2.5 stars

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breeds 28 - The Devil's Due by Lora Leigh - 2 stars.
Lora Leigh can write good sex. Beyond a doubt the woman came make the pages sizzle with her erotic descriptions. But after 28 books, this series has gotten very stale, and I'm ready for the story to end. Nothing new here.

League of the Black Swan 1.5 - The Curse of the Black Swan by Alyssa Day - 3 1/2 stars
This novella introduces us to Day's world of the Black Swan, a series that I'm not familiar with but found intriguing. Day's PNR world of Bordertown is intriguing and I look forward to more.

Iron Seas 3.5 - Salvage by Meljean Brook - 4 1/2 stars
I've not read Meljean Brook before, and have been meaning to start her Iron Seas series for a while now. This novella of Thom and Georgina is an excellent introduction to the steampunk world of the Iron Seas. Brilliant world-building, flawed but smart characters, this was just awesome proof that Brook is well-deserved of her reputation in this genre. Loved it!

Children of the Moon 3.5 - Ecstasy Under The Moon by Lucy Monroe - 2 stars
I've read Monroe's contemporary romance, and was particularly impressed with her Mercenary series, "Ready," "Willing," and "And Able." This PNR series of shifters and humans, not so much. Perhaps because the brevity of the story made is slightly difficult to get a true sense for the characters and the world. Or perhaps because I wanted to smack our heroine, Una, around.

Overall, this anthology of PNR was enjoyable, and the Iron Seas novella, "Salvage" was literally worth its weight in gold. Nicely done.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice anthology. The story by Day is the best, to my thinking. I'm not a big fan of the Breed books, but Leigh's novella was good. Day's was a curse-breaking story about the original black swan. Brook's story was in her steampunk universe, but the story itself was about miscommunication. I didn’t read the last one. It had to go back to the library. Overall, a good collection.

[Selenity Jade (Coffee Addicts Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of 3 of these authors for awhile now, so it comes as no surprise that I would enjoy the entire thing. Even the story by the new-to-me author was an amazing read! If you are a fan of the Breeds or steampunk or shifters, you want this one!

[GONZA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read only the Breed novel, just a summary to remember us what is going on in the Breed's World, I really hope the next book will be about Cassandra because it's getting worser and worser....

[BookAddict ✒ La Crimson Femme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trying to clear off my TBR, I found this one I added a couple of years ago. This was a pretty enjoyable book and introduced me to a new author I now have to read.

The anthology starts out with Ms. Leigh and her breed series. This one I read out of order. Now that I've read it, it makes more sense. We learn about Katie and her ability to hide her Breed status so well that testing shows up negative for her. We also find out even if the American Breeds have it bad, the Europeans have it worse. I think this is the first I have read about the Europeans and they are total assholes. The way they treat breeds and experiment upon them is no different than the council. These people should be shot. Katie as a fiery red-headed Irish is in danger of being pulled into these "labs" for 5 years or so before she is release traumatize and not know why. What the ever loving F? I'm still flabbergasted at how the Breeds are being treated. These people are HUMAN. Sure, they have animal DNA but serious, HUMANS. GAH.

Katie's only hope is sanctuary in the States with the Felines. This is where she meets "Devil". How have I missed reading about Devil and how he is the Grim Reaper? Maybe It was in so many books ago that I missed it. Devil is funny because he's a BAMF who doesn't know about the truth when it comes to mating heat. How the mighty fall. With a little push from Cassandra. I am still patiently waiting for Cassandra's story. When will it ever get here? Even Gideon makes a guest appearance in this story, prior to his lovely one. Overall this was a 3.5 star.

I have seen this author, Alyssa Day in ads and in various review sites. She rocks some pretty hawt covers. But she never really pulled me in. Why did I wait to read her? This story about the Black Swan curse was very well written. I enjoy mythology that mixes with the moon. This story is well written with nary an extra word found. The characters were enchanting. I enjoyed this one so much, I went to get the first book in the Series, The Cursed. I'm intrigued about this world. Specifically this city which straddles three different worlds. It's a city where strange things can happen and life is never dull. I gave this a 4 star.

I have a love/hate relationship with Meljean Brook's steampunk world. I love her inventiveness and her creativity. Her story writing is excellent as she's a master storyteller. The concept of the nanites and how the Mongols turned Europeans into mindless slaves is clever. My hate part was one of the books where the book ripped on Chinese so much, it was difficult to read. That one book aside which has colour Ms. Brooks as a writer for me, still impacts me enough that I am leery of her books. What other hate on Asians will she bring forth? Fortunately, this story contains no Hae against the Chinese and our "slanty eyes".

This is a story of sorrow and longing. When a couple are from two totally different worlds, sometimes the words they say, even when it is the same words, it means different things. This is a depressing tale of how a wife longs for her husband only to find, that her words made him think he was not good enough. This lack of understanding caused a rift of 4 years which almost ends in divorce. When a thieving wanna-be Lord attacks the husband and leaves him for dead, it starts a dialogue between husband and wife that should have taken place years ago. Whilst I really enjoyed the story, I can not for the life of me remember the names of the characters. It doesn't mean they were forgettable. On the contrary, I remember their personalities and their deepest secret desires. I even remember the 400 feet dive that should have killed the husband. I just have a problem remembering names. Doh! Nevertheless, this is a sweet tale of love reunited. Sometimes, a little communication goes a long way. 4 stars.

Lucy Monroe's story is mixed for me. I liked the concept of different shifters who now have to come together. The world building is fantastic. I'd like to read more about this world. The conflict in the story was a bit slow for me. It was hard to keep my attention because the main female character was a victim who never switched to a survivor. Her timid demeanor and beaten down attitude grated on me after a bit. Her fear is totally understandable. She is just not the kind of character who pulls me in. It isn't so much her woe is me story. It is more her putting her life on hold and deciding not to fight back that bugged me. The fact that this bugged her too just aggravated me more. This is a 3 star for me because the world building saved it.

[DemetraP · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the League of the Black Swan story and the Iron seas story. Avoid the others.

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for the Meljean Brook I read.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuff I Read - Enthralled by Lora Leigh, Maljean Brook, Alyssa Day, and Lucy Monroe Review

Wow. I don't think you could really pick more different stories to cram into a collection together. If this had been just the Black Swan story and the Iron Seas story this would be five stars, around a 9/10, just great. It makes sense, I guess, because that's why I got the collection, or why my partner got it for me, because I liked those two series and was hungry for more. But the two shifter stories...well, I guess there's a reason that shifter stories in general are not typically my cup of tea. Which is sad, because I like werewolves. As a hirsute man, I like the visual, the powers, etc. But more on that later.

First, the two stories I wanted to see. They were amazing. Maljean Brook is still the best steampunk writer out there. Her stories are great, capture the feeling of the setting, build a complex and believable world, everything. The relationship is good, with the two leads failing to communicate all over the place before finally getting it right and then really getting it right. The sex is hot, is completely consensual, and there's a lot of it. There is one instance of sexual violence and it was handled pretty well and while I didn't feel it was completely necessary I understand why it was there. For this story alone the collection would be worth it (which is good given some of the other stories) and it makes me really want more from the author, from the setting. It's good, damned good.

The Black Swan story was also good. While not quite as good as the Iron Seas story, it still had its charm, and I continue to enjoy the setting and the characters. I was a little confused about what was happening in the story as well, because there was an appearance by some of the characters from the first book and I was just a little puzzled about it all. But probably I just needed to go back and reread the book to figure it all out. Still, the story was good and the characters interesting. It's fun to see how much like New York his reads with the mixing of the various ethnicities only with demons and other creatures as well. It was well done and cute and fun. It maybe wasn't enough to carry the collection, but along with the Iron Seas story was enough to still make this collection good despite the final two stories.

Ah, the shifter stories. I am very glad that I saved the Iron Seas story for last, because both of the shifter stories are very similar and I just really didn't care for them. Perhaps it's because they read as very religious and I'm just not looking for that. In both there is a God, and it sounds like the Christian God, who has actually had a hand in creating the shifters and has a vested interest in them. It is God who decides who is a True Mate or whatever and once the shifters find their True Mate or whatever then they have to be with that person forever. They can't control themselves and must have sex and have babies and all that and just barf. Why would anyone want that? Why can't there be some werewolves and they can have sex with whoever they want and there isn't this strong baby-making aspect of it. Really I found it disturbing, and consent is basically a paper-thin illusion. There's no consent. There's God and True Mates and just no please no I didn't want this.

So yeah, if not for the two shifter stories this would be rated much higher. Luckily the Iron Seas story and the Black Swan story lift more than the other two sink, so I'm still left with overall positive thoughts on it, but wow there is a lot of polar feelings about this. I really liked what I liked, and really didn't like what I didn't like. So yeah, all that said, the collection gets a 6.75/10 and I know a couple of series to avoid. Hurrah.

[Snarky Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOT Enthralled about the Devil Getting His Due


PLEASE NOTE: THIS REVIEW REFERS **SOLELY** TO “DEVIL’S DUE”.

I bought “Enthralled”, the anthology containing stories by Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Maljean Brook and Lucy Monroe in the print edition, basically because I couldn’t wait to have it in my hot little hands on release day for the Breed story, Devil’s Due. Was “Devil’s Due” worth almost $10? N.O. Okay, okay, so it’s 25% of the book, so was it worth $2.50? Big ole N.O. Was I pissed as all get-out when I finished it? You better believe it!!

On its own merits, the Breed story of “Devil’s Due” is okay. Parts of it remind me of bits & pieces of “Soul Deep” & other stories (not knowing what the onset of mating heat was; the “uncomfortable” car ride; etc…). There is also something else I have noticed about ALL Lora Leigh stories (Breed, Nauti Boys, Sins, Nauti Girls, etc…) — at times it seems like she’s phoning it in with the sex scenes. I know that in my former “real life” (aka – when I had a paying job where I was appreciated) I used to write contracts, and it got to the point I had a file with “standard” issues in it that I’d just cut & paste & plunk into the appropriate spots. I often feel when I read how the man is going to make the woman “burn brighter and hotter” one more time, I will just have to SCREAM. The same phrases cut across ALL of her writings and it gets annoying. Quite frankly, there are times I wish she’d simply stick to the mythology of the different stories and just drop trying to put in “x” amount of sex scenes.

Now that you think I’m a LL Hater — nope, not in the least! I will continue to purchase her stories; I’m just not thrilled with this one. I felt it was a forced story and quite frankly, it seemed as if it was simply a back story for the foundation of whatever is coming Cassie’s way. Too much of the Breed mating/love story of Devil & Katie was interrupted by prepping & moving forward Cassie’s story. If Cassie’s story isn’t next (& unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be) it’s just going to make the whole Breed mythology aggravating. Too much mysticism; not enough story. I hope this isn’t a precursor of the style of the next (hopefully full length) story.

[Lynsey A · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review is based on the Lora Leigh and Alyssa Day stories. I don't think I am going to read the Lucy Monroe short right now, even though I have read the other books in the series. The last full length novel didn't impress me.

The Lora Leigh story was good but had too many people appearing with their stories taking away from the main couple. Plus the beginning when Jorn "dies"? I was so confused about what happened? Is he really dead? Leigh is probably going to come back to that later but throwing that into a short story is just confusing. Plus, it is easily forgettable. 2.5 Stars

The Alyssa Day story was ok, a bit boring in the beginning but decent. The ending was good. I don't know if I will continue with this series. Her Atlantis series was much better than the book and short story she's released so far in her new one. 2 stars.