I have come to realize that although I will still include the synopsis of books I am reviewing, they will now come second to my actual review.
I mean, this is my blog, I should come first right? Right! So from now on, you have to see my review first. Another change is my Hearts or Stars or whatever. I am giving them up. at least here on the blog. You want stars, you can see my Goodreads or Amazon reviews where that kind of rating is needed. I will tell you my thoughts on a book, and you can use the brains I know you have to figure out how much I loved or hated a book. You want to know, read the review.
That being said……..
If you know me at all (hmmm I say that a lot) you know that I am a self proclaimed Siren Ho. Huh? Yeah I heard that from all the way here on Long Island. A Siren Ho is a person who reads a great deal of books that have been published by Siren Publishing. Tymber Dalton, Honor James, Tara Rose, Elle Boon, Suzette Cauler, Suzy Shearer, Lori King, Caitlyn O’Leary and on and on and on….. You know when you go to Target or Walmart intending to go buy just one or two things and wind up at the register with at least a $200.00 receipt? That happens to be me at Bookstrand.com where Siren sells their books.
So, when I open an email and see that a brand new Siren author is requesting me to review their book, I say absolutely. I say yes not just because of the publisher, I am not on payroll to them or anything, but I seem to enjoy many of the author’s they give a shot, so why not me? Not many reviewers will give newbie authors a shot. They think they haven’t paid their dues yet. But, I will always give a newbie a chance if the story intrigues me enough.
So this new author, Maia Dylan, emailed me and she endeared herself to me from the get go. How? She read my review requirements. I wasn’t just sitting there with please read my book. It was please consider and here is everything you need to decide if my book is something you would like. Here is my links so you know I am legit and everything. How could I refuse!!! So I didn’t. I said I would love too. She sent me the book letting me know that me reading and reviewing her book was “and a little nerve racking and potentially nausea inducing.” So what did I think of the book?
Let me say this, if this is only her first book, I cannot wait to see what her second book will be like. Is it perfect, no, but no story is, especially from a newbie, but the story kept my interest and had my emotions everywhere. I even found myself near tears at a point. I wanted to slap Tyler and Trent upside the head a few times. Alphas or not, they needed someone to kick their asses. I mean Tyler is a cop but couldn’t find his mate when she was right under his nose the whole time? And then they gave up finding her and then closed themselves off from then pack bond? Faith should have had the right to string them up by their balls for so many reasons!!! At least Ty and Trent had the decency to be guilty and remorseful. Fate always has a way to bring things together and have things be the way they are supposed to. Passion and love the triad shares is hot. I would really like to see how Faith’s psychic ability develop in coming stories. Speaking of that…
One of the things I think Maia did really well for this first book was setting up everything for the rest of the series. All the characters and situations have been introduced. Characters, such as the Psychiatrist (Rowena), have me wondering more about them. I just know that Noah will be a character that may well become a Book Boyfriend. Big, bad, damaged, but for the right woman, he will be a teddy bear. I just know it!
For that, I am naming Maia Dylan an author to watch. With a little more experience, I see great things coming from her. No pressure though. Stay true to you.
Synopsis
Is it better to have loved and lost than never loved at all? For Ty and Trent Jamieson, the Grey River pack Alphas, they would say either would be preferable to both!
They knew Faith was destined to be theirs from the moment they first came across her scent. Finding out that she was only 19 and studying put their grand mating plans to the back burner, at least for a couple of years. Problems only arose when she suddenly left them when they had finally decided to come clean about their feelings that they had kept hidden and claim her. They lost Faith and when Mother Nature steps in dramatically to give them an opportunity to get her back, things become very clear that perhaps her leaving was not all as it seemed. Can the brothers bring their fated triad together and protect their mate as it should have always been? Or are they destined to lose Faith forever?
Author’s Bio
Maia Dylan lives, loves and works in beautiful New Zealand. She married her best friend and they have two adorable, but stubborn children who obviously take after their father.
Maia’s career has featured a lot of travel, and she has filled her time at airports and in the air with books, books, and more books. Her love of erotic paranormal romance has seen her amass a huge library. She has been an avid reader and lover of ménage romances since she read her first book in this genre about three years ago.
In January of 2015, Maia submitted her first ever manuscript to Siren Publishing. She wasn’t at all confident that it would be accepted and in fact she was expecting a nicely worded email with a resounding no! Much to her surprise less than two weeks later she had an acceptance and a signed contract in hand and since then she hasn’t looked back.
Outside of writing, Maia loves to eat, so she loves to cook! Her herb garden is legendary, but she still has issues getting tomatoes to grow. She’s been a performer for years, and has even sung on international stages, she would love to own a classic Ford Mustang one day and of course have the opportunity to race it on a race track without fear of a speeding ticket.
Although ultimately her dream is to be able to write full time on a sandy beach with a Mai Tai in hand, she is quite happy to fit her writing in when she can. As long as someone reads her books, gets a laugh, and maybe comes to love her characters as much as she does, then she feels that she is living her dream no matter what!
Visit her website: http://www.maiadylan.com
Email her at: [email protected]
Author’s Q&A
Q: What inspired you to write your first book?
A: I have always been an avid reader. I am never without a book or two to fill my day, especially as I got older and my career took me around the world giving me plenty of airports and flight time to fill. I would find myself continually thinking, what if that book ended in a different way? The next thing you know, on a recent flight and hotel stay, I started writingLost Faith!
Q: If you could choose, which published author would you like to brainstorm with and why?
A: One? I can’t pick one! What a question and my answer could go on for miles, so I will try to reduce the list that immediately popped into my head. I’d love the opportunity to talk with Christine Feehan, Nalini Singh, Kresley Cole and Sherrilyn Kenyon about how they bring their paranormal elements to such vivid life. Then Sophie Oak, Heather Rainier, Honor James, Dixie Lynn Dwyer and a whole host of others about how they are able to weave such strong romance into a steamy sensual story that only enhances the readers understanding of the connection between their characters.
Q: What is the hardest part about writing?
A: Finding the time to write! Working full time with two small children and a husband can be a little time consuming, but I make sure to find time each and every day.
Q: What would surprise people to know about you?
A: I speak three languages.
Q: Where do you find inspiration for your characters?
A: Everywhere! I have been fortunate enough in my life to have traveled extensively and met many wonderful people who inspire me every time a new character turns up.
Q: What advice would you give aspiring writers?
A: Write, write, and write some more. Surround yourself with positive people and listen to the advice of people in the know. Write what you love to read.
Q: Is there any one author that you have read that has influenced your writing?
A: Every single author I have read has had an influence on me, but if I had to limit it to say three then I would say Heather Rainier, Nalini Singh, and Sophie Oak.
Q: Did you learn anything about yourself when you wrote your first book?
A: Ah yeah, I learnt that my grammar is terrible, there are a lot of differences between language used in the Southern hemisphere compared to the Northern, and that I love to write.
Q: Was becoming a writer a dream of yours since childhood?
A: Nope! My dream job was as an official chocolate taster, but alas, that was not to be. I do try to pay homage to that dream as much and as often as possible though.
Q: Do you plan your stories before you start to write them?
A: Not really. I just start writing and let the characters tell their own story. Sometimes it feels like I am just along for the ride!
Q: What helps you to overcome writers block?
A: Chocolate and dancing around the house listening to music, singing the lyrics into an old hairbrush. Works every time!
Q: What has been the most surprising aspect of your writing journey?
A: That someone would want to publish and others would want to read something that I had actually written!
