Quick Reads and Quick Reviews 2

• Adore Me Ardently, Iris Morland
• The Dryad, Dante Silva and Vanessa Mozes
• Invaluable, Alana Albertson

A super quick story full of sweetness. There was a bit of passion to hint at more than just mere attraction and the epilogue was absolutely sweet and gave the whole story a complete conclusion. The romance was a bit rushed and since it's a novella I expected a shortened romantic timeline, but this was still a bit too short for me. Without the epilogue I would have found the whole relationship a bit forced and unable to last beyond the drama and attraction died down, but Matt and the epilogue were the highlights of the story. I was so very glad for a tender hero who wasn't typically handsome and had so much more to offer than instant attraction and bedroom skills. Matt was humble, simple, real, and so very considerate. He was also strong and determined and very willing to love the flawed Holly. Holly was vulnerable and still intelligent enough to know that any connection, no matter how strong or how tenuous, is suspect when fleeing from a traumatic past. The way that they find each other is serendipitous and the evolution of the couple was heartwarming.  4 stars.

This was a very interesting beginning to what seems a very interesting story.  We have Julian, a misfit in his own home and who adores his mother and her tales of her homeland.  She was a wanderer who had a gift for music.  In that regard, Julian is the same.  He loves the lyre that has been passed down for generations in his mother's family and tries to practice as often as he is able.  This is particularly difficult because his father is a farmer and is doing his best to have his sons follow in his footsteps.  The youngest of the three boys, Julian helps to support the family by doing odd jobs in their town.  Until one day he happens upon the dryad in her element.  What began as a stolen moment in the forest to play his music ended up as sparking an interest in the mysterious.  Julian and his dryad form a bond and he's drawn into magic and the unknown.  Ending on an open note, there's definite interest in how the story continues.  At least I hope it continues...  3 stars.

This was actually a pretty good story.  I was expecting something a bit like Triton since this is only the second book I've read by this author, but aside from being clearly the same writing style, I liked these characters much better and the story was much more interesting.  I like them despite getting a relatively shallow view of who they are.  Kyle is much more fleshed out than Sara but they seem to fit together well.  Especially with her strength and determination and focus throughout her horrible ordeal in the desert.  She kept her head and saved more than herself.  Overall this was a tumultuous, sexy, tender story that made me want to read more from the series.  3 stars.