R. Casteel Reviews

Page Two

December 11, 2003

The Toymaker

Twelve Quickies of Christmas: Book 6

Author: R. Casteel
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Available At: www.ellorascave.com
Publishing Date: December 17, 2003
Genre: Romance: Erotic/Fantasy/Holiday
Format: Ebook download in PDF/HTML/Mobipocket/MS Reader
Price: $2.99
ISBN: 1-84360-731-X
Author Email/Website: www.rcasteel.net
Reviewer: Sharyn McGinty

It was going to be a hard Christmas. Granted, things had been hard ever since her husband ran off with his lover. Samantha Woodall didn't know what she was going to do. The cow was drying up, the hens and geese weren't laying enough eggs, their woodpile was running low and there was no money for them to buy supplies. She didn't have any idea how to provide for herself or her two children. Hope came in the form of an unexpected visitor.

Samantha couldn't believe someone was out traveling on a night like this, but knew she couldn't turn them away. Claudius Elfenstine was a toymaker and was on his way home from a delivery when he became lost. Samantha's kindness and her beauty touched and aroused him like never before. It wasn't everyone who would open their door and share their meager supplies with a stranger.

She couldn't believe how Claudius affected her. For the first time in months, she felt the stab of desire and was able to see he shared her desire. In a land where anything can happen, they take what few days they have and make the most of them. Claudius' impending departure saddens her and her children. In just a few short hours he has become an important part of their life. When he leaves will their memories be enough to sustain them? Or will the ultimate toymaker work a miracle?

Easily the most emotional of the erotic romance I've read, The Toymaker is astounding. It always amazes me how an author can create loveable and unforgettable characters in such a short space. Author R. Casteel not only creates such characters in The Toymaker, he weaves them in our hearts, ensuring we won't forget them easily.

Within three hours of receiving The Toymaker for review, I had read it four times; I couldn't pull myself away. Here were two wonderful, amazing people grabbing a moment of happiness even though it wouldn't last forever. As I neared the end of the story the more I was drawn into this world and these characters and the tears fell more quickly. Would there be a happy ending for Samantha, Claudius and the children? Or would the memories they created be enough? I won't spoil the story, if you want to see how it ends, pick up this keeper and prepare for a magical journey.

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Added June 6, 2003

Mistress of Table Rock

Author: R. Casteel
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Available At: www.ellorascave.com
Publishing Date: Available Now
Genre: Romance: Erotic/Paranormal
Format: E-book download in Mobipocket/LIT/PDF/HTML
Price: $6.20
ISBN: 1-84360-509-0 MS Reader
Author Email/Website: www.rcasteel.net
Reviewer: Robin Taylor

It is August, 2006, and Scott Mathis has been grieving the loss of his wife and daughter for five years. Since then, Scott has changed careers and has been involved in lake clean-ups all over the country. When Scott meets Aleecia Fields at his latest diving assignment for Clean Lakes, she lets him know that she is his contact person at Table Rock Lake. While he realizes that this assignment will involve a lot of work, meeting Aleecia convinces him that it just might not be so bad after all.

Aleecia knows it is best to keep her relationship with Scott all business. That's rather difficult to do, considering her strong attraction to him and the fact that he keeps making her blush. How long can the two of them keep their hands off of each other?

Scott senses there is more to Aleecia than meets the eye. There are a couple of instances in the beginning that make Scott wonder what the real deal is with Aleecia. On his next dive, Scott makes a grave mistake, and nearly loses his life under water. Aleecia saves him, yet Scott cannot remember all of the details. How was she able to save him? If he had trouble maintaining enough air at the depth he was at, then, how could she?

Once Aleecia saves Scott, she panics. If he discovers how she saved him, her secret will be out. Actually, Aleecia is in hiding and her life is at stake. Why? No one can know her secret, not even Scott. What is this secret? What will happen if Scott finds out? Mistress of Table Rock answers these questions, and many more. Finding out Aleecia's secret is pivotal to the story. Aleecia's childhood history is revealed and this plays a tremendous impact on her and Scott's lives.

There's amazing character development in Mistress of Table Rock. Scott is a well-rounded person, who accepts Aleecia despite the many obstacles facing them. Aleecia is a trained warrior, whose feelings for Scott surpass anything she could have ever imagined. The government agent assigned to Scott and Aleecia, Stephanie, is something else! She is an oversexed woman who likes to be in charge. She certainly would like to be in charge of Scott.

Mistress of Table Rock is a fast-paced thriller, especially after the threats against Aleecia become all too real, and Scott and Aleecia have to pool together with a special organization of the government. The thread of intrigue never loosens. Finding out secret after secret, you can't help but wonder just how this will work out. In addition to that, the sexual tension in this book was very powerful, as was the intensity of Aleecia and Scott's physical relationship. Mistress of Table Rock has a very exciting, as well as shocking, conclusion.

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