True Love

I see the work of saving other animals as I see a relationship with a soul mate. It is at once a bliss and a trauma. Being in Love with THE one is the most extraordinary event in one’s lifetime and very few people in fact can attest to having this ultimate connection with one person. It is beyond the senses and most people never move beyond just the physical and emotional aspect of a relationship and just navigate blindly from relationship after relationship without ever really finding what they’re looking for. They have not made that soul connection which makes everything else redundant and a waste of time.

Helping other animals also feels like the ultimate blessing and connection because it gives a sense of going beyond one’s ego and committing the ultimate act of selflessness for the voiceless. This is a true test of our deep compassion and ego-less love for others.

I am blessed with both in this lifetime. I both consider a particular human my soul mate (although a blind one), the one that totally completes me; and everything I do for other animals is my calling. In both cases, this is the ultimate blessing, happiness and meaning of one’s life.

But it can also be a curse. In case of loving someone, if the person has not reached the same level of awareness and sees in you what you see in him (or her), betrayal and pain also reach the highest dimensions. In the case of other animals, I feel a sense of deep sadness and pain as well knowing that I can’t save them all.

I have PTSD from previous traumas in my life. And just like one of my heros, the extraordinary animal photographer Jo-Anne MacArthur, I share with her the experience of having been traumatized (although not by the same situations) but having come up on top no matter what and still believing I can make a difference for a particular human being and all non-humans as well. I continue to give all that I have because I have faith that things and all beings can evolve.

When you love someone with all your heart, soul and mind, you also open the door in yourself to loving all living beings with the same depth. And the reverse is true. Everything is connected.

For all those who know what Love truly means…

Photo courtesy http://www.pixabay.com

Home – Spirited Amore (Cover)

Home – Spirited Amore (Cover) (by Spirited Amore)

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LADY OF CONQUEST By Teresa Medeiros

I don’t know if Teresa Medeiros has many books like this one, but if it is the case I want to find them all. I had a little difficulty to plunge into the story’s historical context of old Ireland but once I was into it, it was a page turner. If Conn of the Hundred Battles is sexy, Gelina O’ Monaghan is ruthless and brave. These two would make « Dynasty » look like the Hillbillies. I had such a great time following their passion/battles that I simply could not put the book down.

What attracted me to this story was that it really was filled with twists and turns. Boy, every two pages, these two either fight or have passionate sex. There is also more than meet the eyes and Conn’s or Gelina’s personal background has surprises in store. I do think that Gelina is fit for a king and she really finds a match in Conn. One minute, he can be a horrible person to her and the next, he’s worshipping her. This was well written and I could buy it.

Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the author tried (and succeeded) in making secondary characters important as well. Everyone’s favorite would be Nimbus, the Court Jester, who bonds with Gelina right away. They become fast friends and he is the one who really knows what’s happening between these two fighters. He is also funny and wise and I got really attached to this character all along. Some of the other secondary characters are also notable like Gelina’s awful brother.
Overhall, this is quite a thrilling novel. Part romance, part adventure, part fantasy, part myths. I loved it.

MARITAL PRIVILEGE by Ann Voss Peterson

I kind of missed reading some romances recently being into politics. So I picked up this book through a Bookcrossing search at Velocity Cafe in Santa Monica (not to advertise, but…) and started reading to kill time.
This is sooooo not a favorite romance of mine. The story is interesting enough to keep you going but it bears on the boring once in a while. There are however a few moments when it gets gripping.

Alec and Laura Martin are happily married and expecting a baby boy until the Russian mafia led by Alec’s dad decides they want revenge on him. Alec turns out to be a Federal protected witness whose real name is Nikolai Stanislov and who turned his father in for murder 10 years before. Laura feels betrayed by Alec/Nika because he has never told her the truth about himself. Now, the story in itself isn’t a bad start and you would expect lots of action. And there is some. First Alec tries to save people in his wife’s restaurant after his father’s gang killed all the employees, then he saves Laura from his father’s thugs (who also want her for the baby she is expecting) and then he flees with her to escape the mafia and tries to contact old acquaintances to find help.

So there is some action in there. However, the plot lacks passion. The relationship between Alec and Laura is slightly boring and the lack of passion between them (except for the sole steamy inevitable sex scene) doesn’t help the story. I have read other stories of the « intrigue » series that really kept you turning pages like crazy. This one isn’t one of them. Read it for the time it kills, that’s about it. I was disappointed.

CATCH THE LIGHTNING – Book 2 in the Saga of the Skolian Empire – by Catherine Asaro

This book is set in the future of the 1st book « Primary Inversion« . In this new story, Catherine Asaro gives us the tale of Althor, son of Eldrin and Deya, nephew of Sauscony (we met her in Primary Inversion).

Althor, who’s a Jaggernaut, is stranded with his Jag in the past on Earth. However, after meeting Tina and discovering their empathic link, it is obvious he is in the past on an alternate universe Earth. Tina’s Maya heritage turns out to be similar to Althor’s Raylicans heritage. As Earth’s military discovers his ship, Althor and Tina try to find a solution for returning to the future.

Catherine Asaro, as usual, is a wonderful storyteller. The book is as much a page-turner as its predecessor. One advantage of this one is that it’s a stand-alone and you don’t need to read Primary Inversion first to understand it. The book is divided in two parts. One is set on Tina’s old Los Angeles. The second part continues in Althor’s universe of the Skolian Empire. I loved how Asaro can switch from one universe to the other so easily without a blink.

As usual, she is also very good at blending hard-core science-fiction theories with romance and this is what makes her so good in my opinion.

VICE by Jane Feather

I did read a number of romance novels in my life. I forgot most of them, others really stayed permanently in my mind because I loved the stories.

Jane Feather’s VICE is a historical romance I won’t remember for the story but for being the hottest one I’ve read in ages. There’s plenty of passion in that story and the sex between the Duke of Redmayne and his protegee/mistress is quite graphic. I’ve been wondering how the book could make it on a library shelf considering its mature content.

The plot is intriguing enough. I was a bit irritated at the obvious 18th century superior (and sometimes quite annoying) attitude from the Duke toward the sparkly (and quite modern in fact) Julianna. She has to fight in a world where women don’t even have rights over their own bodies and she is quite good at it.

Another interesting twist of the story is Julianna’s campaign of rebellion to defend the conditions of life of the London prostitutes. And she is suffering quite a bit for it. Redmayne and his brother Quentin (a good soul) have to catch up with her all the time.

She manages to turn Tarquin (Redmayne) on her side and make him love her. And he’s the one who bought her originally!

ATTEMPTED MATRIMONY by Joanna Wayne

What would you do if you found out your partner was a psychopath and a serial killer? This is the drama Nicole Lancaster thinks she is facing with her husband of 10 months Malcomb. She is the daughter of a well-respected deceased senator who got charmed into marriage by the handsome, clean Dr. Lancaster. However, when murders of women are being reported and she gets an anonymous phone call, doubts and fear begin to creep into her mind that her so perfect husband might not be what he claims to be. She then turns to her old (and never forgotten of course) love in the person of cop Dallas Mitchell.

The story was thrilling and suspenseful. I had, however, to cringe at the number of macabre details about the murders. This romance novel was definitely darker than the usual.

Don’t read it alone at home if you’re a bit sensitive. Otherwise, even though the murder solution was obvious, what happens to Nicole is really where the suspense is.

Good story!

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COUNT ON ME by Kathryn Shay

Ok, I know, this is a Romance Novel and you guys reading this might think… women! Well, see it this way: it’s a good insight into women’s mind to find out what they want.

I liked this particular book. Ok the story is big on the « deja vu » but the behind the scenes feel is quite enjoyable. Zoe Caufield is a teacher at Bayview High School and helps ‘at risks’ kids with big problems. One of them is involved in drugs. One year ago, she was happy with Dr. Kurt Lansing, a handsome divorced father of one until his ex-wife felt like getting him back… which she succeeded at for a while.

Kurt broke Zoe’s heart and I certainly don’t blame her for not wanting him back in her life. You can’t trust this man after all. But the opening of Kurt’s clinic for teenagers near the school forces them to work together again. Ok nothing new here in this particular plot.

However, the author has an excellent insight into the teenagers minds, their personal problems, their search for identities and she doesn’t hesitate to mock the adults when the youngsters act more intelligently. She also takes a hard look at drugs, teenage pregnancy and backward people. I thought it was a nice try at something serious as well as romantic.

And if you « like to play Doctor », you’ll love the ending. hehe

Buy this book MINT or USED at AMAZON.COM:

Amazon.com: buying info: Count on Me (Harlequin Superromance, No 976)

or Get it at HALF.COM