I’m gonna warn ya right now, this is a long post!
While this is a tour for Special Attractions, I just happened to have read the first two books and included reviews for them as well.
I adore this series and my reviews are a bit lengthy.
Learn all about these characters, check out my reviews and the glimpse inside Special Attraction, and don’t forget to enter the giveaway.
And Special Offers, the first book in this series is on sale right now for only 99 cents!
Get your copy HERE!
Special Offers by M. L. Ryan
Book One of The Coursodon Dimension Series
I was curious about this story after reading the synopsis. I don’t usually use one in my reviews but I’ll let you read this one.
Synopsis from Goodreads
Hailey Parrish is quick-witted, irreverent, and hasn’t had a date in three years. She only wanted an eBook reader because her collection of paperbacks threatened to take over her small living space. Little did she know that the “special offers” that prompted the purchase included much more than a reduced price in exchange for a few ads. The device came pre-loaded with the essence of Sebastian Kess, an erudite womanizer with magical abilities from a parallel dimension. When she inadvertently releases him and he inhabits her body, she finally has a man inside her, just not in the way she imagined. And soon her predicament introduces her to yet another supernatural, the handsome could-be-the-man-of-her-dreams Alex Sunderland. Can Alex and Hailey find a way to return Sebastian to his own body, stay one step ahead of the criminals who want to keep him where he is, and not lose their sense of humor?
My Review
It’s something new for me and naturally I had to read Special Offers. I really like the title. It ties in neatly with the book.
The first thing that popped into my head when I read it was a genie in a magic lamp!
I thought, Wow, a new take for an old tale. I thought it was quite creative. Don’t know if that was the authors basis, but it works for me.
From the beginning I knew I liked Hailey. She is so normal and genuine. I could relate to her, right down to her eating habits. I too stand at the kitchen sink and chow down sometimes. When you are cooking for one, why make a mess at the table to clean up. And her daily routines. I also feel like a robot going through the motions half awake.
Her life is anything but routine when she purchases the Kindle and presses the on button. It came fully loaded. Loaded with the essence, or spirit, of Sebastian, a Coursodon from another dimension. And now he’s inside her. She can hear him in her head.
Along comes Alex. He’s another Coursodon and he has been tracking Sebastian, trying to return him to his body. He comes clean about who and what he is to Hailey. He’ll be needing her help. This part made me laugh!
“I knew you were too good looking to be in insurance,” I remarked flippantly and he shot me a reproachful glare. “Hey, when I get nervous, the smart-ass just comes cascading out of my mouth,” I shrugged. “It’s a character flaw. Get over it.”
What Hailey lacks in size, she makes up for with her snarky, tough as nails attitude. I ‘d enjoy hanging with her.
Sebastian and Alex can communicate with each other when Alex is in physical contact with Hailey. They will be holding hands a lot. The plan is to find where Sebastian’s body has been taken, and return his essence to it. That means Hailey will have to be present.
Hailey adjusts to having Sebastian in her head, but she doesn’t have to like it. He is a very sexual male and his frustrations are very front and center at times. Hailey’s having none of his suggestion that she bed someone to satisfy his needs. She’s not going to be his “psychic f!!k buddie.”
Hailey is slow in trusting Alex. She had a shitty marriage with a low down cheating husband and her heart took a major hit. She is very attracted to Alex, but will take it slow and easy. I like how the author keeps the heat of their relationship for the end. I thoroughly enjoyed the getting to know you parts.
My connection to Alex was gradual, but became very strong near the end. His revelations to Hailey made me want to hug him. And this scene is just so heart melting:
Alex was already in my bed under the covers, and I paused for a moment when I saw he had claimed the left side. Since as far back as I can remember, I’ve always slept on the left side of any bed bigger than a twin. It’s probably just habit, and after my initial hesitation, I started over to the opposite side, because, really, what’s the big deal about one side over another? As I pulled back the covers, however, Alex stopped me.
“Wait,” he said as he scooted over to his right. “I was just warming up your side for you.”
He held up the covers in the spot he had just vacated and I dutifully moved around the bed and climbed in. The sheets were, indeed, warm and cozy, a far cry from the chilliness that winter usually imparts to bedding.
That is the most considerate thing anyone has ever done for me,” I said softly. “I really don’t deserve you.”
Alex is a keeper.
As their feelings for each grow so does the danger and intrigue. Sebastian’s body is being held as a trophy by his nemesis and it won’t be easy to get it back.
Thumbs up to Special Offers. M. L. Ryan has a winner for originality and her quality of writing. She took what could have been heavy reading and made it light and fun. Throughout the book, tidbits of everyday things in life made it very real.
And the comedy kept me laughing. I had many laugh out loud moments, like when Hailey teases Sebastian with a view of her sexy friend Rachel, and about her job – she milks Chinchillas. And the back and forth with Sebastian, in her head, is too funny!
Special Offers came along at a low point, and it was a perfect cure for my blues. It will make you laugh and smile, cheering you up.
Here are some scenes I really cracked up at:
“By the way, how did you get my number?”
“Men’s bathroom wall, second stall,” he stated matter-of-factly.
“Excuse me?”
“Just trying to lighten the mood…”
And this one:
I really had enough of Sebastian at the moment. “Hey Sebastard,” I sputtered. “Yumago! Do prdele! Haista paska! Jabiesz jeze! Foda-se!”
“What was all that?”
I stood and huffed out, Korean, Czech, Finnish, Polish and Portugese!”
I started this book with a peek. Next thing I knew I was on Chapter 4. I fell asleep reading it the first night. Couldn’t stay awake. Tried to finish it the next night, and so tired from work I fell asleep again. Getting frustrated! I had a surprise day off the next morning and finished it while my son was in the dentist’s chair. People were giving me funny looks when I chuckled. I ended up talking to two women in the waiting room, and they said they were going to check it out.
You should check it out too. It’s a perfect book to lighten your mood and make you smile.
5 STARS
I loved it and so did my Kindle!
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Special Rewards
Book Two of The Coursodon Dimension Series
Blurb
What would you do if you discovered there was a parallel dimension?
Hailey Parrish used to be an average, everyday human. Boring, in fact. After being possessed by Sebastian Kess, a magically inclined enforcer from the parallel dimension Coursodon, her life took a decidedly less mundane turn. Besides coming to grips with the existence of supernatural beings, she risked her life helping Sebastian and her heart falling for his protégé, Alex Sunderland. Now, Hailey has to deal with the bit of arcane power that Sebastian left behind when he returned to his own body and try to stay out of the crossfire when an unknown assailant seeks revenge against Alex.
My Review
I approached this book with caution. I adored Special Offers and didn’t want my balloon to be burst by setting my expectations too high.
My balloon is intact and flying high! I had just as much fun with Special Rewards as I did with the first book.
Now that Sebastian is out of Hailey’s body and back in his own. Hailey and Alex are heating up their romance.
But just because she’s rid of Sebastian doesn’t mean he’s not still too close. He’s staying with her and Alex, training her to control her new power.
When Sebastian was expelled from Haileys body, he left a little bit of his Courso power inside her. Now she has to get it under control quickly. Otherwise, anything and anybody could become a pile of ash or blown to smithereens when she loses her temper.
On top of that, the animals of the desert are drawn to Hailey, hanging out beyond her walled property. On any given day there can be tarantulas, hawks, deer, coyotes and many other creatures and they show no interest in each other. They just calmly stand and watch and eventually drift back into the desert.
When someone sets a tree on fire outside their rented ranch, Alex and Hailey are determined to get to the bottom of who did it. Could it be Alex’s mother? She did summon him to visit her by throwing a talisman through their window. Or is it someone else? Do they have an enemy? And who were they after, her or Alex?
And that’s just the beginning.
I’m happy to tell you, this is every bit as good as the first book!
I like that Alex and Hailey are fogging up my Kindle with their steamy romance. Now that they’ve put humpty-dumpty back together again they are busy getting to know each other a whole lot better.
And Sebastian is his usual smug and charming self.
There’s a whole lot of action and we get to go to Coursodon! It’s similar to our dimension in some ways, but quite different in others.
Hailey discovers Alex’s roots and gets quite a surprise. And Sebastian gets in a heap of trouble that requires her help.
With so much to entertain, I flew through this book. I hope the author is a fast writer because I really want more soon.
5 STARS
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Here’s a little excerpt I want to share with you.
This is about her inherited powers from Sebastian:
“I had a STD – a supernaturally transmitted deposit.”
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Special Attraction
Book Three of The Coursodon Dimension Series
My Review
After loving the first two books in this series, I was looking forward to reuniting with old friends. When I really get into a story the characters become almost flesh and blood, almost family.
The beginning paragraph is a shock, a jump start to your nervous system. The scene looks like a massacre, with body parts scattered all over the place.
Hailey took this all in from her perch on a tree limb. She was in her avian form as a large brown hawk. Mighty convenient for ‘fly on the wall’ surveillance as a member of the supernatural enforcers team, or Xyzok. Their job is to keep the inter-dimensional bad guys from harming humans.
Yterita, or form bending is one of the residual abilities left behind in Hailey after expelling Sebastian from her body. All Coursos have magical abilites.
The killer’s signature is body parts left like a trail of bread crumbs, but the trail remains a dead end. Hailey and Alex have to track down the illusive Courso who killed the hikers and stop him from killing again.
While on an early evening jog, Hailey is kidnapped by the killer. She’s not a threat to him so she’s in no immediate danger. He wants her to deliver a message to the Courso. If what he reveals is true, then both worlds are in danger.
It’s been fun getting reaquainted with these characters.
Sebastian is still trying to hook up with Hailey’s best friend Rachel. She’s the one for him, if there is such a thing. He is a fan of the female form and quite a womanizer, but he’s curbed his appetite in anticipation of sweeping Rachel off her feet, literally.
Rachel still has so idea about the Courso or Hailey’s hidden abilities. I was curious as to if or when she might learn their secrets.
Then there’s the matter of Hailey’s peculiar sense of smell. I wondered where that might come into play as the author kept reminding me of it in interesting tidbits.
Another thing I liked were the animals. Vinnie, Haileys cat is your typical cat. Deigns you with his presence when he feels like it.
And now, Hailey has brought home a stray. A large dog of questionable breed that needed a home. The fun part was reading to see what she would name him. She had many temporary names such as Curly Dog, Putrid Pup(he was in need of a bath),Big Brownie, Feed-Lot-Fido, and finally Rufus. Not sure if that will stick as she says she’s just trying it out.
Everyone stayed in character and the scenes, whether humorous, steamy, or mysterious, were never boring, always enticing me to read further. And the dialogue was so well written I found myself wanting to join in and add my two cents worth.
Another hit from M.L. Ryan and a big thank you for a job so well done!
5 STARS
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A brief scene I liked:
…I was damn lucky to have Alex in my life. You gotta love a guy who knew when to shut up. That, and the view of his well-toned ass as he made his exit made me downright giddy.
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BLURB:
The weirdness continues….
Thanks to a magical transplant from an inter-dimensional enforcer, Hailey Parrish can transform into a hawk. When someone begins dismembering hikers along the Appalachian Trail, the enforcers make use of her feathery talents to pursue the killer. Unfortunately, like most things in Hailey’s life, there is nothing ordinary about the assignment. Their target turns out to be maddeningly elusive, they rescue a stray dog that makes a sewage treatment plant seem pleasantly fragrant, and stopping the murders turns out to be the least of their worries.
Special Attraction, the third book in the Coursodon Dimension series, combines paranormal romance, urban fantasy, a bit of science fiction and a healthy dose of quirky humor.
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Excerpt
“Where was the latest victim found?” Alex inquired as we moved to where we could see what was so engrossing in front of them. A close-up photo of a man’s severed head filled the screen. It looked like a beige scarf was wrapped around what remained of his neck, and his eyes were open wide, as if he couldn’t quite believe he was about to die.
Sebastian answered, “Near Ketchum, Idaho,” and tapped the touch pad to display the next image. A wider shot appeared, and I realized what I thought was a scarf was actually flesh. The decapitated body was propped into a sitting position against a tree trunk, its head cradled in its arm sort of like a football. Something seemed off, though. Well, more so than a murdered guy posed, holding his own head. I examined the image for a while until I realized what was wrong. The skin tone of the head was about three shades lighter than the arm’s.
“Why doesn’t the skin color match?” I asked, pointing to the various body parts in question.
Tapping to reveal another photo, Sebastian didn’t need to respond. There was another body, a few feet away from the first, posed in the same macabre fashion, but with a dark-skinned face and lighter arms.
“That’s sick,” I said, wincing.
Karttyx turned slightly and looked at me. “Yes, but that’s not the worst of it.”
I was about to ask, “What could be worse?” when I noticed the second man had something balanced where his head should have been. I leaned closer to the image and could just make out some lettering on what appeared to be a horizontally folded card. Sebastian zoomed in so I could see the fancy, scrawling script. It read, For you, Hailey.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
M.L. Ryan is a professional woman – which is not to say that she gave up her amateur status, but rather that she is over-educated with a job that reflects her one-time reluctance to leave school and get “real” work – and she spends a lot of time in that profession reading highly technical material.
She has many stories rolling around in her head, and she finally decided to write some of them. She prefers literature that isn’t saddled with excruciating symbolism, ponderous dialogue or worldly implications. She also doesn’t like plots so reliant on love at first sight that it makes her feel like her head might implode.
She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and teenage son, four cats, two dogs and an adopted desert tortoise.
Buy Links:
eBook:
Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Barnes & Noble
Paperback:
Other Links:
Website / Blog / Twitter / Facebook
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Busy, busy, busy. So many delicious reads! Some I’ve read and will be posting my reviews soon.