A review: Unbound by April Vine

Unbound by April Vine is an erotic paranormal romance novella set in Cape Town, South Africa published by Ellora’s Cave.

Disclaimer: I paid for and downloaded this eBook from Amazon UK. Although April Vine is a fellow writer, no favours have been exchanged for this review. In fact, I have long awaited this book after I read her previous eBook The Midnight Rose and loved it.


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The Blurb:

Staid and straitlaced Michelle Stein has two thoughts fuelling her mind…

1. Floor the first man to walk into her antique shop.

2. Throttle her three witch-practicing aunts.

They promised her a tiny spell to fix her ridiculous inhibitions, but instead mischievously delivered a full-blown, sanity-squashing lust spell. The temporary curse apparently has no boundaries either…since the first man who walks through her door is the same man who broke her heart ten years ago. Despite Michelle’s vociferous resistance, Sebastian becomes the only man who can appease her unending physical hunger.

Thirty, heirless and restless, Sebastian Gray is drawn back home to Cape Town to claim the only girl he ever loved. What he finds in her place is a hotly bewitched erotic seductress. Now with the reparation spell her aunts cast gone awry, Sebastian might be on the losing end of a futile battle against a strength-ascending hex, no matter how hard he tries to keep Michelle satiated, alive…or even just human.

My review:

Gosh! Where do I start with this book? I’m not normally used to writing long reviews. And I promise you this won’t be long either. But I still need to convey how brilliant this book is in a few words, so here goes.

Right from page one, this story grabbed my attention and held it to the very end. I started reading it late on Friday night, went to bed, and woke up at 5am on Saturday morning to continue reading it.

Here’s how the story starts:

Michelle leaped from the floral-embossed Victorian chair, gripped the edge of the walnut desk and dropped her chin to her chest. Labored breaths somersaulted from her mouth. Her heart beat with swift speed. Her skin screamed under a raging fire.

She was having an attack.

Not a panic attack.

A sex attack.

Anyone who knows me well knows I’m a huge fan of first paragraphs that hook. This start grabbed me by the cajones (Well, if I had cajones, they’d have been well and truly clamped. LOL)

The language is compelling, the actions intriguing. I wanted to know why Michelle was having a sex attack and what would happen next. Luckily enough for me, Sebastian Gray walked in. Oh, I loved Sebastian, how I loved him. He is the epitome of the modern day hero. Tall, dark, handsome, honourable and accommodating—boy, was he accommodating. I’m going to read this story again soon just to experience him all over again. *Sighs*

This story also had some noteworthy secondary characters. Michelle’s three loveable kooky meddlesome aunties (who are witches, by the way) and a black cat with a personality disorder made for a very hilarious read. Plus, Sebastian’s two hunky friends also made me think there was a possibility of a series. Please let there be a series. I’d love to read more about those two in their own stories.

This story has no whips or chains in it but still sizzles with eroticism, from start to finish. The author delivered, totally. Just when I thought she would run out of sexual positions to use, she ramps it up a notch. I really have to acknowledge her skill on this note. She wrote a truly erotic novel without kinks. Not many authors manage it. I haven’t learnt that skill yet.

Ultimately, though, this story is about unrequited love, old friends reunited, a struggle to overcome personal demons and unconditional love. These are what made me love this story so much. I believed every emotion felt by the characters as they struggled to come to terms with what was going on. By the end, I certainly believed that they would be having a credible happy future together.

My verdict:

Loved it! Loved it! Love it! A keeper.

My rating:

My recommendation:

Buy it, read it, keep it.

Buy Links

Ellora’s Cave - http://www.jasminejade.com/p-10020-unbound.aspx

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Unbound-ebook/dp/B007WU0WM2/

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unbound-april-vine/1110502567?ean=9781419938856

All Romance eBooks - http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-unbound-784689-340.html

Bio: April Vine

April Vine writes erotic romance by night and is a professional dreamer by day. She has two precious sons who keep her sharp and one very tolerant husband who chivalrously and bravely defends her honor daily.

Web Details:

Website: www.aprilvine.co.za

Email: april.vine@yahoo.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/April-Vine/1540121433

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/April_Vine