Reviews

The Witch Doctor – released: July 18, 2014

by The Smutsonian — “I found it quite lovely!”

I was delighted to discover that this book was more plot driven than the blurb let on. I’m always excited to read books which are heavy on the sex, but it’s lovely to find a book which also pays close attention to what’s happening outside of the bedroom.

Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of spice in the sexual arena…
– Lots of sexual tension
– A Gifted Doctor
– A bit of anal play
– Some FF Action
– A bit of magical voyeurism
– Cures by orgasm

Valor McCaine

Val is a several-hundred year old Warlock who has been tirelessly searching for a cure to a ruthless virus which is decimating the modern witch population.

Darcy deHavalend

Darcy is attending college with a singular purpose – gain enough knowledge of chemistry and physiology to combat the mysterious malady which is swiftly crippling her mother and grandmother.

This unlikely pair teams up once they discover that they’re both battling the same virus. They’ll have to combine their skills and set aside their sexual attraction in order to find a cure before its too late.

Throw in an interesting cast of characters:
– A chatty house cat
– A Warlock with a serious grudge
– A young witch with a sex addiction
– A quirky old professor
– A jealous former lover

This book definitely surprised and delighted!

 

Indecent Proposal – released: January 4, 2014

by LAS Reviews – Good Reading!
Carlin Cates is roped into helping out a colleague work overtime to make a bid proposal. Unenthusiastic, Carlin is in a mood when she gets back from her coffee run but is determined to make the best of it and help out Thatcher Banks. A bunch of emails follow and Carlin gets a good mental image of Thatcher. Stodgy, mid-fifties and possibly English to boot. The reality is mind-blowingly different to anything she’d previously believed.

This is a short and fun story based on light-hearted interactions, sexy innuendo and incorrect personal assumptions. I enjoyed the email and texts that were exchanged between Carlin and Thatcher, who both take their work very seriously. The romance quickly heats up between them and is sexy and all in good fun.

The pace of this story is fast. Thatcher and Carlin were interesting characters, but the short length of the story meant I didn’t get to know them as well as I would have hoped. Also, their romance happened very quickly. While it was believable, I couldn’t help but feel it was a “happy for now” sort of situation.

That said, for readers wanting a quick, smooth romance “on the go” this ticks many of my boxes. I enjoy the workplace romance style of story. Carlin and Thatcher are modern and interesting people and the sexy scene between them is smoking hot and very satisfying. As a reader I felt I could really sympathize with Carlin and loved the spot of jealousy she exhibited without going over the top. I enjoyed this story and feel many readers should too. A quick, fun, lighthearted read.

 

Just Vamps – released: October 17, 2012

by Night Owl Reviews – a Top Pick!
E.M. Heard says, “I recommend this book as a wonderful read. Once you pick it up it is hard to put it down. And when they say Erotic in the description they are not lying. This book screams hot and steamy from page one to page 299.”

Of The Last Hallow’s Eve, Coffee Time Romance writes: “Halloween has been legislated away. On the last Halloween night ever, Joanna chooses to draw the masks in a Halloween shop and immortalize them forever. If only the voice in her head would go away, she could enjoy her visit to Haversham. Brock Haversham needs a savior. Joanna is his last hope for redemption. In return, he will give her pleasure without end. The last Halloween is Brock’s last hope, and Joanna his savior. Joanna knows she needs to see the Haversham home and make it part of her stories for all time. The Last Hallow’s Eve is an exciting read, with thrills on every page. Ms. Maxwell is a clever writer to take society’s worst fears and make them a reality. I find the story both politically scary and erotically dynamic.”

by Long and Short of It Reviews:
The Last Hallow’s Eve by Jean Maxwell: “Ms. Maxwell manages to make this story scary at the same time as sexy and heart warming.”

El Precio – released: September 4, 2012

by Shannan Albright, Amazon, Goodreads:
With so many books out there it’s easy to overlook a great book. Such is the case with Jean Maxwell’s Spanish Seduction series. This is the second book of the series, the first is El Mirador which begins the tale between Zara Flynn and David Parker. I have not read the first book (yet) and was very pleased to find I never got lost in the plot. She weaves the story throughout the book without any background dumping, which I can tell you from experience is not always an easy thing to do.

El Precio starts up where El Mirador leaves off. While Zara and David begin to settle into their relationship, there are those conspiring to pull them apart for their own selfish gains. Trust and letting go of the past are the lessons both characters must learn. Lessons we all go through ourselves in a new relationship.

Ms Maxwell weaves a story of unforgettable love. You find yourself rooting for them after the first chapter.  Her antagonists are well written, their flaws and fears so relatable that you find yourself wanting them redeemed even after all they put Zara and David through.
I started reading this book not sure what to expect. I’ve gotten tired of thin plots where sex is the main focal point. Don’t get me wrong, I write sex in my books when needed, but I have found far too many lately which have left me feeling cheated. Ms. Maxwell on the other hand gives you intimate and hot as hell sex where you are completely invested in the feelings of the characters.
I am looking forward to much more from this author in the future. This is one author you don’t want to pass up.

by Nichole Severn, Amazon, Goodreads: 5 STARS!
I was immediately captivated by Zara as a strong, independent, intelligent, yet feminine character. This is a woman who knows what she wants and does what she needs to in order to get it. Her relationship with David Parker has already begun at the beginning of this book, not something I see in romance very often, but the author made it work perfectly. Maxwell introduces a strong, passionate romance mixed with the right amount of suspense and conflicts that made me as a reader worry for these characters. This is the first book I’ve read of hers, but I’ll be going back to the beginning of the series!

El Mirador – released: January 11, 2012

by Kel P., at Forbidden Bookshelf: Definitely worth reading!
I will openly admit this isn’t my usual kind of read but thought I should mix it up a bit & give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I was caught up in the story, just wanted to see what would happen next although with the way it was written, I already kind of had an idea of where it was going.

It opens with a prologue of Spain in 1972 with a gorgeous hotel, a jealous lover & a big explosion. Making me just have to keep going on with the book which then jumps to late 2010 where everything starts to take shape.

Zara Flynn, a strong Canadian woman, has to come to terms with the loss of her father, after a suspicious explosion less than a year earlier, that took his life during the construction of a building in Indonesia. Her father, being the owner of a highly successful Architecture company, has left it all to her – along with a private purchase of the gorgeous old hotel that was destroyed in 1972. Although why he purchased the chunk of land & dilapidated hotel, no-one knows.

There are some loveable characters that come & go through out the book, a warm English couple that take Zara as an adoptive daughter, a hunk who is the head supervisor for the Flynn construction crew & who catches Zara’s attention from their first meeting, a sexy Spanish pop star who melts the hearts of everyone & becomes a big part of the story. A lot of other people come & go but those being the main ones.

The whole story was easy to follow & written really well which is what kept me turning the pages but since it is set on a gorgeous beachside town in Spain, there’s quite a few Spanish conversations & comments – not all of which had English translations so it was a little hard to know exactly what was being said but the gist was there.

I was hoping for more action & a little more sex to go with the romance but it wasn’t to be. It was a little predictable with the good guys & bad guys but there were a couple of small surprises that were a nice addition. Definitely worth reading for a little suspense, a little romance, even more fraud & backstabbing within parties who were supposed to be working together.

by Amanda, at the ToBeRead Pile: A 4-star Read!
AN EROTIC RIDE! El Mirador was a Spanish beach resort destroyed by fire in the 1970’s. When Zara Flynn’s father dies in an accident at his construction site in Indonesia, she finds herself the 24-year-old CEO of Flynn Enterprises as well as the personal owner of the burned-out hulk that is El Mirador. She soon finds herself embroiled in strange events revolving around the ruined property, a famous Spanish rocker, a Canadian engineer working for her company, and the local officials involved in Planning and Development for Costa del Sol. Along the way  she just might find out why her father left her such a strange legacy and get clarity about his death.
I found the cast of characters assembled in this story to be fascinating. “Mickey Mountain” and his strange predilections, the Dark Angel, the older English couple that took Zara under there wings when they discovered she was staying alone at Club Marbella, and of course, David all added to the interesting aspects of the book. There were a couple of places that dragged, but most of the time I enjoyed the storyline and was pleasantly surprised with the ending. Although I am not a huge fan of “insta-love”, I liked Zara and David together, and especially with Zara’s friends and family all wanting them together, felt like they made a realistic couple. I also liked the way the prologue and epilogue, both taking place in the ’70s, gave both a glimpse at Zara’s father and explained the last of the mysteries surrounding the old resort. – posted March 28, 2012

by Christy, Guilty Indulgence Book Club: Zara Flynn is an ambitious young architect, the daughter of renowned construction owner Tristan Flynn. When Tristan is killed in a jobsite disaster, Zara inherits both Flynn Enterprises and the problem of El Mirador, an abandoned hotel remnant located on a piece of ocean front property on the Costa del Sol in Spain.

 Upon arriving in Spain she is forced to put her grief over her father’s death aside and try to step into her new role as CEO. When the circumstances around her father’s death raise questions and problems begin to arise around the rebuilding of El Mirador it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems.  Thankfully she meets a older couple vacationing in the area that act as her surrogate parents comforting her in her time of need and she has her families long time chauffer to lean on.  While others scheme to steal her inheritance and she tries to navigate this tricky situation a sexy Latin pop star tries to seduce her. But her work takes precedent and she continually finds herself working together with handsome, sexy engineer David Parker.  As they get closer to the answers surrounding her father’s death and El Mirador, Dave and Zara get closer to each other until their attraction ignites a romantic passion worthy of the Spanish heat. Dave’s sense of humor and charm prove to be a welcome distractions to all the drama in Zara’s life and she quickly learns that laughter and love could be the best antidote to all of life’s struggles. They must work together to race to discover the truth in time to save themselves and protect her legacy.
Although this story falls into the romance category it does not have the typical romantic buildup that you might expect.  The story is much more of a mystery piece with the plot to take down her company being a large percentage of the story line.  Ms. Maxwell develops the two villains a great deal and let’s the reader know just has extensive their scheme is, spending a good deal of the story writing from their perspective.  This makes for a great intricate plot but does not allow for the typical romantic buildup time that you might be expecting.  When the couple does come together it is romantic and very touching but seems rather all of the sudden.  Having said that the story is very well written and complex keeping the reader anxious to see what happens next.  There is nothing predictable about how things turn out.  Most of the characters end up playing much larger roles than anticipated and are not who they first appear.  If you like a story with a complicated plot and surprise ending then this will not disappoint.  A tad more chapters added to the romantic build up and this would easily have garnered our coveted 5 strawberries but even so this is a strong 4.  Very well written.  Exciting plot and charming characters.  The passionate scenes between Dave and Zara do not dispoint.  What better way to spend a cold afternoon then on the shores of sunny Spain?
RATING:  4 chocolate dipped strawberries served a frozen Margarita with Salt, Zara’s favorite. – posted March 5, 2012
by M. Dobson, founder, Sizzling Hot Book Reviews: Zara Flynn never desired to step up and take over her deceased fathers business in Spain. She wanted to make a name for herself without having life served to her on a silver platter by her father. In the novella entitled El Mirador by Jean Maxwell, Zara learns though that her father obviously had other plans for her future. The death of her father has been a very difficult thing for Zara to take. She may not have been around him much during the latter months of his life, but that in no way meant she didn’t love him with everything she had. He was her idol and most definitely her miracle worker with his work ethic and love for his family. He left his entire business to Zara, and along with that, the old, run down, and decrepit looking resort named El Mirador.
When arriving at El Mirador for the first time, she can hardly believe her eyes. The building is barely there, and extremely unsafe looking. She has no idea what her fathers intentions were with this property. Soon enough she meets with the fellow team that helps run her new business, and in turn, she meets an incredibly beautiful fellow Canadian named Dave Parker.
During El Mirador, Zara struggles with finding meaning in what her father wanted to do with the old resort. She also discovers that she is being sabotaged by another employee throughout El Mirador. Someone wants this property and will stop at nothing to get it, even if it ends in Zara’s death. Certain events also bring Zara and Dave closer together making her think that she might have more then one purpose for staying in this Mediterranean town.
The characters made the book in El Mirador. Zara was a spunky little thing, with a fantastic business sense. She can most certainly stand on her own to feet. She is a strong willed woman who takes life by the horns. She is the epitome of a straight talking, no nonsense woman. I loved her for that.
I very much enjoyed Dave as well. His smart mouth humor got a rise out of me! He was charming, devilishly handsome, and a good fit for Zara. I only wished I could have heard more from his character.
Then we have the Latin popstar Miguel who basically stalked Zara for a time being. He grossed me out, to put it mildly. To have his mentality is to be cursed. He may have had sex appeal like no other, but he was still so disgusting.
Finally we have Bette and Diggy. Two humorous British people with a flare like no other. (Especially Bette). They became substitute parents for Zara while her mother is away, and I found them both to be so endearing, not to forget at times hilarious They were by far my favorite characters.El Mirador was an action packed, spicy little novella. It had a good mix of sensual romance, a little mystery and even some humor that I found to be very appealing in this book. I find its hard to combine such qualities in a book, but found this author did it quite well. El Mirador is a book most will enjoy. I recommend it highly, and certainly feel its worth your time!! – posted Feb. 7, 2012
Strong voice and a very interesting style. Descriptions of the setting and location are very vivid and engage all the reader’s senses.  Writing smooth and easy to read.  – J77, Toronto Romance Writers

Style is smooth and assured. The setting is terrific and the descriptions really bring the reader into it. Very interesting plot and the high-level business atmosphere that isn’t seen in too many stories – J24, Toronto Romance Writers 

4/5 stars. Book was easy to get into, I did not want to put it down! I wanted to know what happened next. – SM, Edmonton

5/5 stars. Well paced & written – nicely suspended. This is not my reading genre, but I feel pulled in, gently coaxed into a story. I am drawn into the style of the writing, the mood of the scene, the feel of the landscape you paint. – CreateSpace 1076401

Great job. Interesting setting, good dialog. I want to read more!! – Denali, CritiqueCircle

Captivating story line that makes for a enjoyable read. Great character development! – Lisa D, Edmonton

4 Responses to “Reviews”

  1. Lisa Dougan Says:
    May 12, 2011 at 12:46 pm

    Captivating story line that makes for a enjoyable read. Great character development and a perfect amount of “book” to read when you are looking for a vacation in a day!! Lisa D, Edmonton

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