The Midnight Hunt by L.L. Raand

The Midnight Hunt (Midnight Hunters Series) by L. L. Raand (Radclyffe pseudonym) is my first not-so-enthusiastic review. This is Radclyffe's first foray into the paranormal and it's obvious. The world is pretty much stereotypical paranormal (or what a writer with limited experience with the genre assumes is paranormal -- nothing new except for the LGBT angle) with no surprises (werewolves, vampires, etc at war with each other and living alongside humans). Worse, the werewolf culture is as heteronormative and hierarchical as any het paranormal romance on the market (wolf researchers have pretty much trashed the whole 'alpha wolf' concept, but it lives on in werewolf lore).

Despite the paranormal setting, the characters are 'classic' Radclyffe: the tortured butch with a gentle soul but deep and mysterious scars that keep her from giving her heart to the supportive, competent, professional femme. This could have been an engaging paranormal story about werewolves, but its really a romance with a very thin 'plot' on top that mainly revolves around the romance anyway as our Alpha werewolf (the tender butch, of course -- wouldn't it have been interesting if the 'alpha' was the femme?) searches for her one true mate. And worse, it doesn't really offer an ending, but sort of a stopping place. I'm assuming that this is to entice us to buy the second book in the trilogy, but Raand's handling of the story and its non-ending doesn't exactly give me confidence that the next book will actually offer anything in the way of conclusion and/or a more engaging, imaginative story. I was disappointed in this book and won't be buying the next in the series.

Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden

Waiting in the Wings by Melissa Brayden is another solid romance, this time with a bit of story tossed in. Set in the high-pressure world of acting, the story begins in the world of musical theater as recent graduate, Jenna McGovern, lands her first major audition and her first big role in the touring company of a popular musical starring former teen star Adrienne Kenyon. A strong friendship quickly develops between the two and despite their mutual agreement to stay just friends, the two become lovers and possibly more. But their careers get in the way and the two are torn apart. Years later, the two are successful (to varying degrees) actresses who've managed to avoid each other until Jenna accepts a plum role in an ensemble co-starring her ex. Inevitable sparks fly.

This was an engaging book with believable characters and story development. It's always a pleasure to read a book set in a world like theater/film that gets it right. Too many glamorize or idealize the film/theater world or rely on popular portrayals like Glee for their source material. Brayden's background is in theater and it shows. The details ring true (my GF was an actress and I worked in PR in Hollywood) as does the struggle with the demands and stress of a career that is relentless, merciless, and exhausting. Although the story does rely on some miscommunication, it works here as the characters are young and inexperienced their first time round and later are jaded, wary, and cynical thanks to their time in the public eye. I really felt that the novel was strongest in the beginning when we were immersed along with Jenna in her first role and first experiences in all their terrifying and exhilarating detail in the world of musical theater.

Although I would have liked to see a bit more fleshing out of the characters (despite all of the details, Adrienne, in particular, came off a bit flat and too idealized and the supporting characters are virtually paper-thin and seem to exist only to further the plot), this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. It's Brayden's first novel and I'm hoping it isn't her last. I expect great things from the next one. Again, if you're expecting a novel heavy on plot and/or story, look elsewhere. This is a romance w/bonus theater/film world setting.

Battle Scars by Meghan O'Brien

Battle Scars by Meghan O'Brien is the story of Iraq War veteran, Ray, who is suffering from severe PTSD following her kidnapping and long-term imprisonment as a hostage in Iraq. Her return home to a press storm doesn't help her PTSD and, in fact, drives her into isolation in a northern California beach town where she lives with her therapy dog, Jagger and skypes with her therapist. Enter veterinarian Carly, who slowly befriends shy, reclusive Ray despite Ray's lingering homophobia (attributed mainly to her paranoia thanks to Don't Ask Don't Tell).

I chose this as my first entry because I'm a long-time fan of Meghan O'Brien's 'fanfic'. She's a solid writer and good storyteller and Battle Scars didn't disappoint. These women face real problems and obstacles on their way to love rather than the annoying series of miscommunications and manufactured obstacles so common in the genre. This is a solid romance with hot love scenes that don't airbrush or soft-pedal the f/f sex. If you're looking for a 'story' heavy on plot, this isn't the book for you. Battle Scars is strictly lez romance.