Hello, and welcome back! I'm still digging through the stack of April books here on my desk, and have several waiting to share with you, as well as a few that will only merit a listing in the forum rather than a full review.

This time out, I have debut author Cheryl L. Brooks with Slave (Sourcebooks). Jacinth didn't mean to buy herself a sexy slave. She's just working her way through the galaxies trying to find her kidnapped sister. But she can't let Cat suffer his abusive master any longer, nor can she take the chance that the next person he's offered to will be any better than his current owner. But she intends just to free him and be on her way to the next place to look for her sister, not to keep him with her, teasing her into a physical relationship with him. And certainly not into an emotional relationship with him. No, no, no. But of course, Cat, despite having been enslaved now for many years, is still a strong man, and he doesn't take defeat well. Not that he intends to be defeated in this matter between them. Nor will he be: Jacinth is his, in all ways, and it's only a matter of time before she sees the truth of it. For fantasy readers, this may be just the thing. They travel on different worlds, with devices and abilities not possible here. The story is told in first person, though, which rather put me off from the start. If you're looking for erotica, well, you might be disappointed, since this one actually has some romance along with all the steamy sex. But if you're looking for a different sort of paranormal romance with plenty of heat, you may want to pick this one up and check it out further. It was an intriguing read, even for me, and I have no doubt that some of you will fall quickly in love with Cat and even be sorry to see the end of their story. This one's earned three and a half of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!