Animal Instincts by Gena Showalter
Unlike Gena’s other books, this one is well grounded in reality – or maybe I should just state that this one doesn’t have a paranormal aspect. It’s a very cute story, filled with conflict within Naomi that she needs to resolve before she can accept another man into her life. I loved the way she painted some of the scenes in the book. For instance, early in the book there was a line of women waiting to apply for a role as Royce’s wife and Naomi remained completely clueless about what was going on. The rest of the book is filled with the same sort of quirky humor. So if you're looking for something a little different, I think this story is sure to bring a smile to your face.
Details: HQN, April 2007
Excellence Rating: Very Good
Steaminess Factor: Yummy
Nymphs require lots of sex in order to stay strong, and the warrior king Valerian needs it more than most. But when he and his loyal men become separated from their women, Valerian stages an attack on the world outside Atlantis to get the women they so desperately need. Shaye Holling was guilty of nothing more than attending a wedding when she finds an army of hunks climb out of the water. Unable to defend herself, she soon finds in a strange place with a group of women who were also at the wedding. When Valerian sees Shaye for the first time, he realizes that she’s his life mate and no other women can satisfy him. Unfortunately Shaye doesn’t see things quite the same way and wants Valerian to return her to the surface. But when Valerian faces his enemy, will he be able to convince Shaye that they belong together or will Shaye become responsible for his downfall. 
Belle Jamison never wanted to be a super hero, she just wanted to find a job that she could hold onto for more than a couple of weeks. After a crazed man disrupts the coffee shop where Belle works, she tries to relax and sip her cup of Grande Mocha Latte. The next thing she knows, she’s so sick she wishes she could die and a man – Rome Masters – is standing over her waiting for her to get better. Soon Belle learns that she has power over the four elements: fire, water, air and earth and that Rome’s assignment is to kill her if she learns how to use those powers. But she sees something special inside Rome and when she accidently torches his apartment, Rome saves her life. Now Belle must decide if Rome saved her because she’s special to him or is he just playing with her before he carries out his orders. 
Grayson James from the OBI (Otherworld Bureau of Investigations) has been sent to Atlantis to find the fabled Jewel of Dunamis, which supposedly allows its possessor to conquer any enemy. Once found, Gray must either return with it to the OBI or destroy it so that no one else can use it. Arriving in Atlantis, Gray faced one danger after another, and just when it looks like he’s done for, he hears a voice in his mind that helps him escape danger. Drawn toward the voice, he encounters a lady whose beauty exceeds his ability to describe. 
Mia Snow, alien huntress for the New Chicago Police Department, always gets her man, uh, …alien, though she usually doesn’t bother to bring them back alive. So when a series of mysterious killings plague New Chicago, Mia follows the trail to the most powerful of race aliens, the Arcadians and to one alien in particular Kyrin en Arr. Unfortunately for Mia, Kyrin possesses powers that allow him to elude her capture. When Mia finally catches Kyrin, he manages to unleash a passion she’s never experienced before, then while she’s confused and vulnerable he reveals a secret about her past that shatters everything she believes to be true. Now it’s up to Mia to overcome her passions and her past and bring the real killer to justice.