The Last Guardian by Isabo Kelly

Neeko is the last K'ali Guardian left alive, and she is being pursued by a creature of legend, the Soul Eater. She cannot stop, she cannot think, she can only run in a desperate attempt to save the treasure she carries. She must protect the charm that contains the very soul of a future goddess, but she won’t be able to do it by herself. Alone and terrified she turns to the one being she believes might be able to help.

Gehan is a man cast out by his own people because they feared his awesome powers. The Guardians each spent time training with him, but none of them had really known him as more than a man gifted with magical strength and knowledge. He has lived with such loneliness, but now the woman of his dreams lies helpless at his feet. Can he overcome his desire for her as a woman long enough to help her defeat the devastating evil of the Soul Eater?

This tale of magic and mayhem transcends the pages and grabs you by the heart. In the midst of horror and conflict lies a beautiful story of unconditional love.

The Farmer's Boy and the Southern Princess by C. Mitchell O'Neal

An aged grandfather tells his grandson the tale of the beautiful Blue Lady who rides her white horse through the mountains. When the Royal Astronomer came searching for her, he found a young boy watching his flocks. He requests him to watch for her, and report back so she can be captured. To the Astronomer she is a dangerous woman who must be destroyed. When the boy meets the Lady, he knows she is something special. He could never betray her, and would do anything to save her. He fights to save her life, but finds that his victory brings an unexpected sacrifice.

An enchanting tale of love that comes with a price.

An Assassin's Education by Denise Frost

Of questionable parentage Genevra, is abandoned to grow up on her own. She attempts a career as an assassin, but a mistake leaves her at the mercy of Bran, Master of the House of Swords. Forced to work in atonement for trying to murder Willem of Ged, she manages to find a kind of peace while being taught the nea-kata, a combination of sword play and martial arts by Bran. Strangely, she finds her first true friend in Willem.

Bran has treasured watching this young woman blossom into someone with beauty of the mind and heart. He realizes she means more to him than any other woman does has, but is it fair to ask someone so young and beautiful to bind herself for life to an older man?

A story that reminds us we must love and respect ourselves before we can truly love someone else. It did remind me of The Ugly Duckling, but with a wonderful touch of romance.

A New Life by Mary Ann Chulick

Though I found it odd that some facets of the medical science involved were much more advanced than others, this was still an intriguing story with interesting plot twists.

On the planet of Averit, assassinating people with money is a regular event. Many are forced to hire full time guards to keep them alive so they can live their lives without being in a constant state of fear. Milla Juarez hires Adrienne to be her doppelganger, or body double after someone attempts to bomb her boat. She would rather be a scientist working with medical research than a wealthy aristocrat.

When posing for Milla at a social event, Adrienne meets Tas Vertaine, Milla's fiancé. She finds herself attracted to his kind, quiet soul, and isn’t put off by his physical disability. From Tas’s actions, Adrienne realizes the attraction is mutual, but it’s distracting her from her work. An almost tragedy leads to unexpected solutions and the possibility of a romance that never could have been.

Miracle on the Sea of Blue Death by Karen Pleines Sterba

A short, suspenseful, and even humorous love triangle about Ota Stempl, who’s job is to save lives as the First Responder, Milagros, the woman he loves, and Blesk, his wingcat, an intelligent feline type with intelligence and attitude.

When Mila is frightened by Blesk’s jealous actions, she tries to fly off in a fit of anger. Instead, she winds up in a life-threatening situation where only Ota and Blesk stand a chance of saving her. The way she receives medical treatment is a wonderful twist that will surprise the reader, and leave them wanting to know more.

Quick, and a real delight, this story offers possibilities for a future novel I would love to read.

Attraction of Otherness by Joyce Ellen Armond

Holly Kean can sense the presence of “others,” charismatic and fascinating, she is intrigued by them. But the ‘others” are evil, and enjoy hunting and killing members of the human race. The “agency” Holly works for doesn’t want humankind to know they are prey for alien creatures, so she is sent to cover up evidence of an “other “ attack. She poses as an FBI agent sent to take over the case, and comes head to head with Max Zeller.

Max is also posing as an FBI agent, but Holly’s “sensors” tell her he is one of the “others” and an enemy she must destroy. Max refuses to act like an evil predator, making Holly begin to doubt the evidence before her very eyes. Why does he feel different, and what is it he wants? As they set out to do their jobs, Holly discovers what it feels like to be prey, and Max proves to be more than she ever expected.

A story that ended much too quickly and left this reviewer wanting more.

Cooley's Panther by Jody Wallace

Cooley thinks her neighbor Evan is bad-tempered, and she’s also sure he has a secret. She actually got a picture of a panther in that junk-laden back yard of his. It’s dangerous to keep wild animals where there are lots of people roaming around. Of course she did her civic duty and called the cops, but they don’t seem to be solving anything, so she decided to take matters into her own hands and play detective. She arrives at his house bearing cookies.

Evan wants Cooley to mind her own business. When her actions lead him directly to jail, he’s annoyed and surprised when she arrives to bail him out. Turns out that Cooley is more than just nosey, she’s a woman with her own secrets. She may be willing to show him hers, if Evan’s’s ready to show her his…

Clever, with a wry style of humor, this story draws you in and keeps you guessing.

Seduction in Blue by Julianne Wells

Take a vacation in Greece? Sounds like the ultimate solution to Alexandra’s case of “the blues” after she loses a promotion she felt she deserved. While enjoying herself sightseeing, she comes across a quaint bookstore and feels led to purchase a particular book. When she takes the book outside the shop to explore its pages, she is transported by more than just the words. She winds up in a someplace else, where a gorgeous male seems determined to fill her every need.

Though the man seems like everything a girl could want, her common sense eventually prevails. She realizes being possessed in public by an almost perfect stranger isn’t really her idea of a sensual foreign fantasy. Alex objects, and her honor is saved by the goddess of love herself. Sent back to the streets of Greece, she meets a destiny much more to her liking. This was an enjoyable story told with a sense of humor that made it stand out.

With Heart to Hearr by Frances Robertson

In England in the 1860’s, women are supposed to be submissive and non-controversial. Elise is neither. She is intelligent, curious, an avid reader. With some encouragement, she becomes an explorer. She sets out on a journey to investigate the natural world of her homeland, and one day she comes across an ancient stone bridge. On the other side, she finds something from her deepest fantasies, someone from the mystical world of the Fae.

Garth had lost a love because of that bridge, and until Elise, he had been drowning in inconsolable grief. When she crosses the bridge, they meet and soon find themselves lost in the pleasures of new and passionate love. She willingly gives herself to him, not understanding that he might desire more from her than she is prepared to give. If she gives him forever, she loses the world she has always known. If eternity is a bridge she refuses to cross, can two hearts find the way to forever?

Sum 3 is an anthology that can please any romantic taste. Join these talented authors in their worlds of magic, fantasy, paranormal, and most of all, love. Each story is a well-chosen example of the genre, put together so your attention is caught and held tight. Ms.Wallace has edited a wonderful way to sample the delights of speculative romantic fiction.

Reviewed by: LeeAnn