REVIEW Ann B. Keller, author of Briggen, reviews Draegon's Lair

Draegon's Lair struck me on two levels. First, it is a wonderful historical romance, one of the best I've ever read - and I've been reading them for over 40 years. Ms. Ciletti plays the factions of good and evil off each other with the ease of an orchestra conductor. The plot has several delightful twists and turns and her character development is superb. Bastion, Draegon's evil twin brother, chills me to the core as he torments and abuses beautiful Alys both verbally and physically. Some heroes are so downright pure that they are virtually untouchable. Not so with Draegon. Although he is brave and honorable to a fault, Draegon's doubts and fears make him vulnerable and I bonded with him over the course of the novel.

Second, Ms. Ciletti has a great deal to say about surviving abusive relationships and how our own insecurities may cloak and hide us from the life we were born to live. Draegon is a prisoner of darkness and shadow, keeping the world at bay lest his true appearance be revealed. And yet, when he finally allows the hood to fall, he is surprised by what people really think about him. This is a lesson for us all. Well done, Ms. Ciletti! Well done.

REVIEW Romance Reader at Heart reviews Draegon's Lair

RRAH's
THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

The first thing I have to say about DRAEGON'S LAIR and what stood out for me the most, is the wonderful medieval feel this story has. Thankfully, the dialogue is written more in tune with that time period than having them all speak today's English (i.e., "Pray, I know not your name," as opposed to "Pray, I don't know your name.") It really set the atmosphere of the book and kept me right smack in the middle of the time period I was supposed to be in. As to a quick summary, DRAEGON'S LAIR is about two physically and emotionally wounded souls, who, through a series of trials and tribulations, come to love and heal each other for their happily-ever-after.

Draegon has secluded himself away since the age of 10, kept his face covered and shown to no one, believing his veins flow with the blood of demons. He comes out only at night in the dark so that no one can uncover his secret, and during the day stays within the confines of his shadowy castle wearing a hood and cape. He's never known the touch of love or unconditional acceptance. Alys is wounded too, by a father who betrothed her to a villainous lord, Bastion, who then proceeds to whip, rape, and torture her both physically and emotionally, basically because he's not a nice guy and simply wants to. I have to say that as far as cruel, evil villains go, this guy takes the cake!

Okay, so this book is pretty standard fare in both plot and storyline. Nothing new to report on that front. But I enjoyed the two love stories it held between Draegon and Alys, and Alan and Leena, Bastion's right hand and Aly's maid servant. The confrontational scenes were good, especially in those involving Bastion, the secondary characters were all likeable, and speaking of Bastion, his character was evil enough to give me downright chills. My only criticism comes in the form of Alys, a woman who gets whipped, beaten, torn by thorns, falls down stairs, hits her head more than once, nearly dies from fever, slides down a cave and nearly drowns... Oy, I'm tired just writing all that—and there's more. It was all a little too much of that "damsel in distress mode" for me, and it had to be for her. Seriously, I would have enjoyed her character so much more if she hadn't been subjected to all that turmoil.

Other than that, DRAEGON'S LAIR was a book that I did enjoy, read fast, and that had a wonderfully tender love scene between Draegon and Alys near the end. Linda Ciletti shows she has a wonderful medieval writing voice, just perfect for telling tales of knights in shining armor coming to the aid of damsels in distress.

Nancy Davis

REVIEW Coffee Time Romance gives Draegon's Lair 5 Cups

Draegon has lived his life in the shadows. Always he feels safer in the darkness. He yearns for love but thinks no one can love him for the beast that resides within. He only drops the hood of his cloak for two reasons. The first when he is with his friend Diminimis and the second on windy, rainy nights in the forest.

Lady Alys has been betrothed to a monster. She has tried several times to escape and finally has her chance for freedom. Willing to do anything for her unborn child, she chances out running a rainstorm. When her horse stumbles and she is injured, she never expects to wake in the home of the Shadow Lord.

Draegon is concerned for Alys and when she finally awakes and does not remember who she is, his concern grows. She remembers pieces of what she has been through but struggles to remember the rest. When Draegon catches a glimpse of the scars on her back, he vows to protect her or die trying. Their lives take a turn towards danger when Knighthawk, Alys's betrothed, arrives at Greystone demanding his future wife and unborn child be returned.

Ms. Ciletti has written a wonderful historical romance. The fear that overwhelms Draegon as he discovers love for the first time is poignant. Alys is a character that I felt deeply for as well. The scenes are filled with romance, fear and a breath of new found freedom. I was enticed to keep reading as the characters always found themselves in trouble. This reason alone makes for an entertaining read. For lovers of historical romances, this is a book that should be on your shelf.

Liadan Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance

Reviewer for Karen Find Out About New Books

REVIEW Coffeetime Romance gives KnightStalker 5 Cups!

Coffeetime listed KnightStalker as a Paranormal. In fact, it's a contemporary Time Travel. Regardless, they loved it!!
Thanks, Coffeetime.

KnightStalker Review

Rachael Cicconi’s boyfriend left her three years ago. She has since been the single parent of their son Timmy. Rachael refuses to trust or love again, that is, until a knight in shining armor rescues her from an attack late one night on her way home from work. When he turns up on her doorstep with nowhere to stay, Rachael finds it hard to say no, even though she fears for both her and Timmy’s safety.

Michel of Banesford is a knight of old living in England in 1376. When, on the 3 nights of the full moon, someone starts to murder the young maidens. Michel manages to follow this monster, Ruford, through time to America, where he meets Rachael and her young son. For the last two weeks, Timmy has been having nightmares about an evil knight hurting women. This is how long Ruford has been in America, and Michel wonders what could be influencing the boy’s dreams.

Michel’s prevention of the attack on Rachael changes the course of both their lives. Michel has given up everything he knows and loves to travel to an unknown time and place in order to fulfill his oath to god; he must stop Ruford from killing again. Rachael still has difficulties being able to trust, worrying what she will do if he leaves her. How will Timmy cope if another man walks away from them? Even with all this, she finds herself drawn further into a relationship with Michel, unable to stop her heart from ruling her head.

Ms. Ciletti has written a wonderful book with realistic and colorful characters. I especially liked the way Michel reacted to today’s technology and what he thinks is happening. When Rachael turned on a light, he throws holy water on her, thinking she is a witch. Rachael has a number of internal battles throughout the book, worrying what would be best for both her and her son. Timmy is a clever and determined five-year-old boy who, like most of his age, can usually get what he wants with both his mother and Michel. These and many other little points make this bookwork on all levels.

HollieReviewer for Coffee Time RomanceReviewer for
Karen Find Out About New Books

KNIGHTSTALKER - Contemporary Time Travel Released June 2008

My second book KnightStalker was just released on June 1 at Wings ePress in both electronic and paperback formats.

KnightStalker is a contemporary time travel about a knight, Michel, who follows a serial killer knight into the future (our present) to stop the knight's murderous siege. Upon arriving in this new world, he meets the heroine and her young son--someone who can help him adjust and guide him in a search that seems daunting in a city of many. Michel cannot return to his own time and has lost all that he knows. But it isn't until his presence places the woman and her son in danger that he realizes the true potential for loss. When a simple heroic act plasters his picture in the newspaper, he finds himself facing a ticking bomb. It's anyone's guess who will find who first. One thing he knows, if the killer sees his picture, it's only a matter of time before the killer discovers where Michel is, and who he can use against him.

Writing time travels are fun and interesting. I love the culture clash and the potential for miscommunication, as well as the mix of old world with modern...whichever way you travel. :)

2008 RT Convention

Well, I survived the 2008 RT (Romantic Times) Convention. I had a blast! I met wonderful authors and readers, as well as publishers, book sellers and reviewers...and made some new friends. It was great hanging out with Melissa Mayhue and Rena Marks.... and my roomates Ericka, Debbie, and Lea. We had quite a few laughs, especially when Lea mistook Barry Eisler for one of the Cover Models. (Maybe you should look into that, Barry.) Also I won a wonderful pearl and cameo necklace. Okay...it wasn't my ticket that won. Everyone at my table got tired of waiting for the drawing and gave me all the tickets and left. I stuck it out and one of them hit! Now I need somewhere really fantastic to wear the necklace. I absolutely was inspired to write...but when I got home, I got sick and am still fighting it off. I guess you can't go into a small enclosed space with hundreds of people and not come into contact with some kind of cold germ. Lucky me! But I'm feeling better and hope to be writing soon. LIKE TONIGHT!!!! :) As I said...I had a blast at RT. It was fun to dress up as a dark fairy, a vampire, and a hollywood starlet. And I garnered enough free books to last me until the next RT. Here's crossing my fingers I can go again.

REVIEW Historical Romance Club gives Draegon's Lair 4 Stars

Draegon (the Shadow Lord) was the lord of Greystone and ruled with a fair and even hand. He'd spent so many years hiding his face beneath the hood of a cloak, and trying to wipe out the past and cleanse his soul to prepare for the future, it was second nature to him. While he was a good lord, it never came under his supervision to rescue fair maidens in distress. But one stormy eve, destiny came calling and changed his life forever.

Alys was running from an evil and cruel man she was due to marry but did not love. She'd run from him many times in the past, but always she was caught and viciously punished. But this night she felt freedom was close at hand, and she would obtain it at all costs. Alys could take no more beatings or humiliation and needed to escape.

Draegon and Alys meet under the most desperate of circumstances, but fate steps in to take over their lives. Bastion (Knighthawk), the Lord of Worthingshire, was determined to get Alys back. He enjoyed bringing misery to others---cruelty and torture were his favourite weapons of choice. He would find Alys at all cost, and destroy any and all who stood in his way. She would not be allowed to escape him and live. These three people were on a collision course like none have ever seen. Draegon was determined to keep Alys and help her get away from Bastion, but was he strong enough lord to accomplish this and still keep his secrets hidden? Could he love another and provide for her or would he release her back to Bastion to save all those under his lordship who depended on him for their lives? When Draegon's deepest secrets are revealed to him, will he falter and succumb to the evil he feels within him? Or will he fight for the true cause that keeps us all moving forward in our lives - love!

This is a timeless story of passion, love and destiny that keeps you guessing what will happen on the next page. Draegon's Lair is well written and develops at a slow even pace so you feel the characters' deep emotions, be it love, fear or passion.

Mary Gramlich, Historical Romance Club Reviews

REVIEW Rogues & Romance gives Draegon's Lair a great review!

Draegon’s Lair is a wonderful historical full of romance, passion, and mystery. Linda Ciletti does a phenomenal job of developing the characters, from the abuse and anguish Alys has suffered at the hands of Bastion, to the pain and loneliness Draegon has felt his whole life. The ease at which the reader can identify with these characters really makes a difference in the realism of the story. Ms. Ciletti has created an intense and palpable attraction between Alys and Draegon- which is even more impressive when you consider the tension is at its peak before Alys even sees his face. This story has plenty of secrets to keep you guessing, all of which are revealed and nicely tied up by the end, making for one satisfying read. Draegon’s Lair is one of those stories where both the plot and characters really grab you, and it gets harder and harder to put down. Linda Ciletti has definitely made me a fan with this story, and once you read Draegon’s Lair, you will be too.

Mandy Briggs, Rogues and Romance Reviews
Full review at http://www.roguesandromance.com/

DRAEGON'S LAIR - Romantic Medieval Adventure Released February 2008

My book, "Draegon's Lair", was released by Wings ePress in February 2008. It's available in both eformat and paperback for those who like to feel the pages (like me). Draegon's Lair has been described as a medieval Beauty and the Beast Novel. I'll post reviews separately. To read excerpts, see additional reviews, or for more information, visit my website or myspace page blog www.myspace.com/larici