Building Sanctuary: Bootleggers & Debutantes

Building Sanctuary
-A Safe Harbor (July 2010)
-Undertow (October 2010)
Author: Moira Rogers
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
A Safe Harbor is available for the Kindle
Undertow will be available in October

A Safe Harbor Summary: Joan Fuller enjoyed a privileged life-until her wealth and connections garnered her the wrong sort of attention. Her rejection of a textile heir-s proposal comes back to bite her when he turns out to be a werewolf on the prowl for a mate.

Former bootlegger Seamus Whelan has cleaned up his act, but when his old partner Gavin comes to him for help, he can-t say no-no matter how deadly the threat. Escorting some female wolves to safety should have been easy, except their leader is a prim ex-debutante with enough power to challenge Seamus himself.

A Safe Harbor takes place during The Depression, in the 1930's, a hard time for humans and shifters, especially those who are trying to stay safe. Joan Fuller is a strong wolf, a female alpha, who escapes a cruel pack with mostly women who have been abused and treated as whores. She was raised in a wealthy family, brought up to be proper and pampered. Nothing prepared her for a life of sacrifice and hardship as she becomes a leader to those who need her. Her needs can't be acknowledged, or given into, and she feels alone. Seamus is a smuggler and a bootlegger getting ready to start a new life with his men. He's called upon by a friend to help Joan and her charges, knowing nothing of their circumstances.

The authors have brought alive this period in history, and made the idea of retired bootleggers, homeless girls and former debutantes who are werewolves believable. The characters are rich and passionate. I was swept away by the danger, adventure and romance of A Safe Harbor. I read it twice before writing this review, and loved it even more the second time. The story is fast paced, the romance is heart wrenching and passionate, and the action keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

If you love shifter stories and paranormal romance, you will love A Safe Harbor. It's a story to be read again and again.

Undertow Summary: Victor left behind a life of crime to focus on a new vision--helping his alpha build an island sanctuary for werewolves. Harsh experiences prepared him for the hardships involved, except when it comes to dealing with the young female refugees of the brutal Boston pack--especially Simone, who rouses his inner wolf like no other.

Born to wealth and privilege, Simone lost everything when she fell for the seductive whispers of the textile heir who turned her. Once adrift, now she is fired by a new sense of purpose--the chance to broker peace between werewolves and European wizards. Yet even as Europe beckons, her instincts--the same ones that led to trouble before--keep drawing her back to Victor.
Undertow is the second novella in the Building Sanctuary series, and I requested a review copy after reading A Safe Harbor, which I purchased on Amazon. Once again, the authors have captured the character of a man raised during this difficult time in history when the instinct is to protect and to lead, often giving the impression of being controlling. Words don't come easy for some men, as we soon find out in Undertow.

I loved the character of Victor for many reasons. He isn't your typical sexy shifter. He's gruff, brooding, and stoic in many ways. The authors, as far as I'm concerned, nailed the type of man I can imagine living during this era. Simone, our heroine, is a fascinating character as well, opposite of Victor in so many ways. She's the comforting, warm influence in the pack, yet she suffers from guilt over choices she's made in the past. Both allow the guilt over their past and fear of getting into a relationship stand in the way of happiness. In Undertow, Victor and Simone are taken on an adventure that forces them to face their feelings and learn to deal with their past. Witty banter, a stubborn man and wolf instincts take the reader on a sexy adventure.
Undertow is a fast paced sexy read with steamy love scenes, fascinating characters and adventure during a tough era in our history. I loved it, and can't wait until the third installment.

MORE ON THE SERIES
The series takes place before the author's Red Rock Pass series. Both are historical paranormal romance with former bootlegging werewolves. Brilliant, sexy and adventurous come to mind when I think of this new series. If you have read any of the Moira Rogers books in this series, below is the order I suggest you do so:

Red Rock Pass
Becoming (free read)
Little Things (free read)
1. Cry Sanctuary
2. Sanctuary Lost
3. Sanctuary's Price
4. Sanctuary Unbound

Building Sanctuary
1. A Safe Harbor
2. Undertow

I have reviewed the Red Rock Pass series here. To learn more about Moira Rogers and Building Santuary visit their website here.