3 stars to Jared's Wolf by MaryJanice Davidson. I haven't read the others. ( )

Taming Kate by Jeanie Cesarini:
When Kathryn Roman inherits a legal brothel, she refuses to trade her high-powered career in Manhattan for a life in the wild, wild west. Little does this city girl know that the town of Love, Nevada wants her to be their new madam so they've charged Trey Holliday, one very dominant cowboy, with Taming Kate.

A so-so story. The whole cowboy/pretty lady thing got old pretty fast. I can't say I disliked it totally though, only that there was a bit too much romance for my liking.
Rating: 4 stars

Jared's Wolf by MaryJanice Davidson:
Jared Rocke will do anything to avenge his sister's death, even believe in werewolves. What he doesn't believe is that he's attracted to Moira Wolfbauer, the she-wolf sworn to protect her pack. In Jared's Wolf, two enemies must join forces to stop a killer while learning that love defies all boundaries—even those between species.

Much better than the first story, which to me read much more like a pure romance novel, a genre I don't particularly care for.

These are the first 2 Wyndham Werewolves stories written by MJD's. And I specifically put off reading Derik's Bane, Dead and Loving It, and even Undead and Unpopular until I read these two short stories, "Love's Prisoner" from Secrets 6, and this one from Secrets 8. I'm now more looking forward to reading Derik's Bane since I should feel like I'm coming back to familiar friends.
Rating: 8 stars

My Champion, My Love by Alice Gaines:
My Champion, My Love tells the tale of Celeste Broder, a woman committed for a sexy appetite that is tolerated in the men, but not the women of her time. She desperately needs a champion, and finds one in mayor Robert Albright. If she can convince him her freedom will mean a chance to indulge their appetites together.

Bah, this story was so boring I don't even know how or why I finished it! I guess I can only blame it on my OCD, my need to complete things I start, and particularly since I liked the stories in Secrets 6 so much better.

One of my main problems with this story is due to the fact that this story takes place back in 1888, when things were extremely uptight and Puritan sexually. And that alone is a huge pet peeve of mine! I hate the sexual repression we live with even today, and since the basis of this story was the fact that Celeste was put into an insane asylum because of her strong sexual nature and the books she read had me screaming with indignation on her behalf. And I guess because I don't really like romances just for the sake of romance, without any danger or other stuff in the story. And this story just did not have enough "other stuff" for me, and not nearly enough erotica. *sigh*
Rating: 3 stars

Kiss or Kill by Liz Maverick:
In this post apocalyptic world, Camille Kazinsky's military career rides on her ability to make a choice—whether the robo called Meat should live or die. Meat's future depends on proving he's human enough to live, man enough... Should Camille Kiss or Kill this man/machine that makes her feel like a woman?

I really liked this story a lot and was surprised to read that the short story appearing here in Secrets 8 was her first published work. I have a couple of her books from the Crimson City series, including the first one aptly named Crimson City, waiting on Mt. TBR so now I'm more looking forward to reading that.

Unlike the Cesarini and Gaines stories in this anthology, this was a lot more erotic and thus was more to my liking. And for the romance portion, I didn't have to deal with a swooning female and a bunch of "mushy gushy". LOL The sex scenes weren't really long, but were explicit enough to get me hot! ;-)
Rating: 7 stars

Overall, I'm rating this book a 6 when I average out the 4 individual ratings (which actually come to 5.5). The stories from Davidson and Maverick definitely made this anthology worth reading. The other two I wouldn't recommend for anyone who's not a die-hard romance fan. ( )