C2’s review of Karma (Serendipity, Book 3) by Carly Phillips
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 1 May 12

Can two people whose lives have centered on guilt find a way to move forward with their lives and find happiness together? The third book in Carly Phillips’ Serendipity series gives us the answer.

Dare Barrons’ entire life has been colored by a high school incident that left a classmate dead.  When a fight broke out at a party, one of the guys fell hard on a concrete patio.  Panic followed and a lot of kids, Dare included, fled the scene.  Dare’s guilt over running away and remaining silent about what really happened had a huge influence over all his future choices – the foster home he went to after his parents were killed in a car crash and even his choice of careers.  Now Dare is a police officer in his hometown and he still has regular run-ins with the person responsible for their classmate’s death all those years ago.  The only small bright side is that Dare also gets to see the guy’s older sister when she comes to bail him out of jail.  She was the only reason Dare went to the party to start with – he had a crush on her and hoped to see her.

Liza McKnight’s life has mostly centered around her brother.  Her parents always thought he could do nothing wrong and she could do nothing right – they did everything they could to make her brother’s life easy.  Now that her parents spend most of their time away from Serendipity, taking care of Brian has become her responsibility.  He has a job at the family’s architectural firm but isn’t a diligent worker, by any means, and has a drinking problem that has him regularly in and out of jail.  Liza knows he needs more help than she can give him, but he is an adult. He helped her once in college when she really needed it and it has always been beaten into her brain that she is supposed to take care of him.

Liza had noticed Dare when visiting the police station to bail out her brother – hot guy in a uniform??  Yes, indeed.  But his open hostility to her brother and her general discomfort with the locals keeps her from being friendly.  And Dare’s high school crush on Liza?  Still crushing along, even though he thinks she is an enabler to her obviously troubled brother.

Really, Liza and Dare have a lot in common – both feel guilty about their parts in that high school party that went wrong, both had less than stellar childhoods. Just as they begin to explore a relationship, Brian gets into more trouble. There have been instances of missing money and mishandled accounts at Liza’s firm and Brian works in that department. When Brian goes missing and Liza’s brake line is cut, it seems his enemies are trying to get to him through her.

I appreciate the fact that Liza isn’t one of those too-stupid-to-live heroines we encounter sometimes. When she finds out she is in danger, she accepts all the protection offered from the police and from Dare’s family. She doesn’t go rushing off in a misguided attempt to save the day – and bless her for it. LOL

Can Liza accept that someone actually cares about her and won’t push her aside for something or someone more important? Can Dare let go of his guilt from the past and look toward the future without bitterness?

I enjoyed this book much more than the second in the series, although not quite as much as the first (I loves me some bad boy/good girl plots). This is a good, steady small-town romance and Ms. Phillips’ fans should be quite pleased to see all the Barrons brothers settled and happy.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Police Officer Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with her is watching Liza regularly bail out her brother at the station.
 
Dare’s dark past with Liza’s brother, Brian, has always kept him from pursuing her. But suddenly Liza finds herself in need of protection and Dare appoints himself as the man for the job.  And while the sizzling attraction between Dare and Liza draws them together, the past that Dare and Brian share threatens to keep the two apart forever.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

A wanna-be demon who needs her last soul to finally acquire demon status and an angel cowboy whose mission is to save the demon’s soul, to give her another chance at life. What they don’t count on is the heat…the smoke…the fire when they touch, kiss, love.

Destiny and Chance are at cross purposes at this point in their lives, but the heat between them is all encompassing. They can’t fight it. Destiny doesn’t want to. And Chance finally realizes he can’t.

So is there a way out for them in the end? Is it possible for a demon and an angel to find happily ever after?

Summary:

When sexy wannabe-demon, Destiny Carter, is kicked out of Hell, she lands in Ft. Worth, Texas with one week to corrupt a soul. Or else. She slips into a slinky red dress, and heads straight for the delicious, corruptible looking cowboy at the bar.

But Chance Bellew has his own agenda-saving souls. He’s not your typical angel. He’s a nephilim, to be exact. Centuries ago, angels came down from Heaven and mated with mortal women. When the women bore children, a new race was created. Immortals with powers—demigods, nephilim.

But the children don’t live by the same rules as mortals, or that of the typical, robe-wearing, bright light-surrounding-them angels. Hell, most of the time the nephilim are breaking the rules, and making up new ones as they go. As long as they don’t cross over to the dark side, everyone pretty much stays out of their way.

But sometimes a demon-in-training, who looks like Destiny, comes along and all Hell breaks loose.

Here’s a little taste…

Chapter 1

Destiny Carter was six years old when she had the first inkling that her life wouldn’t be a fairy tale. That was the day her mother left her in a grocery store and never came back. Destiny was right, her life went downhill from there. Bad foster homes, bad boyfriends, and really, really bad choices.

Then she died and went to Hell.

Until she was kicked out.

Destiny landed on the sidewalk with a hard thump.

“Son of a bitch!” She grimaced as she came to her feet, rubbing her hands over her tender backside. She was probably the first person ever to get kicked out of Hell. Temporarily, that is.

Hysterical laughter bubbled inside her, but she quickly tamped it down. She was not going to lose what little bit of sanity she had left. She would get through this like she did everything else, by gritting her teeth and doing what she had to do.

All is not lost. Just take a deep breath.

She inhaled.

Ugh! Her nose twitched as a god-awful stench filled her space. She glanced down the deserted street. Faded army-green painted letters on a shabby storefront window proclaimed it as Ft. Worth’s finest resale shop.

Oh hell, she’d landed close to the stockyards in Ft. Worth, Texas, but this wasn’t Billy Bob’s. No, skid-row bars and vacant buildings lined both sides of the street.

Could her day get any worse?

Not that she had anything against Texas, except it was hot as hell. The dry heat was not helping her mood.

“I couldn’t manage to steal one more soul?” she grumbled.

Okay, so she wasn’t the best salesperson in the underworld. Why didn’t that lawyer just sign on the dotted line? He insisted on reading the fine print and before she knew it, poof, he was gone. One more soul and she would’ve been a full-fledged demon with all the rights and privileges of that position-like drinking, gambling, and lots of sex.

“Sex,” she breathed on a sigh as she slowly combed her fingers through her long, black hair. Naked, straining bodies. Hands touching, caressing. She bit her bottom lip and forced the vision to go far, far away before she grabbed the grungy-looking bum leaning against the vacant store front and had her way with him.

She grimaced. Maybe she wasn’t that hard up. But Destiny did really miss sex. Everything about her life might have been lousy, but never the sex. And right now she was so horny she figured she’d start sprouting a pair any time, except people at the trainee level couldn’t grow a set of horns to save their lives.

Now she was one step farther from her goal. The ones in charge were really pissed, but at least they had given her another chance, and new orders: corrupt someone and drag the unwitting person back to Hell. She had one week to do it or else. Why the fuck had they tacked on “or else”? What were they going to do? Send her to Hell?

Okay, shake it off. Getting kicked out was only a minor glitch. She could take a soul in less than a week. A moment of panic sent a shiver down her spine and her bravado drained away. Who was she kidding? Only dying souls caught between Heaven and Hell were sent to the sorting station. Her job was to convince them Hell was their best choice. She didn’t have to search them out. Nothing ever went right for her in life. Why did she think being dead would change things?

No, she could do this. She would survive.

A flashing neon sign suddenly caught her attention when one of the bulbs popped and blew out. THE STOMPIN’ GROUND. A bar. Her mouth watered. Demons-in-training weren’t allowed to drink, or do much of anything on the job, and they were always on the job. One drink wouldn’t hurt, and a bar would be a good place to start looking for a corruptible soul. In fact, it was her duty to go inside and check the place out.

A slow smile curved her lips as she slid her hands slowly over her body and the plain, butt-ugly, black wool uniform shift became a tight-fitting, low-cut, fuck-me red dress that shimmered with each slow, seductive step she took. Yeah, she was bad. Life made her that way. That’s why she went straight to Hell. You never saw a good girl in Hell.

The bum’s mouth dropped open. He looked at his wrinkled brown paper sack that obviously held a bottle of booze, then back at her. She grinned and winked. He tipped the bottle to his mouth, guzzling down more alcohol.

“See you in Hell,” she muttered.

Destiny made her way to the bar, then pushed on the door, stepping inside the cool, dimly lit interior. As soon as her eyes adjusted, she glanced around. A haze of cigarette smoke formed a gray cloud above the patrons.

Slim pickings. Only a handful of people sat at tables.

Two worn out hookers were strategically positioned close to the door. Too easy. They already had Hell stamped on their foreheads. Destiny wanted to impress the powers that be. Used-up hookers would not make an impact on them.

A couple of men sat at another table deep in conversation about a stupid football game. Not bad looking. Wedding rings glinted on their fingers. Married. Too much trouble.

Hmm… But the demons might be impressed.

Before she could take a step toward them the bathroom door opened, spilling a patch of light into the bar. Two laughing women joined the men at their table. Scratch that idea. Two was company, four was a crowd.

There was a lively group of barely legal college boys chugging pitchers of beer. Hmm, certainly corruptible. From the way they were dressed, they were definitely slumming. One guy glanced her way, eyes practically bugging out.

Oh hell, was that drool? No thanks!

Someone put money in the jukebox and a slow country song began to play. For a moment, she let the deep voice of the singer wash over her. She didn’t even mind that he was crooning about his cheating wife and losing himself in a bottle of whiskey. Damn, she missed being alive.

Her gaze languidly drifted around the rest of the room, past dark walls with posters of country singers plastered all over them. The bartender wiped a damp cloth across one end of the bar. Destiny’s eyes narrowed as she sized him up. The potential was there.

He raised his head, saw her, then smiled. The kind of smile that made her feel good all over. He wasn’t bad looking, in a good-old-boy sort of way.

Destiny drew in a deep breath as she readied herself for a full assault, but at the last minute a movement at the other end of the bar caught her eye.

A lone cowboy sat on one of the stools nursing a beer, his back to her. He wore a black T-shirt that deliciously hugged his broad shoulders. Her gaze dropped. The jeans weren’t bad, either. Nope, not bad at all. The guy had a great ass from this angle. Sweet! Cowboy had just enough muscles that he created a fantasy, but not enough that she would be in competition with his ego.

He turned and looked her way, his gaze sliding sensuously over her body. Tingles of excitement tickled her spine. She had such a fondness for cowboys. They knew how to ride ‘em long and hard, and she was all for long and hard.

She devoured him with one long lazy look. His black Stetson was pulled down low on his forehead as though he didn’t give a damn about anyone or anything. It didn’t help that, for some insane reason, black cowboy hats turned her on.

Oh baby, she was about to make his wet dreams come true. Yee-haw, ride ‘em cowboy.

The bartender was forgotten as she locked on target. Destiny slid her hands over her hips nice and slow before sauntering toward him, putting just a little bit of swing in her hips.

This time she would be the one calling the shots. The one in charge. No one would ever control her again like they had when she was alive. She would take what she wanted and to hell with the rest! Literally.

The cowboy watched her every step of the way. She was already wrapping him around her little finger and the poor guy didn’t have a clue. She stopped beside him.

“Buy a lady a beer?” she asked. Her words held enough invitation that only an idiot wouldn’t guess she wanted more than a beer, and this guy didn’t look like an idiot. She slid onto the stool next to his, propping her elbow on the scarred wooden surface of the bar.

Over the haze of smoke, over the smell of alcohol, Destiny caught another scent that weaved its way around her, making her lean in a little closer. It was spicy and held a promise of nights filled with down-and-dirty sex. She could feel the waves of heat radiating off him, curling around her body and wrapping her in a sensual cloud of sexual awareness.

“A beer for the lady,” he drawled, breaking into her fantasy and nodding toward the bartender.

His voice sent tingles down her spine. It was just a little raspy-low and sexy.

Cowboy swiveled his stool around to face her and tipped the brim of his hat with one finger so she got a better look at his face: the strong jaw, the slight stubble, and the most intense blue eyes she’d ever encountered.

Destiny had her first mini orgasm, and it felt so fucking great! This guy looked good enough to eat. She was going to enjoy corrupting him.

“What’s a cowboy like you doing in a bar all alone?” Okay, that sounded pretty cheesy, but she was a little out of practice; she’d died in 1959.

“Waiting for a woman like you,” he replied and again his words caressed her as his blue-eyed gaze drifted lazily down her body before returning to her face. Her nipples tightened.

The bartender set a beer in front of her. Cowboy dropped a few bills on the counter and the bartender left.

She grinned as she took the bottle, her tongue sliding nice and slow around the rim before she brought it the rest of the way to her lips. She tilted the bottle a little and ice-cold liquid slid down her throat. Nice. She’d missed the taste of alcohol.

“So, what’s your handle, cowboy?” she asked after she lowered the bottle.

“Chance. Chance Bellew.”

“Well, you’ve just met your destiny.” She grinned. “Destiny Carter.”

Destiny Carter was six years old when she had the first inkling that her life wouldn’t be a fairy tale. That was the day her mother left her in a grocery store and never came back. Destiny was right, her life went downhill from there. Bad foster homes, bad boyfriends, and really, really bad choices.

Then she died and went to Hell.

Until she was kicked out.

Hi Everyone! And waving to Sybil! I hope you enjoyed the opening of my current release, Where There’s Smoke.

Long ago it’s said angels came to earth and mated with humans. A new race started when children were born from this union—the nephilim.

I took that idea and ran with it. Destiny needs a soul to get readmitted into Hell and achieve demon status which will give her all the luxuries demon status can offer. But Destiny has no idea the sexy cowboy sitting at the bar is a nephilim. Chance has a very different agenda. He doesn’t plan on letting her win, but the best laid plans have a way of unraveling and he finds he’s in danger of losing his own soul.

Where There’s Smoke is an erotic romance. I write erotic romance because I want to embarrass my grown children…..no, no, no. That’s not true. I write erotic romance because I can and I enjoy writing it. I don’t want to look back on my life and say I didn’t do something because it wasn’t appropriate. I want to look back and say I lived my life and had a hell of a lot of fun!

I also make jewelry. I’m surrounded by bling-bling. I love Moscato and Merlot wine. Mexican food and frozen Margaritas. My style is farmhouse country and shabby chic. My back porch is my sanctuary where I get in touch with my inner self. Everyone should have a peaceful place, even if it’s the city park.

I’ve lost 99 pounds. Every time I get close to the 100-pound mark there’s a family function or it’s date night or something. I will reach 100 pounds lost, though. Still, I enjoy shopping for clothes.  And that’s who I am, sort of. I hope everyone enjoys Where There’s Smoke.

Best Wishes!

Sandy M’s review of Where There’s Smoke by Karen Kelley
Paranormal Erotic Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 1 May 12

This is actually my first Karen Kelley book. I like the premise of the story, so thought it would be a good book to review. While I like the handsome and immortal cowboy hero – who wouldn’t want a cowboy for forever? – and the sex is hot and steamin’, there’s a couple of pet peeves that kept me on edge in between the sexy voice and grins that cowboy tosses around and the play of heaven against hell, stealing souls, and trying to do the right thing.

Destiny is a demon in training. She kinda messes up on occasion, so she’s been kicked out of hell to steal that one last soul to move her up to full demon status. Once there, it’s smooth sailing, she’ll finally have everything she’s been promised by the demon who turned her all those years ago. So she’s hunting for that next lucky – or unlucky, depending on how you look at it – soul, and she stumbles upon an uber sexy cowboy in a bar. Her first thought is not stealing his soul, it’s of sex – can’t blame her on that one! – which she hasn’t had in quite a little while.

The product of an angel and a human woman, Chance is a nephilim, a demigod, if you will. He’s immortal and, thus, has certain powers to go along with that status. His current mission is to save Destiny’s soul, convince her she can start again and have a better life than the one before, including her time in hell. Only thing is, she affects him as no other woman has. But he refuses to compromise his work ethic of saving a soul and then engaging in sex, if that’s what is desired. Sex first is the way his brothers in arms work, but not Chance.

What he doesn’t have a problem with is getting Destiny off any other way he can, and he does that quite deftly and often. This leads to the first of my pet peeves. For the first six chapters it’s Chance and Destiny coming together for their respective goals, only to have Chance work Destiny over to the point of boneless satiation so she forgets what she’s about. He then takes off because he won’t let things go any further. She gets pissed, promises to be in control next time, and then it starts all over again. Yes, there’s interaction between Destiny and the humans she befriends, as well as Chance and his brothers. Thus another pet peeve: we learn about these two characters’ lives and whatnot from this type of interaction and not from their interaction with each other. In the beginning all we get from them being together is plenty of foreplay.

Now, I like sex and all its variations in my romance books as much as the next reader – and, yes, I realize this is an erotic romance – but I also like a little story to go along with it. We get some basics in these six chapters, but that’s about it. Destiny isn’t allowed to fraternize with humans, but she’s suddenly overrun by neighbors in the apartment she “borrows.” Chance is still trying to keep his attraction to her at bay and discusses it over with his brothers, trying to do things the right way. Nothing new crops up until Destiny begins to care for her neighbors and Chance finally throws caution to the wind and the sex scenes ramp up a notch or two. But this is all too long in coming, too much redundancy for me in those initial chapters.

Once Chance and Destiny do the deed, though, the story begins to move along a little better. I enjoyed Chance’s use of magic, giving her romantic places to make love to her while they dance around one another trying to do their jobs. I also like Destiny’s shift in her attitude toward humans. She begins to really like this menagerie of quirky neighbors who invade her space every chance they get. Of course, the good times can only last so long before Destiny is reminded why she’s back in the land of the living. Her demon steps in with a heavy hand to show her the error of her ways in getting friendly with mortals. He also plants doubt about Chance, and Destiny then grabs hold again of her original mission to steal a soul so she’ll finally have everything she deserves. I waffled on whether I like the idea of Destiny throwing everything that she’s gained in the past few weeks to the wind, especially when she tells herself she’s not seen one thing promised to her in all the years she’s served in hell. But she talks herself into staying with what she knows. It’s when she sees the end result of her actions that she truly begins to see what she wants and needs in a different light.

The strong point of this book for me is Chance. I mean, how can you not love a sexy cowboy angel?    I’ve yet to read one, so this is fun for me. That he has to go through his own hell and face an old adversary – all because of and for Destiny – makes him that much more appealing. Destiny herself had to grow on me, so she’s the weak link in my mind. At times she comes off a little too whiny, but she does redeem herself in the end. I think a little less with the secondary characters and more between Chance and Destiny would have played much better, especially once they begin to know each other, other than in a sexual way.

Though what doesn’t work for me may work for you. I’d be interested in hearing what you think!

Grade: C

Summary:

When sexy wannabe-demon, Destiny Carter, is kicked out of Hell, she lands in Ft. Worth, Texas with one week to corrupt a soul. Or else. She slips into a slinky red dress, and heads straight for the delicious, corruptible looking cowboy at the bar.

But Chance Bellew has his own agenda-saving souls. He’s not your typical angel. He’s a nephilim, to be exact. Centuries ago, angels came down from Heaven and mated with mortal women. When the women bore children, a new race was created. Immortals with powers—demigods, nephilim.

But the children don’t live by the same rules as mortals, or that of the typical, robe-wearing, bright light-surrounding-them angels. Hell, most of the time the nephilim are breaking the rules, and making up new ones as they go. As long as they don’t cross over to the dark side, everyone pretty much stays out of their way.

But sometimes a demon-in-training, who looks like Destiny, comes along and all Hell breaks loose.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Angel’s End (Angel’s End Series, Book 1) by Cindy Holby
Western Historical Inspirational Romance published by Berkley 1 May 12

I’ve been in a cowboy mood for a while now, so every book that comes my way that has a cowboy hero, I’ve been more than happy to delve right in. So far, I’ve been lucky with the outcome of each, though a couple have fallen short of the mark. This story in Cindy Holby’s new series is a definite winner, full of emotion with an unlikely romance in the Old West, a time when you did what you had to to survive. She portrays that era perfectly, all with love and prayers, which was usually what all those who lived back then had to count on in their everyday life.

Cade Gentry is on the run. He double crossed a “business” associate and is now paying the price. While he’s not proud of some of the things he’s done, he just couldn’t be a party to murder for gain. What he got is a bullet for the trouble he caused. Figuring he’s going to die before he can get help out in the middle of nowhere, he stumbles upon a lone man, someone who could be in cahoots with his pursuer. But Cade takes a chance and instead meets Pastor Timothy Key, headed for Angel’s End to tend his new flock. Cade hasn’t talked to God in a very long while, all he’s ever gotten is silence so he figures why bother. God has a sense of humor, you know.

Now there’s one more thing Cade will carry around on his conscience – the pastor is caught in the crossfire when his partner’s hired guns catch up with him. Hoping he can pull off a identity switch, he takes the preacher’s coat, bible, and horse, leaving Pastor Key in the Lord’s hands. With pain and fever racing through his body, Cade holds on for dear life and eventually finds himself in the presence of the most beautiful angel he’s ever seen. He’s out of it for some time, fighting fever and other effects from the hole in his gut. When he wakes he hopes beyond hope he has maybe found a place he can call home. All under false pretenses, of course.

Though the new pastor would be living in her home anyway, Leah never imagined it would all begin with her taking care of the man because he’s been shot. How does a minister get in the way of a bullet? And there’s other small things that don’t seem quite right about him. But she has a son to take care of, along with a job and a house, all of it alone since her sheriff husband was killed a few years ago. The townsfolk help out when they can, especially Jake, a handsome rancher. Leah doesn’t return his feelings, though. She’s hoping for love a second time around. How she’ll find it in Angel’s End is anyone’s guess. Their town is literally the end of the road. When she finds herself attracted to the Pastor Key, Leah has to pray for strength.

Inspirational romance is not in my usual reading pattern – mostly because a lot of them get too preachy for me – but the title and blurb on this book intrigued me, along with the fact I’ve not read Ms. Holby before. She does a wonderful job, however, of giving each character in this book their own idea of God and what He offers them. There are those who believe unconditionally and send up a prayer when the going gets rough; others whose belief have gone by the wayside; and then Cade himself who just knows God laughs at him every chance He gets. While Leah holds steadfast in her faith, it’s Cade, of course, who goes through a transformation to allow both Leah and God into his life. He’s had a horrible time of it since his father abandoned him and his brother at an orphanage after their mother’s death. They were eventually adopted, something they’d longed for, but the brothers are cruelly separated and subsequent living has turned Cade into the outlaw he is today. All of the inspiration in this book is everyday life for characters of this era and it’s woven seamlessly into the threads and eventual tapestry of their lives.

Cade’s redemption isn’t given easily. He finds his conscience fights him where Leah and her son are concerned. The few scenes where he and the boy interact are lovely moments, for Cade as well as the reader. Knowing he doesn’t deserve Leah almost causes him to move on out of her life so someone better will come along for her. Even Jake would be better for her than himself. Almost. When they finally do come together, their loving is intense but sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed the turnaround when Cade takes care of Leah during her sickness. And the scenes with Jake wanting to stake territory that holds no reward for him only makes me like the man more. I’m very intrigued by this man and look forward to his book, which is next in the series. There’s a number of other fascinating secondary characters too. Even the town and the church play pivotal roles in the story.

If you love a good western romance, do read this one. Even if you’re not a total western and/or cowboy fan, I think you’ll be quite pleasantly surprised when you turn the last page of this book. You’re pulled in from the beginning, and your heart strings get a good tug every now and again. Early western life comes alive chapter after chapter. You will fall in love with simple folk trying to eke out a good life as best they can. Seems things don’t change much no matter how technology encroaches in our lives.

Grade: A

Summary:

In the mountains of Colorado, a small town called Angel’s End welcomes everyone with open arms–even a man fleeing his past…

Wounded and on the run, Cade Gentry stumbles into a kind man who’s on this way to become the new pastor of Angel’s End. But not long after Timothy Key takes him in, Cade’s enemies catch up with him, and the young pastor is killed in the cross fire. Cade survives, stealing Timothy’s identity to escape, and arrives in Angel’s End on the brink of death.

Leah Findley is the sheriff’s widow, trying to make ends meet for herself and her son. Having the new minister as a boarder will help, but she isn’t expecting him to be wounded when he arrives. And she definitely isn’t expecting the feelings that the new preacher stirs deep inside her.

The more time Cade spends with Leah, the deeper he falls in love. To Cade, she’s an angel who’s saved his life and given him the sense of hope he’s never known. But he’s not the man she thinks he is, and before he can find permanent shelter in Leah’s arms, he must learn to have faith and put hi former sins to rest.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Dinca’s review of The Cowboy’s Secret Son by Trish Milburn
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin American Romance 2 Jan 12

From Hell to Heaven in 224 pages. This book is a perfect example of fear dictating your decisions.  The heroine is so strong to pull herself up from nothing and remake herself, all out of fear.

After battling cancer, Grace Cameron realizes her son needs his father. But how can she go to the man after seven years of silence? She has already lost her son once. Knowing all the boy wants is a father, she is afraid Evan will be taken away from her again. To ease into the introductions, Grace enrolls her son in the Cowboy camp being run on the Teague family ranch, planning to watch how Nathan Teague interacts with Evan. Instead, she blurts out to Nathan that he is Evan’s father the moment she sees him. She swears him to secrecy not to tell the rest of the family. Seeing how taken Evan is with the horses and Nathan, her worries increase and she runs off with Evan again.

Nathan doesn’t know what to feel when he sees his mini replica. He is angry she’s kept him in the dark, yet puzzled why she disappeared without telling him in the first place. He finds he still has the “hots” for this mother, which can only lead to disaster. But spending time with his son is paramount. Keeping his son a secret from his family is next to impossible with such a close resemblance.

The story is nothing new but has several different takes on an old concept. Grace needs a backup plan in case she has a relapse and dies from the cancer. Which leads me to wonder what her plan was in the first case? Discovering why she is afraid of losing her son is a surprise you won’t want to miss. The recovery of her son is interesting.

There is not much of a side story, but the supporting characters are vivid, wonderful people you will want to get to know. I am giving it a B because I find the heroine to be selfish and all the overwhelming fear the author comes across with just doesn’t extinguish or justify the possessive, selfish feelings. She knew all along she was not acting in the best interests of her child, and that just doesn’t illicit warm and fuzzy feelings for the heroine for me.

Grade: B

Summary:

After battling a serious illness, Grace Cameron realizes one thing: her son needs his father. But how can she face Nathan Teague after seven years of lies? To ease into it, she enrolls her boy in the Cowboy Camp run by the Teague family on their Texas Hill Country ranch. Little Evan is bursting with excitement over horses, ropin’ and hanging around real cowboys! Oh, my!

Nathan is in shock when Grace comes back to town. Then when he discovers he’s the father of her cute little boy—a miniature Nathan—he’s not sure if he should be angry, grateful or both. He decides to go with angry. For a while, at least…until he gets the sense that Grace is still hiding something. What’s the secret—and how can he ever trust the woman who stole his son from him?

Read an excerpt.

Dinca’s review of The Would-Be Mommy by  Jacqueline Diamond
Contemporary Romance Published by Harlequin American Romance 1 Feb 10

The Would-Be Mommy is the first book in the Safe Harbor Medical series. It’s all about falling in love. First with the adorable baby girl, who is dropped off at the Safe Harbor Medical Center due to a mistake in the news, and then with the reporter, Ian Martin, covering the story.

Jennifer Serra is the PR director for Safe Harbor Medical.  She has always wanted a child and she agrees to temporarily take home one of the unwanted babies which flood the Medical Center. She bonds with baby Rosalie quickly. While trying to stay focused on the baby, she finds herself looking at Ian as father material.

Dredging up the past is not a good way to get into the good graces of the lovely Jennifer Serra with the big heart and pain-filled eyes when she talks about babies. But a reporter has to take a story where it leads, no matter how hard or damaging it can be to all involved.  I’m surprised how Ian grows as a  reporter and into a better person and, thus, has turned into one of my favorite heroes.

Jacqueline Diamond does a wonderful job of combining the past with the present. I look forward to the other stories in the series.

Grade: A

Summary:

From the moment he arrives at Safe Harbor Medical, Ian Martin is on infant overload. But the story he’s covering gets a lot more interesting when the adventure-seeking reporter meets Jennifer Serra, an intriguing PR director who has created a stir by taking home one of the center’s unwanted newborns!

Jennifer has always wanted a child of her own. Her dream becomes thrilling reality when she agrees to temporarily– permanently?–be a mother to a sweet baby girl. Ian could complete the picture–Jennifer sees how easily he bonds with little Rosalie.

But just when she begins to look at Ian as potential father material, the dashing journalist dredges up a scandal from Jennifer’s past that could
jeopardize her plans for adoption…and for a future with Ian.

Read an excerpt.

The M.D.’s Secret Daughter – 4 Sep 12

Liviania’s review of A Perfect Blood (The Hollows, Book 10) by Kim Harrison
Urban Fantasy published by Harper Voyager 21 Feb 12

Pale Demon injected life into the Hollows series.  It was tense, sexy, and all about the characters.  A Perfect Blood has a lot to live up to.  And it does have a promising plot – witches turning up dead, partially turned into demons, which Rachel is cut off from a great deal of her power.

Unfortunately, A Perfect Blood feels like filler.  Pale Demon pushed Rachel and Trent’s friendly and adversarial relationship forward by forcing them to spend a cross-country road trip together.  By A Perfect Blood, Rachel is (unwisely) ignoring Trent’s calls and stagnating their relationship.  They’ve had sexual chemistry since Dead Witch Walking and Kim Harrison seems to be flirting with letting them consummate their attraction.  But they spend most of this entry clumsily avoiding each other.

Instead of Rachel and Trent fireworks, we get the resolution of mostly forgotten plot threads.  Did Rachel ever get her pack tattoo?  You’ll find out in excruciatingly slow passages with Rachel’s new bodyguard Wayde.  Is her relationship with Malcolm really over?  Is that actually his name?  I can’t remember.  He’s so milquetoast I’d forgotten he existed until Rachel suddenly needed his help.  If that’s not his name, it doesn’t really matter, because the narrative quickly establishes that their brief relationship is over.  Also solved: re-felting Kisten’s pool table.  At times, it felt like Harrison had a list of questions people asked her and was ticking off the answers one by one because it would pad out the slight story.

A Perfect Blood wasn’t all filler.  Jenks and Ivy are both growing and changing.  Jenks might still miss his wife, but he’s moving on.  Likewise, Ivy moved on from her never-happened fling with Rachel.  Her relationship felt out of the blue, since I don’t remember her flirting with the character in question, but it’s nice to see characters in the Hollows acting happy.  It may also be the first mainstream threesome I remember reading.

The action scenes are also well done.  A Perfect Blood introduces HAPA, or the Humans Against Paranormals Association.  This feels clunky to me initially, since they’ve apparently been around for ages but never been mentioned before.  HAPA proves to be a good antagonist, however, so I’ll let it slide.  Although they’d only be decent antagonists during this book, which Rachel is at less than half power.

I think there’s life left in The Hollows.  There are still intriguing plot threads to play out.  There’s some new guys in town.  They didn’t play very interestingly in A Perfect Blood – they were a bit of a deus ex machina – but there are possibilities there.  (Maybe that’s what A Perfect Blood needed: more Al.  He’s barely in this book, but Harrison makes the most of his appearance.  He’s got a wonderfully chilling scene at the end.)  But with A Perfect Blood, I could see the wheels spinning.  Recommended for fans of the series; newbies will want to start elsewhere.

Grade: C

Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison returns to the Hollows with the electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed Pale Demon!

Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the I.S. and the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: a human hate group is trying to create its own demons to destroy all Inderlanders, and to do so, it needs her blood.

She’s faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more, but humanity itself might be her toughest challenge yet.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

LynneC’s review of The Fireman Who Loved Me (The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel, Book 1) by Jennifer Bernard
Contemporary Romance published by Avon 24 April 12

A small town romance featuring a reporter for a local TV station and a fireman from a station labelled the one with the hot bachelors. It should make for a cute romance, and on the whole it does. However, some distractions and deviations from the romance make it less than the hot romance promised in the blurb. In fact, it’s almost a case of false description, because the hot sex is a long time coming, and when it arrives, it’s on the vanilla side.

On the other hand, it’s quite a cute read, and worth picking up. I’m not sure who decided to sell it as a hot romance, but I don’t think they were doing the book justice, because while it doesn’t deliver on the erotic front, there are other enjoyable parts of the book.

Melissa is a producer for a local news program being upstaged by an airhead presenter. The presenter is a standard bimbo type who shows up in many, many romances and is increasingly uninteresting. She’s shallow, egotistical, and only there to present a foil and a conflict for the main female character. More effort put into that part of the story might have increased the interest there, and I might not have been tempted to skip those parts, since the outcome is as predictable as sunrise.

Melissa has a grandmother who is determined to see her married off. To that end, she puts her savings into a bachelor auction and buys Ryan, a hunky fireman, for an astronomical sum. But Ryan is hot, so Granny wants him for her granddaughter. Of course, all she has to do is put them together. When Ryan chickens out, after thinking his date is with Granny, and he’d never hear the last of it, his boss, fire captain Brody, steps in. And he ends up with Melissa.

To be honest, I’d have shoved Granny in the lake years before, not put up with her indulgently. Granny is cute as the old person who pushes into line at the supermarket, yelling, “Let me in, I’m eighty.” It’s one thing to allow someone into line, it’s another when they push their way in. Granny, aka Nelly, is like that. She’s clueless, she makes her presence known, and she’s as subtle as a sledgehammer. She isn’t cute or feisty, she’s the most annoying character in the book. She’s a caricature.

In fact, that’s my problem with most of the secondary characters in the book. They are less characters, more types, and you could pick out the ones meant for sequels, because more thought is put into them, although it’s of the “give this person three basic characteristics and take it from there” type.

What’s worse is that the secondary characters eat into the time Brody and Melissa have together. The book isn’t focused enough on the romance, and it doesn’t develop so much as lurch from incident to incident. We get Nelly’s point of view when we want Melissa, we get shenanigans at the TV station when we want to know what Brody thinks of his last encounter with Melissa.

The whole setup is so cute, my teeth are starting to ache. A fire station full of hot men, apart from one with a big belly, and two women we never really get to meet. They cook, they have an enlightened attitude to the opposite sex, they are great firefighters. A small town with no serious problems.

I kept reading, and unfortunately, it doesn’t improve a great deal. In fact, more characters and a distracting plot development detract even more from the romance. The trouble is, I don’t care about the other parts. The characters are sketchily done and the plot doesn’t have much to do with the romance. I couldn’t get interested, and had I not been reading this book for review, I’d have put it down at that point. Gently, and with regret, but down.

While this book doesn’t do it for me, I’ll keep an eye on Ms. Bernard to see what else she comes up with.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Fearless, smoking hot, and single: meet the Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel. These firemen might be heroes, but it’s their bad luck in love that makes them legendary.

News producer Melissa McGuire and Fire Captain Harry Brody couldn’t be more different, though they do have one thing in common: they’re both convinced they’re perfectly wrong for each other. But when Melissa’s matchmaking grandmother wins her a date with Brody at a bachelor auction…

Sparks fly. Passion flares. Heat rises. (You get the picture.)

Add a curse, a conniving nightly news anchor, a stunningly handsome daredevil fireman, a brave little boy, a couple of exes, and one giant fire to the mix, and Melissa and Brody’s love may not be the only thing that burns.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of About That Night (FBI/US Attorney Series, Book 3) by Julie James
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 3 Apr 12

What happens when a prosecutor meets up with an almost-hook-up from college – across a courtroom??  In Julie James’ most recent release we find out.

After a long-term relationship ends, Rylann Pierce moves back to Chicago and a position in the US Attorney’s Office – a change of location and a return to old friends might be just the thing to get her new life going. Her very first assignment sends her to court to handle the resolution of some charges against “the Twitter Terrorist.”  (An aside – I LOL!  I love me some Twitter and that it weaves its way through the story made me giggle so much.  :-D)  Little does Rylann know said Terrorist is billionaire heir/computer geek Kyle Rhodes…the very same Kyle Rhodes she spetd a flirtatious evening with years before.

Kyle is just glad to finally be getting free of house arrest – which was much better than his time in prison, sure.  The last person he expects to see representing the prosecution is Rylann.  Circumstances kept him from keeping their date all those years ago (she knew what happened, don’t fret, faithful reader) and they never found each other again – he didn’t even know her last name, for crying out loud.

The old spark is still there but Rylann is the new person in her office and still finding her place – a relationship with the defendant of a very high-profile case could be awkward.  Plus she is just out of a long-term relationship.  But…hot billionaire heir?  Who can resist that??  Also, umm…

Where were we, faithful reader?  I got distracted for a minute.

Kyle is ready to get his life back on track.  He had lots of time to think and plan in prison and now it’s time to put those plans into action.  Does he have time for a relationship after his last one imploded in a spectacular fashion and landed him in jail?  Rylann will have to be pretty convincing…

I so enjoyed this book!  It is my favorite of Ms. James’ books so far – and I have liked them all.  Kyle is a genuinely good guy.  He wants to do the right thing and make his own way and has matured a lot since we first met him in A Lot Like Love.  Rylann’s job is very important to her but not to the exclusion of everything else – she makes time for her friends and for herself.  It is nice to see a romance between two realistic characters – people who, if we knew them in real life, we would want together.  This book is charming and an all-around fun read.

Grade: A

Summary:

HE’S PLAYING GAMES

Though Rylann Pierce tried to fight the sparks she felt for billionaire heir Kyle Rhodes the night they met, their sizzling chemistry was undeniable. But after being stood up on their first date, Rylann never expected to see him again. So when she finds herself face to face with Kyle in a courthouse nine years later, she’s stunned. More troubling to the beautiful Assistant U.S. Attorney is that she’s still wildly attracted to him.

BUT SHE’S MAKING THE RULES

Just released from prison, Kyle Rhodes isn’t thrilled to be the star witness in a high-profile criminal case—but when Rylann comes knocking at his door, he finds she may be the one lawyer he can’t say no to. Still as gorgeous and sharp-tongued as ever, she lays down the law: she doesn’t mix business with pleasure. But Kyle won’t give up on something he wants—and what he wants is the one woman he’s never forgotten. . .

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Werewolf in Seattle (Wild About You, Book 4) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 3 Apr 12

I’ve really enjoyed reading Vicki Lewis Thompson’s paranormals, and she continues with her Wild About You series with a gentle and sensitive alpha werewolf who gets an attitude adjustment in his beliefs when he meets our heroine. Their romance is sweet but doomed. The wolf thinks he’ll be able to control his instincts, but he’s in for a huge surprise.

Colin is headed to his late great aunt’s island estate, thinking he’ll make quick arrangements to sell it all so he can return to Scotland to get back to his clan and his brother, who’s very good at keeping Colin cleaning up issue after issue. Though he has pleasant memories of visiting his aunt and the island, his duties as laird just won’t allow him to take on more responsibility.

Never fitting in nor having a home until she met Geraldine, Luna loves the Pacific Northwest island that has called to her since she arrived. She’s a hybrid, half were and half human, and never had anyone to guide her throughout her were life. Not wanting to lose the only place she’s felt comfortable, she has decided to propose a business opportunity to Colin when he arrives – turn the house and island into an exclusive shifter retreat.

When these two meet, the attraction is instant. Luna is determined to keep her distance because of her proposal, but Colin doesn’t care one whit about business getting in the way of having that lovely assistant in his bed. He doesn’t hide his feelings about weres mating with humans, so that’s another reason Luna doesn’t want to get involved with him, but good intentions on both sides go by the wayside every time they’re together. I like the early sexual tension between them, they don’t hide it, even if they don’t act on it then. And we don’t have to wait three-quarters of the book before they do fire up the pages between the sheets.

Colin tries to hold on to his idea that humans and weres don’t and shouldn’t mix, but meeting Luna makes him rethink things after a bit. He also helps her find some of her family, but they run into trouble on one end while finding a new beginning on the other for Luna. Colin has trouble of his own at home, so the time comes when he has to leave. Though they both know this time has to come, you begin to wonder what Ms. Thompson will do to get them to their happily ever after. You know it has to come, but the anticipation is fun until you get there.

Colin is a delightful hero, kind, generous, gentle, and sexy as all get-out. He even dons a kilt at one point and you can’t help but drool over him. Luna is a combination of savvy and innocence, which is due to her being alone with her werewolf-ness while growing up. There are some quirky secondary characters who keep the laughter high. This is a fun, light-hearted romance, as are the previous books in this series. It’s a feel-good read that will brighten any bad mood or reading slump. If you’re not sure what to read next, try this one. It’s time for some fun!

Grade: A

Summary:

Luna Reynaud has always been a lone wolf—because she’s half human. Afraid she’ll be rejected by both communities, she’s kept her secret from everyone, even the Weres she’s found a home with working on an estate in the San Juan Islands. But when her boss suddenly dies and the heir arrives, she discovers some secrets aren’t meant to be kept.

As the head of the most powerful werewolf clan in Scotland, Colin MacDowell isn’t eager to take on the responsibility of his great aunt’s estate—until he meets her sexy assistant, Luna. He thinks she’s the Were of his dreams, until he finds out she’s not. Highly opposed to bringing even half-humans into the pack, Colin knows he must resist this powerful attraction. But once aroused, a wolf’s instincts are not so easily subdued.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of Crazy On You (Lovett, Texas, Book 2) by Rachel Gibson
Contemporary Romance ebook novella published by Avon Impulse 1 May 12

Can a woman determined to be responsible unbend enough to have a fling with the new, cute next-door neighbor?  And what happens if the fling turns out to be more?

Lily Darlington led an interesting life when she was younger but finally, at 38, she has put “Crazy Lily” behind her.  Now Lily is a homeowner, successful business owner, and single mom.  The last thing she needs is to get involved with the exceptionally hot, younger man who just moved in next door.

Tucker Matthews is relatively new to Lovett, Texas.  After serving ten years in the Army, Tucker left and began a law enforcement career and just started working for the county Sheriff’s Department.  After Tucker pulls Lily over for erratic driving (darn those cell phones!), he realizes she is his neighbor and is intrigued. And when her son Pippen’s bouncing basketball keeps him from sleeping (again), Tucker goes next door to negotiate with him – and gets another chance to talk to Lily – who doesn’t recognize him out of uniform.  Heh.

Lily is resistant to starting a relationship with anyone.  She has just gotten her life on track and doesn’t want to give the town reason to start reminiscing about Crazy Lily.  But Tucker is determined…and hot. Soon Lily agrees to a fling if Tucker doesn’t tell anyone.  He doesn’t understand what the big deal is but agrees. Soon, though, the sneaking around begins to bother him – is she ashamed of him?  What does it matter what other people think?  Finally, he tells Lily she has to decide whether she cares enough to go public or is she ready for the relationship, such as it is, to be over.  What’s a formerly crazy chick supposed to do?  Is it more mature to let the opinions of others rule your life?  Or should you be allowed to reach out and grab something potentially wonderful?

Crazy On You is an enjoyable read, but it feels very much like what it is – a bridge between Daisy’s Back in Town (Lily’s sister’s story) and Ms. Gibson’s next full-length release, Rescue Me (we very briefly meet the heroine).  It is a bit formulaic and feels like something I’ve read before, but, if you enjoy Ms. Gibson’s writing, you should enjoy the book – and it’s a bargain at $1.99. So if you’ve never tried this author…go for it!  I doubt it is necessary to read Crazy On You to read Rescue Me, but I can’t say for sure because I haven’t read it yet.

Grade: C+

Summary:Lily Darlington’s been called crazy in her day—and, yeah, driving her car into her ex-husband’s living room probably wasn’t the smartest move ever made—but the louse deserved it. Now Lily is happily single, and she’s turned it all around. She knows she’s a good mom, a homeowner, and a businesswoman, all wrapped up in one good-looking package.

A package that police officer Tucker Matthews is dying to unwrap. This ex-military man sure doesn’t need another woman in his life. His last girlfriend left him with nothing but memories and a cat named Pinky! But living next door to Lily has been driving him nuts. He dreams about her long blonde hair and even longer legs. And maybe it’s time to go a little crazy . . . and fall in love.

Read an excerpt.

Connected books:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Lady Drusilla’s Road To Ruin (Ladies In Disgrace #2) by Christine Merrill
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Historical 20 Mar 12

One thing is for sure, whenever I pick up a Christine Merrill Regency, I know I’m not going to get some been-there-done-that retread.  She always has such an interested take on the time period and populates her stories with such interesting characters, that even when I’m not totally enthralled, I still consider the story reading time well spent.  This second book in her Ladies In Disgrace series isn’t without a few bumps in the road, but I inhaled it in two sittings.

Lady Drusilla Rudney is trying to save her bubble-headed younger sister from total ruin.  The stupid chit has eloped to Gretna Green with her smarmy dance instructor!  Luckily they only have a day’s head start on Dru, and the weather is frightfully abominable.  She just might catch up to them yet, assuming she can keep herself from being accosted by the lout sitting next to her on the mail coach.

Coming to her rescue, but only after she literally kicks him in the shin, is former army captain, Mr. John Hendricks.  John was working as a secretary for an Earl, until he made the mistake of falling in love with the man’s wife (who did not return his ardent feelings).  So he does what any sensible love-sick fellow does – he falls into the nearest pint and gets so drunk that he mistakenly boards the wrong coach.  Now that he’s been roped into Lady Drusilla’s mad adventure to get to Gretna Green to stop a marriage, he decides why not?  If he helps the girl out, glowing recommendations from her father (a Duke!) will surely come in handy now that he’s unemployed.  Of course, he didn’t exactly plan on falling in love with the girl…..

There’s quite a bit going on here as far as conflict goes.  Dru wants to avoid scandal, so isn’t about to tell John every sordid detail of why she must get to Gretna Green.  Naturally this leads to a misunderstanding that she’s hoping to stop her true love from marrying another woman.  Then there’s the fact that Dru has spent her entire life playing second fiddle to the favored younger sibling.  Lady Priscilla is fragile, delicate, and the sort of simpering female men seem to fall all over themselves for, while Dru is tall, dark, witty, but with a sharp tongue that tends to put men in their place.  She’s spent her whole life trying to please a father who cannot be pleased, and her entire existence in the family is dictated by what is best for precious snowflake Priscilla.  That any man, anywhere, would be attracted to her over her sister is a revelation.  Never mind that the very man she falls in love with is a mere Mister, and the odds against them getting their happy ending are steep indeed.

The romance isn’t without some issues, though.  For one thing, when he meets Lady Drusilla, John is drunk in response to losing the woman he loves.  Three days with Dru and he’s having a hard time recalling What’s-Her-Name and he fancies himself in love with Dru.  Alrighty then.  Likewise, these two have the sort of courtship that consists of one step forward, two steps back.  They just won’t spit out their true feelings for each other and instead play it safe by pushing each other way.  After a while this sort of thing got a wee bit tiresome.  It also doesn’t necessarily make them the most likeable of characters all the time.

However, that pales in comparison to the secondary characters.  We don’t even meet Dru’s father until the end the story, and I spent the whole novel wanting to throw large, heavy objects at his head.  Or crotch.  Either one would have worked.  And Priscilla?  Good Lord!  She could give Cinderella’s evil step-sisters a run for their money!  And to think the author gives the girl her own romance in the next book in the series!  I’m so conflicted just thinking about that possibility that I’ll have to read it just to satisfy my morbid curiosity.  Hopefully the stupid feather-head suffers….considerably.

This is a bit of a mixed bag for me in the romance department, but the road/travel aspect of the story is really well-done, and the author keeps it lively and fun.  I also adored the ending.  Without giving too much away, the author laid her groundwork in character development and didn’t then throw the baby out with the bath water to make the happy ending…well….happen.  Would it be sunshine and rainbows for such a couple in real Regency times?  Well, certainly, it would have been tough.  But in Romance Novel Land?  I’m glad the Mister got the, admittedly, well-above-his-station girl in the end.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Considered a spinster, Lady Drusilla Rudney has only one role in life: to chaperone her sister. So when her flighty sibling elopes, Dru knows she has to stop her! She employs the help of a traveling companion, who looks harmless enough….

Former army captain John Hendricks is intrigued by this damsel in distress. Once embroiled with her in a mad dash across England, he discovers that Dru is no simpering woman. Her unconventional ways make him want to forget his gentlemanly conduct…and create a scandal all their own!

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Always In My Heart (Harts In Love #1) by Kayla Perrin
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Kimani Romance 17 Apr 12

Let this be a lesson for us all – this is what can happen when you pick up category romances willy-nilly.  I saw this book and thought, “Oh, I’ve read Kayla Perrin before and I’ve enjoyed some of her books” – which resulted in me not reading the back cover blurb that closely.  If I had?  Yeah, I would have read in between the lines and discovered that what I picked up innocently enough was actually a dreaded Secret Baby book.

Callie Hart is the oldest of three girls and is back home in Cleveland for her aunt’s funeral.  The girls were raised by their loving aunt and uncle after their mother abandoned them on their doorstep, an event that has cast a long shadow in their lives.  Her two sisters have been feuding ever since the youngest one boinked the guy the middle one was dating (Niiiiiiiiiiice!) – and Callie found herself stuck in the middle, with each of them wanting her to choose sides.  She’s hoping that now their aunt has passed that they can all bury the hatchet and move on with their lives.  But first she has to take care of some unfinished business, and that means righting a wrong with former beau Nigel Williams.

Nigel was heartbroken when Callie left him, without a word, and seemingly vanishing off the face of the earth.  No word.  No communication.  No closure.  Sure, they had a falling out over his becoming a police officer, but they were so good together – and he thought she loved him.  Now she’s back in town, standing on his doorstep and dropping the bombshell that her nine-year-old son, Kwame, is his son.  Yeah, when she ran away from Cleveland?  She was pregnant with his baby.

From now on, I will refer to Callie for what she is – The Stupid Cow.  This is the problem with Secret Baby plots – unless the guy is an ax murderer or a child molester, I cannot think of one good, solid reason when it is ever okay to willingly not tell the baby daddy that he is…well…a baby daddy.  The Stupid Cow’s reason?  Oh, well, she was “scared,” dontcha know.  It’s so hard for her to trust because Mommy abandoned her.  And then Nigel had to join the “enemy” (that would be the police academy) after one of their friends was a victim of police brutality.  Never mind that The Stupid Cow and Nigel both were socially active, fighting injustice, organizing drives and protests.  Gee, why would Nigel want to be a cop?  Oh, maybe because HE THOUGHT HE COULD DO SOME GOOD?!?!?!  You know, because becoming a police officer could in no way possibly be an extension of his social activism /end sarcasm.

The author wants readers to feel sorry for The Stupid Cow, to chalk up her keeping their child away from the father as a sign of emotional immaturity.  To this end, the fact that The Stupid Cow’s Mommy “abandoned” her is used as an excuse early and often.  Exactly what did Mommy do?  She left her daughters with their loving aunt and uncle – who raised them in a healthy environment and showered them with love.  Wow.  What a bitch!  Certainly the girls did not get “closure” from Mommy’s disappearance, but then The Stupid Cow turns around and does THE EXACT SAME THING to Nigel and her family!  Just up and leaves, with no word – and then on top of that she doesn’t TELL HIM ABOUT HIS SON!  And, golly, he just seems so angry and will he ever be able to forgive her?

Unfortunately, for us, this is a romance novel which means Nigel does forgive.  Ugh.  Just ugh, ugh, ugh!

By now you’re probably wondering why I kept reading this story.  Part of it is because Perrin can deliver in the writing department, and this book flowed easily for me even though it drove me bat-shit crazy.  Also, Lord help me, I found myself curious about what happened to The Stupid Cow’s Mommy.  This bit of mystery will, undoubtedly, carry over to the next two books in the trilogy.  But as much as I’m interested in reading about that?  I don’t think I’m all that interested in reading about The Stupid Cow’s sisters, who I wanted to bitch-slap early and often in this story.  Someone pass the vodka…..

Grade: D

Summary:

The oldest of three adopted daughters, Callie Hart has always loved being the protector of the family. But now she is all grown up—with a young son of her own to protect. Callie can’t wait to show him off when she reunites with her two sisters in Ohio. But that also means coming face-to-face with the lover she left behind. Nigel Williams is even more irresistibly attractive than ever. But what will he do when he learns about the secret she kept hidden from him for ten years?

Nigel has never forgiven Callie for fleeing Ohio—and the passion they shared. And when she shows up on his doorstep asking for forgiveness, the Cleveland cop is furious at her deception. But how can he deny the feelings Callie reawakens in him? Blindsided once again by the heat of desire, Nigel vows to fight for his future with the woman he has always loved.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LynneC’s review of Lust in the Library by Amelia Fayer
Erotic Romance published by Avon Red 6 Mar 12

This is a short that is probably expected to be sweet, sexy fun. Unfortunately, it misses the mark by some distance, at least for me. It’s about two librarians who work in what seems like a vast academic library and get it on in the stacks with their chosen partners. The short book is made even shorter by splitting it into two parts, so each librarian gets her own story.

Sara gets William, an English professor teaching at the university. He comes in and asks for books that don’t seem to have much in common, except that they came from the same stacks. When eventually she goes to the sixth floor to find him, they get hot and heavy. For anyone who has read many erotic romances, the development of the sex is fairly straightforward. Kiss, touch, part nakedness, full nakedness, oral, sex. The sex, despite happening in a library, is fairly vanilla.

The second story is Veronica, who gets Andrew. She starts by giving him head when she thinks he’s going to masturbate onto an old folio, and so spoil the book. However, he has no intention of spoiling the book, he has a napkin ready. She’s wanted him for some time, and he’s wanted her, but a misunderstanding has kept them apart.

Can I tell you more about the plot? No, because that’s just about it. Sex in the library.

The background seems to be fairly thinly researched. An academic library with six floors or more? Do they have many of those in the USA? But for a senior, fully qualified librarian in an academic library, Sara spends a lot of time doing what the library assistants would usually do. I did work as a library assistant once, and we did most of the shelving, checking, issuing and so on. And that wasn’t even an academic library.

There are some conversations between Sarah and Veronica where I lost track of who’s talking, because the women seem so similar. At one point in the first story, before the first encounter, I forgot whether Sarah or Veronica is supposed to be the heroine of this story. And most of the conversation is along “as you know, Bob” lines, bringing the reader quickly up to speed with the backstory.

There are some dizzying point-of-view switches where we are in one character’s head, then we become aware of what the other character is thinking, then straight back to the first character. I think most of them are technical problems, where the editor has failed to pick it up.

As a Brit, I find the assumptions made of English people not only old fashioned but odd. Apparently William finds American girls more outgoing than English ones. So he hasn’t met any Essex girls or Scousewives, or even WAGs, although it’s doubtful they’d be interested in him. And he wears a tweed jacket. Really? I did stop and boggle at that one. The only person I know who wears or even owns a tweed jacket is a septuagenarian. I’m not sure what he was a professor of, although I believe we were told at one point. It didn’t seem to matter.

I find Veronica and Andrew even more thinly characterized, and that’s my main problem with this book. It is, basically, stroke fiction for women. The characters aren’t interesting or believable and most of the prose is dedicated to the hot sex in the library. Fulfilling a fantasy. But because there is no development of character and precious little characterisation, other than what we are told rather than shown, so I don’t really care if they get their rocks off or not.

Not the engaging, fun read I’d hoped for, and the sex is pretty vanilla, described in a vanilla way, for the most part.

Grade: D

Summary:

Some like it hot, and some like it in the reference section

Sara is having a love affair with books. But, since books can’t make love to you, it means she’s in the middle of a very long dry spell. Until a sexy Brit shows up. Suddenly she’s learning just how stimulating a library can be—up against a bookcase, behind the card catalog, on the circulation desk . . .

Meanwhile, Veronica is incredibly frustrated. While Sara and her new man are using the library as their personal adult playground, she’s stuck with only her thesis and her sexual fantasies. But Andrew, her crush, isn’t above using his . . . assets to get Veronica right where he wants her: alone, in a darkened corner of the stacks.

Who knew reading could be this pleasurable?

No excerpt available.

Sandy M’s review of Sierra Falls (Sierra Falls, Book 1) by Veronica Wolff
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 3 Apr 12

I’ve read a few of Veronica Wolff’s historicals and time travel romances, some which worked for me and some which didn’t. So I was excited to see her try her hand at contemporary romance. I’m very glad to say that her work in this genre really scores big for me. This book is a fun, heartwarming read with a touch of mystery. The characters are charming, especially the hero, and the whole town gets involved when things are shakin’ around Sierra Falls.

Sorrow Bailey, walking in the footsteps of several ancestors who suffered because of that name, has always wanted to get out of Sierra Falls, a small town nestled in the Sierras, just like everyone else who’s lived there all their lives, including her brother and sister. They left as fast as they could, and when their father suffers a stroke, it’s Sorrow who gives up her dreams to stay and help out in the family business, the Big Bear Lodge. Sorrow loves to cook. The dishes she prepares take her to whichever country she chooses, thus experiencing their flavor in some little way. Only thing is, her father won’t allow her to cook at the lodge. The man doesn’t seem to care for fancy schmancy food over the burgers and other fare Tom Sullivan, a Vet who wondered into Sierra Falls and has stayed a few decades, currently dishes out.

The new town sheriff has been noticing young Sorrow lately. Billy Preston is about ten years older and a widower. He tries not to act on these new emotions when he’s around Sorrow, but though the guilt eats at him a bit, he begins to spend a lot more time at the lodge just to see her. And I love Billy Preston. I adore an older hero, though in this case he’s only in his early 30s, but that’s better than the alternative. You feel more for him at that age for being a widower, so it all works wonderfully well. He’s old enough and has been through enough to know to keep away from Sorrow until she’s broken up with her boyfriend – more on him in a minute! – and then to know he has to take it slow with her once they start dating. He has just the right experience to pull Sorrow from her sexual shell. She’s not a virgin, by any means, but it’s just been sex for her until Billy. He also makes an excellent sheriff, moving from the city after his wife’s death. He’s got a very deft touch when dealing with local citizens in every situation imaginable.

Knowing she’s feeling something for the sheriff, Sorrow examines her relationship with Damien Simmons, son from a well-to-do local family, the golden boy who has a finger in a lot of pies around town and can pull strings to help out the Bailey family whenever needed, and that seems to be a lot lately. Sorrow realizes she doesn’t feel anything for him like what she’s beginning to feel for Billy. What I love is when she’s finally free, her sister, who has mysteriously come home for a spell, encourages Sorrow to hightail it to Billy’s door for a night of seduction. The man hasn’t got a chance in hell of getting past this new Sorrow. And what a night it is. Something special has definitely begun.

In between all of this, when the lodge roof is damaged during a snowstorm, Sorrow finds a stack of letters written by her great-great grandmother, Sorrow Crabtree. Once the infamous information learned in these letters becomes public knowledge, the local historical society makes big plans for their upcoming festival. It’s fun amid those ladies and their speculations about the town’s founder and Sorrow’s namesake. You get the feel of small-town American with scenes like these and others throughout the book.

In the meantime, Billy has begun to suspect foul play after a series of seemingly crazy accidents around the lodge – around Sorrow. Vowing that nothing will happen to her on his watch, his investigation takes him further and further into territory everyone in town finds incredulous. Things get a bit dicey before it’s all over. Not a riveting, over-the-top mystery, but one that fits in with this community and its quirks. We also get a side romance with Tom and Marlene Jessup, a recent divorcee, both of whom finally decide to live life their way. I appreciate romance for older characters, being a little bit older myself. 

Personally, I like Ms. Wolff’s contemps better than her historicals. There’s just more character and charm to the stories for me. Her voice compliments the genre in every way. I look forward to more, especially in this Sierra Falls series.

Grade: B

Summary:

Family is important to Sorrow. She gave up her dreams to run the struggling family lodge. Even her name is a family relic, though lately it feels like a curse that might determine her fate. Things look up when she discovers a collection of letters from her three-times great grandmother and namesake, telling the story of a forbidden love affair.

Billy Preston is the new sheriff, a widower escaping the grief of his former life as a big city cop. He helps out after an accident at the Bailey lodge, and what begins as admiration for Sorrow’s quiet strength quickly becomes something much more. When Sorrow’s discovery brings fame to Sierra Falls, and her dreams of a better life are within reach, one too many “accidents” have Billy wondering whether someone is willing to kill to keep them off the map.

As the community pulls together, Sorrow takes a lesson from her ancestor’s letters: only in family, friends, and love do you find true joy.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Timber Creek – Jan 2013

I’ve just about given up on the “historical romance” because it’s not satisfying what I want to see in a well-written historical. But a recent post condemning readers who are labelling books “mistorical” has dragged me right back in.

Just so we know we’re on the same page:

I want to be taken back to a previous age. I want to  be able to trust the writer to do this without jarring me back to the present day. I want that sense of living in the past and sharing a life with people who lived under certain conditions, dressed a certain way, with attitudes different to my own and my contemporaries.

That’s all. If you want something different from your historical, great. Go and get it, because the trend seems to be for that kind of book right now. That’s why, in my reviews, I try to be careful not to condemn the book, just to explain why I don’t like it, why it didn’t do it for me. What I refuse to do is to condemn readers whose tastes are different to mine and who want something else from the books the read.

I’m tired of picking up a historical, only to find another modern-characters-in-long-dresses story and as a result, I’ve stopped looking at all but the ones from authors I can trust. I need those labels to stop me getting a chapter in, only to find either history that’s wrong or no history at all.

Why is “mistorical” perjorative? Or is it the people who use it? I can’t accept a non-historical historical, and I don’t have a history degree, unless you count art history. I just live in the UK, have learned my history as I grew up, and my mind goes “no, no!” when I find a Faberge egg in a Regency, whether I want it to or not. I need a term that will clue me in to a book being one I don’t want to read. Just as there are heat guidelines, so that people uncomfortable with erotic romance can avoid it, I need a term that will stop me wasting my money on another frivolous romance that couldn’t possibly have happened in real life.

Until recently, I also took the wallpaper historical as an insult against Britain and its history, but having seen what the US has done to its own history, especially in movies (Anthony Quinn as a native American?) and remembering Hearst’s order to “print the legend,” I think it’s more part of American society to want to adopt something as its own and incorporate. Knowing the country (and loving it) a lot better now, I think it’s part of the mindset. That isn’t a condemnation, btw, it’s just the way things seem to be.

What makes a historical unsatisfactory for me is not just strict accuracy, such as using words before they came into common use, it’s the feel of the whole book. Accuracy would be the use of something before it was invented or Waterloo happening on a fine, sunny day in July, or Tiffany lamps in a Regency. But there’s another way to make a book “not historical.” That’s where the term “wallpaper” comes in, and this is a term I think is useful. The writer just eliminates obvious modern conveniences like cell phones and airplanes, and then puts the characters in quaint dresses. But it doesn’t have any specific references. Either that, or there are two or three carefully spaced nuggets that will remind the reader that this is a “Regency.” Dear Author introduced the term “mistorical” last year, and while some found it useful, others found it condemnatory, a criticism on the kind of books they loved to read. God forbid, and I mean that. The romance genre needs more critics like it needs a hole in the head. Ask any author of erotic romance. It was a good try at finding some term to apply to books that didn’t deliver on the historical front, but unfortunately readers got upset, so maybe we have to move on from that term.

When I review a historical romance, I’m being strictly personal. Whether you can be objective by writing a review is a whole ‘nother barrel of fish, but I have never claimed to be, because I don’t think there’s any value in writing a review of a novel and not getting personal about it. I’ve read and reviewed books by authors where I’ve loved one and disliked another. What I do try to do is to say why I didn’t like the book. Then readers can make their own decisions based on that. You might love Big Misunderstandings. I don’t. So you can read one of my reviews and go “hey, that sounds good” and even if I’ve given the book a D, you might decide to search it out. Because our tastes differ. I hope that doesn’t make us enemies or condemn your reading tastes in any way. Or that you should criticize me for preferring my historicals to reflect the time and place where it’s claimed the book is set.

It’s a “tomato, tomahto” thing.

Laura C’s review of Her Dark Protector by Carol Stephenson
Romantic Suspense published by Carina Press 26 Mar 12

I keep diving into the romantic suspense pool and hoping to find some rocking waves, but all too often I just find a stringy mess of seaweed. This book has great potential. Really great. Corruption, secret societies, sneaking around…but it just turns into a messy blob I couldn’t finish.

At the beginning of the book we meet Gail Malloy and the idea that she has a death wish is pounded into our heads repeatedly. In fact, my notes say “ok, I’ve got it. Move on already.” Why should I care about someone who doesn’t care about herself? I’m not convinced I do. But this is a romance, so it doesn’t take long before Jason Hawke (gimme a break on the name, please) shows up. He’s attractive. Check. Damaged. Check. Determined. Check.

And at that first meeting in a dark alley, Gail gets all turned on by “her dark protector” (yes, she uses the phrase a couple of times in the book) with the man she was supposed to meet lying dead in the street while she doesn’t give a crap and dismisses him with a casual “well, he stuck his nose into bad things once too often” attitude that totally rubs me the wrong way.

Umm…yeah…ok, so she has a death wish and questionable taste. I know we’re used to “love at first sight” in romances, but this is ridiculous. She knows nothing about Jason, not even what he looks like (because he’s wearing a hood and it’s dark) but she’s already considering him as a sexual partner.

Then we find out about the Justice Alliance to which Jason Hawke belongs. It’s an old, established group with…wait for it, because you know it has to be there…some members with paranormal abilities. Puhleez. I know this is just series bait and it won’t show up in this book, or at least I hope not, but can’t we have a book that just deals with reality as it stands? Don’t we have enough violence and enough vigilantes, enough paramilitary groups without psychic abilities?

So, I’m figuring I am close to done with this book, but I want to see when/how a relationship will develop between Jason and Gail. I read to the halfway point and then gave up. Because all that happens is sporadic “Oh my god I am so hot for him,” “Oh my god she gives me such boners” moments without any real emotion behind them and without build or continuity.

I didn’t care about the hero or heroine enough to read for their HEA, didn’t care about the villains enough to see them get theirs. What a bummer.

Grade: DNF

Summary:

Florida state prosecutor Gail Malloy may have a death wish, but she has no idea how close she is to having it fulfilled. In charge of the case against a notorious drug lord, she’s become the target of everyone on the man’s payroll—and corruption has permeated the highest ranks. Fortunately for Gail, a stranger is keeping watch…

Haunted by tragedy and seeking revenge, business tycoon Jason Hawke joined the Justice Hunters, a secret organization dedicated to maintaining law and order. He’ll do everything in his power to make sure Gail stays alive long enough to put the crime boss away for good. Even if it means keeping her with him day and night…

Read an excerpt.

Like Genevieve Graham, if you’re a Diana Gabaldon and a Jamie and Claire fan, you’re going to enjoy her MacDonnell family books, Under the Same Sky and Sound of the Heart. They have that rich, historical, and Scottish feel to them. The way of life of these characters is harsh and there are more times of anguish than there are of happy, but that makes the happy moments all the sweeter.

Dougal has survived Culloden and is held prisoner by the English until a daring escape. Along with him is the young teenage boy, Aiden, who Dougal has protected during their imprisonment. They make their way to London, putting more distance between them and the soldiers searching for them. What happens next is a huge surprise and one of those very happy times.

Until the English once again tear his world apart. Dougal takes the lesser of two evils, soldering for the enemy to make his way to the colonies and where his destiny lies.

We have a chapter from the book for you today, and I guarantee after reading it,  you won’t want to miss this book.

Summary:

Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold.

Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies.

There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

CHAPTER TWO

A Different Kind of March

Dougal’s face still lay in the mud when he awoke. He was no longer sure if the dirt was cold, since his cheek had gone numb. He kept his eyes closed, wanting to cry, but lacking the strength. He was tired, always tired these days, but Dougal had never been a man to admit to that. He was frozen and half-starved, as they all were. That weakness had contributed to a lot of the killings today.

Before they’d even stepped onto the frozen marshes of Culloden Moor, Dougal had known the Scots would suffer. He hadn’t needed one of his damn dreams to tell him this battle would not go well. He and the other Highlanders had marched and practically starved for the past two months, and their plaids had been poor protection from the miserable late winter. None of the crofters they had passed on their travels had food to share. The whole of the Highlands was suffering. The men had gone down to London, up to Culloden, back and forth in the miserable winter and spring months, completely at the whim of their chiefs and Prince Charles himself.

Damn Prince Charles. Dougal had pride in his people, sure. But to throw thousands of them away just so one man could settle his well-dressed arse on a throne? Useless. Unforgivable. And if Dougal ever saw Charles, he’d tell him so to his bonny wee face.

“Hey,” he heard from his right side a few feet away. “Help me, man.”

Dougal consulted the stabbing pain in his neck before twisting to see the source of the voice. The man lay nearby and looked to be about the same age as he, with a dark complexion and straggling brown hair pasted to his face. Dougal didn’t remember having seen him before, but there had been so many of them it wasn’t too much of a surprise. What was one man out of thousands?

“Aye, sir. How do ye fare?” Dougal asked.

“Och, I’ve the most terrible itch on my nose. Ye dinna think ye could help me wi’ that, could ye?”

Dougal stared at the man, whose expression was dead serious. For a moment, Dougal was speechless, then he burst into laughter, feeling his lip split with the effort and his head pound with renewed agony. Laughter was an unexpected sound, and a few others glanced over to see what was up.

Still laughing, Dougal said, “We’re the lot of us trussed like turkeys, probably set to be hangit, an’ ye’re fashed about a wee itch on yer nose?”

“Aye, I am,” the man replied indignantly. “I canna reach it.”

“No, I dinna suppose ye can,” Dougal said, trying to stem his laughter. “An’ how am I to manage it then?”

“I’ve no idea. But ‘twould be a blessin’ if ye’d figure it out.”

Dougal snorted, then, with a flick of one black eyebrow, agreed to try. He rolled to his right side and used his heels to shove his own body, bit by bit, closer to the man. When he was a foot away, he spoke again.

“Bring yer damn neb here,” Dougal said. “I canna reach farther.” He wiggled his swollen fingers in illustration. They tingled with strangled circulation from within their rough bindings.

He heard the shuffling of a body behind his, then felt the strange pressure of the man’s nose moving against his fingers. Dougal couldn’t help himself. He started to giggle.

The man behind him moaned with relief. “Ye’re a godsend, man,” he said. “That was killin’ me.”

“That was killin’ ye? Well, if that’s all, then ye’re better than most of us. That is one of the strangest things I’ve ever been asked to do,” Dougal said, still smiling. “All done?”

“Aye, I am. Thanks very much.”

The men rolled onto their stomachs, though Dougal would have greatly preferred to lie on his back. If only their hands had been tied in front. The man beside Dougal gave him a friendly smile and what would have to suffice for a nod.

“John Wallace,” he said. “Yer servant, sir.”

Dougal returned the smile. “Dougal MacDonnell. Good to meet ye as well.”

There wasn’t much to say, so the men sank into an uncomfortable doze while they waited to find out what would happen next. It was becoming more difficult for any of them to stay awake these days, weakened as they all were. Now pain and—Dougal hated to accept the word—defeat weighed down every fibre in his body.

Dougal hadn’t realised he had slept until he was jolted awake by a solid kick of a boot connecting with his ribs. He grunted and rolled away, wide awake. But when he automatically reached for the offending boot, his bound arms permitted no such movement.

“Wake up, dog,” a soldier snarled.

Dougal smothered the words that pressed against his lips. They would do him no good here. He would wait. Bide his time. Beside him, John Wallace apparently came to the same conclusion. He snorted into consciousness, looked around, then dropped his face back down to the mud.

Someone grabbed Dougal’s feet. He kicked and tried instinctively to yank his feet away, but his legs were held fast. He twisted as far as he could so he could watch a soldier untie the ropes at his ankles. So they would be walking, would they? Fine. Anything was better than this, lying helpless as a lassie in a roomful of brawlers.

Other men’s legs were being untied as well, and there were groans and mutterings as the Highlanders stumbled to their feet. Most of their hands were still bound, so the men were limited to shrugging and squirming to release cramped muscles.

They were a sorry lot, Dougal thought, watching the others rise and stretch. Especially when compared to the English soldiers, who were clean, fed and glowing with victory. The Highlanders were filthy and bedraggled, covered head to barely covered feet by bruises and blood. He recognised a few men with whom he had walked on the road to hell, men who, like him, had left their families alone and unprotected while they went off to war. That thought brought Dougal back to images of his family. Of his mother in particular. Dougal was fairly sure he was the only man in the family to have survived. So now she was alone out there, with no means of defence other than her dirk, which she carried all the time.

Be strong, Mother. I’ll come back for ye someday.

She was smart, so she might take to the woods. Then again, she might stay in the house, waiting for her men to return. They were big men, all of them, and she wouldn’t have expected any of them to die.

No. That wasn’t true. She’d known as well as they had. She’d packed their food and seen them off, then turned and ducked through the small door to the croft. She’d never shed a tear. Or if she had, it had been secret, falling within the refuge of her empty home.

What of his brothers? He knew, of course, the fate of his father. The sound of a bayonet ripping through Duncan’s body came back to him, forcing bile up Dougal’s throat. He swallowed it down, determined to banish the sound forever, knowing it was an impossible feat. But what of Ciaran? And Andrew? He should have been with them. His back should have been against theirs, fighting as they’d been taught. But that damn fog, the cursed smoke. He’d lost them as soon as they’d started running, shrieking, onto the frozen moor.

John Wallace jostled him from one side and Dougal gave him a placid smile.

“What of it?” John asked.

“Eh?”

“I was sayin’ I think we should leave,” John suggested. “Just go. When the sons of bitches are lookin’ elsewhere.”

“Oh, that’s a fine idea, John. I reckon they’d just let a wee slip of a man like yerself take a walk off into the trees wi’out too much notice. No, ye fool. They’ve plans to work us hard. Otherwise they’d have shot us by now.”

John shrugged good naturedly. “Worth a thought.”

Dougal gestured with his chin toward a cluster of older men off by the trees, hunched and curled into themselves with resignation. “Those fellows willna fare well. Nor those.” He switched his gaze to a couple of small boys standing together, watching the activity with owlish expressions. They were probably no more than thirteen or fourteen. Drummer boys, he imagined. Frightened lads who should have been home practicing with wooden swords, not facing the menacing glares of hardened English soldiers, ripe with victory. The boys’ hands were untied, he noticed, as were those of some of the older men. The ropes were for bigger men, those who offered obvious threat to the soldiers.

“I’d think they’re no’ much use besides entertainment.”

As if he’d been overheard, a couple of soldiers strode toward the boys. Dougal saw them stiffen but set their slender shoulders in defiance, and the darker of the two stepped forward, placing himself as a shield in front of the smaller one. The soldier stood head and shoulders taller than the little Highlander, but Dougal wondered which, when faced with death, would be more brave. The soldier chuckled at whatever the boy had said and Dougal heard the cold sound from thirty feet away. The boy’s jaw was clenched, and when the soldier turned away, the boy spat at the receding red coat.

The soldier whirled and Dougal took an instinctive step toward the youngsters. “You little pig turd,” the soldier growled. “You’ll show a bit more respect, you will.”

Using his momentum, the soldier ploughed his fist into the boy’s cheek. The slender body crumpled, and though his hands were still tied behind him, Dougal stepped in as the soldier moved toward the smaller boy.

“If it’s a fight ye’re after,” Dougal said. “Might I offer my own services? Surely ye’d no’ want yer men to see ye crowin’ o’er a couple o’ wee lads. Doesna seem so gallant when they’re barely thirteen, does it?”

“Sixteen,” came a whisper, which Dougal ignored.

“You’ve fight left in you, ‘ave you?” the soldier demanded with a sneer. “Bloody Scots ‘ave no idea when to quit.” Needing no further encouragement, he smashed one fist into Dougal’s cheek, then plunged the other upward, under Dougal’s ribs. Dougal doubled over as the breath whooshed out of him, then turned to the side and spat.

He straightened and glared at the soldier. “Better?” he asked, voice still gruff from lack of wind.

The soldier gave him a wide smile, his mouth a checkerboard of missing teeth. “For now, my lad. But we’ll talk later, shall we?”

Dougal slid his jaw one way, then the other, testing the extent of the injury. Satisfied, he sniffed and started back toward John. The soldier hadn’t had much of an arm, fortunately. Good enough, but now Dougal knew what the man was made of. And at least he’d forgotten about the boys for now.

“I could have done just fine on my own, sir,” came the whispered voice.

The boy still standing was slender and gaunt, large blue eyes huge in his sunken face. His blond hair raged wildly around his head and Dougal had an urge to pat it down. To cut it off, even.

“Sure. I reckon ye could have. ‘Twas only I’ve a fondness for gettin’ hit,” he teased. “It had been a couple of hours, I reckon, since the last one.”

The boy, lips tight with pride, studied Dougal skeptically.

“Dinna fash,” Dougal said. “They’ll come back to hit ye soon enough. There’s plenty hungerin’ for a fight. An’ they dinna seem to mind if it’s a young lad, an’ old man, or a big fellow wi’ his hands tied. I’d keep well enough out o’ reach, if ‘twas me.”

The small face seemed to relax a bit. “Thank ye, sir,” he said. “I’ll do that.”

Dougal looked down at the fallen boy, just starting to push himself back to his feet. The side of his face where he had been hit was already swelling; the other side was black with fresh mud. How many times had Dougal taken part in boyhood brawls, gotten hit, then jumped back up again, eager for a rematch? He waited to see the boy’s expression, nodded approval when he recognised the glare of defiance, then turned back toward John, who had come closer to watch.

“Very gallant,” John said.

“Oh aye. I’m a real hero,” Dougal said.

“Right. Well, then I’ll stay by you. They’ll hit ye first, I reckon.”

“Ye’re a smarter fellow than ye let on, sir,” Dougal replied.

Within a half hour the crowd of men was shuffling along on the rough, drenched road to Inverness. Dougal’s shoulders ached, the joints burned from the restraints on his wrists. His worn shoes scraped along the road so that little pebbles danced ahead of him like raindrops on a still loch.

God, he was tired of walking. Always walking. Or waiting. He wasn’t sure which was worse. Either one allowed him to drift away in his mind, which could be either a good or a bad thing. Sometimes he used the time to think about easier times, to bring back memories and voices that made him smile. But more often his mind slid back to the sight of his father’s dying eyes, and the sound of his voice. “I’m proud of ye, son.”

He thought of Andrew. Two years younger than he, quiet and introspective, but with a sharp mind. Andrew was the thinker of the three brothers. No, that wasn’t right. Ciaran was the thinker, the one with promise, the one the family hoped to send to Europe to attend university someday. Andrew was the dreamer. Always sinking into places Dougal never saw. Always with that faraway look, as if he saw something beyond the sea. But when the situation demanded it, Andrew was just as quick as Dougal. Just as strong and skilled with his sword. They’d been more than brothers. Andrew was Dougal’s best friend.

It didn’t seem possible, imagining Andrew dead. Andrew was the most vibrant person he knew, filled with a deep energy that never let him rest. He was almost as big as Dougal himself: well over six feet. While Dougal’s hair was jet black, Andrew’s fell in brown waves. Dougal’s eyes flashed a clear blue while Andrew’s were a deep brown. Other than that, the two couldn’t have been mistaken for anything but brothers.

Dougal tried to picture Andrew’s body, motionless like all the rest, blood matting his hair and staining his kilt, his dark eyes forever closed. But he couldn’t hold the image. It felt wrong. The thought that Andrew’s corpse might be sprawled on that field of death was beyond Dougal’s comprehension. He looked into the forest on either side of the parade of captives, peering deep into the spring branches. The slender trees glistened with promise of new life, but any buds were barely visible. It was too early for green. Still, Dougal looked for any sign of his brother, then snorted at his own idiocy. Even if Andrew had somehow survived, even if he had run for his life, he wouldn’t be stupid enough to hang about and follow soldiers.

Go home, Dougal thought hard. If you’re out there, go home.

He could almost visualise Ciaran going down. That seemed, though the thought broke his heart, almost feasible. Their younger brother was smaller-boned and almost feminine in his looks, but fierce from necessity. The way of the youngest, always chasing the older two. He stood up to everyone, just to prove he had more than just a bookish mind, but swordplay wasn’t his strongest asset, and they all knew it. Ciaran should have been fighting with his father that day. That was how they always practiced.

Then again, Duncan was dead. He wouldn’t have been much help.

For the thousandth time, Dougal sifted through his memories, wondering if there were anything he could have done to change the day’s outcome. At least to have his brothers and father marching alongside him on this miserable road to incarceration, rather than draped over other corpses whose pock-scarred skin sizzled and spat over some English pyre. No matter how far they marched, Dougal could still smell the smoke from those fires, started randomly across the battlefield. Corpses, and some bodies close to death but not quite there, were stacked like wood, packed with anything that burned, then lit. The woollen plaids caught quickly; the fire was too hot to pay much mind to the dampness of the material. It ate through flesh and wood and wool, candling toward the sky, the smoke black as ink and stinking of meat.

Hundreds of bodies burned. Thousands more limped along this road with him, the undead marching toward the unknown. The Highlanders had set off the year before with such confidence, building their numbers and their conviction with every step. The clans had come together for their Prince, and now they had died for the man. And where was this wonderful Prince? Gone. Some of the men in the crowd actually spoke of seeing him ride away. He’d cheered them on, ridden his beautiful white horse back to a safe distance, then turned tail when the loss became horribly obvious. Dougal shook his head with disgust and winced at the resultant pounding in his head.

There was nothing he could have done to save the others. He knew that. And yet he supposed his soul would always wonder.

Today we have Genevieve Graham with us, so sit back and enjoy the fun!

Genevieve’s debut book, Under the Same Sky, a beautifully written Scottish historical story, released in January. She’s been receiving wonderful reviews and new fans are discovering what a delight it is reading her books.  Her second book, Sound of the Heart, releases today, so you’ll want to make a special trip to your local bookstore or head over to Amazon.com right now!

She’s one of only seven Canadians who have been published by Penguin. A very distinctive accomplishment. As a reader, I’m glad her editor has asked for more stories from Genevieve. These books should be on every romance reader’s keeper shelf. They’re that good.

So now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Welcome Genevieve! Since the usual first question in an interview is “Tell us about yourself,” how about instead you tell our readers that one thing that most other folks don’t know about you!

GENEVIEVE GRAHAM: Hi, Sandy! Thanks for having me here today! This is a REALLY exciting day for me – I get to be on your site AND my second book is being released. So I am responding to your interview questions with champagne in hand.

One thing folks don’t know about me? I can’t stand maraschino cherries. I ate an entire jar when I was three. My grandmother had a white carpet at the time. heh heh. Well, she shouldn’t have left them out for me!

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

GG: I used to think authors made that up, the part about the characters running the show. But I can safely tell you that with me at least it’s 100% true. I’d never written anything before Under the Same Sky, so I had no idea what to expect. Being pulled into Maggie’s world was a thrill for me because she was more than willing to show me everything in great detail, telling me how she felt about it as we went. The whole story came from somewhere I’d never been, so everything was a surprise. But I particularly love it when one of them comes out with a funny comment or blurts out “no” when I expected them to say “yes.” Under the Same Sky does that less than my second book, Sound of the Heart, but there are moments like that.

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

GG: At one point during the writing of Under the Same Sky, I sensed two male characters off to the side, nudging me to be allowed into the story. I had no idea who they were, and they seemed a little shabby for my taste, so I ignored them. I figured if they were important they’d come back later. Well, I couldn’t write for two days. I finally relented and let them in, and I couldn’t stop writing for two weeks after that. The crazy thing is that those two characters were eventually cut from the story. There was no need for them to be part of the finished product; however, it was apparently essential that they come into the story at that point so that something else could happen. I’ve tried arguing, trying to persuade them when I think a story should go a certain way, but for the most part they aren’t all that interested in my suggestions. That’s fine with me. It’s their story after all, not mine.

DC: I know you’re a huge Diana Gabaldon fan. (Me too!) You just have to say “Jamie and Claire,” and everyone knows who you’re talking about. While I realize there’s probably more than one from any of those seven five-inch-thick books, but what’s your favorite J&C moment?

GG: Really??? One??? The first one that jumps to mind is the scene in Dragonfly when Claire returns and Jamie’s working in the print shop. He calls out to his associate (was it Geordie?) but it’s Claire in the front, waiting for him. I LOVED his reaction. But really, there are so many scenes. Diana Gabaldon is a genius, in my humble opinion.

DC: Oh, that is a wonderful scene! And my opinion is definitely the same as yours. What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

GG: Family movie night. We have two teenage daughters and right now we’re on a kick for adventure stories. Just finished rewatching the entire Lord of the Rings series, then Star Wars, and now we’re going through the entire Harry Potter series.

DC: Let’s talk about your MacDonnell family series. First, aside from being inspired by Diana Gabaldon, what was it that drew you to write about this family and this era?

GG: I wish I had a more brilliant answer for you, but the truth is that the story wrote itself. Maggie introduced herself to me the first day I started to write, but the second day I landed in the middle of Culloden Moor. I knew I’d be writing in that time period (yes, Gabaldon’s influence), but I didn’t know where I’d be starting. Fortunately, Andrew dragged me through the muck, showed me his determination, giving me insight into his history and family as he went. Andrew is a deep thinker, so I learned a lot. When I write, I don’t just follow my characters. Especially with Maggie and Andrew. I’m a part of them. I experience all their senses, and because I know them so well, their emotions also flow through me.

Here’s another truth for you: I never planned to write a second MacDonnell story. Under the Same Sky was the one and only thing I’d written, and when it was done I’d never really considered writing anything else. But Penguin asked for a companion novel in the contract. Who was I to say no to Penguin? So, of course, I said yes, then I panicked. For days I tried shoving ideas into my brain, but nothing stuck. Just as I was feeling desperate, I sensed Dougal. He was kind of shaking his head at me, smiling wryly, looking a little disappointed. It was like he was asking, “Why stress yourself out? I already have a story for you. All you had to do was ask.” And what a story he had!

I assumed I was done after that, but no. Maggie’s sister, Adelaide, woke me up one morning, saying she, too, had a story to tell. She is a very quiet, shy girl with a lot of emotional scars, so I’d never expected her to be keen to share. But she was. My editor will be reading that book this week and I’m looking forward to hearing what she thinks of it.

DC: Which fictional character would you like to hang out with?

GG: In my books it would be Dougal. In other fiction, well, I really like Roger Wakefield. As far as lady characters, I like the fun frankness and intelligence of Elizabeth Bennett.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

GG: Not to worry so much about what other people say. Everyone has flaws and weaknesses, and those are a big part of what makes us unique. Just be confident in who you are and what you can do.

DC: What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever learned by Googling your name?

GG: That there are so many of me! Actually, the big list is on Twitter, but the one that jumped out at me on Google was Genevieve Graham the designer! She was on Project Runway, which is a reality designer show here in Canada. I’m not a fashion person (big fan of pyjamas), so I had no idea who she was. Now I just hope people don’t come to me asking me to write a book AND design an outfit to go with it!

DC: What book would you like to read again for the first time?

GG: Outlander.

DC: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

GG: Genevieve already had her happily ever after. Now her dream’s come true and she didn’t even know she had that dream.

DC: What would your “voice’s” tagline be?

GG: Often mysterious and mystical, always heart wrenchingly real.

DC: Sound of the Heart, second book in the series, hits the bookstores today. Congrats! This story is turning out just as beautiful as Under the Same Sky. Would you give us a sneak peek into Dougal and Glenna’s story?

GG: I love this story. I love Dougal’s fun-loving nature, his purely masculine presence, and his complete and utter loyalty to Glenna. He would happily die for her, though he admits he’d prefer not to.

Dougal is taken as a POW after the Battle of Culloden (1746) and we learn what it was like to be a captive back then. He escapes and discovers true love with Glenna, but when the English capture her and send her to the colonies as a slave, Dougal must join the despised English Army (albeit as part of the Highlander regiment) and travel over the sea to find her. Glenna, who believes Dougal is dead, has her own adventures to survive as a slave, then suddenly discovers he is indeed alive and not too far away.

DC: What romance book would you recommend our readers pick up during their next bookstore run? (Yes, in addition to any Genevieve Graham novel!)

GG: You mean besides Outlander? There are so many. Personally, I love the epic stories of Penelope Williamson and Jennifer Roberson. If I were to go with more recent releases, I’m really enjoying the exciting western romances by Kaki Warner, the Napoleonic intrigue by Joanna Bourne, and the time travel romance of Susanna Kearsley.

DC: What an honor to be one of only seven Canadians to be contracted by Penguin to publish your books. Tell us about “the call.”

GG: Absolutely unexpected. I think the most difficult part of the entire writing process is finding an agent and finding the RIGHT agent. Jacques de Spoelberch worked with me on my book, then set it immediately on the desk of Wendy McCurdy, Executive Editor at Penguin. She bought it (and the companion novel) within the first 48 hours. I don’t think I slept for two days after that, I was so pumped on adrenaline. It’s still incredibly surreal. I am particularly proud of being a Canadian published in the U.S.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

GG: Well, my university degree is in music, but I’d worked in marketing, media, and promotions for about fifteen years before I became a stay-at-home mom. Now I run my own editing business and teach piano to the local kids. So I guess I’d just be doing more of one or all of those!

DC: What else is on the horizon for Genevieve Graham?

GG: I’ve been writing non-stop and have three slightly more “modern” stories coming along. The most recent is a time travel romance, which I’m really enjoying. I like to set the stories around the area where I live, in a tiny town in Nova Scotia. This place is steeped in history, and the ghosts are only too happy to share their stories with someone who will listen.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?    – MILK
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?     – CHUNKY
- heels or flats?     – FLATS
- coffee or tea?      – TEA
- summer or winter?      – AUTUMN
- mountains or beach?     – BEACH
- mustard or mayonnaise?     – MAYO
- flowers or candy?     – CANDY
- pockets or purse?     – PURSE
- Pepsi or Coke?     – WINE
- ebook or print?     – PRINT

And because we still enjoy the answers we get:

1. What is your favorite word?    – LUGUBRIOUS

2. What is your least favorite word?     – PUCE

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?     – FREEDOM

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – PEOPLE TRYING TO PUSH THEIR BELIEFS ON OTHERS

5. What sound or noise do you love?    – BIRD SONG

6. What sound or noise do you hate?     – NAILS ON CHALKBOARD

7. What is your favorite curse word?     – F___

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?     – MAKING MOVIES

9. What profession would you not like to do?     – GARBAGE

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?   – “COME ON IN! I’LL GET YOU A LATTE.”

DC: Thank you so much for spending the day with us, Genevieve! It’s been an absolute pleasure.

Sandy M’s review of Sound of the Heart by Genevieve Graham
Historical Romance published by Berkley Trade 1 May 12

I had hopes for this book after finishing Genevieve Graham’s debut, Under the Same Sky, which I loved. Sometimes a new author has a difficult time maintaining such excellence after a first book. So you can imagine my tad of hesitation as I began reading Sound of the Heart. Should I have been worried?

Not one bit. Ms. Graham writes like an old pro. The history is rich and deep. Her characters truly live the times, the emotion tugs at your soul, and her added twist of the paranormal is just the right amount to give readers a very satisfying read.

We meet Dougal MacDonnell again at roughly the same time his brother, Andrew, is escaping the aftermath of Culloden. Dougal, however, is a prisoner of war. The feeling of despair in the very inhumane conditions of the cells these prisoners are kept in and the treatment at the hands of the English make for difficult reading. It spears your heart, especially when you meet the two young boys have also been taken captive, Joseph and Aidan. Thank the heavens Dougal and his new friend John are there to keep those youngsters safe. It’s also the boys who devise a way to escape their prison. To wish all would go well for them is futile. Suffice it to say, it’s only Dougal and Aiden who make it out of that hell. They stay ahead of soldiers, make it to London and relative safety for the time being. The taste of freedom is exhilarating.

It’s when Dougal meets Glenna that his life is worth living again. They find an abandoned Highland home, small and cozy enough, where they live blissfully for ten years. This is an existence neither of them have dreamed of since the English had outlawed everything Scottish, from their plaid to their pipes. After such harshness of life so far in this book, this time with Dougal and Glenna is one of my favorites. Their love is first cemented in friendship, then lovers. It’s not without trouble, emotional and otherwise, but it’s a good life for them. They learn everything about one another – Dougal, especially, has a secret he’s never told anyone about, not even his brother Andrew, who he shares a close and psychic bond with – as they chip away at contentment and happiness.

Of course, in such chaotic times, that happiness can’t last forever, as Dougal and Glenna abruptly discover when out hunting during a long and cold winter. Suddenly surrounded by English soldiers, Glenna is taken into custody while Dougal is left for dead. Clawing his way back to consciousness and deciding that living is better than the alternative, he eventually finds himself part of the English army sent to the Colonies to help fight the French and the Indians, because he’s found out that’s where Glenna has been sent as an indentured servant. Once again, life has taken on a desperate and hard edge. It has been years since Glenna was taken and he knows nothing of her current plight; thus, after putting up with the English and their foreign way of fighting a war, Dougal contemplates desertion, something his honor abhors but his love needs.

As in the first book, Ms. Graham has divided the book into two parts between Dougal and Glenna, giving their perspective at that point in their lives. The last third of the book is Glenna’s. While I was ready to see things from her point of view, I nearly had a conniption when the author left me hanging at the end of Dougal’s section when he realizes his brother still lives. I calmed down and figured I’d see their reunion when it’s time. Little did I know how long that wait is going to truly be. But I digress. Glenna reaches the New World shores, after once again being stuffed into the cargo hold of a ship, and is immediately put on the auction block, her humiliation complete. However, she realizes her lot will be much better than other women sold into prostitution slavery. Her new “owner” is a tobacco plantation owner and he needs a teacher for his children. Because Glenna can read, she’s chosen for the job.

Her life turns out relatively good, the loss of Dougal her only nightmare. She believes him to be dead, so memories are all she has. Glenna enjoys her station with the children and family who’ve taken her in. But all good things must come to an end, and the next thing she knows she’s thrust into a life again not of her choosing and one that begins with violence and ends with her taking her destiny into her own hands. She brings to mind all the things Dougal taught her in their time together to outsmart the arrogant asshole who takes what he wants when he wants. Admiration for this woman goes up ten-fold for what she now endures and then conquers. By this time Dougal is closer to her than ever, and Glenna discovers this. Once again her intellect, cunning, and desire and need for Dougal outshine those around her, and she finds her man in the middle of a fierce battle. Nothing stands in her way.

Ms. Graham gives readers characters who defy the odds, who fight for survival with everything they’ve got. The Scottish spirit in the aftermath of Culloden is vanquished for only so long. Though Dougal and Glenna are no longer in their home country, they have that Highland drive that keeps them going, even the loss of the Scotland they love can’t break them. Their love is a real, living emotion between them and you feel it on every page, even when they’re not together. No punches are pulled throughout this book. The times are depicted quite vividly, and your compassion and ire are piqued in equal amounts.

I am so very glad I’ve been able to read these books, and I’m so very glad there are more to come. I’m looking forward to that meeting between brothers who thought the other had perished, only to find their link to each other again. But I’m also looking forward just to the beautiful writing and wonderful characters of Genevieve Graham. I’m a fan for life.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold.

Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies.

There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Untouched (Amoveo Legend, Book 2) by Sara Humphreys
Paranormal Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 3 Apr 12

Kudos to Sourcebooks for finding new, up-and-coming authors who are writing outside the box, giving readers something a little different than the usual stories we’ve been getting lately. Sara Humphreys is the latest author I’ve found who’s taken my shifters and given them a bit of a twist.

Kerry is a model who’s known as an ice princess – she never touches anyone and stays as far away from people as she can get. What only a few know is that when she touches someone, visions and pain overtake her. What she doesn’t know is her heritage of being a shapeshifter to go along with her psychic gift. She’s a hybrid – born of an Amoveo father and a human mother – and the Purists are out to eradicate hybrids from their race.

Thus we meet Dante, a security specialist, who will be acting as Kerry’s bodyguard. Until he can work in the fact she’s also his mate. That has to be a slow and gentle unveiling. The Amoveo are ancient clans of a variety of shifters from eagles to panthers and everything in between. This is what I enjoy the most about this book. We’re dealing with a fox – Dante; a wolf – Samantha, Kerry’s best friend; an eagle – Malcolm, Samantha’s husband (both of whom are featured in Book 1, Unleashed); and several other animals, along with Kerry, who is a beautiful black panther. I like the fact we have different clans mating, rather than wolves with wolves and so forth like we normally read about.

Dante is determined to keep Kerry safe, not only because she’s his mate, but also because it was his father who was a major participant in the attack on Samantha, who is also a hybrid, in the previous book. Kerry’s next modeling assignment takes them all to New Orleans and an old, rundown house on the bayou. Another element of this story is that the characters can read energy of every kind, from loving to evil. The area where they’re working eventually takes on a very evil energy, only one more thing to add to the investigation of who’s behind all the recent break-ins and attacks.

Once Kerry begins to see Dante in a different light – she initially doesn’t care much for him – she now sees his desire to protect her, his loving nature, as well as his lust for her. And these two together do sizzle. Dante has to restrain himself around Kerry, at least until she knows exactly who and what he is, as well as who and what she is. So you can imagine the sexual tension by the time she’s ready. On that score, I like the fact we don’t have to wait until the last fourth of the book to experience their pleasure in one another.

When evil finally gets its clutches into our characters and it’s revealed who is behind it all, it is a surprise. This is where I also enjoyed them in their animal shapes. We see a totally different side both during capture and after, along with those who attempt rescue. Then we’re given another surprise combined with heartache as more information about Kerry is revealed. And this doesn’t end the betrayal, there are still those who need to be found, which will continue into the next book.

I have not read the first book in this series. While it would have been nice to have done so, I don’t feel I lost anything by starting here. I’m sure I would have gotten some information that might have helped a tad more while reading this story, but Ms. Humphreys does a good job of filling you in with little muss. If you’re a paranormal fan, give this series a try. I’m looking forward to getting caught up and then continuing on with Untamed later this year.

Grade: B

Summary:

SHE SHOULD BE SEEN, BUT NEVER TOUCHED…

Kerry Smithson’s modeling career ensures that she will be admired from afar, which is essential since mere human touch sparks blinding pain and terrifying visions.

EVERY GOOD MODEL NEEDS A HEAVENLY BODYGUARD…

Dante Coltari is hired to protect Kerry from those who know who she is—or more importantly what she is—and want her dead because of it. Nothing could have prepared him for the challenge of keeping her safe. But, strangely, his lightest touch brings her exquisite pleasure rather than pain, and Dante and Kerry have an otherwordly connection that might just pull them through.

Read an excerpt. (scroll down)

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of The Darkest Seduction (Lords of the Underworld, Book 9) by Gena Showalter
Paranormal Romance published by HQN 28 Feb 12

I have to say that Gena Showalter can really do no wrong by me. Paris’ story is one I have been waiting for. He has been through so much and I think he’s really grown, maybe not in a good way at first, but he’s definitely not the same person he was at the start of this series.

At the start of the book, Paris is still searching for Sienna. He doesn’t know what will happen when he finds her, he knows he wants a happily ever after, but he’s doubtful since he is the reason she’s dead.

I think one of the things I appreciate most about The Darkest Seduction is the way Paris and Sienna come together. They don’t see each other and suddenly fall madly in love. It’s awkward and they have a lot of baggage to overcome. They are both full of guilt toward each other, but also have hope. They still have tons of chemistry and this book is hot. Paris has not been the keeper of Promiscuity without learning some things. They really have a love story, and I can read it over and over again. Paris is my new favorite, after William, of course.

There is also more fighting, new bad (maybe?) guys, new creatures, new good (maybe?) guys, and even a very conceited goddess who I love to hate. Things have been steadily going toward something happening, and finally something does.

The twist in their lives is completely unexpected, at least for me. It does make perfect sense, though, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. It’s refreshing to not have things be put off book after book. It keeps things exciting and I want the next book right now. I also am dying for Zacharel’s book, and the start of that series. We get glimpses of the other Lords, and now I want to go and re-read Lucien and Maddox’s books – and probably all of the books.

I am just very happy when I am reading anything set in this world.

Grade: A

Summary:

Possessed by the demon of Promiscuity, immortal warrior Paris is irresistibly seductive—but his potent allure comes at a terrible price. Every night he must bed someone new, or weaken and die. And the woman he craves above all others is the one woman he’d thought was forever beyond his reach…until now.

Newly possessed by the demon of Wrath, Sienna Blackstone is racked by a ruthless need to punish those around her. Yet in Paris’s arms, the vulnerable beauty finds soul-searing passion and incredible peace. Until a blood feud between ancient enemies heats up.

Will the battle against gods, angels and creatures of the night bind them eternally—or tear them apart?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LynneC’s review of What Lies Beneath by Andrea Laurence
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Desire 3 Apr 12

I am so very sorry I can’t do a more positive review for this book, but it has serious flaws which eventually  prevented me enjoying it as much as I might have done. Huge plot holes and a Mary Sue heroine aren’t my favorite tropes, but if you can ignore the holes and go along with Mary (actually called Adrienne), then you will enjoy this one.

I’ve learned that it’s (almost – let’s not get carried away here) as hard to write an unfavorable review as it is to receive one. but I can’t give this book a pass. Several elements make this a disappointing read for me, starting right at the beginning. Since Ms. Laurence is a new author to the Desire line, I tried, but, in the end, I knew it wasn’t a book for me.

Unusually for a Desire, there is a prologue, but in this case it’s definitely needed. Adrienne has just wound up her New York fashion business and is on the plane going home to Milwaukee. She finds herself sitting next to a society beauty who has been downgraded to economy. She and society beauty Cynthia trade places and the plane crashes leaving only three people alive. They assume Adrienne is Cynthia. We, the reader, know better, because the story is told from Adrienne’s point of view, not Cynthia’s.

Anyone else find that whole thing hard to swallow? First, the first-class passenger downgraded. That’s a tricky premise right there. In all my years travelling, I’ve never come across that. Upgrading, sure, and a passenger downgraded for bad behavior, once. Okay, never mind, let it through. It could happen, after all.
So the whole assuming Adrienne is Cynthia part of the story, necessary if the story is going to work.

The amnesia Adrienne/Cynthia suffers is only one of the injuries which also damaged her face and destroyed her front teeth. She has new teeth implanted (can you have that done?) and plastic surgery has rebuilt her face. That’s some expense there, and Adrienne is doing it, albeit unwittingly, on Cynthia’s insurance. Wouldn’t the hospital or the insurance company sue to cover its own ass, when the truth comes out? I’m assuming here that Adrienne’s insurance is basic and Cynthia’s is much better, plus she can afford private treatment.

Wait a minute. There’s a lot of blood involved in plastic surgery, especially facial surgery. So they must have taken her blood type, right? What if it was different to Cynthia’s?

The fact that Cynthia and Adrienne have swapped places on the plane is no indication of their identity and no insurance company or anyone else in their right mind is going to accept it as such. When Adrienne wakes up with a smashed face and amnesia, they’re going to take her “parents’” word that she’s their daughter? I don’t think so. Especially when DNA testing is fast and painless. And what about dental identification? A significant number of back teeth is acceptable for ID, especially when there’s been work done in the past. Since this happens right at the start of the book, I tried to just accept the situation and read on, but things kept nagging me.

The real story starts some time later when our heroine is due to leave hospital. She’s had extensive plastic surgery, but she only seems concerned that her new teeth don’t fit right and she can’t remember anything. I had to fight to stay with the story here. The accident had rendered her unrecognizable and given her amnesia. She seems okay with that, and later, when she meets her real relative, her aunt, the lady accepts her as if she looks just the same. There’s no mention of her learning her new contours or getting psychiatric treatment, almost a requirement of surgery like she’d had.

Peripheral to my concerns are the lack of any mention of possible PTSD and the way the author kills off a plane full of people. She’s created them in the first place, I suppose, so she could kill them. Nobody seems too bothered about that, Adrienne/Cynthia included.

Oh, and the doctor at one point in the story says that one bang to the head gave her amnesia and another restored it. Really? I thought that idea went out a long time ago. Actually, the restoration of memory doesn’t exactly happen that way, but that a doctor should actually say that…?

The character of Adrienne gets more annoying as the book goes on. She’s beautiful but curvy, not model-thin. She’s very kind, very thoughtful, and people in distress upset her. She’s a sweet girl whom everybody loves, from the nurse in the hospital to Cynthia’s fiancée, who she goes to live with after she comes out of hospital. She can design clothes. It’s obvious that the author knows something about sewing and a bit about the fashion industry, but I can’t remember the last designer who made their own clothes. Oh, yes, I can, Yves Saint-Laurent (my mother worked for him for a short time). But, of course, he didn’t. He just could.

Adrienne not only has the money to buy runway-quality fabric, she can make it all up into what she wants with a domestic sewing machine. Not an overlocker or heavy-duty machine for leather in sight. But, again, development of that side might have made Adrienne more interesting. But at this stage of the story, she is Cynthia, a spoiled society beauty who never took an interest in sewing before. And nobody remarks on that? Oh, yes, and she makes a collection worthy of an important magazine in a few days. Makes it herself, on her handy-dandy sewing machine. Vera Wang wishes (or maybe she has more sense). In short, Adrienne is a Mary Sue of the most egregious. Hearts and flowers and skippety-skip.

Ah, yes, the hero. There is an unavoidable spoiler here, but I’ll mark it and try not to go into specifics. Will owns a newspaper, which is doing a deal with Cynthia’s father to go into e-readership. I like that part, it sounds plausible to me and interesting. Would have liked more of that. But there is no real barrier to the main relationship, although Cynthia’s father wants the marriage between Cynthia and Will to cement the business relationship. In the end, though, like everyone else, he falls in love with Adrienne, so that’s all right then.

Will is a cipher. He never comes alive for me, although there are several scenes in his viewpoint. He does what is needed for the plot. There is another character and a side plot. It seems that Cynthia was in love with a poor, struggling man who, when we finally meet him, comes across as a sleaze and a bully. I have no idea what he was doing in the book at all. He pops up and disappears when the plot needs a bit of a stir.

And here’s the  SPOILER ALERT (although if you read many Harlequins, you’ll see this one coming a mile off. Like a train screaming down the track you are helplessly bound to, you beg “no, no, don’t do it” but it arrives anyway).

About the Black Moment. A more contrived one I have yet to read. When Adrienne realizes who she is, Will assumes she’s been trying to con him and he throws her out. At this stage of the story, it reveals a fundamental weakness in Will – doesn’t he trust his own judgment of the woman he’s come to know? And it screams “plot device.” If Will is the brutal alpha type, it would have been more believable, and while I’m happy to read betas, to see one turn like this is a bad jar out of the story. *END OF SPOILER ALERT*

To sum up – the story has serious issues. The initial premise is unbelievable, the heroine is Mary Sue and then some, and the hero is manipulated by the plot. If this book won lots of awards, it must have been in another incarnation, and having been subject to the sometimes brutal editing Harlequin imposes on its authors, I can see how a first-time author would do her best to work in what they wanted and leave ends dangling. However, the book has some style, although the syntax is rather simplistic, and if Ms. Laurence writes another, I’d be interested in taking a look, to see if the next effort is smoother and more interesting.
Sorry.

Grade: D-

Summary:

They say she’s Cynthia Dempsey, fiancée of media mogul Will Taylor. But try as she might, she can’t recall their high-society life or the man sitting by her hospital bed. Though her body certainly remembers him. Even as she senses the distance between them, the electricity when they touch is undeniable.

Will can hardly believe Cynthia’s transformation. Gone is the ice queen who betrayed him, and in her place is a woman who seems genuine and warm. But can he risk his heart again, not knowing what might happen when her memory returns?

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Unbreak My Heart by Helen Scott Taylor
Contemporary short story romance ebook published by Helen Scott Taylor 3 Apr 12

I jump at each and every chance to read a Helen Scott Taylor book. After her success in the paranormal genre, Ms. Taylor is branching out into contemporaries. I always love her characters, who draw me into their lives, and the magical worlds they live in in her previous books. So I have to say, I was curious to see what happens in this new contemp world she’s decided to try.

As usual, I really like the hero, Andre, in this book. He’s a strong man whose dreams had to change after the death of his grandfather. He’s also gentle and tender when faced with the unexpected arrival of a past young love, along with her sweet little bundle. What’s unusual is that I didn’t warm up to Kate until really late in the book. I sympathize with her to a point, but things get too out of control on her part for me.

Kate has just left the father of her newborn daughter, a man on his way up in the television world, and suddenly he’s a man she doesn’t know anymore. Her stepfather turned her away at her mother’s door, and after a brief stay with the gypsies who took her in, she’s now heading toward Andre, the boy she hasn’t seen in eight years. The boy who left her behind without a word, never to return for her as he promised. Knowing Andre may not be happy to see her after all this time doesn’t stop Kate. She has her daughter to look out for now, and running from the paparazzi, who want the scoop on her little girl’s birth and parentage, has frayed her nerves nearly to the breaking point. Andre is her last hope.

Andre is surprised to see Kate back at the Caspian Manor Hotel, where they romped as children and fell in love as teens. He’s been in charge since his grandfather’s death, taking the job of making the place one of the premiere hotels in the world quite seriously, just as he promised his mentor. Surprised or not, he takes Kate and Keiko in, offering her the job of creating a redesign for the Caspian, something he’s been unhappy about with other designers. Kate agrees, and so starts the process of their getting to know one another again.

Being a talented artist and designer, Andre encourages Kate to change her look and hobnob with the rich to make her place in the industry, as well as to make a living for herself and her child. Kate, however, takes exception to this. She feels Andre is trying to change her, he doesn’t want her for who she is. I feel she’s a tad hypocritical because she’s having a hard time seeing Andre as a grown man and not the sixteen-year-old she remembers. Why this bothers me is the fact Kate keeps on and on about Andre’s motives in this regard. By the time she looks at his side of it all, it’s nearly too late to appreciate the actual change in her.

Though Andre also eventually questions himself about his “suggestions” to Kate, I have to say I agree with him on all counts. He’s only trying to help her. She’s outgrown the childish apparel and hairstyle she’s worn since childhood. The way to take care of your child is to be responsible. He does think about all of his requests later in the story, perhaps he is pushing his way of life on her, not letting her be with what she’s comfortable with. But if she wants to be part of Andre’s life, she does have to stand by his side. What she does reflects on him. Maybe it’s my age. These two are in their mid 20s. My mindset is way beyond that age, so perhaps I’m not being fair. I even agree with Andre’s way of taking care of the paparazzi. Another strike against him as far as Kate is concerned.

So while I have an issue or two with the heroine, our hero saves the day all the way around. I love his acceptance of Keiko, his gentleness and generosity toward her. Of course, his patience with Kate goes without saying.    This is very much a character driven story, so for me Kate needs a bit of compromise a little earlier than she actually finds it.

All in all, though, a job well done.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Andre Le Court first set eyes on Kate Frost when he was two and she was a baby in her mother’s arms. He’s twenty-five now, and he still remembers the moment perfectly, the moment Kate Frost slipped inside his heart.

His family owned a big hotel, her parents worked there. Andre’s father spent years trying to separate his son from the daughter of the hired help. Eventually he grew desperate and sent Andre away to boarding school.

Nine years later, Kate turns up on the doorstep of Andre’s prestigious hotel with the paparazzi at her heels and the six-week-old daughter of her celebrity ex in her arms. She has nowhere left to run except back to the place where she left her heart all those years ago.

Andre lost Kate once. He won’t lose her again. But he has an image to maintain, a reputation as a successful businessman. A bohemian young woman with beads in her hair is not a suitable wife for him.

In Andre, Kate sees tantalizing glimpses of the boy she adored. But most of the time she hardly recognizes the powerful, successful man he’s become, his lifestyle so like that of his despised father.

Can they forgive the pain of the past, accept each other as they are now, and rediscover the childhood love that was snatched away from them?

No excerpt available.

Veena’s review of Beneath the Skin (De La Vega Cats, Book 3) by Lauren Dane
Paranormal Romance published by Samhain 3 Apr 12

Beneath the Skin by Lauren Dane is the continuing story of the De La Vega Cats, which is the spin-off from her highly popular Cascadia Wolves series. Gibson De La Vega is the Bringer or judge, jury and executioner; second to his brother Max (Revelation), who is the alpha of the Boston Jaguars. Mia Porter, an Iraq war veteran and recovering from a hate crime, rescues Gibson when he attacked and shot with silver. Attraction sizzles and sparks fly, but the contentious family history between their two families may derail their budding romance.

The Porter family has kept their distance from the community and the alpha family due to an incident involving Mia’s grandmother. Mia’s parents are not very receptive to Gibson due to this history, but her grandmother is ready to let bygones be bygone and allies with Mia and encourages the relationship openly and vocally.

Her relationship and rescue of Gibson propels Mia into the focus of the shooters and after she is attacked several times, Gibson moves her into his house and they set up housekeeping together. Alpha Gibson draws fire with his rough commanding nature, but, advised by his sisters-in-law, he’s able to salvage his relationship by making nice and apologizing.

Mia and Gibson complement each other on all fronts. As things heat up, they identify the perpetrators and mete out justice. Both Gibson and Mia are wonderful characters and make a great couple. It’s fun to be a part of the family dynamics between the brothers and see Mia fit in so well with the brothers and their wives as well as with their parents.

One of the fun things is how seamlessly Ms. Dane weaves in characters from her previous book so we can get updated on what’s happening in their lives. In this book we get to visit Cade and Grace Warden and get a glimpse into their busy life as the National alpha pair.  We also catch up on Jack, Cade’s second, and his mates Galen De La Vega and Renee, whose romance and mating is told in Trinity. We briefly peek in on Templeton Mancini, the national alpha who resigned when he was injured during the wolf pack wars in Standoff.

All in all, this is a fun book. My only complaint about the books in this series is that they are very short and I feel there are still hooks from Revelation and Trinity that are still left hanging. I’m left wanting more when the book ends.

Grade: B+

Summary:

A whole world exists…beneath the skin.

Gibson de La Vega is the Bringer, one of the Alpha’s right-hand cats. It is his job to mete out justice and defend the law that holds their jamboree together.

After a contentious meeting with another jamboree, he’s shot—Mia stumbles onto the scene and saves his life. He’s immediately drawn to the female who dug three silver bullets from his body. Even after he discovers she’s a Porter, a family his own harmed grievously half a century before.

Mia has enough in her life. She’s recovering from a vicious hate crime—an attack using silver has affected her ability to do what she loves most. The last thing she needs is a bossy alpha cat like Gibson. A de La Vega no less.

Despite the myriad reasons to stay away, even as they continue to hunt down the would-be killers, their attraction deepens into something else entirely.

The answers they find bring that threat far closer to home than anyone could have imagined and it’ll be up to Gibson to end the mess once and for all. And up to Mia to stand at his side, even as he risks his life…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Laura C’s review of Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire
Contemporary Romance published by Forever 24 Apr 12

I am a huge fan of romantic suspense, so I was devastated to hear that one of my very favorite romantic suspense authors, Roxanne St. Claire, creator of the Bullet Catchers and the Guardian Angelinos, is switching genres. Luckily, I also like contemporary, so the minute I could get my hands on this one, I did. And it doesn’t disappoint.

Lacey Armstrong is the queen of excuses. She wants to build a B&B on her grandparents’ land, but she doesn’t have the money. And why bother looking for investors when they wouldn’t want to partner with her? And why should she date anyone? They’ll only leave as soon as she pins her hopes on them the same way her daughter’s father did fourteen years earlier when she told him she was pregnant.

Which makes Clay Walker — “sorry, I don’t date, I just like sex and I’d like to have it with you, please”—just about perfect for her. Especially since he’s her polar opposite in other ways. He refuses to hear the word “can’t,” and plows his way under, through, around, or over any excuse or blockage she throws at him.

He’s also an architect and builder, which is just what she needs to transform her hurricane-devastated property in to a classy resort.

Of course, Clay has a secret. More than one, in fact, and they’re just bound to blow up in his face. Which, of course, they do. But you never think “why doesn’t he just go ahead and tell her…” St. Claire is very good at drawing you in so you don’t feel like it’s a “big misunderstanding” that’s just being used as a plot device. It’s integral to the way the characters think and act.

Not that all their problems are Clay’s fault. He’s got secrets, but Lacey’s past has returned with a vengeance…her ex, who hasn’t bothered to show up since her daughter was a year old, has had an epiphany about the importance of family and now he wants to come home and make more babies with Lacey.

Just what a girl who’s sworn off relationships needs—one man she wants but doesn’t want to love, another she wants to leave who wants to stay. And a town dead set against her plans to modernize it.

Lacey also has three “best” friends who—obviously—will have their own books as the series continues, which sometimes annoys me, but here it’s fun getting to know them. They’re all very different and they all have romantic pasts as disastrous as Lacey’s own, though she is the only one with a child to show for it.

What can I say? I can’t wait for more, and I’ll be happy to see Clay and Lacey again whenever they appear in future books set in Barefoot Bay.

Grade: A

Summary:

When all you hold dear is taken away . . .

When a hurricane roars through Lacey Armstrong’s home on the coast of Barefoot Bay, she decides all that remains in the rubble is opportunity. A new hotel is just what Mimosa Key needs, and Lacey and her teenage daughter are due for a fresh start. And nothing, especially not a hot, younger architect, is going to distract Lacey from finally making her dreams a reality.

A second chance is the only thing you have left.

Love has already cost Clay Walker everything. And if he’s going to have any chance of picking up the pieces of his life, he needs the job as Lacey Armstrong’s architect. What’s not in the plans is falling for the headstrong beauty. Her vision of the future is more appealing than anything he could have ever drafted for himself. Will Clay’s designs on Lacey’s heart be more than she can handle, or will she trust him to build something that will last forever?

Read an excerpt.

C2’s review of All for You (de Piaget, Book 15) by Lynn Kurland
Time Travel Romance published by Jove 24 Apr 12

Sometimes a girl just needs a knight in shining armor – and, in a pinch, tweed (and the help of some matchmaking ghosts) will do quite nicely.

Peaches Alexander’s life is not going as smoothly as she would like.  Her career has imploded, she has no real employment prospects and her savings account is dwindling.  There has been a lot of upheaval in her family recently (see One Enchanted Evening and One Magic Moment), and Peaches is stressed out.  And if she wishes for a starring role in her own personal fairy tale, well…a girl can dream, right?

Stephen de Piaget is mostly satisfied with his life – he gets to study (and teach) a subject he enjoys, spend time with his family at a castle he loves, and runs up to Scotland for hands-on medieval swordplay (and more) whenever he can get away.  If sometimes he wishes he could experience things a little more authentically, well…one can’t have everything, right?

Stephen and Peaches have a difficult relationship.  They got off on the wrong foot and have stayed there – due to Stephen’s talent for putting that foot in his mouth whenever Peaches is around.  Only after they both attend a house party given by the Duke of Kenneworth – Stephen’s nemesis and someone who has shown a great deal more interest in Peaches than Stephen would like – and Stephen helps her out of a series of bad situations does Peaches start to let go of her dislike for him.

(An aside – the series of circumstances that throw Peaches and Stephen together on the way to the house party are much too contrived.  I say, if the premise of a story is something unlikely – like time travel – everything else has to be extra realistic…maybe that’s just me.  Onward!)

After Stephen helps Peaches (another brief aside – how much do I dislike the name Peaches??  I don’t care if your parents were hippies…pick a new name! *ahem*) escape the duke’s evil clutches, they settle into a truce.  Stephen even hires Peaches as his research assistant (not only for her brain but because he wants to keep her nearby).  But just as things start to develop between them, the evil duke rears his icky head.  Suddenly, Stephen’s whole way of life is in peril. He realizes the only way to protect his future is to revisit the past – and head things off at the pass, as it were.  Stephen wants Peaches to stay safely in the present, of course, but she senses her help will be needed.

Will Stephen and Peaches find each other in the past?  Will fate allow them to change things enough to avert disaster?  With a little help from some ancestors, there can be no doubt.

This is not my favorite of the series – the hero and heroine are a bit bland and overshadowed by the supporting characters that show up along the way.  Still, faithful reader, if you are a frequent visitor to The Pond, you know I love Lynn Kurland’s books. They are an example of a world that keeps getting richer and more real with every story. And in her world, love is magical…how can that be anything but good?

Grade: B

Summary:

FALLING THROUGH TIME IS DANGEROUS…

Peaches Alexander is thrilled to receive an unexpected invitation to a weekend party given by the handsome, eligible Duke of Kenneworth. The only problem: Stephen de Piaget, a stuffy medieval studies scholar who seems determined to get in the way. Peaches has absolutely no desire to get involved with Stephen, until a quirk of Fate sends her hurtling through time…

UNLESS THERE’S SOMEONE TO CATCH YOU.

Stephen de Piaget has been leading a double life: respectable professor by day, knight-in-training during holidays and summer terms. When Peaches goes missing, Stephen knows he’s the only one who can rescue her from medieval peril. Little do they know that the greatest danger they’ll face won’t be the business end of a sword, but their own unruly hearts….

Read an excerpt.

Closely connected books:

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The rest of the series:

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Sandy M’s review of The Shape of Desire (Shifting Circles Series, Book 1) by Sharon Shinn
Paranormal Romance published by ACE Hardcover 3 Apr 12

I’ve not read Sharon Shinn before, but I have friends who love her work, always say she gives you something different than the norm. So when I received this book with a shifter theme, I had to get into it. Something different? Definitely. But part of the story suffers for it.

Maria is very adept at weaving lies when it comes to the love of her life, Dante. Those lies are born of necessity. Dante is a shape-shifter; thus, secrecy is of the utmost importance to them. They’ve been together fifteen years, and Dante’s time as human has increasingly become less and less; therefore, their time together is also less. So Maria really looks forward to her time with him each month.

Never knowing what kind of animal he’ll change into whenever he shifts, Dante has no control over much of his life. His siblings also shift, as did his parents. He thinks them all abominations. He refuses to get married, have children, force his awful nature on other people, even if they can keep his secret. He has taken precautions for most any situation that may come about, always coming home to Maria when he’s able. Dante is a brooding, sexy man, quite amorous after being on his own for so long, then drawing into himself as his time comes again to depart to his next few weeks of the unknown. Other than the fact that he loves Maria, this is about all we get to know Dante, which is a little disappointing. The entire book is in Maria’s point of view, so we never really get into Dante’s head, which, I think, would have added more depth to the story, especially considering Maria’s doubts that pop up.

There have been a couple of killings in the area recently, people discovered mauled by a wild animal. Suddenly Maria begins to question herself, could it be Dante behind this. She finds that he has lied to her concerning his whereabouts when he’s able to call her during his brief shiftings. I find this a bit out of character. She’s been with this man for fifteen years, has kept his secrets, weaving her own lies to cover their life together. There’s never any reason for her to doubt Dante, only circumstantial evidence as more is discussed about the events. Maria does waffle back and forth about this issue, so you have to give her that. And when Dante does return, she’s just as happy as ever he’s home. It’s only when he’s gone that she begins her doubting. She also keeps this all from Dante. She never asks him straight up if he’s responsible.

In between Dante’s visits we follow Maria through her days, mostly at work where there’s a lot of drama with one co-worker’s domestic troubles, which eventually intersect with Maria’s life. A number of other employees are also introduced, and I’m not sure they’ll all necessary. We also meet Dante’s brother and sister, who has recently had a child, much to Dante’s dismay. It’s Maria who bonds with the child, knowing she’ll never have children of her own. There’s also a few instances where Maria flashes back over life events that now have some importance on their present situation.

We don’t get much shifting in the story until more than halfway through. After hearing about all the different animals Dante shifts into, I find it amusing he’s in dog form when finally interacting with Maria, after so many years of never allowing her to see him in any other form. But these are nice scenes and rather enjoyable, Dante’s way of protection. There is some intensity later on when the “killer” is revealed, and I do have to admit I didn’t see the who of it all coming.

After all of this, however, I still want to see things from Dante’s viewpoint. He’s the center of everything in the story, most notably Maria’s life. There are so many points throughout that would have had so much more depth to it if we’d been given Dante’s spin on things. Alas, not to be, though. I do like Ms. Schone’s voice, even if some scenes get a tad too flowery at times. I look forward to reading a few more of her books.

Grade: B

Summary:

Maria Devane has loved Dante Romano since she met him. But he’s a man with a secret: He’s a shape-shifter who spends an increasing amount of time in animal form. Or so he tells her—in the fifteen years they’ve been together, she’s never actually seen him take another shape. She tries not to wonder if that’s the truth. She tries not to think about the other reasons he might disappear for weeks at a time. But she has to start asking herself extremely hard questions when there’s a series of brutal murders in town and the most likely culprit is someone who is half animal, half human.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of We’ll Always Have Paris by Jessica Hart
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Romance 03 Apr 12

I made the mistake of starting this book on a Monday morning.  A Monday morning where I eventually had to pull myself up out of my comfy lounge chair at home and go to my job.  My job that expected me to work the entire week.  My job that kept me from inhaling this delightful story in one sitting.  Seriously, where’s a Greek tycoon when a girl really needs one?  I’d tolerate the punishing kisses for financial security and a few hours of uninterrupted reading time every day.

Clara Sterne is a production assistant for a small production company that plans to film a documentary for the BBC called Romance: Fact or Fiction?.  The plan is to have two divergent personalities discuss the idea of romance in various romantic locales – Paris, a tropical island, and the wilds of Scotland.  They’ve already landed the female personality, a footballer’s wife who is famous for being famous.  Now they just need to land the guy – Simon Valentine.  Unfortunately, he’s proving to be a very hard sell – which would mean bad news for Clara since 1) the project will die on the vine without him and 2) she’s hoping to parlay this assignment into a promotion.

Simon is an economist who has turned into an unlikely, and unwanted, celebrity.  His passion is micro-finance and lending, and his employer is keen on publicity for the firm.  However, one appearance on a news show (think CNN) has landed him a pack of swooning female fans.  Now he’s got this ridiculous Clara person phoning him, showing up to lectures he’s giving, begging him to do this silly documentary.  How many different ways can he possibly say no?  Naturally, being a romance novel, events take place that lead Simon to saying yes.  And before you know it, they’re off to Paris to begin filming.

This story has a lot of classic romantic comedy traits that give it a very cinematic feel.  Clara is bubbly, out-going, a woman with a passion for dancing and show tunes.  Simon is the drab, straight-laced, buttoned-up guy who sees everything in black and white.  She’s romance and passion.  He’s a cold shower.  It’s the classic opposites attract storyline, yet with the twist that the opposites are actually perfect for each other.  They complement each other in every way – they just need the 180-some pages to figure it out.

There’s so much I like about this story.  The characters are likable and charming, even stick-in-the-mud Simon.  I love, love, love the fact that it isn’t love-at-first-sight for either of them.  Simon muses that Clara is not elegant and beautiful – more like a bohemian mess; and Clara cannot figure out why women are a swooning mess over….this guy?  Really? Naturally, the more time they spend together, the more their personalities come out, the more those first impressions give way to something more.

Hart pads up the conflict by including two exes – one for each character.  Simon is still smarting over the fact that the elegant colleague he was dating threw him over for a swarthy Italian playboy and Clara is still a bit stung by the fact that her former beau tossed her aside for an old flame.  Simon thinks he wants his ex back, Clara is ready to move on but unwilling to play second fiddle anymore.

There are lovely moments of insight on the part of both characters and realization dawns that they are hopelessly attracted to each other, but fearful that it could never work because they’re “too different.”  On that score, there’s a fantastic Big Romantic Gesture at the end of this book – on the part of both characters – that really ties the whole thing together.  Clara understands Simon, and Simon understand Clara.  All the while, neither one of them has to morph into pod people to make that happy ending work.  It’s charming, it’s sweet, it’s everything I want in a romance.

Grade: A

Summary:

I’ve done it! Thanks to my awesome powers of persuasion, elusive-but-dreamy TV star Simon Valentine is starring in our new romance documentary!

It wasn’t easy, though—Simon thinks his status as prime-time financial guru turned celebrity is ridiculous! He says he now steers well clear of affairs of the heart, but surely he must have one romantic bone left in his body?

Much as I’d like to find out firsthand, I’ve sworn off men after a disastrous ending with my last boyfriend. Must remain professional—though it won’t be easy…we’re filming in the most romantic city of all….

Clara x

Read an excerpt.