Veena’s review of Hungry Like A Wolf (SWAT, Book 1)  by Paige Tyler
Paranormal Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 06 Jan 15

This book has it all: romance, action, adventure, and hot, hunky heroes who happen to be wolf shifters. I’ve been reading another series by Paige Tyler, so I was a bit confused when I picked up this book. But I am glad to report that this first book in this new series and the best part of this discovery is that there are twelve more hunks to go on the Dallas SWAT Team who need to find their mates.

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Sandy M’s review of Razed (Barnes Brothers, Book 2)  by Shiloh Walker
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 2 Dec 14

In this series it’s definitely the Barnes brothers who keep me coming back. That, and the emotion these men pull out of me. I enjoy the family aspect, the brothers having each others’ backs, knowing they were raised to do the right thing, to be chivalrous, and they definitely live up to the high standards of their parents. Zane has loved Keelie for a while now, has watched her as she pined away for his younger brother. It’s finally his time to make a move and he’s not about to waste any time.

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Veena’s review of One Night with a Quarterbook (Santa Fe Bobcats, Book 1) by Jeanette Murray
Contemporary Romance published by InterMix 17 Jun 14

I am not a football fan, but a few years ago my friends and family got me an Idiots Guide to Football.  Unfortunately, it seems that I am one of those people forever fated to view football as a bunch of grown men running around letting off steam and throwing a ball into the bargain, regardless of everyone’s attempts to educate me otherwise. It’s a good thing  that I don’t really need to know football to read and enjoy this opener in Ms. Murray’s Santa Fe Bobcats series. Cassie and Trey are delightful characters, though at times it amazes me that grownups can behave and feel like children, given the right set of circumstances.

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Stevie‘s review of The Hidden Blade (Heart of Blade, Book 1) by Sherry Thomas
Historical Multicultural Young Adult Fiction published by Sherry Thomas 20 Jul 14

Being a bit of a stickler for reading books in the correct order, I decided to hunt down this prequel novel before reading and reviewing My Beautiful Enemy, which I’d already picked up a copy of. From my point of view, reading the two back-to-back was definitely worth it. This one has little in the way of romance, but much in the way of backstory, historical scene-setting and character development. So if you want to know how the central pairing of the more romance-focussed novel got to where they are at the beginning of that one, read on…

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Veena’s review of A Sister To Honor by Lucy Ferriss
Contemporary Women’s Fiction published by Berkley 06 Jan 15

This story is definitely not for the faint of the heart. I actually had to put it down quite a few times before I could continue reading. Afia Satar is a child of the Pushtun, born and bred in a region where life moves at a completely different pace from what we are used to here in the US of A. Her small village is nestled in an area where the Taliban hold sway and men are afraid to cherish their wives and daughters and women are hidden behind the veil.  Her actions, as she mingles with friends both male and female and lives what would be considered a fairly innocuous life as a student in an American university town, raise a storm that changes life for her and her family forever.

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Sandy M’s review of The Importance of Being Alice (Matchmaker in Wonderland, Book 1) by Katie MacAlister
Contemporary Romance published by Signet 6 Jan 15

I have to admit that during the reading of this book I had my doubts I’d really like it, when everything was said and done. But I can also admit I was wrong in those doubts. Normally I’m not one to enjoy a bit of silly in my romance, but Alice takes silliness to a whole new level at times and you can’t help but like her and have fun with her. That’s also a lesson that our hero, Elliott, learns in letting part of his British aristocratic self fall by the wayside and live life – gasp! – spontaneously.

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Veena’s review of Dreamer’s Daughter (Nine Kingdoms, Book 9) by Lynn Kurland
Fantasy Romance published by Berkley 06 Jan 15

This is the concluding book in the third trilogy in the Nine Kingdom stories of fantasy romance by Ms. Kurland, which I accidentally stumbled upon when I first read The Mage’s Daughter. I am fascinated with these tales of epic quests peopled with elves, dwarves, mages and other magical and fantastical beings who populate the pages of these stories. We first met Runarch hiding in Sollier’s chamber and have journeyed with him as he reluctantly takes on the role of Aisling of Bruadair’s champion.
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Sandy M’s review of A Single Kiss (Sweetest Kisses, Book 3) by Grace Burrowes
Contemporary Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 6 Jan 15

I know Grace Burrowes is known for her historical romances, of which I’ve read a few and liked them. But for me, I hope she continues to write contemporary romance after this series. With this first book in her Sweetest Kisses series, I’m hooked. Maybe it’s these Knightley brothers who’ve so thoroughly reeled me in. All I know, I’m smitten.

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Stevie‘s review of The Winter Sea by Di Morrissey
Family Saga published by St. Martin’s Griffin 30 Dec 14

I love me a good family saga, although sometimes cramming the whole lot into one book can make the unfolding of events feel either rushed or sparse. On the other hand, great sprawling, multi-volume family sagas can get a little overblown and may indeed over-egg the pudding by adding in insignificant details about people and places, or by bringing minor characters briefly to centre stage in order to add their histories unnecessarily into the mix. The Winter Sea attempts to tell a story spanning an entire century in a single non-doorstep-sized volume, which seems quite a task, but could feasibly be possible.

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Stevie‘s review of All for You (Coming Home, Book 4) by Jessica Scott
Contemporary Military Romance published by Forever 25 Nov 14

I’ve been wanting to read something by Jessica Scott for a while; she seems to have been picking up rather a reputation for realistic military romances. As it turns out, I dived right into the middle of a series, but it wasn’t hard to pick up who’s who, and this book seems to be starting off a new story arc anyway. So far, so good, but what of the actual story?

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Stevie‘s review of Fair Play (All’s Fair, Book 2) by Josh Lanyon
Contemporary Gay Romantic Suspense published by Carina Press 11 Nov 14

It’s been a while since I read a Josh Lanyon book, but I remember enjoying them for the mystery, the romance, and perhaps most of all for the humour. This is the second novella in a series, but there are more than enough references to relevant pieces of backstory – so many, in fact, that I do wonder whether they will become irritating to readers familiar with the previous book.

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Liviania’s review of The Duality Principle (Portland Singles, Book 1) by Rebecca Grace Allen
Contemporary erotic romance published by Samhain 11 Nov 2014

I am unashamedly nerdy.  I liked school.  So I was drawn to a romance starring a heroine who is a PhD student, whose work in mathematics informs her world view.  Gabriella Evans seemed like a pretty cool girl to me.  And it might be a cliche, but the nerdy girl falls for bad boy romance is like catnip to me.  Especially when the summary hints that the nerdy girl has a bad girl side that isn’t satisfied. Read the rest of this entry »

Sandy M’s review of Merry Christmas, Baby (Lucky Harbor, Book 12.5) by Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance novella published by Forever Yours 2 Dec 14

Life got so hectic last week during the Christmas holiday, I didn’t have time to let you all know about this lovely novella in Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor series. But that’s okay, because reading Jill Shalvis any time is a treat, even if it’s a Christmas story and the holiday festivities are behind us. This is one of those poignant stories that is doubly emotional because of the time of year when magic and miracles have more meaning. I know Sawyer and Chloe would agree.

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Veena’s review of To Sin With A Tycoon (Seven Sexy Sins, Book 2) by Cathy Williams
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 01 Jan 15

We’re introduced to a rich, sexy, arrogant billionaire, who has a new and sexy model on his arm every night and a new personal assistant every morning, until Alice Morgan shows up one morning as a temp to hire candidate for personal assistant. She’s definitely not falling for him at the expense of doing her job, but, oddly enough, the change makes Gabriel Cabrera wishing she would. Suddenly his well-orchestrated life is in disorder and his evenings of sex and debauchery are threatened. Sound familiar?  Yes, this is very definitely very typical Harlequin fare, but it is well written and well told.

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Veena’s review of Blood Assassin (The Sentinels, Book 3) by Alexandra Ivy
Urban Fantasy published by Zebra Books 30 Dec 14

This book takes us deeper into the intriguing world of  high bloods and the sentinels who guard them.  Humans fear them but have no qualms about using their gifts when they need them, and so the high bloods who live in Valhalla often assist the police in kidnappings and homicides.  In the case of the kidnapping of the daughter of a renowned mercenary, the request comes in directly from the father in a definitely a very unorthodox way.

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