Stevie‘s review of When The Marquess Met His Match (An American Heiress in London, Book 1) by Laura Lee Guhrke
Historical Romance published by Avon 29 Oct 13

This is one of those historical romances where I really wish we’d been given some sort of timestamp at the very start. It’s not a Regency, whatever Amazon might have one believe, instead taking place towards the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, as soon becomes apparent to the astute reader from the mentions of railways, goldmines and Wall Street crashes (although I’m a little unsure whether the fluctuations in the stock market were referred to in that way prior to the great depression of the 20th Century). However, putting that aside, this is a rather fun book with a heroine who is determined to prevent others from making the mistakes that blighted her first marriage.

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Sandy M’s review of Falling for Frederick by Cheryl Bolen
Romantic Suspense published by Montlake 8 Jan 13

This is a book I picked up, not intending to review it. But when I began reading the first few pages, just to get a feel for Cheryl Bolen’s writing because I’ve not read her before, I couldn’t stop. Mystery, historical and present day; murder; and a romance that seems unlikely but grows nonetheless. The only reason this book does not get a higher grade is the way a few too many things go unanswered by the end. But if you’re into history and mysteries, it may work for you.

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Veena’s review of Blade to the Keep (Rowan Summerwaite, Book 2) by Lauren Dane
Fantasy Paranormal Romance published by Carina Press 09 Dec 13

When I first came across this book, I thought it might be a re-print of an older book, but it turns out this is No. 2 in an intriguingly new paranormal series. Vampires are organized under a “First” who rules the Vampire Nation, along with his Scions who have divided up the world between them. There’s never a dull moment because vampires continue to test their boundaries, but a human faction called Hunters are highly trained and use politics and violence as necessary to keep the vampires in check and keep the world safe for the humans. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books and yes, I did go back and pick up Book 1 to read the backstory. Read the rest of this entry »

Stevie‘s review of Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott
Young Adult Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Teen 28 Jan 14

Emma was a model student. She got top grades in all her classes, and she planned to get into one of the country’s most prestigious universities as a history major, following in the footsteps of the father who died when she was very young. Then her mother – pregnant by her second husband – is felled by a blood vessel bursting in her brain, and Emma’s life stops. Emma’s mother is on life support, against Emma’s wishes, because Emma’s stepfather believes there’s still a chance of saving their baby, if not his wife. Suddenly school and grades don’t seem important and, no matter what her stepfather and best friend say, Emma can’t face working on any of her assignments. Then a chance encounter with the school bad boy on one of her nightly hospital visits leads her to wonder whether she might finally have found someone else who understands her grief.

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Veena’s review of Desperate and Deceptive (The Guinevere Jones Collection, Volume 1) by Jayne Castle
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley Trade Reprint 07 Jan 14

This is a reprint from some of the earliest works by Jayne Castle and contains two books of novella length. I have always enjoyed her cool, calm, almost cold heroes with their dry, tongue-in-cheek humor and the down-to-earth heroines who continually push their boundaries, trying to see how much they can get them to melt. I am pleased to report that these early books are no exception.  Read the rest of this entry »

Romance authors and readers have lost a friend and larger-than-life writing talent.

Patricia “Trish” Graves Jensen, 54, of Reedsville, Pennsylvania, died February 17, 2014, at Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College.

Born February 24, 1959, in Pittsburgh, she was the daughter of Herb and Nancy (Greenawalt) Graves, who survive in State College.

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Sandy M’s review of Walking on Air (Valance Family, Book 1) by Catherine Anderson
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 4 Feb 13

I’m definitely a Catherine Anderson fan, so I was really amazed the first couple of chapters of this book fell flat for me. Guess I shouldn’t say that about angels, but they’re a bit too dry for me and I felt myself losing interest in the story. But I kept reading, and am I ever so glad I did. Ms. Anderson eventually brought me to tears, a complete turnaround from the beginning.

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LynneC’s review of Do or Die (Reluctant Heroes, Book 1) by Suzanne Brockmann
Romantic Suspense published by Ballantine Books 4 Feb 14

Where do I start?

Ah, with backstory. I really love Suzanne Brockmann’s books. I loved the Team Ten series she did for Harlequin and the Troubleshooters series. I read every one, and eagerly anticipated each new one.

I wasn’t so struck with her two books set in the near future, but maybe I’ll warm to the characters in time. Still, I’m not reviewing that one, I’m reviewing this one, the start of a new series. Or in a way, a Troubleshooters spin-off. this series is called Reluctant Heroes.

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Stevie‘s review of Forgiving Lies (Forgiving Lies Series, Book 1) by Molly McAdams
Contemporary Romantic Suspense published by William Morrow Paperbacks 29 Oct 13

I really felt that this book needed to come with a strong warning, or at least a more accurate blurb. For much of the first two chapters I felt as if I was reading a different book to the one described, although with a similarly named and described heroine. The book begins with Rachel being pressured into dating her best friend’s cousin (I really wanted to tell the best friend to date the cousin herself if he was that wonderful, but then I remembered that you mostly don’t do that sort of thing across the pond). The cousin in question turns out to be first a player, then borderline abusive, then a potential rapist in a scene which was harrowing for me and a potential trigger for others. No one believes Rachel, and she inexplicably continues in her plan to spend the summer break sharing an apartment with her best friend – the cousin and ardent admirer of the guy who tried to rape Rachel! Then suddenly, at the beginning of Chapter Three, we meet the hero of the story…

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Veena’s review of When Falcone’s World Stops Turning (Blood Brothers, Book 1) by Abby Green
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 01 Feb 14

Poor Rafaele Falcone! His life’s been shaped by his mercenary mother who loved money above every thing else and his father who let love for a selfish woman destroy him. It was inevitable that he would walk away from love when it came knocking on his door. Now he needs Samantha Rourke for her engineering skills in order to take his business to the next level. Their affair is tidily buried in the past and cannot interfere with his present, except Samantha’s been keeping secrets from him….. Read the rest of this entry »

Stevie‘s review of Like Jazz by Heather Blackmore
Contemporary Lesbian Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 15 Dec 13

This wasn’t quite the book I was expecting, but once I got over the surprise of the author’s plotting choices, the whole held together really well. So often the ‘reunited after years apart’ trope is played out entirely in the present, with the prior relationship shown only through dialogue and flashbacks. In contrast here, we’re shown the point of view of the heroine’s adult present briefly, in a prologue. Then we get to watch the whole of her teenage relationship unfold and come crashing down before being returned to the present where we witness the less-than-welcome reunion between both heroines, followed by the building tension as they attempt to overcome romantic and professional difficulties while their unknown enemy becomes ever more threatening.

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Veena’s review of Bitter Spirits (Roaring Twenties, Book 1) by Jenn Bennett
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 07 Jan 14

I think this title is a delightful play on words since the hero, Winter Magnusson, is a bootlegger who is under attack by vengeful spirits. The heroine is a medium who does séances with a genuine talent for communicating with spirits. She helps him at their first meeting by banishing the ghost who’s haunting him, only to find others who seems to show up around him. Clearly he needs help dealing with his ghostly attackers, plus there’s the mystery behind why they are attracted to him. So the two need to stay together to keep Winter safe, sane, and alive… Read the rest of this entry »

Stevie‘s review of Lord of the Hunt (The Court of Annwyn, Book 2) by Shona Husk
Fantasy Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 07 Jan 13

When I reviewed the first book in this series, I said I wanted to see more about the family of the heroine. I also said that I loved the intrigues and politics of the Fairy Court and wanted to know more. Well, so far, I’ve got my second wish if not my first, although since the hero of the first book is the son of the Fairy Prince, we do get to see an awful lot of the previous hero’s family in this one. We also get brief glimpses of his happy ever after, but nothing, in my opinion, that will throw readers new to the series out of this story, especially given that this book’s heroine’s family is very closely connected to his life in the human world.

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Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today and bestselling author of the Surrender Trilogy.

Her other chart toppers have included erotic romance, romantic suspense, contemporary romance, and Scottish historical romance.

She lives in the South with her husband, three children and a variety of pets. Visit her online at her web site, Facebook, and Twitter.

The first book in the trilogy, Letting Go, introduces readers to Dash and Joss. Joss is ready to let go of grief and indecision that’s overtaken everything she’s known the past three years, and little does she know how Dash is going to infuse himself into her life – at his insistence but her invitation.

Spend a few minutes with these characters as they begin a new chapter into the unknown and the familiar…

Summary:

Josslyn found perfection once, and she knows she’ll never find it again. Now widowed, she seeks the one thing her beloved husband couldn’t give her. Dominance. Lonely and searching for an outlet for her grief and wanting only a brief taste of the perfection she once enjoyed, she seeks what she’s looking for at an exclusive club that caters to people indulging in their most hedonistic fantasies. She never imagined that what she’d find is the one man who’s long been a source of comfort—and secret longing. Her husband’s best friend.

Dash has lived in an untenable position for years. In love with his best friend’s wife and unwilling to act on that attraction. He’d never betray his best friend. And so he’s waited in the wings, offering Joss unconditional support and comfort as she works past her grief, hoping for the day when he can offer her more.

When he finds her in a club devoted to the darker edges of desire, he’s furious because he thinks she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Until she explains in detail what it is she wants. What she needs. As realization sets in, he is gripped by fierce, unwavering determination. If she wants dominance, he is the only man who will introduce her to that world.  He is the only man who will touch her, cherish her…love her. And the only man she’ll ever submit to.

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Sandy M’s review of Letting Go (Surrender Trilogy, Book 1) by Maya Banks
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 4 Feb 14

I really enjoyed the premise of this first book in Maya Banks’ Surrender trilogy. A woman has lost the love of her life, she’s trying to move on, knowing she’ll never find that kind of love again. But what she’s always wanted that her deceased husband couldn’t give her is what she’s now going after. Little does she know it’s been right in her backyard, so to speak, all along.

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