Sandy M’s review of Ride the Fire (Blakewell/Kenleigh Trilogy, Book 3) by Pamela Clare
Historical Romance reissued by Berkley 5 Feb 13

I’ve been wanting to read this books for forever. Everyone I talk to who’s read it says it’s a wonderful story. I never doubted that. I mean, it’s Pamela Clare, and her historical novels are some of my favorites. I finally made the time to sit down with Nicholas and Elspeth, now that their story has been reissued. My god, what a journey.

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One day at the RT hotel, the Sheraton in Kansas City, and it’s already looking like RT. Posters, stickers, huge signs are going up and the place is looking like home.

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Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Greatest Of Sins (The Sinner And The Saint, Book 1) by Christine Merrill
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Historical 23 Apr 13

I always like to read Christine Merrill’s work – mostly because she’s a writer who will take risks.  Given that she most notably works within the Regency landscape, I’m always intrigued to see what twists she’s going to throw in the most omnipresent setting within the genre.  Sometimes the risks she takes work for me and sometimes they don’t.  This first book in a duet is an instance of where they don’t.  She tries some clever things here, but it all comes off as rather distasteful to me in the end.

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Veena’s review of Jennifer: An O’Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson
Inspirational Romance short story published by Bethany House Publishers 01 May 13

Every so often you run across stories that touch your heart. It all started when I accidentally stumbled across Danger in the Shadows by this author. I know the deeply religious element is not for everyone, but having been schooled by Christian missionaries in Calcutta, I embraced the series with its deep spirtuality and embarked on the journey of faith hand in hand with each of the O’Malleys as I devoured the series. I am happy that Ms. Henderson is publishing Jennifer’s story. She is the catalyst who changed the O’Malleys by giving them faith hand in hand with romance. Her test of faith makes her the iconic inspiration for each one of her siblings. She is a constant thread of connection between all their stories being an O’Malley sibling and the youngest to boot. While this is a short story and bittersweet, it is good to go back to the begining.
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 Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Bewitched By  His Kiss (May Day Mischief, Book 2) by Barbara Monajem
Historical Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 May 13

Same time, same place, but two different characters.  Turns out the change of characters makes all the difference in the world, at least when it comes to my enjoyment.  This final installment in the May Day Mischief duet was one I was looking forward to, mostly because the romantic couple intrigued in the first story, the one that was not their own.  Sadly, spending more time with them soured me on their whole affair.

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Dinca’s review of Stealing Home by Jennifer Seasons
Contemporary Romance ebook published by Avon Impulse 30 Apr 13

This is the lead book in a new series by Jennifer Season called Diamonds and Dugouts. The characters are being established as part of the Rush, MLB team. This first book is about the catcher, Mark Cutter.

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Sandy M’s review of Lord of Wicked Intentions (Lost Lords of Pembrook, Book 3) by Lorraine Heath
Historical Romance published by Avon 30 Apr 13

Besides the fact I wait for every next Lorraine Heath book, it’s always anxious anticipation for the last story in one of her trilogies that won’t leave me be. I’ve been waiting for Rafe’s story for what seems like forever, wanting to know what happened to the boy his siblings had to leave behind for all of them to survive, as well as waiting for that final reunion when they’re truly brothers once again and Rafe has more love than he knows what to do with.

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Veena’s review of Against the Edge (The Raines of Wind Canyon, Book Eight) by Kat Martin
Romantic Suspense published by Harlequin Mira 30 Apr 13

This is a wonderful series that started off with the Raines of Wind Canyon and then morphed into the Atlas Security Alpha operatives series with each ex-military gorgeous operative from Alpha Security getting his own story. The author does a great job of introducing and tantalizing us with the hero of her next book in each current story so that the adrenaline is flowing and excitement is rife when that next book is announced.

We met Ben Slocum as he played second chair to Alex Justice in Against the Odds as Alex wooed and won Sabrina Eckhardt. It’s now Ben’s turn and his story starts off with a bang when he learns not only is he a father of a teenage son he never knew about, but also that the boy is missing and potentially in extreme danger. Ben’s skills and training will be tested to the edge and beyond as he strives to find his son and hold on to the romance that has unexpectedly landed at his door.

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Willa’s review of Beauty and the Bounty Hunter (Once Upon a Time in the West, Book 3) by Lori Austin
Historical Western Romance published by Signet 2 Oct 12

I love a good historical western. The open range, the ranches, the stretching of my mind to a time when there were no cars, computers, and life may have been simpler but very hard. Throw in a good romance and I am there. Beauty and the Bounty Hunter starts out really well – look at that gorgeous cover . . the back blurb is enticing and different and I promptly dived in. After a few short chapters, however, I was looking for a lifebelt.

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Veena’s review of The Unchangeable Spots of Leopards by Kristopher Jansma
Adult Fiction published by Viking Adult 21 Mar 13

This novel reminds me of the stardust and tinsel of a Hollywood set which masks the fear, sweat, and tears that hide beneath the glamor. Hundreds of stories play behind the big screen that most of us never see or recognize. In grandiose style we sweep around the world, experiencing a gamut of emotions and experiences. It’s so hard to distinguish between fact and fiction that I truly feel like I had fallen through the rabbit hole and kept pinching myself to see if I would wake up. Read the rest of this entry »

Me and the Publisher of Ellora’s Cave, Raelene Gorlinsky, courtesy of Freda Lightfoot.

First things first. I stayed at a Travelodge. Hey, they’re clean, and you know exactly what you’re going to get. And if you check at Tripadvisor, you can pick the good ones. I picked a good one. The Waterloo Travelodge has been recently renovated and it has a Sainsburys up the road and a decent Chinese takeaway and a traditional chippie next door, as well as a convenience store. If I ran a fast food place, I’d set up next to a Travelodge, too.

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Sandy M’s review of With This Kiss, Parts One, Two & Three by Eloisa James
Historical Romance ebooks published by Avon Impulse 12 Mar 13

This is the first time I’ve read one of these new serial stories that seem to be popular lately. I’m glad I had all three books to read back to back, but I also wish there’d been more. It takes a very gifted storyteller to pull readers in, fill them with emotion, packing a huge punch in such a limited word count. Eloisa James does it beautifully.

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Veena’s review of Devil’s Heart (Chattan Curse, Book 3) by Cathy Maxwell
Historical Romance published by Avon 30 Apr 13

Centuries ago a Chattan male fell in love with a Macnachtan woman, only to abandon his lady love and mother-to-be of his child in the pursuit of wealth and ambition. Unable to face her ruin, Rose Macnachtan committed suicide, and her mother cursed the males of the Chattan line to die when they found love. For hundreds of years the curse came to pass and Chattan males died once their heart was engaged. Only sons were born in the Chattan line. As soon as the beloved wife became pregnant, the father was struck by a fatal illness and died, leaving a son for the cycle to then begin again. For the first time in centuries things have changed, there are three Chattan siblings and one of them is a female – the first female child born to Clan Chattan – Margaret Chattan. Is she destined to change the course of Chattan history by bringing an end to the curse and saving her beloved brothers’ lives?
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Sandy M’s review of Wild Invitation (Psy-Changeling Series, Book 11.5) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 5 Mar 13

I know it’s a risk for authors to write a huge amount of books in a series. Readers’ biggest complaints, I think, is the stories start sounding the same, nothing new between the pages book after book now that the series is a number of years old, among others.  So far for me, Nalini Singh isn’t even close to that happening in her Psy-Changeling series. She grabs me every time and I’m glued to each book until the last word is read. I’ll never get tired of this series. Of course, I realize there’s the chance for “famous last words” and all that, but with a talent like hers, I have my doubts that will ever happen.

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LynneC’s review of A Legacy of Secrets by Carol Marinelli
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 23 Apr 13

Santo Corretti has a shady Sicilian family who is into a lot of unspecified bad stuff. He’s a film producer and Ella, his personal assistant, wants to be a director. But she’s a very good personal assistant, until the day she resigns. Ella has her secrets, too. She has an abusive father who regularly hits on her mother. After the day he finally turns on his daughter and puts her in the hospital, Ella leaves home. Although she’s saved enough for her mother to come, too, her mother refuses. She loves her husband.

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