C2’s review of Hearts and Swords (Celta’s HeartMates, Book 11) by Robin D. Owens
Fantasy/Paranormal Romance released by Berkley 6 Dec 11

What do cryogenics, matchmakers, scandalous divorcees and talking animals have in common?  You might be surprised.  Robin D. Owens’ latest release is a collection of four novellas all set in her Celta universe.

For those new to the series, Celta is a planet where Earthlings with psychic powers found refuge after fleeing persecution.  Similar but different, something about Celta soon stopped Earth machinery from working.  However, psychic abilities continue to increase in strength and variety.  This time around a couple of the original colonists and supporting characters from previous books all get their happy endings.

Heart and Swords

In Hearts and Swords, original colonist Kelse Bountry is unexpectedly awakened from cryogenic sleep after the murder of the captain of the spaceship he is traveling in.  Kelse and others with psi talents are fleeing persecution on Earth, looking for an Earth-like planet to establish their own civilization on.

Kelse and his wife Fern were not supposed to be awakened until a planet had been found and the ship was about to land – they expected to be in stasis for about 75 years.  However, after the captain’s murder, the executive officer wakes Kelse and tells him he must take over.  And instead of sleeping for 75 years it has been nearly 250!  There are mutineers aboard – people who have grown up on the ship – who have no interest in finding a new planet.  They either want to go back to Earth or just keep traveling.

Kelse wants to take care of the problem and get the ship to a planet. He talked Fern into the whole space travel thing and he knows she would be very uncomfortable, so Kelse wants her to stay asleep until they are on the ground somewhere safe.  The ship (if you’re interested in the Ship, Nuada’s Sword, check out Heart Thief) has other ideas and soon Fern is awake and embroiled with the mutineers too.

I enjoyed this glimpse into the events that brought the colonists to Celta.  There have been bits of the story scattered through the series, but, like most history, the interesting personal bits are forgotten or glossed over or completely changed.  We see the beginnings of the Heart Mate/Heart Bond too.

Grade: A

Heart Story

Blush Willow was kept from her Heart Mate by her mean-spirited, scheming mother – a renowned matchmaker, of all things. Now, years later, her mother has passed away and her Heart Mate, Dri Paris, has returned from the distant city he fled to after Blush’s mother threatened his family.

Both Blush and Dri are bitter about what her mother did.  And each blame the other for not being strong enough to stand up to her – even though they were teenagers and she held a powerful position in society.  Can two adults get past their anger and distrust to find the love they know is waiting for them?

This story is the weakest. The plot is thin and the characters are not so interesting. I don’t remember being interested in Blush when I read the book this story is connected to, so…

Grade: C-

Heart and Soul

Then we move to Heart and Soul and change locations from Druida to Gael City, which is much less familiar to longtime readers of the series.

Genista Furze shocked the upper echelons of Druida City by divorcing her husband…that just isn’t done in the First Families.  Genista realized that it would be better for everyone if they were no longer together, though, and freed him to be with his Heart Mate (if you wanna know more about that, check out Heart Fate).

Now she has moved to another city and is living a much quieter life under a different name.  She has a house and a job and an attentive (and handsome) next door neighbor.  But there is more to him than meets the eye.  Her ex-husband’s family hired him to watch over her and keep her safe.

Apparently, her secret identity isn’t as much of a secret as she thought.  When a burglary ring targets her house, many truths are revealed.

It’s nice to see the other side of Genista. In Heart Fate and previous Holly-centric books, she was pretty one-dimensional, if I recall correctly. Mostly she was an obstacle and shallow party girl. Here she has made a new start and is focusing on the things that make her happy, instead of worrying so much about what others think.

Grade: B

Noble Heart

Finally, we have Noble Heart.  Walker Clover is happy with his life – he is one of the many Clover boys, lives in Clover Compound with his family, and has a job he loves.  Walker is tutor to one of the Druida FirstFamilies – the Ashes.  When young Nuin Ash enters his first Passage – a feverish dream state that releases the person’s Flair (psi ability – it varies from person to person and can be anything from art to healing to weaponry) – Walker’s Passage is triggered, as well.  But Walker is an adult who has always thought he had only the basic amount of Flair required to operate Celtan machinery.  By adulthood, highly Flaired Celtans have endured three Passages and Walker has never experienced Passage at all – and suddenly he experiences all three Passages at one time.  Most unpleasant.  And dangerous – not everyone survives Passage.

After Walker wakes up and is told what happened to him (at first it’s thought he’s sick), he is tested to see what his new Flair talent is.  He is surprised to learn his talent may lead him to a very important political position.  Walker is not pleased with the direction his life is taking, but he recognizes that his new Flair will help his family move upward in Celtan society – there are four main classes: Commoners, Grace Houses, Grand Houses and First Families.  Walker’s new flair catapults his family from Commoner status to Grand House status.

Walker and his allies recognize that he will need assistance to navigate his new position in society.  He also must pass a test to assume his new position.  He chooses Sedwy Grove to help him learn how to deal with his new situation.  Sedwy’s mother formerly held the position Walker may eventually attain.  Plus, she’s pretty and smells nice.

Will Walker be able to adjust to his new power and potential?  And will Sedwy be able to move past the scandal in her past and take her rightful place next to him?

This is my favorite of the bunch. The Clovers are a fun family and I really like Walker. It is a nice change to see a hero who isn’t uber ambitious and power hungry.

Grade: A

I must say, I very much like this novella format.  There are several series I would LOVE to see something similar from (I’m looking at you, Nalini Singh and Meljean Brook).

Do the stories stand alone? Maybe – the first story, especially. The others tie in with previous books, so a new reader might feel like they are missing something, although Ms. Owens does a good job of summarizing previous events. Certainly by reading these stories, a newbie would have a good feel for the world she has created.

If you’ve never tried the Celta series, I urge you to try it. The world Ms. Owens has created continues to expand and evolve.  (Also, unrelated to anything, it’s nice to see the art department is returning to form on the cover format.  The cover for Heart Journey was unfortunate.) It is such a consistantly excellent series and seems to get very little buzz – it makes me sad. Check it out, faithful reader. If you hate it, come back and tell me why. If you love it, tell a friend.

Overall grade: B

Summary:

Heart and Sword
Captain Kelse Bountry leads a colony fleet in search of a habitable planet. His Ship is far off course and his crew is on the verge of mutiny, circumstances that threaten both the success of Kelse’s mission and his marriage. But Fern Bountry is not about to give up on either…

Heart and Soul
Genista Furze, scandalous ex-wife of Tinne Holly, has created a new life for herself working for a clockmaker in small Gael City. Content with simplicity, and learning to value herself, Genista is in no hurry to risk her heart on another man – no matter how attractive her neighbor is…

Noble Heart
Walker Clover is experiencing Passage – the dreamquest to free his psi power – and learns that he possesses a flair for magic. When his parents learn of his abilities they reveal that his real mother was a noblewoman. Now, Celta’s FirstFamilies scheme to forge an alliance with Walker through offers of marriage – a prospect he finds abhorrent until he meets the mysterious Sedwy Grove…

Heart Story
A year has passed since Blush Willow’s domineering and murderous mother died, and Blush has drawn her hidden HeartMate, Dri Paris, to her. All should be well. But when they finally meet, unresolved anger at the past – and each other – flares between them. Yet they must work together to find a treasure and save Dri’s family.

No excerpt available.

Other books in the series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Snowflakes and Stetsons by Jillian Hart, Carol Finch & Cheryl St. John
Historical Western Romance anthology published by Harlequin Historical 20 Sep 11

There are certain universal truths when it comes to my romance reading: 1) I love category romance 2) I love westerns 3) I love Christmas-themed stories and 4) I love Harlequin Historical.  So naturally, the diabolical minds at Harlequin have taken it upon themselves to produce an annual Christmas-themed western anthology for the past several years.  I’m one of Pavlov’s dogs and somewhere in the bowels of the Harlequin offices someone is ringing a damn bell.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Miracle by Jillian Hart

Fresh out of prison for a crime he didn’t commit (naturally), Caleb McGraw is looking for the sweetheart he left behind, only to discover she’s passed away. When he learns she left behind a son, he knows that child is his. So he tracks down the tyke living with Caroline Dreyer, a widow still mourning the loss of her husband and child.  She adores Thomas, but can’t seem to reach the boy, who takes to starring out the window, waiting for something or someone.

Hart is what I call an “angst writer” and she really slathers it on with this story.  Both Caleb and Caroline are haunted by their pasts, and even young Thomas walks with a shadow following his every move.  What I like here is that we have a secret baby plot that actually seems quite plausible, and that none of these characters is prone to hysterics.  It’s a real emotional heart-tugger of a read, with a healthy dollop of holiday spirit on the side.

Grade: B

Christmas at Cahill Crossing by Carol Finch

Rosalie Greer owns a dress shop in Cahill Crossing and is on her way back to town with Christmas supplies when a blizzard stops her cold. She comes close to freezing to death when Lucas Burnett’s dog (named “Dog” – seriously) uncovers her in a snowdrift. Lucas is a Loner with a capital L, but can’t very well leave the delectable Rosa to die – so he carts her back to his ranch.

What follows is Rosa thawing out, challenging Lucas at every turn, and dragging him out into society by his nose. Finch tends to spoon on a healthy layer of humor in her stories, which doesn’t always work for me. For the most part, it does here. Some of the dialogue didn’t ring true to me (Lucas actually says “mixed heritage” in regards to his half-Comanche, half-Mexican blood – which sounded a little too “PC” to my ears for 1880s Texas), and the fact the couple likes to jump to conclusions about each other did get tiresome. However, it is a fairly enjoyable story, and it’s a nice taste of the upcoming Cahill Cowboys continuity series.

Grade: B-

A Magical Gift at Christmas by Cheryl St. John

U.S. Marshal Jonah Cavanaugh is on a train guarding a gold shipment when he spies a notorious outlaw on board. Suspecting danger is up ahead in the form of an outlaw gang, he unhooks the the mail car from the train, which is carrying the shipment. When he does that, he also unhooks a well-appointed Pullman car, carrying railroad heiress Meredith Abbott. However, that’s not his only concern. Stowing away in the mail car? Two young orphans heading to Denver to find their long-lost Daddy. Now Jonah has a woman and two children to keep safe, with a band of outlaws sure to be paying them a visit once they hold up the train and find the mail car missing.

What I enjoy about St. John’s stories is that her characters are always practical thinking people. They’re never prone to hysterics or overly dramatic. Meredith might be an heiress, but she’s level-headed, can handle a weapon, and doesn’t waste time senselessly bickering with our hero. The author also crams in a ton of story here and gives readers a nice action-adventure style plot that is a nice change of pace from the other two offerings. The only real missteps here are that one of the orphans (the little girl, naturally) speaks with a lisp (blessedly she doesn’t talk too much!), and I feel the ending is a bit rushed. But it’s still a solid offering, featuring a page-turning plot and interesting characters.

Grade: B

This is a solid, cozy anthology that delivers a warm, fuzzy Christmas vibe. It’s the kind of book that should be read Christmas Eve, with a mug of hot cocoa, by a crackling fire place, after the kids have gone to bed. For that matter, it’s the kind of anthology that can be kept and reread every year right around the holiday season. This one is as-advertised.

Overall Grade: B

Summary:

The Cowboy’s Christmas Miracle by Jillian Hart

Wrongly imprisoned, Caleb McGraw is finally free—but the bitterness he holds still makes him feel trapped. Until he sees the beautiful Caroline holding a little boy with eyes just like his own. Discovering his long-lost son is just the start of Caleb’s Christmas miracles!

Christmas at Cahill Crossing by Carol Finch

One Christmas night, outcast Lucas Burnett finds a silver-haired angel buried in the snow. But Rosalie Greer is no pale spirit—she’s a fiery, independent woman, as wild as the mustangs Lucas breeds. Can she be the one to finally thaw Lucas’s frozen heart?

A Magical Gift at Christmas by Cheryl St.John

Meredith has always dreamed of a grand life but, stranded on a train in heavy snowfall with two young stowaways, she unexpectedly finds she has everything she needs with just one strong man to protect her….

Read an excerpt (Hart story only)

Entangled: How It Ended

This anthology was a gift for me.  I already counted several of the authors involved on this project as friends and knew the quality of their work. That all proceeds were going to breast cancer research was a huge draw for me.  Both my mother and my aunt are breast cancer survivors.  As I age, I look at my daughter and wonder if we will both travel that same path.  There needs to be better options if not for me, then for her – and it takes money to find them. Joining the anthology was a great way to contribute.

I had little to do with the beginning or even during the middle of the process of pulling this anthology together, except to write Sian’s Solution! Edie Ramer and Misty Evans did a wonderful job taking this anthology forward on their own.

It’s only after I turned in my short story that I realized there were other ways that I could help.  Formatting the short stories is one thing – and I’m grateful for Lori Devoti’s help in getting through that stage, but converting this anthology into Kindle and epub formats is another issue altogether.  I, with my son’s help, took that process on and helped Edie through the account creation and uploading issues that always seem to crop up last minute. But we did it!  Entangled went live on time!

It looks great, the stories are fantastic and for $2.99, it’s a great value.  I’m proud to be a part of something this special.  A huge thanks from me to everyone who took part.  Although I titled this post How It Ended, in truth – this is just the beginning!

To add to the fun of this day, we’re going to be giving away some copies of Entangled. So if you’ve been following our posts throughout the day, you’ve made it this far to find out how to win!

A meaningful comment or question left on Liz Kreger’s guest blog is what will put you in the running. Now, remember, this is an e-copy only, not a print book. And right now it looks like it’s going to be a Kindle ebook. If we can figure out ways to get other versions for you, we will.  So get your Kindle ready, and there’s always the Kindle desktop application you can download for free! So please keep that little tidbit in mind if you decide to enter the contest.

In the meantime, it’s time for a look at Edie Ramer‘s addition to this amazing anthology. Who doesn’t love a good kitty story?

She pulled up in front of the castle. One of the two oversized double doors opened.

A man marched out, head high, back straight. She was unimpressed. As a former actress, Tory immediately knew what he was doing. Making an entrance. The lights from the iron lampposts outside the entrance, along with the moonlight shining down on him, were his theater lights. She was his audience.

She opened the car door and got out. Keeping the car between them, she peered over the roof at him.

Her breath sucked in. She hadn’t expected him to look like a prince out of a fairy tale. Golden brown hair, pale gold complexion. Black jeans covered long legs and lean hips. A black turtleneck clung to broad shoulders, a great chest, a flat belly. And his face…every angle sculpted, every feature yummy.

She didn’t have to look at his lower parts to know they were in pretty good shape, too.

“Mreeooow.”

She turned her gaze from him and opened the door wider to let Samson jump out.

Bad, Samson scolded her. Bad.

“You’re late.” Damon’s voice wasn’t warm and happy, either.

“Where’s Nikki?” She shut the door but stayed on her side of the car.

He stared at her, and she felt the power of his gaze on her face.

“Come closer,” he said. “Where I can see you.”

She braced her feet. “Where’s Nikki?”

“Inside.”

“Bring her outside.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Distrustful.”

“Paranoid,” he said.

She shrugged. “I must be. I emailed my brothers, telling them where I was.”

“Would they come after me?”

“If I went missing, count on it.”

His teeth flashed and he laughed, exultation coming off of him in waves. Instead of making him angry or concerned, her words amused him. Gave him power.

He wouldn’t laugh after he saw them. But Sorcha was the one he really needed to worry about. Sorcha was…unusual. She didn’t have the same respect for laws as her brothers. She said men created them, and she wasn’t a man. She did what she felt was right, and the hell with anyone who got in her way.

Right now, Tory wanted to be more like Sorcha than her brothers.

“Either you bring Nikki outside, or I’m outta here.”

His laughter shut off. The air changed. Becoming denser, heavier, darker.

She forced herself to hold her spine straight, her chin up. Breathe, she reminded herself. Breathe.

Are you hooked yet? Can’t wait to get this anthology on your ereader? I can help out! Here’s the link to purchase your very own copy!

Entangled

What better way to spend the day reading some terrific supernatural stories after contributing to a very worthy cause? I’m glad you agree!

How about a look at Michelle Miles‘ offering? I just know you’re going to love this…

When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her that those who murdered her sister are now after her.

Glancing at her watch, closing time neared. Only ten minutes left in the day. The no-show sexy man let all the wind out of her sails completely. There was no sense in delaying the inevitable, she thought, as she headed to the front door. Her hand was on the lock, ready to flip it when…there he was walking toward the bakery.

Her heart skipped a beat. Chloe resisted the urge to smooth back her hair. Instead she licked her suddenly parched lips. There were no other customers in the shop and she would be…all…alone…with him.

A giant knot formed in her throat. She tried to swallow around it but it wouldn’t go away. She was tempted to reach out to him again, to try and touch him with her mind but she was afraid what would happen. Last time he’d nearly fried her.

Chloe swung open the door as he walked in, a scent of musk and danger wafting in after him. Was that the acrid smell of sweat? She shook her head to clear it. She was being silly.

“Cutting it a bit close, aren’t you?” she asked, closing the door and walking behind the counter.

“I was…detained.” His gaze raked over her from head to toe, as though he could picture her naked.

Even though she wanted him to picture her naked, she couldn’t help but notice the dust on his black t-shirt or the smudge of dirt on his left cheek. The way his face looked damp. His hair stood in spikes, like he’d been raking his hand through it repeatedly. And he looked like he hadn’t shaved in three days, which seemed an odd occurrence to her. Not that she would complain. She liked her men rough and ready.

With a small smile to mask her terror, she used her sense to reach out again. She probably shouldn’t, judging by what happened yesterday, but she had to know who or what he was.

The moment she reached for him, it was like he snagged her, dragged her to him, and planted a kiss so sensual, so erotic she lost track of who and what she was. He projected an image to her, showing her all the naughty things he wanted to do to her. Most of them included her on her back, covered in cream cheese icing while he licked it off all the delicate parts of her body.

Chloe gasped, pulled away from him and stumbled backward.

“You’re a…you’re…” She couldn’t get the words out.

“A witch. Yes.” He leaned his hands on the counter and slanted toward her. “I thought you figured that out yesterday when you tried to poke me. Would you like me to prove it to you?”

The door lock clicked into place. All the blinds closed with a flourish.

“Now you’re just showing off,” Chloe snapped. Despite her bravado, fear clawed her throat. “Are you going to take me back to the coven?”

“No,” he said, matter-of-factly. “I’m going to take you in the back, strip you, and fuck you.”

“Who are you?” Her voice was stronger then, though she couldn’t mistake the quiver of her words. She didn’t want to acknowledge that it was from heightened anticipation.

“You can call me Edward.” His eyes landed on her lips again.

“That’s not your real name, is it?”

“You don’t need to know my real name.” His gaze raked over her. “Yet.”

Fear trickled over her in a cold sweat. “Are you from the coven?”

“Yes. I’ve been sent to…” He paused, cocked his head to one side before smiling and showing off those dimples. “…retrieve something that belongs to them.”

Chloe swallowed hard. Damn. She knew exactly what thing he wanted to retrieve and he would have to do it over her dead body. Which is probably the idea.

She never should have run and she’d been stupid to think she could hide here in the human world, under the guise of a baker. Who was she fooling?

She could admit now that her baking had gotten out of hand. That she had this drive and determination to be the best there ever was. That’s why she started putting a little magic in her cupcakes, a little enchantment in her scones and using a little witchery on her cookies. She was the best in town. She had succeeded. She had also succeeded in not staying anonymous.

Her use of magic had, no doubt, called attention to her.

She could run but he’d catch her. And she certainly couldn’t get around him to get to the door. Chloe straightened her back and steeled herself against the coming onslaught. She wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Edward chuckled, a deep rumble in his throat. “Oh, come now. Surely you must know. You took something you shouldn’t have, didn’t you? You also saw something you shouldn’t have.”

Damn. Chloe thought for sure she had escaped from that horrible world. Apparently changing her name and her appearance hadn’t done a bit of good. She’d convinced herself over the last year she really was Chloe O’Shea, baker extraordinaire instead of Sadie Steele, witch who saw something she really wished she’d never seen.

“Sadie.”

Edward let her name roll of his tongue in a dark, dangerous baritone dripping with sex and lust and dark promises.

Chloe swallowed hard, that lump still there. “What do you want?”

He leaned a hip on the counter, his musky scent drifting over her, tantalizing her. He certainly didn’t smell of fear. Instead, he smelled of eroticism and awesomeness. He glanced over his cuticles, examining his perfectly trimmed nails.

“It seems a have another rather pressing problem at the moment. What I want is you.” He gave her a pointed look. One that said he knew what she’d done last night, all alone, with thoughts of him racing through her mind. “It’s the only way to cure me.”

“Cure you?” Fear mingled with uncertainty as it flooded through her. Clearly, he knew who and what she was—a healer. “What do you mean?”

“Can’t you see what you’ve done to me?” He leaned toward her, his lips parted. “You put magic in your cupcakes, didn’t you?”

“I…” She faltered. She had and he knew it. And maybe subconsciously she’d put a little something extra in his. A big mistake, clearly.

“You did. That’s why I’m here.” He twined a blond lock around his forefinger. “Once I took that first bite, the magic in them awoke the demon inside me.”

Her eyes narrowed to slits. “Demon? I thought you were a witch.”

“I’m half-witch, half-incubus. Lucky for you. I take what I need, when I need it.” He winked and leaned toward to her, his lips close to hers as he whispered against them. “And there is one of two ways you can give me the release I need.”

“Dare I ask?” Her heart thrummed in her chest. Her traitorous body reacted to the way his warm breath lingered over her mouth, teasing her. Tempting her.

“Have sex with me for the next twelve hours. It will sate my thirst for you and break the spell.”

Edward’s lips brushed hers ever-so-softly, rich with promise and vows of ecstasy. Slick heat exploded between her legs, begging for release. Instead, she jerked away, out of his reach.

“Do you expect me to surrender to you that easily?”

“Oh, I expect you will surrender.” Again, that pointed sultry look. “You’ll beg to surrender to me.”

Chloe propped her hands on her hips. “I will never surrender to you.” Yes, you will, you liar. You know you will. Her inner voice taunted her.

“You want me, too, don’t you?” His grin showed off the dimples around his mouth.

“What’s my other option?” she asked, ignoring his question. Of course she wanted him. Her body shook with desire.

“Perform a spell to break the magic that’s holding me.”

Well, that was certainly out of the question. If she did, it would be like sending up a giant neon sign pointing at her saying, Here I am! Come get me! The coven would definitely know where she was if she used that much magic. She told herself the little bit she used in her baked goods would go unnoticed. That she could remain incognito. Perhaps she had been wrong about that, too, if he’d found her so easily.

Edward had to realize that using a spell like that would make the coven aware. That’s why he tried to coerce her into having sex with him. Like that was such a bad thing.

Entangled: Why This Anthology Matters to Me

I was thrilled when I was asked to participate in this anthology.  I have such a personal stake in a cure for cancer being found.  I’ve been fighting the GCB (Great Cancer Battle) for more than fifteen years.  I was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, and after a mastectomy and chemo I enjoyed nearly seven years of being cancer free.  In 2002, it returned in my hip.  It has since metastasized to my back, my skull, and my liver.  Since that time, I’ve undergone radiation and have been pretty much under chemotherapy for the past eight years.  I’ve lost my hair four times, my cookies once, but never lost my sense of humor.

I’m a huge believer that attitude will get you through most anything.  I had my moments of pity, but determined that twenty minutes of feeling sorry for yourself is quite long enough and flung myself into the GCB.

I just recently got the news that the current chemo that I’m on is ineffective and will be starting yet another.  That makes about eight different chemos in the past year … and yes, I’ll be losing my hair once again.

So, as you can see, myself and millions of other women and men can only benefit from the money raised in this anthology.  Entangled represents hope for me.  The fact that so many wonderful authors came together to participate in this project only demonstrates their generosity.  It seems like no matter who you talk to, that person has been touched by cancer in some way, shape, or form.  Whether breast cancer, ovarian cancer, liver, or pancreatic … everyone knows someone, is related to someone, or is undergoing the GCB themselves.

I’d love for this rat-bastard disease to be eradicated in my lifetime. That can only happen through the efforts of people like these wonderful authors who participated in Entangled.

It’s werewolf time!

Hmmm. Werewolves and Cynthia Eden. I think I’m missing out not having read this ebook yet. So are you! I can guarantee that, if you’ve never read Cynthia’s books before.

And I’m going to prove that to you right now. Read on so I can make my point!

“Would you really shoot me, baby?” Doubt cloaked his whisper.

Ava risked a fast glance at the deputy. Right. Figured Ken hadn’t even heard the wolf’s approach. He was too busy talking on his phone and trying to keep his lunch down. “Don’t test me,” she snapped back to the wolf. Sure, they might have been lovers once—once—but that was over. She had a job to do.

She’d do it. A sexy werewolf wouldn’t stop her.

Julian cocked a dark brow, but he also stepped back. Good.

“Now put your hands up,” she ordered him.

Smiling a bit, he raised his hands. In the early light, she didn’t see any blood beneath his nails. Nails, not claws. The claws would only come out when he shifted.

“Want to tell me what you’re doing here?” Ava asked.

He shrugged but kept his hands up. “I just followed the scent of blood.”

Supernaturals enjoyed the scent of blood far too much.

So she had a dead human, one who’d had his throat ripped open, and a werewolf, right at the scene of the crime. She also knew for a fact that said dead human had been planning to interview Julian last night.

Things weren’t looking good for the wolf right then.

And it wasn’t like she had a whole lot of options. Sighing, Ava pulled out her cuffs. “These are gonna sting,” she warned him. Silver cuffs. Because of their enhanced strength, werewolves could break free of almost anything else instantly.

He dropped his hands. “You aren’t serious.”

She was. Did it look like she was joking? “I need you to come to the station with me. You can either come willingly…” Then she’d leave the cuffs off, at least for the time being. “Or I can take you in the same way I do other paranormal suspects.” She had a little more freedom than the sheriffs who only patrolled human counties and captured mortal criminals.

When the monsters you hunted could kill with claws and fangs, new rules had to be made.

The blood had drawn out a werewolf, but, even though the smell was like pure ambrosia to a vampire, she knew none of the undead would be coming to join their little party. Everyone knew vamps and sunlight didn’t mix.

She’d get to them, though, soon enough.

Julian glanced toward her patrol car. “You don’t want to make a mistake here, Sheriff.”

Oh, wait, she wasn’t “baby” anymore? If the big wolf wasn’t careful, he’d hurt her feelings. “I know claw marks when I see ‘em,” she told him, still holding tight to her cuffs. “As far as I know, there’s only one wolf pack in Mississippi.” Nothing happened in that pack without his approval.Nothing.

His gaze, bright blue, came back to her.

“Now, Alpha,” if he was gonna be all formal, then she could be, too. “Will you play nice and get in the car, or do I have to cuff you?”

Sirens wailed in the distance. Had to be her back-up racing toward them. The deputies always responded quickly when it was a supernatural call. Humans had to stick together.

“When have I ever played nice?” Julian growled the words.

Right. Of course, the guy wouldn’t make this easy.

She locked one cuff around his wrist. There was a slight sizzle as the silver burned his flesh. His gaze held hers. “You don’t want me as an enemy,” he warned.

She reached for his right hand. She wouldn’t put the cuffs behind him. Ava figured she owed him that much. “Sometimes it doesn’t matter what we want.” Since that night they’d shared, she’d learned that bitter lesson. Her hand curled around his wrist. Staring into his eyes, she snapped the other cuff onto his wrist. “Alpha Julian Kasey,” she’d do the legal bit to make sure she covered her ass, “you’re a paranormal person of interest in a murder investigation and, as such, you’re now in supervised custody.”

His lips curled in a very slow, wicked smile. A smile that showed the sharp edge of his canines. “Later, when you look back, this is the moment you’ll regret.”

Maybe.

But… “Right now, looking back,” she shouldn’t say this, she shouldn’t, but the words and anger couldn’t be held back, “the moment I regret was hooking up with you at that godforsaken bar.”

The faint lines around his eyes tightened.

“And if I find out that you’re behind these killings…” She shook her head. “Then what happened between us won’t matter at all. I’ll still lock you up.” She had a job to do. People who counted on her. A hard case of lust and need for a dangerous werewolf couldn’t distract her.

Not when human lives were on the line.

If you’re a paranormal fan like me, you have to be anticipating reading this anthology as much as I am right now.

There have been a number of such anthologies released over the last few years, but none have gone the extra distance this particular one is designed for: to help cure breast cancer.

So while you’re enjoying these very talented authors’ stories in Entangled (you can’t beat the $2.99 price!), you have the satisfaction of knowing you’re helping not only yourself but women everywhere. As a woman, there’s not too many other things better than that.

Now enjoy a quick sneak peak into Nancy Haddock‘s contribution in this extra-special book:

Ghost seer Colleen Cotton and Brickman A. Frasier, the hot by-the-book paranormal investigator of her dreams and nightmares, must team up to locate the one ghost who can save St. Augustine’s specters.

“My ghost investigation team ran into a wall tonight.”

“And that should mean squat to me?”

“It means something to the client. Martha Harrison. She told us you’d done one of your interventions with her ghost last month, and she wants you on site for our investigation.”

I frowned at Brick’s neutral expression. Clearly he didn’t want to lay all his cards on the table, but then he didn’t have to explain Martha Harrison to me. Elderly even by senior citizen standards and a legend in St. Augustine, she’d taught history to generations of students, fought for civil rights, and won her bout with breast cancer and lymphoma both. Far more steel than magnolia, her will was a force of nature. So much so, that I’d quaked in my sandals when Mrs. Harrison called me to do an intervention with her own home ghost, Zavier.

“Listen, Colleen,” Brick said, his voice placating, his energy set to sooth instead of confront. “I admit we got off to a bad start.”

I snorted and crossed my arms. “Brick, you called me a scam artist.”

“I conceded you might be a legitimate sensitive.”

“Only after you told certain people I’d bilk them out of thousands.”

“I apologized for that.”

“Yeah, when one of my clients divulged to you what I actually charge.”

“Okay, I had some bad information. I misjudged you, slandered you, and was an all-around ass, but that was months ago. Give me another chance. Come to Mrs. Harrison’s house with me. She won’t let us set up one piece of equipment until she talks with you.”

I rubbed my forehead and thought about his request. Much as I was attracted to Brick, I didn’t want to make his life one whit easier. However, if I ignored a command appearance from Martha Harrison, I might as well take down my therapist shingle and go flip burgers. Plus I was itching to know what had the local ghosts acting so goosey, and curious as to whether I could help them regain peace.

“Exactly what kind of problems is Mrs. Harrison reporting?”

“Knocks all over the house, bangs and thuds in the attic, shadows moving. And she’s not the only one who’s called about paranormal disturbances. I’ve fielded more calls in the last two weeks than I have for two months.”

I recalled my own uncharacteristically full calendar of clients. Ghostly activity on the rise. No leap of logic to figure something out of the ordinary was afoot.

“Please, Colleen,” Brick said. “I won’t ask anything of you again.”

I gave Brick the evil eye. “If I go, I’ll do it for Martha, not for you and your team.”

“Understood.”

“One crack from any of you, and I’m outta there.”

“Absolutely.”

“Fine. Do you have a digital recorder on you?”

“Uh, yeah.” Brick blinked in puzzlement, but thrust a hand in his windbreaker pocket and pulled out a voice-activated recorder smaller than my dinky old cell phone.

“I don’t suppose you had that running while you were, um—”

“Forcibly restrained by your ghost? No.”

“Too bad. I’ll bet Da had plenty to say.”

“Anything I’d want to hear?” Brick teased.

I waved away his attempt at levity. “Just turn the recorder on now, please.” He pushed a button and nodded. “Da, front and center. I need to ask you about the town ghosts.”

“What about them?”

Da answered even as he materialized between Brick and me. Brick put his hand out to feel the cold spot Da brought with him, and nearly stuck his hand through the middle of my great grand-ghost’s back. With a violent shiver, Brick wisely stepped back.

“The spirits in town seem to be stirred up. Even afraid. Do you know what’s wrong with them?”

Brick frowned, but I kept my focus on Da’s craggy, semi-transparent face.

Da poked a thumb over his shoulder. “Do you want me to answer so he’ll hear me on that gadget?”

For the sake of the gadget, I responded in full. “Yes, speak into the recorder.”

Da half turned. Considering he hadn’t been a tall man but Brick was easily six-five, that put Da’s mouth right about at recorder level.

“All I’ve heard,” he said, carefully enunciating, “is that there’s a raid afoot. An attack, girl. An attack targeting spirits.”

“What could possibly hurt ghosts?”

“There are dead who feed on earthbound souls. Not many of the dastards, but this one must be a doozey.”

Entangled: How It Began

Our anthology started last April with a casual mention to Misty Evans in an email that I’d like to do an anthology. I didn’t mean right now. I was thinking some day. Misty emailed me back and said, “Let’s do it!” I said,”Okay.” After that, it all came together in a few emails. We both write paranormal romance, so paranormal was a given. I’m a breast cancer survivor and a close friend of mine is in a battle with it, so that was another given. Because October is Breast Cancer Month, Misty chose the Halloween theme to unify the stories. Then we started sending out invites. To our absolute joy, almost everyone we asked said yes.

What’s amazing to me is how smoothly this went. As I received the stories, one after another they all wowed me. The only hair-pulling problem we had was with formatting, and that was because of incompatible computers. (Who knew that could happen?) Lori Devoti ended up formatting the book twice. And Laura Morrigan created the gorgeous cover that almost everyone comments on. I feel as if this book was blessed.

I do think that what we’re doing is going to make a difference. And I know that people will enjoy the stories. For only $2.99, readers will get ten amazing stories and one fantastic novella. And they get to help cure cancer. I feel so proud of this, and so grateful to the other writers, to Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan, and to everyone who’s helping to get the word out.

Ash’s review of Entangled by Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, Michelle Miles, and Allison Brennan
Paranormal romance anthology ebook published by Authors4theCure 07 Sept 11

First off I want to say that I think that what these authors are doing is a wonderful thing. I do Relay for Life every year for my aunt’s best friend who is a breast cancer survivor, as well as my great aunt who passed away due to breast cancer. I had a hard time with this review because I don’t want to say anything bad about this book. I think everyone should buy it, and I even planned to gift it to someone since I got my copy free to review. I didn’t like every story, not at all. The ones I did like, however, were beyond terrific and are worth every cent and more. Those are the ones I am going to talk about most.

Halloween Frost by Jennifer Estep

I love this one and it is a great start to the book. Powerful teens sent off to a special school is really nothing new anymore, but this feels fresh. I was able to immediately connect to Gwen and the other characters all have distinct personalities that stood out. I have a clear picture of the people, the town, and even the creatures. As soon as I read this,  I bought the first one in the series. The quick glimpse of Gwen Frost and her world pulls you in, and I can’t wait to read and learn more about it.

Grade: A

Medium Rare by Nancy Haddock

Here is another story that is clear and stands out in all the good ways.  I feel like I’m there with the characters and not just reading about them.  I’m not usually a fan of stories centered on ghosts because they tend to feel unrealistic (yes, I do believe in ghosts),  but Nancy Haddock knows what she is doing. It also has one of my favorite romance plot lines, enemies (ok not really, but definitely not friends) to lovers. I only wish there’s more romance, but I always feel that way.

Grade: B

Sweet Demon by Misty Evans

So this one appears to be the start of a new series, and I’m super excited about that. Sweet Demon feels like a full-length novel, and every time I remember it’s a short story, I get sad. I would have been happy reading much more about Kali Sweet. I am dying to know what happened between her and Rad 300 years ago, and especially what he was going to tell her when he saw her again. I have no clue when the next book comes out, but I really wish it’s soon.

Grade: A+

Feel the Magic by Liz Kreger

Definitely an interesting story. I can’t say I have ever read about a woman wanting to be magically transformed into a cat. The story felt a little bogged down with all the characters and all the talk about making the transformation legal. I would have liked more focus on the magic, the witch, and the cat wannabe.

Grade: C

A Bit of Bite by Cynthia Eden

This story reminds me why I always enjoy Cynthia Eden’s books. I haven’t read one in awhile, but now I want to go hunt some down. Werewolves have been slowly becoming my favorite over the past few years, and A Bit of Bite shows me why. Julian is the alpha werewolf and he has no intentions of letting Ava get away from him again. The tension in A Bit of Bite is thick and I love every bit of it.

Grade: B+

Sian’s Solution by Dale Mayer

A vampire saves her lover from a blood farm, and it is more of a slow build-up instead of loaded with drama. In a full-length novel I probably wouldn’t have had the patience, but it works as a short story. It’s interesting how she plans to get them both out safely and I always love when it’s the heroine doing the rescuing. A little more action would have helped a bit, though.

Grade: C

Breaking Out by Michelle Diener

This story is kind of Alias meets Heroes and I am definitely a fan of both. We have people with powers, black ops, and mind control. Add in some romance and I am sold. I feel teased with such a great short story and I sincerely hope there is more coming. I have to know more about Kell, Nate, and Giles.

Grade: A

So, it’s a great book for a great cause. I am anxious to start reading some of the series that these stories are from, and my only issue is I don’t know where to start. You also can’t beat the price, and considering it is all going to BCRF, it is more than worth it.

Overall Grade: A+

Summary:

Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan.

Stacia Kane contributed the foreword. Formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan.

All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Read an excerpt.

C2’s review of The Lady Most Likely…A Novel in Three Parts by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway
Historical Romance published by Avon 28 Dec 10

Based on the author firepower behind “The Lady Most Likely”, I’m sure reader expectations are high. I mean, Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway working together in an anthology-ish book? It’s gotta be awesome, right? Actually…yes!

The book is described as a novel in three parts so there aren’t actual breaks between the stories but they aren’t all told at the same time either. I like the structure – it flows quite nicely, I think. Maybe because the authors’ voices are similar enough that nothing jars when reading. I didn’t check before reading to see who wrote what so as I read, I tried to guess. Heaven knows, I have read plenty of books by all three ladies. Pardon me while I brag but I guessed right. Yay! Ms. Quinn’s portion was the easiest to spot but, if you’re familiar with the writings of Ms. James and Ms. Brockway it isn’t too difficult to figure out. Of course, I’m going to tell you so you won’t have to tax your brain, faithful reader.

The set-up is that the horse-mad Earl of Briarly has decided it is time for him to marry and produce an heir. Since he isn’t out and about in Society much – he prefers to be in the country with his horses – his sister decides to throw a house party and invite eligible young ladies she thinks her brother might like (I do enjoy a house party story, I must say). To balance out the numbers, she also invites some other eligible bachelors.

One of the young ladies invited is Miss Gwendolyn Passmore. She has been hailed as the diamond of the season. She has a reputation for being calm and aloof but no one realizes she is actually very shy. The other young ladies are not glad to see that Gwendolyn has been invited to the house party. One, Miss Octavia Darlington, even asks her brother, Alec (Earl of Charters) to distract Gwendolyn so the other young ladies will have a chance to shine. He reluctantly agrees, even though he doesn’t like his sister’s attitude.

Since Gwendolyn and Alec’s story is Julia Quinn’s contribution, you know there is quick, snappy dialogue and a great deal of humor. The only problem I had with the story was the brattiness of the sister. Even though she sees the error of her ways (sort of), I just wanted to pinch her. Really hard. Ignoring that, Alec is very sweet and Gwendolyn isn’t shy with him – and isn’t that every shy person’s dream? To find that one person – preferably rich and attractive – that you aren’t shy around?

Next up we have Ms. Brockway’s portion. Our heroine is the take-charge, outspoken Miss Katherine Peyton. Since she prefers life in the country, she has decided that she and Lord Briarly might suit. What she doesn’t know is that her childhood crush has also been invited to the house party. Captain Neill Oakes, recently returned from the war, unexpectedly has to assume responsibility for Katherine after her brother abandons ship. What Katherine doesn’t know is the reason Neill bought a commission all those years ago – and his honor won’t let him tell her while acting as her chaperone.

Katherine and Neill’s story is the one that feels rushed to me. It would benefit the most from being given more pages. As it is, this story is my least favorite. It’s good but I didn’t get as good a feel for the characters. Also, characters using honor as an excuse for stupid behavior annoy me.

Finally, Ms. James gives us the Earl of Briarly’s story. Attending the party is his sister’s best friend, Lady Georgina Sorrell. Georgina is a widow and has no interest in marrying again. Her marriage was okay but not something she feels a need to repeat. Hugh, Lord Briarly, has always been attracted to Georgina – he just didn’t realize (read: pull his head out of the stables) until it was too late. Now Georgina is skittish and Hugh knows how to deal with skittish females. I enjoyed their story – although, really, was the hinting that Georgina’s hubby might have been gay needed? I don’t think it added anything to the story…maybe if it had been in a full novel it would have. Maybe. That aside, Hugh and Georgina made a good couple.

So, what’s my final take? Gwendolyn and Alec’s story: B+; Katherine and Neill’s story C-; Georgina and Hugh’s story: B-.

Overall Grade: B-

Summary:

Hugh Dunne, the Earl of Briarly, needs a wife, so his sister hands him a list of delectable damsels and promises to invite them— and a few other gentlemen—to her country house for what is sure to be the event of the season.
Hugh will have time to woo whichever lady he most desires . . . Unless someone else snatches her first.
The invitation list includes:
• The horse-mad but irresistibly handsome Earl of Briarly
• The always outspoken Miss Katherine Peyton
• The dashing war hero Captain Neill Oakes
• The impossibly beautiful (and painfully shy) Miss Gwendolyn Passmore
• The terribly eligible new Earl of Charters
• The widowed Lady Georgina Sorrell (who has no plans to marry, ever)

And your hostess, Lady Carolyn Finchley, an irrepressible matchmaker who plans to find the lady most likely . . . to capture her brother’s untamed heart.

Read an EXCERPT. Or another EXCERPT. Or still another EXCERPT.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Western Winter Wedding Bells by Cheryl St. John, Jenna Kernan & Charlene Sands
Historical western romance anthology published by Harlequin Historical 01 Oct 10

I love Harlequin Historical for their willingness to publish a variety of settings, but I gotta be honest – I’m mostly in it for the westerns.  And lucky me, they’ve had a tradition the last couple of years of publishing a western anthology just in time for the holidays.  Three Christmas-themed westerns in one book?  Merry Christmas to Wendy!

Christmas in Red Willow by Cheryl St. John

I think I might have mentioned a time or two (or three….) that Cheryl St. John is one of my very favorite authors.  So it was with some disappointment that I was…well…disappointed in this story.  Chloe Hanley’s grandfather was the town preacher, and after he passed, the beautiful church fell into disrepair.  Now the town council wants to tear it down and build a hotel in its place!  However, if she gets the place spruced up in time for Christmas services, they’ll abandon the idea.  For help she turns to carpenter Owen Reardon – the brother of the man leading the charge to tear down the church.

This is a nice, inspirational story with a strong Christmas message that didn’t dissolve into preachiness.  Chloe is a determined young lady and Owen continues the fine tradition of wonderful St. John Beta heroes.  However, I couldn’t get past the lack of backstory.  Red Willow is a close-knit town, with many neighborly, god-fearing residents.  When Chloe puts out the call for help, a lot of people answer.  Which begs the questions – why was the church in such disrepair in the first place?  Why was it allowed to deteriorate?  What led the members of the congregation (still meeting, mind you, even without a preacher!) to move services to the schoolhouse?  Why?  It’s not having those answers that annoyed me and keeps me from getting behind this story wholeheartedly.

Grade: C

The Sheriff’s Housekeeper Bride by Jenna Kernan

Eliza Flannery boards the train without a ticket because she’s wanted for a crime she didn’t commit.  When it’s discovered she has no ticket, she’s on the run again – but this time it’s straight into the arms of Trent Foerster.  Before you can say Big Misunderstanding, he’s thinking she’s the new housekeeper he’s hired and she’s happily going along with the charade if only to save her skin.  However, she’s really in the soup now.  Trent not only as a young daughter he’s raising on his own, he’s also a former Texas Ranger!  Oh, not to mention that Eliza can’t cook with a darn.

These types of plots tend to annoy in full-length novels, but are easier for me to swallow in short stories.  That said, Eliza still gets nailed (and not in a good way) for failing to spill the beans to Trent, even though she has oodles of time to do so.  Naturally he doesn’t take kindly to her deception since he was done wrong by his baby’s mama (well, of course, he was!).  Quibbles aside, though, Eliza’s backstory, coupled with Trent’s daughter (who plucked at my heart-strings, I’ll admit it!) and the sense of doom surrounding the Big Mis kept me eagerly flipping the pages.  I wasn’t wow’ed, but I was hooked.

Grade: B-

Wearing the Rancher’s Ring by Charlene Sands

Sands tends to be hit or miss for me, but this story mostly works.  Cooper Garnett is tracking the man who murdered his family when he’s robbed and shot in the back on widow Rachel Bodine’s land.  She nurses him back to health, and he kick-starts her libido.  But what will happen when she learns the man she’s falling for has vengeance in his heart?

This is the most emotional story in the bunch.  I love that both Cooper and Rachel loved their dead spouses, and I adore the fact that neither wallowed in guilt over their mutual attraction.  The conflict mostly revolves around Cooper’s plans and Rachel’s disapproval of them.  That said, with vengeance such a focal theme in the story, it’s disappointing that it’s largely wrapped up “off page.”  I’ll also admit that it did give me pause that Cooper’s wife and son had only been dead for six months.  However, this a good, solid story with good, solid western themes, which mostly worked for me.

Grade: B-

Anthologies can be tricky business, but this one largely works.  I wasn’t blown away by any of these entries, but they did succeed in giving me that warm, fuzzy holiday feeling dressed up with some western flavor.  If you’re looking for some heartwarming, and quick, holiday stories to squeeze in around the craziness of your reality?  This collection may fit the bill.

Overall Grade: B-

Summary:

Small town Christmas—Three big proposals!

Christmas in Red Willow by Cheryl St. John
Chloe Hanley must save the town church. But only if she can convince reclusive carpenter Owen Reardon to help repair the broken heart of the community and open his own up again— in time for Christmas!

The Sheriff’s Housekeeper Bride by Jenna Kernan
Running from her past and a crime she didn’t commit, Eliza Flannery bumps into her future—all rugged six-foot sheriff of him! Single father Trent Foerster mistakes her for his housekeeper, but there’s no mistaking his desire for a mistletoe kiss from this mysterious miss….

Wearing the Rancher’s Ring by Charlene Sands
Cooper Garnett is shot and left for dead near Double J Ranch when widow Rachel Bodine comes to his aid. Could his unexpected arrival be the best Christmas gift ever— a second-chance family for Rachel and her little son?

Read an excerpt (St. John story only)

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of Haunted by Your Touch by Jeaniene Frost, Sharie Kohler & Shayla Black
Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 26 Oct 10

I’ve been really looking forward to this anthology. It has two authors I really like, Jeaniene Frost and Shayla Black, and another I have wanted to try.

Night’s Darkest Embrace by Jeaniene Frost

Jeaniene Frost is first up and I was kind of expecting more. I love her Night Huntress series and this just isn’t as good. I think what dragged it down for me is Mara. She seems like a completely different person by the end of the story, personality wise. I think Raphael would have been better with someone else. Aside from that, I love the world and I would love to have more stories set there.

Grade B

Enter the dark realm of Nocturna in Jeaniene Frost’s red hot tale, where blisteringly sexy Raphael dominates the demons of a lawless dimension and tries to help a beautiful young woman avenge her cousin’s disappearance.

Read an excerpt.

Mated by Shayla Black

Next up is Shayla Black’s story, and I must say I;m so disappointed. If I hadn’t already read the first book in her Doomsday Brethren series, I wouldn’t pick any of them up after reading this. I like the first book a lot and I’ve been expecting something better. I couldn’t stand Raiden at all, he continues to hurt Tabitha, and she lets him. She keeps saying she wants to be with him, and he keeps telling her no, to the point of being cruel, but she doesn’t seem to care. He even spends the night before the story starts with another woman, one whose name he can’t remember. Honestly, I want her to leave him. I am still going to read the other books in this series, but now I’m not in any rush to.

Grade D

In the shadowy world of Shayla Black’s Doomsday Brethren, magical warrior Raiden vows to protect his woman and their unborn youngling from evil—and deliver her safely to another man. But once he’s saved her, can he let her go?

Read an excerpt.

Darkest Temptation by Sharie Kohler

Sharie Kohler finishes up the book with a story that looks like it’s set in the same world as her paranormal series. I haven’t read anything by her and I can’t say I am ready to rush out and buy any. This story is just so-so, not very detailed and it seems rushed. Compared to the other two, it’s just plain boring. The hero almost saves it, but he doesb’t quite make it there.

Grade D-

Lycans rule the night in Sharie Kohler’s suspenseful story, as a fiery woman stalks mysterious Luc, the undeniably hypnotic being she believes can save her from turning . . . if she kills him. Danger beckons in these captivating paranormal tales that will tempt readers to the edge and leave them begging for more.

No excerpt available.

Overall, not the best anthology I’ve read. I was expecting more out of it, and I wish I had borrowed it from someone instead of buying it.

Grade: C

Liviania’s review of The Trouble with Heroes edited by Denise Little (no website found)
Fantasy anthology published by DAW 3 Nov 2009

What do heroes do in their downtime? It’s an interesting premise that’s suppose to serve as the basis of the stories in the fantasy anthology The Trouble with Heroes. Unfortunately, most authors barely touch on the premise. Fortunately, most of the stories are still charming and funny. Plus, the anthology was unexpectedly female positive.

Geeks Bearing Gifts by Kristine Grayson

Is Eros a hero? He shows up more than once, so he must be. Still, I don’t think being a god necessarily makes one a hero.

Overall, this story didn’t wow me, but I did like Bethanne, who is above all a businesswoman. She runs Eros.com, a dating service for hetero- and homosexual geeks. Then Cupid-in-disguise walks through the door, looking to use the service. Kristine Grayson created an absorbing voice for Bethanne, which meant I hoped for a happier ending.

Grade: B-

The Horror in the Living Room by Adrian Nikolas Phoenix

Adrian Nikolas Phoenix plays fast and loose with history by turning H.P. Lovecraft into a hero instead of an insane man who couldn’t market his work. The story is told through the point of view of Augusta Howard, his highly capable and cool-headed housekeeper. Phoenix’s descriptions of the things that visit Lovecraft’s home made me laugh, which in turn made me partial to the story.

Grade: B+

Take My Word for It: Bad Idea by Mike Moscoe

Heracles cross-dressing is one of the classic episodes in Greek mythology. It’s almost too funny to be true. Mike Moscoe’s pacifist Queen Omphale is no fool. She knows that Heracles killed the last monarch who made him complete impossible tasks. So while he’s under her control, she’s going to keep him out of the way and out of trouble with women’s work.

Omphale sells this story, because you really can’t be a fool when you’re dealing with the Greek gods. (Plus, Heracles cross-dressing is a classic for a reason.)

Grade: A

Merry Maid by Jean Rabe

The first three stories are comedies, but if “Merry Maid” is a comedy, it’s a black one. Maid Marian followed Robin Hood willingly, but she’s starting to get disillusioned. He keeps most of the money he steals and frankly, he smells. She’s getting tired of it.

Jean Rabe’s take on the Robin Hood legend is original and coherent, if not quite my thing.

Grade: B

The Problem with Dating Shapeshifters by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (no website found)

I’ve read several short stories by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, since she’s a regular in Firebird anthologies. The narrator of “The Problem with Dating Shapeshifters” is unlucky enough to catch Zeus’s eye. Anyone whose read even a little mythology knows how that story goes.

I like Hoffman’s prose, which flows easily. I also loved her interpretation of Hera, as well as the story’s ending.

Grade: A-

Reclaiming His Inner Ape by Terry Hayman

What happened to Sam and Mary’s relationship once she was no longer a damsel-in-distress, captured by King Kong? Terry Hayman’s diction sets the mood well, evoking the feel of the classic movie. I enjoy stories that look in at couples after the happily ever after, and liked where he went with Sam and Mary.

Grade: B+

For a Few Lattes More by Annie Reed (no website found)

Terri, a Starbucks barista, frequently serves a cowboy who lives in a nearby park. This story is one a few that shows heroism in action instead of a hero off-duty. It also drops the character’s epiphany on the reader’s head like an anvil. I’d Annie Reed’s story more if it had any subtlty.

Grade: C

Beloved by David H. Hendrickson

“Beloved” tackles the Bible. David eventually married Saul’s younger daughter, but was first offered the hand of his eldest. This story follows Merab as she tries to help David and Michal get together. David H. Hendrickson’s Merab has a wry humor that livens up the story.

Grade: B+

Inspiration by Phaedra M. Weldon

A jogger is rescued by Oberon, King of the Fairies, which leads to a conversation between two people with very different sensibilities. I would’ve preferred if the story stuck to the conversation instead of involving another attacker, especially because it leads to a very corny speech. Like “For a Few Lattes More,” “Inspiration” lacks subtlty.

Grade: B-

Honey, I’m Home by Pauline J. Alama (no website found)

Penelope is pissed that Odysseus took his sweet time coming home and then slaughtered everybody despite the fact she had everything under control. It’s an interesting take on The Odyssey, but Pauline J. Alama’s prose didn’t really capture me. She attempts the Homeric cadence, but in my opinion the end result leans a little more towards parody than pastiche.

Grade: C+

Ballad of the Groupie Everlasting by Robert T. Jeschonek

“Ballad of the Groupie Everlasting” is a retelling of The Pied Piper through the point of view of Terpsichore, the muse of music.  (Another story with an odd choice for a hero.)  I found the story underwhelming and thought Robert T. Jeschonek’s choice to use modern diction was a misstep.  It does have a strong ending, however.

Grade: C+

The Quin Quart by Laura Resnick

This is another high concept short.  The Orkney brothers serve as expies of the hosts of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and take on Queen Guinevere’s image.  I’m a sucker for anything to do with the Matter of Britain.  Oddly, “The Quin Quart” made me sympathize with all of my least favorite characters (like Lancelot) and dislike my favorites (like Gawain, who always gets robbed in modern retellings).  Laura Resnick’s story wasn’t quite my thing, but I enjoyed how she played with her subject matter.

Grade: B

How Jack Got His Self a Wife by John Alvin Pitts

Molly, who just killed a giant and a witch, encounters Jack fighting a bear.  “How Jack got His Self a Wife” is a little odd, but does contain an amusing courtship.  Cute, but mostly forgettable.

Grade: C

If the Shoe Fits by Dayle A. Dermatis

“If the Shoe Fits” is a modern retelling of Cinderella, featuring Ella the business management student who borrows some awesome shoes from her Aunt Sheila.  It lightly skewers a few fairy tale conventions, but the shoe definitely fits for Ella and Prince Rupert.  The ending was easy to see coming, but still funny.

Grade: B+

Big Man’s Little Woman by Dory Crowe

Tiny Acacia and Paul Bunyan grow up together and fall in love, with her serving as the brains of the operation.  Then Lucette comes along.  I find the premise squicky, but the story is fairly inoffensive.

Grade:  C+

Boldly Reimagined by J. Steven York

This was my dad’s favorite in the anthology, and I must admit that it’s a highlight.  Diana Mallock is a staff-writer on a new fantasy drama series loosely based on Jason and the Argonauts.  During concept development, she quickly realizes that the show is going to be sexist and terrible.  It satirizes the industry well, making it perfect for anyone who has watched a terrible adaptation of a beloved work (or just terrible television in general).

Grade: A

Roxane by Peter Orullian

Cyrano de Bergerac romances a prostitute Roxane, and teaches her a lesson about judging appearances.  I’m not big on romances where people are nasty to each other and thus didn’t love this one.  It did get one of my favorite Police songs stuck in my head.  I suppose whether that is a plus or a minus depends on the person.

Grade: C

A Long Night in Jabbok (or, Who, Exactly, Is in Charge Here?) by Janna Silverstein (no website found)

This is another biblical story, focusing on Rachel wrestling a stranger in the night.  Rachel and Yaakov are stumped by the ineffable nature of God, leading to a frustrating conversation.  I liked the exploration of the Bible as an authored text.

Grade: B-

Love in the Time of Car Alarms by Ken Scholes

Superheroes!  Have I mentioned before that I love superheroes?  “Love in the Time of Car Alarms” takes on the classic question of the girl who gets constantly stood up by the hero in his schlub guise.  This story does contain an active act of heroism, but I’ll let it slide.

Grade: B+

The Problem with Metaphors by Steven Mohan, Jr. (no website found)

I wasn’t big on this one.  It was creative, but I’m not sure it succeeds in its experimentation. Nor does the tone fit well with the rest of the anthology.  I will give Steven Mohan, Jr. props for the silly things the computer says when it goes haywire.

Grade: D+

If I Did It by Allan Rousselle

Medea tells her version of the events that led to the death of her children and Jason’s new lover.  Whereas “The Problem with Metaphors” was too ambitious, I think “If I Did It” doesn’t play around enough with the base story.  The writing was competent, but it wasn’t exciting.

Grade: C-

Clay Feet by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Museum employee Harper has an encounter with Mercury, messenger and thief, on the matter of a statue featuring his likeness.  “Clay Feet” served as a good closer – clever dialogue and interesting questions about the intersection of the classical world with the modern.  Of course, Kristine Kathryn Rusch is a highly capable author, so a good story isn’t surprising.

Grade: A-

The Trouble with Heroes was an affable anthology, funny and female-positive.  A few of the stories were misses, but not particularly terrible misses.  The thing that weakens it most was the lack of a standout story.  There were some that I enjoyed quite a bit, but none that make the anthology a must have.

Overall Grade: B-

Summary:
These 22 all-new tales pay tribute to the true heroes-the people who enable and put up with heroes. From what it’s like to be Hercules’ wife (complete with an appearance by Hercules in drag) to the trials of H.P. Lovecraft’s housekeeper, from the perils of being King Kong’s girlfriend to the downside of dating a shapeshifter, this anthology turns heroism on its head, revealing the behind-the-scenes drama, as opposed to glorious rescues. From the Pied Piper’s power trip to David acting like a giant you-know-what after slaying Goliath, these stories show heroes in all their ignominy and shine a light on the unsung faithful standing in their shadows.
No excerpt found.

Lawson’s review of Bitten by Cupid by Lynsay Sands, Pamela Palmer and Jaime Rush
Paranormal Anthology released by Avon 12 Jan 10

Obviously I’m a sucker for Lynsay Sands. When Syb handed me this book, I snapped it up. I get a lot of the historical romance as well, so this was something to lighten the historical TBR pile. Plus, Sands’ contribution is the story of Tiny, who I’m sure many have been asking for. I got to experience some new (to me) authors as well.

Vampire’s Valentine by Lynsay Sands

Tiny McGraw was a secondary character in A Bite to Remember. He’s a private investigator and Jackie’s partner. Tiny and Mirabeau LaRouche, an Argeneau cousin, are assigned to protect Dani McGill’s sister from the Immortal Hunter from those that are still looking for her. Mirabeau realizes quickly that she can’t read Tiny, her appetite is coming back and they’re lifemates. What made this story work outside of the obvious lifemate setup was Tiny’s enthusiasm for it as well as his enjoyment of getting Mirabeau to eat his cooking. It was cute, but not a lot of depth.

Grade: B-

Hearts Untamed by Pamela Palmer

Zeeland and Julianne are members of a race called the Therians. The Therians were shapeshifters once upon a time, but now they only shift in their dreams. They apparently have an enemy that could control some interesting magic. Zeeland left Julianne when he began to see her as a woman and felt Julianne was far too young. Julianne has waited for Zeeland for the last ten years, though the Therians are ok with free love and free bed partners.

This story was rather weak. The Therians didn’t make much sense, with their shapeshifting past and how they lost it. The backstory needed wasn’t really there. The characters all seemed a bit flat as well, there wasn’t much development. Not my cup of tea.

Grade: D

Kiss and Kill Cupid by Jamie Rush

This one was cute at first. Then came the serial killer’s thoughts and I was totally turned off. Especially when Kat, the heroine, hears these thoughts but can’t hear the thoughts of Adrian, the hero. Oh, and they’re part of a secret government project. I couldn’t get through this story at all. I’m not a bit suspense fan and the serial killer’s thoughts in the first couple of pages made me not want to read it.

Grade: DNF

I don’t know what overall grade to give this one, since the last story was a DNF.

Overall grade: C (or DNF)

Sandy M’s review of Ladies Prefer Rogues by Janet Chapman, Sandra Hill, Veronica Wolff and Trish Jensen
Time Travel Romance anthology published by Berkley 2 Feb 10

I’m not a huge fan of anthologies. Sometimes they work for me, but most of the time they don’t. It takes an exceptional author to pull off a short story in the same vein as a novel, giving a reader characters to love, an intriguing storyline, and all those other things we look for. I had pretty good hopes for this time travel anthology. Two of the authors have given me great stories before, one hasn’t, and one I had yet to read, so I didn’t know what to expect. You can say I’m certainly surprised now that it’s all said and done.

Man from the Moon by Janet Chapman

Ms. Chapman is one of my favorite time travel authors. I’ve read her entire Highlander series to date and have loved every one of them. This novella is futuristic, so just slightly different from her Highlanders.

Warriors travel to present-day earth to try to save mankind from a catastrophic event that will happen in the future. When one of them is injured, they mistake veterinarian Isobel for an M.D.

Isobel is a strong, intelligent, and very capable woman, although one who has not been lucky in love. As she spends time with these extraordinary men, she begins to believe their story and eventually agrees to help them the best she can in their monumental and incredible task.

In the end she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice, or will she find the love that has always been out of her before?

Grade: B

Summary:

In Maine four men abduct Isobel the veterinarian because their leader Daniel has a tree limb rooted into his body. She is to care for him although she is not a human doctor. They conceal they search for an extinct animal to save mankind in their time, 2243.

No excerpt found.

Tomorrow Is Another Day by Sandra Hill

At the time I read this Sandra Hill story, I’d  read only one other of her books and I didn’t care for it much at all. In fact, I didn’t finish it. So things didn’t bode well for me when I began this short one. And things did not get better.

As the title indicates, there’s a sort of leaning toward Gone with the Wind, but even that doesn’t save this mess. The time travel portion is actually okay. The heroine is thrown back to 1870 where she meets a man who looks eerily like someone she met in present day. What I didn’t like about this story is the attitudes of both the hero and the heroine.

Laurent is a man of his time, struggling to keep his plantation up and running. Margo, being the modern woman she is, doesn’t try to blend in other than donning clothes she’s not used to. He wants nothing to do with her, she pities him at times, but they end up in bed in no time flat. She even goes behind his back in what she calls helping out, not bothering to think ahead about how Laurent might react to such a thing, which turns out to be an over-the-top reaction that didn’t endear him to me one bit.

From the beginning there wasn’t anything that made me like these two characters, so I never really cared what happened to them throughout the story. There’s just too much silliness going on that I didn’t enjoy much about them.

Grade: F

Summary:

Navy Seals Cage LeBlanc and Sly Simms register their buddy Larry Wilson on the Extreme Dating web site. He is unaware why women keep showing up to date him until his buddies explain what they did to him. He travels to New Orleans to meet owner Margo Baptiste. When an elevator crashes with her inside, she ends up in 1870 where she meets siblings Lette and Laurent Duvall. Margo quickly becomes a matchmaker though she is attracted to Laurent who looks like Larry.

No excerpt found.

The Drowning Sex by Veronica Wolff

I’m becoming more of a fan of Veronica Wolff with each book I read, especially due to the fact I wasn’t all that thrilled with her first two. She gets better and better with time. This novella is my second favorite of the four.

What is done so well is how Ms. Wolff connects past and present for these characters, and love and death which transcend time. Iain has spent twenty years trying to forget how his love died at the hands of her father and also wanting to avenge her death. He’s now an infamous pirate when fate once again intervenes in his life.

You have to read this one for yourself, because to say any more will just give too much away. Let’s just say you’ll love the twists that you’ll never expect.

Grade: A

Summary:

In 1662, Iain sees his beloved love, Cassie die from a stab wound as her father prepares to hang him. He escapes becoming a cabin boy for a privateer. Two decades later he is notorious pirate Black John MacNab still waiting to avenge his loss.

No excerpt found.

Sixteen Decades by Trish Jensen

I’ve not read Ms. Jensen before, but after such enjoyment with this short story, I’m pulling her books from the TBR pile as soon as possible. This one is my favorite.

Maggie has just learned she’s inherited a brothel. Before she has time to really figure out what her father was thinking, she’s knocked out, trussed up and thrown into a shed, only to awaken sixteen decades in the future. She knows the sheriff did it.

Investigating a missing person case, Ty discovers a woman in a shed on the the Rooster Ranch property who believes he’s the culprit behind her captivity. She insists she’s a teacher from 1850, and as he gets to know her, he begins to believe every word she says and fall in love with her in the process.

Learning that it’s a world of difference for women between her time and present day, Maggie is getting used to being her own person in this strange new land. The only thing is, can she trust that sheriff’s ancestor with her heart?

Grade: A

Summary:

In Little Fork, Nevada, Sheriff Ty Coltraine is with Rooster Ranch madam Fannie Mae investigating a missing person’s case. He hears a plea for help and finds Margaret “Maggie” Prescott who insists she was a teacher in 1850 who inherited a ranch from her father only to learn it was a brothel; someone knocked her out and locked her in a shed. She thinks his ancestor is the guilty party.

No excerpt found.

So this anthology is just so-so on one hand for me, but on the other I’ve found a new author to enjoy and two others who I know will keep giving me great stories in the future. I do have to confess that since reading this book I have read one of Sandra Hill’s Viking novels, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. So I’m going to be giving her another go when I come across another of those books I have stashed away.

All-in-all, not as bad a time as I thought I’d have with an anthology.

Overall Grade: B

Sandy M’s review of A Christmas Ball by Jennifer Ashley, Emily Bryan and Alissa Johnson
Historical Romance published by Leisure Books 29 Sep 10

If any of you read my reviews over the past holiday season, you’ll know I was on the search for a really feel-good Christmas story. I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for at the time. When I was offered the chance to read A Christmas Ball by three terrific historical authors, I jumped at the chance, even though the holiday season was months ago. While these three novellas don’t quite embody the Christmas-y feeling I was after either, it truly doesn’t matter because they’re each so good. That’s what big-name authors will do for you every time.

My Lady Below Stairs by Emily Bryan

This is my first story by Emily Bryan, and I have to say I’m very pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Jane is the illegitimate daughter of the house, a servant, as her station requires, instead of going to balls and all else that comes with noble birth. She’s in love with Ian, the estate’s head groom, but when family calls she sides with them, doing as they ask though it goes against the grain for her.

Posing as Lady Sybil, her half-sister, Jane is to accept a marriage proposal from Lord Eddleton at the Hartwell’s ball, thereby saving the family from disgrace since Sybil has once again been selfish.  She’s run off with her current lover. It sounds so simple. And it should have been, if it hadn’t been for Ian.

He’s not happy watching his love waltz around with man after man and then accept marriage from a man who Ian knows won’t be faithful. But Ian does have second thoughts when he realizes he can’t give Jane the life she’s been entitled to but never had.

Summary:

Nobody misses Lord & Lady Hartwell’s Christmas Ball . . .

But they all go for different reasons. When Lady Sybil runs off with an Italian portrait painter, her bastard half-sister Jane Tate goes in her place. Lord Eddleton plans on proposing to “Sybil” under the mistletoe. Lady Darvish is on the hunt for her fifth husband.

And Ian Michael MacGregor is determined to show Jane that love doesn’t have to pretend.

Grade: B

The Longest Night by Jennifer Ashley

This story is a continuation of Ms. Ashley’s Nvengarian series, and we last saw Mary at the end of Highlander Ever After when Valenin was injured and asked Mary to come to him once he was home in Nvengaria. I had hoped at the time I read and reviewed HEA that Valentin and Mary would eventually get their story. Ms. Ashley, once again, doesn’t disappoint.

We find out that Mary never did take Valentin up on his offer, for various reasons of her own. He’s now back in England on another mission for his Prince and as luck would have it, he shows up at a ball where Mary is chaperoning a young girl as a favor to a friend.

The heat and attraction is still there between them and Valentin does his best to seduce Mary into his bed and into finally going home with him. But suddenly there is danger everywhere and neither of them may survive to be together in either England or Nvengaria.

Summary:

Nvengarian shapeshifter Baron Valentin arrives at the ball to continue his pursuit of his beloved Mary Cameron, who has run away from love.

Grade: B

Traditions by Alissa Johnson

This novella is my favorite of the three. Ms. Johnson had me grinning from ear to ear from beginning to end in this engaging story.

William is an earl and he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s already picked out the perfect candidate and now he only has to ask that most important question. Locating her at the Hartwell’s ball proves difficult, but when he finally spies her, all of his well-laid plans fly right out the window.

All because of another young woman who isn’t a beauty, who isn’t well born, but can stuff a huge piece of cake into her mouth all at once. Watching Patience perform that little feat makes him want to get to know her better, and when he does it’s her intelligence and wit, her humor and laughter that capture his heart.

The characters are charming and the dialogue is loads of fun. Ms. Johnson has become a favorite of mine over the last couple of years, and she proves once again why that is.

Summary:

Prim and proper Casslebury plans to court Miss Caroline Meldrin, but to his chagrin is attracted to her wild friend Miss Patience Byerly.

Grade: B+

Overall Grade: B

Lynne Connolly‘s review of His Little Black Book by Heather MacAllister
Contemporary romance, single author anthology released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Mar 10

This is a collection of three stories all circulating around a Houston advertising agency. The stories varied, but the storytelling was solid and they were a nice way to spend a little time.

The anthology is topped and tailed by the story of Jonathan Black, who runs one of the teams at the agency. He secures the company beach house for the weekend and sends a message to his woman of choice to meet him there. Unfortunately he sends the text to everyone in his “little black book,” that is, the list on his phone.

There’s a storm brewing, which puts everybody’s plans out.

I won’t tell you how his story ends, since it’s the conclusion of the collection, but I do have to say that I really enjoyed that part. It works out the way I wanted it to.

“Text and the Single Girl”

Adrian Dean is the inventor of a home gym and it’s made a lot of money for him, but he is considering taking a Super Bowl ad to boost his product. So the agency lent him the beach house, but he’s planning to leave early. He’s packing up his kit when Sophie arrives. Sophie is a junior on the team, and she thinks Jonathan invited her to the beach house to join a beach party. She’s ambitious, and wants to get on. Ross, Jonathan’s second, has stolen her ideas, which she knows is par for the course, but she’d hoped that would advance her career.

I liked that Sophie wanted a career and was savvy about it. And I liked that Adrian had a body to die for but an ordinary face. I loved them together. The banter is great and they stay in character. When Mia realizes something about the campaign and is angry, Adrian is at first bewildered. My only doubt about this was the instant falling in love, but since they don’t immediately want to marry and breed, I could accept that too. I had a fun time with Sophie and Adrian.

Grade: B+

Story Summary:

“Text and the Single Girl” – Junior copywriter Sophie Callahan is thrilled that Jonathan Black has invited her to one of his legendary beach parties, but a storm is approaching and when she arrives, the only person there is the advertising agency’s most important client.  It’s the opportunity of a lifetime if Sophie can resist the temptation to mix business and pleasure.

“Text Appeal”

Mia Weiss is the scheduler for the team. She is on the way to the beach house to meet Jonathan when, because of the storm, her car ends up in the ditch. She is rescued by the owner of a local restaurant, Kevin Powell, who is preparing sandwiches to take to the local shelter, since his power has been knocked out by the storm and so the contents of his freezers will spoil.

Kevin, not surprisingly, is annoyed to be asked to help by the local authorities, and since he can’t produce any ID, Mia at first refuses to open her car doors so he can help. I loved this. Just because he’s ripped, it doesn’t make him trustworthy. But eventually he persuades her and eventually Mia ends up helping him make the sandwiches – and other things.

Kevin’s reasons for holding Mia off are realistic, and thank all the gods of Harlequin, it isn’t because his mother hated him, or he had a girlfriend who was a nasty bitch. No, it makes sense. The speed of their relationship is a little too much, but I could let that pass, because I enjoyed their characters and the way they behaved. Mia wants her career. Hooray. So another B+ for this one.

Grade: B+

Story Summary:

“Text Appeal” – Mia hopes the invitation means the famously hard-to-hook Jonathan wants a commitment–which would be great if only she hadn’t been stranded by the storm and rescued by Kevin, her fantasy beach cowboy.

“Safe Text”

For me, this was the weakest of the trio of stories and it’s mainly due to the characters involved. Gil Shaughnessy is a successful creative and works with his partner, Paul, successfully. He has been in love with Cammy Philips for years, but she only has eyes for Jonathan Black. Paul accuses him of stalking her, and while he doesn’t mean her any harm, yes, I’d agree with Paul. His behaviour, things like making spreadsheets of her likes and dislikes, made me uncomfortable.

Cammy gave up a successful creative career to be Jonathan’s assistant. Poorly paid and at his beck and call, she’s mooned after him for years, but he hasn’t taken notice of her. That despite his wolfish way of life, honing the ability to pick up women and drop them right under her eyes.

So, yes, this is the story of a stalker and a pathetic heroine but because I enjoyed the other two stories, I persevered with this one. I can see what McAllister was trying to do with this story – show the way people swept things clean and got on with their lives – but I couldn’t get with the people in this one, and I can’t say that I enjoyed it as much as the others. I would have preferred it if Cammy had wanted to change, rather than been stuck on Jonathan for so long, and I did like the fact that Gil had decided to stop dressing for Cammy and pleasing her. That part helped to redeem this one, a bit.

Grade: C-

Story Summary:

“Safe Text” – Jonathan’s assistant, Cammy, has been hopelessly in love with him for three years and now he’s finally noticed her. So how does she end up naked in the backseat of a car with Gil, her former creative partner?

I can’t say too much about the epilogue, since it concludes Jonathan’s part in the story of the storm, but it was great and I loved it. Jonathan got what he deserved, which is all I’m saying.

I think that makes this an overall B. Lovely, witty dialogue and believable characters brought this book right up into the fun read for me, but I couldn’t get on with the couple in the last story.

Overall Grade: B

Book blurb:

Three women head to a luxurious beach house after a womanizing bachelor accidentally texts a sexy invitation to his entire little black book.

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Limecello’s review of Laced With Desire by Jaci Burton, Jasmine Haynes, Joey W. Hill, Denise Rossetti
Erotic romance anthology released by Berkley Trade 2 Feb 10

I read Unlaced, which is the book before this one, and enjoyed it. I really liked Laced with Desire as well. Admittedly, I thought some of it was a little weird, but overall I thought it was well written. There’s definitely a lot of variety in it, and seems to be a pretty good representation of all the authors. I liked that for this being an erotic romance anthology, there was a heavy focus on the relationship between the characters, and emotions as well.

No Strings Attached by Jaci Burton

I have to admit, I love the story line Jaci Burton used – the “forbidden woman” as well as friends to lovers. Ella has been widowed for five years, and while she’s done amazingly in business, personally, she’s let her live stagnate. She goes off to Hawaii, and her over protective friend Clay is driven to go and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid… and finds he’s more than attracted to her

It’s nice that Ella and Clay had a relationship prior to the impetuous trip to Hawaii. Even more, that Clay had been friends with Ella and her deceased husband. The fact that Ms. Burton addressed the complicated relationship, and the anxieties and misgivings Ella might have, really gave this story depth.

It also makes Clay that much more likable. Yes, both character avoid their emotions, and there’s a bit of run around, but for a novella, I thought it was extremely well written.

The story is hot, the characters fit, and nothing too outrageous happens. The characters were also very natural, believable, and developed. I’m very much looking forward to Ms. Burton’s next book – it seems her writing only gets better.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Jaci Burton breaks the rule of mixing business with pleasure when two professional rivals cross paths at a tropical resort. She figures she can handle a fling with no strings attached. He’s out to show her that she figured wrong.

Read an excerpt here.

La Petite Mort by Jasmine Haynes

For those of you who like such stories, the hero and heroine in this novella are slightly older. (In their 40s or more.) Sophia was a model, but has lived the consummate life. She made a mistake while young, and due to the alienation it caused with her father, has been extremely careful since. The fact that she thinks she may be dying makes for a believable catalyst in making changes.

This story features a threesome, but somehow Ms. Haynes makes it seem very personal still, and that it brings Sophia and Ford closer together, rather than adding complications. I don’t know how she does it, but it’s believable.

In a way, the biggest hang up might be the fact that Ford is Sophia’s boss.
There isn’t a lot of substance to this story, as the word/page constraints limit that, but I thought that Ford and Sophia were well developed. I got a sense of who they were, and understood their characters. And the fact that they liked and admired each other before entering a physical relationship – and that it was natural, if not bound to happen.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Jasmine Haynes explores the lust of a former supermodel who needs to finally fulfill a no-holds-barred sexual fantasy. Finding two men to do it with is easy. But are they up to giving her all the pleasure she’s been denied?

Read an excerpt here.

Honor Bound by Joey W. Hill

I have to say… I was not expecting this story. It features and interesting dynamic with a dominant and submissive. It’s a continuation of the Knights of the Boardroom, and admittedly, this novella is why I was so excited for the entire anthology. I’ve only read the previous story, and I think my selective reading left me confused. Nonetheless, there’s a lot of sexy, kinky stuff going on in this story. And, a lot in general, with layers and emotions and characters.

All the males are dominants, the women submissives. (More so in this story, than the others, which is some of the cause for my surprise.)

Additionally, both Dana and Peter are soldiers. I liked that they had that commonality, and that Ms. Hill treated it so realistically. Dana is actually injured, and blinded, and worse. While tragic, I appreciated the fact that the characters are wounded in battle, rather than superhuman and making war seem like a day at the amusement park.
It also leads to a very complex psychological push and pull between Dana and Peter, because there’s the question of their relationship (or lack thereof), and the reasons why they might get back together.

I liked the love at first sight concept, and the fact that even though Peter is the dominant, he writes to Dana for a year, knowing she won’t respond. There’s give and take to the relationship, that had nice balance, and made me believe in a real romantic relationship between the two. It helped me understand more of BDSM, I suppose. It’s definitely not my thing, but I could see how and why it was for Dana, and that also made me like and appreciate Honor Bound.

Grade: B

Summary:

Joey W. Hill reveals the erotic bond between a master and the beautiful submissive who stole his heart. Recapturing their night of unparalleled passion won’t be easy—until a specific piece of lingerie comes into play.

When not called up by the National Guard, Peter Winston is a successful businessman, part of the K&A management team. Like the other four members, he’s also a sexual Dominant, adept at bringing a woman to pleasurable surrender. The night before he heads out on his second Afghanistan tour, he meets Dana, a sexual submissive who gets into his head and heart the way no woman ever has.

But Dana is also an Army sergeant. It will be over a year before they see one another again, and when they do, she’s suffered injuries that took her sight and will to live. With the creative use of a corset and the talents of the other K&A males, Peter sets the stage for another special night for them, knowing that only a submissive’s willingness to trust her Master will bring her back to love and life again.

Read an excerpt here.

Rhio’s Dancer by Denise Rossetti

There was a lot going on in this story, but I found the ending to be really cute. I did feel that I might be missing something by not having read many of Denise Rossetti’s other books. This is a fantasy romance, and a continuation from Ms. Rossetti’s novella in Unlaced, and I liked that a lot. We get a cameo visit from the previous couple, and a happy ending for Rhio and Amae (Dancer).

The setting makes things a bit difficult, and some time needs to be spent describing the world, social structure, and political system, even, but there’s still a nice connection between Rhio and Amae. Yes, sex brings them together, and there’s this whole sub plot to stop the assassination of the queen (like how I just threw that out there? It’s not the main focus of the story anyway…) it all works to bring Rhio and Amae together.

Amae is damaged – she’s been a slave for fifteen years, and for all that Rhio is a hardened captain, he’s a genuinely nice guy. There’s a scene where he’s cuddling with Amae, and she expresses surprise. The juxtaposition of sex and violence and soft tender moments rounds everything out nicely.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Denise Rossetti goes beyond the limits of desire when she pairs a battle-scarred veteran of love and war with a woman who’s just as fearless and twice as dangerous. What happens between them is positively combustible. But what a way to go.

Rhio’s a battle-scarred veteran of both love and war, a soldier right down to his bootstraps. But he’s never met a woman as fierce, as fascinating – as dangerous – as Dancer. And she’s up to her pretty neck in political intrigue. She just might kill him before they’re through, but what a glorious way to go!

Read an excerpt here.

I have to say, each story was distinct, and yet incorporated a corset on some level. It was nice to get the whole “laced with desire” idea into all four in such different ways. Cute, and well done.

Overall Grade: B

Summary:

Rough hands rounding the curves of a soft warm body—caressing, stroking,
edging her toward exquisite pleasure…

Seduction is a cinch in these four all-new sizzling stories from the hot authors of Unlaced…

Gwen’s review of The Lost by J.D. Robb, Patricia Gaffney, Mary Blayney, and Ruth Ryan Langan
Anthology released by Jove 24 Nov 09

This anthology came to me by way of Sybil and her bottomless bag o’  books.  It’s an interesting mix of all sorts of stories, some romance, some not. A nice way to while away some time waiting in line at your kid’s school at dismissal time.

I suppose there’s a common theme in the stories, though it’s tenuous.  As I write these reviews I’ll try to point out the things holding them together.  Meanwhile, on with the reviews…

Missing In Death by J.D. Robb
Futuristic Suspense (93-pages)

This is a very good entry in the Eve Dallas world.  It revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a woman on a ferry and an apparent murder with no body.

The story is delightfully twisty and turny, with lots of sleuthing by Eve and Peabody.  The story talks to old hurts and long-held revenge.  It’s a good In Death story – not the best, but still quite good.

Now to the anth title: I suppose the “lost” things in this story would be the body, the woman on the ferry, and the villain’s family.

Grade: B

Summary:

Wile investigating a woman’s disappearance on a New York City ferry, Detective Eve Dallas wonders… if she didn’t jump, and she’s not on board, then where in the world is she?

Read an excerpt here.

The Dog Days of Laurie Summer by Patricia Gaffney
Chick-lit (90-pages)

This was an odd little story.  A tad too long, and not really a romance.  However, it does describe the heroine’s love for her family, and how she falls back in love with them

I classified this as “chick lit” because it’s a nice little tale about how a woman rediscovers the love she has for her life, her family, and her self.  Prior to a literal life-changing event, our heroine, Laurie, was a pretty typical type-A personality.  She worked too much and thought too little about what was really important in her life.  The event shocks her out of this rut and spins her out into a truly odd road of discovery.

I enjoyed this story, though this kind of writing is not really my bag.

The anth title: I’m guessing the “lost” things in this story would be the heroine’s awareness of her family.

Grade: C

Summary:

After recovering from a severe accident, a woman awakens to a world as familiar as it is strange and unsettling.

Read an excerpt here.

Lost In Paradise by Mary Blayney
Paranormal/Inspirational Romance (87-pages)

This was an unusual little story.  It reads quick and has a nice pace, though I found the genre, and thus the book, a little tough to pin down.  It’s a definite “slash” book.

The romance between the main characters is a little convenient and quick.  I know that short stories and anthology entries force an author to truncate some things, but this romance felt even too quick for that.

I called this a “paranormal/inspirational” because it is the heroine’s strong faith in God and her purity that helps break a curse.  Though, in true romance novel fashion, she doesn’t remain a virgin for long with the hero’s manliness on the scene.  And this was part of my personal confusion with the book.  I didn’t know where to stand on it – figuratively speaking.

Good, but not great story.

The anth title: I suppose the “lost” things in this story is the hero and his hope.

Grade: C

Summary:

A man cursed to stay behind the walls of an island fortress finds hope in a nuirse who’s shipwrecked and in possession of the one thing that could set him free.

No excerpt available.

Legacy by Ruth Ryan Langan
Contemporary Romance (88-pages)

This was the only true “romance” of all the stories in the book. And it’s quite good.

I like the heroine, though she is a bit milquetoast for me.  The hero is extremely yummy.  Their romance develops quickly, but is believable.  The plot twists involving her family are a bit silly in their complexity and seeming secrecy, but nonetheless lend a decent amount of suspense to the story.

This is a fun romance to read.

The anth title: the “lost” things in this story are the heroine and her family.

Grade: B

Summary:

In the wake of her mother’s death, a young woman’s travels unearth a family secret buried on the grounds of a magnificent but imposing Irish estate.

No excerpt available.

I liked this anthology. The Robb and Ryan Langan stories make it worth the purchase.  The other two stories are good, but forgettable.  If you’re following the In Death stories, you shouldn’t miss this one.

Overall Grade: B-

Blurb:

Four bestselling authors venture into a world where the rules of love, of time, and of place can be forever lost…

Limecello’s review of Double the Heat by Lori Foster, Deirdre Martin, Elizabeth Bevarly, Christie Ridgway
Contemporary romance released by Berkley Trade 1 Dec 09

I’ve actually been waiting for this book since I read Double the Pleasure. A new Winston story? Heck, a new Lori Foster novella? Yeah – I was curious. Stories by Deirdre Martin, and Christie Ridgway were just a bonus. As well as Elizabeth Bevarly – I’d never read her books, but have heard good things-  so I was excited about this anthology.

Hart and Soul by Lori Foster

I liked this novella- and enjoyed it generally more than Ms. Foster’s more recent new stories. In fact, it reminded me again of why Ms. Foster was one of my favorite romance authors. I really enjoyed the romance in the story, and felt that the hero and heroine were well matched. As for the plot – that was definitely lacking and much less believable.

Hart Winston and Lisa Vogle are great characters. Hart is charming, clueless, and hot. He’s the guy everyone loved- the guy who gets everything he wants – and you don’t hate him because underneath it all he really is a nice guy. Lisa is smart, sweet, and likable. It helps that Hart has to grovel early on, and realizes first that he’s in love with Lisa. (This after his whambamthankyouma’am and disappearing act.)

The fact that Ms. Foster manages to get the reader past that is impressive. However, the reason why Lisa finds it “so imperative” to contact Hart is a let down. And the “action” thrown in to keep things interesting falls flat. I really could have done without it.

Nevertheless, Hart and Soul was ultimately just a quick, fun read, but not memorable. I had to skim through the novella again to remind myself of the key points to write this review.

Grade: C

Breaking the Ice by Deirdre Martin

The story had so much potential… but I couldn’t get over the fact that there was so little romance. Lennie Buckley and Sebastian Ivanov just… seemed a bit off for me. They started off as friends, and while they’re physically attracted to each other I couldn’t go with the emotional attraction. Lennie and Sebastian only hung out a few times – and to their, and Ms. Martin’s credit, they hold off on getting physical. Specifically, Sebastian originally is just looking for a friend, who is female. Lennie happens to be mistaken as his “meet and greet” and they hit it off. They’re determined to just be friends, but Lennie makes a move on Sebastian. He holds her off, and they just hang out – both lead busy lives.

A few weeks (I believe) later, they’re meeting each other’s family, and dating. And having sex, now. And then, Sebastian tells Lennie about his lack of job stability, and she goes crazy. Lennie is pretty bitchy, and I thought extreme, even for fiction. They have nothing to do with each other for three months… and then – they’re together again! O_o

But even more than that, their personalities didn’t seem to mesh. Lennie’s so focused on school, and a bit odd. Sebastian is, well, chivalrous, and doesn’t get Lennie’s love and fascination with retro and vintage clothing – and she’s a clothing designer. He’s a hockey player. Basically, I never really believed in Lennie and Sebastian’s romance, or that they’d work. Sad. I did love the cameo appearances by the other Blade players though.

Grade: D

Double Booked by Elizabeth Bevarly

If Ms. Bevarly’s writing is consistent, I’m sorry to say that she’s not the author for me. The premise of the story is cute, and I could get behind the “opposites attract” concept – but Double Booked was a bit much for me. I actually put the book down for a bit.

Amanda Bingham and Max Callahan are… well, spastic. I’m pretty well known for being random, and these characters made even my head hurt.

Amanda was so much a workaholic, that she was unreal. It just didn’t make sense that someone so smart, capable, and put together would cower like she did and kow tow to her boss. Yes it was part of her “character” – but otherwise, why?

Also, Max seemed to be too extreme as well. The listless, good for nothing bum, who only cares about getting laid and having a good time. He seems to be a loser, but then isn’t – and it almost seems like the sole reason his depiction changes, is because Amanda is attracted to him.

She’s so determined to have a fling, and avoid Max in general, working and ignoring her vacation- and then at the end Amanda does something completely out of character, and they’re in love. Maybe it was the length – basically the word limits that hurt this book – which may have been the pitfall for the other stories… but it just didn’t work for me here.
I could believe Amanda and Max as a vacation fling much more than a couple that would go back home to Chicago and stick together.

Grade: D

Original Zin by Christie Ridgway

John Henry Hudson, and Zinnia Friday are fantastic characters. This was also my favorite story by far. It was also the shortest novella in the book, which makes me incredibly sad.

Ms. Ridgway has a lot of humor in her story, but it’s also realistic. I was amused and entertained, but not rolling my eyes because situations were over exaggerated. Zinnia luckily goes by the name “Zin” and she has some hang ups. While skating the edge of believability, it works. Zin’s parents are hippies. She has a brother and sister. Kohl and Mari. Whose full names are Kohlrabi and Marigold. Those poor, poor children. Nevertheless, Ms. Ridgway sticks to her theme, and builds around it. This makes me believe the story, rather than making things seem hokey.

John Henry Hudson is your typical stick in the mud executive, but he’s got a sense of humor. I like that there’s a slight twist of him being something of a hound dog. Not in general – just that he’s super attracted to Zin and has decided to go after her with all of his considerable focus.

Zin and John Henry are actually quite compatible and similar. Both driven, workaholics who follow the rules.

I have to say… I love Zin. I love that she looks out for herself, that she gets mad and gets it out- and chooses what is best or most practical for her. She chooses her career, not love. Which elicits something of a “you go, girl!” response in me. But don’t worry – romance wins in the end, and there’s a happy ending. And it’s great. Suffice it to say, I’m determined to read more of Ms. Ridgway’s stories.

Grade: B+

Really, if you like these authors – Ms. Ridgway’s alone is enough to recommend reading this book. I really liked parts of each novella. I can definitely see myself re-reading sections… but unfortunately when taken as a whole, I found myself underwhelmed by a few of the stories. Has this turned me off the authors? No. I’m glad I read the stories – especially Hart’s, as it’s another Winston story and connected to the anthology Double the Pleasure – and even more so Ms. Ridgway’s Original Zin because it’s such a good read.

Final verdict? Eh – it’s ok. :X If you love the authors – read it. Get it from the library, thumb through it at the book store before you make your decision – do what you like. It’s worth reading. Worth $15.00 of reading… I’ll let you decide.

Overall Grade: C-

Summary:

What could be more fun than a game between friends- or lovers? In these four sexy stories of mixed-up couples and mistaken identities, it’s not about winning, but how much you like to play.

With a brand-new novella featuring Hart Winston, whose switch with his identically hot twin brother has landed him in some serious foul play, it’s a safe bet that in the game of love no one is going to follow the rules.

Read an excerpt by Lori Foster here.
Read an excerpt by Deirdre Martin here. here.
No excerpts from Ms. Bevarly or Ms. Ridgway, who both desperately need to update their websites.

Sandy M’s review of Beneath a Christmas Moon by Eden Robins, Ariana Dupre & Karen McCullough
Contemporary Paranormal Romance anthology published by Cerridwen Press 26 Sep 08

I’ve had this book lying about since last year and finally decided it’s time to read it since Christmas is coming up once again. It’s a good thing I wanted to read this anthology because of the paranormal aspect and not the holiday element. There’s not much Christmas going on. It’s talked about, yes, but no real celebration of the day or season is to be had. So if you’re looking for a Christmas book to get you into the holiday mood, this is not it.

Lander’s Moon by Eden Robins

I like the idea of this book, a man cursed by the gods to shift into a lion every night for eternity. Of course, what saves him is love, but before he finds that, he discovers a woman who’s been beaten in the snow, near death. Taking her home to care for her, his lust for her  grows, as does his admiration for her bravery and courage. He wants her and intends to have her soon, because he’ll have to force her on her way before too long.

Selena is vacationing with her current boyfriend when he finally lets loose and his true character beats her for small and insignificant things he has a problem with. Running when she has a chance, she soon loses herself in a raging blizzard. She wakes to find herself safe and warm in the home of a man who draws her but also makes her want to keep her distance. She’s finally learned her lesson she can’t fix the men she’s attracted to.

I really liked Lander. He’s living the best he can with his curse, and though he wants Selena fiercely, he’s willing to let her go so she’ll have a much better life than the one he’d give her. Selena is another story. I got a little tired of her harping on the fact she knows she can’t fix every bad boy she comes across, Lander is a bad boy, so it’s best to move on. By the time she moved on and decided she wanted him, I almost rather he’d gone out and found someone else, her attitude is that irritating.

Other than that, this is a good shifter story that has a twist of the gods thrown in. It’s actually nice to see a goddess not all wrapped up in herself, as most are. And I enjoyed the woman beater in this book getting what’s coming to him, having Lander dish it out. There’s a little talk of Christmas, but not much.

Grade: C+
Summary:

Free spirited healer, Selena Alvarez, has a thing for trying to save bad boys. Unfortunately, having to escape from a very violent one in the middle of a wicked snow storm, and being saved by a enormous beast isn’t exactly how she imagined spending her Christmas vacation. Lander Paletsos, the legendary Nemean Lion, is an immortal with an attitude. Cursed to walk the day as a human and prowl the night as a giant lion, he never expects to find an injured woman lost in his territory during a blizzard. Snow bound in Lander’s castle in the woods, neither wild beast nor brave beauty are prepared for the hot attraction that ignites between them.

Paradise Designs by Ariana Dupre

This novella could have been so much better, but, again, it’s the heroine that irritated me. She doesn’t want to use her psychic abilities, she’s blocked them since she was very young. Now she’s living in a condo resort that she’s just learned is haunted, so she wants out. Even meeting the man who’s helping save the resort’s reputation and who she’s instantly attracted to  isn’t enough to make her want to embrace this part of herself. If it had stopped at that point, I wouldn’t have had a problem with her, but she goes on and on about this, nearly whining every time David tries to get her to loosen up and use her abilities. It takes way too long for her to get there.

David himself I liked. He’s open to the paranormal. He’s mightily attracted to Tara. He tries to help her with her fear, even in the face of her obstinacy in wanting to deal with it all. The man has the patience of a saint, as far as I’m concerned. But love saves the day, he finally gets Tara to a point where she agrees to use her gift to figure out the reason the resort is currently being haunted.

If it weren’t for Tara’s attitude, this would have been a much better read for me. Again, however, there isn’t much in the way of Christmas, a mention or memory or two and that’s it.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Tara Simms is determined to create a new beginning for herself this holiday season. She’s purchased a new condo on Miami Beach in the ultra chic Paradise Designs Resort and Spa where there is no chance of paranormal activity. She’s left the paranormal at her last apartment but still fights the whispers that have always been part of her life. She refuses to accept the psychic abilities that run in her family and blocks the whispers. She’s looking for a new man and thinks that David Blake, the lead realtor at the high-rise, is a good prospect.

David quickly sends her best laid plans on a roller coaster ride when he tells Tara that Paradise Designs is haunted. An unsolved murder, construction workers who swear they’ve seen a ghost and a newscast featuring the Haunted Hi-Rise confirm her worst fears. When Tara sees the spirit of a woman enter her condo she freaks out. David offers his protection and his apartment. Together Tara and David must solve the murder and help the spirit into the light. By facing the paranormal and her psychic abilities, will Tara find a new beginning filled with love?

Vampire’s Christmas Carol by Karen McCullough

Of the three novellas in this anthology, this one is best, and that’s even despite another heroine who whines a little too much. At least Carol doesn’t take it quite as far as the previous two. Her fear is staying in the presence of a vampire who refuses to drink human blood to save his life. Michael has gone 100 years without doing so, he’s never wanted to lose his humanity. But now at the end of those 100 years, he’s face with either taking blood and completely losing his soul or dying. He’s chosen death.

Carol is on her way home for Christmas when she has a car accident and knocks on Michael’s door seeking safety from the snow storm raging outside. After first refusing her entry due to his situation, he finally agrees to give her shelter, but he also gives her the knowledge she needs to keep herself safe from him as he goes through his own private hell.

Waiting for death to claim him, Michael and Carol trade Christmas memories from their childhoods, all the while living through his painfully slow demise. They also get intermittent visits from Michael’s sire, who tries his evil best to lure Michael into living as a vampire should. The book actually picks up and is at its best near the end when Carol makes the only decision she can for both of them.

Grade: B

Summary:

Can Christmas Eve be any more fun? On her way home, Carol’s car slides into a ditch in a deserted area. The only available shelter is already occupied…by a vampire.

To Michael, Carol is the bait in a trap. In an effort to hold on to his soul, Michael has resisted the urge to drink human blood for almost a century. Now he hovers between human and vampire. If he doesn’t drink human blood before the night ends, he’ll die. Carol is pure temptation to him, the Christmas present from hell…or heaven.

Overall Grade: C

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Cowboy Christmas by Carol Finch, Elizabeth Lane & Pam Crooks
Historical romance anthology released by Harlequin Historical 01 Oct 09

Holiday time means two things.  1) Harlequin starts churning out the Christmas-themed books and 2) Wendy’s wallet starts quietly sobbing.  It doesn’t help matters that Harlequin has a habit of offering up a western historical anthology.  So I started Cowboy Christmas with some anticipation, settling in for what I hoped would be a solid, heartwarming collection.  Unfortunately, none of the stories inspired more than just an “Meh, it’s OK” reaction from me.

A Husband For Christmas by Carol Finch

Victoria “Tori” Thurston enjoys her life in a tiny west Texas town where she runs her own bakery.  Her parents are major movers in Fort Worth society, which means they have the perfect potential husband picked out for her.  Naturally Tori isn’t overeager to abandon her business to wed some stuffed shirt, so she tells her parents it’s too late, she’s already married to local marshal, Logan Daniels.  However now she’s really in the soup.  Her parents expect her home for Christmas and they want to meet this mysterious husband.  Now all she has to do is convince Logan to play her husband for a quick holiday visit home.  Surely that won’t be too difficult.

This is the humorous story in the anthology, and Finch does a nice job keeping the proceedings fairly light and fluffy.  Unfortunately she skims over a lot of the sticker details in order to achieve that goal.  Tori has always played second fiddle to her gorgeous older sister.  She has a good relationship with The Chosen One, but her parents, while not mean-spirited, are offhandedly neglectful of the more enterprising Tori.  None of this family baggage is really addressed, other than for Tori to realize that her sister’s life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  I also was disappointed there wasn’t more than a passing western flavor to this tale.  Honestly the author could have plucked these characters up and dropped them anywhere else in time or place and the story wouldn’t have changed all that much.

Grade = C







The Homecoming by Elizabeth Lane

Clay McAllister has spent the last three years in prison because of his reckless, stupid younger brother.  All he wants is to return to his ranch, his wife Elise and their young son.  When he arrives though, he discovers the ranch in disrepair and Elise less than happy to see him.  Why had Buck never returned home, delivering the money they made on their last cattle drive together like Clay had begged him to?

I love holiday stories that center around redemption and forgiveness.  However, this one hinges on one of the more insulting plot devices around – The Character Who Won’t Read Letters That Explain Everything.  Yep, you guessed it.  Clay wrote his wife faithfully from prison and she marked them all Return To Sender without reading them.  So naturally while she thinks she knows what happened, she really doesn’t.  Honestly, who the hell does this?  It makes absolutely no sense.  Also, while there is more than enough conflict to keep this story chugging along, there’s really too much conflict to keep this story chugging along.  If ever a story was begging for a full-length treatment, this one is it.

Grade = C







The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride by Pam Crooks

Allethaire “Allie” Gibson is returning to Montana in disgrace.  She’s been accused of embezzling money from a fundraiser she was spearheading back in Minneapolis, and she needs to see her father in Montana to explain her innocence.  That’s when the train is held up by outlaws and they find a whole wad of cash in her trunk!  But she’s innocent!  Before the authorities on the train can take her in for questioning, she’s saved by local rancher,Mikolas “Mick” Vasco who was nearby when he heard the train stop in the middle of the tracks.  He spirits Allie away, determined to help her clear her name.  There’s one small wrinkle though – a few years back Mick was one of the men who kidnapped Allie for ransom!

This is a sequel of sorts to the author’s previous book, The Cattleman’s Unsuitable Wife.  If you haven’t read that story, this one is a bit rocky.  Mostly because the majority of the conflict is a holdover from that book.  Once the author catches the reader up to speed, it sails along at a smoother clip, but too much is glossed over.  Namely the heroine’s compulsion for drinking brandy in secret and the small matter of the stolen money, which is apparently going to be fodder for a future book.  Which ultimately makes this story nothing but a placeholder between books.  If you’re a fan, you’ll likely want to read this one.  Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot here for newcomers.

Grade = C

All in all these stories never rated above OK for me.  This anthology was a quick pleasant read, but it didn’t set my world on fire.  If you’re hooked on Crooks’ series, this one is probably worth a look.  Otherwise, while it’s a decent diversion, it didn’t have a whole lot of staying power.

Overall Grade: C

Summary:

Twelve days of Christmas—three heartwarming romances!

A Husband for Christmas by Carol Finch

To reassure her overprotective parents, Victoria Thurston must convince the town marshal to be her “holiday husband.” But the magical, festive air—and Tori’s luminous green eyes—make it very difficult for Logan Daniels to keep to their marriage in name only!

The Homecoming by Elizabeth Lane

Brooding rancher Clay McAllister paid his reckless brother’s dues in a tough Kansas jail. Now Clay must win back his beautiful wife, Elise. And, after three years apart, some yuletide passion is just what Clay and Elise need to reignite the fire that still smolders between them….

The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride by Pam Crooks

With her reputation cruelly slandered, Allethaire Gibson is forced to flee to the snowy Montana mountains. There the dazzling socialite unexpectedly finds a Christmas romance with a man who has fought for respect just as she has—rugged cattleman Mikolas Vasco!

Read an excerpt – Finch Story, Lane Story, no excerpt found for Crooks story

Other books in this series:

Limecello’s review of Tails of Love by Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, Kate Angell, Dianne Castell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Special romantic fiction anthology released by Berkley Desire 1 Jun 09

I’d like to start out by noting that this book was written for charity- that all author and agent proceeds are going to a no-kill animal shelter. And that yes, I feel incredibly guilty about it… but I did not enjoy this book overall. The reason I finished it was because, well the book was written for charity, and it deserves a review, and also I think Sybil would have killed me if I didn’t finish it. So here we go. 

There were parts that I enjoyed, and I found some new to me authors that I plan to look into. I think also the fact that there were so many authors participating led to limited or restrictive page lengths, and that really hurt a number of the stories.

As I mentioned, a number of the novellas are incredibly short, so I’m not going to do an formal review of each one, per se. Some of the stories featured unique animals.

Ann Christopher’s novella, Atticus Saves Lisa, features a capuchin monkey. Too adorable – and its a therapy pet. Her story is well written, emotional, complete, has great characters, and is one of my favorites in this anthology.

Kate Angell’s story, Norah’s Arc, has a pygmy goat, which is cute. The interaction between the characters is also nice, and there’s a good balance between them and the animals.

Marcia James’s story, Rescue Me, was also very well written. The animal here is a Chinese crested dog. I’m impressed because her story is great, yes, but in a way mostly because she made me like cresties. And… if you’ve ever seen “ugliest dog” contest pictures, you’d know why that’s surprising. The characters have history, which also helps make this novella more realistic. It feels complete, although I would have liked more.

Sarah McCarty’s novella, Danny’s Dog, also pleasantly surprised me. I’ve read a few of Ms. McCarty’s other books, and this one was not what I was expecting. It was all about the plot, and characters, and it was rip your heart out and stomp it into the ground gut wrenching. I felt the character’s pain, and their emotions were so raw, and real. It’s a great story – I cried.

I enjoyed Lori Foster’s story, Man’s Best Friend, and was glad that it was an original one, but it was so short. Only 34 pages, and I felt that things were a bit rushed, and really it was only one scene between characters, not a story.

I don’t know what the page restrictions were, but I think writing for the anthology – not even really a novella, made it difficult for the authors to complete a story. Also, there wasn’t much cohesion within the anthology aside from animals being a part. Some novellas are contemporaries, others paranormal, or historical. This means there’s something for everyone, but it’s a little bit distracting. I think it’d help to read one story, put the book down, then come back to it, rather than reading them all in one sitting.

Some authors made animals characters, with cats and dogs talking, and I don’t mean were-animals. Although one novella did have a were-dog. Sometimes this was fine the story felt natural, but sometimes it did not. I found it very odd, and there was a distinct lack of flow in certain stories. For example the reader might jump from a cat, to a dog’s perspective – and it seems rather childlike or in the tone of a children’s book… and then all of a sudden you’re reading about the hero’s erection. The word “dissonance” comes to mind.

I’m afraid some of the stories simply didn’t work – not only were they not believable, but felt rushed and incomplete. I also kept wondering if this was actually a romance anthology or not, because so many stories ended abruptly, or without what seemed to be any real romance or relationship.

Nevertheless, there are some really great stories in Tails of Love and there were good things about each novella. I’m definitely interested in reading more books by some of the authors that I haven’t read before, such as Ann Christopher, Marcia James, and Patricia Sargeant. Others are authors that I’ve read before, and will continue to read. This anthology was written for a great cause, and that’s the most important thing of all.

Overall Grade: D+

Summary:

Ten all-new stories that celebrate our animal friends, by bestselling and award-winning authors. All Author and Agent proceeds from sales of the book will benefit the AAF – Animal Adoption Foundation – a no-kill animal shelter in Hamilton, Ohio.

From Seeing Eye dogs to the cat who cuddles in your lap, animals are there for us in more ways than we can count. Helping us get through the day with a wag of the tail and a tilt of the head, they let us know that someone is on our side—no matter what. They also have an amazing ability to break down barriers between people; bringing families and loved ones closer, and giving strangers an excuse to strike up a conversation. In Tails of Love, each writer draws from her own unique perspective on our loyal friends—exploring the many mysterious ways they bring love into our lives.

Read excerpts from Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, Dianne Castell here.

Read excerpts from Kate Angell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James here.

Read excerpts from Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty here.

Read excerpts from Patricia Sargeant, Sue-Ellen Welfonder here.

Sandy M’s review of Must Love Hellhounds by Andrews, Brook, Harris, and Singh
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Berkley Trade 1 Sep 09

I don’t read anthologies very often, but once in a while they’re a nice change of pace. I figured I’d love this one because after reading Lori Devoti’s hellhounds series, I fell in love with these evil but lovable dogs. I have to say that I was more disappointed than happy with the majority of the novellas in this anthology. I’ve only read one out of the four authors, Nalini Singh, and she is the standout of the group. The other three don’t even come close to her stellar story.

Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews

I do have the Magic series in my TBR pile, just waiting for me to get to it. The first part of this story didn’t do much to make me want to move the series higher in the pile, but that changed with the second half. Raphael, a werehyena, is full of charm but is as lethal as any other paranormal creature when pushed. He’s been in love with Andrea for quite a while, though she doesn’t know it. They grew up together, he’s like a brother to her, or so he thinks. Andrea’s just trying to get along in the world while keeping her inner self a secret. She doesn’t want to lose the life she’s mapped out so far just because of a little cross breeding in her background.

Trying to locate Raphael’s stepfather’s shade/soul when it’s stolen after his death, they start their investigation and eventually come upon a house guarded by a huge, very ugly and evil hellhound who takes his guard-dog duties seriously. The action during their journey is hair-raising, especially when battling with said hellhound. They come across a variety of different paranormal creatures that helps their trek along and keeps the story interesting. And their eventual tryst is quite steamy, and Raphael’s confession to Andrea is a highlight of the whole thing.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Kate is on medical leave and Andrea is sitting in her office. Everything is going well, until a giant hell dog escapes the Underworld and Raphael, the smoking-hot and very persistent werehyena, asks Andrea to help him track down…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Blind Spot by Meljean Brook

This is my second favorite story of the anthology. Ms. Brook gives a reader something different and that makes reading it so much more fun. What I found most interesting and different is the fact that Geoffrey is blind due to an ancient curse that has tainted his family blood — but he can see through other people’s eyes. I perked up even more when that little tidbit came along. Maggie works for Geoff’s uncle, a very old and dangerous vampire, and has been sent to help rescue Geoff’s sister who has been taken hostage for some unknown reason. With her is Sir Pup, a fun-loving but also dangerous hellhound. He plays guide dog and guard dog with equal aplomb.

I really enjoy Ms. Brook’s writing, her characters are perfect, and she gives a story that moves at just the right pace and with twists and turns where you least expect them. I will be moving this series to the top of the TBR pile.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The job was simple: find her boss’s niece, bring her home safely, and hand out a whole lot of pain to whoever had abducted her. But Maggie hadn’t counted on her boss’s nephew, the hellhound who loved to make her life difficult, or her own past rearing its complicated and ugly head.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

The Britlingens Go to Hell by Charlaine Harris

This novella is the disappointment of the bunch. Simply, I was bored the entire way. The idea of the Britlingen Collective is interesting, but this story just didn’t live up to the potential. Two of the Collective’s warriors, Clovache and Batanya, are chosen to  head to hell with a client who needs something found there. So all we get is the danger they go through as they journey through the halls of hell toward their end goal, all of which is not that interesting; a client who is not upfront with them, thus leaving them in more danger; slugs leaving slime on the ground; and at this point I don’t even remember the hellhound involved. And only a slight hint at romance.

Not a very good introduction for a reader who has a good majority of Ms. Harris’ books in the TBR mountain.

Grade: D-

Summary:

A pair of warriors, Clovache and Batanya, take on the task of safeguarding a thief, not realizing they’d be going to Hell in pursuit of Lucifer’s favorite toy and along the way, encounter some very interesting travelers.

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Angels’ Judgment by Nalini Singh

I have yet to read the first book in this series, Angel’s Blood, but after reading this novella I’m now salivating to get to it.  That doesn’t surprise me one bit. I should have known I’d love this story just because it’s Nalini Singh.

Sara is being considered to take over as Guild Director who reports to the Cadre of Ten, archangels who rule the world. She enjoys her current job as a vampire hunter, returning rogues to their masters. But she knows Simon, the current director, is weary after so many years and wishes to retire. She’s on one last mission before she has to make her decision.

Hunting down the villain killing vampires is that mission, and Simon sends Deacon, The Slayer, along to help but also to protect Sara if need be, because he knows the archangels will test her. As they work together, an attraction between them grows, and with Deacon’s secretiveness and sexiness, I can certainly see why. Their fling, which Sara believes is all they can have – how can she date such a dangerous and secretive man once she becomes director? – is hot and steamy and the best parts of the story. I didn’t care about the hellhound – which is owned by one of the suspects in the killings – I just wanted more of these two together.

Now that I have some of the background of the series down, it’s time to start Angel’s Blood. And I know I will like it just as much.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Vampire trackers Sara and Deacon must discover who is murdering vampires; one suspect owns a hellhound…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Overall Grade: B

Liviania‘s Quick Quack Reviews of A Bunch of Category Romances by a Bunch of Authors
Paranormal and contemporary romances released Jun-Jul 2009

That’s right, I’m back in the US and all moved into my apartment.  But . . . I’ve got a lot to catch up on.  So here’s some short reviews of various Harlequins I read on vacation.  That’s the lovely thing about eBooks – you can take them anywhere without affecting the weight of your baggage.  [Gwen ed.: we made her save room in her luggage for booze and chocolate souvenirs for us ducks.] 

The Highwayman (Wicked Games, Book 1) by Michele Hauf
Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne 1 Jul 09

This is my second exposure to Michele Hauf, the first being a Nocturne Bite.  I enjoyed the short story, but found it a bit thin.  It can be hard to develop two characters in a very limited page count.  Luckily, the hero and heroine of The Highwayman get more development, though part of the hero’s reasoning still remains opaque to me.

Aby is a familiar – in the case, a familiar is someone who brings demons into the world through having sex.  Max has a deprivation demon trapped inside of him, making him unable to sleep, orgasm, or feel full.  This has made him a little testy.  But he’s found a way to escape his fate with Aby’s help – but he still plans to kill her afterwards, even after he gets to know her.  I prefer my heroes to be less intent on spilling the heroine’s blood.  Especially when they’re an otherwise reasonable person and the heroine has given them no reason.

Max’s stubborn homicidal tendencies would annoy me more if the plot didn’t work so well.  It moves right along, building the mythology of familiars, revealing Max’s past, and moving the characters to France for the final showdown.  It’s quick and fun, just like a category should be. I look forward to the second book in the miniseries, Moon Kissed, available September 1.

Grade: B

Summary:
.
Max Fitzroy, the legendary Highwayman, had slain scores of demons with a razorlike whip and a burning need for revenge. Now, to rid himself of the demon inside him—who’d cursed him with immortality and stolen all sensual pleasures—Max needed a witch’s familiar, the one creature he’d made a career of killing.
.
But the Highwayman wasn’t prepared for the familiar named Aby. The sleek and sexy conduit to the demon world saw past his swirling shadow as easily as he scaled the walls she’d erected to protect herself. Max needed Aby to grant him his freedom, and then he needed to slay her. But how could he destroy the only creature he’d desired in centuries?
.
Read an excerpt here.

Wild Wolf (The Pack) by Karen Whiddon
Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne 1 Jul 09

I haven’t read any of Karen Whiddon’s other Pack books, but she quickly sketches out the important parts of her world and moves onto the relationship and plot. Simon is a member of the Pack, charged with finding feral werewolves and deciding whether they can be rehabilitated or need to be put down. Raven is a feral werewolf, living along after a traumatic experience with a mad scientist.

I can buy that feral werewolves are dangerous. Raven manages to fit into wolf society because she is sane – she just doesn’t want to live among humans because of her past. Since she is reasonable and Simon can see it, things have to go terribly awry in order for the plot to have enough excitement. And go awry they do.

Seeing how corrupt this segment of the Pack has become really makes me wonder how Whiddon set this up in the previous novels. It seems like something that was probably building. I love that Wild Wolf gives a sense of the larger world while standing fine on its own. The leads work well together. Both of them are strong, neither deferring to the other. Raven’s got as much alpha instinct as Simon does. It’s a nice change.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
Turning her back on humans because of her ability to shape-shift into a wolf, young and beautiful Raven doesn’t believe she needs anyone. Until the day a darkly handsome man appears near her remote cave…and she watches him turn into a wolf.
.
Simon Caldwell has been sent to assess the threat of a new feral wolf prowling the Rockies. But he’s wholly unprepared for his intense attraction to Raven. His investigation is about to take a deadly turn as he and Raven become the hunted. Now their very survival depends on Simon’s ability to win what this wild wolf holds most dear!
.
Read an excerpt here.

Return of the Wolf by Karen Whiddon
Paranormal romance novella released by Silhouette Nocturne Bites 1 Jun 09

After finishing White Wolf, I headed happily into this Bite by the same author. Three tries later and I still haven’t finished the sixty or so pages of this story, so I’m giving up. It begins slow, with the hero and heroine fishing together. They’re instantly attracted – Gideon knows she’s his wolf’s mate, and Memphis believes their reincarnated lovers.

I couldn’t sympathize with either of the characters. Memphis especially seems rather dippy. It takes quite a bit to make the destined lovers work, and I wasn’t buying. It didn’t help that I found the beginning boring. Fishing just doesn’t appeal to me.

This may work for others, but for me it’s a pass.

Grade: DNF

Summary:
.
When Gideon Aronditis meets his new client Memphis Ayers for a fishing expedition, they both feel an instant attraction–and sense that they’ve met before. For shape-shifter Gideon, the explanation is clear: Memphis is his true mate and destined to be with him. Yet Gideon refuses to accept Memphis’s belief that knew each other in a past life, even though she has seen Gideon in her dreams for years. Can Memphis convince Gideon of the truth, or are they doomed to lose each other once again?
.
No excerpt found.

The Illegitimate King (The Castaldini Crown, Book 3) by Olivia Gates
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire 14 Jul 09

I liked the summary of this one, even though I’m not that familiar with the line. Clarissa and Ferruccio would have had love at first sight, if they hadn’t managed to deeply insult each other at first conversation. Ferruccio pursued Clarissa for years, and now has the leverage to make her romance him since she’s trying to convince him to accept the position of king of Castaldini. (Yes, the country name is ridiculous.)

This one had a few problems. Ferruccio could be kind of sleazy and their inability to communicate doesn’t bode well for a future relationship. (That doesn’t prevent a baby-filled epilogue since this is the end of a miniseries. If I were one of the wives, I’d insist on condoms. That many pregnancies takes a toll on the body.) Still, it was a perfect vacation book. It kept me interested and there was definitely sexual tension.

I might skip the first sex scene. It includes such awful descriptions as Ferruccio “feeling like a sword just out of the fire” to Clarissa. Not all of it is that painful, but none of it is sexy. It does get better, but that one scene is truly awful.

If you like family secrets or the other novels in this miniseries, you’ll probably like this one. The Illegitimate King made me want to try to the previous two novels, even with all of it’s problems.

Grade: C+

Summary:
.
Once, she’d scorned him. And illegitimate secret prince Ferruccio Selvaggio had sworn he would make her pay. Now, Princess Clarissa D’Agostino was in his power. It was time to teach her a lesson…. The future of the kingdom rested on her. Clarissa knew she had to do whatever it took to convince Ferruccio to accept the crown and save them all. Even if it meant marrying a man who believed the worst of her. Even if it meant giving him her heart.
.
Read an excerpt here (click “Read the prologue”).

Endless Summer by Julie Kenner, Karen Anders, and Jill Monroe
Contemporary romance anthology released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Jul 09

Normally I would separate all the novellas, but these are intertwined so I’ll do them as one. I picked up this anthology since I enjoy Julie Kenner’s paranormal books and wanted to try one of her contemporary offerings. It helped that Endless Summer, as the name implies, was a surfing collection. I enjoy surfing stories even though I’ve only been to a beach where you actually could surf once.

I’m not which of the stories was my favorite. I liked Drea, from Jill Monroe’s story, the best of the heroines because of her strong personality. I liked Zach, from Karen Anders’ story, the best of the heroes. Due to an injury, he became overly cautious. It’s a change from the take-charge hero. He’s also not afraid to design clothing. Now that’s a man. Kenner’s Laci and Taylor were a bit more bland. And Laci makes the classic mistake of not explaining why she’s angry. For some reason I want my romantic leads to communicate well even though I know miscommunication is a standard part of life.

But while each story had elements I liked, part of the reason I can’t pick a favorite is that nothing really stood out. While perfectly readable, each story was by-the-numbers – not what the risk-taking heroines deserve. I read these stories just yesterday and they’re already fading from my mind.

Grade: C+

Summary:
.
Summer has never been sexier!
.
Making Waves by Julie Kenner, Laci Montgomery is determined to be pro surfing’s Golden Girl. Does she need help from her ex—hottie sports promoter Taylor Dutton? No way! Well, not unless she’s on top…
.
Surf’s Up by Karen Anders, After a crash meeting in the waves, surfer J. C. Wilcox and entrepreneur Zack Fanning practice daring moves that would make fish blush. But is it just sexy fun in the sun—or are they ready to risk their hearts?
.
Read an excerpt here.
.
Wet and Wild by Jill Monroe, Daredevil Rookie of the Year Andrea “Drea” Powell needs a sponsor. Superstar pro Kirk Murray needs a flashy new surfer to back. The explosive results heat up the competition…and the bedroom!

Lawson’s review of Four Dukes and a Devil by Cathy Maxwell, Elaine Fox, Jeaniene Frost, Sophia Nash, and Tracy Anne Warren
Mixed sub-genre Romance Anthology released by Avon 30 Jun 09

There’s a bit of a stretch with a Duke in one of these stories (yes, the one with the dog) but it’s a cute anthology all around and could give any reader something to be happy about. There’s historical stories, a contemporary and a paranormal. This one comes out at a good time too as it’d be great to read on the beach or by the pool this summer.

The Irish Duke by Cathy Maxwell

Miss Susan Rogers is trying to make a name for herself as a person who can get young ladies married. Her gimmick to drum up business seems to get her when the Irish Duke (who will always be last) shows up in London and sets his sights on her.

This story was cute, I liked the conversations between Susan and Roan, the Irish Duke. The story was fast too, as they meet once, there’s a bet and then they’re declaring their love. The story was too condensed to give credibility to the romance, but it showed some good characterization in the small number of pages.

Grade: B-

Read an excerpt (actually the whole story).

The Duke Who Came to Dinner by Elaine Fox

Sam Gregory is shocked to look out of his window one morning to see a woman riding by naked on a bike. Though he’s intrigued, he doesn’t think he’ll see her until she stumbles into the local dive bar. Grey Gilliam is house-sitting until her friend Rachel can sell her house. Sam and Grey hit it off, but will Grey’s missing dress, a big dog named Duke and a ghost of a Duke keep them apart?

I haven’t read any books by Fox, but after reading this charming story it made me want to look some up. Grey was fun, even though she’s a little neurotic, but she’s got some mommy issues. Sam was dreamy and the romance didn’t feel rushed. While not a definite happily ever after, it was realistic in the idea that you could see these two ending up together.

Grade: B+

Read an excerpt (scroll down quite a bit).

Devil to Pay by Jeaniene Frost

Blake Turner is trying hard to kill himself. Since being possessed by a demon six months ago he doesn’t want to keep doing horrible things. His luck turns around when he meets Elise, a vampire, who then does everything she can to save his life.

This is an offshoot of Frost’s Night Huntress series, and while it did stand well on it’s own with different characters, knowing some basic information about the world would have been helpful. The romance went at a good pace though and did seem very believable. It was an interesting concept with the demon possession and Frost’s vampire mythos.

Grade: B

Catch of the Century by Sophia Nash

Victoria Givan is not in a good mood. After being stranded by the mail coach, she’s nearly run over by and then feels forced to accept the help of John Varick, Duke of Beaufort. She’s used to running her own life and doesn’t want anything to do with the “Catch of the Century”. John has other ideas and while helping her small herd of boys before they start an architectural apprenticeship he tries to win her heart.

There was a bit too much of the “lady doth protest too much” in this one, though it worked with the idea of Victoria’s that she’s too far below the station of a Duke (which she definitely is a teacher at a foundling school). She’s a quirky character and when John does see through her actions to what she’s really feeling it works. This one is loosely tied to the

Grade: C+

Summary:

In Sophia’s novella, the most eligible gentleman in London’s marriage mart reluctantly rescues a stranded school mistress. When the duke is forced to go heart-to-heart with the spirited siren, (Victoria Givan from Love With the Perfect Scoundrel), the well-documented Catch of the Century finds out she’s the only one he can’t have.

Read an excerpt.

Charmed By Her Smile by Tracy Anne Warren

Miss India Byron is a lively girl, but she’s being chased by an annoying friend of her brother’s. To keep him away from her she kisses an unknown man in a garden and asks him again to show devotion to her at a house party so the unwanted suitor goes away. What happens instead is the play-courting becomes real on both sides. Whatever is one to do?

This was another cute story, though I wasn’t comfortable with the age difference between the two leads. While I’m sure fourteen years is historically accurate, it’s not something I usually like to see in a romance novel. India in fact seemed to act quite a few years older than she was, or at least have more social experience than for a girl that had never had a season. Otherwise it was a cute, light story and I liked the handling of the annoying suitor.

Grade: C+

Summary:

In Charmed By Her Smile, cousin India Byron finds herself in need of rescue from an unwanted suitor. To create the illusion that she’s being courted by another man, she demands a kiss from the devilish Duke of Weybridge. Little does she expect the passion she unleashes when she finds him only too happy to oblige.

Read an excerpt.

Overall Grade: B-

Summary:
.
Fall in love with the unpredictable and irresistible dukes (and one dog named Duke) in this collection of stories by bestselling authors Cathy Maxwell, Elaine Fox, Jeaniene Frost, Sophia Nash, and Tracy Anne Warren, for tales of noble danger and devilish desire.
.
Delicate young ladies must be protected from him.
.
First he steals her clothes, then he steals her heart.
.
Most would be terrified of this powerful vampire—but not him.
.
He’s “the catch of the century” . . . but she’s the one he can’t have.
.
A young miss demands a kiss. But he won’t rest once she’s touched her lips to his.
.
With four dukes and one devil, there’s no limit to love.

Gwen’s review of Faeries Gone Wild by MaryJanice Davidson, Lois Greiman, Michele Hauf, and Leandra Logan (no author site)
Contemporary paranormal romance anthology released by St. Martin’s 2 Jun 09

This was a cute anthology and you’ll see me use the word “cute” a lot in this review.  All stories are placed in the modern world, have romances, and faeries are the protagonists.  A couple of them have some suspense elements, but the stories are really quite lighthearted in nature.  Read on to see which of these romps was rompier than the others…

“Tall, Dark and Not So Faery” by MaryJanice Davidson (70-pgs)

This story was a complete tongue in cheek, goofy frolic of a story.  I don’t think a single paranormal being was left out – vampire, werewolf, giant, faeries, dryad, and… wait for it… a possessed SUV named Judith.  The Violent Fairy’s sister has come to town to count everyone on the farm.  In the process,  the SUV hooks her up with the local mechanic.  The story is a little schizophrenic and light with some interesting interactions between all of the characters. Not sure I care for the writing style where grammar and line returns are used to impose mental interruptions in the characters’ thought processes.  But it was fun and made me chuckle a couple of times.

Grade: B-

Summary:
.
Scarlett is not your typical pint-sized faery. At six feet, four inches tall, she’s an unlikely candidate for a match made in heaven. But when she ventures to Cannon Falls, Minnesota, on royal orders to survey its extraordinary residents, she stumbles upon the one man who just may measure up to size…
.
Read an excerpt here.

“Pixie Lust” by Lois Greiman (102-pgs)

This was another cute story.  A mortal man falls head over heels for a fern faery and in the process trashes his life – a multimillion dollar career, an important development deal, and his engagement to an uptight bitch of a fiancee.  But he saves a meadow and glade of trees.

Yeah.  I had the same reaction.

The story starts very slowly and the ending was rushed.  I would have preferred the opposite. There are some rather extreme suspense elements at the end of the story that seemed oddly out of place.  Good, but not great story.

Grade: C+ 

Summary:
.
William Timber is a cutthroat developer who refuses to let a few trees come between him and his next million. But when Avalina-a sparkling faery charged to protect all things green-comes to town, William is forced to choose between life as he knows it and the unknown reaches of his heart.
.
Read an excerpt here.

“Dust Me, Baby, One More Time” by Michele Hauf (101-pgs)

This was a better story than the last, primarily because the heroine is so appealing.  The Tooth Fairy falls for the Sandman.  There are some really very funny elements in this story – Dart Sand “prematurely dusts” his dates, knocking them out before he can “finish the deal” if you know what I mean; and Sidney Tooth falls for the guy because he brings her cinnamon-flavored floss, mouthwash, and the Cadillac of toothbrushes/tongue cleaners (screw the flowers).

I had the most fun reading this story.  The romance is nice, the characters are fun, and the story is appealing.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
A librarian by day and a tooth faery by night, Sidney has absolutely no time to find Mr. Right. Until she flies smack dab into sexy, sun-bronzed Dart Sand, a man who makes her wings a-flutter…and whose allure could get her banished from the Mortal Realm.
.
No excerpt available.

“A Little Bit Faery” by Leandra Logan (115-pgs)

I enjoyed the fun of the previous story, but I liked this last story more because it’s more well-rounded.  It has the fun and the suspense nicely balanced with a cute romance.  It’s a very engaging “Ugly Duckling” story about a 1/2 faery-1/2 human girl who does nothing but gross-out faery men manages to find her niche with humans, who find her beautiful and sweet smelling.

Again, the suspense elements seemed a bit overly dramatic given the tenor of the story. But if you roll with it, you’ll still enjoy it.  I wanted to eat the hero with a spoon, though.  Yum.

Grade: A-

Summary:
.
Tia is mystified when she strikes out on the Luna faery singles scene, in spite of her hourglass curves and vivacious charm. Then she takes off for Manhattan and lands on the doorstep of a steamy firefighter who sets her soul on fire-and shares a strong connection to her secret past.
.
No excerpt available.

This was a very cute anthology (told you I’d use the word a lot).  If you’re a fan of lighthearted faery stories, you’ll like this book.  I can recommend it to anyone who is a fan of these authors or who is looking for a quick poolside read that is just made for a fruity umbrella drink.

Overall grade: B

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor by Diane Gaston, Deb Marlowe & Amanda McCabe
Historical romance anthology released by Harlequin Historical 1 May 09

Anthologies can be great fun, and provide great reading, when they are well executed. Such is the case with The Diamonds Of Welbourne Manor, a connected anthology about the scandalous Fitzmanning clan, written by three friends and fellow Harlequin Historical authors. The authors provide everything one would expect in a full-length story. A fully realized setting, plenty of history, several characters the reader comes to care about, all while providing three romances and dividing it up in anthology format. It’s a tall order, and they pull it off to marvelous effect.

Justine And The Noble Viscount by Diane Gaston

Gerald Brenner’s mother abandoned her first husband and son when she fell in love with the Duke of Manning. It was quite a scandal, especially since the Duke and Brenner’s mother had several illegitimate children and only married four months ago….after spending 20 years as lovers. Now the Duke and Duchess are dead, and Brenner is left with the task of telling his half-siblings that they are gone. There’s also the small matter that he has been appointed their guardian.

Justine Savard is the illegitimate daughter of the Duke and his French lover (for those keeping track – that makes Brenner and Justine step-siblings). She has lived at Welbourne manor for many years, and is the steadying force to her more rambunctious siblings. So when Brenner breaks the news that the Duke and Duchess are dead, it’s her job to help pick up the pieces. Now if she could just keep her mind off the distracting presence of Viscount Brenner.

Justine and Brenner both have suitable amounts of baggage. Brenner, still stung over his mother’s abandonment, has no desire to be the guardian to the scandalous Fitzmannings . Justine has resigned herself to a life as a spinster, having been suitably ruined and with having no attractive suitors on the horizon. These two are a perfect fit, and their romance progresses at a lovely pace. However, given Brenner’s place in society, and his disapproving father, I couldn’t help but wonder why there weren’t more objections to the romance.

Grade: B-

Summary:
.
Guardian to the unconventional and newly orphaned Fitzmannings is not a role that brooding Gerald Brenner relishes. But Justine, the illegitimate daughter who strives to hide her shame, calls powerfully to something deep within him…
.
Read an excerpt here.

Annalise and the Scandalous Rake by Deb Marlowe

Ned Milford is a member of society, but lives a double-life drawing scandalous caricatures lampooning the ton. He befriends two of the Fitzmanning boys and is rewarded when he’s invited to a house party. Surely there will be plenty of gossip fodder to be had at the notorious Welbourne Manor, and he’ll be drawing for months to come! However, upon his arrival he meets the quiet, observant Annalise Fitzmanning, an accomplished artist. Too bad society is hung up on her being a female to notice just how talented she truly is.

Annalise is quickly smitten with Ned, who she sees as a bit of a kindred spirit. However, she doesn’t know a thing about his double-life and given that the Fitzmannings are routinely gossiped and written about in the scandal sheets, it’s highly unlikely she will approve of his profession.

This was my favorite story of the bunch, because Annalise is my favorite type of heroine. The kind of heroine who the other characters tend to underestimate, but who has a backbone forged in steel. Ned is her perfect foil, and naturally when it hits the fan, with secrets tumbling out, he does everything in his power to win back her trust.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
House party guest Ned Milford can see the inner passion and beauty that Annalise Fitzmanning hides. But how close should they become when his reason for being at Welbourne Manor would prompt a society scandal, not a society marriage!
.
Read an excerpt here.

Charlotte and the Wicked Lord by Amanda McCabe

Charlotte Fitzmanning has had a crush on Lord Andrew Bassington since she was a young girl. A friend of her brothers’, Drew was always part of their mischief, pranks, and teasing. She followed him around like a love sick puppy. However, time has passed. Drew’s older brother is dead, and he’s now charged with looking after his sickly mother, widowed sister-in-law, and young nephew. Fun, games and mischief are no more. However he accepts an invitation to the latest Welbourne Manor house party in the hopes of snaring a suitable wife. One who will help pave the way to a political career and be perfectly respectable on his arm. So how come he can’t get the high-spirited Charlotte out of his mind?

This is a nice story, although at times I think the author was trying to do a little too much. Besides Charlotte and Drew, the author sows the seeds for two other stories – one involving an eligible young lady, also a house guest, and Drew’s sister-in-law. Both intriguing tid -bits that I’m anxious to read more about, but it does take away page time from the romance at hand. That said, given that Charlotte and Drew already have a past together, it helps keep the story humming along and the final moment when they finally admit their love for each other really shines.

Grade: B

Summary:
.
Charlotte may be the youngest Fitzmanning girl, but she knows her own mind-and she wants Lord Andrew Bassington! Drew requires an eminently proper bride, something free-spirited Charlotte has never been. So how can she make him see the beautiful woman she has become…?
.
Read an excerpt here.

Overall Grade: B

I’ve never made a secret of my enjoyment of anthologies, but connected ones such as The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor are my favorite. It allows all of the authors quite a bit of freedom, and more opportunity for world-building. That’s what makes this anthology shine. I could see and feel Welbourne Manor. I got to know all of these characters, not just within the confines of their own stories. I fell for it hook, line and sinker, and here’s hoping that Gaston, Marlowe and McCabe haven’t permanently closed the book on the Fitzmanning clan.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of In a Mother’s Arms by Jillian Hart and Victoria Bylin
Inspirational historical romance anthology released by Steeple Hill 14 Apr 09

It’s been bittersweet for me as a western romance fan that while secular imprints have been ignoring the sub-genre, it’s positively booming in the inspirational romance market. Like a lot of secular romance readers, I’ve been hesitant to give inspirational romances a chance because of the fear that the authors will drop the ball on story content and instead preach to me. 

When I pick up a romance novel, I’m just not looking to be converted. But I felt I had to give the sub genre a chance, and figured the In A Mother’s Arms anthology was a good place to start. After all, both Jillian Hart and Victoria Bylin have written some excellent Harlequin Historical novels – so I knew they were capable of giving me a good story. I was happy to discover that both of them did here as well, although with varying degrees of “God stuff” thrown into the mix.

Finally A Family by Jillian Hart

After losing both her husband and child to illness, Molly McKaslin is working three jobs, scraping by, and living in a shack on her cousin’s property. It’s a lonely life, and Molly is haunted by the tragedies of her past. Then one day the precocious Frost twins come barreling into her life, along with their pet cow, Sukie . The girls are painful reminders of all that Molly has lost, but she can’t help but by charmed by their antics, and their stoic father, Dr. Sam Frost.

This story features one of my least favorite plot devices – the cutesy tots who play matchmaker for their single Daddy and/or Mommy. However, Hart writes the twins so well that’s it hard to not find the little hellions adorable. Even a cynic like me couldn’t help smiling. The author keeps the “God stuff” relatively minimal (the characters attend church, pray at meals etc.), but doesn’t really beat the reader over the head with it. I did think the romance was a little light in the pants. Even though the characters say otherwise, part of me still couldn’t help thinking that Molly and Sam hook up because she’s desperate for a family and he’s desperate for his girls to have a Mommy. Still, it’s a pleasant and sweet story.

Grade: B-

Home Again by Victoria Bylin

Cassie O’Rourke hopped a train for Chicago to become an actress and proceeded to leave her sweetheart, Gabe Wyatt, at the altar. That was 14 years ago, and now she’s back in town with her son, Luke, to take over her father’s general store. However not everyone in town is happy to see her. A nasty old biddy is spreading malicious gossip about her, nobody is shopping at her store, and Luke has just been hauled off to the jail for breaking a church window. That’s where she finally faces Gabe, who has never stopped loving her.

The “God stuff” in this story is much more prevalent than in the Hart entry, and at times it did feel intrusive. There’s even a moment where a character breaks out a Bible story to share with Cassie. That said, this is a really good story and, I’m not above admitting it, there’s a moment towards the end that had me openly weeping. Bylin has a knack for pushing all the right emotional buttons, and she does it to marvelous effect here. I did feel the turn-around of the nasty woman spreading rumors about Cassie was really abrupt, but the romance is solid and tugs all the right heart-strings. The secular reader just has to be willing to wade through the “God stuff” to get to the pay-off.

Grade: B-

I like to occasionally cleanse my reading palate with a sweeter read, and this anthology certainly fit the bill without being sugary or saccharine. It’s the kind of book that had me wishing that my devout grandmother were still alive so I could share it with her. I’m not converted, but I’m more than open to reading more inspirational offerings by both of these authors.

Overall Grade: B-

Summary:
.
Finally a Family by Jillian Hart
.
Widow Molly McKaslin won’t marry for less than true love. But does handsome town doctor Sam Frost want a wife, or a housekeeper for his daughters? With the help of two little matchmakers, Molly might end up with the family of her dreams.
.
Home Again by Victoria Bylin
.
When her troublemaking son vandalizes the town church, Cassie O’Rourke comes face-to-face with town sheriff—and former love—Gabe Wyatt. The honorable lawman offers to help tame her wild child, if he can come courting. For the love of her son, dare she entrust her heart to this man once more?
.
Read an excerpt (Hart story only.  No excerpt found for Bylin story)