Dinca’s review of Marrying for King’s Millions by Maureen Child
Contemporary Romance published by Silhouette Desire 4 Apr 08

Maureen Child has another grabber. It takes hold and doesn’t let go starting with page one! Several times I wanted to let go, but I had to follow the old saying “Stupid is as stupid does” and find out what stupid thing happened next.

Lessons learned… Never trust your heart. Julie’s first husband has dumped her and now her childhood crush wants a contract for an in-name-only marriage. Hah! The only good thing that could come out of that scheme would be her dream of owning a bakery, but Travis King is not demanding anything of her except her time and a wedding band on her finger for a year.

Travis plans ahead. Every move he makes is well thought out and a thorough plan in place so the outcome will be just as he wants it. The distributor he has picked for his wine business has one drawback… unmarried daughters. So Travis plans to be married by his rules before he makes the deal. All it will take is a simple business contract with his childhood friend Julie O’Hara that includes a start and end date. Everyone wins — he gets the distributor he wants and she gets her dream when the deal is done.

I had a hard time wrapping my head around the portrayed frivolous lifestyle too. Characters are trying to do the right thing, although I did find it rather naive of Julie to go meet with her traitorous ex-husband who had already blackmailed her and Travis.

I also find it totally unbelievable for a modern day woman, who professes she can take care of herself (as Julie proclaims), to think she is divorced without ever seeing or signing the divorce papers. You would think the ex-husband’s blackmail scheme is a done deal once their divorce/bigamy and remarriage leaks to the press. Why is he even still in the picture? And why does Travis think Julie is involved in the scheme? She stands to lose more than anyone. Supposedly for such a smart guy, Travis is way off the mark.

This book is not as strong as Book 1 of the Kings of California. Travis is too domineering, which tends to bring out the stupid gene in Julie. I don’t feel this is one of Ms. Child’s best efforts. I generally enjoy her work and I was not looking forward to writing this review. The only reason I didn’t give it a D was the grabber effect. One thing does happen after another that I didn’t see coming, even if it was laced with dumb, dumb and dumber.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Wed and bed one of his biggest client’s unsavory daughters? No thanks. But the only way millionaire Travis King could get the man off his back was to marry someone else. So he handpicked his temporary and on-his-terms bride— hometown girl Julie O’Hara. The woman was desperate and should easily fade into the background. And, as per their contract, she’d do exactly what he wanted during their year of platonic marriage. Unless what he wanted began to change.…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Limecello’s review of The Wallflower by Dana Marie Bell
Paranormal romance released by Samhain Publishing 15 Apr 08

I’d heard of this book before it was released, bought it near the end of 2009, but only read it a few days ago. Just felt that little tidbit was relevant. I read it on one of the plane rides back home from RonCon, and it was a perfect for that – a quick read, with the requisite happy ending.

The story itself is short. Like really short-  but it’s a novella, so that makes sense. (Unfortunately it left me with way too much time where I was forced to entertain myself.) Also, in all seriousness, the length meant the story left something to be desired. I didn’t believe the manner in which Max and Emma get together. At. All.

I am, however, interested in reading the rest of the series – especially Simon and Becky’s story, which is next. The Wallflower was a free read, which pretty much everyone can get – and Samhain has been very clever, offering the first story of a number of series as a free read for a limited time. Well played, Samhain. Well played.

Getting to the characters, Emma is likable, but not really a wallflower. I think the title and label is just to give her a pre-developed character, so no time/space needs to be spent on exploring that. Be that for the length, or whatever, I didn’t go for it. The jokes or implications from the “mean girls” that Emma was a lesbian also seemed pointless to me.

Max on the other hand didn’t seem like that much of a catch to me. Sure, every girl wanted him, and he was the alpha… but I guess he didn’t really catch my interest. Also being so very attracted to Emma based on her voice seemed… uninspiring. I did like that Max decided he wanted Emma and went after her.

However, the whole, “I see you for the first time in ten years and then scare the crap out of you at night and kidnap you for dinner under false pretenses then bite you and give you an orgasm against your car and now you’ve turned into a puma and we’ll be together forever” didn’t really do it for me. Sadly that’s pretty much the plot of the entire story, which I generally try to avoid writing about, but I don’t feel like that’s giving much away.

I will say, however, that I enjoyed Ms. Bell’s voice in her writing, and liked the characters, just didn’t think what they did made very much sense, or that their actions were so believable. It seemed like there were a number of gaps and plot holes, which I’m going to attribute to the length of the story. This might also be Ms. Bell’s first (or at least early) book, so I’m definitely going to give the rest a try if/when I get my hands on them. Also, a giant shiny gold star to Ms. Bell for having an excerpt on her webpage.

Grade: D+

Emma Carter has been in love with Max Cannon since high school, but he barely knew she existed. Years later she’s a
small business owner, running a unique curio shop with her best friend, Becky. She’s finally come out her shy shell and
into her own.

When Max returns to his small home town to take up his duties as the Halle Pride’s Alpha, he finds that shy little Emma
has finally grown up. That small spark of something he’d always felt around the teenager has blossomed into something
more: Emma is his mate! A plot to match up his best friend (and fellow Puma) with Emma’s is a natural opening to get
her all to himself. A “kidnapping with food” and a bite to remember insure that the luscious Emma is permanently his.

And when his ex-girlfriend tries to interfere, Emma proves to the Pride that she has what it takes to be the Alpha’s mate.

Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of Pursuit by Elizabeth Jennings
Romantic Suspense published by Forever 1 Apr 08

When I originally learned that Lisa Marie Rice also writes as Elizabeth Jennings, I had to get my hands on one of her Jennings books. Pursuit was the first I found, and I’ve had it for a while now, always saying I’ll get to it soon. Well, soon has arrived and I have only one disappointment.

How can I be disappointed in a Rice/Jennings book? I can’t. The disappointment is my own, waiting so darned long to read a book I knew would be absolutely terrific. It wouldn’t matter what name this woman chooses to write under, for me she’ll never write a bad book. Ever.

Charlotte Court is on the run from a man who wants everything she’s got. He’s just killed her father to make sure that happens. He’s also blamed her for the murder, so a manhunt is on and Charlotte is running for her life. She ends up in a small town in Mexico where she is welcomed by a local restaurant-owning family. Her life is changed and starting anew, and once she’s settled again she’ll be out for vengeance while clearing her name.

Finally out of the hospital and starting the long road to full recuperation after being shot in Afghanistan, Navy SEAL Matt Sanders finds himself in Mexico, staying with an ex-military buddy while working himself to the bone to get body and mind back to where they should be. During those months, his angel sits on her beach-front back porch, keeping an eye on him as he works out. They never speak during this time, but they share common ground of coming back after terrible personal injury.

When they finally do meet face to face — during a fierce storm in which Charlotte nearly loses her life — Matt is determined to look out for her, protect her, and make sure she can eventually take care of herself. He’s the typical alpha male, all military rigid when it comes to protecting what’s his and Charlotte definitely belongs to Matt now. Charlotte wants to trust him, but doing so will only lead to trouble and perhaps his death. She refuses to lead him into peril after he’s worked so hard when he denied death before.

But the closer her pursuer gets, Charlotte finally realizes she needs help and there’s no one better than Matt who can keep her safe. What they don’t know is they’re up against two enemies: one who is taking over Charlotte’s life and one who is in pursuit to end the new one she’s just found.

Of course, total alpha male lover that I am, Matt makes this book for me. And the love scenes are hot, steamy, sizzling, erotic, and sexy as hell. Even the first aborted attempt between them is full of tension and is one of the best in the book. The story itself is intense, and we get a number of chapters from the villains’ points of view, one certainly more chilling than the other. Charlotte is a toughie, she learns quick to do things she never thought she’d have to, given her life to date, and she nearly outsmarts the bastard after her.

There’s four other Jennings books, two out before Pursuit and two out this year. I’m hunting each of them down, just as I have her Rice books. I’ve already made room on my keeper shelf for them.

Grade: A+

Summary:

A shocking betrayal…her father’s murder…and a life-threatening accusation…Heiress Charlotte Court has walked into a waking nightmare-one that sends her running from her wealthy home to anywhere she can hide.

Across the border in Mexico, Charlotte creates a new identity and finds refuge in the battle-torn arms of Navy SEAL Matt Sanders. Fleeing his past, Matt yearns to protect her and replace her pain with pleasure. But Charlotte can’t trust anyone, not even someone she’s starting to love. She knows she’s a target-and out of sight, a soulless killer is zeroing in on his prey…

No excerpt available.

Lynne Connolly‘s review of The Sheikh’s Chosen Queen by Jane Porter
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Presents 1 Apr 08

At last, a title I can remember!  Jane Porter has done some research and describes the scenes, especially one set in Dubai, very well. It does make a difference to the story and helps to set the world in something a little closer to ours than many of the sheikh romances out there. 

Pause for a confession. I love me a good sheikh book. Which is strange, because I don’t in general like European royalty stories. But shiekh’s – it’s all that Ethel M. Dell stuff. Fantasies about tents and oases (I looked it up – betcha didn’t know the plural of oasis before this!) and gorgeous olive-skinned hotties. Oh and we can’t forget the young Omar Sharif and Oded Fehr, can we?

Anyway, the hero of this book, Sharif Fehr (someone else with the same fantasies as me?) fits well into the mold. He’s a conscientious monarch, perhaps more than he should be. He met the heroine, then they broke up, he married someone else and had three girls by her, then he comes to find the heroine. Not as a wife, but a teacher, at least that’s what she thinks.

The heroine, Jesslyn, is a teacher in the United Arab Emirates. She’s American by origin, but she enjoys the challenges of teaching abroad. At the start of the book, he walks into her classroom after she’s closed for the summer and asks her to teach his girls.

The girls do have problems, real ones, and to my mind they were too easily solved. The kind of treatment they were subject to would have left deeper traumas. Their father had little time for them, he was guilty over the death of his wife and busy with his duties, and their grandmother was, well, a bitch.

You do know that from the start, and one of my problems with the book was that I wanted to see her suffer, and she didn’t really get proper punishment for what she did. And all the villainy was down to her, so it got a bit old by the end. A partner in crime would have varied things a tad.

Other problems – the hero was only sketchily drawn. I know HMB prefers to concentrate on the heroine, make it her story, but I’d really like his side, too, sometimes. After all, a romance is between two people and I’d love both sides. I’ve read a lot of HMB Moderns and Silhouette Desires recently where the hero is more like an object, and the heroine, however well drawn, doesn’t make up for the out-of-the-box alpha hero. And how about a blond or two, just for variety?

Jesslyn is a bit of a saint, too much for my taste. She’s a good teacher, she’s practical, she’s, well, pretty much perfect. And a tiny bit bland. By the end, when the hero calls her a miracle, I felt like I’d OD’d on candy.

But the book was well written, with some nice details and the characters did have a few surprises, enough to keep me reading. I’ll look up the next book in the series, presumably about one of Sharif’s brothers, who are mercifully absent but mentioned in this one, but I won’t be waiting with bated breath for it to arrive.

So a B- from me and thanks for a nice, comfortable read.

Grade: B-

Summary:
.
She would live by the Sheikh’s rules–as his bride and queen!
.
When Jesslyn once knew him in London, Sharif Fehr was a playboy prince–their romance was carefree and fun.
.
Now Jesslyn has been summoned to the desert land that Sheikh Sharif rules. The intervening years have proved harsh and cruel and Sharif has grown used to his word being law. No one dares challenge him- except Jesslyn who refuses to take his orders! But for all her sweet insolence, Sharif is sure of one thing: she will obey his ultimate command and submit – to becoming his wife and queen!
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Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of The Devil’s Daughter by Laura Drewry
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Leisure 1 Apr 08

This is my first Laura Drewry book and I’ve actually had it a while. Based on the blurb I thought I would enjoy the story, but, unfortunately, I never warmed up to the heroine and this ended up being a disappointing read. For me it was too late to like her when she finally decided to toss her selfish ways for love, even if she is the devil’s daughter. I just couldn’t give her the benefit of the doubt, and not because of her relatives from hell.

Lucy Firr is determined to get out of hell and out from under father’s thumb. She’s tired of vying for his attention and always found lacking, tired of being tricked into doing something just for dad’s sport. So she needs an innocent soul. Being her father’s daughter, the lies trip off her tongue at a bride auction when she chooses the groom she wants, Jed Caine, to put her plans in motion.

Jed originally passes on the beautiful temptress. He needs a wife who knows how to work on a ranch, not a woman who’s never done a day’s work in her life. But when he sees the calluses on Lucy’s hands, he decides to take a chance. Marrying her and getting her home are the easy parts of his new life. Once home his sister-in-law refuses to allow Lucy inside their small home, telling Jed she’s evil and wants her baby. Jed, of course, has no idea how spot on the woman is in her predictions.

So Jed and Lucy make camp around the firepit outside the house and sleep in the barn. And they do sleep. Only. Lucy does her best to seduce Jed to finally get her plan moving, but she’s not very good at it, though Jed still would love to bed his new wife, but he also wants them to get to know one another. He knows love is probably not in the card for them, so respect will do just fine between them in his mind.

Lucy is a slow in getting that concept, but she’s determined to do whatever Jed wants. Then she finds she enjoys talking to the man and eventually begins to earn his respect. Things also don’t go smoothly outside the relationship due to visits from Lucy’s half brother, who is carrying out their fathers demands in sabotaging Lucy, which is par for the course for those two.

She does come around in the long run, but it was left too late for me to really like Lucy. By the time she learns what needs to be done and gladly does it because it’s the right thing, I hadn’t really liked her for quite a while and I didn’t have have enough good feeling left over to give her any when she starts to get things right. Now, Jed I did like. He’s hardworking, taking care of his sister-in-law since his brother’s been missing, doesn’t give in to Lucy and his libido as the men in town would have done with a pretty lady like his new wife. He does what has to be done and sticks to his guns on the important stuff.

There’s also a secondary story concerning Lucy and I actually found that a little too convenient after everything I’d already gone with through with these characters. Deacon, Lucy’s brother, is defeated in the end and he ends up the hero of the next book, Dancing with the Devil. I’m torn on whether I really want to read that one. The fact he’s redeemed is good, but if he holds out like Lucy did, I just don’t want to go through it again.

Grade: D

Read Shannon C.’s review here.

Summary:

GIVING THE DEVIL HIS DUDE

Shoveling sulfur and brimstone could really get a girl down. When her dad offered freedom from the fiery depths in exchange for one simple soul-snatching, Lucy Firr jumped at the chance. With her considerable powers of seduction, she threw herself at rancher Jed Caine. Yet instead of taking her to bed, he made her muck out the pigsty.

It would take the patience of a saint to resist the likes of Lucy Firr—and Lord knew Jed was no saint. The temptress fired his blood like no woman he’d ever met. Why she’d suddenly latched on to him, he had no idea. But the safest place for her—and her virtue—was out in the barn.

Lucy could see the heat in Jed’s gaze. But it was the tenderness of his touch and his hard-won smile that undid her. She was supposed to steal his soul, yet here he was…capturing her heart.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of The Legacy (The Behaim Family, Book 1) by T. J. Bennett
Historical romance released by Medallion Press 1 Apr 08

If anyone has been looking for a romance set in a time and place other than 19th century England or a medieval set in England or Ireland or Scotland or even the British Isles in general, this is a book for you. It’s set in 1525. In Saxony. That’s right, it’s in the Holy Roman Empire (or the German area of Europe) and it’s right after the Protestant Reformation has started in Wittenburg after Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door. Talk about a setting that’s not that popular, and Bennett definitely runs with it.

Baronesse Sabina von Ziegler has traded one prison for another. Locked away in a convent by her greedy adoptive father she escapes and comes home to reclaim her inheritance, only to find herself locked in the dungeon by her father for refusing to help him in any way. Her only way out is to marry a man her father has found for her, though she knows that there are many ulterior motives in play that she doesn’t know much about.

To hide the shame from his father’s death and debts, Wolfgang Behaim agrees to the marriage to Sabina under duress from her father. He’d never planned to marry after his wife died, but Sabina is not what he expected from a former nun. As the marriage progresses both realize they can’t not consummate the union, the attraction is so very strong, but both have demons they need to deal with, as well as the machinations of Sabina’s father and other Reformation events out of their control, to find happiness in the end.

Sabina had a good amount of spunk and backbone for a woman who’d basically been beat down by her father then a convent for the last decade. Not that she didn’t cry when things got tough, but she didn’t let them get her down. Though a Baronesse, she hasn’t had a pampered life and pitches in as she can around Wolf’s household. The scars she carries from her treatment by her father for a tragic incident in her past are overcome in a realistic manner, if it is perhaps a bit out of place in a realistic relationship from the time.

Wolf has the burden of his father’s death, which he’s lied to everyone about, as well as his fear of loving anyone again after his wife’s death in childbirth. Wolf does a lot of pointless fighting of his emotions, even for a male who doesn’t acknowledge his own feelings until it’s almost too late. He’s still a noble guy, running his own printing business in Nuremberg as well as taking over his father’s in Wittenburg. Yep folks, that’s right, our hero is a working man in a historical occupation that makes sense in 1525 Saxony.

I loved the history in the background of this story. Brief mentions of Martin Luther and some of his followers as well as Thomas Muntzer, a troublemaker of the time. It gave a great feeling and setting to the story that brought the period alive, and I’m sure there are not a lot of people familiar with this period in history. I would have preferred if Wolf had been a bit more accepting of his own feelings, but with Sabina’s backbone and the great historical feeling, I’d recommend this one to anyone in the mood for a historical in a fresh setting.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
When her brief, disastrous marriage to a fortune hunter ends in scandal, Baronesse Sabina von Ziegler’s vengeful adoptive father imprisons her in a cloister. She arranges a daring escape and suddenly finds herself betrothed to Wolfgang Behaim, a tradition-bound printer from the rising middle class with a secret that threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. As they fight to discover the truth of the mysteries surrounding the Baron’s machinations, they find themselves challenged by a fiery passion they cannot resist. Can they overcome their past and find love even as lies, war, and an unexpected enemy conspire against them?
.
Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of SEALed with a Kiss by Mary Margaret Daughtridge
Contemporary Romance released by Sourcebooks Casablanca 1 Apr 08

What a nice, lovely story this book turned out to be.  I read the last word, closed the book and I had a smile on my face. A very happy smile. I liked the characters, who both grew throughout the story, faced their fears and became better people for it. I liked the storyline, especially the fact that the hero and heroine resolved issues head-on by talking to each other and being honest with one another, something that doesn’t happen that often in romance. Most of all I really liked the relationship between father and son, even in the beginning when it was on very shaky ground.

Jax is on furlough to get his son settled with his deceased ex-wife’s mother before he’s given another assignment that will take him away for months at a time. Things between them, however, aren’t going well. Tyler isn’t the happy, fun-loving son he remembers from previous visits, and Jax doesn’t know how to remedy the problem. Everything he tries crashes and burns. On one last trek along the beach before heading out to get out of the way of a coming hurricane, they meet a lady who works miracles with Tyler as far as Jax is concerned. Later when they’re not able to leave the area, he looks her up, hoping he can impose on her good nature and stay with her until the storm blows over.

Unable to keep out of other people’s business when she sees things going wrong, Pickett always sticks her nose in where it doesn’t belong. This time has brought a man and his son to her door and she still can’t say no. So they all batten down as best they can to wait for sunshine in a couple of days. In the meantime, between getting to know Jax and also helping in the situation with his son, Pickett tries to keep her feelings in check when it comes to this handsome SEAL and his sad little boy. She’s a family therapist to military personnel and sees how many marriages crumble because husbands are deployed for such long periods of time, let alone other problems because of duty first. And she’s always told herself she would never marry a career military man. Because Jax was disillusioned after his previous marriage, he’s decided never to marry again, so they seem to be in sync to enjoy each other while it lasts. Right?

There’s also other issues, of course, involving their own families and vulnerabilities that play into their decisions, and that’s what makes this book so terrific, is you get to see each of those stumbling blocks fall one after the other when they realize their feelings for each other can’t be denied. The one that affected me most was watching Jax go from a father who was struggling with full-time parenthood and ready to give custody of his son over to the child’s grandmother because he couldn’t guarantee how much time he’d be able to spend with Tyler to a man whose eyes are opened to the machinations of the grandmother and the fact he really didn’t want to be away from his son anyway, especially when Tyler begins to act like the little boy he’s always known. Pickett has family issues herself, and with Jax’s help, she overcomes them, as well as her fear of falling in love with her SEAL.

I love Ms. Daughtridge’s writing. She has a beautiful way of making her scenes so clear in your head as you read. And her little spouts of humor now and again are delightful. I like the fact that her hero and heroine work together to resolve problems as they come along. The emotion in the scenes when Jax has a breakthrough with Tyler or just a soft, tender moment with his son is simply terrific.

I am so glad I stumbled across this book.  I’m now ready for her next one, SEALed with a Promise, which is Jax’s SEAL buddy’s, Caleb Delaude, story, just released  1 April 2009.

Grade:  A+

Summary:
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He figures she’s high maintenance. She figures he’s not “commitment” material. But when widowed Navy SEAL Jax Graham and his young son Tyler get trapped by a hurricane, family therapist Pickett Sessoms takes them in and knows just how to help a rough, tough Navy SEAL deal with his personal side…
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Sourcebooks 1 Apr 08

I just happened upon this book, and because I’m a shapeshifter fan, I found I couldn’t resist.  So I picked it up and jumped right in.  I’ve not read Ms. Spear before. I enjoyed most aspects of this book, enough that I will give her another try. She has another shifter book that just released 1 Mar 09, Destiny of the Wolf, so I’ll more than likely be picking that one up too.

I did like the main characters, Devlyn Greystoke and Bella Wilder, though Bella did tend to irritate me just a tad later in the book with her continually doubting Devlyn’s ability to take down the enemy. Other than that, she’s a strong character, worthy of being an alpha wolf’s mate. Devyln and Bella grew up together, even though she’s a red wolf and he’s a gray. She was taken in by his pack when her family was killed in a fire. Reaching her teens, the alpha of the pack, Volan, takes notice of her and is determined to have her. She, however, wants Devlyn but knows that Volan will kill her choice of mates, so she chooses to run instead of seeing Devlyn die.

She’s been on her own for 150 years, living among humans and getting along quite well. There’s been a string of murders of young, red-headed women in the Portland area. When Bella is at her cabin to relax and enjoy the next few days to run free in her wolf form, she comes upon the scent of other red wolves. As she investigates, she’s caught unaware and is tranquilized by a hunter. She ends up in the local zoo as mate for their long-time resident red wolf. As word spreads of the new addition to the zoo, more reds come out of the woodwork to see the female in their midst, but Devlyn also shows up. She’s glad to see him again, but she knows he’s there for her only to take her to Volan.

I enjoyed the scene in the zoo when Bella is listening to a couple of men talk about her and those they’re observing around the wolf enclosure. They keep saying it seems as though she understands them because of her reactions to their words, which, of course, is true though they don’t know it. From this point on there is a lot of action, but it does get weighted down here and there throughout. There’s a lot going on, so you need to be on your toes. The story is two-fold: finding the killer of the area women and also defeating Volan so Devlyn and Bella can be together. The idea behind the murders is interesting and they solve the mystery with savvy investigation and logic.

Fighting the wolf way near the end of the book was actually the best part of the book, along with the love scenes. Devlyn is a large wolf, therefore a large man and a great lover. I wish Bella would have had faith in him much earlier in the book. It’s not until she’s really forced into it that she see what she truly has in him and decides to show him that, finally. The only thing that really kept the grade from going higher is the dialogue in places seemed very stiff and awkward. It’s those places where information needs to be given to the reader and it just doesn’t work very well in a lot of spots.

Other than that, an enjoyable read for shifter fans.

Grade: B-

Summary:
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While searching for clues of a lupus garou who is killing women in the rainy Portland suburbs, Bella Wilder becomes the hunted. She had run away from the gray pack who had taken her in when she was she young. And she will do so again before the brutish pack leader can have her.
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Devlyn Greystoke has a mission—return Bella to the gray pack for safekeeping before she exposes their kind and gets herself killed. But little red wolves are in short supply and high demand and Bella’s determined to be the bait to flush out the killer. Keeping her out of danger is only half the trouble Devlyn encounters as his compulsion to make her his mate grows and she fights being his, fearful the pack leader will kill him.
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Volan Smith, the gray alpha leader, claimed Bella when she was young. Now that he has located her, he wants Bella back. And he will stop at nothing to have her.
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Read an excerpt. (scroll way down)

Sandy M’s review of Don’t Tempt Me by Sylvia Day
Historical Romance published by Brava 1 Apr 08

I have got to pull my Sylvia Day books out of the TBR pile. I’ve read only one other book by this author, but it was a short story.  Nothing wrong with that, I loved it.  But that’s my point.  A book and a half read and I want more, more, more of Ms. Day’s works.  There’s not one thing not to like about this book, which leads me to believe I’ll enjoy her others just as much.

Simon Quinn is tired of the spy game and is ready to retire his work for the crown.  His unscrupulous superior has other ideas, however, and basically blackmails Simon into one last mission.  He doesn’t have much choice when this happens.  He’s not a nobleman, has no property of his own, and when his boss freezes Simon’s account, even money is lost to him.  He’s learned a hard lesson, but the next time he gets the chance, he’s back to Ireland and out of their hands.

His mission becomes quite complicated when he encounters Lynette Baillon, daughter of a vicomte. The problem is he doesn’t know her as Lynette.  The woman whom he thinks it is he disliked at first sight and he can’t figure out why he now burns for her. Meeting Simon has made Lynette feel for the first time in two years, ever since her sister died.  She’s in for a huge surprise the longer she associates with Simon. And it’s that surprise that starts this book moving at the speed of light in a complex mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

I enjoyed Simon and Lynette very much. Simon looks at himself as a cad, a rake, a no-gooder because of his profession.  Didn’t matter to me, I loved him as much as Lynette did.  He does his best to stay away from her, to do what’s right for her, so that alone made him a hero in my eyes.  Though Lynette loves her family, is obedient, she knows her own mind and does her own thing, especially when it comes to Simon. The heat just combusts between these two whenever they’re together and their love scenes are simply terrific.  Ms. Day knows how to lay on the sizzle!

We also get two mini romances in this book, Lynette’s mother and her sister both find love.  Not having read any other books by Ms. Day, I don’t know if they’re part of any other stories.  I’m going to be finding out as soon as possible, though.  I’m going to begin scouring that TBR pile tonight!

Grade: A

Read Gwen’s review here and other information by following the book’s tag.

Summary:

WHO IS SHE?

Simon Quinn can have any woman he wants, but he prefers them jaded, worldly, and free of illusions. His life is one of danger and temporary pleasures. An Irish commoner, he has nothing more than his expertise as a lover and mercenary to recommend him and no title, property, or family to redeem him.

Lysette Rousseau is a deadly beauty who can seduce or betray with equal skill. She should be just the sort of woman Simon entertains, but something about her sets him on edge. At times she is a femme fatale he cannot abide, at others she is warm, sweet, and irresistibly alluring. His reactions to both sides of her are equally powerful, but for opposite reasons. It seems almost as if there are two women in one…

TWINS!

…one wounded and exploited, the other innocent but strong. Lynette Rousseau will do anything to reclaim the sister who doesn’t remember her. She will gain the proficiency required to enter the underworld her sibling occupies. But how will she defend herself against the enigmatic, seductive Simon Quinn? A man who can liberate Lysette, but whose insatiable desires may ensnare Lynette forever…

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Vampire’s Betrayal (Savannah Vampire Chronicles, Book 4) by Raven Hart
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Ballantine 29 Apr 08

Why is it some of the really good books I read are always number three or four in a series and the first few books are stashed away in the TBR mountain, not within easy reach?  Such is the case with this book.  I always think I’ll be lost if I don’t read a series in order, but, of course, an author worth her salt can make sure you don’t feel that way.  Ms. Hart’s storytelling, voice, characters, and humor all add up to a terrific book, even one read out of order.  [Ed.: Book 5, Vampire's Revenge, released 27 Jan 09.]

Now, as much as I’d have liked to have started at the beginning of this series just to know the characters better, I still had fun with them.  I still laughed with them and definitely hurt with them when things went wrong.  The main thing I want after reading this part of the series is to know more about the relationship between Jack and his sire, William.  They are, for all intents and purposes, father and son, the relationship coming across quite well.  I like how Jack blocks William from his thoughts and feelings most of the time, as I’m sure any son, vampire or not, would want to do when a father is telling him something for his own good, but when the chips are down, Jack throws himself wide open and does what needs to be done.

I also enjoyed the twist of the story of Connie being the long-awaited vampire slayer and she’s Jack’s girlfriend.  Talk about a dilemma.  For most of the book she doesn’t yet know what her destiny is and Jack tries everything he can think of to keep her alive, knowing that any and all vamps near will take care of her themselves, even those he loves and cares for. When nothing works and he’s thrown for a loop when he does try the seemingly only solution, he then does the honorable thing and lets her go. When Connie comes into her own, however, a whole new story opens up, and the next book should have all kinds of crazy happenings going on.  But besides just great scenes like these, it’s also the little things, those little details, that cause these characters to get under your skin and into your heart, and Ms. Hart is one for details.

There are other relationships in the book that, although Ms. Hart does a fine job of giving you the short version of their developments, I think starting at the beginning would be best; William’s past with Eleanor being a good point.  But there’s plenty of other characters throughout that also make this a fun story. Huey the zombie and his Chevy Corsica is a perfect example.  And on the other side of the coin, the villains are plenty nasty.  Besides just Reedrek, William’s sire, Eleanor, William’s ex-mate, and Damien, there’s the Council full of evil like Reedrek, and every one of them are on a path of destruction, all for personal gain.

Of course, if you’re one of those readers who has to have an ending to each and every book you read, you probably won’t care for this series.  This one was totally open-ended, so I’m assuming every book that came before is too.  I didn’t mind it at all.  As long as an author gives me a satisfying read in the moment, which Ms. Hart does – very much so – I’m plenty happy until the next release.  That is, if I can find the first three and get them read before then…

Grade: A+

Summary:

Jack risks his life by opening a portal to the underworld to rescue Connie. While in the land of the dead, he witnesses an awesome ceremony as a band of honest-to-God angels swear Connie in as the vampire slayer! Using the power of his love, Jack manages to bring Connie back to the land of the living even though she threatens the existence of him and his kind.

Connie has no memory of being anointed the vampire slayer, and her activation won’t be complete until a mysterious sword materializes. William orders Jack to kill her for her own good before she discovers her deadly mission. After all, if she dies before she is activated, she will spend eternity in paradise with her baby son. But if she lives to become the slayer, she will be immortal, doomed to the existence of a half-vampire, half-human killer. But how can an anguished Jack kill the woman he loves?

Meanwhile, the bloodthirsty Old Lords work to harness elemental powers to raise the evil dead! Their wicked plan would free every twice-killed vampire from hell and turn them loose on the citizens of Savannah. William, weakened by a power he doesn’t understand, must do battle with the Vampire Council before they can unleash their bloodthirsty minions. Will he be able to survive the double onslaught of the Old Lords and the vampire slayer?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LauraJ’s review of Perfect Timing by Barbara Elsborg
Contemporary Romantic Comedy eBook released by Ellora’s Cave 30 Apr 08

I am a huge fan of British comedy. I love the quirky characters and the way a very simple situation can lead to something completely off the wall. So I was very excited when I was checking out this book that this author is British and had high hopes that it would be as entertaining as some of my favorite British shows and movies.

Ms. Elsborg did not disappoint at all. In this story, Daisy books a room at a resort hosting a murder mystery party, hoping to meet a man. She thinks that the mystery party is set in the 60’s and packs accordingly, only to find out she misread the information and the mystery party is for the over 60 set. She makes a grand entrance with the help of a sheep and meets the manager of the resort who is quite handsome though he seems to be a bit gruff. Jake has been given 6 months to make the resort profitable. He is competing with his brother Adrian and whoever is the most successful will take over the resort full time from their father. Jake has a reputation with the ladies and his father is hoping that this will settle him down.

Despite the mistake that Daisy has made she decides to make the most of it. Jake helps her by giving her a part, and when she finds out what her role is she is not exactly happy about it. Jake thinks that by giving her this she can just enjoy the weekend…with him.

I laughed so hard throughout this book. Daisy was spunky and tough. She had a rough childhood growing up and has a fear of being locked in small places, which Jake, not knowing, does quite often, leading to more hilarious situations. Jake is determined to prove to his father he is capable of running the resort, and finds he can’t resist Daisy. Jake tries hard to enjoy his time with Daisy while at the same time keeping the weekend’s mystery party running smoothly and profitably. Adrian is trying his best to make sure Jake doesn’t win and his accomplice in this sabotage is pretty easy to figure out. Knowing who it was really had no effect on me and didn‘t ruin any part of the story. Adrian is despicable to the point that I can’t wait to get his story and find the woman that tames him.

I found an interview that Ms. Elsborg did earlier this year where she said that Adrian’s story was under consideration by Ellora‘s Cave. I wish I had some pull because I am really looking forward to more of her books and especially Adrian’s story.

Grade: B

Summary:
When Daisy books a Sixties extravaganza on the internet, she thinks hippies and free love. Only she misses one tiny word in the advertisement and ends up at a weekend for over-sixties at Bedlingham Manor.

When sexy hotel manager Jake casts Daisy as a nun in the murder mystery, she is ready to scream and call the weekend off. But then Jake shows up dressed as a priest and he can’t wait to uncover the red lace beneath the nun costume. Jake and Daisy don’t expect to fall in love but they discover that their weekend of hot sex might be much more than they bargained for.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…or I’d really like to.

Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s Duckies Do Series reviews of The Awesome Foursome Series by Susan Lyons
Erotic romance published by Aphrodisia Feb 06 – Apr 08

Ever finish a book, where after you bask in the afterglow of the ending, you want to jump up and make everyone you know read it? If you haven’t, or are looking for more, have I got four (yes four) suggestions for you! The books Susan Lyons writes are sexy, smart, and have real humanity. I read each of the Awesome Foursome books in 1-2 sittings, staying up til 4 AM to finish them. (And I did the exact same thing the second, and third+ time around.)

The Awesome Foursome is a group of women who meet through yoga. They bitch about class in the locker room, and decide they’d all rather be eating and hanging out than exercising. Suzanne Brennan is a veterinary student, Jenny Yuen is a journalist, Ann Montgomery is a harried lawyer, and Rina Goldberg is a professional musician. All the men Suz, Jen, Ann, and Rina end up with are equally as diverse and fun. I’m so glad we’re doing the “Duckies Do Series” reviews, because this is the perfect format for the Awesome Foursome.

Champagne Rules (Book 1)
Released 1 Feb 06

Suzanne Brennen, the girl next door, and Jaxon Navarre, over worked litigator, have a host of issues to deal with. Suzanne lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Jaxon lives in San Francisco, California. More importantly, they haven’t had any sort of interaction during the past four years, and before that, only one afternoon while they were (separately) vacationing in Crete.

Suzanne and Jax reconnect over the Internet – and end up having lots of steamy cybersex. They agree to meet, resulting in Jaxon going to Vancouver for a visit. The chemistry is instantaneous, but both play it safe. After all, what do they really know about each other? Suzanne and Jax come up with rules – their arrangement is purely physical. No emotional ties, no demands, none of the heavy stuff. They’re just like champagne – if you drink it every day, it gets flat. Thus, the Champagne Rules are born.

The distance forces Suzanne and Jaxon to be creative with their love life, although they don’t have any compatibility issues in the bedroom – or out of it. More visits and conversations lead to another important factor – life goals. The relationship forces introspection on both Suzanne and Jaxon, and in the end, a revision of their rules.

What really impressed me specifically was the fact that Jaxon is Black, and an eminently believable character. Normally, stereotypes come out of the woodwork – where it seems the author wanted to address racism, but didn’t really know how to go about dealing with it, making the issue fall flat. Not so here. Racism is serious, and Ms. Lyons treats it very respectfully, but it never bogs down the book. She weaves different concerns and controversies together artfully, where each one works to support the plot, not distract from it.

Grade: A+

RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW

When Suzanne Brennan met Jaxon Navarre, she ad yet to experience the ultimate in pleasure.. but his tender initiation made her wildest dreams come true. Their brief, passionate affair had nothing at all to do with … forever. Four years later, the same rules apply. Keep it light. Keep it simple. And keep it sexy. Very, very sexy. In Jax’s bed, Suzanne finds that desire goes deeper than she ever imagined and erotic pleasure has a whole new meaning. But when it comes right down to it, she’s ready to break every rule in the book for him…

Read an excerpt here.

Hot in Here (Book 2)
Released 1 Aug 06

Jenny Yuen is a very interesting character for a myriad of reasons. First of all, she’s about 5’, 100 lbs, with long gorgeous black hair – but her personality is about twice her size, and as outrageous as her parents would like her to be demure. Jenny lives at home, because of her family, and has to deal with their demands that she marry a nice Chinese boy, and follow their rules. Jenny finds their involvement chafing, but stays out of love and respect for family. (I got the impression that Jenny is Cantonese, but I could be wrong.)

Scott is a firefighter, and in a way he has the same issues as Jenny. He loves what he does and it’s his dream job. Unfortunately his family doesn’t approve of his career choice. They’re German immigrants and farmers, and they want Scott to carry on the family business. I loved that Scott was serious about Jenny first, and that he was the one that took the first steps into making sure they had a real relationship.

The way Scott and Jenny experience pressure from their loved ones is something that brings them together, although they deal with it in very different ways. Because Jenny knows Scott is not someone her family would approve of, she thinks a relationship would be doomed from the start. However, Jenny can’t deny the off the charts chemistry, and is unwilling to give up their sexy trysts. Taking her cues from Suzanne and Jaxon, Jenny creates a set of rules for herself and Scott. Fantasy rules. Each time they get together, they’ll take turns acting out a fantasy one of them has. Thus, they’re both satisfied, but won’t expect anything beyond mutual, physical satisfaction.

It was nice to see how both characters grew throughout the book, and the crazy sexcapades they get into were also quite enjoyable. Not to mention how they met. And everything in between, with the subtle “public service announcements” and banter between the characters. You have to read this book.
Grade: A

RESCUE ME

Journalist Jenny Yuen lands a very steamy assignment: cover a firefighter calendar competition. Her personal favorite? Mr. February. Also known as Scott Jackman. Also known as hot…

Read all about it: the sexy rookie is the man of Jenny’s dreams – her wildest dreams. She’s up for a wickedly sensual game if they play by their very own set of rules: No taboos. No holding back. No commitment. But the desire they feel is impossible to control… and even harder to resist…

Read an excerpt here.

Touch Me (Book 3)
Released 1 Sep 07

Ann Montgomery and Adonis Stefanikis are as different as black and white. Ann is a career driver lawyer, and feels as plain and straight laced as her name. Adonis, by all accounts easily lives up to his namesake, the male beloved by both Aphrodite and Persephone. Adonis also isn’t concerned with what a “modern man” might cherish. He’s a healer, and a gifted masseur, and is happy to travel the world, following the warm weather. Adonis isn’t concerned with material wealth, and has few possessions, refusing to put down roots.
All of this seems tame, but the story is spiced up with all that tantric sex Adonis practices with Ann. Aside from all the fun there, this angle is legitimate, and works in the story. Adonis’s application of tantric sex fits into his personality perfectly – not only him being laid back and taking things slow, but how and where he learned it. And it’s a major factor in helping Ann slow down. There’s also a minor love triangle of sorts, and I love a little competition in romance.

As usual, the couple has a set of rules – they take turns being in charge. Ann is very goal oriented, and for Adonis, it’s the journey that matters. Applying that rule to their encounters results in a good thing, either way.

Grade: A

SKIN TO SKIN

Rub me down. Love me up. Ann Montgomery can’t get enough of Adonis, her new massage therapist. He’s hot, he’s hard, and his big, warm hands are melting away every one of her inhibitions. Naked on his table, needing all he can give, Ann surrenders to his sensual touch in intimate sessions that have her begging for more…

Slowly, skillfully, Adonis unleashes a wild side of her – and a fierce desire that will never be satisfied in just one night…

Read an excerpt here.

She’s on Top (Book 4)
Released 1 Apr 08

I literally danced around my house when I saw that this book had arrived, and with good cause. Rina Goldberg a gifted musician, a beautiful person inside and out, but has a number of body image issues. Giancarlo Mancini is a music video director, but he met Rina at a music camp in Banff when they were both only seventeen. They reconnect after Rina’s boyfriend (not Giancarlo) proposes to her, which ends up being a very good thing.

I loved following the developments of Rina and Giancarlo’s relationship. The way they learn about each other, and how facets of their personalities are revealed. It was nice to see them dealing with issues, with Rina and Giancarlo truly discussing their reservations. Most novels simply skip past that, or end before such an occurrence.

As usual, there were the Foursome lunches, dinners, and emergency meetings. It was nice to get the updates and cameo appearances by the previous three heroines. I re-read this book most recently, and was squeeing to myself near the end.

Grade: A+

Music is Rina Goldberg’s passion and she can never forget the sensual rhapsody she experienced in the arms of Giancarlo, her first lover. Ten years later, Giancarlo is sexier and more romantic than ever. His masterful fingers still know how to create the most intimate melody and pleasure and he understands every nuance of a woman’s sensuality. And Rina is the only woman he wants. Their passionate encore takes her to a glorious, unforgettable climax… and there’s more where that came from. Much more…

Read an excerpt here.

I loved every one of these books. There’s something that every reader can relate to in each story, and see parts of themselves in Suzanne, Jenny, Ann, and Rina. I think it’s fantastic how Ms. Lyons manages to effortlessly weave important, serious topics together with such sexy dialogue and heat. She doesn’t beat you over the head with her themes, but they do get you thinking. The friendship, the setting, concerns and emotions just leaped off the page and gripped me. I felt that I really got to know the characters and their personalities. The writing is impressive I’m refraining myself from all the gushiness that wants to well up, because this are just a fabulous books. Terrific.

My only complaint about the series is I wish it were longer. I finished each book thinking “I want more” after turning the last page (especially after She’s on Top, when all the characters meet). There’s so much to each story a simple review doesn’t do it justice, there’s a depth and complexity to Ms. Lyon’s writing that few authors achieve with such effortless and engaging prose.

Overall Grade: A+

With her deliciously tempting Awesome Foursome Series, Susan Lyons introduced four friends who broke every single one… and found out just how much fun it is to be bad. And the fun never ends…

Limecello’s review of No Stopping Now by Dawn Atkins
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Blaze on 1 Apr 08

I haven’t read a book by Dawn Atkins before, but Harlequin Blaze is one of my category go-to lines, and No Stopping Now was a great find. The story wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and it was a pleasant surprise. A thoughtful, well written story with a little bit of everything, I’m glad I picked up this book.

Jillian James is a unique heroine. She’s one of the guys, and never really got over being the “fat girl” or her father abandoning her. However, those are subtly introduced undertones in the story. She’s smart and clearheaded. Jillian knows when she’s emotionally involved, but doesn’t let it affect her work relationship. Or at least, tries not to let that change. I liked how competent Jillian was at what she did, and how she still had compassion, even though she was so career focused.

Brody Donegan, better known as Doctor Nite, is a man’s man. Or at least, a frat boy’s man. He does a travelogue of sorts showing men the hot night spots, and how to be a player. His motto might as well be “hit it then quit it” (it actually is “the doctor is in”) – but Brody isn’t actually that guy. He has a conscience, and is looking to do something else in his life. Brody actually is a good guy. He doesn’t encourage men to be players- he simply wants men who are players not to get into relationships that will end badly for everyone. Brody also cares about people a lot. He notices small things – what they like, how to treat them, he makes every person feel important.

No Stopping Now is complicated in a good way, for being such a short book. The secondary characters are well written, and each character is well rounded. Jillian and Brody have the face they show the world, the one they show each other, and then who they really are inside. It was fun watching each character discover themselves, and the development of the various relationships. In fact, the action, including a gun-toting thug was rather peripheral.

The scenes are all engaging- at times I was worried as to the outcome, but Ms. Atkins controls the story masterfully. The character reactions are realistic, as are the emotions and concerns. Neither Jillian nor Brody are vilified, though they easily could have been. There are arguments, and at times mistakes are made, but rather than taking away from the plot, each aspect adds to it.

I plan to add Ms. Atkins to my list of authors to watch out for. The story was quite enjoyable, and had a lot more substance that I thought it might. For those of you who like the Blaze books, or just a great contemporary novel, I can happily recommend No Stopping Now.

Grade: B+

Be careful what you lust for

Where is the infamous Doctor Nite when she needs him? Sure, Brody Donegan acts the obnoxious cable show host when documentary maker Jillian James shines the camera on him. When the lights go off, however, it’s the man behind the persona that has her libido working overtime. And once she’s had a taste of the real Brody, there is no stopping this fling.

But she’s promised a network the exclusive on Doctor Nite in her film about bad-for-you bachelors. And the more time she spends in Brody’s bed, the more she doubts how bad he is for her. Can she capture that footage…and keep the man?

Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of A Rogue’s Game (Mistress Trilogy, Book 3) by Renee Bernard
Historical Romance published by Pocket 29 Apr 08

I really liked the gambling, winner-risk-all aspect of this book. The author had fun with it and, thus, so did I. She brought two unique characters together in an equally unique way, gave them uncertain futures but a lust for freedom and living and a banter that made getting to know them a game in itself.

Eve is a star at roll playing. She’s had a number of years now to perfect the calling her uncle has foisted upon her to bring in cash for his comfort and gain. Being her only living relative and having an ill-timed and ill-advised romance with the wrong man keeps Eve in line and at the gaming tables, tricking everyone out of their money. Tricking, not cheating. She’s much better at cards than anyone gives her credit for, thanks to her playacting and a (late) gambler father who taught her everything she knows. But Eve has had it with her uncle’s selfishness and vindictiveness, and soon she won’t have to put up with them anymore. Her plan to escape his clutches is going as well as her luck at gambling. There’s only thing that now stands in her way. Or one man that is.

Having survived a bullet when saving his former friend’s wife, Julian has had quite a tweak in the way he looks at his own life now. The debauchery he reveled in no longer has any hold over him, and when he spies a certain young woman trying to keep her expertise at cards under wraps, he’s intrigued. And in lust. In no uncertain terms, once he has her alone, he tells her he intends to seduce her relentlessly and with no mercy. He knows there’s so much more to Eve than meets the eye and he plans to find out all there is to know about her, illicit or not, while enjoying her in his bed in the meantime.

When Eve finally decides to give herself to Julian, to taste love and romance just once before she runs for her freedom, I had such fun with their rapport and banter along with their lovemaking. They’re both witty, sexy, and they love a good game, whether it’s at the tables or in a feather bed.

I really liked how Ms. Bernard didn’t let Eve fall for the schemes of the jealous former lover or let her fall to pieces when she thought Julian truly was gone from her life like we see in so many books nowadays. And Julian isn’t the typical man denying his feelings for Eve, thinking he can’t have her because their stations in life are so far apart. He knows what he wants and he plays everyone beautifully just like the gambler he is.

Here I am on the back end of a trilogy once again and I’m off to find the first two books because I’m just as intrigued with the hero and heroine of those books based on what I read here. I have a feeling I’ll have just as much fun with them too.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Lovely Eve Reynolds plays the role of a naive young debutante, but her demure appearance hides an experienced cardplayer who, at her uncle’s instigation, is engaged in fleecing London aristocrats in the high-stakes card games favored by society. Only London’s most notorious rake, Julian Clay, the Earl of Westleigh, sees through her wiles, for he recognizes a fellow gambler when he sees one. Lured by the passion in Eve’s stormy eyes, so at odds with her reserved elegance, Julian lays impassioned siege to her. And Eve responds with a rising fire of desire that leaves behind all sensible caution, until both Julian and Eve can think of nothing but the searing hours they spend in each other’s arms.

But Eve’s uncle wants her to play for the highest stakes by making a respectable match with a wealthy lord…and Eve has her own secret reason for following his plan. Although Julian began to play recklessly to seduce a clever young lady, now he wants much more from Eve, and no one will stop him from risking everything on one final game that might win him Eve’s heart and soul forever.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Connie’s Quick Quack review of The Healer by Sharon Sala
Contemporary paranormal romantic suspense released by Mira 1 Apr 08

Jonah Gray Wolf appeared out of nowhere and has a connection to animals no one can explain and he is also a healer. This gift puts him and anyone he cares about in great danger because a man he once helped will do anything to get him in his power.

Jonah helps Luce by healing her dog and finds a kindred soul. Since winter is coming Jonah decides to go to ground in this little town where he thinks he will be safe for a little while but there is always someone hunting him for the reward on his head.

When Jonah’s gift draws attention to him he knows it is only a matter of time but this time instead of running he is making a stand for himself and Luce.

This was a quick read but good after you get into it. Sharon Sala is usually a good read.

Grade: B-

Summary:

It is a gift that may cost him everything

All his life, Jonah Gray Wolf has had an uncanny connection to animals and the power to heal the sick and wounded. Driven from the only home he’s ever known by those who wish to harness his gift for profit, he becomes a drifter, working in out-of-the-way towns, never staying long. It’s a lonely life, but Jonah knows he’s still being hunted-he can’t afford to get close to anyone who might learn his secret.

In West Virginia he finds Luce, a tough but beautiful loner who knows all about keeping people at a distance-a kindred soul with whom he might dare to make a life. But the hunters have caught Jonah’s scent again. Danger is coming to their mountain refuge-a confrontation that will be decided only by a force of nature.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Contemporary fantasy romance hardcover released by Little, Brown 28 Apr 08

Jane Margaux grew up as a lonely single daughter of a Broadway producer.  She really only saw her mother on Sundays when they went to Tiffany’s together. She was never the “beautiful daughter” everyone expected her mother to have and was a little on the chubby side. Jane had an invisible friend named Michael who kept her company and got her through the lonely years until her ninth birthday and then he had to leave her to go to help some other lonely child. 

Years later Jane is as lonely as ever, even though she had success with the play she did about her relationship with Michael. Then Jane meets a man – it’s Michael! They start to spend time together but both are afraid he will have to leave again since he has never before met the adult version of a child he’s helped.

They spend time together and deepen their bond. Michael is afraid he was sent to help Jane through her death, so he breaks both of their hearts and leaves her, thinking to forestall her death.

This was a quick,easy read but you were happy for the characters and did not want Jane to leave him. There is a surprise twist to the end but you will enjoy getting there.

Grade: A

Read other reviews by clicking on the Sundays at Tiffany’s tag.

Summary:

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they’ve really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s review of Innocent As Sin by Elizabeth Lowell
Contemporary romantic suspense hardcover release by William Morrow 19 Jun 07
Massmarket paperback release by Avon 29 Apr 08 (book links to mmppb)

Contemporary romantic suspense often walks a fine line between the various elements that make them up. How to be contemporary without overloading on technical details. How to be romantic without sacrificing the suspense. How to be suspenseful without sacrificing the romance. This book didn’t do such a good balancing job.

All seems to be going well for Kayla Shaw until she barely escapes being kidnapped and accused of money laundering for a wealthy client. After five terrible years, Rand McCree may finally be able to get the man who killed his twin. The man who killed Rand’s brother is an international criminal and Kayla is slated to be his next victim.

Kayla decides to fight back and Rand needs her to get to the hated enemy so they join forces to stop him. Some people are realy evil and need to be stopped before more innocent people are hurt.

After more about gun-running and banking than I ever cared to know, they are trying to stay one step ahead and aren’t sure if they wil stop the evil but are willing to die trying. While they seemed to fall together pretty quickly, they forged a pretty good bond. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that believable or interesting to me.

I’d recommend this book only to fans of the author (of which there are tons – she’s a good author – better than this book indicates).

Grade C-

Book summary:

One day Kayla Shaw was an underpaid and under-appreciated private banker in Arizona. The next day, someone tried to kidnap her.One day Rand McCree was painting daffodils in the Pacific Northwest rain. The next day, St. Kilda Consulting offered him something he’d wanted for five years: the name of his twin brother’s murderer.

Kayla had nowhere to turn, nowhere to run, no one to believe that she wasn’t a money launderer hiding hundreds of millions of dollars.

She was trapped.

Until Rand McCree appeared, offering safety. For a price.

Kayla didn’t want to trust him, but had no real choice. No police would believe that she had been set up, that she was innocent. And no civilian alone could stand against the international criminal who wanted her dead.

Even her own government was suspect.

Rand trusted Kayla as much as he trusted anybody-not much-but what he really wanted was revenge for his brother’s death. Everything else came last.

Then the man who had killed Rand’s brother sent a killer after Kayla Shaw. The violence of the past exploded into the present, leaving only a future that might be too dangerous to survive….

Read an excerpt (nice long one)

Limecello’s review of Fallen (7 Deadly Sins, Book 2) by Erin McCarthy
Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Jove 29 Apr 08

Erin McCarthy is one of my favorite romance authors. My expectations may have been too high, because Book 2 of the Seven Deadly Sins series unfortunately disappointed. I felt that the story didn’t truly begin until chapter 9. The story moved too slowly for me, and I felt that the action didn’t begin until the nearly the end, and it became rushed. I also would have liked a bit more romance.

Gabriel and Sara have a very stilted relationship – if one can even call it a relationship for the first 20 or so chapters. More like awkward coworkers inexorably connected to each other, but stunted. They’re flawed, and their personalities seem to compliment each other. However, it takes a little work to like them. They have so much potential but don’t move towards each other in any way for so long.

I know Ms. McCarthy is a terrific writer, so featuring every positive in the book would take too long. Accordingly, I’m going to discuss what I disliked in the book. In an oversimplification, I don’t have much sympathy for Gabriel. His life sucks, he’s a fallen angel, cry me a river, he did it to his own damn self. Some theological issues bothered me too. Also, for someone who has had such a traumatic past, Sara… just doesn’t seem right. Even for someone weary and emotionally isolated, for a while Sara is rather… annoying.

Those notes and sniveling women, and Gabriel’s “women problems.” Gag. And the letters. Personally I didn’t think truly had an 1850s feel to them. There was an excessively suspicious character – and a major “duh” moment early on. The “legal speculation” upset me. Maybe it was the way the articles were written. I hate the media.

Fallen wasn’t much of a romance for much of the book, and while normally I’m a fan of unrequited/forbidden love romances, Fallen didn’t bring it for me. The characters were too disconnected and uncertain. Thee story itself is well written, but I would have liked more romance, and a better developed relationship between Gabriel and Sara. All the depositions, newspaper articles, and letters didn’t add much to the story for me. They didn’t give me insight into the characters, and having observed more than my fair share of trials, I don’t think what you get from the media would be useful in truly finding the facts of a murder. I also have a lot of questions about the absinthe. I guess I’ll have to try it. I do know absinthe is different in Europe vs. the US.

There were some very sweet moments in the book. For example, when Gabriel sketches Sara, hanging out the window, and when he finally plays the piano for her. Chopin always amuses me, and I can’t help but think of Franz Liszt. I normally really like Ms. McCarthy books, and I know she can write “darker” stories – I was bowled over by My Immortal – so I’d say that I set my expectations too high, but unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy Fallen as much as I thought I would. I do plan on re-reading it in the future and hoping I like it more then. Erin McCarthy fans may or may not enjoy Fallen and you may want to read it to see what is happening next in the series. I do however, plan on reading any and all of Ms. McCarthy’s books. I love her work, this book just won’t make it to the top three of my list.

Grade: C-

Read Devon’s review here and Laura D’s review here.

Blurb:

New Orleans, 1880s. Sent to watch over the decadent city, the angel Gabriel loses himself in the liquid pleasure of absinthe. So when his mistress, Anne, is murdered—and all evidence points to him— a foggy Gabriel cannot be sure he didn’t do it. His penance: to be forever denied love. Should he seek pleasure with a woman, she’ll know the depths of despair. New Orleans, today. Hoping to unlock that unsolved mystery, forensic scientist Sara Michaels, Anne’s great-great-granddaughter, meets the ageless, tormented Gabriel. To work together would mean suppressing their mutual attraction—he can’t allow himself to touch Sara, for her own sake. And for Sara, already familiar with the dangers of addiction, Gabriel poses the ultimate threat to her self-control. But can the desire burning between them turn into their salvation—or lead them both to destruction?

Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C.’s review of Lawless by Emma Wildes
Historical western erotic romance ebook published 1 Apr 08 by Samhain Publishing

I love westerns, and I don’t even really have a problem with violence in my books, so Lawless looked interesting to me. Bad-boy hero? Nothing sexier. Heroine who probably wouldn’t drive me crazy? I am so there. And at first, I loved the book. Lawless started out extremely well, with an action scene that got me immediately hooked on the story and the characters. Unfortunately, the early promise of that scene quickly fizzled, and it took me much longer than it should have to actually finish. And this is one of Samhain’s shorter novels.

Laurel Daniels is returning home to Colorado from Boston, where she’s been visiting relatives, when her train is attacked. Cal Riker, the most notorious lawman in the west, rescues her from the group of outlaws who’ve kidnapped her. The two of them immediately acknowledge their attraction, but they must face Cal’s past, which slowly catches up to them.

This book seems to be part of a series. There were definitely characters who clearly had their own stories, and a couple were destined for sequel-bait. Thankfully, I was able to follow the action without being confused, which is always good in a series.

I liked Laurel well enough. She is smart, she knows what she wants, and is extremely sensible. I liked that she didn’t do anything TSTL, and I liked that she wasn’t all aflutter with maidenly dismay at being touched. Unfortunately, I found her characterization to be a bit flat. I never really connected with her, nor did I understand why Cal was drawn to her.

Cal fares little better, though. He has a tortured past, of course, and a reputation that, we quickly learn, is largely exaggerated. Quite frankly, I found him extremely whiny. Yes, we get that he has a tortured past. But I was kind of expecting more from his aforementioned tortured past than there actually was. And I really didn’t like how his character arc was resolved, with everybody basically shrugging and saying, “Oh well. Sometimes that stuff happens.”

The sex scenes here were nice, although since I never really connected with the characters, I didn’t really feel the chemistry. In fact, I felt more chemistry between the sheriff and his wife, clearly the hero and heroine of a previous book, who get a shortish sex scene for no apparent reason, than I did from Cal and Laurel.

The plot starts out with a bang and then gradually peters out and becomes a tad predictable. I wish that the villains had not been dispatched quite so quickly, because I never really felt much out of the climax.

I know I’ve nitpicked quite a bit, but the book did have its good points. Ms. Wildes can write some amazing action sequences, and her prose is extremely readable. I am intrigued enough to read more from her about the characters in this universe.

Grade: C+

Summary:

An unlikely hero—until Fate steps in.

Cal Riker isn’t just a wanted man. His skill with a gun makes his name synonymous with notoriety. Deserved or not, a deadly reputation can sometimes come in handy for things like saving a beautiful woman from a ruthless outlaw gang. They’re all afraid of him—all except his enticing captive.

Laurel Daniels is furious at being abducted, even more so at the indignity of being purchased with ill-gotten money. Then she’s terrified when she realizes the cool, silver-eyed stranger who bought her is none other than an infamous, legendary killer.

Is he truly as lawless as they say? As she discovers an interesting side to this renegade cowboy, Laurel starts to wonder…

Warning: Strong sexual content, lawless bad boys, language, some violence.

You can read an excerpt here

Shannon C.’s review of These Boots Were Made for Stomping by Julie Kenner, Jade Lee, and Marianne Mancusi
Paranormal romance anthology released Love Spell 22 Apr 08

Normally, I would never have picked up an anthology like this. My footwear consists of… uh… tennis shoes and maybe, for special occasions, the flats that are hidden somewhere in the back of my closet. I am the ultimate casual dresser, and the only real concession to cosmetics I make involves perfume. So the premise that three women can find exactly what they want from life thanks to the right footwear strikes me as really silly and shallow. On the other hand, I do love Julie Kenner, and Marianne Mancusi is an author I’ve always thought I would like. And, surprise surprise, I really liked this anthology, all feminist quibbles aside.

A Step in the Right Direction by Julie Kenner

Julie Kenner tells the story of Lydia Carmichael, a shy woman with a serious lack of confidence and a fixation on superheroes. Her best friend talks her into buying shoes from a website that promises that, with the shoes, Lydia will gain her heart’s desire. Soon, the new Lydia is kicking ass and taking names, and running into Nikko, a real honest-to-God superhero who looks like her beloved comic book character, Silver Streak.

I like Julie Kenner. The humor in her stories always works for me, and I always feel that her heroines are real people that I might run into somewhere. Her stories are light and fluffy, and this one is no exception. The characters aren’t very substantial when examined closely, but as archetypes they work well, and I loved watching Lydia’s self-confidence bloom. I think I could have done with a little less of the hokey comic book aspects of the story, but that’s a personal preference and the story was still good.

Grade: B

Kung Fu Shoes by Jade Lee

Jade Lee is an author I’ve heard of but whose books haven’t yet tempted me. In this story, inner-city schoolteacher Michaela “Micki” Becker is beginning to feel burned out by her teaching job. Then she discovers that the Mary Janes she bought from the same website where Lydia of the previous story got her magic shoes imbue her with kung fu powers. As she struggles to get through to Lucy, one of the kids she wants to reach, she attracts the attention of the school cop, Joe DeLuce.

I liked the romance in this story. Joe is a great hero–manly and very much a real guy. I loved watching his progress into love with Micki. Unfortunately, Micki herself is less well-drawn. She is basically a big liberal bleeding-heart stereotype (she even eats tofu for heaven’s sake), and I thought she slipped past the border of TSTL country just a little too often. Also, the paranormal aspect of the story was so underdeveloped that it added a level of cheese that really didn’t need to be there at all.

Grade: C+

Karma Kitty Goes to Comic Con by Marianne Mancusi

Marianne Mancusi’s Karma Kitty Goes to Comic Con ends the anthology on a high note. Comic book writer Hailey Hills is given the opportunity to attend Comic Con, the largest comics convention in the country, where she will get to meet fans of Karma Kitty, the popular superheroine she’s created. As per the rest of the stories in this anthology, she’s bought a special pair of Karma Kitty boots for the occasion. Unfortunately, Colin Robinson, her former boyfriend, who broke up with her on account of the fact that too many weird things happen to Hailey, is also at the convention. Can these two rekindle an old flame amidst real live ninjas, burgeoning superpowers, and a publisher that’s determined to make the comics industry respectable?

I’m not normally a fan of screwball comedies. They have to be done really really well, or they come off as stupid. Ms. Mancusi does screwball very well, and I laughed aloud a number of times while I was reading. I particularly loved the way Ms. Mancusi worked in a not so subtle reference to a certain RWA-related kerfuffle from last year. Doubtless, people who disagreed with her on that particular issue will find the alusion to it in poor taste, but I appreciated it.

I liked the characters. Hailey was a lot of fun, even if she was a little stereotypical. I liked that she seemed more confident in herself than the other heroines, and it seemed that she was deliberately supposed to be something of a ditz. Colin was a bit of a jerk, and I didn’t really see what Hailey saw in him, but the story was so laugh out loud funny that I didn’t particularly mind.

Grade: A-

Overall, this was a really good anthology. The Lee story might have been the weakest, but it’s still worth reading.
Overall Grade: B

Summary:
SOMETIMES IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

Whether facing the forces of evil or simply battling a bad hair day, fantastic footwear is key.

Yes, there are the right shoes for the right situation, and not every moment calls for Manolos. Sometimes a woman’s gotta be fierce as well as feminine, fiery as well as fragile. And when the legwork required is a roundhouse, when a girl’s mantra has to become “I am woman, hear me roar,” those are the times it’s good to know there’s magic in the world–because in super-powered pumps, the shrinking-est Violet or the nervous-est Nellie can do anything. Every step in magic shoes is sure to be a big one.

Gwen’s review of Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Contemporary fantasy romance released hardcover by Little, Brown 28 Apr 08

This little book was hanging around in a pile that I got from Sybil a while back. I wasn’t all that interested in it, if only because I’ve never had luck when a favorite author ventures away from what I like about them. Patterson is one of my favorite non-romance authors (LOVE the Alex Cross novels, LOVE the Women’s Murder Club books, and I even love his YA book, Maximum Ride) and here’s he’s tried a romance? Oh no, I thought, he’s going to ruin it for me. Now I’ll never be able to read him again. Well…

I was wrong. There. I said it. I was happily, wonderfully wrong. WRONG WRONG WRONG! I’ve never been so glad to be wrong about anything.

I LOVED this book. Sure it wasn’t perfect and sure it was light. But, gosh, it was an amazing AMAZING romance. I smiled all the way thru reading it, when I wasn’t bawling my eyes out, that is. I mean, big ol’ ugly cry bawling. Had to put the book down and compose myself bawl. TWICE!

The book’s premise is simple: a little girl’s imaginary friend, an angel of some sort, is actually the love of her life. The path these two take to this love is long and winding. And sweet and “awwwww” inspiring (pun intended). I grinned through most of it.

I could have wished that the heroine’s mother was a bit more sympathetic earlier. At the end, I didn’t quite believe her confessions to her daughter because of this. She did, however, inspire one of the crying jags I had reading this book, so I can’t complain too loudly.

This was a highly enjoyable, quick read. I recommend it to anyone looking for a fast, lovely story. In fact, this may be one of the few books I keep and read again in a few months – something I almost never do. If you’ve never read Patterson before, you’ll love this book and if you’re a fan of Patterson, you’ll be very surprised. And perhaps you’ll read this book with as big a smile on your face as I did.

Grade: A-

Summary:

AN IMAGINARY FRIEND Jane Margaux is a lonely little girl. Her mother, a powerful Broadway producer, makes time for her only once a week, for their Sunday trip to admire jewelry at Tiffany’s. Jane has only one friend: a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael. He’s perfect. But only she can see him. Michael can’t stay forever, though. On Jane’s ninth birthday he leaves, promising her that she’ll soon forget him.

AN UNEXPECTED LOVE Years later, in her thirties, Jane is just as alone as she was as a child. And despite her own success as a playwright, she is even more trapped by her overbearing mother. Then she meets someone–a handsome, comforting, funny man. He’s perfect. His name is Michael…

AND AN UNFORGETTABLE TWIST This is a heartrending story that surpasses all expectations of why these people have been brought together. With the breathtaking momentum and gripping emotional twists that have made James Patterson a bestselling author all over the world, SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S takes an altogether fresh look at the timeless and transforming power of love.

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Lifting the Veil by R.G. Alexander
Contemporary Paranormal Erotic Romance released by Ellora’s Cave 16 Apr 08

Give me a good shifter story any time. If it’s a wolf shifter story, it’s that much better. A sexy-as-sin, handsome, alpha, immortal shifter. What’s better than that?

It’s Meru’s birthday and she’s been given an unexpected gift, The Book of Veils. Not knowing what all the book contains, she translates a spell that gives her the ability to see what people truly are, seeing their aura, so to speak, lifting the veil. As she learns more about her ancestor, Aine, a Druid and favored by the goddess Danu, and the power of future sight she possessed, Meru realizes that power has been handed down to her for a reason she and her family must discover and then they must solve whatever comes from that discovery.

Sent to protect a priestess, Damon is a guardian of the North Portal, a place where it is his duty to keep dark shifters and Others from gaining entrance to the human world and causing havoc throughout. But when he meets this priestess, his wolf instincts take over and it’s his mate he’s confronted with, though he can’t reasonably acknowledge that particular piece of news right now. All he knows is he wants her, needs her, and will have her.

And have her he does. The lovemaking between these two is fierce and mind numbing as well as slow, savoring, and loving. They don’t fight the attraction, the pull they have for one another. They let it grow and explode naturally, all the while learning about each other and fighting evil and darkness. You feel the emotion between them, especially when Damon tells her about his childhood, how lost he was and frightened at not knowing how to control his shifting.

The storyline itself is done very well, giving you and the characters a mystery to solve together. And those secondary characters are all terrific. I especially enjoyed Finn and twins Val and Hawk, fellow guardians of Damon’s. I was hoping those two would have their own books, and perusing the author’s site I found that Val and Hawk’s story is in the works.
I look forward to that one. I also really enjoyed the mini romance between Lily, Meru’s aunt, and Myrddin, an ancient immortal entrusted to protect mortals. Maybe they will have their own book down the road too.

This is one of those books that gives you a storyline to go along with your sex and this author does it quite nicely while keeping you entertained and hot and bothered all at the same time.

Grade: B+

Summary:

When Meru Tanner receives a mysterious birthday present, The Book of Veils, her world is turned upside down. Now she’s “seeing” things that aren’t supposed to be real, gabbing with gods and having erotic premonitions about one sexy wolf-man she’d do anything to tame.

She tempted the feral beast inside him to come out and play. Damon Arkadios has kept the animal part of his nature leashed for thousands of years. He is a guardian, the leader of the Fianna warriors — but from the moment he caught her scent, he knew she was more than just another assignment. Protecting the sexy little seer will challenge his own beliefs — and his control.

Their lust quickly spins out of control, even as danger lurks behind every corner. Can she accept the legacy handed down to her from the distant past and convince her Lycan to be a part of her future? Or will the ancient evil that threatens to destroy their world keep them from making a new beginning together?

Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s review of French Kissing by Nancy Warren
Contemporary romance published by Harlequin Blaze 1 Apr 08

I tend to really like Ms. Warren’s books published by Brava, and the Blaze line is one of my favorites, so when she wrote a book for Blaze, it was the perfect match. Although the book started slowly for me, I’m glad I came back to it and gave it a chance. The book seems a bit cliché, but it isn’t, and turned out to be a highly enjoyable read.

While I like fashion and find Paris fascinating, French Kissing took some time to grow on me. Kimi Renton and Holden MacGreggor are like a Papillion, and a Great Dane, and just as different. She’s a fashion writer, and he’s a PI on assignment, posing as a photographer. At first, I thought both Kimi, and the book might be a bit too fluffy, and that Holden would be too cold. However, once the characters resign themselves to working with each other, however, it’s smooth sailing.

One reason I didn’t like the book initially, was talk of the couple Nicola Pietra, and Mark Apple – aka ApplePie. Eye roll. However, they are minor characters, and provide comic relief, as well as the premise for the book. French Kissing is also surprisingly complex. There are two subplots, that weave into the main plot beautifully, and serve to support the story, rather than distract from it.

Kimi seems very shallow, but she has surprising depth, and is a great person. She’s willing to curtail her activities in her favorite week of the year. She’s also intelligent, and follows things through once she commits to it. Holden can’t tell J. Crew from Tom Ford, until Kimi puts him through fashion boot camp. He thinks fashion is frivolous, but puts his all into being a good photographer, and to prove himself to Kimi. He’s a good sport, and a surprisingly understanding male. They’re both witty, intelligent, and able to compromise. It also helps that they’re instantly attracted to each other and have amazing chemistry.

The crime investigation was creative, and the villains unexpected. The twists and turns in the story not only serve to bring Kimi and Holden together, they’re interesting and believable. French Kissing is an action packed story that has romance, drama, angst, intrigue, an international couture theft ring, and the mafia. French Kissing is well written, and a great short read. The plot is fresh and new, and a lot of fun. I recommend reading this book.

Grade: B+

Fashion crime” takes on a whole new meaning…

Manhattan magazine editor and fashionista Kimi Renton is one of the beautiful people at couture week every year. But this time she’s stuck with a rumpled P.I. posing as her photographer. Holden MacGreggor is tough-guy gorgeous—and badly attired. So if he’s going to play the part right, she’s going to have to dress him properly…then undress him slowly.

Soon they’re having so much fun under the covers they almost forget that they’re supposed to be undercover, busting up an international theft ring. Then ooh, la la turns into oh-oh when they’re found out.

Could this be the last tango in Paris for both of them?

Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of Wanderlust by Shelley Munro
Romantic Suspense eBook released by Cerridwen Press 17 Apr 08

I love a lengthy read as much as the next person. But this book went on and on and on and…way too long. I ended up being bored more than I was excited, mystified, turned on, or any other emotion you’d care to work in there. I got through eighteen chapters and just had to call it quits.

Anna is a tour guide for Wanderlust Adventures and her current assignment is in India, ushering passengers around the country in a huge truck named Alice. She has an interesting array of folks traveling with her, but interesting turns to whiny and menacing in short order. The only person worth anything in her tour group and in the book is Sebastian, Anna’s casual lover she meets up with a few times a year for some great sex. He unexpectedly shows up to wander around with her, something she resents initially. She wants him when she wants him and not as part of her work, which she takes very seriously and wants any personal complications left behind. Too bad she didn’t tell her parents that when they decided to send her sister Elizabeth along on the Indian tour.

Gradually strange things begin to happen to the group, including murder. One by one the passengers begin to fall and it takes forever between each event. We get more whining from the female passengers, especially Elizabeth, who we find out doesn’t get along with Anna and never really has. Anna lets her go her own way, she’s an adult, she can live with whatever consequences.

She also finally gives in to Sebastian’s seduction and finally I perked up, although now I forget what chapter that was and how long it took to get there. But Anna goes right back to being Anna, pushing him away while he helps her at every turn, tries to protect her from a stalker and murderer, and has the sexiest grin around. She’s a little too independent if she’s going to keep Sebastian on the back burner for three-quarters of the book.

We also get a glimpse every so often from the culprit’s point of view, which, sorry to say, is just as boring as all the other in-between stuff from Anna’s point of view. It’s like there’s just too many little details that takes us away from the main point too many times. I gave the book one last chance up to the point Sebastian and Anna make love in the shower, which was the second best scene, right after the first time they make love, because she still hadn’t changed enough to keep me interested to get to the end.

Pull out all those unnecessary details, put in a lot more of Sebastian, plus Sebastian pulling out all the stops at seduction and you’d have a much better book. Well, IMHO anyway.

Grade: DNF

Summary:

Not many people live their dream, but I’ve been incredibly lucky. I’m Anna Tietjens, and I work as a tour leader for Wanderlust Adventures.

My current tour is through incredible India. It should be a breeze, except my younger sister is joining in New Delhi. Things are not exactly civil between us — a childhood full of upheaval didn’t help — and our parents have insisted she travel with me or not at all. I see fun times ahead. Now my boyfriend has turned up without warning. Don’t get me wrong. I really like Sebastian Brady. The sex is good, spectacular even, but meeting a few times a year is enough. I mean, I’m not looking for love or happy ever after.

But worst of all is the bad luck I’ve been having recently. One of my passengers died in Syria, and now it looks like my co-driver might have to leave the tour. Despite the exotic location, it’s not exactly smooth sailing, and I’m starting to think someone is out to halt the tour…

Read an excerpt here.

Connie’s review of No One Left To Tell by Jordan Dane
Romantic suspense released from Avon 29 Apr 08

The body of a brutally slain man is found by a priest in a chapel. Detective Raven Montgomery and her partner are trying to find who would do such a thing and when they found who the guy works for they have to toe the line. Mickey worked in security for a crime family. Christian Delacorte is the liaison to the crime family but he has the skills to have killed Mickey.

Rebecca and Christian must hunt out the truth about his past to find out who wanted to start this vendetta since the head of the crime family finds out her sins have come back to bite her.

Christian does not remember a lot about the night his family was killed and Fiona does not want him to find out what she has done. Christian is really hurt by her betrayal and it causes a rift between them that Fiona only hopes time will heal.

There are plenty of bad guys here and one develops an obsession with Rebecca and wants her along with trying to carry out orders on the vendetta and Christian must try to save them all.

I thought the hunk guy would not work a second time but Jordan Dane manages to make a guy you want to come out on top after all he has been through. I enjoyed this book and now I am on my 3rd Jordan Dane book which should tell the rest of Christian’s story.

If you have not tried this author you might want to. These are page turners!

Grade: B+

Summary:

A Dark Message…  The body of a brutally slain man is found on the holy grounds of a chapel, and a cryptic message pinned to his chest unravels the lives of people touched by a dark secret. Detective Raven Mackenzie and her partner uncover the dead man’s connection to a powerful female crime boss, leading them to her mysterious head of security, Christian Delacorte, who soon becomes the prime suspect.

Triggers His Nightmares…  Yet when Raven sifts through Christian’s past, she discovers the man is plagued by deeply rooted nightmares—and a shadowy childhood tragedy linking him to the case. Convinced his past holds the key to finding the real killer, she defies her partner, following her gut instincts and trusting her undeniable bond with Christian.

And Arouses a Killer…  But Raven shares her own date with destiny when she crosses paths with a heartless killer. And when he unleashes his rage, there will be no one left to tell.

Read an excerpt. 

Gwen’s review of Eternal Lover by Hannah Howell, Lynsay Sands, Jackie Kessler, and Richelle Mead
Historical and contemporary paranormal romance anthology released by Kensington 1 Apr 08

This antho landed in my hands and I went, “Oooooo! Looks positively yummy!” I love a good paranormal antho – the plot moves along so quickly in those stories. This one was no disappointment, even if I wasn’t a huge fan of all the stories. Read on to find out the whole skinny…

The Yearning by Hannah Howell

This short historical paranormal is very typical of Howell: upstanding, courageous, practical young Miss meets dark, damaged older hunk. They fall in love, overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to be together, live happily ever after. I suppose I just summarized most of the historical romances out there, but this is Howell. The paranormal elements are light – as is normal in her books – and the romance is very sweet with just enough heat to please. I like her writing, though sometimes it’s a bit light even for me. Read an excerpt.

Grade: B-

A Hell of a Time by Jackie Kessler

I really liked this contemporary paranormal story. It’s the first Kessler I’ve ever read, so if this is a repeat character, then I’ve missed some good reads. A succubus, who has recently been turned human, and her boyfriend go to a cabin in the woods for some one-on-one time. Little does she know that the cabin and the surrounding woods are possessed. There is some laugh-out-loud moments – all nicely misanthropic, so they appealed to me (I hate silly-funny dialogue) – and some seriously tense moments with heat sprinkled throughout. Very good story. Read an excerpt.

Grade: A

City of Demons by Richelle Mead

This contemporary/urban paranormal is 75% miss, 25% hit for me. I like the relationships – except for the one between the heroine and her boyfriend (can’t really call him the hero). I just don’t believe in it, even after the events in the story. I like the dynamics between the other characters and the predicament the heroine finds herself in. What I don’t like is the utter banality of the “corporate” dynamics of Mead’s world – demons talked about getting transfers to a new boss or territory, and they had meetings in hotel conference rooms, for heaven’s sake. And that is just a small example. Didn’t really like it, though I read the whole thing. No excerpt to be found.

Grade: C-

Bitten by Lynsay Sands

This historical paranormal is a little more obviously paranormal than Howell’s, though it is in a largely similar vein. Pretty, courageous, young miss meets up with dark, damaged hero (who is also a vampire), they fall in love, overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and have a happily ever after. This one is a bit darker than Howell’s, and I liked it more. It is a good short story. I think I’d have gotten really tired of these characters if I had had to read more of it. No excerpt found.

Grade: B+

Overall grade: B

Blurb:

Theirs is a world of ancient desires and forbidden pleasures. They are men of mystery and women of seduction, wild creatures with the power to entrance and enchant, tease and tantalize. Enter their secret world, if you dare.

The Yearning by Hannah Howell Alpin has lived for centuries with a lust that can never be quenched with mere physical pleasure. And then he meets Sophie whose own search for lasting love binds them together in a cloak of shimmering sensuality.

A Hell of a Time by Jackie Kessler Jesse’s immortal life as a soul-stealing succubus is over. And now that she is human, she longs to tempt her lover with all her persuasive powers of total sexual seduction.

City of Demons by Richelle Mead Seth cannot resist the intense sexual allure of his demon lover Georgina. Yet their love reaches beyond the physical, into a place of complete untamed surrender.

Bitten by Lynsay Sands Keeran’s existence as a vampire has taught him to accept a life without love.until he saves Emily from certain death. And suddenly he discovers the soul-searing passion he thought he’d lost forever.

Holly‘s review of In Bed With Her Italian Boss by Kate Hardy
Contemporary Romance released by Harlequin Presents 8 Apr 08

I generally enjoy the Presents line, though I don’t remember reading Kate Hardy before. Unfortunately, this book features one of my least favorite plot devices – the BIG MISUNDERSTANDING – which resulted in the hero and heroine acting like children for most of the novel. I’ll be looking for more titles by her in the future, but I’m going to make sure they’re written around a different plot device.

I liked Gio as a hero. He was kind and considerate to Fran and was close with his family. He had hangups because he feels responsible for his father suffering a heart attack while covering for him at work in college, so he’s turned into a workaholic. He refuses to get involved in a serious relationship for fear he’ll let the person down again. Even though he loves music and is an excellent player, he won’t pursue it as anything more than a hobby, because he feels the need to punish himself for something he had no control over. After awhile, this became very tiresome and I was ready for him to move on.

I really liked Fran. She was adopted as a child and has always felt like the odd man out with her family. She’s witty and efficient and had a great dry sense of humor I really enjoyed. When Gio asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend, she reluctantly agrees, but is surprised at how well she fits in and gets along with his family, and immediately starts feeling guilty for deceiving them. When her flat floods and she needs a place to stay, Gio offers her his spare room and things quickly heat up. But she struggles with keeping it casual since Gio has made it clear he wants a no strings attached affair and her pride and personal insecurities won’t let her ask him if he wants something more. Her constant waffling back and forth about “this means nothing/this means everything” started to bother me after awhile, but I understood her reasons for feeling the way she did.

Up to this point, I was digging the story. Then came the big misunderstanding. With one conversation, both Fran and Gio could have saved themselves a ton of heartache, but instead they clung to their pride and conviction that each were the wronged party, when really it was just their own stubborness that caused problems. Although I felt it ended well, my frustration throughout the last 1/4 of the book came close to ruining it for me.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Having just been fired, Francesca has three immediate requirements: a coffee, an extremely calorific pastry and a new job. Stopping off at her favorite café, Giovanni’s, she manages to pick up all three!

Working for darkly handsome Giovanni Mazetti is fantastic—except Fran discovers the job comes with a tantalizing caveat: pretending to be his adoring girlfriend! Soon their kisses start happening in private as well as in public, and although Fran knows it’s all a game to Giovanni, she can’t help wishing his feelings were for real….

Read an excerpt here.

Laura D’s Review of Fast & Loose by Elizabeth Bevarly
Contemporary Romance released by Berkley 1 Apr 08

I was one of those horse-crazy little girls, especially when it involved racehorses. One of my dreams is to attend the Kentucky Derby, and Elizabeth Bevarly’s latest is set in the middle of Louisville during Derby madness. It’s a cute summer read, especially with a mint julep at hand.

“King” Cole Early is the hot trainer of the year, and his filly Silk Purse has just become the last horse to qualify for the Derby. He’s cocky, gorgeous, and has no place to stay in Louisville; every last bed in town is booked. Lucky for him, LuLu Flannery has been convinced to rent out her little home for the 3 weeks leading up to Derby.

LuLu Flannery is an artist, and if she weren’t desperate for cash, she’d never rent out her home. But she is and she does, and as she’s dropping of her key at the realtor’s, she and Cole literally run into each other. A quick battle of insults take place, and they’re both reluctantly intrigued, although neither knows who the other one is-nor does LuLu have any idea that Cole is the tenant she’s worried might be about to trash her home.

I loved watching Cole get to know LuLu by living in her house. His slow exploration of her space and his curiosity about her was very well written. He was being seduced by LuLu, by way of her home. The way he kept picking up a photograph of LuLu and her friends, wondering which one she was. Great descriptions of the colors in her closet, the scents in each room, the light, and her artwork. Even his clumsiness in her small space. Her house really came alive. (The house is actually almost more interesting than LuLu.)

Cole is a bit lost. Other than the first paragraph, the reader never gets to see him at the track or working with Silk Purse, the things that are his passion. He always seems to be at a bar or at a party, and it’s really hard to get a feel for who he is and what he wants. Once he starts to spend time with LuLu, both of them begin to develop a bit more.

“Fast & Loose” is a fun read, and both Cole and LuLu are easy to like. There’s a toasty love scene, a sweet secondary romance, and plenty of lively banter. All in all, a great way to spend an afternoon reading before the Belmont Stakes-go Big Brown, bring home that Triple Crown!

Grade: C+
Blurb:

Thoroughbred trainer Cole Early needs a place to stay while his horse is preparing for the Kentucky Derby. With Louisville booked solid, he snaps up the snug little bungalow his real estate agent miraculously finds.

Glass artist Lulu Flannery has agreed to rent out her house for Derby, but quickly begins to worry. What if her boarder is someone like that rowdy “King Cole” person who keeps popping up in all the places she seems to be? A guy like that could really mess with a girl’s feng shui.

But it isn’t Lulu’s feng shui that Cole is interested in. Especially after he discovers she’s the mysterious woman whose house is filled with such sensual indulgences. What’s a guy gotta do to bring the passion out of the self-possessed Miss Flannery?

Holly‘s review of Black Silk by Sharon Page
Historical erotic romance released by Kensington Aphrodisia 1 Apr 08

This novel was a pleasant surprise for me. It’s a historical, which I didn’t know until I started reading it. I fell right into it, despite the fact that I generally avoid historical erotica novels. The plot was surprisingly deep for the way it started out (I thought it was just going to be a quick, light erotica) and the characters were well drawn and deeper than it seemed at first glance. From the first page I was hooked and couldn’t walk away.

The back blurb of this book doesn’t do much for the story, so I’m going to add my own really quick:

Maryanne Hamilton is lured to Mrs. Masters house of ill repute by a friend who says she’s in dire need of help. Only her friend never shows and Maryanne ends up locked in a room with none other than the man she’s been fantasizing about for months, Dashiel Blackmore, Lord Swansborough. And as an editor of erotic novels, she can fantasize pretty good. But Dash mistakes her for a lightskirt named Verity and she ends up compromised…all night long.

Dash uses liquor and sex to dull the pain from his bitter past. But when some of London’s most notorious courtesan’s turn up missing and Dash is framed for it, he needs Verity to verify his alibi. Only he has no idea who she really is. Until her brother-in-law – and one of Dash’s good friends – shows up on his doorstep demanding he do the honorable thing and marry her.

Dash was an extremely compelling character, filled with contradictions and insecurities. He has a reputation for being lecherous, most notably for allowing hot wax to be poured on him during sex play, though at heart he’s honorable and only wants to escape his past. Once he marries Maryanne, he becomes confused about what carnal delights he should and shouldn’t introduce his innocent wife to. He also struggles with the desire to protect her while not really trusting her. Both these internal conflicts were interesting and well played out.

Maryanne was also an interesting character. She hides from Dash the fact that she edits erotic stories, afraid he’ll be disgusted with her and turn her out if he realizes how truly depraved she is. Yet she can’t control the impulse to be as wanton as she can in the bedroom. Though the two sound contradictory, it rather worked. She was a strong character and I truly enjoyed watching her and Dash circle each other.

The mystery surrounding the women being abducted and the attempts on Dash’s life was well done. The focus of the story stayed on the main couple, so I felt the mystery was an added bonus and played well into the characters’ internal struggles. The villain wasn’t easily recognizable as such, either.

I do think parts of the plot were unnecessary (such as the erotic scavenger hunt Maryanne and Dash are drawn into shortly after they meet) and some of the scenes were over the top, especially some of the sex scenes between secondary characters. I think more than a few were thrown in just for the sake of having them.

This is the sequel to Sin, which features Maryanne’s sister, and there were a few times when the story focussed on things that had obviously taken place in the first novel and I was lost. It doesn’t happen often, so I don’t think they have to be read in order, but for those of you who care about that sort of thing you might want to.

Grade: B+

     Summary:

DANGEROUS SEDUCTION Maryanne Hamilton had expected to be shocked, but the wanton orgy she finds in Mrs. Master’s salon makes her wonder if she has walked into hell. Desperate to escape, she comes upon the master of sin himself-Lord Swansborough. Fascinated by his nakedness, she longs to touch every inch of his long, hard body. And when he bids her come near, she quickly surrenders to his wicked promises of carnal pleasure and sensual ecstasy.

  Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Liviania‘s review of Dark Needs at Night’s Edge (Immortals After Dark, Book 4) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal Romance released by Pocket 1 Apr 08

I started Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark with this one, and I believe it is my favorite. This romance focuses on the youngest of the Wroth brothers, the insane Conrad, and Néomi, a dead human. Yes, it is a bit of a logistical nightmare. On the other hand, it gives the characters time to talk and develop a strong emotional relationship before they have sex.

In a last-ditch effort to save Conrad’s mind, his brothers imprison him. They believe they have found the means to restore his sanity without using Riora’s gift, which made more sense after I read No Rest for the Wicked. Elancourt just happens to be Néomi’s former estate and her soul anchor. Since only Conrad has killed and become a Fallen vampire, he is the only one that can see and hear the ballerina. However, when a vampire kills, he absorbs the memories of his prey. Conrad is lost in the memories of his numerous kills and believes Néomi to be yet another of his hallucinations.

Néomi realizes Conrad can see her and proves to him that she’s real. After all, she was a famous ballerina in life. She commanded the attention of hundreds of people at a time. Now she has spent several decades only able to observe those who venture onto the estate. Madman or not, Conrad can see and talk to her and that means everything – even if he does keep destroying parts of their house.

Kristoff imprisons Nikolai, Murdoch, and Sebastian (the brothers) for not killing Conrad. This gives Conrad and Néomi time to talk and get to know each other beyond, “I want you because you’re my Bride.” It eventually leads to one of the cutest moments in the series, when Conrad offers to deface the grave of her murderer. No really, it’s cute. And it’s just one of many surprisingly cute moments in their relationship.

In the end though, Cole must find a way for Néomi and Conrad to be able to touch. Enter Mariketa, Bowen, and Nïx. (And now that I have read the other books, I notice Regin’s short cameo.) Nïx is one of the best parts of these books – a nutty seer with a thing for mayhem and nail polish. It’s no wonder the Valkyrie are feared. In the very end, the solution becomes a tad convenient, but overall Cole develops a satisfying method to embody Néomi.

She also continues what she started in Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night and develops Cadeon’s character. She manages to set-up his story and to revisit the previous couples without crowding Conrad and Neomi’s story, which is very enjoyable. She also seems to be developing interest in the identity of Murdoch’s mystery bride.

I went into Dark Needs at Night’s Edge with high expectations and Cole met them all. I particularly liked that I understood the world’s rules and the characters’ relationships without exposure to the previous novels. Of course, I instantly bought those first three novels and devoured them. Now if only I can get my hands on Playing Easy to Get . . .

Grade: A

A RAVEN-HAIRED TEMPTRESS OF THE DARK…

Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers — until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying than Néomi herself.

A VAMPIRE WARRIOR CONSUMED BY MADNESS…

To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth’s brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.

HOW FAR WILL HE GO TO CLAIM HER?

Yet even if Conrad can win Néomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?

Click on the Immortals After Dark series tag for more excerpts, more reviews, and more everything on this series.