Lynne Connolly’s review of Billionaire Doctor, Ordinary Nurse by Carol Marinelli
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 12 Aug 08

This one is a kind of cross between Presents and Medical, with the heat level fairly low, but higher than in most Medical romances. And I enjoyed it a lot.

I thought I’d put both covers up, the British and the US version, mainly because I like the British one better, although the model is far too thin for Annie, who has body image issues. The US cover is more accurate, though cheesier.

The heroine is Annie, the ordinary nurse of the (awful) title. She works in a busy Emergency unit and, like most ordinary people, has her dark secrets. In her case, it’s teenage anorexia, trying to keep up with her lovely, more successful sisters, but by the time the story opens, Annie is over that and making her own, unapologetic life. Except that she’s on a crash diet in an effort to fit into the bridesmaid’s dress that is too small for her. And she has a week to do it. She’s fully aware that she’s dicing with danger, and in any case, crash diets make you tired and cranky, so when the new registrar, Iosef, walks into her life, she takes his brusque manner as an insult. Until, after the wedding in question, she falls into his arms.

Iosef, being from a fabulously wealthy family that is always in the public eye, has his dark secrets, too. Ones he can’t tell Annie about and I can’t tell you about because they would be spoilers. One of the reasons we know Annie’s secret early and not Iosef’s is that the reader spends most of the book in Annie’s head. I really would have liked to have known Iosef that way, too, but apart from a few brief scenes, we see him through Annie’s eyes.

Consequently, we understand him, especially when all his secrets have been revealed, but we don’t know him as well, and the romance was, for me, a little one-sided. I wasn’t sure why he’d love her, and at the time, exhausted and battered on all sides, Annie might have been a safe haven for him, a respite, rather than the love of his life.

Still, I did enjoy the way Marinelli showed us a lot of the problems the couple had, and the way what they did reflected the way they were. For instance, Annie still has an image problem, and knowing Iosef is used to flash model types, or assuming it, she buffs up for him, keeping up the fake tan she had for her friend’s wedding, and exfoliating to the max. We know that when Iosef sees her without the trappings, that will in some way persuade Annie that he wants her, not the perfect image of her, and it will make her lose her remaining inhibitions about her body.

There was one long scene toward the end that I would have cut, so I could have given more space to the concluding romance scenes. I did feel that we learned a bit too much about the other members of Iosef’s family. Presumably they’ve appeared, or will appear, in other books, but I don’t recall reading them. Reading this one made me decide to hunt them down.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The billionaire doctor: dedicated, desirable – and rich!
Nurse Annie Jameson is having a bad week – not only has she got to squeeze herself into a bridesmaid’s dress, but she also has to deal with her new boss, Dr Iosef Kolovsky, whose famous family is currently keeping the Melbourne tabloids in business!
Annie is determined not to succumb to the gorgeous billionaire doctor’s charm – until she realises that Iosef has turned his back on his family’s lavish lifestyle and dedicated himself to his work.
At the wedding, Annie and Iosef share the first of many delicious kisses… But if their relationship is to survive the Kolovsky family secrets, Annie and Iosef must ignore the glare of the paparazzi – and start to follow their hearts…

No excerpt found.

Sandy M’s review of The Book of Scandal (Scandal Series, Book 1) by Julia London
Historical Romance released by Pocket 19 Aug 08

I’m finally on the beginning end of a series instead of in the middle or near the end. I have to say I like it. This is my first book by Julia London. Yes, apparently I’ve been hiding under a rock all these years. But I’ve made my way out and enjoyed my first foray into Ms. London’s book. So far it’s been a worthwhile trip.

I really enjoyed this couple who are thrown together after being separated for three years following the death of their young son. Though they’ve lived separate lives, one in Town, one in the country, there’s something missing for both of them and neither are sure what that is. It’s not until Nathan arrives in London to retrieve his wife to keep scandal away from the family name and they are back in their home together that they realize what it is they need. That’s only after quite a bit more heartache, however.

The English monarchy is in upheaval because of the Princess of Wales’ Book of Scandal and Nathan is informed that his wife may be called to testify if Parliament gets involved. Thus, Nathan forces Evelyn home where she belongs. For Evelyn, just being at Eastchurch brings on the pain of losing her child. The memories overwhelm her at times just as though it had all happened yesterday.

What she comes to realize is that though Nathan also hurt due to the same loss, she never saw his grief. She assumed he turned to their beautiful but married friend and neighbor to get through the pain, but it falls on deaf ears when Nathan tries to tell Evie it was only talk and solace between them because Evie herself couldn’t help him at the time. To Evelyn this is another reason they belong apart.

Nathan is intent on seducing his wife to make sure she stays with him this time around. He’s the first to realize his feelings haven’t changed, even after all they’ve been through. He refuses the suggestion of a divorce and will win his wife back. In the midst of all of this, someone has been stalking Nathan, coming close a couple of times to seriously injuring and even killing him. It’s not until much later that he realizes it’s Evelyn the interloper is after; thus, they head to London to get to the bottom of everything that is in the way of their being together and happy. By this time they have rediscovered their love and, once again, they have more to lose if they’re not careful of the unknown danger surrounding them.

I’m usually not a fan of couples who are trying to get together again after a separation, but this book has changed my mind just a tad. Maybe it’s the circumstances of their loss that made this story better for me. Both Nathan and Evie find out things about the other that would have helped them so much before their separation, but obviously they weren’t ready to face them until this later moment in time. I liked how they little by little, memory by memory, tear by tear waded their way through the residual grief they harbored. It was so much more emotional this way.

I’m intrigued enough by this first story to definitely keep reading as the series goes on.

Grade: A

Summary:
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The Princess of Wales has catalogued the shocking exploits of the outrageous Prince of Wales and many of his noble friends in a book that has all of London aflutter…
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Nathan Grey, the Earl of Lindsey, is infamously known as the Libertine of Lindsey for his scandalous ways with women. But when he hears gossip that his estranged wife, Evelyn, is about to be named in The Book of Scandal, he has no choice but to remove her from London to protect her and himself from charges of treason—even if it calls for abduction.
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While Evelyn has no legal recourse against the man who broke her heart years ago but is still considered her lord and master, she is no longer the immature girl Nathan married. Her enforced homecoming quickly turns into a battle of wills that tears down her husband’s defenses and lays bare the passion that still burns between them. Before it is too late, Nathan must confront powerful adversaries as he convinced Evelyn that she is not only his wife, but the one woman he will love for all time.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s Review of When Twilight Burns (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 4) by Colleen Gleason
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Signet 5 Aug 08

Colleen Gleason’s series first caught my eye when The Rest Falls Away won the DA BWAHA award.  I saw it in the library and picked it up for a road trip.  It reminded me very, very strongly of Buffy but I still enjoyed it – enough that I picked up the next two on a trip to Half-Price.  Of course, some other shiny caught my eye and they languished on my shelf until I received a review copy of When Twilight Burns.  I quickly caught myself up to speed, so this review may be a little confused on which events happen in which books.

The sequels move away from reminding me strongly of Buffy as the mythos becomes more developed.  Since I like Buffy, what I really care about is that the Gardella Vampire Chronicles deliver on what they promise: action and romance.  On the romance side, Victoria Gardella is caught between pretty and untrustworthy Sebastian Vioget and uptight prig dashing Max Pesaro.  When the fourth novel starts, I’m not sure I want her to end up with either of these men.  Both of them have a thing for her, even if one doesn’t admit it, but by this point both have done some pretty crappy things to her.  (Plus, I could tell she wasn’t going to end up with my favorite from book one which just makes it hard for me to root for the decided couple.  This is the trouble with love triangles.)

On the action side of things, I want more Lilith.  She’s managed to get her hands on the daywalker recipe and has some minions out and about, framing Victoria for murder.  It’s hard to be an innocuous vampire hunter when you keep stumbling on dead bodies and the inspector has it out for you, as Victoria finds out.  It doesn’t help that a bite she received in the third book has her battling vampire instincts, hoping the Venator side will win in the end.  But the daywalker characters are pretty thin, which really shows as Lilith sizzles off the page.

Lilith’s twisted, obsessive love of/lust for Max gets me every time it shows up.  They even have a Big Misunderstanding.  The few times Gleason explores Lilith’s point of view make me want to go read horribly non-canon Max/Lilith fanfiction.  (No, it can’t happen.  But it would be intense.)  I think a lack of intensity would be my biggest complaint with this one.  It was still a fun book, and I do like that the triangle was resolved.  Victoria’s wavering between the two men in her life was getting dull.   But Beauregard made an excellent nemesis and was sprinkled throughout The Bleeding Dusk. Lilith hasn’t shown up since the first book, and now she’s restricted to the beginning and end.  It makes sense to build up to that confrontation, but the villains in When Twilight Burns just seem too bumbling.  The inspector is cheesy and the returning human minions Sara and George haven’t been killed off earlier since they’re human and that might reflect badly on the heroine.

I’ll read the next book since I find the series fun, but there are other paranormals I like better.  I’m too ambivalent about the hero and I like the villain better than the heroine.  I do like Victoria’s continued attempts to balance her calling with society’s expectations of a young widow.

Grade: B-

Summary:
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Vampire hunter Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy “stakes the undead with the best of them”*. After narrowly escaping from Rome, she returns to London, where not even sunrise can stop a vampire’s carnage…
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Ruining Victoria’s homecoming, a vampire stalks the streets of London – during the daylight. Not only is Victoria unable to detect the vampire with her heightened senses, but she’s being framed as the prime suspect behind the killings.
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Meanwhile, her heart is still divided between the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget and her fellow slayer Max Pesaro. The battle is made even more difficult by the legacy of a vampire’s touch – a vampire who left in Victoria’s veins boiling blood that forces her to fight evil on two fronts: against the new breed of undead threatening London, and against the darkness within herself.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Mo‘s guest review of Storm Born (Dark Swan, Book 1) by Richelle Mead
Urban fantasy released by Zebra 1 Aug 08

Eugenie, shaman and demon slayer, has always hated the Gentry (fairies). She was taught from a young age by her stepfather how to kill the Gentry, and she’s killed a lot of them by this point. When the story opens, she is exorcising a demon from a shoe. Seriously. The demon says some weird things and comes on to her, and she has no idea why he would want her sexually, or how he knew her true name.

When she meets a gorgeous man, Kiyo, at a bar, she takes him home and sleeps with him, only to be awakened by a demon in the bedroom, which she must fight off as it tries to assault her. Later she takes on the case of a man whose fifteen-year old sister is trapped in the Otherworld, and Eugenie must cross over to rescue the girl. In the meantime, she is continually fighting off hordes of demons intent on raping her because of an ancient prophesy.

She spends time in the Otherworld with one of the kings, Dorian. He helps to teach her how to control her budding powers so she can defend herself.. She also learns long-buried secrets about her life that she was never meant to find out about. Eugenie also must fight to save her life, because someone is out to assassinate her.

Storm Born was not necessarily bad, but it wasn’t great either. It was just average for me. I didn’t really care for Eugenie’s character and could not understand why she was so attached to Kiyo. I saw the “twists” coming from a mile away, and grew really tired of hearing about demons attempting to rape Eugenie. The world was interesting though, and I am somewhat curious about what will happen next, but I’m certainly not going to rush out to buy the book on its release date. In comparison to the Georgina Kincaid (succubus) series, Storm Born fails to deliver.

Grade: C

Click the here for Shannon C’s review.

Summary:
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Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants.
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Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl’s got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy-one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie’s first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.
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Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne’er-do-well, and the ones who don’t want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her.
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Read an excerpt.

Shannon C.’s review of Burning Spiral by Edita A. Petrick
Paranormal romantic suspense eBook released by Cerridwen Press 7 Aug 08

I like science fiction, and I like paranormal stories. Anyone who has read even a few of my reviews knows this. I also like it when an author successfully mixes genres. That being said, Edita Petrick’s not quite there yet, but she shows a lot of promise, and I am hoping her next book will be even better. 

The murders that Carly, our homicide detective heroine, is investigating are definitely out of the ordinary. All are young men named Michael who drive Ultimas. All of them have a four-inch column of flesh removed with precision from their bodies, and all have strange topographical maps tattooed on their faces. Carly and her partner are pretty sure they’re dealing with something not altogether human, but what can they do with this information? Complicating things further are Carly’s ex-husband, a scumbag if ever there was one, a new romance in her life, and her worries about her children.

Let’s start with what I did like. I loved Carly. She’s snarky and funny, and what’s more, fully and completely human. I felt like I could totally run into her in any police station anywhere. I also believed her struggles with her ex-husband, and the parts where she is allowed to be a mother, and where she deals with her ex’s constant controlling tactics rang very genuine. I also loved the romance, which, while not as developed as some aspects of the plot, was still important, and I was glad to see Carly get her happiness.

The mystery plot, on the other hand, was entertaining but lacking. I couldn’t quite maintain enough of a sense of credulity to take it seriously, and I felt it was way too ambitious. There were also some stylistic issues that bugged me. I felt like we got to hear more about what was going on from Carly’s mouth than see it all with her eyes. And there were some scene cuts that just completely baffled me. The characters would go talk to someone important, and then we’d cut to after the conversation with them summarizing things. I also hated the end, which tried too hard to be cutesy and was mostly just eyeroll-inducing.

I don’t know if this is a debut effort for Ms. Petrick, but I have a feeling that some of the things that bothered me about this book could be fixed in future novels. I can’t recommend this one particularly strongly, but as I said, this author is definitely one to watch.

Grade: C

Summary:
A trip to the morgue in the middle of the night is routine work for Detective Sergeant Caroline Osych of the Chicago Police Department. The problem is that lately, every murder victim heading for the morgue is a young man named Michael who drives a Japanese import. The killer’s MO is troublesome too—five pounds of flesh vaporized from victims’ chests and a fluorescent map tattoo on their faces are not everyday occurrences.

Caroline must deal not only with the string of bizarre murders but a vengeful ex-husband, his alcoholic heiress child bride, a manipulative and sleazy FBI inspector and an enigmatic soldier with sexy blue eyes. The stark realization that the killer is not her contemporary is not nearly as terrifying as the seeping suspicion that the final and ultimate target may be her children, living with their father and his new wife.

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Untouchable (Emperor’s Brides, Book 1) by Linda Winstead Jones
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 5 Aug 08

I rather enjoyed this book. Twin brothers, one dark and doing everything in his power to keep that darkness secreted from others, an interesting blue woman who was created only for a man’s pleasure, and everything’s thrown into chaos when the evil machinations of another brings forth that darkness.  Well, it’s something different than from most everything I’ve ever read before!

Emperor Jahn has finally given in to his council’s nagging him to marry and beget an heir.  He sends men to the farthest reaches of the land to bring to him women to choose for his bride.  His brother, Prince Alix, is sent to escort the young woman who will give the emperor a much-needed alliance.  Things do not go as planned for the prince.  Not only does he head home with a bride to be, but also a Agnese woman, Sanura, who has been created and trained to pleasure the men who own her.  Death is the penalty for any other man who touches her, and the blue paint she wears on her body is the telltale sign of that offense, all that is needed for her protectors to wield their swords.

During the return journey is when both Alix’s hidden darkness is forced to the fore by a lurking evil.  He fails to protect his charge; she’s found murdered, his own dagger the weapon used.  Sanura is also implicated and Alix’s dark self, Trystan, emerges to help them flee the death squad his soldiers have become.  Though Alix is able to retain control of himself, there’s something about Sanura that moved him before these unfortunate events, he held himself back from her because she’s been given as a gift to his brother, but on the run with her their feelings begin to grow and his darkness once again claims control and is determined to have what has always been just out of his reach his entire life.

At first I wasn’t sure I was going to like this story.  There are a lot of players until the real meat of it all comes along.  Once that happens, however, things move at a good little clip.  I really liked the times throughout the book when Alix has been quieted by Trystan and we learn all that he covets and what he’s going to do about it.  Finally Sanura comes to realize the man she’s fallen in love with may never return, but she eases herself and her love under Trystan’s skin so that a new man eventually evolves.

My only disappointment was that when everyone is home again and all is revealed, including Tyrstan’s plans, I was a little disappointed in Emperor Jahn’s reaction to it all.  This is his twin, so I expected much more from him, especially considering the depth of Trystan’s feelings over the years.  Other than that, Ms. Winstead Jones has given us an intriguing story that’s so different from a lot of romance we read today.  I’m looking forward to Jahn’s story in 22 Nights.  After everything the entire cast went through to find him a bride, I’m curious to see who he actually chooses.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The Emperor of Columbyana is in need of a bride. Riders have been sent to the far corners of the kingdom to bring back six noble beauties for him to choose from. But none can compare to Sanura, an exotic slave with the power to see into men’s souls. To touch her is said to bring incredible pleasure – and certain death. Even for the emperor’s twin brother, Prince Alixandyr.

Alix is charged with bringing this rare creature back to the palace. A man possessed, he has wrestled the darkness inside him since birth. He cannot afford to desire Sanura, but the attraction between them is stronger than his darkest impulses. Even if it means his own destruction, he cannot allow the emperor to claim her.

Sanura is a proud woman of great power, reduced to a plaything fot the rakish emperor. She wants nothing more than her freedom – except perhaps Alix. He is a mystery, the first and only man whose true soul remains hidden from her. As their passion threatens to unleash the demons within Alix, Sanura must do all she can to save the man she loves and prevent him from committing an unforgiveable sin …

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Loose and Easy (Steele Street, Book 9) by Tara Janzen
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Dell 26 Aug 08

I started Loose and Easy unaware it was the ninth in a series. By the time I finished I knew there had to be more books although I did not suspect there were so many. I can safely say someone new to the series can begin with this entry although it may affect enjoyment of the novel.

Heroine Esme is uninvolved with the Steele Street Garage. She’s a private investigator specializing in the recovery of stolen artwork. When the book starts she’s on a tight time frame to make enough money to pay off her father’s bookie. Things start going wrong quickly. Hero Johnny Ramos recognizing her is only part of it.

The two dated briefly in high school but it was a relationship destined not to last. But Ramos discovered the straight and narrow due to Lieutenant Loretta Bradley. He entered the army and returned home to join the Special Defense Force – one group of which operates out of the Steele Street Garage. In his sections of the novel members of the SDF appear often but do little to further the plot. In addition, Tara Janzen begins setting the stage for the tenth book in two scenes that have nothing to do with the rest of the novel. Fans will likely enjoy these cameos, but I was confused by the large cast (and the fact everyone has a nickname) and their lack of involvement with the main plot until I realized Loose and Easy fits into an established series.

The main plot moves quickly. Everyone’s tightly knit plans spiral more and more out of control, mostly due to miscommunication. Esme and her partner keep catching each others voice mail. Her father never told his bookie Esme was making the drop, not him. A hotel room becomes a crime scene after Esme and John leave and the police know their faces. Even with the sheer number of things happening and the large cast, Janzen manages to create a convincing romance.  John clearly admires Esme’s brains and capabilities. He’s protective of her, but still allows her to be responsible for herself. Esme can control her life better now that she’s an adult and has the emotional maturity needed for a sexual relationship she didn’t have as a teenager. The two share a clear attraction and a seriousness about entering a relationship.

To me, Loose and Easy’s only real fault was some extraneous scenes and characters. I believe if I read the rest of the series I would enjoy the chance to catch up on old characters and see where they were going next. The only ones who made me want to read their story were Esme’s cousin and a former gallery owner. Of course, their romance is still budding and not part of the previous eight books. I probably won’t buy the others because they aren’t my preferred subgenre, but I’m very likely to look for the books at my library.

Grade: B-

Summary:

He’s the bad boy she always wanted.

She’s the good girl that got away.

He’d know her anywhere. Johnny Ramos had just come off a tour of duty in Afghanistan to find Esmee Alden trolling the mean streets of Denver in red lace and leather. The smartest girl he ever knew turning tricks? Not even close. Esmee’s in danger so deep, only Johnny can get her out—which is why the elite government operative is shadowing her every move. Esmee had everything planned down to the last detail: dressed in disguise, she’d recover a stolen painting and pay off her dad’s ruthless bookie. Until Johnny Ramos, her high school crush, blows into town and nearly blows her cover. Now Esmee, a P.I. and an art- recovery expert, has a mother lode of bad guys on her trail…including the one bad boy she always wanted: Johnny. But passion will have to wait. Because when bullets start flying, suddenly they’re on the run, playing it fast and loose—and heading straight into the line of fire.…

Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of Tempt Me with Darkness (Doomsday Brethren, Book 1) by Shayla Black
Paranormal romance released by Pocket 26 Aug 08

Dorm rooms come with tiny shelves. Textbooks and course packets claim about half of that space. It makes it even more common for people to borrow “fun” books. Two of my friends read Tempt Me with Darkness before I even had a chance. And it’s an excellent example of why TGTBTU considers a C a good book. None of us would declare it a fabulous story or anything, but all of us enjoyed it.

Why did it work so well for a bunch of college girls near finals time? Because it’s straightforward and raunchy. Tempt Me with Darkness aims to entertain, which makes it a wonderful novel to pick up and relax with. While entertaining, the novel has several flaws that will keep me from rereading.The main problem is the hero, a former knight of King Arthur cursed to live forever (without orgasm) after he had a one night stand with Morganna when she was expecting more. Basically, he’s bad with women in general. Marrok first believes his heroine is Morganna in disguise and treats her accordingly. (Their first time together comes rather close to rape.) Olivia is reasonably upset by this but still enjoys the sex and accidentally marries Marrok. (He, on the other hand, knowingly marries her.) At least, it’s the magical equivalent of marriage if marriage were life-threatening due to a lack of sex.

Olivia doesn’t provide much counterbalance. Yes, she gets angry, but things seem to always turn out Marrok’s way unless she goes behind his back. Her modern sensibility clashing with his overprotective nature would be more amusing if she had more personality. She has a standard traumatic past, a job at an art gallery, and bad survival instincts. Shayla Black offers information about her but she still felt bland.

On the other hand, I do want to read more about the other Doomsday Brethren. They play smaller parts than the h/h but have more likeable personalities and intriguing relationships. Snarky brother and sister Bram and Sabelle were my favorites, but I liked several of the others. Black also adds interest in their stories by bringing Marrok and Olivia’s relationship to a HEA and providing a climactic battle but leaving the other plot threads open.

It happens off page but several women are brutally raped. It’s done to be upsetting and prevents the book from just being light, fluffy fun. I’m really tired of rape being used to communicate how terrible a villain is. There are other terrible things than can be done to people.

Fans of Black or paranormal romance will probably enjoy Tempt Me with Darkness. Fans of the Matter of Britain should know the book really has nothing to do with King Arthur legends aside from sharing a few characters. It’s a decent read as long as you can stand the hero acting like a jerk. (To be fair, a major part of the book is him learning to be less of a jerk.)

Grade: C-

Summary:
He’s an immortal knight hungering for satisfaction. . . .
As soon as Marrok sees Olivia Gray, he’s sure they met in eons past. He’s felt her soft, gentle curves writhing in pleasure beneath his own powerful body. . . Morganna! For centuries, towering Marrok, once the mightiest of King Arthur’s warriors, has endured a terrible curse the witch cast upon him when he spurned the witch.

She’s a modern woman about to discover ancient magic. . . .
Olivia shares a mystical—and irresistible—connection with brooding Marrok. Soon after the sexy warrior appears in her erotic dreams, he abducts her, demanding she uncurse him. Their intense passion is more powerful—and intimate—than either of them has ever known. Olivia may be the key to unlocking the diary that will break Morganna’s hold on his life. But in the wrong hands, the book also holds the power to destroy magickind. As they search for answers, a ruthless wizard returned from exile is building an army of evil. When he discovers Marrok and Olivia have the diary, only their love—with the help of a powerful group of magical Brethren—can save them.
Read an excerpt here

Liviania’s review of Cycler by Lauren McLaughlin
Young adult released by Random House 26 Aug 08

Lauren McLaughlin’s debut ambitiously approaches the concept of gender with a main character who cycles between female and male. It sounded somewhat weird but still cool to me, so I decided to give it a shot. In a double dose of unfairness, immediately after Jill becomes female again she gets to deal with her period, cramps and all. Jack only replaces PMS.

Unfortunately for McLaughlin, the issue I found more interesting in the book is not addressed at all. Cycler involves child abuse. The parents lock Jack in, becoming more and more oppressive. Instead of helping Jill come to terms with her unique biology, they teach her to hypnotize herself and forget everything she does as a boy. Without their actions Jack might not have even developed a separately personality; he could still be Jill in a male body.

That’s not to say McLaughlin shies away from interesting issues. Jill’s crush, Tommy, comes out as a bisexual to her, which does nothing to help her resolve her confusion regarding her gender identity. Jack falls for Jill’s best friend Ramie and his emotions sometimes bleed over. Of course, I wanted even more from these that I got in Cycler.

Jill and Jack’s pursuit of separate lives leads up to a big mess at prom, as must happen in any book set in the senior year of high school. (Really, nothing that exciting happened at my junior or senior prom, unless you consider people dancing to rap pulse-pounding action.) Then the book ends shortly after. The note at the back says a sequel is in progress but I still want falling action. What if Ramie or Tommy is attracted to both Jack and Jill? Do Jack and Jill have any idea how they live after the events leading up to and during prom? The end didn’t feel resolved to me. It felt like things were about to be resolved and then BOOM. No more pages.

Overall Cycler didn’t quite live up to my excitement. It was funny and I liked the characters, but I kept feeling like it had potential for more. I really hope there will be a sequel because I desperately want to see the consequences of the climax. Despite there not being a cliffhanger I feel like I was left hanging.

I feel I should also mention that while Jack and Ramie’s relationship is a little creepy (though there’s a revelation at the end that changed things a lot for me except I didn’t get to see how it affected the characters), Jill and Tommy’s is really cute. Jill uses an old-fashioned self-help book from her mom to try to get his attention. Not the best idea. Even with her cycle, Jill’s still a typical YA girl.

Grade: C+

Summary:
AS FAR AS anyone at her high school knows, Jill McTeague is an average smart girl trying to get her dream date to ask her to the prom.

What no one knows, except for Jill’s mom and dad, is that for the four days Jill is out of school each month, she is not Jill at all. She is Jack, a genuine boy—complete with all the parts. Jack lives his four days per month in the solitude of Jill’s room. But his personality has been building since the cycling began. He is less and less content with his confinement and his cycles are becoming more frequent. Now Jill’s question about the prom isn’t who she’ll go with, but who she’ll be when the big night arrives.
Read an excerpt here

Gwen’s review of Into the Flame (Darkness Chosen, Book 4) by Christina Dodd
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Signet 5 Aug 08

This is the culmination of the Darkness Chosen series, of which I’ve only read one other book.  I liked the premise of the series – cursed men with supernatural powers who find their mates and are redeemed.  Always good for a story or two.  Add in some family dynamics, secret and switched babies, and you have the basis of this last book.

Our hero and heroine are an engaging couple if a bit “young” feeling.  They’re both 23-years old and seem hardly old enough to be doing what they’re doing (dang I’m getting old). He’s a state trooper and she does something with an art studio (I forget what now).  They both are well established and he owns a house he’s been renovating.  Perhaps it’s my share of the infantilization of our teenagers at work, but I still feel they’re hardly old enough to have lived as much as these two have.

The romance in the story (between many of the characters, not the least of which was the H/H) was really very nice and I liked how it resolved.  The ending wasn’t prettied up, but was real and sounded like the kind of conversation two “normal” people would have.  There was no “ride off into the sunset” where everyone is paired off.  Even though that happens (duh, romance here), there’s still some “come to Jesus” talk between the H/H before it does.  I like that.

I’m not sure what to think about the unresolved element of the heroines’ supernatural abilities.  They seem to beg for something more with these characters – another series or something with the children of these unions.  I suppose we’ll see where this goes for Dodd.

The action throughout the book is fun.  The bad guys are suitably bad, if a bit hapless. But they brought a suitable amount of tension to the story that you wanted the good guys to prevail.

The camaraderie between the brothers felt like the author was trying too hard to make it amusing or “guy-like”.  I don’t know how female authors can correct that kind of thing.  I would think “guy talk” and male bonding is one of the tougher things for a female author to write convincingly.  All I know is that if my brothers wrestled in my mom’s kitchen, she’d thrash them both within an inch of their lives.  Given my dad didn’t beat her to it, that is.

Overall, this was a very entertaining story with a couple of questionable elements.  A very nice ending to the series, though.  I can recommend it to fans of the series and of the author’s writing.  If you’re new to the series, you won’t be too lost starting here, but I recommend the other books as fun reading.

Grade: B-

Read reviews of this and other books in the series by clicking on the Darkness Chosen series tag.

Summary:

Roaming the Russian steppes a thousand years ago, a brutal warrior struck a terrifying deal. In exchange for being able to transform into a heartless predator, he promised his soul-and the souls of his descendants-to the devil.

Brutally handsome cop Doug Black is determined to find the birth family who left him with nothing but a terrifying inheritance: the ability to change into a savage golden cougar. His search leads him to a woman as dauntless and exotic as her name. Firebird Wilder is bitterly familiar with supernatural gifts, and flees on discovering his secret, leaving Doug alone once more. But no one can escape a wild cougar on the hunt. When he finds her, they both must decide which is more powerful … the love that binds them together … or the secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Liviania’s review of Private Places by Robin Schone, Claudia Dain, Allyson James, and Shiloh Walker
Historical Erotic Romance Anthology released by Berkley Trade 5 Aug 08

Private Places gathers together four talents in erotic romance for a strong anthology. Each has a different style and theme, but all but one fit together well. Walker’s is a nice palate-cleanser. Only one of the novellas disappointed me, though I’m sure there are many who would enjoy it.

The Decidedly Devilish Duke by Allyson James

Years ago Michael and Amelia might have married, but their pride got in the way. Now Michael finally has the chance to marry her since her husband died and left her dependent on a despicable relative. But someone is claiming that Michael’s wife is not really dead. James doles out the secrets of their past at a good pace and develops them well. The plot involving Michael’s wife seems more rushed since most of the character’s actions to bring about the resolution occur off-screen. While I found A Night at the Theater to be a better story, I think Michael and Amelia were a better couple.

Grade: B+

Summary:
A wickedly erotic card game has high stakes: marriage. And a cunning widower and a desperate young widow learn that passion is the ultimate wild card . . .
Read an excerpt here

A Night at the Theater by Claudia Dain

Zoe lost her position as an actress to Miranda and wants revenge. Experienced courtesan Sophia knows how to do it: set Zoe up with Miranda’s former lover Duke Aldreth. He’s also rich enough to keep Zoe well if she pulls of the seduction. Sophia wants to convince Lord Dalby (enemy of her former lover Lord Westlin) to marry her. Dain includes a number of entanglements among the characters and two relationships but makes it all work. Sophia and Zoe are practical woman and very different from the normal romantic heroine. I enjoyed watching Sophia’s plots unfold as the night progressed. Definitely my favorite of the anthology.

Grade: A-

Summary:
Revenge is on the playbill for two young courtesans attending the theater in London. And far more entertaining than the play is the off-stage drama of a very public seduction or two . . .
Read an excerpt here

Hunter’s Mercy by Shiloh Walker

Shape-shifter Jack returns home to take care of his dead best friend’s sister, Mercy. In the since he left other creatures moved into his territory and killed her husband, causing her to hunt them despite being severely outclassed. I liked Jack’s voice and enjoyed the story, but it seemed a little out of place in this anthology. It’s both the only paranormal and the only one not set in London. However, Walker manages some worldbuilding in about one hundred pages and develops interesting supporting characters. My favorite was former slave Lydia who knows a more about what’s happening than she let’s on.

Grade: B

Summary:
In America’s early days, a woman is out to kill the demons who destroyed her life. But when she becomes the prey, a shape-shifter turns up to save her. Now, if only she could think of a way to repay him . . .
Read an excerpt here

The Men and Women’s Club by Robin Schone

Robin Schone headlined the anthology but I found her entry the least satisfying. Joseph Manning lost his virginity to Ardelle Dennison and wants to repeat the experience, now that their club for talking frankly about sex has been discovered. Ardelle has a number of demons to work through regarding her sexual history and she gets over them too quickly for my taste. It’s also hard to tell what is going on with the club since it isn’t actually featured in the story. Apparently a widow in it told her son about it and is not on trial (with Ardelle and Joseph witnessing against her – Schone goes for subtle, but hits obtuse (in my opinion). I didn’t care enough about the characters to read it again and try to follow the plot.

Grade: D

Summary:
Their private vice is a club that explores the boundaries of passion – but when it’s exposed in an 1887 London trial, a man and a woman learn how very dangerous desires of the flesh can be . . .
Read an excerpt here

Overall Grade: B-

Overall Summary:
Four all-new hot tales of yore, by the queens of erotic fiction.

USA Today bestselling author Robin Schone shares a tale of a man and a woman in a notorious club, who learn how very dangerous desires of the flesh can be. Claudia Dain heats up this collection with the story of two voyeuristic young courtesans who might just take part in a very public seduction at the theatre. Allyson James has a card-playing, cunning widower and a desperate young widow learn that passion is the ultimate wild card. And finally, Shiloh Walker introduces a short story of a woman saved by a shapeshifter. Now, if only she could think of a way to repay him…

Rarely does such blush-worthy, heated erotica exist—and almost never all in one book.

Gwen’s review of Hot Property by Susan Johnson
Contemporary erotic romantic suspense released by Berkley Sensation 5 Aug 08

I had not read Susan Johnson before.  I understand she writes both historicals and contemps and that her sensuality is always very steamy.  I enjoyed this book but had a couple of small things I was not a fan of – read on to find out what… 

This book’s premise is interesting: a writer of non-fiction investigative books gets herself in a pickle (not such a big pickle, it turns out) and asks her hunky neighbor for help out of it.  Said hunky neighbor is also in a pickle (a rather huge one, it turns out) and agrees to help his sexy neighbor.

I have one problem with this premise: why would a guy, who in such incredible danger he has to have assault weaponry in his pantry and booby traps around his cabin, agree to help a seemingly innocent neighbor right when the aforementioned danger reaches a crisis level?  I mean, if she’s a spy or plant from her enemy, saying “no” would be logical.  If she’s innocent, saying “no” would be humane.  Seems awfully selfish on his part and his actions truly stretch my ability to suspend my disbelief.

The relationship between the hero and heroine is interesting and I like that the resolution is realistic.  I totally did NOT buy into the hero’s sexual stamina.  I realize I’m reading an erotic romance where all men are hung like horses and have supernatural stamina, but this guy stretches even THAT trope.  I also found myself noticing the “lavender,” if not fully purple, language – just a little over the top but not awfully so.

Then there’s the firefight in the Canadian wilderness.  Seemed to be a bit anticlimactic, to be honest.  Two (good) guys just happen to have the right artillery to take down two (or is it three) bad guy helicopters, and nobody notices.  That’s some serious wilderness.

I also didn’t fully buy into the resolution of the CIA Director-candidate storyline.  I felt it was a bit over the top and that it was a little too “sledge-hammer when a ball-peen would do”.  If it had resolved more like the billionaire storyline, or something where the guy is totally discredited, I would have liked it and believed it more.

This wasn’t a bad read for what it was – contemporary erotic romance.  What didn’t work were the romantic suspense elements.  They were heavy-handed and just didn’t fully work for me.

I can recommend this book to anyone looking for marathon sex scenes or fans of the author.

Grade: C-

Summary:

To finish writing her exposé on art collectors, Zoe Chandler has fled to a secluded lake house where a muscle-bound neighbor in cargo shorts catches her attention. The problem: he likes seclusion too. Haunted by his past in the CIA, he isn’t looking for company. But when Zoe’s controversial book brings a threat to her door, she begs Nick to protect her from danger…and keep her close. With his own trouble brewing, he’s not sure he can trust her–but she’ll do everything in her power to persuade him.

No excerpt found.

Devon’s review of First Blood by Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green, and Meljean Brook
Paranormal Anthology released by Berkley 05 August 2008

I’m pretty well-read in the Vampire Romance subgenre. That’s what got me reading romance again after a long hiatus. Blog title referenced it and all. It was kind of funny to find myself reading a vamp anthology with so many new to me authors. I’m a Meljean Brook fangirl, but have never read Sizemore or Green, and only one McCarthy novel. While I didn’t love all the entries, they made me curious to check out the authors I was unfamiliar with, so that’s a good thing.

Cave Canem by Susan Sizemore

This novella is part of her “Laws of the Blood” series which I have never read. I think fans of the series will enjoy it most, because some of the concepts were hard to follow. There were characters that were obviously recurring, and significant to the alternate universe of these books. I felt like I was trying to connect the dots and fill in blanks as I went along. There was also a bit too much thrown in. Back story, plot, multiple characters and subplots…it all felt rushed. The primary romance was particularly rushed and unconvincing. I found Dan and Tess’ first sexual encounter rather creepy actually. This was my least favorite story of the bunch, but my curiosity about this “world” was piqued enough to look at the author website.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Susan Sizemore returns to the universe of her Laws of the Blood novels with a sizzling story of the relationship between a vampire enforcer and a werewolf.

No excerpt available.

Russian Roulette by Erin McCarthy

I believe this story is set in the same universe as the “Vegas Vampires” series. I’ve never read any of these books, and I think this might be a another case where those who follow the series will enjoy it most. The heroine, Sasha must have appeared in another book, where her journey from abused trophy wife of an evil vampire to vampire slayer to vampire is more fully explained. I didn’t quite get the timeline on that one. Sasha is rescued from a nasty kidnapping by vampire Alistair. In order to protect her, Alistair moves her in with him and employs her in his bar. The prickly Sasha has had a strange and difficult life, and reading about how she learns to adjust and let her defenses down was the best part of the story. Alistair was bland, as was their romance, and the ending was a bit anticlimactic. An okay story.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Erin McCarthy’s Sasha Checkikov flees the bright lights and dangerous slayers of Vegas for New Orleans, where she is saved by a vampire haunted by his past-and hungry for passion.

No excerpt available.

Double the Bite by Chris Marie Green

Another story related to a series I’ve never read (the Vampire Babylon series). Set against the glittering, decadent backdrop of 1970’s Studio 54, Double the Bite features twin vampires who take an interest in a Texas sheriff, in New York to investigate his brother’s murder. The writing was very atmospheric, capturing the setting well. The vampires are also disturbing, dangerous and creepy, while still being sympathetic. I liked that they weren’t neutered. Ginny, the conflicted one, was very interesting, as was her relationship with her increasingly unbalanced sister Geneva. However the object of Ginny’s attention and later, affection, Ben Tyree, was not all that interesting. Their romance seemed rushed. While I enjoyed the way the story was told, the development of the romance was choppy and unconvincing. Overall, it was an unusual, interesting story that didn’t quite do it for me.

Grade: C

Summary:

Set in the Vampire Babylon world, Chris Marie Green’s story puts the bond between twin female vampires to the test when one of them falls for her prey.

Read an excerpt.

Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook

Brook is the author whose work I’m most familiar with, and this entry is further evidence that she is a go-to for well developed characters and romance. This one is not difficult for a new reader to follow, and makes for a good introduction to the Guardians series. It is set in Philadelphia rather than the San Francisco setting we’ve seen before, and it focuses on the city’s vampires, who haven’t been privy to the SF events. It is a story of lovers reunited. After medical resident Annie Gallagher was turned into a vampire she cut ties with her human friends and family. While searching for the young human ward of some friends, Annie comes upon Jack Harrington, the FBI agent she had fallen in love with just before she “died”. Jack is astonished to see the woman he had loved and mourned. Jack’s investigative skills and ability to go out in the daytime can help Annie, and the spark between them hasn’t died, but how can a human and vampire make it work? Meljean Brook writes some of the best characters around: strong, but flawed, and lightened with a sense of humor. And the lovably bitchy Lilith is around. Another solid romance from Meljean Brook.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Annie Gallagher is the only survivor of a demon attack that exterminated every other vampire in her city. But she can’t leave before she finds Cricket, a young human girl whose vampire guardians have been killed. Annie needs help, but the rules of her kind demand that she operate in secrecy.

And when help comes, it’s from the one man she never expected…

Meljean Brook’s vampire Annie Gallagher needs help to save a young human girl, but she doesn’t expect the help to come from the FBI agent she loved-and had to give up- when she was transformed.

Read an excerpt.

This anthology was a mixed bag, but fans of the various authors should check it out.
Overall Grade: C+

Summary:

Four all-new stories of forbidden passion and dark desire.

You never forget your first blood…

Gwen’s review of First Blood by Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Chris Marie Green, and Meljean Brook
Contemporary paranormal romance anthology released by Berkley 5 Aug 08

This anthology was very entertaining and the stories were a great way to pass some quick time.  Each story had a vampire in it – some used the character type more successfully than others, but all were entertaining at some level.  All four stories had some nice romance, a little bit of action, and a couple even made me go “awwww!” and mist up a bit.  Read on to see which had me reaching for a hanky and which had me scratching my head… 

Cave Canem by Susan Sizemore
(60-pages)

She’s a young werewolf and an “enforcer” of sorts for hellhounds who spiral out of control.  At least I think she is – that’s never quite clear to me, but that may be because I don’t follow the Laws of the Blood series. He’s an ancient vamp who raises hellhounds and is beguiled by her courage and beauty.  There’s magic, spells, demons, and assorted other creatures in this world.  It was all very interesting but a little confusing to me.  It’s a rather complex world for such a short story – I think about few more pages would have served it well for background and more character development.  As it was, the story ends abruptly and I never did understand if there was a romance between Dan and Tess or even if Dan and Tess were the story’s hero and heroine (there were quite a few characters to wade thru).

Grade:  C-

Summary:

Susan Sizemore returns to the universe of her Laws of the Blood novels with a sizzling story of the relationship between a vampire enforcer and a werewolf.

No excerpt available.

Russian Roulette by Erin McCarthy
(72 pages)

She’s a new vampire turned against her will and recently sold by her best friend to an enemy.  He’s a 400-year old vamp who has “been there and done that” a few times.  He is now content to live his life simply, with as few “attachments” as possible, including personal belongings and women.  This was a good story with engrossing characters.  However, I never did understand the purpose of them being vampires – the paranormal didn’t really add much to the story and seemed to only muck it up a couple of times.  It almost would have been better if there hadn’t been any paranormal elements.  The ending was a bit confusing – I didn’t understand why Cassandra (the enemy and ex-wife of the hero) suddenly felt Sasha “wasn’t worth it”.  It ruined the story for me.

Grade: C

Summary:

Erin McCarthy’s Sasha Checkikov flees the bright lights and dangerous slayers of Vegas for New Orleans, where she is saved by a vampire haunted by his past-and hungry for passion.

No excerpt available.

Double the Bite by Chris Marie Green
(72 pages)

She’s an identical twin, “turned” in the 1950′s with her sister.  He’s a human who arrives in the late 1970′s New York City (Studio 54, cocaine, assorted excesses), looking for his brother’s killer.  We’re sent on this journey where she betrays her sister, he discovers some truths about his “paragon” of a brother, and they fall in love.  This was a very gothic story, and very traditionally vampiric (crucifixes, sunlight, etc.). The ending was unexpected, yet touching. This is a new-to-me author and, while I’m not a big gothic fan, this was a unique romance.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Set in the Vampire Babylon world, Chris Marie Green’s story puts the bond between twin female vampires to the test when one of them falls for her prey.

Read an excerpt.

Thicker Than Blood by Meljean Brook
(105 pages)

She’s a relatively “new” vampire enforcer who is still getting used to the concept and her hungers.  He’s a human who grieved for her for six years and cannot believe she’s back in his life.  They come together in a stressful situation and are startled into living their lives once again.  This was just a terrific story.  The paranormal elements are integral to the story and being a vampire is key to character motivation.  I loved the hero and his steadfast love for the heroine – Meljean’s heroes are so drool-worthy.  Jack made me very misty on several occasions with his tender humor.  The suspense elements are fun, and the other characters help move the story along.  This was romantic vampire love story with a terrific ending.  I want to read more with these two characters and wish they had more than the 100-odd pages they got in this anth.

Grade: A

Summary:

Annie Gallagher is the only survivor of a demon attack that exterminated every other vampire in her city. But she can’t leave before she finds Cricket, a young human girl whose vampire guardians have been killed. Annie needs help, but the rules of her kind demand that she operate in secrecy.

And when help comes, it’s from the one man she never expected…

Meljean Brook’s vampire Annie Gallagher needs help to save a young human girl, but she doesn’t expect the help to come from the FBI agent she loved-and had to give up- when she was transformed.

Read an excerpt.

While I didn’t necessarily care for all of the stories, I was impressed with the quality of the writing. Perhaps if I were more familiar with the world of a couple of them I’d have enjoyed the stories more. I think that’s a risk with a paranormal anthology – authors may get some new readers, but they also risk confusing folks if the world is complex.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for some quick vampire love stories or readers of any of these authors.  And if you’ve never read Meljean Brook’s Guardians series, I recommend testing the water with this story.  Just terrific.

Overall Grade: B

Summary:

Four all-new stories of forbidden passion and dark desire.

You never forget your first blood…

Shannon C.’s review of Healer’s Touch by Kirsten Saell
Fantasy erotic romance released by Samhain 19 Aug 08

When I read Crossing Swords, I knew that Kirsten Saell was going to become one of my favorite authors. It also helps that she’s good people, too. And yet, I didn’t pick up this book from my TBR for a while, because I like to savor my favorite authors in small doses. Which is why, despite the fact that Ms. Saell has another book out, I’m only now getting to this one. Read on for my thoughts.

Healer’s Touch is set in the same universe as Crossing Swords. It features Aru and Viera, a healer and whore who played major roles in the first book. Aru, who is this world’s equivalent of a fallen angel, has kept eight centuries of celibacy, clinging to devotion to his former wife. Yet, he finds Viera hard to resist. And it doesn’t help that Viera wants him, and is willing to seduce him at any cost.

Viera is a very different sort of character from Lianon of Crossing Swords. I think this is one of the reasons this one didn’t quite become a keeper for me. I like Viera well enough, and I think it’s awesome that Ms. Saell used a whore as the heroine in her book. But Lianon she wasn’t, and I did have a few moments where I was nearly drawn out of the book because I thought Viera was a little too mercenary. Then again, I suspect she is the sort of character that would manage to charm me out of my misgivings if I met her in real life, and for every mercenary moment, she’d do something that proved what a sweet person with a big heart she was.

Aru is one of those stiff-necked heroes who is all buttoned-up and proper. He is one of those quietly tortured heroes that I like a lot, and he was very definitely a beta, which is my favorite type. I loved that basically, there was no way he was going to win this little contest of wills. That being said, he did have a few martyr tendencies that made me shake my head a couple of times.

As Ms. Saell said in an e-mail to me, this book is essentially one long seduction. I’m not sure I would have believed anyone could actually wring that much of a story out of a prolonged seduction, Ms. Saell does so wonderfully. I loved watching Aru gradually begin to succumb to the many and varied ways Viera used to seduce him. This was one of those books where none of the sex felt gratuitous. And since Viera and Aru were already friends at the start of the story, I believed in their romance.

In addition to Aru and Viera, we get a great secondary romance between one of Aru’s patients and an apothecary. Karal, said apothecary, absolutely stole the show in whatever scenes he was in, and I hope that Ms. Saell does more with him.

I do have Bound by Steel, which is the third book in this series, on my TBR, and I will definitely be revisiting this world again soon. Fans of fantasy romance should pick up this series. The characters are great, the world-building is subtle but well-done, and the plots are interesting!

Grade: B+

Summary:
She’s determined to break his eight centuries of celibacy—at any cost!

Darjhian healer Aru has been in exile for eight hundred years, barred from the Deathless Land and parted from his wife. Now fallen from grace and no longer immortal, he can never return to her.

Yet he cleaves to his marriage vow and holds himself apart from everyone—especially Viera, the former prostitute whose sexual energy provides the power needed for his healing work. She presents a temptation he must constantly hold at bay if he’s to keep to his vow.

Viera isn’t interested in fighting temptation. She wants Aru. He wants her. What could be simpler? After three frustrating months working with him, her need for him has reached the breaking point. He claims he can never touch a woman again, but Viera isn’t the type to take no for an answer.

Over four glorious nights, she shows Aru everything he’s denied himself for eight centuries. But a shadow hangs over their passion. Aru is keeping secrets about the nature of his mortality. And now he faces a terrible choice…

Break Viera’s heart, or risk destroying her with the knowledge of what he truly is.

Warning: This title contains: graphic sex, including anal sex, f/f and m/f/f; bad language; inappropriate use of a kitchen work surface; flagrant tickling of ivory; and a wagon-load of good, old-fashioned voyeurism.

Read an excerpt.

Lil Sister’s review of Moonstone by Marilee Brothers
Young Adult Paranormal from Bell Bridge Books released 1 Aug 08

Note from Sybil:  When BelleBooks contacted me about their new young adult line, I was pretty sure they would be right up my lil’ sis’s alley. I was right. Read on for her 14 year old opinion . Yes I need to make her write longer reviews, feel free to ask questions and I will get you answers.

I thought Moonstone was a pretty good book. Allie acted like a normal 15 year old girl, just with psychic powers. Other than that she could be someone I go to school with and it added a layer to story I could relate too.

Marilee Brothers did a great job with the plot of Moonstone and bringing it all together. I’ll definitely be looking for her next book.

Grade: A

Summary:

A sickly mom. A tiny house trailer. High school bullies and snarky drama queens. Bad-guy dudes with charming smiles. Allie has problems. And then there’s that whole thing about fulfilling a magical prophecy and saving the world from evil. Geez. Welcome to the sad, funny, sometimes-scary world of fifteen-year-old Allie Emerson, who’s struggling to keep her and her mom’s act together in the small-town world of Peacock Flats, Washington. An electrical zap from a TV antenna sets off Allie’s weird psychic powers. The next thing she knows she’s being visited by a hippy-dippy guardian angel, and then her mysterious neighbor, the town “witch,” gives her an incredible moonstone pendant that has powers only a good-hearted “Star Seeker” is meant to command. “Who, me?” is Allie’s first reaction. But as sinister events begin to unfold, Allie realizes she’s got a destiny to live up to. If she can just survive everyday life, in the meantime.

Read an excerpt.

Devon’s review of The Final Act by Bonnie Dee
Contemporary Erotic Romance eBook released by Samhain Publishing 26 Aug 08

Am I the only one who adored the old TV series “Fame”? I watched it religiously, my sisters and I played it, and choreographed dance routines to the music. I even went to see the cast perform when I was ten. I love the behind the scenes, struggling performers trying to make it kind of thing. If you’re a fan of “Fame,” “Rent,” “A Chorus Line,” and like stories, you will likely enjoy The Final Act, which follows the national company of a “Rent”-like musical. While on the road the actors face personal and romantic struggles.

There are three main storylines. Elena and Michael are relative unknowns who win starring roles as star-crossed lovers. Their onstage chemistry translates into offstage sparks, as their opposing personalities clash. But is the flippant Michael capable of love? Elena’s friend Denny is in a long term, committed relationship with Tom. But the long separation is taking its toll, as Denny fears Tom is cheating. Then there’s Gretchen, fresh from Ohio, who nails her very first audition. She finds herself unprepared for the pace of the touring life, and her involvement with guitarist Jake only gets her further in over her head.

Although the romantic elements are strong, and the sex scenes hot and explicit, this was more of an ensemble piece than a traditional romance. The individual romances on their own weren’t enough to keep my interest, but the way the story was structured, moving back and forth between characters, my interest was fully engaged. Dee’s usual unusual character development was in evidence. The characters did not always behave sympathetically (sometimes I downright disliked them), but they were so believably human in their weakness, that I hoped for the best.

Take Jake, the pit guitarist. Yes, he introduces Gretchen to recreational drugs, but he’s not some evil, After School Special, despoiler of innocents. He truly loves Gretchen, but he is so effed up and has such low self-esteem that he has no idea how to be in a healthy relationship. I wanted him to get a comeuppance, but I also kinda liked him. I cared for Michael and Elena the least. She was bitchy and he was glib and smug. But some hot chemistry was generated there. Denny and Tom were the most likeable characters, but even they make some missteps.

If you have always harbored secret fantasies of bright lights and greasepaint, pounding the pavement to Broadway auditions and you sing show tunes in the shower, The Final Act will appeal to the actress/waitress in you. While not the strongest Dee romance, this is an appealing, grown up, sexed up version of “Fame,” and my inner chorus girl thrilled to it.

Grade: B-

The Summary:

Life imitates art? One can only hope…

Elena is a by-the-script actress whose co-star, Michael, has a gift for improvisation that drives her crazy. Fighting a fiery chemistry, they work to keep their on-stage romance where it belongs—on the stage. But a year-long road tour stretches before them. How long can they keep a lid on their simmering passion?

When his left-behind boyfriend, Tom, seems withdrawn on the phone, Denny questions his lover’s faithfulness. Their once-solid relationship faces its biggest test during the long separation.

Inexperienced Gretchen is thrilled to land her first professional role in the musical, Transitions, but the pressures of performing are more than she bargained for. Entranced by her wholesome sweetness, Jake, the pit guitarist, endangers the very qualities he admires by giving her a “little something” to take the edge off her nerves.

Every night for a year, they’ll play out a “happily ever after” on the stage. Before the last curtain call, will life imitate art?

Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex using graphic terms. Almost public sex, m/m sex, drug-addled sex and a lot of horny backstage fooling around. 

Read an excerpt

Liviania’s review of Lie with Me by Cara Summers
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Aug 08

Philly Angelis convinces herself to make a move on Roman Oliver, whom she’s been lusting after for years. Despite being equally attracted, Roman turns her down. He has the usual reasons, including his friendship with her brothers. Since they’ve been his best friends for ages they’d clearly be against him dating their sister. Instead of moping, Philly decides to go to Corfu, Greece where her family members tend to find their true loves and have a steamy fling. Roman gets jealous like a proper alpha male. Then the story gets interesting when Philly uses her pet psychic powers to discover a murder.

There’s something wonderful about a story where a man and a woman get caught between two evil, amoral men in order to rescue a cat.  It’s slightly insane and cartoony, but Summers makes it work.  I think the mystery would not work if it was less over the top – it’s that element of fun that convinces you to go with it. Bring on the above-the-law businessmen and the nearly identical women!  I also love how quickly Philly convinces other characters that she really can talk to animals.  It works perfectly in the story’s context.  Despite the fact Summers makes the mystery work so well for me, I kept wanting to flip through the romance bits.

Philly convinces Roman to have an affair while they’re in Greece.  She also convinces herself that he’s not the one and she’ll be happy with just a vacation fling when she’s been pining for the guy for umpteen years.  Of course, despite the fact she’s had a giant crush on him and he’s been a family friend for years, they’re apparently had no conversations alone before the trip.  So she’s been crazy about him but has made no effort to get to know him, apparently.

Second, I really like that she’s the forward, aggressive one in the relationship.  Philly takes the steps to get the life she wants and doesn’t back down from a challenge.  Unfortunately, she’s bold because she’s acting like “the new Philly” instead of herself.  Can’t she decide that she wants to add certain traits to her personality because she’ll be more happy that way rather than dismissing her boldness as an alternate persona she plans to ditch once she leaves Greece?

Overall, I enjoyed the book.  It was light and entertaining and I don’t regret spending an afternoon relaxing with it.  The glimpses of the rest of the Angelis family makes me want to read The P.I., The Cop, and The Defender.  Looking at her site, several of the summaries look interesting to me.  I was dissatisfied with some elements of Lie With Me, but I want to give Summers another chance because there was so much in the story that I did like.  I respect a romance novel that manages to make me smile while I’m frustrated with the hero and heroine.

Grade: C

Summary:

Corfu’s exotic beaches are a matchless place to meet true love…or at least to have a fabulous fling! And that’s exactly what Philly Angelis needs. After all, she’s a survivor of unrequited love…and an embarrassingly rejected sexual proposition. Fleeing to Greece to soak in its sexy magic—as well as to find a hot guy to take her mind off her longtime crush, Roman Oliver—seems the perfect antidote.
Roman can’t believe what he’s doing. Philly is his best friend’s little sister—definitely hands-off! So why is he following her to Corfu? And why is he taking her outrageously delicious sexual proposition seriously? Maybe because Philly’s all woman now—a woman who knows exactly what she wants. And, God help him, Roman’s going to give it to her….
Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C.’s review of Storm Born (Dark Swan, Book 1) by Richelle Mead
Urban fantasy released by Zebra 1 Aug 08

I’m afraid that, if readers of this blog weren’t already familiar with the fact that I’m such a huge geek, this will convince them. Because I was excited to read Storm Born for two major reasons. The first is that I became aware of Richelle Mead on the forums for a perfume company that we both shop at. And the second was that reviews for this book hinted at the presence of a kitsune character. Call me weird, but I think fox-men can be sexy, and I was ready for a book with characters who don’t always take themselves seriously.

I wasn’t disappointed by this book. The premise is what Merry Gentry would have been if Laurell K. Hamilton had maybe not been smoking crack when she wrote it. Eugenie Markham, called “Odile Dark Swan,” is a kick-ass exterminator of things that pop in from the Otherworld — the land of the Faeries. After a rescue mission goes terribly awry, she comes to realize she must embrace her own birthright, all the while dealing with Gentry — what she calls Faeries in this book — who want to get her pregnant and see that a prophecy comes to fruition.

There’s a lot here that feels familiar, and that’s why I can’t quite say this is a keeper book for me. The faerie mythology has been used before, and the love triangle (which I still hate every time it pops up) rears its head here, too. But I like Eugenie. She’s charming, and she doesn’t really strike me as the “I kick ass and don’t need a man dammit!” archetypal bad-ass heroine. She’s fairly relate-able, even if she does a few things in the course of the story that irritated me. But I thought the journey she begins at the beginning was fascinating, and I am hooked enough now that I really do want to know what will happen to her.

I liked her two men, too. Kiyo, the kitsune, was intense and very sexy, but Dorian, a king in the Otherworld, is much more of a cypher and much more fascinating of a character. Honestly, I don’t prefer one of them over the other, so it’ll be great with me whoever Eugenie picks.

The storytelling here is intense, and I was drawn in immediately. The world Ms. Mead has created is a fascinating place, even if a few elements are ones I’ve seen before. The characters are people I want to read about, and this book definitely has convinced me to try out Ms. Mead’s backlist.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants…

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl’s got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy–one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie’s first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.

Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne’er-do-well, and the ones who don’t want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her…

Read an excerpt.

Shannon C.’s review of Never Too Old by Carol Lynne
Contemporary romance eBook released by Ellora’s Cave 15 Aug 08

Well, now I can say that I’ve read a Carol Lynne book. That may be the nicest thing I have to say in this whole entire review. I’ve read it and I don’t wish to ever have the experience again.

As the title suggests, Never Too Old is about an older man and his much younger lover. The way the book carries on about Joe’s age, I half expect him to start reminiscing about his days hanging out with Fred and Barney at the slate quarry in Bedrock. Sadly, this did not happen. However, lest the reader forget about Joe’s age, we are reminded that he is 56. He has a 56-year-old cock. Having sex with 26-year-old Holly will probably cause a heart attack. Are you getting the idea that there’s an age difference that the characters have to deal with? Because I’m not sure I am, yet.

Holly is fairly blah. Since this is obviously part of a series, I suspect she got introduced in some other book you could not pay me to read, and so she comes across as very flat, a vessel for Joe’s sexual urges. There is some guy who’s been stalking her though, although his motivations for doing so don’t really carry enough weight, and the suspense subplot, instead of ratcheting up tension, just seems to bog things down even more.

The writing style in general also bugged me. I felt it was very superficial, with characters roughly sketched in instead of fully developed. The result was that I didn’t particularly care about any of these people or their issues, and the romance (and, consequently, the many, many sex scenes) was just boring.

I think this could have actually been a decent story, if written by a different author. Possibly one who thought more about character motivations and consistency, and one who knew how to write a suspenseful subplot. Since that is not the case here, the best that can be said for the book is that it is boring. At its worst, it is laughably bad.

Grade: F

Summary:
This book features characters from Necklace of Shame, though it can be read as a stand-alone.

A widower of ten years, fifty-six-year-old Joe is finally interested in a woman besides his late wife. The problem is, Holly is twenty-six years old. Joe knows Holly is attracted to him but the age difference seems too much to overcome.

To Holly, small-town doctor Joe has always seemed like the perfect man. She’s spent her life looking for someone who could measure up to him. Despite their age difference, Holly finds Joe to be the sexiest man in town, and Holly is ready to unleash her fantasies with him.

Joe has his own fantasies. Despite his misgivings, he’s ready to explore the sensual side of himself with Holly. He just hopes her heart is in it as much as his own.

Read an excerpt.

Devon’s review of Bound by Light (Dark Crescent Sisterhood, Book 3) by Anna Windsor
Paranormal Romance released by Ballantine 26 Aug 08

Bound by Light is the third installment in the Dark Crescent Sisterhood trilogy, which features strong female warriors and the men who love them. This final installment features the triad’s “broom,” Merilee, whose guiding element is air. Fittingly, her hero is the high flying Astaroth demon Jake Lowell, the brother of the previous novels’ heroes. This is a series that has gotten better with each title, and this one was the best of the three. 

Jake was the most interesting hero, nay, the most interesting character of the three books. He is actually the seven year old boy who was ritually murdered in the first book, Bound by Shadow. Which is kind of creepy when you think about it. But Jake was so completely transformed into his demon state, that you don’t really associate him with being a human boy. He’s a great character, so thirsty for knowledge of the world and everything, he has an intellectual air to him. He is more powerful than the other Astaroth demons, but he would prefer to be human (and can take both forms). He’s also madly in love with Merilee. Jake was strong and powerful, but also had this vulnerability and sweetness to him, due to his struggles with his nature.

Merilee was a good heroine, although not quite as well developed as Jake. She’s physically and magically strong, and as academic and intellectual as Jake. They made a good couple and had good chemistry. I would’ve preferred a bit less mental lusting on Merilee’s part, it’s so dorky after awhile. Individually and as a pair, I found them more memorable than the prior pairings.

The action scenes are well written and involving. There is a doozy of a villain, very creepy, as this is the climax of the overall arc of the trilogy. I did kind of lose sight of the Sisterhood’s previous enemy, the Legion, and how it all tied in. There was some of the choppiness in narrative that bothered me before, where things seemed to be dropped, then brought back up. But the scenes with this villain were disturbing and the battles exciting.

Some twists involving recurring characters are thrown our way. The prior heroes and heroines and other allies are back to help (Cynda’s a bitch again, Riana’s still boring). I really liked the Astaroth demons and the Mothers of the different houses, they were entertaining and interesting. Although once again, I wish the world of the Sisterhood and the Legion was easier to follow, I did enjoy Bound by Light, and found it to be a strong conclusion to the trilogy.

Grade: B-

Read reviews and other information on this series by clicking on the Dark Crescent Sisterhood series tag.

The Summary:

The night holds endless pleasures . . . and hides nameless terrors.

As the broom end of her Sybil triad, Merilee Alexander has the sacred duty as a warrior witch of taking out the trash. Lately, though, she’s been a little overwhelmed: Manhattan is a mess. And her prophetic end-of-the-world nightmares aren’t helped by the waking fantasies of love. Or the fact that the object of her affections, gorgeous Jake Lowell of NYPD’s Occult Crimes Unit, is playing it so cool.

Actually, Jake wants Merilee desperately, every luscious inch of her. Still, he’s holding back. He’s got secrets. Dark, dangerous, demonic secrets. But as Jake and Merilee trawl the city’s supernatural underbelly to out a demonic kingpin who, disguised as a charismatic leader, is amassing dark power, it’s make-or-break time. For their lives, their love, and the world are about to be sucked into the undertow of the tides of an unstoppable evil.

Read an excerpt

Read Devon’s review of Bound by Shadow
Read Devon’s review of Bound by Flame

The other books in the series:

Liviania’s review of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
Young Adult paranormal fiction released by Little, Brown Young Readers 2 Aug 08

I come from the generation that made Stephenie Meyer famous. I first read Twilight four years ago, when it was still an ARC. I was the second person who read it – a friend passed it on to me because she enjoyed it and knew I liked vampires. I enjoyed it and passed it on to another vampire fiction lovin’ friend. Now I wish I’d stolen it from the school because I’m sure the Twilight ARCs are collector’s items. It’s hard for me to think of this series as a cultural phenomenon. For me it’s still that book I read in the car one rainy afternoon. I will admit, I even skipped Eclipse because New Moon was kind of lame. (Jacob’s a werewolf?! You mean, I wasn’t supposed to figure that out in the last book?) Still, it’s hard for me to discuss Breaking Dawn because it is a huge deal to many of my friends. 

I started to speak with my ex-roommate about her reactions before Philosophy class started and random girls joined the conversation. This is an honors-only class. We secretly enjoy reading Plato because he’s . . . Plato. We openly enjoy reading Stephenie Meyer. While reading the novel, I discussed my reactions to the series with my current roommate. When I stopped reading, I discussed my reasons with a neighbor who stopped reading the novel even earlier than I did. It’s no Harry Potter, but the Twilight series is very much a cultural touchstone to me.

Now, back when I first read Twilight I knew it was a silly, pure entertainment value sort of read. Since then I’ve corrupted the experience by reading a number of essays that dissect the characters and their relationships. I realize that Edward is a bit sociopathic and his relationship with Bella reads as one that will grow to be abusive. When I read this paragraph in the first chapter, I got creeped out:

Very, very convenient—too convenient—that my truck would wheeze its last wheeze just weeks after Edward and I had agreed to our lopsided compromise, one detail of which was that he be allowed to replace my truck when it passed on. Edward swore it was only to be expected; my truck had lived a long, full life and then expired of natural causes. According to him. And, of course, I had no way to verify his story or to try to raise my truck from the dead on my own. My favorite mechanic—

On its own it’s fairly innocent. No one wants someone they love driving an old deathtrap. But Bella’s dissatisfaction with her new car and lack of choice of the model bother me as an indication of their relationship as a whole. Just because Edward gets to replace her truck doesn’t mean that Bella shouldn’t be part of the decision process. It is her truck.

Despite real world social observations marring my experience, I could almost take it. Then I reached the (SPOILER AHEAD) pregnancy scene and nearly lost my lunch. I actually found the story amusing in a train wreck sort of sense. But I’ll give you a brief sample of where I lost it, about halfway through:

Another shattering crack inside her body, the loudest yet, so loud that we both froze in shock waiting for her answering shriek. Nothing. Her legs, which had been curled up in agony, now went limp, sprawling out in an unnatural way.
“Her spine,” he choked in horror.

DOES NOT WANT. Also, SPOILER DONE. I’ll keep Twilight. Despite everything, I kind of like it. However, the sequels can be skipped, especially this one. I don’t mind giving it a chance so that I can talk knowledgeably about certain plot points with my friends, but cleolinda’s summaries are a great way to get the highlights with more humor and better writing.

Grade: DNF

Summary:
When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella’s life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed… forever?

The astonishing, breathlessly anticipated conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions.
Read an excerpt here.

LauraD’s review of My Husband’s Sweethearts by Bridget Asher
Women’s fiction hardcover released by Delacorte Press 19 Aug 08

It’s an interesting premise — a dying husband being nursed by not only his wife, but his many girlfriends as well. Bridget Asher takes a totally fresh idea and runs with it, resulting in a bittersweet chronicle of love both marital and parental. 

Thirty-something Lucy left fifty-something Artie six months ago, when she discovered he was having an affair. Now that she’s learned Artie is dying, Lucy is back to nurse him, but she can’t forgive him and she’s not sure she can take care of him alone. Artie is the one who gives her the idea to call all the women in his little black book and have them help her out-oh, and by the way? Can she call his son John, the one he’s never told her about?

Needless to say, not all of the women show up. Some only make brief appearances. Then there is Elspa, who says that Artie saved her life. Elspa is the first to arrive and the most determined of the sweethearts; also the youngest. My personal favorite is Eleanor, who arrives and announces that she is there for “revenge”. Each character represents a different part of Artie’s personality, and it’s only together that the women make it through each day of caring for him. While the message isn’t always subtle, Asher writes with a great deal of compassion for her characters.

My Husband’s Sweethearts was a very enjoyable book, at times pretty darn funny. That’s quite a feat, considering death and adultery are two of the primary subjects! If I have a major quibble with the book, it’s Artie’s lack of repentance for his behavior-not just cheating on Lucy, but the heartbreak he caused more than a few of his sweethearts. While the author writes great female characters, she didn’t quite convince me that Artie was enough of a Lothario to have all of these women forgive him without any effort on his part.

Ultimately, it’s a book worth reading for the relationship between Lucy and her mother; and for the family that forms between those caring for Artie as he dies. The dialogue is great, razor sharp in places. My Husband’s Sweethearts is a solid…

Grade: B

Summary:

When Lucy discovered that her charming, cheating husband was dying, she came home, opened up his little black book, and decided she wasn’t going through this alone. After all, Artie’s sweethearts were there for the good times-is it fair that Lucy should have to manage the hard times herself? In this wise, wickedly funny new novel, Lucy dials up the women in Artie’s black book and invites them for one last visit. The last thing she expects is that any will actually show up.

But one by one, they do show up: The one who hates him. The one who owes her life to him. The one he turned into a lesbian, and the one he taught to dance. And among them is a visitor with the strangest story of all: the young man who may or may not be Artie’s long-lost son.

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Wild Card (Elite Ops, Book 1) by Lora Leigh
Contemporary romantic suspense released by St. Martin’s 26 Aug 08

This is a new series for Leigh and is related to her Tempting SEALs books, but starts a new series of heroes and heroines.  There are overlapping characters and storylines, but not to the point that you’ll have a tough time following the story if you’ve never read another Leigh book.  This was a very satisfying read – emotional, sexy, action packed, and romantic.  I really loved it. 

Leigh’s writing is dependable.  You can depend on alpha heroes.  You can depend on generally capable heroines who don’t have too many TSTL moments.  You can depend on very steamy sex and almost animalistic attraction between the heroes and heroines.  You can depend on good villains.  We get all of the dependable Leigh features in this book.  Almost as dependable in her writing is some biting and growling from the hero, the occasional bout of buttsecks, Brazilians (non-native-speaking), and assorted kink (spanking, light bondage, group sex, etc.) – some of which we get in this book.

I may have a short memory, but the hero in Wild Card, Nathan/Noah, seems to be a refreshing change from the typical Leigh hero.  No doubt he’s alpha – he totally maxes out the alpha-o-meter – but more than that, he is emotionally insecure through much of the book.  And it’s refreshing to have a Leigh hero doubt if he’s approached “his woman” correctly.

Leigh’s heroes are normally very unapologetic about how they bulldoze thru a heroine’s defenses.  Nathan/Noah isn’t like that – he certainly plows (heh) the heroine down, however he doubts himself the whole way.  He hooks up with her not because he must have her (though that is certainly the case), but because he can’t imagine breathing without her in his life.

Another interesting element in this book was how Leigh let her hero and heroine realize that their marriage wasn’t perfect.  You’ll have to read the book to understand, but suffice to say that Nathan/Noah and the heroine, Sabella, were separated for six years after marrying young and only being together two years.  They both grew up quite a lot in the intervening six years.  Nathan arguably had a rougher time than ‘Bella, but they both matured.

Had Nathan and Bella remained together in those six years, they may have realized that they were both holding their true selves back from the other in an attempt to give the other what they thought they needed.  But perhaps not.  This nation is chock-a-block with divorced couples who never figure that out – whose relationships fail for reasons that completely escape them.  They just grow apart.  Their unintentional separation and reunion forces our hero and heroine to confront some home truths about each other and their relationship – it also makes them realize how much they really love and need each other.

All this to say that Leigh has crafted an emotionally complex and very satisfying book with Wild Card.  Of course there’s some good villains, great action, and stupendous cross-your-legs-it’s-so-hawt sex.  But what I liked the most was the emotional side of the story.  And I loved the epilogue and how Nathan/Noah and Bella negotiate their relationship – not your typical couple this one and it is great.

I highly recommend this book to fans of Leigh.  I heartily recommend it to fans of romantic suspense.  If you like an emotionally rich story, this is the book for you.  If you just want a darn good read, this is the book for you.

Grade: A

Summary:

It was supposed to be simple. All Navy SEAL Nathan Malone had to do was rescue three young girls from a Colombia drug cartel, then allow himself to be captured just long enough to draw out a government spy. That was before his mission went disastrously wrong…and before his wife, Bella, was told that Nathan was never coming home.

Bella’s mourned her husband’s death for three long years. But she has no idea he’s still alive. Forced to assume a new identity, the man Nathan was is now dead. If he can get back to his wife, can he keep the secret of who he really is…even as desire threatens to consume them? And as danger threatens to tear Bella from Nathan’s arms once more?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Book2, Coming March 2009

Speaking of Brazilians, watch this.

Laura J’s review of To Fat and Back by Beverly Rae
Paranormal Romantic Comedy ebook released by Samhain Publishing 5 Aug 08

The “warning” for this book grabbed my attention and since I tend to pick up all the romantic comedies that I can I wanted to read this book. Another plus was that the author Beverly Rae is a new author that I had been wanting to try, but just never got around to reading anything by her. I was expecting a lot of laugh out loud moments, but unfortunately they were few. However I did find characters that I liked and despite the “warning” being somewhat misleading to me I liked this book.

After a rather nasty practical joke by a co-worker Carrie is mortified and fed up. She has lusted after her best friend’s boyfriend, Michael, for some time but when he appears to be a part of that joke she decides to do something and that results in an injury to the object of her lust. An odd neighbor of Michael’s gives him a pill to heal his arm overnight, but that pill has a strange side effect giving Michael a chance to experience being judged by his now large appearance rather than what’s inside. Reluctantly recruited by Carrie to help care for Michael in his time of need is Billy, Carrie’s co-worker and best friend who has loved her for some time.

Carrie is a wonderful character. Many times throughout the book she could have stooped to the level that some of her co-workers did, but didn’t knowing how it made her feel she didn’t. In fact she took it upon herself to try and help Michael feel better about his sudden weight gain by trying to remind him that he is still the same guy on the inside. I really liked her although she was a lot nicer to Michael than he deserved. I also saw Carrie grow more comfortable with herself.

Michael was a jerk and a bit of a surprise ending (at least to me) I didn’t see it coming, got what he deserved. I loved Billy, Carrie’s co-worker, best friend and the man who loves Carrie for who she is on the inside. I found him very patient and encouraging with Carrie.

While I was disappointed that there wasn’t as much humor as I expected based on the “warning”, I did like the emotion that Ms. Rae brought to story and will be checking out some more of her books.

Grade: C

Summary:

True love is better than infatuation.

Carrie Flannagan dreams of Michael the Magnificent, the office hunk. He can have his pick of women, and his pick isn’t Carrie, the office chubby. He’s only got eyes for her best friend, Shiloh of the slender, smokin’ hot body.

When Carrie accidentally-on-purpose breaks Michael’s arm, a self-professed sorceress with a secret agenda of her own gives him a pill to magically heal the bones. That little pill also has an accidental-on-purpose side effect—one that makes him balloon to over three hundred pounds. To Carrie’s surprise and delight, he turns to her for emotional comfort. But those new layers of fat on his body reveal a side of him that wasn’t part of her fantasy.

Billy Whitman will put up with almost anything to be near to Carrie, even if she sees him only as a blend-into-the-background, dependable friend. Even if it means putting up with her fantasies about Michael, and being the clean-up man as Michael’s life falls apart.

For now, he’s willing to bide his time, hoping she will someday see the light—the light of love in his eyes.

Read an excerpt here.

Laura J’s review of Primal Instincts by Cathryn Fox and Lisa Renee Jones
Contemporary Erotic Romance short story eBook released by Harlequin Spice Brief 1 Aug 08

This was my first venture into the Harlequin Spice line, but wanted to read this one because Cathryn Fox is one of my favorite authors. I wasn’t sure really what to expect because I occasionally am disappointed in short stories especially if they are really good. It’s like I’m really getting into the story and the “blam” that’s it, no more, THE END. If’s a not so good story then the author doesn’t have much time to redeem the story that they could in a longer version. In this story we are not only dealing with the fact that it is a short story and the author has only a limited time to create a story where we love the characters, the plot is exciting, the sex is hot and the ending is the HEA we as romance readers crave, but two authors that have to do all this in the same amount of space. This story does it all.

The story begins with Drs. Jordan Brooks and Olivia Markham hiking through the jungles looking for a plant that is rumored that the leaves of a certain flower found only in this jungle could produce certain aphrodisiacal powers. When their group stops a guide approaches the two woman to take them to a secret location where they will learn just how the power of this flower works. At this point the story each woman is taken to a separate location in a cave where they experience the intense power of the flower.

Ms. Fox is one of my must read authors so I knew what to expect from her part of the story but I have not read anything by Ms. Jones and didn’t know what to expect, but I must say that even if I had read something by Ms. Jones before I still wouldn’t be able to tell who wrote what. The story flowed as one and I don’t feel that anything was lost between the two women’s experiences.

Hopefully I’m not giving anything away here but the ending was something that I wasn’t expecting and not something I’m used to in a romance story, but at the same time because of how well the storyline was written it worked and I didn’t feel cheated in any way.

I really hope that these two will work together again in the future. In the mean time I’ll be reading more of their individual works.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The search for a rare flower rumored to possess magical aphrodesical powers had led Drs. Olivia Markham and Jordon Brooks into the remote heart of the Mexican jungle. But a mysterious native tribe dedicated to keeping the Estela flower from reaching the outside world required the two stunning scientists to experience its powers firsthand to convince them of its dangers. Paired with two breathtakingly sexy warriors, Olivia and Jordon drink the sweet essence of the Estela and are overwhelmed by lust so intense it nearly consumes them. Their warrior lovers seem to intuit their deepest, most secret desires, and in their experienced hands, their overpowering hunger is satisfied again and again until, at last, the effects of the drug subside.

LauraD’s review of Wanderlust (The Jax Series, Book 2) by Ann Aguirre
Science fiction released by Ace 26 Aug 08

Ann Aguirre debuted with Grimspace; the sci-fi page turner about a rag-tag group of space adventurers being chased by both sides of the law. Wanderlust continues the story of Sirantha Jax and her friends, immediately after the events of Grimspace have concluded. Once again, it’s a story that grabs you right off the bat.

Jax has been a “jumper” her whole career-she has a special genetic makeup that allows her, in close concert with a pilot, to navigate ships through space at faster than the speed of light. It’s all she’s ever known, and it’s provided her with a good life-but due to events in the previous book, that life is over. Jax has no job, no money, no prospects, no where to live. When she is asked to become an ambassador to another planet, she has little choice but to say yes. However, she smartly stipulates that her travel companions must be the crew from her ship, including her lover, the captain March. She will also be accompanied by Vel, who once hunted her as a bounty and then saved her life; their destination is Vel’s home planet. Along her way, she will face many enemies, both close and distant.

Jax is a very complex character. She is lonely down to her soul, and can’t quite believe that it’s worth risking the pain of loss when you let people in. She and March have formed a relationship, but it’s written with a lot of angst and second guessing on Jax’s part. In addition to her financial issues and the loss of her career, the author has also thrown another problem Jax’s way-she is sick and getting sicker all the time, and has no idea of what is making her ill.

One of the many things I loved about this book is how tightly written the main characters are, and there is some great dialogue. Ship’s mechanic Dina serves as Jax’s verbal sparring partner, Vel is there for discussions of philosophy and politics, March is emotion and work. Then there is Jael, a new shipmate who is something of an enigma to all of them.

In Aguirre’s world, humans have to deal with multiple species that see us as just a snack on the food chain. The Morgut and the Teras are two vile and terrifying examples, and both are featured prominently in Wanderlust. The Teras in particular affect the team; while visiting the planet Lachion, Jax and company get involved in a war that takes them deep underground to escape the flying Teras. They become separated by both space and ideals, and it’s this war that may split up the crew for good. Questions of love, debt, and honor come into play; but no character’s courage is ever in doubt.

It is not necessary to have read Grimspace before reading Wanderlust, but doing so will give you a much better understanding of not just the characters, but their experiences. March, in particular, is a much richer character for having read both books; I think each title on it’s own only shows one side of him. It also helps to know the back story on Lachion, but again isn’t necessary.

I am enjoying the way that Ann Aguirre is building her world slowly, layer by layer. The introduction of new characters like Jael, who feels like he will be a big player in the series, and Hit who provides such necessary comic relief, are done seamlessly. Then there is Constance-I have a feeling Constance is going to be my favorite character, she is genius.

Wanderlust is a great book, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing where Jax, March, and the rest of the crew end up next.

Grade: A

Summary:

Sirantha Jax doesn’t take chances…she jumps at them…

Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. Jax has worked for the Farwan Corporation her entire career. But now the word’s out that the Corp deliberately crashed a passenger ship, and their stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled-which means that Jax is out of a job.

She’s also broke, due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax takes it. Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithiss-Tor and convince them to join the Conglomerate.

But Jax’s payday is light years away. First, she’ll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens, and her own grimspace-weakened body. She’ll be lucky just to make it to Ithiss-Tor alive…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Redeeming (Immortals, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Love Spell 26 Aug 08

This book ended up being quite anticlimactic for me. Over the first four books in the series when learning about Tain’s horrible circumstances, learning about how Adrian has searched for 700 years for his baby brother, learning that perhaps Tain can’t be saved when all is said and done, I knew, once it was announced there would be a book about Tain, that he would be saved, and though most of that takes place in The Gathering, I expected and anticipated more between these immortal demigod brothers in this book. Alas, for me it was not to be.

Since his release from his imprisonment by an ancient demon and his subsequent decline into insanity because of resultant torture by the demon, Tain has been on his own, roaming from Ravenscroft, his goddess mother’s home, to here and there wherever he found himself, Tain still carries guilt about his actions while imprisoned, he still fears he’ll react when around demons, which means he can’t be around the one woman who might be able to save him further than what’s already been done. She’s a demon; half demon anyway. And Tain just doesn’t trust himself to be around her. He doesn’t trust himself to be around anyone he loves for fear of his residual reactions to all he’s gone through.

Okay, I can understand that. But even after Tain has come to San Francisco and gets caught up Samantha’s current demon investigation, there’s only very few scenes between Tain and his brothers; one is only mentioned, never seen. They show concern about him, yes, in those few scenes included, but he’s just come off 700 years of torture. There should have been something more between them. There is plenty of emotion on Samantha’s part once she realizes she loves Tain and wishes she could trust him. Not even her love can keep him from falling back into his insanity and earning her trust totally, or she thinks.

She also finds herself in the middle of a demon war, the current matriarch of her clan being murdered and plans underway of nominating Samantha herself for the top spot, but she knows she’s not qualified for such a position. She’s not a full demon; she’s a cop with the paranormal police, a job she loves. Her father is finally back in her life, something she at first never thought would happen and now she’s grudgingly getting to know him. Then Tain is back. The god with a body to match that makes her burn, but she knows she can’t ever be with him. She still goes to him whenever he’s near, however. Can’t blame her for that. I think I would too. Even with all of Tain’s problems, he’s beautiful to look at, he heals with his magic, he’s sensitive when the situation calls for it and a deadly warrior in the next. It takes Tain to show Samantha how strong she truly is.

While this is a good story, a good romance between the pages, a new demon to battle along with inner demons, it’s action packed, the love scenes are hot and sizzling, there is emotion between Tain and Samantha, and it’s interesting to find out the story of Samantha’s father and why he was absent from her life so many years, I still feel, for me, the brothers need to gather round and help Tain heal further. They’d left him alone for a year or so already. Once he lit in San Francisco, they should have been there. And especially once Tain finds out from his mother why he had to endure his captivity and especially all he goes through again at the hands of this new demon, even if a portion of that lifted a lot of his burdens, his brother still need to be there for him.

I’d come to love these brothers and how they fought to save the world in their own books, how they fought to save Tain, and it’s just a little bit of a disappointment to see so little of them in this turning-point book.

Grade: B+

Summary:

For centuries they have walked among us–vampires, shape-shifters, the Celtic Sidhe, demons, and other magical beings. Their battle to reign supreme is constant, but one force holds them in check, a race of powerful warriors known as the IMMORTALS

He is going to take her. And it won’t be gentle. After all, the last 700 years of torture and captivity haven’t been gentle on Tain. This woman, this half-demon who leaves him burning with desire, is pretty tough herself. She needs to be, for the world is not safe for demon-kind these days. A violent backlash has disrupted the balance of power, and now Tain finds he may have to rescue the dark ones instead of fight them. He feels compelled to protect the alluring Samantha–whether she wants him to or not–but all he can think of is seduction. Ultimately, she’ll either destroy him or bring exactly what he needs most…THE REDEEMING

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LauraJ’s review of What’s A Ghoul To Do? by Mardi Ballou.
Paranormal Romance novella eBook released by Samhain 26 Aug 08

I may have said this in my review of Byte Marks but these are the kind of paranormal romances I love. I would rather the story focus on the romance of the hero and heroine rather than who is trying to get revenge or some type of power struggle. I don’t mind if there is some conflict. Conflict is important in a story, but I have don’t like the ones where I spend more than half of the book reading about the hero and heroine on the run or constantly battling the villain. I know some like those kinds of book, but not me. So if you are looking for a more suspenseful paranormal romance, you won’t find it in this one, but if you are like me, then you will love this book.

Lilith is a demi-ghoul who has not had the best luck at dating. Once her dates find out who she is or rather who her father is they tend to run the other way. She works with her best friend Dominique (heroine from Byte Marks) helping others find their true love. Lilith on the surface seems content that she may never find her true love, but she is hurting. The one thing I like really like about Lilith is despite the fact that she wants true love she won’t settle for someone who doesn’t accept who she is. I hate when heroine’s change or think they have to change for the hero and Lilith doesn’t.

Rafe is the pack leader and has recently learned that in order to strengthen his pack’s credibility he must choose a life mate. Rafe is content to be a bachelor and thinks that as long as he leads the pack in a fair and honest way then not having a life mate should have no impact on his ability to lead. The pack elders disagree and come to Lilith’s and Dominique’s matchmaking business to help Rafe find his life mate. The reluctant Rafe is instantly attracted to Lilith and makes his wishes known to both her and his pack that he wants Lilith. I loved him. Very sexy, very alpha and has no qualms with getting what he wants, which is Lilith as his life mate.

There is a little more suspense in this book, but the focus on this story is the romance between Rafe and Lilith. I am already looking for the next book in the series and hope that Ms. Ballou has even more in the future.

Grade: B

Summary:
She’s the only mate he wants. But love isn’t on the menu.

Fangly, My Dear series

Lilith P. Graves needs to get a life. A social life. This shouldn’t be a problem, since she’s partnered with her best friend in the “Fangly, My Dear” dating service. Problem is, she keeps falling for the wrong guys, and they don’t get more wrong than the super-hot alpha Rafe Graywolf.

With the history of bad blood between her kind and his, the message is clear: Vegetarian demi-ghouls need not apply.

Obeying the call of duty, Rafe took the role of alpha at a rough time for the pack. For the sake of stability, the elders insist he find a mate. Now. A dating service isn’t normally his cut of steak, but he has little time—or choice.

But Lilith…now there’s a choice morsel he could sink his teeth into. Too bad they’re on opposite ends of the ghoul-werewolf social spectrum. Not to mention the food chain…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Devon’s review of Before I Wake (Nightmare Chronicles #1) by Kathryn Smith
Urban Fantasy released by Avon 29 Jul 08

What is it about Urban Fantasy that lends itself to first person point of view? Something to ponder. Before I Wake joins the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost and the Aisling Grey series by Katie MacAlister (among others), as part of a new trend: books which straddle the line between urban fantasy and romance, told in the first person from the heroine’s point of view and following the same group of characters. Although some readers may be frustrated by the lack of a traditional HEA, I have rather enjoyed this new trend, and Before I Wake is no exception. Despite having some issues, I found this to be an entertaining and compelling read.

Dawn Ryder is a 28 year old New York City psychologist who also happens to be the daughter of the God of Dreams, Morpheus, born of his illicit relationship with a human. When one of her patients at the sleep clinic is threatened with danger, Dawn has to re-enter the Dream Realm, to face her estranged parents and accept her abilities as a Nightmare.

I have never read anything by Smith before, but I’m pretty sure this is her first book with a present day setting. She has a very good contemporary voice. Dawn emerges as a fully fleshed out, sometimes sympathetic, sometimes annoying character, in that way that all people are. The problem with first person point of view is that you don’t get a break from their inner monologue, so they start to seem too much after awhile—too snarky, too angry, too whatever. That does happen sometimes here. Also the head to toe descriptions of Dawn’s make-up, hair, and fashion choices got too be a bit much. But overall, the pop culture references were spot-on, and Dawn felt like a twenty something urbanite, trying to overcome a difficult past and make a normal life for herself.

She has really good reason to be a bit angry and snarky. I found the relationship between Dawn and her parents to be very compelling. As a child Dawn was close to both her parents, but the relationship with her father grew strained as she realized how different her abilities made her. Then her mother went to join Morpheus in the Dream Realm while her body remains in this world in a comatose state. Dawn has to watch her half-siblings and the man who raised her mourn and fret over her mother, while suffering the guilt of being the only one who knows what really happened to her mother, and being able to communicate with her when the others can’t. She loves her parents, but can’t forgive their selfishness.

I was ambivalent about Noah, Dawn’s love interest. The fact that he started out as her patient is a little weird for me. And Noah, an artist and powerful lucid dreamer, is mysterious, in kind of a sketchy way. He’s very reserved, and some of his secrets are hinted at, but there’s gonna be more to that story, methinks. There was also a charming side to him, and he genuinely seems to respect and appreciate Dawn. There was some good chemistry between them, but I’m not sold. I’ll have to reserve judgment.

Things started off a bit slowly for me, but once it got going, I was hooked. The world of dreams and what they mean to people was very interesting. The villain was disturbing, and very threatening. The ending felt a bit abrupt to me, given all the build-up. Wasn’t sure why she just didn’t do that sooner. But the story of Dawn coming to terms with her parentage, her powers, and who she is, really kept me hooked. The romance felt a bit secondary, but I’m looking forward to seeing what develops.

Grade: B

The Summary:

You may call it a dream job…

And in some ways, you’d be right. I actually get paid to study people’s dreams. It comes much easier than my employers at the Sleep Center suspect; after all, I, Dawn, am the daughter of the king of the dream world, and I can roam the dreams of others, battling the nightmares that plague them.

I call it a nightmare…

Honestly, I could use a good night’s sleep. But ever since I met Noah Clarke, I’m even more torn between the two worlds: smart, sexy, and able to control his own dreams, Noah could be my perfect man, except he’s being stalked in his sleep by an unearthly evil, hell-bent on destroying him … and the entire world.

Read an excerpt.