C2’s review of A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James.
Historical romance, released  by Avon 27 July 2010

The story of Cinderella is the jumping-off point for Eloisa James’ latest book, A Kiss at Midnight.  All the elements are there, if slightly altered.  We have a girl whose circumstances were drastically changed by her stepmother after the death of her father, a handsome prince in a castle, a godmother, a ball, glass slippers and even some rats…although not the rodent kind.

Since her father died, Lady Katherine has been living in an attic garret in her family home.  Her stepmother funnels all the money generated by the estate into clothes and jewels for her and her daughter so Kate does what she can to keep the estate and its tenants afloat – and avoid her stepmother as much as possible.

Imagine her surprise when she is summoned to her stepmother’s chambers and told she will be impersonating her stepsister at a house party being held at the castle of Prince Gabriel of the very very long name.  He is the family head of the stepsister’s fiancé and they must have his permission before they can marry.  Due to an odd set of circumstances, the stepsister cannot attend and Kate must go instead.  The set up for getting Kate to the castle is a little odd and a bit slow.  However, once she gets there things pick up.

Prince Gabriel has been exiled from his brother’s principality.  He, along with assorted misfit relatives and a menagerie of animals, have settled into the English countryside.  The house party is to celebrate his betrothal to a Russian princess…supporting a castle full of misfits is not cheap so Prince Gabriel’s brother arranged a marriage to a princess with an impressive dowry.

Upon meeting, Kate and Gabriel don’t immediately fall into each other’s arms but there are sparks.  Angry sparks.  Angry, amusing sparks and lots of enjoyable banter ensues.  I have to say I enjoyed the conversations between Kate and Gabriel a great deal.  Soon the attraction between them heats up but both know a relationship cannot be – he is betrothed to his princess and she is pretending to be engaged to his nephew.  Still, they can’t quite keep out of each other’s company so there are some bittersweet moments that nicely balance out the banter.

Also attending the house party is Henrietta (call me Henry) Lady Wrothe, Kate’s unbeknownst-to-her godmother.  Henry decides to play matchmaker for Kate during the house party and beyond, if necessary.

So most of the set-pieces of Cinderella are in place – girl, evil stepmother, (non) ugly stepsister, handsome prince, (non-fairy) godmother.  What’s left?  The ball, of course.

The Russian princess arrives and is very nice.  Gabriel enjoys her company and can see what a marriage between them will be…not awful.  But is he willing to settle for not awful?  Midnight approaches, there is a passionate rendezvous in the garden and then Kate must flee, leaving behind a glass slipper. What happens next??  It’s a fairy tale, faithful reader…you know how they always end.

I really enjoyed this retelling of a classic fairy tale.  It was a light and engaging and filled with fun exchanges – a bit reminiscent of comedies from the 30s and 40s.  If you are looking for a book with snappy dialog and sweet heat, look no further.

Grade: B

Blurb:
Miss Kate Daltry doesn’t believe in fairy tales… or happily ever after.
Forced by her stepmother to attend a ball, Kate meets a prince… and decides he’s anything but charming. A clash of wits and wills ensues, but they both know their irresistible attraction will lead nowhere. For Gabriel is promised to another woman—a princess whose hand in marriage will fulfill his ruthless ambitions.

Gabriel likes his fiancé, which is a welcome turn of events, but he doesn’t love her. Obviously, he should be wooing his bride-to-be, not the witty, impoverished beauty who refuses to fawn over him.

Godmothers and glass slippers notwithstanding, this is one fairy tale in which destiny conspires to destroy any chance that Kate and Gabriel might have a happily ever after.

Unless a prince throws away everything that makes him noble…

Unless a dowry of an unruly heart trumps a fortune…

Unless one kiss at the stroke of midnight changes everything.

Read an EXCERPT here!

C2’s review of Sugar Creek (Destiny Series, Book 2) by Toni Blake.
Contemporary romance published by Avon 25 May 10

Rachel Farris had the life she always dreamed of – she was an account director at a Chicago advertising company with an awesome apartment and was living the big city life.  She had left her small town upbringing far behind and had no desire to revisit it.  Then when she found out it was her turn to help her grandmother with the harvest at the family apple orchard, Rachel dutifully requested a leave of absence.

No big deal, right?  Until her company decided it needed to downsize…right after Rachel’s team lost a major account.  So, as Rachel headed back to her hometown, she was not in the best mood and seeing blue lights in her rear-view mirror did not improve that in the slightest.

Officer Mike Romo takes law enforcement very seriously. So when he pulls over the sporty little car that just blew past his cruiser and encounters a smart-mouthed woman with tons of attitude, he is not a happy camper.  And when he finds out she is a Farris – the Romos  and Farrises have years of bad blood between them – he isn’t surprised she doesn’t follow rules.  There’s something about her that gets under his skin.

Oh – for those who hate flashback sub-plots, be warned – scattered through the book, Rachel’s grandmother tells her the story of how she came to Destiny and her romance with Mike’s grandfather. Sometimes I’m annoyed by that plot device, but it works pretty well in this book.

As Rachel settles into life in Destiny, fate continues to throw her and Mike together – small towns being what they are, they have friends in common – and they continue to snipe at each other.    Rachel finds out he has made an offer to buy out her grandmother and is not happy with the idea that a Romo might own her family’s farm.

Finally, Rachel and Mike give in to the chemistry between them and decide to have a fling.  Neither of them is looking for anything serious and they know the relationship will end when Rachel goes back to her real life.  Small towns might be great for some people but and Rachel kind of enjoys getting a chance to visit with old friends and spend time with her grandmother…as long as they all know it’s temporary.  She has a life she loves and wants to get back to in Chicago.  Doesn’t she?

Sometimes we don’t realize that our dreams have changed until we are faced with other options.  And the life we want when we are in high school and the things we think we want to accomplish then might not be the best fit for us later in life.  Watching the residents of Destiny wrestle with those ideas was interesting.

Sugar Creek was the first book I’ve read by Toni Blake but it won’t be the last.  I enjoyed her look at small town life.  Sure, it was a bit too good to be true, but most small towns in books or on TV are.  The characters were interesting and mostly well-rounded, which makes sense since this is a continuing series.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Welcome to Destiny, Ohio—where two families have been at odds as long as anyone in town can remember.

Rachel Farris returned to her childhood home with one mission in mind: get Mike Romo out of her family’s apple orchard business and out of their lives. But hard-nosed and totally hot Mike, who happens to be the law in Destiny, is convinced the Farris clan stole the land from his family fifty years ago and he’s not backing down. Even when shapely trouble shows up in a pair of designer blue jeans. However, neither the hunky cop nor the sexy prodigal hometown girl can anticipate the electricity that heats things up whenever they’re together—adding new sizzle to an ongoing feud that’s raged for generations, and soon putting both their hearts at risk.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

C2’s review of One Week As Lovers by Victoria Dahl
Historical romance released by Zebra 1 Aug 09

Nicholas Cantry, Viscount Lancaster, is known throughout the ton for being good-humored, easygoing and charming. It is common knowledge that he must marry a fortune to save his family from financial disgrace – brought on by previous holders of the title – but he is well-liked and no one faults him for being a fortune hunter. It isn’t always easy to be good-humored and easygoing, though. Especially when one walks in on his fiancee in an extremely compromising position with another man. Ah, faithful reader, Lancaster has hidden depths. Depths he has worked hard to hide and keep hidden.

After arriving home from his less-than-stellar evening, Lancaster receives a letter from the housekeeper of his childhood home. The letter is to inform him that a childhood friend and neighbor, Miss Cynthia Merrithorpe, is dead. Though he hasn’t visited the family estate in years or heard from Cynthia since they were children, some time away from London sounds appealing. Lancaster decides to go and pay his last respects.

Little does our viscount know that last respects are not needed. Cynthia was about to be married off to Lord Richmond to settle her step-father’s debts. Richmond has a horrible reputation. His previous marriages ended with his wives’ mysterious deaths and rumors of all sorts of depravity surround him. Rather than find herself his next victim, Cynthia decides to stage her own death (falling off a cliff into the sea… very dramatic) and run away to start a new life.

Cynthia must stay hidden until she turns 21 and has some control over her life or until she finds the treasure hinted at in an old family journal. With the help of the housekeeper, Cynthia hides at Cantry Manor. Nick’s unexpected arrival puts a crimp in her plans. How does one convince the lord of the manor to depart when he just arrived? Why, make him think his house is haunted, of course. I ask you, faithful reader, does such a ploy ever work? Not so much.

After the mysterious haunting is de-bunked, Cynthia explains her situation to Nick and he agrees to let her stay hidden and offers to help find the treasure – he could use a treasure to help him out of the bind he is in, as well. And so the adventure begins.

Nick and Cynthia are both intrigued and baffled by the changes brought on by growing up. In some ways, each easily sees the childhood friend but some changes are difficult to explain. Nick’s mysterious scar, for example. What happened? How and when did he get it? He says it’s from a burn but is it really? What happened to her sweet childhood friend? How did he become the almost-too-polished person he is now?

Nick is drawn to Cynthia but knows he mustn’t get involved with her. Even if he weren’t betrothed, he is no longer the sweet-natured easygoing boy he was. He has needs she should not be subjected to. But is it his decision alone? Cynthia doesn’t think so…she sees no reason they can’t be lovers while they look for the treasure. But will she convince Nick? Well, the title is One Week as Lovers so I suppose you know the answer.

But other questions remain – will the treasure be found? Will Cynthia escape Richmond’s evil clutches? What happened to Nick? Where did he get the scar? What about his betrothed back in London? For those answers and more – like snappy dialogue and sweetly hot romance, tortured heroes and spunky heroines – check out the latest entry in Dahl’s Regency series.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Some Pleasures, Once Tasted…
.
Even after finding his betrothed in the arms of another man, Nicholas, the Viscount Lancaster, knows he must wed. Propriety—and the dire state of his finances—decrees it. At least a visit to his country estate provides relief from playing the role of loving fiancé, as well as a surprising encounter with Cynthia Merrithorpe. Once his childhood companion, Cynthia has grown into a lovely, alluring woman—one who’s undertaken a daring ruse to avoid being sold into a miserable marriage.
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Are Too Delicious To Forget…
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When Nicholas left for London to assume his new title, Cynthia was forced to put aside her girlish infatuation. Now he’s returned, more wickedly attractive than ever. And this time, Cynthia is determined to experience the pleasure she’s dreamed of for so long. But with a man like Nicholas, seduction is only the beginning of a sensual journey that will tempt them both to defy convention, and uncover the very heart of desire…
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Excerpt not available at the time the review was written.

Other related books:

C2’s review of Sins of a Wicked Duke by Sophie Jordan
Historical romance by Avon released 31 Mar 09

Dominic Hale, the Duke of Damon, a.k.a. the Demon Duke, is numb. He has spent most of his adult life searching out ways to make himself feel. Women, gambling, revelry of all sorts – he’s tried everything with little success. He still feels empty. Why, then, can’t he forget the flame-haired vixen who turned him down flat?

Fallon O’Rourke is tired. She is fed up with fending off advances from the so-called gentlemen of the houses she has worked in. Since she was a child she has been treated differently because of her quick temper and fiery tresses and she has had enough. Even a would-be rescuer managed to proposition her as he transported her from the scene of her most recent encounter with her employer’s son to a friend’s lodgings – and he was traveling with two women of questionable morals! Fallon decides that the only way to earn a living and remain unmolested is to disguise herself as a young man.

Ah, faithful reader, I’ll admit I so enjoy a story with the heroine in drag. Don’t judge me.

After cutting her distinctive hair and finding the clothes necessary for her disguise, Fallon (her name gave me Dynasty flashbacks every time I read it… I think I’m showing my age here) goes to the employment agency for a referral. Guess where she is sent? To the home of the Demon Duke, of course. She becomes the newest footman, Francis. The duke is intrigued by his disapproving new footman – not in a reluctant OMG-why-am-I-staring-at-a-boy’s-mouth way – he is just aware of the young servant.

When Dominic’s valet leaves in a fit of pique, Francis (very reluctantly) agrees to replace him. Fallon is saving all her pennies to escape the city and live independently so a raise in salary is a good thing…mostly. More time spent with the duke means she begins to see behind the public persona. Maybe he isn’t a demon after all?

A drunken kiss in the dark, a hidden painting and an unexpected inheritance all play a part in bringing our couple together and keeping them apart. Dominic is an artist but we don’t see that side of him, really. It seems more like a device that is thrown in to show that he never stopped thinking of Fallon after their first meeting. However, the device never manages to be as pivotal a plot point as it might have been.

Both of the lead characters had wretched childhoods (and I have to say I am growing weary of all the horrible-ness – it seems like there are too many of those characters lately) and don’t seem to be attempting to move past the wretchedness for most of the book. Eventually they do – in the very last chapter – but the character growth seems rushed.

This is a quiet, thoughtful look at two damaged people who do not expect to find love and how they deal with love when it finds them. In the prologue we see a young Fallon and two friends make wishes on a falling star. Fallon gets her wish in this book and I look forward to seeing her friends get their wishes too.

Grade: B-

Summary:
.
She works to live …
.
One would think the last place a beauty like Fallon O’Rourke could keep her virtue was in the Mayfair mansion of London’s most licentious duke, the notorious Dominic Hale. Yet Fallon – who’s endured nothing but lecherous advances since her father’s tragic death – is perfectly safe there … disguised as a footman! Beneath the notice of the dark-haired devil with his smoldering blue eyes and sinful smile, Fallon never imagines her secret will be discovered. But how long can her deception last when she begins to wish she is one of the many women traipsing in and out of the sinful rogue’s bedchamber?
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He lives to sin …
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Most men envy the duke, never suspecting his pleasure-loving ways are a desperate attempt to escape, however briefly, the pain of a past that’s left him with a heart of stone. Only one woman can break down his defenses. Only one woman can win his love … if she reveals her secret and succumbs to the sins of a wicked duke.
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Read an excerpt here.

C2’s review of Always a Scoundrel (The Notorious Gentlemen, Book 3) by Suzanne Enoch
Historical romance released by Avon 28 April 09

Lord Bramwell Lowry Johns is a thief.  As the notorious Black Cat, he prowls through the dark streets of Mayfair stealing the ton’s baubles right from under their noble noses.  He doesn’t steal because he needs the money (although his father, the Duke of Levonzy, has cut him off again)…he steals for the thrill, the adrenalin rush he gets from stealing and the satisfaction of knowing that his father is aware of exactly who the thief is.  Double win!

During one of his forays as the Black Cat, Bram overhears that Lady Rosamund Davies is going to be married to the Marquis of Cosgrove to settle a 10,000 pound debt incurred by her brother James.  Since Bram is very well acquainted with Cosgrove, he knows no innocent chit should ever be forced to marry him.  Bram decides he needs to take a closer look at the situation.

Lady Rosamund has lived a quiet life, managing her flighty family members without them realizing it.  Since they didn’t realize how Rose made their lives easier, her relatives have no appreciation for her or any sympathy for the predicament they have placed her in.  They expect her to, as they see it, do her duty to her family and to be grateful that she is getting married at all.

Bram finds himself intrigued and baffled by Rosamund – intrigued because by her straightforward personality and baffled by her dedication to her family.  His curiosity aroused, Bram sets out to learn more about Rosamund.  As he gets to know her, Bram realizes just how disastrous a match between Rosamund and the deceptively angelic Cosgrove would be.

He offers to help her run away from London to avoid the marriage but she refuses…at first.  After a few encounters with Cosgrove alone, she begins to see what marriage to him will be.  Finally, she agrees that if no other solution can be found by the day the engagement is to be announced, she will let Bram help her run away and start a new life.  A wrench is thrown into the works when the announcement date is unexpectedly moved up.  Bram has to ask for help from people he neither wanted or expected help from.

The attitude of Rose’s family toward her was horrifying, from a modern standpoint especially.  To be told that the only thing she was good for was to bail out her thoughtless younger brother, rather than make him responsible for his own actions, is beyond insulting and belittling.  However, it is probably quite accurate, historically speaking.  Daughters seemed to be regarded as an odd sort of currency in the days of arranged marriages and political pairings.  Grrrr.  *glances at soapbox and steps down*

Watching Bram become more and more attracted to Rosamund, even though he considers himself beyond such attachments, and deal with his growing feelings for her is the best part of the book.  At the beginning Bram has already started down a very slippery slope – he is becoming a bitter wastrel with little regard for anyone.  Over the course of the story, he first realizes there are good people that deserve good things (although he doesn’t consider himself one of them) and later sees he can have a different life than the one he envisioned for himself.  I love Bram – he’s my new fave of Suzie E’s heroes (it used to be Bit)!  Also, she gets bonus points for best disposal of a villain EVER.  Heh.

Grade: A

Summary:
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Never a gentleman . . . until now.
.
Lord Bramwell Johns, the second son of a duke, is an unrepentant scoundrel. Now that his two closest friends are disgustingly ensconced in domestic bliss, Bram is feeling strangely restless. And not even relieving London’s least deserving artistocrats of their ill-gotten jewels is enough—until the night he overhears an argument. It seems that Lady Rosamund Davies is about to be forced into marriage with a rogue even worse than himself.
.
Rose is well aware of Bram’s scandalous reputation, so any reason for his sudden interest in her is suspect; more so since he’s close friends with the man about to ruin her family! She has her own plan though, and Bram may be just what she requires—as long as she remembers that he is only looking out for himself. As long as she remembers that his kisses and caresses don’t mean anything. As long as she can keep from wondering whether she can trust a scoundrel . . . with her heart.
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

C2 (C-Squared)‘s review of Dark of Night (Troubleshooters, Book 14) by Suzanne Brockmann
Romantic suspense hardcover released by Ballantine 27 Jan 09

Anyone who has ever visited my personal blog knows I’m a Suzanne Brockmann fan. I’m not a crazy stalker fan grrl or anything – *innocent look* – I’m just enthusiastic. I like all the interwoven stories and the whole deep point of view thing. And I say it’s impressive that all the characters are so real and clearly drawn that it is often easy for the reader to know, without her telling us, who is speaking. No cookie-cutter characters to be found here! 

So, of course, I was anxiously awaiting the release of Dark of Night, the newest Troubleshooters book. Now, before I go any further, I will warn you that this post will be filled with spoilers. Did you catch that, gentle readers? **FILLED WITH SPOILERS** I don’t know how else to do it. I admire and appreciate those reviewers who managed to write up their thoughts without spoiling it for the rest of us – especially since it took my book 3 days to get to me. Grrr. I mean, honestly, they get Harry Potter books to those who pre-order on the day of release. Can’t they do that for all hard covers? *Deep breath* Sorry! That’s a topic for another day. Back to the matter at hand – and remember HERE BE SPOILERS!!

**  YOU’VE BEEN WARNED! **

Dark of Night picks up almost exactly where the previous book, Into the Fire, left off. So we have the Troubleshooters trying to deal with the loss of one of their own. However, Jimmy Nash isn’t dead. He’s badly injured, yes, but quite alive. Jules Cassidy, everybody’s favorite FBI guy, knows that the key to keeping Nash alive long-term is to keep him “dead” until the people targeting him can be found and stopped.

So, a plan is set in motion. A select few know the truth about Nash and are guarding him at a safe house in the desert. Sam and Alyssa (and their new baby), Tess, Jules and Robin are there. The only other person who knows the truth is Decker – until Tracy figures it out, too. Yup, Suz takes the ditzy blonde secretary stereotype and turns it on its ear. And throws Decker and Tracy together in a major way.

At the same time Sophia and Dave are dealing with their grief over Nash, their relationship takes a romantic turn. Yes, Dave has loved Sophia forever but she is, finally, returning his interest. Like, really really returning it. But, poor Dave, right when it looks like he’s going to be happy, the bad guys grab him. Thinking they can get info out of him about Nash – or trade him for Nash, if he’s alive like they suspect. The torture scenes were uncomfortable to read, I must say. Yikes. Thankfully, they were brief. And we are shown some new facets of Dave’s character. He has a lot more in common with the rest of the Troubleshooters men than I had realized. He isn’t just a brain, after all.

And the race is on – find Dave, catch the bad guys, get Nash out of the line of fire, couple up the couples. With most of the SEALs out of the country, there is only a small group of Troubleshooters available to help. Still is there any doubt of the outcome?

The bad guys are dispatched. Dave is found – he dispatched some of the bad guys all by his tortured, infected self. And we get two new happily ever afters, one hinted at and one brand new, plus a bit of closure for an existing couple.

Closure for Nash and Tess – finally, the things that have kept them from moving forward (Nash’s secrets) are out of the way. In my opinion, I think that was the main purpose of the bad guys and Nash’s death. Since Nash was “dead” (and truly injured), he had to sit by and wait for the his team to take care of the bad guys. He had plenty of time to think about things – and get some advice from Love Doctors Sam and Kenny “Wild Card” Carmody. Talk about good times!

Our hinted coupling – when Dave is kidnapped, Sophia has a chance to realize she had only fooled herself into thinking she was settling for Dave. She figures out that he really is the guy she wants.

Our brand new couple — Decker and Tracy’s — whole romance happens in Dark of Night. They see in each other things they didn’t realize they wanted or needed. Deck needs someone who isn’t in awe of him. Someone who sees the real person behind the awesome Chief Decker, Navy SEAL. Tracy needs someone who sees beyond the packaging to the real person and brain underneath. And appreciates her chattiness. I totally believed their romance, even with all the other stuff happening in the book.

What? Is that screaming I hear?? Something about Decker and Sophia being meant for each other? Puh-leeze, people. What, exactly, are you basing that assumption on? I have never been a fan of that pairing – chemistry, they lacked it – so to see Suz moving those characters in a different direction made me happy. I understand that isn’t true for all readers. Whatever. You have to trust the author to take her characters where they need to go.

Yes, there were some small issues with the book — the bad guys were a bit too all-knowing, and some of the violent acts were a bit gruesome (not gory just icky). But acts of violence are like that, I suppose. To make an impact, they have to be uncomfortable for those who witness them. And yes, it was almost too fast-paced. Another 50-75 pages would have been welcome… not that I’m greedy.

Where does that leave us, gentle reader? With the story arc that began in Flashpoint all wrapped up and waiting impatiently for Hot Pursuit — coming this summer — of course! Let me take a moment to say how very glad I am that Suz has moved to two releases a year. Yay!

Grade: A-

Blurb:

Badly shaken after the loss of one of their own, the men and women of Troubleshooters Inc. go up against their most deadly opponents yet – the clandestine organization called The Agency. Blackmail, extortion, murder: The Agency’s black-ops sector will apparently stop at nothing to achieve their objective. But this time they’ve gone too far and hit too close to home.

Led by former Navy SEAL Lawrence Decker, a team of investigators – from FBI agent Jules Cassidy and former CIA operative Dave Malkoff, to Troubleshooters Sophia Ghaffari, Tess Bailey, and even receptionist Tracy Shapiro – band together to uncover the truth, and bring the killers to justice.
But the stakes are raised even higher when Decker barely escapes an attempt on his life. It soon becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted – and the Troubleshooters are no longer just solving a crime – they’re fighting for survival.

Read an excerpt HERE.

Other books in the series (mass market paperback referenced where available):

and Book 15, HOT PURSUIT, Ballantine, Summer 2009

C-Squared’s review of Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl
Contemporary romance released by HQN 1 Jan 09

Molly Jennings has just moved back to her hometown.  She left the big city because her stalker ex-boyfriend was making her life miserable.   Molly has another secret she isn’t sharing with the hometown folk, too – she writes erotic romances.

One of the first people she encounters is her high school crush, her brother’s best friend and the current police chief – Ben Lawson.  The sparks she thought she imagined when she was young are still there and even more sparkly.

Not long after she moves into her house, Molly notices some strange things happening and calls the police (one of very few logical decisions she makes).  Soon she and Ben are doing more than throwing sparks.  Even though she continues to keep her secrets from Ben and everyone else.  Even though she knows he doesn’t like secrets.  Even though he knows she is a big bundle of secrets.

Molly is an interesting character.  On one hand, she is a strong, funny, intelligent, independent woman who’s not afraid to take charge of her sexuality (the love scenes are smokin’!) and on the other hand, she borders on TSTL.  If you have had issues with a stalker and move to a new house in a new town and are old friends with the chief of police, wouldn’t you mention it?  Wouldn’t you make sure the house was extra secure?  Or get a dog, at least??  If you know the man you’re getting involved with intensely dislikes secrets, wouldn’t you try to be honest?  At least, as honest as you can?

I am certainly not in favor of giving out too much information – especially to family and friends – when you know it will only worry or disappoint people.  But that line of reasoning stops when danger to my person rears its ugly head.  Jeez.

Ben is a good guy – he personifies the old adage about still waters running deep – and he obviously has the patience of a saint.  Most people would have thrown their hands in the air and walked away from Molly’s shenanigans, no matter how hot the sex was.

This was my first book by Victoria Dahl and it won’t be my last.  It was very good.  With a few tweaks to the characterization of Molly, it would have been excellent.

Grade: B

Summary:

Molly Jenkins has one naughty little secret: her job as a bestselling erotic fiction author. Until her inspiration runs dry-thanks to a creepy ex-and it’s time to skip town and move back to tiny Tumble Creek, Colorado.

One look at former high school hunk chief of police Ben Lawson and Molly is back in business. The town gossip is buzzing at her door and, worse still, a stalker seems to be watching her every move. Thankfully, her very own lawman has taken to coming over, often. The only problem now is that Molly may have to let the cat out of the bag about her chosen profession, and straitlaced Ben will definitely not approve….

Read an excerpt.

Blogger C-Squared shares her list of 12 (so far) favorite COOKIES! 

So this wouldn’t take tons of space, I either linked directly to the recipe I use or linked to the closest thing I could find online. Also, I should mention that anywhere any type of chip is used I add extra – like half again of what is listed in the recipe. Can you ever have too much of a good thing?

12 Cookies Anyone Can Bake

1. Peanut Butter Blossoms.  Best. Cookie. EVAR!

 2. Sugar Cut-outs.  I have been on a quest for the perfect cut-out recipe for a long time. This one is close to my memory of the best cut-out cookies I ever had (baked by a woman who refused to share her recipe – even with family. Bah humbug, lady!).

 3. Oatmeal Berry.  I use the basic recipe but, instead of using only raisins,I add in a dried berry mix (I end up using nearly double the fruit the recipe calls for). Also, for a bit more flavor and moisture, I soak the raisins and berries in orange juice or Cranapple juice for 30 minutes or so.

4. Pecan Sandies.  The easiest way to roll the cookies in powdered sugar is to use a plastic baggy – the sugar will get in the grooves at the topand not seal properly toward the end, be warned. The key is to sugar the cookies twice – once when they are still a little warm and again when they are completely cool. Too sweet?! What’s that?

5. Snickerdoodles.  If you have any of the larger grained sugars that are around for holiday baking, mix some in to make the cinnamon sugar extra crunchy. Last year, I found red cinnamon-flavored sugar. Festive!

6. Triple Chocolate Chip.  I love the Ghirardelli chocolate chips! In this recipe, I use white chocolate chips instead of bittersweet. Sometimes I put in pecans but usually no nuts.

 8. Coconut Macaroons.  So amazingly easy! More like candy, really, but a must for the coconut lover.

9. Gingersnaps.  Makes the house smell Christmas-y!

10. Shortbread.  Do you have a cookie press? I recommend the electric kind…so much easier!

11. Fruitcake Cookies.  Use whatever dried fruit you like (I leave out the dates, personally) and the bourbon is optional, of course (maybe a little rum flavoring, instead?).

12. Lemon Icebox Cookies.  Yummy anytime!

Happy baking!