Are you tired of reading 2008 wrap-up lists yet?? Too bad! Read on, suckers gentle readers.

My top 10 books I read in 2008 (in no particular order): 

	Heart Fate (Celta’s HeartMates, Book 7) by Robin D. Owens Fantasy romance released by Berkley Trade Sep 2008 A series that just keeps getting better and better!
	Flat-out Sexy by Erin McCarthy Contemporary romance released by Berkley Sensation Nov 2008 Sweet, sexy, fun read! The internet buzz sucked me in and I’m glad. )
	Innocent In Death by J.D. Robb Futuristic romantic suspense released by Berkley Aug 2007I purposely keep myself behind in this series but I’m catching up – oh noes! I must pace myself better.
	Pleasure Unbound (Demonica, Book 1) by Larissa Ione Paranormal romance released by Forever Jun 2008 An excellent start to a new series! With a looonnngggg wait between books one and two. However, books two and three will be out back-to-back. Yay!
	Gabriel’s Ghost by Linnea Sinclair Sci-Fi romance released by Bantam Oct 2005  Sully! Does anything else need to be said? I didn’t think so.
	Grimspace by Ann Aguirre Sci-fi romance released by Ace Feb 2008
	A Lady’s Secret by Jo Beverley Historical romance released by Signet Apr 2008 I love the Mallorens and this was one secret I was glad to see revealed.
	At the Bride Hunt Ball by Olivia Parker Historical romance released by Avon May 2008An excellent Avon debut! Ms. Parker’s website says she is working on the sequel.
	Just the Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James Contemporary romance released by Berkley Oct 2008 More online buzz I couldn’t ignore and another excellent debut.
	With Every Breath by Lynn Kurland Fantasy time-travel romance released by Jove May 2008One of my very favorite authors! She doesn’t get the attention she deserves, says me.

A side note – I have got to change my rating system, dang it all. I suppose I’ll go back to numbers. I always have too many books with the same rating and then I can’t sort them properly.

Honorable Mention:

	Josh Lanyon’s Adrien English Mysteries – yup, I read them all in 08…I can haz moar, plzkthx?
	J.L. Langley’s Englor Series – just so fab!

Laura J’s review of Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy
Contemporary romance published by Berkley Sensation 4 Nov 08

Over the last couple of years there has been a surge in books based around the sport of stock car racing. Harlequin has a line of NASCAR books. Kimberly Raye and Pamela Britton have also released books featuring this very popular sport. Erin McCarthy has now jumped onto the scene with this latest featuring a rookie race car driver and the widow of a former race car driver. 

I’m so glad to that Ms. McCarthy is back to writing her contemporary romances. It’s been two years since her last one (I like her paranormals too, but her contemporaries will always be my favorites). Sybil couldn’t believe it took me a week to read this book, but after waiting for so long, I wanted to savor it for a while and after reading the first chapter I knew I didn’t want to rush through this one.

Having lost her husband to the sport two years ago, Tamara Briggs wants no part of a relationship with another driver. She is the mother of two young children and having them lose another father would not only devastate her children, but her as well. Tamara is one of the few heroines that I have read this year that I truly, truly liked. I have liked others, but Tamara felt like a real person. Her fears were real as well as her determination to move past them and feel like a woman again. It was not easy for her and a lot of that determination came after she met Elec and was able to see how he saw her and that he did mean all the things he was telling her.

Elec.  Well, what can I say about him. He is an amazing hero. Caring, tender, funny, patient, understanding, and, of course, flat-out sexy. He was willing to let Tamara direct the relationship to a point because he knew and understood her fears. While he respected those fears he would still gently nudge her toward a more open relationship with him, but even then, if he sensed her unease, he would back off. Elec is definitely in my top ten heroes for 2008.

I really loved all the characters in this book and I am looking forward to seeing more of them. Just in this book alone there is the potential for several more books (read this as I really WANT more books with these characters). The chemistry between Elec and Tamara was hot but tender at the same time as he slowly made her believe how beautiful she was.

There is a teaser at the end of the book for the next one, but no title and no date as yet when it will be out. So yes, I will be stalking the bookstore and websites looking for the release of the unnamed second book.

Grade: A

Summary:

Independent single mother Tamara Briggs wanted to find a new, sexy, no-strings-attached man—just not one as young as NASCAR driver Elec Monroe. But he sure does get her heart racing. And after she’s tricked into a blind date with him, Tamara gives in to her passion. Things screech to a halt, though, when he asks to meet her children. Whatever happened to wham-bam-thank-youma’am? Suddenly Tamara has to decide how much risk she’s willing to take to experience the power of true love.

Read an excerpt here.

That noise you just heard… was me squeeing *g*.  Dude I almost hate me right now.  But I don’t

Flat-Out Sexy by Erin McCarthy coming November 2008!  COVER DEBUT!

This is her FIRST CONTEMPORARY since You Don’t Know Jack, which was released in Oct 2006.  YES! 2006… two. years. ago. Good thing for us her Paranormals have been so flat-out fab but when I heard she was finally going back to contemps… oh yes… I sqqquuueeee and THIS cover is flat-out sexy *g*.

Keep reading for the blurb…

She met him at the racetrack…

..which was the last place Tamara Briggs wanted to find a man. Even a deeply intriguing, seductively sexy man like Elec Monroe. Tamara’s a single mother now after losing her daredevil husband in an accident—and she’s not about to get involved with another driver and put her kids, or herself, through that again. Besides, Elec’s young enough to be her…younger brother.

Now things are moving a little too fast…

But he sure does get her heart racing. And after she’s tricked into a blind date with him, Tamara gives in to her passion. Things screech to a halt, though, when he asks to meet her children. Whatever happened to wham-bam-thank you ma’am? Suddenly Tamara has to decide how much risk she’s willing to take to experience the thrilling, terrifying power of true love…

And now for an even “bigger” image – intriguing bulges, no?