C2’s review of Lothaire (Immortals After Dark, Book 10) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal Romance published by Gallery Books 10 Jan 12

In a long-running series, there are always a couple of characters whose books are especially anticipated. However, when said book actually arrives, it’s a chancy thing…will it live up to expectations? What if it goes completely in the wrong (from the reader’s viewpoint) direction? Kresley Cole’s latest release in her Immortals After Dark series finally gives readers Lothaire’s story. You’re curious now, aren’t you, faithful reader? Oh, there might be spoilers here, yo?

Lothaire, the Enemy of Old, has been a force throughout the IAD series. Sometimes he helps, sometimes he hinders…whatever suits his mysterious (until now) ultimate goal. Finally, Lothaire is ready to claim a key piece needed to attain his goal – his Bride. Like all vampires, Lothaire searched for ages to find his Bride – the one woman that allows him to once again walk among the living. A vampire’s Bride makes his heart start beating (literally). Lothaire is an ancient being and is steps from madness…his hold on reality is getting slippery, but time with his Bride can soothe him.

Lothaire’s Bride is unique, of course. At first he thought she was plain Elizabeth (Ellie Ann) Peirce, native of West Virginia – a human, of all things! Lothaire knew fate would never be so cruel as to pair him with such a lowly creature (Lothaire’s ego is…healthy). Then he discovered that Elizabeth had been inhabited by Saroya the Soul Reaper, goddess of death and blood (and the Vampire Horde’s ancient diety – suddenly all things became clear.) With Saroya by his side, he will be able to claim the Horde (vampires who drink blood straight from the source) throne and the throne of his mother’s people, the Dacians. First, though, he must find a way to get rid of Elizabeth’s spirit so Saroya can keep the body.

Until Saroya has full control of Elizabeth’s body, she will not consummate any sort of relationship with Lothaire – and won’t even stay present (she fades into a sleep-like state). So, as you might imagine, Lothaire is inspired to find a way to get rid of Elizabeth quickly. However, these things take time and he is forced to spend some of that time with Elizabeth. As he gets to know her, he begins to wonder if it might be that Saroya isn’t his Bride…what if he is really meant to be with Elizabeth?

Elizabeth, in the meantime, has suffered all sorts of horrors due to Saroya’s possession – she’s the Soul Reaper, remember. And she really, really enjoys reaping. Thanks to Saroya’s escapes, Elizabeth ends up convicted of multiple murders and is on death row, seconds from death, when Lothaire breaks her out. Elizabeth doesn’t want to be free, though. She knows if she is free, Saroya is too and if Saroya is free, more people will die. The only alternative Elizabeth sees is her own death. When Lothaire spirits her away, he explains why he will not allow Elizabeth to die – until he is ready to extinguish her spirit so he and Saroya can rule.

Elizabeth is not on board with the plan. She decides to try whatever she can to drive a wedge between Lothaire and Saroya – including seduction. Lothaire, however, views humans as animals, so she has her work cut out for her. Somewhere along the way, though, Lothaire begins to see Elizabeth as more than a vessel for Saroya. But unbreakable vows have been made and there are more players on the field than anyone realizes.

Oh, faithful reader, as you might imagine, there is much more to this book than my summary. So much happening! So many plot threads weaving along! This is barely an overview. This book, mostly, picks up right after Dreams of a Dark Warrior leaves off (there are some prologue bits to establish things too). However, is it absolutely necessary to read DoaDW before reading this one? I say no…not if you’re pretty familiar with the series. If you’ve never read the series, this is not the place to start.

Elizabeth is an excellent heroine, says me. Smart, quick, funny – she never stops trying to find a way out of her situation and does all she can to protect her family. Lothaire ends up being a better hero than I would have ever thought. HOT! NAUGHTY! *ahem* Moving along…the supporting cast is fun, too. Some new and interesting characters (yay, spin-off series) and some characters we already know. Also, let me report that we get more information about Nix – no, not who her hero might be or anything like that…just some stuff about her background and stuff. Still…yay!

Wow, that Saroya is a piece of work. Talk about icky villains! No remorse, nothing redeeming anywhere in her character. Bleh. Not that she’s one-dimensional…just evil. Also, I think Lothaire is blind to the reality of who his bride actually is for too long. And having Elizabeth sometimes speak in a mountain dialect is unnecessary – but I find that sort of thing annoying, generally, so take that for what it’s worth.

I enjoyed the book! It’s much better (and much less bloody) than DoaDW. If you are a fan of the IAD series, you will not be disappointed. And you will definitely be intrigued by the new characters introduced. Is it worth buying in hardcover? If you are a serious fan, sure. I don’t think the payoff is as big in this book as it is in Nalini Singh’s Kiss of Snow, for example. Has Lothaire’s story been very, very anticipated? Maybe it has, but I don’t think so. So, if you are behind in the series or just curious about it (and it is an excellent series), start at the beginning…by the time you’re ready for this one, it will be out in paperback.

Grade: B+

Summary:

ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD

Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness— until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER

Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED

Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millenniaold blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

Read an excerpt (opens a PDF, FYI).

Other books in the series:

LynneC’s review of More than Perfect by Day Leclaire
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Desire 7 Feb 12

I enjoyed this book, not quite as much as the first in the series, but it’s still a good, solid read. It is still more Desire than Presents/Modern, with the millionaire more human, a touch less alpha, and the heroine older and more independent minded. I enjoyed it despite the cute kid. I’m not a big fan of cute kids in romance novels.

After a one-night stand with his ex-girlfriend, she tells him she’s going back to his best friend, Geoff. Lucius thinks she’s a bitch, but she tells him he is just as bad and marries Geoff. They are killed in a train accident, leaving their small son in Lucius’s care.

Angie is Lucius’s PA, and secretly in love with him.

Get the setup? Read it before? Probably. But you haven’t read this book about this couple, and that’s what makes Day Leclaire special. While she uses stock plots, she doesn’t use stock characters.

I would love to write a series of books with the same beginning point and the same tropes but with different characters to see how they cope with it, and this, to a certain extent, is what she does.

Lucius finds the perfect PA, Angie, after consulting the program developed by Praetorius and his young assistant. Now he’s using the same program to find a wife, because he wants  someone for little Mikey and as a partner. Unbeknown to Praetorius, Angie and said assistant tweak the program a bit, so she appears to be the perfect wife candidate. I like that, instead of mooning around, she answers him back and she does something to get what she wants. So the conflict is set up. What will Lucius do when he discovers her tinkering?

Meantime, Angie and Lucius set about falling in love and fighting for custody of Mikey, when the baby’s grandparents sue. While feeling sorry for them, both Lucius and Angie are appalled by their cold, analytical nature. So they have another reason to stay together.

Lucius is bone-headed, powerful, strong, but he also has a sense of humour and the ability to laugh at himself. So I like him, and I could understand why Angie falls for him. Angie is fully aware of her folly in falling for him, but she won’t take too much from him and she will answer back, so I ended up liking her, too.

This is how to do a Desire right, and while it won’t shake the romance world to its foundation, it is a satisfying, enjoyable read. Together with Day Leclaire’s smooth, accomplished writing style, it makes for a pleasant hour or two.

Grade: B-

Summary:

When billionaire Lucius Devlin inherits his best friend’s child, he needs a wife. Preferably one who fulfills his every need. So he checks out the Pretorius Program, since it had once found him the perfect assistant.…
Angie Colter can’t understand who wouldn’t want to spend time with the sexy, caring and utterly compelling Lucius and darling baby Mikey. Then she discovers his goal. With a few tweaks to the program—and to her appearance—Angie will be the perfect wife! But what if Lucius finds out the truth about his nearly perfect fiancée?

Read an excerpt. (scroll down)

Laura C’s review of If You See Her (Ash Trilogy, Book 2) by Shiloh Walker
Romantic Suspense published by Ballantine 31 Jan 12

First things first: if you haven’t already read the first book in this series—If You Hear Her—you should run out and do so before you pick this up. The books are tied much more closely together than the usual trilogy. In fact, you may find the beginning of this a bit confusing if you haven’t read the first one. You’ll adjust quickly though, so if you find yourself a bit lost, just forge ahead; the rest will definitely be worth your while!

Hope Carson has the kind of past that should make me shudder as a reader. I’ve mentioned before how overdone I think the “abused wife running for her life” thing is. But Shiloh Walker doesn’t follow the formula here. Sure, Hope is an abuse survivor. But she’s not hiding from her ex, even though he went so far as to have her committed to an asylum to keep control over her. As anyone would, Hope has moments where she doubts her own sanity, and more where she doubts her own worth. But she’s not self-pitying about it.

“So it doesn’t bother you that I was hospitalized?” she said, tossing it out like a challenge.

Carefully, Remy laid the knife down. Then, not trusting himself to speak just yet, he reached for his wine, but he didn’t go for sipping it. He tossed it back, but it didn’t do a damn thing to cool the rage burning inside, He’d be doing better if it was tequila. Or whiskey—straight, burning a path down to his stomach, and maybe burning through the fog of rage in his brain.

Looking at her, he bit off, “Oh, hell, yes it bothers me. But not for the reasons you think. You didn’t belong in there and we both know it. That bastard you were married to somehow managed to manipulate the system to put you in there and keep you in there and that pisses me off in more ways that you can imagine. Yeah, it bothers me. But not like you think.”

“Thank you.” She glanced down at her glass and then back up at him.

“Don’t thank me.” He reached for his knife and went to work on the rest of the vegetables, chopping up red bell peppers with a vengeance. “Don’t thank me, okay?”

It seemed kind of weird, but as he stood there, the sleeves of his blue dress shirt rolled up, the silver knife flashing as he cut up the vegetables, Hope felt her heart flutter.

Remy’s fury is doubled because Hope’s ex used the system—a system he, as a prosecutor, is an integral part of—to abuse her. If this book has one weakness it is that we don’t get to see enough of Remy’s personality away from Hope. He’s a great guy, no doubt about it, and he’s obviously just what Hope needs, but I didn’t feel as if I quite knew him the way I wanted to.

The romance progresses very slowly, as one would expect for a character like Hope, and the suspense is a slow build, too. There are double villains at work, both the serial killer who haunts the whole trilogy and another criminal specific to this book. But even with the dual threats, if I were going to categorize this book in some way, I would say that it’s more about Hope’s growth and self-realization than it is about either the mystery or the romance. That is possibly a function of this being the middle book in the trilogy—like the middle child, it finds its way in the shadow of the one before, which was strongly romance-centered (I didn’t review that here, but it’s one of very few books I’d give an A), and the final book, which I suspect will be villain-focused since the killer has escaped detection in the first two books.

Don’t get me wrong: there’s plenty to fear here and plenty of emotion. The relationship between Hope and her friend Law (who will be the hero of the third book) is gut-wrenching in and of itself, even before you add in her romance with Remy. So settle back in front of a roaring fire and read the first two books of this series. Then you can wait along with me for the third!

Grade: B+

Summary:

Hope Carson may not look like a survivor, but she has escaped an abusive ex-husband and recovered from a vicious assault. Now she endures the painful memories and suspicious rumors surrounding her involvement in the attack. Her ex is a cop, so the last people she trusts are law enforcement officials—and she certainly doesn’t trust how the local DA makes her feel inside.

Remy Jennings should know better. He has no business falling for a woman who he suspects may have a deeply troubled mind. And even if he did make a move, she’d bolt like a frightened rabbit. But how can he deny a burning desire that threatens to consume him? As Hope’s past catches up with her in the worst way, Remy is determined to break through her defenses, earn her trust, and keep her safe in his arms—before it’s too late.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of She Tempts the Duke (Lost Lords of Pembrook, Book 1) by Lorraine Heath
Historical Romance published by Avon 31 Jan 12

In her new series, Lorraine Heath tell the stories of the Lost Lords of Pembrook – three boys who ran away from their scheming uncle.  They escaped a locked tower (with some help from a friend) and fled into the night, promising to return for retribution when they were adults.  One went to the army, one went to sea, and one was left in a workhouse.  The boys decided it would be best for them to run away until they were older and better able to fight their uncle.  They made plans to reunite in ten years but they didn’t manage.  Now they have returned…

Sebastian, the oldest (and new Duke of Keswick), and his twin brother, Tristan, were fourteen and their younger brother, Rafe, was ten when their father (a skilled horseman) was killed in a riding accident.  Their father’s brother locked then in a tower on the family estate, but after Mary (also fourteen and from the neighboring estate) overheard him give orders to kill the boys, she went looking for them and managed to break them out of the tower. While the boys were fleeing, Mary told her (remarkably ineffectual) father what she heard – even though Sebastian said not to tell anyone – and was sent to a nunnery for her trouble.

Fast forward a dozen years – Mary is finally having a Season, thanks to her aunt rescuing her from the nunnery.  She has recently been betrothed, even.  Imagine her surprise when, after years of hearing nothing from them, the lost lords of Pembrook arrive at a ball given by their uncle.  The brothers have come to reclaim their inheritance and assume their rightful places in society.  Society, however, is less than welcoming.  The ton doesn’t like the looks of these uncivilized young men.  But the brothers continue with their plans – they throw their uncle out of the family home and cut off his money and try to find their way in society.  But scandal continues to plague them.  And Mary’s unwavering support of them turns society’s suspicious eyes on her.  Her friends want to know more about the brothers, her fiancé wants her to stay away from them, and Mary just wants Sebastian. Even though Sebastian thinks she deserves so much better.
Sebastian was horribly injured during his time in the army.  He lost an eye and has terrible scars over most of one side of this body.  How could any woman stand to be with him?  And yet Mary doesn’t seem to mind at all.  She was his best friend when they were children and knew him better than anyone, except maybe Tristan.  Could it really be that the scars don’t matter to her?

After rumors blemish Mary’s reputation and her betrothed’s father forces him to withdraw his suit, the brothers know one of them must step up and marry her – both to save her reputation and to thank her for all she has done for them.  And Sebastian knows he could never let one of his brothers marry her.  But does he care for her the way she needs him to?  Or is he only grateful for her help to him and his brothers?  Is he even capable of loving anyone now or has his time away taken that from him?  Is Pembrook all that matters or does Mary still hold part of his heart?

A lot of Sebastian and Mary’s story was set up for the next two books, I think.  There was a lot of information to pass along to the reader.  Still, I always enjoy Ms. Heath’s books.  She has a way of drawing the reader into both the emotional side of the story and the intrigues that tend to surround her characters.  This series is loosely tied to her Scoundrels of St. James series.  It is not necessary to read those books before reading this one but, if you have read them, you will run across some familiar names.  I like it when an author stays consistent within the world he/she has created – it makes it seem more real.

If you are in the mood for a solid historical and a story arc that promises to continue to intrigue, look no further.  I am already anticipating the other two books.

Grade: B

Summary:

Three young heirs, imprisoned by an unscrupulous uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.

Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title. Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once rescued him and his brothers from certain death.

Lady Mary Wynne-Jones paid dearly for helping the imprisoned young Lords of Pembrook, and she remembers well the promise she made to Sebastian all those years ago: to meet him once more in the abbey ruins where they shared a bold, forbidden kiss. While Mary is now betrothed to another, a friendship forged with dark secrets cannot be ignored. Unexpected passion soon burns dangerously between them, tempting Sebastian to abandon his quest for retribution and fight for a love that could once again set him free.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Lord of Temptation – October 2012

Sandy M’s review of Scrumptious by Amanda Usen
Contemporary Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 1 Jan 12

I’m one of those people who likes upscale food in fancy-schmancy restaurants. Being a hillbilly at heart, I also like down-home food where the atmosphere is relaxed and fun. Amanda Usen gives me all that and more in this fun and light-hearted read.

I don’t usually read books dealing with food. I’ve not found one that’s been written by a classically trained chef who make culinary delights believable and enjoyable. Until now. Ms. Usen is a chef in her own right, and she does a terrific job of describing life in a fast-paced kitchen, while also tantalizing the reader with dishes served up for lunch, dinner, and even Sunday brunch. I also like that the heroine, Marly, is not a school-taught chef. She’s one of those who just loves to cook, found her affinity for it early enough through the help of friends, and gets a thrill every time she steps into a kitchen, professional or not. She’s living my dream.

Olivia owns Chameleon, a family restaurant, and Marly is her best friend and has helped her out from day one, keeping the place running smoothly, especially after Olivia meets Keith in culinary school, marries him and then brings him back to restaurant and puts him on the line with Marly. The man is a total screw-up, and it’s Marly who’s making him look good all the time, until she’s had enough. Asking to be taken off the line, she retreats to the bakeshop where her desserts are as mouthwatering as her entrees. The lady is talented in every aspect of the kitchen. She ran Chameleon while Olivia was in school. Now when things begin to truly fall apart, Keith is tossed out after one too many of his shenanigans, Olivia doesn’t turn to her for help. She brings in an outsider.

A sexy outsider who Marly would dearly love to have in her bed. Joe Rafferty is the love’em and leave’em type of man and a master in the kitchen. He never stays in one place long enough to be more than that, but he’s trying to change. He promised his mother on her deathbed  he’d find someone to fall in love with and start a family. No more sluts. But he’s just as attracted to Marly as she is to him, despite the bit of hard feelings when Joe does agree to put off his trip toward a new job in California to help Olivia until she finds a new chef. And so begins a sexy but battling dance between these two chefs.

After a couple of foolish and childish pranks on Marly’s part (which I’m glad didn’t go any further, didn’t sit well with me) and when strange things begin happening around the kitchen, Joe and Marly begin to work together to figure it all out and to keep Olivia from taking back the snake or even selling the restaurant. It’s Joe who finally realizes what they have, is willing to give up his plans to stay with Marly. But she’s just not there yet. Love and marriage aren’t for her, just like it’s never been for her mother. But with Joe? Her eyes should have opened much sooner than they did. After all they’ve been through, all the loving they’ve shared, Marly still drags her feet. A little too far for me, but at least she does wise up before it’s really too late.

I like the issue each of them has with their fathers. It takes a lot of long, hard looking to resolve those issues in the end. The mysterious goings-on in the restaurant are also solved, Marly ultimately being the cardsharp needed to get to the heart of it. All in all, you keep turning the pages for the fun in the kitchen, the food being served in the dining room,the lovemaking that is sizzling and sweet once it begin, and the laughs along the way.

Grade: B

Summary:

Joe Rafferty is just as mouthwatering as the food he cooks. But if he thinks he’s going to waltz in and take over her kitchen, he’s denser than a thick slice of chocolate-ripple cheesecake. Marly has invested too much of her life in Chameleon to hand off the restaurant to someone else—especially a cocky-as-all-get-out superstar chef.  But there’s no denying the man knows how to light her fire. Question is: Can she have the sizzle without feeling the burn?

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Lucious – July 2012

Laura C’s review of One More Summer by Liz Flaherty
Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction published by Carina Press 02 Jan 12

Don’t be fooled by the cover. This is not the light-hearted contemporary romance you might expect from the artwork. There is a romance, it’s true, but the focus is far more on the heroine’s personal growth and the relationships and stories surrounding the secondary characters than it is about the romance.

Here’s the thing: if you’re looking for a happy-go-lucky, humorous read, this isn’t the book for you. But if you’re after an exploration of the meaning of family and friendship, it may well be. Sometimes, I think the author goes a bit overboard on the “life-trauma” side and in those moments, I feel as if I’m being manipulated, but most of the time I enjoyed the ride.

Grace has a boatload of trouble: survivor’s guilt over her mother’s death, a best friend with possibly terminal cancer, and secrets she keeps from everyone, along with those being kept from her. Grace’s secret (and I don’t want to spoil it, so I am going to tiptoe around it) is the one I find least believable. I knew what it was going to be from the moment it’s hinted at, and I didn’t think it fit with her personality or the history the author gave her.

But outside of that, the story is a good one. Grace’s relationship with Promise, her bff, is particularly sweet. Promise’s cancer serves as a catalyst for Grace’s growth, perhaps even more so than her own father’s death. Grace’s aunt, Maxie, is portrayed in an amusing but delicate manner; the symptoms of dementia she suffers are not overdone or maudlin, which can be a tough balance.

Grace’s relationship with Dillon falls under the “friends-to-lovers” umbrella. He’s the ultimate “nice guy,” a successful writer who shows up to spend the summer at Grace’s because his best friend—her brother—insists that Grace needs the rent money. But he ends up fixing screens, painting, and generally making Grace’s life easier. The pressures on their relationship (notwithstanding that he stood her up for prom years earlier—she’s not so stupid that she can’t forgive that) are largely external. There’s no real question that he and Grace will end up together as their relationship grows slowly and fairly evenly.

I rarely found myself getting emotional or angsting over the romance, but the other plots have plenty of that to go around, so if you’re looking for solid women’s fiction with a strong romantic element, this might be for you.

Grade: B

Summary:

Grace has taken care of her widowed father her entire adult life and the ornery old goat has finally died. She has no job, no skills and very little money, and has heard her father’s prediction that no decent man would ever want her so often she accepts it as fact.

But she does have a big old house on Lawyers Row in Peacock, Tennessee. She opens a rooming house and quickly gathers a motley crew of tenants: Promise, Grace’s best friend since kindergarten, who’s fighting cancer; Maxie, an aging soap opera actress who hasn’t lost her flair for the dramatic; Jonah, a sweet, gullible old man with a crush on Maxie.

And Dillon, Grace’s brother’s best friend, who stood her up on the night of her senior prom and has regretted it ever since. Dillon rents Grace’s guest house for the summer and hopes to make up for lost time and past hurts—but first, he’ll have to convince Grace that she’s worth loving…

Read an excerpt.

LynneC’s review of  The Petrov Proposal by Maisey Yates
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Desire 24 Jan 12

Maisey Yates is one of my go-to authors and while she didn’t disappoint with this book, it isn’t as amazing as last year’s Highest Price to Pay. It is still a highly enjoyable read.

Madeleine is event planner for Aleksei Petrov’s highly successful jewellery company. He designs high-end jewellery, so prestigious presentations at luxury resorts and hotels is an important part of the job. She’s worked for him for a while, but hasn’t met him, although she’s seen his picture. He is, naturally, gorgeous. The story starts when they meet, and it’s a satisfactory “wow, you’re gorgeous” kind of meeting, but, of course, they don’t act on it. Yates does the stages of intimacy thing very well, increasing and teasing until the reader is really ready for them to get together.

Aleksei believes in love, but he doesn’t want it. His wife was killed in a car accident six years before, and he loved her to bits. Until she was in bits, so to speak. (sorry!) He has designed nothing for six years, but has used other designers and concentrated on the business side. I think there’s a slight problem here, because Aleksei is known as a brilliant designer of jewellery, and by his own admission later in the book, he wasn’t the tycoon he is now when his wife died, he was “getting there.” So how is he a brilliant designer? I suppose people could retrospectively love his work, but most designers have to keep current and that is very noticeable in jewellery. But he has designed a necklace, and it will be shown at the upcoming exhibition.

I think that’s my problem with the book. The background is drawn very lightly, and in some parts it doesn’t make sense, like the designer conundrum. When the necklace is shown, Madeleine wears it for him, and she’s hardly at the party five minutes before Aleksei drags her on the dance floor, then kisses her a lot, then drags her off to bed. It just doesn’t seem realistic to me, and the necklace is priceless, so taking it off and dropping it on the bedside table seems a bit nutso, too. I just can’t see it happening, even if the necklace belongs to Aleksei’s company. But it is for sale, it’s not a personal possession. It would be the centre of the show, and she’d be expected to show it off to the clients. Then it would be in the media. When she wrote about fashion in Highest Price To Pay, I got a real sense of the industry, although, of course, romanticised and simplified somewhat. (When I told my mother I wanted to go into the fashion industry, she said, “Over my dead body.”) I didn’t get the same sense in this book of the jewellery trade. For one thing, security is frightening. Every diamond has its own ID number, and the really expensive stuff is so rigidly controlled, it hardly gets an outing.

I think Aleksei is a little more in the usual mold. I do like the way he listens and understands Madeleine, but I have read his kind of hero a lot. He is powerful, from humble roots, is self-made, and the Russian side of him is drawn very lightly. A couple of endearments and references to Moscow. I’d have liked something a little more specific. Maybe not Moscow, maybe more of a Russian syntax, or reference to the gangsters who run much of Russia these days.

The heroine, Madeleine, is an interesting character, too. And a grown-up, which is something I really appreciate about Yates’s books, Madeleine is the daughter of wealthy parents who don’t care. She has a brother, Gage, who loves her, and Gage is considerably older than Maddy. I think she is more developed as a character, and something from her youth, discussed later in the book, is really heart-stopping. But she doesn’t repine, and even her later, and very public, affair with a married man is treated with stoicism. In fact, part of Maddy’s journey is to get over the way her lover deceived her and then left her to face the press on her own. I did enjoy this part, and it does account for most of the higher grade I gave the book. She has a lot to get over, but she does it with humour and without self-pity. Maddy doesn’t believe in love, and at first she’s happy to indulge in an affair, even if it is with her boss, but she comes to admit that she’s falling for him.

I don’t want to denigrate this book, as it’s a well-written, entertaining romance, but I would like a few more specifics. The hero is satisfyingly alpha, but not as well depicted as some of Yates’s other heroes. Still, I can’t deny I had a good time with this book.

Grade: B-

Summary

The first time Maddy Forrester heard her boss’s mesmerizing voice barking orders down the phone, she knew he was a force to be reckoned with. But nothing prepared her for the sight of Aleksei Petrov. He is the last thing Maddy needs, but the first thing she wants!

Aleksei is determined not to mix business with pleasure, but he struggles with the irresistible sparks his feisty secretary ignites in him—she’s a problem he does not want.

The proposed solution? One unforgettable night to fulfill their every wicked desire.

Read an excerpt.

LynneC’s review of Nothing Short of Perfect by Day Leclaire
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Desire 1 Nov 11

Day LeClaire is a great example of someone who has been writing for the Desire line for a very long time but manages to keep her characters and situations fresh and interesting. More than interesting. I love the hero and heroine in this book.

While many category writers are out of step with modern technology, writing about PDAs instead of smart phones, for instance, Day LeClaire’s geek hero knows his way around technology. True, he’s an engineer, but engineers have a great deal to do with tech these days. The deliciously named Justice has developed a computer program to help employers find the perfect employee for certain jobs, and he and his uncle have tweaked with the program to provide himself with the perfect wife.

He wants a wife partly for him and partly for his uncle, who suffers badly from agoraphobia and never leaves the house. After a car accident six months before, he realizes he needs someone in his life. When the emergency staff ask him who to contact, he has no one. His uncle can’t come because of his illness. He has a housekeeper, but he wants more. He wants children. Justice has no problem attracting women, but he spends most of his time in his remote house. However, he has to go to a conference.

This is where the story starts. Daisy is at the same hotel as Justice and recognizes his name. She’s there to sign the children’s’ books she’s written, but she gatecrashes the engineering conference. She doesn’t understand much of Justice’s speech, and while she recognizes that he’s done well since she last saw him, she doesn’t realize how much people idolize him. Justice is a star of the engineering world, and since his childhood in foster homes, he has made himself rich. He met Daisy in his last foster home and the two young people fell in love.

What Daisy doesn’t realize is why Justice walked away. I won’t spoil the reason, but suffice it to say it’s a really, really good reason. While I don’t usually believe in many of the reasons why a couple is separated, this one is perfectly believable, and although Daisy wasn’t at fault, the consequences of their affair hurt Justice badly. But he doesn’t recognize her and they spend the night together. His car accident caused him some amnesia, and although he doesn’t recognize her, he is drawn to her and they spend the night together. Then he recognizes her and boots her out.

Daisy arrives at his house with their child nineteen months later. Normally I’d object to that, too, but Daisy has done her best to contact Justice. Because of his remote address, and because he has instructed everyone that he doesn’t want to talk to her, she has resorted to setting a teenager and computer geek to find out where he is. They find a strange house. Daisy has brought the teenager, her housekeeper and the baby with her, and that is something else I shouldn’t like – a cute kid and a precocious teenager, as well as a loveable and capable housekeeper. But LeClaire makes them real people, albeit heightened ones.

She takes the reader, in this case me, on a journey, after making me care about her two leading characters. I read the book wanting Justice and Daisy to get together, understanding that they fill parts of each other’s personalities they would otherwise be missing. The book shows how people have to change and adapt if they want to love and be loved. Both Justice and Daisy have a way to go, but they set out with humour and courage to achieve it, and by the end of the story, I get what I haven’t had for some time – the happy sigh.

I wanted more Dantes, but the “perfect” story is obviously the first in a new series, where the program concocted by Justice’s uncle, with help from the teen terror, will form the basis. So far, so good. I’m happy.

Grade: B+

Summary:

First comes marriage—and Justice St. John has a plan. Using a foolproof equation, the brilliant scientist designs a program to find the perfect woman. But after a night of unexpected passion, he discovers that Daisy Marcellus is entirely the wrong woman—and it’s back to the drawing board.
But their passion has consequences…. And when Daisy—with little Noelle in tow—tracks him down, she brings life and color and chaos to his cold and orderly world. Their negotiations for the future are just starting when Daisy discovers he’s still searching for the perfect wife….

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Craving the Highlander’s Touch by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Sep 11

As the Undone line has evolved, many authors have chosen to utilize the shorter format as a “teaser” for their full-length Harlequin Historical books.  Like all things concerning series books, it all boils down to how much series-itis creeps in, and whether or not as the reader I feel like I’m being manipulated.  Yes, I’m talking execution.  Michelle Willingham is one who loves to use the Undone line to flesh out secondary characters from her connected novels, and she’s also one that generally makes it work for me.  This short story tied to her MacKinloch Clan books is no exception.

Alys Fitzroy, Lady of Harkirk, has endured a marriage to a brutish English husband.  Besides terrorizing her, he’s made many enemies among the local Scots – who he has a habit of imprisoning and torturing.  Although English herself, this treatment of the locals sickens Alys, especially when it involves children.  So she does what she can, freeing as many of them as she can – helping them to run away.

Finian MacLachor is his clan’s chief, and his failed uprising against Alys’ dear husband has not gone well.  He’s a man who has lost everything – his wife, his daughter, and his very soul.  Beaten, bloody, and sitting in the dungeons waiting to be made an example of, he’s resigned himself to die, because he thinks he has no right to live.  Then Alys shows up with the keys.

Willingham tends to put a lot of story in her Undones, but this one might take first prize.  This really could have been a full-length novel.  Between the various character baggage, the battle scene, the love scenes, and the final chapter?  There’s a lot going on here.  While the author does have to take a few “happens off page” short cuts to keep things moving along, this is a story I could really sink my teeth into.  It is also especially lovely to read love scenes that are an intricate part of the romance and character development.  They aren’t here just for filler – they need to be in this story.

I do think reading the two full-length novels will allow readers to get a bit more out of this story.  However, that being said, I still have both novels languishing in my TBR and I rather liked this short tale.  If anything, it succeeded in me kicking my own behind for letting those novels sit unread for these last several months.  So in the end?  The author’s ploy worked.  Teasing me with the short makes me want to run out and read the full-length stories.  Which makes me part of the problem, but given how much I enjoyed this story?  I don’t rightly care.

Grade: B

Summary:

Scotland, 1306

For Alys Fitzroy, Lady of Harkirk, her brutish husband is more of an enemy than the wild Scots she is supposed to hate. Her heart longs to help her husband’s prisoners—especially Finian MacLachor, the intense Highland chief who bears the scars of his own failed uprising, both inside and out. With her help, he has a second chance to make things right for his clan—and and to show Alys the nights of unbelievable pleasure she’s been missing.…

No Excerpt Found.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Try Not to Breathe by Jennifer R. Hubbard
Young Adult published by Viking Juvenile 19 Jan 12

As most of you who read my reviews know, I’m not a stickler for accuracy or total believability and realism in my romance novels. That doesn’t mean a lot to me when given terrific characters and an intriguing storyline. I have to say, however, in this instance with Jennifer Hubbard’s young adult book, all of those elements are well done when it comes to teen suicide.

The best parts of this book for me are those dealing with both Ryan’s sarcastic humor and his reaction to people, including his parents, when faced with attempted suicide. Then there’s his parents’ reactions to both the attempt and the aftermath. I find these to be quite believable and real. It makes me wonder how close to home the author has experienced these things in her book. It just seems more than good research has put the pain and emotion in this story.

At first I wondered why Ryan’s attempt at suicide is really hardly an attempt at all. He is depressed, has the usual teenage issues, and when he thinks about killing himself, he chooses to do so in the family car in the garage, with a towel wedged under the door to the house to block any effect on his mother inside. But the car runs only a minute, two at the most, and then his father comes home, interrupting Ryan’s plans. All hell breaks loose and he ends up at a mental hospital. It’s later during scenes with his parents, both together and separately, that it becomes clear to me it doesn’t matter to them how long or how half-hearted the attempt was. This is their son. He tried to kill himself. They don’t know why. They don’t know what to do with him or around him after he comes home. Those scenes are intense, especially with Ryan’s mother when she breaks down while talking to him. His father now seems to listen to him more when they sit down together for their father-son ballgames on TV.

Ryan’s favorite place is a waterfall near his home, especially when kids at school back away and stare now that they know what he tried to do. There’s a peacefulness at the falls for Ryan, and it’s where he meets Nicki. She’s the only one who doesn’t sensor what she says to Ryan, doesn’t wince if the wrong is said or implied, doesn’t think he’s that sensitive anymore when it comes to his depression and subsequent decision. In fact, she wants to talk about his suicide attempt, wants to know what he felt, why he did it, did he leave a note. Not wanting to talk about it himself, Ryan tries to dodge Nicki’s questions, but when he learns her father killed himself, he relents and tells her a little, though he knows it won’t be enough for her. His answers are his alone.

Along for the ride to healing with him are Ryan’s friends from the hospital, Jake and Valerie. The three friends have stayed in touch since their releases, and it’s Valerie who Ryan is always thinking about, hoping she feels the same about him. It’s after he accompanies Nicki to see a psychic or two to get her answers about her dad that Ryan finally gets to see Valerie once again. Though she’s too young at fifteen to drive, Nicki handles her brother’s truck like a pro and drops Ryan off to spend a few hours with Val, all of which he wishes never happens after she rebuffs him, thinking they live too far apart for anything to happen between them.

So Ryan turns to the one recent constant in his life – Nicki. Young hormones race and rage, feelings bubble to the surface, more secrets are revealed, and it feels good. For a little while anyway. Just when everything seems to be going right for him, Ryan finds perhaps it was a scam, definitely all a lie. Even his waterfall suddenly becomes tainted by deceit. A friend goes back into the hospital. Will life ever get back on a stable keel for Ryan?

Try Not to Breathe is a very frank look at all sides in the aftermath of a teen suicide attempt, even though it’s from Ryan’s POV. Ms. Hubbard does a terrific job of getting all those sides represented, good and bad. Ryan is a very likable young man, coming out relatively intact after such an event. You feel for him, no matter the situation. A good book to pass to anyone who’s walked in the same steps as Ryan, letting them know, if nothing else, they’re not alone.

Grade: B

Summary:

Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive. He’s sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan’s depression that no one else has ever been brave enough – or cared enough – to ask. Ryan isn’t sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again.

No excerpt available.

Laura C’s review of Undeniably Yours (Kowalski Family, Book 2) by Shannon Stacey
Contemporary Romance published by HQN Books 24 Jan 12

I am not sure how I missed this book when Carina first released it in 2010, since I love the Kowalski family books.  But there it is, the book passed me by until Harlequin decided to release it as a paperback. Figuring some of you might have had the same experience (and missed Sandy’s review of it as well), I figured I’d add my own impressions.

Kevin Kowalski basically meets Beth Hansen when she bartends at his brother Joe’s wedding (yeah, there’s a tiny bit of backstory before that, but not really). He’s an ex-cop-turned-bar-owner and comes off as a player, though he isn’t really. In fact, he’s at a point in his life when he’s ready to try settling down again–his first attempt having failed when he found his captain in bed with his wife, resulting in both a divorce and a job change–when he meets Beth. They spend a night together, but she gives up on him when, half-asleep, he tells her to lock the hotel door after her on her way out. Fate isn’t done with them, however, and although they were careful, three weeks later she realizes she’s pregnant.

I love the Kowalski clan, from little Bobby, who tells jokes to pregnant Beth’s stomach so that his new cousin will be his friend when he comes out of the womb, all the way up to Leo and Mary, who welcome Beth into their family even though she and Kevin aren’t married. Beth, on the other hand, drives me up a wall. She has two main issues: first, she’s avoided responsibility all her life by moving around every four to six months (a phobia never clearly explained); and, second, she doesn’t trust that Kevin really loves her.

“Tell me you won’t just disappear,” he finally said. “If you decide to take off, at least call me first. I don’t want to wake up someday and find you gone.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you, Kevin.” Tears made her eyes sparkle for a moment, but she blinked them back. “Just staying here is a big adjustment for me, and being pregnant, I think a serious relationship might be too much on top of it, and I’m afraid if we hook up and it goes wrong, it’ll be ugly, and that’s not  what I want for our child.”

Kevin is super patient with her. Far more patient than I was, in fact. She keeps them apart with one excuse after another for almost a year. He just wears away at her, constantly taking everything she gives out and being nothing but nice. I wouldn’t say it’s dull because Ms. Stacey’s writing is fun, upbeat, and always has a quirky fun to it that keeps it from ever being mundane, but it is annoying.

I’m actually more invested in the secondary romance between Paulie, Kevin’s bartender, and her former fiance, Sam. They both come from society backgrounds, but Paulie–Paulette–left hers behind when she left Sam at the altar because she realized she couldn’t be his wife. She changed her name and moved away, and he only finds her by chance. But he doesn’t know why she ran and he’s both furious and hurt. She explains it to Beth:

“He has to attend hundreds of fancy functions every year–the kind of functions you bring your wife to, all dolled up. And his wife would be expected to serve on charitable foundations and play tennis at the country club. That’s just not my thing.”

Of course, it’s not so easy to explain that to Sam. Nor is it so easy to mesh the lives of a tycoon and a bartender, and Paulie loves her job and her life.

I wish I could have liked Beth a bit better because this is one of those stories where I absolutely adore the hero, but I’d still recommend the book if for no other reason than the secondary characters sparkle and Stacey’s writing is superb.

Grade: B

Summary:

One-night stand + two percent condom failure rate = happily ever after? Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him, but lately he’s more interested in finding a woman to settle down with. A woman like Beth Hansen. If only their first meeting hadn’t gone so badly…

Beth’s tending bar at a wedding when she comes face to face with a tuxedo-clad man she never thought she’d see again. She tries to keep her distance from Kevin but, by last call, she can’t say no to his too-blue eyes or the invitation back to his room. Then she slips out before breakfast without leaving a note and, despite their precautions, pregnant.

Kevin quickly warms to the idea of being a dad and to seeing where things go with Beth. After all, he’s not the player she thinks he is. But she’s not ready for a relationship and, given his reputation, it’s going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child…

Read an excerpt.

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Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Queen’s Consort by Leia Rice
Erotica short story ebook published by Spice Briefs 01 Jul 11

Pour a glass of wine into me and I’ll wax poetic about how erotica isn’t “just about sex.”  That in “good erotica,” written predominantly for a female readership, the sex is a catalyst for the heroine’s journey.  Yeah, I know – blah, blah, blah.  Listen, not all erotica is created equal.  Pour a second glass of wine into me and I’ll admit that some erotica?  Yeah, is all about the sex.  But you know what?  That’s not always a bad thing.  If nothing else, it adds a whole other definition to the expression “reading for pleasure.”

Arabelle is a royal maid for Marie Antoinette and has been getting her kicks of late watching the queen be pleasured by her consort.  During one such spying adventure she makes a little too much noise, and while navigating the secret passageways in the palace, the consort catches up to her.  It doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to know what happens next.

If you’re looking for serious naughty times in your erotica, you don’t get much naughtier than Louis XVI royal court prior to the French Revolution.  There’s oodles of palace intrigue and more hanger-ons than at a hip-hop awards show.  However, this is a short story, and an erotic one at that – so the author really glosses over the horrors of the Revolution.  Admittedly, I wasn’t terribly wild about this treatment, but crimes against humanity is definitely not the tone the author was shooting for.

Now, that being said, if you just want sexy times and don’t necessarily care (or want) some deep, angsty treatment of the time period?  By all means, this short story might be for you.  You’ve got a hero who can probably set a world’s record for stamina and horny-ness.  You’ve got a heroine who is so lusty that she lets a total stranger deflower her, and then after she’s done?  She goes back to her quarters to have encounters with other maids!  Chinese New Year doesn’t have this many fireworks.

It all boils down to what the reader wants.  If you want a hot short story with wall-to-wall, (I’ll just say it) skanky shenanigans?  Oh man, drop everything and download this right now.  But if you’re looking for a more highfalutin’ form of erotica that you can shove in the faces of all those naysayers out there?  Probably not this short story.  However, that doesn’t make this a “bad” story and it doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the heck out of reading it.

Yeah, I just said that – and I totally own it.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Royal maid Arabelle fantasizes about taking the queen’s place, but not for power or riches. She wants to be pleasured by the queen’s secret consort. Watching them together arouses cravings that her trysts with other men and her sensual encounters with her fellow maids cannot satisfy. She longs to be given licentious commands from the mysterious man, and to give orders in return.

Then, in the secret halls of Versailles, Arabelle’s fantasy comes true—with even more wicked pleasures than she imagined….

No excerpt available.

LynneC’s review of Beyond The Darkness (Offspring Series, Book 5) by Jaime Rush
Paranormal Romance published by Avon 29 Nov 11

Petra is a girly-girl. She likes the Wizard of Oz, American Idol, and she’s training to be a beautician (called an esthetician here. Is there a difference? Pardon my ignorance!) In a previous entry in the series, she met and fell for Cheveyo , a part native American, part alien/paranormal being whose job is to chase down and capture the baddies that slip through the gaps between worlds. He is also in love with Petra, although she doesn’t know it. Cheveyo is a jaguar shapeshifter, which is pretty sexy all on its own.

At the beginning of the story, Pope, who was instrumental in saving Petra’s life in a previous book, needs help. He’s a renegade, and Cheveyo offers to help hide him until he’s used to our world and doesn’t need help anymore. But this puts Petra into danger. Two hunters from the other world are after him and they track him to her. Cheveyo wants Petra and she wants him, but Cheveyo is in psychic contact with his dead father Wayne (Wayne? Really? I kept seeing Wayne Rooney in my mind). Wayne pushes Cheveyo to keep up the good work, and he knows he has to, but he also knows he can’t bring Petra into his world. Pretty girly-girls don’t belong.

That’s about it, really, and hooray, I say. So many paranormal romances have pages and pages of rules and strange names you have to get used to. Not with this one. There are few odd words, and the ones that were there were explained adequately, so they didn’t wreck the flow of the story.

This isn’t a masterpiece, it isn’t a mind-blowing experience. What it is, is a damn good read. I had fun with this book. It’s a road book for a great part, with the baddies chasing our heroes and heroine, and the white-hats sometimes turning the tables. They drive through some wonderful scenery which is well evoked, and Cheveyo doesn’t live in a great big, dirty house with a bunch of comrades. He’s a loner, although he knows he’s not alone in his fight.

I like both hero and heroine in this book. At first, Petra seems like a bit of an airhead, but even at the beginning, there are touches that snagged my interest and made me want to leave on. Later, she gets more proactive and learns how to defend herself. And Cheveyo helps her, instead of automatically labeling her a weak woman to be protected. I like that, too, and that Petra doesn’t become an awesome warrior in leather boots and corset overnight. Or at all, come to that.

The sex is enough, although the long lead-up is a bit frustrating at times. There is a particularly disgusting villain and without going into spoiler territory, at one point I thought it’s going into unacceptable territory, but the scene turns around and it works out much better than I’d feared. Which, after all, is a writer’s job. I’m sorry to miss the falling in love part, and, in this instance, the book let me down. By the time I joined in the fun, that part was a done deal, and I wanted a bit more courtship and maybe a tad less yearning.

Cheveyo is stubborn and his insistence on Petra not staying with him gets a little bit annoying, especially after Las Vegas. But that apart, I like him. He respects her as a person, enjoys the touches of femininity she brings to him and his life. He listens to her, even though he might disagree with her. So, yes, for an enjoyable read, I can definitely recommend this one, and I will be looking for the others in the series now.

Grade: B

Summary:

They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary. They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry—and they are in terrible danger.

Cheveyo: a name that stirs Petra like no other, reviving deep feelings of pleasure . . . and pain. Despite her rare psychic gifts, the beautiful half-human Offspring doesn’t know why the magnificent shapeshifter walked out of her life when the bond they shared was powerful . . . and intensely passionate.

But Cheveyo is not gone. From the shadows, he watches over his beloved, determined that the malevolent enemies he hunts with fang and claw will not invade her world. But now, suddenly, the stakes are getting higher—as an insidious evil plots the destruction of Petra’s race. Cheveyo can remain hidden no longer from the lover who completes him but could destroy him . . . if his own inner darkness doesn’t destroy her first.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of Chosen by Fate (Para-Ops series book 2) by Virna DePaul
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley Sensation 04 Oct 11

Chosen by Fate is a book I can see my self re-reading over again, just to spend more time with the characters. It’s made the series stand out a little more in my mind.

The biggest thing I liked about Chosen by Fate is the heroine, Wraith. She’s dead. She looks dead, she feels dead, and no matter what is done to her, she will come back and still be…dead. After the tension between them in Chosen by Blood, I was excited to see what would happen, and I’m disappointed. Caleb is a perfect mix of good guy and bad boy. I almost didn’t care about what’s happening in the rest of the story. My focus is centered on them and on finding out what would happen to Wraith.

We touch in with Knox and Felicia, but I’m pretty much over them. Usually I like seeing previous couples, but this time not so much. There is also the mission the Para-Ops team is on to find out why Felines are being raped. It’s interesting enough, but I feel like even the author keeps pushing it to the side. It doesn’t bother me though, so personally it’s not a complaint. We also get more of Dex, who I am starting to really like, and his future heroine, who I also like.

I only wish we could see more of Wraith after her “ending.” I want to see if she’s still the Wraith I have grown to love, how she and Caleb are, and also see how she’s handling her life now. I hope we get to see that in the next book.

In the giant world of paranormal romance, Chosen by Fate might not stand out too much. It’s a hard genre to be original in, but Virna DePauls’ characters are what keep me wanting more. They are fresh in their own way and as a reader I appreciate that more than I can say.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Five years after the Second Civil War ends, humans and Otherborn— humanlike creatures with superhuman DNA—still struggle for peace. To ensure the continued rights of both, the FBI forms a Para-Ops team with a unique set of skills.

Although he keeps company with a vampire and a were, human Shaman Caleb O’Flare can definitely hold his own. But neither his psychic ability nor his healing powers can help his sexy-as-hell teammate, Wraith—a ghost with no memory of her human existence, one who cannot experience touch without pain.

No wraith has managed to exist past its tenth year, so Wraith’s time is about to run out. She wants only two things before accepting her fate: to learn her human identity and experience one night with Caleb. Willing to risk any amount of pain, Wraith propositions him. But when a sign of impending death appears on his chest, Wraith sacrifices her own needs on the chance that sex with her could kill him.

Caleb doesn’t understand Wraith’s change of heart but refuses to let her push him away. As the team travels to Los Angeles to investigate a series of crimes in the feline community, Caleb sets out to prove to Wraith that pleasure and love are worth any risk, including death.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LynneC’s review of A Lady Awakened by Cecilia Grant
Historical Romance published by Bantam 27 Dec 11

I nearly DNF’d this book. The heroine is worthy, the hero isn’t and they get together because she wants a baby to save the estate from the Evil Heir. By page 100 I was starting to skip, which is never a good thing, but I decided to persevere and stop skipping. While I applaud the author for writing a detailed historical romance without cliché, and that’s no mean feat, I did find the heroine very hard to like.

This book purports to be a Regency, but to me it reads more like a Victorian, although the details about enclosure make it clear that it’s set in the earlier era. The morals, personal and societal, certainly seemed more Victorian in tone, but there was nothing that I could fault about it. Grant is comfortable in her era and works in a lot of detail to get it right. In a way, that detail was one of the factors that held me back. I want a romance, not details about the heroine’s personal living space, if you see what I mean. Most of these details have significance, but you don’t get to discover these until later in the book, so they do read a bit like a shopping list earlier.

However, it’s a beautifully written shopping list. Grant’s style is probably the best thing about this book. She does describe a lot of things in sometimes suffocating detail. But it is a pleasure to read such well-researched, well-described settings, especially in a historical romance, rather than in a textbook. But the prose and the descriptions are much livelier in a real textbook, Dan Cruickshank’s recent book, The Secret History of Georgian London, which is a fantastic read, and one I should really make the effort to review. Grant works hard to get the descriptions and atmosphere in the book, and her prose reminds me very much of a Pre-Raphaelite painting – very worthy, with so many things depicted in painstaking detail that the human eye can’t possibly take them all in. I guess I prefer the Impressionistic way of focusing in on the salient parts of the painting, or even the more dashing approach of a Gainsborough or a Reynolds. Lawrence and Winterhalter rather than Ingres and Zoffany. I don’t know. Grant’s prose is incredibly reminiscent of Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory, so if you love her work, you’ll love this book. So similar, I’m almost suspicious that Judy had taken another new name! Though I doubt that’s the truth, this book isn’t a first book. It might be a first published book, but it’s too accomplished for the author not to have practiced a great deal.

The hero and heroine have a disconcerting habit of treating servants and workers as equals. Not just people in their care, but they talk to them as equals at times, and seem to expect the same response. That attitude is foreign and does stick out a bit, although I could accept it as part of the story. Both hero and heroine are incredibly naïve, which I think is part of the reason I think of this as more of a Victorian attitude. They didn’t know, although this can rarely be said of the Regency upper middle class. The structure of their local society seems very simple, but perhaps the local network of magistrates, social events, some of which couldn’t be ignored, and neighbourly behaviour so well described by Jane Austen doesn’t happen. A woman in mourning did have a certain leeway, but, again, Victorian society set much more store by such observances.

It’s interesting to read about this class, though for novels written in this period, I prefer books about people who could make a difference to society, but Theo and Martha certainly do their best.

This book has been the subject of some controversy, and since I don’t look at other reviews until I’ve written my own, I’m guessing it’s the initial plot and the character of the heroine. Martha’s unsatisfactory husband has left her childless, and she has a month to conceive before she has to leave the estate and become a dependent relative once more. I can’t say I bought the premise, because Martha is upright and moral enough to see this for the reprehensible act that it is. The heir is given the reputation of making free with the maids, and dark hints are given by one maid that it might be by force, an account Martha completely believes (told you she was naïve). That seems to me to be a bit of a plot device, giving Martha more “right” and less selfishness to do as she did. In fact, she is totally selfish, and when she first hears the news that she is to leave, all her thoughts are for herself. She has no sense of humour, no lightness of character, and although she pays lip service to duty and honour, what she does isn’t dutiful or honourable. In the only other book I could think of that has a similar plot, Jo Beverley’s Secrets of the Night, the heroine sets out to make an heir with the permission and connivance of her elderly husband, I found the heroine more interesting and the hero much sexier and more attractive. The reasons worked better for me in that book, even though the heroine technically commits adultery. The heroine in SotN was also more mature than Martha, who is only 21. I couldn’t understand her desperation. She could try again, at that age. All is not lost. Even with the revelations later in the book, it doesn’t entirely add up for me.

Theo starts the book as a man-about-town and a wastrel. He is rusticated and his allowance cut off, and he’s sent to a minor estate of his father’s to learn estate management. About time. He’s in his mid-twenties, and he should have been brought up knowing the things he learns in this book. The iniquity of enclosures and what it meant to the working man is well dealt with here, although the “Bread not Blood” riots aren’t there, and the rustic nature of the early industrial units not mentioned. The book takes the individual philanthropist attitude, which works in context. My problem with Theo, especially at the beginning, is that he doesn’t have a purpose – in fact, that’s his problem. He has no conflict, except that he wants his allowance back. Aimless, he agrees to provide Martha with her heir, for five hundred pounds. Her maid suggests that if the tactic works and Martha has a girl, she can either do a switch or “buy” a baby boy and say she had twins, as if such deceptions were normal. I don’t believe this was the case. Childbirth was a relatively public event, and it would have been very difficult to manage. Besides, it assumes that the British upper class is so morally deficient as to take such a course as normal, and that presumption doesn’t work well for me.

I have to give this book a B for the quality of the writing, but I would like to see a development in plotting and in pace in the next book, which I will be picking up if I can. Not to mention a more sympathetic heroine. One that only warms up later in the book doesn’t work enormously well for me and I had to work hard to retain my sympathy for both characters. But Grant is undoubtedly a new talent to historical romance, and I’m sure she will only be going onwards and upwards from here.

Grade: B

Summary:
Newly widowed and desperate to protect her estate and beloved servants from her malevolent brother-in-law, Martha Russell conceives a daring plan. Or rather, a daring plan to conceive. After all, if she has an heir on the way, her future will be secured. Forsaking all she knows of propriety, Martha approaches her neighbor, a London exile with a wicked reputation, and offers a strictly business proposition: a month of illicit interludes . . . for a fee.

Theophilus Mirkwood ought to be insulted. Should be appalled. But how can he resist this siren in widow’s weeds, whose offer is simply too outrageously tempting to decline? Determined she’ll get her money’s worth, Theo endeavors to awaken this shamefully neglected beauty to the pleasures of the flesh—only to find her dead set against taking any enjoyment in the scandalous bargain. Surely she can’t resist him forever. But could a lady’s sweet surrender open their hearts to the most unexpected arrival of all . . . love?

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of One Night as a Courtesan by Ann Lethbridge
Historical Romance short story ebook published by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Oct 10

I read a full-length “Regency” historical romance recently that had absolutely no sense of place.  It could have easily taken place on a Texas cattle ranch in 1968 as Regency London.  I immediately thought back to my reading of that particular book while zipping through this short story by Ann Lethbridge.  Why?  Because this short story had more Regency flavor 100 times over than that full-length novel.

Julia Partridge is a widow who has fallen on hard times.  Such hard times that she gets caught stealing.  Coming to her “rescue” is a madam at a local brothel.  Julia is to get auctioned off for one night, with one man – and in exchange she’ll get a pile of money.  With no other options, and desperate for those promised funds, Julia agrees.  Of course, she had no idea that the man who “won” her in the auction would turn out to be Alistair Crawford, Duke of Dunstan, a man so notorious for his reputation that his nickname is “the Dissolute Duke!”

Kudos to the author for actually giving readers a real rake.  This is a guy who has privileged ennui stamped all over him.  It’s practically oozing out of his pores.  So yeah, it’s not like you fall in love with him as a hero the moment he steps on the page.  I like that Julia faces issues that are very believable for the time period.  A widow, with no family to rely on, and no nest egg stashed away for her by her dead husband.  Not a lot of options.

As lovely as the sense of place was, and as much as I appreciated the author’s characterizations, there were moments in the romance that did give me pause.  The author excels at the love scenes, evoking them in a slow, sensual manner.  However, I couldn’t help feeling that a big reason Alistair falls for Julia is because she’s not your “typical” brothel girl.  It’s okay for him to fall in love with her because she’s smart, well-spoken, and obviously “quality.”  Meaning if she was working class and poor, there’s no way in heck he’d give her a second look.  So yeah, he’s a snob.  To be fair, he’s a bloody duke!  Of course he’s going to be a snob!  I also feel the ending is a bit much, given the short time frame of the story, but it is a historical so “let’s date for a while” isn’t really an option and, honestly, “be my mistress” doesn’t exactly scream romance.

That being said, this is a nice, sensual read, and good example of what I want from the Undone line.  It is short, it has a nice sense of place, and the love scenes are steamy.  If you want a little steam with a Regency era that isn’t wallpaper and you’re open to short stories?  Look no further.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Widow Julia Partridge is desperate. To repay a debt, she’s forced to sell herself in an auction at the most exclusive bawdy house in London. Julia only has to get through one night with one man—though she never imagined that man would be Alistair Crawford, the dissolute Duke of Dunstan! Alistair has the face of a fallen angel…and a reputation for vice to match. Yet when he turns his attentions to Julia, he unexpectedly arouses more passion in a few moments than she’d felt in her entire marriage….

No Excerpt Found.

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Sandy M’s review of 10 Ways to Steal Your Lover (Love by Numbers, Book 1) by Dee Tenorio
Contemporary Erotic Romance short story published by Dee Tenorio 15 Dec 11

Well, I just have to read Dee Tenorio more often. That’s all there is to it. She intrigues me with her characters and storylines, makes me laugh, her heroes make me sizzle and burn, and she packs so much into a shorter length book. But you know what’s almost better than all that?

I like the fact she can put two characters together in a room or any other small, enclosed space for pages and even chapters and never once do those scenes get boring. She did that quite successfully in Shaken, which I really enjoyed. (If you haven’t read that book, you should!) And she does it here just as successfully, starting the book off with our hero and heroine, Kane and Delilah, waking up together, naked, and with very hazy, nearly non-existent memories of the night before – Delilah’s wedding night – to Craig. Not Kane. Oh, boy.

So between touches and kisses and lots of steaminess in their Las Vegas hotel room, they try to figure out how the hell they ended up together like this. Each remembers a different portion of the previous evening. First order of business is to start investigating to see what they can find out about the happenings of last night, along with figuring out where the bag of money in the hotel closet came from. Did they rob a casino? Not once are these scenes mundane in any way. Kane and Delilah go from bewilderment to hot and bothered to guilt and a few other emotions, all wrapped in a sensuousness in those very close quarters.

And thus begins their trek of talking to whoever they can to discover how their world woke up feeling so right in and among the guilt – not the feeling of settling for something less. They get a lot of discovering done before they have to face Delilah’s parents – and Craig. Kane, Jesse, and Craig have been best friends for years, the unlikeliest of friends you’ll find, but the friendship works and is quite special to each of them. You can imagine then how Kane must feel to face Craig, knowing what he’s done to this man who’s also like a brother. The same goes for Delilah, but she has the added stress of also facing her military father – the booming drill sergeant type man who expects to be obeyed, no matter what.

I have to tell you, the way the story unfolds, bit by bit, the haziness clearing away, the sacrifices and pure friendship that are revealed are just wonderful. Dee Tenorio always gives readers these little romantic jewels that never disappoint. Try one of her books and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Grade: B+

Summary:

His best friend’s wedding just turned into the craziest hangover ever…

Kane Wilkensen’s buddy was about to marry the girl of Kane’s dreams. Which would have been fine—heartbreaking but fine—if Kane hadn’t woken up in a Las Vegas honeymoon suite with her, a giant sack of money and a great big blank spot in both their memories first.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

5 Secrets You Never Tell – 2012

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Another Chance by Portia Da Costa
Erotic Romance short story ebook published by Spice Briefs 01 Sep 11

There is a definite skill in writing short, and some authors just seem to be born with it.  Portia Da Costa is one of these writers.  Yes, I’m reading a short story, and no, that is never the same thing as a full-length novel, but I still feel like I’m getting a full story.  Do I want more?  Sure.  But that doesn’t mean the story is “lacking” because of its brevity.

It’s been a while since Maud Piper has had a lover, which probably explains why happening upon her employers, the Marquis and Marchioness of Blaystock Manor, having a little spankin’ fun in their kitchen has gotten her all worked up.  She’s enjoying the show, out of sight, or so she thinks.  William Graves, the groundskeeper at the estate, catches her in the act of spying, and doing other things (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).  Being a gentleman, he helps her out – which gets Maud thinking, maybe William is the man who can fulfill her needs.

This story is textbook Da Costa and has all the trademarks I’ve come to love about her work.  There’s a lovely playfulness to the characters and love scenes.  The story is told from Maud’s point-of-view and she’s just the sort of heroine you’d love to be best friends with.  As an added bonus?  She’s 45 (happy day!) and an archivist (darn close to librarian!).

Behind the playful love scenes, and the mild kink of the spanking storyline, there’s a depth here that is also refreshing.  Maud hasn’t had a partner who has met her needs since a former finance.  What happened to that relationship and what she shares in common with William make for a nice touching moment in the final moments of the story.

Things end on an upbeat note.  This is a short story, so wedding bells would be forcing the issue, but this tale ends in such a way that a full-fledged romance isn’t hard to imagine.  Since Da Costa likes to resurrect past couples and slyly insert them into new stories (see: the Marquis and Marchioness), hopefully we’ll run into Maud and William again down the road.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The Chance of a Lifetime…Again.

It’s been a long time since Maud Piper has had a lover, particularly one who can give her what she really wants: the masterful hand of a strong, powerful man. The sting of pain that turns into pleasure.

Only Maud’s late fiancé had been able to satisfy her. Not even watching her employers at Blaystock Manor, the Marquis and Marchioness, in their own rough love play brings her the release she longs for—until she is caught in the act by William Graves, the estate’s ruggedly handsome steward. Can he give Maud another chance to experience the pleasure she craves?

The highly anticipated sequel to Portia Da Costa’s Chance of a Lifetime.

Read an excerpt.

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C2’s review of The Duke is Mine (Fairy Tales, Book 3) by Eloisa James
Historical Romance published by Avon 27 Dec 11

In her newest release, Eloisa James tackles another well known fairytale. She has already given us her twist on Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. This time around? The Princess and the Pea.

Thanks to a schoolboy friendship between her father and the Duke of Canterwick, Miss Olivia Lytton has been betrothed to the future duke since she was a toddler.  The older of twin girls, Olivia has been raised to be a duchess – educated in all things duchess-y, always treated as an engaged young lady, and given quiet sympathetic glances. Why sympathy when being engaged to a future duke is all some girls dream of?  Well, those girls aren’t engaged to Rupert.

Rupert, for all that he will someday inherit a dukedom, is not the brightest of bulbs.  He is younger than Olivia, shows no particular interest in her or any young lady, is not a graceful creature nor is he particularly well-spoken.  He is also stubborn – once he latches onto an idea, it is almost impossible to get him to let go. However, he is good natured and friendly, so things could be worse.

Olivia, her mother despairs, is the least duchess-like future duchess ever.  She likes bawdy jokes, she is plump, she is outspoken and loves to laugh.  Why she can’t be more like her (younger by several minutes) twin sister, Georgiana, is an often-asked question.  The girls were raised and educated together, so why is Georgiana the epitome of all things duchess-y while Olivia is…not?  It is a good thing, Mr. and Mrs. Lytton agree, that Olivia did not actually have to catch a duke on her own merit.

When Rupert decides he is going to bring glory to the family name through beats of military greatness, there is no way to dissuade him. Before he leaves, Rupert and his father visit the Lyttons to formalize the betrothal – and to give Rupert and Olivia some alone time.  The duke strongly encourages Olivia to seduce Rupert – since he is going off to war and has no siblings, an heir would be a good thing.  (An aside – OMG REALLY?  So creepy!)  Neither Olivia or Rupert have any real interest in the sort of proceedings necessary for getting an heir and, after a half-hearted effort, decide to not but say they did.

In the meantime, Olivia and Georgiana are invited to a house party at the home of the Duke of Sconce.  Rumor has it that he is looking for a wife and his mother (who apparently gets to choose) has invited the most promising candidates to the party.  Olivia and Georgiana both know this is Georgiana’s best chance at landing a duke – there aren’t very many available and she has very little dowry to offer as enticement.

Tarquin, Duke of Sconce, is all about reason.  He does not let his passions rule him – his first marriage taught him that lesson very well – and does not like dealing with the passions of others.  Quin spends his days taking care of estate business and dealing with mathematical theories.  He is not a cheerful, easy-going fellow and he knows it and he has no interest in choosing his next bride.  However, when soaked Olivia arrives on his doorstep to get help for a stranded carriage, Quin is transfixed and (literally) sweeps her off her feet.  He is unable to concentrate on anything except his desire to kiss her…and she makes him want to laugh!

Olivia doesn’t immediately realize the person she thinks is a very impertinent footman is actually the Duke of Sconce.  And even when she does, she is perplexed by his behavior.  He kissed her and said she was beautiful.  And he didn’t even know who she was!

You can see where this is headed, can’t you, faithful reader?  Olivia and Quin have immediate chemistry, but both are honorable enough to try to stay away from each other.  Olivia does feel some loyalty to Rupert, bless his heart.  Plus, she doesn’t want to ruin her sister’s chance at happiness.  Quin doesn’t think he wants a wife who makes him feel things…but he definitely wants Olivia.  And neither can stay away from the other.  But what about Rupert?  And Quin’s prospective brides?  Will love triumph?  Heh.  What do you think?

I enjoyed this book, overall.  I like Olivia (much more than when we met her in the Winning the Wallflower novella) and Quin and find the premise interesting – with all the emphasis on marrying, there must have been a good many people who found a better match after they were betrothed to someone else.

I will say it feel like the story could have ended a few chapters earlier than it does.  It seems like a lot of effort was made to tie up the Rupert situation when a few pages might have worked just as well. And the fairytale connection feels a bit forced, as opposed to the previous books where it did not.  Still, the extra bit of story gives Quin a chance to have an adventure and it is entertaining.  If you’re looking for a fun read, this might be just the ticket.

It isn’t the strongest entry in the series, but it wis an enjoyable book all the same.  This book is tied slightly to Winning the Wallflower, an e-novella that I enjoyed immensely (hey, look – I reviewed it here).  It isn’t necessary to read WtW first (or at all), but it is very good!  Does The Duke is Mine stand alone from the rest of the Fairy Tale series?  Absolutely – all the books in the series stand alone.

Grade: B

Summary:
Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can’t he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear.

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Tarquin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.

To win Olivia’s hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul…

Unless it’s already too late.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Warrior’s Redemption, (The Warrior Series, Book 1) by Melissa Mayhue
Paranormal Time Travel Romance published by Pocket Star 27 Dec 11

I really enjoy reading Melissa Mayhue’s Highlanders. They’re always honorable men, fair leaders, and, of course, wonderful heroes. On top of that, we usually get to time travel in her books. Actions and reactions to these events are varied and unexpected at times and make for great storylines. Once again, another good read from Ms. Mayhue in this first book of her new series.

Danielle has always believed in faeries. Nearly all her life she’s left milk for them, just as the book she read as a teenager told her to do, all on the chance they’d eventually place her where she belongs. Not once has she felt she belongs anywhere – except in a kitchen. Cooking calms her, keeps her centered. But it takes fifteen long years before the fae do decide to grant Dani’s one fervent wish.

Living with guilt over something he really had no control over, trying to keep his people from starvation during the upcoming winter, Malcolm’s life only becomes more difficult and complicated when his half-brother demands payment and fealty from the weary warrior. But Malcolm is now laird of his dead wife’s clan, and though he lacks the confidence to lead that he once held, he’s determined to do whatever necessary to see them flourish. Under Torquil’s rule is the fastest way to hell for them all.

Then out of the blue Malcolm has two extra people to take care of – a woman so different from any he’s ever known and his mother-in-law, whose presence only heightens his guilt. Of course, the fae would be involved in it all, they can’t seem to keep their magic out of his life. As he and his men prepare for battle with Torquil to rescue his sister, his feelings for Dani grow. They hatch a plan to distract and attack, but at the last minute Malcolm decides to take matters into own hands, facing his brother one on one and hoping their differences can be settled without bloodshed.

This puts the reader about halfway into the story, and so far the storyline lacks the action with sword and brawn that Ms. Mayhue does so well. So if you’re looking for that early on, be warned, this is a much slower rendition than her fans are used to. Even when I expected some of that action once Malcolm reaches his destination, I had to wait a little longer. When he finally faces his brother, that scene is a bit anti-climatic after my anticipation. It all seems to be over before it begins. Malcolm is held in chains while Dani and Patrick, another of Colm’s brothers, plan his rescue. I’m just a tad disappointed there isn’t more action throughout the book, though what do we get near the end almost makes up for that lack in the first half and despite the fact Malcolm seems to be out of his league when up against Torquil’s magic.

That magic, however, is a nice element to Ms. Mayhue’s stories, and she uses it quite well here to give the upper hand to the villain, causing our hero and heroine to have to outsmart the man for his final defeat. This one is pure selfish greed and power hungry, and he doesn’t care who he has to get rid of to get what he wants. I so enjoy the way Dani attacks the jerk, but it’s not the last we’ll see of him. And there’s a twist I didn’t see coming after the Torquil is down for the count.

One small nitpick I have is it seems Malcolm gets over his vow to never give his heart again and not to marry again a little too quickly. And once he does, his reasons aren’t delved into very deeply after such avowals. We know the reason for Dani being thrust back in time, but he doesn’t and I feel that needed to be explored more once he makes his decision for their future.

Warrior’s Redemption is a good start to this new series. I look forward to the rest of it. Christiana is a very interesting character and I’m anxious to find out what is in store for her, as well as Torquil. I hope his final end is spectacular.

Grade:B+

Summary:

Will the magic of modern romance help him defeat an evil ancient power?

Malcolm MacDowlyt sees himself a failed warrior, haunted by the death of the woman he married to become laird of Clan MacGahan.  Neither his Viking heritage nor his claim to descend from Norse gods can restore his confidence in his ability to protect his people.  His sister is held captive, her life in jeopardy, and his Magically powerful half brother wants him dead.  The last thing he needs is more responsibility, but that’s exactly what he gets when his Faerie mother-in-law arrives seeking justice for her daughter in the form of an enticing woman from seven hundred years in the future.

Danielle Dearmon has waited fifteen years to discover the life she is supposed to live.  She just never dreamed she’d end up in the thirteenth century with a handsome Scot bent on saving everyone but himself.

With the lives of those most dear to him hanging in the balance, Malcolm sets out to battle a powerful evil Magic, only to learn that the redemption he seeks exists only in the arms of the woman he loves.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Warrior’s Rebirth – 2012

LynneC’s review of On The First Night Of Christmas by Heidi Rice
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 29 Nov 11

I don’t do many seasonal reads, just a few, and this offering looked like a fun one. It didn’t disappoint. In an England being blown into the sea by gale force winds, this was just the book to sit indoors and cuddle up with a kitty and a fire. Nothing earth shattering, just well written and fun.

Heidi Rice is a “solid” write with excellent style, engaging characters and believable situations. She rarely gets the fuss that some Harlequin writers do, because she produces well-written books in time and on point. Because she is so good at writing the category romance, it’s easy to overlook her. You read the book, smile when you put it down, and then get on with your life. That’s what Harlequin is, at base, all about, and it’s one of the reasons the genre gets such an unfair battering from time to time.

Cassie is walking to the Tube in London when a car splashes her. She is annoyed enough to rip open the passenger door and yell at the driver, until she recognises him as someone she went to school with. Jace the Ace he was called then. Now he’s Jason Ryan, millionaire and New York resident, in London to conclude a deal on the company he made his name with.

The professional backgrounds of the two protagonists are lightly drawn and not very convincing, but the story isn’t about that, so pushing their careers into the background seems appropriate for such a feel-good book. It did add to the fairytale feel of the whole story.

Cassie was too young to date Jace at school, but she isn’t now. Jace comes from the regulation broken home, but one of the things I like about this story is that Jace doesn’t get the immediate cure from his instinctive recoil from anything involving revealing his feelings. There is a nice epilogue that copes with that.
Jace takes Cassie back to his hotel, and they are into each other like anybody’s business. The sex in this book is great, hot and believable and a touch wild, but still vanilla m/f. Far from bland, though.

Rice sets out two main problems for Jace and Cassie and spends the story exploring them. Jace lives in New York and Cassie lives in London. However, her career, as some kind of illustrator (told you the descriptions were vague!), isn’t too much of an impediment. Jace’s inability to get involved is a problem, and instead of walking all over her and then grovelling, Cassie helps him come to terms with his feelings. There is a very nice grovel scene, though, when the inevitable black moment is reached and passed.

Cassie has relationship issues, having dated two low-lifes in the past and even been engaged to one. There is a lot of the naïve to Cassie, although she claims to have gone to an inner London high school, a place where it’s very difficult to remain that naïve, but as I, said, Christmas fairy story.

The two set out to enjoy London in the festive season. Jace doesn’t do Christmas, but he’s not exactly a Scrooge. He just doesn’t do it. Cassie makes him, and even shows him that you can do Christmas shopping in Oxford Street in an hour, if you plan properly. That’s almost one fairytale too far for me, having scrambled through Selfridges and other shops just before Christmas, as queuing to pay can take that long, but okay, yes, you can just about do it. Though as an inveterate shopper/browser, it sounds a bit pointless to me!

The story flows well and is an effortless read, exactly what you need at this time of the year. Definitely a great read to get you in the mood when you take a break from wrapping presents!

Grade: B

Summary:

Cassie’s tips for the Perfect Christmas Fling!

1. ‘Tis the season to be daring: Find the perfect Mr. Right Now (extra points for a bad-boy-turned-billionaire) and be brave about getting him—even if that means jumping straight into sexy Jace Ryan’s car!

2. Enjoy the ride: Once you’ve chosen your man, get swept away by the moment! For once, Cassie’s determined to stop worrying about the future, but she must remember one thing…

3. This fling is just for Christmas: Jace Ryan’s a seasonal special. Do not start falling for him, Cassie, no matter how perfect the package or how much you’ve enjoyed unwrapping it.…

Read an excerpt.

Laura C’s review of Space in His Heart by Roxanne St. Claire
Contemporary Romance published by Roxanne St. Claire 28 Nov 11

Deke Stockard has plenty to worry about: as well as an astronaut, he’s a safety engineer on shuttles and reports on the Endeavor shuttle, the next to go up, keep disappearing. He’s sure something’s wrong, that someone is hiding weaknesses that could cause the Endeavor to explode. The last thing he wants is to have to take time off from his real job to do PR.

But NASA needs funding, and they’ve hired a PR expert, Jessica Marlowe, who thinks Deke has “the right stuff” to make the space program sexy. And popular. And Deke, well, he’s not happy about the interruption, but he’s willing to take the time if it means getting to see more of Jessica.

On Amazon’s Kindle page for this book, they say it is a “full-length never-before-published romantic suspense novel.” It’s hard to tell because I read this on my Kindle, but I’d guess it’s category-length—which is absolutely full-length, but a different length (and therefore a more straightforward story) than people may be used to from St. Claire, who usually writes single-title length, very action-oriented and complicated tales. It’s also not romantic suspense in anything but the most general way. There are office politics and a bit of a suspense twist at the end, but really nothing more than is in most contemporary romances. If I were rating this as a suspense, the rating would be considerably lower!

As a category contemporary, however, this is definitely above average. Jessica is the kind of woman I’ve known for years—ambitious, determined to make her mark on the world, and unwilling to let anything get in her way. She’s not unpleasant about it, however, and the reader never finds her ambition alienating. Deke is ambitious in his own right, as well as a likable guy whose clashes with Jessica are all about their different goals and not about their personalities or attraction.

Deke Stockard had never second-guessed a decision in his life and he wasn’t about to start this morning. In fact, he congratulated himself for salvaging what was left of his miserable week. Today, he didn’t want to think about coolant tube inspections or emergency landings. He didn’t even want to discuss his required role at some silly movie premiere next week. All he wanted was the simple seduction of the wind in his sails and the company of one extraordinarily appealing woman.

Padding about in nothing but draw-string sweat pants, he took his time preparing their lunch, wondering what Jessica might be thinking about today. She was softening to him, he thought with certainty. He wanted her in the most physical way, but something else had nagged at him since they’d returned from New York. He liked her. Her cool demeanor that covered a softie inside, her biting, teasing wit she used as a guard, and most of all, her fiery enthusiasm for life. All in a package he couldn’t wait to unwrap.

Two hours later with the boat packed, he stood on the deck, wrapping the lines and making his instinctive last-minute checks. He caught sight of her walking down the river path toward his dock. She wore jeans and a white tee shirt that pressed against her in the slight breeze and clung to her body. With a sweater tied around her shoulders and her hair in a ponytail, she looked like a teenager. He never got tired of looking at her.

Jessica doesn’t want to give in to her desire for Deke because her career is on the line and sleeping with a client isn’t going to help. Deke is afraid that one day, perhaps all too soon, his career is going to leave any woman alone, a widow if he marries her. He’s willing to admit he wants her, but not that he’s emotionally committed. She’s willing to admit she wants him, but she refuses to do anything about it. They’re both stubborn, and the most entertaining part of this book is watching them overcome that stubbornness in themselves and each other.

The other really neat part of this book is the level of technical detail about the space program. Of course, I am a geek, so that totally appeals to me!

Grade: B+

Summary:

When PR superstar Jessica Marlowe is tasked with making America fall in love with space exploration, she knows exactly what to do: find some smokin’ hot astronaut eye-candy and make him NASA’s poster boy. When she meets Commander Deke Stockard, a Navy fighter pilot turned astronaut, the shiver down her spine tells her she’s found her man.

Consumed with the safety of the upcoming shuttle launch, Deke has zero interest in being part of a lame media blitz–but orders can’t be ignored. He also can’t ignore the way Jessica’s sexy smile and single-minded determination throw his well-ordered life into a tailspin….and ignite an undeniable attraction.

But when the next launch becomes a ticking time bomb that could spell the end for NASA, passion and courage won’t be enough to reach the stars. Deke and Jessica will have to work together, and hope they both have space in their hearts…for love.

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Clay: Armed and Dangerous (Armed and Dangerous, Book 4) by Cheyenne McCray
Romantic Suspense published by St. Martin’s Griffin 12 Apr 11

Wow. Talk about one hot cowboy. And he carries a big gun. Goes after what he wants. Doesn’t let the heroine, Rylie, get away from him. Clay is my favorite of this series, by a long shot!

Clay is the local sheriff and has his hands full with an investigation into stolen trucks from area ranches. Enter rancher Rylie Thorn, who’s the latest victim of the thieves. She’s not going to stand for anyone ripping her off. Along with working with the sexy lawman, she’s going to be doing some investigating of her own. I can still see her creeping around that cabin where her suspicions have led her and currently where some bedroom shenanigans are going on, only to have Clay sneak up behind her. Things begin to sizzle between them in no time flat.

The impetuous and spunky Rylie also confronts the local car dealer who has underhanded dealings all over the place. Clay is rescuing her once again before things get out of hand. She believes the man is involved in the theft ring, but, of course, she has no way to prove it. Since he’s determined to have Rylie in his bed, Clay doesn’t want her to know just yet the evidence is pointing closer to home – her brother.

This is a quick, fun read. Yeah, a lot of it is pretty predictable, but you know what? With a hero like Clay, a man who takes charge, smolders, and makes love in that alpha, intense way, who cares! Rylie is feisty, but she also needs a harness to keep her in check now and again. She’s free spirited and not afraid to say what she thinks. Since she doesn’t believe in love and marriage, Clay takes on the added mission of convincing her otherwise. And his convincing causes some serious shivers and earth shattering. The sex scenes are smmmmokin’. There’s not many erotic books that work for me when there’s more sex than story, but if an author gives me characters who draw me in first, sex on every page might just work then, even with a mediocre storyline. If you’re not that kind of reader of erotic romance, though, this probably won’t work very well for you, even though I’m exaggerating on the sex frequency.

I’ve enjoyed this series a lot. I mean, sexy characters burning up the sheets amid danger, what’s not to like? Go with the way it’s all intended and you’ll have one hell of a good time.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Rancher Rylie Thorn loves everything about men, but she’s positively phobic about commitment. After growing up in a broken family and witnessing too many failed marriages, Rylie knows “forever” is just not in the cards for her.

Sheriff Clay Wayland has been called in to investigate a rash of crimes in the southeastern corner of Cochise County. But one night when he goes into the field to do some observation, he comes across a sensual woman who’s doing some investigating of her own. Rylie immediately sets his blood on fire and he knows he has to have her. And it isn’t long before Clay begins the job of taming this wildcat and making her his. . .for keeps.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

LynneC’s review of A Moment On The Lips by Kate Hardy
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Presents 1 Nov 11

Kate Hardy is a great writer. Her style is easy to read but deceptively clever, so you don’t notice it until you think, “Hey, that’s good.” She brings her characters to life, and they’re not cut out of cardboard. They have characteristics and traits that make them determinedly individual. I always know I’m in for a great read when I pick up a Kate Hardy book.

A Moment on the Lips is no different. In this, Carenza has taken over the family ice-cream business in Naples, after her grandfather fell ill. Before this, she was a party girl, mainly in London, with little thought to anything else. But her grandparents brought her up, so she owes them. A shame she doesn’t have the experience to go with the job, but she is smart enough to know she needs a mentor. So she goes to Dante.

Dante owns a chain of restaurants, and although Carenza doesn’t know it, he owes her grandfather. Their businesses overlap, but aren’t in direct competition, so he sees her when she asks, do-me shoes and all. That’s where the story starts, with him cynically noticing her shoes. He remembers her from before, and he hates that he still wants her.

So follows one of the steamiest scenes I’ve ever read in a Presents, even though they don’t get to fourth base. They reconnect, and how!

The following story becomes inevitable, but they won’t consider anything permanent. Once the misunderstandings of the first part of the book are swiftly cleared up, and glory be, they actually sit down and talk about it – Dante agrees to mentor Carenza and they set out on the wild journey that will lead to their happy ending.

All Kate Hardy’s efforts are concentrated on the two main characters. That means that the supporting cast is often thinly drawn, although there are a few memorable cameos, such as Dante’s PA, that I enjoyed. And the plot isn’t her main forte. The two main characters enjoy each other very much, and most of the problems come from the outside, forcing them apart. The story of the problems with the ice cream business will be familiar to many Presents readers, and the conclusion won’t come as a surprise, since the villain is clearly telegraphed from the get-go. In fact, there is little tension in the book, but a delightful story of two people getting over their initial doubts about each other and falling in love.

Naples is nicely described, but Hardy ignores the terrible part of the city that any visitor can’t help but notice. The huge piles of garbage, for instance. And as the owner of ice cream parlors, Carenza would definitely be paying protection money. So this is an imaginary, idealized Naples. Perhaps putting in some of the real place might have added some interesting shades to the book. But I wouldn’t have sacrificed any of the luscious love scenes for that.

Read this for a charming love story that hits the spots well. Perhaps one day Kate Hardy will get her teeth into a full-length romance. I’ll be in the queue to buy it.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Dante Romano may be dark and delectable, but Carenza Tonielli will never sell him her family’s ice cream empire. Only she needs him—to help her learn how to run it! And when Dante looks at her as if she’s the next decadent sundae on the menu, even wary Carenza just can’t resist mixing business with a bowlful of pleasure.…Cue one red-hot fling that’s blowing her mind! But, unlike Carenza, her ice-cool Italian is adept at keeping his emotions well under wraps, so she decides to turn the tables on Dante and prove that sometimes living in the moment is sinfully good for you!

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Wild Thing (Idaho Series, Book 2) by Robin Kaye
Contemporary Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 1 Dec 11

This is only my second Robin Kaye book, and what a blast I’ve had reading each of them. Her characters are fun and her writing is light and steamy in just the right spots. The intriguing part of Wild Thing is how opposites definitely attract. Hunter and Toni are poles apart in every aspect of their lives, and that makes their loving and their differences enjoyable to read.

Toni is a city girl, born and bred. New York is her home, she loves the sights and sounds and smells. She dresses to blend in, so her Goth look is right at home in the Big Apple. She works for Action Models, assistant to the owner, who has given Toni her first opportunity to prove herself. Before that happens, though, Toni has to conquer her phobia of the great outdoors.

Thinking he’s got the job of a lifetime this time around in his River Runners business, Hunter is looking forward to guiding sportswear models through the Idaho wilderness where he’s grown up and knows the area inside and out. But the moment he spies Toni Russo, the woman in charge of the models, he’s a goner. He starts out teasing her, but soon Hunter realizes Toni is one of a kind and just the woman for him.

Not only are their current lives so different, their growing up years and family are also so far apart from the other, you have a hard time believing these two eventually get along. Toni’s mother is trolling for husband number umpteen and mother and daughter don’t get along. Hunter’s family life is full and loving, his brothers and sister helping him out whenever he needs it. Plus, there’s plenty of teasing going on among them that it’s almost second nature. Toni isn’t that used to teasing and initially gets riled up when any is directed her way.

Hunter also pushes her to stand up to her phobia, face it dead on and get over it. He has a great way of distracting her with kisses so she doesn’t realize she’s done exactly what she doesn’t want to. Those kisses turn into something more, and even when Toni believes there can be nothing between them, she can’t say no to Hunter when he wants more.

I like that both of these characters follow their hearts early on and actually say “I love you” way before the end of the book. That doesn’t happen often in romance novels, everything is strung out until the very end. But Hunter and Toni know what they want, give each other the benefit of the doubt and try to work together. Of course, there’s always something or someone to get in the way, and this time it’s Toni’s boss, Bianca, who wants Hunter for her own. Seeing is believing, as they say, and when Toni catches them together and finds other incriminating evidence among Hunter’s things, doubt does finally creep in and she hightails it back to New York with a broken heart. But she doesn’t let that get her too down. She’s determined to find more about this new Toni who has emerged since she met Hunter.

What she doesn’t count on is how strong Hunter’s love is for her, and soon he’s on her doorstep with an apology and a proposal. But what is the new Toni to do? Should she really trust this one man when the only person she’s ever been able to trust before is herself? Can she truly give up city life when it’s all she’s ever known? Knowing Toni is the one for him, will Hunter be able to walk away if that’s what she wants?

You can’t help but like these characters. They’re strong but vulnerable, live life the best they know how, but also reach for happiness with both hands when they’re able. We get to see a lot of Hunter’s brothers and his sister, and their family dynamic is loads of fun. It will be interesting to see how their books play out in the future, especially Trapper – lots of sparks fly between him and Bianca. What a read that will be!

Grade: B+

Summary:

Whitewater-rafting guide Hunter Kincaid lands his dream job–guiding sportswear models through Idaho’s rugged wilderness for a week-long photo shoot. When he meets Toni Russo, the goth New York manager of Action Models, there are enough sparks to set the forest ablaze.

When Hunter finds Toni’s book on how to marry the man of your choice, he studies it as a joke. Before long Hunter realizes he’s never cared enough for a woman to bother working this hard to get her. But the last man in the world this city girl wants is a Survivor Man wannabe…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Veena’s review of Lord of the Abyss (Royal House of Shadows, Book 4) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Harlequin Nocturne 15 Nov 11

The Royal House of Shadows is the story of the “Elden” kingdom, which sounds like paradise ruled by a good and wise king and a beautiful queen with four beautiful and highly magical children.  They came to the notice of a terrible blood sorcerer who coveted this piece of heaven and conquered, then killed the King and Queen. At the final moment the Queen was able to perform magic that scattered and hid the four children in different corners of the world until it was time to re-claim the kingdom from the sorcerer.

Lord of the Abyss is the story of Micah, the youngest child who was 5 at the time of these events. At that time when the Queen cast her spell, the sorcerer also cast a counter-spell  which caused Micah to forget who he is, even his name.  He ended up in the realm between the living and dead and guardian of the Abyss where evildoers are cast into the abyss.  He is a fearful creature who is almost entirely encased in black armor, but his heart and mind retains the honor, goodness, and purity which was instilled in him during his five years with his family.

Liliana is the daughter of the blood sorcerer and who has a core of goodness which no evil act of her father has been able to erase. She has been raised on stories of the Elden family and wants to find Micah to help him regain his memories, restore the Royal House, and rid the Elden Kingdom of the evil that her father has perpetrated.  She manages to make her way to the realm which Micah rules and romances him with stories about his childhood to restore his memories. Micah falls in love with Liliana since she has the ability to see beyond the beast to the prince.

Nalini Singh’s imagination creates some fantastical creatures both on the good and evil side as Micah and Lily rebuff attacks by the sorcerer and make their way to Elden by midnight of the 20th year to reclaim the kingdom for good.  Each sibling’s story is written by different authors, and I have not read the other three, but since this is the final book in the series, I feel that the story would have been enhanced by having the siblings together at the end reclaiming their kingdom together and celebrating their reunion.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

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

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

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

Heart and Swords

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

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

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

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

Grade: A

Heart Story

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

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

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

Grade: C-

Heart and Soul

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

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

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

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

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

Grade: B

Noble Heart

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

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

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

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

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

Grade: A

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

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

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

Overall grade: B

Summary:

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

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

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

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

No excerpt available.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of The Heart of a Killer (The Killer Series, Book 1) by Jaci Burton
Romantic Suspense published by Mira 18 Oct 11

I enjoyed the majority of this book. It has a great mystery linking five people together through a crime that was committed twelve years ago. There’s plenty of heat and sizzle between the hero and heroine to burn up a few pages. Everyone has several secrets of their own, aside from the big one they all share. Unfortunately, what let me down is the ending.

We meet Dante, Anna, Gabriel, Jeff, and Roman when they’re teenagers hanging out together in high school. Even then, Dante and Anna have a special bond. But when Anna is in the clutches of a rapist/murderer, the boys come to her aid, beating the jerk to a pulp. After making sure Anna is okay, they discover they went too far, but all agree they should keep quiet about the body in the alley. Calling her father, after talking the guys into letting her handle it all, Anna is saved from facing any further trauma, as are her friends. But when the storm clears the next day, Dante is gone. Without so much as a goodbye.

For twelve years Dante has never stepped foot in St. Louis. Until now. Only because his foster mother asked him to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary with her and her husband. Not much has changed. Except his friends. Jeff is a successful businessman. Gabe is tied up with the local mob. Roman is a police detective. As is Anna, which he discovers when their past comes back to haunt them – a murder has happened in the same alley, done in the same way as all those years ago. Including the same special surprise on the body as Anna’s attacker left on hers. Someone else must have been there, seen what happened. But why wait so long to let them know?

All they can figure is that they’re all together again, so the killer is making his move. Dante and Anna dance around one another in between working the case, but they’re fairly honest with one another, at least as much as they can while hitting the sheets. Dante’s military status gives him carte blanche in whatever area he wants. To be in on the case, he requires FBI identification, so he gets it. But all his friends know is he’s with the FBI. Anna is still wary where Dante is concerned, except her body has no issues with the man at all. They do steam up the pages quite well.

Then their world falls apart as the killer strikes again, this time very, very close to home. Twice. Burying two more loved ones pushes them all to find this guy, but it’s been tough going because he leaves no evidence whatsoever. Then they do catch a break, but it’s a long shot. It’s better than nothing, however, and they grab on to a thread and begin pulling. Frayed edges and torn pieces come into focus, but just when they think they’ve got it all figured out, the killer does what they never expected and has Anna in his clutches, just as she was in another’s hands years before.

I like the mystery of this story. Ms. Burton keeps me guessing from chapter to chapter. But when it finally comes down to revealing the killer? I have to say I’m a tad disappointed. It’s nothing new. We’ve read it before. And when I finally figured out who it is, it’s much earlier than I normally figure such things out. It just all clicks into place at one point, so reading the rest of the action doesn’t have the punch it should have otherwise.

Dante is a terrific Burton hero. He comes back home confident of who he is. He’s grown up quite nicely. Of the four brothers, I like Gabe next. It’s going to be really interesting to see what’s up his sleeve, since we know he’s not what he seems. Anna is also a great heroine. She’s become strong and independent because of what happened to her, but that event also marked her in more ways than one. She hides behind her work instead of working her life out as it should be. It takes Dante and his love to help her do that.

Despite my disappointment with the revelation of the killer, this is still a good book. Everything else works, and though this ending blip could be considered a major issue, it doesn’t overshadow the characters and the mystery of the story. A slight letdown, yes. But friends and family, steamy lovemaking, and a stalking killer keep everything interesting the rest of the time.

Grade: B-

Summary:

No one said coming home would be easy. But for Dante Renaldi, it’s murder.

Before the Special Forces hero has even unpacked his bags from twelve years of active duty, he’s embroiled in murder—corpses bearing the brutal trademark he’s seen only once before—on the worst night of his life.

The last time Detective Anna Pallino saw Dante Renaldi, they were in love. Now, he’s part of the connection to a string of fresh homicides and a horrible assault Anna only survived thanks to him.

More than anything, Anna wants to trust Dante. But as the bodies and the coincidences stack up, Anna will have to decide, and fast: Is the man she owes her life to the very same one who wants her dead?

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Avenger’s Angel (Lost Angels, Book 1) by Heather Killough-Walden
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 1 Nov 11

Goodness, I have to say Heather Killough-Walden keeps the twists and turns coming in this first book of her new Lost Angels series. I like the concept of the four favorite Archangels being given freewill to come down to earth to locate their Archesses – their soul mates. It takes them numerous lifetimes to find those unique women, and just when they think all might just work out, they couldn’t be more wrong.

Uriel, the former Angel of Vengeance, is up first. In his current life, he’s Christopher Daniels, famous actor the women scream over. In fact, it’s as he’s escaping a gaggle of teens that he runs into Eleanore Granger while she’s helping a young child – in the women’s rest room of the bookstore she works for and where he’s participating in a book signing. He knows at first sight she’s the one, the Archess made specifically for him.

Having moved all over the country to keep her secret hidden, Eleanore is finally weary enough to think about staying put and fighting all who might want to use her abilities for their own gain. Having the attentions of a handsome movie star never entered her mind, but when he persists it’s difficult to say no, as it is to Samuel Lambent, media mogel and about the most handsome man she’s ever seen. Unbeknownst to Eleanore, however, Samuel is truly Samael, the Fallen One, first archangel cast out and who is doing all he can to get his hands on an Archess.

Eleanore is torn at first, not knowing which man to trust, but she soon realizes it is Uriel who she’s destined to be with. But just as they are making initial headway, Uriel’s blood contract with Samael throws a kink into their lives – Uriel becomes a vampire due to the Dark One’s machinations. I’m still on the fence about this particular part of the story. I’m not sure why this happens, other than to throw more fear Ellie’s way. But she also gets some excitement out of it a few times, one being when Uriel flies her across the sky and along the coast and other places. I could go for that myself. And, of course, it helps in the end when they’re all fighting a new enemy. I just didn’t care for the total changing of my hero. He’s out of control most of the time due to his new powers, hunger, and lust and when they’re directed at Eleanore, it’s a little much, despite how much she likes it. It’s too close to being forced on her for me.

Even in this form, however, Ellie discovers things about Uriel that cast him in a new light for her, touches her heart, and re-enforces her love for him. Uriel, of course, would die for her, if it ever comes to that. How close does he come? You’ll be surprised. And the ending is one of the best I’ve read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It took some getting used to having the angels’ maker referred to as The Old Man. At first, it’s kind of abrasive, thinking there has to be another way to refer to the Almighty. But then it dawns me – for some reason I seem to be slow on this – after Uriel calls the other angels his brothers for the twentieth or so time that this deity is their father. Thus Old Man, as a lot of kids use to refer to dear old dad. Made more sense then.

The new enemy I mentioned is one of those twists in the book. Didn’t see that coming. Ms. Killough-Walden does a very nice job at distraction and misdirection when it comes to these powerful evildoers, the Adarians. The powers all the characters are given throughout are a lot of fun, whether for good or bad. I’m curious, though, as to why the Adarians got all the fun stuff and the Archangels seemingly got what’s left over, which is just the basic stuff. Yeah, I know, because it makes the fighting more interesting, tipping the scales in favor of the enemy so that triumph over them is more satisfying, but it would be nice to see those angels flexing some of those other abilities.

I’m usually not one who sympathizes with a villain, but I do find myself feeling a tad for Samael. That makes me wonder if perhaps down the road he might be redeemed and get his own heroine. I sure hope so. It would be fun to see his reactions to a soul mate loving him, trusting him, wanting him. Samael is even more striking, more powerful than the angels, but he has that smirk and attitude, an arrogance that drives you nuts when he uses it all for evil. He even says he’s not a kind man. But seeing how Ellie pulls something unexpected out of him, you can just imagine what a soul mate would do to him. I also like the attraction between Max, the angels’ guardian, and Lilith, another fallen one and assistant to Samael. That’s another book I would love to see in the series.

One thing that has bothered me once I started reading is the cover of this book. Not that it’s a bad cover, but I would have preferred no faces, only because both the Archangels and the Archesses are described as beyond beautiful, angelic of course. The models on this cover are attractive enough, but they just don’t do justice to the descriptions. A better choice would have been to follow along the lines of the UK cover, which I’ve included here. That cover just shouts exactly what this story is about, especially once you get to the end of the book.

I don’t usually read excerpts at the end of books, but couldn’t help myself this time. I’m curious. The former Archangel Messenger, Gabriel, is next, and I wanted to get the flavor of his story. I’m glad I read it – it starts out at a quick pace, no wasted moments. But then again, I’m a bit unhappy after reading it – it’s about a seven-month wait for the book to hit the shelves. That’s normally why I don’t read excerpts!

Avenger’s Angel is a good start to this series. It’s interesting and fairly fast paced with sexy and beautiful heroes who do anything necessary for their heroines, and it keeps you guessing. Though it has a couple of small issues for me, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Grade: B

Summary:

When four female angels were created for the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Azrael, a chaos spurned by jealousy erupted, and the archesses were secreted to Earth. The four favored archangels followed, prompting a search that has lasted millennia. But for Uriel, the former Archangel of vengeance, the search ends the moment he lays eyes on Eleanor Granger, his one true archess. Can he protect her from the danger lying in wait for her – and win her heart?

Read an excerpt. (scroll down to third excerpt.)

Other books in this series:

Messenger’s Angel – June 2012

Death’s Angel

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of A Man of His Word by Sarah M. Anderson
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Desire 29 Nov 11

Back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, and I first discovered category romance, the Desire line was my favorite.  But then, over time, things changed.  Desire started morphing into what I call “The American HP,” with a proliferation of billionaires, babies, and over-blown back cover copy.  I got my head turned by other lines, and we quietly parted ways.  However, I do miss Desire and continue to check out the monthly offerings, hoping for a glimmer of the line I fell in love with in the early aughts.  Enter Sarah M. Anderson’s debut.

Dan Armstrong inherited half of the family energy (mostly oil) business when his father died, which meant working with his Uncle Cecil.  Cecil has been in South Dakota the last several years, working to build a dam and expanding the family’s influence into hydro-energy.  The problem?  Rosebud Donnelly, a barracuda of a lawyer for the local Lakota tribe.  See, Uncle Cecil’s dam will create a reservoir that will flood a big ol’ chunk of the reservation.  After chewing up and spitting out several of his high-priced lawyers, Cecil calls in Dan – who isn’t all that happy to be his Uncle’s lap dog.

Dan has been doing quite well with the family holdings down in Texas and doesn’t think much of dear old Uncle.  But his company has sunk a lot of time and energy into South Dakota, so he makes the trip.  What he hasn’t planned on is Rosebud – who is not only beautiful, but smart and good with a gun.  A fact he learns firsthand when she shoots his favorite hat right off his head.

What I love about this story is that the author gives us an adversarial relationship without a lot of needless bickering.  Dan and Rosebud are immediately attracted to each other, but he works magic through his charm and she quickly realizes that she’s tangling with a pro.  She also realizes that he’s a pretty genuine guy.  She certainly doesn’t think much of his uncle, but Dan strikes her as a straight-shooter, and soon these two are working together – albeit somewhat uneasily.

Desires can run fairly hot, and the author keeps the tension simmering for a good, long while before our couple finally succumbs.  A smart move since the conflict here is really external.  Rosebud and Dan are torn characters.  What they want is to just be another man and woman simply getting to know each other.  That’s not an option, though.  His business is at odds with her people.  He’s working to get to the bottom of what Cecil is really up to, and she’s feeling pressure from her family.  They’re also both under pressure to turn on the charm with each other, to get close to the other in the hopes of gaining an advantage.  Secrets coming out during pillow talk, if you will.

This could have been an extremely unsavory story, but the author keeps it from being so with her characters.  Rosebud is a conflicted woman, pushed into the law out of obligation and having sunk three years of her life into fighting Cecil.  Dan is a genuinely nice guy.  He firmly fits the book’s title.  When Rosebud muses, “Dan didn’t exactly wear his heart on his sleeve, but she got the feeling he didn’t win a lot of poker games,” the reader instantly knows that this is a guy who is a success in business by doing things the right way, not by steamrolling over others.

The only real misstep in this otherwise enjoyable story is toward the end, when the author has to bring all that external conflict to a head.  Which she does by having our villain pay a call on Rosebud, which ultimately leads to her tarring and feathering Dan.  Color me crazy, but I thought the guy had pretty well proven himself to be nothing like his Uncle – but what do I know?  I’m just the reader.  Still, it leads to a pretty great confrontational moment, and Rosebud finally gets to pour out her soul, all the angst she’s kept bottled up inside her for years.

This was really a well-written, enjoyable story, and quite impressive for a debut.  Anderson does a great job of working within the word count of the Desire line, and I felt like I got a rich, complete romance.  I knew these people by the end of it all, and I’m happy they were able to find their way out of the muck to their happy ending.  I also found a Desire book that reminds me of how much I used to adore this line.  I want more, and I want it now.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Attorney Rosebud Donnelly has a case to win. And she never lets anyone see her sweat. But her first meeting with Dan Armstrong doesn’t go according to script. No one warned her that the COO of the company she’s fighting would be so…manly.

From his storm-colored eyes to his well-worn boots, Dan is an honest-to-goodness cowboy. But is he honest? Her yearning for the Texas tycoon goes against reason, against family loyalty, against everything she thought she believed in. And yet, in Dan’s strong arms, Rosebud feels she might be ready to risk everything for one more kiss….

Read an excerpt.