LynneC’s review of The Lost (Sin Hunters, Book 1) by Caridad Piñiero
Paranormal Romance published by Grand Central 26 Jul 11

The title perfectly describes my reaction to the first part of this story. I was well and truly lost.

This is the first in a new series called The Sin Eaters, so I couldn’t use the excuse of starting part way through. I’ve read some of Piñiero’s suspense stories and enjoyed them, so I was excited to read her venture into the paranormal, but I think she takes on too much and ends up with a barely comprehensible hot mess. What saves this for me is the characters of the two main protagonists, and I’d have much rather she concentrate on them. However, I’m coming to this story with the perspective of a romance reader, and if you prefer urban fantasy or straight paranormal, you might enjoy this one a lot more than I do.

After an intriguing prologue, in which a rescued boy turns out to be a shapeshifter, we get three chapters with three different sets of people, none of which we spend enough time with for me to care about. My interest starts to unfold when we meet Bobbie, an ex-military who has suffered extreme damage after a bomb attack. She’s been stitched back together and she’s receiving physical therapy. Then she goes into a car lot and meets Adam, who is the hero, although that’s not apparent right away.

Adam has strange powers that have led him to found a company and become reasonably wealthy. His foster father is a member of the CIA, and his real parents are searching for him. They are Light Hunters, I think, and the Dark Hunters are after them. Why, I was never entirely sure.

Think of the Light Hunters as the AC part of the current and the Dark Hunters as the DC part. Or if you remember the fad a few years ago for “psychic vampires,” vampires that feed off the energy of people instead of blood, that’s more or less the idea. I think. But I do find this part of the story very confusing. That’s what you get with complicated world building. Smallpox comes into it somewhere, too, though I’m never entirely sure why that’s thrown into the mix. I get that when the evil Westerners come to the US, they infect the natives with smallpox and that affects their genes or something, but I’m not sure it’s necessary to the story.

The other part I don’t like is when it’s indicated that Light Hunters, or people with one in their ancestry, are the people who make the difference to the human race, the leaders and the innovators. It hints too much of eugenics for me. I prefer to think that some people work hard to make themselves leaders, not that it’s inbred into them, which means if you don’t have that “special” gene, you can never be anything but a drone.

There is adventure and derring-do, but this story only really comes alive when it centers on Adam and Bobbie, their growing relationship, and the evil threatening them. There are also a few stylistic problems that bother me. Too many tags tend to distance me from the characters, i.e., lots of “she thought” and “he considered,” so reminding me that I am not in their heads, only watching them, and there is a fair bit of head-hopping too, something that I really don’t like. I’d call the style omniscient, because it pops into other character’s heads without warning.

So a curate’s egg of a book. I read it to the end and found the epilogue is sequel bait. I’m not sure about going there.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Adam Bruno is no ordinary millionaire. The heir to an ancient race possessing a dark, powerful magic, he can shapeshift and create energy. His gifts make him a living weapon and have forced him to live in seclusion. But now an inhuman force hunts down Adam-just when he finds someone who makes him feel more human than he ever imagined possible . . .

Home from combat in Iraq, Bobbie Carerra wants only peace, yet soon joins Adam in a terrifying battle against paranormal enemies who hide in plain sight. She’s drawn to his strength of mind and body; he’s attracted to her courage and intoxicating energy. Their scorching passion can either transport them to the heights of ecstasy or-if Adam’s powers rage out of control-destroy them. But when an invisible brotherhood tightens its nets and someone Adam trusts betrays him, only a heartrending decision can save them.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

The Claimed – May 2012

C2’s review of The Sweetest Thing (Lucky Harbor, Book 2) by Jill Shalvis
Contemporary romance published by Grand Central 1 April 11

Jill Shalvis’s The Sweetest Thing takes us back to the seaside town of Lucky Harbor to visit with Phoebe Traeger’s daughters.  This time Tara, the oldest daughter, is on deck for her happily ever after…but will it be with her first love – local bad boy Ford Walker – or with her racecar driver ex-husband who just showed up in town?

Tara Daniels life has changed a lot in a few years.  She used to be the wife of a celebrity with money and social power.  Now the money and power are long gone, and she and her sisters are struggling to get a business off the ground.  And Tara does not need distractions…but how do you ignore a large, gorgeous, flirty male (one you’ve already seen naked)?

Ford Walker is a professional sailor – as in sailboat racing – a former Olympian, even.  When he isn’t off somewhere exotic winning all sorts of competitions, he lives in Lucky Harbor and helps his best friend, Jax, run his bar.  Lately, though, Ford has been feeling less…something.  Or something is missing and he can’t quite figure out what it is.  Until he does figure out what’s going on – well, pestering Tara is always entertaining.

As tempted as Tara is, taking Ford up on his flirtatious offers isn’t something she can do.  The last time she and Ford got together, everything ended badly – as in teenage, unwed pregnancy – and Tara isn’t willing to go through that again.  And nothing about the grown-up Ford’s life convinces her a relationship would be anything but temporary.  Tara doesn’t think Ford is willing to work for something like that and will walk away when things get difficult or when he gets bored, whichever comes first.

The sisters are working to get their inn ready to open and still have lots of things to take care of before it is ready for the public.  There is a lot riding on having a successful business, so the last thing Tara needs is another distraction…so, of course, her ex-husband shows up, determined to get back together.  Logan is famous, he’s rich, he’s handsome and charming. Ford is jealous and annoyed.  And Tara does not want to deal with two men competing for her attention…she’s already stressed out!

What could possibly raise Tara’s stress level even higher?  The arrival of the daughter she gave up for adoption years before.  Apparently, Phoebe left Mia some money in her will.  Mia and her dad were able to track down Tara and Ford, and Mia applied for a summer job at the inn. Surprise!

Even though it seems like all the things going on would distract from the romance in the book, it really doesn’t.  Sure, Logan’s around, but he’s never a real competitor…he’s just a good way to get Ford to focus on what he wants.  And having Mia turn up makes Ford and Tara deal with the issues left over from when they were teenagers – issues that are standing in the way of them getting back together and staying together.  Very smart plot weaving, says me.

That doesn’t mean the road is completely smooth.  Tara and Ford both have others issues they need to deal with – internal issues everyone has to address at some point – what is really important, what makes them happy, etc.  What happens if everything doesn’t mesh and they still can’t find a way to be together and happy?  Ah, faithful reader, it’s a romance.  Of course they end up happy and together!

Before I started reading The Sweetest Thing, I wasn’t sure…  In the first book of the series, Tara is not the most likable character – and she stays her sometimes bitchy, anal self – but it makes more sense and we see more sides to her.  Ford is hot!  And not an immature womanizer – even if he is a pro athlete of sorts – he is just unsettled and not sure what to do next. He doesn’t start out as a frat boy caricature, but he does mature and grow over the course of the book.  The scenes with Ford and Mia are so sweet and his suspicions about her boyfriend are funny.

Does this book stand alone?  Yes.  But the first book is very good and you get more background about Phoebe, so why not start there?  Did it make me anxious for the next book?  Oh, gosh, yes – I’ve been intrigued by the baby sister and the sheriff since the beginning (book coming soon – yay!).

If you’re looking for a good straight up contemporary romance with sweetness and heat and humor, look no further…Jill Shalvis always delivers.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Two Men Are One Too Many . . .

Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered . . . and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can’t control-especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she’s lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

C2’s review of Sin Undone (Demonica Series, Book 5) by Larissa Ione
Paranormal Romance published by Grand Central 24 Aug 10

What happens when I succubus, who happens to be an assassin and capable of starting plagues, hooks up with a vampire/werewolf hybrid? Mayhem! Violence! Explosions! Battles! And some hot loves scenes, too. In the latest entry of her Demonica series, Larissa Ione pulls out all the stops.

Sin is the only female ever produced by a Seminus demon mating with a human, but somehow, when her twin brother was conceived, she was too. She and Lore didn’t even realize what they were until they were young adults.  The transition was difficult for both of them and led Sin into life as an assassin.  Now she is in charge of a den of assassins – not the safest of positions since, any time she leaves the den, the other assassins try to kill her so they can be in charge of the den.

Since she is a succubus, Sin requires sex on a regular basis…without it, she could die.  Painfully.  During a visit to Underground General – the demon hospital her brothers built – she hooked up with Conall, a dhampire (part vampire, part werewolf) and also, unbeknownst to her, set off a plague within the werewolf community.  That is Sin’s secret gift – she can infect creatures with diseases, if she wants.  And sometimes she can do it accidentally, apparently.

After her brother Eidolon becomes aware of the epidemic, he gets Sin back to UGH, in hopes that she can help stop the disease before it spreads further.  While at the hospital, she meets up with Con again, and the attraction is still there on both sides.  But Con is angry with her for causing the disease to start with and isn’t happy with her attitude about it either.

Sin’s relationship with her new-found half brothers is strained, to say the least – she and Lore didn’t know the brothers existed until Lore was hired to kill them. Still, she agrees to work with them to try to find a way to stop the epidemic from spreading.

Con doesn’t have time for an epidemic and he doesn’t have time for a relationship – he has promised his clan he will take his proper place with them. And that place does not include room for a woman of his own.

So the race is on – Sin must find a way to stop the epidemic while keeping herself alive, in spite of the many creatures out to kill her. And fight the connection with Con at the same time, since they both know they have no future together. Also, what’s up with the mysterious guys on horseback? Are they trying to kill Sin too? Or are they trying to save her?

Since this book bridges Ms. Ione’s Demonica series with her new Lords of Deliverance series, there is a lot of world building/expanding. Consequently, the romance between Sin and Con takes a backseat a good bit of the time. There is a LOT going on and getting all lovey-dovey would be silly. The progression of their relationship seems natural, given the circumstances they are dealing with. And whets the reader’s appetite for the new series too.

Does this book stand alone? No. I say you should read Lore’s book, at the very least, but the whole series is excellent, so why not read them all? I think Shade is still my favorite.

Grade: B-

Summary:
HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series (let us pause and enjoy the pretties):

Ash’s review of Tempted by a Warrior (Dunwythie Trilogy Book 3) by Amanda Scott
Historical romance released by Grand Central Publishing 1 Jul 10

Usually when I reach for a historical romance it’s because I need something I can just relax with, something that makes me forget the rest of the world for a bit. I want that with a good Scottish setting with tough, manly heroes (preferably in kilts) and spunky, fiery heroines. I want to feel like I am back in time and falling in love along with the characters. Sadly, with Tempted by a Warrior, all I felt was like I was back in school, confused, and a little bit sick.

When we first meet Lady Fiona Jardine, our heroine, she is seventeen, pregnant, and being beaten by her husband, Will (who is not our hero). Right off the bat I am scared. My hopes for this story fell a little, but I kept going to see where all this was taking us. Some pages later we meet our hero, Sir Richard Seyton. Throughout the story he is called Richard, Dickon, Kirkhill, and I think a few others that I can’t remember. To spare you all the same confusion, I am going to stick with Kirkhill.

It’s been a few days since Fiona’s husband Will has been heard from, after beating Fiona. To top it off, Old Jardine, Will’s father, is on his deathbed. With Will  presumed dead, Kirkhill is now Old Jardine’s heir and Fiona’s guardian. Of course, Old Jardine dies soon after and Kirkhill moves in to take over. Fiona is none too happy about that and complains about it like any teenager would.

So now we have Will still missing, Fiona the presumed murderess, Kirkhill taking over and fighting his attraction to Fiona. There is also some drama with Nan, Kirkhill’s fifteen-year-old sister. Kirkhill’s best friend plans to marry her, which just adds to my feeling of uneasiness. I prefer the heroines in my books to be at least a legal age. Oh, and Fiona has a baby boy. That is pretty much exactly how exciting the story is.

It is almost 200 pages before Fiona and Kirkhill actually kiss. By this point, I was just weirded out by the whole thing. Ignoring the fact that she is only seventeen, Kirkhill treats her like an unruly child, going so far as to attempting to put her over his knee and spank her. I never saw any real relationship between them, they lust after each other and that seems to be enough. Fiona acts like a brat half the time, but everyone shrugs it off as her emotions over giving birth, and Kirkhill acts like an anal father figure throughout the story.

None of the characters were interesting, I honestly couldn’t stand most of them. Tempted by a Warrior felt more like a bad historical  than anything else. I was either bored, grossed out, or struggling to understand even a word of what was being said. The mystery over Will is not something I ever cared about, since mostly everyone hated him anyway. At this point I just don’t care about anything to do with this book anymore, and I couldn’t continue reading it.

If all of Amanda Scott’s stories read like this one, then I don’t plan to continue reading her. I couldn’t finish this one, I am not sure I want to even bother giving another one a chance.

Grade: DNF

Summary:

Lady Fiona, wed in haste, has never known marital peace. When last she’d seen her cruel husband Will, he’d struck her – and she has no memory of what she did next – only that she woke later alone in her bedchamber. Will has gone missing, and Fiona fears that in her rage and terror she might somehow have killed him. When her husband’s cousin Sir Richard comes to search for Will, Fiona is touched by his warm nature. A knight and warrior, Richard is drawn to Fiona’s brave manner, quickly seeing in her an equal measure of inner courage.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of To Desire a Devil (Legend of the Four Soliders) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical romance released by Vision 1 Nov 09

Hoyt’s Legend of the Four Soldiers ends circling back to the beginning a little with the St. Aubyn family. Emeline’s brother who has been thought dead for seven years has appeared in London. Reynaud’s arrival is a shock to many, including the uncle that took over his title. Those that have been waiting for the revelation of the traitor of the 28th Foot at Spinner’s Falls will get that story resolved as well as see the happy endings of all those of the series so far.

When Reynaud St. Aubyn interrupts a political tea in his father’s town house, he really doesn’t know what’s going on. He’s feverish and happy to have made it back to London after seven years of captivity among a tribe in North America. After several days of recovery, he comes to know the niece of his uncle, the new Earl, Beatrice Corning, who has been caring for him.

Beatrice has been fascinated by Reynaud for years. She’s started for many hours many nights at his portrait, painted just before he went to the colonies. The real man is much more fascinating, dark, mysterious and damaged from his captivity. He’s also driven to reach the goal he’s had for the last seven years, which is to do anything to regain all that he’s lost. His title, lands, money and family. Unfortunately his uncle is attempting to prove his insanity to keep the title.

Placed in the middle and forced to make a choice, Beatrice works for her own ends trying to get a bill passed that would provide for veterans. Reynaud tries to get Beatrice on his side so that he doesn’t look insane and he can regain his title. The traitor works to cover his tracks so he won’t hang for his decisions.

Beatrice is a sweet, strong heroine, but she never seemed fully fleshed out. She’s devoted her life to helping her uncle, but she doesn’t agree with his political leanings. She devotes quite a bit of time to her friend Jeremy, who came home from the war horribly scarred. She spends time with her friend Lottie, who has some troubles with her marriage, which disillusions Beatrices towards love and marriage. While there are many facets to her personality, as a character, she seems a bit flat.

Reynaud is about the same. He sets out to use Beatrice and claim her as his own, but there isn’t much emotion involved in either decision. His focus is on the goal of regaining his life and damn anyone who wants to get in his way. He does get drawn into the search for the traitor by Vale, but that feeds is ultimate goals rather than is something that he feels he should do.

The story does have some interesting points, but they are just blips on the radar that get a bit overwhelmed by the somewhat interesting, but unfortunately flat characters of Beatrice and Reynaud. The other thing is Hoyt’s use of a fairy tale to open each chapter. While somewhat entertaining and showing a different side to the characters, the fairy tale, in the end, just distracts from the story. From the excerpt at the end of the book, it appears Hoyt will continue the use of fairy tales in the next series. While a concept that sets her apart from other writers, the fairy tales are almost like a schtick and don’t help the main story as they did in Hoyt’s first series.

Grade: C-

NOTHING IS MORE INTOXICATING-
Reynaud St. Aubyn has spent the last seven years in hellish captivity. Now half mad with fever he bursts into his ancestral home and demands his due. Can this wild-looking man truly be the last earl’s heir, thought murdered by Indians years ago?

OR DANGEROUS-
Beatrice Corning, the niece of the present earl, is a proper English miss. But she has a secret: No real man has ever excited her more than the handsome youth in the portrait in her uncle’s home. Suddenly, that very man is here, in the flesh-and luring her into his bed.

THAN SURRENDERING TO A DEVIL.
Only Beatrice can see past Reynaud’s savagery to the noble man inside. For his part, Reynaud is drawn to this lovely lady, even as he is suspicious of her loyalty to her uncle. But can Beatrice’s love tame a man who will stop at nothing to regain his title-even if it means sacrificing her innocence?

Read an excerpt

Welcome once again to Duck Chat!

And please welcome Elizabeth Hoyt to the Pond for the day!

If you’re an historical romance fan, you know that Elizabeth came racing into our lives in 2006 when her Princes trilogy debuted, and she hasn’t slowed down one bit since then. Next came her Legends of the Four Soldiers and she’s now working on a new series, which she’ll tell us about in a bit.

Elizabeth is married; she loves gardening but I’m assuming she doesn’t grow tomatoes since she really doesn’t care for them, but she does have twenty-six named varieties of daylilies in her garden; she grew up in Minnesota, the daughter of a frog biologist. She began her writing career at age thirty-five and her first book was published just after her fortieth birthday. Lucky for us it didn’t take any longer than that! Be sure to leave a comment or question for Elizabeth because she’s giving away a signed copy of To Desire a Devil!

So now that you know a little about Elizabeth, let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Elizabeth, for those few readers who may not have read your books yet – hopefully it’s only a few! – would tell us about your first series, The Princes Trilogy, just an overview of how the series came about and a little something about each book?

ELIZABETH HOYT: The Princes Trilogy books are (loosely) linked by the heroes, an odd trio of friends who all belong to the Agrarian Club which meets in a coffee house. The Raven Prince, is a about Edward de Raaf, the Earl of Swartingham, who lost his entire family in a smallpox epidemic when he was a boy. Edward is trying to re-create his family and has already found a suitable lady to marry. But then his land steward hires a new secretary for Edward while he is away and she turned out to be a rather argumentative widow who turns all of Edward’s plans upside-down. Harry Pye, the hero of The Leopard Prince, is a mysterious land steward. He finds to his horror that his employer, Lady Georgina Maitland, insists on visiting the land he oversees in the north of England and interfering with both his work and his private life. Simon Iddesleigh, Viscount Iddesleigh, is the hero of The Serpent Prince. He’s a sophisticated gentleman with a cutting wit, but he is entirely undone by a provincial lady who sees right through his blather.

These were the first books I wrote and actually I can’t really remember how they came about other than the fact that I was trying my hand at writing historical romance and then (as now) I was most interested in the hero of a story.

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

EH: The dreaded “Where do you get your ideas?” It’s dreaded because I honestly don’t know. Ideas just arrive while I’m driving or weeding my garden. It’s just part of being a writer, I think.

DC: Then there’s your Legend of the Four Soldiers series. What’s the genesis of this series? To Taste Temptation and To Seduce a Sinner are the first two books in the series; would you tell our readers about those stories?

EH: Well, okay, I do know (partly) where I got the idea for these books. The war in Iraq had just started and I wanted to address the plight of the soldier returning home from war. I grew up just post the Vietnam War, with all the books and movies about the subject, and I used to read World War I poetry as a romantic teenager. The idea of the soldier with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has always interested to me. So I wanted to explore what would happen to good soldiers, brave soldiers, who had fought well and returned home to an era that didn’t know anything at all about PTSD and where mental illness was considered a moral weakness.

The Legend of the Four Soldiers is about four very different men who were in the same regiment during the French and Indian War in the American Colonies. While marching in the New England woods, their regiment is ambushed and massacred. To Taste Temptation starts the series six years later with Samuel Hartley who was an American scout. He’s now a wealthy merchant come to London ostensibly on business, but in reality to find the man who betrayed his regiment. To do this he needs entry into London society and he seeks the help of Lady Emeline Gordon, a proper widow who is rather aghast at his backwoods ways.

To Seduce a Sinner is about Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale, a bon vivant, always the center of attention during the day, who hides a secret at night. After Jasper is left at the altar by his flighty fiancée he is propositioned by Melisande Fleming. Melisande is plain and brown and has been in love with Jasper for years—though he has no idea of that when he hastily marries her.

DC: In May To Beguile a Beast, the third book in the series, hit the shelves. We meet Alistair and Helen in this story. Can you give us some insight to them and their relationship?

EH: Sir Alistair Munroe is a naturalist who was horribly scarred during the war. Because of his scars he’s hidden himself away in his crumbling castle in Scotland. But one and dark stormy night he answers the door to find a beautiful woman on his doorstep claiming to be his new housekeeper. To Beguile a Beast is a “Beauty and the Beast” story, but I wanted to explore what physical disfigurement meant in an age without plastic surgery, how a man can lose all hope and how he can regain it with the right woman.

DC: Then in November we’ll see the long-awaited To Desire a Devil, all about Reynaud and Beatrice. Can we get a little sneak peak, please?

EH: Reynaud St. Aubyn, Viscount Hope is the fourth and final soldier in the series. Presumed dead for seven years, he escapes captivity and returns home, ready to resume his life. But the life he left isn’t there anymore. His father, the Earl of Blanchard is dead, another man has claimed the title, and there are rumors that he’s insane. Everyone seems to be against him except the new earl’s niece, a woman named Beatrice Corning. Beatrice for her part is dangerously attracted to Reynaud, but can she make him see that what they have may be more important than the life he’s trying to regain?

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

EH: Sure. In fact, when I wrote the first scene of To Desire a Devil, I ended up with a character I hadn’t planned on (Beatrice’s friend, Lottie.)

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

EH: Hmm. I don’t find myself arguing with characters, but I as I’m writing the book does sometimes go off the road and into the woods.

DC: And congratulations are in order for your new series, Maiden Lane, you just contracted with Grand Central Publishing for. Wicked Intentions is the first book in the series. Can you tell us about the series as a whole and then some about Wicked Intentions?

EH: The Maiden Lane series is set during the gin craze in London when one out of every four houses sold gin for a penny and a half a cup. There was wide-spread addiction, crime, and violence, but for economic reasons it took forever for Parliament to crack down on the sale of gin. My fictional Maiden Lane is smack in the middle of one of the worst areas of London at this time, St. Giles, And on Maiden Lane is the Home for Unfortunate Infants and Foundling Children run by Temperance Dews and her brother. But the home has recently lost its patron and the home is in dire financial straits. One night a man appears in her sitting room, Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, who has an interesting proposition: if Temperance will help him search St. Giles for a murderer, he will help her find a new patron for the home.

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

EH: A good book.

DC: Now, I have to ask you about a few of the fun facts I read on your website. I became quite curious about some of them! First, you found yourself accidentally locked in at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, not hearing the bell indicating closing time. How long were you locked in? How did you get out? What was the reaction of the museum staff? I could go on for a bit on the little questions, so anything else you can tell us about the experience, please!

EH: The Ashmolean Museum is a wonderful place and I highly recommend it to anyone who happens to be in Oxford. When I was sixteen my family spent a year in Oxford and I used to walk to the “Ashmole” (as my art teacher called it) and spend entire afternoons there. On this particular day I was looking at Greek pottery, which at that time was literally stacked up in cases in the Ashmolean. Greek pottery can be quite pornographic, so I was taking a deep, artistic interest in the pottery when somehow I didn’t hear the warning bell, (Which, in my own defense, was kind of a musical chime.) Then I heard the door lock to the room I was in. So being a resourceful teenager I ran over and pounded on the doors and was let out by a middle-aged security guard who told me to listen better next time. Sadly, I still stare at Greek pottery in museums.

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

EH: Well, my “career” is only three years old—I was first published in 2006. I don’t think my heroes and heroines have evolved much in that time. Readers may disagree.

DC: Another fun fact tidbit is the fact you learned the difference between a frog and toad from your father due to this profession. I know this probably won’t be the question on the list, but I’m curious! LOL, what is the difference??? I’m a country girl and couldn’t tell you!

EH: My father used to take the entire family frog collecting in Minnesota when I was a child. He was interested in leopard frogs (the green frog with black spots that most people think of when they think of frogs.) Frogs generally have webbed fingers, toads don’t. Frogs generally live in or near wet spots and have smooth, damp skin (I once made the mistake of calling it “slimy” in front of my father!) Toads have dry, generally bumpy skin and the most common toads in North America excrete a poison from the bumps on their backs. It doesn’t hurt people, but it tastes bad to animals.

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

EH: I’d love to write a middle school book someday.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

EH: Not to worry so much. But I wouldn’t have listened.

DC: Okay, just one more and I’ll let my curiosity go! You met your husband on an archeological dig. Would you tell us about that, where you were, what type of dig, and any romantic details you’d like to share?

EH: It was a summer field school in southwestern Wisconsin in the middle of a corn field and it was very hot and dirty and I thought my future husband was a complete jerk. He was the TA in charge of the dig (an older man!) and he strode around the dig in a tiny pair of running shorts (it was the 1980’s) and a bandana around his neck—no shirt—and was very grim because the dig was his doctoral thesis. (Which led to the comment whenever something went wrong, “it’s not my thesis!” Sadly, my future husband didn’t find it very funny.)

Almost a year later I took a lab class in which my future husband was the TA, although (as he made very clear) he didn’t grade me. After a couple of months he asked me out and six weeks later we were engaged.

DC: If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

EH: Hidden depths

DC: What would be your “voice’s” tagline?

EH: Strong, sensuous, and smart

DC: You also write as Julia Harper. For the Love of Pete is your latest release there. Can you tell us about that book and also what’s next for Julia?

EH: For the Love of Pete is about Dante Torelli, an undercover FBI agent assigned to protect a mob informant and his family. But when the informant’s hiding place is blown, a baby girl is snatched by a ruthless hitman. Now, Dante must save the toddler, uncover the traitor in his department, evade various bad guys, and deal with the toddler’s sexy aunt, all before the biggest mob trial in Chicago history, set to begin in just three days.

I’m contracted for one more Julia Harper book, right now we don’t have a release date.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

EH: Who knows?

DC: Aside from your Maiden Lane series, anything else exciting on the horizon for Elizabeth Hoyt?

EH: Well, I’m writing and posting a free novella on my website this year. It’s called The Ice Princess and features a secondary character from the Princes Trilogy, Coral Smythe, the Aphrodite of Aphrodite’s Grotto. All the chapters to date are posted here.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?   – milk chocolate
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?    – chunky
- heels or flats?    – flats
- coffee or tea?    – either, depending on my mood
- summer or winter?    – winter
- mountains or beach?     – mountains
- mustard or mayonnaise?   – both
- flowers or candy?    – flowers
- pockets or purse?     – purse
- Pepsi or Coke?    – Pepsi
- ebook or print?   – large print print book

And just because:

1. What is your favorite word?    – I’m a writer, I have an infinite number of favorite words. But I’ll go with serendipity.
2. What is your least favorite word?    – Squat. Isn’t that just the ugliest sounding word?
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – I get excited by other people’s creativity and talent. A really well written, smart movie, for example, ramps up my own creativity.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?    – people who are jerks
5. What sound or noise do you love?   – crickets at night
6. What sound or noise do you hate?   – revving motors.
7. What is your favorite curse word?   – fuck
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?     – None. I’m very, very happy with what I do for a living.
9. What profession would you not like to do?   – Anything that involves a boss
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?   – “You’ve done well.”

DC: Elizabeth, we’re so glad you joined us today!  Thank you!

LauraJ’s review of How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holquist
Contemporary Romance released by Grand Central 4 Aug 09

I rely heavily on blurbs on the back of books to get me hooked on a story. This is an author that I have been told by many I should try because I would probably like her books and I do have several of her older books on my TBR shelf. So with those recommendations and from the blurb on the back of the book I decided I should give this book a try. The premise was intriguing so I figured, why not.

When I start reading a book, I can usually figure out whether or not I’m going to like it by the end of the first chapter, but even if it’s not totally captured my attention after the first chapter then I will try to read a bit more. After the first chapter, I almost gave up. I tend to like my stories with more dialogue or at least a good balance of dialogue to go along with the plotting and the inner thoughts of the characters.

This story, in the beginning, to me spent to much time in the characters minds (especially the heroine‘s). I like knowing what the characters are thinking, but I want them to interact with the other characters as well and in this first chapter, I didn’t get this. But I thought I’m going to give it a bit more. I was intrigued by a couple of the characters and I didn’t want to give up on them too quickly.

The first character that caught my attention was the heroine’s grandmother, Granny Donny. When we first meet her, she is in a carriage, dressed in clothing like a duchess would have worn in the early 1800s. Suffering from what appears to be some sort of dementia, she meets Sam Carson, who is in the process of trying to dodge a former lover. She is convinced that Sam is a Duke and a will be a perfect match for her granddaughter the Princess. I absolutely loved her.

Sam Carson while a bit of a modern day rogue was very kind and respectful to Granny Donny and I think that is why I liked him so much. He didn’t treat her like she was crazy or weak-minded. He played along with her, but didn’t take advantage of it. Despite the outward appearance of being a player, he had a very kind and understanding heart, not to mention lots of patience with Ally when I’m not so sure she deserves it.

Ally took me some time to start to like and even by the end, I’m not too sure I really liked her all that much. I believe she was a smart woman, but lacked common sense. There seemed to be a lot of “what about me” or “what I am I going to do” moments with her. She was in the process of moving from the east coast to the west when “something went wrong” with Grandma Donny. Ally was so focused on her own “deadline” that through most of the story she looked like a spoiled brat. I don’t know if her “protecting” of Granny Donny was for Granny Donny’s benefit or for Ally’s inheritance. Ally does grow up a bit and redeems herself some towards the end of the story, but not enough for me to really start to like her.

Overall, I liked this story. I loved or liked most of the characters including Granny Donny‘s “coachman” Mateo who has his own secrets and Ally’s friend June, all of whom have to work to get Ally to wake up and get over her whiny-ness and realize it’s not all about Ally.

I also liked the premise of this story. Too many times these stories end up being time travel stories, which I don‘t like, but Ms. Holquist did a nice job of keeping this contemporary while adding in the historical side to it. I also think she a good job of writing Granny Donny’s character. Mental issues with the older generation today are becoming more prevalent, but still so many don’t want to acknowledge it and I thank Ms. Holquist for writing it so well.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Commitment-phobic Sam Carson has only dated model-gorgeous women. But one stolen kiss from a plain-Jane schoolteacher and he’s hell-bent on stripping away her floral dresses and teaching her the art of being bad. If only her good-girl ways didn’t make him want to be a better man…
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Ally Giordano is at the end of her rope. Her beloved grandmother actually believes that she’s living in her favorite romance novel in Regency England and Ally doesn’t have the heart to set her straight. But now Granny Donny’s last wish is for a retreat to the country and Ally can’t refuse her…until she demands that Sam accompany them. And though his smiles turn her knees into jelly, Ally knows better than to trust a playboy…and she definitely knows better than to try to change one. Or does she?
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Read an excerpt here.

 LauraJ’s review of Flirting With Temptation by Kelley St. John
Contemporary Romance released by Forever 1 Feb 09

If I keep having luck with books from authors I haven’t read before but have on my tbr shelf, I’m going to clear away a lot of unread books. This is the second book I’ve read in a week that I’ve coming saying “Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t read anything by her yet”. I guess I need to come out from under my rock more often, huh.

This was a fun story that I read through very quickly thanks to great pacing and such fun characters. The heroine, Babette kind of reminded me of, well, me. I don’t think I’ve quite decided what I want to be when I grow up, I change my hair color frequently, and back in the day, I changed boyfriends to match my hair color – not the changing of boyfriends anymore since I’ve long outgrown that and met “The One” – much like Babette does. Luckily for her, Babette does discover that she has a talent for repairing broken relationships and opens a business selling her self as the Love Doctor. The business is going well and her track record is 100% until a new client walks in, one who can help Babette’s business grow quickly and in a big way if she is successful and wants her to repair a broken relationship with the client’s former fiancé who also happens to be Babette’s ex-boyfriend (of sorts), Jeff.

After making a few changes and with some encouragement from her Grandmother – Granny Gert tells her numerous times that Babette needs to get some gumption and go after what she wants – Babette heads to Florida to approach Jeff and convince him to talk to his ex-fiancé. Jeff is still a bit bitter by not only his recent break-up, but also his break-up with Babette. To him all women have wandering eyes and he wants nothing to do with either of these two woman from his recent past. Something that is very understandable when you learn how the break-ups occur.

Jeff is still attracted to Babette (as she is to him) but still tries to resist. He offers her a proposal, one he is sure will get rid of both women for good. He tells Babette that if she can make it one week without flirting then he will talk to his ex-fiancé with no promises of reconciliation (because there won’t be any). Determined to be successful himself with getting rid of both women, Jeff tries his best to set Babette up to fail. The problem is Jeff is failing miserably at resisting Babette who in return is doing quite well at resisting the urge to flirt.

The hero and heroine in this story are great and I loved their easy, sexy banter. But it was the secondary characters that gave me lots of laughs. From Babette’s Grandmother who is having Babette track down an old friend she has her eye on to the senior citizens in the retirement community next to Jeff’s condo, they added so much to the story. They show that it doesn’t matter what age are, you can still be young at heart.

There is another book previous to this one featuring Babette’s sister Clarise who appears in this one, but this book can easily stand alone unless you are one of those sticklers who has to read books in order. I’ll be going back to read that one as well as checking out he rest of Ms. St. John’s backlist. Can’t wait for more and next time I won’t be waiting as long to pick them up to read.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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She’s playing it cool.
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Wild child Babette Robinson doesn’t do relationships, but she does have a knack for helping other people with theirs. When she opens her own match-mending business and dubs herself “The Love Doctor”, she becomes the biggest name in Birmingham, She even attracts teh attention of socialite Kitty Carelle, who hires her to fix her broken engagement to Jeff Eubanks-Babette’s ex!
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He’s turning up the heat.
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Three years ago, Jeff and Babette’s chemistry was off the charts, but though she basked in his sexy charm and wicked with, she couldn’t commit to a deeper relationship. Convinced that all women have wandering eyes, Jeff issues a challenge: He’ll do as Babette asks and talk to Kitty, if Babette abstains from all flirting for one whole week. With Jeff doing his best to make her melt in his arms, will this sassy vamp be able to save her business? And after tempting nights, will she want to give up the man she once tossed away.
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of How to Score by Robin Wells
Contemporary romance released by Grand Central 1 Jun 09

To take a break from the historicals Sybil gave me, I got this one. I’d read Wells’ Between the Sheets, though this is in no way a sequel or connected. While series can be fun to see characters grow over a few books, meeting new characters and being in different settings is great from time to time from an author. There are some slapstick moments and some of the funnah, so those of you who like a cute comedy, I’m sure you’ll be interested in this one.

FBI Special Agent Chase Jones is helping his brother Luke Jones while Luke is in Witness Protection. Luke is a life coach, but Chase thinks the people that seek the services of a life coach just need to get a life and not be babied. When Sammi Matthews calls Chase hears her story, but her sexy voice makes him want to see her in person. When he goes for an early morning run to get a glimpse of Sammi he gets tangled up due to Sammi’s dog (literally) and is very attracted to Sammi.

Sammi’s luck with men has been non-existent in the recent past and she seeks the help of Luke to coach her through her tendency to maim her dates. Though she likes talking to Luke and getting his advice, Chase keeps sending her mixed signals and that doesn’t help her self-esteem much. Taking a risk in her personal life is as hard as taking a risk in her professional life as she’s having a hard time in her new job against the woman she’s replacing.

As Chase keeps getting tangled in Sammi’s life, both as “Luke” and himself he has a harder and harder time living the double life. But when someone is out to get his brother, even though he’s in Witness Protection, Chase worries that Sammi may get into the line of fire.

Sammi was kind of a contradiction. She was confident in many parts of her life and went after things she wanted, like the Art Deco house she lived in in Tulsa, but when it came to standing up to her boss about her treatment she backed away. Things for her were worse in her dating life as she’s given one date a black eye and another a cracked rib. She feels insecure about herself after dating a jerk of a guy she caught cheating on her and she hadn’t had worthwhile men before that. There is the idea of the behind closed doors people are different, but if she can do things like organize a protest about her house, couldn’t she be more confident in her dating life?

Chase was a good hero, though. While it’s not feasible to me that an FBI agent would be so open about his cases, especially if he mainly worked organized crime cases, he is a very good guy. Growing up with an abusive father, Chase basically raised his brother as well as becoming a reliable agent and someone loyal to all his friends. He’s got a very high standard of the type of woman that he wants to be with and no one so far has lived up to it. When Sammi fits his criteria plus much more he doesn’t know what to do about it since he’s lying to her so much.

While it took a bit too long for me to see Chase come clean, he at least is practical about it and knows he’s got to suffer the consequences to get Sammi to be with him. Sammi also overcomes many of her preconceptions about gun-toting law enforcement types really fast while still having her insecurities about herself, which didn’t really ring very true to her character.

Overall though it’s a cute read, especially with Sammi’s dog Joe, her sister Chloe, Chase’s partner Paul and his wife Melanie, the client Horace and his mother issues and the growth of Sammi’s boss Arlene Arnett and her landlord Walter Landry. This is a good beach or poolside read, or even a car trip read, as I read it in a morning in the car on a trip to Florida.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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HER LIFE COACH
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Museum curator Sammi Matthews isn’t just in a dating slump, she’s putting men on the injured list. After giving one date a black eye and cracking another’s rib, Sammi decides she needs professional help. Enter life coach Luke Jones, who advises Sammi on how to overcome her klutziness. And their phone sessions work! Sammi soon meets a sexy FBI agent who seems to know just what she needs.
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IS CHANGING HER LIFE
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When his brother Luke goes into federal protection, FBI Special Agent Chase Jones agrees to cover for him. Then Sammi’s hot voice sizzles down the line, and the usual “phone only” rule is out. With “Luke” coaching her by day, and Chase dating her by night, Sammi’s confidence soars, along with her appeal. Chase falls hard, but how will Sammi feel if and when he comes clean? Chase would rather she break all his bones than risk breaking her heart.
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IN WAYS SHE’S NEVER IMAGINED!
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Read an excerpt.

This just in…

Elizabeth Hoyt just announced she has signed a three-book deal for a new series!

~ The new deal was made about a month ago with her publisher, Grand Central Publishing, for the three books to be published in 2010 and 2011.

~ Elizabeth is currently working on the first book, Wicked Intentions, in the series, which is entitled Maiden Lane.

~ The hero of Wicked Intentions is Lazarus Huntington, Lord Caire, an emotionless aristocrat searching for the murderer of his mistress. To find the murderer Caire needs the help of Temperance Dews, a proper widow who runs a foundling home in St. Giles. But neither Temperance or Caire are quite what they seem on the surface…

~ Keep checking Elizabeth’s site for more information as it becomes available!

Consider yourself flashed.

Lawson’s review of To Beguile a Beast (Legend of the Four Soldiers, Book 3) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical romance released by Grand Central 19 May 09

This is the third book in Hoyt’s Legend of the Four Soldiers series, about survivors of a massacre during the Seven Year’s War (that would be the French and Indian War to the Americans). The first book followed a colonist acting as a scout, the second followed one of the officers, and this one follows a civilian botanist attached to the unit. All of the survivors have scars from the massacre, but Sir Alistair Munroe has the most physical scars (hence the Beast in the title). A common story that ties all the books together is the search for a possible traitor that betrayed the unit to the French and the Indians that perpetrated the massacre.

The book starts off in Scotland with Helen Fitzwilliam and her children coming to a castle in the middle of a storm. When Sir Alistair sees a woman and two children on his doorstep he attempts to send them away since he doesn’t often inspire good first impressions from people due to his scars. Nor does he want more people around that will intrude on his solitude and possibly disturb his work. Having given up on society, Sir Alistair instead has devoted his time to cataloging the different species in the British Isles.

Helen hopes that the castle is remote enough that her former lover won’t find her and her children. Though Sir Alistair is gruff at first, Helen stands her ground and makes a deal for her children and her to stay. Though she’s had a pampered life, Helen takes to the task of being Sir Alistair’s housekeeper with determination and starts the tough task of cleaning the messy castle as well as reorganizing his life to accommodate having more people around on a daily basis.

When Helen’s past finds her hiding place and puts her as well as her children in danger, Alistair must face society which tends to run screaming at the sight of his scars. Helen also has to face what is truly important in her life and how much she can let her past make her future.

Sir Alistair has become all too used to people’s reactions to his appearance, which is why he hides in his castle, even from his own sister. He never thinks that a woman as beautiful as Helen would want to be with him and the way she slowly shows him her attraction to him and gets past his fears due to his appearance are sweet and sexy. With Helen managing his household, Alistair is able to work and feel contented and happy with his life. Especially with her children.

Helen chose her path in life and while she doesn’t regret that it gave her two children, she does miss some things. That she has to do things she never thought she would as a housekeeper, she feels rewarded caring for a home, her children and very quickly Alistair. With her experience in life she’s a bit hesitant to give in to her feelings for Alistair, but because she opens her heart it allows him to open his.

As with other Hoyt books, there is a fairy tale, though it does have a bit of a twist that fits with the story rather well. The interesting thing in this story is the addition, at times, of the point of view of the children as well as the villain of the story. The resolution with the villain is interesting and creative and though it works with the story, it’s hard to see someone such as he not thinking in the long term and while satisfying, went a bit against the coldness of the character.

A good, sweet, touching and quite sexy beauty and the beast story and an interesting way to take the traitor plot line that runs through the books of the series, which sets up an interesting possibility for the next installment in this series. The next book comes out in November, and it’s one that I’ll keep a lookout for.

Grade: B

Summary:
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CAN A WOUNDED BEAST . . .
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Reclusive Sir Alistair Munroe has hidden in his castle ever since returning from the Colonies, scarred inside and out. But when a mysterious beauty arrives at his door, the passions he’s kept suppressed for years begin to awaken.
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TRUST A BEAUTY WITH A PAST . . .
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Running from past mistakes has taken legendary beauty Helen Fitzwilliam from the luxury of the ton to a crumbling Scottish castle . . . and a job as a housekeeper. Yet Helen is determined to start a new life and she won’t let dust-or a beast of a man-scare her away.
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TO TAME HIS MOST SECRET DESIRES?
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Beneath Helen’s beautiful façade, Alistair finds a courageous and sensual woman. A woman who doesn’t back away from his surliness-or his scars. But just as he begins to believe in true love, Helen’s secret past threatens to tear them apart. Now both Beast and Beauty must fight for the one thing neither believed they could ever find–a happy ever after.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore
Historical romance released by Forever 1 Jun 09

I remember reading a story a bit like this one a long time ago. The name of the book and the author have escaped my memory, but I remember that it centered around a man who had been involved in the Napoleonic wars and was coming home. The twist was he had hit his head, had amnesia and it was years later and he had been given up for dead. There is that same storyline in Haymore’s story, but there’s so much more. This story also includes a love triangle and of course a choice that has to be made.

Garrett James and his cousin Tristan James have always been in love with Sophie. The three of them grew up together and since Garrett was older, Tristan walked away from his love for Sophie and married another woman. Tragedy befalls the friends, however, when Garrett goes to Waterloo with his unit and he doesn’t return. Eight years later he has been declared dead and Tristan and Sophie are now married. Tristan, being Garrett’s heir, has assumed his title, Duke of Calton, and both have gone on with their life without Garrett.

When Garrett suddenly returns there are a number of legal questions surrounding who Sophie is married to and both men want to fight to keep her. Things don’t go smoothly for there’s a horrible scandal, not only with Garrett’s return and both men fighting to be Sophie’s husband, but there are rumors that Garrett is not the man he once was and Sophie’s being abused by Garrett. Not only must Sophie now choose which man will have her heart but also she must protect her family from those out to destroy everything she holds dear.

Sophie is a beautiful heroine, inside and out. She doesn’t want to make a choice between her two friends and husbands and she’s always been the peacemaker. She wants the decision be something that everyone can live with and have no animosity between the three of them. While Garrett was gone Sophie had to become a strong, independent woman, which Tristan helped her with and their friendship blossomed into love while Garrett was gone. When Garrett returns he’s been mentally, emotionally and physically scarred by the war and she senses that he has changed as well and perhaps he’s not the man she remembers.

Tristan is a caring, intelligent man. Though he couldn’t have Sophie, he married another woman who gave him a child, but she died in childbirth and Tristan, though sad, knew he could make Sophie his. He’s an alpha male, but more of the strong, quiet type, being subtle in what he does and running things smoothly from behind the scenes. When Garrett appears suddenly he’s very angry that Sophie is being taken away from him, but he never stoops to the level of using the rumors about Garrett’s behavior and mental state for his own gain.

Garrett is another type of alpha. He’s a tall, broad man who is used to grabbing what he wants and taking it. When his memory returns and he returns to England to be the duke again, he feels betrayed by both his wife who is now married to his best friend, and his best friend who took everything his life was. Garrett is a bit of a bully because he doesn’t remember how to behave as the duke and is confused by his new life. Everything has changed in his absence and he doesn’t know how to handle anything.

These three points of view throughout the story tell of how people grow and change throughout their lives and the choices aren’t always the easiest and can hurt people. One must make those choices though, or else no one would get on with their life after tragedy. The interactions between the three of them are also real, emotional and show that someday they could all be close again, even after Sophie’s choice (hah, yep, Sophie makes a choice!).

The villain of this book is also one of the scariest I’ve read in awhile as he’s devious, sly, and his machinations are so subtle and mean that he fools so many people for so long and eventually. . .well I can’t say more, or it’ll be spoiled. Needless to say that his plans play into the emotion of the rest of the story. The only thing that I didn’t like was the gullibility of Garrett when it came to the villain and his unwillingness to trust the people from his past. However, given his trauma with the war and shock when he comes home to see his wife and best friend and his confusion from loosing his memory, it is understandable that he’d be in a state where he misplaces his trust.

There are some really good risks that Haymore takes with the characters and it all pays off in the end and makes for a great book. If you haven’t read it yet, you need to go and get this book ASAP. And Haymore’s next historical will be about the man that Sophie doesn’t choose, so I’m going to be waiting for that one.

Grade: A-

CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE…

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his best friend and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul…until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands-and his wife.

TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS…

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game-where the stakes are not only love…but life and death.

Read an excerpt

Welcome once again to Duck Chat!

Today Lisa Renee Jones is here to give us the scoop on her latest releases in her Knights of White series and just to have some fun with y’all!  Lisa’s Silhouette Nocturne series started with The Beast Within back in 2007, followed by Beast of Desire and Beast of Darkness in 2008. May 1 saw the release of Captive of the Beast and Demon Seduction, which is a Nocturne Bite. And, of course, Lisa has a wonderful backlist of both print and ebooks published by Pocket, Berkley, Kensington, and Ellora’s Cave to choose for your reading pleasure. Lisa sold her staffing agency when she decided she wanted to follow her dream of becoming an author and she’s not looked back once. She currently lives in New York with her husband, who has had a big impact on her writing.

Be sure to ask Lisa a question or leave a meaningful comment – she’s going to be spending the day with us and she’s giving away five – FIVE! – copies of Captive of the Beast and one copy of Hard and Fast, a contemporary by Blaze.

Now without further adieu, let’s chat with Lisa!

DUCK CHAT: You have two releases in May, both part of your Knights of White series. Let’s talk about the series as a whole first. For our readers who aren’t familiar with the series, can you give us some background on it, where the idea came from and how it’s evolved since you started it?

LISA RENEE JONES: The entire Knights of White series is based upon the Texas Legend of Matamoros Monsters, aka Demons. You can find that legend at Knights of White website. I was taking a trip with my DH to Brownsville – he has a son in Mexico so we drove down to the border to pick him up. To get there we had to drive through King Ranch, which is miles and miles and miles long. This place is a small city. That ranch inspired the ranch that is the Knights’ home in the series. The legend, of course, is the Knights themselves. I’d already had a vague idea for the series but it was based on vampires. There were so many vampire stories out there, so when DH started telling me the story of the Matamoros Beasts/Monsters, I knew that was my series.

King Ranch is an amazing place with guided tours!

The main shift in this series since I began writing it has been in the growth of the heroes – they are gaining new powers and growing stronger. Which is a good thing because the main villain, Adrian, has decided rather than destroying humanity, he wants to take it over.

I won’t have any more Knight stories for quite some time because I’ve been writing the stories for my new Faith Winter pen name. But there will be more Knights!

DC: If you could retire any question and never, ever have it asked again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it.

LRJ: I don’t really have a question I want to retire. Of course, as a writer every time someone hears you are an author, they tell you they have always wanted to write book or they have tried. My DH and I just share a little smile at that. I hate the reaction to romance, though. Many times, men mostly, sneer at that. It’s very frustrating. I had a close male business associate from my corporate days that did this to me. Sometimes I wonder why sex and love are sneered at but murder and bloody brutality are thumbs up to these people.

DC: I’ve heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?

LRJ: All the time. I just wrote a synopsis for my second Grand Central book and it was long and detailed. I believe the beginning will be exactly as planned. About halfway through. though, the characters led me places that impact plot and things shift. I find I go to bed at night and have no idea what is next and wake up knowing exactly where I am going.

DC: Captive of the Beast is the next Nocturne in the series, featuring Rhinehart and his heroine. Has it been difficult coming up with stories as you go along in the series? Tell us about Rhinehart’s story.

You know, amazingly with the Knights, it has not been difficult to come up with storylines. I think the reason for that is they are all ultimately about good vs evil. There is a message of faith in each story. The ideas themselves come easily because they feel like life to me. Life is all about an internal struggle with that concept. What is right and what is wrong? That is what each story ultimately comes down to. Will we be judged to have lived a good life? Forgiven our mistakes? Plotting to make the story interesting but tight enough to fit the Nocturne shorter word count has been a challenge. I absolutely loved writing my first Grand Central and having that extra 25k to work with.

The great thing about Captive is that Wolverine is out this month. I couldn’t believe the storyline when I went to the movie. It is SO like Captive! The similarities are amazing! An island. Mad military leader. Young kids with powers! WOW! Blew me away! Rinehart is my Wolverine in the book. Great movie too! Loved it! I can’t wait for Star Trek.

Yay! An excerpt from Captive of the Beast:

Dr. Laura Johnson had a secret. She was different, able to manipulate objects with her mind, able to read people’s emotions, and sense danger and tragedy before they became reality.

Her parents had always thought that hiding her abilities was for the best. They’d warned her that there were people who would be greedy and power hungry, people who would be enticed to misuse the power behind her secret. And now, fifteen years later, both her parents having passed on, she still remembered their words, understood them, lived the truth they held.

Hiding those abilities had become second nature. In fact, her research exposed her to others like herself, people with similar gifts, and still she remained silent. She knew it was the right choice. Pretending to be no different than everyone else around her was as much a part of each day as brushing her teeth and having morning coffee with her favorite vanilla creamer. Sometimes she even convinced herself it was true, that she was like everyone else.

Staring out the window of the government lab off the Texas coast where she’d been working the past two years, she watched the ocean crash against the rocks of the secluded island facility. It was eight in the morning, and she’d been up well before sunrise, unable to sleep. Every nerve ending in her body was raw, frazzled, and she didn’t know why. Her instincts screamed with warnings, with a promise of danger. With the promise of her secret exposed.

She struggled with why she was feeling such a thing. She had felt unease for a while now, ever since Captain Walch had taken over the island’s operations six months before. The man wasn’t a good person. Not even close. He’d use her patients for the wrong things with a snap of the fingers; in fact, several times now he’d hinted at the power that duplicating their skills could wield. But Walch wasn’t the cause of this uneasiness. Her instincts tingled with a warning like nothing she’d ever experienced before. The word malice leapt into her mind as if part of some warning system that her instincts had set off. And considering her instincts were uniquely accurate, she trusted them.

Behind her, the lab door opened and closed, and Laura turned to find her favorite patient, a firestarter named Kresley, walking toward her. With red hair several shades lighter than Laura’s dark auburn coloring, Kresley drew fast attention whenever she walked into a room. Her striking blue eyes and waiflike figure reminded Laura of a sea nymph from a fairy tale.

Kresley was the only patient Laura had brought with her to the island. Now a woman of twenty, the young girl had become close to Laura’s heart. After Kresley’s parents had turned away from her, treating her as if she were a freak, Laura had taken her into her home.

“What in the world are you doing up so early?” Laura asked, knowing how fitfully Kresley slept most nights.

Kresley smiled. “I had a bad dream last night.”

In her present state of unease, Laura wouldn’t have thought she could laugh, but she did. “Most people don’t smile over a bad dream, you know, but since the alarms in your room didn’t go off, I assume that can mean only one thing.”

“Yep,” Kresley said, nodding. “I had a nightmare and didn’t start a fire. I’m controlling my power even in my sleep.”

“Wonderful!” Laura said. She moved forward and hugged Kresley, pleased she’d called her firestarting ability a power rather than a curse, as she often did. Maybe it was hypocritical, considering how she felt about her own abilities, but Laura had grown up with something that had given her the confidence these kids didn’ t have— parents who loved her, parents who made sure she knew she mattered and, although she had to be secretive about her powers, she was special to them.

While working for the University of Texas, Laura had discovered the genetic marker that created certain people’s gifts, or powers. Once that discovery had been published, she’d been invited to the island to help a group of people with problems similar to Kresley’s— they couldn’t control their powers. And now, two years later, Laura had finally found the missing piece of the puzzle and created a retrovirus correction. Thankfully, it appeared to be working.

Laura had inherited four other patients when she’d come to the island, all kept locked away like animals. They were prisoners because they lacked control over their gifts. She suspected they would all love a little trip off the island.

She was starting to tell Kresley this wish when the door opened, and Captain Walch appeared in the entryway. Tall, with a muscular build and dark hair, Walch wore stiffly pressed, army-green dress pants and a white button-down shirt sturdy enough to display medals. His dark hair was cut short, his cheekbones were high and sharp, his nose long and pointed. As usual, his face was emotionless, even militant. Except for his eyes—they raked over Laura with a lusty inspection.

His gaze narrowed on Kresley and then refocused on Laura. “We need to talk,” he said.

Obviously he wasn’t keen on small talk on Kresley’s behalf. Not that he ever was. “Alone,” he added.

Laura turned to Kresley. “I’ll meet you in the coffee shop in a few minutes.”

Kresley hesitated, protectiveness flashing in her blue eyes. The two of them were close, and Kresley knew how much Laura hated being alone with Walch. “It’s okay,” Laura assured her. “I’ll only be a few minutes.” Kresley nodded and headed for the door, never glancing at Walch again.

Laura crossed her arms in front of her body, wishing for her lab coat—anything to cover her black dress. Not that the simple shell of a dress was anything but conservative, but Walch had a way of making her feel naked.

The door shut behind Kresley before either of them spoke. “You seem edgy, Laura,” Walch commented. “Something on your mind?”

Laura felt more than edgy—she felt defensive for no good reason. “Actually, yes,” she said, forcing herself to seize the opportunity. She knew Walch: he’d make whatever point he had come there to make and then dart away. She needed to be aggressive. “I think it’s time to test the patients’ control. A trip off the island would allow me to see how they respond to real-world stimulations.”

His response came fast—too fast, in fact. “You’re feeling good about your progress, then?”

Why did this feel like a trick question? “It’s moving along well,” she agreed cautiously, “but they still need regular injections to maintain the corrections I’ve made.”

“There won’t be a trip right now. Not anytime soon, for that matter. I have a team of researchers joining you later this week. They’ve shown me enough documentation to convince me they can clone your patients’ gifts in others. As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, the military finds this concept intriguing. More than intriguing—it’s an absolute necessity. This will happen. We expect it to happen.”

She drew in a surprised breath. Visitors? A research team? No wonder she was on edge. “I didn’t sign up for this. That’s not what I’m here for.”

He seemed unaffected by her response, in fact, was prepared for it. “If you want to continue receiving the funding and resources to complete your work, you’ll make this happen.”

“Is that a threat?” she demanded.

“Call it what you want, but we both know this is the next logical step in your work. We need to do this before someone else does. Our men must be the most deadly, the most well equipped.”

“By creating weapons of war,” she said. “I won’t do it. I came to help these people, not to fight wars. That’s your job, not mine.”

“You came here because you wanted our money and resources. You have all the resources you could dream of here and a chance to be a part of changing the world. Fix them while you help us. Think about what the next step in your research can mean to the future. It’s not about creating war—it’s about eliminating it.” His expression turned intense, emotion actually evident for once—emotion laced with hunger and greed. “When one opponent is the strongest, the others don’t fight. They don’t dare. You will be creating peace.”

She stared at him, swallowing hard. He was different from before. Darker. Evil seemed to cling to him, a second skin. She could feel it, primal, potent.

She had to get off this island. She would come back for her patients, but if she didn’t leave they might all be stuck here. Despite her fears, her voice was low but firm. “I’ve overstayed my welcome here. I want to go home.” He took a step toward her. Instinctively, she backed up. Already close to the window, her heels hit the baseboard. Her hands went to her sides, pressing against the ceiling-to-floor glass panels behind her.

“You have a job to do, and I suggest you accept that,” he said. He stood so close to her that the toes of his shoes were almost touching her sandals. “You will welcome your new research team with open arms, and you will eagerly aid their efforts.” He paused, his eyes lowering to her lips, lingering there before lifting. “And you will do so because it’s in the best interests of both you and your patients.”

“What does that mean?” she asked, fear fluttering in her stomach. It was fear for her patients, and fear because there was more going on here than she understood and she wished she knew what.

“It means that you are being monitored, Laura. You always have been. Anything you do that might interfere with our goals will be penalized. If you value the safety of your patients, then I’d stay on task.” He leaned in, his body far too near, his mouth brushing her earlobe. “And remember…I’ll be close.” He eased back and looked into her eyes. “And I’ll be watching.”

For the first time since she was a teen, Laura fought the rise of her powers, fought the desire to use them against this man. No… Beast. The word came to her clearly. He was a power-hungry Beast. Her adrenaline raged, her nerve endings stood on end. With effort she reined in the rush of energy, drew in a discreet, calming breath.

“Fine,” she said. “I’ll do it. I’ll help clone the marker.”

He smiled, evil. “That’s my girl.” His finger ran down her cheek, and she shivered with repulsion. A second later, he stepped away from her, and Laura felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders. “Your new research team will be here Friday morning,” he said. “I trust you’ll be ready for them.”

She glared at him, not agreeing, not daring to disagree. She couldn’t say or do anything until she knew what her next step would be. But as he exited the room, giving her one more lust-filled look over his shoulder, she knew one thing for certain. She had no intention of doing what he demanded. Somehow, some way, she was going to get off this island, and she was taking her patients with her. Their own powers were resources they themselves could put to use for escape if it came down to it. But she’d need to stockpile their medication first and plan carefully.

Then, they were out of here. One way or another, they were getting off this island.

Rinehart stepped onto the sandy beach of his island destination, after a long night on a boat spent, in part, blindfolded. Behind him several military police officers followed, one of them informing him their ride would be there shortly.

Only these soldiers weren’t men. Not anymore. They were Beasts in human disguises. Beasts that reeked of evil. The hardest part of the trip had been not killing them. No. That wasn’t true. The hardest part was thinking about his past, about the time he’d spent in the military and then the FBI. About the night he’d led his men on a mission deep into Mexico, his mind distracted by personal matters, by a woman, to be exact—a matter that should have been left at home. His team had fallen that night, ambushed by Beasts. He’d failed his men and his country. Why Salvador had saved him, converted him to a Knight of White, he didn’t know. Still didn’t. But when he’d finally pulled himself out of the self-hatred that day had created, he’d vowed to both himself and Salvador he would never fail the Knights.

Max, Rock, Des and their newest Knight, Lucan, joined him on the beachfront, reminding him of that vow. He had a damn good team who had worked miracles to get them here today. “My skin is crawling from being so near those bastards,” Des murmured under his breath, touching the arrowhead necklace he wore around his neck as a reminder of his Native American mother. Something he did often in troubled times.

“I hear ya, man,” Rinehart said. “We can’t get this job done fast enough to suit me.”

Rock came up on the other side of Rinehart. Like the rest of them, he wore khakis and a collar shirt. Gone was his standard attire of jeans, T-shirt and cowboy hat. But the more conservative clothing did nothing to contain his impetuous youth. “Remind me why I can’t take their heads right now,” he said.

Rinehart shook his head; that statement spoke worlds about why Rinehart kept Rock attached to his hip. If anyone were going to beat Rock’s ass, it would be him. “You gotta learn some patience, kid,” Max said, joining them, egging on Rock with the kid reference. They all knew he hated it.

DC: Do you ever argue with your characters while you’re writing? Who usually wins?

LRJ: No, but sometimes they seem to know more than me. I’ll hit a spot where they just won’t talk to me and I can’t make word count. I always know I am going the wrong direction and that is the hold up. It’s frustrating, but, once the words come again, I always understand why I was stalled.

DC: What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?

LRJ: A new DVD of Brothers and Sisters. I am currently obsessed with that show. I love Rob Lowe. I try to stick to only watching while on my exercise bike, but it’s better to think about my story than watch the DVD.

DC: You also have a Nocturne Bite, Demon Seduction, that released the same day as Captive of the Beast. This is also a Knights of White book. Please tell us about Marcus and his story.

LRJ: Marcus is a long lost, dark Knight who was born with magic. Without his mate he is fast turning into a demon. But his magic is needed to destroy a dangerous Sorcerer joining forces with the demon world. Black magic will tempt him, though. One woman will save him.

Blurb for Demon Seduction:

As a human, he was bitten by a demon, his soul stripped. As a demon, he was saved by an Angel, his soul returned to join the elite demon fighters, The Knights of White. Born into the gift of magic, Marcus Alexander is a rare breed of Knight of White, centuries old, the stain of that demon bite like acid eating away the good in his soul, leaving nothing but evil—his only salvation the elusive perfect soul mate. He is deadly to the demon world, able to kill them with far more than a sword, his magic immense, his ability growing stronger—and darker. Fearful of the day he will turn on his fellow Knights, he long ago sought solitude, vowing to destroy as many demons as he could before seeking death to save his soul. Now he is ‘The Destroyer’—alone—evil hunting evil.

Cathy Baker is a member of the Knights of White, a rare human, who like Marcus, is gifted with magic, and enlisted in the fight against the underworld. Bravely, she will face a powerful sorcerer intent on merging his magic with that of the master of the demons. But she is no match for the black magic she is facing and soon finds herself near death, in the care of the legendary ‘Destroyer’. Cathy soon learns that Marcus has a rare grasp and control over black magic, but he is so near the darkness, is susceptible to the black magic the enemy is using against him. Now, Cathy must pull him back into the light, save his soul and her own in the process—before the enemy destroys humanity.

DC: How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?

LRJ: I started out writing straight contemporary with a light voice. I have a Blaze coming out in December – a fun, light story that is back to my roots. I LOVED writing that story and hope to do more like it VERY soon. The story is Santa Baby and my heroine gets into a lot of mishaps despite being a well pulled together career woman. She is funny and down to earth. Her hero is a rich Clooney kind of guy who is swept off his feet quite unexpectedly. No demon lurking beneath his surface. Just a real man who learns to love. I enjoyed the departure from the dark side. I love the chance to switch between genres. It keeps things fresh for me.

DC: Is there a genre you haven’t tackled but would like to try?

LRJ: I write across genres so no, not really. I do have an Urban Fantasy proposal (which is new to me) I am working on with a male lead that will be under a new pen name. I love this idea and can’t wait to get it ready to present. It’s been a time issue more than anything holding me back.

DC: Later this year you have a novella in the Wrapped in Seduction anthology that also features Cathryn Fox and Jodi Lynn Copeland. Can you give us a sneak peek in to your contribution to the book?

LRJ: This was such a fun story/book to write. It’s very Brothers and Sisters in tone. Yes, I’m obsessed with that show! The stories are linked by the family connection as everyone comes home for Christmas and craziness erupts, but there is a sexy romance for each novella as well. VERY SEXY. We also have a family story that starts with novella one, which is mine, and progresses with each novella. This family story impacts each character/story and ties each novella together. I think it’s very unique that way. I love my hero and his brothers in this story and my heroine is a lawyer turned best selling author with writer’s block.

DC: What advice would you give to your younger self?

LRJ: To follow my dreams. I let years go by where I lived 80-hour weeks and high stress was the norm. Success convinced me my dreams were about success not substance.

DC: If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?

LRJ: I was a corporate executive. I owned a large staffing agency in three states. I am so much happier now.

DC: What’s your favorite book?

LRJ: Too many to list! I have so many I adore for so many different reasons and I read across genres. Loving the Moning Urban Fantasy series right now.

DC: What else is on the horizon for Lisa Renee Jones?

LRJ: I have a new pen name as Faith Winter for Grand Central – The series is the ‘RENEGADE’ series and the first two books are Sinful Pleasures and Sinful Desires. This is about a group of Super Soldiers created from Area 51 experiments and split between good and evil. The first book is May 2010. I will have a website up soon at faith-winter.com

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?  — Anything chocolate does me quite perfectly!
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?  –Chunky on a bagel
- heels or flats?   — I spent so many years in heels running through airports, so give me my flats!
- coffee or tea? — white mocha Starbucks – I’m addicted – I need intervention
- summer or winter?  — Having left Texas for New York, that is a debate I am still trying to work through. I love the beautiful snow but the cold is an adjustment. Still, I hated getting in my car in Texas and needing a towel to touch the steering wheel!
- mountains or beach? — Both! I love them both. And now I live by the beach. I laugh when I go to a store and there are seagulls in the parking lot. It reminds me I am minutes from the beach and need to get out of the house!
- mustard or mayonnaise? — Mustard – mayo is WAY too fattening. I save my calories for chocolate and white mochas. You know, stuff with substance.
- flowers or candy?  –  I can look out my window and see amazing flowers in Long Island—it’s beautiful. So I’ll take the chocolate.
- pockets or purse?   — Purse for sure! I’m very girly. I like purse and pink. I think I like pink because of my conservative work days where black was a staple.
- Pepsi or Coke?   — Green tea but I’d take Coke over Pepsi. I just don’t drink soda.
- ebook or print?  — Print or audio. Loving audio! So great for housework, jogging, driving!

Because we just like these questions:

1. What is your favorite word?   — Love
2. What is your least favorite word?    — Hate
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?   — My family
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?     — The internet distraction
5. What sound or noise do you love?    — Ocean waves
6. What sound or noise do you hate?     — The law people who always show up while I am in deep concentration like NOW!
7. What is your favorite curse word?    — You can’t live in New York without the word FOCK becoming familiar in a laughable way!
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?    — Been there, done that. Stick with where I am now.
9. What profession would you not like to do?    — What I already did – corporate executive
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?   — “Relax PLEASE!”

DC: Thank you, Lisa, for spending the day with us. It was a pleasure!

Sandy M’s review of Lone Rider by Lauren Bach
Romantic Suspense released by Grand Central 1 Nov 01

Wow, talk about someone disappearing off the face of the planet. I had no idea Ms. Bach hadn’t written a book since 2005 and no information is really available on her anymore on the Internet. Some friends mentioned her books to me, how well they liked her writing. So when I came across Lone Rider a couple of months ago, I set it out to read it, finally getting to it recently. Had no idea it would lead me into a search for author details that can’t be found.  UPDATE: Discovered from a commenter here that she is now writing as Cate Noble.

Which is really too bad because Ms. Bach is quite a storyteller. A gripping storyline, strong characters, and villainous scum kept the story moving at a nice pace. This is one of those nightmare stories when the heroine is minding her own business, needing help on the highway, and the next thing she knows she’s been kidnapped by a gang of badass killers. The initial man who stopped is the one who protects her when possible, keeps the real nasties away from her as much as he can. Her fear is palpable every time the ring leader and his arrogant second hand even look her way. What the reader finds out early, that he is an undercover FBI agent, is something Tess doesn’t know until much later in the story.

Dallas is caught in his own nightmare when he fails to remove Tess from the danger he’s brought to her. He can tell her who he is and put his mission in jeopardy or he can continue to protect her to save numerous young women whose lives hang in the balance. The fact he’s basically given up his own life over the last two years to infiltrate this gang is what saves them both for as long as possible. But when all hell breaks loose, Dallas knows he can really only trust himself to keep Tess safe until the trial that will set them both free.

This is a solid story of danger and a real hero who lives what he believes. He’s lost a lot in life as officers of the law do at times, so he wants to make what he has left count. Tess is one strong lady, keeping her head during the most frightening time of her life. She is confused and torn, though, when it comes to Dallas. She knows he’s protecting her but how can she let that matter when the man is a criminal.  Growing feelings for one another catch them off guard, but it’s also what helps keep them alive when they’re on the run in the second half of the book.

I look forward to reading more of Ms. Bach’s stories as I come across them in the TBR pile. This one was a pleasant surprise.

Grade: B

Summary:
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A woman in desperate need of rescue… A deserted stretch of highway, a young woman stranded in a fancy car, and the sound of motorcycles in the black night….Tess Marsh’s cross-country trip ends all too suddenly when Dallas Haynes finds her. From his sexy bedroom eyes to his black leather jacket and dusty jeans, he spells trouble, but so does the nasty-looking biker gang that surrounds them. Within minutes, Tess is on the back of Dallas’s Harley, and at the mercy of a man who breaks through all of her defenses and makes her want him — good or bad, right or wrong.
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An unlikely savior in leather and jeans… Dallas’s mission doesn’t need another complication, yet from the moment he sees her he wants her with a rough, hungry passion that can hurt them both. Claiming her and abducting her is the only way to protect her from the gang. Then all hell breaks loose, and Dallas and Tess are on the run with no place to hide – except in each other’s arms.
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No excerpt available.

Shannon C.‘s review of Don’t Tell by Karen Rose
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Grand Central 1 Jul 03

I knew that Karen Rose was likely to be an author I’d enjoy. Both Holly and Wendy have reviewed her books, and one of my good friends insisted that my not having read Karen Rose was a crime against nature. With persuasion like that, what could I do but take the plunge? I’m happy to report that Holly, Wendy, and my other friend were right. I need to be reading more by this author.

Caroline has made a new life for herself in Chicago, far away from Rob Winters, the bastard who abused her both physically and emotionally for years. She and her son are beginning to relax and think that maybe they can stop looking over their shoulders for Rob. Then Caroline’s carefully constructed and safe world is shattered when wounded history professor Max Hunter turns up on the scene. Now she finds herself wanting things she’s never wanted before. Can she trust Max with her secrets? Meanwhile, Rob Winters has discovered that his son is still alive. He will stop at nothing to get him back, including putting his bitch of a wife back in her place.

I spent a few months a couple of years ago volunteering at a local shelter for survivors of domestic abuse, which was something I really enjoyed doing, so I find books with abused woman plots oddly compelling. I’m always afraid the author will get something wrong. Needless to say, Ms. Rose knows what she’s talking about. Caroline’s experience mirrors those of some of the women I’ve spoken to, and her friend Dana is very true to life as a social worker and counsellor.

Caroline herself is a great heroine. She’s not perfect, but then, nobody in the book is, which is one of the things I liked. I liked that she kept her sense of humor, and I loved that she wasn’t just a weak little flower, constantly needing to be rescued. She was very vibrant and I connected with her. Caroline’s also got relationships with other people, which is something I wish I saw more often. I particularly loved her rapport with her best friend, Dana, who wasn’t just there to set her up with a man or be a sounding board. I believed in their friendship, which is all too rare sometimes. And, of course, Caroline’s relationship with her son rings true to life, too, and I loved that they were so devoted to each other without it all being saccharine.

Max doesn’t have the same demons Caroline does, but he’s definitely wrestling with some tough issues. I liked him a lot, and thought he was exactly the type of man that she needed. I also really loved his family, who all seem like great people, and I want them to adopt me. Naturally, then, I loved the romance between Max and Caroline.

This book is long, much longer than even most of the other romantic suspense stories I’ve read. There are lots of characters, all of whom have their part to play in the drama of Max and Caroline’s lives. I’ve mentioned Dana before, but the FBI agent, Stephen Thatcher, who is assigned to the case when it reopens, was equally compelling. In fact, I hope they are both featured in future books, because it would be nice to see them both get their HEA’s. And, of course, everyone from Caroline’s coworkers to her neighbors, and especially her son Tom and Max’s family are rendered as three-dimensional characters I could actually imagine encountering in real life.

But how was the suspense plot? It was very well executed. The reader is kept in Rob’s point of view several times, and I love how skillfully Ms. Rose ratchets up the tension as he comes closer and closer to discovering where Caroline is. Rob is definitely one of the creepier villains I’ve read about, if only for the fact that men like him exist in real life. There is no “Bwahahaha!  Fear my diabolical plan!” from him. He is angry and efficient, and damned good at getting what he wants. There were actually moments as I was reading where I gasped, cried out, or otherwise talked out loud to the book, which generally means something is being done right.

I also really loved that the ending wasn’t too pat. Ms. Rose deals with the fact that the characters have a lot to go through when all is said and done, some of which will leave scars. I appreciated that she didn’t sugar-coat things, but that she also left the book on a satisfying note.

I think romantic suspense is the hardest genre to do well. It’s certainly a pretty hard sell for me, despite the fact that I’m growing into quite the mystery reader. Ms. Rose has sold me on her work, and I can’t wait to read her other titles.

Grade: A-

Summary:
DON’T LOOK…

It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake . . .

DON’T TRUST . . .

Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he’s closing in on her— and everything and everyone she loves.

Read an excerpt.

Lawson’s Quick Quack Reviews of Three Contemporary Romances by Sherrill Bodine, Elizabeth Bevarly, and Candace Havens
All released Nov 08

I’m sure Sybil would much rather I did three full reviews of these books…  but I just can’t. Maybe it was the Thanksgiving Holiday, maybe it was the fact that I was drugged up while reading these due to some sort of cold, or maybe I’m just lazy and don’t want to.  But these three books had some of the same sorts of issues to me. Lumping them all together probably isn’t the best idea, as they really are three totally different sort of plots and settings, but they’re all in my head in one spot. That and I’ve got a headache from the cold’s hangover and I don’t want to look at a computer too long.

Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine
Contemporary Romance released by Grand Central Publishing 25 Nov 08

I don’t know what sort of market this was going for, but it kind of hits that 40-something, “Sex and the City”-loving, late edge baby boomer that may be a little dissatisfied with the 21st century so far. Or maybe that’s just cynical little me, I don’t know. Rebecca Covington has been demoted and sent to the Home and Food Section by her paper’s new owner after one too many blind items that expose someone that doesn’t want the attention.

Rebecca finds herself overly attracted to David Sumner, the new owner, and he feels the same. There’s some good sparks and sweet moments, but neither character seemed very fleshed out. The time spent to explain motivations with backstory was glossed over, but repeated over and over. Rebecca’s loved ones abandon her, David is still mourning his wife who died of cancer, but neither is expanded on enough to give any emotional depth to the characters.

There are some good secondary characters, who seemed a bit more fleshed out than Rebecca and David, and it is a sweet story, but there just wasn’t enough there to make a heartfelt story. It was rather like Entertainment Tonight: bombardment with the “Top Story” but when it comes in the last 5 minutes, the 2 minute story is just a fluff piece.

Grade: C-

Summary:

GOSSIP QUEEN DETHRONED!

Darlings, what a to-do at the Daily Mail today! After fifteen years as Chicago’s gossip guru, Rebecca Covington has been demoted from divulger of secrets for the city’s elite to headlining recipes in the Home and Food section. Apparently, a touchy senator is threatening legal action for Rebecca’s latest extramarital scoop. But Windy City rumor has it that new CEO and dreamy Pierce Brosnan look-alike David Sumner downgraded Rebecca in favor of fresher, younger blood on the social beat.

Industry insiders expect Rebecca to fight her denouement, and inquiring minds have already seen the feisty maven trading quips and searing glances wtih her arresting new boss. Rebecca swears she’ll reclaim her shining star status, but can the dishy diva even cook? And how can she ignore David’s arousing effect on her sensibilities?

Don’t miss a trick, darlings. Sparks are going to fly.

Read an excerpt.

Ready and Willing by Elizabeth Bevarly
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Sensation 4 Nov 08

I know this is the second book Bevarly has set in Louisville, KY during the time of the Kentucky Derby. It’s obviously something I should go see, just to say I’ve been. Audrey Magill is trying to make her living, moving from being an accountant to a milliner. The Derby is one place where that most likely would happen. She’s also a widow still grieving for her husband. When she’s sent on a mission to save the soul of a descendant of Silas Summerfield, the previous owner and ghost in her house, she doesn’t think it will work out, but she does it anyway.

Nathaniel Summerfield thinks she’s off her rocker, but starts to believe her when a couple of things happen. I don’t know if it was meant to be more suspenseful than it was, but there was no real threat to me of Nathaniel loosing his soul, other than him feeling cold all the time. Why Audrey was chosen for the job is never really addressed, aside from the fact that she bought the Summerfield house and Silas’ portrait. The chemistry between the two was pretty good and sexy, but the emotional connection never seemed to really take off.

The reason things never did seem to take off was the secondary storyline about Silas (yes, the ghost) and Audrey’s neighbor Cecilia. Every time things would get going in a good direction, Silas and Cecilia would have a scene and Cecilia’s issues would be brought forward and though they are important, the book was about Nathaniel and Audrey. They got shortchanged for a ghost and… well I can’t be mean about Cecilia, as it’s a sad story, but again, not her story.

Grade: C-

Summary:

When Audrey Magill stumbles onto a portrait of a 19th-century riverboat captain, she thinks it’ll be perfect for her new hat shop. She doesn’t expect to meet a ghost who insists Audrey must help save the soul of his great-great-however-many-greats grandson. Now in addition to scrambling to open her shop in time for the Kentucky Derby, she must convince a complete stranger that he’s in danger of losing his soul — and that everlasting love does exist.

No excerpt available.

The Demon King and I by Candace Havens
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Nov 08

The title of this book is a little silly, especially with the cover, but it was different than I expected. It’s set in Austin, mostly, and there are some definite girl-power vibes. The Caruthers family is part of a supernatural group that guard the Earth and other planets from the things that go bump in the night. It’s a bit complex, but it’s an interesting world that Havens has built and I wouldn’t mind some more trips there to follow the many Caruthers sisters and other family members.

What didn’t work was the first person. It was distracting from the rest of the story because there were times it seemed to go over into third person and the snap back to first. I don’t know really how to describe it, but this is one first person book that… perhaps it’s just trying to hard. The other thing that didn’t work was the love story. Arath, the titular Demon King, would appear out of nowhere for a short time, then disappear again. There didn’t seem to be a lot of time where Gillian and Arath spent any meaningful time together to form anything other than a lusting relationship.

I’d go back to the world of the Caruthers sisters though, as Alex (who gets her book next, I’m assuming) and maybe another sister get set up for their own stories.

Grade: C

Summary:

The Caruthers sisters are heiresses with privilege, wealth, beauty, and brains. But these party girls have something extra. As the Guardian Keys, possessors of an ancient family secret, they hold the fate of the world in their hands.

Gillian, the eldest, is a sensation in the art world— this world, that is. In her other world she’s the Assassin, a knockout who snuffs out dimension-jumpers who foul up her personal space. She never expected to join forces with one. But when a plague of murderous demons plunges the earth in darkness, she has no choice but to get a little help from a being who knows his stuff.

No excerpt available.

Lawson’s review of The Scarlet Spy (Merlin’s Maidens, Book 3) by Andrea Pickens
Historical romance released by Grand Central 1 Oct 08

The third in the Merlin’s Maidens series by Pickens follows the third and final roommate from the original three of Siena, Shannon and Sofia. Like her roommates, this is her first mission and she is desperate to prove herself to her superiors and show that her training has not been in vain. The difference in this mission is Sofia has been sent into London society, which of course, causes both some surprises, obstacles and challenges that Sofia shows she has been trained to face.

Sofia leaves the Academy to go to London to seek out a group of dissolute gentlemen who seem to have some sort of agenda that a Duke’s grandson uncovered, which lead to his murder. The information is sketchy at best, but Sofia is determined to follow leads and uncover the truth. To help lead her through society is Lord Deverill Osborne, called Lord Sunshine for his perennial cheerful nature and charm. Sofia is put off at first by Osborne, due to her attraction, but when she begins to focus on her case, she gets more than she bargained for.

Osborne is attracted to Sofia as well, but when she rebuffs and ignores him, as much as he tries, he can’t keep away from her. Playing hard to get worked well on Osborne, who is used to getting things easily. As he tries for Sofia’s attention, he also gets trapped in the web of intrigue in London Sofia is out to discover and stop the group in any way possible. Sofia discovers more about her past as well, which begins to jeopardize her view of what job she needs to do and how close she lets Osborne into her life.

Of the three Merlins, Sofia was always said to have the graceful demeanor and bearing which set her up to the secondary plot about her past. In general Sofia had no major issues, but then nothing about her really stood out either. Her story seemed like a given, even from the first book in the series, and though she and Osborne had some chemistry, it was like a sparkler rather than full blown fireworks.

Osborne was fairly typical in his attitude and lifestyle. The bored charmer who is interested in the small amount of intelligence work he does for the army and Sofia, when she does her hard to get routine. He takes things rather well, considering when the revelation comes about the villain it shows that he hasn’t learned as much as he should have. He at least isn’t afraid to seek out answers from Sofia and Linley, who is unknown to Osborne as Sofia’s superior.

This review is rather short, because the book was readable, there were no major problems with it, but it just didn’t stand out. I would read Andrea Pickens again, because I think she is growing as an author and I’d like to see where she goes next. This book, however, was well written enough, but just not enough emotion to make me want to reread it.

Grade: C

Summary:

They were once orphans from London’s roughest slums. Now they are stuidents of Mrs. Merlin’s Academy for Select Young Ladies, learning the techniques of spying and seduction. Bold, beautiful, and oh-so-dangerous, they are England’s ultimate secret weapons…

The most ladylike of “Merlin’s Maidens,” Sofia possesses a natural grace and grandeur to go along with her deadly arsenal of martial skills–which makes her the perfect choice for a dangerous assignment to investigate rumors of government corruption. She must spin through the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair and the sinister back alleys of the city in search of the truth. One misstep on her part could prove fatal as she works to unravel the tangled web of deceit…but keeping the sinfully sexy Deverill Osborne at arm’s length is a real test of her mettle.

Handsome, witty and charming, Osborne is the darling of the ton. So when he is asked by the Marquess of Lynsley to introduce a lovely young Italian contessa into Society, he is only too happy to oblige…however he soon has suspicions about the contessa. When he catches her stealing valuables from a gentleman’s study, should he believe the worst? Or should he trust the tantalizing murmur of her words…and the sultry, sensuous whispers of her body. To unmask the conspirators, Sofia and Osborne will overcome hidden dangers, including their own growing passion…which may be the most dangerous force of all.

Read an excerpt.

Duck Sauce Theater brings you…

A video of Brad Meltzer’s family and friends piling on to the less-than-favorable reviews of his latest book, The Book of Lies, released 2 Sep 08 by GCP.  Go have a look – it’s a hoot.

Makes me want to read the book just to see if those “real” reviewers know what the hell they’re talking about.  Anyone out there read the book yet?

The video is over there in the lower left of the Main TGTBTU Page.

Gwen’s review of Insatiable Desire (The Demonborn, Book 1) by Rita Herron
Contemporary paranormal romance released by GCP Forever 26 Aug 08

This is the first of a new series for Herron.  The next, Dark Hunger, comes out in 2009.  It’s about a man born of a demon and his fight to squelch his “bad blood” from a horribly abusive father.  It explores his irresistible and unwanted attraction to a local grief counselor (and resident psychic), Clarissa.   It’s part horror, part thriller, part paranormal romance, and I hated it. 

I don’t say that very often – hating a book – but I’m afraid this was one of them.  I heard from other people that Herron’s regencies are very good, though I haven’t read any that I recall.  I don’t doubt she’s a talented writer, it’s just none of that talent seemed to gel in this entry.  I trolled around, reading reviews of this book here and there, and the few I found were positive, so I seem to be in the minority.  I’m willing to concede that this book just wasn’t my cuppa tea, though I had a lot more problems with it than just “tea”.  A lot more than a typical “D” review, so I had to give it an F.

To begin with, the hero is not just an anti-hero, he’s not just tortured – he’s actually not a very nice person.  The first scene in the book is him screwing the daylights out of an anonymous woman and hating her and himself for it. Then, through most of the book, he fantasizes about screwing any warm hole he can find.  Thank goodness one of the holes happens to be the heroine.  However, just because he refrains (barely) from screwing another anonymous one, didn’t mean he didn’t come close.  Sorry – that’s a deal-breaker for me in a romance.

The heroine, Clarissa, is kind of a non-entity.  We’re not told much about her other than she’s a psychic from a family of psychics.  We know her mom committed suicide.  But that’s about it.  Clarissa knew the hero when they were children, and other than that, we know nothing about her.  I need more than that to identify with such an important character.

Because the hero is an ass and the heroine is underdeveloped, I totally didn’t believe in the love story.  For a variety of reasons – none of which are reasonable – the h/h spend most of the book actively avoiding each other.   They refrain so much that by the time they actually do come together, just when I should have been whooping it up glad for the union, I simply rolled my eyes.  The h/h sex was steamy but unsatisfactory – I didn’t feel the ‘lurve’.

The next problem I had was how graphic the horror elements were.  I like a good fright – LOVE thrillers like Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta novels – but Insatiable Desire goes just a step or two too far.  Herron gives us details about the murders and the poor victims (as spirits) that I, frankly, could have done without, so some of it seemed gratuitous.  I’m not a prude when it comes to blood and guts, but I like it to have a purpose.  All the overkill (heh) did was squick me out.

Adding insult to injury, I felt the paranormal elements were repetitive and unimaginative.   Those that were described were confusing – I couldn’t tell what it was that the hero was doing when he was supposedly using his powers.  These elements – Zion’s powers, Pan and his shenanigans, and the hero’s abilities – had me rolling my eyes.  A lot.  Again, I just didn’t believe in them or see their purpose.

The next problem I had was how obtuse several of the characters seemed to be, and, as a result, how slow the plot moved along. You know how when you’re watching one of the Halloween movies and you yell at the characters on the screen, “DON’T OPEN THAT DOOR!” Well, this book has a lot of that.  The characters kept trying to figure out who was committing all the murders and yet they seemed to dither around doing a lot of nothing.  There was no real crime solving, no real analysis.  Just a lot of shuttling from one location to another with seemingly no plan or purpose.  Suddenly one character would seem to show up at a location with no reason to be there.  It was odd and confusing.

And can I bring up one small thing that bugged me several times?  I couldn’t tell what kind of chairs people were sitting on.  Chairs in the Sheriff’s office, for example – they’re described as “cane back,” then I read “wood slatted.”  Which one were they?  And souldn’t they have been metal or plastic?  It’s a small thing, but it kept pulling me out of the story.

So, the character development was uneven, the story arcs confusing, the details weren’t well thought out, and a lot of eye-rolling at critical points.  All this adds up to a very bad grade from me.  I do wish it had been better.  I’m sending this book on to another reviewer – perhaps it will fit them more.  I’m willing to try Herron again, though I doubt it will be this series – maybe one of her historicals.

Grade: F

Summary:

CAN SHE DARE TO TRUST HER HEART

Plagued by graphic visions and the desperate cries of murder victims, psychic Clarissa King will do anything to stop the brutal killer targeting her hometown — even work alongside the dangerously sexy FBI agent who thinks she’s a fraud. He’s the one man who sparks a hunger she never imagined possible – and the one man she should fear…

WHEN HIS SOUL BELONGS TO THE DARK?

Vincent Valtrez knows how to get inside a serial killer’s mind. But with a dangerous past and a secret to keep, he wants nothing to do with this gorgeous psychic – especially since just the thought of her luscious body ignites a dark, irrepressible desire he’s determined to keep at bay. When the killer they seek turns out to be demonic and otherworldly, Vincent learns his connection to the murderer is more than just hunger and prey. Will the darkness inside Vincent claim him…or will he save Clarissa – and himself – from the evil that threatens them both?

Read an excerpt.

LauraJ’s review of Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves
Contemporary Romance released by Grand Central 1 Jun 08

If this book could have a theme song, it would be Carrie Underwood’s latest, “My Last Name.” Both are about two people who are in Las Vegas, spend the night drinking a bit too much, end up married, and then have to deal with the consequences the next morning.

This is one of those books that I looked at and thought, hmmm…sounds cute, I might like it. Well apparently Sybil thought I would and I have to admit that she was right. This was a really a cute book. I found myself laughing out loud several times, especially during the sex scenes.

Heather and Tony appear to be complete opposites. Heather is a straight-laced accountant, always plans things out. She likes things neat and orderly. Tony, on the other hand is always wanting to have a good time. He’s a bachelor and plans on staying that way. Until their celebration after winning a big jackpot in Vegas leads to a quickie Vegas wedding.

These two are really more alike than they outwardly appear. Both lacked confidence in themselves, acting like people expected them to act instead of how they wanted to be. Tony saw the wild girl in Heather struggling to break free and Heather saw Tony as a responsible, smart and capable of being a success. I love how they complimented and brought out the best in each other and how they saw the real person beneath what others expected of them.

I’m so glad I took the time to sit down and read this very enjoyable book. It was a pretty fast-paced book, but I never felt that it was rushed or I was missing part of the story. Once I started reading it, I found it hard to put down. The characters were fun. Heather’s family was nutty, but real and some of them will probably remind you of your own families.

I’m looking forward to more books by Ms. Graves and will be checking out some of her backlist books as well.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Accountant Heather Montgomery is a planner. So never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d run into sexy charmer Tony McCaffrey in Vegas, play lady luck, and celebrate his jackpot with a champagne-soaked night. And she certainly never expected to wake up the next morning married! How could this good girl pick a man whose fridge is empty and whose apartment is a disaster zone, yet still drives her so crazy with lust she can’t see straight?

Quickly hitched and happily ditched, Tony can’t wait to get back to his playboy ways. But when Heather’s family is thrilled that their no-nonsense daughter is finally in love, he proposes a plan: stay married for a month to repay his good luck charm, even though she sterilizes his toothbrush and forbids anything between the sheets. But Heather is more than he bargained for–a sharp-witted, passionate woman who just might turn his near miss into wedded bliss!

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Shannon C.’s review of To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical romance released by Grand Central 1 May 08

Somehow, despite the fact that everyone in the blogosphere absolutely adored Elizabeth Hoyt’s Prince trilogy, I had never read her until now. I’m so glad I chose to start here, because the story in To Taste Temptation is wonderful, with interesting, nuanced characters, a captivating plot, and a great love story.

I was mentioning in a discussion on a yahoo group I am on that one of the books I couldn’t finish recently was one involving an American heiress and an English rake. For some reason, that plot device struck me as totally cliched, even though I can’t recall actually having read any books with that premise. And yet I loved the idea of our hero, Samuel Hartley, being an American. Emeline Gordon, our heroine, on the other hand, does not. She finds him extremely gauche, what with his insistence on wearing moccasins and his tendency to flout the rules of polite society whenever he feels like it. And yet, she is intrigued enough to accept his request that she help introduce his sister, Rebecca, into society.

Sam is in England for other reasons entirely from that of introducing his sister to society. He is haunted by memories of the French and Indian war, when his regiment was attacked and slaughtered by Wyandott Indians. He ran from the battle, which has caused many people to consider him a coward and a deserter. He hasn’t answered those allegations until now, and now he wants to find the person he has reason to believe betrayed the regiment and bring them to justice so that he can put his own demons to rest.

I absolutely loved both Emeline and Sam. Sam in particular is the stronger character here, and Hoyt does a good job of portraying the horrors he goes through with his memories of war and what he does to combat his demons. My heart broke for him several times, and at the same time I was relieved that his angst didn’t cripple him.

Emeline is a good character, too, although I confess she didn’t quite work so well for me. I loved that she loved her son, (yet another happy, fulfilled widow YAY!), and when her own issues come out, they were completely understandable, but for a while there I really honestly didn’t get what Sam saw in her. She really had a stick up her arse through a large part of the book. But in the end, when Sam and Emeline come together, their passion is intense and explosive. Further, I believed in their HEA, because their dark moment before the end was fairly bleak and full of emotion.

I also liked the secondary characters. In particular, I loved the glimpses of Sam’s sister, Rebecca, and hope something comes of the crush she develops on a second character. I also really liked Emeline’s fiance. In most books he would have been a complete jackass, but here he was a great character, one I hope we see more of as the series progresses.

The story moves quickly, and I was engaged from first to last, and rooting for them all the way. I’m not entirely sure I was satisfied with the ending, because I wanted a full confession from the villain and not just an assurance that justice would be dealt with, but I suppose that’s where the next books in the series can pick up.

I am glad I decided to give Ms. Hoyt a try. This is definitely a series I will be following.

Grade: B+

     Summary: 

     EVEN THE MOST REFINED LADY
     Lady Emeline Gordon is the model of sophistication in London’s elite social circles, always fashionable and flawlessly appropriate. As such, she is the perfect chaperone for Rebecca, the young sister of a successful Boston businessman and former Colonial soldier.

     CRAVES AN UNTAMED MAN
     Samuel Hartley may be wealthy, but his manners are as uncivilized as the American wilderness he was raised in. Who wears moccasins to a grand ball? His arrogant disregard for propriety infuriates Emeline, even as his boldness excites her.

     TO RELEASE HER PASSION…
     But beneath Samuel’s rakish manner, he is haunted by tragedy. He has come to London to settle a score, not to fall in love. And as desperately as Emeline longs to feel this shameless man’s hands upon her, to taste those same lips he uses to tease her, she must restrain herself. She is not free. But some things are beyond a lady’s control…

      You can read an excerpt here.

Connie’s review of Don’t Let Go (SEALs Book 5) by Marliss Melton
Romantic Suspense from Forever Grand Central 15 Apr 08

If you are new to the author, Don’t Let Go is Book 5 in Melton’s Navy SEALs series and follows Next to Die.

When a Navy SEAL Solomon McGuire rescues heroine Jordan Bliss from Venezuela he makes her leave behind an orphan she has come to care for as her own. Later, Solomon regrets it when he finds his long lost son and reunites with him.

Jordan is determined to get Miguel back – no matter what. Solomon agrees to try and help her but she doesn’t trust him enough. The lack of trust between the two of them cause some very scary time they barely escape with their lives. There isn’t a lot of time spent on the relationship between Jordan and Solomon and in the end it feels under developed.

Since I am reading more for the suspense and less for the romance that was fine with me! I find myself really enjoying Marliss Melton’s novels and her SEALs. Good Read!

Grade: B

     DON’T GIVE UP.

     It’s love that keeps teacher Jordan Bliss up at night: the lost love for a Venezuelan orphan named Miguel…and the memory of a Navy SEAL tearing him from her arms. Now in the U.S. and longing for her child, Jordan vows to somehow, some way, bring Miguel home.

     DON’T LOOK BACK.

     To Navy SEAL Solomon McGuire, orders are orders. But the fierce passion in Jordan’s voice and the fire in her eyes when he separated her from her son haunt his dreams. Eager to make amends, Solomon promises to pull every string he can to find Miguel. Ony time will tell if Jordan can trust him and forgive him. One thing is certain: His desire for her is relentless and irresistible. And soon their indestructible love will be tested by a terrifying trap of violence…

     DON’T LET GO.

Finn’s review of Lord of the Night (Night Slayer, Book 4) by Robin T. Popp
Paranormal romance released by Grand Central Publishing 1 Dec 07

This Night Slayer book is about Kacie and Erik, a vampire slayer and the vampire who trained her. Kacie did not know that Erik was a vampire while he was training her and she has come to resent him. Kacie’s parents were killed by vampires and Erik vowed to her dying father that he would protect her.

Well Kacie comes back to town after a 3 year absence and gets blamed for killing Sedrick, Erik’s friend and Michael’s brother. Michael has vowed to kill Sedrick’s killer and now Erik must protect Kacie from his friend for over 400 years. Problem is that Kacie slowly loses her resentment of Erik and they fall in love.

The story is filled with a lot of fleeing from vampires bent on revenge and chupacabras. Yep, even chupacabras (and here I thought they were part of Hispanic lore not English)?!

I read romance novels for the story and for the sex. When a book doesn’t have a sex scene until page 226 out of 309 it doesn’t rate very well with me, and when it only has 1, well I tend to not look for that author again.

Lord of the Night was an action-adventure book, but Popp needs to add a little more spice.

Grade: C+

From the back cover:

     After vampires killed her parents, Kacie Renault devoted herself to becoming a vampire slayer.But now, desperate to begin a new life, Kacie decides to trade in her sword for a spreadsheet…only to be accused of murdering a powerful member of the undead.Suddenly this fierce woman is being hunted by a merciless clan–and one ruthless, seductive adversary she can’t resist.Erik Winslow is shocked to discover the slayer he trained has murdered his best friend.Now he must decide if he will avenge the death or stand against his fellow vampires to save a woman who defies–and captivates–him at every turn.But when she falls victim to a force more formidable than his own, Erik will taste a desire he can’t resist…and a hunger neither he nor Kacie can control.

     Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Lawson’s review of Wild Jinx by Sandra Hill
Contemporary romance released by Grand Central 1 Mar 08

There’s quite a bit of plot and set-up that happens in the first few chapters of Wild Jinx, it’s almost overwhelming. That and the overdone Cajun-isms and plays to the life on the bayou. Celine Arseneux, self proclaimed geek and investigative reporter is on assignment at a sex club. The night she’s there happens to be the night John LeDeux and his police force raid the club. The Dixie Mafia is going down, but John needs to go into hiding until the trial for his protection and Celine needs another scoop. Enter Jinx, Inc., a treasure hunting company searching for pirate gold in the bayou. And all of that is just the set-up for the rest of the story.

From there Celine and John dance around each other at the site of the supposed treasure, eventually succumbing to their chemistry and impulses. Eventually the deep dark secret that Celine is hiding from John comes out and all hell breaks loose. What is evident with the big revelation are two important character traits of Celine and John: she’s overly stubborn and protective and he just doesn’t want to grow up. Sure, he’s a cop, he’s independent, but he really just wants to have fun.

The other distracting thing in the story, besides the fast and vast set-up, is the large amount of secondary characters. This book ties together two different series with multiple books each and it got a little overwhelming after awhile. And they are all good, decent characters, but there’s just too much stereotyping, especially with the Cajun LeDeux clan. The members of Jinx Inc. all seem to be two or three things at once (example is Caleb Peachy, who obviously had his own love story earlier in the series, who is an ex-Amish Navy SEAL) and all of them start to grate.

Overblown characters and too many things going on distract from Celine and John, not that they seem to be great characters to start with. Oh, and when the author pimps one of her previous books in the one you’re reading (though the effect seems to be to tie the Jinx and the Cajun series together), it gives shades of unprofessionalism. And it just seems wrong.

Grade: D

Blurb:

HOT…
When reporter Celine Arseneaux entered The Playpen, a Baton Rouge club for men and women, she never expected John LeDeux to swagger up to her. Sure, the bayou’s notorious bad boy is pure sex on the hoof, but even with her expose on the line, Celine refuses to be a conquest left cryin’ in her crayfish–at least not again. Not for a man who doesn’t remember her!

BOTHERED…
Detective LeDeux has always been too hot to handle, but now he’s on fire as the cop who posed as a gigolo to bust the Dixie Mafia. Joining Tante Lulu’s treasure hunt seems a fine way to avoid the media ruckus–until Celine pursues
her story deep into the bayou, stoking John’s hazy memories of a sizzling night five years ago.

AND READY TO TAKE IT ALL OFF!
Lovers and pirates and gangsters–oh my! It’s another wild ride with Jinx, Inc., where trouble is no match for a cagey Cajun matchmaker…and passion conquers all.

 Needs to lose the Superman pose.  And he needs a haircut.

Or is that just me?

A Highlander Never Surrenders by Paula Quinn 

     Desire is the deadliest weapon of all . . .

     Defending Her Was His Duty
     Skilled with a sword and quick with her wit, Scottish rebel Claire Stuart cannot be tamed. And nothing can deter her from rescuing her beloved sister and saving them both from arranged marriages—not even the handsome Highlander who vows to protect Claire. His scorching gaze and fiery kiss bring her to the brink of surrender, but she belongs to no man . . .

     Seducing Her Would Be His Reward
     Graham Grant has had his share of lasses. But he has never met one as headstrong or as bonnie as Claire—or one with such desperate, dangerous plans. Helping her could betray his honor, his country, and more. Graham can’t claim her. Yet everything in him says: Take her, make her yours, teach her pleasure, and never let her go.

Check out an excerpt on her site!