LynneC’s review of Classified (Colby Series, Book 46) by Debra Webb
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Intrigue 4 Oct 11

I picked up a copy of this book on NetGalley, and I’m really not sure why Harlequin chose to put this book up. It’s part of a series, and although the couple in the story play out their romance here, such as it is, the story is most definitely an ongoing one and doesn’t make for a satisfying individual read.

The story concerns an agency and a mysterious person who is no doubt getting the last book of the series to himself. To find out more about him, one of the agency owners, Lucas Camp, asks his goddaughter, Casey Manning, to investigate. Casey doesn’t work for the Colby Agency, she’s a CIA agent currently on probation for reckless behaviour, so she’s free to go to Mexico. Although she doesn’t use her agency credentials or her agency issue weapons, I’d have thought the Agency wouldn’t have approved of this.

I can’t say I warmed to Casey, I’m afraid. She is irritating in her take-charge-I-know-best attitude, and she doesn’t listen when Levi makes some suggestions, just goes her own way. We are told this, but I ended up on the Agency’s side.

Unknown to Lucas, his wife, Victoria, asks agent Levi Stark to investigate the lead, too. I found Levi a sympathetic character, although if he’s supposed to be the character in a frankly strange pose on the cover, he loses some votes right there.

So we have a basic Big Misunderstanding. Casey and Levi hook up fairly early in the book, but they won’t tell each other who they work for, so the basic suspicion goes on through the whole book and irritated me somewhat. Because it is a bit contrived and sometimes matters and sometimes doesn’t.

The adventure takes them through Mexico and they end up in a luxury hotel room in Acapulco. Which they take because the view is just right to target their quarry. Not because there’s a nice big bed there, which they don’t use at all, btw.

The romance is patchy and consists of a bit of lusting and a couple of kisses. At the start of the book there is little sexual tension, barely an awareness of each other, and then in one scene about half way through, they suddenly go into full lust mode, staring at each other and fancying each other like crazy. There is no below the waist touching and they never get close to sharing a bed. The end of the story is sudden and unpersuasive, but I can’t go into it without spoilers. But if you are looking for hot, then forget it. It’s not here. There is an inconsistency that doesn’t convince me that these two are meant to be together. I know critics sometimes complain about sex in inappropriate circumstances in other romantic suspense books, but really, I’d prefer that to this passionless on and off romance.

The style is also more descriptive and “telling,” rather than expository and “showing.” Take this sentence:

“Casey bolted forward and whacked him on the head with the beer bottle in her hand. Glass shattered on the floor.”

That tells you what happened, but not what it felt like to hit the unfortunate man on the head, if the impact jarred her arm, or if the glass cut the man, if there was blood, if he shouted. It doesn’t take the reader into the action, it doesn’t make you feel as if you’re there, experiencing it alongside Casey. So I read this with a sense of dissociation, as if I were watching from a distance. Not good for a romance book.

Plus, only part of the story is told in this book. I was constantly aware, from the flood of backstory at the beginning to the unsatisfactory ending, that this is wrenched from a series and isn’t a standalone. But this story isn’t enough to make me hunt out the rest of the series and discover who the mystery man is because I didn’t care enough.

Grade:

Summary: C-

Colby Agency investigator Levi Stark had been prepared for the worst when his boss sent him to find her agency’s deadliest enemy. But deep undercover in a Mexican mining outpost, Levi met danger from the unlikeliest source—an unknown blonde spitfire on the same trail.Casey Manning had been secretly sent by Levi’s boss’s husband. The benched CIA agent trusted no one and worked alone…until she and Levi found themselves outmanned and outgunned. Around her sexy new partner, Casey had a feeling that protecting her identity—and her heart—would prove tougher than keeping them safe from the Colbys’ most wanted.…

No excerpt available.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s Duckies Do Series review of Mystery Men #3 through #5 by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense published by Harlequin Intrigue Feb 2011 – Sep 2011

I easily get distracted by The Shiny, which means when it comes to connected books, I inevitably fall behind.  I’ve really been enjoying HelenKay Dimon’s Mystery Men series for Harlequin Intrigue, likening them to action movies on paper with some mushy “love cooties” thrown in on the side.  Because of various shiny bits, however, I found myself faced with the final three books languishing on my e-reader.  Seemed like a good way to make myself feel productive was to bang out reading the final three in order.  So what have the final three uncoupled men in the qausi-governmental Recovery Project been up to?  Well, gee – what haven’t they?

Gunning For Trouble (Mystery Men #3)
February 2011

Caleb Mattern came to the Recovery Project after getting canned from his lab technician job.  His job was just to do the work, look at the facts.  But no, not good enough for Caleb, who also wanted to play crime-buster.  Going rogue got him fired, but it led him to Recovery – where he now works as their in-house science/medical/forensic guru.  With their boss, Rod, missing in action and a corruption scandal in the Witness Protection Program they’re trying to get to the bottom off, Caleb really doesn’t have time to deal with his ex-lover, Avery Walker, showing up on his doorstep.  Especially since she claims Rod sent her, and oh yeah, there are armed goons gunning for her.  Did I mention the bit about Avery being Caleb’s former boss?  The one that fired him from his last job?  Yeah, awkward.

What we have here is a straight-up reunion story, with some misunderstandings tossed in, and a bit of rescue fantasy thrown in for good measure.  Avery knows something about the WitSec corruption that could get her killed, and in fact some very bad men are trying to do just that.  Caleb is trying to keep her safe, but their past baggage is making things a bit complicated on a personal level.  The suspense here is handled well, with a definite thriller edge.  What didn’t work as well for me was the romance, mostly because Avery and Caleb seem to bicker a lot.  Right up until the bitter end.  Still, they do work past it, the bad guy problem at hand is dispatched, and the continuing mystery continues on….

Grade: B-

Summary:

When he was recruited by the Recovery Project, Caleb Mattern found a new lease on life. Tracking missing persons. Protecting witnesses. But even after stretching his muscles and becoming one of the company’s elite agents, he couldn’t leave his past behind. Avery Walters wouldn’t let him.

His former boss had also been his onetime lover, and now she’s burst back into his life with dangerous consequences. But settling old scores won’t be on the agenda—not yet! With the nation’s security depending on them to act appropriately, Caleb must pull off the most impossible assignment of his career. Now that Avery’s put her life in his hands, what will Caleb do with it?

Read an excerpt.

Locked And Loaded (Mystery Men #4)
August 2011

The WitSec scandal involves the exchange of cash for information on participants in the program.  Two women are already dead, and a third woman, Maddie Timmons, is on the hit list.  Recovery Project computer expert, Adam Wright, has been dispatched to West Virginia to keep an eye on her.  Moving in next door, eating pie at the diner where she works, and watching her every move gets to be mighty tempting though.  Even though this woman testified against a brutal drug-dealing ex and presumably was intimately involved in that business operation.  When bad guys come calling, Adam rides to the rescue, only to discover a woman who is pretty capable of trying to rescue herself.

What I really like about this story is that Maddie has a bit of a harder edge than the previous heroines.  She’s living in the WitSec program, which means she’s never idle, never rests, and always has a contingency plan.  Adam has sexy geek written all over him, and I’ll admit that I’m shallow enough that I actually swooned.  The ending here isn’t quite as tidy as in the other books, namely because Maddie being part of WitSec means she won’t be totally in the clear until after the resolution to that mystery.

Grade: B

Summary:

Nothing was as it seemed… Not even the protection Maddie Timmons was promised when she’d entered the Witness Security Program. One of her handlers was missing, the other had burned her, and now Maddie was at risk.

All that stood between her and certain death was one sexy stranger.

Deep undercover, Recovery Project agent Adam Wright vowed to keep Maddie safe from the leak at WitSec. But Adam wasn’t prepared for the confident woman he’d rescued, the sensuous lover who got under his skin. He could do nothing about her past being taken away, but he’d do anything to secure her future…even if it meant forsaking his own….

Read an excerpt.

The Big Guns (Mystery Men #5)
September 2011

Sela Andrews is the personal assistant to Trevor Walters, a very bad, very crooked man who is neck-deep in the WitSec corruption.  For that reason, the Recovery Project has been keeping an eye on her.  Well, not the whole team, just Zach Bachman.  An explosives expert, Zach is the strong, silent, borderline aloof member of the team with a haunted past and quiet disposition.  Admittedly though, watching Sela gets under his skin.  She’s sexy as hell, but rumor has it she’s boff’ing the boss.  And given Trevor’s activities, this doesn’t say good things about her.  However, when Sela is kidnapped, it’s up to Zach to save the day.  Which he does.  But not before there’s a lot of gun play, a lot of falling in love, the resolution to the WitSec corruption and missing Recovery Project boss, Rod.

I’ve read all five books in this series, and this one is my favorite.  Not only do we finally get the resolution to the overarching suspense, but the romance here is very strong.  Zach definitely fits the strong, silent type, is Alpha to the core, and definitely has a bit of a rescue complex.  He’s a good, solid man though, and Sela is a smart enough girl to weigh her options carefully.  Being Trevor’s assistant means she knows about Recovery, and doesn’t necessarily think of them as “the good guys” – but she’s smart enough to read the signs.  She’s smart enough to not constantly fight Zach when it becomes very apparent that he’s keeping her alive.  And she’s also smart enough to challenge him at every turn, confront him, and bring him emotionally to his knees.

Grade: B+

Summary:

When he saw his mark being kidnapped, Recovery Project agent Zach Bachman had no option but to rescue her. Even if it endangered his assignment. After weeks of watching Sela Andrews from afar, he was now trapped with the blonde beauty as her bodyguard.

Her brave protector relished the heat of gun battle but retreated from his own emotions. Sela learned that when, in the dead of night in a darkened safe house, the loner became her lover. Still, as her would-be killers closed in on them again, she had no choice but to put her life—and her heart—in the hands of her reluctant guardian.

Read an excerpt.

Harlequin Intrigue is a tricky line because it does put a bit more emphasis on the suspense than the romance.  For that reason, Insta-Lurve can creep into the books, which usually operates on a short timeline.  The final three books in this series are not immune to that.  However, Dimon writes this style of suspense so well, and the overarching mystery thread is interesting enough, that I’m willing to shut-up and enjoy the ride.  This has been a fun, exciting series, and here’s hoping for lots more Intrigues from Dimon.

Overall Grade: B

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Smokin’ Six-Shooter (Whitehorse Montana: The Corbetts, Book 4) by B.J. Daniels
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Intrigue 1 Dec 10

I read this book because I forgot to take with me one day the book I was reading at the time. For some reason this one was in my car, so it got chosen by default. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Harlequin or an Intrigue. I usually enjoy them, for the most part, when I indulge. I’d been wanting a good cowboy story for a while, and the title and cover piqued my interest, though I have to say the title really doesn’t describe anything that goes on in the book.

While I like the hero, Russell Corbett, and I enjoyed the fun he and the heroine have about the differences between his cowboy and her city girl, and while the mystery to be solved is intriguing, some parts of the story just seem to jump too fast at points. I kept thinking cuts had been made due to the restrictive word count authors have to deal with in category romance, and sometimes the story can suffer. This one doesn’t unduly suffer, it just seems disjointed at times.

I do like the mystery Dulcie walks into when she investigates property she’s inherited from a virtual stranger. Memories begin to return to her as more information comes to light and she finds her adoptive parents weren’t always truthful with her. While all of this is going on, we get another point of view from the local school teacher, who’s current lesson is teaching her students how to write a story. Included in the homework after each assignment is a detailed rendition of the ages-old murder that Dulcie is looking into. I know this POV is needed in the story, but I feel it’s used too much. It takes away from Russell and Dulcie and it is their romance and I want more of them together.

Ms. Daniels is good at misdirection and she does surprise me a little, after I thought I had the mystery all figured out. I enjoyed meeting the rest of the Corbett family and would like to read more in this series just for the fun they have.

My book sports this cover to the right, not the one at the top of this review. I know, like the one above, these are the new covers Harlequin has introduced, but I just don’t care for them like I do the older covers. Of course, the author has no say in this and it’s a done deal with every Harlequin line, so I guess I just have to accept it. I just prefer those older covers.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Russell Corbett was all cowboy and wasn’t about to let a lady lasso him! But Dulcie Hughes had him tied up in knots from the moment she nearly collided with his combine. She rode into town with her fancy rental car and city clothes to claim her secret inheritance. And neither tall tale nor handsome rancher would deter her from exposing a years-old cover-up at the Beaumont property. She expected to find answers, not fall in love. But like the threatening thunderhead on the horizon, the truth would come fast and fierce, and there would be no escaping the consequences.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Darkwood Manor by Jenna Ryan
Contemporary Gothic romance published by Harlequin Intrigue 01 Feb 11

One look at the cover art on Jenna Ryan’s latest Harlequin Intrigue and I was sunk.  Creepy mansion and waves crashing against a rocky shore have always been key signals to any romance reader worth her salt that we have a Gothic in our midst.  I have a major soft spot for these type of stories, so happily settled in for what I hoped would be a creepy atmospheric read.  Yeah, it didn’t really work out like that.

Isabella Ross has inherited Darkwood Manor from an ex-boyfriend who drove his vintage Corvette off a cliff near the spooky old place.  David wasn’t particularly close to any of his family, but Isabella is still a little surprised to be the new owner.  Her family in the hotel business, she’s driving to tiny Mystic Harbor to check it out with her cousin Katie to see if they can salvage the place as a boutique hotel.  Before you can say “spooky” – Katie disappears and Isabella gets warned off the property by Donovan Black.

Donovan is an FBI sharpshooter (well of course he is!) and a descendant of Darkwood’s original owner, a man who went mad and murdered his less-than-faithful wife.  Donovan warns Isabella off because his uncle swears something is afoot at the manor, and Donovan has never known the man to exaggerate.  However Isabella cannot be swayed.  She’s not going anywhere until she finds cousin Katie.

This story didn’t work for me on several levels.  First off, it’s possible that maybe I was having a slow day, but I found the writing a bit clunky in the first chapters.  However once I got an ear for it, I was rolling, until Katie goes missing.  This is where the book, and the characters, really stumble and never quite recover.  Isabella and Katie are almost like sisters.  They’re very close.  But when Katie goes missing, there’s no real sense of urgency.  Isabella leaves the manor (where her cousin vanished), drives into town, and talks to the local law who has fewer brains than Barney Fife and a lot less gumption.  No dialing 911 from the scene of the crime.  No calling the family to say Katie’s gone missing, or to even ask if they’ve heard from her.  And by this point she’s encountered Donovan, who she inexplicable trusts immediately despite him warning her off, because golly he’s so dreamy.  Her concern for cousin Katie seems to turn off and on as easily as a light-switch.  One moment she’s harassing the local law, the next she’s sucking face with Donovan and barely giving Katie a thought.

Donovan seems standard issue Mysterious Hero and never elevates himself past that.  His FBI background is never explored, other than he can make some phone calls and pull a few strings.  He fears he’ll be struck with “madness” because his family is “cursed.”  Yet when spooky things start happening at Darkwood he’s one of the few in town who dismisses the idea of his ancestor’s ghost haunting the place.

And I know shows like Ghost Hunters are popular (for reasons that escape me) – but everybody in this town believes in ghosts?  Really?  Have none of these people seen one episode of Scooby Doo?

The problem with Gothics is that they work a lot better as historicals than contemporaries.  In contemporaries you just expect people to be more “worldly” for a lack of a better word.  When Isabella runs up against the incompetent local law, there’s no going to the local media, no posting messages on Facebook or Twitter, no calling the state troopers.  Instead her answer is to snoop with Donovan and play kissie-face with him.

The resolution to the mystery is beyond thin, with an eye-rolling villain I’d expect out of a half-baked soap opera script.  The entire thing is just too easy, and smacks of convenience.  But the author does dot her i’s and cross her t’s – so at least I wasn’t left with any questions.

The romance itself is also pretty thin.  Donovan is just too much of a trope.  He lacks personality, and never really came to life for me.  Isabella is an OK girl, but one moment she’s haranguing the local law, and the next she’s wiping Katie from her mind to boink Donovan.  None of it really worked for me, and it’s a shame, because I love a good Gothic.

Grade: D

Summary:

An estate haunted by over a hundred years of tragedy—and Donovan Black stood at the heart of it. Like Darkwood Manor, Donovan was an utter mystery. An FBI sharpshooter who couldn’t break away from his past, he only wanted to make sure that history didn’t repeat itself—especially now that the manor had a lovely new owner.

Isabella Ross had either discovered the perfect vacation spot or her final resting place. Now her only hope for survival is a man who doesn’t want her around—a man she can’t seem to resist. But the secrets in his family’s attic threaten to consume them both, and something—or someone—won’t rest until the manor house is empty….

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Guns and the Girl Next Door (Mystery Men, Book 2) by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic Suspense published by Harlequin Intrigue 4 Jan 11

Get ready for one hell of a ride. HelenKay Dimon puts the gloves on, throws punches of action at readers one-two, one-two and never lets up until the bad guys are down and out. You have to hang onto your hats at the risk of being tossed out of the ring at the rate the action moves in this book. Fastfastfast. I held on for dear life and cheered every darned minute of it.

Holden Price is cooling his jets while his Recovery Project team is going through a congressional investigation, all thanks to a congressman who wants more power than he deserves. While fighting boredom waiting for the hearing results, his world is literally thrown for a loop when our heroine crashes a car through the front door of his secluded cabin, his very private sanctuary no one but his team knows about. Trying to figure the woman out and why she ended up in his living room takes a backseat to the mercenaries who are now closing in on them. More questions need to be asked of the sexy blonde, but first thing’s first. A top-notch secret escape to rival any Hollywood movie.

Scared witless and in shock, Mia Landers escapes her deranged boss by the skin of her teeth. Finding herself in the middle of Holden’s home seems to fit with the rest of the craziness she’s gone through this night. She’s even more surprised when she trusts Holden enough to follow directions to outmaneuver more men who want to kill her. Once they’re safe they find they have a common enemy and begin working on a way to make things right. But these bad guys have a way of infiltrating everything Holden and his men do. I think I was more frustrated than the men each time their efforts were blocked and they had to fight for their lives. Every time they turn around they’re having to re-plan and re-attack just to stay a step ahead of those evil-doers.

Amid all the action, what I also enjoy about this story is how Holden and Mia learn about each other as they escape danger time and time again. It’s done effortlessly and seamlessly. They both have issues to overcome, aside from the present danger, and as their attraction grows, so does their trust in each other. The romance, of course, is in the background, but I think that actually enhances those moments between these two when the time comes. Their loving is intense and raw, needed desperately by both. So if you’re a romance-aholic and need it front and center, still give this book a chance. It’s well worth the tone-down.

This is my first HelenKay Dimon book and it’s definitely not my last. I wish I’d read Under the Gun first just to have the feel of the series down, but I don’t feel I missed anything by not doing that. And there’s plenty of questions left open for the next book in the series, which is out later this year. I’m now addicted to these Mystery Men!

Grade: B+

Summary:

Before the recovery project was even up and running, its first case exploded on the scene.

Agent Holden Price didn’t have to go far to find his next case—it crashed right into his living room! Not only had the beautiful blonde lost control of her car, but if she was telling the truth, someone was also trying to kill her. As a recovery agent, he had an obligation to investigate. And he couldn’t deny that Mia Landers interested him more than she should.

Nothing made sense to Mia—especially not the attempt on her life. All she could do was trust Holden, the tall, dark and devastating agent who discovered that he and Mia had a common enemy…and a fierce attraction. But in order to act on it, they’d first have to come face-to-face with their darkest fears and a deadly revelation that might put their newfound love on the line.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Silent Night Stakeout by Kerry Connor
Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 12 Oct 2010

I cut my reading teeth on mystery novels, so it’s not surprising that when romantic suspense novels don’t work for me, it’s usually because I felt the author dropped the ball in the suspense department.  Happily, this is not the case with Kerry Connor’s latest.  A compelling suspense thread and a nice romance?  Christmas came early this year!

Regina Garrett is a criminal defense attorney looking forward to her upcoming Caribbean vacation.  She’s got one final meeting with a client, and then she’s outta there!  Jeremy Decker was arrested for burglary, but Regina was able to get the charges dropped, and Jeremy out of jail in time for Christmas.  So when he practically begs her for a meeting, she wonders what’s going on.  She never finds out.  Just as she’s given up on him showing up for the meeting, Regina discovers Jeremy’s lifeless body in the parking lot – with his throat cut.

Marcus Waters is the homicide detective who catches the call.  Like a lot of cops, Marcus has little use for defense attorneys, but one look at Regina and sparks fly.  He’s attracted to her, and doesn’t want to be.  For one thing, she’s got quite a reputation among the department and for another, she’s trying to horn in on his investigation.  Figuring it’s better to keep her close, Marcus allows her to help – only to quickly realize that the killer might now be gunning for her.

While I never felt that the author went into overly grisly details, the violent nature of the crime and the opening prologue succeed in hooking the reader.  I was invested, and rather quickly, in who would want to harm Jeremy, and the back story of his arrest.  The author keeps the suspects plentiful, twisting and turning the plot to an exciting finish that had me letting out an audible gasp.

The romance here is also quite nice.  Marcus isn’t wild about defense attorneys and Regina knows that not every cop on the planet is a “good” one.  However there’s no needless bickering, no jumping to conclusions, just two adults who act like…well…adults.  Their attraction is immediate, mutual, and a little unwelcome, at first.  As a couple, they work together nicely – both romantically and professional.

I did, however, have a few procedural bugaboos.  First, the reader has to be willing to roll with a cop who allows a criminal defense attorney, one personally tied to the victim, to ride shotgun.  Especially when the cop in question has a partner who never seems to do any actual partnering with him.  That guy’s sole purpose in this story is to be surly and disapproving.  It was like the author included a partner because she “had to” – but then dumped him to the sidelines knowing he would hinder the developing romance.  Couldn’t the guy have just been on vacation and never included in the story to begin with?

That aside, the suspense works well, the romance works well, and the whole thing ends on a nicely believable note.  There’s a short time frame here for the romance (a week) and the author wisely doesn’t try to shoe-horn in a marriage proposal or a heroine discovering she’s having triplets.  If anything, it sells me all the more on this story.  Yes, she defends accused criminals for a living and he’s a cop – but you know what?  I think these two crazy kids are going to make it work.

Grade: B

Summary:

All Regina Garrett wanted this holiday season was some R & R. What she got was mixed up in a murder investigation, and the personal protection of a very sexy homicide detective.…

Marcus Waters couldn’t help wondering just what Regina knew about the case that practically landed in her lap. But between her direct connection to the evidence he’d uncovered and the threats against her, Marcus also knew she needed his help if she was going to stay alive. Convincing her it’d be safest if he stayed on her couch, Marcus prepared for a string of sleepless nights.

As a cop, having Regina a few feet away was smart.

As a man, it was pure torture.

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Night Moves by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 08 Jun 2010

People who knock category romance tend to focus an awful lot on the word counts.  Stories apparently can’t be any good if they have small word counts, and the evil masterminds at Harlequin institute those word counts with the sole purpose of hamstringing authors ::eye roll::.  To which I say horse hooey.  Instead of fighting the word count, and looking at it as an excuse, the focus should be on authors who can deliver the goods while adhering to the format.  Authors who embrace it.  Oh, like say, HelenKay Dimon, whose second title for Harlequin Intrigue reads like it sprang from the pen of a seasoned category romance pro.

Dr. Maura Lindsey has always been a bit of a brainiac freak.  By her mid-teens she was in college, and now she’s conducting research with one of her personal idols.  However when the lab where she works literally blows up, and she sees her boss getting hustled into a dark SUV by two hired goons, she knows she’s in serious trouble.  Someone just tried to kill her!  And to top it off, it appears her boss was fudging around with their research findings.  She’s smart enough to know she needs help, which means turning to the one man she has a complicated, and embarrassing, past with.

Liam Anderson is a former undercover cop who left the force in disgrace and opened up his own private security firm.  He’s just spent time consoling his BFF, Dan Lindsey, who has gotten word that his baby sister, Maura, is dead.  After their shared embarrassing moment, Maura and Liam had done their best to avoid each other.  He had his life, and she buried herself in her career.  But that doesn’t mean Liam is unaffected by her “death.”  Then he arrives home to find the dead woman very much undead and lurking around his back yard.  Someone tried to kill her, she’s being set up to take the fall for the lab explosion, and hired goons are now after her.  Liam has no choice.  He can’t very well turn her out.  Nope, they’re going to work together to get the bottom of the whole sordid mess.

Night Moves is the kind of book that once you start it, you don’t put it down.  The action starts in the first chapter and keeps up a relentless pace until the finish line.  The author embraces the short format and essentially delivers a non-stop, fast-paced thriller, with no down time, no filler chapters, like an action movie using the written word instead of film.  The author also doesn’t make the mistake of keeping too much of her suspense thread under wraps.  She lays out enough bread crumbs to snag the reader, so that we sort of know what is going on, but we don’t have all the pieces in hand.  She holds just enough back to keep us flipping through the pages, keeping up with the frantic pace to the finish line.

The romance here isn’t quite as splashy as the suspense and action sequences, but it still works.  Intrigues are really tricky to write because the authors need to deliver on two fronts (suspense and romance).  A lot of times, it’s more believable when the characters already have a shared past and aren’t meeting each other “cold” in Chapter One.  That’s what Dimon does here.  Liam and Maura already know each other, so it allows the reader to jump right into their romance without missing a beat.  I also greatly appreciated that we get two intelligent characters who, because of their shared past and their respective brains, are quite good at reading each other and the dangerous situations they find themselves in.  No silly misunderstandings.  No too-stupid-to-live moments.  Just two characters working together and hashing out the suspense thread.

This is a good, strong, solid romantic suspense story that delivers a compelling cat-and-mouse style plot, two smart characters, and enough action sequences to keep the pages turning easily.  It was particularly inspired by all parties involved for this book to be released during the summer time.  It’s a worthy addition to any beach bag.

Grade: B

Summary:

Noticing suspicious activity at her lab, Maura Lindsey used her smarts to dig into the actions of her boss. But when an explosion rocked their offices, the brainy beauty realized she was in over her head. Luckily, she knew just the man—a handsome, tough and extremely qualified man—who could help. All she had to do was convince him to take the case.

Former undercover police officer Liam Anderson never had much time for his best friend’s baby sister, but when Maura showed up at his door claiming to be in trouble, he couldn’t just turn her away. And he couldn’t ignore the intriguing woman she had become. Liam intended to make sure that she stayed out of the line of fire…and stayed safe in his bed.

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Under The Gun by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 16 March 2010

Contrary to the popular opinion that they are paint-by-numbers and the authors can churn out a book in an afternoon, category romance is anything but easy to write.  I understand this, appreciate it, and it’s probably the reason why I don’t naturally gravitate towards Harlequin’s romantic suspense lines.  A Harlequin Romance just has to sell me on the romance.  A Harlequin Intrigue has to sell me on both romance and suspense.  All in a word count that’s about the size of a postage stamp.  Not an easy task, but one that HelenKay Dimon largely delivers in her first ever category novel.

Claire Samson is well and truly screwed, and not in a good way.  Accused of murdering her soon-to-be ex-husband, Claire does the one thing she shouldn’t have – she runs.  Completely alone, scared out of her mind, she turns to the one man she knows can help her.  The problem is, she’s not entirely sure he’ll be happy to see her, let alone believe a single word she has to say.

Luke Hathaway is a “recovery agent” working a case when he spies Claire on the security cameras.  He simply cannot believe it.  At one point they were deeply in love, and engaged to be married.  Then, out of the blue, she dumps his sorry butt and runs into the arms of the man she’s now accused of killing.  Luke is smart enough to realize that Claire is waltzing into his line of fire for one reason – she wants him to see her.  The question is, why?  Of course when people start shooting at them, it becomes pretty apparent, rather quickly, that there might be a bit more to the story of Claire’s dead husband.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Dimon and I’m already starting to notice a pattern – she writes really good heroes.  The kind of guys who act like “heroes.”  Good, strong men who don’t back down from a fight.  Luke fits that mold perfectly, and I loved the fact that he has a brain and uses it.  He doesn’t want to trust Claire, and has every reason not to.  However, when confronted with evidence against her that just doesn’t fit, and frankly isn’t all that logical, he admits it.  He doesn’t commit that all-too-common “hero” sin of thinking the heroine is a traitorous slut when she so obviously is not.

The author employs a cat-and-mouse-style plot that works exceedingly well within the confines of the Intrigue line.  Most of the cards are out on the table within the first couple of chapters, so the reader “knows” what’s going on.  Well, all of it except for the motive.  It’s that question of motive that keeps the pages turning, and leads to an action-packed read.

However, other aspects of this story did run on the thin side.  Namely, Luke’s top-secret job.  He’s described as a “recovery agent” – but isn’t with the police or FBI.  He’s also not CIA, Secret Service or Department of Justice.  I guess he’s like a private investigator or someone who works for a private security firm – but it’s all cloak and dagger, and quite….well, thin.  Plus, I’m not sure what exactly qualified him for this type of work.  He’s not ex-military.  He’s not ex-government.  He’s not an ex-cop.  Frankly, he could have been a bagger at the local grocery store.  It’s probably my mystery/suspense reading background talking here – but I needed more than just Hot Badass Guy With Supah-Secret Shadow-y Organization.

Then there’s the heroine, who is not the easiest chick to warm up to.  Her reasons for dumping Luke all those years ago are weak, but not totally incomprehensible.  What doesn’t make any sense is that she broke up with Luke because there were too many question marks surrounding him, and then she rushes into a marriage with the next guy who crosses her path?  A guy she didn’t really love?  A guy she doesn’t really “know?”  So question marks were good enough for the guy she didn’t love, but not good enough for the guy she did love?  I didn’t buy it.

Quibbles aside, I was entertained by this quick, page-turning read, that featured a believable good guy hero and an action-packed plot.  There’s also two hunky Alpha dog coworkers standing in the wings for future books.  I also ended up believing in this romance.  Oh sure, I had problems with Clare, but Luke carries the day, and by the end these two recognize that they do truly love each other.  Better yet?  They also recognize their history of communication problems.  Wow.  These two crazy kids just might make a go of it.

Grade: B-

Summary:

A good agent never lets the job become personal…

Who wanted her dead? That’s what Claire Samson wanted to know. On the run and alone, there was only one man she trusted to find her. Recovery agent Luke Hathaway was the best at locating and saving, and she needed the best if she wanted to live. But the handsome agent who promised salvation had some conditions of his own. If he were to help, she needed to stick close by his side. Very close. And the only thing more dangerous than her current situation was the way Luke made her feel. From the protective look in his green eyes, she could tell he felt the same. But every second that brought them closer together was also ticking toward an explosive confrontation that might tear them apart….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Coming June 8, 2010

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Pulling The Trigger (Kenner County Crime Unit Series) by Julie Miller
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 9 Jun 09

Harlequin is my last hold-out for impulse buys. Shorter page counts at a lower price make me more open to navigating uncharted waters. I’ve discovered a lot of great new-to-me writers this way, but I’ve also had my fair share of duds. While I would hardly classify Julie Miller’s latest as a dud, I must have been asleep at the wheel when I purchased it because I failed to notice the “Kenner County Crime Unit” series logo smack in the middle of the front cover. For those not familiar with the previous books in this multi-author series, the beginning of Pulling The Trigger is a bit of bumpy ride. However, those readers willing to stick with it will be rewarded with a page-turning cat-and-mouse style suspense story.

Joanna Rhodes left Kenner City, Colorado determined not to look back. Growing up on the reservation, with two parents chained to the nearest whiskey bottle, meant Joanna’s childhood was particularly harrowing. In order to survive, she had to get out. She’s since gotten herself an Ivy League education, through the grueling training at Quantico, and is now an FBI agent in Washington D.C. She’s also in line for a serious promotion, but in order to show her superiors that she’s got what it takes, she needs to return to Colorado and interview Sherman Watts. Watts has been linked to the murder of another FBI agent, and the Kenner City Crime Unit has been looking to nail him. Joanna wants to nail him to, but for entirely different reasons.

Joanna knew it wasn’t going to be easy confronting her past, but running into Ethan Bia again makes her trip home that much harder. Ethan was the boy she loved, and lost, breaking his heart when she fled Colorado. As much as she had to run away from home, Ethan could not leave it. He’s a part of the land, now working as a tracker for the KCCU after a couple tours in Afghanistan. He never forgot Joanna, and has his own guilt for the demise of their relationship. He was supposed to protect her, he failed, she left. And now she’s confronting her past in the form of Sherman Watts, a snake who is proving to be most elusive. Before the cops can haul him in for questioning, he takes off.

There’s quite a bit of series baggage here, and numerous characters to keep track of. The prologue drops the reader right in the middle of the series, and it’s a little confusing for those not in the know. That said, by the end of the first chapter, the author does a really good job getting the reader up to speed. Dead FBI agent, mob families, missing pile of money, and in the middle of it all is Sherman Watts. The author also seamlessly weaves in other elements that will be fodder for the next two books in the series.

The cat-and-mouse hunt for Sherman Watts keeps the pages turning, although I found the romance a little on the light side. It helps that Joanna and Ethan share a history together, but with so much series-baggage and so many secondary characters, there were times when I felt that they got lost in the shuffle. I also felt that there were more than a few holes in Joanna’s back story. Her history with Sherman Watts is particularly traumatic, that one has to wonder how she managed to make it past the FBI’s army of psychologists. Also, Ethan has been back in town for a while, living in the vicinity of Watts. I couldn’t understand why he hadn’t gone after Watts long before now, regardless of whether Joanna was in the picture of not. He doesn’t make Watts his personal mission until after Joanna is back in town, and given the severity of the man’s crimes, this didn’t ring true to me. Certainly Ethan is a stand-up guy, but he’s also the kind of Alpha dog who would rip someone’s throat out for messing with his woman. Never mind that it happened over 10 years ago.

For me this was just an OK read. I easily kept turning the pages, and found the suspense thread particularly fast-paced. That said, I don’t feel any sort of burning motivation to go back and read the other books in the series. Those already hooked will undoubtedly want to read this story, and pick up on the clues Miller leaves behind for future installments.

Grade: C+

Summary:
.
It had been more than ten years since tracker Ethan Bia had seen the woman who’d loved him and left him with no explanation. FBI agent Joanna Rhodes was as beautiful and secretive as ever, but insisted on keeping their past—and their passion—where it belonged. Ethan knew tracking an elusive killer through the mountains was their assignment, but his need for answers was as tempting as his urge to touch Joanna. Unfortunately, resisting both was crucial to surviving this mission. A mission that would determine how long Joanna stuck around once it was over….
.
Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Before we get to the winners, I want to thank Dana Marton for spending the day with us for our Duck Chat. And, of course, a thank you to our readers for dropping by and adding to all the fun we had. You guys are the best!

I used that handy-handy random number generator to pick the winners for copies of Dana’s RITA finalist, a Harlequin Intrigue, Tall, Dark & Lethal.

So now it’s time for that drumroll to announce our winners!

** Jenn Nixon (1)

** Jennet Looney (7)

** Pam P (11)

Congratulations, ladies!

Please send your snail mail address to lighthousetagger (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll send everything along to Dana to get your books on their way to you!

Welcome to Duck Chat!

Harlequin Intrigue author Dana Marton has made a name for herself by writing gripping, fast-paced international intrigue for her loyal readers. Recently her editor asked her to write a royalty-based romance series for Harlequin, and though she’d never written anything like that before, she found she was more than up to the challenge. The first two books in the series are under her belt, and on top of everything, she’s been nominated for a RITA this year.

Read on to discover more about this intriguing author. Be sure to leave a meaningful comment because Dana will be giving away several copies, the number to be determined by Dana later, of her RITA finalist, Tall, Dark and Lethal.

Now let’s chat!

DUCK CHAT: Let’s talk first about your Rita nomination. Congratulations! Your Harlequin Intrigue Talk, Dark and Lethal received the nod this year. Tell us everything, from “the call” to the dress and everything in between.

DANA MARTON: This was the first time that I got the Rita call, so I was super excited. I laughed, I cried, I danced around my office, and I pretty much called everyone I know. The family took me out for a champagne dinner that night. I still smile every time I think about it. When I got the pin, I wore it everywhere I went! Not that anyone knew what it meant, LOL. I’m still in Europe, probably for another year, so I’m not attending the conference and the ceremony, but friends will broadcast it to me via cell phone! Do I have the best friends or what?

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

DM: Where do you get your ideas?

It’s an unanswerable question, kind of like where the wind comes from. Everywhere. I’m a writer. Just about everything I look at makes me think: Oh, wouldn’t that make an interesting story? And I so LOVE every idea at first. But eventually, I do gain some perspective and I’m able to separate the wheat from the chaff.

DC: Tall, Dark and Lethal was released this past December. Please tell our readers about Cade Palmer and Bailey Preston and their story.

DM: Cade and Bailey have a very tumultuous relationship. They’re neighbors, sharing a suburban duplex, and they can’t stand each other. And that’s before Cade’s old enemies catch up with him from his secret operative days and blow the house up. Before they know it, they’re on the run, hiding out in a one-bed shack and forced to trust each other to stay alive.

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?

DM: Mostly my heroines. I always plan big romantic rescues by the hero, but just as often, the heroine ends up saving herself, and the hero to boot! LOL I suppose I write strong heroines. But many of my heroes are tough commando guys, so they’re a perfect match.

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

DM: The character always wins. It’s her/his story. I’m getting better at listening to them. Saves me a lot of rewrites. Characters can be very pesky people. When I get fed up, I daydream about writing short stories about dogs. But then I think of our beagle and figure she’d totally take control of any story I wrote about her. So far this week she “took control” of the swing, the berry bush, a blanket that fell off the clothes line…

DC: Your Secret Designation Defense Unit series is a hit with readers. Tell us how this series evolved and what to expect in the future.

DM: Actually, I don’t have any SDDU books planned right now. But I’m willing to return to those guys if readers write to me. I’m all about making the reader happy.

DC: I’ve read gardening is a passion of yours and you have a huge garden. How did this passion start and give us a writer’s description of your garden.

DM: I love flowers. Looking at a flower is like a meditation. I’ve never seen a plant I didn’t like and didn’t want to plant in my yard. As with writing, I’m not much of a planner when it comes to gardening either. I kind of fly by the seat of my pants. So we have bushes that have been moved three times now. I walk through the garden and think, “Wouldn’t this look so much better over there?” It drives my husband crazy! For some reason, he thinks once you plant a tree or a bush, you’re supposed to leave it in place. I don’t know where he got that from. I’m into continuous improvement.

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

DM: Email. I have four email addresses. Just in the official danamarton@danamarton.com inbox, I have more than 1000 unread messages right now. I get completely overwhelmed at times. I envy writers who have admin assistants.

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?

DM: I think both my male and female characters have gotten more layered over the years. As my writing skills improve, I am able to show more facets of a person. So many things come together to create our personalities. I’m fascinated by that. Cade, for example, had been a rough and tough soldier. Yet, he craves peace and to be done with the killing. In Tall, Dark and Lethal, he is on a mission of revenge, but at the end, we find out that it’s not about him. (Can’t say more on that or I’ll give away the plot.) But the point is, he’s a three-dimensional character, someone I can see as my own neighbor. (Minus any homes exploding, preferably.)

DC: Your latest book is Saved by the Monarch, which is on sale at Amazon.com as of today, is the first book in your Defending the Crown series. Tell our readers the idea behind the series and also about the hero and heroine, Miklos and Judi.

DM: Oh, I’m just so in love with my princes!!! The Defending the Crown series is about six royal brothers in a small European kingdom. The enemies of the crown are trying to break the monarchy even at the risk of breaking the country apart. And these princes will do everything to save their country and protect their people. Prince Miklos even decides to “sacrifice” himself in an arranged marriage.

And the heroine… Well, try to put yourself into her shoes…

Picture yourself going on a much-needed European vacation to the country of your ancestors. You’re getting off the airplane, and the red carpet is odd, but not alarming. Except, the hot guy in the fancy uniform waiting at the end, in front of a line of guards, is not head of security.
.
He is a prince.
.
Now try not to let your chin drop when he tells you that your parents had promised him your hand in marriage before they died –when you were still a child.
.
He whisks you away in the royal ceremonial limousine before you can get your bearings. And by the time you manage to tell him that under no circumstances will you be entering an arranged marriage with a stranger, you are both kidnapped by anti-monarchy rebels.
.
You don’t know the country’s politics, you don’t know the lay of the land, you don’t speak the local dialects. You only have one chance for survival: you must trust your life to the prince.
.
Forget kissing frogs. Meet Prince Miklos of Valtria. And if the crown fits…

A special treat! An excerpt from Saved by the Monarch:

Today he would meet his bride. Prince Miklos hurried along the narrow passageway. If all went well, in three months they’d be married. Given the political climate of the Valtrian kingdom, a traditional engagement in the public eye that lasted a full year wasn’t an option. The Royal House of Kerkay desperately needed the positive publicity and all the goodwill a royal wedding would bring. They needed it quickly.
.
There came that noise again. His attention focused on his surroundings. He wasn’t alone in the catacombs, the narrow corridors carved into stone that crisscrossed most of the city and culminated in a jumbled labyrinth under the Valtrian royal palace. Unease prickled his skin, a distinguishable sensation from the goose bumps the cool, damp air gave the prince every time he walked through here. Which wasn’t often. But today his schedule was tight and he didn’t want to waste time on the reporters who loitered around the palace entrances armed with pointed questions about the unrest in the south.
.
The lights flickered, but that wasn’t unusual. The electric system down here was over fifty years old, currently scheduled for maintenance. He strode forward without hesitation, his military boots making a hard sound on the stone that echoed, mixing with the scrape of other footsteps up ahead.
.
Some of the catacombs under the city had been turned into a tourist attraction, with guided tours twice a day, but the closed-off section under the palace was guarded twenty-four seven. He expected a palace guard would pop around a corner in seconds.
.
Except that didn’t happen.
.
Odd. Whoever was down here with him had to have heard him by now. A guard would have come to see who he was, would have properly greeted him. The sound of footsteps grew more faint, definitely not coming closer. Someone in a hurry. To get away from him?
.
The lights flickered again.
.
And he considered how he hadn’t come across a single guard yet. He picked up speed, but couldn’t catch sight of anyone, the footsteps always just around the next corner.
.
“Halt!” he called out, the intonation that of a military man—he was a Valtrian Army major.
.
The palace guard would have recognized his voice and obeyed.
.
Instead, the footsteps quickened.
.
He took off running toward them, then pulled up short when the lights went out and he was suddenly enveloped in complete darkness.
.
Ambush, his military-trained mind said. He stole forward slowly, taking care to soften his steps.
.
His hand moved to his sidearm, although, realistically, he didn’t expect much more than an opportunistic tourist who had somehow gotten past a chained gate. Gotten too far while the guards were doing something else somewhere else. The catacomb system was vast.
.
He stepped to the side and put his back against the wall, ready for anything. But when the lights flickered on for one second, he found the corridor empty in front of him.
.
And yet his senses told him something was off. He slipped his gun from its leather holster and hadn’t taken two steps forward when the lights went out again.
.
He could be walking into a trap—side tunnels frequently interrupted the corridor he traveled. He moved forward one slow meter at a time, preparing for whatever was to come next, cautioning himself to restraint. A prince beating up a lost tourist would make for terrible publicity, so he bade himself not to jump to conclusions and rash actions when he caught up with whoever was down here. But he kept his gun out, although he didn’t take the safety off, not yet.
.
He followed the sound, turned when he had to, going by feel through twisting corridors in the darkness, enveloped by damp air and musty smells. Then the footsteps suddenly died.
.
He strained to listen, but couldn’t hear anything. He braced his left hand against the wall to orient himself— the stone in the various passages was cut with different techniques, as the catacombs had been added to over the centuries—touched something wet, pulled his hand back.
.
In some places the walls were moist. There was even a small underground stream, but that was at least a mile from where he was standing.
.
Could be a water pipe was leaking somewhere beneath the palace. He would have to have that investigated.
.
He moved ahead, but could no longer pick out any sound beyond the muffled ones he made. The lights flickered back on again. He immediately knew where he was and turned the corner toward the palace entry he’d been headed for. He turned another corner, strode down another long walkway, then another. And spotted a guard, at last, by the steel security door.
.
“Your Highness.” The man snapped his heels together and pulled his spine ramrod straight, staring ahead.
.
“Has anyone come up this way?” he asked.
.
“None, Your Highness.”
.
“You’re the first guard I’ve seen since coming in through the stables.” He’d entered the catacombs through the secret door at the royal stables at the foot of Palace Hill.
.
“I’ll alert the captain immediately.”
.
“See that you do. Are the lights working properly?”
.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
.
“They keep going off and on down there.”
.
“It’ll be seen to. Is there anything else, Your Highness?” The man’s face was set in stone, but his voice betrayed his nerves. His unit had been caught derelict in their duties by none other than a member of the royal family.
.
And Miklos didn’t feel like going easy on him. He was a military man through and through who considered his duty sacred. “Tell the captain I want a full sweep. There might be unauthorized personnel down there.”
.
If the man was surprised, he didn’t show it. A complete sweep of the catacombs was rarely conducted. The last time they’d done a full survey was over a decade ago, for architectural reasons. They were testing the rock bed for stability before beginning renovations on the East Wing of the palace. Before his father’s death.
.
He left the guard behind and walked up the stairs, was greeted by another guard as he entered the palace proper. He checked his cell phone when he passed the man. Three unanswered calls from the chief of security. Cell phones didn’t work down in the catacombs.
.
He checked the times for the calls. All in the last ten minutes. Since he was already late for a meeting, he didn’t immediately return them. He crossed a receiving area and came out by the library, walked straight through and into the business offices, into the private meeting room where Chancellor Hansen was waiting for him.
.
“Your Highness.”
.
“Chancellor.” He nodded, hating that he was two minutes late. “Go ahead.”
.
“Are you hurt, Your Highness?” The man was staring at his left hand.
.
And when Miklos brought it up, he realized why. His palm and fingers were stained with blood. He hadn’t felt just groundwater seeping through the stone down in the catacombs when he’d leaned against the wall.
.
The full sweep would tell him what was going on. Miklos would make sure to check in later with the captain. He turned into the small bathroom off the office, left the door open as he pumped soap and thoroughly washed. “I’m fine. I would hear your report.”
.
The chancellor knew better than to push with questions, and gave his usual twenty-minute update instead, leaving ten minutes at the end of their weekly appointment for questions and answers as he always had. But when that was over, uncharacteristically, he didn’t immediately take his leave. He was fidgeting, shuffling papers in his appointment book.
.
He decidedly lingered, although he was the type to plow through his report with the force of a steam engine then be gone, rushing to the next item on his endless to-do list. He had a propensity for believing that he single-handedly kept the kingdom running.
.
He probably wasn’t too far off the mark.
.
“Is there anything else?” Miklos asked.
.
The chancellor closed his leather-bound folder softly and looked up with trepidation on his lined face. “The queen is…” He drew a quick breath. “The queen is…” Moisture gathered in his eyes under lids that drooped with age.
.
“The queen is dying.” Miklos said what for most of the country was still unthinkable. He, himself, hadn’t said it out loud until now, although he and his brothers had been aware of it for some time, communicating with half sentences and long looks of regret. “My mother is dying,” he said it now, again.
.
The chancellor hung his head.
.
“Dr. Arynak is requesting audience?”
.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
.
But the good doctor had asked the chancellor to break the news first. At another time, in a different situation, Miklos would have smiled at that.
.
Dr. Arynak never delivered bad news to any of the members of the royal family. He had an aversion, more of a phobia, perhaps going back to his predecessors, some of whom had been beheaded for being the harbinger of bad news during the less enlightened centuries.
.
His evasive techniques, which he took to the extreme at times, could be annoying. He was an excellent physician, however.
.
“I’m so sorry, Your Highness.”
.
Miklos’s heart darkened. The weight that had been straddling his shoulders for the last couple of months now slid to settle firmly in his chest. How long? He wanted to ask, but for that he had to wait for the doctor’s audience.
.
“I’ll see him as soon as we get back from the airport.”
.
“Yes, Your Highness.” But the chancellor didn’t look relieved for being done with delivering the doctor’s message.
.
“What else?”
.
“Have you talked to the chief of security?”
.
“Not yet.” Miklos’s voice picked up some impatience, which he regretted. But what could be worse than the queen’s impending death? And the country in the worst turmoil already. He was tired of the political fires they were fighting at every level of government.
.
And still the chancellor wouldn’t talk.
.
“We must leave momentarily,” Miklos reminded him.
.
“There seems to be a plot to assassinate the crown prince.” The words came in a rush, with a pained expression on the old man’s face. And anger over the audacity that anyone would want to harm the royal family. And unease because he was treading on the security chief’s territory by reporting that information first.
.
Information that made Miklos’s head reel. “Arpad?”
.
The man in the catacombs… It had been a man; the footsteps gave that much away. Probably young. He’d been fast, and there hadn’t been any shuffling. Miklos looked at his left hand. No trace of the blood remained. His body went still for a moment when he thought… Alarm and urgency filled him as he asked, “Where is my brother now?”
.
“Meeting with a team of security advisors.”
.
He acknowledged the brief moment of relief and headed for the door. “Where? And why am I not there?”
.
“We have another appointment.”
.
He stopped in his tracks. How could that slip his mind even for a moment?
.
He appreciated that the chancellor said “We,” even though he spoke of a burden Miklos alone must bear. “I should still go and see my brother.” He glanced back.
.
“But Your Highness…” The Chancellor paled. “You must receive her.”
.
He wasn’t in the mood for musts. “I must nothing. Am I not still a prince?”
.
“Which is exactly the reason.” The chancellor took a tone he’d employed often during the princes’ childhood, using it for the same argument once again— duties of royalty.
.
Which hadn’t chafed in a long time, but they did now, when his mother and brother needed him, and Miklos had to go on a side trip to receive some girl he hadn’t met in twenty some years, all because protocol demanded. He almost told the chancellor that protocol be damned. Then reminded himself that a Kerkay never shirked any duty of the crown.
.
In an hour’s time—two at the most—he would be rid of the girl, and he would be back at the palace. He glanced at his watch. “Where is the meeting?”
.
“The Map Room. Shall I come along, Your Highness?”
.
“I’ll only be a moment.” He glanced at his watch again. “You should probably start getting ready.”
.
The Map Room was called as such not only because the floor displayed the map of the world in various colored granite, but because the shelves housed all the royal maps that had survived the tumultuous centuries of Valtria, starting with an outline of the country’s hills and rivers, hand-painted on scraped sheepskin in the tenth century.
.
His five brothers looked up as Miklos entered.
.
“We weren’t expecting you,” Arpad, the crown prince, said with obvious pleasure in his voice, although Benedek and Lazlo—the twins—looked rather guilty.
.
“The chief of security and the rest of the advisors aren’t here yet.” Janos stated the obvious. He was a prominent economist and involved with politics, as well. His face showed the shadows of sleepless nights.
.
“And yet you’re all here,” Miklos remarked, glancing at the old leather-bound book Janos had shoved behind his back as Miklos had entered but now was pulling out again.
.
Not the book?
.
Miklos put a scowl on his face, regretting that none of his brothers was easily intimidated. “No,” he said with emphasis.
.
“The times are calling for—” Lazlo, a brilliant entrepreneur and born gambler, started to say.
.
Miklos cut him off. “When were you going to tell me about this?”
.
“Tonight.” Arpad leaned against the fifteenth century massive walnut desk. “We thought you were, er, otherwise engaged?” His right eyebrow slid up, an amused look on his face.
.
“Leaving momentarily,” Miklos said with utmost restraint. “You can put that book away. I’ll take care of this with the security chief. You’ll be safe, Arpad, I swear to that.”
.
Arpad was a colonel in the air force, but he was the crown prince and could not be part of the kind of foolishness that had been cooked up, no doubt, by the youngest princes. Arpad was to be protected.
.
Miklos was the only other one with military training among the six brothers. He was the one who was involved with state and palace security anyway. “The Brotherhood of the Crown is a legend,” he snapped at them.”

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

DM: I’d like to try just about everything. I often write other genres for my own entertainment. I’ve written an historical novel, an epic fantasy, a single title romantic suspense and a single title romance so far. I’m having so much fun with them. From time to time, I post a whole book on my web site as a treat to my readers. The feedback I receive is always fantastic.

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

DM: Stick with college. Get in, stay in, find a way to make it happen. Then again, if I’d done that, I might not have ever become a writer. I did get my degree eventually, but it was a very long process.

DC: Royal Protocol is the next book in the series and will be released in June. Can you give us a sneak peek into this story?

DM: Prince Benedek Kerkay’s long-held fantasy became reality when world-renowned opera singer Rayne Williams stepped off the plane and into his arms. Although royal protocol deemed the beautiful American off-limits, it was only the sudden barrage of rebel fire that kept Benedek from breaking all the rules.

Running through underground tunnels, trying to keep the enemy at bay, Benedek would sacrifice his life and his place on the throne if it meant keeping Rayne safe.

The stubborn prince was confident he’d survive this latest battle for his country. But letting Rayne go wouldn’t be quite so easy…

Double treat – a smidgen from Royal Protocol:

Benedek Kerkay, youngest prince of Valtria, stared at the evenly printed lines on the paper, but all he could see was the face of the most beautiful woman in the universe, the one who’d been holding him enthralled for years. A woman he could never have.
.
“Protesters are gathering at Liberation Square, Your Highness.” His secretary stood in the door of his temporary office at the Royal Opera House, shifting from one scrawny leg to the other.
.
Benedek cleared his head and processed the man’s words, forgetting the speech he should have been rehearsing for the reopening of the three-hundred-year-old opera house, his most significant project yet as an architect. His muscles drew tight. “No. Absolutely not.”
.
Morin looked gravely ahead. A peculiar-looking little man, he was loyal to the bone at a time when loyalty was scarce. For this, he was much appreciated at the palace. He’d been with the House of Kerkay since Benedek could remember, even forsaking family for service, although rumors about him and the head housekeeper of the palace’s east wing circulated from time to time. He was such a private man that even Benedek didn’t know the truth of those rumors. Nor was he in the mood to speculate on them at the moment.
.
“There can’t be a protest tonight.” He came out of his seat and strode to the exquisitely restored six-foot-tall window, turning his back to Morin, wishing he could see across the five-acre Millennial Park to Liberation Square.
.
His fists tightened, crushing the sheets he held. Nothing would be allowed to upset the peace tonight. He’d been working toward this night for the last five years, restoring the Baroque-style building with painstaking care. Close to a thousand nobles, Valtrian celebrities and foreign dignitaries were invited to the opening night and were even now taking their seats. Rayne Williams, opera diva, “the voice of the night,” was giving her first performance outside of the U.S. in a decade.
.
“Call in Royal Security, call in the army, call in the National Guard, call in the synchronized parachuters for all I care, but do not—” he relaxed his clenched jaw muscles “—let anyone spoil tonight.”
.
“Yes, Your Highness. Only that it’s—” His secretary hesitated.
.
Benedek crushed the papers tighter, knowing from the look on the man’s face that he wasn’t going to like what he was about to hear. “Only what?”
.
“A show of force at the present moment—against peaceful protesters.”
.
Benedek walked to his desk then back to the window, pacing the antique reproduction carpet. Disbanding the protesters by force could look like an attempt to silence the voice of the people. Not a year after the siege of Maltmore Castle where the enemies of the monarchy had attempted to kill the entire royal family and take over the country, where dozens of people died in a night of bloodshed… The royal guard marching on the people might not be the smartest thing politically. The country needed reconciliation and joint steps toward unity.
.
He hated politics. He’d become an architect partially for that reason. Buildings were simple. Buildings were stable. Buildings didn’t stab you in the back.
.
“Who’s handling it?”
.
“The police, Your Highness. Your brother Miklos is keeping a close eye on it as well.”
.
Miklos was an Army major. He had an interest in security and also played a role in it. “Call the chief of palace security and tell him I need to talk to him. Here.” Benedek was escorting Rayne to a reception at the palace after her performance. Palace Hill was just a few blocks away, not that far from Liberation Square. He needed to discuss these new developments with the chief. Maybe they needed to alter their plans. “I want the protest carefully watched and every change reported.” He drew a slow breath, nodded beyond his office door. “Are they ready?”
.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
.
He tossed his crumpled speech on his desk, on top of a stack of blueprints and photos of the various stages of the building’s restoration. This building meant everything to him. His oldest brother, Arpad, had ribbed him about wanting to show the country that he was more than the youngest prince at the palace. Maybe there was some truth in that, but the project was more. It was his validation as an architect.
.
He straightened his tuxedo jacket. “How do I look?”
.
Morin seemed surprised by the question.
.
And Benedek was instantly annoyed that he’d asked. On any other day, he would have been too busy drawing blueprints in his mind to pay much attention to his appearance.
.
“Splendid, Your Highness,” Morin said at last, after an awkward silence.
.
Benedek nodded his thanks, knowing the compliment meant little. As a prince he was used to hearing what everyone thought he wanted to hear.
.
Except when it came to bloody protesters.
.
He passed by his secretary, strode down the hallway that looked majestic even in the staff areas where the audience would never wander. He waved his new bodyguard away. “Wait for me at the royal box,” he told the man, turning down the hall. He missed his old guard who had recently retired. He hadn’t had a chance to develop the same kind of rapport with this one yet. And he didn’t need anyone hovering at his back when he finally met Rayne Williams.
.
The rich carpet softened his steps on the antique floorboards. The building was like a grande dame of old with gracious curves and resplendent gilding, tantalizing textures and colors. He didn’t stop until he reached the door at the very end. The sign on the door simply said Rayne. He adjusted his tie one last time then knocked.
.
“Come in.”
.
He pushed the door wide with a smile, then stopped midmotion to stare. An unprincely thing to do. He needed to stop reacting to her like a moon-eyed teenager.
.
He’d seen her perform in New York several times, but Rayne Williams was a thousand times more beautiful up close. Silver eyes shone out of a face that was perfectly symmetrical; her skin was translucent and glowing, her lips ruby-glossed. Ebony strands of silky hair cascaded to well below her slim waist, while more was piled intricately at the back of her head. She was willowy, although not as tall as he was, wearing a burgundy gown, the copy of one worn by a historical heroine of Valtria at her royal wedding. The corset pushed up her breasts to the point of nearly spilling from the brocade, as had been the custom of that age.
.
He was all for historical accuracy. Absolutely.
.
He bowed deeply before she could notice his rapt attention to her cleavage. “Welcome to Valtria.”
.
“Thank you, Prince Benedek. I understand you’ll be escorting me to the stage tonight.”
.
She was unfailingly polite, even though she disliked him. He knew that for a fact. But her voice, soft and rich, still had the power to keep him spellbound. He was to be her escort for tonight. Not nearly enough, although he’d come to accept that her remote behavior toward him was for the best.
.
For years, he’d gone to her performances in the U.S., sometimes two or three times a year, sending her a bouquet of Valtria’s signature purple roses each time, always with an invitation to dinner. Her response notes were always the same, she felt honored but no thanks.
.
And no matter how much he wanted to get closer to her, he’d never pushed beyond that. Because even as he’d fantasized about taking her as a lover, he was afraid that might not be enough. His twin brother, Lazlo, was the consummate ladies’ man. Benedek was more of a one-woman kind of guy. And Rayne Williams could never be his one woman.
.
He could never have her forever. He could absolutely not marry an American singer, no matter how famous and respected. The scandal alone would kill his ailing mother. Dark memories surfaced. He pushed them back. He wouldn’t make a mistake of that magnitude again. He was a prince. He was to marry a daughter of the Valtrian nobility who was even now being selected behind closed doors by the chancellor and his team.
.
Seeing how much positive publicity Miklos’s marriage and the birth of his son had brought to the monarchy, the new chancellor was obsessed with marrying off the rest of the princes. And Benedek was determined not to buck protocol again. He’d done that before with disastrous consequences.
.
He cleared his throat, then did his best to clear his mind of all the things he and Miss Williams could be doing instead of walking to the stage. He was a grown man, thirty two years old. He’d had lovers, passion, disappointments. Tragedies.
.
But Rayne Williams was Rayne Williams.
.
“If you will allow me the honor, Madam,” he said and offered his arm.
.
After tonight, she would stay for three more days in Valtria. Three days in which he would content himself with admiring her from afar and would not, under any circumstances, seduce her. Not that she looked like she would let him if he tried. Still the challenge— He killed that thought without mercy and took in those silver eyes that held nothing but politeness. No batting of the lashes, none of the come-hither looks he was used to from women.
.
On this count, at least, the royal family seemed safe from trouble.
.
Trouble with a royal title—Rayne summed up the man in front of her and continued wearing her stage smile.
.
He was as handsome as the devil himself, a prince spoiled by privilege, and way too young to be looking at her the way he had from the moment he’d set foot inside her dressing room.
.
If he noted the conspicuous lack of a gushing response to the enormous bouquet of purple roses he’d sent earlier, he didn’t show it. The roses, like all other flowers she received, were usually distributed among the support staff.
.
He was an exceedingly charismatic man in person, she noted with dismay. She’d been right to stay away from him. He carried himself with the unconscious grace of nobility, his body toned and agile. From what she’d read, all the Valtrian princes were serious sportsmen, and it certainly showed. The youngest prince of Valtria was no palace weakling; he was built tough like most of his countrymen. She supposed it came from living in this rugged country at the foot of the Alps.
.
“Whenever you’re ready.” He smiled a charmer’s smile.

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

DM: Probably working for a corporation somewhere. I did that at one point and really enjoyed parts of it. I miss the people. Writing is a lonely business.

DC: What’s on the horizon for you after your June release?

DM: The Socialite and the Bodyguard will be my first book next year, coming out in January, kicking off Intrigue’s Bodyguard of the Month promotion. In fact, I’m working on that story right now.

DC: Lastly, just to take care of my curiosity, LOL, on your Bio page on your site, there’s a picture of what seems to be an antique covered bowl with no caption to give information about it. Can you elaborate on that, please?

DM: It’s a hand-painted fine bone china soup tureen from Hollohaza, a famous Hungarian porcelain manufacturer. Erika pattern. I collect all sorts of china from English royal porcelain factories as well. I’m crazy about this stuff. In fact, I was just on a porcelain factory tour this weekend. Artists literally sit there, dozens and dozens of them, and paint amazing patterns with these tiny brushes on one teacup at a time. It’s amazing. If I could only have half their patience! (not to mention talent)

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate? dark
- smooth or chunky peanut butter? chunky
- heels or flats? both
- coffee or tea? tea
- summer or winter? Summer (I think winter should be illegal. If anyone can make that happen, they got my vote!)
- mountains or beach? beach
- mustard or mayonnaise? mustard
- flowers or candy? flowers
- pockets or purse? purse
- Pepsi or Coke? Mineral water
- ebook or print? Both. I love my Kindle and wouldn’t give it up for anything, but I find that I need hard copy books if I’m reading a how to book or anything like that. I like to underline and easily flip back and forth. And I don’t dare take my Kindle to the beach.

And because our readers are still having fun with these:

1. What is your favorite word? – exuberant

2. What is your least favorite word? – impossible

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? – Excellence. When people are really good at what they’re doing. A great book can completely energize and inspire me. Or any great work of art. A great business idea or a great meal will do the same.

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? – Any sort of manipulation.

5. What sound or noise do you love? – The sound of the ocean.

6. What sound or noise do you hate? – Vacuum cleaner. (I’m so glad you can’t see my carpets.)

7. What is your favorite curse word? – Clinkers! (Since usually little ears are listening. My commando guy characters curse like nobody’s business, though. But that’s always taken out by careful editorial hands.)

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? – I’d love to own either a book shop or a gardening store. Maybe the two combined. Hey, if Borders could combine books with coffee, why can’t I combine books with plants? Oooh, and fine china!!! I’d probably never go home, though.

9. What profession would you not like to do? 0 Anything that doesn’t allow for creativity. I’m an idea person. To do something monotone day after day would kill me.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? – “Sorry. Made a mistake. Not your time yet. You may go back.”

DUCK CHAT: Dana, thank you for spending the day with us!

Sandy M’s review of Saved By the Monarch (Defending the Crown, Book 1) by Dana Marton
Contemporary Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 12 May 09

I like a good Harlequin Intrigue every now and again.  Dana Marton is an author who is new to me, and she has given me one terrific Intrigue in Saved by the Monarch. There is, of course, plenty of intrigue, and the action is nearly nonstop, the hero and heroine are strong characters, and the storyline is, well, intriguing.

On top of all of that, this is the first book in her new series Defending the Crown, and hopefully all of the Kerkay brothers will get their own book over time, making that a total of six. If you become of a fan of this series, you’re going to have some great reading right up to the very last book. To start the series off is Prince Miklos. He’s the military man in the family, and it’s come time for him to honor the agreement made nearly thirty years ago to marry the daughter of a local nobleman. But things changed before too long and his prospective bride to be has lived in the United States most all of her life.

Returning to Valtria for a vacation to find her roots, Judi is stunned to learn she’d been expected — Prince Miklos is her intended groom and he’s determined to marry her to carry out his duty. Judi is having none of it — she has her own life, thank you very much — and before she can argue her case any further, they are swept up in a rebellion to take over Valtria which is intent on destroying the family royalty that has ruled for years.

Separated from his family and his army, Prince Miklos fights for both their lives, as well as the lives of his family.  During the various battles he comes to respect Judi for her courage and swift thinking with danger all about. He goes from being a man who would wed for the sake of his country to a man who is proud of his bride and who is falling for her with every jut of her stubborn chin. He vows to get them both through the rebellion, but when it comes to light who has betrayed him, it seems all might be lost after all.

Once the action starts in this book, it never lets up. Just when you think things are turning for the good, something unforeseen hits Miklos and Judi for another setback, which makes it all the sweeter for them when the tide does eventually turn. They are an engaging couple, and though they fall in love quickly, it’s all due to the circumstances that show each other and us what kind of people they truly are. The interaction between Miklos and his brothers is a lot of fun, and it will be interesting to see what their relationships are like outside the context of fighting.

Saved by the Monarch is a great start to this series and I’m intrigued to see what comes next, which is Royal Protocol, to be released June 2009.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
Picture yourself going on a much-needed European vacation to the country of your ancestors. You’re getting off the airplane, and the red carpet is odd, but not alarming. Except, the hot guy in the fancy uniform waiting at the end, in front of a line of guards, is not head of security.
.
He is a prince.
.
Now try not to let your chin drop when he tells you that your parents had promised him your hand in marriage before they died –when you were still a child.
.
He whisks you away in the royal ceremonial limousine before you can get your bearings. And by the time you manage to tell him that under no circumstances will you be entering an arranged marriage with a stranger, you are both kidnapped by anti-monarchy rebels.
.
You don’t know the country’s politics, you don’t know the lay of the land, you don’t speak the local dialects. You only have one chance for survival: you must trust your life to the prince.
.
Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

As mentioned in the January 2009 Scoop column, the website celebrating Harlequin’s 60th birthday went live yesterday!  And to celebrate, Harlequin is offering sixteen titles for free!  Books can be downloaded in pdf, epub, lit or ereader.  And though it doesn’t seem o be up yet, soon the books will be available for the iPhone through Stanza.

The titles that can be downloaded are:

Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren (Harlequin American Romance)

Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly (Harlequin Blaze)             

His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls (Harlequin Historical)

Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels (Harlequin Intrigue)  

Price of Passion by Susan Napier (Harlequin Presents)        

The Bride’s Baby by Liz Fielding   (Harlequin Romance) 

Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson (Harlequin Superromance)

Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child (Silhouette Desire)  

Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf (Silhouette Nocturne)

Stranded with a Spy by Merline Lovelace (Silhouette Romantic Suspense)

Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne (Silhouette Special Edition)

A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight (LoveL Inspired)

Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart (Love Inspired Historical)

Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry (Love Inspired Suspense)

Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson (Kimani Romance)

Speed Dating by Nancy Warren (Nascar)

So what are you waiting for? Go! This is a great opportunity for Harlequin newbies to try it out, or to try a line you wouldn’t normally read.

Devon’s review of A Voice in the Dark by Jenna Ryan
Contemporary romantic Suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 1 Jan 09

The “Phantom of the Opera” scenario is highly intriguing. A relationship based upon communication alone, no visual contact, seems deep. Getting to know the ‘real’ person, with no messy physical stuff to mess it up…sounds good, anyway. Don’t you wonder what and why the person is hiding? I was very interested in A Voice in the Dark because I had to know why the heck this guy was hiding, just as the heroine wondered. Are you curious?

Angel Carter is a Boston FBI agent who has been working closely with profiler Noah Graydon. They are in constant contact over the phone, but have not spent time face to face because Noah is a mysterious shut in. The relationship has deepened to friendship, and Angel sometimes wishes for more. When a dormant serial killer starts killing again, Angel and Graydon find themselves growing closer than ever.

I enjoyed the writing style quite a bit. I liked Angel, and most of the other characters. The dialogue was erudite and full of interesting and appropriate cultural references (I did have to look up Lamont Cranston). The grey and dreary Boston setting made a nice backdrop to the mystery, which kept my interest the whole time. The mystery was well developed, not just wallpaper for the romance. The climax was exciting, the villain disturbing.

Unfortunately, the romance never quite got off the ground for me, because I couldn’t figure out what the eff was up with Graydon. He’s all mysterious, and remains in the shadows, except when he goes for pizza. This guy was out and about all over the place! He wore hats with giant brims or something, so that his features always remained in shadow. C’mon, how do you go out for dinner with someone and never see their face? I was getting awfully frustrated, waiting to find out what the big secret was. There was an eye patch involved. I don’t find a pirate patch enough of a reason to cut oneself off from society. Seems a bit vain.

IMO, we never really find out if there was anything more than PTSD (my diagnosis) keeping Graydon housebound (kinda sorta). The ending left me suspicious that he had just been messing with everybody. The storyline was officially played out when they had sex. I don’t know how mysterious he could remain after getting nekkid. Wouldn’t Angel notice disfiguring scars? The “What’s up with Graydon” issue seemed so inconsistent and vague, it really distracted from the story. I would be really interested in the opinions of others. Was Graydon so distraught over losing an eye that he could no longer go out? Was it a convenient excuse to skip showers and avoid annoying people? Or was there something else? Hmmm…

I would read this author again, though I can’t recommend this without reservations.

Grade: C

The Summary:
No one knew what Noah Graydon looked like, but they’d all heard the rumors. How he’d been broken, even scarred, on his last case. How he never showed his face…until the day he took an overwhelming interest in one very special agent.

Angel Carter would have been a serial killer’s next victim if not for Noah. The rescue gave her a glimpse into his world of shadows—yet she dared to want more. To really know if the passion between them was real. They would have to come face-to-face if the killer was to be caught—and Noah could only conceal his body from Angel for so long….

Read an excerpt

Better late than never, I say.  Here is the first in a new series of columns.  All the latest and best news from Harlequin!  Read on to get the scoop….Harlequin Celebrates – December 2008

Hi everyone! We’re Amy, Aideen, and Malle from Harlequin, and we’re thrilled to be bringing you news through The Good, the Bad, the Unread – especially since 2009 is a big year for us. In 1949 Richard and Mary Bonnycastle of Winnipeg, Manitoba started up a little publishing company—Harlequin! That makes 2009 our 60^th anniversary, and we’ve got lots of special treats for our readers to celebrate. Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect throughout 2009:

•  16 free ebooks

• New editions of bestselling authors’ very first romance novels (including Debbie Macomber, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Diana Palmer) with the “Famous Firsts Collection”

• An exhibit of 60 years of Harlequin cover art in New York City [Ed. Note: Yay NYC!  I'm goin']
  

• Man of the Month revs up again in Silhouette Desire, beginning with An Officer and a Millionaire by Maureen Child in January (we’ve included a “Browse the Book” widget so you can read the first chapter here, too)

• “Series Spotlight” on a different Harlequin imprint each month, with their own special events and products. Here’s an exclusive look at our spotlight schedule!

Browse this book

Add to your site

Buy this book

But you’re probably wondering what’s new in December, right? Harlequin does have some new goodies from this month, too!

First, Harlequin Medical Romances are now available in eBooks for the first time—so if you have a thing for hot docs (and really, who doesn’t?), you can get these books (which aren’t available in stores) right away.

Here’s something we’re sure you’d be interested in—from Dec. 23-31^st, we’ll be having a FREE eBook a day in our eBook Store! Just a little holiday gift from Harlequin.  [Ed.note: Now I'm really sorry I didn't get this up sooner]

December also sees the publication of great new titles, including:

Olivia Gates – who writes sheikh books for Silhouette Desire – makes her paranormal debut with Mortal Enemy, Immortal Lover (Silhouette Nocturne Bites). It features an immortal half-vampire, half-demon hero who falls in love with an Eradicator, a breed of human with special powers trained from childhood to eliminate all demons. Gulp!

 Vampires also collide with the holidays in the Holiday with a Vampire II anthology by Merline Lovelace and Lori Devoti. Who says spooky heroes only come at Halloween?

 Some miniseries that are being wrapped up this month: A Holiday Mystery at Jenkins Cove gets tied up in Christmas Delivery by Patricia Rosemoor (Harlequin Intrigue) [Ed. Note: See my review]. The last of the Saxon heirs gets hitched (and a baby) in Tessa Radley’s Pregnancy Proposal (Silhouette Desire), the conclusion of her New Zealand-set series The Saxon Brides. The Billionaire in Penthouse B by Anna DePalo is the sixth and final book in the Silhouette Desire series Park Avenue Scandals, about the sexy secrets and adventures of the residents of a glamorous Manhattan building (and even if you missed the rest, the whole series is also available in the Park Avenue Scandals eBook Bundle). And yet another Desire series is concluding this month: Gifts from a Billionaire delivers its last surprise just in time for Christmas with The Tycoon’s Secret by bestselling author Kasey Michaels.

Need some—ahem—warming up this winter? We’ve collected twelve naughty holiday-themed novellas by authors like Jane Porter, Alison Kent, and Michelle Reid in the Red Hot Holiday Bundle.

Finally, with Christmas just around the corner, here’s a bit of inside scoop: eHarlequin’s top ten Christmas books of 2008…

1. All She Wants for Christmas by Stacy Connelly
2. Christmas Crime in Colorado by Cassie Miles
3. Who Needs Mistletoe? by Kate Hoffmann
4. One Magical Christmas by Carol Marinelli
5. Once Upon a Christmas by Holly Jacobs
6. Holiday with a Vampire II by Merline Lovelace and Lori Devoti
7. The Duke’s New Year Resolution by Merline Lovelace
8. Mistletoe Reunion by Anna Schmidt
9. Yule Be Mine by Jennifer LaBrecque
10. Marry-Me Christmas by Shirley Jump

We hope you all have a fantastic holiday and happy new year! We’ll be back in January to give you more news about a new enriched eBook from Harlequin Presents, more sales and giveaways, and what’s going on for our first Series Spotlight on Silhouette Desire.

 Happy reading!

~Amy, Aideen, and Malle

Shannon C.‘s review of Kansas City Christmas by Julie Miller
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 11 Nov 08

I know that, by the time you read this, you are probably not looking for another Christmas book. I know that I’m certainly not in the market for one now that the excitement of the holidays is past. But I did read this book on Christmas eve, having been drawn to it because of the title. (I know, I know, I shouldn’t encourage the Harlequin marketing department.) After all, I have spent Christmas in the Kansas city area and surrounding environs, and I decided that, since I was reading the book on Christmas Eve, I could forego my obsessive need to read all previous books in a series. What I got was exactly the kind of book to read during the holidays–a heartwarming story of love and redemption. 

Edward Kincaid is one of the most damaged souls I’ve read about in a long time. After his wife and daughter were cruelly murdered just before Christmas, he spent much of his time in a bottle until the murder of his father. After that, it’s all he can do to keep going from one day to the next, slowly working his way back to sobriety. He’s not sure he can handle his family, let alone his job with the Kansas City Police Department. But his brothers–all of whom have received their own story–convince him to help pin down the last bit of the evidence they need to uncover the murderer of their father. And to do that, Edward must seek the help of cheerful, Christmas-crazed medical examiner Holly Masterson. But helping Edward puts Holly in much more danger than either of them anticipated, as a shadowy terrorist group tries to keep her from discovering their secrets.

I like to tell people that I don’t like my heroes tortured, but I don’t think that’s precisely true. It’s more that I dislike heroes who wallow in whatever has caused them angst. Which is all to say that I loved Edward, who had me from his first appearance in the book. He’s a very damaged soul, both physically and emotionally, and I liked that he starts out the story well on the way toward recovery, needing only for someone to push him just that little bit farther. Holly provides exactly what he needs in that regard, and though I don’t think she’s as well drawn as Edward, she certainly works very well as a foil for him. I believed in their romance, and I wanted them to have a future together.

The plot is slightly more problematic. I was able to keep up just fine even though this was the last book in the series, but I didn’t quite understand the stakes. It felt like it was just too big for one book, and there were often moments where I really just wanted Ms. Miller to get back to Edward and Holly, who are by far more interesting.

Ms. Miller’s writing is compelling. I was at the edge of my seat in the appropriate places, and there was one scene in particular near the end that made me shudder, and not in a good way. While I didn’t find the particular suspense plot itself compelling, I did appreciate its effect on the characters, if that makes any sense.

Overall, this book was satisfying. I came to care about Edward and Holly, and even though the series they’re in is wrapped up completely, I do think I’ll be revisiting the Kansas City police department to read the books about the other Kincaid brothers.

Grade: B

Summary:
A detective with no badge, Edward Kincaid’s brooding nature scared medical examiner Holly Masterson, but couldn’t dim her holiday spirit. It was when she attracted a stalker that the most wonderful time of the year turned into the most frightening. Working together to reveal a conspiracy too many people had died covering up, Holly found Edward’s protection–and powerful embrace–hard to resist. Now, as new clues surfaced, could she bust the case wide open and give her silent knight the Christmas miracle he deserved?

Read an excerpt.

Devon’s review of Christmas Delivery by Patricia Rosemoor
Romantic Suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 1 Dec 08

I’m all about the Christmas stories this year. Gotta get ‘em read and reviewed by next week. (Darn DRM, it would make life so much easier if I could get the books onto my iTouch!) Christmas Delivery was a fast read. The romance was a bit meh, but the mystery kept my interest and I enjoyed the touch of the Gothic.

I love stories that feature a small town and its seedy underbelly and secrets. Jenkins Cove, Maryland is a picturesque Eastern Shore town with a very dark underbelly, as explained in the prior books in the mini-series (Christmas Awakening and Christmas Spirit, both of which I want to read). Landscape designer and single mother Lexie Thornton, comes face to face with these dark secrets when she finds first a mysterious key, and then Simon Shea, her babydaddy, long thought dead.

As I said, the romance was meh, which was a bit of a bummer. I love the idea of being reunited with a long lost lover, but I just found it hard to see what brought them together after all these years. They were back together and in love so quickly, and it was based on a fourteen year old relationship, and a shared daughter. They certainly didn’t know each other anymore. Individually, the characters were likeable. Lexie wasn’t super interesting, but I was sympathetic to her struggle as the single mother of a pre-teen. Simon has changed a lot over the years, and I actually bought his reasons for not returning sooner. I just wish I found them more interesting as a couple.

The setting was well-drawn, and the secondary characters were pretty vivid, just the way a mystery should be. The mystery was a bit predictable, and slightly gruesome (in a good way). There was a touch of the paranormal, which I enjoyed. The supernatural element, combined with the hardworking heroine, small town cast and long lost hero, reminded me of Barbara Michaels’ books like Shattered Silk.

If you’re looking for a quick read on your down time, and you like Gothic-type RS, this might be a good choice.

Grade: B-

The Summary:
Of all the eerie events in her hometown of Jenkins Cove, Lexie Thornton found none more pulse-pounding than the return of her lover, thought murdered long ago in the misty bogs on Christmas Eve. But the man who stepped out of the shadows was very much alive—and hell-bent on revenge.

Simon Shea had changed. The lanky teen had grown into a hardened man, one she barely recognized—but still desired. Lexie had a secret, too—the daughter they’d made the night he disappeared. Lexie longed to resurrect their love, but someone wanted to make sure Simon never revealed his secret past.
Read an excerpt

by Michelle Styles
Actually this was written a little while ago, but things became crazy. Do not ask. I am in currently doing massive revisions and am reminded of the Maxine cartoon where she asks if there is a vaccine for stupidity. Eventually, it will be a good book. So massive apologies. [Ed. Note: No worries, Michelle, things are always crazy here at the pond.]

When summer first starts, you think you have all the time in the world, but suddenly the long slow days of August end and it is September [Ed. Note: Word]. Lots of new beginnings and things to celebrate at Harlequin this month.

If you have ever wanted to comment on a series, or give your opinion about cover design, then Harlequin has a new program with you in mind. Tell Harlequin is meant to encourage reader participation in a wide variety of surveys. As a thank you for participating, readers can earn free books. So consider signing up today – it is free but it is only open to North American residents.

It is also time for the annual Romance Report Survey. This year, Harlequin has a dedicated site and wants to encourage everyone to answer the questions. The Romance Report comes in February and is aimed at media around the world. The survey does not take long to fill in.

Acting Senior Editor, Joanne Carr, asked that the “Feel the Heat”contest be highlighted. The strict closing date is 15 September 2008. Full details of how to enter are on I heart Presents as well as lots of tips about what the editors are looking for. As Trish Wylie (author of the September 2008 Harlequin Romance, The Millionaire’s Proposal) explained on her blog, this year the RWA Nationals buzzed with excitement about this vibrant new line. Modern Heat has arrived.

At the RWA Nationals, Presents author Sandra Marton received a Tiffany key chain for writing 75 books for Harlequin. This month sees the start of her new Sheikh Tycoon Trilogy and this is what Sandra had to say about it:

One of the things I love about writing for Presents is the freedom I have to combine the elements of writing I most enjoy. For instance, I delight in creating my own mini-series and giving my characters ample opportunity to relate to each other from book to book. I love, too, creating heroes who have allegiances to the old world as well as the new. As for sheikhs… well, they’re among the ultimate Alpha heroes. Strong, proud, wealthy, often torn between what their people want from them and what they want for themselves, sheikhs can be the ultimate fantasy lovers. My heroes in the Sheikh Tycoon trilogy are old friends. Not one of them is looking for love. Lust? Well, that’s different. These guys are in their prime. They’re accustomed to having women fall at their feet. But none of my heroines would do such a thing. None would bend to a man’s wishes, and none would take orders. That’s when my very Westernized sheikhs begin to lose their civilized veneer. And that, I think, is the start of really entertaining escapist fiction.

September also sees the start of Harlequin Intrigue author Dani Sinclair’s new two book mini-series with the release of Bodyguard to the Bride. The sequel, The Missing Millionaire, comes out in December. Dani calls this “one wedding, two stories” and explained how the books came about:

I actually submitted the proposal for The Missing Millionaire first and my fantastic editor suggested it would be fun to tell two different stories that center around the same wedding and a pair of bodyguards. From a writing standpoint I’m not so sure about the fun part, but it was certainly challenging. Since both books take place at the same time and in the same area, details in Bodyguard to the Bride have to mesh with details in The Missing Millionaire. This proved to be more of a challenge than I expected. For example, a thunderstorm that played an integral role in the first book, had to be accounted for in the second book as well. I had to keep an hourly chart to tell me where the characters in each book were at any given time.

And as September is supposed to be a TGTBTU spotlight on Presents/Modern, I wanted to highlight the editorial podcast from the Modern/Presents editors. Among other things, Tessa Shapcott and Sally Williamson discuss the reasoning behind the titles! So if you want to hear more, make sure you listen to the podcasts.

The September RWR has reported its annual romance statistics. Romance was the largest genre in the US book market in 2007 with $1.375 billion in sales. Harlequin remains the top Romance publisher. Of all the romance books published in 2007, 25.7 % were contemporary series romance.

Next month, I will be giving news of the annual Association of Mills and Boon Author’s lunch and toast which happens on the 18^th as looking at more milestone authors and seeing what is coming up for Christmas. Until then, happy reading and for all writers out there — may your revisions make your book stronger!

Devon’s review of With the MD…at the Altar? by Jessica Andersen
Romantic Suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 1 Jun 08

So I seem to be in an experimental mood lately. First an inspirational, then my first ever Harlequin Intrigue. I read this one because Jessica Andersen has guested on the blog lately, and there was an interesting Gothic sound to the description. But before we get to my review of this tale of reunited lovers in a cursed Maine village, can we look at the title? Goofy. This story has nothing to do with marriage. They aren’t former spouses, or fiancées, there was no wedding in the story. I imagine it was meant to go along with other titles in the miniseries, but…goofy.

With the MD…at the Altar? was a fast paced and entertaining tale. The plot was kind of cartoon-y or soap opera-ish. Raven’s Cliff, a small fishing village is plagued by a mysterious illness. It puts some people into comas, and turns others into raving, homicidal maniacs. At her wit’s end, the village doctor, Roxanne Peters, reaches out to the CDC. Unfortunately, they send her ex, the talented and arrogant Luke Freeman. As Roxie struggles to get along with Luke, more people fall sick, someone is trying to sabotage them, and at least one mysterious lunatic is up to no good along the shore.

This book kept my interest. It had a certain Days of Our Lives quality to be sure, but it was fun. Unfortunately, it also had the most annoying hero and heroine to come down the pike in awhile. I almost felt bad for disliking Roxie so much, like I was jumping on the bandwagon, since nobody in Raven’s Cliff liked her. But she was so petty and whiny. She always seemed angry, jealous or envious. Or boring. She did something pretty stupid at the beginning that just bugged me. No wonder the townspeople didn’t like her.

Luke was no prize either. He was a weenie, plain and simple. His and Roxie’s relationship ended when he abandoned her in an African hospital, sick with fever, to take a new job. Dreamy! Then, when the chips are down, Luke decides it’s time to pack up his team and go back to DC. My hero! There’s some psychological mumbo-jumbo about why he does such things, and Luke and Roxie had been having problems anyway, but please, what a cowardly jerk!

As you can imagine, the romance between the whiner and the weenie did not interest me all that much. The chemistry was nil, and I didn’t like either of them. But the Fish Virus of Doom, and the mysterious crazy people running around kept me reading and piqued my interest for the other books in The Curse of Raven’s Cliff mini-series. If they’re as borderline silly as this one, I’ll be entertained indeed.

Grade: C+

The Summary:

It had been two years since she’d last come face-to-face with Luke Freeman—and the heartache small-town doctor Roxanne Peters vividly recalled. Bringing in the medical expert was Raven’s Cliff’s best hope of solving a mysterious illness, but keeping things professional was vital to surviving both this “reunion” and an elusive stranger’s newfound interest in her.

Still, working long hours in close quarters led to sizzling tension, making Roxanne imagine a future that no longer seemed possible. But when Luke’s smoldering gaze met hers, it was clear he, too, remembered all they’d once shared. And this time there was no backing down…

Read an excerpt here