It’s books like these that leave me in awe of authors who write category romance. Their stories are tight, concise, and to the point, weaving in romance and emotion. A very difficult task at times, I have a feeling.

HelenKay Dimon packs a huge punch in this romantic suspense with Deputy Sheriff Jonas Porter who knows to listen to his instincts. That gets him involved with Courtney, who’s been on her own for years after losing her family. But things are heating up when the enemy uses Jonas bring Courtney out in the open. Really dumb move on the jerk’s part, as you’ll see when you pick up your copy.

So sit back and enjoy this excerpt from When She Wasn’t Looking. Bet you’ll be hooked in no time at all.

Summary:

No woman could deny the appeal of the sexy deputy sheriff Jonas Porter. But to Courtney Allen, Jonas has one major flaw-his badge. Years ago, Courtney’s father was wrongfully convicted of a crime and she vowed to never trust a cop again. But when Jonas becomes the only man to believe in her father’s innocence, Courtney begins seeing the brooding lawman in a whole new way.

Jonas knows in his gut that the real killer is still out there and determined to finish what he started long ago. To protect Courtney and bring the criminal to justice will require all the skills he can muster. And that means focusing on the job. Not the woman who makes him forget his troublesome past and arouses in him a passion that is anything but professional.

Chapter One

Jonas Porter yawned as he marched up the front porch steps to the craftsman-style bungalow in the middle of nowhere. At ten in the morning he’d been on shift for more than sixteen straight hours thanks to the Webber kid taking his neighbor’s car for a joyride that ended with a big splash into the Siuslaw River.

When he took the law enforcement position, Jonas had been promised relative peace and quiet by the county sheriff and Jonas’ long-time mentor, Walt Roberts. Since Jonas needed a break and crime didn’t run rampant in Aberdeen, the small Oregon town where the river dumped into the Pacific Ocean, the job looked like the perfect solution. If a drunk pre-teen with a lack of common sense turned out to be the biggest problem, Jonas could live with that.

Agreeing to handle one small task on his way back to his place to pass out was probably not his brightest move. He needed sleep, but this should easy. In and out and then he could slip into bed for a few hours.

He knocked on the dark red door. The rock beat thumping inside and shaking the walls cut off. He double-checked the house number to make sure he was at the right place. He expected an older lady, a grandmother type. He guessed this one liked her music loud, which blew his older-woman stereotype apart.

In the resulting silence he waited for someone to open up. When no one did, he raised his hand to try again and nearly punched the woman who threw the door open.

“Sorry.” He mumbled as he stared into big brown eyes filled with a wariness that appeared older than the rest of her.

“Yes?” Her smile faded when her gaze traveled down his chest.

A guy could get a complex. “Ma’am, is this your house?”

“Of course.”

The high cheekbones and slim figure didn’t make any sense. Young and pretty with shoulder-length brown hair and not at all the lonely older woman he’d been told to check on. This one couldn’t be more than in her mid-to-late twenties. She wore a slim long-sleeve red t-shirt, and if his guess was right, no bra.

He pretended not to notice the last part. “I’m Lieutenant Jonas Porter, the deputy police chief.”

“I got that much from the uniform and nametag.”

“Uh, right. Sure.” She had him stuttering like the Webber kid.

“Why are you here?” She wiped her hands on her olive cargo pants but didn’t shift one inch to let him in.

Young or old, she hardly struck him as a woman who needed police assistance to make sure she took her medicine on time. This one could handle her business without any help from him. The flat line of her mouth and clenched fists suggested she wanted to kick him right off the porch.

“We had a call,” he explained. “I’m here for a wellness check.”

Something flashed in her dark eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“Your husband has been trying to reach you and when he couldn’t-”

Her grip tightened on the door. “My husband?”

“Yes, ma’am. My understanding is that he’s away from home on business.” When she continued to stare at him with that you’ve-lost-your-mind expression, Jonas tried again. “He called a friend who called the police in Maryland who contacted my office. I’m here as a courtesy.”

“Maryland?”

Seemed she had a repetition problem. “Yes, ma’am. Your husband was worried you’d forgotten to take your medications.”

“You think I need drugs?”

Jonas refused to be thrown off stride. “Your husband said something about a bad fall recently.”

“Is this a joke?”

That’s what Jonas was starting to wonder. “No, ma’am.”

“You obviously have the wrong person.” She started to close the door. Right in his face.

He caught the edge with one hand as the other went to the top of his gun. “Hold up.”

The move was pure instinct. He’d once waited a second too long and vowed never to make that mistake again.

She didn’t miss the move. Her gaze zipped to his weapon. “Excuse me?”

“Let’s calm down for a second and walk through this.”

“Do I look nervous to you?”

“Actually, yes.” Something was wrong here. Very wrong.

Sandy M’s review of When She Wasn’t Looking by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic Suspense published by Harlequin Intrigue 1 May 12

I need to make it a point to read HelenKay Dimon more often. I enjoyed every darned bit of this story, especially the hero, Jonas Porter. From his name to his demons to his job to the heroine he’s sworn to protect, this is one sexy lawman you can’t help but love.

Jonas is taking one last call for a wellness check, and then he’s on his way home for some much needed rest. Of course, even the simplest of calls can’t go right for him. He finds a different woman at the address he’s been given than the one he thought he’d find. She’s young, pretty, and not in need of help. She also seems nervous with her abrupt attitude and refusal to answer questions. His instincts are shouting quite clearly and very loudly. So when the woman tries to run, Jonas is right on her tail.

Having had ten years of peace and staying in one place, Courtney knows her time to relocate has come again when she finds a deputy sheriff at her door. Her only option is the escape route she’s got set up. Her head start doesn’t give her much hope when that lawman intercedes. However, it’s a good thing he does. Jonas saves them both from the man who nearly kills them both.

From this point on, Jonas refuses to let Courtney leave his side. He knows there’s more to her story than she’s letting on and he’s determined to find out what it is so he can keep her safe. As her story unfolds and she begins to trust him, he sees her in a new light, this strong survivor of a tragedy that would fell most people. Trying to clear her father’s name has been her only goal for years, and now he’s going to help her find the truth.

Courtney hasn’t trusted law enforcement since she lost her family, but Jonas is a force all of his own and she finds it very easy to trust him. Her old nemesis has found her, but with Jonas now in the picture, she can see she’s been looking in the wrong direction for answers. So who killed her family? Who’s been after her all these years? And who is so close to her now she can feel him close by? She does find out, probably more quickly than any other heroine. Courtney is a woman who can’t do what she’s told, mostly for her own safety. I wanted to shake her a couple of times when she does exactly what Jonas tells her not to!

When Jonas finally gives in to his feelings for Courtney, their lovemaking is sweet and intense. For all the depth of feeling they share so quickly, there is betrayal in the works, along with a mystery that takes everyone by surprise. The only thing that bothers me is the ending seems to come too fast. It’s all over in about ten pages. I’m not sure what else could have been done, but I just felt rushed. But it doesn’t ruin the whole of the story and the romance.

This is a great, quick read with romance and mystery galore. Don’t miss it!

Grade: B+

Summary:

SHE WANTED TO TRUST HIM WITH HER SAFETY-BUT NOT WITH HER HEART…

No woman could deny the appeal of the sexy deputy sheriff Jonas Porter. But to Courtney Allen, Jonas has one major flaw-his badge. Years ago, Courtney’s father was wrongfully convicted of a crime and she vowed to never trust a cop again. But when Jonas becomes the only man to believe in her father’s innocence, Courtney begins seeing the brooding lawman in a whole new way.

Jonas knows in his gut that the real killer is still out there and determined to finish what he started long ago. To protect Courtney and bring the criminal to justice will require all the skills he can muster. And that means focusing on the job. Not the woman who makes him forget his troublesome past and arouses in him a passion that is anything but professional.

Read an excerpt.

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:

It’s been a while for me reading a Harlequin Intrigue. Then when I read one such as Guns and the Girl Next Door where the action and suspense is nonstop, where I sit on the edge of my seat waiting for the current action to end, only to be caught up in the next action sequence, I usually wonder why I don’t read more of these terrific books. Believe me, it’s not for a lack of want. If it were just that, I’d be reading Intrigues all the time. Especially any by HelenKay Dimon.

HelenKay definitely keeps the suspense and action in the forefront in this book, she never lets up – for long anyway – and she keeps you guessing on several key issues as to what’s going to happen next. Even the love scenes are intense. You get a satisfying and all-encompassing read with this book.

So take a look at this sneak peak. Then get ready to make that trip to your local bookstore. I know you’re going to want to, so I’ll wait for now to tell you, “Told you so!”

First the 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.

And now the really fun stuff:

Holden Price leaned his head back against his couch and threw his baseball in the air for what felt like the hundredth time. Much more of this and his catching hand would go numb.

Being on paid leave was not his idea of a good time. More like torture.

Up until two months ago he’d worked undercover with the Recovery Project, an off-the-books government agency fronting as an antique salvage operation. He found missing people for a living, those on the run who didn’t want to be found and those who were desperate for rescue.

One case gone wrong and pencil-pushing higher-ups disbanded the Project and subpoenaed his boss, Rod Lehman, to Capitol Hill for top secret congressional subcommittee hearings. It all sounded like a load of bureaucratic crap to Holden.

He spent his twenties in the Army and the first four years of his thirties at the Project. Without the routine of work the last few weeks dragged. He couldn’t remember ever being this bored.

The ball thumped against his palm before he whipped it into the air again. The seam turned end over end as it traveled halfway to his family room ceiling. It ran out of ompf and began falling back down just as the lights on his outside alarm system flickered to life on the panel next to the door.

Shrill beeps filled the room and kept right on cycling. When tires squealed outside the large double window across from him, Holden lifted his head. Saw the blinding headlights weaving and shifting straight up his lawn.

The sights and sounds refused to register in his brain. By design, his cabin sat in the middle of nowhere. He dealt with dangerous people and life threatening situations. The unsettling mix had convinced him long ago to set up a sanctuary, a place of peace known only to a few friends who also happened to be gun-carrying colleagues.

And now someone was violating the safety zone he created, using more than three thousand pounds of automobile as a weapon to do it.

He scrambled off the cushion and grabbed for the gun in his side table. He hit the floor on his right shoulder just as the sedan smacked into and through his front door. The crashing boom rattled the cabin’s foundation.

The wood creaked and splintered. Studs crumbled. The lights dimmed as the exposed wires fell from the smashed ceiling panels and pushed the electricity to the breaking point.

With dust flying and pieces of furniture scattered everywhere, Holden sat still, his back to what was left of the couch and his gun aimed at the bowed head in the front seat of the car. Long blond hair mixed with the broken windshield glass even as the white knuckle grip continued its hold on steering wheel.

His attacker was a she.

And possibly dead.

She also didn’t have an air bag, which he found odd. Not that any part of the last two minutes had been normal.

Slow and as quiet as a man of his size could manage, he jumped to his feet. The muzzle didn’t waver. Neither did his stare. If she moved, he’d be ready to shoot.

Glass crunched under his feet as he approached the front of the car. The house alarm blared, but Holden tuned it out. His focus centered on her. Whoever “her” was.

“Lift your head.” He issued the order in his best you’re-a-dead-woman tone.

Nothing.

To keep from going deaf, he headed for the alarm. Shifting around the side of the car and keeping his body square with the mystery driver, he reached out to disarm the thing. Just lifted his hand and felt nothing but the cool March night air.

Snow hadn’t fallen in Northern Virginia this week but the crisp smell signaled what could be a final winter blast. Since he now lacked a front wall that was going to be a problem.

Glancing down, he traced his foot through the debris littering what was once a shiny hardwood floor. No sign of the panel, but he did spy his keys. As he leaned down to grab the chain, the driver’s head popped up.

She screamed loud enough to make his ears shrivel.

The shriek echoed inside his brain, drowning out the annoying sound of the alarm. In two seconds, he hit the code on his key chain to stop the electronic screeching. At the same time, he leveled the gun at the woman’s forehead in an attempt to quiet her down.

“Stop.”

“Wh-what…?”

“Do not move.” When she tried to open her door, he lifted his foot and kicked it shut on her again.

“Hey!”

“You’re not listening. Stay right there.”

Her hand shook as she pressed it to her forehead. “What are you doing?”

“Setting the ground rules.”

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 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.

Limecello’s review of Leave Me Breathless by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary romance released by Brava 23 Feb 10

If this continues, HelenKay Dimon is going to become one of my favorite authors. Her writing seems to get better and better. It doesn’t hurt that I really enjoyed the story line, and setting. I knew I wanted to read this book because for a number of reasons. First, it’s a Brava book that Ms. Dimon wrote. Second, it’s set in DC. <3 Next, the hero is a judge. The heroine is a former FBI agent. The list goes on…

Callie is a heroine who has decided to speak her mind – and not in the TSTL way where she has no reason to do so, and no way to back up her words. Callie is the real deal, and I love that she gives Ben, the hero, a lot of crap. Not that she’s a bitch or a jerk, but she doesn’t let him get away with stuff. Callie is smart and capable, and I think of her as being rather scrappy. In a good way. She’s not privileged or entitled, but she also doesn’t have an inferiority complex. Nor is she arrogant. She’s simply practical, and is willing to see things as they are, and admit that she can’t control everything. She’s pretty reasonable, considering the circumstances. Callie is an adult, and knows she doesn’t always make the best decision, but is willing to take responsibility for it. I really enjoyed reading her story.

Bennet Walker is a great hero. He’s dense yet lovable. Callie constantly calls him a jackass, and often it’s well deserved, but he’s so earnest and caring and charming that you love him anyway. In fact, it’s almost part of his charm. Everyone loves him, but Ben doesn’t really let it get to his head. He’s a very macho alpha male, but once talked down, is willing to see reason. Both he and Callie are adults and act like it. It was so refreshing. Ben is very stubborn, set in his ways, and determined to save the world. He’s also emotionally stupid, and has no idea how much his past has affected him.

Ben and Callie are both characters with a lot of depth. Callie is very self actualized, and I liked that she addresses her emotions and talks out her feelings with Ben. I also loved his epiphany, and conversations with his brother, Mark. Then there’s another character, Emma, who is also a judge. Ben and Callie are a pair, and Mark and Emma the other. All fantastic romances, that are messy, complicated, involving, and tragic. But it all works out.

There’s a full supporting cast of characters, but they’re rather peripheral. I felt that Ms. Dimon got the characters spot on. For all that I love DC, I know it’s not perfect, and I think she did a great job of building the atmosphere of a courtroom realistically, but without getting bogged down in the details. Everything is lightened with the great banter between Ben and Callie. The gossip mill is well integrated into the plot, and I liked the continuing questions of who the villain was in the reader’s minds. There was a nice variety, and found the characters extremely realistic.

I feel the need to be critical, so I will say I don’t like the cover. It’s fine, other than that… thing on the cover model’s face. Like… a bad porn stache or something. Otherwise, it’s all good. Also, the plot wasn’t entirely as full as it could have been, but that doesn’t bother me as much because my focus on reading these books is the romance. With Leave Me Breathless there’s not only a fantastic main story, but a terrific secondary romance as well. One that doesn’t distract from the main couple, but is complete, and in fact bolsters the primary romance. Incredible. Unheard of. It’s what a secondary romance is supposed to be!

I will say that… I could have hoped for a little more from the ending. Nevertheless, Ms. Dimon has the characters promise each other “forever,” so that was sufficient. I hate the “well we’ll stick around and see how it goes… for now…” but that’s not what happened here. It seems a bit casual and open ended, but as I said, the thing that saved it is their use of forever. I definitely wouldn’t mind revisiting any of the main characters in another romance. At the same time, I love that this book was a single title. Regardless of what is up next, I can’t wait to read more of Ms. Dimon’s books!

Grade: A-

Summary:

PERMISSION TO APPROACH

According to Judge Bennett Walker, trying to kill him is a dumb idea. They might make him wear a big black nightgown to work, but it covers a lot of muscles, and he’s definitely packing beneath it. He’s also an ex-prosecutor and an ex-GI Joe. So when his brother brings in Callie Robbins to protect him, Ben has a few issues. First, he doesn’t need a bodyguard. Second, she’s a 130-pound girl—more smoking hot than smoking gun. And third, what if his body wants her guarding the night shift?

Callie has no problem brushing aside Ben’s disbelief. She left the FBI to escape the boys’ club, but she can be deeper undercover and twice as lethal as any beefy John Doe. As for whether someone’s after Bennett or not, the death threats and car bombs look pretty convincing to Callie. Of course, she might get distracted, sitting inches from the sexiest judge in DC for ten hours a day. Keeping him safe is no picnic. Keeping it professional—that might be impossible.

Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s review of Holding Out For A Hero by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary romance released by Brava 1 Oct 09

I really enjoyed this book. I admit, I was apprehensive about reading it because I knew it was the “sequel” to HelenKay Dimon’s Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy. And that book… I did not like. Though I generally do enjoy Ms. Dimon’s stories. While the characters in Your Mouth also show up in Holding Out – this was a good thing. I felt that Holding Out for a Hero was realistic, nicely paced, well written, and I couldn’t stop reading it. I stayed in my car reading so I wouldn’t have to interact with people and could finish more chapters. I laughed out loud at parts, I squee-d, and was left wanting more at the end.

Deana Armstrong is a very interesting character. I liked her, which in a way surprised me, because I have to say I’m rather predisposed to disliking her “type” of character. She’s basically an heiress, who thinks that her money, position, social status, what have you, can and should get her what she wants. In effect, she doesn’t mind throwing her money around to make sure an outcome is as she likes.

A major factor that allowed me to like her, however, is that Deana changes throughout the book, and realizes some things about herself. It might also help that she didn’t want to be the same as other “rich people.” (Or didn’t think she was.) That, and what she was trying to achieve was altruistic, and important, albeit misguided. That, and she’s a likable person – just hard to get to know, and easily misjudged. Add to the fact that she’s basically been paying penance for a decade makes it easier to forgive her less attractive qualities.

Josh Windsor is a fantastic hero. He’s… well, obviously the title says he’s a hero. (If I think about it, it does get annoying, but all the references to a “hero” throughout the book work.) Josh definitely has a savior complex, and a huge chip on his shoulder. At the beginning of the book he’s pretty burnt out, and a jerk. In a way his surly attitude makes his and Deana’s relationship more believable and natural. Josh is one of the good guys, although extremely misguided at times. He’s not some paragon of virtue, but is someone you can depend on, and trust to do the right thing. I also liked that he was willing to disagree with Deana, argue, tell her when she was basically being a brat, and also able to admit his own faults. And I have to admit, a frustrated Josh is pretty entertaining, and he gets fed up with Deana a lot.

I hate spoilers, so I’m going to try to be descriptive, without giving away important factors. Bear with me.

I loved that this book was realistic. Generally I demand… well, pretty much fluff and rainbows in my books. I mean, that’s why I read romances. (Granted that rarely happens, and I accept that.) The subject matter and overall focus of Holding Out for a Hero is rather dark. And I kept wondering if there might be some twist, or easy escape for Ms. Dimon to end up with the candy coated ending. For once, I’m glad that didn’t happen. It would have taken away something from the book – and in a way cheapened Deana and Josh’s relationship.

Also important, is the fact that the overall tone was relatively light, and easy. Ms. Dimon’s writing -and the plot- flow naturally. While the subject matter is heavy and Ms. Dimon addresses it with the requisite gravity, I never felt bogged down, depressed, or that it was too much. I think the cameo appearances by the secondary characters helped, as did the developing relationship between Josh and Deana. (Oh and let me be clear – for some reason I really didn’t like Annie in her own book, but quite liked her here.) Everything seems to happen rather quickly, although it is believable. I’m not sure at what point Deana and Josh’s relationship goes from mutual distaste and dislike to something physical, and then love – but I know in the end I knew Josh and Deana would work.

In a way, I’m surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. First, considering how much I disliked Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy, I was worried about Holding Out for a Hero. Then there’s the fact that I really don’t like rich entitled heroines. (Or heroes – that’s why I love their suffering and grovelling so much.) Plus the fact that Deana and Josh do not like each other at all, in the beginning, and have a pretty rough history. Josh actually arrested Deana’s nephew a two years before the book begins, and she tried to ruin him.

It boggles the mind, and generally I’d say “yeah right – this story would never work.” But Ms. Dimon skillfully crafts and weaves together all the facts so it is all laid out perfectly. Deana obviously failed in her attempt to ruin Josh, and in a way, that helped lay the foundation for her feelings about him. She tried as hard as she could, but couldn’t get any dirt on Josh. Proof he’s a good guy. And then, the fact that Deana already came after him with all her resources allows Josh to work through some of his money issues and past.

Yes, both Deana and Josh have rather traumatic pasts. This is another pet peeve of mine – but while they skate the edge of “could happen” (Josh’s especially) – they aren’t that improbable. Deana’s especially – kids make a lot of stupid mistakes. Add in the fact that both their experiences give depth to their characters, and have shaped them into the people they are today… along with the fact that both their pasts are something that builds the relationship and are integral to the story… I bought it.

Basically, my biggest complaint would be that the book ended. No, really. For some reason I expected more. An epilogue, a “two months” or “one year” later… I actually stared at the last page and thought “What?!?! No!!” I wanted more. Yes, there is closure… but I wasn’t ready to leave Josh and Deana yet.

I hope Derek gets his own book and that Josh, Deana, Kane and Annie all have cameo appearances. (I’m debating about Eric- I’m pretty much a canon girl, so I’d like for him to pine after Deana forever, but I guess that’s not fair.)

I recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary romance, Ms. Dimon’s writing, or anyone who plain enjoys a good book.

Grade: A-

Summary:

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT…

Deana Armstrong needs a hero—not for herself, but for the nephew all her money and time can’t seem to get out of jail. Unfortunately, the best hero in all the Hawaiian Islands is set on turning in his badge and getting his excellent butt into another line of work. If that wasn’t enough, Josh Windsor also has a big-time grudge against Deana herself. But if there’s anything being rich, smart, and stubborn has taught Deana, it’s never to settle for second best…

Josh has had it with saving people. He’s had it with getting hauled into court. And boy, has he ever had it with Deana. Or well, he hasn’t had it. Yet. But the more she pops up sounding infuriating and looking good enough to eat, the more her hot bod and her cold case wriggle into his mind. And there’s only so much even a hero can resist…

Read an excerpt here.

Gwen’s review of Holding Out For A Hero by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary romance released by Brava 29 Sep 09

Hero is set in the world of Dimon’s loosely related books set in Kauai.  You don’t need to read the others to enjoy each book, but they’re so much fun that there’s no reason not to read them all.  Hero is no exception – it’s a fun, hot romance with a good story, first-rate dialogue,  and great characters.

We meet Josh and Deanna on what is definitely NOT their best day.  Josh has just “quit” the DEA in a bit of a huff and Deanna is on her last hope for finding someone to help her find evidence her nephew is innocent of a horrendous crime. They have a previous acquaintance with each other that was not, shall we say, positive.  Suffice to say they can’t stand each other.  Naturally they’ll fall in love!

Dimon is a real pro with snappy dialogue.  Her books are always full of it and most of the story is told through what the characters say.  Hero is one of her best for quick-witted come backs.  The hero and heroine in this book are smart people trying to make it through tough times.  Naturally they resist each other as much as they can, but can’t resist the animal attraction.  Their dialogue is smart, sometimes snide, but always fun.

The heroine, Deanna, is desperate to find someone who can help her vindicate her nephew.  She’s lost a lot of people she loves in her life and she doesn’t want him to be yet another.  Because of her experience with him, Deanna believes the hero, Josh, is the man to help her.

Josh wants nothing to do with the glacial Deanna of the upper-crust Hawaii society.  He sees her as a privileged, protected princess who has never had to deal with life’s consequences.

In some ways, as Deanna comes to discover, Josh is right.  Watching these two people overcome their individual prejudices and preconceptions is the most interesting part of this book.  Watching Josh uncover detail after detail about the nephew’s crime is also interesting and adds a very real bit of drama to what is already an interesting story.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a read full of snappy dialogue and a believable romance.  If you’re a fan of Dimon’s Hawaii books, you need to read this one.

Grade: B

Summary:

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT…

Deana Armstrong needs a hero—not for herself, but for the nephew all her money and time can’t seem to get out of jail. Unfortunately, the best hero in all the Hawaiian Islands is set on turning in his badge and getting his excellent butt into another line of work. If that wasn’t enough, Josh Windsor also has a big-time grudge against Deana herself. But if there’s anything being rich, smart, and stubborn has taught Deana, it’s never to settle for second best…

Josh has had it with saving people. He’s had it with getting hauled into court. And boy, has he ever had it with Deana. Or well, he hasn’t had it. Yet. But the more she pops up sounding infuriating and looking good enough to eat, the more her hot bod and her cold case wriggle into his mind. And there’s only so much even a hero can resist…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Limecello’s review of To All A Good Night by Donna Kauffman, Jill Shalvis, and HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary romance anthology published by Brava on 1 Oct 08

I love holiday anthologies. There’s something about them. (I mean, I don’t even like holiday things now – I get upset at seeing Christmas/holiday decorations in stores so early. So that should tell you how much I love Christmas anthologies.) I’m also drawn to the anthologies that Brava publishes. The two go hand in hand for me, and they’re extremely good, more often than not. I also knew I wanted to read this book based on the authors, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Unleashed by Donna Kauffman

Emma Lafferty and Trevor Hamilton are two great characters. Emma’s a lot of fun and it’s nice that she’s a smart heroine, with her head on straight. Trevor is great because he’s a “typical” hero, but not. Incredibly wealthy with a well known name, Trevor has a sense of humor that’s rather self deprecating. Add in some great pets, an adorable bird, mystery, references to college football and classical mythology, and I’m sold. Ms. Kauffman manages to write a very believable and full story in 108 pages, which is very impressive. I loved the interaction between Emma and Trevor, and also the insight into their inner thoughts. The chemistry was great, and Ms. Kauffman’s imagery and attention to detail was also quite enjoyable.

Unfortunately, there were two things that detracted from my reading experience. First, was that you never figure out the point of the book. Trevor is at the mansion for a reason, and when given the opportunity to find all his answers, he passes it up. I could understand that, until you get to the epilogue, which I wish hadn’t been added. It’s a blatent lure to read the next book – in fact, Trevor and Emma don’t even feature in it. They get a bland general paragraph in the three paragraph epilogue. I didn’t appreciate that, but I know it won’t bother many readers.

Grade: B+

Summary:

When Emma Lafferty is hired by a billionaire CEO to watch his pets over the holidays, she expects to enjoy a quiet Christmas in opulent surroundings. What she doesn’t expect is to spend the week trapped in the mansion with the CEO’s sexy great-nephew-and heir-whose motives are as shady as his desire is crystal clear….

Finding Mr. Right by Jill Shalvis

Ms. Shalvis imbued her novella with a lot of humor, and I thought it was great. Maggie Bell is brilliant but clumsy, and a very entertaining character. She gets into a lot of scrapes that border on slap stick, but are never cheesy. Jacob Wahler is the antithesis of Maggie’s dream guy, but he’s had his eye on her, and wins her. I thought the manner in which Maggie and Jacob got together was creative and sexy. Jacob and Maggie are dynamic characters, and it was nice that they had some history, which made their relationship more believable.  The plot was also engaging, with a lot of action and fun gadgets.

There were a few allusions to a love triangle, and I wish Ms. Shalvis had been able to explore that a little more. At the same time, it did seem a bit extraneous, and the explanation for it was a bit off. There was a plot twist that was a bit unexpected and over the top, but it brought things nicely to a close, and everything was incorporated nicely. A great novella.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Brilliant chemist Maggie Bell has a knack for choosing Mr. Wrong, and with yet another lonely Christmas looming, she decides it’s time to alter the equation-and seek out someone who seems totally wrong for her. Enter Jacob Wahler, the rough and rippling contractor who’s about as far from Maggie type as he could get. But suddenly what’s wrong for Maggie seems oh-so-right….

Read an excerpt here.

Can You Hand Me the Tape? by HelenKay Dimon

Ms. Dimon’s novella focuses a lot more on the character’s relationship and emotions, which was refreshing. While the plot may seem slow, the story never lags. Natalie Pritchard is between a rock and a hard place, and I thought it was curious how she had to go to her “enemy.” Spencer Donovan is quite an interesting character – one you’re not sure if you’re supposed to like or not. I felt in a way that he had more depth than Natalie, but that’s because more of his background is revealed. I also liked how Natalie was an “unconventional” character, in that she’s a larger, and a strong woman in a somewhat unusual career as a parole officer.

I thought it was wonderful how Ms. Dimon explored Natalie’s psyche, and had Natalie reveal her thoughts to Spencer, who was incredibly caring and understanding. Also, he was typically male in the way that he didn’t understand why Natalie had those issues. It was nice how the two complimented each other. Spencer and Natalie are a couple that works. They seem all wrong, but put together, you know are perfectly right.

There was also one line that I loved – I don’t normally do this, but here’s a quote:

I should have said fallen. Past tense. I know it’s only been a short time, but I’m about an inch away from being stupid in love with you.

I thought that was incredibly sweet, and the great dialogue in this novella really brings it to life.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Natalie Pritchard is desperate. It’s a week before Christmas and she’s lost the naughty tape she made for her now-ex-boyfriend. She’s so desperate, in fact, that she’ll turn to her nemesis Spencer Donovan for help. The sexy criminal defense attorney would be only too happy to assist-but can Emma afford his price?

Read an excerpt here.

This book has a lot of great writing, and I found the differences between the author’s styles very interesting. Ms. Kauffman, Ms. Shalvis, and Ms. Dimon all brought something different to the table, but all three novellas work well together. Ms. Kauffman’s writing is very personable, with a little something for everyone. Ms. Shalvis’s novella has a lot of humor that will have you laughing as you read. And Ms. Dimon’s writing gets you emotionally, ensuring you’re invested in the characters.

This is an anthology that flows from novella to novella. It was nice to read a few Christmas stories, but they’re perfect for any time of the year. I’m so glad that I read To All A Good Night – I hope that you read it and like it too. I definitely recommend this book to all lovers of anthologies and contemporary romance.

Overall Grade: A-

This Christmas, sugarplums aren’t the only visions that will be dancing in your head. Prepare to have your toes curled by some of the holiday’s hunkiest heroes in this hot, hot, hot collection…

Limecello’s review of Hard as Nails by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary anthology published by Brava on 1 Jul 08

I first discovered HelenKay Dimon in the anthology When Good Things Happen to Bad Boys, with her story Hardhats and Silk Stockings. I really enjoyed it, and was so excited to find out that she had a continuation of sorts on the story coming out. Actually, I didn’t know this was an anthology at first, but this format is perfect.

This Old House

Cole and Aubrey are interesting characters. The story starts out well, but I wasn’t impressed with Aubrey initially. She creates outrageous lies to get her way (ultimately for what she believes is a good cause) – and that annoyed me. Especially when she doesn’t own to them. She causes a lot of costly destruction, that all the characters just ignore. (Maybe I’m just jealous of people, fictional or otherwise who can afford throwing away possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars. I’ll admit that.) Also, when Cole and Aubrey first get, er, friendly, she jokes about Cole taking favors as payment. However, when he says something along the same lines, Aubrey throws a fit, and Cole feels guilty and there is all this drama. What annoyed me, is the fact that Aubrey started it is passed over.

That being said, after that, everything was well written, the story interesting, and the characters entertaining. I loved their personalities and the banter – excellent.

Grade: B

Architect Cole Carruthers’s mission is simple-visit his company’s latest rehab project and cajole the sweet old lady who once owned it into vacating the premises. But the sultry, sledge-hammer-wielding woman he finds is far from old, nor particularly sweet. For reasons she won’t reveal, Aubrey Matheson refuses to leave the house she claims is her birthright. As far as Cole’s concerned, there’s only one thing to do with this squatter: hunker down with her and discover every single one of her sexy secrets…

All About Adam

Both Adam and Becky are sneaky – and keep their emotions to themselves. I love a good story when the hero is pursuing the heroine, and Ms. Dimon does an excellent job of writing one that is believable and engaging. While the characters frustrate each other, the scenes are quite realistic, and the witty repartee is most enjoyable. I liked how Adam went through such a circuitous and elaborate route to get back together with Becky. I also enjoyed how pragmatic Becky was – and that she didn’t go in with rose colored glasses and unrealistic expectations. The fact that everything turned out that way was just the cherry on top. That, and the minor subplot was also interesting and well written.

Grade: A

The last meeting tough-as-nails Becky Carter took with sharp-witted, wicked sexy lawyer and real estate rehabber Adam Thomas culminated in a scorching-hot game of kiss-and-run. Becky was the one running, and she’s regretted it ever since. Now Adam’s back to do some actual business…or so he says. If Becky has her way, this weekend of negotiation will speed from boardroom to bedroom-and stay there…

Man at the Door

Older woman younger man stories can go wrong all too easily, but that definitely didn’t happen here. Erin and Ray obviously have chemistry, and I loved the “role reversal” – where Cole, the frivolous playboy was pushing for a committed relationship, and Erin wanted to be friends with benefits. It was also nice that while they seemed to be so different, their history gave them many commonalities.

Of course, this story was smart, and well written, but I think one of my favorite aspects was how each character stood up for themselves. For better or for worse, I respected both of them throughout. It didn’t feel that either of them just caved and compromised. Of course, there is the happy ending and each character takes steps towards the other, but only because they wanted to and because it was right for them and the right time. Perfect.

Grade: A-

After finding herself famous for all the wrong reasons, artist Erin McHugh just wants to fix up her house, open her art studio, and settle down out of the spotlight. Then job foreman Ray Hammond walks through her door and Erin recognizes broad-shouldered trouble. Hot, young, and always in the news, Ray is everything Erin wanted to avoid. The challenge is how to resist a guy who can build anything, fix anything-and make Erin feel everything…

Each character had a unique personality, and all the stories worked well together. They built on each other, but were also stand-alone. The humor was also constant, I enjoyed the warm feel to the novella, and the characters were all friends with each other. It worked. There were also priceless one-liners and zingers. I recommend reading this book if you’re looking for something quick and fun – especially if you’re already a fan of Ms. Dimon.

Overall Grade: A-

What’s better than a man who’s good with his hands? Try a trio of hard-bodied hunks who’ll be happy to flip your house, your heart…and anything else you have in mind…

Read an excerpt here.

This just in…

Author Jo Leigh lost the love of her life to cancer on June 13. Their story is the stuff romance novels are made of.

~ They met in 1976, had a happy but tumultuous relationship and eventually broke up. They made contact again in 2002 and married in 2005. Read more here.

~ Authors Alison Kent, HelenKay Dimon, Larissa Ione, Stephanie Tyler are helping Jo pay for medical expenses by holding fundraising auctions and all the help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

~ If you have items to donate – books or book baskets/collections, critiques, ARCs of upcoming releases, mentoring opportunities, web or promotional material design work, etc., please email the item description to the following email address: forjoleigh@gmail.com.

~ Jo has written for Harlequin Blaze, Temptation, Intrigue, Special Projects, Silhouette Intimate Moments and Meteor Kismet. She also shares her knowledge and experise by teaching writing classes.

Consider yourself, unfortunately, flashed.

Ok I am going to work toward getting all the nifty prizes logged today and we will start giving them out. Some of them will go to random comment in a post with these icons. WHAT icons?

SSE EXCERPT: Dear Santa by Karen Templeton

EXCERPT Part II: Thigh High: Thigh High by Bonnie Edwards

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: The Love Letter by Linda Broday

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: No Time for Love by Phyliss Miranda

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: A Shade of Sunrise by DeWanna Pace

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: Amarillo By Morning by Jodi Thomas

EXCERPT Part III: Thigh High: Twinkle Twinkle Little Thong by Bonnie Edwards

Excerpt from Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife by Michelle Styles
new historical release from Mills & Boone with a UK release in June 2008

Yours, Mine…or Ours is book two in Karen Templeton’s Guys & Daughters series (Dear Santa, Yours, Mine…or Ours? and Baby, I’m Yours)

Excerpt of Taken by the Viking by Michelle Styles, coming 1 May!!
Historical romance released by Harlequin 1 May 2008

Excerpt Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare aka the one to steam the screen

I am missing some and will add them tomorrow (I see Kresley Cole’s aren’t here). More excerpts to come from Lisa Kleypas, Jill Shalvis, Lynne Connolly, Stephanie Tyler, Caroline Linden, HelenKay Dimon, EC Sheedy, Liz Carlyle, Hope Tarr, Lora Leigh, Sabrina Jeffries, Jenna Petersen, Laura Drewry, Sydney Croft, Roxanne St. Claire, Jennifer Estep, Cheryl St.John and many more….

As well as some nifty prizes from t-shirts and books *g*. Some you will have to answer questions from the excerpts and other will be random drawings from the comments.

first recap can be found here

How Flashdance… LOL 

It’s Raining Excerpts!EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: Secrets of Surrender by Madeline HunterEXCERPT Part I: Thigh High: Parlor Games by Bonnie Edwards

EXCERPT: Phantom Pleasures by Julie Leto

EXCERPT Part I: Unlawful Contact
EXCERPT Part II: Unlawful Contact
EXCERPT Part III: Unlawful Contact
EXCERPT Part IV: Unlawful Contact

SSE EXCERPT: Dear Santa by Karen Templeton

EXCERPT Part II: Thigh High: Thigh High by Bonnie Edwards

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: The Love Letter by Linda Broday

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: No Time for Love by Phyliss Miranda

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: A Shade of Sunrise by DeWanna Pace

EXCERPT: Give Me a Texan: Amarillo By Morning by Jodi Thomas

EXCERPT Part III: Thigh High: Twinkle Twinkle Little Thong by Bonnie Edwards

Excerpt from Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife by Michelle Styles
new historical release from Mills & Boone with a UK release in June 2008

Yours, Mine…or Ours is book two in Karen Templeton’s Guys & Daughters series (Dear Santa, Yours, Mine…or Ours? and Baby, I’m Yours)

Excerpt of Taken by the Viking by Michelle Styles, coming 1 May!!
Historical romance released by Harlequin 1 May 2008

Excerpt Unlawful Contact by Pamela Clare aka the one to steam the screen

I am missing some and will add them tomorrow (I see Kresley Cole’s aren’t here). More excerpts to come from Lisa Kleypas, Jill Shalvis, Lynne Connolly, Stephanie Tyler, Caroline Linden, HelenKay Dimon, EC Sheedy, Liz Carlyle, Hope Tarr, Lora Leigh, Sabrina Jeffries, Jenna Petersen, Laura Drewry, Sydney Croft, Roxanne St. Claire, Jennifer Estep, Cheryl St.John and many more….

As well as some nifty prizes from t-shirts and books *g*. Some you will have to answer questions from the excerpts and other will be random drawings from the comments.

It seems we are appearing MIA to a few people and they seem to have one thing in common.

Ok well really by they I mean the two I know of who have emailed me asking what I did to the site now. I know! Why do I ALWAYS get the blame?

Anyway while the ever loverly gwen sweet talks cox (who is most likely the one to blame, gwen or cox take your pick… or bev… whichever) yes I am ignoring the obvious joke you can get there yourself…

One of our favorite authors with a book out NEXT WEEK that we even like [YES the book and the author... woot!] is locked out and sadly can not get into the pond. This makes me cry very big sad duckie tears. So I am thinking…

….we should all talk about HelenKay Dimon, her new book Right Here, Right Now, her old books or you know the weather (just let her think we are talking about her) and then go tease her about it while she guests at Plot Monkeys today.

tell her the duckies sent cha

And if you have any friends you use cox.net have them check and the site and see if they can get in. I mean really how can they know they miss us if they don’t know we have gone away?

I propose it’s about time we announce the winner of a copy of HelenKay’s latest Brava release Right Here, Right Now

Please email your contact info to Sybil, who will forward it to HelenKay. PLEASEPLEASE put “HelenKay Dimon Valenduckie Contest” in the subject line.

Gwen’s review of Right Here, Right Now by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary romance released 26 Feb 08 by Brava

HelenKay is fast becoming one of my favorite authors for snappy dialogue and steamy scenes.  I’m very picky about dialogue – if an author is trying for funny and snappy, it has to be done well.  Otherwise, it just hurts to read.  Dimon does it Very well.

RHRN’s hero is Reed Larkin and the heroine is a wannabe-spy accountant Gabby Pearson.  The story picks up about a month after these two have started dating.  The first scene of the book is the two of them having dinner and breaking up.  It was surprising as hell and I had no idea where on earth the plot was going to go from there, ’cause when I say they broke up, I mean they BROKE UP.  Wine dumped on the head, nasty public scene and all.  It was priceless and totally new to me – fresh and fun to read.

Somehow, Dimon manages to drag this couple thru this huge break-up, a make-up, another break-up, another make-up, and thru some rather amoral usage, manipulation, and downright questionable behavior.   We see spies, evil bureaucrats, and Internal Affairs.  All in ONE book.  It had snappy dialogue all over the place (read the excerpt, linked below) and some fantastic erotic scenes.  Plus, both the hero and heroine have believable personal epiphanies that were very satisfying.  Right Here, Right Now was just a blast to read.

The only critique I have, if I have to have one, was the whole suspense/spy side of the story was a little vague and underdeveloped.  I was left with a feeling of slight anemia.  It wasn’t poorly done – just light.  But, I am reading it for the romance, right?

I recommend this book to anyone who likes quick-moving dialogue (read the excerpt for some fun) and a very satisfying romance.  By the way, HelenKay has a terrific author blog and always has something interesting to say.

Grade: B+

From the back cover:

     It’s Not You, It’s Me… For Gabby Pearson, being dumped in public before the dessert course has to be the lowest of the low—especially when it’s the old, “It’s not you, it’s me” speech. Honestly, how about something original: “I have five minutes to live” (very possible); “It’s not you, it’s the voices in my head” (thanks for the warning); or “I am such a powerful sexual being I could put you into a coma with one kiss” (wishful thinking). Not that Gabby would ever know since Reed Larkin never bothered to take her to bed. Why does a girl bother (to shave)? The only thing left to do is offer the guy a goodbye-forever drink…on his head.

     It’s Me Wanting You Completely… Damn. Reed did his job—he walked away from Gabby rather than drag her into his unstable life and danger. Now he’s wearing her full glass of wine instead of throwing her onto his sheets. It doesn’t help that the woman is smart as hell and could stop a man’s breath with that wide smile and those shapely curves. Gabby has it all, and Reed wants every inch of her. And now the joke’s on him, because new intel says Gabby has just become his assignment: He has one day to win her back, get information from her she may not know she has, and somehow protect her at the same time.

     Right Here, Right Now. Problem? The stakes are high. The odds are impossible. And the mutual attraction is as hot and strong as Gabby’s anger. And Reed can only hope his next speech—“It’s you, baby, it’s definitely you…”—will be the start of something wild, something crazy, something dangerous, something wonderful…

     Read an excerpt.

Author HelenKay Dimon is our next cupid.  You know HKD – fun dialog in her books and on her blog, lawyer, wife, chief bottle washer?  The woman has some serious skills.  Plus, she based a book in a believable Hawaii – I so want to go there – where she is until Sunday (wench – I’m not jealous – I’m JEALOUS).

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of her latest, Right Here, Right Now, releasing 26 Feb 08 from Brava.  (We’ll have a review posted later this month.)  It’s full of her trademark dialog, hot scenes, and all-around good writing.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to remember the romantic way in which I got engaged. I like to think of it as: The Day My Hubby Proved How Patient He Is. He likes to think of it as: The Day I Almost Threw A Diamond Ring At HelenKay. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

It started out lovely enough. We were in Hawaii over Christmas. My husband is from there, so a visit to Hawaii is a visit home [and now you see one of the reasons why I said yes when he proposed]. Problem is that the minute I stepped off the plane on Honolulu, I got the flu. Not a cold. Oh, no. I got the pray-for-death type of flu.

Poor James [the hubby]. He had all kinds of plans. We had tickets to see Tony Bennett on New Year’s Eve. After days of whining and barely moving, I went but was too tired and too sick to do much of anything else, so we came home right after. Finally, on the last night before we were set to go back home, I felt better. My idea: let’s go to the Barnes & Noble to get a book for the plane. His idea: drag HelenKay to the beach and propose. In my defense, I didn’t know his intentions.

Since I am married, you probably know how this ends. I went [grumbling] to the beach bar, was so out of it that I did not notice the ring when my hubby put it in front of me but somehow got a clue and said yes. Not my finest moment [or week], but it was one of my husband’s best.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

HelenKay Dimon

So, readers, I KNOW some of you have amusing proposal stories.  Please share it so we can giggle, chuckle, and/or groan along with you.  Plus, if you comment here with your story, you may win the copy of Right Here, Right Now that’s being given away to a random post commenter.

Friday night is the night of parties and such at RWA. We had RSVP’ed to attend three and were going to go back to the room before heading out to the Harlequin party. I am forever a dumbass and didn’t notice it was at another hotel.

On our way back to the room we ended up in the bar, ran into some authors who were gonna go crash and decided to walk with them to the hotel. My migraine was back, my feet were killing me and I am a wuss. Seeing HelenKay and Sylvia Day sitting in the bar waiting for Kate Duffy was my sign I needed to sit my ass down.

I had never met Kate Duffy and I bother her often with emails so I had to stay. And when she joined us she didn’t even scream in horror and send me away. Cool huh?

Since my buds had left for Harlequin and moving seemed like a really really bad idea, I made a pest of myself for two or three hours. Sadly since I already had a migraine I didn’t even add more than one virgin drink to the bar tab. (I think I had one glass of wine during the whole conference)

Not really much to report on the whole thing. It is somewhat shocking to me that authors make such asses of themselves in front of editors. Another author who joined us later had no clue who I was, even after I tried to explain, and went on at length to tell me what was bad about online reviews.

Well not really… it started with she was really fine with them. If they are done right. To which I asked what ‘right’ meant… I am still not sure but I do know if you say a book made you take an asprin after you finished it that is attacking the author. I still don’t make that connection but to each their own.

A group of people joined us at one point, we were very happy to see them, I had no clue who the hell they were. Turned out it was Hilary and I am pretty sure her daughter and soon to be son-in-law. Sadly I didn’t get a chance to be introduced because she slipped away before I could pounce. I know! I wasn’t feeling well, what can I say.

Jami joined us, lovingly fondingly her book Built. Sylvia Day flipped through it looking for the dirty parts, at least that is what it looked like she was doing. There were random other authors popping in and out, trying to catch a ride on the Kensington tab. And really just doing a great job on networking.

HelenKay kept staring at me, I think waiting for me to mock the stupid but I was on my best behavior. Ok really I just wasn’t feeling well and maybe a touch in shock. A few notes if an editor askes you what you write – Smut – isn’t a good answer. Please someone correct me if I am wrong. Stories of how you buy your mom vibrators for christmas – not impressive. Oh and just to help clear it up in case anyone doesn’t know it – Kate Duffy – doesn’t edit the erotic romance line, Aphrodisia. (hmmm at least I don’t think so…)

I met a lovely couple David Wind and his omfg fabulous wife Bonnie. No really, I will forever loveseses her for giving me Sudafed on Saturday. I was sort of like what the hell ever at that point. And it worked! The woman is a god.

The funniest part of the night was when sarah and candy came back from wherever the hell they had been and were oh so nice to check up on me (although I think they just noticed who I was sitting next too ). Sarah was very motherly and told me I looked like shit and she hoped I felt better soon (I did too). And I got to say hello again to the oh so fab Heather Osborn (editor at TOR).

After I sat back down I leaned over to Kate, most likely scaring her, and quietly asked if she wanted to meet the Smart Bitches. The bar was loud and she gave me an odd look, thinking on it now the woman prolly thought I called her a bitch. It had been an odd night for people saying strange shit to Kate Duffy, so I repeated myself thinking lovely she prolly hates the bitches. And she was like oh, I would love to meet them but I haven’t seen them.

So I once again played hostess (I can’t remember all the people I introduced to other people… sniff no one prolly even recalls meeting ME) and caught Sarah’s eye and waved her over. Candy soon followed and there were bitches all around. Turns out Kate reads the Smart Bitches blog… who knew? The bitches than waddled off and we spent a good 30 minutes talking about blogs and the good things they are doing for the industry. I know oddly enough many a person doesn’t know about blogs and bloggers! David Wind pulled out his cell phone and next I knew I was recommending Joey Hill’s book The Vampire Servant because the cover caught his eye on my blog. Behold the Power of Blogs.

I can’t remember when I made my exit but I would bet those girls (and guy) closed the bar. Me? I went upstairs and passed out, without ever taking a drink. All in all though, it was a blast. Even if I didn’t leave with a copy of Built *g*.

Gwen’s review of Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense novel published 26 June 2007 by Brava (Kensington)

This is a contemporary romantic suspense set in Kauai, Hawaii. The hero, Kane, is the police chief and the heroine, Annie, is a photographer on a mission of revenge. Annie washes on shore, nude, practically at Kane’s front door. The suspense surrounds why she shows up there and why he’s around to find her. The book’s title is clever – the heroine is a smartmouth par excellence and then of course the obvious sexual innuendo.

I almost didn’t want to read this book. I’m not “crazy” about titles that are this long and that are so, well, odd. Boy am I glad I didn’t listen to myself this time. This book was a BLAST to read. I guffawed or laughed loudly several times, and had some tears, too.

Here are a couple of exchanges that amused me. This first is between Annie and the hero’s best friend, Josh, while they stand on the porch, watching Kane wade into a fracas on his front lawn:

“We’re not actually going to stand up here and miss the action, are we?” she asked her bodyguard.
“You know, Annie. I’m starting to like you.”
“I grow on people.”
Josh cracked a smile. “A little like mold
“Only without the helpful medicinal qualities.”

And this one, while it sounds a little misogynistic, is actually very appropriate for the point in the story. Annie and Kane are getting to know each other better and she’s wondering if she’s hooked up with the wrong guy:

“I got a question for you, island boy.” Annie clutched her journal to her chest.
“Hit me.”
“Does anyone on this island like you?”
That one was easy. “Not as far as I can tell.”
“Maybe I need to find another island tour guide.”
“You act as if anyone else would be able to stand you.”

This book was a breath of very fun, fresh air. It’s been a while since I read a romance that didn’t seem to be trying too hard to be funny or clever. This was just a very fun, clever story with a couple of twists, some suspense, a couple of good villains, and enough sexual chemistry and steam to keep the pages flipping. What was different, though, was the characters don’t immediately get into each other’s pants – well, not that way, at least. Their passion is given time to build and you want it as much they do by the time they satisfy it.

The suspense elements are very believable and it is interesting how they resolve. I cheered at the end for the scene where it all comes together. The build-up to that point is very charged. Other things I like about this novel is the plot is tightly woven. The characterizations are believable and remain true throughout the story – no cop-outs and uncharacteristic reactions. The story arcs are all very satisfying and culminate in a nice HEA.

And damn if I haven’t always fantasized about living on Kauai myself! HelenKay hit all my hot buttons and left me with a smile on my face. This was a very good read. If you’re a fan of snappy dialog and wonderful settings, this is the book for you.

Grade: A

Here’s the book blurb:

NEVER LET ME GO

Annie Parks came to Hawaii to gather information and settle a score, not spend time handcuffed to a sexy stranger’s bed. Okay, so this particular stranger saved her from drowning after she was pitched overboard by some goons. And he’s about six feet of hard, Hawaiian muscle and gorgeous cool that’s making forgotten parts of her say, “A-lo-ha!” She needs to stay focused, but a side dish of Kane Travers is awfully tempting.

Kauai Police Chief Kane Travers is not a vacation kind of guy. So it figures that when Internal Affairs suspended him, he’d end up rescuing a sarcastic, dishonest, extremely hot redhead who is clearly hiding something. Amnesia? Yeah, right. Kane’s got half a mind to give Miss Whoever She Is something she’ll never forget. His cop senses tell him that the lady’s in deep and needs his protection. But how can he get her to tell him anything when all he wants is to take her home and do everything?

Read an excerpt.

My newest release isViva Las Bad Boys!

The title probably gives it away, but this one takes place in Las Vegas. Why Las Vegas?

Well, can you think of a better excuse for a tax-deductible vacation at Bellagio than to write a story about a fictional hotel and casino based on Bellagio? Me either.

Actually, I owe Bellagio for the idea behind Viva.

See, a few years back my husband and I journeyed to Las Vegas and Bellagio for a few days of sun, spa, gambling and food. We thought we’d also have electricity.

Silly us… The first night there, while we were sleeping off a food coma induced by significant overindulging at the buffet, the Bellagio experienced a blackout. Not a little one that lasted only a few minutes, mind you. Noooo. This one went on for days. No electricity. No gambling. No restaurants. No spa.

Blasphemy!!

The good news – yes, there’s good news – is that the staff at Bellagio acted with complete professionalism, transferred us to another hotel and ensured a wonderful vacation.

The even better news is that the incident stuck in my mind. When my editor asked me to come up with an idea for a single author Bad Boy anthology, the Bellagio blackout popped into my mind.

Viva Las Bad Boys! takes place in a fictional place – the Berkley Hotel and Casino – during a blackout.

The novellas follow guests and hotel personnel as they find ways to occupy their time while the lights are out…

Viva Las Bad Boys! by HelenKay Dimon

JACKPOT
Jack McAllister is looking to get lucky on his vacation, and the jilted bride sitting at the slot machine next to him just might be his answer. Getting her up to his room is a breeze. Ditto getting her out of that formal, white dress. Laine Monroe isn’t a bride at all. The pretty blonde accountant is playing P.I. to help a client she’s sure Jack conned out of his money. But now that she’s got him in a compromising position, she finds he’s all too willing to compromise…

PLAYER’S CLUB
Jenna Barrister didn’t get to where she is in the business world by being a pushover. So how exactly did she end up here, playing corporate babysitter to playboy super-chef Zach Jacobs? This is one MBA who isn’t falling for his “speak naughtily and carry a big spatula” routine. But when the lights suddenly go out in the hotel, Jenna’s resolve crumbles. She wants to experience the heat, and the rebellious chef knows just how to turn it up…

TWO OF A KIND
As the casino faces its first blackout, Assistant Manager Alex Mitchell figures there are worse places to get stranded than in the soon-to-open spa with a mysterious and sexy guest. Hey, what happens in the massage room, stays in the massage room. Travel reviewer Caroline Rogers has road-tested plenty of places, but she’s never had a steamy, four-star experience like this one. She should confess her secret, but who knew mixing business and pleasure could be this much fun…

Today’s guest is trouble with a capital K.

Trust me on this…

She is one of the few ‘bloggers’ I have guesting. Normally I invite authors with little to no online voice. (no blog, not a big message board poster, not a blog hopper)

HelenKay has a voice and then some.

You can catch her on her blog, Access Romance and Paperback Reader. And she is one of those authors I knew as bloggers before they were published. (short list so far, at least of people I read)

HelenKay got way lucky with her first book. I mean way lucky and she knows it. How many first time authors can say they were in a book with Erin McCarthy and Lori Foster.

Regardless of her team mates the thing to be noted is not only did she get to play with the big boys, she held her own.

And she got to play all by herself in her next Bad Boy book, Viva Las Bad Boys.

Her first single title, Your Mouth Makes Me Crazy, will be out in July of 2007. But the nifty thing to note is she has another Bad Boy book to be named later hitting book store in 2007.