This is the second year in a row I’ve not been able to decide which of two terrific books should be my No. 1. So I have a tie once again. Last year it was two fantasies that made the top spot. This year one of those authors has maintained her position, but she’s now sharing it with an historical author who never lets me down in story or character. And who rounds out the rest of my list? Think I can surprise you? Hmmmmm. Maybe not totally, but I think a few of my picks just might!

10. A Forever Kind of Love by Shiloh Walker – emotion is going to be the word of the day for this list. Combined with an alpha hero and a romance to die for, an author has a life-long fan in me if she can pull that off. Shiloh Walker is definitely one of those authors. This book is chockful of emotion, pulling on your heartstrings so much you’re sure they’ll definitely break. Just what I’ve come to expect from her.

9. Saddled and Spurred/Wrangled and Tangled & Chasin’ Eight/Cowboy Casanova by Lorelei James – I’m not sure how she does it, releasing these four books, plus others, in one year, but I’m sure glad Ms. James does. I couldn’t leave any of these books off the list over another, they’re all so good. My favorite, I think, is W&T – I love Renner and Tierney, they’re such fun. Her cowboys from both of her current series will keep you hot and bothered long after you’ve finished reading them!

8. Hidden Embers by Tessa Adams – sigh. Dragons. I love’em. And this edition of Tessa Adams’ Dragon’s Heat series is right on target for me with the emotion the hero goes through and all those alpha dragons breathing fire everywhere. The aerial fight scenes are as intense as the lovemaking, and with a mysterious disease that could end their clan, this is one all-consuming read. And how can you not lust over that cover, for heaven’s sake?

7. Touch of Crimson by Sylvia Day – I so enjoy an author who can write in more than one genre, and Sylvia Day is a master. I love her paranormals every bit as much as I love her historicals. This new series featuring angels is spectacular. ToC is the perfect opening, and I can’t wait for more, especially since next up is a werewolf hero. Shifters do it for me every time.

6. Pride and Pleasure by Sylvia Day – this is the first time an author has made my list in two different genres. Doesn’t surprise me it’s Ms. Day. Both hero and heroine in this book are fascinating characters, something this author excels at like no other. I can’t imagine anyone reading this list hasn’t read Sylvia Day before, but if so, you have to pick up one of her books like yesterday. Seriously.

5. Breaking Point by Pamela Clare – another author who writes alpha heroes and gives them the perfect heroine for our reading pleasure. And who can insert emotion that breaks your heart and then shows you action until you’re ready to collapse with exhaustion. You get everything in a Pamela Clare book. The hero in this story goes through hell, but his heroine, of course, helps pull him through.

4. Hidden Away by Maya Banks – If you’ve read my reviews of Ms. Banks’ KGI series books, you know I love these Kelly boys. They go through hell to find love, but that makes it all the more sweet and pleasurable in the end. It’s also the family aspect of these stories that I love. You mess with one Kelly, you mess with them all. The brothers tease and fight like boys do, but they back each other up no matter what. Heroes, every one of them.

3. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron by Jennifer Ashley – more brothers that have burrowed into my heart. This book is my second favorite so far, right behind The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie. We find out what drives Cam, how his past has shaped him. And what a past it is. I also like the father-son aspect of this book. I was hoping that would be a good part of it when we met Daniel in earlier stories, and Ms. Ashley gave me that hope in spades, and then some.

2. Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh – there’s not a thing about Ms. Singh’s Psy-Changeling series that I don’t like. I like/love certain books over others, especially the ones that made me cry – but every one of them calls to and satisfies the paranormal/shifter fan in me. Hawke and Sienna live up to the expectations in my mind, I loved every single word.

1. Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath – all three books in this trilogy are wonderful, but this one, this one was the most emotional of all, and that’s saying something after the very talented Ms. Heath turned a not-so-nice character into a hero you couldn’t help but love on the very first page of his book. The untenable situation in WUwtD, the characters who live it, and the love they share is what puts this book in the No. 1 position for me.

1. Haunting Desire and Haunting Embrace by Erin Quinn – this series has been, well, haunting to read. Ms. Quinn has given this reader a whole new lo ok at Ireland and paranormal stories the like of which I’ve never read before. So beautifully written.

The series has ended with Haunting Embrace, so if you’re looking for something different, these books will hit the spot perfectly.

I always give a few honorable mentions, because it’s such a difficult time whittling down the list of all the great books I’ve read in a year’s time. So I want to share those with you too. Here they are in no particular order:

Second Chance at the Sugar Shack/Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry – what fun these books are! I’m glad I discovered Ms. Terry. She’s a joy to read. Great sense of humor and a mama ghost. You can’t go wrong!

A Light at Winter’s End by Julia London – I’m so glad this book was written. I was very upset at the ending of Summer of Two Wishes. The heroine picked the wrong man, as far as I’m concerned. And when he walked off into the sunset, so to speak, with no other information about where he went, what he did, how he coped, well, I wasn’t happy at all. Here we find out. And now I’m happy. (You should read SoTW first!)

The King’s Mistress by Sandy Blair – it’s nice to have a new book by Sandy Blair on the shelves. And she’s done one heck of a job weaving her hero and heroine into Scottish history to give readers a wonderful romance. No one does it better.

Making Waves by Tawna Fenske – I enjoy an author who can make me laugh out loud. There aren’t many out there who can. Tawna Fenske is a new voice on the scene, and she knows how to write humor. Her characters and storylines are just plain old fun! I still chuckle thinking about that black thong…

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long – this was my first Julie Anne Long book and I can certainly say I’m hooked. I really enjoyed these characters and just had fun with them. I look forward to reading a lot more of her books in the future. With all of the historicals on my list this year, this one didn’t miss the cut by much at all. So very close!

Well, now we go from my Best of the Year to my Worst of the Year reads. I’m teased by some of the reviewers here at the Pond that I like everything I read. Well, that’s not technically true, because there are those books that sometimes don’t do it even for me. So I have a few. One doesn’t surprise me, one does, and the others just surprised me as I read them. And the biggest surprise is they’re all Scottish historicals, which I love to read. Now you know really how painful these were for me!

~ Must Love Kilts by Allie Mackay – I always try to give an author a second chance when one of their books doesn’t work for me. I believe I’ve given Ms. MacKay a third and fourth chance. I doubt there will be another chance in the offing any time soon. So this one didn’t surprise me at all. And that’s really too bad, because I wouldn’t mind getting a look at the covers on her books. Those I love. You can see my review here, if you’d like.

~ In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks – needless to say, this one surprised the ever livin’ hell out of me, as much as I love Ms. Banks’ romantic suspense novels. Honestly, I’m still flabbergasted at my reaction to this book. I expected to love it, every last word. But something went horribly wrong for me. I didn’t grade it super low just because of who the author is – at least the characters worked for me – but I just couldn’t get past other things. I feel another tear coming on. My review is here.

~ Captured by the Highlander/Claimed by the Highlander by Julianne MacLean – I’ve not read Ms. MacLean before these books, and I now know I shouldn’t have started here. I have a lot of her books in the TBR mountain, so it definitely surprised me during reading that these books just don’t work for me on any level, except maybe her characters. Despite their sounding like modern-day people and the books being nearly mirror images of each other, I do like the heroes and heroines. It’s everything else that needs work. I have yet to try the third book, and I don’t know how soon, if at all, that’s going to happen. My reviews can be read here and here.

So how do your 2011 reads stack up to my list? Any you agree with? How about vehemently disagree with?

Sandy M’s review of The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (Highland Pleasures, Book 3) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance published by Berkley 2 Aug 11

Dear heavens, these Mackenzie boys deserve to find a little happiness after the lives they’ve had. While Cameron didn’t suffer at the hands of his father like his brothers did, fate had more in store for him later in life. His suffering came at the hands of his ex-wife – usually while protecting his newborn son from her, though she would have a go at him whenever she found him vulnerable to attack. Talk about an evil bitch.

And I truly don’t care that it may have been post-partum depression she was suffering from. Going after a man who only wants his son safe is a huge no-no. I’m very happy to say she gets what’s coming to her after all the pain, both physical and mental, she inflicts. Then Cam finds Ainsley, but he has to wait a few years for her.

Ainsley is the queen’s favorite and being the queen’s favorite isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The latest “mission” her majesty has given Ainsley is to locate and retrieve some highly sensitive letters written by Victoria and stolen by a disgruntled ex-favorite, who is also now Cameron’s current mistress. So she hides the letters in the one place no one would think to look. Except Ainsley. Which leads her to a place she’s been before in nearly the exact circumstances – searching Cam’s bedchamber for items stolen from a friend. And Cameron catches her red-handed both times.

Cam is known, of course, as a womanizer, as all of the Mackenzie, save Ian, are and he loves only his horses. So when he caught her the first time, and though Ainsley nearly succumbs to his lovemaking, she’s amazed when he lets her walk away because she desires not to hurt her husband, who has been kind and generous to her. That was four years ago and she’s never been far from his mind that whole time. Therefore, finding her once again just where he wants her gives Cameron the chance to finish what was started so long ago. This time Ainsley doesn’t stand a chance.

At first she does try to resist the man. The letters are more important than her pleasure. But Cam knows just how to wear her down. Between his sexuality. his gentleness, and his protectiveness, Ainsley is beginning to know him better than anyone ever has. The more she learns, the more she comes to fall for this Mackenzie brother who has hidden his real self from everyone. When she finally discovers why he won’t take a woman to his bed – he’ll make love to her anywhere but there – it broke my heart just like it does Ainsley’s.

Eventually Ainsley must make a decision – stay with the queen or take a chance and leave with Cameron on the trip of a lifetime. Yes, needless to say, she chooses wisely and follows her heart. They have a whirlwind journey, Cam showing her things she’s only dreamt of. Eventually home calls, however, and as they’re settling in as husband and wife, a summons from the queen has Cam retreating to that place inside himself, thinking he’s lost Ainsley once again.

This story hits hard, and Ainsley is just what Cam needs to help him fight his demons of the past. She’s strong when he needs her to be and she’s always loving, which is a balm to his heart. I enjoy the relationship between the Mackenzie brothers, all of whom we see once again to find out what they’ve been up to. Ian and Mac are as happy as ever, and we get a good look at Hart and the uphill battle he’ll have when it’s his turn at love. I like that it’s Hart who stood by Cam, no questions asked, when his wife did her worst trying to destroy him. I also really enjoy the father-son relationship between Cam and Daniel. Cam is determined not to be the hard-hearted, brutal type of father his was, so Daniel has run free most of his life, but the brothers have done a fine job of raising him. Daniel looks after Cam nearly as much as Cam looks after him. Their last scene together near the end of the book is so heart warming.

I love this Mackenzie family. Each book is like coming home after being gone for a while, only to find hurt and trouble on the horizon. But love and family take care of everything and make life worth living. I’m looking forward to Hart’s book and am happy to see on Ms. Ashley’s website that the series is still alive with several more books in the offing. After the unveiling of Cameron’s life, it’s going to be interesting to see what she comes up with next.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Lord Cameron Mackenzie is intrigued when he finds the pretty widow, Ainsley Douglas, hiding in the window seat of his bedchamber. Cam remembers Ainsley Douglas all right—six years ago, he’d caught her in this very bedchamber, during a house party in the Mackenzies’ Scottish manor. Enchanted by her ingenuous excuses, he decided to seduce her, but stopped shy when she’d made a rather touching appeal about her “good husband who didn’t deserve to be heartbroken.”

Later, Cameron learned that her visit to his bedchamber was part of some female intrigue against him, the kind his late wife used to practice. Ainsley protested her innocence, but Cameron’s anger made him never want to see her again. Now she’s back, at another houseparty—and Cameron finds the gray-eyed minx in his bedchamber, again. Her excuses are just as ingenuous, but this time Cameron is determined to teach her a lesson.

They have unfinished business, Cameron tells her. He asks her how many of her many buttons she’ll let him unclasp, promising that before the houseparty is over, she’ll be asking him to undo them all.

Ainsley’s dismay is real. She’s on a mission to prevent embarrassment to Queen Victoria, and time is running out. Though the needs he’d stirred long ago during her unhappy marriage rise again, she knows it would be foolish to fall for love-them-and-leave-them Cameron Mackenzie.
But he asks her a question that challenges her beliefs about love and happiness, and she finds herself risking all to be with the black sheep of the Mackenzie family.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of Primal Bonds (Shifters Unbound, book 2) by Jennifer Ashley
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 1 Mar 11

In Primal Bonds, we return to Austin’s Shiftertown and learn more about the inner workings of Shifter clans and the politics involved when Feline, Lupine, and Ursine Shifters live in close quarters. Dogs and cats aren’t usually natural friends and when you throw bears into the mix, well…things can get very interesting, very quickly.

I really enjoyed both books in this series and think they stand alone easily. Ms. Ashley’s Shifters have a very organic feel to them – very much like creatures who spend part of their lives as animals probably would behave with each other, I think. That their existence is tied to magic (they were created by the Fae to serve them) makes them seem more real, in some odd way.

Sean Morrissey is a Feline Shifter and the Guardian of Austin’s Shiftertown. When a Shifter dies, the Guardian must pierce them with the Sword of the Guardian to ensure that their soul leaves the body and enters the Summerland (Shifter Heaven). Since that’s kind of creepy, Shifters tend to give Sean a wide berth, so his chances of finding a mate are not good. Until…

Andrea Gray is a half-Fae Lupine Shifter and has recently relocated from Denver’s Shiftertown to Austin. Before her transfer to Austin’s Shiftertown could be approved, someone in Austin had to mate claim her, so Sean offered and Andrea accepted. She requested the move because another Shifter would not leave her alone, even though she rejected his mate claim – the male can stake his claim on an available female and other males will honor it until or unless the female rejects his claim. Since the male in question is the son of the Shiftertown’s leader, he didn’t take her rejection well. Especially since Andrea’s Fae blood meant she’s very low in status in the pack.

Since her arrival in Austin, Andrea and Sean have been dancing around each other. There has been some flirting, but nothing much has developed and Sean is getting frustrated. When a group of humans shoot into the bar where Andrea works, the bouncer Ursine Shifter is wounded. Sean (with his sword) is also in the bar when the shooting happens. When they take Ronan the bear to the office to do some first aid (bears are tough, you know), Sean finds out that Andrea’s Fae blood has given her a little healing magic. She is able to lessen Ronan’s pain and speed his healing a bit.

After a bit of investigating, it seems that a nearby Shifter clan is working with humans to stir up dissension among and between humans and Shifters and also between different types of Shifters. In the years since Shifters submitted to the Collar that subdues their violent impulses, different types of Shifters have begun to work together toward common goals. Also, since the Collar, some humans have begun to allow Shifters in their shops, restaurants, etc. Apparently, some among the Shifter community would prefer a return to their wilder roots.

During all this intrigue, Sean and Andrea begin to move toward the mating frenzy, but who has time for hours and hours of non-stop sex when their are murderous Shifters and Humans to catch? And what do Andrea’s nightmares mean? Who does the mysterious voice belong to? And what does it all have to do with the Sword of the Guardian? Oh, faithful reader, you know you want to find out the answers.

Grade: B+

Summary:

When half-Fae, half-Shifter Andrea Gray flees an abusive would-be mate, the only way she is allowed to relocate to the Austin Shiftertown is if a Shifter there claims her as mate.

Sean Morrissey, the Guardian of his clan and all of Shiftertown, is mateless, lonely, and has a tough job–to send the souls of deceased Shifters into the afterworld. He volunteers to claim her, sight unseen, but doesn’t realize that one look at the gray-eyed, dark-haired Andrea will stir the mating frenzy in him. Even though the mate-claim isn’t finalized, official, or yet blessed, Sean will do anything to get Andrea into his life and keep her there, forever.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage (Mackenzie Series, Book 2) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance published by Berkley 6 Jul 10

I think everyone who read last year’s The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie has awaited its sequel. I know I have. I, of course, had no idea what to expect, but I knew I wanted certain things, one of which is the interaction between the four Mackenzie brothers. Though Ian is the heart of this family, I like them all as they’ve been characterized so far, and Ms. Ashley did not let me down amid her story of a second chance at love.

I’m probably like a lot of you, I like Ian’s story over Mac’s. Ian is such a wonderful hero, it’s going to take another extraordinary character just like him to usurp his place in our hearts. That being said, though, I still thoroughly enjoyed Mac and Isabella’s story.

Mac and Isabella have been separated for three years, all because she could no longer take her husband leaving her alone for months on end with no explanation. They’re both back in London now and see each other when it’s unavoidable. But when Isabella learns there’s a forger selling paintings done in Mac’s style, she goes to him to make him aware of the situation.

Realizing how he’s hurt his wife by his actions, Mac has been sober and a stay-at-home painter for years now. He’s determined to win Isabella all over again, and when she comes to him, another realization hits — it’s going to take much more to have the woman. But I like Mac’s relentlessness in proving to Isabella that he’s changed, he’s back for good, he still loves her.

And I have to give Isabella credit, she doesn’t give in easily. Her heart won’t take another breaking by this man she never stopped loving. When she finally succumbs to his charm again, I thought, “Okay, we’re on our way to reconciliation now,” just as Mac did. But the woman surprises me at every turn, especially when it comes to reconciliation.

She still held Mac off. At first I got a little irritated with her for going back and forth from Mac’s bed to walking out again. But then comes the crux of the matter, the one night Isabella can’t forget, a hole that is still healing in her heart. She wants his body, his touch, his kiss, but she needs him both in body and spirit by her side and still reels from the fact he wasn’t there when she’d needed him most.

In the midst of this renewed courtship and lesson in trust, the forgery scam becomes dangerous, forcing Mac and Isabella to work together as never before, and it shows them again how fragile life is to waste any more of it being at odds with one another. They both grow in ways that make their new relationship work so much better than anything they had before.

As for the brothers, we get wonderful scenes with all of them, but especially with Ian. It’s very emotional to find out what’s up with Ian and Beth and how he’s dealing with their new life. I so love the emotional scenes Ms. Ashley is giving us here and there with each brother and Ian, showing how Ian is getting better at things his condition makes difficult for him. Cam’s book is next and I sure hope Daniel is a big part of that. I enjoy that father-son relationship.

I hope all of you are enjoying this series so far as much as I am.

Grade: A

Summary:

Six years ago, eighteen-year-old Lady Isabella Scranton scandalized all of London by eloping the night of her come-out ball with the notorious rake, Lord Mac Mackenzie. After three turbulent years of marriage, she scandalized London once again–this time by leaving him.

Now the reformed Mac has returned, and he wants one thing: Isabella back in his life, his house, his bed. He’ll do anything he has to, play any game, as long as he gets her back. Isabella resists, but when she agrees to pose for erotic paintings he’s been working on, she realizes her body has never stopped craving her husband’s very skilled touch. Mac is determined to show Isabella that he’s a changed man, but three years without her has only increased his hunger for her.

When an ingenious forger with designs on Mac’s paintings, and Isabella herself, comes dangerously near, Mac sets himself up as Isabella’s protector and vows to never leave her side, whether his independent and proud lady likes it or not.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of A Christmas Ball by Jennifer Ashley, Emily Bryan and Alissa Johnson
Historical Romance published by Leisure Books 29 Sep 10

If any of you read my reviews over the past holiday season, you’ll know I was on the search for a really feel-good Christmas story. I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for at the time. When I was offered the chance to read A Christmas Ball by three terrific historical authors, I jumped at the chance, even though the holiday season was months ago. While these three novellas don’t quite embody the Christmas-y feeling I was after either, it truly doesn’t matter because they’re each so good. That’s what big-name authors will do for you every time.

My Lady Below Stairs by Emily Bryan

This is my first story by Emily Bryan, and I have to say I’m very pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Jane is the illegitimate daughter of the house, a servant, as her station requires, instead of going to balls and all else that comes with noble birth. She’s in love with Ian, the estate’s head groom, but when family calls she sides with them, doing as they ask though it goes against the grain for her.

Posing as Lady Sybil, her half-sister, Jane is to accept a marriage proposal from Lord Eddleton at the Hartwell’s ball, thereby saving the family from disgrace since Sybil has once again been selfish.  She’s run off with her current lover. It sounds so simple. And it should have been, if it hadn’t been for Ian.

He’s not happy watching his love waltz around with man after man and then accept marriage from a man who Ian knows won’t be faithful. But Ian does have second thoughts when he realizes he can’t give Jane the life she’s been entitled to but never had.

Summary:

Nobody misses Lord & Lady Hartwell’s Christmas Ball . . .

But they all go for different reasons. When Lady Sybil runs off with an Italian portrait painter, her bastard half-sister Jane Tate goes in her place. Lord Eddleton plans on proposing to “Sybil” under the mistletoe. Lady Darvish is on the hunt for her fifth husband.

And Ian Michael MacGregor is determined to show Jane that love doesn’t have to pretend.

Grade: B

The Longest Night by Jennifer Ashley

This story is a continuation of Ms. Ashley’s Nvengarian series, and we last saw Mary at the end of Highlander Ever After when Valenin was injured and asked Mary to come to him once he was home in Nvengaria. I had hoped at the time I read and reviewed HEA that Valentin and Mary would eventually get their story. Ms. Ashley, once again, doesn’t disappoint.

We find out that Mary never did take Valentin up on his offer, for various reasons of her own. He’s now back in England on another mission for his Prince and as luck would have it, he shows up at a ball where Mary is chaperoning a young girl as a favor to a friend.

The heat and attraction is still there between them and Valentin does his best to seduce Mary into his bed and into finally going home with him. But suddenly there is danger everywhere and neither of them may survive to be together in either England or Nvengaria.

Summary:

Nvengarian shapeshifter Baron Valentin arrives at the ball to continue his pursuit of his beloved Mary Cameron, who has run away from love.

Grade: B

Traditions by Alissa Johnson

This novella is my favorite of the three. Ms. Johnson had me grinning from ear to ear from beginning to end in this engaging story.

William is an earl and he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s already picked out the perfect candidate and now he only has to ask that most important question. Locating her at the Hartwell’s ball proves difficult, but when he finally spies her, all of his well-laid plans fly right out the window.

All because of another young woman who isn’t a beauty, who isn’t well born, but can stuff a huge piece of cake into her mouth all at once. Watching Patience perform that little feat makes him want to get to know her better, and when he does it’s her intelligence and wit, her humor and laughter that capture his heart.

The characters are charming and the dialogue is loads of fun. Ms. Johnson has become a favorite of mine over the last couple of years, and she proves once again why that is.

Summary:

Prim and proper Casslebury plans to court Miss Caroline Meldrin, but to his chagrin is attracted to her wild friend Miss Patience Byerly.

Grade: B+

Overall Grade: B

Gwen’s review of Pride Mates (Shifters Unbound, Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Paranormal romance released by Dorchester/ Leisure 26 Jan 10

This is the first of  a new paranormal romance series from the ever-busy Jennifer Ashley. We are given a new world where Shifters are “out”, learning to live in a world where humans know what they are and treat them as second-class citizens.  It’s a very promising start to what should be a fresh take on a well-worn idea.  Plus, the book is based in Austin, so how bad can it be? 

Turns out, not bad at all.  I really enjoyed this book.  It seemed like a short, category length book, though it’s over 300 pages.  I think the book’s pacing and terrific dialogue (internal and external) made it seem shorter.

The heroine, Kim, is funny, smart, and righteous.  She stands by those she believes in and this makes her the Shifter leader’s worst nightmare.  The leader and the book’s villain, Fergus, has his own selfish reasons for Kim to fail in her defense of one of his clan.

The hero, Liam, is sexy, smart, loving, and oh-so-alpha.  He’s a very complex hero and I loved that.  Ashley has drawn him as a complicated mix of all that is admirable in a man and some of the things women bemoan.  I loved his easygoing nature and how he supported his community.  His love for Kim caught him by surprise and this makes him endearing.  One of the better heroes I’ve read lately.

The book sets a lot of groundwork for this new series.  We’re introduced to a new world where Shifters will have to fight for their rights.  The degree to which Shifters are treated as second-class citizens seems a bit extreme in our PC, ACLU afflicted world (not permitted new cars or cable television? huh?).  I’m ready to roll with it if Ashley is careful not to take it to too much of an extreme and use it for plot devices, and not to beat us over the head with it.

The paranormal elements of this world are very interestingly different from what I have come to expect.  The origin of the Shifters as playthings of the fae is one that should introduce some very good plot elements in the future.  The story in The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance, out 9 Feb, tells much of this history, as well as the origin of the Guardian’s sword (read Pride Mates for this detail).

This book is worth reading simply for the fun of the relationship between the hero and heroine.  I was left smiling several times, and sometimes laughing out loud at some of the things they said.  It is a clever, quick book with some interesting twists that has whetted my appetite for more.

I recommend this to anyone who is a fan of shapeshifter romances or Jennifer Ashley books.  If you like clever dialogue, then you’ll love this book.

Grade: A

Summary:

Twenty years ago, shape shifters of all kinds banded together and announced themselves to the world, only to be shunted to areas no human wanted (“Shiftertowns”). They are forced to wear Collars that control their hunting and fighting instincts (referred to by Shifters as “Taking the Collar”).

Liam Morrissey is currently liaison between the Shifters of Austin, TX, and the humans of the city. Kim Fraser, attorney, finds herself in the unique position of having to defend a Shifter on a murder charge.

She ventures to Shiftertown to seek out Liam’s help, and there stumbles across too many secrets the Shifters want kept secret. The un-mated Liam is forced to protect Kim against the wrath of his clan leader and his own father, and to his surprise he discovers a powerful attraction to the sassy, sexy lady.

Read an excerpt here.  Go here for the series’ site.

Other books in the series:

I know you’ve all been saying to yourself, “Self, I have not read any scintillating content from Shannon C. lately. Does she not love us anymore?”

To which the answer is, no. I’ve just been behind on reviewing, and I’ve been kind of underwhelmed by a lot of the romances I’ve picked up.

Still, I did want to post something so you’d know I hadn’t fallen off the face of the planet, so here’s a series of Quick Quack Reviews, covering the stuff I’ve been reading.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Highland Pleasures, Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance released by Leisure Books 28 Apr 09



The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie is one of the few books I’ve read this year in which I felt the hype was even a little justified. The titular Lord Ian MacKenzie has Asperger syndrome, which makes him blunt, socially awkward, and unable to look people in the face. He is drawn to Beth Ackerley, a young widow recently freed from her obligations as a companion to a shrew of an old lady.

Beth is equally drawn to Ian, and soon she’s falling for him.There’s a lot to like here. Ian is a fascinating character, as are the rest of his family. But, surprisingly, I actually liked Beth. Romance heroines are hard to portray well, and I’m rarely pleased with them. But Beth was confident without being brash, knew what she wanted in life, and was interesting in her own right as something other than a foil for Ian.

There is a mystery that doesn’t entirely work for me, and the way in which a feud one character has with the MacKenzies is resolved in a way that didn’t work for me, since it felt a bit too schmaltzy. But this is a unique romance, and I strongly recommend it to fans of historical romance.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family–rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn’t be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them–of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.
.
The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He’s also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.
.
Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama–an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.
.
And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.
.
Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Burning Alive (The Sentinel Wars, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher
Urban Fantasy released by Onyx 5 May 09



Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher isn’t the kind of story I generally go for. It’s one of an increasingly annoying trend of books featuring groups of paranormal alpha men so manly even Chuck Norris would be forced to back down in shame. These guys, of course, fight supernatural creatures, which for some reason nobody ever notices.

As per usual, Drake, our studly manly hero is paired with a woman with all the flavor of wet Kleenex. Helen is good and sweet and gentle, and doesn’t appear to do anything with her life except take her elderly friend Miss Mabel out to dinner. Oh and she’s afraid of fire, having seen a vision of herself burning to death while a man who, coincidentally, looks like our hero, Drake, watches with a smile.

Drake discovers by accident that when he touches Helen, the constant pain he’s endured all his life dissipates, so he basically kidnaps her and throws her into the paranormal world.The setup for this book is so incredibly cheesy, but I can’t help it. I like stuff like this, in moderation. There’s something about a man being literally unable to keep his hands off the object of his desire that gets me every time. But even without my personal biases, I’m not sure I’d recommend this one.

The setup will ring familiar to many paranormal readers, and I really don’t know how many books featuring dull heroines and exaggeratedly alpha men we need. Also, the book is set in the vicinity of where I live, and so there were a few geographical mistakes that wouldn’t detract from the story that I noticed.

Grade: C

Summary:
.
There are worse ways to die…
.
They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes–the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love…
.
For too long, Helen Day has been haunted by visions of her own death, surrounded by flames as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her across a diner, she attempts to flee–and ends up in the man’s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine.
.
The instant the Theronai warrior Drake touches Helen, the anguish he has borne for years fades away. He is determined to know why this beautiful, fearful woman has such power over him. The answer lies in his very blood–and in Helen’s as well. For together, they may become more than lovers–they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war–and save Drake’s people…
.
Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Tomorrow by Samantha Kane
Science Fiction Romance released by Ellora’s Cave 22 Apr 09



Tomorrow by Samantha Kane is Ms. Kane’s first foray into science fiction romance. Samantha Kane’s historicals are favorites of mine for their depth of characterization and the fact that she’s one of the few authors that can convince me that any group of two men and one woman belong together. Unfortunately, this story of a bounty hunter, a rebel princess and a space pirate didn’t work at all for me. I think i was first turned off by the names.

Our heroine is Cerise, and one of her men is named Tie. Tie? I dunno, a guy named after an article of men’s clothing is just not doing it for me.The story does have its moments, but there wasn’t really anything unique in the world Ms. Kane is using, and her characters lacked the depth I’ve come to expect. The story also suffered from what felt like an overabundance of sex scenes. Yes, I know this is an erotic romance, but still… Even for that subgenre, there are still times when enough is enough. I’m not sure this is a series I’m going to continue, though if Ms. Kane writes any more historicals, I will buy them right up.

Grade: D+

Summary:
.
A Hunters for Hire book.
.
What if a beautiful rebel princess, on the run from an evil government, fell in love with the pirate who rescued her and with the bounty hunter who captured her? And what if the pirate and the bounty hunter used to be lovers?
.
Princess Cerise Chessienne has the power to enslave men with sex. She’s never used it—until now.
.
Regan is the most feared pirate in the galaxy, renowned for two things—his temper and his loyalty to the princess.
.
When bounty hunter Tie captures Cerise, he gives in to his desires. Now the two are addicted to sex with each other. Then Cerise leads Tie to his long-lost lover Regan, and Tie realizes that tomorrow—the day he starts his life over—has arrived.
.
The Amalgamation wants to execute all three of them. So what are a beautiful princess, a pirate and a philosophical bounty hunter to do? Have amazing sex, of course. And somehow lead the rebellion while avoiding capture.
.
Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Strange Attractions by Emma Holly
Erotic Romance published by Berkley 1 Nov 05



Strange Attractions by Emma Holly, on the other hand, gets the balance of eroticism and romance much better. Charity is invited to stay with eccentric physicist BG Grantham and his long-time friend, Eric. In exchange for playing sexual games with the two men, Charity will receive a full scholarship to attend college.

The setup sounds kind of hokey, but in this book, it really works. Ms. Holly creates three-dimensional characters in our three protagonists, and she does a great job of developing the characters during sex. I also liked that this was very much a story of Charity’s self-actualization. I liked the fact that Charity is much more empowered by the end, something that seems all too rare in the romance I’ve read.

Grade: B+

Summary:
.
Determined not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, high-school dropout and unrepentant heartbreaker Charity Wills is eager to get an education any way she can. When she’s offered a chance to go to college for free, she jumps at it. There’s just one little catch.
.
She must travel to the estate of B.G. Grantham, a reclusive physicist who likes to play sex games as exotic as the particles he studies. B.G. is obsessed with the unattainable: the meaning of life, the mysteries of desire, and the thrill of being refused the one thing he craves. Charity has more than enough spirit to provide a challenge-especial with Eric Berne, her sexy “keeper,” to lend a hand . . .
.
Read an excerpt here.

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



To Beguile a Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt is the third book in Hoyt’s Legends of the Four Soldiers series. The first two books were quite entertaining, and I see why Hoyt is well-thought-of in the romance community, because she can write well. This third book, however, is my least favorite in the series. It follows Helen Fitzwilliam, the mistress of a powerful duke, who has fled with her children to the highlands of Scotland, to the castle of Sir Alister Monroe, a scarred war veteran.

What follows is a standard beauty and the beast romance, which follows the conventions of such a story in a predictable way. The predictability doesn’t make for a bad story, but it does make for a less than satisfying one, and I wish the mystery plot had been dragged forward a bit more. This isn’t a bad book, however, and Ms. Hoyt is a talented writer.

Grade C+

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

Shannon C’s Quick Quack review of Truth and Consequences (Hearts of the South, Book 1) by Linda Winfree
Romantic Suspense published by Samhain Publishing 29 Apr 08

Truth and Consequences is the first in Linda Winfree’s Hearts of the South series, which comes highly recommended by many readers. I have to agree with them. Ms. Winfree manages to pack a lot into a rather short novel, and the romance between Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Kathleen and troubled and poor town bad boy Jason is well-executed. We also get to glimpse many of the people whose lives orbit around the main couple. I never felt overwhelmed by the number of characters, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing more of them.

Grade B+ 

Summary:

When deceit and desire collide, the results can be deadly…
.
Book One of the Hearts of the South series.
.
For undercover FBI agent Jason Harding, coming face to face with the grown-up version of his adolescent dreams is a nightmare. Kathleen Palmer sees him as a despicably corrupt small-town law officer and a murder suspect. Trapped in a web of his own making, he must see his mission through to the end and bring down the crooked cops who’ve run Haynes County for decades. To do so, he must betray the only family he’s ever known and fight his growing love for Kathleen, a relationship that could get one, or both of them, killed.
.
Determined to uncover the truth, Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Kathleen struggles with her attraction to the one person who’s awakened her since she buried her heart and emotions in her son’s tiny grave. Listening to her heart could destroy all she has left in life-her career and reputation. When the truth about Jason’s identity surfaces, they both face unimaginable consequences: Jason may lose his life and Kathleen the man she loves.
.
Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, violence.
.
Read an excerpt here.

First, I want to thank Jennifer Ashley for taking the time to Duck Chat with us. She gave us a terrific week here at the Pond.

And, of course, a huge thanks to those of you who dropped by to comment and ask questions.   Now are you finally ready for what you’ve all been waiting around for all this time??

Cue the fanfare, please!

Here are our four ARC winners of Jennifer’s The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie as picked out of the proverbial bowl by Jennifer’s hubby:

Stephanie

Adwa

Margay

Deb

Congratulations, ladies!  Please send your snail mail address to me at Lighthousetagger@gmail.com. Your books will be mailed to you by Dorchester Publishing as soon as I pass on your info!

Ready for another round of Duck Chat? Welcome!

Today Jennifer Ashley is here to talk about her newest series, Highland Pleasures, which centers around four Mackenzie brothers.The first book, The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie, is due out next month. This is a very special book, one that will take you through a gamut of emotions, one that you should definitely read. Each brother will have his own book, so we’re destined for one heck of a journey with these Highlanders. Be sure to read my review that was posted just several days ago.

If you’re feeling lucky, be sure to leave a comment of substance because Dorchester is donating four — count’em, four! — ARCs of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie for a giveaway during our talk with Jennifer this week. So good luck!

Let’s chat with Jennifer!

DUCK CHAT: My goodness, Jennifer, I just finished The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and what a wonderful book you’ve got here. Let’s talk about the new series as a whole first, and then we’ll get to Ian. Would you share with us where the idea came from and how it eventually evolved.

JENNIFER ASHLEY: Thank you! The idea for Ian’s story came to me several years ago—I was pondering how difficult it must have been to have even a mild mental disability before psychology and psychiatry became household words (not that it’s easy now). But what was it like to have something like Asperger’s Syndrome in the past, before anyone knew what it was?

I’m also intrigued by bad boys, and I wanted to write a family of the most decadent, sinful, non-PC men I possibly could. These are not nice guys. The Mackenzie family, four brothers, each one dark and dangerous in his own way, took seed in my imagination.

I’ve “written” the Mackenzie stories in my head for years, and I’m thrilled to at last open the valve and let them out.

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

JA: “Why do you write under so many pseudonyms?” LOL. I get asked that all the time.

The answer is—I didn’t set out to. I sold my first romances and mysteries on top of each other, and the publishers asked me to take two different names (Jennifer Ashley and Ashley Gardner).

When I wanted to try my hand at erotic romance, I became Allyson James, so I could play with that style of writing without alienating the audience I was already building. But readers liked Allyson’s stories, and I was surprised to find myself with yet another career on my hands.

The Laurien Gardner name was a one-time shot—Berkley invented an author name for their wives of Henry VIII series, and I wrote one of those books with that pseudonym (and won a RITA—wow.)

I’ve kind of streamlined to Jennifer and Allyson, but I haven’t given up hope that I can write more Ashley Gardner mysteries.

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?

JA: Oh, yes. When I write the rough draft, I sit back and let the characters talk and let the story go where it needs to. I have ideas and plans and visions, but that’s a very different thing from constructing a story on paper. So I let the characters take over and tell me who they really are and where they want to go. I don’t outline very much–notes so I don’t lose track of things, but that’s about it. I let it happen, and then I fix it.

DC: Ian Mackenzie. He’s such a tragic, terrific hero. First tell our readers a little about him. Why did you choose him to begin the series with instead of one of the other Mackenzie brothers?

JA: Lord Ian Mackenzie is the youngest of four sons of the Scottish Duke of Kilmorgan (note, the year is 1881). Ian’s father, for reasons that are revealed in the book, had Ian declared mad when he was ten and committed to an asylum. Ian stayed in the asylum for ten years, being released by his oldest brother Hart on the day their father died.

Ian has this amazing memory—he’s able to learn strings of numbers or pieces of music after hearing them only once. Hart uses him as kind of a human recorder, to remember conversations Hart has with political allies or rivals; Ian is also great with accounts.

Ian knows he’s not “normal,” but he’s rich enough that he can live his own life with help from his brothers and his loyal valet. He collects Ming bowls (never vases, and never any period but Ming), and he loves beautiful women (and they adore him).

My plan for the series is to start with Ian (the youngest) and work my way up to Hart (the oldest). Each brother has his own darkness, and as Ian observes in the book, they’re all a little bit obsessed; Ian’s madness is just the most obvious. Mac is a genius artist dealing with a broken marriage, Cameron is a genius horseman and a notorious womanizer, and Hart is a genius politician with some dark sexual inclinations.

I chose Ian, not only because of the youngest to oldest scheme, but also because his story was the first to leap into my head. The other brothers developed out of him.

Special, special treat – excerpt of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie

Chapter One

London, 1881

“I find that a Ming bowl is like a woman’s breast,” Sir Lyndon Mather said to Ian Mackenzie, who held the bowl in question between his fingertips. “The swelling curve, the creamy pallor. Don’t you agree?”

Ian couldn’t think of a woman who would be flattered to have her breast compared to a bowl, so he didn’t bother to nod.

The delicate vessel was from the early Ming period, the porcelain barely flushed with green, the sides so thin Ian could see light through them. Three gray-green dragons chased one another across the outside, and four chrysanthemums seemed to float across the bottom.

The little vessel might just cup a small rounded breast, but that was as far as Ian was willing to go.

“One thousand guineas,” he said.

Mather’s smile turned sickly. “Now, my lord, I thought we were friends.”

Ian wondered where Mather had got that idea. “The bowl is worth one thousand guineas.” He fingered the slightly chipped rim, the base worn from centuries of handling.

Mather looked taken aback, blue eyes glittering in his overly handsome face.

“I paid fifteen hundred for it. Explain yourself.”

There was nothing to explain. Ian’s rapidly calculating mind had taken in every asset and flaw in ten seconds flat. If Mather couldn’t tell the value of his pieces, he had no business collecting porcelain. There were at least five fakes in the glass case on the other side of Mather’s collection room, and Ian wagered Mather had no idea.

Ian put his nose to the glaze, liking the clean scent that had survived the heavy cigar smoke of Mather’s house. The bowl was genuine, it was beautiful, and he wanted it.

“At least give me what I paid for it,” Mather said in a panicked voice. “The man told me I had it at a bargain.”

“One thousand guineas,” Ian repeated.

“Damn it, man, I’m getting married.”

Ian recalled the announcement in the Times——verbatim, because he recalled everything verbatim: Sir Lyndon Mather of St. Aubrey’s, Suffolk, announces his betrothal to Mrs. Thomas Ackerley, a widow. The wedding to be held on the twenty-seventh of June of this year in St. Aubrey’s at ten o’clock in the morning.

“My felicitations,” Ian said.

“I wish to buy my beloved a gift with what I get for the bowl.”

Ian kept his gaze on the vessel. “Why not give her the bowl itself?”

Mather’s hearty laugh filled the room. “My dear fellow, women don’t know the first thing about porcelain. She’ll want a carriage and a matched team and a string of servants to carry all the fripperies she buys. I’ll give her that. She’s a fine-looking woman, daughter of some froggie aristo, for all she’s long in the tooth and a widow.”

Ian didn’t answer. He touched the tip of his tongue to the bowl, reflecting that it was far better than ten carriages with matched teams. Any woman who didn’t see the poetry in it was a fool.

Mather wrinkled his nose as Ian tasted the bowl, but Ian had learned to test the genuineness of the glaze that way. Mather wouldn’t be able to tell a genuine glaze if someone painted him with it.

“She’s got a bloody fortune of her own,” Mather went on, “inherited from that Barrington woman, a rich old lady who didn’t keep her opinions to herself. Mrs. Ackerley, her quiet companion, copped the lot.”

Then why is she marrying you? Ian turned the bowl over in his hands as he speculated, but if Mrs. Ackerley wanted to make her bed with Lyndon Mather, she could lie in it. Of course, she might find the bed a little crowded. Mather kept a secret house for his mistress and several other women to cater to his needs, which he loved to boast about to Ian’s brothers. I’m as decadent as you lot, he was trying to say. But in Ian’s opinion, Mather understood pleasures of the flesh about as well as he understood Ming porcelain.

“Bet you’re surprised a dedicated bachelor like myself is for the chop, eh?” Mather went on. “If you’re wondering whether I’m giving up my bit of the other, the answer is no. You are welcome to come ’round and join in anytime, you know. I’ve extended the invitation to you, and your brothers as well.”

Ian had met Mather’s ladies, vacant-eyed women willing to put up with Mather’s proclivities for the money he gave them.

Mather reached for a cigar. “I say, we’re at Covent Garden Opera tonight. Come meet my fiancée. I’d like your opinion. Everyone knows you have as exquisite taste in females as you do in porcelain.” He chuckled.

Ian didn’t answer. He had to rescue the bowl from this philistine. “One thousand guineas.”

“You’re a hard man, Mackenzie.”

“One thousand guineas, and I’ll see you at the opera.”

“Oh, very well, though you’re ruining me.”

He’d ruined himself. “Your widow has a fortune. You’ll recover.”

Mather laughed, his handsome face lighting. Ian had seen women of every age blush or flutter fans when Mather smiled. Mather was the master of the double life.

“True, and she’s lovely to boot. I’m a lucky man.”

Mather rang for his butler and Ian’s valet, Curry. Curry produced a wooden box lined with straw, into which Ian carefully placed the dragon bowl.

Ian hated to cover up such beauty. He touched it one last time, his gaze fixed on it until Curry broke his concentration by placing the lid on the box.

He looked up to find that Mather had ordered the butler to pour brandy. Ian accepted a glass and sat down in front of the bankbook Curry had placed on Mather’s desk for him.

Ian set aside the brandy and dipped his pen in the ink. He bent down to write and caught sight of the droplet of black ink hanging on the nib in a perfect, round sphere.

He stared at the droplet, something inside him singing at the perfection of the ball of ink, the glistening viscosity that held it suspended from the nib. The sphere was perfect, shining, a wonder.

He wished he could savor its perfection forever, but he knew that in a second it would fall from the pen and be lost. If his brother Mac could paint something this exquisite, this beautiful, Ian would treasure it.

He had no idea how long he’d sat there studying the droplet of ink until he heard Mather say, “Damnation, he really is mad, isn’t he?”

The droplet fell down, down, down to splash on the page, gone to its death in a splatter of black ink.

“I’ll write it out for you, then, m’lord?”

Ian looked into the homely face of his manservant, a young Cockney who’d spent his boyhood pickpocketing his way across London.

Ian nodded and relinquished the pen. Curry turned the bankbook toward him and wrote the draft in careful capitals. He dipped the pen again and handed it back to Ian, holding the nib down so Ian wouldn’t see the ink.

Ian signed his name painstakingly, feeling the weight of Mather’s stare.

“Does he do that often?” Mather asked as Ian rose, leaving Curry to blot the paper.

Curry’s cheekbones stained red. “No ’arm done, sir.”

Ian lifted his glass and swiftly drank down the brandy, then took up the box. “I will see you at the opera.”

He didn’t shake hands on his way out. Mather frowned, but gave Ian a nod. Lord Ian Mackenzie, brother to the Duke of Kilmorgan, socially outranked him, and Mather was acutely aware of social rank.

Once in his carriage, Ian set the box beside him. He could feel the bowl inside, round and perfect, filling a niche in himself.

“I know it ain’t me place to say,” Curry said from the opposite seat as the carriage jerked forward into the rainy streets. “But the man’s a right bastard. Not fit for you to wipe your boots on. Why even have truck with him?”

Ian caressed the box. “I wanted this piece.”

“You do have a way of getting what you want, no mistake, m’lord. Are we really meeting him at the opera?”

“I’ll sit in Hart’s box.” Ian flicked his gaze over Curry’s baby-innocent face and focused safely on the carriage’s velvet wall. “Find out everything you can about a Mrs. Ackerley, a widow now betrothed to Sir Lyndon Mather. Tell me about it tonight.”

“Oh, aye? Why are we so interested in the right bastard’s fiancée?”

Ian ran his fingertips lightly over the box again. “I want to know if she’s exquisite porcelain or a fake.”

Curry winked. “Right ye are, guv. I’ll see what I can dig up.”

#

Lyndon Mather was all that was handsome and charming, and heads turned when Beth Ackerley walked by on his arm at Covent Garden Opera House.

Mather had a pure profile, a slim, athletic body, and a head of golden hair that ladies longed to run their fingers through. His manners were impeccable, and he charmed everyone he met. He had a substantial income, a lavish house on Park Lane, and he was received by the highest of the high. An excellent choice for a lady of unexpected fortune looking for a second husband.

Even a lady of unexpected fortune tires of being alone,Beth thought as she entered Mather’s luxurious box behind his elderly aunt and companion. She’d known Mather for several years, his aunt and her employer being fast friends. He wasn’t the most exciting of gentlemen, but Beth didn’t want exciting. No drama, she promised herself. She’d had enough drama to last a lifetime.

Now Beth wanted comfort; she’d learned how to run a houseful of servants, and she’d perhaps have the chance to have the children she’d always longed for. Her first marriage nine years ago had produced none, but then, poor Thomas had died barely a year after they’d taken their vows. He’d been so ill, he hadn’t even been able to say good-bye.

The opera had begun by the time they settled into Sir Lyndon’s box. The young woman onstage had a beautiful soprano voice and an ample body with which to project it. Beth was soon lost in the rapture of the music. Mather left the box ten minutes after they’d entered, as he usually did. He liked to spend his nights at the theatre seeing everyone of importance and being seen with them. Beth didn’t mind. She’d grown used to sitting with elderly matrons and preferred it to exchanging inanities with glittering society ladies. Oh, darling did you hear? Lady Marmaduke had three inches of lace on her dress instead of two. Can you imagine anything more vulgar? And her pleats were limp, my darling, absolutely limp. Such important information.

Beth fanned herself and enjoyed the music while Mather’s aunt and her companion tried to make sense of the plot of La Traviata. Beth reflected that they thought nothing of an outing to the theatre, but to a girl growing up in the East End, it was anything but ordinary. Beth loved music, and imbibed it any way she could, though she thought herself only a mediocre musician. No matter, she could listen to others play and enjoy it just fine. Mather liked to go to the theatre, to the opera, to musicales, so Beth’s new life would have much music in it.

Her enjoyment was interrupted by Mather’s noisy return to the box. “My dear,” he said in a loud voice, “I’ve brought you my very close friend Lord Ian Mackenzie. Give him your hand, darling. His brother is the Duke of Kilmorgan, you know.”

Beth looked past Mather at the tall man who’d entered the box behind him, and her entire world stopped.

Lord Ian was a big man, his body solid muscle, the hand that reached to hers huge in a kid leather glove. His shoulders were wide, his chest broad, and the dim light touched his dark hair with red. His face was as hard as his body, but his eyes set Ian Mackenzie apart from every other person Beth had ever met.

She at first thought his eyes were light brown, but when Mather almost shoved him down into the chair at Beth’s side, she saw that they were golden. Not hazel, but amber like brandy, flecked with gold as though the sun danced on them.

“This is my Mrs. Ackerley,” Mather was saying. “What do you think, eh? I told you she was the best-looking woman in London.”

Lord Ian ran a quick glance over Beth’s face, then fixed his gaze at a point somewhere beyond the box. He still held her hand, his grip firm, the pressure of his fingers just shy of painful.

He didn’t agree or disagree with Mather, a bit rudely, Beth thought. Even if Lord Ian didn’t clutch his breast and declare Beth the most beautiful woman since Elaine of Camelot, he ought to at least give some polite answer.

Instead he sat in stony silence. He still held Beth’s hand, and his thumb traced the pattern of stitching on the back of her glove. Over and over the thumb moved, hot, quick patterns, the pressure pulsing heat through her limbs.

“If he told you I was the most beautiful woman in London, I fear you were much deceived,” Beth said rapidly. “I apologize if he misled you.”

Lord Ian’s gaze flicked over her, a small frown on his face, as though he had no idea what she was talking about.

“Don’t crush the poor woman, Mackenzie,” Mather said jovially. “She’s fragile, like one of your Ming bowls.”

“Oh, do you have an interest in porcelain, my lord?” Beth grasped at something to say. “Sir Lyndon has shown me his collection.”

“Mackenzie is one of the foremost authorities,” Mather said with a trace of envy.

“Are you?” Beth asked.

Lord Ian flicked another glance over her. “Yes.”

He sat no closer to her than Mather did, but Beth’s awareness of him screamed at her. She could feel his hard knee against her skirts, the firm pressure of his thumb on her hand, the weight of his not-stare.

A woman wouldn’t be comfortable with this man, she thought with a shiver. There would be drama aplenty. She sensed that in the restlessness of his body, the large, warm hand that gripped her own, the eyes that wouldn’t quite meet hers. Should she pity the woman those eyes finally rested on? Or envy her?

Beth’s tongue tripped along. “Sir Lyndon has lovely things. When I touch a piece that an emperor held hundreds of years ago, I feel … I’m not sure. Close to him, I think. Quite privileged.”

Sparks of gold flashed as Ian looked at her a bare instant. “You must come view my collection.” He had a slight Scots accent, his voice low and gravel-rough.

“Love to, old chap,” Mather said. “I’ll see when we are free.”

Mather lifted his opera glasses to study the large-bosomed soprano, and Lord Ian’s gaze moved to him. The disgust and intense dislike in Lord Ian’s unguarded expression startled Beth. Before she could speak, Lord Ian leaned to her. The heat of his body touched her like a sharp wave, bringing with it the scent of shaving soap and male spice. She’d forgotten how heady was the scent of a man. Mather always covered himself with cologne.

“Read it out of his sight.”

Lord Ian’s breath grazed Beth’s ear, warming things inside her that hadn’t been touched in nine long years. His fingers slid beneath the opening of her glove above her elbow, and she felt the folded edge of paper scrape her bare arm. She stared at Lord Ian’s golden eyes so near hers, watching his pupils widen before he flicked his gaze away again.

He sat up, his face smooth and expressionless. Mather turned to Ian with a comment about the singer, noticing nothing.

Lord Ian abruptly rose. The warm pressure left Beth’s hand, and she realized he’d been holding it the entire time.

“Going already, old chap?” Mather asked in surprise.

“My brother is waiting.”

Mather’s eyes gleamed. “The duke?”

“My brother Cameron and his son.”

“Oh.” Mather looked disappointed, but he stood and renewed the promise to bring Beth to see Ian’s collection.

Without saying good night, Ian moved past the empty chairs and out of the box. Beth’s gaze wouldn’t leave Lord Ian’s back until the blank door closed behind him. She was very aware of the folded paper pressing the inside of her arm and the trickle of sweat forming under it.

Mather sat down next to Beth and blew out his breath. “There, my dear, goes an eccentric.”

Beth curled her fingers in her gray taffeta skirt, her hand cold without Lord Ian’s around it. “An eccentric?”

“Mad as a hatter. Poor chap lived in a private asylum most of his life, and he runs free now only because his brother the duke let him out again. But don’t worry.” Mather took Beth’s hand. “You won’t have to see him without me present. The entire family is scandalous. Never speak to any of them without me, my dear, all right?”

Beth murmured something noncommittal. She had at least heard of the Mackenzie family, the hereditary Dukes of Kilmorgan, because old Mrs. Barrington had adored gossip about the aristocracy. The Mackenzies had featured in many of the scandal sheets that Beth read out to Mrs. Barrington on rainy nights.

Lord Ian hadn’t seemed entirely mad to her, although he certainly was like no man she’d ever met. Mather’s hand in hers felt limp and cool, while the hard pressure of Lord Ian’s had heated her in a way she hadn’t felt in a long time. Beth missed the intimacy she’d felt with Thomas, the long, warm nights in bed with him. She knew she’d share a bed with Mather, but the thought had never stirred her blood. She reasoned that what she’d had with Thomas was special and magical, and she couldn’t expect to feel it with any other man. So why had her breath quickened when Lord Ian’s lilting whisper had touched her ear; why had her heart beat faster when he’d moved his thumb over the back of her hand?

No. Lord Ian was drama, Mather, safety. She would choose safety. She had to.

Mather managed to stay still for five minutes, then rose again. “Must pay my respects to Lord and Lady Beresford. You don’t mind, do you, m’dear?”

“Of course not,” Beth said automatically.

“You are a treasure, my darling. I always told dear Mrs. Barrington how sweet and polite you were.” Mather kissed Beth’s hand, then left the box.

The soprano began an aria, the notes filling every space of the opera house. Behind her, Mather’s aunt and her companion put their heads together behind fans, whispering, whispering.

Beth worked her fingers under the edge of her long glove and pulled out the piece of paper. She put her back squarely to the elderly ladies and quietly unfolded the note.

Mrs. Ackerley, it began in a careful, neat hand.

I make bold to warn you of the true character of Sir Lyndon Mather, with whom my brother the Duke of Kilmorgan is well acquainted. I wish to tell you that Mather keeps a house just off the Strand near Temple Bar, where he has women meet him, several at a time. He calls the women his “sweeties” and begs them to use him as their slave. They are not regular courtesans but women who need the money enough to put up with him. I have listed five of the women he regularly meets, should you wish to have them questioned, or I can arrange for you to speak to the duke.

I remain,

Yours faithfully,

Ian Mackenzie

The soprano flung open her arms, building the last note of the aria to a wild crescendo, until it was lost in a burst of applause.

Beth stared at the letter, the noise in the opera house smothering. The words on the page didn’t change, remaining painfully black against stark white.

Her breath poured back into her lungs, sharp and hot. She glanced quickly at Mather’s aunt, but the old lady and her companion were applauding and shouting, “Brava! Brava!”

Beth rose, shoving the paper back into her glove. The small box with its cushioned chairs and tea tables seemed to tilt as she groped her way to the door.

Mather’s aunt glanced at her in surprise. “Are you all right, my dear?”

“I just need some air. It’s close in here.”

Mather’s aunt began to fumble among her things. “Do you need smelling salts? Alice, do help me.”

“No, no.” Beth opened the door and hurried out as Mather’s aunt began to chastise her companion. “I shall be quite all right.”

The gallery outside was deserted, thank heavens. The soprano was a popular one, and most of the attendees were fixed to their chairs, avidly watching her.

Beth hurried along the gallery, hearing the singer start up again. Her vision blurred, and the paper in her glove burned her arm.

What did Lord Ian mean by writing her such a letter? He was an eccentric, Mather had said—was that the explanation? But if the accusations in the letter were the ravings of a madman, why would Lord Ian offer to arrange for Beth to meet with his brother? The Duke of Kilmorgan was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Britain—he was the Duke of Kilmorgan in the peerage of Scotland, which went back to 1300-something, and his father had been made Duke of Kilmorgan in the peerage of England by Queen Victoria herself.

Why should such a lofty man care about nobodies like Beth Ackerley and Lyndon Mather? Surely both she and Mather were far beneath a duke’s notice.

No, the letter was too bizarre. It had to be a lie, an invention.

And yet … Beth thought of times she’d caught Mather looking at her as though he’d done something clever. Growing up in the East End, having the father she’d had, had given Beth the ability to spot a confidence trickster at ten paces. Had the signs been there with Sir Lyndon Mather, and she’d simply chosen to ignore them?

But, no, it couldn’t be true. She’d come to know Mather well when she’d been companion to elderly Mrs. Barrington. She and Mrs. Barrington had ridden with Mather in his carriage, visited him and his aunt at his Park Lane house, had him escort them to musicales. He’d never behaved toward Beth with anything but politeness due a rich old lady’s companion, and after Mrs. Barrington’s death, he’d proposed to Beth.

After I inherited Mrs. Barrington’s fortune, a cynical voice reminded her.

What did Lord Ian mean by sweeties? He begs them to use him as their slave.

Beth’s whalebone corset was too tight, cutting off the breath she sorely needed. Black spots swam before her eyes, and she put her hand out to steady herself.

A strong grip closed around her elbow. “Careful,” a Scottish voice grated in her ear. “Come with me.”

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

JA: I argue, but I let them win. I have to say that Ian was very difficult to pin down. I wrote eight different openings (sometime reaching 100 pages before I threw them away) until I figured out how to tell Ian’s story.

DC: Of course, there has to be a special heroine for such a hero as Ian. Beth Ackerley is perfect for him. Please tell us about her.

JA: Beth Ackerley’s mother was the daughter of a respectable country gentleman. Beth’s father was a roguish French conman (who told everyone he was a viscount). Beth’s mother was disowned by her family when she eloped with him.

Beth, half-French, had a love-hate relationship with her father, who was an alcoholic. He died, leaving Beth and her mother destitute. They found themselves in a workhouse, where Beth’s mother too died. Beth got work as a teacher in the East End, where she met and married a cheerful vicar of the local parish.

But alas, poor Beth—the husband she loved quickly died, and she was penniless again. But a rich old lady she’d met through her charity work liked her and hired Beth as a companion. The eccentric old Mrs. Barrington had no heirs and she willed her entire (substantial) fortune to Beth.

At the beginning of the book, Beth finds herself with money and freedom. She misses her husband terribly (including the physical joys of the marriage bed). She at first thinks she wants to marry again but then decides to travel instead,for reasons explained in the book—Ian is a big reason!

Anyway, it took me a long time to find Beth, but I really like her. She’s been through the wringer, but she’s ready to embrace life. She’s kind, but at the same time, she doesn’t let the decadent, powerful, uber-alpha Mackenzie men walk all over her.

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

JA: So many things! The pile of books I have beckoning me to read them. DVDs of cool TV shows. My cats up to something… Someone asking me out to lunch. Surfing the Net. The great need to organize my sock drawer. I am so easily distracted.

DC: Let’s talk about Ian’s “madness.” With the description of his symptoms throughout the book, I wasn’t sure if his problem was perhaps OCD or maybe even autism, even with the little bit of research I did. He seemed to have symptoms of both. What is his madness and why did you choose to give him such an affliction?

JA: Ian has Asperger’s Syndrome. According to the NINDS, Asperger’s is a an “autism spectrum disorder,” and it shares some symptoms with OCD. AS can present differently in different people—there aren’t hard and fast symptoms that occur in every person. Some symptoms are: inability to make eye contact, obsession with details while ignoring overall concepts, obsession with routine, inability to read non-verbal cues, and not understanding subtext (e.g., sarcasm, jokes, or teasing). Some AS people might be just fine at making eye contact but have trouble speaking with inflection.

Writing a character who can’t make eye contact and who speaks in non sequiturs was a challenge, let me tell you!

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?

JA: Funnily enough, my heroines have come full circle. When I was trying to get published, I wrote Regencies and Georgians about courtesans. The advice I got at the time (about 10 years ago), was “No!! You can’t write that!!! Aaahhh!!!! I believed them, dumped my courtesans and learned how to write proper young ladies.

Well, now look around—see all the courtesan books? I call that so unfair.*g* (My fault for listening.) Anyway, I never have been able to write completely “good” girls. Most of my heroines are sexually aware and sexually curious whether or not they’re experienced.

I’m happy to see that romance heroines in general have evolved. Heroines no longer have to fear sex or be so innocent they’re surprised men have dangly bits. They can be interested in sex and the pleasure of it, even if they’ve never experienced it firsthand.

I love unconventional heroines (unconventional characters in general), and the heroines for the Mackenzie books are not your average heroines. Plus they have to be strong enough to take the Mackenzies. I’m enjoying this!

That said, yes, I do believe my heroines have evolved. The proper young ladies have kicked off their shackles.

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

JA: I’ve not done romantic suspense, though I cheated and did it somewhat in Immortals: The Redeeming. I would like to return to straight mystery/thrillers and do a police detective series. But for now I’m enjoying what I’m writing.

DC: I really enjoyed how Ian’s brothers loved and protected him. Can you tell us a bit about Hart, Cameron, and Mac and what we can expect to see concerning them in the future of the series?

JA: I plan the books as follows:

Book 2. Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage (Mac)
Book 3. The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (Cam)
Book 4. The Duke Takes a Wife (Hart)

Mac and Isabella will struggle back together in Mac’s book (very intense journey there). Cameron will find himself aiding a married woman he thought he hated (you’ll meet her in Mac’s book).

Hart, who is very powerful in politics, decides that if he’s going to become Prime Minister, he needs a respectable wife, one of whom Queen Victoria will approve. Lady Eleanor Ramsay jilted Hart years ago, not liking his sexual proclivities, but she’s the perfect woman to be his duchess. And Hart has reformed… hasn’t he?

All the brothers play a part in each other’s books. There’s an underlying love between the four of them that endures through their hardships.

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

JA: Don’t be afraid to take chances. Life is short—do it now.

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

JA: Good question! Either I’d be in a cubicle job trying to get a raise, or, if I was daring, chuck it all and try to sell miniatures and dollhouses (my obsessive hobby). Or I’d concentrate on my music skills and try to be a professional musician. Maybe. My whole life has been so geared to being a professional writer that I’m not sure what else I would do.

Lightning Round:

- dark or milk chocolate?
Dark!!!!
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?
Smooth. I don’t like chunks.
- heels or flats?
Flats. I love heels, but they hurt!
- coffee or tea?
Tea. Iced. Loose leaf. Not instant.
- summer or winter?
Summer—love the heat!
- mountains or beach?
Beach. Because of the heat.
- mustard or mayonnaise?
Hard one. Mmmmmmm. Can I have honey mustard?
- flowers or candy?
Flowers. Pretty.
- pockets or purse?
I like pockets so I don’t have to keep track of a purse. But purses can carry books and iPods.
- Pepsi or Coke?
Neither. Iced tea. Sweet drinks, bleck.
- ebook or print?
Love them both

And just because they’re fun:

1. What is your favorite word?
Indubitably

2. What is your least favorite word?
Rueful/Ruefully

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Good music

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Bad music

5. What sound or noise do you love?
Ocean

6. What sound or noise do you hate?
^@&$ ice cream trucks that go through my neighborhood 365 days a year.

7. What is your favorite curse word?
F*ck. Usually followed by “you.”

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Musician

9. What profession would you not like to do?
Accounting. I’d stink at it.

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you
arrive at the Pearly Gates?
“What took you so long?”

JA: Thanks for the interview!!

DC:  Thank you, Jennifer!  It was a joy talking to you.

Sandy M’s review of The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Highland Pleasures, Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance published by Leisure Books 28 Apr 09

I have to tell you, when reading the first few pages of this book, I was so sure I wasn’t going to like it. Mad Lord Ian buying a bowl. What? I had that feeling you get when you want to put a book down and not go any further. I am so glad I didn’t do that. Talk about misjudging a book way too early. I came much too close to missing one of the best books I’ve ever read.

Despite his “madness,” Ian Mackenzie is a terrific hero. Ms. Ashley does one heck of a job showing us his frustration when he doesn’t understand certain aspects of speech or human emotion, but then his innocence and his extraordinary gifts are astounding. And all of that is doubled in the fact that in the era this story takes place, people have no idea what is wrong with Ian and he spends ten years in an asylum. That brings me to the next part of the book that I like the best.

Ian’s brothers. They love him fiercely and, of course, protect him from himself when things get rough because of his condition. I so enjoyed the little glimpses of emotion we got from each of the brothers when dealing with or talking about Ian. It was Ian’s oldest brother, Hart, laird of the clan, who made sure Ian was released from his hellhole the day their father died; it was their father who put Ian there in the first place, all to save his worthless hide from a crime that Ian witnessed. Each brother will get their own book, with Mac’s next. We meet him and his estranged wife in Ian’s book and the mysteries and conflict for their story are set up and ready to go.

Of course, to deal with Ian and his affliction, a strong heroine is needed and Beth Ackerley is perfect. She is a widow but engaged to be married to a man who keeps mistresses aplenty. When Ian meets her, he makes sure Beth is well aware of her fiance’s appetites. But it’s the way she is with Ian, loving, kind, helpful, that endears her to the reader. And when she falls in love with him over the course of such horrible things that happen to them both, you know she’s the one for Ian. She keeps her head about her in the most dire of situations and even stands up to Hart when the need arises. She fiercely protects Ian just as much as his brothers do.

I guarantee when you read this book, you too will fall in love with Ian Mackenzie. You will shed tears for him. You will scream with frustration at his inability to deal with some of the simplest of things. Your heart will break because of all he’s been through, which started at such an early age. You will rail at the injustice that has come to him and his family over and over again. Your spirit will rejoice with him when his realizes what he feels for Beth. You will be glad you were able to share his story and meet such an engaging hero.

Be sure to come back for our interview of Jennifer Ashley on Thursday, April 2. She talks about Ian and his brothers and the series as a whole. You’re in for a special treat!

Grade: A+

Summary:
.
The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family–rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn’t be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them–of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.
.
The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He’s also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.
.
Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama–an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.
.
And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.
.
Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Redeeming (Immortals, Book 5) by Jennifer Ashley
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Love Spell 26 Aug 08

This book ended up being quite anticlimactic for me. Over the first four books in the series when learning about Tain’s horrible circumstances, learning about how Adrian has searched for 700 years for his baby brother, learning that perhaps Tain can’t be saved when all is said and done, I knew, once it was announced there would be a book about Tain, that he would be saved, and though most of that takes place in The Gathering, I expected and anticipated more between these immortal demigod brothers in this book. Alas, for me it was not to be.

Since his release from his imprisonment by an ancient demon and his subsequent decline into insanity because of resultant torture by the demon, Tain has been on his own, roaming from Ravenscroft, his goddess mother’s home, to here and there wherever he found himself, Tain still carries guilt about his actions while imprisoned, he still fears he’ll react when around demons, which means he can’t be around the one woman who might be able to save him further than what’s already been done. She’s a demon; half demon anyway. And Tain just doesn’t trust himself to be around her. He doesn’t trust himself to be around anyone he loves for fear of his residual reactions to all he’s gone through.

Okay, I can understand that. But even after Tain has come to San Francisco and gets caught up Samantha’s current demon investigation, there’s only very few scenes between Tain and his brothers; one is only mentioned, never seen. They show concern about him, yes, in those few scenes included, but he’s just come off 700 years of torture. There should have been something more between them. There is plenty of emotion on Samantha’s part once she realizes she loves Tain and wishes she could trust him. Not even her love can keep him from falling back into his insanity and earning her trust totally, or she thinks.

She also finds herself in the middle of a demon war, the current matriarch of her clan being murdered and plans underway of nominating Samantha herself for the top spot, but she knows she’s not qualified for such a position. She’s not a full demon; she’s a cop with the paranormal police, a job she loves. Her father is finally back in her life, something she at first never thought would happen and now she’s grudgingly getting to know him. Then Tain is back. The god with a body to match that makes her burn, but she knows she can’t ever be with him. She still goes to him whenever he’s near, however. Can’t blame her for that. I think I would too. Even with all of Tain’s problems, he’s beautiful to look at, he heals with his magic, he’s sensitive when the situation calls for it and a deadly warrior in the next. It takes Tain to show Samantha how strong she truly is.

While this is a good story, a good romance between the pages, a new demon to battle along with inner demons, it’s action packed, the love scenes are hot and sizzling, there is emotion between Tain and Samantha, and it’s interesting to find out the story of Samantha’s father and why he was absent from her life so many years, I still feel, for me, the brothers need to gather round and help Tain heal further. They’d left him alone for a year or so already. Once he lit in San Francisco, they should have been there. And especially once Tain finds out from his mother why he had to endure his captivity and especially all he goes through again at the hands of this new demon, even if a portion of that lifted a lot of his burdens, his brother still need to be there for him.

I’d come to love these brothers and how they fought to save the world in their own books, how they fought to save Tain, and it’s just a little bit of a disappointment to see so little of them in this turning-point book.

Grade: B+

Summary:

For centuries they have walked among us–vampires, shape-shifters, the Celtic Sidhe, demons, and other magical beings. Their battle to reign supreme is constant, but one force holds them in check, a race of powerful warriors known as the IMMORTALS

He is going to take her. And it won’t be gentle. After all, the last 700 years of torture and captivity haven’t been gentle on Tain. This woman, this half-demon who leaves him burning with desire, is pretty tough herself. She needs to be, for the world is not safe for demon-kind these days. A violent backlash has disrupted the balance of power, and now Tain finds he may have to rescue the dark ones instead of fight them. He feels compelled to protect the alluring Samantha–whether she wants him to or not–but all he can think of is seduction. Ultimately, she’ll either destroy him or bring exactly what he needs most…THE REDEEMING

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Well, it’s taken me a week to recuperate and get back into the swing of things since I got home from San Francisco.  Was it all worth it?  Damn straight!

I was supposed to be at the RWA National Conference as a writer.  I started writing only a year or so ago, so I was really looking forward to learning more about the craft.  But who was I trying to kid?  I was 99.9% reader in San Francisco.   I couldn’t help myself.  Everywhere I looked were authors I’d been reading for years, authors who I just discovered, and even newer authors who I hadn’t yet discovered while at the conference.   And the books!  You’ve all seen my TBR mountain.  You all know how bad my addiction is.  There was no way in hell anyone could have kept me away from the books in the city by the bay, no matter how they tried.  So while I did learn a little, I had a dream of a week just schmoozing and staring in awe the majority of the week.

I had some wonderful highlights during the hustle and bustle of the conference.  The first was meeting two of my all-time favorite authors, who have also become friends.  First is Sandy Blair.  I started reading her books because of the time travel elements that appear every so often in her Scottish historicals.  But I joined her fan club because she’s one of the nicest, sweetest ladies I’ve ever met.  So it was a thrill, indeed, to meet her in person.  We had lunch together a couple of times, had drinks together, just chatted, laughed our tails off — she’s a great storyteller even outside of her books — and I enjoyed my time with her immensely.  I will remember each and every one of those moments forever.

Added to all that, I found some friends to get re-acquainted with while schmoozing with Sandy B.  It was great to meet author Tracy Garrett since getting to know her when I interviewed her online last year, and soon-to-be-published-I-just-know-it Suzy Welsh from the Romance Bandits is a hoot and a half and it was nice to chat with her outside Sandy B’s group.  I also met author Jo Davis, who just had her debut book, Trial by Fire, released last week.  You know, I started talkin’ with a southern accent after spending time with all those Texas ladies!

My next highlight came when I met author C.L. Wilson.  We’ve been chatting online for the last year or so after the release of her first two books, Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadows.  Her series of Fae and magic and flying jaguars has captured not only my imagination, but the world’s.  It was so enjoyable meeting this lady who has such a lyrical voice when writing, an imagination that takes you away into fantasy so that you never want to leave.  Cheryl is a delight.  She’s so friendly, open and honest, and getting to know her was a pleasure.  She also joined Sandy B. and me for lunch on our first day in San Francisco. Let me tell you, I haven’t laughed so darned much and so darned hard in a very long time.   Author Susan Edwards also joined us at lunch, along with several other friends, and a good time was had by all and another wonderful memory was made.

If you haven’t read Cheryl’s books yet, you should.  There’s very few authors out there who can string ordinary words together and make them sing like Cheryl.  The next two books in the series, King of Sword and Sky and Queen of Song and Souls,  are being released this October and February 2009, respectively.  Start now and I guarantee you will be mesmerized and anxiously awaiting those new release dates.

Then there’s the Goody Room that’s a highlight at every conference.  My heavens, what an oasis and/or cacophony, depending on how you look at it and when you were there, of activity and goodies that was.  And everything there was free!  Books, buttons, bookmarks, candy, ink pens, CDs enticing you with book excerpts, business cards and flyers advertising anything and everything, and so much more filled table after table throughout the room.  You had to be quick in that room too.  No thinking you can come back later and pick up whatever you were looking at.  No guarantees whatsoever.  You had to make quick decisions and stick with them!

The Literacy Signing on Wednesday night was almost ovewhelming.  500 authors just waiting for you to walk up, chat for a minute, and buy a book.  What reader wouldn’t be in heaven while in that room?  I met more authors there who I’d corresponded with online or had gotten a thank you for reviewing their book:  Melissa Mayhue, Nancy Haddock, Lorraine Heath, Jill Shalvis, Lisa Kleypas, Kresley Cole, Kathryn Smith, Lynda Sandoval, just to name a few.  Then there were the authors that I’d read and loved for so long and newer authors who have given me hours of reading pleasure: Shana Galen, Jennifer Ashley, Shana Abe, Susan Crandall, Marianne Stillings, Christina Dodd, Julia Quinn, Gena Showalter, Elizabeth Hoyt, Bonnie Edwards and the list goes on and on.  And so many more than I’ll ever be able to remember!  It was a spectacular night and all topped off quite nicely when we learned the next day approximately $60,000 had been raised for literacy.  Good show!

There were other book signings the last days of the conference, and I had been warned to take large totes, rolling and handheld, and to be prepared to ship box after box of books home.  Pffft.  We were able to drive to San Francisco, who needs to ship the books back home?  I did.  Four of them.  Four big, big boxes of books.  I’m glad I took all the advice given to me. I definitely went prepared and I’m sure I was a sight lugging all those books across that big old hotel for two days!

My last huge highlight was meeting author Melissa Mayhue for dinner at Bubba Gump’s on Pier 39 our last free night of the week.  What a lovely lady!  Not only is she a wonderfully talented author, Melissa is one of the sincerest, kindest people I’ve ever met.  And there’s something about authors and humor.  Twelve women together with writing in common and we laughed and laughed.  And laughed.  For several hours.  I made a few more new friends that night and hope to keep in touch in the future.

In fact, I made new friends throughout the entire week, even some from my area.  It was a great time to share experiences and knowledge and I’m so glad I was part of it.  It was a time in my life that will never be forgotten, even when I attend another conference in the future.  The first time is special and the people I met will always have just as special a place in my heart.

Oh, the writer in me?  Yes, I did go to workshops and I did learn some.  So maybe the next time I’ll have more percentage points on the writing part of it all.  I have a feeling, though, the reader in me will emerge once again because she just has to be part of the fun.

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Gathering (Immortals, Book 4) by Jennifer Ashley
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Love Spell 28 Aug 07

I kept my hopes up that this book would bring the series together and be a satisfying pseudo ending for the first four books. I’m happy to say that my hopes were very highly rewarded. The action, romance, and emotion was perfect and we’re left in just the right place for the next edition of the series, beginning with Tain’s story, The Redeeming, due out next month.

Hunter is the pleasure-grabbing Immortal of the four brothers. At first you figure that’s just who he is, he loves the ladies and goes for it every chance he gets. But then you learn the real reason why he basically loves’em and leaves’em and, like Leda when she finds out, you just want to hold on to him and make it all better, especially when you further learn that his tragedy happened nine hundred years ago and he still hurts like it happened yesterday.

We know way before he does, of course, that he’s now found the one person who can fill that void in his heart and soul, that one person who can love his hurt away, that one person who can make him whole again. He just has to jump through a lot more hoops before that happens, and those hoops are action packed and right down scary at times.

Even with the heartache Leda has had in her life, she comes to the realization that Hunter is the one for her early on and knows that there’s not much to entice him to stay with her if he won’t open his heart to her. The handsome devil who communicates with animals could drive a saint to drink, but she knows life will be boring and not worth a plug nickel once he decides to leave when he knows he’s getting to close to her to risk being hurt again. When they’re drawn into the hunt for Tain and the demon who wants to control of the world, things begin to move at a frantic pace and no one is sure any of them will survive to worry about such things as love.

I really liked the scenes later in the book when the brothers are finally brought together after so many centuries apart. Even being immortal doesn’t stop the squabbling and the competition between them. When they do come together to save Tain from his self-destructiveness, the emotion among them is deep and heartfelt.

Hunter’s interaction with Mukasa the lion throughout the book is a lot of fun. I kept thinking it would be even more fun if he’d had other interactions with a few more animals, but it’s not that much to quibble over. I know Tain had to leave to find himself after so many eons of captivity, but I wanted to scream at the brothers to make him stay with them after they’d just found him again, but he’s on his own path once again and we’ll find out soon enough what’s in store for him.

This book is a nice ending to this part of the series. We now head for a whole new look for the books themselves and a lot more excitement starting next month.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Created at the dawn of time to protect humanity, the ancient warriors have been nearly forgotten, though magic lives on–in vampires, werewolves, the Celtic Sidhe, and other beings. But now one of their own has turned rogue, and the world is again in desperate need of the Immortals.

He was known as “the crazy one.” And Leda Stowe could see why after finding the stunning half-naked warrior in her lion’s pen–unarmed and completely unafraid. Though he could somehow soothe the temperamental beast, nothing could calm the desire that sparked through her body at his touch. She wished they could hide away together on her island forever, but the world thrummed with danger. Before Leda could claim Hunter for herself, they would have to join the other Immortals to face the greatest trial yet: The Gathering.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Highlander Ever After by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Leisure on 1 Apr 08

This is only my second book by Jennifer Ashley and I am fast becoming a fan. So far her heroes are leaders, larger than life, and wonderfully sexy, and her heroines are independent and witty. The romance between them is fiery and loving. Paranormal elements are thrown in to make reading so much more fun.

Egan and Zarabeth share a history of attraction, knowing they can never be together. She is a highborn princess and her future is with a nobleman husband. He is a lowly Scottish laird with nothing to offer her. It’s been five years since they’ve seen each other, since she married another, and now she is coming to him at the behest of her father and her cousin, Crown Prince Damien of Nvengaria, for his protection from the husband who has used her and would betray the prince had she not escaped to alert her family. Their attraction is even stronger now after their years of being apart, but Egan will not betray her father’s trust, nor will he cross the line into adultery, even though her marriage is essentially dead and even when Zarabeth makes it so very difficult for him to walk away from her. And she does make it quite difficult for him. As a Nvengarian woman, she is as sensual as a woman can be, having been taught at an early age how to pleasure a man. There are some good scenes where Zarabeth pushes Egan nearly past his limits with her touching and caressing.

Both characters have their share of pain. Egan still hurts from the cruel treatment he received from his father, who preferred his youngest son over Egan, a son and brother who took what he wanted with no regard to the feelings of others. His father blamed Egan for the death of his brother in the war, and that’s something that has haunted Egan all his life. Zarabeth’s five-year marriage to a power-hungry man has left her a shell of her former self. Being among the gregarious MacDonald Highlanders, however, is just what she needs, along with the chance to finally make Egan hers. She also has the gift of magic and the ability to hear others’ thoughts, which is used in some very interesting ways. Egan, however, is the one person she’s never been able to hear, except in times of peril. We’re teased plenty with their almost lovemaking, but the frustration is worth it when these two finally come together. Their loving is intense and all-consuming and each succeeding scene in which we experience it is better than the last. And the last love scene where they share thoughts as well as their bodies is quite moving and very nicely done.

We are also entertained not only by Egan’s family and friends, but also with the MacDonald Curse and his sister’s machinations trying to marry him off so an heir will be forthcoming. The other Nvengarian characters are as varying as the Highlanders. My favorite is Baron Valetin, who is half logosh (shapeshifter) and half human. I enjoyed the budding relationship between him and Egan’s sister and was hoping for a little more there. I got the feeling that perhaps that might be another book, but checking the author’s site didn’t satisfy my curiosity. I’m hoping that may be something she’ll delve into down the road.

Grade: A-

     From the back cover:

      Egan MacDonald was the one person Princess Zarabeth couldn’t read. Yet even without being able hear his thoughts, she knew he was the most honorable, infuriating, and deliciously handsome man she’d ever met. And now her life was in his hands. Chased out of her native country by bitter betrayal and a bevy of assassins, Zarabeth found refuge at the remote MacDonald castle and a haven in Egan’s embrace. She also found an ancient curse, a matchmaking nephew, a pair of debutantes eager to drag her protector to the altar, and dark secrets in Egan’s past. But even amid all the danger raged a desire too powerful to be denied….

     Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C.’s review of Immortals: The Calling (Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Love Spell 1 May 07

I knew about the Immortals multi-author series by Jennifer Ashley, Robin T. Popp and Joy Nash for quite some time, but I’ve been hesitating to read the books for one major reason. I’m a geek, and in high school I used to play table-top role-playing games. My favorites were the games put out by White Wolf, which happen to have titles like “Vampire: The Masquerade,” “Werewolf: The Apocalypse,” or “Changeling: The Dreaming.” Every time I saw the Immortals books featured somewhere, I invariably thought of those White Wolf games and I told myself that if I ever read them, I would invariably have to stop and ponder what clan, bloodline or gifts the characters would have.

Okay, so that’s the lamest reason ever for being hesitant to try a new series. But I was intrigued by the shared world thing that these three authors have going, and I figured it would be a way to try a few new authors so that I could see if I’d like any of their books.

Immortals: The Calling is only superficially similar to the premises behind those White Wolf role playing games I mentioned. There are vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. But there are also hot immortal demigods, which is definitely something you don’t see much of.

My fellow duckie Sandy M has already reviewed this book, and she summarizes the plot very well in her review, so I won’t waste much time on my own synopsis. I will say that though I did like this first book in the series, and I am really curious to see how the rest of the series will go, I didn’t love the book nearly as much as she did.

I like a strong heroine. A lot. I don’t necessarily need her to kick ass and take names, but I need her to add her own strength to her hero’s. And with a hero like Adrian, there was a good chance that poor Amber, our heroine, would be overshadowed, especially as compared to the rest of the characters. But to my relief, she wasn’t. She holds her own rather well, she knows her own strengths, and she manages to be a good partner for Adrian. That’s enough to make me forgive her for being a little bit bland in comparison with Adrian. She is also a witch, and it’s obvious to me that Ashley tried to base her magic-workings on real life Paganism, and I thought this was one of the world-building things that succeeded pretty well.

Adrian, by contrast, is quite the flamboyant hero. And being a demigod, that says a lot. He is fabulously wealthy, a great hulking package of testosterone, the son of Isis, and he has a sword that can morph into a snake. He’s been on a quest to fined his brother Tain for centuries, and when he is tortured he is really really tortured. All that leaves him an undeniably sexy, powerful hero, but in some ways he’s just a bit too much, and all the superlatives made it hard for me to connect with him as a character.

The plot starts out slowly, at least until about halfway through the book, when the pacing improves. The first half was a bit of a chore to get through, mostly I think because there were just too many secondary characters and too much backstory that needed to be explained, but I was really enthusiastically following along toward the end. The end was satisfactory, but it is clear that this is the first in a series, so there are a lot of dangling plot threads and it’s pretty clear where the next three books are going.

Since I mentioned the world-building, I will have to say that I didn’t find the setting particularly unique or compelling. We have pretty much every paranormal creature you can think of present and accounted for in this book and they all behave about like they would normally. The vampire is dark and good at seducing people, the werewolf is fierce and aggressive, and the dragon kicks a lot of ass and takes a lot of names, though not so much that he overpowers the awesome demigod hero. For this reason, I felt like the world-building had a bit of a kitchen-sink vibe to it, and I do have to admit that I felt kind of bad for the poor human schmuck who never really gets a first name who ends up participating in the goings-on, because he was the only one without that something extra about him.

I’m not sure that this series is going to make it onto my list of favorite reads of 2008, but I am curious to see where else it goes from here and will eventually read the next books.

Grade: B-

     While investigating the murder of her sister, Amber is rescued from a demon attack by Adrian, a leather-coated, sword-toting warrior. He reveals that he is one of the Immortals, created at the dawn of civilization to protect humanity from Death Magic.

     Together they discover that the demon is an Old One, determined to drain life from the world, and he’s convinced Tain, the youngest Immortal, to turn on his brothers and help him. The only way to stop them is to gather the remaining Immortals in one place–but the spell to do it has been lost, and the Immortals no longer want to play nice…

     You can read an excerpt here.

This just in…

Those sexy demigods are back. Love Spell’s Immortals series is slated to begin again in the fall…

• The Redeeming by Jennifer Ashley out in September (26 Aug 08)
• The Crossing by Joy Nash in October 2008
• The Haunting by Robin T. Popp in November 2008
• The Reckoning by all three authors is due out in February 2009

For more information check out The Immortals website.

Ever wonder which Immortal Warrior is your Soul Mate?  Find out here: Immortal Warrior Quiz.

Consider yourself flashed.

Lawson’s review of Highlander Ever After by Jennifer Ashley
Historical romance released by Leisure 1 Apr 08

This is the third in a loosely tied series about various citizens of the fictional Kingdom of Nevengaria. The first was Penelope & Prince Charming and the second The Mad, Bad Duke. Neither of which I found in a search of our reviews. . . but a quick recap, both would be a sold B for me. There are a few characters from the first two books, most notably the hero Egan MacDonald, known as the Mad Highlander across Europe – he’s been pining for a witch from Nevengaria, someone he has loved but he can’t have.

Zarabeth has been in a horrific marriage to a tyrant who belittled her and forced her to change her behavior. The last straw was her discovery of a plot to kill her cousin, Crown Prince Damien, the ruler of Nevengaria. For her protection she’s been sent to the Highlands in Scotland until the unrest in her homeland is put down. Egan is charged with her protection, but she soon falls in love with the Scottish countryside and the open people there. She’s loved Egan for much longer and now relishes in her chance to win him.

The plot reaches farther than one would think, and it works well with the rest of the plot devices. Egan is a little too sacrificial at times and feels he doesn’t deserve the things he does have, but Zarabeth helps cure him of those misconceptions. Egan is a noble, loyal, caring sort of hero who was criticized too much by his father and jerk of a brother. In the end, Egan grows to accept himself and his place in his Scottish castle.

Zarabeth is a likable heroine. She’s smart, witty, and very serene. Never does she act TSTL or do something that would go against her character. Some of the best moments are her interactions with the open Scottish highlanders and her easy acceptance of their quirks. Zarabeth is also patient, or at least patient enough, when she convinces Egan to act on his desire. She’s open about her sexuality, but not harsh with it or crosses that line between confident and slutty.

It’s pretty hot too.

Some of the pacing seemed off though, and the secondary plot with debutantes, the matchmaking nephew and the Nevengarian plot took a little away from the love story, but nothing grated or seemed out of place. A good story, but I’m not sure if this is a keeper or not yet.

Grade: B

     Egan MacDonald was the one person Princess Zarabeth couldn’t read. Yet even without being able hear his thoughts, she knew he was the most honorable, infuriating, and deliciously handsome man she’d ever met. And now her life was in his hands. Chased out of her native country by bitter betrayal and a bevy of assassins, Zarabeth found refuge at the remote MacDonald castle and a haven in Egan’s embrace. She also found an ancient curse, a matchmaking nephew, a pair of debutants eager to drag her protector to the altar, and dark secrets in Egan’s past. But even amid all the danger raged a desire too powerful to be denied….

     Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Immortals: The Calling (Immortals, Book 1) by Jennifer Ashley
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Love Spell 1 May 07

I love a book that gives me a little bit of everything and a lot of romance thrown in between. Therefore, I love this book. And if the rest of the series is this freakin’ good, I’m going to be loving all four of the current books and the four to be released this year and into 2009. Three of today’s best paranormal authors are behind this action-packed series, Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, and Robin T. Popp. They each had to have one hell of a good time in writing these books.

The Calling is an ancient ritual celebrated by witches to gather the Immortals in times of great emergency. The demon in this book, an Old One even older than our hero, Adrian, is in the process of wreaking havoc for a full-fledged emergency that will take the combined power of four demigods. For the past 700 years Adrian has been searching for hs brother Tain who disappeared at the hands of a demon, and once Adrian meets Amber and they investigate further, the demon of today is the same who has imprisoned Tain all these centuries and who is working to give Tain what he desires most, the one thing that Adrian and Amber must halt before it is too late.

With the fighting action between Adrian and the demon, the emotion of a man riddled with guilt, and the love and romance shared by two people who are destined to be together, you don’t have time to breathe while reading this book. Even the lovemaking is fierce and intense and oh so hot. Throw in an ancient vampire, a werewolf, and a dragon to help fight black magic and a story can hardly get better than this. You are pulled into the characters’ lives from the beginning and you cry when they’re hurt, you rejoice when they win a battle, and you love it when they get it on. I mean, it’s got to be darned good with a demigod, right?

The ending, of course, is left wide open for the next book, The Darkening, but not before some gut-wrenching stuff that will leave you gasping. I now wish I hadn’t waited so long to start this series. Book No. 2 is calling my name.

Grade: A+

Summary:

     While investigating the murder of her sister, Amber is rescued from a demon attack by Adrian, a leather-coated, sword-toting warrior. He reveals that he is one of the Immortals, created at the dawn of civilization to protect humanity from Death Magic.

     Together they discover that the demon is an Old One, determined to drain life from the world, and he’s convinced Tain, the youngest Immortal, to turn on his brothers and help him. The only way to stop them is to gather the remaining Immortals in one place–but the spell to do it has been lost, and the Immortals no longer want to play nice…

     Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Cover and Summary…

Highlander Ever After by Jennifer Ashley
Releases April 2008

Egan MacDonald was the one person Princess Zarabeth couldn’t read. Yet even without being able hear his thoughts, she knew he was the most honorable, infuriating, and deliciously handsome man she’d ever met. And now her life was in his hands.

Chased out of her native country by bitter betrayal and a bevy of assassins, Zarabeth found refuge at the remote MacDonald castle and a haven in Egan’s embrace. She also found an ancient curse, a matchmaking nephew, a pair of debutants eager to drag her protector to the altar, and dark secrets in Egan’s past. But even amid all the danger raged a desire too powerful to be denied….

Is it wrong I think of Gwen and Bev everytime I see this cover