Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Always In My Heart (Harts In Love #1) by Kayla Perrin
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Kimani Romance 17 Apr 12

Let this be a lesson for us all – this is what can happen when you pick up category romances willy-nilly.  I saw this book and thought, “Oh, I’ve read Kayla Perrin before and I’ve enjoyed some of her books” – which resulted in me not reading the back cover blurb that closely.  If I had?  Yeah, I would have read in between the lines and discovered that what I picked up innocently enough was actually a dreaded Secret Baby book.

Callie Hart is the oldest of three girls and is back home in Cleveland for her aunt’s funeral.  The girls were raised by their loving aunt and uncle after their mother abandoned them on their doorstep, an event that has cast a long shadow in their lives.  Her two sisters have been feuding ever since the youngest one boinked the guy the middle one was dating (Niiiiiiiiiiice!) – and Callie found herself stuck in the middle, with each of them wanting her to choose sides.  She’s hoping that now their aunt has passed that they can all bury the hatchet and move on with their lives.  But first she has to take care of some unfinished business, and that means righting a wrong with former beau Nigel Williams.

Nigel was heartbroken when Callie left him, without a word, and seemingly vanishing off the face of the earth.  No word.  No communication.  No closure.  Sure, they had a falling out over his becoming a police officer, but they were so good together – and he thought she loved him.  Now she’s back in town, standing on his doorstep and dropping the bombshell that her nine-year-old son, Kwame, is his son.  Yeah, when she ran away from Cleveland?  She was pregnant with his baby.

From now on, I will refer to Callie for what she is – The Stupid Cow.  This is the problem with Secret Baby plots – unless the guy is an ax murderer or a child molester, I cannot think of one good, solid reason when it is ever okay to willingly not tell the baby daddy that he is…well…a baby daddy.  The Stupid Cow’s reason?  Oh, well, she was “scared,” dontcha know.  It’s so hard for her to trust because Mommy abandoned her.  And then Nigel had to join the “enemy” (that would be the police academy) after one of their friends was a victim of police brutality.  Never mind that The Stupid Cow and Nigel both were socially active, fighting injustice, organizing drives and protests.  Gee, why would Nigel want to be a cop?  Oh, maybe because HE THOUGHT HE COULD DO SOME GOOD?!?!?!  You know, because becoming a police officer could in no way possibly be an extension of his social activism /end sarcasm.

The author wants readers to feel sorry for The Stupid Cow, to chalk up her keeping their child away from the father as a sign of emotional immaturity.  To this end, the fact that The Stupid Cow’s Mommy “abandoned” her is used as an excuse early and often.  Exactly what did Mommy do?  She left her daughters with their loving aunt and uncle – who raised them in a healthy environment and showered them with love.  Wow.  What a bitch!  Certainly the girls did not get “closure” from Mommy’s disappearance, but then The Stupid Cow turns around and does THE EXACT SAME THING to Nigel and her family!  Just up and leaves, with no word – and then on top of that she doesn’t TELL HIM ABOUT HIS SON!  And, golly, he just seems so angry and will he ever be able to forgive her?

Unfortunately, for us, this is a romance novel which means Nigel does forgive.  Ugh.  Just ugh, ugh, ugh!

By now you’re probably wondering why I kept reading this story.  Part of it is because Perrin can deliver in the writing department, and this book flowed easily for me even though it drove me bat-shit crazy.  Also, Lord help me, I found myself curious about what happened to The Stupid Cow’s Mommy.  This bit of mystery will, undoubtedly, carry over to the next two books in the trilogy.  But as much as I’m interested in reading about that?  I don’t think I’m all that interested in reading about The Stupid Cow’s sisters, who I wanted to bitch-slap early and often in this story.  Someone pass the vodka…..

Grade: D

Summary:

The oldest of three adopted daughters, Callie Hart has always loved being the protector of the family. But now she is all grown up—with a young son of her own to protect. Callie can’t wait to show him off when she reunites with her two sisters in Ohio. But that also means coming face-to-face with the lover she left behind. Nigel Williams is even more irresistibly attractive than ever. But what will he do when he learns about the secret she kept hidden from him for ten years?

Nigel has never forgiven Callie for fleeing Ohio—and the passion they shared. And when she shows up on his doorstep asking for forgiveness, the Cleveland cop is furious at her deception. But how can he deny the feelings Callie reawakens in him? Blindsided once again by the heat of desire, Nigel vows to fight for his future with the woman he has always loved.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Diamond Dreams (The Drakes of California, Book 1) by Zuri Day
Contemporary Romance published by Harlequin Kimani Romance 20 Mar 12

Going to conferences tends to be dangerous business for me.  I go, I mingle, I meet a lot of really fabulous people, and then I want to read every single one of their books.  When your TBR can be seen from space, this is not necessarily a good thing.  But that’s how I came to pick up this first category romance by Zuri Day.  I met her at a conference, had a nice time chatting with her, and was hooked by the premise of this first book in a trilogy – which is set in Southern California wine country.  Wine and romance?  Could there be a better combination?

Diamond Drake is the only daughter in what can only be described as a “wine dynasty.”  Her family has owned the land just north of San Diego for years and has built quite a reputation.  Diamond and her two brothers now play integral parts in the family business, with the latest project being a boutique hotel.  The idea is to make Drake Winery a vacation destination with good food, good wine, and excellent accommodations.  To make that happen they hire Jackson Wright’s construction company.

Jackson “Boss” Wright started out life in Inglewood, California with an absent (and unknown) father, a drug-addicted mother, and a pack of inappropriate friends. When his mother gets shipped off to prison, his prosperous aunt and uncle adopt him.  He now runs the family construction company and is doing very well, only to have someone gunning for him – literally.  Still haunted by his past, he’s been receiving threatening letters and someone breaks into the office. Add into the mix his attraction to Diamond, and the guy has a full plate.  Is the notorious playboy ready to settle down now – especially with a woman like Diamond, who most definitely has wedding bells and babies on her mind?

This story felt very much like a throwback to me, in a lot of ways.  You have the pampered princess daughter, the charming, flirtatious Alpha hero who is not ready to settle down, the heroine’s overprotective father and brothers, fancy cars, fancy clothes, and enough glamor to send Joan Collins into a swoon.  Chalk it up to an obsession with Dallas and Falcon Crest as a kid, but these were actually my favorite aspects of the story.  The whole family dynasty angle.

What didn’t work as well for me is pretty much everything else.  The suspense plot flits about, never really coming into focus, seemingly serving as a convenient device to spur the plot forward when needed.  Also, the hero’s reasoning behind not going to the cops over this issue just irritates (nothing to do with his past, everything to do with it could be bad for business). The sex scenes are just bad.  Besides the tendency to delve into purple prose territory, I’m not sure I want to live in a world where I read things like “vajayjay” and “joystick” in a romance novel.  I also find myself wearing beyond thin over the overprotective daddy and brothers trope when it concerns who their precious snowflake daughter/sister is dating.  Never mind that she’s a grown-up and doesn’t really exhibit any irresponsible behavior at all in this book.

However, I love the setting – probably because I know the area that the author writes about.  It makes for a great back-drop, and a family that makes wine?  Sign me up.  Plus Diamond’s brothers?  Sure, they’re over-protective, but did I mention they’re hot?  Like, smoking, yummy hot.  So yeah, I’m signed on for book two.

Grade: C-

Summary:

As the only daughter of Southern California’s most famous wine dynasty, Diamond Drake devotes all her waking hours to the family business. Burned by love, she’s not sure she ever wants to fall in love again. But construction millionaire Jackson Wright is sweeping her up in a whirlwind romance. Is he the real thing? Or will the sinfully sexy bachelor prove to be all flash and no substance?

From the moment he sees her, Jackson is dazzled by the stunning, sultry Diamond. He knows it’s dangerous to mix business with pleasure. If only Diamond will say yes to a future glittering with their passion and love.…

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Baby, Let It Snow by Beverly Jenkins & Elaine Overton
Contemporary Romance published by Kimani Romance 18 Oct 11

I cannot say no to holiday-themed romances; and given the sheer volume that romance publishers churn out every year, it looks like I’m not the only reader with this affliction.  No line in the Harlequin universe is immune to this slathering on of holiday cheer, and this offering from Kimani features romance veteran Jenkins, along with Overton, who has several category romances under her belt.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Beverly Jenkins

Dina Caldwell and Morgan Todd grew up next door to each other in the same Detroit neighborhood.  She went on to become a major Broadway star, and he’s the hottest celebrity chef in the business.  It would be natural that these two beautiful people would fall in love and get engaged.  Until Dina gets smacked in the face with a tabloid and photographic evidence of Morgan’s cheating ways.  She calls the whole thing off, and four years later she still hasn’t spoken to him.  However, his little sister is getting married, and Dina cannot miss the wedding of such a close family friend.  She’s just going to have to suck it up and somehow survive the magnetic attraction she has with Morgan.  But how well will she resist when she discovers that the bad boy is mending his ways and that he wants her back?

What I tend to really like about Jenkins’ romances are her cast of characters.  This story features a wonderful family dynamic, with two close-knit families who are the best of friends.  I also think it’s impossible for Jenkins to write a story that doesn’t feature a strong sense of community.

The problem here is that Morgan was a cheater and he broke Dina’s heart.  Yes, he apologizes.  Yes, he’s mending his ways.  However, the whole thing seems to wrap up a little too easily.  It’s possible I am a vindictive soul – but I wanted more groveling here.  Oh, and having the hero crawl naked through broken glass might have been nice too.  But it is a nice reunion story, with a lovely sense of place and a tender holiday feel.  For the less vindictive among you, that may be enough.

Grade: C

Second Chance Christmas by Elaine Overton

With both their parents now gone, Diana Rogers and her brother Shawn are left to run the family winery-slash-bed-and-breakfast.  Unbeknowst to Diana, Shawn has other plans for his life and has sold his 50% of the business to none other than Robert Fenton.

Robert lived a nomadic childhood, but the happiest years were at the winery – until Diana’s Daddy found out he was boff’ing his baby girl, and before you can say smear campaign, Robert was hitting the road again.  Now, several years later, he’s a big honkin’ success in the hotel business, but he’s got one thing on his mind. Yep, revenge.  Even though the old goat is dead.  How’s that for some typical romance hero logic?  Anyway, once he’s back at the winery and sees Diana again? Yeah, revenge begins to take a back seat.

I know some readers cannot tolerate the revenge plot, but it works fairly well here in a shorter format.  Robert begins to reevaluate his motives once he sees Diana again and realizes he’s never gotten over her.  Also, Diana is a suspicious soul, and isn’t about to play doormat to Robert, who she is convinced is “up to something.”

That being said, I feel like the past isn’t rehashed enough here.  What Diana’s Daddy did to Robert was pretty sneaky and underhanded, and the couple never really talks about it.  They gloss over it, and given the severity of the nature, I guess I want a big, dramatic scene.  Readers do get such a scene, but only after Diana learns the truth about Robert’s original motives and, in true romance heroine logic, runs away.  Sigh.  But the story had its moments, even though the execution didn’t always work for me.

Grade: C+

These are quick, holiday-themed reads that feature a strong sense of community and family.  For readers who don’t want Christmas shoved down their throats, both authors focus more on Thanksgiving, family camaraderie, and throw in snow storms to liven up their climactic finishes.  I’ll also admit that being a Michigan girl at heart, I love that both of these stories take place in my home state.  Like being home for the holidays but cheaper and less annoying than the airlines.

Overall Grade: C

Summary:

Four wish lists. Two holiday stories. The most wonderful time of the year.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Beverly Jenkins

Three years ago, Broadway star Dina Caldwell and celebrity chef Morgan Todd were passionately in love. Now America’s onetime favorite couple are about to be reunited in Morgan’s Detroit hometown for the holidays. Is this the season for forgiving and forgetting? With sizzling kisses under the mistletoe, Morgan vows to make this a Christmas Dina will never forget!

Second Chance Christmas by Elaine Overton

Diana Rogers is ready for some holiday R & R. Until Robert Fenton comes home for Christmas. The handsome, powerful hotelier has plans to take over her beloved family winery. But this is the season for miracles. And Diana’s seductive ex-lover has his own secret wish list—one that includes a second chance with the woman he’s never stopped loving.

Beverly Jenkins Excerpt

Elaine Overton Excerpt

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Island Fantasy by Kayla Perrin
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 01 Feb 10

Kayla Perrin has dipped her toes in a variety of writing ponds over the years – delivering everything from erotica to suspense.  Island Fantasy, her first straight-up romance novel in a number of years will undoubtedly please her fans.  With the author’s knack for writing steam, and an intriguing premise, I settled in for what I hoped would be a quick, sexy read.  I’m sad to report that it was a bit of a mixed affair.

On the eve of her wedding, literally, Shayna Kenyon spies her husband-to-be, the man who professes his undying love for her, in the arms of another woman.  Needless to say, she’s devastated.  She calls off the wedding, but decides that scraping her honeymoon trip would be a silly thing to do.  And while a romantic, off-the-hook resort in tropical Jamaica has her family worried that she’s spend the entire trip wallowing in grief, Shayna is looking at the trip as a chance to recharge, lick her wounds, and catch up on her reading.  She did not expect, nor did she go looking for, Donovan Deval.

Donovan is in Jamaica to attend a family wedding when he lays eyes on Shayna, and the man gets hooked.  Shayna is sexy as sin, as sweet as an angel, and she’s the first woman he’s found himself intrigued by in the past two years.  His family had been after him to start dating again, and it’s not like he wasn’t ready, he just hadn’t found a woman who really captivated him.

What I really loved about Shayna was that she’s a woman who won’t take any bull.  Where some women might have justified their fiance’s bad behavior as “pre-wedding jitters” – Shayna knows that a man who would be unfaithful on the eve of his wedding is no man at all.  I admired her gumption, her strength, and her sass.

Donovan is an equally appealing character, a genuine Mr. Nice Guy with a smokin’ hot body, killer personality, and a heart of gold.  He’s loved and lost, having put himself on the shelf for two years, not really ready to “get back out there.”  But meeting Shayna changes that for him.  Because while his family thought that he was still grieving, it was more a matter of him not wanting to mess around with women who didn’t ignite that spark of attraction immediately – and Shayna does.

While I admired the heroine for taking her honeymoon trip to Jamaica sans groom, it unfortunately sucks all the conflict out of the story.  The kiss of death in category romance is a book that lags, and this one does.  Badly.  While I appreciated the adult characters, because the internal angst was never painted with a heavy brush, and because there wasn’t really any external conflict to speak of, this book is a slog for the first two-thirds.  However, for readers who stick with it?  You’ll be rewarded.  The final third of the book is where the meat and potatoes are.  After a whirlwind affair in Jamaica, it’s time to go home.  Back to the real world.  That’s when Shayna and Donovan have to come to terms with what they have together.  Can you really fall in love with someone in a week?  Especially where Shayna is concerned!  Was her affair with Donovan nothing more than a rebound?  A way to boost her ego after her fiance’s betrayal?

It’s these tough questions, and how the characters deal with them, during the final chapters that salvage this story for me.  Because while it was pleasant, and I liked these people, the conflict lacked serious juice for the majority of the story.  That said, by the end I was riveted, and Perrin continues to write sizzle like nobody’s business.  It wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t a total wasted experience either.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Shayna Kenyon knows heartbreak. After she catches her fiancé cheating on her the night of their wedding, a reality break in Jamaica is just the pick-me-up this romance author needs. Especially when Shayna arrives at the exclusive resort…and notices the seriously sexy brother checking her out.

In the Caribbean for a wedding, Donovan Deval isn’t thinking about making a love connection. But it’s time to move on with his life—and that means pursuing Shayna, the exotic beauty who’s making his libido leap off the charts! Shayna wants to take it slow, but Donovan’s ready to turn up the heat. As passion ignites, he vows to turn their sizzling island paradise into the real thing.

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Sizzling Seduction (Hightower Honors #4) by Gwyneth Bolton
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 01 Oct 09

I play fairly fast and loose when it comes to picking out category romance titles to read.  I’m always willing to try a new-to-me author, and I tend to blindly choose books based on the back cover copy.  It’s really no surprise I picked up Bolton’s latest.  Hunky firefighter hero?  Single mom school teacher heroine?  Seriously, it’s got Wendy written all over it.  Unfortunately it stumbled a bit in execution.

With his three younger brothers happily married, one would think Patrick Hightower would be jealous of their bliss.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  He’s happy for them, but not so happy that he’s ready to take trip number two down the aisle.  He caught his first wife in bed with another man, and the divorce practically ripped his heart out.  No thank you.  He has learned his lesson.  That is until Aisha Miller shows up at his fire house with her kindergarten class ready for a tour.  He takes one look at the sexy single mom and he’s sunk.  Hook, line, sinker, wham-o!  Now all he has to do is convince the gun-shy Aisha to go out on one measly date with him.

Aisha has an incredibly horrible track record with men.  Her father is an emotionally abusive asshole, and then she got married at a very young age to her emotionally abusive ex-husband.  She ultimately divorced her husband, finished her college degree in education, and is making a home in a small apartment with her ten year old son Dillon.  The last thing she wants or needs in her life is another man.  But dang, that sexy Patrick Hightower is nothing if not persistent.

I wish Harlequin would do a better job of spotlighting series books in their Kimani Romance line.  A sub-title or cute little graphic on the front cover would make me one happy girl.  This is the fourth book in the author’s series about the Hightower brothers, and while it stands alone fairly well, there is a fair amount of info-dumping early on in the book.  It didn’t always make for a smooth read, and it wasn’t until after the first few chapters that I really started to settle into the story.

The conflict from the standpoint of Aisha’s past makes for the most compelling reading.  It’s hard not to admire a woman so determined to finally break out of the cycle of abuse that has plagued her all her life.  She wants better for herself, and her son, and I could easily understand why she didn’t fall all over herself accepting a date from Patrick – hunky firefighter or not.  What didn’t work nearly as well was the conflict surrounding Patrick.  His crazy, cheating ex-wife is trying to lure him back into her bed, and she’s being egged on by his vile Aunt Sophie who has some long-standing vendetta against his mother.  I’ll be honest, I found Aunt Sophie to be a huge, pointless distraction.  Especially since the conflict surrounding Aisha was much more compelling.

All this being said, I suspect that fans of this series will happily be gobbling up this installment – especially since they very likely got tantalizing glimpses of Patrick in the earlier books.  Also, they’ll probably be more tolerant of Aunt Sophie, who from what I can gather, was a source of conflict in the previous stories as well.  However as a newcomer to the series, I couldn’t help but wish the author had spent more time on Patrick, Aisha, their growing attraction, and Aisha’s past – kicking the Hightower family drama to the curb.

Grade: C

Summary:
Firefighter Patrick Hightower will take any risk in the line of duty. Risking his heart again? That’s something he’s vowed never to do. He prefers scorching affairs—the briefer, the better—though he might make a temporary exception for smart, sexy teacher Aisha Miller. But Aisha isn’t interested in exploring their instant, searing connection-no matter how much she feels the heat.

Aisha has had enough of dominant men trying to control her life, and the gorgeous firefighter who visits her kindergarten class is alpha male through and through. Yet the gentler side Patrick shows, especially around her young son, gradually melts her reserve. As shadows from Aisha’s past resurface, she’ll discover just how far Patrick will go to prove she’s found her real-life hero.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Full House Seduction (The Donovan Clan, Book 4) by A.C. Arthur
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 1 Aug 09

Category romance is my last hold-out for impulse book buying. Every month I cruise the eHarlequin web site, read a mess of back cover descriptions, and make a shopping list. I don’t spend a lot of time investigating authors, titles, and series information. Sometimes this is a good thing, as I discover quite a few gems and new autobuy authors. Other times? Yeah, it bites me in the ass.

Full House Seduction has a terminal case of series-itis. I guess I should have gotten a clue when I saw “Donovan Clan” in the back cover description, but I obviously had not had enough caffeine that day. This is book four in a series featuring the powerful, casino-owning Donovan clan and reads like it. Buried underneath all of the name-dropping, references to past characters, and series baiting for future books, there’s actually a pretty decent romance.

Noelle Vincent is a drop-dead gorgeous former party girl. However she’s finally decided that it’s time to grow up, get herself an education, and cut out all the drama in her life. She’s been working really hard with her brother-in-law, who owns a very lucrative casino in Las Vegas. He’s been so impressed with her that he is sending her to Maryland to oversee the completion of a new casino they’re building in the Chesapeake Bay area.

For Noelle, this promotion couldn’t have come at a better time. She recently found out that the guy she fell head over heels for, and was burning up the sheets with, is married! Needless to say she dumped his sorry butt pretty quick, but he’s still calling her, sending her text messages, begging for forgiveness.

When she lands in Maryland she meets up with Brock Remington (best romance hero name ever!). Brock owns the construction company that’s building the new casino and he’s also an adopted member of the Donovan clan. However, even though the family welcomed him with open arms, and never made him feel “less than” – he’s still haunted by the memories of his biological family and past.

The moment he lays eyes on Noelle he’s attracted to her, but he has no interest in a steady relationship. Noelle may be free-spirited, sexy and fun, but she’s also tired of selling herself short. She’s determined to turn her life around, and that means no more hopping into bed with the first handsome face that looks her way.

I really liked Noelle and think a lot of readers will be able to relate to her. She’s made a lot of mistakes in her past, but she’s determined to make a better life for herself, work hard, and not disappoint her family anymore. She’s got gumption, spunk, and is a fairly straight shooter who will tell you exactly what is on her mind. While certainly Brock (and a multitude of secondary characters) ride to her rescue during the course of this story, she does stand up and make her own voice heard. She doesn’t sit back and wait for someone else to clean up the mess. She’s working right beside them.

Brock is your prototypical wounded hero. He’s still haunted by his past. Part of the time I felt he really needed to just get over it. Yes, his childhood was shit. It was really crappy. But he was adopted by the Donovan family who loved him, doted on him, and never made him feel like anything other than part of the family. Certainly feeling unworthy as a teen makes sense, but he’s a very successful businessman now. With an adopted family who loves him. I couldn’t help thinking he should just get over it already.

While Noelle and Brock are nice people, it’s the series-itis that really drags this story down. A lot of time is spent on past couples, name dropping, and rehashing old history. When this happens, the writing also suffers, because the author goes from “showing” us the story to “telling” us about all these characters, who they are, their relationships with each other, etc. None of it really pertains to the story at hand. Certainly these people have relationships with Noelle and Brock – but they aren’t Noelle and Brock. They aren’t the romance.

I suspect this story will work a lot better for fans of the series. Certainly they’ll like revisiting the former couples, and reading about Noelle, who from what I can gather, was featured in some of the previous stories. However for the uninitiated, it’s all a bit overwhelming.

Grade: C

Summary:
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Noelle Vincent may have led a wild and scandalous life, but really, isn’t every woman entitled to a few secrets? Now the former party girl is gambling on her future when she’s tapped to get a new casino off the ground. Suddenly she’s upping the ante when she gets her first eye-opening glimpse of gorgeous developer Brock Remington.
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Ever since he was adopted, Brock has followed a simple law of the Donovan clan: always play your cards close to your chest. But all bets are off when he falls for the sexy, free-spirited new site manager. They’re both consenting adults, but Brock wants more. Is Noelle willing to roll the dice on their future, even if it means defying the odds and playing for the highest stakes of all?
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Sensual Winds by Carmen Green
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 01 July 2009

I had high hopes for this third book in Kimani Romance’s multi-author Mother Nature Matchmaker trilogy. It’s got the same ingredients that made the first two books appealing, Key West and a cabin romance theme, plus the hero is Lucas McCoy. The man has been building a dream house for his New York City-based fiancee for the last two books, while girlfriend has been putting off making visits to the island. Will Lucas finally realize that his friends are right and that his engagement is a farce?

Lucas met Emma when he was on a job in New York City. They had a heated affair, fell in love, and quickly became engaged. But his life is back in Key West, while she has a very demanding career in New York. They’re trying to make it work, but over the course of several months it’s apparent to everyone that the relationship has disintegrated. It’s so bad that Emma has “delegated” the building of her dream house in Key West to her assistant Doreen Fleming. It’s Doreen who is taking phone calls from Lucas, picking out the flooring, suggesting furniture, and getting updates on construction, while Emma isn’t returning his phone calls.

Lucas has finally had enough. He gives Emma an ultimatum through Doreen. If she’s not on the plane for a planned visit then he’ll consider them through. He gets his answer when he shows up at the airport and finds Doreen standing at baggage claim. Emma sent her down to break-up with Lucas for her, and in exchange she’ll pull a few strings to get Doreen a promotion she’s been gunning for. However Doreen has come to care about Lucas, and their consulting on the house has led to a full-blown crush. Now she’s in Key West and with a hurricane approaching it looks like she’ll be stranded there for a few days. A few days with her, Lucas and a big empty dream home. Whatever shall they do?

Now this sounds like a fairly intriguing set-up with plenty of conflict to move the story along. Unfortunately, the conflict sputters and dies the moment Doreen lands in Key West. Lucas and Emma have a phone conversation that pretty much clears the air. Hey, this is great. They’ve talked. They’ve acted like adults. And yet they’ve also managed to put all the conflict to rest. Now what will we do for the next 150+ pages? The answer? Not much. This story reads like a series of vignettes at times, instead of a focused story with focused conflict. The author even resorts to tossing in some stranded tourists to get us through to the end, but instead of being interesting additions, they come off more as annoying distractions.

Doreen and Lucas are nice people, and I definitely could have gotten behind them as a romantic couple. But what little conflict there was lacked any real bite, and I found myself bored. So bored that the only thing that kept me reading was the knowledge that this was a category romance and “only 200 pages” long. In the end though, there’s nothing offensive or “bad” about the story. It’s just….boring. It’s worth a look if you’re a fan of the trilogy and need some closure. Otherwise? Meh.

Grade: C

Read reviews for the other two books by following the series tag.

Summary:
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Giving her boss’s fiancé the kiss-off isn’t in Doreen Fleming’s job description. But when she meets the soon-to-be ex, gorgeous real estate developer Lucas McCoy, Doreen knows she’s headed for a storm tide of trouble.
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Building his dream house isn’t the same without someone to share it. Doreen may be just the messenger, but she’s unleashing a tempest inside Lucas that’s tempting him to risk his heart again.
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Then a hurricane hits, stranding Lucas and Doreen in the house of both their dreams. As the winds howl outside, the passion rages inside—hotter than the sweltering summer night…and twice as explosive.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Sultry Storm (Mother Nature Matchmaker Trilogy, Book 2) by Celeste O. Norfleet
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 1 Jun 09

I have this horrible addiction to “cabin romances.” Those stories where the author throws the hero and heroine into close quarters due to circumstance. Which is basically why I picked up Sultry Storm, the second book in the multi-author Mother Nature Matchmaker trilogy. Unfortunately the “cabin romance” aspect of the story wasn’t enough to override a heroine who I spent most of the novel wanting to strangle and a hero who had a tendency to throw off creepy-weirdo-stalker vibes.

Mia James’ fiance has just eloped with a pert and perky coed. To top it off, an e-mail he wrote telling her that he was leaving her because she’s “frigid” somehow got sent to several of her colleagues at the college where they teach. To say she’s humiliated is an understatement. Then she gets word that her deceased father’s house in the Florida Keys is being foreclosed on. Yup, you guessed it, the jack-ass ex-fiance had assured her he hired a management company to take care of the house. Despite the fact that she had been estranged from her father prior to his death, she races down to the Keys, during a hurricane no less, to save the house.

It’s on the rain soaked streets that she meets Deputy Sheriff Stephen Morales. Stephan was friends with Leo James, who talked a lot about his daughter. So much so, that Stephen fell in love with her without even meeting her in the flesh. He desperately wanted Mia to return to the Keys, but not during a hurricane! To top it off, there are aspects of his relationship with her father that she is unaware of. Things she doesn’t know. Yup, you guessed it, when the truth comes out she’s going to be pissed.

The problem with this story is that it starts off with a set-up that doesn’t do the heroine any favors. I don’t care if it is your daddy’s house, driving to the Florida Keys during a hurricane has got to be tops in the Too Stupid To Live Romance Heroine Handbook. To make matters even worse, Mia is also one of those infuriatingly insufferable heroines who is so stubborn that she won’t listen to the hero when he tries to spill his guts. “No, let’s not talk about my father now. Let’s talk about it later.” “No, I don’t want to read these old newspaper articles now, let’s have sex!” Inevitably what always happens with brain-dead heroines like this is that she eventually finds out the truth from a third party and she’s infuriated that the hero “used” her and didn’t tell her the truth.

That’s because you didn’t want to listen you dumb bimbo! Argh! 

Stephen is a bit more likeable, but the whole falling in love with a woman you’ve never met is pretty creepy. This guy is about one step away from making a photo shrine of Mia in the back of his bedroom closet. The romance itself is also problematic because while it’s not quite love at first sight, it’s pretty close – with these two talking marriage in a matter of days. Oh sure, they spend a lot of time having sex (and I do mean a lot – the book is almost one long love scene), but given Mia’s stubbornness and Stephen’s borderline creepiness, I was left wondering how many marriage counselors currently live on Key West.

The Key West setting is certainly interesting, and the impending hurricane offers plenty of fodder for external conflict. That said, it wasn’t nearly enough for me to overlook a heroine I wanted to repeatedly smack and a hero whose sanity I questioned on more than one occasion.

Grade: D+

Summary:
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Mia James will do anything to save her family home—even drive into the eye of a hurricane. But from the moment she comes to the rescue of a rain-soaked stranger, another kind of storm rages.
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Stephen Morales thinks he’s dreaming when he sees the sultry beauty tending to his wounds by candlelight. And he wants more than shelter from the storm. Soon the sexy deputy sheriff is tempting Mia to throw caution to the gale-force winds and give in to a night of passion neither will forget.
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But a new tempest is gathering, swirling around a tumultuous family secret that threatens their future. With the Florida Keys erupting, Mia and Stephen can play it safe—or risk everything for a love that’s sweeping them beyond danger, beyond deception…beyond anything they’ve ever known.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Temperatures Rising by Brenda Jackson
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 1 May 09

I tend to avoid romances where the hero is a professional athlete. Why? Because I have yet to find an author who doesn’t blunder it by doing half-assed research. Particularly annoying since it feeds into the perception that “women don’t know sports” and therefore won’t catch various lack-of-research SNAFUs. After having been burned (and annoyed) one time too many, I pretty much avoid all such books now. But I made the exception for Brenda Jackson’s latest Kimani Romance title. Despite the fact that the hero used to play for the Miami Dolphins (I’m a beleaguered Buffalo Bills fan), I was intrigued by the plot description.

Sherri Griffin is trying to make a fresh start in the sunny Florida Keys. She’s working at her uncle’s radio station and licking her wounds over a disastrous break-up. Her fiance’ accused her of being too career driven, and ran straight into the arms of another woman. That betrayal stings, but Sherri hasn’t given up on men. She does want to get married and have a family….some day. Just not now. No, she wants to focus on her career. Too bad Terrence “Holy Terror” Jeffries has other ideas.

A former defensive tackle for the Dolphins, Terrence now has a sports talk show on WLCK. He also has a love ‘em and leave ‘em reputation. He loves the ladies, but he’s also a confirmed bachelor. Our boy has no interest in long-term commitment, marriage and babies. So when he first sets eyes on Sherri our boy has it bad. He wants her, in his bed, like yesterday. Too bad our girl keeps giving him the big brush off, despite the fact that she’s more than a little warm for his form.

What follows is Sherri and Terrence tap dancing around each other, ultimately succumbing, and finding themselves spending a lot of time together when a hurricane hits the Keys. The chemistry between these two is palpable, and the sex scenes are particularly spicy. That being said, I couldn’t help but feel that Terrence’s main reason for pursuing Sherri was that she was playing hard to get. It was all about the chase. Also, for someone who seems so determined to remain a bachelor, I found his turn-around on that issue a bit fast and loose. Sure the sex is great – but is it great enough for this leopard to change his spots, seemingly over night?

I really liked Sherri. I appreciated that while she was hot for Terrence, she was also cognizant of their differences. She knows, from the get-go, what she wants. She wants marriage and babies and happily ever after. Terrence does not. And that’s the big reason, more so than her previous relationship, that she plays hard to get. No sense falling in love with a guy when he doesn’t want the same things out of life that you do.

The author keeps the sports talk to a minimum, but unfortunately the one time she does mention Terrence’s career she gets it wrong. The Dolphins could not have beaten the Cowboys to go to the Super Bowl because they’re in two totally different conferences. They could play each other in the Super Bowl, but not in a playoff game to determine who gets to go to the Super Bowl. Also, Terrence is a defensive tackle. Sure he could score the occasional touchdown, but it’s not like it would be a routine occurrence for him.

Temperatures Rising ties in to the author’s long-running Westmoreland series, and is also part of a 3-author series from Kimani called Mother Nature Matchmaker. There is some set-up for the next two titles, but it is kept blessedly to a minimum and the author doesn’t needlessly series info-dump in this story. While I wasn’t madly in love with the story, and was, once again, not happy that a romance author couldn’t get her football information right, this was a hot, steamy and quick read. I’m looking forward to the next two books in the series.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Sherri Griffin knows all about hot, stormy weather. The kind where all a girl wants to do is strip down to her La Perla lingerie. A successful radio producer, Sherri’s had to weather all kinds of storms. But nothing could prepare her for the force of football-star-turned-sports-DJ Terrence Jeffries.
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Never give your heart; never get hurt. That’s the credo gorgeous, arrogant Terrence has always lived by. And he’s looking to add Sherri to his all-star roster of lovely conquests.
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But a hurricane is poised to hit the Keys, leaving Sherri and Terrence stranded…together. While the gathering clouds bring gale winds and pounding seas, Sherri and Terrence are making their own shelter from the storm. And walking right into the eye of a hurricane of passion.
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series: