LauraD’s review of Whisper No Lies (Black Ops, Book 3) by Cindy Gerard
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Pocket 30 Dec 08

There is a lot to be said for pure escapism in literature, and for me a good contemporary romance/suspense is just about the best kind of candy. Cindy Gerard is currently writing some fun and juicy stuff.

Whisper No Lies is book 3 in the Black Ops, Inc. series, but since I hadn’t read the first two I was pleased to find that it succeeds quite well as a standalone. The operators of Black Ops, Inc. , also known as the BOIs, are a group of soldiers-for-hire who are (of course) like a close knit family. On the other hand, Crystal Debrowski is pretty much on her own.

Crystal is the head of gaming for a Vegas casino, and she and Johnny Duane Reed already have a history. They’ve known each other for awhile in the FWB kind of way, and both find the other more attractive than they want to admit, even to themselves. Their casual relationship is drastically changed when Crystal is kidnapped by a ruthless crime boss who wants to add her to his personal harem. She’s not the only woman Yao Long has abducted and taken to Indonesia, and soon both Crystal and the BOIs are trying to rescue a young girl and get safely home.

Crystal rocks. She is described early on as “sex on a stick”, but she’s also an intelligent and self sufficient woman with an expert set of self-defense skills and very smart mouth. She knows Johnny Duane is bad news for her heart, and does her best to cut ties with him before the action starts. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen! Once they are in Jakarta she does her own share of rescuing herself, and proves to be a good teammate to the ultra alpha males that comprise Black Ops. And please, Crystal Debrowski? What a great name for a romance heroine!

Johnny Duane is an interesting character, an inveterate and unrepentant lover of women and good times. He’s great with kids, and loyal to his friends. Apparently he was just waiting for the right woman, because once he learns Crystal has been kidnapped he becomes utterly focused on her. Of course he pulls a boneheaded move towards the end of the book, but he’s a very sexy hero and a very easy to like guy.

The suspense plot is tight, and the action sequences are well written and make sense. Be advised, Yao Long is a villain from the very eeeeeevil school, and like most of Gerard’s bad guys he is over the top. I was actually a bit discomfited by the author’s decision to make Long’s crew stereotypical of a bad movie — if they are Asian, they are bad guys, whether they are Chinese, Japanese, or Indonesian.

All in all, I really enjoyed Whisper No Lies. Crystal is the best character Cindy Gerard has written, and I wish more contemporary suspense heroines were as self assured and kick ass as she is. Johnny Duane proved a perfect foil; a tasty alpha male who is comfortable with a capable woman. This was pretty much a cover to cover read for me, and I look forward to seeing which of the BOIs will find his HEA next.

Grade: B+

Read more about this series by following its tag.

Summary:

In New York Times bestselling author Cindy Gerard’s fiery new romantic suspense series, when danger threatens, the seductive heroes of Black Ops, Inc. turn up the heat.

AN INDECENT PROPOSAL… When a high roller at the Vegas casino where Crystal Debrowski manages security makes a scandalous proposition, she flat-out refuses, especially given rumors of his shady overseas connections. But then counterfeit bills mysteriously flood the gaming tables, and her reputation — and her life — are on the line.

REVEALS A SIMMERING DESIRE… Despite his big, flirty grin, Texas heartbreaker Johnny Duane Reed can’t get sassy Crystal off his mind. When she is abducted by an international crime lord with a threatening obsession, Reed enlists his Black Ops, Inc. team to pursue a dangerous mission to rescue her.

…WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. Between Crystal and Johnny burns a scorching flame, but as they battle her relentless abductor, they uncover a malicious arms trafficking and white slavery ring. Together, they must destroy the tyrant’s wicked enterprises or face his reign of terror themselves….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

LauraD’s review of At Grave’s End (Night Huntress, Book 3) by Jeaniene Frost
Urban fantasy released by Avon 30 Dec 08

Cat’s back! Jeaniene Frost’s killer vampire huntress Cat Crawfield and her sexy bloodsucker of a boyfriend, Bones, have returned for a third book, and oh my is it fun!

Actually it’s more of a paranormal adventure, as Cat and Bones have already established a solid love affair (a vampire marriage) and no threat to their love for one another is presented. But romance lovers should have no fear, as the couple is plenty sexy and the storyline engaging. If you are new to the series, you won’t have any problems keeping up — but be warned you will be seeking out the first two books.

Cat is a vampire hunter, and although she is good at disguising herself it’s getting harder and harder not to be recognized as the infamous “Red Reaper”. Her team are finding themselves in closer scrapes than they ever have before, and one of them has a very inconvenient lust-on for Cat. Into the middle of that tension comes Bones’ sire, Mencheres, to officially recognize Bones as his heir.

And that’s all before the bomb explodes. (And notice, I’m not even mentioning Cat’s very difficult mother…)

Soon Cat and company find themselves in the middle of a vampire war, and boy do the vamps fight dirty. At Grave’s End has several well-written battle scenes; a touch gory without being too graphic. Frost’s trademark humor is also intact, Cat and snark are well acquainted. A new character is introduced that some readers may find a bit cheesy, but I loved the opportunities for humor he provided.

I found this to be a fast-paced read, even with the inclusion of back story necessary for new readers. To my dismay, the previously steamy love scenes between Cat and Bones were missing — Ms. Frost wrote some damn good ones in the first two books. They are still new enough as a couple to be knocking boots on a regular basis, darn it! The dialogue between the two is fun and realistic, as is the relationship of a couple who know they belong together but are still working out some issues.

The secondary characters are well written, and the villain is plenty bad without being over the top eeeevil.

Vampire fans should consider Jeaniene Frost another author to add to the “does it well” list, and At Grave’s End is another fun chapter in the Night Huntress world. When I finish a book already looking forward to the author’s next one, I am a happy reader. This reader is looking forward to the next adventure featuring Cat and Bones.

Grade: B+

Read other reviews and information about this series by following its tag.

Summary:

Some things won’t stay buried . . . at grave’s end

It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Crawfield’s life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she’s successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat’s worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover’s finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger.

As if that wasn’t enough, a woman from Bones’s past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the crosshairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat’s about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she’s learned as a special agent won’t help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself-and Bones-from a fate worse than the grave.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

LauraD’s review of Fall Into Me (Hearts of the South, Book 7) by Linda Winfree
Contemporary Romance eBook released by Samhain 6 Jan 09

I’ve got to admit, I give a big fangirl squee every time I see that Linda Winfree has a new title coming out. Several of her books are among my favorite “comfort reads”, and that includes varieties both “tree” and “e”. So how does her newest measure up? 

Pretty darn good. Fall Into Me reveals screw-up deputy Troy Lee as more than a cop, and definitely more than the departmental goober of Chandler County. It seems that Troy Lee has been carrying a torch for local bar owner Angel Henderson, and finally has a chance to make his move.

Angel is older than Troy Lee by almost a decade. She’s recently been dumped hard by her longtime fiancée, and her infatuation with a different deputy has gone nowhere. So when Troy Lee pulls her over for speeding – again – she thinks he’s just adding to her current misery. Little does she know, he just wants her to slow down so that he can catch up to her for awhile.

Fall Into Me is a relationship driven story, and that’s my favorite kind. Troy Lee and Angel have known each other for a few years, and it takes a bit of work and cleverness on his part to get Angel to give him a chance. He’s a good man, and it doesn’t take Angel long to realize that he’s worth hanging on to. However, it would be a short book if all went immediately well. I’d be giving away quite a bit if I revealed Angel’s problem, so I’ll mention that this story includes strong secondary appearances by several of Winfree’s previous couples. It’s actually one of the things I really like about her “Hearts of the South” series: the interconnectedness and family relationships that are part of small towns anywhere. There is also a strong cautionary tale that will have anyone with a teenager to lecture them about speeding.

Troy Lee is a great hero; a smart, funny, and genuinely good guy. He loves Angel, his family, and he’s driven to be a great cop. If he has a flaw, it’s that he is a little too perfect at times. It would have been nice to see him lose his temper, or say something stupid, just to reveal a bit of humanity. We do get to see him stumble in his work relationships, so it keeps his romance-perfection from being creepy, thank gosh.

Angel is also well written. She’s been hurt and disillusioned, but it doesn’t keep her from looking forward and seeing the possibilities. She doesn’t shy away from hard choices, and she’s not looking for Troy Lee, or anyone else, to save her. If she were real, I’d love to have her as a pal. While at first she hesitates because of the age difference between Troy Lee and herself, it doesn’t take her long to open her eyes and accept that she deserves some good in her life.

There is less of a suspense sub-plot in this one than there has been in some of the previous books, but as more characters become involved in Linda Winfree’s stories there is less room for mystery. Winfree does a nice job of running some of the events in Fall Into Me concurrently with happenings in her previous title; and while a lot of established characters are in this book it can be read as a stand-alone.

Fall Into Me is a lovely story about a couple I ended up feeling really good about. “Hearts of the South” continues to be a series I look forward to, and one I can recommend without reservation. I am having a harder and harder time finding romances with just-plain-good people populating the story, and I’m grateful to Linda Winfree for writing another one. For this reader, Fall Into Me is a solid…

Grade: A

Read reviews of other books in this series by clicking on its tag.

Summary:

She’s finally falling for the right man…at the worst possible time.

A part of the Hearts of the South series.

After two back-to-back romantic disappointments, bar owner Angel Henderson isn’t looking for love. In the past month, she’s been passed over twice by men she’d pinned her hopes on, both times in favor of a younger woman. She’s ready to swear off men for life. The only problem? A certain younger man determined to prove he can be her right man.

Sheriff’s deputy Troy Lee Farr is tired of being the department screw-up. The harder he tries to prove himself, the worse it gets. The only thing that’s gone right recently is getting a second chance with Angel. Except she’d rather jam on the brakes than rush into a new relationship. Now he has to work hard to prove his worth as a romantic prospect.

Troy Lee is a patient man, and it isn’t long before Angel is falling into him as hard as he’s fallen for her. Just as Angel begins to think of him as more than a fun date, her past-and Troy’s dangerous reality-threatens the tentative happiness they’ve found in one another.

Reminding them both that security is tenuous…and unconditional love is the biggest challenge of all.

Warning: Cops who talk like cops, explicit older woman-younger man lovin’, and two-boxes-of-tissues emotion.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series (print releases referenced where available):

LauraD’s review of To Seduce a Sinner (The Legend of the Four Soldiers) by Elizabeth Hoyt
Historical Romance published by Forever 28 Oct 08

Elizabeth Hoyt already has already made such a name for herself in the romance community that it’s hard to remember she’s only published four books prior to this one. They have all been outstanding, and she is an auto-buy author for me.

Jasper Renshaw, Viscount Vale, has just been stood up at the altar. Again. Melisande Fleming gathers her courage and suggests to Vale that he marry her instead-and Vale, who just wants to produce an heir, says yes. Little does he know that Melisande has loved him for years, even when he was engaged to her best friend. Nor does he know that he will quickly become fascinated with his reserved young bride.

These are simply two wonderful characters. Jasper isn’t a typical romance rake, although he is tortured and does his share of carousing. He’s a solid, loyal, dependable man with a sly sense of humor and plenty of patience. Melisande is intelligent, as well as lovely. She knows just how to play Jasper in order to intrigue him, and the scenes in which she slowly seduces him are a treat to read. Melisande has a history that Jasper doesn’t know about, and she is at heart a very sensual woman. While it’s not readily apparent that behind her practical mask lies a seductress, once Jasper realizes her inner nature he embraces her fully.

The majority of To Seduce a Sinner is the wonderful evolution of Jasper and Melisande’s relationship from society marriage to a true love union of equals. The dialogue is a treat to read, often amusing and always clever. The book is the second in Hoyt’s Legend of the Four Soldiers series, and the mystery thread from the first book continues. It fits very nicely within the love story, and the conflict it creates between the couple is dealt with beautifully. Once they’ve admitted to themselves that they are in love, both Melisande and Jasper stand up for one another in ways that made me want to cheer out loud.

A truly heroic hero and a smart, sensual heroine. A romance novel in which the relationship develops without too much melodrama. Secondary characters that add to the story. Very sexy love scenes. A mystery that makes sense, and doesn’t require the heroine to be imperiled. Go get this book, if you haven’t already! The Elizabeth Hoyt stack on my keeper shelf grows…

Grade: A+

Summary:

THE ONE THING HE CANNOT REVEAL
For years, Melisande Fleming has loved Lord Vale from afar . . . watching him seduce a succession of lovers, and once, catching a glimpse of heartbreaking depths beneath his roguish veneer. When he’s jilted on his wedding day, she boldly offers to be his.

TO THE ONE WOMAN HE MOST DESIRES
Vale gladly weds Melisande, if only to produce an heir. But he’s pleasantly surprised: A shy and proper Lady by day, she’s a wanton at night, giving him her body-though not her heart.

IS HIS DEEPEST NEED . . .
Determined to learn her secrets, this sinner starts to woo his seductive new wife-while hiding the nightmares from his soldiering days in the Colonies that still haunt him. Yet when a deadly betrayal from the past threatens to tear them apart, Lord Vale must bare his soul to the woman he married…or risk losing her forever.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

To Desire A Devil, Book 4, Nov 2009

LauraD’s review of Compromised by Kate Noble
Historical Romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Mar 08

Historical Romance gains a new author in Kate Noble and Compromised is her first novel. In an unusual move, Penguin has released it in trade paperback format. The cover is lovely, the story sounded fun, and I was totally in the mood for a good historical. 

Gail Alton and her sister Evangeline are newly returned to London after spending years traveling with their father. Their new stepmother considers bookish Gail to be the perfect foil for older sister Evangeline’s beauty, and insists that they make their come-out together. Maximilian, Viscount Fontaine, attends their debut ball and encounters both girls. While he finds a tipsy Gail to be a brat, he is smitten with Evangeline when he encounters her alone in the conservatory and that is a good thing because he has compromised her and they become “secretly” engaged. Gail becomes the couple’s chaperone, and she and Max find that while they might bicker quite a bit they also have a lot more in common than Max and Evangeline.

I’m a sucker for stories where the heroine is in love with her sister’s/friend’s fiancé, and this is a good one. There is a nice dynamic between all three characters. Gail and Evangeline are friends as well as sisters, and both feel protective of the other. The whole Alton family is portrayed as loving, including stepmother Romilla; their time away from England has made them a close unit. Ms. Noble gives plenty of time to establishing all four characters, so none of the family is a cardboard cutout.

Max is a good man; he wants to do the right thing by marrying Evangeline, even as he begins to see it’s Gail he truly loves. He’s definitely a beta; I grew frustrated with his unwillingness to just take action regarding his engagement after he made his decision about Gail. I appreciated his character’s more intellectual pursuits — while Max is attractive and sought after he’s not portrayed as the typical drinking and carousing romance leading man. When he takes the girls on an outing they go to the British Museum, and we readers get a view of the museum in its infancy. [Ed: I adore the British Museum - you have to see its basement - chockablock full of ancient sculptures, row after row after row...]

Compromised might not work for readers who need their historicals to ring true 100%. Speech and personalities are more 21^st century than 19^th. At one point, Gail and Max have a discussion about whether or not the Elgin Marbles should be returned to Greece; that sentiment seems so contemporary that it jarred me out of the story.

Ultimately, I found Compromised to be a very enjoyable romance featuring both a truly likeable hero and heroine. Their path to a HEA is interesting and a pleasure to read. I really appreciated the author’s decision to make Romilla a loving and well-intentioned stepmother, avoiding the Cinderella cliché. I recommend this book, and happily give it a solid…

Grade: B

Read other reviews by clicking on the Compromised tag.

Summary:

Miss Gail Alton was not having a good day. Or a good year. First, her new stepmother strong-arms her into attending the Season as a foil to her beautiful sister Evangeline. Then while riding her mare in the park, she gets toppled by a stuffy, self-important, too handsome-by-half ‘gentleman’ who has the audacity to blame her for their fall into the chilly lake! Little did she know that the same man would soon be found in a compromising position with Gail’s sister…Forced into asking for Evangeline’s hand in marriage, Maximillian, Viscount Fontaine, can’t take his mind off the irksome girl who threw him from his horse and insists on matching wits with him at every turn. He’s determined to follow through with his best intentions, yet he can’t deny that every encounter with Gail makes him want to cast propriety aside – and whisk away the sister of his soon-to-be bride…

Read an excerpt.

LauraD review of Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage by Sally Smith O’Rourke (no author site found)
Fiction released by Kensington 1 Oct 08

I do love Christmas stories, the sweeter and more sentimental the better. Sally Smith O’Rourke wrote Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage with her late husband Michael, and it certainly fits the bill — but it’s also something a bit different.

Our narrator is a dog, a retriever named Meteor to be exact. The tale begins with Meteor being adopted by Robert, the lighthouse keeper on a small island in the Outer Banks. Robert has lost a leg in an unnamed war, and has emotional wounds as well. An aspiring writer, he shuns socializing and Meteor is his only company. One stormy day, Robert (and Meteor) rescue a beautiful young woman from the sea and both their lives are changed.

Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage has an old-fashioned feel to it, helped along by the author’s decision not to clutter the story with brand names or pop culture references. Having Meteor as the storyteller works beautifully, his “voice” is simple but loving. I was skeptical at first, but it actually reminded me of one of my favorite books when I was little, Beautiful Joe by Marshall Saunders.

With the exception of Robert, the human characters are lightly written; they serve only to play out Meteor’s story of love, family, and loyalty. It’s a slim little novel, easily read at one sitting, although it touches on quite a few of the big incidents in the little family’s life. Bracketed by holidays, there are plenty of festive occasions within the pages, along with drama and tenderness.

I’m looking forward to pulling this one out again in another month or so, when the holiday hustle and crash gets a little too frenetic for me. I’ll sit down and spend a bit of time with Meteor and his family, and remember why I love the holidays.

Grade: A+

Summary:

With its rough gray shingles and weathered slate roof, Sea Pines cottage seems, at first glance, past its prime. But inside this remote fisherman’s house, a driftwood fire crackles in the fireplace, brightly colored rugs cover the floor, and cozy cushions dot the worn, welcoming furniture. A young man named Robert has retreated after the war, planning to spend his days writing, tending to the local lighthouse, and nursing his injuries—physical and mental. For company, he adopts a young Golden Retriever puppy named Meteor, who happily settles into life at Sea Pines, delighting in his master’s loving care. Robert and Meteor spend months in quiet companionship, until the day Robert rescues a young woman from a storm at sea.

Strong-willed and intelligent, Laura sees past Robert’s injuries to the proud, passionate man beneath, and—with some matchmaking help from Meteor—they begin a new life together at the cottage. When their son, Nicholas, is born on Christmas Eve, Meteor immediately becomes the little boy’s most loyal friend. But even Meteor’s tireless devotion can’t protect his cherished family from all of life’s unexpected challenges—hurdles that will teach each of them lessons of courage, faith, friendship, and the enduring love that can sustain us through life’s coldest seasons…

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of The Black Dagger Brotherhood: An Insider’s Guide by J.R. Ward
Paranormal Romance reference released by NAL Trade 7 Oct 08

If you aren’t yet familiar with J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood, then I’ve gotta ask: where have you been? Whether you’ve read the books or not, whether you like the books or not, Ward created both a phenomenon and a train that won’t stop rolling. When she announced on her website that a “compendium” about the Brotherhood would be released before her hardback debut next year, I was one of many Khool-Aid drinkers eager to find out more about the alternate world she’s created.

The Insider’s Guide manages to be both a treat to fans, and disappointing as well. It opens with the lovely novella “Father Mine”, a continuation of Zsadist and Bella’s story. If like me, you are a fan of that particular couple, then “Father Mine” is pure cake and ice cream. It focuses on Zsadist’s inability to deal with being a new father, and shows him making some peace with his past. Ward is quite open about her love of Zsadist, and it shows in a well-paced story that combines action, emotional development, and a pretty hot love scene.

“The Brotherhood Dossiers” include a questionnaire “answered” by the respective character, and then an “interview”– actually short stories in which Ward inserts herself as the interviewer. Readers familiar with the author’s message board — probably the most unique romance fan community ever — will recognize the style. It provides a fun opportunity to catch up with where favorite characters are in their private lives. Also at the end of each character’s section are notes on that particular novel, and “craft notes” pertaining to both that specific book and Ward’s writing practice in general. I appreciated that she acknowledged the almost universal dislike of the ending of “Lover Unbound”, and she touches on the homoerotic nature of the Butch/Vishous relationship as well.

Also included are a letter from Ward “to writers”, the original proposal for Dark Lover, and a few deleted scenes from the books — well worth reading even if they didn’t work in the context of the original novel. Then the Guide moves into what I frankly found to be pure filler. “Kicks and Giggles” are Ward’s favorite dialogue quotes from the novels. “The Brothers on the Board” are verbatim “appearances” that Ward’s characters have made on her message board, and they are still available there. Also available on the website, “Slices of Life”– short stories featuring the Brothers. Finally, Ward is interviewed by her own characters — again, a first person short story.

I closed An Insider’s Guide having enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with old favorites, but without any additional insight to the characters. As a fan, I had hoped Ward would expand on both her mythology and her world building. I was disappointed that she chose to devote so much of the book to material previously published on her message board — close to 150 pages of a trade paperback is a lot of recycling.

Grading this one is hard. “Father Mine,” the novella, is totally A+ material. (I believe the novella to be available by itself as an eBook.) The “Dossiers” and interviews were pure fan candy, and I’m sure Ward’s cellies are pleased to have a bound edition of the message board material. It’s interesting to have insight into Ward’s writing process, and she has a self-deprecatory voice that serves her well as she discusses her craft. Balancing the great, the good, and the filler, I’m saying…

Grade: B-

Read more news, reviews, and information by clicking on the Black Dagger Brotherhood series tag.

Summary:

This is a book no Black Dagger Brotherhood fan should miss-an insider’s guide that will seduce readers as powerfully as the sexy band of Brothers and the world they live in. And also included is an original short story about stars Zsadist and Bella!

This comprehensive guide features insider information on the Brotherhood, their dossiers, stats, and special gifts. Readers will savor interviews with their favorite characters, deleted scenes, exciting material from the J.R. Ward message board and the answers to their burning questions. They’ll learn what it’s like for J.R. Ward to write each installment of the series, and in a fascinating twist, read an interview with the author-conducted by the Brothers. Plus readers will get a sneak peek at the much anticipated next book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Lover Avenged.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series (all dates are mass market paperback release, except for Lover Avenged, which releases hardcover next May):

			Lover Avenged

LauraD’s review of Peach Blossom Pavilion by Mingmei Yip
Fiction published by Kensington 1 Jun 08

Peach Blossom Pavilion is graced with a lovely cover, complete with the intriguing promise that “Behind its doors, a world of sensuality and intrigue awaits…..” Seemingly, the author intends to provide a Chinese companion of sorts to Memoirs of a Geisha — the story of an impoverished Chinese girl forced into prostitution, who after learning the “fine arts of womanhood” becomes a valuable courtesan. Oops.

Precious Orchid is thirteen when she is sold to a house of prostitution; her father has been executed for a crime he did not commit, and her mother leaves her to become a Buddhist nun. At the Peach Blossom Pavilion, the young girl is slowly but surely educated in both the fine arts and in her new life as sex worker. The young prostitutes are highly competitive, striving to become the most popular and sought after, but Precious Orchid rises to become a ming ji, one of the most accomplished and revered courtesans. After years at the Pavilion, Precious Orchid runs away with a female lover; over the rest of the novel she encounters bandits, a Taoist monk, the all-female Golden Phoenix opera troupe, a Buddhist temple where she reunites with her mother, and finally to America with one of her former clients.

Perhaps meant to be operatic in scope, the story is pure soap opera instead. Precious Orchid is our narrator, and seems to view herself as a constant victim striving to rise above her tragic circumstances. However, when the novel begins she is naive and foolish; later she becomes self-serving and more than once abandons a person who truly cares for her-and is caring for her-with no backward glance. I came to view her as something of a Chinese Blanche duBois, always depending on the kindness of others. The author intended her as a strong character, but at no time during the novel did she take control of her own life; or even take responsibility for it.

Another issue I had was the “poetic” language the novel is written in. I cannot claim any knowledge of Chinese culture or language; perhaps the book reads as if it were a literal translation, but what is surely intended as poetic reads as purple as Barney the Dinosaur. For instance, when the madame is questioning Precious Orchid about a sexual encounter she believes PO may have had:

“When you slept with him, did he touch your golden gate? Did he insert his jade stalk into your cinnabar crevice?”

I wanted to have a personal drinking game; every time the words “jade stalk” appeared, I got to do another shot. I would have died of alcohol poisoning within chapters had I followed through.

Lest the cover or blurb give anyone the idea that there is eroticism to be found within, think again. Physical abuse, rape, suicide; these aren’t my idea of sensuality.

Mingmei Yip has written 5 books in Chinese; Peach Blossom Pavilion is both her first English work and her first fictional novel. No doubt intended to be a sweeping epic, I found it to be overwritten, and simply too much story of a heroine that I never managed to like. I admit though that there is a bit of campy pleasure to be found in Precious Orchid’s tale, and that’s why it’s getting a D instead of an F.

Grade: D

Summary:

In a sunny California apartment, a young woman and her finance arrive to record her great-grandmother’s reminiscences. The story that unfolds of Precious Orchid’s life in China, where she rises from a childhood of shame to become one of the most successful courtesans in the land, is unlike any they’ve heard before….

When Precious Orchid’s father is falsely accused of a crime and found guilty, he is executed, leaving his family a legacy of dishonor. Her mother is banished to a Buddhist nunnery and she is abandoned to the “care” of a relative in Shanghai.

At first, life at Peach Blossom Pavilion feels like a dream. Surrounded by exotic flowers, murmuring fountains, colorful fishponds, and jade-green bamboo groves, Precious Orchid sees herself thriving. She is schooled in music, literature, paining, calligraphy, and to her innocent surprise, the art of pleasuring men. For the beautiful Pavilion hides its darker purpose as an elite house of prostitution. And even as she commands the devotion of China’s most powerful man, Precious Orchid never gives up her determination to escape the Pavilion, be reunited with her long-lost mother, avenge her father’s death, and find true love. As the richest, most beautiful and celebrated Ming Ji or “prestigious courtesan” in all of China, she just might have her way even if it comes with a devastating price…”

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Faefever (Fever Series, Book 3) by Karen Marie Moning
Urban fantasy hardcover released by Delacorte Press 16 Sep 08

I confess to having never been a big fan of Karen Marie Moning’s paranormal romance novels. Thanks to a great heroine and an enigmatic hero(?), however, I am all on board with her Fever Series, and have been impatiently waiting for book three.

MacKayla “Mac” Lane arrived in Dublin to find out who killed her sister. She found not only the killer’s identity, but her own — Mac is a sidhe-seer, a rare human who can see the fae that walk amongst us. She has reluctantly partnered with the mysterious Jericho Barrons to try and stop the walls between the world of fae and human from crumbling and what would be left of the human race from their enslavement by the faery courts. Mac has the unique ability to sense when certain sacred fae objects are near, making her invaluable to both Barrons and to V’lane, a “death-by-sex” faery prince whose motives are very murky at this point.

Faefever starts off running and doesn’t really slow down. Mac becomes much more independent, as she uses the knowledge she has and the people she knows to do her own detective work instead of merely being Barron’s hunting dog. Of course, she still manages to get in trouble once or twice, and both Barrons and V’lane get their chance to rescue her — but in this version of Dublin rescue always comes at a cost. It was really enjoyable to see Mac become a stronger character, an arc I think will continue to develop in books 4 and 5.

I’d love to say that the author reveals the true soul of Jericho Barrons, but I’m beginning to feel we may not get that until the last page of the last book! However, some fascinating clues as to who (or what) Barrons might be are revealed. A new possible love interest for Mac is introduced, and he has ties to Moning’s Highlander books — it will be interesting to see if any of those characters make an appearance in the future episodes.

One of the things I really appreciate about this book and series is the strong sense of place. Dublin isn’t just a name-check, it’s a part of the book. Barrons’ bookstore is also almost a character; reading about Mac’s love for it makes me wish I could visit it someday. Without being overly descriptive the author does a great job making streets and buildings come alive on the pages.

If you haven’t yet read Darkfever or Bloodfever, I’d suggest reading at least one of those before this one. Faefever starts with world building and mythology complete, and not a lot of backstory is provided for new readers. It’s a wonderful series, and this is a great continuation — I’ve read it twice already, looking for more clues and tidbits I might have missed the first time around. Multiple plot lines are left unresolved, which again makes it impossible to read as a standalone.  Me,  I’ll be patiently waiting on book 4, Dreamfever.

Grade: B+

Summary:

He calls me his Queen of the Night. I’d die for him. I’d kill for him, too.

When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister’s journal, she is stunned by Alina’s desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister’s killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it.

Mac’s quest for the Sinsar Dubh takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V’lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds with devastating consequences.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LauraD’s review of Playing Dead (Prison Break, Book 3) by Allison Brennan
Romantic Suspense released by Ballantine 30 Sep 08

I was quite happy to find Allison Brennan’s Playing Dead in the Big Box of Books that Sybil gave me. I’m a huge fan of romantic suspense, and I’ve enjoyed Ms. Brennan’s work before, so my expectations were quite high when the cat and I became one with the couch.

Claire O’Brien is an insurance fraud investigator and the daughter of a disgraced policeman-disgraced because Tom O’Brien was convicted of killing his wife and her lover. He has always maintained his innocence but since Claire had found him in the house with the bodies, she has never been able to believe him. After Tom was convicted, Claire was taken in by another officer and his family, as she had no one else. Four months ago, her father broke out of jail and he is asking for Claire’s help to prove him innocent.

FBI agent Mitch Bianchi lied about his identity to get close to Claire, thinking she knew where her father was after the jailbreak. He didn’t count on falling in love with her, and he didn’t count on bodies starting to pile up as the real killer began to try and cover what little evidence was left behind years before. He knows that eventually he will have to tell Claire who he really works for, and that she will probably hate him for it.

“Playing Dead” is a good, suspenseful story. Claire really doesn’t want to believe her father, but information about his case is revealed bit by bit and his version of events becomes more and more plausible. There are some really creepy scenes that are from the killer’s POV, and I have to admit the killer’s identity took me completely by surprise. I appreciated the author’s effort to include some solid forensic details, so the crimes were grounded in reality. While those kinds of details might make a book a little “darker”, to me they add an authenticity to the story that makes it much more engaging.

What was missing were the emotions and relationship between Claire and Mitch. Their affair had already been established at the start of the book, although Mitch had done some significant lying. They spent the majority of the story apart, at first leaving messages on each other’s cell phones and then just plain broken up. It felt like the author had a lot more fun with the villains in this story than she did with the h/h. Independently they were well drawn characters, but as a couple I never felt a spark.

Allison Brennan has ended another trilogy with a smart tale of greed and hate bested by love and justice. “Playing Dead” will keep you up reading later than your bedtime, but you might not have the best of dreams afterward-Ms. Brennan’s villains tend to be everyday folk gone twisted. I’m hoping Claire and Mitch do indeed have a HEA.

Grade: B

DEAD MAN RUNNING

Sentenced to death for crimes he didn’t commit, ex-cop Tom O’Brien is now a hunted fugitive. After fifteen years in prison, he’s determined to prove his innocence–but first he must convince his daughter, whose testimony helped put him behind bars, that he has damning evidence of a plot to frame him.

Claire is no longer the naïve teenager who arrived home to find her mother and her mother’s lover shot dead and her father holding the murder weapon. She’s a successful fraud investigator who assumes everyone lies. Though Claire is convinced of her father’s guilt, curiosity propels her to look into the disappearance of a law student who claimed to have proof of Tom’s innocence. But seeking answers only leads to more questions, reinforcing Claire’s belief that there’s no one left to trust.

Obsessed with the O’Brien case, FBI agent Mitch Bianchi befriends Claire under false pretenses, certain that Tom is not only innocent but in grave danger–and not just from the cops. As the three race toward the truth, a murderous conspiracy tightens its noose–and Claire becomes the target of an ice-cold psychopath who will kill to protect his secrets.

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

LauraD’s review of My Husband’s Sweethearts by Bridget Asher
Women’s fiction hardcover released by Delacorte Press 19 Aug 08

It’s an interesting premise — a dying husband being nursed by not only his wife, but his many girlfriends as well. Bridget Asher takes a totally fresh idea and runs with it, resulting in a bittersweet chronicle of love both marital and parental. 

Thirty-something Lucy left fifty-something Artie six months ago, when she discovered he was having an affair. Now that she’s learned Artie is dying, Lucy is back to nurse him, but she can’t forgive him and she’s not sure she can take care of him alone. Artie is the one who gives her the idea to call all the women in his little black book and have them help her out-oh, and by the way? Can she call his son John, the one he’s never told her about?

Needless to say, not all of the women show up. Some only make brief appearances. Then there is Elspa, who says that Artie saved her life. Elspa is the first to arrive and the most determined of the sweethearts; also the youngest. My personal favorite is Eleanor, who arrives and announces that she is there for “revenge”. Each character represents a different part of Artie’s personality, and it’s only together that the women make it through each day of caring for him. While the message isn’t always subtle, Asher writes with a great deal of compassion for her characters.

My Husband’s Sweethearts was a very enjoyable book, at times pretty darn funny. That’s quite a feat, considering death and adultery are two of the primary subjects! If I have a major quibble with the book, it’s Artie’s lack of repentance for his behavior-not just cheating on Lucy, but the heartbreak he caused more than a few of his sweethearts. While the author writes great female characters, she didn’t quite convince me that Artie was enough of a Lothario to have all of these women forgive him without any effort on his part.

Ultimately, it’s a book worth reading for the relationship between Lucy and her mother; and for the family that forms between those caring for Artie as he dies. The dialogue is great, razor sharp in places. My Husband’s Sweethearts is a solid…

Grade: B

Summary:

When Lucy discovered that her charming, cheating husband was dying, she came home, opened up his little black book, and decided she wasn’t going through this alone. After all, Artie’s sweethearts were there for the good times-is it fair that Lucy should have to manage the hard times herself? In this wise, wickedly funny new novel, Lucy dials up the women in Artie’s black book and invites them for one last visit. The last thing she expects is that any will actually show up.

But one by one, they do show up: The one who hates him. The one who owes her life to him. The one he turned into a lesbian, and the one he taught to dance. And among them is a visitor with the strangest story of all: the young man who may or may not be Artie’s long-lost son.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Wanderlust (The Jax Series, Book 2) by Ann Aguirre
Science fiction released by Ace 26 Aug 08

Ann Aguirre debuted with Grimspace; the sci-fi page turner about a rag-tag group of space adventurers being chased by both sides of the law. Wanderlust continues the story of Sirantha Jax and her friends, immediately after the events of Grimspace have concluded. Once again, it’s a story that grabs you right off the bat.

Jax has been a “jumper” her whole career-she has a special genetic makeup that allows her, in close concert with a pilot, to navigate ships through space at faster than the speed of light. It’s all she’s ever known, and it’s provided her with a good life-but due to events in the previous book, that life is over. Jax has no job, no money, no prospects, no where to live. When she is asked to become an ambassador to another planet, she has little choice but to say yes. However, she smartly stipulates that her travel companions must be the crew from her ship, including her lover, the captain March. She will also be accompanied by Vel, who once hunted her as a bounty and then saved her life; their destination is Vel’s home planet. Along her way, she will face many enemies, both close and distant.

Jax is a very complex character. She is lonely down to her soul, and can’t quite believe that it’s worth risking the pain of loss when you let people in. She and March have formed a relationship, but it’s written with a lot of angst and second guessing on Jax’s part. In addition to her financial issues and the loss of her career, the author has also thrown another problem Jax’s way-she is sick and getting sicker all the time, and has no idea of what is making her ill.

One of the many things I loved about this book is how tightly written the main characters are, and there is some great dialogue. Ship’s mechanic Dina serves as Jax’s verbal sparring partner, Vel is there for discussions of philosophy and politics, March is emotion and work. Then there is Jael, a new shipmate who is something of an enigma to all of them.

In Aguirre’s world, humans have to deal with multiple species that see us as just a snack on the food chain. The Morgut and the Teras are two vile and terrifying examples, and both are featured prominently in Wanderlust. The Teras in particular affect the team; while visiting the planet Lachion, Jax and company get involved in a war that takes them deep underground to escape the flying Teras. They become separated by both space and ideals, and it’s this war that may split up the crew for good. Questions of love, debt, and honor come into play; but no character’s courage is ever in doubt.

It is not necessary to have read Grimspace before reading Wanderlust, but doing so will give you a much better understanding of not just the characters, but their experiences. March, in particular, is a much richer character for having read both books; I think each title on it’s own only shows one side of him. It also helps to know the back story on Lachion, but again isn’t necessary.

I am enjoying the way that Ann Aguirre is building her world slowly, layer by layer. The introduction of new characters like Jael, who feels like he will be a big player in the series, and Hit who provides such necessary comic relief, are done seamlessly. Then there is Constance-I have a feeling Constance is going to be my favorite character, she is genius.

Wanderlust is a great book, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing where Jax, March, and the rest of the crew end up next.

Grade: A

Summary:

Sirantha Jax doesn’t take chances…she jumps at them…

Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. Jax has worked for the Farwan Corporation her entire career. But now the word’s out that the Corp deliberately crashed a passenger ship, and their stranglehold on intergalactic commerce has crumbled-which means that Jax is out of a job.

She’s also broke, due to being declared dead a little prematurely. So when the government asks her to head up a vital diplomatic mission, Jax takes it. Her mandate: journey to the planet Ithiss-Tor and convince them to join the Conglomerate.

But Jax’s payday is light years away. First, she’ll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man-eating aliens, and her own grimspace-weakened body. She’ll be lucky just to make it to Ithiss-Tor alive…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

LauraD’s review of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (The Millennium Series, Book 1) by Stieg Larsson (translation by Reg Keeland)
Mystery Fiction hardcover released by Knopf 16 Sep 08

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has had major buzz for quite awhile. The story behind it could be a novel itself – Swedish reporter writes several mystery novels for fun at home after work, gets published, and then dies tragically young of a heart attack. TGWTDT has topped European bestseller lists, won an award at home in Sweden, and totally deserves the hype. 

Author Stieg Larsson introduces one of the most compelling fictional characters I’ve read in a long time. The girl of the title, Lisbet Salander, is in her mid-twenties, a genius, an emotional cipher, and a legal ward of the state. She is also fiercely antisocial, a computer hacker, and is employed as an agent by an exclusive security firm. Lisbet is described as being “anorexically thin,” having multiple piercings, and has plenty of other tattoos in addition to the aforementioned dragon.

Mikael Blomkvist is an older reporter disgraced after publishing false information about a wealthy industrialist. Unable to work at his craft and in self-exile from the city, he is hired by the very rich and elderly Henrik Vanger. Ostensibly Blomkvist will write the history of the large and eccentric Vanger family, but in reality Henrik wants him to investigate the disappearance of Henrik’s niece Harriet some decades earlier. There is no body, but a young Harriet vanished from a private island and hasn’t been seen or heard from since.

The gracious reporter and sullen investigator meet, and form an unlikely alliance. Together they search for the truth about the Vanger family and Harriet’s disappearance. However, TGWTDT has several other mysteries taking place as well; don’t forget about the wealthy industrialist. There are many themes running through this book, including racism, corporate greed, personal accountability, and violence-especially violence against women. The original title in Swedish is “Men Who Hate Women”. This is a dark and at times very disturbing book; it’s a tribute to Larsson’s writing that while at times it is graphic, it never becomes gratuitous. While I do want to be honest about the book’s darker side, don’t be scared off-this is also a very thoughtfully written mystery.

I have to come back to Lisbet, a character that will probably inspire more than a few young female readers to get dragons tattooed on their backs. A brilliant character, because she is sympathetic and heroic, even as she repels you and breaks your heart.

I am already counting the days until The Girl Who Played With Fire comes out January 2009, because I cannot wait to find out where these characters will go next. In the meantime, I’ll end up reading this again just to keep trying to figure Lisbet out. Can I give an extra + after the A+?

Grade: A++

Summary:

Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared off the secluded island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger family. There was no corpse, no witnesses, no evidence. But her uncle, Henrik, is convinced that she was murdered by someone from her own deeply dysfunctional Vanger clan. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomqvist is hired to investigate.

Read an excerpt by going to the Knopf page and navigating to the widget on the right side of the screen.

[Ed.: The author died in 2004 of a sudden heart attack. There are two more books in this series coming out that were written before he died.]

LauraD’s review of Swap by Jenesi Ash
Erotic romance released by Penguin Heat 2 Sep 08

I’ve discovered that one of the great things about hanging out here in The Pond (e.g. TGTBTU) is that sometimes you end up reading – and reviewing – a book you might otherwise have not paid any attention to. To quote the great Martha Stewart, that’s a good thing. For instance, I doubt I would I have picked up a copy of Jenesi Ash’s latest, Swap; but Sybil felt that I was due for some quality smut, and so she sent it my way.

Jamie and Mia are best friends and roommates who couldn’t be more different if they tried. Jamie is a free spirit, sexually adventurous, and totally independent. Mia is much more shy and reserved, and very naïve; she’s only had one lover and he’s her current boyfriend, Aiden. Jamie is getting ready to move away and leave everything behind, including her lover Caleb. Separately, the men and women get together and decide to stir things up a bit by swapping partners, just once before their group is separated by Jamie’s departure. But “just once” turns into a long weekend, and the weekend changes everything.

I liked Swap. I think Jenesi Ash has picked one of the more believable premises for an erotic romance that I’ve read lately, and I really appreciated that there was a good story and character development to go along with the sex. There is plenty of hot stuff, and of course both girls get their own ménage experience – and a couple of kinky games of hide and seek get played as well.

What makes me really glad I read this book is the growth the characters have as a result of their weekend together. The author has her lovers talk to each other, not just play drama games. It makes for a very satisfying and believable ending. I will say I didn’t actually like all the characters – I found Aiden to be a bit whiney and manipulative. He somewhat redeemed himself by the end, but I still wanted to kick him in the balls at one point.

If you are in the mood for a hot, character-driven erotic novel, Swap is a fine choice. I’ll be happily looking out for more titles by Jenesi Ash.

Grade: B

Summary:

This is the weekend that four best friends at the crossroads of their relationships have decided to do something different. They will consider a dare-and explore every one of its possibilities. But as sexual partners shift, Jamie, Caleb, Mia, and Aidan will discover more about themselves and each other than they ever imagined.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Hearts Awakened (Hearts of the South, Book 6) by Linda Winfree
Contemporary Romance published by Samhain 2 Sep 08

I begged Sybil to let me read Hearts Awakened. I’ve been a Linda Winfree fan since Samhain published her first title, and her books are almost always good for a heart wrenching, soul cleansing cry. Masochist that I am, Hearts Awakened didn’t let me down.

Tori Calvert has survived both a rape and a short but ugly relationship. While she is very cautious around men, she’s come to realize that her feelings for Detective Mark Cook are more than just friendly. Mark’s been interested in Tori for years, but not only is he concerned about scaring her, she is his best friend’s little sister. Hearts Awakened takes Tori and Mark down the very complicated and dark path from friendship to possibly more.

Linda Winfree’s characters read very “real” to me. They have everyday concerns and little details are included that make up day-to-day life, and really bring the central players alive. I loved reading about Mark’s desire to cheat on his diet, and his nod to being almost 40 was a perfect touch of humor. Tori’s balancing act between work and school is a common struggle, and her give and take dialogue with her brother Tick reminds me of my own siblings. Tick and his wife Caitlyn, who were the protagonists of Hold Onto Me, are also featured prominently in Hearts Awakened.

This book has less mystery than any of the other Hearts of the South books that I’ve read, but the story didn’t need it. Mark has a big secret that he’s kept from everyone except Tick, and when Tori finds out it adds another layer of problems for the couple. Add in Tick’s overbearing attitude about Tori and Mark, Caitlyn’s pregnancy, and a major shocker involving Tick – there is plenty of emotion on the pages.

Hearts Awakened is a deeply emotional story about a couple who have already had to survive some very bad things as individuals. It’s also a story about families, complete with pain in the butt brothers who mean well. The author has a great feel for relationships of all kinds, and her dialogue shows it. Definitely have some tissue handy, but don’t miss out on this one.

(Oh, and props to Ann Cain for the very sexy cover!)

Grade: A+

Summary:

A lifetime ago Mark Cook’s pregnant wife vanished, taking everything and leaving an empty, aching hole in his life. Since then, as penance for his failure as a husband and father, he’s refused to allow himself to live. Refused to lay his sleeping heart on the line for any woman.

Enter Tori Calvert, his best friend’s baby sister. Suddenly, against his will-and against his better judgment-that same damaged heart seems determined to reawaken. And Mark’s not sure he can withstand the pain.

When she was a teenager, a vicious attack ripped away Tori’s very essence as a woman. Finally she feels ready to focus her existence on something other than her job as a rape crisis counselor. And to step outside the shelter of her loving, protective family. She trusts Mark more than any man, yet fear holds her back.

Fear that even the healing light of love may not be enough to banish the shadows of the past.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1) by Patricia Briggs
Urban fantasy/Contemporary paranormal romance released by Ace 29 Jul 08

I had been hearing the buzz about Patricia Briggs’ new novel, so I was thrilled to win a copy from Avidbookreader. I am one of the few readers who hasn’t yet read one of the Mercy Thompson books, so I went into my first Patricia Briggs experience with a completely open mind.

Anna Latham is a werewolf; as the book begins she is in the process of leaving her pack in Chicago where she has been the object of sexual abuse on a regular basis. The pack leader is dead, killed by Anna’s new mate Charles. Charles is an alpha by nature, but instead of leading a pack he works as an enforcer for his father who leads all werewolves as the Marrok. The Marrok had sent Charles to Chicago to solve problems within the Chicago pack; while there Charles recognized Anna as a rare Omega wolf, with the power to calm other wolves. He also claimed her as his mate and she is moving to Montana to be part of the Marrok’s pack.

The first couple of chapters of Cry Wolf are quite confusing if, like me, you didn’t know that these characters were previously introduced in a short story from an anthology called On the Prowl. If you don’t read it first, you will be doing some guesswork and making some assumptions, as this book starts immediately after that short story ends. It’s possible that more of Anna’s backstory was told there, but the very abrupt beginning to Cry Wolf made me put it down for several days.

Fortunately, I picked it back up again. Patricia Briggs does a nice job of building her werewolf society without dumping a lot of information on the reader at one time. Characters are introduced when it’s appropriate and when they have a purpose. Unlike most series, no one exists just to scream “sequel bait”. I especially hope to see more of Asil as the series continues, I found his character fascinating.

Anna and Charles are just lovely. She has been badly abused, and Charles understands that it’s not something that Anna is going to get over quickly or easily. He makes many small, caretaking gestures that show her he can be trusted; and at one point when he is badly injured he changes from wolf to human because Anna needs him to be human – even though it will slow his healing significantly. Forced to be judge, jury, and sometimes executioner for his father, Charles battles internal demons but keeps his morals and ethics intact.

On her part, Anna is brave and open minded; while she occasionally wants to obey her flight instinct she isn’t stupid. She understands the changes in her life are inevitable, and she approaches them head on.

Of course, there is a suspense plot. A rogue werewolf is in the Montana forests, and a human has seen it. Charles has to find the werewolf, and take care of the problem one way or another. Anna convinces him to take her with him into the woods, and they battle both the elements and genuine evil.

Cry Wolf is a great start to what is probably going to be a wonderful series. I wish the book itself had a better start; for me the abrupt beginning was what kept it from being an “A” read. I’m just hoping there’s not an anthology published between this Alpha and Omega book and the next one; I don’t want to start off behind again!

Grade: B+

Read other reviews by following the Cry Wolf tag.

Summary:

Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member-and as his mate.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LauraD’s review of After the Kiss: The Notorious Gentlemen by Suzanne Enoch
Historical Romance published by Avon 24 Jun 08

I have a conflicted relationship with Suzanne Enoch; I have been unable to get into her contemporary series starring cat burglar-cum-sleuth Samantha Jellicoe, but I love me some historical Enoch. I actually read the first chapter of After the Kiss while sitting in the parking lot of the Big Box store, and since it’s several thousand degrees right now in Texas that says a lot. Sullivan Waring is the bastard son of a nobleman. He has distinguished himself as a soldier and is revered as a horse breeder and trainer by all of Britain. He is, however, full of rage at the rich and titled because of the way his mother was used and cast off by his father-and because his father sold off the inheritance his mother, an artist, left him. He has been robbing the homes of London’s rich, taking back his mother’s paintings. Late one night, making his way out of a townhouse, he encounters Lady Isabel Chalsey. As a way of distracting her, Sullivan “steals” a kiss-not a problem until Isabel recognizes him at a horse auction the next day.

Headstrong and independent, Isabel is determined to find out why Sullivan is robbing houses. She manipulates him into selling her a most inappropriate horse, and into teaching her to ride. What follows is a battle of wills, as two strong individuals attempt to control each other.

At first Isabel seems to be the Paris Hilton of her time, and the author even has several characters acknowledge that Isabel is a darling of the ton. However, Sullivan comes to learn that Isabel is quite capable of thinking for herself, and is a great deal braver than he gives her credit for-she’s actually terrified of horses(with good reason), so being close to one is a big step for her.

Sullivan has good reason for his bitterness; and when he begins to fall for Isabel his illegitimacy falls unusually close to home. His own legitimate half-brother is paying court to Isabel, and planning to marry her. Almost everyone in the book tries to separate the two of them, but Sully and Isabel are fascinated with one another, and so the lies and consequences begin.

I really, really enjoyed this book. Sullivan is a lovely hero; he might not be noble by birth, but he is a gentleman. He doesn’t want to implicate anyone else in his thievery, even though he has friends willing to help him. Isabel has his regard and respect, and taking care of her is his concern; even more so than the noblemen surrounding her.

Isabel took a bit longer to warm up to, because she does start off as a spoiled brat. However, she redeems herself nicely once she opens her eyes and realizes that she’s not going to be happy simply because she is titled and rich. She finds herself to be much braver than she thought she was, and she is transformed.

A good deal of the story’s conflict is the class difference between Sullivan and the rest of the characters. There is an especially painful bit where he confesses his love for Isabel to his best friend, an aristocrat, only to see the disapproval in his friend’s eyes. It’s a topic that doesn’t come up often in historical romance, and I believed in the way the characters dealt with it. One interaction towards the end of the book was a bit too Hollywood HEA for me, but it didn’t detract from my overall buy-in of the ending. I’m looking forward to the next two Notorious Gentlemen stories!

Grade: A

Summary:

A Notorious Gentleman . . . Sullivan Waring wants only two things: his rightful inheritance, and revenge against the man who stole it from him. By day, Sullivan is the most respected horse breeder in England; by night, he plunders the ton‘s most opulent homes to reclaim his late mother’s beautiful paintings. His quest is going swimmingly . . . until the night he’s discovered by Lady Isabel Chalsey. Clad only in a revealing nightdress, she’s an entrancingly different kind of plunder, and how can a thief resist stealing a kiss?

A Curious Lady . . . Surprised by a masked man in her own home, Isabel should be quaking with fear. Instead the sight of the sinfully handsome Sullivan makes her tremble with excitement. Who is this man, and why is he so set on this reckless pursuit? Lady Isabel loves a challenge, and she’ll dare anything to uncover Sullivan’s secret-but she may instead convince him that she is the greatest prize of all.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Into the Fire (Troubleshooters, Book 13) by Suzanne Brockmann
Contemporary Romance hardcover released by Random House 22 Jul 08

I never thought I’d long for the good ol’ days, when the only part of a Brockmann novel that irritated me was the WWII flashback sequence. But I’ve got to admit, the hot mess that is Into the Fire had me wishing for something as simple as that to be disappointed in. Instead there were 4 different plot lines, one of which finally finished off a love triangle that probably has some fans howling with betrayal. Oh, and remember Sam’s ex-wife MaryAnne? She’s back, re-incarnated as Izzy’s new love interest. Kidding. Sorta.

There’s no use giving any sort of synopsis, there’s just waay too much going on. Ostensibly our main characters are Vinh Murphy and Hannah Whitfield. (He’s not a vampire, he’s half Vietnamese.) Vinh’s wife-who was also Hannah’s best friend-was murdered in a previous book. He is now suspected of killing the white supremacist who incited her murderer into action, but Vinh was so deep into drinking he doesn’t remember if he did it or not. He and Hannah are trying to figure out whether or not he’s guilty.

Hannah is a former police officer, injured in the line of duty. She is now deaf, and one of her legs is permanently disabled. After her injuries, she too took refuge in alcohol for a while. Despite this, she has no trouble lip-reading or speaking, or really communicating in any way. Unless the plot requires her to not hear something. She and Murphy realize they have always loved each other. Since she is a heroically injured ex-police officer with life altering permanent disabilities, it’s ok to not hate her for being alive. Every time they have sex, they cry, because Murphy’s wife-who was also Hannah’s best friend-is dead.

Next up, we have Tess and Jimmy/Nash/Diego. Things aren’t going well for these two; Jimmy is keeping secrets and Tess thinks he’s having an affair. Jimmy has been going off on all kinds of secret missions, and coming back with injuries that he shouldn’t have. Dave actually knows this as well, and thinks that maybe Jimmy is still working for the Agency, even though supposedly he and Decker quit the Agency years ago. Totally unnecessary side-story, and does anyone even really care about Tess and Jimmy?

Decker, Dave, and Sophia. Suz-o-philes have been waiting for about 5 books for the Decker/Sophia story to play out on the big stage. Sorry kids, it whimpers out in the background of this book. Decker’s been keeping a big, bad secret from everyone and it takes the psychiatrist/Agency spy that Tom Paoletti hires to help everyone finally deal with the death of Murphy’s wife-and Hannah’s best friend-to get that secret out of him.

Oh, wait. I almost forgot the SEALs! Can’t have a Brockmann book without a SEAL or three. Y’all remember Izzy? Izzy looks up one night, sees an underage girl in a bikini, and within the next few chapters is married to her. And she’s pregnant. Throw in internet porn, VD, and about 6 trips back and forth to Las Vegas. I found her more irritating than the infamous MaryAnne, and if Brockmann can redeem this girl I will bow to her.

I’ve got to say, I actually laughed towards the end of “Into the Fire”. Not only is there a large cast of active players, but the author name-checks almost every character who doesn’t have a participating role in this book. (It was nice to see Stan again, lol.) At the end of the climactic battle, all these characters are literally coming out of the woods, armed with fully automatic weapons, and it was so much that I had to giggle. I kept expecting to see the Team 10 guys.

Ultimately, Into the Fire suffers from Too Much. Too Much going on, Too Much drama. Too Many characters with Too Many problems. Makes me sad, because I have so many of her books on my keeper shelf.

Grade: D

Summary:

Vinh Murphy-ex-Marine and onetime operative for the elite security firm Troubleshooters Incorporated-has been MIA ever since his wife, Angelina, was caught in a crossfire and killed during what should have been a routine bodyguard assignment. Overcome with grief, Murphy blames the neo-Nazi group known as the Freedom Network for her death. Now, years later, Freedom Network leader Tim Ebersole has been murdered-and the FBI suspects Murphy may have pulled the trigger. To prevent further bloodshed, Murphy’s friends at Troubleshooters scramble to find him and convince him to surrender peacefully.

Murphy himself can’t be sure what he did or didn’t do during the years he spent mourning and lost in an alcohol-induced fog. He does know he occasionally sought solace from Hannah Whitfield, a former police officer and the very friend who’d introduced him to his beloved late wife.

But Hannah, still grappling with the deafness that resulted from an injury sustained while on duty, was fighting her own battles. For years Hannah had feelings for Murphy, and one painful night their suffering brought them together in a way neither expected-and both regretted.

Murphy is ready to rejoin the living. As always, he finds himself knocking on Hannah’s door, and as always, his longtime friend welcomes him back into her home. Yet even as Murphy slowly rebuilds his splintered life, hecontinues to fight his growing feelings for Hannah.

Then he learns of Ebersole’s murder and comes to believe that the Freedom Network has targeted him-and Hannah-to avenge their leader’s death to violence. Now Murphy must face the terrifying prospect of losing another woman he loves.

As the Troubleshooters desperately search for him, Murphy races toward a deadly confrontation with the Freedom Network and ultimate choice: surrender his life in hopes that Hannah will be spared, or risk everything to salvage whatever future they may have together.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
Chick Lit hardcover release by Dial Press 26 Feb 08
Trade Paperback release 28 Oct 08

What if one day you woke up and all those little daydreams had suddenly come true? You’d lost 20 pounds, your hair was fabulous, you had a better job, and instead of fantasizing about Mr. Perfect, you were married to him. Only, what if you didn’t remember who you were? That’s the premise in Sophie Kinsella’s new novel Remember Me?.

Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, with no memories of the last three years. Apparently, she’s made some BIG changes in her life; she’s transformed herself physically, gotten promoted at work, changed all her friends, and become everything she always wanted to be. Oh, and there’s also a gorgeous and successful husband now. If only she could remember any of it!

The Lexi Smart that narrates Remember Me? is introduced in a short prologue, and she’s a bit of a mess. That doesn’t really change when confronted with the new and improved Lexi’s life; her husband has to write her a handbook on how to deal with it. So she begins the task of navigating her life anew, and finding out that other than the designer handbags and her new figure, she really doesn’t like it at all – and Lexi hasn’t even found out she has a lover yet.

Lexi spends a good part of the book being aimless and a tad bit whiny. At first she’s excited by waking up to a shiny new life, but as she comes to realize it’s not what she really wants, she starts to pout. I knew I was supposed to like her, but at that point I was having a hard time. However, when she goes back to work she finds a project to really believe in, and she morphed into a character with backbone. The second half of Remember Me?, when Lexi is starting to take control of her life again, was more fun for me than the first half. Yep, she got likable.

Jon, Lexi’s erstwhile lover, was a much harder character to get a handle on. Why was he affair-worthy? I know this isn’t a romance, but I needed a little more show and a little less tell. I never felt any kind of connection between the two, and I never got the impression that Lexi did, either. Secondary characters were well written, but none of them had depth.

Sophie Kinsella is always talented at taking odd little moments and getting humor out of them- a toilet that won’t flush during a party, for instance. Maybe a phrase that has a special meaning for a married couple. There are a few such moments in Remember Me? that are snort-worthy, but never at a character’s expense. I appreciate the way she pokes a lot of fun at the newly moneyed young Brits, but never makes fun of them. Her ability to balance humor and humanity is certainly a primary reason she’s the reigning queen of British chick lit.

Remember Me? is out in hardback now [Ed.: and is standalone, separate from her Shopaholic books], and I’d say that unless you are a diehard Sophie Kinsella fan, you won’t miss out by waiting for the trade paperback release.

Grade B-

Summary:

When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident-in a Mercedes no less-Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed.

Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband-who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all.

Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?

Read an excerpt. 

LauraD’s review of Project Jennifer by Jill Amy Rosenblatt
Chick Lit released by Kensington 29 Jul 08

Chick Lit has its origins in Great Britain, and we Americans have never quite captured whatever it is that makes Chick Lit, well…..Chick Lit. Those Brits just seem to have a sense of irony that us Yanks can’t quite get to. We seem to want our Chick Lit heroines to actually learn Life Lessons, when the point is really just a fun book where in the end the girl gets a reasonably happy ending. Up to bat here in America’s latest is debut author Jill Amy Rosenblatt, and danged if she doesn’t get it.

Joan Benjamin starts out losing her fiancé, job, and apartment. The fiancé and job are both due to Jennifer, a woman so completely her opposite that Joan is jolted into action-she wants the things that Jennifer has, then the answer is to become a woman like Jennifer. She enlists the help of her friend Carrie and tries to change herself into “Jennifer”.

Jill Amy Rosenblatt gives readers a great view of what happens when a perfectly normal, intelligent women suddenly starts investing too much energy into Cosmo magazine’s advice columns, and using self-help books to self-style. Suddenly, she’s so determined to lose her virginity that she ends up in an affair with a married man – who’s also her boss. Not good. Of course, her best friend Carrie is also in a relationship, and her guy may or may not be cheating.

Project Jennifer combines funny and bittersweet in equal doses. Joan has a lot of growing up to do, and it’s not necessarily pretty. However, it’s always real; and it’s usually good for a laugh. Joan is also a lucky girl, as she gets to meet a few interesting men along the way. Rosenblatt has also written some other great characters, including Joan’s college adviser. Project Jennifer was a hoot to read, and kudos to Ms. Rosenblatt for a great first novel.

Grade: B

What’s In A Name?

Joan Benjamin, a plain and uptight secretary on Long Island, New York, is suffering an identity crisis brought on by a very bad week. Her ex-fiancé just married someone else; she’s lost her cushy overpaid job; and she’s been kicked out of her apartment. All because of women named Jennifer! So when Joan learns that her parents almost named her Jennifer, she decides to transform herself into the Jennifer she might have been…

It’s Either Everything…

Armed with all the pop psychology she can get her hands on—and with the help of a dear friend who can recite Cosmo-style stats by heart—Joan sets out to cultivate her inner Jennifer: a sexy, successful belle-of-the-ball who’s completely in charge of her professional and private lives.

Or Nothing At All.

But “Project Jennifer” is not a rousing success right out of the gate—apparently, even Jennifers can have bad dates and wardrobe malfunctions—but soon Joan begins to feel transformed by her new self. In fact, her Jennifer persona might end up teaching her a few unexpected lessons about life: like how to say “yes” to things you want and “no”” to things you don’t, and that just being yourself is enough. Even if that self is named Joan…

LauraD’s review of Seduced by the Storm (ACRO Book 3) by Sydney Croft
Paranormal romance from Delta 28 Jul 08

I’ve read and enjoyed the first two books in Sydney Croft’s ACRO series, so I was quite eager to get my paws on the third installment. While paranormals are usually hit or miss with me, her slightly alternate version of our world, in which there are men and women trained to make use of their extrasensory abilities in extreme areas such as controlling storms, or mind control, is really interesting. Plus, there is usually lots of action and smokin’ hot sex.

Well, I’m not giving anything away by telling you that there is plenty of both in this book. Actually, sex is the hero’s special ability. Hero Wyatt Kennedy works for the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO), and he’s also telekinetic. ACRO has sent him to pursue a machine that they believe can control the weather. Along the way, he encounters Faith Black, to whom he is instantly attracted – not knowing that Faith is also an agent for a different group. Faith is after the weather machine as well; her sister has been kidnapped and the machine is going to be the ransom. They each find themselves playing an undercover role on an oil rig in the middle of the ocean, with Faith’s evil ex in possession of the weather machine.

Wyatt is tormented by his past, and boy does he have a past. I’ve got to wonder what kind of bad day the author was having to give a guy this much baggage to haul around. But he does get to have a sex mojo, and that’s gotta be fun. Yes, that is what it’s called in the book. “Sex mojo.” He can attract anyone, give them the best lovin’ they’ve ever had, but they won’t remember him the next day. Which means he is always alone.

Faith is the exception.  After an initial and blistering one-night-stand, she remembers Wyatt and can’t help but fall for him. Faith is dragging around her own suitcase of problems, but is much more in control of her special abilities than Wyatt is. She’s a very strong heroine, but full of secrets, including her sister’s kidnapping.

Seduced by the Storm tries to both tell Faith and Wyatt’s story, and tie up several other ACRO storylines. There is a lot going on in this book, and I found myself going back and re-reading sections to make sure I understood what was exactly was happening at ACRO’s headquarters, or with any of the several couples in play. Different kinds of special abilities, at least two running storylines other than the main one, and appearances by almost every previous character, fill Seduced by the Storm further than I enjoyed.

Wyatt and Faith are a very sexy couple, and the first night they spend together is a page scorcher. Once they realized that they were both agents, working in competition, their relationship turns into a game of emotional and sexual tug-of-war. Wyatt is trying hard to do his job, and Faith is determined to save her sister. Without spoilers it’s hard to give reasons, but I found the HEA a bit unbelievable.

If you’ve been reading the ACRO series, you’ll certainly want this one. Wyatt and Faith may be the main storyline, but you will finally get resolution for Devlin and Oz. Annika and Creed return, and readers may or may not be pleased with where this book leaves them. Of course, there can’t be bad weather without Remy. However, if you haven’t read a Sydney Croft, I’d suggest starting with a different title.

Grade: C+

Blurb: 

They met in a steamy Florida bar-then spent a night of mind-bending passion. Two secret agents who each possess unique telekinetic gifts-and whose combined sexual powers leave neither of them unscathed. For ex-Navy SEAL Wyatt Kennedy, assigned by the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives to the most treacherous mission of his career, the woman in black leather and lace has just become more than a one-night stand. Because Faith Black is the sole barrier to the success of his mission-and not even Wyatt’s legendary seduction skills can penetrate her deep cover.

Faith’s psychic gifts make her one of the world’s most dangerous women-but she hides a secret pain she shares with no one. Until Wyatt. And Faith has an agenda of her own: using her unique powers to save someone close to her-a move that pits her against a man she thought she’d never see again. For as a deadly hurricane is unleashed across the eastern seaboard, desire reignites between Faith and Wyatt, exposing secrets that thrust them both into harm’s way. With the hurricane sweeping closer-and their erotic hunger for each other growing-these two wary hearts must come together to heal, to trust . . . and to harness the power of a storm that could consume everything in its path.

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

LauraD reviews Lady Sings the Blues by Mallery Malone (no author site found)
Contemporary romance eBook novella released by Samhain 24 Jun 08

When I read the teaser for this novella, it went into my shopping cart right away. I’d just seen Doyle Bramhall II play at Antone’s, so a sexy story featuring a blues guitarist fit my mood. Lady Sings the Blues is Mallery Malone’s debut, and a sign of good things to come.

Alina Gabriel owns The Scarlet Lady, Atlanta’s hottest blues club. The name is a nod to her former stage name, Miss Scarlett; Alina earned the money for her club by working as an exotic dancer, and still struts her stuff on the bar at the club when the mood and music strike her. Joshua Hanover is a talented blues guitarist, who draws in the crowds nightly and has also drawn Alina’s interest. Joshua wants Alina as well, but he couldn’t care less that she’s the gorgeous Miss Scarlett – Joshua is blind.

Alina is a great character. She is a strong woman who has no problem running her business and is comfortable with her own desires. I appreciated that she’s unapologetic about her former career, even though it’s caused her to be cautious about trusting men. She’s also very honest with herself; when she makes a mistake she acknowledges it and moves on.

Joshua is basically just a nice guy, who’s brilliant at both the guitar and at sex. He treats Alina like a “normal” woman, even bringing her home to mom and dad. There is a 4^th of July party scene that seemed out of place within the novella format, but it does jar the couple out of their love-bubble.

I liked Lady Sings the Blues quite a bit. Both characters were likable, and it was quite hot but not sacrificing story for the sex. I liked the author’s descriptions of the club and the music, and she so made me crave a rainy day! I hope Ms. Malone’s next Samhain title is longer, I think she could do a lot with a longer format. Novellas are tricky, especially when they are as intensely erotic as this title – the author smartly kept her two characters isolated for most of the story and just let them evolve as people instead of trying to throw in a suspense plot or some sort of unnecessary razzle dazzle.

So go put on some blues and read it!

Grade: B+

(I did have one pet peeve, and if backdoor lovin’ bugs you, read no further. I thought, finally, an author who is going to admit that if you have anal sex, you need lube! Alina actually mentions it! But do they use it? Nooooo. Ouch, author, ouch. You try it, I dare you.)

Summary:

Summertime…and the living is steamy in Hotlanta. A Red-Hot Summer story.

Alina Gabriel has hit on the perfect formula to make her club, The Scarlet Lady, the hot spot in Atlanta’s night life. Men flock to see her alter ego, retired exotic dancer Miss Scarlet; and women line up to see Joshua Hanover and his blues band steam up the stage. Alina herself isn’t immune to the blind guitarist’s sensual songs and musical dexterity, but she refuses to be just another notch in his groupie belt.

That is, until Joshua debuts a new song, “Red-Letter Woman”, to entice Miss Scarlet to dance. The song and dance leave them both hot and bothered, and when Alina retreats to her office for personal relief, Joshua joins her and offers to strum her desire. But Joshua wants more than a one-night stand. He’s pushing for an encore, and Alina wonders if it’s her he’s after—or her exotic persona.

Warning: This title contains sensuous solos, decadent duets, dirty dancing, and a man who’s really good with his hands.

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life by Kerry Reichs
Chick Lit released from Avon A 6 May 08

If the author’s name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve read one of her mother’s mystery novels. However, Kerry Reichs has written a sweet and funny novel about a young woman still trying to find her own happiness while all around her, everyone else is finding theirs. Well, at least they’re getting married.

Kevin “Vi” Connolly is 27, and obsessed with weddings. Which is a good thing, because she has a lot of them to both be in, and go to. Her friends and acquaintances are falling in love left and right, and not always for the right men. Meanwhile, Vi needs to find someone to escort her to the weddings, figure out a way to pay for the clothes, travel, and gifts required, and somewhere along the way find her own Mr. Right. The problem is, she’s still obsessed with Caleb, who she decided at age 17 was The One. Caleb has come back into her life, but he’s not acting like he’s The One, and then there’s this guy she meets at a wedding, Niall.

The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life has a secondary cast of several other important characters besides Vi, Caleb, and Niall. Imogen, Vi’s best friend, is a snarky blonde with a great heart and the kind of best friend you hope to have. Ethan, her best guy friend. Then there is Ben, who Vi really only knows through email and phone orders as he helps her with her gift shopping-Ben is actually one of my favorite characters in the book.

One of my frequent issues with chick lit characters is their self-centeredness. While Vi might be self-focused, it wasn’t in the “poor pitiful me” way that I think turns many readers off chick lit style writing. Vi is just, like so many twentysomethings, trying to figure out where her life is going. The weddings might be the premise of the book, but they aren’t what it’s about. Vi might be a little late to the dance at times, but she sees her faults and she’s a good friend.

The author does a wonderful job of portraying friendships and families. Vi’s relationship with Caleb was authentic and the beginning of her romance with Niall was great. Where I thought the novel faltered was it’s ending-the final chapter moved abruptly into the romance genre. While I love a good romance, it was just a completely different mood and style from the rest of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I felt the characters ended up in the right place for the story, I just felt the book could have ended with chapter 45; 46 seemed like the epilogue in a romance novel.

I definitely recommend The Best Day of Someone Else’s Life. I enjoyed getting to know Vi and her friends, and watching Vi grow and change. The characters read as true-to-life, and it’s a solid novel about friendship and love.

Kerry Reichs is always going to be the daughter of Kathy Reichs, who has built a multi-media career out of her Temperance Brennan mystery series. However, if she keeps writing clever and readable books like this one, she won’t be seeing her mother’s name mentioned every time one of her own books is published!

Grade B+

Despite being cursed with a boy’s name, Kevin “Vi” Connelly is seriously female and a committed romantic. The affliction hit at the tender age of six when she was handed a basket of flower petals and ensnared by the “marry-tale.” The thrill, the attention, the big white dress-it’s the Best Day of Your Life, and it’s seriously addictive. But at twenty-seven, with a closetful of pricey bridesmaid dresses she’ll never wear again, a trunkful of embarrassing memories, and an empty bank account from paying for it all, the illusion of matrimony as the Answer to Everything begins to fray. As her friends’ choices don’t provide answers, and her family confuses her more, Vi faces off against her eminently untrustworthy boyfriend and the veracity of the BDOYL.

Eleven weddings in eighteen months would send any sane woman either over the edge or scurrying for the altar. But as reality separates from illusion, Vi learns that letting go of someone else’s story to write your own may be harder than buying the myth, but just might help her make the right choices for herself.

LauraD’s review of Death Angel by Linda Howard
Romantic suspense released by Ballantine 1 Jul 08

Linda Howard’s last hardcover release was more mountain survival guide than romance, so I had some trepidation about buying her latest before the Big Box store had time to put their new release discount stamp on it. But yea! Linda Howard is back in fine form and I got to spend a perfect summer day off work camped in front of the AC unit reading Death Angel nonstop from cover to cover.

Drea Rousseau, born Andrea Butts, has carefully cultivated the image of a beautiful, brainless piece of arm candy and become the bedroom playmate of Rafael Salinas, a notorious drug importer. She’s counting on a few more years with Rafael, collecting gifts of expensive jewelry to finance her inevitable retirement. Simon is an assassin for hire, and the wild card Drea didn’t count on. When Rafael barters her for Simon’s good will, she’s shocked to realize that her brief time with Simon has changed her and left her unable to continue her relationship with Rafael. So Drea steals over 2 million dollars from the drug lord, and runs.

Death Angel is tightly written and very fast paced. Drea’s initial escape from Rafael is an adrenaline buzz, though detailed enough to make me feel like I could see it as it happened. I really liked her character. Along with a name change or two, she changes significantly as a person during the events in Death Angel. One happening might be a deal-breaker for some readers, but I felt like somehow Linda Howard pulled off what another writer might have fumbled quite badly.

Simon isn’t going to be for the reader who needs a knight for a hero. Tall, dark, handsome; and an unrepentant assassin. To me, it again shows Linda Howard’s strength as a romance writer that I could believe in this guy as the hero and love interest of the book. Her contemporary romantic suspense has sometimes included characters of moral ambiguity, but Simon has got to be near the front of that particular pack. Does he redeem himself? That’s a question every reader is going to have to decide for themselves.

Death Angel is a great mix of romance and action. Part road romance, part thriller, all good fun summer buzz. There will probably be readers who don’t like this book, I can see where some issues might be based. Bottom line, I am betting you’ll like Death Angel as much as I did. I’m going to put my copy on the keeper shelf, just as soon as I read it again!

Grade: A+

A striking beauty with a taste for diamonds and dangerous men, Drea Rousseau is more than content to be arm candy for Rafael Salinas, a notorious crime lord who deals with betrayal through quick and treacherous means: a bullet to the back of the head, a blade across the neck, an incendiary device beneath a car. Eager to break with Rafael, Drea makes a fateful decision and a desperate move, stealing a mountain of cash from the malicious killer. After all, an escape needs to be financed.

Though Drea runs, Salinas knows she can’t hide-and he dispatches a cold-blooded assassin in hot pursuit, resulting in a tragic turn of events. Or does it?
Left for dead, Drea miraculously returns to the realm of the living a changed woman. She’s no longer shallow and selfish, no longer steals or cheats or sells herself short. Both humbled and thrilled with this unexpected second chance, Drea embraces her new life. But in order to feel safe and sound-and stop nervously looking over her shoulder-she will need to take down those who marked her for death.

Joining forces with the FBI, supplying vital inside information that only she can provide, Drea finds herself working with the most dangerous man she’s ever known. Yet the closer they get to danger, the more intense their feelings for each other become, and the more Drea realizes that the cost of her new life may be her life itself-as well as her heart.

LauraD’s review of Sister’s Choice by Emilie Richards
Women’s Fiction released by Mira 1 Jul 08

Emilie Richards is a prolific author of what is frequently referred to as “women’s fiction”. Along with others such as Maeve Binchy and Anne Rivers Siddons, she writes novels that usually revolve around a family drama of some kind, and frequently are centered around a very strong sense of location. In this case, the Shenandoah Valley – Sister’s Choice is actually book 6 in Ms. Richards’ Shenandoah Album series. I was testing it as a standalone, as I’d never read Ms. Richards before.

Jamie Dunkirk is the younger of two sisters, and the single mother of two young children. She’s also almost completed her architecture studies. Sister Kendra Taylor is the more responsible, married but unable to have children. She still carries some resentment for having to help raise Jamie, and for Jamie’s lost years of addiction. Kendra and her husband Isaac have a cabin in Virginia, and it’s during a weekend together at the cabin that Jamie offers to be a surrogate parent for Kendra and Isaac.

Kendra agrees almost immediately, and soon Jamie is carrying her sister’s child. She’s also overseeing the building of a large home on Kendra’s property, raising her two kids, dating the contractor, getting sick and not telling anyone, and becoming fast friends with the contractor’s grandmother Grace.

I’ve got to admit, I spent most of the book wanting to slap Kendra.* She simply never let Jamie forget that Jamie had been a screw-up at one time, never stopped trying to be Jamie’s mother. I have a big problem with holier-than-thou types, and Kendra wears a homemade halo. Jamie is quite self confident for someone who is choosing to gestate and give birth as a form of penance. Despite her past drug problem, she’s the mom who cooks healthy meals for the kids while letting them play outside and get dirty. At one point she gives Kendra a reality check on parenting that made me want to send the book to my S-I-L. (And I don’t even have kids.)

There is a lot going on in “Sister’s Choice” besides the surrogacy. Jamie also has a romance, but that’s probably the least interesting relationship in the book. We get a trip back in time with Grace, learning about her marriage. Of course, there is also the parent/child relationship between Jamie and her girls. There is a lot in “Sister’s Choice”, maybe a little bit too much. For me, I think less might have been more.

Emilie Richards was at one time, or perhaps still is, a family counselor. The multitude of issues and family dynamics within “Sister’s Choice” are certainly meaty enough for several counselors to set up practice in the fictional town Ms. Richards’ characters live in. The ending isn’t a total HEA, so be forewarned. After all, this isn’t a romance.

If you are a fan of women’s fiction set in the south, you’ll probably grade it higher me.

*Kendra has her own book in the Shenandoah Album series, “Lover’s Knot”. Just FYI.

Grade: C

With nine years and a turbulent childhood between them, Kendra and Jamie have never been storybook sisters. After a long estrangement, they’ve finally begun to heal their hurts and forge a new bond.

Now Jamie is offering a gift Kendra has long since given up hoping for, the fondest wish of her heart—a baby. Already raising two young girls on her own, Jamie wants to become a gestational surrogate for Kendra and her husband, Isaac, giving birth to a child the husband and wife have created together. Despite some lingering misgivings about her once-wayward younger sister’s commitment, Kendra agrees, and soon Jamie is pregnant.

In addition to this amazing gift of life, Jamie has designed a new house for Kendra and Isaac and is overseeing its construction on Isaac’s ancestral property along the Shenandoah River, with the help of Cash Rosslyn, one of the most attractive men Jamie has known. By giving her sister both a home and a family, Jamie hopes to prove to Kendra that she deserves absolution for her past mistakes. But when a medical crisis threatens her health and her promising new relationship with Cash, Jamie learns that the most difficult choice in her life is yet to come—and its cost may be beyond calculation.

LauraD review of Sleeping with Ward Cleaver by Jenny Gardiner
Contemporary Romance released 01 Feb 08 from Dorchester

“Sleeping with Ward Cleaver” won the American Title-III Award. I’m really sure what that is, but hey, a win’s a win. The cover is a pink-haired cartoon girl on a bed, it’s labeled contemporary romance, and the words fun and sassy are also on the cover. Do not believe any of this, it’s all there to mislead you.

Claire Doolittle met and married Jack, the man of her dreams. But now, the thrill is gone. Jack has turned into Ward Cleaver, for Claire the epitome of everything boring and stale. They don’t talk, he doesn’t appreciate her, he talks down to her; and instead of the hot sex they used to have, they now have sex-on-Sunday-night. Jack has the great job, while Claire raises the 5(!) kids, and takes care of the house.

Things are about to change. Just as she finds out that Jack’s sexy new (and young) co-worker is going on a trip out of town with him-a trip Claire is definitely not welcome on-she gets an email from an old boyfriend. Todd broke up with Claire and broke her heart, and now he wants to meet her in Miami so that when she finally confronts Jack, Todd can be the one to hold her hand.

I would have enjoyed “Sleeping with Ward Cleaver” quite a bit more had I found any of the characters even a little bit likable. Sadly, I lost count of how many times I muttered “get a therapist” as Claire cried poor pitiful me. Jack teeters on a fine line between jerk executive and irredeemable asswipe. Then there is Todd, the one that got away. Todd is married to his second wife, who he is planning on leaving because she wants kids. He has a child from his first marriage, who he never sees. Despite being married, he is actively pursuing Claire. His emails to Claire actively encourage her to spy on her husband. Todd is a tool.

The story itself moves back and forth between present day, and Claire reminiscing about how she and Jack met and times when they were happier. Todd gets back in touch with Claire via email; I’ve got to say that Todd’s emails to Claire are the least authentic male voice I’ve read in a while.

An upper middle class couple with 5 kids, working an unhappy marriage-that’s a hard subject for a comic romance. Props to Jenny Gardiner for trying. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who will feel that she succeeded; I’m just not one of them.

Grade: D

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE “HAPPILY EVER AFTER”?

Sleeping with Ward Cleaver is the funny yet poignant story of a woman at a crossroads in life, who years earlier married a man who swept her off her feet, but now finds that her Mr. Right has evolved into Mr. Always Right, and the only sweeping going on in her life involves a broom and a dustpan. As her dreams collide with reality and the one that got away shows up trying to worm his way back into her heart, she must decide if her once charmed marriage is salvageable, and if so, how she’s going to go about saving it.

LauraD’s review of Crave: the Seduction of Snow White by Cathy Yardley
Erotic romance released by Avon Red 3 Jun 08

I’m a sucker for fairy tales, especially “re-told” versions, so I was really excited to get my hands on a copy of Cathy Yardley’s erotic version of Snow White. Her decision to set a classic fairy tale in modern times-in a cult, no less-really sets it apart from all the other romantic erotica choices on the bookstore table.

Goodmaid Beth has lived quietly among the Penitents for 10 years, since faking her own death and running away from the kingdom of Cordova at 17. After several assassination attempts by her stepmother, the Queen, she chose to give up her birthright in exchange for her safety and that of her loyal followers. There was a worldwide media frenzy, searching for the missing princess, and she needed a place to go where no one would look for her. So she found her way to the Compound, where a group of extremists live in isolation and eschew temptations while glorifying work. Men and women, living separately. No talking, no touching-absolutely no sex!

As investigative reporter Stephan Trent sees it, the Compound is sort of like a Quaker theme park. Under cover as “Goodman Stephan”, he’s there to find out what secrets the oddball society hides. But as soon as he and Beth make eye contact, he knows who he wants his source of information to be. She looks strangely familiar, though.

Ms. Yardley has a lot of fun with the Snow White fairy tale, and uses it to good effect. This is definitely an adult fairy tale, make no mistake. The story begins with Beth waking from a bad dream and taking a midnight walk, only to come upon two of her fellow Penitents breaking a few of the Ten Commandments in a moonlit meadow. The same couple later meet another Goodmaid in the same meadow for a (what seems like obligatory nowadays) ménage.

Beth and Stephan are also an amorous and adventurous couple-pretty darn energetic, too. The love scenes in Crave are very frank, and plentiful. This was not a book of deeply drawn characters, but I read Beth as naive, not stupid; and Stephan’s halo had a nice little tarnish to it. The evil Founders were actually pretty menacing, and I was not expecting the Queen to show up when she did. I loved all the little details from Snow White that were worked into the story, some of them to pretty creepy effect!

What I didn’t like? The epilogue. It just didn’t feel in sync with the rest of the book. All in all, Crave is a very fun erotic romance. Avon=vanilla sex, so the menage, and Beth’s voyeurism, is as kinky as it gets. The plot gives a classic fairy tale a very unique twist, and if you’re in the mood for a naughty fairy tale with a little intrigue to boot, grab a copy of Crave.

Grade: B

 Summary:

When a woman is ripe for the picking . . .  Beth Cordova’s life is no fairy tale. Having barely escaped the evil grasp of her wicked stepmother, this “missing princess” seeks refuge in a strict commune where carnal pleasures are forbidden.

Sometimes just one bite of the apple . . .  Her world is lonely and void of intimacy, until the charming Stephen Trent arrives at the commune. Suddenly Beth yearns for a man’s touch, the feel of his lips on hers . . . and Stephen is eager to show this pure-as-snow princess that she can still be the sensual woman she was once upon a time.

Is all it takes to unleash her desires…  But all is not what it seems, and the stunning beauty finds herself again in danger, her stepmother hot on her trail. The commune’s founders will not tolerate the pair, yet fleeing its walls could prove fatal. Trapped in a world where passion is outlawed, can Beth live happily ever after?

Read an excerpt. 

Laura D’s Review of Fast & Loose by Elizabeth Bevarly
Contemporary Romance released by Berkley 1 Apr 08

I was one of those horse-crazy little girls, especially when it involved racehorses. One of my dreams is to attend the Kentucky Derby, and Elizabeth Bevarly’s latest is set in the middle of Louisville during Derby madness. It’s a cute summer read, especially with a mint julep at hand.

“King” Cole Early is the hot trainer of the year, and his filly Silk Purse has just become the last horse to qualify for the Derby. He’s cocky, gorgeous, and has no place to stay in Louisville; every last bed in town is booked. Lucky for him, LuLu Flannery has been convinced to rent out her little home for the 3 weeks leading up to Derby.

LuLu Flannery is an artist, and if she weren’t desperate for cash, she’d never rent out her home. But she is and she does, and as she’s dropping of her key at the realtor’s, she and Cole literally run into each other. A quick battle of insults take place, and they’re both reluctantly intrigued, although neither knows who the other one is-nor does LuLu have any idea that Cole is the tenant she’s worried might be about to trash her home.

I loved watching Cole get to know LuLu by living in her house. His slow exploration of her space and his curiosity about her was very well written. He was being seduced by LuLu, by way of her home. The way he kept picking up a photograph of LuLu and her friends, wondering which one she was. Great descriptions of the colors in her closet, the scents in each room, the light, and her artwork. Even his clumsiness in her small space. Her house really came alive. (The house is actually almost more interesting than LuLu.)

Cole is a bit lost. Other than the first paragraph, the reader never gets to see him at the track or working with Silk Purse, the things that are his passion. He always seems to be at a bar or at a party, and it’s really hard to get a feel for who he is and what he wants. Once he starts to spend time with LuLu, both of them begin to develop a bit more.

“Fast & Loose” is a fun read, and both Cole and LuLu are easy to like. There’s a toasty love scene, a sweet secondary romance, and plenty of lively banter. All in all, a great way to spend an afternoon reading before the Belmont Stakes-go Big Brown, bring home that Triple Crown!

Grade: C+
Blurb:

Thoroughbred trainer Cole Early needs a place to stay while his horse is preparing for the Kentucky Derby. With Louisville booked solid, he snaps up the snug little bungalow his real estate agent miraculously finds.

Glass artist Lulu Flannery has agreed to rent out her house for Derby, but quickly begins to worry. What if her boarder is someone like that rowdy “King Cole” person who keeps popping up in all the places she seems to be? A guy like that could really mess with a girl’s feng shui.

But it isn’t Lulu’s feng shui that Cole is interested in. Especially after he discovers she’s the mysterious woman whose house is filled with such sensual indulgences. What’s a guy gotta do to bring the passion out of the self-possessed Miss Flannery?

LauraD’s review of Lover Enshrined (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 6) by J.R. Ward
Paranormal romance released by Signet 3 Jun 08

Full disclosure: I am a J.R. Ward fanghirl. I have smoked the crack, I have consumed the KoolAid. However, I think I’m still capable of being honest about the good/bad/wonderful fraternal shift that is Lover Enshrined.

First of all, if you haven’t read any of the other Black Dagger Brotherhood Books, don’t start with this one. Ward doesn’t even try to give enough backstory to make sense of the multiple storylines making up the current book-you need to be familiar with the characters, their histories, and the world of the Brotherhood. In theory Lover Enshrined is the romance of Phury, the Brotherhood’s sensitive and drug addicted soul, who has been named Primale of the vampire race; and Cormia, who was named First Mate of the Chosen(a sort of pure vampire breeding pool).

However, as in Ward’s last book, the romance really takes a backseat to several other storylines-which is fine with me, because the continued development of John Michael, Quinn, and Blaylock, is obviously the future of this series. Three young warriors-in-training, great friends with a bond that will be both strengthened and tested. All three undergo separate rites of passage, and I can’t wait to see what happens to each of them next. For me, these guys were the strength of the book

The Lessening Society returns, and is a major part of the plotline. I’m not a big fan of the Lessers, I think they’re boring and they’ve never seemed to be much of an obstacle to the Brotherhood. There is a major plot twist involving the Omega, and readers do get a much better idea of where the Society came from and why they hate vampires.

Then of course, there are Rehvenge and Xhex, the sympaths. Rumor has it that the next BDB novel will be Rehvenge’s, and he certainly shows us something….new. And kinky. I kinda liked it. Xhex and John Michael manage to win hottest couple, without ever really touching — I’ll be looking forward to that book, and hoping Ward gives them plenty of private time.

Phury. Poor Phury. His romance got short shrift; he spent more time getting high than he did with Cormia. I can see Ward’s dilemma: she has to cure his addiction before he can get the girl. Unfortunately, he was so busy getting high and feeling guilty he never spent any time with Cormia. She is a typical BDB heroine; very bland. Their attraction felt very forced, and the ending of the whole Primale situation just didn’t feel right to me.

Some readers will be disappointed at the absence of old favorites. The Brotherhood Warriors make cameo appearances only, with the exception of Wrath. Shellans Beth, Bella and “Doc Jane” make appearances, and Jane still bugs me. Ward’s “cellies” will be excited to see a character that has existed on her messageboard for some time finally appear as part of the book mythology.

Overall, I gave Lover Enshrined a B. Yeah, the romance was weak. But I was invested in almost every character, lovedlovedloved the 3 young males (does that make me a vampire cougar?), and cannot wait to find out what happens next. More KoolAid, please!

Grade: B

Blurb:

As Primale of the Chosen, the fiercely loyal Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of his race. But his first mate, the Chosen Cormia, wants not only his body but his heart for herself. As tragedy looms over the Brotherhood’s mansion, Phury must decide between duty and love…

Read an excerpt.

LauraD’s review of Close Quarters by Denise J. Agnew
Romantic suspense ebook released by Samhain 20 May 08

Neena Williamson has taken charge of her city’s charity calendar- a beefcake calendar featuring local men. Sitting in a local coffee shop, she’s thinking about how to find Mr. December when she’s yanked out of her thoughts by a truly hideous Hawaiian shirt. It’s being worn by Mitch Gilroy, new to town, but who has already earned a good reputation as a handyman. The shirt would have been a deal breaker, except Neena and Mitch are thrown together when the coffee shop is robbed.

After spending an hour or so locked in the storage room, they’re already too attracted to each other to back away from it.

For a pretty short ebook, there was a lot going on here. The calendar, the robbery, and as always, the ghosts from both Neena and Mitch’s pasts- there was so much action that character development suffered. I would have loved to gotten to know Neena better, especially more about the backstory between her and her mother. The one bit of information we’re given is almost cruel, it’s such a story within a story.

Mitch’s history was told in more detail, or at least the “why” of his current status. But he seems to be a little too good to be true. Neena’s girlfriends kept throwing her towards him, and I kept thinking “Is he the only straight guy in town?” I liked Mitch for not making fun of the calendar; instead he had fun with posing for the calendar-even with positioning his tool belt appropriately. It’s all in the direction the hammer hangs, y’know?

Grade: C

     Summary:

     First impressions can be dead wrong.

     Neena Williamson is positive the man who just walked into her favorite café is all wrong for the local charity’s new hot male calendar. For starters, he’s wearing the most butt-ugly Hawaiian shirt on the face of the earth. He doesn’t fit anyone’s image of a smokin’ hardbody, even if her friend insists he’s perfect for Mr. December.

     When a gunman robs the café, Mr. December proves that underneath his bad taste in clothes, he knows how to bring it.

     Clarksville, Wyoming is the perfect place for Mitch Gilroy to hide in plain sight. He enjoys his low-key handyman job, and no one pries into his former life. But in an instant, Mitch is forced to remember everything he’s tried so hard to forget.

     Thrown together by sudden violence, Neena and Mitch quickly discover how tangled their emotions can become. And the only way to banish the monsters that haunt them is to do the one thing they fear most. Become vulnerable—to each other.

     Warning: This title contains a hot nekkid calendar boy shoot, heroic rescues, explicit, multiple orgasmic sex, and graphic language.

     Read an excerpt.