Limecello’s review of Back in Black by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance released by Berkley 2 Feb 10

This is the last book in Lori Foster’s Supreme Battle Championship (SBC) series, and I have mixed feelings about that. To be honest, I’m glad the series is over. (But I know I feel differently about series than a number of people.) About this book particularly, I liked it more than I thought I might, but not as much as I hoped I would. Ms. Foster used to be one of my favorite romance authors, but at this point, I get her books from the library, not store.

I will say, I was pleased this book was a straight contemporary romance. I tried to read My Man Michael and could not. I have a feeling much of the positive feedback has to do with the fact that this book is “back to business as usual.” As the last book, however, I felt that Ms. Foster had more she wanted, and it felt like there were four main characters, as opposed to a primary and secondary romance. Consequently, it seemed that the characters all got a bit cheated in their romances.

Nevertheless, Gillian Noode is the main female love interest. Gillian is one of Ms. Foster’s better heroines. She’s smart, successful, self confident, and in control of her own life. I liked her personality, and the fact that she’s willing to hold her own in a fight. Of course sexing wins over ethics, but that’s a romance, right? (Okay, so that did bother me, but I know it could have been worse…) I also liked that Gillian was flexible, and understood Drew, and people in general.

Drew Black is a great character when you list his attributes. However, he seemed a bit unrealistic to me. (Somehow, a perfect hero just felt off to me.) He’s not a fighter, but is essentially in charge of the SBC. That’s fine and perfectly reasonable. He holds his own, he’s a genius at business… essentially there’s nothing wrong with him except for his potty mouth [couldn't resist] and bad temper. But oh wait! Somehow those are good too! [So, yes, maybe I found him a bit too shiny.] Drew is a guy any woman would be glad to have, but nothing stood out to me about him. Ultimately, and unfortunately, Drew is forgettable.

The secondary romance really wanted to be a primary romance. It wasn’t, however, and thus felt a bit choppy. There were cameo appearances by characters from the other books. I normally enjoy that, but this time I actually had almost forgotten who most of them were until a good way into the book. Still, it was adorable how Drew was subtly trying to woo and feel out Gillian.

I get the sense or impression that Ms. Foster doesn’t much like females. I’ve never met her, but I’m sure that’s not how she is in person. It’s just the way she writes female characters. They’re generally incredibly naive, and unrealistic, clueless, and helpless. Or, just bat shit crazy. But not in the general sense where we all know someone who is like that – but pretty much a psychopath. I don’t know if it’s possible to be ‘written out’ but seems Ms. Foster is rehashing a lot plot devices.

Nevertheless, aside from those issues, the story was well written. The chemistry between the characters is very real, and enjoyable to read. For the end of a series the story arc felt rather open ended, but the romances were definitely complete. I knew Drew and Gillian were madly in love, and would be together forever.

If you’ve read the previous books in the series, or are a huge fan of Ms. Foster, I do recommend you read this book. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Foster writes next. Hopefully, it’s something new, complete with the great character interaction she creates.

Grade: C

SBC president Drew Black is as controversial as they come. But the hot-headed entrepreneur is a perfect match for his popular sports club venture: uncompromising and extreme. Maybe too extreme. With a reputation for saying what he thinks, Drew’s been causing a lot of friction. That’s why someone’s been called in to clean up his image—before he does any permanent damage.

The lucky lady is Gillian Noode, a PR expert who’s smoothed out the rough edges on many a man. But Drew is rougher than anyone she’s ever met, and he refuses to change for any woman, for any reason. To make matters more complicated, Gillian’s starting to like him raw. Now, opposites aren’t only attracting, they’re igniting. But in the rising heat, which one of them will end up on top?

Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s review of Double the Heat by Lori Foster, Deirdre Martin, Elizabeth Bevarly, Christie Ridgway
Contemporary romance released by Berkley Trade 1 Dec 09

I’ve actually been waiting for this book since I read Double the Pleasure. A new Winston story? Heck, a new Lori Foster novella? Yeah – I was curious. Stories by Deirdre Martin, and Christie Ridgway were just a bonus. As well as Elizabeth Bevarly – I’d never read her books, but have heard good things-  so I was excited about this anthology.

Hart and Soul by Lori Foster

I liked this novella- and enjoyed it generally more than Ms. Foster’s more recent new stories. In fact, it reminded me again of why Ms. Foster was one of my favorite romance authors. I really enjoyed the romance in the story, and felt that the hero and heroine were well matched. As for the plot – that was definitely lacking and much less believable.

Hart Winston and Lisa Vogle are great characters. Hart is charming, clueless, and hot. He’s the guy everyone loved- the guy who gets everything he wants – and you don’t hate him because underneath it all he really is a nice guy. Lisa is smart, sweet, and likable. It helps that Hart has to grovel early on, and realizes first that he’s in love with Lisa. (This after his whambamthankyouma’am and disappearing act.)

The fact that Ms. Foster manages to get the reader past that is impressive. However, the reason why Lisa finds it “so imperative” to contact Hart is a let down. And the “action” thrown in to keep things interesting falls flat. I really could have done without it.

Nevertheless, Hart and Soul was ultimately just a quick, fun read, but not memorable. I had to skim through the novella again to remind myself of the key points to write this review.

Grade: C

Breaking the Ice by Deirdre Martin

The story had so much potential… but I couldn’t get over the fact that there was so little romance. Lennie Buckley and Sebastian Ivanov just… seemed a bit off for me. They started off as friends, and while they’re physically attracted to each other I couldn’t go with the emotional attraction. Lennie and Sebastian only hung out a few times – and to their, and Ms. Martin’s credit, they hold off on getting physical. Specifically, Sebastian originally is just looking for a friend, who is female. Lennie happens to be mistaken as his “meet and greet” and they hit it off. They’re determined to just be friends, but Lennie makes a move on Sebastian. He holds her off, and they just hang out – both lead busy lives.

A few weeks (I believe) later, they’re meeting each other’s family, and dating. And having sex, now. And then, Sebastian tells Lennie about his lack of job stability, and she goes crazy. Lennie is pretty bitchy, and I thought extreme, even for fiction. They have nothing to do with each other for three months… and then – they’re together again! O_o

But even more than that, their personalities didn’t seem to mesh. Lennie’s so focused on school, and a bit odd. Sebastian is, well, chivalrous, and doesn’t get Lennie’s love and fascination with retro and vintage clothing – and she’s a clothing designer. He’s a hockey player. Basically, I never really believed in Lennie and Sebastian’s romance, or that they’d work. Sad. I did love the cameo appearances by the other Blade players though.

Grade: D

Double Booked by Elizabeth Bevarly

If Ms. Bevarly’s writing is consistent, I’m sorry to say that she’s not the author for me. The premise of the story is cute, and I could get behind the “opposites attract” concept – but Double Booked was a bit much for me. I actually put the book down for a bit.

Amanda Bingham and Max Callahan are… well, spastic. I’m pretty well known for being random, and these characters made even my head hurt.

Amanda was so much a workaholic, that she was unreal. It just didn’t make sense that someone so smart, capable, and put together would cower like she did and kow tow to her boss. Yes it was part of her “character” – but otherwise, why?

Also, Max seemed to be too extreme as well. The listless, good for nothing bum, who only cares about getting laid and having a good time. He seems to be a loser, but then isn’t – and it almost seems like the sole reason his depiction changes, is because Amanda is attracted to him.

She’s so determined to have a fling, and avoid Max in general, working and ignoring her vacation- and then at the end Amanda does something completely out of character, and they’re in love. Maybe it was the length – basically the word limits that hurt this book – which may have been the pitfall for the other stories… but it just didn’t work for me here.
I could believe Amanda and Max as a vacation fling much more than a couple that would go back home to Chicago and stick together.

Grade: D

Original Zin by Christie Ridgway

John Henry Hudson, and Zinnia Friday are fantastic characters. This was also my favorite story by far. It was also the shortest novella in the book, which makes me incredibly sad.

Ms. Ridgway has a lot of humor in her story, but it’s also realistic. I was amused and entertained, but not rolling my eyes because situations were over exaggerated. Zinnia luckily goes by the name “Zin” and she has some hang ups. While skating the edge of believability, it works. Zin’s parents are hippies. She has a brother and sister. Kohl and Mari. Whose full names are Kohlrabi and Marigold. Those poor, poor children. Nevertheless, Ms. Ridgway sticks to her theme, and builds around it. This makes me believe the story, rather than making things seem hokey.

John Henry Hudson is your typical stick in the mud executive, but he’s got a sense of humor. I like that there’s a slight twist of him being something of a hound dog. Not in general – just that he’s super attracted to Zin and has decided to go after her with all of his considerable focus.

Zin and John Henry are actually quite compatible and similar. Both driven, workaholics who follow the rules.

I have to say… I love Zin. I love that she looks out for herself, that she gets mad and gets it out- and chooses what is best or most practical for her. She chooses her career, not love. Which elicits something of a “you go, girl!” response in me. But don’t worry – romance wins in the end, and there’s a happy ending. And it’s great. Suffice it to say, I’m determined to read more of Ms. Ridgway’s stories.

Grade: B+

Really, if you like these authors – Ms. Ridgway’s alone is enough to recommend reading this book. I really liked parts of each novella. I can definitely see myself re-reading sections… but unfortunately when taken as a whole, I found myself underwhelmed by a few of the stories. Has this turned me off the authors? No. I’m glad I read the stories – especially Hart’s, as it’s another Winston story and connected to the anthology Double the Pleasure – and even more so Ms. Ridgway’s Original Zin because it’s such a good read.

Final verdict? Eh – it’s ok. :X If you love the authors – read it. Get it from the library, thumb through it at the book store before you make your decision – do what you like. It’s worth reading. Worth $15.00 of reading… I’ll let you decide.

Overall Grade: C-

Summary:

What could be more fun than a game between friends- or lovers? In these four sexy stories of mixed-up couples and mistaken identities, it’s not about winning, but how much you like to play.

With a brand-new novella featuring Hart Winston, whose switch with his identically hot twin brother has landed him in some serious foul play, it’s a safe bet that in the game of love no one is going to follow the rules.

Read an excerpt by Lori Foster here.
Read an excerpt by Deirdre Martin here. here.
No excerpts from Ms. Bevarly or Ms. Ridgway, who both desperately need to update their websites.

Limecello’s review of Tails of Love by Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, Kate Angell, Dianne Castell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James, Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty, Patricia Sargeant, and Sue-Ellen Welfonder
Special romantic fiction anthology released by Berkley Desire 1 Jun 09

I’d like to start out by noting that this book was written for charity- that all author and agent proceeds are going to a no-kill animal shelter. And that yes, I feel incredibly guilty about it… but I did not enjoy this book overall. The reason I finished it was because, well the book was written for charity, and it deserves a review, and also I think Sybil would have killed me if I didn’t finish it. So here we go. 

There were parts that I enjoyed, and I found some new to me authors that I plan to look into. I think also the fact that there were so many authors participating led to limited or restrictive page lengths, and that really hurt a number of the stories.

As I mentioned, a number of the novellas are incredibly short, so I’m not going to do an formal review of each one, per se. Some of the stories featured unique animals.

Ann Christopher’s novella, Atticus Saves Lisa, features a capuchin monkey. Too adorable – and its a therapy pet. Her story is well written, emotional, complete, has great characters, and is one of my favorites in this anthology.

Kate Angell’s story, Norah’s Arc, has a pygmy goat, which is cute. The interaction between the characters is also nice, and there’s a good balance between them and the animals.

Marcia James’s story, Rescue Me, was also very well written. The animal here is a Chinese crested dog. I’m impressed because her story is great, yes, but in a way mostly because she made me like cresties. And… if you’ve ever seen “ugliest dog” contest pictures, you’d know why that’s surprising. The characters have history, which also helps make this novella more realistic. It feels complete, although I would have liked more.

Sarah McCarty’s novella, Danny’s Dog, also pleasantly surprised me. I’ve read a few of Ms. McCarty’s other books, and this one was not what I was expecting. It was all about the plot, and characters, and it was rip your heart out and stomp it into the ground gut wrenching. I felt the character’s pain, and their emotions were so raw, and real. It’s a great story – I cried.

I enjoyed Lori Foster’s story, Man’s Best Friend, and was glad that it was an original one, but it was so short. Only 34 pages, and I felt that things were a bit rushed, and really it was only one scene between characters, not a story.

I don’t know what the page restrictions were, but I think writing for the anthology – not even really a novella, made it difficult for the authors to complete a story. Also, there wasn’t much cohesion within the anthology aside from animals being a part. Some novellas are contemporaries, others paranormal, or historical. This means there’s something for everyone, but it’s a little bit distracting. I think it’d help to read one story, put the book down, then come back to it, rather than reading them all in one sitting.

Some authors made animals characters, with cats and dogs talking, and I don’t mean were-animals. Although one novella did have a were-dog. Sometimes this was fine the story felt natural, but sometimes it did not. I found it very odd, and there was a distinct lack of flow in certain stories. For example the reader might jump from a cat, to a dog’s perspective – and it seems rather childlike or in the tone of a children’s book… and then all of a sudden you’re reading about the hero’s erection. The word “dissonance” comes to mind.

I’m afraid some of the stories simply didn’t work – not only were they not believable, but felt rushed and incomplete. I also kept wondering if this was actually a romance anthology or not, because so many stories ended abruptly, or without what seemed to be any real romance or relationship.

Nevertheless, there are some really great stories in Tails of Love and there were good things about each novella. I’m definitely interested in reading more books by some of the authors that I haven’t read before, such as Ann Christopher, Marcia James, and Patricia Sargeant. Others are authors that I’ve read before, and will continue to read. This anthology was written for a great cause, and that’s the most important thing of all.

Overall Grade: D+

Summary:

Ten all-new stories that celebrate our animal friends, by bestselling and award-winning authors. All Author and Agent proceeds from sales of the book will benefit the AAF – Animal Adoption Foundation – a no-kill animal shelter in Hamilton, Ohio.

From Seeing Eye dogs to the cat who cuddles in your lap, animals are there for us in more ways than we can count. Helping us get through the day with a wag of the tail and a tilt of the head, they let us know that someone is on our side—no matter what. They also have an amazing ability to break down barriers between people; bringing families and loved ones closer, and giving strangers an excuse to strike up a conversation. In Tails of Love, each writer draws from her own unique perspective on our loyal friends—exploring the many mysterious ways they bring love into our lives.

Read excerpts from Lori Foster, Stella Cameron, Dianne Castell here.

Read excerpts from Kate Angell, Ann Christopher, Marcia James here.

Read excerpts from Donna MacMeans, Sarah McCarty here.

Read excerpts from Patricia Sargeant, Sue-Ellen Welfonder here.

Limecello’s review of Out of the Light, Into the Shadows by Lori Foster Erin McCarthy L.L. Foster
Contemporary and paranormal romance anthology published by Berkley on 4 Aug 2009

I got this book based entirely on the authors, because I have enjoyed both Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy’s books in the past. That’s the plus when you’ve built a reputation as a great author. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy Out of the Light, In to the Shadows as much as I would have expected, and in the end am glad that I got it from the library.

Have Mercy by Lori Foster


I thought this might be a return to Ms. Foster’s earlier contemporary romances that I enjoyed so very much, but there’s something … just a little off about it. I could be wrong, but it seems that Ms. Foster’s most recent few novellas start off with the hero and heroine already knowing each other, and the novella dealing with only one aspect of the relationship. I think that didn’t help convince me of the romance and relationship between the characters.

i didn’t feel much of a rapport with the heroine Mercedes Jardine, or the hero Wyatt Reyes. I suppose I wasn’t entirely convinced of the connection between Mercedes and Wyatt, and the story depended on that. I’m afraid I don’t really see the sense of how Mercedes acted either, and that the major role her brother played was due mostly to the fact that Ms. Foster wanted to set up his character for his own novella.

The sexual chemistry between Mercy and Wyatt was well written, but I didn’t put much credence behind the reason why Wyatt protested a binding relationship. I understand his concerns, but simply was unconvinced by the way it was presented.  I think the story would’ve been much better if it had been longer. It seems that the length restriction affected the quality of the story.

Grade: D+

Wyatt Reyes is hiding some very dark secrets from his past by making some very grand business plans for his future. Long ago he ruled out the prospect of marriage. But when Mercedes Jardine professes her love, rules become harder to follow.

With her circumstances drastically changed, Mercedes is determined to have it all, and that includes Wyatt’s hand in marriage. Trusting in love alone isn’t easy when she has more than herself to think about.

Mercy needs a solid plan for her future. No matter what it takes, she has to convince Wyatt that a future together will be worth breaking his rules.

Read an excerpt here.

Deal or No Deal by Erin McCarthy


I felt like I was missing something while reading Deal or No Deal. I think it’s because I found that fact that Katie gives up one hundred years of hate and angst so easily not entirely believable. Yes, she does take some time to herself… but the quick turnaround was a bit too pat in my opinion.

I did, however, like Katie’s personality, as well as Michael’s. He’s the perfect example of a loving, devoted, tragic hero. He’s been constant in his affections for a century, and is so adorably confused and crushed when Katie is so harsh initially.

The conflict involving the necklace was a bit too convenient, and I didn’t find it that believable. As Katie had been a vampire for over a hundred years, she should have known something was wrong, or strange about the necklace. Also the manner in which she got Rasputin['s] seemed way too easy as well.

Nevertheless, I’m glad that Katie and Michael got together, and they had a cute little story.

Grade: C-

Read an excerpt here.

Total Control by L.L. Foster


In a way I feel like the blurb (which I only found on the website) gives more insight and background than the story itself. There were also too many holes with the “high-level government officials” part, but I suppose that’s not a primary factor. My issue was that there was juxtaposition within the story – the fact that so little is said about Brax, and what kind of person he is, but it’s the entire purpose of the story.

I definitely didn’t think the Jardine’s special talents and skills were explained enough – it wasn’t believable, even for a paranormal or Urban Fantasy story. Nevertheless, the fact that Brax and Cameo’s (what a name!) romance had been initiated in Mercy’s story I think did help. The fact that they’ve been working together for five years also contributes in laying the believable ground work.

I did think that Cameo made quite a transformation – possibly a bit too much, from perfect composed practically robotic assistant, to… well, what she becomes. However, I supposed the events that occur would change anyone. I wasn’t that surprised by the plot twist, but it was clever. I did think that Brax and Cameo had the most believable relationship, and perhaps the best chemistry.

Grade: C

(Urban Fantasy novella by L.L. Foster)
For centuries, males in the Jardine family have been born with a gift: they can sense, capture and manipulate the emotions of others. Such a talent comes with grave responsibility, and the Jardine men, working with high-level government officials, have been given immunity to tame the more psychotic edges of society. Only a very special woman would be able to match such a powerful male. When Brax Jardine realizes that Cameo Smithson can somewhat withstand his influence on her emotions, he’s more than intrigued.

He’s in love.

Since meeting her, he’s wanted Cameo, but settling down into a monogamous relationship isn’t easy for the Jardine men. They “feed” off the ultimate, mind-numbing release of sexual activity, using it to counter the corrosive influence of darker animus. Without a woman to soften the edges, a Jardine male starts losing his sanity.

Only when the right woman is found can a Jardine male stop carousing and settle for true love.

Brax already knows that Cameo loves him, but will her love be enough for her to face his horrific battles with inhumanity, and the carnal demands he’ll put on her in the bedroom?

Read an excerpt here.

Undead Man’s Hand by Erin McCarthy


Undead Man’s Hand is twisted, end of story. I knew there was something strange about Peter, but I definitely wasn’t expecting that. I did enjoy the budding romance between Nick and Jordan, and felt that their personalities meshed perfectly, but the major conflict is resolved too easily. I suppose enough happens to Jordan that she is convinced that vampires are real, but it still seemed a bit too contrived. I also have read all of Ms. McCarthy’s vampire novels, but admit that I can’t keep the characters straight anymore. The fact that Nick is a bodyguard for the vice president of the vampire nation really meant nothing to me, and didn’t particularly tie the story to that world.

I liked that each dealt with conflict, and the fact that Nick and Jordan got to know each other. It was cute how well they fit, and how unsure they were of each other. The tragic figures in their families was also another convenient tie, that helped make the pairing more feasible.

I like that Jordan had a lot of sense, was practical, and strong willed. That, and the fact that Nick while extremely strong and capable, is a big softy around Jordan. And she sees that. While not the best, and I think there were some major holes, it was a cute story, and it does have a nice ending.

Grade: C-

I wouldn’t say that this book “blew chunks” as the TGTBTU/Pond grading scale so eloquently states… but I only recommend it with more than a little reservation. In a way, I wish I had the time I spent reading it back. I’m glad I read it because I know I would have been curious about the stories. (Which is indeed why I read it before other books I’ve heard are excellent.) Lori Foster used to be one of my favorite authors, as well as Erin McCarthy. While the novellas didn’t put me off Lori Foster forever, I do plan to proceed with caution considering her most recent books, and think I might be getting her future books from the library first, not the book store. Sad. Nevertheless, if you like both these authors as I do and did and are inquisitive as I am, I recommend you read this book to sate your curiosity.

Overall Grade: C- -

The dark and light sides of desire collide in four brand-new novellas by three of today’s hottest authors.

Embrace the darkness and experience the light in this all-new anthology filled with touching stories of happily ever after alongside smoldering tales of irresistibly dangerous, otherworldly passion. From bewitching emotions and untamed desire to dazzling romance and tantalizing sensuality, these novellas explore the complex facets of the human heart—both the light side and the dark.

Limecello’s review of Scandalized by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin 1 Oct 97, rerel’d 1 Mar 09

The story begins “She was the perfect woman to have his baby.” Tell me that doesn’t get your attention. I really enjoy Lori Foster’s older stories, and this was no exception. You’ll notice that the book title is actually Scandalous because it’s a reissue that has both Scandalized and Sex Appeal. (Actually, these stories have all been re-released 3-4 times, so if you’re a big Ms. Foster fan, it’s likely you’ve already read one or both of these stories.) I, however, missed the Harlequin Temptation line, so I was glad I got the opportunity to read Scandalized. I really enjoyed this story, and found it had a storyline similar to a number of romances I’ve read that were published recently. However, I felt that Ms. Foster dealt with the “infertile heroine” issue in a more realistic manner, which I appreciated.

Olivia Anderson is a career driven woman. She’s something of a loner, but she’s filled her life with purpose through developing her lingerie stores. Olivia is nice and sweet, but aside from having a somewhat sad personal life, there isn’t much substance to her. I liked her, but she doesn’t really stand out from the sea of romance heroines. I do like, however, her rationality, and the fact that she isn’t all mushy and useless. She also takes the somewhat unexpected step of telling Tony she wants to have a physical relationship, and demanding sexual satisfaction. She’s a self actualized woman. (So maybe that does make her stand out.) Of course, she’s only twenty-six, which makes me hate her a little bit.

Tony Austin wants a baby. He’s thirty-five, and realizes he has everything he wants in life, except for a child. He wants someone to love, that belongs completely to him. Accordingly, he’s decided to have a child – not a wife and family, because that’s not something he can control, and he hasn’t found a woman he would like to marry either. I like Tony’s character because he’s fun, and determined, and the way he goes about getting what he wants is entertaining. He’s also extremely sexy, and caring, and pretty much the perfect man. I really liked how gentle and sweet Tony was with Olivia. He’s a tiny bit clueless at times, but is a good guy.

While the plot isn’t so believable, I didn’t really mind. It was plausible in romance land, and what gets my attention and what I read romances for are the relationship, so I’m much more willing to suspend belief for plot. I really liked the secondary characters, and how Olivia and Tony’s relationship develops. Did I believe they really and truly fell in love as a result based solely on their interaction in the book? No – but I can believe they were in love considering a totality of the circumstances, and their history.

I like the “switch” – with the hero having the ticking biological clock. It was also nice to have the hero be the one who wants the relationship and is pushing for more. I LOVE that. There’s a slight reversal of roles here, but it’s not excessive or comedic, and Tony never becomes maudlin. Tony and Olivia have a lot of similarities, and their personalities match well. They both understand and run successful businesses, but also both have been looking for (though afraid of) personal connections. I think that’s why they’re so perfectly matched.

I didn’t actually know what to expect- when Olivia was so sure she couldn’t have a baby – when she was “magically pregnant” I wasn’t as annoyed, because Ms. Foster covered her tracks here. Olivia’s doctors never told her she couldn’t have a baby, Olivia simply only has one ovary, and she herself decided she could never get pregnant. In fact, this misconception is addressed in the book, which I appreciated. I would’ve been a lot more annoyed if Olivia had gotten magically pregnant when doctors had previously told her it would be impossible. (There’s a bit of a question/sticky situation near the end, but that was after all the conflict resolution so I didn’t really think about it.)

This is a really cute story, with a lot of great sexy scenes between Tony and Olivia. It also draws in a lot of Tony’s family, and it’s nice to see the characters interact with each other, and others. I thought that developed their personalities nicely, and made the much morel likable and personable. As I said, I really like a number of Ms. Foster’s earlier books, so I’m glad this was republished to everyone can now read it. I recommend it to her fans, and also anyone looking for a nice, sweet contemporary. (I also read Sex Appeal a few years ago – I liked it, but liked Scandalous better.)

Grade: B-

Summary:
.
To fulfill his desire to father a child, Tony looks for a woman who’ll have his baby and then disappear from his life. Olivia doesn’t want a husband or a child—but she would cherish a special night with Tony. But sometimes passion gets out of control, and love upsets even the best-laid plans.
.
Read an excerpt here.

If you’ve spent any amount of time swimming around the pond, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that more than a few of us have mad love for Harlequin.  We read ‘em, we review ‘em, we love them with the kind of slavish devotion usually reserved for stalkers.  So when we learned that Harlequin editor, Marsha Zinberg was doing a blog tour in honor of Harlequin’s Famous Firsts collection, we jumped at the chance to have her stop by for a visit. OK, in truth we just about fell all over ourselves.  But Marsha is made of some stern stuff, and we’re happy to report we didn’t scare her off with our borderline rabid fan girl behavior.  So, without further ado – here’s Marsha sharing with us the romance novels that got some of Harlequins “Famous Firsts” on the path to romance super-stardom!

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the creation of excellence or the achievement of success usually stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before.

There was little hesitation when I asked the Famous Firsts authors about the books that had turned them on to romance, or the authors that they had particularly loved. As you may have guessed, I fell under the spell of Jane Austen in high school, and a much-thumbed school edition of Pride and Prejudice still holds pride of place on my bookshelves.

I discovered that I shared that early delight with Stella Cameron, who also loved the Whiteoaks series.

For Carla Neggers, it was The Moonspinners, by Mary Stuart, which she read when she was twelve. A short dozen years later, she had produced her own first novel.

Anne Stuart was only ten when she fell under the gothic spell of Mistress of Mellyn by Victoria Holt. She asked her grandmother for the hardcover for Christmas, and thus began her romance reading career!

Joan Johnston loved Jude Devereux’s Velvet series. She was thrilled to be the winner of an autographed copy of Velvet Angel when it was raffled off at the second annual Romantic Times convention. She only had to pay the postage! She also mentioned that Roberta Gellis’s Rosalynde series taught her to bring dimension to her characters by having them say one thing and think something else entirely.

Kathleen Woodiwiss’s The Wolf and the Dove hooked Debbie Macomber. She also loved early Harlequin romances by Ann Mather and Violet Winspear.

Linda Lael Miller wasn’t a southern girl, but she fell hard for Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. (Another favorite of mine, too!) And Judith McNaught’s Whitney, My Love followed close behind.

Lori Foster claims that school never gave her a huge love of reading, but historical romances, such as those by Johanna Lindsay, really engaged her. Then she moved on to early books of Linda Howard and Jayne Ann Krentz, and the rest is history…..

Her journalism background caused Vicki Lewis Thompson to approach an early romance by Tate McKenna as a research project. What was all this fuss about romance writing? Could she do it? She sure could, and she sure did.

Now here’s a lovely story that I just learned. Lindsay McKenna met her husband in 1972, when she was in her late twenties. Her husband-to-be took his betrothed to Genevieve, Ohio to meet his mother, and the thing she most wanted to share with her soon-to-be daughter-in-law was her Harlequin romance novels. She was particularly fond of doctor/nurse stories. Lindsay dutifully took home ten or fifteen, read them, enjoyed them, but thought she could do better. So she decided to try writing one herself. She credits her mother-in-law with introducing her to the romance industry and starting her career!

What romances do you consider “classics”? Please share your favorites with me. I’d love to know what book or author initiated your romance reading habit!

Please be sure to come visit me at Pink Hearts on Thursday, June 18 and at The Misadventures of Super Librarian next Monday, June 22! I’ve had great fun on this tour and your comments have been fascinating.

My previous blogs stops include: Bookbinge, Plot Monkeys, Blaze authors blog, Romance Junkies, Romancing the Blog, Dear Author, Cataromance, and Teach Me Tonight – a different Harlequin Famous First story at every blog.

Don’t forget that you can enjoy 16 free Harlequin novels by downloading them at www.HarlequinCelebrates.com.

Contest Alert! We’ll be giving away two Harlequin tote bags, filled with eight (!) books by some of Harlequin’s Famous Firsts!  Share your favorite classic romance in the comments, and one lucky winner will be chosen at random.  Contest ends Monday, June 22!

February may be the shortest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean the Harlequin Digital Team has any shortage of exciting news to share with TGTBTU readers!  What does the team have in store for the cold winter nights?  Well how about a special coupon code for TGTBTU readers, several e-book bundles and series announcements, welcoming new authors into the fold, and a chance to escape to sunny Mexico?  Wow!  Read on to get the inside scoop…

Series Spotlight on…Harlequin Romance!
Warm your heart with the ultimate feel-good Harlequin Romance tales, our Series Spotlight for the month of February! Whether in an exotic setting or somewhere a little closer to home, you can’t miss the best in romantic fiction. To celebrate, all six books out this month belong to the special Diamond Brides miniseries – which is also available as a convenient eBook Bundle!

Plus, and a special for the Good, Bad, and Unread readers out there, we have an exclusive coupon to get 10% off Harlequin Romance books this month! Just use the coupon code SPOTLIGHTROMANCE at www.ebooks.eharlequin.com at checkout to save.

We’re romancing the iPhone…again
As part of our Anniversary celebration, we’ve partnered with Stanza, an eBook reading application, to make our 16 free titles available on the iPhone and iPod Touch. You can find out more from http://www.lexcycle.com/content/60th_anniversary_harlequin on how to enjoy these eBooks wherever you go.

And don’t forget that the free ebooks are also available at www.HarlequinCelebrates.com!

Longing for Moonlight in Mexico?
If you just can’t keep a secret, then sand-covered beaches might in your future with this sweepstakes.. The more people you tell about Moonlight in Mexico, the closer you are to your own sun-filled adventure. Visit www.eHarlequin.com/moonlightinmexico and fill out an entry. Then, pull out your address book and invite as many friends to enter as you can. Why? For every friend that enters, you earn a point and the better your chances are of winning. So, dust off your contact list and start saving up for a brand-new bikini, you could be savoring some much-needed time in the sun.

Buzz Books for February
Released this month exclusively in eBook format, we’ve got the Forged in Steele Bundle by USA Today bestselling author Brenda Jackson. You can enjoy her complete Forged of Steele series in one convenient download. As a little something extra, we’ve included the free bonus novella Never Too Late that introduces all the Steeles!

Harlequin heats up the New York Times bestseller list with two big titles this month – Susan Wiggs hit #1 with Fireside (MIRA) and Linda Lael Miller is sitting at #2 with her latest Western romance for HQN Books, Montana Creeds: Logan! Montana Creeds: Logan is also available as a special enriched ebook with bonus photos of the three Creed brothers. The next other Creeds – Dylan and Tyler — get their own books (and enhanced ebooks) in March and April, too.

A few more titles getting the buzz this month:
- The Courtship Dance by Candace Camp (HQN Book), the latest in her Matchmakers series of Regency romances
- A new installment of Robyn Carr’s Virgin River miniseries: Second Chance Pass (MIRA)
- Get hooked on sexy historicals with Charlotte Featherstone’s Spice title Addicted and Jade Lee’s The Concubine, a historical Harlequin Blaze set in Imperial China
- Harlequin Presents launches the first of an eight book miniseries International Billionaires, part of a deal with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) for rugby-related romances, with The Prince’s Waitress Wife by Sarah Morgan
- Caridad Pineiro adds a new story to her vampire miniseries The Calling! This time, it’s a Silhouette Nocturne Bite Honor Calls

Welcome another to the Harlequin Family!
Congratulations go out to Lucy King, who sold her first book to Mills & Boon Modern Heat! Her book won the Feel the Heat writing contest held though our blog, I Heart Presents. Lucy joins the ranks of fellow contest winner Lynn Raye Harris, who sold her first book to Harlequin after winning the Harlequin Presents Instant Seduction Contest last year.

From Harlequin, with Love
You didn’t think we’d do a February update without mentioning Valentine’s Day, did you?! As a little gift to our readers in honor of the most romantic day of year AND our 60th anniversary, we’ll be offering a FREE eBook A Valentine For Harlequin’s Anniversary at our eBook Store (www.ebooks.eharlequin.com), containing authors’ and readers’ cherished Harlequin memories and a short story An Evening to Remember by Catherine Mann.

If audibooks are your thing, we also have a FREE download of Stranded! by Lori Foster on Audible.com, too.

And be sure to pop by eHarlequin.com for more special offers over the Valentine’s Day weekend!

Happy Reading!

As I was putting together a list of books I wanted to review (not the list PamP was asking for but hey a list *g*) I noticed a few odd things

Yes first is the fact, I do plan to start reviewing again.  Well that isn’t odd to me since I had hoped to start in January, if the Topamax would let me.  (If you wonder what I mean by that look up that side effects) To borrow a phrase from my neuro more on that later…

The thing that *I* found most shocking was there are so many books coming out on January 27 (yes that is today) that I thought were rather awesome books. Since it must be in celebration of my birthday (yeah it was the 22nd but really it is close), I thought I would use the 4pm review spot to make a list! Well and because I can *g*

The Sins of Lord Easterbrook by Madeline Hunter – I was going to put this review up today at 4pm, I know isn’t it like so cool how I just change the rules for myself (generally 4pm is older book reviews ) but tis a duckies choice to change her mind and I decided to showcase all the releases today.  And it should be NO shock that I adored this book.  For historical fans you really need to get your feathers on down to the bookstore and get this, or download it or whatev.  Easterbrook demands to be read.  Trust me on this.

ETS: if you didn’t already know this… Madeline has joind the ever delightful women over @ The Goddess Blog

(almost didn’t put this summary cuz is SO doesn’t fit IMHO)

Only a desperate mission could bring Leona Montgomery face-to-face with the scoundrel whose dangerous sensuality once sent her fleeing from his arms. But she has under-estimated Christian, Marquess of Easterbrook. As irresistible as ever, his past swathed in mystery, Christian has his own plans for the woman he has waited seven years to claim. Yet once desire reignites, bringing a dangerous secret into the open, Leona will find herself bound to the seductive nobleman in ways she could never have imagined. Seven years have changed nothing: this man can tempt her to ruin with just one touch. With Leona’s reputation and hopes for her family’s salvation in tatters, she must follow the only course left to her…even as each step brings her closer to a shattering truth and a passion she can no longer live without….

Montana Creeds: Logan by Linda Lael Miller – wasn’t sure if I should include this or not but it does show ‘in stock’ at amazon. It is the first in a back to back trilogy from HQN. I read all three books around the end of December beginning of Jan and adored them all (Dylan the next was my fave). LLM is an old fave of mine who is very hit or miss so it was a delight to read three books in a row that were really all hits. It is a contemp western trilogy with three very estranged brothers. It is a great mix of what I loved in LLM older novels and what still is wonderful in her recent work without slamming any doors. And she does some great men, Holly you really need to read these and tell me what you think .

Descendants of the legendary McKettrick family, the Creeds are renowned in Stillwater Springs, Montana—for raising hell…

After years of wandering, Logan Creed, a cowboy with a dusty law degree, has returned home. To put down roots, to restore his family’s neglected ranch…to have kids of his own proudly bearing the Creed name.

Divorced mom Briana Grant has heard the stories about her gorgeous neighbor. So Logan’s kindness with her young boys is a welcome surprise, especially when her ex reappears. And when an unknown enemy vandalizes her home, Logan shows Briana—and the folks of Big Sky country—just what he’s made of.

Instant Attraction by Jill Shalvis – One of Jill’s best contemps yet and grand fun. You can step over to Book Binge and get some an awesome look at the book with some excerpts, reader questions answered by THE Jill and reviews already done by Holly and company.

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl – working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn’t fit in anywhere. That’s all she wants. Well, that – and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she’s crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed – that part defies explanation…After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he’ll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie’s killer smile triggers something deep in his gut…among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a check book is the biggest rush he’s ever felt – and an adventure Katie’s wishing would never end…

Dark of Night by Suzanne Brockmann – OUT TODAY and I admit I have gone back and forth with reviewing this cuz you people scare me. I am a spoilerwhore. I have read like oh three of these books. I liked Dark of Night, ask holly *g* who I texted repeatedly while reading it cuz I KNEW she would lurve that heeeee. But I am guessing what happens is gonna get a whole hellalot of omg how could SUZ!?!?! And I was just too dumb to be upset cuz I wasn’t invested enough to be… ::shrug:: and uh was that a spoiler?

Badly shaken after the loss of one of their own, the men and women of Troubleshooters Inc. go up against their most deadly opponents yet —- the clandestine organization called The Agency. Blackmail, extortion, murder: The Agency’s black-ops sector will apparently stop at nothing to achieve their objective. But this time they’ve gone too far and hit too close to home.

Led by former Navy SEAL Lawrence Decker, a team of investigators —- from FBI agent Jules Cassidy and former CIA operative Dave Malkoff, to Troubleshooters Sophia Ghaffari, Tess Bailey, and even receptionist Tracy Shapiro —- band together to uncover the truth, and bring the killers to justice.

But the stakes are raised even higher when Decker barely escapes an attempt on his life. It soon becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted —- and the Troubleshooters are no longer just solving a crime -— they’re fighting for survival.

also out today I am currently reading for review but can’t rec one way or the other cuz I am not far enough into so buy at your own risk:
Highland Warrior by Monica McCarty
Sandy’s first Duck Chat Author!

I have just started this so I can’t say much about it yet.  So no need to start worrying yet Monica .

Night After Night by Kathryn Smith – This is the last of Brotherhood of the Blood series and I am pretty sure I have read it but the time I got the ARC hits about the time I was in the hospital so before I review it I need to reread it. Yes better living through chemicals. (this would be why I spent most of Nov and Dec rereading older romance novels but that is a list for another time)

My Man Michael by Lori Foster

I know many here do not care for Lori Fosters books but I do so have a soft spot for her.  I have loved this series and really enjoyed the last book.  I am only a chapter or so into this so can’t at all say if this one will work for me or not.

I am sure there are more books coming out today.  Like the SEP (that I really should make sure got to the reviewer it was suppose to go to… see my memory not so good) So what are you looking forward to that hit the shelves today? What have you read that you want to shout about that came out today? What did you write that comes out today? Feel free to pimp… it you know you wanna

This just in…

Mark your calendars now for Lori Foster’s and Dianne Castell’s 2009 Reader and Author Get Together. This is the fifth year for the event that not only allows readers to mingle with authors, but also for aspiring writers to meet with editors and hopefully sell their ideas.

~ This year’s event will be held June 5th through 7th at the Cincinnati Marriott North in West Chester, Ohio. Currently there are 61 authors signed up for the event, but there may be many more by the time of the get-together.  Last year’s event had more than 200 authors (both print and ebook published) and readers.

~ The cost to register for this year’s event is $50 and includes two dinners and a lunch.   Registration is open until May 19, 2009.  Be sure to register early and get your hotel reservation made now.  Last year a second hotel had to be added to accommodate all the attendees.

~ As in the past, there will be lots of baskets being raffled to raise money for a charity.  This year all the money raised from the raffle will go to One Way Farm Children’s Home of Fairfield Ohio.  Also the anthology, Tails of Love, which features not only Lori but Stella Cameron, Sue-Ellen Welfonder, Kate Angell, Sarah McCarty, Donna MacMeans, Dianne Castell, Patricia Sargeant, Ann Christopher, and Marcia James, will be for sale. Author and agent proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Animal Adoption Foundation, which is a no-kill shelter.

~ I went last year and must say if you get the chance to go…GO! It is fun weekend. I got to meet so many wonderful people. I had my books signed by my favorite authors, had breakfast with Anya Bast, Lauren Dane, and Megan Hart and discussed books with Anne Rainey and Kelley Nyrae.

Consider yourself flashed.

Limecello’s review of Caught! by Lori Foster
Contemporary anthology released by Harlequin 1 Oct 08 (reissue of two older categories)

I tend to enjoy Lori Foster’s writing, and have been looking forward to this book for a while. It actually didn’t contain the stories I thought it would, but in a way that was better, because I’ve never read Taken! or Say Yes before. The stories themselves are cute and enjoyable, but overall not very memorable. But, they definitely serve as a quick, fun read. Harlequin seems to be republishing a number of older stories, and this is a great opportunity to buy a few that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to find.  It was nice to be able to read two of Ms. Foster’s older books. They make an interesting and enjoyable comparison to her current novels.

Taken!
Originally released by Harlequin Temptation 1 Aug 98

Dillon and Virginia are both very likable characters, and have a unique relationship. First of all, Ms. Foster turns the proverbial tables in that Virginia is Dillon’s boss. It’s a lot of fun because both of them have incredibly strong type-A personalities. Dillon is “undercover,” however, so he has to yield to what Virginia wants (at first). But once the situation escalates, Dillon lays down the law.

I felt that both the characters were very well developed. You got a sense of who they were – their character, and what they stood for. Dillon and Virginia are both people you’d like and respect. The secondary characters were a bit weak, but the focus is mostly on Virginia and Dillon. The plot of Taken! is interesting, but seems a bit far fetched.  Still, the romance is there, and the reader definitely believes Dillon and Virginia have a strong emotional connection. (And it doesn’t hurt they’re incredibly compatible sexually.) I also liked the ending. It was unexpected, but perfectly fitting. A nice way to wrap up the story and character’s situations.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Things are heating up between security expert Dillon Jones and the notorious Virginia Johnson! They’re trying to find out who framed Dillon’s brother for embezzlement. As they search for the truth, Dillon can’t help but draw closer to feisty Virginia. His code of honor is barely keeping him in check…but leave it to a take-charge woman to take what she wants!

Say Yes
Originally released by Harlequin Duets 1 Mar 00

Sara and Gavin have an incredibly normal, and almost mundane story – but at the same time it’s entertaining, and draws you in. Sara and Gavin live in a small town and I believe the entire book is set in Sara’s home. And it takes place over a number of days – but at no time does the plot stagnate. I enjoyed Say Yes because it focuses entirely on Sara and Gavin’s relationship, with no unnecessary distractions such as deranged gunmen or serial killers, etc.  I also liked it because stories where the hero pursues the heroine are my favorite.

Gavin knows he could have something special with Sara from the start. Unfortunately, at the time they meet, both are in relationships. The book begins with a resolution of that issue, and it’s so very entertaining to read how Gavin worms his way into Sara’s life, and all his clever machinations. I liked Gavin’s family, and the secondary characters were interesting enough. What I didn’t like as much was Sara’s issues and hang ups. While they’re valid, the way they were written detracted a bit from my level of empathy. Nevertheless, this is a cute story that I enjoyed reading. For those of you who like animals and/or pets, there are a number of furry friends in this book that add a lot of character and humor.

Grade: C-

Summary:

After finding her—now former—fiancé in bed with another woman, Sara Simmons decides that love and marriage just aren’t for her. What she needs is a hot fling. Enter hunky next-door neighbor Gavin Blake. But Gavin is playing for keeps, and he’s vowed to hold out for more than sex. Begging isn’t Sara’s style…but she will if he won’t!

If you’re looking for a book that’s fun and lighthearted, with some heat (but not too much) this book is perfect for you. There’s enough plot to keep you engaged, but the focus is definitely on the character’s relationships. It’s a “throwback” to romance from an older era, but I look at that as a positive. It’s nice to have a simple story that is what it is. I’ve enjoyed most of Ms. Foster’s backlist and this is no exception.

I recommend this book to any Ms. Foster fans as well as those who liked the older Harlequin books (or recent ones as well).

Overall Grade: C+

You can read an excerpt here. (No really, just scroll down a bit – it’s by the product description.)

LauraJ’s review of The Watson Brothers by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance single author anthology re-released by Kensington 1 Sep 08

I love Lori Foster’s novella stories. I haven’t read too many of her full length novels, but I have several on my tbr shelf. She’s just one of those authors I can go to if I want a good quick read. I know I’m going to get a fun, hot story every time. This book is a Wal-Mart reprint of novellas featuring Sam, Gil, and Pete Watson [Ed.: couldn't find the book on Wal-Mart's site, oddly enough]. All three stories can be found in the earlier anthologies: Bad Boys on Board (Sam), Bad Boys to Go (Gil) and Bad Boys in Black Tie (Pete). I have to say while I do have all three anthologies on my tbr shelf, I’m glad to have all three brothers in one book.

Story 1: “My House, My Rules”

In the first story, Sam is undercover to catch a mugger targeting drunks but has his cover almost blown when Ariel, thinking she is “saving” Sam gets involved in his bust. Sam has had eyes for Ariel for a long time but has kept a hands off policy for two reasons, she’s too young and she is his brother Pete’s ex-girlfriend. Ariel has made up her mind that it’s Sam she wants, now she has to convince him.

This was probably my favorite of the three stories as I tend to like the alpha male heroes. Sam is defiantly an alpha male and one who has met his match with the feisty, determined Ariel. I loved their interaction, Sam determined to convince Ariel that she can’t handle a man like him, Ariel determined to show him exactly what she can handle.

Grade: A

Summary:

Tough, rugged cop Sam Watson has a reputation for being a hero on the job and delivering mind-blowing pleasure in the bedroom. But the only woman who drives him over the edge is the one who’s completely wrong for him – the sweetly sexy and extremely determined Ariel. When Ariel’s headstrong ways nearly wreck one of Sam’s string operations – ruining her alluring dress in the process – Sam offers her a ride to his place to clean up. But once there, Ariel seems to have her own agenda, and Sam decides it’s time to show the lady that if she wants to play games of seduction, he’ll be calling the shots, turning her every fantasy into a night of unimagined bliss.

Read an excerpt.

Story 2: “Bringing Up Baby”

The second story has middle brother Gil finding out that he has a daughter he knew nothing about, the result of a fling while on a business trip. The mother of the daughter has died and the woman raising her has decided that Gil needs to know so that he can help her protect the little girl. Anabel has raised Nicole since her birth because the mother and Anabel’s friend and roommate had no real interest in doing so. When Nicole’s maternal grandparents want to take custody of Nicole, Anabel goes to Gil with a proposition to keep Nicole in both of their lives.

This was probably the least of my favorite stories. I’m one of those readers that can take or leave kids in a story. As long as they add to the story and not distract I don’t mind them being there. Nicole is a central character in this story and it was a nice change since most stories I have read seem to add them for no real reason other than for the cute factor. The only problem I had with Nicole was that I thought she acted a little for her age. Anabel and Gil are both very likeable and compliment each other well and I enjoyed their story, but it didn’t grab me like Sam and Pete’s story did.

Grade: B

Summary:

Gil Watson has always been the responsible one, running the family business and keeping his brothers out of trouble. Of course there was that one wild night on a business trip… the one that resulted in a daughter he never knew he had. By the time Gil finds out about her, the little girl’s mother is already gone. Gil is determined to do the right thing, even if it means a marriage of convenience with the woman who’s been raising his baby. Anabel Truman is sarcastic, free-spirited, and totally wrong for him. But the sensations she rouses in him feel totally right – stirrings that have nothing to do with being good and everything to do with being very, very naughty. Once Gil gets unbuttoned, there’s no going back.

Read an excerpt.

Story 3: “Good With His Hands”

The final story is about Sam and Gil’s youngest brother Pete. He’s had the hots for his best friend and co-worker for sometime, but not wanting to ruin that friendship he’s kept a hands off policy until now and well Cassidy just doesn‘t seem interested in him for anything other than friendship. Cassidy has secretly lusted after Pete. He’s everything she doesn’t think she wants in a man, but still wants him anyway. She wants a man who is settled in life and Pete and his carefree attitude don’t fit that description. When Cassidy rejects Pete again he decides it’s time to go for it and take their friendship to a new level.

This story takes place five years after the first two. Pete spent the first two stories tormenting his brothers about their love lives and now he finally match. Sam and Gil of course return to payback Pete for teasing in the earlier stories and we are able to catch up with their HEA. I liked him for his fun loving, laid back attitude. He was the perfect hero to lighten up the goal-oriented, Cassidy. She needed to have Pete help her see that it was important to set goals that are what she wants, not what she thinks her parents want.

Grade: B+

Summary:

As next-door neighbors and best friends, Pete Watson and Cassidy McClannahan have a “no sex” relationship. “No sex” equals continuing friendship. “Ohmygodyes” sex equals big problems and probably some serious dish throwing. It may be a rigid rule, but it works. Until Pete decides he wants to push the line. If sensible Cassidy won’t take his hints, he’s ready to transform himself into the perfect “black tie” guy he thinks she wants. And once she’s in his arms, he’ll show her just what else that black tie can do…

Read an excerpt.

I am so glad to have all three stories in one book. You can really see the family dynamics of the Watson family much better. The three brothers are all so different, but it’s a family that laughs together, harasses each other, protects one another, and, most of all, loves each other.

Ms. Foster has several other books re-issued this way and more to come and you can bet I will be picking those up too.

Overall Grade: B+

Limecello’s review of Mr. November by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Temptation 1 Nov 01, repub’d 1 Jun 08 in anthology, Heartbreakers

Lori Foster has been writing romances for some time now, and a number of her books are being re-published. Mr. November is one of them. I’ve read the other two (Caught in the Act and Treat Her Right) in the trilogy of sorts, and found Mr. November very enjoyable. I’m glad I finally got my hands on this story.

Amanda Barker is an interesting heroine – she’s young, but doesn’t act her age, considering she’s carried years of guilt and the weight of lives on her shoulders. She’s a sympathetic character, but I didn’t feel as bad for her as I might have, because it got a bit excessive. I can understand irrational responses to terrible situations, but I don’t want it to reach irritating proportions in a character. Still, Amanda was smart and sassy – albeit a bit flat. Nevertheless, Amanda is an admirable person and I wish she’d been included in more stories.

Josh Marshall is a great character. Not only do the heroes generally take the limelight in Ms. Foster’s books, Josh has appeared in a number of her other ones as a favorite. He’s the quintessential bachelor and player. He likes the ladies and they really like him. Still, Josh has no interest in being a beefcake for Amanda’s charity calendar. Josh is pretty easy going and seems superficial, but deep down he’s a great guy. Once he actually interacts with Amanda he realizes he’s falling for her head over heels, and is quite happy to start settling down. Josh has great personality, and is fun to read.

I felt that some of the story was rather weak – specifically Amanda’s insistence on Josh being in the calendar. She was so certain his image would be the one to sell it – then put him as Mr. November. I don’t know about you, but November makes me think turkey, football and pumpkin pie (mmm) – not super hot guys. Ah well, it provides for all the interaction between Josh and Amanda, and it’s a minor point I’m willing to let go of.

Ms. Foster does and excellent job crafting the interaction between Josh and Amanda. The sparks are tangible, and their chemistry is explosive. Amanda and Josh are instantly attracted to each other, though they go about expressing it and dealing with it in entirely different ways. For Josh it’s all too welcome, but for Amanda, she can’t run fast enough. This made the story interesting, and it’s always nice to see a “normal” guy hot in pursuit of a woman he loves.

Another positive was how Ms. Foster writes their relationship. Josh and Amanda clearly feel strongly about each other, and have a definite bond – they also don’t rush things physically, which lends itself to a lot of delicious sexual tension throughout the book. I also appreciated how the reader was able to follow the emotional bonds from inception to happy ending. While Ms. Foster’s writing can at times be a bit formulaic, it didn’t really detract from the plot and I enjoyed the story all the same.

For those of you who have read Caught in the Act and/or Treat Her Right I definitely recommend you read Mr. November. Otherwise, I recommend this book to all fans of Lori Foster, as well as those looking for a short, sweet, and overall lighthearted romance. A definite mood brightener.

Grade: B+

She needed him for a good cause
Amanda Barker had to have firefighter Josh Marshall. With his sexy body, killer smile and incredible reputation as a lady’s man, he’d sell a million of her fund-raising calendars. But Josh wasn’t cooperating, and he wasn’t playing fair…

He needed her for … other good things

If there was one thing Josh knew, it was that where there’s smoke there’s fire. And Ms. Amanda Barker was smokin’. Over and over, he’d refused her requests to post for a calendar, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. And neither would he when he laid out the rules: he’d agree to meet her needs, if she agreed to meet his…

Read an excerpt here.

This book is currently re-released as part of the anthology Heartbreakers.

I’m sitting here in my living room typing this up and trying to recover from my fabulous weekend spent in West Manchester, Ohio at the Lori Foster and Dianne Castell Reader/Writer Get Together. This was the 4th year for the event, my first and it brought together over 250 authors (published and epub), readers, future writers, editors and publishers. The event also raised money for the Conductive School of Learning, the Animal Adoption Foundation and our troops serving overseas.

The event started Friday evening. It was a chance to get to mingle, eat pizza, get books signed by the authors and just hang out. We also were able to check out and start dropping our tickets into the drawings for all the fabulous (and I do mean fabulous) gift baskets that were donated by authors, publishers, and even a couple of readers. I actually was able to win two baskets (YAY me!!) and I got to say it was like Christmas morning going through them. A couple of the raffle baskets contained eReaders and they of course were very popular. Also about 20 of the authors got together and had a drawing for a Kindle eReader that everyone got to participate in just by being there. We also had a pirate quiz for some prizes and a few door prizes were given away. Thanks to some very generous donations from publishers and authors we all received at least 3 books and Samhain Publishing gave all the attendees very nice bags for the event (Thank You Samhain!!!).

After dinner, a trivia event was held hosted by J.C. Wilder, Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast. We divided up into teams (well kinda people came and went as the event progressed) and had 4 categories to choose from, sort of a mini version of Jeopardy (but more fun). Pop Culture category was surprisingly the favorite of the evening. We also had General Trivia, Hero and Heroines and Books and Authors. Prizes were hands out throughout the night. After that everyone kind of scattered and did their own things.

Saturday was a big day for everyone. Breakfast was served and we spent some more time mingling with everyone. There was a small panel discussion and question session with a Border’s buyer, 3 epublishers, Michelle Buonfiglio of Romance By the Book and Barbara Vey of Publisher’s Weekly. Then we got down to the serious stuff–raffle basket giveaways, lunch and then more raffle basket giveaways. That afternoon there was a session open to the public and some of the authors sat up tables to meet and sell their books. Barnes & Noble also had a room set up to sell books of many of the authors in attendance. There was also a book exchange. Attendees were encouraged to bring books to trade. It was a bit of a madhouse, but I was still able to clear out some of my old books and pick up a few older titles that I missed. That evening several different group outings were scheduled from shopping at malls and bookstores to line-dancing (which unfortunately didn’t get to happen, but hopefully we will get to next year).

Sunday morning several choices for breakfast with the authors were set up. My friend and I went with Lauren Dane, Megan Hart and Anya Bast and had so much fun. (Sidenote to Lauren, Megan, Anya and Laura B.–I am so sorry for getting us a little lost going to Half Price Books. But, really it was my GPS’s fault *g*). Then it was time to say goodbye until next year.

I will be going next year. This was such an awesome event that was laid back, relaxed and just gave everyone a chance to hang out and have fun as well as raise money for some very deserving organizations. I got to see and catch up with some authors that I have met before and even met a few that I have wanting to meet (SQUEE–Lucy Monroe!!) and I met some of my online book friends (it really is great to have a face to go with a name now). The money raised for the organizations was amazing. $525 plus supplies to send to the troops, $1064 for the animal shelter plus supplies and $4,552.50 for the Conductive School of Learning and that doesn’t include what B&N is donating from the book sales.

Lori and Dianne have already begun planning for next year’s event, which will be held June 5th-7th, 2009. I’m sure Lori will be posting information about the 2009 event as soon as she recovers from 2008′s event and gets more information on 2009′s.

Sybil’s review of The Power of Love by Foster, McCarthy, Laurey, Stockham, Blake, Castell, Sargeant, McLane, Monroe, Kelley, Maynard, and Wilder
Special Romance Anthology released by Berkley on 3 Jun 08

The Power of Love isn’t at all what I thought it would be. Novellas are hard to do well. Make it a short story and it more often than not doesn’t work for me. Add in the awesome fact the author’s proceeds go to The YMCA Battered Women’s Shelter of Cincinnati – well I was expecting more women’s fiction than romance. I was very wrong.

Each of these women deserve a round of applause. Not only did they put together a book for a great cause, they did it well. These are not throw away stories. Each story ranges from a nice bite to a snack size and the overall book will give you a great taste for each author’s writing.

We are talking 305 pages and 12 authors, so I am going this a touch differently than a normal review. You can find the summary and a bit of background here. And excerpts Vol I and Vol II have been posted as well. The reviews are arranged by grade, not order of appearance in the book.

Grade: A+

Salesman of the Year by Karen Kelley
This was a hard story for me to grade because I so adore the author but haven’t been able to read a book of hers lately that worked for me. Karen Kelley is awesome on the funny, which rarely works for me. Salesman of the Year is a tale of second chances and finding the stregth in yourself to be who you want and not what you are told to be. In 20 pages she wasn’t able to flesh out the heroine as well as she could have but since I knew to expect that going in I went with what I was told. Because no woman deserves an Adam…

Angel in the Alley by Patricia Sargeant
Completely loved this story and was surprised because I admit I saw ‘Angel’ in the title and my reaction was ACK here be inspy. I am not sure if Patricia was going for an inspy feel to her tale or not but it is a fabulous story. My complaint is I wanted more pages because it was wanted more with more time with Archer.

Grade: A

Unpredictable by Erin McCarthy
Predictably I loved this story. The h/h were fantastic and interesting. McCarthy shines in novella form and this, while not her best, shows just what she can do. I really hope Kensington does for her what they did with Foster’s Truth or Dare and McKenna’s All About Men – release her Bad Boy novella’s in a MM book with just her connected stories.

Chicken Soup for Annie by Luanne McLane
This is an author I have never been able to connect with and don’t think I have finished a novel by her yet. Again she is one who does well with the funny (and I don’t). I was shocked by how much I adored this story. I would have given it an A+ but honestly I wish she hadn’t of put it in here (although it fits perfectly with the theme) because even though the story begins and ends to where you KNOW where they are going. I wanted to read it all.

Dance the Fandango by Rosemary Laurey
This is another tale of 2nd chances only this time it is for LOVE itself not a love lost. I didn’t expect a 65 year-old heroine and honestly do not pick them up to read that much. Dance the Fandango works perfectly in The Power of Love and is done very well. But man the kids annoyed and hello they were in their 30s.

Grade: A-

Sweet Dreams by Lori Foster
I LOVED how this story unfolds and Foster shows why so many people love her novellas. She is awesome at building a story, characters you care for and telling a whole story in a short page count. This one was 23 pages! I would have given this an A+ but the five year wait didn’t work for me – just too long

The Mouse Who Roared by J.C. Wilder
This is the one story I would say isn’t a romance, doesn’t tell a whole story and is more of a moment in time. But more than that it is THE beginning of a woman taking control of her future and embodies what “I think” this gift of stories is about. I was too bummed that it ended like it did to give it an A but it is a fabulous story of finding your strength and going for it.

Grade: B+

The Girl Next Door by Janice Maynard
TGND seemed a touch out of place because it starts from Jason’s pov (the hero). A tale you all know, parent’s die sibling comes home to raise the younger kids. Somewhere along the lines lurve developed between a best friend forever of one of the sibs. I love those stories. Don’t ask me why, I have no idea. And I loved Jason and Felicity.

Grade: B

No Angel by Lucy Monroe
This is a would be office romance story and I like those. No Angel has a Harlequin Presents feel to it but too much time was spent away from the h/h. With the page count being so small I would have like to have more time with Cheryl and Zack.

Hannah’s Choice by Kay Stockham
Another 2nd chance at love story… do so love those. Hannah and Mitch are great characters. And you feel so much for them in so few pages. This is a grade A story that is missing at least 10 pages. (at least) Hannah’s choice to run made sense but not from Mitch. Mitch is too great a guy and the author doesnt have enough time to sell why Hannah made such a bonehead move.

Grade: C

Last of the Red-Hot Mammas by Dianne Castell
I think this was my least favorite story. It isn’t really bad but I just couldn’t take that ride. The plot seemed to unbelievable and the characters didn’t click with me enough to over come that. It is a sweet story but I can’t see any school wanting the Principal to behave like that.

After Hours by Toni Blake
More lurve in the office… only this one the hero annoyed. And there wasn’t enough room for Michael to grovel enough. Odd it seemed like there wasn’t enough connection between the h/h, thinking back on it I think this was the steamiest story. Blake can do really steamy really well when she wants too.

Overall this really is a great novel to pick up and get a chance to try out 12 different authors. Or, if you are already a fan of Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy, you will want to pick this up. And of course it is supporting a great cause – by helping people by buying a book .

Overall Grade: A-

Blurb:

In this engaging anthology of never-before-published stories, twelve award-winning and bestselling authors are united by their unique visions of the resilient woman and her quest for self, for fulfillment, for empowerment, and for an enriching new appreciation for what love really means—and why it matters.

A young woman is torn between the overbearing security of her fiancé and the excitement of an old flame…a desperate wife is forced into the workplace for the first time in her life…an ambitious professional woman finally finds the courage to take control of her career—and her man…an emotionally fragile divorcee finds resolve in the ethereal visitations of an archangel. These are just some of the women who discover and rediscover their wonderfully fallible selves in the shadow of love—romantic love, platonic love, new love, and lost love. You’ll be touched, inspired, charmed, and amused by these twelve original stories of disparate longings, unsettled lives, and the power of love.

Read short excerpts of each story here.

The Power of Love, Special Anthology. Coming from Berkley Trade June 3, 2008.

Since this is an anthology with 12 authors the stories range in size. So the excerpts are pretty short. But hey we got you something! We will have two posts a volume I and II.

enjoy!

“Sweet Dreams” by Lori Foster

Cara Compton woke from a deep sleep, bolting upright in her bed, her eyes wide in the dark room.

Holy smokes.

She ran her hands over her face and realized she was damp with sweat. And no wonder. Given that vivid, purely sexual dream…

Appalled at herself, needing to dissipate the effects of the dream, she threw back the sheet and sat up to turn on a lamp. The June weather had turned stifling hot, and no air stirred in her room. Trying to obliterate the tingling in her stomach and on her skin, she strode to the window to open it wider. It slid up easily, letting in a warm, restless breeze, and…

Her heart froze in her throat.

Across the way, in the same apartment complex but in the building adjacent to hers, the object of her hotter-than-hot dream stood at his own window. A soft light limned his body.

Jamison Lawton. Bare-chested. His hair mussed. Knowing he looked right at her, Cara lifted a limp hand to wave.

“Unpredictable” by Erin McCarthy

Hannah saw it coming. As a man drenched in sweat wearing a knit cap came barreling toward her she sidestepped him, reaching out her hand to catch the purse she knew he would drop.

What she didn’t anticipate was the police dog.

Until she was pinned against the wall being held hostage by yellowed fangs and a vicious snarl.

“Good doggie. You’re not going to bite me or drool on my rayon skirt, are you?” Clutching the purse, she tried not to move, annoyed that yet again her mild psychic ability had provided her with thoroughly useless information, like when to catch the purse, but failed to warn her she was the next episode of When Animals Attack.

“I didn’t steal the purse,” she pleaded with Lieutenant Lease, who growled again, showing no sign of easing up. “This has all been a mistake, really.”

“He can’t understand you, you know.”

Hannah looked past the toffee fur into the amused eyes of one very good looking cop, uniform straining across his broad chest.

“Recall, Ralph.”

The dog sat down and his tongue lolled out.

“After Hours” by Toni Blake,

At first, his mouth barely grazed her lips, yet the leisure it released inside her was immeasurable. When the kiss grew firmer, more demanding, it moved through her like warm liquid, slow but potent. By the time it ended, they were both breathing heavy, the only sound in the room.

Their eyes met, and despite being in a high-rise office building that bustled with hundreds of people each day, Marla felt completely isolated, like nothing existed but the two of them, and desire. It was late enough that even the vague sounds of downtown traffic on the streets below had faded to nothing.

And something in his eyes, in her heart, in the passion that now stretched so tautly between them, urged Marla to make the boldest move of her life.

“Last of the Red Hot Mammas” by Dianne Castell,

Gloria knew that Ten Steps to Finding the Perfect Gigolo was not what she wanted even if her sister and the rest of Savannah insisted it truly was. So she seemed a bit cranky, irritable and been a long time without a man. Heck, she’d survived the divorce, got custody of Dacey against her ex and his high-faulting lawyers and even started Scrumptious Savannah. All was well. She’d won!

Or had she? A brush with cancer made one man run for the hills and the chance of another man taking off when things went straight to hell was more of a gamble than Gloria was willing to take … until Rab Langley came to town and turned her life and her heart upside down.

“Salesman of the Year” by Karen Kelley

“Hi, Jenny.” Devon’s words were spoken with a soft, Southern drawl.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, a lazy smile lifting one side of his mouth. His dark hair was still a little too long, just like in high school. He hadn’t cut it back then, either. He’d spent a lot of time in detention his senior year. The bad boy of Austin High.

The rebel that had all the girls drooling, including her.

She cleared her throat, pulling herself back to the present. “Devon, what are you doing here?”

“I grew up and became a Realtor.” His gaze lazily roamed over her again, bringing a flush to her cheeks. “And I see you grew up.”

“Dance the Fandango” by Rosemary Laurey

“Querida, I miss you. Two days is a long time.”

“You’re right there! I’m tempted to leave my bedroom window open but I don’t want to see my daughters dropping dead from shock if they decide to bring me a cup of early morning coffee.”

“True. No point in scandalizing the young. They shock so easily.”

“You can say that again.”

“I would rather say, “I love you’.”

”I love you, too, Juan.” Wondrous really, after losing Sam she’d been empty, hollow.

Juan had changed all that.

“Tell me, my love, would Sunday be the time for me to ask their permission to marry you?”

“You don’t need to ask anyone but me, and I’ve already said ‘yes.’”

“It might help.”

He was right. Much as the thought rankled. “Ask Simon. The sons-in-law can go sing, and the girls will probably want to debate it and take a vote.”

The Power of Love, Special Anthology. Coming from Berkley Trade June 3, 2008. Read on for the blurb, a video and some very special news about this new anth.

12 Original Stories by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Rosemary Laurey, Kay Stockham, Toni Blake, Dianne Castell, Patricia Sargeant, Luanne McLane, Lucy Monroe, Karen Kelley, Janice Maynard & J.C. Wilder

In this engaging anthology of never-before-published stories, twelve award-winning and bestselling authors are united by their unique visions of the resilient woman and her quest for self, for fulfillment, for empowerment, and for an enriching new appreciation for what love really means—and why it matters.

A young woman is torn between the overbearing security of her fiancé and the excitement of an old flame…a desperate wife is forced into the workplace for the first time in her life…an ambitious professional woman finally finds the courage to take control of her career—and her man…an emotionally fragile divorcee finds resolve in the ethereal visitations of an archangel. These are just some of the women who discover and rediscover their wonderfully fallible selves in the shadow of love—romantic love, platonic love, new love, and lost love. You’ll be touched, inspired, charmed, and amused by these twelve original stories of disparate longings, unsettled lives, and the power of love.

*All author and agent proceeds go to a battered women’s shelter.*

The blog will be buying a copy to give away. And will pick a winner from the comments out of the PoL excerpts and this post. We will announce the winner Friday May 23, 2008.

You can pre-order your copy here. I know Laura J will be picking it up. And I will be… hey Erin McCarthy, Lucy Monroe and Lori Foster… those are some of my faves just right there. And if you like teh funny, you can’t beat Karen Kelley. Really, you should buy two copies .

Finn’s review of Hard to Handle (SBC Fighters, Book 3) by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance released by Berkley 5 Feb 08

This was a great story.

It is about Harley, a mixed martial arts fighter, and Stasia a life coach. Harley has twice been up for the ‘big fight’ but something seems to always get in the way. So he’s out in the woods renting a cabin from Stasia, recovering from an injury that made him miss his last title fight. At first he is not interested in her; he just wants to get back in shape so he can win his belt.

The two are thrown together when someone tries to kill Stasia. The more she gets to know Harley the more she knows he needs her skills as a life coach. Harley’s uncle/manager is too interested in controlling Harley’s life and Stasia wants to help. They finally throw all their problems aside and come together.

I am not really into that MMA fighting. I don’t really enjoy men beating each other. Luckily, there is no match until the end of the book and it’s over fast – no blood and guts. Yea!

I really liked the interaction of the characters in this book. This is Foster’s third book about fighters. I just might have to check out the others!

Grade: A

Read Sandy’s review here.

From the back cover:

     After Fate deals Supreme Battle Challenge (SBC) fighter Harley Handleman a sucker punch, his uncle secretly hires a pretty life-coach to get Harley back in the ring of life. Anastasia Kelley has actually known Harley for years, but never as well as she’s going to now. Hot for his fighter’s form, she has trouble keeping it professional, especially since Harley doesn’t know she was hired. And when Anastasia turns the tables on him, it’s as if he’s been hit below the belt. But that’s also where his uncontrollable lust for her burns.

     Read four (count ‘em, 4) excerpts.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Hard to Handle (SBC Fighters, Book 3) by Lori Foster
Contemporary romance released by Berkley 5 Feb 08

I know that books are supposed to have conflict to offer suspense, tension, and mystery.  Sometimes the conflict goes on a little bit too long and a story loses its shine. This is one of those books for me.

Harley and Anastasia, although they’ve know one another for a time through business dealings (he rents a cabin from her every year), have never looked at one another with attraction until the day Harley stops by her cabin and helps her chop some wood. He sits in her kitchen in his skivvies while his clothes are drying, and the banter between these two characters is fun and friendly with Harley being slightly insulted that Stasia doesn’t seem interested when every other woman he’s ever met is ready and willing to jump into his bed.

We learn that she has secretly pined for him, watched his fights on TV, but she won’t let him know that because of the rumors she’s heard around town. However, even though he is interested now because of her lack of it, she knows nothing can come of their attraction, so she pushes him out the door and heads him on his way. But an ensuing mystery brings them back together and they spend a semi-heated night together that will keep them yearning for each other even while apart.

Harley is a strong, alpha male determined to control the women in his life and in his bed, but he enjoys those women only for a night or two before he goes on to the next one waiting in the wings. His training to win the belt in his weight division is more important than anything, especially a lasting relationship. Stasia is also strong-willed and independent and won’t give in to Harley’s seductive ways, as much as she’d love to. She knows a relationship with him is not to be.

There are a couple of teasing scenes to show us how good they would be together, but they also show us that Harley won’t stick around once the final deed is ever done and Anastasia knows that. It’s Harley’s attitude that goes on a little too long for me. He is so attracted to Stasia that he thinks about her all the time, but that never makes him look at having a relationship with her any differently from any other woman he’s ever had. I got really frustrated with that after a while, which irritated me further because I like Harley. He’s a stand-up guy. He works hard. He knows what he wants most of the time. I like Stasia too. She sticks to her guns because she knows Harley and she wrestles with herself more about her feelings than he does.

I enjoyed all the characters in this book, so much that I’d like to read the two previous books in the series, Causing Havoc and Simon Says. I really liked Barber and so liked when the love bug  bit him. Jasmine is perfect for him: puts him in his place every time and makes him forget any other women he’s had in his life.

The mystery in the story is a good one, but it’s wrapped up a little too quickly with an ending that didn’t play right for me. It was too convenient and not explained completely enough once we find out who the culprit is.

If Harley had come to his senses a little earlier, I would have enjoyed this book more. By the time he got there, I was too far past caring that it didn’t have the impact it should have.

Grade: C-

From the back cover:

     After Fate deals Supreme Battle Challenge (SBC) fighter Harley Handleman a sucker punch, his uncle secretly hires a pretty life-coach to get Harley back in the ring of life. Anastasia Kelley has actually known Harley for years, but never as well as she’s going to now. Hot for his fighter’s form, she has trouble keeping it professional, especially since Harley doesn’t know she was hired. And when Anastasia turns the tables on him, it’s as if he’s been hit below the belt. But that’s also where his uncontrollable lust for her burns.

     Read four (count ‘em, 4) excerpts.

Other books in this series:

geeze wasn’t someone suppose to be watching me or something? next thing you know, I am gonna have to be responsible for my own actions… 

But hey I could drink my money away or have a shoe habit or whatever

hi my name is sybil and I am a bookaholic

Trade:
Men of August – Marly’s Choice By Lora Leigh
Thanks nicole! I really need to set up a trade list or something.

Used:
Southern Comfort by Karen Kelley
I have never heard of this book or this author. Anyone have an opinion?

Widow’s Little Secret by Judith Stacy
I am a Harlequin Historical whore, what can I say.

Letters From a Stranger, Forever and a Day and Unspoken Vows by Connie Rinehold
Kristie J made me do it. Well she rec’ed Letters and I am easy.

New:
Jamie by Lori Foster
This is the end of the Visitation series. I really didn’t think I would like this and had Just Say No to Joe forever before I read it. For whatever reason it completely caught my interest. Lori Foster is a hit or miss author for me. I hope this ends the series well.

Beach Blanket Bad Boys by Linda Lael Miller, Alison Kent, Lucy Monroe, Jill Shalvis, Susanna Carr, Morgan Leigh
note to self: order trade size books from amazon or bamm. I just paid 15.00 bucks for this. The line up of authors is great so I am hoping it was worth it and it is the second of the bad boy books I have bought new. So all in all it is worth the price. But the next one, will be purchased online.

Bad in Boots – Colt’s Choice by Patrice Michelle
I love a good western, make it a hot western and I am in heaven. I have only read one story by Patrice Michelle Hearts Are Wild with Cheyenne McCray , Patrice Michelle , Nelissa Donovan and I enjoyed her story. This is the second in the Bad in Boots series and in sybilfashion I don’t have the first one yet. oops I do have Dragon’s Heart, A Taste for Passion (vamps) and A Taste for Revenge (vamps) to read. She does say there will be more BiB books coming as well as the vamps.

Beauty Like the Night by Liz Carlyle
New to me author, I am really enjoying her backlist.

Marry the Man Today by Linda Needham
I am not really sure why the hell I bought this. I have only read two books by Needham and didn’t like either. I am trying to cut back on my ‘spy’ books. And she is a dreaded avon author (looks at kristiej). I didn’t even know about this book and honestly, ::hangs head:: the cover caught my eye. It is purple with a carriage and really pretty font. I picked it up and was in a rush (got there 20 mins before they closed). I am going to look up what I can on the book and I MIGHT go back and exchange it tomorrow for something else. Ten to one I throw it in the tbr pile and use it for that avon post I am going to someday do.

Hero, Come Back by Stephanie Laurens, Christina Dodd, Elizabeth Boyle – talked a lil about this one earlier

Master of Pleasure by Jessica Trapp – talked a lil about this one earlier

hee and the library sale is tomorrow at 11 Then I think I am set for the week. The thing that really sucks ass, is I am going into work in the morning. le sigh I would have had more time tonight to read the shit load of books I have but real life got in the way.