Sandy M’s review of Chains by Shiloh Walker
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 5 May 09

As some of you know, I’m a huge, huge Shiloh Walker fan, as my review of one of her latest, A Forever Kind of Love, earlier this week attests. I’ve vowed I’m going to read her backlist when I can, and this time I chose Chains. I love everything about this book, of course. I had one teeny tiny issue, but in the end it really didn’t mean all that much, because the story Ms. Walker gives readers hits hard, hits low, and the way these heroines survive the blows is beyond incredible.

These three heroines are brought together by violence in one tragic night, and it’s amazing to see how they triumph over it all. They come from very different areas of life, so while in high school, where their lives take a turn no one could have ever imagined, they don’t interact or run in the same circles. But they all end up at the same party, all for different reasons, and then end up uniting together when things get out of control and one of them is in dire trouble. I like that the other two come to her aid because it’s the right thing to do, as well as they do with what happens afterward. But it’s more that they help because only another woman can understand this type of violence.

Renee is the girl most of us hated in high school. Perfect everything, but not is all as it seems. Lacey is the athlete, everyone loved her and knew she was going places. Sherra is the wrong-side-of-the-tracks girl.

It’s the party girl Sherra who attends a rowdy blowout given by the mayor’s son and it’s her reputation that instigates harassment by some guys, one of whom won’t take no for an answer. Renee and Lacey come to her rescue, even though the culprit is a guy who her parents approve of and who Renee came to the party with. But things get even worse when a gun comes into play during this horrible night. The ensuing nightmares for all three girls send them fleeing, never to return until fifteen years later.

Each of the women has prospered in the intervening years, though still haunted by that one awful night. They get their own new story with their heroes, who eventually bring them peace as well as love, and there’s a lot of sizzling hot sex, which shouldn’t surprise anyone if they’ve read Ms. Walker before this. There’s still danger out there amidst their reunion, and the suspense and mystery of this stalker only gives the book another layer which weaves everything together into one immensely satisfying read.

My one tiny issue? I was a little off balance with the way the book ended. I even asked Sybil to try to get me another e-copy, just in case mine had inadvertently lost a couple of pages. But it hadn’t and I moved on. It really didn’t change anything for me at all and I laughed at myself afterward, asking why I’d been so nitpicky in and among such awesome writing. No idea. Maybe I just wanted the book to go on and on. That, I wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow at.

Grade: A

Summary:

They weren’t friends. They weren’t enemies. The only thing the three girls had in common was the high school they went to in Madison, Ohio—until one tragic night. Now, fifteen years later, they’re returning home where passion—and danger—await…

Renee Lincoln was the homecoming queen—with the perfect boyfriend and the perfect life. After that horrible night, she rebelled the only way she knew how: by submitting to her wildest fantasies…

Tall, blonde, and athletic, Lacey Talbot was a golden girl with a bright future. She’s found success as a photographer, but no man has ever been able to satisfy her. No man but the bad boy she left behind…

Sherra Salinger has always looked like a princess out of some fairy tale. The books she writes, though, stem from the nightmare of that one night. And she shrinks from any man’s attention—especially the one stalking her…

They’re coming back to Madison—and it won’t be happy reunion. There are three men, all dangerous in a different way. And when each of them surrender their bodies to the heat, when they succumb to desire, they’ll find the safety they desperately need…

Read an excerpt.

Dinca’s review of  The Real Deal (Kiel Brothers, Book 1) by Niki Green
Contemporary Western Romance ebook published by Samhain 5 May 09

In this short story you will find a lot of sex. The characters are either thinking about sex, having sex, or wanting to have sex. Although sex is great, I was looking for a little more story line.

As a belated present to his brother, Nick Kiel borrowed his older brother’s ID and took his younger brother to ‘The Garden Club’, a strip joint two hours away from home. They receive the surprise of their life when one of the strippers turns out to be none other than their older brother’s long lost-love, Willa Tate. They promise Willa they will keep it a secret if she will let them know she’s all right from time to time.

When Willa up and left, Chase could not get her out of his mind or his heart. He still longs for her every day and night. When he borrows his brother’s truck, he finds not only a brochure for The Garden Club with a picture of Willa in the lineup, but a call from her to Kick’s phone laying on the seat.

Willa gets the next shock of her life when Chase waits for her in her dressing room. After the brief encounter Chase kidnapps her and takes her back to the ranch. Has sex and lived happily ever after.

Needless to say this is a short story. Quick and to the point or to sex, as the case may be. If that is what you are looking for, go for it. I’m disappointed after reading Book 2 of the Kiel brothers. There’s little information on why Willa left, and, other than great sex, why Chase would want her back. Book 2 has more information on Chase and Willa than their own story. This could have spun out into a really good tale. I learned nothing about their personalities.  If I had not read Book 2 first, I would not have known how good a tale Niki Green can spin. This is not one of her best offers, but I still look forward to Book 3 of the Kiel Brothers.

Grade: C

Summary:

He held the reins to her heart once—and this time he won’t let go.

A Wild Ride story.

Willa Tate left Millbrook, Texas, years ago—along with her future, her fiancé and her heart. Now, as one of the headlining acts at a hot burlesque club, she looks into the crowd, sees a familiar face staring up at her—and her past comes crashing back.

Chase Kiel has some hard questions for the former love of his life. He spent forever looking for her, and now he wants answers—even if he has to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to Millbrook to get them.

He’d find it a hell of a lot easier if the chemistry weren’t still there. If they didn’t still fit together like keg of dynamite and fuse. If he didn’t want not only his answers…but her heart.

Chase is still certain he and Willa belong together—and convincing Willa of it will be his pleasure.

Warning: This title contains explicit, powder-keg-hot sex, language that ain’t fit for your mama’s ears, and a hot cowboy with a Texas-sized heart.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Limecello’s review of Anybody But Justin by Shelli Stevens
Contemporary romance released by Samhain Publishing 12 May 09

I love friends to lovers stories. There’s just something about them – the connection, history, inside jokes… so much goodness for an author to work with. Shelli Stevens puts a slight spin on her take, with Gabby and Justin being friends, but more like acquaintances or buddies. They have what I’d consider a “surface” friendship. And it works for them. I picked up this book because I loved the premise, it’s short, and I’ve been in the most awful reading slump.

As is a short story, I don’t want to over analyze it and risk ruining things or drag. Gabby and Justin were roommates, but one shared kiss freaked Gabby out, and she ran, moving out and avoiding Justin. Her reasons are that he’s a womanizer. What I actually really like about the story is how similar Gabby and Justin are. They both dated freely and often, and they’re happy with not settling down. Or they were while living together. It was pretty much an ideal roommate situation. Still, they were becoming really good friends and developing what could have been a great relationship, and Justin realizes it. This gives him depth, and makes him quite likable. (Who doesn’t cheer for the guy putting it all on the line to win the heart of his [true] love, right?)

Gabby’s reasons for breaking things off with Justin and not entering a relationship are valid, and important, but not too heavy. Gabby essentially works for a battered women’s shelter, and runs a program with a few of her friends and other co-workers. It was a nice secondary story that also explained a lot for Gabby, and kept her from being contradictory, or having a double standard, which could have been easy to assume.

In the end, I enjoyed reading about Gabby and Justin. They’re perfect together, and just work. It’s nice to read a relatively light story that still has substance and covers important issues. I’ll definitely be reading more of Ms. Steven’s books.

Grade: B-

The line between friends and lovers can get a little blurry…especially when you add tequila. A Chances Are story.

Gabby is serious about her search for Mr. Right, but no one can say she hasn’t had a good time looking. She enjoys her numerous dates and the sex that comes with them. Until she finds herself falling for the one man she vows to never love. Her best friend and roommate, Justin. A player in every sense of the word—and a reminder of her awful past.

One night, with the help of a bottle of tequila, things get a little too hot for comfort. She moves out, intent on removing him from the line of temptation.

Justin has different plans. The tequila did more than just change how he sees his good friend. It made him realize he doesn’t want to be just friends any more. He’s ready for something more intimate, and he’ll do whatever it takes to find out why she’s running. And convince her to stay.

Read an excerpt here.

Gwen’s review of Burning Alive (Sentinel Wars, Book 1) by Shannon K. Butcher
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Onyx 5 May 09

As any of you who have read my reviews know, I loathe selfish or TSTL characters.  I can forgive the occasional fall off the Smart Wagon into Stupid Land, but I really hate characters that make it a habit to return again and again to the to-stupid-to-live side of the tracks.  And selfish people just suck. 

What I didn’t like about Burning was how often the heroine was sincerely clueless.  I got so frustrated by her that I wanted to slap her around a bit (so I slapped the book). The hero was much more interesting and yummy.

The main romance in Burning is really very nice, even if it is one of those “fated to be” kinds of things.  I enjoyed the complications Butcher introduces, giving the heroine choices.  I also enjoyed the implication that there are motivations within motivations, plots within plots, even within the good guys’ camp.

Burning is an excellent paranormal romance with a very interesting world and story.  I mostly enjoyed the characters – Butcher does a nice job of building the backstory for each.  This promises to be an interesting series with nice romances and good action.

Grade: C

Read other reviews of this by following the book’s tag here.

Summary:

They are the Sentinels. Three races descended from ancient guardians of mankind, each possessing unique abilities in their battle to protect humanity against their eternal foes–the Synestryn. Now, one warrior must fight his own desire if he is to discover the power that lies within his one true love…

For too long, Helen Day has been haunted by visions of her own death, surrounded by flames as a dark-haired man watches her burn. So when she sees the man of her nightmares staring at her across a diner, she attempts to flee–and ends up in the man’s arms. There, she awakens a force more powerful and enticing than she could ever imagine.

The instant the Theronai warrior Drake touches Helen, the anguish he has borne for years fades away. He is determined to know why this beautiful, fearful woman has such power over him. The answer lies in his very blood–and in Helen’s as well. For together, they may become more than lovers–they may become a weapon of light that could tip the balance of the war–and save Drake’s people…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Running Scared, Book 3 – May 2010

Sandy M’s review of Retreat From Love (Brothers in Arms, Book 5) by Samantha Kane
Historical Erotic Romance released by Ellora’s Cave 21 May 09

Samantha Kane is a new author for me, having read only one or two of her books so far. The only other book in this series I’ve read and reviewed is At Love’s Command, which I loved. Ms. Kane is one of very few authors who writes a great ménage that I end up liking. And while I enjoyed most of the love scenes in this book, there’s a couple that didn’t work for me, but mostly it’s the emotion that I got in ALC that this story lacked.

The three characters in this book are tied together by Bertie, former Duke of Ashland and former fiance of the heroine, Anne. Freddy is Bertie’s younger brother and the current Duke. Brett served in the war with Bertie and they were the best of friends. Anne and Freddy became friends when they were quite young, but because Freddy’s mother always whisked him off to England for some unknown reason, they didn’t spend a lot of time together and even less time as they grew older. Brett has loved Anne for years now, having fallen for her through her letters to Bertie during their military service. Freddy has been Brett’s constant companion during his convalescence since he returned from the war, loves him wholeheartedly, but Brett refuses to act such on emotion due to Freddy’s age.

I really liked all three of these characters. Anne’s reputation has been ruined — she likes sex and now goes for it when she can — she knows what she wants and doesn’t take guff from anyone. Freddy is the tender one of the three, he loves both Anne and Brett and wants to give them everything. Brett is the oldest and has a hard time accepting anything that would be good for himself, he carries around such guilt. He’s, of course, the longest holdout in this threesome until he finally works everything else out in his head to the ultimate conclusion that he does deserve happiness.

Since they want each other to be happy, Freddy and Brett have the idea they will fix Anne up with the other, so they work at cross purposes for a bit, but when Anne decides she wants them both, they don’t have a chance, though they keep trying to marry her off to the other man, which means then that the one left will have to move on. Before too long, however, they have come together and the love and sex is unbelievable and just so-so for me depending on where I was in the book.

There’s a daydream sequence that each of the characters go through, the next one picking up where the previous left off to continue the sexual fantasy they all have about each other. This just didn’t work for me. It went on way too long and I’d rather have had them all together actually doing these things to each other instead of them imagining it all.  There is another scene involving a piano that seemed rather silly to me, Freddy’s idea of making music with sex. The intensity that’s always in Ms. Kane’s love scenes was there, but I just kept thinking how uncomfortable that has to be, whether they’re all hot and bothered or not.

There are some terrific scenes between Freddy and Brett late in the book once Brett allows himself to love and have Freddy. And this is why I like Ms. Kane’s writing. The emotion in these scenes are simply wonderful. And that’s why I usually don’t like m/m scenes and/or storylines, the author just doesn’t give me enough emotion. This author, however, has a way with them. In fact, I felt more emotion in those particular scenes than most of the other scenes involving Anne. They’re that well done. And I was a little sad those other scenes didn’t quite measure up to Ms. Kane’s usual fare for me.

Each of these three people come into their own by the end of the book and that makes their relationship that much sweeter when all is said and done. There’s plenty of last-minute problems and issues that come up to perhaps eternally mar their happiness, but once they’ve discovered their love for one another, they let nothing stand in their way. A satisfying read with a couple of issues for me, but still a great job by Ms. Kane

Grade: B-

Summary:

Read Shannon C’s review here.

A man with everything except his heart’s desire.

Frederick Thorne, Duke of Ashland, has been in love with Brett Haversham for years. If the only way to have him is to give him what he wants Freddy will share him, in bed and out, with the woman Brett loves. The woman who was Freddy’s first love.

A man sacrificing everything for the past.

Brett Haversham is in love with two people he’s sworn never to touch. But his desires prove to be stronger than his resolve when they both set out to seduce him—together. The incredible sex they share overwhelms him.

A woman with nothing left to lose.

Anne Goode lost her fiancé Bertie in the war. Now his younger brother Freddy is back, all grown up into the handsome and powerful duke. And he’s brought Bertie’s best friend Brett with him. Lonely and already ruined, Anne can’t resist taking both of them as her lovers. Is the uncontrollable desire between the three enough to heal the wounds of the past and overcome the problems of the present? They must accept love rather than retreat from it.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Holly‘s review of The Doctor’s Surprise Family by Mary J. Forbes
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette 1 May 09

I generally like the ‘reunited lovers’ plot line. Especially if the lovers in question were high school sweethearts. This is the third book in Forbes’ Home to Firewood Island series. I read the first two books and enjoyed them, so I figured I’d like this one as well. Sadly it didn’t work very well for me. 

I expected to like Kat based on her character in the previous books. Unfortunately she didn’t live up to my expectations. She started out strong – though wounded by the loss of her husband – and seemed to just kind of fade out the more attached she became to Dane. I was surprised at her lack of backbone when it came to standing up to Dane. There were several times where I thought he needed to be taken down a peg in regards to her son, or where she needed to push him on the issue of his past and/or their relationship, and she failed. Instead of coming across as strong, it was more like she needed a man to make her complete.

My biggest issue with her, however, was the way she reacted to her mother and the secret she kept. Kat never knew who her father was. Throughout the two books this has been a major source of contention between her and her sisters with their mother. Her mother refused to name the man and Kat spent her whole life feeling like an outsider. The man is finally revealed in this book and Kat’s reaction was..totally flat. After storing 20 years of hate and frustration toward her mother for refusing to tell her who her father was, for her to just say, “eh, ok. I forgive you” seemed totally out of context. I expected quite a bit more from her.

For Dane’s part I thought he had a lot of potential, but I don’t think his PTSD was fully explored. We definitely saw that he was tortured and traumatized by what happened to him in Iraq, but I don’t think the resolution was as well done as the trauma itself. For most of the book he’s closed off and bitter, especially with Kat’s son. While in the end things worked out, I wasn’t completely convinced of his change of heart.

On the other hand, taking on this type of story isn’t easy and I do think Forbes did a good job of showcasing the troubles faced by both Dane and Kat. I just wasn’t convinced of the resolution on either side.

I did enjoy Kat’s relationship with her son. As a former single mother I know how hard it can be to raise a child on your own. Though Kat struggled at times, I think she did a good job of dividing her time between her guests and her son. The relationship between the sisters is also showcased well. I also thought the town and its inhabitants were well written and added flavor to the story.

Although there were parts of this story I liked, overall I was disappointed in the lack of spine shown by the heroine and the way the hero constantly clammed up and refused to speak.

Grade: D+

Summary:
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YOU CAN’T HIDE FOREVER
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When Kat O’Brien saw the rain-soaked stranger pull up on his motorcycle, her instincts went on red-alert. Except he was no stranger. He was Dane Rainhart, hometown war hero…and Kat’s girlhood crush. Now the single mother was more intrigued than ever by this sexy, powerful man who as already bonding with her son.
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After being wounded in the line of duty, Dane needed a place to mend-and hide away from the world. Instead, the haunted military doctor was falling for the much-too-attractive widow and her boy. Perhaps it was time they both faced the past and took a second chance at happiness-together!
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Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Limecello’s review of Heartless by Diana Palmer
Contemporary western romance released by HQN Books 26 May 09

I was pleasantly surprised by Diana Palmer’s newest book. If you’re new here… Hi, my name is Limcello, and I read Ms. Palmer’s books. If you’re a regular at the pond, you know I’m addicted to the crack. There’s something about Ms. Palmer’s books that keep me coming back for more. Even though, like most people say, her books are pretty much the same, and there’s something about her characters that make you want to smack them. But the rest of it – well… every so often, a story is magic. And I feel that it hit here, with Heartless.

Gracie is your typical Diana Palmer heroine, but I felt that she was a bit more self-actualized. Yes, she has a tragic past (honestly, check out some of my other Diana Palmer reviews [here] for context if you haven’t read her before). Gracie’s had a lot to deal with – and it’s rather incredible. Almost ludicrous, but you get over it. It’s so twisted, yet so much a part of who she is.

Nevertheless, Gracie does get to assert her independence, and I loved that. She’s a sweet girl who is spunky, and definitely more optimistic than I could ever be. Yes, Gracie’s ridiculously naïve – unbelievably so-  but her saving grace is that she’s not too stupid to live. This is a key factor in what saves Diana Palmer books for me. While Gracie is clueless as to any number of things, including interpersonal relationships, and sex, she’s not about to run into the middle of a gunfight on some misguided notion of asserting herself.

Jason is your quintessential old school romance hero. He’s rich, a bit rough around the edges, totally emotionally stupid, makes a lot of mistakes, and is madly – madly- in love with the heroine. He just doesn’t have the social skills or aptitude to tell her. Instead, Jason suffers from what he believes to be unrequited love for a number of years, and then lashes out. It’d be comical, if it wasn’t so sad. Jason is a good guy, and seems to get swept along for much of the book. Although Jason is an ass for much of the novel, the fact that he comes to his senses- and is generally abused by almost all the other characters, make forgiving him acceptable.

I really liked that Ms. Palmer allowed more of the story to progress. I felt that Gracie was a much more developed heroine then normal, and someone who grew throughout the course of the book. Ms. Palmer manages to pack in an extraordinary amount of plot in a relatively short book. I actually wish it was longer, and some of the side stories more developed. I definitely was never bored at any point while reading Heartless.

Yes, this book, and Ms. Palmer’s books in general are formulaic, but it’s what is within the plot, the characters, and their stories – that indescribable, intangible something that keeps me coming back for more. I feel for the characters. I become emotionally invested, and involved. I remember many of their names and experiences – even more than a number of other books, even with books I may have liked better.

I have to say… I did fervently hope that more would come of General Machado and Gracie. Ms. Palmer’s heroines are too often the beaten down, defeated woman, while the hero is someone women absolutely go mad over. I’ve also mentioned before, that Ms. Palmer appeals to me because she makes her heroes suffer what I consider to be an adequate and satisfying amount. (Generally they go through soul searing agony and the threat of absolute loss – yet without becoming annoying or excessive.)

What did bother me, because I knew Heartless was connected to other books (like 50 of them) – that I had some trouble remembering specifics about the previous book[s]. Or at least, what I felt would be relevant. Also, at this point I believe I’ve read nearly 100 of Ms. Palmers books, if not more, and it’s incredibly difficult to keep them all organized and distinct in my head. Especially since the vast majority of them are linked. Although, I will give Ms. Palmer props for the fact that each of her books are stand alone. You get a better and deeper sense of characterizations and community, or perhaps a few inside jokes if you’ve read the others, but each one can be read by itself. And that is incredibly impressive. It’s definitely one aspect of the “old school writing” that I wish would be revived.

I don’t know if I let that affect my opinion – and I generally try not to, but a number of people suggest approaching a Diana Palmer book differently than you would other books. While I generally agree, I will say I don’t think Heartless necessarily needs that caveat. Ms. Palmer’s books have been reprinted countless of times, so a new reader might pick up a book originally published in the 1970s, read it today, and be furious. Gracie and Jason’s story may require some suspended belief for the plot, but the characterizations (aside from Gracie’s ignorance about sex), and the way their relationship finally comes about is believable, and enjoyable.

If you’re considering a Diana Palmer book, I suggest this one, whether you’re a fan, or a new Diana Palmer reader.

Grade: B-

Summary:
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As a teenager, Gracie worshiped her stepbrother, Jason, a strong, silent young cowboy who left home early to seek his fortune. Though Gracie hadn’t seen him in years, when her mother passed away, Jason ensured that Gracie would be cared for. Now the wealthy owner of Comanche Wells ranch, Jason has finally come back home, and discovered that the little girl he knew is all grown up.
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When a moment of unbridled passion results in a kiss, Jason realizes that he’s falling for Gracie. But Gracie harbors a shameful secret that makes her deeply afraid to love.
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Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of Amazon Ink by Lori Devoti
Urban fantasy released by Pocket 26 May 09

I discovered Lori Devoti through this site, and instantly snatched up her trilogy about hellhounds.  I enjoyed all three, which definitely made me want to read Amazon Ink.  I also liked that it was about a tattoo artist, since I have a fondness for the culture.  (No, I have no tattoos of my own.  I’m too young.) Unfortunately, we don’t get much tattooing with in the book.  We do get Mel’s sexist attitude, which she works to overcome.

Mel is an Amazon.  After reading the book, I’m still not entirely sure what that entails.  It’s a race of women who can breed with humans, and specialize in weapons, artistry, hearth skills, or priestess skills.  Years ago, Mel left the tribe, taking her daughter.  Her mother and grandmother followed her into exile.  Now she’s getting drawn back in, since someone has been killing young Amazons and leaving them on her doorstep.

I liked Mel.  There are clearly things wrong with the Amazon system, and Mel sees well enough to try to change things.  But she’s clearly a first generation progressive, constantly tangled up by her own prejudices.  (She won’t hire men.  Over a decade as a single mother and she can’t bake, since hearth skills are wimpy.)  Yet she works to be self-aware and tries to accept new attitudes.

There are two love interests, though things don’t go very far with either one.  Reynolds is the detective investigating the girls’ deaths.  He didn’t have enough screen time for me to really get a feel for him or become invested in his relationship with Mel.  It seemed more like a physical attraction.  Peter is the tattoo artist she hires, despite being a man.  He quickly becomes helpful and interacts not only with Mel, but her family as well.  Of course, their relationship is impaired by his sometimes lack of honesty.  Mel left the tribe because of people taking action behind her back, and the events of Amazon Ink do nothing to sooth her trust issues.

Amazon Ink really focuses on a society in flux.  There are girls who are influenced by Mel’s example.  Dana, whose specialty is the hearth, is one of them and one of my favorite characters in the story.  She doesn’t make the best moves but she has a good heart.  Others distrust her no matter what she does.  After all, Mel is fomenting rebellion among the younger generation based on her legend alone.  The mystery never fades to the background, but it’s pretty quickly solved based on very little of the character’s actual detective work.  The romance barely makes it to kissing.  I found it enjoyable and a nice change of pace.  Those picking it up for the standard urban fantasy formula might be less pleased.

This was a good introduction to Mel’s world, and I look forward to what Devoti will do in the next installment now that she’s built up the characters and society.  (I am just one opinion, but I vote that some more Mel/Peter action next time around will not go amiss.)

Grade: B-

Summary:
Meet Mel: Business owner. Dedicated mom. Natural-born Amazon.
It’s been ten years since Melanippe Saka left the Amazon tribe in order to create a normal life for her daughter, Harmony. True, running a tattoo parlor in Madison, Wisconsin, while living with your Amazon warrior mother and priestess grandmother is not everyone’s idea of normal, but Mel thinks she’s succeeded at blending in as human.

Turns out she’s wrong. Someone knows all about her, someone who’s targeting young Amazon girls, and no way is Mel going to let Harmony become tangled in this deadly web. With her mother love in overdrive, Ms. Melanippe Saka is quite a force…even when she’s facing a barrage of distractions — including a persistent detective whose interest in Mel goes beyond professional, a sexy tattoo artist with secrets of his own, and a seriously angry Amazon queen who views Mel as a prime suspect. To find answers, Mel will have to do the one thing she swore she’d never do: embrace her powers and admit that you can take the girl out of the tribe…but you can’t take the tribe out of the girl.

Excerpt available here.

Lawson’s review of The Promise (The Behaim Family, Book 2) by T. J. Bennett
Historical romance released by Medallion Press 1 May 09

T. J. Bennett continues her series set in 16th century Germany in The Promise. If you haven’t gone out and started reading the first in the series, The Legacy, you definitely should. With a setting that’s not often seen (I think it’s the only time I’ve seen it actually) and a time period that’s not touched upon much, outside of England, The Promise is on the same level as The Legacy, and that means you should run out and pick this one up as well.

The story opens showing the young heroine, Alonsa García de Aranjuéz meeting a young man in the courtyard of her home. Instead of running off with him, as he hopes, they are caught and he suffers a mortal injury, for which he blames Alonsa and curses her and any who might love her. Fast forward a bit and it’s ten years later in Italy. Alonsa is twice widowed and her current fiancee, Martin Dietrich, is dying from battle wounds. She chose him because he didn’t love her and was a Landsknecht (a mercenary for hire).

With his dying breaths, Martin gets his friend Günter Behaim to promise to take care of Alonsa since he knows that Günter has been in love with her for some time. Though Alonsa is unhappy about the promise, she convinces Günter to escort her to Genoa to take a ship back to Spain. Along the way Günter manages to convince Alonsa she should marry him, but things go awry when the French attack and when they are separated both Günter and Alonsa try to do everything to make it back together.

Alonsa is one of few historical heroines I’ve read in a long time that’s been married twice. Since both her husbands loved her in their own ways, they ended up dying because of the curse, or so Alonsa believes. She was pretty realistic for a Spanish woman of the time. Catholic, but still having superstitions when it comes to gypsy curses. Though she’s traveling on her own, she’s selling her father’s swords and that’s how she encountered the German mercenaries.

Günter, who is Wolf’s brother from The Legacy, had a brief role in the first book. The reason he and his brother aren’t close is explained in this story, which had more impact than if it had been explained in the first book. Günter has been traveling as a mercenary for most of his adult life and knows he’s found someone he can settle down with when he meets Alonsa. Having hid his feelings from her for so long, when he can finally marry her he does the smart thing and holds back until he knows Alonsa won’t run scared from her own feelings.

There’s a sweet secondary story with Alonsa’s friend Ines and a young mercenary named Fritz who works hard to woo her. While Alonsa and Günter were concentrating on being honest with each other and not being superstitious, Fritz and Ines concentrate on overcoming their own pasts and how they can accept themselves at the same time as accepting each other. Both of these stories worked very well, but it seemed there was a bit too much concentration on the love aspect and not the love for the rest of one’s life aspect. I’m not sure that people were as fixated on the idea of true love bringing ultimate happiness, but it’s not too much to overwhelm the characters and their path to happiness.

The setting, of course, is the other great part to the story. This time set in Northern Italy during the Battle of Pavia in 1525, there’s a view of how life would have been like for these two foreigners in a new land. And neither character are of the nobility. In fact the only noble is one of the minor characters and he’s from France. It’s refreshing and told very well and I hope T.J. Bennett continues writing in these new and different historical settings. They really help make the story and give lots of interest to the plot as well as seeing great characters fall in love.

Grade: A-

Read other reviews of books in this series by following the series’ tag.

Summary:
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A sacred pledge and a gypsy’s curse drive this medieval love story. Günter Behaim, a professional soldier in the service of Emperor Charles V, has been hardened by betrayal and disloyalty in his life, and he has sworn to make few promises of his own and keep those until death. When his closest friend is mortally wounded on the battlefield, however, Günter pledges to marry the other man’s betrothed and keep her safe. That woman turns out to be a Spanish beauty named Alonsa García de Aranjuéz, but she will have no part of such an agreement.
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Trying to keep his promise, Günter uses every weapon in his romantic arsenal to convince the reluctant woman to marry him, and he begins to love her very much. Meanwhile, Alonsa is falling in love too, but she dares not reveal her feelings because she is under a curse that brings misfortune to any man who loves her. As war draws near and danger surrounds them, the couple has to make a crucial decision: accept their fates or risk everything to be together?
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Limecello’s review of On His Knees (Private Lives, Book 1) by Beth Williamson
Contemporary erotic romance released by Samhain Publishing on 1 May 09

Although I read the blurb for On His Knees, I was still a little surprised at the content. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much, and will definitely look into more of Beth Williamson’s books. Also, yes, this cover. *cringe* Sometimes, it’s better to see the book blurb without the cover image; this is one such case. At least, for me, it’s not a selling point.

Renny Johnson (what a name) is a typical romance heroine, yet atypical at the same time. She’s newly divorced and taking back her life, but she’s not overly obsessive about it or annoying. She’s still her own person and the same person, more importantly, just better. She’s also the injured party here, but doesn’t let that cripple her life – at least, not any more. I also liked that Renny was generally sensible, and learned from her experiences. For example, the first time someone breaks in (her husband) she figures out what to do and what not to do the next time someone breaks in. (Not her husband.) Renny also has a lot of personality, so reading about her is entertaining.

Nicholas is an interesting hero, in some ways. In many ways, he’s nondescript – your run of the mill tall, dark, and handsome hero. What makes him different, however, is that he’s a submissive. Also, he’s still madly in love with his ex-wife, even though he’s the one that initiated the divorce proceedings.I felt a lot more warmly toward him because his reasons for breaking into Renny’s home. (It all seems very odd, but Ms. Williamson explains and writes it well, so it’s all quite sweet.) Nicholas also is a really good guy, and you can’t help but like him. (Even though he starts out as being the bad guy.)

There were some elements to the story that I didn’t find very believable, or that were non sequitur. For example, if someone broke into my house, even if it was my ex-husband, I wouldn’t be so mad I’d masturbate in front of him. Even after clubbing him with a baseball bat and tying him up. (Yes, that really happens.) Nevertheless, that’s what the heroine does, and it works for her and the hero. Which, you know, is nice. I have to admit, I really liked the “twist” Ms. Williamson put on her book, with the hero being the submissive in the relationship. And it works – it’s not just a sexual quirk to write a hot story, but something that fits well with the character’s personalities.

I also see that On His Knees is book one of her series Private Lives, which puts a smile on my face. I’m wondering what book(s) will come next, and how Ms. Williamson will top this one. On His Knees is a short, entertaining story that is a bit different from the rest, and packs quite a punch with an emotional story, and lots of hot sex. And I have to admit, the unique story is really what set this novella apart from the rest. But even more than that, the manner in which Ms. Williamson wrote it.

Grade:C+

Summary:
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Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman—with toys.
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Renny Johnson has no idea why her ex-husband broke into her house in the middle of the night. She plans to find out—right after he wakes up from a close encounter with his own baseball bat. As long as she’s got him tied up, she might as well make him answer every unanswered question about their divorce.
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Nicholas sneaked into the house, hoping to retrieve his precious autographed bat without having to face Renny’s wrath. He didn’t expect her to knock him out with it. Then again, who can blame her? He left her to take a walk on the wild side, to search for that missing something he thought he couldn’t find in his marriage.
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Now that he’s completely at her mercy, he’s about to find out how merciless—and how incredibly sexy—his ex can be. The night becomes a wild roller coaster ride of amazing sex, dominance and submission, and maybe the beginning of a brand new chapter in their lives.
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Unless the flames burn out of control…
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Warning: This title contains a dominant woman, a sexy submissive man, and lots of nekkid, smokin’ hot sex.
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Read an excerpt here.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Border Lord by Sophia James
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 1 May 09

While I know some readers who can’t get enough Scottish historicals, I am not one of them. Oh sure, I like them, but only occasionally. As a pallet cleanser if you will. I picked up Sophia James’ latest because I was ready for another Scottish historical, I love discovering new Harlequin Historical writers, and I’m a complete and total sucker for the marriage of convenience trope. Unfortunately, after a bang-up first half, I found the second half of this novel to be muddled with too much external conflict.

Lady Grace Stanton is no beauty. Scarred by fire, with flaming red hair, an unfortunate skin condition, and a stutter, she’s hardly worth the trouble if not for the fact that she has quite a bit of money. So, hoping to settle unrest along the Scottish border, the King decrees that she’s to marry Laird Malcolm Kerr. Then Malcolm dies under mysterious circumstances. This hardly changes matters though. The King needs the families to unite, the Kerrs need money, and Lady Grace doesn’t have a lot of options. The new Laird, Lachlan Kerr will just have to stand in for his dearly departed brother.

Lachlan has already had one disastrous marriage, and he’s not real anxious for another trip down the aisle. But his land is in disrepair, and he desperately needs the money that Lady Grace’s dowry will provide. Yep, marriage is the only way. However once the deal is done, it’s only the start of their problems as a couple. Both of them are hiding secrets, and traitors are all around.

The first half of the novel is used to focus on the romantic couple and set the wheels in motion for their romance. While Grace is no beauty, her husband is quickly captivated by her, and drawn to her bravery. Grace doesn’t want this marriage any more than he does, and while she doesn’t have many friends among Lachlan’s people, she does win some hearts with her backbone and quick thinking. Certainly Lachlan and Grace intrigue each other, and that only intensifies once they take to the marriage bed.

Unfortunately I felt this story floundered in the second half. It takes place in 1360, which was certainly an unsettled time in Scottish history. However, all the political intrigue and secrets gives the story a schizophrenic feel. This isn’t helped by the small matter of dead brother Malcolm who flits from villain to hero so often that I could barely keep up. Also, it got more than a tad annoying after a while that Grace and Lachlan seemed incapable of talking to each other. 90% of the issues in this story could have been resolved had they just laid all their cards out on the table from the get-go. Certainly, that’s probably not likely to happen – but one would think after the mind-altering sex that they would have been a bit more willing to have some frank discussions.

Ultimately it’s the second half that dragged this story down for me. Up until that point, it was a wonderful trip down memory lane, reminding me of the historicals I loved as a teenager featuring “plain” heroines who catch the eye of the beautiful, hunky hero. Too much external conflict, and too much politicking ended up sucking most of the fun out of it for me.

Grade: C

Summary:
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Ordered to marry, Laird Lachlan Kerr thought a betrothal to homely, timid Lady Grace Stanton was hardly worth the trouble of protest. Yet, despite everything, he found there was something about her that was…brave. All his life he had been surrounded by betrayal, and this woman, who believed there was still goodness in him, was special indeed.
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Grace knew that the safety of her home depended on her betrothal—signed, sealed and delivered! Lachlan’s strength and unexpected care of her were dangerously appealing. She could fall for this man with secrets in his eyes….
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Read an excerpt here.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Disrobed and Dishonored by Louise Allen
Historical romance ebook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 May 09

I’ve been reading quite a few sexy short stories lately and a popular theme keeps cropping up in the historicals. The heroine finds herself betrothed to a thoroughly undesirable beau and figures the best way to get out of the situation is to rid herself of her virginity. Sometimes this particular trope works for me… and sometimes it doesn’t. It all boils down to how well the author can sell the characters, and in this case I had a bit of a mixed reaction.

Jonathan Kirkland, Lord Redcliffe is playing the part of a highwayman to win a bet. His mission is to secure kisses, and tokens of proof, from five passing women. He’s done an admirable job so far, and only needs to land one more kiss, when Miss Sarah Tatton comes barreling down the road, on horseback, wearing an evening gown.

Sarah has just learned that the “good catch” fiance that her father secured for her is a lout who accosted her personal maid. She cannot marry such a vile man, but her father is unmoved and suggests the maid was “asking for it.” Sarah reacts by running off into the night, and now she finds herself confronted by the most perplexing highwayman. As they both start talking an idea strikes her. Her odious fiance only cares about her virginity. If this highwayman were to “compromise” her, her father would have no choice but to call off the wedding. Hooray!

In order for this story to work the reader has to buy the fairly preposterous plot. By all accounts, Sarah has led a sheltered, perfectly respectable life. Certainly marriage to the fiance is a despicable proposition, but Sarah goes from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds when it comes to the matter of her virginity. Something she’s been guarding her entire life and she’s ready to be gone with it in a blink of an eye. There’s really no hesitation on her part and it didn’t feel genuine to me. I’m beginning to suspect that the Please Take My Virginity plot only works for me in “gritty settings” and this tale is very much written in the vein of delightful, light, Regency romp. Hence, me not being entirely convinced.

That being said, there is certainly a charm in Allen’s writing, and the chemistry between Jonathan and Sarah is quite good. I also admired the way that the author tied this into her series about the Ravenhurst clan without making those characters feel intrusive. They actually had a role in this story and weren’t merely walk-ons to serve as series bait.

While I wasn’t completely enthralled with this tale, it was a pleasant read and had it’s charms. I suspect it will work better for diehard fans of lighter Regency fare.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Hidden behind a mask, Jonathan Kirkland, Lord Redcliffe, has disguised himself as a highwayman to win a wager: to collect kisses from the first five women who pass. With only one kiss left, victory seems easy…until he encounters Miss Sarah Tatton, who has fled on horseback to escape her vile fiancé.Distraught and desperate, the last thing Sarah needs is to run straight into the arms of a highwayman. But his heart-stopping kiss gives Sarah an idea—to lose her virginity in order to break her engagement. And the surprisingly gentlemanlike thief is just the man to teach her the art of love…at least enough to pretend that she has lost her virtue.
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But as Jonathan and Sarah’s passion grows, all pretense must come to an end…
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

LauraJ’s review of All Tied Up (Pleasure Inn, Book 1) by Cathryn Fox
Contemporary Erotic Romance novella released by Samhain Publishing 19 May 09

How does she do it? Cathryn Fox is able to create stories in a short amount of space and you still feel like you have read a regular full length novel. I have heard authors say that it’s much harder for them to write a novella than a novel because they have so much they want to say or they need to say to convey the entire story. In all the novella’s I have read by Ms. Fox I have never left feeling that I have missed any part of the story.

Now this is the first of what I’m assuming is going to be at least 3 stories.  There are two other characters that are introduced in this book that you can tell have their stories waiting in the wings and so there are “parts” missing but nothing that I know won’t be resolved in these other books, assuming of course, I’m right about the next two. As for the hero and heroine in this story I do feel that I got their whole story.

Lindsey, Candace, and Anna are three long time best friends who own their own interior decorating business. They are offered a job to fix up rooms in an old Victorian Manson in the town of Mason Creek for a woman who wants to turn the home into a place for lovers to indulge their fantasies. Each girl is asked by the owner to design her room based on her deepest fantasy.

In this first story, Lindsey decides to decorate her room in a BDSM theme. While she is trying to figure out how to make everything work and fit into the small room, the home’s owner introduces her to Brad is a handyman she has brought in for Lindsey to consider hiring to tear down a wall to make the room larger. Sparks fly immediately between the two despite the fact that both Lindsey and Brad have had relationships in the past that have made them wondering if there is “the one” for them. Lindsey has had several relationships where the men take from her without giving her anything in return but heartache. Brad is tired of women only wanting to bed him and not get to know him.

The story does have a bit of a paranormal tone to it with the two secondary characters, Pamina and her cat, Abra, who “guide” the girls who have given up on men to finding their heroes.

I don’t know how long I’m going to have to wait for the next two stories, but I hope it’s not too long.  The was a great, fast, and very sexy read and I’m looking forward to seeing how Candace and Anna’s stories play out.

Grade: A

Summary:
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Interior decorator Lindsay Bell jumped at the chance to help restore the old inn at Mason Creek. What could be more fun than letting her imagination run wild on an unlimited budget? Eagerly she plans to turn her assigned room into a fantasy BDSM playground.
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All she expected from her newly hired handyman was to help her tear down a support wall. She certainly didn’t expect Brad Caldwell to be so drop-dead gorgeous in a tool belt. When he proves to be a steady, hardworking, stand-up guy—unlike the men she’s dated—Lindsay has a new and wicked idea.
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To take her new creation on a test drive down the road of their deepest, darkest, most delicious desires—and seduce her way into his heart.
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Warning: Smokin’ hot sex with creative use of toys, and a dash of magic.
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Read an excerpt here.

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

This is the third book in Hoyt’s Legend of the Four Soldiers series, about survivors of a massacre during the Seven Year’s War (that would be the French and Indian War to the Americans). The first book followed a colonist acting as a scout, the second followed one of the officers, and this one follows a civilian botanist attached to the unit. All of the survivors have scars from the massacre, but Sir Alistair Munroe has the most physical scars (hence the Beast in the title). A common story that ties all the books together is the search for a possible traitor that betrayed the unit to the French and the Indians that perpetrated the massacre.

The book starts off in Scotland with Helen Fitzwilliam and her children coming to a castle in the middle of a storm. When Sir Alistair sees a woman and two children on his doorstep he attempts to send them away since he doesn’t often inspire good first impressions from people due to his scars. Nor does he want more people around that will intrude on his solitude and possibly disturb his work. Having given up on society, Sir Alistair instead has devoted his time to cataloging the different species in the British Isles.

Helen hopes that the castle is remote enough that her former lover won’t find her and her children. Though Sir Alistair is gruff at first, Helen stands her ground and makes a deal for her children and her to stay. Though she’s had a pampered life, Helen takes to the task of being Sir Alistair’s housekeeper with determination and starts the tough task of cleaning the messy castle as well as reorganizing his life to accommodate having more people around on a daily basis.

When Helen’s past finds her hiding place and puts her as well as her children in danger, Alistair must face society which tends to run screaming at the sight of his scars. Helen also has to face what is truly important in her life and how much she can let her past make her future.

Sir Alistair has become all too used to people’s reactions to his appearance, which is why he hides in his castle, even from his own sister. He never thinks that a woman as beautiful as Helen would want to be with him and the way she slowly shows him her attraction to him and gets past his fears due to his appearance are sweet and sexy. With Helen managing his household, Alistair is able to work and feel contented and happy with his life. Especially with her children.

Helen chose her path in life and while she doesn’t regret that it gave her two children, she does miss some things. That she has to do things she never thought she would as a housekeeper, she feels rewarded caring for a home, her children and very quickly Alistair. With her experience in life she’s a bit hesitant to give in to her feelings for Alistair, but because she opens her heart it allows him to open his.

As with other Hoyt books, there is a fairy tale, though it does have a bit of a twist that fits with the story rather well. The interesting thing in this story is the addition, at times, of the point of view of the children as well as the villain of the story. The resolution with the villain is interesting and creative and though it works with the story, it’s hard to see someone such as he not thinking in the long term and while satisfying, went a bit against the coldness of the character.

A good, sweet, touching and quite sexy beauty and the beast story and an interesting way to take the traitor plot line that runs through the books of the series, which sets up an interesting possibility for the next installment in this series. The next book comes out in November, and it’s one that I’ll keep a lookout for.

Grade: B

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

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Tonight, My Love by Tracie Sommers
Erotica short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 01 May 2009

I’ve always felt that an author succeeds when they can illicit a strong reaction from the reader. Nobody remembers the ho-hum stories, but they do remember the stories they loved beyond all reason, and the ones that had them tearing their hair out. On that score, Tracie Sommers not only gets the gold star, but probably deserves some sort of erotica writing award. This story turned me on and repulsed me in equal measures. I can honestly say this has never happened to me before. A first, in my ten-plus years of reading erotica.

Andrew and Isabelle are trolling around Whitechapel looking for a whore willing to have a good time. Andrew is letting Isabelle pick, and she chooses a particularly fetching girl. Franny finds herself out on the streets after she’s fired by her former mistress. So she figures she might as well make some money doing what her former master was getting from her for free. She’s hesitant , at first, to go with the fine gentleman and lady, what with Jack The Ripper being on the prowl. However the promise of a bath, some food, and quite a lot of money convinces her take the risk.

What follows is an erotic encounter that damn near set my Sony Reader a-blaze. Certainly the F/F/M pairing in menage a trois stories doesn’t seem quite as popular among romance readers as the M/M/F stories – but Tracie Sommers seems determined to win over some converts. Holy cow!

That being said, it all slides south rather quickly with the ending, which is so repulsive that I’m sorry I read this story on my lunch break. Part of me admires Sommers (a self-described “dark erotic fantasy” writer) for taking such a huge risk, and the other part of me is just plain disgusted. Which makes writing this review extremely hard. In the end though I’m left with the feeling that as brave and massively mind-warping as this story is, that the path the author takes is decidedly “un-sexy.” And that’s pretty much what readers are looking for out of Spice Briefs. Sexy. Fast. Maybe even a little fun. Not a story that will have them wishing that Brain Bleach actually existed and could be picked up at the nearest convenience store.  Oh wait….I think they call it vodka…..

Grade: D-

Summary:
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“Tonight, my love, the choice is yours,” Andrew Campbell tells Isabelle as they ride through the streets of Whitechapel to select a prostitute to join them in bed. Her choice: Franny, a pretty young girl hesitant to go with the genteel couple with Jack the Ripper on the loose.
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Yet the lure of money and food is too strong for Franny. Before long, she is in their bed…with Andrew and Isabelle fulfilling their promise to take Franny to the height of sexual ecstasy.
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But once their pleasure is complete, Andrew and Isabelle have another surprise in store for her….
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No excerpt found.

Sandy M’s review of Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Historical Romance published by Bantam 19 May 09

This is my first Sherry Thomas book, much to my dismay. I’ve chatted with other readers who have read her books and while they all enjoy their reads, it’s a split decision on whether they like the flashbacks that Ms. Thomas utilizes. I have to say that I rather liked this element use in NQaH. It gave me more insight on the characters both in the present and in the past, sometimes giving me a look at what gave rise to the current circumstances. It worked quite effectively.

We learn about the hero and heroine’s childhood and how they met at the same time we’re learning about them and how they’re reconnecting in real time. We also learn why Bryony had her marriage to Leo annulled so quickly even before Leo himself finds out, which is the bottom line that runs through this story. Ms. Thomas does an excellent job of then giving us their romance and love story all over again as they go through the trials of forgiveness and rediscovering each other through danger and heartbreak.

It’s been several years since their annulment when Bryony is surprised by Leo showing up in India where she’s putting her medical knowledge to good use. He bears bad news concerning her father, and though she doubts the veracity of the news due to its origination, she agrees to accompany him back to London to make sure all is well. This is where those flashbacks really shine in the story. While they both are wary around each other now, we get see how things really happened when Bryony approached Leo with her request to end their marriage, how he was thrown for a loop by that request, not seeing it coming, and how they acted around each other through the whole process and then how they’re currently reacting to each in the present.

This continues through their journey home, giving the reader more and more insight into these two characters. The trek they take is enlightening for both of them, as well as fraught with danger, and they end up in the middle of an Indian attack on an English outpost, suffering seven days and nights of not knowing if they will survive, seven days and nights of getting to know each other body and soul all over again. These are terrific moments between them during this time. They love and they share their thoughts and feelings more than ever before, bringing them closer and showing them they really can make a life between them work.

Back home in England, they still have a few issues to get through, but this time around they’re more open with each other, know each other better, and have decided to trust each other. I really enjoyed Leo and Bryony. Leo is more of a beta hero with moments of alpha-ness that all have to do with Bryony and his feelings for her, his sorrow at the hurt he caused her. I like that he’s open and willing to talk to her when the time calls for it. Bryony is strong-willed and very independent, has covered the globe in her post-annulment days, not sure at all what she now wants out of life. I thought at first she might make Leo pay even more dearly than she had before, but she’s definitely grown up in her traveling years and now faces everything much differently than before.

I really enjoyed Ms. Thomas’ writing. I have her previous books in the TBR pile and have every intention of cracking them open as soon as I can.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Their marriage lasted only slightly longer than the honeymoon—to no one’s surprise, not even Bryony Asquith’s. A man as talented, handsome, and sought after by society as Leo Marsden couldn’t possibly want to spend his entire life with a woman who rebelled against propriety by becoming a doctor. Why, then, three years after their annulment and half a world away, does he track her down at her clinic in the remotest corner of India?
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Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her, but he won’t rest until he’s delivered an urgent message from her sister—and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them—or their rekindling passion?
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Read an excerpt. (scroll way down)

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Let It Ride by Jillian Burns
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Blaze 01 May 2009

When I’m looking for an emotional read from Harlequin I tend to gravitate towards the SuperRomance or Silhouette Special Edition lines. Frankly, the last place I expect to find “emotional” is within the covers of a Harlequin Blaze. Blaze is where I go for “sassy and sexy,” not “gut-wrenching and heart-felt.” Well, you know what they say about assumptions don’t you? Yep, after reading Jillian Burns’ debut for the line I feel very much like an ass. What a fun, and emotional, surprise this book turned out to be! Sometimes impulse buying does pay off.

Major Cole Jackson has fallen in love. OK, maybe not love – but definitely lust. Having sustained wounds after his plane was shot down in Iraq, he’s fresh out of the hospital when his buddies stationed at Nellis Air Force base convince him a trip to Las Vegas is in order. It’s while he’s on the casino floor that he spots, Jordan Brenner, a Keno girl who his buddies have nicknamed “Ms. Crash and Burn.” She’s smokin’ hot, but shoots down fly boys better than any anti-aircraft missile ever made. You know what this means right? Yep, the ol’ wager plot. His buddies bet Cole that Ms. Crash and Burn will shoot him down within the week.

Even if Jordan had time for romance, she learned the hard way that relationships aren’t for her. She followed one bad-boy ex out to Vegas where he promptly left her with no job, no money and behind on the rent. Then she picked a stable, good guy Banker-type who proceeded to leave her for a showgirl. Now she’s going to school, working nights as a Keno girl, fending off advances from drunken customers and taking care of her mother who is slowly losing her grip on reality thanks to Alzheimer’s. So when Cole puts the moves on her, denying his advances is second nature to her. Sure she’s lonely, but she has no time or desire to get lost in a pretty face, and incredible body, ever again.

What’s really charming about this story is that the author takes it places the reader wouldn’t necessarily expect. The wager plot device a common romance novel trope, but Burns uses only to kick start the interaction between Cole and Jordan. She dispenses of it rather quickly, and it by no means is still lingering by the time the second half the novel rolls around. That leaves the characters coping with more common “real life” conflict. Jordan is worried about passing her final exams, landing a good job, and her mother’s health. Cole is worried about the state of his Air Force career, will he be given a medical discharge or worse, a desk job? Then when these two do start to develop feelings for each other, there’s the small matter of distance, time and if they can make this relationship work. Can an adrenaline-junkie like Cole settle down to a more routine day-to-day existence? Would he even want to?

Cole and Jordan have an explosive chemistry and the first few love scenes are real barn-burners. Their desire, chemistry, and wanting practically leaps off the page. This gives the story a very emotional quality, that carries over into the quieter moments. The scenes between Jordan and her Mom are particularly heart-breaking and well done. It has always been Jordan and her Mom against the world, having been abandoned by Jordan’s father before she was even born.

The only misstep in the story comes during one of the love scenes which features an “OMG, We’re So Hot For Each Other We Didn’t Use Protection That Time” moment. Sigh .  Blessedly the author drops it after that moment, and the inevitable does not happen – which begs the question of why even include that scene to begin with? Oh well. The rest of the story is truly top-notch, and the author has even laid some ground-work for a sequel featuring Cole’s lothario buddy, Captain Mitch McCabe – a character just begging to be taken down a few notches (or totally dismantled).

All in all, I really enjoyed this debut Blaze from Jillian Burns. It had what I’ve come to expect from Blaze novels, a fun story featuring smokin’-hot chemistry and love scenes that could peel wallpaper. However the author really goes for glory here by including several emotionally charged moments and giving readers some insightful, truly heart-breaking conflict. When’s the next book?

Grade: B

Summary:
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Working as a Keno girl in a Vegas casino, Jordan Brenner took her bets off the sex table ages ago. And all the hot flyboys in the world won’t make a difference—until Major Cole Jackson sends Jordan’s thoughts and hormones into wicked places indeed….
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What Jordan doesn’t know is that Cole made a deal with his buddies: get some hot-’n'-heavy action from the Keno girl, or pay up! But Cole doesn’t need an incentive. Every time he looks at Jordan’s lips (or any part of her body, for that matter), he’s immediately aware that something is up—and it isn’t his ante!
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It looks as if Cole won’t lose just his shirt. He’ll lose all control, too!
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Read an excerpt.

Holly‘s review of Summer At the Lake by Linda Barrett
Contemporary Romance released by Harlequin SuperRomance 12 May 09

I’ve read countless romance novels that feature abuse victims – almost always the heroine – but I think this is the first where the victim is a young girl. This was definitely hard to read at times because of the content, but I thought it was a good story.

Kristin’s 11-year-old daughter Ashley was snatched outside a movie theatre and raped by some unknown man. 6 weeks later they borrow a friend’s lakeside cottage to take some time away to heal. Ashley hasn’t spoken since the attack and Kristin is afraid the bright, beautiful girl her daughter was becoming is gone forever.

I had kind of a love/hate relationship with Kristin. I understood – as much as a person can without experiencing something so horrific – her need to protect Ashley and the joy she felt at each small step she took on her way to recovery. I can’t imagine the pain and suffering she felt knowing her daughter had suffered the most horrific thing a woman can suffer. The guilt alone would be crushing. So her actions were understandable to a point. But something about her rubbed me the wrong way.

I think it was her constant negativity. She didn’t think her daughter would ever heal, or that the cops would ever find the man who did this. As I said above, I understood her feelings, but her constant negativity started dragging me down. So I figured it had to be affecting Rick and Ashley too. Her actions at the end especially bothered me. It wasn’t very logical for her to act the way she did and I didn’t like it.

I did like the other elements of the story. Watching Ashley heal with Rick and his dog’s help was heartbreaking. Her pain and fear came across very well. Rick was a great character and really pivotal in bringing about Ashley’s recovery. He was dealing with issues of his own. Trauma from a hostage situation gone bad that resulted in the death of a child. As much as I sympathized with him, it was obvious that he just needed to work through his grief and guilt and then he’d go back to work. His thoughts and fears that he’d never be able to return to hit were completely overshadowed by his actions and the way he was with Ashley and Kristin.

Parts of this novel were very emotionally compelling. I tried putting myself in Kristin’s place to see if I’d feel the way she did, and I just couldn’t do it. I don’t think anyone can that hasn’t experienced what she did. So despite my frustration with her during parts of this story, I was able to push past that and enjoy the rest of the story.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Kristin McCarthy hears him before she sees him. The melody of his saxophone glides across the summer night. The music’s healing effect on her daughter has Kristin seeking the person who can play so beautifully. Too bad Rick Cooper is a cop. With all she and her daughter have experienced, police don’t rank high on their get-to-know-you list.Still, Rick could be one of the good guys. Something about him challenges all Kristin’s assumptions. And their time together sparks her hopes for a future beyond this lakeside retreat. But before she can bring those dreams to life, Rick has to prove he’s the man she and her daughter can trust…forever.
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Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Twice The Pleasure by Portia Da Costa
Erotica short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 1 May 09

What is it about high school reunions that seem to inspire so many different types of stories? Whether it be the heroine who wants a hunky fake fiance’ on her arm to show up the “mean girls” or the heroine who wants to reconnect with the boy who drove her hormones wild as a teenager, high school reunions certainly seem to jump start a writer’s imagination. Portia Da Costa’s latest short story for Spice Briefs definitely falls on the naughty side of the spectrum. A heroine who wants to relive a fantasy interrupted.

Caitlyn is now a successful caterer and only agreed to take the job of supplying the food at her ten year high school reunion because she’s curious about Drew Hartley. Ten years ago, after witnessing a fight between Drew and his friend, Steve, in the gym, Caitlyn almost hooks up with Drew in a secluded equipment closet. Unfortunately for her, and her teenage hormones, Steve interrupts the interlude! She flees the scene, embarrassed, and worse yet – still horny. Even though both young men end up apologizing to her, Caitlyn still can’t help but think what might have been.

Sending her heart (and other body parts) aflutter, Drew does show up at the reunion and corners Caitlyn in the very same equipment closet. But darn it all! Wouldn’t you know? Just as the going starts to get really good, there’s Steve, once again interrupting them. Or is he? Hey, ten years later, maybe good ol’ Steve wants to join in on the fun?

What I enjoy about Da Costa’s stories is that there is a playfulness to them. Her characters never seem to take themselves too seriously, and her heroines are always ready to have a good time. Such is the case here, a fairly conventional menage a trois story that is made memorable by Da Costa’s engaging first person narration style, and a heroine who finds herself taking the blinders off in regards to Drew and Steve. A fast and sexy read.

Grade: B

Summary:
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In high school, Caitlyn once got the chance to make out with her crush Drew Hartley in the gym storeroom…until they were interrupted by Drew’s friend, Steve.
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Now at their ten-year reunion, Caitlyn finds herself sharing another passionate encounter with Drew—with Steve arriving on-scene once again. But this time he’s not going to stop them. He’s there to join in….
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Read an excerpt.

Lawson’s review of Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas
Historical romance released by Bantam 19 May 09

If you haven’t read Thomas’ first two books, you need to go and get them and read them ASAP. If this is your first Thomas book, you won’t be sorry. It’s loosely connected to Private Arrangements and Delicious, but not part of any sort of series and stands very well on its own. It’s also a bit timely in that it’s set in the Swat Valley in what is today Pakistan, where various rebellious groups and militants are staging their own uprising, though the setting is in 1897 and not the present day. I must point out as well that the summary, while not terribly inaccurate, doesn’t really give the best description of the book.

The story opens with the globe trotting doctor being chased down in the mountains northwest of the Swat Valley due to the rumor about a dying father. The doctor, Bryony Asquith, is disbelieving of the news as it comes from her sister through her ex-husband. Her sister Callista has been trying to get the two of them back together for the past three years in various ways and hasn’t succeeded. Though not believing her father is ill, Bryony still leaves with Leo Marsden, her ex-husband.

Leo wants to get Bryony back to London as soon as possible, but it becomes apparent that he is ill. Forced to wait for a good number of days so Leo can get over a bout of malaria, Bryony is forced to face her past, not only with Leo, but with people not there with her, but in her memories. When Leo recovers there is a tentative rekindling of their romance that confuses both in many ways, and various truths about their marriage and annulment come to light while on their journey out of British India.

What happens instead of a steady trip is an uprising with the local tribes in the Swat Valley and with Bryony and Leo caught at a frontier fort where Leo is forced to fight against the rebels and Bryony is thrust into the role of battlefield surgeon and the need to overcome their fears in the midst of this crisis to become truly happy.

Writing a woman doctor in 1897 is probably a hard sell. Especially since said woman doctor, through nothing of her own doing, had a childhood full of grief and loss that has shaped her into a very aloof and hard-hearted woman. Bryony carries her emotions so close and is nearly afraid of loss that more often than not she closes herself off to caring rather than risk emotional pain. Bryony’s growth and change through out the book is raw and heart wrenching as she is anything but the unfeeling automaton that she tries desperately to portray in her own defense to hide her true feelings.

Where Bryony is logical and emotionally distant, Leo is warm, open and has a spirit that others want to copy. When they marry, many people asked why he would choose her. Leo has always been blessed by a sunny disposition, a brilliant mathematical mind and an ease of manner that has made him well loved by society. His family had the neighboring estate to the Asquiths’ and as he grew up he wanted to bring some light into Bryony’s life, though she was always focused on escaping her childhood she never noticed his overtures.

Like Thomas’ first two books, the history is told through the use of flashbacks, though it’s more a small device and expands on more of the character’s motivations rather than a major part of the narrative. The growth and change of both Bryony and Leo is the main conflict of the story and it is echoed by the flashbacks and the Swat Valley uprising around them. The romance takes the center stage and isn’t overshadowed by any of these other elements of the story.

Perhaps what sets this story apart is the details.  The setting, the memories that Bryony holds so close, Leo’s personality and charm, and many other small things, while maybe not the truest to period, give the characters things to talk about and work through together to get to their happiness.  The story also shows very well through aspects of Bryony’s that life isn’t easy, there is heartbreak, loss, and grief and it’s the choices that you make that grant you happiness, not what is given or done to you. Both Bryony and Leo come to this conclusion and in the end give an emotional romance and a very satisfying ending.

Grade: A

Summary:
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Their marriage lasted only slightly longer than the honeymoon—to no one’s surprise, not even Bryony Asquith’s. A man as talented, handsome, and sought after by society as Leo Marsden couldn’t possibly want to spend his entire life with a woman who rebelled against propriety by becoming a doctor. Why, then, three years after their annulment and half a world away, does he track her down at her clinic in the remotest corner of India?
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Leo has no reason to think Bryony could ever forgive him for the way he treated her, but he won’t rest until he’s delivered an urgent message from her sister—and fulfilled his duty by escorting her safely back to England. But as they risk their lives for each other on the journey home, will the biggest danger be the treacherous war around them—or their rekindling passion?
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Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Man Most Likely by Cindi Myers
Contemporary Romance released by Harlequin American 12 May 2009

I’m certainly not alone in my desire to see more full-figured romance heroines. Unfortunately when such a book does come along it’s either false advertising (note to authors: a 5’10″ heroine who wears a size 10 is not fat ) or the conflict for the story is all about the heroine’s weight. Cindi Myers’ latest gets it mostly right by delivering a true full-figured heroine (girlfriend wears a size 16); and while a good portion of the conflict does center around her size, the author doesn’t make that the sole source of conflict.

Angela Krisova has a good life in the resort town of Crested Butte, Colorado. She owns her own business, the boutique candy shop, The Chocolate Moose, and is a vital member of the local community theater. She moved to town nursing a broken heart, but life is pretty good. Oh sure, she’s single, but being in a relationship isn’t everything. Besides, she’s used to people looking right past “the fat girl” and underestimating her. She’s past letting it bother her. Or is she?

Bryan Perry is the kind of guy Crested Butte is full off. A Peter Pan ski bum. However, he’s growing weary of that life and eating Top Ramen every night. He has a college degree in hotel management, so takes a job at the Elevation Hotel hoping to work his way quickly up the corporate ladder. His dream is to one day own his own small hotel. His first assignment? Pull off the local community theater fundraising dinner, and for that he has to work with Angela. When they talk on the phone, his hormones kick into overdrive. Anyone with a voice that sultry must be a walking sex goddess. So imagine his surprise when he meets her in person and she’s….well….fat. However, our boy quickly recovers. It certainly helps matters that Angela is smart, funny, and charming. Before that first meeting is over he has fallen hard and fast. Now to convince Angela that he’s the perfect man for her.

What I enjoyed about this story is that both Bryan and Angela were fighting against how other people saw them. Angela is the funny, fat girl. The one relegated to playing the “sidekick” in local theater productions. The girl everybody underestimates and nobody really sees. Bryan is the irresponsible good-time party guy. When his friends hear that he’s taken a job at the hotel, they start placing bets on how long he’ll last. Certainly a guy as carefree and fun-loving as Bryan won’t last two minutes in a structured corporate environment.

Perceptions and how people see each other (or not see) make up the bulk of the conflict. Can a relationship between the drop-dead gorgeous former ski bum and a festively plump chocolate fiend really work? Or is it doomed for failure? Angela might play the part of the funny, confident, take-charge modern woman, but years of criticism, hurt and insecurities don’t just vanish overnight – no matter how good of an actress you are. And is Bryan strong enough to take a chance on true love when up until this point his whole life has revolved around finding the next party and having a good time?

I’m still looking forward to reading a romance featuring a plus-size woman where her size is a non-issue, but then for that to happen I think society as a whole would have to undergo a radical shift. That being said, The Man Most Likely is a very sweet story that features two characters that I genuinely liked. These were nice people. Nice people bristling against expectations, scared of stepping into the unknown, but ultimately brave enough to put their hearts on the line. When it comes to romance, it just doesn’t get much better than that.

Grade: B+

Summary:
With her voluptuous, plus-size figure, Angela Krizova knows she doesn’t fit the male fantasy of the perfect woman. That’s fine, because Bryan Perry isn’t her idea of the ideal man, either. The gorgeous ski-bum-turned-corporate-exec is just the type she avoids like the plague.
Except he won’t take no for an answer. With Bryan pursuing her as if she’s the most desirable woman in Crested Butte, Angela’s starting to believe it just a little herself. Is the most irresistible guy in town really falling for her? Or is he the man most likely to break her heart?
Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Coming July 14, 2009

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor by Diane Gaston, Deb Marlowe & Amanda McCabe
Historical romance anthology released by Harlequin Historical 1 May 09

Anthologies can be great fun, and provide great reading, when they are well executed. Such is the case with The Diamonds Of Welbourne Manor, a connected anthology about the scandalous Fitzmanning clan, written by three friends and fellow Harlequin Historical authors. The authors provide everything one would expect in a full-length story. A fully realized setting, plenty of history, several characters the reader comes to care about, all while providing three romances and dividing it up in anthology format. It’s a tall order, and they pull it off to marvelous effect.

Justine And The Noble Viscount by Diane Gaston

Gerald Brenner’s mother abandoned her first husband and son when she fell in love with the Duke of Manning. It was quite a scandal, especially since the Duke and Brenner’s mother had several illegitimate children and only married four months ago….after spending 20 years as lovers. Now the Duke and Duchess are dead, and Brenner is left with the task of telling his half-siblings that they are gone. There’s also the small matter that he has been appointed their guardian.

Justine Savard is the illegitimate daughter of the Duke and his French lover (for those keeping track – that makes Brenner and Justine step-siblings). She has lived at Welbourne manor for many years, and is the steadying force to her more rambunctious siblings. So when Brenner breaks the news that the Duke and Duchess are dead, it’s her job to help pick up the pieces. Now if she could just keep her mind off the distracting presence of Viscount Brenner.

Justine and Brenner both have suitable amounts of baggage. Brenner, still stung over his mother’s abandonment, has no desire to be the guardian to the scandalous Fitzmannings . Justine has resigned herself to a life as a spinster, having been suitably ruined and with having no attractive suitors on the horizon. These two are a perfect fit, and their romance progresses at a lovely pace. However, given Brenner’s place in society, and his disapproving father, I couldn’t help but wonder why there weren’t more objections to the romance.

Grade: B-

Summary:
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Guardian to the unconventional and newly orphaned Fitzmannings is not a role that brooding Gerald Brenner relishes. But Justine, the illegitimate daughter who strives to hide her shame, calls powerfully to something deep within him…
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Read an excerpt here.

Annalise and the Scandalous Rake by Deb Marlowe

Ned Milford is a member of society, but lives a double-life drawing scandalous caricatures lampooning the ton. He befriends two of the Fitzmanning boys and is rewarded when he’s invited to a house party. Surely there will be plenty of gossip fodder to be had at the notorious Welbourne Manor, and he’ll be drawing for months to come! However, upon his arrival he meets the quiet, observant Annalise Fitzmanning, an accomplished artist. Too bad society is hung up on her being a female to notice just how talented she truly is.

Annalise is quickly smitten with Ned, who she sees as a bit of a kindred spirit. However, she doesn’t know a thing about his double-life and given that the Fitzmannings are routinely gossiped and written about in the scandal sheets, it’s highly unlikely she will approve of his profession.

This was my favorite story of the bunch, because Annalise is my favorite type of heroine. The kind of heroine who the other characters tend to underestimate, but who has a backbone forged in steel. Ned is her perfect foil, and naturally when it hits the fan, with secrets tumbling out, he does everything in his power to win back her trust.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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House party guest Ned Milford can see the inner passion and beauty that Annalise Fitzmanning hides. But how close should they become when his reason for being at Welbourne Manor would prompt a society scandal, not a society marriage!
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Read an excerpt here.

Charlotte and the Wicked Lord by Amanda McCabe

Charlotte Fitzmanning has had a crush on Lord Andrew Bassington since she was a young girl. A friend of her brothers’, Drew was always part of their mischief, pranks, and teasing. She followed him around like a love sick puppy. However, time has passed. Drew’s older brother is dead, and he’s now charged with looking after his sickly mother, widowed sister-in-law, and young nephew. Fun, games and mischief are no more. However he accepts an invitation to the latest Welbourne Manor house party in the hopes of snaring a suitable wife. One who will help pave the way to a political career and be perfectly respectable on his arm. So how come he can’t get the high-spirited Charlotte out of his mind?

This is a nice story, although at times I think the author was trying to do a little too much. Besides Charlotte and Drew, the author sows the seeds for two other stories – one involving an eligible young lady, also a house guest, and Drew’s sister-in-law. Both intriguing tid -bits that I’m anxious to read more about, but it does take away page time from the romance at hand. That said, given that Charlotte and Drew already have a past together, it helps keep the story humming along and the final moment when they finally admit their love for each other really shines.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Charlotte may be the youngest Fitzmanning girl, but she knows her own mind-and she wants Lord Andrew Bassington! Drew requires an eminently proper bride, something free-spirited Charlotte has never been. So how can she make him see the beautiful woman she has become…?
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Read an excerpt here.

Overall Grade: B

I’ve never made a secret of my enjoyment of anthologies, but connected ones such as The Diamonds of Welbourne Manor are my favorite. It allows all of the authors quite a bit of freedom, and more opportunity for world-building. That’s what makes this anthology shine. I could see and feel Welbourne Manor. I got to know all of these characters, not just within the confines of their own stories. I fell for it hook, line and sinker, and here’s hoping that Gaston, Marlowe and McCabe haven’t permanently closed the book on the Fitzmanning clan.

Lawson’s review of Memoirs of a Scandalous Red Dress (The Bachelor Chronicles, Book 5) by Elizabeth Boyle
Historical romance released by Avon 28 Apr 09

Gwen gave a review of Confessions of a Little Black Gown, which is definitely different than the way I felt about that book. But then I mentioned in my review of Love Letters From a Duke that I didn’t like Felicity, now Duchess of Hollindrake. When I read Black Gown, I’ve got to say, she just made me like her even less, and really her overbearing presence in that one took away from Tally’s story, as well as their cousin Pippin and her life. So I picked up Red Dress I was bracing myself for more grating meddling and smugness of being a know-it-all from Felicity. It’s so nice that I was completely wrong.

Red Dress follows what I’m sure a lot of Boyle readers have been wanting since This Rake of Mine, which is Pippin to finally get her dashing pirate, Thomas Dashwell. What happens instead is the book opens on the deck of a Royal Navy ship with Pippen, now Viscountess Gossett, at a ceremony that places her son John as the captain of the vessel. That’s right, we’re now 22 years after the events of Black Gown and Pippin is a widow with two grown children. Pippin thinks she sees a piratical figure in the crowd and mistakes it for Dash, and she faints.

Her children, thinking the best of their mother, want to ship her off to the country, as town life and the loss of their father has overset her too much and she needs to be somewhere peaceful. Instead Pippin sees the same figure in the square in front of her house and packs a bag to travel with him toward Baltimore. Though not Dash, it is in fact his son Nathaniel, and she’s been asked to save Dash’s life.

What she finds on the ship is a broken man, no longer the naval hero he was and while he kisses the same, it’s not the same Dash he was. With Pippen back in his life he attempts to overcome his weaknesses and rediscover who he really was. Pippin must also tell the truth about what happened more than 20 years before and when these two souls, though older than they were, rediscover their love it’s the best ending of all. At least if they can safely get across the Atlantic that is.

What was the best part of this story was the flashbacks that go into more detail about the relationship of Dash and Pippin, from the very beginning, the kiss on the beach from This Rake of Mine, through their reunion in Love Letters From a Duke and of course, the events in Black Dress. It was really sweet to revisit parts of these books (without Felicity) and see how they did fall in love with each other over the course of the years.

The second best thing was seeing Pippin all grown up, having raised her children, and seeing the Victorian era through the eyes of a Regency lady. Her frustration with the fashions, how her children view her and the fact that she feels life may have passed her by, until she meets Nathaniel and Dash, show a mature woman who longs for what might have been, even though she’s been happy with what she had.

What pains her still is the reason why she left Dash to his fate and married someone else, and the fact that he’s in the state he’s in because of what she did. Of course, there are a couple of his actions that make Dash not the best person in the world, but he still is a dashing hero when he gets his feet back under him and his charm helps to keep him the pirate Pippin fell in love with.

Dash, of course, has that charm in abundance, but he’d wallowed in self pity for so long he didn’t see he was hurting those around him. He has his own secrets, which while sad, show that he always loved the sea and what he could do there and when he met Pippin wanted to include her into his life, rather than sail away from her like he’d done everything else.

Such well drawn characters, a compelling story, and giving Pippin and Dash their happy ending in such a real and satisfying way makes this one a must read for anyone who’s read any of the rest of the series. Boyle’s next series follows more matchmaking from Felicity, which I’ve got to say I’m not thrilled about. But I like Boyle and her writing and I’ll read them for those reasons and ignore Felicity as much as possible.

Grade: A-

Summary:
.
What if all you have are the memories of a pirate…
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…and the scandalous red dress that nearly brought you to ruin? Remembrances of the kisses he stole? Or his seductive, rakish smile as he charmed his way into your bed, stole your innocence and your heart? To proper and respectable Philippa, Lady Gossett such memories are best locked away. At least so she thought until a stranger arrives on her doorstep and offers her a chance to tempt fate once again… to tempt Dash back into her life and quite possibly into her bed…
.
But the man Pippin loved all those years ago, and the man she discovers are hardly the same. Captain Thomas Dashwell has a score to settle with the now widowed Lady Gossett, the vision in red who has haunted his life for so long—ever since that fateful night when she betrayed him and married another. She’s the one woman he’s vowed to hate until the end of his days… and the one woman he can never forget…
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of Vision in White (Bride Quartet, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Contemporary romance released by Jove 28 Apr 09

This is the first book in a new series by Nora Roberts. It’s also the first non-paranormal series of Roberts in a few years, and while those are fun, it’s nice to see a good character driven story from an author that has always done one so well. This series, called the Bride Quartet, follows four best friends who run a wedding planning business in their hometown in Connecticut. I’m assuming that the following books in the series will come out every six months or so, as the next book is due at the end of November.

The prologue is a charming look at four girls who like to play Wedding Day. This particular day is when Mackensie Elliot, called Mac, discovers that she loves to take pictures that capture a perfect moment. She’s the wedding photographer for Vows, the wedding planning business run by herself and her best friends Parker, Emma and Laurel. Mac is good at her job and she loves it. Her home, which is the former guesthouse on Parker’s family estate and home to Vows, is full of her pictures of weddings, some of which have made magazine covers.

Mac is thrown for a bit of a loop when she meets Carter Maguire. A former high school classmate, and now an English teacher at the same high school, Carter comes in with his sister to help her plan her wedding. Though rather bookish and a bit shy, Carter is still nursing a high school crush on Mac and when he sees her again, he decides to take his chance and asks Mac out on a date.

Mac, of course, is dealing with some of her own issues and Carter is not her usual type and she decides to have a fling, even though she knows Carter is a committed type. There are some roadblocks in the way, like Mac’s mother who always asks her for money, among other emotional needs and Carter’s ex who is along the same vein as Mac’s mother. Mac has to take her life into her own hands, before she can start a new one with Carter.

Carter is such a sweet, caring guy, a little bit of a beta, but he’s got a steel underneath that gives Mac exactly what she needs. Though he never really saw his ex for what she was, he sees Mac’s mother for the selfish, self-centered and toxic person that she is, which helps Mac to overcome that last leap to get out of her mother’s shadow. Carter may be a little too good to be true, but his ex shows that he is a bit clueless about women, and even though he gets some interesting advice from a married colleague, the way he wins Mac over is tender, sweet and supportive.

Mac, though a strong and independent woman, is a pushover when it comes to her mother. That relationship, and how she gets out from under it, make her a better character by the end of the book than when she started. Going from giving her mother $3,000 to get out of the state to go to a spa for a few days, to the very necessary refusal a the end of the book is a hard journey to make. Carter and her three best friends are there to support her, but that weakness to her mother is a little hard to swallow when she’s confident and strong in most of the rest of the parts of her life.

Well, except for the men in her life. Mac stays away from men like Carter because she thinks with her mother’s example she won’t have a stable, happily ever after. She’s a photographer because she captures the perfect moment, to remember a happy present, but can’t usually see a future beyond the next shoot or event. But she does overcome this all by the end giving her and Carter their happy ending.

I’m excited for this series and Bed of Roses, the next book, will be out around Thanksgiving.  So keep a lookout for it and go get this one to read in the meantime.  It’s a good Memorial Day or beach read.

Grade: B

Summary:

Nora cordially invites readers to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac–founders of Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies

Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother . . . an encounter that has them both seeing stars.

A stable, safe English teacher, Carter Maguire is definitely not Mac’s type. But a casual fling might be just what she needs to take her mind off bridezillas. Of course, casual flings can turn into something more when you least expect it. And Mac will have to turn to her three best friends–and business partners–to see her way to her own happy ending.

Read an excerpt.

Shannon C.’s review of Say Goodbye by Lisa Gardner
Suspense/thriller hardcover released by Bantam 15 Jul 08, paperback release 19 May 09

I came to read this book because Wendy the Super Librarian and super awesome Harlequin reviewer herself blogged about it. Since Sybil so kindly provided me with the e-copy that I read, I thought I’d break my newly self-imposed rule to only write reviews for romances on my personal blog and talk about it here. This book is an intense read, and I definitely shared Wendy’s feeling of being utterly creeped out by it, even as I couldn’t stop reading.

Our story centers around pregnant FBI agent Kimberly, who is drawn to a prostitute when said prostitute begs for Kimberly’s personal help in catching a serial killer who has preyed on prostitutes and other people whom no one would miss. The case begins to take over Kimberly’s life, and her marriage, which seemed quite stable to her, begins to fall apart at the seams. Meanwhile, the serial killer is way more creepy than even Kimberly suspects.

I got a very series-ish vibe from this book. It feels like Kimberly and her family have been featured in books before. Certainly her family’s been touched by crime in the past, and it definitely shapes the way she and her father deal with the world. I really liked that, and I liked the struggles that Kimberly went through to balance her need to do the FBI job she’s involved with and her need to protect her baby. Those parts were terribly heartbreaking, and I empathized with Kimberly’s struggles to balance those responsibilities.

The suspense plot is excellently done, and, as I said, creepy. This was one of the few books I’ve read in this genre where I appreciated having the killer’s POV. The killer is such a fascinating character, and while the reader won’t sympathize with his actions, his childhood, which is explored, will definitely bring a tear to the eye.

I really enjoyed how everything came together. the mystery was well-paced, and the surprise twist at the end was one I didn’t see coming. I also liked the epilogue, in which it is revealed that people like the book’s killer do effect the lives of those they touch in significant ways for years to come.

I’ve never read any other books by Ms. Gardner, but I definitely intend to, because this one was well-written and engrossing, and I’m so glad Wendy brought it to my attention.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Come into my parlor…
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For Kimberly Quincy, FBI Special Agent, it all starts with a pregnant hooker. The story Delilah Rose tells Kimberly about her johns is too horrifying to be true—but prostitutes are disappearing, one by one, with no explanation, and no one but Kimberly seems to care.
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Said the spider to the fly…
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As a member of the Evidence Response Team, dead hookers aren’t exactly Kimberly’s specialty. The young agent is five months pregnant—she has other things to worry about than an alleged lunatic who uses spiders to do his dirty work. But Kimberly’s own mother and sister were victims of a serial killer. And now, without any bodies and with precious few clues, it’s all too clear that a serial killer has found the key to the perfect murder…or Kimberly is chasing a crime that never happened.
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Kimberly’s caught in a web more lethal than any spider’s, and the more she fights for answers, the more tightly she’s trapped. What she doesn’t know is that she’s close—too close—to a psychopath who makes women’s nightmares come alive, and if he has his twisted way, it won’t be long before it’s time for Kimberly to…Say Goodbye.
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Read an excerpt here.

Limecello’s review of The Legend of the Werestag by Tessa Dare
Historical romance released by Samhain Publishing 12 May 09

I’ve been suffering from a reading slump recently (more on that later), but I heard some buzz about this book. A few people I consider to be discerning readers said they enjoyed it, and after bumping into Tessa Dare on Twitter, I was reminded that I wanted to buy this book. So I hied myself off to My Bookstore and More, and made a purchase that I am very happy with. I have to admit, the title gave me pause. A lot of it. However, everything is in the realm of normalcy, and The Legend of the Werestag is a very well written story.

The heroine, Cecily Hale, is very likable. She’s sensible, yet not, warm, real, and is someone you’d want to be friends with. I like that she’s her own person and has experienced growth, yet still harbors a tendre for Luke. I really like that she’s devious, and has a mind of her own. Cecily is able if not willing to move on with her life, but she’s also willing to fight for what she wants. This seems contradictory, but it isn’t. What Cecily does is reasonable, and shows a level of self assurance that is admirable.

Luke is a deliciously tortured romance hero. Perfect for a historical romance, and I really liked getting in his head. It’s nice that he’s not maudlin, and a little selfish. Luke is flawed, but not hopeless. I also like that he’s honest with himself, and can admit that he didn’t love Cecily four years ago. That fact really adds a lot to Luke’s character, in my opinion. It also makes the story more believable. Luke also has some great one-liners, and you have to give points to any hero for that.

I have two admissions to make. First, that Ms. Dare managed to trick me with her book. I thought that something happened, but reading it, was led to believe the situation had played out differently. Only to find out in the end, that I was initially right, but then had completely written off my original thought. Confused? Good. You can and should buy your own copy and read it, to understand. My second confession, is that Ms. Dare saying a part of why she wrote this was because she wanted to use the phrase “felty thatch” intrigued me. I admit, considering the nature of most twitter conversations, I thought it was something very dirty an wanted to know how on earth Ms. Dare could use that in context, with the book actually being as good as everyone said, and not immediately rocketing the story into the realm of patently ridiculous.

I also want to share that I approached this book with an extremely high level of trepidation. While a quick Google search informs me deer/stags are not even in the same order as horses (you know, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, then species), I was nervous. Werestag implies paranormal shifter, and my friends had recently traumatized me with Mr. Hands. In my mind, there’s a line which paranormal authors should not cross, and that is it. Happily, Ms. Dare does no such thing. In fact, she masterfully addresses the subject of the werestag, and manages to inject just the right amounts of humor and drama.

Ms. Dare’s novel has a nice Gothic feel to it, but at the same time, it’s rather satiric. Like a modernized Northanger Abbey. The tone is lighthearted and engaging, but there’s just enough character angst to give some meat to the story. While it did feel a bit busy and confusing at the start with all the characters, there are only a few of them and easily sorted. I’m wondering if the other characters get their own stories, but I don’t want to jinx myself. (Also, because I think I’ll be biased and always consider Cecily and Luke’s story the best. Other than Denny. Poor Denny does deserve a happy ending.)

The Legend of the Werestag is a really enjoyable and entertaining novella, and definitely worth the $3.50 you pay. I’m so looking forward to Ms. Dare’s upcoming books as well. However, I will say that I didn’t enjoy the story quite as much when I began re-reading it. (Yes, already. I’m a re-reader.) But that’s because I knew the plot twist. The feel of The Legend of the Werestag also reminded me of a murder mystery, which I really liked. I recommend this story to anyone looking for something new, and especially to those who enjoy historical romances. Ms. Dare has an excellent writing style, and it’s something you should experience.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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To capture love, sometimes you have to grab it by the horns…
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If a woman could die of humiliation, Cecily Hale would have perished three hours ago. Luke Trenton had finally returned to Swinford Manor, only to cruelly spurn her long-held love. But she couldn’t conveniently die of shame on the spot—oh, no. Instead she joined her friends on this ridiculous search for a legendary man-beast. Now she’ll die here—alone in the woods, at the tusks of a snarling boar.
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Luke left for war a dashing youth and returned a man—just not the same man Cecily fell in love with. His passion for her is stronger than ever, but the ravages of battle changed him in ways she wouldn’t understand. Pushing her away was supposed to save her, not throw her into the path of another inhuman creature…or into the arms of another man.
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For it is a man who rescues Cecily, just as the boar attacks. A mysterious, silent man who disappears into the woods, leaving her with just a glimpse—of a fleeing white deer. Could her rescuer be the man-beast of local lore?
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A dangerous myth has captured Cecily’s imagination, putting Luke on the horns of a dilemma. Unless he summons the passion and tenderness to win her back, he could lose her forever…to the Werestag.
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Warning: This is a humorous, passionate historical romance, not a paranormal shifter story. However, it does feature a harrowing encounter with a wild beast, a tortured hero who feels half-human, and the unleashing of animal urges. In other words: explicit sex, mild language.
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Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Lawson’s review of Seducing An Angel (Huxtable Quintet, Book 4) by Mary Balogh
Historical romance released by Delacorte Press Hardcover 19 May 09

After having the three Huxtable sisters find their happy endings, though through scandal, their younger brother Stephen, Earl of Merton, gets his story. This book is being released in hardcover, though the first three in the Huxtable family series were paperback. What could Stephen have in store for him? Well, you’ll just have to read and see. If you haven’t read any of the series yet, you may want to, though this book did stand on it’s own rather well.

The titular angel in the book is Stephen, as he has been described that way by his family and those in society in the other books in the series. He is the object of seduction by Cassandra Belmont, Lady Paget, a widow in dire financial straits who thinks that he’ll be an easy target for her to become his mistress and get money to help her out. She sets her trap for him after seeing him in Hyde Park at the Sheringford Ball, a ball planned by Stephen’s sister Meg.

Cassandra gets her way, as she had assumed it would be easy and Stephen would be a pushover, but the morning after, it’s of course a different story. While Stephen makes good on his promises, Cassandra realizes too late that Stephen won’t be easily controlled, and in fact wants to restore her into society’s good graces. Cassandra, you see, is the subject of much gossip, the rumor being she killed her husband with an axe. Not a true story, but rumors are hardly ever true. With Stephen’s help, Cassandra becomes re-accepted into society, but when she has to face her past, a future seems too hard to get.

Stephen, as evidenced in the previous three books, is a good brother and a good man. He’s charming, handsome and doesn’t have a brooding nature such as his cousin Con Huxtable, whom he is often seen in the company of when Con is in London. He really is almost too good to be true. He adores his sisters and their children, has honor without being arrogant, gives more of himself than he asks from other people and has more money than he knows what to do with. His one flaw may be trying to be too overprotective and, being a man, wanting to protect with his fists.

Cassandra, being quite desperate, takes Stephen at his appearance at first, and thinks since he’s young, she can control him. She hasn’t been well treated by the men in her life, her father, her husband, her stepsons, and finally her brother, so she takes her pride and does what she thinks she needs to do. Unfortunately she makes people not like her, because her pride in wanting to do everything on her own gives off an air of contempt for everyone around her. Even when they try to be nice to her. While she doesn’t want to take charity, she doesn’t take the Huxtable’s kindness for what it is.

At least Cassandra is able to make amends with her brother and get out from behind her mask of contempt for everyone else, but she never seems to be the person that Stephen actually needs and wants, which is someone who loves him for who he is, rather than his title, money and good looks. She doesn’t want the latter three things, but she doesn’t like herself enough to truly see other people. There is a happy ending, of course, but to me Cassandra isn’t the best person for Stephen, even though Stephen is almost too good to be true.

The story was well written and I enjoyed the dialogue, but I realized in the last half of the book that it was a little familiar. Or maybe I saw a pattern from the other books in the series. While, of course the characters are different and the story has its own plot, some elements are the same such as one or both characters saying they don’t like or even hate the other, there’s a public display that leads to a marriage to stave off gossip, somewhere in there Con Huxtable warns away the non-Huxtable and the villain comes out of the woodwork and is humiliated in some way. While these elements don’t all happen in the same order, it did make the story a bit predictable.

Though it was predicable, it’s still a well written tale and Stephen is a great hero. It makes me really want Con’s story though, and I believe the next book should be his story. I do like the series because the Huxtables are a fun group and each have a role in all the books, not just token appearances in the stories other than their own.

Grade: C

Read more reviews and info on this series by following its tag.

Summary:
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The recently widowed Cassandra Belmont, Lady Paget, has arrived in London during the social Season. But she receives neither welcome nor sympathy from society. Quite the opposite. There are questions surrounding the death of her husband, and rumor has it that Cassandra murdered him. Her son-in-law has used threats rather than law to cut her off without a penny. But she had dependents as well as herself to support. Her situation is desperate indeed when she decides there is only one way to save them all from destitution. She goes in search of a wealthy, well-connected protector-and she settles upon the Earl of Merton.
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Stephen Huxtable, Earl of Merton, is now twenty-five years old, handsome, popular, and carefree. He is one of England’s most eligible and desirable bachelors. He has no interest in marrying just yet, but he is quite open to the idea of taking a mistress. When the beautiful Lady Paget appears very willing indeed, Stephen sees no reason to resist his attraction to her, despite her scandalous reputation. Until conscience sets in, that is, at the same time as he understands how Cassandra has deceived him.
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The affair would seem to be over almost before it has begun.
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Stephen’s conscience, however, moves him in more than one way, and he has a proposition of his own to make to the conniving, near-destitute widow. Suddenly the tables have been turned.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grade: C+

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

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Saved By the Monarch (Defending the Crown, Book 1) by Dana Marton
Contemporary Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 12 May 09

I like a good Harlequin Intrigue every now and again.  Dana Marton is an author who is new to me, and she has given me one terrific Intrigue in Saved by the Monarch. There is, of course, plenty of intrigue, and the action is nearly nonstop, the hero and heroine are strong characters, and the storyline is, well, intriguing.

On top of all of that, this is the first book in her new series Defending the Crown, and hopefully all of the Kerkay brothers will get their own book over time, making that a total of six. If you become of a fan of this series, you’re going to have some great reading right up to the very last book. To start the series off is Prince Miklos. He’s the military man in the family, and it’s come time for him to honor the agreement made nearly thirty years ago to marry the daughter of a local nobleman. But things changed before too long and his prospective bride to be has lived in the United States most all of her life.

Returning to Valtria for a vacation to find her roots, Judi is stunned to learn she’d been expected — Prince Miklos is her intended groom and he’s determined to marry her to carry out his duty. Judi is having none of it — she has her own life, thank you very much — and before she can argue her case any further, they are swept up in a rebellion to take over Valtria which is intent on destroying the family royalty that has ruled for years.

Separated from his family and his army, Prince Miklos fights for both their lives, as well as the lives of his family.  During the various battles he comes to respect Judi for her courage and swift thinking with danger all about. He goes from being a man who would wed for the sake of his country to a man who is proud of his bride and who is falling for her with every jut of her stubborn chin. He vows to get them both through the rebellion, but when it comes to light who has betrayed him, it seems all might be lost after all.

Once the action starts in this book, it never lets up. Just when you think things are turning for the good, something unforeseen hits Miklos and Judi for another setback, which makes it all the sweeter for them when the tide does eventually turn. They are an engaging couple, and though they fall in love quickly, it’s all due to the circumstances that show each other and us what kind of people they truly are. The interaction between Miklos and his brothers is a lot of fun, and it will be interesting to see what their relationships are like outside the context of fighting.

Saved by the Monarch is a great start to this series and I’m intrigued to see what comes next, which is Royal Protocol, to be released June 2009.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Picture yourself going on a much-needed European vacation to the country of your ancestors. You’re getting off the airplane, and the red carpet is odd, but not alarming. Except, the hot guy in the fancy uniform waiting at the end, in front of a line of guards, is not head of security.
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He is a prince.
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Now try not to let your chin drop when he tells you that your parents had promised him your hand in marriage before they died –when you were still a child.
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He whisks you away in the royal ceremonial limousine before you can get your bearings. And by the time you manage to tell him that under no circumstances will you be entering an arranged marriage with a stranger, you are both kidnapped by anti-monarchy rebels.
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You don’t know the country’s politics, you don’t know the lay of the land, you don’t speak the local dialects. You only have one chance for survival: you must trust your life to the prince.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

More contesty goodness – because I promised you it was coming! Read on, gentle readers, and try your luck! After all, it is an anthology set in Vegas!

 WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS…AFTER DARK anthology

 Release Date: May 1, 2009

 Anya Bast’s story in this anthology is called THE PROMISE. It’s a prequel to THE DEAL, (WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS… the first anthology, released in 2008), and tells Damian’s story and how/why he came to jilt Cassidy at the altar on their wedding day.

Here’s the whole blurb for the book:

Las Vegas… it’s the town that lives up to the promise of its nickname, Sin City. A gamblers’ paradise for innocent tourists, it conceals a darker, sexual world where the ethereal and wraithlike meet to play a different game….

If there’s one thing succubus Deitre understands it’s revenge. That, and enticing men into arousing, exciting and, okay, perilous sex (for him).
Beautiful on the outside, demon on the inside, she’s going to get back at the naughty firefighter in Darkness…unless he plays his cards right…

Bounty hunter Nell is a hell of a tracker. Now she’s in Vegas on the tail of the witch who dared to steal from her clan. She’s going to get to the unsavory harlot through the woman’s ex-fiancé, and nothing about their charged encounters will be shallow, quick or friendly.

When the half-blood fae male comes to club Darkness, Elena can’t resist acting on the mind-blowing heat coursing between them. She might be betrothed to another, but fae culture says sex with other men until marriage is most definitely foretold.

Tattoo artist Devi is the latent vampire the warlocks need to heal all wounds. But taking her power is a sexually exhausting and dangerous task requiring dark deception…and gambling on her life.

*******

In Anya’s story, The Promise, the heroine, Elena, has known her entire life she would have to marry someone she didn’t love. Family duty binds her and resigns her to her fate, though there’s a part of her that wishes to be free. To enter to win a copy of What Happens in Vegas…After Dark, name a time in your life when you felt duty bound to do something you didn’t want to do.

Three winners will be selected.