Wendy the Super Librarian‘s Quick Quack Reviews of Three Spice Briefs by Eden Bradley, Riki Kaye and Ruthie Michaels
Erotic romance and erotica ebook short stories released by Spice Briefs Feb – May 2010

There’s nothing like reading “short” for deluding myself into thinking that I’m actually making progress on my Harlequin e-book backlog.  Also, I figure since Harlequin keeps publishing the naughty Spice Briefs line, that I cannot possibly be the only one who has a minor addiction to buying them.  Oh, and reading them.  I might be willing to concede that I have a problem, but how can reading these tasty morsels be anything other than right?

Night Moves by Eden Bradley
Erotic romance ebook short story released 1 May 10

Kate’s got a thing for trains.  I mean, our girl really has a thing for riding (tee hee) the rails.  She tends to travel at night, waits for everyone to get tucked in, and then she scurries off to a private place to uh…take matters in her own hands.  Although this time around she finds her erotic moment of self-love interrupted by sexy surfer dude, Ian.  Oh my.  Whatever shall they do?

What we have here is the ol’ Hot Sex With A Hot Stranger trope.  The author makes it sizzle, incorporating two characters who are intelligent, willing to make small talk, and succumb to the spontaneity of the moment.  The resolution to this story felt a bit rushed to me, but the author ends this tale on an upbeat note.  I was left wanting more, which in the case of an erotic short story, is not necessarily a bad thing.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Something about trains had always brought out Kate’s wild side. So far it had been her own dirty little secret—until a sexy stranger catches her sneaking into his compartment looking to indulge her fantasy. But instead of throwing her out, Ian is turned on…and he’s ready to give Kate the ride of her life!

No Excerpt Found

Special Delivery by Riki Kaye
Erotic romance ebook short story released 1 Apr 10

Michael has been pulling long hours at the office, and when he gets home in the evenings he has no energy left for his wife.  Megan is starting to find this pattern of behavior annoying, and eventually decides it’s time to take matters into her own hands.  So she dons a skimpy outfit, grabs a pizza, and heads to hubby’s office for a lunch time quickie.

While Spice Briefs aren’t necessarily known for being “sweet” – this story kinda is.  Michael has been Megan’s one and only lover, and while she adores sex, she’s never been much of an instigator.  Her showing up at the office is definitely something new, and Michael?  Well, Mikey likes it.  A lot.  A quick sizzling read about a happily married couple who have hit a bump in the bedroom road.

Grade: B

Summary:

With her husband’s busy work schedule, Megan barely got a chance to have dinner with her husband, let alone make love. After three long weeks with no sex, she’s had enough. It’s time to take matters into her own hands…by visiting his office dressed as a sexy delivery girl and giving him a lunch break he’ll never forget…

No Excerpt Found

Tuscan Freedom by Ruthie Michaels
Erotica ebook short story released 1 Feb 10

Lily is in a rut, so when her college BFF, Gianna, asks her to come visit her in Italy, she’s all for it.  When she gets to Gianna’s villa who should she discover but two very sexy, and eager young men.  And wow – Gianna sure looks happy.  Wonder what that’s all about?  Ha!

Of my recent Spice Briefs reads, this one was definitely the naughtiest.  Lily has herself a grand ol’ time thanks to Gianna’s “hospitality” and the author pretty much explores all the options that two guys and two girls could possibly partake in.  However, this is very much a fantasy-laden read.  Readers looking for examination into multiple partner relationships, or those who need those safe sex moments in their erotic stories, are probably not going to be all that fulfilled here.  But it firmly fit my “erotica as fantasy” requirements, and Michaels certainly delivers with the sizzle.

Grade: B

Summary:

Lily’s normal life was dull and unchallenging—and seriously lacking in exciting sex! But when she goes on vacation in Italy, Lily finally feels free to explore a whole new side of herself…with the help of her hostess, Gianna. Before her trip is over, Lily will experience things she never imagined—such as a scandalous tryst with a stranger, a night of pleasure with her fellow houseguests, and so much more….

No Excerpt Found

Liviania‘s Quick Quack Reviews of A Bunch of Category Romances by a Bunch of Authors
Paranormal and contemporary romances released Jun-Jul 2009

That’s right, I’m back in the US and all moved into my apartment.  But . . . I’ve got a lot to catch up on.  So here’s some short reviews of various Harlequins I read on vacation.  That’s the lovely thing about eBooks – you can take them anywhere without affecting the weight of your baggage.  [Gwen ed.: we made her save room in her luggage for booze and chocolate souvenirs for us ducks.] 

The Highwayman (Wicked Games, Book 1) by Michele Hauf
Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne 1 Jul 09

This is my second exposure to Michele Hauf, the first being a Nocturne Bite.  I enjoyed the short story, but found it a bit thin.  It can be hard to develop two characters in a very limited page count.  Luckily, the hero and heroine of The Highwayman get more development, though part of the hero’s reasoning still remains opaque to me.

Aby is a familiar – in the case, a familiar is someone who brings demons into the world through having sex.  Max has a deprivation demon trapped inside of him, making him unable to sleep, orgasm, or feel full.  This has made him a little testy.  But he’s found a way to escape his fate with Aby’s help – but he still plans to kill her afterwards, even after he gets to know her.  I prefer my heroes to be less intent on spilling the heroine’s blood.  Especially when they’re an otherwise reasonable person and the heroine has given them no reason.

Max’s stubborn homicidal tendencies would annoy me more if the plot didn’t work so well.  It moves right along, building the mythology of familiars, revealing Max’s past, and moving the characters to France for the final showdown.  It’s quick and fun, just like a category should be. I look forward to the second book in the miniseries, Moon Kissed, available September 1.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Max Fitzroy, the legendary Highwayman, had slain scores of demons with a razorlike whip and a burning need for revenge. Now, to rid himself of the demon inside him—who’d cursed him with immortality and stolen all sensual pleasures—Max needed a witch’s familiar, the one creature he’d made a career of killing.
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But the Highwayman wasn’t prepared for the familiar named Aby. The sleek and sexy conduit to the demon world saw past his swirling shadow as easily as he scaled the walls she’d erected to protect herself. Max needed Aby to grant him his freedom, and then he needed to slay her. But how could he destroy the only creature he’d desired in centuries?
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Read an excerpt here.

Wild Wolf (The Pack) by Karen Whiddon
Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne 1 Jul 09

I haven’t read any of Karen Whiddon’s other Pack books, but she quickly sketches out the important parts of her world and moves onto the relationship and plot. Simon is a member of the Pack, charged with finding feral werewolves and deciding whether they can be rehabilitated or need to be put down. Raven is a feral werewolf, living along after a traumatic experience with a mad scientist.

I can buy that feral werewolves are dangerous. Raven manages to fit into wolf society because she is sane – she just doesn’t want to live among humans because of her past. Since she is reasonable and Simon can see it, things have to go terribly awry in order for the plot to have enough excitement. And go awry they do.

Seeing how corrupt this segment of the Pack has become really makes me wonder how Whiddon set this up in the previous novels. It seems like something that was probably building. I love that Wild Wolf gives a sense of the larger world while standing fine on its own. The leads work well together. Both of them are strong, neither deferring to the other. Raven’s got as much alpha instinct as Simon does. It’s a nice change.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Turning her back on humans because of her ability to shape-shift into a wolf, young and beautiful Raven doesn’t believe she needs anyone. Until the day a darkly handsome man appears near her remote cave…and she watches him turn into a wolf.
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Simon Caldwell has been sent to assess the threat of a new feral wolf prowling the Rockies. But he’s wholly unprepared for his intense attraction to Raven. His investigation is about to take a deadly turn as he and Raven become the hunted. Now their very survival depends on Simon’s ability to win what this wild wolf holds most dear!
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Read an excerpt here.

Return of the Wolf by Karen Whiddon
Paranormal romance novella released by Silhouette Nocturne Bites 1 Jun 09

After finishing White Wolf, I headed happily into this Bite by the same author. Three tries later and I still haven’t finished the sixty or so pages of this story, so I’m giving up. It begins slow, with the hero and heroine fishing together. They’re instantly attracted – Gideon knows she’s his wolf’s mate, and Memphis believes their reincarnated lovers.

I couldn’t sympathize with either of the characters. Memphis especially seems rather dippy. It takes quite a bit to make the destined lovers work, and I wasn’t buying. It didn’t help that I found the beginning boring. Fishing just doesn’t appeal to me.

This may work for others, but for me it’s a pass.

Grade: DNF

Summary:
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When Gideon Aronditis meets his new client Memphis Ayers for a fishing expedition, they both feel an instant attraction–and sense that they’ve met before. For shape-shifter Gideon, the explanation is clear: Memphis is his true mate and destined to be with him. Yet Gideon refuses to accept Memphis’s belief that knew each other in a past life, even though she has seen Gideon in her dreams for years. Can Memphis convince Gideon of the truth, or are they doomed to lose each other once again?
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No excerpt found.

The Illegitimate King (The Castaldini Crown, Book 3) by Olivia Gates
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire 14 Jul 09

I liked the summary of this one, even though I’m not that familiar with the line. Clarissa and Ferruccio would have had love at first sight, if they hadn’t managed to deeply insult each other at first conversation. Ferruccio pursued Clarissa for years, and now has the leverage to make her romance him since she’s trying to convince him to accept the position of king of Castaldini. (Yes, the country name is ridiculous.)

This one had a few problems. Ferruccio could be kind of sleazy and their inability to communicate doesn’t bode well for a future relationship. (That doesn’t prevent a baby-filled epilogue since this is the end of a miniseries. If I were one of the wives, I’d insist on condoms. That many pregnancies takes a toll on the body.) Still, it was a perfect vacation book. It kept me interested and there was definitely sexual tension.

I might skip the first sex scene. It includes such awful descriptions as Ferruccio “feeling like a sword just out of the fire” to Clarissa. Not all of it is that painful, but none of it is sexy. It does get better, but that one scene is truly awful.

If you like family secrets or the other novels in this miniseries, you’ll probably like this one. The Illegitimate King made me want to try to the previous two novels, even with all of it’s problems.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Once, she’d scorned him. And illegitimate secret prince Ferruccio Selvaggio had sworn he would make her pay. Now, Princess Clarissa D’Agostino was in his power. It was time to teach her a lesson…. The future of the kingdom rested on her. Clarissa knew she had to do whatever it took to convince Ferruccio to accept the crown and save them all. Even if it meant marrying a man who believed the worst of her. Even if it meant giving him her heart.
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Read an excerpt here (click “Read the prologue”).

Endless Summer by Julie Kenner, Karen Anders, and Jill Monroe
Contemporary romance anthology released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Jul 09

Normally I would separate all the novellas, but these are intertwined so I’ll do them as one. I picked up this anthology since I enjoy Julie Kenner’s paranormal books and wanted to try one of her contemporary offerings. It helped that Endless Summer, as the name implies, was a surfing collection. I enjoy surfing stories even though I’ve only been to a beach where you actually could surf once.

I’m not which of the stories was my favorite. I liked Drea, from Jill Monroe’s story, the best of the heroines because of her strong personality. I liked Zach, from Karen Anders’ story, the best of the heroes. Due to an injury, he became overly cautious. It’s a change from the take-charge hero. He’s also not afraid to design clothing. Now that’s a man. Kenner’s Laci and Taylor were a bit more bland. And Laci makes the classic mistake of not explaining why she’s angry. For some reason I want my romantic leads to communicate well even though I know miscommunication is a standard part of life.

But while each story had elements I liked, part of the reason I can’t pick a favorite is that nothing really stood out. While perfectly readable, each story was by-the-numbers – not what the risk-taking heroines deserve. I read these stories just yesterday and they’re already fading from my mind.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Summer has never been sexier!
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Making Waves by Julie Kenner, Laci Montgomery is determined to be pro surfing’s Golden Girl. Does she need help from her ex—hottie sports promoter Taylor Dutton? No way! Well, not unless she’s on top…
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Surf’s Up by Karen Anders, After a crash meeting in the waves, surfer J. C. Wilcox and entrepreneur Zack Fanning practice daring moves that would make fish blush. But is it just sexy fun in the sun—or are they ready to risk their hearts?
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Read an excerpt here.
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Wet and Wild by Jill Monroe, Daredevil Rookie of the Year Andrea “Drea” Powell needs a sponsor. Superstar pro Kirk Murray needs a flashy new surfer to back. The explosive results heat up the competition…and the bedroom!

Liviania’s review of Carter Finally Gets It by Brent Crawford
Young adult released by Hyperion 7 April 09

I may be twenty, but I still enjoy young adult novels.  They’re usually quick, fun, and willing to experiment with genre.  And, like adult novels, I don’t really care whether one is aimed at guys or girls.  Carter Finally Gets It is definitely aimed at teen guys, but I think the girls could still enjoy it.

Carter’s your basic horny fourteen-year-old, starting his freshman year of high school.  (For the first bit, he’s your basic horny thirteen-year-old, which bothers me a little.  For some reason I’m much more cool with the idea of a fourteen-year-old being sexually active rather than a thirteen-year-old.  Of course, even then, I’m glad he doesn’t go past heavy petting in the book, because I think even fourteen is young for sex.)  He wants to be popular and get a hot girl, but doesn’t really know how to go about either.

I love that he kind of stumbles into both.  Carter gains glory through sports and is smart enough to date the girl who says she’s interested in him.  Unfortunately, he messes things up with Abby when he agrees to go out with the hottest girl in the grade.  Then he’s got to get the girl back.  I love that Brent Crawford isn’t afraid to allow Carter to be a jerk.  He’s just a kid; some of his decisions are going to be less-than-admirable.  But Carter always manages to redeem himself since he’s, in general, a good guy.

Now, while I say teen girls will probably enjoy this, I probably wouldn’t have liked this one much until I was an older teen.  But I’m sure there are others who would enjoy it just fine during or before their freshman year.  I think actual adults would enjoy it to, as long as they don’t mind reading about young teens.  It’s a very funny book.  Carter Finally Gets It relies on an engaging protagonist and humor to carry one of the world’s most basic plots.  And I don’t want to give away the end, but what happens after swim season ends is awesome.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Meet Will Carter, but feel free to call him Carter. (Yes, he knows it’s a lazy nickname, but he didn’t have much say in the matter.)

Here are five things you should know about him:

1. He has a stuttering problem, particularly around boobs and belly buttons.
2. He battles Attention Deficit Disorder every minute of every day…unless he gets distracted.
3. He’s a virgin, mostly because he’s no good at talking to girls (see number 1).
4. He’s about to start high school.
5. He’s totally not ready.

Join Carter for his freshman year, where he’ll search for sex, love, and acceptance anywhere he can find it. In the process, he’ll almost kill a trombone player, face off with his greatest nemesis, suffer a lot of blood loss, narrowly escape death, run from the cops (not once, but twice), get caught up in a messy love triangle, meet his match in the form of a curvy drill teamer, and surprise the hell out of everyone, including himself.

No excerpt found.

Lawson’s Quick Quack Reviews of Three Contemporary Romances by Sherrill Bodine, Elizabeth Bevarly, and Candace Havens
All released Nov 08

I’m sure Sybil would much rather I did three full reviews of these books…  but I just can’t. Maybe it was the Thanksgiving Holiday, maybe it was the fact that I was drugged up while reading these due to some sort of cold, or maybe I’m just lazy and don’t want to.  But these three books had some of the same sorts of issues to me. Lumping them all together probably isn’t the best idea, as they really are three totally different sort of plots and settings, but they’re all in my head in one spot. That and I’ve got a headache from the cold’s hangover and I don’t want to look at a computer too long.

Talk of the Town by Sherrill Bodine
Contemporary Romance released by Grand Central Publishing 25 Nov 08

I don’t know what sort of market this was going for, but it kind of hits that 40-something, “Sex and the City”-loving, late edge baby boomer that may be a little dissatisfied with the 21st century so far. Or maybe that’s just cynical little me, I don’t know. Rebecca Covington has been demoted and sent to the Home and Food Section by her paper’s new owner after one too many blind items that expose someone that doesn’t want the attention.

Rebecca finds herself overly attracted to David Sumner, the new owner, and he feels the same. There’s some good sparks and sweet moments, but neither character seemed very fleshed out. The time spent to explain motivations with backstory was glossed over, but repeated over and over. Rebecca’s loved ones abandon her, David is still mourning his wife who died of cancer, but neither is expanded on enough to give any emotional depth to the characters.

There are some good secondary characters, who seemed a bit more fleshed out than Rebecca and David, and it is a sweet story, but there just wasn’t enough there to make a heartfelt story. It was rather like Entertainment Tonight: bombardment with the “Top Story” but when it comes in the last 5 minutes, the 2 minute story is just a fluff piece.

Grade: C-

Summary:

GOSSIP QUEEN DETHRONED!

Darlings, what a to-do at the Daily Mail today! After fifteen years as Chicago’s gossip guru, Rebecca Covington has been demoted from divulger of secrets for the city’s elite to headlining recipes in the Home and Food section. Apparently, a touchy senator is threatening legal action for Rebecca’s latest extramarital scoop. But Windy City rumor has it that new CEO and dreamy Pierce Brosnan look-alike David Sumner downgraded Rebecca in favor of fresher, younger blood on the social beat.

Industry insiders expect Rebecca to fight her denouement, and inquiring minds have already seen the feisty maven trading quips and searing glances wtih her arresting new boss. Rebecca swears she’ll reclaim her shining star status, but can the dishy diva even cook? And how can she ignore David’s arousing effect on her sensibilities?

Don’t miss a trick, darlings. Sparks are going to fly.

Read an excerpt.

Ready and Willing by Elizabeth Bevarly
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Sensation 4 Nov 08

I know this is the second book Bevarly has set in Louisville, KY during the time of the Kentucky Derby. It’s obviously something I should go see, just to say I’ve been. Audrey Magill is trying to make her living, moving from being an accountant to a milliner. The Derby is one place where that most likely would happen. She’s also a widow still grieving for her husband. When she’s sent on a mission to save the soul of a descendant of Silas Summerfield, the previous owner and ghost in her house, she doesn’t think it will work out, but she does it anyway.

Nathaniel Summerfield thinks she’s off her rocker, but starts to believe her when a couple of things happen. I don’t know if it was meant to be more suspenseful than it was, but there was no real threat to me of Nathaniel loosing his soul, other than him feeling cold all the time. Why Audrey was chosen for the job is never really addressed, aside from the fact that she bought the Summerfield house and Silas’ portrait. The chemistry between the two was pretty good and sexy, but the emotional connection never seemed to really take off.

The reason things never did seem to take off was the secondary storyline about Silas (yes, the ghost) and Audrey’s neighbor Cecilia. Every time things would get going in a good direction, Silas and Cecilia would have a scene and Cecilia’s issues would be brought forward and though they are important, the book was about Nathaniel and Audrey. They got shortchanged for a ghost and… well I can’t be mean about Cecilia, as it’s a sad story, but again, not her story.

Grade: C-

Summary:

When Audrey Magill stumbles onto a portrait of a 19th-century riverboat captain, she thinks it’ll be perfect for her new hat shop. She doesn’t expect to meet a ghost who insists Audrey must help save the soul of his great-great-however-many-greats grandson. Now in addition to scrambling to open her shop in time for the Kentucky Derby, she must convince a complete stranger that he’s in danger of losing his soul — and that everlasting love does exist.

No excerpt available.

The Demon King and I by Candace Havens
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Nov 08

The title of this book is a little silly, especially with the cover, but it was different than I expected. It’s set in Austin, mostly, and there are some definite girl-power vibes. The Caruthers family is part of a supernatural group that guard the Earth and other planets from the things that go bump in the night. It’s a bit complex, but it’s an interesting world that Havens has built and I wouldn’t mind some more trips there to follow the many Caruthers sisters and other family members.

What didn’t work was the first person. It was distracting from the rest of the story because there were times it seemed to go over into third person and the snap back to first. I don’t know really how to describe it, but this is one first person book that… perhaps it’s just trying to hard. The other thing that didn’t work was the love story. Arath, the titular Demon King, would appear out of nowhere for a short time, then disappear again. There didn’t seem to be a lot of time where Gillian and Arath spent any meaningful time together to form anything other than a lusting relationship.

I’d go back to the world of the Caruthers sisters though, as Alex (who gets her book next, I’m assuming) and maybe another sister get set up for their own stories.

Grade: C

Summary:

The Caruthers sisters are heiresses with privilege, wealth, beauty, and brains. But these party girls have something extra. As the Guardian Keys, possessors of an ancient family secret, they hold the fate of the world in their hands.

Gillian, the eldest, is a sensation in the art world— this world, that is. In her other world she’s the Assassin, a knockout who snuffs out dimension-jumpers who foul up her personal space. She never expected to join forces with one. But when a plague of murderous demons plunges the earth in darkness, she has no choice but to get a little help from a being who knows his stuff.

No excerpt available.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Deadly Gift (The Flynn Brothers Trilogy, Book 3) by Heather Graham
Romantic Suspense released by MIRA 1 Dec 08

Heather Graham is an old hand at giving you a story you want to read and this is no exception. 

Caer is spending Christmas with strangers to help protect Sean O’Riley – a man who seems to be threatened and they must figure out by whom, or he could end up dead

Sean goes to the old country for a visit and takes sick about the same time his business partner disappears.  Sean is accompanied by Zach Flynn, an old family friend and someone the family trusts to guard Sean. Zach stays to help unravel the mystery.  Sean has trouble believing someone wants to hurt him and is reluctant to believe his longtime friend is dead.

Sean’s daughter is sure he married an evil gold-digger and, since the woman is about her age, you figure she married for money, but is she evil? This is one of the questions you must answer to unravel the mystery.

It turns out this is not a new idea and the answers are old and long planned. Since I love serial killers I missed Zach’s brothers and was not sure where this story would go but it was worth getting there and I’m sorry I missed the other two books in the trilogy.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Zachary Flynn is off to Ireland to escort an old friend, Sean O’Riley, home to Rhode Island after a bout of illness in the land of his birth. Zach has no idea he’ll be coming home with far more than old friends. While Zach doubts that murder was intended, he must accept the possibility, since Sean’s business partner has gone missing. Caer, a woman with an agency in Ireland, knows that Sean’s life is in danger, and she takes on the role of Sean’s nurse to stay close to him. Zach doesn’t trust her anymore than he trusts the third partner in the sailing and charter business, his wife, the cops, or the man in the moon.

But if Sean is to make another Christmas, especially after receiving a strange gift in the mail, he knows he has to find the truth behind the mist that comes in the night, and the strange whispers of ancient Ireland that tease him in the darkness.

No excerpt available at the time this review was written.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Dying For You (The Protectors Series) by Beverly Barton
Romantic Suspense released by HQN on 1 Dec 08

Lucie is a private security agent and wants a fresh start away from Sawyer McNamara. She no longer craves his forgiveness for something she did not do. 

Lucie takes a job guarding wealthy Cara Bedell, from Barton’s earlier Protectors novels. Cara has money to burn and suffers from unrequited love because the man she loves wants to take care of his wife.

While guarding Cara, Lucie is kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity and everyone must try to determine why someone wanted to kidnap Cara and try to find Lucie before it is to late.  Sawyer can’t seem to get over Lucie but will risk his life to help save hers. They keep the mistake in the kidnappings covered up because they know if the kidnappers find out they have the wrong person they will kill her.

These are not new characters but ones you would not want to miss. I’m sure everyone will hate to see this series end, so grab it and enjoy it while you can.

Grade: B+

Summary:

All private security agent Lucie Evans wants is a fresh start – and the chance to show Sawyer McNamara, her unforgiving ex-boss, that she no longer craves absolution for a crime she didn’t commit. So when she’s offered a trip to South America as the personal bodyguard to a billionaire heiress, Lucie jumps at the prospect of leaving the Dundee Agency behind. But then she’s kidnapped in a case of mistaken identity, and her only hope of survival rests with the one man she never wanted to see again…

Sawyer has spent years convincing himself that all he feels for Lucie is contempt – but with her life on the line, he’s forced to face the passion that has always sizzled between them. Yet it might be a case of too little, too late. Because Lucie’s captor is still on the loose…and he won’t rest until Lucie is silenced once and for all.

Read an excerpt (I had to highlight the text with my mouse to see it).

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Casting Spells by Barbara Bretton
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Nov 08

Chloe Hobbs lives in Sugar Maple — a picture-perfect little town with all kinds of characters living there — and is the daughter of a sorcerer’s daughter.  Chloe has not yet come into her powers, so she is the only “normal” person living in Sugar Maple.  That is, until a visitor is murdered and a “normal” cop is sent to check it out. 

The town depends on Chloe to keep the cop in the dark and they all warn her she must not fall for a “normal” man. Chloe needs to get her powers to keep the town safe because the protection her family has been maintaining is getting weaker, and there is a power struggle on.

There are some strange goings on in this town but you will want to check out the knitting shop where your yarn never tangles (wish that shop was here!) and enjoy the light-hearted story with a bit of suspense and a touch of other-worldly fun.  A good, but not great, story to read next to the fire if you’re looking for some quick, escapist entertainment.

Grade: C

Summary:

Magic. Knitting. Love.

Sugar Maple looks like any Vermont town, but it’s inhabited with warlocks, sprites, vampires, witches—and an ancient secret. And Chloe Hobbs, owner of Sticks & String, a popular knitting shop, has a big secret too. She’s a sorcerer’s daughter in search of Mr. Right—and she’s found him in Luke MacKenzie, a cop investigating Sugar Maple’s very first murder. Bad news is he’s 100% human, which could spell disaster for a normal future with a paranormal woman like her.

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Connie’s Quick Quack review of A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick
Contemporary women’s fiction released by Kensington 30 Oct 08

When Evelyn Dixon’s marriage ends abruptly she is at a loss until she takes a trip to a totally new town and finds the perfect (to her) spot to open her dream quilt shop. 

All the locals think she won’t have enough business to last six months but Evelyn is determined to try. Like all best laid plans many things go wrong and the business is indeed threatened. And it happens at a time that Evelyn’s health is not good.  New friends decide to help her keep the shop going.

Liza is troubled after the death of her mother and she is thrust on her aunt and both have a hard time with that. Aunt Abigail is wealthy but her feelings are kept under strict control. Liza blames Abigail for not trying to help her mother and is determined to make the situation as unpleasant as possible.

This is a small town with some really nice people. I don’t quilt but the story is compelling enough that it doesn’t matter.  All women need to be aware of the fight against breast cancer and how to help beat it. Everyone should find a character they like and enjoy the story.

Grade: B

Summary:

Marie’s fourth book, A SINGLE THREAD, will be her first contemporary novel. The November trade paperback tells the story of a displaced Texas homemaker who moves to Connecticut and pursues her dream of opening a quilt shop. But, on the day the shop opens, the owner discovers she has breast cancer. She survives, with the loving help of her friends.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Nightwalker (Dark Days, Book 1) by Jocelynn Drake
Urban fantasy released by Eos 29 Jul 08

Mira has been a vampire a long time. She is a bit of a rebel but enforces the rules in her little part of the world. She is different than other vampires as she has an elemental mastery over fire. Then a vampire hunter comes to town and he and Mira must make an uneasy pact to try to stop the naturi from breaking a seal and taking over. 

Mira must contact her old mentor and her maker to help defeat the naturi. No one is sure who to trust and no one is exactly what they seem.

You will find a few interesting characters but not necessarily one you will feel compelled to follow. I was compelled to finish the book after dragging along but would gladly follow the characters I liked by word of mouth.

Grade: D+

Summary:

For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker–an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed…and may be all that prevents her doom.The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt…or be hunted.

But in a dimension just beyond the world’s boundaries, a banished race stirs dangerously, hungry for power, for domination, for vengeance. Already a protective seal has been breached: already blood flows like a river through the world’s great cities.

And only the collaboration of two sworn enemies can save humankind…and its feral brethren.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Thread of Fear by Laura Griffin
Romantic Suspense released from Pocket Star on 30 Sept 08

Fiona Glass is a forensic artist and is the best in the business, but the things she sees haunt her.  She feels she needs to get out of this work and concentrate on her art.  However, Jack Bowman has a cop’s instinct and won’t take “no” for an answer and drags her into his case. 

Jack did not intend to bring Fiona so far into his case, or into his life, but he does both and can’t back away. Together they must uncover a small town’s secrets and expose the evil that lives there.

Fiona seems to have a a talent for getting the most from a witness.  She helps a young witness and they find his life is in danger.  Fiona can’t leave him to fend for himself and puts her own life in danger.

I don’t remember reading Laura Griffin before and, if you haven’t either, you might want to check her out. This story had some engaging characters.  I’m going to check out the next story and add her to my to-be-bought list.

Grade: B

Forensic artist Fiona Glass is the best in the business — which is precisely why she’s quitting. Her skill at mining victims’ memories to re-create the faces of sadistic criminals has left her haunted and wary, and only Jack Bowman’s dogged persistence convinces her to help him. The rugged police chief is hunting a serial killer who’s targeting teenage girls. But what seems like a simple assignment is fraught with complications, including a searing attraction to Jack that’s tempting Fiona to let her guard down in potentially dangerous ways.

Jack never intended for Fiona to become so deeply involved in the case — or in his life. But every instinct tells him she’s his best hope for finding a psychopath who’s lurking in plain sight, growing more ruthless with each passing day. And now that Fiona is right in the killer’s crosshairs, the only way to keep her safe is to unravel a small town’s darkest secrets, one terrifying thread at a time….

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Connie’s Quick Quack Review of A Cedar Cove Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Contemporary Romance hardcover released by MIRA 1 Oct 08

We have an extra book in this series to enjoy for Christmas.

Mary Jo Wyse’s three brothers have finally decided to kidnap that the cad who got their sister pregnant and left her high and dry. They’re determined to force him make an “honest woman” of her.

Mary Jo decides to warn the cad before her brothers get to him because she doesn’t want to be forced into a marriage neither want. Of course, Mary Jo is stranded at Grace’s when there is no place for her to stay and then she goes into labor. Meanwhile, her brothers run around the Cedar Cove streets looking for her. Luckily for her there’s medical help at Grace’s – yummy Mack McAfee.

This is a quick enjoyable visit to the Cove and a reminder of the real Christmas story, with all the the similarities in the stories.

Grab a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy the visit and root for Mary Jo to end up happy, without the cad.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Mother-to-be Mary Jo Wyse arrives in Cedar Cove on Christmas Eve, searching for her baby’s father. David Rhodes had said he’d be in town. But he isn’t. Which leaves Mary Jo stranded, pregnant and alone. And there’s no room at the local inn….

So Grace Harding brings Mary Jo home to her nearby ranch. She and her husband, Cliff, have a houseful of guests, but they offer her a room over their stable (currently sheltering the animals – including a donkey and a camel – for Cedar Cove’s Nativity pageant!).

When Mary Jo goes into labor that night, a young man named Mack McAfee, a paramedic, comes to her rescue, just as her brothers – the three Wyse men – show up in town. The people of Cedar Cove join them in celebrating the birth of baby Noel. But no one has more to celebrate than Mack. Because this Christmas brings him faith, hope and love…

Read an excerpt scroll down.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Sweetheart (The Beauty Killer, Book 2) by Chelsea Cain
Mystery thriller hardcover released by St. Martin’s Minotaur 2 Sep 08

Archie is back, and addicted to pain pills, when another girl is found in the park where Gretchen’s first victim was discovered. He’s managed to get back with Debbie and is not visiting Gretchen when this victim is found. Then, Archie is forced to see Gretchen again when she is attacked in the prison where she was incarcerated at the end of Book 1.

Henry goes behind Archie’s back and arranges to get Gretchen moved far away from Archie. All Henry has actually done is play into Gretchen’s hands and she escapes while being moved – she has found new lovers to do her bidding.

Susan is back, with another hair color, and we see a lot more of her mother than we need to when, because of Gretchen’s escape, they and Archie’s family are forced to go into hiding. Problem is Archie is in liver failure and wants to end the threat to his family – so he has a plan…

Archie’s story is a sad one. He is actually someone who cares. Gretchen targets him and a family is ruined because of her sick desires.

Cut Archie a little slack and enjoy the book. I love a good serial killer and Gretchen certainly fits the need, and then some. I enjoyed this book more than the first so be sure to check out Archie’s plan!

Grade: A

Summary:

With Heartsick, Chelsea Cain took the crime world by storm, introducing two of the most compelling characters in decades: serial killer Gretchen Lowell and her obsessed pursuer Portland Detective Archie Sheridan. The book spent four weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews around the world. But the riveting story of Archie and Gretchen was left unfinished, and now Chelsea Cain picks up the tale again.

When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Archie is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. This body can’t be one of Gretchen’s—she’s in prison—but after help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman’s identity, it turns into another big case. Trouble is, Archie can’t focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison.

Archie hadn’t seen her in two months; he’d moved back in with his family and sworn off visiting her. Though it should feel like progress, he actually feels worse. The news of her escape spreads like wildfire, but secretly, he’s relieved. He knows he’s the only one who can catch her, and in fact, he has a plan to get out from under her thumb once and for all.

Chelsea Cain has topped her own bestselling debut thriller with this unpredictable, edge-of-your-seat story.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Mass market paperback released 29 Jul 08

Connie’s Quick Quack Review of Left To Die by Lisa Jackson
Romantic Suspense released by Zebra 1 Aug 08

Lisa Jackson is a long time favorite author of mine, one I followed from romance to suspense. She is an author who more often than not delivers a great story and an entertaining one. I am happy to say Left to Die was a book that kept me turning the pages wanting to know what happens next and surprising me.

Jillian is lured to a small town when someone tries to tell her her first husband is still alive. When her tire is shot out, it is feared she has become the victim of a serial killer who strands women, pretends to rescue them and then ties them to a tree to become a victim of the brutal winter weather. Jillian is rescued by a man who does not trust the police; is he her rescuer or the serial killer trying to win her trust, then kill her?

Two totally different women cops are on the trail of the killer (with no leads), when Jillian turns up. Another victim is found before she dies and rushed to a hospital, where it is hoped she will have more information on the killer.

Jillian and her rescuer try to find out who wants her dead when it is discovered that she is not a victim of the serial killer.

As usual, Lisa Jackson delivers with a good book but this one could have been a little less lengthy. Don’t let the length stop you! But do be warned–the end has a cliffhanger and a year long wait for the next book.

Grade: B-

NOTHING’S MORE TERRIFYING…  One by one, the victims are carefully captured, toyed with, then subjected to a slow and agonizing death. Piece by piece, his exquisite plan takes shape. The police can’t yet see the beauty in his work–but soon, very soon, they will…

THAN BEING LEFT ALONE…  In the lonely woods around Grizzly Falls, Montana, four bodies have been discovered. Detectives Selena Alvarez and Regan Pescoli have been hoping for a career-making case, but this is a nightmare. Even with the FBI involved, Selena and Regan have nothing to go on but a killer’s cryptic notes, and the unsettling knowledge that there is much worse to come…

TO DIE…  When Jillian Rivers opens her eyes, she’s trapped in a mangled car. Then a stranger, claiming to be a trail guide named Zane MacGregor, pries her free. Though she’s grateful, something about him sets Jillian on edge. And if she knew what lay out there in the woods of Montana, she’d be truly terrified. Because someone is waiting…watching…poised to strike and make Jillian the next victim…

Read an excerpt here.

Connie’s Quick Quack Review of 8 Sandpiper Way (Cedar Cove, Book 8 ) by Debbie Macomber
Contemporary Romance released by MIRA 1 Sep 08

Everyone will want to join on this trip to Cedar Cove. Debbie Macomber has a great way of creating a feeling where the reader gets a chance to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones.
The minister’s wife thinks he is having an affair and he is reluctant to tell her where he is. So the suspicions grow and then he has some stolen jewelry in his pocket that he can’t explain.

Olivia has her surgery for cancer and the sheriff is trying to patch things up with Faith now that his daughter has regained her emotional footing. Megan also finds out that she is pregnant again. When Megan goes to the doctor she meets a woman she decides would be just right for her father but unfortunately it is Faith with her twice broken heart.

No one will want to miss dropping by Cedar Cove again, so sit back and enjoy the book. I know I stayed up late reading.

Grade: B+

Dear Reader,

I have something to confide in you. I think my husband, Dave, might be having an affair. I found an earring in his pocket, and it’s not mine. I’m also worried because some jewelry was recently stolen from an old woman—and Dave used to visit her a lot.

You see, he’s a pastor. And a good man. I can’t believe he’s guilty of anything, but why won’t he tell me where he’s been when he comes home so late?

Reader, I’d love to hear what you think. I also want to tell you what’s going on with your other friends in Cedar Cove. Like Sheriff Troy Davis, to mention one. His long-ago love, Faith Beckwith, just moved here!

So come on in and join me for a cup of tea.

Emily Flemming

Read an excerpt here.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Then You Hide (The Bullet Catchers, Book 6) by Roxanne St. Claire
Contemporary romantic suspense released by Pocket Star 24 Jun 08

Bullet Catcher Wade Cordell is assigned to track down a woman on a Caribbean vacation to get her to meet her birth mother and see if she can help save the woman’s life. Vanessa has known she was adopted and that her birth mother was in jail for murder and wants no part of meeting or helping her and has her own agenda for her vacation and leads Wade on a merry chase.  Vanessa is an extremely strong willed person and hates her birth mother. 

Wade is just as determined to get Vanessa back in time to help her birth mother.  Vanessa is determined to help her friend but someone doesn’t want her to find him or uncover what he found and is trying to hide from.

The Bullet Catchers are a good series and this book was a good read. There are some rather strange characters and some you’ll really like. This series is one to check out.

Grade: B

Summary:

When Bullet Catcher Wade Cordell is offered a cushy assignment to track down a woman on vacation in the Caribbean and persuade her to meet her birth mother, the secret ops sharpshooter decides it’s the perfect antidote to his stressful job. Except spirited and sassy Vanessa Porter isn’t on vacation, she’s on a hunt for a friend who has disappeared. Wade’s news doesn’t faze a woman who swims with the sharks on Wall Street — Vanessa knows she’s adopted and has no intention of meeting or helping the woman who gave her up in a black market scheme. But as it becomes clear that her missing friend is deep in hiding and deeper in trouble, Vanessa strikes a shaky bargain with the sexy bodyguard who’s an expert at finding people who don’t want to be found. How high a price will she have to pay the Bullet Catcher willing to put his life on the line for her? Will she sacrifice her pride . . . her heart . . . even her life?

Other books in this series:

Connie’s Quick Quack review of The Healer by Sharon Sala
Contemporary paranormal romantic suspense released by Mira 1 Apr 08

Jonah Gray Wolf appeared out of nowhere and has a connection to animals no one can explain and he is also a healer. This gift puts him and anyone he cares about in great danger because a man he once helped will do anything to get him in his power.

Jonah helps Luce by healing her dog and finds a kindred soul. Since winter is coming Jonah decides to go to ground in this little town where he thinks he will be safe for a little while but there is always someone hunting him for the reward on his head.

When Jonah’s gift draws attention to him he knows it is only a matter of time but this time instead of running he is making a stand for himself and Luce.

This was a quick read but good after you get into it. Sharon Sala is usually a good read.

Grade: B-

Summary:

It is a gift that may cost him everything

All his life, Jonah Gray Wolf has had an uncanny connection to animals and the power to heal the sick and wounded. Driven from the only home he’s ever known by those who wish to harness his gift for profit, he becomes a drifter, working in out-of-the-way towns, never staying long. It’s a lonely life, but Jonah knows he’s still being hunted-he can’t afford to get close to anyone who might learn his secret.

In West Virginia he finds Luce, a tough but beautiful loner who knows all about keeping people at a distance-a kindred soul with whom he might dare to make a life. But the hunters have caught Jonah’s scent again. Danger is coming to their mountain refuge-a confrontation that will be decided only by a force of nature.

Read an excerpt.

Connie’s Quick Quack review of Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet
Contemporary fantasy romance hardcover released by Little, Brown 28 Apr 08

Jane Margaux grew up as a lonely single daughter of a Broadway producer.  She really only saw her mother on Sundays when they went to Tiffany’s together. She was never the “beautiful daughter” everyone expected her mother to have and was a little on the chubby side. Jane had an invisible friend named Michael who kept her company and got her through the lonely years until her ninth birthday and then he had to leave her to go to help some other lonely child. 

Years later Jane is as lonely as ever, even though she had success with the play she did about her relationship with Michael. Then Jane meets a man – it’s Michael! They start to spend time together but both are afraid he will have to leave again since he has never before met the adult version of a child he’s helped.

They spend time together and deepen their bond. Michael is afraid he was sent to help Jane through her death, so he breaks both of their hearts and leaves her, thinking to forestall her death.

This was a quick,easy read but you were happy for the characters and did not want Jane to leave him. There is a surprise twist to the end but you will enjoy getting there.

Grade: A

Read other reviews by clicking on the Sundays at Tiffany’s tag.

Summary:

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they’ve really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

Read an excerpt.