LauraJ’s review of Jinxed by Inez Kelley
Contemporary Romantic Comedy released by Samhain Publishing on June 9, 2009.

I think every woman wants to find a man who is “perfect” (and it’s okay if your idea of perfect is different than mine, etc) and in this light-hearted romance I think Ms. Kelley has managed to get at least several “perfect man” qualifications on most women’s checklists in the hero Francis “Jinx“ Sullivan. Yes that is his name and how he got the name is quite cute, especially if you are the older sister of younger brothers.

Seriously, Jinx is the dream man we all want. He is handsome, has a great job, has money, says all the right things, is patient, kind to children, he’s funny and charming, takes care of those he cares about, and he willingly shops for feminine products for the woman of his dreams. He has suffered pain in the past and when he meets Frances “Frannie“ Sullivan, he believes that he has been given a second chance at love and he is willing to give a reluctant (very reluctant) Frannie all the time she needs to realize that she is “the one” for him.

Frannie, however, believes that Jinx is “a few fries short of a happy meal” (also a fruit loop, nut job, whacko and a few other terms used to describe crazy people). How could someone possibly fall in love at first sight and then propose marriage almost immediately (don’t worry, I’m not giving away any plot spoilers–it happens very early in the story)? Frannie feels that she is just plain, ordinary and someone like Jinx could never fall in love with her. She thinks that, just like her ex-husband, Jinx will get bored with her eventually and move on leaving her to nurse another broken heart. Eventually Frannie begins to fall for him, but she still thinks she can guard her heart. Break his before he breaks hers. But Jinx hangs in there, trying patiently to wait for Francis to come around and believe that he does truly love her.

Like I said, Jinx is the perfect hero, but really not in a overly obnoxious way. Frannie is also very likeable. You can understand her hesitation about getting in a relationship. Her ex-husband (we see him through “flashbacks” of things he said to her) was emotionally abusive and Frannie hasn’t gotten past that yet. Frannie keeps from Jinx why she is so hesitant about getting serious with him. He wants it all with her, but he never pushes her to reveal why she is so hesitant, but waits patiently for her to open up to him.

Although at first the story was lively and upbeat, it hit a spot that seemed to be a little long and dragged a bit, but soon I didn’t care because I really enjoyed Jinx and Frannie. Towards the end I also thought Ms. Kelley was going to let me down with the ending, but I’m very happy to say after reading it, she handled the ending very well.

I hope I see more books like this one by Ms. Kelley in the future.

Grade: B-

Summary:

     When opposites attract, they are screwed three ways from Sunday.

Frannie learned the hard way that a McHottie doesn’t always equal marriage material. She’s happy with her vanilla life. She has friends, a career and a double-D-powered vibrator. Then Fate shoves her, literally, into Prince Charming’s lap. His declaration of love at first sight is cute—and spikes her bullcrap meter into the red zone.

She’s more than willing to give in with her body. But she’s barricaded her heart behind castle walls—and permanently welded the gates shut.

Tragedy taught Jinx that time is too precious to waste, so when a series of uncanny coincidences thrusts Frannie into his life, he holds on tight. He knows she thinks he’s several fries short of a Happy Meal, but he’s determined to breach the fortress around her heart and give her a Happily Ever After.

Even if he has to carry her fanny-first into his kingdom.

Read an excerpt here.

LauraJ’s review of How to Seduce a Texan by Karen Kelley
Contemporary Romantic Comedy released by Brava 1 Jun 09

Karen Kelley has done it again. She has once again written a fun, funny and just plain entertaining story, which is exactly what I want and needed. When I read a book I want to be entertained. I want to escape from the reality of my world and laugh, smile and relax. While this story is not as quirky as some of her other books, such as the Planet Nerak series (which I do enjoy) I still found myself laughing at the situations that the hero and heroine got into.

Nikki “the barracuda” Scott is a reporter who always gets her story. Her nickname is “the barracuda” because she always gets her story. Usually she goes after crooked politicians, but this time it’s a fluff piece about a football player who has gone into hiding after a failed engagement. She’s even willing to put up with the very “rugged” conditions she’s been placed in. Everyone is after this story and it could mean big things for her career if she gets it. I loved Nikki’s determination to stick with things even though it seemed she was not the type for it.

Cal is in hiding at his brother’s ranch (and his) in Texas. He’s tired about being hounded by the press over his “engagement” breakup. Although he never really enjoyed living on the ranch he figures staying and helping out his brother for a few weeks will to let the media stuff die down and he can return to the city.

When he answers the phone and finds himself very interested in the woman on the other end he thinks things are looking up on the ranch only to have that excitement fizzle when he learns from his friend that she is a reporter looking to get a story on him. Cal decides if it’s a story that Nikki wants she is going to have to earn it. He puts her through a lot, including staying in a supposedly haunted house that has seen better days. I could have hated Cal for being so mean to Nikki, but he didn’t really make her do anything that would have been anything but typical ranch work. He was hoping to scare her off, but through it all you could see Cal’s appreciation for her determination.

Thanks to Ms. Kelley for once again giving me a fun, funny and sexy story.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Ghost Of A Chance
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Reporter Nikki “The Barracuda” Scott will sink her teeth into anything. So when her editor sends her to get the lowdown on bad boy football star Cal Braxton, Nikki’s game to rough it on his family ranch. She just isn’t prepared for exactly how rough. Still, the nasty outhouse, noisy animals, and resident ghost won’t put Nikki off…especially once she sets eyes (and hands, and mouth) on her subject. If there’s a juicy story here, Nikki intends to devour it…
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So, the lady thinks she’s gonna get the scoop on him? Cal’s had his fill of scheming females—hell, his conniving ex-fiancee is the very reason he’s hiding out. Then again, if all journalists were as hot as Nikki, he might consider being more open with the press. Too bad she won’t be around for long. If the chores and “rustic” conditions don’t frighten Nikki off, her haunted accommodations surely will. Tough it turns out Nikki doesn’t scare easily. Now Cal’s the one who’s scared—of falling hard…
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Read an excerpt here.

Shannon C.’s review of The Accidental Human (Accidental Friends, Book 3) by Dakota Cassidy
Paranormal romance released by Berkley 3 Mar 09

There’s something intrinsically satisfying about reading the final volume to a series. I always close the book with a smile, a bit wistful that I’ll never get to spend time with these characters again, but pleased that I can move on to see what else the author is capable of writing. And, in the case of the third book in Dakota Cassidy’s Accidental Friends series, I was even more satisfied that not only did the series wrap up completely, but it did so with one of the strongest books she’s written. 

Wanda, cosmetics consultant and reader of romance novels, has always been the peacemaker in her small circle of friends. The mouthy Nina and the ditzy Marty are always at each other’s throats, and it’s Wanda that manages to calm them down. But now Nina and Marty have met their mates–a vampire and a werewolf respectively–and Wanda has received some shocking news, namely that she doesn’t have much longer to live. (This isn’t really a spoiler, since it’s clearly hinted at in the previous book.) Anyway, to complicate Wanda’s life, Heath, the sexiest man she’s ever seen, answers her add for Bobbie Sue consultants. Wanda needs some convincing that a man can sell cosmetics, but soon she discovers he has a knack for it, and she finds herself curious about why a (very) straight guy would be all up on the selling of makeup. She fights her attraction to Heath, and must also figure out how to tell her friends about her cancer.

Needless to say, I really liked Wanda. My problems with the other heroines in this series have been that they tended to sound the same, and that same was a level of shrill that got irritating to read about. But, well, having cancer kind of tilts my sympathy, and I didn’t find Wanda shrill at all. I was really touched and moved by her struggles, and this was one of those books where the paranormal turn the plot took was very much welcome because I thought Wanda deserved some happiness.

Heath was great, too. He wasn’t overpoweringly alpha, and he kind of subverted a few paranormal tropes himself. I mean, a guy’s got to be pretty comfortable with his masculinity to not feel any qualms about selling Bobbie Sue and later using his car as a mobile advertisement for sanitary napkins so he can get money. I also adored the genuine love and friendship he had for his manservant, Archibald, who stole each scene he was in. While the predicament Heath and Archibald are in strains credibility, it was nice to read about a man in a paranormal romance who wasn’t loaded with cash and who had to find some way to earn a living.

I absolutely bought the romance between Wanda and Heath, and I loved that yet again Ms. Cassidy brings the funny,. This time out, I thought the sexual tension struck the right balance, and the plot moves at a good clip.

There are bits of the story that strain credibility. Like I said, Heath’s predicament made me go, “…huh.” and not necessarily in a good way. I also thought the climax was a tad over the top. But as I said, the end result couldn’t have happened to a more deserving couple of characters and I totally bought their HEA.

Ms. Cassidy’s sense of humor falls in line with my own, for the most part, and it’s been fun following the lives of Marty, Nina and Wanda. I absolutely can’t wait to read whatever she’s got coming next.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Immortality bites— new from the author of Accidentally Dead and The Accidental Werewolf.
.
Wanda Schwartz is raking in the dough selling Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics—and she’s a pro at recruiting new saleswomen. So, she’s shocked when a man comes to one of her in-home parties—a very hot man. Heath Jefferson is sure to put some extra spin into a lot of women’s color wheels.
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When Wanda is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. With a werewolf and a vampire for best friends, she has options that most ordinary people wouldn’t. As Wanda ponders what to do about her mortality, Heath reveals he has secrets, and one of them is that his former bloodlust has turned into an old-fashioned lust—for Wanda. And he’s already given up too much to lose the love of his lifetimes.
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Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Laura J’s review of Casual Hex (The Hex Series, Book 3) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Contemporary Paranormal Romantic Comedy released by Onyx Publishing 3 Mar 09

When I first started reading again, a friend recommended most of the books I picked up. She knew I liked romantic comedies, but for some reason she never told me about Ms. Lewis-Thompson’s nerd books. Nope, I discovered those all on my own. Wandering around the book section at Wally World I saw Nerds Gone Wild, picked it up, read the back cover blurb and threw it in my cart. I started reading it a couple of days later and loved her quirky sense of humor.

I started grabbing any book of hers I could and finally got caught up on the Nerd Series. She became an automatic buy for me and I was really excited when I learned that she would start a new series set in a fictional town in my home state of Indiana. The first book in the series is Over Hexed which was released in 2007, followed a year later by Wild & Hexy. Casual Hex is the third book in this very fun series and I’m really hoping that we will get a few more in this series (even though it looks like she is starting a new series).

Dorcas and Ambrose, are a matchmaking witch and wizard who have been sent to Big Knob, Indiana as punishment for a spell gone wrong. After helping to match two other couples (Sean and Maggie from Over Hexed and Jeremy and Annie from Wild & Hexy) they decide to help shy, plain Jane and somewhat under confident Gwen Dubois find her true love, while they continue to help George the dragon get his golden scales so they can return to their real home in Sedona.

Gwen is the owner of a flower shop in Big Knob and after a “discovery” of a plant by Dorcas and Ambrose she contacts French botanist Jean “Marc” Chevalier. After conversing through emails for several weeks Marc decides to meet Gwen in person and check out this plant. He was going to a conference in Chicago and Big Knob was only a few hours drive from there. They seemed to have hit it off on line and both were hoping that once they met in person the attraction would be the same or even better.

The problem is, unknown to Dorcas and Ambrose, Queen Beryl, Fairy Queen, has ordered her son Prince Leo to Big Knob to show he can be something other than a rich, spoiled, playboy. Prince Leo must help Gwen build up her confidence and help her feel more sexy. If Leo can accomplish this then he will become the ruler of the fairies. He is able to do this (of course after putting the “job” off for a couple of months while he has his fun) by entering into Gwen’s dreams and becoming what he thinks her fantasy man is. He makes love to her in her dreams and while it’s real to him, Gwen awakes thinking she only had a very vivid dream. It freaks her out when her “fantasy” shows up in Big Knob and complicates things a bit with Marc.

I have fallen in love with all the characters of this series, so I won’t go much in to the secondary characters other than saying that Ambrose and Dorcas still continue to be a couple of my very favorite secondary characters. Marc is a fantastic hero and like many of Ms. Lewis Thompson’s heroes he’s both nerdy and sexy and it works. He falls somewhere between an Alpha and Beta hero. His flaw is he is a bit overprotective of his sister trying to push her in a direction he thinks best, which Gwen helps him to recognize and fix. Gwen is a bit of a nerd herself and lacks confidence in herself. She doesn’t believe in anything that is not black and white.

A secondary hero is the fairy prince Leo. While Leo may help Gwen with her confidence a little she sure does a number on his, but Leo needs this as he is a bit full of himself.

While I’m really hoping for more Hex books, it seems as if this may be the last one. Ms. Lewis Thompson has a new series coming in February 2010, Blonde With a Wand (and a second one in March 2010, Chick With a Charm -YAY! for not having to wait too long between books) that will have Dorcas and Ambrose helping others find their true loves. This wasn’t my favorite of the three (that goes to Over Hexed), but I still really enjoyed it.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Gwen Dubois lives in Indiana, but her heart is in France with Marc Chevalier. Now he’s come to Big Knob to show Gwen the real meaning of amour and coax her back to Paris. But stiff competition is coming from another part of the world, if not exactly this world. Prince Leo of the Atwood fairy kingdom has his own plans for Gwen.
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As Marc and Leo battle for Gwen’s affections, Big Knob’s resident matchmaking witch and wizard move in to help true love triumph in the best way they know how: with a little magic. But when the rivalry puts Gwen in danger, the men in her life are asked to prove their love in ways no one could have imagined.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Shannon C.’s review of Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James
Contemporary romance released by Berkley 3 Mar 09

Originally, I hadn’t been particularly interested in reading this book. The phrase “feminist heroine” usually fills me with an unnameable dread. But after reading Jessica’s take on the gender politics and feminism in the book I decided I should read it myself since her review was very positive and I figured that if she liked the book, the chances of me hating it would go down. And I did enjoy this book. I haven’t quite embraced Julie James as the best thing to happen to the romance community since Nora Roberts, but I would definitely read her again.

This is a workplace romance between J.D. Jameson, a conservative, golf-playing member of his country club, and Payton Kendal, a vegetarian liberal feminist. Both are lawyers, and both have been in competition since they started working at their new firm. Both are hoping to make partner, and when their boss throws them together to help win an important client, they are forced to work together. At least until the decision comes down from on high that only one of them will, in fact, make partner.

I really liked both of these characters. Both Payton and JD seemed like real people you could actually meet and have a conversation with, and I thought that the ways in which they reacted to the world were realistically portrayed. I’m a sucker for witty banter, especially when it comes out of realistic characters, so I really enjoyed their interactions, and I enjoyed the build-up of their romance. I didn’t particularly even mind that Ms. James closed the bedroom door on the sex scenes. I also loved the way that both of them related to their friends.

The conflict played itself out in a way I liked. Though the book does feature its share of wacky hijinks, particularly when JD and Payton start playing pranks on each other, they were generally not distracting from the overall focus of the story. Even the obligatory dark moment, when Payton finds out about something JD did in the beginning of their relationship, worked for me.

What I didn’t particularly like–and this is kind of a minor nitpick but it irritated the crap out of me regardless–was that I felt that JD’s parents and Payton’s came out of Blatant Stereotype Central Casting. Payton’s mom is particularly obnoxious, and, sadly, she appears with alarming frequency in the story. Each time she showed up with her strident hippie-ness, I wanted to punch her in the face and/or stick some bacon in her mouth to shut her up.

If you haven’t yet read this book, you definitely should give it a try. It’s a great workplace comedy with some truly likeable leads. I definitely plan to check out Just the Sexiest Man Alive, Ms. James’ debut novel, and I’m hoping it’s just as good.

Grade: B

Summary:
.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION . . .
.
Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face to face, they’re perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they’ve kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as co-workers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm.
.
. . . THERE ARE NO RULES.
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But all bets are off when they’re asked to join forces on a major case. At first apprehensive, they begin to appreciate each other’s dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection doesn’t last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it’s an all out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar,
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Read an excerpt.

 LauraJ’s review of Tangled Up In Love (Chicks With Sticks, Book 1) by Heidi Betts
Contemporary Romantic Comedy released by St. Martin’s 3 Feb 09

I have been looking forward to this book for months. In fact I have been looking forward to it ever since Ms. Betts announced on her blog that she had sold a romantic comedy trilogy to St. Martin’s Press. When the release day finally got here and I got my hands on my copy of the book I became a bit nervous. Was this book going to live up to the hype I had for it in my mind? I can now answer that with a resounding YES!

I got the book in my hands and made the mistake of starting to read it while sitting at a very long traffic light. Bad idea, Laura, BAD IDEA! From the very first sentence this book this grabbed me and had me laughing, snickering, and even snorting (not a pretty sound, but at least I was not in public when it happened).

If you have ever seen the musical “Annie Get Your Gun” (stage or movie version) , you know the song “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better.” Veronica “Ronnie” Chasen and Dylan Stone are a modern day version of Annie Oakley and Frank Butler. In both cases, the main characters are both rivals and then lovers. During the song Annie and Frank bicker back and forth that one is better than the other and challenge each other to do harder shooting tricks. Fortunately for Dylan, Ronnie doesn’t challenge him to any shooting matches involving guns, but their challenges to each other do push them past their comfort zones.

For Ronnie she has to bungee jump, go white water rafting and get a tattoo. Dylan is given the tasks of mountain climbing, getting his legs waxed and sent to a biker bar dressed in… well you really need to read that part for yourself. After Dylan’s challenge to Ronnie to get the tattoo she know she has to come up with something that will finally stump him and she will get to keep his precious award trophy. Thanks to her friends, they come up with the perfect plan to hopefully put Dylan “the jackass” Stone in his place and make him finally admit there is something that men just can’t do as well as woman. What Ronnie doesn’t count on is that Dylan will walk into her favorite knitting place during her weekly knitting group night to ask for help.

With the help of quirky, but lovable knitting group member Charlotte (Jenna‘s aunt, alpaca farm owner, and has a “special spinning wheel“ that is said to have some magical powers with the yarn it creates), Ronnie gets “pushed” into giving Dylan private knitting lessons. She agrees but only gives him the very basics in help. As she spends time alone with Dylan, Ronnie learns that he might not be the “jackass” she thought he was.

Besides Dylan, Ronnie and Charlotte, Ms. Betts has created a fantastic cast of characters. Gage and Jenna (Book 2), who are divorced and still hurting from it, and Zack and Grace (Book 3) who are currently engaged. I’m looking forward to see what happens as I believe this is the first time for me that in a series the hero/heroine of the sequels are together or once were before their book begins. Usually those characters will be introduced in the first book and then become a couple in the later books so I‘m anxious to see how this will play out.

There is also Melanie, who is also member of Ronnie, Jenna, Grace and Charlotte’s knitting group and adds wisdom and insight to the Ronnie’s latest challenge to Dylan and the mysterious and sexy bartender Turk. Don’t know how much we will learn of him, but there is just enough of him in the story to make me curious about him (and maybe a story for him later on?).

The banter between Dylan and Ronnie is hilarious but at the same time you can almost feel the spark of attraction coming off them. Besides their very public challenges, they even challenge each other in the bedroom with some fun and very hot results. Both learn that the other is not what they think the other is like. Apart they bring out the worst in each other, but they finally figure out that together they bring out the best in each other. Dylan teaches Ronnie to be less serious and uptight about things and Ronnie helps Dylan find the confidence he needs to go for his dream and write what he really wants to write.

I’m really looking forward to Jenna and Gage’s story in Loves Me, Loves Me Knot out August 2009. Of all the characters they are the two that have yet to show their personalities (mostly because they are still pining away for each other, but neither will admit it. They so need their HEA). Zack and Grace’s story will follow in February 2010. As a bonus, at the end of each book, there is a knitting pattern. In Tangled Up in Love the pattern is for the scarf that Dylan makes for the challenge issued by Ronnie.

I have read other books by Ms. Betts and have loved them all, but I believe these stories are going to be my favorite by her. Her humor and personality really shows in these books and I really hope she will continue to write romantic comedies after this series ends.

Grade: A+

Summary:
ARE THEY FIT TO BE TIED?

Ever since Dylan Stone beat Veronica Chasen out of a prime position at the Cleveland Herald, they’ve been bitter rivals, engaging in a very public war of words in their competing newspaper columns. They routinely challenge each other to go bungee jumping, white water rafting, or into tattoo parlors to see who will wimp out first. But Veronica’s latest taunt may be Dylan’s toughest assignment yet: She dares him to learn to knit.

OR WILL DESIRE UNRAVEL THEM BOTH?

Dylan is not going to let something his grandmother can do scare him off. He’s man enough to make a scarf—and attend Veronica’s weekly knitting circle. But when the infuriatingly handsome Dylan shows up at the craft shop and charms all the ladies, Veronica begins to get all knotted up in something that feels a lot like love… But will the two ever stop needling each other?

Read an excerpt here.

LauraJ’s review of Perfect Timing by Barbara Elsborg
Contemporary Romantic Comedy eBook released by Ellora’s Cave 30 Apr 08

I am a huge fan of British comedy. I love the quirky characters and the way a very simple situation can lead to something completely off the wall. So I was very excited when I was checking out this book that this author is British and had high hopes that it would be as entertaining as some of my favorite British shows and movies.

Ms. Elsborg did not disappoint at all. In this story, Daisy books a room at a resort hosting a murder mystery party, hoping to meet a man. She thinks that the mystery party is set in the 60’s and packs accordingly, only to find out she misread the information and the mystery party is for the over 60 set. She makes a grand entrance with the help of a sheep and meets the manager of the resort who is quite handsome though he seems to be a bit gruff. Jake has been given 6 months to make the resort profitable. He is competing with his brother Adrian and whoever is the most successful will take over the resort full time from their father. Jake has a reputation with the ladies and his father is hoping that this will settle him down.

Despite the mistake that Daisy has made she decides to make the most of it. Jake helps her by giving her a part, and when she finds out what her role is she is not exactly happy about it. Jake thinks that by giving her this she can just enjoy the weekend…with him.

I laughed so hard throughout this book. Daisy was spunky and tough. She had a rough childhood growing up and has a fear of being locked in small places, which Jake, not knowing, does quite often, leading to more hilarious situations. Jake is determined to prove to his father he is capable of running the resort, and finds he can’t resist Daisy. Jake tries hard to enjoy his time with Daisy while at the same time keeping the weekend’s mystery party running smoothly and profitably. Adrian is trying his best to make sure Jake doesn’t win and his accomplice in this sabotage is pretty easy to figure out. Knowing who it was really had no effect on me and didn‘t ruin any part of the story. Adrian is despicable to the point that I can’t wait to get his story and find the woman that tames him.

I found an interview that Ms. Elsborg did earlier this year where she said that Adrian’s story was under consideration by Ellora‘s Cave. I wish I had some pull because I am really looking forward to more of her books and especially Adrian’s story.

Grade: B

Summary:
When Daisy books a Sixties extravaganza on the internet, she thinks hippies and free love. Only she misses one tiny word in the advertisement and ends up at a weekend for over-sixties at Bedlingham Manor.

When sexy hotel manager Jake casts Daisy as a nun in the murder mystery, she is ready to scream and call the weekend off. But then Jake shows up dressed as a priest and he can’t wait to uncover the red lace beneath the nun costume. Jake and Daisy don’t expect to fall in love but they discover that their weekend of hot sex might be much more than they bargained for.

Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…or I’d really like to.

Read an excerpt here.

Laura J’s review of To Fat and Back by Beverly Rae
Paranormal Romantic Comedy ebook released by Samhain Publishing 5 Aug 08

The “warning” for this book grabbed my attention and since I tend to pick up all the romantic comedies that I can I wanted to read this book. Another plus was that the author Beverly Rae is a new author that I had been wanting to try, but just never got around to reading anything by her. I was expecting a lot of laugh out loud moments, but unfortunately they were few. However I did find characters that I liked and despite the “warning” being somewhat misleading to me I liked this book.

After a rather nasty practical joke by a co-worker Carrie is mortified and fed up. She has lusted after her best friend’s boyfriend, Michael, for some time but when he appears to be a part of that joke she decides to do something and that results in an injury to the object of her lust. An odd neighbor of Michael’s gives him a pill to heal his arm overnight, but that pill has a strange side effect giving Michael a chance to experience being judged by his now large appearance rather than what’s inside. Reluctantly recruited by Carrie to help care for Michael in his time of need is Billy, Carrie’s co-worker and best friend who has loved her for some time.

Carrie is a wonderful character. Many times throughout the book she could have stooped to the level that some of her co-workers did, but didn’t knowing how it made her feel she didn’t. In fact she took it upon herself to try and help Michael feel better about his sudden weight gain by trying to remind him that he is still the same guy on the inside. I really liked her although she was a lot nicer to Michael than he deserved. I also saw Carrie grow more comfortable with herself.

Michael was a jerk and a bit of a surprise ending (at least to me) I didn’t see it coming, got what he deserved. I loved Billy, Carrie’s co-worker, best friend and the man who loves Carrie for who she is on the inside. I found him very patient and encouraging with Carrie.

While I was disappointed that there wasn’t as much humor as I expected based on the “warning”, I did like the emotion that Ms. Rae brought to story and will be checking out some more of her books.

Grade: C

Summary:

True love is better than infatuation.

Carrie Flannagan dreams of Michael the Magnificent, the office hunk. He can have his pick of women, and his pick isn’t Carrie, the office chubby. He’s only got eyes for her best friend, Shiloh of the slender, smokin’ hot body.

When Carrie accidentally-on-purpose breaks Michael’s arm, a self-professed sorceress with a secret agenda of her own gives him a pill to magically heal the bones. That little pill also has an accidental-on-purpose side effect—one that makes him balloon to over three hundred pounds. To Carrie’s surprise and delight, he turns to her for emotional comfort. But those new layers of fat on his body reveal a side of him that wasn’t part of her fantasy.

Billy Whitman will put up with almost anything to be near to Carrie, even if she sees him only as a blend-into-the-background, dependable friend. Even if it means putting up with her fantasies about Michael, and being the clean-up man as Michael’s life falls apart.

For now, he’s willing to bide his time, hoping she will someday see the light—the light of love in his eyes.

Read an excerpt here.

Laura J’s review of Felicity Stripped Bare by Vanessa Jaye
Contemporary Romantic Comedy eBook released by Samhain 8 Jul 08

Romantic comedies will always be my first choice when it comes to books or movies. I want to know I’m going to get a happy ending. So when this book became available I read no further than “romantic comedy” and I knew I wanted to read. I knew nothing about Vanessa Jaye so I didn’t know that this is her debut book and I got to say if this is what we can expect from her, she is going to be one of my favorite authors.

Felicity loves her apartment, but new owner Daniel has plans to turn them into condos forcing all the current tenants to find a new place to live. Despite a learning disability, Felicity is going to fight to the very end to save her home. While Daniel and Felicity fight over the “condo situation” they find they can’t fight their attraction to each other. Felicity keeps her disability, and a second job as a stripper that she takes in order to find a new place to live, from Daniel and she knows that those secrets can ruin her growing relationship with him.

I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. Ms. Jaye has not only written a book with several laugh out loud moments but also one that is warm and emotional too. Felicity, despite her learning disability was still a smart and strong heroine. Ms. Jaye did a great job dealing with the emotional side of a learning disability without making it too preachy, too over the top or overshadowing the real story. Felicity’s drive and tenacity made her a favorite heroine for me. While Daniel was mostly an alpha male hero, he still had a vulnerability that him and I like to see that softer side. There are some wonderful secondary characters too with Lise being my favorite. She was not only a tutor, but also a mother figure that I think Felicity needed and wanted.

I’m looking forward to more of these fun, warm and definitely hard to put down books by Ms. Jaye.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Just when things are looking up, she falls for the man of her dreams.

It’s been ten years since Felicity skipped out of high school, leaving behind the taunts of “retard”. Things have hardly improved since then. Her job waitressing at a strip club is just one more tick in the “sucks” column of her life. Now she’s signed up for tutoring and her future looks bright…until her hunky new landlord starts wreaking havoc on her libido.

And did he just say, “Evicted”? Not so fast, buddy. She may be dyslexic, but she’s not stupid.

Daniel MacKenzie is this close to achieving his dream of setting up his own renovation company, so he’s not interested in more demands on his time. Not even if one of those demands is a tenant wearing skintight jeans, teetering on four-inch heels and complaining a blue streak with the most kissable mouth on the planet.

Despite his resolve not to mix business with pleasure, Daniel not only teeters, he tumbles head-first into the scorching sexual tension between them.

He’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants, and he’s not above pulling every trick in the book to get—and keep—Felicity in his life. But she’s holding something back.

And he’s afraid it’s her heart.

Read an excerpt here.

LauraJ’s review of The Bad Boys Guide to the Galaxy by Karen Kelley
Contemporary Romantic Comedy released by Brava on 1 Jul 08

I picked up the first book in this series, Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind, based on the title alone. I read the back of the cover and immediately purchased the book. After I finished it I had to know if there would be more and I was so happy and exited to find out that there would. It seemed like forever but Cosmic Sex (book 2) finally came out. Fortunately, I didn’t have to wait quite as long or at least it didn’t seem like it for Bad Boys. But no matter what the wait is for these books, it’s well worth it.

In the third book of the series it’s Nick’s partner Sam and Kia’s sister Lara that finally get a chance at love. Lara comes to earth to find a cure for an Elder who has become sick. On Nerak no one ever gets sick so Lara is thrilled to be able to use her skills to help the Elder. Sam has seen Lara before through holograms that Kia has to stay connected to her sister. He’s is infatuated with the beautiful alien until he meets her in person and finds out that she is quite the “angel” that he saw in the hologram.

Lara has no problem telling Sam that she is superior (many, many times) and that she will not succumb to the temptations of earth like her sister and cousin (Mala from the first book) namely sex and chocolate. Since Sam is going to his cabin for vacation Nick and Kia convince him to take Lara with him so she can test the different plants to find a cure for the Elder. Sam is not happy with this idea after meeting the “real” Lara, but finally agrees. Once Sam gets Lara to his cabin he plans on convincing her that is not as inferior as she thinks he is and the temptations that she is trying to avoid are really not so bad.

Sam is my favorite of the three heroes so far. He already knows Lara is an alien so he knows a little of what to expect. But Sam is in for a surprise and doesn’t know as much as he thinks he does. Sam is not over cocky but he definitely wants to show Lara that he and the “pleasures” of earth are not as inferior as she thinks they are. He seems to have more patience with Lara and her strange behavior than Mason or Nick did when they met Mala and Kia (of course they didn’t have the previous knowledge that they were aliens). Lara is very loyal to the people of Nerak and I think this is what Sam likes about her so much although she drives him crazy with her haughty attitude at times. Like Kia and Mala, she has such a sweet, honest nature that you can’t help but like her.

I enjoy books where the hero and heroine tend to “butt heads” together and Sam and Lara do this quite often (and many times without really meaning to) and it leads to several hilarious, laugh out loud scenes. If you tend to snort laugh when you read something funny, then I don’t recommend reading this book in public. Trust me people will stare or shoot you strange looks. Still, I’m really looking forward to the next one which I’m sure I will most likely read out in public. I just hope Ms. Kelley won‘t keep me waiting too long.

Grade: A

Read my review of Cosmic Sex here.

Summary:

Take me to your leader. Come to think of it, just take me.

Planet Nerak was perfect—no disease, no darkness, no hunger—until an expedition to Earth brought back an unwanted guest. Enter one talented Nerakian named Lara, sent on a special fact-finding mission in the vast region called Texas. Fortunately, a warrior (he calls himself a “cop”) named Sam Jones has offered to help. Unfortunately, Sam’s skill at sex is quite distracting—as are plenty other earthly delights, like the dangerously addictive substance called chocolate. Temptations such as these could seriously compromise Lara’s—ahem—research…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

LauraJ’s review of A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action by LuAnn McLane.
Contemporary romantic comedy released by Signet on 1 Jul 08

I have been waiting for this book for some time now. It’s the follow-up to Ms. McLane’s book Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots that I read about a year ago after finding it at a used bookstore. When she was coming to a signing near me, I decided to bump it up on my tbr pile and read it (I do that a lot) before meeting her. I don’t normally like books written in first person, but I was immediately taken in by the characters, the setting and the story of small town America. Once I started reading, I had a hard time putting the book down.

Luke is Jamie Lee’s brother and her husband Griff’s best friend. Macy is Jamie Lee’s best friend and co-worker and has grown up with her and Luke. Macy has been in love with Luke forever and at the end of Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots, Jamie encourages Macy to go after Luke. This book picks up a little while after the first one at Jamie Lee and Griff’s wedding. Jamie Lee is still trying to get Macy to go after Luke, but Macy feels that Luke’s “hero” status in Hootertown puts him way out of her league. She feels she’s not like the woman Luke usually date and thinks that Luke only sees her as “little sister” who needs protection much like Jamie Lee.

The wedding has brought Macy and Luke closer while assisting with wedding arrangements and finally Macy gets the one night she’s been dreaming of with Luke. Luke leaves early not wanting to stir up small town gossip and Macy is left to figure out what happened and if Luke is feeling the same way she feels about him. The next day Macy goes down to her shop to do a little work when a country singer with a hair emergency asks Macy to accompany her to Nashville and fix her hair. Macy finds Tammy and her friends easy to talk to and ends up telling them Luke. They all encourage Macy to go after Luke and help things get things rolling. Luke and Macy both have big dreams, but have to figure out if they can have love without giving up their dreams.

One of the best things that Ms. McLane does with her stories is give the hero and heroine a fantastic supporting cast. In this book, not only do we get the love story between Macy and Luke, but we get a story about friendships new and old, taking risks and following dreams. It’s friends that we would all like to have. They make you laugh, cry and do things you (or the heroine) don’t think is possible. I love how they add so much to the stories, but don’t anything way from the hero and heroine’s story.

When I finished this story I was a little sad. It was almost like I was loosing friends. I can hope that maybe someday Ms. McLane will take us back to Hootertown and I can revisit with this wonderful cast of characters again, but if not, then I’ve got these books to read over and over again.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Macy’s chance for love is slipping from her fingers. College football coach Luke Carter has a penchant for hot-bodied babes, not curvy hairdressers like Macy. And some big-time schools may be luring him away. Then a country singing star’s hair emergency turns into a big break for Macy.

Making it in Nashville boosts Macy’s confidence, but when Luke interviews for a job at a local university, she’ll have to put up or shut up—or lose him forever…

Other books in this series:

Other books in the LuAnn McLane’s southern romantic comedies series:

LauraJ’s review of Cosmic Sex (Nekarian Aliens, Book 2) by Karen Kelley
Contemporary paranormal romantic comedy released by Brava 29 Jan 08

I’m the one who loves to read books with quirky, off the wall humor. I don’t remember how I heard of Karen Kelley. I think a friend of mine told me about her and thought I would like her books. Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind had just came out and I picked it up, mostly because the title caught my attention, read the back and decided I had to read the whole book. I knew within the firs few pages that Ms. Kelley was going to be an author I liked.

Cosmic Sex is the second story in the Nekarian Alien books and features Mala’s cousin Kia. Kia has come to earth to find her cousin who didn’t return home after going in search of the “sheriff”. After she lands, Kia is “rescued” by Nick, an undercover cop who thinks Kia is in trouble during a botched undercover sting. Kia, who is a warrior on her planet, thinks it’s cute that Nick tried to rescue her and decides to get him to help her search for her cousin. Nick is reluctant at first and is quite shocked when Kia informs him she is an alien, which he refuses to believe thinking that Kia is mentally unstable or suffering from amnesia. He does agree to help her finally and can’t resist his attraction to her. Kia plans to return home with her cousin, but while on the search for her cousin she finds there are a lot of things on earth that are hard to resist like Nick and chocolate and it’s going to be tough to say goodbye to both.

Ms. Kelley has put together a quirky and humorous cast of characters that I absolutely loved. Kia, who from one viewpoint may look ditzy and like a stereotypical blonde, she is anything but. Normally I don’t like this type of heroine, but Ms. Kelley has created Kia both intelligent and naive and it works very well. Nick is adorable and doesn’t quite know what to do with himself or Kia and it makes him all the more lovable. I like for the hero to tough as well as sensitive and Nick does this. This book wouldn’t be complete without some crazy secondary characters and these come in the form of the bumbling villains and Nick’s partner Sam (who gets his own story in Bad Boys Guide to the Galaxy).

This book had me laughing at loud many, many times. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know how Kia would react to a new earthly pleasure and how poor Nick would handle it (the book cover pretty much has Nick down to a tee). This book is going in my keeper pile and whenever I need something to lift my spirits I’ll be picking this book up and reading it again. I can’t wait for the next book, which comes out next week and hope she continues with even more stories after that.

Grade: A

Summary:

Take me to your leader. Come to think of it, just take me.

Planet Nerak was perfect—no disease, no darkness, no hunger—until an expedition to Earth brought back an unwanted guest. Enter one talented Nerakian named Lara, sent on a special fact-finding mission in the vast region called Texas. Fortunately, a warrior (he calls himself a “cop”) named Sam Jones has offered to help. Unfortunately, Sam’s skill at sex is quite distracting—as are plenty other earthly delights, like the dangerously addictive substance called chocolate. Temptations such as these could seriously compromise Lara’s—ahem—research…

Crazy, that’s what Sam is. What sane man would voluntarily isolate himself in the Texas woods with an alien, not to mention a female one with a superiority complex, legs that won’t quit, and a penchant for walking around buck naked? Between bragging about her home planet and levitating, Lara wastes no time getting on Sam’s last nerve…and even less time getting into his bed. Talk about going where no man has gone before. Of course, when you’re from Texas, nothing—not even an entire planet—is going to stop you from getting what you want.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

And coming soon:

LauraJ’s review of Wild & Hexy by Vicki Lewis Thompson.
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Onyx on 3 Jun 08

After reading Over Hexed, I have been anxiously awaiting this sequel. I mean I was actually stalking Border’s waiting for this book to be on the shelves. Sad, I know. But while I was excited for this book to come out I was also just a wee bit nervous because I loved the first one and I was really hoping that I wouldn’t be disappointed that this one wouldn’t measure up. Fortunately, not only did this book measure up but, to me, it surpassed my expectations.

In this very funny sequel to Over Hexed, Ms Thompson take us back to the fictional town of Big Knob, Indiana. Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell are matchmaking witch and wizard who were banned because of spell gone wrong. They are stuck here until they are able to help George earn his golden scales. So while there here they might as well use their spare time to help the residents find their true love. In this book they set their sights on helping Jeremy Dunstan, a shy computer nerd lacking in confidence and former Dairy Queen Annie Winston find true love. What Jeremy needs to win Annie is a boost to his confidence and Annie needs a reason to return to something she thought she wanted to away from, small town life and Dorcas and Ambrose are ready to make Jeremy and Annie’s dreams come true.

What I love so much about Ms Thompson’s stories are how she is able to create such fun, quirky and likable characters. In some books there are characters that overpower the main characters, but that is not so in Ms. Thompson’s books. All the characters compliment each other and add to the main characters. From Ambrose to tooling around in his leather chaps and jacket on his motor scooter to Dee Dee a lonely lake monster to some cheating poker playing raccoons. She also brings back some familiar characters from the first book and introduces us to some new characters and one in particular I’m looking forward to seeing more of in the next book.

To me books are suppose to entertain and this one certainly did that. I laughed so many times through out this book. The only thing that I can say about the book that I didn’t like was the teaser at the end for the next book, Casual Hex. I wanted more and I don’t want to wait until February of 2009.

Grade: A

Read my review of Over Hexed here.

Summary:

When the bewitched…

After gaining twenty pounds, former Dairy Queen Annie Winston dreads going back to Big Knob, Indiana. But Annie hasn’t changed half as much as her hometown has ever since Dorcas and Ambrose Lowell moved in. former matchmakers for witches and wizards, they’re plying their unconventional trade for humans, and they have the perfect match for Annie.

…meets the bewildered.

Shy computer whiz Jeremy Dunstan secretly lusted after Annie when they were teens, but he never had the courage to pursue her. Now he’s got a second chance–if only something could help him unleash his wild side. But that’s the kind of impossible transformation that requires self-confidence and fortitude…and maybe a little hex.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Laura J’s review of She Blinded Me With Science Fiction (Vegas Ventures, Book 1) by Kally Jo Surbeck
Contemporary Romantic Comedy released by Samhain Publishing 4 Apr 08

I love romantic comedies. It’s what I want to read. So I decided to read this one thinking, based on the blurb, that it would be pretty funny. I’ve heard about Trekkie Conventions and know that these people take their roll playing seriously and after reading this book I thought Ms. Surbeck’s research for this book must have been interesting.

Best friends Bianca and Gertie are in Vegas to work a Star Trek convention. Bianca thinks that she will be playing the part of a disposable character so that will give her plenty of time for some fun. Sitting in a bar before the convention starts, Bianca tells Gertie she can pick up a guy without saying a word. Seeing the hot guy sitting at the bar, Bianca makes her move, but she doesn’t realize that this is a guy she knew in junior high school. Colby was a nerd and was constantly picked on by Bianca and her friends. He recognizes her and sees his chance to get a little revenge on the girl he liked years ago. He’s not the same geeky, awkward kid he was back then. He now a champion body builder and the head of security at the resort where the convention is being held.

When Gertie comes down with a bad case of food poisoning, Bianca has to take over Gertie’s role as a Klingon Commodore, officiating ceremonies from weddings to Ferengi christenings. Her “vacation” plans are severely interrupted and she finds herself very busy doing the role that was supposed to be Gertie’s, leaving little time to get to know Colby.

At first, I was wondering why I picked this book, but I really like to give the book more than a few pages to make my decision on whether or not to finish. I am so glad I stuck with this. I found myself enjoying the story and the characters (the main ones and the random ones that appeared throughout the story as Trekkies). I even thought at one point that I might want to actually check out one of these conventions. Since I know I most likely won’t be going to one of these conventions, Ms. Surbeck has written a book that I would say probably pretty accurately describes what goes on.

Bianca seems to be a very shallow, self-centered, party girl (think Paris Hilton) out only to have a good time. This is why at first I didn’t think I would like the book. But shortly into the story you learn why Bianca is like she is. Ignored and then practically abandoned by her career military father Bianca is “adopted” into her best friend Gertie’s family. She pretty much decides to use others (with the exception of Gertie, who she will do anything for and that includes becoming a Klingon Commodore) before they use and abandon her. She wants forever, but thinks for her, it will never happen. She wants and needs someone who will be loyal to her.

Colby is an okay hero. He is so bent on getting revenge on Bianca for past wrongdoings, it takes him a long while to see the real Bianca. He spends a good part of the book living in the past. At first, Colby thinks it is his looks that gets her to notice him. Initially it is, but when she spends time with him you can see that Bianca is really attracted but the guy underneath. For the first time she is able to open up to someone other than Gertie.

Gertie is a fun character. I like her loyalty to Bianca even when something happens that could threaten to break their friendship. They fight it out and seem to become even closer. Bianca and Gertie bring out the best in each other.

Like I said before, I’m glad I didn’t judge this book on the first few pages and kept reading.

Grade: C

     Summary: 

     Klingons need love too.

     bortaS nlvqu’ ‘oH bortaS’e’!

     Bianca Kirkland comes to Las Vegas for a little R&R of the seriously sexy sort. But you know what they say about best-laid plans…

     Spurred on by her best pal Gertie, she puts her move on the sculpted hunk o’ stud at the end of the bar. Little does she know, they’ve met before.

     Chief of Security Colby James remembers all too well the bombshell who’s hitting on him. The way she dissed his younger, less-studly self left him seriously Bianca-burned. Now, he’s determined to get even.

     Fiasco after fiasco plagues Bianca’s perfect vacation. First Gertie gets food poisoning. Then Bianca is forced to become a Klingon—and officiate (naked) at a Betazoid wedding. Just when it can’t get any worse, she’s named Commander of her very own Starfleet vessel.

     And she discovers she’s falling in love.

     Read an excerpt here.

Laura J’s review of A Month From Miami by Barbara Meyers
Contemporary Romance released by Samhain 4 Mar 08

In this light romantic comedy, Kaylee Walsh is headed to Miami for a new life. She is tired of being stuck in a small town, tired of her loser ex-boyfriend and ready for a change. Now she just has to get there, if only her car would cooperate. She’s still at least a day’s drive to Miami and her new life, when her car breaks down and won’t restart. After walking into a town very similar to one Kaylee is anxiously leaving she finds a garage and a handsome mechanic to hopefully help get her on her way. Unfortunately for Kaylee, the repairs are going put a major damper in the money she has saved for her move and those jewels she found in the gas tank, well they’re not hers and she would rather not know where they came from.

An opportunity presents itself when the daughter of Rick Braddock, the handsome garage owner, is suddenly in need of a babysitter for a month. Even though Rick is reluctant to allow Kaylee to babysit his daughter, Molly, he finally agrees to it, in exchange for repairing Kaylee’s car. Rick sees in Kaylee his ex-wife, a woman with dreams much too big for a small town and he doesn’t want Molly to get attached or even himself for that matter.

This was a fun romance book with just a bit of a mystery thrown in. Ms. Meyers has created very likable characters in Kaylee and Rick. In the beginning I wasn’t real sure I was going to like Kaylee, but she quickly grew on me as I learned more about her and saw how she was with Molly and Rick. Rick seems so sullen in the beginning and is wary of Kaylee and his attraction to her because she seems to have the same dreams as his ex-wife. But he is an excellent father, protective, but not overly protective. Kaylee is a perfect match for Rick, bringing him out of his loneliness and helping him heal his heart. Usually I don’t like kids in stories as they are sometimes distracting (even when they are a part of the plot), but Molly is cute and a well written character and I adored her.

I’m looking forward to reading more books by Ms. Meyers.

Grade: B-

They told themselves it was only for a month…

Perrish, Florida was supposed to be just an eye-blink for Kaylee Walsh on her way to a glamorous new life in Miami-minus her sleazy ex-boyfriend. She’s not about to let a little car trouble or an empty wallet throw a monkey wrench into her plans. Not even when there’s a handsome mechanic on the other end of that wrench.

Rick Braddock knows better than to give a second glance to a woman with big-city dreams. But getting Kaylee back on the road means car repairs she can’t afford. So he offers a trade. His services for hers. As a babysitter and housekeeper, that is.

They tell themselves it’s only for a month. But as they settle into comfortably domestic days and intensely intimate nights, Rick realizes what a treasure he’s discovered in Kaylee. And for Kaylee, the lure of Miami is losing its shine.

Then Rick discovers a fortune in stolen gems hidden in her gas tank. Is Kaylee the woman he thought she was-or is she taking him for a ride?

Read an excerpt here