Sandy M’s review of Healing Luke by Beth Cornelison
Contemporary Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 1 Sep 09

The title of this book caught my interest recently, so I pulled it from the bookshelf to keep it handy just in case. I’ve read a number of historicals and paranormals over the last several weeks and I needed a contemporary for a break. So I picked up Healing Luke, and I’m very glad I did.

Luke and his brother, Aaron, are ladies’ men and never have one iota of trouble when it comes to getting the woman they want and are sometimes quite competitive in that area. They’re close due to their mother’s abandonment when they were young. They run a fishing business with their father and life is good until an explosion on one of their boats leaves Luke severely injured, then angry and moody that his life has changed so drastically. Ms. Cornelison does a terrific job with the circle of emotions in Luke that people go through when something like this happens. He loses an eye, a thumb, and is scarred from the burns he suffers. His family is beside themselves with worry ever since Luke quit his therapy to sit around the house drinking while moping. They don’t know what to do for him now. Luke only wants to be left alone to wallow in misery, especially now that women will never look at and respond to him as before.

Trying to move on and get on with her life after her fiance left her at the alter, Abby, who’s an occupational therapist, goes on her honeymoon by herself. She walks into Luke’s life for a day of snorkeling but ends up working with Luke to help him move on too. Of course, he’s having none of it, wanting to do things in his own time and in his own way. He slowly responds to Abby, only to take two steps back when his brother also seems to be interested in the lady. But Abby knows how to deal with such contrary patients and she never lets up when it comes to Luke. She makes a mistake or two along the way, but that’s because her feelings are so involved more and more – not only for Luke but for his entire family. Abby has her own issues, but it’s her outgoing and forward-looking attitude that makes her strong and independent.

Everything in this story is so real. From family life with tragic issues and handsome competing brothers to anger over the unfairness of life to the building of trust and love, Ms. Cornelison has written a wonderful book full of emotion and romance. I sure hope Aaron gets his own book. I have checked the author’s website but found no clues if that’s a possibility. I think he’ll make a great hero all on his own too.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Ladies’ man Luke Morgan has the world at his feet until a freak explosion leaves him burned and bitter. Luke’s family offers gutsy occupational therapist Abby Stanford a job facilitating Luke’s physical therapy, but Luke wants no part of his family’s schemes or Abby’s help. When sparks fly between Luke and Abby, Luke must face his deepest fears in order to claim the woman who brought his family together and taught him the real meaning of love.

Read an excerpt.

Ash’s Duckies Do Series Review of The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
Young Adult Science Fiction published by Scholastic Sept 08 – Aug 10

I’ve been wondering for days how to write this review, because I don’t think I can do these books justice. Suzanne Collins is an amazing author, and these books are some of the best I’ve read.  There is also no way for me to avoid spoilers, so be warned.

The Hunger Games
14 Sep 08

These books are one long, intense, heartbreaking journey. What starts here does not stop until the very end of Mockingjay. Right away I was drawn into Katniss’ life, her thoughts, her relationships. She is a strong character and it’s easy to root for her. The idea of children fighting to the death as entertainment is truly awful, having to see it through Katniss’ eyes makes it even worse. Watching her change from a teen who supports her mother and sister to someone who will kill to stay alive is at times agonizing. When she holds and sings to another girl who lies dying, I lost it.

Then there is Peeta. When I read this book the first time, I was Team Gale (her friend and hunting partner) all the way. The second time around I’m able to see just how special Peeta is. He is the heart of this series. At the end, which is really just the beginning, Katniss doesn’t yet know about the war that is brewing. Or that she will be the catalyst to set it off.

I think the build-up to book 2, Catching Fire, is done perfectly.

Grade A+

Summary:

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When her sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.

Read an excerpt.

Catching Fire
01 Sep 09

As much as this book is a bridge between The Hunger Games and Mockingjay, it also stands on its own as a very important part of the story. Katniss doesn’t get a break and neither do the readers. There really is no rest for Katniss and Peeta, they have to go on their victory tour and they find out just how evil President Snow is when he calls for previous winners to go back into The Hunger Games.

One of the things with this series is that no one is safe. Suzanne Collins is not afraid to break hearts and one of the deaths I was most upset about happens in Catching Fire. Cinna is Katniss’ stylist, and he seems to be the only one who she’s able to be real with. He might have been in with the Rebels, but I feel like he saw her as more than a weapon against the Capitol. His death is one that, up until the end, I was hoping wasn’t real.

Peeta is still there by her side, and by this book I am desperately hoping that they get a happy ending together. Katniss also has to deal with Gale, who wants her to pick him over Peeta.

The cast gets bigger, we meet more of the previous winners and we get to like a few of them. Of course, it just sets us (and Katniss) up for more heartache This is the book when Katniss starts to get mad and we see her changing yet again into a soldier.

Grade: A

Summary:

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

Read an excerpt.

Mockingjay
24 Aug 10

Mockingjay is everything I was hoping for — and a lot I wasn’t. Things are just a mess and Katniss is right in the middle of it.

Peeta is being held captive by the Capitol and the war is going on stronger than ever. In this book I didn’t like who Katniss becomes, though after what she has been through it’s almost expected. Everything has just become too much at times and her mental health is definitely suffering. I think losing Peeta made her lose a part of herself, even if she doesn’t realize it. They became a team, and I felt his absence from the book just as much.

Then we get Peeta back and he is damaged, badly. The torture he’s put through has left its mark and seeing him and Katniss fighting each other is hard. Like I said, Peeta is the heart, but here he is finally broken down. The way Katniss deals with Peeta (and some other things) makes me hate her at times. He deserves better, and by the time she figures it out, I wanted to shake her.

While this is going on, they are fighting away. Katniss goes into battle and plays her role as the face of the Rebels in District 13. It’s hard to see who the good guys are, District 13 looks like it is just the lesser of two evils. The prove they will do whatever they have to in order to win, and in the end it’s the people who suffer. Both sides are lacking morals, and it makes things that much harder on Katniss.

There is also another death that leaves its mark with me, though not the same one that effects the story the most. Fellow Hunger Games victor Finnick becomes a casualty of war. I actually found myself days later thinking of a funny scene with him, and then getting sad when I remembered he died.  In the end the Capital is taken down, but  no one really wins.

My one complaint with this book is the epilogue. I wanted more closure with some of the other characters. I was ecstatic to see Peeta and Katniss together in their future, but I grew to love all the other characters. I wanted more of them, to know what happened to them. Especially Gale and Haymitch (who, though I have left out of this review, is a major character, another one I loved and hated). With Gale, I am hoping he is happy in the future and still in touch with Katniss. though I got the impression that isn’t the case. While I wanted Peeta to be the one she chose, I couldn’t not like Gale. If Peeta isn’t in the picture, I would have wanted her to end up with him.

Sadly, as great as all the books were, I’m left wanting more of the one thing I was hoping for.

Grade: A

Summary:

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

Read an excerpt.

There is a ton of things I left out, there is no way I can cover it all. So much happens, so I focused on what stuck with me the most, even then I left out so much, since I could probably write pages about my thoughts on this. I can’t say this is a happy series, it is basically one traumatic event after another. People I care about died, I got angry, I cried, I hated the characters, and I loved them all at the same time.

Then there are the bright moments, the relationships, the jokes and happy times. These books are keepers, but I don’t know if I will be able to read them again and put myself through this emotional ride. I do know that if you haven’t read these books, you are missing out on an incredible tale. The pain is worth it, and days later I am still thinking about these characters.

Overall Grade: A+

Lawson’s review of The Renegade Hunter (Argeneau Vampires, Book 12) by Lynsay Sands
Paranormal Romance published by Avon 29 Sep 09

Here is another installment in the Immortals series by Lynsay Sands. Sure, they’re called vampires since they drink blood and have fangs, but blood-sucking fiends they’re not. At least that’s what they’ll say. There are times when these vampires go rogue, eat “off the hoof” and break the few rules laid down by the Council. This book starts where the Immortal Hunter ends, though it’s back with the Willians, from The Rogue Hunter.

Jo and Alex Willian don’t understand why their sister Sam and her fiancee Mortimer keep bringing strange men around. They’re at a party at Mortimer’s work and though the men are all hot, they don’t mingle with anyone. Jo decides to go out for some air and instead is attacked by a guy who manages to escape while some other guy kisses her. Though Jo is confused, she does go home after the incident.

Nicholas Argeneau has been a rogue for the last fifty years. He still tracks down other rogues to be turned over to the council, but he’s kept a low profile to keep himself from punishment. That changes when a group he’s been tracking takes too many hostages and he gets involved again with the Hunters (in the Immortal Hunter). Tracking one to the HQ, Nicholas saves Jo, then kisses her. He knows he can’t read her since he couldn’t make her go back into the building.

Nicholas then goes to check on Jo, but she’s been tracked by the rogue and Nicholas saves Jo again, and they go on the run. Nicholas must escape the Hunters after him while trying to lead them to the rogue after Jo. While this sounds a bit complicated, it does work pretty well and the action does take place over a few days, rather than 24 hours like the Immortal Hunter.

Both Nicholas and Jo are good together, but at this point there’s little use for story because once that “I can’t read him/her, they’re my lifemate” moment sort of overtakes the rest of the action. The reader knows what’s going to happen and it’s all just action to liven up the parts in between when the new lifemates get busy between the sheets (or wherever they are). The writing in this book did make things a bit easier to bear, as opposed to Rogue Hunter and Immortal Hunter, which seemed to be more like placeholders in the story to get to the next book, which is Armand and Eshe’s story.

Perhaps the mythology is getting too big, or it’s just too many books, but I’ll keep reading, I know. I just hope that the stories have a bit more plot and character development before the “we’re lifemates” moment and then they jump in the sack. Let’s have a little time to get to know people before the horizontal mambo.

Grade: C+

Summary:

The Argeneau family has a secret…one of their own is a rogue vampire!

Nicholas Argeneau was once a successful hunter who went after rogue vampires who break the immortal law. Except no one has mentioned his name in the last fifty years, not since he turned into a rogue himself. But once a hunter, always a hunter. When Nicholas sees a bloodthirsty sucker terrifying a woman, it’s second nature for him to come to her rescue. He had no idea he would also want to kiss her senseless…

One minute Josephine Willan is taking in a breath of fresh air, and the next sharp fangs are heading straight for her neck! Luckily a gorgeous stranger saves her life . . . and gets locked up for his troubles. Can a man who kisses so lovingly and passionately really have committed the crime he’s accused of? Jo isn’t so sure…and she’s determined to prove that this renegade hunter is worth fighting for.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews
Urban fantasy released by Ace 29 Sept 2009

You can barely take two steps in the urban fantasy pond before hearing a recommendation for Ilona Andrews (the penname of the eponymous Andrews and her husband Gordon). I recently managed to pick up the first two books in each of her series, Kate Daniels and the Edge, for cheap. (UBS are gold for trying out an author. Of course, once you get the cheap hit you’re stuck buying full price as soon as the next one comes out because you’ve been salivating for it.) I don’t think I’ll review Magic Bites since it’s been around for awhile, but here are my thoughts on On the Edge.

Andrews’s website states that people had trouble classifying On the Edge. I think this is because the general term for fantasy in a modern setting is “urban fantasy.” But the Edgers are not urban people. They live on the fringes of two civilizations, lawless, surviving through sheer grit. This is rural fantasy.

The Edge lies between the Broken (the fictional version of our world) and the Weird (typical fantasyland). Most people in the Broken and the Weird don’t know it exists. The Edgers have minor magic and can travel into either. Rose Drayton lives in the Edge but works as a cleaner in the Broken, the only job she can get as an illegal. But she needs to work, because she has two young brothers at home.

Rose is a fabulous heroine. Andrews could’ve easily turned her into the family martyr, but she isn’t. She thinks she’s given up her dreams to care for Georgie and Jack, but she’s really just put them on hold. (And she’s not doing it for no reason. She’s working hard to give Georgie and Jack the life their parents failed to give her.) Declan brings those hopes to the fore when he shows up determined to marry her. He’s a blueblood from the Weird and exactly what she’s been trying to escape. But she can’t help enjoying his company as they fight a threat to the Edge together. (Mostly, the threat serves to bring the characters together, which is perfectly fine. But the villain is a bit of a boring, doing it for the evil, insane sort of villain.)

Declan can be pompous, but he adjusts fairly well to the social rules of the Edge. The development of the Edge is where Andrews really shines. Andrews did well in creating a poor community where everyone survives by limiting retaliation (considering many Edgers have short tempers) and being willing to work as allies, despite past animosities, when the situation calls from it. There’s quite a bit of worldbuilding in addition to the plot and romance.

As more and more first books of a series end with sequel bait, I like that On the Edge is a self-contained adventure. I thought it was a standalone until I looked it up online, to be honest. I did hope it wasn’t, because William still needs a happy ending. (He has a tragic backstory. Total woobie. I can never resist a woobie.) On the Edge (and Magic Bites) definitely showed me why Andrews’s star is on the rise.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The Broken is a place where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is nothing more than a fairy tale.

The Weird is a realm where blueblood aristocrats rule and the strength of your magic can change your destiny.

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the place between both worlds. A perilous existence indeed, made even more so by a flood of magic-hungry creatures bent on absolute destruction.

Read excerpts here.

Sandy M’s review of A Christmas Ball by Jennifer Ashley, Emily Bryan and Alissa Johnson
Historical Romance published by Leisure Books 29 Sep 10

If any of you read my reviews over the past holiday season, you’ll know I was on the search for a really feel-good Christmas story. I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for at the time. When I was offered the chance to read A Christmas Ball by three terrific historical authors, I jumped at the chance, even though the holiday season was months ago. While these three novellas don’t quite embody the Christmas-y feeling I was after either, it truly doesn’t matter because they’re each so good. That’s what big-name authors will do for you every time.

My Lady Below Stairs by Emily Bryan

This is my first story by Emily Bryan, and I have to say I’m very pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Jane is the illegitimate daughter of the house, a servant, as her station requires, instead of going to balls and all else that comes with noble birth. She’s in love with Ian, the estate’s head groom, but when family calls she sides with them, doing as they ask though it goes against the grain for her.

Posing as Lady Sybil, her half-sister, Jane is to accept a marriage proposal from Lord Eddleton at the Hartwell’s ball, thereby saving the family from disgrace since Sybil has once again been selfish.  She’s run off with her current lover. It sounds so simple. And it should have been, if it hadn’t been for Ian.

He’s not happy watching his love waltz around with man after man and then accept marriage from a man who Ian knows won’t be faithful. But Ian does have second thoughts when he realizes he can’t give Jane the life she’s been entitled to but never had.

Summary:

Nobody misses Lord & Lady Hartwell’s Christmas Ball . . .

But they all go for different reasons. When Lady Sybil runs off with an Italian portrait painter, her bastard half-sister Jane Tate goes in her place. Lord Eddleton plans on proposing to “Sybil” under the mistletoe. Lady Darvish is on the hunt for her fifth husband.

And Ian Michael MacGregor is determined to show Jane that love doesn’t have to pretend.

Grade: B

The Longest Night by Jennifer Ashley

This story is a continuation of Ms. Ashley’s Nvengarian series, and we last saw Mary at the end of Highlander Ever After when Valenin was injured and asked Mary to come to him once he was home in Nvengaria. I had hoped at the time I read and reviewed HEA that Valentin and Mary would eventually get their story. Ms. Ashley, once again, doesn’t disappoint.

We find out that Mary never did take Valentin up on his offer, for various reasons of her own. He’s now back in England on another mission for his Prince and as luck would have it, he shows up at a ball where Mary is chaperoning a young girl as a favor to a friend.

The heat and attraction is still there between them and Valentin does his best to seduce Mary into his bed and into finally going home with him. But suddenly there is danger everywhere and neither of them may survive to be together in either England or Nvengaria.

Summary:

Nvengarian shapeshifter Baron Valentin arrives at the ball to continue his pursuit of his beloved Mary Cameron, who has run away from love.

Grade: B

Traditions by Alissa Johnson

This novella is my favorite of the three. Ms. Johnson had me grinning from ear to ear from beginning to end in this engaging story.

William is an earl and he’s on the hunt for a wife. He’s already picked out the perfect candidate and now he only has to ask that most important question. Locating her at the Hartwell’s ball proves difficult, but when he finally spies her, all of his well-laid plans fly right out the window.

All because of another young woman who isn’t a beauty, who isn’t well born, but can stuff a huge piece of cake into her mouth all at once. Watching Patience perform that little feat makes him want to get to know her better, and when he does it’s her intelligence and wit, her humor and laughter that capture his heart.

The characters are charming and the dialogue is loads of fun. Ms. Johnson has become a favorite of mine over the last couple of years, and she proves once again why that is.

Summary:

Prim and proper Casslebury plans to court Miss Caroline Meldrin, but to his chagrin is attracted to her wild friend Miss Patience Byerly.

Grade: B+

Overall Grade: B

Limecello’s review of More Than a Millionaire by Emilie Rose
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire 8 Sep 09

And she’s back! I’m so pleased to say I really enjoyed this book by Emilie Rose. She’s one of my favorite Harlequin authors. it pains me to say I didn’t like her previous few, so I actually putt off reading this one for quite some time. Yes, there were things about it that weren’t perfect, but I was engaged in the story and wanted to see how it turned out.

I have to say first… that the premise of this book is pretty “wtf” to me. The book blurb caught my interest, and made me chuckle a bit. But I knew I wanted to read it because Ms. Rose wrote it. This isn’t a spoiler because this is explained at the opening – the heroine is going to be a surrogate for her sister and brother-in-law. The brother-in-law used to be Nicole’s boyfriend first. And she thinks she love[s/d] him. The clinic messes up, and uses Ryan Patrick’s sperm. (Nicole’s brother in law is Patrick Ryan.)

Honest though – I found that easy enough to get over. In fact, what bothered me more was all the focus on contracts, and what they said. (But then, nobody wants to get into a discussion about contract law.)

Nicole Hightower is quite special, but flawed. She’s the peace maker in her family, but also rather silly, in my opinion. She is determined not to make the same mistakes her mother did, so convinces herself she can and will be in love, once. Ever. Otherwise, Nicole is fantastic. She’s smart, has a great career, and cares a lot. She’s a giver, which is really nice to see. At the same time, Nicole isn’t perfect, and there are certain aspects of herself she’d prefer not to examine. This makes her relatable, and interesting.

Ryan Patrick is something of a contradiction. Yes, he’s the jerk hero out to get the heroine… but his aim really is to get sole custody of his child. Which he hired a surrogate to bear. He’s been burned before, and reacts in the extreme. Although that’s not the most sensible reaction, self protection is understandable, and Ryan is determined to do that. I like that he’s actually quite considerate and caring, just… with misplaced ideas on what his goals are for some things. He had tunnel vision, as he says – but realizes his mistakes.

I wish the conflict hadn’t been quite as ongoing. Nicole Hightower and Ryan Patrick both have their issues to work through, and I felt they were well matched. Of course, the heroine experiences her epiphany first… but I think Ryan makes up for it with his heartfelt apology and his act of restitution. I also liked the fact that Ryan made headway with a better relationship with his father… but Nicole’s tenuous situation with her family remained the same. The fact that there wasn’t a candy coated perfect ending actually pleased me.

I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy books from the Silhouette Desire line, and those that like Ms. Rose’s writing as well.

Grade: B

Summary:

Mr. September: Ryan Patrick, millionaire daddy-to-be

Baby?: Yes…to secure his inheritance

Marriage?: No…only surrogates need apply

A mix-up at the clinic meant the wrong woman was pregnant! Ryan would do anything to reclaim what was his. Particularly since delectable airline heiress Nicole Hightower wasn’t about to just hand over her child. Was there a way he could have both…without making promises he could never keep?

Read an excerpt here. (The excerpt is on the amazon page, but I’m not sure how long it’ll stay there.)

Sandy M’s review of Lady of Scandal by Tina Gabrielle
Historical Romance published by Zebra 1 Sep 09

This is Tina Gabrielle’s debut novel, and she’s done a terrific job. Though there’s a part here and there in the book that we’ve read before, Ms. Gabrielle makes up for that with a hero and heroine who are strong and independent and who are seething with passion. It’s that passion that surprises them both in their journey together and that gives the reader a one heck of a steamy, wicked time.

Victoria Ashton is ahead of her time. She’s learned on the sly how to play the stock market and she’s done a moderately successful job of it, especially because she can’t be on the trading floor due to her gender. Her intelligence is a hindrance to her finding a husband, however. Those gentlemen of the ton don’t want a wife smarter than they are. Most of her proceeds have gone to keep her gambler brother out the local loan shark’s hands. But she’s made money that’s her own if ever she needs it.

Needing vengeance and justice, Blake has returned to London to break the one man he holds responsible for the destruction of his family. Years before Charles Ashton turned on his partner, who then committed suicide instead of facing financial ruin, which led to the man’s family becoming destitute and living in the poorhouse where Blake’s mother and sister subsequently died. Being a boy at the time, he’s had to wait for his chance to make sure Ashton pays for his deceit.

Blake’s plans change slightly when he comes face to face with Victoria on his return. What better way to begin her father’s ruin than by ruining the woman herself. His proposal to Charles Ashton is either pay the debt owing to Blake immediately or allow Victoria to be Blake’s mistress for a year. Victoria’s father doesn’t even hesitate. He’s far more concerned with his comfort and what the ton will think of him. And the man only gets worse as the story goes on. If you feel nothing else for Victoria throughout this book, you will definitely feel for her when it comes to her father.

Once she’s in his home, Blake has a change of heart and wants to slowly woo and seduce Victoria. As spirited as she is, she must also be passionate and Blake is determined to bring that side of her out. Being the woman she is, Victoria really has no chance against him once he puts his mind to seducing her for all the right reasons.

Of course, things don’t go exactly to plan, they have to improvise as they go along and even fight more evil in the end. They are an enjoyable couple, and when things begin to work for them, you can’t help but like them. I like Ms. Gabrielle’s writing, it’s perfect for this genre. I look forward to more of her books in the future.

Grade: B

Summary:

Victoria Ashton has intelligence and ambition – qualities of little value to most marriage-minded gentlemen of the ton. Her own father has no idea of Victoria’s hidden life as an anonymous trader in London’s stock market. But her hopes of independence are shattered when her father’s enemy, Blake Mallorey, assumes Charles Ashton’s debts and presents Victoria with a stark choice: live with him as his mistress for one year, or condemn her family to bankruptcy. For years Blake has dreamed of justice, and his scheme becomes all the sweeter when he sees the beauty that Victoria has become. Scoundrel he may be, but Blake will not force anyone into his bed. He intends to entice Victoria, one wicked kiss at a time. But with a woman as spirited and sensual as Victoria, seduction works both ways – and a plan rooted revenge can blossom into a scandalous passion…

Read an excerpt.

Liviania’s review of Wicked All Day by Liz Carlyle
Historical romance released by Pocket Star 22 Sept 09

Coming off the high of Tempted All Night, I had high hopes for Liz Carlyle’s Wicked All Day.  I enjoyed Zoë Anderson in that novel and looked forward to seeing her meet her Prince Charming.  While Wicked All Day wasn’t everything I wanted and more, it was a good romance.

Zoë Anderson knows that as a bastard she will never be good enough for the upper echelons of society.  Therefore, she transforms herself into a flirt, enjoying herself and rubbing her presence into their faces.  But then her father, Lord Rannoch, lays down the law: she must become engaged or live in Scotland.  Upset, she goes to her oldest friend for comfort and things go a little too far.  Now she and Robert Rowland are engaged, though they only care for each other as friends.

Most of Wicked All Day is a bummer.  The characters seem determined to make themselves unhappy.  Zoë reveals the fragility underneath her irrepressible exterior, but it just made me ache for the bold woman she is in Tempted All Night and at the end of this novel.  Stuart, Robert’s older brother, has been getting the two of them out of trouble for ages.  He fell for Zoë long ago, but can’t spit it out.  At the time of the novel, he’s occupied with getting rid of a vindictive mistress.  But I never quite believe his reasons for not making a move earlier.

Part of the reason the characters are all determined to make themselves unhappy is the fact that they’re all determined to be martyrs for each other.  No one likes a martyr.  Things improve drastically once everyone decides to start going after what they want.  And Zoë and Stuart want each other, though both of them take a ridiculously long time to admit it.

To be honest, there is not that much wrong with Wicked All Day. There’s even a lovely secondary romance between Robin and his mistress Maria that I would love to see more of.  The sensible widow is a good match for him.  The main problem with Wicked All Day is that it is no Tempted All Night. Carlyle set the bar too high for me to be happy with the immediate follow-up.  (Note: I have now typed these two titles far too many times.  I’ve begun to call the books Wicked All Night and Tempted All Day.)

If you enjoy stories about being caught in the tangles of honor, Wicked All Day is a good choice for you.  If you hate it when the heroine or hero can’t spit it out, Zoë and Stuart might frustrate you as they did me.  But they redeem themselves in the end, because a romance isn’t a romance without happily ever after.

Grade: B

Summary:
New York Times bestselling author Liz Carlyle continues her enthralling historical series with the story of an impetuous, illegitimate beauty and the forbidding nobleman who protects her—while fighting an obsession to possess her . . .

Miss Zoë Armstrong is beautiful, charming, rich—and utterly unmarriageable. So, while she may be the ton’s most sparkling diamond, her choice of husbands looks more like a list of London’s most unsavory fortune hunters. Since a true-love marriage seems impossible, Zoë has accepted—no, embraced—her role as society’s most incomparable flirt and mischief-maker . . . until in one reckless, vulnerable moment, her future is shattered.

Stuart Rowland, the brooding Marquess of Mercer, has been part of Zoë’s extended family since she was a child. As dark and cynical as Zoë is lively, Mercer has always known they would be the worst possible match . . . until his scapegrace brother Robert does the unthinkable, and winds up betrothed to Zoë. Now, secluded on Mercer’s vast estate to escape a looming scandal and the ton’s prying eyes, Zoë and Mercer may find that a dark obsession has become a tempestuous passion that can no longer be denied . . .
Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of The Most Wicked of Sins (Seven Deadly Sins, Book 2) by Kathryn Caskie
Historical Romance published by Avon 29 Sep 09

I was intrigued with Ms. Caskie’s series when I got hold of the first book, just liked the idea of it. Seven brothers and sisters allowed to run wild when their mother dies, and after causing such havoc to be named after the Seven Deadly Sins, their father decides to put his foot down: shape up or lose family and all that goes with it. Two books in, the sins have been wickedly represented.

Lady Ivy is next in line when her father, the Duke, wields the family axe, warning her if she isn’t betrothed by the time he’s in London next, she will be cast out. Thirty days is all she’s got to make sure her future is safe. That future lies with Lord Tinsdale, a man who is about to propose, she’s positive. But the next thing Ivy knows is her envy is flaring when her almost husband-to-be throws her aside and showers his affection on the newest beauty in town.

Her only recourse, according to Ivy, is to make Tinsdale jealous so he’ll return to her and secure her future. Hatching such plan requires just the right man to do the job, thus she hires an actor from the local theater when her sister spies one who should fit the bill. Handsome and doing his profession justice, Ivy is immediately attracted to the pretend Marquess Counterton, but she must keep her eye on the eventual prize.

Intrigued by this fiery-haired woman and the game she’s playing, Nick goes along with her ruse to see how far she will take it. After all, posing as one of the nobility is illegal, but it seems the woman is determined to follow her plan through no matter the cost. Halfway through the game, however, Nick begins to play for himself and what he wants with Ivy. He’s sure she feels the same, but she also feels she has to protect him because she doesn’t know the truth that will set them both free to allow them to be together.

I’m enjoying this series thus far. It’s fun and the moral of the story isn’t preached at you but you still get the drift of the pitfalls of the most wicked of sins. I like the family dynamic between the brothers and sisters, each knowing their time will come while still being very supportive of the one who’s in the hot seat currently. While the meeting between Ivy and Nick in this book is rather trite, it still works and is an enjoyable read. I look forward to rest of the series.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Lady Ivy Sinclair can’t live without funds much longer, so she vows to land a sensible, serious husband her father will accept. But just when the gentleman is about to pop the question, another woman snatches away his attentions. Furious, Ivy hatches a plan—make him jealous by hiring a handsome man to impersonate a marquess—a marquess who happens to be madly in love with her.

The moment Ivy boldly kisses Dominic Sheridan—to test his fitness for the task at hand—she’s sure he’s perfect. What Ivy doesn’t know is that the blue-eyed rake isn’t acting at all, but intent on seducing her into committing the most wicked of sins.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of With Seduction in Mind (Girl-Bachelors, Book 4) by Laura Lee Guhrke
Historical romance released by Avon 25 Aug 09

This book has been sitting on my coffee table for probably far too long to remind me that I should write up a review. The problem is that I really was not wanting to write this review. While it’s a story that continues the adventures of another of the Girl-Bachelors of Little Russel Street, the story fell into a different tone than a romance.

The book opens with Daisy Merrick in a situation she’s been in before: unemployment. While she doesn’t want to blame her fomer employer, it is his fault. He tried to compromise her in a storage closet and she gave him the set down he deserved, which means he fired her. Daisy now has to go tell her sister, how owns the employment agency that got her the job, that she’s been fired. Again.

What Daisy really wants to do is write, and she decides to submit her manuscript to Marlowe Publishing, owned by her good friend Emma’s husband (and hero of And Then He Kissed Her). While her manuscript is not rejected, she is asked to make severe edits to make it publishable and she is offered another job in the meantime. Daisy is asked to write a review of the new play written by Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore.

Sebastian is angry that someone would write a scathing review of his play in one of his publisher’s newspapers. He storms into Marlowe’s office and demands a retraction, only to be asked about a promised manuscript that is over three years late. Sebastian doesn’t like the plan that Marlowe offers either. Produce a manuscript and mentor new author Daisy. Sebastian sends in an old manuscript, which Daisy edits, then follows him to his country house to help him through the process of rewriting the old story and getting writing advice from the greatest writer of her generation.

Of course sparks ensue. The hardest thing to get around in the story is Daisy’s personality. Ever the optimist and rather cheerfully determined, she can’t accept the many no’s that come her way from Sebastian. She’s failed at enough jobs, this one she’s going to make work. No matter what. Which gets overly grating because she’s twenty eight and sees the world with rose-colored glasses. With her history with her father, money and losing jobs due to her outspokenness one would think she’d have a bit more of a realistic view of life.

Sebastian is not a bad hero, but he does beat up on himself. He lets his father’s disdain for his writing career drive him to write, the succumb to something that is his deep dark secret and finds he can’t write. Writer’s block is more of a problem for him than he wants to admit, but it’s more that he’s disappointed in himself that he has a block than anything else.

Together Sebastian and Daisy could work, but their relationship and how it’s described came across more as a commentary on the different processes writers have rather than giving two characters chemistry. When it comes to the point where they should talk to each other about something other than writing, Daisy keeps the blinders on and doesn’t see real life.

While it could have been a sweet story about two people overcoming their past to make a future together and two writers understanding the world around them, it was something else. I don’t know if the point was to tell a story about how hard it is to be a writer, but that’s what came across more than the love story of two Edwardian writers.

Grade: C-

Summary:

A thoroughly modern woman…

Daisy Merrick has to earn her living, but she keeps getting the sack. When her rash tongue costs her yet another job, the feisty, outspoken girl-bachelor is undaunted, and she comes up with a plan that could give her a future beyond her wildest dreams. There’s only one problem. Her success depends on a man, the most infuriating, impossible, immovable man she’s ever met.

A most notorious man…

Sebastian Grant, Earl of Avermore, is England’s most famous author, but when writer’s block steals his creativity, Sebastian becomes more well-known for his notorious reputation than his work. When Daisy arrives on his doorstep, hired by his publisher to help him write his next book, Sebastian has no intention of cooperating. The provoking, fire-haired beauty stirs his senses beyond belief, and when collaboration forces them together at his country home, Sebastian knows he has only one way out. Seduction.

Read an excerpt. (scroll down)

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Lucan (Pendragon Legacy, Book 1) by Susan Kearney
Futuristic Romance published by Forever 5 Sep 09

I’m so glad I’m finding dragon books to read lately, and this one is a very pleasant surprise. On top of that, it’s written around its own interpretation of the Arthurian legend, which is another favorite of mine. I’m not a huge futuristic fan, but Ms. Kearney weaves a terrific story on planets in a distant galaxy that is suspenseful, action-packed, and sexy.

Earth is on a course to extinction, and Lucan has made his way across the universe to Pendragon in search of the Holy Grail, mankind’s only hope of survival. Lady Cael is a healer and high priestess of Pendragon. Her life is very solitary and lonely; no one is even permitted to touch her. Both Lucan and Cael work on the team trying to breach the so-far-impregnable domed fortress of Avalon, where they believe the grail to be hidden. From their first meeting when Lucan rescues Cael when she’s stuck in a ventilation duct, all the way through their fantastic voyage, the sexual tension between these two is immediate and sizzling whenever they’re together.

Cael also wants the grail to save her nephew and she wants to keep it out of the hands of the military, but when things go wrong when Avalon’s protection is lowered, she and Lucan end up on the run, accused of trumped-up crimes. It’s during this time Lucan learns Cael is a dragonshaper, and the more information they uncover reveals the amazing story of how Earth and Pendragaon are linked by Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Ms. Kearney has taken little tidbits of an Earth legend and bound them with another world for a very intriguing read.

I enjoyed Lucan, of course. He’s a wonderful hero, torn between duty to his people, including his twin sister, and his unexpected love. Cael is a woman who only wants to be loved and cherished, something she’s never known despite her high status on her world. And the scenes when she shifts into her dragon form are some of the best in the book. You feel her flight, whether swift and frantic or swirling calmly on a breeze. And the surprise in store for Lucan along the way as he uncovers Arthur’s ancient secrets is an added bonus.

We also meet Rion, who is the hero of the next book in the series. His story is incorporated just so to get the reader oriented and ready for his book, which is due out later this month.

If you love dragons, knights, castles, intrigue, and suspense wrapped around your romance, you’re going to like this book. Ms. Kearney does an awesome job of taking a beloved myth and mixing it with her incredible imagination to give readers one heck of a read.

Grade: A

Summary:

THEIR LOVE IS FORBIDDEN

Healer and high priestess of her people, Lady Cael is fated to life without a mate. But a mysterious explorer named Lucan Rourke doesn’t know her secrets, and his touch makes her crave a future that her extraordinary birthright has forbidden her…

BUT DANGER IS NO MATCH FOR DESIRE

Lucan has just one mission on Pendragon: to find the mythical Holy Grail, Earth’s only hope for survival. His powerful attraction to Cael is a distraction he can’t afford, unless he convinces her to join forces with him. Yet working so closely together only heightens their passion…even when the terrifying truth of Cael’s heritage threatens to shatter Lucan’s every belief—and the galaxy itself.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker
Historical romance, released 25 August 2009 by Avon

The earls of Rothbury have long been known for decadence, rakishness and all manner of things that made them dangerous to the young misses of the ton and Adam Faramond, current Earl of Rothbury, is no exception.  Maybe.  Why, then, has his attention been snagged by a shy, sometimes stuttering, wallflower of a lady?  And it isn’t a passing interest – oh not at all! – for six years he has watched over Miss Charlotte Greene from afar.  Rothbury knows he isn’t the right sort of man for her.  Still, watching her pine for his best friend, Lord Tristan Devine, has not been easy.

Charlotte Greene knows she is not one of the most sought after young ladies.  She is quiet, sometimes painfully shy, and watched over by a very strict mother.  Charlotte has been in love with Lord Tristan since he rescued her and her mother from an overturned carriage.  When she is chosen as a participant in the Bride Hunt Ball, it seems her feelings might be returned – alas Lord Tristan proposes to another.  Charlotte is devastated but before she embarrasses herself by running out of the ballroom, Rothbury intercepts her and forces her to dance with him.  She understands that he is saving her from humiliating herself in front of the other guests and even begins to enjoy the dance.

After his kind gesture, Charlotte decides that she and Rothbury are friends. And friends help each other, right? So she offers to help Rothbury win the supposed object of his affection, her friend and neighbor, Lady Rosalind Devine. In return, Charlotte wants Rothbury to help her make Lord Tristan jealous and sorry he didn’t choose her and find a suitor to marry since this will be her last season and she doesn’t want to marry a friend of her elderly parents.

As it turns out, Rothbury does need her help – not to win Lady Rosalind but to keep his grandmother from selling the one solvent (but unentailed) property the family owns. His grandmother is not quite in touch with reality and has told Rothbury she will sell the estate if he doesn’t marry quickly. Rothbury invites Charlotte and her mother to visit the estate and tells his grandmother that Charlotte is his betrothed – in French…the only language his grandmother will speak and a language Charlotte does not speak. Maybe. During the visit, his grandmother begs Rothbury and Charlotte to have a pretend ceremony in the same spot she married his grandfather. To make grandmama happy, they agree. Oh, faithful reader, I’m sure you see where this is going.

I so enjoyed this book! I thought the prequel was a remarkably good debut and impatiently waited for the next book. And I wasn’t disappointed in the least. Watching Rothbury yearn for Charlotte – knowing he isn’t good for her and trying to stay away from her but completely unable to be mean or refuse to help her whenever she needed him – while she is completely oblivious because she would never imagine a man like him being interested in someone like her.

There are some interesting twists and turns along the road to their HEA. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, there is a twist that sends things off in a different direction. If you’re in the mood for a fun, sweet read you can’t go wrong with this one.

Grade: A

Summary:
He’s on the hunt for a bride . . .
Adam Faramond, Earl of Rothbury, needs to find a wife—immediately!—or his beloved grandmother will leave him penniless. But Adam, an unrepentant rake, would reform for only one woman, the woman he’s lusted after—and loved—for years. It’s rather unfortunate, then, that Miss Charlotte Greene would never consent to be the blushing bride of a rogue . . . or so he thinks.
Charlotte believes that the earl, the only man whose touch leaves her trembling, would never want a woman like her. Weary of her wallflower ways, Charlotte decides that a friendship with the earl just might give her the excitement she desires. Keeping their true feelings hidden, she and Adam plan a sham ceremony to placate the dowager. But when the “marriage of convenience” takes an unexpected turn, will Charlotte and her wicked earl finally reveal their irresistible, unforgettable love—and delight in a lifetime of passion?

Read an excerpt!

If you want to be completely up on the backstory (or just want to read another fun, sweet book), read At the Bride Hunt Ball. It isn’t completely necessary, though. To Wed a Wicked Earl stands alone quite well.

Other books in the series:

Gwen’s review of Born of Night (The League, Book 1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Sci-fi romance released by St. Martin’s 29 Sep 09

This is one of the first books written by Kenyon, early in her career and pre-Dark Hunters.  You can see quite a bit of her later books in this one, except this one is set in the future with aliens, spaceships, and blasters.  I don’t think Einstein would have liked the Ichidian Universe – the normal laws of physics don’t seem to mean much, but in a sci-fi, they often don’t. 

In this book, we have a heroine, Kiara, who is a very famous professional dancer, who, truth be told, is bored with her life and dancing.  She’s called “princess” but I couldn’t figure out what she was princess of, since her father wasn’t a “king” or some similar rank.  Regardless, she’s made a pawn in a planetary pissing match between her dad and a neighboring world, and, as a result, a contract is taken out on her life.  A very lucrative contract for the right assassin.

Enter our hero, Nykyrian, professional assassin – trained since childhood to be the ultimate killer.  He’s the “most deadly being in the universe” and he’s tired of being hunted because of who he is.  There’s also a very lucrative contract out on his head as a result of him abandoning his assassin brotherhood when he got tired of killing.

Through a variety of rather obscure moves, Nyk and his compatriots come to protect Kiara from the killers who are hunting her for the contract payoff.  Nyk and Kiara grate against each other, but naturally fall in lurve as they are forced to spend time together. Nyk, you see, is a fan of Kiara’s dancing.

As with most Kenyon heroes, Nyk has had the most horrendous life imaginable prior to meeting the heroine.  At the end of the book, many of the awful things are explained.  Some eye-rolling ensues, but, it’s Kenyon so you expect a bit. There are also a few times when either Kiara or Nyk do some really stupid thing (let her go to the bathroom by herself in a public place when there are bad guys after her?  really?).

Even with the quibbling little things that made me crazy (going from one planet to another seems to take as much time as running down the street to the store), it was still a fun book to read.  I just had to let myself roll with it a few times.

And, yes, I’m going to read the next book in the series.  It’s a fun universe and I’m addicted to Kenyon like a crack whore.  If you’re thinking about waiting for the next book, you definitely do NOT want to read these books out of order.  There are gigantic spoilers at the end of this first book that will ruin it for you if you read Book 2 first.

I recommend Born of Night to anyone who is a fan of Kenyon, or a fan of sci-fi romances where you don’t have to think too hard about the science.

Grade: B-

Summary:

In the Ichidian Universe, The League and their ruthless assassins rule all. Expertly trained and highly valued, the League Assassins are the backbone of the government. But not even the League is immune to corruption . . .

Command Assassin Nykyrian Quikiades once turned his back on the League—and has been hunted by them ever since. Though many have tried, none can kill him or stop him from completing his current mission: to protect Kiara Zamir, a woman whose father’s political alliance has made her a target.

As her world becomes even deadlier, Kiara must entrust her life to the same kind of beast who once killed her mother and left her for dead. Old enemies and new threaten them both and the only way they can survive is to overcome their suspicions and learn to trust in the very ones who threaten them the most: each other.

Read an excerpt here (click on “Read More” in the Excerpt area).

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Never Love a Lawman by Jo Goodman
Historical Western Romance published by Zebra 1 Sep 09

Wow. I picked this book up just to skim the first few pages, and I could not put it down. I’ve not read Ms. Goodman before. Have a feeling I’ve been missing quite a number of good books. But I’m now determined to find out what it is I have been missing all this time. Any book I come across by Ms. Goodman is being promoted to the top of the TBR pile.

The first thing  I have to mention in reading this story is how things are not what they seem, as evidenced by the prologue right out of the gate. I was amazed somewhere in the middle of the book that what I got is not anything like what I thought I’d be reading about.

Next are the characters, especially Wyatt and Rachel of course. From the moment I met them in the pages of this book, I was hooked. I was totally invested as their personalities were revealed, along with their situation and the resolution thrown at them by Rachel’s benefactor. Rachel is confident and sassy and has stayed pretty much to herself in the fifteen months she’s been in Reidsville, moving there when life became too volatile and dangerous due to her circumstances. Wyatt is the town sheriff, and I fell in love with this man instantly. He’s intelligent, has a way with people, is alpha when he needs to be, loyal to the core, and eventually Rachel falls for him just as hard as I did.

But with the death of the owner of the railroad and part owner in the town’s very lucrative mine, both of which keep Reidsville afloat, suddenly folks want to get to know Rachel, but it’s Wyatt who’s the bearer of the amazing news she never expected. Their banter is just marvelous. Rachel holds her own with Wyatt and he has to appreciate and respect her for it, and I love the fact they never lose ease and camaraderie between them, even after their forced marriage and subsequent growing feelings for one another. Their attraction steadily grows, Wyatt making his wants known, and when Rachel finally decides he’s what she wants, these two are even better than before once they become one in all aspects of their life.

The townspeople of Reidsville are many and as varied as can be. They take care of their own, including Rachel once it’s revealed how she’s now connected to all of them. This is the kind of town I always pictured in the Old West, and Ms. Goodman gives it life, living and breathing around and through its inhabitants.

Ms. Goodman’s writing is so rich. She takes her time weaving every layer of the story together, then just as slowly pulling that one thread that will unravel every question raised until you end up with such a beautiful tapestry, you don’t know which part you like best. It’s nearly impossible to like one part over another anyway, though.

This is one of the best books I’ve read lately. I’ve been telling everyone I talk to about it. Have you read it yet??

Grade: A+

Read Syb’s review here.

Summary:

Rachel Bailey may seem like just a beautiful newcomer to most of Reidsville, Colorado, but Sheriff Wyatt Cooper knows she’s much more. Through a twist of fate, Rachel is the inheritor of a very valuable commodity: control of the railway that keeps the isolated mining town connected to the world. That is, she will be, if she agrees to the surprising stipulation in her benefactor’s will-that she marry Wyatt.

Rachel has no choice: refusing the marriage could put all of Reidsville in the hands of an outsider, and not just any outsider but the cruel tyrant she has come here to escape. Yet living with Wyatt will be her greatest challenge. For he has a tempting way about him that makes Rachel forget theirs is a marriage in name only- until her frightening past shows up to remind them exactly how much they have at stake…

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Tempt Me At Twilight (The Hathaways, Book 3) by Lisa Kleypas
Historical romance released by St. Martin’s 22 Sep 09

There are a few authors that I always enjoy.  Short story, novel, or just plain interacting with readers – they’re always pleasant and gracious.  Lisa Kleypas is one of those few sincerely nice people and her writing normally reflects that niceness.  So imagine my surprise when she created the morally ambiguous hero, Harry, in Tempt Me At Twilight.  A hero who is even worse than St.Vincent (be still my heart).

Don’t get me wrong – by the ened Harry manages to redeem himself.  Just.  But I do believe he is the most damaged of all of the Kleypas heroes and I LOVED him!  He is a bit mad, very bad, and willing to do anything to win Poppy’s hand.  This sets up some fun scenes and terrific dialogue for the morally centered and very nice Poppy when dealing with the determined and unprincipled Harry.

Twilight is a typical Kleypas romance in that the heroine is imminently likeable and the romance is sigh-worthy.  However, it departs from Kleypas’s formula in that the hero acts in a very un-herolike manner for purely selfish reasons.  In her other novels (in my experience) unworthy actions normally have heroic purposes or outcomes.  Harry has none of these.  He just wants Poppy.  Period. And does whatever he has to do, short of murder, to get her.

This creates amazing tension between the main characters.  It also presents interesting predicaments for Poppy’s oh-so-close family.  You can imagine how Cam and Merripen feel about a man who connives, cheats, and maneuvers their “little sister” into marriage, breaking her heart along the way.  It is tremendous fun to read.

I found myself moved to tears several as Poppy and Harry make discoveries about each other and themselves.  Harry’s childhood and his inability to connect normally to others is quite heartbreaking to read.  This element is a real masterstroke for Kleypas.  It’s all so wonderfully nuanced and complicated, and entertaining as hell to read.

Twilight stands alone – you needn’t read the other books in the series to enjoy it.  Though I highly recommend all of the Hathaways books.  This family has the best of late Regency, odd-ball romance entertainment.

I highly recommend Twilight for anyone who is a fan of historical romance or just romance in general.  It is a lovely, complex story about redemption, discovery, family, and love.  You shouldn’t miss it.

Grade: A

Read reviews and information for books in this series by following this tag here.

Summary:

Poppy Hathaway loves her unconventional family, though she longs for normalcy. Then fate leads to a meeting with Harry Rutledge, an enigmatic hotel owner and inventor with wealth, power, and a dangerous hidden life. When their flirtation compromises her own reputation, Poppy shocks everyone by accepting his proposal—only to find that her new husband offers his passion, but not his trust.

Harry was willing to do anything to win Poppy—except to open his heart. All his life, he has held the world at arm’s length…but the sharp, beguiling Poppy demands to be his wife in every way that matters. Still, as desire grows between them, an enemy lurks in the shadows. Now if Harry wants to keep Poppy by his side, he must forge a true union of body and soul, once and for all…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Must Love Hellhounds by Andrews, Brook, Harris, and Singh
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Berkley Trade 1 Sep 09

I don’t read anthologies very often, but once in a while they’re a nice change of pace. I figured I’d love this one because after reading Lori Devoti’s hellhounds series, I fell in love with these evil but lovable dogs. I have to say that I was more disappointed than happy with the majority of the novellas in this anthology. I’ve only read one out of the four authors, Nalini Singh, and she is the standout of the group. The other three don’t even come close to her stellar story.

Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews

I do have the Magic series in my TBR pile, just waiting for me to get to it. The first part of this story didn’t do much to make me want to move the series higher in the pile, but that changed with the second half. Raphael, a werehyena, is full of charm but is as lethal as any other paranormal creature when pushed. He’s been in love with Andrea for quite a while, though she doesn’t know it. They grew up together, he’s like a brother to her, or so he thinks. Andrea’s just trying to get along in the world while keeping her inner self a secret. She doesn’t want to lose the life she’s mapped out so far just because of a little cross breeding in her background.

Trying to locate Raphael’s stepfather’s shade/soul when it’s stolen after his death, they start their investigation and eventually come upon a house guarded by a huge, very ugly and evil hellhound who takes his guard-dog duties seriously. The action during their journey is hair-raising, especially when battling with said hellhound. They come across a variety of different paranormal creatures that helps their trek along and keeps the story interesting. And their eventual tryst is quite steamy, and Raphael’s confession to Andrea is a highlight of the whole thing.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Kate is on medical leave and Andrea is sitting in her office. Everything is going well, until a giant hell dog escapes the Underworld and Raphael, the smoking-hot and very persistent werehyena, asks Andrea to help him track down…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Blind Spot by Meljean Brook

This is my second favorite story of the anthology. Ms. Brook gives a reader something different and that makes reading it so much more fun. What I found most interesting and different is the fact that Geoffrey is blind due to an ancient curse that has tainted his family blood — but he can see through other people’s eyes. I perked up even more when that little tidbit came along. Maggie works for Geoff’s uncle, a very old and dangerous vampire, and has been sent to help rescue Geoff’s sister who has been taken hostage for some unknown reason. With her is Sir Pup, a fun-loving but also dangerous hellhound. He plays guide dog and guard dog with equal aplomb.

I really enjoy Ms. Brook’s writing, her characters are perfect, and she gives a story that moves at just the right pace and with twists and turns where you least expect them. I will be moving this series to the top of the TBR pile.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The job was simple: find her boss’s niece, bring her home safely, and hand out a whole lot of pain to whoever had abducted her. But Maggie hadn’t counted on her boss’s nephew, the hellhound who loved to make her life difficult, or her own past rearing its complicated and ugly head.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

The Britlingens Go to Hell by Charlaine Harris

This novella is the disappointment of the bunch. Simply, I was bored the entire way. The idea of the Britlingen Collective is interesting, but this story just didn’t live up to the potential. Two of the Collective’s warriors, Clovache and Batanya, are chosen to  head to hell with a client who needs something found there. So all we get is the danger they go through as they journey through the halls of hell toward their end goal, all of which is not that interesting; a client who is not upfront with them, thus leaving them in more danger; slugs leaving slime on the ground; and at this point I don’t even remember the hellhound involved. And only a slight hint at romance.

Not a very good introduction for a reader who has a good majority of Ms. Harris’ books in the TBR mountain.

Grade: D-

Summary:

A pair of warriors, Clovache and Batanya, take on the task of safeguarding a thief, not realizing they’d be going to Hell in pursuit of Lucifer’s favorite toy and along the way, encounter some very interesting travelers.

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Angels’ Judgment by Nalini Singh

I have yet to read the first book in this series, Angel’s Blood, but after reading this novella I’m now salivating to get to it.  That doesn’t surprise me one bit. I should have known I’d love this story just because it’s Nalini Singh.

Sara is being considered to take over as Guild Director who reports to the Cadre of Ten, archangels who rule the world. She enjoys her current job as a vampire hunter, returning rogues to their masters. But she knows Simon, the current director, is weary after so many years and wishes to retire. She’s on one last mission before she has to make her decision.

Hunting down the villain killing vampires is that mission, and Simon sends Deacon, The Slayer, along to help but also to protect Sara if need be, because he knows the archangels will test her. As they work together, an attraction between them grows, and with Deacon’s secretiveness and sexiness, I can certainly see why. Their fling, which Sara believes is all they can have – how can she date such a dangerous and secretive man once she becomes director? – is hot and steamy and the best parts of the story. I didn’t care about the hellhound – which is owned by one of the suspects in the killings – I just wanted more of these two together.

Now that I have some of the background of the series down, it’s time to start Angel’s Blood. And I know I will like it just as much.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Vampire trackers Sara and Deacon must discover who is murdering vampires; one suspect owns a hellhound…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Overall Grade: B

Sybil’s review of Never Love a Lawman by Jo Goodman
Historical Western Romance from Zebra 1 Sep 09

I often speak of my love of historical western romance, almost as much as I talk about how much I adore Jo Goodman’s books.  So when I hear the title of her next book was Never Love a Lawman – I squuee’ed.  Could she be really be writing a western?  Turns out that, yes, Jo Goodman was taking us to Reidsville, Colorado in September 1882.  Two of my favorite things were about to come together again, so of course, then I started to worry…

I tend to fall into that trap, where you want something so much, you expect the book to be great, grand and wonderful – it is almost unfair to the author. Who can live up to that? And I find I get annoyed at little things I wouldn’t normally because this is  “WONDERFUL AUTHOR”.

So when the ARC arrived for Never Love a Lawman, I rushed to read it and then stopped and worried. I admit it. Totally silly because at the end of the day, it is just a book and if I don’t like it ::shrug::. Jo Goodman isn’t going to be upset over it. Readers will still love it or hate it. But I was worried for me… I am selfish like that. Turns out I was worried over nothing…

Never Love a Lawman opens in complete confusion, the reader really doesn’t know what is going on or why, and this doesn’t become clear until later in the book.  It is handled wonderfully, if not frustratingly, and I might have been okay with that because I have faith in the author.  All you know is something is wrong, she has to leave, doesn’t want to go and someone in the bed doesn’t want her to go but knows she must.

We pick up with Rachel Bailey having been a member of the Reidsville community for about a year; she is a seamstress and keeps to herself.  I love her character.  And once again we are seeing her through someone else’s eyes.

This time it is the hero, Wyatt, who is keeping watch.  He is another one of Jo Goodman’s complex hero’s and is a mix of alpha, beta and a dash of whiskey to taste.  As sheriff he keeps a pretty close eye on the town, much closer than Miss Bailey gives him credit for and would often like.  The fact that he did it from the balcony of the town’s only whorehouse might have something to do with her drawing some of her conclusions as well.  It soon comes to play that there was rhyme and reason for Miss Baily to be ‘directed’ to Reidsville, Colorado.  And Wyatt turns out to be much more than Rachel first took him to be.

The pacing could be a bit slow for some readers, so do keep that in mind and do read at least two or three chapters before tossing this one aside. Because going in blind I would have tossed it with the prologue – well if it wasn’t a western and wasn’t Goodman.  This isn’t my favorite Goodman but would be my favorite American historical of her I have read, so far .

Jo Goodman is not a ‘fast read’ but a book to relax and enjoy.  She is a true wordsmith who is a pleasure to read and creates characters that are a joy to spend time with, along with a town that comes alive and becomes a character in and of itself.  It was a delight to learn her next book will take place in the same town because when I closed the book, I reread it, because I wasn’t ready to let go.

Grade: A

Summary:

Rachel Bailey may seem like just a beautiful newcomer to most of Reidsville, Colorado, but Sheriff Wyatt Cooper knows she’s much more. Through a twist of fate, Rachel is the inheritor of a very valuable commodity: control of the railway that keeps the isolated mining town connected to the world. That is, she will be, if she agrees to the surprising stipulation in her benefactor’s will-that she marry Wyatt.

Rachel has no choice: refusing the marriage could put all of Reidsville in the hands of an outsider, and not just any outsider but the cruel tyrant she has come here to escape. Yet living with Wyatt will be her greatest challenge. For he has a tempting way about him that makes Rachel forget theirs is a marriage in name only- until her frightening past shows up to remind them exactly how much they have at stake…

Read an excerpt here.

Gwen’s review of Holding Out For A Hero by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary romance released by Brava 29 Sep 09

Hero is set in the world of Dimon’s loosely related books set in Kauai.  You don’t need to read the others to enjoy each book, but they’re so much fun that there’s no reason not to read them all.  Hero is no exception – it’s a fun, hot romance with a good story, first-rate dialogue,  and great characters.

We meet Josh and Deanna on what is definitely NOT their best day.  Josh has just “quit” the DEA in a bit of a huff and Deanna is on her last hope for finding someone to help her find evidence her nephew is innocent of a horrendous crime. They have a previous acquaintance with each other that was not, shall we say, positive.  Suffice to say they can’t stand each other.  Naturally they’ll fall in love!

Dimon is a real pro with snappy dialogue.  Her books are always full of it and most of the story is told through what the characters say.  Hero is one of her best for quick-witted come backs.  The hero and heroine in this book are smart people trying to make it through tough times.  Naturally they resist each other as much as they can, but can’t resist the animal attraction.  Their dialogue is smart, sometimes snide, but always fun.

The heroine, Deanna, is desperate to find someone who can help her vindicate her nephew.  She’s lost a lot of people she loves in her life and she doesn’t want him to be yet another.  Because of her experience with him, Deanna believes the hero, Josh, is the man to help her.

Josh wants nothing to do with the glacial Deanna of the upper-crust Hawaii society.  He sees her as a privileged, protected princess who has never had to deal with life’s consequences.

In some ways, as Deanna comes to discover, Josh is right.  Watching these two people overcome their individual prejudices and preconceptions is the most interesting part of this book.  Watching Josh uncover detail after detail about the nephew’s crime is also interesting and adds a very real bit of drama to what is already an interesting story.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a read full of snappy dialogue and a believable romance.  If you’re a fan of Dimon’s Hawaii books, you need to read this one.

Grade: B

Summary:

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT…

Deana Armstrong needs a hero—not for herself, but for the nephew all her money and time can’t seem to get out of jail. Unfortunately, the best hero in all the Hawaiian Islands is set on turning in his badge and getting his excellent butt into another line of work. If that wasn’t enough, Josh Windsor also has a big-time grudge against Deana herself. But if there’s anything being rich, smart, and stubborn has taught Deana, it’s never to settle for second best…

Josh has had it with saving people. He’s had it with getting hauled into court. And boy, has he ever had it with Deana. Or well, he hasn’t had it. Yet. But the more she pops up sounding infuriating and looking good enough to eat, the more her hot bod and her cold case wriggle into his mind. And there’s only so much even a hero can resist…

Read an excerpt here (scroll down).

Former Texan, creator of Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent and one of those people you would swear is just too nice to be real – Lisa Kleypas – will be dropping by the pond today.  She is VERY close to deadline… soon to be shaking hands with her drop dead date.  The way I look at it, this should work in our favor cuz really what more does a author want at that time than distraction.

::innocent blink::

To get you started I asked her a few questions, you can ask her some more in the comments, anything that doesn’t get answered we will put together in an ‘interview’ and post after Leo is ‘Married by Morning‘ and on his way to her editor.  Until then if you haven’t already read Tempt Me at Twilight you can check out excerpts: on her site here, the ‘raw’ one here (that didn’t change much) and the new one here.

Thanks again to Lisa for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions.

**the following quotes are from Tempt Me at Twilight ©2009 Lisa Kleypas

“Well, to start with—“ Poppy tried to sound pragmatic even though her eyes watered. “I’m not a virgin anymore.”

Leo gave her a mock-shamed glance. “Neither am I,” he confessed.

A reluctant giggle escaped her.

Leo rummaged in his coat for a handkerchief, without success. “Don’t cry, darling. I have no handkerchief, and in any case, virginity is nearly impossible to find once you’ve lost it.”

How do you feel Tempt Me at Twilight turned out? Are you happy with the finished novel?



I am very happy with it!—it was a great writing experience, and I think part of that was because I finally settled in comfortably with the Hathaways. Whenever there was a group scene, it was incredibly fun to write, because I knew exactly how each character would react to what was going on.

After the previous year, when I wrote a couple of darker, more angsty novels (Blue Eyed Devil and Seduce Me At Sunrise) I felt a little worn out emotionally, and ready for some fun. So the two books I wrote after that were Smooth Talking Stranger and Tempt Me At Twilight, and I think they both reflect the sheer joy I felt in writing.

Poppy wondered what was wrong with her, that she should be amused rather than frightened by his confession. “Harry. You’re not supposed to court a girl by telling her you’re the villain.”

He gave her an innocent glance that didn’t deceive her in the least. “I’m trying to be honest.”

“Perhaps. But you’re also making certain that whatever anyone says about you, you’ve already admitted it. Now you’ve made all criticism of you ineffectual.”

Harry blinked as if she’d surprised him. “You think I’m that manipulative?”

Harry has a fabulous line, well really he has many, “In the fairy tale you mentioned last night, I would probably be the villain.” I have to admit I adore that and him.  As you know I have a fondness for Sebastian (Devil in Winter), Leo (Married by Morning) and we can’t forget Kev (Seduce Me at Sunrise).  All of them have bastard like qualities, why do you think that works in a ‘hero’?

Thanks, Sybs, I love to hear that! I think as long as there are deeper, authentically motivated reasons for a hero behaving badly, readers are always generous enough to forgive him. I adore nice-guy heroes, but the bastards are always more exciting, aren’t they?

I think it’s the tension of wondering what they’re going to do, and wondering how the heroine will react. And the character arc is so emotionally satisfying when a hero goes through experiences that force him to change. It always gives me a pleasant shiver at the moment when the hero who has been so dangerous and destructive in the past, is now going to use all power to protect and satisfy the heroine.

“Before you leave,” he said softly, “I have some advice for you. It’s not safe for a young woman to wander alone through the hotel. Don’t take such a foolish risk again.”

Poppy stiffened. “It’s a reputable hotel,” she said. “I have nothing to fear.”

“Of course you do,” he murmured. “You’re looking right at it.”

What makes Harry different from your other heroes?



He’s unusual for me, in that he is a mechanical engineer, and he is so remarkably isolated. He knows how to manipulate people, but not how to have a close relationship with them. So he has an emotional innocence that seemed very sweet to me, despite his villainous qualities. When he meets Poppy, he falls for her immediately because she is so open to the kind of emotional connection that he secretly craves.

She is a very warm and talkative character, and she is a little bit nerdy in the same way he is. When Harry visits the Hathaways and sees how they relate to each other, he is thrown off-balance because he’s never been part of a family . . . there’s this magical something in the air, and he’s not sure what it is, until he finally realizes it’s love. So normal for them, so unfamiliar to him.

“As it happens,” Harry murmured, “I’m American by birth.”

I totally loved that Harry Rutledge is from America (as is Lily and Daisy from your Wallflower series) any chance we could see an American Historical from you in the future? ::coughwesterncough::

I would so love to set a historical in America! If I’m ever able to, I would probably set it in Victorian era New York—what an exciting place, and so much was happening! Self-made men with big fortunes galore.

You soooooo are not helping my western agenda… just saying ::pout::

You ever read a book called Give Me Tonight?  It is out of print and hard to find but I hear it is good ::innocent blink::

“Afraid?” he asked softly.

Poppy forced herself to meet his gaze. “No.”

“Maybe you should be. I’m much nicer to people who are afraid of me.”

“I doubt that,” she said. “I think the opposite is true.”

Poppy is a very strong female character, even when she is making choices Rutledge has manipulated her into.  I see that trait in all the Hathaway sisters and could say it is true for most of your heroines.  Is this a personal choice as an author – something that speaks against the ‘sterotypical weak female’ in romance or something you honestly see reflected in the history of the time?

I appreciate that—I’ve always thought that true strength is not displaying the hoyden/vixen/bitch type of behavior, but rather the patience and persistence and resilience that Poppy displays.

She has her moments of frustration and temper, but she is also quick to forgive and apologize. I think women did have to summon a lot of patience back then, because it was so frowned upon for a woman to be outwardly demanding or aggressive—they had so many constraints placed on them.  You wonder if all the “nervous ailments” that women suffered from were really just a reflection of the stress and frustration of having to let men be in charge all the time!

“Those who have special requests,” Mr. Lufton continued, “or don’t like their rooms cleaned at certain times, those who insist on bringing pets, things of that sort. We don’t discourage them from staying, but we do make a note of their peculiarities.”

Speaking of the history of the time, odd question but I have a background in hotels, and totally love the setting of the book.  Any books you can recommend you used for research into hotels of the time?
I wondered if you would like that!  Yes, I had some fantastic resources and it was so much fun to research. There was a great book titled Hotel: An American History by Andrew K Sandoval-Strausz that provide a ton of information about the development of American and European hotel industries, and a great biography of the great hotel developer Henry Flagler, and I researched the histories of some classic London hotels such as Brown’s and Mivart‘s (the latter turned into Claridge’s).

The Rutledge is a composite of those old hotels, with some of the innovations that were happening at the time, food lifts and en suite bathing-rooms and plumbing  . . . in fact, I spent so much time contemplating and “designing” the Rutledge that it almost seems like a real place to me now!

Jake’s face fell. God. Another scene. “Sir, I’d rather go on an errand in east London and be pummeled by street thieves.”

Rutledge smiled. “That will probably happen later in the week.”

When is Jake getting a book?



I truly hadn’t thought of that. You think he’s hero material?






I did! He sort of reminds me of a derek character… not as hardcore but we didn’t really see him at ‘work’ so to speak. I figured he got his hands plenty dirty or did before for Harry. NOT that I am asking, if I were to ‘request’ a story I want a novella on ‘where are they now’ on St. Vincent and Evie *g*. I know you soooooooooo didn’t see that coming.

“And there’s one more thing to be aware of,” Cam said, with a wintry softness that disguised all hint of feeling. “If you succeed in marrying her, we’re not losing a sister. You’re gaining an entire family–who will protect her at any cost.”

If you were a book what would your ‘summary’ be?  (totally stole that from Sandy M Duck Chats cuz it amuses me)



Oh, this is not easy. Hmm. How about “A cookie-loving daydreamer turns her love of words and fantasies into a writing career, and finds true love along the way. She is surrounded by a brilliant cast of characters, including witty and wacky friends, a great publisher, a sock-stealing cocker spaniel, and an adorable duck-loving reviewer who always makes her laugh.”

“No. I’ve found that life is far kinder to shallow people.” Turning her, Leo drew her up against his tall, well-muscled frame.

What super TOP secret info can you give us on Leo’s book, Married by Morning.



Leo has been secretly drawing naked sketches of Catherine (imagining what she might look like), and she finds out.
**highlight over the blankspace if you want to see the spoiler

“She has experience with primates?” Harry asked sardonically.

Poppy considered that. “We’ve just been through the London season. Does that count?”

What super TOP Secret info can you give us on Beatrix’s book, Love in the Afternoon?



Beauty and the Beast theme.

That’s all I can say for now!
**highlight over the blankspace if you want to see the spoiler

That is really not that much to go on but since you haven’t even started the book I will give you a pass on it.

When will we get to see the cover for Married by Morning? LOL I know, I always want something…

If you have questions or comment for Lisa Kleypas, please put it in the comments of this post. If you have read Tempt Me at Twilight, do tell us what you thought of it.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Texas Wedding For Their Baby’s Sake by Kathryn Albright
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 1 Sep 09

As readers, oftentimes when we read a book we love, we immediately hope for a sequel.  Sometimes those sequels are just as good, and sometimes it’s a case of be careful what you wish for.  I loved the first book in this series, The Rebel And The Lady, and gave it a glowing review last year.  I really and truly adored it.  So naturally, I was looking forward to this follow-up romance, featuring the wayward Brandon Dumont, who left behind a sweetheart in South Carolina to join the fight for Texas’ independence.  I wish I could say this story worked just as well for me, and I loved it just as much.  Sadly, I cannot.

 Five months ago Brandon Dumont arrived in Texas to join the fight for independence.  He ended up getting captured and was ultimately rescued from a Mexican prison camp by his older brother, Jake.  A doctor, Santa Anna only kept him alive to tend to the hundreds of wounded Mexican troops.  He walked away from the ordeal bitter, scarred, with a bum leg, and a serious case of post-traumatic stress.  Brandon is completely out of sorts, treading water, with no plans for his future.  The only thing on his agenda is the impending arrival of Franklin, the family hired hand from Charleston, who is making the trip for Jake’s upcoming wedding to his fiancee’, Victoria.  Imagine their surprise when Franklin arrives with the lovely Miss Caroline Benet in tow.

Caroline and Brandon were sweethearts that were planning to marry.  However, a failure to communicate, and a kiss shared between Caroline and Jake (oopsie!) sent Brandon running off to Texas.  Since he hasn’t returned to Charleston, she decides to take matters into her own hands and go to Texas to find him.  See, the poor gal is pregnant with his baby, and she’s determined to let him know he’s going to be a daddy.  It does come as a shock to her though that the Brandon she finds in Texas is completely different from the Brandon she fell in love with in Charleston.

This story requires an extreme amount of patience on the part of the reader, and it was only my love for the first book that had me persevering through to the grand finale.  Brandon and Caroline are “torn apart” because they’re both two stupid kids who won’t talk to each other.  My profuse apologies to all the Regency romance couples I maligned over the years for “not talking to each other.”  Turns out romantic couples from the American South also suffer from the affliction.

When Brandon isn’t having a pity party for himself, he’s pushing Caroline away for “her own good.”  No, they can’t be together.  He’s too damaged.  He’s no good.  Besides that, she done him wrong.  Caroline starts out equally as shaky: a prim Southern belle who’s sole purpose in life is to look pretty, smile and do needlepoint.  She’s a bit of a stuck-up snob once she lands in Texas, simply horrified that Brandon would want to live like this rather than returning to South Carolina.  But do you think she tells him about the baby right away?  Of course not!  That revelation doesn’t come out until after they fall into each others’ arms again and Jake finally notices that she’s got a baby bump.

Adding to my annoyance was the fact that Jake, the wonderful hero from The Rebel And The Lady, who I adored, was an insufferable jackass for about three-quarters of this book.

Still, I kept reading – and I was rewarded for it, because the story did get better for me.  Brandon keeps up his noble, sending-away-the-woman-I-love-for-her-own-good nonsense pretty much until the bitter end – but Jake stops being an ass and glory be, Caroline grows up.  The girl reaches deep down and finds her spine.  She starts giving it to Brandon with both barrels and when she actually calls him a coward (to his face!) I wanted to reach through the pages and kiss the girl.  Truly.

It took some patience on my part, but I found the ending of this story ultimately rewarding.  Unfortunately I had to slog through the first half of this novel to get to that point, and there really wasn’t a whole lot I liked there.  In the end, I found it a disappointing follow-up to one of my favorite historicals from last year.  Bummer.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Brandon Dumont is not the man he was. Embittered by war, he’s now a rugged survivor, a broken hero. Certain he’s not fit for society, he finds his lonely self-imposed exile shattered by the arrival of the woman he once bedded and left behind.

Since her fiancé went to war, social butterfly Caroline Benét has had to grow up fast. She’s held up a stagecoach at gunpoint and left the safety of Charleston for wild Texas territory—all to find a man she no longer knows…for the sake of their unborn child….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lisa Kleypas is under a September deadline and very nicely agreed to join us on the blog this week.  Sadly I  just sent her the questions yesterday, so Lisa will be here Monday September 28.  This gives you time to read the book and come armed with questions *g*.

Hopefully she will have time to answer them.  If not, whatever remains unanswered (and can be answered) we will post later in a follow up interview after her book is turned in.

Until then here is a delightful look at Tempt Me at Twilight.  I ended up liking this book much more than I thought I would, Harry is a very interesting character and a great match for Poppy.  We will also have a ‘raw and unedited’ excerpt from Married by Morning in October – LEO’s book! My fave since St. Vincent *eg*.

The following excerpt happens quite a few scenes before the one that is posted on her at her site .

Horrified to feel the sting of desperate tears, she concentrated blindly on a section of floor in front of her. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t–

“Miss Hathaway.” Lady Norbury’s jovial voice intruded on her frantic thoughts. “This gentleman has requested an introduction, you fortunate girl! It is my honor and delight to present Mr. Harry Rutledge, the hotelier.”

A pair of highly polished black shoes came into her vision. Poppy glanced miserably up into his vivid green eyes.

Harry bowed, holding her gaze. “Miss Hathaway, how do you–”

“I’d love to waltz,” Poppy said, practically leaping from her chair and seizing his arm. Her throat was so tight, she could hardly speak. “Let’s go now.”

Lady Norbury gave a disconcerted laugh. “What charming enthusiasm.”

Poppy gripped Harry’s arm as if it were a lifeline. His gaze dropped to the clench of her fingers in the fine black wool of his sleeve. He covered her fingers with the reassuring pressure of his free hand, his thumb smoothing over the edge of her wrist. And even through two layers of white gloves, she felt the comfort in his touch.

At that moment Miss Marks returned, having just dispatched of Michael Bayning. Her brows lowered in a scowl as she looked up at Harry. “No,” she said shortly.

“No?” His lips twitched with amusement. “I haven’t asked for anything yet.”

Miss Marks gave him a cold stare. “Obviously you wish to dance with Miss Hathaway.”

“You have objections?” he asked innocently.

“Several,” Miss Marks said, her manner so curt that both Lady Norbury and Poppy gave her looks of askance.

“Miss Marks,” Lady Norbury said, “I can vouch for this gentleman’s character will all assurance.”

The companion pressed her lips into a hyphen. She surveyed Poppy’s glittering eyes and flushed face, seeming to understand how close she was to losing her composure. “When the dance is finished,” she told Poppy grimly, “you will take his left arm, insist that he conduct you directly back to me, here, and then he will take his leave. Understood?”

“Yes,” Poppy whispered, glancing over Harry’s broad shoulder.

Michael was staring at her from across the room, his face ashen.

The situation was hideous. Poppy wanted to run from the ballroom. Instead, she would have to dance.

Harry led Poppy toward the crowd of waltzing couples and settled his gloved hand at her waist. She reached for him, one palm light and trembling at his shoulder, her other hand gripped securely in his. In one astute glance, Harry took in the entire scene: Poppy’s unshed tears, Michael Bayning’s set face, and the slew of curious gazes encompassing them.

“How can I help?” he asked gently.

“Take me away,” she said. “As far as possible from here. Timbuktu.”

Harry looked sympathetic and amused. “I don’t think they’re letting in Europeans these days.” He drew Poppy into the current of dancers, swift counter-clockwise turns in a clockwise pattern, and the only way to keep from stumbling was to follow him without hesitation.

Poppy was profoundly grateful to have something to focus on besides Michael. As she might have expected, Harry Rutledge was an excellent dancer. Poppy relaxed into his smooth, strong lead. “Thank you,” she said. “You’re probably wondering why I–”

“No, I don’t wonder. It was written on your face, and Bayning’s, for everyone to see. You’re not very good at subterfuge, are you?”

“I’ve never needed to be.” To Poppy’s horror, her throat clenched and her eyes stung. She was about to burst into tears in front of everyone. As she tried to take a steadying breath, the corset squeezed her lungs, and she felt dizzy. “Mr. Rutledge,” she wheezed, “Could you take me out to the terrace for some air?”

“Certainly.” His voice was reassuringly calm. “One more circuit around the room, and we’ll slip out.”

In other circumstances, Poppy might have taken pleasure in the sureness of his lead, the music that gilded the air. She stared fixedly at the dark face of her unlikely rescuer. He was dazzling in the elegant clothes, his heavy dark hair brushed back in disciplined layers. But his eyes were underpinned by the ever-present hint of shadows. Windows to a restless soul. He didn’t sleep enough, she thought, and wondered if anyone ever dared mention it to him.

Even through the haze of numb desolation, it occurred to Poppy that by asking her to dance, Harry Rutledge had singled her out in what could have been construed by many as a declaration of interest.

But that couldn’t be true.

“Why?” she asked faintly, without thinking.

“Why what?”

“Why did you ask me to dance?”

Harry hesitated as if torn between the necessity of tact and the inclination toward honesty. He settled on the latter. “Because I wanted to hold you.”

©2009 Lisa Kleypas

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Countess’s Client (The Countess Trilogy #1) by Alison Richardson
Historical erotica short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 1 Sep 09

I’m a complete sucker for historically-set erotic stories.  Which means I do a lot of impulse buying.  This first book in what is being dubbed as “The Countess Trilogy” was the type of story that started out good, got really intriguing, and fell totally flat by the ending.  I’m still not quite sure what to make of it, but I know enough to say it didn’t really work for me. 

Anna von Esslin is the daughter of a Prussian army general, a young widow, a countess, and incredibly horny.  However she’s well aware of the double-standard that women must endure when it comes to sex.  Men can whore around all they want, brag up a storm about it, and no one shuns them.  Oh no.  But if you’re a woman?  You have to be discreet.  Your very existence depends on it.  Which means hooking up with men who will not brag about the interlude (yeah, good luck with that) or men no one will believe if they do spill the beans.

She’s in Paris visiting with her cousin, and is very bored.  But she hits upon an idea.  Her cousin is a regular visitor to a brothel and all the girls there are sick to death of servicing an uncouth, boorish client.  Anna is so desperate, she agrees to take the man on.  Not realizing, of course, that the Scotsman, James, while being of lowly birth, is actually moving around quite freely in some of her social circles.  He thinks she’s a common whore, and she thinks he’s a mere mechanic.  When the truth comes out, it makes for some unpleasant surprises.

While I found the writing style very engaging in this book, and Anna’s attitude towards sex deliciously scandalous, I have a hard time reading about snobs.  Anna, her cousin, pretty much everyone in this story is a snob.  Certainly this is very historically accurate, but even so, it’s hard to give a damn about the main character when she’s such a selfish snobbish bitch.  James worked a lot better for me, but I tend to like guys with dirt under their nails, and I felt sorry for him getting roped in with this woman who ultimately sniffs haughtily at him and acts as if he doesn’t matter in the least.

I was very curious to see how it would all turn out, but the ending takes a bit of a bizarre turn, James takes an “unlikeable” turn and I felt like it didn’t truly end at all.  Nothing is resolved in the least, and I found it all really unsettling.  Also, I can’t seem to find any “clues” as to where this story is going to go.  Since this is a “trilogy,” are Anna and James going to be in the next two stories?  Or is the author going to move on to different characters?  Honestly, with the way the ending is set up, it could go either way.  As it is, the author doesn’t have a web site (Grrrr!), so I’ll have to wait and see in October when the author’s next Spice Briefs, An Impolite Seduction is released.

Grade: D+

Summary:

“The practice of genuine virtue leads to a life of odious boredom.”

So feels widowed young countess Anna von Esslin, who is denied her normal erotic pursuits while staying with relatives in Paris. Without her usual opportunities for pleasure, the countess resorts to visiting a local brothelbut not as a client. To get the satisfaction she craves, the countess must masquerade as one of the girls….

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of The Warrior’s Forbidden Virgin by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Sept 2009

Michelle Willingham is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors for the Harlequin Historical line, and with her second Undone short story, she’s one step closer to landing on my auto-buy list.  Alright, I’ll admit – it doesn’t exactly hurt her cause any that she has written one of my very favorite types of heroes in this story

Sir Ademar of Dolwyth is a very handsome and skilled knight.  Unfortunately he’s not terribly outgoing with the ladies, and has trouble formulating this thoughts into speech.  Part of the reason is that he’s painfully shy, the other part being that his father branded him a dimwit from a very young age.  He’s madly in love with Lady Katherine or Ardennes, and has traveled a long way to throw his hat in the ring of potential suitors.  Too bad she’s in love with someone else.

Katherine fancies herself in love with Ewan MacEgan.  However, he’s in love with her older sister Honora.  Katherine feels betrayed, to say the least.  She’s bitter, angry, but clearly sees the truth written all over Ewan’s face.  He loves her sister, not her.  In her despair she’s wandering around the battlements in the rain when Ademar happens upon her.  He wants to comfort her, but the words won’t come.  Instead of sending him away, she asks him to stay.

What follows is Katherine realizing that her “love” for Ewan was nothing more than a crush, and her seeing Ademar for who he truly is.  A good, brave man, who would lay down his own life to protect and love her.  I’m a complete and total sucker for a shy romance hero who is unsure of his worthiness for the heroine, and on that score I fell hook, line and sinker for Ademar.  I was ready to run away with him myself before I was even past the first few pages.  Katherine took some time to grow on me, mostly because she was pining for another man, and there were moments where I felt like she was using Ademar – but ultimately she comes around and realizes what a wonderful guy he is.

This story actually runs parallel to Willingham’s upcoming full-length Harlequin Historical, Taming Her Irish Warrior, which tells the story of Ewan’s and Honora’s romance.  While I have yet to read it, this short story reads like it literally could have been dropped in the middle of that book if the author didn’t have to adhere to a word count for the HH line.  As it is, this story stands alone very well, and gives the reader a taste of what the full-length novel will be like, which will surely entice a fair number of readers.

Grade: B

Summary:

Sir Ademar of Dolwyth does not think beautiful Lady Katherine of Ardennes would ever consider him for her husbandespecially since she is in love with someone else! But when Katherine’s heart is broken, Ademar is there to offer her comfort…and passion. For though the Norman knight cannot tell Katherine how he feels, he can show her without using any words at all….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Limecello’s review of One Night, Two Babies by Kathie DeNosky
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire on 8 Sep 09

I have to say, I had no interest in this book at first because of the title. I know the author often doesn’t get a say with titles, especially at Harlequin. But, yes, I admit it. I’m a title discriminator. I try not to be, but certain ones, I cannot overlook. Nevertheless, I got One Night, Two Babies because I’d read a previous book by Kathie DeNosky, and enjoyed it very much. Obviously I also choose books based on the author, and a number of other factors. One Night, Two Babies is the second in Ms. DeNosky’s Illegitimate Heirs series. The first in the series is actually Bossman Billionaire, which is also part of Silhouette Desire’s Man of the Month line.

Arielle Garnier is a likable and interesting heroine. She’s got a special spin in that Arielle experiences her Cinderella story before the book begins. She’s discovered she’s an heiress, and is making changes in her life. I like that Arielle is steady in her character, and does her best to be reasonable, and rational. She’s determined to learn from her lessons – Zachary has burned her before, and she’s determined to not let him do it again. At the same time, Arielle doesn’t let her pride or stubbornness sabotage her chances at happiness. I like that she’s her own person and generally remains strong and true to herself.

Zach Forsythe is a charmer, and an entertaining hero. He’s a bit entitled, but I suppose his life and circumstances make it allowable, if not necessary. Zach pretty much always gets his way, and with good reason. If people aren’t willing to cater to him, he’ll make things happen. Zach has a fun, slightly wicked sense of humor. I like that Zach has a number of his own issues to deal with throughout the book, and that Ms. DeNosky details his emotional growth.

The interaction between Arielle and Zach is perfectly pitched. Both characters act and react in a very realistic and expected, yet entertaining, manner. I will say things seem just a tad too easy for Zach; but then again, it is a romance, right? Additionally, while the premise of the story is rather fantastic, I enjoyed it very much.

I liked that Arielle and Zach’s initial contact plays a major part throughout the book. It helped lay the foundation for Arielle and Zach’s relationship, but also allowed for insight and necessary depth to each character. The secondary characters were also entertaining, and provided just the right amount of interest needed to move the plot along, not distract from it. However, the baggage that both Zach and Arielle have does get a bit old, as that is the reason for conflict, and dictates so much of how they act, until the happy ending strikes.

Another minor criticism I have, is that while Emerald Larson’s existence makes the story possible, she’s rather extraneous. Nevertheless, that’s a very minor detail. (It’s simply that if I think about it the fact that such a major factor is a rather minor component of the book seems incongruous.) Otherwise, I’m not entirely happy with how easily Arielle gets over being upset with Zach and agreeing to marry him, but that’s a commonplace sentiment for me.

I’m very much enjoying Ms. DeNosky’s books, and definitely plan on reading the last book in this series. I also hope to get my hands on her back list as well. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes the Silhouette Desire category line.

Grade: B-

Summary:
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Heiress Arielle Garnier was pregnant and the father-to-be was nowhere in sight—until he barged into her office. Zach Forsythe, billionaire resort owner, was the same man she’d had a week-long affair with. How could she trust Zach when he’d lied about his name and left her without a word?
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He hadn’t forgotten the auburn-haired siren who’d given him seven days of bliss. Though finding her again…expecting his twins…was a surprise. As was her refusal of his marriage proposal. It seemed Arielle wanted love with her wedding ring.
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Read an excerpt here.

Lynne Connolly‘s review of Getting Physical by Jade Lee
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Sep 09

Tantric sex – Jade Lee seems to know her stuff. This book had strong, believable characters and an unusual setup. 

Stephen, a Chinese businessman, has come all the way to America to meet a tigress, a partner for Tantric sex. Together, they’ll enter heaven, using sex as a tool. Only his allocated partner has fallen in love – a tragic fate for a tigress, Stephen thinks, and she’s no longer interested. But Stephen finds another tigress in Zoe. He recognizes her fast and soon proposes that she practices with him.

Nice practice if you can get it.

Zoe has had some training in Tantric sex, but she’s working hard for her MBA and has plans that don’t include heaven. She’s willing to practice with Stephen, a hot Chinese male, and help him, but she finds herself falling deeper every time they meet.

This is a good Blaze, with lots of hot scenes and a definite progression in the romance, from “practice” to love. Problems are internal and external, with Stephen unwilling to give in to his feelings for Zoe, and Zoe unsure where she fits in his life, if anywhere.

There is a steaming hot phone sex scene partway through the book, with some Tantric touching – I wish! And Stephen is more than a standard alpha. He’s wealthy, but his business isn’t one you usually meet in an HMB book and he has doubts about himself, about his business, about what he’s doing. But he is a strong man with a Chinese outlook on life, and I loved that.

Zoe is an interesting character, too, but a few things about her bothered me. She accepts Stephen’s dictates a mite too easily for my liking, although she’s nicely resilient at first. I loved her visit to China, but something about her didn’t gel for me. Maybe her past was too lightly drawn, so I didn’t get a feel for her.

At the end I felt a bit sad, because Stephen, despite his high aspirations, seemed to settle for something he didn’t want at the beginning of the book. I was sorry he didn’t achieve heaven the way he wanted to.

And the cover. I can’t be the only person disappointed not to see a hot Asian male on the cover. I love me a bit of Jet Li and his brethren, so how about it, Harlequin?

I loved Zoe’s visit to China and one thing about the book made me very happy, although it’s a tiny bit of a spoiler, so here goes: SPOILER WARNING. At the end of the book, when Stephen and Zoe commit, she says she wants to finish her MBA, and Stephen agrees, seems surprised that she should think that he wanted her to give it up. Yay!

B+ from me. Nice one, Jade.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Tantric Sex Rules:
#1 – Think about sex!
When savvy business student Zoe crosses paths with sexy international businessman Stephen- a Tantric master-she’s about to get a transcendent learning experience!
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#2 – Start touching!
The sex is incredible, mind-blowing, life changing! Unfortunately, it also comes with a time limit. Because Stephen’s home is on the other side of the world.
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#3 – Full sexual contact!
Still, Zoe’s going to enjoy every moment with her skillful, exotic lover. But it isn’t long before she realizes she’ll have to choose. Does she want to hold on to the life she has…or have a lifetime of feeling his body move against hers?
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Like there’s a choice…
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Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of Loving Mr. Darcy (The Darcy Saga, Book 2) by Sharon Lathan
Historical Romance released by Sourcebooks 1 Sep 09

This second book in Ms. Lathan’s series takes us through the second half of Darcy and Lizzy’s honeymoon, and it’s a joy reading how in love they are, how romantic Darcy is, and their carnality for one another is only strengthening with every whisper, touch, and kiss. It’s actually quite nice to read this type of romance, hero and heroine together, having fun, taking care of hearth and home and anything else required of them – together. Yes, there’s little tiffs but they last no longer than a page or two at the most, then love prevails once again. There’s also humor and a frightening, scary moment or two, but, overall, this series is a man and a woman who live, work, and love together.

The ante is upped a few chips in this part of the story when Elizabeth realizes she’s pregnant and Darcy, of course, is beside himself with happiness at the prospect. And Darcy, being the unusually unusual English gentleman he is, determines to be involved as much as possible in his child’s life, even while in the womb. He even goes so far as to plan to be in the room with Lizzy when the time comes. First he sleeps every night with his wife, kisses her and holds her hand in public, makes love to his pregnant wife often, and now he wants to be in the delivery room, so to speak? Unheard of! No well-bred Englishman would do such things! That’s what makes reading Darcy so much fun.

Some of my favorite scenes are when he’s talking to their child, sometimes to the point of such emotion he can’t hold the tears back. You get to see those moments from both his and Lizzy’s points of view, which make them all the sweeter. I also love watching Darcy, just as Lizzy does, going from the ecstatic boy no one but Elizabeth knows to the upright, controlled Master of Pemberley, brooking no argument when he issues orders or demands or is protecting his wife and child when called for.

Darcy is the one who has changed the most in this series, starting out as a man reticent to socialize, letting only those close to him see inside, known for never joking and smiling, let alone laughing, to a man his friends and family knew he could be all along, if only he’d try. It takes the love of his life for him to expend the effort to now love, smile, and laugh wholeheartedly, which, he finds, is really no effort at all. It’s wonderful seeing the change happen page by page.

Elizabeth is his rock. As young as she is, she’s the one who keeps him grounded, who calls him back when his control slips, who arouses him to the point of no return (though he does that for her also). Lizzy has come into her own in this book. She has to face several challenges when Darcy isn’t around to throw the Master of Pemberley persona at whoever deigns to confront his wife, and she handles everything beautifully, just as the Mistress of the house should. She’s always been an elegant young woman who knows her own mind, but she takes that a step further as she grows into Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy when dealing with family, servants, and society alike.

A lot of this book is spent with Darcy and Lizzy taking care of family and duty in London, constantly surrounded by people and problems, but when they return home they take a slow, leisurely journey through Derbyshire where Darcy shows Elizabeth the rich history of his home, their love of bygone times and people bringing them closer together. Ms. Lathan does a very nice job of getting their mutual interest across while not bogging down the storyline nor boring the reader with historical facts. This part of the book is as lush as the English countryside the traipse through.

Secondary characters are still aplenty, all interesting and full of depth. I enjoyed the blooming romance between Mary, Lizzy’s sister, and a local barrister, all the while thinking it would be even more interesting if Georgiana, Darcy’s sister, is enmeshed in romance later in the series; his reactions alone would be filled with emotion across and off the charts, giving readers a devil of a fun time.

This is a wonderful continuation of the Darcys’ story, and I am eagerly awaiting the next installment in January, The Darcys at Year’s End.

Grade: A-

Summary:
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Darcy and Lizzy venture away from Pemberley to journey through England, finding friends, relatives, fun, love, and an even deeper and more sacred bond along the way.
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Having embarked on the greatest adventure of all, marriage and the start of a new life together, now the Darcys take the reader on a journey through a time of prosperity, enjoyment, and security. They experience all the adventures of travel, with friends
and relatives providing both companionship and complications, and with fun as their focus.
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The sights and sounds, tastes and flavors of Regency England come alive. Through it all, Darcy and Lizzy continue to build a marriage filled with romance, sensuality, and the beauty of a deep, abiding love.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Lynne Connolly’s review of The Innocent’s Dark Seduction by Jennie Lucas
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Presents 1 Sep 09

You know how you’re supposed to always look for the good points in a book? I decided to do that with this review. 

So – let’s start with the best thing about The Innocent’s Dark Seduction. The line editing is great. I didn’t spot one typo in the whole thing, no silly spelling mistakes, like using “they’re” for “their.” And in these days of silly spelling mistakes, typos and appalling grammar, that’s no mean thing and I’m grateful for it. I would love to see more books like this, with careful line editing that means you don’t stop every five minutes to go, “huh”?

The next best thing? Lia sure knows her brands, knows a designer suit when she sees it. She doesn’t wear a grey silk dress, she wears a Chanel grey silk dress, even if it’s a pre-Lagerfeld shirt dress. She likes expensive clothes, even if they are vintage. And she knows just the hairstyle to go with it, too, a smooth, discreet chignon. She drives a silver grey Aston Martin Vanquish convertible, because when she arrives at her Italian castle, she slams its door. Then she forgets it, because she doesn’t use it again. And when her life is falling apart she is wearing a diamond-encrusted Piaget watch. We know, because she takes a moment to admire it before she notes the time. Roarke’s not far behind, and manages to find a hotel suite in New York that costs $20,000 a night. He remembers the cost when he’s riding up in the elevator with Lia, ready for their second explosive encounter. So classy.

Lia is a good girl. A virgin widow, married to an old friend, who left her all his money when he died, stunningly beautiful, highly intelligent, with a fortune that kind of varies. At one point it’s hinted she’s spent it all. Well, she’s given all her money to buy a large park in the centre of Manhattan as a memorial to her dead sister, and for the benefit of all the children of New York. Isn’t that wonderful? Even if the Roarke wants to buy it and put five skyscrapers on it, to create a kind of alternative downtown. On the Far West Side, I suppose he’d have to install helipads so that the executives could fly between that and Wall Street when they needed to, but with Ground Zero the last real estate available there, he didn’t have much choice. But nasty Roarke isn’t going to get his skyscrapers. So rich he can afford a million dollars for a single dance with Lia, he is the man of her dreams. Our nightmares, Lia’s dreams.

More good things. Roarke certainly knows his mind. True, he treats Lia badly for most of the book, but he knows why. She kept her Big Secret from him, even if it was for his own good. It’s his excuse to treat her worse than dirt on his shoe, ignoring her by day and using her body at night. For months. Roarke has ruined Lia’s life before he met her, taking over and asset stripping her father’s business, so he died, her sister died of a rare illness and her mother killed herself. But the business was going under anyway, so maybe he did Lia a favour. But she is generous and kind-hearted and she falls in love with him despite knowing that. She can’t help herself.

We have a magic vajayjay in this book and I haven’t come across one of those in a while. One experience with Lia and all Roarke’s other women melt away as if they never existed. He can’t do without it. He craves it. He just wishes the woman didn’t go with it. And however badly he treats her, she can’t do without his purple-headed mushroom of passion, or his kisses, which are dynamite. She falls madly for him and the worse he behaves, the more besotted she gets. We don’t have enough of those women in romance. Once there were oodles of them, but not now. If you miss them, this is the book for you.

The grovel scene – go straight there if you’re in a hurry. Great grovel scene, really. Complete 360 degree turnaround from complete bastard to sainted husband and father.

I’m afraid this book didn’t work for me, but what doesn’t work for me may well work for you. And if you want to read a book with a great line edit, I can’t recommend it enough.  And since you’ve got to give kudos for good line edits, from me a…

Grade: D-

Blurb:
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When a passionate possession leads to pregnancy…
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Roark Navarre is ruthless and relentless. He wants beautiful Lia, and he will have her! When he discovers that she is a virgin, taking his prize becomes even sweeter. But the innocent’s dark seduction has only just begun!
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Many years ago, Lia was the innocent victim of Roark’s merciless financial ruin of her father. But it’s too late for regrets-soon she finds she’s carrying his child. She doesn’t want Roark, her bitter enemy, to know. Because surely he will do what he’s always done-exact his price!
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Read an excerpt here.

Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Evil At Heart (The Beauty Killer Series, Book 3) by Chelsea Cain
Mystery/Suspense novel released by St. Martin’s Minotaur 1 Sep 09

As much as I love the romance genre, mystery/suspense will always be my first love. It’s also interesting to note that while there are many fine romance authors who write stories that I adore, it’s the mystery/suspense writers that seem to turn me into a squealing, slobbering fangirl. The kind of fangirl that wrings her hands while counting down the days until the next book in the series is released. Such was the case with Evil At Heart, the third book in the continuing saga of pill-popping, burnt out detective Archie Sheridan, and the beautiful, manipulative serial killer, Gretchen Lowell.

Cain seems to be working on a fast timeline for this series, with Evil At Heart taking place only four months after the first book in the series, Heartsick. It basically picks up immediately following Sweetheart. Detective Archie Sheridan has survived another attack at the hands of serial killer, Gretchen Lowell, and is currently residing in a mental hospital. He checked himself in voluntarily, has kicked the Vicodin habit, and is seeing a shrink. He could probably be working towards getting released, but he has no interest. No, he’s quite happy where he is. He’s on an indefinite leave of absence from the force, and even though Gretchen is on the loose, things are pretty quiet. Until the dead bodies start piling up.

Gretchen and Archie had called a truce, of sorts. He’d stop trying to kill himself and she wouldn’t kill anyone else. So when bodies start turning up featuring some of Gretchen’s calling cards, Archie finds himself back in action. The question being though, is it really Gretchen? Ever since her escape there have been sightings all over the world. Also, in her wake, the public has developed a sick fascination with her. There are Beauty Killer bus tours, T-shirts, manicures, and fan clubs. While these new murders certainly look like Gretchen’s work, something feels off to Archie. Do they have a copycat killer on their hands?

There’s usually a point in a mystery/suspense series where the books stop standing on the own. Evil At Heart would be the book. While I do think the previous two books can be read out of order (although I don’t recommend it), I think this story won’t work nearly as well for the uninitiated. For one thing, there’s not a whole lot of character development here. The author is pretty much relying on the fact that you “know” these people already. You can certainly read it, and understand it, but I don’t think you’d “get” nearly as much out of it.

Cain is very clever in the way she writes her Gretchen Lowell character. She teases the reader. She doesn’t info-dump a lot of psychology and back-story, and instead offers glimpses into the relationship between Gretchen and Archie. Also, while Gretchen is largely off stage in this novel, her presence is constantly felt. She’s like a fog that drifts in, only to hover over a city for days on end. What is her plan, and what is she doing, because Gretchen isn’t just a brutal killer. She’s a master manipulator as well, and she manipulates everyone and everything within her universe.

My gut reaction to this story was that it wasn’t as good as the first two novels. In some instances, it kind of felt like a place-holder. The story advances, somewhat, but not near as much as in the last book, which was loaded with shocking revelations. That said, it’s still pretty darn good and compulsively readable. For fans of the first two books, Evil At Heart should work quite nicely. Gretchen is still evil, Archie is still massively screwed up, and reporter Susan Ward is still prone to Too Stupid To Live moments. All that being said though, I did find this new book to be more graphic than the previous two. Certainly when you have a book about a serial killer, there are going to be dead bodies and violence , but the author really cranks it up to the next level here. There was a moment in the book that I actually had to set it down and walk away from it. Serious heebie-jeebies . I know this sort of thing is incredibly subjective, but this is coming from the girl who was reading books about medical examiners and autopsies as a teenager. Just saying.

While I wasn’t as madly enthralled with this installment as the previous two books in the series, it’s still a page-turning suspense story featuring some of the most seriously damaged characters ever to populate the genre fiction universe. For readers already plugged into this series, nothing I say here is really going to sway or deter your desire to pick up this entry. For the rest of you, start with book one.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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Gretchen Lowell is still on the loose. These days, she’s more of a cause célèbre than a feared killer, thanks to sensationalist news coverage that has made her a star. Her face graces magazine covers weekly and there have been sightings of her around the world. Most shocking of all, Portland Herald reporter Susan Ward has uncovered a bizarre kind of fan club, which celebrates the number of days she’s been free.
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Archie Sheridan hunted her for a decade, and after his last ploy to catch her went spectacularly wrong, remains hospitalized months later. When they last spoke, they entered a détente of sorts—Archie agreed not to kill himself if she agreed not to kill anyone else. But when a new body is found accompanied by Gretchen’s trademark heart, all bets are off and Archie is forced back into action. Has the Beauty Killer returned to her gruesome ways, or has the cult surrounding her created a whole new evil?
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Read excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Lawson’s review of Sliding Home by Kate Angell
Contemporary romance released by Love Spell 25 Aug 09

It’s summer, and that makes me happy to see some baseball books. I do enjoy baseball, but unfortunately I don’t really know much about it or really follow it much. That said during the summer it’s a nice pastime to think about baseball and read a baseball book. So far I enjoyed Jill Shalvis’ first in her baseball series and I’ve read a few in this series by Kate Angell. So let’s step up to the plate and see what’s going to come from the pitcher’s mound.

Kason Rhodes has come home to his trailer from six weeks of training camp in Florida to find a squatter occupying his home. She’s full of fire and refuses to leave and doesn’t believe he owns the trailer she’s decided is hers. While Kason does his best to get her out of his life, she does everything she can to cling to the little slice she’s tried to make her own. Kason has his hands full with Dayne Sheridan and slowly she creeps into his life to a point where he wants to come home to her and some tasty instant butterscotch pudding.

Though Dayne doesn’t really believe Kason for a few days, when she sees his electric bill from two months ago, she believes him about the trailer. She comes up with a solution of a small camper of her own to be his neighbor. She doesn’t know he’s a famous baseball player and cares for him the way that no one has before, thinking he’s as poor and desperate as she is. When Dayne finds out the truth, her past comes out, and she’s forced to grab on to the best thing in her life or run away, like she always has.

While both Kason and Dayne have rough pasts and a lot of baggage, nothing really made them seem more than one dimensional characters. Dayne was way too needy for something to call her own, granted with her childhood in poverty and her last relationship, it’s not hard to understand. She didn’t really seem to change much throughout the book though, always afraid the rug would be pulled out from under her and worrying if she had room to store the food in bulk she felt she always needed.

Kason was little better and seemed to put much more effort into making things work and keeping Dayne from running like a scared rabbit since things had gotten tough. While there was some chemistry, since the characters didn’t seem to have much depth, it didn’t really carry through the whole book. The couple of steamy scenes worked well enough, until Dayne complains she’s sore after four times with Kason and his. . .well endowed self. Someone so well endowed will make a girl more than just a little sore after four times (no, not personal experience, but I do trust my source on this one).

Like Angell’s other books, there’s another Richmond Rogue getting lucky in love. The secondary story between Rhaden and Ravelle seemed like an addition that Angell felt she had to make to go with the rest of the series to have two happy endings in one book. It was barely touched on and never filled out. That sort of short and flat secondary story just didn’t work as a whole. If there had been more time spent on it, it could have fleshed out the book a bit more and even given more depth to Kason and Dayne as well as Rhaden and Ravelle. The shortness of the book overall was probably why the characters didn’t really flesh out. If there had been more time developing them rather than handing things over in a nice little package, it probably would have worked better.

It was a light read and it’s at least good for a summery feeling with the baseball and a happy ending.

Grade: C-

Summary:
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WHO’D BEEN SLEEPING IN KASON RHODES’S BED? The left fielder for the Richmond Rogues had returned from six weeks of spring training in Florida to find someone had moved into his mobile home. That person was presently in his shower. And no matter how sexy the squatter might be, Kason wanted her out. He had his trusty dobie, Cimarron; he didn’t need anyone else in his life. Not even a stubborn tomboy who roused all kinds of wild reactions in him, then soothed his soul with peace offerings of home-cooked meals and kindness. The bad boy of baseball was ready to play hardball if need be, but with Dayne Sheridan firmly planted between his sheets, he found himself. . .SLIDING HOME
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Read an excerpt here.