Sandy M’s review of Avenger’s Angel (Lost Angels, Book 1) by Heather Killough-Walden
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 1 Nov 11

Goodness, I have to say Heather Killough-Walden keeps the twists and turns coming in this first book of her new Lost Angels series. I like the concept of the four favorite Archangels being given freewill to come down to earth to locate their Archesses – their soul mates. It takes them numerous lifetimes to find those unique women, and just when they think all might just work out, they couldn’t be more wrong.

Uriel, the former Angel of Vengeance, is up first. In his current life, he’s Christopher Daniels, famous actor the women scream over. In fact, it’s as he’s escaping a gaggle of teens that he runs into Eleanore Granger while she’s helping a young child – in the women’s rest room of the bookstore she works for and where he’s participating in a book signing. He knows at first sight she’s the one, the Archess made specifically for him.

Having moved all over the country to keep her secret hidden, Eleanore is finally weary enough to think about staying put and fighting all who might want to use her abilities for their own gain. Having the attentions of a handsome movie star never entered her mind, but when he persists it’s difficult to say no, as it is to Samuel Lambent, media mogel and about the most handsome man she’s ever seen. Unbeknownst to Eleanore, however, Samuel is truly Samael, the Fallen One, first archangel cast out and who is doing all he can to get his hands on an Archess.

Eleanore is torn at first, not knowing which man to trust, but she soon realizes it is Uriel who she’s destined to be with. But just as they are making initial headway, Uriel’s blood contract with Samael throws a kink into their lives – Uriel becomes a vampire due to the Dark One’s machinations. I’m still on the fence about this particular part of the story. I’m not sure why this happens, other than to throw more fear Ellie’s way. But she also gets some excitement out of it a few times, one being when Uriel flies her across the sky and along the coast and other places. I could go for that myself. And, of course, it helps in the end when they’re all fighting a new enemy. I just didn’t care for the total changing of my hero. He’s out of control most of the time due to his new powers, hunger, and lust and when they’re directed at Eleanore, it’s a little much, despite how much she likes it. It’s too close to being forced on her for me.

Even in this form, however, Ellie discovers things about Uriel that cast him in a new light for her, touches her heart, and re-enforces her love for him. Uriel, of course, would die for her, if it ever comes to that. How close does he come? You’ll be surprised. And the ending is one of the best I’ve read in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It took some getting used to having the angels’ maker referred to as The Old Man. At first, it’s kind of abrasive, thinking there has to be another way to refer to the Almighty. But then it dawns me – for some reason I seem to be slow on this – after Uriel calls the other angels his brothers for the twentieth or so time that this deity is their father. Thus Old Man, as a lot of kids use to refer to dear old dad. Made more sense then.

The new enemy I mentioned is one of those twists in the book. Didn’t see that coming. Ms. Killough-Walden does a very nice job at distraction and misdirection when it comes to these powerful evildoers, the Adarians. The powers all the characters are given throughout are a lot of fun, whether for good or bad. I’m curious, though, as to why the Adarians got all the fun stuff and the Archangels seemingly got what’s left over, which is just the basic stuff. Yeah, I know, because it makes the fighting more interesting, tipping the scales in favor of the enemy so that triumph over them is more satisfying, but it would be nice to see those angels flexing some of those other abilities.

I’m usually not one who sympathizes with a villain, but I do find myself feeling a tad for Samael. That makes me wonder if perhaps down the road he might be redeemed and get his own heroine. I sure hope so. It would be fun to see his reactions to a soul mate loving him, trusting him, wanting him. Samael is even more striking, more powerful than the angels, but he has that smirk and attitude, an arrogance that drives you nuts when he uses it all for evil. He even says he’s not a kind man. But seeing how Ellie pulls something unexpected out of him, you can just imagine what a soul mate would do to him. I also like the attraction between Max, the angels’ guardian, and Lilith, another fallen one and assistant to Samael. That’s another book I would love to see in the series.

One thing that has bothered me once I started reading is the cover of this book. Not that it’s a bad cover, but I would have preferred no faces, only because both the Archangels and the Archesses are described as beyond beautiful, angelic of course. The models on this cover are attractive enough, but they just don’t do justice to the descriptions. A better choice would have been to follow along the lines of the UK cover, which I’ve included here. That cover just shouts exactly what this story is about, especially once you get to the end of the book.

I don’t usually read excerpts at the end of books, but couldn’t help myself this time. I’m curious. The former Archangel Messenger, Gabriel, is next, and I wanted to get the flavor of his story. I’m glad I read it – it starts out at a quick pace, no wasted moments. But then again, I’m a bit unhappy after reading it – it’s about a seven-month wait for the book to hit the shelves. That’s normally why I don’t read excerpts!

Avenger’s Angel is a good start to this series. It’s interesting and fairly fast paced with sexy and beautiful heroes who do anything necessary for their heroines, and it keeps you guessing. Though it has a couple of small issues for me, I think you’ll enjoy it.

Grade: B

Summary:

When four female angels were created for the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Azrael, a chaos spurned by jealousy erupted, and the archesses were secreted to Earth. The four favored archangels followed, prompting a search that has lasted millennia. But for Uriel, the former Archangel of vengeance, the search ends the moment he lays eyes on Eleanor Granger, his one true archess. Can he protect her from the danger lying in wait for her – and win her heart?

Read an excerpt. (scroll down to third excerpt.)

Other books in this series:

Messenger’s Angel – June 2012

Death’s Angel

Sandy M’s review of Touch of Crimson (Renegade Angel Series, Book 1) by Sylvia Day
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 4 Oct 11

HAVE YOU READ THIS BOOK YET??????

If you answered, No!,” then you need to get your butt in gear and read it! Now! OMG. I love everything about this book. Of course, that shouldn’t surprise me since it’s Sylvia Day. I’ve only read her historicals so far, so I wasn’t sure what to expect once I picked up one of her paranormals. I was pretty certain I’d love it, for Ms. Day has never disappointed me. But you just never know what will happen when you read a different genre by a favorite author. Now as far as I’m concerned, Sylvia Day can do no wrong.

What I love the most is, of course, Adrian, the hero and No. 1 archangel who punishes rogue angels and keeps tabs on them, the Fallen, once they have lost their wings. As well, he keeps the balance between his Sentinels and the Lycans, who are also Fallen and have unwillingly assisted the angels generation after generation. Adrian has power like no other and he wields it with an iron fist and by example, with very little deviation. Therefore, he’s alpha to the core. And that makes him as sexy as can be to me. He has his own demons due to his own transgressions, losing the only woman he’s ever loved over and over again as punishment for breaking the very rule he implemented for the Seraphim. But when Shadoe returns to him this time, everything about her and their eventual new relationship is different from all the times before.

Lindsay Gibson, who harbors the soul of Adrian’s Shadoe, is a self-reliant human who has taught herself to handle weapons to quickly dispatch those evilly disgusting vampires to hell, just like the ones who killed her mother. Her life has been dedicated to revenge, searching for those who are forever seared into her brain. On her way to California to take on a new job, at the airport Lindsay spies the most handsome, sexiest man she’s ever seen. He notices her too. Eye contact and there’s a connection like she’s never felt before. Thus begins a journey for both of them which will leave them changed in ways they couldn’t begin to guess at.

The restraint Adrian utilizes in taking it slow for Lindsay’s sake is remarkable. You can feel his want and need of her, as well as the stress and anxiety of everything going wrong around him, losing Sentinels, keeping Lycans leashed, and making sure Syre, the first Fallen, doesn’t get anywhere near Lindsay — he’s also Shadoe’s father, and he’ll do what it takes to make sure he’s reunited with his daughter. And if you think you’re going to hate these “villiains,” think again. Ms. Day is so talented, she makes you feel for them too. They’re Fallen, they’re dangerous, but just as the angels do, they protect their own. Syre wanting his daughter back is just that – a father grieving her loss every time, hoping her next incarnation will be the one to bring her home to him. And Torque, Syre’s son, breaks my heart with his current grief. Even the bad-ass female vamp, Vashti, pulls at the heartstrings now and again, despite her hard, revengeful exterior.

My favorite secondary character is Elijah, a Lycan given the job of babysitting Lindsay – her words. He’s an alpha, and there hasn’t been a Lycan alpha in generations, so the wolves are looking to him to begin a rebellion, to take this opportunity to free them from their bondage. But Elijah knows the cost of such an opportunity is much too high, and he tries his best to nip the growing mutiny in the bud. His friendship with Lindsay is quite special. His soon-to-be relationship with Vashti is going to be a devil of a ride in the next book in the series. One of my favorite scenes in this book is when Elijah gets his first gander at Vash. It’s a good thing their story is next.

The action when angels are soaring is spectacular. You can just seen their wings slicing through the air during fights. And when Adrian uses his to shield Lindsay, to comfort her, to show her love, those crimson-tipped feathers take on a life of their own. The play of the weather for both Adrian and Lindsay is also very interesting, connecting them together in an extra special way.

Through all of this, it’s Lindsay who is ready to sacrifice her love for Adrian. She can’t allow him to be punished for loving her, so she puts distance between them. But Adrian knows everything in his life moves on a higher level when Lindsay is by his side. The difficult part is just convincing her of that. But will he be too late once he discovers Lindsay is now in Syre’s hands? You’ll be very surprised at the answer to that question.

I’m looking forward to every book in this series, the emotion each character brings to the page, and the fascinating and action-packed storyline Ms. Banks has planned. I know it’s going to be one of those rides of a lifetime.

Grade: A+

Summary:

An angel with immense power and insatiable desire, Adrian Mitchell leads an elite Special Ops unit of the seraphim. His task is to punish the Fallen–angels who have become vampires–and command a restless pack of indentured lycans.

But Adrian has suffered his own punishment for becoming involved with mortals–losing the woman he loves again and again. Now, after nearly two hundred years, he has found her: Shadoe, her soul once more inhabiting a new body that doesn’t remember him. This time he won’t let her go.

With no memory of her past as Shadoe, Lindsay Gibson knows only that she can’t help being fiercely attracted to the smoldering, seductive male who crosses her path. Swept into a dangerous world of tumultuous passion and preternatural conflict, Lindsay is soon caught between her angel lover, her vampire father, and a full-blown lycan revolt. There’s more at stake than her love and her life–she could lose her very soul…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

A Hunger So Wild – Summer 2012

Liviania’s review of Frostbound (The Dark Forgotten, Book 4) by Sharon Ashwood
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 7 Jun 11

Sharon Ashwood knows how to write a fun paranormal romance.  Much of Frostbound would be cause for an angst fest in other hands.  But Ashwood’s characters aren’t the kind to revel in their own misery.

Talia Rostova just returned home to find her nearly identical, human cousin decapitated.  She’s the prime suspect because she’s a vampire and she has no one to turn to.  She’s been hiding from her human and vampire families as a fashion-obsessed English teacher.  In reality, she’s a clever and resourceful predator.  I enjoyed Talia’s ability to change her worldview.  She’s willing to accept that she doesn’t know everything and things might not be how they seem.

Lore is the alpha of the local hellhounds and currently being pressured to find his mate so that the rest of the pack will be fertile again.  He’s also responsible for keeping the city safe, which is why he takes Talia into custody.  Despite the fact he’s supposed to enforce the rules, Lore is pretty big on following his instincts rather than the law.  He’s willing to risk being wrong in order to be with Talia.

Pretty much, Talia and Lore are likeable because they’re very adult.  They keep their responsibilities and other people in mind, but they don’t trick themselves into believing there’s only one course of action.  They think things through before they do them.  It’s not that they’re never spontaneous or stupidly heroic, just that they manage to use their passion constructively.

The death of Talia’s cousin Michelle isn’t the only thing gone awry.  A vampire is running in the local election and certain factions want to make sure he doesn’t win.  For one thing, he’s loyal to the vampire’s Queen Omara and some other monarchs hold a grudge against her.  Plus, the Hunters aren’t too fond of the idea of a vampire mayor.

The first three books in the Dark Forgotten are pretty closely related, but only two of the previous heroes are given any mention in Frostbound (that I noticed).  Thus, it’s a pretty good jumping in point.  Ashwood has been expanding her world book by book, but there’s not much mythology that new readers need to pick up.

I’m pretty fond of the Dark Forgotten series.  They’re light, breezy, and the romances are believable.  Too many paranormal romance authors forget that people can have dark pasts and still enjoy life.  Frostbound is simply pure entertainment.

Grade: B+

Summary:

As a snowstorm locks down the city, someone beheads the wrong girl. Vampire-on-the-lam Talia Rostova thinks it was meant to be her. And now she’s the prime suspect in her own botched murder and the prisoner of her smoking-hot-neighbor: a hellhound. And the hot-blooded Lore was bred to serve and protect, so he’s not freeing Talia until he’s sure she’s the prey and not the hunter…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Laura C’s review of Revenge at Bella Terra (Bella Terra, Book 2) by Christina Dodd
Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense published by Signet 06 Sep 11

Eli De Luca has been blackmailed into convincing Chloë Conte to marry him. He tells himself he’ll be good to her, that she’ll never want for anything and she’ll never know he doesn’t love her. And at first, it all seems to be going well.  But then violence from the past visits the present and when Eli and Chloë are threatened, he begins to realize his feelings are far deeper than he’d ever imagined they could be. But can she ever forgive him for not telling her the truth?

Although the publisher markets these books as “romantic suspense,” so far the series has had much more of a contemporary romance feel to me. That’s not a negative—I like contemporary and I don’t think nearly enough people are writing it—but it is a warning to people who are looking for something with thrills and chills: this isn’t it.  This is a great, emotional, contemporary romance, with a touch of suspense and a good, solid mystery.

The basic plot of this novel is probably more familiar to readers of historical romances than to those who read contemporaries: broke guy needs to convince wealthy woman he is in love with her and while he’s acting out his role he actually does fall in love. Yes, it’s an old story, but Dodd handles it beautifully, perking up the old story into something new and different. The mysterious death of the bootlegging wine-maker Massimo Bruno during Prohibition brings these two characters—mystery writer and vintner—together, and the quick pacing of the plot keeps them together.

The mystery aspect is well-developed, but the real focus is on the romance.

Eli watched Chloë climb the cellar stairs ahead of him.

He liked this sundress. It bared her back and arms, displaying long, sleek muscles and a lithe, catlike movement that made him want to pet her. Her legs were good, too, and in that skirt and from this angle, he could see a lot of them.

He really, really did like this sundress.

He probably should feel ashamed of himself for leering at an unsuspecting woman. In normal circumstances, he was sure he would.

But these were not normal circumstances. He was going to marry Chloë.

Besides, she wasn’t what he expected. When Conte had proposed the deal, Eli had thought he’d be stuck with a girl without personality or wisdom, someone whose primary ambition was to perch on the back of a Jaguar convertible while Eli drove her through center of town during the annual Wine Crush parade.

Instead, she drove a blue Ford Focus.

‘Nuff said.

I really enjoyed watching the interactions between Eli and Chloë, especially his growing frustration as she continually dismisses him as a suitor. She knows her father has been matchmaking (though she doesn’t know about his blackmail) and tells Eli at the beginning that he doesn’t have to worry, she won’t be persuaded to marry him. At first, this suits him perfectly, but as his situation becomes more dire and his emotions become more complicated, it begins to drive him a bit crazy. Chloë is more straightforward with less to hide, but the one thing she absolutely requires in a man is honesty—so Eli’s sort of up a creek.

I would recommend this to any contemporary romance reader. Yes, there’s some violence, but not too much, and it mostly takes place off the page, so you don’t have to be immersed in it.

Grade: A-

Summary:

Ruthless Eli Di Luca hides the torment of his past beneath a façade of iron control. No one suspects the anguish he suffers, or the reasons why he has sworn never to marry. Only blackmail could change his mind…

Beautiful young author Chloë Conte’s first book zoomed to the top of the bestseller lists. Now, struggling to write her second mystery, she retreats to an isolated cottage in a private vineyard. But with his magnetic appeal and his fascinating tales of Bella Terra’s violent past, Eli Di Luca proves an irresistible distraction, and Chloë finds herself falling in love with a man she hardly knows. Soon she discovers that Eli has been keeping secrets from her, and the truth will bring more than heartbreak…it will put them both in mortal danger.

When murder and peril threaten, the only way Chloe can survive is to trust the man who has betrayed her…and that’s a price her stubborn heart may not be willing to pay.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Betrayal in Bella Terra, April 2012

Janet Webb‘s review of The Devilish Montague (Rebellious Sons, Book 2) by Patricia Rice
Historical Romance published by Signet 5 Jul 11

One of my favourite tropes is the marriage of convenience. Patricia Rice’s new historical novel, The Devilish Montague, part of the Rebellious Sons series, is right up my alley! I inhaled the book like a pint of smooth French vanilla ice cream, but my review got a tad sidetracked because of a certain royal tour of North America that was followed by a country-rocking scandal in the UK followed by this and followed by that (choose an excuse: debt ceiling, financial meltdown, going on vacation, heading to a wedding…).

My shelves are groaning with Out Of Print (OOP) Regencies, and one of the stars of the panoply is Patricia Rice. A few hallmarks of her style – humorous introspection from both the heroine and the hero, a respect for the mores of the time, and unforgettable animals. And always a story that draws in the reader because they care about the protagonists. The Devilish Montague has all this in abundance, plus an intriguing continuing story a la Eloisa James (I’m referring to the taut and sizzling interchanges between Lady Isabell Belden and Lord Quentin Hoyt – they had better get their own book). One of my pet peeves is starting a book and realizing that it’s the second or third in a series and I’m lost. That doesn’t happen here – yes, it is the second in the Rebellious Sons series, but, although you meet the couple from the first book, it’s entirely natural and believable, much like the friendship between the gentlemen of the Burgundy Club in Miranda Neville’s continuing series.

Let me set the stage ~ Blake and Jocelyn are in a pickle. They both need money to pursue the dreams closest to their hearts, Jocelyn to feel safe and return to Carrington House, her childhood home, thus giving stability to her younger brother Richard; Blake to shake off the family curse and to be allowed to continue code cracking in Europe. Underestimated by others, they misjudge each other, but their growing acquaintance leads to lust, longing, and eventually a loving appreciation of each other’s idiosyncrasies. Jocelyn is manipulative, observant, and possessed of great emotional intelligence. I also very much like her older friend and mentor, Lady Belden, the relict of a marquess, who lovingly yet sensibly presented Jocelyn with her choices:

… now that you have my late husband’s bequest, you have choices. I will not hurry you into a decision that will affect the rest of your life. If your family comes first, so be it. But your social flair would be an asset for so many men, and even if you do not marry, I’m sure you could find other means of employing your talents. Why, your eye for choosing just the right fabrics and ribbons could make you an arbiter of fashion!

It’s lovely to read a book where a heroine’s choices are considered sensibly and without passion and heat. Jocelyn has grown up in a hard school where survival has meant deflecting attention from herself and getting her own way has required navigating surreptitious channels. Part of Blake’s appeal to her is that “his worth lay in his intellect, not in his pockets”. He intrigues her.

She must admit that he is a handsome, if formidable, figure of a man—not one easily manipulated by the deceptive smiles and beguiling ways she’d learned to employ.

Rice’s characters, in my experience, are not mealy-mouthed. They may dissemble, but their usual inclination is to be forthright. This book is no exception. I won’t distract you with a long segue about why a salty-tongued parrot is a pivotal member of the cast of characters. Just take my word for it. Jocelyn steals Percy, the parrot, and persuades Blake to take care of him.

“You are not normal, you know that?” he asked, warily taking the box, which muffled Percy’s protests. “Women do not marry for birds.”

“Most men do not marry to get themselves killed, either,” she said cheerfully. “We must get to know each other … Consider this preliminary negotiations to see if we will suit.”

And, of course, they do suit. They become engaged but with few illusions on either side. Unfortunately, Jocelyn’s tortured relationship with her eeeeeeevil half-brother Harold results in him demanding 400 pounds from her before she marries in order for him to relinquish guardianship of her brother Richard. Still with me? Jocelyn will do anything to take care of her younger brother, even spend the money that Blake is counting on, her dowry, so that he can pay his way back to the war on the continent. Every book needs a conflict or two to be conquered on the path to an HEA, and Jocelyn’s deception will be their first. Even so, when Blake physically removes Harold from her presence (before their marriage), Jocelyn realizes that in her finance she may have found a champion. Blake sloughs off her praise and appreciation.

“Blowhards and bullies are not worth the trouble,” her gallant knight said dismissively.

She’d accept this as a sign that Mr. Montague would protect her and hers, even after he learned of her deception.

Before they marry, Jocelyn is thrilled to be courted by Blake, even when she receives a scarcely legible note, “Picnic tomorrow? Noon. Best, Montague.” Even so, when they marry Jocelyn is a bundle of nerves, because she is worried about what her husband will think and do when he realizes that he has been deceived and that she has no ready cash. Marriages of convenience that aren’t convenient for one of the partners are particularly interesting. Their wedding night is proceeding along intensely exciting lines when they hear a frantic cry just outside the door. It’s Richard, her brother, suddenly arrived on her doorstep. So no consummation, and then Blake finds out the next day from his wife’s banker that there are no funds. Can this fledgling marriage be saved?

Blake confronts his wife and they actually talk. There is no miscommunication or continuing secrets. Their journey to love sees them each solving each other’s most besetting problems. What’s sexier than a man demanding that you talk with him? A husband who admires your smarts, even if they’re different from his? I may be using modern language, but the characters’ talents are rooted in their time. Jocelyn specializes in people and Blake solves puzzles. Emotions, though, are timeless and Rice makes the reader believe in her characters and what makes them tick.

Reading a book that reinforces the transformational power of love is a special experience. Sink into The Devilish Montague and revisit the first flush of love. Patricia Rice will have you remembering that love can enhance and enlarge every aspect of your life.

“Love is a kind of madness, is it not? I love and adore you, but I will never be the             clever, obedient sort of wife you wish.”

Briefly, Blake closed his eyes and let her declaration sink in. Love had been a smothering emotion until Jocelyn entered his life. Now, he could see the freedom it offered.

“`Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds,’” he quoted, leaning over to kiss the upper curve of her lip. “Why would I be so dunderheaded as to wish to change anything about you?”

And perhaps a cliché, but I wouldn’t change a word of The Devilish Montague. Enjoy Patricia Rice at the top of her form.

Grade: A

Summary:

All Blake Montague wants is to save Europe from a tyrant. But as the penniless youngest son of a baron, he needs a marriage of convenience to provide the money he requires for a military commission. Then he meets a blonde beauty who can fulfill all his needs-especially those satisfied by a wife…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of Never Again (The Wizards of Nevermore, Book 1) by Michele Bardsley
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 01 Mar 11

I really enjoyed parts of this book, and I really disliked parts of this book. I feel like I was reading two different books and it’s surprising to me how inconsistent the story and the writing is.

The parts featuring Gray and Lucy are great. I like the banter between them, I like their chemistry, and they are just a fun couple to read. I do wish the change in their relationship hadn’t happened so quickly. The same for the characters and their own growth. In the beginning Gray seems like a moody, tortured hero and Lucy is  broken down with nowhere to go. When they get together, it seems as if they get brand new personalities.  A little more time focused on their character and relationship development and less time on the boring details would have made Never Again a much better book.

As for the boring details, there is at least one scene with a character practically telling his life story and I just didn’t care. After a smoking hot love scene with Gray and Lucy, that is not what I wanted to read about. The scene changes took me out of the mood and at times I just wanted to put the book down. Plus, we get inside too many people’s heads. I didn’t want to know what everyone in town is thinking. I can hardly keep straight who is who. There are too many inner monologues and not enough action. For a series about magic users, there is hardly any magic.

Another thing I want more of is the final showdown. It ends up being a letdown. Jut when things start to get good, the book is over. The bad guy comes to town, the one who has physical and mentally abused Lucy, and it’s anti-climatic. I had already guessed who the other bad guy is, and I kept reading to see if I was right.

I can see that this series has potential, if the boring parts can be weeded out. The secondary characters I’m able to keep straight are a great addition to the story and they stand out for me the most. I just wish I wasn’t left with so many questions. I am not sure if they next book is a continuation of Gray and Lucy’s story, but I feel like I’ve been left hanging with some of the little things (like did she keep the coin?! I really want to know). So I wasn’t blown away, but I’ve had worse and I look forward to the next book.

Grade: C

Summary:

Lucinda Rackmore is a witch cursed…
Desperation sends her to the last place anyone would think to find her … the small Dragon-protected town of Nevermore, Texas. To escape the wrath of her ex-lover, she must plead her case with the town’s Guardian—the man her family betrayed a decade ago.

Gray Calhoun is a wizard scorned…
Gray wants nothing to do with the Rackmores, especially not the spoiled younger sister of the woman who sacrificed him to a demon lord. But when Lucy shows up at his door begging for sanctuary, he can’t turn her away.

Magic is love reborn…
An infamous Rackmore witch isn’t the only trouble in town, either. Someone’s creating demonic mayhem—and murdering citizens. Only with Gray and Lucinda working together, can they hope to defeat the dark forces that threaten Nevermore. And maybe along the way, they’ll find that love is the strongest magic of all.

Read an excerpt.

C2’s review of Taken by the Prince (Governess Brides, Book 9) by Christina Dodd
Historical Romance published by Signet 4 Apr 11

Doesn’t everyone dream of being swept away to a hidden castle by a handsome prince? A handsome prince leading a double life – pretending to be a gambler and rake while he secretly plots against an old enemy?  A handsome prince with a noble cause – saving his country from continued rule by evil usurpers and restoring it to its former glory??  Well, in reality it isn’t as romantic as it sounds…at least, not if you ask Miss Victoria Cardiff.

Victoria is a graduate of the esteemed Distinguished Academy of Governesses.  She went there so she would be able to make her own way in the world.  Her stepfather resented any money he ever had to spend on her and her mother was too weak and uninterested to make any sort of protest.  Victoria has been traveling through Europe with the Johnson family, acting as governess/chaperone to the two Johnson daughters and assisting Mr. Johnson with some of the bookkeeping duties that accompany his work as a financial advisor.  When their trip takes them to Moravia, Victoria sees a familiar face.

A side note, if I may – just to let my geek flag fly.  Every time I read the name of Moravia’s capital city – Tonagra – I thought about the episode of Star Trek: TNG where Picard was trapped on a planet with a guy who spoke in nothing but metaphors…

Am I the only one?  Yeah, probably just me…but I was distracted every single time I read it.  Anyhoo…

Once upon a time, Raul Lawrence was known as Prince Saber of Moravia. That was before he was sent to live with his cruel British father. Growing up in England, Raul has had to control his emotions and be patient. He needs to learn all he can about diplomacy and warfare, so he returns to Moravia to take back the throne stolen from his family two hundred years before.

During his time in England, Raul meets Victoria at a birthday party for one of his younger sisters – Victoria was her friend and classmate.  At the birthday ball, Raul and Victoria share a passionate moment out in the dark.  However, both have big plans and those plans do not include any sort of romantic entanglement and they do not part on the best of terms.  So, when Victoria catches a glimpse of Raul in Moravia, she can’t believe her eyes.  And he disappears so quickly that she isn’t sure she really saw him at all.

Later that night at a ball in the hotel, the Moravian rebels sweep in. In the following confusion, Victoria is separated from the rest of the assembly and is blindfolded, kidnapped by a masked man, carried off on horseback and deposited in a room that has all her things already there. By the time she takes in her new situation and turns around, the door is closed and a key is turning the lock.  Not until the next morning does she realize who has kidnapped her – Raul Lawrence!

Raul tells Victoria he has plans to keep her busy (and watched) during the day and that she will be locked in with him at night (the room she’s locked in is his).  Victoria promises she will not tell anyone anything about him or his plans, if he will just let her go. After telling her he doesn’t believe her, Raul explains about the cruel leaders of Moravia, goes into detail about what they would do to her if she’s captured and says her only option is to remain in his castle. However, everyone in the castle works, so he offers the position of mistress.  She is outraged, course.  Eventually they decide she will teach the people of the castle – the children will learn English and the adults will learn etiquette, since they will become his courtiers when he becomes king.

I know it might not sound like it, but this book starts off really slow. As I was reading, I kept waiting for something to happen.  Victoria is in the castle, she’s teaching the kids and trying to convince the adults they need instruction, too.  She is fending off advances from Raul – he told her he wouldn’t take her against her will ever, that she would have to beg…he didn’t say he wouldn’t do his best to make her beg, though.  Naughty Raul.  ;-)  But he sets out to seduce her, to make her give herself to him, doesn’t set out to begin a romance.  He has too much to do – a revolution to lead.  And yet, the time they spend together locked in his room draws them closer and closer.

I have seen mention of forced seduction in this book.  I consider it to be forceful seduction.  She is so wrapped up in rules and what is and is not proper, it takes a lot to get past her walls.  She is fighting herself and her desires.  Are boundaries pushed a bit?  Maybe a very little bit…but not so much that it makes me uncomfortable as a reader. They have an argumentative relationship and it spills over into the loves scenes.  Things change when it really sinks in that he is leading a rebellion against so very evil people.  The time they have at that moment, even if she is locked in his room, may be all the time they ever get.  No matter what she is saying to him, her thoughts make it clear she is willing.  As Victoria thinks to herself, “…intelligence and logic apparently didn’t work when she was naked.”  Heh.

The plot really gets going about two-thirds into the book.  Just as she and Raul are getting closer, Victoria is kidnapped again – this time by Raul’s cousin and rival for the throne.  What will happen?  Will Raul come after her?  Will he and his cousin kill each other before either gets a chance to rule?  Will Raul ever let Victoria return to England? You know you want to find out, faithful reader.

Also, for those who haven’t read any of the Governess Brides series, this book stands alone very easily.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Lovely Victoria Cardiff is very prim, very strict, very sure that England is the only civilized place in the world.
She’s about to find out she’s right.

Only Victoria knows the truth about dashing, dissolute, dangerous Saber Lawrence—that he is a renegade prince plotting to seize control of his country. To ensure her silence, Saber kidnaps Victoria and carries her away to his castle deep in the woods. There they hide the truth about their past: a glittering ball, angry words, a passionate kiss. He vows to vanquish her reserve … but soon finds an English governess is not so easily seduced …

Between persuasion and passion, they realize that only together can they defeat the enemies determined to destroy them. But will Saber discover too late that a woman’s heart is a treasure more priceless than any kingdom?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

LynneC’s review of A Duke’s Temptation (The Bridal Pleasure Series, Book 1) by Jillian Hunter
Regency Romance published by Signet 1 Nov 10

I hadn’t tried Jillian Hunter’s books before, so I approached the book with an eagerness reflected by the great reviews this author tends to garner. By chapter three my hopes were somewhat dampened.

By that time it was obvious that I was dealing with another Regency fantasy story, where the author piles improbability on improbability and ends with impossible. Okay, I thought, I’ll read it for what it is and see if it satisfies on that level.

Before I get to the story I ought, in all fairness, to outline why it’s not a story that could ever have happened in the “real” Regency era.

References to institutions and establishments that occurred after the Regency were sprinkled in. “Fleet Street” to refer to the press, for example, and a “police station.” In 1816? No. The River Police had a single establishment, but I’ve visited it and it’s not likely any respectable woman would know about it, much less visit it. There were no police before the 1830s, although the Bow Street Runners did take care of some major crimes. Then the heroine, Lily, a well-born young lady with aristocratic relatives, decides to turn housekeeper. That’s the impossibility. Ladies didn’t, they just didn’t. For a start, the legion of domestic servants would rebel—housekeeper is a post reached after years of service, learning the trade, so to speak. And to be disgraced after one broken engagement—just no. The language, too, is far more American, with words like “gotten” cropping up at regular intervals, and the syntax closer to the American idiom than the English.

So I started to approach is as a Fantasy Regency. Even if publishers won’t make it a “formal” genre, I have it now as a definite. It will stop me harping on about historical inaccuracy and just take it as a given – read the story for what it is, rather than what it isn’t.

Basically, the heroine, Lily, a girl of good family, attends a masquerade dressed as the Goose Girl and although she is engaged, she goes into the garden with the Wicked Duke, and they share a kiss. On the basis of that, the duke decides he wants to marry her.

I’m fascinated by the trope of love at first sight. I’m romantic enough to believe that it happens and practical enough to believe that a longer-term relationship needs a bit more work. A delicious prospect. But I didn’t feel it, it just wasn’t there. The kiss was vaguely described and over too quickly. There were no lingering touches or yearning glances. The duke kisses her, Lily receives it. But I’m left unmoved. Since this is a big turning point, I couldn’t help feeling that more should have been made of it.

When Lily breaks her engagement, Samuel decides he will court her. He wants to marry her. The whole premise is delicious and melds well with Samuel’s alter ego as Don Quixote, the character he assumes at the masked ball at the start.

My first problem is that the book starts very, very slowly. Nothing really happens in the first few chapters except that we get a slew of backstory and a few meaningful looks. Then we get the kiss and a very strange, contrived story about Lily’s fiancée. It’s plot driven, and it had very little to do with the main story, except that it provides the story with a villain and makes Lily realise that she wants more than a comfortable marriage to a man she doesn’t know. I never really get a handle on Lily. At first she’s very young and very naïve, even more than a young lady would be expected to be. Then she turns into an intelligent woman capable of managing a house. I might have believed that, had the author given Lily a few years to mature and disappear from society’s gaze. But instantly? No. Even in the fantasy historical, the heroine can’t go from mistress to maid in an instant. She’d hear secrets, be privy to things she shouldn’t hear, and embarrass all and sundry by serving relatives. Lily did what she did to further the plot. She changes her character according to it.

Similiarly, athough the hero, Samuel, the Inevitable Duke, is supposed to be a rake of the first order, I just couldn’t see it. A rogue, maybe, but not a rake. He isn’t heartless, far from it. He’s the secret author of a tedious series of novels which, while playing lip-service to the Gothic romances of the Regency with a side order of Walter Scott, read like a modern novel. The books Samuel is supposedly writing are quoted extensively throughout, but its style is so similar to the style used in the main text that it’s difficult to tell the difference.

Samuel doesn’t have the duties or the status of a duke. His servants, especially his solicitor, talk to him as if he’s an equal, and there is no way that would happen. Moreover, it adds to the monotony of tone that everyone talks to everyone else the same way. Deference is almost completely absent, apart from the use of honorifics. Again, that gives the book a more American tone than English, but it also indicates the lack of depth of the rest of the story. Samuel goes from rake to author to wounded hero to lover and doesn’t convince in any of those guises.

Everything is too superficial, nothing delved. When there is trauma, we’re told about it, not made to feel it.

What kept me reading is the Don Quixote aspect of the story and the writing style. While this book can’t be compared with Cervantes, the “conceit” embodied in the book (I put the word in inverted commas because I mean the old sense of the word, not the new one) is fun. Samuel plays the knight-errant, and his quest is Lily. It’s sweet, the way he pursues her and wins her, and if only Hunter had pursued this and added real depth to the characters, this would have been a triumphant success. He has also rescued people from the gutter and made them his servants. It should have made for a chaotic, badly run household, and this would have added to the amusement, but that fizzles out and the servants are used to drive the nail home – he loves her, he wants her, they tell us.

Hunter’s style has a light touch, just what is needed with this kind of romance, and her turn of phrase could be charming. She makes me smile once or twice, especially in the earlier part of the book, before I grit my teeth and decide I’d finish it to see if it redeemed itself later. She writes very well, technically, and this is why I won’t be giving up on her books just yet.

I know what it feels like when characters refuse to grow and become alive. I had to start A Betting Chance all over again when my original couple couldn’t generate the chemistry I wanted. Instead of trying to make a silk purse from a sow’s ear, I started the book again and gave Corin a different heroine. This time they burned up the sheets. But had I been on a tight deadline, I’d have persisted. The book could have been good enough. This book reads something like that, as if Hunter hadn’t really invested in the characters but made them dance to her tune instead of their own.

Lily doesn’t have much of a character. She does what the plot demands and behaves as the plot demands. Practical, romantic, airy-fairy, she does them all, so it’s like reading about a bunch of different people.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that although this book should have been a delightful romance, it falls short. But I’ll read Hunter again and see if I have more luck with the next book.

Grade: C-

Summary:

The Duke of Gravenhurst, the notorious author of dark romances, is accused of corrupting the morals of the public. But among his most devoted fans is the well-born Lily Boscastle, who seeks employment as the duke’s personal housekeeper. Only then does she discover scandalous secrets about the man that she never could have imagined.

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of A Werewolf in Manhattan (Wild About You, Book 1) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Signet 4 Jan 11

What fun I’m having with Vicki Lewis Thompson’s paranormal books lately. I recently read and reviewed Chick with a Charm and enjoyed it a lot. Now she’s started a new series, Wild About You, and this first book is a terrific start with a delicious hero and a feisty heroine, who gets herself into trouble with her werewolf stories she writes. She has no idea how accurate her imagination is!

My favorite part of this book is Aidan. I love him. Though he starts out enjoying Emma’s books, they – and she – a’re on his and his pack’s radar because her descriptions of pack life are spot on in most instances. Because of that and because their kind have kept their existence a secret for centuries, it’s Aidan’s job to check Emma out to see how she’s getting her information. They suspect a werewolf, of course. It’s finding out who, if it’s a rogue wolf and just what the circumstances are. Thus, Aidan has learned about Emma quite intimately over the last three months and it’s time to move his investigation to the next level. His plan is to travel with her on her book tour to check out his suspicions. It’s getting the lady herself to agree that might be the difficult part of his plan.

I also like Emma a lot too. She’s very independent, strong-willed, and quite passionate when the right man comes along. Her current boyfriend is an accountant, so you can imagine how boring the sex is. So while Emma is, of course, attracted to Aidan, especially because he reads her book, besides being so good looking, she’s a woman who believes and lives doing what is right. She can’t give in to Aidan while still with the numbers man. I admire her sense of right and wrong and I love her curiosity. Once she’s “in custody” of the pack, she can’t help but ask questions about their way of life and the animals inside them and that won’t help her case with them at all. But before all of that, the time with Aidan and Emma is just plain old fun.

Aidan has a genetic flaw in that when he becomes aroused, his body goes through an involuntary shift. I had to chuckle a couple of times when this happened and the man still tells himself he feels nothing but lust for Emma, his life is mapped out for him as heir, he has no choice, and other excuses. He’s fooling only himself, though he is trying to do the right thing too, but going in that direction will bring unhappiness. I enjoy the hell out of Emma goading Aidan about his wealth and his response she shouldn’t knock it till she tries it. Their banter keeps things moving along at a nice pace.

What I want more of is the shifting. It happens only a few times, though I have to say when Aidan breaks down a door to get to Emma when she’s in danger is a terrific scene. As is the scene between Aidan and his family later in the book. He stands his ground as the heir and I love him all the more for it. I just wish there’d been more scenes in that vein, though there is a good job of his growling and other characteristics of the wolf in him in between it all. The whole wolf would have been nice, however.

All in all, I know I’m going to really like this series. I’m looking forward to Roarke’s book, Aidan’s brother. It will be enjoyable to watch him fall when his time comes.

Grade:  A

Summary:

Emma Gavin writes bestselling novels about werewolves, but that doesn’t mean she believes in them — and she certainly doesn’t think she’ll meet one. But that’s exactly what happens when her books catch the attention of a rich and powerful pack of Manhattan Weres, who have kept their existence hidden for centuries. Alarmed by the accuracy of her novels, they’re determined to find out if a renegade is acting as her informant.

Aidan Wallace, the pack leader’s son and heir, knows he’s the wolf for the job, but when he gets close to Emma, they are both surprised by an attraction too strong to deny. To surrender to it, Aidan will have to risk everything— including the security of the pack he’s sworn to protect…

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Must Love Kilts by Allie Mackay
Historical Romance published by Signet 4 Jan 11

I don’t know why I keep torturning myself with these Allie MacKay books. This is my third one. The first two were dismal failures for me, so I skipped
however many were next for a while. Then I received this book for review, felt obligated to read it, and though it’s a slight improvement over those first couple, there’s still something about this author’s writing that just leaves me uninspired and disconnected. Time to end the torture.

The prologue in this book at first gave me hope that what I would encounter in this story would be very different from what I’d read before. It’s serious and intense, and knowing time travel would be part of it, I let my hopes rise. I like the hero, Magnus, a lot. He finds his betrothed’s village in ruins, still burning, dead everywhere. He believes against hope he’ll find his love alive, but it’s not to be. He vows on the spot to exact revenge against the bastard Vikings who cut his lady down and and ended his life as it had been. Instead of myself, I prefer my heroes tortured, and Magnus wrings that word to its roots at the beginning of this book.

The heroine, Margo, is also quite likable when we first meet her. She’s loved Scotland all her life, collects anything and everything to do with the country. Her only wish is to some day visit the land of the Highlands. A woman after my own heart. I’m a Scotophile just like she is. And all of this works just fine for a time. The first thing that irritates, though, me is the silly names of some of the secondary characters, i.e., Patience Peasgood and Ardelle Goodnight. To me,  those names just don’t go with the tone, the intensity of the story so far. I let the heroine’s last name, Menlove, go when I first read it, but more than that is just too much. Yes, those are perfectly good names, but they just aren’t in keeping with the way this story is told.

The next irritation comes when it takes nine chapters before the hero and heroine are finally face to face and the action should begin, but it begins and ends too quickly. Before Margo actually makes her time-traveling trek, we get only a couple of abnormalities where Margo appears to Magnus in his time, enough for them to want each other. That’s all well and good, but in between that all we get is a lot of boring story that I really didn’t care about. All of that could have been done in much shorter scenes and then used the extra time with Magnus and Margo together. Instead, we learn about Dina Greed – another name I don’t care for because it seems to be used to give me a hint at that woman’s character, which I don’t need. I’m intelligent enough to figure it out – and her obsession of Scotland, including her planned trip that she has to dangle in front of Margo. Also, we have to go through the hulabaloo of Margo winning a trip to Scotland, how she finds out about it, how her friends help out, and a lot more that just takes much too long. And it’s boring.

Once Margo does travel back in time, there is some action but not a heck of a lot. First we have to get through Magnus’ suspicions of Margo, though he’s lusted after her since the two visions he’d had of her. Then comes Margo’s aversion to violence that causes a few waves. I’ve never liked this looking at historical times with a modern eye bit in any book and it’s especially irritating here. Margo’s been obsessed with Magnus, loves that he’s a fine specimen of a man of his times and envisoins what it would be like to be with the man in the Scotland of her dreams. But she wants it her way in a time and place that aren’t hers. If you want something that badly, you obsess over it and then you get your wish, well, as they say, when in Rome. Don’t cry foul when it doesn’t work out just the way you want it, and Margo does that way too often for me.

During all of this, Magnus suddenly loses his appeal for me.  A lot of it is the dialogue that just doesn’t seem to work any longer. He sounds like a different person than he did in the first half of the book. The way he speaks to Margo when her independence makes a showing doesn’t ring true to his character. He’s not the sexy alpha male he started out as; his revenge means too much to him when he now has something more important to live for.  The ending is also a little too pat, everything working out just right, the person who was in the wrong place at the wrong time is now in the right place at the right time for Magnus to do his marvelous sword wielding. All that being said, I do like the eerie similarities between past and present characters; that’s done very nicely.

However, that isn’t enough to save the entire story. For a book that starts out in the vein this one does, it just doesn’t follow through with enough consistency to keep it from being a little too boring and eventually off-kilter. This may well truly be my last Allie Mackay book.

Grade: C-

Summary:

Margo Menlove loves everything Scottish. But when she wins a Highland vacation, she’s disappointed by the whirlwind tourist trail she’s taken on. She wants to experience the Scotland of warriors like the legendary Magnus MacBride. When she explores on her own, she picks up a beautiful stone on the shore–and awakes to the sight of MacBride himself in the heat of battle.

Magnus MacBride has seen many things while fighting the Viking hordes–but when the soaking wet, naked woman appears out of the surf, even he is taken aback. Even more stirring is a passion he hasn’t allowed himself to feel in years, instead living only for vengeance. But giving in to his wild desire would place Margo in mortal danger–unless they stand together and fight for the love neither can endure without…

No excerpt found.

Sandy M’s review of Tempting the Marquess (Westin Family Series, Book 2) by Sara Lindsay
Historical Romance published by Signet 1 Jun 10

This is my first Sara Lindsey book, and while it is a pleasant read, it isn’t one of those that wowed me, that made me sigh when I finally closed the book. This is the second edition in the Westin Family series and I don’t think I missed a lot not reading the first book, but I do think it would have helped, however, in getting the family dynamics in my head better, because there are plenty of references to Livvy’s participation in bringing her sister and the hero together in Promise Me Tonight.

The first part of this book goes along very, very slow. Olivia, named for the Shakespeare character from Twelfth Night because her mother is a bard fanatic, has finagled her way on a trip to Wales with her Aunt Kate to visit her stepson for the Christmas holidays. Said stepson is now in Livvy’s sights after finding a diary from his late wife and knowing the man has cut himself off from society and love due to his loss. Livvy is determined to help him out of his quagmire so he can enjoy life and live again. She is also intrigued by the rumors that Jason’s home is haunted.

Jason is certainly deeply buried in emotion, but it’s not quite what Livvy thinks. He’s disillusioned, rude, and just wants to be left alone with his son. He’s not the hurt and lonely man she envisions. She’s not about to be dissuaded, however. So she stays true to her course trying to pull Jason out of his self-imposed reclusiveness. Their verbal sparring and banter is fun, though Livvy’s immaturity does show from time to time. But Jason enjoys these moments, bringing out a sense of fun he hasn’t had in his life for a while now. For me these moments are too few and far between to keep my interest in this couple high or Livvy’s young age will pop up again, pulling me out of the story.

Jason and Livvy each come to their own realizations of their feelings for the other, denial following, then impossibility quickly descends, and finally the inevitability of love has to be faced with their eyes wide open. Livvy’s decision to tell Jason how she came to be in his home comes a tad too late, he discovers her deceit as he’s discovering her, and the good that has been between them disintegrates. He’s had enough of deceitful women in his life, so no matter how he feels about Livvy, it’s just not to be for them.

I didn’t mind Jason’s attitude toward Livvy and women in general – it’s a product of his times – and he bucks up when it’s called for. It’s Livvy’s youngness that got to me most of all, she’s constantly in trouble even when she’s trying to help. The story would be going along at a nice pace and suddenly I found myself rolling my eyes at her. Though I did enjoy her eagerness and inquisitiveness when it comes to sex, and Jason is more than happy to oblige her. I’m not sure if not reading the first book in the series would change anything for me, but it might have perhaps if I’d known Livvy a little better before this book, since she’s a sticking point for me. I did, though, enjoy the scenes with Jason’s son and Livvy. She will eventually make a great wife and mother with some age behind her.

However, if you’re looking for a light and fun historical read, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.

Grade: C

Summary:

The Weston siblings have been blessed with Shakespearean names and an affinity for impropriety. Prepare to fall in love while discovering how the Westons are won.

While Olivia Weston loves matchmaking and romantic novels, she intends to make a suitable match. But first she wants an adventure, and when given the opportunity to visit a reclusive widower living in a haunted castle, Livvy can’t possibly resist.

After his wife’s death, Jason Traherne, Marquess of Sheldon, shut his heart to everyone but his son, and until now he has succeeded in maintaining his distance. But there’s something about Livy – her unique blend of sweetness and sensuality – that tempts him beyond all reason.

Though there’s nothing suitable about the feelings he inspires in her, Livvy can’t help falling for the marquess. But can she persuade him to let go of the past and risk his heart again?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Ride the Fire (Firefighters of Station Five, Book 5) by Jo Davis
Contemporary Romance published by Signet 7 Dec 10

I’ve only read two books in this series so far, but in each of my reviews I commented that I looked forward to Sean’s story. He’s had a hell of a time with life knocking him for a loop and then some, so I’ve been waiting to see how Ms. Davis handles him up close and personal.

When we last saw Sean, he’d been handed some tough love, and now his book begins just after his release from rehab. His drinking to numb the pain of losing his wife and kids two years before had gotten out of control, so much so he was responsible for injury to one of his men, which resulted in the firefighter having to change occupations.

But Sean is now on the mend, attending AA, looking forward instead of behind him, and facing his first day back at work. His nervousness is for naught, all the men welcoming him back with the humor and camaraderie he’s always loved. It’s the welcome from Eve that also has him tied in knots. They’ve been dancing around one another for a while now, and Sean is hoping to move forward with the lady.

As things look up for Sean, the new life can’t last, danger and revenge waiting in the wings for the right moment to strike. A mysterious phone call, a devastating package, and an old betrayal shove doubt back into his life, nearly pushing his hard-won success right back into the bottle. All the while there is some slight protesting from the firehouse guys when it comes to Sean and Eve pursuing their relationship. On top of all that, Sean still feels the need to prove himself on the job with near-fatal results. It’s Eve who keeps the man on an even keel when he could easily let go to return to previous his numbness and empty life.

Ms. Davis draws Sean’s vulnerabilities out amid his strengths to give readers a hero they just have to love. As much as he wants to move forward with Eve, his tragic and betrayed past interferes with their new happiness. When Sean’s emotions finally allow him to grieve, that makes for a raw and heartfelt scene, as are the love scenes when this couple can’t deny their feelings for each other any longer.

In the past I’ve had issues with the dialogue in Ms. Davis’ books. Her growth as an author has taken tremendous strides, and my concerns about the dialogue have lessened, though there’s still one or two small areas that pop up here and there. However, it’s miniscule when compared to her earlier work.

It’s the emotion in the story that keeps you reading to the very end of this book.

Grade: A-

Summary:

After a day of putting out blazes, the firefighters of Station Five tend to give off their own heat. But Captain Sean Tanner is about to get burned…

After a tragedy took the lives of his wife and children, Sean was a shattered man who drowned his pain and heartbreak with alcohol. Now, fresh from rehab, he wants to stay clean, regain the trust of his team, and begin again. The last thing he needs is to have feelings for Eve Marshall, the beautiful lone female at the station.

But even as they dare to explore their mutual desire, Sean discovers that the accident that stole his family may have been a cold-blooded murder. And that a vengeful shadow from his past has returned to commit a shocking act of terror—and finish off Sean and anyone he loves…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Warrior Avenged (Sons of the Zodiac, Book 2) by Addison Fox
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 7 Sep 10

I’ve definitely been hooked. I normally don’t care for books about the Gods of Olympus, but Addison Fox has put a twist on the whole theme that gives an old story a new look, and she’s drawn me in with hardly any effort at all.

Kane Montague is a Zodiac warrior, Scorpio, for Themis, Goddess of Justice. He and his brothers were created after Themis entered into an agreement with Zeus for them to protect mankind from all evils, and Zeus’ daughter Enyo, Goddess of War, is involved to make sure there is balance and all is well with the world. At least until Enyo decides to throw things off balance.

Both Kane and the reader met Ilsa in the first book in the series, Warrior Ascended. They enjoyed each other for a few days and then Ilsa disappears without a word or a trace. Kane has thought of her nearly constantly for six months and then she suddenly re-appears in his life again. Determined to find out why the woman drugged him and skipped, he doesn’t expect the electricity that still sparks between them. What he doesn’t know is that Ilsa is really Nemesis, Goddess of Divine Retribution.

Ilsa’s job is to take the lives of those Hades sends her for, bring their souls back to him for punishment. She’s been at this for centuries ever since Hades rescued her from a life trapped in a cave where Zeus laid a curse on her when he thought she’d betrayed him, kept him from his destiny. Having no other choice for a life, she took Hades’ offer. On the side, Ilsa’s now involved with a dark wizard, trying to gain retribution against Themis through her warriors because she’s the one who turned Zeus against Ilsa all those years ago.

Neither Kane nor Ilsa know the wizard’s true reason for wanting to get at Kane. Three hundred years ago this same wizard cursed Kane using his scorpion against him. He’s been fighting that poison since and has no idea who the wizard is. Falling in love with Kane has made Ilsa look at her life differently and she tries to rework her deal with this wizard so that Kane will be hurt no further.

Things don’t go as planned, and a couple of twists are thrown in at the end that make for some interesting reading and eyebrow raising once the danger is nearly past.

Kane’s warrior brothers are thick in the plot, and I love the relationship among all of them. They sneer and insult each other as men do, but they also have each other’s backs when the chips are down. Quinn, the leader of the Zodiacs, gets his book next and I’m looking forward to that. I have a feeling he’s going to be getting as good as he’s given to his brothers when he meets his heroine.

Alpha heroes, strong heroines, paranormal plots, gods and goddesses, and terrific storytelling await you. Don’t delay, try these books today!

Grade: A+

Summary:

For ages, the goddess Nemesis has sought divine vengeance against mortal man, as she awaits her chance for retaliation against Mount Olympus. Now, after making a deal with a dark wizard, she has reinvented herself as a female spy with her own sinister agenda…

Immortal warrior Kane Montague is as lethal as a Scorpion – like the one that marks his powerful form. As an assassin for MI-6, he was an ace gun-for-hire until someone very close burned him. Now on the outs with his former colleagues, Kane knows all too well who’s to blame: a sexy secret agent named Ilsa.

When their paths cross again, the passion between Kane and Ilsa is irresistible…and possibly lethal. But they soon realize that Ilsa is simply a pawn in a conspiracy aimed at the heart of the Zodiac Warriors. Can Kane trust her? Or is Ilsa the only one who can save him, body and soul?

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of The Wicked Wyckerly (The Rebellious Sons, Book 1) by Patricia Rice
Historical Romance published by Signet 6 Jul 10

I had one heck of a good time with the main characters in this book. This is my first Patricia Rice historical and it’s definitely not going to be the last. I like the way she gives her characters attitude with a sense of fun. That combination just makes reading all that much more entertaining for her fans.

As Abby is fretting over how to regain custody of her four younger brothers and sisters, the answer to her prayers may have dropped into her life by way of a mail coach. She needs help, as does the handsome Fitz and his rambunctious six-year-old daughter. Agreeing to watch the child while he takes care of urgent business, he’ll help Abby out with her predicament when he returns.

Since inheriting the earldom after his father’s and brother’s deaths, Fitz now has an estate that is in ruins and he has no way of paying creditors or taking care of the people he’s suddenly responsible for. He could run off to America or fake his death, but instead he decides to do the right thing as best he can. To do that, he needs a very wealthy wife.

What he wants, however, is Abby. But he knows he can’t have her, so he does the right thing again by turning her over to a distant dowager marchioness cousin of Abby’s, someone who knows how things are done and has the right connections. Just as he wasn’t prepared to become an earl –he’s a second son who’s survived by his wits and his amazing talent with numbers — Fitz is not prepared for his surprising feelings for Abby. He does face them, though, and begins his quest to wear her down into accepting and trusting him to make life work for them.

Getting used to the way the ton lives is not for Abby. She’d rather be back home on her farm with the children, but since that’s not going to magically happen, she tries her best to fit in to find that one man who has enough money to perhaps reverse a legal decision and who doesn’t care she brings four kids into a marriage. But it’s Fitz who she keeps thinking about and who keeps popping up in the most unexpected places. And who has the crazy idea they can work their problems out together if they marry. Crazy it may be, but his idea has merit.

These two people are just delightful. Abby is no nonsense in running a home but is full of love and life. Fitz is full of life but has never felt love. I had fun watching him turn from a man who knows nothing about children to a father who would give his life for his daughter, all due to the love — and no nonsense — he finds with Abby. Their banter throughout the book adds an extra level of entertainment for the reader, as do all the secondary characters who abound page after page.

Of course, the romance goes without saying, but I like that it’s Fitz who wants love and romance and has to basically talk Abby into giving it a try with him. He’s not a rake but he knows his way around women and Abby doesn’t stand a chance once he puts his mind to making her his.

Though there is mystery and danger woven into the story, this is just an all-around fun book. I look forward to the next books in this series, especially after meeting the heroes in this one. More fun is sure to follow.

Grade: B+

Summary:

When he becomes seventh Earl of Danecroft, rakish John Fitzhugh Wyckerly also inherits a crumbling estate and massive debts. Determined to do right, he reclaims his illegitimate daughter Penelope and heads to London in search of a very rich wife.

Abigail Merriweather’s farm has been quiet since she lost custody of her four young half-siblings-until a roguish gentleman named Fitz stops for a rest, his rebellious daughter in tow. His etiquette is questionable, his parenting deplorable-so why does Abby delight in his flirtations? And when she seeks a suitor to help her regain the children, why does Fitz keep popping up?

Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of Chick with a Charm (Babes on Brooms, Book 2) by Vicki Lewis Thompson
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 2 Mar 10

This is my first Vicki Lewis Thompson book. Oh, don’t gasp too hard! I have a good portion of her books in the old TBR mountain, and as with all of those books in that mountain, time is what keeps me away from the majority of them. But I’m glad I read this one, because now I’m going to be reading more of this author’s books. I had the terrific opportunity to hear Ms. Lewis Thompson’s speech when she won the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award from RWA in 2008, and her humor stood out in leaps and bounds. I figured her books would read the same way, and for once I was right in my assumption. I had the best time with Chick with a Charm.

Lily has had her eye on Griffin for a while now, but he’s shown no interest in her.  Her sister’s getting married and Lily needs an escort to the engagement part, so she’s decided to take matters into her own hands. Because, really, how much damage can an all but harmless love elixir do? Maybe it’s not the best way to go about getting a man to take notice of you, but it’s only for a short time. So Lily goes for it. She gets what she wants. But she also gets what she doesn’t want when all is said and done.

Watching couples go through divorce on a daily basis has caused attorney Griffin Taylor to turn a blind eye to love and romance. He’ll rely on his gut any day of the week over letting some woman get her hooks into him the old-fashioned way. He’s been having the time of his life with Lily after their sudden hook-up, but something doesn’t feel totally right. However, none of that matters when lust takes over.

These two are a fun couple, even though Griffin is literally under Lily’s spell. There’s an attraction there to begin with and he’s too stubborn to realize it, let alone do something about it. Lily has her moments of guilt, knowing she should dispel her enchantment, but she’s wanted this man for so long, her better judgment goes by the wayside, which does get her trouble in the end.

When Griffin finds out what Lily’s done, he is, of course, disillusioned. But he’s also in love and he’s not sure what to do about the whole situation. I like the turnabout that it’s the hero who takes time away to figure things out, making the heroine sweat while he’s gone.

I had fun along the way with them. So much so, I’ve begun my search for the first book in the series. I’m ready for a lot more fun.

Grade: B

Summary:

Lily Revere is free-spirited and fun-loving–two dangerous qualities in a witch. Lily needs a date for her sister Anica’s engagement party, and she’s determined to bring hot Griffin Taylor. But the jaded divorce lawyer claims his job has warned him off romance. Slipping a love elixir into Griffin’s drink may not be the noble thing to do, but it sure works! There’s just one problem: Are Griffin’s feelings the result of some truly good witchcraft-or could he really be in love?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of My Lord Scandal (Notorious Bachelors, Book 1) by Emma Wildes
Historical Romance published by Signet 7 Sep 10

I became an instant fan of Emma Wildes when I read her Lessons from a Scarlet Lady, loving the freshness of the story. This book isn’t far behind that one, giving us lively and interesting characters, a romance that is a treat for the heart, and a mystery with a twist to cap things off.

I really like the beginning of this book. Alexander has brought along his good friend Michael to break and enter into the home of a nobleman to retrieve something that belongs to Alex’s family, at least per his grandmother. The Hathaway family is out for the evening, so he and Michael should be in and out in no time. But just as he’s nearly through with his searching, Alex hears someone enter the home. The men come up with a plan to finish their nefarious doings, but it is Alex who is nearly caught.

Amelia Hathaway has never enjoyed herself at parties, dancing is not her thing due to her breathing malady. So she left early this night, glad to be home. Undressing for bed, she slips out onto her balcony for fresh air, coming face to face with a handsome stranger who is worried about her when she becomes dizzy. Instead of screaming the house down, she banters with the man and he steals a kiss before he fades into the night.

Just from that one light moment between Alex and Amelia, you can’t help but like them. Out in society they dance around one another, due mostly to the fact that Alex is a notorious rake with a reputation that makes mothers with daughters faint. But he’s so exciting to Amelia, especially compared to the gentlemen her father is contemplating marrying her to.

They also have romantic moments alone that are done just beautifully by Ms. Wildes. Their stolen time in the rain, sheltered by a gazebo when their desire peaks is one of my favorite of the book. Through all of their encounters, Amelia learns that Alex’s reputation is not as dark and unseemly as everyone seems to think. He’s courteous, intelligent, and full of seduction and she succumbs to him every time he touches her. Alex knows he will marry one day, but that’s too far into the future to even think about. Until Amelia.

In between all of this, we find out how their families are related by tragedy that happened a generation before, animosity still present today between their fathers. Then out of the blue, both Alex and Amelia receive love letters written by their long-ago relatives who were involved in scandalous behavior that could end only badly. They work together to put all the pieces of the puzzle together, all the while hoping their families will let bygones be bygones because they are determined to marry, despite what any member of either family thinks.

Alex and Amelia are a delightful couple during their “courting” stage and even more so once they are married. They both have so much hidden beneath their outer exteriors and it’s terrific to watch them grow into even better people because of each other.

Another hit for Ms. Wildes!

Grade: B+

Summary:

Alexander St. James may be a thief of hearts, but he is no burglar. Nevertheless, he must recover and item belonging to his family to avoid a scandal, and so he has stolen into the home of Lord Hathaway, only to come upon the beguiling and chaste Lady Amelia in her bedroom, wearing little but a look of surprise. Alexander leaves Amelia breathless-but is it from fear or excitement? Captivated by her beauty and charmed by her intellect, he ignores the scandalous whispers as he sets out to seduce the woman of his dreams…

Read an excerpt. (click link for .pdf download)

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of Cold Sight (Extra Sensory Agents Series Book 1) by Leslie Parrish
Paranormal Romance released by Signet 06 JUL 10

Usually I avoid books that deal with reporters trying to solve crimes since they tend to always feel the same to me. I was hoping that with the paranormal aspect, Cold Sight would be different. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

I wanted to like this book, and at first I was drawn into it but it wasn’t long before I was just tired of it. There were a few things that didn’t work for me. This biggest thing was the lack of romance. If something is labeled paranormal romance, then I expect romance ( I expected paranormal too, but I will get to that). There is one love scene, a few touches and kisses, and no relationship talk until the last few pages. While I can appreciate the fact that they aren’t hopping into bed every day while someone is kidnapping girls, I started to not care about the heroine or hero much. About halfway into the book, I started skimming the scenes with Lexie and Aidan. I was more interested in the POV’s of other characters.

As to the mystery surrounding the missing girls, it didn’t feel like anything new. I was expecting a surprise on who the captor is, but even that was lacking. I didn’t feel anything when their identity was revealed. Also, when another girl is taken, the reason should be obvious but Lexie is too busy feeling guilty and thinking it’s her fault to realize it.  I was rolling my eyes at her, someone who has figured out so much already should have caught onto that.

Lastly, this was more mystery with a touch of paranormal. Aidan is a psychic but we don’t get to see him using his ability often. When he does use it, it’s brief and we are more told what he’s doing, instead of experiencing it with him.  I had hoped that there would be more once the other Extra Sensory agents showed up, but there really wasn’t.

While I was left underwhelmed with most of the book, I can’t say I won’t read the next in the series. The other agents we meet were the most interesting part of the book, and I want to know more about them. Leslie Parrish was also able to get me close to tears during a few scenes, so I am not ready to give up on her. I wavered on what grade to give Cold Sight, but the fact that I would continue with this series is what decided for me.

Grade: C-

Summary:

After being made a scapegoat in a botched investigation that led to a child’s death, Aidan McConnell became a recluse. Still, as a favor to an old friend, Aidan will help on the occasional XI case. But under his handsome, rugged facade, he keeps his emotions in check–for fear of being burned again.

Reporter Lexie Nolan has a nose for news–and she believes a serial killer has been targeting teen girls around Savannah. But no one believes her. So she turns to the new paranormal detective agency and the sexy, mysterious Aidan for help.

But just as the two begin forging a relationship, the case turns eerily personal for Lexie–and Aidan discovers that maybe he hasn’t lost the ability to feel after all…

Read an excerpt.



Sandy M’s review of Line of Fire (Firefighters of Station Five, Book 4) by Jo Davis
Contemporary Romance published by Signet 4 May 10

I really enjoy seeing an author grow and come into her own in her writing. Jo Davis is definitely doing that with her Firefighters of Station Five books. Granted, so far I’ve read only the first and fourth books, but I can see a marked growth in her work. Kudos, Ms. Davis. You’re doing a terrific job.

This is a younger man-older woman theme, which I normally don’t care for, but Ms. Davis handles it extremely well. I like all of the characters a lot and, of course, that helps.

Tommy is a firefighter, a job that really wasn’t his calling. He’d been on the fast track heading into pro football when his brother is killed. Feeling his parents needed him at home then, though he feels his mother in some way blames him for their tragedy, he left college and his dreams behind, eventually joining Station Five in Sugarland, Tennessee.

He’s had a thing for Shea for a while, but she’s concerned about their age difference. She’s a nurse and is on duty when Tommy suffers injuries during a dangerous rescue attempt. I have to say that scene is a very well written and really gets emotion and danger across to the reader. I was riveted throughout.  In fact, all of the rescue/firefighting scenes are very powerful.

Shea begins to look at their relationship more closely, perhaps she’s being too one-track-minded on the age issue. So she dumps the city manager she’d been seeing – she never liked him much anyway – and gives herself a chance with Tommy. It’s the best thing she’s ever done, even despite a horrible incident in her past. But she tells Tommy about it and suddenly all is fine.

There have been a number of arson fires in both Nashville and Sugarland, and later Tommy is injured again, this time much more seriously, while fighting one of these fires. He eventually turns away from Shea, believing she doesn’t need his new problems in her life. He basically cops out of his life for a bit until the crew from the station house gang up on him and chew his butt about his attitude.

These last two issues of Shea getting over her past and Tommy’s attitude adjustment after his butt chewing are solved way too quickly and easily. Another issue, though it is better for me in this book than in the first in the series, but it fell off the wagon a few times, is the dialogue. This is where Ms. Davis has definitely grown in her writing. There are spots that need a little extra work, but for the most part the dialogue just sounds and reads better than before.

Other than those two issues, this is a good read. I enjoyed all of the secondary characters, and I’m really looking forward to Sean’s book, which is up next, Ride the Fire. This man has some seriousness going on and I can’t wait to find out what happens.

Grade: B

Summary:

To his fellow firemen, Tommy Skyler has it all. But the golden boy of Station Five hides a private pain. He was once a star quarterback until tragedy derailed his dream. Since then, he’s struggled with his choices-including his decision to become a firefighter. His one ray of light shines in beautiful nurse Shea Ford. When a dangerous rescue lands Tommy in the ER, what better opportunity to win her over? But when a conspiracy culminates in deadly arson, Tommy realizes that a ruthless enemy is closing in, threatening to destroy the couple’s love- and their lives.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Lessons from a Scarlet Lady by Emma Wildes
Historical Romance published by Signet 5 Jan 10

What a delightful book this is. A breath of fresh air. We don’t get the usual historical read of a hero and heroine meeting and going through their courtship toward that HEA. Instead, Colton and Brianna are already married, and some fun is on the way.

We do learn a little of their courtship in that for Colt, he married the perfect woman to be his duchess and for Brianna, she loved the man on sight. Being the virginal bride, Brianna isn’t sure what to expect after the wedding night, but a few months into the marriage, she figures what she’s gotten so far is not how it should be between husband and wife. Colton hasn’t changed his life or his schedule one iota since tying the knot and Brianna is tired of it. She’s about to make some changes.

Having stumbled across a copy of a forbidden book, Lady Rothburg’s Advice, Brianna is determined to take this courtesan’s advice from page to bedroom to keep her new husband interested in what he has at home. She’s going to make sure he won’t stray. With an innocuous beginning, Brianna trumps up each of her lessons as the story goes on, and I have to say that I enjoyed Colton’s reactions to her playfulness just as much as Brianna did.  Little does she know, though, how well her lessons will go, but Brianna is delighted with her results so far nonetheless.

Colton, of course, is as surprised as can be that his innocent wife should know how to do such things in their bed. But the joy he receives from her at first knocks that knowledge clear out of his head. He much prefers the pleasure she’s doling out. However, the more Brianna seems to know and bring to their bedroom, the more Colt’s curiosity gets the better of him, and that doesn’t bode well for either of them. They go through a rough patch stemming from Brianna becoming her own woman, but that new woman doesn’t let Colton get away with anything once he begins to let the situation skew his perception.

In between all this, we also get the romance of Brianna’s friend Rebecca and Colton’s brother Robert, touched in part by Lady Rothburg too. This side story is just as enjoyable as the main one. There is another brother, Damien, who thinks he’s escaped the clutches of marriage, but I have a feeling Ms. Wildes has something in mind for him. I surely hope so because he’s just as delicious as his brothers and I’d love to see him fall too.

I had a marvelous time reading this book. I love everything about it. I’ve checked Ms. Wildes’ backlist, and, heavens, does she have some books out there. But I’m on the hunt now. I’m curious to see what she’s done in other genres besides historical. I think I might be in for some terrific reads.

Grade: A+

Summary:

No real lady should take lessons from a scarlet woman…

The Duke of Rolthven’s new wife, Brianna, is the perfect aristocratic bride. So what would society say if they saw her with a copy of Lady Rothburg’s Advice–a courtesan’s lessons for the boudoir? When his innocent wife suddenly becomes a vixen in the bedroom, the proper Duke is truly astounded by her seductive powers. Following a courtesan’s advice might lead to trouble-but will it lead to Brianna’s ultimate desire: winning her husband’s love? No excerpt found.

Sandy M’s review of Man of the West by Sadie Callahan
Contemporary Western Romance published by Signet 6, April 10

I was in the mood for a western, some cowboys, so I picked up Man of the West, since I had been pleasantly surprised by Ms. Callhan’s Lone Star Woman that I reviewed last year. While the overall story of this latest book is good and I like the characters, I do have some disappointment when it comes to the hero and heroine.

Jolie has finally decided to leave her no-good ex-husband, so on a stormy night she packs up her daughter and very few belongings, sneaks out of her old life to head toward a new one on the other side of Texas. She has been employed by the Strayhorn family as their cook, and when she arrives, Jolie is amazed at the home she now has and at the people who welcome her and make her feel safe.

Deciding to come home to Willard County, Jake Strayhorn is the new sherrif and he does his job well. He’s drawn to Jolie from the moment they meet, and though he can tell she’s hiding from something or someone, he doesn’t push and begins to slowly get to know her. And that’s the problem for me with these two characters.

The relationship goes too slow. It’s their book, their story, their love but their romance is nearly put on the back burner while we get more romance from other couples in the book. That’s definitely too bad, because these are two very strong people who finally deserve some happiness, and I want them to have it. I also want more. But everything between them is strung out to the very end and between the goings-on in the bedrooms of Pat and Suzanne and J.D. and Maisie. I don’t really mind the addition of scenes for secondary characters, but I do want the same for main characters, and that’s just not here in this book.

Now, that isn’t to say that what is here isn’t good, because it is. Jolie is brave as hell for picking up stakes and taking off like she did, knowing her ex will follow if he can once he’s out of prison. Jake has to take a look at his life and make difficult decisions when he confronts his feelings for Jolie. And I like the fact that her innocence in life and lack of education doesn’t make a difference to him. The scenes between them are nice. But that’s as far as it goes. I just want so much more between them.

The other two relationships are a little more interesting, each not going the way you’d think they would when life throws them curves. I especially enjoyed Pat and Suzanne, and I thought they were doomed when an old love returns to mess up their happiness.

It’s also nice to catch up with Brady and Jude from Lone Star Woman. All of these characters are woven into this story much more than you’d anticipate, and for the most part it works. There’s a lot packed into this book, but I think a few extra love/romance scenes for Jake and Jolie would help out so much more.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Over the last 130 years, the Campbell-Strayhorn dynasty has endured triumph and tragedy. Now, the future of the sprawling Circle C ranch—even the survival of their tiny Texas town—rests on the shoulders of the current generation…

There’s a newcomer in Willard County, and Sheriff Jake Strayhorn is as drawn to her vulnerability as he is intrigued by her beauty. Jolie is clearly on the run from something, but she refuses to reveal her past—or let any man into her heart, including Jake. Still, Jake can’t turn his back on her—even if she winds up bringing trouble to his town …

Settling on an old, sprawling cattle ranch, Jolie Jensen is doing her best to mind her own business and make her little house a home for her and her daughter. It’s the perfect hiding place from her abusive ex-husband—or so she thinks. She knows her past is about to catch up with her, even as t Jake, the man who’s vowed to protect her and made her believe happiness is possible, will be caught in the fray…

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Ravenous (Dark Forgotten, Book 1) by Sharon Ashwood
Urban Fantasy published by Signet 3 Feb 09

I usually don’t read a lot of urban fantasy.  I like my HEA and a nice wrap-up at the end of my stories. But, as they say, a good book is a good book, and I’m now hooked on this Dark Forgotten series after reading Ravenous. I’m obviously a little behind in starting it all, with Scorched now on the shelves as of a few months ago. I at least have something to look forward to sooner instead of later.

Holly is a witch who stays away from big M-magic. Her magic was repressed years before as a young girl when a spell went wrong, so now to avoid pain when practicing her magic, she sticks to the small “m” kind. Her current assignment is to take care of a demon-possessed house, which she does, but the results are a little more than she bargained for.

Her business partner, Alessandro, aids her in this endeavor. He is a vampire who is interested in Holly for more than business, but since there doesn’t seem to be a relationship for them in the near future, he settles for keeping her as safe as possible. When a female body sporting a vampire bite is found in the house, they have their first clue that leads them into a supernatural mystery they never expected.

Both of these characters are very intriguing, and when Alessandro must bite Holly later in the story, she isn’t happy at all, because it basically turns her into his sex slave. She resists as best she can – and does a darned good job of it, considering – wanting to be her own woman. Of course, as handsome and sexy as Alessandro is, I kept telling her to go for it, he’s worth it! She didn’t listen to me, however, but at least a new bond is forged between them for future books.

The paranormal elements in this book are simply terrific, and neither that nor the urban fantasy elements overshadow the romance between Alessandro and Holly. Even the secondary characters are larger than life. Ashwood’s writing is amazing. I kept turning those pages as fast as I could, she had me enthralled with every turn.

So if you’re like me, you read an urban fantasy now and again, don’t pass this series up. It’s definitely worth the time to take a day and devour it one sitting. Believe me, you’ll have a hard time putting it down.

Grade: A-

Summary:

One kiss is all it takes to lose your soul…

Holly Carver is a small-time witch who busts ghosts for tuition money, but ends up wrangling a demon when a haunted house job goes bad.

Her Undead business associate, Alessandro Caravelli, suspects the demon is somebody’s not-so-secret weapon. The supernatural community is at war, and Holly’s unpredictable magic holds the key to hell’s doorway. Soon Holly is on everyone’s “must have” list, and not in a good way.

Alessandro wants her for more than magic. A lover with six centuries of experience, the vampire is walking seduction, but he’s also a predator. Every moment he spends guarding Holly, every second he spends falling under her witch’s spell, he becomes more and more of a threat himself. As Holly’s sharp-tongued grandma warns her: vampires are like a box of rich chocolate—they seem so tempting, but over-indulgence is a killer…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Warrior Ascended (Sons of the Zodiac, Book 1) by Addison Fox
Paranormal Romance published by Signet 2 Mar 10

Wow, Greek gods, the balance between good and evil, betrayal, sexy warriors of the Zodiac who embody their personal constellation, and, of course, the women who trap their hearts, bodies, and souls – you can’t ask for anything more in a debut book by a debut author. Addison Fox has it cram packed in this book, which is the lead-off of her new series that I know is only going to get better and better as it goes along.

Themis, the Goddess of Justice, is agonizing over the fact that her beloved humans are killing themselves without conscience, so she throws out a bargain to ex-husband Zeus, who can deny her nothing still, to allow her to create immortal warriors representing the signs of the Zodiac who will fight for justice, protect humanity from within and without. But though Zeus agrees, he demands balance be part of the bargain, giving that injustice side to his daughter Enya, the Goddess of War. The particulars are hammered out and Themis and her Warriors begin their crusade.

Brody Talbot, the embodiment of Leo, is an expert archeologist and is currently on a dig in Egypt to further the work of Dr. Harrison, who found the legendary Summoning Stones years before and subsequently died. What Brody and his team find this time is the Prophecy that tells of the power of the Summoning Stones, and that leads him to Ava Harrison, daughter of the famed doctor.

Ava is in the midst of the project of a lifetime, bringing all five Summoning Stones from different countries together for the first time since her father uncovered them. Her life changes in unbelievable ways when she’s attacked one night. Unbeknownst to her, it’s Enya’s Destroyers who are after her, but Brody steps in as protector, and his life is also changed now that he’s face to face with Ava.

Having had his share of women over the centuries, none of those ever affected Brody as Ava does. Ava has spent her life encapsulated in her own little world since her father’s death, not really living at all. When these two come together, life for both of them truly begins, even with all the danger and love making and teleporting and goddesses and other equally fantastic things being thrown at them left and right and every which way.

Brody and his brothers are all alpha men and for a reader like me, they’re perfect. That’s what makes Ava’s re-emergence into life so wonderful, she finally lets the real woman out, becomes the strong woman everyone knows she’s always been. These men need special heroines and Ms. Fox has started it all off exactly right.

Kane, the Scorpion, is up next and I’m already dying to get my hands on that one.

Grade: A+

Summary:

An act of desperation…

Themis, Goddess of Justice and former wife of Zeus, weeps for the annihilation of her adored humans. As the Iron Age – the Fifth Age of Man – progresses, her beloved human children are wrapped in a chaotic spiral of death and destruction.  Frustrated and angered by her inability to change their lives, she pleads with Zeus.  Allow her to end the destruction of the Iron Age by creating a race of warriors to calm the chaos.

a bargain struck…

Zeus recognizes this strange love Themis has for humans and  still guilty over his betrayal of her with his new wife, Hera  he agrees to the request. With one condition. In order to maintain the balance Themis is so known for, she must agree to an opposing force a catalyst for chaos – for her Warriors.  His daughter with Hera, Enyo, Goddess of War, will be equally empowered to maintain the anarchy for which she is known.

The Modern Age of Man begins…

So armed, Themis sets out to create a race of warriors, innately balanced with each other and carrying all the traits so necessary for understanding humans.  Kindness, compassion, vanity, arrogance, courage, passion, anger, ego the full spectrum of human emotions wrapped in an immortal package of physical strength and mental agility. Using the 12 signs of the Zodiac as a model for balance, the Warriors are as varied in personality as the traits Themis bestows upon them. And all will protect and serve their goddess throughout the ages.

No excerpt available.

Sandy M’s review of Most Eagerly Yours (Her Majesty’s Secret Servants, Book 1) by Allison Chase
Historical Romance published by Signet 2 Mar 10

I like the premise of this series, a young Victoria before she’s crowned queen is given carte blanche to use her best childhood friends should she ever need them in the future during her reign. The children learn young that things are changing when their royal playmate realizes herself she cannot keep the friendly relationship she’s shared with them for so long, thus their vow to her and the start of a fun series for historical fans.

While this first part of the story is fresh and new, the bulk of it is something we’ve read before – lady spy is sent to do something no one else can, all the while trying to stay away from but falling in love with the hero, who also happens to be a spy but has hidden that fact behind a totally different personality than his own. What does save the book from falling by the wayside is the characters, the ever-present mystery, and, of course, the romance.

Laurel is the eldest sister and the first to be called for duty. She’s sent to gather information on Victoria’s cousin George, to find out if he’s truly part of a traitorous group the Queen has been told about. When she runs into Aiden, a friend who keeps George on the straight and narrow as much as possible, they both realize they’ve met before when Aiden rescued Laurel in a dangerous situation months earlier, but they keep that realization to themselves, not wanting to give the other the advantage in their game.

In actuality, Aiden is keeping an eye on George for the Home Office, has his own suspicions concerning treason and is trying to figure out what the man is up to. Since they’re pretty much trying to unravel the same thread, just from different points of view, Aiden and Laurel play a game of cat and mouse due to not trusting each other. That changes over the course of the story, however, and they begin to work together as their attraction deepens along the way.

They are a delightful couple and I enjoyed solving their mystery along with them, a mystery which keeps you guessing right up until the very end. I wish we could have had more of Laurel’s sisters involved in the intrigue, but will just have to wait for their books. They have a terrific relationship that would be nice to explore.

I think if you’re an historical romance fan, you’ll like this book too. No mystery about that at all.

Grade: B

Summary:

Raised on their uncle’s country estate, the four orphaned Sutherland sisters formed a close friendship with the young Princess Victoria. Shortly before her coronation as queen, Victoria asks the sisters to serve her in matters requiring the utmost discretion.

They are to become her secret servants…

Laurel, the eldest, is the first to be called. The Queen is threatened by her jealous cousin, George Fitzclarence, who is known for speaking treason. She asks Laurel to pose as a wealthy widow and use her charms to win George’s trust, then find out what he is really plotting. Laurel is prepared for the risks of acting a part, but she encounters an unexpected and formidable obstacle in the Earl of Barenforth–George’s friend and a notorious rake, whom Victoria has warned her to avoid…

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Covet (The Fallen Angels, Book 1) by J.R. Ward
Contemporary paranormal romance released by Signet 29 Sep 09

With the Fallen Angels books we get a new set of bad guys, some cameos of the BDB and related characters, and a new set of good guys – angels.  I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing something of Lassiter in future Angels books. So you ask, is this book good? Well, yes and no. 

Covet is an interesting paranormal romance. I think it’s WAY too long, but is still an entertaining read.  I read nearly all of it, though I admit to skimming some of the paragraphs simply because how many times did I need to read about the heroine’s guilt or the hero’s obsession with money.  However, Ward is setting up a new world here, so I cut her some slack.

I was a bit perplexed about the title.  Greed is a deadly sin but coveting isn’t.  Though I guess they’re related.  Dumb thing to pick up on, I realize, but it bugged me.  Regardless, the cover art rocks.

As with the BDB books, in Covet Ward indulges a bit too much in the period.as.a.speech.pacing.tool.  I seriously hate it when authors do that.  Totally throws off my reading rhythm.  I wish the author would just say “he ground out” or “he said slowly” or anything except mess.with.my.reading.mojo with a stinkin’ grammatical stop sign.  There’s a lot of that in Covet.  There’s also a lot of slang like “freshies” and other oddities that will make this book a hoot to read in about ten years.

The romance between Vin and Marie-Therese is sweet and fun to read.  The heroine’s profession and personal situation is heartbreaking to read about.  The hero is much more understanding than you can imagine.  I was happy to read about their HEA, but I sincerely wonder how a couple can overcome all they have to overcome.

The good guys are interesting – Jim Heron is a terrific fallen angel.  He’s just bad enough to be fun and still noble.  I do wonder what’s going to happen in the next few novels in this series.  And if Dog is more than he appears to be.

There’s no vampires or lessers, but there are demons and angels, plus some hot romance and cool action.  I did feel like the pacing dragged a bit – again, the book is just too long.

I can recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the author and is looking for a new, but similar series to the BDB.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Redemption isn’t a word Jim Heron knows much about—his specialty, both personally and professionally, is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. His weapon: the power of love. His enemy: the darkest of evil. And failure is not an option.

Vincent Di Pietro has surrendered himself to his business—until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior, and a woman who will make him question his destiny. With an ancient evil ready to claim him, Vin has to work with a fallen angel not only to win his beloved over…but to redeem his very soul.

Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of The Bridesmaid Chronicles by Karen Kendall, Kylie Adams, and Julie Kenner
Contemporary Romances released by Signet Jun-Sep 2005

I’ve had this series for a while, thinking I’d get to it soon, but, of course, never doing so. My 16-year-old niece visited me last month, the niece who, unfortunately, doesn’t want anything to do with reading, the niece I’ve been trying to get interested in reading a number of times during those sixteen years. The niece who actually picked up a book while in my home during her visit, actually read it, liked it, and shocked the heck out of me. Then she wanted to read this series. So I told her if she’d hang on, I’ll get the series read and reviewed, and then it’s hers for the taking. The series actually started out well and I thought my niece would also enjoy it. But my enjoyment didn’t last long. I’m hoping hers lasts longer.

First Date (Book 1) by Karen Kendall
Released 7 Jun 05

In this first book we’re actually introduced to the bride, Julia Spinelli, though it’s her sister’s book, and we don’t get Julia’s story until the fourth book in the series. It’s Julia wedding that is the connection among these four heroines. Sydney leaves her work and overbearing father behind to check out Julia’s fiance and why they’re getting married after knowing each other for only a month.

This guy has to be up to something, maybe lusting Julia’s money. Their dad, as classless as he is, has made the bucks opening his cheap inns all over the country, including the one in Texas that Julia is now managing. A prenup is in order, even if her sister doesn’t want it.

Alex is the groom’s best friend and he’s been coerced into keeping Sydney busy so she can’t interfere any more in Roman and Julia’s relationship. But that favor soon turns into something Alex doesn’t mind doing at all. Sydney may see herself as the brainy sister compared to Julia’s beauty, but he sees her in a whole different light. She’s witty, intelligent, and beautiful to him. She even knows how to handle his mother, who is in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s, but Sydney needs to learn when to help and when to let go.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Alex is a true Texan cowboy with a great sense of humor to play off the normally low-key Sydney. She does at times go overboard on the interfering — and her sister lets her but Alex doesn’t — so her heart is in the right place even when it’s the wrong time. This is my first book by Karen Kendall and I liked her writing a lot. I would definitely read more of her books.

Grade: A

Summary:
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Meet the sister of the bride. Sydney Spinelli has her heart set on stopping the wedding between her little sister and her Texas boyfriend of one month! The only problem is, her heart is getting distracted by the groom’s sexy best friend . . .
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Read an excerpt.

First Kiss (Book 2) by Kylie Adams
Released 5 Jul 05

After such a terrific start to this series, this is where it stumbled – big time. Instead of Texas we’re in New York where Kiki, sister of the groom, lives and plays. She’s a former beauty queen, now an actress still trying to make it big. She’s also a very shallow and selfish person, one that I hardly liked at all.

Two friends share the spotlight with her in this book, and this is the first of the silliness that did the story no favors, one friend’s name is Suzi-Suzi. I don’t know, that bugged the hell out of me when reading.  Next are the antics that Kiki gets into, one of which is she takes over Julia’s wedding preparations without even asking, making the most awful suggestions, and the other is the main part of the story and how she meets the hero.

While shopping with her friends, they stumble upon a popular married Hollywood couple who are expecting their first child. A chain of events ends with a member of the paparazzi snapping a suggestive pic of Kiki and the husband. This, of course, is front page news, accusing Kiki of being a homewrecker, and the media then hounds her every step. She ends up at The Affair, a club of sorts where you can literally go to to have an affair.  Okaaaay.  The place is run by Fab, who is often in the tabloids himself, always with a different beauty on his arm every time.

Kiki wiles her way into one of his suites to let the fervor over her notoriety blow over and they end up spending time with each other. There is an instant attraction between them and Fab would like to explore that. He puts up with such ridiculousness from this woman. Even the sexual banter didn’t work due to her attitude. The actual love scenes themselves were good, mainly because Fab is involved. I did like his character, what I got to see of it. He’s not in this book very much, making it more chick lit-y than romance. And I really don’t care for chick lit all that much. Hence, my dislike of the book, I guess.

Of course, things eventually work themselves out, Kiki and Fab fall in love and decide to get married. Not without Kiki fobbing off all of her friends on Fab, giving them jobs in his organizations without even asking him. Even at the end the woman is full of herself. The only reason the grade for this book isn’t lower is Fab, the few times he had interaction with anyone. Other than that, I could have done without reading the darned thing.

Grade: D+

Summary:
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She’s always the bridesmaid, never the bride. But unlike that Jersey girl her brother is marrying, at least former Miss Texas and out-of-work actress Kiki Sonntag can save her brother’s wedding from bad taste. Too bad Kiki can’t save herself from a nasty tabloid scandal. Until it blows over, she’s hiding out in Manhattan’s hippest new hotel and enjoying some perks from its playboy owner….
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No excerpt available.

First Dance (Book 3) by Karen Kendall
Released 2 Aug 05

I was happy to see that Karen Kendall wrote this third book in the series. After the disaster of the second book, I needed a good one to keep me going. I did get it here. We’re back in Texas, thank goodness, where wedding preparations are still going on when the bride’s best friend, Vivien, a Manhattan divorce attorney, makes it to Fredericksburg to help out. I really liked Vivien. She’s, of course, very independent and intelligent and has a soft spot for Greyhounds, saving abused ones every chance she gets.

She has reservations about being in Texas again since that’s where JB Anglin, the groom’s best friend and attorney, lives and practices. The last time she saw JB, she’d just booted him out of their hotel room where they’d had the most incredible sex. Obviously Vivien has commitment issues. And JB now has issues with Vivien. They try to put those issues aside, though, for the sake of the happy wedding couple, but things don’t go as planned. They’re constantly thrown together by the bride asking them to do errands for her, but it’s JB who’s out for revenge, waiting for his turn to kick Vivien of his bed.

When the time comes, however, he’s not able to do it. And Vivien does her best to stay the night, but arguments commence, feelings are hurt, and things go downhill fast. Imagine the make-up sex, though. I really liked this couple. Though they had issues, they still had some fun together, tried to keep the humor upfront, and do a fairly good job until they realized their true feelings one another. That was another hurdle to get over, but they did it admirably. We still get a lot of interaction with the bride and groom and Sydney and Alex from the first book. Thank goodness Kiki is still in New York.

I liked being back with a Texas cowboy who wants to share his way of life with the heroine, who sincerely tries to work through her problems to be with him, especially when he agrees to help out with the Greyhound work that is so close to her heart. Even when these two were at odds, they thought about the other and what they could do for them. Definitely a couple worth reading.

Grade: A

Summary:
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Manhattan’s top female divorce attorney a bridesmaid? Stranger things have happened. The bride’s best friend, Vivien Shelton has seen the ugly side of love—and alights in Texas with the perfect wedding present: an iron-clad pre-nup. But the groom’s good-ole-boy lawyer is itching for a fight—especially one with Vivien, a woman he has tangled with in the past . .
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Read an excerpt.

First Love (Book 4) by Julie Kenner
Released 6 Sep 05

Finally we come to the wedding couple who have been prominent figures throughout each book up to this point. Well, maybe not in the disaster of Book 2, but close enough. Julia and Roman fell in love very quickly, which is what brought her sister to Texas to begin with. He’s nearly broke, sinking all of his money into the family winery while hoping everything works out. That’s exactly why Sydney thought he was after Julia for her money.

But after falling in love so quickly herself and getting to know Roman more, Sydney now realizes he’s a good man and her sister is lucky to have him. It’s Julia herself who is now having doubts. She thought they knew enough about one another to get married, even though she’s never told Roman more about her parents. He does a little about them, considering their fathers have a shaky past. Though she loves her mom and dad, they are quite classless and tacky, and the scenes that get this point across are actually pretty hilarious and priceless.

On top of this, Roman doesn’t seem to listen to Julia when she tells him what she wants and likes when it comes to the important things between them. The next she knows the entire wedding is on a downhill slide and it’s five days until the big day.  They both have secrets they’ve never shared, feeling those secrets would be the deal breaker in their relationship. but when they finally come clean, only more doubt settles in. Choosing to postpone the wedding, Julia feels it’s better to wait, to really get to know each other, but will their love survive a longer engagement?

While I did enjoy this book, I was a little surprised at the direction it took after Julia being so stalwart in the first three books on how much she loves Roman and knows him plenty enough to get married.  I kind of felt I’d wasted my time in all the previous reading. But I ended up being okay with it all because of the way Roman took care of things and gave me a fairly good ending. The other characters are still present a good part of the book, excluding Kiki – thank goodness! – so I’m pretty happy overall with this last book in the series.

Grade: B

Summary:
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Just as bride-to-be Julia Spinelli is about to throw the swankiest wedding Fredericksburg, Texas, has ever seen, in roll her Jersey parents in all their tacky glory—and out roll her hopes for happily ever after. If she can’t convince her father that her fiancé is head over heels for her and not her trust fund, the wedding is off….
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No excerpt available.

Overall Grade: B

Overall I liked this series, with the exception of you-know-what. All four books have now been passed on to my niece, so it will be interesting to get her take on them. I have a feeling, however, that Kiki is going to be her favorite character. Goes to show what a difference a few decades in age is.

Sandy M’s review of Touch of Darkness (Darkness Chosen, Book 2) by Christina Dodd
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published by Signet 7 Aug 07

This is another series I got behind in reading, but thank goodness there’s only four books in the series. It won’t be that hard to catch up with it. With this second book down, I’m enjoying the series so far, and it should only get more interesting considering the hero of the next book hasn’t been heard from for years and the last hero — er, heroine — uh, well, since I haven’t looked ahead I’m not sure what’s going to happen! I’m looking forward to it, though.

Besides the interesting premise of this series, I like Ms. Dodd’s alpha heroes. Of course, they have strong heroines to go right along with them, but for me I have to have a dominant alpha in books like these. Rurik is definitely alpha, stemming from a long line of bad blood in his ancestry, which his family left behind, and the fact that he and his brothers are shapeshifters. Shifters are always one of my favorite reads, thus my love of alphas.

Fueled by the prophecy his mother gave the last time the family was all together, Rurik is in Scotland on an archeological dig searching for one of four holy icons needed to save his father’s life. His research has led him to this tomb, but he also finds Tasya roaming around the site. He hasn’t seen her since she left him after their night of amazing lovemaking. He’s determined to find out why now that she’s back poking around. When the tomb is finally opened, however, the icon is not there and they must flee with what little information the find inside when the evil side of his family blows the place to bits, killing people and making it look as though Rurik and Tasya were involved.

Wanting to be on her own, keeping her secrets to herself, Tasya finally gives in and sticks with Rurik on their icon scavenger hunt. She has her own reasons for wanting the relic and has no idea Rurik is also after it and why. He keeps that bit of information to himself when he discovers Tasya’s need for revenge against his left-behind relatives. On the run they face one challenge after another while stealing a moment here and there to sate the potent lust between them. It’s when Tasya sees Rurik fall from the sky that she leaves her plans in the dust and decides to finish Rurik’s journey to save his father.

The action in this book is pretty nonstop once Rurik and Tasya are forced to keep one step ahead of the villains on their tails. There’s also a side story of Rurik’s vow to himself to never fly again after a near-fatal mishap during his Air Force stint, including never flying as his hawk self. So far this series has kept my interest and I can’t wait to get to the last two books, Into the Shadow and Into the Flame.

Grade: A+

Read more reviews of this and other books in the series by following its tag.

Summary:
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A thousand years ago, a brutal warrior struck a terrifying bargain. In return for the ability to change at will into a cold-hearted predator, he promised his soul, and the souls of his descendants, to the devil.
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Handsome, powerful Rurik Wilder battles darkness — the darkness without, and the darkness within. For he possesses the power to transform himself into a fierce bird of prey, and that gift has caused death and destruction.
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At last he is offered the chance to redeem himself and break the evil pact which has held his family in thrall for centuries. Only one woman stands in his way — flamboyant Tasya Hunnicutt, a writer determined to wreak revenge on the assassins who murdered her family. Assassins, it’s been rumored, who have powers no human should ever possess…
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of The Secret Wedding by Jo Beverley
Historical Romance released by Signet 7 Apr 09

Ah, faithful reader, you know that old saying “No good deed goes unpunished”? Well, Christian Hill, Viscount Grandiston learned that lesson early. At the tender age of 15 (!!), just as his regiment was getting ready to sail to Canada to fight in the French and Indian War (15!!), he learned that a fellow soldier planned to run off with a student from a local girls’ school and marry her for her money. So, of course, Christian rushed off to save her from the evil lieutenant’s clutches. 

For his trouble, Christian ended up taking his first life (the lieutenant was not agreeable and drew his sword) – and married to Miss Dorcas Froggett (yikes, the name!) – her aunt burst in just as the sword fight was over and made sure her niece was not compromised in any way. Yup, Christian saved the girl from ruin…just not quite in the way he planned.

After the ceremony (Christian had enough wits about him to use a different first name, at least), Miss Froggett was taken away by her aunt and Christian returned to his barracks. A few days later he sailed off to war, putting his unexpected wedding behind him like a bad dream. A few years later, Christian received word that his young bride had passed away.

Little did Christian realize that his bride, Mistress Caro (wise girl, now using her middle – and much more attractive – name) Hill was also receiving word that her husband had been killed. And now the plot is afoot, faithful reader. We’re off and running. There are so many twists and turns, I won’t even try to condense it down for you. Let’s just say that no one is as honest as they should be or shares information when they should.

Instead I will talk about how much I enjoy Jo B’s Georgian era novels – I have loved them since I first read My Lady Notorious, years and years ago. The Mallorens have a special place on my keeper shelf so I was very glad to see Rothgar and Diana show up to help things along in this book. Best fairy godmother and godfather ever!

An interesting bit of information about this off-shoot series set in the Malloren world is that for this trilogy, Jo B is using roughly the same set up for each series – two people, both not quite what they seem, meet at an inn and have a road-trip adventure that leads to love. What could be better than that?

If you enjoy lively, fast-paced romps through the English countryside – with a side a Malloren-style machinations to help love along – give this book a try. It stands alone well enough, although reading the first book will give some extra background on Christian. I, of course, recommend reading all the books set in the Malloren world. )

Grade: A

Summary:

When is a rake not a rake? When he’s seducing his wife?
 Home from a decade of war, Christian, Major Lord Grandiston wants to enjoy bachelor pleasures, but his father is wooing a rich woman on his behalf. Embarrassing, when he might already have a wife. Is Dorcas Froggatt alive, and if so, will she be his salvation or an even worse burden? He heads north to the industrial town of Sheffield to find out, but soon he’s on the run from the law with a woman who’s nothing but trouble, especially when they’re joined by a very peculiar cat.
Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Loosely connected to:

Sandy M’s review of Kindred Spirits (Nethercott Tales, Book 2) by Jocelyn Kelley
Historical Paranormal Romance released by Signet 4 Mar 08

I’ve never really looked at myself as a mood reader. But maybe I am. I picked this book up a number of months ago. I apparently got as far as Chapter 4, laid the book down, and never went back to it. Until now. I don’t remember now why I never picked it up again, and that actually puzzles me. This time around I stuck with it and really enjoyed the book. Hmmm. Guess I could be a moody reader now and again.

China Nethercott is about to meet her first ghost, one of which her late father had believed in until society thought him a quack. Her ghost is an ancient Roman soldier who had been cursed just before he died centuries before, thus all first born sons of first born sons have died on their thirtieth birthdays through the years. Quintus Valerius has roamed the earth looking for someone to break that curse so that he may rest in peace and his decedents may enjoy longer life.

Taking her mission to heart once she meets Alexander Braddock, she has to keep him safe only a couple of weeks and her good deed will be done.  She never expected her feelings for the man would turn into love, and now keeping Alex alive is more important than ever. Suddenly, however, it seems she’s fighting more ghosts and unwanted guests, all of whom seem to want to harm Alexander. A nonbeliever, Alex is taken with China despite this anomaly in her character. But as more and more unexplained things happen around them, he’s forced to re-examine his beliefs and take a more active role in keeping himself alive.

I enjoyed these two characters quite a bit. Alex is a military man, straightforward in all dealings, even with China when it comes to loving her. When faced with the truth of her ability, he never hesitates once that ability is proven to him. China herself is a very strong character and complements Alex nicely. The secondary characters are well done, even those annoying ones who wear out their welcome.

In fact, I enjoyed this one enough that I will be pulling the first in the series out of the TBR pile when I come across it and purchasing the third book when it’s released next month. I’d like to see what Ms. Kelley has in store for China’s sisters.

Grade: B+

Summary:
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The Nethercott sisters—China, Jade, and Sian—recently lost their beloved father., who believed in ghosts with all his heart. So when China sees her first one, she realizes the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree…
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On her way home, China is dumbfounded to find a man in a Roman centurion’s garb. So Quintus Valerius explains: he’s a ghost cursed to remain on earth until he can save one of his descendants from murder. Thus far his work has been in vain, but this time the Roman spirit has a plan.
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Quintus has a plan. He’ll cause an injury to Alexander, Major Lord Braddock, so China might keep him from his murderer. Tending the patient’s wounds proves nigh impossible. Alexander refuses to stay put—and she can’t keep from thinking about her handsome war hero in some very improper ways. But Quintus forgot to mention the second half of the curse, and China’s destiny may be tied to Alexander’s—to the death…
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Read an excerpt. (click link under blurb for .pdf download)

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s Review of When Twilight Burns (Gardella Vampire Chronicles, Book 4) by Colleen Gleason
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Signet 5 Aug 08

Colleen Gleason’s series first caught my eye when The Rest Falls Away won the DA BWAHA award.  I saw it in the library and picked it up for a road trip.  It reminded me very, very strongly of Buffy but I still enjoyed it – enough that I picked up the next two on a trip to Half-Price.  Of course, some other shiny caught my eye and they languished on my shelf until I received a review copy of When Twilight Burns.  I quickly caught myself up to speed, so this review may be a little confused on which events happen in which books.

The sequels move away from reminding me strongly of Buffy as the mythos becomes more developed.  Since I like Buffy, what I really care about is that the Gardella Vampire Chronicles deliver on what they promise: action and romance.  On the romance side, Victoria Gardella is caught between pretty and untrustworthy Sebastian Vioget and uptight prig dashing Max Pesaro.  When the fourth novel starts, I’m not sure I want her to end up with either of these men.  Both of them have a thing for her, even if one doesn’t admit it, but by this point both have done some pretty crappy things to her.  (Plus, I could tell she wasn’t going to end up with my favorite from book one which just makes it hard for me to root for the decided couple.  This is the trouble with love triangles.)

On the action side of things, I want more Lilith.  She’s managed to get her hands on the daywalker recipe and has some minions out and about, framing Victoria for murder.  It’s hard to be an innocuous vampire hunter when you keep stumbling on dead bodies and the inspector has it out for you, as Victoria finds out.  It doesn’t help that a bite she received in the third book has her battling vampire instincts, hoping the Venator side will win in the end.  But the daywalker characters are pretty thin, which really shows as Lilith sizzles off the page.

Lilith’s twisted, obsessive love of/lust for Max gets me every time it shows up.  They even have a Big Misunderstanding.  The few times Gleason explores Lilith’s point of view make me want to go read horribly non-canon Max/Lilith fanfiction.  (No, it can’t happen.  But it would be intense.)  I think a lack of intensity would be my biggest complaint with this one.  It was still a fun book, and I do like that the triangle was resolved.  Victoria’s wavering between the two men in her life was getting dull.   But Beauregard made an excellent nemesis and was sprinkled throughout The Bleeding Dusk. Lilith hasn’t shown up since the first book, and now she’s restricted to the beginning and end.  It makes sense to build up to that confrontation, but the villains in When Twilight Burns just seem too bumbling.  The inspector is cheesy and the returning human minions Sara and George haven’t been killed off earlier since they’re human and that might reflect badly on the heroine.

I’ll read the next book since I find the series fun, but there are other paranormals I like better.  I’m too ambivalent about the hero and I like the villain better than the heroine.  I do like Victoria’s continued attempts to balance her calling with society’s expectations of a young widow.

Grade: B-

Summary:
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Vampire hunter Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy “stakes the undead with the best of them”*. After narrowly escaping from Rome, she returns to London, where not even sunrise can stop a vampire’s carnage…
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Ruining Victoria’s homecoming, a vampire stalks the streets of London – during the daylight. Not only is Victoria unable to detect the vampire with her heightened senses, but she’s being framed as the prime suspect behind the killings.
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Meanwhile, her heart is still divided between the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget and her fellow slayer Max Pesaro. The battle is made even more difficult by the legacy of a vampire’s touch – a vampire who left in Victoria’s veins boiling blood that forces her to fight evil on two fronts: against the new breed of undead threatening London, and against the darkness within herself.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s Duckies Do Series review of The House of Cards Trilogy by Barbara Metzger
Historical Romances released by Signet Sep 2005 – Jun 2006

I have not read Barbara Metzger before, and when I came across her trilogy, it was the perfect opportunity for me to try her books. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised, once I was done with it. It’s her humor that stood out the most for me.  A little wacky, but always a lot of fun, no matter which characters are involved. While this series isn’t 100 percent what I expected, it gave me a good enough look at Ms. Metzger’s work that I will pick up more of her books in the future.

Ace of Hearts (Book 1)
6 Sep 05

The Earl of Carde, Alexander Edicott Carde, “Ace” to his friends due to those initials he has,  knows he has to marry to beget heirs, but he refuses to marry without love.  Before he can even think any further than that and even begin a search for the proper wife, three options come at him out of the blue, three women he wants nothing to do with.  So he hightails it out of London to escape their clutches and to finally keep a deathbed promise to his father to find Lottie, Carde’s half-sister who was believed lost in a carriage accident in which her mother perished more than a decade earlier.

This leads him back to Nell, the young girl he remembers fondly before tragedy struck.  She’s turned into a beautiful woman, and while her station keeps him from pursuing her himself, he tries to now do right by her after his years of neglect, but the more he’s around her and the more he pushes her away, the more his heart won’t let her go.

I enjoyed the characters in this book, even those foppish men who think they’re good enough for Nell.  It’s the humor that makes even them likable.  I mean, when you laugh at the antics of a goose as it interacts with the hero and heroine, and none of it good for either one of them, the author has a way with humor.  Ms. Metzger does it beautifully.  This is a nice start to the trilogy, and I’m looking forward to reading about Jack once he’s home from his stint in the military.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Never did Alexander “Ace” Endicott, the Earl of Cards, imagine himself to be thrice-betrothed against his will by the doings of three desperate debutantes. So he escapes London to his property in the country, where he follows through with his deceased father’s last wish-to find his long-lost step-sister. His search takes a detour and leads him to Nell, who piques his interest. Now, Ace may have to reconsider his rejection of marriage and see if two mismatched lovers can make a royal pair.

No excerpt available.

Jack of Clubs (Book 2)
7 Mar 06

Jack Endicott has just returned home from the war and he’s at loose ends.  He still feels he needs to prove himself to his older brother, the Earl of Carde, though Ace tells him it’s not necessary.  Ace is proud of his brother and his exemplary military service and he’d give Jack the shirt off his back if need be.  Both brothers still harbor some guilt over not yet finding their half sister as they’d promised their farther, so Jack decides to kill two birds, as the old saying goes.

He opens The Red and The Black, a high-end gaming hall, a business and an income of his own.  His proceeds will fund the search for Lottie, which is the other half of his business at the club where young women are visiting in droves when the word is out about the search.  What Jack gets along with all his success is an unexpected visit from Allie Silver, a teacher delivering to him his new ward, Harriett, the daughter of a fallen fellow soldier.

Allie is hopeful Captain Endicott will give Harriett a home and that he will also have need of a governess for her, because Allie has nowhere else to go.  A woman on her own rarely has luck with employment and any alternatives scare her silly.  Allie and Harriett do worm their way into Jack’s life and before he knows it, it’s like he’s never been without them.  Even Allie and her prim ways and attitude are growing on him, and he’s handling Harriett like he’s always meant to be a father.  Or so he thinks.

It’s Harriett and her antics that give this book its base for humor.  She’s a sly manipulator, especially when she realizes that she can have a true home at last with Papa Jack and Miss Allie.  Even with all that, though, this book fell a little short with the humor as compared with the first one.  It has its moments, however; they’re just fewer.  I enjoyed all the characters, especially the rag-tag team Jack hires to man his club.  We actually get several romances ongoing within the larger picture of Jack and Allie’s romance with all his employees falling in love around him.  A light and enjoyed read.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Years ago, Captain Jack Endicott’s half-sister vanished after a carriage accident. He now sets out to honor his father’s dying wish and find her. Jack plans to open a lavish gaming parlor and hire only beautiful ladies to deal cards, possibly finding his sister. All he needs is a little luck. Instead he finds prim schoolteacher Allie Silver, who needs a guardian for one of her most precocious pupils. With such an unlikely duo, all bets are off in a wild game of romance.

No excerpt available.

Queen of Diamonds (Book 3)
6 Jun 06

Queenie Dennis comes to London after her mother’s death to let the Endicott family know what happened to their half sister Charlotte years ago when she was abducted after a carriage accident in which her mother died. But when an accomplice to the crime tells her in no uncertain terms she would be tossed into prison for her part in the crime, she heads to France where she studies fashion design. Years later she’s back in England, determined to make a success of her fashions as Madame Denise Lescartes and to once again give what little information she has to a family who has suffered too long.

It’s on a fateful night that Lord Harry Harkness is searching for his no-good brother-in-law who has absconded with his family’s diamonds that he meets Madame Lescartes and they help each other out across London, Denise/Queenie to broadcast her fashions to the ladies of Town and Harry to get his hands on the family thief. The more they’re together, of course, the more they become attracted to each other, even though they both know London socieity would frown on any relationship because of Queenie’s rank.

I was rather disappointed in this book compared to the others. I was expecting the same humor I got in the previous two, but this book is a little darker. I found myself skipping sections after a while just to find some of that humor. While I didn’t find it in abundance, I did find some cute scenes, one where Harry ends up keeping order in Queenie’s shop when it becomes overrun by women wanting her dresses. It was rather fun to see him charm courtesans and the high-born in the same breath. But other that this scene, there are only a few more that qualify as cute or humorous. I’m sorry to say I was bored more than I laughed with this story.

Also, after three books, I wanted more time with this family hen they finally come together and are getting to know one another. Instead, it was only the last several pages of the book when the truth eventually comes out and Ace and Jack have their sister back. Not what I was hoping for at all.  It was just an overall let-down after the fun I had with the first two books.

And a note to Ms. Metzger: please have your webmaster add excerpts for your books to your website. Books that are only a few years old should have something to tell readers about them. There’s not one excerpt on your site, Ms. Metzger, even for your newest book just released.  Very, very frustrating!

Grade: C

All of London knows the story of the vanished Lady Charlotte Endicott and the handsome reward that will accompany her safe return. Scores of blond-haired, blue-eyed impostors have tried their luck at Jack Endicott’s casino claiming to be the girl, only to be turned away-but Queenie Dennis just might be the one. Fate takes a turn when she returns to London posing as a dressmaker fresh from France. Queenie quickly becomes the talk of the town, catching the eye of the handsome Lord Harkness. As her love for him grows, Queenie’s lies begin to catch up with her. Will Harkness call her bluff, or does love hold the winning hand?

No excerpt available.

Overall Grade: B