Sandy M’s review of Clay: Armed and Dangerous (Armed and Dangerous, Book 4) by Cheyenne McCray
Romantic Suspense published by St. Martin’s Griffin 12 Apr 11

Wow. Talk about one hot cowboy. And he carries a big gun. Goes after what he wants. Doesn’t let the heroine, Rylie, get away from him. Clay is my favorite of this series, by a long shot!

Clay is the local sheriff and has his hands full with an investigation into stolen trucks from area ranches. Enter rancher Rylie Thorn, who’s the latest victim of the thieves. She’s not going to stand for anyone ripping her off. Along with working with the sexy lawman, she’s going to be doing some investigating of her own. I can still see her creeping around that cabin where her suspicions have led her and currently where some bedroom shenanigans are going on, only to have Clay sneak up behind her. Things begin to sizzle between them in no time flat.

The impetuous and spunky Rylie also confronts the local car dealer who has underhanded dealings all over the place. Clay is rescuing her once again before things get out of hand. She believes the man is involved in the theft ring, but, of course, she has no way to prove it. Since he’s determined to have Rylie in his bed, Clay doesn’t want her to know just yet the evidence is pointing closer to home – her brother.

This is a quick, fun read. Yeah, a lot of it is pretty predictable, but you know what? With a hero like Clay, a man who takes charge, smolders, and makes love in that alpha, intense way, who cares! Rylie is feisty, but she also needs a harness to keep her in check now and again. She’s free spirited and not afraid to say what she thinks. Since she doesn’t believe in love and marriage, Clay takes on the added mission of convincing her otherwise. And his convincing causes some serious shivers and earth shattering. The sex scenes are smmmmokin’. There’s not many erotic books that work for me when there’s more sex than story, but if an author gives me characters who draw me in first, sex on every page might just work then, even with a mediocre storyline. If you’re not that kind of reader of erotic romance, though, this probably won’t work very well for you, even though I’m exaggerating on the sex frequency.

I’ve enjoyed this series a lot. I mean, sexy characters burning up the sheets amid danger, what’s not to like? Go with the way it’s all intended and you’ll have one hell of a good time.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Rancher Rylie Thorn loves everything about men, but she’s positively phobic about commitment. After growing up in a broken family and witnessing too many failed marriages, Rylie knows “forever” is just not in the cards for her.

Sheriff Clay Wayland has been called in to investigate a rash of crimes in the southeastern corner of Cochise County. But one night when he goes into the field to do some observation, he comes across a sensual woman who’s doing some investigating of her own. Rylie immediately sets his blood on fire and he knows he has to have her. And it isn’t long before Clay begins the job of taming this wildcat and making her his. . .for keeps.

No excerpt available.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Kade: Armed and Dangerous, (Armed and Dangerous, Book 3) by Cheyenne McCray
Romantic Suspense published by St. Martin’s Griffin 26 Oct 10

I normally don’t look at reviews of books I’m reviewing while I’m reading or writing my review. But when I was at Amazon gathering info to put this review together, something in a review there caught my eye and I ended up reading most of those posted there. I learned a couple of things by doing some additional research and I questioned another couple of things by the reviewers at Amazon.

A few of those reviewers were ticked at the fact that the books in McCray’s Armed and Dangerous series are rewrites of novels released by a previous small e-pub. T’hey lamented they wished they’d known before they’d pre-ordered the book because they liked the previous version better, along with a couple of other reasons, and, therefore, wouldn’t have wasted their money on this version. I went so far as to do something they failed to do: I took a trip to Ms. McCray’s web site. Lo and behold, right there in black and white and plain English it tells anyone who bothers to look how Kade and its predecessors and successors came about and will come about. No one but themselves to blame for not doing that research and then complaining about it.

Another issue that didn’t affect me as it did these other reviewers is about Trent, Kade’s 10-year-old son. I have to say first, I don’t have children. Maybe that’s why this part of the story didn’t stand out for me. Their gripe is the fact that Trent colors pictures and takes them out for dad and Kelsey to look at. He has a hard time pronouncing a few words and gets help from the grownups. I recently had a visit from my sister, brother-in-law, and my 10-year-old niece, and when she pulled out her latest colorings to show me, that rang a bell and I told them all about this issue. They didn’t see anything wrong with Trent doing these things in the story either. Maybe Trent just likes to color, maybe it’s a precursor to a budding art career. The kid lives in Texas, doesn’t know a thing about “San Francisco” or has never used or heard of “binoculars,” so why not have a tough time hearing and saying the words for the first time?

In other words, these two things worked just fine for me in reading this book. I guess I just don’t get why they would be issues considering everything else that went on in the story – the fact the characters are charming and interesting, the action is fast, the sex is intense, and it’s a fun story. With all of these assets and more on every page, it never crossed my mind Trent colored or couldn’t pronounce certain words. He’s a cute kid and added to the scenes he’s in. I bring this up only because two or three people said exactly the same thing. Sounds fishy to me and that’s why I want to address it all.

Kade is one of those heroes who is just perfect. Yeah, some women may not like that, but I do. Too-good-to-be-true-hero to die for, handsome, gentlemanly, a terrific father, loving son, romantic, sexy, great in bed, and a whole host of other wonderful qualities. Okay, yes, he makes a mistake or two, but that flaw only makes him more appealing. Kelsey is reeling from a recent divorce from a jerk of a husband, so she’s guarding her heart. Meeting a sexy cowboy on the plane to Texas does show her she still has some kind of feeling left inside.

The book is a bit predictable – something I can agree with some of those other reviewers on – and one is these two meeting on the plane and just happens to be headed to the same place where they’ll work on the same issue, though in very different capacities,  of immigrants stealing into Texas from Mexico. Another predictable spot is later in the book, after their relationship has progressed, Kade leaves for work with a promise from Kelsey she’ll get out of bed, dressed, and into town where she’ll be safe from smugglers while he chases those bad guys down. Of course, she falls asleep again, putting her behind schedule and into to the hands of the man Kade is hunting. I could see it coming and by that time I liked these characters too much to care.

But the backdrop of the immigration problem into the United States and how officers try to combat it is interesting. There is a twist on who the villain is. It’s nice to watch Kelsey give her trust again and to see Kade understand her confidence problem and do his best to aid her. And I like the relationship between Kade and his son, as well as how much and how quickly Kelsey takes to the boy.

The action is not as fast paced as Luke, the previous book, but it’s enough to keep things moving along. All in all, a good read, especially if you’re not familiar with the previous series this new one stems from.

Grade: B+

Summary:

After a bitter divorce, reporter Kelsey Nichols has erected a border around her heart too strong for any man to cross. She’s not ready for a relationship of any kind with any man. But when Kelsey meets Kade she can think of nothing but being in his powerful arms and in his bed.

Intelligence Agent Kade Owen is hot on the trail of a notorious smuggler when the sensual blonde reporter comes into his life. Once he gets a hold of Kelsey, nothing will stop Kade from winning her heart.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of Wicked Pleasure (Bound Hearts, Book 9) by Lora Leigh
Contemporary Erotic Romance released by St. Martin’s Griffin 13 May 08

I always have the time of my life when I’m reading a Lora Leigh book.  I keep saying I love alpha heroes and heroes can’t get any more alpha than the way Ms. Leigh writes them.  And the hero of this book, Cameron Falladay, is also as tortured as they come, trying to keep his secrets from those he loves so they won’t be hurt too or won’t look at him differently, love him differently, and then leave him to founder around on his own, lost to them and to himself.  As a bonus, I got two tortured men in this book, Cam has a twin brother.  Need I say I couldn’t put this book down until every last word was read?  You betcha.  I’m a Lora Leigh fangirl to the core.

Cam and his brother Chase have known Jaci since childhood.  Cole always protected her from the bullies around their small hometown, the men who wouldn’t leave the pretty little girl alone.  Even when she was a child, she loved Cam and that love grew just as Jaci did.  But the pivotal moment between them was when she was 13 and she finds Cam parked in the north forty of her father’s ranch downing whiskey to drown the pain she knows he’s feeling.  She begs him to wait for her, and it’s not until so many years later that they both realize how important that moment is.

Even though Cam goes into the Special Forces and is gone a lot, he still watches out for her when he’s home and Chase picks up the duty in between time.  It’s when Jaci is finally old enough that Cam gives in to his need and his desire, takes her home with him, but things aren’t to be when she finds out the rumors are true.  Cam and his brother share their women.  That’s not something she bargained for, and having her walk out leaving him in sexual torment is not what Cam bargained for.   Jaci is the only woman for him, so he waits.

Jaci also waits.  It’s seven years before they meet up again and now the woman in Jaci is ready for the sensual delights she left behind before.  She’s still hesitant about Chase being involved, but although her heart belongs to Cam, her body still hums with pleasure when both men love her for all they’re worth.  In between all this, Jaci is still trying to rebuild her reputation after a run-in with a government official and his wife.  The whole sordid affair took Jaci by surprise and all she wants is peace after five years of lies and defamation.

Cam has his secrets as well and no matter how she tries, she can’t get him to open up, viewing his secret different than her own when he accuses of her holding out on him.  And Jaci is right. Cam’s secrets have ruled his life, how he lives, how he reacts to people, even his brother.  It’s also the reason he can’t make love to her without sharing her with Chase.  His control is tenuous at best and he needs the buffer.  He realizes he needs to make changes to keep Jaci by his side — he’s not about to let her go again after finding her after so many years –  but his scars run too deep for the kind of changes Jaci needs.

Of course, besides all the alphaness on the pages in this book is the sex.  Mylordgoodnessgraciousohmyheavens!  I realize a lot of the loves scenes may be over the top for some folks, but I get lost in them.  They’re sexy, sensual, lusty, dominant, and possessive and if it weren’t for the story in between, I’d be skipping ahead just to get to the next one.  Cam is one of Ms. Leigh’s best heroes in the loving/control/possessive department.  Chase is not far behind.

And that brings me to the one disappointment I had in the book, but I’m hoping it might be taken care of in the next book, Only Pleasure, which I hope is Chase’s story.  A check of her website doesn’t give any info on the book right now, so I’m left with a lot of hoping.  But when Chase finally discovers Cam’s secret of what happened when they were teenagers, he, of course, blames himself because he didn’t protect his baby brother and his anger ignites big time because Cam didn’t trust him enough to share his agony with him, and they come to blows.  Which I realize is what men to do.  But after that I wanted a little more.  These men are brothers, and although the words are never said between them, you know they love each other, they’re the only family they have left.  I felt more emotion should have happened between them, especially after everything they’d been through and everything the reader had been through with them.  So with Chase we’re sort of left hanging and that’s why I’m hopeful Only Pleasure will feature him and his story next.

But that isn’t nearly enough to stifle the pleasure I got from this book.  I wish that I’ve read more in this series, only one other so far, “Surrender” in the Ties That Bind anthology with Jaid Black, the first book in the series, which was just an okay story for me.  I reviewed it here a few months ago.  There’s been just a few years between the books and it shows how Ms. Leigh has grown as a storyteller.  She’s become one of my all-time favorites and I anxiously anticipate every book of hers that comes along.

Grade: A

Summary:

Jaci Wright has been running from the Falladay twins, Chase and Cam, for seven years now. Fears of the desires they arouse in her, and the knowledge of the relationship they wanted with her, spurred her to run, to find a life that kept her traveling the globe and out of their reach.

But now life has come full circle. A new job has placed Jaci in the Sinclair mansion with Chase and Cam. And they’re tired of waiting. It’s hard enough to face accepting a relationship with two men rather than just one, but gossip and the tattered tales of juicy secrets fill the society she now moves within. Can Jaci face the world knowing she’s a lover to both men, or will her hesitancy and her fears destroy her chance of happiness forever?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Limecello’s review of Real Men Do It Better by Susan Donovan, Lora Leigh, Lori Wilde, and Carrie Alexander
Erotic romance anthology released 6 Feb 2007 by St. Martin’s Griffin.

They say that Real Men do it better… and they do, at least in this book.

His Body Electric by Carrie Alexander

I liked this novella because it was unique, yet at the same time… common. The hero, Gabe Tomzak is a human lightening rod. The heroine, Karen Jaffe is a divorcee who left New Jersey when her husband traded her in for a younger actress wannabe. She returns home to Iowa to the glamorous life of an amateur sculptor, and virtual service rep, answering 1-800 calls. The story runs on a short timeline, but the forced proximity causes the characters to open up, and their relationship is very believable. I enjoyed the give and take between Karen and Jaffe, as well as the comic relief provided by an overly conscientious ex-boyfriend.

Grade: B+

Bed and Breakfast by Susan Donovan

The old story of opposites attracting, yet Ms. Donovan makes it work. Kate Dreyfuss and Jorey Matheny couldn’t be more different – on the surface. Flash floods not only threaten Kate’s life when she makes the foolhardy decision to leave on foot, but also restrict them to the lodge. It was nice seeing Kate learn to relax and let go, and Jorey is a terrific character- the friend/boyfriend everyone wants. My only issue, is that at times the “new age stuff” got to be a bit much for me. I felt minor disbelief as to Jorey being so centered- but what got me most was all the super vegan food. There was also some minor drama to throw a kink into Kate and Jorey’s budding relationship, which I didn’t love, but can understand why it was added.

Grade: B-

For Maggie’s Sake by Lora Leigh

I tend to like Lora Leigh’s books, and I enjoyed this one more than some of her recent ones. My biggest beef with this novella is that it was too short. It could (or should) have been a chapter in another book. Maggie Samuels and Joe Merino have history, with no closure. When Maggie’s husband Grant dies, her delicate position causes Joe to step up and take charge. The emotions were well written, and the concerns Maggie and Joe have valid. Their interaction is believable, and entertaining. Of course, this was a very hot, with wild monkey sex.

Grade: B+

Siren’s Call by Lori Wilde

I liked this novella, but unfortunately Duncan Stewart and Annie Graves didn’t really draw me in. They were friends growing up, but a night of passion led to regrets, and a separation. They had a cute story, but I felt too much depended on their past. The reader is thrown into the present with all of Duncan and Annie’s baggage, and told to believe they can pick up essentially where they left off. Despite the fact that they haven’t interacted in years. Annie gives a token protest, but I wasn’t completely convinced. I felt that the book could have taken place a month after their split, not five years. Something else that bothered me was the excessive emphasis on Annie’s Harvard degree. I like snarking about Harvard as much as the next person, and ribbing Harvard friends – but I don’t need to read about it every few pages. Also, the education system is a hot button for me. Annie supposedly has a Harvard MBA, but she only went there for undergrad. Therefore, she might have a degree from Harvard Business School, but no Masters of Business Administration. Rawr.

Grade: C+

I happened upon this book, and had to read it because of Lora Leigh’s Tempting SEALs series. I wasn’t disappointed -  this is one of the best anthologies I’ve read in a while. I’d definitely recommend reading Real Men Do It Better, and plan on looking into the backlists of these authors.

Overall Grade: B+

     Summary:

     Every woman knows real men do it better, and these contemporary erotic romance writers prove why.

     Bed and Breakfast by Susan Donovan
     A stressed-out corporate dynamo finds a rustic lodge under renovation and the hunky owner, who had no idea she was coming. After a downpour strands her, he helps “center” her in ways she never imagined.

     For Maggie’s Sake by Lora Leigh
     Maggie’s ex-lover things she’s hiding information about the deaths of some Navy SEALs. But when a member of a notorious crime family captures and holds her hostage at gunpoint, he realizes he’s wrong, and only he can save her life.

     Siren’s Call by Lori Wilde
     Annie never forgot her first love or the day he pushed her away. But she’s back in town and he plans to win her over. What girl could resist a handsome Scotsman to guide her on a treasure hunt?

     His Body Electric by Carrie Alexander
     Strange events occur at Karen’s farmhouse after an aloof stranger seeks shelter from a violent lightening storm. Alone in the dark with him, Karen uses her skills as a phone-sex operator to seduce the mystery man, uncovering secrets and erotic pleasure.