Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Family Man by Trish Milburn
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin American 16 Mar 10

I had the pleasure of reading a previous Trish Milburn Harlequin American for a contest I judged this year, and I walked away from the story quite impressed.  Nice characters, nice romance, completely devoid of any silly misunderstandings, overblown drama and other nonsense.  I was determined to read another book by her, and her return to the fictional town of Horizon Bay, Florida has a lot of the same key ingredients I enjoyed in that contest read.

Detective Sara Greene is a heroine who knows what she wants.  A single mother to two adopted daughters, and a police detective, she doesn’t have time to waste on men who don’t fit the Potential Family Man bill.  Which means no matter how attracted she is to Adam Canfield, she’s staying far, far away.  The guy has a reputation for being a carefree beach bum and serial dater for a reason.  Heck, Sara has lost track of the bevy of beauties this guy has dated.  So no.  No way.  She’s determined to find Mr. Right - no matter how distracted she is by Mr. Right Now.

Adam Canfield wasn’t always a carefree slacker.  It’s a lifestyle he adopted to escape a past that still haunts him.  Oh sure, he’s noticed Sara Greene.  I mean, how could he not?  The woman is certainly delectable.  But attaching himself to her is out of the question.  For one thing, he’s so not comfortable with her job, and for another?  She’s a Mommy.  Talk about responsibilities!  So why can’t he stay away from her?  And keep his hands off of her?  And why is he constantly thinking about her when she’s not around?  Ugh!

I flat-out liked these people.  Sara comes off very much as an Every Woman.  She’s got a career, a house, and the kids to take care of.  The only thing she doesn’t have is a man.  But she’s not about to welcome just any man into her life.  She’s got responsibilities, children to think of.  Yes, it’s tempting to be selfish, but Sara isn’t going to go there.

Adam is a nice guy running away from a past he doesn’t want to confront.  His reasons for not loving Sara’s job are valid, but he blessedly doesn’t harp on it incessantly.  He does slip into pity-party mode on occasion, but when met with a challenge, he’s a hero in every sense of the word.  His choices might not always toe the line, but his heart is always in the right place, and deep down, behind the slacker image, he’s a good, solid man.

This is a pleasant, heart-warming story that plucked all the right romantic heart-strings.  The ending does venture into syrupy territory a smidge (right down to the conspiring kiddies and nosy neighbor), but it’s firmly corralled to the final chapters and it didn’t stop me from going all gooey.  It’s a lovely story, about lovely people.  More please.

Grade: B

Summary:

For Florida detective Sara Greene, who is busy raising a toddler and teenager alone, finding Mr. Perfect Forever seems an impossible dream. One thing she knows. He isn’t Adam Canfield. Charming, carefree and single, Adam couldn’t be further from the man she’s been looking for.

After losing the woman he loved, Adam opted for the solo life—no strings, no long-term commitments. Now one intriguing cop and single mother is making him question his choices.

The problem is that while Sara’s head is telling her Adam is completely unsuitable, her heart is urging her to give him a chance.

Maybe perfection is overrated….

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Innocent In the Harem by Michelle Willingham
Historical Romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 June 10

If you are a reader predisposed to disliking the captive trope, Michelle Willingham’s latest short story for the Harlequin Historical Undone line isn’t likely to change your mind. But for readers who can roll with the plot, given the right set of circumstances? The author avoids some of the more obvious pitfalls and delivers a quick, tasty read.

Prince Khadin has been summoned back to his father’s palace for what he fears will be bad news. Oh, namely his execution. He has troubles enough without getting wrapped up with some Bedouin princess turned slave girl, but that he does. After witnessing Laila’s failed escape attempt during a slave auction, he immediately purchases her, saving her from a far worse fate. Now all he has to do is convince her of that.

The obvious land mine to avoid with captive stories is “forced seduction,” which is (blessedly) not present here. Khadin gives Laila a choice. Admittedly, not much of one - but a choice nonetheless. I’ll admit that I like my characters to have free will, and it’s in pretty short supply here. That said, while Laila’s choices might not be all that grand, Khadin wants her willing, or not at all. And certainly while the power element to their relationship is a wee bit lop-sided, the author evens the playing field somewhat by having the hero fear for his own life. It’s not like everything is sunshine and roses for this guy either!

The author handles the setting well, using some real history as a nice backdrop, while tweaking things enough to deliver a highly readable short story. It’s sexy, quick and a snappy read - which is what I want out of the Undone line. Certainly the plot isn’t going to wind every reader’s watch, but for those hungry for harem stories, this one is worth a look.

Grade: B-

Summary:

Ottoman Empire, 1565

Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes the maiden back to the palace harem—to be brought to him at night….

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Tipping the Waitress with Diamonds by Nina Harrington
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Romance 11 May 2010

Having only recently discovered the Harlequin Romance line, I’ve happily been trolling through the monthly offerings, snagging any and all books featuring book cover blurbs that tickle my fancy. This latest from Harrington has a setting any foodie should adore, and I’m a complete sucker for a reunion theme. While this story certainly has plenty of charm, from a writing style standpoint, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

Sienna Rossi is on the verge of being promoted to head waiter at Greystone Manor when her boss drops the ultimate bombshell. Her ex, the same ex who took off without so much as a “it was fun while it latest,” is being hired as the new head chef. Sienna opts to take some time off and run back to her Aunt Maria’s place where she lick her wounds and regroup. Instead, when she arrives at her aunt’s dilapidated bistro, she’s greeted by her first crush, Brett Cameron.

Brett is on the verge of opening his first restaurant in posh Notting Hill, when Maria gives him a call. She had closed her restaurant while she took a holiday, but now her return has been delayed. Would Brett be a dear, reopen the place, and cover for her until her return? She needs the money, and Brett, owing Maria a huge debt of gratitude, agrees to help her out. And it’s at Maria’s tiny bistro where he runs into his former crush, Sienna Rossi.

What follows is Brett and Maria working together to reopen Maria’s restaurant. The place has fallen on hard time over the years, so Brett hits the kitchen, coming up with new recipes, and Sienna sets about putting the dining room in order. In between they take a walk down memory lane, back to when Brett was a teenage punk with few prospects, and Sienna was the princess of the close-knit Rossi restaurant family.

This is a charming, light story with an interesting backdrop and nice characters. Both of them are on the cusp of realizing their dreams (Brett, his own restaurant; Sienna, big promotion) when circumstances throw them together and have them reevaluating. Brett is charming, sexy and can cook. Sienna is nursing a broken heart from a bone-deep betrayal. It’s really a nice read.

The problem comes in with the writing style. For those of you who regularly read my reviews at TGTBTU and my personal blog, you’ll know that I’m hardly a stickler in the grammar and punctuation departments. However, when I start noticing a copious amounts of exclamation points? Yeah, it’s a problem. Seriously! What! Seemed! Like! Every! Other! Paragraph! I wanted to shake these two character senseless and tell them to stop screaming at each other!

But for readers who can overlook the stylistic embellishments? This is a quick and oftentimes lovely read. Just prepare yourself for all the screaming!

Grade: B-

Summary:

Take one hot chef…

The world’s finest chef, Brett Cameron, has a tough choice to make. Carry on with his new restaurant dream or answer a plea for help and return to where it all began….

Add a sweet, stressed waitress…

Sienna Rossi is out of her depth trying to rescue her aunt’s bistro. The dishwasher’s leaking, there’s sauce in her hair and the frying pan’s just caught fire! Through the smoky haze she sees a vision in shimmering chef’s whites: Brett, her teenage crush!

Did the temperature just rise a few degrees?

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Miss Winthrope’s Elopement by Christine Merrill
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 01 Mar 10

I like a well-done rake hero as much as the next girl.  The trick for authors is writing them convincingly (no fake-rakes please!) while still managing to make them redeemable enough so that the reader believes in the happily-ever-after.  While Christine Merrill definitely delivers in the rake hero department, for pretty much this entire story I was praying that the heroine would pick up her unfashionable skirts and run as fast, and far, as she possibly could.

Miss Penelope Winthrope is a printer’s daughter.  Her father’s business was wildly successful, so she has plenty of money to live comfortably, study to her heart’s content, and buy whatever books she so desires.  Unfortunately, with Daddy dead, her inheritance is run by her brother, who is making a muck of the family business.  Worse yet?  He’s putting demands on her lifestyle, syphoning off her funds, and just being an all-around ass.  Penelope figures the best way to get out of the situation is to marry a husband more tolerable than her brother.  The problem being that she’s hardly a great beauty, is a bit “odd,” and is firmly on the shelf.  Oh well.  She’s just going to have to scare up a suitable man somewhere along the way to Gretna Green.

Good fortune smiles upon her when Adam Felkirk literally throws himself in front of her carriage.  Drunk as a skunk, Adam has made a mess of the family finances and is ready to say goodbye to this cruel world when Penelope pulls him out of the mud.  Before you can say “marriage of convenience,” these two are hitched.  Penelope just wants privacy in order to continue her studies, and Adam needs her money to save his bacon.  The fly in the ointment?  Did I mention that Adam is the Duke of Bellston?

There’s really no way to sugarcoat this - Adam is an asshole.  A poor harvest season and bad investments aren’t a crime, but this guy had an affair with a married woman (I know, you’re thinking, so what?  What historical romance rake hasn’t?).  Naturally she’s a vile shrew of a woman who just happens to be…wait for it… married to his best friend.  Niiiiiice.  But he’s a Duke after all, so apparently cuckolding your BFF isn’t an unforgivable sin.  Everyone seems determined to forgive this guy while The Other Woman is painted with the traitorous whore brush.  Boys will be boys, women will be sluts.  Historically accurate?  Yes.  Any less annoying?  No.

Penny is a nice girl, even if her logic in the beginning chapters is severely flawed.  No, she doesn’t want her brother controlling her finances.  But what makes her think that a perfect stranger is going to be any better?  And what makes her think she’ll have any power whatsoever to have any sway with her new husband whatsoever?  However, once the reader gets past this, she’s a nice, intelligent, forthright girl.  A girl who adores books and scholarly endeavors.  I liked her and thought she deserved a lot better than the husband she ends up saddled with, but after all, that was partly her own doing!

Where this book sings (and salvages itself) is when the couple spends time together.  On the same page, away from the problematic conflict and secondary characters.  These scenes sing off the page, sizzle with sexual tension, and are a joy to read since both characters display a fair amount of intellect.  However a hero who dips his pen in his best friend’s ink well?  Yeah, that’s just wrong, and a major stumbling block in this story.  The author certainly provides a nice grovel at the end , but it’s especially dissatisfying that he’s hardly punished at all.  Has the leopard changes his spots?  Probably.  I mean, he genuinely seems to love Penny.  I’m just not convinced he deserves her love.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Dashing Duke, Bluestocking Bride!

Shy heiress Miss Penelope Winthorpe was only trying to escape her bullying brother. She didn’t mean to wed a noble lord over a blacksmith’s anvil! Adam Felkirk, Duke of Bellston, had no intention of taking a wife. But then Penelope’s plight moved him.

Now the notorious rake has a new aim – to shock and seduce his prim and proper bride. But the gorgeous Duke will be taught a lesson of his own as scholarly Miss Winthorpe becomes his seductive duchess!

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Island Fantasy by Kayla Perrin
Contemporary romance released by Kimani Romance 01 Feb 10

Kayla Perrin has dipped her toes in a variety of writing ponds over the years - delivering everything from erotica to suspense.  Island Fantasy, her first straight-up romance novel in a number of years will undoubtedly please her fans.  With the author’s knack for writing steam, and an intriguing premise, I settled in for what I hoped would be a quick, sexy read.  I’m sad to report that it was a bit of a mixed affair.

On the eve of her wedding, literally, Shayna Kenyon spies her husband-to-be, the man who professes his undying love for her, in the arms of another woman.  Needless to say, she’s devastated.  She calls off the wedding, but decides that scraping her honeymoon trip would be a silly thing to do.  And while a romantic, off-the-hook resort in tropical Jamaica has her family worried that she’s spend the entire trip wallowing in grief, Shayna is looking at the trip as a chance to recharge, lick her wounds, and catch up on her reading.  She did not expect, nor did she go looking for, Donovan Deval.

Donovan is in Jamaica to attend a family wedding when he lays eyes on Shayna, and the man gets hooked.  Shayna is sexy as sin, as sweet as an angel, and she’s the first woman he’s found himself intrigued by in the past two years.  His family had been after him to start dating again, and it’s not like he wasn’t ready, he just hadn’t found a woman who really captivated him.

What I really loved about Shayna was that she’s a woman who won’t take any bull.  Where some women might have justified their fiance’s bad behavior as “pre-wedding jitters” - Shayna knows that a man who would be unfaithful on the eve of his wedding is no man at all.  I admired her gumption, her strength, and her sass.

Donovan is an equally appealing character, a genuine Mr. Nice Guy with a smokin’ hot body, killer personality, and a heart of gold.  He’s loved and lost, having put himself on the shelf for two years, not really ready to “get back out there.”  But meeting Shayna changes that for him.  Because while his family thought that he was still grieving, it was more a matter of him not wanting to mess around with women who didn’t ignite that spark of attraction immediately - and Shayna does.

While I admired the heroine for taking her honeymoon trip to Jamaica sans groom, it unfortunately sucks all the conflict out of the story.  The kiss of death in category romance is a book that lags, and this one does.  Badly.  While I appreciated the adult characters, because the internal angst was never painted with a heavy brush, and because there wasn’t really any external conflict to speak of, this book is a slog for the first two-thirds.  However, for readers who stick with it?  You’ll be rewarded.  The final third of the book is where the meat and potatoes are.  After a whirlwind affair in Jamaica, it’s time to go home.  Back to the real world.  That’s when Shayna and Donovan have to come to terms with what they have together.  Can you really fall in love with someone in a week?  Especially where Shayna is concerned!  Was her affair with Donovan nothing more than a rebound?  A way to boost her ego after her fiance’s betrayal?

It’s these tough questions, and how the characters deal with them, during the final chapters that salvage this story for me.  Because while it was pleasant, and I liked these people, the conflict lacked serious juice for the majority of the story.  That said, by the end I was riveted, and Perrin continues to write sizzle like nobody’s business.  It wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t a total wasted experience either.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Shayna Kenyon knows heartbreak. After she catches her fiancé cheating on her the night of their wedding, a reality break in Jamaica is just the pick-me-up this romance author needs. Especially when Shayna arrives at the exclusive resort…and notices the seriously sexy brother checking her out.

In the Caribbean for a wedding, Donovan Deval isn’t thinking about making a love connection. But it’s time to move on with his life—and that means pursuing Shayna, the exotic beauty who’s making his libido leap off the charts! Shayna wants to take it slow, but Donovan’s ready to turn up the heat. As passion ignites, he vows to turn their sizzling island paradise into the real thing.

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Night Moves by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 08 Jun 2010

People who knock category romance tend to focus an awful lot on the word counts.  Stories apparently can’t be any good if they have small word counts, and the evil masterminds at Harlequin institute those word counts with the sole purpose of hamstringing authors ::eye roll::.  To which I say horse hooey.  Instead of fighting the word count, and looking at it as an excuse, the focus should be on authors who can deliver the goods while adhering to the format.  Authors who embrace it.  Oh, like say, HelenKay Dimon, whose second title for Harlequin Intrigue reads like it sprang from the pen of a seasoned category romance pro.

Dr. Maura Lindsey has always been a bit of a brainiac freak.  By her mid-teens she was in college, and now she’s conducting research with one of her personal idols.  However when the lab where she works literally blows up, and she sees her boss getting hustled into a dark SUV by two hired goons, she knows she’s in serious trouble.  Someone just tried to kill her!  And to top it off, it appears her boss was fudging around with their research findings.  She’s smart enough to know she needs help, which means turning to the one man she has a complicated, and embarrassing, past with.

Liam Anderson is a former undercover cop who left the force in disgrace and opened up his own private security firm.  He’s just spent time consoling his BFF, Dan Lindsey, who has gotten word that his baby sister, Maura, is dead.  After their shared embarrassing moment, Maura and Liam had done their best to avoid each other.  He had his life, and she buried herself in her career.  But that doesn’t mean Liam is unaffected by her “death.”  Then he arrives home to find the dead woman very much undead and lurking around his back yard.  Someone tried to kill her, she’s being set up to take the fall for the lab explosion, and hired goons are now after her.  Liam has no choice.  He can’t very well turn her out.  Nope, they’re going to work together to get the bottom of the whole sordid mess.

Night Moves is the kind of book that once you start it, you don’t put it down.  The action starts in the first chapter and keeps up a relentless pace until the finish line.  The author embraces the short format and essentially delivers a non-stop, fast-paced thriller, with no down time, no filler chapters, like an action movie using the written word instead of film.  The author also doesn’t make the mistake of keeping too much of her suspense thread under wraps.  She lays out enough bread crumbs to snag the reader, so that we sort of know what is going on, but we don’t have all the pieces in hand.  She holds just enough back to keep us flipping through the pages, keeping up with the frantic pace to the finish line.

The romance here isn’t quite as splashy as the suspense and action sequences, but it still works.  Intrigues are really tricky to write because the authors need to deliver on two fronts (suspense and romance).  A lot of times, it’s more believable when the characters already have a shared past and aren’t meeting each other “cold” in Chapter One.  That’s what Dimon does here.  Liam and Maura already know each other, so it allows the reader to jump right into their romance without missing a beat.  I also greatly appreciated that we get two intelligent characters who, because of their shared past and their respective brains, are quite good at reading each other and the dangerous situations they find themselves in.  No silly misunderstandings.  No too-stupid-to-live moments.  Just two characters working together and hashing out the suspense thread.

This is a good, strong, solid romantic suspense story that delivers a compelling cat-and-mouse style plot, two smart characters, and enough action sequences to keep the pages turning easily.  It was particularly inspired by all parties involved for this book to be released during the summer time.  It’s a worthy addition to any beach bag.

Grade: B

Summary:

Noticing suspicious activity at her lab, Maura Lindsey used her smarts to dig into the actions of her boss. But when an explosion rocked their offices, the brainy beauty realized she was in over her head. Luckily, she knew just the man—a handsome, tough and extremely qualified man—who could help. All she had to do was convince him to take the case.

Former undercover police officer Liam Anderson never had much time for his best friend’s baby sister, but when Maura showed up at his door claiming to be in trouble, he couldn’t just turn her away. And he couldn’t ignore the intriguing woman she had become. Liam intended to make sure that she stayed out of the line of fire…and stayed safe in his bed.

Read an excerpt.

So I get an e-mail from Sybil this morning with the loaded one line, “Can you do me a favor?” Oy!  Talk about a loaded question!  So I dipped my toe in the water (“Uh, suuuurrrreeeee….”) and found it was nothing more than posting a contest.  And frankly, who better to ask about posting this contest other than the resident Harlequin Historical Undone ho here at The Pond?

Up for grabs?  A coupon code to download a free copy of Michelle Willingham’s latest short story, Innocent In The Harem, from Harlequin Historical Undone.  Here’s the blurb:

Ottoman Empire, 1565

Prince Khadin knows his days are numbered. His death could come at any moment, but even he cannot help but be distracted by the Bedouin princess he sees making a daring bid for freedom from the slave market. Even in captivity, her courage and purity attract Khadin to her as much as her beauty. Unable to resist the temptation, he takes the maiden back to the palace harem—to be brought to him at night….

Ooooh, the Ottoman Empire!  A Prince!  A Princess!  And looking at that description, there are sure to be oodles of sexy shenanigans.

We have to turn this contest around rather quickly, so for a chance to win the free download leave a comment on this blog post and tell me - what setting would you like to see more of in historical romances? A winner will be drawn on Friday, June 25.

See, I told you this would be a quickie….

ETA: This contest is now over, and the winner has been notified.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Erotique: Alex (Erotique #3) by Susan Lyons
Erotic romance short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 01 March 2010

I know they can be frustrating for a lot of readers, but I love short stories.  Sometimes all I want is a tasty morsel, a quick read to occupy me on my lunch break, and if it’s spicy?  All the better.  This third story in Susan Lyons’ Erotique series for Spice Briefs certainly provides the sizzle, although this morsel wasn’t an entirely satisfying experience.

Alex Blake is an erotic romance writer who has discovered that inspiration has left the building.  She’s completely tapped out.  The words aren’t coming, and her work-in-progress isn’t all that sexy.  Her readers expect sexy.  She suspects it might have something to do with the fact that she’s been celibate for going on a year.  No sexy in Alex’s real life apparently means no sexy in her fiction either.  That’s when she spies the invitation she received from the exclusive sex club, Erotique.  Alex figures, what the heck?  So she fires off an e-mail detailing her fantasy, and who should she find once she arrives on the premises?  None other than unrequited former crush, Lincoln Wolf.  Oooh la la!

One thing I enjoy about the Spice Briefs line is that there really is something for every erotica and erotic romance reader.  This series by Lyons, while certainly hot, are what I consider stories for erotic romance newbies.  Or those readers who like spice, but don’t want to wade through a ton of kink.  Like the previous installments, the author sticks with a monogamous relationship (no multiple partners) and delivers a happy ending.

However, I did have a few quibbles with this particular story that keep me from recommending it enthusiastically.  For one thing, the back-story of how Alex and Lincoln met may squirk out some readers.  Alex was a student teacher (at 22) and Lincoln was a student (at 19).  Certainly, that is not a major age difference, and they did not have a sexual relationship with each other during this time period, but yes, it did give me pause.  Also, I had an issue with how safe sex was handled in this story, especially given that Alex and Lincoln haven’t seen each other in 10 years.  There is trusting and then there is stupid.

On the surface though, this story had it’s moments and it definitely fits a niche within the erotic romance reading community.  If you’re looking for hot, but aren’t ready to completely cross over to the dark side?  Maybe this series is what you’ve been looking for.

Grade: C

You can read reviews for the other stories in this series by following the series tag.

Summary:

The best inspiration for Alex Blake’s erotic novels used to be her forbidden—and unfulfilled—lust for Lincoln Wolf. But years later Lincoln, and her muse, are long gone. To rekindle her imagination, Alex takes up an invitation to visit Erotique, a private sex club that guarantees anonymity…and a chance to act out one of Alex’s most ravishing desires. While Alex expects one fantasy, Erotique has another surprise for her: satisfying her ultimate fantasy of a night of passion with Lincoln himself….

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Oh-So-Sensible Secretary by Jessica Hart
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Romance 16 Mar 2010

Sometimes all I want is a nice, traditional romance.  No acrobatic monkey sex.  No serial killers stalking the heroine.  No shape-shifting vampire fairy wood nymphs for heroes.  Just boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, boy and girl live happily-ever-after.  You’d think I would have caught a clue and started picking up the Harlequin Romance line before now.  But I didn’t, and that’s where Jessica Hart has been all this time.  Seriously, I could kick myself in the teeth.

Summer Curtis is an executive personal assistant and works for an upscale department store in the London.  She’s Type A, wound a little tight, and is one of those types that lives by the motto “A place for everything and everything in it’s place.”  She’s smart, she’s practical, and extremely good at her job.  She was working at the bottom of the totem pole in the CEO’s office when she gets the opportunity to work for the CEO’s younger brother, Phin Gibson.  Phin is a minor celebrity, having hosted a Survivor-like reality TV show, and has a bit of a reputation as a playboy adventurer.  Summer cannot imagine he’s cut out for a desk job, and she figures he’ll be a trial to work for, but the job comes with a nicer salary, and she’s looking to buy her own flat - which don’t come cheap in the London real estate market.

Naturally it all heads south rather quickly.  Phin is carefree, free-spirited, and not your typical executive office-drone.  Summer is the kind of person who cannot abide clutter, lives and dies with an appointment book in her hand, and is very buttoned-up.  As the reader we know that these two opposites are perfect for each other.  Phin teaches Summer to let loose every now and again, and Summer teaches him that structure and organization aren’t four-letter words.

By my count I’m one of five romance readers who adore first-person narration.  If there’s anything that’s going to hold readers back from trying this story, that would be it - as it’s told entirely from Summer’s point of view.  Here’s the important thing though: there’s a world of difference between excellent first person, and terrible first person.  Hart writes the former.  I never, for one moment, missed Phin’s point of view because the author does such a good job telling me the story from Summer’s perspective and in turn, her character does a good job of showing me Phin through her eyes.  It’s quite lovely, and the author does a bang-up job.

What I truly loved was the Phin and Summer talk to each other.  There are no silly misunderstandings, no big secrets, no nonsense mucking up the works.  The conflict is largely provided by the fact that they are so different in personality, and in a past relationship disaster that Summer is still licking her wounds from.  I also loved that by the end of the story, Summer realizes some things about herself, and that her falling in love with Phin doesn’t magically fix all of her issues.  She grows as a person, has new adventures, and falls in love, all over the course of this slim little book.  Seriously, does it get any better than that?

I loved this story.  I loved it so much I want to marry it, have babies with it, and toss all my other books out the window so I can reread again without feeling TBR Guilt.  I firmly believe that category romance, done right, is one of the most joyous reading experiences a romance reader can have.  That’s what I felt when I finished this story.  Pure, unadulterated joy.  It’s simply, breathtakingly wonderful.

Grade: A

Summary:

You know when you meet the most gorgeous guy and get butterflies in your stomach? Well, that’s what it felt like the first time I, Summer Curtis, laid eyes on my movie-star-gorgeous boss Phin Gibson. I was starstruck!

I’ve got to get a grip! Phin might be delicious, but he’s always late, totally disorganized—my complete opposite! But somehow he’s making me, the oh-so-sensible Summer, want to let down my perfectly pinned-up hair!

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Captain’s Wicked Wager by Marguerite Kaye
Historical romance ebook short story released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Nov 2009

What makes a story work, or not work, for a reader, often comes down to a simple matter of timing.  This short story by Marguerite Kaye has been languishing on my Sony Reader for months now.  Life got busy, other obligations came forward, and it kept getting pushed aside.  If I had any inkling that it was set during the Georgian period, I have no doubt I wouldn’t have neglected it for so long!  It’s been ages since I’ve read a romance set during this time period, and this sexy short story hit the spot.

Isabella “Belle” Mansfield needs money, and needs it fast.  So she powders her hair, dons the nicest gown she can find, musters up some courage, and is letting it all ride at one of London’s most notorious gambling establishments.  However, the sheer size of her bets are giving the matron some pause.  She doesn’t have time to nickle-and-dime her way through the evening.  She needs to win bets, large bets, and fast.

Captain Ewan Dalgleish spies the breathtaking Isabella, is immediately intrigued, and tells the house that he is willing to cover her bets.  When her luck runs out, Ewan proposes another wager.  He’ll let her keep her money, and in exchange she must spend the next three nights with him, each evening resting on a roll of the dice.  Whomever wins the roll, will get to decide just how their evening will be spent.

This is a fairly conventional set-up, featuring the well-worn trope of the desperate heroine who enters into a wager with the hero, because honestly, she has very limited options.  It’s a plot that sings here because the author excels by writing anticipation.  The desire, and lust, that both characters feel for each other practically leaps off the page, and while this is a short story, I never felt like any of their encounters were rushed or rushed into it.  It was sexy and tantalizing!

What doesn’t work so well is the time frame.  The Harlequin Historical Undone line adheres the traditional romantic happily-ever-after, and for readers to buy into the one in this story, they need to be able to roll with the time table.  Hero and heroine do not know each other previous to meeting in the first couple of pages.  They spend two days, and three nights together, before declaring that they’re perfect for each other, want to spend their lives together, and admit their undying love.  Certainly, some readers are going to be able to roll with this, and some just flat-out aren’t.  I’m definitely not a love-at-first-sight kind of girl, but given the sizzle of the sexual encounters, and the anticipation factor that the author writes so well into the story?  It worked for me here.  It wasn’t perfect mind you, but I’m not left with the sinking filling that this relationship is on a slow boat to doom either.

This was a sexy, sizzling read, set against the exciting backdrop of Georgian London, post American Revolution.  Kaye appears to be a relatively new face in the Mills & Boon/Harlequin universe, and if this short story is any indication, I can’t wait to see what she can do with a full-length story.

Grade: B

Summary:

Captain Ewan Dalgleish was as famous for breaking society’s rules as for his daring exploits on the battlefield. Yet nothing could truly satisfy his need for excitement…until he laid eyes on beautiful Isabella Mansfield at the gaming saloon, staking her future on a turn of the cards. Her enticing combination of sensuality and haughtiness intrigued him as much as his notorious reputation interested her. So when Belle loses the money she so obviously needs, Ewan can’t resist making a scandalous wager: that in return for her money, she must spend three nights with him, each starting with the roll of the dice…and ending however the winner chooses…

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Under The Gun by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense released by Harlequin Intrigue 16 March 2010

Contrary to the popular opinion that they are paint-by-numbers and the authors can churn out a book in an afternoon, category romance is anything but easy to write.  I understand this, appreciate it, and it’s probably the reason why I don’t naturally gravitate towards Harlequin’s romantic suspense lines.  A Harlequin Romance just has to sell me on the romance.  A Harlequin Intrigue has to sell me on both romance and suspense.  All in a word count that’s about the size of a postage stamp.  Not an easy task, but one that HelenKay Dimon largely delivers in her first ever category novel.

Claire Samson is well and truly screwed, and not in a good way.  Accused of murdering her soon-to-be ex-husband, Claire does the one thing she shouldn’t have - she runs.  Completely alone, scared out of her mind, she turns to the one man she knows can help her.  The problem is, she’s not entirely sure he’ll be happy to see her, let alone believe a single word she has to say.

Luke Hathaway is a “recovery agent” working a case when he spies Claire on the security cameras.  He simply cannot believe it.  At one point they were deeply in love, and engaged to be married.  Then, out of the blue, she dumps his sorry butt and runs into the arms of the man she’s now accused of killing.  Luke is smart enough to realize that Claire is waltzing into his line of fire for one reason - she wants him to see her.  The question is, why?  Of course when people start shooting at them, it becomes pretty apparent, rather quickly, that there might be a bit more to the story of Claire’s dead husband.

This is only the second book I’ve read by Dimon and I’m already starting to notice a pattern - she writes really good heroes.  The kind of guys who act like “heroes.”  Good, strong men who don’t back down from a fight.  Luke fits that mold perfectly, and I loved the fact that he has a brain and uses it.  He doesn’t want to trust Claire, and has every reason not to.  However, when confronted with evidence against her that just doesn’t fit, and frankly isn’t all that logical, he admits it.  He doesn’t commit that all-too-common “hero” sin of thinking the heroine is a traitorous slut when she so obviously is not.

The author employs a cat-and-mouse-style plot that works exceedingly well within the confines of the Intrigue line.  Most of the cards are out on the table within the first couple of chapters, so the reader “knows” what’s going on.  Well, all of it except for the motive.  It’s that question of motive that keeps the pages turning, and leads to an action-packed read.

However, other aspects of this story did run on the thin side.  Namely, Luke’s top-secret job.  He’s described as a “recovery agent” - but isn’t with the police or FBI.  He’s also not CIA, Secret Service or Department of Justice.  I guess he’s like a private investigator or someone who works for a private security firm - but it’s all cloak and dagger, and quite….well, thin.  Plus, I’m not sure what exactly qualified him for this type of work.  He’s not ex-military.  He’s not ex-government.  He’s not an ex-cop.  Frankly, he could have been a bagger at the local grocery store.  It’s probably my mystery/suspense reading background talking here - but I needed more than just Hot Badass Guy With Supah-Secret Shadow-y Organization.

Then there’s the heroine, who is not the easiest chick to warm up to.  Her reasons for dumping Luke all those years ago are weak, but not totally incomprehensible.  What doesn’t make any sense is that she broke up with Luke because there were too many question marks surrounding him, and then she rushes into a marriage with the next guy who crosses her path?  A guy she didn’t really love?  A guy she doesn’t really “know?”  So question marks were good enough for the guy she didn’t love, but not good enough for the guy she did love?  I didn’t buy it.

Quibbles aside, I was entertained by this quick, page-turning read, that featured a believable good guy hero and an action-packed plot.  There’s also two hunky Alpha dog coworkers standing in the wings for future books.  I also ended up believing in this romance.  Oh sure, I had problems with Clare, but Luke carries the day, and by the end these two recognize that they do truly love each other.  Better yet?  They also recognize their history of communication problems.  Wow.  These two crazy kids just might make a go of it.

Grade: B-

Summary:

A good agent never lets the job become personal…

Who wanted her dead? That’s what Claire Samson wanted to know. On the run and alone, there was only one man she trusted to find her. Recovery agent Luke Hathaway was the best at locating and saving, and she needed the best if she wanted to live. But the handsome agent who promised salvation had some conditions of his own. If he were to help, she needed to stick close by his side. Very close. And the only thing more dangerous than her current situation was the way Luke made her feel. From the protective look in his green eyes, she could tell he felt the same. But every second that brought them closer together was also ticking toward an explosive confrontation that might tear them apart….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Coming June 8, 2010

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Wedding Night With The Ranger by Lauri Robinson
Historical western romance short story ebook  released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Feb 2010

I’ve been known to whine about the fact that the historical western sub genre is flourishing in the Christian/Inspirational market, while in secular corners it’s still an endangered species.  What was it that struck me most about Lauri Robinson’s short story, the first western to be published by Harlequin Historical Undone?  How “un-inspirational” it was.  I mean, hello?  A man of the cloth is the villain!

Former Texas Ranger, now rancher, Colt Severson, has just gotten himself married to Annalee Sapp, a young lady he’s been half in love with for the past three years.  He never came calling because of the belief that he’s not “good enough” for the likes of her.  Her entire life seems to be wrapped up in helping the local townspeople, along with the pious reverend.  Then, thanks to her scheming Daddy, Colt gets his fondest wish granted.  He and Annalee marry, and wanting to give her some time to adjust to the idea, he heads off to the local saloon for a drink.  He was prepared for her not being all that happy with this turn of events, but he sure as heck didn’t think she’d barge into the saloon brandishing a shotgun!

Annalee has been desperately in love with Colt for the past three years.  However, she is trapped.  Trapped under the thumb of the pious reverend, and trapped in the knowledge that she doesn’t have a chance in Hell of catching the eye of Dodge City’s most eligible bachelor.  Now her Daddy has interfered and Colt is forced to marry her!  Yes, it’s what she’s always wanted, but she is sick with the knowledge that Colt only married her because he “had to.”

What follows is a classic Big Misunderstanding.  Both Annalee and Colt are crazy for each other, but both of them think they forced the other one into marriage.  This part of the conflict is actually wrapped up fairly quickly, and it’s nice that this was a short story, because this aspect isn’t dragged out ad nauseam.

On the other hand, the short story format gives the rest of this tale a half-finished feel.  Annalee’s father actually plays a healthy role in this story - entirely off-page.  We never meet the man!  Then there is the local reverend, who serves as the villain.  He has an obligatory appearance, but he’s all bark, with no bite.  It gives credence to this reader’s theory that this may have started out as a longer novella, and was chopped down to fit the word count of the Undone line.

I was most surprised by the tone of the story, which gives us a reverend villain, and a heroine who is desperate to escape the dull existence of endless charity work.  A heroine who hates charity work!  Granted, this makes her seem a tinch selfish, but dang, it was kind of refreshing to read about a romance heroine who wants her own life, and not be at the constant beck-and-call of others.

This is a quick, decent read, that kept me entertained on my lunch break.  The prose definitely tends to run purple during the love scenes, and while the short format hindered the role of the heroine’s father and villain, there was enough here to keep me turning the pages.  It didn’t light my world on fire, but there was enough memorable here for me to consider reading more Lauri Robinson in the future.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Dodge City, Kansas. 1880.

Texas Ranger-turned-rancher Colt Severson received plenty of advice on how to handle his wife on their wedding night—but not on what to do if she pointed a shotgun at him!

For Annalee Sapp, becoming Colt’s bride was both a nightmare and a dream come true. The handsome rancher was the perfect husband, if only he hadn’t been tricked into marrying her! He’d be stunned to learn of all the scandalous thoughts she had about him….. But once their wedding night arrives, it’s only a matter of time before their passion explodes…and the truth about their impulsive marriage is revealed!

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Notorious Eliza by Barbara Monajem
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Jan 2010

Thanks to Georgette Heyer, the Regency time period has been romanticized to within an inch of it’s life.  This is great fun for readers who enjoy that sort of thing - proper young ladies, rakes reformed by true love, endless balls, galas and trips to Almack’s.  Then there are readers like me who get worn out from all the shiny, and go turning over rocks looking for the seedy underbelly.  Barbara Monajem ‘s debut short story for Harlequin Historical Undone can’t really be classified as “gritty” - but it’s so breathtakingly refreshing that I can even overlook the fact that the heroine commits one of my hot button pet peeves.

Eliza Daughtry has a notorious reputation.  Before her husband died, they delighted in flaunting convention, thumbing their noses at society, and doing as they pleased.  It’s all come back to haunt her now though.  Her husband’s death left their finances in chaos, and she’s been earning a living painting nude portraits of other men’s mistresses.  Since “good girls” shouldn’t know what nude bodies look like (even their own), and she very comfortably paints pictures of whores, well that means she must be one.  But our girl really has no other option.  She’s an extremely gift painter, the job pays exceedingly well, and she’s a single mother to a young son.

Patrick Felham is a rake, who married a woman whose reputation was just as wild as his own.  When she dies in an accident, that makes him a single father to their young daughter.  The girl needs a mother, so Patrick has been making the rounds looking for a suitable, proper, gentle born wife.  Unfortunately, none are forthcoming.  Not because of his reputation, but because all these “acceptable” beauties end up showing their true colors before he pops the question.  Then he gets word that his uncle has hired Eliza to paint over some scandalous portraits.  Patrick was great friends with Eliza’s late husband, and even rescued a nude self-portrait of Eliza from an auction house.  Now the delectable woman is right under his nose, at his uncle’s estate.  What to do, what to do?

Take everything you know about Regency historicals in Romance Novel Land, and throw it out the window right now.  Patrick adored his scandalous wife, and the rumors surrounding her death have hurt him deeply.  Eliza actually ::gasp:: loved her late husband, and ::double gasp:: enjoyed having sex with him, and ::triple gasp, dead faint:: misses having sex!  She’s also fed up with painting nudes, and more than past fed up of thwarting the advances of the men who hire her.  Patrick is the first man to cross her path in five long years that kicks her libido into overdrive, but she’s well aware of how the world works, and knows full well a brief affair is all it can ever be.  Or can it?

Where this story stumbles is after the first sexual encounter, and Eliza’s reaction to it.  For someone so smart, her reaction to the lack of “prevention” (yeah, let’s call it that) was insipid, insulting and out of character.  Frankly, she starts out incredibly refreshing and that one scene has her reverting back to common clap-trap found in countless romance novels I’ve thrown against walls over the years.

That huge, massive misstep aside, I really did enjoy this story.  If ever a romantic couple were made for each other, it’s Eliza and Patrick.  It was also nice to read a Regency-set tale that was the flip-side to the stories we mostly tend to see in the genre.  It was naughty, sexy, and while not perfect, was a very good show indeed.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Eliza Dauntry was infamous. Most people assumed she was a wanton because she supported herself and her son by painting portraits of courtesans. Yet Eliza hadn’t been tempted by a man since her husband’s death…until she met Patrick Felham. An old friend of her husband and a one-time rake, Patrick awakened a yearning in Eliza that demanded to be satisfied at once….

Patrick was looking for an upright woman to become his wife and stepmother to his daughter, not a siren like Eliza Dauntry! But Eliza had aroused his desire ever since he saved her scandalous self-portrait from the auction house. The chance of an affair with the alluring widow was irresistible, but this notorious woman could also turn out to be his perfect bride…

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of  What the Librarian Did by Karina Bliss
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin SuperRomance 16 Mar 10

Being one myself, I’m naturally drawn to romance novels that feature librarian heroines.  Over the years I’ve read some very good ones, and some others that have left permanent psychological scars.  Karina Bliss’s latest for Harlequin SuperRomance is, blessedly, one of the good ones.  Although at times, I felt the heroine’s “issues” overshadowed the romantic storyline.

Devin Freedman has spent the last 17 years being the bass player for the extremely successful hard rock band, Rage.  However a life of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll have literally taken their toll.  When his doctors give him the unvarnished truth of what his alcohol addiction has done to his body, Devin cleans up and heads to his mother’s home in New Zealand.  Mom has had heart problems, and Devin is finally ready to take control of his life.  To that end, he decides to enroll in college.

It’s there that he meets academic librarian Rachel Robinson who has no idea who the heck he is.  That’s honestly about the only endearing thing he can say about her, since the woman seems hell-bent on challenging him with verbal sparring matches at every turn.

Rachel has led a fairly solitary life, and has just turned down a marriage proposal from a man who by all accounts has “good catch” written all over him.  She’s almost 35, does want a husband and children some day, so why does she keep turning men away?  She’s 35.  Her ovaries ain’t gettin’ any younger.  However, it’s rather complicated.  Rachel has a past that she’s been hiding from for 17 years.  A past that conveniently shows up just as Devin walks through the library front door.

I’m a bit of a sucker for opposites attract storylines, and rock star and librarian are just about as opposite as you can get.  Devin’s love of music eventually became overshadowed by his addiction, and the state of his personal health has given him a wake-up call.  There’s also the small matter that his older brother, the lead singer of the band, is possibly screwing him over financially.  He has a lot to sort out, but cannot help but become distracted by Rachel, who is intelligent, quick-witted, and not impressed by his fame.

The bulk of the conflict centers around Rachel’s past, and a choice she made 17 years ago that she’s now confronted with.  It’s pretty heavy stuff, and an issue I think the author handles well.  That said, it’s heavy enough conflict that I felt, at times, the romance loses some footing.  Especially since Devin and Rachel are extremely fond of jumping to conclusions about each other.  These two are determined to assume the worst about each other, and several misunderstanding crop up over the course of the story.  After a while, it gets a bit exhausting and a little old that these two just don’t confront each other, laying all their cards out on the table.

That being said, this was still a very strong, emotionally charged contemporary read.  Rachel isn’t my favorite librarian romance heroine ever, but she easily lands in the Top 5 and Devin’s bad boy charm makes him the perfect foil.  Karina Bliss is a new discovery for me in the SuperRomance line, and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Grade: B

Summary:

Is Rachel Robinson the only one on campus who doesn’t know who Devin Freedman is? No big deal except that the bad-boy rock star gets a kick out of Rachel’s refusal to worship at his feet. And that seems to have provoked his undivided attention. Devin, the guy who gave new meaning to the phrase “sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.” Devin, the guy who somehow becomes wedged between her and the past she’s kept hidden for years.

It’s up to this librarian to find out firsthand just how “bad” he really is. Because her secret—and her growing feelings for a man who claims he’s bent on redemption—depend on his turning out to be as good as he seems. Which is really, really good.

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of An Accidental Seduction by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 01 Jan 2010

I’ve often said that the short story Harlequin Historical Undone line is like a gateway drug.  I read them because they’re quick, sexy reads, and often times I find myself getting sucked into a series or trying full-length novels by new-to-me authors.  This latest from Michelle Willingham is a prequel to her February Harlequin Historical release, An Accidental Countess, and introduces us to the romantic couple.

Emily Barrow is the daughter of a Baron, but thanks to family scandal her situation is rather dire.  Firmly on the shelf, she’s living a hand to mouth existence at the family country estate.  It’s so bad that she’s let all the servants go, and most of the furniture is gone, either having been sold off, or used as fire wood.  In fact, that’s what Emily is doing at the start of this story.  She’s out trying to split wood so she’ll have heat for the night.  That’s where childhood friend, and unrequited love, Stephen Chesterfield, the Earl of Whitmore finds her.

Emily tries to snow the man, but she doesn’t fool him.  Emily is too thin, wearing little more than rags, and while she maybe holding her head high, things have gotten very bad indeed.  Stephen is determined to protect her.

What follows is a story in the vein of Cinderella.  Nice, smart, resourceful girl, who has been cast aside by her useless relations gets rescued by handsome prince.  It’s straight-up rescue fantasy all the way.  Normally the sort of story that gets on my last good nerve, but Emily carries the day by not being one of those Victorian misses who meekly sits in the corner waiting for Prince Charming to arrive on the scene.  Of course she’s living hand to mouth, and things are anything but rosy, but bless her heart - she’s trying and doing the best she can.

Since this is a prequel, the author has to hold some of her cards back for the full-length novel that features the same romantic couple.  At that end, as a stand-alone story, this one isn’t perfect.  The happily-ever-after is extremely reserved, and one is left with the impression that Stephen and Emily are together, not so much because of true love, but because she needs a knight in shining armor, and he needs a wife who doesn’t annoy the crap out of him to get his matchmaking mama off his back.  But the story does end in a nice spot that sets the reader up with the hope that these two crazy kids are eventually going to realize how hopelessly in love with each other they are.  It’s not the best stand-alone tale, but as a prequel, it’s top-notch.  Now I’m really looking forward to reading An Accidental Countess.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Emily Barrow once dreamed that she could marry Stephen Chesterfield, the Earl of Whitmore, and be saved from her dreary life. Then Stephen’s father sent him away, leaving Emily broken-hearted…

Now Stephen has returned to find Emily destitute and alone. He has vowed to help her without compromising her honor…but Emily has other ideas. She doesn’t want his charity, but she does long to know what it would be like to take him as a lover, even if marriage is out of the question. Confined to close quarters with their passion burning as brightly as ever, will Stephen be able to resist the temptation and rescue her, or give in to his desire and completely ruin her?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Erotique: Jillian (Erotique #2) by Susan Lyons
Erotic romance short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 1 Feb 10

I was pleasantly surprised by the first story in Susan Lyons’ new erotic short story trilogy for Spice Briefs, so I happily settled in to read book two on my lunch break.  While it wasn’t without charm, sadly it didn’t work nearly as well for me.  Mostly because I found myself unwilling to suspend my disbelief in regards to the heroine’s work place relationships.

Jillian just helped land a big account at work, and she’s ready to unwind.  She’s thinking bubble bath, a naughty novel and a glass a wine.  However her boss, Carrie (the heroine from book one Erotique: Carrie) has another suggestion.  She gives Jillian a guest pass to the exclusive private sex club she belongs to.  Since the club caters to all sorts of fantasies, Jillian figures why not?  Little does she know that her boss has also given a guest pass to their sexy colleague Sandro Rodriguez.  Both Jillian and Sandro are very hot for each other, but she’s been putting on the breaks because of a past disastrous relationship with a former colleague.  Nope, our girl has learned her lesson.  No more mixing business with pleasure.  Sigh, but now here she is with hunky Sandro in a sex club.  Whatever shall she do?

When reading erotic stories, I’m usually pretty good at shutting reality out and going with the fantasy.  However, I just couldn’t do it this time.  Carrie is Jillian’s boss, and unlike a lot of boss/employee relationships in Romance Novel Land, these two aren’t best buddies.  It’s strictly a working relationship, and yet Carrie just blithely hands over a guest pass to a sex club?  Hello?!

Then there’s the fact that Jillian is gun-shy about getting naked with Sandro because of a past relationship with a former coworker.  Yeah, her ex?  Spread it around the office that Jillian was a “sex maniac” because she liked to have a lot of sex.  Ohhhhhkay then.  It’s entirely possible that the men I know in real life are a pack of drooling deviants, but this one strained.  And frankly if he was gossiping about her sexual preferences at work, why exactly did she not sue his ass for sexual harassment?

The erotic elements of this story are nice, steamy and vanilla - sure to please readers who don’t want to wade through a river of kink to get their kicks.  I also suspect it will work a lot better for those readers who can more successfully shut out reality than I apparently can.

Grade: C

Summary:

Jillian had been careful not to combine her personal and professional lives…even if that meant turning down a date with her sexy colleague Sandro Rodriguez. Still, she was in the mood for some fun and couldn’t resist a guest-pass to the private sex club Erotique from her boss, Carrie. Jillian hoped to relieve her cravings with a hot guy who understood how to tease and arouse her—but she never expected that man to be Sandro! And he was determined to show her just how fun mixing business with pleasure could be….

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Erotique: Carrie (Erotique Story #1) by Susan Lyons
Erotic romance short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 1 Jan 10

Sometimes an ending can completely ruin an otherwise fine story, and sometimes it’s the ending that totally makes the story.  This first story in Susan Lyons’ Spice Briefs trilogy is an example of the latter.

Carrie looks like your average suburban soccer mom.  However every few weeks she hires a babysitter, gets dressed up in very un-mom-like attire, lets her hair down and hits the private sex club, Erotique.  Erotique is very exclusive and caters to a myriad of fantasies that range from casual flirting to BDSM.  Carrie doesn’t stray too far to the wild side, but she knows tonight she wants passion.  Hot sex, with a hot stranger.  She finds her mystery man, dressed like a riverboat gambler, downing a fine brandy, and he’s more than willing to show her a good time.

To be blunt, this is a fairly conventional story featuring some hot, vanilla sex.  For readers who like the hot stuff, but don’t want to wade through a bunch of kink - this is a good, solid choice.  I’ll admit, the set-up and story weren’t really doing a whole lot for me.  Wow, an exclusive club where people can explore their sexual fantasies?  I’ve only read that a time or two or thousand.  Then I got to the ending.  It’s the ending that truly makes this story, and probably one I should have seen coming, but didn’t.  What could have been a been-there-read-that erotic short, easily forgotten, is instead made memorable by an ending that left me with a smile on my lips.  Good show!

Grade: B

Summary:

Normally Carrie is a very responsible person…but she still likes to walk the line every now and then. That’s when Carrie visits Erotique, a private club where members don costumes and use false names to explore their secret fantasies. For Carrie, it’s a chance for the suburban mom to feel like a sex goddess—especially when a certain masked man is waiting for her….

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Seducing a Stranger by Christine Merrill
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Nov 09

Sometimes all it takes is a shorter format to make me more tolerant of certain storylines.  If Seducing a Stranger had been a full-length Harlequin Historical, it probably would have gotten on my nerves.  However as a short read that I zipped through on my lunch break?  It hit the spot.

Victoria Paget was a faithful, dutiful wife who followed her soldier husband to the battlefields of Europe.  When he is killed, she returned home to England, a young widow with many questions.  Her husband had voiced concerns about Timothy Godfrey, a Lieutenant in his unit.  When the entire regiment is killed and only Timothy survives, it’s easy for Victoria to become suspicious.  Is it possible that Lt. Godfrey was a French spy that led her husband to his death?  Determined to ferret out the truth, she discovers he’s a patron of a certain brothel.  With some help, she makes plans to meet him there under the guise of being one of the new girls.

When Timothy enters the brothel he is shocked to discover Victoria Paget.  Between the stories that Captain Paget told about his wife, and the miniature he carried with him, Timothy was more than a little envious.  He half fell in love with her, even though they had never met.  He wanted to speak with Victoria after her husband’s death, but she quickly left for England and he was transferred to a different regiment - only to return home to England shortly thereafter thanks to his own battlefield injury.  But now that he has Victoria in his sights, he’s not letting her get away.

What follows is the classic Big Misunderstanding plot.  Timothy thinks Victoria has fallen on hard times after her husband’s death (why else is she in a brothel?) and being the gallant, valiant sort, is determined to protect her.  Victoria thinks that Timothy is a traitorous scum bag who led her husband to his death, but she’s quickly having doubts.  Not only does this man stir her passions, but he certainly doesn’t act or live like someone in cahoots with the enemy.

Naturally it all eventually comes tumbling out, in no small measure thanks to the lust shared between both characters.  The Undone line promises spicy love scenes, and the author certainly delivers!

At the end, all is right with the world, although I was a little surprised how quickly Timothy forgives Victoria for her deception.  Oh, who am I kidding?  Just the fact that these two didn’t come from money and weren’t titled had me halfway sold on this story before I even started it.

That said, if you have an extreme displeasure for the Big Mis, this one will probably irritate.  But for this reader, it was just right.

Grade: B

Summary:

Though Lieutenant Tom Godfrey had never met Victoria Paget, he desired her. The late Captain Paget’s stories of his wife—and her portrait—were enough to arouse his envy…and his lust. Now Tom’s returned from the peninsula—and never expected to find the young widow in a bawdy house!

Necessity had brought Victoria to the house of ill repute: it was the only place she could confront Tom, whom she suspected was responsible for her husband’s death. But when she meets the virile soldier, his gallantry and her body’s passionate response to him take her completely by surprise.

What started as a one-night seduction may lead to much more…but will they still have a future when all their secrets are revealed?

No excerpt found.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Maid’s Lover by Amanda McCabe
Historical romance short story ebook released by Harlequin Historical Undone 1 Dec 09

Amanda McCabe is quickly becoming one of my go-to historical authors when I’m in the mood for “different.”  Her latest short story for the Undone line features the criminally underused Elizabethan England locale to tell the story of two clandestine lovers.

Anne Percy may be related to nobility, but she’s a poor little orphan girl with few prospects.  There isn’t a lot of joy in her life, until she hooks up with Robert, Viscount Langley, a darling in Queen Elizabeth’s court.  These two cannot keep their hands off each other, arranging secret trysts in the woods near Anne’s home.  However the girl does see the writing on the wall.  She has zero prospects, while Robert is an heir - one expected to make a spectacular match.  He says they just have to be patient, but as the woman in this 16th century affair, she has everything to lose.  So even with her heart breaking, she cuts him loose.  Months later, now living at court, Anne has once again fallen under Robert’s spell - and this time, he’s not letting her get away.

This is ultimately a story about two people unwilling to compromise and communicate with each other.  Robert says they need to be patient, while Anne wants to scurry off and elope.  He’s definitely the more prudent of the two, but it’s easy to understand Anne’s fears.  Her and Robert have spectacular sex together, but he’s not exactly falling on bended knee declaring his undying love for her either.  Still, I couldn’t help but think that Anne was being a bit rash and silly - especially when later in the story she pulls a stunt to gain Robert’s attention.  Why she does this I have no idea.  I mean, the guy has sex with her in a hallway after a dinner at court and she still thinks she doesn’t have his attention?  Trust me cupcake.  You do.

What McCabe does exceedingly well is write about this time period.  It was downright refreshing to read about the Elizabethan era, and the excitement at court surrounding the Christmas holiday.  It’s a setting you don’t see every day in historical romance, and the author must have really thrown herself into research to include some of the interesting details that are found in the story.

Ultimately this was an OK read that kept me entertained on my lunch break.  The chemistry between Anne and Robert really sizzles, but there were moments when I was a touch annoyed with our fair heroine.

Grade: C+

 Summary:

Anne Percy lived for her secret trysts with Robert, Viscount Langley, heir to a wealthy earldom and star of Queen Elizabeth’s court. Only then could she forget her life as a poor orphan at the mercy of her noble relatives and lose herself in the delights of his body. Every time they came together, it was just as passionate and wonderful as their first encounter. But even though Robert seemed to want her as much as she craved him, marriage appeared to be one thing they couldn’t share.

Now the lovers are reunited at the Queen’s Christmas feast—where Robert vows to show Anne they should never be apart…and to give her a very sensual Christmas Eve surprise.

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Tale of the Dancing Girl (Maeve & Devlin #3) by Grace D’Otare
Historical erotic romance short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 01 Nov 2009

I like to read short stories because it’s a good way to find new authors without investing a lot of time and money.  I hit the jackpot with this latest by Grace D’Otare which is apparently part of a series.  Needless to say, I’m going back and buying the first two stories.

Devlin and Maeve are a married couple driving along a rain-soaked deserted road.  Devlin enjoys it when his wife tells him naughty stories, and this time out he wants a story of a woman who is afraid and a man who helps her overcome her fears.

Delilah is a young widow working as a tutor in the Khan’s palace.  She’s been teaching the girls English, and they’ve been teaching her to dance.  As a favor to a sick girl, Delilah takes her place in a performance for the Khan and some palace guests, only to realize with horror that Colonel Weston is in the audience!  He’s been patiently trying to catch her eye for months, and she’s dismissed him because she has vowed to not fall in love with another soldier.  But after the highly erotic dance, and some personal sensual lessons from one of the girls, will Delilah finally make the leap and fall into the Colonel’s embrace?

This was a highly sensual, erotic story with a satisfying romantic ending.  Delilah is scared, and fearful of moving on with her life, but learning to dance has begun to awaken her own desires.  It takes a push in the right direction to get her to open her eyes, and her heart, to not be afraid anymore.  Weston cuts a dashing figure (in uniform and out) and endears himself to the reader by being totally smitten with Delilah.  Even with the short word count, I bought into their romance completely.

This is a good short story I would highly recommend to both regular erotic romance readers, and those who don’t dip their toes in the genre too often.  There is some girl-on-girl action here, which serves it’s purpose in awakening Delilah from her stupor, preparing her to take a chance on Colonel Weston who has been desperately trying to win her favor.  It’s sensual, erotic, and a romance.  Very well done indeed.

Grade: B+

 Summary:

Devlin loves it when Maeve tells him erotic stories. This time, he wants a story about a woman who is afraid—and the man who helps her overcome all her fears….

Delilah took the place of the young dancing girl as a favor…but she didn’t expect Colonel Weston to be among the Khan’s guests! Her provocative movements catch the Colonel’s eye…and awaken her own desire. Can the dance—and a little hands-on tutelage from a fellow dancer—teach Delilah to lose all her inhibitions with Weston once and for all?

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Birthday Present (The Countess Trilogy #3) by Alison Richardson
Historical erotica short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 01 Nov 2009

What can I say?  Sometimes it’s an intriguing writing style that keeps me coming back for more, even when I logically know that a story shouldn’t work for me in the slightest.  Which is why I decided to finish out the trilogy, and get some closure, for Richardson’s lusty, wicked and snobby heroine, Countess Anna von Esslin.

It’s been two years since the events of An Impolite Seduction and Anna is now living in Munich.  What is truly troublesome is that she’s been celibate this whole time.  Part of this is because Anna has found her tastes have grown more refined with age (not just any willing young buck will do), but also because her rival, that low-born Scot, James McKirnan has been steering any man remotely desirable away from her salon.  So she’s well and truly desperate when her cousin Robert offers her a birthday present.  A mystery lover who will only take her while she is blind-folded and who is so skilled that he soon has Anna panting after him.

Yeah, we all know where this is going right?

Richardson’s writing style continues to deliver most of the goods here.  Where there were a few instances of tell over show (especially in regards to dialogue), readers once again get a delightful first person narration from Anna’s point of view, and several wicked observations that induce some laughs.

The characters continue to be somewhat of an issue - most notably Anna.  While I do not subscribe to the school of thought that the heroine has to be “likeable” - there has to be “something” there for the reader to grasp on to.  While the author wraps up the saga of James and Anna in a neat package by the end, I’m still left with the question of why, as the reader, I should care what happens to either of these two.  James at least has moments where he’s not totally debauched and vile - and while it’s certainly historical accurate, Anna’s snobbery and scheming can wear very thin in short order.

At the end of this third and final story, I find myself continuing to ponder this series.  Richardson can write, of that there is no question.  These stories have been erotic, evocative, delightful, and even amusing.  If the author were to publish a full-length novel, or even more short stories, I would no doubt happily buy and read them.  All the while, praying that the heroine will be someone who truly deserves any positive outcomes that play out over the course of the story.  Frankly, I was never sure that Anna did.

Grade: C+

You can read reviews for all three stories by clicking on the series tag.

 Summary:

Countess Anna von Esslin has done something very uncharacteristic: she hasn’t taken a lover in over two years! None of the men in Munich meet her standards…especially her rival, James McKirnan.

Then the Countess is given a surprising birthday presents—a mystery lover who will only see her when she is blindfolded. He fulfills Anna’s every desire…but when the blindfold comes off, will she like what she sees?

No excerpt found

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Her Colorado Man by Cheryl St. John
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 01 Dec 2009

Cheryl St. John is, hands down, my number one comfort author.  Her books are the equivalent of a cold winter night, snow falling outside, wrapped in a blanket, cuddled up on the sofa, drinking a mug of hot cocoa.  There is just something about her stories that rich deep down and strike an emotional cord in me.  Her Colorado Man continues that tradition, although I will admit it took me some time to wrap my mind around the jaw-dropping conflict.

When Mariah was 18-years-old she found herself pregnant.  The only soul she told was her grandfather, who promptly suggested she go to Chicago to attend “school.”  She lived there for a year, and when she returned home with young John James, she discovered grandfather, as a way to protect her and his new grandson, had concocted a make-believe husband.  He had a friend, Otto, working as a postmaster in Alaska, and asked him to come up with a name.  In return, Otto would write the occasional letter “home” to keep up appearances.  It’s an elaborate lie, but one Mariah agrees to.  The truth isn’t an option, so she agrees to become Mrs. Wesley Burrows.

Unknown to them is that there really is a Wesley Burrows.  He went to Alaska looking for gold, but quickly learned that delivering mail was a more reliable way to make money.  After an accident leaves him confined to bed, his backlog of personal mail is delivered to him.  Otto is no longer around to intercept them, so among his mail are letters from young John James.  Reading those letters, from a young boy who desperately needs a father, causes something to break for Wes.  He gets better and writes a letter to Mariah’s grandfather.  He’s coming to Colorado to be the father that John James wants and needs.

As one can imagine, this news is a bit upsetting to Mariah.  She had no idea Wesley Burrows was “real,” and the idea of welcoming a stranger into her life is unacceptable.  Yes, using his name was wrong, but what does he want?  What are his motives?  She doesn’t know this guy from Adam, how can she possibly trust him?  Why is he really doing this?

That’s the rub, of course - and it’s easy for the reader to understand how Mariah feels, because Wes’ decision is pretty fantastical.  Not just any man would drop his whole life to become a father just because a boy needs one.  However the author makes it work by explaining more about Wes.  What his life has been like, the accident, and how those letters from John James gave him so much comfort that he wanted to comfort the boy in return.  Admittedly he doesn’t think this plan all the way through.  He thinks, “I can be this boy’s father.” He doesn’t think, “Um, but what about the boy’s mother?” That’s ultimately what gets sorted out over the course of the story.

How willing the reader is to buy into this conflict will determine how well the book will work for them.  It worked fairly well for me because St. John sells it so well.  It also worked thanks to how fresh and lively this setting felt to me.  This is no run of the mill western. Mariah’s family is a large, lively, close-knit German clan that happens to run their own brewery.  Mariah works there, as does almost every single family member.  The brewery atmosphere, the trip to Denver the family takes for business, made this story feel so fresh and different compared to some of the other historical romances I’ve read this year.

At the end of the day, this story delivers exactly what I’ve come to expect from a Cheryl St. John book.  Good, hard-working characters who aren’t prone to hysterics, compelling conflict, and a tenderness that runs through the romance.  The plot and conflict of this story are a bit of a stretch at times, but it’s to the author’s credit that even this cynical skeptic ended up swallowing the idea.  I finished the final page thinking to myself, “Sure, that could have happened.  Hey, maybe it did happen?  And ::sigh::, what a nice story.”

Grade: B

 Summary:

When eighteen-year-old Mariah found herself pregnant and unmarried in her small Colorado town, she disappeared. One year later, she returned with a baby—though minus the “husband” who had conveniently ventured off to Alaska’s gold fields to seek his fortune….

But now, with handsome adventurer Wes Burrows turning up and claiming to be the husband she had invented, Mariah’s lies become flesh and blood—and her wildest dreams a reality!

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Taming Her Irish Warrior (The MacEgan Brothers #5) by Michelle Willingham
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 01 Oct 2009

Michelle Willingham continues her Irish medieval series about the MacEgan brothers with this latest entry, featuring the youngest of the lot, Ewan.  I’ll admit I have a huge soft spot for younger brother romance heroes with a need to “prove themselves” to their older siblings (siblings that usually tend to cast long shadows).  Ewan fits that mold, and while I found him appealing at times, his stubborn nature, coupled with the equally stubborn heroine didn’t always make the romance sing for me.

Ewan is the youngest of five brothers, and while the oldest one is a King, Ewan’s prospects are pretty slim.  It’s imperative that he weds a lady of means, preferably one with some land to her name.  He sets his sights on Lady Katherine of Ardennes.  Unfortunately for him, Katherine has the kind of beauty (and dowry) that inspires a number of suitors.  As a lowly younger son, one with few prospects, he’s got his work cut out for him.

Katherine’s older sister, Honora St. Leger has already survived one disastrous marriage.  After her husband dies, she finds herself thwarting the unwanted advances of her odious son-in-law.  So she returns home to her father and sister to regroup.  For years Honora has secretly honed her fighting skills among her father’s warriors.  In fact, it was Ewan who helped to train her.  She wants to rid the poor peasants of her vile son-in-law, but to do so she needs to raise an army.  There’s also the small matter that the villain terrifies her.  On top of that, her father is pressuring her to remarry, which Honora would rather be skinned alive than do.  That is until Ewan shows up.  He’s there hoping to win the hand of her properly feminine sister, and Honora knows she lacks everything he needs in a proper wife.  So how come these two cannot stay away from each other?  And what will they do with the villain comes calling?

There are a lot of potential pitfalls in the story that will likely turn off some readers.  For one, we have the heroine who likes to disguise herself as a man and play warrior woman.  Then we have a hero who is wooing one sister while lusting after the other.  It all sounds a bit….distasteful.  For the most part Willingham does a good job working the angles.  Chicks in pants playing with swords can annoy, but it fits Honora’s personality well.  Once determined to prove herself to a father who had little use for her, she now welcomes her skills as a means to protect herself - which come in especially handy during the course of her marriage.  Where this story stumbles a bit is with the conflict revolving around Ewan’s wooing of Katherine.

It’s very apparent early on that Ewan is smitten with Honora.  She infuriates him, puzzles him, vexes him, and she drives him totally mad with lust.  As the reader, this is very easy to see and understand.  Unfortunately it takes Ewan a while to realize it.  From a historical standpoint, I get it - making a good marriage match was everything, especially if you were a younger brother with little to no prospects.  He needs an heiress for a wife.  He needs the land, the dowry, the whole deal if he wants any sort of semi-comfortable life for himself and his future children.  So it’s easy to understand why he doesn’t throw Katherine over within the first 50 pages, but it does drag on for the bulk of the novel.  And then there’s the small matter of Honora pushing him away because she’s not what he needs, never mind she’s exactly what he wants.  It was kind of sick actually.  “Darling, I know you lust after me, but go!  Go marry my sister!”

Ultimately something happens that forces their hand, Ewan has to finally make his choice, and the villain must be dealt with.  Still, the couple keeps tap-dancing around their feelings for each other, and the belief that neither is what the other one needs continues to linger.  By this point I found myself getting a bit exasperated with them both.

Willingham continues to write interesting medievals, and it’s to her credit that she delivers a readable story featuring plot devices that generally are harder sells for me.  If you’re a reader who is a sucker for a chick in pants or heroes who start out the story wooing another woman?  This one will surely deliver what you crave.

Grade: C+

 Summary:

When did Ewan MacEgan grow to be so overwhelmingly strong and disarmingly sexy? He intends to wed Honora St. Leger’s demure sister—but why should that matter to her? Honora would rather wield a sword than a mending needle and, as a widow, she knows there is little pleasure in the marriage bed….

Ewan MacEgan has set his sights on a wealthy bride but, tantalizingly, he finds himself drawn to the forbidden Honora! One touch and he is longing to awaken her sensuality, for he suspects she will be as passionate in bed as she is on the battlefield!

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of The Christmas Stranger (The Bancroft Brides #1) by Beth Cornelison
Romantic suspense released by Silhouette Romance Suspense 01 Oct 09

I’ve never naturally gravitated towards Harlequin’s romantic suspense category lines, despite being a longtime mystery/suspense fan.  I suspect it’s because, as much as I love the category format, adhering to a shorter word count, delivering a satisfying romance, and one top of all that, a satisfying suspense plot is a really tall order.  It takes a particularly skilled writer to be able to pull it off.  For the most part Beth Cornelison does in this first book in her Bancroft Brides trilogy.  The suspense plot wasn’t exactly challenging, but thoughtful characters and a climactic finish swoop in to save the day.

A year ago Holly Bancroft Cole’s husband, Ryan, was murdered.  They found his body in an abandoned church, his wallet and shoes missing.  Given the questionable neighborhood, police suspect a vagrant of the crime, but there are precious few leads.  Which means 12 months down the road, the case is still unsolved.  Holly has filled the void with her teaching job and volunteering at a local community aid center.  That is where she meets down-on-his-luck Matt Rankin.  Matt is living in a shady motel, currently in between construction jobs, and has lost custody of his kids to his in-laws.  If anyone needs a break, it’s this guy.  Through a series of circumstances, Holly ends up hiring him to complete renovations on her farm house.  Work has stalled on it ever since her husband’s death, Matt needs the job, and she just wants to be finished with it all.  But what will happen when Holly discovers the many secrets that Matt is keeping from her?  Especially in light of the fact of their growing attraction?

Yes gentle readers, we have ourselves the ol’ Big Secret plot.  It works fairly well here, as the Big Secret is highly charged and very emotional.  However, it does rely heavily on coincidence.  The reader has to be willing to buy into the fact that Matt and Holly’s paths have crossed before - even if they don’t realize it right away.  Sort of like two ships passing in the night.  The author lays out the facts in a slow and concise manner, having Matt unfold his tragic past throughout the entire course of the story.  This is at times frustrating as he shares the truth with Holly in drips and drabs, instead of just laying all of his cards out on the table, and getting it over with - thereby causing turmoil later on in the story.  That being said, both Holly and Matt are very nice people, you want them to succeed, and glory be, even with reticence and holding back, they do talk to each other - making it easy to buy into their budding romance.

The suspense thread here is decent, but it’s fairly obvious early on who our bad guy is.  That said, the author does a fine job of leaving motive up in the air until it’s revealed during the final chapters, and this helped save the day.  It’s easy to get bored with a suspense thread if you unravel it early on, and in this case the author does the smart thing by holding back just enough to cultivate an exciting finish.

While The Christmas Stranger didn’t change my life, it was a fast, quick read that kept me entertained.  Holly and Matt are both very likeable people, and the suspense plot kept the story humming along at a good clip.  There’s also a nice bit of Christmas flavor to the story, that would make this one an ideal holiday read - with an added bit of excitement as Holly unravels the mystery of her husband’s death.  It’s a good, solid start to a new series, and future books are planned for Holly’s two sisters.

Grade: B-

 Summary:

After her husband’s death, Holly Bancroft Cole knows Christmas won’t be the same this year. Still grieving, she decides to complete the renovations on her North Carolina farmhouse and hires a construction worker. Drawn to his piercing eyes and gentle manners, Holly can’t shake the feeling that secrets lie behind the handsome stranger’s warm smile.

Haunted by memories, Matt Rankin can’t remember the joy that simple pleasures bring until he meets Holly. When a harrowing attempt is made on her life, Matt realizes he can’t live without this beautiful angel. Now he must protect the woman he loves at all costs—even if it means risking his own life.

Read an excerpt.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of From Waif To Gentleman’s Wife (Wellingford’s #5) by Julia Justiss
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 01 Oct 09

Over the years I have remained fiercely loyal to Harlequin Historical in part because of their willingness to publish stories set in locales currently not the flavor of the month.  Which means they offer more to readers than just Regency historicals about spies and Dukes.  They were literally my lifeline during a time in my reading life when I was so burnt out on All England All The Time that I would read maybe one Regency-set book a year.  Now that my crippling burn-out has begun to lift, I’ve been making up for lost time by discovering many Regency writers that other readers have known about for years.  This being my first book by Julia Justiss, I wasn’t all that surprised to discover that Harlequin chose to publish a Regency historical that actually felt different.  It was like opening up a window on a warm spring day after a very long, dismal winter.  You mean Regencies can be about more than Dukes and spies?  Wow.

Joanna Merrill is a young widow with few options.  Her soldier husband succumbed to a fever he contracted in India, her in-laws have washed their hands of her, her family is abroad, and she’s sunk.  So she takes a job as a governess, only to find herself thwarting the advances of her randy employer.  When the fine upstanding Lady of the household catches her husband accosting Joanna, she promptly fires Joanna.  What with it being all her fault for throwing herself at a married man.  Joanna is tossed out on her ear, with very few coins to her name.  Desperate, she decides to travel to Blenhem Hill where her brother, Greville, is employed as estate manager.

Sir Edward “Ned” Greaves has purchased Blenhem Hill from his good friend Nicholas Stanhope, Marquess of Englemere.  Nicky gave his distant cousin Greville the job of overseeing the estate, only to learn that he was doing a terrible job of it.  Firing Greville, he’s at a loss of what to do next.  Blenhem is out of the way of his other holdings and he’s loathe to leave his wife and young son.  So when Edward, being a bit of an agricultural nut, offers to buy it from him, he accepts.  On his way to take up residence though, Edward’s carriage is assaulted by Luddite hooligans.  To get to the bottom of the local unrest, Edward decides to pose as Mr. Ned Greaves, the new estate manager hired by Englemere, keeping his own noble lineage a secret.  Which is how Joanna Merrill comes to meet him when she literally collapses at his feet after finally arriving at Blenhem.  The turmoil of the journey, the shock of her current circumstances, and finding out her brother has been fired is just too much.

What follows is Ned and Joanna coming to an understanding.  He’s determined to get Blenhem Hill back on track, which means making repairs, amends and opening a school for the children.  In turn, with no other options available, having no idea where her brother is, and loathe to throw herself on the mercy of distant relation Englemere, Joanna accepts the job of being the schoolteacher.  Naturally as they spend more time together, Ned and Joanna are drawn to each other.  But what will happen when she learns who he really is?  And who is behind the unrest among the local farmers and textile workers?

While Justiss employs the common Big Secret trope, there was so much about this story that felt unique and refreshing.  Notably, the circumstances that Joanna finds herself in, and how realistically they are portrayed.  This is a woman who is smart and resourceful, but at the mercy of people with more power than she has.  You bleed for this woman as she arrives at Blenhem, after all the drama and turmoil, only to discover her last hope, her brother, has been fired and nowhere to be found.  She has to rely on the kindness of a stranger, and ultimately is drawn to Ned because of his kindness, work ethic, and the fact that she believes they’re in the same social stratosphere.

Ned’s a nice guy, and one can understand his reasons for the deception, but his keeping the truth from Joanna for as long as he does is a bit hard to swallow.  Especially after he muses, quite often, how logical, forthright and intelligent she is.  He justifies his secrecy by saying it’s to protect her, but ultimately I was left with the impression that he obviously didn’t think her intelligent enough to be able to handle the truth.  When it all comes tumbling out at the end, it’s hard not to sympathize with Joanna, and the author handles these final chapters of heartbreak and redemption very well.

Part of the author’s long-running Wellingford series, this book stands alone extremely well.  It’s a quick, charming read, very much in the tone of a traditional Regency (well, expect this story has s-e-x in it!).  It’s also so refreshingly different from a lot of the other Regency historical currently cramming the shelves that it was hard for me not to be delighted by this tale.  I read it in one afternoon, and it was an afternoon well spent.

Grade: B

 Summary:

When a destitute governess faints on Sir Edward Greaves’s threshold, chivalry demands that he offer her temporary shelter. However, the desire Ned feels when he catches her in his arms isn’t at all gentlemanly….

With her large, troubled eyes and slender frame, Joanna Merrill calls to something deep inside this guarded man. For one who has purposely shunned the conniving beauties of London society, just how much is Ned risking by having this intriguing woman under his roof…?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Touch Me by Jacquie D’Alessandro
Historical romance released by Harlequin Blaze 1 Oct 09

One thing I’ve noticed about the Blaze historicals is that while they’re certainly fun and sexy, they also require a fair amount of suspension of disbelief.  Of course if you’re looking for meaty historical accuracy you probably shouldn’t be picking up a category romance that clocks in just over 200 pages and is published under a line that promises fast-paced, sexy fun.  But for a pure escapist delight?  These Blaze historicals have been just the ticket.  Jacquie D’Alessandro’s Touch Me continues down that path, and it’s a fairly pleasing read.

Fans will remember former mistress Genevieve Ralston as a secondary character from the author’s Avon single title release, Love And The Single Heiress.  Genevieve is now living in the quiet town of Little Longstone.  Her lover for the past decade has unceremoniously dumped her, and she finds that the local hot springs help the affliction that ultimately caused him to spurn her.  She’s living a quiet life until one day Simon Cooperstone, Viscount Kilburn, shows up on her doorstep.

Going by the name Simon Cooper, he’s come to Little Longstone to clear his name.  Genevieve’s former lover moved in powerful circles and has been murdered!  Unfortunately for him, Simon was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and now he’s the prime suspect.  As a spy for the crown, Simon convinces his superiors to give him time to clear his name.  Seems the dead man gave Genevieve a puzzle box, which contains a letter effectively clearing Simon’s good name and unmasking the identity of the real killer.

I know.  When it comes to Romance Land, spies are more prevalent than Dukes in Regency historicals.  But for readers not totally burnt out on spy games, this is a quick sexy read.  Genevieve may have been a mistress, but it hurt when her lover spurned her affections.  She entered their arrangement out of necessity, but after a decade together it’s no wonder that she ultimately fell in love with him.  She’s finally starting to move on with her life, and has absolutely no interest in starting a new relationship or giving her heart to another man.  Then Simon comes along, and the chemistry between them sizzles.

Simon comes to Little Longstone not knowing Genevieve’s roll in her lover’s death.  It’s possible she could have done him in, or hired someone else to do it for her!  However as he spends time with her, he quickly deduces that she’s not only innocent, but doesn’t even know her former lover is dead.  She also doesn’t realize that the puzzle box and innocuous letter are bringing danger to her front door.

Both of these characters have secrets they’re hiding, and it is bothersome that Simon isn’t more open with Genevieve after he deduces she’s an innocent bystander in this whole affair.  Still, I guess being a spy is a hard habit to break.  The ending is terribly romantic, although I’m not sure how terribly realistic - as the happy ending required of a romance novel is certainly going to have fall-out for Simon, who’s a bloody Viscount!  But if you’re looking for fun, sexy, romantic, and an enjoyable way to kill a few hours?  Look for no further.

Grade: B

 Summary:

Pleasing a man is something former mistress Genevieve Ralston does very well. But after her lover callously dumps her, she’s definitely off men…until she meets Simon! He’s brooding. Sexy. And she can’t keep her hands off him….

But Simon Cooperstone, Viscount Kilburn, is a spy. His mission: retrieve a mysterious letter in Genevieve’s possession. Intent on seducing her secrets from her, he forgets to guard one thing: his heart.

Each stroke of Genevieve’s talented fingers unleashes his deepest desires. Too late, he realizes that while he may be a master of the art of seduction, he’s no match for a sensual mistress….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Cowboy Christmas by Carol Finch, Elizabeth Lane & Pam Crooks
Historical romance anthology released by Harlequin Historical 01 Oct 09

Holiday time means two things.  1) Harlequin starts churning out the Christmas-themed books and 2) Wendy’s wallet starts quietly sobbing.  It doesn’t help matters that Harlequin has a habit of offering up a western historical anthology.  So I started Cowboy Christmas with some anticipation, settling in for what I hoped would be a solid, heartwarming collection.  Unfortunately, none of the stories inspired more than just an “Meh, it’s OK” reaction from me.

A Husband For Christmas by Carol Finch

Victoria “Tori” Thurston enjoys her life in a tiny west Texas town where she runs her own bakery.  Her parents are major movers in Fort Worth society, which means they have the perfect potential husband picked out for her.  Naturally Tori isn’t overeager to abandon her business to wed some stuffed shirt, so she tells her parents it’s too late, she’s already married to local marshal, Logan Daniels.  However now she’s really in the soup.  Her parents expect her home for Christmas and they want to meet this mysterious husband.  Now all she has to do is convince Logan to play her husband for a quick holiday visit home.  Surely that won’t be too difficult.

This is the humorous story in the anthology, and Finch does a nice job keeping the proceedings fairly light and fluffy.  Unfortunately she skims over a lot of the sticker details in order to achieve that goal.  Tori has always played second fiddle to her gorgeous older sister.  She has a good relationship with The Chosen One, but her parents, while not mean-spirited, are offhandedly neglectful of the more enterprising Tori.  None of this family baggage is really addressed, other than for Tori to realize that her sister’s life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  I also was disappointed there wasn’t more than a passing western flavor to this tale.  Honestly the author could have plucked these characters up and dropped them anywhere else in time or place and the story wouldn’t have changed all that much.

Grade = C







The Homecoming by Elizabeth Lane

Clay McAllister has spent the last three years in prison because of his reckless, stupid younger brother.  All he wants is to return to his ranch, his wife Elise and their young son.  When he arrives though, he discovers the ranch in disrepair and Elise less than happy to see him.  Why had Buck never returned home, delivering the money they made on their last cattle drive together like Clay had begged him to?

I love holiday stories that center around redemption and forgiveness.  However, this one hinges on one of the more insulting plot devices around - The Character Who Won’t Read Letters That Explain Everything.  Yep, you guessed it.  Clay wrote his wife faithfully from prison and she marked them all Return To Sender without reading them.  So naturally while she thinks she knows what happened, she really doesn’t.  Honestly, who the hell does this?  It makes absolutely no sense.  Also, while there is more than enough conflict to keep this story chugging along, there’s really too much conflict to keep this story chugging along.  If ever a story was begging for a full-length treatment, this one is it.

Grade = C







The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride by Pam Crooks

Allethaire “Allie” Gibson is returning to Montana in disgrace.  She’s been accused of embezzling money from a fundraiser she was spearheading back in Minneapolis, and she needs to see her father in Montana to explain her innocence.  That’s when the train is held up by outlaws and they find a whole wad of cash in her trunk!  But she’s innocent!  Before the authorities on the train can take her in for questioning, she’s saved by local rancher,Mikolas “Mick” Vasco who was nearby when he heard the train stop in the middle of the tracks.  He spirits Allie away, determined to help her clear her name.  There’s one small wrinkle though - a few years back Mick was one of the men who kidnapped Allie for ransom!

This is a sequel of sorts to the author’s previous book, The Cattleman’s Unsuitable Wife.  If you haven’t read that story, this one is a bit rocky.  Mostly because the majority of the conflict is a holdover from that book.  Once the author catches the reader up to speed, it sails along at a smoother clip, but too much is glossed over.  Namely the heroine’s compulsion for drinking brandy in secret and the small matter of the stolen money, which is apparently going to be fodder for a future book.  Which ultimately makes this story nothing but a placeholder between books.  If you’re a fan, you’ll likely want to read this one.  Otherwise, there’s not a whole lot here for newcomers.

Grade = C

All in all these stories never rated above OK for me.  This anthology was a quick pleasant read, but it didn’t set my world on fire.  If you’re hooked on Crooks’ series, this one is probably worth a look.  Otherwise, while it’s a decent diversion, it didn’t have a whole lot of staying power.

Overall Grade: C

 Summary:

Twelve days of Christmas—three heartwarming romances!

A Husband for Christmas by Carol Finch

To reassure her overprotective parents, Victoria Thurston must convince the town marshal to be her “holiday husband.” But the magical, festive air—and Tori’s luminous green eyes—make it very difficult for Logan Daniels to keep to their marriage in name only!

The Homecoming by Elizabeth Lane

Brooding rancher Clay McAllister paid his reckless brother’s dues in a tough Kansas jail. Now Clay must win back his beautiful wife, Elise. And, after three years apart, some yuletide passion is just what Clay and Elise need to reignite the fire that still smolders between them….

The Cattleman’s Christmas Bride by Pam Crooks

With her reputation cruelly slandered, Allethaire Gibson is forced to flee to the snowy Montana mountains. There the dazzling socialite unexpectedly finds a Christmas romance with a man who has fought for respect just as she has—rugged cattleman Mikolas Vasco!

Read an excerpt - Finch Story, Lane Story, no excerpt found for Crooks story

Other books in this series:

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of Under The Boss’s Mistletoe by Jessica Hart
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Romance 10 Nov 2009

Sometimes the right book finds you at just the right time.  Having been mired in what I’m calling The Reading Slump From Hell for the past month, I’ve been slogging my through one book after another.  However, just as I was about to dissolve in puddle of tears, I picked Jessica Hart’s latest Harlequin Romance.  The skies parted, and I swear I heard a heavenly choir belting out a rockin’ tune.

At twenty-seven Cassandra Grey is a supreme disappointment to her family.  Her brothers and sister are wildly successful, while Cassie has flitted from one job to the next.  However she’s finally settled on a career she thinks is right for her.  She’s working for a wedding planner, although business has been a bit slow lately.  That’s when her boss gets a call from Jake Trevelyan inquiring about their services and asks to meet with Cassie.  Jake and Cassie knew each other when they were younger, and the last time they saw each other was full of teenage angst culminating in a scorching kiss.  Cassie looks back on her behavior and is slightly mortified.  But the business needs the booking, and Cassie needs her job, so she agrees to meet with Jake.

Turns out Jake isn’t getting married.  No, he’s inherited Portrevick Hall, a stately manor in the quaint small town where he and Cassie grew up.  Jake is a very successful business man, but even he cannot afford a huge English manor.  No, the Hall is going to need to pay for itself, so he has the idea of making it available to the public for various events.  Oh, like weddings.  Someone told him Cassie was in the wedding business now, so he gives her a call.  When she shows up, he discovers Cassie is still the sweet, slightly bumbling, chaotic girl he remembered.  However she has some good ideas, and agrees to hire her to turn the Hall into a venue.

In order for this story to work, the reader has to be willing to buy into a couple of things.  For one, that Cassie could work for a wedding planner.  She’s certainly a sweet, charming and lovely girl, but she’s also a bit disorganized and messy.  She’s the type of person who is always 15 minutes late, she wouldn’t know sleek and cool if it bit her in the butt, and she thrives on clutter.  This doesn’t mean she’s too stupid to live.  No, Cassie is a bright girl.  She’s just not what I would call “Type A.”  But she’s charming, delightful, and just what Jake needs in his life.  Also, the prologue of the story is a bit overwrought.  That being said, it sets up the story by showing Cassie at 17 and Jake in his very early 20s.  Overwrought with a fair amount of exclamation points is pretty much par for the course at 17.

Jake grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, so when he got a chance to escape his hometown, he took it and ran.  To compensate for a childhood where everyone treated him like trash, he became the classic over-achiever.  The right suit, the right tie, the right job, and the right girl.  Jake has attached himself to smart, cool, sophisticated women who always wear black.  Cassie is most definitely not his type.  So why is he so drawn to her?

What I liked so much about this story besides the fact that it was charming and sweet, was that Jake and Cassie spend a fair amount of time talking to each other.  After slogging through one too many romances where the romantic couple is unwilling or incapable of this it made Jake and Cassie’s interaction with each other a breath of fresh air.

What I enjoy about the Harlequin Romance line is that they’re multi-generational stories.  The type of stories that you can read and then give to your mother, grandmother or teenage daughter without missing a beat.  Under The Boss’s Mistletoe is a textbook example of this.  Read it, savor it, and then give it to your 13-year-old daughter to read.  You’ll both love it.

Grade: B+

 Summary:

In high school, Jake Trevelyan was Casie Grey’s dream rebel. He surfed, rode a motorbike – now he’s her new boss! It’s events planner Cassie’s job to transform Jake’s mansion into a snow-kissed wedding venue. NOT to relive her old fantasy that they’re the ones getting married. Posing as the happy couple for a publicity photo shoot, Cassie pinches herself as Jake leans in for a show-stopping kiss … but it’s just for the cameras, isn’t it?

Read an excerpt.

Several bloggers have answered comments on the AAR forums about blogging recently. In doing so, some have noticed a recent snippiness and touchiness in the reading community, from readers and from writers. I was hanging around at Wendy’s blog recently, something I do a lot, and she’s noticed something similar, too. Mrs. Giggles has spotted it. 

I think I have an inkling as to what might be going on, or at least some of it.

Actions and consequences…

I heard a program on the radio this morning, “Whistleblowers” about Paul Moore and how he warned the bank HBOS about its risky strategies and its target-based culture, and how it and banks like it pushed consumers into taking too many risks. It was all about selling, he said and they didn’t look at the long term consequences, and the unbalanced risk it introduced.

Sound familiar? It should.

It’s happening in the book business, and it’s not all down to the recession. Before 2009, signs of strain were already showing. Historically, books have always followed the newspaper model of distribution – copies were distributed to suppliers, bookstores for the main part, and those that didn’t sell were returned. That meant that you could drop into your local bookstore and be confident of finding the book you wanted. It also meant a bucketload of returns. Then Anderson News, one of the biggest distributors went under.

Two things were happening. The supermarkets were buying books in bulk, undercutting traditional retailers and doing their own distribution. And the newspaper industry was failing. It would have made sense to try to do away with the “sale or return” system, but it was too convenient to the companies involved – the accounting and financing of the publishers would have had to be restructured, and that can’t be done quickly, and it was a good thing for the supermarkets, who wouldn’t have surplus stock to sell or dispose of.

Sell or die…

At the publishing houses, there were a number of fine editors who had a lot of control over the books the house took and what was done with them. It gave each house a distinct identity, and its authors were given relative artistic freedom. Now, no decision is made independent of the marketing and finance departments. The question was no longer asked, “Is this book good for us?” but “Can we sell enough copies?”

A carefully balanced portfolio of bestsellers, middle ground authors and risky chances that could take off in a big way or could bomb spectacularly, was abandoned for the best seller model. Big authors, controversial themes, with big money put behind them. Middle ground authors, career authors with reputations but no huge sales were dropped. I’ve met a few, and while being resilient and determined to weather the storm, there’s a core of unhappiness and cynicism that just wasn’t there before. Existing authors are sometimes desperately chasing targets, because if their current book doesn’t sell up to target, they’re dropped. No second chances.

The publishing business has gone from brutal to savage, from relatively civilised to a jungle culture. If you don’t sell, you’re gone. No benefit of the doubt, no “see what your next title does,” no “this will be a slow burner.” Without that attitude, we wouldn’t have had The Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia, or even Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles, all series that became massive sellers, but had relatively slow starts.

Wait, we don’t get them, do we? Not any more. A series has to start with a huge bang and go on to sell and sell, otherwise it’s gone. A writer with a three-book contract will see her books cut off after the second, even the first, leaving the readers hungry for the last ones, and increasingly determined not to buy a series until it’s all out. So sales at first are low, and more get cut. A self fulfilling prophecy.

Big publishers are struggling to stay afloat. If it weren’t for cash reserves and the massive profits they stand to make by selling e-books and not passing on savings to authors or readers, they’d probably go under. Midlist authors are going to the e-publishers, giving up or trying for the big one. Or writing for Harlequin, which is taking serious note of the market and going from strength to strength.

Ahead of the curve…

Harlequin always had the drop on other publishers with its direct mail order service, which didn’t depend on distributors or returns. It had a regular audience and after slipping behind in the late 1990’s, turned its lines around and rejuvenated or dropped them. And Harlequin has an established, successful e-bookstore.

You’d expect me to say e-publishing is where the future is because I write for e-publishers. Well that’s not why I do it. I’ve had chances to write for others, but the offer or the money wasn’t quite right. I promised myself I’d do this to make myself happy, not to go for the big bucks or the huge sales. As it happens, I think I’ve fallen into the right part of the industry. Right for me, right for the future.

No, I don’t think we’ll see the end of the paper book. It’s a transition. But the sale-or-return culture, plus increasing costs in distribution and production, plus increasing pressure from ecologists has all pushed producers of print to think again. It’s been coming for a long time, from the day when Rupert Murdoch pushed the print unions to breaking point and then smashed them, from the day when Anderson’s closed its doors, to when Wal-Mart became indispensable to many people and one-stop shopping became important.

Make a fast splash…

So, back to the point of the article. Writers and readers getting snippy. Of course there’s no one reason. Writers are being pressured to write the big one, the big series, the High Concept book, something that is different but stays the same. Nobody’s telling them to, it’s just the way “the market” is going. Fewer authors, higher sales per unit. Splashy, lots of action, lots of sex.

For some writers, that’s exactly what they want to do. Others don’t, their metier runs to a different kind of book and they’re getting short shrift now. The chase for the next big thing has resulted in markets rising and falling ever faster. Right now it’s urban fantasy, next it’s steampunk, but if you aren’t already in there and working hard, either close to publication or accepted, then forget it, because for the writer, that’s over. The publishers have all the authors they want in that genre and you’re going to have to look for something else, something with a platform, a high concept, a distinct genre.

This is making writers edgy. They’re putting out books faster, and each book is getting a little less theirs, a little more of a product. Less love is going into creating it. Editors are all about buying the next book and spotting the next trend, not nurturing the writers they’ve already bought. It’s not their fault, it’s just the way the market is going.

Readers can only buy what is in the bookstores. If you love paranormal but you hate the market leaders, you’ll look for something else, pick up the next book with a great cover and blurb. Maybe you’ll find something. But rarely a book with great depth, something that speaks to your soul. It’s always been like that, there have always been splashy, dramatic books, and good luck to them. We all need one of those to read from time to time. But readers want more, they want different, and it’s getting harder to find. It’s not the reader’s concern to analyse and decide what they want. Why should they? But if they don’t find what they want, they’ll move on to videos, video games, other genres.

So writers, edgy with the increased pressures and with writing more books are snipping at readers, and readers, dissatisfied but not quite knowing why, are snipping back.

There are always exceptions, always a great book, always an author who ploughs her own furrow, but it’s the general trends, not individual greatness or otherwise that is driving the market. Always the Pareto rule, the 80:20 ratio that goes into the marketing and finance departments. There’s a reason for the saying “the exception proves the rule.”

Plus it’s the change of the season, and that always brings a bit of disturbance. So maybe it’s just the weather.

Wendy the Super Librarian’s review of An Impolite Seduction (The Countess Trilogy #2) by Alison Richardson
Historical erotica short story ebook released by Spice Briefs 1 Oct 09

I’m not above admitting that even when the characters may not hold a lot of appeal, that good writing will keep me coming back for more.  Such is the case with Alison Richardson’s latest Spice Briefs short story, the second in her Countess Trilogy, and the second story to feature the lusty young widow Countess Anna von Esslin.

It’s been three years since the events The Countess’s Client, and Anna has traveled to the English countryside to help her young cousin Charlotte.  Charlotte, the poor ignorant chit, has gone and gotten engaged to a rather dull and priggish Viscount.  Worse still?  The girl is still a virgin!  Determined to set about properly educating the girl (oh, and to attend the wedding), Anna is expecting a rather tiresome visit.  It gets unexpectedly complicated though when she discovers that James McKirnan is her cousin-in-law’s neighbor.  Having ended their affair three years ago in Paris, amid quite a bit of scandalous whispering, Anna is not very happy to see him.  However James has moved up in the world, and is determined to make Anna his - by whatever means necessary.

The problems I had with the first short story in this trilogy are still evident here.  Anna is still an insufferable snob and for the life of me I can’t figure out what James sees in her, other than she’s a spectacular lay and she’s playing hard to get.  James continues to be an uneasy mix - one moment charming and likeable, the next an intolerable jackass.  I’m still trying to figure out why I should care about what happens to either of these two.

Which probably leaves you, gentle review reader, wondering why the heck I read this story when the continuing characters didn’t gel for me the first time around.  Well, I’ll tell you.  Richardson has a delicious writing style.  Anna is, on one hand, all about societal class structure and her station in it, and on the other hand, deliciously scandalous.  I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at several moments over the course of this story, ranging from Anna’s opinion on why men seem to prize virginal brides so much (two words: performance anxiety) and how she wriggles out of a sticky situation at the end of this tale.

I’m still not willing to shout from the roof-tops and recommend these stories wholeheartedly, but darn if the writing style and Anna’s scandalous lifestyle don’t keep me coming back for more.  It’s like a trashy night-time soap opera set in Victorian times.  No wonder I’m hooked.

Grade: C

 Summary:

“There is nothing in the world less appealing than a chaste young man.”

At least that’s the opinion of Countess Anna von Esslin, who is shocked to learn her cousin has gotten engaged without a single taste of passion. But while the Countess arranges her cousin’s seduction, she is also reunited with James McKirnan, a man intent on seducing her. And James is certainly far from chaste…

No excerpt found.

Other books in this series: