Sandy M’s review of How Much You Want to Bet? by Melissa Blue
Contemporary romance ebook novella released 15 Feb 08 by The Wild Rose Press

If you like wit, humor, attitude, and snark in your books, you’re going to really enjoy this read. If you like compassion, vulnerability, sensuousness, and plain old fun in your characters when you read, you’re going to love this book.

Neil Sullivan (the heroine) is trying to start over after the death of her father and the promise she made to him to keep their secrets hidden and their family reputation safe. Whistle Lake seems like just the spot for her to do that, along with her new job at a local construction company. Things are going along fine in her anonymity until she meets Gibland Winnfred, a man who loves to bet and never loses. For some reason she can’t make herself walk away from Gib’s bets or the man himself. Between his cockiness and his kisses, his grin and his laughter, Neil is little by little falling for him, even though she knows he can never really be part of her life.

Gib has never been this intrigued with a woman before. Neil doesn’t fall at his feet; she gives him attitude and she has a body that he can’t wait to get his hands on. Financially able to do whatever he pleases whenever he wants, Gib has stayed away from the family business and what his father expects him to do, but meeting Neil puts a different spin on home, roots, and love. Trying to help her overcome her deepest fear doesn’t work like he thought it might, and when it looks like he might lose the best thing to ever come along in his life, he makes the ultimate bet to try to keep Neil by his side — forever.

These characters jump off the page and stay in your face until the very end. No way in hell you can ignore them. You get caught up in their lives and live through every emotion with them from joy to anger to loss. The humor will make you laugh out loud and you might even shed a tear or two. You cringe at their mistakes, but then you cheer at their triumphs. The secondary characters are also very well developed and add depth to the story. Both Neil and Gib have their own family issues which they handle in their own way, Gib brings the fun and spontaneity back into Neil’s life, she gives him heat and spark when she finally succumbs to his lovemaking, and they definitely sizzle.

This is Melissa Blue’s debut novel. The writing is fresh and sharp, sexy and fun. I can’t wait for her next book.

Grade: A-

Book blurb:

     Neil Sullivan, a construction worker, has finally met her match in Gibland Winnfred the Third. He wants her to build his house, and she can’t say no. This is her chance to leave the past behind her and the secrets buried there.

     Neil must ignore the attraction between them in order to keep a promise she made to her deceased father. It’s not as easy as she thought, especially when her pride refuses to ignore the innocuous bets Gib throws out as bait. The one thing she fails to realize is Gib never loses and now he wants to win her heart.

     Read an excerpt.

These are reviews of five short, erotic titles from various publishers, in various flavors. They are a bit too short to review on their own without the review being almost as long as the story, so I have put together five “Lightning Reviews.” 

Read on if you’re wearing rubber soled shoes…

The Good Lawyer by Rachel Carrington
Contemporary erotic romance released 2006 by Whispers Publishing 

This is a super-short story. The fantasy is sexy and the emotion is anchored by a plot twist that I loved. Recommended for a quick erotica fix.

Grade: B+

From the back cover:

     When Deidre Manning’s days get long, she allows herself to escape into wild fantasies. Locked inside the sanctuary of her office, she enjoys more than just the satisfaction of the moment, especially once a visitor makes it a party for two.

     Read an excerpt.

Mr. Fix It by Donelle Carroll (author doesn’t appear to have her own site and this looks like her only title)
Contemporary erotic romance released Oct 06 by Wild Rose Press

Also, a super-short story. Calling up the cute repair guy for a fling is a common fantasy, I’m sure. The problem is the characterization. Obviously just a sexual encounter between strangers, the author forced a level of emotion at the end that didn’t fit. But where some more sexual tension would have benefited the story, instead we get some faltering on the leading lady’s part that does nothing for the story.

Grade: D

From the back cover:

     Looking like he just fell from Hunk Heaven, Ryan stepped into the elevator. Jill shamelessly sized him up. Building Maintenance. Handy with tools. But could he fix her broken heart?

     No excerpt available.

Sweet Shoppe: Her Wicked Warrior by Melissa Schroeder
Time travel erotic romance released Mar 06 by LooseId (Title is out of print)

This one is sexy and fun. It has some unreal marathon sex but this is an erotic title, so that’s allowed. The characters are enjoyable and I wanted them to be together. Don’t expect deep relationships or plot development. It is adult fairy tale stuff but it’s good. I got some real giggles here and there as well as some “squirm in your seat” moments.

Grade: B

From the back cover:

     Librarian Paige Turner isn’t having the best of weeks. Work has been hell, her sometimes fiancé seems only to pay attention to her when he needs research help, and on top of that, she has been losing sleep thanks to some pretty erotic dreams. So, at the end of the day, one week before St. Patrick’s Day, she stops by The Sweet Shoppe for some Irish Truffles. Before falling asleep, she wishes her dream lover were real. When she wakes up in the morning, she finds out he is.

     Seamus can’t remember exactly how he ended up in Paige’s bed. One minute he is in a battle, the next he’s in bed with the woman who has been stealing into his dreams. Instinct has him seducing her before he even knows her name, but soon he is confronted with a strange new world, and the possibility that Paige just doesn’t understand he is her soulmate.

     Paige decides to keep her warrior, but soon everything goes awry. Thanks to Seamus, her life is disrupted, her career almost ruined, her fiancé has called off their wedding, and she finds herself falling in love with Seamus. But will Paige be able to accept the changes he has wrought, or will her fear of change bring disaster for both of them?

     Read an excerpt.

The Seduction of Sean Nolan by Treva Harte
Time travel erotic romance released (unknown date) by LooseId

This story has some seriously yucky parts. She notices he’s filthy and bloody and probably has lice… and he’s dying from an infected leg wound. So of course she can keep herself from going down on him? Eeewww! The plot resolution completely out of left field and unexplained. I really can’t recommend this one.

Grade: F

From the back cover:

     Wounded and near death, Sean prayed for the thing he wanted most. “Dear God, don’t let me die a virgin.”

     When Nell appeared, she didn’t look like any angel he’d ever imagined. And she sure as heck didn’t kiss like one. But she might just be the answer to his prayers.

     Read an excerpt.

Come, Sweet Creature by Tilly Greene
Contemporary erotic romance released 2005 by Whiskey Creek Press

I saved the best for last. This story is light BDSM. It may disappoint the hard-core power exchange lifestylers. However, it is a good story for those who like sex games. There’s no humiliation, but there is titillation. I liked the characters, but, really, get this one because it’s hot… then put down a towel on your chair before you read it.

Grade B+

From the back cover:

     Jena Flyno works for Tilton Spidermach, CEO of TS Properties. As PR Director she’s got her hands full cleaning up after his debauched peccadilloes. She’s heard about his playroom and she’s not about to become his latest prey.

     Spider has been watching his lovely, but oh, so prim and proper PR lady for months. Jena is elusive and unattainable, and he has just figured out a way to ensnare her. All he needs is one little sign of weakness and she’ll be caught up in his web.

     Read an excerpt.

Sandy M’s review of The Cavalry Wife by Donna Dalton
Historical romance released 10 Aug 07 by The Wild Rose Press

Every once in a while you pick up a book and just a few pages in you realize you’ve found a lovely little jewel that sparkles and shines the more you read. This book is one of those for me.

From the moment I met Callie, I felt for her, I wanted her to have the life she wanted and deserved, and I wanted her to have the love in her life she’d lost with the death of her parents. Even her connection to the White House couldn’t protect her from the malevolence harbored toward her by her guardians for something so tragic Callie still blames herself. Even when she takes advantage of an unexpected opportunity that she knows is wrong, you pray she holds on to that moment so that she can really begin to live and experience life.

Captain Chase Brooks is a man who needs the structure and discipline of the military. He’s also a man who’s experienced betrayal, so you can imagine his ire when life takes an unwanted turn and he suddenly has a wife he has no intention taking care of, let alone love. Chase is as determined to remain friends with her as Cassie is to break through his facade and show him how to love again. It’s wonderful to see her break down his defenses one by one, but it takes a near-death tragedy to pull him out of his stubborn ways and acknowledge what his wife has to offer him.

Watching Callie become a more confident and determined woman through her befriending the Negro regiment her husband commands and her snubbing the racist and snobbish women of the fort only causes you to cheer her on. The Indian conflicts and illiteracy of the black troops are highlighted and handled very well.

I’m glad I found this diamond in the rough. Ms. Dalton will continue to shine for some time to come.

Grade: A

From the back cover:

A night of too much whiskey, a wrongly-numbered hotel door, and an angry guardian force dedicated cavalry captain Chase Brooks into marriage, despite his vow never to endure another loveless marriage. He reluctantly agrees to take his new wife with him to his remote outpost, convinced the pampered girl won’t last two weeks in the harsh conditions of the southwest and will beg to be sent back east. The one thing he didn’t count on was a burning desire for his unwanted wife.

Callie Grant embraces the opportunity to start a new life far from the controlling hands of her guardians. Enduring the rough environment of the Indian Territories, she transforms from a timid flower into the poised, self-reliant woman she’s always dreamed of becoming. As her gratitude towards the captain turns to love, she resolves to break through her husband’s formidable reserve and uncover the passionate, loving nature he tries to hide.

Read an excerpt.

Available in ebook and print.

Alicia Thomas’s review of Sundial by Carrie Lofty
Time travel short story ebook published Dec 07  by Wild Rose Press

Sundial is a short story, only 67 pages and is the first thing I’ve read from Wild Rose Press.

The biggest factor in Sundial is the style. The whole feel of this story is disjointed but in an artsy kind of way. It’s like Picasso does time-travel romance. I enjoy some of the weird IFC movies, etc., so once I figured out what I was reading I enjoyed it. I did have immediate negative reaction, though, and had to come up from there.

First off, we aren’t told just how young Mark is so his attitude seems really off. Also, the masturbation scene is really stupid. He gets caught because he sets himself to get caught, in my opinion. Who does that sitting outside a door the other person may walk through soon? And this brain damaged person has the nerve to act surprised! This is in the very beginning, though, and things got better quickly.

The author calls Mark shy but I’d say wary is a better word. He’s a consummate actor, with a natural talent and having honed his skills out of necessity. he is direct and strong, so he’s not shy. He’s been living in an unstable environment since he was 16, which is a vulnerable age, and he never knows when he may just disappear into his old life. He comes across as cold, at first, but bitterness toward circumstances isn’t an unusual response for a teenager. Due to what’s happened with his life, in some ways he’s less mature for his age and in other ways he’s much more.

I haven’t said much about Amber but really, Mark is the star of the show. She’s a good enough heroine and in the end she pulls off a good climax but there’s not a lot to say about her. The vast majority of the struggle, pain and growth are Mark’s.

Now I have to grade this. This one is hard. It will be sad if it misses the audience who will enjoy it because it definitely isn’t for everyone. It will be a gem for those looking for something unusual. I’ll give a general grade with a strong recommend if you think you may go for the style. I’ll be looking for more from this author.

Grade C+

Blurb:   Amber Schulman stepped into a lush English garden in 2007, only to arrive in breathtaking Sorrento, Italy in 1958. The only person who understands her confusion is fellow time traveler Mark Lacey, a New Yorker who comes from the land of cassette tapes and Reaganomics. His dark, world-weary eyes beckon her with secrets and sensuality. But why does he seem so familiar?

Trapped in the past since he was a teen, Mark wants nothing to do with another whining newcomer. But the blue-eyed Aussie might be able to answer the one question that haunts him: Do I ever get back to 1987?

From soccer to samba to sex, Amber tempts him with a zeal for life and love, pulling him free of his lonely isolation.

But getting home could prove easier than they imagined. How will their love endure if Amber returns to her time and Mark to his?”

Read an excerpt.