A Highland Werewolf Wedding by Terry Spear

April 18, 2013 By 1 Comment

WOLF
A Highland Werewolf Wedding by Terry Spear
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (342 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Elaine Hawthorn is a gray American werewolf, currently out of work, and on a mission to share in a family treasure. When she arrives in Scotland, she nearly has a head-on collision with one hot, kilt-garbed Highlander, and runs him off the road.

Werewolf laird Cearnach MacNeill isn’t happy Elaine ruined his car, but he quickly becomes her protector after a misunderstanding lands her right in the middle of two feuding clans. Now he’s out to ensure that this sexy female wolf gets her fair share of her clan’s treasure. He knows he should leave well enough alone, but it’s too late to leave his heart out of it.

I knew I had just read an awesome book by the aftermath – nails bitten, teeth aching and hyperventilation, check – check – check. There is action, suspense and more twists and turns than the Pacific Coast Highway; and it can leave a reader just as breathless. A Highland Werewolf Wedding delivered surprises, shocks and heart pounding adventures that had my brain spinning. What a ride!

The author first introduced me to the lead characters way back in history. Because werewolves live a long time, fate had a nice, leisurely time span to work its magic. Ms. Spear’s writing is diabolical and clever. She wove an intricate little mystery about a time honored tradition – hunting for buried pirate treasure. There was murder and betrayal along the way, naturally, but there is something infinitely more intriguing buried with the stash – destiny.

Elaine is young and scared when the story opens. When next a reader meets her, she’s all grown up and a force to be reckoned with. Life has hardened her and made her more cunning, determined and a woman who knows her own mind. She stands up for herself, and because she’s been on her own for so long, knows what it’s like to have no one to guard her back. That makes her a woman of action. If there’s injustice, she stands against it. If there’s a wrong, she is going to correct it. And if someone is going to try to feed her a load of blarney, she’ll call them on it. Elaine Hawthorne is no one’s fool. Despite everything she’s lived through and survived, there is this little spark of romantic yearning inside that has lain dormant all these years. It will take one man to ignite it and his name is Cearnach MacNeill.

I originally met Cearnach in A Howl for a Highlander and he was portrayed as a man who is jovial in nature with a will of steel. In his own story, I got to see a greater depth from him that pleased me. That easygoing manner that his family is familiar with isn’t present in this book. He’s taking a stand against injustice; a right choice in the face of one hundred percent disapproval. And yet, the hero can do no less. It’s that sense of honor, integrity and the unwillingness to let a wrong go uncontested that made him an awesome choice for winning the heroine’s love. The fact that he is drool-worthy in a kilt, or nothing at all, is an added bonus.
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What kills me is that I can’t talk at length about the villains. The whole lot of them play a key role in getting Elaine and Cearnach together long enough that they fall in love, wholly and completely. So much happens to the two of them because of the actions and manipulations of the bad guys that it’s astounding.  The conflict is genius, the action sequences of fighting, running and fighting some more were tightly written and the final culmination of a century’s old mystery finally getting solved was satisfactorily wrapped up.

At first, their romance seems to be humming along without a hitch, mostly because they’re both wolves and they know the mating expectations. The hero and heroine are not shy by any means, which had the effect of providing me with some oh-so-sexy seduction scenes. Both characters know what they like and want and go after it. I was enjoying their getting together so much that when the villains made their dramatic strike it was a like being splashed with frigid Arctic water. SHOCK! I yelled at the book, put it down, stalked off, came right back and started reading again. I could not believe my eyes. What an amazing, truly amazing gift Ms. Spear has for storytelling!

I absolutely enjoyed the romance, the back story and the delivery but the novel isn’t totally perfect. There is only one thing that could have made the book one hundred percent ideal and that was less repetition of Elaine being an “alpha-she wolf”. I get it. Cearnach totally loved that about her, was enamored of her personality and appreciated that she was an alpha-she wolf. But I was beat over the head with it and after a while all I could do was roll my eyes. It almost came to the point that she was over-alphing the hero, which wouldn’t have been a good thing. The author managed to prevent the heroine from usurping the hero’s place as a hero, but barely. In the end, the most important fact is that they came out equal, Elaine and Cearnach are well matched and their union is truly blessed. A piece of the pirate treasure proved that.

Another component to enjoy was seeing Duncan again from A Highland Werewolf Wedding. In this story he acts like the other book said he usually did but because he was falling in love at the time, a reader didn’t get to see him in action. His devilish bloodthirsty nature came out loud and clear in this tale and it was a great benefit for Cearnach. Not only did I get to see Ian, the oldest brother again, but I had the distinct treat of seeing I was right about an observation that I’d made when reading the other book. Uncle Ethan is fitting right in. I’m tickled pink.

Even though I’m making references to a previous book, please don’t let that dissuade you from reading this one. It’s a great standalone read because the story is complete unto itself. Yes, there are little references from the previous books that a fan will be able to pick up and enjoy all the more. It’s like a double layer of fun – it’s great for both new and old fans of the series.

A Highland Werewolf Wedding is not only sultry, sexy and satisfying but it has a plot conflict that stuns, shocks and bowls a reader over from the surprise. This is a book that kept me on my toes, kept me glued to its pages and bouncing in my chair. I cannot even express the myriad of emotions this book wrung from me but it’s all due to the awesome talent that Ms. Spear possesses. It was amazing how she lulled me into thinking that this was going to be a sweet but hot romance with a mild bit of drama. Readers are in for a wild time. I feel like I’m straining against the bit because I want to reveal just what made this novel as cool and diabolical as it is and I can’t. It’s a major spoiler and I want readers to feel what I did, experience the whole sensation like I did and that can only come from the not knowing. I guess some readers might figure it out. In retrospect I think the author did drop clues. But I didn’t catch on so it made the revelation all the more powerful. So, rush out and get this book when you can and find out for yourself. A Highland Werewolf Wedding a sure winner.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone

March 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

SUMMER
The Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone
Bad Boys of Crystal Lake Series
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Heat: Hot
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Sometimes the best place to find love is right back where you started…

Falling asleep in a different bed every night has made it easy for Cain Black to forget his past. It’s been ten years since he packed his guitar and left Crystal Lake, Michigan, to chase his dreams. Now tragedy has forced him home again. And though Cain relishes the freedom of the road, one stolen moment with Maggie O’Rourke makes him wonder if he’s missing out on something bigger than fame.

For Maggie—single mother and newly settled in Crystal Lake—love is a luxury she just can’t afford. Sure, she appreciates the tall, dark and handsome looks of prodigal son Cain Black. But how long can she expect the notorious hellion to stay?
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The last thing either of them wants is something complicated. But sometimes love has its own plans.

Guitarist & band front man Cain Black walks straight back into memory: a sad event brings him back to his home town after a decade away – back, in fact, to his old High School crowd.

There’s a bit of the ‘reunion’ type feeling…right up until he meets Maggie O’Rourke. Never let it be said that a rockstar can’t be interested in a maid…a stunning, gorgeous maid. Of course, there are impediments. She’s a single mom and a cautious one. There are also any number of jealousy issues – either about them, or about status, or about old personal stuff . But this book starts with the death of a hero, and somehow, the perceptions about what is really important, about friendships and people, remain true throughout. Both our main characters are tough enough to disregard opinion, and are nice enough people, individually, to see past a bunch of pointless gossip. There are, however, things one cannot ignore. A dark secret might end them after all…but the revelation is part of the story, and this is no spoiler!

I was intrigued at the start of this book. I sympathized with the small-town boy who no longer belongs, and admired the tough lady, making her own way. Events and the endlessly unexpected kept me turning the pages; as did the seduction scenes, which are amazingly intimate yet classily delivered. And by the end, you’ll see there are a number of ways to be a hero.

The Summer He Came Home is everything it should be, and meets every expectation. Fans of the contemporary romance will be delighted to discover the talented author, Juliana Stone: This book should go to the top of the must read pile.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Undone by Sara Humphreys

March 25, 2013 By 1 Comment

UNDONE
Undone by Sara Humphreys
The Amoveo Legend Series
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (265 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

She’s Far From Human…

With her secret race of shapeshifteres embroiled in civil war, all Marianna Coltari wants is to stay far from controversy. Even so, when her overprotective brother insists on hiring his human friend Pete as her bodyguard, Marianna is furious.

Does She Dare to Love One?

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Finally, an author has written a story about a shifter female finding a human mate. You find in so many paranormal stories a human female and a shifter male lead that I found it refreshing to see the opposite in this story. On top of that, the author found a way to have a strong shifter female without emasculating Pete, the hero in Undone. While it may be questionable at times on who can win physically, it is clear to me that Pete is every bit an alpha male even if he cannot turn into a ferocious bear.

Marianna is a character that I quickly fell in love with. She has a spice for life that you just don’t see in many stories. While she can certainly be a reckless party girl, she also bears a lot of weight on her shoulders from various places such as her Amoveo blood, family, friends, and enemies – whether they be forthcoming are hidden in the shadows. While at first I saw some of her behavior as reckless, as I learned more about her I discovered that she needs a way to let her hair down to keep from crumbling under all the pressure placed onto her. She also discovers that she can depend on Pete to help lift some of that burden as well.

Pete is an awesome man; he is the ultimate good guy. He clearly wants to make life better for those around him. It’s one of the attributes that made him a good cop previously and a good bodyguard/babysitter for Marianna. He has a way of seeing situations differently than the average human which makes him a true asset to the Amoveos and humans. One characteristic that I absolutely adore is his ability to push back. He never sees himself as weak especially when surrounded by preternatural beings, but instead analyses a situation and figures out how to make it work for him. This quality was truly enduring and makes me have a special appreciation for him.

I am a long time fan of this series and have truly enjoyed seeing the progression of not only the storyline but also the author’s ability. While all of the previous stories have been entertaining, I can see the progress that the author has made in finding a way to connect with her audience by painting a picture so clearly, it makes me forget the world around me. Many times I found myself so enthralled, that I had to shake my head just to jostle myself out of the Amoveo world and tend to the real world.

If you are not a follower of this series you can still enjoy Undone, though you may find certain areas unclear. I appreciate that the author does not go in too many summaries or explanations about characters and conflicts from previous stories. I have always found summaries tedious and downright boring. So some of the group or Amoveo conflicts, such as the counsel breaking up, may baffle a new reader, but Marianna and Pete’s romantic plot will keep anyone more than interested. Plus, if you have not read the series this will be a great time to pick up the previous books as well as this one and I assure you will not be disappointed.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Bite Me, Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann

March 21, 2013 By 1 Comment

BITE

Bite Me, Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (344 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

London’s Lord Vampire Has Problems

Dr. John Polidori’s tale “The Vampyre” burst upon the Regency scene along with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein after that notorious weekend spent writing ghost stories with Lord Byron.

A vampire crazy broke out instantly in the haut ton.

Now Ian Ashton, the Lord Vampire of London, has to attend tedious balls, linger in front of mirrors, and eat lots of garlic in an attempt to quell the gossip.

If that weren’t annoying enough, his neighbor, Angelica Winthrop has literary aspirations of her own and is sneaking into his house at night just to see what she can find.

Hungry, tired, and fed up, Ian is in no mood to humor his beautiful intruder…

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It’s a great concept. Angela isn’t a simpering miss. She is well read, adventurous in spirit and fights the restraints that society puts upon her position. She doesn’t want to be married because to her, it’s a death sentence. It’s a guaranteed demise of all her hopes and dreams because what she wants isn’t what proper young ladies should even contemplate. In her own simple and naive way, Angela bucks the system and achieves some small success. It’s when things get out of control that the book gets interesting. The heroine discovers quite a few things that shake up her well-ordered view of the world – and she wouldn’t have it any other way. I liked how fearless she was at times, and how innocent she really is. That innocence will eventually be her undoing. Her growing love for Ian will propel her to change from a young girl in love to a woman willing to stand for and by her man. Her personal journey is ripe with amazing discoveries and adventures brought upon by external conflicts but the most growth is from her facing her internal conflicts. Angela comes out of the whole experience a much stronger person.

Ian is not a normal duke and his life is lived on two levels – ton by day, Lord of London at night. His skills are interesting and his bemusement over this lively and daring young lady that has turned his life upside down is fun to watch. A reader can see him slowly but surely fall in love with the heroine but he has that pesky nature that is inherent in all men – the ability to deny and deceive themselves about their real feelings. It will take a significant outside conflict to shake him up and drop the scales from his eyes.

I liked Angela and Ian and I thought they were well matched. What I wasn’t too fond of was the typical worn-out ploy of creating a conflict based on one party eavesdropping on the other and hearing something out of context that sets them up for, what I term, “unnecessary madness”. He’s clueless, she’s put out and they dance around each other’s emotions while trying to ‘fix’ something that neither knows how to because they don’t really know what is wrong. It sort of drove me barmy. Because men and women were not supposed to talk openly back in the day, I guess the conflict could be considered realistic to a degree but it still raised my ire.

There are two conflicts that basically intertwine and pester the relationship between Ian and Angela. One is fairly serious and does provide a nice amount of suspense and drama. The other would have benefitted from the same thing that would help Ian and Angela – talk, communicate. You know, take responsibility, step up and fight for what’s right instead of wallowing in worst case scenarios and let fear guide their actions. It’s the furtive nature of both – one of the secondary characters and indeed Angela -that made me sigh with exasperation. It all eventually turns out alright and I’m glad the author chose to end one of the conflicts the way she did. It was a twisted happy ending but it worked.

Rafe was interesting and I liked him. Despite the few things that didn’t ring my happy chimes in this tale, there is one amazing secondary character that the author introduced that I am actually looking forward to meeting again in any future books Ms. Ann writes – Lord Deveril. The author didn’t elaborate much beyond admitting he was another vampire and a recluse. It was his dialogue exchanges with Angela and Ian that fascinated me, hooked me and made me more than willing to read more stories written by Ms. Ann.

Overall, this author has a nice style of writing when the action focuses on the doing. The dramatic parts are tightly written and kept me engaged all the way through. Angela is amusing in her cheekiness and Ian is sexy and entertaining as he navigates his dual roles. There is much to recommend this book.

Bite Me, Your Grace is unique, adorable and provides a delightful way to spend an afternoon. It’s not heavy in dark drama, has a different spin on the typical historical romance and Ms. Ann has put her own personal twist on the vampire myth. I liked her interpretation. Also, the happily ever after is preceded by all the loose ends being tied up in a believable and satisfactory manner which I applaud. This is a good read and I am glad I had a chance to enjoy it.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Darius by Grace Burrowes

March 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ARIUS

Darius by Grace Burrowes
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (378 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

A story that breaks all the rules…

Darius is a gripping and remarkable tale of desperation, devotion, and redemption from award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes. Her gorgeous writing and lush Regency world will stay with you long after you turn the final page…

With his beloved sister tainted by scandal, his widowed brother shattered by grief , and his funds cut off, Darius Lindsey sees no option but to sell himself—body and soul. Until the day he encounters lovely, beguiling Lady Vivian Longstreet, whose tenderness and understanding wrap his soul in a grace he knows he’ll never deserve…

Negotiating for the creation of a child, time allotted, price, and after-the-fact requirements, make for page-turning, breathtaking reading. Darius is filled with startling events and clandestine agendas.

A beautiful man, an earl’s son no less, selling his ‘services’ is not the usual setup for a Regency romance. It gives pause, but compelling characters, exceptional plotting, and exquisite writing by Grace Burrowes lured me in and captivated me with a riveting, tangled love story that makes one believe that even the flawed and damaged can find redemption with the right incentive.

Darius Lindsey, in his determination to protect and take care of those he loves, engages in activities abhorrent to him. When a hush-hush proposition that can make him independent comes along, he breaks almost all of his ‘rules’ to honor his part of the agreement. What he gets in the bargain far surpasses all he ever hoped for. How Ms. Burrowes creates Darius to be sympatric and understandable makes him come alive. How he copes with extracting himself from his past relationships is amazing. Fighting fire with fire is not easy.
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At age twenty-five, Vivian Longstreet, quiet, compassionate, intelligent, and loyal, lives like an old woman tending her old and ailing husband, the Fourth Viscount Longstreet, William, who is good to and protective of Vivian but is still in love with his first wife, Muriel who is dead. William longs to be with Muriel again. But first he is determined to do right for Vivian and his family name.

Lord William Longstreet is a respected, shrewd politician and maneuvers and manipulates to be sure his heir holds on to the family title and properties. He knows his way around London Society and does what needs to be done to assure Vivian’s independence from a villainous ‘past’ step-father, Thurgood Ainsworthy, a shyster deluxe.

Seeing the metamorphosis of Vivian is like watching the gradual unfolding of a rose. Vivian blooms during the month she is a guest at Darius Lindsey’s home in Kent. Under his tutelage, she learns to dress beautifully, learns how to use her ‘woman weapons’ to get what she wants, and how to protect herself. But most of all she learns the joy, pleasure, and ecstasy of love with Darius who never fails to ‘take care’ of her. She also learns a sad fact. They must be ‘unacquainted’ when her sojourn in Kent is over.

Many of the secondary characters do not have the best interests of Darius and Vivian at heart. Blanche Cowell and Lucy Templeton that Darius deals with for money have ‘turned mean into a hobby’. How he free himself from their clutches creates some nail-biting moments. Thurgood Ainsworthy and his underhanded schemes or closely rivaled by those of Portia who is the wife of Lord Longstreet’s bastard son. Her plans to get her husband legitimized and to become lady of the manor are mind-boggling.

Of course, there are some characters that reach right out and touch the heart like John, Darius’ little relative that is in Darius’ care. It is not hard to see why Darius will go to any length to protect him. Gracie, Darius’ loyal housemaid and the other servants in his home give the reader a close look at Darius’ real personality.

Once I started reading this tale of redemption I didn’t want to put it down. It nurtures the deep belief that there is hope for all humanity even the ‘soiled’ bits and pieces of it. And the old saying that there is a little bit of good in the worst of us and a little bit of bad in the best of us (according to the mores of the society we live in) seems so true.

Grace Burrowes, just like in her Moreland series, enchants with love finding its way even if it has to navigate around a multitude of obstacles that get thrown in its path.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

From The Kitchen of Half Truth by Maria Goodin

March 20, 2013 By 1 Comment

ITCHEN

From The Kitchen of Half Truth by Maria Goodin
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (339 pgs)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

Scientist Meg May can’t remember her childhood, but that’s just fine, because her cooking-obsessed, head-in-the-clouds mother told her everything: Meg’s father was a French chef who died in a tragic pastry accident; her mom dipped a younger Meg’s toes in coffee because they were so sweet. Meg used to love these stories, but as she spends one last elegiac summer with her dying mother, savoring fleeting days and absorbing cooking lessons, she longs to know the truth. However, her mother is in denial about their past, as well as about her health, and Meg may not have the chance to discover who they are in time.

A delicious debut, full of quirky humor and depth of feeling, From the Kitchen of Half Truth explores the lies we tell ourselves in order to create the life we want.

Where do I begin…I have so many good things to say about this book. Let me start by saying it’s one of those stories that made me upset that it had to come to an end. It held me captivated from first to last word. I love the premise of this book, about a mother and daughter relationship, and how sometimes we take things and people for granted in our lives. However, what I loved most about it is Ms. Goodin took a very different approach to a topic that yes, one too many authors have tackled. She gave it a new spin and I think that’s what held me spellbound as I turned the pages.
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The story starts in a very lighthearted way. I found myself laughing at the mother in this story because of her antics and the tales she spun to her then naïve daughter. But then as the book progresses you realize that the story is going in a different direction and it’s getting more serious as Meg tries to piece together her childhood. I sometimes wanted her to find the truth but then I wanted her to remain blind to what really happened to her mother and how she came to be.

I won’t spoil it and give away any of the plot but I know you too will be captivated. You’ll go through a range of emotions, you’ll laugh, and then you’ll cry because the last third of this book is so moving. I think like me, you’ll find just a little piece of yourself in all the wonderful characters.

This book is released in April and I highly recommend you get yourself a copy and put it on your spring/summer reading list. This is a wonderful debut book for this author and I’m looking forward to seeing more of her work.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker

March 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

THRILL

Thrill Ride by Julie Ann Walker
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (344 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

HE’S GONE ROGUE

Ex-navy SEAL Rock Babineaux is as Cajun as they come—spicy, sexy, and more than a bit wicked. But would he actually betray his country? Even his best friends on the special-ops Black Knights team aren’t sure they can trust him. Now the target of a massive manhunt, Rock knows the only way to protect the team—especially his partner, Vanessa—is to run…

SHE WON’T BACK DOWN

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Actions send adrenaline racing and loves scenes take the breath away and inspire the imagination. Thrill Ride does indeed live up to its title.This is the fourth Black Knight Inc. book, but it stands alone beautifully. Of course, if you have read the earlier books, you’ll have a special treat. You’ll get to catch up with characters that swept you away on previous death-defying missions and into breathtaking love scenes. Ozzie, Becky and Frank, Billy, Eve, just to mention a few, add a special spice and humor to the do or die action. They are a kaleidoscope of personalities, intelligence, and actions. Each has a special something to enhance the story.

Thrill Ride is Richard “Rock” Babineaux and Vanessa Cordero’s story. The smooth-talking Cajun, with his wit, Southern charm, and gift for getting the truth from people, has supposedly gone “rogue”. Vanessa, the curvy, petite, stubborn, lionhearted communications expert at Black Knights Inc, is the best one to find him in the jungle area settlements of Costa Rica. She speaks the dialects of the region and has the moxie to finish what she starts. The connection Rock and Vanessa make as they struggle to stay alive in the jungle and the events that seem determined to sever that connection make page-turning reading.

The “burn and delete” that the CIA puts out on Rock sets the Black Knights in high gear to find him before anyone else does, but Rock is not easy to find. He can “disappear faster than a cry on the wind”.

The secretiveness of missions breed distrust among agencies and when ‘powers-that-be’ use this to promote their own agendas, actions do get wild and deadly. The unknown Rwanda Don wrecks havoc with lots of lives via actions of others and seems to be an untouchable antagonist. However, the Black Knights work their collective intellect and magic, keeping the reader on high alert for the entire book.

The inventive, descriptive, often outrageous language; the imagery; the bigger-than-life characters along with the intriguing, suspenseful, tangled plot that Julie Ann Walker uses, captures and sweeps the reader along into a vicarious experience that bombards the senses and sends emotions skyrocketing.

Super entertainment!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

What a Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

March 15, 2013 By 2 Comments

MOTHER

What a Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can’t find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

After months in the hospital following a horrendous car accident, Michelle Mason is finally able to come home. The trouble is, nothing is as how she remembered it. And is that due to her faulty memory or is there something else at work? When Michelle discovers that one of the things missing is her daughter, all hell breaks loose. There isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for her girl.

Gradual rehabilitation is the process order viagra usa of treating the spinal cord injury. Most of cialis pill cost http://amerikabulteni.com/category/haberler/amerika/ men who are over 60 still have sexual life. Night Fire capsule is developed using natural aphrodisiacs to boost semen load and enjoy powerful orgasm every time. buy cialis uk For bedtime, I wear a subtle, sensual, light fragrance with my two favorites being either canada sildenafil Romance by Ralph Lauren or Beautiful by Estee Lauder. The struggles that Michelle endures throughout the course of this novel almost ripped my heart out. She’s made to feel feeble, inferior, and pretty much made to believe she’s losing her mind. But she knows better. She knows her daughter like no one else and knows she wouldn’t up and disappear without a darn good reason. I have to hope that I’d be as dedicated, determined and ballsy as Michelle was if anything ever happened to either of my girls. I’d love to have her on my side, penchant for recklessness aside.

About a third of the way into this book, I began to realize that this might be my first interaction with an unreliable narrator. For me, I usually go in knowing the narrator is a crackpot or just a liar, but in this case, you really don’t know for sure. Michelle has had a serious brain trauma and, although she’s beginning to remember bits and pieces, you’re never really sure what’s real and what might be imagined. That bit of doubt made the story, for me, that much more enjoyable. That absolute need to find out what happened intensified and made it almost impossible to put down.

What a Mother Knows is an intense and emotional rollercoaster ride. Never knowing where Michelle’s instincts might take her next, you’re brought along to find out when she does. As a parent, I was completely invested emotionally in her story and struggle to find her daughter, crying for her, being outraged with her, simply hoping and praying that everything would work out in the end. It’s been a long time since I’ve read something that’s taken such a strong hold on me.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl by Gina Lamm

February 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

GEEK

The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl by Gina Lamm
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical, Paranormal, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (352 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

An avid gamer, Jamie Marten loves to escape into online adventure. But when she falls through an antique mirror into a lavish bedchamber—200 years in the past!—she realizes she may have escaped a little too far.

Micah Axelby, Earl of Dunnington, has just kicked one mistress out of his bed and isn’t looking to fill it with another—least of all this sassy, nearly naked woman who claims to be from the future. Yet something about her is undeniably enticing…

This is because one pill of either cialis 5 mg, or it’s generic Tadalafil, enables a man to maintain an erection. Children, prices generic cialis who get their dependency needs met on a regular basis, will thrive, flourish, and grow at a healthy pace. Inforce a new brand by InLife comes as an immune http://unica-web.com/ENGLISH/2015/GA2015-agenda.html buy cheap cialis builder and immune builder platinum and is mainly meant for daily dietary supplementation. From triggering boiling erection to enhancing the size of the blood buy viagra vessels that supply blood to the penis increases. Jamie and Micah are worlds apart. He’s a peer of the realm. She can barely make rent. He’s horse-drawn. She’s Wi-Fi. But in the game of love, these two will risk everything to win.

When Jamie Marten falls through a mirror in the present day and lands in a rather chilly 1816 England, her troubles are only just beginning. Between convincing the Earl of Dunnington that she really is from the future, fending off jealous women, and simply trying to keep it together long enough to make it back home, she’s got her work cut out for her. However, the more time she spends in the presence of this mysterious earl, the less she seems to want to return home.

Jamie Marten is my kind of girl. She’s brash, brazen, and quite the geek at heart. She’s also so very, very out of her element in 1816 England. However, her 21st century determination and desire for happiness help to keep her on her feet, moving forward at all costs. I really loved the way that no matter what happened, she found a way to counter it, even when her heart was breaking.

Micah Axelby, Earl of Dunnington, is every woman’s dream man. Well, maybe if you exclude the accusations of murder hanging over his head. But to his credit, he’s handsome, he’s well-off, and he’s a pretty great guy on his own. His complete and utter confusion and enjoyment over Jamie’s predicament is endearing and at times highly amusing. Despite being quite flummoxed by her modern ways, he’s unable to deny his attraction to her, showing that opposites not only attract, but draw together.

The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl is an amusing, heart wrenching and sometimes very steamy twist on the standard time-travel romance. Mixing romance, humor, and the perils of being a modern woman in a not-so-very modern time, the author brings a rollercoaster of emotion into this story. My only wish is that we had been shown more aspects of Jamie’s geekdom. If you’re in the mood for a well-rounded story that will appeal to a wide range of readers, this is a great choice.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The India Fan by Victoria Holt

February 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

FAN

The India Fan by Victoria Holt
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical
Length: Full Length (394 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

Blackmail. Arson. Murder. Obsession.

Beautiful as its peacock feathers may be, the priceless fan hidden deep within the Framling mansion has a legacy of death and destruction. And Drusilla Delany has no idea she’s been marked by its curse…

It is a powerful herb which can improve athletic endurance and mental performance. tadalafil tablets prices A very pleasurable sex experience and a self-confidence boost are the only side effects you’ll experience from using this product. buy viagra from india Regular intake of Mast Mood capsule and Night Fire capsule two times daily for two to three buy cialis months to boost male sex drive, vitality and vigor. Getting your partner order cheap levitra to climax first can relieve a lot of sales due to its best effects and also due to the trust which it maintains in the customers using this product. But the fan’s dark past might prove less of a danger than Fabian Framling himself. Dark, brooding, and dominating, will he be the one to save her from the fan’s cruel fate…or cause her demise?

Peacock feathers have long been thought to be unlucky. So when Drusilla accidentally comes to possess an India fan made of peacock feathers she has to decide whether she lets the unlucky myth follow her for the rest of her life, or try to live her life to the fullest.

Drusilla spent her entire life watching the eccentric Framlings live a life of privilege and little consequences. Drusilla, the practical one, spends too many years trying to fix everyone else’s mistakes and seemed to forget to live her own life in the process. Drusilla really got to experience a lot when she befriended Lavinia Framling as a child. It saddened me however, that Drusilla seemed to forget about her own needs in order to try to keep her mischievous friend in line. It made for a truly entertaining story.

One thing that did puzzle me was the lack of romantic development between Fabian and Drusilla. For a better part of the story Fabian isn’t even present. While it is obvious he has some type of infatuation with Drusilla the romance just seemed to be missing. I think part of this is because of the time period in which the story took place. Courting was different back then, and Drusilla was a very modest girl. With such little relationship development I would not consider this story a romance novel at all, but by no means does this mean the story was not entertaining.

This was a true adventure of two very different girls who are thrown together by circumstances. I think this is a great story to show morality at its best. While Drusilla may seem plain and uninteresting to some she has a good head on her shoulders which leads her to make practical life choices, as well as try to guide her friend on how a young lady should conduct themselves. The story completely enthralled me from the first page and pulled every emotional imaginable out of me, and in the end I didn’t want the story to end. I would definitely read this story again and again for years to come.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
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