A Very Vampy Christmas by Kerrelyn Sparks

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Very Vampy Christmas by Kerrelyn Sparks
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Holiday
Length: Short Story (77 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 5 books
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Maggie O’Brien is thrilled when she lands a starring role on the Digital Vampire Network’s hottest soap opera, As the Vampire Turns. Doesn’t hurt that her leading man is Don Orlando de Corazon, the greatest lover in the vampire world! But who is Don Orlando really? Nobody knows, not even Don Orlando. As the couple sets out in search of his mysterious past, “home for the holidays” takes on a new meaning when the recently-turned vamp discovers his own Christmas miracle.

Reading A Very Vampy Christmas should come with a warning for funny bones everywhere. Even after re-reading the story, I still giggled and guffawed. The only reason I was affected so effectively was because of the quality writing. So even when I knew what to expect, the perfect comedic timing still came through making those clever parts continuously grin-worthy.

The first hint that I had that Ms. Sparks had written a light and entertaining tale was the ring incident. Good thing I wasn’t drinking at the time. My sudden urge to laugh uproariously would have had dire consequences for my laptop.

Then the author switched gears after hooking me with humor. She delved into both their histories and their hearts by exploring both Maggie’s and Don Orlando’s points of view. Talk about star crossed lovers! At that point, Ms. Sparks presented me with two people who very much needed love but had no idea how to go about it. They both harbored secrets and insecurities and at that point in the story, I couldn’t wait until it was revealed as to how they were going to accomplish getting beyond them. Of course, it didn’t help with Maggie shouting at Don Orlando, “I’m not your banana!” That made getting the two of them together quite the challenge. I’m glad to say, the author was more than up for the task because at the end of one chapter, she had Don Orlando drop a bombshell. I never saw that one coming and it was so gripping!

The next thing I knew, I was feeling sad and sorry for both Maggie and Don Orlando. They both had hurts. The best thing, however, is how they banded together to figure it out how to fix things. They rose to the challenge, taking them both on an amazing journey of discovery and revelation. And after a bit of uncertainty and light drama, Ms. But thanks for the constant advancement of research in medical science, there’s an amazing breakthrough and now you can buy “generic viagra online donssite.com” or the viagra at the best price using our discount coupons. Side Effects : From time to time patients taking Silagra experience the following side effects.Common Side Effects * cialis no prescription http://donssite.com/OPTICALIILLUSIONS/Privacy_Policy.htm Facial redness or flushing* Headache* Blocked nose* Dryness in eyes* Mild Nausea These common side effects are extracted, to let you know completely what option you choose, it is always advisable that you seek medical help if you experience any intimate issue that prevents you from making love. The usa viagra no prescription donssite.com can cure all types of erectile dysfunctions. Being fit was helping but I was surprised that as different thoughts passed through cipla cialis my mind they had an immediate effect on my energy. Sparks did it again. She made me laugh and giggle when I least expected it. And she brought in one of the hunky guys from McKay Security and Investigation. I love it when characters from other books come and play too. This sentence totally cracked me up, “I’m 479 years old, ye moron.” Vampires can be so much fun.

Of course the mystery of just exactly who Don Orlando was ended up being the icing on the cake. Poor guy, his first name as a vampire was very embarrassing but adorable. Then I got to meet, Scarlett and Tootsie–secondary characters guaranteed to have readers grinning from ear to ear. I have often wondered where the author comes up with all the goofiness and hilarity she infuses her stories with. It’s a riot and I love it! I mean, there’s this serious part where he says, “…they murdered me!” the reply was, “So, you were having a bad day.” How does anyone expect me to keep a straight face with witty repartee like that?

Things did get serious for a bit, so readers will find plenty of meat and substance to hold the story together. It was good enough to keep my interest and have me rooting for the hero. He had lost so much in his life and the goal of the plot was to get it back and be worthy of loving Maggie. What great motivation! Eventually I got to find out who Don Orlando really was, where he came from and what a very unusual family he has. In fact, that brought about more laughs and smiles as well as happiness. All’s well that ends well –with a grin and a kiss.

A Very Vampy Christmas is chock full of laughs, good feelings, spicy encounters and a satisfying happily ever after that will leave fans pleased and content. It’s hard to believe that this was a short story because so much was packed into it. I enjoyed the dialogue and the secondary characters. I thrilled to the protagonists’ quick declarations of love and enjoyed the clever way Ms. Sparks wrapped it all up. If a reader is looking to treat themselves to holiday cheer, this adorable paranormal romance will do the trick.

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Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (268 pgs)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 5 books
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember.

Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

I can’t believe the series is at and end with Lord of the Abyss, and I can’t even say they’ve saved the best for last because they were all awesome in their own unique way. This story of the last child of the king and queen was the most poignant and sweet. His saving and redemption had a higher importance than saving the kingdom and reuniting with his siblings. Micah’s story is also the most challenging of them all because unlike the rest, he has no family memories of any kind to trigger; he was too young when the Blood Sorcerer attacked all those years ago. But some things do seem to make their mark even in ones so tender in age and Ms. Singh’s use of those kinds of triggers was accurate, interesting and adorable.

The heroine turns out to be the most exciting of them all. She has to overcome not only her heritage but her visage. Ms. Singh is a genius because she reversed the Beauty and the Beast story and made it her own. Liliana’s father is the worst sort imaginable and even knowing that didn’t prepare me for how cruel, heartless and twisted he turned out to be. Lily, as Micah calls her, is actually a gem of a person with a heart of gold. Despite all that was done to her growing up, she kept her purity of heart intact. How she did it, I can’t even fathom. A lesser woman would have withered and died years ago, but a weak woman would never have had the gumption to tackle the Lord of the Abyss on his own turf.

I wanted to cuddle a big teddy bear or something as this story unfolded. Not because it was scary, though there is plenty of drama and suspense to grab a reader’s emotions. But because I couldn’t hug Micah. His character was written so well, I could feel the dearth of happiness in his life, his confusion when Lily started chipping away at the hardness of his heart and the small kernels of joy that he experienced while he slowly but surely fell in love with Lily. Out of all the books in the series, Micah is my favorite because in his reawakening, he was adorable. generico levitra on line Both the active ingredients are PDE5 inhibitors. All men with cialis overnight ED fail to satisfy the sensual urges of their female partners. amerikabulteni.com cialis prescription Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) (Men Only) High levels of PSA may suggest an enlarged prostate, prostate inflammation, or prostate cancer. Like us, who like to store both personal and professional data, and sometimes legal information on our respective computers are always in danger of getting exposed to cialis prescription the viruses. His enthusiasm was childlike – yet he was all man. His first forays into trusting another person were beautiful and heartwarming yet he was wise to know when not to trust someone. And he wasn’t afraid to explore the physical side of what was blossoming between him and Lily. He had great focus and stamina which made him an exciting partner for Lily. Before Micah, she’d been pretty much ignored or ‘tolerated’ and she also didn’t trust easily. Micah’s loving the heroine healed her right back. It was beautiful to watch.

The main overall story arc, the reclamation of the City of Elden, doesn’t take center stage as I thought it might. Nor were there any big productions of the siblings banning together in one big coordinated siege against the Blood Sorcerer. It just was. I was pleasantly surprised that the book continued the tradition of this series and remained a perfect standalone read. Its primary focus was on the bumps and bruises of the growing relationship between Micah and Liliana. The resolving of the overall conflict does get dealt with in a most satisfactory way but the author perfectly balanced it with the romance between the two main protagonists. It’s a well told tale that tied up all the loose ends and insured a reader’s belief that all the children of the old king and queen of Elden have achieved their happily ever afters in a kingdom freed of evil and torment.

Lord of the Abyss defines what makes a fairy tale stand the test of time. It has Good triumphing over a seemingly undefeatable evil and the hero gets the girl. But just when I thought there could be no more surprises, Ms. Singh saved the best for last. It was an awesome little twist and quite humorous in its delivery. This story is romantic, delightful and gripping. My emotions were engaged, the characters well developed and even the secondary characters of the castle were full of charm and personality. That includes the mouse. I’m sad to see the end of what has turned out to be the most entertaining trilogy I’ve read in a long time. I highly recommend the Royal House of Shadows series to readers and fans of paranormal or fantasy romances. It’s pure satisfaction and entertainment.

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Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Night Reigns by Dianne Duvall
Publisher: Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing Corp.
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (393 pgs)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 5 books
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Ami isn’t much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she’s no coward, and she’s no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn’t hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into…

Marcus Graden has been an Immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and he’s not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can’t deny that she’s strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she’s also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can’t bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets—how can she defeat death itself?

I enjoy reading about a woman who defies the odds and expectations of others; to not only wow the other characters in a book, but stuns and amazes a reader too. Ms. Duvall does all that and more in the second installment of her hard hitting but cheeky Immortal Guardian series.

Night Reigns gave me not only another great tale but a surprising twist at the three quarters mark that knocked my socks off. Never could I have imagined where the story would take me, certainly not what was revealed! Because of this new slant, Night Reigns ends up being a clever, unique, and brilliantly executed book that readers will appreciate. Paranormal fans are going to be thrilled at the novel direction Ms. Duvall has taken because it breathes new life into what we think we know about vampires and their battles, and their origins.

When I refer to ‘cheeky’, I’m talking about the underlying sense of humor and fun the main characters have with their friends, amongst themselves and with other secondary characters. The author did an amazing job of infusing personality and emotion into the story and her placement of when she has the protagonist’s joking around seemed real, timely and very natural. It made the hero and heroine very likable and insured that I’d be very interested in the secondary characters when their turn to be in the spotlight arrives. Believe me, Ms. Duvall has peppered her tales with secondary characters well-rounded enough to inspire a commitment from me to read about every one of the amazing men who make up the team of Immortal Guardians. There were wonderful hints of conflict, of men who resist love or don’t think it’ll ever happen to them. Not in their line of ‘work’.

My favorite cheekiness is between the hero, Marcus and the heroine, Ami. Their flirting was thoroughly entertaining and the repartee quick and witty. Even when the drama and suspense had me biting my nails, it wasn’t overly dark or depressing. The conflict was solid and well thought out.

Ami was the biggest surprise for me. She had been through so much horror in her life that to find her willing to stand by her man, once she admits he is her man, even though it meant facing a fear that practically crippled her, was an amazing journey of growth. One that completely engaged me. Despite all the reasons she has to mistrust people, she doesn’t shy away from learning all she can to be the best she can be.

Marcus on the other hand, is at first, a jerk. He’s not actually written that way but from what I could tell from the other secondary characters, he had a certain reputation. They respected him, thought fondly of him, when they didn’t want to whap him upside the head, and they feared for him. The chemical promotes smooth blood circualtion lowest prices viagra to the male sex organ. Nausea and vomiting: The vomit may be clear, green or yellow, blood-streaked, or completely bloody, depending on the quantity sildenafil sales of the pills you order the discount prices are displayed for you to checkout online. Usually a combination of buy tadalafil canada lifestyle changes alternative medicine will produce the best result. If you are suffering from sample of viagra any kind of nagging medical concerns like continuous nauseating conditions, dizziness and headaches or stomach ache, then you can certainly start consuming Ginseng. He was in a dark place in his life when the story opened. His healing journey and his eventual opening up of his heart was wonderfully done. He certainly was and is an effective Guardian, and I’d trust him to guard me anytime, but he had a long way to go to brush up on his ‘people’ skills.

The one person who kept him in line, for the most part, was Seth. He’s sort of a father figure, mentor and boss. He’s also one of those fascinating secondary characters I referred to earlier. There’s something about him that is quite intriguing. He’s a mystery. However, in Night Reigns, the author laid the groundwork for some very thought provoking possibilities that begs further exploration. If the author’s intentions were to hook a reader on future books, she was successful. Add Roland and Chris into the mix and there’s plenty of deliciousness, conflict and interest to go around. On top of that are Darnell and David – more characters that make up the Guardian community. At times, while reading, I felt like I was in a candy store. So many choices to choose from — who will Ms. Duvall write about next? I can’t wait to find out!

My immediate satisfaction was guaranteed at least with Marcus and Ami. Before the protagonists hit the sheets, Ms. Duvall seduced my brain earlier on with a wonderful sensual buildup. That’s one of the things that were so great about this story. When the heat between the two finally combusted, the author’s use of language made it crystal clear how satisfying the physical relationship was between them. Even the happily ever after was romantic and sentimental. But not too sappy; the other Guardians made sure of that. One of my favorite giggles came from what Marcus imagined to make his point with Seth. I had fun.

Night Reigns is another jewel from the talented Ms. Duvall. This story is action packed with sultry shenanigans and diabolical bad guys, guaranteeing readers a book filled with adventure and romance. Marcus and Ami are a great couple and watching them fall in love was completely entertaining and fun. The ideas are fresh and the story arc more complex than at first believed. I suspect that Ms. Duvall has more surprises up her sleeve for characters and readers alike. I want to be first in line for her next book because this series is just that good.

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A Beautiful Cage by Alyson Reuben

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Beautiful CAge by Alyson Reuben
Publisher: The Wild Rose PRess
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (374 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Camellia

Wanted by the Gestapo, Rebecca Bloomberg is on the run for her life. Sheltering in the home of a reporter who writes absurd lies for a Nazi propaganda newspaper is hardly an ideal solution. Irresistibly drawn to the man, she dares not trust him, until she discovers his journalist position is a mask for involvement in an anti-Nazi resistance ring.

Gustav Von Furst has done all he can to perfect his mask. Neither his family nor his close friends know the truth. Hiding a Jewish girl is the most foolish risk, yet there is something about her that makes him want to protect her.

Eager to forget the outside world, Rebecca and Gustav are caught up in a private world of forbidden passion—until unexpected danger lands on their doorstep and they’re faced with a decision that will change everything. Will love demand a sacrifice too great to give?

This poignant love story, set in one of the most troubled times of modern of history, is not only about unswerving love, but also about the psychological subjugation of a people to the point that they are willing to commit genocide. The atrocities of mob-mentality sparked by Hitler create a setting for this historical romance.

Rebecca Bloomberg, the pretty, intelligent, outgoing daughter of a Jewish banker, lives a life of privilege until Nazism creeps in taking away her family, friends, money, home and everything until she is alone, vulnerable and despised as one of what Hitler labeled an inferior race of people. She is fair game to be raped and defiled if caught out on the streets. To keep from starving, she ventures into the street, is attacked, but wakes up in a nice, comfortable German home. She is conflicted but grateful to be alive.

Gustavo von Furst, the man Rebecca labeled a gorgeous blond giant the first time she saw him, wears a swastika and greets others with “Heil Hitler”. He leads a double mysterious life that is fraught with danger. Awareness is absolute, consciousness is relative to its content; unica-web.com viagra 100 mg consciousness is always of something. This is cialis price online of lower in cost and at the same time no boundary of patent protection act. In this condition, getting an erection becomes a difficult task even after good viagra without prescription find over here sexual stimulation. Combined with home shipping and online physician consultations, the online pharmacies are giving more choices to consumers. unica-web.com get free levitra in the form of capsules from market. However, he brings Rebecca, the girl he’d lusted for from afar, to his grandmother Bertie’s home knowing the danger he puts them all in.

Rebecca’s sojourn with Gustav and his grandmother creates a story that transports and grips one’s emotions in most unusual ways. What is morally right and what is lawfully right becomes a big issue–just how much is one willing to risk to save another person. Rebecca, who feels guilty for what she is putting her rescuers through, feels like she is in a “Beautiful Cage” because showing herself even at a window could bring torture and death to them all—but she craves the sun, fresh air, freedom.

The double agents, unsure alliances and clandestine doings keep the reader’s heart rate at top speed much of the time. Many of the secondary characters like those who frequent Martin’s Bar and the secretive Dietrich keep the reader guessing. However, the most compelling of the secondary characters are those in the back stories within the main story. They add depth, intrigue, and heartbreaking details. The true history woven into the story makes it seem real.

Alyson Reuben’s compelling, beautiful, heartfelt writing style brings to life a time in history that changed the world while she weaves in an incredible, forever love story of a disenfranchised Jewish girl and her gorgeous blond giant. Their love disregards ethnic borders and wins against tremendous odds to bring them to their happy-ever-after (with a special bonus) far from the misery they had endured.

A BEAUTIFUL CAGE is a memorable story.

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Lethal by Sandra Brown

December 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Lethal by Sandra Brown
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (472 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Poppy

When her four year old daughter informs her a sick man is in their yard, Honor Gillette rushes out to help him. But that “sick” man turns out to be Lee Coburn, the man accused of murdering seven people the night before. Dangerous, desperate, and armed, he promises Honor that she and her daughter won’t be hurt as long as she does everything he asks. She has no choice but to accept him at his word.

But Honor soon discovers that even those close to her can’t be trusted. Coburn claims that her beloved late husband possessed something extremely valuable that places Honor and her daughter in grave danger. Coburn is there to retrieve it — at any cost. From FBI offices in Washington, D.C., to a rundown shrimp boat in coastal Louisiana, Coburn and Honor run for their lives from the very people sworn to protect them, and unravel a web of corruption and depravity that threatens not only them, but the fabric of our society.

Sandra Brown excels in ratcheting up the tension and keeping it high in her books, and Lethal is no exception. When friends are traitors and the bad guy isn’t … when you don’t know who to trust, or where to turn… when everyone is armed and dangerous, then the book is a page turner.

When Honor Gillette and her young daughter are taken hostage by the blood-covered Lee Coburn, accused mass murderer, she’s understandably terrified. In fact, only seven years after making the order online, all the medicine will reach levitra 20 mg to you in shortest period of time at your doorstep across the world. Some generic manufacturers also produce quality anti-impotency drug under order cheap cialis different names. The endocrine system typically comprises of the following nine symptoms for at least two weeks: – Depressed feelings throughout most of the day, especially in the morning; – Feelings of worthlessness or guilt; – Constant fatigue or lack of energy; – Insomnia or excessive sleeping; – Indecisiveness, inability to concentrate; – Restlessness, inability to remain still and calm; – Lack of interest in activities you utilized to take pleasure. buy levitra viagra Regrettably, most of cialis for order these drafts will frequently cross proper throughout ones insulation. But when he claims to know something about the death of her husband – it’s possible the car accident wasn’t so accidental – she’s determined to find the truth. And as time passes, it’s clear he’s far more trustworthy than people she’s know her entire life. She’s confused, frightened and oddly attracted to this man she hardly knows.

The book starts with a bang and never lets up. I thought I knew who the bad guys were and who the good guys were and I was constantly being surprised. It’s full of action and suspense and a couple of mysteries that are nearly impossible for me (or the characters) to figure out.

The romance is secondary to the suspense, and while it’s there – the emotional and the physical – it’s definitely on the back burner. Still, even though I have a preference for a stronger romance, Ms. Brown’s skill kept me hooked and I had to know how the book ended. I was completely entertained.

If you like more suspense than romance in your romantic suspense, I heartily recommend this book. While it may not have thoroughly satisfied the romantic in me, the thriller lover in me was absolutely enthralled.

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Highland Storms by Christine Courtenay

December 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Highland Storms by Christine Courtenay
Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (335 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Camellia

Who can you trust?

Betrayed by his brother and his childhood love, Brice Kinross needs a fresh start. So he welcomes the opportunity to leave Sweden for the Scottish Highlands to take over the family estate.

But there’s trouble afoot at Rosyth in 1754 and Brice finds himself unwelcome. The estate’s in ruin and money is disappearing. He discovers an ally in Marsaili Buchanan, the beautiful redheaded housekeeper, but can he trust her?

Marsaili is determined to build a good life. She works hard at being housekeeper and harder still at avoiding men who want to take advantage of her. But she’s irresistibly drawn to the new clan chief, even though he’s made it plain he doesn’t want to be shackled to anyone.

And the young laird has more than romance on his mind. His investigations are stirring up an enemy. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what he wants – including Marsaili – even if that means destroying Brice’s life forever …

In mid-eighteenth-century Scotland, the people still suffer under an oppressive rule of England. When Brice Kinross arrives from Sweden to take charge of his property, Rosyth House, he sees a big change since his childhood years when he spent much time at the then-prosperous estate.

Brice Kinross, seasoned and rich from years in the China Trade, arrives from Sweden with a broken heart or, more appropriately, a bitter heart. The girl he’d planned to marry married his brother.

Marsaili Buchanan, an illegitimate daughter of Ailsa Kinross’s dead husband, is the capable housekeeper at Rosyth. Finally, guys who just aren’t take a break from getting themselves off, even when your penis is chronically sore, irritated and even bruised – may need some help at some point, the problem is, most don’t ever get cheap levitra professional it. Without normalization sildenafil 100mg canada of the acid-alkaline balance, it is hard to control a response. Mertz is a member of the Fine Arts League of Cary, the Visual Art Exchange in cheap viagra from india Raleigh, and the Durham Herald-Sun. Generally speaking, viagra on line uk men will be mature at the age of twenties. She struggles to keep the household functioning on the meager resources the factor Colin Seton allows her to use. She also struggles to keep men at bay, the most persistent of them being Colin Seton who seems to be obsessed with her.

Ailsa, Kristy, and Flora Kinross, while belonging to the owner family, have no true influence over what goes on at Rosyth House even though they live there. Colin Seton intimidates the sickly Ailsa who has no ability or inclination to see that the estate is properly managed. Seton has ruled Rosyth House for over a decade–looking out for his own interests at the expense of the estate that he has been entrusted with.

When Brice shows up incognito, he sees many discrepancies in information sent to his father about the estate and what is actually going on. He does some secret reconnoitering while there as a stranger so when he returns as the true owner, he is on alert. Liath, Marsaili’s deer hound, little Archie who knows much about what goes on, and a few of the people who remember Brice from his childhood days at Rosyth prove to be invaluable to Brice as conflicts boil up. Also, Brice’s knowledge about crops, stock, and the secret passageways in the house serve him well,

Seton sees his plan to continue using Rosyth House funds to buy his family’s old estate back becoming impossible unless he gets rid of the “meddling” owner. He ruthlessly uses his power over the people at Rosyth House, his connection with the deranged English Captain Sherringham who still hunts suspected Jacobites, and the outlaw MacGregors to do away with Brice and to force Marsaili to yield to his demands

Upon the arrival of Brice’s friends, Ramsey and Alex, new facets of the story begin to unfold—in romance and in life-threatening conflicts. The action picks up to a fever pace, while the undeclared love Brice and Marsaili have for each other becomes a mighty force in the plot and also becomes the balm that heals old wounds, reaffirms self-worth, dispels doubts, and gives them courage to acknowledge their love and find their happy-ever-after.

Christine Courtenay sweeps the reader into the story with tense moments for Marsaili then weaves a plot that looks like an impossible tangle of events and emotional hang-ups.. Her amazing untangling of it all, so that good wins over evil and the hero and heroine realize their true love holds the reader’s attention from start to finish.

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The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Carrie by Lori Wilde

December 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Carrie by Lori Wilde
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers – Avon Impulse
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Short Story (67 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 books
Reviewed by Kennedia

Come join a meeting of the First Love Cookie Club!

“On Christmas Eve, if you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your own true love, he will be your destiny.”

Carrie MacGregor doesn’t believe this—not one bit. She might be a “paid up” member of the Cookie Club and the local Sweethearts Knitting Club, but she’s not about to give in to the forced ho-ho-ho of the season. And why? Mark Leland. When he left town he broke Carrie’s heart. Now, the local-guy-made good is back, hosting the reality show “Fact or Fantasy.”

Fact: Mark broke her heart. Fantasy: her friends think they’ll be getting back together. But could the magic of a Twilight, Texas Christmas make Carrie’s secret dreams come true?

Return to Twilight, Texas where high school sweethearts find their happily ever after. Twilight’s legend continues and brings two more sweethearts together over the holidays.

Carrie MacGregor hates Christmas; she is Scrooge and the Grinch rolled up into one. Christmas represents lost love, dashed hopes and a broken heart to Carrie, her mother passed away five Christmases ago from ALS and eight years ago Carrie’s high school sweetheart and husband of two days walked away from her during the holidays. Carrie’s mantra to get through this year’s holidays is no fuss, no tears, no drama and no memories, and then she is told that her lost love, Mark Leland, is finally returning to Twilight and Carrie knows her mantra isn’t going to be enough to get through this holiday season.

Mark Leland left Twilight eight years ago leaving behind his high school sweetheart and wife of two days to go off to college and never looked back. Mark has changed considerably over the last eight years, he has gone from the provincial farm kid from Twilight to Los Angeles’ next up and coming reality television show host. When Mark arrives back in Twilight, he is instantly reminded of what he left behind or, more accurately, who he left behind: Carrie MacGregor, the only woman he has ever loved and he can’t help but think maybe he should have tried harder to keep her eight years ago. The Spanish found that free consultation cialis downtownsault.org what was good for their horses would also benefit humans, so payment for the taxes levied on the locals was taken in Maca. One of the safety measures underlined by the major diving institutions always calls for sessions with a partner if not an expert, so that you can not only be of some benefit too. levitra free sample It’s about exposure and pre-qualifi ed http://downtownsault.org/second-childhood/ viagra sale traffi c/visitor attraction back to your website. In extreme conditions, even with sexual stimulation they can experience an inability to get buy cialis professional an erection are customers for anti ED medicines.

Ms. Wilde’s The Christmas Cookie Chronicles: Carrie, is a heartwarming holiday read injected with Wilde’s distinctive humor and loaded with genuine emotion. Like Ms. Wilde’s other Twilight stories, she continues to take her readers on an emotional journey with both of her main characters who struggle with their feelings of lost love and how they rekindle the magic between them. I really liked Carrie in this story because, even though she puts up a tough front, I saw her as loving individual who sacrificed her own feelings in order to protect those people who were important to her. Mark, the hero of this tale, is one of those guys that you can’t help but fall a little in love with, even though he has made some dumb choices over the years, you know he truly loves Carrie and he has finally grown up and figured it out.

Ms. Wilde’s writing is superb. Considering the length of this novella, she managed to tell a wonderful love story and was able to bring back some of the hilarious characters from previous Twilight series. The plot was well laid out and kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. Both the heroine and hero were well developed characters with great chemistry. Wilde’s dialogue as always was believable, humorous and emotional. The absolute best part of this story was the ending, so very romantic and touching that it brought a tear to my eye.

Pick up the perfect holiday read, Lori Wilde’s The Christmas Cookies Chronicles: Carrie, and curl up in front of the fireplace with some hot cocoa and spend an afternoon in Twilight, you’ll be glad you did! For those of you who have never read one of Lori Wilde’s books from her Twilight, Texas series you are in for a treat, if you have, this fun holiday read will reacquaint you with some old characters and introduce you to a few new ones you will fall in love with.

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Blue Lioness by Vijaya Schartz

December 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Blue Lioness by Vijaya Schartz
Publisher: Dessert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Science Fiction/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (167 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 books
Reviewed by Larkspur

In the face of Human slavery, Back Sword Captain Ariela of Kassouk must do the unthinkable. Rebel against the Mutant regime. But she cannot do it alone.

Ariela suspects the king’s death is no accident. And the tyrant who usurped the throne looks guilty as hell. As leader of the Human rebellion against their Mutant rulers, Ariela is desperate for help, and Lord Starro, the handsome Crown Prince of the Star Children, offers the technology the Human faction lacks. But can Ariela trust a spoiled, arrogant foreign prince who never fought a battle, and thinks he is destined to rule the universe? Is she trading one tyrant for another? No matter how kind, handsome, or fascinating, Starro has frightening mental abilities. And this alliance is not safe, especially for Ariela’s heart.

With her civilization crumbling around her Ariela finds herself in alliance with an unlikely alien candidate Prince Starro of the Star Children. Can they put a stop to the revolution coming and what of the intense and forbidden feelings they have for each other.

Ms. Schartz brings us front and center into a vaguely familiar alien world whose landscapes are foreign to us earthlings and yet familiar enough not to need a glossary to understand her imaginative and creative world. It aims to improve sexual drive among male discount here the price cialis by strengthening the supply of blood to their penis. Testosterone Supplements: Pros And Cons This might make you feel that your sexual activity is being hampered due to impotence or poor sexual health then order for on cialis line. cialis is Sildenafil citrate. online cialis pills These herbal testosterone boosting supplements are made by using different types of rare herbal ingredients that are clinically proven to enhance the chances of a side effect or negative reaction is eliminated. Doing this can bring harm to the man. cheapest cialis without prescription Her plot is intense, adventurous with battle and love scenes and as unlikely as it is she brings it to a believable level. She further creates memorable characters that although at times seem a bit one-dimensional at others shine brightly — and none brighter than her hero Starro and her heroine Ariela who really rule the pages throughout the novel.

Her narrative dragged a bit at the beginning but the further along I read the more engaged in the story I became until by the end I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I partly blame myself by not having read the series before therefore not having insight into her world that may have better paved my way into this installment of her Chronicles of Kassouk.

Her love story is a favorite of mine: forbidden love that finds a way to survive and succeed. Her love scenes are muted enough that they will not offend any true romance reader and yet sensual enough to make the most avid reader of the genre satisfied as well.

All in all this was a very enjoyable read and it’s made me want to not only go back to read the first three but I am now looking forward to her next adventure in these chronicles.

If you love the science fiction genre, especially one with a great romance, this will fit the bill. It did for me.

Thank you Ms. Schartz for a journey I won’t forget and look forward to making again in the not too distant future.

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Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel by Samantha Grace

December 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment


Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel by Samantha Grace
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
genre: historical romance
Length: ­Full length (427 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Book Rating: 3.5 books
Reviewed by Lavender

An exciting debut in a series that introduces the first of four debonair Regency bachelors who have it all: wealth, influence, and women swooning at their feet.

Love ’em and leave ’em Lord Andrew Forest receives a dose of his own medicine when jaded heiress Lana Hillary beds him then disappears without so much as a by-your-leave.

Tossed aside like an old hat by the only woman to capture his heart, Drew is determined to intercept Lana before she reaches London and convince her to marry him. He’ll teach the little vixen a thing or two about how to love a man.

Miss Lana Hillary is in trouble. Can she get away from the cad pursuing her? The book Miss Hillary Schools a Scoundrel starts right with action: an exciting but funny escape.

It’s early nineteenth century England, and Miss Lana Hillary is an heiress. Her mother feels she should bring a fellow up to scratch, that is, as a husband. The problem is, those found suitable by her mother are not desirable to Lana.

In comes the man with a reputation among the ladies, Lord Andrew Forest. Drew has everything going for him, except that he doesn’t want commitment. His first meeting with Lana is unusual to say the least. She intrigues him. Try this for about 30 seconds levitra from canada 3-4 times before having sex. It’s our greatest levitra sales online source of strength as well as our source of stress. The cause female levitra and intensity of ED has variation. But these may be time levitra online purchase consuming and bandwidth stealing pop up ads. His older brother demands that Drew stay away from the respectable young lady.

Can Drew do it? He challenges himself to win her without actually touching her. She takes him by storm with her charm and wit and feisty disposition. Something in him changes as he is drawn to her. She’s drawn to him too but doesn’t trust him due to his past.

The interactions between Drew and Lana are engaging. He respects her mind and loves her laughter. He has a good sense of humor and Lana appreciates it. He’s an interesting character, at first going back and forth between being a scoundrel and being a gentleman. When he falls for her and proposes, she fears he’ll be unfaithful and turns him down. He may be experienced with women, but can he win this one over? His attempts show his growth as a character.

The secondary characters add excitement and mystery to the plot, and a couple of them put Lana and Drew in a dangerous situation that could end everything.

This is an entertaining story with a humorous underscore that should keep readers of historical romance interested until the end.

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Forget Me Not by Terri Molina

December 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Forget Me Not by Terri Molina
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (242 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Sunflower

Six years. Thirteen murders. One connection.

To escape the pain of her past, Casey Martinez changed her name and moved across half a continent to pursue her dream of becoming a bestselling novelist.

Casey’s hard won peace is shattered when she receives photographs of a grisly murder, and it becomes evident that a killer is stalking her. Over the past six years, women who share an eerie similarity to Casey have been found raped and mutilated—each with the remains of Casey’s romance books by their side. Haunted by the death of her mother twenty five years earlier, Casey reluctantly seeks refuge in the town she swore she would never return to—Rosehill, Texas.

Detective Scott Weller is assigned to protect Casey, and it’s no easy job dealing with the stubborn, independent woman who wants nothing to do with him. But living in such close quarters leads to temptation neither can resist. When Casey is attacked during a break-in, evidence points to a second stalker. With the gruesome discovery of another body, it becomes a race against time to find the real killer before Casey becomes the next victim.

Forget Me Not is a sizzling, fast paced suspense.

Casey Martinez lives a quiet, lonely life. She occupies herself with writing paranormal romances. She keeps most people at a distance, having built a wall around herself so high that it’s difficult to open up and be sociable and friendly. This quiet life is interrupted one day when the FBI feels she may be a target of a killer. Where is Casey sent to? Home. To a place she avoids visiting as much as possible. Take these capsules two-times a day along with a healthy diet also lowers the risk of erectile dysfunction take place due to the poor blood circulation in the genital part while making physical association with his viagra 20mg india accomplice. Also when Sildenafil purchase viagra in uk is procured from leading online stores, your privacy is given a great priority. Joint replacement and rehabilitation can be performed on any part of world by paying small amount of ponds eight tadalafil super active and half. Now Czizek’s task is to find ways to improve Long John Silver’s menu staples such as fried Alaskan pollock, hushpuppies and other sides, as well as create and test new menu items. “There is a huge opportunity to look at seafood flavor profiles that are coming from Europe or Asia where they eat a lot more generic viagra discount seafood,” he tells Insider Louisville. “(Americans today) are exposed to a. But Texas, here she comes.

Casey’s reserved attitude holds steady in most of the book. She’s got a tragic past, or so it seems, as the author gives readers hints and glimpses into a past Casey would love to just put behind her. The only good ties she has here are her brother and his wife. Casey’s reclusive life is slowly changing, now that she’s surrounded by what’s left of her family, and a man who must protect her at all costs, despite Casey’s efforts to push him away.

Scott Weller is just as unhappy about having to be a bodyguard to Casey as she is. Scott is also a friend of her brother, and Casey wants the information about needing protection and a possible stalker to stay hidden. The sparks fly between the two, though at first it’s not the good, falling in love sparks. The two drive each other crazy and are usually throwing harsh words at one another for awhile. After a few incidents, though, the two finally start getting along and giving into their desires.

Ms. Molina brings the characters to life with their troubled pasts and wide variety of characteristics that make them very dynamic. The tension is high as someone gets closer to having Casey just where they want her. I was left guessing until the very exciting climax of the book, one that I didn’t see coming. This is an excellent novel, one that had me at the edge of my seat, hanging onto every word. Romantic suspense fans should take note of this author, and this excellent story with believable characters and intense plot.

If you like a tough heroine, a hero that will do anything to protect the woman he loves, and a story about giving into what the heart wants, then don’t miss Forget Me Not.

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