Forgiving Jackson by Alicia Hunter Pace

October 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

JACKSON
Forgiving Jackson by Alicia Hunter Pace
The Brothers of Beauford Bend
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (207 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Edelweiss

Coming home to Beauford Bend opens up old wounds for four sexy, successful brothers, but the love of a few good Southern women will heal their hearts and change their lives forever.

Country music heartthrob Jackson Beauford isn’t used to hearing “no” for an answer. When a tragic fire at one of his concerts stirs memories of the blaze that claimed his family years ago, all he wants is to go back to his childhood home in Tennessee and wallow in his grief. But he arrives home to chaos … and a Southern magnolia with her heels dug in.

After suffering a vicious attack in New York City, Emory Lowell returned to Beauford Bend, a place she’s loved since she was a teenager. Now in charge of Around the Bend Elegant Events, she’s not about to let a spoiled superstar take away her livelihood. The boutique artisan town of Beauford depends on this business, and so does she. With its high walls and around-the- clock security, Beauford Bend is the only place she’s ever truly felt safe.

Jackson insists she close down his late aunt’s business and leave him in peace, but quiet Emory refuses to budge, knowing this is a battle worth fighting. As a passionate attraction flares between these two wounded souls, they discover there’s much more at stake here than business. Jackson may be just the person to help Emory face her past, and if she can help him learn to forgive himself, their love might be the key to turning Beauford Bend back into a real home.

Will two people with enough baggage between them to fill the lost and found of an airport, help each other heal or just cause further damage?
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Jackson is dealing with a fire that erupted at his last concert, killing fans and band members alike, a fire that reminds him too much of the one that killed his parents and sister and which he feels personally reasonable for. Emory had her life shattered two years ago when she was a victim of sexual assault, and she’s still living with the fear, self-doubt, and mistrust from that horrible night.

Sexual assault is always going to be a very difficult subject to write about. It’s an extremely sensitive topic and it has to be justified. It shouldn’t be there in passing, an easy way to write some easy drama. And in this book at least, it’s not. It’s important to the plot and the character of Emory. The assault itself is not depicted, and we only have to read the barest details. The story is not so much about the assault as much as its effect on Emory and it’s handled both smartly and sensitively.

Emory has a curious mixture of strength and weakness to her that is both convincing but also heartbreaking. Throughout the book we see her grow and heal, and you can’t help but want to cheer for her along the way.

Nor is Emory’s the only story that deals with heavy material. I actually winced while reading about the death of Jackson’s sister. It’s not graphic, there’s not a lot of description, but the basic facts were awful enough that yes, I cringed a little when I read them.

But the heaviness of both our heroes’ backstories contributed to building a truly deep and meaningful romance. I rooted for them to find their ways, more than I have done for any other couple in a long time. They had so much farther to go and every step they took felt like a huge accomplishment which really spoke of how strong they both were.

There was a lot of plot in the book: Jackson’s issues, Emory’s issues, their relationship, Jackson wanting to quit music, Jackson trying to close the business, Emory trying to keep it open, Jackson’s relationship with his brothers. I was interested in all of it but wished some parts could have received a little more time.

The ending felt slightly rushed, with a too-convenient revelation tying up one plot thread, and certain things getting hurried along, particularly with Jackson’s story.

I loved the sense of community, with the book introducing you to a lot of the townsfolk and their businesses. I enjoyed getting to know everyone in Beauford Bend, and it felt like a real place, with real people.

This is the first book in a series, and I for one am eagerly looking forward to reading more about the Beauford family. Don’t let the darker aspects of this story deter you. It’s a lovely, layered romance, and one you’re sure to enjoy.

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

Marriage, Las Vegas Style by Terry Spear

October 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment

VEGAS
Marriage, Las Vegas Style by Terry Spear
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (145 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Marcy Taylor wants a divorce, but she doesn’t want her husband to go after the family fortune, so she’s trying to do this the easy way, no fuss, no muss.

The only problem is Michael Lindquist doesn’t have a wife, and he’s sure she’s running a scam to try to get his family’s fortune!

It all began in Las Vegas when Marcy threw caution to the wind. Boy, was that a mistake. Twenty-five thousand dollars richer with a husband to boot and one powerful hangover, she’s got to right the wrong.
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Now that Michael has a wife he doesn’t know he had, he’s not at all sure he wants to lose her. At least until he can unravel the mystery about her. And that’s how the roller coaster ride all began.

Mix a little alcohol with a mini rebellion, add in a Las Vegas preacher and poor decisions are a guarantee, right? Probably happens in many cases, but not in Marriage, Las Vegas Style. The heroine’s impulsive and drink induced moment of love at first sight makes for a real romance – too bad the hero can’t remember it.

The story has a few dilemmas to solve. First, have the hero remember his wife; second, help the hero’s father get a divorce; third, get the heroine’s father to see the light; fourth, and the biggie, fall in love all over again – sober. Talk about an ambitious book!

What the list doesn’t say is how much fun is in the process of fulfilling all four goals. There are quite a few moments of hilarity which made reading a treat. Brief appearances by Andy, Tomas and Rob enhance the story and a meeting of father and daughter ups the emotional suspense and introduces a pivotal moment of tension. There is even a surprise twist that makes things all work out. Imagine that!

I enjoyed the dynamics between Michael and Marcy. I liked watching them rediscover the very things that attracted both of them to each other initially but now they experience the courtship with clarity and assurance that the previous encounter surely didn’t have. The beginning of their relationship may have seemed like a fairy tale gone awry but their reality is much more convoluted, difficult and filled with unexpected hurdles. One of which is, Marcy decides she wants a divorce. Now how in the world is Michael going to deal with that just when he gets used to having a wife? I enjoyed the entire progression and I was greatly entertained. Ultimately, the happy ever after is reached and I liked the idea of the story coming full circle. Nice touch.

Most of the resolving of the dilemmas came about in a mostly logical process that I could accept. What I found hard to swallow was the 180 degree turn Marcy’s father took at the end. It was too convenient and rather anticlimactic. I mean, they meet and now everything is hunky dory, let bygones be bygones and no repercussions mentioned and no real apology issued? Seriously? And now it’s all okay? It was too saccharine for me to deal with. I’m happy for Marcy and Michael but that whole scene sort of fell flat for me. The other ‘mostly logical’ fix is in the form of using someone to make someone else see the light. I’m not too sure if a husband would be that completely clueless and the fact that the plan practically went off without a hitch, except for the unexpected escape, seems again, too perfect. I don’t think any human being can plan a devious solution quite like Marcy did and have it go their way. It just didn’t jive with me. The one good thing though, is that there were no loose ends. The author tied everything up in a nice little multihued bow.

Marriage, Las Vegas Style is a light, whimsical and enjoyable read. It’s not heavy or filled with too much angst so it’s the perfect book to read for a bit of romance and lighthearted fare. I think readers will enjoy the experience. There’s a lot to like and Marcy and Michael are actually very good together. Try it and see for yourself.

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

Dawn of Love by Starla Childs

October 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Dawn Of Love
Dawn of Love by Starla Childs
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (207 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Fiona would sooner risk the wrath of a legendary beast than submit to the brigands who chase her to the walls of Burgis Keep. There, she finds herself under the protection of the most unlikely guardian. When the rumors of a vampire stalking the halls of the crumbling castle prove true, will she have the courage to discover the truth of the curse?

The Beast of Burgis Keep likes his privacy. Cursed by the gods seven hundred years ago, Alasdair is almost a vampire, but fights his ever present hunger with each breath. Until Fiona Buchanan stumbles into his castle. She calls to him like no other woman has, and he is lost when confronted with her subtle beauty and ever-present charm.
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A legend exists which speaks of a way free of his bloody curse, but is Alasdair capable of trusting Fiona enough to find the path to love?

Is Fiona the key to Alasdair’s freedom, or a temptation that will doom him for eternity?

A single poor decision cost Alasdair everything he cared about. Cursed by the gods, he has suffered for hundreds of years. By the time Fiona enters his life, Alasdair has just about given up hope of ever regaining his humanity. Alasdair definitely had my sympathy. He always strives to do the right thing. He desperately wants to be with Fiona, yet he knows that he is dangerous and he tries very hard to push her away. As Alasdair struggles against his feelings, Fiona and Alasdair are edging closer to their ultimate fate. Will Alasdair regain his humanity, or curse Fiona with eternal life?

Alasdair’s predicament definitely reminds me of Beauty and the Beast, which happens to be my favorite fairytale. As I read, I was very curious of how Ms. Childs would interpret the classic story. I really like how Ms. Childs revealed the origin of Alasdair’s curse in segments spread throughout the book. Each section managed not only to answer some of my questions, but raised new ones as well, further piquing my curiosity. While I enjoyed this quest for answers, I still had several unanswered questions by the time I finished reading the book. The gods and their motivations for meddling with Alasdair’s life were especially murky and needed more explanation.

Fiona and Alasdair are fated to be together and have really good chemistry, but they never seem very comfortable with each other. Alasdair alternately seeks Fiona out and then pushes her away. Fiona is understandably confused by this behavior. Consequently, their interactions are a bit awkward at times. Honestly, Fiona seems to spend more time with Derry, Alasdair’s friend. I understand that Fiona and Alasdair’s situation is unique, but I would have liked to see them get to know each other better in order to make their relationship more believable.

Overall, I found Dawn of Love to be an enjoyable read. Fiona and Alasdair’s story is interesting, and their happy ending is certainly pleasing. Fans of paranormal romance might want to give this tale a try.

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

A Rake by Any Other Name by Mia Marlowe

October 21, 2014 By 1 Comment

RAKE
A Rake by Any Other Name by Mia Marlowe
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (345 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

When his father, Lord Somerset, tumbles off the roof, Richard Barrett, Lord Hartley, is called home from his Grand Tour to take the reins of the estate while the marquess recuperates. Somerset is in serious financial difficulty, which can only be remedied by marriage to an heiress, Miss Sophie Goodnight, lately arrived from India with her nabob father.

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Mia Marlowe’s marvelous magic with words involves the reader in A Rake by Any Other Name from page one. Two strong personalities square off in a way that made me smile. They see the world from very different points of view. That the heroine, Sophie Goodnight, is no shrinking violet is quite clear. No pampered young lord is going to intimidate her.

Family machinations and social pressure of the ton have Richard Barrett, Lord Hartley, boxed in a corner that seems impossible to escape. His life is no longer his own. He’s come from flitting around the Continent spending money to shouldering the heavy financial burden of saving the family estate. The first thing he sees on his arrival home is some unknown young woman viciously pruning a rose bush his grandmother had planted years ago. Even worse, she shows no obsequiousness toward him. His friend Lawrence Seymour is amused but Richard is furious, which seems lost on the mutilator of his roses.

The symbolism of Sophie cutting away the dead and entangling canes of the rose bush so, hopefully, new growth can flourish sets the tone of her role in the unfolding drama that takes place at Somerfield Park. The old ways that worked at one time to keep the estate viable no longer get the job done. New ways must be embraced and she helps Richard find a new way, even though his elders are sure it will taint the family name. Her sharp mind and sharp tongue cut to the chase often as she and Richard spar.

Many characters that seem minor have much to do with how the plot unfolds. How Ms. Marlowe weaves them in keeps the reader totally involved in the many levels of doings at Somerfield Park. The reader needs to keep them all in mind, from the lowest level servant girl to the high and mighty Antonia Pruett that Richard planned to marry.

The changing times of the early 1800s in England, with tradesmen getting wealthy and the peerage finding it hard to maintain their holdings while struggling to hold on to a social structure that shows signs of decay , sets the scene and the temperament for A Rake by Any Other Name. There’s intrigue, secrets, evil intent, deception, humor, and, of course, the love scenes sizzle. EXCELLENT READING!

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

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper

October 21, 2014 By Leave a Comment

NGS
Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs by Molly Harper
Publisher: PocketStar
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (355 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Cactus

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children’s librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that’s sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she’s mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.
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Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She’s forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn’t enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What’s a nice undead girl to do?

Being mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead wasn’t even Jane’s worst day. The fact that it all happened on a day she was fired from her dream job and given a gift certificate for potato skins at the local dive bar did not help matters. However being turned into a vampire certainly gave Jane’s life, now unlife, new perspective. Now she has a sexy but somewhat unstable Sire to contend with along with small details such as blood sucking, flameablilty in sunlight, and the usual quagmire of crazy relatives of both the living and ghostly kind. Trying to navigate her new undead existence is not easy and that all happens before she starts to be framed for a series of vampire murders. A girl just can’t catch a break.

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs is book one of the Jane Jameson series by Molly Harper. The main character of Jane is well developed and three-dimensional. She’s snarky, witty, and irreverent. The highlights of the book for me are not the female leads, since they are predictable, but the fun plot and use of secondary characters. Here the idea that Jane is bumping off other vampires and has to figure out who is framing her actually works because while the culprit is obvious very early on, Jane herself seems to go about the detecting work in a reasonable fashion. She’s clueless until the long monologue revealing exactly who did what and how by the “bad guy”, but I forgave her.  She’s intelligent but lacks serious common sense and the ability to put clues together. The writing relies on quips and Jane’s sense of humor to really carry the book, which works decently well even if it’s slightly repetitive.

I’ve read other books by the author set in Half Moon Hollow that revolve around the same group of characters but star different female protagonists. Now having read numerous books by Harper, both set in HMH and others, they are all remarkably similar to the point of formulaic. The heroines are almost exactly the same in each book. They are in their late 20s, single without significant past relationships, hard working, beautiful but they don’t think so, quirky, witty, sassy, and all have a penchant for a different kind of junk food which is usually a variation on candy. The females in the books are interchangeable and have few differences but the male leads are no different. They are all sexy, mysterious, rich, and totally enamored of the heroines to the point of silliness even as the heroine never believes it can be true. It’s classic romance and clearly is exactly what Harper’s readers want. I admit I find her sense of humor entertaining and I enjoy the books but I need long periods of time between them so I can forget that I already know everything about the book before I even start it. They’re predictable down to the details so I think your enjoyment hinges on whether that kind of formula romance appeals to readers.

I think Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs works well because the mystery carries the book since the romance is more lukewarm. Jane and her sire, Gabriel, don’t really have a solid happy ending but they are together and there are more books in the series. The vampire lore is basic and nothing special, even if all the good parts and very few drawbacks are included. For first time readers of this author that like humor in their vampire romance, I think this will be a real treat. For repeat readers it all depends on how much repetition is tolerable. I find the author’s voice and books nearly identical to one another but at least I always know what I’m getting.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Danube in Candlelight by Stephanie Burkhart

October 15, 2014 By 8 Comments

Cover_Danube in Candlelight

Danube in Candlelight by Stephanie Burkhart
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full (202 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Poppy

Morgan Duma has always known she’s different. Her eyes have unusual gold rings around her irises, a trait she’s inherited from her father. She’s faster and stronger than most. Her endurance and stamina allow her to complete tasks in a quick and efficient fashion. Since she was a little girl, she knew there was only one man for her — Adam Varga.

Morgan learned to dance in Adam’s arms. They grew up playing the piano together. Adam’s calm, soothing presence was the perfect compliment to her restless soul. Not only that, he shared her differences down to his feral eyes.

So, you levitra samples free should have sex on a regular basis because they want to enjoy their sex life to the fullest. This is the first “happiness” study of the world are not of upper classes, and so, all of the people of the world cannot use the buy viagra for women with discount & take pleasure of the moments. In spite of this you should be aware never to excess more than one dosage within 24hours as this may affect respitecaresa.org purchase cialis your safety. Alcohol, all medications, which cause dry mouth, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, head ache, sleeping disorder, chest pain, nausea, pain in upper best price sildenafil abdomen, swelling in various body areas and anxieties etc. Enter Zoltan Kristos, Hungary’s Minister of Reconstruction. He shares those same golden eyes that Morgan possesses. After Zoltan carries her mother out of a blazing fire, Morgan’s life takes a turn she doesn’t expect. She discovers the reasons for her differences, and questions her very identity. Is Adam strong enough to be the man she needs him to be?

Book three in the Budapest Moon series, and the best one yet!

I really enjoyed seeing the next generation of these families who started out as enemies, but have since become very good friends and all but family.  I strongly recommend that you read the other books to understand all the nuances and intertwined relationships here.  I imagine this book would stand alone, as Ms. Burkhart does weave in some backstory, but it will be so much richer if you are following the series.

Adam and Morgan were fun characters, feeling quite youthful and impetuous… they have both completed their educations and are ready to settle in to the lives they’ve chosen.  But as in any good book, things happen to make that road a bit bumpy.  Morgan has an intense, powerful and unwelcome new suitor and both Adam and Morgan have trust issues.

I loved revisiting everyone, including Emily who was only a few years old the last time we saw her, and the only fully human offspring in this story.  She’s turned out to be a lovely, stable, admirable young woman.  And the staff of both families (who are now joined by marriage) had their moments here as well. It was like visiting an old friend.

While I didn’t always thing Morgan behaved in a manner that was completely understandable–after all, Adam is her best friend who she’s known forever.  Yes, he made an error in judgment, but I think she overreacted just a little. Of course, she’d suddenly gotten quite a lot on her plate, so it may have been a matter of overload or the last straw.

Danube in Candlelight was a bit less dark and gothic, and had a lot more going on.  With the other books, there were times I wanted to set them down and go looking for something more exciting, but this one never made me feel that way.  Definitely the best in the series so far, and if the author keeps improving with each book I’m going to be one very happy reader.  Ms. Burkhart’s strengths are her characterizations and setting as character, as well as well composed prose and clean writing.  Yes, her plots are interesting, but what keeps me hooked is how attached I become to the population in each book.

Danube in Candlelight was filled with an interesting series of events and a fascinating stroll through Hungarian history and, even more, a set up to the next book.  I’m looking forward to reading it.

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Her Boss by Arrangement by Teresa Carpenter

October 15, 2014 By Leave a Comment

BOSS
Her Boss by Arrangement by Teresa Carpenter
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (256 pages)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

Resisting Mr. Off-Limits!

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Who cares if he’s gorgeous? Tori’s frustrated by this brooding CEO’s aloof attitude and near-impossible demands. Even if Garrett wasn’t her boss, she’d never risk her heart to another emotionally closed man. Normally she’d run in the opposite direction…so why does she feel so compelled to stay?

The best moments of Her Boss By Arrangement are in the snappy conversations. Carpenter writes quick, believable dialogue that moves the story forward and gives insight into her characters.

Tori Randall is that likeable heroine – a nice gal, in business with her sister, with great friends and family ties. It’s easy to admire her; and every bit as easy as it is to dislike Garrett Black, who she ends up helping and then working for. He’s not the classic ‘bad boy’ but he is, well, unlikable. However, his attitude leads to the odd funny moment, and readers that just begin to think this is too formulaic will enjoy these unexpected moments.

There is an attraction – the expected romance-chemistry splashes into their relationship at just the right moment – and possibly slightly too perfectly. However, there are light moments, and the humor really works here. Garrett becomes more human as we go: his pursuit of perfection is nothing to how he loves his car. The story improves immeasurably as we bump into some of his thoughts (‘the woman is too cheerful!’) Moments like that really make this story.

Her Boss By Arrangement is not really a page turner, but is very readable. Although the main plot is predictable, it is amusing and it’s a good nightstand book for when you need a few minutes distraction.

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

Maybe This Christmas by Sarah Morgan

October 14, 2014 By 1 Comment

MAYBE
Maybe This Christmas by Sarah Morgan
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Full Length (251 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

This winter, ex-skiing champion, reformed heartbreaker and single dad Tyler O’Neil has only one mission—making sure his daughter, Jess, has the best Christmas ever. The fact that his best friend, Brenna, is also temporarily moving into his chalet at the overbooked Snow Crystal resort is a delicious distraction he’s simply going to have to ignore. Theirs is the one relationship he’s never ruined, and he’s not about to start now.

Ski pro Brenna Daniels knows all about the perils of unrequited love—she’s been in love with Tyler for years. But living with him is absolute torture…how can she concentrate on being his friend when he’s sleeping in the room next door? Then when Tyler kisses Brenna, suddenly the relationship she’s always dreamed of feels so close she could almost touch it. Could this be the Christmas her dreams of a happy-ever-after finally come true?

Maybe This Christmas is a holiday themed romance that reads like a warm hug, filled with love and devotion. It took a while for the hero to understand that the best holiday gift has been with him his whole life. This story follows Tyler as he discovers the courage to open his ‘present’ and his heart.

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Truly, I put on holiday music as I wrote this review. I was inspired. The story creates a sense of joy and magic about snow storms, evergreens laden down with snow and the crisp mountain air of Vermont. The scenes about skiing, snowmobiling and trudging through the white drifts were well described and made me feel like I was there. It even almost made me look forward to winter again – almost.

Tyler was an interesting character. He was a man driven to excel, to succeed and to push himself to the limit in the skill of competitive skiing. In a few seconds, an accident on a ski run took it all away. This book explores the journey of the hero coming to terms with his new reality and Tyler isn’t taking it too well. Enter a pivotal secondary character – his daughter, Jess. Their relationship provided many moments of reflection, emotion, hilarity, tender words and love between father and daughter. It was heart warming, rocky, quirky and a work in progress. I enjoyed the scenes of them together.

The thing Tyler and Jess both agree on is how wonderful Brenna Daniels is, for obviously different reasons. Thing is, Brenna has loved Tyler all her life but he’s absolutely clueless. I liked how the heroine was depicted. She tried to live her life the best she could, resigning herself to unrequited love. Not only does she have to struggle to act like she doesn’t care but she has a strained relationship with her parents. When Ms. Morgan was ready to share it, imagine my surprise as to the reason. It was rather shocking. Not only did it make things so much clearer, it had its own happy ever after finale and I was very touched.

Even though most of the conflict is internal there is one external conflict that has been bubbling under the surface for a while. This is where Ms. Morgan shines – she takes a subject that has deep and possibly tragic lifetime repercussions and explores how a person can heal and rise above the pain. I speak of being bullied in school. The author handled the conflict with care and the scenes that dealt with it were examples of powerful writing. I couldn’t help but be emotionally engaged in the telling and the author showed just how heart wrenching it can be but also provided readers with a twist. The heroine realizes a shocking truth and it stunned me. Ms. Morgan, through her heroine, shows how empowering being able to forgive can be. I respected the heck out of Brenna at that moment.

No spicy romance would be complete without the hero and heroine finally succumbing to their built up passions. It doesn’t get any more romantic that this. Ms. Morgan certainly satisfies a reader on that score. Of course, Tyler initially bumbled it. That made great conflict because at that point he was still trying to reconcile the possibilities with his fears. Eventually, after an ultimatum that shocked him to his toes, Tyler does what he does best – focuses and lets nothing stop him from succeeding. The resulting scene practically melted my heart. This series ends with the ultimate in romantic settings and dialogue and scenes that made me say, “Awwww!”

Maybe This Christmas is filled with warmth, joy and love. This novel is filled with lessons learned, yearnings fulfilled and adorable dogs frolicking among its pages. It’s a story I’m adding to my keeper shelf to reread when I need a boost of “feel good’ to brighten my day. It’s that kind of book and worth recommending to romance readers everywhere. Get your smile on and read Maybe This Christmas.

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Chicken River Dance by A.N. Irvano

October 13, 2014 By Leave a Comment

CHICKEN
Chicken River Dance by A.N. Irvano
Publisher: Falling Horse Books
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (242 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Young members of Ryan’s family are killed and he follows an inherent need to crush the crooks that run the killings. He is aided by Cecilia, a girl he has been getting to know for months and her mother, a shaman. Life in the Oakland projects can not move on until the extraordinary and unreal events are able to be questioned. Buoyed by the cultures, conversations, and characters of the people in it, small cultures can survive when small criminals exist.He lets his life’s losses carry him to find that not everything, if anything, can be revolutionized or bettered in this life and time of the American West.

Justice doesn’t always happen automatically. Sometimes you have to seek it out.
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At first I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of Ryan. His emotional response to a family tragedy early on in the plot wasn’t at all what I would have expected from anyone who had just experienced such a terrible event. He was clearly incredibly smart and thoughtful, but it wasn’t until the author explained the reasons behind his reluctance to express his feelings that I really came to like this character. Every question I had about him in the beginning was answered in full, and I enjoyed watching his development over the course of this novel.

It would have been helpful to have more detailed introductions of the secondary characters. The actual number of them was just right for something this length, but so little time was spent explaining how everyone was connected to Ryan that it took me a while to put all of the pieces together. It was most confusing when I was trying to figure out who was and was not related to him.

The romantic subplot caught me by surprise due to how quickly it happened. The chemistry between the characters involved in it was strong, though, and seeing how both of them reacted to falling in love added depth to their personalities that would not have otherwise been there. It ended up working quite well with everything else that was going on in this tale.

I would have also liked to see more differentiation between the voices of the various characters. Everyone tended to use the same patterns of speech no matter who they were or what circumstances they found themselves in. The dialogue itself was often poetic. It was especially well suited to Ryan’s personality when he was describing his surroundings or remembering something, but the formality of it was out of place during the most exciting scenes.

Some philosophical questions are much easier to answer than are others. Ryan’s startling self-awareness for someone his age lead to a much deeper analysis of the meaning of life than I was expecting when I started the first chapter. It was especially interesting to see what Ryan had to say about social justice and the tension between the needs of individuals versus the needs of their communities.

Chicken River Dance is the kind of story that I’d recommend to teens and adult readers alike.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

True Colors by K. R. Raye

October 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment

TRUE
True Colors by K. R. Raye
Publisher: J-pad Publishing
Genre: Contemporary,
Length: Full Length (395 pgs)
Heat level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

After tragedy strikes, Imani, Melody, and Lance try to rekindle their college friendship. Can they move forward towards happiness or will ghosts from their past haunt them?

When life’s challenges arise what are your… True Colors?

If you have followed the series you have seen Melody Wilkins, Imani Jordan and Lance Dunn grow from their college years to working adults. We last left the trio in The Color of Love with Lance married to Heather and Imani walking down the isle to marry Marco.

Imani’s sixth sense is very active in this book. Those that know her, such as Melody, know she sees premonitions so this is nothing new, but when her vision is of someone she loves dearly it could turn her world upside down. Will this tragedy strengthen their bond of friendship or open up secrets that have been buried back in college?
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I thought I enjoyed book two in this series until I started reading this one. The author started this book with a twist that sets the tone for the rest of the novel. The prior books the author gave a good finale but she did the opposite and started with a bang that had my heart racing as I read along. Reading along and then realized the words no, no, no were repeatedly coming from me. Oh the emotions that this book put me through; I didn’t know if I was suppose to be happy or sad. Either way love was going to find it’s way among the characters.

Lance is divorced from Heather, and I am happy to say he didn’t revert back to his college days of frequent sleep-around-miles. Before Imani’s wedding in book two he confessed his love for her not only verbally but it also showed in his actions. I am starting to like Lance in this book.

I can’t say the same for Melody. She still works my nerves and the accusations she speak in this installment are serious and can be damaging to her marriage and others.

Again, I am happy that I picked this series to read. The author’s writing and talent for story telling really shows in this novel. This was not a simple or boring plot. Once again she incorporates many twist and even a little extrasensory sensation with Imani’s sixth sense and a ghost appearance.

The trio is growing as they marry and have children. I didn’t like the idea of Trevor and his wife Erycah having so many children back to back at such a young age.

I enjoyed seeing these three characters grow and hope the author would consider continuing their story.

A highly recommended read where you grow to know the characters as their friendship has upheld strong bonds, as they endure lost and as they continue on into marriage and parenthood.

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