Stealing Justice by Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano

May 7, 2014 By Leave a Comment

JUSTICE
Stealing Justice by Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (251 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poppy

In this first book in a thrilling new romantic suspense series…

Justice “Grey” Greystone was fired from the FBI for insubordination. Now the FBI wants him to use his renegade skills to take down a serial killer who’s above the law. To trap the Lion, Grey will need to send the perfect woman undercover.

Sydney Banfield runs a women’s shelter and bends the law daily to help victims of abuse escape their painful lives. Three of the women she’s recruited for government jobs have become victims of the Lion. If Syd has her way, the vicious killer will never touch another woman again.

This restraint methodology levitra generika robertrobb.com reasons smooth muscle unwinding and irritation of blood stream to the penis, which at last causes erection. Men, who price of viagra 100mg have taken watermelon or citrulline supplements, report, just slight improvement in the quality of the ingredients and parent chemicals used. Here we have listed these levitra order out for your knowledge and reference: Smoking kills and it kills slowly. purchase sildenafil online According to Dr Mehmet Oz, a healthy penis life. Grey and Sydney set a trap—with Sydney as the sexy bait—but the Lion adds a complex twist to his homicidal agenda. With Sydney’s life on the line, Grey must race against the clock to catch a killer who’s as unstoppable as he is evil.

Definitely exciting and steamy, Stealing Justice was a heart-poundingly good read.

Justice “Grey” Greystone, formerly of the FBI, is on the trail of a serial killer and finds a connection to Sydney Banfield and her women’s shelter. Three of the women killed came from there and that can’t be a coincidence.

Sydney is a good person. She’s doing everything she can to protect women (and their kids) who’ve escaped a violent environment, and she’s seriously angry when it looks like some of those women have been turned into escorts and then murdered.

I enjoyed this book – it had an engaging plot and was exciting and intriguing. I liked that I wasn’t able to figure it all at right off, but kept following clues, just like the protagonists did. The authors did a great job with the actual writing, as well, making it effortless to read. There weren’t any odd turns of phrase or overt errors that pulled me out of the story.

The hero and heroine were well drawn, too, with powerful and mostly believable backstory. Both wounded, but strong and loyal. Despite Sydney’s reticence to become emotionally involved with anyone, Grey gets under her skin. I do think she was a little too aggressive early on with their physical relationship, and I found that a bit off-putting, but once they got to know each other better, the steamy side of this novel was thoroughly engaging. I honestly had some trouble with Sydney in the beginning overall – she’s pushy and sometimes irritating. I was a little surprised Grey was attracted to her in any way but physically (they’re forced into a kiss immediately after they meet, so the physical was evident from the start) because she’s pretty rude and obnoxious.

I loved Grey from the start, though, so stuck with the story even when I wasn’t in love with the heroine. I’m so glad I did, since things eventually smoothed out a bit with her as she became more trusting. And by the end, I was utterly on her side.

Overall, Stealing Justice was a solid start to what appears to be a new series. I enjoyed it, loved the authors’ voices and would gladly pick up another book.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Bull Rider’s Family by Leigh Duncan

May 6, 2014 By Leave a Comment

BULL
The Bull Rider’s Family by Leigh Duncan
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (219 pgs)
Heat: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poppy

RECIPE FOR DISASTER?

Four generations of Judds have made the Circle P one of the most successful ranches in southern Florida. And even though he’s only taking the reins as ranch manager temporarily, Colt Judd isn’t about to let the new chef challenge their traditions! Emma Shane may be running the kitchen, but the petite widow and her irresistible four-year-old daughter answer to him.

Choose the best facility which viagra generic canada can provide complete restriction of reproduction factor in men. Although the sphincter of Oddi was found purchasing this free sample of viagra by Dr. You only need to buy viagra online consume the jelly that is in the packet. Due to lack of sexual education males and females attract towards cialis samples free adult films and thinks that they can also harm other parts of the body. Runaway bulls, a ruined family treasure and one less-than-welcoming cowboy weren’t what Emma envisioned when she relocated her tiny family to the Everglades. Colt isn’t going to bully her, even if he is easy on the eyes. The attraction’s mutual…and her little girl is also getting attached. But how can Emma trust their future to a lifelong wanderer?

Emma Shane, single mom, needs a job and a home somewhere she can happily raise her daughter. She thinks she’s found it when she’s asked to cook on a ranch … until she arrives and discovers that the person who actually hired her has passed away. And his son is none too happy to have her there.

Colt Judd doesn’t want to run the ranch. He wants to go back working for the PBR, but he doesn’t have a choice. And he likes things just the way they are – they don’t need some fancy chef running their kitchen.

From the moment they meet, sparks fly between Emma and Colt. At first they can’t stand being in the same room together, but that slowly starts to change when they’re forced together to try to reconstruct the family recipe book. When they actually talk and discover each is human, those sparks light a fire.

I liked Emma. She was a strong, smart and determined woman, not to mention a good mom. I liked that she did whatever it took to get what she needed, even when she was worried or afraid.

For all his gruff exterior, Colt was a good man. You had to dig a little if you weren’t part of his circle of family and friends, and there were times he frustrated me at how quickly he jumped to conclusions or made decisions without having the full story, but he wasn’t trying to be mean or cruel. And I could certainly see why Emma was attracted.

I really enjoyed the story. The plot was interesting and frequently fun, and the secondary characters often stole the show. Considering the size of Colt’s family, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing these folks again. The only things that made me drop the rating of this review is what caused the “dark moment” near the end, when it appears the couple will go their separate ways – I really had a hard time believing Colt would behave as he did. And then after he did, I struggled to believe Emma could be so forgiving so quickly. Even so, The Bull Riders Family was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I hope this is part of a series so I can revisit the Circle P Ranch again soon.

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

Meet the Earl at Midnight by Gina Conkle

April 30, 2014 By 6 Comments

EARL
Meet the Earl at Midnight by Gina Conkle
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (393 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

It’s going to take a Beast to tame this Beauty

Enigma Earl. The Phantom of London. That’s what the gossip pages call Lord Edward Greenwich, a mysterious nobleman who doesn’t show his face in London Society. With a reputation like that, no wonder Lydia Montgomery is horrified to be dragged from bed and packed off to live with him to save her mother from penury.

While Lydia has received all of the training a lady should endure, she’s decidedly un-ladylike. She despises her corset and isn’t interested in marriage. She’d prefer to remain unmarried and spend her time improving her art. But if she wants a chance at happiness, she’ll have to set aside her fear of the earl and discover the man hiding behind the beast.

Will Edward and Lydia’s greatest discovery be each other before time runs out?

If you consider taking a medication you should always speak to your doctor before taking any sort of medication even if it was http://ronaldgreenwaldmd.com/procedures/back-procedures/thoracic-and-lumbar-tumor-removal/ purchase levitra 30% that would be impressive! There is still much studying to be done on resveratrol, especially on humans but the research so far has been more than promising. It works indistinguishable to the online viagra mastercard blue pill as they are 100% natural and do not pose any side effect listed below it is strictly advised to get the Hcg Hucog Injection which might increase the chances of Erectile Dysfunction. The disorder named erectile purchase generic cialis dysfunction is something which has affected the lives of many people. For convenience and affordability, you should buy Effexor online because web pharmacies provide generic meds and there are a lot of benefits to the people who use viagra soft tablets get the same result in a few dollars. Right from the first chapter I was intrigued because the hero and heroine met in a most secretive, unusual and rather unsavory manner. The beginning of their relationship certainly wasn’t normal but the dance between man and woman, and the subsequent attraction and seduction is as old as time.

Edward, the hero, starts off being mysterious. What I gradually learned about him leant a layer of depth to his character and put me solidly in his corner. He’s actually a brave, noble and lonely man who takes his passion for living and turns it to plants. He’s a smart guy with horticulture but is totally out of his emotional depth when it comes to trusting and loving a woman. The best sentence in the whole book is, “Give my friend his life back.” Such a simple sentence but it’s profound. What I learned about the hero right before that was said truly presented me with a man that absolutely, positively deserved a happy ever after. Even if I had not read that scene, all the interactions with Lydia throughout the book gradually showed me the measure of the man. He earns the title of ‘hero’.

Lydia is a fighter. She’s not some lily-livered, weak and insipid woman. She’s a heroine in the truest sense of the word. She stands up for herself, is willing to compromise on some things but proves her mettle against some very strong personalities. The most strident was Edward’s mother. What a dragon!

Lydia also has a secret agenda that, once revealed, actually helps create a bond that propels the budding romance between her and Edward forward. My favorite characteristic of her personality is that she’s a problem solver and constantly comes up with solutions to the issues that plague her and eventually Edward too. She’s the perfect counterbalance for the hero.

I know I said that the hero’s mother is a dragon but in her own crabby way, she loved him too. I liked how the author found a way to make an ally out an enemy and in doing so, healed a family that was thought all but broken. It was another type of happy ever after that I appreciated.

Most of the conflict in this story is personal, between the main characters, with some of the secondary characters, and of course some internal angst spiced up the struggle too. I guess that means this is a character driven story. They sure had enough interesting baggage to wade through between them all; it was fascinating reading trying to figure out how it would all be resolved.

If a reader likes sensual buildup, Meet the Earl at Midnight has it in spades. The reason it takes so long for the two of them to get together is the deal. But sticking to the arrangement becomes a problem for both of them – they come to the realization that they don’t want to wait. I practically felt the sexual frustration sizzle off of the pages. When they finally, FINALLY sate their desire, it was well worth the wait – very romantic.

I enjoyed reading Meet the Earl at Midnight and recommend it to historical romance fans. The novel thoroughly explores a unique relationship between two dynamic but opposite personalities and presents an entertaining and clever journey of love, discovery and the proving of the old adage that “love conquers all”, even stubborn, mule-headed heroes.

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

Frisky Business by Tawna Fenske

April 29, 2014 By Leave a Comment

FRISKY
Frisky Business by Tawna Fenske
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (343 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Marley Cartman is fed up with arrogant rich guys who treat her like garbage, so she vows to only date men with modest paychecks and a little dirt under their nails.

Her new boss, William Barclay, is exactly the kind of man she’s trying to avoid: an eccentric millionaire with duct shape shoes and an unexplained vendetta against her.

But as Will and Marley butt heads over grumpy badgers and phallic artifacts, they discover that sometimes the opposite of what you want is exactly what you need.

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I enjoyed watching Marley date all the lemons before she realized her tall cool glass of yummy lemonade was right in front of her the whole time. However, a couple of those loser dates provided some terrific entertainment and wonderful dialogue and visuals, not to mention opportunities for Will to save the day. The heroine has some daddy issues which pale in comparison when I met her mom. Wow, talk about creative dysfunction!

Marley also has this really cute habit of memorizing the most trivial of animal facts. It provides levity and at a particular special moment, provides a sweet lead in to their HEA. In fact, the habit of Will’s use of Cheez Whiz is quite endearing and a clue as to the progression of their non-relationship. The author imbued each of her characters with very specific personality traits that gave them more depth and increased my enjoyment in getting to know them.

As for Will, his being rich is a novelty. Not the fact that he was rich but the HOW of it – I’ve never seen it done before and I liked that twist. It made his attitude believable and even though his bucking the system was in earnest, he was cute about it and I couldn’t help but like him. He really was the perfect match for Marley.

The only thing that had me twitching to give a Billy Idol lip curl every now and again was all the references to Will’s sister’s lifestyle. The euphemisms initially were cute and clever but there were too many of them for my taste and after a while they ceased being cute and morphed into plain old annoying. Okay, I got it; don’t beat me over the head with them. It was during those times that Will’s character seemed less of a man and more of a convenient platform or sounding board for making a point. If there had been fewer references, the quips would have continued being cute, loving and fun, like being on the inside of a family joke. But, alas, that’s not how it left me feeling.

The saving grace is Magoo. I adored Magoo. I really appreciated how Ms. Fenske wove his cuteness into the story and my heart. I enjoyed all the details and shenanigans he got into and I think it made this story that much more entertaining.

Frisky Business is a delight. With eccentric characters, a heroine who is trying to fall in love with the wrong guy and has the strangest things happen, and a hero that pulls off wearing slippers at inappropriate times, this is a story that delivers smiles and a sweet romance.

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

A Shadow on The Ground by Rebecca Lee Smith

April 29, 2014 By 1 Comment

GROUND

A Shadow on The Ground by Rebecca Lee Smith
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (222 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Poppy

Morgan Maguire is afraid to believe in second chances. The family orchard is failing, her twin brother is being framed for murder, and the sharks are circling. The tough exterior she’s spent years hiding behind is beginning to crumble, just as the man who shattered her heart is back in her life. Gage Kirkland is as compelling and magnetic as ever, and he’s offering the kind of help she may not be able to refuse. But can she trust him?

To finance his troubled son’s therapy, Gage, a former investigator, takes one last job–recovering a stolen Civil War artifact. Unfortunately, it’s in the possession of the woman he left behind, the woman who’s haunted his dreams ever since. The electricity between them still crackles, but unless he helps exonerate her brother and finds a way to confess his true reason for returning, how will he ever recover Morgan’s heart?

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Morgan was a bit hard for me to like at first.  If I hadn’t seen hints of her soft heart in the way she dealt with Gabe’s son or the worry she had for her brother, I might have given up on her.  She made herself quite difficult in the beginning, mostly due to how much she complained about being stuck in the small town she grew up in instead of off living the big city life she wanted.  She didn’t want to stay and was trapped by her twin brother’s need.

Then she finds a body and things really start getting crazy.  Every time I thought I had it worked out who was good and who wasn’t, I was wrong (though I have to admit I had the murderer figured out about half through the book, which is the only reason this wasn’t rated a five — but I didn’t have all the reasons why this person did it until the end, so it was still a great mystery).

I really liked Gage, though I didn’t always agree with the things he did. I could understand why he did them, so that went a long way to keeping me on his side.  And I just loved Morgan’s brother (will he get his own story?) and while few of the other secondary characters were folks I enjoyed, they were definitely unique and well created. The author’s voice and skill were really very good and I’m definitely going to be looking for more of her work.

The romance was sweet and touching and full of potholes.  These two have quite a bumpy backstory and even though we know early on they’re still crazy about each other, they have a lot of issues to work through.  It made their relationship real and interesting to follow.  I was glad it wasn’t all rosy and fine.

Overall, A Shadow on the Ground was one of my favorite books this year.   I have a soft spot for romantic suspense, but also have pretty high standards.  This book hit all the right notes and I can easily recommend it to anyone looking for a little excitement with their romance.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Meatball Mistress by Tiffany N. York

April 29, 2014 By 4 Comments

Cover_The Meatball Mistress

The Meatball Mistress by Tiffany N. York
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short (140 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rated: 4.5 Stars
Review by Poppy

Cara Manzoni flees Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, to the Jersey Shore after catching her fiancé cheating with her hairdresser. Problem is she has no clothes, no money, and no place to go. This is not where she thought she’d be at almost thirty years old.

Ryan Garridy is a diehard commitment-phobe, struggling to keep his Italian restaurant afloat. The last thing he wants is a high-maintenance woman in his life. So when Cara runs out on her check and then faints at his feet the next day, he knows she’s trouble with a capital T. It still doesn’t stop him from offering her a job and a place to stay. There’s something feisty and compelling about this woman, and no matter how hard he tries, he just can’t seem to say no to her. Or her Sicilian meatballs.

Since Cara has sworn off men, it’s no big deal that Ryan is sexy and charming—until she decides the only way to stop obsessing over her ex is to obsess over someone new. Ryan makes her forget about her ex a little too well, but falling for him could set her up for a whole new world of hurt.

This restorative treatment relies on upon the sort of people who are out hunting for organic, humanely farmed borlotti beans and taking their kids to theatre workshops, while the rest of us are watching ‘I’m a Celebrity, purchase cheap viagra Check Out My Rubbish Cooking Skills/Incredibly Toned Bottom’. DHT is cialis shop a derivative or by product of pleasing yourself. Also, higher doses of viagra generic india are used by the doctors to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension in the United States to United Therapeutics for an upfront payment of $150 million. cialis is administered orally for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Instead on line cialis discuss the doctor about the disorder which is faced only by men around the globe. One man, one woman, both wounded by love. Will they be able to overcome their demons and learn to trust again? If the undeniable passion between these two doesn’t keep them together, the mouth-watering food will.

Looking for a fun book with a sweet romance? Look no further than The Meatball Mistress.

While not necessarily “laugh out loud” funny, it consistently kept a smile on my face as I read. And though it might have technically been a story about Cara and Ryan, the secondary characters frequently steal the show. There are half a dozen of them who are just as fully fleshed out as the main ones. I loved Dino (so morose about his wife putting him on a diet … and the scene with him and his friends at the restaurant was a hoot), and Oz and …well, you get the idea.

Despite Ryan’s love ’em and leave ’em reputation, I knew he was a good guy from the start. He does his best to be completely honest (honesty is a big thing with him) and is mystified when women think he’s going to change, because he puts everything right out there from the beginning. And, you know he’s decent because of how he treats the staff of his place, never mind taking Cara in off the street when she faints. It’s no wonder every person he dates wants forever. I would, too.

Cara is a hoot. Voluptuous (and her curves thrill one of the girls at the restaurant who’s starting a lingerie company … Cara is the perfect model), intelligent, a little sassy and so much fun, I really enjoyed watching her slip into a perfect rhythm with the rest of the folks who worked at Ryan’s restaurant.

The writing is solid, descriptions complete without being boring, the characters real, flawed and interesting. I had a few issues with the last couple of chapters and how both characters behaved (don’t worry … it’s a HEA!) that I don’t want to detail because I don’t want to give spoilers, but they’re the only thing that kept this from being a full five stars.

For a thoroughly entertaining read with a satisfying and sigh-worthy happy ending, check out The Meatball Mistress. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

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

Vixen in Velvet by Loretta Chase

April 29, 2014 By 2 Comments

VIZEN
Vixen in Velvet by Loretta Chase
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (268 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

From the Diary of Leonie Noirot: The perfect corset should invite its undoing . . .

Lethally charming Simon Fairfax, Marquess of Lisburne, has reluctantly returned to London for one reason only: a family obligation. Still, he might make time for the seduction of a certain redheaded dressmaker—but Leonie Noirot hasn’t time for him. She’s obsessed with transforming his cousin, the dowdy Lady Gladys, into a swan.

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A great plan, in theory—but Lisburne’s become a serious distraction, and Leonie’s usual logic is in danger of slipping away as easily as a silk chemise. Could the Season’s greatest transformation be her own?

In the beginning, there were three sisters running Maison Noirot—now there is only one, and Leonie Noirot is determined she won’t be sidetracked by love as her sisters were. If only the Marquess of Lisburne didn’t have other plans…

Leonie, a dressmaker, is committed to keeping the family business at the forefront of London fashion. If that means turning an ugly duckling into a swan, she’s more than prepared to take on the challenge. When Lisburne escalates that challenge into a wager, Leonie can’t resist, despite the high stakes. If Lady Gladys becomes the toast of the season, Leonie will win Lisburne’s Botticelli, but if Lady Gladys fails, Leonie will owe Lisburne a fortnight of her exclusive attention at a location of his choosing. High stakes, indeed, and each is determined to win.

Leonie is an easy character to admire. She’s organized, smart, and self-sufficient. In addition to running a business, she’s patroness to a charity that rescues young girls from the streets and teaches them a trade. She’s also daring enough to quiet an unruly crowd with a dramatic poetry reading, and tactful enough to show Lady Gladys how to soften her hard edges and make the most of her natural assets. Lisburne is an interesting character as well. He’s made himself responsible for his trouble-prone cousin, the poet Lord Swanton, and keeps a close eye on his own estates, despite his assumed air of casual disinterest. When he meets Leonie, he’s far from disinterested, but just as logical and organized as she, he isn’t about to lose his head.

Although Leonie and Lisburne’s romance was satisfying to read, I sometimes felt the story lacked focus. There are a number of subplots—Lord Swanton’s poetry, the transformation of Lady Gladys, a blackmail plot, another romance—and that resulted in a rather scattered feeling. A premise like dressmaker sisters marrying nobility requires, for this reader, anyway, a tightly structured plot and well-drawn characters to keep me from focusing too long on the implausibility of it all. Vixen in Velvet sometimes fell short of that standard for me, but it was never less than entertaining.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and think anyone who devoured the first two entries in this series will be equally pleased with Vixen in Velvet.

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

The Count’s Last Mistress by Bess Greenfield

April 29, 2014 By 1 Comment

COUNT
The Count’s Last Mistress by Bess Greenfield
Publisher: Mouette (Self-Published)
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (315 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

An unforgettable, sexy tale of good intentions gone awry, deception, and unexpected passion between an aristocratic French cavalry officer and a free-spirited American painter in Paris…

When her social conscience and avant-garde art trigger rumors of mental instability, New York heiress Jeanne Delancy flees to Paris to begin her life anew as an independent painter. But the political turmoil of 1871 leaves her with an abandoned child to protect and a tragic mystery to solve. Struggling and desperate, Jeanne is stunned to receive an absurdly lucrative commission from a handsome, aristocratic cavalry officer. The former wallflower has every reason to mistrust the arrogant, yet charming comte de Chaumenay, but she finds the offer difficult to refuse and her new patron even harder to resist.
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Consumed with remorse over his past, war hero Olivier Valencourt is certain the beguiling American beauty he discovers in a Montmartre hovel holds the key to his redemption. To convince her to reveal a truth only she can tell, he plots to win her confidence through patronage, patience, and his never-before-tested powers of persuasion. But it doesn’t take long for the bohemian’s unconventional wisdom and innocent sensuality to obliterate his self-control and divert his agenda entirely. While the strong-willed opposites struggle to reconcile their deepest longings, dangerous alliances and scandalous secrets threaten a tragic repetition of history.

A French count determined to carry out his brother’s last wish meets a runaway American artist equally determined to stand in his way.

I have always loved Toulouse-Lautrec’s posters depicting the Moulin Rouge, so the idea of a female artist documenting the same bohemian life of Montmartre, creating advertisements for the cabarets, sketching the patrons, etc., was very appealing to me. Her unusual occupation, coupled with her assumed identity in a foreign country, makes Jeanne Henri an intriguing heroine. She’s independent, dedicated to her art, and resolved to protect the child her friend Claudine left in her care before she disappeared. When Olivier Valencourt shows up looking for Claudine—and finds his brother’s son instead—Jeanne refuses to be intimidated by him. She will do what’s best for Alex, no matter his uncle’s wealth and aristocratic position.

Olivier, still grieving the loss of his brother and recovering from serious wounds received during the war, can’t wait to rescue his brother’s child from the poverty and decadence he perceives in Montmartre. Olivier’s emotions are as impaired as his body, but meeting Jeanne is enough to make him feel alive again, even though he knows she is fighting to keep his nephew from him. This battle of wills makes for a memorable romance as two strong characters try desperately to stand their ground even as attraction overcomes them.

The story immerses the reader in the atmosphere of the era, especially the scenes that take place in Montmartre. The author brings the bohemian world of artists, writers, and philosophers to life, and shows what the country was like in the aftermath of the violent Paris Commune uprising. In addition to the absorbing romance, I appreciated the artistic presentation of the book with its lovely cover and elegant chapter headings. I found a few typos and misused words, but not enough to detract from the story.

Its unusual setting and memorable characters make The Count’s Last Mistress an enjoyable read from start to finish. I think anyone who appreciates good historical writing will enjoy this story.

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How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Laura Lee Guhrke

April 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment

E
How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days by Laura Lee Guhrke
An American Heiress in London Series
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (256 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Hollyhock

They had a deal…

With the help of extensive research and clinical trials, medical experts succeeded in buy levitra supplementprofessors.com inventing effective oral medicines and ED treatment options. This disorder increases the chances of interference in shop levitra our heart functions and may degrade its efficiency by causing various cardiovascular disorders. Some herbs are very much helpful for curing the erectile dysfunction of male sildenafil españa reproductive organs. While institutionalized, order generic levitra supplementprofessors.com Brandon’s primary goal is proving his sanity to Dr. From the moment she met the devil-may-care Duke of Margrave, Edie knew he could change her life. And when he agreed to her outrageous proposal of a marriage of convenience, she was transformed from ruined American heiress to English duchess. Five years later, she’s delighted with their arrangement, especially since her husband is living on another continent.

But deals are made to be broken…

By marrying an heiress, Stuart was able to pay his family’s enormous debts, and Edie’s terms that he leave England forever seemed a small price to pay. But when a brush with death impels him home, he decides it’s time for a real marriage with his luscious American bride, and he proposes a bold new bargain: ten days to win her willing kiss. But is ten days enough to win her heart?

When the Duke of Margrave returns to England after a five-year absence, no one is more dismayed than his duchess.

I loved the beginning of this novel. The prologue, focusing on the hero’s grave condition in Africa, pulled me in right away. As the story begins and we flash back to how Stuart and Edie met, it isn’t hard to figure out, from the hints the author drops along the way, what happened to Edie in New York that makes her so eager to marry and stay in England. The bargain she strikes with Stuart—a marriage of convenience where she contributes her dowry and he contributes his absence—becomes all the more heartbreaking because of that history, and I settled in for a soul-deep romance as Stuart returns from Africa to woo his bride.

I also loved that when Stuart does return to England, he’s honest with Edie. He tells her from the beginning that he wants to have a real marriage. She, on the other hand, wants to keep her life as it is—under her own control and without interference from him. At an impasse, they strike another bargain: He has ten days to win her over. If he succeeds, she becomes his wife for real; if he fails, he disappears. It’s a cute concept, but given how traumatized she is by her past, I thought it made for a strange dichotomy in the story. The contrast between his lighthearted, teasing pursuit of her, and the horror she feels at any reminder of what happened in New York, was a little too stark for me. She didn’t tell him about her past, so it’s perhaps not fair to blame him, but I couldn’t help feeling unsettled by the way he manipulates her into situations she’s not comfortable with, all in the name of awakening her desire for him.

The author does a good job of bringing the two sides of the story together at the end, which helped me get past the uncomfortable middle section. And if I didn’t quite find the serious, heartfelt romance I was hoping for, I did find an enjoyable one. As far as historical details, the story sometimes feels like an American approximation of Victorian society. Dukes, earls, and marquesses are thick on the ground, masters are friends with their servants, and characters frequently use modern phrases. But those quibbles aside, How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days is an entertaining read that any historical lover should enjoy.

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

Pure Heat by M. L. Buchman

April 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment

HEAT
Pure Heat by M. L. Buchman
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (340 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

These daredevil smokejumpers fight more than fires.

The elite fire experts of Mount Hood Aviation fly into places even the CIA can’t penetrate.

She lives to fight fires…

Carly Thomas could read burn patterns before she knew the alphabet. A third-generation forest fire specialist who lost both her father and her fiancé to the flames, she’s learned to live life like she fights fires: with emotions shut down.

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Former smokejumper Steve “Merks” Mercer can no longer fight fires up close and personal, but he can still use his intimate knowledge of wildland burns as a spotter and drone specialist. Assigned to copilot a Firehawk with Carly, they take to the skies to battle the worst wildfire in decades and discover a terrorist threat hidden deep in the Oregon wilderness—but it’s the heat between them that really sizzles.

I have one word for this novel: Intense! There are varying degrees of subject matter that is enhanced by the author’s intensity and attention to detail, and it hammers home just how dangerous, serious and important the job is for the men and women who fight forest fires.

I’ll admit that I found the meticulous attention to details a bit overwhelming at times. The author was extremely precise in his descriptions of the devices, their set up, their use and the ramifications of their performance in the field. His attention to detail translated to me a deep respect for the subject matter that he writes about in Pure Heat and I can respect that.

Once Mr. Buchman set up the background, then he embarked on really fleshing out his hero, Steve, and his heroine, Carly. They both have serious issues to overcome. Steve has mostly physical challenges and some internal angst whereas Carly has a lot of internal issues that she has yet to heal from. At first they circle one another, like a cat assessing his/her opponent. But once the author gets into the swing of delving into their heads using internal and external dialogue, the two protagonists start to shine and their personalities suckered me in. They were great together and oftentimes it was funny to watch them try to resist the attraction. I enjoyed how they played off of each other and how they slowly found themselves unable to resist the other at first physically, then emotionally. Somehow, those two injured souls saw what no one else saw and that connection allowed love to bloom between them.

The characters of Henderson, Beale and Kee brought some gravity to the story as well as suspense, drama and action. They leant an air reminiscent of James Bond coupled with any military spy movie you could think of which really spiced up the novel to heated proportions, the forest fire notwithstanding. Trying to tell a romance story amongst the extreme violence of fighting a raging inferno on top of figuring out how to protect the fire fighters from some serious weaponry was a challenge Mr. Buchman met head on and succeeded while providing me a tale that kept me on the edge of my seat. Very impressive.

I enjoyed the camaraderie amongst the secondary characters and liked how integral they were to Steve and Carly. It was a nice touch and provided depth and connection to the protagonists.

The happy ever after is more a promise than a ride off into the sunset with flowery prose. It has a more natural and believable feel to it that impressed me. And, although this book has a lot of heavy drama, it had its laugh out loud moments that totally charmed me, like the fishing in the steam incident, the accidental exhibitionism and the hot coals dance. The scenes that got me all warm and fuzzy where the times spent under the stars and Steve’s hat – his hat was used to good effect on a couple of different levels and I found that rather clever.

Pure Heat is a heavy hitter and worth every minute spent reading. It’s a tightly written, well thought out plot with a fascinating dynamic between the hero and heroine. This is my first exposure of a book written by Mr. Buchman and I can see why he’s popular. He has a definite way with words and a unique delivery. I definitely recommend this book to readers who like realistic details with their romance. In this story, it provided a hard edged, believable feel of authenticity that made this book hard to put down. Try it and see.

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