A Date at the Altar by Cathy Maxwell

November 4, 2016 By Leave a Comment

date
A Date at the Altar by Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (211 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Will the third time be the charm? A duke can’t marry just anyone. His wife must be of good family, be fertile, be young. Struggling playwright Sarah Pettijohn is absolutely the last woman Gavin Whitridge, Duke of Baynton, would ever fall in love with.

She is an actress, born on the wrong side of the blanket, and always challenges his ducal authority. She never hesitates to tell him what she thinks.

However, there is something about her that stirs his blood . . . which makes her perfect for a bargain he has in mind: In exchange for backing her play, he wants Sarah to teach him about love.
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And he, in turn, has a few things to teach her about men . . .

This is quite the fascinating historical romance. Of course there is a wonderful and well written romance to enjoy, but it’s the surprising betrayals that affect both Sarah, the heroine, and Gavin, the Duke of Baynton that truly set this novel apart.

I liked how the author set up the scene in the first chapter – both main characters had their reasons for being in the same place but they are as far removed in goals as one could be. And yet, that one event set the stage for all the intrigue and conflict that would later occur. The breadth and scope of it isn’t even hinted at but once Ms. Maxell set the wheels in motion, the story takes off and I was thoroughly entertained.

I think my favorite aspect of the book is the fact that both Sarah and Gavin were at odds with each other. There’s a strong attraction between the two and it certainly complicated things, but only in the best ways possible. Watching them fall in love with each other was a spectator sport that completely entertained, probably because of the intense lust and sensual buildup as their prickly relationship continued. It started off on rocky footing, and the author introduced so many reasons to feel sympathy for both Sarah and Gavin. Some were downright sad, yet, Sarah is a plucky heroine with a ton of pride, and Gavin is no slouch either. There are sparks, misunderstandings, and when they succumb to their passions, it’s made all the better because Ms. Maxwell’s talent does those scenes justice. I swear, they took turns seducing the other even while trying to resist one another. I can’t help but smile because they think they can ignore true love.

Then of course there’s the conflict. Wow, powerful stuff. I felt so bad for Gavin because as shocks go, it’s a doozy. Gavin’s dealing with it proved without a shadow of a doubt that he meets the criteria of ‘hero’.

Another really good part was Gavin’s relatives. I don’t want to give anything away, but they play an important part in the story. Dame Imogene and his mom are the greatest. I love a happy ending.

A Date at the Alter is historical romance at its best. There is so much depth to the characters that their feelings of fear, anger, uncertainty, lust and passion come to life within the pages, making Sarah and Gavin easy characters to care for and fall in love with. The dialogue is key to understanding their points of view and sometimes it’s even fun and clever. This is a novel worth spending time with and I highly recommend it. Then again, this book has that classic Maxwell touch; what’s not to like?

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The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

October 18, 2016 By Leave a Comment

TROUBLE
The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Full Length (384 Pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Sorrel

If she has her way . . .

Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn’t even remember her . . .

He’ll get nothing but coal in his stocking.

Saddled with his great-aunt’s Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else’s capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he’s sure he’s never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him . . .
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Unless he tempers “naughty” with a special kind of nice . . .

Willa can’t deny that Keane’s changed since high school: he’s less arrogant, for one thing—but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It’s time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish—and let the mistletoe do its work . . .

Jill Shalvis always brings a story that captures and holds this reader captive until I read to the last page.  This story is about trust and letting go of the past.

Willa and Keane have a history, though Keane doesn’t realize why Willa is being almost rude to him when she is completely opposite with any other customer. What he does know is that he likes her, and she intrigues him. He picks up on the fact that he should know her but doesn’t seem to remember when or how he met her. In contrast, she seems to remember, in vivid detail, who he is and how they met and parted.

The secondary characters, like the people she works with are very interesting and worth the mention. They show a side to Willa that would not have been evident if these characters were not present. For example, Willa put Christmas decorations on the wall of the street where a homeless man sleeps. That told me a lot about her true character.

Maybe in the future books one of these secondary characters could star in their own story.

The plot is simple but it was how the story and the characters were portrayed and how it was written that held my interest to the end. I never got bored with their story and Ms. Shalvis didn’t overwhelm me with back story that could have slowed down the pace.

The Trouble with Mistletoe is a perfect read for a cold night and a coffee.

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Immortal Nights by Lynsay Sands

September 9, 2016 By 5 Comments

NIGHTS
Immortal Nights by Lynsay Sands
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (228 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival…a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.

Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night…

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Ms. Sands is heading down the road of gritty and suspenseful storytelling if Immortal Nights is anything to go by. There’s a new villain in town. The last book hinted but this one confirms it and he’s a nasty piece of work from the hints that were dropped. What was revealed was enough to give me the willies.

In the previous story, Dante escaped a cage he was put in, and eventually fell in love with Mary, but there was always the worry about his trapped twin, Tomasso, who couldn’t escape with him. Tomasso does eventually escape but not without help and it comes from an unlikely heroine in an unusual location. Meet the stowaway, Abigail. She was a pleasant surprise.

The first part of the novel is about surviving on an island and all it entails. It’s not without some hilarious moments and I cracked up when Tomasso decided on the benefits of vines, which was funny as it is, but add in the ‘crab’ attack and I was rolling on the floor. Now, add in Abby’s penchant for nursing and it was knee slapping hysterical. I really enjoyed reading at that point.

The second part of the storyline dealt with the not so great effects of living on an island in primitive conditions. That introduced emotional conflict, drama and relationship complications. There’s a bit of happiness too, some uncomfortable revelations and a reunion. Fans of the series will recognize the conflict and the humor that comes from it, especially when Lucien shows up. That says it all.

The third and final part of the book is where all the action, suspense, worry, and most of the fast paced page flipping occurred. This is where Abby learns some scary facts about possible motive, and intent of the mysterious doctor. It’s also where she has to do some escaping of her own. Will Tomasso return the favor or will he be too late? The author kept me on tenterhooks waiting to find out about Abby and her companions’ fates.

As fans of the series expect, the scenes where the hero and heroine discover their shared passion as lifemates are well done, and at times highlighted with a bit of humor. I liked Abby’s dialogue about all the places she’s woken up in. I also liked the fact that both she and Tomasso were geeky smart and that they both found it a huge turn on.

The final word comes from the villain himself and it’s creepy as can be. This scene put chills up my spine and made my stomach drop. I recognize that this new plot thread has the capacity to be dark and deviant – I just hope it doesn’t overshadow my favorite Argeneau family. The one thing it did do was insure my undivided loyalty to this series. This is one bad guy I’m going to want to see go down, but the how, when and by whom is what is going to keep me coming back until he gets his comeuppance. I am sure most fans who read that part are going to agree. This series just got an injection of freshness and drama. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Sands does next but Immortal Nights was a great intro and is not to be missed.

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Hot in Hellcat Canyon by Julie Anne Long

August 17, 2016 By Leave a Comment

HOT
Hot in Hellcat Canyon by Julie Anne Long
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (384 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Quince

A broken truck, a broken career, and a breakup heard around the world land superstar John Tennessee McCord in Hellcat Canyon. Legend has it that hearts come in two colors there: gold or black. And that you can find whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s love . . . or trouble. JT may have found both in waitress Britt Langley.

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Her wit is sharp but her eyes and heart—not to mention the rest of her—are soft, and JT is falling hard. But Britt has a secret as dark as the hills, and JT’s past is poised to invade their present. It’s up to the people of Hellcat Canyon to help make sure their future includes a happily ever after.

Hot in Hellcat Canyon has all the right ingredients to be a great story. It has an amazing hero and heroine, who are my favorite combination i.e. he is super popular and rich, while she works two jobs – kind of Cinderella story. It’s set in charming small town full of colorful and funny inhabitants. It deals with some pretty serious issues, but it also funny. And along with all of that it features two fictional Hollywood super stars and one of them, Franco Francone, I liked a lot (and he reminds me a lot of James Franco).

The hero of Hot in Hellcat Canyon is John Tennessee McCord, Hollywood superstar that didn’t get a role he was hoping for and his superstar girlfriend dumps him. His car broke down and he finds himself in the small town of Hellcat Canyon. There he meets the amazing Britt Langley waitress/real estate agent, and a town outsider. She came to the town trying to get her life back together after very bad marriage. J.T. and Britt meet in the bar and there is an instant and very hot attraction between them. They both enter this relationship with their own heavy baggage, although Britt’s is a bit heavier and darker. Due to that, and the meddling of one egocentric character, the conflict between two of them is inevitable. Although the conflict was something expected, the author did great job in plotting and resolving it.

Regardless of all above mentioned I had a hard time reading and rating this story. The reason is the pace. It’s slow and it felt like the author focused more on setting the scene for the next novels in the series rather than developing the relationship and settling the differences between JT and Britt. The parts when the two of them are together are amazing, but when they aren’t the story drags a bit. If the story was more focused on J.T. and Britt it would have been much more engaging.

Hot in Hellcat Canyon is a first story in the Hellcat Canyon series, and from this first installment it’s already very obvious to this reader who might be some future couples. Now that the scene is set, and all characters are in place I am looking forward to reading the next story in the series because Julie Anne Long writes amazing romances. Here’s hoping that one story will feature Franco Francone as a hero.

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Chasing Lady Amelia by Maya Rodale

August 2, 2016 By Leave a Comment

LADY
Chasing Lady Amelia by Maya Rodale
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (365 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Terribly Improper
Lady Amelia is fed up with being a proper lady and wishes to explore London, so one night she escapes . . . and finds herself in the company of one Alistair Finlay-Jones. He’s been ordered by his uncle to wed one of the American girls. How lucky, then, that one of them stumbles right into his arms!

Totally Scandalous
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Very Romantic
When Amelia finds out Alistair has been ordered to marry her, he must woo her and win back the angry American girl. But with the threat of scandals, plural, looming . . . will he ever catch up to the woman he loves?

This one had me smiling and giggling much of the time. Lady Amelia is a handful and then some.

She’s the youngest sister of the new Duke of Durham, a manure-shoveling American (of all things). Amelia cannot abide the nonsensical rules of the Ton that she’s supposed to live by. The jams she gets into furnishes the gossip columns with lots of fodder and has her very English aunt the Duchess of Durham at her wits end. After Amelia pulls one of her exhausting tirades, the Duchess tells the maid to put laudanum in Amelia’s night drink. This “sets the fox among the chickens.”

Unaware of being given the drug, Amelia goes out after midnight when she hears the voice of a man singing. She sets a frenzy of “misdeeds” in motion that takes the reader on a vicarious sightseeing tour of London; but, more importantly on a journey toward love—sensual, sweet, and accepting love. The journey is not without bumps and stumbling blocks that keep the reader on full alert and more than a little anxious at times

Alister Finley-Jones, the singing man and heir to Baron Wrotham, is considered a wastrel by his uncle. Their back story is a tangled, sad one. It highlights how the social and economic system of that era impacted the lives of the young men of the peerage. After formal education their main occupations seemed to be gambling, racing, drinking, and looking for an acceptable bride who has a BIG dowry. Honest, hard work does not seem to be appropriate for these young men.

Maya Rodale creates a delightful story that encompasses family love and exasperation, social taboos, economic struggles, and romantic love that withstands the ‘slings and arrows’ of a snobbish society. Moreover, she keeps an undercurrent of humor bubbling along overtly or covertly throughout it all.

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The Fairest of Them All by Cathy Maxwell

July 27, 2016 By Leave a Comment

FAIREST
The Fairest of Them All by Cathy Maxwell
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Quince

In New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell’s glittering new series, wedding bells are ringing…but which Whitridge twin is the right groom?

The penniless orphan of a disreputable earl, Lady Charlene Blanchard thrives on the adventure of picking the pockets of unsavory gentlemen to survive. But due to her extraordinary beauty and prized bloodlines, she is hand-chosen as a potential bride for the Duke of Baynton, who is on the hunt for a suitable wife to provide heirs. All Char has to do is act the part she was born to play and charm a duke she’s never laid eyes on into proposing. Except the duke turns out to be the tall, dark and sexy stranger who just caught her red-handed as a thief!
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Or is he? Jack Whitridge is the duke’s twin who had “gone missing” over ten years ago. Now back in England, he knows that the supposed Lady who has his brother’s love is hardly duchess material—except he needs her to save his adopted country from war. He is willing to bargain with her heart, until he finds himself falling for Char . . .

Who is a right man for her? The one who is not looking for a wife but knows all her secrets, or the one who is looking for a wife, but doesn’t know anything about her?  Although from the very beginning it’s quite obvious who will win Lady Charlene Blanchard’s heart it was interesting to watch how appearances, first meetings and emotions first became complicated in order to be resolved.

Cathy Maxwell does not write typical romance novels. The Fairest of Them All is a sensual novel focused on falling in love without getting in bed or having a marriage of convenience first. This is a novel about love at first sight and Ms. Maxwell wrote it so believably. The pace of the story is a bit uneven, it takes off quickly but doesn’t sustain the pace into the middle. It actually drags a bit only to speed up again. Putting slower parts aside, the question of how Lady Charlene and her hero – Jack Whitridge find their HEA is what pushes this lovely story forward and kept me reading.

Both main characters are amazing. Lady Charlene might be the fairest of them all, but she is also the most courageous and the smartest of them all. She’s a strong woman who is trying her best to get out of a very dire situation. Jack Whitridge is her true soulmate, he is a son of a duke, but he doesn’t have a title. He doesn’t care about it either. Jack knows Charlene’s secret, and as they are getting to know better one another and fall in love, he doesn’t try to change her, he just wants to protect her and to slay a few dragons for her. The connection between them is so sensual, palpable and sincere.

The secondary characters are magnificent too. I refer here to Lady Charlene’s aunt Sarah Pettijohn and Jack’s twin brother Gavin Whitridge. Gavin is a lovable antihero, while Sarah is opinionated actress. From the conflict between two of them it is quite obvious that they will be the main characters in the third installment of the series Marrying the Duke. I cannot wait to see how these two will fall in love.

Although it is a second in the series, The Fairest of Them All can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed reading it. It is a funny, sensual story that I highly recommend.

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Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan

July 26, 2016 By Leave a Comment

HELL
Hell Breaks Loose by Sophie Jordan
Devil’s Rock Book 2
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (368 Pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Sorrel

Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.

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Every now and then I like to read romance novels like this, because it reminds me that if you try hard enough or long enough you can eventually accomplish what you want or, in some cases, get what you deserve.

Reid breaks free from prison, only to find out his previously sweet and innocent brother is involved in some bad things. One of which is kidnapping the daughter of the president.

It goes from bad to worse when Reid realizes that he’s attracted to her. From there starts a story that I couldn’t put down until I new I would find a happy ending at the end of Reid and Grace’s story. I am so glad I did.

Grace, the President’s daughter, has always done what her father wanted and needed her to do but when she gets kidnapped by a bunch of gangsters, everything changes. Suddenly, she’s not just trying to escape from creepy gangsters who will be willing to use her any way necessary, but stay alive.

She finds the courage to do what she has never been able to do in all life. It felt as if her getting kidnapped and falling in love with Reid gave her a wake up call.

Reid has spent a lot of years being patient in prison, just so he could take the first chance and get out. When he does get out, he doesn’t expect to find his younger brother gone off the bad end. And, worse, he’s a member of the gang that was the cause of Reid getting imprisoned. What he also doesn’t expect to find is himself in the middle of the kidnapping of Grace Reeves.

He knows that he has to protect his brother and Grace. It was endearing to see how hard Reid fought his own desires to protect Grace from himself. The author builds up the tension between them to the point that they didn’t have a choice but to give into it and by then it was explosive. She made cheering for their HEA the most natural reaction to their story. What would happen when she went back home? How could they be together when it would fall back on her family and more specifically, her father. It was a terrific premise because those questions would have to be answered.

This is a story for readers who enjoy a rich plot, vibrant characters and a love that is won over adversity and trials.

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Why Do Dukes Fall in Love? By Megan Frampton

July 15, 2016 By Leave a Comment

DUKES
Why Do Dukes Fall in Love? By Megan Frampton
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (251 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Why do dukes fall in love?

Michael, the Duke of Hadlow, has the liberty of enjoying an indiscretion . . . or several. But when it comes time for him to take a proper bride, he ultimately realizes he wants only one woman: Edwina Cheltam. He’d hired her as his secretary, only to quickly discover she was sensuous and intelligent.

They embark on a passionate affair, and when she breaks it off, he accepts her decision as the logical one . . . but only at first. Then he decides to pursue her.

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This historical romance is unconventionally fun and clever. I enjoyed the heroine being hired for a secretarial role long before such things were acceptable; I respected her character’s steadfastness in putting her daughter’s well-being first and her ability to remain calm in the face of a very formidable, grouchy duke. I liked Edwina and Michael’s chemistry, dialogue and spark. Those two were highly engaging characters.

Gertrude, Edwina’s daughter, is a hot ticket. She is adorable and I had no trouble believing in her ability to wrap all the servants as well as the hero around her little pinky. I thought that the natural relationship between her and the duke’s dog, Chester, was a cute touch. Canines and children never put on airs – they are as real as it gets.

I thought it rather clever of the author to start each chapter with a response to the title’s question, “Why do dukes fall in love?” Some of them made me laugh out loud.

The romance that grows between Michael and Edwina was quite well done. I was fascinated in watching Michael actually learn about human interaction by observing Edwina scold, teach or advise her daughter. I also felt sad for the hero because it meant that no one took the time to teach him when he was a young child himself. Did he ever have a childhood? After a while, I got the impression that Edwina and Gertrude were the best things to ever happen to the hero – he is getting a second chance at discovering the many joys of life. Eventually, Michael finds happiness from doing the smallest, nonsensical things and in return is gifted with laughter, smiles and totally illogical love. It was beautiful.

Most of the unconventional aspects of the novel stem from the hero himself. He is emotionally stunted but didn’t have a clue that he was. His personal journey was the strongest plotline in the book. Edwina had her share but the hero is the one who had to change the most. The whole process was captivating to watch.

The hero and heroine do indeed succumb to the passion that was brewing for most of the story and those scenes were well written and romantic.

Why Do Dukes Fall in Love? was a joy to read. Ms. Frampton has penned a story with heart, a wonderful romance and is told with a delightful storytelling voice. Historical romance readers are in for a treat.

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Ride Hard by Laura Kaye

May 9, 2016 By Leave a Comment

HARD
Ride Hard by Laura Kaye
Publisher: Avon Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (357 pgs)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

A shy and distrustful woman running from a controlling ex-fiance seeks shelter with an outlaw motorcycle club with a tradition of protecting those who can’t defend themselves, and falls under the watchful eye of the club’s mysterious and intense leader who’s intent on discovering all her secrets

Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.

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Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before . . .

Ride Hard is an action packed, heart-thumping romantic suspense that leaves a reader at the edge of their seat until the last exciting chapter. The feeling of brotherhood between the men who make up the Ravens comes across loud and clear and gives this novel its gritty and realistic feel.

I liked meeting Dare and Haven. They worked well together and I enjoyed watching how they took turns taking baby steps in revealing their innermost hopes, dreams, hurts and pains. They both come from messed up backgrounds so it makes sense that they’d have a hard time not only recognizing, but admitting to being in love. Yet, each time their eyes lock, they touch, kiss or talk about peanut butter cookies, a reader can feel the emotion and passion between them.

The villain in the piece is very well drawn and he’s evil. Haven is right to be scared; her father has lost his humanity. Proof of that comes in the climactic finale. During that same scene, a reader sees just how far Haven has come in being her own person with her own will. It’s impressive writing.

The bedroom door is blasted right open and readers who enjoy scenes of high-powered, intense and powerful passion will find plenty of opportunities for satisfaction. It helps that they also help grow Haven and Dare’s romance and relationship. That’s important to me for those kinds of scenes to impress me.

Fans of Ms. Kaye should be in their happy place while reading Ride Hard . I’m a first time reader and I enjoyed myself so much that I’m interested in past books written by this author. Her style is such that the men come across as men; they work hard and play harder and when they love, it’s forever. They’re my kind of romance heroes.

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

The Wrong Bride by Gayle Callen

March 21, 2016 By Leave a Comment

BRIDE
The Wrong Bride by Gayle Callen
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Heat: Sensual
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Snapdragon

Shaken from sleep during the night and bundled off to the Highlands by a burly Scot, Riona is at first terrified, then livid. Hugh McCallum insists they were promised to each other as children to ensure peace between their clans. The stubborn laird refuses to believe he’s kidnapped the wrong Catriona Duff. Instead, he embarks on a campaign of slow-burning seduction.

It has been estimated that only 10 to 15 minutes so that the man is able to perform at his best in lovemaking process in respitecaresa.org order generic cialis this period. We lowest price on cialis all know that dogs often suffer from articular pains. The kamagra oral jelly has been prescribed generic tadalafil canada by many doctors is oral drugs. After a while these symptoms buy levitra look at here could escalate into a major cardiovascular episode. At first, Hugh cares only what their marriage can do for his people. Now he’s starting to crave Riona for her own sake, but her true identity jeopardizes his clan’s contract. And unless she chooses to risk all to be his bride, he’ll lose the only thing he prizes more than the lands he’s fought so hard to save—the passionate marriage they could have together.

Riona is by no means a shrinking violet, but she is also no match for big Hugh McCallum. They don’t meet in a drawing room, but in her bedroom. Their discussion is neither polite nor genteel…

In fact, we readers sympathize with Riona’s fear and desperation. This is not one of those stories where a pre-made match goes awry – but where a woman must tackle life with her own courage and decisiveness. There is indeed a “mistake’ but eventually we know putting it right will end up costing both of them.

The Wrong Bride is unexpectedly unpredictable, with strong characters that evoke some real emotion. The ‘wretched Highlander’ is and is not what Riona fears. There are quite a number of characters actually, (not all human, as I loved little Hamish-the-terrier, and thought the dog a nice touch.) Though there are quite a number of human characters, the book is beautifully written, so there never seems a point where the author is juggling characters in a confusing way.

Ms. Callen offers us a wonderful historic context as the lifestyles and backdrop are simply perfect: both in giving a picture of the times and in contributing to the story-line.

Witty, fun and ultimately satisfying,  The Wrong Bride is everything a historical romance fan expects.

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