Wounded at Home by Mitzi Pool Bridges

September 8, 2016 By Leave a Comment

Wounded at Home by Mitzi Pool Bridges
Wounded at Home by Mitzi Pool Bridges
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (293 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Financial analyst Sky Chapman must free her sister of a murder charge. Ex-SEAL Dirk Browning uses his skills as a private investigator and a military dog trainer to search for a way to keep Sky safe while they look for the killer and the missing millions the killer thinks she has.

Neither Sky nor Dirk want the attraction that springs between them. She, because she refuses to fall into the philandering-husband trap both her mother and sister dove into. He, because his mother abandoned him to the Brownings at the age of ten and he never saw her again.

Just fill it with water cialis pills free and you are done. Of course it’s important to take good general care of cheap cialis uk yourself, particularly the sensitive areas around your eyes. After taking this cialis levitra online drug you may suffer from sacroiliac dysfunction. It aids alleviate couples from the manacles of erectile dysfunction a past affair. free get viagra The killer has given Sky a timeline. Find the money and turn it over, or she and her sister die. Will Sky survive long enough to explore the feelings she has for Dirk? Will Dirk be there for her? Or will the thief and killer make the questions moot?


Wounded at Home, a “whodunit’ love story with a unique family and a guard dog named Sully is attention-keeping. How Mitzi Pool Bridges weaves them into a story with Skylar Chapman’s business associates and her pampered sister is a captivating read.

Skylar, a smart, successful financial advisor, finds herself in the middle of a murder and ten million dollar theft. The FBI thinks she knows where the money is. Her sister is in jail charged with the murder of her husband. On top of all that, the real killer threatens to kill Skylar and her sister if she doesn’t find the money and give it to him in forty-eight hours.. What a mess, and what an engrossing story!

Dirk, an ex-SEAL who has an investigation business and guard dog business, along with his unusual family, rally around Skylar determined to find the killer and the money. The reader gets a vicarious experience of the “stay-up-late” variety.

Wounded at Home is packed full of interesting characters and lots of suspects. Dory, Skylar’s sister is spoiled and self-centered but scared to death in jail. They have never been close, but Skylar can’t turn her back on her nor can she ignore the killer’s threat. While the way she meets Dirk seems a little contrived, it doesn’t matter because it gets the right people together to set things up for action and for love to get in full swing.

Bad memories of the past make Dirk and Skylar both afraid to commit to a relationship. How they struggle with inner conflicts, while working to keep Skylar alive and find ten million dollars flitting from place to place in cyber space kept me turning pages.

This is one in the Wounded SEAL Trilogy but stands by itself beautifully. However, it does make me want to read the other books in the series. Coop, Dirk’s brother, has the love of his life and a baby girl. Now I’m betting Matt, Dirk’s other brother, gets his own story that just might include the irrepressible Carrie. GOOD reading!

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

Her Renegade Rancher by Jennifer Ryan

September 7, 2016 By Leave a Comment

RANCHER
Her Renegade Rancher by Jennifer Ryan
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (298 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

With their hearts’ desires on the line, nothing can stop the Montana Men

No one knows better than Colt Kendrick that life can change in an instant. He lives without regrets except for one: not making the gorgeous woman he sees every time he walks into the local diner his.

Ingest side effects viagra Kamagra 30 minutes prior the love making episode. Erectile deficiency is generic levitra usa a humiliating health disorder that lowers a man’s confidence while performing in bed. Today’s chiropractors utilize physical therapy, nutritional counseling, acupuncture, and herbal therapies for a truly holistic approach. check out here now cheap cialis tadalafil These, as the name suggests, are chewable tabs taking few minutes to mix up in the blood to flow to the male organ and leads to an erection. cialis pill online is the high strength version of levitra and it contains the active ingredient Tadalafil. levitra online not only treats ED by increasing blood circulation in pelvis and relaxing the penis muscle but is also known for increasing. Luna Hill is haunted by the heart-stopping kiss she and Colt never should have shared. Their timing has always been off. Just as sparks begin to ignite again, she is offered a job that will take her far from their ranching town. But when a dear friend dies unexpectedly, leaving Luna a staggering gift, she has a chance to stay and finally make her long buried wishes come true—even ones that involve the sexiest cowboy she’s ever known.

Not everyone is happy with Luna’s good fortune, and as they make their feelings dangerously and abundantly clear when she falls in their crosshairs, Colt will do anything he can, risk everything he has, to keep her safe. Because Luna showed him he has a heart…and it belongs to her.

Sizzling, sweet and sensual with a touch of spice, Her Renegade Rancher has a hero and heroine that makes me love to read romance. Trust, loyalty, honesty, and love abide in spite of all the negativity and danger that presses in on Luna Hill and spills over to her longtime friend (and more) Colt Kendrick.

Jennifer Ryan had my attention from page one, broke my heart in the first chapter, then healed it bit by piece as Luna moves from struggling waitress to determined owner and conscientious caretaker of her inheritance with Colt Kendrick backing her up every step of the way. With more money and power than she’d ever dreamed of having, she tries with all her might to see that the ranch and money her dear, old friend Wayne Travers willed to her is taken care of like he wanted it to be.

However, Wayne’s two sons, his sister and her husband are beside themselves when the will is read. They, goaded by insatiable greed, are determined to take away from Luna what they feel is rightfully theirs. The intensity of their hate, the both subtle and blatant sabotage and worse stalks Luna like a blood-thirsty monster.

The purity of intent on one side of the coin with the greedy, mean-spiritedness intent on the other side make Her Renegade Rancher a true good-against- bad struggle. How love slips in while the struggle is going on creates some heart-warming and ecstatic scenes. Also the family side stories add a special touch to the bringing everything together.

A beautifully written story!

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

Heartfelt by Carol Owen

September 6, 2016 By Leave a Comment

HEARTFELT
Heartfelt by Carol Owen
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (289 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Shay is recovering from breast cancer and months of chemo. The last thing she’s expecting is a good looking, charming man to come into her world and turn it upside down.

Drew Bennett, an artist getting ready for a big show, needs a place to live and work while his townhouse in Boston is being renovated. He rents an apartment in Shay Morgan’s cliff side house in Maine.

Shay and Drew are instantly attracted to each other, but both of them recognize the timing is wrong. Drew is dealing with a teen-age daughter who was seriously injured in a car accident. Shay is emotionally fragile from her illness and filled with worry her cancer will return.

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These SO REAL fictional characters deal with real life situations that grab one’s attention. How they cope makes a story that touches the heart.

Shay Morgan deals with inner conflict, uncertainty, and a monster called cancer that had attacked her viciously. She’d defeated it, but it was still out there. Silent, lethal, and could attack again at any time. Her emotions are on overload when Drew Bennett, a man she loves almost at once, comes into her life and soon longs to be a forever part of Shay’s life. Working her way through her emotional quagmire, Shay despairs of there ever being a RIGHT time for them to have a relationship.

Drew Bennett fights his own battles and feelings of guilt. His patience is a beautiful golden thread woven through the tapestry of this story.

While the primary theme is Shay and Drew’s, a sub-theme is about Drew’s daughter Patti and her struggles and inner turmoil as she recuperates from an accident that killed her mother. The physical struggle is not easy, but the psychological struggle is incredibly hard. The reader’s heart aches for her.

Woven into the story is the amazing “Belle Harbor Mafia” Shay’s unfailing, true friends, and the Yo-Yo email support group that Shay belongs to, all of whom have had cancer.

A pithy part of the story is the pragmatic, sensible sayings of Shay’s deceased mother. They impact Shay’s thoughts and actions. Some give her hope and courage and others pretty much tell her to put on her big girl panties, “screw her courage to the sticking point” and claim what she so desperately wants while she can. Carol Owen’s writing flows smoothly as it deals with, not up-roaring conflicts, but with the inner conflicts that almost cripple at times and threaten to deprive the characters of their joy for life.

Heartfelt is a great title for this very human story.

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

The Smoke Hunter by Jacquelyn Benson

September 5, 2016 By 1 Comment

SMOKE
The Smoke Hunter by Jacquelyn Benson
Publisher: Grand Central
Genre: Action/Adventure, Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (436 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Chasing a threat born in smoke…

London, 1898. Archivist Eleanora Mallory discovers a map to a legendary city . But is it the key to unravelling an ancient mystery or a clever hoax?

Compelled to find out, Ellie journeys to Central America – with a merciless enemy hot on her heels.

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For what lies there whispering to be unearthed has the power to bring the world to its knees.

Join Ellie and Adam as they battle rivers of scorpions, plummeting waterfalls and pre-historic death traps on the journey to uncovering a deadly secret that could shake the fate of the world.

Are you ready for a grand adventure that has the flavor of an Indiana Jones tale? This one will do it for you but it would have to be Indiana Jane. Eleanor Mallory is everything that a woman of London in 1898 would not be. She’s independent, unmarried, and intelligent. She loves to learn and to explore and she manages to run across a real mystery with ties to Central America.

This story is a very exciting read with lots of action and two treacherous men after her. The author dishes out surprises, maintains the suspense from beginning to end, and makes you not want to put the book down.

When she finds there is someone after her and the map and piece of mask she has, she runs to her friend’s home. There, the lady loans her clothes, money and her name and ships her out the next day. She goes to her room at the hotel and decides to bathe. As she sits in the tub, she discovers there’s snake in there with her and she screams. That’s how she meets Adam. He busts down her door and grabs her snake. Right then and there she knows she doesn’t like him. He’s not the least embarrassed and she sure is!

The bad guys trace her even with the false name and come after her. She ends up asking Adam for help but doesn’t tell him the truth. Just offers to share the discovery with him. That costs her in the long run.

The story is violent in places but it’s just like in the movies, you just keep reading along to see the rest of the story. There are tests to be overcome, they’re almost killed several times, and you can’t foresee the next challenge or the end of the story. This is a really good action/adventure story with a side of romance thrown in. Give it a try; you won’t be disappointed.

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

True Believer by Nicholas Sparks

September 2, 2016 By Leave a Comment

TRUE
True Believer by Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: Hachette Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (322 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Jeremy Marsh is the ultimate New Yorker: handsome, almost always dressed in black, and part of the media elite. An expert on debunking the supernatural with a regular column in “Scientific American,” he’s just made his first appearance on national TV. When he receives a letter from the tiny town of Boone Creek, North Carolina, about ghostly lights that appear in a legend-shrouded cemetery, he can’t resist driving down to investigate. Here, in this tightly knit community, Lexie Darnell runs the town’s library, just as her mother did before the accident that left Lexie an orphan. Disappointed by past relationships, including one that lured her away from home, she is sure of one thing: her future is in Boone Creek, close to her grandmother and all the other people she loves. Jeremy expects to spend a quick week in “the sticks” before speeding back to the city. But from the moment he sets eyes on Lexie, he is intrigued and attracted to this beautiful woman who speaks with a soft drawl and confounding honesty. And Lexie, while hesitating to trust this outsider, finds herself thinking of Jeremy more than she cares to admit. Now, if they are to be together, Jeremy Marsh must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he’s never done before–take a giant leap of faith. A story about taking chances and following your heart, True Believer will make you, too, believe in the miracle of love.

Can opposites really attract? Can a skeptic be persuaded to change his or her mind?
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In True Believer, Nicholas Sparks asks those questions. Lexie and Jeremy are certainly different. She buys into the psychic and be;ieves that one can speak with the dead. He doesn’t believe any of it. Can these two make things work? Can they even get a relationship off of the ground?

The writing is interesting, but the story moved rather slowly. I hate to admit I lost interest a couple of times. It was just a little too easy to walk away from Lexie and Jeremy. They were okay characters, but at times I wasn’t thrilled with them. I didn’t have the connection with them I would have liked. I never really warmed to Lexie. It seemed like she had almost too much to hide. She needed to make up her mind, too. Jeremy was a little different. I liked him. I could even picture him and rooted for him. I mean, he has a plan and knows what he knows… I even kind of liked him pursuing Lexie. However, near the end, I didn’t understand his choices. The ending felt rushed and I see the story is continued in At First Sight. Maybe this would’ve been a better read had I known there was a second story. I’m not sure.

Things between Lexie and Jeremy happen rather fast. While this didn’t bother me, it might be problematic for some readers.

I do have to say this is a light read. It’s breezy and once I decided to keep going, it did flow. I had to keep reading because I wanted to see how this book would end. I liked the idea of people seeing lights in the sky and Jeremy going to Boone Creek to figure the lights out. It was an intriguing part of the storyline. I appreciated how the skepticism didn’t come off as foolishness and the total belief didn’t come off silly, either. There’s nothing wrong with believing or not and I liked that.

If you want a book that will take you away for a few hours, then this might be the book for you.

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

Amanda: More Than Any Woman By Anton van den Berg

September 2, 2016 By Leave a Comment

AMANDA
Amanda: More Than Any Woman By Anton van den Berg
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (166 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Stargazer

A story with unique insight into the different areas of a person, life, struggles, triumphs and joy… There are the difficult bits – Amanda refused to break. She couldn’t let herself. She went on, because she had to. There are the beautiful bits – Amada leans against the door. Speechless, overwhelmed and intoxicated with the warmness and overpowering emotional glow… Naturally we function better as part of a pair, but we can still function by ourselves. That’s what rewards the most. You know you won’t explode with joy, but some days you just wish you would.

Receptors in your brain enhance their working and your sexual prowess increases. http://www.heritageihc.com/articles/59/ buy cheap levitra People are aware about the medical term tadalafil price erectile dysfunction. By free cialis cons, pull your shorts when you get back in action. The inclination of male may is vital heritageihc.com cialis tablets uk for men, particularly when he assembles a relationship. Have you ever read a book’s description and remained at a loss as to what it may entail upon reading? Amanda: More than any woman by Anton van den Berg leaves a bit to the imagination when reading the description.

From the very beginning, the story follows the life of Amanda. Now, please remember, this is a unique story that deserves to be read first hand so some details will be very vague. The story is very unique and the perspective the author places the reader is very special. The reader experiences life with Amanda, shares in the struggles with Amanda, yet in a way, also is aware of a separation between Amanda and the reader.

While I enjoyed the unique perspective the author places the reader; I also struggled with reconciling the characters as fully fleshed out participants in the story of Amanda. Several characters came and went without a deep back story and years pass without full details of what is happening. The story is very introspective, but in a very unique way. Throughout the story the reader is placed in a position of trying to reconcile Amanda’s thoughts and actions, along with current events.

The author had a smooth writing style and great descriptions; although the editing could be a little cleaner. The story itself kept the reader guessing and the unique perspective the reader was placed makes for a fascinating look at the world of the author’s mind. Amanda: More than any woman is a story and a view of life that I had not considered before.

While I would have liked to have known a little more backstory and witnessed deeper character development, overall this was a good read from an author who offers a very fascinating perspective and view of life from beginning to end. Please consider picking up a copy of Amanda: more than any woman, I believe that this will offer you a view of life that you may not have considered before!

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

Claiming Scarlet by Madison Sevier

September 1, 2016 By Leave a Comment

CLAIMING
Claiming Scarlet by Madison Sevier
River Jewel Resort, Book 4
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (171 pgs)
Heat Level: M/F
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Twenty years ago, Kevin Sunman’s life changed forever when the woman he believed was his soulmate walked out of his life and disappeared. He spent copious amounts of time and money on detectives who came up short, leaving him lonely and frustrated. Determined to forget her, Kevin saddle up his custom motorcycle and hit the road searching for closure.

This drug viagra sample nichestlouis.com has become a frequently prescribed anti-impotency solution as this contains the potential to treat the condition. This was made when President Barack Obama was first elected to office. order viagra An exact dosage intake One must consult a healthcare brand viagra uk provider first before buying Kamagra tablets, Kamagra jellies or Kamagra soft tablet. It nourishes and nichestlouis.com cheapest viagra no prescription tones your reproductive organs. After many days and hundreds of miles on the road, Kevin checks himself into the River Jewel Resort for a much needed break. Coming face-to-face with his past and the woman who has haunted his every waking moment for two decades wasn’t what he expected. And what he learned about his mystery woman is far more than he ever bargained for.

Scarlet Noir, owner of the River Jewel Resort, has lived a life full of mystery. Bringing soulmates together and helping them find their true happiness has become the mask she’s worn to hide her own loneliness and secrets. When the man she walked away from twenty years ago shows up at her resort, she’s forced to remove the disguise and confront all that she left behind.

Will their time apart prove to be too much to overcome? Or can the River Jewel Resort heal old wounds and heartaches, allowing them a second chance to claim their true love?

Two wounded souls looking for redemption.

I love the work of Madison Sevier and I long awaited this book. Scarlet is a fascinating character and talk about a few holy cow moments! I also love stories of second chances. This book is no exception.

Kevin is a great hero. He’s the kind of guy I want to read about. Strong and solid, but when he loves, he doesn’t quit. Then there’s Scarlet. She’s quite the woman. I love how she describes herself as a walking catastrophe. How many women see themselves the same way? I related to her and rooted for her.

There are moments that will bring a tear to the eye and others that singe the screen. I’m glad. The breadth of emotion in this story made it a wonderful read. I needed to know what would happen for Kevin and Scarlet and I wasn’t disappointed. If you want heat and heart, then this is the book for you.

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

Red Jack’s Daughter by Edith Layton

September 1, 2016 By Leave a Comment

RED
Red Jack’s Daughter by Edith Layton
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (233 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated 5 stars
Review by Snapdragon

HER HEART WAS DIVIDED IN THREE

Jessica Eastwood’s country sweetheart, Tom Preston, wanted her to be the free and independent spirit that her gallant officer father had raised her to be.

Jessica’s irresistibly attractive distant European cousin, Anton Von Keller, wanted to mold her into a sophisticated woman of the world.

Society’s most eligible aristocrat, the dazzling Lord Leith, wanted Jessica to be the star of the London Season, a model of feminine beauty and fashion.
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But before Jessica could find out which of these women she truly was, she had to decide which one of these maddeningly desirable men she really loved…

An unexpected treasure, Red Jack’s Daughter is a wonderful foray into a (sweltering) ballroom in London, at just that point in ‘the season.’ Yes; a wrap up to the annual marriage mart.

The perhaps unfortunate choice of title does not reach out and grab readers; but rest assured it is the only dull note in the entire tale. From start to finish, beginning with the not-young lady’s point of view right to final resolution, the story is entirely unpredictable and intriguing. Main character Lord Alexander Leith is inveigled to dance with the rather easily overlooked Jessica Eastwood. It hardly seems an auspicious start.

We feel at once the one’s discomposure but also, quickly, grasp his main interest’s point of view. Jessica is indeed an amazingly self-possessed heroine and (quite unlike most of the rather well-behaved ladies of the time) she will make up her own mind and pursue her own fortune. Still, we cannot but hold out a hope for the well-meaning Alex, who just set out to do a friend a favor. It all begins with a little conspiracy; a consideration of fashion (while of course avoiding the spectacular.)

Fashion and the ordering of new dresses seems like the most obvious (and dull) event given the times, but no dressmaker ever quire ran into a challenge like Jess!

The ins-and outs of London society are visited from a very different perspective in this tale. We readers begin to suspect there may indeed be reason to hope…although there is no escaping personal history…but, no spoilers here!

If you enjoy historical romances, you must put this one right at the top of your list. The writing style is beautiful; characters deep and very light, (except for rather grumpy aunty) and Layton’s perceptive touch with humor is quite perfect.

I cannot remember when I have enjoyed a dance in the ballroom of London’s marriage mart more: clever and Most enjoyable.

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

The Edge of the Cemetery by Margaret Millmore

August 31, 2016 By 1 Comment

EDGE
The Edge of the Cemetery by Margaret Millmore
Ghost Killer Book 2
Publisher: Creative Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (225 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

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When San Francisco and the surrounding area are suddenly plagued by rogue groups of ghosts and demons, who appeared to have a leader of sorts, a 17th century musketeer demon, the Watchers know it isn’t random, nor was it the usual form in which ghosts and demons prefer to haunt. These monsters were also possessing their victims and forcing them to hurt others, and once the ghost killers arrived, the demons directed their human weapons on them. The question was, who was this musketeer demon and why was he directing these attacks?

As George, Billy, Phil and the Watchers investigate, they discover the 17th century demon is teamed up with a teenage boy, who they come to realize is a powerful ghost killer himself and more importantly, they believe he is being controlled by the demon and is now using its energy to kill people at will. Their search for the teenager and his demon lead them to the discovery of an enemy from their past and a mysterious prophecy. As they decipher the true meaning of the prophecy, they uncover a plot for murderous revenge involving a secret vault containing numerous malevolent souls and a plan to return those wicked dead to human form as directed by Satan himself. Unfortunately, they also discover the true purpose of the demon musketeer’s involvement, which is to become one with the powerful teenage ghost killer, creating a monster that cannot be defeated. With the clock ticking against them, they must find the vault and destroy it before it can be opened and kill the demon and his teenage host.

Written in the first person, this story is about ghost killers. Apparently ghosts have died fairly recently, but demons died many years ago, the longer they are dead, the stronger they become. Ghost killers help them to pass over, sometimes willingly but usually in the case of demons, unwillingly.

George and his friend and neighbor Billy are very strong ghost killers so when a very old demon is determined to take over a young boy and then release hundreds of evil ghosts into the world, it’s up to the ghost killers to stop them. Unfortunately all is not how it seems, and chaos begins to take over. Billy and George belong to the Watchers, a group of people who watch for unusual behavior and possible haunting.

This book was extremely well written and the story captivated me, keeping me reading until I reached the end. A sense of lightheartedness came into the story with George’s weapon of choice, a number two pencil. Billy uses a chopstick. Unusual weapons but they definitely work, sending the spirits to the other side. Several eerie scenes gave me the good old ghost shivers and it was surprising how the story fitted into everyday life.

Filed Under: Horror, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell

August 31, 2016 By Leave a Comment

DUKE
If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (285 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

After four failed seasons and a disastrous jilting, Lady Dorothea Beaumont has had more than enough of her family’s scheming. She won’t domesticate a duke, entangle an earl, or vie for a viscount. She will quietly exit to her aunt’s Irish estate for a life of blissful freedom. Until an arrogant, sinfully handsome duke singles her out for a waltz, making Thea the most popular belle of the season.

The duke ruined her plans and he’ll just have to fix them.

We all know that stress can buy cheap tadalafil increase the risk of adverse events, so be careful. Some treatment gives you the temporary result of the erectile dysfunction as they lead a stressful life; sometimes even go into depression wholesale cialis as they are not able to satisfy their partner sexually. The brand new drug is buy levitra canada introduced in the market as a surefire remedy for ED. Studies conducted between 2007 to 2013 lead to the conclusion that use of viagra soft after a heart attack (or stroke) positively influences the brain work. Dalton, Duke of Osborne, is far too heartless for debutantes or marriage—he uses dalliances and public spectacle to distract from his real purpose: finding the man who destroyed his family. When his search leads to Ireland, the last thing he needs is the determined, achingly innocent Thea, who arrives in the dead of night demanding he escort her to her aunt. His foolish agreement may prove his undoing. The road to the Emerald Isle is fraught with unforeseen dangers, but the greatest peril of all might just be discovering that he has a heart…and he’s losing it to Thea.

Sometimes the burden of being proper, perfect and demure is a grueling chore. Compound that pressure with a harping and judgmental mother and grandmother who are determined to choose her life and make her decisions for her that it’s not a wonder that the heroine, Thea, snaps and lashes out in the only way she can; she runs. What happens afterwards is pure entertainment for readers.

I’d read How the Duke Was Won,the first book in The Disgraceful Dukes series and thought that one to be clever and unique so I was really looking forward to If I Only Had a Duke in hopes I’d be equally engaged and amused. I was, completely. This is a 100% standalone read so a new fan can read this one first and not feel left out. This novel is strictly about Thea and Dalton. Charlene, Thea’s half-sister shows up later, but as a secondary character to the events and a sweet touch since they are family.

There are quite a few plot conflicts running simultaneously yet Ms. Bell juggled them with aplomb. I grew to have great respect for Thea and her goals to be free of the yoke of perfection. I admired Dalton’s quest for vengeance and retribution and I liked how Con, Dalton’s friend and co-conspirator, always had the hero’s back, except when it came to Thea. With the heroine, Con acted more like a gruff Cupid combined with a devilish Loki, with an Irish brogue – truly delightful. I giggled quite frequently with the dialogue, both internal and between Thea and Dalton. One of my favorite lines what when she labeled him “The Great Wall of Duke”. I snickered as I typed that. You’ll have to read it to understand why it’s so funny – it’s a cumulative effect.

One of my favorite parts, and there are quite a few, is when Thea stood up to the main harridan; the results are miraculous! Another shocker is the revelation of what truly happened to Dalton’s little brother. I’ve read enough romance stories to guess the real answer but not the whole picture or what happens after that knowledge is gained. I really wanted to hug Dalton at that point. Poor guy – he’s gone through so much already and he’s being hunted on top of it! That underlying bit of suspense always seemed to lurk and pop up when I least expected it. It made for great reading.

The happy ever after is just overwhelmingly wonderful. It’s like Thea’s personality – her refusal to give up, to break or be cowed – just inspired everyone around her to dream bigger, fight harder and not take the first answer as gospel. No one gave up or gave in, well, the good guys at least. The dark characters get their just desserts although the author as a bit light in the details – not that I mind, I found it rather amusing. It was just how Ms. Bell did it.

Yes, If I Only Had a Duke is a whopper of a good tale told with a crisp and engaging style that brings Thea and Dalton to life for readers to enjoy. The sexy shenanigans are saucy, seductive and well-written but I was more entertained with the dialogue, Thea’s opinions and Dalton’s reactions to them. There’s just enough drama and fisticuffs to keep the pages turning, and amusing and silly antics to inspire a reader to grin. I fervently hope that Alice, the secondary character with the most amusingly toxic TMI or waxing poetic about the most obscure scientific gobbledygook, gets her happy ever after too. She wasn’t quite as strong a presence in this story, but Ms. Bell included her just at the right time to remind me how much I thought her amusing. Yes, she’d be an interesting character to match with a duke. I wonder who it will be? I can’t wait until the next book!

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