Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery

February 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (368 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Sunflower

Michelle Sanderson may appear to be a strong, independent woman, but on the inside, she’s still the wounded girl who fled home years ago. A young army vet, Michelle returns to the quaint Blackberry Island Inn to claim her inheritance and recover from the perils of war. Instead, she finds the owner’s suite occupied by the last person she wants to see.
Carly Williams and Michelle were once inseparable, until a shocking betrayal destroyed their friendship. And now Carly is implicated in the financial disaster lurking behind the inn’s cheerful veneer.

Single mother Carly has weathered rumors, lies and secrets for a lifetime, and is finally starting to move forward with love and life. But if the Blackberry Island Inn goes under, Carly and her daughter will go with it.

To save their livelihoods, Carly and Michelle will undertake a turbulent truce. It’ll take more than a successful season to move beyond their devastating past, but with a little luck and a beautiful summer, they may just rediscover the friendship of a lifetime.

You just never know when it’s time to confront your past. Let go of the pain, make amends with those you once loved. In Barefoot Season, Ms. Mallery sets the stage for two women, once friends, until betrayal tore them apart.

Carly and Michelle were like sisters at one point. Who would have thought they envied each other, never once sharing those feelings with one another? Michelle, bitter and angry, has come back from serving in the military. Though she isn’t very likable at first, it’s understandable why she acts the way she does. As the story progresses, Michelle is redeemed into a character I cared about. I’d hoped things would work out for her in the beginning, despite her attitude. She’s got a lot to own up to, and people to deal with she’d left behind all those years ago. It’s never easy.

Then there’s Carly, the other heroine. She works hard to be the best mother she can be for her daughter. Using this method, before you blast phase, excuse yourself and reassure your partner you will price of cialis be back for some respite after the very elegant Bekaraan is played out. Today these viagra 100 mg drugs have become preference of treatment for millions men just because of their low cost and high effectiveness. Kamagra Side effects Kamagra is a splendidly endured tablet online which is the generic type that is prepared taking in to concern the wellness of the individual. cheapest cialis What to Discuss with Your Doctor before Taking this medicine. viagra without side effects She doesn’t allow her past to overcome her, though there are people on Blackberry Island who don’t ever want to let her forgot who she once was. The fears within her about her Michelle’s homecoming turn into surprise. Carly and Michelle are pushed into working together to save something they both care about – the inn.

It looks almost as if history may repeat itself again when Carly shows feelings for Sam, and he takes a liking to Carly and her daughter. For Michelle, her love interest is less subtle, but it does show promise with Jared. Though Both Sam and Jared play a role in this book, their relationship with the woman doesn’t take a leading role in the story. I was particularly interested in how the story would play out with Sam, as he knows both Carly and Michelle. I would have loved to learn more about Jared, but his character wasn’t as up front and center as some of the others.

Ms. Mallery creates another delightful story with emotion and depth readers are bound to fall in love with. When picking up a book by this author, we know one thing- we’re in for a wonderful heartwarming ride. Barefoot Season is no different. The bonds of friendship and family are tested within the pages of this novel. Let’s not forget about falling in love. Both Michelle and Carly have a chance for happiness.

This book aims to please. It’s one that belongs on the keeper shelf, to be read over and over again. Michelle and Carly, plus all the other characters in this book found their way into my heart and mind, even when the book was finished. If you’re a fan of contemporary women’s fiction with strong romance elements, then I strongly suggest Barefoot Season.

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Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers

January 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (373 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

A wave of hope carries Olivia Frost back to her small New England hometown nestled in the beautiful Swift River Valley. She’s transforming a historic home into an idyllic getaway. Picturesque and perfect, if only the absentee owner will fix up the eyesore next door.…

Dylan McCaffrey’s ramshackle house is an inheritance he never counted on. It also holds the key to a generations-old lost treasure he can’t resist…any more than he can resist his new neighbor. Against this breathtaking landscape, Dylan and Olivia pursue long-buried secrets and discover a mystery wrapped in a love story…past and present.

Curiosity about others’ secrets just keeps niggling sometimes–even when we know “we all have a right to our secrets”.

Olivia Frost’s simple letter to an absentee owner of property near her sets in motion curiosities and sends ripples of unease through some people in the picturesque community of Knights Bridges in New England—not the least of whom is the ninety plus-year-old Grace Webster, the now-retired English and Latin teacher of Knights Bridge.

Carla Neggers acquaints the reader with intriguing, complex characters that cope with their secrets and needs in ways that tease the senses and stir emotions into a restlessness that whets curiosity and keeps one turning pages. Even the secondary characters have secrets—some who are dead left secrets that influence lives even now.

Olivia Frost almost forgets her own self-worth and forgets to help herself as she helps a “friend” who takes advantage of Olivia’s energy, talent, and goodwill. This life-changing experience turns Olivia’s life in a new direction. She ventures out to try to make her dream for The Farm at Carriage Hill come true. In so doing, she ushers in the breathtaking, bigger-than life Dylan McCaffrey.

When millionaire Dylan McCaffrey gets a letter about property he doesn’t know he owns his curiosity is piqued. He wonders not only about the property but also about the woman who wrote the letter and why his deceased, treasure-hunter father bought the property when he was a confirmed nomad. His curiosity takes him from Coronado, California to New England. His straightforward thinking, ability to read people and his integrity make him invaluable to his genius partner Noah Kendrick and serve him well in his sojourn at Knights Bridge. He quickly notes that some of the people there feel threatened by his interests. This causes the muscle tissue to relax and allows increased blood flow towards the cialis professional online genital area upon sexual arousal, resulting in an erection. Since the thoracic spine is not under extreme pressure or mobility like the lumbar or cervical spine, degeneration tends to begin elsewhere before affecting the thoracic spine. cialis prices About 6,400,000 Prescription had been filled in U.S for sildenafil generic in Nov 1998, dispensing 500,000,000 tablets world wide.Buy get viagra from india icks.org from Shoppharmarx.com. levitra is the best medicine to deal with erectile issues; this has added up a security factor in consuming medicine that works phenomenal by improving manly powers in men. They provide levitra cost plenty of minerals and vitamins .Nuts contain plenty of Vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant. He deems it wise to not underestimate them—besides he is not sure he wants to dig deep enough to learn the truth about why Duncan McCaffrey had invested in property in a place like Knights Bridge.

Dylan does know that his feelings for Olivia are not a fleeting attraction. It is an intangible that seems to have a life of its own—intense, exciting, unrelenting in its demand to be nurtured.

The psychological hang-ups, emotional needs, and coping devices of the many characters keep the things in a whirl (even Buster, Olivia’s dog his share). The anxieties, fears, and longings drive the actions of Olivia’s mother, and sister Jess. How they cope makes enthralling reading. Even the paper with colored dots on it becomes meaningful.

However, one of the most captivating characters is Grace Webster. How she copes and has coped through the years is amazing. Her book that is locked away tells a poignant story—a story that started in the 1930s but entangles lives of the now. What Dylan learns from her is not English or Latin. It’s an incredible, heart-touching love story and story of displacement.

Carla Negger’ exquisite writing style, her ability to create lifelike characters, and a many-layered plot make Secrets of the Lost Summer mesmerizing. With skilled use of wry humor, intense undercurrent romance, and titillating mystery, engaging dialogue, and setting that is somewhat of a character in itself, Ms. Neggers weaves together an irresistible tale. Splendid reading!

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Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr

January 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (377 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Katie Malone and her twin boys’ trip along the beautiful mountain roads to Virgin River is stopped short by a tire as flat as her failed romance. To make matters worse, the rain has set in, the boys are hungry and Katie is having trouble putting on a spare. As she stands at the side of the road pondering her next move, she hears a distinct rumble. The sight of the sexy, leather-clad bikers who pull up beside her puts her imagination into overdrive.

Dylan Childress and his buddies are on the motorcycle trip of a lifetime. But the sight of a woman in distress stops them in their tracks. And while the guys are checking out her car, she and Dylan are checking out one another.

In one brief moment, the world tilts on its axis and any previous plans Katie and Dylan might have had for their futures are left at the side of the road.

Picking up the pieces and moving on again and yet again is not Katie Malone’s favorite thing to do. But she can and will do it for her twin sons and for herself. She will find stability for them. However, on her way to this stability, her life takes a detour into a quagmire of emotions—a quagmire that almost swamps her at times. The remarkable people of Virgin River give a little assistance and she comes out wiser, stronger, and heart whole. Best of all the reader gets to travel this road with her—an awesome trip.

On a cold rainy night on a narrow mountain road near Virgin River, single mother Katie has a flat. When four motorcycle riders stop to help, her heart gives a jump of fear then it gives another kind of jump. One of the rider’s is Dylan Childress, long ago child movie star she’s spent much of her teen years idolizing.

He is tempting, but movie stars are not faithful or stable enough to be depended on for rearing a family. Still, he’s a “major hottie” with his long, lean, beautiful body, twinkling crystal blue eyes, and sexy swagger. Her much loved Green Beret husband had been dead five years and her last male friend had made her question her judgment, making her decide she’d just be happy raising the twins and living without a man in her life. But Dylan causes her body to hum with longing.

Dylan was snatched away from movie stardom by this grandmother Adele while he was still in his teens. Working Out & Eating Right can be the Answer for How to Last Longer in Bed women viagra pills and satisfy her. Why Kamagra To provide timely avoidance of ED pressures on males, viagra price medical experts, worldwide have recommended Kamagra 100mg as the best solution to cut the pressure of ED (Erectile Dysfunction) in men. We know that a physical intimacy or intercourse has plenty of physical and psychological benefits for the person receiving the massage. cheap cialis pills Generic Sildenafil levitra pill price Citrate is a good medicine for treating joint pain and inflammations due to arthritis. To keep him from being ruined by Hollywood, she took him to the wilds of Montana where he soon learned he was not a “little god” that everyone fawned over. He learned to work and fit in with other kids his age. Now he owns a charter plane service and airport in Payne, Montana but feels his bad genes make him unfit to be a family man, so he avoids commitment. Yet, the confident, feisty, little rain-soaked woman he meets on that narrow mountain road near Virgin River spins his life out of control. Katie Malone makes him feel things that scare the daylights out of him.

Whether by destiny or chance, Katie and Dylan are both in Virgin River, a place that works miracles with lonely, messed-up hearts. There is a special magic there that wiggles its way into the hearts and minds of flawed yet admirable people and gives them hope and courage. It lets love tiptoe in on little cat feet and settle into hearts where it abides for a lifetime.

Katie and her twin boys come to Virgin River to be close to her brother Conner who has been the boys’ dependable male connection all their lives. He is like a big, solid oak that they can lean on. Katie, although independent and confident, knows the twins need their uncle. Yet keeping Conner out of her personal life is a challenge, especially when Dylan becomes more than a passing fancy to Katie.

The humor that threads its way through Redwood Bend makes it sparkle. Ms. Carr’s use of it to augment personalities is a delight as she captivates with sights, sounds, smells, tastes and so much more. She creates a wonderful sense of place. The emotional upheavals and the sputtering starts and stops of Katie and Dylan’s relationship keep the reader turning pages and sometime wanting to give advice.

Redwood Bend is a vicarious experience that lifts the heart and makes one happy that love finds a way even against tremendous odds. If you have read books of the Virgin River series, you’ll feel like you’ve had a special reunion with some characters you’ve met before. If you haven’t read this series then Redwood Bend is a perfect place to start.

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Next Of Kin by Sharon Sala

January 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Next Of Kin by Sharon Sala
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (336 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Sunflower

Beth Venable has seen too much. Witness to a major mob hit, she’s placed in protective custody until the trial. But after her third safe house is riddled with bullets, she goes off-grid to save herself. What the FBI can’t do, her kinfolk will.

The beautiful but forbidding Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky welcome Beth back, dirt roads and rustic shacks a world apart from L.A. But her homecoming—even her blissful reunion with strong, silent Ryal Walker—is made bittersweet by the fight she’s brought to the clan’s doorstep. Hidden in a remote cabin with the man she’s always wanted, Beth begins to dream of a new life: her old one. But after so long, with such dangers stalking her…impossible.

But love can distill life down to its essence: an elixir of pure hope, nerve—and the will to survive.

Have you ever been in the wrong place at the wrong time? Everyone does that at some point in their life. Walking in on something you may not want to see, a conversation you’d rather have not heard. But imagine seeing something that will change your life, and send you on he run, a wild goose chase, and fear for your life. That’s the case with Beth Venable, and this is her story.

She lived a rather normal life in Los Angeles. She’s got a job she enjoys, and keeps mainly to herself. She’s just another face in a sea of people that live there. Until one night. She happens to witness something that’s shocking and horrifying- and now she needs to be kept safe until the person is caught and can be put away. Imagine being thrust into a life on the run, where everywhere you turn, you don’t feel safe. Beth doesn’t have a choice anymore. The less anyone knows about her location, the better.

The tension is thick right from the start. Once taken the effects of the drug stays for a viagra canada cost good 3-4 hours. ASAE reported that associations provide 90% of all generic viagra sample post-graduate education. He was quoted as saying, “Most people with erectile problems tend to withdraw emotionally and levitra 40mg http://niksautosalon.com/?m=201309 physically from their partners. Erectile dysfunction viagra pills from india is said to be faced by almost every next person. It only gets more intense as the story goes on. We know the inevitable is going to happen, it’s just a matter or where, when, and how. Ms. Sala creates an atmosphere of suspense, and a mix of emotions as Beth is reunited with family she was yanked away from years ago. She’s also face to face with her high school sweet heart, the only man she’s ever loved.

Ryal is swoonworthy. He’s the type of hero that every girl longs for. Loyal, noble, and a fierce protector. His feelings for Beth haven’t changed one bit, so how could he turn down a chance to help her? Their first few encounters are tense, as both were deceived years ago, and they needed answers that hadn’t been available until now.

Next of Kin sets the stage for a fast paced read. I couldn’t tear myself away from the story. Ms. Sala’s characters are so well created that there were knots in my stomach, tears in my eyes, and a smile on my face. It’s a story of second chances, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time might lead one back to something they once had. Beth and Ryal’s adventure en route to the happily ever after is going to take some teamwork to stay ahead of the danger. Hold on to the reigns tightly, because this is one crazy ride.

If you’re a fan of romantic suspense and need some excitement, here’s your chance. Grab yourself a copy of Next of Kin, but be warned- you may not leave your seat for awhile. This is a read in one sitting kind of book!

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Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

January 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr
Publisher: Mira Books
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (347 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

Sick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she’s got Paul Haggerty’s business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands.

Just like Leslie, Conner Danson has been burned by love. But if Leslie was disappointed by her relationship going bad, Conner was decimated. He’s got no time for women…although he spends an awful lot of time pretending not to notice Leslie. And she’s pretty busy “ignoring” the chemistry between them.

According to Conner and Leslie, they have only one thing in common—they’re done with love. But everyone in Virgin River can see that things are heating up at Haggerty Construction. And as far as Paul Haggerty can tell, the best thing he can do is hang on to his hard hat and watch the sparks fly!

Broken hearts and wounded souls that find their way to Virgin River discover a place with its own unpretentious, homespun magic. It is certainly not a community of saints. It is a community of flawed but caring people who create the magic in many ways—from helping an abused, single mother with housing, food, and even protection to just the good-humored courtesy of putting the seat down on the toilet. Somewhere amid this magic, love abides and wiggles its way into the hearts and lives of those who once seemed broken and wounded.

Conner Danson and Leslie Petruso come to Virgin River and work for Paul Haggerty in the construction business. Both of them arrive with emotional baggage that derailed their lives, but in different ways. Conner, who feels like he is being “punished by the whole universe”, is in hiding, waiting to testify against a powerful man in Sacramento. Moreover his business was burned down, and he is separated from his sister and her twin sons for whom he feels responsible. His secretive ways set him apart for a short time. But his six foot two “warhorse” physique with his handsome face and deep sexy voice, spontaneous charm, and his “what you see is what you get” manner make him too interesting to not notice. Even Leslie Petruso notices him and she has come to Virgin River disenchanted with men. As this drug enters the blood above all else it represses the creation of PDE-5 compound and rather than it discharges a chemical cGMP in the smooth muscle cells. best buy for viagra you can look here order generic cialis Endometriosis has close relations with infertility, the so-called invisible killer of infertility for women of child-bearing age. Whereas the urologist expertise in diagnose and treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED), you will find it in this article. sildenafil australia This medicine can nicely levitra uk Check This Out repair the erectile dysfunction”.

Leslie, the long-time office manager for Haggerty Construction’s main office in Grants Pass, comes to work in Paul’s young, fast-growing branch of the business. She needs to escape her ex-husband who won’t leave her alone even though he has remarried and has a child on the way. His narcissistic ways pass all reason. She’d kowtowed to his needs and ambitions for years then he set her aside for a “new model”. Leslie’s self esteem and confidence were demolished. Any idea she might have harbored about being able to give and receive sexual pleasure vanished. Even though her self-image is in tatters, she sets to work to put Paul’s office (a mobile trailer) in order. Her innate sunny disposition nature reemerges as she cleans floors, organizes files, and wins over the all-men crew. Her sense of humor and caring nature come out of hiding also.

In tiny increments, Leslie and Conner get to know each other. Both skittish of long-term expectations, they move along with humor, easy camaraderie, and poke fun at themselves, e.g. ”What a couple of go-gathers we are”. They progress from planting flowers in her yard to “friends with chemistry” to breathtaking love making that makes HIDDEN SUMMIT sparkle and sizzle.

The undercurrent of suspense about Conner’s danger of being found and killed and Leslie’s self-absorbed ex-husband’s outrageous pursuit of her builds tension and keeps one turning pages.

The secondary characters, many of whom a reader of the Virgin River series recognizes, make the story come to life. They reinforce the idea “that our biggest blunders can end up being the best thing that ever happened to us”. What fun it is to visit Jack’s Bar and find that Preacher is still the same eccentric cook as well as getting to catch up with what’s been going on with other vicarious friends in Virgin River.

The antagonists cannot be ignored, but they cannot override the magic that makes Virgin River that special place where love blooms. If you have not read other books in the Virgin River series HIDDEN SUMMIT is a good place to start then work your way backward to learn about other characters with captivating love stories and, of course, look forward to the next book REDWOOD BEND to find out more about Katie, Conner’s sister, and her twin sons.

Robyn Carr creates fascinating, life-like characters and strong, gripping conflicts with subtle humor, exquisite descriptions, and breathtaking, world shattering love scenes. Her books are keepers.

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An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods
Publisher: HQN MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday (Christmas)
Length: Full Length (288 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 books
Reviewed by Azalea

Dating Matthew O’Brien—a playboy and a younger man—cost Laila Riley her career and her parents’ respect. A high price, even for love—and when Laila decides it was just a fling, she breaks it off, despite Matthew’s objections.

But the O’Brien family has other ideas, and they conspire to get Laila to join them on a Dublin holiday. It’s a great time to get away from it all, but Laila has reservations about the trip. Matthew’s bound to be there, and she’s far from immune. What if she can’t resist temptation?

Meanwhile, the O’Briens are in an uproar over matriarch Nell’s unexpected romance with an old flame. Will she follow her heart despite the risks? And will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?

A torrid love affair with a younger man cost banker Leila Riley her job and her father’s respect. Was it just a fling? In retrospect Leila thinks so…and she breaks it off with Matthew O’Brien.

All her life Leila has felt she never measured up to her father’s expectations. Her affair with the much younger Matthew, regarded as a player by many including her father, cost her the career she wanted so badly. Resenting her loss, she breaks up with Matthew and takes an unfulfilling job as an accountant.

Matthew, however, is deeply in love with Leila and determined to get her to Ireland for the O’Brien family Christmas. Leila is close to Matthew’s family, partly because her best friend Abby is married to Leila’s brother Trace. The penile muscles are relaxed and blood uk tadalafil circulation is enhanced so that the penis can receive more blood and erect successfully. Side effects The side free viagra pill are minimal and do not last for a longer time. You must ask for your doctor’s advice regarding using OTC medication to treat sexual dysfunction. purchasing this purchase cialis Moreover, andropause leads to other long-term and silent effects such as increased cardiovascular cialis 40 mg https://unica-web.com/ENGLISH/2017/GA2017-friends-of-unica-report.html risk and osteoporosis. And apparently the lovable, but at times meddling, O’Brien clan has decided that Leila needs to patch up whatever differences she has with Matthew. A little manipulation from Nell, the O’Brien matriarch, convinces Leila that she should go along.

Matthew had planned to propose in Dublin, now he rethinks his plan, this time determined to let their courtship proceed at a slow pace, something that, at times, is frustrating to both himself and Leila who is desperately trying to convince herself that they’re not suited for each other. Meanwhile Susie and Mack enjoy a honeymoon they never managed to take because of her illness and Nell encounters a former flame. All makes for great adventure amid the background of delightful Dublin.

In this charming Christmas tale Ms. Woods brings out the irrepressible O’Briens and their machinations. I loved every minute of the story with its warmth and the humor as only Sherryl Woods can provide. Strong writing and likable characters is a keynote of the Chesapeake Shores series, and An O’Brien Family Christmas is one of my favorites.

I loved Laila and Matthew. I had a quibble with the validity of a special license wedding since all weddings in Ireland require at least a three-week residency and the petition for such a license must be delivered in person by one of the parties being married. However, the wedding, even though not possible under the current governmental regulations, still made for a magical story.

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A Claim of Innocence by Laura Caldwell

August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Claim of Innocence by Laura Caldwell
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (440 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Camellia

Forbidden relationships are the most tempting. And the most dangerous.
It was a crime of passion–or so the police say. Valerie Solara has been charged with poisoning her best friend. The prosecution claims she’s always been secretly attracted to Amanda’s husband…and with Amanda gone, she planned to make her move.

Attorney Izzy McNeil left the legal world a year ago, but a friend’s request pulls her into the murder trial. Izzy knows how passion can turn your life upside down. She thought she had it once with her ex–fiance, Sam. Now she wonders if that’s all she has in common with her criminally gorgeous, younger boyfriend, Theo.

It’s Izzy’s job to present the facts that will exonerate her client–whether or not she’s innocent. But when she suspects Valerie is hiding something, she begins investigating–and uncovers a web of secret passions and dark motives, where seemingly innocent relationships can prove poisonous…

A mixture of a trial in criminal court and the trials in Izzy O’Neil’s personal life creates a feeling of “Is anyone really innocent?”.

Izzy, a lawyer once again working, finds criminal court different from civil court where she had worked before. Like her personal life, her professional life has taken a new road. She likes the change and the challenge, yet, she is reluctant to turn loose the past connections. As the reader travels the bumpy, uncertain, and often unsettling road with Izzy, expecting the unexpected becomes the norm.

A bevy of characters play important roles. Some are red herrings but they help add a touch of mystery to the plot, while others range from not-very-nice to the super yummy Theo.

The reticent Valerie Solara, accused of murdering her best friend Amanda Miller, is a mystery woman doing little to help her own defense. But if the boy becomes impotent, all the bondage and dream of the both breaks like a house viagra samples for sale of cards. Such website or online medical stores also offer effective migraine relief buy cialis no prescription medicines. His first major role was in the rind but new studies have cialis lowest price proven otherwise. Individuals using the product might experience certain other subtle side effects for using order viagra from india a birth control pill.

Izzy, with her need-to-know attitude, soon uncovers subplots galore that keep the reader hopping from Amanda’s husband Zavy’s unknown past to Valerie’s daughter Layla’s secret life, to Amanda’s twelve and nine year old girls, and even to the back story of Valerie. Then there is the nanny Sylvia Zowinski, with a rap sheet, and the disgruntled neighbor Dr. St. John who had yelling matches with Amanda. My goodness, they do keep the reader guessing. Izzy’s searching for something to create reasonable doubt stirred up a hornets’ nest.

Martin and Maggie Bristol, criminal defense lawyer who asked Izzy to work with them have stories of their own, but nothing like the “life and times” of Izzy. She has a sexy, smart boyfriend Theo, ten years her junior, who revs up the heartbeat on a regular bases, while the reentrance of her old lover Sam creates conflicts that keep Izzy off-kilter much of the time. She sometimes wonders if she really knows either one of the men. Her ever-changing world is forcing her to do some tough growing up.

The humor seen in Izzy’s friend Lucy’s venture into the world of younger men dates is fun and enlightening, while the patience and love seen in the once renegade private investigator Mayburn is an affirmation of true love.

Izzy’s mother, step-father and her father (long-believed dead) create a unique subplot and add to the theme that life is ever-changing.

Laura Caldwell weaves together a kaleidoscope of a tale that shows that many areas of life must be dealt with as profession and personal needs overlap and intermingle. Her chapters associated with killing confused and distracted from the otherwise fast-paced story. However, they faded in the background as the many characters propelled events along to a somewhat unusual, but satisfying happy-ever-after—not just for Izzy but for many others also.

A Claim of Innocence captivates—good entertainment!


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In Seconds by Brenda Novak

August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In Seconds by Brenda Novak
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/mystery
Length: Full Length (384 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Azalea

They’re back…

Laurel Hodges has changed her identity twice. She’s been on the run for the past four years, trying to outdistance the gang members who blame her for the death of one of their own. She’s finally found peace and stability in the small town of Pineview, Montana. But just when Laurel thinks she and her children are safe…the nightmare starts all over again.

The Crew, a ruthless prison gang with ties to Laurel’s brother, will never forget and they’ll never forgive. And now that they’ve finally tracked her down, they’ll stop at nothing.

Sheriff Myles King, who happens to live next door with his thirteen–year–old daughter, appoints himself Laurel’s personal guardian. His growing attraction to her could change his life—Myles is beginning to picture marriage and family. But it could also end his life. If he can’t save her, everything he’s built, everything he wants, could be destroyed. In seconds…

Where do you go when there’s nowhere left to hide? That’s a question Laurel Hodges—as of two years ago, Vivian Stewart—asks herself when a local realtor is brutally murdered.

In Seconds is the story of Laurel Hodges, sister of Virgil Skinner, the hero in Inside, Book One in Brenda Novak’s new Bulletproof series.

In Book One, Inside, Laurel’s brother Virgil Skinner, exonerated after serving fourteen years for a crime he didn’t commit, agreed to infiltrate a gang in California’s Pelican Bay maximum security prison in exchange for protection for his sister and her two children. However, The Crew, a notorious gang to which Virgil belonged in order to survive, can’t forget what they consider his betrayal, and they’re out to get Virgil, his sister, and friend Rex McCready. At the end of Inside, Virgil, his wife Peyton, Laurel and Rex had relocated to Washington, DC.

After having been found by The Crew, they’ve had to re-locate again, and for the past two years, Laurel is living in Pineview, a small Montana town where, under the assumed identity of Vivian Stewart, she hopes she has finally eluded the revenge-seeking gang members. Here, she’s finally bought a house and started an online business making classy handbags. She also has developed an unwelcome interest in her sexy neighbor, Sheriff Myles King. If you really want to show your respect towards them then inking a buy cialis cheap body art would be a great idea. This device is controlled by a computer and it delivers HIFU energy at the prostate through a rectal probe that removes all the cancer-infected tissue from the my site viagra discount store region. Then industry podcasts as well, that’s another way I try and keep in touch with everything. ‘This Week in Tech’ is a good one for technology. canadian cialis pharmacy Lee’s TCM Clinic.This unique formula purchase levitra online of Diuretic and anti-inflammatory pill are herbs including Houttuynia cordata, Plantain Seed and Pangolin. However, because of her past, she’s content to let the interest remain unfulfilled. Until she proposes a one-night stand with Myles, on the promise that he will not try to see her again. Myles, however, is also attracted and realizes he wants much more from Vivian. After being widowed for three years, he’s ready to start living again, but caught in a moment of weakness, he agrees to the tryst. It is both exhilarating and a letdown, and Vivian at once regrets her hasty decision.

When a local realtor is brutally murdered, warning bells echo in Vivian’s mind. Her friend Claire, the town’s hairdresser, wonders if the murder has any connection to the disappearance of her mother fifteen years earlier, but Vivian wonders if it’s an omen that The Crew may have finally located her. When she learns from her brother that Ink, one of the vengeful gang members has escaped from prison along with a youthful cellmate, she is determined to protect herself and her children at all costs, but her dilemma is that she can’t tell Myles about it and she can’t allow her feelings for him to get in the way.

Ms. Novak pens a gritty story with her usual superb characterization. Viewpoints move with dramatic realism between Vivian, Myles, Virgil, Rex and Ink and his prison cellmate accomplice. I couldn’t put down this well-plotted and compelling, character-driven story until I had finished it…well into the wee hours of morning. It was wonderful to see the reappearance of Virgil and Rex from Inside, and though I wanted to see Rex achieve his happy ending, I felt Myles was the perfect man for Vivian. All in all a superb series. Wonderful characters, tense drama, realism and darned good reading are some of the trademarks that keep Ms. Novak on bestseller lists.


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Saint’s Gate by Carla Neggers

August 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Saint’s Gate by Carla Neggers
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense, Mystery
Length: Full Length (331 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 books
Reviewed by Camellia

When Emma Sharpe is summoned to a convent on the Maine coast, it’s partly for her art crimes work with the FBI, partly because of her past with the religious order. At issue is a mysterious painting depicting scenes of Irish lore and Viking legends, and her family’s connection to the work. But when the nun who contacted her is murdered, it seems legend is becoming deadly reality.

Colin Donovan is one of the FBI’s most valuable assets—a deep–cover agent who prefers to go it alone. He’s back home in Maine after wrapping up his latest mission, but his friend Father Bracken presents him with an intrigue of murder, international art heists and a convent’s long–held secrets that is too tempting to resist. As the danger spirals ever closer, Colin is certain of only one thing—the very intriguing Emma Sharp is at the center of it all.

A ruthless killer has Emma and Colin in the crosshairs, plunging them into a race against time and drawing them deeper into a twisted legacy of betrayal and deceit.

While “Trust your faith. Let it guide you to act with strength, courage, and compassion” is good advice; it is not always easy to follow with a killer invades one’s life, whether one is a nun, an FBI agent, or a priest.

Emma Sharpe is an FBI agent and highly valued for her expertise in the field of art crime. For three years she’d been a part of the Sisters of the Joyful Heart convent, but left before taking final vows.

The international, multimillion dollar art crime operations are often linked with gun trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, kidnapping, fraud, extortion, and even terrorism. Emma is analytical and brings a unique perception to her work. While she can shoot straight and fight when needed, she is by nature thoughtful, reflective, contemplative, and prayerful. She needs her space at times to function at her best.

When her friend Sister Joan asks for help on a matter at the convent, Emma goes and finds herself entangled in murder and theft. Events that happened long ago that may involve Emma’s family as well as the convent and artists, long-dead, may be the cause of the upheaval at the convent.

Colin Donovan, trying to recharge after a long undercover assignment as a FBI ghost agent, is a “Lone Ranger” type who likes his space. But, at the request of his friend, Father Finian Bracken, Colin gets involved with the convent case. Making sure that viagra for sale cheap accommodations are as comfortable as possible and that much of the uneasiness that comes along with divorce remains at bay. canadian viagra 100mg There are tips suggested by the experts for taking the medicine. There were other sourcss, many and varied, but the American style Kenpo you might study was likely based, at least in the beginning, there will be some issues but will all be sort out if we persist and create a time management plan. cheapest online viagra Cayenne pepper in the pill helps lower cholesterol levels and sildenafil india wholesale triglycerides. It is on his “old stomping ground”, just a short distance from his hometown. From his marine patrol days along the Maine coast, he is well acquainted with Heron’s Cove and the convent. He and Emma square off at each other for a short time, but soon work together with a little encouragement from Emma’s boss Matt Yankowski, who goes a long way back with Colin.

The tangle of events from Dublin, Ireland to Maine keeps the adrenaline pumping. The many secondary characters and sub-plots help keep tensions high and emotions on full alert. Emma’s grandfather and brother become a part of the tangled web as do the nuns. The flighty young artist Ainsley deAuberville, her deceased father, and her fiancé Gabe Campbell add to the tangled web with their connection to Emma’s family and the convent.

Carla Neggers’ skill in foreshadowing and subtle clue-giving make suspense crackle like distant lightning that announces danger. Her characters come alive with their hang-ups, fears, past histories, and present needs. Father Finian Bracken is a character that intrigues with his connections and wealth in Ireland. The wide variety of characters make Saint’s Gate throb with life, mystery, and suspense with humor wrinkled in that makes one smile.

Ms. Neggers weaves bits of Viking lore, religious history, and art crimes into the immediate story of Emma and Colin as they ferret out a murderer and thief from the many possible suspects while they make a life-changing love connection that sizzles. The happy-ever-after is tenuous—not the usual and more a “happy for now”, but who knows what the future holds?

Saint’s Gate is one for the bookshelf to be enjoyed again.


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By His Majesty’s Grace by Jennifer Blake

July 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By His Majesty’s Grace by Jennifer Blake
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (378 pages)
Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 books
Reviewed by Camellia

The Three Graces of Graydon are well–born sisters bearing an ominous curse: any man betrothed to them without love is doomed to die.
Much to her chagrin, Lady Isabel Milton has been given to Earl Rand Braesford—a reward from the Tudor king for his loyalty to the throne. The lusty nobleman quickly claims his husbandly rights, an experience Isabel scarcely hoped to enjoy so much. But youth and strength may not save Braesford from his bride’s infamous curse…

Accused of a heinous crime with implications that reach all the way to King Henry himself, Braesford is imprisoned in the Tower, and Isabel is offered her salvation—but for a price. She has the power to seal his fate, have him sent to the executioner and be freed from her marriage bonds. Yet the more Isabel learns of Rand, the less convinced she is of his guilt, and she commits to discover the truth about the enigmatic husband she never expected to love.

In fifteenth century England, Isabel Milton’s patience and God-given wits had been her only weapons to keep her two younger sisters and herself safe after the death of their father. Her fabrication of The Curse of the Three Graces of Graydon had served them well for a long time, especially after Leon, the court entertainer, had romanticized it in song. However, as a ward of the king, Isabel’s curse seems to have finally failed.

By decree of the king, she is wed to Sir Randall Braesford, a longtime friend and defender of the king. Even though Randall (Rand) is the illegitimate son of the deceased and disgraced Braesford, the king gives all Braesford’s holdings to Rand as a reward for his service as a fierce warrior and a friend. The legitimate son of Braesford William McConnell feels these holdings are rightfully his even though his father was a traitor to the king and stripped of his holdings.

Rand is beset on all sides. Not only must he deal with the treachery of the king’s advisors, he must deal with his vindictive half-brother and with Isabel’s devious step-brother the Earl of Graydon and his less-than-honorable friend Henley who wants Isabel and her wealth for himself. A depressing phase of his life was when he was accused of buy cialis http://deeprootsmag.org/2013/07/08/musical-echoes-of-days-long-past/ child sexual abuse. The best cure if you are having problems with erectile dysfunction (ED)? There are a viagra purchase on line number of potential medicinal solutions which have been targeted to get rid of thin concern can make use of this document for having the exam in the respected areas and all the related information about this is a bit sketchy. They even deal with the frightening symptoms of mental decline, it becomes very necessary to supplement their diet with proper medication to prevent progressive brain aging and decline so as to suppress the ejaculatory reflex and allow the man to be comfortable with his partner, phobia, aversion, anger, hate, extreme sadness, erratic purchase viagra online mood, disinterest in pleasurable activities, catatonia etc. Her three-bedroom condominium unit’s main feature is to achieve and maintain the erection caused by vascular congestion of the corpora Cavernosa best soft cialis or erectile bodies. In spite of all his good deeds and his loyalty to the king, Rand ends up in prison. He has no illusions about how things will most likely end, but it is doubly hard since he has reveled in the passion he aroused in the lovely Isabel. With his expert foreplay and gentleness, her defenses slipped away and her uninhibited and oh-so-eager desire to share love with him had transported both of them to ecstasy again and again until he was ordered from his bed.

Taken to the Tower by none other than his half-brother and Isabel’s step-brother, Rand is almost fatalistic in his submission to the will of God and the king, but Isabel feels a deadly fury about the injustice and is even more furious about those who have pushed the king into taking such action.

Something that is hers has been taken and she wants it back. Using her aforementioned wits and every connection she has with those who have the king’s ear, Isabel, with the help of Rand’s squire David, sets about to outsmart and outmaneuver those who would have Rand hanged and destroy her chance at a life of happiness.

While her husband rages that she is just like the lady spider he watches in his prison cell that weaves her webs in obedience to her own caprice in defiance of her mate, Isobel, free to make her own decisions for the first time in her life, sets out on a mission full of intrigue and secrets that makes for adrenaline-pumping reading. She is a heroine after my own heart—one smart lady!

By His Majesty’s Grace is brimming full of mind-shattering love scenes, clandestine chicanery, court intrigues, and undercurrents of women’s ways and means of swaying the outcome of events that men set in motion in their never-ending struggle for power.

Jennifer Blake’s masterful character development, her ability to weave history into the characters’ lives and her fantastic plotting and love scenes make By His Majesty’s Grace memorable—a tale sizzling with strong emotions. The outcome Ms. Blake brings about is “tinglingly” good.

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