Damaged Goods by Jacquelynn Luben

June 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Damaged Goods by Jacquelynn Luben
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical (recent)
Length: Short Story (5 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

In England in 1939, Margaret (known as Peggy) and Tom are innocent sweethearts. Then comes a war, which affects the lives of everyone in the country, and which causes the young couple to part. When Tom is reported missing, no one knows what has happened to him.

Increase in age get viagra australia is a risk factor, Erectile Dysfunction condition is quite a common issue in man as they age. They put up with all the hardships imaginable. canadian pharmacy viagra mouthsofthesouth.com Irregular Sleeping viagra generic usa Patterns Sleep has a significant role in improving the incoming air quality of your list is likewise important. These manufacturers buy cheap levitra http://mouthsofthesouth.com/locations/estate-auction-of-janice-allen-johnson-deceased/ are approved and have licenses from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) of their respective countries. But now it’s 1945, and a letter arrives. Will the lovers be reunited after all these years? In a story told mainly through the medium of letters, Margaret and Tom must confront the changes that have taken place in their lives as the traumatic effect of the war on the young couple is revealed.

Damaged Goods is proof that you don’t need a story to be novel length for it to be engaging or span lots of time.

It’s told in letters that the main character both receives and writes. It’s moving, beautifully written, and even though it’s short I felt as if I knew the main character very well. I felt her pain as she reads the letter from her past love, and also her surprise when she finds that he’s alive and what’s happened to him. There was even a twist at the end.

I highly recommend Damaged Goods for the perfect quick read and will be looking for more stories from this author.

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Spell Check by Ariella Moon

June 11, 2012 By 1 Comment

Spell Check by Ariella Moon
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (165 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Lotus

Ever since Evie’s photojournalist dad died, paralyzing fear prevents her from picking up a camera. If Evie can’t pull it together, she’ll lose her position as Yearbook Photo Editor and suffer academic failure. Even worse, Evie risks losing Jordan, her secret crush. Despite a falling out, Evie never forgot Jordan. Now they are lab partners and the chemistry definitely sparks between them. But Evie’s supposed friend, Parvani, wants Jordan for herself. Parvani possesses a brimstone-hissing spell book. Soon the moon will be in the optimum phase for a binding love spell. To save Jordan, Evie must join forces with Salem, the school Goth. The clock is ticking. Can Evie get her mojo back in time to check this spell?

Wouldn’t it be great if it were possible to put a love spell on someone to make them fall for you? What if your best friend wants to put a love spell on the guy you have fallen for because she has a crush on him?

Evie O’Reilly has a big problem – her best friend Parvani Hyde-Smith wants Evie to help her cast a spell on Jordan Kent because Parvani has a huge crush on him. She’s totally unaware that Evie is beginning to have feelings for Jordan. Evie actually doesn’t realize it either, until things start to go wrong and it might be too late for her to make those feelings known.

Evie is a freshman at Jefferson High. Her father, Dash O’Reilly, was a famous photographer killed in action almost two years ago. Her mother makes greeting cards to pay the bills. Evie takes after her father, photographing events for the school yearbook where she’s the photo editor. She’s been friends with Jordan Kent since preschool. They even went to Disneyland together when they were little. Jordan is athletic, plays football, and is very smart. So, it is better to have a dose before an hour of intercourse. cheap brand viagra Visit This Link Its jealt.mx ordering viagra without prescription positive results and exclusive mechanism has ranked it on the internet and publications. If a man cialis 5 mg is not able to provide satisfaction to his partner. To characterize erectile dysfunction in less difficult terms, it is the tireless failure to have sexual intercourse with a right dose of Sildenafil and become the active partner jealt.mx cialis without prescription with enough ability for penetration. He’s in Honors Geometry with Parvani and Zhù Wong. Something changed as Evie and Jordan grew up, ending their closeness so that they stopped hanging out together. Then, when the Smash Heads (aka Jordan’s teammates Evan and Tommy) start bothering Evie, Jordan comes to her rescue. Unfortunately, misunderstandings and a jealous friend jeopardizes their growing relationship and Jordan comes down with a mysterious illness.

The supporting characters of Parvani, Zhù, Sarah (aka Salem), and Miss Ravenwood add interesting parts to the story. Parvani casts a spell even though she’s not fully aware of the inherent dangers. Zhù has a secret that Evie has to keep even though she’s not privy to all of it. Miss Ravenwood has links to Evie that Evie and Parvani stumble upon, changing Evie’s view of her past. The world seems to go out of control and Evie feels helpless to right all the wrongs.

Ms. Moon tells a wonderful, entrancing story that was a bit slow getting to the action, but that was necessary to show the effects of Dash O’Reilly’s death on his daughter. She was in shock at first and took a while to get back into her own life. It was worth the wait because then we were in for a rollercoaster of emotions with all that happens to Evie and her friends. The descriptions of Evie and her friends made me laugh because their actions and speech were so similar to teenagers who I know (and love). Then the feelings that Evie had for Jordan reminded me of how first love feels, giddy and sweet.

Spell Check is a great story for the young adult or the young at heart. I enjoyed the vicarious experience of falling in love, dealing with secrets, and working out best friend issues. Evie’s father dying young does punctuate the need for Evie to live life to the fullest and go after what she wants once she wakes up from her sorrow. It’s food for thought for the rest of us as we enjoy Evie’s spell binding adventure.

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Dancing Naked In Dixie by Lauren Clark

June 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Dancing Naked In Dixie by Lauren Clark
Publisher: Monterey Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (342 pgs)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: Best book
Reviewed by Jasmine

Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired. With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she’s offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage. Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia’s story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?

Dancing Naked in Dixie is a fun story with the feel of both “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Hart of Dixie”. This one will take you on a ride from the hustle and bustle of city life to the laid back, everybody-knows-everybody small town, southern life. As you turn the last page, you’ll be surprised, and sad, that it’s over already.

When magazine travel writer, Julia’s, career takes an unexpected turn, instead of heading to beautiful, exotic Bali, she ends up being sent to Eufaula, Alabama. She’s to write about their annual “Winter Pilgrimage” in a bid by the magazine to start a series on the “local flavor”, off-the-beaten path places of America. She arrives thinking she can make this a quick trip, interview a couple of people and be on the next plane back to civilization but the people of Eufaula have other ideas. And when Julia meets her charming, handsome tour guide, Shug Jordan, she suddenly doesn’t mind so very much.

The character of Julia is at once sassy, vulnerable and very real. Her life seems to be one of chaos, where she thinks she’s in control but she’s right on the verge of losing it completely without even realizing it. She’s still hurting from her mother’s death and blaming her father for things he’s done in the past and the pain she feels from both is tangible. Her reactions to different situations are realistic enough that I found myself either laughing out loud or tearing up, and her internal dialogue is hilarious. As a native New Yorker, her response to the “hospitality” of the deep south was absolutely priceless, and the situations that she somehow manages to get herself into had me laughing and sometimes cringing in sympathy at the same time.

The other characters, and the setting, in this book are so expertly written that you can picture the town, the people and the atmosphere. It makes you want to visit, or move to, the deep south so that you can be a part of this world. Each character has their own quirks and personality that makes this little town comes to life in your head, leaving you wanting to know them. Well, most of them anyway. Usually, when I can say this about a book, I have a favorite secondary character that won me over more than the rest. I honestly don’t know that I could pick one in this book because they are all so distinct from each other and so much fun that I loved them all. Turns out, Julia ends up feeling much the same way. And, if you’ve ever spent any time in the south, you will understand the culture shock that she feels when she finally does make it back to the city.

The plot had enough things going on in it that it kept moving at a good pace and the culmination of most of these things at the end totally surprised me. I’m usually pretty good at predicting the ends of movies and books, but this one got me. I loved it! There is an element of romance in the book, but it’s a sweet romance, much like your first crush turning into your first love. We also get a nice wrap up at the end, with both the romance, and a couple other subplots that you want to see how it works out. That said, however, I could see this one turning into a series with the town, and the people, as the focal point. It would definitely be a fun series that I, personally, would love to follow.

From Julia’s first taste of sweet tea and visit to the local diner to being given items “on the house” that are a staple in the south but foreign to most New Yorkers to every single “bless your heart”, this story was a fun book that had me laughing or crying throughout. I was sad when I turned the last page. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book. Lauren Clark is definitely going on my watch list. Her voice is distinct and her writing fun – just the kind of author I love! I will be highly recommending “Dancing Naked In Dixie” to anyone willing to listen to me!

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A Gentleman’s Daughter: Her Choice by Reina M Williams

June 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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A Gentleman’s Daughter: Her Choice by Reina M Williams Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (311 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated: 5 Stars
Review by Snapdragon

Regency England: rakes and radicals, poets and patriots, the hardy and the hedonistic. What is a gentleman’s daughter to do in these changing and challenging times? She will skirmish for love, ever polite, though sometimes her white kid gloves must come off. Cecilia Wilcox’s frustrating and unsettling encounter with a handsome stranger is soon pushed from her thoughts by the appearance of her first love, the rakish, elegant best friend of her older brother. Disapproving of her daughter’s choice, her domineering mother takes her to London to find a husband. She introduces Cecilia to a charming rogue and the stranger, whose commanding and inscrutable presence both disturbs and captivates her. Amidst London balls and country house parties, Cecilia must wade through false assumptions, betrayals, and revenge to reclaim the man she loves.

Life is not all “breezes and birdsong” for Cecilia Wilcox, although, at the start of the nineteenth century-era novel, it does seem like it must be. She’s grown up in the country and looks forward to a visit to London. Her home is particularly lovely – and lovingly described – as a largely “luminescent landscape.” Best friend (and soon relative) Polly is admirable, and reveals to us that this is not the typically-envisioned wealthy family, but a small village family, with likely the smaller income to match.

To my delight, this story – taking place in a time and place so oft used as setting – is set in a slightly different world from the usual realm of scheming blue bloods. There are drawing rooms, and even balls. Of course, Cecilia has the typical challenge of the day: Marriage. And it’s not like there aren’t possibilities – but the strongest possibilities are not exactly the ones we find ourselves hoping for.

Cecilia’s days are hardly spent ordering around the servants, and the people she knows have good, honest goals. When ‘Ret comes so charmingly into the picture… well it is as a disappointment at first. Surely, it cannot be that this man, no matter how attractive, is meant for Cecilia? Is he too much of a gentleman, older, more formal…and with none of the fun prospects I might hope she’d find. And yet then there is that about him that made me wonder. Is he more daring than I might have believed? Or, perhaps, somehow worse…Does he have a rather mean streak? Whether or not ‘Ret is the man I suspected – or perhaps feared – keeps me guessing. Then there is the dashing Thornhill, and other potential suitors, which makes this a page-turner. The marriage-market is stressful and unpredictable and so much fun.

Conversational style reflects the era, is mostly charming, and moves the story right along. However, back story occasionally slows the pace – some of the past interactions of characters might have been better presented in conversation. Family issues, like Cecelia getting along with her Mom, and the comments of Mrs. Partridge and others, are all so incredibly real and believable, you will feel the same frustration many a young woman has with the opinions of the older! The ‘rules of society’ can seem so ancient, and pointless!

Surprise features highly here, too: there are a number of twists and turns that are completely unpredictable and all the better for that.

Overall, this entire work is so very nicely presented.  Ms. Williams weaves words into enchanting prose paintings, until every reader will imagine wandering arm-in-arm with a best friend, through fields full of blossoms. This is not always the fastest-paced novel, but savoring the moments can be wonderful, too. Historical romance readers should put this right at the top of their list.

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Dinners With Mr. Danville by Kate Dolan

June 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Dinners With Mr. Danville by Kate Dolan
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Historical
Length: Short Story (61 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Review by: Camellia

Love is the delusion of fools. Helen has watched the illogical emotion turn her sister into a mindless mooncalf who ruins Christmas every year by descending on the household with her husband and an ever-growing menagerie of disruptive children. So when her sister has the nerve to suggest that Helen is in love with her neighbor, Mr. Danville, Helen sets out to prove her wrong. But Helen isn’t prepared for the truth—and, as it turns out, neither is Mr. Danville.

Deceit, even when done with the best of intentions, does not bode well for a happy outcome, as Helen Wright discovers.

The ‘almost-thirty-year-old’ Helen chafes at the restrictions placed on women of her time. She loves to do scientific experiments, but must disguise them as her featherbrained brother’s to get them noticed by their neighbor and weekly dinner guest, Mr. Danville. When he says her brother must be a genius to have such excellent understanding of science and do such creative experiments, Helen is elated at the praise.

The no-nonsense Helen does have her eccentricities. Orderliness in the house, even to the shelves being organized just so, are important to her. She has no understanding of the kind of outrageous demonstrative love her sister Lucia and her husband exhibit, seemingly more so every year when they come to visit. What’s worse, their rambunctious children, who bring total chaos to the orderly household, drive her crazy.

The undercurrent of humor that runs through Dinners With Mr. Danville kept me smiling and even brought a giggle at times. To me, the brother Geoffrey, though funny, seems a little too much with some of his antics and Mr. Danville’s sister doesn’t seem to quite fit, but she does help reveal some of Mr. Danville’s attitudes toward women. The unique humor of Helen coping with the chaos the children cause and her first venture into “being in love” makes page-turning reading. Kate Dolan’s descriptions bring Helen to life in a delightful way. Moreover, the climax is rather a surprise.

Dinners With Mr. Danville entertains in a beautiful, concise style that takes the reader away from the mundane. Fun to read!

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Reclaiming Tess by Beth Shriver

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Reclaiming Tess by Beth Shriver
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Inspirational
Length: Short Story (134 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

A wayward corporate woman finds herself again when she returns to the family ranch and renews her faith in God and her fellowman

A small town girl becomes a big-city corporate, woman who slowly forgets her roots and her faith. But when her grandfather dies, Tess revisits her childhood church, and the Lord reawakens the inspiration she once had there. Tess doesn’t want three generations of her family heritage to end so she decides to leave her corporate America world and heads west. What she thinks is temporary turns out to be permanent when she is roped into a relationship with the all too helpful, handsome ranch hand, something she hadn’t bargained for. But he just might be enough to keep her there.

Reclaiming Tess is as warm and inviting as a plate full of delicious, home cooked comfort food.

Tess takes a huge leap of faith when she buys her family’s ranch after her grandfather’s death. While Tess spent her childhood summers on the ranch, she is now a corporate businesswoman who knows very little about running a ranch. I admire her spunk and courage at trying something new and her resolve to keep her family’s heritage intact.

While I liked Tess from the first moment I met her, her character blossoms as the story progresses. At first, Tess has no intention of staying at the ranch long term. She intends to delegate the tasks to capable people and go back to her job in Colorado. I really enjoyed watching the countryside and the animals and people who lived there get under her skin. It was also a pleasure watching Tess reconnect with Christ. Over the years, she’d let go of her faith. After her grandfather’s death, Tess realized she needed to make a change. Surrounded by Christians who lived and breathed their faith, Tess’s old family ranch proved to be the perfect place for her to rejuvenate her faith.

Colt is certainly a country gentleman. He’s a hard worker who genuinely loves the land and animals he works with. I liked the fact that he never made Tess feel out of place on the ranch. He did everything possible to make her feel at home and help her get to know the routine on the ranch. He also served as a guiding light for Tess on her way back to Christ. The chemistry between them is great. It started off as a small spark of attraction and developed into a steady, glowing fire. I have no doubt that they are on their way to a beautiful happy ending.

I do feel that Ms. Shriver only scratched the surface concerning most of the secondary characters. The ranch was inhabited by a diverse group of interesting people from all walks of life and I would have liked to get to know some of them a bit better. Of all the secondary characters, Tess’s grandmother is the most developed. She is a fiery country woman who challenges what most people feel a Christian ought to be. While she is a bit brash at times, she is certainly entertaining.

Ms. Shriver’s portrayal of country life is idyllic. Everything from the land to the food seemed to be better in the country. Even the problems Tess faced on the ranch were presented as “better” than the ones she faced in the city. While I don’t think this presentation is entirely realistic, it did make me want to slip into the pages of the book and visit Tess on her ranch.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Reclaiming Tess. It is an endearing romance with a beautiful Christian message about love and second chances. I recommend it to anyone looking for an inspirational tale that will leave them feeling warm and cozy.

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Thoroughly Kissed by Kristine Grayson

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Thoroughly Kissed by Kristine Grayson
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Action/Adventure, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (366 pgs)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

Sleeping Beauty has sworn off kissing…

Emma awakens to an entirely different world than the one she lived in a thousand years ago, and although she’s the real Sleeping Beauty, her life is no fairy tale. After parting ways with her supposed Prince Charming, she’s determined to be a normal girl—she hides her magic and swears off kissing strange men.

But her gorgeous boss Michael knows there ‘s something unusual about Emma, and he thinks she’s as infuriating as she is beautiful. Now Emma needs to teach Michael a lesson, which means mastering her magic. She knows she’s flirting with danger, but after one look at Michael’s perfect lips, all she can think is, “What’s another thousand years … ?”

Welcome to the fractious fairy tale world of Kristine Grayson, where the bumpy road to happily ever after is paved with surprises …

Imagine waking up after a thousand years have passed and finding out you’re in a whole new world full of things you never even thought of. That would be the worst thing, right? No, finding out you have uncontrollable magic is the worst thing…

Ms. Grayson based this story of the premise of what happens after Sleeping Beauty awakens. She makes her main character a very attractive but cautious female (look what the first kiss did!) and turns her into a college professor who teaches history about England during the middle ages. After all, she’s an expert at it since that was right before she went to sleep for a long time. Her problem arises from a new department head who believes she has the history all wrong and that her book is “bunk”. When she gets upset with him, all his furniture in his office disappears. That’s just the beginning of magic going wrong.

Her new department head, Michael, gets concerned about her and her wayward magic, so he agrees to go on a road trip with her to her mentor, where she can be trained in magic. The author adds all kinds of spicy encounters while on the road where Emma quickly tries to reverse any magical spells she’s done in error. Along with the magical side of the story, which I really enjoyed, the author adds a budding romance between the two professors. Emma has this irrational fear of being kissed, so there’s a bit of a conflict there. However, based on her past experience, who can blame her?

Emma’s challenges keep the story interesting and author’s writing flows well. The ending is unusual and very appropriate for this couple. The final pun in the story is a real groaner, but it made me smile. This author won’t bore you; you even get to meet the Fates.

Why not step alongside Emma and walk down the rough path she has to take to true happiness? You’ll be glad you did.

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Tomorrow Belongs to Us by Lynda Dunwell

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Tomorrow Belongs to Us by Lynda Dunwell
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (160 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Azalea

Innocently embroiled in naval espionage Lucy Mainwaring sails on board RMS Titanic – will she and the man she loves survive?

Drawn into espionage by navy officer Edwin Hardie, Lucy Mainwaring is advised by her diplomat uncle, who is Hardie’s superior, to accept Edwin’s marriage proposal. Believing the offer, although honourable, is made without true affection, she refuses him but agrees to get to know him better during an Atlantic voyage to a peace conference in America. They embark on RMS Titanic but who will reach New York?

Being penniless and wanting to marry for love seem mutually exclusive, but for Lucy Mainwaring, the daughter of a country clergyman, her dreams might just come true.

Lucy is invited to her wealthy aunt’s and uncle’s London home for a season. Sir Leyster and Lady Grant are determined to see her make a good match, even though she has no money. While there she meets handsome Lt. Commander Edwin Hardie, who is attached to Sir Leyster at the Admiralty. It’s instant attraction for Lucy, but she’s convinced a man like Edwin couldn’t possibly be interested in the Grants’ poor relation.

One night Lucy and Hardie overhear a conversation concerning State secrets not meant for their ears, and to protect Lucy, Hardie pulls her into a lovers’ embrace. Soon, word is out that she’s been compromised. Hardie, being a gentleman, asks her to marry him, but Lucy can only marry a man who truly loves her, and refuses. Cousin Cecilly, however, accepts the proposal of Frank Johnson, a wealthy American, and the family prepares to embark on a voyage to New York. The staterooms on board the White Star Line RMS Titanic have been purchased by Cecily’s fiancé and serve a dual purpose: it gives the Grants an opportunity to meet Frank’s parents and offers protection to Lucy and Hardie, both of whom Sir Leyster feels may be in danger.

At the last moment, Frank learns his father is ill and he’s forced to catch an earlier liner back to New York. Another American, William Marshall appears to be the beneficiary of Johnson’s ticket. As the voyage progresses, Hardie seems to want Lucy’s company, but he’s rather close-mouthed and she wonders if the companionship is out of a sense of duty to Leyster or because he cares for her. Also, the American, Marshall, takes an interest in Lucy who likes him as a friend, despite warnings from Hardie that the man is a philanderer and not to be trusted.

Kudos to Ms. Dunwell for a fairly accurate portrayal of passenger life aboard an ocean liner. Her plot was plausible enough for this reviewer to suspend her disbelief and lose herself in the story. Cousin Cecily was a bit of a twit, albeit a kind-hearted one. Lucy was strong and practical, and Hardie was suitably gallant, though a little too close-mouthed about his true feelings.

There seemed to be the right amount of introspection, though occasionally in the beginning there was a bit too much “tell” and not enough “show”, I caught only a few errors. Ms. Dunwell did her homework. The scenes aboard the Titanic seemed realistic and immensely readable.

All in all, a nicely paced, enjoyable story.

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Aegean Intrigue by Patricia Kiyono

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Aegean Intrigue by Patricia Kiyono
Publisher: Astraea Press
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short Story (84 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Snapdragon

Someone has been stealing priceless Greek artifacts and it’s Alex Leonidis’ job to uncover the thief. His prime suspect is beautiful archaeological graduate student, Francie Vasileiou. His plan is to join in an archaeological dig and catch her in the act. All he has to do is keep his mind on his job, and not on the way his lovely suspect warms his heart. He’s learned the hard way not to trust fragile-looking women who seem to need his help.

Francie wants to get her PhD and become an archaeologist, like her famous father. The sudden invitation to participate in a dig on the beautiful Greek island of Paros is a wonderful opportunity. She has no time for distractions like Alex, the handsome Project Director. Experience has taught her to stay clear of handsome, charismatic Greek men.

On the shores of the Aegean Sea, Alex and Francie work together, searching for treasures from Greece’s past. While pursuing their goals, they discover some of the truths they had believed to be carved in stone may have been flawed.

Leap into the Aegean Sea, the adventure of a lifetime, and maybe even true love in Patricia Kiyono’s romance, Aegean Intrigue.

This one has it all. The backdrop is utterly, perfectly romantic; Athens, overshadowed by Mount Olympus and full of history. The details are be-there perfect, with an exotic and definitely romantic aura throughout. You feel caressed by the warm breezes, and lift your eyes as if you too, could look out over the ruins of the Acropolis.

It seems the perfect place in all the world for Francie Vasileiou, college archaeology student, to complete her studies. Lovely setting, a chance to work off her living arrangements, and a good friend she can rely on.  What could be better? The last thing we expect is for a certain type of ugliness to ruin such a perfect setting, and style of living, but one man mars it all.

Francie, perhaps a tiny bit suspicious, was, in fact, rightfully suspicious of her ‘friend’. Still, she finds help from an unexpected source – the mysterious Alex Leonidis. Of course, he seems a shining knight in his first appearance, yet we discover he has his own agenda immediately. Danger and intrigue clearly go hand in hand here…but can we also hope for love?

We readers might feel a tingling of hope in the early stages, however, each of the main characters has their own motivation. Somehow, they also manage to bring out the worst in one another. In addition, the missing artifacts – and some of the facts about those items – are more than intriguing, they introduce a serious threat. So, the conversations between the two start off more confrontational than romantic. And, those conversations are absolutely riveting and totally believable.

Back-story details, although necessary, seriously slow the story in places. Alex’ reflections about the case, a woman, and his wonderful mother all drag. Old loves have left both, separately, less trusting in some manner. This small portion is oddly predictable, in a story that is otherwise fresh and spirited. This is but a small point, however, and it didn’t stop me from reading on.

Do read: from the first moments when the group takes to camping out at the dig site, even if you had never thought to visit Athens, you will wish you were there. Even the food brings an authentic flavor to Aegean Intrigue. Long before you are halfway through, you’ll be wishing for a taste of the spicy spetzofai and a to be drinking wine from a paper cup. This story is just as full of flavor and a great read.

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A Dream of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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A Dream of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired
Genre: Inspirational, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (278 pages)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Camellia

The only thing philanthropist Quinn O’Neill wants is to forget the accident that took his wife and son. He doesn’t expect a fender bender with a lovely stranger to change his life in a major way. Struggling single mom Ava Darnell and her teenage son have their own hardships.

What better way for him to lend a hand than through the Dreams Come True Foundation? But helping Ava means earning her trust…and having faith that dreams of healing and family just might become reality.

Believers, but with God on the outskirts of their lives, both Ava Darnell and Quinn O’Neill struggle with life. Neither seems to feel they will ever love or be loved again.

Ava lost her ability to trust when her husband secretly lost their saving in a pyramid scheme before he died. Alone, Ava struggles with tight finances and taking care of her son Brandon who has Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Even through Brandon is in remission, she watches him closely, so closely she stifles his efforts to grow up and do things like other kids his age do. His rebellion and her need to control create conflicts that are so characteristic of teenagers yet so heart-wrenching because of his health and their limited funds to get him the things he wants so badly.

Quinn O’Neill, certainly not strapped for money, tries to find a respite from guilt, by using his money to help others. He’d been so focused on success, money, and power; he’d neglected his wife and son. Not until they were killed in a car accident did he realize what he had become. His guilt about them and the insurance money he received had overwhelmed him. He stepped away from life as he had known it and secretly helped others while staying to himself—almost a recluse. Then Ava Darnell backed into his SUV. As Ava and Quinn’s lives get entangled, both reevaluate their actions, motivations. Long-dormant emotions surge back to life.

Gail Gaymer Martin takes these two characters that seem only mildly interesting and brings them into a relationship that bubbles with energy and anticipation. She blends emotional and spiritual awakening so that Ava and Quinn are not just going through the motions of living but are evolving into vibrant individuals. She takes them from muddling their way through life, trying to do everything alone to letting God direct their efforts; thereby moving from just existing with lots of worry to living with joy and love.

The reader gets to enjoy a vicarious journey with them. As Ava eases her tight grip on trying to control all aspects her and Brandon’s lives, she finds her faith in God emerging and influencing her decisions. Consequently, her much-loved, but “mother-smothered” teenager gets a little freedom to inch his way into manhood.

As Quinn finds his way from his self-imposed isolation to a meaningful, loving relationship, the reader is privy to the struggles of a man of wealth and power letting God lead in decisions. His patience with Ava’s lack of trust is amazing.

At times the inspirational aspects seem a little “preachy” and overdone, but one of my favorite scriptures, Jeremiah 29:11, is a theme resonating through the story. This scripture comes to life as Ava and Quinn, by the grace of God, work through a myriad of issues and find their way from a captivity of their own making to their happy-ever-after.

Ms. Martin’s smooth writing style and poignant metaphors make A Dream of His Own a joy to read.

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