Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review – To Catch a Wolf

09 Sunday Mar 2014

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It’s a little late but here’s review number two …

****

cover41187-mediumSometimes a wolf’s gotta fight and growl and bite. But Erik? He just needs a mate.

Erik Danniken is the alpha of Jamesburg, a small town hidden from the world and full of shifters of all stripes. But underneath it all, he’s just a muscled-up, rough-shod bad boy of a werewolf with a tattoo that goes all the way up his chest and sticks out the collar of his shirt. He’s down to his last nerve, but he’s willing to fight one last time… for the woman he loves.

Sometimes a girl needs romance and wine and sweet kisses. But Izzy? She just needs a job.

Isabel Taylor was more than a little frustrated when she answered a very vague job ad to be the personal assistant of a mayor in a town she didn’t know existed. That was two years ago. Curvy, tough and with more than a little bit of a naughty streak, Izzy has long since gotten used to the weirdness of everyday life in Jamesburg… but she’s fallen hard for Erik’s rough charm.

Erik wants to claim her forever, marking Izzy as his honest-to-goodness mate. Izzy wants him to quit being such a coward and just come out and do it, but will a good old-fashioned small town scandal make them keep their love a secret, and in the process, kill it before it can grow?

Note: The Jamesburg Shifters is a series of standalone books. Each installment has its own hero and heroine, and the stories never cross over. Each novel or novella is a complete story, complete with happy-ever-after ending. Enjoy!

This little erotic novella crams quite a bit of heat into its tiny package. At a little over 100 pages, it’s perfect for those looking for a little paranormal romance break but don’t have a lot of time to spend on it. But be prepared for the sizzle, because it’s definitely got it in spades.  I don’t mean just a little heat, it is definitely hot, hot, HOT!

Izzy and Erik’s secret romance is at the heart of the story but there is a little intrigue involving a witchdoctor and a resurrected zombie Alpha bear (don’t get to say that every day). I think that Red does a good job of keeping everything in balance. She introduces us to our main character and does a great job of giving them the right amount of depth to keep us interested, but she also gives us entertaining secondary cast to help keep things light. She manages to bring in some tension with the zombie/witchdoctor plotline but it doesn’t overpower the main love story.

The blurb says that the series is made up of standalone books so you can start anywhere, which is nice. I am hoping that some of the citizens make appearances in the other books because they are a hoot. A small town made up almost exclusively of shifters … you can just imagine how quirky it can get – there are wolves, bats, hedgehogs, lizards, bears, panthers, even frogs. The possibilities for fun are endless and I’m looking forward to trying some of the others.

With an amusing supporting cast and an interesting main story line, To Catch a Wolf is a funny, super steamy, entertaining love story, just made for those that like a humorous paranormal twist to their romance.

Book Review – The Chance

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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cover39769-mediumWith its breathtaking vistas and down-to-earth people, Thunder Point is the perfect place for FBI agent Laine Carrington to recuperate from a gunshot wound and contemplate her future. The locals embraced Laine as one of their own after she risked her life to save a young girl from a dangerous cult. Knowing her wounds go beyond the physical, Laine hopes she’ll fit in for a while and find her true self in a town that feels safe. She may even learn to open her heart to others, something an undercover agent has little time to indulge.

Eric Gentry is also new to Thunder Point. Although he’s a man with a dark past, he’s determined to put down roots and get to know the daughter he only recently discovered. When Laine and Eric meet, their attraction is obvious to everyone. But while the law enforcement agent and the reformed criminal want to make things work, their differences may run too deep…unless they take a chance on each other and find that deep and mysterious bond that belongs to those who choose love over fear.

Let me just say that the FBI/criminal thing really doesn’t go that far in this book. Instead The Chance is about two people with normal, complicated lives who fall in love and have to figure out how to make it work regardless of their other obligations. I think that is my favorite part of Robyn Carr’s characters – they are just like you and me, with normal problems and normal feelings and normal issues. They have to figure out how (or even if) they can make one life together with all the associated complications from two individual ones. It’s sweet and honest and straight-forward and I loved every minute of it.

Laine has some family complications she has to figure out, as well as trying to decide what she wants to do with her job going forward. Considering she’s on a year-long hiatus from her East Coast job, it isn’t surprising that Eric is a little hesitant about what that means for a future together. He’s got a job, friends and family in Thunder Point and he wants to be there at least a little longer. It doesn’t lead to a lot of large scale drama, instead it’s a very real one that could happen to anyone you know.

I really enjoyed both of the main characters (and I’ve never been shy about saying how much I love the rest of them) – Laine is sweet and loving, but being an FBI agent she also has a spine of steel. She’s smart, wily, funny and caring. Eric will be the first to say he was an idiot as a kid but he got his act together and he’s turned into a wonderful man. He’s considerate, loving and quite sexy. He’s smart, hardworking, but he’s learned from his past and come to grips with it. He could be bitter but instead he figured out how to be a better person for it. He takes care of those around him and loves very well.

And while we get some updates on previous characters, although not as much as maybe some of the other books in the series, we mainly focus on the central plot and one other subplot.  It’s a sweet story with a couple of Eric’s workers that just about broke my heart before everything was tied up nicely at the end.  The two storylines worked well together and I didn’t feel cheated or rushed with either of them.

The Chance is part of a series, but I think that you’ll be able to keep up even if you haven’t read any of the previous stories … although I will tell you that you are missing out on something great if you haven’t read the rest.  If you like home-grown, real-life, small-town romances, you can’t miss with Robin Carr.

**Book Review Weekends**

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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So it is obvious that my weekdays are starting to fill up with blog tours (which is very, very cool) except that I don’t have time for the reason I started this site …. book reviews.  I love that I can share wonderful authors and books thanks to the great people who organize the tours, but I also love to read.  I mean I REALLY love to read and I want to share some of those awesome books with you too, which means I’ve decided to start posting book reviews on the weekend.   Since almost all of the tours are weekdays only, this means I get to share even more fantastic stories!  I may still slip in a review here and there during the week (they will be plainly marked and be under Book Review in the menu) but I will make sure that I’m also posting on the weekends so you’ll get at least two reviews a week.

Make sure you still check out the tour stops during the week.  There are some really amazing stories being highlighted on those tours and you never know when you might find that new favorite author or book.

Starting today, let me welcome you to Book Review Weekends!

Guest Post and Review – Morning Light

06 Thursday Mar 2014

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Today’s post is going to be a fun one – we’ll start off with Cora Cade talking about the influence of music and we’ll take a look at her new book, Morning Light, which I’ve gotten a chance to read and enjoyed a lot.  I’ve included my review below too so check it out!

*****

Every moment in life has a soundtrack.  That first summer you had a license and your own car.  The summer my husband I bought our house.  The long nights I used to drive the four hours to and from our locations while we were dating long distance.  That first road trip with your best friend.

All of the very best (and not so great) moments of my life can be associated with a specific song, artist, or album.  And writing my first book was no exception.   So, because I believe in sharing the joys of musical inspiration, I put together a mix tape of music that represents my debut release MORNING LIGHT.  A story about a wounded  Army Ranger finding love with his little brother’s best friend can only be symbolized with the following:

  • I Will Wait-  Mumford & Sons
  • Anywhere Your Love Goes-  Joshua Radin
  • Kiss Me-  Ed Sheeran
  • Only Love-  Ben Howard
  • A Drop In The Ocean- Ron Pope
  • Count on Me-  Mat Kearney
  • Sitting, Waiting, Wishing- Jack Johnson
  • Love Don’t Die- The Fray
  • Ho Hey- The Lumineers
  • How Long Will I Love You- Ellie Goulding

Noah, our wounded Ranger, is perfectly summed up by Ed Sheeran’s  ‘Kiss Me’.  That song always makes me all swoony.   And our heroine Tennyson has been waiting for Noah for ten years.  While he was off being a war hero, she was waiting for him to come home.   And being that I’m a crazed Josh Radin fan, I knew his ‘Anywhere Your Love Goes’ was the perfect inspiration for Tenn.

While I was working on MORNING LIGHT Mumford & Sons released ‘I Will Wait’ ahead of their second album.  From that moment forward it was all I listened to while I finished up the book.  Suffice it to say I’m a super ridiculous Mumford fan, but that song is perfect for the overall inspiration of the book. 

If you’d like to check out the entirety of the mix tape, you can listen to it on Spotify:  http://tinyurl.com/kfxrh3q

You can find me on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/CoraCade or you can check out my website at:  www.coracade.com.

*****

MorningLight72webMorning Light

A Day of Pleasure Book 1

By Cora Cade

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-61921-537-5

ASIN: B00C4U6MJ2

Number of pages: 82

Word Count: 25,000

Cover Artist: Lyn Taylor

Amazon  Samhain  Barnes and Noble

Blurb:

His toughest battle is ahead—the battle for one woman’s heart.

During Noah Harper’s ten years as an Army Ranger, Tennyson Sharpe’s letters were his lifeline. With each mail call, the bright and vibrant girl of his youth slowly became the woman of his dreams.

Now he’s home—and he’s in hell. The problem? Tenn is his little brother’s best friend. Claiming her risks all kinds of collateral damage.

Tenn is getting nervous. Since Noah came home, they’ve been circling each other, neither willing to risk the status quo. It’s time to kick things up a notch and make a play for the man she’s loved since she was sixteen—before someone else does.

Dressing to impress works better than she could have dreamed. After a scorching interlude leads to a steamy morning wrapped in each other’s arms, reality comes crashing down. Shining a devastating light on Tenn’s deepest fears…and forcing Noah into scramble mode to convince her forever was always on his mind.

Product Warnings

This book contains some serious foreplay in the great outdoors; stand-up sex with a hot, stand-up guy; and a wounded Army Ranger who’s determined to leave no heart behind—especially the one belonging to the girl of his dreams. 

*****

Excerpt:

Copyright © 2013 Cora Cade

All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. Publication 

Moving down the stairs from the apartment to the pub below, Noah heard the distinct sound of someone cussing up a storm. He quickened his pace to reach the door separating his living space from his workspace and gently opened it.

There, standing on top of his immaculately gleaming mahogany bar, stood Tennyson Sharpe in her bare feet. All five feet two inches of her. She was on her tiptoes, reaching for one of the light fixtures with one hand and a light bulb in the other. The stretch caused her white, fitted tee to slide up her belly and expose a sliver of summer-tanned skin.

She stuck her tongue out at an angle—in concentration, he supposed. As she twisted the used bulb from the fixture, she uttered a soft, “Gotcha.” The final motion to remove the bulb caused her to dip forward on her toes and lifted her jean skirt higher, offering a delectable view of her plain white cotton panties.

Noah instantly hardened at the sight. He’d been in lust with this girl since she was sixteen to his nineteen, and after ten years apart he was finally home. And here she stood, flashing him the sexiest view he’d seen in years. He leaned against the doorframe and watched the scene unfold, never happier to have given her a key a few months back.

As she placed the fresh bulb in the fixture, she stretched again. Her whole body lengthened, straining to reach the fixture. She was all tan limbs and womanly curves. Her body was at enough of an angle that he could see her breasts tight against the fitted tee, but more importantly her cute behind as she placed both palms on the bar to hop down from her perch. As she braced herself she lifted her perky behind and flashed him.

The curve of her sex flashed before him as those white panties intimately hugged her. In a flash, both feet were planted on the floor and she was picking up the used bulb from the bar, then slipping her sandals back on. Time to turn around and head back upstairs before she caught him with a full-on erection and he embarrassed himself.

Noah eased the door shut and sprinted back up the stairs as quietly as he could, hoping to give himself a few moments to calm his erection before she unceremoniously showed up in his apartment for their breakfast plans.

He needed a cold shower before they left or he’d never survive the meal. He was going to have wet dreams about her white panties for weeks to come.

Stripping off his jeans and plain black tee, he dropped his clothes where he stood and snapped the bathroom door shut as his apartment door opened.

 

“Noah?” Tenn heard the shower start as she closed the door behind her. Well, that was unusual. Noah was nothing if not prompt. Ten years as an Army Ranger kind of beat that into you. She rapped on the bathroom door with a knuckle. “Hey, are you alive in there?”

“I’ll be out in minute. Got a late start to the morning. Give me five.”

She glanced down and saw a pile of clothes. Strange. Noah was also one of the neatest, cleanest people she’d ever known. His place was always immaculate, with nothing out of place. Let alone a pile of clothes tossed by the bathroom.

Now she was starting to sweat. Did he have a girl here? Had she interrupted the morning-after? Shit. That Amber bimbo had been making a play for Noah ever since he’d come home. And if she was in this apartment right now, Tenn was going to die of embarrassment. Right after she beat Noah to death.

They had plans. Even if they weren’t the romantic kind, they were definitely plans. They’d had Sunday breakfast as a standing date since his return from overseas. And he’d never had a woman here.

Who was she kidding? He had every right to get freaky with anyone he wanted. She was just the trusty sidekick, the platonic friend who was always there. Like a lapdog.

Picking up the clothes, she folded them and set them on the back of the couch a few feet away. The apartment was neat as a pin and pretty spacious, as far as it went. It was an open floor plan with only two separate rooms off the main living area, the master bedroom and the bathroom. Everything else was one large, airy space. From this angle she couldn’t see into the bedroom and was half-afraid to know if someone was still in his bed. Warming it for him, so to speak.

Deciding she needed to know, she took a step toward the bedroom after picking back up the stack of clothes she’d set down a moment before. It was a perfect excuse to check out the situation. His dirty clothes needed to be tossed into the hamper. Right.

She was about to fully push open the bedroom door when Noah yelled, “Hey, Tenn. I left my clothes out there. Could you grab them for me?”

And before she could whip around and not look guilty he popped his head out of the bathroom door. As she turned in his direction, she could only see a portion of his upper body, with the rippling muscle and just-now-fading tan from his time in Afghanistan, but it was enough to stop her dead in her tracks. The man was masculine perfection and her panties got a little wet looking at him.

“Oh, did you want these? Um, I was about to put them in your hamper.” Belatedly she whirled around and held up the clothes in question. “I thought they were dirty.”

For a moment he looked like he blushed. Really? “Sorry, I wanted to take a quick shower before we headed out and I tossed them on the floor in my rush.” He reached out a hand and beckoned her forward.

She was going to combust before she reached him. Not only was the man deliciously muscled, he still dripped from his shower. His dark hair, cut in a military-style buzz, glistened in the morning light. Eyes the color of the ocean on a sunny day, clear and crisp-blue, tracked her progress. She cleared the edge of the couch and his gaze skated down the length of her body, snagging on her legs before coming back to her face.

Once within reach of the bathroom door heat crept up her neck and face when she realized Noah stood naked on the other side of the door. His body was positioned so she could only see a naked hip and the curve of a well-defined ass, but it was obvious he hadn’t bothered wrapping a towel around his waist before popping his head out the door.

She dropped his clothes before he could get a grip on them and they fell to the floor with a soft impact. Unbelievably, as she bent to retrieve the clothing, her face flamed even hotter in embarrassment.

*****

author imageAuthor Info:

Nestled away in a small town in Ohio, Cora Cade spends her days adding steamy books to her library, snuggling with her four rotten dogs, and debating the finer points of life with the dear husband.

When she’s not tucked away with a book you can find her tapping away on her laptop. With coffee. And music.

Web:  www.coracade.com

FB: www.facebook.com/CoraCade

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/coracade

*****

Giveaway:

2- Gift basket with mug, tins of tea, and chocolates-open to US Shipping Only

12- ebook copies Morning Light

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f555

CoraCade Giveaway

*****

Review:

This is quite a steamy little story – at a little under 100 pages it packs a ton of heat in just a handful of pages.  Both Tenn and Noah are fun.  They have been held back by different fears but they are finally at their breaking point.  It’s a fast-paced read, erotic and emotion-packed, with a captivating storyline and terrific characters. 

I think my only problem is that we didn’t get more of the interaction between them when Noah was away at war, so that we could have seen more of them falling in love.  Instead we get them at the point that they both have feelings but are unsure of the other and what it could do with their relationship with Chris, Noah’s brother.  It’s still a delightful story but I think that would have added that little extra zing.  As it stands, though, I whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who wants to spend a few hours with some sizzle and romance.    

A sensuous treat, bold in the bedroom and complicated out of it, Morning Light is an intriguing tale of two people who have to decide if the possibility of a future is enough to take on the risks of a relationship.  The best part is it is the first in a series and I definitely can’t wait for more.  Both Chris and Tenn’s friend, Molly, have a lot of promise.    

*****

Tour Schedule:

 

 

March 3 Guest blog

The Library Mistress 

http://librarymistress.com

 

March 3 review

Snarky Mom Reads…

http://www.snarkymomreads.com

 

March 3 Spotlight w/review quote – 4.5 Stars / Top Pick

Night Owl Reviews

http://www.nightowlreviews.com

 

March 4 Spotlight and review

Eden Ashe

www.edenashe.com

 

March 5 Spotlight

Stories of Romance

http://storiesofromance.com

 

March 5 review

Mythical Books

http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/

 

March 6 Guest blog and review

Romantic Reads and Such

https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

 

March 7 Spotlight

Adrienne Woods Books and reviews

http://woodsadrienne.wordpress.com

 

March 10 Guest blog and review

Ramblings From This Chick

http://ramblingsfromthischick.blogspot.com/

 

March 11 Interview 

Darkest Cravings – Adult Blog

http://darkestcravings.blogspot.com 

 

March 11 Spotlight

Book Liaison 

http://www.bookliaison.net

 

March 12 Guest blog and review

Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess

http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com

 

March 12 Spotlight

All I Want and More  

http://alliwantandmorebooks.wordpress.com/

 

March 12 Spotlight and review

The Book Review 

http://www.cluereview.blogspot.com

 

March 13 Interview

Pembroke Sinclair 

www.pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com

 

March 13 Spotlight

Author Karen Swart

http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com/

 

March 14 Spotlight

Eclipse Reviews

http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

 

March 14 Spotlight and review

Crazy Four Books

http://crazyfourbooks.blogspot.com

 

March 17 Spotlight and review

The La La Land of Books

https://saaratis.wordpress.com/

 

March 17 Spotlight

Booklover Sue 

http://bookloversue.blogspot.com/

 

March 17 Spotlight and review

Ramblings of a Book Lunatic

http://booklunaticramblings.blogspot.com

 *****

Morning Light Banner 450 x 169

Book Review – Something Borrowed

26 Wednesday Feb 2014

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cover41186-mediumWhat do you do when the one man you were meant to be with already belongs to another?

For Dana Marshall, new wedding planner and curvy single, “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” seems to be the story of her life. But when she is assigned to assist popular wedding planner Vienna Saunders in managing a dream wedding for an important client, nothing can prepare her for the face-to-face encounter with the insanely handsome groom, Benjamin Carter. Sparks fly, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. Except he doesn’t belong to Dana. He’s off limits, forbidden and if she ever expects to walk away from the job with her heart still intact she needs to play by the rules. Except as far as true love is concerned, rules are meant to be broken.

I loved Emily Giffin’s story by the same title and, even though the basic idea may be difficult for some, I couldn’t resist trying Hunter’s Something Borrowed. It’s a short story, both in pages and time frame, but it moves very nicely. I never felt like I was cheated out of anything even though it barely tops 100 pages.

Some are going to have a problem with the fact that the hero of the story is getting ready to marry someone else. And some are going to have a problem with the fact that Dana and Ben only know each other for a couple of days. But for me it worked. You can tell from the beginning that Ben isn’t happy and isn’t in his relationship for the right reason. Maybe he should have done something about before the weekend of his wedding, but sometimes you get caught up in a situation and you don’t know how to get yourself out of it. Yes, a marriage is pretty drastic but once he explains himself it all makes sense.

And I love Ben. He’s funny, charming, and sweet. Dana’s also enjoyable. She’s nice and caring. Her biggest issue is dealing with her boss and that comes from her inexperience. She’s torn about her feelings for Ben and it is so understandable how they find themselves in such a mess.

I do think that Dana’s boss and Ben’s fiancé are a little clichéd but it definitely is fun to have villains. I think that if they’d been more sympathetic, especially Claire, then it would have been more trying to have Ben and Dana fall for each other. But since Claire is such a witch, you find yourself rooting for Dana without any hesitation.

If you are looking for a quick little read, then Something Borrowed is a great choice. An exotic locale, an emotionally charged story and warm main characters make it a delightful story.

Book Review – Born Wild

25 Tuesday Feb 2014

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cover30443-mediumShe’s got three rules:

1. Trust no one… Eve Edens has been abandoned, used, or manipulated by almost everyone she’s ever met. Born into ridiculous wealth, she’s dealt with the petty jealousies and sordid little resentments for nearly thirty years. But after three botched attempts on her life, she can no longer ignore the truth. Someone wants her dead.

2. Avoid the bad boys at all costs… William “Wild Bill” Reichert, the wonderfully sexy boy who abandoned her years ago, is back in town. Only he’s no boy. Now he’s a covert operative — and he’s all man. When Eve hires Bill to help her discover who is behind the attacks, Bill soon comes to suspect it’s someone much closer to Eve than she dares to believe.

3. And never fall for the same ruse twice…The search for the killer takes Bill and Eve deep into the dark secrets and strange world of the rich and famous, and into the heart of red-hot passion re-ignited by the peril that threatens to consume them both. But does Eve dare risk her heart on Bill a second time?

With Born Wild, Walker brings readers a high-octane, edge-of-your-seat, deliciously hot suspense story.

The description makes it sound like Bill was the one at fault with their breakup but it is a lot more complicated than that. Everything comes out in the wash but we get a lot of angsting by both of them before we find out the truth and they can come to terms with their past, their feelings and the possibility of a future together. I have to say that I got tired of all the drama somewhere in the middle, but Walker does a great job of keeping readers engaged in the intrigue portion that I didn’t mind it that much. I understand that they were young and never got the resolution they needed, but I could only take some much of the self-flagellation, snarkiness, guilt and yo-yo feelings before I wanted to smack them both. By the end, though, I was 100% on their side and rooting for them to figure it all out.

The mystery of who wanted Eve dead was definitely a nail-biter and interestingly enough I felt for the guy all the way through to the resolution. (Maybe a little of that is that I was ready for someone to off Eve about the fifth time she’d whined about her past with Billy…) Not that anything forgives murder, but Walker definitely gave him understandable reasons and I was sucked in, hoping that there could be a resolution that would work for everyone involved.

There’s also so set up to a future story with another of the knights that helps move the story along, but also is a terrible tease because now I’m anxious to get to Mac’s story. It’ll be interesting to see how everything will resolve itself with him and Delilah.

I definitely recommend the “Black Knights Inc” series to those looking for something fast-paced, with hot Alphas, nail-biting danger and hot hot moments between the sheets. This was my first in the series, but it definitely won’t be my last. If you’ve not read one before either, feel free to start here. I think you’ll find yourself quickly hooked.

Book Review – Evening Stars

25 Tuesday Feb 2014

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I’m always super excited when a new Susan Mallery book releases and this one is no different.  Check out my review below!

*****

cover38764-mediumSmall-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More “Mom” than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school—and her first love—so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated.

Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two men—her high school sweetheart and a younger maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesn’t seem to want the great guy she’s married to, and doesn’t seem to be making headway writing her first book; their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has; and Nina’s starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further away…until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.

But before Nina and Averil can reach for the stars, they have to decide what they want. Will Averil stay? Will Nina leave? And what about the men who claim to love them? Does love heal, or will finding their happy ending mean giving up all they’ve ever wanted?

If you are a fan of her “Fool’s Gold” stories, you know Susan Mallery is very adept at giving readers amusing interactions between charming characters – lots of sparkling, funny dialogue to go along with the depth and heart of her storylines.  In the three “Blackberry Island” books, we still get her trademark wit and an engaging romance, but there is also so much more.  Her characters are raw and emotional, dealing with life decisions and introspection. There is still that love story element but the books are more about the characters themselves.  It’s about their growth – their realizations about themselves and their relationships, and how they want to move forward.  Not that that isn’t also in her “Fool’s Gold” books, but for me it plays a bigger part in this series.

With the final book, Evening Stars, we’re given a beautifully compelling exploration of the family dynamic between Nina, her mother and her sister.  All of them are forced to take a look at themselves and how they deal with those around them – their past, their present and what they want for their future. It’s vivid, compelling, heartfelt and complex. Another beautifully crafted and genuine look at people’s faults and strengths, real in its difficulties but uplifting too.

(Mallery’s “Blackberry Island” series has a poignancy to it that isn’t as readily apparent in her “Fool’s Gold” books. I’d classify these as more Women’s Fiction than Romance, so you might keep that in mind.)

Book Review – What She Didn’t Know

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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cover40213-mediumCassie had been looking out for her sister Jessica what felt like her whole life. So when Jess starts dating a man whom Cassie believes poses a threat to her sister’s safety, she steps in, insisting on meeting him. The last thing she expected to happen was that she would fall for the man’s cousin–who just so happens to be Cassie’s boss! And she certainly wasn’t expecting him to reveal the deep, dark secrets he’d been hiding from her for years. Can their love survive, or will Cassie run away from the opportunity in front of her?

“What She Didn’t Know” is an erotic romance parody short story intended for mature audiences only.

What She Didn’t Know is definitely a scorcher … and a ton of fun. It’s a sassy little novella about secrets, desires and trust. It’s not very long, but that’s ok because it says quite a lot in a few pages. It’s not an amazingly deep story or anything but it is sexy and sweet and I ended it with a smile on my face.

The blurb calls it a parody but I’m not sure I would agree – that makes me think of a spoof, something making fun of the thing it is emulating. Instead, it pulls themes from a couple of different genres but manages to tell a complete and engaging story, full of interesting characters who have to figure out if their differences are insurmountable.  Maybe the author isn’t taking the genre that seriously but I found it to be a pretty decent little romance.

If you are looking for something that doesn’t take long to read but will steam up your glasses, What She Didn’t Know is the perfect choice – a little humor, a LOT of heat, and a decent amount of heart all mixed together to give you a fun, quick read between other, full-length romances.

Book Review – Bundle of Trouble

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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cover37284-mediumFalling for the brooding doc

Top-notch plastic surgeon Luke Stanley left Gold Coast City Hospital a proud family man and returned from his vacation a widowed single father. Now Nurse Chloe Kefes is the only one brave enough to get close to darkley brooding Luke.

Chloe has been through much in life herself, and knows falling for Luke and little Amber is asking for a bundle of trouble. But if she can help bring that laughing, easygoing man back, perhaps Chloe can bring the sparkle into all their lives again.

I’m starting to think it is me, because once again I’m not quite on the same page as the book’s blurb. For one thing, Luke didn’t go on vacation – he was on sabbatical in France, working at a hospital, when his wife died. It’s been over a year and now he’s back to work. And it makes Chloe sound like a do-gooder who set out to help drag the two out of their grief, when she fought her attraction to Luke every step of the way. She’s got her own issues and getting involved with the single dad is definitely not on her to do list. Thanks to their working relationship, though, a friendship of sorts does spring up and over time develops into something more. But will Luke’s guilt over moving on stand in their way?

Part of me wishes that Chloe could have been the do-gooder she was made out to be, because between the two of them they have enough emotional trauma to sink a boat. It was absolutely heartbreaking to have two people have so much happen to them and as ecstatic as I was to see them get their happy ending, the journey there was definitely a troubled one. If you are going to take this one on, be prepared for a lot of sadness and hurt before everything turns out right in the end. But if you can get through it, the ending will make it worth your time.

[This is a part of a series and although Luke and Chloe’s story is complete there are portions that work in plot points for a related story (Gold Coast Angels: How to Resist Temptation). It didn’t keep Bundle of Trouble from being enjoyable but it might leave you feeling a little incomplete and searching out the rest of the stories in the series.]

Book Reviews – Undertaking Love and Out of the Blue

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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We’re going to start our day with a couple of short reviews and come back later because I’ll have some more.

*****

cover29925-mediumThe moment love-phobic Marla Jacobs discovers that the shop next to her Little White Wedding Chapel is to become a funeral parlour, she declares all-out war.

Marla’s chapel in the sleepy Shropshire countryside has become a nation-wide sensation, but the arrival of Funeral Director Gabriel Ryan threatens everything Marla has worked for. She can picture the scene: wedding limos fighting for space in the street with hearses; brides bumping into widows; bouquets being swapped for wreaths.

Marla’s not going down without a fight. She enlists a motley crew of weird and wonderful local supporters, and the battle lines are drawn. But, as soon as Marla meets her nemesis, she realises just how much trouble she’s really in. His gypsy curls and Irish lilt make her stomach fizz – how is she supposed to concentrate on destroying him, when half the time she’s struggling not to rip the shirt off his back?

Undertaking Love is the perfect choice for lovers of British women’s fiction.  It’s got a little bit of love, a little bit of friends and family, and a whole lot of humor.  I’ve read a few UK romances and I’ve noticed that they tend to be a little more rambling than what I’m used to, and Undertaking Love is no different.  Luckily it is amusing in its around and about journey so I’m not complaining – there are a ton of fun supporting cast members as well as some entertaining side stories, so you won’t mind that there are a lot of pages between boy meets girl and boy & girl live happily ever after.

*****

cover35976-mediumThe gorgeous Justin Pierce feels like nothing more than an object made to please women, whether he chooses to be or not. Five years as head escort at the elite, hands-off Club Blue escort agency–and a painful past–are slowly convincing him that’s all he’s good for.

Molly Harper prefers computers to people. She just doesn’t understand everyday interactions. If only emotions could be reduced to binary! But she needs a date for her high school reunion, and a friend recommends the best money can buy: Justin of Club Blue.

Trouble is, Justin and Molly were college best friends. He was always there for her until he disappeared without a word five years ago. When Molly discovers he’s the escort, her anger and heartbreak return. But Justin wasn’t escaping Molly. A dangerous figure from his former life was stalking him, and has found him again. This time, he wants a chance with Molly and he’s not running.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this one. It addresses some very serious issues – abuse, sexual harassment, sexual identity and masculinity. It definitely gave me a lot to think about but I’m not sure I felt that the issues were completely resolved.  I do think that it is worth reading, just to get its unique take on so many potentially volatile subjects. It’ll make you take a second look at some assumptions and maybe even reevaluate how you look at different situations.

It’s part of a series but I’m not sure how much influence the first book has on this story. I do get the feeling that Mellon doesn’t shy away from sensitive subjects and that there are some similar themes in both.