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Flirting with Danger

12 Thursday Sep 2013

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Review is now up and don’t forgot to check out release day details found here.

*****

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Firefighter Jasmine Mackinnon has always just been one of the guys. So no one’s more shocked than she is to find herself kissing fellow firefighter and all-around sinfully handsome playboy Aaron Parkes after a friend’s wedding. Jasmine knows she can’t risk an emotional connection with a colleague—a potentially dangerous entanglement when fighting fires together—and nothing’s more important to her than her job.

Aaron never noticed how beautiful Jasmine was until he saw her out of her firefighter duds, but there’s something about the fiery woman that tempts him. Though he knows pursuing a real relationship is out of the question for a serial dater like him, when their casual flirtation builds into something more serious, it’s not just their jobs or their safety on the line. It’s their hearts.

Entangled’s Bliss line has no overt sex in it – more of a “door closes, fade to black” kind of thing – but in this edition there is no sex at all which I found charming.  It’s a modern story, about modern people, but the author didn’t feel the need to have them jumping into bed together.  Don’t get me wrong, I love a steamy romance too, but sometimes it is refreshing to have a story without it.  Instead the emphasis was on the two of them getting to know each other better, overcoming their assumptions about each other and themselves.

Both have their reasons for keeping their heart out of a relationship – hurts from their past have made them wary and hesitant to trust others – and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them overcome those fears.  Like with historical romances, some of the best heroes are converted rakes and Aaron is no different.  He’s led his life commitment free for a reason and his world gets a little rocked when he sees Jasmine in a new light.  He’s not comfortable with the way he’s feeling but he reacts with grace and charm and wit and I loved him for it.  Jasmine is a little hard on him but a good portion of it is a defense mechanism.  His reputation as a serial dater makes him someone she doesn’t want to get involved with but after spending a lot of one on one time together he proves very hard to resist.

A delightfully sweet love story, Flirting with Danger will appeal to readers looking for more heart than heat.  And as part of the “Firefighter’s of Adelaide” series, we can look forward to more delicious romances in the future.

Willowleaf Lane

11 Wednesday Sep 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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Candy shop owner Charlotte Caine knows temptation. To reboot her life, shed weight and gain perspective, she’s passing up sweet enticements left and right.  But willpower doesn’t come so easily when hell-raiser Spencer Gregory comes back to Hope’s Crossing, bringing with him memories of broken promises and teen angst.  A retired pro baseball player on the mend from injury-and a damaging scandal-he’s interested in his own brand of reinvention. 

Now everything about Spencer’s new-and-improved lifestyle, from his mission to build a rehab facility for injured veterans to his clear devotion to his preteen daughter, Peyton, touches Charlotte’s heart.  Holding on to past hurt is her only protection against falling for him-again.  But if she takes the risk, will she find in Spencer a hometown heartbreaker, or the hero she’s always wanted?

I really enjoyed Willowleaf Lane.  Being a not-so-thin woman, I love the idea of a curvy heroine – granted Charlotte is now thin, but she still has some of those big girl feelings.  She’s still a little awkward and shy, but her past gives her added empathy to those around her.  She’s smart, pretty, and caring.  She works hard and gives freely of herself.  Spencer is about what you would expect from a MLB star – he’s hot, a little entitled, and cocky (or at least he used to be until life gave him a swift kick).  He’s a little at sea now that his world has come crashing down around him, but he’s trying and that’s very sexy.  I felt so bad for Spencer at the beginning but I enjoyed seeing him start to grow into his new life and I really liked how these two started to relate to each other again.  There are some serious issues with Spencer’s daughter and I think that Thayne handled them nicely – she does a fantastic job of giving her readers characters who feel like real people with real problems.

Willowleaf Lane is part of a series but don’t let that sway you.  It can definitely stand on its own and I found myself intrigued by the little town and its inhabitants.  It’s a place of community, one that pulls together, and I liked seeing them do that for Charlotte and Spencer.  I got a nice warm and fuzzy reading this book and I was so happy to see these two get their happy ending.

Hook’s Pan

08 Sunday Sep 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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Trishelle Page has experienced a lot in her relatively short life, including unspeakable tragedy, but nothing prepares her for finding out that fairy tales are real.  Thanks to the magic of a fairy named Danika, Trish finds herself sprawled at the feet of the man she’s been informed is her soulmate …. none other than Captain James Hook.  Although he may not be the complete villain he’s been portrayed as, and definitely not a bumbling idiot, the story tellers did get his hatred for Peter Pan right.  The man-child is responsible for Hook’s greatest heartache and he’s spent a hundred years trying to make Peter Pan pay.  Now, his fairy godmother is telling him that the woman before him is his long lost love in new form …. only she doesn’t remember anything of her past.  While their attraction can’t be ignored, will Trish and Hook be willing to give their hearts and trust in love?  Or will their pasts be too much to overcome?

Hook’s Pan is Book 5 in Marie Hall’s “Kingdom” series, but it can mostly stand on its own.  I think there are some subtleties that I missed not having read the other books but it didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the book.  Hall picked five of literatures “bad” boys – the Mad Hatter (in Her Mad Hatter), Beast (in Gerard’s Beauty), the Big Bad Wolf (in Red and Her Wolf), Genie (in Jinni’s Wish), and now Captain Hook – and gave them updated, sexy stories about these men finding love.  I personally love fairy tale character romances , like Along Came a Spider and Charming Blue.  I love the re-imagining of what life could be for them, how they’ve been misunderstood or how they have to handle living in our world, the men and women that love them and give them their HEA.  Although I’ve not read any of Hall’s other stories, I have to say I’m intrigued by what I found with Hook.

Hook is a fun, bad boy – he freely admits to enjoy being a pirate and all the things that goes with it, but he also has his own moral code that he lives by.  He’s sexy as only a bad boy can be and it’s wonderful to see him find love.  Trish has her own problems, not the least of which is finding out that there really are such things as fairy tales.  But to find out that she’s supposedly the one true love for Hook is hard to take for a woman who doesn’t believe in love.

Their journey isn’t necessarily a complex one – the book isn’t very long and it is a quick read – but it is an enjoyable one.  I loved the world that Hall creates for us.  It is a fluid and beautiful world, very imaginative.  And I very much enjoyed seeing Peter Pan and Tink as less than pristine …. honestly, though I love Disney’s Tink, I’m really not a fan of Peter so seeing him in a negative light was a treat for me.

The Sassy Belles

07 Saturday Sep 2013

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Review is now up.

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There are only two seasons in Tuscaloosa – football and waiting-for-football. When Lewis Heart, football announcer and voice of the Crimson Tide, vanishes after an impromptu romp with Vivi Ann McFadden at the Fountain Mist Motel, Vivi does what any Southern woman would do: call her best friend, Blake O’Hara Heart, attorney-at-law.

With the town gossip swirling around them, Vivi and Blake are determined to find out what happened to Lewis and clear Vivi’s reputation.  Because after all, men may come and go, but the Sassy Belles are forever.

 

The blurb suggests that the book is a mystery but I found it to be much more of a character piece.  The Sassy Belles is perfect as an introduction to Albright’s world of saucy Southern women – it practically drips in magnolia blossoms and mint juleps and has a perfect rich Deep South setting.  In this first book, readers get to hear Blake O’Hara Heart’s voice as she helps us get to know her best friend Vivi and all of their miscellaneous friends and family.

The characters are as syrupy sweet and full of spunk as you would hope for a group called the Belles.  Their thick drawls practically come alive through Albright’s talent and you can almost imagine modern day Scarlet O’Haras running around.  It can get a bit soap operish and, even though I wouldn’t want anything less from this group, I’m sure that is not everyone’s style.

As the first of a series it is great, but I don’t know that I would have liked it as a stand alone story.  The prose, while entertaining, might have been a little verbose if I hadn’t welcomed Albright setting the stage for future books.  Plus, I’m not sure I understood the whos and whys behind the disappearance of Lewis, although I’m hoping that we get more on it in the next story, Wedding Belles. 

Make sure you have the time to devote to more books, because while The Sassy Belles is fantastically fun, it really needs to be viewed as the start of many … the characters are addictive enough though that you’ll be looking forward to what comes next.

Ivy Entwined – Guest Post and Review

06 Friday Sep 2013

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See below for today’s special Guest Post from Ivy Entwined author Laura Simcox.  And don’t forget there are more stops to come so check out the schedule here.  IvyEntwined_FINAL

Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one – it’s a fun, sweet and charming read and you can find out all about it with my review below.

*****

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A Day in the Life of a Small Town Mayor: Meet Ivy Callahan

Hey there. I’m Laura Simcox, author of Ivy Entwined, and I’m dying for you to meet my heroine, Ivy. She is 26 years old, and was recently elected the mayor of her small home town. She lives in snowy Celebration, NY, where every holiday is an excuse for a parade, but pretty much everybody is broke.

Wanna take a peek at what she’s up against? She could really use some advice. Thanks!

Job requirements: Mayor, Celebration, NY.

-Develop plan to revive the downtown, get the snowplow fixed, get wireless installed in city hall

-Utilize outdated desk top computer and accompanying sticky keyboard

-Manipulate duct tape as a budget-saving device

-Direct annoying ex-fiancé, who is town planner, in creating parades and festivals to keep up town spirit

-Manage four phone lines and three irritated citizens simultaneously

-Exhibit advanced skills in moderating town council meetings, especially during a donut shortage

-Acquire business associates who will benefit the town. The richer the better. If they’re amazingly handsome, so be it.

-Keep tabs on super-hot business associate so he doesn’t double cross you. Double cross him first. Celebration needs the money.

-Avoid falling in love with super-hot business associate, even if he stares at you like he’s starving. Even if you crushed on him so hard in junior high, you wrote his name in your locker in Sharpie.

-Listen to gossip, but don’t spread it. When in doubt, ask your grandma, but be careful: she’s playing Cupid. Target: super hottie with the cash.

-Put in regular appearances at the Lovin’ Cup diner: pour coffee, shake hands and eat French toast. Don’t gossip.

-Maintain a holiday spirit, 24/7, 365. It is Celebration, after all.

*****

Review:

Ivy Callahan is back in her hometown of Celebration, NY to take over for her dad as the town’s mayor.  On her first day on the job, she gets a few not so nice surprises – her ex-fiance is now the town planner and her childhood crush is back trying to push Megamart, a big-box store that will destroy what is left of her town.  While her ex may just be annoying, the crush is just as sexy as ever and hard to resist.  As an orphaned teenager, Marcus Weaver was taken in by his drunken uncle but he couldn’t get out of Celebration fast enough.  Now he’s only back because the town is his ticket to owning his own Megamart franchise.  But his biggest obstacle is the new, gorgeous mayor.  With the town’s future at stake, Ivy has to do something.  But will their attraction get in the way of either of them getting what they want ….

I really enjoyed Ivy Entwined.  There is a decent amount of business and political maneuvering, so some may find that gets in the way of the romance, but it felt very realistic to me.  It has a zany, small town charm with wacky secondary characters, but it also feels like it is something that could actually happen.  Both Marcus and Ivy make mistakes, sometimes they are doozies, but their reactions are very believable – full of pride and hurt, they sometimes let their emotions get the better of them, but you know that there is a happy ever after just waiting for them to grab it.

Ivy is sometimes her own biggest enemy but she tries hard to keep the town’s welfare in the forefront, even when it interferes with her growing feelings for Marcus.  She is trying to juggle a lot and most of it is contradictory so her choices aren’t necessarily easy ones.  I may not have made the same ones but I can definitely see why she does what she does.  Marcus has some leftover resentment and anger from his childhood.  He’s carried it a long time but it’s also pushed him to be successful.  Now he’s at the point that he’s got to decide if that is going to be a ruling factor in his future.  Can he let it go and move on?

Set during the winter, Ivy Entwined is a fun choice to get you in the holiday spirit a little early (Simcox’s writing is so well done I actually forgot it was still hot outside a few times) – full of laughter and smiles but also a few sniffles, I finished the last page with a little grin in my heart.

Just This Once

05 Thursday Sep 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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As a minister’s daughter, Shannon Walsh was raised to say No to a lot of  temptations with men at the top of that list. She’s an adult now, making her  own choices, but until Mr. Right comes along, she plans to keep resisting the  call of the wild.     Then Rick Hardison moves in next door. The handsome rascal doesn’t appear  to have spent many hours inside a church, and he doesn’t waste any time  drawing Shannon inside his wickedly sexy arms. What’s a good girl to do when  the man of her dreams is a very bad boy? She decides to take a chance. But  just this once.

I almost found it refreshing that the woman was shallow in this one and that Jensen somehow managed to make her appealing while she did it.  I felt for Rick but I kinda understood Shannon’s perspective on it too and it made me smile when she finally realized that the man on the inside more than makes up for anything that was on the outside (the epilogue made me giggle).  And though I understood her reactions I also realize that they aren’t any less hurtful to the person on the other side.  I didn’t quite get Shannon’s friend finding it entertaining that Rick was getting the same treatment that cliched men had been given women for years, because I think at this point that’s kind of an outdated belief – we’re definitely in an age where both men and women use’em and leave’em. But the characters were fun and the story was interesting.  I loved seeing Rick struggle as he realized he’d fallen in love and Shannon’s fight to keep things light was amusing because you knew it wasn’t going to work.

Just This Once is a story of people who turned lust into love and learned that sometimes it is very hard not to judge a book by its cover.

Crazy Little Thing Called Love

03 Tuesday Sep 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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Etta Green kissed Everson, Texas, goodbye years ago. A big city chef, she intends to return only long enough to settle her beloved grandmother’s estate and then hightail it back to Chicago. But Grammy Hazel had other plans. In her will, she left Etta part-ownership of a B&B that’s about to go bankrupt before it even opens. And what’s worse–Etta’s partner is Donny Joe Ledbetter, a handsome devil with some serious bad boy charm. Growing up, Donny Joe didn’t give Etta a second glance. Now, she’s got his whole attention.

A far cry from the shy bookworm he once knew, sexy, spirited Etta Green is nothing but trouble. Yet Donny Joe decides to play nice. After all, the quicker they open the B&B, the faster this exasperating–and irresistible–woman will be on her way. Donny Joe has never been a one-woman kind of man. But one crazy little moment of unforgettable desire may change his mind–if he can convince Etta to stay for good…

 

I wasn’t sure that I was going to enjoy Etta very much, but she definitely grew on me. She has a little of that big city edge and she’s under a lot of stress, but she quickly finds her groove in Everson. She thinks it is only going to be temporary but you so know she’s sticking around.  Donny Joe is a great Texas cowboy – he’s polite but he’s got a little streak of bad boy in him, too charming for his own good but always willing to help out. He’s strong, hardworking, and honest, just like you’d expect a good ol’ boy to be. He may strike sparks with Etta but everyone knows how it’s going to end and it is fun watching them get there.

Romances based on little, country towns have a special place in my heart. I grew up in a little Midwest bump in the road and can relate so much to those tiny worlds, and Crazy Little Thing Called Love is no different.  Full of small town charm and zaniness, with that perfect blend of heat and heart, Cannon gives us a sweet tale about finding your place in the world.

Along Came a Spider

01 Sunday Sep 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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When Trish Muffet is attacked at a grisly crime scene, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Nicky “Little Boy” Blue. But since walking away from everything two years before, Nicky’s been doling out vigilante justice as “The Spider,” taking on the vicious predators of the night in hopes it’ll lead him to his ultimate target—Vlad Dracula. And he needs Trish’s help.

Although Nicky’s renegade style goes against everything Trish stands for, she’ll do what she must to bring Dracula down. With danger stalking her, Trish knows the only person she can count on is the one man who has the power to leave her breathless. There’s no way she’s letting this spider frighten her away…

I get so excited about Kate Serine’s “Transplanted Tales” series – I love stories about fairy-tale and literary creatures living in our world and Serine is one of the best at it.  She not only gives you a hot, steamy romance, but also an intriguing mystery that keeps you on your toes.  It should be said now that it is best to have read the other books in the series – Red, The Better to See You – because there are themes and characters that move through the stories.  I don’t think it is 100% required, but you’ll likely be a little lost without them.

The focus this time is on characters we know – Little Boy Blue (Nicky Blue) and Litttle Miss Moffett (Trish Moffett) – both of whom played minor roles in previous books.  I loved Nicky back in Red and I’m excited to see him back again.  And while Trish has flitted around the previous books, it is nice to see her get her own story & hero.  I thought it was great that while she can take care of herself to a certain point and be a strong heroine, she is still vulnerable and needs help to not only solve the mystery but to survive.  And she’s such a great match for Nicky, I loved watching their relationship develop.

I thought the mystery had the perfect amount of twists and a very satisfying ending.  I’m not sure how I feel about the idea of a big, bad government agency getting involved but I’m going to show a little faith and see where Serine takes us.  It makes sense but I think it could easily go in a direction that isn’t fun any more – a la Buffy and the Initiative.

We also get to catch up on some of our old favorites (like Tess, Nate, Seth and Lavender), as well as meet new characters.  And Serine teases a little about possible future stories just to make us want for more.  If you are looking for  fantasy and intrigue mixed in with your romance, Serine’s “Transplanted Tales” series has it in spades.

Eat, Play, Lust

31 Saturday Aug 2013

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9781622662456_p0_v3_s260x420Cami Pressman is a yoga instructor with a lifelong secret love of junk food. Not even an irresistible man can replace the mouthwatering wickedness of her favorite foods.

Until, that is, Paul Hammond signs up for her class. He’s a gourmet chef looking to score some fitness tips, and a date with Cami. Suddenly Cami’s lust for junk food isn’t the only thing making her tingle.

When this sinful chef and hot yoga teacher eat, play, and lust together, they just might bring their obsession to a new level.

At just over 50 pages, this is a sweet little treat to wind up a hot and steamy summer.  Cami is humorously neurotic about her eating and Paul has an indelicate way of keeping his foot in his mouth, but they are fun and charming and I kinda wish they’d gotten a full length story.  I would have loved to see these two go on a few dates – I’m giggling just thinking about it.  I think my favorite part is that these two aren’t perfect – he’s got a bit of a spare tire and she’s got some food hang-ups – but they are wonderful in their normalness and make for an appealing couple.

Being so short, it pretty much gets straight to the point.  Boy likes girl.  Girl likes boy.  After some bumbling around, boy and girl get together … but the bumbling is very delicious.

If you need a great way to wrap up your summer night, grab a glass of wine and sit back – Eat Play Lust is that perfect little tidbit to finish out your day.

Stone Guardian

30 Friday Aug 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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Gryphons flying past Skyscrapers? Wizards battling it out in coffeehouses? Women riding motorcycles with large swords strapped to their backs? All normal sights since the Great Collision happened twenty-six years ago.

Well, not normal for everyone. Larissa Miller may have been born after the Great Collision, but as a history teacher who lives in the human-only city, she has never come into contact with any other race or species. That is, until one day she walks out of her apartment only to be attacked by a mob of Zombies, but then is saved by a Gargoyle.

Leader of the Gargoyles, Terak has been watching over the human woman for months because of a cryptic prophecy. Gargoyles trust no one outside their Clan, but something about this woman stirs every protective instinct within him. When he realizes the danger to her is real, he refuses to allow her to explore this new world without him at her side.

In the course of their investigation Terak becomes entranced by his little human. But when he discovers why Necromancers want her and the great reward that awaits him if he betrays her, he must choose between the welfare of his Clan and not only Larissa’s life, but the fate of this new Realm as well.

Stone Guardian kicks off Monsch’s Entwined Realms series and does it full tilt – Chapter One starts with the Great Collision and we’re pretty much thrown into it from there.  She does a great job of giving readers a complex and intriguing world, one full of magic and mischief, elves and orcs and all manner of creatures, but most importantly love and family.  It’s a strange world, so you definitely need to like fantasy in your love stories – after all, your hero is a Gargoyle … and amazingly sexy one too.  Tall, strong, giving and honorable, he may start out just watching over Larissa but the heart has a way of taking over.

There’s a mystery involving why someone wants to harm Larissa and since this is a magical world, there are all sorts of things that could be involved.  I’m always afraid that a sci-fi author will either write themselves into a corner so they too obviously have to make something up to get the story back on track or that their world will just become too big to grasp.  But Monsch does a fantastic job of keeping everything moving quicklly and smoothly.

At its core, we’re given a story of duty and sacrifice, love and honor, but it is liberally doused in pixie dust and magic.  There are a lot of loose ends and half-finished threads, so be prepared to leave this one wanting more.  There are a ton of characters, both magical and human, who could easily make homes for themselves in future stories … and I’m looking forward to each and every one.