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Against the Ropes

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an elite mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Then again, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless. 

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…

There are going to be a lot of people who won’t like this story.  Torment is very much an Alpha male – dominant, over-protective, aggressive, and violent (although never toward Makayla).  He’s one of those who thinks that he’s always right and that his “woman” needs to do whatever he says.  Part of it comes from his background as the son of a boxer, some of it from the tragedy that befell his family, and part of it from being a billionaire businessman.  But all of it is going to rub some people the wrong way so this is definitely not the book for them.

But if you are ok with that, then Against the Ropes is likely to keep you glued to the pages.  I fall into this category and I felt that Makayla does a great job of forging a relationship with him that works for them both.  Sure there is some manipulation involved but they are both aware of it and accept it and make it work.  But the road to that point is definitely not smooth.  Makayla has issues with violence and control due to her alcoholic father, so she has to learn whether she can trust Torment not to hurt her.  His need to protect her and his domination in the bedroom, even though she enjoys it, brings back unhappy memories and she has to decide if she can work with it because the man isn’t going to change.  Personally I think that Torment has issues that should have been addressed – guilt from not being able to protect his mother – and, while Makayla’s are adequately resolved, I think that some time needed to be spent on his.

Overall, I found Against the Ropes to be a sizzling page turner that kept me up late into the night.  And I’m very much looking forward to more stories from Castille, hopefully with more gorgeous fighters.

DEAD SEXY

08 Tuesday Oct 2013

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If you think a romance with a zombie as the hero is a little weird, you’re not alone … but you’ll be surprised at how sexy he is.

*****

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Romance author Simone Kent thinks she might just have found the most perfect guy in all of New York City – in bed and out.

But Drake Parrish is about as far from perfect as any man can get. Eight years ago, he was cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess to live part of his life as a zombie. Since then, he has lived like a recluse on New York’s Upper East Side, afraid to go out for fear he’ll suddenly turn into one of the walking dead.

The sex is the hottest either of them has ever experienced and Simone discovers just how naughty she can be with Drake, while he finds himself feeling things for Simone he hasn’t felt in a very long time. When the Voodoo priestess learns of their relationship, however, she comes after him again. She’s determined he won’t have a future with Simone, even if that means killing both him and the woman he loves.

Tyler might have made Drake into a caricature of a despicable rake, self-centered and callous, but it just makes his punishment that much more enjoyable.  And while I think he got fair retribution for his awful treatment of others, his growth is sweet.  We jump forward eight years from the point that he’s cursed but you know those years were very lonely and lead to quite a bit of introspection – plenty of time to realize what an awful person he was.  And although he may be a completely different person now, he still has a life-time sentence of loneliness and seclusion.  He lives his life alone, with the occasional late night trip outside and all of his food delivered to his door.  He has only one friend that knows his secret, a PI that is trying to help him find the voodoo priestress who cursed him, then he meets Simone.

Simone has had a bad luck picking partners but she has no idea what she’s gotten herself into this time.  They always tell you if it is too good to be true then it probably is, and Drake definitely has a down-side.  But Simone is witty, smart and sexy, and after years alone she’s more than Drake can resist.  Even though they click right away, you know they have to deal with his curse and the first hurdle is whether Simone can handle his affliction …. and it only gets more dangerous when the voodoo priestess makes an appearance again to continue her punishment of Drake.

On the run from real zombies out to kill them, as well as a voodoo priestess with a grudge, Drake and Simone have a hard road ahead of them to find their happy ending.  Dead Sexy may seem an odd idea for a romance, but somehow it works and we’re given a story full of suspense, super-hot sex and a sweet love story.

The Winning Season

06 Sunday Oct 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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Kelly Maxwell has finally landed her dream job as publicist for the San Francisco Blaze.  But the team’s newest member, handsome bad boy catcher Matt Scanlon, is refusing every interview.  She’s got to get him to open up before the season ends, or she may not be back next year.  And after everything she overcame to achieve her dream, Kelly’s not about to let that happen.

Matt Scanlon just wants to be left alone to rebuild his life and his career.  After a year of masking the pain of a recent loss with hard partying and fast women, he finally hit rock bottom and was traded to a team he’s loathed his entire life—a team with little to no chance at the post-season.

Butting heads is getting Kelly and Matt nowhere but annoyed, and with the team’s schedule on the road, they can’t avoid close quarters—or their surprising attraction to one another.  As the season winds down, Matt finds his growing feelings for Kelly have brought his numbed emotions back to life.  But when betrayal shatters their fragile trust, winning it all seems more impossible than ever.

The Winning Season is the follow-up to Love in the Afternoon, which stars Kelly’s twin sister Kayla.  I’m guessing, based on this book, that Kelly and Matt actually meet in Kayla’s book but if, like me, you haven’t read it that’s ok too.  Packard does a fantastic job of giving her readers a smooth transition – the necessary back story doesn’t seem too detailed for those who are familiar with their history but it has all the information (delivered in a realistic fashion) for those who are new.  I would think that would be the hardest part of writing a series – balancing the needs of new readers with those of returning ones – and I think Packard handles it perfectly.

Both Matt and Kelly have their demons.  Matt’s life has hit rock bottom and the Blaze is his last chance, but he has his reason for self-destructing and it is a doozy.  It is easy to understand his downward spiral and he works very hard to turn things around.  Kelly has self-esteem issues that go back decades – a very tall and athletic woman (with a cute, pixie sister), she doesn’t fit society’s mold for beauty, and working in a man’s world doesn’t help.  She may have made peace with who she is but she still struggles.  Watching these two start out fighting like cats and dogs only to end up fighting their attraction for each other was quite entertaining.  I think that Matt may be one of my favorite heroes of all time and having him meet his match in sassy Kelly was perfect.

There are a few loose ends but I’m hoping to see them come up in future books.  I’m guessing that J T’s story is next – there were plenty of hints about it here and I’m definitely intrigued – but there are a lot of possibilities and I’m looking forward to all of them.  Packard has a fun, tight writing style that brings to life characters who will touch your heart and your funny bone.

If you love stories about big, strong, hot, and troubled athletes, then The Winning Season is the book for you.  I had a hard time putting it down and was looking for more when it was over.

Bite-Size Novellas

04 Friday Oct 2013

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Here are a couple of bite-size novellas sure to tempt you…

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Bridget knows she isn’t beautiful; her ex made that point abundantly clear. So when her online-only romance suddenly leads to a real-life blind date, she beelines to the salon for a makeover. She’s dismayed and embarrassed when her usual stylist isn’t available and the sexy Javier steps in.

Javier has long been aware of the timid but kind woman, and vows to take this opportunity to make her see that she’s beautiful on the outside, as well as in. Will he succeed in keeping his own feelings at bay and style her sexy?

Billed as “a charming short story about beauty, the beholder, and believing in yourself” Chevrestt’s Style Me Sexy delivers on all accounts.  It’s only about 25 pages long, but I was hooked almost right away.  And because it caught my heart so easily, my biggest complaint is that it wasn’t longer – I think it would have been perfect if another handful of pages had been added so that we could have seen some of Bridget’s interactions with her online beau.  We get a good idea of what her ex did to her – she’s been beaten down a little but thanks to her friends and the possibility of a new relationship, she’s starting to come around again – but I think I would have liked to see why she thinks that this new guy could be “the one”.  And I think Javier’s character was just about perfect.  His interactions with Bridget, and his inner monologues, give us a great look into what makes him tick and why he may be falling for her.

If you need a quick distraction, something to give you that happy feeling, Style Me Sexy is guaranteed to be a fast pick me up that will put a smile on your face.

*****

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Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of intuitive love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com to give her the courage and determination to follow her destiny.

But fate has different ideas, Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans…

I thought maybe this was the first step in a new series by Juliet Madison and looking on her blog I find it is, but not quite how I thought it would be.  She says that if people like this story she’ll write others featuring Lulu, but I was imagining more about Anna and her family/friends.  It’s a cute, lighthearted story about a woman looking for love but missing what is right in front of her.  I really liked these characters, but being a bit over 50 pages there wasn’t a lot of space to get to know them all … I’m not sure if I’m supposed to like Karl or not – I did and I definitely would like to see more about him.  There were also tidbits about Anna’s sister and bad feelings between the two and I’d really like to see more on that.  I was hoping that maybe her sister would be the next story so we’d get more about Anna and her love as well as resolution to their sisterly drama.  Maybe there are plans in the works and Madison just didn’t share the details.

So, if you are looking for a cute, humorous, feel-good, quick read, then Star Struck in Seattle should be on your short list.  The story is sweet, the characters are fun, and I finished it with a smile too …. although I definitely had a need for more but without the guarantee that I’ll get it.

Hot Pursuit

03 Thursday Oct 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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The last man she ever wanted to see…
Evie Baker’s luck just ran out. Thanks to an ex-partner with organized crime ties, she’s lost her restaurant, her money, and nearly all her self-respect. Forced to return to her hometown and work as a shampoo girl in her mother’s salon, she doesn’t think her luck can get any worse.But then someone starts shooting at her, her sullen baby sister is suddenly missing, and the high school heartthrob who stole her heart—and her virginity—is the only man big enough and bad enough to help.

Might be the only one who can save her…
Captain Matt “Richie Rich” Girard can’t afford to get involved. He’s already on the verge of a court-martial after a Top Secret op gone wrong, and he’s been ordered to stay out of trouble while he’s home for his sister’s wedding. But when Evie’s ex-partner turns up dead, staying out of trouble is the last thing on Matt’s mind. He failed Evie once before; he can’t fail her again. If he’s going to protect her from a killer and find her sister before time runs out, he’ll have to risk his entire future—and both their lives—to do it.

Hot Pursuit is a fast-paced joy ride with all the thrills and chills that you could hope for.  Readers who love military-style action romances like Roxanne St Claire’s Bullet Catchers, Marliss Melton’s Navy SEALs, or Amy J Fetcher’s Dragon One will love having an intense new series to read.  And who doesn’t love big, tough, alpha men (in uniform and out), who can take care of themselves, each other, and those that need their help.

Matt is just the kind of hero you’d expect – he’s tough, smart, and a natural leader.  He takes his responsibilities seriously, even when it can get him killed, and feels his failures deeply.  He’s the introduction we are given to Harris’s “Hostile Operations Team” series and he sets the bar pretty high.  Evie is tough all on her own.  She’s survived some serious set backs and handles it well when danger comes landing on her door.  They’ve been friends for a long time but have lost touch so this combines some of my favorite romances – soldiers with guilt issues, action, suspense and childhood loves finding each other again.  We aren’t given a lot of information about the rest of Matt’s team but the glimpses we do get set up some interesting possibilities for future stories.

The action portion of it is well-paced and well-developed, with just that right amount of romance to go with the intrigue and mystery.  Throw in an angsty hero who is fighting his feelings and a spunky heroine who keeps him on his toes and Harris proves she knows how to keep her readers coming back for more.  The characters are intriguing and the plot is fast and intense, so this is a must read for those looking for a new series to sink their teeth into.

As hot and steamy as the Louisiana bayou where it is set, Hot Pursuit will keep readers turning pages long after the sun goes down.  Be prepared to commit time to reading this one because you’ll have trouble putting it down.

Ugly Ducklings Finish First

01 Tuesday Oct 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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Metal Mouth. Queen Geek. Dr. Payton Pruitt heard it all growing up. But she’s over it, and attending her ten-year high school reunion is the perfect way to prove it to herself. Even if there’s only one person she’s interested in seeing in Bitterthorn, Texas: Wiley Sharpe.

Now a respected lawyer, Wiley didn’t live down to the label Most Likely to Be Slapped with a Paternity Suit. But recent acts of vandalism suggest someone still sees him as a heartbreaker, and the reunion seems a likely place to find the culprit. Instead, Wiley comes face-to-face with his old pal Payton—and is wowed not only by her transformation into a ravishing swan, but by the connection they still share.

Payton is pleased the playboy she used to tutor has grown into an honorable man, but she’s too smart to fall for a guy with roots in a place she couldn’t wait to leave. But while Payton is an academic genius, Wiley is the one with the PhD in pleasure, and he intends to use it to convince her to stay…

Not everyone is going to like this one but I found it really enjoyable.  It was a little cliched and the sex scenes were a little …. ummm, old fashioned bodice ripper, maybe?  I read a lot of romances (obviously), in a lot of genres – some of them are light on the sex, some of them get very, very steamy.  And it seems to me that most of them have a smoother delivery on the sex, even those that get very hot and heavy, whereas this one was a little awkward I think.  It reminded me a couple of times of those comedies where people make fun of romances for their purple language, laughing at the “burgeoning” this and “turgid” that.  It isn’t that bad but if that kind of awkwardness will bother you, or if you are offended by more overt sex scenes, then I’d suggest you give this one a pass.

But if you think you can ignore it, then pick this one up right away because the story itself is fun and I really love these two together.  Wiley is a modern day reformed rake.  He loves women and has for years, but he’s never felt the need for anything long term with any of them.  Then he has his socks knocked off when he sees Payton again at their high school reunion – she’s nothing like the nerdy girl she was then and the all grown up version is extremely hot.  The two of them together, especially with Payton’s too big brain, are funny and sweet and charming.  Having the nerd become the sex kitten could have been a little trite but Gail definitely makes it work.  And in addition to the romance, there is some concern over vandalism that is being targeted at Wiley – a little bit of mystery that adds a nice touch to what could have been a more lighthearted love story.  Although some people might be a little put off by the ending, again due to the old-school cliches, but it worked for me … even as I wanted to thump Wiley on the head for being stupid.

If you are looking to be entertained while seeing these two fall in love, Ugly Ducklings Finish First is a cute and funny fast-read, perfect for those who like those high school romances where the geek girl wins.

Dead Sexy Dragon

30 Monday Sep 2013

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cover32338-mediumThe last thing dragon shifter Stig Wyvern needs is his dead friend’s kid sister showing up on his doorstep, especially since he’s just minutes away from entering a mating phase. Sharing his isolated house with the young woman he’s desperately lusted after for quite some time is a recipe for disaster.

But Cora Cardenas has nowhere else to go. She’s in deep trouble with some really nasty people and Stig is the only one who can protect her. That he’s deliciously sexy and makes her tingle with the simplest of smiles is an added bonus.

Cora quickly realizes Stig is hiding something from her. To make matters worse, she’s plagued with breathtakingly naughty dreams starring a shadowed lover who bears a startling resemblance to her host. And what the hell is going on in the basement at night?

Stig needs to get Cora out of his house but his inner beast has other ideas. He’s found his mate and she’s not going anywhere.

*****

As an introduction to Lolita Lopez’s “Dragon Heat” series, readers are given a look into the world that Stig lives in and the dangers those of his kind face.  It’s a short book, focusing on Stig’s changing relationship with Cora, but it packs a pretty good punch for its length.  And Lopez does a good job of also giving readers the details they need to be able to move into the rest of the series.  I really liked these two so I wanted a longer book, with a bit more build up to their relationship, but I definitely enjoyed what I was given.

This is the first book I’ve read where the hero is a dragon, but I’ve seen quite a few of them floating around.  With the popularity of supernatural romances it isn’t much of a stretch and I think that Lopez does a fantastic job of making them appealing as a love interest.  There’s a good dose of danger involved, not only with the war that the dragons are engaged in, but also with some problems following Cora.  It reminds me a little bit of J R Ward’s “Black Dagger Brotherhood” series, with a group who have to hide their real identities from the world at large while battling a group that wants to eradicate their entire species, which adds a little extra zing to an already steamy story.

Dead Sexy Dragon is a very hot and sexy read, so be ready for the sizzle.  Full of heat, heart and danger, it is sure to intrigue lovers of paranormal adventure romances and have them coming back for more when Red Hot Dragon releases in October.

Falling for the Teacher

29 Sunday Sep 2013

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Though she once fled from Pinewood, Sadie Spencer can’t stay away when her ailing grandparents need her. But she never expected to come face-to-face with the brother of the man who caused her to leave town. Sadie doesn’t care how honest or kind Cole Aylward may seem—she isn’t about to let him continue managing her family’s business.

Cole has worked hard to prove he’s nothing like his brother. All he wants is to try to make up for the hurt Payne caused her family. But slowly Sadie’s quiet determination and bravery helps him face his own fears. Can Cole convince her he’s a  man worthy of the trust she longs to give?

I’m not sure how I would react in Sadie’s position, especially in a time when views on women and relationships were so different.  Clark though seems to handle it well, with a good emphasis on learning to forgive.  She takes a little time to see Cole as his own person and not his brother, but it is definitely understandable.  Slowly, though, Cole’s kindness and caring shows Sadie that he is a good man.  Cole feels like he has a lot to make up for with the way his brother acted, but he has his own growing to do.  He has to learn that he is his own person and that the actions of others aren’t necessarily a reflection of him or who he could be.

Falling for the Teacher is a sweet story about letting go of the past, seeing past your prejudices and realizing that you have the power to be who you want to be.

Once Upon a Wallflower

28 Saturday Sep 2013

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New review is now up.

*****

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A Perennial Wallflower… When Mira Fitzhenry’s guardian arranges her engagement to one of the most scandalous lords to ever grace the peerage, all of society is abuzz.  After all, the man has left a trio of dead young women in his wake, including his first fiancée.  But Mira doesn’t see a killer in Nicholas’s moonlight eyes, and she resolves to find the real murderer before the wedding. 

A Gothic Villain… Expecting to scare the chit away within five minutes of meeting him, scarred and brooding Nicholas, the Viscount Ashfield, is intrigued by Mira’s tenacious resolve to prove his innocence.  She’s not put off by his imposing appearance, but his family’s dark secrets mean he cannot let her get close.  As the wedding approaches, Nicholas and Mira grow ever closer, yet so does the danger.  Will the truth bring Nicholas and Mira together or tear their love apart?

Once Upon a Wallflower delivers a delicious mix of romance and intrigue.  It’s a fun send up to the gothic romances of the past – with a brooding, dangerous hero and his sacrificial bride – but Mira isn’t going to sit quietly and let herself (and Nicholas) get railroaded into a relationship.

I think she’s one of may favorite heroines.  She sees something more in Nicholas than how society has portrayed him and it is something that she feels is worth pursuing.  Her logical mind and rampant curiosity demands that she help him clear his name and the journey to prove his innocence is an interesting mystery, one that plays out well.  I was very satisfied with how everything was tied together.

My only complaint is that we didn’t get a clear picture of what happened to Nicholas – why he is scarred and has a limp.  He does have a recurring dream that involves an accident with his leg, but we’re given one glimpse of it and it isn’t very clear how much of it really happened.  With all the stories about him that floated around and with Mira’s inquisitive nature, something should have been said.  But overall it doesn’t detract from the rest of the story.

I loved the fact that Nicholas and Mira are able to see more in each other than others do, looking below the surface and past the rumors to find someone worth loving.  And Watson does a great job of mixing their growing relationship with the mystery, giving readers a good balance of both romance and suspense.  Once Upon a Wallflower is a fantastic read and perfect for those that like their historical romances with that little extra bit of drama.

Love Overdue

27 Friday Sep 2013

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*****

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Meet Dorothy Jarrow: devotedly unsexy librarian 
Buttoned-up book lover DJ is all sensible shoes, drab skirts and studious glasses.  After an ill-advised spring-break-fueled fling left her mortified, she’s committed to her prim and proper look.  When she’s hired by a rural library in middle-of-nowhere Kansas, she finally has the lifestyle to match—and she can’t wait to get her admin on.

But it’s clear from day one that the small-town library is more interested in circulating rumors than books.  DJ has to organize her unloved library, win over oddball employees and avoid her flamboyant landlady’s attempts to set her up with the town pharmacist.  Especially that last part—because it turns out handsome Scott Sanderson is her old vacation fling! She is not sure whether to be relieved or offended when he doesn’t seem to recognize her.  But with every meeting, DJ finds herself secretly wondering what it would be like to take off her glasses, unpin her bun and reveal the inner vixen she’s been hiding from everyone—including herself.

I love the idea of Love Overdue – that a straight-laced, rule-following woman has a fling that she immediately regrets and years later comes face to face with her partner in crime … only he doesn’t recognize her.  I just wish we’d gotten more.  It didn’t feel like we’d gotten enough of the reasons behind her assumptions about the kind of person Scott is, although I can understand why she wouldn’t want people to know about what happened.  It is a very small town and the people in those kinds of places can have small minds to match, but she seems to exaggerate the situation.  And even worse, we’re not given the resolution!  We get to the end, Scott finds out who she is but we don’t find out what she says to him, instead we cut to the epilogue eight years later.  I think we deserved to see them have that conversation since it was such a big part of the book.  And hopefully it might have explained a few things that were a little unclear.

I did like the characters though – both big and little.  Scott is kind, caring, and gives of himself to the community.  His mother is a wonderful busy-body (although her’s is another story-line that needed a little more explanation with its resolution) and she, along with many of the town’s citizens, add that nice bit of zing to the story.  I’m hoping that there will be more stories set in Verdant because not only are the townsfolk entertaining but there are some unresolved points that I’d like to see come to fruition.  And even though DJ is quick to jump to conclusions and somewhat defensive, it is understandable based on the guilt and fear she’s carrying over her affair with Scott.  When she loosens up and starts to enjoy herself I like her and, with a few more pages, I think that she could have had all of her issues out in the open and been even more likable.

Overall, I have to say that I enjoyed Love Overdue but I wish there’d been a little more going on between the covers.  It’s an intriguing plot, full of fun and interesting people, warmth and charm, and just that perfect touch of humor, but I can’t help feel like I was left wanting more, which is a bit disquieting.  I do recommend giving it a chance though – Morsi has a entertaining writing style and great ideas – and you might not find the holes that I did.