Book Binge

Review: Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis.

2012-05-22T06:00:00.003-07:00

Rowena's review of Lucky in Love (Lucky Harbor #4) by Jill Shalvis.

Hero: Ty Garrison
Heroine: Mallory Quinn

Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she's expected to date Mr. Right. But for once, she'd like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garrison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he's only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he's gone . . .

For the first time in his life, Ty can't bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn't including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all . . . anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor.

I'm always a little anxious whenever I get a new Jill Shalvis book to read because if you don't know, I heart the hell out of her books. This is Book 4 in the Lucky Harbor series and it's another winner for me. I enjoyed the hero, the heroine, the secondary characters and hell, even the small town of Lucky Harbor (I know, it totally makes me a liar but dammit, it's Shalvis!). In this book, we get Mysterious Cute Guy's story. We've seen him around Lucky Harbor and its in this book that he gets an identity.

I totally dug his character.

Mysterious Cute Guy is Ty Garrison (sexy name) and he's a Navy SEAL medic who is healing from an accident years ago that killed his team and his friends. He relocated to Lucky Harbor to heal physically and lucky for him, he gets to heal emotionally too. He's emotional baggage was something that he wasn't looking to facing but with the help of Mallory Quinn, an RN at the hospital, he finds himself coming to terms with the death of his friends and the rest of his life.

Mallory Quinn is one of those do gooder type of heroines and I enjoyed getting to know her. She wasn't too good and she wasn't annoying so I liked her. What I liked most about her was the friendship that sprang to life between her, Amy and Grace. I loved the Chocoholics and the quotes before each chapter were cute and had me cracking up. Mallory has her own issues, she hasn't dealt with her sisters death (a suicide that happened years ago) and she still blames herself because she knew that her sister was struggling with drugs and never stepped in to get her the help she needed.

From beginning to end, this book had me laughing. I was in fits of giggles when the Chocoholics attempt to rescue Ty (back when he was still Mysterious Cute Guy) and this book is filled with scenes that kept me smiling. Shalvis did a great job of sucking me right back into the Lucky Harbor mix and while I missed the characters from the previous three books, I did enjoy meeting some new folks and getting to know the other guys around town. I'm talking about the sexy forest ranger, Matt Bowers and the delicious Dr. Josh Scott.

This book has it all. A yummy hero that I couldn't get enough of, a steamy romance that had me raising my eyebrows and secondary characters that I came to love so much. I couldn't ask for a lovelier story to spend a couple of hours with. I'm so looking forward to the next two books, so freaking much.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

This book is available from Grand Central Publishing. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Review: Murder List by Julie Garwood

2012-05-21T14:00:00.001-07:00

Rowena's review of Murder List (Buchanan series #4) by Julie Garwood.

Hero: Alec Buchanan
Heroine: Regan Madison

Hotel heiress Regan Hamilton Madison is flirting with danger. She agrees to help a journalist friend expose Dr. Lawrence Shields, a shady self-help guru who may have been responsible for the death of one of his vulnerable devotees. Hoping to find some damning evidence, Regan attends a Shields seminar, where the doctor his guests make a list of people who have hurt or angered them over the years and asks: Would your world be a better place if these people ceased to exist? Treating the exercise as a game, Regan plays along.

The experience is all but forgotten--until the first person on Regan's list turns up dead. Shock turns to horror when another name from her list surfaces as a corpse. While brutal murders seem to stalk regan's every m ove, her atteaction to the detective assigned to protect her grows. As the menace intensifies had a serial killer circles, regan must discover who has turned her private revenge fantasies into grisly reality.

I liked this book far more than I thought I was going to like it considering how much I didn't really care for the previous book which I read years ago, Killjoy. It's not that I hated Killjoy it was just that compared to Julie Garwood's historical/highlander books, her contemporaries weren't as good.

But I really got into this book, Alec was a fantabulous hero. He's one of my favorite of the brothers Buchanan. Anyway, Regan Madison is in the hotel business. She's in the business of giving money away. She's really good at what she does too, everyone loves her.

Everyone but the guy that's trying to kill her.

Alec Buchanan, who is brother to the hotties, Nick (JG's Heartbreaker) and Theo (JG's Mercy) Buchanan is a cop who is being recruited by the FBI, he finally takes the job the FBI gives him and his boss gets so pissed off at him that he tacks him with Bodyguard duty for the hotel heiress.

My favorite part of reading these books is watching the journey the couple go through while they fall a little bit in love with each other...bit by bit. The whole story that revolves around them forming feelings for each other, to me is just about the greatest thing. It's why I read romance novels, that journey if written well, gets me every time.

Julie Garwood does a great job of setting up Alec and Regan's story. The way she brought these two together and the way she tells their story really had me so engrossed in the book that I zipped right through it.

I enjoyed this book a whole lot. I enjoyed Alec's sloppy sexiness. I loved his flirty confidence where Regan was concerned. I loved their first meeting, with him stinking to high heaven and her laughing at him. I loved how protective he was where she was concerned and I loved loved loved...him. He was the bomb, seriously.

Regan was a great heroine too. She was a great match for Alec. Their story and them two as a couple really fit and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the entire book.

I loved how Regan, Sophie and Cordie met. I loved how they became friends and stayed friends. It was really sweet. That's another thing that Julie Garwood writes really well. The friendships between women. One of my favorite friendships is the friendship between Judith and Frances Catherine from Julie Garwood's The Secret. The friendship between Regan, Sophie and Cordie reminds me of Judith and Frances Catherine. Solid and strong, that's the kind of friendship they had and I loved it.

Now, what I didn't like...I didn't like how we were left hanging about Aiden and Cordie, do they get together or not? Are we going to get their story ever or no? JG can't leave me hanging like this...seriously. Another thing I didn't like was not being able to meet Walker. After all the talk about him throughout the book, I was a bit disappointed that we didn't get to meet him at all. I'm still crossing my fingers that JG will write Walker's book (she hasn't written his book, has she?)

Aside from those two things, I really liked this book and totally recommend it. It's better than Killjoy and just as great as Heartbreaker and Mercy. The mystery surrounding the story kept me guessing throughout most of the book and the story fell neatly into place which I loved. The ending was great and Alec is a sexy hero...what more could you want?

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

The series:

This book is available from Ballantine Books. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis: An Excerpt.

2012-05-21T10:00:00.001-07:00

A little teasing never hurt anybody, right?

*
*
*
*
*

"Are you coming onto me?"

“Well, technically, you’re on top of me,” Mallory pointed out. “So I think that means that you’re coming on to me.”

With a groan, Ty pressed his forehead to hers and swore beneath his breath, and not the good kind of swear either. And though Mallory should have seen this coming, she hadn’t.

He didn’t want her.

It was perfect, really. Perfect for the way the rest of the night had gone. She pushed at him. “Sorry, I got caught up in the moment. I’m not very good at this, obviously.”

Ty merely tightened his grip. “Not good at what exactly?”

"Attracting men. Now if you could please get off.”

He lifted his head and cupped the back of hers in one big hand. “You first,” he said rough and gravelly, leaving no mistake to his meaning.

She gasped and he took advantage of that to kiss her, his lips moving against hers until she gasped again, in sheer pleasure this time. The kiss went a little crazy then. His mouth was firm and hungry, his tongue sliding against hers, and God, she’d almost forgotten what it was like to be kissed like this . . .

Lucky in Love is the fourth book in the Lucky Harbor series and it's a great addition to the series. It comes out on tomorrow, May 22, 2012 so you should definitely put this on your wish list. It's not to be missed!

This book is available from Forever. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Guest Review: Undone by her Tender Touch by Maya Banks

2012-05-21T06:00:00.002-07:00

Ames' review of Undone by Her Tender Touch by Maya Banks.

Just one night? Yeah, right. Pippa Laingley should have known better. When an unplanned evening of passion with Cameron Hollingsworth results in unplanned pregnancy, she's at a crossroads. She knew going in that the enigmatic entrepreneur had built a fortress around his feelings. What she's just discovered is that he's loved and lost before—wife and child. Tragically.

This is the fourth and final book in Maya Banks' Pregnancy and Passion series.

I was looking forward to reading Cam's story because of how much I enjoyed Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss. Unfortunately, the romance in this book fell flat for me.

Pippa is Ashley's best friend (from TbHIK) and she's catering her house-warming party. Cam Hollingsworth steps in to help when her waiter bails on the event. And Cam takes the opportunity to take Pippa back to his place. He's surprised by how bold and adventurous Pippa is. But then after their night together (which he told her would be a one night stand) Cam discovers that one of the condoms broke. He tells Pippa immediately and after a while, the two come to an understanding.

Over the course of the pregnancy, with Cam being there and helping her with her goals of setting up her own shop, Pippa falls in love with Cam. But Cam lost a wife and child before and he's afraid to open up again. He's afraid that the child he has with Pippa will replace the one he lost and so he keeps himself shut off from Pippa.

I liked Pippa. She's an independent woman but not annoyingly so. She doesn't see getting knocked up by Cam as her meal ticket and when he tries to make things easy for her, she does tell him no. Of course he doesn't always listen. LOL I also liked that she stood up to Cam. Cam is an intense guy used to getting what he wants so Pippa was good for him.

Where the story falls apart for me is the romance. I just honestly did not see these two falling in love. I think for myself it comes from the book having to skip ahead a few months at a time to cover Pippa's pregnancy. I could see a relationship developing but it just went too fast. I'm sure other readers will be able to see what I couldn't though. It was an enjoyable read and I believe that Pippa and Cam have an HEA but I just wish there was more to the book for me to see the journey to that HEA. 3.25 out of 5

You can read more from ~ames~ at Thrifty Reader.

This book is available from Harlequin. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

DFRAT: Lyrical Press New and Upcoming Releases

2012-05-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

Since we're all about helping readers here at Book Binge, we're putting together lists (with the help of our contacts at the different publishing houses) of the new and upcoming releases for digital first titles at each publisher. Today's list is from Lyrical Press.

Check out what they've got to offer:

April:

May:

June

July

August

Happy list making and reading everyone!

-Rowena, Holly & Casee

Guest Review: Dylan by C. H. Admirand

2012-05-19T09:00:00.001-07:00

Judith's review of Dylan (The Secret Life of Cowboys #2) by C. H. Admirand.

THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULDN'T TAME...

Dylan Garahan might be an old hand at lassoing fillies, but one night at the Lucky Star club, and he ends up wrapping his rope around someone that even his formidable strength can't tame. She's wily and beautiful... and she's his new boss. Dylan's had his heart broken before, but even an honest cowpoke has to wrestle with temptation...

UNTIL HE GOT HIS LASSO AROUND HER...

Ronnie DelVecchio might be fresh off the bus from New Jersey, but she's a hard-edged businesswoman and has had her fill of men she can't trust—although she might consider getting off her high horse for that big, handsome rancher with a Texas drawl.

Second in a series, this novel is indeed a stand alone story yet introduces new readers to the characters in the first novel as background characters. Dylan is cowboy through and through--he really loves the family ranch and does all he can to make sure that it is financially as sound as he can make it through his contributions. That means he is an active member of the family and takes care of the ranch as actively as his brothers. Yet he is also a master carpenter and, would you believe, he fills in at the Lucky Star Club, not really stripping, but definitely as a male erotic dancer and his final part of the act is roping in the lady of the moment--bride, birthday girl, etc. One of those birthday princesses is Ronnie Del Vecchio--a woman from New Jersey and one who has come out West in order to begin anew. But her new business--Guilty Pleasures-- in Pleasure, Texas, has not set well with some of the residents as she sells ladies' lingerie, some of which is definitely not your granny's panties' style. Now some teens (or at least, that is the general opinion) have vandalized her business and Dylan Garahan is taking the job of rebuilding her showrooms and storage areas, all in exchange for Ronnie's cooking for the Garahan Brothers.

This is a warm and winsome cowboy romance that has intensity, sexual tension, a good deal of very down-home humor, and some hot loving. The only downer for me was the on-again-off-again attitude that Ronnie displayed toward Dylan. I think that is a natural part of many beginning love relationships, but really--it gets old after awhile and I found myself getting a bit weary of the push-pull between them. There has been a lot of heartache with these three brothers and Ronnie's culinary contributions were much appreciated since their cook/housekeeper has again run off with her man, a person who doesn't seem to be the best kind of husband. So Ronnie is truly welcomed and some of the scenes when they were all enjoying her meals were delightful to read. I had no problem visualizing my grandma's great big kitchen in rural Indiana, one of my favorite places on the planet when I was growing up.

There is no doubt that I like cowboy romance and wish I had read the first book in this series. I think I'm going to do that after this. I know that I found this story to be fun and engaging, a well-written story that used the language well, was expressive in its descriptions of people, their situations and feelings. Good editing and best of all, good spelling. So I hope those of you who really like cowboy romance will take the time to add this one to your library. It was really a fun read and one that I am pleased to have been able to read.

I give it a rating of 4 out of 5

The series:

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place.

This book is available from Sourcebooks Casablanca. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

What Are You Reading? 5-18-12

2012-05-18T14:30:00.001-07:00

Rowena: This week went by pretty fast but I can cop that up to babysitting so many hot damn kids for my sister who was on vacation this week. I was super busy so I didn't get very much reading done but I did finish Karma by Carly Phillips. Right now, I'm reading At Last by Jill Shalvis and I'm really enjoying Matt and Amy's story. Shalvis always brings a smile to my face with her stories and this one is no different. I have no idea what I'll start after this one but I've got a lot to choose from.

Holly:

This week flew by for me as well. I had relatives visiting from out of town and I'm still in packing hell, so I mainly read short, free reads I downloaded for my Nook. Nothing really stands out worth mentioning from those.

Yesterday I read Moon Called by Patricia Briggs, the first in the Mercy Thompson series. Today I'm working on Blood Bound, the second. So far I'm really enjoying the world. It's a bit strange reading these after the Alpha and Omega series. I only have these first two books. After I finished Blood Bound, I'll decide if I want to buy the remaining books.

What are you reading this week?

Guest Review: Ty's Obsession by SJD Peterson

2012-05-18T06:00:00.001-07:00

Judith's review of Ty's Obsession (Whispering Pines Ranch #3)by SJD Peterson.

Ty Callahan knew Quinn Taylor was special the moment he first laid eyes on him. When the angry and heartbroken cowboy finally opens up, Ty sees the real man inside, and for the first time in years, Ty is ready to love again. There’s only one problem: Lorcan James. Although Lorcan has owned a piece of Quinn’s heart for some time, Ty is convinced he is the better man for Quinn and will stop at nothing to prove it.

Then Blake Henderson, a strong, dominant cowboy, strolls confidently into Ty’s life, offering an outlet for Ty’s anger, a chance to heal, and an option for his torn affections. Can Ty look beyond his feelings of rage and betrayal and find true peace, or will his obsession destroy them all?
Ty Callahan, a man who made his appearance in Book 2, Quinn's Need, and a man who has been beaten down by life in every way possible. Now in this third book in the trilogy, Ty's story become front and center and reader's are given a more insightful treatment of his life as well as his deep hurt and frustration at losing his lover. Lorcan James has long been the focus of Quinn's deepest caring, and it is understandable that Ty feels rejected and used now that Lorcan has returned to Quinn's life and his bed.

There is a desperation and a sense of profound loss that is evident in Ty's anger, in his need to find a way to hurt Lorcan for coming into Quinn's life again and cheating Ty out of a chance to have real happiness, real joy, real sense of belonging. This story definitely has a strong BDSM content as that is the scenario in which Ty and Quinn originally met. In the lifestyle, Ty is called a "pain slut," a person whose deep inner pain can only be tolerated if their physical pain helps them to express feelings they can't express any other way. Ty was a man whose inner wounds were so profound that he couldn't even name them--all he knew was that he was of no importance to anyone until he found Quinn. Now Blake has come into his life at a time when his anger is almost out of control, and it is as a strong and caring Dom that Blake is able to help Ty begin to feel cared for, feel that he has worth to someone other than Quinn, and to begin a love affair with someone who is not just using him.

There is an incredible amount of pain in all the books in this trilogy, but I think it reaches a peak with Ty's great sense of loss and desperation. Where can he go now? Who really cares? How can he move on with his life with any sense of forward motion? For people who dislike BDSM or who have not read much about it, some of the actions of the characters will seem very negative. Yet there is an underlying balance that those who are kind and caring in their use of BDSM and Blake is one of those individuals. He is a man who is sort of misplaced as well--a man whose lover was beaten to death and it is that loss that has crushed his spirit for many months. As much as Ty receives from Blake's caring and attention, there is most definitely a reverse giving that begins to heal Blake, to give him back his life and his ability to share genuine loving.

These books are all beautifully written and this third novel is filled with scenes that illustrate that overarching reality of sensitive and authentic love that these men share. As Quinn and Lorcan grow in their love for each other they become better able to reach out to some of the people who were "there " for them as they were struggling to get back to each other. Lorcan's old lover, Ty, the men who are an integral part of Quinn's "family" at his ranch--all these begin to be graced with the deep love that Quinn and Lorcan make their own. Even with a HEA, there is also that reality that others in the story are moving forward in a positive way, that their story is an important part of Quinn and Lorcan's story and will continue to be so. I don't read a lot of M/M books, but this trilogy is wonderful, and I am so glad to have experienced all three books. This third novel just caps it off beautifully. Wonderfully written, edited, with a good use of language and good spelling--all the mechanics of a good novel are here. It's just one really terrific read!!

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5

The series:

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place.

.This book is available from Dreamspinner Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Review: Red Lily by Nora Roberts.

2012-05-17T14:00:00.001-07:00

Rowena's review of Red Lily (The Garden Trilogy #3) by Nora Roberts.

Hero: Harper Ashby
Heroine: Hayley Phillips

A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at night...

Hayley Phillips came to Memphis hoping for a new start, for herself and her unborn child. She wasn't looking for a handout from her distant cousin Roz, just a job at her thriving In the Garden nursery. What she found was a home surrounded by beauty and the best friends she's ever had - including Roz's son Harper. To Hayley's delight, her new daughter Lily has really taken to him. To Hayley's chagrin, she has begun to dream about Harper - as much more than a friend...

If Hayley gives in to her desire, she's afraid the foundation she's built with Harper will come tumbling down. Especially since she's begun to suspect that her feelings are no longer completely her own. Flashes of the past and erratic behavior make Hayley believe that the Harper Bride has found a way inside of her mind and body. It's time to put the Bride to rest once and for all, so Hayley can know her own heart again - and whether she's willing to risk it...

I really enjoyed this book. But for the sake of I'm too lazy to really get into a long winded review on this book, I'm going to just tell you the good, the bad and the ugly about this one...

The Good: The characters and the friendship. This book was filled to the brim with great characters and great friendships. The friendship between Roz, Stella and Hayley was fantabulous. I loved reading about how much they cared for each other, how they all had each other's back and how they were all quick to let each other know when they were being dumb asses. The patience Roz and Stella showed with Hayley was what really made me like them because had I been in their places, me and Hayley would have been fighting all throughout this book. She got on my nerves.

I loved the friendship between Harper and David. I loved how well they understood each other, I loved the bond between them and just the way they were with each other. Steady and strong, they both were and I just loved the friendship factor, Nora Roberts writes her best stuff when she's writing about strong friendships and family.

Another good is the overall story. I loved how the romance took a backseat in most of these books but was still there. I loved the bigger story being told, the mystery behind the ghost and I loved watching the crew getting closer and closer to finding out who she was and what happened to her and then righting the wrong. I thought the story about the ghost was most interesting and it definitely had me intrigued from the jump. Good stuff.

The Bad: All the plant talk. I guess it sort of fits in with what they're about, being gardeners and all but all the plant talk was wasted on me because I skimmed most of it. I could have planted my own garden from the descriptions in this book, but like Mitch, I can't plant a Chia Pet...so I'll leave all the plant business to Roz and Harper.

The Ugly: Hayley. Can the girl get on my nerves or what? With all of her mood swings, her bitchiness and just her I-got-through-this-on-my-own-and-don't-need-a-man-to-help-me attitude drove me absolutely bonkers! I'm still debating on whether she's a candidate for the TSTL heroine title. She got on my hot damn nerves and throughout a whole lot of the book, I kept thinking, "Are you sure you love her, Harper?"

As a whole, I really enjoyed this book and this series. It was a little slow to pick up but when it did, it took off. I enjoyed these books a great deal and this book in particular. This story closed out the series on a perfect note, everything was tied up in a neat and tidy bow and I was one happy camper!

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Jove. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Guest Review: Karma by Carly Phillips

2012-05-17T06:00:00.001-07:00

Tracy’s review of Karma (Serendipity #3) by Carly Phillips.

Police Officer Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with her is watching Liza regularly bail out her brother at the station. Dare’s dark past with Liza’s brother, Brian, has always kept him from pursuing her.

But suddenly Liza finds herself in need of protection and Dare appoints himself as the man for the job. And while the sizzling attraction between Dare and Liza draws them together, the past that Dare and Brian share threatens to keep the two apart forever.

Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight for a lot of years. Unfortunately whenever he sees her she tends to be bailing out her no good brother and the enabling just doesn’t sit well with Dare. He wants to approach her but he’s scared that all she’ll see in the cop.

Dare finally gets his chance and when the pair finally comes together it’s pretty explosive. Unfortunately Liza’s brother keeps getting the way. You see Dare was at a party when he was 15. He watched as Brian, Liza’s brother, punched a kid who then hit his head and eventually died. Dare, along with a slew of other kids did nothing. That one event had a major impact on Dare’s life and how he led it from then on. He doesn’t understand why Liza makes life so easy for Brian, who’s a raging alcoholic, when he should have made something of himself. Instead his parents just spoiled him, covered up the kids death from years ago and Brian never faced charges.

The problem of Brian eventually becomes a thorn in the relationship that Dare and Liza can’t see how to overcome. Especially when Brian now owes a ton of money to a loan shark and they have come after Liza to “warn” Brian. Dare’s not happy with Brian but he cares deeply for Liza and will keep her safe.

The first part of this book really started off great. I loved seeing Dare and Liza together and their first very sweet interactions – that weren’t at the police station. Unfortunately Dare and Liza both have so much baggage from days gone by that it’s impossible for them to figure out how to get through the obstacle course of their lives.

I really enjoyed the story for the most part. I was frustrated with Dare but understood his issues. Liza was a bit of a doormat for a large part of the story so I was really happy when she put her foot down with Dare and his big fat attitude problem. :)

I didn’t read the first two books in this series but this was a good standalone. Though the characters from those books were in this book they were explained enough that I never felt lost in the story. A good book.

3.25 out of 5

The series:

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.