Book Binge

What Are You Reading? 1-27-12

2012-01-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

Rowena: It's been a slow reading week for me. I didn't get nearly as many books read as I did last week but that's okay because I finally started About that Night by Julie James. I'm reading that now and I'm already liking the hell out of it.

Casee's being a dedicated student so couldn't come and post her part but she's reading Dire Needs by Stephanie Tyler. She's got a test to study for and take so let's wish her luck on that, yeah?

Holly: I'm reading A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare. It's good but I feel like I'm missing something since I didn't read the first book.

What are you reading?

Guest Review: Bring Me Home For Christmas by Robyn Carr

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Judith's review of Bring Me Home For Christmas (Virgin River #16) by Robyn Carr

This year, Becca Timm knows the number one item on her Christmas wish list—getting over Denny Cutler. Three years ago, Denny broke her heart before heading off to war. It's time she got over her silly high-school relationship and moved on.

So she takes matters into her own hands and heads up to Virgin River, the rugged little mountain town that Denny calls home, as an uninvited guest on her brother's men-only hunting weekend. But when an accident turns her impromptu visit into an extended stay, Becca finds herself stranded in Virgin River. With Denny. In very close quarters.

As the power of Christmas envelops the little town, Becca discovers that the boy she once loved has become a strong and confident man. And the most delicious Christmas present she can imagine.

I feel it important to state right off the bat that I am a confirmed Virgin River lover. Every time I finish one of these books I have this persistent desire to find a place where these characters actually exist so that I can be a part of their lives. For whatever reason, these novels really speak to my heart. This holiday story is no exception.

Both the main characters are people who have endured pain and brokenness in varying degrees. Becca has struggled for three years to move past the broken heart, the questions, the sense of not really knowing how this all came about when Denny moved away from her emotionally and without her even knowing it, re-enlisted in the Marine Corp and was almost immediately sent to Afghanistan. Yes, his mother's death was terrible and ripped his heart out. But the one person he didn't turn to was Becca, the woman he claimed to love and wanted to marry. Instead, he shut down and then he was gone, without a word for over two years. When he returned Becca's anger was significant and she told him to get lost. Enter Doug, a UCLA law student who is smooth, good looking, from old Boston money, and he wants to marry her. Yet the old love, the old hurts, the old memories of Denny just won't go away.

There there is Denny, a young man who took Becca at her word and "got lost" as ended up in Virgin River, largely because his mother had told him that Jack Sheridan was his dad. As it turns out (and you can read about that in a previous novel), Jack was not his dad, but Denny found in Jack the kind of man he would have wanted as a parent and their relationship was strong and close. He has made a place for himself and is on his way to putting down even deeper roots when Becca shows up with her twin brother--Denny's best friend--and two other guys with whom Denny had been planning an all-guys week of hunting and fly fishing. Their initial encounter didn't go well, neither did the following day as which time Becca jumps out of Denny's truck, twists her leg, and ends up with a shattered ankle which required surgical pinning. The added time she was required to spend in Virgin River was initially upsetting and yet, whose to know if it was providential.

This is a story that will seem "sappy" to some and yet it has about it the kind of sense that these two people really needed to talks out their break-up and resolve the questions that were in both their heads. It is also an in-depth look at a community that is striving to survive and thrive in the midst of a very harsh economy and which is already the kind of town that looks out for everyone. By virture of their remote location, they must rely on one another more than many communities, and as Christmas is approaching, their sense of needing to "be there" for one another is even more keen. It is also a look into Becca's family dynamic, her relationship with her twin brother, her need to be a person in charge of her own destiny, and how she deals with the pressures from family and friends over the issues in her personal life. There is also the sense that the needs of the Virgin River family begin to help both Denny and Becca to sort out who they really are and to identify the path they must each travel in the future. Sappy it may seem on the surface, but I think there are some weighty issues involved in this novel that are relevant to how we all live and how we perceive ourselves and others.

This may be a story that is wedded to the holiday season as its context, but I think it is one that is timely no matter the time of year. It is one that I really enjoyed and think it is full of value and substance.

I give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5

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

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

Guest Review: One Wicked Night by Kelly Jamieson

2012-01-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

Tracy’s review of One Wicked Night by Kelly Jamieson

Ten years ago, Kaelin Daume spent a steamy summer home from college secretly hanging out with town bad boy Tyler Wirth and his best friend Nick Kernsted. The connection was warm, complicated, and came to a crashing end when she walked in on her two forbidden friends with another woman. The shocking scene of sex and bondage has haunted her boring, oh-so-vanilla life ever since.

The fallout from that night tore Tyler’s life apart. He left Mapleglen, disowned and disgraced, to build a successful advertising career and a unique relationship with Nick. Nothing could bring him back except his sister’s wedding, and he plans to hightail it back to Chicago as soon as it’s over. At least one good thing hasn’t changed: Kaelin is as sweet as ever. Except she doesn’t seem too thrilled to hear it.

As tensions run high, Kaelin can’t resist the temptation to commit one crazy act of rebellion. Once the web of secrets, sins and lies starts to unravel, though, their lives will never be the same…

Tyler Wirth and his friend Nick have returned to Mapleglen for Tyler’s sisters wedding. He hasn’t been back to his hometown in 10 years and he’s not sure he wants to be there now. He loves his sister but the town and his parents make things extremely stressful for him. Kaelin Daume, who Tyler has had a thing for for years doesn’t make it any easier. Sure, she’s nice and sweet but he knows that he’s no good for her so he tries to keep his distance.

Kaelin is trying to help her best friend with her wedding but she keeps thinking about Tyler and Nick. She takes the opportunity that she’s given the night before the wedding and decides to make the move with the two men. She initiates a threesome and the boys are more than happy to play along. The emotions run high and the sex is hotter than hot but shit hits the fan when they’re found out. Kaelin is considered a good girl and doesn’t want her reputation to head into the toilet but she also doesn’t want Tyler blamed for doing something that was consensual. Eventually Kaelin has to take matters into her own hands and break out of the good girl mode.

This book had a few things happening all within its pages. First we had the relationship between Nick and Tyler. It was something that had started in high school and had continued for the past 10 or 12 years between the two men. What started out as the desire to have more sex (in between girls) and to piss off Tyler’s parents, had grown into something else – at least on Nick’s side of it. Tyler was of the mind that he wasn’t good enough for anyone so he wouldn’t let himself actually see the relationship that they had together for what it truly was. Despite their close ties they both dated women as well and even had a few threesomes.

Tyler’s relationship with his parents was on the skids. Because of the event that had happened 10 years prior they had had basically no contact with their son. Tyler’s mom wanted everything to be wonderful for the wedding weekend. She had visions of the family coming together and everything being perfect. She was actually quite proud of her sons accomplishments but because they couldn’t manage to have a civil conversation those word of pride were never spoken. With the parents it was always about how things looked and since Tyler was one to never be good when he could be bad they just didn’t mesh.

Then there was the tension in Tyler's parents relationship. I have to admit that this part of the story seemed a bit odd to me. They had been married for years but the wife was unhappy. I understand that it showed even more tension between the parents and that translated to tension with Tyler but I just didn’t think it really added to much to the story and kind of took away from the relationship with Tyler, Nick and Kaelin.

I did end up thinking that Nick kind of got the short end of the stick by the end of the book even though he was more than included in the relationship between the 3 main characters. Kaelin just felt like she wanted him but didn’t love him – maybe that would be something that would grow. IDK, the dynamics of the relationship seemed uneven to me and it made me pause to wonder if it was a true HEA. Despite that though I liked the story and would definitely read more from this author.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

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

Guest Review: Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Judith's review of Any Given Christmas (Sugar Shack #2) by Candis Terry

Dean Silverthorne’s mother may be dead, but she still has matchmaking to do.

When an injury dashes NFL Quarterback Dean Silverthorne’s Super Bowl dreams, he heads back to Deer Lick, Montana with a chip on his wounded shoulder, more determined than ever to get back in the game. He loves his kooky family, but this trip home is going to be a very brief Christmas visit.

His game plan doesn’t include an instant attraction to Emma Hart, a feisty kindergarten teacher who seems to be the only person in Deer Lick not interested in the hometown hero. Or his dearly departed mom popping up with mistletoe in hand and meddling on the mind. Now Dean can’t help but wonder if there’s more to love than life between the goal posts.

Christmas may have come and gone for 2011, but the very readable and enjoyable stories built around that holiday are still with us and still calling out to anyone who loves a good love story. Now, as the Super Bowl approaches, it is appropriate to review a story about an NFL quarterback who is at the top of his game with the arm candy he attracts and has been at the top of the heap for 12 years--that is, until a career ending tackle occurred in the Thanksgiving game against the Denver Broncos had severely injured his weak shoulder. Now he is back in Deer Lick, Montana, attending his youngest sister's wedding to the newest candidate for sheriff and the love of her life. He is still the hometown hero, and in Dean's inner being he is still convinced that he will heal and be as good as new for Spring training and summer football camp.

Now I know the blurb talks about Dean's dead mother who is a matchmaker, but in truth, Lettie Silverthorpe was much more of a "I've come back to finish up some unfinished business" kind of ghost. And she particularly liked to visit whenever one of her kids was driving her 20 year old rust-bucket Buick. The back seat was still filled with all her "stuff" and her kids couldn't seem to figure how to part with all the bits and pieces she had carted around in her "office on wheels." Now Dean is visited by a mother who had been dead for about five months and who was terribly troubled about her son, his understanding of himself apart from his identity as a sports superstar which was seriously in jeopardy along with his refusal to look at anything in the future apart from playing football. Dean's way of insuring that he never has a troubled marriage is to never marry. Supermodels and actresses aren't hanging around him to get a husband. They want his public to pay attention to them as well.

Fate seems to play a hand in many circumstances and so I would seem for Dean. One of his sister's bridesmaids catches his eye in a big way--certainly not hard and boney like some of his supermodel gals. She has curves in all the right place and she's soft like women should be. She wants absolutely nothing to do with him and the factor that seems to turn her off the most is that Dean simply doesn't remember her. As things go with Emma, that's just about the cardinal sin--being forgotten.

There is so much in this story that is noteworthy and there is most definitely not sufficient room to discuss all of it here. Suffice it to say that some of the characters that made an impressive appearance in Second Chance at the Sugar Shack are once again a part of the context in this tale and bring the warmth and human connections of this community to bear upon the story. This is also a look at the thoughts and struggles of a superstar athlete when real life begins to make itself felt. One very important positive about Dean: he has a heart for children and he deeply respects women. His parents loved each other to distraction and he knows that such is the kind of relationship he wants if he ever does find a woman who can tempt him to settle down. He wants to use his wealth to help people, and under all the glitz and putting football first in his life, Dean is a stand-up guy in so many ways.

I really enjoyed this book--no, that isn't exactly true. I loved this book and felt that I had become a silent presence in the town of Deer Lick, Montana, and a part of the lives of its citizens. I am looking forward to the third book in the series which will feature the middle sibling--a hard punching prosecutor in Chicago who may have the upper hand in her professional life, but I bet her mom will be having conversations with her in the back of the old Buick when it comes to the mess of a personal life. This may have a holiday theme, but it is a marvelous read for any time of the year. You owe it to yourself to read it.

I give it a rating of 4.75 out of 5

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

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

Lightning Review: Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton

2012-01-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

Holly's review of Welcome Home, Cowboy by Karen Templeton

He'd never really had a place to call his own…
But the broken-down ranch in front of him was the closest he'd ever come. Now, pregnant widow Emma Manning was struggling to keep it, her children and herself going. She could use a hand. Well, that was all burned-out musician Cash Cochran could spare.
He'd never had a woman to call his own, either…

That was painfully obvious to Emma as soon as Cash knocked on her door. And though, with her ever-growing brood and her money pit of a ranch, she was the last woman on earth he could ever fall for, he was falling nevertheless. They both were.

But what would happen when they landed?

Karen Templeton became an auto-buy author for me a couple years ago. Since I first read her (Sybil made me do it) I've glommed her backlist and picked up every new release she's put out. Some I enjoy more than others, but I know I'll always get a good, solid story with her.

Cash Cochran lit out of town at 16 to escape his abusive father and found fortune and fame as a country and western singer. 20 years later he's back, hoping to deal with some of his demons.

I really liked how practical and plain spoken Emma was. She didn't mince words, or beat around the bush, she just told it exactly as it was. That was so refreshing.Cash had a lot of issues from his past to deal with, and I like that Templeton took her time with both characters.The kids were adorable. I liked the secondary characters and it was nice to see the other people of Tierra Rosa again.

The twist at the seemed to come out of left field. I understand it was needed to advance the story, but..something about it didn't sit right with me. Maybe it was the way everyone reacted to it that bothered me?

In the end I found this to be just as well written and engaging as all Templeton's novels. A recommended read.

4.25/5

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

Avon's New Discovery Tool for Book Lovers!

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

Avon has some new stuff coming out for book lovers and we thought it'd be a great idea to share the news with you lovely readers. Check it out:

From press release:

Avon Books Introduces New Discovery Tool Designed With Bibliophiles in Mind:
Stylized QR Codes Lead Romance Readers To a Mobi Site Love Match!

NEW YORK, NY, January 18, 2012 – In a culture where women increasingly appreciate the snap-and-go convenience of getting their information via mobi apps on their smart phones, Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers and a leader in the romance category, has developed a convenient way for readers to access their monthly required romance reading. Avon’s just-launched mobi site, http://m.avonromance.com, links directly to an easy-to-browse, easy to click-and-buy online catalog. Beginning January 2012, all new Avon titles will include a QR code on the book covers linking romance readers to the Avon Romance mobi site.

Developed in response to reader requests, m.avonromance.com will feature information consumers want. Readers who have downloaded a QR code app on their smart phones can snap a photo of the Avon mobi code using the camera on their handheld devices. Readers can get information on favorite authors, newly released titles, backlist treasures, videos and multimedia content, easy click-to-buy links for print books and e-books, and special extras, such as value-priced e-book deals. Buy links direct readers to Amazon, B&N, Google, and Indie Bound.

Avon’s mobi site will provide an intuitive browsing experience. For example, a reader who accesses the site for more information about New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens’ THE FALL OF ROGUE GERRARD will be able to search for comparable titles by clicking “search for similar titles.” The experience is a roulette wheel of fun – one never knows quite what the site may recommend, such as the bawdy, deliciously funny historical A TALE OF TWO VIKINGS by USA Today bestselling author Sandra Hill. The intent is to create additional awareness for frontlist titles, while keeping a treasure trove of backlist in a constant state of discovery and rediscovery.

Avon will continue to evolve the Avon Romance mobi site to include author videos and full social media integration, and always with the reader in mind.

Does this sound like something you'd use? I think it's pretty neat. Enjoy!

Guest Review: Slow Ride by Erin McCarthy

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Tracy’s review of Slow Ride (Fast Track #5) by Erin McCarthy

As a tribute to her late journalist father, Tuesday Jones is planning a career benefit, auctioning off racing memorabilia and meet-and-greets with drivers. Ex-racing star Diesel Lange has had his own brush with death, and is determined not to waste another minute of his life- especially when he meets Tuesday. He wants nothing more than to shift their romance into high gear, but he knows she's still grieving. Can Diesel do the one thing he could never do on the track and take it slow?

Tuesday Jones formally meets ex-racing driver Diesel Lange at a wedding reception. She’s a bit smitten with him and they are mightily attracted to each other but since she’s had a bit too much too drink so Diesel just takes her home and leaves her to sleep it off. From that point on the couple start to see each other pretty regularly and have a great time. They start a physical relationship as well and that’s just an amazing part of their relationship too.

But Tuesday is mourning the recent death of her father and Diesel has completely closed off his feelings toward the near fatal accident that took him out of the racing circuit forever. These are issues that are making both of them emotionally unavailable to each other in a way that is a severe threat to their relationship. Along with that is the problem that Tuesday has of drinking her stress away – which would be fine if she stopped at one glass of…whatever. She wants to be in control of everything and when that can’t happen she drinks her stress away which puts her even more out of control.

Erin McCarthy has a fantastic way of writing relationships that are just normal. They’re fun and enchanting in their normality and I love that about her books. This book had that in spades and I loved seeing they dynamic between Diesel and Tuesday as Tuesday was an excitable talker and Diesel was pretty calm and didn’t speak all that much. It just worked between the two of them.

With this story I think that the angst waited too long to come along. While I loved seeing the relationship build you could also see the problems between the characters growing as well but then nothing was happening. In my opinion the problems were such that they needed to be dealt with much earlier in the story. If they could have been able do deal with their individual problems they would have then been able to deal with the issues that they had in their relationship – which were directly related. As it was I felt that things were a bit rushed at the end and I found that a bit disappointing.

Overall a cute book.

Rating: 3 out of 5

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.

Lightning Review: Hope's Child by Helen R. Myers

2012-01-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

Holly's review of Hope's Child by Helen R. Myres

"Marry me."

Hope Harrell didn't know what to expect when she confronted the town's rugged sheriff with a marriage proposal—but she knew he was her only hope. After the death of her ex-fiancé, Hope knew she wouldn't be able to hide the growing swell of her belly much longer. If she wanted to protect her child from money-hungry relatives, she needed to act fast. She needed a daddy for her baby, and who better than Lyon Teague?

Lyon had weathered many storms, but nothing had prepared him for Hope's proposition. He wasn't of the same pedigree as the Texas socialite, but he couldn't turn away a damsel in distress…especially when that damsel was the woman he'd secretly loved for years—a woman he could only dream of making his own….

I really liked certain parts of this story, but the main conflict bothered me. It seems rather contrived and could have been cleared up in short order, if the characters - especially the heroine - had just opened up.

Hope's reasons for keeping Lyon at arms-length didn't make a lot of sense. The way she kept unintentionally hurting him by saying insensitive things started to bother me as the story wore on. I understood her reasons for wanting to marry him, but why she pushed him away is beyond me.

For Lyon's part, I sympathized with him throughout the novel. Though I think he could have opened up to Hope sooner, I understood his reasons for holding back.

For all that, I enjoyed the way they got to know each other and watching them settle into their marriage. The story was sweet and in the end I forgave Hope, because it was obvious she truly cared for Lyon.

3.5/5

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

Guest Review: Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Judith's review of Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle

Roderick Gideon Tremayne, the recently appointed Duke of Wentworth, never expected to find himself in New York City, tracking down a mysterious map important to his late mother. And he certainly never expected to be injured, only to wake up with no memory of who he is. But when he sees the fiery-haired beauty who's taken it upon herself to rescue him, suddenly his memory is the last thing on his mind.

Georgia Milton, the young head of New York's notorious Forty Thieves, feels responsible for the man who was trying to save her bag from a thief. But she's not prepared for the fierce passion he ignites within her. When his memory begins to return, her whole world is threatened, and Roderick must choose between the life he forgot and the life he never knew existed.

There is culture class and then there is the Great Divide between social class. I'm not really sure which is more difficult to cross, but it would seem that in this new novel from Delilah Marvelle there is both. Certainly the young heir to the Duke of Wentworth was a striking figure of a man with his expensive clothes and the pure silver buttons on his classy vest. And when he approached Mrs Georgia Milton, young Irish-American citizen of New York City and one who is not loathe to let him know that his seemingly innocent advances are not wanted, it appeared that their paths would not ever again cross. That is, until a youthful thief made off with Georgia's reticule and Roderick made after him, probably in the hope of not only saving the purse but impressing its owner. Didn't work out quite that way, however. And as Roderick stepped off the curb in front of an omnibus, little did he realize that he was entering into an entirely unforeseen period of his life, one he could have never imagined.

Nor could Georgia. I know the blurb claims that she was head of the Forty Thieves, but I didn't get that impression from the narrative. Rather I think the story says that Georgia's stepson Matthew was really the head of the band of Irish do-gooders--sort of a collective Robin Hood who looked out for all the folks in their territory and as it turns out, they even took Roderick under their wing. Although by this time he didn't know his own name and believed himself to be Robinson Crusoe. (It later came to light that this story was his childhood favorite.)

This is indeed a love story, but Georgia and Roderick might just as well have been on the opposite sides of the earth compared to any hope Georgia had of ever being accepted by the English ton. The tale is really as much about how Roderick and Georgia were able to see beneath the surface of each other and get past their prejudices. Certainly those who know Western European history know that the animosity between Irish and English was of long standing, even in the 19th century. Yet these two people began to see the worth they each possessed as human beings. When Roderick began to regain his memory that is when the %^&* hit the fan for these two. Yet there are some surprises which sort of came out of left field for me when it came to finding a resolution so that these two people were able to be together because it really looked like these two didn't have the chance of an iceberg in hell to finding their way to one another.

There's lots of humor and some really funny dialogue in this book. The Irish have such a wonderful way of telling it like it is and Georgia is the quintessential Irish-American woman who really knows the score and has found a way to survive the hardships immigrant peoples faced in this "land of the free." And while this book is massively entertaining it is also a commentary on the reality of the class structure, both in New York as well as in London. We have all heard that one cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Perhaps this novel shows us how.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5

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

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

Guest Review: Tamed by a Highlander by Paula Quinn

2012-01-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

Tracy’s review of Tamed by a Highlander (Children of the Mist #3) by Paula Quinn

A LOVER'S PROMISE

Connor Grant left his first love in the Highlands, vowing to return after serving in the king's army. Seven years later, he is still fighting for the crown, and his victories are legendary-both in the battlefield and in the bedroom. Yet he's never forgotten his bonnie lass. And he certainly never expected to see her amidst the splendor of the British royal court: beautiful, breathtaking, and tempting him past the point of no return.

A LADY'S DESTINY

The night he left, Mairi MacGregor banished Connor from her life forever. Now her heart belongs only to Scotland. As part of a secret alliance, she journeys to London in search of information . . . only to find herself face to face with the one man she swore she'd never trust again. Though Mairi's body still craves Connor's touch, she can't forgive his betrayal. But a traitor lurks in their midst and to protect her beloved Highlands, Mairi must make a leap of faith and join forces with Connor-even if it means losing her heart to him again.

Mairi MacGregor is in England for King James’s coronation. She wants to leave before Connor Grant returns because the last thing she wants to do is see the man she one loved again. She hates the man with a passion for betraying her love when she was but 15 years old.

Connor has loved Mairi for what seems his whole life. When he left the Highlands he begged Mairi to leave with him but she refused. His many letters home still begged but all Mairi told him was to never come back. Heartbroken Connor threw himself into his service to the king and tried to live the best he could. Now that he’s seen his one and only love once again he wants nothing more than to be with her in every sense of the word. But loves path never runs easy and they end up having more obstacles than ever to be together.

I have really liked all of Paula Quinn’s books and once I open them I never have a problem getting right into the stories and wanting more, more, more. This book was not like that. Mairi made me want to dive through the pages, slap her upside the head and do her some damage for being such a pig-headed woman. I seriously considered putting the book down and not picking it back up. As I was putting the book down I argued with myself. I thought – you know, Quinn hasn’t ever let me down before, maybe I should give the book more time (granted I was already 100 pages in but whatever). I decided to keep reading and let me say that I’m glad I did.

Mairi felt betrayed by Connor. They had sworn there love for each other and then he went off and left her. I understand how she might be heartbroken but she was so stubborn she never had faith in Connor and told him to just never come home. Connor wanted to make Mairi happy and so stayed away – in the meantime making himself miserable. Mairi’s heartbreak turned to hate over the years and this is what really got me. I understand heartbreak and loneliness and feeling betrayed but for that to turn so strongly in to what she considered hate was just beyond me. Dislike the guy? Sure. But hate? IDK it just didn’t set well with me. Now Mairi truly didn’t hate him but if Connor hadn’t decided that enough was enough she might have gone through her life being a miserable sod.

Connor was a romantic. He was just a big beefy guy that had the equivalent of hearts and rainbows coming out of every orifice but damn, it worked for him. I think what I loved most about him was that he loved everything about Mairi, despite her surliness. In fact when she was a spitfire it made him smile. He didn’t like her fighting but what man wants to see the woman he loves hurt in a battle? None I know.

During all of the romance there was some political intrigue going on and while my knowledge of English royalty is kinda sketchy I was able to follow along just fine. (Luckily I was a bit familiar with King James and his issues). The romance is definitely the key in this book even with the politics swimming around in the background. Connor and Mairi had a tough road but it all worked in the end. I really liked the book and would definitely recommend it.

Rating: 4 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

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

Book Confessions: All Sexed Out

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I read About That Night by Julie James. James writes sexy contemporary romances. Her characters are strong and her dialogue is some of the most witty I've read in contemporary romance. I love her books. I'd recommend them to anyone looking for strong, smart characters, witty dialogue and a sexy story.

Notice I used the word "sexy" to describe her books? They are. Very sexy. But you know what? There isn't a lot of sex in her books. In Just the Sexiest Man Alive, her debut, there was no sex at all. It was alluded to at the end, but that's it. Everything was off scene. In her following releases, Practice Makes Perfect, Something About You and A Lot Like Love, there's some sex A few scenes and that's it. About That Night was a little spicier, but pretty tame by romance standards today. And you know, I still find her books sexy. As a matter of fact, I think her stories are stronger for it.

Listen, I like sex as much as the next girl. Maybe even more than. But I'm tired of sex in my romance. Yes, I said it. I'm tired of sex in romance. Or, to be more exact, I'm tired of too much sex in my romance. 90% of the novels I read have more sex than story. Lately I find myself skimming those scenes, if not flat out skipping them altogether. And you know what I've realized? If you take out the sex, there often isn't much left.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying I want to go back to the fade-to-black novels of yore - but is it too much to ask for a little romance with my sex?

What do you think? Are you tried of having all lovin and no story? Or am I off my rocker?

Review: How To Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Holly's review of How To Dance with a Duke (Ugly Ducklings, Book 1) by Manda Collins

What’s a wallflower to do when she’s suddenly in need of a husband? Use all the pluck and moxie she can muster to get what she wants…

Miss Cecily Hurston would much rather explore the antiquities of Egypt than the uncharted territory of marriage. But the rules of her father’s exclusive academic society forbid her entrance unless she weds one of its members. To clear her ailing father’s name of a scandalous rumor, Cecily needs to gain admission into the Egyptian Club—and is willing to marry any old dullard to do it.

Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson, is anything but dull. He’s a dashing and decorated war hero determined to help Cecily—even if that means looking the other way when she claims the dance card of Amelia Snow, this season’s most sought-after beauty. But Lucas has a reason for wanting Cecily to join the Egyptian Club: His brother went missing during one of Lord Hurston’s expeditions to Egypt. An alliance with the explorer’s bluestocking daughter could bring Lucas closer to the truth about what happened…or it could lead him to a more dangerous love than either he or Cecily could have imagined…

This was an ok read. I enjoyed the pace of the story once I got past the first few chapters. Cecily bothered me quite a bit with her "act first, think never" attitude. I understand wanting to have your opinion valued. I even understand wanting to be in control if your own life. I do not, however, understand stupid actions that place you in danger at every turn. Her insistance that she be included in every aspect of the investigation bordered on the ridiculous at times. When she wasn't insisting that she should could take care of herself, she was pushing Lucas away to save herself heartbreak. Again, I understand self-preservation. But it got old after awhile.

Lucas was definitely the stronger character. He was suffering the loss of his brother and the need to find out what happened to him, but he still did his best to take care of those around him. As the son of a vicar (he was never meant to inherit), his principles were simple and attractive. It isn't very often that we find a duke who has morals and values. His fascination with Cecily was easy to understand, since she was the only girl in London who wasn't interested in him because of his title. I think part of the reason I was so frustrated with Cecily was because I came to care for Lucas very much. I wanted her to value him as much as he valued her.

Aside from the heroine, I enjoyed the story. I liked the premise. That the story didn't revolved around fully around the ton was a point in its favor. Collins relied a little heavily on certain stereotypes, but as a light read it worked. In the end I believed in Cecily and Lucas as a couple and wanted to see them settle in happily ever after.

I won't be rereading this anytime soon, but I do plan to read the other books in the series.

3.5/5

The series:

This book is available from St. Martin's Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Guest Review: One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

Judith's review of One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns

Peppa Grant's fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she's also heard that he's aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company's annual party...but he's also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family's holiday get-together, she agrees.

Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron's only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way—or will he give love a second chance?

One of the first questions that came to mind when I was reading this story was "What's this guy got against Christmas?" It seemed obvious from the beginning that Mr. McSexy, the CEO whose reputation was a "playing the field" kind of guy, was a person who caved in to his family's insistence that he be a part of their family Christmas observances with not a lot of grace. He made little if any attempt to even pretend he was glad to be present. Getting a date was a ploy to get his family off his back so that their efforts to move him beyond what was obviously a traumatic experience in his past wasn't even a pleasant experience. I didn't get the impression that this was a man who experienced any joy in his life.

And then there was Peppa--Penelope to most people and Peppa to her closest friends--who was a woman whose fiance had hurt her deeply. Not filled with a great deal of self-esteem, Peppa was shocked when the owner of a car she plowed into turned out to be her boss's car--the infamous Mr. McSexy himself. Her lack of auto insurance--her company has just gone belly up the day before the accident--put her at the mercy of a man who had plenty of money to fix his own car but saw her difficulty as an opportunity to coerce her into being his "pretend date" at his family's Christmas bash. I also had to wonder about a woman who continued to date a man whose immediate message was "get involved with me at your own risk--I'm don't ever hang around for very long." Sure there was a powerful attraction there for both of them, but I think it was a testimony to the sorry state of things emotionally for both these people who were willing to try to calm their inner demons or fill those ever-present emotional holes with temporary romantic connections that meant little if anything. The really sad part about the story? It meant something to both of them but their past trauma clouded the issues.

This is NOT your usual "happily ever after" and Santa Claus Miracle kind of story. There is genuine pain here, carried around in hearts that are numb and hurting, accompanied by serious efforts to mask the pain with an "I don't need anyone longterm" exterior. It hurts to watch these two trying to find their way, not only to one another, but through the morass of hurt and disappointment within. The writing was well done and the tension between these two didn't seem to let up at any place in the story. That can be wearing in some ways, but it is also a testimony to the quality of writing at kept the edge sharp and well-honed throughout. In many ways this is truly a holiday tale but it is also very much a situation that could exist at any point in either one's life or during any time period. I thought it was very good and enjoyed reading it.

I give it a rating of 4 out of 5

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

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

Monthly Reads: December 2011.

2012-01-21T09:00:00.001-08:00

We're crazy late getting this up. We all forgot about it. Maybe one day we'll get caught up.

Rowena: December was a hurry up and get as many books read as possible month for me so that I could finish on top of my reading goal and I barely made it. But here's what I read in the month of December:

Hushed by Kelley York
Blind Dates and Other Disasters by Ally Blake, Fiona Harper and Barbara Hannay
Every Other Day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Geek Girl by Cindy C. Bennett
The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James
Sign Language by Amy Ackler
Trouble at the Wedding by Laura Lee Guhrke
Secrets by Freya North
Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant
Scrumptious by Amanda Usen
Ditched by Robin Mellom
First Date by Krista McGee
All I Want Is You by Sherrill Bodine
The Whole Story of Half a Girl by Veera Hiranandani
The Darlings in Love by Melissa Kantor
Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark

My favorite romance read of December goes to The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James. It was such a fun, steamy romance and I really enjoyed it. I loved the hero, the heroine rocked and the happy ending was cute so what's not to love? An honorable mention goes out to Scrumptious by Amanda Usen. I enjoyed that story as well and loved the behind the scenes in the kitchen. I'm really looking forward to more books by her.

Holly: December was another slow reading month. I just couldn't focus on any of the books I picked up. It was kind of depressing. I read 7.5 books.

A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean 5/5
Holiday Kisses: A Holiday Romance Collection by Shannon Stacey 4/5
His Bonnie Bride by Hannah Howell (re-read) 4.5/5
How To Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins 3.75/5
The Husband Hunt by Lynsay Sands 2.75/5
Guardian of Honor by Robin D. Owens 3/5
Any given Christmas by Candis Terry 2.75/5
Sorceress of Faith by Robin D. Owens DNF

My favorite read of the month was hands down A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean. My least favorite read of the month was Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry. The heroine drove me absolutely crazy and I hated how the town blamed the hero for everything.

This month, we're giving away:
A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean (pre-order)
The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James

If you want to be entered to win, leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite - and least favorite - reads of the month were. Also, be sure to tell us what book you're interested in reading. You can put your name in for more than one book, but you'll only be allowed to win one, so choose wisely.

So...what was your favorite read of the month? And your least favorite?

What Are You Reading? 1-20-12

2012-01-20T16:30:00.000-08:00

Holly: One of my reading goals for 2012 is to clear out my TBR pile. Because I've mostly been off paranormal and historical, that's what makes up the bulk of my TBR. I also have a ton of free download for my Nook I want to get through. I started on those this week.

But first I had to read About That Night by Julie James (I keep wanting to type After the Night). It's possible she's my favorite contemporary author. Or in the top 5, at least. ATN was another fabulous read. This is another one I'll be adding to the "will re-read, ad nauseum" pile.

Aside from reading that one ~~three times~~, I also read a couple short stories. Foreplay and Zane's Tale by Jill Myles (both are available as free reads). I'm now going to have to read the Succubus Diaries. I'd been avoiding it because I didn't wan to start another series, but I'm too intrigued not to now. I also read Snaring the Huntress by Sylvia Day(also free). I need to check to see if that's part of a series or if she has other books out set in that world. I really enjoyed it.

Today I read Wicked Games by Jill Myles. What a fun story. I zipped right through it. The jumping-to-conclusions sort of bugged at the end, but I was fully sucked into the story from page one. Great read. I also read Ghosts of Boyfriends Past by Vivi Andrews. I really need to read more of her books. I haven't been disappointed yet. GoBP was a really fun, light read.

Rowena: This week I started a bunch of books but stopped reading them all when I got Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson in the mail. I love Rachel Gibson's stuff and tonight is the night when I finish the entire thing. So that's what I'm reading: Rescue Me by Rachel Gibson.

What are you reading?