Judith's review of Necessary Line by Jane O'Roarke

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Judith's review of Necessary Line by Jane O'Roarke

Kaida Petrovic left Sarajevo, looking for a better life for her family. She never expected to find herself kidnapped, her brother missing, and her life turned upside down by not one, but two, amazing men. What's a girl to do? Love them both?

Before meeting Kaida, NFL teammates, Jett Tupuo and Leo Sullivan, had played well together, on and off the field. Saving the girl and winning the Super Bowl was the easy part. Figuring how two alpha males could love the same woman, without killing each other, that was the kicker. 

It is a well-accepted belief that professional athletes really, really enjoy their money off the field as much if not more than they do playing the game for which they are paid so much.  That fact has been reinforced in fiction as well as in the news media time and again.  So it is not surprise that our heroes, Jett Tupuo and Leo Sullivan, both teammates on a winning NFL team that is nearly to the play-offs and destined for the Super Bowl, are playing hard in a downtown hotel suite--these two as well as another teammate, making a total of three football players--all of them enjoying a willing woman.  That's right--one woman, and it is upon this scene that Kaida (pronounced Kadja) happens upon as she is finishing her day's work as one of the hotel maids.  This is her last room and she wants to get it done and go home.  Hearing no response to her brief knock, she opens the door with her passkey and this is what she finds.  Rather than being immediately shocked, Kaida is mesmerized by the scene before her, and curiously, the "players" don't notice her at first until she quietly apologizes and begins backing out of the door.  

Now  here's where the story begins to get really interesting for me:  Kaida is tired, lines of weariness etched on her face, her hair is less than neat, and any make-up she might have started out with is gone.  Yet when Jett and Leo spy her backing out of their room, they immediately lose interest in their female playmate and the attention is riveted on Kaida.  She sees them following her and she runs like heck!!  Immediately she is thrown back into the scenario she faced many times when being pursued by the enemy soldiers in Sarajevo--the many times she was caught and raped--and being chased by two hulking NFL players seemed so familiar.  They are determined to find her and find her they did--bloody and broken on her apartment floor just minutes after being brutally beaten by the drug lord minions who are seeking her 16 year old brother.  He has become involved with a gang that serve as "runners" for this drug lord, and Brother-dear has absconded with a drug delivery and is now missing.  Jett and Leo pick her up, admit her to a hospital and keep watch over her--men from whom she ran and who she doesn't know from Adam.  And when they aren't looking, she signs herself out of the hospital and runs away again.  This lady's history is getting in their way, or at least that is how they see it.

Suffice it to say that Jett and Leo do eventually convince Kaida that she is no longer safe in her apartment, that they will add their connections and resources to the task of finding her brother, and put her mother in a retirement community where she is happy as a clam.  They also convince her to enter into an affair with them both, although the friendship between Jett and Leo is strained for a time.  Whose woman is she, anyway?  But Kaida's past hurts and her fear of being abused keep her from trusting and it is a long haul ahead of her in that department.  On the flip side of things, Jett and Leo struggle also.  They are beginning to believe that they are falling in love with Kaida, but that love is competing with their love of football and performing in the professional games.  Somehow they realize that they are going to have to make a choice about who will come firsts with them:  Kaida and her safety and well-being, or professional football.

I found this short novel to be incredibly well-written and so very poorly edited.  I know a few of my former high school English students who could have done a better job, and if Ms O'Roarke paid someone or the publisher paid someone to edit and correct, they did NOT get their money's worth.  As I look back on the reading experience, though, I found that the obvious sloppy handling of this story grew less and less important as I got into the tale and began to feel a connection of sorts with the characters.  (This empathy I feel for fictional characters has always been a mixed bag for me and one of the reasons that when a character is too strong, it really wrings me out emotionally.)  I could almost feel Kaida's shyness and reticence when she attended her first NFL game and got sort of "worked over" by some of the other players' wives and/or girlfriends.  No wonder she refused to ever go to another one.  Her brother's enemies haven't gone away, either, and it is quite a joy to see Kaida's inner strength which has been forged in the hell of war to not fail her when they come after again.  Add in Jett's former college roommate who is not in Navy espionage as a SEAL along with some of his cronies, and you have a full cast of characters who jump off the page and make this a massively entertaining read.

Apart from the obvious difficulties with the text, this is a fun read.  It is stand alone although there is a sequel that has also been published.  This novel came out in the Spring of 2010, but it is new to me.  I am delighted to have found it and want to read the sequel as soon as possible.  It is published by a publisher previously unknown to me, but I celebrate so  many of these smaller, newer publishing houses that make really good stories available to us by such good authors as Ms O'Roarke.  I hope you will take the time to acquire this story.  Enjoy!!

Rating: 4 out of 5

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


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

Judith's review of His Five Favorite Lines by Gina Gordon

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Judith's review of His Five Favorite Lines by Gina Gordon

Jordan hasn't been able to stop thinking about Becca since their steamy encounter in the elevator. He is determined to have her again but when she shoots down his proposition, Jordan decides to get creative. But over the course of the week, Jordan realizes it isn't only sex that holds his interest and with every pick-up line the stakes get higher. This time, Jordan is playing for keeps.

This is truly a short story--a quickie read--and one that is really a lot of fun.  We have all heard about pick-up lines, and many have experienced them as well.  Our tale begins with the main characters having already had their erotic, sexy encounter in an elevator that got stuck.  (This encounter is the subject of the first story in this series: Her Five Favorite Words.   Becca is one of those people who gets claustrophobic and the hugs and kisses that morphed into another kind of togetherness were initially an attempt to prevent an all-out panic attack.  Jordan is definitely wanting more.  So he decides to use the five pick-up lines that have worked for him.

Becca is the kind of woman who backs up from emotional and sexual experiences and analyses--often to the ultimate death of a relationship.  Yet, Jordan is a persistent guy, and each day he finds a way to intercept her on the way to work--in the coffee shop, at the entrance to the elevators, waiting at the elevator on her floor, etc.  Does it work?  Well, that is the core of the story.

This little literary snack is one of those that can be enjoyed with your lunch, or a few minutes in the evening waiting for the microwave entre to cook, or some other short span of time in a day's routine.  It is about two people who came together under unusual circumstances and are finding it hard to normalize their relationship, understanding rightly that one sexual encounter does not provide adequate foundation for anything other than, perhaps, an opportunity to get to know each other better in other ways.  I am not really a fan of short stories unless they are extremely well-written.  I found that this little piece was really quite adequate to tell the story and to not rush the characters through to a conclusion.  This is the second in a series of little stories having the number "five" in their title and it will be fascinating to see how this series plays out and how these two move on in their relationship.

I found this little story to be vastly entertaining.  It is cute and interesting and I recommend it.  I give this rating a 3.75 out of 5, mostly because of its shorter length than any other factor.

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

Tracy’s review of Addicted to You by Bethany Kane

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Tracy’s review of Addicted to You by Bethany Kane

Once, film director Rill Pierce's raw sexuality and sultry Irish accent made women weak with desire. But a tragedy has left him barely recognizable. Leave it to Katie Hughes, his best friend's sister, to bring him back to life with her own pent-up passions. But will Rill's insatiable attraction to Katie heal his pain-or just feed the darkness within him?

Rill’s wife died 2 years ago and since then he’s been holed up in Vulture’s Canyon, Illinois. He’s been drinking himself silly and generally being a hermit while he deals with his own thoughts.

Katie Hughes shows up in Vulture’s Canyon for many different reasons – the main one to try and “help” or “save” Rill from this black hole he’s in. She’s also trying to find a bit of herself as the life she’s living isn’t one that’s making her happy. Besides that – she’s been in love with Rill for years but as his dead wife was her best friend she obviously never made a move.

Rill is completely un-thrilled with Katie being there and tells her to leave more than once but does he really want her to leave? Not really. He thinks that he’s doing her a favor by trying to make her leave because he thinks of himself as an sexual deviant that’s barely in control. But Katie’s more than ready to take on Rill and all he has to offer. The relationship with Rill is tumultuous at first but soon they become close and Katie finds herself falling even deeper in love with Rill. Katie’s not sure though, how Rill feels about her and where, if anywhere, their relationship will go.

I really enjoyed this first read by Bethany Kane. This was definitely my kind of erotic romance: great sex scenes as well as great story.

Rill, the poor guy, was totally messed up. He had discovered things about his wife after she died that sent him into a tailspin. Besides that he was just certain he was a chip off the old block in the sex dept. His mother went from man to man to man and his uncles were total skirt chasers among many other things. He had a hard time thinking about what he could become if he let himself go sexually and frankly had never snapped the leash, so to speak, with his wife. Then along comes Katie. She’s gorgeous and a spitfire and not afraid to take Rill on.

Katie hated her job in Hollywood and though she heads to Illinois to help Rill she’s also looking inward and trying to find out what she really wants out of life when it comes to her career. The people of Vulture’s Canyon look on her suspiciously because of where she’s from and the car she drives, but they help her work out many issues – including one that helps with her future job. I loved how Kane worked the townspeople into the story and how they helped Katie. It seemed like a typical small town but it really was so much more.

Overall this was a fun, sexy, somewhat emotional read that definitely made me want to read more of Kane’s work.

Rating: 4 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place



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

Judith's review of Vanish In Plain Sight by Marta Perry

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Judith's review of Vanish In Plain Sight by Marta Perry.

Since she was a little girl, Marisa Angelo has been haunted by the image of her mother walking away, suitcase in hand, to return to her Amish roots.  Marisa and her "Englischer" father never saw or heard from her again. Now Marisa has received a shocking call from police. Her mother's bloodstained suitcase was found hidden inside the wall of a Pennsylvania Dutch farmhouse.

Desperate for answers, Marisa heads to Lancaster County. But no one—not the police or Marisa's tight-lipped Amish relatives—can explain what happened to her mother.  Only one man is as determined as Marisa to unravel the mystery—Link Morgan, the handsome ex-military loner who found the suitcase in the house he inherited from his uncle. Now both Link's and Marisa's family members are implicated in the decades-old disappearance.

The secret lies somewhere in the quaint Amish settlement. But someone will do anything to ensure the truth remains hidden forever.

The is the second novel in the Amish Suspense series Ms Perry recently began and like the first novel, Murder on Plain Sight, this story brings the Amish Traditions and culture in direct clash with the outside world characterized as "English."  Link Morgan, brother of one of the main characters in the first novel, has now found an old suitcase that is fully packed and looks as if someone was ready to travel.  When the case was opened it was discovered that it was the suitcase of Barbara Angelo, a woman who had left the Amish faith to marry Russell Angelo and to live in the English world.  It is well-known that she left her husband and left behind her child, a daughter her friends admit she felt to be her greatest delight.  Now that same daughter is grown and will leave no stone unturned to discover not only more about why her mother left but her present whereabouts.  Only one problem:  the people she knew best, her Amish relatives and friends, are totally unwilling to speak with her or share anything they remember about her mother as a person or why she might have left home and family.

This is another wonderful and complicated Marta Perry creation complete with loving and family-oriented people, a deep sense of the value of friends and loved ones, as well as individuals who seem to be a bit "off" in the negative sense.  There is also the sad and poignant figure of Link Morgan who has recently returned from Iraq and a long convalescence after severe war wounds.  His deep sense of failure in keeping his war buddies alive permeates his relationships with his family and his new friendship with Marisa Angelo, yet he is thrown together with her repeatedly because of their mutual need to solve the mystery of her mother's suitcase and disappearance.  Link's mother made a significant appearance in the first novel and she is still that warm and caring mother-figure that inspired the characters in both stories to seek truth as well as find their true selves in the searching.  There are clues throughout this book that point one way or another and the reader will not easily discern the solution of the mystery.  This is not an erotic tale but it is filled with the kind of loving that inspires everyone to see the value in all kinds of relationships from the initial loving touch of a mother to the deep and abiding friendships that enrich anyone's life who is privileged to be blessed with such.

Link and Marissa have continuing difficulties largely because he is constantly fighting his attraction to her and because her persistence is an on-going irritation to him.  He has his goals and his life course set before him, but as she drags him away from his tasks to explore solutions to the mystery, he must face the long-term effects that his determination to leave home and family behind.  While his mother keeps her counsel most of the time, Link's brother is not so reticent and he is chafed and rubbed raw emotionally, little realizing that he is doing all this to himself. 

This is one of those kinds of reads that merges romance with mystery and brings the best of both to the reader.  Ms Perry's novels are always studies in the clashes of culture, the inner workings of people's minds and feelings, and the waxing and waning of relationships.  It is so true in this story.  It is the kind of book that inspires even as it meets head-on many of the prejudices we "English" have about the Amish and their life.  As one who grew up in surroundings rich in the Amish influences of Eastern Pennsylvania, Ms Perry has brought her knowledge as well as her admiration of the Amish ways to bear in her stories.  Readers would do well to pay attention as she gives readers the opportunities to know better these unique and delightful people, from their way of speaking to their sense of community that goes so far beyond what most Americans have ever experienced.

This was another very satisfying reading experience for me and I found I enjoyed that sense of connection with the first novel in this series.  While both are stand alone stories, they compliment each other.  I also liked the fact that the Morgans figured prominently in both books.  They are people I would have liked to know in real life.  The culmination of Link and Marissa's attraction was somewhat speedy at the end of the book, but I have the feeling that readers will be able to follow their story as it unfolds in coming books in the series.

I give this novel a 4.5 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.

Title: The Probability Of Miracles Author: Wendy Wunder

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Title:  The Probability Of Miracles
Author:  Wendy Wunder
Release date:  December 8, 2011

Dry, sarcastic, sixteen-year-old Cam Cooper has spent the last seven years in and out hospitals. The last thing she wants to do in the short life she has left is move 1,500 miles away to Promise, Maine - a place known for the miraculous events that occur there. But it's undeniable that strange things happen in Promise: everlasting sunsets; purple dandelions; flamingoes in the frigid Atlantic; an elusive boy named Asher; and finally, a mysterious envelope containing a list of things for Cam to do before she dies. As Cam checks each item off the list, she finally learns to believe - in love, in herself, and even in miracles.

I think this book sounds absolutely wonderful.  I have not read any reviews for it yet but I kind of like not knowing what to expect from it.  It is also a debut novel which I love.  I cannot wait to check this one out.

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Holly's review of Delaney's Shadow by Ingrid Weaver

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Holly's review of Delaney's Shadow by Ingrid Weaver

A gripping story of romantic suspense that ventures beyond the passion of the heart and into the desires of the mind...

ONE CANNOT REMEMBER...

Years ago, seven-year-old John Maxwell Harrison saved little Delaney Wainright from drowning, forging a psychic bond that would endure for years. For Delaney, Max became her childhood "imaginary friend." Now she needs Max more than ever after her wealthy husband is killed in a car accident that she can't recall.

ONE CANNOT FORGET...

After enduring a brutal childhood and unjust imprisonment, Max is a recluse who pours his anger into his art. When Delaney reestablishes their bond, he takes advantage and becomes her fantasy lover, driving Delaney to the edge of madness. But by the time Delaney realizes Max is real, it may already be too late. Because someone is trying to kill her.

BOTH MUST OVERCOME...

Reunited, they will have to embrace the undeniable love that has intertwined their destinies if they are to unlock Delaney's memory -- and uncover a dark specter from the past who will not stop until they both are broken.

These days I don't read a lot of romantic suspense. I have a few favorite authors I still read, but I rarely pick up a new-to-me romantic suspense. My problem is I think too much to read and enjoy RS. I can't get over the "Super Security Specialist does nothing Super to protect little womenz from threats because he's too busy humping her leg every 5 seconds" trope. Or the "we're in the jungle with bad guys surrounding us with guns but OMG I NEED TO DO YOU RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW" trope.

Even more than that, though, I can't get over the little, tiny, seemingly-unimportant details no other readers seem to notice. Like common sense things or police procedural things or OMG WHY ARE YOU SO FREAKING STUPID things.

So it was with trepidation that I picked this one up. I honestly only meant to skim it a bit, and before I knew it I was halfway through. The pace of the novel was pretty quick and I enjoyed the paranormal aspects. The idea that two kids could connect mentally after a near-death experience and maintain that connection for life was interesting. The way they connected and the experiences they had mentally were also interesting.

Less interesting was the way the hero constantly felt the need to "punish" the heroine because she thought he didn't exist. Delaney had no memory of them actually meeting, so she always assumed Max was her imaginary friend. Max felt betrayed when she left him as a child (she grew up and therefore no longer needed her imaginary friend). Now that she's back and reconnecting with him, he resents the intrusion. He also resents that she's using him to regain her memory from the night her husband died in an accident - one she was severely injured in as well.

Delaney thinks she's "conjured up" here imaginary friend as a way for her subconscious to work through her repressed memories and the trauma she suffered at the death of her husband. This makes for some amusing scenes in the beginning. She thinks she's going insane because she's attracted to her imaginary friend. Not to mention she's an adult who has an imaginary friend. I kept snickering.

But once Max realizes she only wants to "use" him to find her repressed memories, my amusement faded. He then decides to "use" her right back. The problem? Delaney didn't know he was a real person. Why would she? She wasn't much more than a toddler when they met in person, and that only happened once. Since then the only interactions they had were mental ones - imaginary ones. So..why was he so angry with her? Why was he so bent on teaching her a lesson? That made no sense to me.

The romance was well done when the story focused on just the two of them together - without Max's thoughts of revenge. It was obvious they cared for each other and understood each other well. Delaney wanted to help and comfort Max just as much as he wanted to help and comfort her. Even though they only had a mental connection for much of the book, they're feelings for one another were believable. I believed in that aspect of their relationship.

The mystery plot wasn't much of a mystery. I figured out early on who was behind the attacks on the heroine and others. What I did find interesting was the way she uncovered her memories and her connection to the hero. I was bothered by how sweet and compassionate she was. She just had to see the good in everyone. She was naive and sweet and oh so good. That was frustrating.

There was a lot here that bothered me, but for all that I enjoyed much of the story. I look forward to reading the second book.

3.5/5

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

Mary's review of DEAD ON DELIVERY (A Messenger Novel) by Eileen Rendahl

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Mary's review of DEAD ON DELIVERY (A Messenger Novel) by Eileen Rendahl

When a delivery leads to a dead man, Melina's cop boyfriend, Ted Goodnight, starts grilling her about her latest job. But Melina doesn't know who sent the package or what was in it. That's not the way she works. What she does know—and Ted doesn't—is that this isn't the first time this has happened…

There are two men who have bitten the dust after a delivery from Melina. As she tries to put together the pieces of this puzzle, she discovers that the two victims share common friends, common unexplained absences and a common crime. Now, dark forces from the local community have been unleashed, drawing Melina into the web of a powerful woman, her voodoo and her vengeance…

Let me just put it out there that voodoo freaks me out. I'm not sure what it is except that it seems more real for some reason. Which is why I completely love it in my books—it adds to the creepy factor. In this book, it's all about putting the voodoo on someone.

DEAD ON DELIVERY is the second in the Messenger series and the main character, Melina's finally hitting her stride. She's figured out what it is to be a Messenger and how to fit it into her life, she's taken on a young Messenger-in-training, and she's got herself a nice boyfriend. So why can't she just do her job and not stick her nose into things that aren't her concern?

Well, it could be that guys are dropping dead shortly after she gives them a package. And, because she's duty-bound to deliver the packages, she feels duty-bound to figure out what's killing them. It could also be that she's a suspect and she wants to clear her name. Personally, I think she's just nosey and isn't completely satisfied with just dumping a package with someone, especially when bad things happen to them.

Poor Ted, Melina's cop boyfriend. He tries to understand Melina but he really wants to play the manly protector and she frustrates him at every turn by denying him the chance. She keeps him in the dark, despite his best efforts. The connection and interactions between them are…strange. Melina's not good at relationships (this one with Ted is her first adult relationship ever) and seems to be pushing him away. He's hanging in there, putting up with her odd life and strange acquaintances but unless she changes, at least, opens up a bit more and shares both feelings and her life with him, I don't see him sticking around for too much longer. Although, they are pretty hot in the bedroom…Many guys will stay for that. For a little while, anyway.

Melina's a strong character with a ton of flaws, flaws that she's working on. I truly dislike "perfect" characters, the ones who never learn from their mistakes and the ones who can't see when they're totally messing up. Melina's the type who will learn from what goes wrong in her life but she's not so great about asking people for help, which lands her in even more trouble (Don't you love when the author tortures her characters like that? Yep, me, too.).

DEAD ON DELIVERY delivers the action (Sorry, I couldn't help it. Bad puns rock.) and mystery but falls a bit short when it comes to the romance aspect. Not that I was expecting Melina and Ted to go hot and heavy every other page but a bit more romance and relationship development would have been good. Melina's an interesting character with a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing what shows up on Melina's doorstep in the next Messenger installment.

Rating: 4.0/5.0


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

Book: Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) Author: Sarah Mlynowski

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Book: Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)
Author:  Sarah Mlynowski
Release date:  June 7, 2011
Publisher:  HarperTeen
Pages:  368
Source:  BEA

2 girls + 3 guys + 1 house – parents = 10 things April and her friends did that they (definitely, maybe, probably) shouldn't have.

If given the opportunity, what sixteen-year-old wouldn't jump at the chance to move in with a friend and live parent-free? Although maybe "opportunity" isn't the right word, since April had to tell her dad a tiny little untruth to make it happen (see #1: "Lied to Our Parents"). But she and her housemate Vi are totally responsible and able to take care of themselves. How they ended up "Skipping School" (#3), "Throwing a Crazy Party" (#8), "Buying a Hot Tub" (#4), and, um, "Harboring a Fugitive" (#7) at all is kind of a mystery to them.

I had heard good things about this book before reading it so I started it expecting to love it.  I definitely did!  It was cute, funny, wonderfully written, and full of awesome characters.  I think I may have to check out Sarah Mlynowksi's other books now.

April does not want to move to Cleveland in the middle of her junior year.  She has friends, a great boyfriend, and a good life in Westport.  She refuses to leave so she comes up with a plan.  She will live with her friend Vi and her mom.  That would be perfect if Vi's mom was going to be there.  April refuses to give up though and in the end she ends up moving in with Vi with no parents and her dad not knowing.  It seems like a perfect plan except April and Vi end up doing quite a few things that they shouldn't.  And without parents, how do they get out of the messes they make?

This book was so funny!  That was one of the main things that made me love it so much.  It definitely had some serious stuff going on but April and her friends always managed to make it hilarious. This book was seriously laugh out loud funny and it was just what I needed for a summer day!

I truly enjoyed all the characters in the book.  April was very easy to like and sympathize with.  Vi was crazy and the perfect housemate.  Marissa was very sweet and a great best friend.  Lucy was creepy and a bit stalkerish but she grew on me.  Noah was cute.  Hudson was sexy and sweet.  Dean was crazy and very funny.  I could go on and on about these guys.  They are like the ideal friend group.  Even the cat, Doughnut, had personality. =)

My one warning about Ten Things We Did is that it is not for younger teens.  There is a lot of talk about sex and STDs and doing illegal things.  I do think it was all done tastefully though so older teens can enjoy it.  It was very realistic.

Overall, Ten Things We Did came out just in time to read over the summer. If you have a day to read by the pool I recommend getting a copy of this one.  Or if it's a rainy day.  Or any day really!

First line:  I bolted awake.

Rating:  A

Cover:  A

The Third Miss Symons by Flora MacDonald Mayor is an odd little book

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The Third Miss Symons by Flora MacDonald Mayor is an odd little book. In 88 pages, it sums up the life of Miss Henrietta Symons, the third daughter of cold, child-hating parents. Not only do her parents not like kids but they especially do not like Etta. She isn't pretty or charming or agreeable like the other children. She's plain and peevish. They make their feelings very obvious. This makes Etta a bit nutty, as you can imagine. She clings to anyone who shows her any affection which only ends up driving them away from her. She feels every emotion more than other people, including anger and jealousy.

Having sisters should be a blessing, right? Ah, no. She's always the third wheel. When she finds a guy who likes her, her sister steals him away just for kicks. Yeah, the siblings are as lovely as the parents. She never gets over it. She turns very bitter. As an old lady spinster, she travels all over Europe but she takes no pleasure in it. She's only killing time. 

So, it doesn't sound like a thrilling story and I admit I had some difficulties with it at times. I wobbled between feeling sorry for Etta and annoyed with her. If only she tried to be more likable, she might have had a better life. She can't get out of her own way. But she is what she is and in a time when a woman had to be charming and adorable, you have to admire her curmudgeonly ways. And... I hate to admit it but I see a bit of myself in Etta. I'm not one of those people who others just gravitate towards and want to be friends with. I also have my curmudgeonly moments. 

I don't think this will be a book for everyone but I thought it was interesting. It is beautifully written. Henrietta is a character I will be thinking about for a long time.

I read this free from Girlebooks.

Ratings:

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Rowena's review of Insatiable by Meg Cabot.

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Rowena's review of Insatiable by Meg Cabot.

Hero:
Heroine: Meena Harper

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.
But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.

Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.)

But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future…

If she even has one.

I've been looking forward to reading this book for some time now but I just never got around to reading it. I've fixed that and while I did enjoy it, it took some really digging into this story before I actually started enjoying it.
This story follows Meena Harper, a young woman who can tell how a person is going to die. Meena is a writer for a soap opera that just got passed up for a promotion and she's a little pissed about it. She can't believe that she missed the promotion to the laziest person on the staff. To make matters worst, Shoshana (the lazy girl who got promoted) wants to write in a vampire story which pisses Meena off even more because how stupid is that? Vampires aren't real and they're only doing the vampire storyline to compete with the other network who's got a popular vampire storyline of their own.

In an effort to forget about everything, Meena takes off for home where she lives with her unemployed brother but when she gets home and she gets invited to a house party her nosy neighbor is throwing, Meena really doesn't want to go. She doesn't even care that a real live (haha) Prince is going to be there. After some talking with her brother, she caves and goes, not knowing that this party was going to change her life forever. I say this because she came across a man who saved her from a group of pissed of bats that were trying to eat her alive and that same man is at the party she goes to and is the guest of honor.

Prince Lucien Antonescu.

Her life goes into complete chaos when she begins a romance with Lucien. In the beginning, I thought Lucien was charming and oh so smexy but as the book wore on, I became even more intrigued with Lucien's enemy- Alaric Wulf. You see, Lucien is the Prince of Darkness and Alaric's job is to destroy the vampires who prey on humans for their blood.

Someone is killing humans and Lucien is going to find out who because whoever it is that is killing off these humans went against his orders. Vampires are not to drain humans of blood, they're to keep a low profile and someone went against him. He intends to find out and make them sorry they ever crossed him.

Which brings him to New York. Alaric Wulf is a soldier for the Palatine Army. It is their sole mission in life to rid the world of vampires because they're a threat to human life. They're the scum of the earth and after what he's witnessed vampires do, he wants revenge on the whole lot of them. They beat his partner to within an inch of his life and now he doesn't have a face and Alaric is out for blood...or well, vampires since I'm not sure if they have blood or not.

His ticket to getting the biggest vampire alive (or well un-alive, you know what I mean) is through Meena Harper. His new girlfriend. Only she's proving difficult. She believes that Lucien isn't the monster that Alaric is painting but her brother is on Alaric's side because that monster freaking bit Meena!

Drama ensues...

Now, this is a pretty thick book with a huge word count and while it ended up being good, it took me quite a long time to get into this book. The beginning dragged like no other and I swear I was never going to finish the book. Once I got past about the 230 page mark is when things started picking up.

I will say that had it not been for Alaric and Jon, I probably wouldn't have finished this book. Boy did they make this girl all thirsty for more...of them. As charming as I thought Lucien was in this book it was both Alaric and Jon that I wanted more from. Alaric and his unwanted attraction to Meena and Jon, just being Jon is what I absolutely loved about this book. Jon had me laughing each and every single time he showed up on the pages and they made this book so enjoyable.

Meena was an enjoyable character but she wasn't my most favorite of Meg Cabot's heroines. When this book ended, I was very interested in reading the next book but I can't say that this book wowed me. There were some characters that wowed me and there were some scenes that had me laughing like a loon but overall, this book was just good.

Fans of Meg Cabot will enjoy this book, I'm sure. I was just expecting to love this book and while it was enjoyable, I didn't exactly love it. (Only Alaric and Jon) The first half was a bit of a snooze fest but the second half made up for the first half.

Grade: 3.5 out of 5
This book is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

Judith's review of Cowboys Like Us (Sons of Chance #6)by Vicki Lewis Thompson

"kelaskita.com" Judith's review of Cowboys Like Us  (Sons of Chance #6)by Vicki Lewis Thompson

Logan Carswell has just kissed his professional baseball career goodbye. Goodbye dreams, career and future. For now, though, he's working at the Last Chance Ranch and the town saloon, where sexy bartender Caro Davis is definitely taking his mind off his troubles..
.
Caro's days have been so hectic, she's forgotten all about the finer aspects of life. Like men. And sex. And really smokin' hot sex with men like Logan. But when their two worlds collide -- and boy, do they ever collide -- they both realize that once the gear is off, a cowboy is still a cowboy!

It is no secret that I am going through my "cowboy" phase right now and really enjoying lots of different kinds of Western romance fiction as well as encountering some authors previously unknown to me.  This is the second novel by this author that I have read and I continue to enjoy her writing style, the care she takes to research her work well, and just an overeall sense that she knows her subject well.

In a world where most of us feel overwhelmed on a regular basis and where some of us may have experienced crises of significant proportion is recent years, this story may resonate in a way that might not have been true in years past.  It is a tale about two people who are really overwhelmed by life, to the extent that both are in danger of losing their sense of themselves.  Logan is "stuck" in a world of disappointment, crushed dreams, and worry over the future.  He is a young man who has already begun feeling old and the zest of life that should be coursing through his veins is most certainly missing.  Caro, too, is simply overburdened and over-committed with the need to support herself, the demands emotionally of a grandmother who she loves dearly but who is just not accepting that the time has come for her to give up her huge house (which is too much for her maintain) and move into a retirement facility.  As if the emotional demands are not enough, Grandma is on the phone whenever she perceives that Caro is late or has not paid sufficient attention to her.  In the midst of their personal turmoil, Logan and Caro find each other and begin an affair that both know will be short-lived but which seems to meet needs in each of them they have long ignored.

While there is certainly lots of hot loving in its pages, I found this novel to be very compelling as it drew me into the struggles both Logan and Caro were experiencing and feeling like a cheerleader on the sidelines as I was hoping that each of them would manage a way to find a more permanent basis for remaining together.  They were just so darn good together and they both felt so linked to one another.  Yet there was always the spectre of Logan returning to Chicago to try to find his way beyond a failed pro baseball career and Caro to gain some balance in her life--living for herself in proportion to living for her Grandmother.

Vickie Lewis Thompson is certainly a romance author of note and the series of which this novel is a part has been really fun for cowboy romance fans.  She is just so good at what she does!  And while I am the last person to decry the simple love story of boy-meets-girl, I am especially fond of any romance that has just a bit of anxiety and crisis within its boundaries.  Add to that the aspect of "long distance" as is the case here, and the reader is kept wondering how these two lovers are going to work this all out.  It makes for a very satisfying reading experience and one that makes it worthwhile to spend time indulging that old love of reading.  I don't think any true fan of romance fiction will feel that reading this book will ever be a waste of time and energy.

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 Harlequin Blaze. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

CHOSEN BY PAULA BRADLEY July 5, 2011

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When I was encouraged to become a writer, I thought, What am I going to write about? And then things just started exploding in my head. While I experimented, I read nearly thirty books on how to write. I realized something odd: I was doing nearly all the things the experts said to do, and not doing what they said not to. In my youth, I never gave writing a thought as a profession because it always came naturally to me and I never believed anything easy was worthy.

I'm glad I had to quit my corporate job, because I can now do something I've always loved to do: tell stories. I can remember trying to get out of punishments for some (minor) infractions when I was a child, so I would tell a whopping tale, making it up as I went along. I always wondered why my father’s lips; I never realized he was trying to keep from laughing. Then he would say, “Is that the truth?” I learned quickly that if I ’fessed up and admitted it was just a story, I usually got off pretty lightly. I realized then that if you're entertaining, people are liable to forgive a lot of misdemeanors.

I see the world as one great, big plot line. I naturally pay attention to my surroundings; to what's happening, and what people are doing (or not doing). People intrigue me as I try to imagine what they're thinking, what just happened before I saw them, and where they're going.

Of course, I have to throw in paranormal activity in these musings. Most lives are mundane, but they become downright exciting when you toss in a cosmic oddity or an antagonist with special powers.

If I am so lucky, I can envision writing the rest of my life and never run out of material. Articles in financial magazines have hidden treasures bubbling just below the surface; a cookbook can become a subplot to a fascinating mystery; a pharmacy holds frightening poisons that just needs a genius sociopath to bring about mayhem.

So if you're looking to write a story, listen to sounds of life around you, to cars flying by on the highway, to malls with endless stores, and people who exhale the very life of a great novel.

 

CHOSEN BY PAULA BRADLEY
July 5, 2011
Have you ever wished you had superhuman abilities - a six sense? An ability to fly? Superior strength? The shy and introverted Mariah  Adele Carpenter sure doesn't! The talent of clairvoyance that plagued her since childhood has been carefully concealed by her mother to prevent marking her a paranormal freak.

In Paula Bradley's heart-pounding debut novel CHOSEN, Mariah's faith, perceptions, and sanity are put to the test. After a suicide attempt, her powers can no longer be concealed. Mariah thought the woes of her powers would be extinguished by taking her life, but somehow a mysterious being saves her and sets her on a journey.

The supernatural rescue enhances Mariah's extrasensory power so much that she becomes a person of interest to the FBI, another government agency, and the media. She can't escape the intensifying outer turmoil and she quickly finds herself tormented by nightmares and an obsession of trying to find the ambiguous character that haunts her dreams. This page-turning thriller is a trip for the reader as well as the gripping danger and unexplained happenings challenge their own beliefs on the nature of faith and the value of discovery.

Is Mariah's gift a blessing or a curse? You decide!

Want to win a finished copy?
It's easy. Just leave a comment for Paula along with your email address.
Official Rules: Must be 13 years or older to enter. Contest is open to entrants with a valid U.S. Mailing address only. Ends 8/1

Title: Dark Parties Author: Sara Grant Release date: August 3, 2011 Publisher: Little, Brown

"kelaskita.com"

Title: Dark Parties
Author:  Sara Grant
Release date:  August 3, 2011
Publisher:  Little, Brown
Pages:  320
Source:  Publisher

Sixteen-year-old Neva has been trapped since birth. She was born and raised under the Protectosphere, in an isolated nation ruled by fear, lies, and xenophobia. A shield "protects" them from the outside world, but also locks the citizens inside. But there's nothing left on the outside, ever since the world collapsed from violent warfare. Or so the government says...

Neva and her best friend Sanna believe the government is lying and stage a "dark party" to recruit members for their underground rebellion. But as Neva begins to uncover the truth, she realizes she must question everything she's ever known, including the people she loves the most.

Dark Parties is a very unusual dystopian novel.  The story is something that has not been done in previous dystopian novels and I loved that about it.  It did have its flaws and there were some things that I really did not care for but in the end I really did end up enjoying this one.

Neva Adams should be the perfect patriot.  Her dad is the Minister of Ancient History and he is very high up in the government.  Instead of making her want to be a good citizen that makes her want to rebel even more.  She knows she can't do it on her own though so she and her best friend, Sanna, host a "dark party" to recruit members for their rebellion. At first things seem to be going great but then members of the rebellion start disappearing.  What is really happening to all the people going missing?  Is there life outside the Protectosphere or is it just a crazy dream for a bunch of people who have lost almost all hope?

The story in Dark Parties is fabulous.  From the very beginning you know something is going on in the Protectosphere.  People are disappearing without a trace and resources are running out.  You get hints from the very beginning about what is really going on but it is not made clear until close to the end of the book.  It kept me guessing and it kept me on the edge of my seat.  Neva and all her friends kept getting into more and more trouble and I was sure at more than one point that they would not be able to escape.  Dark Parties is definitely a page-turner.

The biggest flaw of this book, to me, was the romance.  Neva gets involved with her best friend's boyfriend and I could not understand why.  It's clear from the beginning that they have chemistry but I didn't see that as a good enough reason to go behind her friend's back and cheat with her boyfriend.  Things were made a little more clear at the end of the book and I kind of got past the whole cheating thing.  I really did like both Neva and Braydon so I hope to see more of them in the next book as well as the rest of the characters.  Well, maybe not all.  =)

Overall, Dark Parties is a great debut from Sara Grant and a fabulous dystopian to add to the growing list.  I do have to say that this one is probably not suited for younger teens because of sexual content.  I do recommend it to older teens and adults though!

First line:  I'm standing in the dark, not the gentle gray of dusk or the soft black of a moonlit night but pitch-black.

Rating:  B

Cover:  A

Rowena's review of Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen.

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Rowena's review of Playing Dirty by Susan Andersen.

Hero: Cade Gallari
Heroine: Ava Spencer

When high school golden boy Cade Gallari publicly revealed he’d slept with “fat girl” Ava Spencer to win a bet, he broke her heart. Now a decade older and a head-turner with her own concierge business, Ava isn’t the gullible dreamer she once was—and she plans to prove it when Cade, hotter than ever, breezes back into town with an offer she can’t refuse.

A documentary film producer, Cade is shooting a movie about the mysterious mansion Ava inherited. And he wants her as his personal concierge. She’s certainly professional enough to be at his beck and call without giving him everything he wants. Like another shot at having her in his bed. But Ava doesn’t count on Cade’s determination. Because he’s never gotten over her. And he’s not above playing dirty to score a second chance at a red-hot future…

It wasn't until after I requested this book and then received it and started reading it that I realized this is the book that Holly blogged about last year. She blogged about the news the author broke about how it wasn't likely that she'd get to write this book. A few months later, Holly blogged again that things turned for the good and fans of the Sisterhood trilogy books were going to get Ava's book. Holly told me time and time again to read these books but like usual, I didn't.

It didn't stop me from reading this book though. I jumped right in and thought I'd just fill in the blanks later. This book read as a good stand alone as I didn't feel like I'd missed much by not reading the other books. As a straight up contemporary romance, this book was great. Susan Andersen has a way with words and she definitely had my interest piqued while reading through this book.

Seeing Cade grow up into the man that he was today made for some great reading and really, how sexy was he? I wanted to do him right from the jump which is always a good sign. He was an ass when he was younger but he learned from his mistake and he turned out to be an a-okay man. I really enjoyed the fact that Andersen didn't try to downplay Cade's teenage antics with the whole bet thing. I loved that we saw how much Cade regretted it all and how much he wanted to make things right with Ava...and even with all of that, he didn't come off as some cheesy bonehead. He came off real and I liked him.

What surprised me in this book was Ava. She starts off as this great heroine and as you dig deeper into her life and get to know more about her, you can see the insecurities all over her. I understood her insecurities and even sympathized with them and what I enjoyed about Ava was that she wasn't blind to how dumb she was being (when she was being dumb) where Cade was concerned. She was woman enough to realize her shortcomings and I respected the hell out of her because of it.

I'm usually not a fan of playing games but the games that these two had going on cracked me up. The whole teasing and Eduardo stuff had me laughing all the while I was reading it and it all added to the overall reading experience. This wasn't one of those books that was deep and held all of life's meanings in it but it was still an enjoyable read.

The one thing that was a bit of a downer for me was the whole Tony thing. His whole deal with the hidden treasure and what not, I didn't care for as it didn't mesh well with the rest of the story but still, I enjoyed everything else to overlook that part. This book is the perfect summer read because of the steamy romance and charming characters. It was nice to see the friendship between Ava, Jane and Poppy. I enjoyed their scenes together and I really enjoyed seeing Beks peppered into the story (I so would have loved to get to know Beks more).

I'd definitely recommend this book to fans of Susan Andersen and fans of contemporary romance. It's a good one.

Grade: 4.25 out of 5

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

Judith's review of A Soldier On Her Doorstep by Soraya Lane.

"kelaskita.com" Judith's review of  A Soldier On Her Doorstep by Soraya Lane.

Soldier Alex Dane promised his dying comrade he'd make sure his wife and daughter were okay, and so he finds himself on a doorstep with his heart in his mouth.

Lisa Kennedy loved her husband, but she must focus on her daughter, Lilly, who hasn't spoken since her daddy's death. Still, the least she can do is offer this battle-weary hero a place to rest.
When Lilly's little hand reaches for Alex's big, strong one, for the first time Lisa feels her buried emotions begin to stir.…

This Harlequin novel is one that reaches out to our current consciousness of how the world is working right now, and especially America's involvement in the Middle East conflicts that continue.  While there are now numerous novels and short stories about veterans and their families, this is rather unique in that it is highlighting the experience and anxieties of a man who must try to bring comfort to the family of one of his fallen buddies. Yet he himself is wounded in so many ways and on so many levels, and doing this for his friend is probably one of the most difficult tasks he has ever undertaken.

The characters in this story are not flamboyant and this is not a romance that is filled with erotic love scenes.  Rather, it is the pathos and hurt of love lost as a loving husband and father is now dead and his wife and child must find their way forward without him.  Alex's discomfort and uneasy demeanor is apparent right from the start and while his friend's wife seeks to comfort him with food and attempted conversation, it is the young Lilley whose open acceptance and immediate friendship which begins the long healing process in Alex's heart and soul.

This is a kind and gentle story that does not back away from the realities of what war can do to our service personnel nor does it fail to deal honestly with the fact that so many come home without external wounds but who carry deep fissures of the spirit within.  Alex is doubly screwed in that he has no family or home to which he is returning.  Yes, he is home from the war, but now where does he go?  Who is waiting for him?  It is Lilley's unwillingness to speak at all that begins to grab Alex and convinces him that he is needed.  And in the weeks he stays with Lilley and her mother, he begins the long journey toward wholeness he so desperately needs.

With the decade-long involvement of the United States in the Middle East, fiction writers are most certainly going to find stories to write set within the military genre.  Most of the novels and novellas I have read on this subject so far have been quite good, and I would have not difficulty adding this one to the list of really good novels that tell the stories of those who have returned from war and who need to rebuild their lives.  This is a story of love and loss, of hope and disappointment, of reaching out in a way that brings healing not only to those who are the object of the caring, but to the caregivers themselves.  It is the story also of a little girl whose open heart and curious mind wiggle under the defenses of a man who would always be alone if it were not for her kindness and genuine regard for this warrior.  It is also the story of a war widow who is not really ready to be a war widow and who is given the courage to move past those who would bind her in her grief and find a new start for herself that will bring love and renewal into her heart and that of her daughter.

This is a very substantive story and one that will be very uplifting.  It is entertaining, yes, but it is also one of those books that makes me glad that I took the time and made the effort to read it.  It is definitely one that I highly recommend.

I give this novel a 4.25 out of 5 rating.

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


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

Judith's review of Persuading Prudence by Liz Cole

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Judith's review of Persuading Prudence by Liz Cole

After their night of mistaken identity and passion, can Lord Ravensbrook convince frumpy spinster, Prudence Mayville that marriage is the best and most honorable option?

Frumpy Lady Prudence Mayville has harbored a tenure for the devilishly dashing Lord Ravensbrook since her days in the schoolroom. So when the sotted earl mistakes her room for his and her for his mistress, Prudence finds it impossible to resist a chance to experience his passionate lovemaking.
When Kolton, Lord Ravensbrook awakens naked in the wrong room and realizes what had occurred, he does the honorable thing and asks for Prudence’s hand in marriage. Kolton is stunned when she turns him down flat. Why on earth would a compromised spinster refuse the most eligible bachelor of the season? Humbled, Kolton tries to overcome her objections, but will he be successful in persuading Prudence?

Only in Regency England could a 26 year old woman be called a spinster and be considered "on the shelf" by those who managed England's marriage mart. Having had only one season and spent party after party gracing the wall as an invisible person, Prudence has made her choice to wear frumpy clothes that are too big for her, wear her gorgeous hair in a severe, uncomplimentary style, keep her attentions to herself and spend her days visiting museums and reading books of note. She is an orphan but the daughter of a baron, so Lady Prudence is certainly accepted in the ton even though she has chosen to remain invisible and hidden. She is now living in the home of her second cousin, the Countess whose step-son is now the present Earl. She enjoys the Countess and her other cousin Amanda, married to a viscount and mother of a beautiful son. Their summer journey to Bath has taken a surprising turn: Amanda has reason to return early to London, leaving Prudence and the Earl to return together several days later. It was the night that Amanda was gone, Pru was sleeping peacefully and, for the first time ever, sleeping nude because of the summer heat, when the Earl--several "sheets to the wind"--enters her chamber, disrobes completely, climbs naked into her bed, and makes love to her, thinking she is his mistress. Boy he really was drunk!! Now what is a spinster to do? Exactly what Pru decided to do: go along and make a memory. The upshot? Pru is no longer a virgin, and the Earl is "caught on the point of his own petard--he realizes his fateful error, knows what he has done to Pru, determines to do right by her, and is given the "set-down" of his life.

This is where the tongue-in-cheek kind of humor that I love in Regency romances comes to the fore. Kolton, Lord Ravensbrook, is not to be thwarted and he begins to see an intelligent, thinking, strong-minded, clear-headed, witty woman behind the dowdy gowns and awful hairdo. Never thinking love is necessary, he nevertheless begins to realize that he wants to be very good friends with this woman and that they can make a very good marriage together, so he sets about to seduce her in the only way he knows how: continuing to compromise her to the degree that she will agree to his suit. Their experience in his hunting cabin is simply delightful--the witticisms, the verbal sparring, the hot loving, her awareness that this is indeed the man about whom she has cherished a secret crush all these years, his growing awareness of her inner beauty and his determination to get her to see herself as she really is--all this and more make this a compelling read that will hold the interest of just about any historical romance fan.

Prudence is indeed a caterpiller who becomes a butterfly, and the amazement of the ton as they become aware that this incomparable beauty was right there under their noses from the first is wonderful to experience. But there is evil afoot and just when it appears that Pru and Kolton are home free--their life is just about to begin in the best way possible, danger and evil do their worst and a crisis intervenes in their happiness. While this may seem like a classic Regency and perhaps it is, yet there is the sense that one is not just re-reading an old formula and all will be well. Ms Cole teases this situation out in such a way that the reader absolutely must read on in order to resolve the crisis. And, indeed, it is resolved but in unexpected ways that keep the narrative and story fresh and interesting. I don't think historical romance readers will want to miss this book. It is one of those stories I was so pleased to have been given the chance to read. I think you will like it, too.

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 Breathless Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.