Review - A Carnal Agreement

Title: A Carnal Agreement
Author: Silvia Violet
Publishing Date: 2006
Genre: Erotic (Historical)
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Burning

Cassandra Braxton finds herself a widow and soon to be evicted from her home. She concocts a plan to ensure her future and her freedom. She needs to prove she is pregnant with the heir before she lets the world know her husband is indeed dead and not missing. She decides on the dashing Mark Foxwood to be her baby’s daddy. He agrees to this mad scheme on one condition, that she be at his disposal anytime he dictates. Against her better judgment she agrees.

A Carnal Agreement started out slow in the beginning with the pace dragging and me struggling to turn the pages. I seemed to have a disconnection with the characters. It seemed that all Mark and Cassandra were going to do was argue and it got old after a while. Then Mark and Cassandra travel to London and the story picks up speed. They are still arguing, but the mystery surrounding Cassandra’s husband’s death starts to get interesting.

The reader is also introduced to a few secondary characters who lead to more, much needed insight into Mark and Cassandra. Cassandra through conversations with her sister Amanda and Mark with his good friend Rhys. The mystery has twist to it that I did not see coming, which was a nice surprise. The ending was less than spectacular though, after the mystery is solved. Once again the story dragged a bit at the end. This book had its fair share of problems, yet it had its good points too. Proceed at your own risk.

Faefever Teaser #4!

Okay folks, good news! Feafever's release just got moved up to September 16th instead of September 29th! I am so excited about this release (as you can see)! Karen has also kindly provided us with another excerpt! Enjoy!!!

(Scene setting: Mac and Barrons are in a fight. He's on his back on the floor. She's sitting on top of him.)

"How dare you saunter in here and force me to give you answers when you've never given me a single one?" I hissed. I punched him in the stomach, hard. He didn't even wince. I punched him again. Nothing.

"You stand there all tan and glowing and wonder why I use force on you?" he bellowed. "Where the hell do you get off? You've been with V'lane again. How many slaps in the face do you think I'm going to take, Ms. Lane?" He grabbed my fist and held it when I tried to punch him again. I swung at him with the other. He caught that one, too. "I warned you not to play us against each other."

"I'm not playing you! I'm trying to survive. And I don't slap you when I go off with V'lane!" I tried to yank my fists from his hands. They might as well have been stuck in concrete. "It doesn't have anything to do with you. I'm trying to get answers and since you won't give me any, you can't blame me for going somewhere else."

"So the man who doesn't get laid at home has the right to go off and cheat?"

"Huh?"

"Which word didn't you understand?" he snarled.

"You're the one who's crippled by illogic. This isn't home, it never will be and nobody's getting laid!" I practically shouted. "You think I don't know that?" He shifted his body beneath me, making me painfully aware of something. Two somethings, in fact, one of which was how far up my short skirt had gotten shoved in our tussle. The other wasn't my problem. I wriggled, hoping to shimmy my hem down, since my hands were stuck, but his expression killed the thought. When Barrons looks at me like that, it rattles me. Lust, in those ancient, obsidian eyes, offers no trace of humanity. Doesn't even bother trying. Savage Mac wants to invite it to come out and play. I think she's nuts. Nuts, I tell you.

Review - Warsworn

Title: Warsworn
Author: Elizabeth Vaughan
Publishing Date: April 2006
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Warm

Warsworn is book two of The Chronicles of the Warlands Trilogy. This trilogy is about the relationship between Xylara, Queen of the Xians and Kier, Warlord of the Plains and their struggle to combine their two cultures. Lara and Kier’s cultures are very different and Kier has a vision of learning from Lara’s culture and improving his own.

Warsworn begins with the Firelanders (Kier’s army) returning to the Plains where Kier plans to announce Lara as his chosen mate. This journey is cut short however, when they encounter a town on the way afflicted with the Plague. Lara is a healer and has sworn and oath to help in any way she can to those who are sick and in need. Kier does not want to let her anywhere near the town and fears for her safety. They argue and part ways each upset with the other. This leads to a downward spiral of events that will forever change Lara and Kier’s fate. For now they have much too over come, not only the plague, but rival warriors who challenge Kier’s right to rule.

Let me start off by saying that this book is much heavier than the first one. Kier and Lara have to face what seems like almost insurmountable hardships, and not only that, but their love for one another is on very rocky ground. Truth does not come easily to Lara for fear of how Kier will react and she has to learn the hard way how this will affect their relationship.

The writing is very sharp and Lara and Kier vividly jump off the pages. Although, Lara and Kier are the main focus, the other characters are just as riveting. Marcus, Kier’s right hand man is quite and unusual, yet fascinating man. Lara’s guards, especially Isdra and Epor were an example of a mated Firelander couple. Then there is Gil, Lara’s apprentice who almost steals the show.

Warsworn, without a doubt had very grim overtones, but it was a gripping and compelling tale. The story ends with things unsettled and the future unsure. I can’t wait to read the third and final book of this wonderful tale.

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Reading Adventures
Lesley W's Book Nook
The Reading Spot
Dear Author

Review - Get a Clue

Title: Get a Clue
Author: Jill Shalvis
Publishing Date: 2005
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot

Breanne Mooreland has had a pretty bad day. It starts out with her fiancée standing her up on her wedding day and ends with her stranded in a mountain lodge during a snowstorm, only to find that her honeymoon suite is already occupied by a very naked man. He is a man who has enough testosterone to quickly make her forget her new mantra, “no more men.”

Cooper Scott recently quit his job as a vice cop and is desperately in need of a vacation. Preferably one where he can sit back and relax, maybe meet a snow bunny or two. What he finds though is a dead body, not your normal run of the mill hotel staff and a guest who he can’t seem to keep his hands off of.

I have to say I really enjoyed this story. It was a light, quick read that had me amused at the antics within. It sort of had a “Clue” feel to it, but not too much that I was annoyed. Shalvis got the humor just right for me. She was able to take man-hating Breanne and make her come across as vulnerable, instead of overbearing and mean-spirited. Cooper was also a great match for Breanne because he didn’t play games, always told it like it was and, well, he was sexy as all get out! Also, I got a kick out of him calling her Princess. I think he hit the nail on the head with that one, and instead of him finding it annoying, he thought it was sexy and endearing. Even though this story only takes place over a matter of a few days, I felt that their relationship was believable.

The other secondary characters were a nice addition to the story too. There is also a bit of a mystery, but not enough to make this a romantic suspense. I will definitely be looking into Shalvis’s other works. She has quick wit and a breezy style that makes for an enjoyable, easy read. She is definitely one to watch for.

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The Book Binge

Book Alert - Night Keepers!

Hey Folks,

I have noticed a lot of coverage in blogland about this book. Over at the Book Binge they are having a contest giving away two copies of the new release Night Keepers by Jessica Anderson. Holly has reviewed it here and she has also interviewed Jessica. Be sure to check it out. It sounds really great!

Colter's Woman

Title: Colter’s Woman
Author: Maya Banks
Publishing Date: 2006
Genre: Erotic
Rating: C
Sensuality: Burning

Adam Colter goes out to check his mail and finds a woman in the ditch half frozen to death. He picks her up and carries her inside and proceeds to make sure she is all right. At first glance, he knows this is the woman he has been looking for. You see, he and his brothers, Ryan and Ethan have been looking for one woman to share their life and their bed with. They had almost given up hope when Adam finds Holly.

Holly is a recently wed woman who has just witnessed her new husband murder someone. On her wedding night she runs away without a plan and ends up in a strange house with not one, but three men who she finds herself attracted to. I have to say the premise of this book is a little far fetched to say the least.

Now I know that you are wondering why I still read the book if I already knew what it was about. Well, I read it for the fantasy factor. What woman wouldn’t want three hot hunks hungering after her all the time? Men who want nothing more than to fulfill every need and want she has. The fantasy was a supreme idea but the execution was a poor one.

The characters in the book were very one dimensional and had no real depth to them. As a matter of fact Ethan, the middle brother, was very forgettable. There was no building up of the relationship. You would also think that there would be some problems of jealousy or misunderstandings. There usually is in a normal relationship, so therefore you would expect one that involves one woman and three men to definitely have some issues. Unfortunately, that is not the case in this book. Everybody got along fine with no problems and there weren’t even petty little arguments between the brothers. I think they could have gone a long way to add a normalcy that was missing from this book.

If the characters could have come across as more like real people than a fantasy version of a person, then this book would have been a more engrossing read. As it stands now, it is just a lot of people humping, which was hot and inventive, but not enough so to give it a higher grade.

June Wish List!

There are quite a few books I want that will be released this month. First and foremost is Lover Enshrined by JR Ward, book six of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

I have to say though, I don’t like this cover. I just recently took a CPR class and the models on this cover look eerily similar to the practice dummies.

Here is the summary:
Fiercely loyal to the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of the race, becoming the male responsible for keeping the Brotherhood's bloodlines alive. As Primale of the Chosen, he is to father the sons and daughters who will ensure that the traditions of the race survive and that there are warriors to fight those who want all vampires extinguished.

As his first mate, the Chosen Cormia wants to win not only his body but his heart for herself- she sees the emotionally scarred male behind all his noble responsibility. But while the war with the Lessening Society grows more grim, and tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, Phury must decide between duty and love.



Next is Kresley Cole’s Dark Desires After Dusk, book five of the Immortals After Dark series. This one is a no brainer since I have loved all the other books in this series.

Here is the summary:
Cade of the rage demons will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

Raised as a human, Holly Ashwin never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon’s wicked touch.

Yet just when he earns Holly’s trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs—and claim his heart? Excerpt



Next up is Running Wild by Sarah McCarty, a new paranormal series involving shape shifters.

Here is a summary:
Donovan—A Protector, Donovan’s directive is to bring the Pack Alpha home and nothing more. But when Donovan catches the sexy human scent of Lisa Delaney, he’s hers, body and soul—and ready to risk both on an erotic desire that will shatter all boundaries.

Kelon—Kelon likes his life as the biggest, baddest Protector of his pack. He fully intends to go back to his pack after he helps Donovan out, but he never counted on the voluptuous distraction of Robin Delaney. Soft, sweet, and sexy, Robin is the one woman that can make him forget duty and make him contemplate a choice no werewolf should ever have to make.

Wyatt—In a pack where only the strong can lead, and any weakness is exploited, Wyatt can’t afford to be attracted to the ever practical, completely human Heather Delaney. But with her trim body, fiery temper, and lush mouth, Heather isn’t a woman a man ignores— no matter what the cost. Excerpt



The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter is book two in her Lords of the Underworld series. I figured I would give this series another try.

Here is the summary:
She has tempted many men… but never found her equal.

Until now.

Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death—a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining.…




Last but not least we have Dangerous Secrets by Lisa Marie Rice. She is a guilty pleasure read for me. I read her last release Dangerous Lover and enjoyed it.

Here is the summary:
Small-town librarian Charity Prewitt never dreamed she'd meet and fall in love with a man like Nicholas Ames. The handsome, rich, charming, sexy-as-hell millionaire blew into tiny Parker's Ridge, Vermont, and immediately rocked her world. Powerful, sensual, the perfect man, Nick knows all the right words—and all the right spots to touch, sending her soaring to dizzying new heights of ecstatic abandon. Never before has prim and proper Charity leapt into bed with a perfect stranger—and now that she's there with him, nothing is going to drag her away!

But Nick Ames is not who he claims to be. In truth, he is Nicholas Ireland—the one they call "Iceman." A former Delta Force operator, now a high-level undercover agent, he will do whatever his government asks of him—lie, seduce, betray . . . even kill, if necessary—for the sake of the mission. And this time his mission is Charity Prewitt.

Suddenly one woman has broken down his chilly restraint and ignited his passions completely. And before the erotic dream turns into a nightmare, will Charity be able to melt the Iceman's cold, cold heart?

Review - Ravyn's Flight

Title: Ravyn’s Flight
Author: Patti O’Shea
Publishing Date: November 2002
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot

Ravyn Verdier is a communications specialist and member of the CAT team sent to research the planet Jarved Nine. On this mission something goes horribly wrong. Ravyn left her crew one evening to see if she could get the signal for the Cubs game for her friend and fellow crew member. When she comes back she finds all nineteen members of her crew dead and mutilated with their hearts missing.

Damon Brody the commander of a Spec Ops team sees the emergency beacon from Jarved Nine and goes to investigate. He separates from his team and discovers Ravyn hiding underneath her bed in shock. When they leave the station all five members of his team are dead and mutilated like the others. Damon and Ravyn are the only remaining survivors on the planet. All the communication equipment has been destroyed and they will have to wait for rescue.

Okay, can I just say this book freaked me the f--- out. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good book. It’s just that it was so good that the suspense part of the book scared the crap out of me. Ravyn and Damon are amazing people considering the circumstances. They do what has to be done. Ravyn knows she can’t freak out and has to pull it together if they are going to survive. It takes a lot of strength and determination, which the two of them have in abundance. Even though anyone can see from a mile away at how great these two people are, they don’t know it about themselves. Each has a hang-up, Ravyn thinks she’s a coward and Damon thinks he failed someone years ago. The romance was very believable between Ravyn and Damon. It has a soul mate aspect to it that was very touching.

This was a truely interesting story. I enjoyed the suspense plot even if it was overly horrific. The planet Jarved Nine was very interesting too. I liked reading about the Old City that they hike to seeking shelter from what ever killed everyone. There was a secondary romance involving one of Ravyn’s friends and her brother. I didn’t like their story as much, but it aided in breaking up the desperation of Ravyn and Damon’s situation. This was my first Patty O’Shea novel, but it won’t be my last.

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Ramblings on Romance
All About Romance

Review - Whitney, My Love

Title: Whitney, My Love (special collector’s edition)
Author: Judith McNaught
Publishing Date: 1995
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Warm

Whitney Stone is a young head-strong girl of age fifteen, who is determined to marry Paul Sevarin. She is so outrageous in her attempts to win Paul that her father, who lacks control over Whitney, sends her to live with her Aunt Anne and Uncle Gilbert in France. There she blossoms into a beautiful young woman whom French society just adores with her fresh and direct manner. Whitney unknowingly catches the eye of the Duke of Claymore, Clayton Westmoreland. He knows immediate that he wants her and sets about a plan to get her. Whitney has other ideas though, and still aspires to marry her childhood love, Paul. What ensues is quite a love story of epic proportions.

What struck me first was the ability of Mrs. McNaught to immediately draw the reader into the story, by painting such a vivid picture of a young girl, Whitney. Whitney is quite a captivating character, richly drawn with a depth of personality. She can be obstinate and determined and yet she can also be soft and vulnerable too. She is no simpering ninny, but is contrite when she knows she did something wrong. In essence, she is infinitely likeable.

The hero of the story Clayton was every bit as well drawn as Whitney. What I liked about him was how he went about trying to woo Whitney. He already knew he was going to marry her and could force her if he wanted too. Yet he chose to give her time to come to know him and make her own decision. It was a lot of fun to read of their courtship and the witty repartee that they shared during this time.

It did turn ugly though, when inevitable the “big misunderstanding” occurred. McNaught really pulls the heartstrings of the reader, making them feel Whitney and Clayton’s pain. This occurs not once, not twice, but three times. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. If you are a reader who loves angst, there is plenty to go around in Whitney, My Love. This was a rich story that grips you emotionally and doesn’t let up.

*Note* The version I read was rewritten to be more politically correct. It has a new longer ending and added scenes. This makes me wonder what the original book was like if this one was considered the “tame” version. I shudder to imagine.

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Reading All Night Long
All About Romance

I am in a reading slump

I seem to be in some kind of a reading slump. I just can't get excited over any of the books in my TBR pile. From time to time reading other people's blogs, I see that this is just one of those things that happens. So what should I do about it? Well, what I have decided is to ask for you opinion in choosing the next book I read. I have posted up a poll for just this very reason. Go ahead and vote and tell me what you think I should read. I look forward to seeing your choices! Feel free to comment as to why you voted the way you did. I need all the help I can get!

Review - The Darkest Night

Title: The Darkest Night
Author: Gena Showalter
Publishing Date: May 2008
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: C
Sensuality: Hot

The Darkest Night is the first book in the series Lords of the Underworld. Maddox was once an immortal warrior of the Gods until he screwed up big time. He and a number of other immortal warriors like him attacked Pandora and allowed what was in her box to escape. The box was full of demons. As punishment, the Gods put a demon in each warrior and Maddox received Violence. With Violence residing inside Maddox, he himself becomes consumed with a violence that he cannot always control. He unwillingly hurts others and himself conflicting all sorts of damage on his surroundings.

Ashlyn Darrow, all her life, has heard voices. When she is around other people she can hear their thoughts constantly bombarding her. If she is in a room where others have had a conversation, she can hear the conversation after it has taken place. The voices never stop until she is with Maddox. She hears of the Angels on the hill and goes to find them hoping that they can help rid her of her “gift.” As soon has she meets Maddox, she is frightened by his ferocity and yet all the voices stop.

I had a few issues with this book because there is so much going on in this story. First off, there are a slew of warriors; each with his own demon housed inside him. At first it is complicated trying to keep them all straight, but after a while they sink in. Then, halfway through the book, the reader is introduced to another batch of warriors and the confusion starts all over again.

I also had a problem with Ashlyn. She was very wishy-washy in the first half of the book. When she first meets Maddox, she begs him not to leave her. However, as soon as she gets to his home, she tries to run away the first chance she gets. I didn’t understand her motivation and she just ended up annoying me. Towards the latter half of the book, she does become more consistent in her feelings for Maddox.

I think the romance suffered because Showalter had so much world building to do in this first book. I also think that there were too many plot devices going on outside of the romance and this overshadowed Maddox and Ashlyn’s relationship. This was not the best romance, but it was an interesting story. I think there is potential in this series so I will be reading the next book to see if it gets any better. A more likable heroine and less plot devices would be an improvement in my mind.

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Dear Author

Review - Pursuit

Title: Pursuit
Author: Elizabeth Jennings
Publishing Date: April 2008
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Warm

Charlotte Court is on the run because her life is in grave danger. She witnesses the murder of her father in his hospital bed by one of the security men employed by her family’s business. She manages to hit him with an IV stand, but he manages to get off one shot to her shoulder. She makes it out of the hospital only to discover that she is wanted for the murder of her father and a nurse at the hospital. She decides to go into hiding and heads for Mexico. She ends up in a tiny little town of San Luis that is an eclectic art community on the beach. While staying there she meets Matt Sanders.

Matt Sanders is a Navy SEAL who took four (or five) bullets during an op in Afghanistan. He almost dies. He goes to San Luis to stay with his friend Larry and to recover from his near death experience. He sees Charlotte from afar and she gives him the will to complete his recovery.

Pursuit is one of those stories that I like to describe as a “guilty pleasure”. I know I shouldn’t like this kind of book, but I lap it up regardless. What I am trying to say is that it is so cheesy and syrupy-sweet with “perfect” people (who would never exist in real life) that I just keep turning the pages for the sheer fun of it. You know, where the heroine without any make-up, no sleep, has a rats nest for hair and is the most beautiful woman in the world. Or how about the hero, who just glances at the heroine (out of his peripheral, no less) and knows exactly what the heroine is thinking, or needs or wants. Yes, this is one of those books. Just put reality on hold because this is really a fantasy to the utmost degree.

Now having said how much I enjoy a “guilty pleasure” I am sure you are wondering why I gave it a medium grade. The reason for the grade was for the uneven telling of the story. The first few chapters the author told us what was happening instead of showing us. Yet later on after Matt and Charlotte met some scenes were done very well. If the beginning hadn’t dragged so much I would have given it a higher grade. Also, too much of the story was dwelt on the bad guy’s perspective and his search for Charlotte. I would have rather spent the time with Matt and Charlotte. I didn’t really give a rat’s ass about him. Also, there is one very nasty scene involving Charlotte’s pet cat. Really, I could have done without that entirely.

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The Book Binge (Holly)
The Book Binge (Casee)

Guest Review at The Book Binge - Playing Easy to Get

I have a guest review over at The Book Binge of the anthology Playing Easy to Get. This anthology has the first story in Kresley Cole's Immortals after Dark series featuring Myst and Nikolai. The short story The Warlord Wants Forever is a great start to the series. Feel free to check out my review!

Happy Mother's Day!

I just received Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke from my daughter today. Deborah Cooke is a new author to me. It says on the cover that it is a Dragonfire novel. It sounds to me that this book is part of a series. Has anyone read this series and if so can I start with this book or should I read the books in order? Is there a continuing story arc throughout the series? It sounds really interesting here is the back blurb:

For millennia, the shape-shifting dragon warriors known as the Pyr have commanded the four elements and guarded the earth's treasures. But now the final reckoning between the Pyr, who count humans among the earth's treasures, and the Slayers, who would eradicate both humans and the Pyr who protect them, is about to begin...
When Sara Keegan decides to settle down and run her quirky aunt's New Age bookstore, she's not looking for adventure. She doesn't believe in fate or the magic of the tarot-but when she's saved from a vicious attack by a man who has the ability to turn into a fire-breathing dragon, she questions whether she's losing her mind-or about to lose her heart...
Quinn Tyrrell has long been distrustful of his fellow Pyr and a self-reliant loner. So when he feels the firestorm that signals his destined mate, he's determined to protect and possess Sara, regardless of the cost to himself. Then Sara's true destiny is revealed-and Quinn realizes he must risk everything- even Sara's love-to fulfill their entwined fates...

So what do you think? I'll have to do some research on it!

Review - Dark Needs at Night's Edge

Title: Dark Needs at Night’s Edge
Author: Kresley Cole
Publishing Date: April 30, 2008
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Hot

Dark Needs at Night’s Edge is the fifth book in Kresley Cole’s Immortals after Dark series. It features Conrad Wroth, a turned vampire who is slowly being consumed by madness. In order to save Conrad from this madness, his brothers chain and drug him in an old haunted mansion. The mansion once belonged to a famous ballerina Neomi Laress who was brutally stabbed by her ex-fiancé. For 100 years she has been a ghost confined to her property. No one has been able to see or hear her until Conrad believes he is hallucinating and truly succumbing to madness. It’s not madness. He really is seeing a ghost.

I have to say that I was really skeptical about this story since the romance involved a ghost. Since I have enjoyed the previous four books in this series (no ratings below a B) I thought I would give Cole the benefit of the doubt. I am glad that I did because I loved this story. This series just keeps chugging right along, with strong characters and a well developed overall story arc, that I am sure will culminate with the Accession. This story had plenty of angst to work through and towards the end I was hanging on to the edge of my seat wondering how everything was going to come together. It was very satisfying to say the least.

Conrad is a unique character in that he has never been with a woman, and has almost no experience at all interacting with them. You might think that this makes him less manly, but that is not so. Cole does an excellent job of portraying the big bad Alpha male that fans have grown to expect from her and she does not disappoint. Conrad has had a very hard life and when he is thrown a gift such as Neomi, he truly appreciates what he has been given and will never take her for granted and always cherish her. This is one of the reasons I like Cole’s heroes so much because they put their women on a pedestal.

Neomi is the light to Conrad’s darkness. She brings him joy and peace that he has never known. She knows what she wants and she is not afraid to get it herself. I love how in the end when she reaches a despairing level, she berates herself for having a pity party, gets off her butt and fixes her own problems. You go girl! Who says you need a man to make you happy. Of course, she ends up with said man in the end. She gets to have her cake and eat it too. This is an excellent addition to the Immortals after Dark series and I can’t wait for the next release.

Here is what others had to say:

Breezing Through
Dear Author
The Good, The Bad, The Unread
The Book Binge
Ramblings on Romance

Review - Riding the Storm

Title: Riding the Storm
Author: Sydney Croft
Publishing Date: 2007
Genre: Erotic (Paranormal)
Rating: B
Sensuality: Burning

Haley Holmes is a parameteorologist working for the ACRO agency. This agency is composed of very special men and women who have extraordinary “gifts”. (Think x-men). Her mission is to convince Remy Begnaud, who can control storm weather, to join the ACRO agency before ITOR forces him to join their side. Where ACRO wants to utilize their people’s special powers for the greater good of everyone, ITOR wants it for their own nefarious purposes creating world havoc. Haley is to use any means possible to persuade Remy to join ACRO and that means a no holds bar seduction. For Haley and Remy the attraction to one another is immediate and electric.

Haley and Remy are both likable people and they are both extremely passionate. The relationship moves very quickly and may seem a little unbelievable at first but what can you expect in a story where the hero is capable of conjuring up his own thunderstorm. Remy is a demanding, take charge kind of guy and Haley is a stubborn, yet very giving woman. I don’t think there is anything ground breaking with either of them, yet they are enjoyable. Both have slight baggage but they easily work it out. Sex is the main focus of this story, with an interesting world full of unique abilities. As long as you’re not expecting anything too profound or deep, I think you will enjoy this quick, sexy read.

A secondary relationship between Creed and Annika begins in Riding the Storm. As I understand, their relationship will be continued as the series progresses since it was not concluded in this book. Annika controls electricity and Creed can talk to ghosts. He also has some very unusual tattoos that he was born with. I am curious to see where the author goes with their relationship.

Here is what others had to say:

The Book Binge
The Good, The Bad, The Unread - Azteclady
The Good, The Bad, The Unread - Alicia
The Good, The Bad, The Unread - Gwen

Review - Iron Kissed

Title: Iron Kissed
Author: Patricia Briggs
Publishing Date: January 2008
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Kisses

Iron Kissed is the third book in the Mercy Thompson series. Mercy Thompson is a VW mechanic and in her world creatures such as vampires and werewolves do exist. Mercy herself is a walker, which means she can change her form to a Coyote anytime she wants. She can also speak to ghosts. In the first book the reader learns all about the werewolf culture, the second one focuses on vampires. This one is about the fae.

There have been a string of murders happening on the fae reservation. Zee, a fae friend of Mercy’s calls in a favor. He wants her to use her Coyote nose to track the murderer. Mercy finds herself more involved than she would like when her good friend Zee becomes the prime suspect of a human murder. Mercy will do what she can to find the real murderer and get Zee out of jail.

The big question that, everyone wants an answer too is finally addressed in this book. We get right down to it. On page 4, Warren tells Mercy, “You need to choose.” Even though she has feelings for both Samuel and Adam, she can’t have both (that isn’t this kind of book). She does make her choice and I think it’s the right one - although, I would have liked more interaction between her and the man of her “choice”. After all, I am a romance reader at heart. I am hoping that in the next book the relationship will be more fully explored.

The mystery involving all the fae was very fascinating. I was totally clueless as to who the killer was and was completely shocked by the ending. Mercy’s recovery is absolutely heart-wrenching. Briggs did an amazing job of showing us Mercy’s emotions without telling us. I love Mercy she is a great heroine and I will root for her all the way. I will be on pins and needles till the next book comes out. Oh, how I can’t wait!

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Review - Warprize

Title: Warprize
Author: Elizabeth Vaughan
Publishing Date: June 2005
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Warm

Warprize is the first book in a trilogy The Chronicles of the Warlands, spanning the relationship between Lara and Kier. It is told from the first person point of view by Lara, the Daughter of Xy, who is a healer. Her people, the Xyians, are being attacked by the Firelanders or People of the Plains. The Firelanders are aggressive and Lara’s brother, King Xymund strikes a deal with the Warrior of the Plains, Kier. He has agreed to give Lara to Kier as the Warprize in exchange for peace. Lara agrees to the decision for the safety of her people.

This is a fascinating story of love and the challenge of merging two different cultures together for the good of all. The Plain People and the Xyians are worlds apart culturally. Kier wants to learn from Lara and the Xyain culture as a way to improve his own culture. He wants what is best for his people. This is an amazing man and a great leader. He knows his culture is not perfect and wants to improve it as best he can.

Lara and Kier must learn and understand how to overcome their differences. Mistakes are made, but both Lara and Kier are quick to learn from them. And that is one of the reasons why I loved this book so much. There are no petty misunderstandings and there are many opportunities for them to happen. When one of them doesn’t understand something they talked about it until it made sense to them. Despite their many differences Kier always treats Lara with respect. As the Warprize she is treasured above all.

My one little quibble with the book was the abrupt ending of the story. I can’t get into detail without giving away spoilers. There is resolution at the end of the story, but I needed more. I would have liked for a good grovel or something to explain more to me how Lara’s decision affected Kier. At the time I didn’t realize that their story was told over three books. Now that I know that, I am chomping at the bit to get the next book in the trilogy. Hats off to Elizabeth Vaughan because this was a fantastic book. Reel me in, I am hooked!

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April Book Summary

Wow, another very productive month for me with a total of 15 books. Here they are with the links to the reviews. I also have monthly summaries posted on my side bar under my yearly book reading goal. I am actually ahead of the game, so far!

1. Thunder and Roses, Putney (Historical) B+
2. The Last Twilight, Liu (Paranormal) B+
3. 50 Ways to Hex Your Lover, Wisdom (Paranormal) D
4. Blood Bound, Briggs (Paranormal) B+
5. Driven, Kenin (Futuristic) A-
6. Klondike Fever, Bridges (Western) B
7. Blue-Eyed Devil, Kleypas (Contemporary) A
8. Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy, Dimon (Contemporary) B-
9. Hot Target, Brockman (Romantic Suspense) A-
10. SEALed with a Kiss, Daughtridge (Contemporary) A
11. No Control, Butcher (Romantic Suspense) B-
12. Warprize, Vaughan (Fantasy) A-
13. Iron Kissed, Briggs (Paranormal) B+
14. Riding the Storm, Croft (Erotic, paranormal) B
15. Dark Needs at Night's Edge, Cole (Paranormal) A-

Review - No Control

Title: No Control
Author: Shannon K. Butcher
Publishing Date: February 2008
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot

Lana Hancock was captured by the Swarm and tortured brutally for days. Many of her friends who were also captured died. She was the only one to survive the torment. Caleb Stone, of the Delta Force, was working undercover infiltrating the Swarm when Lana was taken. He had to stand by and witness her torture without being able to intervene. He was able to save Lana and get her away from the Swarm but he has been haunted by those events. His boss, Monroe, believes that Lana knows something and that she is still in danger. Monroe sends Caleb to see if he can discover what it is Lana is hiding and protect her.

Caleb is an awesome hero. He is super sexy with his big strong body and all he wants to do is protect and cherish Lana. He feels guilty for not being able to do more for her when she was being tortured by the swarm. He finds himself falling in love with Lana but knows that she won’t want anything to do with him.

The suspense plot was well thought out. There are lots of twists and turns without any overtly gory bits. The part that dragged for me was Lana’s lack of trust of Caleb. I think she held onto her secrets for far too long. I wish that she would have come to trust Caleb much sooner in the story. Because of her lack of trust, the story dragged slightly in the middle. The ending was kick-ass though. I am so glad that Lana was able to vindicate her terror. Let’s just say the bad guy gets what’s coming to him in the end.

I think Butcher is someone to watch for. To me, her writing style is reminiscent of Christine Feehan or even Linda Howard. No Control was not as good as her first book No Regrets, but still not a bad effort.

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