Review - Veil of Night

Title: Veil of Night
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: August 2010
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my library.

Jaclyn Wilde literally runs into Eric Wilder while dealing with a traffic violation at city hall. They end up later at a bar and have a night of very passionate sex. The next day Eric is called in to investigate the homicide of a young woman. It turns out Jaclyn is the main suspect, seeing as the victim was a young bride and Jaclyn her wedding planner. Jaclyn had been slapped in the face because the "bridezilla" was anything but pleased with Jaclyn's service. Eric has to clear Jaclyn's name and can't play favorites especially because of their former relationship.

Veil of Night starts off strong. It has a fast, interesting beginning. Unfortunately, things slowly deteriorate from there. First off, let me state for the record that I cannot be impartial when writing this review. I have been a long time fan of Linda Howard. She is one of my favorite all time authors, however I have been less than enthusiastic with her recent releases. This one included.

The problem for me is that I have come to expect a really superb romance, with a strong romantic thread between the hero and heroine. Veil of Night does not deliver in this aspect. While Jaclyn is a fine heroine and Eric a definite hero, the romance is left to the wayside as Howard allows the murder and the details to detract from the main relationship. I can't help but compare Howard's recent work with her former and it just can't compare.

I would say that if reading Howard for the first time, there is still something about her writing that can lend itself to intrigue. The characters invite confidence and an easy manner that will draw readers in. The mystery is somewhat ordinary and hard core mystery fans will most likely think that part of the story is weak. Overall, I am not impressed. I just can't help compare Veil of Night to her other work and it just doesn't stand up. It makes me so sad. I just don't want to give up on her books, but what can I do? I don't think I can hang in there any longer.


Here is what others had to say:
Dear Author
Dirty Sexy Books

Review - Blood Born

Title: Blood Born
Author: Linda Howard and Linda Jones
Publishing Date: April 2010
Genre: Paranormal
Rating: D
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: I purchased this book new.

Blood Born is the first book in a new vampire series. Luca Ambrus is a vampire. I guess you could call him an enforcer of sorts. The governing vampire body calls on him to hunt down and kill those vampires who break the law and threaten other vampires. The most important thing is to keep the knowledge of the existence of vampires away from the human race. When Luca's good friend on the council is killed he learns that there is a traitor in their mist. He must uncover and stop the traitor before a war starts between his people and the human race.

Humans are not without help. There are people who are called conduits. These people channel spirit warriors into Earth's dimension. Chloe Fallon is one such person. Luca follows a rogue vampire to her home and saves her from the vampire as he tries to kill her. Chloe cannot be left alone because she will always be susceptible to another vampire attack. Luca vows to protect her at all costs.

Sounds good right? I thought Blood Born had great promise, an exciting plot with an otherworldly Alpha male written by a well known favorite author of mine. But alas, this one just wasn't what I was looking for. For one thing, I was reading this book during RT and it had a lot of competition for my attention. It started out really slow. The beginning of the book was a major info dump and the hero/heroine don't even meet until page 105. I am sorry, but 100 pages before they even meet???? It took real perseverance to continue the book and I'll admit, I read another book between this one to give me a quick fix.

The book has many multiple view points and it felt like less than half of the book focused on Luca and Chloe's relationship. The world building was great, but it dominated the book. I even checked to see how this book was labeled. Maybe it wasn't a romance, but right on the back it does say paranormal romance. This book just wasn't what I was expecting. *Sigh*


Here is what others had to say:

Smokin Hot Books
All About Romance

This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon

Review - Ice

Title: Ice
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: November 2009
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: Borrowed from the library.

Gabriel McQueen is home for the holidays visiting his family in a small town in Maine. His father is the Sherriff and he is concerned for one of his citizens, Lolly Helton. A very dangerous ice storm is hours away from rolling in and Lolly might possibly be stuck in her cabin on a mountain. Gabe's father wants him to go check on Lolly and make sure she is safe. Gabe would rather do anything than that at the moment, as he and Lolly haven't always gotten along in the past. Yet, Gabe could never refuse his father anything, especially something as important as a person's safety and therefore heads off on this fool's errand.

Ice is classic Linda Howard with a military hero, who is tough as nails and competent and cool in the worst of situations. The heroine is a no-nonsense, capable woman willing to do whatever is necessary to survive. Lolly and Gabe have a history of rubbing each other the wrong way, but now they must work together if they are going to survive.

The thing that really frustrates me with this story is the length. It's so dang short, only 198 pages. It's a good story. I enjoyed reading what I was able to, but I soooo wanted more - more back story, more banter between Gabe and Lolly and most importantly more sexual tension. A lot of the romantic development played second fiddle to the suspense. I wanted it to be the other way around.

I can't really recommend this book to readers who haven't ever read Howard before. It's just not up to par with her previous work. I do think that fans of Linda Howard, who can't seem to give her up (I am really talking about myself here), might want to rent this book from their library. I think it took me a couple of hours to read and I was entertained, albeit very briefly.

Here is what others had to say:

Leslie's Psyche
Romance Reading Mom
Flirting With Romance Books
Nobody Asked Me
Dear Author

This book can be purchased in print or kindle form from Amazon.

Review - Burn

Title: Burn
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: July 2009
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: B
Sensuality: Warm

Jenner Redwine is twenty-three working second shift in a meat packing plant. On her way home from work as she stops to buy a six pack for her moocher boyfriend she also buys a few lottery tickets. Believe it or not, Jenner wins the lottery. Jenner knows that her life is about to change drastically. Even though she might not be well educated, she is no dummy. She takes the proper precautions to ensure the safety of her winnings before claiming the winning ticket. Fast forward seven years later and Jenner is traveling on a charity cruise to Hawaii with her best friend, Sydney. Only Sydney is kidnapped and held captive to ensure Jenner's participation in the surveillance of the cruise's owner without any missteps.

Burn is classic Linda Howard, maybe not at her best, but damn entertaining that's for sure. The first part of the book tells the story of how Jenner went from poor white trash, to hob knobbing with the filthy rich. What is so awesome about Howard's writing style is that the reader is not just told how diligent and smart Jenner is, but shown through the actions she takes to prepare herself for the changes to her new life after she claims her winning lottery ticket. This part of the book has clearly shown the reader what type of person Jenner is and what she is capable of.

Then Jenner is thrown into a stressful situation on the cruise and she doesn't panic at all. Instead she gets angry and fights back. Cael Traylor needs access to Jenner's suite in order to keep tabs on what the ship's owner is up to. He is impressed and yet annoyed with Jenner's prickly personality. These two are like two dogs in a kennel circling each other, snipping and snarling and waiting for an opportunity to pounce. The dynamic between Cael and Jenner is laced with lots of sexual tension and is a lot of fun to read.

I found the suspense to overshadow the romance to a certain degree. The suspense is the main momentum for the story and the most important aspect. I prefer it to be the other way around with the romance leading the way. But even with this as the case, Burn was a very enjoyable read. Jenner has definitely made the top of my list of favorite heroines by Ms. Howard.

This book can be purchased in hardcover or kindle by Amazon.

Review - A Lady of the West

Title: A Lady of the West
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: 1990
Genre: Western
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot

As many of you probably already know, I am a HUGE Linda Howard fan. I have read just about everything she has written, except for a couple of her first books. A Lady of the West is one of those books and because of some rumors I had heard about the book, I wasn't planning on reading it. Among those rumors was that the hero hits the heroine. The discussion got going about it on Twitter a couple of weeks ago, I felt compelled to read it.

A Lady of the West takes place in New Mexico Territory in 1866. Victoria Waverly, a young gently bred lady sacrifices herself to wed General McLain because her family desperately needs money. Twenty years prior General McLain viciously took over the Sarratt Ranch and leaving two young boys for dead. Jake Roper is all grown up now and looking to take back the ranch that should have been his and to avenge his parents' deaths. Surprisingly, he finds himself smitten with Victoria's quiet, graceful nature. For the first time in his life, revenge is not the only thing he has to live for.

Jake Roper is a hard man. He witnesses the rape and then subsequent murder of his mother at the tender age of thirteen. He and his younger brother Ben are both shot, fleeing their ranch. For twenty years he has been on his own with nothing but revenge for company. He doesn't know how to live any other way and in this harsh environment he has to be tough to survive. When he meets Victoria he is surprised by how much he wants her and from the first moment he sees her he is compelled by her strength and grace.

Victoria was a surprise. I was expecting a more meek heroine and Victoria has a surprisingly strong backbone made of steel. She is willing to make sacrifices for her family, but she still has her pride and this gets her in trouble with Jake a number of times. Jake and Victoria are very passionate characters and walk a fine line between love and hate. At times the book was difficult to read because of the strong emotions from the characters. After a particularly emotional argument, Jake goes too far and slaps Victoria in the face, hard enough to knock her down and leave a bruise. Sure he is remorseful, but who is to say it won't ever happen again when he gets mad. That scene left a very sour taste in my mouth. It is such a shame too, because A Lady of the West is a good story and the characters are richly drawn.

There were many secondary characters that made an impact on the story. The relationship between Victoria and her cousin Emma and her sister Celia were very well done. The reader was able to get better insight into Victoria's character through her interaction with Emma and Celia. Both Emma and Celia each had their own mini-romance in the later half of the book.

Linda Howard is a fantastic storyteller. I do recommend the book, but with reservations. Readers who enjoy books from Judith McNaught or Linda Howard may enjoy A Lady of the West. If you are a fan of more "old school" romances or angst, this one might be for you. If not, then stay far, far away!

This book can be purchased in print format from Amazon.

Linda Howard's New Book - Burn!

This is the first I have heard that Linda Howard has a new book coming out!! I just thought I would pass this information along to you. Unfortunately, it's not much. All I know is that the new book is titled Burn and that it is a romantic suspense. Here is what was posted on the publishers website:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Death Angel, Linda Howard, comes her most electrifying work of romantic suspense yet—an unforgettable novel of mesmerizing action and powerful emotion. Expertly blending action-packed suspense with matters of the heart, Linda Howard once again pens an exhilarating tale that will keep her loyal readers guessing until the explosive, utterly unpredictable climax.

I wish they had a summary of the plot. Does anyone know anymore than this and would you like to share your Intel?

Leontine found this summary for me. Yay, Leontine!!! You go girl!

ABOUT THIS BOOK

It’s true what they say: Money changes everything. And in Linda Howard’s red-hot novel Burn, the changes come fast, furious, and filled with the kind of sexy suspense, heart-stopping romance, beautiful people, and risky business guaranteed to give you the most bang for your buck.

Money certainly changes Jenner Redwine’s life when she wins a lottery jackpot. But it also costs her plenty: Her father rips her off and disappears, her fortune-hunting boyfriend soon becomes her ex, and friends-turned-freeloaders give her the cold shoulder when she stops paying for everything.

Flush with new money, Jenner can’t imagine ever finding a place in the world of the wealthy. Seven years later, though, she’s rubbing elbows with the rich, despite the fact she still feels like a party crasher. Luckily she finds an ally–and a guide to the rarefied realm of privilege–in shy, kind-hearted heiress Sydney Hazlett, who quickly becomes Jenner’s confidante and surrogate sister.

When Sydney invites Jenner on a charity cruise aboard a luxury liner, Jenner reluctantly agrees. But while she’s expecting–and dreading–two weeks of masquerade balls, art auctions, and preening glitterati, what she gets is more like a Hitchcock movie than a Love Boat episode. Taken hostage by a menacing stranger, Jenner must cooperate in a mysterious cloak-and-dagger scheme–or else. With nowhere to run, and with Sydney’s life as well as her own at risk, Jenner is drawn into a game of dizzying intrigue and harrowing danger. But as her panic gives way to exhilaration, and fear of her captor turns to fascination, Jenner rediscovers feelings she hasn’t had in years–and realizes she’s found a life worth living. If she survives.

Series Sunday - MacKenzie's

This is an oldie, but goodie as far as series go in the romance world. Linda Howard wrote a collection of books that revolve around the Mackenzie family. The men in these books are classic Howard heroes. They are uber manly and larger than life. They are over protective of their women with incredible sex drives and they have no problem going after what they want. These books aren't always politically correct, but they sure are fun to read.

The first book stars Wolf Mackenzie and Mary. Wolf has one son Joe from a previous marriage and then he and Mary had a slew of other children. The subsequent books feature the other children. I personally don't believe the books have to be read in order to enjoy them. They each stand alone. My favorites are the first two Mackenzie's Mountain and Mackenzie's Mission. The weakest of the bunch is Mackenzie's Magic.

Series Reading Order

1. Mackenzie's Mountain (1989)
2. Mackenzie's Mission (1992)
3. Mackenzie's Pleasure (1996)
4. Mackenzie's Magic (1996)
5. A Game of Chance (2000)

Review - To Die For

Title: To Die For
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: 1995
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Hot

Blair Mallory had been on three dates with Wyatt Bloodsworth when he leaves and never calls her back. He doesn't explain why he walked away, from what was turning into a very serious relationship. For two years Blair hadn't had nary a word from him until she witnesses a murder in the parking lot of the gym she owns. Wyatt is a lieutenant on the police force. After fearing that it was Blair who has been shot, he narrows his focus to one thing, and that is to get Blair back. Blair however is having none of it. If Wyatt hurt her once than he is definitely capable of hurting her again.

To Die For is told in the first person from Blair's point of view. I found Blair's narration of the story to be very funny and personable. It seems as if Blair is your close friend and she is retelling the story of how she and Wyatt fell in love.

Wyatt and Blair's courtship is a battle of wills. Wyatt wants Blair and Blair wants Wyatt to suffer for walking away two years ago without a backward glance or an explanation. She is going to make sure Wyatt works hard to get her back. Wyatt is a former football player and to say he loves a challenge is an understatement. What Wyatt wants Wyatt gets and most of the time he doesn't play fair. That's okay because Blair can be just as sneaky and underhanded as him. This leads to some of the most memorable scenes in any book I've read.

The conversations between Wyatt and Blair are very well done. They are what make this book so great. Wyatt is your typical manly man and not one to talk about his feelings. These conversations are essential and give insight into what Wyatt is thinking and feeling. This is really important since the book is told from Blair's point of view.

The mystery portion of this book was very weak. It didn't bother me so much because I was much more focused on the romance, but it might really bother readers who are mystery buffs. When I read the book the first time I didn't even notice the ridiculousness of the killers identity. Even with the new awareness of To Die For's weakness, I still found it a very enjoyable read and it still remains a favorite.

Review - Death Angel

Title: Death Angel
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: July 2008
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: B
Sensuality: Hot

I will try and give a brief synopsis of the book without giving too much of the plot away. Death Angel, for me is told in two parts. Part one begins with Andrea (Drea) Rousseau being given by her mobster boyfriend, Rafael to an assassin for a sexual liaison as a payment for services rendered. This liaison is to happen only once and no longer than five hours. To say Drea is stunned is an understatement. She can’t believe how easily Rafael gives her away to another man. Since taking a hit to her pride, Drea robs Rafael and goes into hiding. I think I am going to leave the summary here as to not give any spoilers. The second part of the story is about Drea trying to make a better life for herself and to be a better person. She no longer wants to have anything to do with the shallow woman she once was.

First off, let me say that I am a HUGE fan of Linda Howard. I love her writing style and her super hot alpha heroes. However, her last few releases have been hit or miss for me. I was hoping that Death Angel would be more of a hit than a miss, but I wasn’t holding my breath. I am happy to say that with this book, it seems that Ms. Howard is back on track. Drea was a very unique heroine in that the reader gets to see her journey from a shallow, selfish woman to a genuinely kind person. Along the way she falls in love with an assassin Simon. Simon is very unique too. He toes the line between good and bad leaning more towards the dark side of life. He has an epiphany as well, but it is not as well defined as Drea’s.

One of the things that I love about Howard’s writing is her ability to make her love scenes so sexy. I think major reason for this is the hero’s powerful focus on the heroine. Simon is no exception. He is very intense and whenever he is focused on Drea it’s as if the rest of the world has fallen away.

I think that the balance between Drea’s attempt to hide her identity and the romance of the story were a little uneven. I felt that more attention was paid to the details of Drea’s escape than her relationship with Simon. However, the scenes when Drea was with Simon totally rocked. I felt the good more than outweighed the bad. Death Angel has a darker tone, but it was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

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The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
The Book Binge (Casee)
The Book Binge (Holly)
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Dear Author

Review – Mackenzie’s Magic

Title: Mackenzie’s Magic
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: November 1996
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: C
Sensuality: Warm

Mackenzie’s Magic is the fourth book in the Mackenzie series. Maris is the daughter of Wolf and Mary Mackenzie who started the series in Mackenzie’s Mountain (one of my favorite books). Maris Mackenzie wakes up in bed with a man she doesn’t know. She has no memory of how she got there. She quickly learns that she stole the prize horse she has been training. She has to get her memory back fast because whoever hit her on the head is going to come back to finish the job.

This story was ridiculously short and a big disappointment. The whole dang story takes place over only a few measly little hours! I am not even sure if the story was 100 pages long. Maris’s personality was in keeping with an only girl growing up in a house full of Mackenzie men. It made since that she would be direct and know exactly what she wants – and knows she’ll get it. Alex MacNeil’s character, on the other hand, was not developed properly. I actually almost forgot his name. He has so little presence in the story. Also, there is none of the snappy dialog that Linda Howard is so well known for. Then, if that wasn’t enough, Alex and Maris’s relationship is completely overshadowed at the end of the story with the introduction of Zane’s little girl, Nick. I am not even going to try and put into words how annoying her baby talk was. All I can say is, don’t start with this one, only read it if you are desperate for a Linda Howard book and you have read everything else.

Review – Mr. Perfect

Title: Mr. Perfect
Author: Linda Howard
Publishing Date: 2000
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Hot


Jaine Bright and three of her female friends brainstorm a list of what requirements the “perfect” man would have to have over their routine dinner after work on Friday. By Monday morning the list is circling their work. The list ends up causing quite a stir and the ladies find themselves not only on local news but national news as well. Things take a turn for the worst when one of them is murdered and the rest are in danger for their lives. Janie’s next door neighbor Sam, is a cop who comes to her rescue.

In the beginning of the book Jaine thinks Sam is a drug dealer or a drunk. Sam works all odd hours and is scruffy looking. Jaine thinks the worst of him. When her neighbor informs her that he is a cop, needless to say Jaine is shocked.

So much of what I love about this book is the witty repartee between Sam and Jaine. Jaine’s mouth is left uncensored whenever Sam is around and those two can really go at it. They both are very evenly matched and it is so much fun to read. Jaine has what I like to call, “a large personality.” She tries to tone down this with everybody, but with Sam, he likes it and she can just be herself. That is what makes Sam perfect in my eyes. I loved Sam and Jaine and wanted more. Mr. Perfect is one of Howard’s best. I don’t think I have done this book justice with this review. It really is a great book; one that just flies by when you are reading it. Here is an exchange between Sam and Jaine that I posted earlier to give you an example of the fantastic dialog between these two.

I have just one small complaint. What I didn’t enjoy was the parts that were in the villain’s point of view. I realize they may have been necessary to the suspense part of the story but I don’t like reading them. Whenever I do a reread, I usually skip them.

Linda Howard’s Upcoming Release Death Angel

Does anyone have any information on her new book Death Angel? I have that it will be released June 24th of this year, but I have yet to find a summary of the book. I have been to the Random House website but they don’t have much information. I really wish Howard had a website. Here is one sentence I got from the Romantic Times magazine in the publishers previews section:

After she’s visited by a Death Angel, Drea swears revenge on those who tried to kill her.

So that’s all I’ve got. Anyone have anything to add to that measly bit of information?