An Update...

So, I am headed to the Midwest tomorrow for my "real job". I have a training I will be attending for the week on a new piece of equipment my lab acquired. I am not sure if I will have access to a computer where I am headed. The hotel promises free wi-fi, but I will believe it when I see it. I have been burned in the past.

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up in case you are wondering what happened to me and why I haven't been posting or commenting. I will schedule a couple of reviews to post, but I might not be able to answer your comments until I get back. I'll be back late Friday evening.

I am excited to get away and do something different and yet I am also hesitant to leave my family. My husband will be by himself with the kids for 4 nights. He will have to get the kids ready for school, make lunches, dinners and get the kids ready for bed. I'll be honest. I am worried for him. It will be a lot of work. Hey, maybe this will mean he will appreciate me when I come back, right?! I just hope he isn't scarred for life, LOL!

Review - The Wildest Heart

Title: The Wildest Heart
Author: Rosemary Rogers
Publication Date: First in 1974, then rereleased by Sourcebooks in November 2009
Genre: Western
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: Received an advanced review copy from the publisher.

The Wildest Heart is a sweeping, epic historical written by the famous romance author Rosemary Rogers. She is probably best known for Sweet Savage Love, one of the first romance books that gets talked about time and again.

The Wildest Heart is narrated by Lady Rowena Dangerfield. She grew up in India with her grandfather the Earl of Melchester, an unconventional man who believed Rowena should be given the same education as a man. To say Rowena is an unusual young woman is an understatement. The Earl dies and she is sent to London to live with her Mother and Stepfather. Her Mother resents her presence and her Stepfather lusts after her. It is quite an awful situation for Rowena. Eventually, good news comes and she learns her father has sent for her to come to America. He is co-owner of a ranch in New Mexico. So, Rowena sets off to the New World.

Things aren't what Rowena quite expected when she arrives. She learns her father has died, but he left her his journals where he chronicled his life. It seems there is a feud between the co-owner of the SD ranch, Todd Shannon and the Mexican family who claimed the land before, the Kordes. Rowena finds herself swept into the drama and intrigue.

I found myself swept into the drama and intrigue too! Rosemary Rogers excels at creating a stunning masterpiece with very intricate details that all tie into and explosive conclusion. This story was all over the map! On the one hand, it is incredibly well written. The plot is very detailed and thoroughly well thought out. On the other hand some of the subject matter is hard to swallow.

Since the story is narrated in first person, everything is discovered through Rowena's eyes. Rowena is a strong, prideful woman who is often described as cold or unfeeling as marble. She has built up this persona to shield the more vulnerable part of herself from the world. The reader understands this based on how Rowena grew up and the events that shaped her. I can't say I ever really warmed up to Rowena, but I understood her motivations very well. I also I can't say I agree with how she handled everything, but again I understand why. Rowena's personality so strongly leaps off the pages the reader will have no trouble understanding her.

What I think a lot of readers will struggle with in this story is the actual romance. Rowena eventually falls for Lucas Cord who is half Apache warrior. He is an outlaw and has an incestuous relationship with his mother. Yep, you read that right. Now, how in the world is this hero material? This was the main factor on what I struggled with and even though I did get past it (which is a testament to Roger's writing) I know it will be very bothersome to many readers. Also, it's not until the last half of the book that Rowena and Lucas begin their relationship and it is fraught with many obstacles. Of a 748 page book, I like my hero and heroine to spend more time together.

While I did enjoy this book, it is not one I would recommend to many romance readers. I think fans of historical fiction might be more intrigued by this story and then only those who enjoy more an anti-hero as opposed to a hero.

Here is what others had to say:

The Burton Review
My Book Addiction and More
Books Like Breathing
My Overstuffed Bookshelf
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Book Binge

This book can be purchased in print format from Amazon.

Review - To Desire a Devil

Title: To Desire a Devil
Author: Elizabeth Hoyt
Publishing Date: November 2009
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: A friend thoughtfully sent me her copy after she finished reading it.

To Desire a Devil is the conclusion to Elizabeth Hoyt's quartet The Legend of the Four Soldiers. Reynaud St. Aubyn was captured during the French and Indian War at the battle of Spinner's Falls. His fellow comrades in war believed him to be dead, when he was actually living as an Indian captive for seven years. He managed to survive his captivity with the strong drive that he would make it back home to England - to his title as the Earl of Blanchard and his lands. The story opens with Reynaud literally crashing a tea party in the home of the current Earl of Blanchard. He is on death's door having taken sickness from the voyage from America to England. Beatrice Corning the current Earl's niece nurses him back to health for she has always been intrigued by the portrait of smiling young man. She recognizes Reynaud from his portrait even though he seems quite changed.

Again, Elizabeth Hoyt delivers! I really enjoyed the main characters Reynaud and Beatrice. Beatrice is a sweet, simple woman. Honestly, there is nothing complicated about her. What you see is what you get. She has many good qualities, such as compassion for both Reynaud and her Uncle Reggie. Reynaud's personality is more forceful and brash in comparison. He sees her quiet strength and compassion and wants to surround himself in it. He decides what he wants and is determined to have it. Theirs was just an enjoyable romance to read.

I felt the conclusion to who the traitor was over the Spinner's Falls massacre was a tad unexciting. I mean, there have been three previous books leading up to this conclusion and when we finally get to it, it seemed deflated. However, I did enjoy seeing Sir Alastair Monroe from To Beguile a Beast put to use a very clever ambush tactic upon the traitor. It made for a good laugh. It's little clever pieces like that which keep me coming back for more. Bravo Ms. Hoyt! You make it seem so effortless!

Here is what others had to say:

Babbling About Books and More
Dear Author
Closetwriter
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This book can be purchased in print or kindle format from Amazon

Review - Everywhere She Turns

Title: Everywhere She Turns
Author: Debra Webb
Publishing Date: 2009
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: B
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: Borrowed this book from the local library.

Dr. CJ Patterson learns that her sister Shelley has been murdered. CJ and Shelley grew up in Huntsville, Alabama on the wrong side of the tracks. CJ was able to make something of herself and become a doctor, but her sister Shelley wasn't so lucky. Shelley was a prostitute and drug addict. CJ goes back home to make sure the police are doing what they can to find Shelley's killer. CJ knows that since Shelley wasn't an important citizen that they would be more likely to ignore her murder than make it a priority. She won't stand for that and gets involved with the investigation.

Debra Webb pens excellent suspense. I was engrossed in the story right from the beginning. The suspense portion of the story is very involved. There are a multitude of suspects and angles that the police are investigating. The reader is privy to some of the suspects' points of view, as well as CJ's and the detective Braddock's. CJ and Braddock have a past, which unfolds a little at a time over the first half of the book. The sexual tension between CJ and Braddock is very well done and their first intimate scene together is a scorcher. Whew! I felt that the evolution of their relationship was excellently done and very believable.

The one thing that bothered me with the book was CJ. For an intelligent woman she sure did make some stupid decisions. She had a tendency to put herself in dangerous situations. I think for those readers who are sensitive to this type of heroine will be annoyed with CJ. I could over look it because Webb does pen a good story. The mystery/suspense had plenty of twists and turns where eventually everything culminated in a crashing crescendo. If you can overlook the heroine's bad decision making skills, Everywhere She Turns is definitely an entertaining read.

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

Series Sunday - The Hathaways

I can't believe I haven't done a Series Sunday post for Lisa Kleypas's popular Hathaway series. Ms. Kleypas happens to be one of my favorite authors and those of you who follow my blog I'm sure have realized this. Her writing style is so easy to read and all of her books seem to resonate with me.

The Hathaway series focuses on the Hathaway family who on the surface seems to be a bunch of misfits. They don't fit into the perfect mold that most of London Society deems essential for survival. After their parents died along with a string of other relatives, the head of the family, Leo was left with the title of Viscount and a slew of sisters to care for Amelia, Winnie, Poppy and Beatrix.

This series features each of these siblings getting their own book and gaining their happily ever after. I have read the first three books in the series. I don't necessarily think that these books need to be read in order, as each stands alone. But the reading experience would be enhanced (especially for Leo's story) if they are read in order. In my opinion, just go ahead and read them in order. I can vouch that they are all good and you won't be waisting your time!

Series Reading Order:
1. Mine Till Midnight (Amelia and Cam)
2. Seduce Me At Sunrise (Winnie and Merripen)
3. Tempt Me At Twilight (Poppy and Harry)
4. Married by Morning (Leo and Cathrine) coming Summer of 2010!
5. Love in the Afternoon (Beatrix)

*Fun Fact* Cam, the hero in Mine Till Midnight first appears in The Devil in Winter as a secondary character. He was appealing to readers then and easily garnered attention. Readers wanted him to get his own book and eventually he did!

Review - Tempt Me Tonight

Title: Tempt Me Tonight
Author: Toni Blake
Publishing Date: 2007
Genre: Contemporary
Rating: B-
Sensuality: Hot
Book Disclosure: Borrowed from Paperspine. Also, part of my RT Reading Challenge.

Trish Henderson and Joe Ramsey were a tight item in high school until the night that Joe chose lust over true love. Joe made a choice that he would grow to regret for a life time. Thirteen years have passed. Trish is a successful lawyer and comes home to the town of Eden where she grew up to help her parents sell their diner so they can retire to Florida. She runs into Joe at a local bar. Not making one of her better decisions she plots to seduce Joe to excercise her demons. Only what she ends up doing is opening a can of worms better left unopened and she realizes that she still harbors feelings for Joe after all these years.

Tempt Me Tonight is a fairly entertaining read if albeat a little uneven. The writing excels with the characters. Both Joe and Trish are protrayed realistically and are fully developed. The reader will come to understand both sides of the story and it will be hard to choose between the two. I felt for both Trish and Joe as they both suffered from mistakes made in the past and neither one of them was able to move forward from it. Tempt Me Tonight focuses soley on these two and what they need to do to work out their problems.

Occasionally, where my attention would wander would be when the characters took it in their mind to have a long internal discussion about the romance. I would have prefered to see action as opposed to internal dialogue. But, I can attest to some beautiful scenes, only these were few and far between. One in particular is a scene where Joe and Trish stay up all night talking and watch the sun rise in the morning. That was quite touching.

There is also the character Beverly who is sort of the villain in the story, although she isn't portrayed as "eeevil". I really appreciated that. She has her own secondary romance. I actually wanted more than we got of her story and felt that it ended all to abruptly and only scratched the surface. It got wrapped up with a neat and tidy bow, but I think there was more to the story.

All in all, I can safely say I think Toni Blake has a lot of potential and I will definitely be looking into some of her other books. I would recommend this one to fans of childhood love, or lost love themes in romance.

Here is what others had to say:

Erotic Horizon
Dear Author
Stacy's Place on Earth
Bluegrass Romance Reviews
Lovin' Me Some Romance
Laurie's Laudanum

This book can be purchased in print and kindle format from Amazon.

Review - King of Sword and Sky

Title: King of Sword and Sky
Author: C. L. Wilson
Publishing Date: 2008
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: C+
Sensuality: Warm
Book Disclosure: Received from Paperbackswap

King of Sword and Sky is the third book in C. L. Wilson's Tairen Soul Series. If you are not familiar with this series, this is not the book to begin with. You'll want to start with the first book Lord of the Fading Lands. Ellysetta has been chosen to save the Fey. How she is supposed to do exactly that is not known. Ellysetta travels with Rain back to the Fading Lands to see how she can stop the Tairen and Fey from extinction. Meanwhile, back in Eld the High Mage is building up his troops preparing for war against the Fey. He has a few tricks up his sleeve that might just tip victory in his favor.

The Tairen Soul series is a sweeping fantasy tale of good verses evil. C. L. Wilson pens a visual story filled vivid imagery and numerous details. While many will find this writing style colorful and imaginative, I found it tedious. Often I found the details of Elly and Rain's plight over exemplified. It seemed every little detail made it's way into the story. Also, the Fey have so much magic. At any time they can create anything they desire, from food to clothing or even just heating up their bath water. The buildings and just about everything in the Fading Lands is so picturesque it has a Disney-like quality to it. It just seemed all to perfect to me.

The part of the story that I really enjoyed was the battle at the end. Here is where all those details really payed off. The battle just comes alive on the page and the imagery is astonishing. The intensity of the story really ratchets up a great deal. This book ends on a cliff-hanger and I can see why so many people were wanting to get the next book, Queen of Song and Souls in their hands right away. At this point, I am not sure if I will finish with this series. I don't want to have to slog through 300 pages of mundane details to get to 100 pages of really good stuff. I'm on the fence.

Here is what others had to say:

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Dear Author
Leontine's Book Realm
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The Book Smugglers
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Bodice Ripper Reviews
Aneca's World
Alpha Heroes

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