Book Binge

Grade: 4.5 out of 5

In On Writing Romance, award-winning romance novelist Leigh Michaels talks you through each stage of the writing and publishing process. From the origins and evolution of the romance novel to establishing a vital story framework to writing that last line to seeking out appropriate publishers, everything you ever wanted to know about writing a romance novel is here.

In addition to a comprehensive breakdown of more than thirty romance subgenres, including such categories as historical, inspirational, Regency, and sweet traditional, you’ll discover how to:

* Steer clear of clichés and stereotypes by studying the genre
* Craft engaging and realistic heroes and heroines readers will adore
* Convincingly develop the central couple’s blossoming relationship
* Add conflict by utilizing essential secondary characters like the “other woman”
* Use tension and timing to make your love scenes sizzle with sensuality
* Get your characters to happily-ever-after with an ending readers will always remember

Plus, read a sample query letter, cover letter, and synopsis, and learn how to properly prepare your romance novel for submission to agents and editors. On Writing Romance has everything you need to leave readers swooning!

I think of all the books that I've read on writing, this one is my favorite. It's not cute and it's not funny but it's very informative and even though it's packed to the brim with information you need to know about the romance genre, the market and everything else, it's not a boring book. I found myself marking this book like I would a text book, wanting to remember key notes and things like that.

It was a very good writing tool to have. It's got all sorts of information that some of the other books had as well but this one was just easier for me to get into. It's got everything you need to know about writing a romance novel, building a plot, finding out which sub genre of romance you're most suited to write and everything else you could ever dream of knowing and it's all written in a way that you don't have to have a dictionary handy to understand what the hell the author is trying to say.

If ever there was a book on writing romance that you must have, it's this one. You'll learn so much and get so fired up to start writing because Leigh Michaels does that great a job of teaching you everything you should know about the romance genre, everything you need to know to help you write a fabulous heroine and a swoonworthy hero. Everything is in this book so if you're trying to write that fantastic romance novel and need a few pointers....this is the book for you.

This book is available from Writer's Digest Books. You can buy it here.

This is the book we've all been waiting for. The third and final book in Karen Rose's For Me Trilogy, based on the Vartanian family of Dutton, Georgia is coming February 2nd. It's freaking amazing. Once again Rose has written a fantastic, compelling mystery that winds in and around itself in an intricate pattern. I generally have no problem figuring out who the villain is in suspense novels, but even I had no clue until Rose chose to show me.

If you haven't already, go pre-order this book (or check your local book seller - seems many have been finding it on the shelves already). Check back on Monday for my review (and maybe even a giveaway).

New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose delivers another pulse-pounding suspense novel that ties into SCREAM FOR ME.


Five teenage girls have been murdered. One survived, and only she can reveal the secrets of a disturbing ring of people who kidnap and sell teenage girls on the black market. But those responsible for the crimes will do whatever it takes to maintain her silence.

Susannah Vartanian and Luke Papadopoulos have both sworn to stop the murderers for their own reasons. Susannah, the sister of the hero in SCREAM FOR ME, suffers from a mysterious past that is connected to the sinister black market. Luke is an investigative agent and a computer expert who refuses to let another child predator get away.

Susannah and Luke are instantly attracted to each other, but their troubled pasts prevent them from immediately acting upon their feelings. The case will lead them to the shady realm of Internet chat rooms, where anyone can mask their identity. As Susannah and Luke draw closer to the criminals, they discover a chain of deception so intricate they don't know who to trust. Susannah and Luke find comfort in one another's arms, but the killers are ruthless and determined, and will take extreme measures to insure their anonymity and keep their business intact.

The series:



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

Hero: Jack Harper
Heroine: Emma Corrigan
Grade: 4.5 out of 5

Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: Secrets from her mother:

• I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur.

• Sammy the goldfish in my parents’ kitchen is not the same goldfish that Mum gave me to look after when she and Dad were in Egypt.

Secrets from her boyfriend:

• I weigh one hundred and twenty-eight pounds. Not one eighteen, like Connor thinks.

• I’ve always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken.

From her colleagues:

• When Artemis really annoys me, I feed her plant orange juice. (Which is pretty much every day.) It was me who jammed the copier that time. In fact, all the times.

Secrets she wouldn’t share with anyone in the world:

• My G-string is hurting me.

• I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is.

Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger. But come Monday morning, Emma’s office is abuzz about the arrival of Jack Harper, the company’s elusive CEO. Suddenly Emma is face-to-face with the stranger from the plane, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her. Things couldn’t possibly get worse—Until they do.

I read this book for Nath's Reread Challenge and I couldn't think of a better book to start this challenge off with. When I first read this book, I laughed a whole lot and I just had a ball reading it but that was years ago. It's been so long since I've reread this book that I wasn't sure if I'd like it anymore considering the amount of books that I loved before and don't really care for anymore. I was so happy to find that I enjoyed this book just as much this time around as I did the first time that I read it.

This is one of those books that you'll read when you need a laugh, when you need to laugh at someone else other than yourself and it's just that book that you pick up when you need that pick me up. This book is that funny.

You've got the main character, Emma Corrigan, who is on a business trip and her airplane goes through some crazy turbulence and she thinks she's going to die so she turns to her seat partner and starts talking. She starts confessing things she's never done, she starts confessing every little thing in her head and by the time the plane has landed, she's told this virtual stranger every embarrassing moment of her life. All of the moments mentioned above and so, so much more. She's not too embarrassed about it since she doesn't think she'll ever see him again with him being an American and she's British. They live on two different continents so what are the odds of them ever seeing each other again?

Not very good.

Only the odds turn out to be VERY good because the American from the airplane turns up at Emma's job and turns out to be the big boss of her entire company and he knows all of her dirty little secrets, including her on the job secrets that nobody would want their bosses to know about. Having Jack (that's the American's name) around makes this book just that much more exciting. Seeing Emma jump through hoop after hoop to steer clear of Jack and then everything she went through in this book is one laugh after the other. You'll seriously be laughing from the start of this book to the very end and I can't recommend this for a good laughing read enough. You'll laugh at Emma, you'll laugh at her crazy best friend and room mate, you'll laugh at her obnoxious cousin Kerry and you'll just keep right on laughing until the very end.

Jack Harper was a fantastic character as well. He was perfect for Emma and I thought that they made the perfect match. They were the perfect mix for each other because they balanced each other out. She was the loud and crazy one where he was the opposite of that. The way that Jack was with Emma was perfect. He wanted to take her on the perfect date and he did. He wanted her to understand the depths of his feelings for her and he did. He wanted to turn his back on her after the betrayal he thinks she's done to him but he doesn't because he knows that his Emma wouldn't do something like that but more than anything, Jack Harper was a good man and the perfect hero for this book because he loved Emma for who she was and not because she was this perfect woman. He knew every little secret of hers, bad and good and still, he loved her. He knew every little bad thing about her and it didn't matter. He didn't try to change her, he loved her exactly the way she was and I adored that about him. She didn't have to shed a pound for him to notice her, she didn't have to jump through hoops to impress him and she didn't have to change for him. Ahhhh, I loved this guy!

It's a great book and I can't recommend this book enough to those of you who are wanting a light and extremely funny book to read. This is the book you want to read if you're in the mood to laugh your socks off. I'm so glad that I read this book again and Nath, seriously...you rock for starting this challenge. I'm so in love with this challenge, I'd marry it if I could.

Until next month's re-read entry...read this book!

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

This year Harlequin celebrates 60 years of pure reading pleasure by offering 16 FREE eBOOKS! That's right, 16 FREE titles are up for grabs on the website.

The free titles , which include some of our favorite authors, are available in every format, including PDF and DRM free. If you haven't ever read a category romance but have been wanting to try this is the perfect opportunity. There's something for everyone, from suspense thrillers to steamy Blazes.

• Harlequin American Romance, Once a Cowboy by Linda Warren
• Harlequin Blaze, Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly
• Harlequin Historical, His Lady Mistress by Elizabeth Rolls
• Harlequin Intrigue, Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels
• Harlequin Presents, Price of Passion by Susan Napier
• Harlequin Romance, The Bride’s Baby by Liz Fielding
• Harlequin Superromance, Snowbound by Janice Kay Johnson
  
• Silhouette Desire, Baby Bonanza by Maureen Child
• Silhouette Nocturne, Kiss Me Deadly by Michele Hauf
• Silhouette Romantic Suspense, Stranded with a Spy by Merline Lovelace
• Silhouette Special Edition, Dancing in the Moonlight by Raeanne Thayne
  
• Love Inspired, A Very Special Delivery by Linda Goodnight
• Love Inspired Historical, Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart
• Love Inspired Suspense, Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry
  
• Kimani Romance, Irresistible Forces by Brenda Jackson
  
• Nascar, Speed Dating by Nancy Warren

When you're finished downloading your free books, why don't you head over to the 2009 Bloggie Awards and vote for Silhouette author Suzanne McMinn. Her blog, CHICKENS IN THE ROAD has been nominated for the Best Kept Secret award this year. This is a huge deal and I think it would be awesome if y'all voted for her.

Go check out her blog to see for yourself.

Then head over and vote!

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl - working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn't fit in anywhere. That's all she wants. Well, that - and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she's crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed - that part defies explanation...

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie's killer smile triggers something deep in his gut...among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a check book is the biggest rush he's ever felt - and an adventure Katie's wishing would never end...

I'm not really going to go into a summary of the book since we've had multiple reviews of it. You can find Rowena's review here, Kris' review here, and Holly's review here.

Katie was a kick-ass heroine. I totally loved her. After a tragedy that would have destroyed her if she let it, she took a long look at her life and decided to not waste another minute. Where prior to the accident, she wouldn't take risks and stayed away from adventure, she's now determined to grab life by the horns and live. That attitude is so admirable and I thought that Jill did a fantastic job of writing Katie's character. The first place she lands is in a little town in the Sierras called Wishful. It's everything she could have hoped for when she set out from home to finally live her life.

Cam Wilder was definitely a hot-as-hell hero. I loved how affected he was by Katie and her positive outlook. Having had a life altering event happen himself, he can't comprehend how Katie can be so happy with life. That was my biggest problem with Cam. I understood that he was famous for snowboarding and his career was over when he got hurt, but his constant self-recriminations and doubt was enough to drive me crazy. This is a guy that has a family that loves him and will do anything for him. After his accident, he has someone to go home to. Yet it seemed that he was just whiny about it. He was such a man's man, I thought he should have been a little tougher.

I loved the secondary characters. The relationship of Annie and Nick just seemed so realistic. That type of thing could happen to any married couple. I can't wait to see how Annie and Nick's marriage progresses in the following Wilder books.

This has been my favorite JS book to date. Don't miss it.

4 out of 5

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

I got this press release and thought it was super cute and wanted to share it with everyone on the blog. It's for What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips which is out on bookshelves this week.

FLASH NEWS
A Division of William Morrow
10 East 53rd Street New York, NY 10022

AMERICA'S SWEETHEART CRUSHED BY BABY BOMBSHELL

Georgie York in Tears over News of Lance and Jade's Pregnancy

New York Times Bestselling Author Susan Elizabeth Phillips Gives Inside Scoop in WHAT I DID FOR LOVE.

Los Angeles, January 27, 2009: Funny Girl Georgie York- the actress made famous in her teens for her starring role in the television series "Skip and Scooter" - was reduced to tears recently when confronted with pictures of Jade Gentry's recent sonogram- the baby that many believe should have been Georgie's own. One source close to the actress, who requested to remain anonymous, said, "Georgie has never gotten over Lance Marks leaving her for Jade." This reporter also learned that Georgie herself did not want children. "He's lying scum," says the Flash's reliable source about that rumor.

New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, who is chronicling Georgie York's plight in a new book entitled WHAT I DID FOR LOVE (published by William Morrow/an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, ISBN 9780061351501 $25.99, on-sale January 27, 2009), has the inside scoop on how Georgie is trying to rebound from Lance and Jade's crushing news. "America's spunkiest heroine has really taken a beating," divulges Phillips. "We were all surprised to see her take off for Vegas ...and even more surprised when she came back married to Bramwell (Bram) Shepard, Georgie's disreputable "Skip and Scooter" co-star ...the actor who single-handedly caused the cancellation of America's favorite sitcom."

"Imagine facing whawt Georgie is going through with paparazzi everywhere," says Phillips. "First her highly publicized break with Lance Marks, then his affair and marriage to Jade Gentry. Worst of all, Georgie has to watch them jet around the globe as Jade crusades for her pet causes. And now a baby? Is it any wonder she's acting a little crazy."

But marrying professional bad boy Bram Shepard might be more than "a little crazy." In a Flash exclusive, a source, reportely within Bram's own household, reports that the A-list actress and Hollywood's favorite bad boy may not even be sharing a bedroom! Has Georgie jumped from one unhappy marriage into another? Another unnamed source believes that Georgie still hates Bram for the trouble he caused in their "Skip and Scooter" days and that Bram is only using her to get back in Tinseltown's good graces. But how does all this reconcile with the couple's reported visit to a certain upscale sex shop?

With entertainment luminaries such as stylist-to-the-stars April Robillard; rock 'n roll great Jack Patriot; and Hollywood hotshots Fleur, Jake & Meg Koranda on the scene in supporting roles, the marquee factor on Georgie and Bram's marital affairs is top-notch. Stay tuned to the next edition of Flash News for more exclusives on Georgie York and Bram Shepard, including their take on WHAT I DID FOR LOVE and a possible reunion of "Skip and Scooter".

Here at Book Binge, we have anxiously awaited the release of this book and we cannot wait to share our thoughts with this book with each and everyone of you lovely readers out there so stay tuned for our review of WHAT I DID FOR LOVE by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. If you haven't gotten your own copy of this book, you definitely should because duh, it's an SEP...do you really want to miss out on that?

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

AN INDECENT PROPOSAL...

When a high roller at the Vegas casino where Crystal Debrowski manages security makes a scandalous proposition, she flat-out refuses, especially given rumors of his shady overseas connections. But then counterfeit bills mysteriously flood the gaming tables, and her reputation -- and her life -- are on the line.

REVEALS A SIMMERING DESIRE...

Despite his big, flirty grin, Texas heartbreaker Johnny Duane Reed can't get sassy Crystal off his mind. When she is abducted by an international crime lord with a threatening obsession, Reed enlists his Black Ops, Inc. team to pursue a dangerous mission to rescue her.

...WITH DEADLY CONSEQUENCES.

Between Crystal and Johnny burns a scorching flame, but as they battle her relentless abductor, they uncover a malicious arms trafficking and white slavery ring. Together, they must destroy the tyrant's wicked enterprises or face his reign of terror themselves....

I’m not sure which book is my favorite in this series. They’re all so good. Gabe Jones? Sigh. He is an amazing hero. Sam Lang is no slouch either. Yet Johnny Reed just has something that Gabe and Sam don’t. I still haven’t figured out what that is.

Crystal Debrowski seems like the perfect woman for Johnny Reed. She doesn't want a relationship, she doesn't want to go on dates, and she doesn't want to meet his family. All she wants is what he wants. Sex. Unfortunately, Reed starts wanting more. Oh, the horror. He's determined not to do anything about it. Then Crystal gets kidnapped and Reed brings in BOI to bring her home.

Crystal knows Reed isn't for her, but that doesn't mean she won't enjoy him while it lasts. When Crystal turns down an indecent proposal, she doesn't realize that her life is about to take a turn for the worst. When she's kidnapped and taken to Jakarta to be a sex slave, she has little hope that someone will be coming after her. The only person that has a chance of finding her is Reed. She doesn't know if he'll realize what happened or if he'll even help.

Crystal and Reed are pretty similar when it comes to relationships, but for different reasons. Crystal is determined to protect herself from heartbreak while Reed doesn't think he's capable of being in a relationship without hurting his partner. One of the best parts of this book is Reed's bewilderment over his own feelings for Crystal. He's always admitted to himself that he likes her, but being possessive? Not so much.

I have no idea what it's like to be a sex slave, but I think that Cindy Gerard does a fantastic job of projecting what it would be like to the reader. While reading about human trafficking and forced prostitution in this book, I felt horror, disgust, and dismay (among many others). I was pulled into the book from the beginning and it didn't let me go until the end.

4.25 out of 5

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

Other books in the series:

Sometimes love needs a little push…
His two younger brothers have both taken the plunge, and now the entire Holmes clan has their sights set on him. But Alexander Holmes is no fool for love. He’s been there, done that, and all he has to show for it is a whole lot of scars and one beautiful little girl. Unfortunately, his precious angel has become a terror in the classroom, so Alex has no choice but to trade in his tool belt for a text book.

And sometimes it needs a big shove…
When Renee Moore sees the new parent volunteer waging war against the school copy machine, she can’t help admiring his obvious…assets. After all, there’s nothing sexier than a parent who’s involved—especially when he has a rock-solid body and a voice that makes her weak in the knees. Even more important, underneath that hot exterior is a man she knows she can trust and respect. All she has to do is convince him to give love a second chance.

I love Farrah Rochon and it's not just b/c she's a good friend of mine. Rescue Me is the third book in her Holmes Brothers Trilogy.

Other books in the series:



It's out TODAY, so go check it out! Buy it here.

At the beginning of Instant Attraction Month, we asked you to send in your questions for Jill. Sometimes it's hard for us to come up with fresh new interview questions, and I think that we have some great questions here. So thank you, readers, for playing with us!

Nancy B: I'd like to know where she gets her ideas from. She has unusual characters, wonderful but unusual.

Jill: Where do I get my ideas . . . Well, I'd like to say they come easily, but they really don't. It's a long, slow, tortuous process that's almost worst than having a root canal but not quite. And then after agonizing over having NOTHING for what seems like forever, the idea'll just show up in my brain, like "hi, been here all along waiting for ya ..."


I Heart Book Gossip: What time do you write? Do you write with music?

Jill: I write from the moment I kick my people out the door for school and work until the moment they arrive back home again, taking time out for a daily hike in the woods with the dogs and the occasional plotting session on my couch with my eyes closed. Sometimes I don't get enough done and have to go back at it at night but I hate to miss my shows so I try not to do that . . .

Anon: Are your characters based on people you know?

Jill: No. Never. Ever. Made up people are far more fun.

Willa: For anyone who has never read your books how would you describe them?

Jill: Fun and sexy. Maybe I'm not writing deep literature but I do think there's something to be said for fun and sexy as a great escape.

Cassie: On your blog you chronicle events from your life living in the Sierras. Any chance your future books feature an appearance of Momma and Baby Bear, running into Luke Wilson while walking on a trail without a camera or that 'special' stump?

Jill: Oh most definitely. I just have to recover from the embarrassment of the Luke incident first. (Blushing all over again) As for the bears, be sure to stayed tuned. I have a special bear mention in my Christmas novella coming out in 10/09.

Seneca: What is the most common question you get asked? Not counting 'where do you get your ideas'. That's a given, I think. LOL

Jill: Definitely the most common question is always directed at my husband: "Do you help her research the sex scenes?" I've seen him answer in a variety of ways, and he's always a good sport about it, but for some reason, it drives me crazy, lol! Please if we ever meet, don't ask me that one.

Karin: Jill, do your daughters read your books? And, if they do, how old were they the first time they did?

Jill: I have always told my kids that my books are rated R, and so just like certain movies, certain books aren't age appropriate. But now my oldest daughter is in college at UCLA and her friends read me. She's still not ready, lol!

Allison('s) Reads: Jill, do you think the characters you come up with and/or the issues they face in your stories are affected by your family/people in your life? For example, the worries or hopes you have for them specifically translating into a story idea? If that makes any sense at all... whatsoever..

Jill: Sometimes, yes. I think it's natural to have your work affected by what's going on in your real life. But for the most part, I truly try to mostly make everything up. It's far easier that way. And far more fun to write make-believe that real worries, real angsts. At least for me, because let's face it, I like light-hearted. I like a happy ending.

ddurance: What genre would you like to write, but haven't thus far?

Jill: A good old fashioned who-done-it mystery, complete with mapcap adventure and add in the sexy.

Joy: How much influence do you as the author have on the way your cover for your book looks?

Jill: Very little, lol. VERY little. (Read: none)

Susan: Jill, do you have a scene in your mind that you haven't been able to fit into one of your stories yet? If so, can you give us a clue as to what it's about?

Jill: I did, but then I just squeezed it into the story I'm writing now, which happens to be the third Wilder brother, so sorry. Can't tell. But trust me, it's . . .well, hawt. How's that for a tease? :)

Gina: Can you tell us more about your next series, the one about the baseball player?

Jill: Double Play comes out in July of this year, and it's the first of two sexy, alpha major league baseball players. Pace Martin n an ace pitcher on the Santa Barbara Heat, and he's got it all. Or so he thinks. But this being me, and the book being a romance, of course it all falls down around his ears and he has to pick up the pieces one by one. Luckily, he has a little help from an unlikely source, and let's just say he never expected love to play a part in the game or his life, but really, as it happens, it was the missing piece.

Blanche: Is there a story that you're dying to write but haven't had time to get it written yet...if so, can you tell us about that story?

Jill: I always feel this way about the book I'm writing now.

Nikol: Which of your own books is your favorite?

Jill: Oh boy. That's like asking which kid is my favorite, but I have to say, it's INSTANT ATTRACTION, and not just because it's out RIGHT NOW SO PLEASE GO BUY IT. :) It's my favorite because it just came out of me like a song, and because it has a hot hero, a lot of fun and love and adventure, and it's what I love to read, as well as write.

Theresa: It's the start of a new year, did you make any writing resolutions this year? Care to share some of them?

Jill: No resolutions. I suck at keeping them.

Delene: Who's your favorite Wilder brother?

Jill: I can't do it. I can't pick. How about this, when all three books are out, I'll have a contest and you guys tell me which brother is your favorite? Deal?

Thanks again to everyone that sent in a question for Jill!

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl - working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn't fit in anywhere. That's all she wants. Well, that - and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she's crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed - that part defies explanation...

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he'll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie's killer smile triggers something deep in his gut...among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a check book is the biggest rush he's ever felt - and an adventure Katie's wishing would never end...

Instant Attraction is book 1 in Jill Shalvis' new Wilders Adventures trilogy. You can also see Rowena's and Kris' reviews here and here. Since they've already done reviews I'm just going to go straight into my likes and dislikes.

I really liked Katie. Even though she'd suffered a great tradgedy she still did her best to find the good things in life. Her determination to live balls out and not let her accident keep her from living was admirable. Her sense of humor was wonderful and it was refreshing to see her laugh at herself. I loved her honesty, too. She really just put it all out there, take it or leave it. It was great. I also liked that Katie didn't just automatically heal from her trauma. She was still trying to deal with it every day. I think that was totally believable.

The sexual chemistry between her and Cam was sizzling. I loved that they deny being attracted to each other, and they were both honest up front about what they wanted and why it wouldn't be a good idea for them to get involved.

The secondary characters were all wonderfully drawn. I adored all the Wilders, Cam, his two brothers Stone and T.J. and their Aunt Annie. Annie's romance was also well done and believable, without detracting from the main protagonists. Her main squeeze Nick was adorable in his clueless-ness and I was really rooting for them.

So, that brings us to Cam. Cam was definitely sexy. I absolutely adored how he helped Katie whenever she was suffering a flashback or reliving her nightmare. He really was just what she needed to battle her demons. What I didn't adore was his attitude about his life. He was king of the world until a snowboarding accident blew his knee and his career to hell. So what does he do? He mopes. And whines. And hides. And mopes. And whines. And hides. Instead of picking himself up and dusting himself off, he pushed everyone away and ran.

Katie was the one that made all the first moves and all the compromises while Cam did nothing but push her away. When he let his guard down he was wonderful, but I thought his poor baby routine got real old, real quick. In the grand scheme of thing Katie had it far worse than he did, and yet it was him that kept withdrawing. Part of me understands why he was the way he was, but his crybaby attitude lasted far too long into the book. Just when I thought he'd grown up some, he retreated.

Conversely I didn't dislike him as a whole. I was frustrated with his behavior and wanted to see him grow up some, but I didn't dislike him. I firmly believe he and Katie were meant to be together, I just wanted it to happen sooner than it did.

Overall I really loved the story, though I did find flaws with it. It's definitely a good start to a new trilogy.

4 out of 5

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

I used to be a huge fan of the Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Actually, I still am, I just stopped reading the books. The last Plum novel I read was Twelve Sharp and I didn't find it nearly as funny as the previous 11, plus I found a lot more plot holes than normal (things that normally would have been cleared up weren't). I imagine I'll go back to reading them someday, but for now I'm burned out.

One of the things I've always disliked is the "in between" novels she releases. Not because they aren't good additions to the series, but because she releases them in hardcover. Not just any old hardcover, either, but $17 hardcover. For approximately 150-200 pages. That is beyond ridiculous, IMO. I have a hard time paying $17 for a full length hardcover most of the time, so I'm definitely not going to pay that for a short one. Plum Lucky (St. Martin's Press) is 176 pages and originally retailed for $17.95 (you can now buy it on sale at Amazon for $5.99 if you're so inclined, though I still think that's overpriced for a novella). Plum Lovin' also clocks in at 176 pages and originally retailed for $16.95. Visions of Sugar Plums is 160 pages and originally retailed for $19.95. I have to go with NO on that.

But when I was browsing at Books on Board today I saw Plum Spooky, which is the first full length Between-the-Numbers Plum book @ 320 pages. I was curious so I read the blurb (it does sound pretty good) but then I checked the price and about fell over. Original retail price for this Between-the-Numbers Plum book? $27.95! WTF? If you buy it from BoB they're offering a $5 discount right off the top and $10 in rewards if you email them with proof of purchase, bringing the total cost of the book down to just under $11. Amazon also has it discounted at $16.77.

But..almost $30 for a 300 page book? Really?

I don't think so.

The First Full Length Stephanie Plum Between-the-Numbers Novel from #1 Bestselling Author Janet Evanovich.
Turn on all the lights and check under your bed. Things are about to get spooky in Trenton, New Jersey. According to legend, the Jersey Devil prowls the Pine Barrens and soars above the treetops in the dark of night. As eerie as this might seem, there are things in the Barrens that are even more frightening and dangerous. And there are monkeys. Lots of monkeys.
Wulf Grimoire is a world wanderer and an opportunist who can kill without remorse and disappear like smoke. He’s chosen Martin Munch, boy genius, as his new business partner, and he’s chosen the Barrens as his new playground. Munch received his doctorate degree in quantum physics when he was twenty-two. He’s now twenty-four, and while his brain is large, his body hasn’t made it out of the boys’ department at Macy’s. Anyone who says good things come in small packages hasn’t met Munch. Wulf Grimoire is looking for world domination. Martin Munch would be happy if he could just get a woman naked and tied to a tree.
Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has Munch on her most-wanted list for failure to appear in court. Plum is the all-American girl stuck in an uncomfortable job, succeeding on luck and tenacity. Usually she gets her man. This time she gets a monkey. She also gets a big guy named Diesel. Diesel pops in and out of Plum’s life like birthday cake – delicious to look at and taste, not especially healthy as a steady diet, gone by the end of the week if not sooner. He’s an über bounty hunter with special skills when it comes to tracking men and pleasing women. He’s after Grimoire, and now he’s also after Munch. And if truth were told, he wouldn’t mind setting Stephanie Plum in his crosshairs.
Diesel and Plum hunt down Munch and Grimoire, following them into the Barrens, surviving cranberry bogs, the Jersey Devil, a hair-raising experience, sand in their underwear, and, of course . . . monkeys.

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

We apologize for the delay in announcing the winner of Instant Attraction from Jill's guest post. If you didn't win and are still interested in a copy, be sure to stick around this week. We still have 2 copies to giveaway!

Without further ado:

Tabitha, please email us at contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces) with your mailing address and we'll order the book for you right away.

If you haven't already, go check out the other posts from Instant Attraction Month:

• Rowena's Review
• 1st Excerpt
• Kris' Review
• Jill's Guest Post
• 2nd Excerpt

Plus, we still have more to come this week: Mine and Casee's reviews of IA, an interview with Jill where you asked the questions and two more giveaways!!

Congrats again to Tabitha!!

XOXOX
Holly, Casee and Rowena

Winnie Porter just couldn't forget the child she'd given up for adoption all those years ago…or the wonderful family that had taken him in. Now it was finally time to see her son one last time.

Still reeling from his wife's untimely death, the last thing Aidan Black needed to deal with was the unwed mother who brought his beloved Robbie into the world. Especially when she was all grown up into a beautiful, vivacious young woman who'd immediately drawn his boy into her spell—not to mention Aidan himself. Would Winnie's secret shatter Aidan's family—or make it whole again?

After reading Karen Templeton's Guys and Daughters series, I fell in love with her writing. She does an amazing job of writing real characters that face real issues. A Mother's Wish is another hit.

Although Winnie gave her son up for adoption when she was 18, she never forgot him or stopped loving him. Now, 9 years later, after her grandmother's death, Winnie finds herself in desperate need of seeing him. Making sure he's ok, well loved and well cared for. She has no intention of speaking to him or alerting him to her presence, but she just has to know.

But things have a way of going in the direction we least expect, and Winnie is shocked to realize she's actually staying in a cabin owned by her son's adoptive parents. She's even more shocked when she realizes Aidan, her son's adoptive father, is now a widow. One she's in danger of losing her heart to, despite his churlish behavior.

Winnie was definitely a strong woman. Though she'd faced adversity more often than not in her life, she still managed to retain her sense of humor and an optimistic attitude. She tried to find the good in every situation and dealt with her emotions straight on. She also said what she thought and didn't allow herself to wallow in self-pity.

Watching her get to know her son was heartbreaking. She and Aidan agreed to keep it a secret until the time was right to tell him, and watching her try to hold herself back - while not really being able to - really tugged at my emotions.

Too often kids aren't portrayed in a believable way in novels - especially when it comes to emotional issues. I think KT managed to write Robbie beautifully, however. His actions and reactions - from dealing with the death of his mother to falling in love with Winnie to finding out she was his birth mother - were exactly as I imagine those of a 9-year-old would be. His sadness and angst over losing his mother to cancer and his fear and worry for his father were real and believable. His anger over finding out Winnie and Aidan had kept a secret from him was also every believable and so much better than an easy acceptance would have been.

Aidan was also a wonderfully drawn character. Moody and brooding, his natural compassion and sympathy really rounded him out and made him into a three dimensional man. I wanted to be angry for him, for turning his back on his son and allowing things to slide so far out of control, but his absolute bafflement over how to fix things - and his genuine want and caring - saved him for me. At times I wanted to smack him upside the head and scream WAKE UP STUPID.

(...) Then suddenly he turned to Winnie and said, "D'you ride?"
"What?"
"Do you ride? Horses," he added irritably, like she was hopelessly slow. And if he hadn't looked so frustrated - although about what, she couldn't begin to imagine - and if she hadn't become used to his brusqueness, she might have taken offense. But it would've been like taking offense at a frightened dog's growl.
"It's been awhile, but yeah -"
"Western?"
"What else?"
"Good. I've got horses boarding at a ranch near here, they need to be ridden. We'll take the boys with us so Flo and Tess won't have to worry about them. Day after tomorrow," he added as an afterthought, the stomped out of the kitchen through a sea of discarded plastic bags.

But generally Winnie came along and did it before I had a chance to get good and mad at him.

She found him on the deck, glowering at the beginnings of the sunset.
"Back where I come from," she said, making him turn around, "it's the custom to ask a woman if she'd like to do something. Like go riding, for instance. So." She crossed her arms. "Care to try this again?"
Aidan looked back out toward the setting sun. "I'm thinking about going horseback riding on Saturday. Wouldya be interested in goin' along?"
"I'd love to," she said, then turned smartly on her heel and walked away.

Their banter and sexual tension came across well, but it was really the emotional connection the three of them shared that really made this novel. I really liked the secondary characters that made up the small town of Tierra Rosa and I'm glad to see the next book in the series, Reining in the Rancher, is about characters we met during the course of this story.

There were definitely flaws, the major one being the rather cheesy epilogue, but I was able to look past them.

Karen Templeton is an absolute must read. A Mother's Wish is a powerful tale of love and longing - and the things a woman will do for the love of her child. Excellent book, highly recommend.

4 out of 5



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

We're on that home stretch and there are only two more days before this fantabulous book comes out. Are you guys ready for it? Have you guys ordered your copy of it? You should because I can vouch for how great this book is. You can read some of our reviews on this book here and here.

So far, everyone on our blog has loved the book so that should say something about how great it is. Also, expect two more reviews from Holly and Casee. They're our toughest critics so let's see what they have to say.

Until then, let's enjoy another fantastic excerpt that Jill so kindly provided for us.

Enjoy!

That had been it for her, she was sold. She’d been working for Wilder Adventures for a week now, the best week in recent memory. Up until right this second when a shadowy outline of a man appeared in her room. Like the newly brave woman she was, she threw the covers over her head and hoped he hadn’t seen her.

“Hey,” he said, blowing that hope all to hell.

His voice was low and husky, sounding just as surprised as she, and with a deep breath, she lurched upright to a seated position on the bed and reached out for her handy dandy baseball bat before remembering she hadn’t brought it with her. Instead, her hands connected with her glasses and they went flying.

Which might just have been a blessing in disguise, because now she wouldn’t be able to witness her own death.

But then the tall shadow bent and scooped up her glasses and . . .

Handed them to her.

A considerate bad guy?

She jammed the frames on her face and focused in the dim light coming from the living room lamp. He stood at the foot of the bed frowning right back at her, hands on his hips.

Huh.

He didn’t look like an ax murderer, which was good, very good, but at over six feet of impressive, rangy, solid-looking muscle, he didn’t exactly look like a harmless Tooth Fairy either.

“Why are you in my bed?” he asked warily, as if maybe he’d put her there but couldn’t quite remember.

He had a black duffle bag slung over a shoulder. Light brown hair stuck out from the edges of his knit ski cap to curl around his neck. Sharp green eyes were leveled on hers, steady and calm but irritated as he opened his denim jacket.

If he was an ax murderer, he was quite possibly the most attractive one she’d ever seen, which didn’t do a thing for her frustration level. She’d been finally sleeping.

Sleeping!

He could have no idea what a welcome miracle that had been, dammit.

“Earth to Goldilocks.” He waved a gloved hand until she dragged her gaze back up to his face. “Yeah, hi, My bed. Want to tell me why you’re in it?”

“Your bed? But I’ve been sleeping here for a week.” Granted, she’d had a hard time of it lately but she definitely would have noticed him in bed with her. Just thinking about it now had her glasses fogging up.

“Who told you to sleep here?”

“My boss, Stone Wilder. Well, technically, Annie. She’s the chef here and—“ She broke off when he reached toward her, clutching the comforter to her chin as if the down feathers could protect her, really wishing for that handy-dandy bat.

But instead of killing her, he hit the switch to the lamp on the nightstand and more fully illuminated the room as he dropped his duffel bag.

While Katie tried to slow her heart rate, he pulled off his jacket and gloves and tossed them territorially to the chest at the foot of the bed.

His clothes seemed normal enough. Beneath the jacket he wore a fleece-lined sweater opened over a long-sleeved brown Henley, half untucked over faded Levi’s. So even good-looking, possibly an ax murderer knew how to layer in the Sierras. His jeans were loose and low on his hips, baggy over unlaced Sorrels, the entire ensemble revealing that he was in prime condition.

“My name is Katie Kramer,” she told him, hoping he’d return the favor. “Wilder Adventure’s new office temp.” She paused, but he didn’t even attempt to fill the awkward silence. “So that leaves you . . .”

“What happened to Riley?”

“Who?”

“The current office manager.”

“I think she’s on maternity leave.”

“That must be news to his wife.”

She met his cool gaze. “Okay, obviously, I’m new. I don’t know all the details since I’ve only been here a week.”

“Here, being my cabin, of course.”

“Stone told me that the person who used to live here had left.”

“Ah.” His eyes were the deepest, most solid green she’d ever seen as they regarded her. “I did leave. I also just came back.”

She winced, clutching the covers a little tighter to her chest. “So this cabin . . . does it belong to an ax-murderer?”

That tugged a rusty-sounding laugh from him. “Haven’t sunk that low. Yet.” Pulling off his cap, he shoved his fingers through his hair. With those sleepy-lidded eyes, disheveled hair, and at least two day’s growth on his jaw, he looked big and bad and edgy -- and quite disturbingly sexy with it. “I need sleep,” he said, and dropped his long, tough self to the chair by the bed, as if so weary he could no longer stand. He set first one and then the other booted foot on the mattress, grimacing as if he was hurting, though she didn’t see any reason for that on his body as he settled back, lightly linking his hands together low on his flat abs. Then he let out a long, shuddering sigh.

She stared at more than six feet of raw power and testosterone in disbelief. “You still haven’t said who you are.”

“Too Exhausted To Go Away.”

She did some more staring at him. Staring and glaring, but he didn’t appear to care. “Hello?” she said after a full moment of stunned silence. “You can’t just—“

“Can. And am.” And with that, he closed his eyes. “Night, Goldilocks.”

Squeeeeeaaaaalllll! Is it Tuesday yet?

This book is available from Brava January 27, 2009. You can pre-order it here.

If you've been wanting a Sony eReader (I really have) now may be the time to buy one. Books on Board is offering the PRS-505 for $268.

The sale includes:

• * $15 in Rewards Dollars that can be used to buy any ebooks you want on our site - the largest selection online
• * PLUS a Coupon for 100 free ebook Classics from Abbey House Classics
• * Free Shipping by Ground in US
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• * When you use Google Checkout, you get 1% more off
• * Leather Case

If you have a little more disposable cash (sadly I don't) and want the upgraded PRS-700 version (I really, really do), it's also on sale for $399.

Sale includes:

• * This Weekend Only: $50 in Rewards Dollars that can be used to buy any eBooks you want on our site, PLUS
• * 100 free ebook Classics from Abbey House Classics (coupon arrives with your Reader)
• * Free Shipping by Ground in US
• * No Sales Tax (except in Texas)
• * When you use Google Checkout, you get 1% more off
• * Leather Case

On a somewhat related note:

Did you know Books on Board is carrying Samhain titles now?

Pamela Darby needs a man—preferably a Highland brute with more brawn than brains. Determined to save her sister from selling her virtue, the resourceful beauty requires a strapping specimen to pose as a duke’s long-lost heir. Pamela plans to collect the generous reward, then send him on his way. Lucky for the brazen beauty, the seductive, silver-eyed highwayman who just held up their carriage could be her man . . . Connor Kincaid has given up on his dream of restoring his clan's honor. And now this plucky Englishwoman is asking him to take part in a risky charade that could land them both on the gallows. Never a man to resist a challenge or the allure of a beautiful woman, Connor strikes the devil’s bargain that could seal both their fates. The highwayman and the hellion journey to London as both enemies and allies—a woman who has everything to gain and a man who has nothing to lose...but his heart.

I read the first book in this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Teresa Medeiros is back with Connor's story and I'm hopeful that it will be just as great as Some Like It Wicked. Connor intrigued me in that book so I'm more than a little anxious to see him shine in his own story and the storyline for this one seems like a good one so I can't wait to read it. This book comes out in March 31, 2009 so be sure to keep this book on your radar because this series started off with a bang, you can read my review for Some Like It Wicked, here.

This book is available from Avon. You can pre-order it here.

Hero: Davin Wesley
Heroine: Jill Morgan Storm
Grade: 2.75 out of 5

On Jill Morgan Storm's fortieth birthday, she declares she is through with love. A conviction well justified, considering her first husband didn't leave her for another woman; he became one! More recently, her love affair came to a screeching halt when her lover dumped her for a young undergraduate. To make matters worse, the teeny-bopper stole Jill's "well-seasoned" frying pan, and when you're a sous chef, that's no small offense; it's a major felony.

When financial obligations threaten her son's dream of attending art school, Jill and her friends devise a foolproof plan to audition candidates for a new husband. The search for Mr. Right is on.

There is one problem, however. His name is Davin Wesley, an annoying third-grade schoolteacher, who relentlessly plagues her days, haunts her nights, and propels her libido into overdrive. She knows he is absolutely, undeniably wrong for her. So why, then, does Mr. Wrong take her breath away, curl her toes, and give her a hot flash every time she sees him? More importantly, what will she do if Mr. Wrong is actually Mr. Right?

Holly put up a post a couple of days ago about the little things in a book that can make or break a story. This book flashed into my mind as I was reading that post because a lot of what she was saying in that post reflected my feelings for this book.

As a whole, I enjoyed the story that was being told here. The storyline was good, the plot was well developed and the characters were rich and I really did enjoy this book. I loved Davin Wesley, I loved Stephen Storm and I loved each and every single one of Jill's friends. The one person that kept chipping away at my enjoyment of this story was the main character Jill Morgan Storm herself. There was so much about her character that drove me right up the wall. You see, this story is about a woman named Jill Morgan Storm and the craziness that is her life. She's got two broken relationships. Her first broken relationship was when her first husband and babby daddy left her to become a woman. Yes, you read that right...her husband left her to have a sex change and become a woman. You can only imagine the kind of pain and humiliation Jill went through with that whole break up but then she's also got this second relationship where her professor boyfriend leaves her for a much younger woman.

She just can't win, right?

On top of her relationship worries, she's got a 17 year old son who is getting ready to go to college which is going to cost her some money since she doesn't think he's going to qualify for any scholarships with the kind of grades he brings home and then she's got a father who's in prison. She's got a mother who is trying to set her up with every Tom, Dick and Jerry and then there are the problems her friends are going through. We see Jill being there for them and supporting them throughout this story and I really thought she was a fantastic friend. So this story revolves around all of these things that make up Jill's life. She's got a head chef position that should be hers but is not, she's got this survey that she's sent out to a bunch of long time married people in hopes to find the answer to making a marriage stick and the answer that she finds in all of the surveys is to marry a salesman and she sets off to find herself a salesman to marry.

There are a lot of things she's working with in this story and it was interesting to see all of these things come together but as much as I enjoyed the storytelling, Jill got on my nerves.

The crux of my problem with Jill can be summed up in a sentence right out of the book, it reads:

Imagine my surprise -not- when my score came back with the mental maturity of a thirteen year old girl.

This is exactly how I saw her throughout the entire book and even at the end of the book. I didn't feel as if she'd grown enough, learned enough to fully deserve everything that she got at the end. My feelings toward Jill started at the beginning and kind of just flew all out of control as the story continued. There were times aplenty that I had to put the book down because I couldn't believe that this woman was 40 flippin' years old. She reminded me of my 15 year old niece.

Her whole hot and cold attitude that she had going on with Davin really ticked me off time and time again. I don't understand why Davin kept coming back after the first time that she went off on him about him helping her. There is nothing more that I hate than an ungrateful brat who can't just say thank you and be done with everything and more often than not, Jill was the ungrateful little brat that I wanted to smack upside her head.

It was a whole bunch of those little things that only Jill did that got on my nerves so much that by the end of the book when everything started falling into place for her, I got good and pissed because I didn't feel as if she was remorseful enough with Davin and I didn't feel as if she deserved to get off that easy with Stephen's whole college fund thing. I guess after spending the entire book wanting Jill to wake up and start acting her age when the end finally came around, I was disappointed that she didn't turn out to be the woman that I thought she could have been and I'm sad to say that I didn't see how she deserved a wonderful guy like Davin. I just couldn't see it and because of the disappointing end that felt way too rushed for my liking and every little thing that Jill said and did that made my eyes roll into the back of my head, I couldn't give the book a higher grade than the one I gave.

This book is available from Independent Publisher's Group. You can buy it here.

I first heard about this book several years ago, but didn't think it was something I'd be interested in. Since the movie went into production and some of the trailers came out, however, I'm starting to change my mind. I really want to see the movie.

Chances are I'll see the movie (in theaters today, January 23rd) before I read the book. I generally prefer to see the movie first (when possible) because the books are almost always better and it takes away some of my enjoyment if I go into it with expectations.

What about you? Interested in the movie? Have you read the book? Do you prefer to read the books first, or wait until you've seen the movie (when possible)?

Here's the movie synopsis:

Adapted from the landmark novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is an incisive portrait of an American marriage seen through the eyes of Frank (three-time Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (five-time Academy Award® nominee Kate Winslet) Wheeler. Yates’ story of 1950’s America poses a question that has been reverberating through modern relationships ever since: can two people break away from the ordinary without breaking apart?

Frank and April have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social confines of their era.

Yet for all their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers find themselves becoming exactly what they didn’t expect: a good man with a routine job whose nerve has gone missing; a less-than-happy homemaker starving for fulfillment and passion; an American family with lost dreams, like any other.

Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put in motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes – one to escape whatever the cost, the other to save all that they have, no matter the compromises.

Directed by Sam Mendes (Academy Award® winner American Beauty), from a screenplay by Justin Haythe, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and features an accomplished supporting cast including Academy Award® winner Kathy Bates, Kathryn Hahn (Boeing-Boeing) Michael Shannon (Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, BUG) and David Harbour (Awake). The film’s producers are John Hart, Scott Rudin, Sam Mendes and Bobby Cohen; and the executive producers are Marion Rosenberg, David M. Thompson and Henry Fernaine.

First Trailer:


Second Trailer:


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

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OPPOSITES ATTRACT?

Free-spirited Zoey Adler is about to hijack a federal agent. And not just any federal agent, but very Special Agent Dante Torelli, a man whose designer suits and Italian shoes are more GQ than FBI. But when her baby niece, Pete, is snatched right in front of her eyes, Zoey doesn’t hesitate to scramble into Dante’s spotless BMW. She needs his help to rescue the baby . . . if only she can ignore his Lips of Sin.

OH, BABY!

Dante’s original mission is down the drain and he’s dodging bullets with a loopy redhead by his side. He likes quiet. She never shuts up. He likes to follow the rules. She throws the rules out the window. But these opposites do more than attract—they ignite. With a henpecked hit man running wild, cooking-obsessed matrons chasing down contraband spices, and a relentless killer tracking them all, Dante and Zoey will risk everything—for themselves and . . .

FOR THE LOVE OF PETE

This book was so effing funny. It's one of those books where you actually laugh out loud, it's so funny.

The saying "opposites attract" really applies here. Dante and Zoey are as different as two people can be. That's why they were so perfect for each other. I liked everything about this book. I liked the beginning, I liked the middle, and I liked the end.

Zoey never thought she'd actually meet the man she had dubbed "Lips". But when he takes the parking space that she shoveled snow from, well, Zoey can't help herself from confronting him. It's when she jumps in front of his car that the shots start flying. Not only that, but the man shooting the gun has Zoey's baby niece, Pete.

I first read about Dante in Hot. He wasn't a very likable character, probably b/c he acted like he had a stick up his ass. He seemed like a by-the-book, never breaks the rules, kind of guy. So the fact that he doesn't take Zoey in right after Pete is taken, shows how far Dante is out of his comfort zone.

Dante is in Chicago to flush corruption out of the local FBI office. Only a select few know what Dante is really doing there. As far as everyone else is concerned, he's only one of the agents assigned to protect a material witness in the case against a local mob boss. His job gets harder when his investigation collides with the case he's working on. Baby Pete is the daughter of the witness, who refuses to testify until he see's Pete with his own eyes.

Part of what made the book so great was how different Dante and Zoey are. Dante is a man that looks like he stepped out of the pages of GQ. Zoey is a woman that works at a health food store and drives a Prius. I loved how Dante had a hard time reconciling the junk-food eating Zoey to the Zoey who works at health food store. You could literally feel Dante's consternation over his feelings for her. He is so different than the type of woman he's usually attracted to, yet he's attracted to her more than he's been to any other woman.

I loved the hit man and his wife. They added a perfect element to the story.

4 out of 5

This book is available from Grand Central. You can buy it here.

I know I'm like two days late with this announcement but the time got away with me. I wanted to let the contest winners from this post know that they've won a purchased copy of Sinful Temptations and if they want the book, they've got to shoot me their email addresses so I know where I'm sending the books:

I don't have any email addresses for you guys so if you could shoot me an email at contests[at]thebookbinge[dot]com, I'll get those books sent out and thanks again for stopping by Book Binge.

Thanks,
Rowena and the rest of the gals here at Book Binge.

Christine Feehan fans know that she's rather famous for her long sex scenes. I'm reading Murder Game and there is no shortage of sex. I'm only on page 117, but I think there have been, like, 34.5 pages of sex. Or something like that.

This happens in one of the sex scenes after the hero maneuvers the heroine where he wants her.

Her face was in his lap, right where he'd planned all along. He caught her hand and wrapped it around the thick length of him, down low at the base, even as he used the fist in her hair to guide her mouth over him.

In the right situation, the pulling of the hair can be hot. I'm not really feeling it in this scene. It seems less like he's compelling and more like he's forcing. He doesn't even give her a chance to pull away.

So...what say you? Hot or not?

Diana's review of The Princess Diaries, Volume X: Forever Princess by Meg Cabot.

Grade: 5 out of 5

What's a Princess to do?

It's Mia's senior year, and things seem great. She aced her senior project, got accepted to her dream college(s), and has her birthday gala coming up . . . not to mention prom, graduation, and Genovia's first-ever elections.

What's not to love about her life? Well . . .

• Her senior project? It's a romance novel she secretly wrote, and no one wants to publish it.
• Prince Phillipe's campaign in the Genovian elections isn't going well, thanks to her totally loathsome cousin René, who decided to run against him.
• Her boyfriend, J.P., is so sweet and seemingly perfect. But is he the one?
• And her first love, Michael, is back from Japan . . . and back in her life.

With Genovia's and her own future hanging in the balance, Mia's got some decisions to make: Which college? Which guy? How can she choose? Especially when what she decides might determine not just the next four years, but . . . forever!

I can't believe it's been about eight years since I picked up my first Meg Cabot book, The Princess Diaries. I was in college then, and although the protagonist was a fourteen-year-old girl from New York City who discovered she is the heir to the throne of Genovia, I found her relatable, extremely likable, funny, witty, and endearingly self-deprecating--in short, a great character who has brought me a lot of joy over the years. So it's with bittersweetness that I write about the last book in the Princess Diaries series.

A lot has happened since readers were first introduced to Mia Thermopolis. Four years have passed since Mia first found out that she’s the Princess of Genovia. She's now a senior in high school and about to make some of the biggest decisions of her life. If only she could stop lying!

Mia hasn't exactly been honest to her friends about which colleges she's been accepted to or about her 400-page senior project. She's written a medieval historical romance*, but has revealed to her friends that it's a paper on the history of Genovian olive oil pressing, circa 1254-1650. What does it matter, anyway, since no one wants to publish her book?

Her eighteenth birthday party, senior prom, and high school graduation are coming up. How can she even think about all that when her father's running for prime minister of Genovia, something that wouldn't even be happening if she had only kept her mouth shut in the first place?

To add to her stress, her ex-boyfriend Michael is back from Japan, his invention of a robotic surgical arm a huge success. Is it just Mia, or is Michael looking better than ever? Never mind that, because Mia already HAS a boyfriend--the sweet and perfect J.P. Just because her first love is back in town does NOT mean that Mia is still pining for him. She's a mature, almost 18-year-old who's able to be friends with her ex, even if he does smell really, really good.

To say that I had been looking forward to reading this book would be a gross understatement. I was chomping at the bit. Readers who have followed Mia on her four-year journey through high school and princess lessons won't be disappointed with Cabot's swan song to her popular Princess Diaries series. While we are presented with a more mature Mia, her quirky sense of humor and observations are still in tact, making this a joyously entertaining read that was difficult to put down. I desperately wanted to know if Mia and her family and friends would get their happily ever after, so I read the book with an urgency that I hadn't experienced in a while. As someone who usually peeks at the ending of books (gasp!), I told myself that if I didn’t do it this time, I’d appreciate the ending that much more, and I was right. After I had finished the book, I re-read some of my favorite passages, something I rarely do. I, along with many other Princess Diaries fans, just don’t want to say goodbye to Mia and her friends so soon. Brava, Meg Cabot, on a wonderful conclusion to your Princess Diaries series, but it would please me to no end if you decide to revisit Mia from time to time.

*Ransom My Heart, the medieval historical romance that Mia wrote, is available for purchase. Proceeds go to Greenpeace.

This book is available by Harper Teen. You can buy a copy here.