Book Binge

Hero: Drustan MacKeltar
Heroine: Gwen Cassidy
Grade: 4.75 out of 5

A laird trapped between centuries...

Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely savior awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he’d ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side....

A woman changed forever in his arms...

Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern — to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she’d ever seen? Or that once he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t let her go? Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them ... and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves....

This is my second entry to Nath's Reread Challenge of 2009. I haven't done a reread of this book in quite a long time and I wanted to see if my love of this book could stand the test of time. You know how as the years pass, things you used to love become things you can't get through now and I wanted to see if I would still love this book as much as I did when I first read it, all those many years ago.

I am definitely still a fan of this book and I'm most definitely still a MacKeltar fan. I wish there were more MacKeltar books coming out but I haven't heard anything (has anyone heard anything?) but it was so good to revisit some of my favorite old characters from this book. It was good to revisit the MacKeltar family and to be apart of their story once more. It took me to when I first read this story because Izzy told me, I just I had to read this series so I did and boy was I happy that I did. I was super obsessed with the characters, with the stories and just the sheer enjoyment of reading a fantastically entertaining read.

This didn't disappoint me after this last reread. I'm still utterly in love with Dageus MacKeltar (more so because of what I know is to come in the rest of the series) but over the course of this month's reread, I saw why Drustan was such a force to be reckoned with in the battle of Drustan/Dageus. It while I was reading different scenes in this story like the scene in the clothing store and the scene where she locked him in the outhouse that made me fall for Drustan in a way that surprised me.

I always knew that Drustan was a great hero but for me, it was always, always about Dageus for me but in this book, Drustan took care of some serious hottie worthy business. I loved the way that he loved Gwen. I loved the way that he was with her when they were in her time and I love the fierce love that he wasn't ashamed to hide from her or anyone when they were in her time and then when they were in his time, I loved how confused, pissed off and then how utterly happy he was with Gwen. He was an all around strong hero that really was good, in every sense of the word and I just loved him.

I thought that Gwen was an excellent heroine for him too. She fought tooth and nail for her man and that will always look good in my eyes. She wasn't annoying in her quest to get the olden Drustan to remember her and to remember how they felt about each other. Her fierce determination to make him remember and the way that she didn't give up on them and on their love made for a pretty intense romance that has stood the test of time with me. I haven't always loved books that I've read and loved before. There have been times when I hated a book that I used to love and I'm just so happy that that wasn't the case with this story.

This story set up Dageus' story and just everything about this story from the characters (who wouldn't love Silvan and Nell....and DAGEUS?) to the storyline to those vows. This book is definitely one of those books for the keeper shelf. It will keep you turning the page wanting to know what's next because you won't want to stop reading this book and I have to give KMM major kudos for this book. Drustan is a dreamboat and Gwen was a great partner for him. Now, I'm thinking of doing a reread of The Dark Highlander because after rereading that letter at the end of this book, it got me all excited about Dageus and the dark life he turned to after this book.

Loved it, so if you haven't read this book you really need to fix that because hello? SEXY HIGHLANDERS IN KILTS? What more could you ask for?

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

Hero: Zach Thomas
Heroine: Brooke O'Brien
Grade: 4 out of 5

Zach Thomas risks his life battling flames every day. But since sexy EMT Brooke O'Brian joined the crew, he can't resist playing with fire. Brooke is feisty, a little uptight...and sexy as hell. And as Zach soon discovers, she's definitely hot stuff between the sheets. Still, every firefighter knows that the hotter the blaze, the faster the action's over....

After the whirlwind ride Zach's been taking her on, Brooke is ready to do anything for this man--in and out of bed! But she knows footloose and fancy-free Zach doesn't do commitment. So she plans to build up a five-alarm fire between them. The kind he won't ever want to put out...

In keeping up with my book challenges, I'm happy with what I've accomplished in the last two months. This book is my second entry into KMont's Year of the Category Challenge and also Brie's Contemporary Romance Challenge. I've read plenty of contemporary this month but since I forgot to tag one for Brie's challenge I'm going to tag this book twice for two different challenges and comfort myself with the knowledge that I've read more than one contemporary this month and am really proud of myself. =)

I really enjoyed this book.

Jill Shalvis writes great contemporary novels where I get all involved in the stories. One thing that I've noticed with Jill's books is that her heroines are usually the button up type heroines who needs to loosen up and that was the case in this story with our heroine, Brooke O'Brien. I love her heroes, in this case, Zach Thomas. He is exactly the kind of guy that I lust after. The surfer boys, the guys that are laid back and have that easy going attitude but are uber sexy and got it going on. The guys that are sexy and confident and just yummy.

I was reading articles on the Oscar's and one of the articles talked about Slumdog Millionaire stars, Dev Patel and his girlfriend, her name slipped right now but the writer said that the two stars of SM should be in a stew because they are delicious and when I read that, I immediately thought of Zach. He was delish in this book and I really enjoyed his character.

So this story is about Zach Thomas and Brooke O'Brien hooking up and falling in love. Brooke is a permanent newbie and she moves around a lot because it's what she knows. Her Mother is a free spirit and she wanders from city to city but when Brooke's grandmother dies and leaves Brooke her house, Brooke picks up her life and moves to Santa Rey to box up the old lady's house and put it on the market. She takes up a temporary EMT job to get by and that's where she meets the delicious for stew, Zach Thomas.

Zach has got his own plate full of all sorts of craziness. He's got his own issues that surround the death of his parents, why he became a firefighter and then there's the crazy business that's going on with the fires around town. Questions start forming and Zach wants answers but is frustrated that none are forthcoming. Zach starts investigating things on his own and doesn't like what he's finding out. On top of all of the things that are vying for his attention, Zach can't get New Hire #7 out of his mind.

The relationship between Zach and Brooke was fun to read. Zach is a gorgeous stud muffin and Brooke is the button up girl that he wants to ruffle up. Each scene that these two were in made me smile, laugh or sigh in frustration. They liked each other but Brooke wants more than a one night stand and then has to eat her words because she wants him too much and then settles for that one night of passion...only it becomes more than one night and soon they're sleeping together and she's broken her own rules by falling in love with Zach. She's a big girl though, she knew that he couldn't give her what she wanted and she went after him anyway so she'll deal with her feelings and she'll try to stay away from him...only it doesn't work because Zach's feelings for her are crowding him as well so time after time and to be honest, all of the back and forth kind of got to be too much after a while. The book is pretty short but it still packed in a bunch of great characters (can't wait to finish Christina and Dustin's story) and a page turning story.

Shalvis delivers another witty and funny stories. She delivers a great cast of characters and her sense of humor shines in this story. Her stories tend to be character driven and I like that about them. Zach and Brooke were great characters that worked through their issues like any normal, regular person would. They made mistakes, they acted a fool but in the end, they got it right and I enjoyed reading their journey. I recommend this to anyone who's in the mood for some sexy firefighters (there are more than one in this bunch) and just a great book that will have you rooting for the main characters. This book is a fun one.

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

WHEN IT COMES TO THE LAWS OF ATTRACTION . . .

Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face to face, they’re perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they’ve kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as co-workers for one reason only: to make partner at the firm.

. . . THERE ARE NO RULES.

But all bets are off when they’re asked to join forces on a major case. At first apprehensive, they begin to appreciate each other’s dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection doesn’t last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it’s an all out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar . . .

Practice Makes Perfect is the second release by Julie James. I found it to be very well done, though I think it has more depth and emotion than her debut release, Just the Sexist Man Alive. It also had many more laugh out loud moments.

Payton and J.D. have been rivals for the 8 years they've been working together. They maintain a polite professional facade in front of others, but in private they do everything they can to one-up each other. When they're asked to work on bringing a new client in together, they tentatively put aside their differences to make things work. Until word comes down that there's only one spot available for partner. Which means that their competition just turned very real. With the firms "up or out" policy, one of them will be a partner at the end of the month and the other will be without a job.

But unexpectedly (or maybe not so much?), their rivalry turns into sexual tension. Though they both try to deny it, it isn't long before they realize more is at stake than just the firm's partnership.

To use the phrase "opposites attract" is a complete understatement in this case. Payton and J.D. couldn't have been more different, and yet it was obvious right from the beginning that they shared serious chemistry. Payton was an excellent heroine. She had strength, purpose and confidence. Her quips and barbs were hilarious and I loved how she reacted under pressure. When her antics with J.D. result in a humiliating scene in the courtroom for her she handles it with aplomb. I was seriously impressed - and highly amused - over how things were handled by her throughout the book.

I really enjoyed J.D.'s character, but I felt there were times he crossed the line in some of his interactions with Payton. He was always sorry afterward and apologized directly to her, but it still rubbed me the wrong way. Payton definitely gave as good as she got, but there seemed to be an invisible line she wouldn't cross that J.D. had no problem stepping over. Especially his big revelation at the end. That was just..wrong.

As I said, though, Payton gave as good as she got. Despite the fact that J.D. pushed a little too hard now and again, she definitely held her own against him. She didn't let his attitude bother her. I really liked how she stood up to him, often boxing him in and making him realize he was wrong. She was a strong heroine without being obnoxious or pushing.

There was a lot of humor laced throughout the novel. Payton's mishap in court that I alluded to above, conversations she and J.D. have, a talk J.D.'s best friend, Tyler, has with him about Pride and Prejudice. That has to be my favorite scene in the entire book:

"Oh, right, P and P," J.D. said. "You know, Tyler, you might want to pick your balls up - I think they just fell right off when you said that.

Up front, the cab driver let out a good snicker.

Tyler shook his head. "Laugh if you want, but let me tell you something: women go crazy for that book. And even crazier for men who have read it. If I plan to bring a girl back to my place, I might just so happen to leave a copy of it sitting out on my coffee table and, let's just say, hijinks frequently ensue. And you know what? It's not a bad bit of storytelling. I like to put on a nice pot of Earl Grey tea, maybe a slice of almond biscotti, and - yeah, that's fine, keep right on laughing, buddy, but I bet I've gotten laid more recently than you."

"Hey- not that I'm not thoroughly amused at the thought of your little tea cozy and you wrapped up in a blanket reading your book - "

"I didn't say there was a blanket." Tyler paused. "Fine. Sometimes there may be a blanket."

Hilarious. As I mentioned in my review of Just the Sexiest Man Alive, James really writes friendships well. I was glad to see Tyler and J.D. had a normal, healthy male relationship. It reminded me quite a bit of the relationship my husband has with his best friend. Sometimes tough, sometimes sweet, sometimes more like a girl relationship than not. She nailed it.

Besides my issue with some of the things J.D. said/did, I was also frustrated by the way his issues with his father were brushed aside at the end. He has major hang-ups throughout but at the end they just kind of disappeared. Although the resolution at the end of the novel was one I saw coming a mile away, the way it came about seemed rushed to me. I kind of wish there had been just a bit more at the end. These are small issues, however, and didn't really ruin my reading enjoyment.

Once again James has written a fun, fast-paced, sexy read. She really excels at writing excellent dialogue and interesting characters. Highly recommend.

4 out of 5

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

**Contest Alert**We have three copies of this to giveaway (aside from the three signed copies Julie is offering). Leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to read this book by 11:59 p.m. tomorrow - Saturday, Feb. 28th - and I'll enter your name in the drawing.

We'd like to welcome contemporary romance author Julie James back to Book Binge. We're so pleased to have her here to talk about her writing and to celebrate her second release, Practice Makes Perfect. Julie has fast become a favorite with all of us here and we hope all of you will make her feel at home.

_______________

Hi everyone! First and foremost, I want to thank the girls here at Book Binge for having me here today and for posting excerpts of my upcoming release, Practice Makes Perfect, over the past three weeks. These women seriously rock! (And by now they’re probably completely Julie James-ed out, so I’ll try not to babble on forever.)

So Rowena suggested that I talk about how my life has changed since becoming an author. . . . Right off the bat, I can tell you that one of the best things was getting to see my book actually published. While Just the Sexiest Man Alive was the first novel I’d written, I’d spent several years prior to that writing screenplays. Writing-wise, those years were a whirlwind of ups and downs. Two of my scripts were optioned by producers, and each time there was an immediate flurry of excitement and activity, and I’d be flying out to L.A., and there’d be phone calls about so-and-so actor being interested in the script; and oh boy, such-and-such actress’s manager called, she loves the screenplay; and this-and-that director wants to do the project, he just needs to wrap up the one he’s currently filming in New York; and then. . .

Nothing.

Neither film ultimately got made. And let me tell you—because of that, I was a nervous wreck during the many, many months between the initial sale of my book and its release, thinking that something was going to go wrong. But then, on that glorious day in October of last year, it happened... I saw my book on a shelf in a bookstore for the very first time. There was this beam of sunlight streaming through the window, basking the book in a warm, golden glow as I approached the shelf with tears of joy in my eyes. . .

And then my eighteen month-old son climbed out of his stroller and swept two rows of Nora Roberts books off the shelves and we quickly had to leave.

Ahh. . . good times.

How else has my life changed since becoming published? At the top of that list has to be all the wonderful readers I get to talk to and meet. I was relatively unfamiliar with the romance genre until I discovered that I had written one myself. (Because I came from a screenwriting background, I described my books as “romantic comedies.”) At my editor’s suggestion, I went to the RWA conference last year, prior to the release of my first book, and I knew no one. In the end it didn’t matter, because I met so many fun, fantastic people there (pause for shout-outs to Jill Sorenson, Marie Force, Susan Noel Sands, and poor Erica who walked my ignorant-self around the Wednesday night Book Fair telling me who all the authors were.)

But this year when I attend RWA, not only will I know who the other authors are, but I’ll actually be sitting at one of those tables with them. Little ol’ me. On a similar note, a few weeks ago I got an email from a reader that made my day: she asked if by any chance I planned to attend the Lori Foster author/reader get-together and if I was, how she looked forward to meeting me there. That’s right, little ol’ me. So I guess, as sentimental as it might sound, that’s how my life has changed most since being published: I now feel like a part of this fabulous community of fans of romance.

But enough about me. . . maybe I should tell you just a little about my new book, Practice Makes Perfect. In a nutshell, it’s a contemporary romance about two lawyers who have to fight it out for the one partnership spot in their firm. It’s a battle-of-the-sexes, he said/she said story about two people who think they’re total opposites. And, well, you know what they say about opposites. . . If you like stories with a lot of verbal sparring and banter between the heroine and hero, then this might be a book for you.

So thanks again everyone, for having me here! And happy reading!

_____

Isn't the romance community grand? I'm so glad we can now count Julie as part of it, aren't you?

**CONTEST ALERT**Julie has graciously offered three signed copies of Practice Makes Perfect to our readers. To be eligible to win one, leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite thing about the romance community and/or genre. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, February 28th. Winners will be announced sometime Sunday, March 1st.

Practice Makes Perfect will be available from Berkley March 3rd, 2009. Check out excerpts here, here and here. Pre-order your copy here. See Rowena's review here and Holly's review here.

Just the Sexiest Man Alive is available now from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format. Check out Rowena's review here and Holly's review here.

See our interview with Julie from November 2008 here.

COOL. CALM. COLLECTED.

Nothing fazes Taylor Donovan. In the courtroom she never lets the opposition see her sweat. In her personal life, she never lets any man rattle her–not even her cheating ex-fiancé. So when she’s assigned to coach People’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for his role in his next big legal thriller, she refuses to fall for the Hollywood heartthrob’s charms. Even if he is the Jason Andrews.

CONFIDENT. FAMOUS. IRRESISTIBLE.

Jason Andrews is used to having women fall at his feet. When Taylor Donovan gives him the cold shoulder, he’s thrown for a loop. She’s unlike any other woman he’s ever met: uninterested in the limelight, seemingly immune to his advances, and shockingly capable of saying no to him. She’s the perfect challenge. And the more she rejects him, the more he begins to realize that she may just be his perfect match. . .

Just the Sexiest Man Alive is Julie James' debut novel. Rowena read it months ago, and then Casee read it, and then they ganged up on me and told me I had to read it. But I hesitated. Mostly because the main characters were in professions I generally don't care to read about. An attorney and a movie star. First, the pairing seems unlikely. Second, I've found in the past that attorneys don't work for me as main characters. Mostly I find them to be intolerable and overly arrogant. Or TSTL. I'm wondering now if that's because none of the authors who wrote attorney characters in the past WERE attorneys.

Or, more simply put, I shouldn't have doubted the girls and waited so long to read this. It was outstanding.

I think one of the best parts about this book is how arrogant and real both main characters were. Jason full expected his "little smile" to get him whatever he wanted, and Taylor had every confidence in herself as an attorney. Neither character apologized for how they were. I loved that. James didn't take the easy way out with either character. It was very refreshing.

Despite their arrogance both characters were very likable. Jason's absolute shock at Taylor's disinterest in his career and what it could do for her was hilarious, as was Taylor's constant surprise at how sexy Jason was, even though she hated him. There were times I literally laughed out loud at some of their inner thoughts.

Another great thing about this book is the dialogue. It's very strong and witty, without trying too hard. Some of Taylor's snappy comebacks had me cracking up. I love that she had a sarcastic sense of humor. There aren't many authors who can do sarcasm and make it work.

The chemistry between them was fantastic and really leapt off the pages. There was humor, sexual attraction and a surprising amount of tenderness.

I enjoyed the secondary characters, too. Taylor's girlfriends were a hoot, especially when they realize she's "seeing" THE Jason Andrews. Jason's best friend Jeremy was also a strong supporting character and I like that they had a good relationship. We don't see enough male friendship in romance novels, IMO.

Some things I didn't like: Jason seemed rather immature in the beginning. He acted more like a man in his younger-to-mid-20's than someone who was "in his 30's". As the novel progressed he seemed to mature some, but I was honestly surprised to learn his actual age.

The lack of backstory for both characters. Although their backgrounds are given a cursory mention I was disappointed in the lack of full backstory for both of them. I suppose I understand why we didn't hear more about each of their pasts, but I wanted more from them.

And lastly, something personal. This is just a personal pet peeve and actually has nothing to do with the story at all. Just so you know...

Jason winked. A lot. So much so that I was starting to wonder if he had a permanent eye twitch, Tourettes, or a secret desire to become a pirate. He must have winked at least once a page. At first it didn't bother me, but after awhile it started taking me out of the story.

The issues were minor, however, and didn't detract from my overall enjoyment. Actually, since I first read this book on February 3rd I've re-read it at least 4 times. I highly recommend this light, contemporary read.

4.25 out of 5


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

Be sure to come back later this morning, because Julie James will be here talking about her writing and celebrating her upcoming release!

In the next couple of weeks, we'll be having a whole lot of guest authors stopping by Book Binge to hang out so you won't want to miss any of that author action.

Tomorrow, Julie James will be coming over to discuss her writing and her new book, Practice Makes Perfect here at Book Binge and she'll be hanging out and giving away some free books so really, you'll want to stop by and hang.

Casee mentioned that Nalini Singh will be visiting us on Monday so that's definitely something you guys will be looking forward to because Nalini is wildly successful and such a delight to have our blog.

We're also really excited that one of our all time favorite authors will be joining us here on Book Binge next week as well. That author goes by the name of SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS and she'll be here next week talking about her new release, What I Did For Love so make sure to keep checking back on that score.

We also have Jenna Petersen on the horizon as well as Elizabeth Hoyt/Julia Harper and newcomer Tracy Wolff will be coming through as well so as you can see there is a lot to look forward to on Book Binge.

With guest authors here on Book Binge there will be plenty of chances for you to win some of your favorite books so this is our way of letting you know what you have to look forward to in the coming weeks so be here or miss out! =P

Nalini Singh will be visiting Book Binge on Monday to talk about her new book, Angels' Blood (among other things). Be sure to stop by for a chance to win some cool stuff.

Angels' Blood was an amazing book, so if you want to win a copy be sure to visit on Monday!

What if you got another chance at the life that got away?

L.A. accountant Megan Greene has a successful job, a handsome cardiologist fiancé, and a doting father. Surely they make up for her estranged sister and hypochondriac mother...and a niggling sense that something, somewhere, got lost along the way. But then Megan's life falls spectacularly apart. Faced with the knowledge that neither her father nor her fiancé are the men she thought they were, she is loath to trust Travis -- the high school boyfriend who never quite left her heart. But his reappearance stirs dreams she once reluctantly packed away, and forces her to confront her relationship with her sister -- a bond that has been strained to the limit but has never quite broken. And amid the turmoil lies the promise of a future Megan never expected -- one that may turn out to contain everything she really needs....

This is difficult to classify. It’s a romance, yes, but it’s more than a romance. It’s about a woman’s journey through life and the lessons she learns along the way. I didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I read it in about six hours (it always helps when the kids are gone). When I started it, I was immediately caught up in the story of Megan Greene.

The story begins when Megan is eighteen. Having just graduated from high school, Megan is still living at home and planning to go to UCLA in the fall. Though she’s going to major in accounting, Megan’s passion is fashion design. In a design class she’s taking over the summer, she is thrilled when she is told that she has real talent. Just when she thinks the summer can’t get any better, she runs into her old (and first) boyfriend, Travis.

However, the summer doesn’t end like she had planned. One day she was on top of the world with a boyfriend she was in love with, a possible career doing something she loved and a father that was her rock in the midst of the craziness that is her family. The next day, the boyfriend was gone and the possibility of a career in design was over. The only thing she had left was her father, the man that would never give up on her.

Fast forward ten years; Megan is content with her life, if not happy. Engaged to a cardiologist and about to make partner at her accounting firm, Megan doesn’t think life could get any better. Then she learns two things that devastate her life. Her father isn’t her biological father and her future husband has been having a relationship with a 19 year old floozy. Not only that, but someone is trying to sabotage her at work.

When she runs into Travis again, Megan is in the worst place she has ever been in her life. Travis isn’t in a much better place himself. Having left L.A. ten years before, Travis never planned on coming back. When his mom calls him asking for help with the family business, Travis can’t deny her. Running into Megan, the only woman he ever loved, was not something he planned on doing.

While this book was about romance between Travis and Megan, it was also about second chances. Megan thought she was happy, but overnight she lost everything that she thought was important. Her father, the man that she could always count on, refuses to acknowledge her as his daughter. The sister that made her life miserable growing up wants to be friends. Everything is turned around and Megan doesn’t know how to deal.

In addition to the romance, this book is about forgotten dreams. It takes a few life-changing events to make Megan think about what she really wants. It was wonderful reading about her finding her way back to the path she wanted to travel on from the beginning. All she has to do is convince Travis to go with her.

The characters in this book really make it what it is. Even the crazy-ass mom. I loved seeing the relationship between Megan and her sister, Leanne, develop. Leanne grounds Megan in a way that no one else has. She makes her take a look at herself without feeling sorry for herself. Without Leanne, this book wouldn’t have been as good as it was. Still, Megan and her strength stole the show.

4.5 out of 5.

This book is available from Pocket Books. You can buy it here.

When Detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas confirms that the consecrated wine contained potassium cyanide, she's determined to solve the murder of Father Miguel Flores, despite her discomfort with her surroundings. It's not the bodegas and pawnshops of East Harlem that bother her, though the neighborhood is a long way from the stone mansion she shares with her billionaire husband, Roarke. It's all that holiness flying around at St. Christobal's that makes her uneasy.

A search of the victim's sparsely furnished room reveals little- except for a carefully hidden religious medal with a mysterious inscription, and a couple of underlined Bible passages. The autopsy reveals more: faint scars of knife wounds, a removed tattoo-and evidence of plastic surgery, suggesting that "Father Flores" may not have been the man his parishioners had thought. Now, as Eve pieces together clues that hint at gang connections and a deeply personal act of revenge, she believes she's making progress on the case. Until a second murder-in front of an even larger crowd of worshippers-knocks the whole investigation sideways. And Eve is left to figure out who committed these unholy acts-and why.

There are very few authors who can write a never ending series about one couple and make it work, but Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb is definitely the master. Despite the fact that this is the 30th book in the In Death series about Eve and Roarke it's still new and fresh. I'm constantly amazed at the quality of the stories in this series.

Unfortunately, I think this is one of the weaker entries. In a series of 30 books, not every one is going to be an A+ read, and this one isn't. It's still a strong entry, though, and I enjoyed my latest foray into the futuristic world of Eve Dallas. Check out Casee's review here.

There isn't much going on between Eve and Roarke in this book. They're pretty well settled into marital bliss and the focus of the story is on Eve's latest case. I really liked that she had to deal with something outside of her comfort zone. We all know how Eve feels about religion. It wasn't hard to figure out who the villain was. Normally I have the villain pegged in the first 1/4 of the book but enjoy watching Eve puzzle out the who and why.

This time I thought everything was a bit vanilla. The murder mystery, Eve and Roarke's relationship, even the secondary characters. It's not that they were boring or didn't work, it's just that there was hardly any drama or spice.

I think part of the problem is that I enjoy it when Eve and Roarke have discord between them. Those make for the best stories, IMO. So it was kind of disappointing to see them living in perfect harmony. Yes, that sounds bad, but it's true.

Eve's selfishness in regards to Roarke's work and time still bothers me. I'm hoping for the day when she decides to take an active interest in what he does. The idea cracks me up.

Anyway, not a bad entry, just not the best. Fans of the series will of course want to read it.

3.5 out of 5

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

Once again I'd like to thank LB for playing with us yesterday. I have to admit to thinking of m/m as strictly erotica and nothing thinking about the romance aspects - which was pretty short sighted on my part. I hope you all learned as much from LB's post as I did.

Anyway, the winners of the contest are:

Winners, please email me at contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces) and I'll get your prizes ordered ASAP. Thanks to all who came and played with us! I hope, if you haven't already, you'll pick up Gobsmacked.

Hero: Jonas Tallant
Heroine: Emily Beauregard
Grade: 3 out of 5

Danger, desire, and adventure collide in this newest tale featuring the bold and daring Cynster family... The passionate and daring Cynster clan returns to delight readers, as Jonas Tallant, Lucifer Cynster's brother in law, happily leaves the ballrooms of London and returns to Devon to manager his family estate. There, his life becomes intertwined with that of beautiful, headstrong, Emily Beauregard. Orphaned and near penniless, Emily is determined to find her family's lost treasure that will ensure her and her sibling's futures. But as she draws closer to finding it, the greater the danger grows to her, her family, and to the treasure that she's discovered in Jonas' arms.

I haven't read a Cynster novel since Scandal's story and I never really thought I'd ever be interested in reading another Cynster novel until I read a few pages of this book. The beginning of this story started out interesting. I enjoyed the first glimpse of the relationship that was to come between Jonas and Em. I loved how she just bombarded him in her interview for the position of Innkeeper and I immediately knew that these two were going to be cute and for the most part, I was right.

I enjoyed reading the chemistry sizzling between these two but for a good chunk of the book, I kept wanting something to happen between these two. I wanted Jonas to demand the truth from Em or I wanted Em to get the hell on with her search for the family treasure. It seemed to me that I kept waiting for something to happen and the more pages I turned and still had those few stolen kisses and Jonas staring at Em from across the now crowded Inn, waiting her out made me want to shake them both and scream at them, "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!"

You see, the story goes like this: Jonas Tallant is Lucifer's brother-in-law. Lucifer is the Cynster and that's the connection to the Cynster family. Jonas has become tired of the London fast life and he wants to come home and run the family estate in Devon. So he's back at home in the country and he running things and the chore that he needs to fix is the chore of finding a new Innkeeper to breathe some life back into his family's Inn.

Enter the heroine. Emily Beauregard, who is the oldest in her family with four siblings. After their parents died, their family got shipped off to an uncle that abused them (emotionally) and used them as his servants (free of charge of course) and when Em was finally of age to legally take custody of her siblings, they steal off in the middle of the night on a family adventure to find the family treasure. They need to go back to the place where their family is from, Colyton and they need to figure out where the treasure is exactly.

The story revolves around the treasure, Em and her family and then Em and Jonas's budding relationship.

Jonas was a good hero. He was one of those sexy, I want to jump your bones kind of historical heroes that I like and I loved watching him fall in love with Emily. I loved the little scenes between these two, where we see them bickering and everything. It was cute. There were times in the story where I wanted to throttle both Jonas and Em but for the most part, I enjoyed their pairing. I enjoyed them two together and Jonas away from Em was pretty hot damn sexy and I really enjoyed getting to know him.

Em was a great heroine as well. The way that she took care of her brother and sisters was commendable and it was a huge part of the reason why I liked her. She was one of those heroines that got the job done, she did what she had to do and she took more things on her shoulder than she should have but she did it all in the name of love. I was glad when Jonas finally stepped in and started helping her because she needed some damn help.

The other characters in this story like Lucifer and Phyllida, Issy, Henry and the twins were all great additions to a great cast of characters and my only complaint with this book was the dragging in the middle of the story and in the beginning of Jonas and Em's relationship. That waiting for something to happen and then still waiting 50 pages later slowed my enjoyment of this book and had me sifting through the pages a time or two but I'm glad that I stuck with this story because it ended up being a pretty decent read.

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

Hero: Lord Cade Byron
Heroine: Miss Meg Amberley
Grade: 3.5 out of 5

Orphaned beauty Meg Amberley never planned to pose as Lord Cade Byron's fiancée. Caught in a snowstorm, she takes refuge at his estate. Stranded together, Meg soon finds herself falling under Cade's spell. When the roads clear, she intends to leave, but fate intervenes.

Haunted by his past, Cade Byron has buried himself in the country. Then Meg—with her lush curves—invades his house and his life. With her reputation compromised, he proposes a pretend engagement and a London season where she can find a husband.

But as their charade deepens, Cade can't let her go . . . vowing to tempt her with a kiss that just may lead to forever.

I've never read a book by Tracy Anne Warren and truth by told, I've never even heard of her but I've got to say that I was pleasantly surprised with how decent this book was. I'm a sucker for the name Cade. I love it. I want to marry it. It's one of those names that I want to name all of my heroes. There's just something about that name that gets me all excited so when I read that the hero in this book is named Cade, I got a little giddy with that bit of information. I looked forward to meeting him and then I started the book and I met him.

And he was an ass but I didn't care because his name was Cade and he was my precious. Cade served in the British Military and he fell in love with a young lass from France and was engaged to be married to her but then he's caught by the Frenchies and they torture him for information but because he's the hero of this story, he doesn't reveal anything and returns home with honor and a broken spirit. The men who tortured him, tortured the one person he loved most in this world and her entire family. After they were done torturing him, they kicked him to the curb to die....only he didn't, he lived and his hatred for the world and everything around him burned inside him, threatening to eat him alive.

He's back home and has retreated to the far north corner of England and wants nothing to do with anything and just wants to live in peace with his aches and pains from his time as a prisoner of war.

A snow storm brings some unexpected guests to stay with Cade and they intrude on his peace and quiet. He's not very happy about it but what can he do? As the days pass, Meg (the intruder and heroine of the story) is able to coax Cade out of hiding and a friendship of sorts begins. It's a pretty shaky friendship since Cade isn't used to having a friend but Meg doesn't let Cade's surly temper dissuade her from befriending him.

The way that these two fell in love was like lighting one of those candles with a long wick. You light the wick and you watch it slowly make it's way to the candle itself slowly but surely. The love that grew between Cade and Meg was exciting on one hand and exasperating on the other. I'm not a fan of the misunderstandings, I'm not a fan of the second guessing and there was plenty of those in this book...from both of the main characters.

Each time that Cade thought the worst in Meg made me want to choke him out and every time Meg second guessed her worth and her relationship with Cade made me want to throttle her and though there were times that I wanted to physically hurt both of them, I still enjoyed this story.

Cade was a good hero, a solid hero who was who he was and didn't apologize for it. He knew that he was a total dickhead sometimes and he didn't care. He was sure enough in his masculinity that he didn't care what anyone thought of him. They called him Mad Cade and he didn't give a flying hoot. I really enjoyed his character.

Meg was a great heroine as well but she had a tendency to not listen. She had a tendency to do exactly what she was warned against not doing and that kind of nagged at me a little bit. There were times a plenty when I wanted to strangle her for not listening to Cade. There were times when I wanted to give her a good swift kick in his ass because she thought she knew it all and she didn't heed any of Cade's warnings. But despite that, Tracy Anne Warren does a great job of telling their story. She gave enough information so I wasn't left wondering what was going on and she did a great job of holding my attention. I enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to read a historical romance novel about two unlikely people falling in love and helping each other overcome personal conflicts. It's a good read.

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

Newly published m/m romance author L.B. Gregg is here today to talk about some of the misconceptions in m/m romance. We're also holding a contest, so be sure to check the end of this post for details.

_____________

Table Talk by L.B. Gregg



I had a lovely luncheon with the So.Cal. bloggers. Seated next to me was the pint sized and …HILARIOUS… Holly. Over a shared plate of lettuce rolls (I ate most of them) the subject of m/m books came up. I mean, it was bound to come up since my wee first book (ed note: Gobsmacked is available now from Aspen Mountain Press. Download it here!) had been released not forty-eight hours earlier…okay, yes… it was all I could talk about. ::cough::

Anyway. Down at our end of the table, the subject turned toward which kinky-assed book we’d read recently. I know. Quelle surprise. But you know what I’m talkin’ ‘bout, ladies. We were were discussing pixies having relations with their full grown partner’s pinkie and shifted sex (dogs, when you think of it. EW) and ménage and…bdsm…and whips and huffing and octopus, oh my! Holy Moly. That poor waiter.

( As an aside, G. learned last year that restaurant conversation with book bloggin' ladies can be a learning experience he's not too keen on repeating.)

I can’t remember exactly how this went, but I did say to Holly that there is a misconception in the romance community that all m/m is kinky on that log-riding-Pixie level. Sure, there are folks who can’t get past the same sex thing. And yes, a lot of women find it embarrassing to imagine hawt manlove. But this sub-genre IS romance and, as in all the other flavors of romance, the heart is the same. These are love stories about characters who fall in love. rise above their trials and tribulations, and strive for the happily ever after…(pssst....just like girl/boy books!!)

We were discussing Lora Leigh (why do I pronounce this as Laura Lie?) and, c’mon, her books are frickin' kinky! There’s no line she’s not willing to cross, no boundary she can’t push, and women eat this stuff up. I have my fair share of LL books. But they aren't considered, by those of us in bloglandia that I've ever heard from, line crossingly kinky. Hot? Juicy? Spicy? Wrong on so many levels but oh so right? Yes. I've heard tell.

M/M on the other hand? It's often viewed as not only alternative…but as…subversive.

That’s okay, I guess. We all have our personal lines in the sand. Hey, whatever blows up your skirt. Yadda yadda. Yet I find it fascinating that readers are willing, eager even, to shell out money on books where three brothers bow-fu each others wives with..er…battery operated equipment, a spankin' and a floggin', and then they tell me that they won’t consider m/m because it’s icky.

Or kinky.

Huh.

I have to wonder if they've ever tried one.

As in ANY romance genre, there are subgenres to be found that may appeal to the kinkier side of things, bdsm and ménage and shifter love and twin sex and Japanese hog tying or whatever it's called…Goodness there’s so much smut available for the savvy shopper it boggles the mind and stretches my poor wallet! We've opened so very many doors, and we've often been surprised by what we find on the other side. I think, more than any genre, this is true of M/M.

Because here’s the secret surprise: M/M contains all the myriad wonderment of heterosexual romance. These stories can capture the category romance feel, or have mystery, adventure, drama, history, paranormal wassit--all the smushy, gushiness of great romance. They have cowboys and spacemen, cops and robbers, athletes and actors. They can be explicitly sexual, or lyrically erotic. There are good books and, because it’s a new genre, really bad books. But ultimately, the bottom (ahem) line is, that m/m follows the same structure as m/f: Two people find each other. Eyes meet. They are alone in a crowded room. Their palms sweat (or, cuz it's guys, some other telling physical response occurs). It makes our own reader heart flutter when the pair connect and it can make us scream into a pillow when obstacles get tossed in their paths. But when they triumph, when they fall in love and they prevail, when they find their happily ever after…we recall our love of all romance in what ever form it takes.


And isn’t that exactly what we were hoping for?

______

Thanks LB!!! It was wonderful having you here.

To celebrate her visit we're giving away 3 copies of Gobsmacked. Leave a comment telling us why you do (or don't) like m/m romance, or what some of the reasons are for you not having tried it, and we'll throw your name in the hat.

Check out more from the wonderful (and super funny) LB at:

www.lbgregg.com
http//lisabea.blogspot.com
Men of Smithfield: Gobsmacked at Aspen Mountain Press

SHE' S NO STRANGER TO THE DARKEST PLACES IN THE HUMAN MIND...

Devoted to her troubled clients, clinical psychologist Aimee Gannon never thought she'd be entangled in a murder investigation. But a middle-of-the-night phone call from the Sacramento PD delivers a shock: Aimee's rebellious seventeen-year-old patient Taylor Dawkin could be a suspect in the gruesome murder of her own parents. Traumatized by the events of that fatal night, Taylor is left catatonic...and Aimee is desperate to reach beyond her silence to uncover the truth.

BUT HE' S SEEN THE EVIDENCE FIRSTHAND...

Detective Josh Wolf needs Aimee's help to decipher the clues behind a pattern of rectangles and circles that Taylor drew in blood at the crime scene. Unfortunately, he can't keep his mind off the beautiful psychologist -- those long legs, that irritating stubborn streak. But he can't afford a moment's distraction: After Aimee is attacked, she and Josh must race to uncover Taylor's terrifying secret...before the deadly shadows of the past strike again.

Dr. Aimee Gannon knows that Taylor Dawkin is a troubled young girl. Even knowing that, Aimee is shocked when she is called to the hospital only to find Taylor catatonic. Aimee can scarcely believe what Detective Josh Wolf is telling her; Taylor was found in her home with her murdered parents, covered in their blood. Not only that, but she drew strange symbols on the wall using her own blood. Though she knows that Taylor is the lead suspect, Aimee is certain that Taylor did not kill her parents. Convincing Detective Wolf is another matter entirely.

Detective Josh Wolf had never seen anything as spooky as the teenage girl painting the wall with her own blood while her dead parents lay in the room. He doesn’t put very much stock into shrinks and his attraction to Aimee Gannon makes him trust her even less. He knows the attraction is mutual, but having been burned by his fiancée, he has no intention of having a relationship with a woman that burned her own fiancée.

The mystery element of the book was by far the best part. While the romance was good (hot even), the suspense was better. There’s not only the question of why Taylor keeps drawing the same symbols over and over. There’s the question of why she even had to go to therapy in the first place. When Aimee looks back through her notes and speaks with Taylor’s aunt, she gets a better look at Taylor’s past and concludes that the trauma that made Taylor change virtually overnight actually happened ten or so years ago. Aimee just has to figure out what that trauma was and why it’s affecting her now. Josh isn’t nearly as interested in going back that far. He wants to know who murdered Taylor’s parents and why.

There were a few things that I didn’t like about this book. There was a stalker. He seemed so creepy and scary at first, but at the end he was just a big 'ol wimp. He also seemed to be a character that was there more to advance the storyline and the relationship between the h/h than anything else.

If you're looking for a good romantic suspense, look no further.

4 out of 5

This book is available from Pocket. You can buy it here.

...by Julie James.

And to keep us wanting more, here's the last excerpt that Julie James has provided for us to share with you lovely readers out there. We're really excited about the release of this book and we want you to be as well. We love contemporaries over here and we think Julie James is pretty fantastic.

So without further adieu, here's the last excerpt:

“So, um... how was your golf game?” Payton asked. “Did you have a nice time?”

Well.

J.D. certainly hadn’t been expecting her to say that. Something so... innocuous. Pleasant, even.

He peered down at her, caught off guard by her tone. Or rather, the fact that there wasn’t one.

“It was... nice.” He paused. “Thanks.” Then he looked her over, curious about something. “You know, I’m really surprised you’ve never learned how to play.”

“Why? Because everyone who’s anyone plays golf?” she asked sarcastically.

J.D. shook his head. “No, because I think you in particular would like it. You seem like you enjoy a challenge.”

Payton cocked her head, studying him. She appeared to be trying to decide whether he meant that as a criticism or compliment. He wasn’t so sure himself.

A look of uncertainty clouded her dark blue eyes. “Did you really mean those things you said about me?” she suddenly asked him. “The things you told the Gibson’s reps at dinner?”

“Did you?” J.D. fired back.

Payton shook her head at his return question, as if she had expected him to say exactly that. It was at that moment that someone joined the woman standing on the other side of Payton, crowding her even more. Making room, she moved closer to J.D., so that they now stood just a few inches apart. For some reason, it occurred to J.D. right then that in nearly eight years, this was probably the longest conversation he and Payton had ever had without being engaged in some sort of political/social/work-related debate. And it certainly was the closest, in terms of physical proximity, that they had ever been.

She was beautiful. J.D. knew that, he had always known that— just because she was an argumentative, defensive pill didn’t mean he couldn’t objectively see that she was gorgeous. He normally didn’t like blondes, but she had the whole Jennifer Aniston-ish long, straight dark blonde hair thing going for her. She had deep blue expressive eyes that showed every emotion (apparently anger and/or annoyance ruled the day here, from what he could tell) and— what he had just noticed for the first time— a scattering of freckles across her nose that— had she been anyone else— he would’ve described as “cute.”

Payton peered up at him and opened her mouth as if to say something. Then she seemed to change her mind.

“Yes, I did mean it,” she said almost defiantly. “You’re a very good lawyer, J.D. I would’ve been lying if I had told Jasper and the others anything else.”

She looked at him pointedly. “Now it’s your turn to say something nice.”

J.D. tried to hide his grin. “Well, I suppose I could say that this restaurant serves the best vodka tonic in the city—“

“That’s not what I meant.”

He gazed down at her in all-seriousness. “You know you’re a great attorney, Payton. You don’t need me to tell you that.”

There. Fine. He had said it. Now what? This was new territory for them.

J.D. shifted nervously as he saw the corners of Payton’s eyes crinkle with amusement. “What?” he asked, immediately going on the defensive. “Is there something funny about what I said?”

Payton shook her head, studying him. “No, it’s... I just noticed that your nose is sunburned from golfing.” And she fixed those deep blue eyes on his.

It was the way she was looking at him.

Really looking at him.

J.D. would never admit it to another soul, but he knew what he was thinking right then.

Awwwww, I can't facking wait. One more week and everyone will be able to get their hands on their own copy. So have you pre-ordered your own copy yet?

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

Hero: J.D. Jameson
Heroine: Payton Kendall
Grade: 4.5 out of 5

When it comes to the laws of attraction... Payton Kendall and J.D. Jameson are lawyers who know the meanin of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face-to-face, they're perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they h ave kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as coworkers for one reason one: to make partner at the firm. ...there are no rules. But all bets are off when they're asked to join forces on a major case. Though apprehensive at first, they begin to appreciate each other's dedication to the law- and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection does not last long when they discvoer that only one of them will be named partner. Now it's an all-out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers how under the collar.

I was pretty anxious to get this story because I so enjoyed Julie's last book, Just the Sexiest Man Alive. I had every faith that I would enjoy this book to pieces too. I'm so happy to say that Julie didn't steer me wrong this time around. This book was too cute and too funny and it made for an entertaining read.

Julie James has a knack for writing those perfect for a day at the beach reads. The books that keep a smile on your face and a laugh waiting to bubble right out of your mouth. She didn't disappoint with her newest release which is set to release on March 3, 2009.

This book is about two lawyers who don't like each other but who are both up for partner and have to compete for that one coveted spot as partner in the firm. They have both spent the last 8 years working themselves into the ground because making partner in this firm is all they've wanted since they started working there. They both have their own reasons for why they want to make partner and seeing their antics to get to the top had me laughing from the beginning to the end of this book.

J.D. Jameson has his eyes on the prize and nothing or no one is going to keep him from making partner...not even that annoying uppity Payton Kendall. She's a thorn in his side and he knows that he's gonna need his wits about him if he's gonna take her on. J.D. was one of those asshole heroes that you love despite the fact that he's such a dick. He's hot, he's smart and he's extremely confident and I loved all of his asshole-ishness. I think his cocky attitude worked well for him. It gave him that cutting edge he needed to be one of the leading contenders for partner.

I loved him. I loved the bit at the end of the book where we find out why he was the way he was with Payton. I loved how Payton was pissed to high heaven over it and I just loved J.D. I thought he was the perfect guy for Payton and I loved their chemistry together. My one gripe was that J.D. had issues with his father and I was bummed that we didn't get closure on that score, it was mentioned and we see why J.D. was so gung ho about making partner and then it kind of just disappeared. But that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story, it just made me curious to find out what happened with that? Did he just realize that his father's approval over his life didn't matter to him, what was it? That's the only thing that gave me pause in the story.

Well that and J.D's name...what does J.D. stand for? Inquiring minds want to know. =)

Payton was a strong heroine, one that rolled with the punches and one that totally deserved to be partner. The way she handled J.D.'s prank in court was nothing short of hilarious and amazing. She just cracked me the heck up in every scene that she was in. She was a great character and one that will totally have me laughing every time I reread this book because trust and believe, I will be rereading this book.

As a whole, this book delivers the laughs, it delivers the steam and it delivers a fantastically written romance with two strong characters that made an entertaining read just right. I am just as excited about this book as I was when I read Just the Sexiest Man Alive last year and I'm already waiting anxiously for Julie's next release. She's got a phenomenal talent for writing those cute and hilariously funny contemporary romances and I am a total fan of her work. You will definitely want to pick this book up because it is another winner for Julie James!

P.S. Julie, I must plead with you for a story not only for Jeremy from Just the Sexiest Man Alive but now for Tyler...because I seriously heart Tyler. He was a great addition to this story and he so needs his own story, what say you make that happen, eh? =)

Heads up: Julie James will be visiting Book Binge again (YAY!) on on friday, February 27th so be sure to stop by and hang out, you won't want to miss out on winning a copy of Practice Makes Perfect for your very own. =)

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

The winner of the Lora Leigh giveaway is...

Cristina!

Congratulations! Please email your info to contests at thebookbinge dot com so I can get the book out to you.

Serena Prentice's only hope for happiness is to learn to seduce her indifferent husband-to-be, the devastating attractive Rayne Talbot. Unfortunately, since he is being forced to marry her, Rayne wants nothing to do with her. Desperate, she plots a visit to his rumored mistress, the beautiful Countess Van Herold, only to find herself seduced instead, the experience awakening an unexpected sensual side to her nature she never dreamed existed.

Rayne cannot decide if he is intrigued or outraged at the thought of his former mistress tutoring his innocent young bride in the art of carnal pleasure, until he yields to his growing curiosity and takes her to bed himself. Blackmailed into the unwanted marriage, he is surprised to find himself captivated by Serena's loveliness ...and her uninhibited sexual abandon. Exploring together a world of unbridled pleasure, Serena and Rayne find that their unlikely union might just be a match made in heaven, after all...

I picked this one up on a lark from eBookwise. I liked the blurb and the excerpt so I decided to try it. It turned out to be a cute story.

Neither Serena nor Rayne had a choice about the marriage, but Serena wants to make it work regardless. Rayne is very bitter over being manipulated by his father and wants nothing to do with Serena.

I really liked Rayne and Serena. I like that Rayne let go of his animosity toward Serena and judged her on her own merit. I liked that Serena took matters into her own hands. It was kind of shocking that Serena went to Rayne's mistress to find out more about what he likes, but it worked in the context of the story.

The sex was hot, but I liked the story, too. It was short, but good. Definitely a recommend read.

Warning: There are m/f/f and f/f scenes.

4 out of 5

This book is available in e-format only from Phaze. You can buy it here or here for the Kindle.

Wrong bed…right man?

Between her waitressing job, volunteer work, and college classes, there are never enough hours in the day for Maggie Reilly. Especially not for a relationship. She’s got the perfect arrangment, though—a lover she meets three or four times a year. This weekend is one of those rare times, and she’s more than ready for a few nights of stress-busting sex.

But when she shows up at the hotel expecting to hop into bed with one man, she accidentally ends up with quite another: Ben Barrett, Hollywood’s most notorious bad boy.

Ben, determined to lay low after another scandal, has checked into the hotel for some much-needed sleep. What he gets is a scorching-hot makeout session with a gorgeous, naked redhead. He won’t accept her apology, but what he will accept is a place to hide out—in her arms. In exchange, he’ll give her what she wants. A full week of no-strings sex.

Ben soon finds out that one week with the fiery redhead is definitely not enough. He finds himself wanting more. A lot more. Now if only he can convince Maggie that a bad boy might just be good for her—and the best thing that’s ever happened to both of them.

Last year I read a Samhain book that had an excerpt for this book in the back and just had to buy it. Midnight Encounters is a steamy contemporary romance by Elle Kennedy. I was drawn in by her writing in the short excerpt I read and wasn't disappointed with the rest of the story.

Maggie is really buttoned down and determined to make something of herself. She was abandoned as a young child and spent her life in foster homes. As a result she wants to make a career for herself and help other young kids in the system. She has no room in her life for complications, relationships or fun and relaxation. Between work, volunteering and school, she has zero free time. But twice a year she makes time to get together with Tony for hot sex. Yes, you read that right, she only allows herself hot sex twice a year.

When an heiress socialite leaves bad boy Hollywood star Ben $10 million in her will, the media storm is overwhelming. In desperate need of a break, he seizes Maggie's hotel room mishap as the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone: Get laid and hide out. He's surprised at how much he ends up wanting to take care of Maggie, though. Seeing her workaholic attitude bothers him more than it should, and it isn't long before he's determined to get her to relax.

This was definitely a well-written novel. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. Maggie was a little over the top at times, especially in her insistence that she make something of herself before worrying about the rest of her life. I understood her reasons for wanting a stable career, but all work and no play makes for a bitchy heroine, and she was occasionally that. Of course, if I only had sex twice a year and worked as much as she did I'd probably be bitchy, too, but still...

I really liked that Ben was the one who wanted to take care of Maggie. Too often it's the other way around. I did find his arrogance to be kind of out of control at times. I wondered many times why Maggie let things slide with him instead of beating him over the head. But then..he was sexy as hell. That might have accounted for some of it.

My main issues stems from the fact that Maggie kept pushing Ben away and blaming him for things going wrong in her life. She needed to lighten up and Ben was trying to help with that. On the other hand, if a man came into my life and tried to complicate it without my permission, no matter how hot or how good in bed, I'd be pissed too. Basically, I understood where Maggie was coming from but thought she went too far.

Overall this is was a light, sexy read. It had some flaws, but I liked both characters and enjoyed the story for what it is.

3.5 out of 5

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

When a blizzard strands Fiona MacPherson and her students in Oregon's Cascade Mountains, their only hope of survival is to seek shelter at Thunder Mountain Lodge. Their host is John Fallon, a handsome, enigmatic war veteran haunted by secrets and scars that may never heal.

John Fallon never imagined he'd be playing host to this captivating teacher and her eight teenage charges. But when his solitude is shattered by their arrival, his world shifts on its axis. He needs Fiona—but does she need him? There's only one way to find out. The ex-soldier must find the courage to reach out to the remarkable woman who has transformed his life.…

I've read quite a few Superromances. This one is now it my top 3. For a category romance, it packs quite the emotional punch. Usually when I read these books, I'm just looking for a quick read that won't drag me in. This one held onto me and wouldn't let go. From the first page to the last, I couldn't put it down.

When Fiona MacPherson and a van full of her students get caught in a snow storm, they're luck enough to find refuge at Thunder Mountain Lodge. Though she can tell right away that the last thing lodge owner, John Fallon, wanted was a place full of teenagers. Still, Fiona is drawn to John in a way that she hasn't been drawn to a man before.

Since he came back from Iraq, John has hold himself up at Thunder Mountain Lodge hoping that the quiet and solitude will calm his battered soul and bury his memories. Fiona is the only person he's met that can calm the emotions that are constantly raging within him. While he wasn't happy when her and the teens showed up on his doorstep, he's even sorrier to see them leave three days later.

I think what made the book as good as it was is that it took place over an extended period of time. If the author had thrown John and Fiona together happilyeveraftertheend after one weekend together, it wouldn't have worked. John has to confront his demons if he wants to keep Fiona in his life, which takes time.

I loved both the hero and the heroine. They were perfect for each other. You know those books finish that you're smiling b/c you're happy for these fictional characters? This is one of them.

4.25 out of 5.

This book is available from Harlequin Superromance. You can download it for free here.

Think it’s glamorous being a vampire? Think again.

The Faustin Bros., Book 1

Alexander Faustin is ready to settle down. He travels from NYC to sunny Colorado to find his destined bride. His delicate mission: to explain to her that vamps exist, that he happens to be one himself, and that he’d like her to be one, too. But the moment he lays eyes on Helena MacAllister, talk is the last thing on his mind.

It’s not like Helena to make out with a stranger on her front porch, much less invite him into her bed. Somehow Alex makes her feel safe, even while he’s dismantling her defenses. But in the wake of an accident, her faith in him is shattered. She learns her dream lover is a monster.

When a vampire betrays and terrifies his beloved, what can he offer her to make it up? Pancakes, of course. It’s a start, at least. And Alex has to think of the next step quick, because if Helena won’t take him back, he’ll never love again.

It's no secret that I took a break from paranormals ages ago. It's also no secret that I took a permanent break from vampires about 5 seconds after I read my first one (or close to it, anyway). So I'm sure it'll come as a great shock to you that not only did I read a vampire paranormal romance, but I actually enjoyed it. Quite a bit.

For whatever reason, I was in the mood for a paranormal romance and asked for suggestions on Twitter. Angela James recommend this (and several others) and I decided to go ahead and try it, even though I generally don't do vampires. She told me this one was different, and it is. Instead of being an action packed adventure, Called by Blood is a great character study.

When his mother tells him she dreamed of his mate, Alexander Faustin wastes no time heading to Colorado from New York to find her. Without thought or plan he shows up on Helena MacAllister's doorstep and announces his intention to marry her. Then he kisses her. When she recovers from the shock she locks him out of the house and calls the cops.

Helena can't deny her attraction to the strange man who so unexpectedly showed up on her door step. She's torn between thinking he's a stalker and wanting to invite him in. Due to some past relationships that went sour, Helena is wary of beginning anything with Alex. Eventually he wears her down and she let's him in. After a long, hot night together Alex runs out just before daybreak, breaking her tentative trust in him.

But she's in for the shock of her life, because Alex shows back up at nightfall. Only he isn't the same Alex that left that morning. He's charred - burned almost beyond recognition. And that isn't all..he's actually a vampire.

Up until this point I was mildly amused at Alex's antics and curious to see where Bryne would take the story. I have to say I was very surprised at the direction she went. What started out as a kind of quirky tale quickly turned into a dark and captivating look at the darker side of being with a vampire.

I think Helena's reaction to finding out Alex was a vampire is the most realistic I've ever read. Not only does she completely freak out, but she does it in a totally believable way. Alex needs to heal, so he calls his family and his brother comes out to keep him fed during the process. Helena understands he's in no shape to leave, but she wants nothing to do with him. She avoids him as much as possible while she tries to understand what she's just learned. Although she wants nothing to do with him, Alex isn't left with much of a choice on where to go. Once he's healed enough that he can move around on his own - though his skin is still too sensitive for clothes or to be seen by others - his brother leaves him there to clean up the mess he made. With no other options Helena is forced to deal with the truth of what Alex is and what it means for her.

I had a major problem with the timeline in the beginning. Helena goes from thinking Alex is a freaky stalker to sleeping with him in way too short a period of time. I was also annoyed with Alex at times. He seemed almost immature, rushing into things without thinking about the consequences. Of course he definitely paid the price for his reckless behavior. There were a few other issues, but they were minor. Oh, except I was annoyed at how abruptly this ended. I assume we'll see/hear more since this is the first book in a series.

I was very impressed with the author for looking at the more realistic view of vampires and how humans would deal with them.

4 out of 5

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