Book Binge

Yesterday I read a post on the blog Rat's Reading where he complained about a site he recently came across that charges for reviews. Dedicated Book Reviews apparently charges for reviews, guest author posts and etc. You can check out the site and their fees here.

I looked over the site and I don't really understand what they have to offer - what authors and/or publishers would want to buy - but I didn't spend enough time on there to make an informed decision about the site itself. I will say I think charging for reviews is ridiculous and unethical. That's a practice I've never agreed with. I'm sure many of you agree.

The issue Rat had with this site is that they were nominated for several awards in conjunction with Book Blogger Appreciate Week (BBAW). He requested that the site be disqualified based on the fact that they charge for reviews. BBAW responded that they won't be disqualifying the site, though they're confident the site won't make it into the final rounds based on the process they're using this year to judge the nominations.

I have several issues with this.

1) The site in question doesn't seem to be established yet. Unless I'm missing something, I don't even see where they have reviews or promotional posts up. At this point the only thing I see on the site is their reviewing/promoting policy and their pay scale.

2) BBAW and the way the nominations/awards are being handled. Last year the nominations were sent in and then the general public voted for their favorite (I'm sure the process was long and drawn out, I've condensed it here). This year they have panels of judges (made up of bloggers, authors and other publishing professionals) who are deciding which blogs will make it to the final rounds and which ones won't. They base this information on 5 posts sent in by the nominees that they believe are the best representation of their sites.

Although I understand with over 1000 nominated sites the process needed to be modified from last year, I don't necessarily feel comfortable with the system in place now. Let's say I have a falling out with a blogger who is chosen to be on a panel for an award I was nominated for. What's to say that person won't reject my nomination just because s/he doesn't like me? Things like that make me wonder.

3) Should BBAW automatically disqualify the site in question based on the above information? I think so. Saying they're confident the site won't make it past the judges seems like a cop-out to me. Why not just automatically disqualify the site and move on?

On the other hand, I don't really put a lot of stock in the BBAW awards. I mean, it's wonderful to be nominated (we received half a dozen or more and we're so thankful our readers thought we deserved the awards), but I'm skeptical about the awards in general. Especially based on the scenario I listed above with the panel of judges. Not to mention the fact that there were no guidelines in place to regulate who could be nominated and subsequently win (not that I'm aware of anyway. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).

What do you think? Is this a big deal? How do you feel about the site being nominated for awards when they charge for reviews? Should they be disqualified out of hand?

Of course, you can always choose not to participate, as BBAW said today:

We understand that not every blogger will feel comfortable with this process. Please know that you are welcome to withdraw your nomination and association with BBAW at any time. We hope that the rest of you will understand that BBAW is a labor of love built by and for the book blogging community.

In regards to the site and charging for reviews, I think it's unethical and shouldn't happen. When you start charging for reviews or promotional posts I feel you lose objectivity and your motives should be in question. One of the best things about book blogs (in general) is the honesty and enthusiasm they offer. I would hate to see that tainted because sites start offering reviews for money. Especially since I doubt an author will pay for a bad review..if you know what I mean and I think you do.

How do you feel about the fact that they charge for reviews/promotional posts in general? Are you as annoyed over it as I am?

(as an aside, I think the concept behind BBAW is a great one. We participated quite a bit last year and have been following along somewhat this year [personal issues kept us from joining in this year]. I'm just not convinced the awards are as meaningful as they should be)

Several months ago I put out a request asking authors for items they'd be willing to donate for some grab bags we were putting together and was overwhelmed by the response. It took awhile, but with the help of Rowena - who spent the day with me yesterday (thanks Ween!) - we finally got them put together and ready to go.

Now we're ready to give them away. To you.

Each bag is filled with an assortment of items, including: Bookmarks, 1st chapter books, postcards, cover flats and a total of four books. A few of the authors included are: Moira Rogers, Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, Julie James and Linda Winfree. Some of the items - including the books - are autographed. There are hardcovers, mass market and trade paperback size. Each bag contains a mixture of each.

Every week day (Monday-Friday) starting tomorrow, September 1st, we'll be giving away one Book Bag. Each giveaway will be different. You might have to leave a comment or find a post. We might even choose a surprise winner from those who have visited the site that day. You just never know who might win.

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see what we have in store. Just to ensure that you're as excited as you should be, I'm going to give you a little sneak peek of what we're giving away tomorrow.....


What better way to celebrate going back to school than with a Book Bag?

Rowena's review of A Dark Love by Margaret Carroll.

Hero: Ken Kincaid
Heroine: Caroline
Grade: 2.75 out of 5

Only Caroline knows the truth about her husband, the brilliant psychoanalyst whose list of patients includes some of Washington, D.C.'s, most celebrated. Caroline has seen the darkest side of this cruel, controlling psychopath who watches her every move. With only a few precious minutes allotted to her, escape is now or never. Caroline must run for her life . . . as far and fast as she can.

But even two thousand miles isn't far enough. A new identity, new town, and new love-rugged pro-footballer-turned-outdoorsman Ken Kincaid-won't protect her. Because Caroline knows Porter will never stop until he's hunted her down.

And there will be a reckoning . . .

Before I start my review, I wanted to say a few words about the cover of this book. HOW CUTE IS IT? I thought it was an excellent cover and it's part of what drew me to this book in the first place.

Now, on with my review. This book is labeled as a romantic suspense but I wouldn't necessarily label it as such because though there was a romantic element in it I don't think there was enough to classify this as a straight up romantic suspense. This book is about Caroline Hughes-Moross leaving her psycho husband, Dr. Porter Moross under the guise of taking her dog for a walk. When I tell you that her husband was psycho, I mean he was really effing psycho.

He keeps tabs on every single part of Caroline's life and really, she didnt' have a life without him. She wasn't allowed to associate with the neighbors, she wasn't allowed out of the house without him at her side and she wasn't allowed to have a thought that he didn't approve of. When he was displeased with her for any reason, he beat her. It was a very unhealthy relationship and even though we don't find out about the extent of the damage that Porter inflicted on Caroline, you were still cheering her on when she was running away in the first chapter of the book. You wanted more for her and at the end when she finally got it, I was glad.

There were things about this book that bothered me while I was reading it. Like, in the book we find out that Caroline is much more reserved than she used to be and we find out that she's been badly abused by her husband and when she finally runs away and she gets to where she was heading, within a couple of days she's met a new guy and she was attracted. This guy is huge and though he's extremely nice, she doesn't know much about him and yet she's intrigued and she lets him in. I found that to be odd that she would run away from a man who abused her and then jump into a new relationship with someone who was so much stronger than her physically without time to heal. I thought there would be some healing done before she would even be able to have a normal conversation with another man. I didn't get it. It happened a bit too fast for me to actually believe it.

On top of that, there was Porter. What I didn't understand about Porter was him finding out Caroline's password to her email. I don't understand how he didn't know that to begin with because he controlled everything about her. With how anal he was abotu keeping tabs on Caroline, I don't understand how he didn't know about that email address before she took off but that was a minor detail that bothered me. Porter as a whole was just an icky character, one that I don't understand how Caroline could have fallen for to begin with. On their first date, she was running a little late and he freaked the hell out on her in the restaurant...how did she not know that he was a looney tune then? *shakes head*

For me, I didn't think the character development on this book was up to par with what I normally read. There were characters that were introduced and then forgotten, like Tom Fielding. What happened to him? Are we going to find out more about him in another book? I mean, we meet him then we see him in a scene thinking about Caroline. There's a bit of backstory on him and his marriage and then Caroline and their emails and then that's it. I would have liked more from him.

Then there was Caroline. I thought Caroline was brave for having the courage to walk away from the abuse. Her plan was fantastic. I was so happy that she was able to pull it off but then once she got settled in Storm's Pass, her recovery seemed a bit rushed for me. Some other things that bothered the ever living crap out of me was when she would not warn Ken, Nan and Gus, hell everyone that her psycho ex husband was in town and he's a dangerous man. He may not have looked dangerous (just icky) but he was a complete crazy person and even after she knew that he was around, she kept mum about it until Porter had Ken up in the mountains with a gun to his head.

WTF?

Open your mouth and say something. Those people didn't deserve to find out the way that they did. That really ticked me off. Ken was a great character though. One that I would have loved to read more about. I was curious about his past, about his present and though I know where his future was headed, it would have been nice to get more back story on him.

Overall this story had some good points but little details of the story chipped away from my enjoyment of the story. I had high hopes for the story and was disappointed that the book didn't live up to my hopes.

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

It's no secret that I'm anxiously awaiting the release of Nora Robert's next book in her Bride Quartet series because it's JACK'S BOOK! I'm really excited to see that Jack is getting a story in this series and I'm super excited that it's with Emma! I'm so anxious to find out who each of these women end up with and I'm dying to see if Del is going to be one of the heroes...or more importantly, if Del is going to be Laurel's hero. I'm seriously anxious over it. I can't wait!

As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe “I do” moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman’s dream day come true. With perfect flowers, delicious desserts, and joyful moments captured on film, Nora Roberts’s Bride Quartet shares each woman’s emotionally magical journey to romance.

In Bed of Roses, florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn’t found Mr. Right. And the last place she’s looking is right under her nose.

But that’s just where Jack Cooke is. He’s so close to the women of Vows that he’s practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion—kiss for blistering kiss—they must trust in their history…and in their hearts.

This book comes out on October 27th so it's not too long of a wait but still, I WANT TO READ IT NOW! Mark your calendars because the second book in NR's Bride Quartet is coming soon!

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

The winner of Summer of Two Wishes is...

Debbie F !!!

Congratulations! Send us an email with the subject "Summer of Two Wishes" along with your contact info to us at contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces).

We've got a winner in the house today!

First off, thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for BIRD IN HAND by Christina Baker Kline. We got a decent amount of entries and with the help of RANDOM.ORG, we were able to choose one lucky winner.

The winner of BIRD IN HAND by Christina Baker Kline is:

This book is available from Harper Collins.

I have a guest review up at The Good, The Bad and The Unread for The Doctor's Surprise Marriage by Mary J. Forbes.

When Kat O'Brien saw the rain-soaked stranger pull up on his motorcycle, her instincts went on red-alert. Except he was no stranger. He was Dane Rainhart, hometown war hero…and Kat's girlhood crush. Now the single mother was more intrigued than ever by this sexy, powerful man who was already bonding with her son.

After being wounded in the line of duty, Dane needed a place to mend—and hide away from the world. Instead, the haunted military doctor was falling for the much-too-attractive widow and her boy. Perhaps it was time they both faced the past and took a second chance at happiness—together!

I generally like the 'reunited lovers' plot line. Especially if the lovers in question were high school sweethearts. This is the third book in Forbes' Home to Firewood Island series. I read the first two books and enjoyed them, so I figured I'd like this one as well. Sadly it didn't work very well for me.

I expected to like Kat based on her character in the previous books. Unfortunately she didn't live up to my expectations. She started out strong - though wounded by the loss of her husband - and seemed to just kind of fade out the more attached she became to Dane. I was surprised at her lack of backbone when it came to standing up to Dane. There were several times where I thought he needed to be taken down a peg in regards to her son, or where she needed to push him on the issue of his past and/or their relationship, and she failed. Instead of coming across as strong, it was more like she needed a man to make her complete.

...read the rest here.

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

We're calling them guidelines b/c we hate to call them "rules". Having rules just takes the fun out of having a contest anyway.

These guidelines don't just apply to our readers. They apply to us as well. We are going to make it easier for you, too. Or so we hope.

There are a few things you will start seeing different on the contest/giveaway announcement posts.

• A date which clearly states when the contest ends.
• The contest winner will be announced three days from the date the contest ends.
  
• The giveaway winner(s) put onto the sidebar for easy viewing.
  

We know that we've been a little, er, lax about that this summer.

In return, we hope it makes it easier for you to enter contests and respond if you are announced a winner.

That being said, this is the new reader guideline.

• If we don't hear from the winner(s) within 3 days, we will announce another winner. That winner will have 3 days. And so on, and so forth.

When we giveaway books, our main goal is to get those books to readers that want to read them.

If you have any questions about our new guidelines, fire away.

XOXO,
Casee, Holly, & Rowena

Casee's review of When a Man Loves a Weapon (Bobbie Faye Series, Book 3) by Toni McGee Causey.

Living single in her trailer was great for a time. But now Bobbie Faye’s officially engaged to, and has purchased a home with, the hottest FBI agent on the beat: Trevor Cormier. Even though she still has no idea what he really does on the job, Bobbie Faye has never been happier…until Trevor gets called away on an urgent assignment and leaves her in the care of body-guard slash babysitter Riles.

As it turns out, Bobbie Faye could use a little extra security. The man she helped put in behind bars, the murderous Sean MacGreggor, has escaped from prison…and is dead-set on revenge. With still no word from Trevor—who was only supposed to be gone for three days—Bobbie Faye finds herself reluctantly turning to her detective ex-boyfriend Cam for help. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect Bobbie Faye…so long as Trevor stays out of the picture. For good.

Though this book had it's light moments, it was much, er, deeper than the previous two. Bobbie Faye and all who know her have accepted that disaster follows her wherever she goes. The disaster that follows her in this book comes close to killing her and the man she loves.

When Trevor gets called away on assignment, he leaves a "bodyguard" with her for her own protection. Sean MacGregor, the man that blames Bobbie Faye for his demise has escaped from prison. Given his sick obsession with her, Trevor is sure that Sean will come after Bobbie Faye. Bobbie Faye doesn't agree, but she's willing to humor Trevor. It will only be for three days--max.

When day three comes and goes, Bobbie Faye really starts worrying. When she nor Riles (the bodyguard) can get any information from the FBI on Trevor's whereabouts, Bobbie Faye decides to go looking herself. To do that, she enlists the help of her ex-boyfriend. Now that Cam has decided he wants her back, it is more than uncomfortable for Bobbie Faye. But she knows she can trust him and she also knows that he will help her.

One of Bobbie Faye's biggest issues is trust. After her childhood, there is almost nothing she values more. When she finds out that Trevor has been keeping something from her, it devastates her. When she finds out who her best friend Nina really is, she's floored. The only person that seems to be the same is Cam.

I commend TMG for writing such a great love triangle. It's clear from the beginning who Bobbie Faye will end up with, but it's hard to read b/c they are both such great characters. I really hope that Cam gets his own happily-ever-after.

One thing I liked about Trevor (and have since the beginning) is that he doesn't try to change the type of person Bobbie Faye is. Not only does he accept her, but he appreciates and loves her for who she is. While Cam would like to wrap her up and put her away where she can't get hurt, Trevor accepts that she will never be happy if he constantly tries to stifle her true character. I loved that about him.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Bobbie Faye gets into next.

4.25 out of 5.

This book is available from St. Martin's Press. You can buy it here.

Other books in the series:

Rowena's review of The Infamous Rogue by Alexandra Benedict.

Hero: Captain James Hawkins
Heroine: Miss Sophia Dawson
Grade: 3 out of 5

They paid no mind to society's prying eyes . . .

The daughter of a wealthy bandit, Sophia Dawson once lost herself in the arms of Black Hawk, the most infamous pirate ever to command the high seas. But now, determined to put her sinful past behind her, she prepares to enter society as the bride of a well-born nobleman who knows nothing of her scandalous youth. All goes according to plan until her ex-lover—now a respectable sea captain but just as handsome and dangerous as ever—appears and once again tempts her with desire.

From the moment he sees Sophia again, James Hawkins wants only one thing: Revenge. He'll see to it that the reckless beauty pays for abandoning their heated affair. And so begins a battle of wills that can end only in utter ruin . . . or wicked surrender . . .

I was poking around in my TBR pile and came across this book. I haven't read a pirate book before so I decided to read this one and while I did enjoy it, this book didn't exactly blow me away. There were quite a few things that drove me bat shit crazy while reading this book. The hero being one of them.

The hero is an ex-pirate who quit the pirating business and is trying to be a good law abiding member of the ton because him and his brothers don't want to make their newly married Duchess of a sister look bad. They don't want to cause a scandal that will touch their sister so they've each cleaned up their act and are trying to find themselves in this new world that they're not used to. James is the oldest at forty years old and this is his story.

James was better known as Captain Black Hawk and when we first meet him, he's this bitter old man who is acting like an adolescent little child who got his toys taken away from him. He wouldn't marry Sophia so she left him, he gets all pissed off and is totally bitter about it and the fighting that went on between him and Sophia got to be a bit much to take ...at first. As the story goes on and we see these two fighting their attraction for each other, I wanted to karate chop Black Hawk in his kneecaps and smack Sophia around a few times.

As the book wore on, I couldn't seem to connect with either of the main characters because they just got on my nerves but the story itself wasn't a bad one. This story made me so hot dang glad that I'm not a historical woman who has to be dependent on a husband for respect and every other damn thing in this world. The stuff that Sophia was putting herself through to get engaged to the earl made me feel sorry for her.

The story ended the way it was supposed to end but the journey there was a troubled and drama filled journey. I didn't think the book was a bad book, I just couldn't connect with either James or Sophia much and I spent most of the book wishing that there was more of Quincy in this book. I really enjoyed the brief encounters we had with James family. I wanted to see more of their time in Jamaica, I wanted to see more of their pirating days and well, I didnt' get that so it kind of sucked for me.

If Mrs. Benedict were to write Quincy's book (does anyone know if she's going to write it?) I will definitely be interested in reading either Quincy or William's book but that's really about it. I enjoyed most everything else in the story but the hero and the heroine drove me crazy. Would I recommend this book to anyone? If you're an AB fan then you would probably enjoy this book and if you don't mind a 40 year old hero acting like a petulant child for half of the book then yeah, you might enjoy it but aside from some interesting family members, this book was just good...not the great read that I was hoping for.

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

All I haunt for christmas is you . . .

Joe Bascombe is no stranger to desire, but when a sexy spirit begins haunting his dreams, he finds himself ensnared by dark passions. What he doesn't realize is that the devious demon and her two sisters, otherwise known as the Three Fates, are out to teach the woman he loves a lesson . . .

Unwilling psychic Nicki Styx survived a near-death experience to find herself able to see and hear the dead, but she only has eyes for Joe. Together they've conquered evil spirits, saved lost souls, and beaten back the Devil himself, but they're about to learn that there are more things in Heaven and Hell than they ever imagined. As far as Nicki is concerned, Joe is the man of her dreams, but now they're at the mercy of the creature who's invaded his.

It'll be a Christmas to remember . . . and it could be Joe and Nicki's last.

All of you Terri Garey fan's out there will be excited for the new release of the latest Nicki Styx's book. This book comes out on October 27th so it's right around the corner so mark your calendars!

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

Casee's review of Tasting Fear by Shannon McKenna.

Blood Will Tell

Nancy. . .Nell. . .Vivi. . . Three sisters who know there is no force on earth greater than love. . .unless it is the desire for vengeance. When their adored foster mother is murdered, the D'Onofrio women come together to hunt for her murderer—and track down a family legacy gone missing: rare, priceless art from the Renaissance, a treasure worth killing for. The law can only do so much and the three sisters are on their own—until three mysterious men get involved. . .

Startled to find a brawny stranger at her mother's house, Nancy is even more surprised at the heat of passion that flares between them. Liam is intense and instantly protective. But is it wise to trust him with every secret? Her sister Nell has turned to Duncan, her new boss, for help. He's an expert on the dark underworld of cyberspace, where other clues may lurk. And Duncan is so sexy it's scary. All Nell has to do is say the hardest word of all: yes. But what about the youngest of the D'Onofrios, the wild and willful Vivi? She's on the verge of falling in love with Jack, who's all about fierce vigilance. . .

The sisters embrace the ultimate in passion as danger stalks them all. Unknown and unseen, the killer is very, very near . . .

This book is like Chains by Shiloh Walker. It's broken down into three different stories, but the overall arc is the same. While I usually like Shannon McKenna, this format didn't do it for me.

Nancy is all about work. Liam is all about home. They are polar opposites, but their attraction to each other is fierce. Liam is a natural caregiver while Nancy is used to taking care of herself. When the sisters realize that the person that murdered their mother is now after them, Liam wants to lock Nancy away until he's found. That obviously doesn't go over well with Nancy.

I think it was the length of Nancy and Liam's story that hurt it. I am so used to McKenna's characters going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. They have something like 400 pages to get past their differences. It wasn't like that here. It just felt too rushed.

The story of Nell and Duncan was definitely the best. Duncan is one of my favorite kind of heroes. The smart, silent type that is just naturally confused by women. He's not malicious nor mean. He's just Duncan. Nell has noticed Duncan since the day he started coming into the cafe she works at. He never notices her. When she replies to an employment ad, she's shocked to find Duncan at the desk. Duncan is dismayed to see Nell as well. It was only that day that he finally noticed her (he doesn't think "finally") and decided that he was going to pursue her. This happened after they were first together. Probably my favorite part of the book.

"That was incredible," he offered.

"Yes," she agreed.

He was heartened. "I didn't mean for things to happen so fast between us," he said.

She stifled a soft, whispery giggle. "Me neither," she murmured.

I looked like she wasn't getting all emotional on him, thank God. Maybe she was a reasonable female. "Well, there's no going back now."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, I think we're on to something here. It'll be complicated, but it's worth it to me. Let's go get some dinner and we can hammer out the details."

"Details?" she repeated slowly.

"Yeah. Our mutually beneficial arrangement. It'll need to be secret, for obvious reasons, but we can swing it. I'll take you to my condo. We'll order in. I'll show you how beneficial it can be."

What made it so funny is that he was completely serious. He wasn't trying to hurt her. It was just great reading about him kind of bumbling around trying to figure out what the feelings were that Nell invoked in him.

The third and final sister: Vivi. At the request of Duncan, Vivi heads to Oregon where a former military buddy of his can watch over her until the mystery is unraveled. Jack and Vivi take an instant dislike to each other. Vivi is everything Jack has never wanted, yet he has never been so physically attracted to anyone. Vivi refuses to be someone she is not and is offended when Jack thinks he has her figured out so quick.

The suspense is obviously wrapped up by the end of the book. They whole mystery of why their mother was murdered wasn't even that riveting. The villain, who seemed so villian-like at the beginning, really went downhill. Like into pathetic territory. I just found it laughable how a professional assassin would take a job so personal. It was just very non-McKenna like. Which is probably why I was so disappointed.

3 out of 5.

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

Holly's review of Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase

Spunky English girl overcomes impossible odds and outsmarts heathen villains.

That's the headline when Zoe Lexham returns to England. After twelve years in the exotic east, she's shockingly adept in the sensual arts. She knows everything a young lady shouldn't and nothing she ought to know. She's a walking scandal, with no hope of a future . . . unless someone can civilize her.

Lucien de Grey, the Duke of Marchmont, is no knight in shining armor. He's cynical, easily bored, and dangerous to women. He charms, seduces, and leaves them—with parting gifts of expensive jewelry to dry their tears. But good looks, combined with money and rank, makes him welcome everywhere. The most popular bachelor in the Beau Monde can easily save Zoe's risquÉ reputation . . . if the wayward beauty doesn't lead him into temptation, and a passion that could ruin them both.

For some reason, books by Loretta Chase are really hard for me to review. I don't know why that is, exactly, but I've had this one sitting here for a month and haven't been able to finish it. Instead of slaving over it anymore, I'm just going ramble on and see what happens.

One of the things Chase does extremely well is dialogue. There is always excellent dialogue between her characters. Not just between Zoe and Marchmont in this case, but also between Zoe and her maid, her sisters and her father, plus Marchmont with his friends and the members of Zoe's family. Their quick-witted banter often saved this from becoming long or drawn out.

I really adored Zoe. She was a no-nonsense girl who had grown up in an unconventional world. As a result she isn't afraid to stand up for what she wants or speak her mind. As this is a historical novel, that was rather refreshing. Even more so since Marchmont didn't know what to do with her half the time; generally he struggled between wanting to kiss her and wanting to kill her.

Marchmont was harder to pin down. I think the problem with him is that he was a study in contradictions. In the beginninng we'e led to believe he's a lost, tortured soul. But as the novel progresses he seems more lazy and indolent than anything else. Toward the end Chase tried to bring him back to the darkness of the beginning, but it fell kind of flat for me.

That isn't to say I didn't like him. Because I did. Quite a bit, actually. He was sweet and sensitive, and the way he couldn't resist Zoe was priceless. I just didn't buy that he was a dark, tortured soul in need of saving. More one who needed to grow up and accept responsibility for his actions.

In that I think Zoe and Marchmont really complimented each other. She was able to give him the push he needed to stand up and do the right thing and he was able to support her and show her that she was safe. I really loved their chemistry and how well they fit together - both in the bedroom and out of it.

The secondary characters really added extra flavor to the story. Zoe's sisters especially cracked me up. I wouldn't have wanted to live with them, but reading about their hysterics and theatrics was priceless.

The mystery angle that popped up toward the end just seemed like filler. I honestly don't think it served a purpose other than adding more conflict to Zoe and Marchmont's relationship and forcing him to grow up a bit. Otherwise it seemed more over the top than anything. (Though I will say that bathtub scene toward the end really got me.)

Overall I enjoyed the witty banter and sweetness of Zoe and Marchmont's relationship, though this wasn't the best Chase has to offer.

3.5 out of 5

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

If you read between the lines as you're reading, you can see that some books do reflect the author's personal belief(s) (i.e., Political, Spiritual, etc.). I think that's natural. I'm not an author, but I would assume that writing is very personal. So I don't think it's wrong if it doesn't really impact the reader. However, after reading Hot Pursuit, I have to put my reader foot down and say enough is enough. Not that she's going to listen to moi.

I've met Suzanne Brockmann several times. I've listened to her speak. I lurrrrve her. I've read her Team 16 series from the beginning. I waited forevah for Sam & Alyssa's book to come out. I was disappointed w/ it, but it didn't stop me from continuing the series. I now get her hardcover's from the library, but I still read them. Hot Pursuit didn't make me decide to stop reading the series. It just annoyed the ever living hell out of me.

Suz's readers should know that one thing she is extremely passionate about is gay rights. Her dedication to her son in Hot Target made me cry. Srsly. I was thrilled when she wrote Jules' story in All Through the Night. If any of her characters deserved a happy ending, it was Jules. Occasionally her newsletters will inform readers of certain things that pertain to gay rights. To each her/his own, right?

I started noticing it several books back. If you pulled every passage having to do with what rights gay people do/don't have out of all the books and put it together, that would be a book by itself. The point here isn't whether or not I agree w/ her. The point is that all the facts and opinions she inserts really takes away from the story. Robin (Jules' husband) was so glad he was married to Jules b/c if he wasn't and Jules was hospitalized, he couldn't see him b/c he wasn't family. They live in Massachusetts b/c their marriage is recognized there. On and on about what they could/couldn't do. And if that's not bad enough, she also brought a new character into Team Sixteen. A gay SEAL. So now she's going to be tackling the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that the military has. It's not the character that I protest, it's the reason she brought the character into the series.

After reading Hot Pursuit, I also have a good idea of her political beliefs. I'm reading a fictional story. If I wanted to read a political book, I would pick one up. So while I did like the book, I was thinking about this all the way through.

What do you think? Should authors push their "agenda" into their books? When is it going too far?

Casee's review of I Can See You (Hat Squad, Book 1) by Karen Rose.

Eve Wilson's face was once scarred by a vicious assault. Terrified and ashamed, she escaped to the online realm, where she could choose the face she allowed people to see. Years later, her outer scars faded and inner scars buried, Eve has fought her way back to the real world and is determined to help others do the same. Now a graduate student moonlighting as a bartender, Eve researches the addictive powers of online communities. When her test subjects begin turning up dead as a result of apparent suicides, she doesn't know where to turn.

Homicide detective Noah Webster is one of the few people who believe the victims are connected murders. Eve becomes Noah's online guide and realizes that the handsome detective may have secret scars as painful as her own. As Eve and Noah chase a killer who is always one step ahead of them, together they try to overcome the tragedies of their pasts and learn to trust again, but they soon discover that danger is much closer than they think.

Karen Rose is probably my favorite romantic suspense author. She burst onto the romance scene with Don't Tell and just keeps getting better.

Eve Wilson was a victim of the villain in Don't Tell. She mistakenly trusted Rob Winters and almost paid with her life. Though she has worked hard to regain what was so viciously taken away, it has been far from easy. Eve left Chicago for Minneapolis hoping to start anew. Working at a popular police hangout by night, by day Eve works on getting her graduate degree. While researching how addictive and destructive the internet can be to people, Eve breaks the rules by finding out the identities of her anonymous test subjects. When they start turning up dead of apparent suicides, Eve can't keep quiet even though she will be kicked out of the program.

Detective Noah Webster is the first one to believe that the suicides are not suicides. He is shocked when Eve shows up at the house of one of the victims. The bartender that he has watched for a year is connected to the murders in a way that neither of them are sure of. What Noah does know is that Eve has the ability to lead him in the direction of the killer.

There were several story lines going on here. At first, it wasn't clear whether they were connected or not. There are a couple people that are out to get Noah and his partner, Jack. When unexplainable things start happening, they automatically assume that it has to do with their current case. It definitely muddies up the water for them. It also creates tension between the partners, something that has been there since a local magazine put out an issue about local heroes.

Noah and Eve are drawn to each other despite their respective pasts. As a recovering alcoholic, Noah is very careful in path he walks b/c he doesn't want to relapse. Eve trusts few people. She knows that she can't be what Noah needs/wants for the long term. She also doesn't think she's capable of anything short term. It took her a long time to get out of the hole she found herself in after Rob Winters. She doesn't want to do anything that would bring her back down.

The suspense part of the book was good and very engaging. Looking back, I suppose it was rather obvious who the killer was, but that didn't take away from the book.

I think that KR did a very good job of writing the relationships in this book. With Eve/David Hunter, Eve/Noah, Noah/Jack, Olivia/Eve, etc. The friendships in the book definitely enriched the story. I can't wait for David Hunter's book. I hope he ends up w/ Olivia.

4.5 out of 5.

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

Tracy's review of Breaking Midnight (Uphyr) by Emma Holly

Edmund is an elder among the upyr, a shape-changing race of immortals. Kidnapped by rivals, he’s now a pawn in a deadly game to control the world, and only the love of the mortal beauty, Estelle, can save him.

Edmund has been captured and his family has no idea where he’s been taken. His family is at a loss without him and not quite sure what to do. Graham, his son, decides to take matters into his own hands and makes the decision to become upyr.

Estelle, Edmund’s fiancé, dreams of him though and is able to ascertain that he is in Switzerland. When it comes time to get a rescue party together his entire family wants to be involved. It is decided that everyone will go. But there are many bumps in their road and the rescue will not be easy.

This is book 7 in the upyr/shapechanger series by Emma Holly and the second in the Fitz Clare Chronicles. During the last book we witnessed Estelle and Edmund relationship coming together. We also saw Edmund’s two youngest children (who are adopted, no blood relation) start an illicit love affair. Ben has been in love with Sally forever and as Sally was made aware of this love she too found peace in Ben’s arms (this relationship continues in this book). Then there was Graham who was thralled into believing that his father was evil. Now that he realizes that his father isn’t evil, but the vamp who thralled him was, he feels doubly responsible for Edmund’s kidnapping.

As the family moves towards Switzerland they are met by Penelope (Pen to her friends), the daughter of Graham’s old boss. Pen wants everyone to believe that she’s just a rich American girl who wants to help, but there’s something more going on in Pen’s life that she doesn’t share. And I mean, she doesn’t share it for the entire book, which I have to say was a bit frustrating. I believe she’s working for some covert agency but I just wasn’t sure. Pen has a thing for Graham and soon they are in each others arms. But Graham is resistant to any sort of relationship and pushes Pen away. She’s good for a good romp but that’s about it.

I don’t want to give too much of the plot away because it’s nice to see it unfold without being told about it first. There were a few things about the book that I didn’t like. I truly didn’t feel like I was getting to know the characters very clearly except Edmund and Estelle. I got the feeling that although the book was based around Edmund’s kidnapping that we were to focus a fair bit on Graham – but besides his guilt and sexual hungers I didn’t know who he was by the end of the book. I’m hoping that’s cleared up by the end of the next book. Also, these really aren’t romances. Yes, it’s touted as a paranormal romance but after reading this I think it’s more of a paranormal erotica. We feel the love that Edmund has for Estelle and vice versa but it seemed to be more focused on the sexual aspect of things rather than the romantic aspect.

Despite the things I didn’t care for I’d have to say this was a decent read. I read it in a day so I definitely wasn’t bored at all. If you like paranormal reads as well as some incredibly hot sex in your books then this is the book for you.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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

We've had a lot of giveaways going on the last couple weeks. Instead of doing separate posts for all of them I'm just going to do a roundup here.

The winners of the Toni McGee Causey giveaway are:

You each win a copy of both Charmed and Dangerous and Girls Just Wanna Have Guns, books 1 and 2 in TMC's The Bobbi Faye series.

The winner of the Dark Slayer giveaway is:




You win a hardback copy of Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan.

The Winners of the Monthly Reads giveaway are:

Lux's Practical Erotica Adventures





Run to Me





Crux (in e-format)




Memories of Us (in e-format)





Pride and Prejudice






Winners, please send your mailing info and/or ebook format preference to contests @ thebookbinge . com (no spaces) and we'll get your prizes to you ASAP. Congrats to you all!

We still have two giveaways running. Leave a comment on this post telling us who your favorite love-triangle is to win a copy of SUMMER OF TWO WISHES by Julia London. Leave a comment here to win a copy of BIRD IN HAND by Christina Baker Kline. Good Luck!

Rowena's review of Since the Surrender by Julie Ann Long.

Hero: Captain Chase Eversea
Heroine: Rosalind March
Grade: 3 out of 5

A man of action. . . Fearless. Loyal. Brilliant. Ruthless. Bold words are always used to describe English war hero Captain Chase Eversea, but another word unfortunately plays a role in every Eversea's destiny: trouble. And trouble for Chase arrives in the form of a mysterious message summoning him to a London rendezvous . . . where he encounters the memory of his most wicked indiscretion in the flesh: Rosalind March—the only woman he could never forget. A Woman of Passion. . . Five years ago, the reckless, charming beauty craved the formidable Captain's attention. But now Rosalind is a coolly self-possessed woman, and desire is the last thing on her mind: her sister has mysteriously disappeared and she needs Chase's help to find her. But as their search through London's darkest corners re-ignites long-smoldering passion and memories of old battles, Chase and Rosalind are challenged to surrender: to the depths of a wicked desire, and to the possibility of love.

Like No Other Lover was the first book that I read by Julie Anne Long. I really enjoyed that so I really had high hopes for this one. While I did enjoy parts of this book, for the most part this book fell flat for me. It was far too easy for me to put this book down and watch TV or go downstairs to find out what my family was doing. It took me far too long to read this book as well and I think the main reason for that was because I kept waiting for something to happen.

You see, Mrs. Rosalind March is searching for her missing sister, Lucy Locke. She needs help because she's wasted every avenue that she could think of and she keeps coming up against one brick wall after another with no clue as to where her sister might be. Instead of running through each of the brick walls again, she enlists the help of the one man that she shouldn't even think of considering the history they have with each other but she knows no one else that could help her so she turns to Captain Chase Eversea.

Chase and Rosalind proceed on an adventurous journey trying to piece this bizarre puzzle of Rosalind's missing sister and though I really enjoyed both of them individually and together, the story itself was just one that I couldn't really understand, couldn't quite grasp and I had a really hard time trying to stay focused.

Chase was that hero that has come home from war and is grumpy. He snaps and growls at everyone around him so he's banished from home to London by his own family. His brother Colin is telling him that he should get married so that he can find happiness in his life but the one woman that he desires above all other women was married to his former Colonel. A man that he considered his friend. Overall, I really enjoyed Chase's character because he was strong and tortured. You mix all of that together and you get one sexy British hero that will rock your socks.

I enjoyed Rosalind's character too even though at times I didn't understand the way that she reacted to things and to the way that she handled things and even things that she would act toward Chase. I thought she took too much upon herself at times because her sisters were clearly of age to be taking care of themselves even in historical times but she wasn't an unlikeable character. She had a lot of redeeming qualities in her character and I enjoyed getting to know her.

There were things that I enjoyed about this book but there were more things about it that just fell flat with me. I think I hyped this book up in my head and was disappointed because I didn't get exactly what I wanted. The book ended up being just good and not the spectacular read that I was expecting but I'm sure there will be plenty of others who disagree with me.

For a quick browse inside Since the Surrender, click here.

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

If you haven't read LORD OF SCOUNDRELS by Loretta Chase then I must urge you to rectify that as soon as possible because everyone should read this book at least three times in their life and everyone should know and love Sebastian Ballister otherwise known as Dain.

Dain was not one of those dashing, handsome heroes that we all know and love. No, Sebastian is not handsome at all...and yet, he was super sexy. They said he looked like Beezlebub. I don't know what Beezlebub looks like but it doesn't sound handsome AT ALL. Dain grew up being hated by his father. His father was disgusted with him because of all of his sons, Dain was the ugliest and he was the only one that lived. When Dain was of age, he was sent to school where he was picked on so he developed an air of nonchalance, put up a front around everyone and he took over this devil may care attitude and it totally worked for him. He developed a reputation of a scoundrel. He partied too hard, he made enemies and he didn't give a shit.

The man that everyone knew Dain to be had a side to him that truly captivated me. He was funny, caring and intensely sweet even when he was spitting mad at his heroine, Jessica. The arguments that went on between these two had me in fits of giggles and if you ask me, I thought that Dain was the most sexiest clodpole I had ever met.

This scene is one that always makes me smile, it's so Dain.

"Ah, you were confident I’d come,” he said. “Because you are irresistible.”

“I hope I’m not so suicidal as to wish to be irresistible to you.” She fanned herself. “The simple fact is that there seems to be a farce in progress, of which we are the principals. I am prepared to take reasonable measures to help put an end to it. You set the tongues wagging with the scene in the coffee shop, but I will admit that I provided provocation,” she added quickly, before he could retort. “I will also admit that the gossip might have died down if I hadn’t burst into your house and annoyed you.” Her color rose. “As to what happened afterward, no one saw, apparently, which makes it irrelevant to the problem at hand.”

He noted that she was gripping her fan tightly and that her bosom was rising and falling with a rapidity indicative of agitation.

He smiled. “You did not behave, at the time, as though it were irrelevant. On the contrary—”

“Dain, I kissed you,” she said evenly. “I see no reason to make an issue of it. It was not the first time you’ve ever been kissed and it won’t be the last.”

“Good heavens, Miss Trent, you are not threatening to do it again?” He widened his eyes in mock horror.

She let out a sigh. “I knew it was too much to hope you would be reasonable.”

“What a woman means by a ‘reasonable’ man is one she can manage,” he said. “You are correct, Miss Trent. It is too much to hope. I hear someone sawing at a violin. A waltz, or an approximation thereof, appears to be in the offing.”

“So it does,” she said tightly. “Then we shall dance,” he said. “No, we shan’t,” she said. “I had saved two dances because… Well, it doesn’t matter. I already have a partner for this one.”

“Certainly. Me.”

She held up her fan in front of his face, to display the masculine scribbling upon the sticks. “Look carefully,” she said. “Do you see ‘Beelzebub’ written there?”

“I’m not shortsighted,” he said, extracting the fan from her tense fingers. “You needn’t hold it so close.

Ah, yes, is this the one?” He pointed to a stick. “Rouvier?”

“Yes,” she said, looking past him. “Here he comes.”

Dain turned. A Frenchman was warily approaching, his countenance pale. Dain fanned himself. The man paused. Smiling, Dain pressed thumb and forefinger to the stick with “Rouvier” written on it. It snapped.

Rouvier went away.

Dain turned back to Miss Trent and, still smil-ing, broke each stick, one by one. Then he thrust the demolished fan into the fern pot. He held out his hand. “My dance, I believe.”

It was a primitive display, Jessica told herself. On the scale of social development it was about one notch above hitting her over the head with a club and dragging her away by her hair.

Only Dain could get away with it, just as only he could clear the field of rivals simply by telling them, without the smallest self-consciousness or subtlety, to go away.

Things like that scene are only part of the reason why Dain is the Hero of the Month. Here's the other part:

He went to work with speedy efficiency on the other glove. “I must be besotted,” he said evenly. “I have the imbecilic idea that you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Except for your coiffure,” he added, with a disgusted glance at the coils and plumes and pearls. “That is ghastly.”

She scowled. “Your romantic effusions leave me breathless.”

He lifted her hand and pressed his mouth to her wrist.

“Sono il tuo schiavo,” he murmured.

He felt the jump of her pulse against his lips. “It means, ‘I am your slave,’” he translated, as she snatched her hand away. “Carissima. Dearest.”

She swallowed. “I think you had better stick to English.”

“But Italian is so moving,” he said. “Ti ho voluto dal primo momento die ti vedi.”

I’ve wanted you from the first moment I saw you.

“Mi tormenti ancora.”

You’ve tormented me ever since.

He went on telling her, in words she couldn’t understand, all he’d thought and felt. And while he talked,watching her eyes soften and hearing her breath quicken, he swiftly removed his own gloves.

“Oh, don’t,” she breathed.

He leaned in closer, still speaking the language that seemed to mesmerize her.

“You shouldn’t use masculine wiles,” she said in a choked voice. She touched his sleeve. “What have I done that’s so unforgivable?”

You made me want you, he told her in his mother’s language. You’ve made me heartsick, lonely. You’ve made me crave what I vowed I would never need, never seek.

She must have heard the rage and frustration throbbing beneath the longing words, but she didn’t recoil or try to escape. And when he wrapped his arms about her, she only caught her breath, and let it out on a sigh, and he tasted that sigh when his mouth closed over hers.

*sigh*

If you guys aren't acquainted with the Marquess of Dain then I sincerely hope that you will rectify that because he is a huge draw to read the book. The book is fantastically written and you can find numerous reviews for LORD OF SCOUNDRELS here and here.

And here's who I think would make a great Sebastian...what do you think?


LORD OF SCOUNDRELS is available from Avon. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

(Holly is butting in to say: OMG I LOVE DAIN! But even more? I loved Jessica. If you haven't read this book RUN, don't walk RUN, to the bookstore and pick it up. Like now.)

Casee read and reviewed Burn a little bit ago and she enjoyed this book so it's got me curious about Ice. Is anyone going to read it? Did anyone like Burn? (Holly: I'm surprised LH is releasing two books in one year. When was the last time she did that?)

’Tis the season for mistletoe and holly, Santa . . . and suspense. And the gift that keeps on giving is Ice: premier thriller author Linda Howard’s breathless tale of a man, a woman, and a battle for survival against an unforgiving winter–and an unrelenting killer. Oh what fun it is to read.

Gabriel McQueen has only just arrived home on holiday leave from the service when his county-sheriff father sends him back out again with new marching orders. A brewing ice storm, and a distant neighbor who’s fallen out of contact, have the local lawman concerned. So he enlists Gabriel to make the long haul to the middle of nowhere, and make sure Lolly Helton is safe and sound. It’s a trip the younger McQueen would rather not make given the bitter winter weather–and the icy conditions that have always existed between him and Lolly. But there’s no talking back when your dad is the town’s top cop. And there’s no turning back when night falls just as Gabriel arrives–and discovers that the weather outside isn’t the only thing that’s frightful. S

potting strangers in Lolly’s home–one of them packing a weapon–is all it takes to kick Gabriel into combat mode. And his stealth training is all he needs to extract Lolly from the house without alerting her captors. But when the escape is discovered, the heat–and the hunt–are on. And the winter woods are nowhere to be once the ice storm touches down, dropping trees, blocking roads, and trapping the fleeing pair in the freezing dark.

For those interested in reading this book, it comes out on November 10, 2009 and the blurb sounds pretty good. So mark those calendars!

This book is available from Ballantine. You can pre-order it here or here in e-format.

Casee's review of Wild Heat (Hot Shots Series, Book 1) by Bella Andre.

Maya Jackson doesn’t sleep with strangers. Until the night grief sent her to the nearest bar and into the arms of the most explosive lover she’s ever had. Six months later, the dedicated arson investigator is coming face-to-face with him again. Gorgeous, grinning Logan Cain. Her biggest mistake. Now her number one suspect in a string of deadly wildfires.

Risking his life on a daily basis is what gets Logan up in the morning. As the leader of the elite Tahoe Pines Hotshot Crew, he won’t back down from a blaze—or from beautiful, lethal Maya Jackson. She may have seduced him with her tears and her passion, but it’ll be a cold day in hell before Logan lets down his guard again. But when Maya’s life is threatened, his natural-born-hero instincts kick in, and Logan vows to protect the woman sworn to bring him down. And as desire reignites, nothing—not the killer fire nor the killer hot on their trail—can douse the flames.…

Is there anything better than a firefighter hero? I didn't think so.

Maya Jackson grew up among firefighters. Her dad was one, as was her brother. They're both dead b/c of fire, something that Maya has a very hard time living with. As an arson investigator, her skills are in high demand. When she returns to Lake Tahoe, where her brother died, she's determined to not only stop the arsonist that is burning the forests of Tahoe, but also to find out what really happened to her brother. She doesn't realize that is going to be a problem until she gets there and realizes that she knows the prime suspect.

Logan Cain has never forgotten the woman that came into the bar in the middle of the afternoon a year ago and rocked his world. He's shocked when she shows up and tells him that he is a suspect in arson. He finds it laughable, but knows she has to do her job. What he doesn't like is that her job might take her right to the door of his mentor.

This book was very well written. It spoke very well to the danger firefighters face every day, without bogging the story down. It also showed the relationships that firefighters have with each other. The camaraderie between firefighters is really amazing. I think that the author did a wonderful job showing what it takes to get the job done.

I just thought everything about this book was good. The story and the characters. It was my first book by Bella Andre. I'm looking forward to reading more of her.

4.25 out of 5.

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

We have selected a winner for this giveaway with help from random.org. We'd like to thank everyone who participated in this giveaway. There are plenty other giveaways going on right now as well so be sure to try your hand at one of those as well and without further adieu, the winner of their very own copy of THE DEVIL'S QUEEN by Jeanne Kalogridis is:

Estella, please shoot us an email at contest [at] the book binge . com (no spaces) with your snail mail business and we'll get your book sent out just as soon as we can.

Thanks again to everyone who participated and a great big CONGRATULATIONS to Estella...Happy Reading!

Cheers,
Rowena, Casee & Holly

Casee's review of Bad Moon Rising (Dark Hunter Series, Book 17) by Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Fang Kattalakis isn't just a wolf. He is the brother of two of the most powerful members of the Omegrion: the ruling council that enforces the laws of the Were-Hunters. And when war erupts among the lycanthropes, sides must be chosen. Enemies are forced into shaky alliances. And when the woman Fang loves is accused of betraying her people, her only hope is that Fang believes in her. Yet in order to save her, Fang must break the law of his people and the faith of his brothers. That breech could very well spell the end of both their races and change their world forever.

The war is on and time is running out...

This is probably about the last Dark Hunter book I was looking forward to. Fang and Aimee have been in the series from the beginning. Well, almost the beginning. While I want to say that I loved this book, I just can't. Instead of being Fang and Aimee's story, it seemed like Night Play, but from a different pov. Very disappointing.

As we've known since Night Play, Fang and Aimee are mates. The only problem is this...there is no cross-species mating. It's already unacceptable for an Arcadian and Katagaria to mate. For a bear and a wolf to mate is unheard of. From the beginning to the end of this book, years pass. It seems that 2/3 of the book is of what happened in Night Play. The night that Fang and Zane's sister dies and their father turns on them. Fang goes comatose from the grief. Only, he's not comatose by choice. He's in a world between life and death. Which is worse than death.

I really liked Aimee in the prior DH books she was in. I didn't like her in this book. She was way too wishy-washy. I completely accept her hesitance in mating with Fang. The Peltier's are all about family loyalty. So it's not strange that she wouldn't want to mate with Fang. What I didn't like was how she kept denying it over and over again. For years. She weighed her need for Fang (his needs didn't come into her equation) to her mother's expectations of her. As the only female Peltier (other than her mother), it is her job to carry on the line. She has to mate with a bear. And so it went on for over four hundred pages.

Fang basically went through hell to get back from the dimension he was in. He actually gave up his soul to keep Aimee safe. Now he works for Thorn (a new and interesting character). So even if he wanted to mate with Aimee, he wasn't available b/c his soul wasn't his own.

Spoiler Alert: When Aimee finally told Mama Bear (I had a really hard time with this. Bernstein Bears anyone?) about mating with Fang, she was kicked out of Peltier House and denounced. But at the end, Aimee (yet again) goes back to help the family that watched her walk out the door. Mama Bear ends up dying to save Fang's life. It all happened very fast and just left a bad taste in my mouth. End spoiler.

The best thing that happened in the book was that Aimee and Fang finally got their happily ever after.

3.5 out of 5.

This book is available from St. Martin's Press. You can buy it here.

Other books in the series: