Book Binge

Judith's review of The Craftsman (The Conqueror Series) by Georgia Fox


Raedwulf, son of a Saxon noble, is finally released from William the Conqueror’s prison. Unfortunately, this amnesty is conditional on an arranged marriage, but he just wants to be left in peace with his carpentry. The last thing he needs is a woman forced to bed him out of duty.

Emma is newly widowed. Believed barren, she never expected to marry again and planned to enter a convent. Instead, a fateful mistake sends her to this quiet, brooding man, who spends long hours alone with his woodwork. She’s stunned to learn that “Wulf” is a virgin, especially when she sees the magnificent craftsman’s tool in his breeches.

Before they are parted by the truth, can she teach Wulf to use that splendid, God-given implement with the same skill as he wields those in his workshop? Or will Emma learn some lessons of her own at the hands of The Craftsman?

The animosity between Normans and Saxons is well documented and it went on for several generations. The people who felt the pain of political change the most were those aristocratic families who were either wiped out completely or who suffered the loss of part of their family while the rest were taken into captivity by the forces of William the Conqueror and held in prison for decades until it seemed that they were "safe" to once again be freed to continue on with their lives. Rebellion and war were a part of life in those times and protecting one's turf was the name of the game. William (also called "The Bastard") was smart and politically savvy, thus keeping his friends close and his enemies closer. The political realities dictated that the remaining son of a Saxon earl was a danger and would be kept imprisoned. It was only through the efforts of his sister, now married to a Norman aristocrat, that Wulf was freed, but only after being thrust into an arranged marriage with a Norman woman.

This story demonstrates the true nature of arranged marriage and the ways that such liasons were used to either cement power or to keep one's enemies neutralized. Wulf the Carpenter (as he was now known) was not interested in anything political. He knew that his father and brothers would have fought to retrieve their land and standing, but all he wanted was to be left in peace to pursue his art--his woodworking. A wife? OK, whatever it takes. But when Wulf first saw Emma, he began to experience responses within his body that had only been troubling occasionally during his captivity. She was a widow who had been loved by her first husband. At Wulf's insistence, Emma's experience in the bedroom served as instruction for this man who had never been with a woman.

While the political environment forms the backdrop of this novel, the "politics" of the bedroom are the setting for the development of this relationship between Emma and Wulf. The husband was the "owner" of the wife--not only her dowry or her material goods but her body was the property of her husband and as such, he was free to configure their sexual relationship in any way he chose. Thus there are others Wulf brought into their relationship, but only after beginning to recognize Emma's "darker" urges and only after Wulf began to nurture feelings for Emma that went far beyond the "arranged marriage" obligations.

This is a very erotic novel that is filled with the color and life style of the times. It is also a continuation of the story of Wulf's relationship with his sister, the fact that he is now residing in her home, the bits and pieces of other back stories that surfaced in previous novels in this series, as well as some twists and turns in Wulf and Emma's story that are surprising. It is a story that speaks a great deal about the social truths that widows must acknowledge, their lack of standing in society, their imprisonment--in a sense--to their dead husband's family, their usual destination being a convent. Emma's expectations are rooted in these realities and her sense of doom--what can a barren woman really hope to ever have--were actually very "right on" in knowing that the basic use of a wife is to give her husband sons.

I had not read any of Georgia Fox's work prior to reading her previous novel in this series, but after finishing The Virgin Proxy I was determined to read the next book in the series. I'm really glad I did. I love this period in English history--its raw and unregulated society, its dangerous politics, and the people who struggled against social norms that were very dehumanizing to a large percentage of the population. The "human interest" quotient is very high and this story seems to fit in that it is about two people who have had their lives upended by factors beyond their control but who are determined to find a way to not only survive but to live beyond the inevitable. It is also a story about two people who made some critical discoveries about themselves, the kind of discoveries which are really "ah ha" moments and which set the individual on a different path in may ways.

I think this novel is well worth reading, especially by those who really like this historical period. It is a love story that is more on a grand scale than is first obvious, and one that will certainly capture the interest of those who love erotic romance.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place.

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

Rowena: It's the last Friday of the year and I'm reading Stay Tuned by Lauren Clark. So far, it's pretty good. I finished a whopping four books this week (because I read all day every day this week at work, haha) and I'm super duper excited to have finally finished my reading goal for the year. Let's see if I can do it again in 2012. We'll see.

Holly: I can't believe the year is almost over. I had a busy week and didn't do much reading. I finished The Husband Hunt by Lynsay Sands and How To Dance with a Duke by Manda Collins. I enjoyed both, though I think I liked the Collins better.

Right now I'm reading All Things Wicked by Karina Cooper. It's interesting, but it's the third in the series and I feel like I'm missing a lot of the backstory. I might have to set it aside until I read the first two books.

Casee: I'm reading Sweet Reward by Christy Reece. She's been one of my favorite romantic suspense authors of late. I'm not sure what I'm going to pick up next. I would like to read another romantic suspense, but I'm not sure what. I've been trying to find the 12/27 releases to see if I missed anything, but it doesn't seem like I did. There are a few 1/3 releases that I am looking forward to, JoAnn Ross' On Lavender Lane specifically.

What are you reading?

Judith's review of Infatuation by Melissa Schroeder (A Little Harmless Military Romance #1)

Francis McKade is a man in lust. He’s had a crush on his best friend’s little sister for years but he has never acted on it. Besides that fact that she’s Malachi’s sister, he’s a Seal and he learned his lesson with his ex-fiancé. Women do not like being left alone for long months at a time. Still, at a wedding in Hawaii anything can happen—and does. Unfortunately, after the best night of his life, he and Mal are called away to one of their most dangerous missions.

Shannon is blown over by Kade. She’s always had a crush on him and after their night together, it starts to feel a little like love. But, after the mission, Kade never calls or writes and she starts to wonder if it was all a dream. Until one night, her brother Mal drags him into her bar and grill and Shannon gets the shock of her life.

Kade isn’t the man Shannon knew in Hawaii, or even the last few years. Losing a friend and being injured changes a man, especially one who had never felt so vulnerable. He still can’t shake the terror that keeps him up at night. Worse, he is realizing that the career he loves just might be over.

Shannon is still mad, but she can’t help but hurt for the man she loves. He is darker, a bit more dangerous, but beneath that, he is the Kade she's known for so many years. When he pushes her to her limits in the bedroom, Shannon refuses to back down. One way or another, this military man is going to learn there is no walking away from love—not while she still has breath in her body.

The end of America's involvement in Iraq may now be at hand, but there will not be any end to the stories that will come out of our military involvement in the Middle East any time soon. And it's a good thing, as I see it. The men and women who have been deployed overseas are people with relationships that will often be plundered and plowed under because of separation, long-term PTSD illnesses, physically debilitating injuries and more. I applaud authors who are willing to write accurately about the crap that war really is and this particular author has taken on a number of issues that are specifically influential when it comes to human romantic involvement. This story is a fine case in point. The publisher's blurb is quite extensive so suffice it to say that this is a romance that Kade had desired for years. And his best friend's sister, Shannon, had been just as taken with Kade as he was with her. So the only breaking news here is that they took the opportunity that was given them and, as the saying goes, "made hay while the sun shone."

Along with the intense romance that forms the core of this story are the very graphic scenes involving the considerable change in Kade when he returns from their "mission." Shannon's brother was equally overwhelmed and saddened by the loss of one of their team's best, but somehow the death of a team member coupled with his physical injury had been more than Kade could handle, especially when there was the distinct possibility that his career as a special-ops team member was over. In its own way this story is a commentary on the damage that war brings, one the inhumane character of war and its selection of its victims--uncaring about anything or anyone who gets chewed up and destroyed.

I was especially taken with Shannon, a woman of color who was a business whiz, a woman who knew her own needs and was willing to act on them, a woman who understood and accepted who she was and who lived comfortably in her own skin. She was not one to care much about Kade's pale skin. It was the man she loved. Kade, too, found Shannon burnished exterior to be gorgeous, and while society may still have knee-jerk reactions to interracial relationships and marriage, these two didn't give a fig for what society cared about.

This is a really great read and it comes with a book cover that will hold many in thrall, to be sure. Mixed with humor and heat, this story carries the reader from Hawaii's beaches to the energy and pulse of New Orleans. And through it all runs that sense that in spite of the dark and miserable penchant human beings have to destroy one another runs the sure and certain truth that human love will survive. This is a book that romance lovers won't want to miss and won't be able to put down once they begin reading. My kind of book!!

I give it a rating of 4.5 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place.

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

Ames' review of As You Desire by Connie Brockway.

He galloped across the midnight-shrouded landscape, racing toward her on his pure white steed. Her destiny...In her wildest fantasies Desdemona Carlisle could not have conjured a more dashing savior, and this was real. But an unlikelier hero was hard to find. Harry Braxton was a rouge, a scoundrel, and a born opportunist who had already broken her heart once. How could she ever trust a notorious rake who came with a warning: lover, beware...

With her bronze-gold hair and quicksilver grace, the sloe-eyed beauty was every man's desire and one man's sole passion. But the secret that had made Harry an exile also made it impossible for him to offer Desdemona more that friendship. Until his aristocratic cousin laid siege to Desdemona's heart and Harry, damning the consequences, vowed to do anything, give anything, to claim her for him own...

I received a copy of The Other Guy's Bride for review and I figured I'd read the book it's connected to first.

Desdemona is an expert on ancient spoken languages. Growing up, her academically inclined parents dragged her around to different conferences. So Desdemona did not have a typical childhood. When she was 15, her parents died in an accident and she was sent to her only living relative, her grandfather, who was in Egypt. Dizzy's grandfather is kind of living in exile in Egypt, where he collects ancient Egyptian artifacts. Dizzy takes on translation jobs to help make ends meet for them. Dizzy is quite comfortable in Egypt but her dream was always to return to England and marry and live in a small quaint house with green hills all around - the exact opposite of what she's got in Egypt.

Harry is Desdemona's rascal friend who broke her heart when she was younger (he rejected her). But that was quite a few years ago and they're friends now. Except Harry loves Desdemona. But he believes he's no good for her because he has dyslexia (although it wasn't called that back then) and he would hate to see pity in eyes if she ever found out he couldn't read.

When Harry's cousin, a nobleman, comes to Egypt to see him, Desdemona takes one look at him and thinks about all the heroes from her romances. He is equally entranced by what he sees as an English rose in the middle of the desert. Harry hates it but figures his cousin can make Dizzy happy by taking her back to England. Except as Dizzy and his cousin get to know each other more, Harry comes to realize that there's no way he's going to let her go.

*sigh* I thought this book was so quirky and cute. First of all, the cast of characters are great. Dizzy and her grandfather, Harry who is not always worried about providence of his artifacts and is quite the rascal, Dizzy's servants, and the other expats that make up their society in Egypt. With such a setting as Egypt, the characters aren't as restrained and hewn in by societal standards. Something that becomes apparent when Harry's cousin joins their ranks.

At the center of this story though is Harry and Dizzy. And let me tell you, I loved these two characters, especially together. Everyone knows Harry wants Dizzy, but she's so blind because of what happened between them before. So he's been relegated to friendship status and that's where he is. But Harry teases her and accepts her for who she is - and since her grandfather raised her, she's not exactly a shining example of the perfect Englishwoman. LOL She's independent, smart and someone others go to to get things done.

Throw in my love of archaeology and ancient Egypt and I was just tickled by this book. I read that you don't have to read this book to enjoy The Other Guy's Bride and that's probably true, but I recommend you read this one for pure enjoyment alone.

4.25 out of 5.

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

Ames' review of Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare.

Some wallflowers bloom at night...

Violet Winterbottom is a quiet girl. She speaks six languages, but seldom raises her voice. She endured bitter heartbreak in perfect silence. The gentlemen aren't beating down her door.

Until the night of the Spindle Cove Christmas ball, when a mysterious stranger crashes into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet. His coarse attire and near-criminal good looks would put any sensible young lady on her guard. He's wet, chilled, bleeding, and speaking in an unfamiliar tongue.

Only Violet understands him. And she knows he's not what he seems.
She has one night to draw forth the secrets of this dangerously handsome rogue. Is he a smuggler? A fugitive? An enemy spy? She needs answers by sunrise, but her captive would rather seduce than confess. To learn his secrets, Violet must reveal hers—and open herself to adventure, passion, and the unthinkable... Love.

I really enjoyed A Night to Surrender and this novella is part of the Spindle Cove series, although under a different publisher.

I have to admit, Violet Winterbottom did not hit my radar while reading ANtS and was a bit hazy on her details. Fortunately, Tessa Dare does an excellent job of jogging the reader's memory. And for those wondering, you can definitely read this novella without having read ANtS (but go read ANtS anyway!).

So Violet likes corners in crowded ballrooms and she's already staked out her territory at the Spindle Cove Officer's Ball. She's good at hiding in plain sight but when a menacing, dark, blood-stained stranger staggers into the ballroom and collapses at Violet's feet, all eyes are on her. But her attention is focused on the stranger - he seems eerily familiar, but he claims to be a simple Breton farmhand. As this tale takes place during England's war with Napoleon so there's some fear that this stranger is a potential spy.

Be that as it may, Violet is the only one who can understand this stranger and so she's stuck with him. She takes the time to try and unravel his mystery, and more and more she's feeling like this stranger is the boy next door that broke her heart a year ago - the reason why she's in Spindle Cove to begin with.

I thought this story was super cute and yet sexy with enough of a plot to keep the story moving along. And the length was perfect.

A year ago Violet could have been termed a wallflower, but her time in Spindle Cove has changed her for the better. She's got a confidence in herself that lets her stand up for herself. Which is my kind of heroine! Mr. Tall Dark and Ruggedly Handsome Stranger wasn't so bad himself.

I don't want to give the whole thing away so I'll leave things there - this is a very enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.

4.5 out of 5.

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

Tracy’s review of A Knight in Cowboy Boots (McKnight #1) by Suzie Quint.

When Zach McKnight, an irresistible oil rig worker with a thick-as-honey Texan drawl, first pokes into the secrets surrounding the mysterious Maddie Wells, he has no idea that the chance encounter will change his life forever. Maddie Wells is on the run with Jesse, the infant son of her murdered sister. The boy’s father isn't far behind. He wants his son and is willing to kill to get him. Zach is intrigued from the first moment he sees the dark haired beauty in a hotel, but getting his hard working hands on her delectable body is more easily dreamt than achieved. He gets shot for his trouble, by Maddie no less, and sucked into the web of lies and fear that are her constant companions.

Maddie has kidnapped her nephew, Jesse, and is on the run from his father. You see the father, Derek, is one evil man who not only killed Jesse’s mother, Maddie’s sister, but also killed Maddie’s boyfriend, Vince. She’s bound and determined that Derek will not get his hands on his son. She heads to Galveston, Texas from Wyoming and ends up getting a job as a bartender.

Maddie meets Zach the first night at the bar. They are instantly attracted to each other and end up in Zach’s hotel room. Something scares Maddie before the deal is sealed and not only does she end up leaving but she shoots Zach in the arm she does. Zach likes her feistiness and doesn’t give up on Maddie over a small thing like a shooting and decides that he’s gonna get the girl. Maddie isn’t prepared to get closer to anyone because it’s hard enough to keep her secrets but Zach has a way of pulling her in and not letting go. If she gives in though she runs the risk of becoming complacent and when that happens Derek might find her.

There were a lot of things that I liked about this story. The love that Maddie showed to Jesse and her feelings of protection were wonderful. She had loved her sister and wanted to do right by her son and that meant not letting the evil bastard that was his father get a hold of the boy. I thought the risks she took were crazy but I had to admire her bravery.

Zach was a huge part of what I liked about this story as well. He was a great guy and was raised to respect women by wonderful parents. He came from a huge family (13 kids) and seemed to care about all of them. Sure, they pissed him off as only siblings could be he wouldn’t have traded them for the world. That family loyalty really came through on the pages.

The story itself was very well done and I enjoyed it for the most part. There were, however, 1 major thing that annoyed me and 1 that had me shaking my head in disbelief.

The Disbelief: Zach met Maddie in a bar and took her up to his room and got hot and heavy as Zach had been on an oil rig for 5 or 6 months. I understand that he wanted her to stay but when she decides to leave, goes a bit loco on you, pulls a gun and shoots you I’m thinking there ain’t no way that guy is going to look favorably on that! I think it would be more something like, “What the f*ck woman? You psycho bitch get the hell out of here!” lol But Zach wasn’t like that. He was the type that help hurt animals and stray puppies and apparently he saw the fear in Maddie and didn’t hold it against her. I admire him for that but yet I had to wonder about him all the same.

The Annoyance: The McKnight family is from Eastern Texas. I can’t say that I’ve been to Eastern Texas in my life. Maybe everyone talks like a completely uneducated, unintelligent person but I just don’t think that’s true at all. The McKnight family however took the hick-speak to an all new level. Reading their dialogue was almost a bit too hard to do and the more I read the more annoyed I got. I think the stories saving grace as far as this went was that they didn’t actually “think” in hick-speak, they just spoke that way.

Despite those two issues with the story I really liked the whole premise of the story and how it all played out.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

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

Top Chicago chef Jessica Robinson is back in Cricket Creek-and making her aunt's diner the go-to place for comfy gourmet fare. Former major leaguer Ty McKenna is no stranger to Jessica's cooking. At the Chicago hotspot where she worked, he was a regular-with a different girl on his arm every night. Now he's the manager for the Cricket Creek Cougars. And convincing the mouthwatering chef that's a one-woman man may be harder than getting his team ready for opening day.

This is the second book in the Cricket Creek series and while I wasn't exactly blown away by the first book, I'm interested in reading the second book. I like the idea of a big city chef trying to bring big city eating to a small town and I enjoyed the small town of Cricket Creek in Playing for Keeps. I'm also a sucker for an athlete so I'm looking forward to reading more about Jessica and Ty.

Did anyone read the first book and are they going to try the second one? This book comes out on January 3, 2012 so that day is going to be chock full of fabulous new releases. Mark your calendars, we're getting more small town goodness in Cricket Creek next month so woo hoo!

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

Holly's review of Heart of Steel (The Iron Seas, Book 2) by Meljean Brook

Growing up in the dangerous world of the Iron Seas, the mercenary captain of the airship Lady Corsair, Yasmeen, has learned to keep her heart hard as steel. Ruthless and cunning, her only loyalty is to her ship and her crew-until one man comes along and changes everything...

Treasure hunter Archimedes Fox isn't interested in the Lady Corsair-just the captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. When it attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco- and straight into enemy hands.

When adventurer Archimedes Fox tried to take her airship by force, Lady Corsair's captain, Yasmeen, had no choice but to throw him overboard into zombie infested territory. She did him a kindness, however, and threw him into a canal knowing zombies don't go near water. She figures there's a 50/50 chance he's alive. Two months later when she goes to notify his sister, she finds out the truth.

His sister agrees to allow Yasmeen to sell the da Vinci sketch Archimedes found. She makes some inquiries and word gets out that she has it. Before she has a chance to deal with the one who spoke out of turn, she's nabbed by none other than Archimedes himself.

Archimedes needs to sell the sketch in order to pay off a very large debt he owes. The sketch is important, but that's not all he wants. He also wants Yasmeen herself. The kickass captain has intrigued him from the first. He's determined to have both. When the sketch is stolen, Yasmeen and Archimedes team up to find it. What ensues is a spine-tingling adventure.

Brook is of a rare breed of authors. Each book is better than the last. Her novels are filled with intrigue, adventure and steamy romance. Heart of Steel is the perfect blend of all three. I love the world she's created with her steampunk series. I have two complaints about this book. 1) it ended. 2) it ended and there aren't any other books in the series that I haven't read.

5 out of 5



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

Tracy's review of Scandal of the Year (Abandoned at the Altar #2) by Laura Lee Guhrke

ONE TRYST WAS ALL SHE WANTED ...

From their very first meeting, Julia knew that Aidan Carr, the oh-so-proper Duke of Trathen, had a bit of the devil in him, a devil who secretly yearned for what he could not have, a devil who harbored a desire for her. So when she needed to be caught in a compromising situation,

ONE TRYST JUST WASN'T ENOUGH ...

Aidan is supposed to be looking for a bride, yet his scandalous liaison with Julia is all he can think about. Hot, erotic memories of kissing her skin, falling into her bed, pulling her naked body on top of his own continue to torment and tempt him. What is it about this brazen seductress that he finds so hard to resist? And how can he stop himself from falling into her bed a second time?

Julia has known Aidan Carr, the Duke of Trathen, for many years. She likes him as a person but she loves the fact that she could use him to get her out of her horrible marriage. Now she’s free but feeling extremely guilty. She’s trying hard to keep everything inside but it’s getting harder and harder the more time they spend together. They’re spending time together because Julia has become Aidan’s social secretary.

Aidan knows that he needs to find a woman to marry. He’s been jilted twice now and needs some assistance with trying to find a wife. He knows that Julia knows everyone around and can help him make a wise choice. He hires her telling her that he’s only doing it for her help but really he can’t get the woman out of his mind. He’s a pretty straightlaced gentleman but he keeps thinking about the afternoon he spent with Julia – when her husband found them in bed together. He doesn’t remember a whole lot about the afternoon but his imagination seems to be making up things to fill in the holes and it’s making him hotter than hell. Lol

Now Aidan is after Julia and she’s running as fast as she can…or is she?

This is book 2 in the Abandoned at the Altar series and it was a good one. I have to say that I put off reading this one for a while because as much as I wanted to read it I really didn’t care for Aidan OR Julia in the first book. I couldn’t have been more wrong about either of them. Guhrke does a fantastic job of showing us that there is a TON more to each of these characters than we first believe.

Aidan is so stuffy and just an fine upstanding citizen but let’s face it – he’s a man. He’s got thoughts and feelings and testosterone just like any other man and when his thoughts start taking over he’s kind of blindsided by them. He knows he shouldn’t want Julia and now that her reputation is shot all to hell he knows he needs to disassociate but he just can’t. Julia doesn’t make it any easier with her humor and her beauty. But he also wants to know more about Julia and her life and that is the most intriguing part.

This book is just great and I loved reading Aidan and Julia’s story. If you’ve hesitated to pick this one up then take my advice and read it –it’s well worth the time. Also, the next book in the series, Trouble at the Wedding, is coming out at the end of this month.

Rating: 4 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy’s Place

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

I can't believe that Christmas has come and gone already. It was a very hectic Christmas weekend for me filled with lots of family coming in from out of town, trips to the cemetery to spend time at Mom's grave site with all nine of her kids and every single one of her grand kids.

I didn't have time to log onto Blogger and get things scheduled and for that I apologize.

We here at Book Binge hope that you guys had a very blessed Christmas with loads of family and plenty of gifts.

So, what did you guys find waiting for you underneath your Christmas tree this year? Did you guys get anything fantabulous?

I did.

I got this:


...and to say that I'm thrilled is putting it lightly. I absolutely freaking love it. Surprise of all surprises though is that I haven't loaded one single book on it yet. I've been too busy watching movies on it and playing different games (Fruit ninja is my bitch) and Facebooking on it but this week is when I'll be adding books and trying out the whole e-reader part of this fabulous device.

So as you can tell, I'm pretty stoked about my Christmas this year.

What did you get this Christmas?

Rowena's review of Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar, Book 3) by Laura Lee Guhrke.

Hero: Christian Du Quesne, Duke of Scarborough
Heroine: Miss Annabel Wheaton

New York Times bestseller Laura Lee Guhrke's delicious Abandoned at the Altar series has historical romance readers eagerly saying, "I do!" Trouble at the Wedding is the third unforgettable walk down the aisle by the always delightful RITA Award winning author. The marriage ceremony of a Victorian heiress to the "perfect man" is most rudely interrupted by a meddlesome duke who's convinced the bewitching lady is making a the biggest mistake of her life.

This is the third book in the Abandoned at the Altar series and to be honest, I couldn't for the life of me remember the other books in this series which is a bummer since I enjoyed both of the other books a great deal. I'm either getting too old or I'm reading too many books and I'm getting them all switched around inside my head.

Anyway, this book follows Christian Du Quesne and Miss Annabel Wheaton as they bicker and fight their way to their happy ending. There's a whole lot of drama going on in this book but it was still an overal enjoyable read.

My favorite part of this book was the hero, Christian Du Quesne. He was all out sexy and I wanted to bang him twelve ways to Sunday. Even when he did what he did at the wedding, I laughed out loud even as I breathed a sigh of relief. Christian was a hero that I couldn't help but fall in love, he's one of those flirty spice heroes that women can't help but swoon over and well, I'm all about the swoon when I'm around those kinds of heroes and it was no different with this book. The scenes between Christian and Annabel were too cute.

On the other hand, the whole situation that Christian and Annabel found themselves in with all of the lies and the stories that they had to tell in order to keep everyone from finding out the truth caused me to roll my eyes from time to time throughout this book. Annabel's reasons for wanting to marry Rumsford, Christian's reasons for not wanting to get married again, Christian's suggestion of the fake engagement, all of that crap made me want to pop them both in the head a time or two.

I enjoyed getting to know both Christian and Annabel but their thought processes about everything kind of tainted my enjoyment of the story somewhat. I mean, there was just too many lies and too many abandoning at the altar in this one book that a great deal of the time, I wanted to smack some sense into someone.

Annabel was a strong heroine, a strong heroine who knew what she wanted and went about getting it in anyway she could. She thought she didn't want a marriage with love at the center but when she finally realizes that she doesn't want to marry without love, it was one of those, "NOW YOU THINK THIS?" She couldn't have come to this realization the day before the wedding or a couple of days/weeks before the wedding? Ugh, the whole dramatization of the wedding and the feelings and everything made me want to kick something but I did end up enjoying the book.

Laura Lee Guhrke did a great job of writing this story in a way that I wanted to continue reading it even when I was vexed with the characters and the situations they put themselves in. I was able to connect with both the hero and the heroine and in the end, I was glad that I read the book. It's not my favorite of the bunch from this series but it was still a great addition to the series.

Grade: 3 out of 5.

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

Rowena's review of Hot Ticket by Julia London, Deirdre Martin, Annette Blair and Geri Buckley.

Lucky Charm by Julia London.

Hero: Parker Price
Heroine: Kelly O'Shay

Uninhibited radio host Kelly O'Shay loves to take on the egos of overpaid sports stars. then she goes after hot-shot shortstop Parker Price, whose losing streak takes an unexpected turn when he goes head-to-head with his lovely nemesis-on the air and off.

This story was a great big ball of corn. I mean, we have a whiny hot baseball player who keeps whining about how the talk show radio host keeps talking about him (badly of course) on the radio and then he blames her for her poor performance on the field? Yeah, how is a whiny baby hero going to make me drool with delight? He didn't. I just didn't really care for the story, it was too short and just really corny.

Grade: 3 out of 5

Same Rink, Next Year by Deirdre Martin.

Hero: David Hewson
Heroine: Tierney O'Connor

I'm not sure what it was about this story that I just couldn't get. It fell flat for me, I couldn't really connect with the characters and I really wanted to because this story had such good potential to be such a cute story but the dialogue felt forced and the witty characters and most especially the talk between the hockey players seemed...silly. I know, that word silly gets me in trouble with rabid fangirls but I can't help it...that's how I saw it, it may work for others but it just didn't work for me. I read the chats between David and his friends as, not good. It didn't flow well with the personalities of the hockey players, it just didn't fit. But David and Tierny were good together, although once while they're getting jiggy, I laughed because well, while they're going at it, he says stuff like, "Better?" and "You like that?" and it totally just takes me right out of the scene...but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, it just wasn't the best either. So while the story could have been cute, it just sort of is silly.

Grade: 2.75 out of 5.

You Can't Steal First by Annette Blair.

Hero: Juan Santiago
Heroine: Quinn Murdock

Famous for his big numbers at bat, Juan Santiago's struck out only once in his life--with Quinn Murdock. Now the Red Sox star player is getting one more shot with the sexy sporting goods magnate. But first he has to prove he's not just playing the field.

I don't know what's wrong with me but I did not really care for this story either. I mean, Tiago and Quinn are long lost lovers who have this big misunderstanding and go all these years without seeing eachother or talking to each other and then Quinn's friends throw her on his train thats heading for Orlando for Spring Training and on the train, they fall in love again? Hmm, okay, but the dialogue between these two, can it get any cheesier? Tiago didn't have as much game as he thought he did, if he said some of the things to me that he said to Quinn, I would have laughed at him. I didn't get how him and her kissing making it on the front page of the newspaper was funny...it seemed childish and juvenile. I just didn't get this and I didn't feel any kind of connection between Quinn and Tiago, though one thing that was a sure winner for me in this book, was the name Tiago...I like that Latin lover name, it's yummy!

Grade: 2.75 out of 5

Can't Catch This by Geri Buckley.

Hero: Josh Weldon
Heroine: Lindy Hamilton

Lindy Hamilton got her two-timing boyfriend right where it hurts--by stealing his pricey tickets to the Florida Moccasins football game. When she discovers that the really interesting action is in the stands, it proves to be the hottest season opener on record...

Okay, I think this was the worst of all of them. I really wanted to like ONE of the stories a whole lot because I love sports and sports stories like SEP's were such winners for me, but this one fell right on it's face for me. I was bummed because I felt like, ehhh, I can't wait til I'm done with this book so that I can read something else already. The problem that I had with this story was I didn't care for Lindy and Josh fell in love wayyy too fast with her, I didn't see them connect anywhere and yet faster than you snap your fingers, they were in love..it was unbelievable and I just didn't enjoy the interactions between Josh and Lindy. I thought the nephew was cute though, but that's about it. I thought it was really weird that Josh's cousin used Lindy as his lucky charm considering he had never met her or talked to her, it was hooky but whatever...so yeah this story was just blah for me.

Grade: 2 out of 5.

Overall grade: 2.5 out of 5.

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

Judith's review of The Virgin Proxy (Conquerors #2) by Georgia Fox.

When the Normans conquered England, Deorwynn lost almost everything, including her family. Only one beloved brother survives. To rescue him, she must sacrifice her virginity in the enemy’s bed. She should be well prepared. After spending fifteen years in a grim convent, punished for every sinful thought, Deorwynn can withstand any torment at the hands of a merciless, Norman warrior.

But nothing, she soon learns, could prepare her for falling in love.

Guy Devaux is delighted with the amorous virgin waiting for him on his wedding night. There’s only one problem. The saucy-mouthed wench is not his bride. Oh yes, he knows the veiled woman in his bed is an imposter, but he’ll go along with the game. For now. The punishment for her deception will come later.

Just as soon as he conquers this foolish desire, this yearning to hear her say she loves him.

The politics of Old England are complicated at best and fraught with old hurts, angers, and prejudices rooted in war, injustice, and loss. Loveless marriages abound and it is thought to be normal for a man of any class to seek passion and sexual joy outside the marriage bed. Yet marriages were solemnized and once in a while love sneaked into the bedroom. It was not, however, a common expectation. What was expected was that the bride, especially when political alliances were at stake, would be a virgin. As many young women were affianced early in their lives, any love interest they might develop was to be put aside and certainly not consummated.
Unfortunately for the heroine in this story, she is to be the bride's "proxy" on the wedding night, all in the interest of preserving the honor of the people who used their daughter as a political or financial pawn, as well as hiding the fact that the bride was already pregnant. Deorwynn had been in the convent since she was six years old, put there as a protection by a father who either forgot her or deliberately ignored her continuing presence there in order to protect her from "the enemy" as the Normans were called especially by the Saxon aristocracy. Now Deorwynn has an opportunity to be freed from a situation that has always been difficult for a woman of independence and spirit, especially now that no potential husband has ever surfaced and the nuns are now bent on making her one of them. Lured by the promise that the prospective bride would repay her "sacrifice" by working to free her only brother who is still being held captive by William the Conqueror, Deorwynn agrees to travel as a "handmaiden" and take the bride's place on the wedding night.

This is really a story that is in the style of the old English historicals that were really popular several decades ago and which are now making a comeback. The ancient angers that kept Saxons and Normans apart for generations are alive and well in this story. It is a tale that is full of color and pagentry, mixtures of kindness and cold-hearted brutality, loyalty and betrayal, goodness and greed. It is the story of a woman whose heart is bruised by the realities of a possible future that continues the bleakness of her empty life, whose hope for a family to replace the one she lost in war and agression looks to remain unfulfilled, and whose kindness and giving nature can only seemingly be fully expressed as she seeks to work for the freedom of her brother. Fifteen years of not so hidden brutality in a convent and at the hand of religious who should have known better have prepared Deorwynn to never expect kindness, to always believe that she will be the underdog, and to never look for any kind of love.

I found this novel to be more enjoyable than I expected and the work of an author I had not previously encountered. It was well-written and researched, yet the liveliness of the times, the no-holds-barred nature of life lived on the edge of survival, and the raw nature of human relationship jump off the pages and captures the imagination of the reader. There is sexual tension throughout and the slow burn that goes on in the characters keeps the reader on edge as well. It's one of those stories I found very hard to put down. As I first read Ivanhoe a long time ago and loved it, I think of this book as having many of those same tensions, but written ala 2011 with its greater acceptance of erotic romance ingredients. In may ways this book is really hot.

So English historical fans and those who love erotic romance, don't overlook this one. It's a terrific read!

I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

You can read more from Judith at Dr J's Book Place.

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

Rowena: It's the Friday before Christmas so is everyone finished with their Christmas shopping? I'm not. Not even close. My family is coming in today and we're trying to get the house situated before they arrive. I took the day off so that I could have a four day weekend but I've been up since 7am getting the kids ready for the day and being just as busy here as I was at the office.

*sigh*

I didn't get much reading done this week (what's new, right?) but I did manage to finish Secrets by Freya North which was a really slow read for me. I think it was my mood but I almost DNF'd it but I'm glad I finished it. I'm not sure what I'm going to read next but it'll be from my review pile. What should I read? A historical, contemporary, romantic suspense? I have no clue.

Casee: I just finished Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr. It's book 18 in the Virgin River series. I took a break from the series for awhile. I loved the series when it first came out. Then I stopped loving it somewhere around book 11. Then I liked a few of the books since then, then not so much. Redwood Bend is the first book I've really loved since Forbidden Falls (Noah and Ellie).

Right now I'm re-reading Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon. The second half. In my review I clearly stated that I would never re-read the first half because I would never put myself through that emotional torture again. It's one of those times I just can't find anything to read.

I've looked for my favorite Christmas read, but can't find it. Some Enchanted Season by Marilyn Pappano is a book I read every year at Christmas (sometimes multiple times). After I finish wrapping today, I'm going to tear the place apart to find this book. There is no Kindle version, but I haven't checked Books on Board. If anyone can find an eCopy, I'll send you extra Christmas cheer!

Holly: I've pretty much given up on finding dedicated reading time until after Christmas. Things have been pretty crazy around here while we try to get ready for the invasion of friends and family. I still can't believe Christmas is two days away. Time sure flies. I'm still not finished with all my shopping. Way to leave it until the last minute, dumbass. I did manage to read one book twice and I'm almost finished with another.

The first was A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah MacLean. I loved that book. LOVED it. I've already read it twice. I loved both Penelope and Bourne. I'm really disappointed that I have to wait so long for the next book, however.

The second is The Husband Hunt by Lynsay Sands. Unfortunately I'm not loving this one as much. It's the third book in her Madison Sisters Trilogy. I was looking forward to it after the previous two books. The premise is just ok and I'm not loving where the plot is going. I'm going to stick it out in hopes it gets better, however.

What are you reading?

Tracy's review of Holiday Kisses by Alison Kent, Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon and Shannon Stacey

This Time Next Year by Alison Kent

Brenna Keating is on her way to spend Christmas with her grandmother when treacheous roads and a skittish deer put her car in a ditch. Riding to the rescue—literally—is Dillon Craig, a reclusive doctor who insists she weather the storm in his cabin.

Since returning from Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers on the front lines, Dillon's made it a point to avoid any emotional involvement. But his unexpected guest has him dangerously close to breaking his own rules.

Brenna has a plan for her life—until she's stranded for three days with Dillon. Soon, the chemistry sizzling between them forces her to reexamine her priorities. The man is gorgeous, if taciturn, and a true hero in every sense of the word. No woman in her right mind could resist him, and so Brenna doesn't—even though she can't stay...

This was the story of a woman who gets trapped in a cabin with a man who is closed off from life and the world. He’s fighting some huge inner demons and Brenna Keating is just the woman to break him out of his self-induced prison. But Brenna is leaving to work in Malawi and won’t be back any time soon.

The romance in this story is touching but very quick. They pair are only initially together for a few days but in those days they become quite close. I loved seeing Dillon come out of his shell and it seemed that even Brenna was coming to terms with what she really wanted to do with her life. While I thought it all went rather fast I do have to say that I liked the story despite that.

A Rare Gift by Jaci Burton

With a disastrous marriage behind him, Wyatt Kent has no interest in getting involved with any woman, let alone his ex-wife's younger sister. But when Calliope Andrews hires him to build an addition onto her day care center, Wyatt can't help but notice she's a desirable woman, as warm and funny as his ex was cold and aloof.

Calliope fell hard for Wyatt the first time he walked through the door of her family's home, and can't believe her sister let him get away. He's still the star of all her fantasies, and she's determined to prove to him she's nothing like his manipulative ex. Wyatt may be all business, but Calliope sees the way he looks at her when he's supposed to be working...

It's not long before Wyatt and Calliope are keeping each other warm on cold December nights. But it's going to take a Christmas miracle for Wyatt to put his trust in love a second time.

Wyatt Kent is not thrilled with having to go give his ex-sister-in-law, Calliope, an estimate on a new addition to the day care that she owns but he decides he can be bigger than the situation and do it. When he gets there he’s quite surprised at how grown up Calliope has gotten in the 6 years since he’s seen her. He’s instantly attracted to her but he doesn’t want to be because of who she is, of course, and also all the past baggage from his marriage to his sister.

Despite his misgivings Calliope, who’s had a crush on Wyatt since she was 15, manages to get under his skin enough and they end up starting to see each other. But Wyatt needs to get over all the bad feelings he has toward his ex wife and move on. When Calliope puts that in motion can they stay together or do things go awry?

This was a great little story. I enjoyed both Calliope’s and Wyatt’s characters and there was enough background on them both that I really felt like I knew them a little bit. Sure Wyatt acted like a bit of an ass at one time or another but I really thought he was a good guy and was happy to see him getting his HEA. Overall a great little story.

It’s Not Christmas Without You by HelenKay Dimon

Carrie Anders officially broke up with Austin Thomas when she accepted a dream job in the city. Unofficially, she misses him and is tempted to sneak back to her West Virginia hometown to see him. That's why this year, she's not going home for the holidays. Her heart can't take any more mornings-after where nothing has changed—and Austin has made it clear he's not interested in relocating.

Austin's been waiting for Carrie to realize she can't live without him. But when he hears she's not coming home for Christmas, he decides to take action. If Carrie won't come to the country, he's going to bring a piece of the country to Carrie—in the form of a Christmas tree lot just minutes from her apartment. He's certain daily meetings will entice her to come home with him, this time for good.

Their attraction is as hot as ever, but with such contrary Christmas wishes, can either of them get what they really want this year?

Carrie and Austin have been together for years but Carrie is ready to move into her adult professional life. In order to do that she needs to take the job at the museum in DC that she has been offered. She breaks the news to Austin and begs him to go with her but he is stubborn and refuses. They are both miserable for 6 moths but Austin finally gets together a plan to win Carrie back and bring her home.

Carrie truly loves Austin but he’s so stubborn! He doesn’t see that she NEEDS to do the work that she’s doing and that going home to live in a small town in West Virginia is not the answer. When Austin finally realizes that the job isn’t something that Carrie is going to give up easily – especially when he sees how much it means to her – what will happen to their relationship.

I think this was my favorite novella of the anthology. I really loved Austin even though he was stubborn ass and couldn’t see with the eyes he’s been given but he learned to see. He was a loving caring person and truly had Carrie’s best interests at heart once he figured it all out.

The story was fun and funny and definitely worth reading.

Mistletoe and Margarita’s by Shannon Stacey

Claire Rutledge still believes in love, despite losing her husband. So, after two years, she's not surprised by the steamy dreams telling her it might be time to start moving on. But she didn't expect her friend Justin to have the starring role.

Justin McCormick has loved Claire since the moment he first saw her, but his best friend got there first. Now that Claire is ready to move on with her life, Justin is finding it harder than ever to hide his true feelings. And when they both get caught up in the holiday spirits at a party, their simmering mutual attraction boils over into a night neither of them can forget...

Justin and Claire are best friends now. They’ve always been friends but Justin grew up with Claire’s now deceased husband and though Justin loves Claire his feelings of guilt are eating him up. He wants her but he feels it’s not right to want her.

Claire thinks it may be time to date but Justin is right there and he’s so hot and when she starts having erotic dreams about him it starts to be hard to think of any other man. After a Christmas party the two go home and can’t seem to get enough of each other but when the morning after comes around how will they each deal with their feelings?

This was a cute story. I felt that Justin’s feelings of guilt were justified but I just wanted him to get over them…and quickly! Lol Claire and Justin made a great pair and while they’d never stop loving their friend & husband who was no longer with them they needed to move on. Luckily some friendly interference gets Justin to see the truth of it all. It was a cute story that was fun to read.

I really liked all of these Christmas novellas and think it’s definitely worth the read.

Rating: 4 out of 5

You can read more from Tracy at Tracy's Place

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

Rowena's review of Match Me if You Can by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Hero: Heath Champion
Heroine: Annabelle Granger

In This Heart of Mine, you met Kevin Tucker. Now meet Kevin's shark of an agent ... and Annabelle Granger, the girl least likely to succeed. Annabelle is tired of being the lone failure in a family of overachievers. She's endured dead-end jobs and a broken engagement. But that's going to change now that she's taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. All Annabelle has to do is land the Windy City's hottest bachelor as her client, and she'll be the most sought-after matchmaker in town.

With his money-green eyes and calculated charm, Heath Champion is the best sports agent in the country. He's wealthy, driven, and gorgeous, so why does he need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining, and she does have a certain quirky appeal. But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of his success—the perfect wife.

And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right? If Annabelle isn't careful, she just might find herself going heart-to-heart with the toughest negotiator in town -- a man who's beginning to ask himself ... exactly how perfect does perfect have to be?

I really liked this book.

It starts out with us meeting Annabelle Granger, a firecracker of a woman who is frowned upon in her family. She's the "black cat" of her family. She's got 2 successful brothers and a mother who nags the ever living daylights out of her because she's 31 and hasn't settled down into a career. Annabelle's had a few businesses that have gone under and she's trying to turn her grandmother's matchmaking business around and make something of herself. She's very passionate about life and just reading about her attacking the venture of making a success out of her grandmother's business, modernizing it and everything was just a crack up.

She was a very quirky heroine and she kept me laughing and just feeling for her. I loved her sense of humor, I loved all of her little gripes against Heath and what I most liked about her was the way she handled being handled by him.

The chemistry between Heath and Annabelle is unmistakeable to the reader, even if it was farthest from Heath's mind. I loved the way SEP wrote these two's relationship. I loved how at the very beginning they were so at ease with eachother, the scene where Heath makes her ride with him somewhere and she thinks he's gonna leave her and she's running through traffic hollaring for him to wait and she's got her Mocha frap and how he just kept taking it from her and drinking it, the SECOND time he met with her...I loved that kind of business.

I liked seeing the old characters from the previous books actually having reasons to be in the story and not just talked about. Those are some of my favorite characters and to see them back in action right along with Heath and Annabelle scored major points with me.

I loved revisiting the campground from This Heart of Mine. I loved seeing Kevin (my favorite SEP hero) and Molly again and more over, I loved seeing little Hannah again. Goodness, that little girl is just about my favorite kid character ever, she's so great!

Heath Champion, there were times when I wanted to take him by the shoulders and just hold him still for a minute, he so reminded me of Jerry Maguire in that, I move faster than my feet can take me and I'm eager to please all of my clients to the point where I am in dire need of therapy way. The transformation from first class jerk to the insecure manly sexy man at the end was great. I loved seeing him grow attached to Annabelle, it was a treat to see him all wanting to make things right Annabelle.

I even loved little Pippy...she was so cute with her phone fettish...with her Heath's phone fettish. haha.

Annabelle's family got on my hot damn nerves so I was really happy that Heath came into her life and became her Champion...even if he didn't see her family the same way she did. I loved that finally, Annabelle was one up on Candace that conniving little bitch.

The way the story was told had me reading early into the morning, I didn't get to sleep until 3:00am on the dot and I can't say that I'm mad about it. The only thing that didn't boost this book to an A is that I felt the end was sort of rushed and kinda fell flat with Heath's realization of his love for Annabelle, I wanted more from that but as a whole, this book was a really great read for me.

Thanks SEP!

4.5 out of 5.

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

Ames' review of Lessons in Seduction by Sandra Hyatt.

A prince on a quest to find the perfect wife doesn't have time to trifle with a commoner. But Adam Marconi's longtime friend and sometime driver, Danielle St. Claire, has him contemplating a change in plans. Why can't the royal have a little fun before finally settling down? Then their supposedly quick affair suddenly turns serious. And Prince Adam finds himself in a quandary. Say goodbye to the one woman who sets his heart and body on fire, or defy all of the rules and cause the scandal of the century.

I was intrigued by this book. Friends to lovers? Count me in! And it's made even more delicious when one friend is a royal and the other is a former employee of said royal.

That's right. Danni St.Claire is a former royal chauffeur because of a pot-hole incident a few years ago. But she's been asked by her father to fill in one night because he wasn't feeling well and she was visiting him. Danni doesn't mind. And she finds some humor in driving her old friend around - even if she knows he'd be a bit angry to see it's her driving him. You see, his royal highness Adam Marconi is on a date...and Danni finds his own brand of wooing leaves her very cold indeed.

Adam is in search of a wife. And he attacks this goal like any other, with determination and focus. Like it's a job. When Danni realizes this, she tells him that he needs to relax, have some fun, that he's not going to find someone to share the rest of his life with when he treats it like a job. So Adam takes Danni's word for it and asks for her help in the search for his wife. She can give him pointers. Danni has some misgivings but she agrees. Why does she have misgivings? Because she's starting to fall for Adam, but she agrees so she can spend some more time with him.

And as things progress, Adam begins to look at Danni in a new light. But Danni knows they cannot be together, she is not princess material. But Adam isn't so sure about that...

I thought this book was cute. As much as I don't care for fake countries and royalties, I liked the characters enough to just go with the story. Adam is definitely a man with the weight of the country on his shoulders. He hasn't taken time off for himself in ages, constantly working. And Danni was the perfect balance to that. She reminds him of their younger days and brings that playfulness out in him again. He can truly relax around her and she knows him as Adam, not as His Royal Highness. She doesn't care about his title (except that she knows they can't be together) and is in fact fired two more times in the course of the story. I liked her attitude.

Lessons in Seduction gets 4 out 5 from me.

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

Rowena's review of Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas.

Hero: Hardy Cates, Gage Travis
Heroine: Liberty Jones

SHE'S FROM THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS Liberty Jones has dreams and determination that will take her far away from Welcome, Texas - if she can keep her wild heart from ruling her mind. Hardy Cates sees Liberty as completely off-limits. His own ambitions are bigger than Welcome, and Liberty Jones is a complication he doesn't need. But something magical and potent draws them to each other, in a dangerous attraction that is stronger than both of them. HE'S THE ONE MAN SHE CAN'T HAVE When Hardy leaves town to pursue his plans, Liberty finds herself alone with a young sister to raise. Soon Liberty finds herself under the spell of a billionaire tycoon - a Sugar Daddy, one might say. But the relationship goes deeper than people think, and Liberty begins to discover secrets about her own family's past. WILL THEY FIND THEIR HEARTS' DESIRES OR WILL HEARTBREAK TEAR THEM APART?

Two men. One woman. A choice that can make her or break her. A woman you'll root for every step of the way. A love story you'll never forget.

This book gets a whopping WHOA DANG and a THASS WASSUP! from me.

Lisa Kleypas knocks this one right out of the park. A total grand slam that had me sighing with all the goodness one could hope to find in a book. As a first contemporary, I think she did a fantabulous job with this book.

Liberty Jones was a heroine to admire, befriend and love because of everything she went through and everything she lived through. The determination that was piled into this young woman was an honor that I quite liked...very much. To see Liberty Jones grow up before my eyes in this book was a delightful journey that had me rootin' her on from the very beginning. Her love and drive for her younger sister, Carrington was enough to seal my love of this story from the moment little Carrington came into the story. To see the fierce bond between the sisters is something that I found quite charming. I loved reading about Liberty's struggles and her triumphs and just everything she went through to grow into the shoes she was wearing at the very beginning.

She totally rocked!

Lisa Kleypas did an extraordinary job of making me fall in love with two totally different men. I don't think I've ever fully loved two heroes in a book as much as I did Hardy and Gage. I mean, I haven't read many other books where there were two heroes but I know that in all of the books that I read with two heroes, I loved one more than the other right from the very first. That wasn't the case in this book.

In Liberty's youth, she falls in love with Hardy Cates and if you ask me, it wasn't hard to fall in love with the boy who took such good care of you. The one that helped you get over your fear of the mean growling pitbulls, the one who taught you how to perfect your basketball skills so you wouldn't get teased mercillessly at school about it, the guy who drove your pregnant mother to the hospital to have your little sister, the one who cared enough to help you with your baby sister when you were babysitting and fretting about a school test that you needed to pass but couldn't study for because the baby was being fussy, the one who cancelled a date to help you study for the test you want. The one who felt just as passionately about you as you did for him but couldn't be with you because you were too young.

The one who wanted so much more than the town of Welcome, Texas could ever give him, the one who had nothing to offer you but wanted so much to offer something.

It wasn't hard to fall for Hardy and his determination to get out of Welcome and make something of himself, to get out before he turned into the Father he never wanted to be.

When Hardy left town, I had my fingers crossed that he would find himself and come back for Liberty and Carrington. Make them a family, I wanted that so much that I was giddy to read on and see what would happen between Hardy and Liberty.

But then I met Gage Travis.

He was so different from Hardy and yet had the same steely strength that I loved so much in Hardy Cates. Seeing Liberty come out of her shell the way she did with Gage, mainly because it was so unexpected (okay not really but still, for Liberty it was) and their romance was slow to ignite, I fell hard for Gage.

It was amazing how Lisa Kleypas had the ability to make me feel Liberty's indecision when faced with both of the men she's loved all of her life. She's had many men come and go in her life but her heart had only been touched by two.

Hardy and Gage.

Her indecision was just as hard on me as it was for Liberty because like Liberty, I was torn between the two men.

Her choice at the end was great, I was totally happy with her decision because when you look back, it was the right choice for her. It was the right choice for who she was and the person she became. I loved that she loved her chosen man with all that she was and that the hardness we all went through (me, her and the men, LOL) was necessary because it made her appreciate and love the man she chose with nothing holding her back. There wasn't an elephant in the room when the decision was made, everything she went through took part in the way the book ended and I couldn't have been happier.

Though, I was a bit disappointed in one of the men, it didn't change how I felt about the story as a whole. This was a sure winner and I couldn't have been happier with a book. I loved how the characters came to life for me and I loved how much I felt where all of the characters were concerned. When one of them hurt, I hurt and when one of them was happy, I rejoiced in their happiness. I loved how all of the i's were dotted and all of the t's were crossed. There wasn't anything left hanging and I'm so glad, because it made me enjoy the book all the more.

Great great book!

A definite read!

4.75 out of 5.

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

Nash can't help but admire Kelly Moss's confidence and beauty. But he's forced to keep his distance because getting involved with Kelly could destroy his relationship with his newly discovered teenage half-sister, Tess. And Kelly has other reasons for keeping her distance-like the secret she knows Nash will never forgive...

I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. I did not enjoy the hero of this book Nash though. I hated his guts, thought he was a complete ass and couldn't wait for him to gone from the story. It's going to be really interesting to see how Carly Phillips redeems him in my eyes. I can forgive pretty much anything so I'm sure Carly Phillips will do a fab job cleaning Nash up and making me love him. I look forward to seeing what Phillips does with his character in this book.

This book comes out on January 3, 2012 so there's a few weeks wait for it but still, I'm looking forward to it. Who's with me?

Who will be reading this book? Who's anxious for it?

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

Holly's review of Never Love a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy, Book 3) by Maya Banks

In a tale of strong ties and true love, Maya Banks’s trilogy comes to its stunning conclusion, as the youngest McCabe brother uses sword and seduction to save his clan—and seal his heart.

Caelen McCabe’s young, reckless heart nearly destroyed his clan. Now, putting family loyalty above all else, he steps up to marry his older brother’s jilted bride and salvage the uneasy alliance between two clans. While beautiful Rionna McDonald is a fit wife for any man, Caelen trusts no woman, especially not this sweet temptress who torments him with white-hot longing.

As the sacrificial lamb in her father’s power game, Rionna will do her duty but vows to protect her heart and her pride from humiliation. Despite everything, though, the heat in Caelen’s touch melts her defenses, and she craves the sensual delights of a husband who guards his emotions as fiercely as his clan. But when the ultimate battle for the McCabe legacy is upon them, Rionna’s true warrior spirit emerges. She will risk the wrath of her father, the fury of her enemies, and her life to prove to Caelen that his wife’s love is too precious to lose.

We met Rionna in the first novel and she played a large part in the second novel. While I think it can stand alone, I would suggest reading the entire trilogy in order.

My heart really hurt for Rionna. She just wanted to be accepted for who she was. It was hard watching her and Caelen find their way with each other. Especially since Caelen was such a man. He would say and do things without realizing the impact he was having on her. It wasn't that he was cruel, he just didn't think. That almost made it worse, because his intentions were good. Had he taken the time to explain himself, a lot of heartbreak could have been avoided.

Once Caelen realized how hurt Rionna was, he made a real effort to temper his words and understand her. This is the reason I loved him. Despite his man-like tendencies in the beginning, it wasn't long before he thought of himself and Rionna as a team. Despite his penis-driven stupidity, I really liked his character. He was a man's man, but he wasn't afraid to show his softer side. Is there anything sexier than a man willing to be soft with his woman?

While I enjoyed the story, I did think it was bogged down with too much "Scottish" dialect. Every other sentence started with 'Tis or 'Twas. Over time I found myself focusing on that more than on the story. Oddly enough, I didn't notice this in the first two novels.

I also found the ending to be a little bit cheesy and over the top. Sweet, to be sure, but..maybe a bit too much for the story.

Having said that, I did enjoy the novel. Both characters were interesting and the plot was engaging. It really tugged at my heartstrings.

4 out of 5



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

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Rowena's review of The Duke is Mine by Eloisa James.

Hero: Tarquin, Duke of Sconce
Heroine: Miss Olivia Lytton

In the capable hands of USA Today and New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James, the fairy tales we loved as children take on vibrant—and sensuous—new life. With The Duke is Mine, the beloved author of A Kiss at Midnight and When Beauty Tamed the Beast gives the classic tale of the Princess and the Pea a delightfully romantic Regency spin. Fans of Victoria Alexander and Julia Quinn will simply adore this historical romance gem about a lady reluctantly betrothed to one duke but pursued by another; a tantalizing tale of love, lies, and one very uncomfortable mattress.

What a delightful read this book turned out to be.

I'm not quite sure why I haven't read more books by Eloisa James but I need to seriously get on that in 2012. This book was such a delightful read that I needed to read another historical book from Avon immediately following this one.

This book follows Miss Olivia Lytton as she stumbles her way to her happily ever after with the guy that she didn't think she'd end up with. You see, Olivia's been engaged to the future Duke of Canterwick since she was a wee lass. It's all she's ever known so she's never let herself get her hopes up about being with anyone else because she's known where her duties lay and even though she can be a bit of a goose (a hilarious one, at that), she knows that she'll do what she must to please her parents.

At least that was the plan until she met the Duke of Sconce.

Upon first meeting him, her dress is drenched and plastered to her body, he kisses her like she's a common wench and she thinks he's a servant and lays into him like he's not the master of the keep...

...and the fireworks go off every single time they're in the same room with each other.

I really enjoyed this book and my favorite part of this book was the heroine, Olivia Lytton. She was a riot, a total laugh a minute sister and I enjoyed getting to know her. I loved how loyal she was to both her sister and her fiance, even though she knew that what people were saying about him was true. She defended him to everyone and even when her heart wanted what it wanted, you could see the conflict within herself. She didn't want to want Quin but she couldn't help it and she didn't want to hurt her sister and tried hard to stay away but the heart wants what it wants and I'm glad that everything worked out for her.

Olivia and her inappropriate jokes (that she sometimes didn't get) had me cracking up out loud more than once and the wordplay between her and Quin made this book just that much more delightful.

I enjoyed getting to know both Olivia and Quin but moreover, I enjoyed getting to know the other characters as well. Olivia's sister Georgie and Quin's aunt Bumtrinket and even Quin's cousin Justin were all wonderful additions to this story. All in all, the story was one funny scene after another that strung together a wonderful romance that I enjoyed quite a bit.

There were some things that I had me gasping all over the place. I mean, the whole scene with Rupert and Olivia in the beginning before he leaves for the war? Yeah, I almost threw up and then my eyes about fell out of my face but even through that messed up scene, Olivia found things to laugh about through all of that madness and that made me love her all the more. She was just flat out awesome.

I recommend this book to fans of Eloisa James work and to fans of the historical genre. There's a little bit of everything for everyone and a whole lot of laughs to keep the good times rolling.

Grade: 4 out of 5.

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