Confessions of a Royal Bridegroom: By Vanessa Kelly The Renegade Royal #2 I love Vanessa Kelly. She writes romance that sweeps you into the story and before you know it its four am and then you are still living the story after you finish you can't get to sleep. This is book two of her Renegade Royals series and in it we fall in love with the brooding bad boy, tattooed Griffin Steele, and we watch, "watch", as he finally meets his match in the prim and proper Justine Brightmore. I love everything about this book the characters, the setting, the writing, and the cover. Griffin Steele is the son of Chloe Steele who we first met in the novella, Lost in His Royal Kiss, where she is seduced by the youngest prince and ends up with child. Chloe's uncle takes charge of Griffin and send his mother way saying she would be a bad influence on him; still a young and confused she feels she has no other choice but to do as her uncle wishes. Unbeknownst to her Griffin is raised believing she died. Griffin doesn't learn the truth until his Great Uncles is on his death-bed and after his death Griffin tries to find her but to no avail. Griffin then at the age of fourteen journeys to London and starts his life over. Sometimes nearly starving to death until he finds a compassionate couple who take him in a help find him a job. Griffin makes a name for himself on the streets on London as a notorious whoremonger, and game hell owner. Griffin could careless he has made him self enough money to finally retire. Caring not one bit about his royal blood, the higher ilk of the ton or what they think of him he goes about his business dodging the meddling hands of Dominic who keeps trying to reform him. Griffin's life however is turned upside down one day at the appearance of a bouncing baby boy at his doorstep. The baby, Steven, is found with a note explaining that he is in need of protection and that he will be picked up as soon as the danger is clear. Also with him is a signet ring and the only clue as to who Steven really is. Their is only one person Griffin trust enough to help him deal with this problem and that is Dominic. Griffin entrusts Dominic with the ring and the letter to find out who the veiled lady that abandoned the child. He also asks Dominic to find him a suitable nanny to take care of the child while he is under Griffin's protection. Enter one very prim and proper Justine Brightmore. Justine Brightmore is the daughter of a spy and being such she has no love for adventures she craves orderliness and structure. Raised by her aunt a bluestocking widow, who is outspoken and free minded Justine is afraid to make the wrong move to draw attention to herself or made the center of attention. Justine loves her position as a lady's companion and making her own way in life but when her Godfather asks her a favor she can't turn him down. She accepts the position in order to help the baby but all the feelings she has for the notorious Griffin are unwanted, or are they. Justine's sense of justice and protection cause a stir and almost damage her reputation until Griffin steps in and marries her. Griffin and Justine fall in love almost right away but the unlikely match have a hard time dealing with the forced wedding and the dangers the baby has brought on them they are having a hard time working out their own emotions. Dominic is the spy of all spies and has his finger in just about everything the only thing that has eluded him over the years is Chloe Steele after some years she seemed to disappear and no matter how hard he looked he couldn't find her. He made due though keeping an eye on her son and trying to do right by him, even if the attempts are unwanted. However with the sudden appearance of the mysterious baby and the veiled woman Dominic maybe closer than ever to finding Chloe. Can Griffin trust his lust for a woman who wear the most god awful caps? Or is it maybe something more than he ever expected? And can he convince her that he truly wants her and just her? Can Justine give in to her sense of adventure and find happiness with Griffin? I really love this series and can not wait for the next Renegade Royals to come out, which unfortunately doesn't come out until next year :(
Cowboy in My Pocket: by Kate Douglas A hilarious spoof of typical romance (Harlequin cheesy romance). It is ripe full of the regular plot devises and themes. Blending seamlessly an amnesiac romance writer forced in to a marriage of convenience with a reluctant cowboy just trying to save his ranch. A fun quick read that will have you laughing and crying and angry in frustration with the obliviousness of the hero. Michelle Garrison is a romance writer. Her editor and best friend has just rejected her newest book, he says she can't write a western when she has no idea what it is a cowboy does or what anything is, not to mention sex on a horse is impossible. So Mark sends her to get educated he know a dude ranch in Colorado and makes her go there. Mark, her editor, is the one making her write the westerns because her usual stuff is getting stale. Michelle loves living in NYC and can't really picture her being on a ranch, despite her writing she is sure that cowboys are arrogant and horses are smelly. Mark gives her a magazine with a full article on the place, Michelle practically memorizes the thing. Desperate to save her career she goes. Taggert Martin has always said he would never get married, after he say the way his parents ruined their lives in a loveless marriage and his grandparents in their bad marriage Tag has no hope or wish the same for him. But Grandma Lenore has different plans for him. She has been telling him unless he gets married by his fortieth birthday she will take the ranch he has spent his life working and will make it in to a wild horse sanctuary. He concocted a plan he asked his old friend, Betsy Mae a rodeo barrel racer, to marry him and get a generous composition, but at the last-minute she runs off and gets married to a rodeo clown, but she has made up for it she sends her friend from the rodeo circuit as a replacement. Michelle arrives during one of the worst rainstorms the state has seen that year, and in the process she gets lost runs her rental off the road and knocks her self silly. Tag is waiting for his "bride" to arrive but she is late, his ranch foreman Coop drives down to see if he can find her but he finds a woman walking in the rain. Michelle can't remember a thing so when an old cowboy shows up and acts like he is expecting her she goes with the flow, she has strange thoughts going through her head she thinks it might be her but they don't feel right. When she is introduced to Tag and her fiancé and then explained that it was just for show to get his meddling grandmother from trying to fix him up. Thinking she is a rodeo girl Tag takes her along with him for the round-up, it soon becomes obvious that she has never been around horses before, but she is a quick learner. Tag starts to fall in love with the woman he knows as Levi, but with her dreams showing her big city lights and Central Park he keeps trying to convince himself she isn't the city girl that she really is. Michelle (Levi) falls in love with Tag but is afraid that the truth of who she really is will push him away. So even after she gets her memory back she hides the truth from him. The truth is revealed in all the typical wonderful romance fashion, 'cause when one thing happens it all hits the fan. Lenore is caught in her lie and Coop in his and so is Tag and Michelle caught in theirs. The romance between Tag and Michelle is a swift and sweet and the sex is hot, dirty and heavy; and she proves her editor wrong... you can have sex on a horse. This is a great book and I look forward to reading the next.
The Temptations of Anna Jacobs: by Robyn DeHart For the lack of a better word... WOW. A historical romance based around the Jack the Ripper murders. Follow up to The Secrets of Mia Danvers this second book picks up where it left off, but don't let that deter you it is a great book and every thing you need to know is revisited without leaving you with the feeling that you're missing something. Anna Jacobs wants nothing more than to be a doctor, and not even her mother meddling and nagging will make her change her mind. Shunning societies strict rules and decorum Anna has studied hard to be one of the best in her class. Her brother, Scotland Yard Inspector Simon Jacobs, is in charge of the Jack the Ripper case and despite the arrest he has made he isn't convinced that he got the right person. When another murder takes place while the suspect is in prison he releases Andrew Foster with a deal that Andrew, who was targeted as scapegoat, is to help track down the real Jack the Ripper. Andrew "Drew" Foster is the younger brother of the Duke of Carrington and he spent the last years of his life in a drunken stupor and with a case of in the wrong place at the wrong time he ended up arrested for the heinous murders done by Jack the Ripper. His time in prison not only sobered him up but put his life in perspective. When Simon approached him with the offer to be an unofficial Inspector with Scotland Yard and help search for the real killer. Drew jumps at the chance fully aware that society will shun him but it's his chance to clear his name and start a new life for himself. Simon is sent up to Scotland and has left Drew with his second, Inspector Bernard Jefferies, to work the case. With more murders piling up Drew sees an inconsistency in the most recent murders, needing a second opinion and just looking for another reason to Anna again he asks her to look at the notes and the bodies. Anna is glad to help and despite their rocky introduction Anna knows she can trust him, if her brother didn't think him innocent then she wouldn't either. Together Anna and Drew work the clues and do some Victorian CSI type experimentation to find out about the recent murders. Drew is humbled by Anna's unwavering trust in him, she knows him better than anyone else but only knowing who is now not the drunk rake he was before, and he loves her for it. Anna is mistaken when she make the judgment that Drew is just like everyone else in his thinking that women shouldn't be doctors, but instead he supports her and encourages her and even includes her in his investigation. The one thing Anna didn't want was to fall in love and get married before she was ready but with Drew she know he would never ask her to give anything up. Drew and Anna are a lovely couple, two people who are so perfect for each other. The Jack the Ripper storyline is front line in the story with Drew and Anna's romance playing a second fiddle and even a side romance between Anna's teacher and mother. A great mystery with an open end (not a cliffhanger) hopefully that will lead to Simon's story. A definite must read even if you haven't read the first book in the series.
Widow's Wicked Wish: by Lynne Barron A pleasant surprise. With the publisher Ellora's Cave it is often a hit or miss, I never know what I'll get when I get a book from them. I have had them from eye rolling bad to fan yourself delectable, this falls under the latter category. This second book in the Idyllwild series is a wonderful story not much is missed if you haven't read the first book everything you need to know is explained. Young widow Olivia the Countess of Palmerton has enough of doing the right thing. She was the perfect wife for a cold marriage her only joy are her two children but now with her husband dead she must face the horrible rumors of his demise. As a young woman not yet married saw the man she fancied herself in love with in the arms of another woman. Devastated that night she makes a wish on the first star of the night that she wants to be the object of a mans desires to be looked upon as the only woman in the world. With that wish in her mind a year after her husband's death she has decided that her life is her own now and if she wants a lover she'll take one. Jack Bentley is a wealthy merchant, a coal mine owner and the son of one also. His father had high aspirations for him, and when he got caught with a young woman who ended up pregnant may have been what his father wanted but ruined his life. He couldn't help but blame little Olivia for ruining his life, he knew she saw him with the young debutant, Elizabeth Portman, whose lies tied him to her until her death a few years before. Now with Olivia free from her marriage and her mourning he is bound to finally live the life he wanted to have all those years ago, with Olivia as his wife. Olivia escaped with her two children to Idyllwild, a small lovely estate belonging to her half sister's mother. During the winter months before the season starts one day Jack and his daughter show up at Idyllwild on their way to his father's estate and get snowed in. Jack didn't know Olivia was there, he planned to seduce in London during the season but fate worked in his favor. Jack and Olivia quickly fall into a romantic entanglement, a very hot and steamy coupling. Jack has marriage on his mind and Olivia turns him down flat only looking for the here and now. After the snow storm passes and Jack and his daughter leave Olivia is more assure of herself and in her knowledge that what she wants is a lover, she want to do thing now that she couldn't do before she married and after but now a widow she wants to exert her freedom. Jack is willing to play along with Olivia but his goal still is marriage, and he gets his way when they aren't as discreet as they should be and get caught in the act. Forced to marry Olivia slips into the role of the perfect wife for Jack. The fake smile the planning and preening does nothing but piss Jack off. He wants her back the way she was before truly happy and carefree. But can he convince her he wants her and not the perfect wife and will all the secrets and lies between them keep them apart. Lynne Barron is a wonderful writer, I would hope so as a teacher of creative writing and a student of European History and English Literature, she shows her knowledge and talent with this book.
Lex Talionis: by R. S. A. Garcia A great sci-fi story. In a futuristic setting space travel is possible, geneticist have been band from altering and manipulating the human genome but that didn't stop them. A mystery of a young woman found beaten, gang raped and on the verge of death dies in the ER and brought back to life by a strange alien creature. A young doctor obsessed with his patient who can't remember who she is. A forensic pathologist with more secrets and guilt then his shoulders can handle. Two detectives bound and determined to find out what happened to the young woman and how she ties to a crashed transport. A man stuck on a transport surrounded by blood and carnage that use to be his crew mates. The first half of this book is Lex with amnesia, plagued by strange dreams and an unusual companion that communicates through telepathy. Colin the young obsessed doctor tries to help Lex trigger her memory and asks the help of an old friend and professor Anton the Forensic pathologist to look into her case. It is obvious she is a N-gene, a genetically modified human who was created in-vitro and modifications that went far beyond what was available to the general public. Meanwhile throughout the first half we follow a man who has narrowly escaped death and is trying to get to helm to send out a Mayday and set autopilot. The first half ends when the strange alien life form does something to Lex that jogs her memories. The second half of the book alternates between flashbacks and the present. We are introduced to more characters and yet even more betrayal and action. Without revealing too much, because the mystery is what makes the book, you journey with Lex two months prior to when the book started, meeting her foster parents, friends and the love of her life. In the present Lex is on the run and planning her intricate and in-depth plan to take down the first of all the people who betrayed her. We also pick up the story line from her flashbacks and find out what happened afterward on her home planet as well as what happened after she left on the run. This is a very complex book with many different aspects and if you can follow along without getting lost it is very much worth the read. The story ends, yes, but it does leave it open for more and I hope their will more books coming.
His Wicked Smile: by Heather Hiestand Book Three in The Redcakes series is all about how Gawain Redcakes gets his just deserts. (That was cheesy of me I know, I couldn't help myself) I loved this book I think I enjoyed it more then the one before it, Taste of Scandal. You love Gawain straight off the back, and when he says one thing you know he's going to get the exact opposite. Ann Haldene is a beautiful and intelligent innkeeper. She is also a healer, taught by her mother originally born in India daughter of a maharajah who was saved from burning on a funeral pyre with her first husband by an English solider who later married her. Ann herself married an English solider but he was murdered a few years earlier. It all starts with Gawain's desire to settle down and get married. He has his sights set on Hatbrook's sister, Lady Elizabeth. Denied the privilege Gawain hasn't given up, but soon afterward Lady Elizabeth disappears. Thinking she has gone to Gretna Green with Manfred, Gawain Lord Judah and Lewis Noble run up to Scotland in Lewis' car. Along the way Lewis's car breaks down and they are stranded in a town for the night. They are met with an Indian cuisine and the breath-takingly beautiful Ann. Gawain who is suffering from bad hips from his time in the army gets drunk to relieve the pain. Ann helps him to his room and with sparks flying between them they share a night together. Several months pass and they still have not found Lady Elizabeth, with Gawain moving back and forth between London and Scotland he has lost track of Ann but she was never far from his mind. Soon he finds himself at her Inn again only to find her gone and from questioning the new maid he learns she left to London and was with child when she left. Determined to find her it still takes several months before he does. Ann left to London to inform Gawain of his impending Fatherhood, but could not track him down and scared to ask at Redcakes she instead is given a job baking cakes. Soon Gawain and Ann find each other again after the birth of their son, Noel, who was born on Christmas. Gawain instantly wants to marry Ann, hesitant at first Ann gives into him only after an incident at Redcakes and gets fired. Something has been bugging Gawain about Ann's first husband's death and thinks that Ann can't move on without closure. He digs deep and finds something out about Ann that upsets him, he over reacts and starts to shut Ann out. Still trying to find the truth behind the murder of Ann first husband Gawain puts her in great danger. When it's all over can Gawain get over himself and open his heart to Ann and can Ann forgive him or is this marriage doomed from the start? Heather Hiestand once again pleased me beyond measure with this book. I love the characters all of them and I am looking forward to learning what happened to Lady Elizabeth.
Portrait Of Passion: by Lynne Barron I read them out of order I don't care. Book One in the Idyllwild series by Lynne Barron is a fantastic piece of romance perfection. We get to see an artist born on the wrong side of the sheets fall head over heals for a Viscount. Portrait of Passion's character's are the kind that stick with you long after you are done reading the book. Miss Beatrice Morgan also known to the art world as B Morgan has lived in Paris and countless other European cities painting and being the life of the party. But when she happened upon the Earl of Hasting, Henry Tinsdale, at a party in Paris she knows their is no time like the present to gain back her childhood home of Idyllwild. The home that was so rudely taken away from her and her mother nine years prior after the death of her Father. The estate was entitled and the verbal agreement was not upheld so with the help of friends Bea, her mother and two close friends traveled to Paris. Bea followed Henry to London in hopes in getting in his good graces so that she could lease Idyllwild from him. Never intending to tell him the truth of who she is to him. But she never knew she would also met Olivia, Lady Palmerton or Lord Simon Carlisle, Viscount Easton. She soon became fast friends with the trio of them, with Simon something more. Simon Carlisle was instantly taken with the stunning woman who dared to wear scarlet red. She stirred up the gossip on the arm of the older Viscount Moorehead, ensuing the tale that she is his latest mistress, it mattered not to Simon he was utterly captivated. Uncaring about London society insisted friends call her Beatrice and for go such formal titles. Bea's free spirit might not be what Simon needs he is still trying to raise the standards of his family name after his father and mother ran it into the ground. Simon has made it his duty to do right by the name and prove he is nothing like his father or his mother. After one kiss with the mysterious Bea and he knew she was his and he would never let her go. Time passes and the love between Simon and Bea grows. First Simon is determined to make her his mistress and then quickly changes his mind and wants her for his wife. But the secrets Bea has been keeping from him just might threaten everything, and when Henry's mother comes back from rusticating in the country and reveals the truth mixed with lies and her own vindictive hatred and threatens everything. Simon knows Bea will stop at nothing to get back her childhood home, but was making him fall in love with her all part of the plan? Steamy hot, sweet and heart wrenching story. I love the characters, Bea so conflicted and heartbroken you just want to break down and cry with her. Simon so hard and loving at one point you just want to strangle him and then kiss him. If I thought Widow's Wicked Wish was WOW this one is by far beyond WOW. This is one of those books you want to keep with you forever, just carry it around in your bag so it's close by, re-read it over and over. I can't wait for book three where Henry finally gets his story because if it's anything like the first two books... I'm giddy with excitement.
TAMED: by Rebecca Zanetti Dark Protector series book 6.5, Tamed is fantastic! I love this series, I read this twice before I sat down and wrote this review. Caleb and Lily finally! In previous books Caleb was designated by Fate to be a Prophet, the only problem is that Caleb is a warrior, the Realm Rebel was kicked out of the realm for choosing his family members marriage to a shifter rather then the arranged demon, but with the war join forces with Dage and the rest of the Kayrs Brothers to fight the Kurjans. Lily has been dealt a bad hand in some ways she chose duty over love only to end up alone and a prophet when her mate died weeks after mating leaving her alone for more the three hundred years. After being infected by a virus that removed her mates mark she finds herself longing for the intimate touch of another person, and that person is Caleb. The Prophet Lily Sotheby always presented a conservative and peaceful exterior, what else would you think a prophet to look like especially one who counsel the soldiers on PTSD and everything else. But their is one person who knows Lily better then that, knows she's got a fierce tempter and a hidden passion buried deep under the cool calm cover, and he has never stopped loving her even after she chose someone else chose duty over Caleb Donovan. Caleb Donovan despite his Prophet title is helping set up the peace talks between the different races of the Realm, as a warrior by nature he is paranoid about letting Lily be there, fearing he would be to distracted by her to do his job correctly. Still hopeless in love with her he is more then willing to help her scratch that itch, that itch she hasn't been able to scratch since the death of her mate. Together at last Caleb and Lily are both having strange dreams. Dreams in which Fate is telling them they have to kill Janie Kayrs in order for all the races to survive the war. Not believing in the dreams no matter how tempting they make killing her seem Lily and Caleb aren't giving in. But is something more sinister behind dreams or is it really Fate pushing them? This was so not long enough I so wanted more when I finished reading it, and the bad thing is that I have to wait until December for the next one. Caleb and Lily make a hot couple and Rebecca Zanetti sure knows how to write sex. *fans self*
The Red Hot Fix: by T. E. Woods The second novel in The Justice series bring us back Morton Grant and the Fixer herself Lydia Corriger. I was so excited when I saw this available to review at NetGalley. I loved the first book, now it is nice you can read The Red Hot Fix as a Stand Alone but to get the feel of the characters the first one, The Fixer, is recommended. The Red Hot Fix is yet another wonderful book brought to us by T. E. Woods. I was able to guess the whodunit but man it was a good one. Chief of the Detectives Mort Grant is up to his eyeballs in dead Johns. The serial killer dubbed "Trixie" targets men who pay for sex. Drawing a blank and dead ends when it comes to the evidence and where to look Mort ends up at a support group for parents who have lost a loved one to prostitution. Lydia Corriger has finally finished her rehab after getting shot in the last book. She has put her self in seclusion trying to find out what to do with herself and face her actions as The Fixer. She befriends a lonely little girl whose domineering father has kept her out of school and isolated her from everyone. Keeping their friendship a secret and try and help out the little girl make friends. Mort's son who has become a national bestseller because his book based of the Fixer has made him famous, but put his marriage on the rocks. He decides maybe "Trixie" is his next best seller and visits his father in Seattle. But maybe he has bitten off more then he can chew. Reinhart Vogel has it all a beautiful wife to run his favorite Basketball team, his basketball team the Washington Wings, an abiding Stepson to run this expanding sports store, and a young mistress to keep his bed warm. But his high paying star of the team isn't playing his best and threatens everyone to get what he wants, even if it means firing his wife and his firing his star player. His good life is going down the drain so he decides to take matters in to his own hands. He breaks things off with his manipulative and blackmailing mistress, and takes the team into his own hands once again. Mort has been alone since his wife's passing but Charlotte Conklin has sparked his interest. The founder of CLIP, Children Lost in Prostitution has given him some helpful insight into "Trixie" might be. "Trixie" keeps striking accelerating her murders playing the police for fools. But when one murder pops up that doesn't fit her usual method it's obvious it's a copy cat, but Mort plays it like it is one of hers hoping to trip up both murders. Lydia Becomes closer to the little girl but it soon becomes obvious that something isn't right with her home life and once again Lydia must face doing the right thing and doing The Fixer thing. It's an easy choice their is only one thing Lydia can do the hard part is leaving once again. Mort's plan works and he does capture both murders but who they are is pretty shocking. I loved this story. It really is a fast paced read and keeps you pulled it tight.
Dark Paradise: by Angie Sandro the start of a new New Adult paranormal series. Wow, this was a great book, Angie Sandro pulled me into the world of Mala and Landry and left me wanting more. This book is compared to Beautiful Creatures, well I never read the book only saw the movie. What I would compare this book to are the early Southern Vampire books without all the vampires and shifters screwing up her life. It's all about the feel of the book I had the same kind of excitement reading this as I did when reading the first Southern Vampire (aka Sookie Stackhouse) book. In the Bayous of Louisiana Malaise LaCoix is the descendent of a slave and a long line of hoodoo witches. She doesn't believe in any of it growing up being make fun of for being a witch, and the bastard daughter of a prostitute who deals in hoodoo spells on the side. That all changes when she finds the dead body of the preacher's daughter, Lainey, floating on her land. Now she has a dead girl trying to get her help to find her murderer and she is suffering from strange events, nightmares and visions that are signs that she's about to come to her powers soon and that means her Mother's death is going to happen soon. Landry Prince was the star quarterback and the boy all the girls lust after, and he's had some of them but there is one girl he is scared to approach, the he thought would be the one to reject him the beautiful Mala. He has it all in his life good family life and a great older sister but she has changed so much in the last year, He was absolutely devastated by news that she was murdered and it opened something in him he never expected, the spirit world as Lainey is haunting him also. Mala and Landry work together to try and find out the mystery of his sister's death while fighting the disapproval of family and friends as their friendship blossoms into something more. In the end it does end it's not a real cliffhanger just a mini cliff. I am highly anticipating Dark Sacrifice, the second book in the series and find out what's in store next with Landry and Mala.
Only with You: by Lauren Layne Is a cute and funny and a tear jerker of a book it's about finding the real you and changing your opinion what you may think you need or want. I love enemy to lovers stories. Sophie is the kind of person I would hang around with, snarky and fun, lovable and open with absolutely no filter between her brain and her mouth. Gray, I rolled my eyes when I read that just what I need another hero with the name Gray with low and behold gray eyes anyways Gray is prim and proper and the last thing he needs is a wild and uncontrollable woman in his life like Sophie but he can't keep away from her. Their first meeting in Vegas where they get stuck in an elevator and he mistakes her for a street walker is a pivotal moment in Sophie's life where she realizes she needs to do something with her life other than being a cocktail waitress. Gray is new in Seattle and in a bout of loneliness accepts the invitation to go out to dinner of a perfectly respectable woman, Brynn, the kind of woman that he should marry and live out a normal simple life. Brynn he doesn't realize is the sister of the chatter box woman he hasn't been able to get out of his mind. Now thanks to Brynn just volunteered her sister Sophie to be his new assistant. To courteous to out right refuse hires Sophie. The chemistry between Sophie and Gray is a wonderful thing to behold. The dynamics of their hate to love relationship is so funny. Gray has been burned, badly, from his last girlfriend/fiancée who just happens to look like Sophie's twin. Sophie can't understand why she is attracted to someone so stuffy and cold as Gray but after working with him she starts to understand him. She even falls in love with him but his wishy washy ways have her confused and she is confused enough by her life choices she does what she thinks is what she needs. Is it to late for Gray or can he win her back? Along with Sophie and Gray's story is kicker for Brynn and Will's story which will conclude in the next book, and I will defiantly read it.
The Return to Homecoming Ranch: by Julia London We are back to Pine River, and
Leo, who suffers from the same thing as Steven Hawking and a self proclaimed
genius because of that, is up to his same ole meddling as usual. It may not
seem like it but Leo really does know what he is doing. Libby Tyler has lead a
life of disappointments but that has never stopped her before, always the first
to volunteer, always willing to help. But when her boyfriend suddenly dumps her
for his ex-wife Libby's world falls down around her. In a fit of insomnia
fueled anger she smashes his truck with a golf club and earns her self a stay
at the Behavioral Center. I can completely understand the pain Libby went
through. She raised two kids who were not hers but loved them like they were
and when it was over she never got an explanation or a chance to say good bye.
With a restraining order against her she can't help but go and see the kids she
loves repeatedly violating the restraining order. Sheriff Sam Winters has swore
of alcohol and woman. His first wife was a "free spirit" who slowly
drew Sam in her alcohol soaked world. After a close call Sam got clean and when
it was obvious his wife wouldn't stop drinking he left her. Now he hides up in
his house building birdhouses keeping everyone at a distance. Sam has always
admired Libby always found her dark hair and blue eyes beautiful. Libby's
almost constant violations keep bring them together. Sam sticks his neck out
for her and is the only one who really understands her and listens to her and
soon they both realize their is something more there. Both with a truck load of
baggage must over come their issues and Libby must get past the town gossip
about her being crazy and her asshat ex. I loved this it was even better than
the first book. All the while Libby and Maddie are still trying to figure out
how to keep Homecoming Ranch afloat. Libby I can see people might dislike her
because of how she comes across, naïve and ditsy but she hopeful to a fault. I
love Libby and I can totally sympathize with her. Sam I loved as well more so
after... well no spoilers. Gwen, the ex-wife, despite Julia's writing people
talking positive about her every time she spoke I wanted to do physical
violence to her but not more then I wanted to hurt the ex-boyfriend. I love the
way Julia London writes completely pulls you in. I am so emotionally tied to
this series and I can't wait for Emma.
Dark Sacrifice: By Angie Sandro Book 2 of Dark Paradise series picks up right where we left off with Dark Paradise. Mala is still in the Looney bin and Landry is still in prison. This one is just as good if not better than the first. Mala and Landry must face the aftermath of the atrocities his family brought on to Mala’s. Not to mention all the flirting and teasing between the two pays off with a sweet, sexy and romantic scene. Mala has learned some control over her abilities, not a lot just enough to ignore all the ghost haunting the mental ward of the hospital and convince her doctor she is not insane. Her nightly out of body experiences always take her to check up on Landry in prison, the last one she witness Landry’s cell mate trying to murder him. Mala wakes up screaming thinking Landry has died. The day before she is scheduled to leave her former boss comes to her and admits a big secret *no spoilers* that totally throws her for a loop that shines George, her first crush, in a whole new light. Landry just barely survived the attack, he did die and he came back but he didn’t come back alone. When Mala is released she visits him in the hospital and they both find out he now shares Mala’s special ability of seeing the dead. With nowhere else to go and the whole town blaming Landry for the sins of his parents Mala invites him to live with her. It’s just the beginning when they are attacked by ghosts because of revenge and the mystery of where Landry’s father is hiding and the other two people who helped murder Mala’s mother. On top of all that Auntie Magnolia is back and she wants to be repaid for her crossroads bargain. Not to mention the relationship between Mala and Landry has the typical ups and downs. Again the story ends with a mini cliffhanger like the first it ends but it leaves a little bit hanging to tantalize you into reading the next one Dark Redemption out in September. I loved this book I read through this in one day I couldn’t put it down. It is recommended that you read Dark Paradise first only because all the character development happened in that book and the actions in it are continued in this book.
Duty Bound: by Sidney Bristol Book two in the Bayou Bound series by Sidney Bristol. New to loving Sidney Bristol I grabbed at the chance to review this book not caring that it was the second book. I was not let down it was everything I hoped to expect and more from Sidney Bristol. I love second chance stories and this is a great example of one. Lisette and Mathieu are damaged individuals, Lisette is on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend and Mathieu is still burned from what his ex-wife did to him. It's a wonderful story about learning to trust again and discovering love you thought you lost. I found this story to be enticing, erotic, entertaining and above all a joy to read. At the start of the book Mathieu is like a black cup of coffee; hot, strong and bitter. Mathieu has always had a soft spot for the damsel in distress as a cop he has come across plenty, but the last time he fell for a soft woman in need she played him and took everything in the divorce. Mathieu learned his lesson and vows no more damsels. Until his sister calls and asks him to help someone in serious need. Mathieu is skeptical but agrees to see the woman none the less. He never expected it to the woman he almost lost his heart to in college. Mathieu broke it off with Lisette for several reasons the main reason being that he is a dominate and he doesn't think the sweet and innocent Lisette could handle his need to dominate. Lisette was heartbroken about Mathieu breaking it off never getting an actual reason for it. On top of her heart break she was dealing with her pretentious stuck up family trying to run her life especially after she changed her major to sex therapy. She managed to keep her family out of her personal life and her desire to submit to a dominate and the feel of pain to pleasure. In her studies she created a blog where woman have a place to go to learn, vent, get advice and just be their kinky selves and it exploded like she never thought. Lisette broke things off with her very vanilla boyfriend for the obvious reason that she wasn't getting everything she needed from the relationship. She never expected him to a complete sociopath. He sent her to the hospital three times each time more beaten then the last. A former Special Forces he was able to track her down each time she ran. With no place other to go she called the only person she knew could protect her, Mathieu. Mathieu once burn doesn't quite believe Lisette's story and starts to dig into her claims. In doing so he discovers a series of attacks in the area that bear the same signature beatings the Lisette endured. Lisette thinking she's in the clear posts on her blog the truth about what she has been going through, she runs the blog anonymously and never thought that she could be tracked through that let alone that he knew she ran the site. Lisette and Mathieu still have feelings for each other but with how things ended between them they are both hesitant to act, that is until Lisette finds an absolutely delicious flogger hiding under Mathieu's bed and confront shim about it. Lisette hasn't played out a scene in over a year and propositions Mathieu. Mathieu is stunned that Lisette is involved in the BDSM world and agrees to her needs with no sex. Ya that doesn't last long. Soon Mathieu and Lisette work it all out and are once again together but her crazy ass ex is still a problem. I loved this book, I can't wait for more Sidney Bristol kinky goodness to show up on my Kindle.
Memory Zero: by Keri Arthur book one in the Spook Squad series originally published ten years ago. A futuristic, scif-fi, paranormal, mystery, urban fantasy really everything I love in one book. A well written story by Keri Arthur, I have seen her books around but never had the opportunity to read on until now and I'm glad I read this one. Sam is my favorite kind of character she is strong, snarky, doesn't know her own beauty and when the shit hits the fan she does what she does best and improvises. The story is an enigma wrapped in a mystery when one thing leads you down one path you end up somewhere completely different. Sam loves her job but when her partner goes missing her life turns upside down. Two week after his disappearance he calls her up to meet but what she finds is a man who says he is but isn't her partner and a strange monster that's starts to hunt her and a strange, large, handsome man who saves her. To make matters worse the not partner is a vampire bend on turning her she has no choice but to kill him before he kills her. Now because nobody believes that he was a vampire and his wife spilling lies about them having an affair she is suspended from duty. The spook squad has had their eye on her for some time so they bring her in for an "evaluation" but really they are testing her abilities and how it is she can do that groovy thing she does so well. Sam's life began at age fourteen nothing before then existed not even her memory. Gabriel Stern, the mysterious handsome large man who saved her from the flying monster is the one of the top men of the Special Investigations Unit, the "Spook Squad" , and he is determined to find out why Sam is different why she can tell the difference between the paranormal species and why the criminal mastermind is out for her. Gabriel is trying to protect Sam from those who want her but she just keeps going off on her own trying to solve what happened to her partner and her past slowly starts to reveal itself. It is revealed about just what Sam is but her past is still a mystery. Even after they thwarted the criminal mastermind and Sam's evil ex-partner Sam's still suspended and transferred permanently transferred to the spook squad and partnered with Gabriel. To be Continued in Generation 18.
The Kidnapped Bride: Heather Hiestand WooHoo! Redcakes #4 I jumped for joy when I saw this up for review, I love this series and it's mix matched couples and sweet happily ever after's. Even as short as this book is it was full of stuff mistaken identity, kidnapping (DUH! the tile) love before marriage, abandoned babies, jumping to conclusions, and quick thought up lies to protect reputations. A very fulfilling story. In the late Victorian era the Redcake family is just as successful as ever and everyone is happy well not everyone. In the last book the young Lady Elizabeth Shield ran away presumably to Scotland to force marriage on the man she chased after. He was having non of it so she became his maid-of-it-all. The family has hired Dougal Alexander to find her and the man she ran off with, who is a thief he made off with a bunch of jewels. Well Dougal finds him but not Lady Elizabeth it isn't until he is down in London and sees both of Lady Elizabeth's brothers that he realizes he has seen her before and rushes back to Edinburgh before it's to late. Well it is just before he could get to her white slavers kidnapped her. Dougal saves the day and contacts her brothers. Elizabeth is scared to go back for fear of her reputation and prepares her self mentally for finds work and staying in Scotland to take care of the baby she took in. Never fear he brothers are smart and soon convince her to go back. But Dougal has fallen in love with her and screws up his chances, or did he? Short, but it does not take away from the excellence I have come to love about this series.
Genna Rulon's For You series I'll start at the beginning...
Only For You A first person POV from the eyes of Everleigh Carsen a young woman on the verge of graduation and taking over the coffee shop where she works. He best friend/sister/roommate Sam has been part of her life for as long as she can remember. Ev's mom was a mother to them both and when she pasted away Sam was the one who helped pick up the pieces and move on. Sam even chose her college based on Ev. Life has been good so far but the current threat at the college that someone has been beating and raping the woman of Hensley University has them all scared. Ev and Sam join a free self defense class provided by the college. Ev unfortunately smarts off to the incredibly delectable teacher. Hunter Charles is enemy number one in Ev's book their verbal sparing has her losing to him at every turn. When Hunter quotes Gone with the Wind she automatically assumes he's gay and brings him to the fold. Which is good timing because Sam has fallen in love and Ev when not with Sam is with Hunter. Or they are all hanging out at The Stop their favorite bar and favorite bartender Griffon. The attacks at the school start escalating and girls end up dying. Ev finally realizes the Hunter is as far from being gay as you can get, he has even admitted he has feelings for her but gives the excuse that he is in a bad place in his life and can't be in a real relationship and all he can offer Ev is friendship. It all changes when Sam is attacked. The truth nearly breaks Sam and Ev convinces her to seek counseling out of state to a place geared toward woman who have suffered from physical and sexual abuse. Hunter and Ev's relationship escalates as well until it crashes and burns but it takes a lot for Ev to forgive Hunter. A very emotional tear jerking story. A little predictable but sucked in to the world and wrung me dry emotionally. The sexual tension between Ev and Hunter is a wonderful tease, and I loved every minute of it. Sam is such a great character her unfiltered attitude is what you want for a friend and even thought she can get annoying at times she is fearless and loyal. Griffin I loved at first word. Meg small part she had in this is memorable none the less.
Pieces For You Book two picks up right where we left off Sam has returned and is trying to cope with nightly night terrors and the sympathetic looks from all her friends. But slowly she is working to get over her fears and come back even stronger than before. Griffin was torn apart when he heard about Sam, he has been in love with her ever since he first saw he across the crowded bar and now he is patiently bidding his time until Sam is ready. When she finally shows signs of improvement Griffin swoops in and helps her even more than she could hope. Everything is going dandy until a lawyer shows up offering to pay her not to testify against her attacker, so not going to happen, she kicks him out of the coffee shop. Soon hereafter she starts to receive threats first veiled threats warning her off that escalade into outright treats. Only after an attempted kidnapping do they figure out who is behind the threats and the kidnapping attempt. Griffin deals with it differently and almost loses Sam in the process but Griffin risks his future to help ensure Sam never has to worry about her attacker again. Another heart wrenching story, I really didn't think it could top Only for You but Sam and Griffin's story is so much more.
TEMPER FOR YOU by Genna Rulon I loved this book! I really don't know what else to say, it was above and beyond what I expected. Meg and Westly are hot, the sexual tension blows Huntleigh out of the water. Unlike the first two which are predominantly only in one POV, the first book being Ev and the second Sam with some sporadic chapters of Griffin POV, this one switches back and forth between Westly and Meg. I am really starting to like the duel POV's as I have said in the past I am stingy I like to know everything. The emotional heart wrenching history of Meg is finally brought forth and despite her closeness to Sam and Ev she decides that it's best if she runs again. She had given herself until after the holidays. Her advisor for her dissertation questions her about her findings and the truth must come out and Meg reveals to her that she was writing about herself and her family. Her very wise professor talks her out of leaving, to stand up and finally fight against her family. Meg agrees because for once she had someone to fight for to stay for. The relationship with Wes and Meg threatens to fall apart when Wes learns only half truths and flips out. Even when Wes gets his head out of his ass and they get back together Meg's family is still out there threatening her peace, happiness and sanity. I lived in this book while I was reading it. Even when I wasn't reading my mind was still in the For You universe.
Dark Redemption: by Angie Sandro Oh My Gravy!! It all comes together and falls apart and comes together again in this last book of Angie Sandro’s Dark Paradise trilogy/series. Angie Sandro is amazing when it comes to weaving an intricate story tying up things from the last two books neatly into this one for one dynamic climatic ending. I loved every second of this series, every twist and turn and scary hoodoo spell this series has been great reading. Mala and Landry are stuck between a rock and a hard place. With the death of their father and Dena in a coma, Mala and Landry are left to take care of her cousins; cousins that enjoy making Mala’s life hell but secretly love her and don’t want to be separated, no matter what Social Services say. Landry’s Father left homeless after the last book is staying with them helping out, and keeping Landry and Mala apart until the wedding bells ring not that that is stopping them. Meanwhile Landry’s getting worse with that thing in his head takes over when he sleeps and sleepwalks, it really freaks Mala out when she finds him naked in her chicken coop covered in blood and feather. Auntie Magnolia has sent Sophia and Ferdinand to help train Mala and Landry with their abilities but human remains found out on a preserve has George asking Mala for help pulling her away from training. The heinous actions of this killer has endangered Mala the only way to help is Landry makes a deal with the demon in his head. The demon that turns out isn’t really a demon and despite a twisted sense of humor is trying to help. The child murder is still on the loose and George uses Mala’s need to help other to lure her in to help with the case. To top it all off Mala and Landry get a couple of surprises that can change everything. One being the sudden reappearance of Poppy, the mother of her cousins who ran off and vanished years before and wants to take back her boys and pull Dena off life support. The shit all hits the fan at the same time. Mala and Laundry fight for their sanity and dark entities both physical and mystical that are out to ruin everything. No one is who you think they are good guys end up being bad and the people you think are bad end up saving the day. This series really is best when all three are read but it is so worth it.
Generation 18: by Keri Arthur A beautiful new cover for the re-release of Generation 18, book two of Keri Arthur's Spook Squad series. It picks up a little bit after the conclusion of Memory Zero where Gabriel and Sam have been partners for enough time to drive each other crazy. Gabriel pushing Sam away and keeping her at the office doing paper work and research trying to get her mad enough to ask for a transfer. The start up of a serial killer and kite monster attacks draws Sam out of the office and in to the playing field and into the line of fire. Gabriel is pushing her away because he has lost two partners in the past and he likes Sam way to much to risk losing her, but he has played the bastard to many times and risks losing her as more than just a partner. The evidence leads Sam and Gabriel to the Medical Military base knows as Hopewell. Hopewell has continually had medical experiments in the past and there are ties that might lead Sam to finding out her past. She has been having dreams about a boy named Joshua and is able to talk to the mysterious "Joe Black", the hobo looking hairy guy who helped her in the past, in dreams and he points her in the right direction for her own past and the rejects from Hopewell. The growing connection between Gabe and Sam is growing stronger, Gabe knows this and uses it to his advantage but only when Gabe is in trouble does Sam face that fact and use it to help find Gabe when he is kidnapped by the rejects. Sam whose body has been stunted at the age of sixteen has just started changing and has had her first period she is also experiencing newer and stronger powers. I really have been torturing myself with this series I have had all three books and I have been waiting until closer to review to read each one, at least it is only a months wait between each books. I am really enjoying this series with the yo-yoing between Sam and Gabe relationship and Sam always getting beat down and getting right back up to help and save the day. These are really enjoyable reads I can't wait to dig my claws in to Penumbra, which comes out next month.
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