When I set out to write a book about the natural history of breasts, I knew I'd have to answer some awkward questions about my book topic. At a...
Continue »
"The Circle Eight" historical western romance series continues with Book Two, "Brody" by Emma Lang. Hotter than a habanero, and a thrill-a-minute action adventure to boot, "Brody" is a very intense romance read. We were first introduced to the characters of Brody Armstrong and Olivia Graham in "Matthew", Book One in the series. Brody is a hard-edged, tougher-than-nails Texas Ranger. Olivia met Brody when he began investigating the murders of her parents and the kidnapping of her youngest brother, Benjy. Being the oldest sister in the Graham family, Olivia is very protective and managerial toward her siblings. Naturally strong-willed and keenly intelligent, Olivia is unlike any woman Brody has ever met, and she turns him upside down and inside out. He has a similar effect on her, and the sparks between them are fiery and passionate. When Brody uncovers a clue to Benjy's disappearance, he goes to the Graham ranch to speak with the oldest brother, Matt. Since Matt and the other Graham brothers are away at the time, Olivia demands to be informed of Brody's findings. Determined to follow Brody in his search for Benjy, Olivia persists in pursuing the reluctant ranger until she wears him down and he takes her along in the investigation. These two are more than match for each other, and they bluff, bicker, and bluster their way through one adventure after another in their quest to bring down the evil gang that murdered the Grahams and stole little Benjy. The more they fight and finagle, the more the attraction between them grows, and soon their hearts become involved. Each of them has personal issues which cause them to think they are not worthy of being loved and having a lasting relationship, and neither is sure that they could have a future together. As the investigation intensifies, and Brody and Olivia are pulled deeper and deeper into a world of danger, can love find its way? Can the pervasive and powerful evil which killed families like the Grahams and stole away little children to be sold for hideous purposes finally be stopped? Will the youngest Graham return to the Circle Eight? Author Emma Lang is sure to captivate fans of historical western romance who love "heat with heart"!
One of a Southerner's favorite meals is a slice of juicy, ripe homegrown tomato on a fresh, hot butter biscuit! I could almost taste that biscuit and feel the butter and juice from the tomato on my chin as I read "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table" by Tammy Algood. What a wonderful book! Beautifully produced on thick paper with colorful photos and helpful insights, this book is just the right size to be holdable and readable. As I write this in Spring, our Farmer's Markets here in the States will soon bloom with gorgeous produce and other seasonal offerings. However, at any given time, somewhere in the world, garden goodness is ripe for the picking and fruit orchards offer a bounty of delights. "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking" encourages you to go fresh, go local when possible, and go for the gusto of food prepared and served the way it was meant to be enjoyed! These recipes are literally a "return to the roots" of good food from good earth. I am not a great fan of black-eyed peas, but when I say the photo and recipe for "Pea-Picking Salsa", I wanted to dip a pita chip right into that page! "Roasted Bacon Pecans"--heh-heh--pecan, butter, bacon, sugar, and salt--heh-heh!!! "Garden Vegetable Soup"--no meat at all--just gorgeous veggies and veggie stock, kicked up with added white wine. If I list all the marvelous ingredients in the "Sweet Potato and Shrimp Chowder", you might just start to cry from longing. "Hot Bacon Dressing over Wilted Greens" is an absolute Southern Classic--really! "Twice As Nice Corn Casserole" is so darn good, you must have at least two servings. "Parsnip and Tart Apple Puree"--a most perfect accompaniment to a pork main dish. "Baked Parmesan Catfish" will set your whiskers to twitching with its crusty, salty goodness. "Orchard Fresh Peach Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting"--have mercy! "Sweet Cherry Dessert Sauce" made with cherry brandy or liqueur--can you imagine the sinful goodness of this sauce on rich, dense, homemade vanilla ice cream! "Savory Zucchini Pie"--a crustless "quiche"--quick-mixed all in one bowl. "Summer Fruit Watermelon Smoothies"--fresh watermelon blended with ice, lime juice and raspberry sherbet--even just thinking about it is refreshing! Tammy Algood has written a delightful, delectable book that brings back many good memories to this Southerner's heart! "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking" is a sure pick when you are in the market for cookbook treat!
Author Katie Ganshert's debut work, "Wildflowers from Winter", is beautifully written and perfectly paced. There are no false notes in this involving story which flows like a bubbling stream toward a waiting lake. I loved the characters, and I understood their conflicts and appreciated their struggles to make sense of what was happening around them. Each character in turn had a crisis of faith, and there were no simple answers. Their pain as they suffered their spiritual struggles was poignantly etched. All of us will face unexpected challenges and unwanted losses. There is no way to live a human life and not know these things. Often, bad things that happen to us work in tandem like a line of dominoes--as one moves forward, it sets the others in motion to follow. Bethany Quinn worked hard to leave behind her rural trailer-park young life to become a successful Chicago architect. As a child she had loved spending time with her grandfather at his farm. When Bethany's father died, her mother moved Bethany and her brother away to a quite different life, shadowed by her mother's complex personality and involvement with a local minister. Bethany loathes Pastor Fenton, and her mother's devotion to the man widens the chasm between mother and daughter. Years later, as Bethany seems to have all she has worked to achieve within her grasp, her beloved grandfather becomes ill, and Bethany also learns that the best friend of her youth, Robin, has suffered a tragedy. Bethany goes home, to the little community of Peaks, Iowa. She wants to make sure that her grandfather will be all right, and she tries to think of a way to comfort Robin, whose husband is in a coma after a tragic accident. Immediately upon her arrival at the farm, she has a tense confrontation with Evan Price, who manages the farm for Bethany's Grandpa Dan. Later, Bethany learns that Robin is married to Evan's brother, Micah, who will never recover from his injuries. Micah is considered to be clinically dead, and heart-shattering decisions must be made about the future. Unable to bear the weight of the grief around her, Bethany assures herself that Grandpa Dan is okay, and she quickly returns to Chicago. A phone call from Evan soon shatters her illusions, as her grandfather's death brings her home once again. At the same time she loses Grandpa Dan, her career comes to an end through company downsizing, and her relationship with her ambitious lawyer boyfriend becomes doubtful. To her shock, she inherits her grandfather's farm land, but Evan inherits the farmhouse, equipment, and livestock. The split inheritance forces her to face her attraction to Evan, and she must decide whether to sell the land or stay in Peaks. Her friend Robin is pregnant, widowed, and much in need of Bethany's support. Truly at a crucial turning point in her life, Bethany is pulled from many directions, and the strong spiritual faith shown by Evan and Robin seems outside her ability to accept. As Bethany faces secrets from her past and searches for resolution for her future, her heart begins to heal, and she finds new strength and purpose. What will her future hold? What are the right decisions for everyone? Will Bethany learn to let go and reach out for happiness with Evan and find inner peace? How will Robin overcome her grief and thrive along with the new life she is bringing into the world? Katie Ganshert has written a love story that is about more than romance. It is about learning to love and forgive one's self, and understanding that letting go of sorrow and despair, and accepting faith, can be liberating and reviving. I very much look forward to the upcoming sequel, "Wishing on Willows".
"A Texan's Honor", by Shelley Gray, is a superbly written, thrilling historical western romantic suspense work. I was enthralled with the story line from the opening line all the way through the final sentence, which was just two words, but very meaningful words. After losing both her parents, and having to leave all she has ever known in Denver, CO, young Jamilyn Ellis boards a train to begin a new life with two maiden aunts in Kansas City, KS. There is also a possibility of an engagement with her aunts' neighbor, Randall, with whom Jamie has been corresponding. The train journey proves to be both fateful and eventful, as the train is captured by the Walton Gang, one of the most deadly band of outlaws the West had ever known. Jamie ends up the lone woman hostage, and she is in fear not only for her life, but of a fate worse than death at the hands of the vicious gang. One of the gang members stands out from the rest. Will McMillan, tall, cool and quiet-spoken, becomes Jamie's protector. Even though she senses that Will is no less lethal than his cohorts, she also sees that there are hidden depths to the man, and she realizes that he is her only hope of survival. Unknown to Jamie, Will is an undercover US Marshal, secretly working to bring down James Walton and his criminal empire. A Civil War veteran, Will has seen all the ugliness that life can offer, and he is struck by Jamie's innocence and vulnerability. Yet he also sees that beyond her youthful beauty and lack of worldliness, there is a kindred soul, something he never expected. As the situation on the train becomes more intense and hair-trigger nerves are itching for action, Will knows that the only way to save Jamie is to get her off the train. In a daring escape, they jump from the train and begin a perilous trek to safety. Will loses his heart to Jamie almost from the first moment, but he feels that he is unworthy of her, and he decides he must get her to a safe place and walk away. Jamie, who has low self-esteem due to her parents' indifferent attitude, wants to trust Will, and her heart tells her that she wants to be with him. All the while Jamie and Will are making their way to safety, they are being tracked by one of the Walton Gang, Scout Proffitt. Dressed always in black from head to toe, with eyes darker than midnight, Scout Proffitt strikes with the lethal speed of a rattlesnake. He and Will have a mutual respect, almost a friendship, and neither realizes that they are connected by Scout's older brother Clayton Proffitt, who was Will's captain in the war. As many times as Scout has dealt with the Devil, his soul is not completely lost, and he is conflicted by his lifestyle and his mission to kill Will and recapture Jamie. As he continues his hunt, Scout's life takes twists and turns he never saw coming, and his reunion with Will is not what either man expects. When Jamie is finally brought together with her aunts, her life also takes an unexpected turn. Will hearts be united and spirits granted the salvation they seek? Shelly Gray will take hold of you from the first page, and you will not want her to let you go! Westerns and trains are made for each other, and this book is as exciting and involving as any great Western film you ever seen. It's so vividly written that you are right there in the story line as it unfolds! "A Texan's Honor" is the second book in Shelley Gray's "The Heart of a Hero" series. I also highly recommend the first book, "A Texan's Promise", and I fervently hope that there will be more books to come in this wonderful series.
Rafael De Luca has a secret, one that could cost him the biggest business deal of his life. He survived a plane crash, but lost a very important chunk of his memory. His three business partners, his close friends since college, are providing emotional support and a much-needed smokescreen. His grip on his image as a successful, sophisticated entrepreneur is further threatened with the arrival of a beautiful and obviously pregnant woman who claims to have been involved with Rafael during the weeks of his life that he can't remember. Fiery and lovely Bryony Morgan stirs emotions in Rafael that he never dreamed he could feel, and he is compelled to believe the story she tells. His gut instinct tells him that he is the father of her child, but his rational mind tries to remind him that he never lets his feelings get the best of him. He journeys back to Bryony's home, the very land which he purchased and promised her that he would never develop for commercial purposes. However, the Rafael who emerged from the plane crash did not remember that promise, and the business deal moves forward. Will Rafael regain his lost memory and also keep the woman he loves? How will Bryony continue to care for a man who walked away from her without a warning and seems to be much different from the man she came to know and love? "Enticed By His Forgotten Lover" is the first book in Maya Banks "Pregnancy & Passion" series for the Harlequin "Desire" line.
Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.
Don't Miss
Customer Comments
Virginia Campbell has commented on (110) products.
Brody (the Circle Eight) by Emma Lang
Virginia Campbell, April 21, 2012
"The Circle Eight" historical western romance series continues with Book Two, "Brody" by Emma Lang. Hotter than a habanero, and a thrill-a-minute action adventure to boot, "Brody" is a very intense romance read. We were first introduced to the characters of Brody Armstrong and Olivia Graham in "Matthew", Book One in the series. Brody is a hard-edged, tougher-than-nails Texas Ranger. Olivia met Brody when he began investigating the murders of her parents and the kidnapping of her youngest brother, Benjy. Being the oldest sister in the Graham family, Olivia is very protective and managerial toward her siblings. Naturally strong-willed and keenly intelligent, Olivia is unlike any woman Brody has ever met, and she turns him upside down and inside out. He has a similar effect on her, and the sparks between them are fiery and passionate. When Brody uncovers a clue to Benjy's disappearance, he goes to the Graham ranch to speak with the oldest brother, Matt. Since Matt and the other Graham brothers are away at the time, Olivia demands to be informed of Brody's findings. Determined to follow Brody in his search for Benjy, Olivia persists in pursuing the reluctant ranger until she wears him down and he takes her along in the investigation. These two are more than match for each other, and they bluff, bicker, and bluster their way through one adventure after another in their quest to bring down the evil gang that murdered the Grahams and stole little Benjy. The more they fight and finagle, the more the attraction between them grows, and soon their hearts become involved. Each of them has personal issues which cause them to think they are not worthy of being loved and having a lasting relationship, and neither is sure that they could have a future together. As the investigation intensifies, and Brody and Olivia are pulled deeper and deeper into a world of danger, can love find its way? Can the pervasive and powerful evil which killed families like the Grahams and stole away little children to be sold for hideous purposes finally be stopped? Will the youngest Graham return to the Circle Eight? Author Emma Lang is sure to captivate fans of historical western romance who love "heat with heart"!Review Copy Gratis Kensington Books
Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table by Tammy Algood
Virginia Campbell, April 21, 2012
One of a Southerner's favorite meals is a slice of juicy, ripe homegrown tomato on a fresh, hot butter biscuit! I could almost taste that biscuit and feel the butter and juice from the tomato on my chin as I read "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table" by Tammy Algood. What a wonderful book! Beautifully produced on thick paper with colorful photos and helpful insights, this book is just the right size to be holdable and readable. As I write this in Spring, our Farmer's Markets here in the States will soon bloom with gorgeous produce and other seasonal offerings. However, at any given time, somewhere in the world, garden goodness is ripe for the picking and fruit orchards offer a bounty of delights. "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking" encourages you to go fresh, go local when possible, and go for the gusto of food prepared and served the way it was meant to be enjoyed! These recipes are literally a "return to the roots" of good food from good earth. I am not a great fan of black-eyed peas, but when I say the photo and recipe for "Pea-Picking Salsa", I wanted to dip a pita chip right into that page! "Roasted Bacon Pecans"--heh-heh--pecan, butter, bacon, sugar, and salt--heh-heh!!! "Garden Vegetable Soup"--no meat at all--just gorgeous veggies and veggie stock, kicked up with added white wine. If I list all the marvelous ingredients in the "Sweet Potato and Shrimp Chowder", you might just start to cry from longing. "Hot Bacon Dressing over Wilted Greens" is an absolute Southern Classic--really! "Twice As Nice Corn Casserole" is so darn good, you must have at least two servings. "Parsnip and Tart Apple Puree"--a most perfect accompaniment to a pork main dish. "Baked Parmesan Catfish" will set your whiskers to twitching with its crusty, salty goodness. "Orchard Fresh Peach Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting"--have mercy! "Sweet Cherry Dessert Sauce" made with cherry brandy or liqueur--can you imagine the sinful goodness of this sauce on rich, dense, homemade vanilla ice cream! "Savory Zucchini Pie"--a crustless "quiche"--quick-mixed all in one bowl. "Summer Fruit Watermelon Smoothies"--fresh watermelon blended with ice, lime juice and raspberry sherbet--even just thinking about it is refreshing! Tammy Algood has written a delightful, delectable book that brings back many good memories to this Southerner's heart! "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking" is a sure pick when you are in the market for cookbook treat!Review Copy Gratis Thomas Nelson Books
Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert
Virginia Campbell, April 21, 2012
Author Katie Ganshert's debut work, "Wildflowers from Winter", is beautifully written and perfectly paced. There are no false notes in this involving story which flows like a bubbling stream toward a waiting lake. I loved the characters, and I understood their conflicts and appreciated their struggles to make sense of what was happening around them. Each character in turn had a crisis of faith, and there were no simple answers. Their pain as they suffered their spiritual struggles was poignantly etched. All of us will face unexpected challenges and unwanted losses. There is no way to live a human life and not know these things. Often, bad things that happen to us work in tandem like a line of dominoes--as one moves forward, it sets the others in motion to follow. Bethany Quinn worked hard to leave behind her rural trailer-park young life to become a successful Chicago architect. As a child she had loved spending time with her grandfather at his farm. When Bethany's father died, her mother moved Bethany and her brother away to a quite different life, shadowed by her mother's complex personality and involvement with a local minister. Bethany loathes Pastor Fenton, and her mother's devotion to the man widens the chasm between mother and daughter. Years later, as Bethany seems to have all she has worked to achieve within her grasp, her beloved grandfather becomes ill, and Bethany also learns that the best friend of her youth, Robin, has suffered a tragedy. Bethany goes home, to the little community of Peaks, Iowa. She wants to make sure that her grandfather will be all right, and she tries to think of a way to comfort Robin, whose husband is in a coma after a tragic accident. Immediately upon her arrival at the farm, she has a tense confrontation with Evan Price, who manages the farm for Bethany's Grandpa Dan. Later, Bethany learns that Robin is married to Evan's brother, Micah, who will never recover from his injuries. Micah is considered to be clinically dead, and heart-shattering decisions must be made about the future. Unable to bear the weight of the grief around her, Bethany assures herself that Grandpa Dan is okay, and she quickly returns to Chicago. A phone call from Evan soon shatters her illusions, as her grandfather's death brings her home once again. At the same time she loses Grandpa Dan, her career comes to an end through company downsizing, and her relationship with her ambitious lawyer boyfriend becomes doubtful. To her shock, she inherits her grandfather's farm land, but Evan inherits the farmhouse, equipment, and livestock. The split inheritance forces her to face her attraction to Evan, and she must decide whether to sell the land or stay in Peaks. Her friend Robin is pregnant, widowed, and much in need of Bethany's support. Truly at a crucial turning point in her life, Bethany is pulled from many directions, and the strong spiritual faith shown by Evan and Robin seems outside her ability to accept. As Bethany faces secrets from her past and searches for resolution for her future, her heart begins to heal, and she finds new strength and purpose. What will her future hold? What are the right decisions for everyone? Will Bethany learn to let go and reach out for happiness with Evan and find inner peace? How will Robin overcome her grief and thrive along with the new life she is bringing into the world? Katie Ganshert has written a love story that is about more than romance. It is about learning to love and forgive one's self, and understanding that letting go of sorrow and despair, and accepting faith, can be liberating and reviving. I very much look forward to the upcoming sequel, "Wishing on Willows".Review Copy Gratis WaterBrook Press
Heart of a Hero #2: A Texan's Honor: The Heart of a Hero Book #2 by Shelley Gray
Virginia Campbell, April 21, 2012
"A Texan's Honor", by Shelley Gray, is a superbly written, thrilling historical western romantic suspense work. I was enthralled with the story line from the opening line all the way through the final sentence, which was just two words, but very meaningful words. After losing both her parents, and having to leave all she has ever known in Denver, CO, young Jamilyn Ellis boards a train to begin a new life with two maiden aunts in Kansas City, KS. There is also a possibility of an engagement with her aunts' neighbor, Randall, with whom Jamie has been corresponding. The train journey proves to be both fateful and eventful, as the train is captured by the Walton Gang, one of the most deadly band of outlaws the West had ever known. Jamie ends up the lone woman hostage, and she is in fear not only for her life, but of a fate worse than death at the hands of the vicious gang. One of the gang members stands out from the rest. Will McMillan, tall, cool and quiet-spoken, becomes Jamie's protector. Even though she senses that Will is no less lethal than his cohorts, she also sees that there are hidden depths to the man, and she realizes that he is her only hope of survival. Unknown to Jamie, Will is an undercover US Marshal, secretly working to bring down James Walton and his criminal empire. A Civil War veteran, Will has seen all the ugliness that life can offer, and he is struck by Jamie's innocence and vulnerability. Yet he also sees that beyond her youthful beauty and lack of worldliness, there is a kindred soul, something he never expected. As the situation on the train becomes more intense and hair-trigger nerves are itching for action, Will knows that the only way to save Jamie is to get her off the train. In a daring escape, they jump from the train and begin a perilous trek to safety. Will loses his heart to Jamie almost from the first moment, but he feels that he is unworthy of her, and he decides he must get her to a safe place and walk away. Jamie, who has low self-esteem due to her parents' indifferent attitude, wants to trust Will, and her heart tells her that she wants to be with him. All the while Jamie and Will are making their way to safety, they are being tracked by one of the Walton Gang, Scout Proffitt. Dressed always in black from head to toe, with eyes darker than midnight, Scout Proffitt strikes with the lethal speed of a rattlesnake. He and Will have a mutual respect, almost a friendship, and neither realizes that they are connected by Scout's older brother Clayton Proffitt, who was Will's captain in the war. As many times as Scout has dealt with the Devil, his soul is not completely lost, and he is conflicted by his lifestyle and his mission to kill Will and recapture Jamie. As he continues his hunt, Scout's life takes twists and turns he never saw coming, and his reunion with Will is not what either man expects. When Jamie is finally brought together with her aunts, her life also takes an unexpected turn. Will hearts be united and spirits granted the salvation they seek? Shelly Gray will take hold of you from the first page, and you will not want her to let you go! Westerns and trains are made for each other, and this book is as exciting and involving as any great Western film you ever seen. It's so vividly written that you are right there in the story line as it unfolds! "A Texan's Honor" is the second book in Shelley Gray's "The Heart of a Hero" series. I also highly recommend the first book, "A Texan's Promise", and I fervently hope that there will be more books to come in this wonderful series.Review Copy Gratis Abingdon Press
Harlequin Desire #2107: Enticed by His Forgotten Lover by Maya Banks
Virginia Campbell, April 17, 2012
Rafael De Luca has a secret, one that could cost him the biggest business deal of his life. He survived a plane crash, but lost a very important chunk of his memory. His three business partners, his close friends since college, are providing emotional support and a much-needed smokescreen. His grip on his image as a successful, sophisticated entrepreneur is further threatened with the arrival of a beautiful and obviously pregnant woman who claims to have been involved with Rafael during the weeks of his life that he can't remember. Fiery and lovely Bryony Morgan stirs emotions in Rafael that he never dreamed he could feel, and he is compelled to believe the story she tells. His gut instinct tells him that he is the father of her child, but his rational mind tries to remind him that he never lets his feelings get the best of him. He journeys back to Bryony's home, the very land which he purchased and promised her that he would never develop for commercial purposes. However, the Rafael who emerged from the plane crash did not remember that promise, and the business deal moves forward. Will Rafael regain his lost memory and also keep the woman he loves? How will Bryony continue to care for a man who walked away from her without a warning and seems to be much different from the man she came to know and love? "Enticed By His Forgotten Lover" is the first book in Maya Banks "Pregnancy & Passion" series for the Harlequin "Desire" line.1-5 of 110next