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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
gotromancereviews has commented on (9) products
One Sinful Night
by
Stacey Kennedy
gotromancereviews
, February 08, 2015
One Sinful Night features the following novellas by Stacey Kennedy… Shadowed Soul ��" After reading Shadowed Soul I was left wanting more. Bryce went into his date with more than a standard one night stand idea. His purpose was kind of noble in a twisted kind of way, but something about Ellie changes him. I loved that it started with a new idea, and seemed to be on track for most of the story, but suddenly at the end it changes. I wish it would have been written with a sense of building confusion within himself instead of an instant “a-ha” moment. Shadowed Soul was still a very nice read that was smoking hot! ��"3.5 Forever Bound ��" WOW! I’ve never read a 1NS story like this one. Josie and Gavin had an explosive night that I didn’t see coming. While it was whirlwind night, it was also wonderful. If you are shy about BDSM then you may want to go ahead with caution. Gavin really knows how to push the envelope. What a nice happy ending. ��" 5 Takedown ��" I have to say that I didn’t connect with the story or the characters at first. The foreplay didn’t do anything for me. The after scene actually brought it all back up for me. Wyatt and Rye had an unconventional date, which also threw me off. The reason behind the “date” was 100% spot on, but it just felt out of the norm for me with a 1NS story. Takedown was still well worth it and after reading the next two stories it tied in very well. ��" 3.5 Somewhere in Between ��" This is the oddest 1NS I think I have read. When I read books in this series, I expect the people to go on dates that may or may not go over 24 hours. This story had a long build up and then the final hooked up. It was a very enjoyable story, but I really wouldn’t consider it a standalone. I think it must be read with its prequel “Takedown”. It really helps Takedown become a much better story, then when it is read alone. ��" 4 All She Wants for Christmas is Her Dom ��" You could say that Takedown, Somewhere in Between and All She Wants for Christmas is a Her Dom is a trilogy set. It was especially nice to be able to read them all together. When I was done, it was almost like the first two stories in this collection didn’t belong in this book. All She Wants for Christmas is Her Dom is a great little story. You aren’t really sure what is going on, but it is very worth the wait for when it plays out it is something special. ��" 4 At time the mix seemed odd, but in the end I really enjoyed the anthology. Ms. Kennedy wrote some very different and fun additions to the 1NS series. Sexy, different and all around sinful. What a pleasure!
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Fire Me Up
by
Kimberly Kincaid
gotromancereviews
, February 07, 2015
Adrian has been the big silent type since the beginning; ever menacing and the reader never quite knowing what to expect the man. His story is my favorite yet! Adrian has been a part of the series from the beginning. Always stealing the limelight, but never demanding it. With his quiet presence, he demanded order and obedience in his kitchen, but due to one wrong move, he’s a man floundering with no purpose. Something is not right at Teagan’s family bar. The vibe is off and people are not showing up for work. Not to mention her father is looking not his best. Worried about the state of things, she takes a leave of absence and is determined to get things back in order. Too bad she stinks in the kitchen and things are far worse than she ever expected. With Adrian without a kitchen and Teagan without a cook, they take on a taxing relationship. Teagan who would burn water is going to cook in the kitchen while Adrian supervises. Soon things take a sharp turn for the worse and Adrian needs to guard his heart and his position in life. He is also a man who won’t let people down. With a plan and a way, they are going to get the bar back on track. Who knows what will happen along the way to these two lonely people who always thought they were fine going on in life on their own. I loved Adrian and Teagan. They had amazing chemistry and Ms. Kincaid made magic on the pages with these two. Both are very stubborn and they fight their attraction the whole way, but when they connect, it’s spectacular! Ms. Kincaid has written such a great story and it sounds like she is going to keep on giving with the next story being about the mysterious Nick Brennan.
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The Masterful Mr. Montague
by
Stephanie Laurens
gotromancereviews
, January 29, 2015
First I want to say I am a huge Stephanie Laurens fan. Fell in love with the Cynsters years ago. That said, this is not your typical SL book. When I first started reading it I was confused, where was the love story with Montague and Violet? Wait, why are we in the bedroom of the other two characters, and in their head. None of this fit the usual style. If you have read SL’s books you have seen Penelope in a few other books and her story with Adair has already been told in the previous book, Where the Heart Leads, and although I love to catch up with past characters, I do not need to be in their bedroom again. We have seen it and been there; we know their love story...I digress. I was confused enough to finally go to Ms. Laurens website where it states The Masterful Mr. Montague is a mystery with romantic elements. AHHHHHH well that's a horse of a different color isn’t it. So now that I am not expecting the typical SL romance I can get down to the mystery. And this is a mystery, in fact it's one of many and it appears that they will now include this whole group solving them. I have to say I didn’t guess who did it although there were times when I suspected. The story is good and I actually skimmed over the love scenes when they came (see above for why). My biggest complaint about the book is that the love story is shoved into the last few pages of the book and it is not given the time and the space these two characters deserve. I enjoyed these two very much and want to know more about them. Although I love the book, because the publisher is selling it as a romance I can't give it a 5, but because SL does explain on her website that it's a mystery with romantic themes it redeems the book back to a 4.
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Whiskey Beach
by
Nora Roberts
gotromancereviews
, January 27, 2015
Got Romance! Reviews - 3.5 Stars - Whiskey beach starts in a way that had me checking that I didn’t miss a book before, perhaps a sister or family member of the Hero because when we start the story so much has already happened. Eli, who not an Alpha male I adored, has spent the last year in a state of depression because he is the main suspect in his wife's murder. So I think we were supposed to feel invested in him in the beginning. He has returned to the family estate after a long absence to feel and take care of the place for his Gran, Hester who I also adore. In walked our heroine, Abra. Note I did not state I adore her. Because to be honest I had a hard time liking Abra. Abra who does a little bit of everything to perfection, who (Spoiler alert) seems to only carry around a ‘small carryon bag” of baggage from a past of tragedy. So even healing, she does perfectly. She, as Eli also wonders in the book, must own stock in little post it notes, which she posts like a mother all over the house and they drove us both crazy. She came off as meddling, holier than thou, and mothering. Not what I personally want from my heroines. I just couldn’t relate to her. This is one of NR’s Romantic Suspenses and I pretty much figured out who killed his wife in the first few chapters. Who threw his Gran down the stairs took a bit more. That didn’t change the fact that I enjoyed the mystery part of the story. Though I would have liked to see the reactions to his innocence and some comeuppance from those who hounded Eli… I am speaking to you Officer Wolf. Let me say that if you are a Nora Roberts fan, this one has all the things you love in a Nora book but I believe you will find much of the story, you have seen before in other books. Perhaps it is a case of kicking out too many books too fast, I don’t know. Overall I enjoyed it and don’t regret picking it up. To me if you are looking for a good NR Romantic Suspense try Carnal Innocence.
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Goddess, Awakened
by
Cate Masters
gotromancereviews
, October 18, 2014
3.5 Stars Joss is starting her life over after the death of her husband. She sold her home and purchased an inn. With the help of her best friend, Annie, she is renovating the building and trying to turn it into a thriving bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, the inn is situated along a ley line which unbeknownst to Joss, presents a problem for her. Her Aunt and Grandmother finally let her in on a family secret; they are direct descendants of the goddess Iris and Joss herself is a goddess. Eric is the local veterinarian who also happens to be a widower and still recovering from the death of his wife. He finds himself inexplicably drawn to Joss. At the same time, he feels drawn to a local waitress but it doesn't feel right. He tries to fight it but finds it more and more difficult. An evil power is taking over him and he needs Joss and her family to help save him. I enjoyed the story and the use of good and evil/light and dark. Joss, seeing the lights of the fae in the field and incorporating the lavender into all her recipes to bring happiness, was obviously the element of good in the story. Sharee, with her manipulative behavior and her conspiring with the mystery man who appeared at the party was obviously the evil. Her Aunt Lydia added some humor to the story with her quirkiness and innuendos. It was nice to see a strong female lead like Joss. She wanted Eric, even knowing he might not feel the same and he might not be the best for her, but she still took what she wanted and didn't beat herself up over it. She also didn't pine over him like many female characters do now. She went on with her life and took care of her business without worrying whether or not he'd call or come by. For many reasons, she was certainly believable as a goddess as were her family members. The biggest problem I had with this book was that there were too many characters. It was hard to at one point to keep everyone straight. There also seemed to be scenes that didn't move the story forward and for that reason didn't make much sense. It seemed like Joss' son was added as an after thought. He appeared in the story and seemed like he may be part of a conflict but then he left to go back to school and there was no issue. Annie, as her best friend for years, was not trusted with any of the things that were happening which also didn't make sense to me. Another example is the Thanksgiving scene when Eric goes to his sister's house. I don't feel like that scene contributed to the story at all. Overall this is a good book. I would probably read other works by this author if all the female leads are as strong as Joss.
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Shadowed Desires
by
Kali Willows
gotromancereviews
, September 05, 2014
Five yummy tidbits from the 1Night Stand Series. Kali Willows has written some fun and sexy short stories and Decadent has compiled a great mix for this anthology. Double Dragon Seduction ��" Rating: 3 Stars This story involves a ménage. Gwen is trying to emerge from a turbulent past and the two brothers, Tatsu and Yong Li are just trying to survive their heritage. Double Dragon Seduction was a very hot read, but it lacked the magic that tips it over the edge from a good average read to an amazing one. While their destinies were intermingled, I didn’t feel a strong connection. I will say that I would love to know what happens to the trio though. Please tell me there is more! Damnation & Desire ��" 3 Stars Damnation & Desire kinda gave me the willies. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I think it was the mix of the couple. Tessa is a Wiccan and Samson is a clergyman. I couldn’t get past the combination. I know pastor’s don’t have the limitations a priest does, but a religious figure having sex with what history considers a witch and then place the event in Salem…*shivers*. I enjoyed the story as a whole, but their beliefs and positions really put a damper on me being able to commit myself completely to the plot. I also didn’t feel this couple going further past their one night stand and I think that is one of the greatest features of the !NS series; you knew they had a long fulfilling future together. Designing Passion ��" 4 Stars Designing Passion brought back my faith in Ms. Willows. I have high expectations from the 1NS series and she delivered. I could almost taste Tawny’s pain and Wyatt’s lack of enthusiasm. She pulled me into their lives and then smacked me over the head. There was so much going for this story that I wanted it continue on, beyond their one night. Mystery, white hot passion and then fulfillment; now we are talking! Terminal Lust ��" 4 Stars Terminal Lust could have been a full-fledged novel. The depth in which Ms. Willows could have taken this storyline could have been phenomenal. As a short story…it still rocked! Madam Eve whirled her magic around these two lovers and it was great. Ambrosia was dying and Desmond wanted to die. Who would have thought that bringing together such dismal futures together would ignite the pages? We had the sadness of the couple, the pain of loss, and then the joy of reunion. While there was a spot towards the end that was rushed, Terminal Lust still read wonderfully. Savannah’s Ghost Tale - 4 Stars I adored Cameron. I wanted to grab him and hug him. He was the star of Savannah’s Ghost for me. Savannah grated on me a bit, especially about being so stubborn. She had her reasons, but for a short story, it lasted too long and then resolved too quickly. So why did I like it then. Well the storyline did it for me. Savannah was able to heal, Cameron was able to finally find acceptance and the lingering ghost was able to move on. Savannah’s Ghost Tale was a great little read that made me smile, blush and rejoice!
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Once Bitten, Twice Burned
by
Cynthia Eden
gotromancereviews
, August 20, 2014
4.5 Stars. Book two in the Phoenix Fire series. Ryder is one of the oldest and most deadly of his kind. He’s been betrayed and left for dead or even worse, left at the hands of a mad man to be tested and experimented on. He is starving and long past his usual steadfast control. He breaks when a tasty morsel is thrown into his cell. He never meant to kill her. Sabine is having an all-around crappy life. Taken against her will, thrown into a cell and is now dinner for something she never even believed in ��" Vampires. Attractive as he may be, she will not be his meal, but too bad she is not strong enough to fight him off. She thought it was bad before, well try dying. While both Ryder and Sabine have died in their past, they must try to live long enough to escape the facility that has brought them together, but is destined to tear them apart. Life and death situations, surprising betrayals and passions that burns their souls; through it all, can Ryder keep the most precious thing in his life safe or will she be taken from him over and over again? I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I rarely start a book if I have not read the first in the series, but I did with Once Bitten, Twice Burned. I couldn’t tell you who the prior characters were or their story. I actually had to look up the names for the prior book, Burn for Me, to know if they were involved. So I would have no problem recommending this novel as a standalone. It is very well written and held it’s own. Ms. Eden has built an amazing world with perfect twists, compelling characters, and wondrous villains. I couldn’t put it down and enjoyed every page. She made me want to spend time with them through their trials and heartache. She drew me in with the story, held me with their passions and captured me with their pain. Once Bitten, Twice Burned is a fantastic story. It is a departure from normal romance, with heart pounding action and an engaging refreshing plot. Even if the book alone didn’t make me want to read more of the Phoenix Fire series, after reading the epilogue, I’m more than looking forward to the next in the series ��" Playing with Fire, which comes out the end of August. I can’t wait!
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Lapses of Memory
by
M. S. Spencer
gotromancereviews
, July 26, 2014
This is the first book I have read by this author. I started reading it fully expecting something along the lines of "The Notebook". By the second chapter, I knew my expectation was completely wrong and I was hooked. I understand this isn't the author's usual genre but I have to say she definitely hit the mark with this one. Olivia is writing the story of how her parents, Sydney Bellek and Elian Davies, met and fell in love. Sydney and Elian met the first time as children on a transatlantic flight, when she was only five years old and he was seven. They both grow up to become journalists and their paths cross several times over the years, almost always on airplanes. Through most of the years, Sydney doesn't recognize or remember Elian, but he always seems to remember her. By the time she realizes she is in love with him, he has been through a traumatic event and no longer has any memory of her and she fears it is too late for them to be together. While Olivia is "interviewing" her mother and writing the story, she is involved in a romantic dilemma of her own. She has two men vying for her affection and she is unsure which man she wants to be with. I loved Sydney! She is outspoken, confident, headstrong and opinionated. She manipulates her daughter into divulging information about the men in her life by withholding parts of her own story. She meddles in her daughter's love life without her knowledge. She has been everywhere, seen everything and she's still as brassy as she was in her younger years. I found myself laughing out loud at some parts of her story and wanting to cry at others. This is a very touching story and I was completely drawn in. The characters were vivid and real. I found myself wanting to skip to the end to reassure myself it would all work out. That's how invested I was in these characters. I'm glad I didn't read ahead and ruin the ending. The anticipation was definitely worth it!
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Against the Wild
by
Kat Martin
gotromancereviews
, July 19, 2014
3.5 Stars While Against the Wind was a very good read, it wasn’t what I expected. Dylan Brodie is the middle Brodie boy. He grew up in Alaska and has recently purchased a lodge in the Alaskan pan handle. He has the help of the locals to renovate it, but the inside he is saving for a special woman, Lane Bishop. He now has his chance to revisit their attraction and he has the perfect lure to get her to Alaska. Lane Bishop has been attracted to Dylan since the moment she met him. She tried and tried to ignore his advances, but he has offered her a change that she can’t pass up. So off to Alaska she goes. Lane’s visit is full of surprises and goes beyond her highest expectations. She discovers her passion again after her loss of both her mother and fiancé and finally finds a home. It’s too bad that everywhere they turn they are being bombarded by continual obstacles. Can they conquer them all; even their biggest one - their doubts and fears of how their pasts will affect their future? So what did I expect? Well a story that was truly a standalone novel for one. Yes, the story is basically a standalone, but there are too many references that seem to be from prior novels and a different series. I found the constant referencing too distracting. My mind would wonder to what story it was, who it was about and so on. Against the Wind is book one in the Brodies of Alaska series and that is exactly what it should have been, book one. A reference or two is fine; the number in the novel was not. I’m also sad to say, short of a very extensive search I have no idea what book Dylan and Lane first met in. Very frustrating. Besides that problem, the story was very nice. The story had mystery, romance and some suspense thrown in. I will say Ms. Martin surprised me several times with the direction of the story. I really loved that she kept me on my toes. Her characters were also very entertaining. I can say short of the characters I was supposed to hate, I adored every single one of them. Ms. Martin made them very personable and I wanted to get to know and love them all. Great job! Even though this book was packed with mystery, romance and suspense it still felt like a light read. The atmosphere never became too deep and dark, making it perfect for a summer read. She also wrote a plot that was interesting and fun and I could almost feel like I was back in Alaska. Thank you Ms. Martin. You reminded me how beautiful the state is and how wonderful the people are. I truly miss it more after reading Against the Wild.
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