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Really more like 3.25 stars. I'm guessing "Nothing Personal" is one of Jaci Burton's earlier novels. The story is one I would have expected to read in a series romance like Harlequin or Silhouette instead of one published by Samhain. If you're looking for erotica, don't go here. The sex is hot, but the only thing erotic about it is the language used to describe it. Not that I didn't enjoy this book, it was just not at all what I was expecting. Ryan needs to marry and procreate to keep the company his grandfather willed him. He was raised in an unfeeling environment and considers this marriage just another business deal. When his latest fiance back out he decides to try with the one woman who hasn't yet let him down, his assistant. Faith has loved Ryan since the day she met him while interviewing for her job. There's nothing she won't do for him (silly twit). When he asks her to marry him, she quickly realizes this is just another business deal for him, but it will likely leave her heart in tatters. If you need more on the plot, just pick up any serial romance about the assistant (secretary) who doesn't think she's pretty (but turns into a knockout) and how she tames her unfeeling boss who can't resist her gentle passion.

I don't know quite where to put Shelly Laurenston's "The Mane Attraction" on the shelf. Does it go under romantica? It's not quite erotica, but more than romance. And it's packed with humor that kept me giggling and snorting and had my husband looking at me strangely (OK, MORE strangely than usual.) He's a werelion. You know, gorgeous and mostly lazy, happy to go all night and have someone else take care of the details...alot like lions in the wild. He's also a cop with a target on his back. The mobster he, and only he, can finger for murder is looking to get rid of the only witness. That would be Mitch. It's enough to put a lion off his feed! But it could be worse...now he's got Sissy Mae taking care of him and watching his back. If only he could stop staring at his 'buddy's butt. Sissy Mae is a born troublemaker. She's also got a streak of loyalty a mile wide, so when her 'buddy' Mitch is wounded in a murder attempt, she decides to take him home...to her home, and to hell with what anybody else thinks. She'll take on weredogs, werewolves, werelionesses, and werebears to keep him safe even if she can't seem to stop lusting for him. Oh well, as long as she's in charge there won't be any problems. Hey have you heard this one? A lion and a wolf...well, you'll just have to read this one for the rest of it. Humor, hot sex, mystery, and roller-derby auto racing...how can you pass this up?

What a great story by Sherri L. King. "Bitten" is the second book in the Moon Lust series but works just fine as a stand-alone read. With a heroine I could relate to and a hero I wanted for my own, this one is going onto my keeper shelf for rereading. Julia is an artist working as a hotel desk clerk while finishing art school. She's a bit larger than the current style and her looks and dress make it easy for her to fade into the background. She loves to read romances where the drop dead gorgeous guy falls for the plain heroine...but those are just the equivalent of modern fairy tales...right? Nikolai doesn't know what has been drawing him to the United States. He's perfectly happy as the Alpha in his remote village in the Russian Urals. Well, he WAS happy. Now he's just itchy. But everything becomes clear once he catches sight, and smell, of Julia. But will his fierce and bestial desires and traits scare her off? And if not, can he protect her from himself? Nikolai is an Alpha/Gamma hero. He's a strong leader but does have a softer side. He's the man that will throw you over his shoulder and ravish you...tenderly even sometimes:) And Julia is a normal woman coming to grips with a world she never dreamed of. She's willing to risk it all for love *sigh* and isn't that a romatic story?

Whoo hoo! Way hot vampires, weres, and even a fae to keep you sizzling on a cold winter's night (or any other night for that matter). Bianca D'Arc has moved onto my must-buy list with her sensual stories about mythical creatures and their search for love. "Sweeter Than Wine" is the follow-on story to "Lords of the Were", but you don't need to have read the first one to enjoy this one. When Christy gathers the courage to ask her husband for a divorce, he delivers a fatal beating. While her friends gather at her deathbed in the hospital, the man who's been waiting for her comes to save her. Sebastian will do everything he can, and enlist the help of all of his friends, to save Christy and ensure she regains the strength and bravery she once had. Hot were sex, hot vamp sex, hot were/human/vamp sex! A story about love and sacrifices that will leave you smiling and fanning yourself!

Why are Maya Banks books so hot? It's not just her skillful handling of menage situations, it's the emotion that underscores the relationships of her characters that draws me to her stories. "Be With Me" is another excellent offering from the queen of menage HEAs. Regina, or Reggie, has been running from her three best friends for the past year. Ever since a night of scorching sex, she's been unable to come to terms with what she wants, what she's afraid they want, and what society can handle. But her running time has just come to an end. When she's attacked and beaten on her job as a cop and it looks like it might have been a set-up just for her, nothing can keep her three men away. Now Reggie will have to make a decision...to keep her loves or let them go. Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer are all so different. All three were children in the social services system until, one by one, they were taken in by Birdie. Under her care they became brothers and now run a construction company together. The bonds they have with each other are just as strong as the love all three hold for Reggie. When she's attacked, they all agree that it's time to face the future. And these three will do what's necessary to make sure Reggie is a part of it. Although I really can't see how the situation would work in real life, it's hard not to long to be loved so fiercely. Maybe that's what Banks readers enjoy so much...well that and the scorching sex! The mystery was not as good as some of her past books, but the three heroes make up for it...in spades. You'll fall in love with all three and then start tapping your toes waiting for Banks next book.

"Dark Summer" is a kind of side story that builds on characters from Iris Johansen's earlier books. It has her trademark quick pacing and is much more action oriented than many of her early books which has irritated many of her fans. One minute Devon is working a South American island disaster as a rescue dog handler and site vet, the next a strange man with an even stranger dog shows up demanding she remove the bullet in the dog. A few hours later, the man is gone and left a note asking her to care for Ned (the dog) and take him home with her back to the States! Within a week, Devon's been shot at, kidnapped, her office ransacked and two co-workers killed, and her home burned to the ground. As far as she's concerned...it's all HIS fault! Jude Marrok is a former SEAL with a wretched past and an iffy future. He's been living with a target on his back for four long years; all the while trying to protect four very special dogs from an insane megalomaniac. Now his secrets are being revealed and he doesn't have much time before he has to face the powerful man who tortured and killed the only family Jude could claim. And since he met Devon, he can't stop these 'feelings' and it's driving him nuts! How can he protect his dogs, his friends, AND Devon? I enjoyed the wild ride! The events in the book take place in less than two weeks so everything is on fast-forward from page one. The attraction between Jude and Devon is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes frustrating, but always hot. Neither is particularly happy with the attraction at first, and even in the middle of the story both are still conflicted. These characters have a depth that will suck you in and keep you reading. When I finished the book, I felt like I had just finished a race. My heartrate was up and I was breathing faster than normal...now THAT's a story!! I'll be eager to see if she continues with this story line and some of the secondary characters in another book.

Really 3.5 stars...it was a bit choppy. "Under the Blood Red Moon" is Mina Hepsen's debut novel. It's a well-written, medium heat, historical paranormal romance with vampires. Hepsen's take on vampires is a bit different and very interesting. However, there are a few blank spots where some things just seems to appear from nowhere which was a bit bothersome. Angelica has a couple of problems. The first is that she doesn't particularly want to marry, she'd much rather spend her time reading and enjoying her home in the country. But her aunt and brother keep pushing her to marry. Then there's the fact that she can hear what people think so crowds are a problem for her and especially all the balls and routs required by live among the ton. And lastly, she just received a note from their man of business and it looks like she may have no choice BUT to marry as their finances have taken a downturn. Then she meets the most handsome man she's ever seen...and her mind is at peace near him...and then she realizes that he can also talk in her mind! Alexander is only in town to kill the vampire that's running amok, killing humans and draining them of their blood. He really doesn't have the time or patience to deal with Angelica even if she is stunning. The problem is that he just can't get her out of his mind and it's interfering with his concentration! Then, Angelica finds out about what he is and vampire law states she must die...can he bear that? Fairly quick read at 324 pages in trade paperback size. The story kept my attention, even when the pace faltered a bit or random facts/people jumped in from nowhere. I'll keep an eye out for Hepsen's next book as it will be interesting to see if she'll continue in this same vein (HAHAHA) and maybe tie up a few loose ends left toward the end of "Under the Blood Red Moon".

Whew, pretty smoking for mainstream. "In A Bind" by Stephanie Bond is about a woman on the verge of marriage who has never explored her bondage fantasies. She meets a sexy stranger with a talent for ties...need I say more? A quick read and an inexpensive light bondage fix! Very hot, very sexy. I'm especially impressed as I normally dislike books where the engaged heroine 'cheats'. But Bond did a great job of making seem pretty plausible. I can't say more without giving away some of the plot, so you'll just have to trust me on this one

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Oct08 This Oct08 release is the trade paperback release of a 2003 original. “Goddess of the Sea” is my first foray into P.C. Cast’s ‘Goddess Summoning’ series about normal women transformed by their willingness to believe in the spark of the Feminine Devine that makes all women magical! But the series is not about witchcraft and crones and spells and such, rather it celebrates the female viewpoint and the joys to be found in the care of tending of beauty in whatever form it’s found, whether it’s nature, art, or humanity. CC is an Air Force Sergeant who’s afraid of flying and not too fond of water either! So when the C-130 aircraft taking her to Saudi Arabia crashes in the Mediterranean, she’s terrified. She becomes entangled with the sinking plane and is sure she’s about to die. Then she’s rescued by--a mermaid? And the mermaid is asking whether or not she wants to live...well, duh?! Suddenly she’s trapped in the body of the mermaid and there’s a merman after her and another merman who’s really hot and…oh wait, you guys need to read the book to get the rest of the story. Cast’s story is an enchanting mix of fairy tale, drama, magic, love, and discovery. I probably read WAY more into this tale, but here’s a few things I took away from this book. -No matter what kinds of physical/physiological changes occur, we’ll still be the same inside. -There’s no ‘magic bullet’ to solve problems, it takes a combination of innovative thought and the will to try new things and maybe even look silly doing so! -Not even a whole group of men is a match for one determined woman ***big grin***. -Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder and what’s inside will never fade or wither (stole part of that phrase from the Bible). -We are always stronger when we lean on our friends. -Love is worth sacrificing for. Sometimes the sorrow of love lost seems unbearable, but there’s no telling what’s around the next corner. I could go on, but I think these were the ‘biggies’. It’s obvious that Cast has done her homework regarding the USAF. As a proud veteran, I appreciated her attention to the terminology, names, and places that give this story it’s ‘real’ contemporary feeling. I also appreciated that the heroine is enlisted, yet still a strong, feminine woman with ethics and morals. The threads of this tale were woven together skillfully and it was a very smooth read. Although the romance and passion were fairly quick, it was necessary to the author’s plot and this is a kind of fairy tale! And speaking of passion, if you’ve ever wondered how merpeople ‘do it’, you’ve really got to read this one. She did a grand job of depicting sensual lovemaking with legs AND fins! “Goddess” of the Sea” is a love story. It also imparts a message of feminine empowerment and strength without denigrating the male gender and that’s not so easily done. P.C. Cast has penned a tale that will entertain you. It will also make you laugh and make you cry…but end with a smile on your face.

I began reading Jo Goodman's books with her 'Compass Club' series about four regency rogues in need of taming. I became quite a fan of her wicked wit and intricate plotting. Her latest book, "The Price of Desire", is just as enthralling. Olivia never really had a childhood. It was taken from her in a most cruel way and she's learned never to depend on anyone. So why her brother's actions, promising her to the owner of a gaming hell until he's able to pay his debts, hit her so hard is a mystery. But the owner of this gaming hell is a mystery also. He's handsome, even with his scar, and honorable, even as the owner of a hell, and kind, which may be the most frightening thing to Olivia of all. Griffin is a peer who lives his life as he sees fit while still overseeing the requirements of his station. When Olivia's brother appears to have gone missing, he's not sure what to do. But it doesn't take him long to be fascinated by Olivia, and soon after that he's sure that no debt could equal her value in his life. But there are a few obstacles in his way: her past, his past, and a mystery surrounding a ring. Goodman's books are almost overflowing with emotion--everything from humor to despair to love. Her stories have both breadth and depth and always leave me smiling.

This "Ladies Man" is the reprint of Suzanne Brockmann's 1997 Loveswept release. It has all the tension, romance, and action Brockmann's fans crave. Her slick pacing and skill with writing passionate scenes without resorting to purple prose is as evident in this '97 book as it is in her releases today. Fans of the older woman, younger man romances should put this one on their 'must have' list.

"Father Christmas" is a reprint of Barbara Metzger's Fawcett Regency story by the same title. It's a frothy, sweet story of a widow with twins who wins the heart of a Duke. A very G-rated story even with the presence of a child born out of wedlock. A pleasant holiday-themed read.

There are many amusing stories in "Blood Lite" an anthology with 21 stories from some of the biggest names in the current horror/paranormal genres. Includes stories by Jim Butcher, Charlaine Harris, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Mike Resnick, Sharyn McCrumb, and Kelley Armstrong. From witches to wizards, ghouls to ghosts, and weres to vampires, these stories vary wildly depending on the author's genre, but all have a wacky, humorous zing to them. A pleasant afternoon's reading and sure to hit your funny 'bone'.

"Wolfsbane and Mistletoe" is an anthology containing werewolf stories by 15 different authors including Keri Arthur, Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Simon R Green, Charlaine Harris, and Carrie Vaughn, among others. There's something for everyone here as the stories range from humorous to scary, a little spicy to plain vanilla. Each story is fairly short which makes the book easy to put down and pick back up without 'losing' anything. And finally, each story also centers around the holiday season, making this a great book to give as a gift for 'fur' fans.

Hmmm, interesting plot but choppy execution. "Night Falls Darkly" by Kim Lenox is a historical paranormal story which incorporates the tale of Jack the Ripper, mythology, and a different view of (I think) heaven and hell. Elena can't remember anything about her life from before a year and a half ago when she was in an almost fatal accident. She now lives in the luxurious mansion of her guardian, the mysterious and unknown-to-her Lord Black. She fills her days helping out at the hospital where she spent so much time recovering from her accident. These activities have awakened a desire to become a doctor herself, but she knows it won't be easy for a woman of these times to be accepted into training...not to mention expensive. But why should her guardian care? Lord Black is really Archer, an immortal being who has existed since the beginning of time. He and his fellow 'Shadow Guards' are immortals who now live 'beyond the veil' and stop really bad guys from becoming so bad that they are able to 'cross the veil' and kill the remaining immortals living there in peace and prosperity. He actually saved Elena from death when she was caught up in his 'disposal' of a bad guy. He was immediately drawn to her and couldn't stand to see her die. He directed his factotum to 'take care' of her, but seeing as how his factotum loves to read penny dreadfuls, his idea of 'taking care' turned out to be quite different from his lords! Now Archer is chasing a terrifyingly strong bad guy (Jack the Ripper) whose killing grounds are entirely too close to the hospital where Elena works. If he could just keep his mind off Elena, his job would be much easier. As I said, the plot is compelling, but several times I felt I must be 'missing' some information that would clear things up for me because I became confused on the hows and whys. Additionally, while the kissing and love scenes are hot, there was just too much pushing and pulling on both sides and I didn't feel much of a connection between the hero and heroine. Kim Lenox does have a second book in this series planned and the hero of that book appears in this one. If you can overlook the things I mentioned, give it a spin.

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Sep08 I’m not sure if Jade Lee meant the opening scene in her latest “The Dragon Earl” to be hysterically funny or if it’s just me. But as soon as I began picturing the scene in my head I couldn’t stop giggling. The lavish society wedding of a future Earl interrupted…by 3 Chinese monks in robes. The scandal! Can’t you just see the oh-so-proper upper class British nobility snobs? Too delicious. Evelyn has been groomed from the cradle for her role as the future Countess. It’s a role that sometimes stifles her, but it is what it is. When her beautiful wedding is interrupted by 3 Chinese monks, she quickly takes control and tries to salvage the day as best she can. But really, even if one of the monks is white, how could he possibly think he’s the rightful Earl? Jacob, or Jie Ke as he is now known, never wanted to make this trip to England in the first place. But his abbot has forbidden him to take his vows as a full-fledged monk until he reclaims he rightful place…and then decides to give it up. All his intentions are to do just that, until he catches sight of the beautiful woman who used to be the girl he remembers. This story was in some ways moving and in some ways confusing. There was quite a bit of Asian philosophy embedded in the plot with Jacob not really knowing what the abbot’s intention were by making him return to England. I found that rather odd as I could see it right away, but I guess the book would have been much shorter then. The push and pull between the main characters was at times irritating, she’s pushing him away and then she’s kissing him, he’s ‘pleasuring’ her and then he says he’s leaving. This goes on until almost the last page and I sometimes found myself wanting to yell at them to just make a decision and stick with it! There’s some pretty heavy petting which is beautifully written and the love scenes are definitely smoky, but I never really felt a strong emotional connection between these two. The words were there, but the underlying feelings just didn’t appear for me. I also got extremely irritated when the whole mystery portion of the book was never solved. I can only assume that the author intends to continue with it in another book, but I’m still ticked. I’m not sure if it’s the whole ‘mysticism’ thing or the unsolved mystery or the lack of emotional impact that caused me to finish reading “The Dragon Earl” by Jade Lee and think, “Uh, huh…well alrighty.” It just didn’t resonate with me, but fans of Asian lore may react differently. Ah well, different strokes for different folks, right?

Fans of Lisa Kleypas' 'Wallflower' series will surely jump for joy when they pick up "A Wallflower Christmas". Even though the Wallflowers are secondary characters, they're still enough of a presence to provide quick vignettes on their current lives and loves. This is a fairly short book at only 213 pages, but still has plenty of steam. Lillian's brother Rafe is recently arrived from America and, of course, his father has selected his bride. Rafe doesn't really care, he'll marry the woman his father selected as this will finally get him the shares in his father's company that he's been fighting for. After all, one English woman is much like the next, right? Hannah is the poor relation 'companion' to the woman expected to marry Rafe. She's also got a sharp mind and isn't afraid to share her opinions. And in her opinion, any match between her beloved cousin and this rude, devilish American would be a travesty...regardless of what anyone, and apparently everyone, else thinks!! Merry and sparkling with a quick pace and just enough steam to keep you toasty warm for Christmas.

3.5 stars for Victoria Dahl's "A Rake's Guide to Pleasure", mostly for the incredibly hot sex with heavy hints of dominance by our hero. If it wasn't for the weaker plot, it would have gotten that 4th star. She's the daughter of the deceased Baron Denmore, a totally degenerate member of the Hellfire Club who turned his home into a den of iniquity while caring for his grandchildren. Emma saw things as a young child that tore her innocence away. After his death, she was left destitute and thrown on the mercy of relatives whose son developed a manic obsession for her. Now she's concocted a desperate plot to earn enough money to ensure a quiet, peaceful life away from the dangerous lures that engender feelings she can't control. Feelings she's sure mean that she's too much like her grandfather. He's a Duke who suffered a most humiliating episode when he fell in love with a beautiful *itch at a young age and his innermost feelings were exposed by her as a joke to the rest of the ton. Since that time, he's kept his wildness hidden and refuses to open himself to anyone. However, the recent marriage of his sister has left him with a hollow feeling he's not sure how to fill. Then he spies a very young, very attractive widow... I'm guessing this book likely offended many vanilla mainstream readers as the sexual attraction and acts portrayed ride the very fine line between acceptable mainstream portrayals and erotic dominance. I, of course, highly enjoyed it!! The only downside to my enjoyment of the story was the reasons the heroine gave for her aversion to marriage...pretty stupid for such a smart woman. And the secondary plots were fairly easy to predict. This is only Ms. Dahl's second book and she's certainly one to keep an eye on. Her skill with words and smoking love scenes should result in oustanding books as her plotting abilities improve.

I enjoyed reading "Blood Memories" by Barb Hendee. This is definitely an urban fantasy vice romance novel (at least so far and there is at least one more novel to come) as there is no one special relationship that the story focuses on. Instead, it's an interesting look at a young woman turned vampire to be a caretaker but not given any information on her existance. The story is told mostly in first person from her POV and it's strangely fascinating to read about how she lives and how she learned to continue her existance. The story of how she came to be is told in a kind of flashback and as she learns more from the few others of her kind she knows, her ideas of how to live change and grow. A more cerebral type of vampire story, but compelling nonetheless.

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Oct08 Did you go crazy for the Matrix with Keanu Reeves? Can you believe in a post-apocalyptic world of altered existence? Do reality shows thrill you? Then maybe you should sign up to be a viewer for Michelle Maddox’s new show depicted in her book “Countdown”. This story is a thrill a minute rocket ride of action and suspense with a bit of romance thrown in. Seven years ago Kira’s family was killed as she hid under her bed. So now she’s a 22 year old orphan who’s afraid of the dark. Too bad for her since she wakes up bound, in the dark, in an unknown place, with only the sound of someone else breathing. When the lights come on, she sees her companion. He’s hot, he’s hurt, he looks dangerous, and he’s also cuffed and foot. He’s also apparently crazy since he tells her they only have a few minutes for BOTH of them to get free or they’ll BOTH be dead...oh, and he’s a convicted rapist and murderer. Unwilling to believe, yet unwilling to die either, they free each other and pass ‘round one’!? Now Kira learns he’s not crazy. They are contestants in some kind of demented reality show, they both have surgical implants in their heads, they can’t be more than 90 feet apart, and the only way to get off the ‘show’ is to win or to die. I can’t say much about Kira’s ally without giving away too much. Suffice to say that she will have plenty reasons to trust, and then not to trust. In a world that’s turned topsy-turvy and inside-out, Kira will have to rely on her intuition and the feelings she gets when she touches people to help her figure out not who the good guy is, but if there’s a good guy at all! I’m not normally a fan of this type of action book. But this one kept my interest and kept me reading, even though occasionally it got a little ‘too’ weird or there were a few ‘too’ many convenient coincidences. But I reckon that could just be part of the twists and turns in this story. Since I’d never read anything by this author, I did a little checking and found out that Michelle Maddox is another pen name for Michelle Rowan who writes a series of comedic paranormals I sometimes enjoy. Makes sense, as I enjoyed this book in spite of myself! So if wild conspiracies, ‘the day after’s, non-stop action, and a reality show with a bit ‘too’ much reality sound good, I think you’ll enjoy “Countdown” too.

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Oct08 Another tortured hero served up for our delectation! “Where There’s Fire” is my first contemporary romantic suspense by Maureen McKade. I didn’t realize that I had recently read one of her historicals until I was typing this interview and my fingers remembered the name. Then, of course, I had to check out why and Bingo! Now I find myself comparing her writing styles and realizing that there are many similarities. Not so strange I guess, but still. A serial arsonist turned murderer, a twisted pimp, a drug-addicted ‘ho, and in the middle of it all one female cop and one mysterious man. Shoni is a good cop, 2nd generation with a father who died young in the line of duty. Until recently she was a firm believer in rules and regulations. Until her mother was killed by a drunk driver who got off because the arresting cop blew the Miranda warning. Now she’s struggling to keep faith in a justice system that seems to favor the bad guys. And she’s walking a fine line between integrity and revenge, using her work as a substitute for grief. Her latest case is arson, and she may have a serial arsonist on her hands. If she doesn’t catch a break soon, her boss will be calling in the Feds. Into this mess, steps a handsome hunk of mystery man. She saw him save a young girl in an alley, and now he’s saved the tenants of her latest arsonist attack. She’s drawn to this hero who wants no recognition and no assistance, even though it’s obvious he’s not the usual homeless type. ‘John’ can’t remember anything beyond waking up a few weeks ago, badly beaten and apparently left for dead. His memory keeps flashing to scenes of death and blood and he’s afraid to go to the cops. The last thing he needed was this cop to take an interest in him, even if he can’t help but return that interest in a decidedly different manner. But his memories also show flashes of a woman and a little girl calling him Daddy. So until he can figure out who he is and who they are, he’ll have to keep his distance. There were a lot of things to like about this story. I got a kick out of the fact that he’s the one with amnesia and she’s the one who can help him…since it’s usually the other way around, eh? Also, the ‘mystery’ portion was fairly well done with good pacing of the whodunit clues and I didn’t know ALL the guilty parties until the very end…Nice! The urban setting was a necessity since it would be hard to pull off the amnesia angle in a small town where everybody knows everybody. And the sexual attraction between the main characters was just spicy enough to keep me reading. My biggest complaint regarding this story was the pace of the whole “amnesia, fear of cops” bit. I figured out he was ex-military and probably one of the special teams WAY before the author admitted it. And I thought it was pretty blatant which made the characters seem a bit dim to not be able to figure that out for themselves. And the whole ‘fear of cops’ thing was rather obtuse to me too; I mean how many bad guys save a little girl and a building full of fire victims? Ummm, I’m thinking none. And if you don’t know who you are wouldn’t the most important thing be to CHECK THE MISSING PERSONS? But he obsessed on this for fully half the darn book! Kinda brought down his IQ points for me. So in the end, the good and the bad were rather evenly weighed for me. It’s definitely a romantic suspense since there’s both romance and suspense and the balance is really about 60/40 with suspense having the edge. I’d probably read another contemporary by this author, but it wouldn’t be on my for sure list.

If someone asked me why I like Katie MacAlister's 'Aisling Grey/Dragon' series, it would be hard to come up with just one reason. There's hot dragon sex, there's comedy, humor and silliness, there's a demon masquerading as a Newfoundland dog, there's mystery and treachery, and did I mention the hot dragon sex? Mayling is a doppelganger. She was created by a pact between her 'sister' the naiad Cyrene and the Demon Lord Magoth. Cyrene sacrificed her common sense (and boy does she give airhead a new meaning) and Magoth gets a bound servant who can access the 'between'. To further confuse things, Mayling is apparently the mate of Gabriel, the wyvern of the Silver Dragons. Confusing because the silver dragons were cursed to be without real human mates. But apparently since Mayling isn't a 'real' human, the curse is circumvented! Which should be good except now Magoth is insisting that Mayling become his consort!! There's alot more goings-on that you'll just have to read about yourself. If sexy paranormals with all the above ingredients sound good to you...definitely get yourself started on this rollicking series by Katie MacAlister.

Ummm, well...I'm such a big fan of the 'Immortals' series and was so looking forward to reading Manannan mac Lir's story. "The Crossing" by Joy Nash is the story of how Mac meets the woman meant for him and finds love. Mac is half fae, half god. He prefers to live 'above' and serves as the protector and defender of the fae and humans in this realm. He's also a famous musician and now also famous for his part in the defeat of 'the light' over 'the dark'. However, he's just learning that his part in this battle has left him, a creature of light, with a piece of dark inside him. It's affects on him are growing and he's not sure what else in his life will be affected. Artemis is a very powerful witch of extremely varied lineage. With both light and dark creatures in her family tree, her magic is a blend of both. She's also a mother desperately searching for a way to save her son, whose soul has been stolen by a dark creature. When her attempt to bargain with the dark begins affecting creatures under Mac's protection, he has no choice but to stop her. It also seems as though he has no choice but to love her. I disliked Artemis from page one and it didn't get any better throughout the story. She was a selfish, untrustworthy, conniving witch who used a mother's love to justify harming anyone. I was so disappointed to see Mac reduced to a supplicant, begging for her unworthy emotions. Mac deserved so much more and better. She betrayed and belittled him over and over and over...and he took it and came back for more. And every time, I just wanted to throw the book against the wall. There was also a trip to Hell in a twisted take-off on Dante's Inferno, 21st century style. While parts of it were certainly amusing, Artemis' constant scheming and betrayals cancelled out my enjoyment. Bummer.

I still have a sappy smile on my face! "Seduce Me at Sunrise" is one of the best historical romances I've read this year starring one of the most tortured heroes. This 2nd book in Lisa Kleypas' 'Hathaways' series brings us the story of the wild Rom boy, Kev Merripen, and his journey to love with Winnifred Hathaway. Winnifred has loved Kev since the day he came into her home when she was still a young child. Her understanding and care of the feral boy hasn't made living with this love any easier, though. When she is stricken with scarlet fever and never quite regains her health, she becomes even more determined to do whatever is necessary to have Kev for her own. So she heads for France and a controversial clinic, leaving behind an increasingly wild Kev. Kev has loved Winn since he 'felt' her presence in the gadjo house that became his home. As a gypsy orphan with no protector, he was raised as a wild animalistic fighter who knew no gentleness until the Hathaways rescued a sick boy left for dead. He's never allowed himself to feel a part of the family, but has acted as their personal protector, defender, servant, or whatever else was needed. He craves Winn but won't sully her with his fierce demands. But he can't quite let her go either. What a powerful love and what a splendid story. You will admire Winn's determination and sometimes want to thump Kev for his stubborness. But to have a love so strong...what wouldn't we be willing to suffer? Kleypas' books have been more hits than misses with me, but this is truly a book you shouldn't miss. The emotions will wring you out and the passion will set your heart racing. And at the end, you'll have the same sappy smile on your face!

Way cool. I was a little worried when I started this book. I'd seen a few reviews which were less than stellar. Well...I don't know what book they read, but I really enjoyed "My Wicked Enemy" by Carolyn Jewel. It's got mages, demons, witches, and hot sex. And the premise of the book is a new (at least for me) take on the whole demon/mage thing. If I had to categorize it, I'd probably call it a paranormal, urban fantasy, contemporary romance. And a darn good one at that. Carson is a witch who has no idea what she is. Nikodemus is a demon warlord who hates all magekind including witches. He can't believe his luck when he spots Carson alone and unguarded. It doesn't take too long for him to realize she's majorly messed up and so naive she doesn't even know what he is or that she should be scared of him. Hell, she even tried to kill a mageheld demon to save him! Now her magic may be about to kill her and he's trying to SAVE her instead of kill her. What's next? Falling in love? Uh...yes. This novel is about magical slavery. Strong magekin (witches, warlocks, etc) can capture demons and force them to do whatever is requested. Trying to resist can actually kill the demon. Nikodemus is trying to get the demon warlords to work together (HAH!) to fight the mages before all of their kind are mageheld. But who will trust a demon who seems to be working WITH a witch? Fascinating. With lots of directions for the author to head in and I can't wait to see what's next. The sex is really quite hot for a mass market paperback title and includes a scene of multiple partner sex (but not full blown menage). The tentative title to her next book in this world is "His Wicked Witch" with an estimated publication date of 'summer' 2009.

I'm pretty sure "A Reason to Sin" is my first book by Maureen McKade. Her writing style has a really good flow and her characters are interesting, although sometimes confusing, people. My only real complaint about this story is that I didn't buy the premise of why the heroine had to work in a saloon in a different town and why she never involved the authorities. Rebecca needs money to retreive her child from the orphanage where she placed him when she could no longer afford to care for him. She's also looking for her husband who deserted her after gambling away her inheritance. She's also a holier than thou prig for the first several chapters of this book. And like I said, I also thought she was pretty stupid. I liked the writing, I liked the flow; I didn't like the plot or the vapidness of the heroine. But that's just me.

A historical, a paranormal, a fantasy, and a romance. Alix Rickloff's "Lost In You" is a very readable mixture of all of the above. This is her debut novel and she's someone I'll keep an eye on. There's a lot of promise in her imagination. Conor is 'Other', a mix of human and fey. He's handsome and sexy. He's out for revenge on Asher, the evil fey that killed his beloved sister. But can Conor complete this task if it means losing the woman he's recently come to love? There was so much going on in this story. That was the only real drawback I have for the book. There were so many threads to keep track of and sometimes they 'jumped' which jarred me out of the plot for a bit. I understand this is her first book and she plans other books in this regency, paranormal, fantasy romance world. It'll be interesting to see where she goes from here.

I've read some really weird books in my life. "Hellbent & Heartfirst" by Kassandra Sims is right on up there. This book is marketed as a paranormal romance. The paranormal is there, but I really didn't think it was very romantic. Jacyn is a disillusioned relief worker trying to help disconnected family members after Katrina. Jimmy Wayne is a former rodeo rider and current hunter of 'bad things'. I'm not sure I can really tell you more about the plot as I still don't understand it! They're together and apart and I can't tell you why they got together or why they were apart or why they got back together. There were witches, lamias, voodoo practitioners, leprechauns and brownies. Sometimes being so OCD about books is the pits. It made me finish this one even when I realized I didn't understand much of anything in it.

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com My, my, my. Sexy highlanders in kilts! “Beware a Scot’s Revenge” is another winner in Sabrina Jeffries ‘School for Heiresses’ series. Ms Jeffries provides another enticing glimpse into the late Regency period in Scotland--with a braw and rowdy highland laird, a Scottish ‘princess’ who yearns to return to her beloved homeland, and a 16-year-old tragedy that almost derails true love! Venetia Campbell is thrilled to be back in Scotland. It took all her wiles to convince her papa that she would be safe, especially since the dreaded Scottish Scourge is now dead. Then she’s kidnapped by Lachlan, her childhood friend, who turns out to be the outlaw himself! Suddenly, she’s discovering that her dreams of home aren’t quite as she imagined. With Lachlan accusing her father of horrible crimes, her childhood estate being bled dry by an evil overseer, and to top things off, she’s more in love with Lachlan now than she was as just a child. But she’ll be neither widow nor grieving daughter if she has anything to say about it! Lachlan has come up with a desperate plan to get the money Venetia’s father owes he and his clan…he’ll kidnap Venetia and demand her father’s presence with the money. And if the man tries to cheat him again after having him beaten nigh to death…then he’ll kill him, after all this is a matter of honor and clan! But Lachlan didn’t take a few things into consideration. First, he didn’t realize Venetia was smart. Second, he didn’t know what a brave beauty she’d become. Third, he didn’t understand the nature of the debt. And last, he didn’t see how quickly he would fall in love with Venetia. Now he’s trapped by his own plan and can’t see a happy ending. Good thing Venetia has plans of her own. I enjoyed the interplay between these two strong-willed characters as they sparred their way across Scotland. Ms James’ pacing was fabulous and there weren’t any drags in the story or the action. Her depiction of the highlands and the troubles from this time period were perfect for this type of novel. The time of the ‘clearances’ was an absolutely wretched time for the Scottish and I appreciated that she didn’t try to ram this down my throat, but rather illustrated the hardships via characters and actions in the plot. I was pretty impressed with this, as I’ve read many a romance that focused so much on the difficulties of this period that I ended up depressed after I finished the book! She portrayed the hardships without belittling them, but still kept the tone of the book light. “Beware a Scot’s Revenge” was also pretty hot on the sensuality scale. I felt the attraction and the confusion and the indecision of both characters. Each of them had tough choices to make and did so while staying true to the natures she had drawn for each. I’ve enjoyed all of the ‘School for Heiresses’ books I’ve read can’t wait to read the rest.

What a great story by Lorelei James. "Rode Hard, Put Up Wet" is a two-romance book. We get an older couple and a younger couple...doesn't get much better than that!! Word of warning tho, this book has oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex, menage sex, sex with ropes, and sex with toys. YIPPEE! Gemma finally gives in and contacts Cash, the rodeo circuit rider she's been attracted to for over a year. She needs his help on her ranch and he quickly agrees...with one condition. He wants Gemma in his bed and under his control. The romance between these two is beautiful. Cash uses his rough exterior to hide his insecurities just like Gemma does. I found myself wanting to jump into the book and help them learn to open up to each other. Their sex is sizzling and the sacrifices each is willing to make for the other (sometimes needlessly) are touching. Neither is perfect, but it takes some time for both of them to realize that neither of the other is looking for perfection...just love. Cash's daughter Macie is looking to have a relationship with the Dad his job, and her mother, never really allowed her to know. Her heart is wary but she's determined to try. When a gorgeous cowboy calls her his 'muse', she thinks it's just a line. But she quickly learns that this is one cowboy who knows just which of her buttons to push...and man is he good at it!! And Cash McKay is sure the art gods must be smiling on him when he spots the woman he's been seeing in his dreams, literally. When he finds out she'll be spending time at the ranch where he works with Gemma, he knows it's only a matter of days before he'll have her...in his paintings and in his bed. But Cash will have to learn that while some things are meant to be, some things are also meant to be just between the two of them. Two great romances, two sizzling pairs of lovers, and all the emotional ups and downs of real life relationships. I just loved this book and couldn't put it down.

Another winner by Arianna Hart. "Surprise" is the prequel to "Take Your Medicine" and Pamela P was nice enough to lend it to me so I could get the back story on Sam and Connor. Samara is a quiet editor who spends most of her time alone. The craziest thing she's ever done was when she recently flew to Jamaica to get a break from the miserable New England winter and had a flaming one-nighter with a sexy man. But it doesn't take long for her to realize that she brought a little something extra back with her from Jamaica. When her house is broken into and she's almost the victim of a hit-and-run, Sam knows Connor the one-nighter is her best shot at protection. Connor can't seem to forget about the gorgeous blonde, but his job as a DEA agent just doesn't lend itself to a relationship. While recuperating from a bullet would, he learns Samara has been trying to reach him and decides he might as well visit her in person. The first night he gets there, bad things start to happen around Samara and Connor's afraid he knows why. A very entertaining story about falling in love on the run. Samara's surprise is a doozy, but Connor does a good job of handling things once his shock wears off. I really did enjoy the give and take between these two as they struggled to live with the fears that come with love. Hart does a great job of allowing us to 'see' the feelings and fears of both and I think that's one of the reasons I enjoy her stories so much. The only drawback for this story is that once you've read it, you'll HAVE to read the follow-on book!

2 stars for Iris Johansen's publisher for having the cojones to reprint "Touch the Horizon", a 1984 Loveswept story. If you've read this one before, there's nothing new. If you haven't, be prepared for a story very much influenced by the times of its publication. I'm a big Johansen fan and bought this book on the basis of her name. Wish I'd just traded for the original. Billie is an orphan who leads a gypsy lifestyle. David is an American by birth but lives in the palace in the mysterious desert city of Zalandan. David rescues Billie from a sandstorm and is immediately lovestruck. But he's very mystical and mysterious. Billie only believes in what she can see and has no intentions of staying still long enough to care for David. VERY different. VERY sappy. VERY early in Johansen's career (I hope).

When I saw this title, I just had to pick up this book. "So Why Have You Never Been Married? 10 Insights Into Why He Hasn't Wed" by Carl Weisman is a truly fascinating look at the varying reasons behind the perennial bachelors we all know. What I found surprising were some of the recurring reasons...and they were NOT what I had always assumed! While the 'playboy' archetype was certainly present, it was not the overwhelming majority that I had assumed. Neither were most of these men anti-marriage or anti-love. Instead they are anti-mistake and anti-divorce and rather than suffer either of these states, they have remained in their bachelor status. If you know an over 40 and never-been-married man and you've hesitated to subject him to your rabid curiosity, you should definitely read this book. If you're a younger woman faced with an unwilling-to-commit significant other, you should read this book. If you are just starting out in the 'dating game', then you'll want to read this book to get an idea of 'their' psyche vs. 'our' psyche. Different for sure, but always fascinating.

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Oct08 I defy any historical romance reader to pass up an anthology with a writer lineup of Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D’Alessandro, & Candice Hern. I certainly couldn’t…and didn’t. When I asked Quentin to let me review this one, I figured I’d have to fight, bribe, or play dirty to get it. But apparently, my stars are in proper alignment or something because when I opened my latest box, there it was. In this anthology, each writer was given the same plot to use—“A man and a woman, who have neither seen nor heard from each other in ten years, meet again when they find themselves staying at the same inn for a twenty-four hour period.” In addition, each author was given one season of the year and they didn’t talk to each other until their stories were done. In a letter to the readers, the instigator of this anthology, Mary Balogh, asks the readers if this is just the same story told four times or four different stories… Since you already know the plot, I’ll just give a quick view of how I liked each author’s story! Stephanie Laurens provided “The Fall of Rogue Gerrard” which has the feel of her earlier novels. The hero’s wicked reputation and the heroine’s independence and headstrong nature are very reminiscent of her first few Cynster novels and I LOVED it. The delicious sexual tension, the strong sexy hero unable to resist his desire, the heroine determined to ‘save’ the hero…just a darn good story. “Spellbound” by Mary Balogh had a very different feel. Our hero and heroine have the ultimate in misunderstandings and even though her explanation made sense, it was still a bit harder for me to swallow. I fell in love with “Only You” by Jacquie D’Alessandro. This story was, for me, the most moving of all. Suffering and sacrifice resulting in the understanding that riches and social standing can’t replace the real rewards of true love. And finally, Candice Hern’s “From This Moment On” wraps up the anthology with a tale of love postponed by circumstance and rekindled later in life. It’s not often you get to read a historical romance with ‘mature’ characters! All in all, quite a pleasurable read. Laurens and D’Alessandro were my top two and Balogh and Herns came in right behind them. Each of the contributors took the plot in totally different directions that until I started this review, I’d forgotten they were all using the same outline! Just goes to show that these four talented historical authors can certainly provide a blissful break from reality. “It Happened One Night” is a must for any fan of Stephanie Laurens, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Mary Balogh, and Candice Herns.

Do you enjoy humor with your hot vamp heroes? If so, you should give Lynsay Sands vamp series a try. Her latest in this series is "The Rogue Hunter" and stars yet another brooding, sexy vampire who finds his mate. Samantha is a hard-charging young lawyer, burning her way up the ladder, trying to make partner at her prestigious law firm. When her sisters finally guilt her into taking their annual lake vacation, she gives in only to get sucked up into the disappearance of the spoiled daughter of one of her firm's most important clients. ?Luckily? another lake visitor is determined to provide assistance...and he's quite the hottie! Mortimer (don't you love that name?) is over 800 years old. He hunts rogue vampires who feed off humans and risk exposure to the whole vampire community. When rumors of a possible rogue bring him to the lake where Sam and her sisters vacation, he's shocked to find that he can't 'read' Sam, and he's suddenly hungry for food, and he's suddenly really, really interested in sex...but only with Sam. Since all these are signs of meeting his lifemate, you'd think Mort would be happy. Well, not right away. She's just not quite what he had in mind when he imagined his lifemate. But the more time he spends with Sam, the more his hungers grow...for food, for her, and for her blood. Mort is hilarious. Reading about a staid, boring, tired of food/sex/life vampire trying to rationalize his feelings had me in stitches. This is a total 'feel good' read. There's no real danger, no competing males (or females), and lots of hot tension and good sex. I liked it!

Yep. "One Bite With a Stranger" is the retitled version of "Fantasy Fix", an early title by Christine Warren (Ellora's Cave, 2003). For those of you who weren't willing to pay the $40 most sharks were charging for the few copies available, now you can just pick up this book and you'll have the same story. Regina and her buds were drunk when they came up with 'Fantasy Fix'--where each of them puts their heads and acquaintances together in an effort to fulfill the fantasies of one of their number. Regina had managed to avoid being 'fixed' while she was with Greg, but now that he's been gone for six months, her friends decide it's her turn. In an effort to get even, she tries to make her fantasies impossible to fill...sex with the real Elvis, Bigfoot, an alien, or a vampire. Oh, and to be mastered! Did nobody ever tell Regina to be careful of what you ask for? Dmitri is a member of the Council of Others, a very important and filthy rich vampire...and bored. Until he looks across the smoky bar and sees Regina. Unfortunately, it's been so long since Dmitri has had to put any effort into wooing, he makes a few mistakes (major understatement). If you don't laugh while reading Dmitri and Regina's story...you need to see a shrink. And don't forget your chilled drink, this is a hot one!!!