REVIEW: The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins

COPYRIGHT: 2010
PAGES: 393
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Straight Romance
SENSUALITY: Warm
REASON FOR READING: I enjoyed my first book by Higgins - Just One of the Guys

SUMMARY:

Lucy Lang isn't looking for fireworks.
She's looking for a nice, decent man. Someone who'll mow the lawn, flip chicken on the barbecue, teach their future children to play soccer. But most important: someone who won't inspire the slightest stirring in her heart…or anywhere else. A young widow, Lucy can't risk that kind of loss again. But sharing her life with a cat named Fat Mikey and the Black Widows at the family bakery isn't enough either. So it's goodbye to Ethan, her hot but entirely inappropriate "friend with privileges" and hello to a man she can marry.
Too bad Ethan Mirabelli isn't going anywhere. As far as he's concerned, what she needs might be right under her nose. But can he convince her that the next best thing can really be forever?

THOUGHTS/OPINIONS:
Lucy had only been married 8 months when she lost her husband in a tragic car accident. This happened over 5 years ago and she still has not gotten over it, to put it mildly. In fact, in my opinion the girl could use some serious grief counseling. But as the story begins her sister has just had a baby and that starts her thinking and she has convinced herself she is ready to move on - she wants to meet someone and start her own family. Ethan is her dead husband's brother and has been a rock of support for her for the last 5 years. And with whom she enjoys "friends with benefits". This news was a bit of a shocker to me even though I had read it in the blurb. It's had to imagine women (and men) who actually think this is a good idea.

The story is told in a first person narrative and has the usual disadvantage of never knowing what Ethan is thinking or feeling. Lucy is one messed up person who seems to spend too much time playing the video of her wedding and crying. Normally I would be totally irritated with this type of heroine but I found myself very sympathetic towards her. Lucy works in the family-owned bakery with her mother and two aunts (called the Black Widows) who were also widowed at a fairly young age. These women seem to be content in their widowhood and cannot understand why Lucy wants to marry again. Why take the risk since all the men in the family die young. This is why I was so sympathetic of Lucy - working with these three was not a healthy situation. But there was lots of humor and some touching moments in this book which really balanced out the sadness. I cried along with Lucy and laughed too. But sometimes I wanted to shake her in her treatment of Ethan who was a wonderful guy.

The characterizations of the widows and Lucy's sister were well drawn. The sister is deathly afraid her husband will die young too like her mother, sister and aunt's husbands and has become quite neurotic. Just when I was starting to lose patience with Lucy she makes an amazing discovery about Ethan and my heart just melts. I loved the ending. I couldn't make up my mind on the grade for the longest time. But it's still so memorable after a couple months that I had to rate it pretty high.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW: September Moon by Candice Proctor

COPYRIGHT: 1999
PAGES: 337
SETTING: Historical - Australia 1860's
TYPE: Straight Romance
SENSUALITY: Hot
REASON FOR READING: Because I loved her other books written about Australia; Night in Eden and Whispers of Heaven - both are keepers!


THOUGHTS/OPINIONS:
Amanda Davenport is an Englishwoman working as a secretary in Australia. When her employers die unexpectedly she is left stranded until the next ship leaves for England which is many months away. She is alone, nearly penniless and desperate to find work. She applies for a job as governess to the Patrick O'Reilly family who live on a sheep station in the wild Australia outback. When she arrives at her new home and sees the harsh living conditions she realizes that she has probably made a horrible mistake. The land is in the midst of a terrible drought, the children are hellions and determined to make her life miserable, and Patrick O'Reilly is rough and uncouth. But Amanda must make the best of it until her agreed upon employment ends and she can return to her beloved England.

Slowly Amanda comes to care for the children. They were abandoned by their mother and are angry and deeply hurt, but eventually Amanda wins them over and they come to rely on her. Patrick is intelligent, a caring father, and works hard to make his station a success. He is also still bitter towards his English wife who abandoned him and his children because she hated the outback.

Patrick is a fantastic hero and he comes to see that Amanda is not such a prim English governess. She has a passionate side and he is very attracted to her. The sexual tension between them just sizzles and their growing attraction leads to some wonderful love scenes. Amanda finally realizes that this is where she belongs even though the living conditions get worse as the drought continues. It takes a while for the children and especially Patrick to trust her not to abandon them, but Amanda is one amazingly tough woman.

Proctor is an outstanding author and her vivid descriptions of the Australian outback were wonderfully drawn and compelling. She also paints a fascinating picture of life on a sheep station in the 1860s. And the characterizations are so strong that I just fell in love with Patrick and Amanda, and the three children, Hannah, Liam and Missy. In fact I had a hard time putting it down. After finishing the book I flipped back to the first page and read it again! I just could not get this setting and characters out of my mind. And that doesn't happen often for me. Another keeper!

GRADE: A

REVIEW: Never Romance a Rake by Liz Carlyle

COPYRIGHT: 2008
PAGES: 436
SETTING: Historical - Regency era
TYPE: Straight Romance
SERIES: 3rd book in the Neville family series
SENSUALITY: Warm

SUMMARY:

If he wins this hand...
Shunning the glittering elite of high society Kieran, Baron Rothewell, prefers the dangerous pursuits of London's demimonde. Hardened by a tormented past, he cares little for anyone or anything. So how can he resist the wager proposed by the dissolute Comte de Valigny? A hand of cards for the possession of the comte's exquisite daughter.

Will he win her heart?
Abandoned by her highborn father -- until he decides to use her -- Mademoiselle Camille Marchand puts no trust in an aristocrat's honor, especially that of the notorious baron. She too is gambling -- for her life -- and Rothwell is just one more card to be used. But whatever dark desires run through his veins call to her own, and the heart plays its own game -- winner take all!

THOUGHTS / OPINION:

I am a obsessive compulsive series reader. At least I used to be. I cannot pickup a book to read unless I am sure I have read the previous books in the series. But now I find myself falling behind in my reading of some of my favorite authors - Liz Carlyle being one of them. So when I find a recommendation for a book in a series I just jump in, grab it and start reading. I'm so glad I did because NRAR turned out to be an excellent read and I didn't feel like I was missing anything by started #3 in the series without having read #1 & #2.

Kiernan is a dark, tormented, self-destructive man and for good reason given his childhood abuse. He spends most of his time drinking to excess, smoking, and frequenting bawdy houses and gambling dens. His health is deteriorating badly and he fears his death is imminent and does nothing to alter his behavior. One thing I dislike about books about rakes is that they turn out to be "fake rakes". Well, Kiernan is a real rake deserving of the title.

Kiernan meets Camille Marchand one evening in a corrupt gambling hell when her depraved father, Comte de Valigny, wagers the right to marry her (and her large dowry) in a card game. Kiernan is shocked and thinks to put a stop to it but then realizes that Camille is not fighting it. But he cannot allow the lecherous slime at the table to have her so he makes sure he wins. Afterward he takes her aside tells her she doesn't have to marry him. But Camille insists upon the marriage AND a child in exchange for her dowry. She can only collect her grandfather's inheritance after she marries and produces a child. Camille is the illegitimate daughter of the Comte's and had a difficult and insecure childhood. Her father is now trying to use her to get at her huge inheritance.

Both Kiernan and Camille are deep multifaceted characters and their relationship development was a delight from their first meeting to eventually falling in love. The love scenes are steamy and Kiernan's redemption from rake to loving husband was wonderful. All the characters were well done especially Kemble. I believe he has appeared in several previous books by Carlyle.

Given these two superb characters and their relationship and Carlyle's usual excellent prose, I was completely enthralled. Kiernan's health issues and Camille's family issues (which I won't spoil) are resolved very satisfyingly. NRAR is another keeper from Carlyle.

GRADE: A-

TBR Challenge: REVIEW: Breathless by Laura Lee Guhrke

COPYRIGHT: 1999
PAGES: 389
SETTING: Historical - Turn of the Century
TYPE: Straight Romance
SENSUALITY: Warm

SUMMARY:

Award-winning author Laura Lee Guhrke steps back to a time of Southern propriety--and passion--in this thrilling page-turner laced with heated sensuality. A lawyer is reunited with an unforgettable lady from his past--and together, they step into a web of small-town scandal and desire.

Lily Morgan may be Shivaree, Georgia's most talked-about lady. Everyone in town knows about the bitter break-up of her marriage five years before, when Daniel Walker, her husband's tough, uncompromising lawyer, tore her reputation to shreds and left her with nothing but a wish to get even. But now something about Daniel makes her blood boil and her pulse quicken...not with righteous fury, but with passion.

Daniel has returned to Shivaree to once again match wits with Lily Morgan. The thought of a rematch with Lily delights him. for he has never forgotten her hot temper--or her lovely looks. But when a shocking murder shakes the town, Daniel joins Lily to find a killer, and their unexpected partnership sparks something between them that they never expected--desire. Now Daniel, the strong-willed lawyer for whom winning is everything, realizes he must win the one reward he can't live without: Lily's forgiveness--and her love.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:

Wow, I loved this book. Breathless takes place at the turn of the century... a time period I'm not that fond of... and I still loved it. I picked this book up because Wendy said it was her favorite book of all time and she owns 2 copies of it. Could her reason for loving it be because the heroine is a librarian? Well, that could be part of it, but I'm sure it's because the writing is superb, the characters are wonderfully drawn, and the story is filled with humor and is utterly charming.

This is a enemies-to-lovers story. Daniel is a lawyer, the lowest of the low as far as Lily, the town's librarian, is concerned. During her divorce trial where he represented her husband, he falsely accused her of adultery thereby ruining her reputation in the small Georgia town where she lives. But Lily has backbone and refuses to be cowed by the gossips in town.

Now Daniel is back and Lily is horrified. Lily has been trying to get rid of the local "social club" which is nothing but a brothel which she holds responsible for her straying husband's despicable behavior. Daniel has political ambitions and his main supporter has brought him back in town to overturn the injunction against the "social club". The plot gets a bit more intense with a murder of one of the "girls" at the social club, but it is very well done and the pages just flew by. Daniel and Lily fight a growing attraction and eventually Daniel realizes that he was wrong about Lily during her divorce trial. All the characters were engaging and well written and the dialogue is witty and had some very funny moments. I especially LOVED the scene where Lily refuses to issue Daniel a library card. A hoot!

When I first read this I was a bit annoyed with how the hero refused to see the truth about the heroine until late in the story. So I gave it a B+ but after thinking and thinking about it, I realized it didn't matter and made their coming together that much better. This one is a KEEPER.

This book reminds me a little of the movie The Long, Hot Summer with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward (loved that movie). Read this book with that movie in mind and you'll see what I mean.

Keishon's TBR Challenge theme for this month is friends to lovers, but enemies to lovers is even better reading in this case.

GRADE: A

REVIEW: Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas

SETTING/TYPE: Victorian Historical Romance
COPYRIGHT: 2008
SENSUALITY: Hot
SUMMARY:

Love has designs of its own.…

To all of London society, Lord and Lady Tremaine had the ideal arrangement: a marriage based on civility, courteousness, and freedom—by all accounts, a perfect marriage. The reason? For the last ten years, husband and wife have resided on separate continents.

But once upon a time, things were quite different for the Tremaines….When Gigi Rowland first laid eyes on Camden Saybrook, the attraction was immediate and overwhelming. But what began in a spark of passion ended in betrayal the morning after their wedding—and now Gigi wants to be free to marry again. When Camden returns from America with an outrageous demand in exchange for her freedom, Gigi’s decision will have consequences she never imagined, as secrets are exposed, desire is rekindled—and one of London’s most admired couples must either fall in love all over again…or let each other go forever.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

I have several book themes I look for when picking romances and "troubled marriage" is one of my favorites. In fact, I have a tag for these types of plots in my LibraryThing account. So after reading all the buzz about Sherry Thomas' debut book, Private Arrangements, I had to try it and I'm glad I did because I found it very impressive.

Gigi, Lady Tremaine, has been separated from her husband, Camden, for 10 years. Gigi loves her husband but she is tired of waiting for him and has decided to get on with her life and remarry someone else for some small chance at happiness. Camden doesn't want her but doesn't want anyone else to have her either. Especially dim-witted Freddie, her intended fiance. So Camden demands that they live together for one year so he can get an heir off her in exchange for the divorce she wants. And Gigi agrees.

The story goes back and forth between the past and the present and slowly reveals why these two imperfect and somewhat unlikeable characters are so bitter and cruel to each other. When they first meet both characters are immature and Gigi has no self confidence in her beauty or personal attributes needed to attract a man aside from her considerable fortune. Camden is on the verge of proposing to another girl and Gigi is very determined to have him so she plots and schemes to bring Camden to propose. On the eve of their wedding Camden discovers her deception and is very angry (and I suspect, very hurt). He decides to proceed with the wedding and consummates the marriage, then very cruelly humiliates and rejects her. Of course, in this way he can throw her out and still have access to all her lovely money. Let's just say I was not too fond of Camden at this point. Especially after Gigi grovels and begs for him to take her back. Gigi is at fault for her deception but I found her much more sympathetic and I actually liked her quite a bit.

The weaving of the past with the present was smoothly done and the use of language by Thomas was superb making this book hard to put down. When Camden and Gigi first marry they are very young and so I gave their initial poor behavior some slack, but it is now ten years later and Camden is still bitter and angry and seems to still want to punish Gigi for making him fall in love with her. Gigi has grown up and acts much more honorably towards Camden and I found her a much more sympathetic character.

There is a lovely romantic sub-plot involving Gigi's mother, Mrs. Rowland, and a reclusive duke who lives next door. Mrs. Rowland tries to bag the duke for her daughter but ends up falling in love with him herself. A very amusing and well done sidebar to the main plot.

Overall this was a somewhat deep historical with three dimensional characters and a very satisfying and romantic ending. Everything I enjoy in a romance. I enjoyed this book so much Thomas is an auto-buy for me now. I have read Delicious and have Not Quite a Husband on my wishlist.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW: Broken Wing by Judith James

COPYRIGHT: 2008
SETTING / TYPE: Regency Historical Romance
SENSUALITY: Hot
REASON FOR READING: KristieJ.... In her review from last October she gave it a 6 out of 5! When she speaks so highly of a book, I sit up and pay attention because KristieJ is one of my reading gurus (along with CindyS). We don't always agree but I would say most of the time we do.

SUMMARY:

Abandoned as a child and raised in a brothel, Gabriel St. Croix has never known tenderness, friendship, or affection. Although fluent in sex, he knows nothing of love. Lost and alone inside a nightmare world, all he’s ever wanted was companionship and a place to belong. Hiding physical and emotional scars behind an icy façade, his only relationship is with a young boy he has spent the last five years protecting from the brutal reality of their environment. But all that is about to change. The boy’s family has found him, and they are coming to take him home.

Sarah Munroe blames herself for her brother’s disappearance. When he’s located, safe and unharmed despite where he has been living, Sarah vows to help the man who rescued and protected him in any way she can. With loving patience she helps Gabriel face his demons and teaches him to trust in friendship and love. But when the past catches up with him, Gabriel must face it on his own.

Becoming a mercenary pirate and a professional gambler, Gabriel travels to London, France, and the Barbary Coast in a desperate attempt to find Sarah again and all he knows of love. On the way, however, he will discover the most dangerous journey, and the greatest gamble of all, is within the darkest reaches of his own heart

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
Wow, a very remarkable book from an author I had never heard of before. I'm not going to rehash the plot because there are oodles of reviews written out on the blogs and review sites, thanks to our dear KristieJ and her Questors. Check out her sidebar for a list of people under the label "Questors" who have reviewed this book. While not everyone loved it as much as KristieJ, I think the majority gave it a very positive review. Both AAR and TRR gave it an A.

I have read many of the reviews and I have to agree with some of the less than positive criticisms - it was not a perfect book - none of that bothered me. I found myself completely enthralled with the story and couldn't put it down. My reason for loving it so much can be credited to the H/H who are two wonderful extraordinary well-written characters.

Gabriel appears hard and cynical but inside he is a damaged child and very fragile. Gabriel could be a study in how an abused child becomes an adult with his overwhelming feelings of worthlessness and self destruction. He cuts himself which was disturbing and I think realistic for someone with his abused background. And Sarah through her soothing sweetness and gentleness can be credited with helping him heal.

Sarah is an unusual character as well and a perfect match for Gabriel. Her mother was part Gypsy so although she is born noble is not accepted into society. She was married off at an early age to an older man and she leaves him after a week (you go girl!). Fortunately for her he dies. She wear trousers and raises horses and does what she pleases. But she is sweet and kind and sees the goodness in Gabriel when no one else does.

The friendship that develops between them goes slowly... no popping into bed at the first signs of attraction ... which was appropriate given Gabriel's history as a prostitute. They truly become friends and care about each and and get to know each other. And they fall in love. Just as Gabriel begins to get some feeling of self worth back he sets off on an adventure to prove to himself that he is worth loving. And this is where the book takes a turn and has an epic feel. This part of the book is all about Gabriel.

There is a long separation when Gabriel has some adventures traveling around the world as a pirate and a gambler. Eventually his feelings of worthlessness come creeping back and when he makes his way back to England he doesn't get in touch with Sarah who thinks he is dead. Now this is where some reviewers wanted to smack him upside the head and I agree with them. Get in line! But keep reading folks, cuz the scene where Sarah discovers he is alive and shows up on his doorstep was a highly emotional tearjerker (man, I need to go back and read that again). But I forgave him just as Sarah does and ... sigh, what a great ending. I can see why KristieJ loved this book so much. Some people hated the long separation but I actually enjoyed it. It just made their reunion and reconciliation that much sweeter.

I recently read Kinsales' The Shadow and The Star and was struck by the similarities of the hero Samuel to Gabriel, both were sexually abused as children. While James is not quite in the same league as Kinsale as a writer, she makes a pretty good run at it, and for a first book BW is amazing. I see from KristieJ that James' next book is out soon. I definitely need to get that one.
If you are the the only person left on the planet who hasn't read Broken Wing, go out and find a copy. A great emotional read mixed with some adventure and a satisfying ending.

GRADE: A-

TBR Challenge: REVIEW: The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale

COPYRIGHT: 1991
PAGES: 449
SETTING: Historical - Victorian (set in Hawaii & London)
TYPE: Straight Romance

SENSUALITY: Hot

REASON FOR READING: Well, because it's Kinsale and because it's a DIK at AAR (and appears in the Top 100 Romances consistently) and because this book has been mentioned numerous times on various blogs and message boards and it's considered a classic by many romance readers.

SUMMARY:

From nationally acclaimed bestselling author Laura Kinsale comes a boldly original, breathlessly unforgettable tale of honour, adventure and undying love.

The Shadow is wealthy, powerful and majestically handsome, he is a man of dark secrets - a master of the ancient martial arts of an exotic distant land. Scarred by a childhood of shocking degradation, he has sworn to love chastely ... but burns with the fires of unfulfilled passion.

The Star is lovely, innocent and nearly destitute, and drawn to him by a fevered yearning she could never deny - following her enigmatic 'shadow warrior' into a dangerous world of desire and righteous retribution.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
I bought my copy of TS&TS many years ago but I just could not motivate myself to read it until recently. That is probably due to the fact that it is 449 pages long with very small print and my limit seems to be less than 400 page these days. So I knew I needed to devote a chunk of time to reading it so I procrastinated. Plus the cheesy cover put me off.

But as they say... don't judge a book by it's cover. TS&TS turned out to be a real treat and a keeper. There is so much to love about this book I don't know where to start. I love that some of it is set in Hawaii. I love the tortured dark hero and wonderful heroine. I love stories about the redeeming power of love. And I love Kinsale's writing and how she can evoke such a range of emotions.

Samual Gerard was rescued from a sexually abusive childhood by the wealthy Ashland family and brought to Hawaii and where he is shown love and accepted as a member of the family. But he still feels unworthy and overwhelmingly ashamed of his past. Their Japanese butler, Dojun, who is a master in martial arts takes him under his wing and trains him in the techniques and philosophy of martial arts which helps him heal from the trauma from his childhood. But as Samual grows into adulthood he becomes horrified with his increasing sexual awareness of women jumbling these natural feelings with the degradation of his past abuse. As a result he regards his sexual side as something to guard against. Samuel uses the rigid control of the ancient arts to quiet his inner turmoil and maintain a celibate lifestyle.

Leda Etoile is a prim and proper English woman who works as dressmaker's assistant in a London shop. When Samuel and his foster mother and sister visit the shop, he is confused by his strong physical attraction to Leda. When Leda is unfairly dismissed from her position she repeatedly fails to find employment as a typist. After a series of encounters Samuel eventually hires her as his private secretary to help him in his secret campaign to close child prostitution houses. Leda is an intelligent character, a bit naive but very sweet and oh-so-proper. I loved how she calls Samuel "Dear Sir".

The unfolding of their relationship is intensely emotional but in some ways very subtle. Kinsale is a master at this. And their first love scene is amazingly erotic even though both H/H are virgins. They are forced to marry and both of them seem afraid to show each other their true emotions even though their physical relationship is so passionate. Leda is confused by Samuel's seeming distance after losing control during their lovemaking. The story has many twists and turns which I don't wish to spoil. Let me just say there is not one wasted word. I wouldn't shorten it a bit.

As you can tell TS&TS is not a "quick" read, but it's complex fascinating characters, compelling story and intensely emotional love scenes are like savoring a piece of my favorite chocolate truffle.. rich and satisfying, leaving you with the feeling of heaven on earth. Kinsale is not for everyone but after reading Flowers from the Storm, I had to try this one and I'm so glad I did.

GRADE: A

Psst.. I like this new cover from the re-issue much better:

Recent good reads

I was looking through my book spreadsheet and discovered I have read an amazing number of books so far this year ... 135 (with 30 published in 2008). But I have only reviewed 20 books (8 published in 2008) this year. Pretty pathetic. Another interesting fact ... I have read 81 books from my TBR this year, some of which have been living in my closet for years. A couple of years ago my TBR had over 250 books. Now it's down to 107.

No chance of getting full length reviews done for all of my reads this year but here are some quickies of three 2008 books that are worth checking out:



TITLE/AUTHOR: Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase
SENSUALITY: HOT!

THOUGHTS/OPINIONS: Chase has demonstrated her genius yet again. Set in 1820's Venice, YSW is a wonderful book full of charm and wit. Francesa Bonnard is an unapologetic courtesan. In fact, she calls herself a "great whore". After she is publicly humiliated and divorced by her husband, she flees to the Continent and becomes a notorious and much sought after woman. James Cordier is a spy for the English government and is anxious to retire and return to England. But his last assignment is to steal a packet of letters from Francesca that are potentially damaging to her ex-husband's political career. Francesca and James are wonderfully intelligent characters, the dialog is witty and the setting was so unusual and realistically portrayed. The humor is wonderfully written as well. This is a very funny book. Here is the first paragraph:

"Penises. Everywhere."

Ha! That caught my interest immediately and the story never let me go. And the sex scenes are nice and steamy. But there is a lot of depth to this story too.

GRADE: A


TITLE/AUTHOR: Death Angel by Linda Howard
SENSUALITY: HOT!

THOUGHTS/OPINIONS: I'm having a hard time figuring out how to describe this book. It has an odd paranormal element to it that kinda freaked me out but overall I think I liked this book.

Drea Rousseau is a mistress to Rafael Salinas, a very dangerous crime lord and malicious killer who hires assassins to do his dirty work. After one such hit job, the assassin asks for a few hours with Salina's mistress as part of his payment so Salinas just gives Drea to him, and they spend some hours in some scorchingly hot sex. Whew! The assassin is a cold blooded killer and the "hero" of the book and we eventually find out his name is Simon Goodnight. Hmmm, so both the "hero" and "heroine" are both thoroughly unlikeable characters. Drea has been playing stupid in front Salinas for a long time but now she is desperate to get out of her situation. She outsmarts him and pulls some sneaky moves and gets away with a mountain of money. But Salinas sends "The Assassin" after her.

I don't want to spoil the story for you so I'll just say that Drea ends up turning her life around and totally redeems herself. Simon eventually realizes he loves her and protects her from Salinas. I really came to like Drea. Now Simon is a total mystery and we never find out who he really is and what makes him tick. The ending was rather abrupt but I liked it anyway. I don't think this book will appeal to everyone but Linda Howard is a must read for me. And the sex scenes alone are worth the price of the book (paperback only - due out in April 2009 - otherwise get it from the library). But then I'm slutty that way.

GRADE: B-


TITLE/AUTHOR: Tribute by Nora Roberts
SENSUALITY: Warm

THOUGHTS/OPINIONS: Roberts is a very consistent author and her skill is evident in this book and I really enjoyed it quite a bit. A lot of her recent books have had paranormal elements with ghosts and whatever but this one had none of that and I was so glad. I think she should stick to straight contemporary because ghosts just don't do it for me.

Cilla McGowan is a former child star with a lot of baggage. She returns to her famous grandmother's old neglected house in Virginia and decides to renovate it. Cilla is a pro at remodeling houses and I was fascinated by all the details of turning a run down disaster into a beautiful home. Roberts definitely did her homework in that area but if house renovation is not your thing, you should probably skip this book because while the story was good, it wasn't all that gripping. Ford Sawyer lives across the street and writes graphic novels. The story hinges around a mystery involving the death of Cilla's grandmother many years ago and was pretty tame but was so well written I enjoyed it anyway. Cilla is a very strong, smart woman and very likeable. Ford is what I would call a beta hero but yummy in his own way. A pretty good read all around.

GRADE: B



Sorry for the shortness of these "reviews". I have a few more 2008 book to review so those should be coming up shortly.

Reading now: Under the Wire by Cindy Gerard. This is a romantic suspense with a younger man plot line (one of my favorite). Very good so far.

REVIEW: Moonstruck by Susan Grant

SETTING/TYPE: Science Fiction Romance
COPYRIGHT: 2008
SERIES: Borderland series (Book 1)
SENSUALITY: Hot
SUMMARY:

Peace is for little girls.

And Coalition starship admiral Brit Bandar is one tough woman. A mere intergalactic treaty could never get her to trust the Drakken Horde. There was too much bad blood between the Coalition and the Horde and, for intensely personal reasons, Brit wasn’t sure that she was through spilling it! But now a peaceful accord has made Finn Rorkken, a notorious Drakken rogue, second-in command on her starship – and through some grand cosmic irony – front and center in her thoughts…and her heart.

Warleader. Pirate.

Either title sat easily on Finn’s battle-hardened shoulders. Though second-in-command to “Stone-Heart” Bandar? That would take some getting used to. Peace required as much sacrifice as war, so he’d comply even if his reaction to the gorgeous admiral fell decidedly outside protocol. But would he end up kissing or killing her if the galaxy’s tentative truce turned into all out war?

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

SF Romance is one of my favorite genres but I don't seem to read many of them lately. I'm glad I finally pulled this one out of my TBR pile because I found it thoroughly enjoyable. I have not read the previous series which leads up to this book and had no problem following the story.

This books begins at the end of the Horde war (and the previous "Otherworldly Men" series). After being at war for hundreds of years the Coalition, Drakken Horde, and Earth have united into The Triad Alliance. The transition to peace is a difficult one for any society. Coalition Admiral Brit "Stone-Heart" Bandar has spent her career hunting and killing the hated Drakken. But now she has a new assignment - command a new diplomatic ship called "Unity" and staff it with members of all three societies. Her second in command is her former Drakken enemy, Warleader Finnar Rorkken.

Brit has good reason to hate and distrust the Drakken and she has earned her nickname "Stone-Heart". But she is a complex and admirable character. I was struck by how fair she was to her former enemies trying to integrate them into her crew in leadership roles rather than relegate them to subservient roles. Finn is another well written character. He has had to struggle his whole life to advance to his present position, but he is very smart and loyal to his crew. I admired both the H/H very much. All the characters were 3 dimensional and the action adventure story was fast paced. Kind of like watching an old episode of Star Trek (one of my favorites). Someone is out to sabotage the peace and Brit and Finn must learn to trust each other as they finally explore their attraction. The spicy loves scenes and touches of light humor made this a memorable read ... you'll find yourself laughing, crying and having a hard time putting it down. I look forward to the next book in the series - The Warlord's Daughter - due out in March 2009.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW: The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne

SETTING/TYPE: Regency Historical
PAGES: 373
COPYRIGHT: 2008

THOUGHTS/OPINIONS:

Last year I swore off reading any more books with Regency spies after reading one that really bored and annoyed me (I can't even remember the title right now). So I resisted reading this book for months. But all the high acclaim and reviews filled with glowing praise finally wore me down. I am a notorious spoiler-reader and usually I pore over reviews before finally making my decision. But this time I only skimmed the reviews (because, heck, the title had the word "spy" so I wasn't going to read it anyway). What a ding-dong I am because this book just blew me away. Just goes to show you can't stereotype a book by it's cover OR title.

So I picked up this book not knowing a thing about the plot, and became immediately immersed in the story. Annique Villiers is French and a spy for France since she was a small child. As the story begins she has been captured by another spy named Leblanc, and has landed in a French prison because it is believed she has the Albion plans which detail Napoleon's plans for the invasion of England. Two British spies share her prison cell, Robert Grey and Adrian, who is seriously wounded.

Grey is the Head of Section for the British Service, otherwise known as the Spymaster of England. Annique is brilliant, clever and cunning and no prison can hold her for long. She escapes and decides to help the two British spies to escape as well, hating to leave anyone in the hands of Leblanc. Grey is anxious to capture her himself since he suspects she has a part in the death of some of his men at Bourges. Annique knows how to play the "Game" and Grey has a difficult time with her but he gets lucky. But it takes 3 men and he has to drug her to do it which I thought was thoroughly despicable. But Annique never makes it easy for him even when he thinks he has won. She shows him that intelligence, wit and craftiness eventually wins out over physical strength. The tension between Annique and Grey was palpable and I adored every scene with them. All the characters were multi-layered and well-defined.

This story is a rousing adventure and there are so many twists and turns and mouth-dropping surprises that I had a hard time catching my breath sometimes. Bourne reveals each secret when the reader needs to know it and each one blew me away.

I have read many other reviews that describe this book as a triumph in dialog and language dialects and I have to agree. Annique is French and although every word Bourne writes is in English, the reader knows she is French from every word, every phrase, every sentence she speaks or thinks. Grey is English and he sounds like upper crust British. Every language has its own rhythm and cadence and translating that into English is quite a feat. In fact, sentence tags aren't necessary for us to figure out who is speaking. It takes quite a bit of writing talent to pull this off, and Bourne has got it.

This book is a delight from cover to cover. I'm betting that it will appear repeatedly in my 2008 AAR Reader poll. Go forth and read!

GRADE: A

REVIEW: Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

COPYRIGHT: 2008
SETTINGS: Contemporary - Texas
TYPE: Romance
SERIES: Sequel to Sugar Daddy
SENSUALITY: Very hot!

REASON FOR READING: Loved Sugar Daddy. Love Lisa Kleypas.

SUMMARY: [From the Publisher]

MEET THE BLUE-EYED DEVIL
His name is Hardy Cates. He's a self-made millionaire who comes from the wrong side of the tracks. He's made enemies in the rough-and-tumble ride to the top of Houston's oil industry. He's got hot blood in his veins. And vengeance on his mind.
MEET THE HEIRESS
She's Haven Travis. Despite her family's money, she refuses to set out on the path they've chosen for her. But when Haven marries a man her family disapproves of, her life is set on a new and dangerous course. Two years later, Haven comes home, determined to guard her heart. And Hardy Cates, a family enemy, is the last person she needs darkening her door or setting her soul on fire.
WATCH THE SPARKS FLY....
Filled with Lisa Kleypas's trademark sensuality, filled with characters you love to hate and men you love to love, Blue-Eyed Devil will hold you captive in its storytelling power as the destiny of two people unfolds with every magical word.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:

I was prepared not to like this book. In Sugar Daddy, Hardy was a real jerk sometimes and not exactly hero material. He grew up dirt poor living in a trailer park in the small town of Welcome, Texas. His main goal in life was to get out of town and make something of himself. Liberty Jones (heroine of SD) was desperately in love with him but he leaves her behind to face her troubles alone after her mother died and never looked back. Liberty goes on to find her own HEA with Gage Travis although Hardy tries to screw that up (but doesn't succeed) at the end of SD.

BED begins at Liberty and Gage's wedding which Hardy has crashed. He is a millionaire now and since he failed to win Liberty back, he can't resist showing up at her wedding as an unwelcome guest to poke a stick in the eye of the wealthy Travis family. He escapes to the wine cellar where he has a memorable encounter with Gage Travis's sister, Haven. The story is told in the first person POV of Haven. She is embarrassed to discover that the man she had shared passionate kisses with is not her boyfriend Nick, but the scoundrel Hardy, her brother's enemy.

Haven has two sides to her character that seem to get her into trouble at different times. She is supposed to be the rebel of the family but she is also a pleaser, which seem like opposite characteristics. Being the youngest of the family and the only female with domineering brothers and overprotective father, I could buy how she was always trying to please everyone. But when pushed too far she would eventually rebel. Her father disapproves of her choice of husband so she elopes with Nick and her father cuts her off without a cent. Things go drastically downhill from there. Her life with Nick was extremely painful to read. The rebellious side of Haven is beaten down (literally) until she doesn't trust her own judgment anymore. She eventually escapes the abuse thankfully with the help of her brothers. But she has a long road ahead to get her self confidence back.

This is Haven's story and Hardy doesn't make another appearance until the last half of the book. But I really came to care about her and cheered her on when she makes progress in her social and business life. And I yelled at her (yes, right out loud) when I saw how wimpy she behaved sometimes. Her progress was agonizingly slow, two steps forward and one step back. It takes Haven a long time to learn to trust again. But Hardy is very patient with her. When Hardy and Haven finally make love the sex was very steamy but touching. Kleypas writes wonderful hot sexy love scenes that you want to read over and over. Yum!

This book is not an easy read and the characters were realistically portrayed. I think Kleypas has done her research on abuse victims and how they recover. Hardy has his own demons to overcome since he was physically abused by his drunken father who he is still dealing with. This is a story about the healing power of love. So run, don't walk, to get your hands on a copy. Mine was from the library (I don't buy hardback) but when it comes out in PB, I'm adding this to my Kleypas collection.

GRADE: A-

TBR Day: Lots of old categories

I made a concerted effort this month to pare down my TBR. While standing in front of the shelves that contain my TBR, I noticed that there were way too many old categories that I had picked up over the years and just never got around to reading so I decided to start with those. My intent was to read at least 2 chapters of each book and if it didn't keep my interest, toss it away into the "post on PBS" pile. If I liked it (or it wasn't too horrible), then I figured I could finish it in no more than 2 days. Great plan, huh? Anyway, I read 11 categories and not one DNF in the bunch.

So here are mini-reviews of the best of them:

Call Me by Alison Kent (1996)
This book was a real surprise. It's a short (only 216 pages) Harlequin Temptation that had been languishing in my TBR for over 4 years. It was funny, had great sexual tension and the plot was tight and characters are well written. I loved the hero (a Texas rancher - yeah, I'm into cowboys lately) and his teenager brother is a hoot too. The heroine is quite uptight at first and is still hurting from the divorce from her cheating husband. But she warms up rather quickly and things got cooking. The sexy banter and spicy love scenes were worth the price of the book alone.
My grade: A


A Wedding to Remember by Emma Darcy (1994)
This was a troubled marriage story which is one of my guilty pleasures if done right. The H/H are divorced and the heroine, Joanna, is considering remarrying but she is unsure. She decides to visit her ex, Rory, at his office to see if it's well and truly over and get on with her life. Rory is stunned to see her and after talking her into a goodbye kiss, is blown away and impulsively he scoops her up in his arms and 'kidnaps' her for a weekend of pleasure. OK, I know, not realistic. at. all. But I went with it and I'm glad I did. They have some misunderstandings to work out and Joanna learns to believe in Rory rather than vindictive gossip (although I was a bit irritated with her for not believing in him in the first place).
My grade: B+


The Return of Eden McCall by Judith Duncan (1995)
JD is one of my favorite category writers and I have several of her books in my keepers. This book is #3 in the series (Wide Open Spaces) and all of them have been wonderful. TRoEM is no exception. Eden returns to her hometown to take care of her dad who has had a heart attack. She runs into her former boyfriend (and lover), Brodie, who is angry and hurt that she left town. I love how the POV switches to Brodie in several chapters and we really get inside his head. This is a highly emotional and well written book and Brodie is a wonderful hero. Duncan is a talented author who should be writing full length romances but unfortunately she hasn't published anything since 2002. What a shame she dropped out of sight.
My grade: B+


Cattleman's Promise by Marilyn Pappano (1999)
This is book #1 in the Heartbreak Canyon series. I read book #3 a few years ago and liked it so much that I bought the rest of the series, but I'm just finally getting around to reading them. Olivia's husband has just died saving her the trouble of divorcing the rotten scoundrel. She now has the care of her twin 5-year-old daughters and not a penny to her name since the ex gambled it all away. Except she finds the deed to a ranch in Heartbreak, Oklahoma. When she travels to Heartbreak on her last dime she finds out her husband had been swindled since Guthrie owns the ranch. Guthrie is a good, decent, and kind man so he offers to let her stay in a cabin on his property. In exchange she will cook and clean his house. I loved Guthrie. I loved Olivia. And I loved the twins, Elly and Emma. Wonderful plot and characters are so real. I hate cutesy or bratty kids, but Emma (good twin) and Elly ('bad' twin) were absolutely perfect. I found myself laughing at their antics and fell in love with them.
My grade: B+


Reading now: Horseman's Bride by Marilyn Pappano (1999)
This book follows Cattleman's Promise. Very dark, slightly depressing book that I almost gave up on. Features a tortured hero (Easy) with horrendous physical disabilities caused by a serious car accident. Top that with his feelings of loneliness and tremendous guilt caused when he ran off 12 years ago with his best friend's (Guthrie from Cattleman's Promise) fiance (Shay) a few days before their wedding. To make matters worse he abandoned Shay 6 years ago because of his feelings of guilt and worthlessness over his treatment of Guthrie, expecting she would go back to him. Shay went back to Heartbreak, Oklahoma where all three of them grew up together but she never got over Easy. Now Easy is back in Heartbreak, angry and depressed and a tad full of self pity. But Shay won't let him give into it and with Shay's help comes out of it little by little. I'm a few pages from the end and can hardly put it down (late for work this morning trying to squeeze in a few more pages). Update: Just finished it and it had a great last chapter and epilogue.
My grade: B

REVIEW: Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

COPYRIGHT: 2008
SETTING: Alternate Reality
TYPE: Paranormal Romance
PAGES: 328
SERIES: 4th book in Psy-Changling series

REASON FOR READING: This is my favorite paranormal series so picking this one up was a no-brainer.

SUMMARY: [from Publishers Weekly]

Earth of 2080 continues a cold war with the chilling aliens the Psy in Singh's fourth fierce installment of the Psy-Changeling series (after Caressed by Ice). Half-human, half-leopard changeling Clay Bennett is shocked when lovely Talin McKade, wracked with illness and similarly half-changeling, returns to his life, having disappeared from his childhood 20 years before. Talin works at San Francisco's Shine Foundation, dedicated to helping gifted but needy children, and a growing number of her missing charges have been turning up sans brains. There's plenty of purring passion to keeps things hot as the Leopard shape-shifters Clay and Tally fall breathlessly in love, while the Psy continue to use children as guinea pigs for developing a hive mind. While this is paranormal romance at its best, newcomers are advised to check out the earlier adventures first.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

This book captured my attention from the very first page. In all the other Psy/Changling books, the h/h were either Psy or Changling. In MtP the hero, Clay, is a changling leopard and incredibly yummy. But the heroine, Tally, is just a plain ordinary human so I was a bit leery about how strong a character she would be matched with such an alpha male. The previous heroines in this series have been matched with alpha males and have been very strong and alpha in their own right. But I had no reason to worry. Tally was a good mate for Clay.

Clay and Tally were childhood friends who became separated after an extremely traumatic event. Tally was an abused child and when Clay finds out, he mauls and kills her abuser right in front of her. Tally associates Clay with fear and blood and death and when he tries to find her after the incident Tally has her guardians tell him that she is dead. This was the only instance in the book where I wasn't sure if I would like Tally. But she was just a child when this happened and I think her reaction was understandable after such a traumatic event.

It is now 20 years later and Tally works with street kids. When several missing kids turn up dead, she knows she needs Clays help and goes looking for him. Clay has never forgotten Tally and is haunted by his memories of her. When he finds out she is alive he is understandably angry and one particular scene was incredibly intense and emotional. But he is also very loyal and protective of Tally so they pair up and discover some very sinister motives by a group of Psy. While they work together along with the Changling packs to rescue the children, Tally and Clay must face their past and confront their feelings for one another. Tally must learn to overcome her fear and trust Clay. And Clay must learn to forgive her for her deception and her sexual past.

This is another highly emotional, sexy, and fascinating addition to this series. Singh writes the best alpha males... and really, who would not love a leopard for a mate! They are highly possessive and protective without being overbearing. Tender, sweet, sensual and just plain sexy. OK, I'll stop now. I'm looking forward to Hostage to Pleasure (love this title) due out in September 2008.

GRADE: A-

REVIEW: Creation in Death by J. D. Robb

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 352
SETTING: Futuristic NYC (2060)
TYPE: Mystery/Romantic Suspense
SERIES: #26 (of full length books) in the In Death series
SENSUALITY: Warm

SUMMARY: [from the publisher]

NYPD Lieutenant Eve Dallas keeps the streets of a near-future New York City safe in this extraordinary series. But even she makes mistakes, and is haunted by those she couldn't save-and the killers she couldn't capture. When the body of a young brunette is found in East River Park, artfully positioned and marked by signs of prolonged and painful torture, Eve is catapulted back to a case nine years earlier. The city was on edge from a killing spree that took the lives of four women in fifteen days, courtesy of a man the media tagged "The Groom"-because he put silver rings on the fingers of his victims.

When it turns out that the young brunette was employed by Eve's billionaire husband, Roarke, she brings him in on the case-a move that proves fitting when it becomes chillingly clear that the killer has made his attack personal. The victim was washed in products from a store Roarke owns, and laid out on a sheet his company manufactures.

With the Groom's monstrous return, Eve is determined to finish him once and for all. Familiar with his methods, Eve knows that he has already grabbed his next victim. Time is running out on another woman's life.

And chances are he's working up to the biggest challenge of his illustrious career-abducting a woman who will test his skills and who promises to give him days and days of pleasure before she dies: Eve.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
CiD is another excellent book in this series and probably one of the better ones in my opinion. I read this a few months ago and I've had to think about it a while before I could figure out why I liked it so much

My favorite part about this series has been the development of the relationship between Eve and Roarke. In each book they seem to grow and evolve and their marriage gets stronger in little tiny ways as they learn more about each other. But in CiD no further insight into their relationship is revealed. Again Roarke gets involved in the murder investigation as usual, this time because the murder victim was one of his employees and he insists on being involved.

The other reason I love this series so much is the wonderful characters. In previous books Eve's team of detectives works tirelessly to solve the crime while everyone else provide some lighter moments. But in CiD, every character has an integral role in finding out the identity of the serial killer before he selects his next victim. Trina helps with her knowledge of personal skin care products, Somerset provides clues due to his knowledge of the Urban Wars, etc. And of course, Peabody, McNab, Feeney, Mira, Baxter, et al, do what they do best. A true team effort and everyone had a hand in it. The tension builds higher and higher as they get close to finding the killer (spoiler: and his latest victim who is still alive) and I was on the edge of my seat and biting my nails. And the ending did not disappoint. I loved it. Eve kicks ass. Love, love, loved it. I had to skip a bit of the gruesome details but that didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of the book. I don't know how Roberts never fails to entertain me with this series, but really she must be a goddess.

MISCELLANEOUS:
If you haven't read Marianne Stillings' Epilogue in Death, go over to AAR right now and read. It's hysterically funny.

GRADE: A-

Rest of the Best

Here are some quickie reviews of the rest of my favorite 2007 books that I never got around to reviewing:

Demon Moon by Meljean Brook
I had a hard time reading the previous book in the series, Demon Angel, because of some intense world building full of complex rules that demons, angels, vampires, hellhounds, nosferatu, and guardians must follow. I found it extremely confusing, but I was intrigued enough to keep reading and re-reading confusing passages until I sorted it out. I ended up doing some research on Brook's website (see The Primer) and online reviews with spoilers so that I think I figured things out. Fortunately, DM was much clearer and much easier to understand. The hero Colin is a 200 year old vampire who made this book worth reading on his character alone. He was made by a nosferatu and therefore cannot feed from other vampires so he feeds on humans. Colin is an extremely beautiful man and utterly vain and I was half in love with him myself. Savi is brilliant and fascinating and seemed to be a perfect match for him. The non-stop action kept me riveted to the story and I had a hard time putting it down. It's one of those books where you aren't sure how H/H could get their HEA, but they did and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
My grade: A-


Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
This is the third book in the Psy/Changling series and I liked it almost as well as the first book (Slave to Sensation). Judd Lauren is a telekinetic and a Psy who has left the PsyNet along with his family to escape having their minds destroyed. They have sought refuge with the Snowdancers, a wolf changling clan, and have been accepted into their pack. Judd's mind is still locked into Silence and any emotion causes him excruciating pain. Brenna Kincaid, a wolf changling and member of Snowdancer, first appeared in another book in the series. She had been kidnapped and tortured by a psychopathic Psy serial killer and her mind was invaded. She has now healed physically but she has been emotionally damaged. I love books with the theme centered on the healing power of love. Brenna and Judd are basically emotionally broken. Judd continually tries to push Brenna away and Brenna can't keep away from him because she knows he's her mate. The gradual progression of their relationship and the sexual tension culminating in some very hot love scenes were phenomenal. This book was a great addition to the series and I look forward to Mine to Possess.
My grade: A-

Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward
Butch O'Neal was one of my favorite characters in the previous books in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and I was excited to learn that this book, #4 in the series, focuses on his story. Butch, an ex-cop, is the only human who has been living among the vampire warriors of the Brotherhood. He has secretly been in love with Marissa, an aristocratic vampire, since book #1. Butch feels caught between two worlds; he doesn't fit into the human world anymore and the vampires won't let him help in their fight against the lessers. Butch has bonded with the brotherhood, especially Vishous. The action was non-stop and scenes with the lessers was far less annoying than in previous books. The love scenes were hot and steamy but Marissa was a bit of a dull character. Overall, I liked this book and gave it the same grade as the others in the series which is good because at least I'm consistent.
My grade: B+


Play Dirty by Sandra Brown
I haven't read Brown's newest releases lately because she seems to have strayed away from romance and into suspense, but I decided to pick up this book based on a recommendation from Keishon. The book had an unusual premise and I had to give it a try. As the book begins Griff Birkett is an ex-con just out of prison on parole and looking for work. He was a star pro football quarterback when he was caught gambling and throwing games for millions of dollars and sent to prison for 5 years in disgrace. I can't remember a book where the hero was such a thoroughly unlikeable character. Foster Speakman, a wealthy businessman, invites Griff to his home to offer him a job. Foster is a paraplegic and in a wheel chair. His beautiful wife, Laura, loves him and is devoted to him. But Foster wants an heir and he feels nothing from the waist down and cannot impregnate Laura. And he refuses to use artificial insemination. He wants Laura to conceive and deliver a baby in the natural way and has finally convinced her to do just that with a surrogate. He offers Griff 100 thousand dollars to impregnate Laura with an additional 500 thousand when the baby is born and then a million a year after that. Griff is reluctant at first and he can see that Laura is reluctant but determined to go along with her husband's wishes so he finally agrees. This is a suspense novel not technically a romance, but a romance sub-plot is there. I was completely shocked near the end when the villain was finally revealed and it really took me by surprise. Griff's complete story was eventually revealed and he manages to redeem himself a little and I kinda liked him at the end. He turned his life around and started to repair the damage he had done to the people in his life. The action kept me on edge and turning the pages late at night. The ending along with a couple of love scenes are satisfying enough for most romance readers to enjoy. And Keishon and I agree on the grade :)
My grade: B+

Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
This book is Isobel Lambert's story who is the head of The Committee, a covert mercenary organization who employs secret agents and assassins to save the world from nasty low lifes like drug dealers, arms smugglers and terrorists. Isobel has appeared in all the other books in the "Ice" series and has been an intriguing character. Joseph Serafin is an assassin and a dangerous man. Isobel is called on to pull his butt out of trouble in Morocco because they need him for the intelligence he can supply them. But Isobel and Serafin have a past history. She shot him and left him for dead 17 years ago... but he's the only man she has ever loved. I liked this book a lot. Almost as much as Black Ice, my favorite in this series. I like older heroines and I believe Isobel and Serafin are in their early 40's. Both characters are deliciously dark which Stuart does so well. I loved their past history and how it was all revealed to the reader. The action was well done with some spicy love scenes which made it a very quick read. And the ending was also typical of Stuart - a bit spare. She never wastes words on her endings.
My grade: B+

Back from vacation

Well, I'm back. We had a wonderful time. The first day at sea was a little rough since were sailing though the middle of a storm. I woke up around 3:00 AM and it was rocking quite a bit. I looked out the window and saw lightning striking all around the boat. Okay, I had a brief feeling of anxiety about being hit by lightning but I talked myself out of it and went back to bed. The next day the weather cleared and the rest of the trip was fabulous. Weather was around 85 degrees and the water was about 85 degrees and crystal clear, turquoise. Lovely. We sailed on a catamaran and went snorkling and played on a white sandy beach. Here's a picture of me on the beach in Jamaica after swimming & snorkling (lovely hair - don't ja think):



We did the Cayman Island tour and visited the turtle farm and the Tortuga Rum Factory (the rum cakes come in about a dozen flavors and I bought a bunch to bring home). Here's our ship in the Cayman Islands. The water is so clear you can see the white sand at the bottom of the harbor.



We went shopping in Cozumel and I only bought a T-shirt for Bob. The water was the most beautiful there and I would really love to go back there some day and stay in a resort. On the last day at sea the Gulf of Mexico was a smooth as glass (to make up for the rough first day).

I ate too much but I managed to avoid the midnight chocolate dessert buffets. Most of the nightly entertainment was pretty good for the most part but the motown singer sucked (who told him he could carry a tune?) and the ventriloquist/comedian was not funny at all. But the dance reviews were wonderful. Our cruise director was a hoot with his British accent. Very funny guy. Overall a great trip .... I didn't want to go home. Got home at midnight Sunday night and woke up the next morning to 4 inches of snow. ... Sigh, the vacation was officially over.

What I Read:

The Duke by Gaelen Foley Grade: A-
Started this before we left on the trip and finished it on the plane to Houston. Great book with a wonderful hero and heroine. Turned out to be a keeper.

Lord of Danger by Anne Stuart Grade: B+
Another great anti-hero but this time in a medieval setting. The hero is fascinating along with the heroine. And a great secondary romance.

Lord of My Heart by Jo Beverley Grade: B
I haven't read Jo Beverley in quite a while and have forgotten how much I enjoy her work. This book was set shortly after William of Normandy invades England in 1066. There are several misunderstandings made by both the hero and heroine that take awhile to get ironed out but I enjoyed this book overall. It seemed very realistic for the time and well-researched.

Lethal Lies by Laurie Breton Grade: B
This is another romantic suspense set in a small town featuring the hero as the chief of police. Heroine returns home to care for her niece who has been orphaned when her mother is killed. No violence and the story focuses more on the relationships than the mystery.

I stayed home from work on Monday to get unpacked and do laundry. Now I need to get back to Weight Watchers. I've got to lose some weight before going shopping for a dress for Angie's wedding. Sigh.

The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

COPYRIGHT: 2007
SETTING: Historical - Georgian era
TYPE: Straight Romance
PAGES: 384
SERIES: 3rd in the "Prince" series. The heroes of these three books are friends but the books really stand alone.
SENSUALITY: Very HOT

SUMMARY:

WHEN THE DEVIL MEETS AN ANGEL
Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes is content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man—a naked unconscious an—and loses her innocence forever.

HE CAN TAKE HER TO HEAVEN
Viscount Simon Iddesleigh was nearly beaten to death by his enemies. Now he’s hell-bent on vengeance. But as Lucy nurses him back to health, her honesty startles his jaded sensibilities—even as it ignites a desire that threatens to consume them both.

OR TO HELL
Charmed by Simon’s sly wit, urbane manners, and even his red-heeled shoes, Lucy falls hard and fast for him. Yet as his honor keeps him from ravishing her, his revenge sends his attackers to her door. As Simon wages war on his foes, Lucy wages her own war for his soul using the only weapon she has—her love…

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
Unless I read something very spectacular between now and the end of the year, TSP will most likely top my list of best historicals for 2007 in AAR's annual poll. I also made a place for it in my recently completed Top 100 Romances.

TSP had it all -- a dark tortured anti-hero, hot spicy sex scenes, and a wonderfully romantic ending which I've re-read 3 times as of this counting. However, the book had an edgy, gritty quality but was saved from being too serious by a fantastic hero and heroine. The cast of 3-D characters, including Simon's valet, and Lucy's father, a retire naval officer, were also well drawn.

Hoyt is a talented storyteller and I was engrossed from first page to last. This is another controversial book because lots of people may have issues with Simon's behavior in regards to his overwhelming need for vengeance against those who killed his brother. In fact, he goes over the top but I love this type of 'anti-hero' in the tradition of Anne Stuart, my favorite type as a matter of fact. His ultimate redemption at the end is all the sweeter. Never fear, he falls in love with the heroine, Lucy, from the start and treats her well although he fails to tell her the truth about his schemes for revenge until almost the end of the book.

Be warned that the level of violence portrayed in the duels may make some readers uncomfortable. I'm not fond of too much blood and guts myself. But to be fair I thought the duels were realistically portrayed.

Simon is a dark character but he is witty, clever and utterly charming and won my heart completely. Lucy is a down to earth country girl, and her calm demeanor and honesty are a perfect foil to Simon's sarcasm and teasing. But Lucy is also intelligent and sharp-tongued making the dialog between them a pleasure to read. The sex scenes are steamy too ... very erotic and emotional.

As in the previous two books there is a secondary story - a fairy tale about a Serpent Prince and magic and granting wishes - which Simon tells Lucy in bits and pieces throughout the book. It completely rounded out the book. I look forward to more from this author.

GRADE: A

Top 100 Romances

Here is my list of top 100 romances for the AAR poll, such as it is. It was a lot of work and slightly painful when I had to slash it down to a "mere" 100. And the ordering is pure crap. My top 20 are bunched together and only kinda in order and the rest are ordered as best I could. It's an impossible task and depended on my mood of the day.

I'm not going to turn it in for a few days so I have time to make adjustments. I have already been tweaking it but it's starting to drive me crazy so I just have to let it go.

1	A Rose at Midnight	Anne Stuart
2	Flowers from the Storm	Laura Kinsale
3	Pride and Prejudice	Jane Austen
4	The Notorious Rake	Mary Balogh
5	Red Adam's Lady	Grace Ingram
6	Fallen From Grace	Laura Leone
7	Night in Eden	Candice Proctor
8	After the Night	Linda Howard
9	To Have and To Hold	Patricia Gaffney
10	Naked in Death	J. D. Robb
11	All Through the Night	Connie Brockway
12	Black Ice	Anne Stuart
13	Duncan's Bride	Linda Howard
14	Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand	Carla Kelly
15	Truly Madly Yours	Rachel Gibson
16	Reforming Lord Ragsdale	Carla Kelly
17	Sunshine and Shadows	Tom and Sharon Curtis
18	Last Summer	Theresa Weir
19	Morning Glory	LaVyrle Spencer
20	Sea Swept	Nora Roberts
21	With This Ring	Carla Kelly
22	Angels Fall	Nora Roberts
23	Dream Man	Linda Howard
24	Heart of Deception	Taylor Chase
25	See Jane Score	Rachel Gibson
26	Heart of Fire	Linda Howard
27	Dreaming of You	Lisa Kleypas
28	Thunder and Roses	Mary Jo Putney
29	It Had To Be You	Susan Elizabeth Phillips
30	The Wives of Bowie Stone	Maggie Osborne
31	One Summer	Karen Robards
32	The Emerald Necklace	Diana Brown
33	Dance	Judy Cuevas
34	Lady Gallant	Suzanne Robinson
35	Nightfall	Anne Stuart
36	Joe's Wife	Cheryl St. John
37	Faro's Daughter	Georgette Heyer
38	Wolf in Waiting	Rebecca Flanders
39	A Fine Work of Art	Shelby Reed
40	Untie My Heart	Judith Ivory
41	Streets of Fire	Judith Duncan
42	Ride the Fire	Pamela Clare
43	Cry No More	Linda Howard
44	Out of Control	Suzanne Brockmann
45	The Phoenix Code	Catherine Asaro
46	The Windflower	Tom and Sharon Curtis
47	MacKenzie's Pleasure	Linda Howard
48	The Lady's Tutor	Robin Schone
49	Match Me If You Can	Susan Elizabeth Phillips
50	Passion	Lisa Valdez
51	One Good Turn	Carla Kelly
52	Dream Fever	Katherine Sutcliffe
53	Paradise	Judith McNaught
54	The Serpent Prince	Elizabeth Hoyt
55	Lady of Quality	Georgette Heyer
56	Anyone But You	Jennifer Crusie
57	A Debt of Honor	Diana Brown
58	Prairie Wife	Cheryl St. John
59	To Love a Dark Lord	Anne Stuart
60	The Monk Downstairs	Tim Farrington
61	Harvard's Education	Suzanne Brockmann
62	Devil in Winter	Lisa Kleypas
63	Heaven, Texas	Susan Elizabeth Phillips
64	Simple Jess	Pamela Morsi
65	Devilish	Jo Beverley
66	Skypirate	Justine Davis
67	Perfect	Judith McNaught
68	Bliss	Judy Cuevas
69	Winter Garden	Adele Ashworth
70	My Dearest Enemy	Connie Brockway
71	Welcome To Temptation	Jennifer Crusie
72	Sleeping Beauty	Judith Ivory
73	Libby's London Merchant	Carla Kelly
74	All the Queen's Men	Linda Howard
75	A Kingdom of Dreams	Judith McNaught
76	Born in Fire	Nora Roberts
77	Caressed by Ice	Nalini Singh
78	A Much Younger Man	Dianne Highbridge
79	Slow Heat in Heaven	Sandra Brown
80	In the Midnight Rain	Ruth Wind
81	Driven to Distraction	Judith Duncan
82	Julie & Romeo	Francis Ray
83	Birthright	Nora Roberts
84	Games of Command	Linnea Sinclair
85	Slave to Sensation	Nalini Singh
86	Keeper of the Dream	Penelope Williamson
87	The Nightingale's Song	Kathleen Eschenberg
88	All Night Long	Michelle Jerott
89	Kinsman's Oath	Susan Krinard
90	Upon a Wicked Time	Karen Ranney
91	Render Unto Caesar	Gillian Bradshaw
92	Manhunting	Jennifer Crusie
93	A Reason to Live	Maureen McKade
94	Castaway Hearts	Nancy Butler
95	The Lone Rider	Lauren Bach
96	Texas! Chase	Sandra Brown
97	The Trouble With Joe	Emilie Richards
98	Heart Throb	Suzanne Brockmann
99	Heat Lightning	Anne Stuart
100	Married by Mistake	Melinda McRae