TBR Challenge: REVIEW: A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 360
SETTING/TYPE: Contemporary Romance
SENSUALITY: Subtle
REASON FOR READING: I got lucky and won this book from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program. Since I'm a huge fan of DS, I was thrilled.

SUMMARY: from Deborah Smith's webite

A Connecticut heiress. A Florida cowboy.

Her secret. His heart.

And the very special family she's come home to find.

THOUGHTS/OPINIONS:

A Gentle Rain is another heartwarming engaging story that I have come to expect from Deborah Smith.

Kara Whittenbrook is the daughter of two wealthy award-winning environmentalist parents who have recently died when their plane crashes in the Amazon jungle leaving her an heiress. While sorting through her parent's papers she is shocked to discover her adoption papers. So she confronts her uncle to find out how and why her parents adopted a child. He explains that her adopted parents wanted to tell her but they died before they felt she was secure in herself enough to handle the news. He also told her that her biological parents are mentally disabled and live on a ranch in Northern Florida.

Kara decides she wants to meet them but she is unsure of her welcome so she sets out for Florida as "Karen Johnson", an artist and harp player. The ranch is run by Ben Thocco and her biological parents, Mac and Lily, work for him. Mac was born with fetal alcohol syndrome and Lily was severely shaken as a baby. They have never mentioned having a child and Ben does not know about Kara. Ben's brother, Joey, has Downs Syndrome and a very bad heart and his prognosis is not good. Ben is a wonderfully kind man who has a lot on his shoulders . He is struggling to hold onto the ranch, take care of Joey, and employ other mentally handicapped adults besides Mac and Lily as ranch hands.

Circumstances bring Kara into life on the ranch and Mac and Lily are very drawn to her. She quickly finds herself a part of life on the ranch, cooking and cleaning and getting to know her birth parents . She and Ben are very attracted to each other but Ben feels there is more to Kara than she is revealing. Kara is unsure whether she should reveal herself to her parents but she eventually falls in love with them ... and Ben too. She can't resist secretly fixing some of the financial problems Ben faces with her vast fortune.

This heartwarming story is filled with gentle humor and sweet, endearing characters. The writing alternates between Kara's and Ben's point of view and works wonderfully well. The love between Ben and Kara develops slowly and you will fall in love with them and the special characters just as I did. Deborah Smith is an amazing author and it's too bad more people don't know about her. This is a very special book and I highly recommend.

GRADE: B+

REVIEW: All or Nothing by Claire Cross

COPYRIGHT: 2007
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Straight Romance
PAGES: 372
SERIES: Coxwell family series

REASON FOR READING: I read and enjoyed one of her previous books, Double Trouble. In fact, it was a keeper for me. OK, I admit it, I also loved the dog on the cover.

SUMMARY:

Jen Maitland never had any use for handsome guys with easy charm until she met Zach. He's the perfect fake date to end her mother's matchmaking scheme before it starts. The only problem is that Zach isn't as predictable as he appears...

Zach Coxwell hates commitment, but loves a challenge. Like the pretty bar waitress who turned him down flat for a date-only to invite him to her family's Thanksgiving dinner. Zach knows he can make Jen smile, and he's betting that he can unravel her mysteries.

Despite Thanksgiving dinner becoming a familial nightmare for Jen, Zach has the time of his life and finds that Jen may be worth a commitment after all-even if he has to convince her by any means necessary.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:
Both Jen and Zach have serious issues but AoN manages to avoid sinking the reader into a dark depression by dealing with them in a realistic and yet upbeat way. Although Jen is young she is a breast cancer survivor. Naturally this fact has had a profound effect on her and she finds herself unable to make any long term commitments because she's afraid she has no future.

Jen's family loves her and wants to see her happy. Her matchmaking mother is determined to set her up on a date unless she finds one herself for Thanksgiving dinner. Her plan is to bring someone she knows her mother will hate. Jen meets Zach at the restaurant where she waits tables and figures he fits her requirements perfectly. So she invites Zach to Thanksgiving dinner for a 'fake' date.

Zach has serious commitments issues of his own, so a 'fake' date sounds fine to him. Zach is the black sheep of a wealthy family and was wild and reckless in his youth. He did some pretty bad things (some involving illegal drugs) and when his father committed suicide, he blamed himself.

The relationship between Jen and Zach develops slowly and there are some painful scenes when they both reveal their hangups due to their past. Jen and Zach are likable characters and the other characters were well developed. This story about the healing power of love is one of my favorite themes. The plot moved a bit slowly in places but overall the humor and characters made this book an enjoyable read.

GRADE: B

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-

REVIEW: On the Loose by Tara Janzen

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 403
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Romantic Suspense
SERIES: Book 7 in the Steele Street series
SENSUALITY: Hot
REASON FOR READING: I enjoyed most of the other books in the "Crazy" series. Here is the order:
Crazy Hot (B)
Crazy Cool (B)
Crazy Wild (C+)
Crazy Kisses (B)
Crazy Love (A-)
Crazy Sweet (B)
On the Loose
Cutting Loose

SUMMARY:

He's a special agent who never loses his cool.

She's the heat-seeking missile headed straight for his heart.

Keeping cool under pressure is the credo C. Smith Rydell lives by. That’s why he was handpicked by the Special Defense Forces for a mission few men survive. So why has the ex-DEA superstar been reassigned to Panama City, playing bodyguard to a blond in a black string bikini? Except Honey York isn’t your average pampered socialite. She’s the woman Rydell caught smuggling cash into El Salvador four months ago. And now she wants him to take her back.

All Honey has to do is find the guerrilla camp, deliver the goods, and get the hell out of the jungle—all in forty-eight hours. Only one man is up for the job. But sharing an unforgettable one-night stand was nothing next to being stranded with Rydell on some third world mountaintop. And with bullets flying and all hell breaking loose, now is not the time for passion. As if these two could possibly resist it….

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
I have to admit to a great fondness for all the books in the series. The books are not terribly deep but they all been quick reads with non-stop action, yummy heroes, and hot sex - a lot of it in cars ... the front seat, the back seat, the hood, etc. And I believe all the books, if I'm not mistaken, feature heroes who are secretly in love with the heroines. OTL follows this convention as well. C. Smith Rydell is an agent for the SDF (Special Defense Force), and has been assigned as bodyguard to Honey York. But he and Honey have a past history. Four months earlier they shared a steamy one night stand after he rescued her from a dangerous situation in San Luis. The next morning he put her on a plane back to the States determined to forget her, but he carries a little momento (her silk underwear) from the experience in his pocket.

Now Smith must escort and protect Honey on a mission to El Salvador to deliver a pile of money to a guerrilla leader in exchange for kidnapped nuns one of whom is her sister. While there Smith must locate a plane that crashed in the jungle and recover some highly secret information. There is also a backstory of Smith's former lover who he thought was dead, but is stalking him and wants to kill him. The sexual tension sizzles and the action is non-stop and compressed into a couple of days just as all the other Steele Street series have been. Reading this book was like eating a chocolate covered caramel (my favorite candy).... short, sweet, and done way too quickly but leaves a lingering memory of sweetness and a craving for more. Well, maybe not exactly, but you know what I mean.

GRADE: B+

AAR Reader Poll Results

I'm feeling very smug. AAR Reader Poll results are in and I think I did pretty good at matching the final results in the major book categories. But I sucked at picking the character awards (only 1). Here are the winners and honorable mentions I picked:

Best Romance: The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (it tied with If His Kiss Is Wicked by Jo Goodman which I haven't read yet)

Favorite Funny: Natural Born Charmer by SEP

Most Luscious: The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt

Best Cabin/Road Romance: Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard (tied with Driven by Eve Kenin which I have read and loved)

Best New Author: Anna Campbell

Guiltiest Pleasure (honorable mention - tie): Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell

Best European Historical (honorable mention): The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt


Best Contemporary: Natural Born Charmer by SEP


Best S/F & Futuristic: Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair

Best Paranormal: Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Best Chick Lit: Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas

Most Tortured Hero (honorable mention): James from Beau Crusoe by Carla Kelly


That's 9 winners and 3 honorable mentions I picked. I did better last year because I picked 4 of the character awards.

Go here to check out the final results.

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+

My 2007 AAR Ballot

Here is most of my ballot as promised. I left a few categories blank including Best Short Story and Best Medieval. I read lots of medieval out of my TBR but none of them were 2007.


The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt:
Best Romance
Most Luscious Romance
Best European Historical







Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Favorite Funny Romance
Best Couple
Best Contemporary









Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas
Most-Hanky Romance
Best Heroine
Best Chick Lit







Broken by Megan Hart
Best Erotic Romance









Beau Crusoe by Carla Kelly
Best Series/Category
Most Tortured Hero: James Trevenan










Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair
Best SF, Fantasy, or Futuristic
Best Hero: Brandon Kel-Paten











Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh
Best Paranormal









Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell
Guiltiest Pleasure Read
Best Debut Author
Least believable HEA







Driven by Eve Kenin
Best Buried Treasure
Strongest Heroine: Raina Bowen








Ice Storm by Anne Stuart
Best Romantic Suspense
Author Most Glommed










Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard
Best Cabin/Road Romance









High Plains Bride by Jenna Kernan
Best American Historical











I'm grateful to all those who help compile the results (including Cindy!) and can hardly wait till AAR publishes them. I have seen a couple bloggers post their own ballot. These are fun to look at and compare favorites so I hope more of you do this.

Favorite 2007 books

I just submitted my ballot for AAR's 2007 Annual Reader Poll so using my spreadsheet I compiled a list of my 2007 favorites and thought I would share. Not all of these books actually made it to my ballot but I enjoyed them all to one degree or another. I have reviewed most of these so I have included link. I'm working on quick reviews of the rest.


The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (A)
Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas (A)
Demon Moon by Meljean Brook (A-)
Broken by Megan Hart (A-)
Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard(A-)
Natural Born Charmer by SEP (A-)
Games of Command by Linnea Sinclair (A-)
Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh (A-)
Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward (A-)
Demon Angel by Meljean Brook (B+)
Play Dirty by Sandra Brown (B+)
Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell (B+)
Mad Dash by Patricia Gaffney (B+)
Hot Wheels & High Heels by Jane Graves (B+)
Dirty by Megan Hart (B+)
The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt (B+)
Salvation, Texas by Anna Jeffrey (B+)
Beau Crusoe by Carla Kelly (B+)
Driven by Eve Kenin (B+)
High Plains Bride by Jenna Kernan (B+)
Innocent in Death by J.D. Robb (B+)
Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh (B+)
Ice Storm by Anne Stuart (B+)
Wild, Wild West by Charlene Teglia (B+)

I'll post my ballot later.

Soul Song by Marjorie M. Liu

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 331
SETTING: Contemporary - Vancouver, BC
TYPE: Paranormal Romance
SERIES: Book 6 - Dirk & Steele series
SENSUALITY: Warm

REASON FOR READING: I have read the other books in the series (except the short story from the anthology Dark Dreamers) and really enjoyed them.

SUMMARY:

Against her will, Kitala Bell forsees the future. But only deaths, and only violent. Kitala's own future is in peril. From the Ocean's depths rises an impossible blend of fantasy and danger, a creature whose voice is seduction incarnate, whose song can manipulate lives the way that Kitala herself manipulates the strings of her violin...even to the point of breaking. He is a prince of the sea, an enigma - a captive stretched to the limit of his endurance by a woman intent on using him for the purest evil. And when survival requires he and Kitala form a closer partnership than either has ever know, the price of their bond will threaten not just their lives, but the essence of their very souls.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
I really wanted to like this one.. I really did. I have loved Liu's previous books in the series even though I thought they were a bit light on the romance (and sex). But too many other problems in SS conspired against me and I almost gave up a couple times. Well, I bravely stuck with it and finished it (but at one point wished I hadn't).

The biggest problem: the violence. Too much blood and knives and torture. Maybe my memory is lacking but this book seemed more violent and bloody than all the previous books.

M'cal is a merman which I found very unusual and fascinating. Kitala Bell is a world-renown violinist and is gifted with the ability to foresee the violent death of others. The book starts when Kitala is performing in concert and she sees a woman in the audience with a knife sticking out of her eye! Only Kitala sees this since she has the "gift" and she decides to warn her about her portending murder after the concert (although she has tried this in the past and it never worked out). When Kitala approaches her later on the street, she becomes involved in some complicated events that lead to her kidnapping by some corrupt police officers and rescue by M'cal.

The action is non-stop with several kidnappings of both M'cal and Kitala, separately and together, beatings, stabbings, blood and general violence which takes place all over the city (on land and underwater). An evil witch and her vampire henchman were rather over the top and I never really understood their motivations. In one extremely violent scene, I almost lost my lunch. SPOILER (DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE EATING): M'cal gets in a physical battle with the witch and bites off her nose!!! What follows is descriptions of the blood pouring out of her face. Plus he has to spit it out! BLERG!!! I almost lost it right there. Can you believe I finished this book? I'm getting nauseous just typing this. I wish I could burn that memory out of my brain.

One other little complaint: The sex scene was hot but there one only ONE and I kept hoping and hoping there were more so it would make up for all the violence.

Liu's writing is very smooth flowing and rather poetic in descriptions of scenery and emotions but the character's actions and movements were not always clear to me and I found myself confused sometimes. The H/H were well written and believable but I think I would have liked the book a whole lot better without the violence.

I'm not ready to give up on Liu based on one book that didn't work for me. Her next book (7th) in the Dirk & Steele series, The Last Twilight, that has just been released takes place in Africa and sounds really good. Check out Liu's cool website. She has wallpaper and book trailers for the Dirke & Steele series. Very cool.

GRADE: C-

Reading stats

I was compiling my reading stats for 2007 from my reading logs so I can submit my 2007 Annual Reader Poll at AAR. You have until February 17, so go vote, everyone!

I went back to all the previous years from 2003 (when I first stated my reading log) onward when I noticed something that surprised me.... I have been reading fewer and fewer books every year. In 2003 I was unemployed the entire year so that was of course my biggest year.

2003: 227
2004: 197
2005: 166
2006: 140
2007: 128

That's pretty pathetic. Of course, that's still a lot of books. I don't feel I have been reading less as time goes by so I can't account for it. Although I have probably been reading longer more involved books with a higher word or page count. I started keeping track of pages read last year so I'll continue to do that and see if that makes a difference.

Next post will be a list of my 2007 favorite books

Driven by Eve Kenin

My review writing has been pretty sparse lately. So I thought I would write some quickie reviews to get caught up on some good 2007 books that you may have missed and should consider reading.

TITLE: Driven
AUTHOR: Eve Kenin
COPYRIGHT: 2007
SETTING/TYPE: Futuristic Romance
THOUGHTS / OPINION:
On my weekend trip to frozen, snowy North Dakota I took this book along which by coincidence takes place in a frozen Siberian-like world with extreme subzero temperatures. The setting is a futuristic post-apocalyptic world (after a nuclear war) where a third of the world population has been decimated. This is a fabulous action/adventure well blended with a hot spicy romance.

Raina is an independent trucker who hauls much needed supplies between the scattered outposts of the Northern Waste. She intends to compete in a contest with a group of truckers who are basically pirates who will kill other drivers and hijack their cargo. In the opening scene Raina shows us what a kick-ass heroine she is. She pairs up with Wizard and they get chased across the frozen icy wasteland in her completely self contained truck. Wizard is a robot like character with some strange abilities and very enigmatic until his background is slowly revealed. I really enjoyed this book. The action is non-stop and the sexual tension really heated things up. The character development and dialogue between Raina and Wizard were great and brought them to life. Eve Kenin is a going to be an author to watch.
My grade: B+

Her next book is Hidden (July 2008) which features Wizard's sister (I think). Found the cover:

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

Hot Wheels & High Heels by Jane Graves

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 363
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Straight Romance
SERIES: No
SENSUALITY: Warm


SUMMARY:

She has caviar dreams on a SPAM budget

Trophy wife Darcy McDaniel has just discovered that, thanks to her embezzling husband, her posh, upper-class life is gone for good. Now she's trading her suburban palace for a trailer park and her weekly salon appointments for a job. Darcy needs a new man--fast--one who'll keep her in the manner she darn well deserves. Problem is, the hottest prospect around is the my-way-or-the-highway hunk who's making off with her beloved Mercedes!

He doesn't want trouble...until she saunters in wearing high heels

Ex-cop turned repo man John Stark is sure that hiring the furious woman in his headlights is a colossal mistake. He knows Darcy's high-maintenance, designer-labels-only type--after all, he's used to taking their cars. But he never expected this hellion to have the smarts and the spunk to go from receptionist to repo agent in record time...or to drive him insane with desire. She's the last thing this tall, dark, and dangerous loner needs...and everything ne never knew he wanted.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed HW&HH. My first book by this author, I Got You, Babe, was a keeper and the next two were pretty good, although not as good as IGYB for me. In HW&HH the heroine, Darcy McDaniel, returns from vacation with a girlfriend to discover her husband has sold their house, emptied their bank accounts and disappeared. Darcy is a trophy wife who traded on her youth and good looks to a man old enough to be her father so she can live the easy life. All she has left is her fancy car and her dog, Pepe. She has no money and no where to live and no job skills. So back to the trailer park she goes to live with her parents until she figures out what to do. Darcy was not a very likable character at first. But her character development along the way was very nicely done.

John Stark is an ex-cop who now owns his own repossession company. Darcy's husband was not making the payments on her car and John tracks her down in order to repo her car but Darcy catches him at it. There is a very funny scene where Darcy tricks him while he is trying to repo her car so that she keeps it from him. But he eventually catches up with her and gets the car. But he ends up offering her the receptionist job in his office and then the sparks start to fly. The snappy dialog was funny and the plot was fast paced and entertaining. I really started to like Darcy and became sympathetic to how she got in her predicament and how she works hard to get out and be self sufficient. John was yummy and the sexual tension was delicious. Even the secondary characters are well done. Although Darcy's mother was rather cliche, her father turned out to be very human and likable. This was a fun read guaranteed to make you smile. I'll be reading Graves's next book Tall Tales & Wedding Veils which features John's employee, Tony.

GRADE: B+

Some good books from 2007 - Part 2

More books from 2007 that I have enjoyed.

Claiming The Courtesan by Anna Campbell
This book was one of the most controversial books of the year. It seemed that people either loved it or hated it. Justin, Duke of Kylemore, is a spoiled selfish powerful man with a heap of emotional baggage. He is absolutely obsessed with his mistress Soraya and wants to make her his duchess. But Soraya is really Verity Ashton and wants to leave the life of a courtesan for a more respectable life in the country. When she disappears from London, Justin is furious and tracks her down and kidnaps her. He treats her cruelly and the forced seduction scenes were painful to read and normally I would have cringed thrown the book at the wall. But I was absolutely enthralled and couldn't put it down. These were two damaged souls and I love a good redemption story. The forced seduction was really more emotionally violent rather than physically violent. This was Campbell's debut book and she took quite a risk with this storyline but I will definitely be reading her next one, Untouched, due out in December.

My grade: B+



The Leopard Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
I picked this one up because I loved The Raven Prince and I'm glad I did. Lady Georgina Maitland is a wealthy woman. She inherited a fortune and a large amount of land from an aunt and now she needs someone to manage her property. She hires Harry Pye as her land steward. As Harry and Georgina work together their attraction develops and results in some very steamy love scenes. I love stories where there is a big difference in social standing and this one was handled realistically. When Harry is accused of poisoning a neighbor's sheep, Georgina immediately believes in Harry's innocence. Both characters were very likable and were realistically portrayed.

My grade: B+



Ice Blue by Anne Stuart
Here is another excellent example of the cold dark anti-hero who spends a great deal of time wavering between the desire to assassinate or make love to the heroine. Summer Hawthorne is the daughter of a wealthy woman involved in a Japanese religious cult run by a disturbed fanatic, Shirosama, who is planning a catastrophic killing of millions of people with biological weapons. Summer was given a priceless Japanese bowl by her nanny and her mother has promised the bowl to the Shirosama (for some ritualistic reasons I didn't quite understand) but Summer refuses to let him have it. Takashi O'Brien is a member of the Committee, a top secret anti-terrorist organization. Taka is assigned the task of acquiring the bowl and assassinating Summer to assure her silence. But he ends up saving her from Shirosama's followers and a complex thrilling roller coaster adventure begins. Taka belongs to the Yakuza (Japanese mafia) and is half Japanese, half American and walked that fine line between hero and villain. Summer was one of Stuart's stronger heroines.

My grade: B

Reading now: Just finished Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson and loved it. This is Gibson's debut novel and I don't think her later books have this kind of depth. I just started Hard Lovin' Man by Lorraine Heath on KristieJ's rec. Very good so far.

Some good books from 2007

I have read 39 books published in 2007 so far this year but I have only done reviews on about a third of them. So in an effort to catch up, here are some quickie reviews of the best of the rest.

The Abducted Heiress by Claire Thornton
This book takes place in the Restoration Era in 1666 during the Great Fire of London. The setting, characters, and attitudes felt realistic for the place and time. Although the book had it's faults I enjoyed reading about the fire and how it affected people. Jayne at DearAuthor wrote a more thorough review so click here if you want to know more. My grade: B-


Innocent in Death by J. D. Robb
Another solid and fascinating addition to this series. I love this series and I think my main motivation for reading them is to see how the relationship between Eve and Roarke develops. And every book seems to have some event or events that move their relationship forward and makes it stronger. IID is no different. When an old girlfriend of Roarke's comes into town and starts asking for 'favors', Eve doesn't know quite how to handle it. She is extremely jealous but wants to appear unconcerned. Deep down though her insecurities are twisting her in knots. Magdelina is stunningly beautiful and super smooth but Eve is suspicious and despises her on sight. Roarke seems oblivious at first and insulted at Eve's jealousy, but he is no dummy and my respect for him was raised another notch because he sees through Magdelina fairly quickly. Oh, and the homicide investigation in IID is another good one. A much-beloved young teacher at an exclusive private school is murdered and I was rather shocked when his murderer is finally revealed because I didn't see it (or refused to believe it). My grade: B+


Castle of the Wolf by Sandra Schwab
This book also had an unusual setting - a dark mysterious castle in the Black Forest of Germany. I'm not sure of the time period but it seemed like maybe 1820's or so. I cut my eyeteeth on dark gothics like Jane Eyre when I was a teenager and this book reminded me so much of them. The hero is dark and tortured and is hiding some secrets. The heroine is convinced someone is trying to kill her. Some spooky weird things happen and the hero is so enigmatic that I almost believed he was behind them. Anyway it was great fun.
My grade: B


Well, I'm running out of steam tonight so I'll make another post this weekend with some more quickie reviews.

Dirty by Megan Hart

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 425
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Erotica
SERIES: No (loosely related to Broken)
SENSUALITY: Burning

REASON FOR READING: Janine's review at DearAuthor piqued my interest. Also I greatly enjoyed Broken.

SUMMARY/BLURB:

This is what happened . . .

I met him at the candy store. He turned around and smiled at me and I was surprised enough to smile back. This was not a children's candy store, mind you—this was the kind of place you went to buy expensive imported chocolate truffles for your boss's wife because you felt guilty for having sex with him when you were both at a conference in Milwaukee. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

I've been hit on plenty of times, mostly by men with little finesse who thought what was between their legs made up for what they lacked between their ears. Sometimes I went home with them anyway, just because it felt good to want and be wanted, even if it was mostly fake.

The problem with wanting is that it's like pouring water into a vase full of stones. It fills you up before you know it, leaving no room for anything else. I don't apologize for who I am or what I've done in—or out—of bed. I have my job, my house and my life, and for a long time I haven't wanted anything else.

Until Dan. Until now.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:

This was a much harder review to write than the one I did for Broken. Elle Kavanaugh is a very troubled young woman and even though this book is written in first person we don't really know what's going on. Somewhere around a third of the way into the book I started to decipher all the signals and hints which had raised my suspicions. By the halfway point I had figured out the main issue and although the subject is a difficult one for most women, I couldn't put the book down.

Elle is not a likable person or admirable in any way. She doesn't act wisely and seems self destructive. Well, actually she is self-destructive and that right there is a big hint and should set off the alarm bells in your brain. When we first meet Elle we find out that she has been celibate for 3 years but before that had been having frequent anonymous sex. It was strange how the way Ms. Hart wrote this made me feel like I was inside Elle's head but she wasn't telling me what I really wanted to know ..... mainly my question was "Why?" Eventually I had to figure it out for myself.

Elle meets Dan Stewart in a candy store. They start dating but their relationship takes weeks to become sexual. Elle can't do emotional intimacy so she treats their relationship like those anonymous sexual encounters from years ago. Some reviews I've read on this book thought Elle's voice read rather flat but I had the opposite reaction. I thought it was very emotional and very thought provoking especially after I figured out her issues. It was difficult and sometimes painful to read but I have to agree with Janine from DearAuthor when she describes the tone of the book this way:

...this delivery showed Elle’s numbness, her emotional armor, in a way that a different tone would not have.

That about sums it up.

Dan wants more intimacy and Elle wants less. Eventually they figure out why she pushes him away and they have a happy ending but it was not an easy journey. The resolution of their problems was dealt with very realistically and some readers might feel it's a bit too real. The cover calls it "An Erotic Novel" and the sex scenes are burning but some of them were not really "sexy", if you know what I mean. Well, maybe you don't. Anyway, this book isn't for everyone but I found it satisfying and was convinced of Dan and Elle's future happiness. If you want to read something a little deeper or if you enjoyed Hart's Broken, you might consider giving this book a try.

GRADE: B+

Tangled Up in You by Rachel Gibson

COPYRIGHT: 2007
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Straight Romance
PAGES: 364
SERIES: Third in the 'author friends' series
SENSUALITY: Hot

SUMMARY: [from Amazon]

Maddie is determined to uncover the untold story about the town's sordid past—her past. As a child, Maddie lost everything, and now she's back at the scene of the scandal—a local establishment that's always belonged to the Hennessys—determined to uncover the truth, and nothing is going to stand in her way. Especially not a black-haired, blue-eyed Hennessy.

Everyone in Truly knows that the Hennessy men are irresistible, and the current owner, Mick, is no exception. His late father was a skirt-chasing heartbreaker who ended up causing disaster for two families. So far, Mick's managed to keep the ladies in line, but when he claps eyes on Maddie, with her luscious curves and tempting lips, he can't resist getting tangled up with her.

But Maddie is keeping secrets, not the least of which is her true reason for being in town. And when Mick discovers what‘s really going on, there is going to be a whole lot of trouble in Truly.

THOUGHTS/OPINION:

I was rather lukewarm over Gibson's last couple of books but I was pleasantly surprised with this latest one. Not quite as good as my two favorites, Truly Madly Yours and See Jane Score, but very good nonetheless. As in the last two books in the series, the heroine of TUIY was again a writer.

Maddie Dupree travels back to her hometown, Truly, Idaho, to research the story of a double murder-suicide which happens to be a very personal story. Maddie is a true crime writer and the story she is researching involves her mother. Thirty years ago when Maddie was a little girl her mother began an affair with the local bar owner. When his wife discovers the affair she shoots them both, then herself. Maddie is left all alone in the care of her eccentric aunt. The cheating husband's son, Mick Hennessey, now owns the bar. He and his sister were totally devastated by this event as children and he now wants to just forget the past. Mick is furious that this author is in town stirring up old memories better left forgotten. Mick and the rest of the town don't know that Maddie is the daughter of 'that waitress'.

The pages fairly sizzle from the moment Maddie and Mick meet and they had wonderful chemistry and sexual tension together. But Maddie keeps her true identity secret much too long and I was could just see the writing on the wall. And as expected when Mick finally finds out he is royally pissed.

The topic was probably more serious than Gibson's previous works but I thought she weaved the serious subject with some witty dialog rather well. In the end I really sympathized with both of them. They both had been damaged by this tragedy and each came to see that they couldn't hate the other for the actions of their parents because it was out of their control. They were both victims and they realized they could comfort each other. There is also a very nice secondary romance between Mick's old army buddy and his sister. Overall, I thought Mick and Maddie were perfect together and I enjoyed their snappy dialog.

GRADE: B

The Huntress by Susan Carroll

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 490
SETTING: Historical - Tudor England/France - 1585
TYPE: Historical Fiction - Romance
SERIES: 4th book in the Daughters of the Earth (Faire Isle) Series
SENSUALITY: Warm
REASON FOR READING: I greatly enjoyed the first three books in the series, The Dark Queen (B+), The Courtesan (A-), and The Silver Rose (B-).

SUMMARY:

In a time of intrigue and betrayal, the huntress is on a quest that could jeopardize two empires and two great queens: Catherine de Medici and Elizabeth I.

The year is 1585–and prophecy has foretold the coming of a daughter of the Earth whose powers are so extraordinary they could usurp the very rule of the Dark Queen herself, Catherine de Medici. Dispatched from Brittany to London, Catriona O’Hanlon, known as the Huntress, must find this mysterious young girl and shield her from those who will exploit her mystic abilities, which have the potential to change the course of history.

Catriona’s skill with weaponry is all she has to protect herself and her young charge from spies who snake through the courts of Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen–including the girl’s own father, whose loyalties are stretched to the breaking point. But Catriona will soon face menacing forces and sinister plots unlike any she has ever encountered.

THOUGHTS / OPINION:
I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that this series was not actually a trilogy since the third book left a lot of unanswered questions. The previous books in the series told the stories of the three Cheney sisters. It is now a couple years later in 1585 and this fourth book tells the story of Catriona O'Hanlon, one of Ariane Cheney's most trusted friends. Ariane is the leader of the Daughters of the Earth, a group of healers (some call them witches) who reside on Faire Isle in France.

Cat is called the Huntress for her fierce warrior-like qualities and her feisty personality. Ariane has assigned her the task of locating a sorceress's daughter, Megaera, and bringing her back to the Faire Isle where she will be safe from the evil machinations of Catherine de Medici, known as the Dark Queen. Martin le Loup has fled France with his daughter, eleven year old Meg, to England certain he can keep her safer with him. He is living disguised as an Englishman in London and is trying to mold Meg into a proper English lady.

Cat is just the type of heroine I adore. She's a real spitfire with her red hair and Irish temper. She can wield a sword or shoot a bow and arrow and she takes her role as a warrior seriously. And she's not afraid to speak her mind. But she also has a vulnerable side and has her insecurities. I love heroines with a tough outer shell and a mushy center. When she locates Martin and Meg she tries to convince Martin to take Meg to Faire Isle, but he refuses.

But Martin has become embroiled in some political intrigue and an intricate assassination plot to kill Queen Elizabeth I. Martin and Cat have some entertaining verbal battles over who can protect Meg and I thoroughly enjoyed their conflicts when he and his servants try to get rid of her. They have great chemistry together. But Cat is a tough cookie and she won't be dislodged from her appointed task of keeping Meg safe from a sinister coven that practices the dark arts. They want Meg for her mystical powers which she inherited from her mother. In addition the evil Dark Queen wants the Book of Shadows that Meg is hiding.

It all sounds a little complicated but don't worry, it was easy to follow. In fact, I thought the middle sagged a bit when not enough was happening. But the last third was fast paced with some spicy love scenes. This is not a story about witches and magic, it only provided a little backdrop to the plot. Queen Elizabeth makes a short appearance near the last too. Carroll skillfully weaves together fact and fiction and I found it fascinating. If not for the sagging middle this one would have been a keeper. However, it was still as enjoyable as the rest of the books in the series. If you enjoyed the others, I'm sure you'll like this one.

MISCELLANEOUS: After visiting her website, I found out that she is planning a 5th book in the series. Oh, happy, happy, joy, joy!

GRADE: B

Four books in four days

Just got back from a short vacation. We went camping in our RV to Pearrygin Lake State Park near Winthop, Washington. We went there last year and I believe I blogged about it then. The weather was beautiful ... sunny, warm, perfect temperature. The mama deer and their babies were running free through the park at all hours of the day. The baby fawns are so cute.

With all that free time I was able to finish four books in four days. You'd think I had my nose in a book the entire time but I managed to do some walking, shopping in town, and catching up on my naps :) It's amazing how much reading I can do if I don't have people bugging me.

Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard (2007 - romantic suspense)
I liked UC&D better than LH's last two books (Cover of Night and Killing Time). The plot was more believable and more romantic. Bailey Wingate and Cam Justice are left stranded after the small plane he is piloting for her crash lands in the mountains of Idaho. The majority of the book reads like a survivalist how-to book and I found it fascinating. Cam and Bailey begin the book as antagonistic towards each other before the crash but afterwards they learn to rely on each other and their survival skills in order to make it off the mountain alive. And the sexual tension slowly heats up. Some of it was a bit unrealistic (would you want to have sex in those conditions?) but I didn't care. I loved Cam's sexy Texas drawl and Bailey's steady competent strength. My only complaint is the suspense was rather light and the too fast and quick ending. I want an epilogue! My grade: A-

Wild Wild West by Charlene Teglia (2007 - contemporary erotic romance)
WWW was hot, sexy, steamy, sizzling and yummy. The book tells the story of three couples with about 1/3 of the book devoted to each couple. Three women and three cowboys meet in an espresso cafe in Missoula Montana. They pair up and each couple has an extremely erotic evening which leads to relationships and happy endings. The last story started going into that sub-dom crap I hate and I started to think I better skip it, but it was very lightly done and never got really heavy. If you like your erotica with romance and happy endings, then you'll love this one. My grade: B+

Arousing Suspicions by Marianne Stillings (2007 - romantic suspense)
I read Stillings' first book and didn't like it that well but I decided to give her 4th book a try. And I am pleased to report that I enjoyed it very much. Tabitha March is a psychic "dream interpreter". Nate Darling is a police detective investigating a murder. Tabitha approaches him about a client who has dreamt of that murder and of course Nate doesn't believe her. Eventually, Nate goes back to her when the evidence points to that dream and Nate doesn't quite know if Tabitha may be a suspect. They begin working together to solve the crime. Tabitha and Nate are good characters and the book has quite a bit of humor that worked for me. I'll be trying Stillings again. My grade: B

Mad Dash by Patricia Gaffney (2007 - contemporary chick lit)
I'm not that crazy about chick lit but DearAuthor's review made me want to give this book a try and I'm glad I did. I liked the fact that it wasn't all written in first person. Dash's POV was first person but we also get portions of the book with husband Andrew's POV written in third person. Dash Bateman is going through a mid-life crisis after her mother dies and her daughter leaves home for college. She walks out on her husband after he objects to her keeping an abandoned puppy. I have to admit this book came a little too close to home and I found myself identifying with how she is feeling. Although I thought she was way too impulsive (something I'm not). I also sympathized with Andrew who was completely bewildered and clueless. I loved their story though and the ending was great too. My grade: B+

To Catch a Mate by Gena Showalter

COPYRIGHT: 2007
PAGES: 370
SETTING: Contemporary
TYPE: Straight Romance
SERIES: No
SENSUALITY: Hot

REASON FOR READING: AAR gave it a DIK review.

SUMMARY/BLURB:

Jillian Greene is always getting caught in the act—it's her job! Working at Catch A Mate, Jillian gets paid by suspicious wives to smile, flirt and prove that no man can be trusted around the opposite sex. Her only ground rule? She never gets physical. Until a heart-stoppingly gorgeous male walks in…

Marcus Brody has just been hired as bait to test female fidelity. But the last thing Jillian needs is a partner…especially an infuriating, irresistible man who's got her fantasizing about tearing off his clothes.

Can a savvy modern woman find happiness with the most tempting man she's ever known? Is there such a thing as a totally monogamous male?

THOUGHTS / OPINION:

It's hard to believe that AAR gave this book DIK status because I was not that impressed with it. It wasn't horrible but it just wasn't to my taste. CaM had a good plot and I loved the idea of a service that helps women discover if their boyfriend or husband is cheating on them and thought it had great comic potential. But I found some of the dialogue kind of silly and childish rather than funny as the author probably intended.

Heroine Jillian works for the agency and acts as bait to entice husbands or boyfriends who've been accused of cheating and captures their actions on film to show their female clients. Marcus takes over the agency and wants to include catching cheating wives and girlfriends into their offered services. But the way he handles his newly acquired female employees was chauvinistic and bullying. I couldn't stand the guy. Plus all his mental lusting for Jillian was ridiculous. Both the H/H had good reasons to hate members of the opposite sex and they work out their problems fairly realistically. And the sexual tension and steamy love scenes were great. But I couldn't warm up to the hero at all.

Jillian spent a lot of time thinking "I hate him, I hate him" "Wow, is he hot!" "Wow, does he have a great butt", then of course they have hot steamy sex. I don't get that. If I hate some guy (male chauvinist pig), I don't think they're attractive and want to jump them. MCP's are a total turnoff. But then that's just me. If you skip all the mental lusting and chauvinistic attitude, it would have been a pretty good read.

GRADE: C+