Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Breaking The Rules by Suzanne Brockmann





Blurb:
Izzy Zanella wasn't looking for another reason to butt heads with his Navy SEAL teammate and nemesis, Danny Gillman. But then he met Danny’s beautiful younger sister, Eden. When
she needed it most, he offered her a place to stay, a shoulder to cry on—and more. And when she got pregnant with another man’s child, he offered her marriage. But Eden’s devastating
miscarriage shattered their life together—and made the intense bad blood between Izzy and Danny even worse.

Now Eden's back, on a mission to rescue her teen brother, Ben, from their abusive stepfather. Even if she and Izzy can prove that their broken marriage is still in one piece, winning legal
custody of Ben is a long shot. But they’re not alone: Danny and his girlfriend Jenn offer to help, and he and Izzy agree to bury the past and fight for Ben’s future.

As they plan their strategy, Izzy and Eden grapple with the raw passion that still crackles between them—while Danny and Jenn confront new depths in their own rocky relationship. But events take a terrifying turn after Ben befriends a girl fleeing a child prostitution ring. When the young runaway seeks refuge with Eden and Izzy, her pursuers kidnap Ben—and a deadly standoff begins. Now, they must all pull together like never before and strike back, swift and hard, to protect their unconventional little family and everything they hold most precious.

My thoughts:
Even though he is too young for me, I love Izzy Zanella. Deeply. Because beneath that adolescent humor, there is a thinking man. With integrity and purpose. And Brockmann did him proud in his own book.

I'll admit, I was worried. Much in the same way Lori was. I didn't want to read or watch the spirit and light be sucked from my favorite man-boy. I'm happy to report that it wasn't. Izzy moved through the events of this book with a practicality that allowed for both his nutball humor and his serious SEAL. To demonstrate:

Here is a moment spent inside Izzy's head--just like old times:

"Either way, it was obvious that they were both extremely willing passengers aboard this particular bad-idea bus."

And later, when he must call (for the first time) on Jules Cassidy for assistance. The phone conversation begins like this:

Izzy didn't recognize the number that was on his cell phone's screen. But it had a 6-1-7 area code, what was..."Good morning, Boston," Izzy said as he answered, one hand on the steering wheel as they continued to zoom through the night. "Jules Cassidy, I presume. How's it hanging, bro?"

Over the course of this conversation, Cassidy proves himself the tough-as-nails, stand-up guy that he is. Watch how Izzy signs off:

"Thank you, sir," Izzy said.
"I thought I was your bro, Zanella."
"No, sir," Izzy told the man. "You're the kind of leader I would follow into hell, should the need ever arise."
Cassidy cleared his throat. "I'll keep that in mind," he said quietly, then added, "Good luck, guys." And with that he ended the call.

Breaking The Rules is littered with moments like this one. All true to Izzy's character--a smartass we can all take seriously.

Was Eden worthy of him? I'd say yes. We catch up with her at a different point in her life and really, she seems to have it much more together. There was substance to her here. When Brockmann brought them together again, it worked for me. I appreciated how she reversed their roles--making Eden the painfully, emotionally honest one and Izzy the more guarded of the two. It worked.

It was also served by all of the other folks in their way. There is a LOT going on in this book and that gave Izzy and Eden time to just BE. Around each other, with each other. With no promises and no clear path. That worked. The noise of the other characters however, did get on my nerves here and there. Like many, I'm not a fan of Dan. He's still a stubborn brat if you ask me. Sorry, just too much baby behind the big, strong SEAL. I remember, in the last book, when he hooked up with Jen...Brockmann let us into his head. And damned if he wasn't a pig. That even HE was surprised he'd go for a big girl like Jen was insulting. Here, there is no doubt that he loves her. But, because I wondered if it wasn't more of a "need her" thing, I never considered him fully redeemed.

Nor did I cut him any slack for the unbelievable crap wrought by his dsyfunctional family. Lots of screwed up characters coming from that gene pool (and loser step-father). It is essentially the basis for Breaking The Rules. Everyone comes together here to save the youngest Gillman. Every thread leads back to the nightmare that was their upbringing.

In Brockmann fashion, there is constant motion, social commentary and over-the-top characters on the wrong side of "right". And in Brockmann fashion, she brings it all together in her trademark rhythm. Can't use reviewer words like 'flow' or 'seamless'. Brockmann's rhythm is better described as improvisational and intense--like Izzy. Maybe it's fitting to end this series of books on the one character that defines her voice?

My thanks to Ms. Brockmann, for years of reading pleasure. I'm looking forward to whatever comes next.

Monday, May 23, 2011

ARC: Goddess with a Blade by Lauren Dane

Releases June 6 from Carina Press

Rowan Summerwaite is no ordinary woman. Physical vessel to the Celtic Goddess Brigid and raised by the leader of the Vampire Nation, she's a supercharged hunter with the power to slay any vampire who violates the age-old treaty.

A recent string of murders has her at odds with Las Vegas's new Scion, the arrogant and powerful Clive Stewart. The killings have the mark of Vampire all over them, and Rowan warns Clive to keep his people in line—or she'll mete out her own brand of justice.

Though her dealings with Clive are adversarial to say the least, Rowan is intensely aware of her attraction to him. But she can't let it distract her from her duty—to find and battle the killer before more women die.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm not a big fan of the paranormal or the urban fantasy. I especially dislike when different breeds/species, etc are paired up as a dynamic duo. It's the main reason that I never read past book 1 in the Immortals After Dark series. I hate having to keep it all straight – it's just too much work for a pleasure read. I was a little worried when in the first chapter of Goddess With a Blade, I felt lost, unsure of who or what Rowan was. By the 2nd chapter, I pretty much had it figured out, and was able to move forward.

The blurb is pretty much a good summary of the basic plot. Intermixed in there are all the dynamics that happen between a vampire hunter and the head honcho vampire who are intensely attracted to each other.

One thing I liked about this one is that Rowan is a strong, capable, kickass woman, but she isn't preachy. In a couple of recent books, I've felt almost as though I was getting a lesson on proper male-female relations straight from the heroine's mouth. Not so here. In fact, Rowan is a bit messy, which I really liked.

I liked that Clive recognized he had a big problem within his vampire community, but wasn't completely wowed by everything Rowan told him. They each had a hefty dose of skepticism for the truthiness of the other's evidence and beliefs and yet at the same time have to deal with being on opposite sides in a centuries-long battle. Add in a healthy shot of snarkiness, especially on Rowan's part, and human friends and victims, plus Rowan's 'foster' father (the full head of all the vampires) and it's a recipe for a great ride.

As in most vampire books, there is a lot of gore and descriptiveness surrounding the fights and the deaths, but since I happen to love blood and gore, I was just fine with it.

I really liked Rowan's cop friend as well. He added a touch of grittiness and reality to the story, as well as a bit of a noir-type feel.

Rowan and Clive will never have an easy road to an HEA. There's too much conflict for that. But the sexiness of their scenes together, and the underlying desire they have to make it right (I think) will help them along the way.

This is one of those books that made me sit back in awe at the imagination of authors, and realize that I could never, ever be an author. I'm far too literal and boring.

To summarize: a tough-as-nails otherworldly vampire hunter heroine and a badass vamipre hero who turn each other's world upside down. Throw in a few more very complicated relationships and you have a terrificly fun and intense book.

I enjoyed it a lot, which kind of surprised me, since I'm pretty clear this isn't my thing. But as always, I should have trusted Dane to deliver a great story, no matter what species the characters are. You have a sense immediately who Rowan is, and Clive takes a little longer, but I got a really good feel for him as well. Vampire with honor among all the other Vampire traits? Yes, I thought so.

Thank you to Lauren Dane for an advance look at this one. Highly recommended!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

ARC: Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey

Book 3 in the Kowalski family series

Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiancé. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother’s upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn’t like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma’s offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home.

Emma’s not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his “pretend” kisses are…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

First off, thanks to Shannon Stacey for a sneak peek at this one. The cover gods have surely smiled mightily upon her with this series. All 3 covers so far have been beautiful, conveying the fun, flirty, and sweet contemporary style of the books. (And the scruff - did you see the scruff on his face? *swoons*)

Sean Kowalski, cousin to Joe and Kevin of books 1 and 2, has just gotten out of the army. He's at loose ends, and so decides to hang with his cousins for a while. Emma Shaw is a friend of the family. She has somehow managed to manufacture Sean as her fake fiancé - including photoshopped pictures of them together (yes, a little creepy, even) - in order to appease her grandmother, who now lives in Florida and is worried about Emma being alone/lonely. They meet when Emma knocks on Sean's door, and rather embarrassed, tells him that he is her fake fiancé. I loved that meeting, and afterward, Sean describes Emma as "tall, hot, and batshit crazy."

This book was simply feel-good. I can't think of a thing I didn't enjoy – including the sly shout out to Stacey's Devlin Group series. Sean moves in with Emma and her grandmother for a month, as the pretend fiancé. During that time, they live together, work together, and learn about one another all while trying to fool Cat into believing that they've been together for a year and a half (a lie she fully figures out within about a half hour, LOL). I loved Sean's habit of leaving sticky notes for Emma with little messages. I loved that Emma can't cook worth a damn. I love that she's a strong woman, a business owner in a physical business, and that she just wants to make her grandmother more comfortable about her situation.

I also really, really enjoyed the secondary romance between Cat and Russell, Emma's grandmother and her long-time friend. What a sweet little treat that was.

As always, the interactions of the Kowalski family brought a smile to my face, and though they easily could, they didn't overwhelm or overtake the focus on Emma and Sean. The Kowalski cousins are all in on a pool for how long Sean and Emma can go without sleeping together, and as always, beneath the good-natured (and sometimes cut-throat) ribbing you can feel the love within this family.

Near the end, I got the little clutch in my gut and around my heart that tells me I'm hurting along with the characters. I've talked about that clutch a few other times, most notably when reading Linda Winfree's books. It tells me I'm fully emotionally invested in the story, and that I truly care what happens to the people I'm reading about.

I really like Stacey's voice. She has a perfect blend of irreverence, humor, and sweetness to her books that always makes me want to keep reading.

Yours to Keep releases in e June 6 from Carina Press. I highly recommend it!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Lori's April reads

So I have the serious blogging blues. It's taking me forever to get my monthly reads together. And how happy does it make me that Jen is reading and blogging again? Over the last few years, we've gone in cycles. When she's been too busy to blog, I've had the bug, and vice-versa. Why do I feel like it's about to become Jen's turn, big time? And how lucky are all of you to reap the benefits of her amazing reviews?

My April was very up and down. My mom spent a good deal of the month in the hospital, and so I didn't have much of a chance to either read or blog or even record my thoughts on books. So you're going to get whatever I can recollect about the books I read in April. Apparently, all really good reads for me, but nothing I could work up a full review for.

Goodreads tells me I read 17 books (well, one was a DNF,so really 16, but I'm gonna keep trying for that one - why, I have no idea.). That brings my total for the year up to 70 (or 71, with the DNF). I'm not listing the DNF because I still may review it over at Book Binge, and I don't want to color anyone's thoughts on a book thaqt everyone else seems to really, really like.

So anyway, here're April's reads:
Honor's Splendour by Julie Garwood
5 stars on Goodreads
Another perfect Garwood medieval. Loved Duncan and loved Madelyne. And as always, the supporting characters bring a sense of fullness and complexity, and, well, rightness to a story that actually has all that on its own.

The Edge of Night by Jill Sorenson
5 stars on Goodreads
Another fantastic read by Sorenson. She takes a cop and a gangbanger's ex-girlfriend and makes them a believable couple, and one you root for - each with their individual strengths and weaknesses, always realistic. And as usual, a superb secondary storyline of a younger couple - this time a gangbanger and a cop's sister. To make that work he had to be sympathetic but not woosie in his gang. Sorenson makes it all come together, and makes you root for this young couple, too.

The Sweetest Thing (Lucky Harbor, #2) by Jill Shalvis
5 stars on Goodreads
Really loved this one. I was unsure about it because I didn't love Tara in book 1, but she ended up a good heroine, issues and all. Written with all of Shalvis' wit and a great deal of emotional angst, this was terrific. And hello. Ford is an amazing hero. Yummy. I'm totally looking forward to Chloe and Sawyer's book.

No Mercy by Lori Armstrong
5 stars on Goodreads
A fantastic, gritty, dirty, messy, emotional book - more of a mystery/suspense with a hint of romance. I loved Mercy and her screwed up self. If it tells you how much I loved it, it's written in first person and I can't wait to read the next one. Whaaaa? Yup.

Victoria's Got a Secret by HelenKay Dimon
4 stars on Goodreads
I felt far less like a voyeur with this one than with the previous True Vows I read. I feel so bad for Jennifer as she went through her journey. And her on again, off again boyfriend from high school, Paul? Takl about sticktuitiveness. That man loved her from the get-go and never stopped. And who doesn't love a happy ending between high school sweethearts?

Goddess With A Blade by Lauren Dane
4 stars on Goodreads
A tough-as-nails otherworldly vampire hunter heroine and a badass vamipre hero who turn each other's world upside down. Throw in a few more very complicated relationships and you have a terrificly fun and intense book. Review to come closer to release date. Suffice to say for now that only Lauren Dane could put together all these paranormal characters and make me love it.

The Bargain by Mary Jo Putney
4 stars on Goodreads
This is a rerelease originally written in the 80s, I think. Interesting premise. They get married because he's on his deathbed and wants someone to look out for his sister, and she needs to marry by a certain date or lose her inheritance. What happens when he suddenly survives? The commoner and the lady make a wonderful couple. I adored David. Jocelyn took a little more warming up to, but she won me over as well.

My Irresistible Earl (Inferno Club, #3) by Gaelen Foley
4 stars on Goodreads
I really enjoyed Jordan's character. Unlike the last book, which had more of an Indiana Jones feel to it, I felt like this book was more grounded. I liked how open Jordan was and how self-aware he was.

Kiss Me, Kill Me (Lucy Kincaid #2) by Allison Brennan
4 stars on Goodreads
I'm still loving the return to the Kincaid family, especially the interesting dynamics between Sean and Patrick, Lucy's boyfriend/lover and her brother. And how Lucy's past keeps coming back to haunt her as she tries to move on with her life. This series is very well done.

Saddled and Spurred (Blacktop Cowboys, #2) by Lorelei James
4 stars on Goodreads
Another winner from James. No menage in this one like there was in book 1, and I liked the focus on the hero and heroine.

The Hometown Hero Returns (Home to Harbor Town, #1) by Beth Kery
4 stars on Goodreads
Kery's first book with Harlequin. I really enjoyed it. The heroine is unusual in that she's Lebanese - a gutsy move by Kery in this volatile world. Sometimes I wanted to punch her because she was so stubborn, but she had a great hero in her high school boyfriend, Marc. Torn apart by a shared trauma in their past, they have to find their way back together.

Command and Control (Holding out for a Hero, #2) by Shelli Stevens
3.75 stars on Goodreads
This was a tough one to rate for me. There were pieces I really loved, like Trevor's angst and his PTSD, and pieces I didn't love, such as the start of the "kidnap" scene. It felt awkward to me, and maybe it was supposed to. But I really like Stevens' voice, and am looking forward to book 3.

Desperate Deeds (A-Tac, #3) by Dee Davis
3.75 stars on Goodreads
I read the first two in March, and picked this one up in April. I found a lot more explaining' in this book than in the others, explaining of things that the operatives should have known, and so were explaining for my benefit. That's a pet peeve of mine. That aside, I enjoyed the conclusion (I assume) to the series. The traitor is found out in this one. I thought that this entire group of CIA black ops was very trusting and seemed awfully naive. This was the book where that seemed really apparent to me. So I can't rate this as high as the others, even though I liked the nonstop action and the nuke plot.

Just Surrender by Kathleen O'Reilly
3 stars on Goodreads
This was a disappointment to me, since I usually love O'Reilly's Blazes so much. I really wanted to love it, but the heroine just didn't work for me, with her daddy issues and the hero had mommy issues. Too much for me.

Backstage Pass (Sinners on Tour #1) by Olivia Cunning
3 stars
There was so much not to like about this book, from the stereotypes of the band (although admittedly probably deserved stereotypes) and the heroine's profession, to the immediate sex, to the comfort of the heroine being naked around many men when she's never done that before, and so much more. But at the same time, I found myself unable to put it down. And when it finished, and I didn't walk away saying, "Oh, I liked that!" I find myself wondering why it is that I'm dying to read the next book in the series. Which I went and bought. Huh.

Healing Hearts by Taryn Kincaid
3 stars on Goodreads
I adored the beginning of this book. The damaged hero and the hostile heroine, who was secretly in love w/ hero. Having said that, this book is a perfect example of a book that suffered from word count anxiety. The author tried to cram so much in, and there wasn't enough time to fully explore any of it, which is a shame because most of the threads were worth exploring deeply and thoroughly. The romance felt rushed to me, which saddens me since it had such huge potential.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

April Reads - Jennifer

Getting the urge to actually review again. I like the drive-by recaps, but know that, personally, I prefer or need more to recommend a title. A blurb at the very least. So I'll get to something more in depth after this bit of catch up...

Seducing The Duchess by Ashley March
Ok, I'm reading so much and taking toooo long to record my thoughts, argh. Had to look up the blurb on this one to remind myself and yep, I enjoyed this one very much. Will definitely read more from March.

The Perils Of Pleasure by Julie Anne Long
Loved this one! Not sure what it is about intrigue in my historicals, but I love it. Called to mind my faves from Bourne, though this one featured no spies. I think the draw for me is the capable, hardened-but-fragile heroine. And the hero who both admires and protects. That could be it. At any rate, I'm looking forward to catching up on Long's titles.

One Dance With A Duke by Tessa Dare
I'm definitely a fan in Dare's camp. I enjoyed her first trilogy and would like to read this threesome before her next releases in August. In One Dance, Dare's voice lifted me up and over my usual aversion to heroines deemed unattractive or unworthy of a handsome rake (by societal standards). I really liked Amelia. Every character really. Just picked up the second, Rhys' story, yesterday. Fifty pages in and I think I'm enjoying it even more than One Dance.

A Rake's Guide To Pleasure by Victoria Dahl
Yes, I am still hung up on Dahl. But I may like her contemps more than her historicals. Not sure yet.

My Pleasure by Connie Brockway, My Surrender by Connie Brockway
After finding a Brockway keeper in my closet, I snatched these two from my library's swap shelf. Fun reads, both of them. But while both had spy action AND Scotsmen, neither found their way to my keeper shelf. Just fun, light reads I'll remember for those reading moods.

One Night With A Prince by Sabrina Jeffries (DNF)
Unlike the other historical voices I've read in recent weeks, Jeffries didn't grab me. Not sure why. I have a few of her other titles on my TBR list and will likely try those before moving on.

The Darkest Hour by Maya Banks
Took me EONS to get my hands on this one (through my library). Worth the wait. Which is saying something since these types of stories can be really hit or miss for me--usually because they tend to read alike. This one however, was entirely unique. Very emotional and quite opposite the expected I'm-a-warrior-let-me-think-for-you storyline. I'm hooked.

Deadly Fear by Cynthia Eden
Hmmm, liked this one too. However, serial killers do not make for romance. Not for me. Always really tough for me to put the truly scary out of my head and enjoy time with the H/H. My library has the remainder of this series/trilogy, but I haven't been back for it.

Rules Of An Engagement by Suzanne Enoch
To die for. Period.

Chasing Fire by Nora Roberts
I'd say over the last 2 to 3 years, all of Roberts new releases have featured both a voice and a cast of characters marching to the exact same cadence or rhythm. Aside from profession, her protagonists have featured the same brand of humor, witty dialogue, sex appeal, etc. And honestly? I can't get enough. With each new release, I know its going to be like time spent in the company of treasured friends. I enjoyed myself this time as much as the last. And wanted to move to Montana the next day.

To Tempt A Scotsman by Vicotria Dahl
Still really enjoying Dahl's voice--even though she gave me a Scotsman who bordered on beta. Just sayin.

Monday, May 09, 2011

March Reads - Jennifer

K, tons of excuses for why this is so late, but...I won't bore you. ;-) I will however, apologize. Aside from the first half of the post (written long ago), I got to the last half of March's list too late to remember much detail.

March yielded some awesome reads. My adoration for Victoria Dahl--cemented. I'm her biggest fangirl now, I'm sure of it. I also got my hands on Jo Goodman's Marry Me. I will love her forever too. I grew more smitten with Courtney Milan. Ok, I fell head over heels for her too. Let's just say March found a lot of love in my heart. Oh, and I plucked a book from my TBR stack and it turned out to be a keeper! A big deal for me. So yeah, March rocked.

So here it is:

Naked Edge by Pamela Clare
I know I just said that March rocked, but this one? Not so much. I have really enjoyed Clare's I-Team series to date. This one however, didn't pull me entirely in. It was the characters. What Gabe lacked in respect, Nat made up for in naivete. Understanding that her heritage and upbringing (complete with poor examples) left her determined to make good personal choices, I still couldn't help but feel like she was being naive. When I did try to appreciate her resolve, I couldn't see Gabe in her life. I think Clare tried to keep her honest--resisting Gabe, sticking to her spiritual guides, recognizing that he could not be what she needed him to be. But, as the reader, I knew it was going to happen anyway. At that point, at least halfway through the book, Clare had not yet convinced me that he could turn around, redeem himself. I was skeptical and tapping my foot, waiting for it to happen, all the way to the end. A good ending, powerful even. But not enough to change my overall mood.

That being said, I'm no where near turned off from this series. Really, it's testament to Clare's abilities that I can say Clare didn't disappoint, her characters did.

Ravished By A Highlander by Paula Quinn
Very good Highlander fare.

Body Check by Deirdre Martin
Ok, I saw the cover for Icebreaker and blindly added Martin to my TBR list. Being an order whore, I went back to the beginning of her hockey titles--and opened Body Check. Finished it. Enjoyed it. I did not however, come away with a desire to read the entire series.

Chasing Stanley by Deirdre Martin
Still, thinking of that gorgeous Icebreaker cover, I skimmed ahead to Chasing Stanley. Because, well, I had a Newf and this one featured a Newf. When I DNF'd it, Lori gave me what-for because apparently, right here on this blog, she explained why this book was no good. Going forward, I will be consulting our blog. No more being seduced by pretty covers and the sexy idea of hockey players.

Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl
Loved this one as much as the first (Talk Me Down). Loved, loved, loved it. Dahl delivers some of the sexiest reads. Great humor, the sweetest emotion and blatantly erotic sex scenes. Quinn was fabulous. Just fabulous.

Lead Me On by Victoria Dahl
Enjoyed this one too, albeit less than the others. Perhaps because Jane's behavior was driven a tad too much by her angst. I may have lost patience along the way. Otherwise, good, sexy stuff from Dahl.

Trial By Desire by Courtney Milan
Wow. The emotional tension between Ned and Kate was palpable, in a catch-your-breath kind of way. Having also read Unveiled this month, I stand in awe of Milan's depth of characterization. Both of these books took my breath away.

Marry Me by Jo Goodman
Totally unexpected twist hooked me hard and I couldn't stop reading. Goodman is another like no other for me. Emotionally rich, honest, witty. Rich, rich prose, but economical too. Goodman never wastes a word. Can't say enough.

Rough Cut by Mari Carr
An author I'll read again. This was an emotional telling of a woman drawn to BDSM. Short and erotic, yes. But more to it than the usual fare. I was impressed.

An Unlikely Countess by Jo Beverly
Quite good--and another centered entirely on the H/H. I was reminded of how much I like Beverly as well. Don't know why I needed reminding, as Devilish sits among the very few titles on my keeper shelf.

Unveiled by Courtney Milan
This may be the best book I've read this year. I swear my breath caught the moment Ash laid eyes on Margaret and held for the duration. That emotional tension was exquisite. Another thing I remember loving was Margaret's refusal to sell him out--no plot-serving behavior from Milan here. Only characters that were true to character.

Passions of a Wicked Earl by Lorraine Heath
My first Heath and a solid, good read. Can't remember everything about it, but do recall enjoying it and looking happily at Heath's backlist.

Bridal Favors by Connie Brockway
This was keeper from my TBR stack. Reminded me a great deal of Joanna Bourne. Sooo tightly-woven, the dryest wit and the most clever H/H. Absolutely loved this book, every word.

Live Wire by Lora Leigh
Carried by my library now, so I picked it up. Skimmed it. Then returned it. I like Leigh's storylines, but I don't care for all the long, drawn out wrestling-with-self her characters go through. Hence the skimming.

Thursday, May 05, 2011

Edge of Night by Jill Sorenson: A drive-by

To support her small daughter, April Ortiz does what she has to do—which means waiting tables in a skimpy outfit at a popular nightclub in the gang-infested area of Chula Vista. When one of her co-workers is found raped and murdered, April does what she knows she shouldn’t—she defies the neighborhood code by giving the police a hardcore gang member’s name.

Clean-cut cop Noah Young wants a shot at breaking this case more than anything in the world—that is, until he meets the unforgettable April Ortiz. When April gives Noah the tip, a spark ignites. As the fire between them threatens to blaze out of control, the two are dragged down further into the dark mysteries of the graffiti-lined streets, taunted by a crazed killer who could strike again at any time.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As always, a fulfilling story, though I really wanted a happy ending for Eric. Sorenson writes a love story set against the forbidden topic of gangs, and manages to make it riveting and wonderful.

I loved that Noah wasn't perfect - he tried to do his best, and that's all we can ask of him. I liked that he respected April for trying to do her best, too. And that he reacted just like a big brother, but was willing to try to give Eric some leeway.

As in past books, her secondary story revolves around teenage love, only how on earth do you make a gangbanger be a sympathetic love interest? And she does. 

I only wish I had some mojo because this book deserves a well thought out and articulate review (I gave it 5 stars on GR), but I just don't have it in me right now.

Bottom line: get it, read it, love it.
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