What I read on my summer vacation, Part 2...

This is also my Sept TBR... 2 Series Romances

So continuing on with my summer vacation reads, I read 2 SIMs that were part of continuing series, both of which I was eagerly anticipating. The last in the Cavanaugh Justice series by Marie Ferrarella about the Cavanaugh siblings/cousins and the next in the Forever in a Day series by Diana Duncan about those gorgeous O'Rourke brothers. One hit, one miss, I'm sorry to say.

Cavanaugh Watch

This is the last in the series. It focuses on Janelle Cavanaugh and Sawyer Boone. I love Marie Ferrarella. She's one of the authors that keeps me reading category romance. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling it with this one. I thought she did a credible job with Sawyer, building his character, getting me into his head. With Janelle she did an ok job, but I never truly felt like I was rooting for her, even after what should have been a horrific revelation, given the investment her readers have in the Cavanaugh family after so many books.

As a couple, I wasn't emotionally invested in them. There were not a lot of scenes of the two of them together, and I didn't buy it when Sawyer all of a sudden blurted out his love for Janelle. Huh? Why? Why do you love her? She didn't seem all that great to me. Now Sawyer, on the other hand... he was prime emotionally wounded hottie alpha. Ferrarella took the time to delve into his personal thoughts and feelings. If only she'd taken the time to let him share those with Janelle as well as with the reader, I would have enjoyed this book a lot more.

Most of the books in this series have been top notch, but the last couple have left me feeling a bit shortchanged and disappointed.

Heat of the Moment

This is the 3rd in a series of 4 on the O'Rourke brothers. So far, all 3 have been excellent reads. In this one, both the hero, Liam, and heroine, Kate, are thoroughly fleshed out. We understand who they are, where they are coming from, and why they are together.

Aside from the one brewing inside Kate, the conflict comes from an unexpected source. Liam is a K-9 SWAT officer, and Kate is terrified of dogs (with good reason, which we learn about). I thought Duncan did a great job of portraying the connection between Liam and Murphy (his partner, the dog), and the angst it brought him to know that Kate didn't want to be near his best friend and most trusted partner. And she did equally well at showing how Kate felt knowing she could never break these two officers and best friends apart.

All this takes place within the main storyline - a stalker is hunting Kate with bombs, and Liam, the bombs expert on the SWAT team, is the go-to guy.

I enjoyed seeing all of the O'Rourkes from the past books. The histories that Duncan built for them in the first two books remained consistent here. This book is an example of why I haven't given up on series romance, and why I still love the SIM line. Oh, and Duncan is donating 10% of the proceeds of sales of the book to the Humane Society.

The other books in the series are:
Midnight Hero (10% of proceeds donated to the Oregon food bank)
Truth or Consequences (10% of proceeds donated to a battered women's shelter)

What I read on my summer vacation, Part 1 (better late than never, and only a partial list...)

I’ve been so remiss in my postings. I have so many to do, but it all seems so overwhelming right now. I think I read about 20 books last month on vacation. So, I’m keeping these short and sweet. And a few at a time.

Passion - Lisa Valdez
I first read about this on Karen S’s blog, and immediately put it on my TBR list. Finally got around to it. I loved this book. It’s been reviewed to death (all good), but here’s what I loved. Loved the interactions between Mark and his brother, and Passion and her sisters (although those were minimal). Brothers gossiping about sex, sisters gossiping about sex. Loving, close relationships. Loved it. Loved that although Mark is majorly alpha, he wasn’t afraid to show his love for Passion. He wore his heart on his sleeve without losing any of his masculinity. I loved that he was willing to admit he made a mistake about Charlotte. I loved that this wasn’t your everyday, clichéd romance. And I loved the hot, graphic sex.
Meh was the overbearing mother (Mark and Matthew’s) and mother-in-law (to be, Charlotte’s mother). It’s so been done, although there was a deininitely different twist in this book which made up for it.

Scandal in Spring – Lisa Kleypas
This is the last in the Wallflower series. Definitely not as good as Devil in Winter or Secrets of a Summer Night. But a nice, sweet story between Matthew and Daisy. I thought Matthew was way more likeable than Daisy. And Lillian, I agree with many, was more than a tad overbearing and unforgiving. I just don’t have much else to say on this. Excpet I may just go read my Nick’s story again :)

Mr. Impossible - Loretta Chase
It’s a darn good thing I read Lord Perfect first. Don’t get me wrong. The characterization here was great, as always in a Chase book. The dialogue, also great. I loved Rupert and Daphne (Rupert is Benedict's younger brother). It was the setting that gave me difficulties. I got really bogged down in the Egyptian setting. Normally it doesn’t have to be all England all the time for me. I love mixing it up. But I was totally lost here, and it took me out of the story. It was a real bummer, because the book should have been great, and I could tell it probably was, other than this one great big huge issue I had with it. Had I read this first, I’m not so sure I would have read Lord Perfect (my very first Chase book), and what a tragedy that would have been! This is actually the story directly before Lord Perfect. Thankfully, they can be read as stand alones, and y’all know I’m not a series slut *g*. Yes, Anne, I read these OUT OF ORDER!

That’s it for the first few. A whole bunch more coming up, and I think the next batch is all contemporaries!

August TBR

Title: The Year Of Magical Thinking
Author: Joan Didion
Year Published: 2005

Blurb:

From one of America’s iconic writers, a stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Joan Didion explores an intensely personal yet universal experience: a portrait of a marriage–and a life, in good times and bad–that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child.

Several days before Christmas 2003, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion saw their only daughter, Quintana, fall ill with what seemed at first flu, then pneumonia, then complete septic shock. She was put into an induced coma and placed on life support. Days later–the night before New Year’s Eve–the Dunnes were just sitting down to dinner after visiting the hospital when John Gregory Dunne suffered a massive and fatal coronary. In a second, this close, symbiotic partnership of forty years was over. Four weeks later, their daughter pulled through. Two months after that, arriving at LAX, she collapsed and underwent six hours of brain surgery at UCLA Medical Center to relieve a massive hematoma.

This powerful book is Didion’s attempt to make sense of the “weeks and then months that cut loose any fixed idea I ever had about death, about illness . . . about marriage and children and memory . . . about the shallowness of sanity, about life itself.”

Why did you get this book? Its review in The New York Times Book Review appealed to me. In it, the reviewer included the same quote appearing at the end of the blurb.

It was “the shallowness of sanity” part of that quote that tripped me. It reminded me of a difficult time in my own past where I decided that it was a relatively short walk to the edge (as in edge of a cliff). From that point on in my life, I’ve been careful. Mentally. I pretty much just wanted to hear what Didion had to say about sanity. This snippet of her quote suggested it would be something similar to how I felt about it.

Do you like the cover? Plain and suitable to the story.

Did you enjoy the book? I’m glad I read it and will look at it again I’m sure.

Didion explains what she means by “magical thinking” early on. It is heart breaking. It is very simply the idea that, after his sudden death, her husband would somehow come back to her. The entire year following his death is spent in this current. And despite her analytical approach to everything—even the “waves” of grief she describes—Didion continues to hold onto the idea that he will come back. Somehow, she can undo what has happened.

Her telling of this year was not what I expected. Didion researched grief and she imparts her findings by filling pages and pages with references from medical and psychiatric journals, Freud, assorted studies, etc. She even includes snippets from Emily Post (Etiquette, 1922). Didion appreciates the practical nature of Post’s funeral etiquette and the reader appreciates the comfort Didion takes in it. Even though both Didion and the reader (she makes sure) see the appeal of such benign advice. It allowed Didion to continue in her “magical” thinking.

I also did not expect that the better part of this book would center on Didion’s time at her daughter’s hospital bedside—dealing with her illness. As her daughter spent months hospitalized in the year following her father’s death, it made sense upon reading it. I also hadn’t realized (from the reviews) that her daughter’s illness was unexpected—it started as the flu. While this shouldn’t make Didion’s experience any more difficult (she herself tells readers that death feels unexpected regardless of whether it is “sudden” or “after a long illness”), it still feels like an unfathomable injustice. It adds to the “walking around in shock” feeling Didion conveys in the book.

Having read the reviews…I knew ahead of time that Didion lost her daughter in the next year. Knowing this, it was heart wrenching to read the words Didion uses to describe her daily actions and thoughts throughout these months. It was heart wrenching to watch Didion realize, slowly, that she cannot actually be sure of her words to her daughter. “You’re safe. I’m here.” It is the first of the cracks in her magical thinking; the first inkling that she cannot prevent Quintana’s death and could not have prevented John’s death.

Throughout, Didion describes the loss of cognitive abilities experienced in grief. This is the shallowness of sanity. It is a very matter of fact view Didion takes when tracking her thoughts during this time. She shares them in the same convoluted way they occur to her. She also depicts how remote these thoughts can be; remote even to herself. This was the point or observation that touched me most. It is brutally honest and I recognized it.

Another point…Didion does not share her thoughts as a “journey”. There is no end to this experience for her and she doesn’t pretend to “get somewhere” in her recovery from John’s death. There is no recovery. She just goes on. When the book ends, she has passed the anniversary of his death by one day. She is now entering the time wherein she can no longer think…”this time last year, John and I were….”.

She has also received the autopsy report indicating that her husband was dead the instant he fell from away from the dinner table. It is when she begins to accept that she could not have prevented his death. It is another crack in her magical thinking.

Was the author new to you? No. I had read Didion’s freelance pieces before. I have not read any of her husband’s novels however. I think I will.

Are you keeping it or passing it on? Keeping it.

Anything else? No.

Couldn't resist...

Here is my joy.

Into The Storm by Suzanne Brockmann

Flat out loved it.

In a remote, frozen corner of New Hampshire, a Navy SEAL team and the elite security experts of Troubleshooters, Incorporated are going head-to-head as fierce but friendly rivals in a raid-and-rescue training exercise. Despite the frigid winter temperatures, tension smolders between veteran SEAL Petty Officer Mark “Jenk” Jenkins and former cop turned Troubleshooter Lindsey Fontaine after an impulsive night goes awry. And then, suddenly, Tracy Shapiro, the Troubleshooters’ new receptionist, vanishes while playing the role of hostage during a mock rescue operation.

Teaming up with the FBI to launch a manhunt in the treacherous wilderness, Jenk and Lindsey must put aside their feelings as a record snowstorm approaches, dramatically reducing any hope of finding Tracy alive. The trail is colder than the biting New England climate until a lucky break leads to a horrifying discovery—a brutally murdered young woman wearing the jacket Tracy wore when she disappeared. Suddenly there is a chilling certainty that Tracy has fallen prey to a serial killer—one who knows the backwoods terrain and who doesn’t play by the rules of engagement.

In a race against time, a raging blizzard, and a cunning opponent, Jenk and Lindsey are put to the ultimate test. Risking everything, they must finally come together in a desperate attempt to save Tracy—and each other.

Just days before the release of Into The Storm, I read Harvard’s Education, one of Brockmann’s earlier titles. Last May, I finally got around to reading Over The Edge. In both instances, I was reminded that Brockmann reigns in this “category.” In recent months I have read (and enjoyed) Gennita Low’s backlist as well as titles from Amy J. Fetzer and Cindy Gerard. Not exact comparisons, but close enough on the romantic suspense meter. And they were all very, very good. Brockmann however, delivers more.

Into The Storm features the same flawless characterization, wit and suspense found in this series’ previous installments. Per Brockmann’s guide to her TroubleShooters series, there are two relationships building throughout ITS. In the primary relationship, the hero, Jenk, and heroine, Lindsey, meet, fall for each other and build to an HEA. In the secondary relationship, Jenk and Izzy, his SEAL teammate, enjoy a sometimes serious, more often adolescent rapport—deepening their friendship with the kind of male bonding Brockmann captures so well.

I enjoyed both equally. In both relationships, her characters display a quick wit that is simultaneously intelligent and juvenile. It was reminiscent of my days with a dot com—populated by jean and tee shirt-clad brainiacs with a pension for all things Trekkie. For me, despite my er…advanced years, it is the kind of humor that evokes hard belly laughs and tears in your eyes. Brockmann’s delivery is perfection. She so easily engages the reader, soliciting genuine affection (and tolerance) for her characters.

There is only a cursory bit of real life action in this one. The rest is comprised of two training ops between the SEAL team and the TroubleShooters staff. Both ops can be described as more humorous than intense. There is a lot of emotional bumbling around, for just about every character. There is ample time to grow relationships and friendships here. Without constant life and death tension, Brockmann gives readers a book that can be enjoyed slowly. Rosario said something similar about Angels Fall from Nora Roberts this summer. The same applies to ITS.

The romance—between Jenk and Lindsey—is well done. These characters are so well suited. And the bump in the road—expected—is portrayed without belaboring the emotional issues. They are there, yes. They are deep-rooted but not all that well founded, yes. And Jenk and Lindsey talk them to death on a couple of occasions. Yes. But Brockmann does not anchor either character down with the baggage. Both are smart enough to overcome it and the reader knows it. Although there for a minute, I really thought their sexy start had come to an abrupt stop. And with Brockmann’s tendency to draw relationships out over several books, I had a moment of doubt.

Izzy, ITS’ ‘other’ hero, provides much of the book’s laughs. Again, intelligent and juvenile. His view of nearly everything reveals his keen perception. His reaction to most reveals his adolescent humor. When I finished ITS, I didn’t want to immediately let go of the amusement. So I re-read a passage here and there. And found that Izzy was the one who brought a smile to my face over and over again. Without detracting from Jenk and Lindsey. Without jumping up and down in front of the camera screaming for his own story. For ITS, Izzy compliments Jenk as well as Lindsey does. That is his purpose and the reader loves him for it. Do I want to see Izzy’s story from Brockmann? Yes. But I’m not looking at a calendar. If he finds his way to starring in the HEA in the next few years, I’ll be content.

The sub, sub story of Decker and Sophia—and now Dave—is there too. When I read my first Brockmann title, the number of characters and storylines layered into each book was confusing. Annoying even. But by the time I had finished that book, I had the rhythm down and a newfound appreciation for such long-term character development. In ITS, it is Decker and Sophia’s turn to be tortured well in advance of their own HEA. While we don’t get much more insight into Decker, we do get to know Sophia better. We also get to know Dave, now the third wheel to this storyline—a third wheel that will potentially divide fans of the series. Dave is likeable enough to garner his own following. It will be interesting to see where Brockmann takes this. Particularly given her parting shot for these three. I won’t ruin it, but Sophia’s last action in the book is the ultimate “Ha!”.

The suspense comes in the form of a serial killer, whereabouts unknown. Brockmann deftly introduces his evil early on and leaves the reader worried for the book’s heroine throughout. This element of suspense parallels the nature of the training ops beautifully.

Like I said, I flat out loved it. The ‘didn’t want it to end’ kind of love. For me, Brockmann’s SEALs and TroubleShooters are as well loved as Robb’s cast of In Death characters. I will never tire of them. I will never outgrow them. And I will always want to know what happens to them.

Rounding Up This Summer's New Releases

Despite an overall reading slump (just plain reading fewer books each month) I managed to read most of the major new releases (on my watch list) this summer.

The Wrong Hostage from Elizabeth Lowell:

Orphaned at thirteen, Grace Silva clawed her way out of poverty and violence to become one of the most respected judges on the federal bench. Grace believes in the rule of law, lives it, breathes it. She has always been buttoned up and buttoned down.
Except once.

Joe Faroe has learned that laws are made by politicians and politicians are all too human. He believes in the innocents, the ones getting ground up by governments that are too polarized or too corrupt to protect their own citizens. He's been through the political meat grinder himself. It cost him his career, his freedom, and a woman who still haunts him. Since then, Faroe has worked outside the rules and politics of government. He is a kidnap specialist for St. Kilda Consulting, a Manhattan-based, global business that concentrates on the shadow world where governments can't go. He is good at his work, intelligent, confident, ruthless.

Until a friend dies trying to kill him.

Now Faroe is out of the business. Retired. He's through trying to save a world that doesn't want to be saved.

Then Grace comes to him, past and present collide, and Faroe finds himself sucked back into the shadows, tracking a violent killer who holds the life of Grace's son in his bloody hands.

Lowell was the first to remind me how nice it is to pick up a new title from an author you know and find that it exceeds your expectations. In The Wrong Hostage, Lowell gives us a hero and heroine with history and an attraction that remains as intense today as it was when they first knew one another. Neither character is completely likable, each suffering bad choices that continue to haunt. I remember this dark characterization from Lowell’s earlier work. I was drawn to it then and like it very much in TWH. It lends certain grittiness to the emotional and physical exchanges between these two and really, really heightens the tension between them.

I also recall, and continue to appreciate, Lowell’s education of the reader. In TWH, Lowell gives us a window to smuggling operations and money laundering between the US and Mexico. Lowell provides a highly detailed, thoroughly researched view of this world without burdening the reader. In fact, she uses the insight, the history to deepen characterization of her hero. Very nicely done. Excellent read.

Shiver from Lisa Jackson:

In each of her gripping bestsellers, Lisa Jackson has brought readers to the edge of their seats and proven herself a master of romantic suspense. Now the New York Times bestselling author of HOT BLOODED and COLD BLOODED delivers her most powerful novel yet, bringing back New Orleans detective Reuben Montoya as he matches wits with a twisted psychopath whose very presence makes his victims SHIVER...

Abby Chastain, is the beautiful and haunted daughter of Faith Chastain. Faith spent most of her adult life in Our Lady Of Virtues mental hospital and now, twenty years later, the daughter who looks so much like her, has her own demons to deal with. Some of those demons are connected directly to Our Lady Of Virtues and a darkly dangerous killer who has reappeared, ready to wreak his own special and deadly vengeance on Abby and those she loves. Abby already fears she may have inherited her mother's penchant for tragedy and though she begins to fall for Montoya, she knows that a cop is someone she needs to avoid. But fate and the killer have other plans . . . .

This was my first Lisa Jackson book. It was well written, relatively fast paced, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. More to its credit however, was the characterization. I cared less about figuring out the serial killer’s identity, and more about how each character was going to overcome past and present losses and threats.

The romance was equally engaging despite its rigid adherence to romantic suspense formula—female victim and male detective instantly attracted to one another despite lurking dangers; she battles / balances her need for him as well as her independence; he seeks to clear and protect her and so on. The one thing Jackson does is to cleverly link hero and heroine, for unexpected reasons, in the killer’s crosshairs. A page-turner and another I’d call an excellent read.

Cover Of Night from Linda Howard:

In the charming rural town of Trail Stop, Idaho, accessible to the outside world by only a single road, young widow Cate Nightingale lives peacefully with her four-year-old twin boys, running a bed-and-breakfast. Though the overnight guests are few and far between–occasional hunters and lake fishermen–Cate always manages to make ends meet with the help of the local jack-of-all-trades, Calvin Harris, who can handle everything from carpentry to plumbing. But Calvin is not what he seems, and Cate’s luck is about to run out.

One morning, the B&B’s only guest inexplicably vanishes, leaving behind his personal effects. A few days later Cate is shocked when armed men storm the house, demanding the mystery man’s belongings. Fearing for her children’s lives, Cate agrees to cooperate–until Calvin saves the day, forcing the intruders to scatter into the surrounding woods. The nightmare, however, is just beginning. Cate, Calvin, and their entire community find themselves cut off and alone with no means to call for help as the threat gathers intensity and first blood is drawn.

With their fellow residents trapped and the entire town held hostage, Cate and Calvin have no choice but to take the fight to their enemies under the cover of night. While reticent Cal becomes a fearless protector, Cate makes the most daring move of her life . . . into the very heart of danger.

Howard confounds me every time out. Three years ago, I devoured nearly every contemporary she had written. I particularly loved the operative / mission stories. I’ve been looking for more of the same hard-edged stuff from her since. Instead, she gave us To Die For, a slapstick romance in a first person narrative. Which I loved. Then Killing Time, a modern day mystery with time travel thrown in. I enjoyed that one as well, although not as much as TDF. This year, she isolates characters and readers in rugged Pacific Northwest terrain, under siege and in the dark—literally and figuratively. It was like a really smartly written episode of Northern Exposure without all the quirkiness or the moose.

Because Howard writes so well, I was expertly drawn in. And held there until the last page. I’ve heard from a few people on this one and all agree. It is a page-turner. You can’t put it down. Characterization is also strong, expected from Howard. I particularly liked her heroine, a widowed mother to 4-year old twin boys. Howard paints a very realistic picture here. A woman who has suffered great loss, but still rejoices in every one of those parent / toddler moments. It is how one power can overshadow—or overcome another. The hero to this woman is interesting. Howard unveils him to the heroine and readers simultaneously—with spark and humor.

So not dark and edgy, but enjoyable. Anyone have any links to good info on Howard? And what she is working on presently? I saw another title due to be released in November. I’m unable to determine whether it is a new title or release of an older title.

Angels Fall from Nora Roberts:
Excellent. Already blogged this one up.

Reece Gilmore has come a long way to see the stunning view below her. As the sole survivor of a brutal crime back East, she has been on the run, desperately fighting the nightmares and panic attacks that haunt her. Reece settles in Angel's Fist, Wyoming-temporarily, at least-and takes a job at a local diner. And now she's hiked this mountain all by herself.

It was glorious, she thought, as she peered through her binoculars at the Snake River churning below. Then Reece saw the man and woman on the opposite bank. Arguing. Fighting. And suddenly, the man was on top of the woman, his hands around her throat . . . Enjoying a moment of solitude a bit farther down the trail is a gruff loner named Brody.

But by the time Reece reaches him and brings him to the scene, the pair has vanished. When authorities comb the area where she saw the attack, they find nothing. No signs of struggle. No freshly turned earth. Not even a tire track. And no one in Angel's Fist seems to believe her. After all, she's a newcomer in town, with a reputation for being jumpy and jittery-maybe even a little fragile.

Maybe it's time to run again, to move on . . .

Reece Gilmore knows there's a killer in Angel's Fist, even if Brody, despite his seeming impatience and desire to keep her at arm's length, is the only one willing to believe her. When a series of menacing events makes it clear that someone wants her out of the way, Reece must put her trust in Brody-and herself-to find out if there is a killer in Angel's Fist before it's too late.

Vanished from Karen Robards:

Ten years ago, Sarah Mason's six-year-old daughter vanished during an outing at a local park in Beaufort, South Carolina. Despite a furious search, little Lexie was never found, and Sarah was left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and go on as best she could.

Then, on one hot July night, she returns home from work to hear the phone ringing. When she picks it up, a child's terrified voice whispers, "Mommy, help, come and get me . . ." The call is cut off, but not before Sarah's heart goes into overdrive: the voice belongs to Lexie. Six-year-old Lexie. Though ten years have passed, she sounds exactly the same.

Frantic, Sarah turns to the police, the FBI, family, and friends, none of whom can help. Out of desperation, she approaches Jake Hogan, once a detective assigned to Lexie's case. Jake is now a P.I., and though he is skeptical, the attraction he feels for Sarah pushes him to help her. Ben is convinced someone is deliberately tormenting the grief-stricken mother, and the continued tension of sketchy and unpredictable clues forces them to rely only on each other. Together they're caught in a nightmare search for Lexie, who might just still be alive-if only Jake and Sarah can hang on.

Bleh. This one had promise, but ended so flat I had to struggle to remember whether I liked anything about it. It started with gripping suspense. The first two or three chapters hooked me completely. But from there, it felt like poorly written episodic television. A story I’ve read before. Same cast of characters. Same emotional issues. Same attempt at humorous sidebars. Cookie-cutter villains and an outcome I’ve read in the headlines. An outcome that was dispensed with in a handful of pages—giving the book an abrupt, not-to-believable ending. Nothing original here.

I also finished Into The Storm by Suzanne Brockmann (will warrant its own gushing post) and just started Evanovich’s Twelve Sharp. Sandra Brown’s Ricochet is on hold for me at the library as well. I think these are the last of the “big name” reads until fall.

Of course there are a host of other authors (e.g. Marjorie M. Liu, Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, etc.) with new releases this summer. I’m still getting to those.

The marketer in me cannot pass this by...

I am participating in a blogging experiment hosted at dearauthor.com. To enter the contest, put up this blurb, image, and trackback and you are entered to win the following prize package.

$200 Amazon gift certificate
Signed copy of Slave to Sensation
New Zealand goodies chosen by Singh
ARC of Christine Feehan's October 31 release: Conspiracy Game

You can read about the experiment here and you can download the code that you need to participate here.

SLAVE TO SENSATION
Nalini Singh Berkley / September 2006



Welcome to a future where emotion is a crime and powers of the mind clash brutally against those of the heart.

Sascha Duncan is one of the Psy, a psychic race that has cut off its emotions in an effort to prevent murderous insanity. Those who feel are punished by having their brains wiped clean, their personalities and memories destroyed.

Lucas Hunter is a Changeling, a shapeshifter who craves sensation, lives for touch. When their separate worlds collide in the serial murders of Changeling women, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities…or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.

Excerpt

Lord of Scoundrels

I loved this book. Thank you to everyone who recommended it to me. What a wounded soul Dain is. I love how Jessica healed him. It was just amazing to read a book from the man's point of view. To read all about his insecurities, not from her perspective, but from his. And he has a boatload. I think to continue with the quotes is the way to go, since they say it all...

Dain kept his gaze on his plate and concentrated on swallowing the morsel he'd just very nearly choled on. She was possessive... about him.

The beautiful, mad creature - or blind and deaf creature, or whatever she was - coolly announced it as one might say, "Pass the salt cellar," without the smallest awareness that the earth had just tilted on its axis.

And this one... they are speaking about a wrestling match they are going to go to, and Jessica wants to keep all the other women away from Dain...

"You are well aware of your effect on women, and I'm sure it gratifies you no end to watch them sigh and salivate over your magnificent physique. I do not wish to spoil your fun, Dain, but I do ask you to consider my pride and refrain from embarrassing me in public."

Women...sighing and salivating...over his magnificent physique. Maybe the brutal bedding had destroyed a part of her brain.

And Chase's trademark banter...

"Jessica, you are a pain in the arse, do you know that? If I were not so immensely fond of you, I should throw you out the window."

She wrapped her arms about his waist and laid her head against his chest. "Not merely 'fond,' but 'immensely fond.' Oh Dain, I do believe I shall swoon."

"Not now," he said crossly. "I haven't time to pick you up."

And..

"We've been wed more than a month. Since it appears you mean to stay, I might as well give you leave to call me by my christian name. It is preferable, at any rate, to 'clodpole.'"

The true break for Dain comes when Jessica accepts without reservation, his illegitimate son. She shows him through her love for his child, the love that he wanted from his own mother. Shows him, in fact, that maybe his mother left him behind, not because she didn't love him, but because she thought it was the best thing for him. This breaks open his heart and allows him to love his son and Jessica both without reservation.

I don't know if it's because the book is a totally different perspective on poor self-image, or because we get from the beginning why Dain has his poor self-image, but I found myself much more forgiving of Dain's insecurities about himself than I would be if he were the heroine suffering the same. Our poor men - we just want to cuddle them and fix them.

Sigh. Fantastic book. Not much else to say, except if you haven't read it (and I think I was one of the very few), go read it now.

Lord of Scoundrels, the first post

I am only 64 pages in. I feel compelled to post and say thank you to the few people who told me to make this my second Loretta Chase book. I can already tell - this is the story of the hero, not the heroine. The book starts off telling how Sebastian Ballister, Lord Dain, came into this world, how he grew up, and of his parents. Sad stuff. But necessary to the reflective way that the rest of the book is structured.

I feel compelled to share some of the prrime examples that have sucked me in just in the first few interactions between Dain and Jessica Trent, our heroine.

On thinking of their first meeting...

He was used to towering over women - over most everybody - and he had learned to feel comfortable in his oversize body. Sports - boxing and fencing, especially - had taught him to be light on his feet. Next to her he had felt like a great lummox. A great, ugly, stupid lummox.

On a challenge Jessica had just put forth...

What he felt was the old monster howling within. He couldn't name the feelings any better than he could when he'd been eight years old. He'd never bothered to name them, simply shoved and beaten them out of his way, repeatedly, until, like his schoolmates of long ago,they stopped tormenting him.

Having never been allowed to mature, those feelings remained at the primitive, childlike level. Now, caught unexpectedly in their grip, Lord Dain could not reason as an adult would. He could not tell himself that Bertie Trent was an infernal nuisance whom Dain should have sent packing ages ago...

...All Dain could see was an exceedingly pretty girl teasing him with a toy he wanted very badly. He had offered his biggest and very best toy in trade. And she had laughed and threatened to throw her toy into a privy, just to make him beg.

Much later, Lord Dain would undertand that this - or something equally idiotic - had been raging through his brain. But that would be much later, when it was far too late.

And I'm just getting to the good part. This is what made me finally stop to post...

He had relieved whores beyond counting of frocks, stays, chemises, garters, and stockings. He had never before in his life unbuttonened a gently bred maiden's glove. He'd committed salacious acts beyond number. He'd never before felt so depraved as he did now, as the last pearl came free and he drew the soft kid down, baring her wrist, and his dark fingers grazed the delicate skin he'd exposed.

Wow. I just want to cradle the poor little boy he was, and I'm already in love with the scoundrel of a man he is. And I'm only on page 64. More to come...

Deep Breath by Alison Kent

I should start this review off with a personal apology to Alison Kent. I promised her this review back in April. Unfortunately, April saw the beginning of a series of events that flipped my life upside down and inside out. Job loss, the sudden deaths of loved ones, ever-growing financial uncertainty, and all the little, but normal, bumps in between. I’m still out of work and still grieving. At the same time, my stay-at-home time with my son has granted me a peace I never thought to have. I’m reveling in that and plodding forward. Ok. A personal apology AND a sappy personal update. My thanks to everyone for your thoughts and encouragement.

Alison, I am sorry this is so late in coming. But not sorry I made the commitment. I enjoyed Deep Breath immensely. Deep Breath is exactly the type of contemporary, sexy operative story I prefer. As I’ve said before, it is a hero’s competence that captures my attention first. His ability to handle and cope no matter the circumstances. Harry fits the bill, and carries it off with charming nonchalance.

That nonchalance was important because it allowed him to “appear” disinterested in the outcome; there by accident to help her retrieve confidential documents and free her brother. Even though, all the while, he was after the same end. I’ll admit, I kept waiting for Georgia to ditch him and continue her search on her own—her well-established MO. For a brief period early in the story, I didn’t fully accept the premise that tossed them together. Kent pulled me through the set up however, and deftly tied Georgia’s acquiescence to a bone-deep weariness she could no longer ignore. That in turn gave her a vulnerability that appealed to hero and reader alike.

Another characterization I tend to like. That of a highly competent, but exhausted heroine. I can identify with a woman in this state, perhaps more so now that I am home with my son. It may sound contrived, but I really do not know how I managed to “do it all” as a working Mom. What I do know, and do recall, was being so tired some days that I just wanted to curl up against a strong chest and let someone else do the hard stuff. Didn’t make me weak or incapable, didn’t mean I stopped doing what I had to do. It just meant that if said strong chest had been available, I’d have clung to it in a heartbeat. Like Georgia.

The suspense and its pace were well measured and Kent’s secondary characters well developed. I particularly liked Georgia’s brother. He exhibited a humor and competence I found very appealing as well.

Oh, and the intimacy between Harry and Georgia was as erotic as the book’s cover. It was highly charged and emotional—with Harry’s dry wit serving to quell Georgia’s nerves. Very honest stuff.

As this was my first Kent book, I have clearly read “out of order”. It did not matter in the reading of Deep Breath. But I am intrigued enough—given what I learned of SG-5 here—to go back and catch up the series.

July TBR Challenge - Dangerous Curves by Jacey Ford

Barely slipping this one in on time. Phew! I do not want to end up on the wall of shame!

This is the first in a trilogy - three ex-FBI agents start their own detective firm. Think Charlie's Angels with a harder edge (and, of course, no Charlie). Each one of these women has a past to overcome. This first book focuses on Raine. She left the FBI under a claoud of suspicion after a suspect was killed in her custody. Her boss/lover did not come to her defense, although he believed in her innocence; he was more concerned with his own career.

Now Calder Prescott wants her back, and lures Raine in with a bogus case she can't refuse. Her fledgling business simply needs the money. Turns out the bogus case isn't so bogus after all.

I enjoyed this book in much the same way that I liked the Janzen Steele Street series. Suspend belief and accept it for entertainment value. Because if you look for holes, there are plenty of them to be found. However, it appears that Ford did her homework on dangers to be found in the Venezuelan jungle. There is one particular scene with an ick factor so high, I called my hubby all the way from London just to read it to him over the phone. He was not appreciative, since it involved a certain part of the bad guy's anatomy and a certain creepy crawly fish with spikes. 'Nuff said. Ick. Talk about a book grabbing you, literally and figuratively.

I loved to death the teenage heroine, Megan. She stole the book. And how cool that in the dedication, Ford states that she bases the character on her own step-daughter. What a compliment. This girl starts out as a pampered super-smart over-achiever type and turns into a teenage James Bond type - self-sufficient, smart, tough, think-on-your-feet, beat-the-bad-guy-at-his-own-game type. I would have loved to have been like her as a teenager.

As for the whodunnit, I did guess it as soon as the clues started coming in, but after the whole spiky fish in the wanker thing {{{{{{full body shiver}}}}}}, I was transfixed anyway, waiting to see how he would get his.

It was a fun read, and I recommend it for those who enjoy a "Calgon, Take Me Away" type of story. I've already picked up the other two in the trilogy.

Angels Fall by Nora Roberts

Met every expectation. All good.

Blurb:

Reece Gilmore has come a long way to see the stunning view below her. As the sole survivor of a brutal crime back East, she has been on the run, desperately fighting the nightmares and panic attacks that haunt her. Reece settles in Angel's Fist, Wyoming-temporarily, at least-and takes a job at a local diner. And now she's hiked this mountain all by herself. It was glorious, she thought, as she peered through her binoculars at the Snake River churning below.

Then Reece saw the man and woman on the opposite bank. Arguing. Fighting. And suddenly, the man was on top of the woman, his hands around her throat . . .

Enjoying a moment of solitude a bit farther down the trail is a gruff loner named Brody. But by the time Reece reaches him and brings him to the scene, the pair has vanished. When authorities comb the area where she saw the attack, they find nothing. No signs of struggle. No freshly turned earth. Not even a tire track.

And no one in Angel's Fist seems to believe her. After all, she's a newcomer in town, with a reputation for being jumpy and jittery-maybe even a little fragile. Maybe it's time to run again, to move on . . .

Reece Gilmore knows there's a killer in Angel's Fist, even if Brody, despite his seeming impatience and desire to keep her at arm's length, is the only one willing to believe her. When a series of menacing events makes it clear that someone wants her out of the way, Reece must put her trust in Brody-and herself-to find out if there is a killer in Angel's Fist before it's too late.

What struck me most about this standalone novel from Roberts was its pace. It moved slowly, almost carefully. Roberts literally puts us in the mind of Reece Gilmore, a woman suffering a need for caution that tips to paranoia and a compulsion—for everything—that bends her to the neurotic. She is filled with trepidation and every step; every move she makes requires a lot of energy. Roberts immediately puts the reader in the same rhythm and lets us go forward at Reece’s pace.

The hero is muted as well. Not overbearing, just there. Smart, competent and masculine. Again, Roberts draws readers to him at Reece’s pace, instilling in us the same reluctance and doubt. And to make him more interesting than your average romance hero, Roberts gives Brody an air of boredom instead of patience. This is not a man who decides he wants the heroine and then patiently waits for her acquiescence. For him, at least on the surface, it appears that he could go either way. This only adds to the reader’s curiosity. And caution.

Despite the carefully measured pace however, we do get to see these two come together relatively early and enjoy each other throughout the remainder of the book. I like this about Roberts’ books—Roarke and Eve being her prime example. We can count on watching more than just the chase. Roberts goes further by giving us a window seat as the relationship grows.

The book’s setting—its location and supporting characters--also contributes to the tempo of the story. It takes place in a small town in Wyoming, where the Grand Teton loom yet comfort; where the town folk charm yet intrude. All at the small town pace. Roberts gives us a fully developed cast of characters and describes their physical surroundings in poetic detail. We see a good deal of this through Reece’s eyes, experiencing the same raw appreciation for nature’s beauty and power and the comfort found in the simpler things.

The mystery unfolds slowly as well. For most of the book, it is secondary to character development. Near the end, Roberts steps up the action and gives us an unexpected villain. I did figure it out with the first real clue—just a step ahead of Reece. But that didn’t bother me. Roberts tied it up quickly from there, without too much clutter (those innocent secondary characters she wanted readers to suspect).

Like I said, all good. Seems there are two covers though. Which I can't show you because Blogger won't let me.

The Protector by Gennita Low

I keep a running TBR list, not pile, list. My book budget is quite small and my tolerance for clutter smaller. Unfortunately, a book title and author listed on a dull sheet of paper is little motivation. I usually refer to the list long after seeing the blurb or reader review that sparked my initial interest. Then I close my eyes, point my finger, blindly pick a title and head to my library’s website to see about getting it transferred to the nearest pick up location. Not very exciting.

Until…

I open the cover, read the first handful of pages and get sucked under. Love. That.

Such was the case with Gennita Low’s The Protector, first in a series with the same name. I can’t recall who recommended it, but thank you. My love for contemporary, suspense romance is limited only by the oh-so-few really good offerings in the genre. I particularly like those with a military theme, reducing the number of authors who do this well even further. Low excels from every angle and I am enjoying that giddiness that accompanies a great author find.

Blurb (which is way off the mark, IMO):

When the best of intentions gets Jazz arrested overseas, he couldn't be more surprised to find Vivi Verreau ready to spring him out of jail. Obviously more than the civilian she claims to be, he's sure Vivi is hiding an agenda ... and he's determined to stick by her side until he uncovers all her secrets.

A covert agent who shrouds herself in disguises, and who fearlessly jumps into dangerous situations without thoughts for her own safety, Vivi has no need for a protector. But if she is to have any hope of completing her most important mission, she'll have no choice but to recruit Jazz and his men.

Low does a few things I like with the hero. First, she does not portray him as stunningly handsome, with ladies falling about in his wake. Instead, she introduces him first by revealing his single most important charm—a bone-deep respect for women, instilled in him by his Momma and sisters. In the South. Louisiana to be specific. That charmed the pants off me right there. Then she added all the nuances of a competent military man. You know, he appears casual but is always alert to every detail around him. And he leads a team of SEALs, is revered by his men, highly decorated, never gets riled, and all that.

Second, Low lets him get away with those sexy, Cajun French endearments for the heroine. That charmed the rest of my clothes off. She also gives him that instinctive possessiveness and protectiveness romance readers crave. Then confuses us with the possibility that his best friend will subvert his efforts to win the girl. Made me nervous even though I’m smart enough to know that this was Jazz’s story and he would get the girl. Low effectively used this obstacle to show readers that Jazz was much more than the stereotypical alpha—“see woman, woman mine, I go get her now”. She actually gave him doubts. And instead of using brute male will, she wielded humor and finesse to get us to the HEA.

Third, Low gives us a competent heroine. Smart and an operative too. Really, Vivi does nothing that seems out of character or patently designed to support the romance portion of the story. Her own fears and doubts are poignant, but Low is careful not to burden Vivi so much that she needs a hero to step in and save her. What Vivi does need is an outlet for emotion. And that she finds in Jazz. Low gives us some beautifully emotional and extremely sexy scenes for this resolution.

Finally, Low weaves a believable, highly suspenseful story that is interesting and well balanced. No single element—romance, action, technical info, etc.—overwhelms another. That balance sets her apart. As does her ability to spark emotion and passion between her characters.

As this book does start a series, there were the expected secondary characters milling about with unfinished business. None were too distracting however—well, perhaps Vivi’s boss—and their actions contributed to this book’s storyline. In other words, Low did not waste readers’ time setting up the rest of the series. Until the end, where she finished with a bonafide cliffhanger. Liked that.

Looking forward to reading the rest of Low’s backlist, including the remainder of this series. And thanks again for the recommendation, whoever you are.

Crazy Love by Tara Janzen

Every word, every moment in this installment of Janzen’s Crazy series worked for me. Quite simply, I love her voice. I appreciate the dry wit. I enjoy it in the minds of her characters and in their dialogue.

Additionally, I love her world. Over the top? Yes. Engaging, entertaining? Yes. These are the guys and the circumstances—more benefits than consequences—we daydream about. Superman—in one form or another—has appeared in my own daydreams since I was a teenager. Real? Of course not. Compelling reading? Oh yeah.

Janzen has proven creative and entertaining. Her voice and writing style captivate; her characters entertain. She infuses every scene with humor and intelligence; and tightens both suspense and sexual tension with every thought, every action.


I.
Love.
This.
Series.

My only disappointment? Crazy Sweet, coming this fall, is the last of the Crazy series. Good thing I can see past my love for these particular characters to Janzen’s actual talent. I will read whatever she brings forth. Harboring only the tiniest bit of resentment when she closes the door on Steele Street.

Lover Eternal by JR Ward

I enjoyed this book even though it really didn’t work for me. Make sense? No. Not to me either. Suffice it to say, I just plain like this cast of characters, menace that they are. This is simply one, slightly scattered episode that didn’t wow me.

Rhage and Mary. I love how Ward connects them—her voice soothing his beast. It was a powerful introduction of these two. Unfortunately, we saw little proof of the power of her “voice” over Rhage going forward. Had Ward continued to use Mary’s voice to draw and soothe Rhage and his beast, the love story between these two (three) would have enjoyed more depth. Without such a connection, their relationship didn’t make much sense. It lacked emotional depth and frankly, was filled with too many stops and starts. Neither character appeared very mature and, as a result, their feelings for one another appeared adolescent. Grated on my nerves a bit.

The missing foundation for their relationship also made Rhage’s punishment difficult to swallow. That, and the Scribe’s final judgment of Mary were over the top, even for this series. IMO.

Additionally, the introduction of John was a poorly developed sidebar to the story. Ward seems to build this story—Lover Eternal—on the discovery of John. She uses him to bring Rhage and Mary together. She also uses him to trigger the upcoming story of Zsadist and Bella. I kept waiting for a pivotal moment involving John—the link between Mary, Bella and the Brotherhood. Never happened. Or I missed it.

Still. I watched. And despite the failure of the primary romance story, I still enjoyed the episode. Ward’s banter between the Brotherhood (now including Butch) is worth the price of admission. Like Evanovich, Ward produces a slew of laugh-out-loud moments. If you can get beyond the dark and macabre stuff—like the Lesser stuff and the more “out there” Brotherhood rituals—you will see where Ward truly excels. Her male banter and bonding is very, very entertaining.

Her setup of Zsadist and Bella’s story—however transparent—was also highly effective. I absolutely cannot wait to read it.

Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase

I had never read a Loretta Chase before, but this will definitely not be my last. Her dialogue is so witty, I couldn't put this book down. You all know me, humor is one of my big plusses in a book. This one has it in spades, plus lots of emotion on both characters' parts, as well as a great story. The story is that of Benedict, the man with the reputation of being absolutely perfect, and Bathsheba, the woman who comes from a family that has been utterly disgraced. Her daughter and his nephew have gone off on a wild goose chase/treasure hunt together, and Bathsheba and Benedict go off together to find them. Along the way, they all 4 learn something about being who you are, yet fitting that into society's expectations at the same time, and about standing up for what you want and what you believe in.

Some good things: the story line with the kids. They had their own full and complete storyline. At 12 and 13, they did not exist in the story to be cute, precocious, or otherwise move the plot along, although they really did all three of those things. They were an integral part of the story, and actually had their own storyline, and their own character growth as the book moved along.

The supporting characters, especially Bathsheba and Benedict's families. Enjoyable, one and all, even when they were being snooty as all get out.

Bathsheba's first marriage was a happy one. I do like it when the heroine has had a happy marriage experience and views sex in a good way. You can move past all the sexual awakening crud and just get to the good stuff (and they do) *g*

And the dialogue. The repartee between Benedict and Bathsheba is so clever and witty, I was held in thrall. Here are some prime examples:
"I beg your pardon for questioning your judgement," she said. "It is nothing to me, after all, if it proves faulty. I am not the one responsible for the Marquess of Atherton's heir and sole offspring. I am not the one who will be toppled from my pedestal if the world learns I have not only permitted but encouraged my nephew to associate with the most shocking persons. I am not the one who-"
"I wish you were the one who had heard of the rule Silence is Golden," he said.
~~~~~
"That is what I like about you, Mr. Dashwood," she said. "You are so decisive. It saves me the bother of thinking for myself."
"That is what I like about you, Mrs. Dashwood," he said. "You are so sarcastic. It saves me the trouble of trying to be tactful and charming."
~~~~~
"I want you," she said.
"I told you so," he said.

And on and on it goes.

If you haven't read Loretta Chase before, I highly encourage you to pick up one of her books. I'll definitely be reading more.

Giving Chase by Lauren Dane

OMGoodness. Yum. First things first - check out this great cover. I think I love it so much because he reminds me of my son's karate instructor. Yes, he was barely legal when my oldest first started taking karate, but he's all grown up now *g*... and he teaches my quarterly women's self-defense classes, too. *mommy* Hands on classes. I get to take him down. *sigh* Ahem... what was I talking about? Oh, yes... Giving Chase, that's right. This is the first in a new series about 4 dee-licious brothers, and I could not have been more happy with this book.

Giving Chase has everything. Romance, suspense, character growth, family, hot beautiful sex, good friendships. Watching the love bloom out of friendship between Kyle and Maggie was lovely. Maggie's inner strength grew and her character blossomed under Kyle's love and caring. She learned how to stand up for herself - not only to stand up to her stalker, but to her family as well. Maggie was truly emotionally abused by her family, but doesn't realize it until the meat and potatoes of the book. Kyle does realize it. His reaction? "He had to launch Operation Make Margaret Wright Know What A Goddess She Was, and he had to do it right away." Wouldn't you just kill for someone to feel that way about you? I really enjoyed the natural progression of their relationship from friendship to love to engagement. It just seemed right.

Kyle's family was terrific - warm, giving, accepting. They pulled Maggie into their circle and made her feel welcome and wanted - something she had never experienced before within a family environment. I enjoyed the Chase family dynamics. The unconditional love, the teasing among the siblings, the sheer joy of being together, a child's unabashed love for his parents and a parent's true pride in their children. The entire family could chastise Shane for his shabby treatment of Maggie, yet they understood it, and never showed him anything but love. It reminds me of what I tell my own kids sometimes - I always love you. Right now, I don't like what you did, but I love you no matter what. That describes the Chase family's feelings toward Shane's treatment of Maggie. Unconditional love, with recognition of faults. And a true desire to see Shane happy. I cannot wait to see the woman who brings this man down *g*

I liked how Lauren Dane introduced Alex, the stalker. In the same way that so many women are stalked. He was just a really nice guy that Maggie dated. Bit by bit, we saw his irrational jealousy. It was this that spurred Maggie to begin standing up for herself. First, by stepping back and deciding not to see him any more. Then by immediately calling the police.

I loved that Kyle wasn't afraid to show his feelings when Maggie was kidnapped by Alex - he was terrified, he cried, he was angry. He never felt that he couldn't be himself in front of his family, that he had to be the 'strong' one. What an amazing man. *sigh*

Maggie is a strong, moral (do not infer uptight here, by any means) woman who wants to do what's right. She feels concern over the possibility of coming between two brothers who love each other. She doesn't want to make waves in her own family dynamic - the peacemaker (I can relate *g*). She stands up to her stalker in court, yet we see her unable to touch her things once they are returned to her. She has terrific girlfriends who love and support her and vice-versa. As she discovers more of her own strength and independence, she becomes more aware of her own self-worth. This makes her more and more irresistable to Kyle, and he falls more deeply in love with her.

What more is there to say? Oh, I know. Duh. It's a Lauren Dane book. Did I mention the hot, amazing sex? Holy cow! Go out and get this book now. It is available from Samhain Publishing. And keep your eyes peeled for the next installment, Taking Chase, Shane's story.

Crazy Love by Tara Janzen

I've seen any number of reader reviews for this book, most of which were disappointed in the latest offering in the Crazy series. I beg to disagree. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Dylan and Skeeter's story was almost everything I thought it would be. Dylan's instincts toward Skeeter once again get him into trouble as he oversteps in his desire to protect her and she overreacts in her desire to prove herself to be, if not his equal, then at least a capable adult. I have to admit, I did enjoy how Skeeter had the complete upper hand for the majority of the book, while Dylan was under the influence of some pretty heavy duty drugs. I loved that his defenses were down, that he admitted his love for her, that he became a bit goofy. I loved that he got jealous. And he only belabored the age difference a couple times, for which I was grateful.

Travis is now in the SDF group, and we see his transformation from gentle angel into badass militant. If there is one huge flaw here, it is that this is all explained with about a 3 paragraph entry, and Travis really has no bad feelings about killing. I would think that even if he accepts what he is doing as right, he would still feel a bit of angst when he kills, but no. Once I got past that little characterization flaw, I was able to enjoy Travis. I was disappointed to see that he wasn't together with Jane from Crazy Kisses, I must admit, I thought that was leading somewhere. But I did enjoy Red Dog, and I was sorry to see her story end the way it did. I hope that she gets her memory back in Crazy Sweet - I liked who she was. The ending set up the storyline for Crazy Sweet, as Janzen always does, we got a "coming soon" excerpt. I'm hoping that Red Dog turns out to be a bit more well rounded as a character than the brief glimpse I got in the excerpt. Anyway, back to Travis... I must say, I've enjoyed watching him become a bit more alpha. I must admit, he was not my favorite in the first book.

I did have one major issue with this book, and it was really with the editing I suppose more than anything. Many people will miss it, but it completely threw me out of the story and it took me a while to get back in. As I was happily reading, I came across my biggest pet peeve word ever - orientating. People, there is no such word!!! The word is orienting! Puleeze get it right! It took me a good 10 minutes to get over that and get back to reading the book. Ick.

Once again, Janzen went for the entertainment value. This book had nonstop action from almost beginning to end. I thought the interactions between Dylan and Skeeter were great. I could totally picture the goofy drugged smile on Dylan's face, and I loved the fact that his hallucinations were in day-glo pink. I laughed when someone misstook Skeeter for Pink. The cars were back in a big way, too, complete with all the descriptions, the names, and the sex. While this one didn't surpass Crazy Hot as my fave, it certainly comes in right up there near the top.

Squeeze Play by Kate Angell... June TBR Challenge

This was recommended to me several times at the Lori Foster/Dianne Castell get together in Ohio. And it really is my type of book. Very Rachel Gibson-like. Only think baseball, not hockey. I normally don’t retell plot all the way through, but the retelling is so fun, I feel I must. This revolves around a baseball star who comes home to his small town frequently to visit his “rebound” lover. They have been best friends and lovers since high school, and have been secretly in love with and faithful to each other despite living in separate cities and their agreement that he will be her rebound lover. This time, he comes back determined to win her for good. Risk and Jacy are a sweet and fun couple, and I enjoyed their story. It was escapist fun. Nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain about, either. I knew they were in love, knew they would end up together. The trip there was a blast.

The secondary romance was the real story here. Stay with me now. Zen (his name even implies he’s solid and even-keeled, doesn’t it?) and Stevie (Jacy’s best friend). Put your seat belt on, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. Let’s see. Zen, also a ball player, comes to town with Risk to recover from an injury. Stevie and Zen are immediately attracted to one another. But Stevie has been in love with Aaron, star pitcher and also Jacy’s cousin, forever. They have been an item for that long, and the whole town expects them to get married. Aaron is also in town, but unexpectedly announces his engagement to his team owner’s daughter, Natalie. She gets off on sex in public places, which is why Zen dumped her long ago. But Natalie has always wanted him back. Yes, she’s engaged to Aaron, but she views Zen as the one who got away. Confused yet? Is it beginning to sound like Who’s on First? I haven’t even gotten to the Bat Pack yet... the young upstarts who like to treat Risk, Zen and Aaron like old men.

Ho-kay. So. Zen and Stevie are immediately attracted to each other, but she is in love with Aaron, and he doesn’t poach on other men’s territory. Once Aaron makes his announcement, Stevie and Zen are free to let their feelings of friendship blossom into something more. They finally have fantastic sex. When Aaron comes to say goodbye, the Bat Pack tries to kick him out for hurting Stevie, and Zen tells them to let Stevie say goodbye. He inadvertently walks in on a true and final goodbye hug, but misinterprets it. So, Zen, being the unselfish, magnanimous, giver that he is, hops in the limo with Natalie and drives off into the sunset, figuring that Stevie and Aaron will have their HEA. Idiot.

Okay. While this was the more interesting of the two romances, obviously it was full of problems. Problem 1. Why, oh, why, did no one give Aaron any crap about dumping Stevie?! Not his cousin. And Stevie is her best friend. Lord knows, she knows Aaron well enough to give him crap. Not his good friend Risk. And he even got the “I’m not having sex with you because you knew about this” line from Jacy. Not any of the townspeople, who adore Stevie. Not a soul except a few young ball players who lived to give the older players crap about anything. What is up with that?

Okay. Problem 2. Zen totally trusted Stevie to go say goodbye to Aaron alone in the kitchen. That fits. So why would he misinterpret the little goodbye hug right off the bat and leave without a word? Totally un-Zen-like. I didn’t buy it.

Now the fun part. Aaron was really uncomfortable with the public sex. After Natalie leaves with Zen, he has lots of dreams about the two of them doing it in public. Natalie, on the other hand, has lots of dreams of Aaron dominating her in private. She realizes that she actually really loves him. Zen, who’s been sleeping on the couch the whole time, begs Stevie to take him back, and she does – right away! Doesn’t make him suffer. I would have made him suffer, miserably. Maybe she’s a better person than me.

Well, there you have it. 3 romances in one. This was a zany, madcap, crazy, fun book. If you can get past the problems with the characterizations, and take it at face value, it is a fun, one-evening quickie, very reminiscent of a Rachel Gibson novel.

Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

This was my first Clare title and one I would highly recommend. It falls into the category of books I’m happy to have read, but not a must-keep, must pursue author relentlessly for next title kind of book. Largely because of my personal reading preferences and little to do with author talent.

It was very well written.

Clare’s characters are sharp and interesting. She lends Kara just the right dose of self-deprecating humor and Reece a well-fitting confidence. Both are honestly flawed, but without false insecurities or arrogance. Very believable, easy to relate to folks. I enjoyed their story even though my reading (escapism) preferences tilt more toward characters less likely to live next door.

The suspense plot reminded me of others I’ve read and watched (in the movies). But Clare does it well, never boring the reader. She did include at least one stereotype—that of professional journalists and their chauvinistic bosses—that turned me off a bit. Her portrayal of Kara’s boss was slightly over the top, IMO.

The sex was hot and the humor was laugh out loud. I loved the vibrator’s role all the way around. Of course it also explained why I could never find this book in my local library. Clare pens some of the most erotic sex scenes I’ve read.

The role of Kara’s small son—and her role as mother—could have been more authentically portrayed. Little ones have great character and do not need to be limited to images of vulnerability or cuteness. Clare depicted their bath time rituals beautifully and would have benefited from extending this glimpse of their relationship throughout the story. Also, in the face of danger, I had to close my eyes when Kara sent him off with his grandmother. Under such a threat, the job—however noble—would have been second to the safety of my son and myself. I would have taken off, with my son, to a safe place. Clearly, that would not have worked for the book. But it was a slight stepping off point for me.

I imagine it is quite difficult to portray characters that you or I, as the reader, might know in the real world. The end result is that we hold them more accountable to the “that would never happen” rule.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book. And while I haven’t rushed to Clare’s website for news of her next release, I will read more of her books.

Two by Marjorie M. Liu

Tiger Eye by Marjorie M. Liu

This book dispelled any and all aversions I had to characters with animal DNA. How?

First, Liu lulled me into the story with words. Lyrical, haunting arrangements so vivid, painted with such startling truth that I could hear, smell and see the world of Dela Reese. Within pages, the magical quality of her prose had already prepared me for Hari’s bizarre arrival. Liu deftly suspends reality for Dela and reader, overwhelming senses and commanding attention. Liu’s voice is stunning and enticement enough to compel readers forward.

Second, Liu promises danger that is elemental, evil in its purest form. The suspense is gripping right from the start, the mystery unfathomable. It is a rare combination of threat—villainous men of the modern world and evil materializing from Liu’s mystical world of cursed shapeshifters. Whether by prose or ingenuity, Liu manages to defy formula. She builds a world unexpected and easily wraps characters and readers in fear of the unknown.

Third, Liu’s characterization skills match her writing ability. Quite simply, Liu makes readers ache for Dela and Hari.

Everything about this story was unexpected. The characters, each turn of events, the outcome. And most importantly, the exquisite manner in which captivates the reader. She doesn’t just invite the reader into her world. She entices, lures and dares the reader.

Tiger Eye is an absolutely gorgeous book.


Shadow Touch by Marjorie M. Liu

This story features characters established in Liu’s first work, Tiger Eye. It offers the same vivid, other world characters and the unspeakable evil in which they are trapped. And Liu’s writing is just as stunning here as it was her first time out.

The only difference is in reader experience. The characters of Shadow Touch were not as easily embraced, their actions not as easily reconciled to their experiences. This is not to say that Liu failed to tell their story with unerring truth. I believe she portrayed Elena and Artur honestly. Their bond however, remained tenuous throughout the story. And, as the reader, I sensed an unfulfilled expectation.

I can’t say whether the omission was the result of the story’s brief timeframe or the nature of the characters’ scars. I’ve heard some say that Elena and Artur’s relationship needed more development time. Others may say that Artur’s gift, by its very nature, negates the possibility of any romantic relationship.

I can’t comment either way. I loved their story, its mysteries and miracles. It was a page-turner and one I would highly recommend to fellow readers. The difference in reader experience between this one and Tiger Eye ultimately lay in nuance—a difference in depths. In Tiger Eye, Liu dragged me under. In Shadow Touch, she allowed me to break the surface, resulting in a hair more emotional distance between her characters and me.

72 Hours by Shannon Stacey

3 books, 3 different genres. Shannon Stacey is proving herself to be quite a versatile author. This is a fast paced, tightly written action-adventure romance that moves forward from page one and keeps moving until the last word.

The blurb, courtesy of ShannonStacey.com: The Devlin Group: A privately-owned rogue agency unhindered by red tape and jurisdiction.

Grace Nolan walked away from the Devlin Group carrying Alex Rossi’s child in her womb and his bullet in her shoulder. But a ghost from the past has kidnapped her son, Danny. The ransom—Alex Rossi. To get her son back, Grace will have to step back into the life she’d left behind and reveal her secret to Alex.

With vengeance for his mother’s murder nearly at hand and a deadly substance on the loose, the last thing Alex Rossi needs is to find himself at the business end of Grace’s gun. Now the clock is ticking as they race to save a child and stop a madman bent on destruction.

But Alex has a secret of his own, and it may be the ultimate betrayal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I truly enjoyed this one. Stacey managed to create a sense of history and closeness between not only Grace and Alex, but also between the supporting characters Carmen and Gallagher (am I the only one who was waiting for him to smash a watermelon?) in what turned out to be a much shorter book than her previous two works.

When we first meet Grace, she appears to be out of her element, burning chocolate chip cookies (who hasn't done that?), trying to be supermom. We immediately see the range of emotion, as she learns her son has been kidnapped, then she effortlessly puts down the bad guy sent to give her the message. Don't mess with this chick.

Off she goes to find Alex, where she would get the better of him, too, if only he hadn't followed her instructions to get dressed. She gets a bit distracted when he loosens his jammies. Oops. Now Alex has the upper hand. This is just the first of many terrific interactions between the two.

There is the clichéd 'you had my baby and didn't tell me', but as I've mentioned many times before, formula is what got us all hooked on romance in the first place. As long as it's well done - I'm good with it. And this one is well done. Grace had her reasons, and they were good ones. I was just amazed that Alex never questioned the timing and the paternity of her child. If there was one flaw with this book, that was it. Alex seemed too smart to buy into Grace's story that easily.

This book has it all - action, romance, humor (a must-have for me!), secret agents (oo-la-la!), a fun, well supported story, and excellent characters. Shannon Stacey's writing seems to get better, more complete, with each book she writes. This has the makings of a terrific series. I can't wait to read what's in store for this team next.

2 books by Kay Stockham

I don't usually write up series romance. Heck, I don't read much of it these days, either. But I picked up Man With a Past last month and enjoyed it so much that when I saw Montana Secrets at the Reader/Writer get together in Ohio, I bought it right away. I had the pleasure of meeting Kay Stockham at this event, and she was kind, gracious, and beautiful - just as I would have expected from reading her books.

Man With A Past: Here's the blurb:
Joe Brody: Out of prison but still serving time — all because no one in his hometown believes he's innocent. He'd leave the place in his dust, but his father — the only family he has left — needs him.

Ashley Cade: Widowed with a toddler to take care of. She's moved here to make a fresh start — but being accepted into the inner circles of a close-knit town isn't easy. Especially after she hires the town pariah as a handyman.

Joe and Ashley. The attraction between them is powerful. But is it enough to overcome the whispers that Ashley has begun to hear?

This book really grabbed me. I'm not sure why. I don't often go for this type of book, but something about it grabbed me. So much so that I then read Stockham's first book, Montana Secrets. The story is this: Joe was convicted at age 18 of the murder of his infant daughter by shaken baby syndrome. He's out of prison after 10 years and comes back to his small town to be near his father, who's recovering from a stroke. Nobody will give the "baby-killer" a job. Of course, it doesn't help that the mother of the baby was the sheriff's daughter.

Ashley's husband was killed in the war, and she comes to town to start a new life. She needs a handyman and hires Joe, knowing nothing of his past, of course.

I found this to be a powerful story of redemption, survival and forgiveness. It pained me to read about the way Joe was treated. I wanted things to work out for them, I truly did. I guess that's a testament to the strength of Stockham's writing. Especially because, as I said, not only do I not usually read series romance, but this is not the usual story I go for. And not only did I read it, I sent it off to Anne for her to read, also. I can't quite put my finger on what I liked so much, I just know this book hit me in the heart.

Montana Secrets: Here's the OBC blurb: As a physical therapist, Grace Korbit has had some tough cases, but returning to her hometown to care for Seth Rowland will be the most difficult job she's ever had. When she left ten years ago, Grace was running from the secrets in her past. And from Seth.

After a riding accident left him in a wheelchair, Seth holed up in his room, shuttingg out the world. He doesn't want help from anyone. Especially Grace, considering she left him without an explanation ten years ago.

But what Seth doesn't know is that Grace had a really good reason for leaving...

This book is a very emotional story of survival, both in terms of paraplegia and of child abuse and molestation. Stockham writes of the emotional toll that an accident such as Seth's can have on an entire family; his brother and sister-in-law gave up their dreams to come run his ranch, and the effect that has on their marriage is portrayed well. Their young daughter's confusion over why her favorite uncle doesn't want to spend any time with her ("he doesn't love me anymore"), Seth's self-pity, all are portrayed accurately.

Grace's inability to connect on an intimate level with any man is also explored, albeit very reluctantly on her part. She freaks out when Lexi, Seth's niece, is alone with a ranch hand that Lexi's known since birth. This same ranch hand knew Grace's stepfather, and makes all sorts of insinuating remarks toward Grace. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Grace was molested as a child. Stockham handles the situation realistically and with, um, grace and dignity. The scenes where Grace and Seth finally do make love, and afterwards, are really well done. When Seth finds her afterwards in the shower curled into a ball, crying, I thought, "Wow, I bet that's what it's like for a lot of women who've been long-term abused".

The only part of this book that even remotely disappointed me was that Seth did get the feeling back in his legs and was able to walk again. Yes, that's why Grace was brought back in the first place, because the doctor's had given Seth that chance and he wasn't taking it, but still, it would be nice to portray that a paraplegic could have a satisfying and full life without the "miraculous" recovery, too. Still, I do recommend this book highly.

2 romantic suspenses... Impulse and Dead End

I read a ton of books last weekend travelling back and forth from California to Ohio for the Lori Foster/Dianne Castell Reader/Writer Get Together. I'm gonna write them up a couple at a time.
Sitting around late one evening, laughing my butt off in an hysterical conversation in the lobby of the Marriott hotel, author Gail Faulkner asked a question of us readers: "Can an author turn a good guy into a bad guy and be forgiven?" General consensus: yes, if the appropriate hints are given along the way so that the reader doesn't feel cheated and taken advantage of. Here are two books that demonstrate this beautifully and expertly. Without giving away the whodunnit, both authors drop enough hints that the reader can narrow the whodunnit down to 2 or 3 good guys, but is kept guessing. I was afraid to be loyal to any one character out of fear that they would turn out to be the bad guy, yet these authors did such a wonderful job of creating their characters, that I felt disloyal questioning the integrity of these characters.

Impulse by JoAnn Ross... Sheriff Will Bridger, along with several of his deputies and the radio reporter he loved and lost years before must find a serial killer in their sleepy Wyoming town. JoAnn Ross does a fabulous job giving us both the perspective of the killer and the sheriff and his lady love. She begins by describing the killer as "the boy who was raised by wolves". And while she never explains this... was he truly raised by wolves, or does he just feel that way?... we see into his past, beginning with his first kill of a childhood acquaintance's kitten and the feelings that arouses in him.

The book opens with the murder of an Olympic ice skater, and prime suspects include, among others, Bridger's own teenaged son and one of his deputies. The murders move on to include the skater's mother and Bridger's lover's ex-husband. Ross explores the depth of the murderer's sick mind, all the while making the reader wonder which of the good guys is the killer. Is it the young, innocent fresh faced deputy? The helpful college professor? The wise deputy who should have been sheriff, but got passed over for Bridger? Bridger's own teenaged son? The gorgeous female deputy who seems too perfect to be true? It could be any one of them, and all of them are likeable, and I felt disloyal guessing about any of them. I will admit that I had it narrowed down to two suspects by the end of the book, and one of them was the right choice, but I didn't know which it was until the culprit was revealed. Ross does a masterful job.

The romance takes a back seat, but is still an integral part of the story, as is (Bridger's radio reporter lady love) Faith's back story - fearful of her alcoholic husband, she is on the run under an assumed name. This was an excellent read.

Dead End by Mariah Stewart... I've ranted before about my favorite authors being released in hardcover, and I had to wait almost 2 years for the paperback release of Dead End. Mariah Stewart is a master of suspense. You all know how I love my agents! The last of the FBI "Dead" series, this one focuses on FBI profiler Anne Marie, whose sister Mara was the focus of book one. Mara married Aiden Shields, whose brother Dylan was Anne Marie's fiance before he was killed in the line of duty. Anne Marie has now got a new man, but because her sister has married into the Shields family, and they are all FBI agents, as is Anne Marie, it is very tough to let go of the past. So together with her new love, a police detective, they decide to find Dylan's killer.

We learn through flashbacks told mostly from the killer's perspective, but also from other Shields' perspectives, that the killer is one of the Shields cousins. As Anne Marie seeks answers and enlists the Shields family's assistance, we narrow it down to two Shields brothers. Once again, we have no clue which is the killer. Hints are dropped, as we learn all kinds of interesting information about each brother that would seemingly lead to guilt or innocence. It is all masterfully done, and Stewart keeps the reader guessing up until the last minute.

This is all weaved into an intricate story of Anne Marie and Evan learning to become a couple while each is involved in an important, high powered career, in different cities. Evan's serial murder case becomes intertwined with Dylan's murder case in an odd twist, and leads to the key that solves both crimes.

These books are both excellent examples of the "good guy gone bad" done extremely well. There are enough hints dropped that the reader knows that a good guy is going to fall from grace, but the story is so well done that even I, a self-proclaimed whodunnit master, could not guess the true culprit with complete confidence. In addition, they both delivered excellent romances. Heavy on the suspense, light on the sex (almost nonexistent in the Stewart book), but I don't miss it when I read these books. Love them both.

An old favorite... England's Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch

With everything my dear friend JB is going through this week, I felt the urge to reread something with depth, with emotion. Something I knew would move me like nothing else. So I pulled out England's Perfect Hero. Book 3 in the Lessons in Love trilogy, this is the story of Lucinda and Robert. Lucinda is the daughter of a general, Robert is the brother of Viscount Dare (hero of book 1). I wrote a couple weeks ago about how disappointed I was in Tara Janzen's portrayal of PTSD in Crazy Wild, and how I had read other books that had done it so much better. This, my friends, is the book. This hero, who was a POW of the French for 7 months, suffers from a brutal case of PTSD. We meet him 3 years after his return to England. He still cowers in the corner of his room. He still rocks back and forth on the floor, lost in his own world. He still cries. He still is afraid to interact with people, his own family included. Afraid of his own memories - because to remember would be to die. He still is fine one moment, and the next simply disintegrates into a quivering ball of uncontrolled fear and emotion.

Into this walks Lucinda, best friend of Robert's sister-in-law. Somehow, she manages to draw him out. Slowly. But she still reaches him on some level that no one else has before. She strikes a chord in him that reaches far into the depths of his despair and reminds him of how he used to be. And while he knows he will never again be whole, and never again be that man, he longs for some sense of normalcy, so that he can interact with Lucinda on some level. And bless Enoch, she doesn't miraculously "cure" Robert's PTSD with the love of a good woman.

I love that this book shows the effect that PTSD has on the entire family - the Carroway brothers all strive to have a normal family life, all the way from the oldest - the Viscount - to the youngest - 10 year old Edward. And they do it very well. When the chips are down, this family rallies around each other. They embrace their friends as their own. They try to let Robert lead as normal a life as possible without smothering him with concern. All right. Point taken. This is an excellent portrayal.

The romance grows slowly, out of friendship. There is no sex until 2/3 through the book. There is a very short mystery - someone is out to discredit Robert, and both he and the reader figure out quickly who it is. The last third of the book is devoted to catching the real culprit. While the PTSD does take a back seat to the capture of the bad guy, it never truly leaves the story, and for that I was grateful to Enoch. Robert is constantly swallowing his fear in order to face the world and his enemy. Lucinda is unswerving in her devotion and friendship to him. Eventually they prevail, of course. They both acknowledge the long road ahead. The recovery that may never happen. The nightmares that will never go away. The stares that may never stop. Yet they are willing to give it a go. This is true love.

This is one of the most poignant, emotional, books I have read. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Robert is a beautifully drawn character, one who makes you want to cry with him over his losses and weep with joy over every tiny victory. Enoch writes him as completely human - suffering horribly, at times full of self-pity, yet incredibly strong and stoic and accepting at the same time.

Hang in there JB. You, too, will prevail. We here at Don't Talk, Just Read are thinking of you and your family, and sending you all our unswerving love, too.