Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann

As with Force of Nature, lots here I liked, and bits and pieces I didn't like so much. I found the first half of the book jumped around even more than a Brockmann novel, and it was too much for me. It was really difficult to follow the stories, or to get involved and care about them with any great depth of feeling. By about halfway through, I'd figured it all out, and wrapped my mind around it all. I decided which storylines I cared about (there were more here than usual, it seemed, or maybe it just seemed that way to me).

Yikes! Usually I start out with what I liked - so let's get back to that!
What I liked: I really liked the Decker/Dave/Sophia storyline. I loved watching Dave come into his own, from the time we first met him in I forget which book it was so long ago to now. The scene with Tracy talking about seeing his butt under the desk and realizing it was him? Priceless. But more than that, he's matured over the course of these many books, and it was nice to see his growth (yes, he still panted after Sophia like a little puppy, but what do you expect?).

I also liked seeing another side of Decker. Interesting the way Brockmann brought it out. And the way he denied its roots in reality. But still, it was Decker in all his sad, unhappy, uncomfortable humanity, and it was a sight to behold. That Deck is one deep dude. His pain and anguish leapt off the pages and straight into my heart.

As the books go on, I find myself wondering what it is that these two find so fascinating about Sophia. I think I'll need to go back and reread... whichever book it was where she made her debut.

What else did I like? I liked Izzy - a lot. Loved reliving all the songs in his head. The Night Chicago Died was one of my favorite songs back in the day. Yes, I'm not afraid to admit it, LOL. I had the Paper Lace album. I loved the reference to it. Anyway, I digress....

Izzy... I liked that he was totally taken with Eden, and believed her unquestioningly about what happened to her. I also liked that he wanted to take the high road, but just couldn't help himself with her. Another seemingly goofy Brckmann SEAL - seems shallow on the outside, but deeper and caring - he gets it, on the inside.

The main couple - Hannah and Vinh - felt almost like secondary characters to me throughout much of the book. I think that Dave and Decker took over any scene they were in, and so they made the lasting impression on me. I liked Hannah and Murphy, but nothing spectacular set off for me with them.

What didn't I like?
The Gillman siblings. Man, Danny was just a dick. No other way to put it. I hated him in every scene he was in. Brockmann is going to have to work really hard to get me back for him as a hero. And Eden was a slut. As much as I liked Izzy, I wanted someone better for him. The age difference didn't bother me as much as the morals difference, no matter her reason, excuse, whatever behind it. I'm wondering where that will go - it was left as a bit of a cliffhanger in terms of their relationship.

The Tess/Nash butting heads thing was getting old. I was so happy to see it resolved. And wow - Suz resolved it with a bang! I'm vascillating - does this go in the What I liked, or What I didn't like section?

The quick multiple scenarios for the first half of the book were too much, IMO. It certainly would be very difficult to pick up any new readership with this book, if you ask me. Although when I mentioned it to Bob, he said those short 'vignetty' chapters read very much like the thrillers he reads - the Flynns, the Baldaccis, etc. Ok, then. I stand corrected. Maybe it's just not what romance readers are used to.

Lastly, I'm left still missing the WW2 vignettes. Yes, I harp on them to anyone who will listen, and I know they haven't been in a book since Max and Gina's book, but I thought those were the bomb. And I'm missing the SEAL action. I know I said the same thing in my review of Force of Nature, and it's still true.

All in all, though, I liked Into the Fire. Read it in a day (I took a long lunch yesterday, and stayed up really late LOL!). Brockmann fans everywhere will be thrilled.

Hearts Awakened by Linda Winfree

Blurb via lindawinfree.blogspot.com: A lifetime ago Mark Cook's pregnant wife vanished, taking everything and leaving an empty, aching hole in his life. Since then, as penance for his failure as a husband and father, he’s refused to allow himself to live. Refused to lay his sleeping heart on the line for any woman.Enter Tori Calvert, his best friend's baby sister. Suddenly, against his will—and against his better judgment—that same damaged heart seems determined to reawaken. And Mark's not sure he can withstand the pain.

When she was a teenager, a vicious attack ripped away Tori's very essence as a woman. Finally she feels ready to focus her existence on something other than her job as a rape crisis counselor. And to step outside the shelter of her loving, protective family. She trusts Mark more than any man, yet fear holds her back. Fear that even the healing light of love may not be enough to banish the shadows of the past.
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First off... yet another amazingly beautiful cover. This entire series is just gorgeous.

What did I like?
All of the books in the Hearts of the South series have been true emotional heartstoppers. But only this one and His Ordinary Life have struck me as completely relationship-focused. Both characters have played central parts in the series to date; each with their own role to fulfill. Mark "Cookie" Cook was the consummate playboy, easygoing, noncommital. But every now and again, Winfree would give a glimpse behind his persona and let us know that there was something more brewing there. Tori Calvert, Tick's younger sister, played the victim, inasmuch as she was raped as a teenager and then had the misfortune to be SPOILER a cop-turned-serial killer's girlfriend *END SPOILER.

Winfree did a wonderful job of growing each of these characters, both separately and together. We learn the reason behind Cookie's refusal to be involved in a relationship, and we see Tori grow into a woman who is willing to risk both a physical and an emotional relationship.

We get to revisit old friends Tick and Cait and feel the joy and sorrows in their lives as well. But Winfree wisely keeps the focus solely on the main couple. Winfree's writing has gotten better with each book in the series. Written with emotion aplenty, but no excess verbal diarrhea, we revisit Mark's past and not just see, but feel how he was as a young man. I also appreciated his remarks about needing recuperation time since he's 'almost 40.' Thank you, Ms. Winfree! Sheesh! You'd think every guy could just do it again and again well into their 50s, the way some books are written these days. But it was handled with joy and laughter and acceptance here.

I also liked that when Mark and Tori finally got around to making love, as a violent rape victim, she had a tough time with it. She couldn't do it with him on top. She couldn't climax during intercourse. But it wasn't a huge sticking point, majorly dwelled upon. Their relationship had come so far - they talked it out, and handled it together.

I like that Winfree's heroes aren't afraid to cry. Not in a Brockmann dramatic way (which is also great), but in their own quiet way, that requires just that extra bit of support from their women.

What didn't I like?
Hmmmm.... not a whole hell of a lot. Tick butting in and not accepting his best friend in Tori's life did get to be a tad old after a while. Granted, he knew Mark's background, and why he was such a man-whore, but still... at some point he needed to let go. Tick had his own issues to deal with in this book, however, and made his opinion known only rarely. But he really was just trying to protect his sister, given her history. So it was forgivable for the most part. I'm reaching. I really did like everything about this book.

You can buy Hearts Awakened (Book 6 - well, book 7 if you count What Mattered Most, the 'prequel'), and the entire Hearts of the South series here.

Whine and reviews

I soooo want to get back on track. Not only do I want to re-establish I Just Finished Reading as an active review blog, I want that pleasure that comes from chatting up an engaging book. And therein lies the crux of my problem these last few months…I’m reading less AND feeling disengaged. For example, in a minute, I’ll pick up my handy pocket calendar listing my July and August reads and, when I attempt to resurrect my thoughts on each title, I will have to Google some JUST to remind myself of their storylines. Pathetic. And the problem is me, not the books. Too damn distracted to really lose myself in a book, any book. No idea how to get the romance back in my reading life (if you have any ideas, please let me know, LOL), but I vow to try.

Before I can move forward though, I have to clear the decks. So here goes:

Thank God for short, ebooks. They bump a girl’s reads to a respectable number. Unfortunately, they are the least engaging of any type or genre of book I read. Every Last Fantasy by Shiloh Walker started me off. I thought it well written, sexy (to the submissive lurking beneath my skin) and clever. Like many erotic romance titles however, it suffered a precarious balance between sex for story advancement and sex for sex sake. It was also too short for my tastes. Walker executed the story just fine for its short format; it’s just that I prefer more time with my characters.

Walker’s Her Best Friend’s Lover was better on length and balance. Good overall, but less clever in that it is an age-old, often-done story—best friends to lovers—with fairly stereotypical characters. I’m a stickler for books that are well written and both of these books are definitely that. I read every word, beginning to end in both. But to be honest, I am finding that even the most well written stories won’t appeal to me if they are “remakes”. I don’t watch movies more than once and I rarely, rarely read the same book twice. So, in another of those I’m-a-big-girl-now moments (like the one that came with my first DNF), I credit Ms. Walker with writing a good story but acknowledge that it just wasn’t for me. And not to appear contradictory, I will be reading more from her though, starting with Through The Veil. Widespread blogger buzz usually means a good read for me.

From Trixie Stilletto, I had The Blackout and Destiny’s Escort. The first was essentially one scene, albeit tightly written and believable. I read it. The second was about an older woman set up to tangle with a younger man, a friend of her grown son. I put that one right down, but only because the story’s premise turned me off. Googling Ms. Stilletto, I see she remains firmly entrenched in short-format, erotic romance—largely from Amber Quill Press. Again, just not for me.

I also read Playing The Game from Megan Hart. This one was tightly written with solid characterization. It engaged. And embarrassing as it is, I will admit to having mislabeled this one, believing it to be a Stilletto title. So when I sat down to comment, I went on and on about this gem amidst Stilletto’s ebooks, not realizing until I Googled Stilletto that this one was not hers. Learning that it belonged to Megan Hart put order back into my world. Duh. I have GOT to get my TBR, backlist and new release lists current and top of mind. Not only did I fail to recognize this as a Hart title, I now see that I missed her last release, Reason Enough. Argh.

Death Angel by Linda Howard. Ok, more embarrassment. Have to Google it. Be right back.

OMG, I loved this one! Her dark, commanding, can-he-or-can’t-he-be-redeemed hero harkened back to the days when I first discovered Howard. Much like Anne Stuart, I thought Howard pushed the edge of the envelope in those days. And returned to it here, especially with that first encounter between hero and heroine. Wow. Palpable tension throughout this one. The only drawback was that bit about going to some version of heaven and meeting her son, getting a second chance and the gift of future sight, etc. Dampened the Wow factor for me a little. Gorgeous cover.

Let’s see, what else don’t I remember? LOL

I do remember Breathless by Laura Lee Guhrke. Recommended by Wendy, this one was fabulous. All about its characters, with engaging dialogue, wonderfully dry wit and heartfelt emotional conflict. Making a mental note to research Guhrke’s backlist more thoroughly.

Also remember Grimspace from Ann Aguirre. First person narrative is my absolute favorite thing right now. I wish I could find more like this one. Now THAT would cure me of my inability to engage or connect with a book. Grimspace was the wild, non-stop ride my reading girlfriends promised. Worthy of its own review—maybe I’ll do that when I read Wanderlust, second in this series. Soon.

Do not remember the exact storylines from Janelle Denison’s Wilde books, but see that I read three of them and DNF’d a fourth. Sometimes that happens. Some thread or tone in a less-than-stellar book one soothes or amuses me and I pick up subsequent titles looking to prolong the feeling. Then, as soon as I tire of the repetitiveness—in prose and premise—I drop the series like a hot rock. Moving on.

Liked Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson. Fun and light, with a sexy and charming southern hero. I’m unusually susceptible to well-built men oozing charm in every twang. It also helps that Gibson’s characters do not spend an inordinate amount of time over-thinking their dilemmas. In Denison’s books and in Susan Anderson’s Cutting Loose (which I just finished skimming), the characters spend pages and pages berating themselves over feelings of lust, love, etc. Tiresome. Gibson keeps it all moving along nicely, through characters that are in motion. Like her stuff a lot and will continue to snag a backlist title here and there and keep up on new releases.

Unlawful Contact from Pamela Clare was also good. Exactly what I expect and enjoy from Clare’s romantic suspense titles.

And Sam’s Creed from Sarah McCarty filled my need for a McCarty erotic western. I truly loved Sam—another southern man all laid back and casual, with a gentleness that belies the steel underneath.

Also picked up a trio of re-issues from JoAnn Ross. The first two, Out Of The Mist and Out Of Control were good. Haven’t read the third yet. Ross has been a pretty good bet for me. But again, I have to admit to too much repetitive internal thought from her characters. Not enough to slow the story, but enough to stick in my mind.

In fact, in all of my July and August reads, I can point to some level of this, and frankly, it’s annoying and distracting. So maybe it’s not all me. Maybe I’m just tiring of characters that think about themselves, their own motivations too much. Do you do this? Self analyze? I don’t. Am I off in thinking that this kind of repetitive self-reflection is a weak tool employed by authors to show motivation? Or at least an overused one? Tell me.

Drive by reviews

Some quickies, which is all we seem to be good for around here anymore. Sorry about that, folks...

The Way Home by Jean Brashear
SR is one of the category lines I still read when I find one that interests me. Would you guess from the cover that the H/H are in their late 50s? Go figure... Anyway, it's an amnesia story, and I'm sure I've read many just like it before. Many times before... But I still enjoyed it. I like seeing a family story where there are years of history, and also occasionally seeing a H/H that are older and still can get it on. You know, us old farts still do it. Sometimes quite frequently. Bravo to Ms. Brashear for having the guts to write an older H/H who are still tremendously attracted to each other and still have hot sex well into their 50s. Rock on! Cliched traumatic "I don't want to remember" amnesia storyline aside, I truly enjoyed watching the H/H fall in love all over again, forgive old hurts, and realize how much they meant to each other.

Bound to Please by Hope Tarr
First in Blaze's new line of historicals, this is an implausible story of a woman laird in 15th century Scotland, but I loved it nonetheless. Meeting as children, Ewan and Brianna take a blood oath to marry as adults. He's the one to wait for her, to send love letters, to keep the dream alive. I loved the juxtaposition. He was a sensitive soul. Hope Tarr does a great job. As Wendy put it, there are likely tons of historical inaccuracies, but I just didn't care. This book sizzled, and it was just right.

Satisfaction by Marianne Stillings
I wasn't all that thrilled with Sighs Matter, but I really enjoyed this one. It was a fun escapist read. Ethan is your typical troubled PI fighting his past, and Georgie is your typical fluffy heroine with a secret that makes her tougher than she seems. Nothing outside the formula here, but it worked for me. Fun stuff.

Hot Property by Carly Phillips
I've taken a sabbatical from Carly Phillips for the past couple years, and it has paid off in spades. Her books were beginning to wear thin for me. I'm glad that I waited it out, and then tried her again. I remember why I loved her boks so much in the past. Quite simply, this book brought back for me all the good feelings a CP book used to bring for me. It was a great morning-in-bed read. Nothing too deep, nothing too strenuous. But it had enough layers to keep me interested and turning pages. A multi-faceted sports hero totally devoted to his crazy family, a straight and narrow PR heroine determined to deny her true fun-loving self to be the straight-laced girl she's sure her daddy wanted her to be, but she's constantly having to rescue her own wacky family as well. I loved the sense of family and fun. Friendships abound as well. I thought Phillips dragged out Amy's acquiescence just a tad too long, but the end was worth the wait. Thanks for bringing me back into the fold, Carly!

Highland Knight by Cindy Miles

Cindy Miles writes books about 21st century women who meet up with medieval Scottish knights (usually in ghost form). She manages to do it with a charming voice, humor, and fun; manly, alpha heroes, who manage to be sensitive at the same time (and always whisper love words in Gaelic to the heroine - yum); strong quirky female leads; and always an eccentric, loveable secondary cast that sometimes threatens to overtake the book all on their own.

Highland Knight is no exception. I was fortunate enough to win this on Ms. Miles' blog (thank you!). What can I say... it's been a really good month! This is her 3rd book (the first two are Spirited Away and Into Thin Air). This one was a touch different than Spirited Away, in that Ethan was not a ghost per se, but what he referred to as enchanted... he also 'gains substance' during the gloaming, or twilight hours, which in the summer in the north of Scotland is only for about an hour each day. So, while Amelia cannot touch him otherwise, during the time when he is in human form, there is plenty of touching and kissing going on.

What I liked: Again, Miles' characters are refreshing, funny, endearing, and quirky. The Munro clan (Ethan's family, all caught in the enchantment) are all adorably sexy and sweet. These knights joke around with one another, laugh, make fun, do silly stuff, but when push comes to shove - they are family and would do anything for one another and for Amelia.

Amelia has foibles we can all relate to - who hasn't wanted to drown their sorrows in a can of Cheez-Whiz (or something comparable)? An author facing writer's block, she's at once strong, yet vulnerable, kick-ass, funny, and sensitive. Having her trade tae kwan do lessons for sword-fighting lessons with the guys was funny as hell. I wish we could have seen more of the sword lessons, though.

Ethan himself is another Miles hero: alpha through and through, but at the same time, astoundingly sensitive. I loved following the conversations he and Amelia had - learning about one another, about each other's time and life. Miles has a way of writing these heroes so that we see into their souls. Feel their angst and their joy as they fall headlong into love with these modern women. That is tough to do in what is walking the line, masquerading as a paranormal, time-travel, romantic comedy. But done beautifully nonetheless.

What I didn't like: Not much. This didn't grab me quite as strongly as Spirited Away did, but I think it's simply because I knew what to expect this time. Reading Spirited Away was like discovering a buried treasure - totally unexpected and just that "Wow!" feeling. Highland Knight was like opening the 2nd trunk of that treasure. I already knew there would be some sort of wonderful something inside. I just needed to read it to find out what that something was this time.

I'm really enjoying these books by Cindy Miles. They are so refreshingly different. Fun, funny, and warm. Somehow believable, even as they are so crazily unbelievable. You can buy Highland Knight here or here. Her next book, MacGowan's Ghost is available February 2009. You can preorder it at Amazon.

In Bed With the Devil by Lorraine Heath

Courtesy of LorraineHeath.com: They call him the Devil Earl—a scoundrel and accused murderer who grew up on the violent London streets. A proper young lady risks more than her reputation when consorting with the roguishly handsome Lucian Langdon, but Lady Catherine Mabry believes she has no choice. To protect those she loves, she would do anything—even strike a bargain with the devil himself.

Lucian desires respectability and a wife above all else, but the woman of his choosing lacks the social graces to be accepted by the aristocracy. Catherine can help Lucian gain everything he wants. But what she asks for in exchange will put their very lives in jeopardy. When danger closes in, Catherine discovers a man of immense passion and he discovers a woman of immeasurable courage. As secrets from his dark past are revealed, Lucian begins to question everything he knows to be true, including the yearnings of his own heart.
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What I liked: Not liked - I loved this book. I loved everything about it. It reminded me very much of an early Kleypas novel, in both its characters and its settings. I loved that the characters are not all from the aristocracy - they can be rough, yet we see them as human, not caricatures. Especially our hero - dare I say, he reminded me frequently of my favorite of all-time hero - Nick Gentry? Yes, I loved him that much. He's a rough around the edges guy, with a heart of gold that needed the right woman to see and accept him for himself, flaws and all. He grew up on the streets of London. Several parallels are drawn between the characters in this book and Dickens' Oliver Twist, both as allegory and overtly by Catherine as she compares Luke's upbringing to that of Oliver in the new Dickens novel she is currently reading.

I also loved that we see into Luke's personal journal. It was great that he kept a journal. What a fabulous way for Heath to let the reader into his thoughts and feelings. I love that he is overwhelmed by his feelings for Catherine, and that we, as readers, get to see that. I was also pleased that we see his journey toward recognizing that his feelings for Frannie, which he thought were true love, were those of boy-girl love, rather than man-woman love. It would have been wrong to leave that unresolved, and to witness Luke's internal journey toward that resolution was satisfying.

Catherine - excellent heroine. Strong. Doesn't put up with any of Luke's crap. She recognizes that hiring him to kill somebody is because she hasn't the know-how or the guts to do it herself, then second-guesses both of those reasons for much of the book. She is smart, gutsy, compassionate, audacious - Luke's perfect match.

The secondary cast of characters. I liked that Luke's circle of friends from his childhood all made something of themselves: a doctor, a Scotland Yard inspector, yes, even a gaming hell owner and a bookkeeper. They were all strong, interesting characters in their own right. The one I found the least intriguing, actually, was Frannie - Luke's intended. She seemed too milquetoasty for him.

What I didn't like: There was only one small thing I had an issue with, and that was that Luke and Frannie were so close, yet she never shared with Luke the real reason she didn't want to marry him. If she didn't feel more than sisterly love for him, she should have felt comfortable telling him. I always had the impression that she was in love with somebody else. Why had she not shared those feelings with him in the past? Small detail, really when the rest of the book truly overwhelmed me.

If you love those old Kleypas novels, where the heroes are the anti-hero, and the heroines are their strong, gutsy match, you will love this book. Luke has won a very special place in my heart. But no worries, Nick. You're still the man.

Wicked Hot (ARC) by Charlene Teglia

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this book from Ms. Teglia. In the past, I've always really liked her books. I cracked this open, having not really known much about it, and imagine my surprise and (I admit) dismay, when I realized it was in first person. OK... I thought. I'll persevere. I've often said I need to expand my horizons, and this was the perfect opportunity. Stupid moment - I often read Charli's blog, and I won this ARC there. How did I not realize it was in first person? D-oh!

Onward.

From the OBC: Cursed to roam the earth as a succubus for eternity, Edana offers men their most erotic fantasy in exchange for their mortal souls. As a demon, no human can get close enough to love her without being destroyed by her powers. But Eli Moss is a Nephilim, a descendent of a branch of angels who chose earth as their domain, married human women and taught them magic. For centuries, angels and demons alike ignored the Nephilim. Until one began to bind and banish demons - Eli.
Sent to tempt Eli into an act of lust and steal his soul, Edana soon discovers that his resistance enables him to touch her without weakening, and for the first time in her human life or demonic existence, she experiences the touch of a lover...one she must destroy before he destroys her.

What I liked: I liked Edana's journey toward self-discovery. She learns about herself through her interactions with Eli and Dal, Eli's brother. I also liked the friendship that sprung up between Edana and Dal. It was obviously unexpected for Edana, but even she appreciated the irony in it, and enjoyed learning about Eli through Dal's eyes.

Eli was a tremendously fascinating guy. For an angel, he seemed awfully conflicted, as did his brother. Because it was first person, it seemed a bit difficult to get into their personal issues and deliver a full-blown character study of the two men, which is a shame, because each of them was fascinating in their own right. What else? Well, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Teglia sure knows how to write a sex scene. Smokin'.

I do think that the bedroom was the place that we best saw into Eli's thoughts and feelings from Edana's perspectives - when he first begins to lose control. We see his facial expressions and his body language through Edana's eyes. I think this was as well done as it is possible to have done it without actually putting us into Eli's head. But this wasn't until near the end of the book, and I missed learning his thoughts before then except through a quirk of his mouth (which could truly mean anything).

I like Charlene Teglia's voice. I always have. There's just something very personable about the way that she writes. It makes you want to know her characters better.

What I didn't like: As I mentioned above, there is a lot of sex. A lot. Menages, sex between Edana and Dal, and between Edana and Eli. Granted, the female lead is a succubus, but still. I'm all for a good old fashioned menage, but I began to feel as though the sex became gratuitous, and angels having grauitous sex just seems wrong to me.

Also, as I said, Nephilim are a type of angels. First, let me say that these 2 guys seemed anything but angelic *wink wink*. A more wicked pair of guys, I don't think you'll come across. I'm all for a wicked good guy, however. But, we never saw Eli doing his good guy thing. I would have loved to see him in action (and not the 'in bed' action, which we saw plenty of) to see why Edana was sent to destroy him.

Which brings me to my final point. First person. I found Eli to be a really complex guy. He's probably the most interesting character in the book. All that leashed passion, and tight control. But because the book is in first person, we never get his perspective. And that was the one I really wanted to read about. It was as if he knew who he was and had a purpose, then this woman comes into his life and turns it all upside down. He seemed like such a conflicted, tortured guy once he met up with Edana. My favorite kind of hero. Through Edana's friendship and talks with Dal, Teglia tries to give us some insight into Eli, but it falls somewhat short, in my opinion.

To me, there's nothing better than actually getting into the head of the character that you are reading about. Granted, this is my own personal bias. I know that there are plenty of you out there who adore first person. And for those of you that do, Eli is definitely a fascinating character - intense, controlled, sexy as hell, heroic (or so we are told). I just prefer to know for myself what he is thinking and feeling. It's a personal POV preference.

So a mixed bag. I think, had this been in third person, I likely would have gotten more perspective, even during the sex scenes, and while I still likely would have found them gratuitous, I might have found them more of a plot-forwarding device than straight sex for sex's sake.

However, if you like a lot of sex, good writing, and first person, then you will likely love Wicked Hot. It is released July 22 from St. Martin's Press. Buy it here or here.

Running Wild by Sarah McCarty

Let's say this up front. Sarah McCarty writes an alpha like nobody's business. Her alphas are at once manly, macho, overbearing badasses, yet at the same time they are incredible softies who melt at the feet of their women and would do anything in the world for them. Wonderful, no?

Running Wild contains not one, not two, but three such fabulouso alphas. It's an anthology of connected, chronological stories about three werewolf men and the three sisters that they fall hard for. Now, while y'all know that I'm not a big paranormal fan, it seems to me I have read more than my share of werewolves lately. The one thing that is unnecessary in werewolf stories is the back and forth of "how do I feel about this person?" A wolf recognizes its mate immediately, and can get on to the business at hand, usually convincing their human mate of the same.

Sarah McCarty excels at strong characterization. You always know exactly who her men are, who their women are, and why they are who they are. You know where they are going, their motivation for getting there, and why they want what they want. This story is no exception. Characterization, as always, is terrific. You feel the connection between the sisters - their love for one another, their heartache, their inner strength. You can also feel the love and respect between Donovan, Kelon, and Wyatt. These are strong men, but compassionate men, full of life and love. This book also had a lot of unexpected humor in it, which I quite enjoyed - you all know what a sucker I am for the humor in a book.

Where I felt this book went wrong was in the story itself. While I did enjoy the premise, and actually alot more than I thought I would (why is it that I'm still surprised each time I like a werewolf story?), I took umbrage with a couple items in particular.

These werewolves, who have theoretically met their mates, use aphrodesiac in their saliva when they are kissing. It's not intentional - just inherent in their saliva. However, it's mentioned several times, and referenced in each of the three stories. Then, it's noted how each of the women is 'dazed' or 'glassy-eyed', or something of a similar nature, and she doesn't seem to know where she is, and it takes her a moment to come out of it. It made me feel as though these women were drugged, reminiscent of the stories I've heard of GHB or other date rape drugs. Now I know for a fact that isn't the intent here, but all the same - tell me that you're using an 'aphrodesiac' on a woman who doesn't know it, then she's all dazed, unaware of her surroundings, and you can basically do anything you want to her? Ummm.... nuff said.

When I mentioned this to a friend, she said it's not all that uncommon in werewolf stories. Really? Is that so? I can't recall ever reading one like that. Disclaimer: I'm NOT a werewolf expert! I've read maybe... 7 or 8 werewolf stories altogether in my entire life. So this very well may be.

Also, one of these women never seemed to truly accept her man as a werewolf. She refused to let him shift in front of her - never once saw him shift. Hard to imagine her accepting him as a werewolf if she won't even see him as he really is. Interestingly, she was seemingly the strongest of the three women on the surface. In the mark of a true expert, McCarty pulls the old bait & switch, and the sister who appears the weakest on the outside is actually the one with the most inner strength.

So.... a couple of big problems for me - unusual for me to find in a McCarty book. However, I believe that the historical western is where McCarty shines, and just have the niggling feeling that the paranormal is still a bit outside her comfort zone. Having said that, McCarty's other new release, the western historical Sam's Creed, second in the Hell's Eight series, was excellent. Loved it from start to finish.

Anne's June Reads

I'm not going to review them... sorry, I just don't have the time right now. But here's a list and the grade.

1. Hotter After Midnight- Cynthia Eden: A
2. Just Sex - Susan Kay Law: A
   
3. At Last - Barbara Bretton: A-
4. Ladies' Man - Suzanne Brockmann: B
5. Once Around - Barbara Bretton: A-
6. Close To You - JoAnn Ross: A-
7. Promises To Keep - JoAnn Ross: B
   
8. Traceless - Debra Webb: C+
   
9. Taking The Heat - JoAnn Ross: A-
10. Not Another Bad Date - Rachel Gibson: A
11. Hot - Julia Harper: A-
    
12. Wanting What You Get - Kathy Love: A-
13. Getting What You Want - Kathy Love: B+
14. Wanting Something More - Kathy Love: B+
15. Once and Always - Judith McNaught: A-
    
16. The McKetrrick Way - Linda Lael Miller: B+
17. The Secret Passion of Simon Blackwell - Samantha James: C+
18. Three Nights of Sin - Anne Mallory: B
19. Right Here, Right Now - HelenKay Dimon: C-
    
20. Sweet Talk - Susan Mallery: D (GAH! Sadness!!)
    
21. Until You - Judith McNaught: C+
22. Every Breath You Take - Judith McNaught: A

I was surprised to see I read so many, but then again I figure with my dad in the hospital and some of the books being very quick reads or books that I skimmed rather than read because they annoyed me, I can see how I read that number.

For two or three of the books I've read this month, I rated them lower because the heroine used sarcasm and smart-ass come backs way too much for my taste. Little zingers here and there... fine. All the time? Doesn't work for me. Makes me think the heroine is bitchy.

Some new-to-me authors like Cynthia Eden, Susan Kay Law, and Julia Harper were really great finds and I'll be looking forward to more from each of them. And I'll be reading the rest of the McNaught historicals as well. Yes, ladies, I do believe you've got me hooked. :-)

Another month, another drive-by review.

Six books for June. Lame, I know, but I’m just too busy to read. Sad, sad state of affairs.

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts
Meh. Far too like last year’s summer trilogy. Different premise, but the same setup. Didn’t grab me. And when I put this one down and picked up the second book in the trilogy? Couldn’t do it. FIRST time I’ve ever put down a Nora Roberts book. I’m sure I’ll come back to it someday, but for now, I’ve no desire to waste precious reading hours in a book that does nothing for me.

Blue Smoke and Murder by Elizabeth Lowell
Best of my June reads. A bit heavy on the technical art instruction, but that is to be expected from Lowell. She always goes ass over tea kettle when educating readers on whatever venue or industry her characters find themselves in. Jewels, art, artifacts, etc. The mystery was solid, the romance a bit more surface than I prefer, but overall an engaging read. Enough so to make me want to stick with romantic suspense for awhile.

Night’s Landing by Carla Neggars
Neggars is an author I found by accident this spring. Reading through her backlist now and, while the mysteries are good, characterization and romance in her earlier titles are not as strong as they were in the first book I picked up. Her heroines tend to be stupid, despite impressive pedigrees. And childish. In this one, the heroine “runs” out of the room in a snit on more than one occasion. I’d bitch slap someone if they did that in real life. Or write them off as an idiot not worth my energy.

Stonebrook Cottage by Carla Neggars
Another in Neggars backlist that features a heroine whose actions defy her supposed intelligence. Better than the heroine in Night’s Landing by far, but still flawed enough to annoy. Strong hero though and again, good whodunit. I’m still committed to reading Neggar’s titles, especially any new releases.

Catch A Mate by Gena Showalter
I’ve had Showalter’s paranormals on my TBR list for some time. But when Anne sent me this contemporary, I jumped at the opportunity to sample an author surrounded by good, good buzz. Ultimately, I fell for the love story. But from beginning to near end, I itched in annoyance at the shallowness of the characters. Do people like this actually exist? Too catty, jaded, self-absorbed for me. I live rurally I know, but I swear I never encountered urbanites like these women and men when I lived in big cities, doing 20-something things. Sigh. I nearly put it down a dozen or more times. Showalter’s name and reputation online were the only things preventing my surrender. And like I said, ultimately, I’m glad I persevered. Not a total win, but a worthwhile wait for the real emotion at the book’s end. I still plan to read the paranormals on my TBR list, but may hesitate in the face of any other contemps.

Every Move She Makes by Beverly Barton
A romantic suspense title I picked up at random from my library’s swap shelf. Flawed in many of the ways already mentioned here, but a decent enough read. I finished it at least. Though I must admit I was tempted to toss it when Linda Howard’s latest arrived from the library.

So…very few books and none worth the time I did spend on them. And for once, I don’t think my attitude or real-life crazies affected my opinion. There were simply no gems in this batch.

Spirited Away by Cindy Miles

A surly 13th century knight, murdered in his own keep
A tenacious 21st century forensic archaeologist, determined to solve the ancient crime
Neither expected to lose their hearts
To each other...

I have to say... I went into this book not expecting much. Cindy Miles is a fairly new author. This books is one year old, and it's her first. What a pleasant surprise. It was adorable.

The book opens with the murder of Tristan de Barre in 1292. Fast forward to 2007, and Dr. Andrea Monroe, a forensic archaeologist, fascinated by the legend of Dragonhawk, is hired to excavate some old bones on the land of Dreadmoor Castle, home of none other than Lord Dreadmoor, Tristan de Barre.

I'll begin by saying that you have to completely suspend your sense of belief. Once you do, this story is at once charming and captivating, from the sassy Andrea to the stoic, long-suffering, yet humorous Jameson (the butler/steward), to the bold, sexy, and sensitive Tristan. I loved how he was so chagrined at being unable to assist Andi when she needed a hand (literally). You see, ghosts can't make physical contact, even though they can be seen. He feels like an utter fool, and Miles is unafraid to let the reader view him as such either.

No worries, he completely redeems himself, with lines like this:
... "I've waited more than seven centuries for you, Andrea Kinley Monroe." ... He stared, mesmerized by her almost-touch. "Christ, Andrea", he whispered. "I would give anything to taste you."

Yum.

Miles writes with a delightful sense of humor, too. Andi, discussing Tristan with another woman... "He's not like other men."
"Nay, you can't say too many modern-day chaps can measure up to that one," Kate said. "Or the whole lot of Dragonhawk's knights, for that matter. So what worries you?"
Andi pushed the hair from her eyes. "You mean other than the fact that he's dead?"

Watching these two fall in love with the audience of Tristan's knights around was sometimes giggle-worthy, and sometimes heartwrenchingly beautiful.

A superb secondary cast of characters including an array of knights, a droll butler/steward, a cute-as-a-button boy (who isn't gag-me cute, or annoying either!), and a very sweet love story round out this fun book.

I definitely enjoyed it. I can't remember where I heard about this book, but it's been lying around the house for a while. Now I'm sorry I waited so long. Miles has two additional books: Into Thin Air and Highland Knight. I'll definitely be reading those.

You can buy Spirited Away here or here.

REVIEW: Sweet Talk - Susan Mallery

Is there anything sweeter than a first love?

Don't ask Claire Keyes. The twenty—eight—year—old piano prodigy has never had a regular boyfriend, much less a real romance. Her music career has left little room for friends or family—which is just part of the reason she hasn't seen the family bakery or her two sisters in years.

But now Nicole is sick, and Jesse is AWOL. Despite the fact that Claire can't boil water, she's determined to play caretaker. Connecting with her sisters tops her to—do list…along with falling in love, or at least in lust, for the first time.

Ruggedly sexy Wyatt just might fit the bill. Although he keeps saying that he and Claire come from entirely different worlds, he lights up hotter than a bakery oven whenever Claire is near. If this keeps up, she just might sweet—talk him into her bed…and her life.

I will begin by saying I had mixed feeling about this book. In some ways I liked it, in others I, well, to be honest, hated it. I must start with the thing that drove me batshit crazy throughout the whole book--Nicole's (the heroine's sister) attitude. She is by far the bitchiest, stubborn, irrational, single-minded character I've ever seen Ms. Mallery write... and I don't mean that in a good way. All three sisters have serious personality flaws and ones that either the reader will be willing to accept or ones that the reader will dislike. I fall into the latter category. I can't put my finger on one thing that had me not liking this book very much... whether it was the characters, their attitudes, the immaturity displayed by the 20-something-year-old females in this book, the fact that I didn't really "see" the romance developing..there was a zing for him, three chapters later she felt the zing, then whamo! Chemistry. They hadn't hardly spent any time together. The reasons for why Claire has sex and the reasons why Wyatt doesn't want more than that were cliched. Normally I can handle a cliche, but this time, it just didn't work for me.

Sorry for bouncing all over the place with this review, but it really was a confusing and exhausting book. I think, looking back, it really was the immaturity and personalities of the sisters that turned me off of this book. It felt like it should have been a YA book-- almost-- or a relationship novel for the women and should have just left the romance out of it, because to me the romance honestly felt like an afterthought.

So, while Susan Mallery is one of my favorite authors, I must admit to not liking this book much. My overall grade (and I cringe as I admit the truth): D.

Back in the saddle again....

Hey all! Long time, no post. I have to admit to a big dose of reviewing ennui, although I have been reading. I think the only thing to do is to force myself to put up a couple of drive-bys, and hope that it puts me back in the mood.

So although I've read a ton of books in the last several months since I've posted, I'm just going to put up my thoughts on the last few.

To Taste Temptation by Elizabeth Hoyt
Long awaited after her Prince trilogy, I've seen mixed reviews on this one. I admit to having mixed feelings about it as well. Only in that I couldn't decide if I liked Emeline. She vacillated between being staid and upright and being grumpy and nasty. On the one hand, it's kind of nice when an author can wriet a nasty heroine and make her readers root for her. On the other hand, I did wonder on occasion why Samuel was so taken with her. It was here that I felt Hoyt could have built the book a bit more. The interactions between Emeline and Samuel were excellent, as were the supporting characters, Rebecca especially, but I felt something inexplicable missing between Samueal and Emeline. I just can't quite put my finger on what.

A mystery plot I could likely have done without, as well. I would rather have seen Hoyt focus on the PTSD that Samuel and, to some extent, Vale seem to have had following the war. So much more intriguing to me. But I know that more folks love a good 'mystery.'

Having said that, I do love Hoyt's voice, her wonderful conveyance of emotions, and once again, her hero. Fantastic. The next book, To Seduce a Sinner, is about Emeline's friend Melisande and her ex-fiance Lord Vale. It comes out in November.

Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson
Thanks to the girls at The Book Binge - I won this book over there :) This is the 4th and last in her "author" series. There is a touch of the paranormal in a fun and cute way. Rachel Gibson is always good for a fun afternoon read. I don't think I've ever disliked one of he books, although I've liked some more than others. (Who doesn't lurrrrrve See Jane Score?) Anywho....

If I had one disappointment with this book it was that there wasn't enough interaction between the 4 friends. Having said that, it was fun and fluffy, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. It takes place in Texas, land of football, cheerleading, Junior League petty rivalries and hot men. A recipe for pure fun.

Quick spoiler (mostly for Holly, if you haven't already read it): hero cheated on his wife in his first marriage, but he's quite well written, and I found myself forgiving him for that. Hard to forgive him for pretty much abandoning his daughter during the same time period, though, although he seems to have done a good job making it up in the interim. *end spoiler*

Bridge Through the Mist by Denise Agnew
This was a time travel. Our heroine, an archaeologist, travels back to 14th century Scotland to save a knight from his sure death. Anne, this one has the brogue. LOL. I found myself really enjoying this one, although several times I did have to allow myself to take at face value the easy acceptance of the 'time travel' theory on the part of the 14th century folk. If you can get past that, and a few anachronistic phrases here or there, along with the heroine's seemingly easy transition into 14th century language and lifestyle, I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did. For as much as it sounds like I didn't like the book, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really liked the heroine's sassiness, and the hero's angst and protectiveness. I loved it when he admitted that her reputation would be hurt by getting caught doing the nasty with him, but his reputation would be hurt because she saved him from harm twice. So 14th century LOL!

Memories of Us: Hearts of the South Book 5 by Linda Winfree
First off, whoever does her cover art, is fabulous. Every one of the books in this series is gorgeous!

This is the story of Tom McMillan, the ex-husband of Kathleen, the heroine of Truth and Consequences (book 1). I'll admit that Winfree wrote him nothing like I'd pictured him. As the DA, and a SIDS father, we see him driven to investigate personally every child death that crosses his desk. I would have loved to see Winfree explore that much more in-depth than she did, rather than focusing more on his feelings and coming to terms with his ex-wife. They had been split up for several years, and it seemed that was his main focus, but all of a sudden, it was resolved for him, and he felt free to pursue Celia. It just didn't sit quite right with me.

What Winfree did do beautifully, however, was to write his conflicted feelings about his 'gift'; his apparent psychic ability that he views more as a curse, and has yet to be able to understand. He blames himself when things don't go just right; including, we learn, the feeling that he should have gone in to check on his son, but didn't, and then he died of SIDS. She also writes it beautifully when we find out that he has misinterpreted another of his dreams, and it leads to an unexpected death.

Yet again, this is a story of corruption in law enforcement (although not of the law abusing its power as 'the law'), but since this is how Winfree has chosen to focus almost all of the books in this series, it was not unexpected for me. I did figure out the whodunnit about halfway through the book, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the other aspects of the story - the relationship building, and the character-building that Winfree did on the phychic side of Tom's character.

I also truly enjoyed the interactions that Celia had with her sister, and her peers. I love it when women in law enforcement are written with equal, professional, mutually respectful peer relationships (with one exception that did kind of bother me).

So... while I found a few things that could have been done more to my liking in each of these books, overall I enjoyed each of them, and could recommend them all. Good to be back reviewing, and I hope I can find the time to keep at it.

REVIEW: Reason Enough - Megan Hart

Blurb: Elle and Dan haven’t quite achieved their goal of having sex in every room of their new house--but almost!

Marriage hasn’t dampened their hunger for one another in the least, and their relationship is as hot and passionate as ever. But when Dan brings up the subject of having a baby together, Elle finds herself conflicted. Between her dysfunctional family background and her fear of how a baby might change their life together, Elle’s not sure she’s ready for the big step. Dan doesn’t bring the subject up again, but the issue takes hold in Elle’s mind. And as their frequent lovemaking sizzles with unquenchable desire, Elle’s heart is filled to the brim with love and the longing to give Dan everything.

I met Dan and Elle in Dirty, Megan Hart's first Harlequin Spice release. I loved that book.

I won't rehash the storyline because the blurb does that amazingly well. What I will tell you is that I absolutely LOVED this book. It's rare to find an author who can write as poignantly as Megan Hart, what's even rarer is finding an author who can write short stories that are just as deep, touching, and moving. This story was more than I imagined it to be. I thought, "A short story about Elle and Dan! Yay!" I read the blurb and expected Elle to be at war with her feelings regarding a baby (which she was). What I didn't expect was so much to be packed into so few words. It was about Elle but we also got to see so many other people in her life and what they mean to her and how they help her form her decision as to whether or not she's ready to have a baby. In the end, the decision she makes comes from her heart. I love how well Dan fits her. He just lets her make her own decisions. He may plant the seed of thought there, but he doesn't push. THAT is what makes them perfect together.

I love follow-up stories like this. Thank goodness for Spice Briefs because otherwise we may not have had another chance to visit with Dan and Elle. I can't help but wonder if Ms. Hart will, at some time in the future, let us drop in on Elle and Dan and see what's new in their lives once again. I know they've got their happily-ever-after and that alone can sustain me, but I like Elle and her complexity. She's real. Megan Hart has quickly become on of my favorite authors... and now that I know she writes such amazing Spice Briefs, I'm going to go get her other one, This Is What I Want.

My grade: A+.

Buy it here.

AND from now until June 30th, all Spice books (ebooks and print) are 30% off!!!

Through The Veil - Shiloh Walker

Blurb:

Found wandering in a field as a child, Lee Ross was given a name by the state and put in a foster home—without anyone realizing she wasn’t entirely human. All her life, she’s tried to forget the odd dreams that have plagued her, of monsters creeping through the night and a man fighting demons by her side. But the bruises she wakes with are all too real to ignore…

Then the man from her dreams appears—in the flesh. His name is Kalen—and he insists that her destiny lies in his world, the world of her dreams. To save their people, he must convince Lee to give up everything she knows, follow her heart, and cross over into the Under Realm—even though once she does, she’ll never be able to return.

This was my very first Urban Fantasy so I wasn't sure what to expect. Add in the fact that it's mixed with paranormal ... well, generally that's not my style. But, I'd been wanting to try UF for a while, and when Shiloh offered the ARC, I snapped it up. Why? Because I love her writing. LOVE IT. So I figured the fact that I always enjoy her writing would be a great way to ease into the UF genre. I was right.

I have to admit that the beginning, the world building, was a little slow going for me, but in some ways I think the route Shiloh took was necessary because there is A LOT of stuff going on in this book. So many different creatures... some of them just way creepy. Shiloh sure has a GREAT imagination. Anyway, I'm not going to rehash the book and what happens in it except to say... expect the unexpected.

In Through The Veil Shiloh took me on a journey to another world. One that was bleak and dark and, frankly, scary. I mean I sure as heck wouldn't want to meet up with one of those Sirvani or Ikacado demons. *shudder* I loved Lee. I loved how Shiloh didn't make Lee one of those tough-as-nails women who ends up in a different dimension/world and doesn't get freaked about it but instead kicks ass without hesitation. I like how Lee was "humanized"... how she did get freaked and how she did wonder what she was doing there and just what the hell was going on.

Enter Kalen. Oh, hunky Kalen. He is no pushover. He gives Lee the what-for more than once and I like that about him. He doesn't push her farther than he knows she can go, but he does give her the shove she needs to be what she needs to be and helps her down the path in finding it.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this book, creatures from your worst nightmares, a lovely romance in spite of the chaos and war, and the occasional surprise in the story that will keep you turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed Through The Veil and I hope that Shiloh will continue this as a series. It certainly would be interesting to see where Kalen, Lee, and their people go from here. (Hint, hint *G*)

My grade: B+.

Monthly Recap

Shaken & Stirred; Sex, Straight Up; Nightcap by Kathleen O'Reilly: These were the first Blaze books I'd read in a while, mostly on the recommendation of Dear Author and the reviews and comments there. They didn't disappoint. Each brother is unique as is each heroine. I still wish Sean (Nightcap) had ended up with the realtor lady. I think the storyline in Nightcap was too big for the 55K of a Harlequin Blaze. Still, it was good. The first two books A's, the third a B.

Just Desserts by Barbara Bretton: New-to-me author one whose backlist I fully intend to explore in detail. I saw the storyline and it looked intriguing. Glad I snagged this one from the library. It was good. B+.

The Day We Met by Barbara Bretton: I enjoyed Just Desserts so much I decided to explore Ms. Bretton's backlist. I really enjoyed this story a lot. It's different and explores the many facets of the life of a cop who has a troubled past, and a divorced, single mom, who meet by chance in Atlantic City and instantly feel a connection... then when they get back to reality, it's a little harder to be together than they realized it would be and though it all fight to be together. Enjoyable storyline. B+

Pursuit by Elizabeth Jennings: The beginning of this book rocked and I was enthralled for about 2/3 of the book... then it dragged. It was as if once the H & H hooked up, that was where the book should have ended. Then, the ending? Like two pages. It felt VERY rushed, but that's probably because we had already rectified nearly everything way too early in the book. I think the first 2/3 of the book was an A, the last 1/3 a C.

Silent Run by Barbara Freethy: Well thought out romantic suspense. I like that the H & H have issues they need to resolve along the way. Freethy is also a new-to-me author and one I'm glad I found. I'm looking forward to reading the next book Silent Fall. My grade: B.

Private Pleasures by JoAnn Ross: I picked this one up by chance from the library as the storyline looked good. Holy crap! This book rocked my socks off! If you like older Sandra Brown books, you're going to LOVE this book. It isn't a suspense, but rather a contemporary, one that spans about 15-20 years, but dude, it's awesome. My Grade: A+. It's a keeper for me. It'll go right next to Sandra Brown's Mirror Image. (NOTE: I'm not sure if this part of a trilogy or connecting stories or not, but I will be looking Ms. Ross's earlier books for sure!)

Drive-by reviews, monthly recap

Absolutely no gumption for full-length reviews of late. And it is NOT for lack of fabulous reads. Just busy.

In March and April, I managed to read a handful of titles that were aging on my TBR list. I think A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole lingered on my TBR list for two years. Another multi-year entry was Allison Brennan’s The Prey. Lisa Kleypas’ Mine Till Midnight languished for a year and a half and both Mine To Possess by Nalini Singh and Ice Storm by Anne Stuart came close to lapping this year’s follow-up releases.

The not-so-old releases included Virgin River by Robyn Carr—a book I saw on more than one best-of-2007 list—and Blue-eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas. Still, I am as far from the bleeding edge as I’ve ever been. LOL

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole – Wow. Just wow. There is an intensity in paranormal romance—in both characterization and circumstance—that I rarely find elsewhere. I can think of a few historicals that wield the same grip—Lord of Scoundrels, Dreaming of You, The Spymaster's Lady. Contemporary romance? Maybe one of Linda Howard’s darker books, like All The Queen’s Men, or an early Robb installment, back when Roarke’s need for Eve overpowered all else. In all of these titles, I found deeply compelling characters, men and women barely holding on to conscious choice in the face of overwhelming desire and need. Paranormals offer a wider selection of such characters obviously, because that formula picks fate over choice every chance it gets. But man, when an author gets it right, wow. Cole’s Lachlain is more a force than a being. Heroine aside, everyone else (particularly the reader) travels along in his wake. He definitely fell in the more-man-than-I-could-handle bin, but I enjoyed his magnetism nonetheless. Although not as intense, Emmaline was compelling in her own right. Cole did a fabulous job of balancing these two--giving us Lachlain’s pain right upfront while holding Emmaline’s story back. I couldn’t stop turning the pages. Compelling, compelling, compelling. No other word fits like this one does. Loved it. Just finished No Rest For The Wicked and loved it just as much.

The Prey by Allison Brennan – Page-turner. More for its suspense elements than for its romance, but that is not a drawback for me. I really enjoy suspense. As my first Brennan book however, this was a close call. The set-up of the first brother as potential love interest, overshadowing him with his Delta Force brother, then killing him didn’t work for me. Took away from the story and left me wondering if Brennan was going to butcher her suspense tales with botched romance attempts. Having started The Hunt, I’m reasonably assured this won’t happen and look forward to more page-turning suspense in that smooth, economical writing style.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas – Early complaints that Kleypas pulled a bait-and-switch here—not giving Cam his pre-baited heroine Daisy—were responsible for my delay in reading this one. I think. At any rate, none of that mattered once I started reading. This was classic historical Kleypas, wholly captivating and very, very satisfying.

Mine To Possess by Nalini Singh – I love Singh’s Psy-Changeling books. No question. But this was the first one to grip me on page ONE. Literally, I was pulled under instantly. And no, before this, I hadn’t paid much attention to Clay. As a secondary in earlier books, he never really stood out to me. But man, Singh set his story up and hooked me before I could blink.

Ice Storm by Anne Stuart – Fabulous. There hasn’t been an entry in this series that I haven’t loved.

Virgin River by Robyn Carr – I don’t think I qualify as a true contemporary romance fan. I need suspense with my present-day romance and the inherent period confines/conflicts in my historical romances. Somehow, I’m rarely moved by stories of men and women just working it out as they go about their daily lives. Virgin River was good. But its remote setting, military-cum-mountain man and emotionally vulnerable heroine didn’t set off any sparks for me. They did hold my interest, but they didn’t involve me. Not sure whether I’ll continue on in the series. If I do, it will be for Carr’s clean prose and storytelling pace.

Blue-eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas – A disappointment. It lacked maturity and depth, IMO. And its first person narrative fell considerably short of pulling me headlong into the story. I think Kleypas handled the issue of spousal abuse with honesty and care, but those moments of real connection with her heroine (the story’s narrator) were short-lived—her short attention span and stereotyped relationships with family, friends and coworkers inevitably bounced me out of the story. I haven’t read Sugar Daddy. Should I?

I also read:

River Road by JoAnn Ross – Good romantic suspense—heavy on the romance. Not an author meticulously documented or tracked on my TBR list, but one I keep an eye out for at paperback swaps and UBS. I should probably step her up to my lists to ensure I get through her backlist and receive alerts to any new releases.

The Second Time Around by Marie Ferrarella – Contemporary and category. Definitely stepping outside of normal for me, but it was a unique, interesting and humor-filled read. I enjoyed myself, a lot. Thank you Anne for the rec!

Abandon by Carla Neggers – A completely random (romantic suspense) selection from my library’s paperback swap shelf. Excellent read and a new-to-me author I can begin tracking ruthlessly. LOL

Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich was good in the usual way—kind of like having lunch with girlfriends you haven’t seen in awhile.

Dangerous Games by Lora Leigh was what I expected it to be. I thought her August brothers series ground-breaking, but couldn’t get into her Breed series. Talking to Leigh fans, these are the two series to read. Unfortunately, the titles I’ve tried since Leigh’s move from Ellora’s Cave have all felt formulaic--sure, it’s Leigh’s formula, but still repetitive. This one was no different. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was. In the same month, I picked up Cheyenne McCrays’ Chosen Prey and Shiloh Walker’s Hunting The Hunter. DNFs, both of them.

And finally, I read Deadly Game by Christine Feehan. As I read it out of order, I was a bit lost—particularly at the beginning. But once on my way, I couldn’t put it down—not even long enough to go back to the beginning of the series and catch up. I’m doing that now. This is another paranormal series (Ghostwalkers) that I’ve heard mentioned over the last couple of years and wish now that I’d listened more carefully. Good stuff.

A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith

A Connecticut heiress.
A Florida cowboy.
His heart. Her secret.
And the very special family
she has come home to find.


When this book was recommended to me by both Linda and Jennifer, I was like, "It's first person." I rarely do first person. But the raves kept coming so I said, "What the hell. Why not?" and got the book from my library. Boy, oh boy, am I glad I did!

A Gentle Rain isn't your normal book. You won't find Navy SEALs, serial killers, or drug dealers. You won't find wannabe gangsta vampires (stab me in the eye with a flaming hot poker!). You won't find billionaires whose secretaries are secretly having their babies. You won't even find hot, steamy sex. No, with A Gentle Rain you find so much more. Between the covers of this book you will find emotion, acceptance, and forgiveness. You will find uneducated and "simple" human beings who are so much more than they look to be. You will find a woman searching for her "identity" and finding exactly what she needed.

Deborah Smith's A Gentle Rain will teach you "a lesson in humility" (that's a quote from Jennifer B). It's an amazing story that touched my heart from the get go. On page 5, I fell in love with Ben. Here's the reason why.

I walked toward the second door. "Don't you go in there, boy," the nurse called. "You don't want to see that poor little ugly baby."

"He's my brother, lady, and you shut the hell up."

I'd never spoken to a woman like that before. I'd been raised right. But I'd never been the big brother of a feeble-hearted idiot before, either. Shame and pride fought it out inside me. I started defending my baby bubba from the first, even when I wished he'd never been born. I went into his room.

He was wrapped in tight sheets inside a small metal crib with a see-through dome. An oxygen tank fed air into it, hissing like a snake. I clutched the crib's side, swallowed my bile, and slowly, squinting in fear, peered down at him. He looked back, or tried to, as best as any baby can focus.

His head was too big, and his face was flat. His eyes slanted like the eyes of a Chinese boy I'd seen at a rodeo in Tallahassee. He was scrawny. His skin had a weird blue tint.

But he wasn't ugly. He had mine and Pa's black Seminole hair. He had Ma's cute, brunette-white-girl nose. He had my serious look on his face. And he smiled. He smiled at me.

I put my forehead against the clear dome that separated him from me, and I cried. It was the first and last time I'd let him see me shed tears over him. That's when I realized it: He's a Cracker horse. I have to see him as special, and that means worth saving.

Pa came in eventually, looked the baby over without a word, then finally spread one big, callused hand on the crib's dome. He put the other hand on my shoulder. I felt a tremor in it. "What d'ya think, Ben?"

"He's a Cracker," I whispered hoarsely. "If we don't give him a chance to prove hisself, who's gonna?"

Pa squeezed my shoulder. "Then we're agreed. Your Mama'll be proud of you. Proud of us both. She loves him."

"Then so do we, " I said.

Ben was nine years old at the time and he was amazing. He's this young and this accepting. This young and could see his brother for something more than the "retard" the doctors and nurses were calling him. And he loved and accepted him just as he was. Imagine, nine years old and capable of this, imagine how much more amazing he is as an adult. While Ben is uneducated, he's extremely intelligent. The beginning of the book had me teetering on the edge of reading on and putting it aside, I couldn't decide. But it was Ben and his compassion and Kara and her plight that had me continuing on.

Read the book. You won't be sorry.

A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith

Linda asked me to comment on this book, but I could not limit my reaction to just a few words…

Title: A Gentle Rain
Author: Deborah Smith

Type: Per the spine label, Romance.

Copyright: 2007

Why: If memory serves, there was blogger buzz one or two years back for Smith’s The Crossroads Café. I added it to my TBR list, made a mental note of the author and ultimately picked up another of her titles first. That book was Sweet Hush and, looking back over the blog, it looks like I never got around to reviewing it. A shame, since it was a fab read. As was The Crossroads Café (reviewed by Linda).

A Gentle Rain is Smith’s 2007 release. It went on my list prior to its release date, but I’ve just now gotten to it. In the future, I’ll try to remember the punch Smith packs and pick up her new releases sooner. Like the day of.

Comments: In a review awhile back, I mentioned being unable to remember anything else about a book but its characters. Voice, pace, plot—all were so entwined with characterization that I couldn’t separate any one thing out. Same here. A Gentle Rain was simply time spent in the company of extraordinary characters.

Written in first person, narrated alternately by Karen and Ben, this book put me ‘there’, in the scene, with seamless ease. Through that narration, Smith slows reader heartbeat, soothes and cajoles us into the gentle, simple life found at Thocco Ranch. Masterfully, we are immersed in not only the story’s details, but also its sensations. And despite the weighty issues—social and emotional—and the Florida heat, the sensation is not an oppressive one. There is a simplicity both lived and acknowledged in this story. We experience it firsthand in the patient love Ben and Karen show Thocco’s mentally handicapped ranch hands. And again and again in the actions and words of those ranch hands, related to the reader through Smith’s affected narrators. It’s magic—that weave of spirit, condition, and manner that carries the reader along through the story. You feel it, experience it—rather than watch.

Smith’s voice and her first person narratives give us very rich characters in Karen and Ben. Humor and quirks abound. These two will give you a bellyache for the laughs. They also serve as wonderful examples of the power of personality. It shines in both, pulling us deep, well beyond appearance and even motivation. Both are a joy to know, flaws and all.

The ranch hands? Real, just very, very real. Like Karen and Ben, you’ll find yourself cheering for them, while all along it is they who are building up your own character. These folks, and the crazy ass horse they adopt, carry the story with a power that matches that of Karen and Ben. Within them all, there is humor and loss, balanced beautifully against a penchant for simply living and a reminder to appreciate all of it. Just as Linda said, it is meant to be savored. I lost count of the number of times I paused to reflect on the profound or ride the endorphin wave after each belly laugh.

Fabulous read.

Thin Ice by Liana Laverentz

This is a contemporary romance about a doctor and a hockey player.  Liana contacted me via the Lori Foster Weekend group and asked me to review it.  I've never been asked personally by an author to do this and I felt hesitant but finally agreed.  Boy am I glad.  

This is one of the most powerful and heartwarming books I've read, ever.  Both Eric and Emily had serious emotional hang-ups which directly impacted on the other's weaknesses.  There were moments when my heart was pumping furiously because the drama of the scene was so well written I really felt what the characters were feeling.  There were also some moments that made me laugh out loud they were so amusingly spot on.  I suspect Liana is a hockey fan and if she's not, she knows someone really well who is.  She captured some scenes during a couple of hockey games so well that I could see it happening.

I hesitate giving a recap of the story because it's important to discover the layers of Eric and Emily as they reveal them to each other. This is about a developing relationship.  There were many times when either Eric or Emily would choose not to discuss the situation with the other and make a decision that wasn't really in their best interest.  Just as I would be ready to throw the book against the wall and scream "NO", the reason given for the decision made so much sense I would just sigh and go with it.  Plus Eric and Emily are beautifully drawn, three-dimensional characters about whom I came to care a great deal.  

This is a story about the impact of abuse - physical, mental and emotional.  But it is also a signal lesson on the importance of communication.  Every time there's a misunderstanding it's because they kept secrets and didn't talk with one another.  I know this is a standard in romance, but for some reason it felt like a major influence in Thin Ice.  

Well, I'm off to buy her other book, Jake's Return.  Liana Laverentz has a new fan girl.  Oh, and Thin Ice was 2008 Eppie winner for Best Contemporary Romance.

Simply Perfect by Mary Balogh

In the first three books of this series, teachers from Miss Martin's School for Girls find true love.  In each book we see Miss Claudia Martin as "the older woman" who is their dear friend and supporter.  She encourages them in finding their paths to happiness.  We catch glimpses of her conflict with the aristocracy and we suspect that the anonymous benefactor of the school might be her greatest nemesis.

In Simply Perfect,  Miss Martin finally gets her HEA! Joseph, Marquess of Attingsborough, shows up unexpectedly at the school to escort Miss Martin and two of her students to London. Before they leave he asks for a tour of the school and charms everyone. In an amusing refrain after he visits each room, Miss Martin thinks to herself that everyone was "gazing worshipfully at him" and you can tell she's not happy about it.   What she doesn't know is that he has an illigitimate daughter who is blind and he is thinking of her welfare when he talks with Miss Martin about education.

A year or so ago I read Simply Love (second in this series) and was delighted with the unusual characters. At times it was confusing because people were mentioned who obviously had backstories of which I was totally ignorant.  When I read that Simply Perfect had come out, I knew I needed to read the other books in the series before I attempted it. So this week I read Simply Unforgettable, Simply Magic and Simply Perfect. Whew! Balogh marathon!

I'm glad I read these books before Simply Perfect because everyone shows up in this story, including all the aristocracy from previous books which I haven't read. Amazingly, their characters came through quite clearly and this almost felt like Ms. Balogh was finished with these people and their world. Except Lizzie, Joseph's daughter, is so lovingly depicted I wonder if we'll get her story next.

Although Ms. Balogh's voice is consistent, I was impressed with how different she made her H/h in each story.  Each was clearly drawn, especially the men.  I'd recommend every one of these books.  Although Simply Love can be read before Simply Unforgettable they should both be read before Simply Magic.  And since Perfect is probably the culmination of the series,  the others should be read first.  Not that this should be considered a hardship. LOL

I LOVED THESE BOOKS.

A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith

Deb Smith has written another winner about the South, this time it’s about Florida Crackers. Although there is a romantic aspect to this story it really is about a group of misfits on a ranch in Florida.

Ben Thocco is part Seminole and owns a cattle ranch in Florida. His little brother, Joey, has Down’s Syndrome and is dying from a heart problem but Ben has taken care of him from the moment Joey was born. All of Ben’s ranch hands are mentally challenged in some way or another, but he’s managed to find jobs for them that suit their talents.

Kara Whittenbrook was adopted by a couple of rich environmentalists who raised her in Brazil. When they died she learned she wasn’t their natural daughter and set out to find her birth parents. She finds them at the Thocco Ranch.

The story is narrated by both Ben and Kara. Sometimes it goes for pages from one point of view and at other times there’s a quick transition. Only occasionally did I get confused as to who was telling the story.

The book’s title comes from Ben’s description to Kara of how his ranch-hands see him. “Look how they put up with me. I ain’t the fastest hoss in the race, or the most lovable, but they find excuses to like me anyhow. That’s what really makes ‘em special. Most people look at a leaky soul and see nothing but trickles of good intentions fallin’ on bone-dry earth. But these folks? They see a gentle rain.”

I found myself wanting to savor this book in a way I rarely do. The descriptions of the land, the people, the animals were so lovingly drawn, I wanted to take my time. Normally I tend to skip the descriptions and just hit the highlights skimming the paragraphs, but not with A Gentle Rain. And I enjoyed the slang, uneducated language of Ben contrasted with the overeducated, Yale graduate, Northern heiress phrasing of Kara’s.

I hope Jennifer will add her comments when she finishes reading it.