Year of the Category - July: His Expectant Ex by Catherine Mann

Just seconds after signing divorce papers, Marianna Landis fainted. Shocked, her now ex-husband Sebastian discovered Marianna was three-and-a-half months pregnant. The timing was perfectly in line with their last impetuous night together. Incensed that his "wife" would still be so intent on their separation, Sebastian vowed to do anything to win her back. Seduction had worked once before…he'd make damn sure it would work again. For Marianna was carrying a Landis baby, and a Landis man keeps what is his!

It’s been a long time since I’ve read and enjoyed a Silhouette Desire. But I admit to being a Catherine Mann fangirl. And although I generally dislike Desires, when I realized that this book had several things going for it right off the bat, I couldn’t resist. Namely, it’s loosely related to the Wingman Warriors series (HUGE plus), it’s got one of my favorite themes – already marrieds trying to find their way back together, and … well… it’s a Catherine Mann. Pretty much a no-brainer.

As the book opens, Sebastian and Marianna are finishing up dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on their divorce agreement. As they ride down the elevator together, they somehow end up in the car together and then celebrate the end of their relationship in the same manner in which they celebrated the beginning of their relationship – in the back seat of Sebastian’s car.

Fast forward a couple months, and they are in the courtroom completing the divorce. Marianna passes out after the divorce is finalized, and it comes out that she’s pregnant.

What I liked about this book, is that while it was obviously in Sebastian’s nature to play the alpha and carry her off in the Me Tarzan, You Jane way and force her to his will, and he desperately wanted to do so (and tried to many times), Mann didn’t take that stereotypical Harlequin route. Sebastian and Marianna were 3-dimensional characters with a boatload of loss behind them. She had suffered a miscarriage on their honeymoon (they married as teens due to her pregnancy). Then they suffered through years of infertility, and finally settled on adoption only to have the mother change her mind just before the adoption was finalized.

All this trauma was too much for their marriage to withstand, when they didn’t communicate well except in the bedroom. I liked that the characters took the time to really delve into what the problem was in their marriage – and that Mann gave them typical responses as well. Sebastian couldn’t talk about his grief about the loss of their adopted daughter. Marianna closed herself off after Sebastian started working excessive hours once their daughter was taken away. Their marriage didn’t crumble due to a lack of love, but due to a lack of communication.

They slowly had to build up their trust and lines of communication. It seemed they would take two steps forward and one step back. I enjoyed watching this marriage and friendship come back together. I liked seeing Sebastian do little things for Marianna – like bringing her special treats during her pregnancy. I liked It when they each came to the realization that their own behavior could have been misinterpreted – it wasn’t necessarily that they were wrong or that the other person was wrong. They each grew in their own right and grew to accept the other’s personality traits as a strength rather than a liability, and saw how their partner could see what they viewed as their own strengths as a potential weakness. Love it when characters grow and learn. I also liked watching some of the family interactions that surrounded them.

Having only read Mann’s military books before, this was a welcome departure, and I really enjoyed it. This is part of The Landis Brothers Series. I’ll go back and read book 1 as well.

Re-Read Challenge: Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase

In keeping with my theme for the re-read challenge, I read another Perfect book this month. I first read this back in 2006. It was my first Chase book, and I’ve been pimping her ever since. I originally reviewed it here.

Everything that I love so much about Chase’s writing is on display in this book: smart, sophisticated characters; witty, snappy banter; deep emotion underlying; and both a fantastic hero and heroine who make the story move forward rather than the other way around.

When I last reviewed Lord Perfect, I took note of the great banter between Bathsheba and Benedict. And I still stand by that. The dialogue fairly sparkles off the page. But what I didn’t mention in my last review was how wonderfully they opened up to each other. Benedict especially, opened up to Bathsheba in a way that he likely had never done with anyone ever before. In earning his moniker, Lord Perfect, he had given up all the things that made him who he was – his joie de vive. He somehow found himself telling her about all the pranks he pulled as a little boy – even as far as his time at Oxford. It wasn’t until he hit 21 that he felt compelled to become the perfect son. It’s noticable immediately the first time he sees Bathsheba and has to repeat rules of proper behavior to himself, something he does repeatedly throughout the book. This says more about his true nature than almost anything else, and the subtlety with which Chase imparts it is masterful.

It was wonderful at the end to see Benedict’s father acknowledge Benedict’s true nature as well, when he tells him that he used to laugh all the time. And how Bathsheba makes him laugh. And that’s how he knows she’s the right woman for Benedict. What a lovely thing for a father to notice – especially a hardass father like Hargate.

So while I focused on absorbing the witty banter and story in my last read, I soaked up the emotion and true nature of the characters with this read. It’s a true testament to Chase’s writing that there are so many facets to focus upon in subsequent readings.

If you haven’t read Lord Perfect, I highly recommend it. Benedict is the eldest of the Carsington siblings. His book follows Rupert and Daphne’s, Mr. Impossible.

Laid Bare by Lauren Dane

Unexpected Desire…

It’s been ten years since clean-cut, sexy-as-hell police officer Todd Keenan had a white-hot fling with Erin Brown, the provocative, wild rocker chick next door. Their power exchange in the bedroom got under his skin. But love wasn’t in the cards just yet…

Now, life has thrown the pair back together. But picking up where they left off is tough, in light of a painful event from Erin’s past. As Todd struggles to earn her trust, their relationship takes an unexpected and exciting turn when Todd’s best friend, Ben, ends up in their bed—and all three are quite satisfied in this relationship without a name. As the passion they share transforms Erin, will it be enough to help her face the evil she thought she had left behind?
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First and foremost, thank you to Lauren Dane for giving me a sneak peek into Laid Bare. This is a powerful, emotional story. It was not what I expected - not that Dane doesn't write powerful and emotional - she does! This book is both different and similar to ones that Dane has written in the past. Different in the topics that it tackles, but similar in that Dane never shies away from the tough issues. Here our heroine has suffered an intense personal loss, leaving her not only devastated, but also intensely afraid for her own personal safety. And while she is terrified of being overcome in a situation physically when caught unawares, she is thrilled to be overcome physically in the bedroom and dominated there. Very interesting dichotomy.

I almost felt as if this was two books in one. There was a thread of continuity throughout, tying the two halves together, and that was Erin’s trauma and need to cope with her past. The first part felt like a love story between a man and a woman, coming to terms with their D/s relationship. I loved this portion of the book. It was beautifully written. Dane handles the D/s relationship in a way that I truly hope is real for that lifestyle (sue me – I have no clue!). The book opens 10 years earlier, and Todd hasn’t come to grips with his Dom. He still feels that he would be disrespecting a woman to unleash that part of himself in a sexual relationship. And so, he leaves Erin, unable to handle a relationship that fully includes a D/s component.

10 years later, they meet again. He is recovering from a shooting (he’s a police officer), and she is recovering from a personal tragedy. Erin and Todd have true respect for one another, and grow into a true love. The only place they have a D/s relationship is in the bedroom. The only time it’s even hinted at outside the bedroom is that Erin likes to “take care” of Todd. She likes to cook for him, make him plates of food, etc. But that feeling is completely mutual, and she takes care of her brothers in the same manner. He, in turn, likes to take care of and protect her as well. For them both, the D/s relationship is about taking care of and feeling cared for. Todd makes Erin feel beautiful and cherished, and she makes him feel the need to treasure her and show her how beautiful and wonderful she is. He shows her by taking care of her every need, taking away the need for her to make decisions, so she can just feel taken care of. In turn, by loving him and doing as he wishes, she shows him her love and feels utterly cherished and beautiful to him. But he's oh, so masterful in how he dominates her. And she's very playful, yet so comfortable and content in her submission. I would like to think that this is what lies at the heart of a true D/s relationship, and Dane conveys this in a magical way, without being trite, without condescension for the characters or the reader, but with a great sense of reality mixed in.

I enjoyed the sense of family in this book. It’s something that Dane does very well. Erin’s brothers give her a sense of close family and make her feel loved and as safe as is possible. Todd’s family, while not nearby, is also close-knit, and his lifelong friendship with Ben and Cope give Todd an extended family as well. Dane excels at writing families, especially sibling relationships, and this book is no exception. As always in a Dane book, the families are an essential element in the glue holding the H/H together. There is always such a feeling of community and family in her books, and I love that.

Dane’s dialogue, both internal and between characters, screams of realism. I always find myself saying this in any review of a Lauren Dane book, but her voice is one that I can so comfortably relate to. Her characters speak like everyday, ordinary people. You can imagine being there in the conversations when her characters talk to one another. It’s very refreshing, and quite unusual – no matter whether it’s a contemporary, a futuristic, or a paranormal, that voice and comfort level is with me when I read Dane’s books.

The extended families of Erin and Todd both reach out to support Erin as she copes with her loss, and she and Todd deepen their relationship to a new level. It was at this point that Dane brought a third person into their relationship and I felt like the “second book” began. Unfortunately, it didn’t work as well for me as the first one. Todd’s friend Ben is brought into the relationship and they all begin a journey into the world of a M/F/M triad. The additional relationship felt tacked on to me. I didn’t see the need for it. I was perfectly happy and content with the book as it was. Erin and Todd also seemed to be content with themselves; it felt complete with the M/F relationship and I didn’t quite see what it was that Ben brought into the existing mix. He was a bit softer than Todd, but truly I thought Todd was a very sensitive guy, and didn’t find him lacking, so I didn’t see the need for the addition of Ben in the relationship. He felt intrusive to me, and it took me out of the intense love story that was Todd and Erin. I think perhaps Dane tried to accomplish too much in one book. It was already perfect as it was, and the additional relationship on top of the D/s and the trauma of Erin's past was just too much.

So the first half of the book was fantastic, and was a beautiful love story. While the second half’s M/F/M love story didn’t work for me, what did work in that part of the book was the emotion written into the resolution of Erin’s personal journey. She worked hard to overcome the death of her daughter and the lingering fear and debilitating anxiety it brought on. Dane writes amazing heroines. Strong, vulnerable, and sassy. Her heroes are tough, yet tender, and sexy. Her voice always shines through as powerful, contemporary, and real.

Laid Bare is available from Berkley Heat on August 4. Get it here.

Relentless by Lauren Dane

Since the first settlers came through the portals from Earth, fifteen Families have held the rule of the Federation Universes in their hands. There’s never been a better time to throw out the old and usher in a new order, giving voice to the unranked. Abbie Haws has spent her life brattling the system. A fighter by nature, she’s always been too busy and too driven to pay much attention to finding love. But when she’s granted an audience with Roman Lyons, the head of the House Lyons – a man who stands for everything she hates – her instant attraction catches Abbie off guard…

It’s common knowledge that the Known Universe revolves around the world Ravena – and that Ravena revolves around Roman Lyons, bred to lead since birth. Roman dreads his meeting with a defiant – if stunning – rabble-rouser. But sometimes headstrong personalities in the conference room make for hot-and-heavy, guilty trysts in private.

Now, Abbie will show Roman the parts of her world he wouldn’t otherwise get to see. And he’ll give her a glimpse of the Families’ age-old traditions and unleash a sexuality he’s never given rein to before.
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Relentless is the followup to Undercover, the futuristic ménage set in the Known Universes. While I liked Undercover, I can honestly say I loved Relentless. Loved it. Relentless is not a ménage; it’s a M/F love story, set in the same world as Undercover, and taking place almost immediately after Undercover ends.

Like Undercover, one of the things I liked so much, even though this is a futuristic, is the definite parallels to historicals drawn in this book. The conflict is based around the differences between the Ranked and unranked (think ranked aristocracy and unranked commoners). The language and terminology used for many things is very anachronistic for a futuristic, harkening back to Regency times. For example, they drink mulled wine and wear spectacles. Abbie is a barrister, not an attorney. That gave me a sense of comfort and familiarity in a genre that is far outside my comfort zone. Additionally, Dane’s voice is a familiar and comfortable one, a constant in what might otherwise be uncharted territory for me.

Abbie and Roman are both very likable characters, both strong in their convictions and loyal to their people. When they meet, it’s instant chemistry, and while they know they shouldn’t, and can’t, be together, they simply can’t fight it. Again, drawing parallels, it reminds me very much of similar stories of Dukes and unranked “bluestockings” falling in love. Their entire affair is carried out knowing that Roman will eventually have to marry within the Ranked, and that he cannot be with Abbie, since she won’t be his mistress, and he wouldn’t ask her to be. Yet they defy convention, meeting secretly and falling in love anyway. And in doing so, each get a glimpse into the other’s world and gain new respect for the other and their place within that world.

Dane does a beautiful job of showing Roman, especially, falling for Abbie. This particular passage, made me stop and sigh:

He tapped quietly on her door, anticipation thrumming through his veins. She opened, wearing a soft robe, her hair loose like he preferred. He stepped inside and everything felt right again.

“I’m sorry. I wanted to get away earlier, but Alexander wanted to talk. And talk some more. I escaped as soon as I could. Is it too late?”

She cupped his cheek. “I’ve missed you. I’ll take whatever of you I can get.”

He moved into her arms because it was where he was supposed to be. She was warm and soft and felt like home.

His clothes melted away, their hands working together to make him naked, as naked as his heart was.

Sigh. Roman is a man who isn’t afraid to feel things deeply. He loves his grown sons, his people, and he loves Abbie. He writes her several love letters through the course of the book as well. Oh, and he talks dirty. Heaven help me, I love that when it’s done realistically. In turn, Abbie loves her cause, her people, and Roman. Their circumstances tear them apart, much as they try not to let them.

I thought the conflict was well done – the desire of the Movement for Democratic Reform – the desire of the unranked to have representation on the governing council. Abbie is their spokesperson, and it wasn’t tied up all quickly and neatly in a bow. While it was her job to convince the Council of the wisdom of this, it didn’t happen overnight, and several things including her job as a barrister got in the way.

I appreciated that both Abbie and Roman felt a deep sense of responsibility toward the people of Ravena – all the people, not just those within their own class system. While innate to them both, that grew deeper as they learned more about one another’s people and grew to care more deeply for each other.

The world-building in Relentless felt more complete here than in Undercover. I felt a sense of connection, felt drawn into the everyday lives of these people, came to care about them. It wasn’t superfluous; it was an integral part of the storytelling; each setting served to forward the story in some way. I didn’t get that sense with Undercover.

I felt Relentless was a flawless romance. The characterization was excellent, the world-building perfect. I loved every minute of this story that, by all rights, should have been outside my comfort zone, but instead felt like reading an old favorite. Now if only I could convince Lauren to stop using the C word so dang much, LOL. Different fight, different day :)

Oh, and if you’re wondering who she pictured as Roman, the last line of the acknowledgments is this: “Lastly, thank you to Daniel Craig, who played Roman Lyons in my head. I promise neither Abbie or I sullied you too much.”

Yum. Daniel Craig.

Uncovered by Linda Winfree

Uncovered is book 10 in the Hearts of the South series from Linda Winfree. While there has been something in each book that has been hit or miss for me, the entire series has been a winner for me. There's something very appealing about Winfree's voice, pacing, and characters. (and seriously, this cover makes me drool)

My recent complaints about previous books in the series have centered around one of the main characters, Tick (dubbed by me and Holly as Tick the Dick). He has always been a high strung guy, but in the last several entries, he really has become just a nasty dude. In this book, Winfree gives him a terrific excuse for his all-out surliness. And a fix. It was wonderful to see him working together with his wife, Cait, again as a team. He's good again. Nuff said.

The focus of this book is supposed to be on the main couple, Madeline and Ash. Madeline is a cop who grew up with Tick, and their past ties them together. They share some sort of "incident" from their teen years that drove Madeline to leave town, and Tick to pretty much hate her. She comes back to town as an interim investigator, hired by her brother-in-law Stanton (hero of book 4). As she and Tick begin to work out their differences, they come to realize that the cold-case murder they're working on is related to their past together. It drives Madeline to both face her past and open up to Ash.

What I liked: I thought that this book was much better balanced than the past few entries in the series. By that, I mean that there was a better balance between the relationships and the suspense element. Also, I liked that there is finally some resolution to Tick's nasty behavior. And it's a believable, totally plausible one. Fully explained, and not one-sided either.

I also liked that he reached out to Madeline, but wasn't out of character in doing so. He was still a bit surly in his efforts, as was she. Tick compares Madeline to his wife Cait, but I found more similarities to Tick himself; surly, putting up emotional roadblocks, not wanting to face issues that put her "out there" and vulnerable. The person who sees right through her, and directly into her from the start is Ash. If there was any area where this book felt underdeveloped at all, it was in the love story between Madeline and Ash. Winfree tried to accomplish a lot in this book, and for the most part, succeeded. The resolution of Madeline's past, the resolution of her relationship with Tick, the resolution of Tick & Cait's issues - all well done. But it left little time or room for a romance. Mad & Ash squeezed in as much romance as they could into the remaining pages. This was more of a "struck by lightening" romance. Ash accepts this almost immediately, and moves forward, but Madeline fights it every step of the way. I found myself wondering more than once why on earth Ash was still trying to make a go of a relationship with her.

Ash. Just a great, unassuming guy. Accepts Madeline as she is, faults and all (and there are a lot!). Plus - he is 42. Yes - he isn't a baby hero. I love that! Either a 42 y0 guy is going to come with a ton of baggage, or he is going to be at peace with himself. Ash has come to terms with his baggage and is at peace with himself. I love that.

What I didn't like: First, this series seems to be becoming more and more focused on Tick and Cait. I'm hopeful that now that they've resolved their issues, the subsequent books will focus more on the main characters, and they can move off to be peripheral characters once again.

Next, and perhaps more important, Ash is portrayed as being Tick's best friend. I don't recall him being mentioned in any of the previous books, even in passing. It's always been my impression that Cookie was Tick's best friend. So to now have Ash rise up from the... well... ashes, and be mentioned as Tick's best friend, and have Cookie be an "also seen", was a bit jarring. As well as disruptive to series continuity.

Madeline was certainly less likable than Ash. While he had come to terms with his baggage prior to the opening of the book, this is her 'coming to terms' story. And while I want to say that she was unaccepting of Ash's support for a good deal of the book, I must acknowledge that it takes place over a two week period. That's fast, especially for an avoider such as Madeline. So a little leeway, but noting that he was much more likable than she.

Lastly, the ending was very abrupt and felt unfinished. The resolution comes in an epilogue, not in an ending. I felt that Madeline and Ash deserved an ending, not an epilogue.

Overall, a fairly solid entry in the series. Once again, I like Winfree's voice, her storytelling, her ability to draw me in. But this book felt less like the Madeline and Ash story, and more like the Tick and Cait story. And they already had their book. So I'd like to move forward. Looking ahead to the next entry.

Re-read Challenge: England's Perfect Hero by Suzanne Enoch

A Hero in Disguise...

With her two best friends happily married, Lucinda Barrett realizes she can no longer put off her lessons in love. The rogue she hopes to educate must be someone who will keep her life steady and uneventful - and that someone is definitely not Robert Carroway! The handsome, brooding war hero is far too complicated, and he shuns London society and its "trivialities." Still, it is a pleasant surprise when Robert offers to assist Lucinda in her mission to reform and wed a more suitable nobleman. Now if only she can resist the sensuous allure of Robert's astoundingly blue eyes - and his intense fire that leaves her breathless. Lucinda wants a husband, not a passionate, irresistible lover who could shake her world with one deep, lingering kiss. And her heart is telling her that this man could be the most dangerous, disastrous... and exhilarating love she will ever know.
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I think I've reviewed this twice already on the blog, LOL. This book is one of my comfort reads. Third in Enoch's famed Lessons in Love trilogy, this one is my favorite. Many claim Saint to be one of their favorite heroes (from book 2), but I love Bit.

I seem to gravitate toward books with main characters who suffer from PTSD. Don't know why. If you read my re-read review for He Said Yes, I linked to my original review for the series, where book 3 - He Said Now, has a fabulous PTSD hero. Read that one, too.

Anyway, back to this book. England's Perfect Hero has an amazing hero. 3 years after his return from the war with France and his experience as a POW, he is the poster boy for PTSD. He still cowers in the corner of his room. He still rocks back and forth on the floor, lost in his own world, losing hours at a time. 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. With each look into Robert's psyche, I can't help but fall for him; want to heal him, help him, just plain make him feel less hurt.

Enter Lucinda. Bit overhears his sister-in-law (heroine of book 1) and her friends discussing their lessons. He runs into Lucinda and asks who she's chosen for her lessons. Somehow, he manages to interact with her. He manages to feel somewhat human around her. And he craves more of it. He offers to help her with her lessons.

Lucinda gradually draws Bit out of his shell, little by little. In an honest portrayal, Enoch gives him major setbacks, major phobias, major paranoias. But he wants to be there for Lucinda.

In return, she grows to learn that there is more to life than just looking for a man. Than living for the next ball or party. She grows into what Bit needs, and wants to be what he needs.

The book, while focusing on Bit and Lucinda, also shows the entire Carroway clan, and how PTSD can affect an entire family. All the way from Viscount Dare (hero of book 1) to 10 year old Edward. The book portrays a close-knit family that rallies around one another to support and love. It's always great to see close families, especially in historicals where there is often so much strife among families.

The only thing I could do without in this book is a suspensy back story of someone trying to discredit Robert. Thankfully, this is short-lived, and it does serve a purpose in getting Robert out into society a little faster than he might have done otherwise. (This is obviously a current pet peeve of mine, LOL)

I love this book. Still. I love that Robert is always confronting his fear in order to face each day. Sometimes a success, sometimes a dismal failure. Lucinda is unfailingly devoted to him and to their friendship first, then to their love. I like that even as they accept their love and announce it, they acknowledge to each other the long road ahead. Knowing that this may be as good as it gets, that Robert may never be "whole", but that Lucinda makes him feel as whole as he can be.

Robert is an amazingly drawn character. Sometimes full of self-pity and self-doubt. Sometimes accepting of his situation. Sometimes wanting to better it. Sometimes strong, sometimes stoic. Always immensely human. You want to cry when he stumbles back into his corner, and pump your fist in the air with each small step out of his room. It's definitely his story. Lucinda is along for the ride, although she does her share of growing, as noted above.

Still one of my all-time favorites. Still on my keeper shelf (as is the entire trilogy).

Love at First Flight by Marie Force

What if the guy in the airplane seat next to you turned out to be the love of your life?

Juliana, happy in her career as a hair stylist, is on her way to visit her boyfriend of ten years who's working out of state. She's wondering why they're not engaged yet. Michael is going to his fiance's parents' home for an engagement party he doesn't want. A states' prosecutor, he's about to try the biggest case of his career, he hates the distraction, and he's having doubts about the relationship.

They sit together on the plane, and discover they're on the same flight coming back. When the weekend is a disaster for each of them, they bond on the plane ride home. But life is full of complications, including their exes, who don't want to let go, and when Michael's trial turns dangerous, the two must confront what they value most in life...
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I must confess up front that I had serious issues with this book. It hit a personal hot button with me - completely unexpectedly. And as I write this review, I have no idea if it will turn out to be favorable or not. I can say that I picked up this book because I loved Force's first book, Line of Scrimmage. I read Barbara's wonderful review of this book, and having just finished a love triangle book (A Hint of Wicked), wasn't sure I wanted to read another. The love triangle isn't what tripped my switch, though. Completely personal issue - I'm sure it won't have this effect on anyone else. And a warning that this review may border on TMI.

Turns out that Juliana's live-in boyfriend of 10 years is wondering what it would be like to have sex with another woman. They've been together since they were 17, and have never been with anyone else. She, on the other hand, has never had thoughts like this (until she sees Michael on the plane, but she isn't really ready to admit this to herself yet). There in a nutshell was my problem with the book. As soon as I read that scene, I wondered all the way through the rest of the book... is my own husband having those kind of thoughts? Our situation is very similar. Together since 18, now in our 40s. Never with anyone else. And although we have a very happy, healthy sex life, what if he is wondering? So I read the entire book with this feeling of dread and trepidation. And 2 days later, still find myself looking at him with a speculative gleam in my eye. Crazy.

Having said that, Force handles a delicate, sad, and no-win situation with grace and style. Neither one of these men is a villain - they both serve a very important purpose to Juliana. All four characters are flawed. None of them is perfect, although Michael sure seems to come pretty close. And that in itself is a red flag, isn't it? Still, he shows his impatience with his fiancee and then relief when the relationship of four years simply ends. So maybe not perfect. Juliana is a bit wishy-washy. She "takes a break" from Jeremy, then pretty much hops into bed with Michael, and then is unwilling to fully commit to him - still keeping the possibility of Jeremy dangling in front of him.

Jeremy, aside from the cardinal sin of admitting he thought about what it might be like with another woman, is the perfect guy, and goes completely out of his way to show Juliana how much she means to him. The only one who appears to be completely able to be written off is Michael's fiancee Paige, and even she is saved from true villain status through Michael's flashbacks of their courtship and his memories of how much he loved her.

I thought that through the entire book, Michael was far too understanding of Juliana's need to keep Jeremy hanging on a string. SPOILER*** Even after she and Jeremy broke up, all he said was I'll wait for you forever. Then he waited an entire year for her without complaint. Srsly - too good to be true. But in its own way, sighworthy. ***/SPOILER I would have liked to have seen him at least once attempt to force her to make a decision.

So, I guess that even with my personal issues aside, there were still things with this book that gave me pause. However, what a tough topic to tackle without making Juliana seem like a ho, Jeremy seem like a jerk, or Michael seem like a pushover. Even Paige didn't seem like such a bitch at the end. Well done. So next time, Ms Force, can you do it without pushing my own personal buttons? Hmmm?

Year of the Category: Major Westhaven's Unwilling Ward

This is my June entry for Kmont's Year of the Category Challenge.

Major Westhaven's Unwilling Ward by Emily Bascom
Lily is horrified to learn her late brother has placed her under the guardianship of brooding Major Daniel Westhaven! He's insufferably rude and arrogant, and clearly disapproves of her—so why does Lily find herself longing for his touch?

Battle-scarred Daniel wants nothing to do with society, and intends to swiftly fulfill his promise and find troublesome Lily a husband. Only, she brings light into his dark life—and his even darker heart. But surely a beauty like Lily would never choose a beast like him…
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This Harlequin Historical takes place in Post-Revolutionary War England. Lily's brother died in the war and left her guardianship to his superior officer and good friend Daniel Westhaven. Because Daniel himself is severely injured in the war, he cannot seek guardianship immediately, and Lily becomes destitute over the course of the next year. When they do finally meet, Lily is still so heartbroken when her brother is discussed that she rebuffs all discussion of him, leading Daniel to believe that she is nothing like her wonderful brother, didn't truly care deeply for him, and cares only for dancing and parties. In truth, much to her dismay, she has realized that she must find a husband and puts on a front at all the parties in order to attract a husband she really doesn't want. They obviously get off on the wrong foot, and each resents the other.

Thankfully, this misunderstanding is cleared up fairly quickly, and what we are left with is a simmering attraction to one another that Daniel is unwilling to act upon (with the exception of the few times he acts upon it - oops).

Overall, I found both Daniel and Lily to be likable characters. Daniel was obviously suffering emotionally far more than physically. Although he had come a long way in his recovery from his amputation, he hid it well, and was unwilling to allow Lily to see him as anything less than a "whole" man, which is obviously how he viewed himself. Lily was a strong character who, once she realized she wanted to be with Daniel, went out of her way to show him how great she thought he was.

I would have been happier had this book not contained a silly kidnapping plot. Why must authors persist in adding suspense when a simple (or not so simple) conflict works just as well? A rival for Lily's hand, Denham would have served just as well had he been a nasty rival rather than kidnapping her and forcing Daniel to kill him. Unless it serves to seriously forward the story (and here I don't feel like it did), I really wish that authors would just forego the kidnappings in otherwise non-suspense books. KThx.

Kidnapping aside, the best scenes are the ones where Daniel is forced to confront his own behavior and feelings, either with his longtime butler or with Lily. The scene where he finally reveals his amputation to her with tears in his eyes was very beautifully done.

I liked the author's voice, the characters, and the overall story. I could have done without the villain. I'd definitely read another book by Bascom, assuming it didn't contain another kidnapping plot to muck up the otherwise terrific book.

Book Watch!

Particularly exciting for me because Virtually His was one of only a handful of my WOW reads in 2007. I was floored, if memory serves.

So obviously, I cannot wait for this one:


VIRTUALLY HERS will be coming out as an ebook through Samhain on Oct. 6, 2009. It'll come out as a print book mid 2010.

Note: I was unable to find mention of this title yet at http://www.samhainpublishing.com/. Consequently, I'm not sure if this book cover is THE cover.

The Redemption of Micah by Beth Williamson

Beth Williamson is holding a countdown to the release of this book on her blog. And giving away a copy each day. Go on over - good luck!

Up front: one of the things that we frequently do as readers of romance is to suspend disbelief. I found that I needed to do that in order to accept the main premise of this book – that of a woman waking up after 3 years comatose and, though weak and somewhat wasted, still being able to have full use of her muscles. I had to believe she could have gestated and given birth successfully to a healthy baby while comatose. All in the 1800s. I was happy to do so, fully trusting Beth Williamson to take me on an emotional journey with my hero and heroine.

The premise:
While I don’t usually advocate reading series in order (you know I usually don’t care if I do or not), I highly recommend reading The Education of Madeline before this book. Why? Continuity. It gives a feeling for who Eppie is, because I never truly got a sense of that from this book. Granted – it’s one of the reasons I rarely read amnesia books. It’s very difficult to gain an understanding of the character when they, themselves, don’t really know who they are. Here’s what I had to say about Eppie in my review of The Education of Madeline: "Also terrific are the two main secondary characters, Eppie, Madeline's mulatto best friend and housekeeper, and Micah, a Rebel soldier. Eppie has a fantastic mouth on her, and a wonderful sense of humor, and her outrage in certain situations is almost comical. Micah has his own demons to slay."

In writing characters with amnesia, I imagine the hardest thing to do is to keep them true to their real character while still letting them evolve into who they’ve become. Eppie is still outspoken, although understandably more hesitant, but seems to have lost most of that wonderful sense of humor. The humor comes from the characters around her, when they all notice that she’s picked up Micah’s accent (presumably from him reading to her while she was comatose). I think it’s difficult to give that person connections with people from their past – especially if they don’t remember them – ding! Light bulb! That’s the huge challenge here. And, I think, a reason why so many people dislike amnesia stories.

Micah:
Where Beth Williamson does excel is in writing tortured heroes. And how. Micah is the epitome of the tortured heroes. His love for Eppie is palpable. You can feel him willing her back to life. Yet you can also feel his despair that she will ever come back to him. His strong sense of urgency and the need to bring his daughter up in a loving, nurturing, good environment shine through. And he is a wonderful father.

As always with Williamson, some of the best scenes with Micah are done with his need for alcohol. I’m sure this was a very common theme with Civil War vets, and his revelations later in the book reveal why he was so haunted. But even before he reveals why, the reader understands that he is so unhappy, so tortured by the war, what he has seen and done, that his only refuge is to forget. Yet the alcohol never really offers him the safe haven he seeks. Williamson excels at this. You want to hold these men and make them all better. Stroke their hair and tell them it will be all right. And make it all right for them. She literally puts you in their head. Perfectly.

Eppie:
I thought she did the same with Eppie. I felt Eppie’s confusion and dismay; her suspicion at discovering she had lost 3 years of her life, discovering she had a daughter, her anger at always being coddled yet unsure herself at the next step to take. All extremely well done. Her feelings for herself and inward. There's a great scene where they are in the bank to sign some papers when all of a sudden Eppie realizes that she isn't sure she knows how to sign her name. She's becoming this confident woman and this moment of insecurity brings home to her that she really isn't a whole person yet - still dependent upon others. It was really well done.

The romance:
The only part I felt was lacking in any way was the romance, and I think that Williamson wrote this about as well as it could have been done without writing adding an additional 1-200 pages more. When one is trying to recreate the relationship on a shared past that the other doesn’t remember, it makes for an awkward coming together, and that is how I felt that this romance was. Awkward. They said and did all the right things, but I never truly felt the strong bond and connection that I so wanted to feel. It’s the trope – amnesia storylines simply don’t lend themselves well to strong connections, IMO. Especially with past lovers/family/acquaintances – when the victim doesn’t ever truly remember them.

There are flashes in the book where Eppie remembers feelings and she always feels like her body remembers Micah, which makes her uncomfortable – those were very well done.

They also grow to accept each other in a new light – a must for any relationship to grow and not remain stagnant. When Micah reveals himself and his past to Eppie, she had already admitted to herself that she loved him, but she now needed to fully accept him. On a new level. It brought their relationship completely to a new plane – where it had never been in the past, and with that, Williamson moved them fully forward.

Their family:
They have a daughter. A precocious almost 3 year old. With a very advanced vocabulary, who has incredible insight. One might think this virtually impossible, but having had a child myself who spoke in full paragraphs at 18 months, this was possibly the most believable part of the story to me, LOL. Miracle was adorable, but I did find myself wanting her to throw a tantrum or two, LOL. I liked that Eppie was uncomfortable, unwilling to call herself Mama, and took a long time to feel maternal. It made it feel more real, especially given that Eppie was only 21 herself. I liked the resolution for them.

The suspense:
There’s always an element of suspense in Williamson’s stories, as if the emotion isn’t enough to wring you out. This involved a kidnapping of Miracle – the premise of which was actually believable given the time frame for the story. The resolution of this was sad, but thankfully, quick. And solidified the relationship for Micah and Eppie.

Final thoughts:
So, what I loved was the characters themselves. I thought, unfortunately, that the romance was the weakest part of the book. But I still recommend this book without reservation. Highly emotional (as I knew it would be), and beautifully written. The premise IMO, is what held the romance back, as opposed to the writing, the characters themselves, or the author's voice. Another 1-200 pages, and I think it could have been done.

The next book:
Micah’s sister, Sarah, was introduced at the tail end of the book and in Micah's revelations to Eppie as to why he is so tortured. Just from the small bits we learn about her, she seems like she’ll be a really interesting heroine. I have no idea who she’ll be paired with, but I’m hoping it’s Daniel – the sheriff.

Buy The Redemption of Micah here.
Buy The Education of Madeline here.

Instant Gratification by Jill Shalvis

Courtesy of JillShalvis.com:
THE DOCTOR IS IN DEEP

Wishful, California, is 3000 miles from Dr. Emma Sinclair’s last job in a New York City ER. It may as well be another galaxy. Here, running her father’s clinic for a summer, Emma treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. Plus, she has to contend with patients like Stone Wilder: gorgeous, laid-back, and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. A lot. And Emma loathes him. All except that tiny part of her that wants to throw him on her examining table and break every doctor-patient rule in the book…

When Stone tries to help Emma learn to loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. Not a mind-blowing affair that shakes them both to the core. Emma’s sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here, in this town, in his life. And convincing this strong-minded, stubborn, sexy woman of that fact will be a challenge no Wilder man could resist…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jill Shalvis had me at hello with this book. The opening scene is so good that you can't help but read on. It's funny as hell, it's witty, it's charismatic, there's sexual tension, there's sibling camaraderie and teasing (and how!) - all of my favorite things. By the end of that first scene, you know that Stone and Emma have this bantery, high-schooly, "I don't like you" (but I really like you) relationship going. And that Stone is deathly afraid of needles, LOL. An ongoing gag throughout.

Soon thereafter, they are together again, helping another character give birth. I have to quote. Shalvis writes the best out there. Humor mixed with the true emotion underlying,. Gets right to the heart of the character underneath. Jen always likes to talk about the adolescent humor brought out by Brockmann, Janzen and others. IMO, Shalvis is right up there with them.

(all quotes © Jill Shalvis)

"Guys." This was from Emma. "Come here."

TJ swiveled his head toward Stone in sharp panic. "She can’t make me."

Emma pulled on a pair of medical gloves. "I’m going to need one of you to strap on your big boy pants and man up. I need another set of hands."

One minute Stone was standing there thinking ‘fuck no’, and in the next, TJ ever so helpfully gave him a shove towards her.

Emma looked up and locked gazes with him, nodding her thanks.

Ah, hell. He wouldn’t have walked away from a stranger in need, and he wouldn’t walk away from this. Funny how he’d always thought he’d done it all in his thirty-two years, but as it turned out he hadn’t, and though he knew next to nothing about birthing a baby, he knew two things. One, it was going to be damned messy, and two, intimate.<>Right here. All you have to do is push and it’ll be over and you’ll be able to hold your baby."

"My baby," Lilah repeated weakly, sweat running down her temples.

"That’s right," Emma said firmly, hair falling loose, her clothes smeared with blood and her own sweat, kneeling on the blanket out in the wilderness that Stone knew she wasn’t too fond of.
It was fascinating to him. She was fascinating to him, and elegant and sophisticated, and so not the priss he’d thought. Not anywhere close.

"Your baby," Emma reminded Lilah. "There’s a big prize at the end of this hell, and it’s your beautiful baby. Now let’s do this."

Stone watched amazed as Lilah let out a breath, stopped crying and nodded. "Okay," she said. "Let’s do this."

It boggled Stone’s mind. Emma hadn’t coddled. It certainly wasn’t in her nature to be particularly sweet or gentle in her firm determination either, but she was undoubtedly extremely, undeniably kind as she bull-dogged through and got her way.

Right then and there, Stone felt a little catch in his gut. Not a crush, not exactly, but something that might be worse.

Far worse. Well this is going to be damned inconvenient.

.....

Oh, Jesus. He saw blood and gore, and female parts stretched to limits that boggled his mind and made him want to beg for forgiveness for his entire race.

The screaming echoed in his head, which suddenly felt detached from his body, and if he’d been standing, he’d be flat on his ass by now, but he had Lilah squeezing the holy hell out of him, keeping him conscious--
"I’ve got her!" Emma said in triumph. She came up on her knees, cradling her bundle in a towel, vigorously drying the baby and suctioning the nose and mouth at the same time. She expertly swapped out the wet towel for a dry one as the baby began to wail. "A gorgeous baby girl," she declared, and set her on Lilah’s belly.
The baby squawked and let out a gusty cry.

Stone stared down at the sticky, gooped up baby in shocked awe.

A living, breathing person.

Emma was evaluating the baby for color, respirations, muscle movement, anything unusual as she clamped the umbilical cord, and then turned her attention to the placenta, while Stone’s head just spun.

It was truly the most amazing thing he’d ever seen, and he lifted his gaze to Emma and found her already looking at him, her eyes suspiciously bright and misty.

And then she did something totally unexpected. She smiled at him.

Yeah, she was tough as nails and cynical and blunt. And sometimes just a little mean.

And she cried over a newborn.

I just love, number one – the description of Stone’s reaction to Lilah giving birth. Made me laugh my ass off, as one who’s been there. But the emotion afterward. The way she's written it, with the paragraph breaks. The independent thoughts, one after the other. So perfect. You can just feel him falling for her. Right then. You know he’s a goner.

Jill Shalvis is a go-to author for me. She always delivers smart, sexy contemporaries with humor, sensitive but strong heroes and heroines and a delightful afternoon of reading. I never close a Shalvis book disappointed.

Instant Gratification is book 2 in a 3-part series about the Wilder brothers.
Instant Attraction
Instant Gratification
Instant Temptation (2010)

May Reading List - Jennifer B

I did read books in May, LOL.

And I did not lose my reviewing mojo, laughing some more.

I was just too damned busy to pen and post my reviews. Or chat the books up via comments, chat or email.

Parenting, the day job--coordinator of all things great and small. Doing my damnedest to live in every cherished moment. That's me (and you, right?). Perhaps we all need that second, smaller persona like Carolyn Jean, LOL. Miniature subversions of ourselves that encapsulate our womanly and reader selves--in all their deviant beauty. Ok, cracking (only) myself up now, so I'll move on.

Let's see, a total of seven books (plus two DNFs) for May. Look at me go.

One Deadly Sin by Annie Solomon
Surprisingly good characterization here. A surprise to me only because I hadn't read Solomon before now. Although Blackout has been on my TBR list for years, this was my first Solomon title. An impulse buy and worthy of the money spent. Between pace and character depth, this one kept me turning pages. The heroine stands out (in memory now) as unique, well-drawn, captivating. Not like anyone I've ever known but, through Solomon's words, I came to know her. Really well done. The hero essentially filled his role, but leaned a bit to the oblivious side, IMO. I thought he should have been sharper, smarter than he was. And I think Solomon meant for him to be; he had a few glinty moments, but she just never got back to filling him in. Know what I mean?

The Waterfall by Carla Neggers
One Deadly Sin put me in the mood for contemporary / suspense, so I plucked The Waterfall from my TBR stack. Neggers is a sure thing for me and this selection was fairly good. The romance--secondary to the suspense--was assumed for the most part. That was the only thing I didn't like--it budded somewhere in their prior history, but Neggers failed to share enough of that with the reader to make it convincing. Her setting, cast and plot made up for it though.

It Must Be Love by Rachel Gibson
Still in the mood for contemporary, I pulled this from my TBR stack next. Perfect Rachel Gibson fare. I enjoyed every single word. Although not as overt, Gibson provides the same male appreciation for all things feminine that Janzen does (in her Steele Street series). I love that. Seriously, what could be better than a hero who covets every inch of you, inside and out? Probably the reason I love John Mayer's "Your Body Is A Wonderland" so much. That's a damned sexy song.

Beat Of Temptation by Nalini Singh
Another chapter in Singh's Psy-Changeling series, from an anthology titled An Enchanted Season. Singh's alpha, alpha, alpha heroes continue to seduce. No question. They fit a mold, yes. But, unlike Ward's vamps or Lora Leigh's assorted dominants, Singh's Changelings have not grown tiresome or graduated to overbearing. Nor has the fated mate thing. How does she do it? I'm not entirely sure, but I can point to at least one thing--the inherent gentleness she gives every one of them. For me, nothing seduces more than Singh's perfect balance of possess and cherish.

Stroke Of Enticement by Nalini Singh
This Psy-Changeling installment appeared in The Magical Christmas Cat anthology. And like every other installment in this unique and fabulous series, it succeeded. I dug it. AND, can now say I'm all caught up. On this series at least.

Halfway To The Grave by Jeaniene Frost
This one has been on my TBR list for quite a long time. Blogger buzz put it there and I just knew it would be another gem in my reading experience. Unfortunately, it ended up a slow read for me. Solid, but not the impact I expected. Couple of reasons I think. First, it felt too young for me. I'm in no way looking for older characters as I age myself. But, I may be partial to characters with a bit more post-teen years experiences. Frost's heroine had depth and well-earned grit, don't get me wrong. But I kept seeing the girl more often than the woman. Second, I worried (initially) that her hero would not get the girl in this installment. I wondered at his role, his intentions and that distracted me. Still, I finished it (in weeks, not days) and ordered the second book from my library. It's here now and I guess the true test will be whether I pick it up or not.

Vision In White by Nora Roberts
Good. Solid Nora Roberts contemporary. Another beta hero that endears. With, of course, that primitive side that sucker-punches the closet BDSM's in us, LOL. Just the romance here--nothing else to distract. Well, almost nothing. That whole wedding planner setting thing had its own ego. Not as overwhelming as that gardening tutorial couple years back, but big enough to be called its own character. A pretty interesting (photography stuff was cool) and only mildly offensive character (its offensiveness rated only by your particular feelings about this industry). I'll keep reading this quartet.

Swing by Opal Carew (DNF)
KarenS recommended this one eons ago; she said it was solid erotic romance without the need for a shower afterwards (or something along those lines). And yeah, the sexcrobatics were stimulating (like Karen said, in a clean way, LOL). But the story? Weak. Too weak for me to continue. I tried for two months to finish it and just couldn't do it. (I need to post on this elsewhere--on the overall failure--for me--of erotic romance.)

The Pursuit by Karen Robards (DNF)
Shake your heads in disbelief folks, this one was a DNF for me after getting more than two thirds of the way in. It wasn't awful. It was just stiff. Plenty of action, not so much character. This far into the book and I didn't know or care about either the hero or the heroine. So, in a rare moment of clarity, I picked the book up, realized it was doing pretty much nothing for me and put it in my bag to return the library. My inner anal self could never have done that one or two years ago. Especially after having read so far into it. And still not knowing the whodunit. But now? I just couldn't be bothered. I get that way about painting my toenails sometimes.

2009 Reading Resolutions...update:

1) Read almost strictly from my TBR list (not stack, list). Read from both here--the list and the stack.

2) Read at least one shiny new release a month. Check. (Nora's Vision In White)

3) Catch up--right up--to the new releases in each of my favorite series. Well, I succeeded in catching completely up with Singh's Psy-Changeling series. However, I still couldn't get into Snyder's Fire Study. Nor did I manage to read the second in Raybourn's series. Went to the trouble of ordering it through my library, then renewing it and STILL ended up returning it unread. Another I-never-do-that moment for me. Ah well.

A totally spoliery discussion on A Hint of Wicked

If you haven't read A Hint of Wicked, star this post in your reader and come back after you've read it. I really want to know what you thought.

This post will be full of spoilers, and I expect the comments to be as well. It was torture writing my review of this book without giving away the farm, and I imagine others had the same problem. So I thought that I'd write up what I really thought about the characters, where their strengths and weaknesses were, how I thought it could have worked out differently, and why I thought I knew the outcome. And let me hear your thoughts on it, too. Please!!!

OK, here goes.

The choice:

How did I have a feeling that Tristan would be Sophie's choice? Well, throughout the book, Sophie continually thought about how much she missed Tristan. When they were in a room together, the sparks flew. They couldn't keep their hands off one another. They literally pined for one another. When Sophie was back with Garrett, the only real reference to sex after their first love scene was that she was in his bed every night. The relationship she had with Garrett was that of a child and young adult - of shared childhoods and coming of age. Her relationship with Tristan, while they shared a childhood as well, was an adult one, and I think that also made a huge difference. Who did you think/hope she'd choose and why?

Characterization:
I thought that Haymore waited too long to let us see into Garrett. He was too antagonistic for too long IMO to be the true hero for Sophie. We heard via Fisk what happened to him, but he was still so mean and angry. It wasn't until far later that there was any hint of any wrongdoing and that there might be something else going on other than Garrett's anger. Locking them in their rooms and restricting their movements also didn't endear him to me (or to Sophie, I imagine). That, I think, may have served to prejudice many readers against a Sophie/Garrett pairing. What say you?

OTOH, some may have viewed Tristan as too good to be true. I didn't, simply because of his alpha tendencies and stubbornness - he was determined to go forward with challenging the original marriage even while Sophie was trying to make up her own mind. Otherwise, he really was too good to be true.

The villain:
I thought that this was too much for the intimacy of the story. I think that it could have been done in a subtler way and still have worked very well. But as I said in my review of the book, I think that it began to feel too cliched for such an original story. How about you?

The sex:
Great. What else is there to say? OK, there is more. The opening scene? Having Garrett pull Tristan off of Sophie just as he's about to come, while she's naked and tied up? Wow. And having all the servants see it? Double wow. I love their (Sophie/Tristan) sexual relationship. It felt real to me. I think that Haymore couldn't really give us too much more of Sophie and Garrett in bed without spoiling a Sophie/Tristan ending. How about you?

The end:
Well, it was certainly different not to have Fisk all wrapped up and Rebecca ruined, but saved. And the teaser for A Touch of Scandal? Having Fisk's sister be Garrett's heroine? Wow. I never would have seen that coming.

What did you think about Sophie's choice? Happy about it? Were you sure she's make that choice? I was pretty sure about it, given the clues I mentioned above, but there was always a shadow of a doubt.


OK - your turn. Spill your thoughts. Please. I'm dying to have a real conversation about this book!

*NB: Every time I write "Sophie's choice", I picture Meryl Streep. Just wrong for this book, LOL!

A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore

CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE…

Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his best friend and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul…until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands—and his wife.

TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS…

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game—where the stakes are not only love…but life and death.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I posted about how much I loved this book over at Let's Gab. And yes indeedy, I surely did. Many have said that The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie is their favorite book of the year, and I would argue that this book is better - for me anyway. I think it's tighter and more gripping. Normally, love triangles aren't really my thing. I like to see a book evolve and grow around the hero and heroine's love for one another. Here, we have Sophie, Tristan, and Garrett, all of whom already share a love together. Combine that with Tristan and Garrett being best friends, cousins, and Tristan being Garrett's heir, and it's even more intimate.

This book has been reviewed to death, so I'll just get straight to what I liked and what I didn't.

First, I really liked that Haymore was willing, in a "traditional" regency, to venture into the forbidden. Sophie loves these two men if not equally, then both very strongly, and has sex with them both willingly. Not at the same time, and she is not switching from one to the other on a nightly basis - I need to make that point... Anyway, I also liked that she fantasized about having them both together - very graphically, I might add - and realized that it was her fantasy, that it could never come to fruition, given both the personalities of the men and her position in life as a duchess.

I liked Garrett's flashbacks at first - felt they were likely appropriate for a man who battled and was injured at Waterloo. Haymore didn't shy away from the stress and PTSD that men suffer after such a horrific battle (Vietnam anyone?). I liked that as the flashbacks and hallucinations became more vivid, intense, and frequent, both Sophie and Tristan refused to believe that they were caused by madness. That endeared Tristan to me in a way that I wouldn't have felt had he used it to win Sophie away from Garrett. Tristan truly loved Garrett, and when push came to shove, although he was angry and hurt, Garrett also truly loved Tristan.

I liked that Sophie acknowledged her growth and the difference in her relationships with the two men, while noting the strengths in each of them as well. She didn't waffle between them because she was indecisive or tentative; she truly loved both men. And while she knew that she wanted them both, she also knew that she would have to choose. She didn't want to hurt anyone, and truly didn't know with whom she would stay.

I liked Haymore's writing voice. The prose was appropriate for the time period, and the sex scenes were graphic but not vulgar. Characterization was spot on, although I felt it was strongest for Garrett when we learned of him through Sophie and Tristan's memories, simply because he was so caught up in either anger or hallucination for much of the book that we really don't get a real glimpse of the person he has become over the last 8 years except in small bits and pieces. There are some sections where he ruminates in some confusion on how his life was the last several years compared to how he thinks he is expected to behave. These gave me tremendous insight into the man that Garrett likely was, and the man that he had become. I think otherwise, there would be no question for readers as to whom they want Sophie to end up with, nor would there be for Sophie either.

What I didn't like as much was the emphasis placed on the villain and the set-up for the ending of the book. Although I realize now that it sets up the next book (the "loser's" story), I felt that it took a bit away from the focus on the intensity of the relationships at hand. Perhaps Haymore was after a little relief from that intensity, but the emotionality of the book was broken for me in those few moments. They seemed too cliched for what is otherwise a unique, gripping, emotional, intense love story.

The end... I thought I could guess who Sophie would choose, but I was always left feeling some doubt. What if she didn't choose who I thought she should end up with? In the end, she did choose the man I wanted, but I was, indeed, left with a feeling of sadness and loss for the one left out, and praying that in the next book that they can all reconcile and become the best of friends once more. (They reconciled one on one, but not all together, and I felt that loss keenly.)

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to A Touch of Scandal - the next book from Haymore, and the story of the man not chosen. It's not due out until early 2010. For those feeling withdrawal, Haymore also writes as Dawn Halliday, and has 2 Highlander books book due out - one in August and an anthology coming out in November.

Buy A Hint of Wicked here. Read about Dawn Halliday's upcoming books here.

Hot in Here by Sophie Renwick

She wasn't his dish-until someone turned up the heat.

Celebrity chef and infamous ladies man Bryce Ryder can't believe the thoughts he's having about his old friend Jenna McCabe. She's always been the shy girl-next-door, but when some bad publicity threatens everything he's built, Jenna gets down to business-and shows a side of herself that is take-charge and totally irresistible.

Soon things are heating up in and out of the kitchen-and all of Jenna's secret fantasies about Bryce start coming true. But will she be the one to tame his heart, or is the sexy chef just indulging another one of his cravings?

This contemporary by Sophie Renwick (aka historical author Charlotte Featherstone) was really enjoyable. It's a friends to lovers story - one of my favorite themes. Jenna and Bryce have been best friends for 10 years. She's a PR/marketing wizard and he's a renowned chef. Jenna's been in love with Bryce for years. Via dialogue and Jenna's inner thoughts, we get the impression that Bryce is a man-slut. In a dinner meeting together designed to come up with a strategy to clean up Bryce's image, all of a sudden he notices Jenna in a completely different light. The rest of the book is their love story. Their very hot love story.

I liked a lot of things about this book. First, Jenna is portrayed as a "regular" woman. Not skinny, but not fat. She has a few rolls that she'd rather not have (don't we all?). Bryce, when seeing her in this new light, only sees how wonderful it is that she loves and enjoys the meals and treats that he cooks for her. A man after my own heart :) Jenna's weight was not an issue in this book. I forget who blogged about this (was it Wendy?), but she wanted to see a regular woman (ok, she said plus size, but still) where that wasn't the source of the conflict. This is it.

There was plenty of hot, creative, inventive sex in this book - much of it revolving around food. I do have to admit to it feeding some fantasies, LOL. But I never truly felt like the sex was gratuitous. It felt as if it forwarded the relationship.

I liked Bryce a bit better than Jenna only in that once he recognized his feelings, he went with them whole hog. Jenna, afraid to believe that Bryce would commit, seemed to commit and then backed away at the slightest misunderstanding. And that was where I felt the book had its biggest flaw.

The first big misunderstanding, the misunderstood email, was handled well. Jenna made Bryce work at winning her back. My heart broke for them both as they struggled to find a way back together. However, once that was resolved, there were more misunderstandings, and each time, Jenna was filled with mistrust for the man who had been her best friend for years and years. I felt like #1 - there were too many misunderstandings, and #2 - Bryce should have gotten pissed off at Jenna for not trusting in him, rather than begging her to take him back each time.

There was also a secondary storyline between Jenna's sister and Bryce's brother (they all grew up together).

I did want to throw it against the wall at the end with all the misunderstandings. Lots of people have posted about the "Misunderstanding", and it's the one area that I think many authors could improve. Please do not overdo the misunderstanding. Once it's resolved, don't continually wring pages out of your book by throwing in more misunderstandings. This book would have been better served, IMO, by having Sophie and Bryce work together to save her parents farm at the end than to have more misunderstandings and mistrust between the two of them. I felt enough was enough. /rant

It sounds as if I didn't like thebook, when in fact, I really enjoyed most of it. It's the last 30 or 40 pages that are frought with misunderstanding could have been better done, but the rest of it was very well written, and the love story, particularly their interlude in Italy, was beautifully told.

I would recommend this book, as long as you are forewarned that the end is not quite as tightly written and well done as the rest. However, hot sex, hot hero, big love, and great food. Yup. Me like.

Oh, and Sophie Renwick also has a Highlander holiday anthology coming out with Cindy Miles and Dawn Halliday in November. Yum. I love Cindy Miles' highlanders, and I've read one book by Dawn Halliday and really enjoyed it, so I'm looking forward to that!

Year of the Category: His Substitute Bride by Elizabeth Lane

Annie never stopped loving Quint Seavers—not even after he fathered her sister Hannah’s child. Now Hannah is married to Quint’s brother Judd, and their little girl Clara is six years old. When Quint invites Annie to bring Clara to San Francisco for a visit, she jumps at the chance. Maybe after this trip she’ll be able to put Quint behind her and accept the wealthy man who wants her as his wife.

Quint always thought of Annie as Hannah’s kid sister. Now Annie has grown into a beautiful, spirited, woman—a woman made for his arms and his bed. But when danger demands the ultimate sacrifice, will their newfound love survive?

This book is the follow-up to The Borrowed Bride, which I positively loved. This is the story of the brother who lost out on the bride - Quint, and the sister of the bride, Annie.

It's set in 1906 San Fransisco right at the time of the earthquake. Annie brings her niece to San Francisco to visit her 'uncle' (really, Quint is the little girl's father - read The Borrowed Bride for details). Annie has been in love with Quint forever, and he always thought of her as his girlfriend's little sister. Well lo and behold, Annie is all grown up and Quint is taken aback by his feelings for her.

Parts of this book were really well done. I did like the romance between Annie and Quint. I would have liked it if the book had concentrated on that. Instead, we are treated to a suspense plot in which the little girl is kidnapped, and Annie and Quint fall in love while searching for her. He's a pretty selfish guy - out for the story. Even as the earthquake has hit, and Annie is trying to get herself and Quint's daughter out of San Francisco, he stays behind rather than get them out safely because it's his job to report on the earthquake. Right after they make love for the first time, he taking her virginity, he gets up and goes off. Quint was fairly immature and self-centered. In fact, even as they are marrying, Annie ruminates, "Marriage to Quint wouldn't be easy. Annie had come to accept that." Not something I'd want to be thinking on my wedding day.

So, while I did like portions of this Harlequin Historical, it was nowhere near as good or as emotionally deep and satisfying as its predecessor.

Re-read Challenge: Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas

Bow Street runner Nick Gentry is a complex man with a dark and tortured history, and beautiful Charlotte Howard is a woman running from her past. Neither Nick or Charlotte are wholly what they seem, for each have secrets too painful to reveal, and each has chosen to hide behind a false identity. Once they’re drawn into each other’s worlds, they’re forced to face difficult truths and are compelled to acknowledge the passion that burns between them. For Charlotte, "the challenge of taming him, matching his powerful will with her own, was too tempting to resist." For Nick, "if he could not have her, this endless feeling of being hungry, unsatisfied, cold, would never leave him." But will their love be enough to defeat the obsessed nobleman who covets Charlotte and the thirst for danger that tempts Nick, or is their future together doomed by the pain of their past?

So, I can't remember how long ago it was that I first read this book. What I can remember is that Nick had me at hello. He is such a perfect tortured hero - and Lottie is his absolute perfect mate.

When we first meet Nick, he is the virgin hero; unable to be touched and unable to connect sexually with anyone. He learns in the bed of Gemma Bradshaw, Kleypas' standby madam. I fell hard for him during his first encounter with Gemma - his feelings and emotions were so intense.

When we next meet him, he is on the hunt for Lottie, and from the moment they meet you know they are meant for one another. Nick falls like a ton of bricks, and to watch him deal with the emotions of that while still trying to deal with the physical aspect of not liking to be touched is so heart-wrenching. You can see their love for each other grow daily. And as Nick comes to realize that he doesn't need his old life - all he needs is Lottie - and his "last thoughts" are of her, well, it's just romance at its finest.

Lottie, in turn, is a fantastic heroine. She is strong in her own right and strong for Nick as well. She helps him through the toughest revelations in his life and supports him through thick and thin while enduring some horrific stuff on her own as well.

I love how both characters grew during the course of the book - a key component. They weren't stagnant. They learned from each other and their love made them strong as a couple, but also strong as individuals. Lottie went from strong in the relationship to a strong individual, and Nick went from a (seemingly) strong individual to strong in the relationship.

Did I like this book as much as the first time I read it? Oh yes. Is this one of the few books on my keeper shelf? Oh yes. If you are one of the few out there who haven't read this one yet, go get it and read it asap. And in the Derek/Nick battle? No battle in my mind. Nick wins hands down. (ducking Kristie's tomatoes)

April Reading List - Jennifer B

Eight books in April--best month so far. Quality was up there too. I started the month raving about Julie James' Just The Sexiest Man Alive and ended it immersed in a bonafied page-turner from Annie Solomon--both new-to-me authors. Yay!

Oh, and my reviewing mojo returned--not yet sure if this is a limited engagement or if it's back for the long haul, but since I was able to review most of my April reads, I'm going to do something a bit different here. I'm going to bullet the books, gab them up for a second, then paste a line from my own review. I'll link the line to the review.

Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James
Fabulous, fabulous read. I can't wait to read her (unrelated) follow-up, Practice Makes Perfect.

"Fucking fabulous because James put dialogue at the wheel and left it there to drive the entire story."

Laird Of The Mist by Paul Quinn
This book reminded me of every Scottish historical I've ever read and loved. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

"Where I thought Garwood may have ruined me for others, Paula Quinn proved otherwise."

Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
Enjoyed myself here too--and I owe it all to a very engaging hero. Interestingly, until I penned my review, I was thinking I'd read and enjoyed the prior two entries in this series. Not so. When I looked back, I learned that Blue-eyed Devil got a meh from me and I'd not even read Sugar Daddy. Plan to rectify that now that the series has turned for me.

"...the hero added measurable portions of the maturity and intelligence I cited earlier. He was the calm assurance, everywhere."

Shattered by JoAnn Ross, DNF
I have loved a number of titles from Ross, but this one was so awful I put it down after 20 pages. It was the writing--sentence after sentence was so convoluted that I couldn't comprehend what I was reading. I literally had to go back and break down sentences, digesting them clause by clause. Beyond awful. Unedited and unrecognizable as Ross's work.

Seraphim by Shelby Reed
With dozens of years of reading under my belt, Shelby Reed remains the only writer to leave me speechless. Her prose alone stirs the senses.

"...my recollection of Seraphim is entirely of the personal conflict--within and between hero and heroine."

Silent In The Grave by Deanna Raybourn
Loved it. Blogger buzz proved true in this instance and I am thoroughly hooked. Already have Silent In The Sanctuary in my library book bag. Also have to mention that I added Raybourn's blog to my reader--and I'm loving that too.

"She seemed to alternate between an active and passive role--in her own life. Artfully done by Raybourn, but difficult to watch for the reader."

A Highlander Never Surrenders by Paula Quinn
See? I had so much fun reading Laird Of The Mist that I danced right to book two. More fun was had. Sadly, Quinn's series ends here (but will pick up with their offspring I guess).

"She knows no fear. Seriously, she was medieval Scotland's version of Eve Dallas. And I loved her."

Two Fab Historicals
Back in 2006, both Loretta Chase and Liz Carlyle were new-to-me authors, both great finds given my love of historical romance. And while I thought I'd ready every title published by both, three remained on my written TBR list. Without 'researching' the titles, I ordered Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase and Never Romance A Rake plus Never Deceive A Duke by Liz Carlyle.

I read Never Romance A Rake in March, then freaked out because I realized the other one came first in that series. Almost turned the other back into the library unread--thinking why bother now? I've already read 'past' that installment, copyright date is near vintage and hell, maybe that phase of my life is over. Afterall, I'm a dark, edgy paranormal gal now.

Fortunately, because I am also obsessive compulsive (or something like that), I am incapable of crossing an item off my TBR list if I have not read it. Actually removing a title from that list would probably require a court order. Seriously, I'm that committed to my list. So...

Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase
One word: hilarious. I was 20-some-odd pages into it, suffering a been-there-done-that sensation, when Chase snagged me with this one line:

"They say he is a little stupid, but she seems to favor him."

This insight was imparted in a debriefing of sorts--where one man was describing the target (a woman) and her admirers (this one a very young, inexperienced prince). I laughed out loud and happily kept reading, laughing all along the way. No question, Chase penned (and continues to pen) the best of the best historical romances out there.

Never Deceive A Duke by Liz Carlyle
A deeply emotional and satisfying read. I'd forgotten how authors like Carlyle (and Chase and Kleypas) manage to create heroes that are as deeply scarred and fragile as they are strong and possessive. Does anyone write men like this anymore? Wow.

All good, eh? Good month. And since I can't keep my eyes open past 10 o'clock, I won't finish One Deadly Sin by Annie Solomon before month's end. It's a page-turner. Characterization proving both deep and nimble (I'll explain later). This will fall under May reads.

A quick glance at my 2009 reading resolutions:

1) Read almost strictly from my TBR list (not stack, list). Check.

2) Read at least one shiny new release a month. Check. (Smooth Talking Stranger was less than a month old.)

3) Catch up--right up--to the new releases in each of my favorite series. Tried. Got Fire Study by Maria Snyder from the library, but couldn't catch its rhythm in the first few pages. Set it aside for May.