Trouble in High Heels, Christina Dodd

Description:

New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd delivers her unique brand of romantic suspense in this smoldering tale of a man who’s not what he seems and a woman who’s all trouble…

Brandi Michaels moved to Chicago to be with her fiancé—only to discover he’d hopped a flight to Vegas to marry his new girlfriend. So she pawns her engagement ring, buys herself a ridiculously expensive pair of shoes, and spends one sultry night in the arms of a gorgeous Italian stranger named Roberto Bartolini, convinced she’s found the perfect revenge…

But when Brandi returns home, she’s shocked to discover that her apartment’s been ransacked and she’s the mark for a killer. Just as troubling, she realizes her new lover is more a stranger than she thought. Finding herself entangled in a web of danger, Brandi has no choice but to turn to Roberto—a man who’s destined to be either her savior or her downfall. But one thing’s for sure: she’s not going down without a fight…

TROUBLE IN HIGH HEELS won the Waldenbooks Award for Bestselling Romantic Suspense!

Review:

The description above is good but it doesn't do the story justice.  I have listened to this book on Audible multiple times because I enjoyed it so much.  Roberto is a Italian Count and is a very intriguing character.  Brandi is the product of a broken and home and a desire to prove that she is not the dumb blond her father perceives her to be.  At the start of the story she is beginning a new job at a law firm having recently graduated.  It is this job that complicates her one night stand as she is placed as part of the council defending Roberto from charges as a International Jewel Thief.  Her life quickly spins out of control when the judge places Roberto under house arrest with her as his guard.  Forced to spend every minute together and work through life's challenges their one night stand quickly blooms into more.  The chemistry between them is off the charts but the challenges they both face to make the relationship work are equally high.  Between the charges against him, the ethical concerns about their relationship and Brandi's past relationship pain's, they have a great deal to overcome.  The thrill is that they are both strong characters and the challenges are half the fun.  This is one for the keep and read/listen to again shelf!  Happy Reading.

Excerpt:

TROUBLE IN HIGH HEELS is the start of the exciting contemporary series, the Fortune Hunter series -- and a romantic suspense about a crazy family, a wild affair … and the jewel heist of the century.



If Brandi's caller ID had been working, she would never have picked up the phone.

But it wasn't, and she did, and that just figured, because it had been one hell of a week.

Not that Brandi hadn't expected it. Anybody with a lick of sense could predict that moving from Nashville to Chicago in the dead of winter would be difficult, and Brandi prided herself on her good sense.

But she'd picked the coldest weather Chicago had seen for a century, which made the pipes in her apartment building freeze, which meant that her movers had had nothing to drink, not that that had stopped them from using her toilet, which for the lack of water didn't flush, and using it with such typical male abandon that she didn't dare sit on it even in the most dire circumstances because there was no way to clean the seat. And one guy caught her talking to herself while she tried to wipe the seat with a wadded-up Kleenex out of her purse, and the son-of-a-bitch had the gall to inch away as if she were crazy.

She didn't know anybody in this town except Alan and Mr. McGrath -- for years now she'd called him by the honorary title of Uncle Charles -- but where were they while she crammed her entire life into a one-bedroom apartment?

In a lovely piece of irony, the icy roads had sent the truck carrying her new oversized sofa and armchair careening into an empty Marble Slab Ice Cream Shop. The delivery men wrestled the oversized furniture up to her four floor apartment by tilting it sideways in the freight elevator, a maneuver that made her cover her eyes and pray to the gods of furniture placement.

Her entreaties must have worked, because they planted the sofa and the chair in front of the small propane fireplace, put the ottoman between them, and moved her end tables into place. The sofa wasn't damaged. The colors and fabrics were the way she ordered them. It was only later that night when she stopped unpacking long enough to drop into the chair, put her feet up on the ottoman and look, really look at the furniture, that she realized the sofa was eighteen inches too short.

She'd received the love seat, not the full-sized sofa she'd ordered. Now she had to wait another six weeks until the furniture she had actually ordered arrived, and for a few minutes it seemed as if that sucked more than anything else that had happened in this horrific, endless week.

Until the phone call she picked up because she thought, honestly thought, Alan was calling to tell her he was coming over at last.

Instead, it was her mother. "Well? How did the move go?" As always, Mother sounded like a cheerleader bolstering her team's spirits before the big game.

Brandi stared around at the endless parade of boxes. Empty boxes piled catawampus against the wall. Flattened boxes stacked by the door. Boxes, far too many boxes, still taped shut and scratched with black magic marker. An endless supply of boxes, no stereo system in sight, and pizza for dinner again. "I've been unpacking for a day and a half and I haven't seen Alan. Not once."

"Now, sweetheart, I'm sure he's busy. After all, he is a physician." Mother's Tennessee accent sounded soft and tender.

Brandi didn't know why she'd bothered to complain. It was pure exhaustion and loneliness that made her give into her irritation and criticism her fiancé to, of all people, her mother. "He's not a physician. He's a resident."

"That poor boy. I saw on Sixty Minutes how those hospital administrators work their residents ninety-six hours at a time."

For once, Brandi wished her mother would take her side. About anything. "He hasn't called, either. He may have emailed, but I don't get connected to the internet until next week."

"I hope you didn't call him. A nagging woman is an unpleasant creature." Tiffany was the personification of nineteen-fifty's Southern womanhood.

"Yes, Mother, I know, although if he'd remember me, I wouldn't be seized by this overwhelming desire to nag him." Brandi scratched her nails against the grain of the fabric on the couch, watched as the brocade rose in four welts, and wondered which one of them she wanted to scratch -- her mother or her fiancé. "But I'd like to point out that I'm a lawyer who relocated from a lovely, soft, warm city to be close to my fiancé. I'm about to start my first full-time job at a major Chicago law firm and I'm going to be working all the time. He could at least call to see if I've frozen to the side of the dumpster taking out my trash."

Mother's voice took on that pious tone that made Brandi want to shriek. "To keep her man, a woman always has to give one hundred and ten percent."

"How did that work out for you?"

The sound of her mother's shocked inhalation brought Brandi to her senses. She loved her mother, she really did, but Mother had been Daddy's first trophy wife and he'd left her and the quietly anguished eleven-year-old Brandi for his twenty-three year old secretary and a new baby, a son guaranteed to give him what he needed -- a football-uniformed mirror image of his youthful self.

"I'm sorry, Mother. I'm a bitch."

"No, you're not."

"I'm pretty sure I am." Not always a bad thing, in Brandi's opinion. "Let's face it, Daddy has proved he doesn't know what he wants. Not in a wife. Not in his kids."

"Your father is a good man." No matter how much Daddy screwed Tiffany over, she never said a nasty word about him.

That was why Brandi had gotten engaged to Alan. He might not be a man of fire and passion, but he was steady and dependable -- or he had been until she needed him.

And Mother was right about that, too. He probably had a whopper of an excuse. But Brandi -- who'd broken a fingernail down to the quick, whose deodorant had failed hours ago, who was dehydrated and didn't dare drink her bottled water because she couldn't flush -- wasn't in the mood to hear it right now.

"Alan'll be by soon." Mother used a conciliatory tone. "Maybe he'll come tonight to take you out to dinner."

"I don't want him to take me out. I want him to help me unpack." Yep. Definitely bitchy.

"No, go out! You should seize every chance for a good time right now while you're young." About this, Tiffany sounded fierce.

And that made Brandi squirm with guilt. The reason Tiffany hadn't been out there kicking up her heels was because she'd been trying -- not succeeding, but trying -- to make a living for Brandi. "Mother, you're not exactly old. You're not even fifty. You could get out there and have a good time."

"Men my age want women your age, and men who want women my age are too old to have a good time. In every way." Tiffany's voice was droll. "But actually, I've been thinking …"

"What?"

Tiffany hesitated.

"What?" It wasn't like her mother to be coy. Quite the opposite.

"I wish I could be there to help you!" Tiffany burst out. "I miss you!"

Brandi would have sworn that wasn't what Tiffany intended to say. But she was too tired, too dirty, too disheveled to dig for the truth. "I haven't lived at home for seven years. You can't miss me that much."

"I know, but it's different with you so far away. When you were at Vanderbilt you were right across town. Now …"

"I'm okay, Mother. Really. I'm good at taking care of myself." A lot better than you are at taking care of yourself.

"I know. You are capable. I'm proud of you." But Tiffany sounded fretful. "I just wish Alan was there. He's so reliable."

Except now. "Tomorrow night, he's going to take me to a party at Uncle Charles's." And if he did this disappearing act and didn't show for that, she didn't care what excuse he came up with, she was going to kill him.

"A party?" Tiffany inhaled with excitement. "At Charles's home? Oh, that is a showcase. He recently had the foyer remodeled. I wish I could see it! Do you like Charles?"

Her mother's leaps from one subject to another made Brandi blink. "Sure. I've liked Uncle Charles since he used his legal expertise to wring child support out of Daddy."

"Your father was confused by that woman he married."

"So we're hoping he's pussy whipped instead of morally corrupt?"

"Don't use that term, Brandi. It's not at all attractive in a young woman."

"Yes, ma'am." Interesting that when Tiffany got motherly, Brandi felt more secure.

"Tell me all about the party."

"It's a charity ball to raise money for the museum. There'll be a silent auction and I'm sitting at the McGrath and Lindoberth corporate table." Of course she was. She might be new, but she'd earned straight A's out of Vanderbilt Law and that was no small feat. She'd won this job fair and square.

"What are you wearing?" Tiffany asked.

Uh-oh. "That black sheath I bought for parties at the law school."

Tiffany didn't say Oh, but you bought it at Ann Taylor or, But that's two years old. Instead she said, "Darling, black? That's so New York. Show those Chicago lawyers how good a Southern girl can look! Wear red. Men adore red."

"I don't care what men adore," Brandi snapped, then took a long breath. Tiffany had never changed her mind. She'd lived through fourteen years of miserable existence and she still thought a man was a woman's best friend -- a man and the gifts she could get from him.

"But the sheath doesn't show off your figure."

"Thank God. Do you know how hard it is to dress for business with a chest like mine?"

"Women pay good money every day for a chest like yours. Marilyn Monroe made a fortune with a chest like yours. With a figure like yours!" Tiffany laughed, that kind of throaty purr that said she knew a lot about how men and women played.

Unwillingly, Brandi laughed, too. It was true. If she hadn't become a lawyer, she could have been a Las Vegas showgirl. She was all hourglass figure. During interviews, she'd mashed down her bosom so the women wouldn't immediately hate her and the guys would look at her face. "I can't afford a new dress right now. I bought furniture" -- furniture that was the wrong damned size -- "and paid first and last month's rent on the apartment. And starting this month I'm paying Daddy back for my student loans." Before Tiffany could object again, Brandi added, "Besides, with Alan there I don't need to worry about catching a man."

"No, but you need to make sure his gaze is riveted to you and he never leaves your side for fear that the other men will whisk you off!"

Brandi laughed again, but wryly. "Alan's stable. He's professional. He knows he can depend on me. He's just not the jealous type."

"Given the right incentive, every man is that type."

No use arguing. Tiffany did know her men. "But I don't want that type. I consider marriage a meshing of equals, a … a calm in the midst of the storm of modern life." Brandi's modern life -- a life whose touchstones are good sense, moderation in all things, and a logical progression toward her goals of not being like her mother, proving her father wrong, paying back her debt, and being a model citizen. She wanted nothing about Desperate Housewives to taint her.

"Good heavens," Mother said blankly. "You don't mean that you and Alan are calm in bed?"

"No, don't be ridiculous." Although since Alan had entered medical school he was brief and businesslike and lately, on the infrequent weekends he managed to get off, too tired to perform at all. "We have our moments. But there's no shrieking fights or huge dramas."

"You're annoyed with him now, but you're not going to shriek at him?"

"How often have you seen me shriek?"

"Never." In a tone that indicated total cluelessness, Mother said, "You were almost frighteningly calm, even as a child."

Because her parents were playing out the big dramas. "When I see Alan I'm going to explain that he needs to be more sensitive to my needs." Brandi injected humor into her voice. "You can't have it both ways, Mother. I can't be sensible enough to know that he probably is too busy to remember that I moved this week and cherish such a huge passion for him I can't survive without his very presence."

"No, I … no, I suppose not. It's just that those first few years when your father and I got together in bed we erupted into flames --"

Brandi pulled the phone away from her ear. "Euw, Mother, don't tell me that!"

"It seems so early in your relationship to be so cavalier." Tiffany's voice brightened. "And that's why you need a new dress!"

Brandi sighed deeply. "I'll think about it." For about three seconds.

"Get your hair highlighted, too, honey. You've gone a kind of mousy brown."

"I'd call it dishwater blonde." Brandi fingered the split ends -- Tiffany would have a spasm.

"Dishwater blonde is just as attractive as it sounds. Get highlights."

Then, for once in his life, Alan came to the rescue. He beeped in and Brandi got to say, "Let me take this call, Mother. This could be him!" She cut Tiffany off in the middle of her goodbyes and said to Alan, "Where have you been? I've been worried about you!" Which sounded better than I've been irritated at you.

"I'm in Las Vegas." His normally flat Massachusetts accent vibrated some violent emotion.

"Las Vegas?" She was so dumb. She didn't suspect a thing. "What happened? Is someone sick or something?"

"Sick? Is that your best guess?" So much for the calm in the storm. Alan was shouting. "My girlfriend's pregnant. I just got married. And this is all your fault."

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. Many thanks.

Rhythm and Bluegrass, Molly Harper

In the second e-novella in Molly Harper’s Bluegrass series of contemporary romances, two people determined to fulfill their own agendas come head to head—and find love in the process.

Kentucky Tourism Commission employee Bonnie Turkle is up Mud Creek without a paddle. When she gets permission from the state historical society to restore McBride’s Music Hall in Mud Creek, Kentucky, to its former glory, she thinks the community will welcome her with open arms. Instead, her plans interfere with a proposal to sell the property to a factory that would bring much-needed jobs to the town.

Even though Bonnie is trying to preserve mayor Will McBride’s family heritage, he is more concerned with the welfare of his people than memories of the past. Will finds her optimistic sentimentality extremely annoying—but that doesn’t stop him from kissing Bonnie senseless.

With an inspection deadline looming and local saboteurs ruining her restoration, Bonnie must find a way to compromise with Will to save McBride’s and the town…while hopefully winning a few more kisses in the process!

REVIEW:  This is yet another great addition to Molly Harper's collection of well told, perfect stories. The Bluegrass series focuses on the staff of the Kentucky Tourism Commission's Office.  The characters are quirky, fun and well developed.  The first book took place within the main office.  This time to give it a fresh perspective the story takes place out in the field in a small town called Mud Creek.  The town's characters are charming and draw the reader in, enabling them to see just why the Mayor is fighting so hard to revive his town that is slowly dying due to the recession and loss of jobs.  The question is will Bonnie's plans help or sabotage his last chance to bring jobs and growth back to the town he loves?  And will he loose his heart in the process?  And will she be swept up by his small town, cowboy charm?  This is a quick read but as I always do with Molly Harper I went with the Audible Version.  Amanda Ronconi once again delivers a flawless performance.  This is a great story that won't disappoint.

RATING: 5 Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. Many thanks.

Cover Reveal! New Rulers of Darkness - Amanda J. Greene

COVER REVEAL!

Caressed by Shadows (Rulers of Darkness #4)
by Amanda J. Greene
Tentative Release: 19 April 2014

Book Description:
Black Knight, Falcon Kenwrec is powerful, relentless, and fiercely loyal, his only allegiance – to his king. But he is torn between duty and desire when the war between the vampire clans and the Red Order hunters escalates and the enemy captures the one woman he longs to claim as his own, Sonya Rebane, Queen of Voidukas Clan. Falcon will risk everything to save her, even if it means forsaking his king.

After weeks of imprisonment, Sonya is stunned when the chivalrous knight that she has secretly loved from afar appears outside her cell. As they fight and struggle to elude their enemies, they must battle their overwhelming attraction for each other and their love that is forbidden.

As every perilous moment draws them closer together, every smoldering kiss drives them to the brink of a passionate destruction. Will they be able to resist temptation? Or will their love be their ruin?

Watch the YouTube Trailer!

http://youtu.be/K05NTvxL9tU

Author Bio:

Amanda J. Greene is an erotic paranormal romance author. When she is not writing, she can be found playing the role of a full time university student, who works part time.
She lives in Southern California with her very supportive, military husband and their sweet cocker spaniel. Doing all the above and being a military wife is not easy, but rewarding! Of course, she accomplishes everything with a strong cup of coffee in her hand.

Official Website: http://www.amandajgreen.com
Blog: http://www.amandajgreene.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-J-Greene/162646687109294
Twitter:https://twitter.com/AmandaJGreene1

Complete Rulers of Darkness series:

Caressed by Moonlight

Dorian Vlakhos is no ordinary aristocrat. He is a vampire king, who will do anything to save his clan from complete annihilation, before an ancient curse can claim his immortal life.

Penniless and orphaned, Victoria Kingston has nothing to bring to a marriage, yet she must shackle an unsuspecting gentleman into marriage by the end of the month or forfeit her rights as guardian of her younger sister. With the help of her dearest friend, Victoria begins her hunt, and vows to stay far away from the dark, mysterious, Dorian Vlakhos.

After meeting the beautifully innocent Miss Kingston, Dorian had to have her. He would do absolutely anything to make Victoria his. One sweet stolen kiss would bring them together while a force, more powerful than any vampire, would bind them for all eternity, but treachery, war, and death rule Dorian’s dark world and Victoria would be fortunate to survive.

Caressed by Night

Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundreds years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian.

Kerstyn Ingmar’s life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri. Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom.

While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.

Caressed by a Crimson Moon

Consumed by madness and tormented by dark memories of blood and death, Hadrian Lucretius, King of the Validus Clan, has returned after living in self-imposed exile for nearly three hundred and fifty years.

To maintain peace with the vampires, Eva Maldonado is offered as a sacrifice to the crazed vampire king by her father, the alpha of the Silveria Shifter Pack. Hadrian’s reputation is both legendary and lethal; he is ruthless, bloodthirsty, lusty, and soulless. When Eva arrives at the ancient fortress high in the Carpathian Mountains, she is shocked to find a ravaged man with dark burning eyes filled with loneliness and dangerous desire.

Would she be his lover…or his prey? His savior…or his victim? Would Hadrian lure her into madness or would their perilous passion be their redemption?

To celebrate the cover reveal of Caressed by Shadows, the complete Rulers of Darkness series is currently free to download from All Romance eBooks.

Caressed by Moonlight: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-caressedbymoonlight-529040-139.html

Caressed by Night: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-caressedbynight-722414-140.html

Caressed by a Crimson Moon: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-caressedbyacrimsonmoon-1162544-340.html

All books are also available for purchase from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Many thanks.

Strange Academy....A Must Read with a New Awesome Cover!

The past October I reviewed Strange Academy by Teresa Wilde.  I have been thrilled that as a perk of writing for the blog I have been able to meet new authors and in some cases develop a great relationship with them.  We, of course, don't allow these relationships to influence our reviews and try to give our readers the most honest review possible.  The flip to that happens when a book really impresses us - which given how much we read can be a challenge.  In those rare cases we through all caution to the wind and shout "you must read this book" at the top of our lungs.  When I first reviewed this book I was blown away and then further blown away to find out that it sales didn't reflect just how fabulous it is.  I suggested that it might be the cover and now I'm thrilled to bring you a new cover reveal!  This new cover does a great job at capturing the spunky humor of the book and the sensuality of Sadie Strange.  I sincerely hope that by repeating this review and showing you the new cover that you will be inspired to Read This Story!  You will not regret it.  I have reread it numerous times over choosing something off of my "I'm dying to read the next in this series - Yeah it's finally released" list.

So on to my review of Strange Academy (http://amzn.to/Q5SNKg)  By Teresa Wilde

Set in a beautiful historical school that predates Columbus’ arrival in the new world and yet it exists in Canada – Strange Academy is a school for the talented and gifted.  A school where Pippa Strange, Sadie’s Aunt and decedent of the school’s founder, has taught for years and recently died mysteriously in the library.  Sadie has always struggled with who she is.  Her aunt thought she was a witch and her older sister thinks she is a psychic – she thinks they are both crazy.  And yet something deep down causes her eye to twitch when ever she has to confront her feelings.  Out of options and determined to try to discover the truth about her Aunt’s death, Sadie accepts her Aunt’s former teaching position and becomes the newest resident of Strange Hall – one of the dorms on campus. 

As child, when her sister was sent to Strange Academy and she wasn’t, she developed a strong opinion that the school was full of snobs who believed they were better then everyone else and were really just strange people who couldn’t fit in.   Since then she has spent her whole life doing whatever she could to be normal and blend.  So it is a shock to her when she overhears the Principal arguing with a fellow faculty member that she should not be allowed to teach at the school.  As offending as this is, upon meeting the fellow teacher, handsome Lorde Gray, she is more offended at her body’s immediate attraction to him and his attraction to her. 

Lorde Gray is the heir to the Gray house and it is his burden to insure that the strong magical powers of the house continue by marrying another Meta (person with magical or talented powers) and producing an heir. It is also his duty to insure that Non’s (people without powers) never discover that Meta’s exist and that his nephew (a student at Strange Academy) is safe and happy.  So Sadie’s presence at Strange Academy is against everything he believes in.  1) She is a risk to all Meta’s that she will discover their secret and expose them 2) She is putting his nephew at risk and exposing him to Non’s which are off limits and mostly importantly 3) Sadie turns is blood on fire and she is off limits to him also! 

But Sadie won’t be dismissed so easily – as Gray tries everything he can to get her fired she refuses to be intimidated.  And so the verbal foreplay begins.  As they fight back and forth the sexual tension grows. They both begin to look forward to the banter until the temptation is too much to resist and the banter becomes something else.  But as Strange Academy’s secrets are slowly revealed along with the secrets to Sadie’s legacy as the founder’s heir can they both overcome all the obstacles that stand in their way?  Is the fire between them strong enough to overcome centuries of tradition and expectations?

Although this book has a very complete tidy ending I hope, with every finger and toe crossed, that Ms. Wilde chooses to continue with the other characters and make this a series.  This is a very well thought out vibrant world giving Harry Potter and Mytho’s Academy fans something even better.  I loved that it had the fun vibrancy of the school setting with all the unusual talented students and their wacky mythical pets and yet was told with the teachers as the main characters instead of the students.  This let the story have adult situations and mature feelings but with the whimsical youthful fun backdrop.  The interaction with the students gave the characters battles to overcome and comic relief.  Both characters were strong and funny.  For me the sign of a good book is if I can’t put it down.  The sign of a great book is if I am so sad to see it end that I immediately start rereading it.  I’ve lost count how many times I have reread it.  I simply can’t rave enough about it!

RATING:  Five Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with whipped cream, cherries, and every topping you can think of on top!!!!

Buy Strange Academy (http://amzn.to/Q5SNKg)

By Teresa Wilde

To check out Teresa Wilde's other books, go to teresawilde.com, and for Teresa Morgan's sheikh romances, see teresamorganauthor.com.

Many thanks.

All my favorites tied up in a little bow....new Bella Andre!

If you read our feature for Valentine's Day featuring our all time favorite love stories then you'll know that my favorite story is from the Hot Shot Series by Bella Andre.  I thought it would be next to impossible for her to top that story but she has yet again surprised me with her clever, fresh story that rounds out the first eight siblings featured in her Sullivan series.

In this installment it is Lori's turn - aka Naughty.  She has made many teaser appearances throughout the series letting us know that she has a boyfriend and it hasn't always been a great relationship, certainly one that her brothers would not approve of and one that her twin is urging her to end before the brothers find out about it.  The story opens with her having done just that, but in true Lori fashion she doesn't do anything by halves.  In finding out that her boyfriend is cheating on her and has used her to grow his own career, she walks away from it all - him, her career, her identity, her very life.  She flies home but instead of going home she rents a car at the airport and asks the attendant where she should go.  When the attendant smiles and says that her favorite getaway is Pescadero, CA Lori sets off not caring about anything but getting away and starting over without having to face her family.  She can't face her old life, as it feels as if her ex has tainted it and taken all the joy she felt from being a dancer.  Unsure what to do with herself since dancing is all she has ever done and ever wanted to do she is beyond lost.  Completely unaware, due to her state of mind, that she is still wearing her stage costume she arrives in the quiet rural farming town.  Stoping for a snack at the general store, she finds a ad for a farm hand and thinks....why not - could be fun.

Grayson has fled to this part of California and become a farmer because it was as far away from his previous New York executive life as he could get.  After his marriage to his college sweetheart turned bitter and ended tragically with her dying in a car crash, he has not been able to get over the guilt that he feels in allowing things to get that bad.  Fleeing town, buying a ranch and working non-stop to turn it into a fresh start has been his focus for three years.  He has worked tirelessly to shut out the world and close down his heart so he doesn't have to think beyond what needs to be done now. Until - Lori shows up in her stage outfit telling him she wants to be his new Farm Hand.

From the moment they meet they both feel the chemistry but neither of them want it.  Lori wants a job. Grayson needs help but doesn't think she is capable. Simple. But Lori has never allowed herself to fail or take no for an answer - ever.  So when he tells her to prove it she sets out in 4 inch dancing heels and spandex to try to round up the chickens.  Once successful - he challenges her again - and once again in her revealing outfit she sets out and does a perfect job cleaning the house.  The only problem is now that she has earned the job there isn't anywhere for her to stay in the small town other then in his house!  And so their journey begins.

They both have a ton of healing and emotions to work through.  The farm proves to be a playground for Lori.  Having loved as a child to garden and play in the mud, she surprises Grayson by not shying away from the pigs, chickens, weeding, etc.  And then further surprises him by standing up to him and not letting his gruff, cold personality push her away.  Her constant push backs begin to break down his walls as nothing else could and eventually they begin to heal each other and the chemistry that was there from the first moment they saw each other starts to become to much to continue to ignore.

There is simply nothing sexier then a dancing, horseback riding cowboy.  As they continue to be thrust together in magical scenes - him whisking her away on horseback as a storm rolls in leaving them soaked and feeling the adrenaline rush of being chased by lighting; his tender, strong arms around her as he spins her around in a perfect waltz at a barn dance giving her back her passion for dancing - they both come to realize that what they have is not a fleeting case of lust and they gingerly let the dance become more.

This story is...wow!  Lori is strong and amazing.  She has been kicked down in every possible way at the start of the story but instead of feeling sorry for herself she picks a new path and could care less if it makes sense or how difficult it might be.  She embraces the challenge and finds the fun in even the must yucky of tasks....to the point where she makes cleaning up a pig pen sound like a fun way to spend the day.  Grayson - well he is ornery.  But that is what makes him so charming.  As a man of few words, when he does speak it is honest and when he speaks from the heart there is no doubting that he means it.  Their journey is one of true ever lasting love built on a rock solid foundation of mutual respect and admiration. The scenery of the ranch adds a magical background - from the rolling farm land to the crashing waves of the beach - they are surrounded by energy and magic.  Add to that the farm animals that become Lori's friends, of sorts, and the story becomes a well rounded tale of family and love. This is a must read.  This could stand alone but I would recommend reading the whole series.

RATING: FIVE Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

 This book was given to us by Bella Andre for a unbiased review. Many thanks

Yippie Skippie it's new Molly Harper!

Nothing gets my day perked up like Molly Harper with Amanda Ronconi narrating!  And thank you, thank you, she has finally released a new book and it is available on audible!  There is simply nothing better then her brand of humor to brighten up the worst day.  This time she expands on the subtle jokes that she makes about her home state of Kentucky in her main, Half Moon Hollow - Jane Jameson (Vampire), series.  After multiple books where she casually pokes fun at some the attractions and strange people featured on many shows that we run into regularly on cable - Lizard Lick Towing and the Turtle Man - Live Action - are two that come to mind - it is fun to hear her take on what can be found in Kentucky.

MY BLUEGRASS BABY (BOOK 1): Sadie Hutchins loves her job at the Kentucky Tourism Commission. She loves finding the unusual sites, hidden gems, and just-plain-odd tourist attractions of her home state. She’s a shoo-in for the director’s job when her boss retires at the end of the year…until hotshot Josh Vaughn shows up to challenge her for the position. Josh is all sophisticated polish while Sadie’s country comfort, and the two have very different ideas of what makes a good campaign. So when their boss pits them against each other in a winner-takes-all contest, they’re both willing to fight dirty if it means getting what they want. But it turns out, what Josh and Sadie want could be each other—and Josh’s kisses are the best Kentucky attraction Sadie’s found yet!

This book is really cute.  Sadie LOVES her state and thinks the more unusual the attraction the better it represents what Kentucky is all about.  Josh is the total opposite, feeling that Sadie is out to make Kentucky look like a state full of freaks.  As they clash it becomes increasingly obvious that the real problem is the building sexual tension between them, to the point where the office staff starts placing bets on when "Secret Naked Fun Time" is going to commence.  But as they are forced to recognize the chemistry they have between them they also must recognize that they are competing for the same job - and they can't have both - or can they?

This is a really great read.  I won't say it is my favorite of hers but still - it was cute and well done.  It was a nice contemporary read if you aren't into the paranormal and want a light hearted, fun tale.  Happy Reading!

RATING: Four Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

One Perfect Night, Bella Andre

It's Monday and raining here - seems like the perfect ending to another rough weekend.  There was one bright shining ray of light for me all weekend.  I finally found an hour to jump back on the treadmill and read something from my "read me now" list.  If you read my post two weeks ago I've been forced lately to mainly focus on Audible books due to lack of time for much else.  On the audible note, I apologize for not posting last week on our book of the week.  Lover at Last was three 8 hour books on Audible and just wasn't something I could get through by last monday.  I will say it was a awesome book and if you are a fan of the series it is a must read with a bunch of development to the story lines.  I did feel like I needed a history review several times and struggled to remember where the previous story had left off but all in all it was really, really good.

So back to my moment of bliss this weekend - I finally squeezed in a few moments to myself and of course my first choice to read was Bella Andre, specifically her stand alone One Perfect Night.  It turns out that this is a bit of a spin off of her Sullivan Series.  With the last of the main family of eight all getting their happily ever after's officially with her most recent release, Always on my Mind, it appears that she is expanding the series to include their extended family.  In this story a Sullivan, I'm assuming a cousin of the eight from the original series, goes on a vacation with her best girl friends.  One of her friends, Colbie, is not the experienced snow skier that the rest of the group is so she takes off down the less challenging trails and ends up falling hard when she tries to help a child that she mistakes for being in trouble.  With her face covered in snow and red from embarrassment, she finds Mr. Tall, Dark and & Yummy stoping to help her up.  Noah has spent most of his childhood on the slopes and eventually teaching others to ski.  Although this day is meant to be a break from his demanding career he can't think of a better way to spend the day then to help Colbie learn to ski.  With each fall she takes and with each time they touch as he helps her up they both realize that they are having more fun then they have ever had with anyone else.  Colbie started the day out as a exercise in not giving up and challenging herself and in the end found herself having the best day of her life.  But as the day winds down she can't bring herself to allow things to continue into the evening.  She is here for the weekend to spend time with her girl friends and to lick her recent scars from a broken relationship.  Unwilling to continue to push her luck she ends things with a simple thank you to Noah for a fabulous day and skis away without even telling him her last name.  But as time goes by she realizes her mistake - even after a week has passed Noah is all she can think about.  Noah is in just as bad of shape and eventually breaks down and hires a PI to find her.  Ironically his best friend and PI is the brother of Colbie's best friend and the siblings quickly put two and two together.  Now that they are brought back together they have the chance to turn One Perfect Day into One Perfect Night - if they both have the courage to believe in love at first sight and trust their feelings.

I don't want to give any more away.  This is a very short story.  As I said I knocked it out in a hour.  But wow!  It was awesome and just the pick me up I needed.  You definitely don't need to have read any of the other books as this really stands alone without the back up.  If you haven't tried Bella Andre before this would be a nice book to see if you like her style.  If you have read the Sullivan series I would recommend going ahead and reading this one since it introduces several characters that should be making repeat performances as the series grows.  All in all this is fun little short story with charming characters that are believable and make your day better for knowing their story.

RATING: Five Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

This book was given to us by Bella Andre. Many thanks.

Twice Tempted, Jeaniene Frost

It's monday and wow am I struggling to get going.  But this book is so worth finding the energy to tell you about!  If you caught our TBR week last week then you know that a bunch of us have this book on our TBR list.  I snagged it from audible and once again really enjoyed the narrator that she has for this series.  Enough said - let's get to the book.

Twice Tempted is the second in the Night Prince spin off series, of the Night Huntress series, by Jeaniene Frost.  If you haven't read this series, the main character is none other than the infamous Dracula, otherwise known as Vlad Tepesh.  He was first introduced in the Cat and Bones (Night Huntress) series and is a dear friend of Cat and a constant thorn in Bones' side.  This relationship makes his character in the main series really interesting.  He has a dry sense of humor and always seems to show up at just the right time to help Cat out and drive Bones crazy.  So when this series was announced we all were very, very excited.  I say all of that because if you go back and read my review on book one I was a bit let down.  The other spins off books that she has done on the secondary males from the Cat and Bones stories have been stand-alone happily ever after tales - my favorite style.  For Vlad, she chose to not have it wrap up in just one book but to be a full series.  Which translates to mean that they most certainly do not get their happily ever after in book one.  Which was beyond frustrating.  In book one, his character was not the man we had grown to love in the main series and was instead a medieval dictator type.  Don't get me wrong - book one is worth the read it just wasn't the quick closure I had expected or the dry, sarcastic hero that I had come to love from the main series.  Given how much we all loved him in the main series and how it was his presence alone that made some of the main series books great (and book 4 tolerable) I decided to trudge on to book 2.  And I am so glad I did!

The second book follows Ms. Frost's same story line development that she followed in the main series, having the characters eventually reach a impasse and break up.  Frustrating and not original.  BUT - in this case it finally helps bring a better explanation to what makes Vlad who he is and how the vampire society works.  She tried in Book 4 of the Night Huntress series to describe the feudal society that vampires function under but for me it didn't come across so much as a explanation but instead as Bone's being a overbearing jerk.  In this case, she does a much better job explaining how much the society they live in defines them.  After thousands of years living in a feudal society, combined with the medieval world he existed in prior to becoming a vampire, Vlad has become what most would see as a monster and it is imperative that he continues to maintain that appearance.  It is this need to maintain control of every aspect of his life that prevents Vlad from giving himself over fully to her.  And when his distance becomes too much to take and she leaves him, it is this same need to have full unquestioned authority over everything that prevents him from asking her to stay.  It isn't until word gets back to him that the carnival she works at has been attacked and she is presumed dead that he realizes the extent of his mistakes and failures.

Leila's character simply rocks in this book.  She is completely devoted to Vlad but instead of allowing him to continue to push her away and just sit by, waiting for him to come around, she dusts herself off and moves on.  She is strong and true to herself.  Vlad's second in command and best friend was charged with the task of seeing her back home.  So when her tour travel trailer is attacked he is still close and comes to her rescue.  We she discovers that nothing remains of her trailer, including her beloved best friend, Leila sets out to find who is behind the attack and his murder.  Fearing that Vlad may be trying to eliminate her to seek revenge for her dismissal, he tags along to protect her and help her find out who is behind the attacks.  The trailer fire freed Leila's gifts that had been suppressed at the end of book one and it is through this return of her gifts that she accidentally contacts Vlad in her sleep and they begin to find their way back to each other.  They have a long road to make it through - working to finally understand each other, find out who is behind the attacks, and where their future lies.  But unlike Book 4 of the Night Huntress Series, it is clear that Vlad is not playing games with her head.  He is fighting to find a way to make it work and is just as reluctant to get hurt emotionally as she is.  He is finally the Vlad we all fell in love with in the main series.  And all the strange behavior by his character for a book and a half finally make sense.  This book makes the journey so worth the ride!  Again - I did the audible version and really enjoyed it.  There will definitely be a third book in this series, as the ending is yet another cliff hanger.  But, thankfully, she is going to have a fresh plot based on his enemies and not rely on having them fight as something to write about.


RATING: Five Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.  Many thanks.

Catch up with us!

Our assignment for this week is to give you a sampling of our To Be Read List.  I have to say mine is quite extensive.  Prior to the last 9 months I was able to find at least a hour a day to read and could knock out about 100 pages - now I'm lucky to get in a audible book once a week.  But I hope to get back in my routine soon.  At the top of my list is -

Teresa Morgan's stand-alone book, The Earl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Her book, Strange Academy, is one of my all time favorites and I'm excited to get to this and review it as soon as possible.

In a dead tie for what to read next are the next in the Sullivan Series by Bella Andre, Always on my Mind, and her stand alone book, One Perfect Night.

These three - along with a book that a publisher sent us, which as of yet I don't know anything about, will be my next four "free day" reviews.

Of course that brings me to our book of the month for April.  We are all very excited about the next in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which is our April Book.  I have never read a M/M book so I have no idea what to expect.  It should be very interesting.  I love the series and of course J. R. Ward is beyond talented.  It will be fun to see what happens next.  I just hope it is not quite as dark as the last two.  They are very well done but a bit exhausting.

The remaining books that top my back log list of "I must read soon or my head is going to split in two" are Kerrelyn Sparks, Vampire with a Dragon Tattoo; Christine Feehan's most recent in both her Dark and Ghost Walker Series; Lyndsay Sands, One Lucky Vampire and of course Molly Harper's new stand alone - My Bluegrass Baby.  Hopefully I will get to all of these soon.  I may have to break down and purchase them on audible even though they have been auto-delivered already to my kindle.  Sigh...

I just got caught up yesterday on Jeaniene Frost's newest, Twice Tempted!  So check back next monday for my review on it.

Hope these give you some ideas to add to your TBR list.  Enjoy and best wishes for a great monday!

Caressed By A Crimson Moon, Amanda J. Greene

Third in the Rulers of Darkness Series, Caressed By A Crimson Moon, is yet another wonderful addition to Ms. Greene's fabulous series.

Cover Blurb:
Consumed by madness and tormented by dark memories of blood and death, Hadrian Lucretius, King of the Validus Clan, has returned after living in self-imposed exile for nearly three hundred and fifty years.

To maintain peace with the vampires, Eva Maldonado is offered as a sacrifice to the crazed vampire king by her father, the alpha of the Silveria Shifter Pack. Hadrian’s reputation is both legendary and lethal; he is ruthless, bloodthirsty, lusty, and soulless. When Eva arrives at the ancient fortress high in the Carpathian Mountains, she is shocked to find a ravaged man with dark burning eyes filled with loneliness and dangerous desire.

Would she be his lover…or his prey? His savior…or his victim? Would Hadrian lure her into madness or would their perilous passion be their redemption?

Review:
Each of the books in the series chronicles the rise of the rightful king, which is only proven when someone ascends to the throne and then finds their soul mate.  If they ascend to the throne without finding their mate they will eventually go mad and another will ascend until the rightful king is found.  In the previous books, Hadrian is described as being completely mad, too the point where he put himself in a self imposed exile and is presumed dead.  That is until the Black Knight, Falcon, finds him and begins the process of trying to bring him back.  Part of that process is to begin to work on and enforce long abandoned political alliances and treaties.  It is in this state that the story begins.  Hadrian is holding onto sanity by a very thin thread.  Falcon is sent to the shifter pack to demand that their treaty be upheld and the terms carried out - the main stipulation that one of the Pack's beloved daughters be given over as a ward.  Eva is handed over.  She is the hated basterd child and is therefore perceived by the Shifter Pack as worthless.  In Hadrian's state they would never dream of giving over one of their pure bred daughters.

Eva arrives at the castle and is thrust right into a masterfully written tale of Beauty and the Beast.  She has be neglected and mistreated for so long that she is thrilled to be in such lavish surroundings.  And the pain she sees in Hadrian's eye's calls for her to return his kindness.  His mind is broken from tragic events that happened hundred's of years ago but her presence seems to begin to pull him back to sanity, as nothing else could.  And when she is around him she begins to feel things that she shouldn't be able to experience given that she is a half breed and not a full shifter.

This story is wonderfully written.  The setting is magical and gives any Disney, Broadway, Hollywood version of Beauty and the Beast a strong competitor.  But having said that, it is it's own fresh take and will have you constantly turning the page to see what happens next!  The passion between them is magical and will keep you from putting the book down for a minute.  I highly recommend this one and the two before it.  If you missed my review on the previous two, please use the search bar on the left and search by Amanda J. Greene.

RATING: Five Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

This book was given to us by Amanda J. Greene. Many thanks.

Deliver Me From Darkness, Tes Hilaire

Spring into Spring with a new series!  This month's feature is book one of Tes Hilaire's Paladin Warriors series, Deliver Me From Darkness.  Since I'm going first I'll give you the cover blurb...

BLURB:

A STRANGER IN THE NIGHT...

He had once been a warrior of the Light, one of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he lives in darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up at his doorstep.

COMES KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

She is light and bright and everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can't deny his heart.

REVIEW:

Nice little teaser but it does not come close to doing the book justice and is in my opinion a bit confusing. I wished they had given the male's name in the blurb. Karissa first shows up at the door of a Paladin named Logan and he in turn brings her to another Paladin's door named Roland.  I spent the first good bit of the book wondering which male the blurb was referring to.  It eventually became clear that Roland is the main character but I wished that the blurb had just come out and given that clue.  Other than that it sets the stage nicely.

Now that we have cleared that up - on to the story.  This is a very complex world much like the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series.  Basically the Paladin were once angels who volunteered to become protectors on earth.  They were at one time a significant force but due to a propencitiy for their offspring to be male they eventually bred themselves to near extinction.  There are several evil entities that they battle to protect humans and in turn have to protect themselves against, vampires being one of them.  Prior to the book, Roland was attacked by a vampire and unwillingly turned.  It is due to this that he is no longer considered a Paladin by the elders, although since he is the first of his kind to have been changed it isn't all together clear to everyone in the race what this means  - does he still have a soul, is he now evil?  He was sentenced to be executed but his best friend, Logan, refused to carry out the order and has been seeing him in secret ever since.  During the vampire attack on Roland, the last known female was killed, leaving their race forced to mate with humans, causing a constant dilution of the blood line with every generation.  

It is at this point of dispair over the future of their race that Karissa surfaces and becomes known to them. She has very little understanding of all of this, only that she is forbidden by her grandfather to go out after dark because the evil entities might discover her and that if anything should ever happen she must find a man named Logan Calhoun to help her.  Reaching maturity and needing to assert her independence, she breaks her promise to him, venturing out after dark and accidentally get's followed home.  This oversight gets her grandfather killed, sends her running to Logan for help, all the while being chased by a horde of evil creatures.  She is thrust into a world where she is completely out of her element.  Knowing that she will be pursued against her will by every Paladin who learns of her existence, Logan brings her to the safest place he knows of, Roland's home.  But upon realizing he is a vampire she feels anything but safe.  As time passes she realizes that she is attracked to Roland but struggles with who he is.  This growing confusion over her emotions forces her to ask Logan to move her to the Paladin Haven.  Unknowing that she is leaving the only place that she is truly safe, Logan presents her to the council who quickly realizes what she represents for the future of their race -  she is the prized brood mare.  Every Paladin immediately starts jocking to mark her as their's even though they instinctively know she is not there destined mate. Roland is but he refuses to claim her because in his mind he no longer has a soul to give her.  

Realizing that she stepped from the frying pan into the fire she flees the Haven, venturing back into the human world only to run into the evil that are scouring the streets to find her.  During all of this she comes to realize that Roman has only ever told her the truth and that he was really the only one that she could trust.  Luckily Roman finds her before she is captured.  Now they must work together to find a place where she will be safe and find a way to stop the threats that surround her at every turn...and of course work out what future they have together.  

It sounds like a gave a bunch a way but this is a very complex story full of twists and turns.  This is obviously the start of a very long series.  All in all, this is very well written story and I'm excited to read the next one.  The characters were interesting and the world was well thought out.  Definately worth a try if your looking for a new series to try.

If you missed it please scroll back to yesterdays post to read Tes Hilaire's Guest Post.  AND please check back in with us next month as we all way in on the newest in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series as our book of the month!

RATING: Four Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries!

Kick your week off right with The Lord's Fall by Thea Harrison!

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them…

Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom.

In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…

Sounds good, right?  It is!  For this book it is best that you have read the whole series, as there are spoilers referring back to previous books and an important event at the end of Oracle's Moon that impacts this book.  If you haven't read them all you could scrape by with having read the first one and then this one, but I'll have to agree with Tyra on this one that you really will enjoy it more if you read them in order.

Having said that this book goes back to focus on the characters from the first book.  A surprisingly short amount of time has past since the first book, which was a bit hard to grasp given all the events of the books in between.  In the first book their adventures cause a rift between Dragos and the Elves and the subsequent books leave Dragos short a few Sentinels, his primary guard and enforcers.  These two very important issues force them to split up and try to work on getting the problems resolved.  Pretty simple. But as with all of Ms. Harrison's books things quickly become more complicated.

Dragos struggles being away from her and is having a hard time dealing with the drama of the games without Pia's calming influence.  He struggles with Rune being in attendance and having to see him again.  He struggles with Arial's constant attitude issues and with the Pia's former boss's participation in the games.  All in all, he is a very unhappy dragon and longs for the day to be over so that he can go home and magically communicate with Pia in his dreams.

Pia is forced to travel to an otherworld in order to speak with the Elf that has the power to end the feud with Dragos, this prevents her from mentally being able to communicate with Dragos and immediately sends him into a primal panic.  Little does he know that Pia has really walked into a trap and is in danger.  Risking breaking Elvin Treaty Laws, he travels to find her and ensure she is safe, arriving just in time to save her and her Elf companions.  The attack on the Elvin community is immense and he quickly realizes that this relates back to the prophecy from Oracle's Moon and is much more then it appears on the surface.  This means war.  Calling off the games, calling the Sentinels to join him to fight, he quickly regroups and begins to once again fight a age old fight against his enemies.

This book was fabulous.  I loved how we were able to spend time with previous characters and not have it be about them having trouble.  It seems like in so many series with repeat characters it ends up being all about them constantly breaking up and getting back together.  I loved how in this one they never doubted their love for each other but instead focused on learning how to grow as a couple and individuals.  As each issue and obstacle comes up, Pia and Dragos work together to compromise and grow as a couple.  The become a true team and work together to find a solution.  The story line is fresh and exciting pulling together the series characters, allowing the reader to get to enjoy them again.  Again, I really would encourage you to read them in order.  They are all quick reads and definitely for the "to keep and read again" shelf.

Enjoy!


RATING: Five Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries.  Many thanks.

Come a little bit Closer – The Sullivan Series, Bella Andre

If you haven’t read one of my many posts on Bella Andre or seen her on the New York Times list or the USA Today Bestselling Author list then please keep reading – you can’t miss out on her latest and greatest in her fabulous Sullivan Series.

The story of Smith Sullivan is my favorite so far in this series. The Sullivan Series tells the stories of 8 siblings and their journeys to find true love – although it sounds like Ms. Andre is going to continue on and write about more of the extended family as there are plans to continue after book 8. The last two remaining family members that aren’t paired off are the super famous, movie star – Smith and his sister Laurie. Both characters are full of mystery that has been well built up over the series. I had always wondered, as most readers have, who would be able to hold someone likes Smith’s attention. When the world is at your feet and you can have any women you choose, how would you ever know that it is real and not an illusion produced by the celebrity world you live in? It is this fundamental question that drives this story but oddly enough not one that Smith is asking but the women of his dreams….

Book Blurb –

Movie star Smith Sullivan can’t afford any distractions. He’s staking his entire reputation on his new film…but he can’t stop thinking about Valentina Landon and the fire he sees smoldering just beneath the surface.

Valentina isn’t averse to sensual pleasure, or even to the idea of finding true love, but as a Hollywood business manager she’s watched too many smart women fall for actors…only to be torn apart when the fairytale comes to its inevitable end.

But when intense weeks together on set turn their heated attraction into red-hot flames of passion, Smith knows he has to find a way to convince Valentina to let him get a little bit closer. Close enough to completely steal her heart…the way she’s stolen his from the start.

Review -
So what the Book Cover leaves out is that Valentina is actually the sister of Smith’s costar and the daughter of a woman who has been the victim of way to many failed Hollywood romances. Her goal is to protect her sister from ever falling into her mother’s footsteps, which is a full time job and doesn’t allow any time for herself. But Smith isn’t after her sister he’s after her. Not knowing how to deal with someone noticing her when she is used to hiding in her sister’s shadow she is completely thrown off her game. And just when she starts to find some level of comfort around Smith she realizes that he is an actor and will eventually be performing rather intimately, on camera and with her sister!

This story dives deep into what is would be like to live in Hollywood, date a star and all that would entail. In the end they are both forced to recognize that at the core of it all - actor, star, manager, director, etc. are all just titles and that who you are at your core is what defines you and makes you, you. This is a beautifully written love story and one to treasure. You do not need to read the rest of the series to enjoy this one but I encourage you to try them as they are all masterfully done. And, newly released on Audible… I might add.

Rating: Five Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.

http://bellaandre.com/books/come-a-little-bit-closer/overview/

Dude - Get Iced!

 It’s cold out and this is a Romance site so of course most of you are thinking I’m going to write about my latest favorite snuggle up in front of the fire romance.  Wrong!  But, I am going to write up one of our all time favorite Romance Authors latest and greatest – Karen Marie Moning. 

So for those of you who haven’t read her before, Moning has a wonderful Highlander series that spins off into a frustrating but exciting Fae adventure called the Fever Series.  Finally, in the last book of that series the reader gets the romance and closure that the entire series works up to.  Following the same format her next series begins with ICED.  The spin off series based on one of the characters of the Fever Series, Dani O’Malley.   I say that it follows the same format in that from the start there is romantic tension and development but the story is all about the main plot development not about romance.   Thank goodness because Dani is only 14!  So it is obvious that although there will eventually be romance way, way down the road and we will all be left to follow her life to see which one of the many men in her life will hang around long enough.  But let me just say I think it will be well worth the wait and a fun ride. 

So onto about ICED –

The year is 1 AWC—After the Wall Crash. The Fae are free and hunting us. It’s a war zone out there, and no two days are alike. I’m Dani O’Malley, the chaos-filled streets of Dublin are my home, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

Dani “Mega” O’Malley plays by her own set of rules—and in a world overrun by Dark Fae, her biggest rule is: Do what it takes to survive. Possessing rare talents and the all-powerful Sword of Light, Dani is more than equipped for the task. In fact, she’s one of the rare humans who can defend themselves against the Unseelie. But now, amid the pandemonium, her greatest gifts have turned into serious liabilities.

Dani’s ex–best friend, MacKayla Lane, wants her dead, the terrifying Unseelie princes have put a price on her head, and Inspector Jayne, the head of the police force, is after her sword and will stop at nothing to get it. What’s more, people are being mysteriously frozen to death all over the city, encased on the spot in sub-zero, icy tableaux.

When Dublin’s most seductive nightclub gets blanketed in hoarfrost, Dani finds herself at the mercy of Ryodan, the club’s ruthless, immortal owner. He needs her quick wit and exceptional skill to figure out what’s freezing Fae and humans dead in their tracks—and Ryodan will do anything to ensure her compliance.

Dodging bullets, fangs, and fists, Dani must strike treacherous bargains and make desperate alliances to save her beloved Dublin—before everything and everyone in it gets iced.

Sounds interesting right?  This was a fun quick read.  Don’t let the age of the character or the lack of romance right out of the gate sway you.  Moning is a master at building a world and plot.  This will leave you dying to find out what happens next and to see how all the different players are going to evolve over the series.  Dani is a fun breath of fresh air.  As Tyra would say – this is an excellent pallet cleanse…when you have read too many intense romances and just need a break from all the drama.  Give this one a shot if you are looking for something fun and different to give you a quick shake up in your reading routine.  You don’t need to have read the Fever series to read this one. But given that the next in this series isn’t out yet, you will probably be drawn to temptation and be forced to go to the Fever series to get your fix.

Enjoy!

Rating:  Four Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.

Find True Love with Bella Andre

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day our assignment this week was the write about our all time favorite true love story. Having read more books then I thought possible this past year there were dozen’s that came to mind. Hunky men, that any woman would dream of calling her own, were quickly jumping into my head saying pick me, pick me. But I have to say in the end when I really sat down and thought about what books really stuck with me it I was surprised to realize that it was rarely the tale of the super hot guy and the perfect happily every after tied up in a bow that really tugged at me. I have several ultimate favorites that I turn to when I need a good laugh to help me get through a rough day or to sweep me away from these dreary winter blues but I wouldn’t say they are ultimate love stories. So I had to dig deep and really think of what book have I read that really moved me. Over and over again I kept thinking back to Bella Andre’s books and her ability to really capture the root of what makes a great romance. Specifically for me this bone deep, true love is captured in her third book of the Hot Shots series, Never Too Hot.

In this series Bella Andre tells the stories of a team of Hot Shot Forest Firefighters. The first book features the captain and then the successive books feature members of his team. During the first book one of the team, Connor, is badly injured during one of the forest fires and it is his story that is featured in book three.

Connor is a very injured character. Badly burned by the forest fire, he has been working extremely hard to regain his ability to function and hopefully making it back to Hot Shot active duty. This knowledge that he may be denied a place back on the team causes his wounds to go much deeper then just the physical, fueling anger and a sense of loss as the ability to have his dream career is threatened. It is in this state of mind that he escapes to his grandparents cabin to await the news of if he will be allowed to return to his job. His goal was to work on the cabin for the summer in an effort to stay busy while waiting for news and hopefully passing the time quicker. But upon arriving he finds that his grandparents have rented out the cabin to Ginger Sinclair. She is also running from her own demons. Recently divorced and determined to find herself she is on a journey of self-discovery and determined to embrace life. Given the towns limited resources and the cabins desperate need for repairs she reluctantly lets him move in.

The plot from here is pretty predictable so I won’t go on and on about it. But what is magical about this story is the emotional journey of healing that both characters go through. They are both struggling with completely different emotional wounds but they both manage to pull each other back from the edge. In thinking through the book, they definitely have some pretty unhealthy coping techniques and the book has some pretty rocky scenes due to the intense emotions they are both dealing with. But the huge hill that both characters need to climb couldn’t be overcome without them. For me this was a story of how love in real life is a journey. Love is wonderful and magical but not always perfect, as some books would have us believe. It takes work, trust and commitment to make the real Happily Ever After happen. Anything less then that is just a tale better left for a Disney movie. This story gets to the heart of what it takes to tear down the walls of the past and build something new and great together. It gives hope that the “happily ever after” is really possible and that the real bone deep true love is possible even for the most broken person. This is a beautiful story of rebirth and true ever-lasting love.

Although this isn’t the typical “Happy” Valentine’s read I hope that it inspires you to take the time either read this one or look into some of Bella Andre’s other works which aren’t quite as intense but equally magical. Please join us all week as we each in turn give props to the books that have moved us and make us think of the ultimate love.

Happy Valentine’s Week!

RATING: Five Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries Many thanks.

Wild About You (Love at Stake Series), Kerrelyn Sparks

Yeah the thirteenth book in the Love at Stake series, by Kerreyln Sparks, is out and I finally had time to read it!  The new year is looking up.  This story features Howard Barr, the were-bear, who is the security guard that we have known and loved throughout the series.

So I have to say this before I say anything else - if you have not read this series previously read on because this is one of the few books, that is part of a lengthy series, where that will actually benefit you.

Elsa Bjornberg is a tall, above average women.  She has never felt fragile or feminine, especially not when she is at work as a host for a home renovation show.  She works in what would typically be the male's role of doing the demolition work leaving her feeling less than dainty and misunderstood as a women. But from the moment she meets Howard Barr, this bear of a man makes her feel like a woman. And the way he looks at her, as if she was a pot of honey he’d like to lick…

Howard is not like most men. For one thing, he’s a shapeshifter. From the moment he first saw Elsa's show he and his inner bear were drawn to her.  He hoped that one day he could turn his crush into more but never dreamed the opportuity would be hand delivered curtousy of his meddling vampire bosses wife. And the timing couldn't be worse.  In the previous book we learned that Howard's long time enemy is still alive and it is in this search for revenge that the story picks up.  Howard has returned from his home land where he set the wheels in motion to take down his long time enemy.  But in doing so he was reminded of how much his family line is dangerously close to extinction.  After 20 years of exile he is forced to face the fact that his line has been dying out even if he hasn't been there to see it.  His grandfather is convinced that it is due to a ancient curse placed on their ancestors but Howard doesn't believe in allowing a fairy tale to have control of his destiny.

That is until he returns to work and meets Elsa for the first time.  His simple touch ignites a searing pain in her birth mark.  They quickly realize that her family has a similiar legend and that there may be more truth to the stories then either of them have wanted to believe.  But can they break the curse?  Can Howard destroy his long time enemy without it getting anyone else hurt?  Can his family finally be saved and have a chance to once again thrive?  And most importantly if they can break the curse can they build upon this attraction between them and make it something real?

So now that you have the plot...on to my thoughts.  As I mentioned earlier if you haven't read the series fear not - I wished I had read this as a stand alone.  Don't get me wrong I'm a huge fan of the series and this was a great addition and continuation of the over all story line.  However, in previous books Howard is potrayed as a older man with thinning hair and a over all honey bear personality. So after many, many books describing him as such it is hard to shift gears to how he is portrayed here - a hunk.  She gets around it by saying that while working for Roman he was free to take his bear form more often which allowed him to regain his healthy, youthful appearance.  OK fine - but this is just thrown in to the beginning of the book and the reader is expected to except it.  I would have preferred this evolution to have taken place as part of the series or even over the first couple of chapters so that our perceptions had a chance to catch up.  My second issue is that she had a ton of development in the beginning of the book about Howard loves to stratagize his battles and that life is a game of chess with the greatest lesson that you have to protect the Queen at all costs.  Although he takes great care to come up with a strategy to take on his enemy and to court Elsa when it matters he falls a bit short in the strategy of protecting her.  I wish Ms. Sparks had thought that last bit out a bit more.  So now off of the cons - overall this is a really fun read.  I actually had to go back and look up how many pages it was because I could not believe that I knocked it out in one day.  It is that good.  The 384 pages will fly by.  Howard is a very likable character with a great sense of humor.  The overall plot was a nice change up for the series and it has a fresh story line avid readers will love.  This was a another great read from Kerrleyn Sparks!

RATING: Four Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Many thanks.