ARC Review: Deadly Dance by Dee Davis

DEADLY DANCE by Dee Davis
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Romantic Suspense
LENGTH: 400 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (April 1,2012)

As the intelligence specialist for A-Tac, a black-ops CIA unit masquerading as Ivy League faculty, Hannah Marshall is used to working behind the scenes. But when a brutal murder hits too close to home, Hannah finds herself in the middle of the action, falling in love while racing to outwit a sadistic mastermind.

A KILLER CLOSES IN
After the death of her A-Tac partner, Hannah doubts everything she thought she knew about love and loyalty. When handsome Harrison Blake joins the team, she’s reluctant to trust him—or to act on her intense attraction to him. Then Hannah receives a podcast of a gruesome murder, and the only person who can help her find the killer is Harrison.

Harrison has spent years trying to hunt down the cunning monster who killed his sister. Now investigating with Hannah, he faces a shocking possibility—his sister’s murderer has resurfaced. As the danger escalates, Hannah and Harrison grow closer, and the desire simmering between them ignites. After Hannah disappears, Harrison has only one chance to save the woman he loves.

Connect with Dee: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Pre-Order: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it.

Other Books in Series(click on covers for excerpts):


REVIEW:
This book is not for the feint of heart. It's a large dose of Criminal Minds where there's a profiler, gruesome murder scenes and some serious jailable for life psycho killer that could be ripped from the headlines. There's so much I want to say about this book but don't want to give away any spoilers so let's see what I can do.

It goes like this:
Hannah Marshall lost her partner Jason and still misses him. Harrison Blake, resident Techie is still trying to fit into the overall scheme of things at A-Tac. With the resurfacing of a crazed serial killer who gets off on slowly bleeding out and torturing his victims, Hannah and Harrison must try to catch the killer before the people closest to them end up mock-crucified and bleeding to death. Gruesome right?

Harrison realizes that this psycho might be the same guy who killed his twin sister years ago and so the recent string of murders hits close to home. Only problem is, the killer is deviating from the behavior and tactics of the original cyber killer.

Hannah's TA receives video of a female student getting tortured by an unidentified man and is kept under lock down to keep her safe. How many female students have to die before A-Tac catches the killer? Bringing in some of Harrison's trusted members of his old organization, they partner up to profile and canvas the scenes looking for any clues to point out whether it's the original cyber killer back doing what he does best or a copycat following a script only to change tactics when specific results are not reached.

All the while, Hannah and Harrison are getting closer and trying to remain friends. Everyone knows that there's something there between them even if they both deny it. Friends with benefits? *scoff* Not gonna work guys. Seriously!

Will the cover of A-Tac as professors at Sunderland College be blown thanks to the crazy killer or is the killer part of something larger that A-Tac and the FBI haven't thought of? *dun dun dunnn*

FAVORITE QUOTE:

The leaves rustled in the wind, and she shivered, the vibration running through them like an electric current. She pressed closer, feeling his arousal hard against her thigh. There was power in knowing that the seduction was mutual, her strength matching his.

OVERALL: Dee Davis knows how to tug at my heart, get my adrenaline pumping and make me want to break out the DVDs of all crime show dramas, especially Criminal Minds. Like the rest of the A-Tac series, it's heart pounding, plot twisting, "omg I did not see that coming so I should have my Nancy Drew sleuth card revoked" wrapped in "I will never look at my professors the same way ever again". Harrison and Hannah have been through a lot and with a crazy killer on the loose, it adds to their ghosts. I kept rooting for them to be together and find a way to capture the killer as well as help each other heal. I'm looking forward to what happens next.

***review copy provided by publisher***

eARC Review: Scrumptious by Amanda Usen

Scrumptious by Amanda Usen
FORMAT: ARC from Netgalley
GENRE: Contemporary
LENGTH: 320 pages
PUBLISHER: Sourcebook Casablanca (January 1, 2012)

TALL DARK AND DELICIOUS

Joe Rafferty is just as mouthwatering as the food he cooks. But if he thinks he's going to waltz in and take over her kitchen, he's denser than a thick slice of chocolate ripple cheesecake. Marly has invested too much of her life in Chameleon to hand off the restaurant to someone else—especially a cocky-as-all-get-out superstar chef. But there's no denying the man knows how to light her fire. Question is: Can she have the sizzle without feeling the burn?

Where To Find Amanda Usen: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository

I loved it

Review:

Joe Rafferty new mantra is “No more sluts.” His mom’s dying wish was that he settles down and finds love. On his way across the country to a new job in California he meets Marlene Bennet. Marly is the female version of Joe. She’s shies away from any kind of commitment but isn’t opposed to finding a hot man to warm her bed if she wants. And with Joe coming through town he’s just her man. That is until all everything goes to hell and Joe finds himself staying for longer then he anticipated and Marly finds herself frustrated in more ways then one.

“She failed to seduce the man who slept with everyone. And she quoted Top Gun in the attempt. She wasn’t sure which was worse.”

I found myself laughing out loud at Marly. She is who she is and doesn’t apologize for it. She also quotes Top Gun and you can’t help but love her. Plus she is loyal and protective of her friends. When Joe shows up to help she pushes his buttons to show him who’s in charge. But Joe pushes her right back.

Watching these two try and find themselves while learning to love was almost painful… in a good way. They both had horrible examples of love growing up and watching them fight what was happening just broke my heart. Of course, they are also trying to find the person who is sabotaging the restaurant and ends in a ridiculous high stakes poker game. Seriously, the last couple of chapters are just ridiculous.

Favorite Quote:

“Man’s best friend is dog, but woman’s best friend is vibrator. You’ll have to forgive me if I don’t ask you to stay.” Joe moved toward her. He took the vibrator out of her hand and sent it sailing into the bedroom where it landed on the bed with a solid thump. She was mesmerized by the heat in his eyes.

“I’ve got a better idea,” Joe said.

Ok... I have another favorite quote because I can't pass up a Top Gun reference.

He looked disappointed. “Does that mean you won’t be quoting any more Top Gun for me?”

“I’ll peel the potatoes if you promise not to mention that again.”

He shook his head. “No way. I have some particular favorites from that movie. In fact, if we don’t get a move on, we won’t be ready for dinner. You could say, ‘We have a need, a need for—’”

“Stop it!” She laughed in spite of herself. He was an arrogant prick, but at least he had a sense of humor.

Overall:
I’m going to let you in on a secret: I love debut novels. What I love even better is a great debut novel. Scrumptious was a fun read and I read it one day. There aren’t many books that will do that to me but I was so caught up in the fun of the story that I didn’t want to put it down. Plus, they quote Top Gun. Is this the next great American novel? No, but if you are looking for something fun to read with Sexy Times that will curl your toes then this is it.

Also, I would have a snack handy. All the talk of food sure gets a girl hungry.


**Review copy from Netgalley**

ARC Review: King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab

KING OF DARKNESS by Elisabeth Staab
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Paranormal
LENGTH: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 7, 2012)

ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human---although, drifting through the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the sexy, arrogant king of the vampires, this party-girl's life turns dark and dangerous.

BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate has gotten it seriously wrong...

Where To Find Elisabeth: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it.

REVIEW:

What a wonderful surprise this book was. At first after reading the blurb I thought to myself--sounds interesting but do I want to keep reading? Good thing I did! However, I had to put the book down a few times to get my bearings since there's so much going on. As with any start to a series, especially of the paranormal persuasion, there's a lot of world and mythos building.

I loved every page of this book. It goes something like this:

Thad: Dude, I'm here at this crazy ass night club trying to find my queen so I can gain my powers to rule over the vampire world.
Lee: Uh, sure but you've got to be careful. Are you sure she's here? This doesn't seem like the place for your future queen to hang out. Look at all this let's-do-The-Sexy-in-front-of-everyone-at-a-nightclub thing. This doesn't seem like her scene.
Thad: Naw dude, I can feel it in my veins. My future queen is here. We have to find her. Damn my old man for dying 100 years too early. Now I'm left to rule the vampire world but I have to have powers to do so.
Lee: Whoa! Check out that chick necking with that other chick. I think I just got a hard on. Ohhhh... that's your queen. Look at that tramp stamp of a tattoo that indicates she's your mate. Haha. Your woman likes chicks.
Thad: *silently brooding* Whatever. I'll just tell her that she's got the fate of the whole vampire race resting on her shoulders. She's my destiny.
Isabel: Hello tall, dark and brooding!
Thad: Hi. Uh... you're my future queen and you have with come with me. We will rule the vampire race.
Isabel: Tall, dark and brooding vampire dude who just told me that I'm his future queen say what now? I'm not queen material much less vampire-y. I'm only a halves-y.
Thad: You heard correctly. You are my queen. That tattoo on your lower back says so.

There's quite a bit of this going back and forth as to how Isabel is Thad's queen and she must accept him. An instant attraction develops between them which explodes into doing The Sexy the night that they meet. Bow chica wow wow. Then there's the complication of Isabel's human friend Alexia who is attacked by a crazy wizard. This in turn makes Thad take Isabel and Lexi back to his home to keep them safe from the next wave of evil wizards.

Thad: So have you thought more about being my queen?
Isabel: Yup and the answer is I don't think so. I'm not queen material. How many freaking times do I have to tell you this. I'll do whatever it is that needs to be done... some mating ritual or whatever and bam! you'll have your powers. Easy peasy.
Thad: Easy peasy? I'm falling for you but I can't say it out loud because I'll look like a total pansy.
Isabel: Oh jeez. I like you too but I can't let you know this because you deserve someone better. Someone who knows how to be a queen.


And it goes back and forth like that. But there's bigger games afoot. The wizards are closing in. They want Thad's half sister for their side so they send one of their own to kidnap her. He fails and is beaten within an inch of his life, wakes up with no memory but feels something for Thad's sister. Then Isabel runs away, okay, she goes out for a walk and is kidnapped by super evil wizards. Thad and the gang have to go rescue her. This of course makes Thad and Isabel realize that they're important to each other. Uh, DUH! Almost losing someone does make you re-evaluate your feelings.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

Somehow she had gone from just another night at the club to hearing that she was the king's destined mate and being invited to move in with him, and then to being attacked in her apartment by something she had heard only in childhood stories. All of that before teleporting to some big ass mansion she didn't even know the location of with her sister-in-law. No, no. Thad's sister.

***quote subject to change in finished copy***


OVERALL: A wonderful debut from Ms. Elisabeth Staab. Vampires versus wizards. My first book of its kind. Where are the shifters? LOL. The characters were memorable. Especially that human hating vampire Lee. I had to laugh when he was attracted to Isabel's human bff. I love the smaller stories being built up around Thad and Isabel. The wizard who is sent to kidnap Tyra because she has an amazing power that could benefit their cause falls for her. Lee and Lexi have something going on. Sparks are flying that's for sure. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

***review copy sent by Kim at SOS Aloha***

ARC Review: Firelight by Kristen Callihan

FIRELIGHT by Kristen Callihan
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Historical Romance
LENGTH: 400 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever Romance (February 1, 2012)

Once the flames are ignited...Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.
They will burn for eternity...Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he give in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Where To Find Kristen: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Powell's
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

Go and Buy it NOW!

Other Books in Series(click covers for more):

prequel

coming August 2012

REVIEW:

It's been a while since a book told hold of me, reading into the early hours before dawn. This book was like a fecking tube of Pringles. Once I started, I couldn't stop. Seriously. I got to the end and wanted more. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait until August for what looks like another exciting read. At least according to the teaser at the end.

Lord Benjamin Archer has a dangerous secret that could cost him his life as well as those around him. His fellow super secret club members are getting offed one by one. Immortality is just a kiss away. Half man and half something else, he's walked the dark streets of London trying to feed yet repress the something else before it gets out of hand. On one such night, he comes upon two boys fighting in the street on his way to kill a man who sunk his ship that was carrying something very valuable to him. Something could possibly end his curse. Something compels him to follow the boy and he ends up saving her (that's right, gotcha!) life. After finding out who her father is, he decides to spare the man's life on one condition. Sidenote: This condition is explained in the prequel Ember.

So in a very Beauty and the Beast-like way, Archer makes a deal with Miranda's father to spare his life in exchange for marrying his daughter. Miranda isn't happy with this but what is she to do? She's tired of stealing and fencing stuff for her father just to keep them afloat. She feels dirty using her femininity for such a purpose. She feels she's done enough penance for burning her family's fortune to the ground (literally). Along comes Archer to give her an out. And the adventure begins.

Miranda has heard rumors that Archer has murdered someone. She doesn't know what to make of it. She's stuck between giving him the benefit of the doubt and waiting for him to murder her in her bed. As she gets to know Archer, she realizes that there's a different side to him. There's also a secret that Archer is keeping close to his chest that she must uncover. That is the only obstacle standing between them. Well, and the fact that he wears a mask so everyone thinks he's disfigured. But something is off. How disfigured could he be since he pretty much oozes masculinity and dangerous sexuality?

Archer knows that at some point he has to tell Miranda his secret. Or at least part of it. During a night out among the ton, Miranda meets a woman from Archer's past. She's a little too friendly and Archer warns Miranda to stay away from her. There's something totally fishy about her.

When Miranda realizes that Archer was the man who saved her life three years ago (due to the coin marked with the super secret society symbol) she wonders why the heck did he choose her? After confronting him about it, he tells her that something in her called to him. He knew that she was strong enough to hold her own against him. As more men of the super secret society are murdered and Miranda and Archer's attraction to one another burns (literally and figuratively... did I mention that Miranda is like the Human Torch?), they must be willing to sacrifice their souls for each other. Only then, will they find peace with a side of happily ever after. Something about the Beast transforming into a handsome prince...

FAVORITE QUOTES(whaat?? I couldn't pick just one):

Miranda smiled against her knees. Stubborn, charming man. Beguiled by a possible killer. She belonged in bedlam.

"Christ, Miri, murder and knife-wielding assassins aside, you are the greatest adventure of my life."

***quotes subject to change in finished copy***

OVERALL: Kristen Callihan has a solid debut full of action, adventure, danger, intrigue, murder, romance, heart pounding, adrenaline rushing action, immortality and surprises around every corner. Throw in a scene where Archer gets Chuck Norris'd by some guy in an alley. Yeah, I just wanted to say that. Haha. Well done Ms. Callihan, well done. Archer has the brooding hero down to a science. He's broody, moody,angsty and the only way to be redeemed is through the love of a woman. Miranda's sacrifice had me bawling like a freaking baby. Very romantic indeed. There's just so much more I want to say but it think it would be giving away a lot of spoilers. I gasped, I laughed, I cried, I sighed, my heart broke, my heart pounded, my adrenaline shot up. Can Hollywood please make a movie with this series? They're turning books into movies these days. Why not this one? I look forward to the next book in this series. A fantastic start.

***review copy provided by publisher***

ARC Review: Kiss of the Vampire by Cynthia Garner

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE by Cynthia Garner
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Paranormal
LENGTH: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever Romance (February 1, 2012)

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world---or send it spiraling into chaos.
Half-demon, half-homan, Nix de la Fuente is accepted by neither and mistrusted by both. Determined to prove she's more human than not, she devotes herself to solving crimes between the world's mortals and its most unsavory undead. But her latest case brings her face to face with the one vampire she could never resist...
Called to investigate a string of violent murders, special agent Tobias Caine isn't interested in rekindling his relationship with Nix. Yet one look and the vampire knows his need for her is as strong as ever. Once, their all-consuming passion nearly cost Nix her fragile hold on her humanity. Now, as their hunger for one another intensifies, exposing them to an unimaginable danger, it could cost them both their lives.

Where To Find Cynthia: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Powell's
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it!

REVIEW:
Vampires, shifters and demons. Oh my! A fantastic start to a new paranormal series.

If Law & Order ever did an episode featuring creatures that go bump in the night, this book should be the basis of it. It starts off with a gruesome murder. Like white sheet over the disemboweled body so onlookers don't throw up kind of gruesome. (Do you hear the strains of the opening theme? Yeah, you're welcome.)

Nix de la Fuente serves as an investigative liaison between the preternatural Council and humans. This new death has become personal. Her ex-friend Amarinda was found gutted but no one knows who committed the crime. At the scene, Nix smells a trace of demon, lying under all the other scents. Oh, did I mention she's half demon so she's sort of living in limbo between the two worlds? Yeah, her childhood was rough. Succubi mother killed human father in throws of passion, succubi mother leaves since she's got a different kind of nurturing bone in her body, human grandmother reluctantly takes her in but can't see past the demon side of her, proves her grandmother right about her demon nature and rebels, grandmother dies and foster system didn't work out too well. Apparently love was not her thing so she decided to learn some street smarts.

Anywho, up walks tall, dark and handsome who she smells before she sees. Tobias Caine is throwing off some major pheromone mojo that brings back memories of love, comfort and quite a bit of The Sexy Times. He's replaced the quadrant vampire liaison to investigate the murders. He's also on a manhunt er, vampire hunt? for a vampire that killed the leader of his planet. Somehow the killer found his way through the rift.  After seeing Amarinda's body, Tobias is pissed. She had called him while he was in Alaska, telling him she needed to talk and now she's dead.

Nix and Tobias must work together, along with human Detective Dante MacMillan to solve the case of The Great Vampire Killing Spree. With pressure from the Council to figure out who has it out for the vampires (be they human, vampire, demon or were) before the Killing Spree continues. Nix and Tobias' sexual tension is strong. His presence brings out the inner demon in her and the only way to push that demon back is a session of tai chi. After five years, the feelings are still there but neither wants to act on it because of the consequences for Nix. There's a lot of will they/won't they, oh my god they did!, whoa totally didn't see that one coming and where can I get one of my very own?

Sidenote: Travel through the rift places the preternatural being into some random human's body. Yes, it's a case of body snatching or maybe like that show Tracker with Adrian Paul where he takes the form of an underwear model. Interesting enough, the rift opens up only every hundred years or so but someone has found a way to open a mini rift.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

Some people used meth. Others drank themselves into a stupor. He drug of choice was Tobias Caine. And it seemed that even after five years of sobriety, she was still as addicted as ever.

***quote subject to change in finished copy***

OVERALL: The action in this book is like the frickin energizer bunny. It hits the ground running and continues until the very end. A colorful cast of characters are introduced so well that you want to know more about them. Out of all the characters, Detective Dante MacMillan, a secondary character who will get his own book next, totally stole the show for me. He was funny, caring and was quite smooth with the ladies. Tobias did surprise me. Nix made him out to be some sort of jerk who just up and left her when her demon got totally out of control. But there was a purpose to his leaving and that he actually cared. He could have at least been less callous about the way he just broke their relationship off. As for the Council, there's something shifty going on and I intend to find out when the next book in this series comes along. It's like Law & Order opening sequence meets Torchwood rift activity meets a case of the body snatchers meets a touch of 'I wish I knew how to quit you' (but involving a vampire and demon instead of two cowboys).

***review copy from Netgalley***

ARC Review: All I Want Is You by Sherill Bodine

ALL I WANT IS YOU by Sherill Bodine
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Contemporary
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (January 1, 2012)
ISBN: 9780446584357

SHE'S STEALING HIS HEART...
Vintage boutique owner Venus Smith is stunned to realize her newest acquisition comes with a larcenous legend. Stolen years ago, the antique mermaid brooch belongs to the Clayworth family. The right thing to do would be to return it, but that means facing Connor Clayworth O'Flynn, the sexy department store heir Venus has had an unrequited crush on since childhood---and the man who helped ruin her father.

ONE KISS AT A TIME.
Connor knows that Venus has never forgiven him for what happened between their families. But business isn't personal, even thought Venus's father's betrayal still cuts him like a knife. So when Venus proposes a deal---she'll return his family's brooch if he helps clear her father's name---he reluctantly agrees. As action-packed days turn into flirtatious fall nights, it isn't long before old memories resurface...and new desires ignite. Can two young lovers leave the past behind? Or must they first admit that all they've ever really wanted...was each other?

Where To Find Sherill: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook

I loved it.

Other Books In Series:

REVIEW:
Poor Venus Smith, unlike her name, she feels like she's no goddess. She's been in an on-again, off-again "relationship" with a guy named Brad, her father's been accused of embezzlement at the company he's worked for all his life, she has weird feelings for he man who fired her father and there's just something not right about the brooch she found in the closet of Connor Clayworth O'Flynn's aunt.

Venus runs a store with her sister Diana called Pandora's Box where they sell vintage jewelry and clothing donated or on consignment from some of the well to do residents of Chicago. Her latest acquisition from an old family friend, Bridget O'Flynn, turns her whole world upside down. After a closer look at the piece, Venus realizes that the mermaid brooch is the real, honest to god, one-of-a-kind that was made for Clayworth's Department Store years ago.

Connor feels betrayed by Venus's father, Alistair due to the fact that he funneled money from the company. It was Alistair's signature on the papers, but something doesn't seem to add up. Venus is on a mission to clear her father's name as well as get to the bottom of who stole the mermaid brooch all those years ago and trying to patch up Bridget and Tony's relationship. (Backstory: Tony gave Bridget the brooch but it caused a rift between them. Tony continued to go the Taylor Street (known for an underground gambling den) but Bridget turned a blind eye. When Venus tells them that it's the real thing, another rift is torn between Tony and Bridget.)

Connor wants to get the brooch back from Venus, going as far as lying to her and telling her that Bridget wants it back. Venus refuses to give it back until she figures out a way to lure the thief and clear her father's name. Apparently, there's a connection somewhere. Venus lays out a plan, a truce of sorts, with Connor but doesn't count on falling for him.

Connor can't believe he's going with this cockamamie scheme that Venus has cooked up but he'd do anything for family. Or so he tells himself. Between his mother throwing women at him, his aunt and uncle fighting and not talking, suddenly having feelings for Venus and feeling betrayed by one of the men he looked up to, Connor must sort it all out and realize that it's okay to show emotion even if it's been ingrained into you that emotion is a weakness.

Venus is as stubborn as they come. Once she sets her mind on something, she won't let go until it's done. Clearing her father's name is her number one priority. At least it is until she ends up digging out old secrets in the form of a mermaid brooch in a closet. She must now get Bridget and Tony back and figure out who stole the brooch. After her store gets ransacked, she has no other choice than to involve Connor. As they spend more time together, Venus develops feelings for Connor which in turn confuse her. She must keep her resolve and stick to her mantra of we're just doing this to get Bridget and Tony back and my father's name cleared. Keep telling yourself that girl. *snort*

FAVORITE QUOTE:

Pulling herself together, she sat up. Every woman admitted it was possible to feel physical attraction to a gorgeous guy even if she thought him a jerk.
But what she's never thought possible before this moment was that, jerk or not, she felt sad when Connor left.

OVERALL: I enjoyed my first Sherill Bodine book. It's a wonderful laugh out loud, heartwarming read with a hint of danger. Venus was such a headcase at times that I wanted to shake her and tell her to just let it go and throw herself at Connor. I mean come on! Who wouldn't? Oh yeah. Venus wouldn't because her father was fired from his long time position as treasurer of Clayworth's. There were memorable characters like Aunt Bridget who told it like it is, Diana (Venus's sister) who was like a freaking psychic and Gregori (the kid who Connor was mentoring) who was quite cheeky. Halfway through the book I had my "aha! I know who did it" moment and for once I got it right. Bodine's naming the Smith sister's after goddesses and their father writing a book featuring goddesses brought a smile to my face. Also, the mention of two couples from previous books have peaked my attention. Thanks to the excerpts at the end of the book, I'll be adding the previous two books to The List.


***review copy provided by publisher***

ARC Review: Sanctuary Cove by Rochelle Alers

SANCTUARY COVE by Rochelle Alers
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Contemporary
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (January 1, 2012)
ISBN: 9781455501403

SOMETIMES LOVE IS THE SIMPLEST CHOICE OF ALL.
Still reeling from her husband's untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother's ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove hold happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local baker, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.
Dr. Asa Monroe is at a crossroads. ever since the loss of his family, he has been a quest for faith and meaning, traveling from one town to another. When he meets Deborah, the beautiful bookstore owner with the warm eyes and sunny smile, Asa believes he has finally found a reason to stay in one place.
As friendship blossoms into romance, Deborah and As discover they may have a second chance at love. But small towns have big secrets. Before they can begin their new life together, the couple must confront a challenge they never expected...

Where To Find Rochelle: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook

I really liked it.

REVIEW:
Ecclesiastes 3 is one of my all time favorite verses in the Bible. I'm not going to get all religious but it's the verse provided at the beginning of the book. You know the one (variations and all): "To everything there is a season... a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance..."

Deborah Robinson is a recent widow who has sold her house and moved her family from Charleston to her grandmother's home in Sanctuary Cove. She's got 2 teenagers, is opening a bookstore called The Parlor and reconnecting with old friends. Sanctuary Cove is a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business (thanks to the town gossip) including Deborah's. Her husband was accused of having an affair with a student and later drowned saving someone.

She's come to Sanctuary Cove as a way to start over. Her kids and The Parlor are her main concerns. At least until the handsome and charming Asa Monroe catches her eye. He's a snow bird, just coming down for the winter and going back home in the spring.

Asa Monroe lost his wife and child in an accident. He's been traveling from place to place, repressing his grief and all the while waiting to hear from Doctors Without Borders. Coming to Sanctuary Cove might be the best thing that's happened to him since the death of his family. In the form of one, Deborah Robinson.

Of course, Asa has had women throw themselves at him while he was staying at the boarding house but none have intrigued him as much as Deb. He knows she's looking to hire someone part time to manage The Parlor so he steps up to the plate and offers his knowledge. In a spoken agreement (after some negotiating) between Deb and Asa, he would live in the apartment above the bookstore if she could give him food money.

Once the The Parlor opens, business is booming. Deb has events planned for the bookstore including themed months, book clubs and tea time,  just to name a few. Asa is a fantastic piano player and this brings the ladies in. Things are going great. Asa and Deb are getting closer even though they're still a bit hesitant to succumb to their feelings. Deb knows that Asa is only there temporarily but her friends urge her to take a chance. She looks content and happy, like before her husband died.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

She may not have been the traditional employer, but there was no way she was going to permit someone to work for free. And she knew instinctually Asa Monroe was worth more than fifty dollars a week, perhaps even ten times that amount. His intelligence, take charge approach, and the fact that he was a very attractive man was certain to bring customers into The Parlor---female customers in particular.

OVERALL: This is such a heartwarming story of a woman and a man who lost someone very close to them but found love again. I liked the fact that Deborah was a little older than most of the heroines I normally read about (I do get a tendency to get stuck in the Regency era) and she also has older children. I think the children add a little something more to the story. They're not just fillers. Asa's inner turmoil was heartbreaking. Of course, Deb's situation was as well but losing both a spouse and child is hard. Ms. Alers introduced quite a few of the townsfolk that had me laughing, cursing and wondering. The teaser at the end of the book definitely will have me coming back to Cavanaugh Island.


***review copy provided by publisher***

eARC Review: The Rogue Pirate's Bride by Shana Galen

THE ROGUE PIRATE'S BRIDE by Shana Galen
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Historical
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks (February 7,2012)
ISBN: 9781402265557

Revenge should be sweet, but it may cost him everything...

The Marquis de Valère escaped certain death in the French Revolution and is now an infamous privateer. Out to avenge the death of his mentor, Bastien discovers himself astonishingly out of his depth when confronted with a beautiful, daring young woman who has landed herself in a mess of trouble...

Forgiveness is unthinkable, but it may be her only hope...
British Admiral's daughter Raeven Russell believes Bastien responsible for her fiancé's death. But then the fiery beauty crosses swords directly with Bastien, and now she's not so sure she really wants him to change his wicked ways...

With her father and a set of ruthless killers hot on their trail, amidst swashbuckling adventure and constant danger, suddenly Bastien and Raeven's steamy entanglement seems to be the only thing they care about. (source)

Where To Find Shana:  Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blogger
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt | Book Page

Go and Buy it NOW!!!

Other Books in Series (click on covers for excerpts):

REVIEW:

Danger, intrigue, betrayal, revenge, swashbuckling action and an unconventional love story between a pirate (okayyy, privateer if you want to get technical) and the daughter of a British admiral set against a Bruckheimer-esque background. You can almost hear faint strains of The Pirates of the Caribbean theme interspersed with the clangs of swordplay as the action and adventure escalates on the high seas. Shana Galen's got this formula down to a science.

There's nothing sexier than a man in shiny black boots, tight breeches, an open shirt exposing the hard planes of his chest, wielding a cutlass and grinning sexily as he parries the thrust of your sword, all the while glaring at him with hatred and revenge in your eyes. Oh, yes. That's the way Captain Cutlass meets Raeven Russell, the one woman who Fate has placed in his path to bring him to his knees and then some.

Captain Cutlass has been on the high seas pirating since the tender age of eleven after his family's chateau was burned down during the peasant uprising in France. He thinks his family is dead and the one man who he considered a father figure was killed by another pirate. Bent on revenge, Cutlass is chasing Jourdain all over the map. He won't rest until Jourdain is dead and this might be chaffing his crew a little. Their days of privateering and gaining profit has dwindled since Cutlass's need for revenge. 

Raeven Russell's former fiance was killed during a skirmish with Captain Cutlass's crew. She blames him for Timothy's death. With her trusted friend Percy, Tim's best friend, in tow, she goes looking for Cutlass. Finding him in a tavern, she challenges him to a sword fight. I was waiting for her to Princess Bride it: "Hello. My name is Raeven Rusell. You killed my fiance, prepare to die." *giggle* Sadly, it was not meant to be probably due to copyright law and such. Of course, Cutlass has to be gorgeous, darn him! And cue in the crescendo of the fighting  music. 

Cutlass is surprised to find the "boy" fighting him turns out to be a girl outfitted in curve hugging breeches and breast hiding shirt. He makes her his cabin girl, planning on teaching her a lesson. Well, Raeven, having grown up on a ship and working alongside men, knows a thing or two about picking locks. She gets away and while doing so, notices all the crates with ammunition getting loaded on the ship. Returning to her father, who has a few choice words for her and Percy, she begs him to go after Cutlass. He was selling weapons to the Spanish and French who could be stockpiling for war. Her father brushes it off since it's not part of his orders.

Six months later, Raeven can't forget the kiss she shared with the insufferable Captain Cutlass and the feelings it evokes in her. She sees Cutlass again, only this time, she's wearing a dress. Some of Jourdain's men try to kill him during a celebration held my the pasha. Raeven still wants revenge for Tim's death. The men chase Cutlass and Raeven through the streets in the dead of night. Being the kick ass heroine she is, she saves him. 

Under cabin arrest, Raeven--the clever girl that she is, picks the lock and coerces Percy into boarding Cutlass's ship in the dead of night. This time, she will not be able to escape. Cutlass is bent on following Jourdain's ship and doesn't give a hoot if he's charged with kidnapping a British admiral's daughter. Time is precious when hunting the pirate and he has no time or the extra crew to send her back aboard her father's ship.

Sultry kisses and touches are exchanged, the sense of adventure is rampant, the truth of Timothy's death is revealed, and someone aboard the ship has betrayed them all. Now, Raeven and Bastien (The Dread Pirate Cutlass) must figure out not only their feelings for each other but who the traitor is that could get them all killed. 

FAVORITE QUOTE: "He'd decided that if his cabin girl regained that blade, he was going to have to seriously consider marrying her." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: A stunning, swashbuckling conclusion to the Sons of the Revolution series chock full of witty repartee between the main characters, smoldering attraction, Kindle gripping action (both on the high seas and in the berth *bow chicka wow wow*) and 'whoa! I did not see that coming' moments on the high seas. Shana Galen has once again made me lose an afternoon (in a totally awesome way) with a heart racing, adrenaline pumping, laughter inducing, 'did I just moan out loud?, super sexy read. Hello theme to Pirates of the Caribbean, you and I are forever friends. Out of all the Harcourt men, Bastien's my most favoritest (yes, it's not a word but, for the sake of this review, it is now). Danger! Betrayal! Intrigue! And hot smexing! In Galen fashion, the reader is thrown into the midst of the action from page one. I look forward to what she has next in store for readers.

***requested off Netgalley***

ARC Review: Any Given Christmas by Candis Terry

ANY GIVEN CHRISTMAS by Candis Terry
FORMAT: PDF
GENRE: Contemporary
PUBLISHER: Avon Impulse (November 22,2011)
ISBN: 9780062105233

Dean Silverthorne’s mother may be dead, but she still has matchmaking to do.

When an injury dashes NFL Quarterback Dean Silverthorne’s Super Bowl dreams, he heads back to Deer Lick, Montana with a chip on his wounded shoulder and more determined than ever to get back in the game. He loves his kooky family, but his trip home is nothing but a very brief Christmas visit.

His game plan didn’t include an instant attraction to Emma Hart, a feisty kindergarten teacher who seems to be the only person in Deer Lick not interested in the hometown hero. Or his dearly departed mom popping up with mistletoe in hand and meddling on the mind. Now Dean can’t help but wonder if there’s more to love than life between the goal posts.

Where To Find Candis: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I really loved it!

Other Book in Series(click on cover to learn more):



REVIEW:

Another great Christmas read. This one had me cracking up and rooting for the all star quarterback to be brought to his knees by a small town kindergarten teacher. A story of opposites attract and the magic of the holidays that brings people together. Plus, there's a friendly ghost involved. The quarterback's mother, to be exact.

Dean Silverthone, golden boy quarterback of the Houston Stallions can no longer play due to a hard sack resulting in a torn shoulder. He's in limbo, wondering when he can get back to playing with his team or if he ever would. He's returned home to Deer Lick, Montana for his baby sister's wedding to the local sheriff and to his surprise, find a woman who says no to him.

Emma Hart, kindergarten school teacher with a hussy for a mother, an unknown father and a loving grandmother with dementia, can't believe The Dean Silverthorne has struck up a conversation with her, much less ask her to dance. She's so over guys like him. The love 'em and leave 'em type. She's heard all the gossip and rumors, seen the tabloids with his picture splashed across it, skinny supermodels on his arm. Who was he to assume every woman would fall at his feet, tear off their clothes and beg him to ravish them. Not her.

At eighteen years old, Emma got her heart broken and since then, she's tried to stay away from any sort of relationship. She's focused on teaching, getting her Masters and spending time with her grandma even if she doesn't remember Emma. When Dean comes back into town for his sister's wedding, she wonders why he's paying so much attention to her. She does everything she can to keep him at arms length.

Dean returns to Deer Lick for the holidays since his shoulder is still healing. He hasn't forgotten Emma. Funny that. She's not his type. She's got curves, she's intelligent and she challenges him like no other woman he's know, excluding his sisters and mother. Driving the old clunker that once belonged to his deceased mother, he soon starts receiving A Christmas Carol-like visits from her. (Not as creepy as the ghosts in the original Christmas Carol). Apparently she's appeared to his sister before. At first, he thinks he's gone crazy and tries to rationalize his "hallucinations". Even in death, his mother is trying to play matchmaker with the help of his newlywed sister, Kate.

Emma doesn't want to have any sort of feelings for Dean but as she gets to know him better, there's a giving and compassionate side of him the rest of the world doesn't get to see. He's has a penchant for dealing with kids and is even able to break through to one of her autistic students. Emma keeps telling herself that once Dean's shoulder is healed and the doctor gives him the okay, he'd be on the next flight out. She tries to keep from falling but sometimes Fate has a way of bringing two unlikely people together.

Dean's life has always revolved around football, it's who he is. Now that his shoulder might force him to retire from what he loves, he's at a loss until Emma comes into his life and shows him that there's more to life than football.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "For twenty years he'd played it smart and safe. A guarded heart and reliable condoms. Emma Hart was his first without either." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)


OVERALL: This book surprised me. I thought Dean was going to be one cocky, all too confident, look at my swagger kind of football player but he's been raised right by his parents and can be knocked down a peg or two by his 2 sisters. I liked Emma. She was never one to back down. Take one injured all star NFL quarterback, a small town kindergarten teacher with a secret and one Christmas they'll never forget. Simmer in a hot tub with a sprinkling of teasing touches and witty banter. Add a few toe curling orgasms and some endearing cartoon pajamas. Heat up until it's too hot. Cool with some time apart. Throw in a meddling ghost mother and newlywed sister and you've got a recipe for a laugh out loud, sigh worthy, heartbreaking holiday read.

***review PDF provided by J.Edwards at HarperCollins in conjunction with Candis's blog tour with Goddess Fish***

eARC Review: Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Andersen

LORD OF THE WOLFYN by Jessica Andersen
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 288 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin (October 18,2011)
ISBN: 9780373618700

Practical cop Reda Weston didn't understand how reading a sexy version of “Little Red Riding Hood” catapulted her into another realm—face-to-fang with the legendary wolf-creature who seduced women. A wolf who transformed into a dark, virile man . . .

Dayn cursed the Sorcerer that damned him to a lonely fate. As a beast, he mated with women to gain the strength he needed to rescue his royal palace. But as a man, he craved Reda’s touch. With little time left, Dayn had to either embrace his wolf to safe his kingdom…or fight to save his woman. (source)

Where To Find Jessica: Author Site | Facebook | Goodreads
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N/Nook | Book Depository | Harlequin
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it!

Other Books in Series (click on covers to learn more/read an excerpt):

available now

available now

coming 11/22/11

REVIEW:

Well, what a ride. A magical realm with a prince that looks like the woodsman from Red Riding Hood, shapeshifting wolfyn who enthrall and use women for their own pleasure, some sort of magical roofie, a cop who froze when her partner needed her the most and another realm that must be saved from an evil sorcerer before it's too late. Four days to get back to Castle Island, which sounds like it either belongs in a Super Mario game or a horror flick, once a guide is provided. Some vortex hopping, a little bow chicka wow wow along the trail. Hey! I don't remember that part in Red Riding Hood. Okay, so it's not the Disneyfied version you remember as a child. 

Once upon a time... in a realm far, far away lived three brothers and a sister with their King father and Queen mother. They were a happy little group. One day, an evil sorcerer decides that it was time to take over the kingdom at the cost of death and destruction. The King and the Queen scatter their children off to different worlds to one day finally get the call to take back the kingdom from the evil sorcerer. Legend has it, once a guide is provided for them, the siblings only have four days to get back to their kingdom. 

Prince Dayn has spend twenty years in the realm of the wolfyn, spending once a year with a lady wolfyn to satiate his needs as well as hers. It's a mutual arrangement and she is one of two of his only allies in that world. He is a blood drinker a.k.a. vampire but he keeps it hidden from the wolfyn by using Jedi-like mind tricks.

Reda Weston is a former cop, freezing when her partner needed her the most. She is in search of a book that her mother gave her as a child. When she finally finds it in a little shop, she realizes it's not another copy of the book her mother gave her but the book, complete with her name inscripted. Opening it up, she flashes back to her childhood and as she stares at the picture of the woodsman, something shifts and she wakes up in a field.

Dayn is at first wondering what this human is doing not only to his self control but what in the world she's doing appearing in the realm through a vortex. She couldn't possibly be his guide! Reda recognizes Dayn as the exact replica of the woodsman in her book and thinks she's having a dream. Sorry Reda, no dream, all man. A very hot man.

She is immediately attracted to him and he to her, at least physically. It could be the magical roofies. When the wolfyn find out that Dayn isn't one of them but a vampire, they start to close in. With the help of the woman he's been spending once a year with satiating his needs and hers, Reda and Dayn get away. As the path gets more dangerous, the touches get sexier and hotter, and their time together gets shorter as they near the vortex portal, Reda and Dayn must figure out how they really feel about each other and if they are willing to sacrifice anything to remain together.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "She traced the raised lettering. Rutakoppchen. A version of Red Riding Hood with the wolf as both sinner and seducer, the woodsman as the hero who saves the girl and takes her away from her old life to a new, better one." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: This story surprised me, in a very good way. From the first page until the last, it enthralled me like the wolfyn found within the pages of this story. The world that Jessica Andersen has created with three of her fellow authors is amazing! Dayn and Reda's journey towards the arch that will take them back to their respective worlds is cinematic worthy: the scary woods, the open fields, wide angle shots of the lake and castle as Dayn approaches it, the shifting of the wolfyn into human form and back and the fighting that breaks out. A note for readers: I suggest you read the books in order. I tore into this book like a pack of rabid wolves but was left wanting in the end. I felt like I might have missed something from the previous books but don't know what. I've got Lord of the Abyss from Netgalley loaded on the Kindle and am ready to make that final journey towards an EPIC conclusion.

***requested off Netgalley***

eARC Review: Desired by Nicola Cornick

DESIRED by Nicola Cornick
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Historical
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: HQN Books (November 15,2011)
ISBN: 9780373775903

Tess Darent’s world is unravelling. Danger threatens her stepchildren and she is about to be unmasked as a radical political cartoonist and thrown into gaol. The only thing that can save her is a respectable marriage. But when it comes to tying the knot Tess requires a very special husband – one who has neither the desire nor the ability to consummate their marriage.

Owen Purchase, Viscount Rothbury cannot resist Tess when she asks for the protection of his name. But he has no intention of making a marriage in name only. Will the handsome sea captain be able to persuade the notorious widow to give her heart as well as her reputation into his safekeeping? (source)

Where To Find Nicola: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N/Nook| Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it!

Other Books in Series(click on covers for excerpts):


REVIEW:

Oh man! What a great book. I read the first three books of this series and somehow missed out on Notorious (which I will go back and read when I get a chance) but Desired is my favorite. That Owen Purchase, recently minted Viscount Rothbury, is something else.

Tess Darent is the tons scandalously notorious widow. She's racking up husbands like a man collecting mistresses. Husband #1 was her best friend. Husband #2 was an old drunk. Husband #3 did a number on her psyche, verbally, mentally and physically abusing her. She's vowed to never again marry unless the man was impotent and old and very rich. Her outlet is drawing and her political cartoons have the government searching for "Jupiter". They even go to lengths sending in their best man into a brothel searching for this "Jupiter".

Owen Purchase, American and inheriting the title of Viscount Rothbury, has come to England to take responsibility in running his title's accounts and lands. Tess Darent intrigues him and he can't help but wonder what the lovely widow is doing swinging from a bed sheet out the window of a brothel he and his men are searching through. She's fascinated him for some time and he doesn't quite believe that Tess is trying to avoid scandal by rappelling out a brothel window.

With the threat of scandal over hanging her stepdaughter, Tess must find an upstanding Lord to marry. Someone who is old, impotent and loaded. She is willing to give up all her scandalous activities just to make sure a slimy, toady, lecherous old man doesn't get his hands on her fifteen year old stepdaughter. *shudder* And what better way than to look through a book of the tons most eligible bachelors.

Owen talking with her brother-in-law puts an idea into Tess's head. Oh no! Oh, yes! Owen Purchase will be proposed to by one, Teresa Darent. She did propose to each of her past husbands, why not make it a fourth time? Tess proposing intrigues Owen. Neither will back out of the engagement even if it is in name only.

Much to Tess's surprise, her new husband isn't impotent as some people have led her to believe. She must stay strong and not let his advances wear down her defenses. Owen knows that something happened to Tess in her last marriage but not what, which makes her uncomfortable with physical touching.

Now, Owen must make Tess respectable in the eyes of the ton, keep her from getting discovered as "Jupiter" by making her promise not to draw anymore, find the traitor who is willing to betray Tess for a handsome sum of money and show her that touching is a pleasurable thing.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "We need to find you a duke or a prince, old enough to die within a year or two so that his continued existence does not inconvenience you, sickly enough not to be interested in his marital rights and rich enough to increase your fortune! How very romantic!" (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: Danger, suspense, betrayal, lies, spies, desire, lust and sacrifice. Whoa! This book hooked me from the first mention of Tess escaping capture by rappelling out a brothel window to the happily ever after on the last page. It always makes my heart ache knowing that the heroine of the story has been abused by a previous husband. The mental barriers are sometimes so great that the hero must tread carefully as not to scare her away at the slightest touch. Owen has a way of making Tess feel safe and stirs something in her that scares her a little. Owen and Tess may have started off trying to push the other as far as the other would be willing to go but as the barriers are slowly taken down, their passion for one another explodes off the pages and not only love but respect blossoms.

***requested off Netgalley***

ARC Review: A Love By Any Measure by Killian McRae

A LOVE BY ANY MEASURE by Killian McRae
FORMAT: ePub
GENRE: Historical Romance
NUMBER OF PAGES: 346 pages
PUBLISHER: Tulipe Noire Press (November 8,2011)
ISBN: 9780983979707
An Irish lass. An English lord. A love that overcomes all boundaries.
August Grayson has secretly dreamt of the girl living on his family's Irish estate since childhoods spent together in Killarney. Now a proper Lord of the British Empire, he knows that Maeve could never be more than just a distant fantasy. Still, if only...
Maeve O'Connor owns nothing in this world but her good name, which proves just enough to win a proposal for a marriage of convenience to a good, Irish lad. Until the wedding, however, she's in dire straits. Rent on the cottage she and her father share is due, but there simply isn't the money to pay. Driven to desperation, Maeve hopes Lord Grayson, childhood chum turned dashing English rogue, will prove lenient when she comes seeking clemency.
The temptation presented proves too much, and August offers Maeve a compromise: should she permit him twice as long on each succeeding visit to do whatever he wishes in pursuit of his pleasure, he will consider her rent paid. Starting with a mere five seconds, pulses soon out race the ticking clock, as August's desires become Maeve's own. Passion blinds them to the challenges closing in on both the Irish and English fronts, threatening to destroy the love they've only just rediscovered.
Working to bridge that which divides them, tempting fate with each stolen kiss, and torn between desire and obligation, Maeve and August must strive to overcome all and find a love by any measure... (source)

Where To Find Killian: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Powell's | Indiebound

I liked it.

REVIEW:

To be honest, I had a hard time getting into this book. Maeve agreeing to exchange "favors" to Grayson in order to keep her family in their home so easily sort of turned me off. It's understandable that she is trying to protect her father but there has to be some other way to pay the debt. She willing agrees to it within the first couple of pages. Not exactly the way I want a heroine in a book to start off, helpless.

Between flashbacks and present day, the reader gets a glimpse of August Grayson's life when he and Maeve O'Connor were children and ran around without a care in the world to a time where Maeve is trying to survive and August has taken residence in the home that is now his.

August comes back years later, as proper English lord. He makes an arrangement with Maeve in order for her and her father to stay in their home. In turn, he must allow her to bake bread to bring home. This is her alibi since she doesn't want her father to know she's whored herself out to the lord of the manor.

August and Maeve spent a whole summer traipsing through fields, getting muddy, reading in the hayloft and experiencing their first kiss. Maeve was a sort of distraction for August since his mother had come to Ireland to die. After his mother's death, he runs away into the mountains. Only Maeve knows where he's gone and brings him back. His father is worried about him and thinks Maeve was going to extort money from him for the whereabouts of August. With the choice of defending Maeve after she blurts out that they kissed and having his father show him love, August betrays Maeve and gives her the cut direct.

This arrangement they have turns into a game of cat and mouse. The time starts off with five seconds and increases by double the time. It begins to frustrate them both as they keep adding double the time to the previous time but only to stop when the touches keep getting hotter and kisses more demanding. And to top this off, she's been promised to another man.

August can't forget that kiss they shared all those years ago and has lusted after Maeve, wondering what if. If they weren't from different social classes, he would pick her to be his in every sense. Due to her having a fiance, he still wants to keep their arrangement but keep her intact for her wedding.

Maeve's father going missing and found shot starts to change everything. August invites them to stay in his home while Maeve's father recovers. August's sister, Caroline, befriends Maeve during their stay. As the days go by, Maeve has mixed feelings regarding her arrangement with August, in the room next door. While her father is recovering, their arrangement is off.

Maeve is determined to marry Owen come hell or high water. After all, the arrangement if for August's pleasure. Deep down inside, she is conflicted. The feelings he invokes in her sends her senses reeling. After she explains everything to August, he makes her manager of the baker she started working at, much to the disgust of the other workers, and breaks off their arrangement. August also helps Owen in reaching his goal on marrying Maeve by purchasing a part of the place Owen works at. Now that they are able to wed, Owen proposes to Maeve.

After celebrating their official engagement, August shows up at the tavern. Volunteering to see her home, Maeve and he, in a bout of drunkenness end up in bed together. In a moment of ecstasy, August proclaims his love for her. Owen finds out and makes her promise to cut off communication with August but in the end she comes clean with Owen about her feelings. Following August, she soon discovers a huge secret. One that she nor the reader could see coming.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "Such a swirl of emotions-- he loved her; he hated her; he hated her for letting him love her; he hated himself that he could hate her and love her still." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: It took me a while to get into this story but surprisingly, I liked it. I think I could've done without the chapter titles which are reminiscent of some young adult books. In the beginning I thought that August was a bit of a jerk for playing with Maeve's mind, telling her that the only payment he would take was her time even after she told him about a paying job. McRae keeps the reader guessing on what happens next thanks to flashbacks, flash forwards and even in the present. When the ultimate secret is revealed, I was shocked! Totally blindsided. Nicely done Ms. McRae. A heart tugging story of love, loss, forgiveness, betrayal and acceptance.

***review copy provided by Killian McRae***