Review: The Pleasure of Your Kiss by Teresa Medeiros

THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS by Teresa Medeiros
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Historical
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 528 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (December 27, 2011)

Legendary adventurer Ashton Burke has roamed the globe for ten years trying to forget the spirited woman he left behind in England. His devil-may-care pursuits are interrupted, though, when he agrees to retrieve his brother's kidnapped fiancee from a sultan's harem. Too late, he discovers his quarry is none other than Clarinda Cardew, the very same girl who made off with his jaded heart.

The last thing Clarinda wants is to be trapped in a palace of sensual delights with the man whose irresistible kisses still haunt her sleepless nights. She quickly realizes that allowing Ashton to rescue her may put her yearning heart in even greater peril. In a journey both tantalizing and treacherous, Ashton and Clarinda resume the impetuous steps of their dangerous dance only to discover the most seductive pleasure of all may be love itself.

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

Go and Buy it NOW!

REVIEW:
Excuse me while I intermittently hum the theme song to Indiana Jones and I Dream of Jeannie while throwing in a few bars of A Whole New World from Aladdin as I type out this review. Don't mind me. *humming and typing*

Kidnapped on the high seas and sold to a sultan at market on the way to her wedding, Miss Clarinda Cardew and her friend Penelope "Poppy" Montmorency were only looking for one last grand adventure before settling down to become dull, respectable ladies of society. Poppy has high hopes of the dashing, legendary Captain Ashton Burke coming to rescue them from the sultan's harem. Clarinda brushes it off, painting Burke to be only that: a legend, nothing more.

No woman was worth dying for but Ashton Burke was in a bit of a pickle. He had helped a woman escape from her abusive husband only to find himself standing before a firing squad. Before he meets his maker, his brother Maximillian rescues him. His fiancee's been kidnapped and sold to a sultan. He wants Ash to bring her back. He would do it himself but being a chief director of the East India Company, he must think of how that would reflect on him and the company if goes barging in, gun ablazing.

Ash can't believe his brother is this passionate over a woman. Once he learns who she is, he's torn between wanting to rescue her and telling his brother to go to the devil. His relationship with his brother isn't as great as it was when they were children. Ash tells his brother that he will rescue Clarinda. Only if he pays him. Of course a man in love will pay whatever is asked of him. Ash is shocked by this.

So off he goes with his friend Luca to kidnap the sultan and use him as ransom to trade for Clarinda. Well, it seems Luca and Ash aren't the only one's after the sultan. Ash saves his life and realizes that the sultan is none other than the poor pudgy foreign boy his classmates used to beat up at Cambridge: Frankie or rather, Farouk. Farouk invites them to stay at his palace for saving his life. However, his uncle isn't all that happy about it. He's old school and thinks that his brother was a fool to have made peace with a warring tribe.

In a flurry of gauzy material, Clarinda rushes back into Ash's life. She's not too happy to see Ash even if he is there to rescue her. Who is this woman?! Ash had hyped her up to be a shrewish young girl that would dog his every step and make his life miserable. This couldn't be the same woman dressed in barely covering there material. Could it?

Clarinda and Poppy have been in Farouk's palace for three months. During that time, resident mean girl Yasmin, once the sultan's favorite and soon-to-be wife until Clarinda came along, torments them. She walks around in almost nothing, makes catty remarks about the next time the sultan sends one of the concubines to bathe the Englishman it would be her and she would please him.

Playing off of each other, Ash and Clarinda try to match each other witty remark for witty remark. Jealousy inciting action for jealousy inciting action. They constantly try to one up each other, hilarity and sexiness ensue. Old feelings resurface as Ash and Clarinda must play it up for the sultan and his court.


Farouk wants to make Clarinda his wife but she needs "lessons" from the women of his harem in the art of pleasure before he beds her. You know, so that she won't come to his bed as a total innocent. Clarinda pulls the whole '1001 Nights' thing saying that she's a virgin and needs those lessons. Too bad she's lying. As Ash went out to make a name for himself so that he could marry Clarinda, she rushes out to beg him to stay and they end up having sex in a meadow. (How romantical?) But that was years ago.


Meanwhile, Farouk doesn't understand why Poppy looks at him all googly-eyed. He doesn't know what to do with her. He finds her in his favorite place to be alone and is a bit confused. These tingly feelings are foreign to him. After two attempts on his life and Ash being there to save him each time, he shows his gratitude by offering Ash anything he wants. Hmm...anything? Perhaps Farouk should have re-thought that offer.

Ash wants Clarinda in a bad way. He keeps telling himself that she belongs to his brother. Max would give her his name so that the ton wouldn't gossip about her (at least in hearing distance) kidnapping and turning up in a sultan's harem. Max would provide for Clarinda in a way that Ash couldn't. Each stolen kiss, each smoldering stare, each light caress only magnifies their need for each other until it all comes to a sinfully wicked night together. Now Ash must find a way to get all of them (Clarinda, Poppy, Luca and himself) out of the sultan's palace and back to his brother so that Max can marry Clarinda. But can he really give her up. Again?

FAVORITE QUOTE:

She was still amazed by how quickly modesty deserted one in this place, especially around the other women and eunuchs who guarded them. Back home an accidental flash of a petticoat hem was enough to cause a scandal and condemn a woman to a loveless marriage. Here the women often paraded around the harem in little but their sandals and a smile.

OVERALL: Teresa Medeiros, I love you. I thoroughly enjoyed the witty, laugh out loud banter between Ash and Clarinda as they try to one up each other during their time in the palace. What I enjoyed the most was Poppy, being starry-eyed and pining for the Farouk. I kept rooting for her, wanting her to win him over with her genuineness and realness. He couldn't see that because he was so infatuated with Clarinda since she was such a novelty in his court. Action, adventure, romance, danger, a second chance at love, secrets, a handsome sultan, a dashing hero, a resourceful and intelligent heroine, the bookish best friend and the resident mean girl all wrapped in a gorgeous oasis-like pleasure dome. The little teaser at the end for Max's story makes me want to know more. Max was a background player in this book. The older brother concerned with doing what society deems proper. There's a sexy, sinful man just waiting to get out.


***review copy provided by publisher***

Interview with Teresa Medeiros

Confession: I've actually never read a book by Teresa Medeiros until THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS. That's right. Shoot me now because I've been missing out. In Ms. Medeiros' latest release, a dashing adventurer is hired by his brother to rescue his fiancee from a sultan's harem, only to find that his brother's fiancee is the woman he's dreamed of for the last ten years. Let's give her a warm welcome:

HOWDY TERESA!!!!

Meet Teresa:

New York Times bestseller Teresa Medeiros wrote her first novel at the age of twenty-one, introducing readers to one of the most beloved and versatile voices in romantic fiction. She has appeared on every national bestseller list, including the New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly lists. She currently has over ten million books in print and is published in over eighteen languages.

She was chosen one of the "Top Ten Favorite Romance Authors" by Affaire de Coeur magazine and won the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award for "Best Historical Love and Laughter". She is a seven-time finalist for the Romance Writer's of America's version of the Oscars--the RITA award, a two-time PRISM winner, and two-time recipient of the Waldenbooks Award for bestselling fiction.

Teresa is a charter member of the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll, Kentucky Romance Writers, and Novelists, Inc. She lives in Kentucky with her husband and her cats Willow and Buffy the Mouse Slayer. Her first contemporary women's fiction novel GOODNIGHT TWEETHEART, a book about a man and woman who meet and fall in love on Twitter, was released in January 2011 and her 22nd novel and latest historical romance THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS was released on December 27, 2011.

Where to Find Teresa: Author Site(sign up for newsletter) | Twitter | Facebook

Kati: Who is Teresa Medeiros?
Teresa: Starbucks addict. Cat fancier. Voracious reader without enough time to read. A woman who murmurs, "Oh, captain, my captain" every time she sees Captain Kirk or Captain Malcolm Reynolds from FIREFLY. A lover of all things dark chocolate.

escapistmagazine.com

K: Tell us about THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS:
T: I've always been fascinated by the relationship between Marion and Indiana Jones in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. It was obvious from their very first scene together that the two characters had a very rich and passionate history. That's why I decided to create adventurer Ashton Burke and bring him back into the life (and arms) of Clarinda Cardew, the girl he had loved and left nearly ten years before. And what better place for their reunion to take place than a harem? It took George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg almost thirty years to give Indy and Marion their happy ending. I'm not that patient.

K: Tell us a little bit about your hero and heroine.
T: As a kid, Ashton was always the mischief maker and could never live up to father's expectations or his older and more dependable brother Maximillian. He finally decides to embrace his "bad boy" reputation and when we first meet him, he's facing a firing squad after being accused of stealing another man's wife.

Clarinda has adored Ashton since she was a little girl but he doesn't seem to take much notice of her until she blossoms into a beautiful young woman and starts to turn up her nose at him instead of dogging his every step. She's quick-witted and sharp-tongued and has been known to try to hold a gang of rapacious pirates at bay with a hatpin.

K: Twitter style (140 characters or less): What, if any, writing rituals do you have? (blasting music, peace and quiet, lighting candles)
T: A cat in my lap. A vanilla candle glowing in the window. The theme from LAST OF THE MOHICANS (or some other instrumental soundtrack) drifting from the Bose.

Awww. Buffy the Mouse Slayer & Willow Tum Tum

K: What can readers expect next from you?
T: I'm working on the sequel to THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS right now. In PLEASURE, Ash's brother Max does a Very Bad Thing to keep Ash and Clarinda apart. So in Max's book, I'm going to introduce him to a prim and proper housekeeper who's going to make sure he gets EVERYTHING he deserves (she purred.) THE TEMPTATION OF YOUR TOUCH will be out this year.

THE PLEASURE OF YOUR KISS:

Ashton Burke is a legendary adventurer who has spent the past ten years roaming the globe to forget the girl he left behind. His devil-may-care life is interrupted when he's hired to rescue his brother's kidnapped fiancée from a sultan's harem. Too late, he discovers she is none other than Clarinda Cardew, the very same girl who made off with his jaded heart a decade ago.

The last thing Clarinda wants is to be trapped in a palace of sensual delights with the man whose irresistible kisses still haunt her sleepless nights. Although he vows he is only doing his job, Clarinda quickly realizes that allowing Ashton to rescue her may put her yearning heart in even greater peril. In a journey that takes them from the delicious intrigues of a sultan's court to the glittering ballrooms of London, Ashton and Clarinda resume the steps of their dangerous dance only to discover the most seductive pleasure of all may be love itself.

Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository | Powell's
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt


A huge thank you to Teresa for sharing her latest release with us and to Pocket Books for providing the review copy.

Interview with Melissa Mayhue

Hullo all you lovely readers! I've got the fantabulous Melissa Mayhue on the blog today sharing her latest release, Warrior's Redemption. Let me tell you, this was my first Melissa Mayhue book *waits for gasps to die down* and I love, love, loved it! More highlanders please! I've been stuck in the Regency Era for so long, I've forgotten my first love: Highlanders. Melissa was just here on the blog not too long ago so she's a repeat offender. :) Let's give her a warm welcome:

HOWDY MELISSA!!!!

Meet Melissa:

Melissa Mayhue is the award-winning author of nine romances for Pocket Books: Thirty Nights with A Highland Husband, Highland Guardian, Soul of A Highlander, A Highlander of Her Own, A Highlander's Destiny, A Highlander's Homecoming, Healing the Highlander, Highlander's Curse and Warrior's Redemption. She and her family live in Colorado in the shadow of beautiful Rocky Mountains with two insanely spoiled dogs, one domineering cat, a turtle with attitude, and way too many fish in their aquarium. 

Where To Find Melissa: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter

Kati: Let's jump into things since you recently celebrated the December Joyathon with us here on Romancing Rakes. Tell us about WARRIOR'S REDEMPTION. 
Melissa: WARNING: Telling you more about this book MAY include spoilers for earlier books!!! Let me also assure your readers that even if they have not read the earlier books, they can start with this one and they’ll know everything that’s happening.

WARRIOR’S REDEMPTION is the first book in The Warriors series, a spin-off from The Daughters of the Glen. In this first book, readers of the old series will see some familiar names and places right from the beginning. There’s a visit to Wyddecol [home of the Fae] where they first meet Elesyria, a character who was first mentioned in A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING. She’s the Faerie mother of the heroine in that book, Isabella MacGahan.

This story picks up a little over a year after Isabella and Robert [along with Jamie], escape through time. Since Isabella is no longer in the time and place where she belongs, Elesyria – who’s been keeping an eye on her all these years – thinks she’s dead… and she’s out for retribution.

In addition to furious Faeries, we’re introduced – actually Re-introduced – to characters who were more than they seemed when we first met them in that same book. The MacDowylt brothers, Malcolm and Patrick, are central to this book and we find that they’re direct descendents of the Norse god, Odin. We also meet more of the MacDowylt family, in particular, their younger sister and brother, Christiana and Dermid, and their powerful [and totally corrupt] brother, Torquil.

I had so much fun writing this book! The characters took on lives of their own and the story just kept growing! Elesyria, for example, was originally intended to be only a bit player in the story, but as I got to know her better, she totally stole my heart. I’m working on the next in the series now, WARRIOR’S REBIRTH, and even I’m surprised by the characters who are showing up! (From the preview at the back of WARRIOR'S REDEMPTION, I am eagerly awaiting it!)

K: Tell us about your hero and heroine.
M: Malcolm MacDowylt was the brash young warrior in A HIGHLANDER’S HOMECOMING who’d arrived to claim Isabella’s hand in marriage and through that, Castle MacGahan. We pick back up with him just over a year later, after he’s gotten what he wanted, and we see the price he’s paid for his marriage to Isabella. As is not all that unusual for my heroes, he’s tormented by his past, burdened by the responsibility of consequences of all his actions.

I really like Malcolm. He was originally created to be a second tier bad guy, but I learned quickly enough as I wrote him in that first book, he was no bad guy. He has a heart of gold and a serious case of “I-Must-Save-The-World”-itis!!! His preference is to save everyone without endangering anyone – not an easy task in 1294 Scotland. Perhaps because of what he is, he tends to over-think every step. But once he’s decided on a course of action, he goes for it!

Danielle Dearmon is one of the most dedicated and stubborn heroines I’ve known in my stories. She has believed in Faeries since she was eight years old and she knows deep in her soul they have a purpose in mind for her. When Dani find something she wants – or someone she cares for – nothing can stop her from doing what she thinks is right.

K: What drew you to writing time travel romances?
M: I love the Happy Ever After of romances and I love the excitement of fantasy. Time Travel romances are a natural for me because they allow me to indulge in all of what I think is best in a good book.

K: Do you have any writing rituals? (eating cookies, drinking wine, absolute silence...)
M: I used to think that I did, but now that I’m working on my tenth book, I realize that the process – and what I have to do to capture those words! – changes from book to book. Most of the time I need to listen to music while I write. Music, but not singing. Words bring me out of the story and I find myself ‘seeing’ what’s happening in the song rather than what’s happening in the story I’m writing.

I typically write in my office [aka: the messiest place on the face of the Earth]. But sometimes, especially near the end of a story or close to a deadline, I have to get away from the familiar. There’s a Starbucks in town that I like to visit for those times.

K: What do you have next in store for readers?
M: As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently working on the next book in this series, WARRIOR’S REBIRTH. The hero has never appeared in one of my books… though readers may know OF him. It’s Chase Noble, the long-missing brother of Destiny [A HIGHLANDER’S DESTINY] and Leah [HEALING THE HIGHLANDER]. And the heroine? Christiana MacDowylt!

From there? Another Warrior book, though I’m not sure who the main players will be yet. I have several who are clamoring for my attention… and as the action in this current book grows, their demands are all pretty darn compelling!!

K: Thanks so much Melissa for hanging out with my readers again. :)
M: Thank you, Kati, for inviting me back! I’d like to extend an open invitation to all your readers to visit my website at www.MelissaMayhue.com where they can learn more about the series, little tidbits about the family lines [family trees] and even view recipes sent in by my readers! While they’re there, I’d also like to encourage them to consider signing up for my newsletter, where we hold special contests just for our subscribers!

WARRIOR'S REDEMPTION:

Malcolm MacDowylt sees himself a failed warrior, haunted by the death of the woman he married to become laird of Clan MacGahan. Neither his Viking heritage nor his claim to descend from Norse gods can restore his confidence in his ability to protect his people. His sister is held captive, her life in jeopardy, and his Magically powerful half brother wants him dead. The last thing he needs is more responsibility, but that's exactly what he gets when his Faerie mother-in-law arrives seeking justice for her daughter in the form of an enticing woman from seven hundred years in the future.

Danielle Dearmon has waited fifteen years to discover the life she is supposed to live. She just never dreamed she'd end up in the thirteenth century with a handsome Scot bent on saving everyone but himself.

With the lives of those most dear to him hanging in the balance, Malcolm sets out to battle a powerful evil magic, only to learn that the redemption he seeks exists in the arms of the woman he loves.

Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

A huge thank you to Melissa for hanging out on the blog again and to Ayelet Gruenspecht for forwarding correspondence between Melissa and I.

Review: Warrior's Redemption by Melissa Mayhue

WARRIOR'S REDEMPTION by Melissa Mayhue
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Historical romance (Time Travel)
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 400 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (December 27, 2011)
ISBN: 9781451640878

Malcolm MacDowylt sees himself a failed warrior, haunted by the death of the woman he married to become laird of Clan MacGahan. Neither his Viking heritage nor his claim to descend from Norse gods can restore his confidence in his ability to protect his people. His sister is held captive, her life in jeopardy, and his Magically powerful half brother wants him dead. The last thing he needs is more responsibility, but that's exactly what he gets when his Faerie mother-in-law arrives seeking justice for her daughter in the form of an enticing woman from seven hundred years in the future.

Danielle Dearmon has waited fifteen years to discover the life she is supposed to live. She just never dreamed she'd end up in the thirteenth century with a handsome Scot bent on saving everyone but himself.

With the lives of those most dear to him hanging in the balance, Malcolm sets out to battle a powerful evil magic, only to learn that the redemption he seeks exists in the arms of the woman he loves.

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

Go and Buy it NOW!

REVIEW:

I love Highlanders. Whether they're in their own time or ours. I love time travel romances. The rush of the past colliding with the present makes for a laugh out loud read. Hellooo! Communicating and using modern phrases that confuses the other person gets giggles out of me.

Reasons to Read This Book:

1. Highlanders. I mean, I just wanted to have this one reason and I know you'd read it because of their super awesome alphaness but Malcolm 'Colm' MacDowylt deep down inside is a big softie. His sister is held captive by his half brother, Torquil, who is super powerful (with lots of magic), his younger brother Dermid is all gung-ho about going to rescue their sister and bam! some woman falls out of the sky and turns his life upside down and inside out with her weird modern day phrases. 
2. The Modern Day Woman. Poor Danielle Dearmon. She's been leaving out milk for the faeris since she was girl and has gotten nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Bupkis. Finally fed up with not hearing from the faeries (finding her greater purpose and/or destiny in life) she takes it upon herself to reach out them. During Samhain, she creates fairy circle in her living room (after spending her paycheck on expensive stones) and calls out to them. Bad idea. She wakes up in another stone circle, cold and alone. Slightly disoriented.
3. Fairy godmother. *snort* Okay. She is a faerie and the mother of Malcolm's deceased wife. She breezes back into his life and claims that she wants to see him happy. Happy in the form of a woman from the future. As Dani's companion, she tries to teach her about the time Dani is in. I have a feeling that there's something going on between Elesyria and Malcolm's brother and right hand man, Patrick.
4. Evil half brother. Not bad boy brother but evil half brother. There's a difference. Torquil was the only child of his father and mother. His father took up with Malcolm's mother and intended for Malcolm to inherit. *cue lots and lots of jealousy* It doesn't help that Torquil is magical and can wreck havoc with it. 
5. Future-seeing sister. Christiana MacDowylt is being held prisoner by her half brother Torquil since she has the gift of vision which is the only power he does not have. Malcolm tries to rescue her but she tells him that it is not meant to be. Someone else is supposed to do it and he should just leave her there. I am anxious to find out how she is rescued after reading the teaser at the end of the book.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

His accusation felt like a punch to the stomach. Here she was spending her nights battling some physical obsession with this man, and he viewed her as nothing more than punishment from the Fae.

OVERALL: Why has it taken me this long to read a Melissa Mayhue book? (no don't answer that) She's reminded me why my first love will always be Highlanders. It's not those easy access kilts or the broadsword strapped to a muscular back (Well, who am I kidding? It's that first and foremost) but the way to guard and love their women. All that alpha aggression put to use in *ahem* the bedroom. Mayhue weaves a magical tale of danger, love, laugh-out-loud moments and above all, sacrifice. I am looking forward to reading Christiana's story and am hoping to hunker down and read The Daughters of the Glen series, of which this one is a spin-off of.


***review copy provided by publisher***

Review: Silver Sparks by Starr Ambrose

SILVER SPARKS by Starr Ambrose
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Contemporary
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 400 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (November 29, 2011)
ISBN: 9781451623635

Her fifteen minutes are about to begin.
The Larkin sisters have been trying for years to escape their wild child reputations. So maybe breaking arrogant playboy Rafe de Luca's nose in the middle of a posh ski resort wasn't the best way for thirty-two-year-old Maggie to prove she's actually an upstanding citizen. Fortunately, Cal Drummond saw the whole incident--from Rafe's groping hands to Maggie's fiery palm in his face--and stepped in to save the day. Only now the paparazzi might blow Cal's cover. He's been trailing Rafe secretly for weeks, trying to prove the star of reality television's Trust Fund Brats is not just a jerk--he's a killer. And now that Maggie has pissed off the powerful De Luca clan and soiled Rafe's reputation, she could be his next victim. The tabloids are going crazy over the "bar bimbo" and her "love triangle," but Cal will be damned if he'll let some sleazeball get his hands on the sassy, sexy redhead. Now all he has to do is convince Maggie he's one of the good guys so together they can get their man...(source:back cover)

Where To Find Starr: Author Site| Facebook | Blog
Where to Buy:Amazon | Kindle | B&N/Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it.

REVIEW:

Take one fiery redhead who broke the nose of a stuck up trust fund playboy, an out of town cop on leave pursuing the murderer of his estranged sister and a rich playboy who may or may not be behind the attacks on  the aforementioned redhead and you've got a recipe for a laugh out loud, 'oh my gosh, what?!', slightly sexy and dangerous read.

Maggie Larkin, former wild child, owns and runs a reputable store that sells things that only the rich and famous would buy because it looks cool in their home. She doesn't take too kindly to being grabbed by playboy Rafe de Luca and punches him in the nose. Enter cop on leave, Cal Drummond who has been pursuing the killer of his sister. He helps her out of a jam once things go down and warns her that the De Lucas would make her life a living hell.

Being headstrong, Maggie doesn't back down. Even with the threat of her name smeared by the tabloids, stories of a bad break up and jealousy over Rafe, she keeps on chugging through thinking that scandal isn't all that bad. But as things escalate and get dangerous, Maggie realizes that maybe Cal was right. She should take precaution. Between almost getting strangled, a truck driving through the window of her store and her sister (the one who has been living a normal life and not under the Larkin spotlight) not getting a research assistant position due to her association with Maggie, everything is starting to look bad on the De Lucas.

From the first time Cal sees Maggie defend herself against Rafe to her resisting his help in finding out if the De Lucas are behind everything bad happening to her, there's a growing attraction that he can't afford to have to this reckless fiery redhead.

It seems like the sleepy little town of Barringer's Pass has some connection or other to the De Lucas. No one in wants to cross them and soon business goes down for Maggie. She must join forces with Cal and a reporter bent on exposing Rafe for who he really is and show the world that Rafe de Luca is not just partying trust fund brat but a killer and rapist. Before time runs out, Maggie and Cal must prove that the De Luca family is covering up something and they both must keep Cal's sister from being Rafe's next victim.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

"Maggie hesitated, censoring the first words that came to mind, such as smart, stubborn, bossy, arrogant and sexy as sin. She gave an involuntary jerk. Where had that last one come from?"

OVERALL: This is my first Starr Ambrose book and let me just say that I will be reading another one. To me, Maggie was such a great character. She was sassy, witty, funny and willing to stand up for herself even if it meant having the most powerful family in her town threaten her within an inch of her life. Cal on the other hand, was a by the books kind of guy. He's always alert, always prepared should anything happen. It's mostly due to the fact that he's a cop. Duh. Ms. Ambrose writes a well balanced story of laugh out loud moments paired with dangerous, heart pounding action. I must say that I sure as heck didn't see that coming at the end. I might just have to surrender my Nancy Drew sleuth card. *sigh*

***review copy provided by J.Gruenspecht at Pocket Books***

Review: Hunter of Shadows by Nancy Gideon

HUNTER OF SHADOWS by Nancy Gideon
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 416 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (November 29, 2011)
ISBN: 9781439199507

The secrets he knows about her could get him killed.
Transferring to the New Orleans Police Department, Detective Silas MacCreedy has a hidden agenda: to secure his clan's place on again in the Shifter hierarchy. What he didn't count on was stumbling upon a sexy assassin who could shred his best intentions and lead him into a dangerous dance that threatens to engage his heart.

But the ones he doesn't know...
Monica Fraser knows just how to make a man beg--for his life. But she has no clue how to fight her attraction to the fiercely intense detective who seems determined to get in her way, both professionally and intimately.

...could kill them both.
When emotional attachments to the past and an unexpected glimpse of a different future have her questioning her deadly purpose, Nica must discover the truth about her secret abilities in order to free herself from the forces that control her. But that freedom comes with a price--trusting those she's been ordered to eliminate. (source:back cover)

Where To Find Nancy:Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
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:

Hello! What a heart pounding read. This was my first Nancy Gideon book and I got plopped into the thick of things. First off, the heroine in this book has no qualms about having sex or lusting after the hero even though she's only known him for a short time. She's very comfortable with her sexuality and I find that refreshing.

Silas MacCreedy is all sorts of yummy. He's been transferred to the New Orleans PD and on the hunt for something that could restore his family from lowly nothings to honored members of their clan. If everything goes according to plan, he won't have to stay too long in New Orleans.

Dun dun dunnn. Monica (Nica) Fraser puts a giant kink and a bit of kinkiness into his plan. She's been hired by an unknown person to kill someone, tie up loose ends so to speak. She's ready to get in, do her thing and leave, no one the wiser. Well, acting the helpless woman by luring four unsavory characters who attacked a friend of hers, she goes about her business eliminating them until Silas happens upon the alley. He tries to do his whole hero business but soon realizes that this woman is a badass and can take care of herself.

There's more to Nica than meets Silas's eyes. She's keeping a secret that he will do anything to uncover starting with keeping an eye on her. Silas develops an uneasy and suspicious alliance with Max Savoie (Bound by Moonlight) in order to get closer to the person he needs to kidnap to restore his family name. He has a hidden agenda and as he gets to know Nica more, he begins to question whether he's willing to hurt her to fulfill his mission or if he will throw it all away just for the love of this extraordinary woman.

Nica must figure out if she is willing to betray not only Silas but all the other people she's come to know and have treated her kindly just to gain her freedom. She must use all her mental strength to keep the demanding blood thirsty voice from trying to control her and make her succeed in killing the person she was meant to kill. Time is running out and Silas must find a way to keep this unknown being from taking over Nica's mind in order to save her and those around them.

FAVORITE QUOTE: 

"Her handsome protector had just become a major inconvenience."

OVERALL: There's quite a few stories woven in this book and at times I became a little confused (it may have been due to the fact that there were screaming children on the plane while I was reading) but the story flowed well. Nancy Gideon has a way to making the reader want more, need more and when you think you know what's happening, TWIST! From their first meeting until the end of the book, Silas and Nica scorched the pages with their sexual chemistry, induced laughter during their witty and sharp banter and made me sigh during their tender moments. The magic of NOLA shines through the sizzling and sultry kisses, the danger, the intrigue and mystery of the city. I'll be putting the rest of the Moonlight series on The List.


***review copy provided by J.Gruenspecht at Pocket Books***

Review: A Winter Scandal by Candace Camp

A WINTER SCANDAL by Candace Camp
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Historical Romance
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 431 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (October 25,2011)
ISBN: 9781451639506

When plain and proper Thea Bainbridge stumbles upon a baby in the manger of her church's nativity, she is understandably shocked. Discovering a brooch bearing the insignia of Gabriel, Lord Morecombe, hidden among the child's clothing, she is certain the dissolute rake is to blame. Incensed, Thea sets out to reproach the arrogant lord---only to find herself utterly swept away.
Gabriel is intrigued by the vivacity in Thea's flashing gray eyes when she accuses him of fathering the orphan, even as he adamantly maintains his innocence. The brooch is one he remembers all too well, however, and Gabriel is determined to find the mother of the missing child. As the mystery around the baby deepens, Gabriel is continually thrown together with Thea---and finds himself growing more entranced every day.
Even with whispers of winter scandal swirling around them, they cannot deny the longing in their hearts. A longing which promises the best gift of all: a shelter from the storm... in each other's arms. (source: back cover)

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

I loved it!

REVIEW:
Another holiday themed book and it's starting to get in the holiday spirit. I might even dig out the tree a month early.

Thea Bainbridge is an upstanding citizen, a pillar of the community and a giver. She helps her brother prepare his sermons and helps everyone with any problem they have. She puts everyone ahead of herself. Resigned to being on the shelf, she's determined to help her brother with all things pertaining to the church until he decides to take on a wife. Well, life is good and the holiday season has just begun. As she's preparing to set up the nativity scene, she discovers an adorable baby boy abandoned in the manger (how ironic) whom she christens "Matthew".

Discovering a pin with the seal of Lord Gabriel Morecombe, she rushes to his home all in a tizzy to rip him a new one. Looking like a woman well tumbled and half crazed, yelling at him in front of his friends, she realizes that may not have been the best way to go about trying to get Morecombe to take responsibility for the child.

Morecombe is surprised and somewhat taken by this mad woman who banged down his door with a baby in her arms. He is in full denial until he studies the child, who has the same features as his sister Jocelyn. And thus the search for his sister begins. Morecombe's sister was betrothed to one of his best friends but she ends up running away, breaking the engagement. No one knows why and since then, there's been a rift between Morecombe and Rawdon.

As the search for Morecombe's sister commences, he and Thea spend a lot of time together. They both agree that Matthew would be better off with Thea until Morecombe makes his home more kid friendly or if his sister comes back to claim her child. Thea points out, much to Morecombe's frustration, that his sister was afraid to tell him about the baby because of scandal.

Between trying to care for Matthew, finding Morecombe's sister, resisting their feelings for each other and discovering Matthew's kidnapper, Thea and Gabriel find that miracles do happen during the holidays.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "And exactly how could I have carried this baby for nine months, then delivered it six months ago, all without anyone in the village knowing about it? Or even suspecting anything? How could I possibly have kept such a thing secret for the past year? When would I have carried on some mad affair with a London nobleman? I mean, really, I ask you, when would I have delivered a baby in secret?"

OVERALL: My first Candace Camp book and I think I shall read more. I may be a bit partial to this book since I'm a total sucker to holiday themed books and this one is no different. Thea's 10 year crush on Gabriel and him realizing years too late is heart tugging. Isn't that like any typical man? Only seeing the pretty girls and bypassing the quiet ones. This is a story of love, loss, forgiveness and miracles, wrapped in a neat little bow of holiday magic and sultry kisses.


***book provided by Ayelet Gruenspecht from Pocket Books for review***

Review: A Novel Seduction by Gwyn Cready

A NOVEL SEDUCTION by Gwyn Cready
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Contemporary
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 373 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (October 25,2011)
ISBN: 9781451612646
When snobbish book critic Ellery Sharpe screws up at Vanity Place magazine, her boss assigns her the ultimate punishment: write an ode to romance novels, a genre she considers the literary equivalent of word-search puzzles. To make matters worse, he hires her sexy former party boy ex, Axel Mackenzie, to shoot the photos. Axel really want the project to succeed. For one, the magazine will double his fee if he convinces strong-willed Ellery to write a story no woman can resist. Besides, getting Ellery to fall for romance novels might be just the push she needs to believe people can change...even him. At his sister's advice, Axel gives Ellery a copy of Kiltlander, a much-adored romance whose warrior hero is utterly irresistable. To her dismay, Ellery finds herself falling in love with the story---and with Axel, who's drawing his own lessons from the book's compelling hero. With her carefully crafted image of herself crumbling and her dream job on the line, will Ellery risk it all to make the leap from tight-lipped literati to happily-ever-after heroine? (source: back cover)

Where to Find Gwyn: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter
Where to Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

Go and Buy it NOW!

REVIEW:
From the moment I read this: "Romance Novels: Publishing's Answer to Farmville", I fell in love with this book. Ellery Sharpe is a bookish snob. She thinks romance books are utter drivel and trash but after ripping the head of the most successful romance publishing company Bettina Moore a new one, her editor isn't too happy (as in he's sleeping with her. Men!).

This book is not only an ode to Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDER but to the romance genre in general. 


Top 10 Reasons to Read This Book:

1. Ellery Sharpe- Literary critic, thinks romance books are a waste of time, has a baby sister who she practically raised, Axel's ex, very driven. Ellery's revelations about the romance genre and the books she's reading had me laughing and muttering to myself--'See? You can't just write off romance.' 
2. Axel Mackenzie- Freelance photographer, beer drinker, half Scottish, looks delicious in a kilt, Ellery's ex and did I mention he's Canadian? He wants to buy a brewery and the only way he can get the money is to partner up with Ellery and push her towards writing the article with the same passion when she writes literary pieces.
3. Monkey Bar- Supposedly the entrance to the underworld of Vamp so it's a total tourist spot. Ellery wants to prove her sister and best friend wrong, she can have fun. She gets drunk, crosses the monkey bars, takes her shirt and bra off, makes out with a random guy, makes out with Axel, all the while thinking she's taken a pill (courtesy of Axel) that's put her on this bender.
4. Lessons learned from romance books according to Kate (Ellery's bff): 1)Forget money and looks. Without honor, you've got nothing. 2)The only heroine of any worth is one who makes things happen for herself. 3)There's nothing more fun than an unruly hard-on.
5. Kiltlander- It's OUTLANDER but Jamie is Jemmie and Claire is Cara. This makes me want to finally read my copy. 
6. Vamp- Ah yes. The latest book by Bettina Moore in which empowered vampire women kick ass and take names. Readers of the book are divided into Teams. Sound familiar? This book has your typical paranormal elements: human turned vampire hero, kick ass heroine, a journey into hell (both figuratively and literally), an evil villain and a secret that must be kept from humans.
7. Kilts- I mean, what is a book without a Highlander in a kilt? Axel and Ellery's travels take them to the site mentioned in KILTLANDER and Axel is talked into wearing a kilt. 
8. Sex positions in romance books: Seriously, this part is pee in your pants hilarious. After Ellery reads a sex scene in one of the books, she starts to wonder how limber the characters must be or if the position is even feasible. Haven't you always wondered how a 5'2 woman gets it on with a 6'2 man? (What is it with historicals putting the man a foot taller than the woman anyway?) Does it really work? What about standing on one leg and hiking up the other, wrapping it around his waist? 
9. Buhl Martin Black- Ellery's boss at Vanity Place who is diddling Bettina Moore and makes Ellery write a three thousand word essay about the positive side of romance. Plus, he's married. And not to Bettina.
10. Lessons learned from romance books, according to Axel: 1)Women love them. 2)If a woman doesn't love romance novels, she still loves romance. 3)Just talking about romance with the cashier at the bookstore earned him a phone number. 4)Kiltlander helped him score with a girl back in college.

It is like the kitchen sink of romance books. Almost everything you find in your categorized romance books, you'll find it in this one. This book has everything: opposite personalities, the bff there for the comic relief, the sister who helps and doesn't hinder the story, the slimy asshat of a guy bent on winning no matter the cost, the whiny mean girl, a road trip (okay, country hopping), a hero who has a secret which the heroine assumes the worst, a heroine who has a secret which cost her the man she loved, a story of second chances, a secret baby, men in kilts, a rowdy bar, readers split into Team [insert character name here] or Team [insert opposing character name here] (you know which books I'm talking about), hilarious secondary characters and the list goes on and on.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "'Would you be flattered or offended if someone described your nipples as 'musket balls'?'
The unpacking stopped. She gave his a curious look.'I'm going to have to say no one's ever asked me that before.'"

OVERALL: Now I finally want to crack the spine on OUTLANDER er, at least pull it up on the Kindle, to see what I'm missing. Yes, Gwyn Cready has made me see the light. Gwyn Cready's writing is sharp, witty, entertaining, laugh-out-loud until you cry and slightly pee in your pants funny (not that I'm admitting to the last part), very refreshing and pegs the thoughts of non-romance book readers that I know. The interaction between Ellery and Axel is explosive yet sweet and fun. The banter between the two had me snorting and getting weird looks from strangers. (I swear I have got to stop reading romance books in public.) It was quite the journey watching Ellery go from romance book skeptic to slightly confused as to why she's got feelings about Jemmie and Cara to fully embracing the genre. Would it be blasphemous to say that this book is my KILTLANDER?


***book provided by Ayelet Gruenspecht from Pocket Books for review***