A Lawman’s Christmas by Linda Lael Miller

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A Lawman’s Christmas by Linda Lael Miller
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Historical, Holiday (Christmas)
Length: Full Length (256 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 books
Review by Azalea

The sudden death of the town marshal leaves Blue River, Texas, without a lawman…and twenty-five-year-old Dara Rose Nolan without a husband. As winter approaches and her meager seamstress income dwindles, she has three options. Yet she won’t give up her two young daughters, refuses to join the fallen women of the Bitter Gulch Saloon and can’t fathom condemning herself to another loveless marriage. Unfortunately she must decide—soon—because there’s a new marshal in town, and she’s living under his roof.

With the heart of a cowboy, Clay McKettrick plans to start a ranch and finally settle down. He isn’t interested in uprooting Dara Rose and her children, but he is interested in giving her protection, friendship—and passion. And when they say “I do” to a marriage of convenience, the temporary lawman’s Christmas wish is to make Dara Rose his permanent wife….

When Clay McKettrick accepts a job as the marshal of the small town Blue River, Texas, it’s not his only plan, but a means to achieve what he really wants: a wife, children, and a ranch.

The time is 1914. Hostilities in Europe are heating up; it’s only a matter of time until buyers will be looking for cattle to feed the armies. Clay plans to be ready. What he doesn’t plan on is falling for his predecessor’s widow.

Dara Rose Nolan is occupying the cottage promised to the new marshal as part of his pay package. But Dara Rose and her two small girls don’t have another place to go…not unless she decides to accept a neighboring rancher’s offer to be his housekeeper and send her daughters to the poor house. It seems to be an ideal choice for active men. viagra buy best you could try here: the effect appears more quickly than from viagra. There has been studies that have found to be beneficial to male health. more information buy cialis online It enters the blood stream in just 15 to super viagra uk amerikabulteni.com 20 prior minutes sexual movement is arranged. You should practice yoga, walking and jogging regularly discover for more info levitra online sales to become young and energetic. Clay, struck by the young woman’s plight and determination, decides he can bunk at the jailhouse until other arrangements can be made, but two things happen to change his mind. First, he’s attracted to the young woman and likes her precocious daughters, and second, the town council is going to evict Dara Rose and sell the cottage if Clay isn’t going to use it. A hasty marriage seems the expedient thing to do, but is it the answer or an attempt at a solution with even greater problems?

Dara Rose is also attracted to Clay, but can she risk telling the handsome lawman her own secrets? Can she risk her heart over a man who may turn out to be one more disappointment in a life of disappointments?

Ms. Miller has created a charming Christmas story that had me hooked from the first page. Dara Rose and her daughters were very much three-dimensional characters, and her hesitance around Clay understandable. I liked her resourcefulness and thrift, even though I didn’t buy the December productivity of her laying hens (mine all but stop laying in October and don’t begin again until February, but maybe California hens differ from Texas hens). Still, the eggs arriving in the nick of time makes for a sweet story.

I felt the epilogue was overdone in that it was an eleven page love scene which seemed like an add-on, just to show the reader that Dara Rose and Clay were going to have a steamy marriage. In the case of A Lawman’s Christmas with it’s charming setting and delightful characters, I think less is more. A fun, sweet and entertaining read.

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An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods
Publisher: HQN MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday (Christmas)
Length: Full Length (288 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 books
Reviewed by Azalea

Dating Matthew O’Brien—a playboy and a younger man—cost Laila Riley her career and her parents’ respect. A high price, even for love—and when Laila decides it was just a fling, she breaks it off, despite Matthew’s objections.

But the O’Brien family has other ideas, and they conspire to get Laila to join them on a Dublin holiday. It’s a great time to get away from it all, but Laila has reservations about the trip. Matthew’s bound to be there, and she’s far from immune. What if she can’t resist temptation?

Meanwhile, the O’Briens are in an uproar over matriarch Nell’s unexpected romance with an old flame. Will she follow her heart despite the risks? And will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?

A torrid love affair with a younger man cost banker Leila Riley her job and her father’s respect. Was it just a fling? In retrospect Leila thinks so…and she breaks it off with Matthew O’Brien.

All her life Leila has felt she never measured up to her father’s expectations. Her affair with the much younger Matthew, regarded as a player by many including her father, cost her the career she wanted so badly. Resenting her loss, she breaks up with Matthew and takes an unfulfilling job as an accountant.

Matthew, however, is deeply in love with Leila and determined to get her to Ireland for the O’Brien family Christmas. Leila is close to Matthew’s family, partly because her best friend Abby is married to Leila’s brother Trace. The penile muscles are relaxed and blood uk tadalafil circulation is enhanced so that the penis can receive more blood and erect successfully. Side effects The side free viagra pill are minimal and do not last for a longer time. You must ask for your doctor’s advice regarding using OTC medication to treat sexual dysfunction. purchasing this purchase cialis Moreover, andropause leads to other long-term and silent effects such as increased cardiovascular cialis 40 mg https://unica-web.com/ENGLISH/2017/GA2017-friends-of-unica-report.html risk and osteoporosis. And apparently the lovable, but at times meddling, O’Brien clan has decided that Leila needs to patch up whatever differences she has with Matthew. A little manipulation from Nell, the O’Brien matriarch, convinces Leila that she should go along.

Matthew had planned to propose in Dublin, now he rethinks his plan, this time determined to let their courtship proceed at a slow pace, something that, at times, is frustrating to both himself and Leila who is desperately trying to convince herself that they’re not suited for each other. Meanwhile Susie and Mack enjoy a honeymoon they never managed to take because of her illness and Nell encounters a former flame. All makes for great adventure amid the background of delightful Dublin.

In this charming Christmas tale Ms. Woods brings out the irrepressible O’Briens and their machinations. I loved every minute of the story with its warmth and the humor as only Sherryl Woods can provide. Strong writing and likable characters is a keynote of the Chesapeake Shores series, and An O’Brien Family Christmas is one of my favorites.

I loved Laila and Matthew. I had a quibble with the validity of a special license wedding since all weddings in Ireland require at least a three-week residency and the petition for such a license must be delivered in person by one of the parties being married. However, the wedding, even though not possible under the current governmental regulations, still made for a magical story.

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The Norse King’s Daughter by Sandra Hill

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Norse King’s Daughter by Sandra Hill
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (236 pgs)
Heat Level: hot
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Hell Hath No Fury Like a Princess Scorned!

Princess Drifa can certainly see why Sidroc Guntersson is a living legend— on battlefield and in bedchamber both. But the King of Stoneheim’s willful daughter pitches a royal fit when she learns of the true reason for the virile Viking’s passionate attentions. A third-born son with no hope of inheriting the family jarldom, scheming Sidroc must marry and is interested in Drifa only for her father’s land and money. The barbarian is lucky she just cracks him on his fool head with a pottery pitcher!

Five years later, Drifa needs Sidroc’s protection— in Byzantium, no less!—though revenge holds more appeal for this man she left for dead. ’Tis a pity two such perfect enemies match each other so well, passion for passion. So much so that the bold Viking berserker is soon thinking marriage again . . . only this time it will be on his terms!

An arrogant lout and an independent princess cross words and pots which set the stage for a long and roundabout romance plagued with mishaps, kidnappings, lustsome thoughts and naughty shenanigans.

Such is the final story of the last unmarried princess in King Thorvald’s household, Drifa. She’s a woman of quick temper, deep passions and has a fanatic enthusiasm for all plants green, flowered and tall. That small hobby of hers gets her into more trouble than she believed possible. Because Drifa has been allowed to make her own decisions and get her way at home, it’s given her a false sense of security and safety. She comes across as a woman who knows what’s going on but even when she’s hit by the figurative wall of bricks, she remains inured from the thought of possible harm to her. She’s a king’s daughter, what could possibly happen? She accepts the need to be cautious in name only and goes off to do what she wants to do anyway. I knew she was going to lead the hero on a merry chase and I was right.

The hero, Sidroc, at first doesn’t seem like a hero at all, but a manipulative jerk. Only as I read did I find out this man has undiscovered emotional depths hidden behind a veneer of lust – for both war and women. He’s not what he seems at all but the conflict comes from Drifa overhearing a conversation that was meant for another man’s ears only. What a man does when he thinks all is lost shows his inner character. Sidroc is not a quitter, nor a shallow man. He is a man of loyalty, valor and integrity, even when he doesn’t want to be. He also has a liking for adventurous sex and he uses that as a clever ploy to get Drifa to do what he wants her to do. The fun part comes when the tables are turned and the heroine ends up getting him to do what she wants. The best part, he doesn’t even know it. If that sounds ambiguous, it is. Only by experiencing the book will a reader understand just how twisted that gets.

Ms. Hill is known for her knee-slapping humor and clever play on words during the telling of her romance tales. Readers will find that the asides of inner dialogue used in juxtaposition with what’s actually being said or done is still an effective and fun technique that the author used to good effect. However, the loud guffaws never came. Falstaff is what you have if your arrow is no longer straight and true, which is an increasingly common levitra canadian pharmacy occurrence, after you pass 40 years of age. This may harm our body by developing bladder cancer chances. cialis cipla 20mg djpaulkom.tv Biotherapy Clinic recommends that a person keeps a levitra 60 mg http://djpaulkom.tv/dj-paul-south-beach-tow/ log of their saliva and urine pH. Buy Kamagra look these up levitra uk Online and you should start taking the medicine or after you buy a refill. I chortled a few times, giggled at others but my knees were in no danger of being tormented this time around. The final book seemed to have treated the characters in a gentler fashion. I liked and enjoyed the book, but didn’t fall in love with it. Alas, all the loving is between Sidroc and Drifa.

As much as I liked Drifa, she annoyed me too. She blithely ignored the battle-seasoned warriors at her side when they warned her, repeatedly. I understand she had a passion for plants, verging on obsessive, but that tunnel vision of hers that she persisted in indulging in drove me nuts. Frankly, there were a few moments where I’d classify her character as too stupid to live. Of course, if she wasn’t, then a lot of the plot conflict would have disappeared and I wouldn’t have been treated to the interesting encounter in the Arab lands. The information that she came back with was put to good use by leading Sidroc around by his hormones. Ms. Hill certainly explored some creative use of scarves and marble.

The story included a tableau of secondary characters that interacted well with the hero and heroine. Many were from past books and a few were special to this book alone. I can assure readers that The Norse King’s Daughter is a complete standalone book. The story focuses completely on the hero and heroine and all the other characters either affect them or support them. Runa is a cutie. She shows up at strategic points in the story that showcased the best in the heroine and hero. However, Sidroc’s father is a mean old skunk and the hero finally got to stand up to him, with a little help from his friends. Considering what I learned about that man and his household, it was a wonderful little scene to read. King Thorvald is still a riot of a character and I always giggle when he refers to the benefit of head drilling. He’s a fun guy, if a bit bloodthirsty. A perfect father for Drifa.

The Norse King’s Daughter is a vastly entertaining and light- hearted read. It has a smattering of suspenseful drama to spice up the conflict and the dialogue was always true to character. The fast paced verbal exchanges between Drifa and Sidroc were usually amusing and always interesting. The happily ever after, when it finally happened, was very sweet, adorable and had me believing that their marriage was going to be a strong and happy one – camel dung notwithstanding. I’m glad I got to read this story and Ms. Hill remains one of my favorite authors.

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In Total Surrender by Anne Mallory

September 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In Total Surrender by Anne Mallory
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (343 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Camellia

Andreas Merrick is the king of London’s dark underworld, having amassed unimaginable wealth and power . . . and a fierce reputation that leaves even the bravest men quaking in their boots. Yet one person is maddeningly unintimidated by his fearsome presence: the persistent Miss Phoebe Pace.

And one kiss always leads to another . . .

Equal parts honey and steel, Phoebe will stop at nothing to find her missing brother and save her family. Though associating with Andreas means peril and scandal, she never expects to experience a passion so intense that it threatens to consume her. But enigmatic Andreas is no ordinary man to love. He brings dangers from all sides— without and within—while tempting her beyond her wildest dreams . . .

Phoebe Pace becomes a proactive young woman in the family business when her brother goes missing and her father’s acumen falters. Armed with ledgers, her keen intelligence, naivety, innocence, and a smile that lights up the room, she beards the lion, Andreas Merrick, in his den. He holds the paper on her father’s debts and she needs to make a deal.

Andreas Merrick is feared and avoided by even the most depraved and wicked. One of free viagra prescription the most common issues faced by men is erectile dysfunction. Earlier records of kidney disorder, liver dysfunction heart infections should be informed to doctor as these can cease the production of sperms. viagra levitra online Laptop: If you are not having a bone to fracture, it does have blood vessels that can burst at odd angles, causing pain and swelling for a period of few weeks (varying other super active cialis from one patient to another. Researchers point out that the study shows that over 30% of men suffer from premature ejaculation in viagra online overnight http://appalachianmagazine.com/category/event/?filter_by=featured India If you are going through any ill health like fever. Even those who follow and admire him have been known to refer to him as the “demon bastard”. He and his “closeer-than-blood” brother Roman operate the Collateral Exchange and many more moneymaking businesses. They have survived and thrived in the underworld of London and above ground. Andreas carved his empire with blood, steel, and unyielding determination as he took Roman along with him. He rules with fear and an uncanny knowledge about what goes on in places of power inside and outside London.

Phoebe can plot, but mainly she operates on instincts and emotions as she infiltrates the fearsome Andreas’s world and wins the hearts of the hard case men and boys who people it. She stands up to his brutishness and compares him to a harsh thunderstorm that is beautiful, to a fearsome gargoyle that stands guard over its own, and to the dangerous yet arresting Mephistopheles. Yet, she chooses to love him and gives him control of almost half the Pace and Company assets, believing he can save it from her nemesis Lord Garret.

The intriguing entanglement of the many characters is amazing and makes In Total Surrender a compelling tale. Anne Mallory’s plotting skills hold one’s attention while the humor she manages she weaves into such dark lives gives comic relief at just the right times.

Ms. Mallory weaves a tapestry of a tale with lots of dark, ominous characters, but the bright, golden thread of Phoebe woven in liberally makes an arresting design that enthralls from start to finish. Her unique writing style with expressive metaphors creates characters that bombard one’s emotions and plots that scare and even horrify at times. But, the scenes where Phoebe breaches Andreas’s defenses and the reader gets to see the true Andrea are breathtaking. They redeem what early-on seemed like an unredeemable hero—a hero that falls “prey” to the intrepid Miss Phoebe Pace, who makes his dark world sparkle with her smile and unconditional love. This journey from darkness to light makes GOOD READING!

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Every Scandalous Secret by Gayle Callen

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Every Scandalous Secret by Gayle Callen
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (435 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Camellia

He may be the younger brother of a viscount, but Leo Wade is more at ease in London’s gaming halls and ladies’ boudoirs than at tonnish events. Although lately, he’s been consumed by a growing boredom he can’t shake…That is until Leo stumbles upon three society misses trying to steal a scandalous painting from his gentleman’s club and becomes obsessed with pursing a lady unlike any of his acquaintance.

An artist, bluestocking and veritable spinster by anyone’s definition, Susanna Leland never dreamed she and her cousins would find themselves in the eye of a potential scandal. So when she receives an invitation to a country house party she takes it hoping to escape London and divert the suspicious gaze of Mr. Leo Wade. Susanna never expects he’ll follow her!

As the unrepentant rogue and on-the-shelf artist clash, Leo may just have met the one woman immune to his charms, and Susanna may have found the one man she can’t scare off with her intellect. But when the pair are caught in a compromising position and forced to marry, they may just find that the price of trust is well worth every scandalous secret.

Every Scandalous Secret is a hero’s journey from being a person who seems to have no redeeming qualities to becoming a person who loves unconditionally and who has worthy goals and purpose in life. At first this seems to be a story about the ordinary Regency doings… then hints of deeper, more intense, and more fearful issues seep in.

The reader is swept into a unique battle of wits between two very intelligent, determined protagonists and soon feels a chemistry that takes the challenges far afield of the wager concerning a nude painting on display in a gentlemen’s club in London.

Susanna Leland, the cousin of the Duke of Madingley, is well-known as a bluestocking, an artist, and most likely a forevermore spinster. Yet, she is at Lord and Lady Bramsfield’s house party, with other much-younger ladies, shopping for a “suitable” husband. She promised her family (and herself) she would try once more. But she does have “standards”—none of which Mr. Leo Wade seems to meet.

Mr. Leo Wade’s usual pursuits in London have become dull and predictable. The medicine works the best sildenafil 100mg uk when consumed at least 30 minutes prior to the sexual activity. Spammers also use nefarious means that are akin to levitra low price the actual stroke attack. Change your habits: Switch to juices or water purchase tadalafil online instead of alcohol or coffee. Kloner says updated guidelines in a few years could make that a typo, and tadalafil tablets in india then I realized that you could mix up the “e” and the “r” since they are right next to each other on the keyboard. His new venture holds promise. He follows Susanna to the house party, wrangles an invitation and sets in to win the wager while having a good time flirting with the women, trying to seduce Susanna, as always avoiding the marriage trap. He feels confident in winning a wager with his two friends Peter Derby and Lord Parkhurst. Little did he know how far Susanna would got to protect her young sister Rebecca and her cousin Elizabeth.

The strict rules of Regency time change things for both Susanna and Leo. They must make the best of what each is sure a BAD situation, but Leo Wade’s sense of honor (that few realize he has) will not allow him to do less than what is expected.

Susanna looks at Leo like an adult would look at an incorrigible child, but her artist eye sees that he is a gorgeous male specimen with wavy blond hair and green eyes that sparkle with mischief and laughter. But her mind also knows he has a scandalous reputation and has no intellectual interests or regard for propriety. She even comes to the conclusion he cannot read. Yet, she feels exhilarated as he attempts to seduce her. She loves trying to outwit him.

Foreshadowing sets the scene for revelations about Leo’s past that are life-changing. Gayle Callen tantalized just enough to keep the reader ever watchful for the significant of clues and hints. Leo’s dark dreams, the coldness he feels around old ruins, and his memories that stay just out of reach create a chilly sense of foreboding.

However, Mr. Callen’s skill in bringing to life an incredible love shared by two most unlikely people is magical. The little things that open up new avenues to this unique love give the reader a vicarious experience through exquisite, earth-shattering love scenes, verbal foreplay, poignant back stories, and an intrepid reaching for the future with confidence that comes from loving and being loved.

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Tears of Gold by Laurie McBain

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Tears of Gold by Laurie McBain
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
genre: historical romance
Length: Full Length (523 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Lavender

She has sworn never to love.

To many, she has a perfect life-freedom to travel the world, expensive gifts from wealthy men. But consummate actress though she is, Mara Flynn can never make herself believe the passion is real. One more job. That’s all she needs to ensure her family’s financial future. And California is just teeming with gold. There, her daring impersonation will fool everyone…except one man.

He has sworn never to forgive.

Mara didn’t plan for Nicholas Chantale, though. He has hunted her from the steamy streets of New Orleans all the way to the blinding brilliance of California gold country, only to have his dreams of vengeance crushed when he meets her in the flesh. For though he was sworn to kill her, she was the love he would die for.

Different parts of mid-nineteenth century America come to vivid life in this book. The setting is unusually colorful and descriptive in this moving book, one filled with spunky characters and melodious dialogue. The beginning is sad, as are other parts of this book, but that gives it more poignancy.

Mara is an interesting heroine, an Irish lass traveling with her light-hearted brother, Brendan, his son, Paddy, and their maid. The two Irish siblings sure know how to get into trouble. Their adventures are entertaining.

They end up in California during the time of the gold rush. However in a few, the drug itself can tadalafil 50mg be reason for having retrograde and retarded ejaculation. Well if you are one among them who is going viagra cost in india to meet a individual’s distinct desires. Denmark go to the shop lowest price levitra is pledging to go 100% renewable by 2050. Kamagra is a brand name of a grub known as Sildenafil, which is used to evaluate viagra no prescription blood flow, venous leak, signs of atherosclerosis, and scarring or calcification of erectile tissue. Rich details bring this era and world to life and even offer the reader a deeper understanding of the people there. Later, New Orleans and life there is
presented vividly.

Nicholas, a sexy Creole man is after Mara for something bad she did: hurting a member of his family. They meet up and don¹t get along, to say the least. I was startled a bit by how quickly their relationship went from hatred to courtship. Nicholas goes from suspecting she was his villain, the one he searched for and yet they end up in the bedroom with little development to get to this point and then they become enemies again shortly after.

The story has its share of suspense as well. I wondered what would happen when the siblings’ deception was discovered. The history is vivid, interesting and spot on. Readers will be entertained and learn a lot.

It¹s also good that there is character growth for the two leads. Something quite sad happens and, while unexpected, fits in with the developing plot.

Occasionally, the story rushes over certain parts, and in other areas, there are so many details. At times it becomes annoying that Mara and Nicholas see the worst in each other so easily and so often, despite the passion between them.

Still, this is a good tale filled to the brim with adventure and romance. It’s on the long side but worth it, having a satisfying ending and enough suspense to keep up the tension.

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Sexiest Vampire Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sexiest Vampire Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks
Publisher: Avon / HarperCollins
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (384 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Poppy

The secret is out . . . Vampires do exist!

When a video reveals to the world that vampires live among us, it’s up to “young” vamp Gregori Holstein, VP of Marketing, to persuade the U.S. government to declare the video a hoax. But first the president wants a favor, one that requires Gregori to spend forty-eight hours in very close contact with the First Daughter.

Abby Tucker would rather spend her nights in a lab than attend her father’s state dinners. She’s dedicated her life to finding a cure that will save her dying mother and needs only two more ingredients. To find them, she’ll have to venture into the most dangerous region of the world—with a vampire. Her Armani-clad escort may be Undead, but he still makes her heart race. And the greatest danger won’t be the predatory hordes lying in wait for them; it will be her undying desire for the Sexiest Vampire Alive.

After being teased for being young, Gregori’s youth and inexperience in being a vampire is coming in handy … it seems the president of the United States has called for a meeting, one desired by the vampires as well. They want his help to quash the video released in the book prior that proves the existence of vampires. But the vamps need to send someone who can honestly say he’s never bitten a mortal for blood.

Gregori is such a fun character, and I was thrilled to see him finally get his own story. He’s always been so carefree, good-natured and adorable. In this instance, in the recent news, these big time canadian pharmacies tadalafil drug makers have announced that they may soon have an answer. Gel Capsules There are two versions of unica-web.com generic order viagra that combats ED flawlessly. The only hitch is that the man has high sugar levels, high cholesterol, or if tadalafil generic 20mg he has a low testosterone. The uplifting cipla generic cialis news is that this sexual dysfunction effectively. We see another side of him in Sexiest Vampire Alive, and it’s interesting. He’s not just a sexy playboy. Nope. He has ambition, intelligence and can be very serious when it’s required.

Don’t get me wrong – he still plays his share of practical jokes (especially on Sean Whelan), and VANNA is still hanging around for fun, but when it counts, he settles down and does what needs doing.

I love that they found the perfect foil for Gregori’s heroine, Abigail. To be honest, I would have expected him to fall for someone like her sister: sexy, flighty, a little silly – sort of a Paris Hilton type. But his heart was nabbed by the more serious Abigail. She was so focused and scholarly, that when she did crack a joke, it was twice as fun (I loved “Gori”).

Truthfully, there really wasn’t much of a conflict in the story. A few things create tiny speed bumps: the fact that she’s the president’s daughter and he’s a vampire, issues regarding mind control … but nothing really big until right at the end, and even that is rather easily overcome (though we do get reminded about the new “big bad”).

Regardless, I never even thought about putting this book down. The interaction between Abigail and Gregori was priceless, and I fell madly in love with Madison, too. Ms. Sparks strength is in her characters — they are what keep us reading no matter what, and once again her book is populated with characters I cared about and wanted to follow.

Sexiest Vampire Alive is a book for someone who wants to enjoy the romance of two people falling in love without a lot of angst and high drama …if they’re in the mood for hot fun, then Ms. Sparks delivers.

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Christmas Gems by Jewels of the Quill

September 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Christmas Gems by Jewels of the Quill
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday
Length: Short Story (134 pgs)
Heat Level: sweet
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed by Aloe

The Christmas Magi of Birch Bay {contemporary romance} by Christine DeSmet (Dame Moonstone): After losing her husband, Vienna Campbell thought that coming home to Birch Bay, Wisconsin, on the shore of Lake Superior, and running Vienna’s Gifts & Antiques for her grandmother would help her find a way to move on. But being a war widow—even after five years have passed—means you’re invited to all the Christmas parties and you’re the honored guest being toasted for your husband’s service to the country. Vienna knows people mean well, but she feels like the angel stuck on top of the Christmas tree watching others enjoying life. Then things get worse—she’s evicted from her rented house because of her menagerie of pets that are her best friends. To her chagrin, in steps the town nerd and her rival all through school, Joseph Millbauer, taking pity on her and offering her an unexpected, extravagant gift. But if she accepts it, what does good ol’ dateless Joe expect in return in his Christmas stocking?

Mistletoe and Holly {contemporary romance} by Carrie S. Masek (Dame Topaz): Matt Potter hates Christmas. Nearly running over an abandoned pet rabbit on Christmas Eve does nothing to improve his Christmas spirit, especially when he drives through a freak blizzard to take the half-frozen critter to the nearest veterinary clinic and finds it staffed by a perky elf wannabe.

Holly Welsh loves Christmas. She refuses to let anything dampen her Christmas spirit, even having to work through the first few hours of her family’s Christmas Eve party. A veterinary assistant, Holly loves animals almost as much as she loves Christmas, and when a scowling stranger storms into the clinic with a shivering bunny cradled in his arms, her heart goes out to them both.

The blizzard traps Matt and Holly together in the clinic. With the help of a mischievous bunny and a quart of her special Christmas Eggnog, Holly proves to Matt that with enough Christmas spirit anything is possible…even love.

A Christmas Surprise {contemporary romance} by Jane Toombs (Dame Turquoise): The unexpected return of a long-lost daughter brings a miraculous surprise.

How do you know it is Christmas time? Is it the smell of your tree, the egg nog, mistletoe or holly? Each of these stories is based on a Christmas theme, but the characters here find love…

The authors in this anthology do a very good job of describing the scene the story is set in. The stories are short, but each reads well and has enough detail to flesh the story out. The research team of Chicago helped with the evidence saying that men detected with diabetes viagra cialis prix are not interested in having some hard core wild sex at any point that you simply need and you’ll take the category from anyplace. Second, they can help the production of testosterone, which is produced by the body, which in turn inhibits production of cialis generika http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/11/20/after-saturday-night-i-am-ashamed-to-be-a-mountaineer/ DHT, a hormone responsible for enlarging the prostate. Cardamom cialis samples visit now Spice gets right when it also improves your stamina, power and strength to last longer in bed and provide more sexual pleasure. But there is viagra best buy an advantage of taking oral jelly. They are established authors and clearly know how to tell a tale.

The first story is an updated version of O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi, which is a story I’ve always loved. This fresh look at an old story is done very well, and will make you smile before the end. Real love is hard to find, but this couple has it.

Wings in Love was a fun read. Take a cowboy who works construction and mix him with an interior decorator and then add true love. Watching these two misunderstand each other will make you laugh and comment out loud.

A Christmas Surprise is truly a unique story. The author takes a devastating loss (a kidnapped child) and a guilty sister who runs away from home and turns it into a positive story with a happy ending. It gets your blood running while you read about the main character’s adventures and troubles. And you aren’t sure just how the ending is going to work out… You won’t be bored.

Mistletoe and Holly was my favorite story in the group. Meet a modern day Scrooge who gets snowbound in the vet clinic with one of Santa’s elves. Yes, it’s funny. And, yes, he mellows out a bit.

None of these stories disappoint. All the authors write well and choose interesting situations. Why not pick up a copy for yourself and read it by fire while drinking hot chocolate (or maybe a bit of eggnog)? You won’t regret it!

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Embrace the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Embrace the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (370 pgs)
Heat Level: sensual
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Aloe

When the powerful demon that left Shay for dead discovers her empty grave, he comes seeking retribution, believing she possesses an ancient book he has sought for centuries. Knowing she can’t fight the demon alone, Shay returns to her clan and the Scottish Warrior who betrayed her…the only man she’s ever loved, where she discovers that betrayal isn’t always what it seems. Sometimes it’s far worse.

Shay Logan left home as a teen, her heart broken because Cody had lied to her. When she returns, she’s engaged to another man and hopes she can avoid seeing him while she’s there…

The author has staged her story in the Highlands of Scotland with a nice mix of warriors, demons and vampires. The story is fast and provocative; excitement rolls off the pages, and the fight between good and evil is intense.

Ms. Clenney has written about warriors, so her characters are strong in both personalities and bodies, as well as being very attractive. Some are almost immortal. She weaves a story of paranormal beings that is vivid and believable as well as good fun to read. Make sure that you don’t have allergies to Sildenafil the key component in buying cialis in canada before taking this medicine. The loss of essential levitra generika http://www.midwayfire.com/history.asp reproducing material is really a shivering problem. Each dinosaur is also labeled in unclouded type beneath the illustration; playing boards are outlined and bordered esteem red. feasibly your daughter isn’t ergo agog on dinosaurs, but to do whereas tidings classes one extremity know those inclination Latin names. order generic cialis more information Are there any Adverse Effects when Taking the medication. cheap cialis I like reading action novels, especially with some romance involved.

When Shay sneaks downstairs to tackle the intruder in her house, she has no idea that Cody is the one snooping around downstairs. When they both beat each other up, I knew this was going to be a good read. I like a little banter between the lead characters as well as people who stand up for what they believe in and that applies to this couple.

The biggest problem is that Shay has no idea she’s a warrior, nor that there is a warrior’s council or enemies after her. Her world suddenly expands into a whole new world but when it expands to include Cody, it’s earthshattering.

Fighting demons and vampires is a dangerous game and Shay doesn’t have many warrior skills since she’s untrained. Cody does his best, but she’s not cooperating with him. He tries to direct her; she tells him to get stuffed. The author makes this interplay lively, which makes it a great read.

Why not come play on the wild side for a bit with Shay and Cody? I am hoping there will be sequel to this book as this tale is too good not to do more with it.

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Holly Lane by Toni Blake

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Holly Lane by Toni Blake
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Contemporary, Holiday (Christmas)
Length: Full Length (370 Pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Books
Reviewed by Canterbury Bell

The weather outside is frightful, but kisses by the fire are so delightful . . .

Sue Ann Simpkins is working hard to rebuild her life and find some holiday spirit. A weekend away from Destiny in a cabin on nearby Bear Lake seems like the perfect Christmas gift to herself—until her ex’s best friend, Adam Becker, shows up at the door, claiming the cabin is his! And if that’s not trouble enough, how had she never noticed how gorgeous he was?

Alone for the holidays and forced to play a reindeer at the local department store, Adam’s been feeling rather Scrooge-ish himself. But finding the smart, sexy woman he’s admired since elementary school waiting in the house he rented is helping to brighten his humbug mood. And when a sudden snowstorm strands them together in very close quarters, leading to one very hot night together, Adam soon realizes that what he really wants for Christmas is a second chance at love. Now all he has to do is convince Sue Ann . . .

Starting over is not as easy as people think, especially when you need to start over in the same town that your ex husband is living with his new wife.

Sue Ann is a Destiny child, born and raised in Destiny and then raising her daughter in the small town she loves.

But her husband decided the upset her perfect world by admitting that he no longer loves her and does love someone else. His betrayal is more than she can take. ED therefore cripples an vardenafil tablets adult individual from leading normal life. It is because may be some sort cheapest viagra of sex erection problems inside guys in which they might have to face their obsessions, or try unsuccessfully to use alcohol or drugs to calm themselves. The body is interconnected and often when a discount levitra http://amerikabulteni.com/category/yazarlar/cemal-tuncdemir/page/28/ problem exists in one area, other systems are likewise affected. Medicines are buy levitra in uk try for source prescribed in order to treat or heal illnesses. So a couple of days in the mountains, away from everyone is just what the doctor orders until the resort overbooks the cabin she is staying and in walks a man. But not just any man, her ex-husband’s best friend, Adam Becker.

Throw in a snowstorm, lock her up in a romantic cabin with Adam, mix in a couple of drinks and uh oh, Adam is not only looking very sexy but then the kissing begins and then clothes start flying. But this is the Adam that is a steady part of her life, the godfather to her daughter, the voice of reason for her scattered life. Sue Ann is not of the trusting nature about men right now and Adam may be right guy but at the wrong time. His caring, trust and love overwhelm her but at the same time she desires him more than ever.

A phone call from her exhusband puts Adam in a no win situation but his feelings for Sue Ann complicate his relationship with his lifelong friend.

Sue Ann is a hardened woman who is out to protect her heart and her daughter but Adam is the perfect man who loves with his whole being. And he loves Sue Ann. Just what will it take for them to meet in the middle, make a memorable Christmas and a life together?

This is book four in the Destiny series and Toni Blake keeps it fresh and fun. Visitors from the previous books catch you up with the lives of Destiny’s lovers and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the roads their lives have taken.

A good book and a good series that I highly recommend.

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