Archive for September, 2010

UP CLOSE AND DANGEROUS
Linda Howard
Performed by Natalie Ross
ISBN:  9781423310112  (Unabridged Audio Book)
ISBN:  9780345486530  (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN:  9780345486523 (Hard Cover)
April 21, 2007 (Unabridged Audio Book)
April 28, 2008 (Mass Market Paperback)
July 7, 2007 (Hard Cover)
Romantic Suspense

It was supposed to be a quick chartered plane trip from Seattle to Denver and a two week rafting vacation for Bailey Wingate. But it was starting off on the wrong foot when her normal pilot didn’t show up and she would be spending the next hours in the company of Cam Justice; the dour faced partner of the charter company whom she didn’t particularly care for.  However, when the plane’s engines gave out and they knew they were going to crash, it would be through the incredible flying skills of Cam’s expertise that would let them crash-land without getting killed.  Nope, not the crash but their injuries and the freezing elements of the mountains might do that for them.  If not for dogged determination on the part of Bailey to drag Justice out of the plane and then construct a shelter to keep them from then dying of exposure they would have died. Stranded together in the mountainous wilderness, Bailey and Cam would be cut off from civilization where they would begin to wonder if Bailey’s two adult children by marriage, whose trust funds she controlled, had tampered with their plane.

***  What more can be said about author Linda Howard who can spin romantic suspense into edge of the seat thrills so adeptly that the reader will find themselves feeling the chills and wind that threatened our protagonists lives as adroitly as they themselves must have felt?  I felt as exhausted as Bailey should have as she dragged, pulled, and pushed Cam to get him out of the unstable plane and worked so hard in trying to keep him alive in the frozen landscape of their crash site.  What might have been lacking in all out suspense for this novel, Ms. Howard more than made up for in detailing the steps taken to survive both the crash; the injuries; and the elements by someone (Bailey) who had no training for outdoor survival but who sure as heck used her head, common sense and whatever she could scavenge to keep Cam from bleeding out and freezing to death.  I would like to think that after reading Up Close and Dangerous, I just might take some pointers and pack a few little things on my next plane ride just in case I ever got stranded on a mountainside!

While the story dealt primarily with Bailey and Cam’s efforts to survive in the wilderness without food, water and a myriad of other things one needs to sustain themselves, there would be backstories to what was going on ‘back at the ranch’ so to speak of what was being done to locate the missing plane and what most assumed would be their bodies.   Additionally, the author keeps the reader aware of what is going on with Bailey’s grown step-children who to most everyone felt were the key suspects in what must have been sabotage to the plane.

While Up Close and Dangerous is probably more of a survival guide than the suspense thrillers Ms. Howard is most known for, I still enjoyed it though the ending did seem a bit rushed, while the perfectly lovely sensual romance was built.  Bottom line, not Howard’s best but still recommended.

Buy It from Red Sage:

COMPROMISING CHARIS
Sahara Kelly
ISBN: 978-1603105644
November 2010
Red Sage Publishing
Erotica/Historical
eBook

Three years previous Charis Forbes-Wilkinson had been ruined.  Not feeling that the young man whom Charis had been caught in bed with was good enough for his daughter her father had him sent to France to fight and die in the war, while Charis had been sent to Bridlington Manor to rusticate.  Now it seems her Aunt Margaret has found Charis a young man who would overlook her youthful indiscretion and would marry her.  Charis thought he must be a lackwit for wanting to marry and she was not about to stand for it without a fight.  Charis planned to run off and raise horses with her gypsy friends. Along the way to freedom, Charis met  a rather handsome young man with a very fine pair of horses and after a lively discussion in which she discovered his name, St John (pronounced Sinjun) Randall, Charis decided that in order to really thwart her aunt’s marriage plans she would convince Sinjun to – if he had the time – ruin her some more???

*** Compromising Charis was really quite a delightful short story and I could only wish that it had been a bit longer which is really my preference in reading stories that either capture my imagination; are so good I hate to see them end; and/or provide me with more laughter and good solid humor in the telling.  In this particular case it is the latter reason, for I found I liked this author’s style of witty repartee and the humor along with the rather naughty tone of the descriptive erotica which was quite pleasant to read.

The author created Charis as quite determined in knowing how she would live her life, especially after her initial ‘ruination’ .  The one thing it accomplished for her was she discovered she actually enjoyed the physical aspects of being touched, fondled and kissed.  In her three years of rusticating in the country, she had found that with experimentation she could pleasure herself, but when dictated to that she would have to wed a man she knew nothing about, she was NOT going to be dictated to.  Charis was convinced that any man wanting to marry a ruined woman MUST BE A NODCOCK!

Sinjun was delighted when he discovered that this beautiful, vivacious, and totally enthralling young woman was the candidate his aunt had arranged for him to wed.  Sinjun had one marriage under his belt that had not gone as planned and he was not so sure about entering into another, especially when he was told that the young woman had a past that wasn’t quite squeaky clean.  However, after meeting Charis he was rather looking forward to letting her know just who he was – but only when the time was ripe!

Bottom line, was Compromising Charis was fun!  It was fresh, sexy, and I loved the dialog between the leads.  The author’s prose was spot on and I was able to picture the scenes, feel the emotions, and join in the fun as Charis and Sinjun fell in love.  This was a wonderful short  read I wish could have gone on and on!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

FORBIDDEN
Christina Phillips
ISBN:  978-0-425-23808-0
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Heat
September 2010
Erotica/Historical Trade Paperback

 

Carys is a Druid Princess whose country has been taking over by the Roman Empire. To save her people’s way of life, the druids cast a powerful spell to hide themselves from their Roman conquerors. Maximus is a Roman officer who is in charge with the invasion of her land. When Maximus catches Carys spying on him as he baths, he’s instantly intrigued by this woman who appears different from the other natives he’s encountered so far. For Carys the attraction she has for Maximus is lethal, if she reveals who and what she is, it could mean the destruction of her people.

Their worlds collide when Maximus saves Carys and carries her back to his compound to recover. Despite their strong feelings together, actually living together is impossible. Not only does Maximus still not know that Carys is a Druid Princess, but Carys doesn’t know that Maximus has been tagged to find her people and defeat them and Maximus doesn’t know that his greatest enemy is the woman he’s falling in love with.

I could be wrong and I often am (not really, but it sounds more humble this way – LOL), but I believe Christina Phillips is a debut author. If she is, wow! FORBIDDEN is an awesome debut and Ms. Phillips is an author who will definitely be added to my list of authors that I must start stalking and keeping up with her new releases. FORBIDDEN has a unique premise and setting that is handling in realistic and compelling way. It never lost my attention, as a matter of fact I started FORBIDDEN when I was recovering from a surgical procedure and should’ve still been drowsy from the medication I took, yet I couldn’t put the book down and go back to sleep.

But enough about that, I suppose you want my review. This is the point where I normally talk about what didn’t work for me in a book. Umm, for FORBIDDEN I can’t think of much that didn’t work. Forbidden is a well-crafted story that kept me enthralled and turning the pages. The only thing that seemed a tiny bit clichéd was the villain, and that some of the sexual references (i.e., body parts) seemed to be modern terms. Also, this is where I’m really not an expert, but Maximus uses the “f” word and it pulled me out for a moment because I didn’t think that was a word used during that timeframe. But even with those minor things, because the awesomeness of everything else did not make those issues stand out to me much.

This is what I loved. The setting (Britain under Roman occupation), the Druid history, the characters, the sexual heat that was equal to the emotional connection between the Carys and Maximus, the tension, the conflict, the great narrative. Umm, I could go on and on. All the things that I’ve mentioned here blended together so seamlessly that made for a great read. If you love not only erotica, but also stories with well written characters, and great historical detail, you won’t make a mistake by picking up FORBIDDEN.

Buy It from Desert Breeze Publishing:

AMOR IMMORATI BOOK ONE: IMMORTALLY YOURS
J. Morgan
ISBN: 978-1-936000-93-7
Kindle ASIN: B0041HXOTM
September 2010
Desert Breeze Publishing
Urban Fantasy
eBook

Chase Michaels usually avoids divorce cases in his PI firm, Darkside Investigations, but John Gardner is willing to pay enough money for Chase to buy the car he wants. John wants his missing wife, Belle, found. Chase puts aside his misgivings as his lust for the car overrides his common sense… only to end up getting shot and trapped in the middle of nowhere. Soon, Chase realizes there is a lot more to this case than just a missing bride. Is Belle’s plight tied into the curse placed on Chase centuries earlier? Or is Chase about to finally meet death for good this time?

IMMORTALLY YOURS is a bit different from previous books by J. Morgan and admittedly I was a little worried. Would his signature humor be missing? Would the change in genre from paranormal romance to urban fantasy work? Oh, but I never should have doubted at all! J. Morgan puts his own spin on this unique and fascinating supernatural world, making it an instant hit!

J. Morgan does a stellar job with character development. Chase starts off like the stereotypical macho Alpha male but it quickly becomes clear that this is the image Chase wants others to see- and not the man underneath all that swagger. Belle touches him deep inside his heart, a place he thought long lost in the years since he was first cursed, and she makes him care again. It’s impossible not to root for Chase, even when he is so aggravatingly male! However, it is the secondary character of Raiz who truly steals the show. Please, please tell me that Raiz will get his own story!

IMMORTALLY YOURS is a story only J. Morgan could tell. The characters are true to life- I think everyone has known someone like Chase, Belle, Raiz, or Caern in their lives. The world building is spectacular and even a bit surprising with some of the twists and turns. I’m hesitant to say more as I don’t want to spoil it for others when that “ah ha” moment hits but suffice to say, IMMORTALLY YOURS has a depth that simply begs for more stories (and hopefully one featuring more of Raiz!). Highly recommended!

 Please welcome our guest blogger – Joan Frances Turner!

 

Thank you, Debbie, for inviting me to say a little bit about my book.  Dust is the story of what happens when you take a writer already somewhat…neurotic about death and the probability of oblivion, add an actual death in the family, mix with the original Night of the Living Dead and Carnival of Souls, shake well, let ferment in a cool, dark part of the subconscious for several years and then carefully stir in the three magic words:  “That’s somebody’s mother.”  The undead characters of Dust–despite their rot, decay and pitiless appetites–are for all intents and purposes a surrogate family of the unwanted, the homeless, those who through no fault of their own can’t speak our language and can never return to their human loved ones again.  These “dead” folk have emotions, however deeply and forcibly buried, and futile memories of everything they’ve lost.  And their human family members know their beloved dead are out there, somewhere–but they’re trying very hard to pretend it isn’t so.

If there’s humanity in these monsters, then, there’s also monstrosity in the humans who, for their own safety, have no choice but to live barricaded from their aggression.  Zombies, in this world, aren’t some nasty new birthday surprise, nor are they a contagion:  They’ve always existed, nobody knows why some dead people revive and some don’t, they’re a lethal but extremely natural hazard and humans have always lived uneasily just outside their orbit.  Lately, though–and it’s not just paranoia, the thanatologists have confirmed it, though they don’t know why–there’s so many more of them, and they’re attacking more aggressively, and whole towns, cities, counties are existing under siege.  Someone needs to do something.  But of course, it’s far easier to say that when it’s not your mother, brother, child trying to get past the gates.  There must be another way, a third path, that can make everyone happy.  There’s always another path, and it’s always paved with very good intentions.  It’s love, not loathing–on both sides–that makes the uneasy, unsustainable stasis of this world finally, irrevocably, tip over.

Of course this all sounds terribly solemn, but there’s a fair share of (unavoidably grotesque) humor in Dust and that’s why the book trailers amused me so much:  The undead are a perverse sort of family, any family only wants to protect its “children” and, like “parents” since the dawn of time, they invariably don’t quite know how to express that without inciting giggle fits.  As an authentic child of the eighties I have fond memories of the original Partnership for a Drug-Free America PSAs–and the sincere puzzlement of the adults around us when we all pointed at them and laughed–and so seeing the trailers play out was terribly fun.  I set out, all solemn, to write a zombie story not half as campy as many I’d seen, but it turns out there was more than a bit of camp and fun lurking between the lines after all.  It’s all just another way of whistling past the graveyard.

View the trailers:

Visit Joan Frances Turner on the web.

Read Debbie’s review of Dust.

Buy It from eHarlequin:

THE DEAD TRAVEL FAST
Deanna Raybourn
Performed by Charlotte Parry
ISBN:  978-0-778-32765-3 (Trade Paperback)
B002WEPD18 (Kindle eBook)
March 1, 2010 (Trade Paperback)
Harlequin Enterprises/MIRA Books/Audible Inc.
Historical Romance/Gothic
Trade Paperback and eBook and Downloadable Audio Book

Courtesy of Amazon

Spinster writer Theodora LeStrange’s grandfather has recently passed away, leaving her with a small inheritance that she can live on, if she is careful with her money. However, Theodora has dreams that do not involve settling down into being a wife and mother as society dictates. When a childhood friend, Cosmina, invites Theodora to visit her in Cosmina’s fiancé’s home in Transylvania, Theodora leaps at the chance. What better way to be inspired in the writing of her novel than to travel to a land where legends of vampires and other creatures are commonplace? Upon arrival, Theodora is drawn into a mystery surrounding some suspicious deaths, giving credence to the ancient legends. However, even more dangerous to Theodora is her irresistible attraction to Count Andrei Dragulescu, owner of the castle… and Cosmina’s intended husband. If she’s not careful, Theodora may be risking much more than her heart when she discovers The Dead Travel Fast.

I really wanted to like The Dead Travel Fast and I tried very hard to do so. This could have been a good novel, the foundation was there. However, it was never built upon as it should have been. Sadly, I could not get into this book for anything. I put it aside several times to start again later until I couldn’t put it off anymore and forced my way through it. I was bored with it most of the time and kept wondering when it was going to get better, only for it to never happen. I felt like the author meant for this to be a dark and scary novel, but while she had the dark Gothic elements down, the fear never really was there for me. I didn’t feel the fear of the characters, I just kept being told about it.

I never really warmed up to either Theodora or Andrei before the end of the story. I didn’t really feel the connection between them and they didn’t seem to have much chemistry together. As I stated before, it was too much telling and not enough showing of their passion for one another.

I really just didn’t find too much to redeem this novel for me beyond the exploration of many of the legends of vampires, werewolves and strigoi, etc that Deanna Raybourn explores in The Dead Travel Fast. With its slow paced story and uninspiring characters, I struggled to finish. What makes it doubly disappointing for me is that I have heard so many rave reviews about Raybourn’s Lady Julia series and I own all the books but haven’t read them yet. Now because of my blasé opinion of The Dead Travel Fast, I am hesitant to try any of the Lady Julia novels.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, September 2010. All rights reserved.

OBSESSION
Karen Robards
Performed by Joyce Bean
ISBN: 978-1423328247 (Unabridged Audio Book)
ISBN: 978-0399154164 (Hard Cover)
ISBN: 978-0451222732 (Mass Market Paperback)
April 2007 (Unabridged Audio Book)
April 2007 (Hard Cover)
May 2008 (Mass Market Paperback)
Penguin Putnam/Signet/Brilliance Audio
Romantic Suspense

Picture this.  You’re an attractive successful professional working for the CIA and your boyfriend is the top honcho there. While your boyfriend is out of town you’re having a girls only weekend with your best friend from college days. In the middle of the night you are routed out of bed by masked intruders – bound with duct tape on the kitchen floor beside your friend in the upscale apartment owned by your boyfriend. The intruders are smacking you around looking for a “safe” you’ve no idea exists,  and when the opportunity arrives to make a break for it, your best friend is shot and killed and you don’t remember much until waking up in the hospital with a really bad headache and a presumably broken nose.   However, when you do get a look in the mirror, the only thing that resembles you is your green eyes. Your auburn short curly hair has been replaced by long straight platinum blonde; you’re sporting a lovely set of manicured pink fingernails (not at all conducive for gardening); and your once 140 pound body is now a svelte 118 pounds.  Have you entered the “twilight zone”?

***  Wowser – with an introduction like that can you believe I had trouble putting this book down??  From the very beginning my mind was totally engaged in trying to figure out how all this could happen. And to top it all off, the doctor was her handsome next door neighbor, Dr. Dan Howard.  He had no trouble recognizing her as Katherine Lawrence.  How could she tell him she felt that this was “not” what she was supposed to look like? Would he commit her to a loony bin?  Yeah, she remembered getting her face getting  slammed into the stone floor, but it’s only been less than 24 hours since the attack happened.  Katherine knows she’s in danger but has no idea who to trust, certainly not her CIA boyfriend Ed.  How can that be?? Why does she not want to trust a man she’s been with for the last three years, yet have faith in the doctor next door neighbor (Dr. Dan) whom she hardly knows?

It all added up into one big hot and suspenseful mystery in Obsession by Ms. Robards and she kept my mind bustling into overdrive trying to figure out how this could have possibly happened and what is really going on!  Seriously, in less than 24 hours, other than your very own eyes, everything else about you has changed?  This was intense.  The only time Katherine felt safe was when in the company of Dr. Dan and even though at times he seemed familiar to her, there was something not quite right with him always coming to her rescue.  Her best friend had been killed right in front of her very eyes – where was her compassion, where were her tears?

I can’t say enough about how well this author kept me clueless until we were just about down to the end.  Either I would never make a good detective, or Ms. Robards did a phenomenal job in creating such a suspenseful and intense read!  I vote for the latter and I also vote that this book be HIGHLY  RECOMMENDED reading for all diehard romantic suspense thriller devotees!

Buy It from The Wild Rose Press:

THE ARRIVAL OF LILY CURTIS
Rachel Brimble
ISBN: 978-160547927
June 24, 2010
The Wild Rose Press
Historical Romance/Regency
eBook/Trade Paperback

Once again Elizabeth Caughley has been summoned to stand before her parents stern disapproval. At the mention of an arranged marriage, Elizabeth feels shattered – her life is over at the age of three and twenty.  She can usually work her father around to get her way but for this time, he is standing firm with her mother.  Somehow Elizabeth convinces her parents to let her spread her wings.    She proposes that she be allowed to reinvent herself as a housemaid; go out on her own in order to earn enough money  to live independently in France.  [She had heard French people were more tolerant of independent/bohemian  women]  If after six months, she doesn’t  buckle under the reality of working for a living, her father would help her to achieve her goal – so with her father’s help Lily Curtis was born, and sent to live and work for Viscount Westrop.

***   Okay, so the premise of this was a little far-fetched – a Lady is allowed by her parents to conduct an experiment to see if she could withstand the reality of living and working as a servant; a housemaid who would scrub floors, clean fireplaces, etc.   All the duties that so far, had been done FOR HER!   Well, once I allowed myself to agree to this fantasy logic (really this would be hard to believe for parents to go along with) I sat back and enjoyed this story immensely!

You couldn’t help but fall in love with Lily who was just about as game at doing anything asked of her as well as not being afraid of hard work.  Albeit there was just one tiny little problem, she really should try to learn to keep her opinions to herself and her anger in check!   The other employees and secondary characters were all as uniquely fleshed out as the leads – in fact, Nicolas, the butler recently risen from a position in the stables – was a hoot!

Viscount Westrop, Andrew was a most unique employer who treated his servants as beloved members of his family – he was that kind and considerate.  After first being introduced to his new maid  Lily he realized at once that she was far more than what she seemed.  Lily’s manners, her articulate conversation, her uncalled for opinions, and less than subservient manner all told him she was not as she seemed and as a most honorable employer who did not dally with his employees, he was going to have a hard time keeping his passion under control.

Needing to throw a bit of angst into the delightful mix in The Arrival of Lily Curtis, the author used Andrew’s best and long-standing childhood friend as a harbinger of trouble for the two leads.  The author kept the language and the tone perfectly in tune for the romance portion and was very judicious in dealing with the harsh language and actions of the villain in this piece.

Bottom line: I really enjoyed this story – it was polished, fresh, sensual, and exciting.  In fact I would like to have seen more of it and not have it end so soon.  Recommended reading!

CUPID CATS
Katie MacAlister, Connie Brockway and Vicki Lewis Thompson
ISBN:  978-0451230720
July, 2010
Penguin Putnam/Signet Eclipse
Mass Market Paperback

Cupid Cats brings together three female authors at the top of their game, challenged to write a romantic novella in which a magical cat shelter called the Cupid Cats Animal Shelter plays a key role. How could you go wrong?

First we have “Unleased” by Katie MacAlister. The plot centers on a Morovian, were-jaguar and a wildlife officer.  When Jacintha responds to a frantic call about a wild jungle cat that has been found in the Cupid Cats shelter she takes it in stride.  While not a natural territory for puma or jaguars, she knows exotic animal owners are everywhere and assumes this “kitty” is an escapee. When she arrives and enters the shelter by herself to subdue the kitty, she finds something else entirely. MacAlister is at her zany best in this fanciful, sexy romp of discovery and love. Extra kudos to Ms. MacAlister who donated her proceeds from the sale of this anthology to three animal rescue organizations!!

The second novella, “Cat Scratch Fever” by Connie Brockway was my favorite, and another very strong entry by this author that I had not previously read.  Be assured, she is on my radar now, and I will be scooping up her next story asap!  Jim Curran takes his young daughter to the nearby cat shelter.  Once there, his young daughter is fixated on one very frail, elderly cat whom the girl insists is Pixie, the cat that disappeared when her mother died, years ago in Philadelphia.  This sets a mystical stage that will enchant readers as the shy but brilliant manager of the shelter and Jim work together to help a grieving daughter and an ailing cat find closure.  I  loved Edith, Jim’s genius coworker who moonlights at the cat shelter to keep it from closing.  The growth and transformation of the lonely widower and the resigned cat-lady is heartwarming and uplifting.  Bravo!

Finally, Vicki Lewis Thompson chimes in with “A Cat’s Game.”  In Vicki’s story, Cupid Cats has a new manager, a mystical lady called Esmeralda.  This stuck somewhat of a discordant note with me since I had just finished Brockway’s story and loved Edith in that role.  But Esmeralda added a was-she-wasn’t-she-a-witch element that was fun. I also felt the cat in this story had the weakest role in the resulting romance compared to the other two titles in the anthology.  That being said, as a straight romance, Jon and Kate had a great romance with the theme of reunited hearts with differing views of lifestyle to overcome.

If you love cats, romance and a touch of the magical in your stories, try Cupid Cats.  I think you will enjoy it.

CELTA HEART BOOK 9: HEART JOURNEY
Robin D. Owens
ISBN:  978-0425234549
August 2010
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Trade
Trade Paperback

Helena is a successful cartographer who is exploring Celta when she receives the unexpected news that she has a HeartMate.  Love seemed to have passed her by, so when she learns of this possibility, she knows she must meet him and discover the truth.  Meanwhile, Actor Raz Cherry, dedicated to his career, has no desire to get involved in a serious relationship.  The sparks when they meet are undeniable, but livestyles and the mysterious targeting of their families as the victims of theft foretell of a rocky road ahead for both.

What is a ten letter word for Heart Journey?  Phenomenal!!  I have loved every book written by Robin D. Owens to date and she just keeps getting better and better.   I adore the FAMS, which are the magical animal familiars who communicate telepathically with their owners.  They always add a delightful touch to the stories.  I also really like how Owens uses her stories to explore real world issues like relationships between older women and younger men, families broken up during tragedy, and individuals with totally different lifestyles learning to find common ground. Helena is an incredibly strong woman but I liked the way she grew and adapted as the story progressed. If it is a Celta Heart story, you really can’t go wrong. Highly Recommended along with the rest of Robin Owens series.