DRY CREEK BOOK 21: A RETURN TO DRY CREEK: LILAC WEDDING IN DRY CREEK
Janet Tronstad
ISBN: 978-0-373-87727-0 (Mass Market Paperback)
0373877277 (Kindle eBook)
February 21, 2012 (Mass Market Paperback)
March 1, 2012 (Kindle eBook)
Category Romance
Inspirational Romance/Contemporary
Mass Market Paperback and eBook

Courtesy of Good Reads First Reads

Jake Stone is getting ready for a long overdue Return to Dry Creek for his brother’s wedding when a surprise… or rather two surprises… show up at his door in Las Vegas. The only saving grace Jake found in the years he spent in the juvenile home after his mother was arrested for murdering his father, was Cat Barker. She was his only friend, and the one person who loved with all his heart. Now she is at his door, needing his promise to take care of the daughter he never knew he had, Lara.

Jake and Cat have always had a strong bond, and he’s always tried to be there for her. However, growing up with an abusive father, Jake is afraid to love, convinced were he to marry and have children he would turn out just like his father. When Cat comes to him in the biggest crisis of her life, assuming Jake already knew about Lara because of the financial support he’s provided her for several years, the entire world is about to change for both of them. With a little love, a little faith, and a lot of prayers, there may just be a Lilac Wedding in Dry Creek for this little family.

Cat and Jake are both wounded souls who found strength in each other once before. Now, several years later,  a reunion under far from ideal circumstances will help them to find it once more, this time forever. Jake is so desperately afraid of becoming his father, that the last thing he wants is to be a true father to Lara. He is willing to support her in all ways, except emotionally. Cat needs Jake now more than she ever did, and it pains her to see Jake so afraid.

Lilac Wedding in Dry Creek is populated with inviting and appealing characters, from the rough and gruff Max to sweet little Lara who wishes she were a princess. Every single character has their own role to play in the story, and every one of them is so full of life they step off of the pages and into our hearts. The little town of Dry Creek is a character unto itself, full of charm that draws you in and makes you want to stay for a long visit.

I’ve only read a few of Janet Tronstad’s Dry Creek books in the past, but I’ve enjoyed them all and have been collecting them for a while in hopes of getting to read all of them at some point in the near future. Lilac Wedding in Dry Creek is a heartwarming and emotional story with many parallels to the story of the Prodigal Son, with a few special Tronstad twists to add some romance to it all. Tronstad has a knack for telling a tender and sweet story of love and faith without overwhelming the reader with proselytizing that keeps bringing me back to her stories, making me wish I had more time to spend in Dry Creek with the friends I have made there.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2012. All rights reserved.

SILENT WARRIORS #2:  TACTICAL DECEPTION
J.L. Saint
ASIN: B007C6Z24O (Kindle)
March 13, 2012 (Kindle)
Samhain Publishing Company
Romantic Suspense / Military

Lt. Col. Roger Weston is a man in torment after a mission in Lebanon went down the tubes in a big way.  He’d lost one man, and two other’s sustained career altering injuries.  God help him if the media ever discovered the real story behind the failed mission.  To top it off, guilt is eating him alive over the loss of the fallen soldier’s wife without her husband leaving her exposed to danger from her radical family.   Now, Mari Dalton and her unborn baby’s safety and well-being are paramount in Roger’s life.

Mari is certain that God is punishing her. Mari had loved and was faithful to her husband who had saved her from death in a windowless cell in Afghanistan, however, she had never been able to forget her body’s reaction from the moment she had met Roger.

***   TACTICAL DECEPTION is the second book in J.L. Saint’s Silent Warriors series and believe me, the complexity of her plot, the elegance of her prose is simply a bonus in this fabulous series that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  [For those who do not know, J.L. Saint is aka Jennifer St. Giles.]

With TACTICAL DECEPTION Lt. Col. Weston is caring for the widow of a soldier he lost on a mission that haunts him to this day.  Roger blames himself for the disaster that resulted in a decision he made; a decision that according to the intel he had was the correct move, however it left one soldier dead and two with serious life changing injuries.  Knowing this was bad enough but Saint, gave Roger an even bigger burden of having him loving his fallen soldier’s widow, Mari.

However, as if that wasn’t enough, Saint loaded TACTICAL DECEPTION with even more dangerous scenario’s, including a madman (a white extremist madman) out to make Mari pay for accidentally bumping into him; Mari’s radical extremist family who thought she had died in the cell in Afghanistan and would now try to finish the job.   And to top it all off, Saint gives you the biggest threat with terrorist snipers killing civilians all over the US with their main mission of an assassination attempt on the President of the United States, who just happens to be Roger’s cousin.

Bottom Line:  This is one PHENOMENAL read – cover to cover – you won’t want to put it down!  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

SCARRED SERIES #2:  THE SCARRED HEART
Denise Patrick
ASIN: B0073WI1UY (Kindle)
April 10, 2012 (Kindle)
Samhain Publishing
Historical Romance / Regency

After six long years, Lionel Cantrell had all but given up hope of ever finding his missing wife and child. As a second son, Lionel had gone off to war leaving his wife and son in the care of his parents and older brother.  Upon returning home he found his marriage in shambles, and a daughter who couldn’t possibly be his and his wife and son long gone.

Now, at a former comrade’s house party, Lion comes face to face with the object of his five-year search; Emma whose cold reception barely covered her near panic.   Face to face with the man she once adored, whose last words to her would never be forgotten.  After the humiliation and torment she had endured, Emma’s first thought was to run as far and as fast as she could. But where could she run to now to build a new life once Lion had un-earthed Emma’s long-buried emotional and physical scars.

***  In THE SCARRED HEART author Patrick shows how Emma once thought she had the perfect marriage; Lion was her childhood protector, friend, and lover.  If anyone was living in a fantasy world it was Lion who loved his older brother and parents without qualms – a love that bordered on adoration for his older brother.  As a second son, Lion felt no qualms in heading off to war and leaving his wife and son with the family he adored.

Patrick built the angst with the lack of communication as the first problem, if Lion even thought of it as a problem, with the lack of responses to letters he’d written to his wife.  The only communications he was receiving were from his older brother Charles, who was relaying disturbing news to Lion over Emma’s behavior.  When Lion finally returned  home to find an infant daughter, not his, and his wife and son missing – he began a long search.

THE SCARRED HEART takes off from that point with Lion finally locating his long-lost wife and son. He was also trying to discover what caused her coldness and hatred of him when he felt he was the injured party.  And why was Emma close to being terrorized at the thought of re-entering the house she’d been brought up in – the only home she really knew.

Patrick takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster with her elegant prose; and the revelation of Emma’s terror-stricken motivations she took to save her son and herself.   I found THE SCARRED HEART to be a powerful and emotional romance, in spite of the two adorable children Patrick fashioned who managed to bring some levity into the story.   Denise Patrick is setting herself up to be an auto-buy author for me with her intense, fresh, and intelligent stories.  [ Check out her previous book  THE SCARRED HEIR ]

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

ST. JAMES SOCIETY #1: THE BRIDE WORE SCARLET
Liz Carlyle
ISBN:  978-0061965760 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B004LLII2Q (Kindle)
July 26, 2011 (Mass Market Paperback)
July 26, 2011 (Kindle)
AVON / Harper Collins
Historical / Victorian

Behind the elegant facade of Victorian London resides a mysterious secret society, its members are known as  the men of the St. James Society.  However, when a new recruit is motioned forward to take their vow towards becoming a new member, the other members are aghast – the nearly naked supplicant is not a mere man – but a woman!  No one is more stunned than one of the leaders, Lord Bessett who drags Anais out of the room and berates her for even thinking she was qualified.  But. there might be a way for Anais de Rohan to prove herself worthy of joining the secret-all-male society – if she can agree to travel with the enigmatic nobleman on a dangerous mission.   A mission to save a very young girl with a very rare, and frightening psychic gift.   Anais is ready to do anything to join the society she’s trained her whole life for; as for Bessett – he may think he’s on a mission to save a young girl, but who is going to save him from the intoxicating effect of Anais de Rohan.
***  I have always been intrigued by Ms. Carlyle’s work and the premise of this new series shows enormous promise of a accessing a bit of  paranormal in regards to her key players.  Already with the entrance of Bessett and Anais we are introduced to two types of psychic gifts along with the young girl they are sent to rescue.  The author hints at ‘gifts’ that others in the St. James Society have as well, which naturally sparks this readers interest.   I can’t wait  to continue with this series in order to delve deeper into the society, and discover what other ‘gifts’ these people have, and whether they are used for good or evil.

I’ve noticed, having been a longtime fan of Ms. Carlyle’s body of work, she writes with an elegant voice and does an enormous amount of research for all of her period pieces.  Another thing Carlyle succeeds at is making her characters unforgettable.   If you’ve read one of her books and pick up another a year later, which may mention a character from another book, you will remember them as once introduced, they leave an indelible imprint on your mind.

Anais comes across as a modern day super spy; whose martial arts abilities rival any man’s.  She had been trained from birth to take her place in the secret society, never mind that she was a female with a twin brother.  Naturally, she was gorgeous, and of course Bessett was to die for.  Neither was perfect – but the sensuality that came through in the writing, along with the suspense and danger of their mission made for a splendid read and one of which I highly recommend and will definitely follow through to the next volume.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipandkritiques.com

ARGENEAU NOVEL #17: UNDER A VAMPIRE MOON
Lynsay Sands
ISBN: 978-0062100207 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B005C6HGD6 (Kindle)
May 2012 (Mass Market Paperback)
AVON / Harper Collins
Paranormal / Immortal Vampires

Trying to find some peace while going through a messy divorce after escaping from a horrible marriage full of lies and betrayal, Carolyn Connor had lost any kind of self-esteem she might have once had.  As a consequence, she was depressed and had no intention of even thinking about men let alone “getting laid” as her friend Bethany had suggested.  The island of St. Lucia was an island paradise but was actually reinforcing  Carolyn’s inadequacies with all the honeymooners who seemed to make up the major portion of the cliental at the resort.  Then Carolyn met Marguerite Argeneau, famous for her matchmaking prowess and recognized at once that she was the perfect life mate for her son Christian Notte.

** The Argeneau Vampire series is one of my favorite series specifically because of the humor author Lynsay Sands consistently and thoroughly loads each tome with along with outrageous scenarios, and laugh out loud dialogs.   Although most recognize the Argeneau family as vampires, this is a misnomer for they are really immortals who go all the way back to the lost civilization of Atlantis.   [Read the earlier books in this series to fully understand the connection].

The gimmick used in this series was pretty good where Christian knew without a doubt that Carolyn was his life mate but he had to overcome a couple of really tough hurdles in order to convince Carolyn to even spend time with him. First of all even though Christian is over 500 years old, he appears to look like a 25 year old.  Carolyn is 42 – slightly overweight and embarrassed by the fact that she is attracted, yet old enough to be Christian’s mother.  More importantly, she had been badly burned by her failed marriage.  There is no way Carolyn would be comfortable enough to even get to know Christian, that is until Christian’s cousin convinces Carolyn that Christian is GAY and needs a beard [a straight girl who pretends in public to be dating a normal guy] in order to convince his family that he is straight. Naturally, Christian is not in the least gay and his unruly private ‘package’ is not making it any easier to convince Carolyn that he is.

Bottom Line:  This is a fun read with hot sensuality and some really funny scenarios.  It turns into a very fast read as well, because you hate to put it down.  Fans of Sands will certainly enjoy this latest offering in the Argeneau series.

COVER OF NIGHT
Linda Howard
Performed by: Dick Hill and Joyce Bean
ISBN:  978-0345486509 (Hardback)
ISBN-13: 978-0345486516 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B001H071CC (Unabridged Audio)
ASIN: B000JMKNEW (Kindle)
June 2006 (Hardback)
May 2007 (Mass Market Paperback)
June 2006 (Unabridged Audio)
June 2006 (Kindle)
Ballantine Books / Ballantine Books / Brilliance Audio
Romantic Suspense

Cate Nightengale and her twin boys had come to the charming town of Trail Stop, Idaho after the loss of her beloved husband Derek three years ago.  For Cate, Trail Stop held many memories of better times and was small enough and safe enough for a young widow to live and bring up her boys.  Cate managed to make ends meet with the help of the local handy man Calvin Harris, who could handle everything, from carpentry to plumbing.  But Calvin is nothing like the shy stuttering man Cate thinks he is and thank goodness for that because peaceful Trail Stop is about to become one of the most dangerous places of all.

***   It has always been my belief when starting one of Ms. Howard’s books to be excited and ready for the unexpected and thank goodness – I have never been disappointed.  The addition of Cate’s darling four year old twin boys was a delight especially with the comments that came out of the mouthes of babes, and especially when listening to an audio book and the performer does such a remarkable job of  voice overs to mimic a four-year olds speech so fluently.  These comments brought a breath of fresh air in a most taut and exciting plot.  And while on the subject, the performance of two of my favorite readers, Joyce Bean and that super sexy voice of Dick Hill was a big bonus when coupled with Ms. Howard’s suspenseful story!

I confess to reading some of the other reviews on COVER OF NIGHT and really don’t understand the negative comments that were given.  To me, Ms. Howard always keeps her plots rapidly driven at a fast pace, the tensions high, and the scenarios perfectly genuine.   The fact that the villain’s in this piece were not at all what one would consider as Einsteins – only gave me more pleasure.

With all that aside, the relationship that blossomed (finally) between Calvin and Cate was a marvelous excursion to watch as Cate finally opened her eyes and heart to see what a fearless protector Calvin had been all along once he was focused on protecting the woman he’d come to love.  It was rather magical and wholeheartedly a beautiful sensual dance to see love blossom amidst the high tension danger.  Bravo Ms. Howard – I loved every nuance of the romance and every bit of the danger and action in another of your stellar novels!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

MY ANGEL, MY LIGHT AS DARKNESS FALLS
Linda Hays-Gibbs
ISBN:  978-1615726035 (Paperback)
ASIN: B00769015M  (Kindle)
February 2012  (Paperback)
February 2012 (Kindle)
Eternal Press / Damnation Books LLC
Historical / Regency / Paranormal

On the eve of the battle of Waterloo, Lady Pru was led out to the ballroom by her fraternal twin brother Michael David Densington White, sixth Earl of White. Even though Pru had not been formerly brought out yet, the stress of being shut up waiting for Bonaparte’s army to initiate the battle led to those waiting to let off steam, find joy and celebrate before the battle.  Michael, ever protective did not like the attention Pru was getting from his friend Fearghass MacDonald, the Duke of Somerled  but allowed Fearghass one dance with his sister, one dance and one stolen kiss that was enough for Fearghass to proclaim he wished to make Pru his Duchess once the battle was over.

When the battle ended and Michael did not return for her, Pru could not be persuaded to leave until she found Michael and went to the battlefield, a sea of blood and carnage where she walked, stumbled and searched for her brother’s body.  When found just before nightfall, she sank down and cradled her brothers body and screamed and raged throughout the night.  However, a French soldier saw her and rather than flee as he should have – as the night grew colder he drew her into his arms as she finally slept – keeping Pru warm and safe from the evil that stalked the night.

***  This short novella was a most unusual paranormal regency romance with vampires and ghosts. I picked this up on a whim, because of the mention of ghosts and found it to be an utterly and totally engrossing story.  The title of MY ANGEL, MY LIGHT AS DARKNESS FALLS was unusual to say the least but from the first few pages I was hooked.

Pru and her brother were orphaned and being twins they had a special bond – the author put that to excellent use in later showing how much love there was between the two. Describing Pru’s heartache and devastation so extreme for a young girl who had never had to fend for herself.  Michael had protected and provided for her every need.  Pru was delicate, dainty and so beautiful it took most peoples breath away – beautiful and pure.  With this in mind the author was able to portray, how such a fragile young woman survived, with the help of a few new friends, including a devoted heart-sick French soldier; a huge protective dog; a confused ghost; and help from the great beyond as goodness versus evil in a most wonderful and provocative tale with an ending I found to be FANTASTIC.  Talk about a nice twist!

I don’t want to spoil the surprises of this marvelous tale by giving any more spoilers away, but the bottom line is that I was moved, emotionally and spiritually by the prose and beautiful imagery this author was able to convey.   I strongly suggest and highly recommend that most readers of both historical and paranormal will find a lot to love in this beautifully rendered story.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

LOST LORDS OF PEMBROOK #1: SHE TEMPTS THE DUKE
Lorraine Heath
ISBN: 978-0062022462 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B005FFW78S  (Kindle)
February 1, 2012 (Mass Market Paperback)
February 1, 2012 (Kindle)
AVON / Harper Collins
Historical Romance

Once upon a time three young boys, imprisoned by an unscrupulous and mentally deranged uncle, escaped—to the sea, to the streets, to a faraway battle—awaiting the day when they would return to reclaim their birthright.  Sebastian Easton always vowed he would avenge his stolen youth and title and connect with his two brother.  Now back in London, the rightful Duke of Keswick—returning from battle a wounded, hardened, changed man—cannot forget the brave girl who once saved him and his brothers from certain death.     Lady Mary Wynne-Jones never forgot her first love and first kiss from Sebastian, but after a severe punishment for that deed, and when Sebastian failed to return to a rendezvous they had planned, Mary thought him surely dead.  Pressed forward by her father she was now betrothed.  But when Sebastian and his brothers made their miraculous and ill-advised re-entry by swaggering into their Uncle’s ball, everyone was aghast and annoyed that the Easton brothers had been so outrageous in their un-gentlemanly behavior.  However, Mary was delighted and puzzled seeing how the war Sebastian had fought in had ravaged his face and left an eye on the battlefield.

***  I was thrilled with this entry by one of my many favorite authors.  Ms. Heath always creates some of the most unforgettable characters, fleshing them out with superlative adroitness so that you can feel their seething emotions and motivations.  In this opening yarn of the series Lords of Pembrook  I was immediately seized with the danger and helplessness these young boys felt coming right after laying their father in the ground.  It was something I felt down to my very soul as to how anyone could be so cruel to children who had just lost their loving father.

Heath gives an emotional beginning and then follows through with niggling clues that what these three young Lords had suffered will, as the series progresses, pull at your heartstrings. I for one cannot wait. However, getting back to this first book SHE TEMPTS THE DUKE Heath gives us a real shock to see the eldest brother Sebastian who seems to have physically suffered the worst in his journey to come back and reclaim his title and life.  Sebastian had gone to war, and on top of questioning himself for splitting up and leaving  his brothers in order to stay safe, he has come back in bitterness after losing an eye and the ravage to his face – all caused by the depravity of his uncle!  Additionally, the one person who had been his one true friend, Mary was now lost to him.  Betrothed or not, how could he expect her to even be able to look at him, let alone love him as he once cared for her.

SHE TEMPTS A DUKE is an absolutely stellar read, with betrayals and secrets, passion along with emotional highs and lows.  A true gem of an entry that looks to be a thrilling series!   This should definitely be put on your must-read lists! I’m just sorry it took me so long to get to it!

MORTAL PATH BOOK 3: DELIVERANCE
Dakota Banks
ISBN: 978-0062049988 (Mass Market Paperback)
B005UD1E1G (Kindle eBook)
March 27, 2012 (Mass Market Paperback)
March 27, 2012 (Kindle eBook)
HarperCollins Publishers/Harper Voyager
Urban Fantasy
Dark Fantasy
Mass Market Paperback and eBook

Maliha Crayne is been on The Mortal Path, seeking redemption for centuries of slavery to the Sumerian demon Rabishu as his personal assassin. If she can save as many lives as she has taken before she dies, she is free. If not… she will be brutally tortured for eternity. She has gathered a small group of trusted individuals she has saved, who have dedicated their lives to helping her find a way to defeat the demons forever. However, one person she’s not entirely sure about is her lover, the Immortal Jake, who is still slave to his demon.

Now Maliha has a new problem. Her friends are vanishing without a trace. She doesn’t even know where to start to find them, until someone, another Immortal, starts leaving her little surprises to find. This mystery person has a plan, bring Maliha under her thumb to use Maliha and her remaining supernatural abilities for her skill as an assassin. If this woman gets her way, the Immortals will be in a position to rule the country, and maybe the world, to create their own hell on earth. Maliha must make a choice, cave in to the demands of the Immortal and save her friends, while risking her own soul to forever torment, or refuse and watch her friends die. In Maliha’s life, there is no black or white, good or evil, only the gray line in between, if she ever hopes to find Deliverance for her friends… and herself.

I just have to say I love love LOVE The Mortal Path series! Each successive book gets better and better. Be forewarned, Deliverance is probably the darkest book yet in the series. Maliha has her own strict moral code, however shady it may be, that wavers from time to time, but never falls. When those she cares about are in danger, it’s watch out world, Maliha will do whatever it takes to protect them as best she can.

Our villain in this book is one of the cruelest, deadliest, most evil, but oh so captivating characters I have ever come across. This woman is black to the core, and wait until you find out who she is! I suspected early on who this monster was, but still when her identity is revealed I shuddered at the nature of this woman, at the same time I thrilled that I was correct.

The mythology Dakota Banks has invented for this series is absolutely fascinating. I read these books as much for Maliha and company’s adventures as I do the world Dakota has developed. We take a slight detour from one the overarching plots in the series, but that was perfectly OK. There is just so much going on here, with page after page of action, that I didn’t really miss seeing much advancement in that one story line. Deliverance is a thrill ride that will keep you turning the pages long into the night, and when you reach the end, you will be eager for the next installment. Also… you gotta love those cars of Maliha’s!

Dakota, keep to The Mortal Path, and I will keep buying!

© Kelley A. Hartsell, April 2012. All rights reserved.

DARK LEGACY #1: COPPER BEACH
Jayne Ann Krentz
Performed by: Tanya Eby
ISBN:  978-0399157875 (Hardcover)
ASIN: B005ERIRQS  (Kindle)
ASIN: B006VPAXCI (Unabridged Audio)
January 2012 (Hardcover)
January 2012 (Kindle)
January 2012 (Unabridged Audio)
Penguin Publishing / Putnam Adult / Brilliance Audio /
Romantic Suspense / Fantasy

Within the pages of some very rare books lie old secrets of the paranormal and it would be a rare talent that could decipher said manuscripts.  Abby Radwell was one very of those with that rare and special psychic ability to unlock the codes and delve into the oftentimes dangerous territory that dwelled within these volumes.   After a terrifying incident at the private library of her recent employer, Abby received a blackmail threat which led her hire an investigator recommended to her by one of her mentors.  This “investigator” was also someone who had psychic ability in dealing with “hot” rocks and crystals.  Sam Coppersmith, investigator, was more than just a bodyguard, his abilities with hot rocks and his hot looks would be Abby’s salvation and serve them both well when murder stalked them both as the race to obtain a book, “The Key” which would bring them into countless dangerous scenarios and murder mysteries.

*** COPPER BEACH is the start of a new paranormal series, Dark Legacy,  for the ever popular Jayne Ann Krentz who just happened to completely entrap me with her Arcane Series.  You would be correct in saying that I have become one of her most ardent fans.  A true statement, but only because she delivers time and again, the most intriguing characters, combined with unbelievable action and plot lines in the romantic suspense/fantasy genre.

Krentz’s characters are always unusual and I am constantly surprised and amazed with what new psychic talents she can come up with for both her protagonists and villain’s alike.  In this new series she has started out with Abby who can by touch recognize “hot” books which are very old and rare usually from some ancient alchemists who have locked them with codes of their true findings – if someone has the talent to decipher the code.  Abby has that talent and yet to make Abby multi-dimensional Krentz also deigned to give Abby a troubled, somewhat dysfunctional childhood, which worked  even more towards building more of a mystery into the complexity of  the plot and the main villain.

Bottom Line: The addition of the sensual and sexual physical attraction between Abby and Sam who don’t really trust one another’s motives just adds more to an already fabulous plot which is a page turner from start to finsh!  COPPER BEACH is a highly recommended read. Terrific!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com