Book Obsessed

Review: Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

2012-03-12T09:00:00.022-05:00

Catching Jordan
Miranda Kenneally
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publish Date: December 1, 2011
Trade Paperback {p.281}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Young Adult
Jordan Woods
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though-she leads them as the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starting position... suddenly she's hoping he'll see her as more than just a teammate.

I first noticed Jordan didn’t really know her teammates as well as she thought she did when she and Carter went out for pancakes. She prided herself on being such a great captain and friend with her teammates, but she was all about focus on getting into Alabama that she didn’t have any clue what was going on with them in their lives. Not that she was a bad person, cause she wasn’t, it was just that she had one track; football.

Her relationship with her boyfriend Ty wasn’t all I’d hoped it to be. It started out hot and heavy out of the gate until Jordan heard someone else was in love with her. After that it was like she was just with Ty because her other option was unavailable.

Her family relationship is a whole other story. Her relationship with her mother and brother were great, but not so much with her father. He wasn’t a big fan of his daughter playing football due to the dangers of the game. I am glad that by the end of the novel they seemed to be on the track to repairing their relationship.

She also seemed to make a few female friends outside of football. That was a great way for her to have a sounding board other than turning to her journal.

A great novel that will keep your engrossed. Even someone like me know knows absolutely nothing about football was totally engaged in the game.

In My Mailbox {88}

2012-03-11T09:00:00.035-05:00

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I'll post what books I've received either by mailbox/library/store.

I'll try to post an entry of IMM every Sunday that I receive books by mail/library/store of that week.

Books via Reader Service

Completely Smitten by Susan Mallery

Enticed by His Forgotten Lover by Maya Banks

Indecent Wicked by Tori Carrington

Books via Publisher

Rock On by Denise Vega

Books via Wal-Mart

The Darkest Seduction by Gena Showalter

Review: The Cowboy Takes a Bride by Lori Wilde

2012-03-08T10:00:00.029-06:00

The Cowboy Takes a Bride
Lori Wilde
Publisher: Avon
Publish Date: March 27, 2012
Kindle {p.348}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary, Western
Mariah Callahan, Joe Daniels
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn't quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he's wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes.

When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots...

I was really drawn into Ila and Cordy, the secondary characters, story. At times I was more interested in seeing their story than that of the main characters, Mariah and Joe. The best interaction between the two of them was at the very start of the book when Mariah finds Joe asleep in a horse trough.

They were an unlikely pair from the start because of Joe’s occupation. Mariah has a distrust of cowboys leading back to her father, a cowboy, abandoning her and her mother.

Joe and Mariah were okay characters, but the tug-of-war between Cordy and Ila was a bit more exciting and entertaining. Joe and Mariah were just a bit on the bland side for my taste.

Review: Time For a Fresh One by Lexi Michaels

2012-03-07T10:00:00.004-06:00

Time For a Fresh One
Lexi Michaels
Publisher: Authorhouse
Publish Date: November 23, 2011
Trade Paperback {p.196}
Source: Publicist
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kristen
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Kristen realizes that her days of juggling kids, work, and coffee are becoming lonely. She begins her journey into dating all the wrong guys while searching for her perfect blend. Kristen starts searching at the spa, gym, and bars to find the one. Her life is filled with lust while dating Mr. Not So Right. There are fun dinners and trips with endless dates, including a Rusty Knight, until finally she finds her perfect blend.

The story moved at such a fast, clipped pace that by the end I didn't know the characters any better than I did at page one. It felt like I was being told this story, but not really experiencing it with the characters.

As far as the characters go, none of them really stood out to me except Kristen's friend Jena. I'm not really sure if Jena was someone to consider a friend, but all the same she was the only memorable character when it was all said and done.

Kristen's Mr. Right was too good to be true. So much so that I didn't buy into him at all. No flaws, not one. I couldn't get past that aspect of him, and totally wrote him off. Plus the fact that while he was away taking care of his ailing mother, Kristen continued to date because she was "lonely" and he encouraged it. I think this was the point at which I could no longer continue forward with this book.

I had such great hopes for this book from reading the blurb, but it fell a bit short. I am glad that Kristen's situation with her stalker was all squared away and she managed to find her happy ever after, but I just lost interest in the overall story.

Waiting on Wednesday {86}: Somebody to Love

2012-03-07T08:00:00.011-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It is showcases upcoming releases of books that I'm looking forward to. It is somewhat similar to one of my previous posts, Anxiously Awaiting. {Button courtesy of Bewitched Bookworms}

Somebody to Love
Kristan Higgins
April 24, 2012

After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon’s Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father’s wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she’s not thrilled…even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.

Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist’s assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn’t the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn’t the only thing that needs a little TLC...

Teaser Tuesday: Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz

2012-03-06T08:00:00.035-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

Grab your current/upcoming read
Open to a random page
Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

"If it helps, I have been informed that there is no way Sam Coppersmith could have murdered his fiancee." "Who told you that?" "The water-taxi guy." "He's an authority?" "He certainly seemed to think so. Evidently, no one on the island thinks Sam did it." "And what proof do they offer?" Gwen demanded.
"They seem to feel that if Sam had murdered someone, he would have done better job of it."
"I beg your pardon."

page 48; Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz

Author Interview & #Giveaway: Paranormal Blog Tour @StellaCam @CynthiaGarner

2012-03-05T09:00:00.000-06:00

How much of your actual life gets written into your fictional stories?

SC: My emotions are echoed in my writing, and the things I really care about. I have often drawn on personal situations without realizing what I was doing until reading the material later. This can be humorous because I always have an "aha" moment!

Do you ever find that it's emotionally difficult to write some scenes or characters?

SC: Scenes where children may suffer are close to impossible for me. I've tossed few books (that I was reading) in my memory but two of them involved violence toward children and I couldn't deal with. Can't reproduce cruelty to animals, either.

I wrote a scene in which a young mother died shortly after giving birth and I could hardly see my screen for the tears.

What is a day in the life of Stella Cameron like when you're not writing?

SC: Um:) A bit aimless but I do tend to write for part of each day anyway. Up at 5 or 6, drink tea and more tea while I catch up on the bad news of the day. Clean (I love to clean) read, spend time in the garden . . . this is painful topic to examine because I don't do well when I'm not writing. I take a computer everywhere. Sometimes I tell myself I'll leave my computer behind when I take a trip but it never happens. I've done my best here so please forgive me.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Buy the Book

WHEN NIGHT FALLS
After her husband's tragic death, Leigh Kelly arrives on Whidbey Island determined to start over. Yet the tiny town of Chimney Rock is not as peaceful as it seems. Women have been disappearing, and Leigh can't shake the feeling that she's being watched . . . especially at night. Soon, she's experiencing visions she can't explain and fighting her attraction to a handsome stranger who seems to know her most intimate desires.

PASSION TRANSFORMS THEM

As the leader of the Team, a pack of werehounds forced to hide their very existence, former special ops soldier Niles Latimer is desperate to prove a man's heart beats beneath his predator's body. And Leigh-the mysterious beauty possessing powers she doesn't yet understand-may be the one woman who can help him. But Niles isn't the only one who recognizes Leigh's true identity. Something evil is waiting in the woods-and the hunt has begun . . .

Do you ever use real people as inspiration for your characters?

CG: No. Oh, I use actors/models, etc. for the physical inspiration, but I don’t use real people as the personalities of the characters. Though I have been tempted a couple of times to use real folks as villains. LOL I haven’t succumbed to that temptation yet, though.

Do you ever find that it’s emotionally difficult to write some scenes or characters?

CG: Not really. Maybe I’m just not that deep?

What is a day in the life of Cynthia Garner like when you’re not writing?

CG: I actually try to write a little bit every day. I have a full-time day job, so my writing time (which I also do full-time) is squeezed in in the evenings and weekends. I do enjoy a few TV shows (Castle, Being Human, Lost Girl, White Collar, Leverage, The Voice, The Sing-Off, and Face Off)… Okay, well, I guess that’s “several” instead of a “few”. LOL I’m trying to do better with exercise, too, but I am inherently lazy, so it’s a real struggle. Really, the life of Cynthia Garner is sadly rather boring.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Buy the Book

Warriors of the Rift

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world—or send it spiraling into chaos.

Half-demon, half-human, Nix de la Fuente is accepted by neither and mistrusted by both. Determined to prove she's more human than not, she devotes herself to solving crimes between the world's mortals and its most unsavory undead. But her latest case brings her face to face with the one vampire she could never resist . . .

Called in to investigate a string of violent murders, special agent Tobias Caine isn't interested in rekindling his relationship with Nix. Yet one look and the vampire knows his need for her is as strong as ever. Once, their all-consuming passion nearly cost Nix her fragile hold on her humanity. Now, as their hunger for one another intensifies, exposing them to an unimaginable danger, it could cost them both their lives.

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THESE BOOKS?

{March 5 -19, 2012}

Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win
No P.O. Boxes please
Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher
3 Winners will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email
Please check my Contest Policy before entering

To enter:
*Thanks to Forever for providing the prize!

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List of Five ~ March 2012

2012-03-05T08:00:00.111-06:00

I got the idea of making a list of the books I'm going to read for the month from a similar feature done by GalleySmith. Although she lists 10 books I'm only doing 5, to take into account ARCs I may receive or just falling into a reading slump.

Hopefully this will also cut down on the time I spend sitting in front of my bookshelf trying to decide what to read next. Plus maybe it will help with my need to read my own books. I have this problem of putting books on the shelves in favor of reading newer, shinier books and forgetting all about the previously purchased ones.

My goal is to stick to this 5 with the addition of others throughout the month. I may not read them in the order they are listed, but it is my goal to read all five.

With the success of my January list, and not so great success with February, I will be once again trying it for March.

March 2012 List of Five:

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers
Copper Beach
Barefoot Season
With This Kiss
Invincible Summer

In My Mailbox {87}

2012-03-04T09:00:00.046-06:00

Books via Reader Service

A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber

Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery

Much Ado About Rogues by Kasey Michaels

Woodrose Mountain by RaeAnne Thayne

Books via Paperback Swap

Beast Behaving Badly by Shelly Laurenston

Get Lucky by Lorie O'Clare

Books via Publisher

Nightfire by Lisa Marie Rice

The Danger That is Damion by Lisa Renee Jones

Slide by Jill Hathaway

Random Read {2}: Invincible Summer

2012-03-02T09:00:00.045-06:00

Random Reads is a brand new monthly meme hosted by I'm Loving ♥ Books! It's a great way to knock out some of the books that've been piling up on your shelf for awhile. To play along, you randomly choose something from your TBR list and read it some time during the course of the month.

Like Sarah, I will be using my Goodreads account and Random.org to choose my book for the month.

Invincible Summer
Hannah Moskowitz

Noah’s happier than I’ve seen him in months. So I’d be an awful brother to get in the way of that. It’s not like I have some relationship with Melinda. It was just a kiss. Am I going to ruin Noah’s happiness because of a kiss?

Across four sun-kissed, drama-drenched summers at his family’s beach house, Chase is falling in love, falling in lust, and trying to keep his life from falling apart. But some girls are addictive....

Review: Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr

2012-03-01T11:00:00.032-06:00

Redwood Bend
Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #18
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: February 28, 2012
Mass Market Paperback {p.377}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Katie Malone, Dylan Childress
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Katie Malone and her twin boys' trip along the beautiful mountain roads to Virgin River is stopped short by a tire as flat as her failed romance. To make matters worse, the rain has set in, the boys are hungry and Katie is having trouble putting on a spare. As she stands at the side of the road pondering her next move, she hears a distinct rumble. The sight of the sexy, leather-clad bikers who pull up beside her puts her imagination into overdrive.

Dylan Childress and his buddies are on the motorcycle trip of a lifetime. But the sight of a woman in distress stops them in their tracks. And while the guys are checking out her car, she and Dylan are checking out one another.

In one brief moment, the world tilts on its axis and any previous plans Katie and Dylan might have had for their futures are left at the side of the road.

Redwood Bend centers on Katie, the sister of Conner from Hidden Summit. I enjoyed the bits and pieces of Katie I glimpsed in the previous book and enjoyed her even more in her own. She meets Dylan within the first couple of chapters upon her arrival in Virgin River. When he helps her with her flat tire, she recognizes him as the teen idol she was in love with during her teenage years, but doesn’t let on that she does.

I truly liked both Dylan and Katie. She’s funny and very capable of taking care of herself, which is always refreshing to see in a female character. She does sometimes seek the assistance of her brother when it comes to her twin boys, because they lack a father figure in their lives. This is understandable since she lost her husband in war. Dylan on the other hand has major issues when it comes to commitment and family. Growing up in a dysfunctional Hollywood family left him with a few emotional scars.

As always, I enjoyed visiting with the residents of Virgin River. I just love this little town and its inhabitants. I just wish more of the Riordan brothers had found their way into Redwood Bend.

And in this installment, Katie and Dylan don’t make their name in Virgin River which is always sad to me when the couples don’t settle there and live happily ever after.

Review: Pure by Julianna Baggott

2012-02-29T11:00:00.032-06:00

Pure
Julianna Baggott
Series: Pure #1
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publish Date: February 8, 2012
Hardcover {p.448}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult
Pressia
Challenge: Young Adult
Buy the Book: Amazon

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .
Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .
There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again.

The novel was very descriptive in the detail of the world after detonation. (For that I give it two stars.) Even the characters were very descriptive. They were a bit odd in their body parts and objects they seemed to be fused with. This was the main thing I couldn't seem to get past to finish the novel.

Pure was a bit of a slow go getting into. Pressia seemed interesting enough, but Partridge I didn’t really understand his need to leave the dome. I know he thought there was a chance his mother may have been out there, but I never understood why he thought that. I guess I must have missed that part.

A character I did enjoy however was Bradwell. I liked him from the first meeting he held underground that Pressia attended. Although I did enjoy him, it wasn’t enough to keep me going forward with this novel. It was overall a tad too dark and a bit too strange of a read for me.

Waiting on Wednesday {85}: Mine to Hold @Shayla_Black

2012-02-29T08:00:00.014-06:00

A friend’s duty.

Tyler Murphy was an LAPD detective, single and happy—until a near-fatal tragedy crippled his friend, fellow detective Eric Catalano. While he supported Eric, he also became a shoulder for Eric’s wife, Delaney, to cry on. But with one naughty suggestion from Eric, a drunken night with Delaney spilled into erotic abandon. Before it was over Tyler saw his best friend’s wife as a woman and yearned for more. When Eric struggled to deal with the aftermath, Delaney begged Tyler to leave. Crushed, he fled to Louisiana, hoping to escape his longing for the one woman he could never have again…and unaware of what he’d left behind.

A lover’s desire.

After two years of living with regret, Tyler finds Delaney on his doorstep, her husband having abandoned her long ago. She’s protecting a shocking secret and desperately needs refuge from a killer determined to see her dead. As they fight to stay alive and catch the stalker, they struggle to resolve the guilt of their past pleasures. But they can’t deny that what was once a spark is now a flame burning out of control. To possess Delaney — body and soul — Tyler must heal her pain and thwart the evil that’s a mere breath behind her...

And the Winner is...

2012-02-28T10:32:00.000-06:00

Pure by Julianna Baggott

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Review: Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

2012-02-27T13:00:00.001-06:00

Silver Girl
Elin Hilderbrand
Publisher: Reagan Arthur
Publish Date: June 21, 2011
Audio Book {14 hrs 28 min}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Women's Fiction
Meredith Martin Delinn
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing - because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars.

Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie's had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can't offer complete escape, and they're plagued by new and old troubles alike. When Connie's brother Toby - Meredith's high school boyfriend - arrives, Meredith must reconcile the differences between the life she is leading and the life she could have had.

Set against the backdrop of a Nantucket summer, Elin Hilderbrand delivers a suspenseful story of the power of friendship, the pull of love, and the beauty of forgiveness.

At times I just wanted to shake Meredith and scream at her to grow a backbone throughout the bulk of this book. She was just so whiny and wimpy throughout. I especially wanted her to stand up for herself with Amy in the salon, but no she just limped off like a kicked puppy.

But on the other hand, she was outright rude at times to Connie, the only person who would have anything to do with her after her fall from grace. If not for Connie, I don't know if I would have enjoyed this book as much. She was definitely the saving grace because Meredith was a complete let down as an overall character.

The surrounding characters all added to the overall believability of the story, because Meredith at times was hard to feel any sympathy for.

Read by Janet Metzger, Marianne Fraulo
Duration: 14 hours 28 minutes
Hachette Audio

Narration: B
The use of two female narrators was a new experience for me. There wasn't a noticeable difference in the two, so you wouldn't know it was two different people if you didn't go into the book already knowing that. Both managed to bring something different to each of the characters.

In My Mailbox {86}

2012-02-26T09:00:00.081-06:00

Books via Book Depository

Belong to Me by Shayla Black

Books via Half Price Books

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson

Books via Publisher

Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Kiss of the Vampire by Cynthia Garner
Darkness Bound by Stella Cameron

Books via Reader Service

Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
More Than Words by Debbie Macomber, Brenda Novak
Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey
Cowboy at Midnight by Ann Major
Boomerang Bride by Fiona Lowe
Blood From Stone by Laura Anne Gilman
Out of Mind by Stella Cameron

Waiting on Wednesday {84}: A Midsummer's Nightmare @Kody_Keplinger

2012-02-22T08:16:00.000-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It is showcases upcoming releases of books that I'm looking forward to. It is somewhat similar to one of my previous posts, Anxiously Awaiting. {Button courtesy of Bewitched Bookworms}

A Midsummer's Nightmare
Kody Keplinger
June 5, 2012

Whitley Johnsons dream summer with her divorce dad has turned into a nightmare. She’s just met his new fiancee and her kids. The fiancee’s son? Whitley’s one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin’ great.

Worse, she totally doesn’t fit in with her dad’s perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn’t even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she’s ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn’t “do” friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn’t her stepbrother... at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

Filled with authenticity and raw emotion, Whitley is Kody Keplinger’s most compelling character to date: a cynical Holden Caulfield-esque girl you will wholly care about.

And the Winner is...

2012-02-21T13:39:00.000-06:00

Paranormal Blog Tour

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tune in Tuesday ~ Erin McCarley

2012-02-21T08:00:00.009-06:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Ginger at GReads that showcases music. Each week you can post an old or new song so that it gains more interest! So head on over and link up.

If you are a regular follower to my blog, you probably have figured out by now that outside of books, music is a passion as well.

This Tuesday's Tune: "Lovesick Mistake" by Erin McCarley

Lovesick Mistake

Gotta Figure It Out

Love, Save the Empty

Review: The Guy Next Door by Lori Foster, Susan Donovan, Victoria Dahl

2012-02-20T11:30:00.002-06:00

The Guy Next Door
Lori Foster, Susan Donovan, Victoria Dahl
Series: Men Who Walk the Edge of Danger #0.5; Donovan Brothers Brewery #0.5
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: February 9, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.378}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Natalie Alexander, Jett Sutter; Gail Chapman, Jesse Batista; Beth Cantrell, Eric Donovan
Challenge: 50 States
Buy the Book: Amazon

Ready, Set, Jett by Lori Foster

A vacation from her no-strings romance with her sexy next-door neighbor. That's what Natalie Alexander needs to get her head—and heart—together. But her solo trip south turns into a disaster when gorgeous Jett Sutter turns up with another challenge.

Gail's Gone Wild by Susan Donovan

Single mom Gail Chapman insists on chaperoning her teenage daughter's spring-break trip to Key West. But she never expects to face temptation—in the hunky form of Jesse Batista, the mysterious man in the cottage next door.

Just One Taste by Victoria Dahl

All-work-and-no-play businessman Eric Donovan won't be distracted by a "businesswoman" who's all wrong for him. Beth Cantrell owns a women's erotica shop! And she has a juicy little secret. Can she tempt him to put pleasure before business for once?

Ready, Set Jett by Lori Foster
Natalie and Jett’s relationship was already semi-established in the fact that they had a no-strings attached type of set up from the beginning. Natalie, who had been burned by past relationships, didn’t want to chance getting emotionally involved with Jett. Jett, who is usually all for sex with no commitment, doesn’t want that type of relationship with Natalie.

The two of them go on vacation together and go through an almost ordeal that finally gets them to admit their true feelings for one another. Although this is a short novella, both characters had a depth and believability about them that made their story come alive.

Gail’s Gone Wild by Susan Donovan
Gail’s vacation romance with the hottie author Jesse was hot from the start. They made such a cute, likeable couple. Of course both of them suffer from some trust issues that pose roadblocks for their relationship. But even with those trust issues they both fell in love with each other rather quickly.

Gail’s Gone Wild was a sexy, funny read. The characters and the location were very well written. I really enjoyed all of these characters, not just Gail and Jesse. This novella I was so engrossed in, I wasn’t ready for their story to end.

Just One Taste by Victoria Dahl
I didn’t care at all for the whole misleading of Beth by Eric in letting her believe he was his younger brother Jamie. When Eric wasn’t quick to clear that issue up, he lost points with me.

Beth’s refusal to be seen in public with Eric/Jamie because he’d ruin her reputation, I thought was a little much given she runs a sex shop. Not my favorite of the anthology.

In My Mailbox {85}

2012-02-19T09:00:00.064-06:00

Books via Paperback Swap

Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks

Books via Public Library

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Rugged & Relentless by Kelly Eileen Hake

The Secret Sisterhood of Heartbreakers by Lynn Weingarten

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Books via Publisher

Daughters for a Time by Jennifer Handford

Books via Reader Service

A Home by the Sea by Christina Skye

Baby, Don't Go by Stephanie Bond

Pride & Passion by Charlotte Featherstone

'Tis the Season by Carole Mortimer, Alison Roberts

Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

Book Beginnings & Friday 56: Catching Jordan

2012-02-17T08:00:00.002-06:00

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice. Check out the rules and join in the fun.

Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
Turn to page 56.
Find the fifth sentence.
Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog. Post a link along with your post back to this blog.

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by A Few More Pages. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence, or two, of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

Book Beginnings:

I once read that football was invented so people wouldn't notice summer ending. But I couldn't wait for summer vacation to end.

Friday 56:

"Hell, no," he says, fingering the Cracker Jack prize we've been fighting over since we were nine. I'll never forget how we were sitting out in Henry's front yard playing rock, paper, scissors while eating a big box of Cracker Jacks.

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally

Review: Shadow's Stand by Sarah McCarty

2012-02-16T11:30:00.007-06:00

Shadow's Stand
Sarah McCarty
Series: Hell's Eight #5
Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: January 31, 2012
Kindle {p.384}
Source: Publisher/Net Galley
Genre: Historical Western
Fei Yen, Shadow Ochoa
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Shadow Ochoa is lying low in the western Kansas Territory, waiting for his fellow Texas Rangers—the Hell's Eight brotherhood—to clear his name. That is, until he's unjustly strung up for horse thieving…and pretty Fei Yen intervenes. Invoking a seldom-used law, the exotic lady prospector claims Shadow as her husband and rides off with the bridegroom shackled to her buckboard.

Savvy, fearless Fei is single-mindedly devoted to her hidden claim and all it promises: wealth, security and freedom. A husband is just a necessary inconvenience and a name on paper to hold the claim she cannot.

Shadow isn't a man to take orders from anyone, especially from lovely Fei—except that the daily friction between them ignites into nightly blazes of all-consuming passion. Soon Shadow is dreaming a little himself: of the life they could have if only Fei could see past the lure of independence. If only bounty hunters weren't closing in on him. If only he's left standing when the impending showdown has ended...

I was completely lost at the start of this one because I couldn’t remember the previous book. I had a difficult time getting into it or connecting with the characters. Both Fei and Shadow seemed a tad bit one dimensional.

I did however enjoy the scenes that involved the rest of Hell’s Eight, but not much more. Caine’s Reckoning and Tucker’s Claim I really enjoyed, but the other books in the series haven’t measured up.

Theme Thursday {15}: Hear

2012-02-16T08:00:00.002-06:00

This meme is being hosted by Kavyen @ Reading Between Pages. Each Thursday she will be posting a new "theme" Anyone can join in; here are the rules:

A new "theme" will be posted each Thursday
Select a conversion/snippet/sentence from your current read
Post your selection, but don't forget to list the title and author of the book
This event is open for one whole week
It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)

Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This week's "theme" is: HEAR

Everything is quiet. She hears no trucks. Even the chanting from the Death Spree is gone. At one point, there's a baby crying, but then it quiets down.

page 122; Pure by Julianna Baggott

Review: One Hot Momma by Cara North

2012-02-15T11:30:00.036-06:00

One Hot Momma
Cara North
Series: Country Music Collection #3
Publisher: Tease Publishing LLC
Publish Date: November 2, 2009
Kindle {p.192}
Source: Kindle Loan
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Layla, Rafe Johnson
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Rafe decides that it is time to make his move on Layla. Layla adores the man, but she has secrets too dark and too risky to let herself fall for him.

For a man who knows everything about women, he doesn't know anything about Layla and to earn her trust he has to do more than win over her children.

Layla feels Rafe is more in love with her children than her, so she refuses his marriage proposal. It did feel a little like Jerry Mcguire in that regard. When Jan, Rafe’s sister, asks him to answer a few questions about Layla and he couldn’t answer one correctly, it became glaringly obvious that he is in it for the kids.

Rafe not really knowing her, kind of put me off to him. I did warm up to him by the end, but not like I did his two brothers in their books.
Layla was not what I was expecting. Her secret wasn’t at all on my radar of what she could possibly be hiding. I ended up liking her a bit more than Rafe.

The end left me hanging with the quessing of what could be going on with his sister Jan.

Waiting on Wednesday {83}: Captivated

2012-02-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

Vincenz Fardelle, exiled son of the Supreme Leader of the Imperialist Universe, has spent much of the last ten years working to stop the threat his father poses. But he’s not alone in his quest. Julian Marsters has lost his best friend and countless others in the war and has made vengeance his only goal. In each other, Julian and Vincenz find not only like minds, but kindred spirits.

However unexpected their relationship, everything changes for Vincenz and Julian when Hannah Black comes into their lives. Having been captured and held in near total isolation by imperialist troops, their immediate response is to protect her.

Emotionally shattered but resilient, Hannah rebuilds herself. Because of the warm safety she finds in the arms of Julian—and Vincenz she becomes someone harder, stronger and bent on preventing the Imperialists from harming anyone else.

For the two men, wrestling with their passionate feelings for Hannah is only the beginning. War is about to send all three into harm’s way and an equally dangerous secret could tear them apart.

Tune in Tuesday ~ Lady Antebellum

2012-02-14T10:00:00.002-06:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Ginger at GReads that showcases music. Each week you can post an old or new song so that it gains more interest! So head on over and link up.

If you are a regular follower to my blog, you probably have figured out by now that outside of books, music is a passion as well.

Valentine's Day Edition

This Tuesday's Tune: "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum

Need You Now

Just a Kiss

I Run To You

Author Interview & #Giveaway: Julianna Baggott, author of Pure

2012-02-13T09:00:00.072-06:00

Please join me in welcoming critically acclaimed, bestselling author Julianna Baggott, author of Pure.

Julianna Baggott also writes under the pen names Bridget Asher and N.E. Bode. She has published seventeen books over the last ten years. Film rights for her forthcoming novel PURE have been acquired by Fox 2000.

To learn more about Julianna, please stop by her website to get the full story and other interesting fun stuff!

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Buy the Book
Describe Pure in three words.

How about two? What endures.

What is a day in the life of Julianna Baggott like when you’re not writing?

If I'm not writing, I'm not at home or I'm sick in bed. Even if I'm on the road, I'm jotting notes and sometimes writing essays. Even if I'm sick, I'm being dreaming and the worlds of my books often still exist in my fevered head.

How much of your actual life gets written into your fictional stories? Do you ever use real people as inspiration for your characters?

A lot of my life goes into my books. My life is all I have, in the end. What I see, smell, hear ... what arises in my brain is from my experience. Sometimes this is somewhat explicit -- something my husband says in the morning can work its way into a chapter in the afternoon -- but mostly it's not explicit at all, and not even obvious to me.

Do you ever find that it’s emotionally difficult to write some scenes or characters?

Yes. Certain scenes are really hard for me. It's emotional work. And sometimes it requires a lot of visualization of things that only exist in your mind, which is exhausting. But there are also scenes that pop up and you're just trying to write fast enough to keep up.

Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?

I really don't have a favorite. There's an author who's novel I love is out of print and wasn't given sufficient love when it was published. MOTHER OF PEARL by the Irish writer MARY MORRISSY. A brilliant book. Let's get it back in PRINT!

Is there any additional info you would like to share with your readers about what’s next for you and your books?

Well, book II, FUSE, is due out this time next year. I'm deep into the editorial process now. So ... yes ... it's coming!

We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . .

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?

{February 13 - 27, 2012}

Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win
No P.O. Boxes please
Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher
1 Winner will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email
Please check my Contest Policy before entering

To enter:
*Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing the prize!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In my Mailbox {84}

2012-02-12T09:00:00.060-06:00

Books via Publisher

The Mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

The Rivals by Daisy Whitney

Time for a Fresh One by Lexi Michaels

Books via Amazon

Never Enough by Lauren Dane

Books via Half Price Books

Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Betrayed by P.C Cast + Kristin Cast

Hunted by P.C Cast + Kristin Cast

Tempted by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Untamed by P.C. Cat + Kristin Cast

Marked by P.C. Cast + Kristin Cast

Pleasure Planet by Evangeline Anderson

Books via Paperback Swap

My Fair Captain by J.L. Langley

Review: Baby, Don't Go by Stephanie Bond

2012-02-09T09:00:00.046-06:00

Baby, Don't Go
Stephanie Bond
Series: Southern Roads #3
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: November 15, 2011
Audio Book {9 hrs}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Alicia Randall, Marcus Armstrong
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

The hardheaded Armstrong brothers are determined to rebuild their tornado-ravaged hometown in the Georgia mountains. They've got the means, they've got the manpower…what they need are women! So they place an ad in a Northern newspaper and wait for the ladies to arrive.…
Eldest brother Marcus Armstrong considers the estrogen-influx an irritating distraction. He's running a town, not a dating service!

Reporter Alicia Randall thinks the Armstrong brothers are running a scam and she intends to prove it—even if it means seducing oh-so-sexy Marcus in the process. Sizzling sex and a hot story? Win-win!

At least it is, until she falls for the guy. Will love trump betrayal when the truth comes out?

I found myself getting upset a lot with Alicia and her behavior. She seemed to look down her nose at the residents of Sweetness without even taking the time to try to get to know them. And as many times as she caused trouble for Marcus at the diner, I don’t know how any sane person didn’t fire her.

Marcus was likeable enough, although a bit stiff and rigid. Alicia isn’t really the type of woman I would have pictured for him, but they seemed to make it work.

Some of the high points of this novel were the Sweetness residents. Plus the addition of Alicia’s parents provided a great side story. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Alecia and her mother.

Read by Cassandra Campbell
Duration: 9 hours
Tantor Media

Narration: B
The narrator did a nice job of capturing the voices of the individual characters. Although at times it did come across a little dry in parts.

Waiting on Wednesday {82}: Hot in Handcuffs

2012-02-08T08:00:00.013-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It is showcases upcoming releases of books that I'm looking forward to. It is somewhat similar to one of my previous posts, Anxiously Awaiting. {Button courtesy of Bewitched Bookworms}

Hot in Handcuffs
Shayla Black, Sylvia Day, Shiloh Walker
July 3, 2012

Three Novellas of Erotic Capture

Allow yourself to imagine the man behind the dark sunglasses. Hear the purr of his zipper as he lowers it, then reaches for the shiny metal hanging from his black leather belt. It’s futile to resist arrest. Give yourself up to the fantasy. Besides, he thinks you’re so hot in handcuffs…

Arresting Desire by Shayla Black
FBI Agent Jon Bocelli never stopped wanting beautiful professor Lucia DiStefano. She’s interested in taking her first lover, and he intends to be that man. When her past puts her life in danger, Jon risks everything to save her and prove this fling is forever.

On Fire by Sylvia Day
When Deputy Marshal Jared Cameron investigates a series of arson attacks in a seaside town, the biggest blast of heat comes from sexy fire inspector Darcy Michaels—until their scorching after-hours affair is compromised by a secret from Darcy’s past.

The Unwilling by Shiloh Walker
Mica Greer and her former lover, ex-FBI agent Colby Mathis once shared an intimate past and a powerful psychic gift. Now, they’ve been reunited by a bizarre series of murders—and an electrifying passion that could put them both in jeopardy.

Review: Stud by Cheryl Brooks

2012-02-07T11:00:00.027-06:00

Stud
Cheryl Brooks
Series: Cat Star Chronicles #8
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publish Date: February 7, 2012
Mass Market Paperback {p.383}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Loucinda Force, Tarq Zulveidinoe
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

THEY'RE GALAXIES APART...
Even for a Zetithian, Tarq Zulveidinoe's sexual prowess is legendary. Believing it's all he's good for, Tarq sets out to perpetuate his threatened species by offering his services to women across the galaxy...
BUT ONE FORCE CAN BRING THEM TOGETHER...
Lucinda Force is the sensitive dark horse in a self-absorbed family, repeatedly told that no man will ever want such a plain woman. Lucy longs for romance, but is resigned to her loveless lot in life-until Tarq walks through the door of her father's restaurant on Talus Five...

Tarq and Lucy seemed to be the perfect match for one another. Both of them had their own self-image and self-worth issues that made them believe they wouldn’t receive love from the other. Lucy’s issues stemmed from her family, mostly her father, and Tarq’s stemmed from his believe that all he was good for was sex.

I truly felt bad for Tarq, hearing him talk down about himself. In my opinion he was a very great character. Although his job is sex, he immediately felt and wanted more with Lucy. They both brought out the best in each other. And showed each other they were more than they thought themselves to be.

Their mountain adventure helped them to realize they were meant for one another. With the introduction of Vertigan, another potential suitor for Lucy, it put the very real prospect of Lucy and Tarq not being together in the forefront of both of their minds.

I felt bad for Vertigan, because I loved him as well and wanted him to be happy. I just hope the next installment in this series is his and he finds that happiness. Stud was yet another great addition to the series.

Tune in Tuesday ~ Pistol Annies

2012-02-07T08:00:00.004-06:00

This weekly meme is hosted by Ginger at GReads that showcases music. Each week you can post an old or new song so that it gains more interest! So head on over and link up.

If you are a regular follower to my blog, you probably have figured out by now that outside of books, music is a passion as well.

This Tuesday's Tune: "Hell on Hells" by Pistol Annies

Hell on Heels

Lemon Drop

The Hunter's Wife

Blog Tour & #Giveaway: @KendraLCastle and @Kris10Callihan

2012-02-06T10:00:00.002-06:00

Kristen Callihan is a child of the 80’s, which means she's worn neon skirts, black-lace gloves, and combat boots (although never all at once) and can quote John Hughes movies with the best of them. Read more...

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

Kendra Leigh Castle was born and raised in the far and frozen reaches of Northern New York, where there was plenty of time to cultivate her love of reading thanks to the six-month-long winters. Read More...

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Wild and passionate by nature, Lyra Black is not just any werewolf. She's the future leader of the powerful pack of the Thorn-if she can stay alive long enough to inherit the title.

One of the Cait Sith bloodline of vampire cat-shifters, Jaden Harrison has no interest in the wars plaguing the world of night. But when he rescues Lyra from a violent attack, they're both captured by an insatiable desire that threatens to overwhelm them and bind them together for eternity . . . just as ancient enemies prepare to strike. And when they do, the Thorn and the Cait Sith-and Lyra and Jaden's love-may never recover from the deadly blow . . .

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THESE BOOKS?

{February 6 - 20, 2012}

Only residents of the U.S. are eligible to win
No P.O. Boxes please
Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher
3 Winners will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email
Please check my Contest Policy before entering

To enter:

1. Please fill out the form below
*Thanks to Forever Romance for providing the prize!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

List of Five ~ February 2012

2012-02-06T08:00:00.018-06:00

I got the idea of making a list of the books I'm going to read for the month from a similar feature done by GalleySmith. Although she lists 10 books I'm only doing 5, to take into account ARCs I may receive or just falling into a reading slump.

Hopefully this will also cut down on the time I spend sitting in front of my bookshelf trying to decide what to read next. Plus maybe it will help with my need to read my own books. I have this problem of putting books on the shelves in favor of reading newer, shinier books and forgetting all about the previously purchased ones.

My goal is to stick to this 5 with the addition of others throughout the month. I may not read them in the order they are listed, but it is my goal to read all five.

With the success of my January list, I will be once again trying it for February.

February 2012 List of Five:

~~The Guy Next Door~~
~~Pure~~
~~Water Bound~~
Whispers in the Dark
Sweet Possession

In My Mailbox {83}

2012-02-05T09:00:00.063-06:00

Books via Half Price Books

Envy by J.R. Ward

Into the Fire by Suzanne Brockmann

Into the Storm by Suzanne Brockmann

Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann

The Welcome Home Garden Club by Lori Wilde

White Witch, Black Curse by Kim Harrison

Books via Paperback Swap

Flawless by Sara Shepard

Books via Publisher

Pure by Julianna Baggott

Random Read {1}: The Guy Next Door

2012-02-03T09:00:00.004-06:00

Three sexy new spring-fling novellas from three of today's hottest contemporary romance authors!

Ready, Set, Jett by Lori Foster

A vacation from her no-strings romance with her sexy next-door neighbor. That's what Natalie Alexander needs to get her head—and heart—together. But her solo trip south turns into a disaster when gorgeous Jett Sutter turns up with another challenge.

Gail's Gone Wild by Susan Donovan

Single mom Gail Chapman insists on chaperoning her teenage daughter's spring-break trip to Key West. But she never expects to face temptation—in the hunky form of Jesse Batista, the mysterious man in the cottage next door.

Just One Taste by Victoria Dahl

All-work-and-no-play businessman Eric Donovan won't be distracted by a "businesswoman" who's all wrong for him. Beth Cantrell owns a women's erotica shop! And she has a juicy little secret. Can she tempt him to put pleasure before business for once?

Thursday Three {6}: The Queen of Kentucky

2012-02-02T08:00:00.023-06:00

What is Thursday 3? It's a new once monthly meme, hosted by me, in which we will be discussing our love/hate relationship with our current read.

Here is how Thursday 3 works:

Take your current read, or book you previously finished, and tell me the following 3 things about it.

Character from the book you LOVE (This can be a character you want as your BFF or someone you want to take home to meet the parents)
Character from the book you HATE (This character does not have to be the villian, just someone you disliked)
Your overall LOVE/HATE of the book. (If you haven't decided your feelings for the book yet, or if you prefer, just provide a snippet from the book containing either the word "LOVE" or "HATE")

Anyone can participate!! Just link your posts in the linky! In your post, please provide a link back to my blog so that other people can find the information and participate.

Loved: Luke ~ Such a wonderful, likable character who's had a lot of hard knocks in his young life.

Hated: Wolf ~ Complete jerk.

Overall: I loved this book. I can hardly wait to read more from this author.

The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
{Kentucky}

Waiting on Wednesday {81}: Taking a Shot

2012-02-01T08:00:00.012-06:00

If you want to score, you have to get in the game...

The last thing Jenna Riley needs is more sports in her life. While her brothers are off being athletic superstars, she's stuck running the family's sports bar, whether she likes it or not. Then in walks pro hockey stud Tyler Anderson. As much as Jenna would like to go to the boards with him, she's vowed to never fall for a jock-even one as hot as Ty.

Ty, intrigued by the beautiful bar owner, becomes a regular. He senses that Jenna wants to do something more with her life. And as he gains her trust, the passion between them grows, as does Ty's insistence that Jenna should start living for herself. With his encouragement, Jenna starts to believe it, too...

But first, Jenna has to figure out what she wants, what she needs, who she loves, and if she has the passion and pride to take a shot at having it all-including Ty...

Top Ten & Tune in Tuesday {11}

2012-01-31T09:30:00.002-06:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. It was created because they love making lists and wanted to share it with other bookish people.

This week's topic is:
Top Ten Books That Would Make Great Book Club Picks (In no particular order)

Review: Deliver Me From Darkness by Tes Hilaire

2012-01-30T12:13:00.001-06:00

Deliver Me From Darkness
Tes Hilaire
Series: Paladin Warriors #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publish Date: February 7, 2012
Mass Market Paperback {p.323}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Paranormal
Karissa, Roland
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

A STRANGER IN THE NIGHT...

He had once been a warrior of the Light, one of the revered Paladin. A protector. But now he lives in darkness, and the shadows are his sanctuary. Every day is a struggle to overcome the bloodlust. Especially the day Karissa shows up at his doorstep.

COMES KNOCKING ON THE DOOR

She is light and bright and everything beautiful—despite her scratches and torn clothes. Every creature of the night is after her. So is every male Paladin. Because Karissa is the last female of their kind. But she is his. He may not have a soul, but he can't deny his heart.

Roland has been left with the duty of watching over an uninvited house guest that he has an immediate attraction to. Roland and Karissa get off to a rocky start due to her distrust of him because he's a vampire.

This novel included a lot of interesting paranormal creatures that I hadn't encountered before in other paranormal novels before. Both Karissa and Roland were interesting enough, but I failed to connect with them. Their love connection just wasn't all that engrossing to me. I did however take a liking to one of the secondary characters, Logan. I would be intrigued to see what happens with him.

I did feel a little muddled down in the details. But since this is the first book in the series, I guess that's to be expected. Deliver Me From Darkness is favorable start this new series.

In My Mailbox {82}

2012-01-29T09:00:00.015-06:00

Books via Paperback Swap

New York to Dallas by J.D. Robb

And the Winner is...

2012-01-27T08:00:00.010-06:00

P.S. I Love You Tour

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday {80}: Echos at Dawn

2012-01-25T08:03:00.000-06:00

Grace Peterson is desperate, in hiding, and on the run after escaping a shadowy group determined to exploit her extraordinary ability to heal others. Her only lifeline - an unerring telepathic ability she shares with her sister - has been severed, leaving her alone and vulnerable. And time is fast running out...

Enlisted to bring Grace home is Rio, relentless member of the KGI. He's unprepared for his reaction to this wounded, damaged woman, and he's fiercely determined to protect her from those who nearly destroyed her. In Rio, she finds a safe haven, and for the first time...hope. But the mission is far from over. The danger Grace has eluded is fast closing in. And now it's pitching two lovers toward an unfamiliar horizon, with no place left to hide.

And the Winner is...

2012-01-24T08:14:00.000-06:00

Jodie Becker & Sidney Bristol

Tore

Review: Future Perfect by Suzanne Brockmann

2012-01-23T12:28:00.002-06:00

Future Perfect
Suzanne Brockmann
Publisher: Batnam
Publish Date: November 22, 2011
Audiobook {7 hrs}
Source: Public Library
Genre: Contemporary
Juliana Anderson, Webster Donovan
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Dressed in Victorian attire, Juliana Anderson gives guests at her cozy New England bed and breakfast a taste of old-fashioned hospitality. Whether she’s cooking up delights in her kitchen or maintaining the rooms in her beautifully decorated inn, Juliana stays busy and content. Until Webster Donovan arrives—tall, rugged, and sexy beyond belief.

The lean, dark-haired author has a bad case of writer’s block and he’s planned a six-week stay to cure it. But this beautiful woman is proving even more distracting to the cause. For prim, polite Juliana has a wild side: She rides a Harley and hides a troubled past. The moment Webster watches her take off her motorcycle helmet and shake loose those long, flame-colored curls, he finds his muse—and loses his heart. But can romance with a woman afraid to trust in love last longer than a moment in time?

Juliana and Webster get off to a somewhat rocky start upon meeting, but also are instantly attracted to one another. Webster makes his attraction toward Juliana known, whereas she fights hers for a big chunk of the book.

I tended to get a little upset with Juliana and her behavior/treatment toward Webster. He truly seemed to care for her, but she was constantly keeping him at a distance. At times it seemed the relationship meant more to Webster than to Juliana.

Read by Patrick Lawlor
Duration: 7 hours
Brilliance Audio

Narration: A+

As always I enjoyed the narration of Patrick Lawlor. I have become a fan since listening to him narrate the Troubleshooters.

In My Mailbox {81}

2012-01-22T09:00:00.030-06:00

Blog Win {The Forbidden Bookshelf}

Books via Half Price Books

Never Have I Ever by Sara Shepard

A Touch of Crimson by Sylvia Day

Books via Paperback Swap

Alien in the Family by Gini Koch

Review: Dakota Ranch Crude by Leah Brooke

2012-01-19T09:00:00.002-06:00

Dakota Ranch Crude
Leah Brooke
Series: Dakota Heat #2
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Publish Date: March 27, 2009
Kindle {p.108}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Erotica, Menage
Samantha Cross, Jackson & Shayne Montgomery
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

When Samantha Cross goes to her brother's employers to ask for help, she had no idea that it would change her life forever. To repay their debt, they both have to live and work at the Dakota Ranch for one year. Samantha has no option but to accept.

Her brother's employers, Shayne and Jackson Montgomery, are not what she expected. Jackson, the younger brother is too handsome and charming to resist, especially when he sets his sights on her. He wants her to share her life with not only him, but his older brother, Shayne.

She realizes that the only way is to show Shayne he's not the crude animal he's become convinced he is.

Shayne is hard headed and won't believe it, convinced that he would only hurt her. Can Samantha convince this tender giant that he and his brother are perfect for her?

What little character development this story had (too short for a lot) was surprisingly good. I liked Samantha and Shayne a bit more than Jackson though. Jackson just seemed like an unnecessary third to Samantha and Shayne’s relationship. I think the book would have been fine without him.

Shayne has had issues in the past with getting women due to his size, but with Samantha she’s not frightened by it. My only issue other than the unnecessary addition of Jackson, is the near assault of Samantha and the sex she had immediately after said assault. That just didn’t seem all that conceivable to me.

Other than that, I really enjoyed it, and look forward to seeing more from this series.

Waiting on Wednesday {79}: Sweet Talk

2012-01-18T08:00:00.019-06:00

When FBI agent Grayson Kincaid first encounters Olivia MacKenzie, she makes quite an impression. The beautiful, tough, young attorney has stumbled into the middle of an FBI sting operation and has reduced it to chaos. Months of surveillance and careful planning down the drain, Kincaid's partner is furious and lets Olivia know that she's ticked off the wrong guy. After all, he's FBI.

Olivia isn’t intimidated by his partner’s bullying because she's something even scarier...she's IRS. And working for the IRS isn’t for the faint of heart. She’s on the trail of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, one that threatens to ruin the lives of naive and unsuspecting victims, and one she has personal reasons to be angry about. But after she asks questions of the wrong people, her life is suddenly endangered. She's accustomed to fighting for the underdog but being vulnerable herself is a very different story. Smart enough to know when to call for reinforcements, she contacts Grayson Kincaid.

Together they make an excellent team to fight corruption but Olivia is also fighting the immediate and intense attraction she feels for Agent Kincaid, and that may be a battle she is bound to lose.

Teaser Tuesday: A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

2012-01-17T08:04:00.001-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

Grab your current/upcoming read
Open to a random page
Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

Marla shrugged. "All I know is that you haven't slept with him."
"You're sure about that, are you?"
"Absolutely." Marla oozed satisfaction, even leaned in to taunt Arizona. "If you'd ever had him, you'd feel differently about having him again."
"Yeah? Why's that?"
With significance, Marla purred, "For one thing, he's big all over."

page 51; A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster

In My Mailbox {80}

2012-01-15T09:00:00.010-06:00

Books via Book Depository

Whispers in the Dark by Maya Banks

Guest Post & #Giveaway: Jodie Becker & @Sidney_Bristol

2012-01-13T09:00:00.148-06:00

Please join me in welcoming Jodie Becker, author of Dirty Beautiful, and Sidney Bristol, author of Flirting with Rescue, as they provide us with a guest post today.
Facebook | Twitter | Jodie Becker
Facebook | Twitter | Sidney Bristol

Sparks—and clothes—fly when hot veterinarian Cody-Lynn Parker shows up at Scott Carillo’s animal shelter. Scott’s had a bad run with women, but he can’t keep his hands off Cody’s luscious curves.

Cody’s trying to be professional, but she can barely concentrate on work thanks to her craving for the tall, dark and sexy Cuban. She kisses caution goodbye and Scott hello when his shirt comes off.

Between naked star-gazing and naughty massages, their steamy fling turns into an affair of the heart. But when thieves target Cody, she finds herself flirting with danger, and Scott wants to rescue her whether she thinks she needs it or not.

Disillusioned by love, Erica has tasted the bitter pill of betrayal and wonders if she’s enough for one man. When a hot guy moves in next door, Erica decides to settle for good old-fashioned lust. What starts out as a simple seduction quickly evolves, and Erica is fast finding out Dylan is dangerous not only to her libido, but her heart as well.

Recently retired from the adult-film industry, Dylan hopes for a fresh start in Templeton where his porn persona, Drake Van Wulf, is unknown. His new neighbor is unlike the women he’s accustomed to, but she stirs his blood nonetheless. His rule not to get involved is quickly tested by Erica and her lush curves. Unable to withstand her allure, Dylan finds himself wanting more from Erica than just her body. He wants her heart also.With the secret of his past hanging in the shadows, Dylan’s about to find out if love truly conquers all.

Contemporary Romance in the movies

I love modern day chick flicks. These are the movies I get together with the gals and go and watch it, man free… Well, except for the hot guy on the screen… and any other dudes in the cinema who was dragged along to watch it. *giggles behind hand* And you know, these films gross a lot of money. The churn them out and they are romances we like to read. Now, everyone has heard of Pretty Woman. It’s the movie that made Julia Roberts basically. Oh, and revived ‘Pretty Woman’ the song by Roy Orbison. If I had to pick my all time contemporary romance movie, it’d have to be Don’t Tell her it’s me with Steven Guttenberg. It’s about this guy who is a geek and tries to ask this girl out and when she rejects him, his sister, who happens to be a romance author believes she has the recipe to make her fall in love with him. See where this going right? And you know what exotic place he picks. A New Zealander! Awesome. I totally dug the good guy trying to get the girl and the emotional roller coaster they go through. I won’t tell you anything more, but here is the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfzCHP3Lfvc

What about you, Sid, what is your ultimate romance movie? Has to be contemporary though. I would’ve chosen The Lakehouse but it has paranormal elements…

Was I even alive when that movie came out? I think I need to see if it's on Netflix or something. Hm. I have two movies that I could call my favorite, ultimate romance movie, both for good reasons. But if you push me, I think I have to pick The Holiday. Two couples, twice the romance, twice the heartache and none of the assurances: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOzD1zPc29w I liked Cameron Diaz and Jude Law's story, but for me Kate Winslet and Jack Black made the movie. While I love friends to lovers and the realized unrequited love story, like what Kate's character has, things don't always work out. Not everyone has the same feelings, and sometimes you just fall for the wrong person. I love Kate and Jack's relationship in the movie because it's funny, she learns to have gumption and look beyond what she has. The movie ends with a Happily Ever For Now ending, but I think that Kate's character, Iris, could pick up, move to LA and blaze her own path, just like all of the leading ladies before her. It also doesn't hurt that Jack Black makes for a surprising adorable romance hero. It looks like we both have a thing for the comical romances, Jodie. What does that say about us?

That we like humor? No surprise. But you know, if you think about it, there is romance in almost every good movie. Even in horrors. How they pull that off who knows. But if you recall the James Bond movie a few years back, Casino Royale with Daniel Craig, he had a love interest and not like the ones from the old school. This one really touched him and gave him layers. Romance in movies speaks to all audiences on some level. But it has to be weaved in there perfectly. Bad example in my opinion, was Hit Man, my husband LOVED it, but mainly because it was tits and ass. The characterization was all over shop as far as the ‘romance’ went. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fun movie for the action, but the romance felt thrown in there. And that’s the thing. The most effective movie with romantic elements are the ones that define the character in the movie or changes their motivation. What about those ones that make you hold your breath? The ones that make your heart race and make you shed a tear? I am looking forward to One Day I love friends to lovers as well, Sid. Boy we are so similar in tastes LOL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU4qLmIXbOE

Sometimes I wish that the movie people would just leave romance out of the action flicks. A recent offender to me was Thor. Okay, yes, there was a ton of man candy, but the 'romance' between Thor and whoever Natalie Portman's character was felt out of left field for me. I think the lack of a foundation for why two characters fall in love is why I pick books over movies. One of my favorite emotional romance movies is (get your tissues ready) P.S. I Love You. Anyone crying yet? Yeah, that's why I don't watch the movie often. On one hand, you see this whirlwind love that swept the heroine off her feet, turn the page and as she's going through loss, she has a friend there to lean on. In her efforts to say goodbye to her deceased husband, she finds what could be her next, great love. I guess I really like the journey of romance, how it gets planted, takes root and grows. It's one reason I'm a huge fan of older movies like White Christmas and Singing in the Rain, that show a progression of the sweeter side.

I think romance takes all kinds. The fling that becomes more. The mistake that haunts you. The friends to lovers. The whirlwind romance. The slow simmer. Life and love are varied. It's great that we have diverse movies that embrace that. Getting lost in a book or a movie for a few hours to be swept away sounds like a great way to spend an evening.

So, dear reader, what are your favorite romance movies? Do you like the tear jerkers? The funnies? A classic?

To one lucky commenter we are giving away
a lovely Victorian inspired necklace.

You can find details about us at:
http://www.blogger.com/www.jodiebecker.com
http://www.blogger.com/www.sidneybristol.com

WANT A CHANCE TO WIN!?!

{January 13-20, 2012}

Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win

No P.O. Boxes please

Giveaway prizes will be sent directly to winners from the publisher/author

1 Winner will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email/twitter

Please check my Contest Policy before entering

To enter:

1. Please comment below with a way to conatct you (email, twitter, etc)

Review: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

2012-01-12T09:00:00.030-06:00

The Queen of Kentucky
Alecia Whitaker
Publisher: Poppy
Publish Date: January 2, 2012
Hardcover {p.375}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult
Ericka Jo Winstead
Challenge: 50 States ~ Kentucky
Buy the Book: Amazon

Fourteen-year-old Kentucky girl Ricki Jo Winstead, who would prefer to be called Ericka, thank you very much, is eager to shed her farmer's daughter roots and become part of the popular crowd at her small town high school. She trades her Bible for Seventeen magazine, buys new "sophisticated" clothes and somehow manages to secure a tenuous spot at the cool kids table. She's on top of the world, even though her best friend and the boy next door Luke says he misses "plain old Ricki Jo."

Caught between being a country girl and wannabe country club girl, Ricki Jo begins to forget who she truly is: someone who doesn't care what people think and who wouldn't let a good-looking guy walk all over her. It takes a serious incident out on Luke's farm for Ricki Jo to realize that being a true friend is more important than being popular.

Ricki Jo is starting her freshman year at a new school as a new person. No longer wanting to be referred to as Ricki Jo, but now as Erika. She meets some popular girls in her homeroom and desperately tries to fit in with them. So much so that she’s letting them copy her homework and now drinking. In the process of all these new “improvements” she’s making, she’s losing her one true friend.

Ricki Jo’s struggle to fit in is very well written and very realistic. She’s crushing on the hottest freshman and her treats her like crap. So like typical teenage girls, Ricki Jo and her BFF Mackenzie fight over him. I don’t think he really cared about either one of them, but were using them to get at his rival who happened to be Mackenzie’s brother who seemed to have a thing for Ricki Jo.

Some points throughout this novel I was waiting for Ricki Jo to wise up and realize that these girls were not her friends. And to see her true best friend, Luke, as more than a friend.

I loved this debut novel! I laughed, became frustrated, and everything else right along with the characters. I truly loved Luke! I so wanted him to have a better, happier life. He is one of those characters you hope to see again in future novels.

Alecia Whitaker will be added to my automatic buy list!

Blog Tour & #Giveaway: P.S. I Love You with Rochelle Alers & @SherrillBodine

2012-01-11T08:00:00.010-06:00

Sometimes love is the simplest choice of all.

Still reeling from her husband's untimely death, Deborah Robinson needs a fresh start. So she decides to pack up her family, box up her bookstore, and return to her grandmother's ancestral home on Cavanaugh Island. The charming town of Sanctuary Cove holds happy memories for Deborah. And, after she spies a gorgeous stranger in the local bakery, it promises the possibility for a bright, new future.

Dr. Asa Monroe is at a crossroads. Ever since the loss of his family, he has been on a quest for faith and meaning, traveling from one town to another. When he meets Deborah, the beautiful bookstore owner with the warm eyes and sunny smile, Asa believes he has finally found a reason to stay in one place.

As friendship blossoms into romance, Deborah and Asa discover they may have a second chance at love. But small towns have big secrets. Before they can begin their new life together, the couple must confront a challenge they never expected . . .

SHE'S STEALING HIS HEART . . .

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

ONE KISS AT A TIME

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

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THESE BOOKS?

{January 11 - 25, 2012}

Only residents of the U.S. and Canada are eligible to win
No P.O. Boxes please
Giveaway copies will be sent directly to winners from the publisher
3 Winners will be randomly selected using random.org and contacted via email
Please check my Contest Policy before entering

To enter:

1. Please fill out the form below
*Thanks to Forever Romance for providing the prize!

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Review: Unexpected Control by Ann Jacobs

2012-01-10T11:00:00.029-06:00

Unexpected Control
Ann Jacobs
Series: Club Rio Brava #3
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Publish Date: January 1, 2009
Kindle
Source: Personal Library
Genre: BDSM
Elle Drake, Trace Williams
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Pediatric surgeon Elle Drake may be conventional in her professional life, but she likes her sex kinky and hot-hot enough that she can shed her inhibitions and let go. Though she enjoys playing with the Doms at Club Rio Brava, she's beginning to wish for a Dom of her own. Not a masked partner at the club, but someone she can count on for hot sex as well as friendship. She's fairly sure no such man exists for her.

Rancher Trace Williams is everything she's ever wanted in a man, except his lovemaking's almost pure vanilla. A word from his sister sets him on the path to Dominance-and the key to Elle's heart.

Trace is in love with Elle and wants to make her his wife. The only problem is she doesn’t seem to enjoy having sex with him. Of all their sexual encounters she’s only reached completion once and faked the rest. When he pops the question she needs time to think it over.

Elle seems like a very nice person; although she has a few hang ups about sex. She can only climax from being dominated. Trace on the other hand was what every woman dreams of, but Elle still didn’t want him without being his submissive.

I didn’t really care for the fact that Elle only seemed to love Trace after he started commanding her in the bedroom. It made her love for him seem conditional.

Teaser Tuesday: Baby, Come Home by Stephanie Bond

2012-01-10T07:15:00.000-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

Grab your current/upcoming read
Open to a random page
Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

The door swung open and she stood there in her robe, her hair disheveled. She took one look at Tony and her eyes closed. "Oh, no."
"You slept with my mom!" Tony yelled, going after Kendall with his fists like a windmill. "You disrespected her!"

page 262; Baby, Come Home

Review: Dylan by C.H. Admirand

2012-01-09T09:00:00.004-06:00

Dylan
C.H. Admirand
Series: The Secret Life of Cowboys #2
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publish Date: January 1, 2012
Mass Market Paperpack {p.349}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary
Ronnie DelVecchio, Dylan Garahan
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Second in a hot contemporary cowboy romance trilogy featuring three brothers desprately trying to save their ranch, and their pride.

Sexy rancher Dylan is temporarily covering his brother's shift at the Lucky Star ladies club when he meets Ronnie DelVecchio, a darkhaired beauty with snapping green eyes. Sparks and tempers fly and Dylan can't resist the urge to see what it would be like to kiss her senseless.

I didn't buy into Dylan's instant attraction that was much more the second she first walked into the club. I don't know why, but I just didn't. And once I couldn't get behind their relationship, I lost interest in the overall story.

Both Ronnie and Dylan came off one dimensional and the storyline fell flat. There didn't seem to be any real chemistry between them. It was a little forced for the sake of the story.

In My Mailbox {79}

2012-01-08T09:00:00.022-06:00

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-01-05T11:00:00.044-06:00

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Jennifer E. Smith
Publisher: Poppy
Publish Date: January 2, 2012
Hardcover {p.236}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult
Hadley Sullivan
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A.

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

What drew me to this book was the fact that it was set over a 24-hour time frame. I was intrigued to see how the characters could possibly form a connection in such a short amount of time. Not to mention how the reader would connect to them. But I enjoyed their story from the start.

Both Hadley and Oliver are great, well-written characters. I felt like I knew them both better than some characters in novels that are set over the span of years.

Hadley’s struggle with her parents’ divorce was extremely real. She not only felt that her father abandoned her mother when he chose to remain in London, but abandoned her as well.

As for Oliver, his struggle with his own father and the childhood he had, helped Hadley put her relationship with her father in perspective. Oliver was a great guy who genuinely cared about Hadley from the start.

I truly loved this book; I only wish it didn’t end. I would have loved to see what became of Hadley and Oliver when they returned to the states. Or if her mother ever remarried. Or if her relationship with her father truly mended. That is how invested in their story I became.

But even with all that, I still loved every second of it. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thursday Three {5}: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

2012-01-05T08:00:00.038-06:00

What is Thursday 3? It's a new monthly meme, hosted by me, in which we will be discussing our love/hate relationship with our current read. I will be posting the first Thursday of the month, and you are welcome to link up anytime throughout.

Here is how Thursday 3 works:

Take your current read, or book you previously finished, and tell me the following 3 things about it.

Character from the book you LOVE (This can be a character you want as your BFF or someone you want to take home to meet the parents)
Character from the book you HATE (This character does not have to be the villian, just someone you disliked)
Your overall LOVE/HATE of the book. (If you haven't decided your feelings for the book yet, or if you prefer, just provide a snippet from the book containing either the word "LOVE" or "HATE")

Anyone can participate!! Just link your posts in the linky! In your post, please provide a link back to my blog so that other people can find the information and participate.

Loved: Hadley ~ Such a truly believable character with her struggles with her father. I would love to hopely see a follow up to this novel.

Hated: Andrew ~ I didn't hate him per se, I just hated that the left his wife and child, moved to a new country and married someone else.

Overall: I loved this book. I only wish it didn't end.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
{New York/London}

Review: Don't Mess With Texas by Christie Craig

2012-01-04T11:00:00.041-06:00

Don't Mess With Texas
Christie Craig
Series: Hotter in Texas #1
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: September 1, 2011
Kindle {p.297}
Source: Publisher/Net Galley
Genre: Contemporary
Nikki Hunt, Dallas O'Connor
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Nikki Hunt thought her night couldn't get worse when her no-good, cheating ex ditched her at dinner, sticking her with the bill. Then she found his body stuffed in the trunk of her car and lost her two-hundred-dollar meal all over his three-thousand-dollar suit. Now not only is Nikki nearly broke, she's a murder suspect.

Former cop turned PI, Dallas O'Connor knows what it's like to be unjustly accused. But one look at the sexy-though skittish-suspect tells him she couldn't hurt anyone. The lead detective, Dallas's own brother, has the wrong woman and Dallas hopes a little late-night "undercover" work will help him prove it...

I always get a lot of laughs when I read a Christie Craig novel and this one was no exception. The entire cast of characters was great. There wasn’t any filler or unnecessary characters in this novel.

Dallas and Nikki both have issues when it comes to trust, for very understandable reasons. These two had great chemistry together, both in and out of the bedroom.

The secondary story of Tony, Dallas’ brother, and his wife LeAnn really pulls at your heartstrings. I loved both of these characters and was totally engrossed in the seeing their happily ever after play out. I would have loved to see a lot more of these two.

Nikki’s grandmother and her Ol’ Timers were another great source of entertainment. And I was so happy to see Dallas’ father join up with them. I look forward to continuing this series. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

Waiting on Wednesday {78}: Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors

2012-01-04T07:00:00.017-06:00

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine. It is showcases upcoming releases of books that I'm looking forward to. It is somewhat similar to one of my previous posts, Anxiously Awaiting. {Button courtesy of Bewitched Bookworms}

Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors
Molly Harper
February 28, 2012

Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of all things marital, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend Gabriel are coming along smoothly. But the road to wedded bliss gets bumpy when a teenage acquaintance is fatally wounded in front of Jane’s shop and she turns him to save his life. The Council pronounces Jane responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst.

Jane’s kitchen at River Oaks barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased Grandma Ruthie has declared a war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly, choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake that she can’t eat seems downright relaxing in comparison.

Tensions inside the house are growing…and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of…

Author Interview: Robyn Carr, author of Hidden Summit

2012-01-03T09:00:00.056-06:00

Please join me in welcoming New York Times Bestselling Author Robyn Carr, author of Hidden Summit.

Facebook | Twitter | Website

Do you ever find that it’s emotionally difficult to write some scenes or characters? What about the scene in Hidden Summit when Brie revists her painful past to explain her place in Virgin River to Conner?

Harder than Brie remembering her sexual assault was actually writing it in Whispering Rock, the third book in the series. All such deeply emotional scenes are hard and yes, they make me cry. In A Virgin River Christmas there are a couple of them—the heroine remembering her last hours with her disabled marine husband and saying goodbye to the only man after him she could ever love. In Hidden Summit, Conner’s grief and anger at losing everything that mattered and resolving to be alone forever to avoid the hurt of being abandoned. And in Redwood Bend, Dylan’s feeling that he had bad relationship DNA and was a risk, no matter how much love he felt. But wait—because in Sunrise Point, Nora Crane has had a hard life, but is determined to get back on her feet for the sake of her baby daughters. She tore my heart out—she is so determined, so sincere, and she’s made several deals with God—never to lie, never to trust another man, always to be an excellent mother even though she certainly didn’t get any training from her own mother. She’s a lesson that we can do whatever we have to do, no matter how hard, as long as it’s the right thing to do.

The answer is yes, they make me cry. It’s not always a comfortable feeling, but I welcome it just the same. I shouldn’t be trying to write books that make you feel if they don’t make me feel. I don’t write books that don’t keep me awake at night—not if I hope to keep you up late reading.

How much of your actual life gets written into your fictional stories? Do you ever use real people as inspiration for your characters?

As inspiration—yes. But as actual characters, no. Real people don’t usually come off well in fiction. I take traits and experiences and emotional reactions from people I’ve met or read about and blend them into composite characters. But experiences and bits of dialogue from my life sneak in—happily. In Virgin River Jack’s sisters are remembering when Jack and his best friend hung their dolls by the neck—mean big brother stuff. My son and his best friend did that to my daughter’s cabbage patch dolls. Don’t worry, they’re all fine…. Well, I’m not sure about the dolls, but my son, his best friend and my daughter have persevered.

What’s the most interesting comment you’ve ever gotten from a reader?

Oh, you can’t print it! My readers never get my titles right—they write and ask me if I’m going to write any more of those “Virginia River” books. Or they want to know where Virgin River really is—they plan to move there and get a big, studly marine. But the funniest one ever was probably a typo: “Are you going to write anymore of those ‘Vagina River’ books.” Typo or Freudian slip.

I did get an email from a reader who was furious about my bigotry against Cubans. I was stunned and confused—I’d never written about Cubans. I suggested she had me mixed up with someone else. She wrote back with the direct quote, complete with page numbers—something about Jack being unable to shower off the stench of stinky Cubans. It was cigars! Cuban cigars! I pointed that out to her, but she was absolutely determined I had been bigoted in my remarks.

On a more serious side, a man who lost a leg in the war wrote me that he was changed by Paradise Valley, the story in which Rick Sudder lost a leg in the war and came home a messed up kid. My reader said that he realized from the book that he was an ass, thought it was a miracle his wife stayed with him through it, and finally understood how badly he needed counseling, which he was going to accomplish. I wrote back and asked him how he came across the book and he said his sister gave it to him—and his sainted wife was most grateful! Bless his heart!!

Have you noticed your writer’s voice has changed over the years due to experience? If so, how?

Undoubtedly I’ve both matured and relaxed. I’ve gained experience both in life and writing and I’ve relaxed into telling stories my way, the way that is natural to me. Both things help.

Teaser Tuesday: The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

2012-01-03T07:00:00.026-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

Grab your current/upcoming read
Open to a random page
Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

"I am a redneck! New to this school!" he yells. "I wanna be a cheerleader, so I can be cool!" His motions are herky-jerky, fists balled up tight, shooting directly out at me. I feel them like punches in my gut. "I'm just a farm girl, short and flat!" he continues, hands smoothing down his own chest.

I feel the blood rush to my face and I know I'm bright red. I want him to stop. I need him to stop. I feel small and ugly and country.

page 52; The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker

Review: Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

2012-01-02T10:00:00.001-06:00

Hidden Summit
Robyn Carr
Series: Virgin River #17
Publisher: Mira
Publish Date: December 27, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.347}
Source: Publicist
Genre: Contemporary
Leslie Petruso, Conner Danson
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Sick of running into her cheery ex-husband and his new wife, Leslie Petruso accepts a job at the Virgin River branch of Haggerty Construction and takes the high road right out of town. Now she's got Paul Haggerty's business running like a well-oiled machine. In fact, things are so busy Paul jumps at the chance to hire an extra set of hands.

Just like Leslie, Conner Danson has been burned by love. But if Leslie was disappointed by her relationship going bad, Conner was decimated. He's got no time for women…although he spends an awful lot of time pretending not to notice Leslie. And she's pretty busy "ignoring" the chemistry between them.

According to Conner and Leslie, they have only one thing in common—they're done with love. But everyone in Virgin River can see that things are heating up at Haggerty Construction. And as far as Paul Haggerty can tell, the best thing he can do is hang on to his hard hat and watch the sparks fly!

This installment of the Virgin River series features two new residents of the town. Both of which came to Virgin River to escape past events in their lives. Conner who was an eye witness to a murder and Leslie who is trying to get away from her cheating ex and his new very pregnant wife.

The two of them find love when they were only looking for something casual. Even with them saying that, you could tell as the reader that they both had already started to develop feelings for one another.

As usual, Carr paints a beautiful picture of the town and the supporting cast of characters. We were also introduced to the female lead of the next installment, and re-introduced to the one for installment after that.

Hidden Summit also brought a little suspense along with the romance. Conner and Leslie had a nice, stable romance, which is good considering both of their ex-spouses were cheaters. But on the other hand it was a little too good, almost perfect, which is never the case in reality.

I enjoyed this installment and I loved catching up with the town residents. Although I enjoyed Conner and Leslie’s romance, I didn’t feel all that invested in or connected to them as I did with previous romances such as Colin and Jillian or Kelly and Lief.

List of Five ~ January 2012

2012-01-02T08:00:00.050-06:00

~~The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight~~
~~The Queen of Kentucky~~

~~A Perfect Storm~~

~~Deliver Me from Darkness~~
~~Baby, Come Home~~

In My Mailbox {78}

2012-01-01T09:00:00.094-06:00

Books via Blog Win

Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown {Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell}
Cowboy Casanova by Lorelei James {Scorching Book Reviews}

Books via Lendle Me {referral code: RFPMZ09X}

One Hot Momma by Cara North

Books via Publisher/Publicist

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr
Midnight Reckoning by Kendra Leigh Castle
The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Firelight by Kristen Callihan
A Perfect Storm by Lori Foster
Fat is the New 30 by Jill Conner Browne

Books via Reader Service

Open Doors by Gloria Goldreich

Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers

Seduction by Brenda Joyce

The Summer Garden by Sherryl Woods

Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey

A Cold Creek Secret by Raeanne Thayne

Antonym Reading Challenge Review Link ~ First Quarter

2012-01-01T00:01:00.074-06:00

For you bloggers that decided to participate in this challenge, please copy and paste the above image icon onto the sidebar of your blog.

Add your review links for January - March in the linky.
Anyone can join. Just sign up HERE. You don't need a blog to participate.

**Bloggers: Link your REVIEWS on the Mr. Linky below. Include blog name, book title, and highlight the antonym. (ie. "Hot" Ice (Book Obsessed) or *Cold* Fire @ Book Obsessed)

**Non-Bloggers: Post your reviews with other book sites (ie. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.) and post the link to your review in the linky. Or post your review in the comments section. Your comment should include the title of the book, author, state in which the book takes place, and the date you completed reading the book. (bloggers do not need to include the date because your blog posts are dated)

When you sign up on the Linky, put the direct link to your review. You can either list your books on your challenge post, sidebar, or a page dedicated to your challenges.

Happy Reading!!!

{If you'd like to follow my progress, you can find it here.}

This is NOT the place to sign up for the challenge

Please link to your Antonym REVIEW posts here

50 States Challenge Review Link Up ~ First Quarter

2012-01-01T00:01:00.067-06:00

For you bloggers that decided to participate in this challenge, please copy and paste the above image icon onto the sidebar of your blog.

Add your review links for January - March in the linky.

Anyone can join. Just sign up HERE. You don't need a blog to participate.

**Bloggers: Link your REVIEWS in the Linky below. Include blog name, book title, and the state the book takes place in. (ie. Book Obsessed "Lover Awakened" - NY)

**Non-Bloggers: Post your reviews with other book sites (ie. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, Shelfari, etc.) and post the link to your review in the linky. Or post your review in the comments section. Your comment should include the title of the book, author, state in which the book takes place, and the date you completed reading the book. (bloggers do not need to include the date because your blog posts are dated)

When you sign up on Mr. Linky, put the direct link to your review. You can either list your books on your challenge post, sidebar, or a page dedicated to your challenges.

Happy Reading!!!

{If you'd like to follow my progress, you can find it here.}

This is NOT the place to sign up for the challenge

Review: Making the Grade by Carol Lynne

2011-12-30T15:00:00.035-06:00

Making the Grade
Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley #19
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Published: October 4, 2010
Kindle {p.137}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT
Kenny Trenton, Eli Sanchez
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Kenny Trenton has had a crush on Cattle Valley English teacher, Eli Sanchez, since the age of seventeen. Although Kenny's no longer a schoolboy, Eli refuses to see his fellow faculty member as anything but a student.

Eli has spent his life hiding from the outside world. When the loneliness gets too much, he decides to make the changes necessary to open himself up to friendships and perhaps a relationship.

When Eli attends a high school football game in a neighbouring community, he's attacked in the parking lot. Although Kenny's the one to rescue him, Eli begins to think he's made a mistake and living in the outside world isn't a good idea.

Kenny's determined to keep Eli from retreating into his shell once again, but will his love be enough?

I didn’t really get into this one like previous books in this series. I didn’t really care all that much for either lead character.

Eli, who was supposedly a former member of the armed services, seemed to be frightened by his own shadow. He was overly sensitive to everything. The smallest thing could cause him to have hurt feelings and to withdraw into himself.

This relationship of the older man, Eli, and the younger man, Kenny, felt in reverse. I felt Kenny was the more mature one in this relationship taking care of Eli. It didn’t feel like Eli was bringing anything into this relationship.

Review: Taming Black Dog Four by Carol Lynne

2011-12-30T09:00:00.045-06:00

Taming Black Dog Four
Carol Lynne
Series: Bodyguards in Love #4
Publisher: Total-E-Bound
Published: May 10, 2010
Kindle {p.95}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: LGBT, Menage
Jack Drake, Carlo, Lobo, Renaldo
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

The bodyguards of Black Dog Four had been carefully chosen for looks, temperament, battle skills and sexuality. In the tradition of the Spartans, the idea was to see if lovers worked better as a team than merely friends. The experiment had seemed like a complete success until they'd been sent to guard Maria Valdez. After Maria was killed in an explosion, all four men had refused to work together.

Addy Constentine needed around-the-clock security if she hoped to legitimise her father's empire. With her stepbrother now in prison, Addy's goal was to keep the family out of the underworld it had been entrenched in for decades.

With death threats coming from several different sources, Addy needed the best. She needed the men of Black Dog Four.

The Black Dog Four team has just recently reunited after losing the person they were hired to protect. So going in you already know who is with whom because they already have an established relationship. This story was mainly just about them trying to make a relationship of four work for the long haul.

There were also the side stories of Alec and Lon and Abby and Joe. Those two relationships are the ones that actually develop during the span of the book. Both of these relationships developed rather quickly and seemed to only scratch the surface with no real depth to them. Especially Alec and Lon’s relationship. Alec’s whole time spent Taggert seemed to diminish his relationship with Lon.

But as always, Lynne delivers on the hot sex front.

Review: Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves

2011-12-29T11:00:00.039-06:00

Heartstrings and Diamond Rings
Jane Graves
Publisher: Forever
Published: October 1, 2011
Kindle {p.448}
Source: Publisher/Net Galley
Genre: Contemporary
Alison Carter, Brandon Scott
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

HE'S THE MAN OF HER DREAMS . . .

In a world full of frogs, Alison Carter is determined to find her prince. Maybe her dating past is more Titanic than Love Boat, but she's seen enough happy marriages to know that true love is possible. No matter what, she won't give up on happily-ever-after. If she can't find Mr. Right, she'll simply hire someone who can.

SHE JUST DOESN'T KNOW IT YET

When Brandon Scott inherits a successful matchmaking business, he thinks his prayers have been answered. Set up a few lonely ladies, collect the fee, how hard can it be? No one needs to know he's not really a professional matchmaker-especially not his first client, the beautiful, spirited Alison. Soon he's falling for her-and her dreams of kids and carpools. But Alison is getting close to figuring out his secret, and if she learns he's deceived her too, she'll walk right out the door, taking Brandon's heart with her.

Alison has had a lot of bad luck when it comes to dating. Since she’s getting older and wants to eventually get married and have children, she turns to a professional matchmaker. Only he’s no professional.

I found this book to offer a lot of good laughs and a cute love match between Alison and Brandon. All the men Alison was matched with offered a great deal of entertainment. I even loved the secondary romance of Alison’s father.

Both Alison and Brandon were likable characters, but the romance between them was a very slow starter. Their romance took place really late in the book. Even though, that does not stop you from becoming engaged in their story and the outcome of Alison’s hunt for a husband.

Thursday Three {4}: Hidden Summit

2011-12-29T08:00:00.024-06:00

What is Thursday 3? It's a new weekly meme, hosted by me, in which we will be discussing our love/hate relationship with our current read.

Here is how Thursday 3 works:

Take your current read, or book you previously finished, and tell me the following 3 things about it.

Character from the book you LOVE (This can be a character you want as your BFF or someone you want to take home to meet the parents)
Character from the book you HATE (This character does not have to be the villian, just someone you disliked)
Your overall LOVE/HATE of the book. (If you haven't decided your feelings for the book yet, or if you prefer, just provide a snippet from the book containing either the word "LOVE" or "HATE")

Anyone can participate!! Just link your posts in the linky! In your post, please provide a link back to my blog so that other people can find the information and participate.

Loved: Katie ~ I really got drawn into this character. I'm looking forward to her story in the next installment.

Hated: Greg ~ He was so self absorbed ans a total jerk. He was very easy to hate.

Overall: I love this series. This one was a good great, but not my favorite.

Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr
{California}

Review: Kiss Crush Collide by Christina Meredith

2011-12-28T11:00:00.038-06:00

Kiss Crush Collide
Christina Meredith
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Published: December 27, 2011
Trade Paperback {p.320}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult
Leah Johnson
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Leah has the life most high school girls would kill for—popularity, glowing grades, a rich, athletic boyfriend. So why does she feel like she can’t breathe? And why can’t she stop thinking about the boy from the country club? The one who isn’t her boyfriend, the one that her mother would never, ever approve of, the one that her perfect older sisters would never, ever look at twice. The one who is always looking back at her. Irresistible attraction, smoldering glances, the bad boy and the good girl—Kiss Crush Collide has everything that a steamy forbidden romance should, and then some.

With graceful and honest writing and an electric love story, this is a book about growing into your own skin. For fans of Perfect Chemistry, Sarah Dessen, and John Green.

This book states that it’s for fans of Perfect Chemistry, but I didn’t get that feel from it. Kiss Crush Collide is a very slow starter that didn’t have that much depth. I’m not completely sure if I’m measuring it against Perfect Chemistry because it said it was for its fans, but it didn’t quite measure up.

From the start I was not a fan of Leah’s sister Yorkie or her mother. Yorkie was selfish and her mother was a total pain. Her father wasn’t much better. He completely let his wife run roughshod over everything. I felt he was an unnecessary character in this novel.

It took me a while to complete this book because it just wasn’t holding my interest. I was constantly putting it aside to read something else, and when I was reading this one, I tended to skim the chapters. Neither Leah nor Duffy was all that memorable as characters.

Waiting on Wednesday {77}: Texas Bride

2011-12-28T08:00:00.011-06:00

Miranda Wentworth never imagined becoming a mail-order bride. Now marriage to a stranger is her only hope of finding a home where she and her two younger brothers can escape the brutality of the Chicago orphanage where they live. With any luck, she can even start a family of her own, once the three of them are settled at Jacob Creed’s Texas ranch. But Miranda has one gigantic concern: Her husband-to-be knows nothing about the brothers she’s bringing along. What if he calls off the deal when he discovers the trick she’s played on him?

Jake Creed is hanging on to his Texas ranch by his fingernails. His nemesis, Alexander Blackthorne, is determined to ruin him. Jake will never give up, but he’s in desperate trouble. His wife died six months ago in childbirth, along with their stillborn son, and his two-year-old daughter needs a mother. The advertisement Jake wrote never mentioned his daughter—or the fact that he has no intention of consummating his marriage. He’s determined never to subject another wife to the burden of pregnancy. But Jake doesn’t count on finding his bride so desirable. He doesn’t count on aching with need when she joins him in bed. And he never suspected his bride would have plans of her own to seduce him.

And the Winner is...

2011-12-27T18:00:00.021-06:00

Hot Zone by Catherine Mann

Anonymous
Na

Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis

Maegan
Jennifer
Karen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

2011-12-26T10:00:00.033-06:00

The Darkest Passion
Gena Showalter
Series: Lords of the Underworld #5
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: May 25, 2010
Mass Market Paperback {p.438}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Paranormal
Olivia, Aeron
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

For weeks, the immortal warrior Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence. An angel--demon-assassin--has been sent to kill him. Or has she? Olivia claims she fell from the heavens, giving up immortality because she couldn't bear to harm him. But trusting--and falling for--Olivia will endanger them all. So how has this "mortal" with the huge blue eyes already unleashed Aeron's darkest passion?

Now, with an enemy hot on his trail and his faithful demon companion determined to remove Olivia from his life, Aeron is trapped between duty and consuming desire. Worse still, a new executioner has been sent to do the job Olivia wouldn't....

Olivia is an angel who has been given the task of killing Aeron, keeper of Wrath. Unable to complete this task because of her growing attraction to him, she chose to fall.

Aeron and his demon child, Legion, I enjoyed from the previous book in the series, so I was excited to get more of them. But in this installment I struggled to like either of them. At times I just wanted them to get rid of Legion and be done with her. And Aeron refused to see Legion’s love for him as anything more than a father-daughter type of love. Both Legion and Aeron managed to be redeemed in the end. I truly felt bad for Legion in the end. I want her to find happiness.

Olivia was not all sugar and innocence I expected her to be. Yes, she was kind and sweet, but I guess all her years of watching humans taught her a thing or two about sex. I know the book was about her and Aeron’s journey, but I would have loved to see her interact more with the other ladies of the house. Some of my favorite scenes were Olivia with the girls and Olivia with Gideon.

The ending has me intrigued. I’m anxious to see what happens next. Although this wasn’t my favorite of this series it was still an enjoyable read.

Review: Her Dakota Men by Leah Brooke

2011-12-23T10:00:00.032-06:00

Her Dakota Men
Leah Brooke
Series: Dakota Heat #1
Publisher: Siren Publishing
Published: December 29, 2008
Kindle {p.73}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Erotica, Menage
Stacy Daniels, Wolfe, Travis, Cash Dakota
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Stacy Daniels left the ranch she loved so much years ago. Not being able to cope with her abusive father, she'd stayed away as much as possible. Infrequent visits to the ranch to visit those she loved caused her heartache, but she couldn't stay away.

Wolfe, Travis and Cash Dakota, the foreman's three sons, lived and worked on the ranch and she'd loved them forever. Realizing the futility of loving all three, she carefully kept her love for them hidden as guilt consumed her.

She wanted more than anything to stay on the ranch she loves so much with the only real family she's ever known. But if she gives in, loving all three of them the way she does, she'll ruin everything.

Not wanting to cause anyone pain, she has no choice but to flee.

Wolfe, Travis and Cash Dakota have other plans for her and won't let her go. They've waited for years to be Her Dakota Men.

I’m not sure if it’s due to the length of this story or not, but I didn’t feel like any of these characters had any depth. Stacy is torn because she’s in love with all three brothers and has slept with all three on separate occasions. And they’re just suppose to live happily ever after?

By the end of the story, I wasn’t any better off than I was at page one.

Thursday Three {3}: Don't Mess With Texas

2011-12-22T08:00:00.032-06:00

What is Thursday 3? It's a new weekly meme, hosted by me, in which we will be discussing our love/hate relationship with our current read.

Here is how Thursday 3 works:

Take your current read, or book you previously finished, and tell me the following 3 things about it.

Character from the book you LOVE (This can be a character you want as your BFF or someone you want to take home to meet the parents)
Character from the book you HATE (This character does not have to be the villian, just someone you disliked)
Your overall LOVE/HATE of the book. (If you haven't decided your feelings for the book yet, or if you prefer, just provide a snippet from the book containing either the word "LOVE" or "HATE")

Anyone can participate!! Just link your posts in the linky! In your post, please provide a link back to my blog so that other people can find the information and participate.

Loved: Tony ~ I felt so bad about the characters in the book didn't seem to like him, but I loved him. I was rooting for him thoughout the book.

Hated: Serena ~ She was a total pain. The way she treated Dallas, but still thought they should get back together...

Overall: Another hit! A new series to look forward to visiting again.

Don't Mess With Texas by Christie Craig
{Texas}

Review: Small Town Christmas by Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay, Katie Lane

2011-12-21T11:00:00.054-06:00

Small Town Christmas
Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay, Katie Lane
Series: Lucky Harbor #2.5; Last Chance #2.5 ; Deep in the Heart of Texas #2.5
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: November 1, 2011
Kindle {p.136}
Source: Publisher/Net Galley
Genre: Contemporary
Sandy Jansen, Logan Perrish; Annie Roberts, Matthew Jasper; Samantha Henderson, Ethan Miller
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Kissing Santa Claus
NASCAR driver Logan Perrish returns to Lucky Harbor, Washington, with love in his heart and a ring in his pocket. But can Sandy Jansen forget the past and give him a second chance? Or will Logan be spending another Christmas alone?

I'll Be Home for Christmas
After ignoring the advice of Miz Miriam Randall, local matchmaker, Annie Roberts expects another hum drum holiday in Last Chance, South Carolina. But when a stray cat arrives in the arms of Army sergeant Matt Jasper, a calico named Holly just may be the best matchmaker of all.

O Little Town of Bramble
All Ethan Miller wants for Christmas is to celebrate in Bramble, Texas, with family and friends. But when his childhood neighbor, Samantha Henderson, comes home for the holiday, Ethan realizes that the girl-next-door could be the girl of his dreams.

Kissing Santa Claus Jill Shalvis
I loved Logan in The Sweetest Thing and I loved him even more this time around. Logan has made mistakes in the past but you can see he’s truly a changed man. He and Sandy were such a great fit that you really wanted them to get their happy ever after. The two of them are very hot together. Another thing I loved about Logan is his relationship with his ex-wife. I think it speaks highly of man who is truly able to be friends with his ex-wife.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas Hope Ramsay
I really enjoyed this novella in the sense of it being a heartwarming tale. This addition was a bit more on the sweet side with a touch of sad. Annie takes in Matthew, a man recently out of the service, for the holidays and it was love at first sight; at least for him. But from the start, Matt seemed to be exactly what Annie needed.

O Little Town of Bramble Katie Lane
This is a Christmas story that will keep you laughing. The town is putting on a live nativity scene that goes totally wrong in so many ways. I loved the Bramble townspeople. The romance between Sam and Ethan was sweet and enduring. They started out as best friend who fell in love and that only made their story all the sweeter.

Waiting on Wednesday {76}: Insatiable

2011-12-21T08:00:00.013-06:00

How far would you go for a taste of ecstasy?

Crystal never dreamed her engagement would end this way. With her fiancé breaking her heart the day of the wedding...and his best man stepping in to mend it. Now she’s about to embark on her dream honeymoon with the sinfully sexy best man. But when the groom shows up determined to win her back, she ends up in a highly unusual situation...on a honeymoon for three. Caught between two gorgeous guys—each determined win her hand by showing her the most pleasure—Crystal has an impossible decision to make. Who will she end up with once the honeymoon is over? And how can she follow her heart when it belongs to two men at once?

Teaser Tuesday: Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

2011-12-20T08:00:00.016-06:00

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

Grab your current/upcoming read
Open to a random page
Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

"Wanna tell me what's in the bag?"
"Thai. It's for dessert..."
"And the main course?"
"I'm thinking mustache rides."
"I guess that means you missed me," she said.

page 126; Hidden Summit by Robyn Carr

Review: Slapping Leather by Desiree Holt

2011-12-19T10:00:00.033-06:00

Slapping Leather
Desiree Holt
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: July 29, 2011
Kindle {p.94}
Source: Publisher
Genre: BDSM, Erotica
Liz Gillibrand, Alex Wright
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

Liz Gillibrand wants a man she can submit to in the bedroom but still keep her sex life a secret from the conservative ranching community. When she discovers her neighbor owns Rawhide, a private bondage club, she might have found the answer.

But the first Dom she meets is Alex Wright, a man she's already connected with physically and emotionally. Once before she tried to merge her private life with the lifestyle but with disastrous results.

Can Alex be the one to finally free her from the past and give her the life she longs for.

Liz is a female submissive working in a male dominated field where she has to keep a tight hold on being the authority. But in the bedroom she wants to let go of the control and let someone else have the control. Then enters Alex Wright.

Both Alex and Liz have an immediate connection and attraction to one another, but Liz can’t afford to have her employees know about her secret lifestyle. In an effort to keep it just that, she wants nothing to do with Alex outside of Rawhide.

The storyline of these two trying to get their relationship beyond the club was not without its bumps. Some of the problems they faced were due to some events from Liz’s past. The relationship they have inside Rawhide is smoking hot. With their interaction, you can see it’s about more than sex to the both of them.

The absolute trust Liz had with Alex at Rawhide but not outside its doors was a bit questionable. I didn’t understand how she could trust him so thoroughly with her body and safety, but not trust him to let her make her own decisions and live her own life outside the bedroom.

In My Mailbox {77}

2011-12-18T11:21:00.000-06:00

Books via Ebay

The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning

Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning