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A lover of all things romance, from Maldives.
by mvbookreviewer

Review: On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves

Format: E-bookontheisland
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Thomas James Callahan (T.J.)
Heroine: Anna Lynn Emerson
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 4, 2011
Started On: March 6, 2012
Finished On: March 9, 2012

Never have I been so grateful for a recommendation received from the romance discussion forum on Amazon as I was when I finished On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves. By reading the book, you won’t feel that it is a debut novel, such is Tracey’s prowess and mastery with the words that you just want to go on reading, without taking any breaks in between if you can help it.

Thomas James Callahan (T.J.) is sixteen years old and three months into remission from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He is on his way to the Maldives with his 30 year old tutor Anna Lynn Emerson who is to help him catch up on the months of missed school while T.J. had been undergoing treatment.

Tragedy strikes when the sea plane that is supposed to take them to the island which is their final destination crash lands, leaving Anna badly hurt and T.J. with the task of getting them safely to shore. Saying that it is a tough time that Anna and T.J. both undergo, especially during the first couple of days would be an understatement. Being from the Maldives myself, I understand how primitive conditions would be in an uninhabited island, how totally alone you can feel with nothing but the blue skies and the endless seas surrounding you. With no source of fresh water on the island, Anna and T.J.’s main problem lies in the depleting amount of fluids from their bodies. But somehow, part  through luck and partly through trial and error, T.J. and Anna make a life for themselves on the island when being rescued seems like an option that is no longer available for them.

From June 2001 till December 2004 when the devastating tsunami that wrought havoc from Indonesia to Africa serves to be the reason why they get rescued, Anna and T.J. depend and rely on each other and a relationship forms between the two, not surprising given the fact that T.J. had crushed on Anna even from the very start. Anna is the one who remains at first oblivious, for many a reason, one being the fact that she is 13 years older than T.J. For Anna, the protective instinct she has when it comes to T.J. surprises her but she doesn’t make much of it until after T.J. turns 18 and she too starts feeling the stirrings of desire when it comes to T.J. 

The way Anna and T.J.’s relationship progresses is a natural one. No lightning bolt moments in their relationship but rather it is one that is built on mutual affection, trust and a whole lot more than just a simple case of lusting for each other because it is the convenient choice. Both T.J. and Anna are characters who feel real, ones that you can relate to, ones that tug at your heartstrings as you read along. You can’t help but be invested in the outcome of their relationship, their time on the island that subjects them to the harsh reality of life and survival when there remains nothing but each other to look out for.

Being rescued brings along with it its own fair share of doubts and insecurities though both Anna and T.J. know that for them there would always be no love like the one that they have found with each other. The period of separation that they both go through was a much needed one to make their love that much more meaningful and profound and I was deeply moved through everything T.J. and Anna go through, both together and individually as well.

I loved T.J.. No surprises there. He is the kind of hero that you fall in love with immediately because there are no pretenses when it comes to him. He is the what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy and the way he grows into manhood, takes on responsibilities that would otherwise have been foreign if not for the circumstances just made him that much more appealing. He has a protective instinct that naturally comes into play with Anna, a woman he admires and crushes on from afar for far too long. When T.J. realizes the course of change Anna’s feelings towards him has taken, T.J. grabs the opportunity like everything else he does, with a zeal and zest for life that is so charming that you just fall in love with Anna right along with him.

Anna was such a lovely character as well. She is the type of heroine who doesn’t fuss around trying to become someone she isn’t. She is comfortable with who she is. Her regrets in life are ones that had driven her to take the job of tutoring T.J. in the first place. She doesn’t talk down to T.J. just because he is much younger than herself but rather treats him as an equal from the very start. Their coping mechanism for what they both go through are different, but in it lies that desolateness that is a result of the hope that diminishes as the months and years pass on by.

If I am ever to crash on an uninhabited island, I want a T.J. by my side, a man who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to lay his emotions on the line to get what he wants. When the epilogue and the beautiful fitting ending for these two lovely people came about, I was more than ready to embrace it, reveling in the blessings that life had bestowed upon two people who would remain with me forever. 

I have to warn readers like myself who are squeamish with books written in first person that this is indeed written in first person. But Tracey makes it worth your while by giving both characters equal amounts of attention to show you both their viewpoints. A nice touch I must say and I loved T.J.’s take on things. With characters I loved wholeheartedly, this gushy review is a testament to just how much I loved the story. And the story taking place in Maldives? The icing on the cake. 

Beautiful, poignant and real, On the Island is a novel not to be missed! I smiled, I laughed, I cried and I sighed with everything that is in me. There is nothing more you can ask from a book. Grab yourself a copy and indulge – I dare you!

Favorite Quotes

[T.J.] If she had gotten sick, the only thing I could have done was watch her suffer. Bury her next to Mick when she died. I didn’t know if I could make it without her. The sound of her voice, her smile, her– those were the things that made living on the island bearable. I held her a little tighter and thought if she woke up I might tell her that. She didn’t though. She sighed in her sleep, and eventually I drifted off.

[Anna] In February, I woke up from a nap. A bouquet of flowers gathered from the various bushes and shrubs scattered around the island lay on the blanket beside me, a small length of rope wound around their stems.
I found T.J. down at the shore. “Someone’s been checking the calendar.”
He grinned. “I didn’t want to miss Valentine’s Day.”
I kissed him. “You’re sweet to me.”
Pulling me closer, he said, “It’s not hard, Anna.”
I stared into T.J.’s eyes, and he started to sway. My arms went around his neck and we danced, moving in a circle, the sand soft and warm under our feet.
“You don’t need music, do you?”
“No,” T.J. said. “But I do need you.”

[T.J.] I pulled my arms out from underneath her body and tucked her hair behind her ears. “I love you, Anna.”
The surprised look on her face told me she hadn’t seen that coming.
“You weren’t supposed to fall in love,” she whispered.
“Well, I did,” I said, looking into her eyes. “I’ve been in love with you for months. I’m telling you now because I think you love me too, Anna. You just don’t think you’re supposed to. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. I can wait.” I pulled her mouth down to mine and kissed her and when it ended, I smiled and said, “Happy birthday.”

[T.J.] I kissed her as soon as we were inside her apartment, and I wasn’t gentle about it, holding her face firmly in my hands and pressing my lips hard against hers. She wasn’t anyone’s to own – I knew that – but right then she was mine.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: A Very Sinful Valentine by Charlotte Featherstone

Format: E-bookSinful
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Historical Erotic Romance
Series: Sinful
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Matthew Wallingford
Heroine: Jane Rankin
Sensuality: 4.5
Date of Publication: February 2012
Started On: March 5, 2012
Finished On: March 5, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 100 A
The heroine 100 A
Story line 100 A
Emotional Intensity 100 A
Suck me in Factor 100 A
Heat & Sensuality  100 A
Conflicts 100 A
Writing Style 100 A
Quotable Factor 100 A
Ending 100 A
Overall Grade 100 A

Score Sheet Summary

Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone is one of those novels that I ended up loving to death. A hero that I could not get enough of, a heroine who was his match in every single way and sensual scenes penned so vividly and erotically that it took my very breathe away, needless to say, Sinful is a novel that I would remember till the end of time.

So it was to my delightful surprise that a friend on Goodreads alerted me to this delicious number released I guess in time for Valentines Day and I am so thankful that Charlotte Featherstone like myself hasn’t forgotten the impact that Matthew has on the female senses.

This little novella finds Matthew basking in wedded bliss so to speak with that untamed wildness within him roaring its head because his beloved wife Jane has been avoiding him for the past 3 months. A man who has a voracious appetite for anything and everything to do with carnal desires of the flesh, Jane had been the woman to bring him down to his knees and possess his heart for all eternity. So it is a brooding Matthew we find ourselves with, dangerous and turbulent emotions swirling deep inside of him, all the while wrecking his brains trying to think up the reason why his strong and brave Jane suddenly seems to be without the very fire that stirs him up.

Jane has her own reasons to be shy around Matthew. Giving birth has put its own toll on her body and needless to say a woman who thinks of herself plain when compared to a husband whose dark vivid good looks is the talk of the town has Jane hesitating to give herself over to her husband, even when she aches to do so.

What Matthew does is breathtaking in its eroticism, beautiful in the way that it brought everything female deep inside of me alive and had my senses humming all throughout. Every woman, and I mean every single woman deserves a man like Matthew who can love like he does, without reservations, without conditions, for time and eternity, until death does them apart. Let the sighing fest begin!

Cannot recommend this highly enough for those who love Matthew. He is the man!

Favorite Quotes

[Jane] “You know how I feel about you. About what we share. I did not mean it in such a way.”
“No?” he whispered wickedly, his gaze finding hers, latching on with strength and determination. “I don‟t believe you. I think you had better show me, Jane.” 
She kissed him, slow, lazily, her lips moving over his mouth, slowly winding, becoming deeper, sensual, and then slowly her tongue penetrated his mouth, touching his tongue, flicking around the tip of his. He groaned, wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her up against his bulging phallus that felt so large and hard. Her core ached, needing that deep inside her.

“I’m a hedonist, and you, Jane, my wife, should know that about me. You’ve shared my body and bed, you know things about me that no other soul on earth does. Who can I not be a sensualist with than, you, Jane? Who else to act out my wicked fantasies, than the woman who inspires them? There is no shame in fantasies, in pleasure. Who other than us needs to know what we’ve done, what brings the other pleasure?”

[…] “But Jane, tonight I’m going to watch–and so are you. It will not be dark when I look upon you. There will be no clothes–only your skin. There will be no wiggling and squirming away from me. You will lie still and let me look. I will take as long as I want, gorge myself on the sight of you, and you will not resist. You will not utter one word to the contrary. You will accept everything I give you. And you will be loved, Jane. Loved so that you never forget that you are the only woman for me. You always have been. And you always will be.”

“Don’t” be shocked, Jane,” he murmured as he lifted her higher, and poised her at the tip of his cock. “Don‟t be embarrassed. Not with me. You‟re gorgeous, and everything about you is perfect.” 
She nodded, met his gaze, and they held each other as she sunk down slowly upon him, impaling herself.  
She cried out, her hand flying to her lower belly. 
“Feel me all the way up there, do you my love?” 
She nodded, began to move, and he let her, just felt her body move and undulate beneath his palms.

“Jane, look at me,” he asked, and when she did, he knew she was seeing what she needed in his eyes. 
“You are the only woman for me–it‟s only ever been you. I told you once before, that I have never loved before you, and I will never love again. Jane,” he said, forcing her face to down to his. “There is no condition on my love. No end to my desire. Don‟t put them there, my love.”

“Jane,” he whispered as the streaks of dawn broke through their bedroom window. “Once more. In the daylight, so I can see you with the sun upon your skin.”
And she rolled over, smiled, and held open her arms to him, welcoming him home at last.

Download Link: Mystic Castle

outstandingread

by mvbookreviewer

Score Sheet Review: Flash Point by Shelli Stevens

Format: E-bookflashpoint.JPG
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series: Holding Out for a Hero, Book 3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Todd Wyatt
Heroine: Caitleen (Kate)
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: March 8, 2011
Started On: March 5, 2012
Finished On: March 5, 2012

CATEGORY SCORE GRADE
The hero 90 A
The heroine 90 A
Story line 90 A
Emotional Intensity 90 A
Story’s ability to suck me in 90 A
Heat & Sensuality  95 A
Conflicts within the story 90 A
Writing Style 95 A
Quotable Factor 60 A
The Ending 80 A
Overall Grade 87 A

Score Sheet Summary

Flash Point is a novella that I have been meaning to read for quite sometime. Almost a year to the date that it was first published, I managed to find some time to squeeze this novella in between some of my heavy reads and I enjoyed the escape that Shelli Stevens provided with this red-hot novella which combines elements of friends turning into lovers with a hero who is commitment phobic to the extreme and a heroine who is sunny, bubbly and vivacious as they come.

Todd Wyatt might want to go on thinking of Kate as a younger sister. But something vital in their relationship seems to have shifted after that tentative kiss that Kate had placed on him 5 months back and for the world of him Todd cannot seem to get the kiss out of his mind.

Kate has been half in love with Todd almost all her adult life, no wonder when Todd is the type of man that every woman in the vicinity wants to tame and call their own. But Kate knows that Todd is not the type for a long term relationship, but even that doesn’t stop her from staking her claim and taking anything and everything that Todd is ready and willing to give, even if it means that Kate would have to walk away nursing a broken heart when all is said and done.

I loved this installment of the Holding Out for a Hero series. Todd is a fireman who has got his own set of insecurities to deal with and the best thing about him was his possessiveness when it comes to Kate, which even he cannot explain. Kate was just lovely, a heroine that I utterly adored in all the ways.

Highly recommended, this is a novella best read after at least reading book 2 in the series, Command and Control which was the book that intrigued me to look up Todd and Kate’s story.

Favorite Quotes

[Todd] “There isn’t a woman I’m trying to impress with baking. I made that up.”
Kate frowned, stilling in her efforts to free herself. “Why did you say that then?”
“Damn it, to keep this from happening.” His head blocked out the light as it dipped, and then his mouth crashed down on hers.
Shock ripped through her as his lips masterfully parted hers, his tongue plunging inside to taste her.

She teetered to catch her balance, but his arm still held her, kept her from falling. And then his mouth crashed down on hers and her balance went wonky for other reasons.
Kate clutched his shoulders and moaned, parting her lips to his fierce kiss. The smell of his familiar, spicy cologne filled her senses. His tongue explored every inch of her mouth, his hands roving over her body. It was deliberate. A man staking his claim. Every female instinct inside of her could sense it.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Samhain | BoB

awesomeread

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Hide’n Go Seek by Dale Mayer

Format: E-bookhidengoseek.jpg
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Series: Psychic Visions, Book 2
Publisher: Valley Publishers
Hero: Grant Summers
Heroine: Kali Jordan
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: December 2, 2011
Started On: February 19, 2012
Finished On: March 5, 2012

Kali Jordan dedicates all her waking hours in contributing to the Second Chance SAR center where she works in more ways than one. Armed with her Labrador Retriever Shiloh, Kali is blessed with “The Sight” as her grandmother called it, something that frustrates Kali as much as it helps her in accurately pinpointing out those in need of rescue. However, her work and dedication to what she does doesn’t come with its own price. The loss of lives and the delicate balance between life and death brings her down and Kali is someone who feels these emotions a lot more than she lets on.

Things take a turn when someone starts on a mission to give the “survivors” what they deserve, the killer believing that it is against God’s will to rescue them in the first place. Thus the killer embarks on a mission to taunt and elude Kali, to bring out to the open the witchery that guides her to be as successful as she is at what she does. 

FBI agent Grant Summers enters her life at this inopportune moment. From the first meeting itself, Kali feels deep inside of her that Grant is someone she has met before but has no recollection of whatsoever. The way she takes comfort in Grant’s company is one reason why she doesn’t get freaked out of the way her senses go on high alert whenever Grant is around. But before anything can happen between them, Kali needs to find the killer who is willing to do whatever it takes to bring Kali to her very knees, even if it means making use of innocent victims to teach Kali a lesson that she would never forget.

Hide’N Go Seek is a novel that flows smoothly right from the very start. I believe this is the first book I have read in which a heroine is in the profession of Search and Rescue and Dale certainly sheds light on a lot of aspects involved in the back breaking work that these heroic individuals embark on, putting their very lives on the line with each mission. The toll it takes on their physical and emotional well being is one that Dale has pulled off very well and I for one immensely enjoyed this aspect of the story.

Kali and Grant are both likable characters. I believe the author has spent more time on developing and bringing across Kali’s character and her life much more than Grant and that was one factor that disappointed me a bit in the story. I wanted Grant’s character to take as much limelight as Kali and I wanted to know where he was coming from, his past and what shapes up his character. Nevertheless, both characters come across as the sort you can depend upon, their inherent need to see justice meted out one of the characteristics that drew me towards them. 

The mystery/suspense potion of the story was quite well done. I had my finger on who the killer could be, and I was right in my choice as well. Maybe I have watched too many movies with twists and turns to really be surprised by any villain that comes across any longer. But Dale has certainly spun a well balanced story in terms of the mystery, suspense and the paranormal aspects embedded to make the story that unfolds that much more interesting.

One of the factors that irked me a bit was the lack of romance between Grant and Kali even by half way into the book. With 400+ pages, I found that I wanted that connection between Grant and Kali to come to life, the need that seems to pulse between them to be realized before the whole story reached its eventual climax. In the end, through all the twists and turns the story took, Kali and Grant eventually managed to get there on their own time, and the concluding chapter when it came served as a satisfactory ending to a story that was interesting, highly readable and enjoyable. Recommended for fans of Dale Mayer and fans of mystery/suspense novels with a bit of romance and paranormal in the mix.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Envy by Sandra Brown

Format: E-bookenvy
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Hero: Parker Mackensie Evans
Heroine: Maris Matherly-Reed
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: August 1, 2002
Started On: March 2, 2012
Finished On: March 2, 2012

This is the 2nd book that I have chosen to read because fellow book reviewer Brie seemed to recommend the book so highly. And I have got to believe the girl and take her recommendations to heart because for the world of me, I couldn’t seem to put down this book once I started to read. Envy makes for such a compelling read that I resented every single minute I had to be away from the story that unfolded, bringing home the fact that when it comes to thrillers of the romantic suspense variety, there is none like Sandra Brown who can deliver on every aspect of the story.

Parker Mackensie Evans is a man who has been biding his time, plotting and planning the perfect revenge for his best friend turned foe Noah Reed. Parker has got the bait that would draw Noah’s wife, Maris Matherly-Reed in, and use her in his plot for revenge and vengeance that he has been waiting for for the past 14 years. A man with enough scars on the inside and the outside to last him a lifetime, Parker’s story is one of pain, heartbreak and eventually one full of lessons for anyone willing to read between the lines.

Maris Matherly-Reed is the ultimate heir to Matherly Press, one of the most renowned publishing houses in the country. Maris’s marriage to Noah Reed is going on 22 months and though Maris feels those twinges of unease about her husband and his inattention towards her oft late, she manages to brush it aside and go on with her daily life. Maris adores her father, and rightfully so when Daniel Matherly had brought her up single-handedly, given her all the love and affection in the world, taught her how to be true to herself and all that she believes in. Maris though is the senior vice-president of Matherly Press, she craves for those days when she had been an editor involved in the nitty-gritty process involved in shaping up a good book and delivering it to readers. So when she comes across a manuscript entitled “Envy” that draws her in with the characters and the story that it hints at, Maris trusts her gut instincts and seeks out the author who lives in the remote island of St. Anne.

Little does Maris know that when it comes to Parker, nothing is as it seems and that Maris is merely a means to an end that Parker wants so badly, even if it means that he has to forgo the only chance he would ever have at love and maybe finally peace from all those nightmares that continues to haunt him night and day. Parker’s manuscript with two characters Todd and Roarke that span the years of the 80’s is a story of two best friends whose competitiveness to outdo each other as the first one to land a publishing contract goes horribly wrong when one of the characters involved continue to harbor a darkness deep within his soul, intent in going through any means to achieve fame and fortune which he believes to be rightfully his. It is up to Maris to dig deeper in order to unravel the truth behind the story, to find out whether the story is indeed fiction or a true story which could have dire consequences on her life and those whom she holds near and dear to her if left unheeded.

Envy is one of those stories that I seem to have missed during the days in which I positively devoured every Sandra Brown book that I could get my hands on. And as I mentioned at the beginning of my review, Envy turned out to be a story that I couldn’t get enough of, Parker’s multifaceted character reason enough to dig deeper into the story. Parker is the brooding, cynical, manipulative hero and all rightfully so based on all that he has gone through in life. His careful plotting and planning doesn’t get him far when he encounters Maris in flesh, the woman who in the end turns his life and best laid plans all around. Suddenly things don’t seem to be as clear cut as Parker wants them to be, but the fire of vengeance that burns and taints his soul is one that refuses to be denied, and Parker pays the price of letting go of the one woman who could have brought that much needed light into his otherwise dark and bleak existence.

Maris was a character that I simply adored. She is such a true romantic at heart that it is hard not to fall for her even as the story begins. Maris is a woman who cares, perhaps a bit too much, but a woman who nevertheless defines fairer sex as they should be. She is strong, patient and loving and has that innate kindness inside of her that reaches out to those around her. Her reaction towards Parker is an alien one, one that confounds her and makes her question her vows to a man who seems to have bedazzled her with his charm and wit beneath which lies cruelty and a will to hurt that surpasses anything that Maris has ever encountered before in her life. The one thing Maris learns is that nothing is as it seems and to trust no one but her instincts that have guided her until now.

The twists and turns the plot takes are endless, ones that leaves you reeling from one twist to the next. Sandra Brown is definitely a master at what she does and Envy is a testament to her ability to deliver a good mystery/thriller with elements of romance in the mix, recommended for fans of Sandra Brown and fans of the genre.

Favorite Quotes

[Parker] “We know why I kissed you last night, Maris.”
“To frighten me off.”
He frowned. “That doesn’t even merit an argument. I kissed you because you braved Terry’s and showed up everybody in the place, including me. I kissed you because just looking at you made me ache. I kissed you because I’m a rotten son of a bitch and your mouth looked so goddamn kissable. Simply put, I kissed you because I wanted to. It’s something I admit and you damn well know. But there is one question that’s driving me fucking crazy.”
His eyes focused harder on hers and, by doing so, penetrated. “Why did you kiss me back?” 

He gathered a handful of her hair, then wound it around his fist and drew her closer until their faces were inches apart. He hesitated for several heartbeats, then settled his lips against hers, tested the angle, readjusted. He was moderately controlled until he heard a small whimper from her. He backed off, looked down into her eyes, and recognized a desire that equaled his own.
Control was abandoned. He covered her face with wild, random, artless kisses and she was doing the same to him. Then mouths melded and tongues touched, and they kissed with carnal greed.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Book Depository

fantasticread

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss by Maya Banks

Format: E-booktemptedbyherinnocentkiss.jpg
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Pregnancy & Passion, #3
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Devon Carter
Heroine: Ashley Copeland
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 6, 2012
Started On: February 28, 2012
Finished On: March 3, 2012

Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss is the 3rd book in Maya Banks’ Pregnancy & Passion series. Though I missed out on book 1, I definitely became intrigued with the series after reading book 2, Wanted by Her Lost Love which turned out to be a great read.

Devon Carter has always been ambitious. Though he finds everything wrong with the deal that William Copeland forces on him, Devon goes along with the plan and dines and woos William’s only daughter Ashley Copeland, all the while beguiled by her innocence and drawn towards her in a manner that is altogether foreign for someone like Devon. 

For Ashley, who is blissfully unaware of the machinations behind Devon’s courting, she is head over heels in love for the very first time in her life. Agreeing to marry the man she loves because deep in her heart Ashley believes that beneath that reserved exterior of Devon’s lies a heart that loves her as much as she loves him, Ashley never foresees the ultimate betrayal waiting for her on the very night that her honeymoon is to begin.

Devon is devastated when his wife discovers the truth behind their marriage, and though he would rather cut off a body part of his than hurt Ashley, out comes the accusations that hurts Ashley just that much more. But Ashley is a determined woman who embarks on a mission to win the love of her husband even if it means turning her back on who she is deep inside, until the charade becomes too much and so comes her breaking point when everything becomes just too much.

Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss started out on a very slow note. But from the moment Devon and Ashley says their ‘I Do’s”, Maya brings in the angst and the overload of emotion that holds on to you until you see Devon and Ashley to their happily ever after.

Ashley is the type of heroine that we come across very rarely in romance novels oft late, a time when authors strive to go for the type of heroines who are independent and on a self-proclaimed war to prove themselves to be as competent as the opposite sex. Ashley is the sweet and sunny type of heroine who just makes you smile whenever she comes into the story. Her naivety is not surprising given the fact that she has led a sheltered life, loved for who she is by everyone that surrounds her. But being rejected for who she is by the only man she has fallen in love with leaves its own mark on her and Ashley gives everything she has to make her marriage to Devon work.

Devon is a hero who is a bit bewildered in the face of chaotic emotions. He is all about control and whenever Ashley is around, control of his emotions and surroundings is the furthest thing that he is capable of. Devon remains clueless even when he begins to lose the woman that at first drew him to her, the woman whose exuberant nature he starts to miss even though he doesn’t know what it is that he actually craves for. Devon is a lost soul who only begins to find his way towards the woman who makes him feel on top of the world a trifle bit too late, and from then on Devon does the grovelling bit like everything else he does, with dedication and utter focus, his sole aim to win back his wife and never ever let her go.

From reading this review one might think that Devon is a heartless SOB, but far from it. Devon is a character you fall in love because of those little things through which he shows his caring and love towards his wife even when he is not ready to show or acknowledge the depth of his feelings towards her. He might want to bury his head in the sand and forget the roller coaster ride his emotions take whenever he sees abject hurt on Ashley’s face, but he hurts right along and wants nothing more than to erase all her sorrows and see a smile upon her face. For those reasons alone, Devon is a character worth giving over your heart to and I found myself doing just that before half way through the story.

A wonderful addition to the Pregnancy and Passion series, Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss is a novel recommended for those who love quick, short and sweet reads with a lot of angst and toe curling passion in the mix. Cannot wait for Cam’s story to come out as he sounds exactly like my type of hero.

Favorite Quotes

He wrapped one arm around her waist, and cupped her nape with his other hand. This time when he kissed her there was none of the restraint she’d seen in the past. It was like kissing an inferno.
Hot, breathless, so overwhelming that her senses shattered. 

Instead of answering her, he moved over her in a powerful rush. He took her mouth roughly, devouring her lips as his tongue plunged inside, tangling with hers.
Her body surged to life, arching up into his. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gathered her tightly against him. Their bodies were as fused as their mouths. Between her legs, she could feel him so hard. Hot.

Her eyes widened and a strangled sound escaped her throat as she sought to process the sudden wash of conflicting sensations that bombarded her from every angle.
He was deep. Impossibly deep. She surrounded him. He surrounded her. Their hips were flush against each other. His body covered hers possessively. There was a burning ache deep inside her, and she couldn’t discern whether it was pleasure or pain.

She smiled then, an adorable, sweet smile that took his breath away. He forgot all about trying to maintain an air of civility. His inner caveman came barreling out, grunting and pounding his chest and muttering unintelligible words.

He unraveled at light speed, his release sharp, bewildering and beautiful. His hips were still convulsively moving against her body as he settled down over her, too exhausted and spent to remember his own name. The one he’d demanded she say just moments ago.
He became aware of gentle caresses. Her hands gently stroking over his back. He was probably crushing her but he couldn’t bring himself to move. He was inside her. Over her. Completely covering her. She was his.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Harlequin | Book Depository

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by mvbookreviewer

Announcement: Giveaway Winners

winnerspickofthemonth

First of all, as always, a huge thank you to everyone of you who participated and helped spread the word.

Winners were chosen randomly and will be contacted soon via e-mail. Make sure to check your e-mails to see whether you have received an email from maldivianbookreviewer(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Winners of Pick #1, More than One Night by Sarah Mayberry

Claudia and Gena. 

Winners of Pick #2, The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

Charmaine and Gena, who seems to have rocked this giveaway.

Congratulations to ALL the winners.

by mvbookreviewer

Pick of the Month February 2012: Interviews & Giveaway!

This February, my two picks are contemporary romances, my favorite genre of romance. They are titles from great authors, whose books I adore and would never pass an opportunity to indulge. So without further ado, my picks for the month of February 2012 ladies and gentlemen.

Pick #1: More than One Night by Sarah Mayberrymorethanonenight

MBR: Undoubtedly, Charlie is one of the most unusual heroines I have ever come across. How did she morph her way into becoming one of the lead characters of your latest novel?

SM: When I thought about this scenario (an accidental pregnancy) one of the things that I thought was vital to the believability of the story was that there be a real reason for either the hero or heroine to walk away from what was undoubtably an awesome night of smokin’ hot sauciness. Obviously, a man bailing the way Charlie did would make him a complete alphahole (to quote Karina Bliss!) but a woman needs some pretty powerful reasons, too. Charlie popped into my head almost fully formed as I considered why someone would sneak away from a one night stand like that. The fact that she’d been in the army, her aloneness, her lack of self esteem – it was all there. I’m not sure why or how that happened, and it certainly doesn’t happen with all my characters, but that’s the way it was with her. Romance tends to be a genre that plays with self-deprecating heroines who undervalue themselves on some level – appearance, achievements, whatever, but I really wanted to explore what a woman would be like who believes herself to be intrinsically unlovable. She’s missed out on her mother’s love because she died giving birth, and her father never expressed his love for her… She needs someone like Rhys so badly. She was actually one of the most personally heartbreaking heroines I’ve ever written.

MBR: As I mentioned in my review, you have taken a plot that is pretty much cliche’ in romanceldia and managed to make it a memorable one. What made you follow this plot line and explore the possibility of a happily ever after with two characters such as Rhys and Charlie?

SM: As you said, this plot is as old as Adam and Eve. Most romance tropes or themes have been written a million times in a million different ways – it’s rare to find an author blazing entirely new territory. I have long believed that it’s the author’s “take” on a theme or a common trope that makes it different from another writer’s efforts, and for some reason the idea of tackling the accidental baby scenario tip-toed across my mind when I was coming up with proposals for future books. And, once I’d started thinking about how you bring about an accidental pregnancy, I imagined Charlie and Rhys and knew that I *had* to write this story because I had to give Charlie her HEA. So, really, I was toying with the trope, exploring it as a story starter, and then I found the characters and got sucked in…

MBR: I have my own reasons for admitting to the fact that Charlie was a character who drove me to tear. In your opinion, what is it about Charlie that makes a reader bleed while reading her story?

SM:  I don’t know if you have seen the New Zealand movie Whale Rider, but I pretty much bawled my eyes out through the whole thing. I found it an incredibly emotional experience, and everyone I know felt the same way (but perhaps with not quite the same amount of eye leakage!). The theme of this movie is parental approval – a little girl striving desperately to earn her grandfather’s approval and attention (he’s her stand-in parent). I think it’s a universal theme, because most of us have experienced at the minimum a moment where we wanted/needed our father or mother’s approval/love and were uncertain about it. You see little children following their parents around all the time,waiting for their gaze to fall on them. And the way kids light up like little beacons when they get a pat on the back or a hug or praise… It’s powerful stuff and even if we get better at denying and rationalising our need as adults, those visceral memories are still there, buried deep. Charlie has missed out on so much a lot of us take for granted, and I think it’s a rare person indeed who hasn’t had moments of self doubt the way she does. Beneath her no-nonsense, get-business-done demeanor, she’s hugely vulnerable and incredibly sensitive. And scared, too. Certainly, I have experienced moments of self doubt the way she has, which is what I channeled when writing this story.  

MBR: So what is next from Sarah Mayberry?

SM: My next release is called Within Reach. It’s an August release and is about Angie and Michael and the year they spend in each other’s pockets trying to get through the grief of losing Michael’s wife, Billie, who was Angie’s BFF.  I called it “the grief book” while I was writing it, for obvious reasons. Angie and Michael have absolutely no interest in each other at the start of the book. Billie is their point of connection, but when she dies suddenly and unexpectedly, they begin a whole new phase of their relationship as Angie does her damnedest to help keep Michael and his two kids’ heads above water through difficult times.  As they grow to know each other as friends instead of merely through Billie, they forge a true connection – and discover an unwanted, unwilling mutual attraction. It’s not something either of them even want to acknowledge, and it comes with lots of guilt and denial – but it’s fueled by some pretty hot sexual attraction and eventually Things Happen (cough). There was some tough stuff in this book and I desperately wanted another 10,000 words to play with… but, sadly, they were not on the table. I’m waiting to hear back from my editor on final edits – it’s running a little late! – but I’m looking forward to seeing how this one winds up and what the wonderful Harlequin art department comes up with, cover wise.

Pick #2: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probstthemarriagebargain

MBR: I would be the first to admit, you completely blew me away with The Marriage Bargain. And the thread of humor in the novel is very nicely done. What made you come up with the Marriage to a Billionaire series?

JP: I’m so glad you loved the humor! First off, I adore marriages of convenience – it’s always been one of my favorite themes, with a wonderful way to force the hero and heroine together and demand they deal with their relationship. I decided to write a book with the common theme but twist it to include other items I love to see in a great romance:  quick wit and sharp conversation between the hero and heroine, tons of sexual tension, and the crazy, everyday chaos that is life. This includes but is not limited to: dogs, toddlers, and big old fashioned families! It started with an idea for a love spell. A girlfriend told me about a spell where you make a list of all the specific qualities in a mate and the universe will send him. This intrigued me, and what a great idea for an opening scene! Of course, being a writer, I wondered what would happen if the universe seemed to send the wrong man, and they were stuck with one another. Fun for me..not as much for them until the end!

MBR: Alexa was such a wonderful heroine. She landed in my list of favorite heroines just because of that. How did you come with her character, give her that wholesome family experience that makes her the well balanced character she is?

JP: I’m so glad you love Alexa! She was such an easy character to live with while I wrote her story. I related to her, and I loved the way she took the bad stuff that happened in her family and transformed it. I’m struck a lot by different family tales, and how no one’s past is ever perfect. Alcoholism, infidelity, neglect, abuse, or just being ignored can cause a person, and a character, to be scarred. Alexa may have had a rocky past, but she was able to work her way through to forgiveness. She never turned her back on her family, and they stuck together. Forgiveness is a powerful tool in Alexa’s arsenal, along with a good cheer and humor that gets her through life. What I love most about Alexa is she’s one us – working on the day to day stuff, getting messy, letting herself feel and experience it all. She’s in the trenches and not up on some pedestal. That is what I wanted to sketch out the most in her character and I hope I succeeded.

MBR:I loved so many things about Nick and I could gush on about him forever. What would you say is your most favorite trait about his character as the one who created him?

JP: Lord, I love Nick. He will always hold a very special place in my heart. Nick is full of love and goodness, but never got a chance to show it or express any of those feelings, nor receive them back. Then all the negativity blocked him from ever truly growing, until he meets Alexa. My favorite trait is his ability to be loyal, and to finally push past his fear to take a chance on love. We all need courage for that. His huge leap at the end of the book puts it all out there – and that terrified the poor man (but I made him do it anyway – hee hee!) Oh, and I just love all that fierce passionate focus when he’s either designing his buildings or seducing Alexa…who wouldn’t love that?

MBR: So what is next from Jennifer Probst?

JP: Yes! I am very excited to say I’m working on Maggie and the Count’s story entitled The Marriage Trap. Maggie was a bit pushy in The Marriage Bargain. After the first draft, I noticed she had tried to take over the book! So, I promised I’d write her story next, then I pried her out of many pages so Alexa could shine. Now it’s finally Maggie’s turn, and she’s just as pushy in her own story! But this one will take my readers to Bergamo and Milan, Italy, where you will meet many new characters, revisit some old, and watch Michael and Maggie embark on a fake marriage to satisfy an old family custom.

And if you like my erotic novellas, I have two more in the series with Decdadent’s 1NS for The Steele Brothers – Play Me and Dare Me coming out this year.

Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity to talk about my books, interact with your readers, and be spotlighted on one of my favorite review sites!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

This month’s giveaway includes:

  1. Two copies of More than One Night by Sarah Mayberry. You get  to choose whether you want an e-copy or the Paperback. If you choose to win the Paperback, you should live in a country to which the Book Depository offers free shipping.
  2. Two e-copies The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst, one copy which is being offered by Jennifer Probst herself.

Giveaway Rules:

  1. Open a page of the current book that you are reading. (If you are not reading a book at the moment, open a page of the book that’s nearest to you.) And give me 3 sentences from the page you open up. Please do not forget to mention the book title and author as well. And tell me whether you like what you have read so far!
  2. Leave a valid e-mail address for a way to contact you in case you are the winner!
  3. Help spread the word about the giveaway! Tweet and earn 5 extra entries, or recommend this post on Facebook & earn 5 extra entries. Post the URL of your tweet or recommendation post on Facebook in your comment.
  4. Like my page on Facebook to gain 5 extra more entries. If you are already a follower of my page, just state so and you would gain your 5 extra entries.

Giveaway Timings:

  • Giveaway begins: 00:00 hours, March 1, 2012 – Maldivian Time
  • Giveaway ends: 00:00 hours, March 3, 2012 – Maldivian Time
  • Maldivian Timezone: GMT+5
by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Run from Fear by Jami Alden

Format: E-bookrunfromfear
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Series: Trilogy, Book 3
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hero: Jack Brooks
Heroine: Talia Vega 
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 1, 2012
Started On: February 25, 2012
Finished On: February 28, 2012

Run from Fear by Jami Alden is the much coveted 3rd book in the untitled trilogy that showcases Jami’s remarkable ability in delivering romantic suspense the way we readers crave them. Anyone who has read the 1st book in the series entitled Beg for Mercy would have encountered the larger than life Jack Brooks and definitely craved to learn more about the man behind the intimidating figure. I belong in the said group and when I saw this title up for grabs at Netgalley, I quickly seized my chance get my hands on a copy. Though I was disappointed in the book when compared to the previous 2 books in the series, Jami Alden still manages to deliver a decent romantic suspense that makes for a none too shabby a read.

Talia Vega is slowly making a life for herself in an affluent corner of California, having survived one of the most horrific incidents a woman can ever go through. Two years of her life spent in hiding with her younger sister Rosario in tow means that Talia appreciates the freedom that life has offered her with the death of the man who had made her a slave of his in every way. Talia’s regrets in life are many, and the way she looks at herself and comes up lacking is one of the many scars left behind with many more, some of them even physical in nature. Talia’s only aim is to give her sister everything she has got to give and though she feels those tendrils of unease coursing through her every now and then, she lets them slide through never knowing that her days of enjoying peace, serenity and order in her life are quite numbered.

Jack Brooks is ex-military and works in the security business. From the moment Jack had encountered the sexy siren version of Talia, Jack had been a goner. And watching Talia pick up the pieces of her tattered life and come out fighting the demons that must haunt her just makes Jack feel emotions of a stronger nature towards a woman who already has him on a dangerous edge. Jack stays on the sidelines, never letting Talia know just how much he is affected by her, and only re-enters her life 2 years later in order to severe the ties that binds him to her, or so he tells himself.

But so it happens, danger is never too far from Talia and Rosario and once again Talia is the focus of a stalker who would stop at nothing to complete a legacy that he claims to be rightfully his. Jack once he learns of the danger is as unmovable as a ton of steel and whether Talia wants it or not, Jack is around to stay until he can once again breathe easy, knowing that Talia and Rosario would remain safe from the clutches of mad men.

As always, Jami Alden does a superb job out of creating a villain, whose vicious thoughts alone is enough to give a person the shivers of the bad variety. But knowing who the villain was right from the very start somehow stole all the glory from the suspense aspect of the story, though the nature of the villain’s fascination with Talia and how he goes about securing access to Talia is one that was splendid.

Talia was a tough nut to crack. Though she is beautiful, smart and independent, she has a lot of self esteem issues, understandable when throughout her life men had deceived and made use of her. Talia is not ready for a relationship, especially not with someone like Jack who makes her feel uncomfortable and tingly all over, all at the same time. Talia is cautious with whom she gives her trust, and comes across as a bitch sometimes and makes life pretty much miserable for Jack who adores the very path that she walks on. And maybe it was because of that reason that I couldn’t like Talia much though she makes for a strong heroine in most of the ways.

Now, Jack Brooks is the type of hero that I salivate over all the time. I like larger than life heroes and Jack is one of them whose sheer size is in direct contrast with his gentle nature. He has “knight in shining armor” syndrome, something that had been triggered due to the abuse he had witnessed and gone through as a child. And when it comes to Talia, Jack’s over protectiveness is something to behold, his utter lack of control around Talia something to be savored. His gentleness around Talia who is skittish as a newborn colt when it comes to expressing sexual desire was one of the best aspects of his character. I totally fell for him because Jack is a man who is willing to do anything, and I mean literally anything to be with the woman he loves, to protect and cosset her and give her the life that he feels she deserves. 

So, even though certain elements within the story didn’t work that well for me, Run from Fear still made for a great read, Jack Brooks’ character the reason I am bumping the rating from the “good read” range to the “great read” range. 

Recommended for fans of the series and fans of Jami Alden. Jami certainly knows how to deliver on heroes that would appeal to the female readers and Jack Brooks is no exception.

Favorite Quotes

[Jack] “Don’t kid yourself for a fucking second that I don’t feel anything for you.”
Her lips parted in shock, but before she could get a word out, he covered them with his own. She made a high, startled sound in the back of her throat.
Pleasure, red, blinding, exploded through him at the first taste. Sweet, spicy, better than all his fevered imaginings. Her lips soft and giving against him, her tongue delicious and moist as he sucked it into his mouth.

She couldn’t deny him anything. She reached behind her and unhooked the bra, leaving breasts completely bare to his stroking hands.
Her mouth sought his, licking, sucking, leaning into his touch as she tried to tell him without words how much she wanted him, needed him. How desperate she was for his touch, how she’d needed him, needed this, all along and hadn’t even realized it.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | BoB | Book Depository

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Bluestone Homecoming by M.J. Fredrick

Format: E-bookbluestonehomecoming
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Welcome to Bluestone, Book 1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Leo Erickson
Heroine: Trinity Madison
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: January 31, 2012
Started On: February 17, 2012
Finished On: February 25, 2012

M. J. Fredrick has a talent for creating characters that one can always relate  to. The romance that sizzles is always an added incentive to seek her books out because I for one am always certain that if the book is written by M. J. Fredrick, I wouldn’t ever have a reason to regret my purchase.

Bluestone Homecoming is the debut novel in a series centered around the small town of Bluestone. Leo Erickson is the hotshot war correspondent that had always felt the need to get away and had done so as soon as he could from his hometown Bluestone. And now Leo is back, the first step he takes in making amends towards his son Max whom he had left behind, too taken up on his own grief after the death of his wife to take care of his son’s needs. 

Trinity Madison is the Bluestone Elementary School counselor and is the daughter of a Reverend, still paying for her one indiscretion during her youth, one which her family still hasn’t forgotten and won’t let her forget or forgive herself. When Leo comes into town, her emotions take a leap in a direction it hasn’t for the past 8 years and Trinity is both scared and in anticipation of what could come out of a brief fling between herself and Leo with Leo uncertain of how he wants to proceed with his future.

Leo never takes into account how he well he might settle into small town life, especially with the way Trinity makes him feel deep inside as if he could once again be happy and have a second chance with his son with whom he has a difficult time at first. But Trinity’s secret when it comes out, would it have the power to drive them apart or would Leo be the man Trinity believes him to be deep in her heart, the man who would save her from her endless guilt and give her the love and support that she needs to move on with her life.

Bluestone Homecoming starts out a bit slow, laying down the foundation of the series, introducing the reader to the wholesome and charming and sometimes intriguing characters of Bluestone. Once the story picks up pace and things start happening, Bluestone Homecoming definitely pulled me in and charmed the socks off of me. Leo and Trinity both being likable characters made for an endearing couple, the attraction between them somehow sweet and sizzling hot at the same time. Leo’s relationship with his son Max was one of the most beautiful aspects of the story. That initial awkwardness and the pain both of them have never let out since the death of the woman who had meant the world to them is one that had my heart going out for them. 

Bluestone is a town that has been hit hard by the financial climate and it was heartwarming to see all of them band up together to find a way to generate more income for their small community. Leo finds his footing and his place in Bluestone through this process of helping the town remake its image, in getting involved with ordinary day-to-day life that somehow ends up being moments that he starts savoring once he gets into the groove of things.

Though the ending was a bit rushed, I decided to forgive M. J. because she has got the next book out already and Quinn and Lily’s book which I am counting on to be explosive and already my most favorite couple from the series would be out latest somewhere in March. Couldn’t ask for a better birthday present for myself if Lily and Quinn’s story turns out to be everything I expect it to be and I am certain M. J. won’t disappoint.

Great introduction into a heartwarming series whose characters, the scene and the setting worms their way into your heart before you know it.

Favorite Quotes

He closed the door behind her and turned, blocking her view of the surprisingly neat room to crowd her against the door. “I’ve wanted to do this all week. Even dreamed about it this morning.” And he touched his lips to hers.
She curved into the warmth of his body, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her fingers tunneling through his hair as he dipped his tongue between her parted lips, stroking, playing, teasing. 

The next thing she knew, he’d turned her so her back was against one of the wider trees. He stroked the hair back from her jaw and kissed her, his mouth hot and hungry. She returned the intensity, her arms around his shoulders, her fingers in his hair, her body pressed against him as if just that could ease the ache coursing through her. His hands molded her waist, bringing her closer, his tongue stroked between her lips in a rhythm that made every nerve sing.

He lifted his head and looked into her eyes as he tugged at her shirt, pulling it from beneath her, pulling it over her head until she lay beneath him in her bra, and an insubstantial one at that. His nostrils flared as he took in the sight of her in the dim light, and he trailed his fingertips over the slope of her breast to touch her extended nipple. She held her breath in anticipation as he paused, then rolled it between his fingers. When he bent his head, she closed her eyes, and let the heat of his mouth become the focal point of her world.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

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